Big picture: Two familiar rivals chasing a maiden title Desert Vipers dominated the ILT20 2025 league stage like no other. They won six of their first seven matches, became the first side to confirm a playoffs position, and ended the league phase as table-toppers. But… it’s not all been hunky dory. Vipers have played 12 matches so far this season, of which they have only lost four. Three of those…

South Australia 124 (Sangha 45, Couch 4-33, Rocchiccioli 3-10) lead Western Australia 120 (Fanning 49, Scott 3-10, Buckingham 3-35) by four runs Bowlers feasted as a whopping 20 wickets fell on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield clash between Western Australia and South Australia at the WACA Ground. Defending champions WA lost 8 for 48 as they crashed from 72 for 2 to be rolled for 120 on a…

Queensland 307 for 5 (Clayton 133*, Hearne 63) vs New South Wales Jack Clayton‘s resolute, unbeaten century for Queensland has kept returning New South Wales prodigy Sam Konstas waiting for his first Gabba innings. Bulls No.3 Clayton was unbeaten on 133 after day one as the Sheffield Shield returned in Brisbane on Saturday, the hosts 307 for 5 after being sent in by the Blues. The left-hander’s fourth first class…

Toss New Zealand opt to bat vs Pakistan New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan in the first game of the tri-series, which also involves South Africa. Mitchell Santner opted to set a target on a pitch that appears as flat as ODI pitches have been in Pakistan in recent times. “It’s a good opportunity for us to get a look at these surfaces before…

Victoria 5 for 0 trail Tasmania 236 (O’Connor 53) by 231 runs Tasmania teenager Aidan O’Connor posted a half-century on debut but couldn’t prevent Victoria taking honours on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash in Hobart. O’Connor top-scored with 53 as the hosts were bowled out for 236 on Saturday after being sent in to bat. The 18-year-old allrounder struck six fours and a six in his 92-ball innings….

Lunch Australia 414 (Carey 156, Smith 131, Jayasuriya 5-151) lead Sri Lanka 257 by 157 runs Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya found venomous bite with the second new ball and dismissed centurions Steven Smith and Alex Carey, but Australia built a first-innings lead of 157 runs as the second Test moved quickly early on day three. Underlining that the very dry surface in Galle is difficult to bat on, Australia lost…

Middlesex CCC has confirmed that it has recovered £100,000 that was incorrectly paid to the club’s former CEO Richard Goatley prior to his resignation in 2021, but has offered no comment to the news that Goatley will not be facing criminal charges after the Metropolitan police deemed there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The dispute between the club and Goatley has been an ugly and protracted one, and reached a…

In 2022, in the match that Australia lost at this same venue, Alex Carey played a reverse sweep on 28, holed out in the deep, and a collapse ensued. The last five Australia wickets – Carey’s included – fell for 35 runs. Sri Lanka breezed past Australia’s total, established a 190-run lead, and won by an innings. In this Test, after Sri Lanka had put up what seemed a competitive…

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is under an injury cloud, ahead of the the tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy, after hurting his hamstring while playing in the UAE’s ILT20. In the first qualifier on Wednesday, captaining Desert Vipers against Dubai Capitals, Ferguson left the field without completing his allotment of four overs. There was only one ball left, in both his spell and the innings, and Mohammad…

Fortune Barishal 195 for 7 (Tamim 54, Mayers 46, Shoriful 4-34) beat Chittagong Kings 194 for 3 (Emon 78*, Nafay 66, Clark 44) by three wickets Fortune Barishal crafted the second-highest chase to win a final in men’s T20 cricket, knocking off 195 against Chittagong Kings with three wickets and three balls to spare. And with that they had successfully defended their BPL crown, having come into this season as…