8:15 PM IST Saurabh Somani Close Saurabh Somani is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo Big picture Before IPL 2020 began, Mumbai Indians were everyone’s favourites, and with good reason. A batting order that had four or five players capable of changing a match, a bowling attack that married striking ability with parsimony, great depth, and possibly the best think-tank in the business. All of that still holds true, but the…
Cream rises to the top as Bob Willis Trophy gets a final to savour
8:14 PM IST Big Picture There’s an unmissable irony in the ECB’s decision to name their emergency first-class competition after the late, great Bob Willis. For Willis was not exactly the most enthusiastic defender of the ancient county system. As a player in his international heyday, he was renowned for phoning in the occasional Warwickshire performance to save his best for England, while in 2003, he was at the forefront…
IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals' Kagiso Rabada shares the secret behind his Super Over success
Kagiso Rabada celebrates a wicket © BCCI Kagiso Rabada is one of only two bowlers to have bowled two Super Overs in the IPL, alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Not coincidentally, both times they bowled a Super Over, their teams won the match. Rabada’s Super Over record reads: nine balls bowled, nine runs given, and three wickets taken. Three very impressive wickets too, in Andre Russell, KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran. The…
'I like to take on the big players' – Trent Boult on the Andre Russell challenge
12:51 PM GMT Vishal Dikshit Entrusted with the final over in Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2020 opener against Chennai Super Kings in the absence of Lasith Malinga, where he was taken for two fours in two balls by Faf du Plessis to end the match, Trent Boult called bowling in the death overs the “biggest challenge in T20 cricket”. “It’s the biggest challenge in the game, to be honest,” Boult said…
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2020 – Rolling Report
12:43 PM GMT Deivarayan Muthu Welcome to ESPNcricinfo’s Rolling Report of the fourth IPL 2020 match: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah. On one side, we have the likes of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Sam Curran, Faf du Plessis and others. On the other, there are Steven Smith, Jofra Archer, David Miller, Sanju Samson, Robin Uthappa, Jaydev Unadkat and others. Stay with us to know how…
'The pain has settled' and scans are 'encouraging' – R Ashwin on shoulder injury
R Ashwin picked up two wickets in his first over in Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2020 season opener 12:32 PM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff R Ashwin might be back in action for Delhi Capitals sooner than expected after dislocating his left shoulder in his team’s IPL 2020 opener against Kings XI Punjab, with his scan reports “encouraging”. He also said, on social media that between Monday and Tuesday, that the pain in…
'We can't let this crisis narrow our ambition' – Clare Connor
Clare Connor will become MCC’s first woman President in the 233-year history of the club 11:40 AM GMT Annesha Ghosh Clare Connor, the ECB’s managing director of women’s cricket who is set to assume office in October 2021 as the first female president of the 233-year-old Marylebone Cricket Club, offered a ringside view into women’s cricket administration during an ICC “100% Cricket” virtual event. ESPNcricinfo highlights some key points made…
IPL 2020 injury list: When will Kane Williamson, R Ashwin, Mitchell Marsh return to action?
11:23 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff It’s been only three days since IPL 2020 began, but key players of several franchises have already sustained injuries, some of them serious ones. ESPNcricinfo draws up a ready reckoner of the injuries and the status of the players’ recovery, based on information available form the franchises. Sunrisers Hyderabad Kane Williamson What is the injury?Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner said Williamson had a quadriceps injury….
Alex Carey fights against Josh Philippe's rising tide in wicketkeeper succession
6:44 AM GMT “I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I’m with isn’t it, and what’s it seems weird and scary to me, and it’ll happen to you, too.” Many a cricketer at the mercy of selection whims will find something empathetic in Grandpa Simpson’s line about the passing of time and age. Few, though, will find it ringing more truly than…
Alyssa Healy aims to develop 360-degree strokeplay: 'You might see some new things from me'
Alyssa Healy looking to keep World Cup form rolling as Australia return to the field (1:04) The wicketkeeper says despite six months off she feels the Australian women’s team can keep momentum going from their T20 World Cup win (1:04) 5:10 AM GMT Bowlers beware. Alyssa Healy might be about to bring out even more shots. The Australia wicketkeeper-batter could unveil some new strokeplay in the series against New Zealand…