7:48 AM GMT Wisden Almanack In an extract from the 2020 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, England’s World Cup XI look back on the thrilling denouement to last summer’s unforgettable final at Lord’s Lethal weapon: Archer bowled much of the World Cup in pain, but finished as England’s leading wicket-taker Getty Images Joe Root There wasn’t the normal Lord’s hum, but pockets of pin-drop silence, like a game of snooker. Jofra was unlucky…

Ben Stokes sits in the Headingley dressing room after his match-winning innings  7:28 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Ben Stokes has been named as the leading Cricketer in the World in the 2020 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which is published today, after a remarkable 2019 in which he guided England to their maiden World Cup title before producing one of the great Test innings to beat Australia in the Headingley…

7:01 AM GMT It has become a regular sight around Australia Test squads: Michael Neser bowling over after over in the nets, troubling the best batsmen, then getting the tap on the shoulder from Justin Langer to say he would be carrying the drinks again. The pace attack, arguably the best in the world, is a mighty tough unit to break in to, but Neser is determined not to be…

6:59 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Sophie Devine and Tim Southee were honoured by their peers for their performances in the 2019-20 season in an online ceremony because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Zealand women’s skipper receiving the Cricket Players’ Association Players’ Award and the men’s fast bowler getting the Players’ Cap. While this is the second time Southee has won the honour (after 2013), for Devine it’s an incredible…

1:27 PM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Surrey have cancelled Australian seamer Michael Neser‘s contract, making him the first player to miss out on his overseas deal due to the coronavirus pandemic. Neser had been due to play the first half of Surrey’s County Championship campaign, but with the English season suspended at least until May 28 and likely beyond, and Australia imposing an indefinite travel ban on its citizens, it was…

Michael Clarke feels sledging doesn’t have an effect on players like Virat Kohli  11:02 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Did Australia go “a lot softer” on India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 at home? Michael Clarke believes so, and feels the IPL, where players from around the world earn big bucks, made Tim Paine’s men “too scared” to sledge Virat Kohli and Co in the series the visitors won 2-1….

‘I still have that fire burning in me, I really want to compete’ (32:18) Robin Uthappa chats with Raunak Kapoor on what’s he up to during the lockdown, his role at Rajasthan Royals, and future plans  (32:18) 5:52 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Robin Uthappa, who last played for India in July 2015 on a tour of Zimbabwe, believes he “still has a World Cup” left in him, and is targeting…

5:01 PM GMT Jos Buttler has called for the money donated by England’s centrally contracted players to be directed to grass roots cricket. England men’s players announced an initial donation of £500,000 “to the ECB and selected good causes” on Friday in recognition of the challenging situation faced by a game confronted by the Covid-19 pandemic. And while the announcement suggested “the precise details of the charitable donation will be…

2:44 PM GMT Dane Paterson, the seamer who made his Test debut for South Africa in the 2019-20 summer, has ended his career in his home country and intends to play professionally in England from this season. Paterson could be left in limbo, however, after an interview to confirm his Kolpak deal with Nottinghamshire, scheduled for March 23, was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, amid great uncertainty around the fate…