1:01 PM ET Among all the members of England’s touring party, no one was looking more eagerly for a way out of his Ashes rut than Moeen Ali. Outbowled by Nathan Lyon, who also became his nemesis at the batting crease, Moeen was almost completely ineffectual after starting the series well enough in Brisbane. In the weeks that followed, Moeen admitted losing confidence in himself as a cricketer, but he…
SuperSport Park conditions '100%' like bowling in India – Morkel
© AFP Bowling at SuperSport Park is “100%” similar to bowling in India and “really hard work” for the quicks on a surface that traditionally provides assistance, according to Morne Morkel, whose career began at Centurion. Morkel is the first player to offer something beyond a mere acknowledgment that this surface is not what quite what South Africa wanted and agreed that bowling on it was closer to being in…
A start-stop final session stalls India's momentum
12:54 PM ET 1:00 After a short rain break, Dean Elgar offered a chance to the slip cordon but the ball slipped through the cordon for a boundary In 5.1 overs, India went from not wanting to take the field because of an outfield they felt was killing the swing to wanting to stay on the field as the umpires took off the players because now the ball was swinging…
Kohli, Bumrah lead India's fight but South Africa still ahead
Play 02:21 Cullinan: Kohli’s innings special in the situation South Africa 335 and 90 for 2 (De Villiers 50*, Elgar 36*, Bumrah 2-30) lead India 307 (Kohli 153, Morkel 4-60) by 118 runsScorecard and ball-by-ball details Virat Kohli’s 21st Test hundred and two early wickets from Jasprit Bumrah kept India’s bid for a series-levelling win alive, but AB de Villiers’ skill and enterprise ensured South Africa remained in control of…
Wrist spin becomes BBL must have
3:00 AM ET Perth Scorchers were so desperate for a legspinner, they found one in St Kilda’s 2nd XI. The Scorchers have everything; they don’t even need all their overseas players. But even with a list so good they barely need to show up most games, they still had to dust off James Muirhead from club cricket in Melbourne. Because everyone needs, or wants, wrist spin. Some people, like former…
Shakib credits success against Zimbabwe to left-arm spin
9:07 AM ET Mohammad IsamESPN Two wickets in the first over of the match cost Zimbabwe dearly in their tri-series opener, according to the captain Graeme Cremer. He said that the visitors expected Bangladesh to open with spin, since openers Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire both prefer pace early on. Mire should have been more careful at an innocuous wide down the leg side, off which he was stumped. What…
Stokes charged by CPS with affray
Ben Stokes drills the ball through the off side © Getty Images Ben Stokes, the England allrounder, has been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with affray, along with two other men, and will face trial at Bristol Magistrates’ Court at a later date. The development comes more than three months after Stokes was arrested in Bristol on September 25, charged initially with actual bodily harm following an altercation outside…
Mullaney, Northeast to captain in North-South Series
Sam Northeast’s century set up a series win for South v North © Getty Images Only three of the eight players who won selection for the ECB’s North v South Series via the PCA MVP ranking system will take part in this year’s outing to Barbados in March. The pre-season competition, first played in 2017, was originally conceived as a way to bring added relevance to the Royal London Cup…
Mullaney, Northeast to captain in North v South Series
Sam Northeast’s century set up a series win for South v North © Getty Images Only three of the eight players who won selection for the ECB’s North v South Series via the PCA MVP ranking system will take part in this year’s outing to Barbados in March. The pre-season competition, first played in 2017, was originally conceived as a way to bring added relevance to the Royal London Cup…
Vohra's 42-ball 74 leads Punjab's win, Mishra's 4 for 10 turns it for UP
3:00 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Manan Vohra‘s 42-ball 74 helped Punjab prevail over Himachal Pradesh in a high-scoring contest by 19 runs in Delhi. After Punjab put up 211 for 4, Himachal’s batsmen responded with gumption, but eventually fell short. Electing to bat, Punjab were powered by an opening stand of 108 runs in 10.1 overs between Vohra and Mandeep Singh, who smashed 46 off 32 balls. Despite Mandeep’s dismissal,…