Somerset 440 for 7 (Banton 133, Rew 114, Lammonby 69) vs Kent Aggressive centuries from Tom Banton and James Rew helped Somerset pile up 440 for seven after losing the toss on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship First Division match with Kent at Taunton. Banton contributed a career-best 133, off 174 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes, while Rew stroked his way to 114, off 145…
PSL to become an eight-team tournament from 2026
The PSL will get two new franchises from 2026, making it an eight-team league. This was officially confirmed in a media release by the PCB, who called the upcoming season in 2025 – the tenth edition – the “last six-team event”. While this had been likely from the day the PCB and the PSL franchises agreed not to add further teams until after the tenth season, this is the first…
The RCB vs CSK virtual knockout could be the game of the season, weather permitting
Match details Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) (6th; 6W, 7L) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (4th; 7W, 6L)Bengaluru, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT) Big picture – RCB vs CSK, the match of the season? Is the hype around this encounter justified? The results over the years have been rather one-sided in favour of CSK. RCB have won only once in their last five meetings and only 31% of the all the matches…
Jofra Archer claims wicket in lively display on Sussex second XI comeback
Greater challenges lie in store, ideally in the Caribbean next month, but Jofra Archer gave the impression that he’ll be ready to make his England comeback against Pakistan next week with a lively six-over display for Sussex’s second XI against Kent in Beckenham. It was a low-key outing, overseen by a handful of spectators and media on a sunny morning in South London, but when he walked off the field…
Los Angeles Knight Riders sign Shakib Al Hasan for MLC 2024
Shakib Al Hasan has been signed by Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) for the upcoming (second) season of Major League Cricket (MLC), the American franchise-run T20 league. “Shakib, of course, has a long-standing relationship with the Knight Riders family, having represented KKR in various phases – including our two championship [winning] seasons in 2012 and 2014,” a statement from the Knight Riders group said. “We can’t wait to see him…
BCCI approaches Gautam Gambhir to become India's head coach
Former India batter Gautam Gambhir is on top of the BCCI’s wishlist take up the position of India men’s head coach after Rahul Dravid‘s term ends at the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup in June. ESPNcricinfo has learned Gambhir, who is currently the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has been contacted by the BCCI to gauge his interest in the job, and further discussions are…
Nat Sciver-Brunt reveals she missed Pakistan T20I for egg-freezing procedure
England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has revealed that she missed the first T20I against Pakistan after having her eggs frozen with a view to having a family. “In the period between getting back from New Zealand [where England toured in April] and this [series], I thought it was a great time to go through the egg-freezing process, creating embryos and putting them in the freezer for future use,” she said. “Katherine…
Rain threat looms over RCB-CSK clash in Bengaluru
All focus will be on the Bengaluru weather when Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Chennai Super Kings on Saturday in a virtual quarter-final that will decide who takes the final playoffs spot in IPL 2024. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, “heavy rain/thundershowers associated with gusty winds (40-50kph) are very likely” in some parts of Bengaluru on May 18. This could have a severe impact on the RCB-CSK clash. The…
Ireland's players get revised central contracts with pay raise
Ireland’s players have secured a pay raise after Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers’ Association (ICA) reached an agreement on the terms of central contracts following a stand-off. The Irish Times had reported last week that Ireland’s players had rejected an offer from the board, and that they ran the risk of playing June’s T20 World Cup on contracts which initially expired at the end of February. The terms…
Inspired by Woolmer, 'thick-skinned' Kirsten ready for Pakistan challenge
Newly appointed Pakistan white-ball coach Gary Kirsten may not have joined the Pakistan camp in person yet, but appears to be preparing for the magnitude of the challenge already. Speaking to talkSPORT about his appointment, Kirsten said there was little doubt about the talent of the Pakistan squad, but also hinted at problems he had already picked up on. “Everyone always talks about watching some of these players play on…