The Impact Player rule in the IPL has not gone down too well with some current players and coaches, but former India coach Ravi Shastri is in favour of it, saying it has contributed to a number of thrilling finishes. “The Impact Player [rule] is good. You have to evolve with the times,” Shastri told R Ashwin on his Youtube channel. “You know, it happens in other sports as well….
Johan Botha appointed new Brisbane Heat and Queensland coach
Former South Africa limited-overs captain Johan Botha has been appointed as the new head coach of BBL reigning champions Brisbane Heat and Queensland in the Sheffield Shield and the Marsh Cup for the next three years. Botha, 42, was appointed following a thorough recruitment process in the wake of Wade Seccombe’s departure. Queensland WNCL and Brisbane Heat women’s coach Ashley Noffke and former England allrounder Adam Hollioake were also in…
Cricket Ireland confirms Pakistan Tests in 2025; PCB says no agreement yet
Cricket Ireland has officially confirmed a first men’s tour of Pakistan in August and September next year. The series, which will see Ireland and Pakistan play three T20Is and three ODIs, was a part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP), scheduled for September 2025. The release makes no detailed mention of dates and venues, or any other specifics concerning the schedule of the tour. It follows in the wake of…
Ahmedabad washout ensures KKR seal top-two spot
Match abandoned without a ball bowled Gujarat TItans vs Kolkata Knight Riders A combination of lightning and rain forced the first abandoned game of IPL 2024 in Ahmedabad on Monday, and in the process confirmed two things: Kolkata Knight Riders’ top-two finish in the league stage and Gujarat Titans’ elimination from playoff contention. Only a win could’ve kept eighth-placed GT in the hunt, but rain did not even allow for…
Jack Leaning's towering innings sets Kent up for high-scoring draw at Canterbury
Kent 407 (Leaning 179*, Bell-Drummond 67, Swanepoel 54, Leach 3-37) and 146 for 4 (Finch 48*) drew with Worcestershire 618 for 7 dec (Holder 123*, Roderick 117, Waite 100*, Hose 90, Kashif 72, Evison 3-58) Kent survived some occasional alarms to bat out a draw with Worcestershire on the final day of their Vitality County Championship at Canterbury. The captains shook hands just after five o’clock, with Kent on 146…
Gloucestershire end winless run as de Lange, Singh Dale break Northants resistance
Gloucestershire 409 (Hammond 112, Bancroft 53, Kaul 5-76) and 319 for 5 dec (Bancroft 130*, van Buuren 67) beat Northamptonshire 171 (de Lange 5-42) and 301 (Gay 74, Nair 61, Procter 60, de Lange 3-58, Singh Dale 3-69) by 256 runs Gloucestershire pace bowler Marchant de Lange led the charge with three wickets to set up Gloucestershire’s first Vitality County Championship victory since September 2022 on the final day of…
Stuart Broad: England face 'scary' lack of experience in James Anderson's absence
Stuart Broad has warned that England’s onus on blooding a new generation of fast bowlers in the wake of James Anderson‘s retirement could leave Ben Stokes with a “quite scary” lack of experience for the forthcoming Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Anderson is set to play against West Indies at Lord’s on July 10 before calling time on his legendary 188-match, 21-year Test career, and with Broad…
LSG in high-scoring Delhi for first of two must-win games
Match details Delhi Capitals (6th place) vs Lucknow Super Giants (7th place)Delhi, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT) Big picture: LSG, DC or neither? Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants are in a tough spot ahead of their game on Tuesday. DC need to win big, and then hope an improbable sequence of other results falls in their favour to have a shot at finishing in the top four. It’s unlikely to…
Notts sweep to victory despite Hurst's maiden hundred
Nottinghamshire 503 (Hameed 247*, Stone 90, Balderson 4-102) and 81 for 1 beat Lancashire 331 (Jennings 91, Bruce 73, Stone 3-56) and 252 (Hurst 104, Hartley 50, Pennington 4-61) by 72 runs A maiden first-class century from young wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst salvaged some pride for Lancashire but could not stop Nottinghamshire completing their first victory of the season, by nine wickets, in the Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge….
Matthew Potts injects brief jeopardy before stalemate reigns between Hampshire and Durham
Hampshire 503 (Orr 126, Prest 102, Brown 67, Parkinson 4-176) and 62 for 2 drew with Durham 432 (Bedingham 144, Lees 71, Raine 52*, Dawson 5-184, Organ 4-101) Felix Organ and James Vince put on 53 to take Hampshire out of a mini-collapse to complete a Vitality County Championship stalemate with Durham which had been inescapable since Friday. Matthew Potts – two for 19 – reminded England of his skill…