Injured Southee ruled out of Hamilton Test

Play 01:15 Moonda: Depleted New Zealand left with plenty of problems New Zealand have suffered a third major injury blow in three Tests with news that vice-captain Tim Southee has been ruled out of the Hamilton match with a hamstring tear. Although only a grade one tear, Southee will not be risked in an attack that is still waiting on confirmation of whether Trent Boult, who sat out the Wellington…

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Zimbabwe to tour Scotland in June

Zimbabwe are yet to face Scotland in an ODI © AFP After hosting Afghanistan for five ODIs in February, Zimbabwe have now plugged their gap in the international calendar by negotiating a tour of Scotland for two ODIs this summer. Before the Afghanistan ODIs, Zimbabwe were looking at a six-month hiatus. This will be the first bilateral series between Zimbabwe and Scotland. Their only meeting so far was at the…

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Hazlewood expects result pitch for decider

Josh Hazlewood has said the Australian team have recovered from spending 210 overs in the field in Ranchi © AFP Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood expected a result-oriented pitch for the series-deciding fourth Test against India in Dharamsala, though not necessarily the juicy kind that helped Adam Gilchrist’s team clinch the most recent Australian victory in India, 13 years ago. Dharamsala is the home ground of the deposed former BCCI…

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Munro, Ferguson keep Auckland title hopes alive

File photo: Colin Munro has made three hundreds in his last four first-class innings © Getty Images Colin Munro‘s rich form since being dropped from the New Zealand ODI squad continued as his third first-class hundred in as many games took Auckland to an eight-wicket victory over Otago in the Plunket Shield. After being put in to bat, Otago’s innings was a tale of several players getting starts with no…

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Batsmen set focus on tightening techniques

Jeet Raval has defended resolutely against both pace and spin © AFP Forget the ramp shot, the reverse sweep or the really, really late cut, the simple forward defensive is the stroke batsmen should be practicing ahead of the Hamilton Test. That should seem obvious, shouldn’t it? This is the format for less flash, more focus, the format for a fight, yet so many batsmen seem to be losing it….

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Gillespie bails out Kent as Donald awaits visa

Jason Gillespie’s return to England has been faster than expected © Getty Images Jason Gillespie will join the Kent coaching staff at the start of the season as cover for Allan Donald, the former South African fast bowler, who is still facing delays on his visa application to enter the United Kingdom because of the lack of the requisite coaching qualification. Kent’s chief executive Jamie Clifford bemoaned the “bureaucratic barriers”…

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CoA wants to work with BCCI state associations

Play 05:50 Ugra: Balance sheet shows no shortage of funds in states The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators will strive to consult with and persuade – and not confront – state associations into compliance of the Lodha Committee recommendations. The Supreme Court had ordered several changes to the functioning of the Indian board in July last year but none of them have been made yet. Staunch opposition from the state associations…

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Mehedi Hasan added to Bangladesh ODI squad

Mehedi Hasan was Bangladesh’s top wicket-taker in the Test series against Sri Lanka © AFP Nineteen-year-old offspinner Mehedi Hasan has been called into Bangladesh’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Sri Lanka that starts on March 25. This is the first senior call-up for Mehedi in the limited-overs format. His addition means the squad now comprises 17 members, and it remains to be seen if he gets picked in…

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Questions persist over Kohli's fitness

Virat Kohli didn’t train full tilt on Thursday, two days before the start of the series decider © PTI Virat Kohli, who injured his right shoulder during the third Test in Ranchi, may have yet not recovered fully ahead of the fourth Test in Dharamsala. Kohli hurt his shoulder while making a diving stop on the boundary on the first day in Ranchi. He spent the rest of Australia’s first…

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Injured Kusal Perera ruled out of first two ODIs

Kusal Perera had been left out for the limited-overs series in South Africa and Australia © Associated Press Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera has been ruled out of the first two ODIs against Bangladesh, after sustaining a hamstring strain during Wednesday’s warm-up match in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha confirmed. The strain – to his left thigh – was a “very minor” one, Gurusinha said, and though there was a…

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