Play 04:14 ‘We have to learn from our mistakes’ – Du Plessis AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock may yet appear in the same South African T20 XI if misfiring players in the middle order cannot find form. That was the strong indication Faf du Plessis gave on the eve of the team’s departure to the World T20 after persistent questions over why there has only been…
A match that became a pawn in a political game
The lack of communication between the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association and local police resulted in chaos in the days leading up to the World T20 games in Dharamsala © AFP The India-Pakistan match in Dharamsala – according to the original schedule – was acquired through politics, and was taken away politically. While the fans, the media, the teams, who would have enjoyed low-profile matches in this scenic setting, and the…
Martin Crowe farewelled in Auckland
Jeff Crowe greets mourners at the funeral for his brother Martin Crowe in Auckland © Getty Images Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain, was farewelled by around 1000 mourners at a funeral service in Auckland that celebrated one of cricket’s greatest talents and fiercest intellects. The funeral held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell was broadcast live around New Zealand, and also streamed online. It featured tributes from…
Dawson enjoying incredible journey
When Liam Dawson was asked about whether he could fight his way on to the England Performance Programme at Hampshire’s pre-season media day 12 months ago, the spin-bowling all-rounder was bullish about his credentials. “Yeah, I’d love to,” he told ecb.co.uk. “Over the last few years I’ve played fairly well, so as long as I keep improving. “In one-day cricket I’d back myself against anyone, so if I keep putting…
Shami clears first hurdle on comeback trail
Mohammed Shami took 2 for 30 in his first match since January 8 © Getty/ICC The setting wasn’t as low-key as Mohammed Shami might have probably imagined. This was a warm-up game and yet there were at least 25,000 people at the Eden Gardens. There were several thousand more claps, whistles and screams until palms and throats gave in. This is also his home ground, a city where he made…
Plunkett ready to make impact
England paceman Liam Plunkett is keen to take advantage of Steven Finn’s misfortune and make an impact at the ICC World Twenty20. Plunkett did not feature on England’s recent tour of South Africa in any format but was a late replacement in Eoin Morgan’s 15-man World T20 squad following the injury to Finn. And now he has got his chance in India, Yorkshire fast bowler Plunkett is ready to make…
Greenway warns against complacency
[embedded content] Lydia Greenway says England cannot afford to underestimate any team at the Women’s ICC World Twenty20 in India. Australia have claimed the last three World T20 titles, after England won the inaugural event on home soil in 2009, but recent results have shown how much sides have improved. Charlotte Edwards’ side geared up for the tournament by recently claiming two series victories over a South Africa outfit on…
Further surgery for Zafar Ansari
Zafar Ansari leaves the field after suffering his hand injury in September © Getty Images Zafar Ansari, the Surrey allrounder who missed out on a maiden England tour due to a broken thumb sustained on the day he was called up, has undergone another minor operation on his thumb ahead of the new season. Ansari was included in England’s Test squad for the series against Pakistan in the UAE, but…
Robinson to fulfil dream at World T20
[embedded content] Head Coach Mark Robinson is realising a dream leading England into the Women’s ICC World Twenty20. The trip to India is the Yorkshireman’s second tour in charge of England, who claimed two limited-overs series wins on the recent tour of South Africa. Charlotte Edwards’ side play three warm-up matches, two against New Zealand and the other versus South Africa, before taking on Bangladesh, India, West Indies and Pakistan…
Well-oiled New Zealand beat rusty Sri Lanka in World T20 tune-up
New Zealand 226 for 4 (Munro 67, Anderson 60*, Shanaka 2-48) beat Sri Lanka 152 for 7 (Thirimanne 41, Kapugedera 38, Milne 3-26) by 74 runsScorecard and ball-by-ball details Colin Munro blitzed Dasun Shanaka for four consecutive sixes in a 29-run over on his way to a 21-ball fifty © AFP/Getty Images Already he had hit the second-fastest fifty in Twenty20 against them. That was in January and Sri Lanka…