With 100 days to go until the NatWest T20 Blast kicks off, the anticipation amongst counties, players and fans continues to build ahead of arguably the biggest and best domestic campaign in recent memory. Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch are just a few of the big-hitters that will feature in the competition along with local drawcards such as England internationals Alex Hales, Adil Rashid and Jason Roy. Here…
Birch, Ackermann to the fore in easy Warriors win
JJ Smuts hit seven fours and a six in his 49 as Warriors made light work of a 111-run target in Durban © AFP Andrew Birch, the pacer, did the damage with the ball as Warriors beat Dolphins by nine wickets to earn a bonus point win in Durban. That meant they opened up four-point lead over Lions and jump to the second spot in the Momentum One Day Cup…
Burnham joins elite company with third ton
Jack Burnham earned a place in distinguished company by making his third century in five innings for England at the ICC Under-19 World Cup. The tall Durham right-hander made 109 from 123 balls to set up a crushing 203-run win against Namibia in the first round of the fifth-placed play-offs, following scores of 148 against Fiji. and an unbeaten 106 against Zimbabwe, in the group stages. Burnham is comfortably the…
MCC to trial sendings off and sin bins
Dennis Lillee and Javed Miandad might both have been sent off for their clash at Perth in 1981 © PA Photos MCC has announced plans to trial a system of red and yellow cards to curb the increasing levels of player indiscipline in recreational cricket, including excessive sledging and a rise in violent behaviour. According to a report in the Telegraph, the proposals range from a five-run penalty for minor…
MCC to trial red and yellow card system
Dennis Lillee and Javed Miandad might both have been sent off for their clash at Perth in 1981 © PA Photos MCC has announced plans to trial a system of red and yellow cards to curb the increasing levels of player indiscipline in recreational cricket, including excessive sledging and a rise in violent behaviour. According to a report in the Telegraph, the proposals range from a five-run penalty for minor…
England U19s batter Namibia
England took out their frustration on Namibia after their bitterly disappointing ICC Under-19 World Cup exit, claiming a crushing 203-run victory to move to the final of the fifth-placed play-off. Durham’s Jack Burnham hit his third century of the tournament, and Nottinghamshire’s Tom Moores seized his first chance in Bangladesh by making 85 from 96 balls, as England piled up 286 for nine in 48 overs after a slightly delayed…
South Africa include Steyn in World T20 squad
There was no room in South Africa’s squad for either Morne or Albie Morkel © ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dale Steyn will lead South Africa’s World T20 attack, subject to his regaining full fitness. Steyn sat out six of South Africa’s eight Tests this summer and broke down in the two that he played, first with a groin injury and then a shoulder niggle from which he is still recovering. He has…
England's World Twenty20 challenge would have been stronger with Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen continues to shine in club T20 – such as here for the Melbourne Stars © Cricket Australia/Getty Images Soon, I promise, we won’t need to talk about him anymore. Kevin Pietersen is 35 years old and turning grey around the temples. He has already turned his back on the 2016 English summer, he’s canned his annual jaunt to the Caribbean Premier League in order to spend more time…
Buoyant Bangladesh ready for West Indies' pace challenge
Bangladesh captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz has backed his side to come good against West Indies’ quicks © ICC The day before the two sides first met this year, a member of Bangladesh’s coaching staff was looking at the West Indies pace bowlers quite intently during practice at the National Cricket Academy ground. Exactly a month later, on the eve of the Under-19 World Cup semi-final between the two teams, the…
Durham are big losers after IPL auction
John Hastings’ stock has risen as he has reached 30 © Getty Images Durham are the big losers among the sides in the First Division of the Championship after the IPL auction as they contemplate life without their strapping Australian allrounder John Hastings. Not only will they lose Hastings for the duration of IPL, he is now in so much demand that he is likely to have shoulder surgery immediately…