Match facts Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Start time 0900 local (0300 GMT) India Under-19s will look to Avesh Khan to provide early breakthroughs © International Cricket Council Big picture India-Sri Lanka contests, at all levels, have often been about their batsmen and one team outscoring the other in run fests. This time however, the clash between the India Under-19s and the Sri Lanka Under-19s could come down to their respective…

Kimberley could become the home city of a new South African franchise © Getty Images East London and Kimberley are in a battle to become the home cities for one of two new South African franchises while Potchefstroom may be the base for the other, as CSA looks to expand its domestic structure. An insider revealed to ESPNcricinfo that there is talk of increasing the number of franchises from six…

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced the five host grounds for the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2017. The ICC has confirmed Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Lord’s will host the competition’s 31 matches starting on June 26th next year – with the Home of Cricket set to stage the final on July 23rd. It will be the first time that the tournament has been held in…

‘You can have only one big hitter in the side but if it’s his day, he can take the game away from you. And it can happen in just 10 or 12 balls’ – MS Dhoni © PTI Sri Lanka don’t have a mystery spinner. That should be enough to stop the press, but that is not the end of the story. The cricketing shrewdness of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar…

Neil McKenzie will be the fifth batting consultant in South Africa coach Russell Domingo’s tenure © Getty Images Neil McKenzie will join South Africa’s support staff as a batting consultant following his retirement from cricket nine days ago. McKenzie is currently playing in the Masters Champions League (MCL) and will discuss the details of his contract on his return from the UAE. “Yes I have accepted the position but will…

Brendon McCullum – “For us to be able to still step out and beat the best team in the world is testament to the depth that we’ve been able to create over a period of time” © Getty Images New Zealand’s now former ODI captain Brendon McCullum has praised his team for the way they responded to a batting collapse in the first innings and staged a 55-run win to…

Hashim Amla has managed 10 runs in two innings, and knows a return to form is an imperative © Getty Images The absence of a genuine allrounder continues to haunt South Africa as they try to balance a long enough batting line-up with a sufficiently complete bowling pack. So far, they are shortchanging themselves in both departments. With seven specialist batsmen, South Africa can only accommodate a four-person attack, which…

Match facts Tuesday, February 9, 2016Start time 1330 local (1130 GMT) Alex Hales’ 99 anchored England’s run-chase at Port Elizabeth © Getty Images Big Picture Two-nil up with a trip to Centurion to come. As in the Test series, so now in the ODIs, as England head for the Highveld with a rare double on the cards. Not since Australia’s all-conquering tour of 2001-02 has a visiting team beaten South…

Australian selectors have cited continuity as one of the reasons for naming Steven Smith as captain of the T20 side © Getty Images Peter Nevill, Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa will make their Twenty20 international debuts at the World T20 in India, while Steven Smith will replace Aaron Finch as captain after Australia’s selectors dramatically shuffled the deck in a final effort to seek a winning combination. Finch was still…