New Zealand head coach Gary Stead is not entertaining concerns over the batting form of captain Kane Williamson, and also backed his leadership skills amid growing questions about his extended lull. “I think it is always difficult when you have had such a prolific run-scorer as what Kane’s been,” Stead said a day after New Zealand were bowled out for 82 in the second ODI against Australia to concede the…
Ahmadzai: Afghanistan 'can learn to control pressure and emotions' only if playing top teams regularly
Raees Ahmadzai, Afghanistan’s assistant coach, has implored the ICC and other Full Members to play them often to help develop quality, improved game sense and the ability to close out matches under pressure. Since 2021, Afghanistan have only played Ireland, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in bilateral series. Their maiden tour to Australia, which was first postponed because of Covid-19 in 2020, was called off late last year. Related Rashid encouraged…
Asif Ali and Fareed Ahmad fined 25% of match fee for altercation
Asif Ali and Fareed Ahmad have been fined 25% pf their match fees for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct in the Asia Cup fixture between Afghanistan and Pakistan on September 7. The incident occurred in the 19th over of the second innings in a tense match, when Fareed dismissed Asif to leave Afghanistan one wicket away from victory. Following the dismissal, Fareed celebrated in close…
Test suspended in mark of respect following death of Queen
The third Test between England and South Africa at the Kia Oval has been suspended following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The announcement of the Queen’s death at the age of 96 came shortly after 6.30pm on Thursday, the scheduled first day of the Test, after which the ECB confirmed that no scheduled cricket would take place on Friday. As well as day two of the Test, four fixtures…
Mondli Khumalo 'fit and strong' after successful final round of surgery
Mondli Khumalo, the former South Africa Under-19 and Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland bowler, has had a final, successful surgery after being assaulted in Somerset in May. He is now able to move around without a protective helmet and hopes to be able to return to professional cricket by early next year. “That was the final piece of the puzzle,” Rob Humphries, Khumalo’s agent told ESPNcricinfo. “Now it’s about healing and the…
Sandeep Lamichhane suspended by Nepal board after arrest warrant issued against him
Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been suspended by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), following the issuance of an arrest warrant in Kathmandu over an alleged case of coercion of another person. On Thursday, it was made public that a complaint against Lamichhane was lodged in a Kathmandu police station. At the time, Lamichhane was in the West Indies with the Jamaica Tallawahs squad for CPL 2022. Lamichhane has not…
Nat Sciver pulls out of India series to 'focus on mental health and wellbeing'
Nat Sciver has withdrawn from England’s upcoming T20I and ODI series against India to focus on her mental health and wellbeing. The ECB announced late on Thursday that allrounder Sciver, who was standing in as captain for Heather Knight as she recovers from hip surgery, had left the team’s camp in Durham to return home. Amy Jones was appointed captain for the three-match T20I series, starting in Durham on Saturday,…
Yorkshire block for survival as Roses rivalry takes on an autumnal feel
Lancashire 276 (Jennings 119, Wells 84; Hill 6-26) and 280 for 5 decl. (Wells 124, Jennings 68; Bess 3-84) drew with Yorkshire 255 (Kohler-Cadmore 51; Bailey 4-56; Parkinson 3-52, Williams 3-64) and 102 for 3 The 277th Roses match ended at Emirates Old Trafford this evening when rain interrupted Yorkshire’s studious non-pursuit of 302 in 84 overs to beat Lancashire. Rarely can a county have shown so little interest in…
Hampshire go top after beating Northants and the weather in thrilling finale
Hampshire 400 for 9 dec (Donald 94, Organ 71, Abbott 57) beat Northamptonshire 175 (Procter 40, Abbott 4-52, Barker 3-41) and 221 (Gay 74, Abbas 4-32) by an innings and four runs Keith Barker and Mohammad Abbas started for Hampshire, before James Fuller struck in sensational circumstances in the game’s dying moments, to send his side top of LV= Insurance Division One, beating the rain and thrashing Northamptonshire by an…
'Time away from game taught me a lot, when I came back I wasn't desperate' – Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli had gone 1021 days without reaching triple digits for India. After finally breaking that jinx, against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, he spoke about what it meant to him, and reiterated how taking a break from the game and having a lot of support from his family helped him along. Here’s what he said at a mid-innings interview, having notched up India’s highest score in T20Is and lifted…