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And in which one-day international did brothers make their debuts for opposing sides?

Steven Lynch12-Jan-2021Is it true that some of the characters in the musical are named after cricketers?

Knowing that the lyricist of Chess was the cricket-loving Tim Rice – he was MCC’s president in 2002 – I thought this was quite likely. And it’s true: the world champion in the stage musical is called Freddie Trumper, after the great Golden Age Australian batsman Victor Trumper, while one of the Americans in his delegation (he’s also a CIA agent) is Walter de Courcey, after the Australian batsman Jim de Courcy, who toured England in 1953. The musical’s Russian grandmaster Anatoly Sergievsky does not appear to be based on any former wearers of the baggy green cap.Tim Rice has previous form when it comes to slipping in cricket references: he confused American onlookers at the 1995 Oscar ceremony after receiving an Academy Award for the music for The Lion King, as his acceptance speech thanked (among others) Denis Compton, “a childhood hero”. A flustered spokesperson had to admit: “We don’t know who Denis Compton is. He doesn’t appear to be at Disney Studios or have anything to do with them.”I know there hasn’t yet been a Test triple-century in Ireland. But is there any other country which hasn’t had one? asked Michael O’Kelly from Ireland

Apart from Ireland, where there has only been one Test so far (the only century was Kevin O’Brien’s 118 against Pakistan in 2018), there have also been no triple-centuries in Tests in Zimbabwe, where the highest score is Kumar Sangakkara’s 270 for Sri Lanka in Bulawayo in May 2004.More surprisingly perhaps, there has not yet been a triple-century in the 241 Test matches played in South Africa. The highest is Gary Kirsten’s epic 14.5-hour 275 against England in Durban in 1999-2000, which sneaked past Graeme Pollock’s rather quicker 274 against Australia, also at Kingsmead, in 1969-70. In all there have been 18 double-centuries in Tests in South Africa, and nine in Zimbabwe.In which Test was the wicketkeeper the first bowler to take an opposition wicket? asked Ajith de Silva from Sri Lanka

This unlikely feat was actually achieved by the Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, in a Test against Sri Lanka in Harare in May 2004. Sri Lanka’s openers, Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya, had already cruised past Zimbabwe’s modest first-innings total of 199. Taibu, who was playing in his 15th Test but, aged 20, captaining in his first, decided to take off the pads and have a bowl for the first time – and ended the first-wicket stand at 281. It remained the only time Taibu bowled in a Test, although he did strike twice in ODIs.Keeper Tatenda Taibu bowled in a Test for the first time on his captaincy debut, and broke a 281-run first-wicket stand between Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya• Arif Ali/AFP/Getty ImagesI seem to remember hearing about a batsman walking off in a Sheffield Shield game thinking he had been caught, but the dismissal going down as retired as he hadn’t been. Who was this? asked Ross McDonald from Australia

This strange “dismissal” concerned Graeme Watson, the batting allrounder who played five Tests for Australia, and was the first to represent three states (Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales) in the Sheffield Shield. In his first match for Western Australia, in Perth in 1971-72, Watson had made 145 when he cut a ball from left-armer Warwick Neville into the gully and walked off, convinced he had been caught by Don Allen. After play the umpires informed Watson that he hadn’t been caught at all, and instructed the scorers to record the dismissal as “retired out”. I’ve never discovered why they didn’t tell him before he left the playing area.A similar thing happened to the Surrey and England bowler James Southerton, when playing against MCC at The Oval in 1870. Wisden reported: “Southerton cut a ball hard on the ground, which Mr [WG] Grace at point caught from the bound. Southerton thought the ball went straight from the bat to Mr Grace’s hands, but neither of the umpires, point, nor any other man but Southerton thought so (Mr Grace did not toss up the ball); however, Southerton walked away, and although called back, did not walk back, so he lost his innings.”It also calls to mind a timid tailender in a 1920s county match, who was facing a rapid spell from Nottinghamshire’s Harold Larwood. He is supposed to have edged the ball and walked off, despite the fielders telling him the ball had bounced in front of the wicketkeeper, saying “It was close enough for me!”In which one-day international did brothers make their debuts – for opposing sides? asked Tom Johnston from England

The match in question was England’s first official one-day international against Ireland, in Belfast in June 2006. Dublin-born Ed Joyce opened the batting for England, and later his younger brother Dominick Joyce faced the first ball for Ireland (he was out to the third, from Steve Harmison).Ed later returned to play for Ireland, and appeared in their first Test match, against Pakistan in Dublin in 2018, before announcing his retirement. Another brother, Gus Joyce played for Ireland in an unofficial international in 2000, and their twin sisters Cecelia and Isobel had long careers with the Ireland women’s team.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page or Steven Lynch’s email to ask your stats and trivia questions

The Under-19 World Cup hasn’t gone to plan for the England spin-bowling allrounder, but it hasn’t stopped him from dreaming big

Sreshth Shah04-Feb-2022During the 2017 Champions Trophy, the ICC had a ticket giveaway – for one lucky person and a family member – to watch the India vs Pakistan game. There were entries from all over the world. The winner was 13-year-old Fateh Singh, whose name had been entered by his father Gurj Landa. Cheering for India was an “unreal experience” for Fateh, and the day was capped with India defeating Pakistan rather convincingly in that group-stage fixture.Fast forward five years, and Fateh is in another ICC tournament. But everything about this one is different. The India blue from 2017 has been replaced by the England blue. He is in the middle, not in the stands. Most importantly, the allrounder has played a key role in his team’s first appearance in the final of an Under-19 World Cup in 24 years.Related

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It hasn’t been a smooth ride, though. The first challenge was after joining the Nottinghamshire academy as a left-arm seamer who had the potential to become an allrounder. Given his height, or lack thereof, Fateh was told quite early by coach Andrew Jackman that he might be better off trying out left-arm spin instead. The rise has been steep since.”It was tricky, but I adapted to the change,” Fateh tells ESPNcricinfo. “After that I watched videos of Yuvraj Singh, Daniel Vettori and Monty Panesar. When I bowl, my plan is to stay with my stock ball as long as possible. And if I get hit, then I adapt and change my course.”That obstacle, of transitioning from seamer to spinner, however, was just one of many for Fateh.In 2015, Fateh was diagnosed with alopecia universalis, an autoimmune disease that causes loss of body hair. One’s hair is part of one’s identity, more so for a Sikh, the community Fateh belongs to.Two years later, his mother had to move away from the family and shift to an assisted-living facility because of her own health complications, which still continue.

“Moeen is fearless, a natural ball-striker. He’s been through quite a bit in his career, so for him to get to the top and captaining England [in four T20Is] too is quite inspirational”

“It doesn’t affect your health physically, it just affects your hair,” Fateh said of his own condition. “Truth be told, I didn’t know how to deal with it. It was a new thing. As I got older, it got harder, but I started to accept me for who I am. So, regardless of what anyone says, this is me and I am okay with that.”It is something that has attracted attention, though. Fateh has learnt to live with it. “People put cricket and alopecia together and say ‘it is crazy how well you’ve done despite it’. But for me, it’s normal. It doesn’t bother me,” he says. “It is one of the first things people ask me about and I’m more than happy to answer questions regarding it because I know people are curious about it and I could inspire them.”But I just don’t like it that people turn sympathetic towards me. I just dislike when someone feels like they feel sorry for me.”Eventually, though, it’s what you do in the field that matters most. On that front, Fateh’s record is outstanding, from being a nine-year-old in the county’s Under-11 side, or his first Nottinghamshire century at 11, or being the club’s Under-13 captain.He was also a net bowler for England when India toured in 2018 for the Test series, and by the time the 2021 season was over, his 28 wickets for the Under-18s at an average of 11.57 resulted in call-ups to the county second XI and into the England Under-19 squad.”I was a net bowler during India vs England in 2018. And Moeen Ali was so approachable,” Fateh says. “And I was a stranger to Moeen, but he took out time outside training to give me advice, which I really appreciated.”I am a bit like Moeen, to be fair, and by far he is my favourite cricketer. He is fearless, a natural ball-striker. He’s been through quite a bit in his career, so for him to get to the top and captaining England [in four T20Is] too is quite inspirational.”Fateh Singh has played only two matches at the Under-19 World Cup, for just one wicket, and hasn’t batted at all•ICC via GettyThe World Cup, however, has been below-par for him so far. He has been a part of only two starting XIs even as his team has won five games in a row, and he hasn’t had a chance to show off his batting chops. At 3.15, he has been England’s most economical bowler, but the side has preferred Rehan Ahmed, the attacking legspinner, ahead of him. “In my last game, I bowled seven overs for only 12 runs. But did not get a wicket,” Fateh says. “I would have wanted to play more, but it’s a team game.”That, though, hasn’t stopped him from dreaming.”After the World Cup, I want to make the first team, which is a good challenge since Notts have a very strong side,” he says. “I have a two-year contract, so I hope to renew it. I don’t think too far ahead, want to stay in the present. But my white-ball skills are my strong suit right now.”To be the leading Test wicket-taker would be nice, but for me, a nice one would be to play in the IPL and be the leading wicket-taker in a season and take more [wickets] than anyone has done before.”I used to always watch Mumbai Indians. That’s when Sachin Tendulkar used to play. My family is from Punjab, so obviously I love Punjab Kings. But I’d watch any team play, like when Virat [Kohli] and AB [de Villiers] are batting together for RCB. I’d love to give the IPL a crack.”It’s ambitious, but it’s best to not bet against Fateh Singh. Fateh means “conquest”. The young man has done some of that already. And he is keen to live up to his name.

Perhaps the sheer wealth of activity since then has played its part, although Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit from Liverpool now feels almost like old news, with the Anfield side far too busy looking ahead to reflect on their local hero turned villain.

Having risen up through the youth ranks, the 26-year-old – dazzled by the lights of the Bernabeu – shunned the opportunity to cement a legacy for himself on Merseyside, instead opting to become the latest Galactico signing at Real Madrid.

A leader and a figurehead under Jurgen Klopp, and then Arne Slot last season – alongside the likes of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk – the Englishman is now just one of many at Madrid. A talented, albeit dimmed cog in a far mightier machine.

Alas, for better or worse, the rampaging right-back is now basking in the Spanish sun, with those at Liverpool, meanwhile, basking in a month of business that has already seen Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez join the party.

For all that positivity, however, the talk of potential outgoings may well sour the mood somewhat.

Latest on Liverpool's outgoings

Many a club may well have rested on their laurels after romping to the Premier League title last season, but not Liverpool. No, the Reds are acting ruthlessly in the market, both in terms of arrivals and departures.

In terms of the latter category, Caoimhin Kelleher has already moved on to Brentford, with Jarell Quansah heading for his own exit amid an imminent move to Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen.

While Luis Diaz may well stay put, despite lingering interest from Saudi Arabia, his South American colleague, Darwin Nunez, appears to be inching ever closer to a switch to Napoli.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Uruguayan could well be followed out the door by England U21 star Harvey Elliott, if reports are to be believed, with journalist Graeme Bailey revealing that the aforementioned Klopp – now overseeing things at RB Leipzig – is personally pushing to bring the playmaker to Germany.

As per Bailey, while a raft of Premier League clubs have made an enquiry regarding the 22-year-old, there is also interest from abroad, with Klopp keen to be reunited with his former signing at Leipzig.

The suggestion is that Elliott is in fact open to the move, albeit with Liverpool looking to rake in more than £40m, if they are to sanction a sale. Is cashing in the right decision, however?

Why Elliott sale would be a bigger blow than Trent

The fury surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer exit was somewhat eased by the subsequent £10m agreement for his involvement in the Club World Cup, albeit with there still likely to be a lingering frustration over not raking in a fee for a player deemed to be worth £64m, as per Transfermarkt.

That said, as a product of their academy, Liverpool have more than reaped the rewards of the right-back’s progression, with the creative machine racking up 92 assists in 354 games in all competitions. Just consider what a player of that talent would have cost to buy in the first place?

Over an extended period, the Reds have witnessed Trent blossom, seen his vital role in securing a plethora of major honours. Now, he’s flown the nest.

In the case of Elliott, however, there remains a real intrigue over his talents, an undoubtedly skilled individual who has simply been lost among a pool of other high-class forwards and midfielders at Anfield.

As pundit Joe Cole has stated, perhaps the former Fulham man – who left Craven Cottage as a mere 16-year-old – is almost a “victim of his own skills” as he can “play anywhere”.

Games (starts)

6 (6)

Goals

5

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes*

1.7

Pass accuracy*

82%

Tackles & interceptions*

1.2

Balls recovered*

4.0

Successful dribbles*

0.7

Described as an “explosive” talent by England youth boss, Lee Carsley, the silky left-footer has been unable to find a settled role for himself at club level, having been restricted to just two starts in the Premier League last term.

Losing such a talent, amid Leipzig’s interest, may not be too great of a mistake with that considered, although as he has showcased on the international stage, Elliott is a potential superstar in the making. Just look at his semi-final winner against the Netherlands in the U21 European Championships.

Back at club level too, he also ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as in the top 14% for assists and the top 2% for progressive passes, as per FBref. In essence, when he is given a chance to impress, he typically takes it.

The match-winner in the first-leg triumph over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Elliott appears deserving of a more prominent role, be it at Anfield or elsewhere, with Slot risking seeing him go on to sparkle elsewhere.

And therein lies the difference with Alexander-Arnold. The England senior star has made his mark on Merseyside already, with Liverpool getting plenty out of him over the last decade or so.

In the case of Elliott, he remains an unknown quantity, a player whom the club could live to regret if he does dazzle at another Premier League or European outfit. Liverpool already know the heights of Trent’s talents – Elliott’s gifts are yet to be truly discovered…

Wirtz will make him world-class: Liverpool getting ready to bid for £85m ST

Liverpool may yet welcome a new centre-forward to Arne Slot’s fold.

6 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025

With five WTC series scheduled over the next 18 months, the team will have to start showing more attention to detail

Mohammad Isam in Kolkata24-Nov-2019Bangladesh’s Test cricket has been stuck in a vicious cycle for years.After every overseas series loss, fingers are pointed at the same issues: the pitches back home, the standard of domestic first-class cricket, technical frailties of the batsmen, and everything in between. Then the attention shifts to the limited-overs formats, which Bangladesh play more of anyway. They are a pretty good ODI team, and they are looking to catch up with the rest of the world in T20Is.The cycle has repeated itself with no actual change on the ground over the course of Bangladesh’s last four overseas series: 2-0 losses in South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and India. The inability to compete in Test cricket, especially away from home, is a long-standing issue, but there’s always a limited-overs series around the corner for a change of taste. Then, before the next overseas tour, there will be talk about conditions being a challenge for a set of batsmen bred on slow and low pitches, primarily against left-arm spinners, and a set of fast bowlers who have been bit-part players on those unhelpful tracks.The cycle can seem an endless one.But it will have to break, out of necessity, over the next 18 months, when Bangladesh are set to play at home against Australia, New Zealand and West Indies, and away against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in the World Test Championship. In this period, they will also play a Test match each against Zimbabwe and Ireland. This sets a new and unprecedented agenda since, because of all these contests, Bangladesh will have to take Test cricket more seriously than they have done before.Mominul Haque, who was named Test captain after Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC last month, wants his players to work harder and improve their Test game, and wants this work to reflect in Bangladesh’s next WTC assignment.”We took a lot of lessons from this Test series,” Mominul Haque, who led the Test side in India, said. “How to play this challenging pace attack, how to bat session by session, how to bat against the new pink ball, these are the small things we learned from this series. Everyone knows that we don’t play a lot of Tests.”We have around ten Tests coming next year, so I think we can overcome these issues. If [the players] have taken the lesson from this series, you will be able to see it in the next series. You will see it otherwise too. We have to be mentally stronger, I feel.”For this improvement to take place, the Test team – and the coaching staff – will have to pay more attention to detail. Bangladesh can learn from how well they have managed the ODI team since 2007, with proper plans in place. They have found at least two batsmen to compete for specific batting positions. The established batsmen have grown more consistent, and the line-up as a whole has looked more settled. Bangladesh have also found new talents among bowlers and allrounders, with Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Saifuddin standing out as examples.Virat Kohli and Mominul Haque at the toss in India’s first-ever day-night Test•BCCIBangladesh haven’t tasted as much success in T20Is, with big-hitting talent in particular proving elusive, but their players have been highly motivated to improve themselves in the format. A similar sense of desperation and hunger for technical knowledge would serve Bangladesh well if applied to Test cricket as well.Making Mominul the captain is a positive move, and so far he has shown a glimpse of his aggressive side, choosing to bat first in both Indore and Kolkata, against arguably the best pace attack in the world. Bangladesh failed on both occasions but, as their coach Russell Domingo said, they don’t want to be sitting ducks. That may be ridiculed in many quarters, but he makes a fair point.It would be a sensible move for the BCB to retain Mominul at the helm for at least a year, to give him the time, and a bit of security, to prove his captaincy mettle. His partnership with Domingo may well have some potential, given their pragmatic personalities.Mominul also represents a niche in Bangladesh cricket by being a Test specialist. The term was almost a slur in the past, while used to describe players like Javed Omar, Rajin Saleh and Enamul Haque Jr, but the establishment is finally seeing some value in players with Test-match virtues like Mominul, Taijul Islam and Shadman Islam. Taijul is a fighting cricketer who brings value to the team as a left-arm spinner who is prepared to bowl long spells. Shadman, as opener, has shown he can bat with patience and leave well outside off stump, even though he didn’t make a fifty in either New Zealand or India.Eventually, Bangladesh may have to bring more Test specialists into their side, with some of the senior players possibly needing to give up one or two formats to lengthen their international careers. It could have happened earlier, for instance, in the case of Mahmudullah, and now might be a good time for that decision.The two Tests in India were, in the end, missed opportunities for Bangladesh. Had they prepared a little better, they could have shown more than just glimpses of their ability, and a fighting performance against a top side in their own conditions could have raised Bangladesh’s profile considerably. It would have shown that their cricket is improving overall, even in the longest format.Instead, their performance in India could prove damaging in the longer term, putting forward another reason for the bigger cricket nations to not show any interest in hosting Bangladesh in bilateral Test series. The only way for Bangladesh to change this perception would be to ensure that they pay enough attention to detail in Test cricket. The pieces of the puzzle are lying there, scattered on the floor. All they have to do is pick them up and put them together.

“What I really want is to get 100% out of my players, and to create a positive environment for them”

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Jul-2024Kusal Mendis is in outstanding form, Pathum Nissanka has had fantastic outings, Avishka Fernando has been spectacular, and Kusal Perera has made a strong comeback. On top of which, Kamindu Mendis seems in good touch too.This is all on based on Lanka Premier League (LPL) performances, that new Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka regards as the gold standard in T20 cricket on the island.The LPL concluded only on Sunday, with Asalanka’s Jaffna Kings side taking home the trophy. Top order batters flourished in that competition. Asalanka has suggested that Kamindu – who also bowled with both arms during the LPL – has sewn up the No. 4 spot, having hit 287 runs at a strike rate of 157 through the tournament.Related

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But then there are still four batters vying for the top three spots. As Asalanka said: “There are four openers in the squad, and the way I’m thinking three of them will make up the top three. One of them will have to miss out.”Those four: Kusal Mendis, who hit 329 runs at a strike rate of 150, and can keep wicket. Pathum Nissanka, who hit 333 at strike rate of 153. Avishka Fernando, who smoked 374 at a strike rate of 163. Kusal Perera, who had the best strike rate of the four – 169. He made 296 runs, but in fewer innings than the others.These are stats worth thinking on before the two back-to-back matches on Saturday and Sunday, because Sri Lanka’s new captain is keen on using the LPL as a marker of T20 ability.”If you look at the LPL, it’s the No. 1 tournament we have to make decisions like this,” Asalanka said. “More than domestic T20s, the LPL is at a much higher level. As a captain, I think if you perform at the LPL you should get a good chance at playing in the national team.”Asalanka has been a captain since age-group level, whether for his school Richmond College, or Sri Lanka Under 19, and most recently the winning LPL franchise. He suggested his style of leadership is based around man-management.”From under 15 level I’ve captained teams, and there’ s been a lot of change since then. That’s what I tell my team members too – we can’t be at the same place we’ve always been at. From day to day you have to improve and that’s how you become a good player or a good captain. I’ve played under many captains, and I’ve tried to absorb as many of their good traits into my captaincy and into my life as possible.”What I really want is to get 100% out of my players, and to create a positive environment for them. We have a lot of talented cricketers, but what’s important is to get the most out of them and have them win matches. I’ve told them to play freely and when we’ve given them plans, to go out there and execute them without fear. That’s what you can expect from me as a captain.”

With an agreement for Tijjani Reijnders edging closer, another Manchester City target has now reportedly said yes to completing a move to the Etihad following talks with Pep Guardiola.

Man City pushing to sign Reijnders

Following their most difficult season yet under Guardiola, which still saw them finish as high as third to sum up just how high the Spaniard’s standards are, Manchester City are set to rebuild their midfield this summer. Already, the iconic Kevin De Bruyne has brought his incredible City career to an end, and he may not be the only one to depart in the coming months.

Jack Grealish looks likely to join the Belgian out the exit door. The England international was not included in Guardiola’s squad for the final game of the Premier League season against Fulham and the Citizens are now reportedly open to a loan exit for the midfielder. Amid interest from the likes of Everton, a departure would suit all parties.

What those exits will make room for, of course, is some much-needed fresh faces. And that looks set to include Reijnders. The AC Milan midfielder has been the subject of City’s interest in recent weeks and he has now reportedly said “yes” to completing a move to the Premier League giants.

With Rodri returning from injury this summer and Reijnders potentially arriving, Manchester City could put their midfield struggles behind them just one season after they emerged. It’s the type of ruthless operation which saw Guardiola and City become the first to win four Premier League titles in a row and the type that could see them enjoy an instant return to the top of English football.

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The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

They’re seemingly not done after Reijnders, either. After missing out on Florian Wirtz, Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention towards an impressive alternative.

Cherki also "yes" to Man City move

According to Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Rayan Cherki has now said “yes” to Manchester City after holding talks with Guardiola. The talented Frenchman, with personal terms not a problem, looks increasingly likely to be on his way to the Premier League in a deal that could be worth €40m (£34m) this summer.

As Wirtz alternatives go, and bargain ones at that, Cherki is certainly an impressive option too.

Minutes

2,041

2,351

Goals

8

10

Assists

11

12

Key Passes

75

57

Whilst there has always been a concern about Cherki’s ability out of possession, his influence on the ball cannot be denied and Manchester City could be the perfect side for him as a result.

The Citizens are in possession more than most in the Premier League and that control would allow Cherki to flourish going forward. With Reijnders reportedly standing alongside Rodri behind the Frenchman too, City should not become as exposed in transition as they were this season which could prove to make all the difference.

England coach says team must block out outside noise and focus on two crucial points

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024Matthew Mott, England’s head coach, says he hopes that Josh Hazlewood was joking about the prospect of Australia manipulating an early exit for the T20 World Cup defending champions, but admits his team can do little else but focus on victory against Oman on Thursday and hope the ongoing debate about run-rate calculations ends up falling in their favour.England were a distant second-best to Australia in their meeting in Barbados last week, and having endured a washed-out opening fixture against Scotland – who have since won two from two – they are no longer in control of their destiny in Group B, a situation which echoes their tame and early exit from the 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.Even England’s own back-to-back victories over Oman and Namibia may not be sufficient to overturn their sizeable NRR deficit to the Scots – a point which Hazlewood highlighted when he suggested that Australia could be tempted to “knock it around and drag it out” when they themselves face Scotland in Group B’s final match in Antigua on Sunday.Such a tactic would echo Steve Waugh’s infamous go-slow against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup – when the target for elimination on that occasion had been New Zealand – but it would come with the risk of a two-match ban for their current captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed by the umpires to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which pertains to the “inappropriate strategic or tactical” manipulation of matches.But Mott, who coached Hazlewood during his time at New South Wales, played down the comments as an example of his “tongue-in-cheek” sense of humour.”I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott said. “He has got a very good sense of humour and I am hoping it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”Either way, the potential for a run-rate rumpus is the sort of distraction that England could do without, given their lack of fluency in the tournament to date. Even before the Scotland match was abandoned, they had been notably off the pace with the ball in conceding 90 wicketless runs in ten overs, and the pressure to perform to the standard expected of defending champions is ramping up again, especially in light of their grim display in their 50-over defence last year.Related

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“Regardless of any outside noise about qualification, run-rates, all that sort of stuff, essentially, we’ve got to win this game and we’ve spoken a lot about that,” Mott said. “We’ve played good T20 cricket for a while now. It didn’t quite come off against Australia last game but I think we’ve got our structure in place, we’re really confident. Those who saw us train yesterday, you can see a buoyant group, up and about, that’s ready for the challenge ahead.”To offset any run-rate shenanigans, England need to beat Oman and Namibia by a combined margin of 117 runs (or the equivalent when chasing), thereby hauling their net run-rate above Scotland’s, so that only a surprise defeat of Australia can prevent them from progressing. But first things first, England must defeat a team that Scotland themselves saw off with 41 balls to spare in a pointedly fast finish in Antigua on Sunday.”We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation,” Mott said. “They’ve got our full attention. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well. So, we’ll just keep an open mind, as we always will.”But essentially, we want to play that brand of cricket. I think we had glimpses of it the other day. I thought we started well with the bat, but to get a full performance in is really important. Get that on-field confidence. I think we’re really close, but obviously it’s been a bit of a disjointed tournament so far.”

Trescothick will have a few days off after the second Test before linking up with his white-ball squad ahead of the first Australia T20I

Matt Roller30-Aug-2024Andrew Flintoff will work with England’s batters ahead of their third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval next week, with Marcus Trescothick taking a short break ahead of his stint as interim white-ball head coach for September’s series against Australia at home.Flintoff has been involved in England’s white-ball set-up for the past year, including at June’s T20 World Cup, but will not be part of Trescothick’s coaching staff for the three T20Is and five ODIs against Australia next month. He recently had his first experience as a head coach at the Hundred, his Northern Superchargers finishing fourth and narrowly missing out on qualification.He is expected to link up with the Test squad on Wednesday for the first of two training days, and will be part of Brendon McCullum’s staff throughout the third Test. He is only filling the role on a short-term basis and is not expected to be involved on the winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.Related

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Trescothick will have a few days off after the second Test at Lord’s, which is scheduled to finish on Monday, before linking up with his white-ball squad ahead of the first T20I at the Utilita Bowl near Southampton, to be played on September 11. His backroom staff will be largely the same as Matthew Mott’s, with the short-term addition of England Under-19s coach Michael Yardy.He is yet to decide whether he will apply for the white-ball head coach’s role on a permanent basis. “I’m still very focused on the batting stuff with the Test team,” he told Sky Sports on Friday. “I’m going to let this play out and see what happens for this period of time, and see how much I enjoy doing the head coach’s role and then go from there really. I’m quite open to the idea of seeing what’s going to happen.”Trescothick will work alongside Jos Buttler, his old Somerset team-mate, who has been backed to continue as captain but may relinquish the wicketkeeping gloves in the T20Is. “It’s definitely something we’ll think about,” Trescothick said, “because we can try different options, give it a go for a period of time and see what reaction it has on his captaincy and on the team.”For whatever reason, there were a tough couple of World Cups that they had in the meantime and we’ve come out of those not feeling too great about our one-day cricket. But it’s still in a really good place, and Jos is going to lead that forward for a period of time at the moment – and I don’t see it changing.”

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh played support roles as India drew level 1-1 in the T20I series, with three games still to play

Karthik Krishnaswamy07-Jul-2024
India’s first step into a new era of T20 cricket began with a stumble on Saturday, but they dusted themselves off well and truly to close out the weekend with a portentous win headlined by their most futuristic player. Abhishek Sharma, who lit up IPL 2024 with his incandescent, all-intent displays at the top of the order, gave international cricket its first glimpse of his ability on Sunday, taking Zimbabwe apart with a 46-ball century, the joint third-fastest by an India batter in T20Is.Related

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That effort led India to 234 for 2 – their second-highest T20I total away from home – and left Zimbabwe needing to pull off their highest successful chase – they had only once hauled down a target above 199. They didn’t get anywhere near close, as India’s vastly superior bowling attack made full use of a two-paced pitch while defending a total that was well above-par. The margin of victory – exactly 100 runs – perfectly summed up the contest.

A deceptive start

On Saturday, Zimbabwe had opened the bowling with Brian Bennett, deploying his offspin against India’s left-hand debutant, and that had brought a first-over wicket-maiden with Abhishek out for a duck. The same match-up kicked off the second T20I after India opted to bat, and Abhishek got off the mark in international cricket off the first legal ball he faced, pulling it for six.It was a sign of what was to come, but it also wasn’t. International cricket isn’t necessarily a standard than the IPL, but it can be very, very different. This was a Harare pitch with a bit of spongy bounce and seam early on, and Zimbabwe’s attack used it well in the powerplay to keep India to 36 for 1.Shubman Gill fell in the second over, chipping Blessing Muzarabani straight to mid-on, and the towering quick was Zimbabwe’s best bowler in the early stages, troubling Ruturaj Gaikwad in particular with his lift and movement in the corridor. Abhishek took time coming to grips with the conditions too, and at one point was batting on 27 off 23 balls.Then he looked to clear his front leg and hit Luke Jongwe’s nibbly medium-pace over the top, and miscued it high in the air over the mid-off region. Wellington Masakadza got under it, and put it down.Abhishek Sharma’s savours the feeling of getting to a maiden international ton•Associated Press

Abhi shakes the room

From that point on, Abhishek was unstoppable, clattering 72 runs in his last 23 balls at the crease, hitting five fours and seven sixes in that time. Suddenly, the conditions ceased to bother him. He was rocking back to marginally short balls and pulling with fierce power. He was stepping out and freeing his arms gloriously to loft over the covers. A modest Zimbabwe attack, suddenly, was looking like what it was.There was another drop along the way, Tendai Chatara running to his right from long-off and getting only the heel of his palm to a lofted drive off Sikandar Raza, when Abhishek was on 77 off 40. Zimbabwe were in the firing line, though, and with all the batting India had in the dugout – they had left out the left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed and included an extra batter, handing Sai Sudharsan his T20I debut – he was taking nearly every ball on. Abhishek wasn’t worried about getting out – this is why he made such an impact in the IPL even though his longest innings of the season only lasted 28 balls – and on this day luck smiled on him.Along the way, he left a couple of bowlers nursing vivid bruises. Dion Myers’ slow-medium disappeared for 4, 6, 4, 6, 4 in the 11th over, the pick of the hits a monster pull that hit the roof beyond the leg-side boundary to bring up Abhishek’s fifty. Then Masakadza, unfortunate both to have dropped Abhishek and to be a purveyor of left-arm orthodox, went for 6, 6, 6 in the 14th over – the last of them a one-handed swipe over backward square leg that brought up Abhishek’s century – before a miscue off the next ball ended the onslaught.Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad put on 137 off 76 for the second wicket•Associated Press

Gaikwad and Rinku pile it on

Or not, because Zimbabwe still had six overs to bowl and India were in the mood now. Gaikwad’s struggle against the conditions and the rust of playing his first competitive cricket since the IPL extended all the way until his 38th ball, when he brought up his fifty with a pulled four off Jongwe. He took Chatara apart in the next over, the 18th, hitting him for three fours and a six to eventually finish unbeaten on 77 off 47.India’s main source of end-overs carnage, however, was Rinku Singh, who had been unlucky to miss their World Cup campaign while boasting an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.23 in 11 innings at the time the squad was announced. He was in his element here, promoted to No. 4 with the perfect entry point for his skills, slapping the sixth ball he faced for a charging six over the covers and finishing the innings with a four and back-to-back sixes off Jongwe, who ended with figures of 0 for 53 in four overs. Not what he may have anticipated when he induced Abhishek to miscue on 27.

Mukesh, Avesh and Bishnoi wrap it up

If Zimbabwe had any hope going into their chase, it lay in the composition of India’s attack. Having picked the extra batter, they were playing only four frontline bowlers, which left four overs to be completed by part-timers Abhishek and Riyan Parag.Abhishek isn’t a part-timer in domestic cricket, and has plenty of variations to go with his stock left-arm orthodox, but he discovered how difficult bowling in the powerplay in an international game can be, conceding 19 in the second over with Bennett in an aggressive mood. Bennett took hold of Mukesh Kumar in the next over as well, hitting him for a pair of massive back-to-back sixes – over square leg and then down the ground – but he fell next ball.Brian Bennett got Zimbabwe off to a flying start with 26 off 9 before being bowled by Mukesh Kumar•Associated Press

That was the second wicket Mukesh had taken with an in-ducker, after one in the first over to bowl Innocent Kaia through the gate. That sort of seam movement, with a bit of inconsistent bounce thrown in, was a defining feature of Zimbabwe’s powerplay: they scored 22 runs more than India did in that phase, thanks to Bennett’s aggression, but they lost four wickets to India’s one.One of these summed up how challenging the conditions still were: a bouncer from Avesh Khan skidding onto Sikandar Raza as he shaped to hook, forcing him to fend a catch off the glove to the keeper.Zimbabwe’s innings continued to flounder after the powerplay, with Ravi Bishnoi looking particularly unhittable – Johnathan Campbell, sweeping and reverse-sweeping with increasing desperation, failed to put bat on five successive balls from him, and bottom-edged the sixth into his body. Wessly Madhevere batted from the start of the chase all the way to the 17th over, and made 43 off 39 balls. Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 134 with eight balls remaining, with Mukesh and Avesh bagging three wickets apiece and Bishnoi finishing with 2 for 11 from his four overs.