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Speculation about surprise comeback had been rife, but ultimately Australia opted for discretion

Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-2025Pat Cummins became a genuine option for a recall in Brisbane over the past week as he surprised everyone with the speed of his recovery. However, Australia’s selectors ultimately decided there was too much risk attached in playing a bowler whose overs would still need to be managed, but are very confident in him being ready for Adelaide.Chair of selectors George Bailey said his panel had not been “playing silly buggers” in leaving Cummins out of the squad but refusing to officially rule him out of contention in the lead-up to the second Test. However, he did admit a hug between Cummins and Andrew McDonald during a pitch inspection on Wednesday had been “for laughs”.Bailey said that there had been no expectation of Cummins being available when the group was selected but it became a realistic prospect as he ramped up his training in Brisbane, which included two spells on Monday and his first bowls on back-to-back days.”We weren’t playing silly buggers with him not being in the squad and in the mix. But I think once we got up here, saw his training, got as much of the background medical information as well, it became a live possibility,” he said. “Then it was just working through the permutations of what would that look like in terms of the amount of overs, what would it look like going forward from that as well.Related

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“I don’t think we thought he was going to be as close, it really changed through the week. Then risk tolerance became the conversation around what could he take on. Yes, he could have played. There would have been some restrictions around the overs and then obviously just the permutations [around that].”There was also consideration into what bringing Cummins back for this Test could mean going forward, and the added pressure it could leave on the rest of the attack. “Being in a really controlled environment [in] the nets where you can be really structured around the breaks and how you want it, then it’s just that risk of maybe going into a game,” Bailey said. “There’s some things you can control and probably some things that do get taken out of your control.”Meanwhile, Bailey said that the selectors had not got to the stage of debating whether Usman Khawaja would retain his place for the Gabba because he had never been passed fit to play. Khawaja batted on Tuesday before being ruled out of the Test the following day, having not recovered from the back spasms he suffered in Perth. He returned to the nets on Thursday. Travis Head, who made 123 in Australia’s chase in the opening match, will continue in the opening role during the second Test.”He hadn’t got his back back to baseline,” Bailey said. “And if you’re not back to the starting point then it’s obviously a heightened risk. There’s obviously your own performance, but when you’re injured and you feel like you’ve let the team down, I think that was something he was just conscious of; if it happened again, it would be an awful feeling. So sitting this one out buys time.”For now, Head is not being locked in at the top beyond this Test, and there has even been discussion of having in-match flexibility to batting orders.”We’ve gone into this series so far very much with a Test-by-Test focus,” Bailey said. “I imagine we’ll get another look at it here and see what that looks like and see that combination. We can cross that bridge [and] make that decision as and when we need to make that decision, but it’s an interesting one. What’s the threshold now for it to be a specialist opener, what’s that look like?”

India sealed their closest-ever Test win in terms of runs as Siraj picked up a five-for

Andrew Miller04-Aug-2025A dank, grey morning in South London, a packed crowd at the Kia Oval, and 53 of the most extraordinary deliveries in Test-match history… all of which culminated in the inevitable, indefatigable redemption of Mohammed Siraj, whose gut-busting five-wicket haul trumped a very different, but every bit as heroic, intercession from England’s incapacitated Chris Woakes, in one of the greatest climaxes in all of Test history.Twenty years ago, on this very day, the legendary Edgbaston Ashes Test of 2005 got underway, but even that match’s breathless two-run finish paled against the agonising drama that spanned a solitary hour of play of this, the 25th and final day of another all-timer of a Test series. By the end of it all, India had landed their closest victory in Test history, by six runs. Their players were doing a lap of honour in front of a sea of their jubilant fans, grins beaming out from their battle-weary bodies, safe in the knowledge that they had earned every drop of the acclaim.Related

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• Six-run thriller – India script their narrowest win in Tests

This final act had been forced upon the series by the chaotic thunderstorm that had ended the fourth day early, arguably to England’s benefit in that moment, given the hot vein of form that Siraj had located to drag the contest, kicking and screaming, back in India’s direction after Harry Brook and Joe Root had, at one stage, threatened to rampage to their target of 374.With one last burst of Lee Fortis’ heavy roller before play, and with the potential for Siraj and his crucial sidekick Prasidh Krishna to resume with an adrenaline hangover, England were arguably favourites when play resumed, with 35 runs needed and three (and a half) wickets in hand. When Jamie Overton duly cracked two fours from Prasidh’s first two balls of the day – the latter, admittedly, very streakily past his leg stump – that equation was in danger of being settled in a matter of minutes.Siraj, however, was not letting this one slip. Of all the extraordinary moments in the course of five breathless Tests, nothing had threatened to have a more lasting legacy than his own crestfallen face-palm at deep fine-leg on the fourth afternoon, in the moment that he stepped on the boundary triangle to turn a regulation top-edge from Brook into a momentum-shifting six.2:02

Harmison: Woakes put his career on the line by coming out to bat

Coupled with his cruel luck with the bat in a similarly tense finale at Lord’s, it was an error that had drawn Siraj’s heart ever more fervently onto his sleeve. It had been his mission to make amends every step of the way of his exhausting 30.1-over effort, and the deliverance would prove to be exquisite. The winning moment came with a pinpoint yorker to uproot Gus Atkinson’s off stump, as he swung lustily once more – knowing that Woakes, his left arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder in the field, could not be asked to do more than just be there. However, that snapshot hardly scratches the surface of the drama he ignited.Siraj’s final act began with 27 runs left to defend, and England’s most likely matchwinner, Jamie Smith, in his sights on 2 not out from 17 balls. Right from the get-go, he located that crucial old-ball movement, and got his pace cranked up into the high-80s in the process. But, with Smith inevitably itching to get this done quickly – as is the Bazball ethos – Siraj cunningly kept his line wide, forcing the batter to come looking for his drives, and duly hitting paydirt with his third ball of the day – a palpable nick through to Dhruv Jurel that the umpires, under extraordinary pressure themselves, took upstairs to double-check.In an instant, the momentum lurched violently in India’s direction, and Atkinson, the new man, might have gone first ball as he was squared up by Siraj’s tighter line only for the ball to reach KL Rahul on the half-volley at second slip. At the other end, Overton’s long levers – which have attracted the interest of England’s white-ball teams in recent years – were stymied by six men back on the rope, one of whom, Ravindra Jadeja, pulled off a tigerish stop at deep cover to save a priceless boundary as Atkinson drove Prasidh firmly.3:49

Bangar: Series result proves India is growing in stature

Siraj, however, was still the main man. With the old ball still talking, a big inswinger crunched into Overton’s pad as he was pinned on the crease, and it was the voracity of the appeal that prised the crucial decision. Umpire Dharmasena waited an eternity before deciding that the appeal was worthy… and Overton’s desperate review duly confirmed that the ball would have been clipping leg stump.Moments later, umpire Ahsan Raza was similarly convinced by the inswinger, as Josh Tongue was pinned by Prasidh, but this time his review was clearly shown to be missing leg. In his next over, however, Prasidh didn’t need the umpire’s assistance. A piledriver of a yorker burst through Tongue’s defences for a 12-ball duck, and at 357 for 9, the die was cast for an extraordinary contest to receive an immortal climax.This was a match that burgled plotlines from a host of memorable predecessors – not least Trent Boult’s boundary-catch-that-wasn’t in the 2019 World Cup final. But now, 40 minutes into the day’s play, out strode Woakes, one arm completely encased by a sling beneath his jumper, charged with the task of hanging in there as best as he could, as Atkinson attempted to hack away the 17 runs still needed for victory.1:19

Sanjay Bangar picks his moment of the series

Sixty-two years have elapsed since Colin Cowdrey did likewise at Lord’s in 1963, returning to the crease with a broken arm, with England six runs from victory and with one wicket still standing. In those less chaotic days, David Allen opted not to go for broke against Wes Hall with two balls of the match to come, and Cowdrey was not required to do more than lean on his bat. Woakes, on the other hand, had a significantly more torrid role in store.The onus, though, was on Atkinson to score the runs. Two balls into Siraj’s next over, he connected magnificently with a launch across the line, as Akash Deep – in off the rope in the deep – could only palm the ball across the rope as he leapt in vain to intercept. Three air-shots ensued, whereupon – from the last ball of the over – Woakes hurtled off for a bye to the keeper, his arm bouncing out of his sling in the process, leaving him wincing in agony as umpire Raza helped swaddle him back into position.There was no respite, however. “Two!” was Atkinson’s instant call one ball later, as he found rare space in the deep off Prasidh to take the target into single figures. And though he could not make further inroads from the next four balls, the sixth was a gift, tight and full on the stumps, and a calm nudge to mid-on to keep the strike once more, and take England to within one blow of tying the scores.Siraj, however, wasn’t letting this cause slip now. In he hurtled for one final effort ball. Back went Atkinson’s off stump as he swung for the hills once again. Out came Siraj’s “siu” celebration as his team-mates swamped him in adulation. Off went the celebrations all across a nation that had no doubt come to a standstill on an otherwise nondescript Monday afternoon. So ended one of the most breathless hours ever witnessed in 148 years and 2598 Tests. And one of the most compelling series in living memory.

“Shift in business objectives” ends two-year Test deal, but Covid-19 outbreak causes county termination

Andrew Miller10-Apr-2020Specsavers, the opticians and eye-test specialists, have confirmed their withdrawal as sponsors of both the County Championship and England men’s home Tests for 2020, citing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for the former, but a change in “business objectives” for the latter*.Specsavers came on board as the County Championship’s principal sponsor in February 2016, on a four-year deal that was due to end after the 2019 season. Two years later, they took over from Investec as principal sponsors of England men’s home Tests, on an initial two-year deal that encompassed high-profile series against India in 2018 and Australia the following year.And though the company said in a statement that they have “left the door open” to further opportunities to work within English cricket, it means that the ECB’s precarious finances are likely to take a further hit in the short term, with no replacement deals yet being confirmed for either competition.It is, however, understood that the ECB can expect to recoup some of their losses incurred during the pandemic through their insurance, having taken out “Communicable Disease Cover” in the wake of the SARS outbreak in 2002-04.”We have had a phenomenally successful partnership with the ECB during the past few years. Sadly, as a result of the current pandemic and incredibly challenging trading conditions, we have been forced to review our commitments,” read a statement from Specsavers.”As a result, we have taken the extremely difficult decision to bring to an end our sponsorships of the County Championship and the domestic umpires. In addition, we will not be renewing our partnership for Test cricket … however, this decision was taken at the end of last year due to a shift in business objectives.”The timing of Specsavers’ withdrawal from the Test deal is particularly notable, given the huge publicity the company received during last summer’s thrilling 2-2 Ashes series, particularly after the third Test at Headingley in which the bespectacled Jack Leach played a key role in England’s famous victory.Last Thursday, Specsavers branding was removed from all social-media references to the County Championship and England’s Test series in 2020, as well as from the ECB’s official website.”Our partnership has allowed us to be part of some fantastic cricket; the incredible performance from Jack Leach in the Ashes at Headingley was an obvious highlight,” added the statement.”The partnership with the ECB has also allowed us to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye and hearing tests and we are incredibly proud of our work with the ECB. We would like to wish the ECB the best of luck and success for the future and we have left the door open to work together again in the future, if circumstances allow.”This year’s County Championship had been due to get underway over the Easter weekend, with the first round of four-day games originally scheduled to start on April 12. However, the season has been postponed to May 28 at the earliest due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and further delays are anticipated with the UK currently implementing social distancing measures to combat the spread of the virus.The ECB is mapping out a series of contingency plans, depending on how much of the English season is still available to be staged, as and when the current restrictions on live sport are lifted. Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, recently stated, in a letter seen by ESPNcricinfo, that a complete cancellation of the English season could cost the game up to £300 million.Last week, the PCA announced that, following discussions with the ECB and the 18 first-class counties, £1 million of domestic prize money would be redistributed to help fund player wages. An agreement was also reached for counties to furlough their playing staff if required, an option that several have since confirmed they will be taking up.England’s contracted players recently donated £500,000 of their salaries to the ECB and selected good causes, with the women’s squad also accepting 20% pay cuts in line with those of their coaching and support staff.West Indies were due to arrive in England next month to begin a three-Test tour, with the first match scheduled to start at The Oval on June 4, but that prospect looks increasingly unlikely.”The deadline of 28 May still stands, but it’s looking less and less likely that we’re going to be out there in June,” said Ashley Giles, England men’s director of cricket.Confirming the news, the ECB thanked Specsavers for being “a wonderful partner for many years”, and reciprocated the company’s willingness to seek further deals “if circumstances allow” in the future.*3pm BST – This story, originally published on April 10, was updated with confirmation from Specsavers and the ECB

Faulkner took three wickets for the Qalandars in the powerplay while their captain Sohail top scored with 40

Danyal Rasool09-Jun-2021Few games are worth waiting three months for, but on the resumption, the PSL served up a UAE-style thriller. In a game that the Lahore Qalandars dominated but somehow found a way to lose control of in the final few overs, Rashid Khan smashed three fours off the final over, when they needed 16, to rescue a game that had slipped away for his side, condemning Islamabad United to a stunning last-ball defeat. With one needed off the final delivery, Tim David’s top edge cleared the keeper, and United’s fate was sealed.The Qalandars had got off to a brilliant start thanks to three wickets up top from James Faulkner in the first innings. United struggled for fluency throughout the innings as wickets fell regularly, with only a cameo from Faheem Ashraf, who top-scored with a 24-ball 27, taking them past 120. That late surge dragged Shadab Khan’s team back into the game, with the 143 they posted looking like the sort of total that was just about defensible in the UAE; the very notion would have been unthinkable in Karachi.Fakhar Zaman and Sohail Akhtar got the Qalandars off to a fluent start, but accurate, disciplined bowling from United derailed the chase fairly soon. Zaman lost fluency and was cleaned up by Ashraf , and as the asking rate began to climb, captain Akhtar became increasingly key for his side. When he smashed Shadab for 15 in the 12th over, the Qalandars were back in the game, but the true consequences of that over were yet to emerge.With wickets falling regularly and Ben Dunk nowhere near his best, the game looked dead and buried for the Qalandars when Hasan Ali removed the Australian in a superb penultimate over. Singaporean international David’s six off the final ball meant United needed to defend 15, and Shadab threw Hussain Talat the ball instead of taking it himself. Rashid smashed him for three successive boundaries, and a rollercoaster of a contest was suddenly done and dusted.The decision
Shadab’s confidence with the ball isn’t what it might have been, but even so, backing Talat, who didn’t otherwise bowl all day, to line up for that final over seemed an unnecessary risk. Shadab would later say he didn’t fancy bowling at the left-handers, and with Dunk there till the 19th over, he kept himself away from the bowling crease. But Dunk was gone, and with Rashid and David batting, there were two right-handers out in the middle for the Qalandars. Shadab, nevertheless, didn’t quite trust himself at the moment. Talat’s over was fairly ordinary, in truth, but given it was his first, laying the blame at his feet would be excessively harsh.Faulkner’s military medium
Faulkner was a surprising pick in the replacement draft for the Qalandars anyway, but when he was thrown the ball to open alongside Shaheen Afridi, the faith the Qalandars had placed in him seemed excessive. Even more so when he shuffled to deliver what could most generously be termed medium-fast deliveries and Colin Munro took him apart with a four and a six off successive deliveries.But it was that lack of pace that would prove especially destructive on a slow pitch, particularly when the Australian mixed it up by deliberately taking the pace off some. Munro was undone when he played down the wrong line, but Faulkner was only getting started. While Afridi was unfortunate not to pick up wickets, his less celebrated new-ball partner was more than making up for it. Rohail Nazir was undone by an offcutter that slowed off the surface, while Shadab found no timing on another slower delivery as United reeled. Akhtar was so impressed that Faulkner went on to bowl his full allotment of four on the trot, and by the time he was done taking three wickets, his side was in charge.The Rashid Khan masterclass
It’s difficult to overstate the enormity of the impact Rashid’s availability had on the Qalandars’ chances. While it seemed initially he would be lost to Sussex for the T20 Blast at this time of year, he chose to stick with the PSL, and with the opportunity to bowl in these conditions, why wouldn’t he? Rashid in the PSL is just about as close to a cheat code as T20 cricket has these days, and with United already under pressure when he was introduced, the Afghan asphyxiated them through the middle overs.His four overs conceded just nine runs, along with the wicket of Talat, as the wheels came off entirely for the batting side. The combination of the quicker, flatter delivery, the conventional legbreak, and a devilish googly ran United ragged, and by the time he was done, United had only managed to hobble on to 101 for 7 in 16 overs. And all that without mentioning his later exploits with the bat.Where they stand
United slip to fourth, with three wins in five, whilethe Qalandars go top with eight points and four wins in five matches.

Bairstow, Duckett post imposing 173 but it’s only just enough in epic at Headingley

Valkerie Baynes24-Jul-2021Welsh Fire 173 for 4 (Bairstow 56, Duckett 41) beat Northern Superchargers 168 for 7 (Brook 62, Ahmad 4-13) by 5 runsA blistering half-century to Jonny Bairstow capped by a devastating bowling performance from Afghanistan legspinner Qais Ahmad delivered Welsh Fire a nail-biting five-run victory over Northern Superchargers in their Hundred clash at Emerald Headingley.Harry Brook launched a valiant rescue mission after the hosts had stumbled to 50 for 4 inside the first half of their sizeable run chase. He nearly pulled it off with a knock of 62 from just 31 balls which was every bit as impressive as Bairstow’s.Having seen Jemimah Rodrigues rack up a jaw-dropping 92 not out off 43 on the same excellent batting track in the afternoon match – the highest score across the men’s and women’s competitions so far – Bairstow would doubtless have wanted to press on. But, even though they only have him for the first two matches before he reports for England Test duty, Welsh Fire won’t have any complaints.The crowd swelled from the 5026 for the afternoon match between the women’s sides, won by Superchargers on the back of Rodrigues’ innings, to 10,324 for the men. The relative lack of students in fancy dress suggested the throngs in the pubs lining the route to the ground at lunchtime had decided to stay put. But the largely civilian-clad fans in attendance were in strong voice, quietened briefly when Ben Stokes fell cheaply, but whipped into song by Brook’s charge.Bairstow blitz
If you could only write one player’s name on the Hundred, Bairstow would have to be right up there in lights and, in his first outing of the tournament, he lived up to that billing with an explosive innings that included five fours and three sixes.He launched David Willey over wide mid-off for six on the 11th ball of the match and then hit Willey’s next two deliveries for four. He drove Mujeeb Ur Rahman past a diving Stokes at mid-off for another four and then pummelled Brydon Carse into the fifth row over deep midwicket. Bairstow brought up his fifty off 28 balls with a mammoth six off Mujeeb that sailed into the stands 20 rows back over deep midwicket.Jonny Bairstow came out of the blocks firing for Fire•Getty Images

Stokes, captaining in place of the absent Faf du Plessis, brought himself on and made the breakthrough with his third legitimate delivery, a back-of-a-length ball which Bairstow pulled straight to Willey at deep midwicket. Ben Duckett got in on the act with 41 off 27 balls, including six fours. Combined with Jimmy Neesham’s unbeaten 30 off 11 balls and Glenn Phillips’ 23 off 14 – including two sixes, the first of which he powered off Adil Rashid high into the stand cleared by Liam Livingstone in the T20I last weekend – they helped push Fire to what was comfortably the highest total of the competition to date.Brook no challengers
Brook had been in fine touch for Yorkshire this season with a Championship century and seven scores above 40 in his last eight T20 matches at Headingley. On this occasion, he clattered five sixes and three fours to keeper the Superchargers in the hunt.Brook shared a 68-run stand with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, in the side after recovering from a broken finger which kept him out of much of Yorkshire’s Blast campaign. When Kohler-Cadmore was run out on the 74th ball, Superchargers still needed 55 runs to win and Brook didn’t stop. In the next set of five, he picked off another four and a six off Liam Plunkett, who had bowled with good pace in his first pro game for nine months but was expensive.Brook’s impressive effort ended however, when he was trapped lbw by Ahmad, two balls after the same bowler had John Simpson holing out to Ian Cockbain at long-on during a frenetic passage of play in which Carse also survived a drop and failed run-out attempt by Matt Critchley.Superchargers needed 11 off the last set of five but Jake Ball held his nerve, despite copping a hefty blow to the heel of his hand as Matty Potts struck the penultimate ball back at him with force. Carse managed just one off the last ball instead of the six needed to tie and Fire prevailed.

Qais on song

Welsh Fire accounted for both Superchargers openers in the space of five balls, Adam Lyth spooning Critchley straight to Tom Banton at cover after a short and sweet 25 off 14 and Chris Lynn caught by Ian Cockbain off Ahmad for a run-a-ball 11.Ball then had Stokes caught by Phillips at deep cover for just 5 and when Willey’s attempted drive off Ahmad resulted in a low edge to Critchley at backward point, he was forced to walk off to a blast of “Where’s Your Head At” by Basement Jaxx and Superchargers were in terrible trouble.Just 20 years old, Ahmad ended with 4 for 13 off 20 balls – Stokes was the only other bowler to concede less than a run a ball – his early dismissal of opener Lynn and his role in ending Brook’s innings proving pivotal.

Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings have proved experts wrong, and 2023 season begins with new rules

Deivarayan Muthu30-Mar-20233:17

Is death bowling a concern for CSK?

Match details

Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, Ahmedabad: 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT)

Big picture

Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, two teams that have specialised in proving haters – and experts – wrong, kick off the new IPL season in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd in Ahmedabad. MS Dhoni in the bright yellow corner; Hardik Pandya, who has seemingly taken the Dhoni route to captaincy and his batting, in the navy blue one.You never know with Dhoni, but this could well be his farewell IPL season, while for Hardik, a successful title defence could potentially lead to his coronation as India’s future full-time white-ball captain. An intra-squad practice session that was thrown open to the public just an hour before the start at Chepauk is a portent of things to come at home, but Super Kings will have to deal with playing five of their first eight games away from home. They had the second-worst economy rate at the death last season with 11.29, but they didn’t quite remedy that at the auction.As for Titans, their major issue last season was the absence of a reliable anchor – they had trialled Vijay Shankar and B Sai Sudharsan in that role – but now they have brought in Kane Williamson, whose elbow is in much better shape than it was last year. Williamson’s presence could allow Hardik to float down the order as opposed to float up, something he did often last IPL. Titans’ bowling attack too ticks most boxes, with the arrivals of Shivam Mavi and Josh Little – the first Ireland player to be picked in the IPL – strengthening them even further.Related

• 'Home-and-away is what makes the IPL what it is'

• Will Chepauk return help CSK spin it to win it?

• Gujarat Titans look stronger for their title defence

• Revitalised Williamson returns to scene of his debut heroics

• How much impact will the Impact Player rule have?

Team news

The Sri Lanka pair of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana will not be available for Super Kings’ first three games since they are currently participating in a six-match white-ball series in New Zealand. NZC, though, has released both Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner, who is likely to start for Super Kings not only in the absence of Theekshana, but also for the rest of the IPL. Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary has been sidelined from the entire season with a back injury and replaced by Akash Singh.There were reports on Thursday that Dhoni could miss the IPL opener with an injury, but their CEO told ESPNcricinfo that Dhoni was fit.4:00

How crucial is Miller’s form for Gujarat Titans?

Fast bowler Sisanda Magala will also be unavailable for the early exchanges as he will be in action for South Africa against Netherlands. Similarly, Titans will miss their finisher David Miller, who will only link up with the franchise after the Netherlands ODIs end on April 2.

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Gujarat Titans
Possible bat-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Matthew Wade, 5 Hardik Pandya, (capt) 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Shivam Mavi, 9 Jayant Yadav/R Sai Kishore 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Mohammed ShamiA resoruce-maximising option for Titans is to bring in another batter, Abhinav Manohar, for instance, in place of one of the dismissed batters who is not athletic in the field. In this scenario, they can have seven bowling options, including Hardik and Tewatia, for their defence.Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Matthew Wade, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Shivam Mavi, 9 Jayant Yadav/R Sai Kishore 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Mohammed ShamiThis XI is no different to the bat-first XI, but in this case, Titans could use the Impact Player rule to bring in either Sai Sudharsan, if they need to stabilise the innings, or Manohar for a finishing kick, in place of Mohammed Shami.Chennai Super Kings
Possible bat-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Ambati Rayudu, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Simarjeet Singh/Tushar DeshpandeIf Santner starts for Super Kings, they will have batting depth all the way down to No. 10, as well as six bowling options, discounting Ben Stokes. Ajinkya Rahane could be a failsafe at Chepauk, but it’s hard to see him slot in as an impact player away from Chennai. Plus, the other reserve batters Shaik Rasheed and Subhranshu Senapati are yet to make their IPL debuts. Don’t be surprised if Dhoni uses no Impact Player.Simarjeet Singh is a swing bowler, whereas Rajvardhan Hangargekar can dig the ball into the pitch•BCCI

Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Rajvardhan Hangargekar, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Simarjeet Singh/Tushar DeshpandeSuper Kings opted against rushing seam-bowling allrounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar into action last season. But following a good domestic season for Maharashtra, he could break into the starting XI if they need some hit-the-deck hustle. The 20-year-old can dig the ball into the pitch and offer something different to Super Kings’ seam attack, as both Deepak Chahar and Simarjeet Singh are both swing bowlers. When they bat, Super Kings could yank Ambati Rayudu out of the bench and use him in the middle order to counter Rashid Khan. He could potentially come in for Simarjeet as an Impact Player.

Stats that matter

• Rayudu has had the wood over Rashid, scoring 79 runs off 65 balls off him being dismissed in the IPL.
• Despite having missed the entire IPL 2022, Chahar remains the top wicket-taker in the powerplay in the past five seasons, with 42 strikes in 58 innings at an economy rate of 7.61.
• In the past year, Alzarri Joseph has conceded only 7.51 runs an over at the death in T20s. It is the second-best economy rate among right-arm seamers who have bowled at least 100 balls in that phase. Only Anrich Nortje has fared better than Joseph on this front with an economy rate of 7.39, but Nortje’s 16 wickets are two fewer than Joseph’s.

Pitch and conditions

The Motera has six red-soil pitches and five black-soil pitches. The ones used for the last IPL final and the recent T20I against New Zealand aided seamers, with dew not being much of a factor later in the evening. It rained on the eve of the IPL opener, disrupting the practice sessions of both teams, but the weather is expected to be clear for the duration of the game.

Both teams opt to retire out batters in eight-over thrash at wet Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network05-Jun-2022Birmingham Bears returned to winning ways with a thrilling one-run Vitality Blast win over Notts Outlaws at Edgbaston. Needing three to win and two to tie from the last ball, Outlaws batter Tom Moores could only scuff Craig Miles for a single.It rounded off a stunning Bears fightback by after Outlaws, chasing 98 for 5 in an eight-overs-per-side contest, charged to 55 for 1 after 20 balls as Alex Hales thrashed 30 from just nine balls. Spin bowler Jake Lintott turned the tide with a superb over which saw him dismiss Hales and Ben Duckett while conceding just two runs.Outlaws needed 15 from the last over but could find only 13 as Miles held his nerve.The game also featured two batters opting to retire out. With one ball to go and six runs needed, Samit Patel walked off from the non-striker’s end to get Calvin Harrison, a faster runner, to the crease. Earlier on, in the Bears’ innings, Carlos Brathwaite had retired out, in the belief that Sam Hain would be better-equipped to score quickly off the spinners.Put in on a relentlessly damp, grey afternoon, the Bears made 98 thanks largely to Chris Benjamin, who hit 36 off 17 balls. Patel bowled with his customary nous and control for 2-0-12-2.England paceman Olly Stone then marked his return to the first team after long-term injury with a wicket first ball but Notts were on course for victory until Lintott’s brilliant analysis of 2-0-6-2.Bears lost Paul Stirling to the first ball of their innings, but the wicket came at a cost for Notts as Joe Clarke fell awkwardly, taking the catch at long leg, and limped from the field. Benjamin then improvised effectively, hitting four fours and two sixes. He was supported by lively cameos from Jake Bethell, with 17 off nine, at the start and Alex Davies, 14 from four, in the final over.Outlaws also lost a wicket first ball when Clarke slashed Stone to short third man. Duckett and Hales hit immediate overdrive to heave the match their side’s way but they fell in the space of three ball from Lintott, the former slickly caught at deep extra by Hain and the latter driving a sharp return catch to the bowler.The potential match-winners keep on coming in Outlaws’ batting line-up but Dan Christian holed out to Brathwaite and Moores and Patel failed to find the requisite 15 from the final over.

Nevill captained NSW in a record 43 Shield games and played 17 Tests and 9 T20Is for Australia

Alex Malcolm01-Apr-2022Former Australia Test and T20I wicketkeeper Peter Nevill has announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket after 13 years at the top level.Nevill, 36, played 17 Tests and nine T20Is for Australia but last played international cricket in 2016. Since then, he has completed a distinguished and record-breaking career with New South Wales. He retires having captained the Blues in 43 Shield matches, more than any other player in history, and as one of just four men to have played more than 100 Shield matches for NSW.Nevill played the last of his 101 matches in February against Tasmania, with a shoulder injury ending his season prematurely. He also holds the record for the most catches for his state with 310, and is second on the Blues’ all-time dismissal list behind Phil Emery.Nevill played in two Shield titles and two Marsh Cup titles with New South Wales, leading them to their last Shield triumph in 2019-20 which was won in unusual circumstances.Nevill played 17 Tests for Australia during a transition period in 2015-16. He replaced Brad Haddin for the Lord’s Test on the 2015 Ashes tour when Haddin withdrew for personal reasons and kept his spot when he became available again which effectively ended Haddin’s distinguished international career.He played 17 consecutive matches and kept impressively throughout but averaged just 22.28 with the bat and made only three half-centuries, which belied his first-class batting record given he finished with 5927 runs at 36.81 and 10 first-class centuries. Nevill lost his place to Matthew Wade in the selection purge that followed Australia’s disastrous loss to South Africa in Hobart.Peter Nevill looks out over the SCG after announcing his retirement•Getty Images

His nine T20 internationals included the 2016 T20 World Cup, when he played as a specialist wicketkeeper batting as low as No.10 in one match.”I’d say [I was] someone who got the most out of the ingredients they had,” Nevill said. “I’ve been fortunate to have played for as long as I have. It is hard to condense [my career] into something short and sweet. However, there’s the opportunities I’ve had, the experiences, the people I’ve met, being able to travel the world, the ups and downs. Something that stands out is the very special people I’ve met, and there was no shortage of them at the Blues.”Nevill finishes a proud Blue despite having grown up in Victoria. He played underage state cricket for Victoria but was forced to move when Wade arrived from Tasmania to become Victoria’s wicketkeeper in all formats. Wade ironically had left Tasmania due to the presence of Tim Paine. All three traded places as Australia’s Test wicketkeeper in the period between 2015 and 2017.”What struck me is I was made to feel welcome by the group [in NSW],” Nevill said. “I was also impressed by how well the senior players communicated to the group what it means to play for NSW: the tradition, the history, and the pride people have in wearing the Baggy Blue.”Hopefully, we’ve continued to pass that message down the line, and that the young players understand the honour of what it means to be a Baggy Blue – representing yourself and those who’ve gone before you.”What stands out is the talent. Talent can sometimes be a dirty word, but we now have an incredibly talented bunch of young players. It is now up to them to take the next step and to really understand their games and how they’re going to be successful.”Thankfully, there’s a good group of senior players and coaches who will help them do that. Hopefully, they go on to dominate world cricket.”Nevill will spend time with his family but has expressed an interest in doing some coaching after a brief coaching/playing stint with Melbourne Stars during the recent BBL, although the experience was curtailed by the Covid outbreak that ravaged the tournament. He is also close to completing a Masters degree with a view towards a new career as a financial advisor.

Kohli plays support role with sedate fifty, before Jadeja derails Hong Kong chase

Hemant Brar31-Aug-20225:32

Robin Uthappa: ‘Suryakumar’s ability to change his shot at last second standout’

India 192 for 2 (Suryakumar 68*, Kohli 59*, Ghazanfar 1-19) beat Hong Kong 152 for 5 (Hayat 41, Kinchit 30, Bhuvneshwar 1-15, Jadeja -15) by 40 runs
A blazing half-century from Suryakumar Yadav, and a more sedate one from Virat Kohli, helped India cruise into the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup as they beat Hong Kong by 40 runs in Dubai. The victory ensured India would finish as the top team in Group A.After being put in, India struggled to force the pace on the ball on a sluggish surface. But as the game progressed, the pitch seemed to ease out. Suryakumar cashed in on that, smashing six fours and as many sixes to post 68 not out in just 26 balls. Kohli, too, found his timing after a slow start and finished unbeaten on 59 off 44. His knock included one four and three sixes. The pair added an unbroken 98 in just 42 balls, propelling India to 192 for 2.From there on, it was always going to be an uphill task for Hong Kong. Despite scoring 51 for 2 in the powerplay, they were behind the asking rate, and once the field spread out, their scoring rate dipped further. In the end, they could manage only 152 for 5.However, it was a far from perfect game for India. Apart from a slow start, Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh looked off colour. Avesh gave away 53 from his four overs, and Arshdeep went for 44 from his quota. Both picked up a wicket each, though.India’ slow start
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul started slowly; India managed just six runs in the first two overs. Rohit broke the shackles by jumping out of his crease to seamer Haroon Arshad and launching him for a straight six. Rahul joined him later in the over when he dispatched a free hit over deep midwicket. Off the last ball, Rohit hit a four to make it 22 from the over.Ayush Shukla broke the stand in the fifth over when Rohit mistimed an offcutter to mid-on. He scored 21 off 13 balls but Rahul was struggling for timing at the other end. Kohli too found it difficult to get going. At one stage, Rahul was on 21 off 25, Kohli on 12 off 14, and India hadn’t managed a boundary for 22 balls. Rahul ended that drought with a six off Aizaz Khan but despite that India only got to 70 for 1 at the ten-over mark.Suryakumar Yadav smoked 68 not out off just 26 balls•AFP/Getty Images

Suryakumar lights up the night
Kohli showed signs of aggression after the halfway stage, hitting Mohammad Ghazanfar for a four and a six in successive overs from the legspinner. Ghazanfar, though, ended Rahul’s struggle by having him caught behind for 36 off 39 balls.That brought Suryakumar to the middle, and he swept the first two balls he faced, from Yasim Murtaza, for fours. That was just the teaser, and soon he showed his full range. In the 16th over, he hit Aizaz over short third for four before scooping him for a six, off consecutive balls. A couple of overs later, he flicked Shukla over deep square leg to move to 41 off just 17 balls.Kohli, meanwhile, brought up his fifty off 40 balls. Three balls after reaching the landmark, he slog-swept Ehsan Khan for a 91-metre six but it paled in comparison to Suryakumar’s dazzling strokeplay.In the last over of the innings, Suryakumar hit Haroon’s first three deliveries for sixes – the second one took him to his fifty off just 22 balls and was arguably the shot of the day. He had initially shaped up for a scoop but seeing Haroon bowl it full and wide, he changed his shot and lofted it over deep cover. The fourth ball was a dot, and Suryakumar pulled the next one over short fine leg for another six. Haroon escaped with a couple off the final ball but India already had a daunting total.Ravindra Jadeja hurt Hong Kong with a run-out and the wicket of Babar Hayat•AFP/Getty Images

Spinners put brakes on after Babar Hayat’s brisk start
Arshdeep bounced out Yasim in the second over but Babar Hayat’s power-hitting took Hong Kong past 50 in the sixth over. The tall right-hander smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Avesh over their heads for a six off each. In the sixth over, he took on Arshdeep, hitting him for two fours.India found some relief when Nizakat Khan was run out on the last ball of the powerplay. It was a free hit that Nizakat steered towards backward point before taking a couple of steps down the pitch. But Ravindra Jadeja nailed a direct hit before he could get back in.Yuzvendra Chahal and Jadeja then conceded only 14 in the next four overs. That left Hong Kong with a monumental task of getting 128 from the last ten.The chase peters out
At the end of the powerplay, Babar was on 29 off 17 but could manage only 12 off the next 18 balls he faced. Jadeja sent him back when he miscued a cut to backward point. Kinchit Shah and Aizaz offered some resistance by adding 31 off 22 balls for the fourth wicket but it was too little to trouble India. In the final two overs, Zeeshan Ali and Scott McKechnie hit a flurry of boundaries but that was too little too late to have an impact on the final result.