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“One extra batter is the reason why I am playing with a 200-plus strike rate in the powerplay”

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2024Virat Kohli has admitted that he is not in favour of the Impact Player rule, as it is “disrupting the balance” of the game. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter said he was concerned that there is no longer an “equal battle between bat and ball” as bowlers now expect to get hit for a boundary every single delivery, and batters such as himself are forced to score at a high rate right from the powerplay.Kohli is the latest player to speak out against Impact Players, echoing the sentiments of his India captain Rohit Sharma, who had said last month that he was “not a fan” of the rule.”I agree with him [Rohit]; I say it how it is. If you see in this IPL, okay, entertainment is [on] one side, but the bowlers are feeling like what they should do [to restrict the batters],” Kohli told Jio Cinema. “I have never experienced anything like it where bowlers think they will concede a four or a six every ball. This is a very high-level of cricket, and in my opinion, it shouldn’t be that dominant [in one aspect]. There is a beauty in having an equal battle between bat and ball.”Not every team has a [Jasprit] Bumrah or a Rashid Khan or a mystery bowler. So what will you do? I am telling you, one extra batter is the reason why I am playing with a 200-plus strike rate in the powerplay. I know there is a batsman coming in at No. 8 as well.”As a batsman, I can say this rule is good, but the match should be exciting. Only fours and sixes are not exciting in cricket. Exciting is that you can defend 160 as well. So I think a bit of balance has been tipped over.”Related

• Ball-by-ball – Ferguson and Dayal deny Dhoni and Jadeja in dramatic finish

• Rohit on Impact Player rule: 'I'm not a big fan'

• Ponting on Impact Player: A 'nightmare' for coaches

• Axar, Mukesh speak out against Impact Player rule

• 'You have to evolve' – Shastri, Ashwin back Impact Player rule

Other than Rohit, Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting, Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar also recently voiced their displeasure about the Impact Player rule. On the other side of the fence, Rajasthan Royals allrounder R Ashwin and former India coach Ravi Shastri backed the rule, suggesting that players have to evolve with the times. Last week, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said that the rule was being used “like a test case”.”We will consult with the players, franchises, [and] broadcasters, [and take a call]. This is not permanent, [but] I am not saying that it will go,” Shah had said.The 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup will be Virat Kohli’s sixth•Getty Images

Kohli ‘hungry as ever’ ahead of T20 World Cup

The T20 World Cup begins just five days after the IPL final on May 26, and Kohli is looking forward to the tournament with renewed “hunger”. Kohli, who will be turning 36 later this year, will be playing his sixth T20 World Cup since his first in 2012, having also played in four ODI World Cups since 2011. Kohli said that the “energy” at a competition like a World Cup always helps him get “pulled in”.”I can say I am hungry as ever. If I don’t have the hunger, you will not see me in the tournament,” he said. “If I don’t have that mindset, I cannot play… Once the team atmosphere builds up, it’s a beautiful journey. We had one in the last [ODI] World Cup [as well]. We really enjoyed the World Cup.”Unfortunately, we could not finish it off, but we had a really enjoyable time as a team. People loved watching us as well, and I am sure that we will have a really good tournament this time as well.”While referring to the ODI World Cup last year, where India fell short in the final against Australia in Ahmedabad, Kohli said there was no regret at having lost the match. Instead, he recalled the only two instances when he “had a heartbreak”, both of which happened to be in the year 2016.”One was the [T20] World Cup. I was in a space where I was feeling no matter what, I could do it,” Kohli said, looking back at India’s defeat to West Indies in the semi-final in Mumbai. “But those no-balls and this and that, that took me a long time to get over. The next day I was literally drained and couldn’t get out of my room. It was very hard on me.”And then when we lost the IPL final here [in Bengaluru]. It felt like that was written in the stars – from the position we were in and then reached the final. We were chasing 200-odd [209], and in nine overs, we were 100-something without loss. When AB [de Villiers] got out, we needed 68 [actually, 71] off 42 balls with eight wickets in hand. If you look at it, you feel like how did you lose that game?”Virat Kohli on MS Dhoni: “He finished so many games. He was the only one who knew what he was doing”•Associated Press

‘I have learnt by failing again and again’

Kohli has batted at a strike rate of 155.16 so far this season, his highest across any IPL he has played in. His previous best was 152.03 in 2016, when he had come close to breaching the 1000-run mark in a single edition.Earlier this season, Kohli had even brushed off the strike-rate debate, and hit back at those speaking “from a box”. Kohli felt he didn’t need to “tell anyone what sort of player I am, or what my ability is”.”I never asked anyone how to win games for your team. I have learnt it myself – by being in that situation, by failing again and again,” he said. “You can win the odd game for your team, but if you are doing it again and again, it’s not by chance.”Kohli gave the example of MS Dhoni, who is regarded as among the best finishers in limited-overs cricket. He said that while Dhoni was often criticised for taking a game deep, he still came out successful.”I always say that watching it from the outside and living that moment yourself are two very different things,” Kohli said. “People used to often say about Mahi that why he takes it to the 20th over or the 50th over. But he finished so many games. He was the only one who knew what he was doing. No one else knew but he knew, and [he] won the games. For me, that is muscle memory. He knew that if he could take it to the last over, he would see it through.”My mindset was different. I would always say, ‘Mahi , let’s finish it in the 19th, or the 49th’. If he is batting with me, then it’s different; but if he is batting alone, then there is no chance [of him finishing it off early]. He take it till the end, and the opposition would be like he would finish it with one six.”So I never felt that I should go and tell someone that don’t say all this. I know what I can do on the ground. I don’t need any approval, or assurance, that I played so well.”Ahead of RCB’s final group game, against Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Kohli looked forward to playing against Dhoni yet again, unsure if it would be the last time they would face off in the IPL.”It’s going to be a great game. Me and him playing again together – maybe for the last time, you never know,” Kohli said. “That’s a special thing. We have had some great memories, [and] great partnerships together playing for India. So that’s always a great occasion when people see us together playing on the field.”

He is said to have exposed himself in frustration and faces the prospect of being kicked out of the next domestic tournament

Umar Farooq02-Feb-2020Umar Akmal is likely to find himself in hot water with the PCB once more after he is said to have misbehaved with staff during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The junior Akmal is believed to have exposed himself in frustration during one test, and now finds himself facing the prospect of being kicked out of the next domestic tournament.Akmal’s elder brother Kamran is also expected to land in trouble after both brothers failed their fitness tests by significant margins. Salman Butt, too, could be in trouble with the authorities, after he stormed out of a fitness test when his request to have it rescheduled was denied.The shortcomings of the Akmal brothers around their fitness regimes has been a talking point for several years now, with Umar last falling foul of the PCB management on this count under former head coach Mickey Arthur; he was sent home on the eve of the Champions Trophy in 2017 after a failed fitness test. Kamran, meanwhile, has not played for Pakistan since 2017, with his lack of athleticism in the outfield a major reason for his prolonged exclusion.The perception that the Akmal brothers have never quite bought into the importance of maintaining rigorous fitness standards hasn’t helped their chances, and for all the changes that Misbah-ul-Haq has sought to bring since taking over from Arthur, the management’s commitment to high fitness standards remains undiluted. Misbah has sought to impose the same high standards in domestic cricket, with each provincial side required to regulate fitness tests on a quarterly basis.ESPNcricinfo understands Umar’s behavior fell short of the mark during the skin-fold test, when he exposed himself completely in front of the trainer and is said to have asked him “Where is the fat?” According to Kamran, Umar did it in mischief and said it was simply a “misunderstanding”. The PCB confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they were fully aware of the matter, and looking at potential punishments in the context of bringing the game into disrepute. Umar could potentially be axed from the upcoming domestic one-day cup.Kamran, meanwhile, skipped two fitness tests, before ending up failing in nearly all departments when he finally did take one. Central Punjab’s squad was called up at the NCA in batches, with Kamran scheduled to appear for his test on January 11. He skipped that test, purportedly because he had a photoshoot with Peshawar Zalmi. His test was then pushed back to January 20, only for him to opt out, informing the management he was suffering from a bout of fever. He would undertake his test on January 28, alongside his brother, with both falling well short of the required benchmarks.”I had informed the management each time I didn’t come,” Kamran told ESPNcricinfo. “I had reasons and I came on January 28 for the test. As far result is concerned, you will see an improvement in the next test after the PSL.”Misbah has been repeatedly asked about Kamran’s absence from the national side, most recently for the Test squad to face Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi Stadium on Saturday. “Both of our openers have scored runs, and obviously you only recall a player when there is a place for him,” Misbah had responded. “Certain players are performing so you have to wait.”Both Akmal brothers and Butt have not signed any contracts with their provincial teams, nor with the PCB, and were playing domestic cricket without any contractual obligation.

Reece Topley, Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone included; Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson miss out

Matt Roller03-Nov-2020Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Ben Stokes have been rested from England’s ODI squad for their three-match series in South Africa as the ECB looks to manage the amount of time players spend in bio-secure conditions away from their families.Archer spent more time than any other England player in bubbles at the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford this summer, while Curran was not far behind. Stokes flew to New Zealand for family reasons after the first Test against Pakistan, and all three players have been in the UAE playing in the IPL. Archer and Curran have been there for the last two months, while Stokes joined the tournament a month back.Jos Buttler, who ran Archer close for the most days spent away from home over the summer and has also been at the IPL, is named in both squads. Eoin Morgan, who will captain both squads, warned last month about the strains of “bubble to bubble” cricket on players’ mental health, while Archer and Curran have both spoken about concerns over burnout during the IPL.ALSO READ: Archer ‘counting down the days’ as bubble life takes it tollEd Smith, England’s national selector, said that players had been rested in order to ensure that they had sufficient rest and were able to peak during global tournaments, rather than arriving exhausting.”The ECB’s position, for a number of years now, has been to permit players to play in the IPL, and that has coincided with England’s very good form in white-ball cricket, their World Cup success and also now their very strong T20 side,” Smith said. “It’s going to have to be a case-by-case situation where we as selectors, but also players, constantly evaluate what’s in the players’ interests but also what’s in England’s interest and we’re very sensible about player workloads.”The ECB’s position has been to allow players to play in the IPL and we are going to take opportunities as selectors for England to rest one or two players when we think it’s a good opportunity to do so. The second half of this white-ball tour is an example. And we’ll also look to make sure England teams are strong across formats at all times but probably peaking, if possible, at big tournaments when we need our best players the most.”I don’t think it’s a question of [them being] too tired. It’s more nuanced than that. If you look at the commitment shown to England by those three players – Curran, Archer and Stokes – and their big performances in an England shirt, I don’t think anyone could question their commitment to the cause. It’s simply the case that the ECB had a stance for a number of years of permitting players to play in IPL. Clearly multi-format players, who also play franchise cricket… are people who need some rest and we, as selectors, are very mindful of that.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Reece Topley, who won an international recall this summer after four injury-blighted years without a cap, is a notable inclusion in both squads, while there are opportunities for Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone and Olly Stone in the ODI squad.Tom Banton, the Somerset batsman, is named among the three reserves across both formats after a disappointing T20I series against Australia in September. He is joined by Jake Ball, who last won a cap in 2018 but topped the wicket-taking charts in this season’s T20 Blast, and Tom Helm, the Middlesex seamer.Along with Archer, Curran and Stokes, Dawid Malan – ranked the world’s No. 1 T20I batsman by the ICC – and Chris Jordan are only included in the T20I squad, while Gregory, Livingstone, Stone, Joe Root and Chris Woakes will replace them for the 50-over series. The T20I series is a rare opportunity for England to field their strongest team in the format, which Buttler said last month would be crucial for their 2021 T20 World Cup preparations.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson, the young Lancashire bowlers, are both eye-catching omissions, while other overlooked players who have been in recent squads include Pat Brown, Joe Denly, Phil Salt and James Vince. David Willey, who was a surprise omission from the squads to play Australia after being named player of the series against Ireland, has a minor back injury, while Liam Dawson (Achilles) and Richard Gleeson (back) were also unavailable.England will fly to South Africa on Monday, November 16, and will stay in a Cape Town hotel in a bio-secure environment. They will play three intra-squad warm-up matches – a 50-over game at Newlands on November 21, and two T20s in Paarl on November 23 – before three T20Is from November 27, and three ODIs from December 4. The intra-squad games could provide the players in the ODI squad only – including Root – with an opportunity to press their case across formats.The news is a blow for several Big Bash teams, with players named in England’s squads set to be unavailable to play in the competition until after Christmas due to a compulsory 14-day quarantine period on arrival in Australia. Teams have already lined players up to cover for their English international signings, with Will Jacks set to fill in for Malan at Hobart Hurricanes, Dan Lawrence lined up to replace Banton at Brisbane Heat, and Joe Clarke due to replace Jason Roy at Perth Scorchers.

Dhawan suggested that the England allrounder had pulled a muscle in his first training session

Matt Roller14-Apr-20234:13

Punjab set to face their old boys in Lucknow

Big picture: Lucknow’s Kings

KL Rahul captaining. Andy Flower in the coaching staff. Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran in the middle order. K Gowtham and Ravi Bishnoi bowling spin. There are several similarities between Punjab Kings’ class of 2020 and Lucknow Super Giants’ 2023 vintage, but one clear difference so far: results.While Kings finished that season in sixth, Super Giants are among the early pace-setters this year. They have already established themselves as a team who are hard to beat at home, winning both games at the Ekana Stadium, and their last-gasp win at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night means they are joint-top of the nascent league table with three wins from four.Several of those former Kings players will be particularly keen to perform against their old franchise on Saturday night, but none more so than Pooran. The West Indies left-hander had a miserable final year for Kings in 2021, making 85 runs at 7.72 across the season, and was released ahead of the mega auction.Since then, Pooran has averaged 40.63 and struck at 161.95 in the IPL, bringing his Sunrisers Hyderabad form from 2022 into the early stages of this season. Super Giants invested heavily in him, spending INR 16 crore to buy him in December’s auction; the early signs are that he is worth the money.

Form guide (most recent match first)

Lucknow Super Giants: WWLW
Punjab Kings: LLWW

Team news: Livingstone still a doubt?

Kyle Mayers’ early success at the top of the order has seen Quinton de Kock carrying drinks since his arrival in India, but Super Giants may look to make a change after Mayers’ back-to-back failures against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore.Liam Livingstone arrived in India late after knee and ankle injuries, and Shikhar Dhawan suggested on Thursday night that he had pulled a muscle in his first training session. “He’s just got off a flight,” Brad Haddin, Kings’ assistant coach, said.”We’re just monitoring him for the next couple of days to see where he’s at. He’s just come back from a long-term injury.” He appears unlikely to feature on Saturday, but could come into contention to play against RCB next week.There is also a chance Kings will consider rotating their seamers, playing their second game in 48 hours. If so, Kagiso Rabada – who was expensive against Gujarat Titans – might make way for Nathan Ellis again.Meanwhile, Super Giants have replaced medium-pace bowler Mayank Yadav with Arpit Guleria in a like-for-like change, with an injury ruling Mayank out of the tournament.*Super Giants’ musclemen Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis hit 127 runs in 49 balls between them in Bengaluru•BCCI

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Lucknow Super Giants
Super Giants have used Ayush Badoni as their Impact Player when bowling first this season, and could bring him in for Amit Mishra like they did in their one-wicket win over Royal Challengers. If they bat first, Mishra – or another bowler – could replace Badoni.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 KL Rahul (capt), 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Krunal Pandya, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 Ayush Badoni, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Mark Wood, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh KhanPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 KL Rahul (capt), 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Krunal Pandya, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 Amit Mishra/Krishnappa Gowtham, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Mark Wood, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh KhanPunjab Kings
Rahul Chahar came into Kings’ team halfway through their defeat to Titans on Thursday, and will likely replace either Prabhsimran Singh or Bhanuka Rajapaksa during the innings break if they bat first again. If they bowl, they will probably pick an extra bowler and then sub a batter in.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 3 Matthew Short, 4 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Sam Curran, 7 M Shahrukh Khan, 8 Harpreet Brar, 9 Rishi Dhawan, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Arshdeep SinghPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Matthew Short, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa/Prabhsimran Singh, 4 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 5 Sam Curran, 6 M Shahrukh Khan, 7 Harpreet Brar, 8 Rishi Dhawan, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Arshdeep Singh

Stats that matter

• Shikhar Dhawan has dominated Jaydev Unadkat when they have faced one another in the IPL, scoring 70 runs off 44 balls against him for once out.
• Super Giants’ innings of 193 for 6 in their first home game this season was the first time in 16 T20s held in Lucknow that a team had posted a score in excess of 190.
• This will only be the second meeting between these teams, following Super Giants’ 20-run victory last season.

Pitch and conditions

Keep a close eye on the colour of the soil used at the Ekana Stadium. Lucknow played their first home game against Delhi Capitals on a red-soil pitch which played relatively true; in their second, against Sunrisers, they played on a black-soil pitch which offered sharp turn from the outset. The venue is quickly becoming a fortress for them, with two home wins from two so far.

Quotes

“Watching the game last [Thursday] night, it came down to the last two balls, even on the Mohali wicket which is a really good wicket. We must respect their bowling line-up: they have international experience and quality spinners.”
“Whenever a team plays 56 dot balls, they end up losing the game so we have to rectify that. And of course, losing early wickets puts the batting side on the back foot and we have to work on that.”
*The line was added after confirmation through an IPL media release

Middlesex bowlers put through the mill again but Nathan Fernandes shines with bat in reply

ECB Reporters Network13-Apr-2024Emilio Gay and James Sales both set new landmarks as Northamptonshire continued to dominate on day two of their Vitality County Championship clash with Middlesex at Wantage Road.First-day centurion Gay forged on to post 261 – the highest-ever individual Championship score for the county against Middlesex – while Sales, brought back into the side for this game, made his maiden first-class hundred with his father David and mum Abigail in attendance to mark the moment. The pair set a new fifth-wicket record against the Seaxes of 181 before the hosts declared on 552 for 6.For Middlesex, who conceded 620 in the first innings against Glamorgan last week, it was another case of much leather chasing, Toby-Roland-Jones their only bowler to take more than one wicket (2 for 81).There was still time in the evening session for two young debutants to make an impression, Raphael Weatherall capturing his maiden first-class wicket, while Middlesex teenager Nathan Fernandes reached an impressive half-century before stumps were drawn with the visitors 128 for 1, still 424 in arrears.As they did on the opening day, Middlesex made an early breakthrough, Roland-Jones trapping Rob Keogh, the batter risking censure by taking his time to drag himself away from the crease, shaking his head as he went, a point noted by the two umpires. However, as on day one, the wicket proved a false dawn for Middlesex as Gay and Sales embarked on their record stand.Gay timed the ball exquisitely, straight driving first Ethan Bamber, then Roland-Jones to the fence as he eclipsed Stephen Peters’ record score against Middlesex at Wantage Road, 183 set in 2010.It wasn’t long before he flicked a loose one from Tom Helm to the fine leg fence to reach his first double-hundred and take Peters’ record of the highest-ever score against Middlesex of 199 made in that same summer 14 years ago.Josh De Caires would give him a reprieve almost immediately afterwards, failing to hold onto a tough caught and bowled opportunity. In De Caires’ defence he probably saved four not to mention himself being decapitated by the blow.Sales meanwhile got underway with a four through midwicket and later took heavy toll of a De Caires over, clubbing one just beyond the grasp of mid-on before driving a better shot straight in the same over on his way to 50 from 109 balls. The hundred stand was raised by lunch as Middlesex rattled through 22 overs in the second hour’s play to rectify a previously negative over rate.Gay was granted a second life soon after the resumption when Bamber failed to hold an even tougher caught-and-bowled close to the ground and celebrated the reprieve by hoisting De Caires back over his head for the day’s first six on route to 250.The record fifth wicket stand against Middlesex of 131 between David Capel and Nigel Felton set at Lord’s in 1989 was soon eclipsed and it was a surprise when Gay’s innings was ended via a run-out.Saif Zaib sparkled briefly, striking one six out of the ground, before all eyes fell on Sales. Already having surpassed his career-best, the 21-year-old right-hander banished any thoughts of the nervous 90s with a huge six of his own before a scampered single took him to the century to a great reception from an albeit sparse crowd.The declaration came soon afterwards and while Middlesex openers Mark Stoneman and Fernandes survived a testing 35 minutes before tea, Weatherall’s golden moment came soon afterwards. The youngster, who played in the England U19 Test on this ground last September took just eight balls to find the edge of Stoneman’s bat, the tickle carrying comfortably through to McManus.That one stuck for McManus but he grassed another when Fernandes was on 24, so denying Weatherall a second victim from his opening burst.The left-hander made the most of the reprieve, to reach a 50 including seven fours, while Max Holden survived a drop at short leg on 35 to be 40 not out at the close.

Matthew Revis ton leads charge as visitors are asked to post 571 for victory

ECB Reporters Network05-Sep-2023Yorkshire set Derbyshire a completely out-of-the-question target of 571 to win the ongoing LV= Insurance County Championship match at Scarborough, which heads into its final day tomorrow.The home side are chasing the season’s double over Leus du Plooy and company and have dominated this Division Two affair from very early during day one.Day three was no different, with Yorkshire – they led by 50 on first innings – advancing their second innings from 179 for 2 overnight to 520 for 9 declared just after tea.Five players went beyond fifty, including all-rounder Matthew Revis as the only centurion. His 106 off 142 balls represented his second first-class century of the season and of his career.Captain Shan Masood also completed a morning 86 against his former county, who closed the day on 65 for 1 from 26 overs of their ‘chase’.After lunch, young Derbyshire batter Mitch Wagstaff, who was bowling leg-spin, claimed two wickets in his first over in first-class cricket. He is the first player in his county’s history to achieve that feat in this format of the game.For certainly the second half of the afternoon session, maybe even longer, Yorkshire’s progress with the bat was nothing more than a training exercise.Realistically, they had enough of a lead at lunch, where they reached at 324 for 5 and 374 ahead. Derbyshire’s record chase in first-class cricket is 371 in a one-wicket win over a touring Australian side including the likes of Warne and Gillespie in 1997.It was understandable that Yorkshire wanted a few more than that. A target of 450 was sufficient. They certainly did not require anything approaching 600, even though this North Marine Road pitch is slower than usual because of recent wet weather.Revis’s progress towards a century was potentially a reason why they batted on until after tea. Another likely reason would have been that they will have been targeting a number of overs to bowl rather than an amount of runs to defend.They have a seam bowling department including a couple of key seam bowling assets with recent injury issues in Ben Coad and England fringe quick Matthew Fisher, and managing their workloads will be a significant consideration. Incidentally, Fisher did not take the field for much of the evening.Derbyshire rattled through their overs in a bid to improve their over-rate, with off-spinner Alex Thomson finishing with five for 190 from 38.5.That including a stunning one-handed return catch low to his right to dismiss Masood before lunch, leaving the hosts at 238 for 4. The Pakistani left-hander had completed a fourth-wicket partnership of 107 with James Wharton (38).After opener Fin Bean made 64 late on day two, four others went beyond 50 today, including Revis and Masood. All-rounders George Hill and Jordan Thompson made 79 and 64 respectively.Wagstaff had Hill caught at slip and Dom Bess, for nought, caught at cover early in the afternoon as Yorkshire fell to 366 for seven after 75 overs.Revis and Thompson then shared 125, a Yorkshire eighth-wicket record in first-class matches between these two counties. While 21-year-old Revis was measured, Thompson slog-swept or heaved four sixes over midwicket or long-on.Revis reached tea on 98 not out. Surely, Yorkshire would not have batted on into the evening had he reached his century late in the afternoon. But they did so for 10 balls afterwards to allow a player they rate incredibly highly to achieve another landmark in a career which promises so much. He fell caught at long-on off Thomson to bring about the declaration.Bess then claimed the only wicket of Derbyshire’s second innings, getting opener Wagstaff lbw to leave the score at 24 for 1 in the 10th over – the former England off-spinner’s first over of the match.But the other opener, Harry Came, led visiting resistance through to close with an unbeaten 33. He will be hoping to make Yorkshire regret batting on too long.

Worcestershire bring in Netherlands allrounder Logan van Beek

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2023Somerset have signed New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner for the final three rounds of the LV= Insurance County Championship.Wagner had been due to play for Yorkshire this summer but suffered a torn hamstring and a bulging disc in his back while playing a Test against Sri Lanka in March. He has previously turned out for Essex, Lancashire and Northamptonshire in county cricket.Somerset had enjoyed the services of Matt Henry and Peter Siddle as overseas players during the first half of the season but both have now finished their spells at the club.”We have been working extremely hard to secure the services of a quality international bowler for the last three red-ball fixtures of the season,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. “Neil is a proven performer at the very highest level and has vast experience as well as a thorough understanding of Championship cricket.”He is a real competitor, and alongside our other highly rated bowlers, we believe we have the capability to consistently take 20 wickets as we enter the final phase of the Championship season.”Somerset are currently fifth in Division One of the Championship, with Wagner set to be available for their trip to Southampton on September 3.Wagner said: “I’m looking forward to joining up with Somerset and hopefully I can help them finish the season strongly. I’ve played English county cricket before and it’s something that I really enjoy. Division One is very competitive again this year and there are no easy games, but I’ll be doing everything that I can to make sure that Somerset finish as close to the top of the table as possible.”Elsewhere, Worcestershire have signed Netherlands allrounder Logan van Beek for the rest of the Metro Bank Cup campaign, as well as two rounds of the Championship.Van Beek, who spent three seasons at Derbyshire between 2019 and 2021, will be involved in five One-Day Cup games, starting with Gloucestershire’s visit to New Road, and Championship fixtures against Glamorgan and Durham before joining up with Netherlands for their World Cup preparations.Worcestershire have also announced that Ethan Brookes, 22, will join them on a two-year contract. The Warwickshire allrounder, brother of Henry, has played three first-class games and 18 List A games after coming through the Edgbaston academy.

Birmingham go second in North Group with six-wicket victory, Northants slip to fourth

David Hopps22-Jun-2022The time of reckoning is upon us in the Blast and Birmingham responded to it by swinging to the leg-side harder and more often. They remained in touch with Northants’ 211 for 6 from the outset, and even though they needed 77 from the last six overs, they broke the target with a merciless assault on the Northants’ left-arm wrist spinner, Freddie Heldreich as they pulled off the highest T20 chase in their history.Adam Hose is as uncomplicated a T20 batter as you can get, an unabashed seeker of deep midwicket. Put the ball in his arc and his long limbs will deposit the ball skywards. Chris Benjamin often looked scratchy, but give him half an opportunity and he can target the same region in destructive fashion. Both made unbeaten half-centuries, their shot selection excellent as their stand of 100 rattled along in 54 balls.Carlos Brathwaite, Birmingham’s captain, exudes relaxation and confidence, good attributes at this stage of the season. “We’ve been reckless at times this season,” he said. “We wanted to be positive, express ourselves, but bat a lot smarter.”Birmingham go second in North group with this victory whereas Northants now slip to fourth and will sense Yorkshire, in particular, scenting an opportunity to overhaul them.Heldreich, who went for 59 from four overs, must have felt himself deliberately targeted. Alex Davies’ whirlwind 42 from 18 balls set the tone. Successive sixes over long-on appeared to have put the bowler in his place, but Heldreich is a confident sort and, with his next ball, he drew Davies into a wild sweep and bowled him off a bottom edge.But it was not the bowler’s night. Chris Benjamin looked out of touch until he launched him over the leg-side for 6-4-6 in successive balls. Converging boundary fielders were beaten by inches and Heldreich winced, not the first bowler to wonder why the boards could not be pushed back to fairer proportions. With 59 needed from six, Birmingham’s head coach Mark Robinson, a bit of a poker face these days, flashed a smile for the first time on the night. By the end Jake Lintott, sat next to him in the dugout, had him roaring with laughter: when Birmingham are batting, the dugout is where Robinson wants Lintott, for more reason than one.Birmingham had lost three wickets for 64 by the end of the powerplay. Paul Stirling took Northants for a career-best 119 in a memorable Birmingham debut, including five consecutive sixes off James Sales, but he has been short of runs since. He biffed 17 from Tom Taylor’s first over, but that was that.The reason for that was Ben Sanderson, an old-fashioned seamer but highly effective as he nibbled the new ball both ways off the seam, having Stirling caught at the wicket off an inside edge and silencing Rob Yates with a bail-trimmer. Sam Hain, the lynchpin of the Bears’ line-up, is having to contend with a back strain, and there was general delight when Taylor returned to the attack and immediately had him lbw to a yorker.Northants’ batting remains heavily reliant, perhaps overly reliant, upon the Australian Chris Lynn, whose 59 from 43 balls moves him alongside Somerset’s Rilee Rossouw at the top of the Blast run-scorers with 443 runs apiece. Rossouw has a faster scoring rate (191 to 161) and has struck the most sixes, but over the tournament there have been no more violent batters in the country.There were times when Lynn felt comparatively reserved, as if aware of the responsibilities that rest upon him. Initial assessment was necessary because Olly Stone, on the ground where his career began, was unsettlingly fast and bouncy with the new ball. Stone is recovering cautiously from his fourth stress fracture in five years, but caution is thrown to the winds whenever he gets the ball in his hands.Somehow, Northants still emerged from the powerplay with 53 to their name. Ben Curran had also been troubled by Stone’s pace and bounce on an excellent, fresh pitch, surviving one bat-handle crusher with a cry of “where did that come from?” as he made it to the safety of the non-striker’s end. He fell after an opening stand of 72, bowled by Brathwaite as his defensive block spun back onto his stumps.Lintott’s avuncular left-arm wrist spin did for Lynn, who carved a ball angled across him to short third, but Saif Zaib quickened the impetus, his 74 taking only 32 balls, when he swung Lintott to long off. He was confident, steely-eyed and full of purpose. A definite, long-term breakthrough has been a long time coming, and he has had a thin time in the Championship this season, but he has more talent, if not better outcomes, than some batters holding Hundred deals. A career-best 92 from 58 against Derbyshire in Northants’ defeat the previous night, and now this: this time, at 24, he needs to make it pay.Birmingham gave both Lynn and Zaib lives in the field. Zaib was only 12 when he cut Craig Miles to deep point, but Yates, sliding in, failed to retrieve a half-volley chance. Benjamin’s miss at deep midwicket, off Brathwaite, when Lynn was 52, probably owed much to a low evening sun and he was fortunate not to take a blow in the face. The County Ground is hardly the most vociferous crowd in the country, but the most raucous spectators sit in this area, preying upon fielders like Great White Sharks exploiting the angle of the sun to hunt down their prey. Long before the end, Birmingham were firing sixes in their direction

Once again the Victoria openers were unbeaten, but it’s hard to see how a result can achieved

Daniel Brettig10-Nov-2020Will Pucovski resumed his batting domination of the Sheffield Shield but did so without much hope of putting Victoria in a position to win after Western Australia dragged their first innings late into day three at Karen Rolton Oval through a superb century from the wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.In the company of Marcus Harris, Pucovski strode to an unbeaten 32 to follow his first innings of 202, as the Victorian openers took their side to 0 for 61 and four runs behind WA overall.Scored impressively while shepherding the tail from No. 8, this was the Leeds-born Inglis’ second first-class century in four games, after he had gone five years without making one while demonstrated tidy glovework for WA in that time.He had arrived at the crease at a moment when Victoria seemed capable of taking control of the contest, with WA 6 for 272 at the fall of Shaun Marsh’s wicket for 135 and still 142 runs in deficit while facing the prospect of batting last against the sharp turn being generated by Jon Holland.Josh Inglis made his second century of the season•Getty Images

Marsh had received sturdy support from the nightwatchman Matt Kelly, who rather overstayed his welcome in the minds of the Victorians on his way to 31, but he had only added another 17 with D’Arcy Short when the WA captain was pinned lbw by Will Sutherland, skidding a ball through low from around the wicket.Sutherland would take the next wicket also, but not until Inglis and Short had added 92 as the wicketkeeper took the lead role with a tempo seldom far from a run a ball. The pace quickened further when Cameron Gannon joined Inglis, the ninth-wicket pair adding 85 in a mere 10 overs and vaulting WA into the lead.When Holland took a mark at deep fine leg to dismiss Gannon off Boland with the field extremely well spread, the game had gone from a very possible Victorian victory to a likely stalemate with one day remaining. Holland’s 4 for 115 contained plenty of handsome deliveries, while Sutherland and Boland also pushed through some effective spells for their captain Pete Handscomb. Simon Mackin was relatively economical, but Mitch Perry’s one wicket came at a cost of 4.5 runs an over.All that appears to be left is another chance for Pucovski to add to his Shield tally, which currently stands at 489 runs for once out.

Sune Luus will lead a group that includes one new cap in batting allrounder Delmi Tucker

Firdose Moonda23-May-2022South Africa will be without Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez, Sinalo Jafta and Masabata Klaas during their white-ball tour of Ireland next month.Kapp, Lee and Jafta are all recovering from illnesses, Klaas is out with a shoulder injury, and du Preez, who retired from ODIs but remains available in the shortest format, has been left out of the squad scheduled play three T20Is and three ODIs in Dublin. Regular captain Dane van Niekerk is also not in the touring party as she continues to recover from the ankle injury that ruled her out of the World Cup.That means van Niekerk’s participation in the England tour that follows, which includes a one-off Test, three ODIs, three T20Is and the Commonwealth Games, is in doubt. The final squad for those matches will be announced in the first week of June, which gives van Niekerk little over a week to make the cut. She returned to training earlier this month and is currently still on an individual program, and not training with the rest of the group. The South African squad that travels to Ireland will remain in the UK, with any personnel changes for the England series and Commonwealth Games to travel in or out as needed.For the Ireland matches, Sune Luus will lead a group that includes one new cap, batting allrounder Delmi Tucker, who has recently played for the South African Emerging side against Zimbabwe and Thailand. Tucker also had a successful domestic season for Western Province, where she scored 409 runs white ball cricket and took 15 wickets with her right-arm off-spin. “Delmi Tucker has been rewarded off the back of a very successful domestic season and has really made positive strides with significant contributions, and we are looking forward to seeing her transition into the international arena,” Clinton du Preez, South Africa’s selection convener, said.The rest of the squad includes the familiar faces of Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Chloe Tryon and Ayabonga Khaka as well as all three reserves who traveled to the World Cup – Raisibe Ntozakhe, Nadine de Klerk and Andrie Steyn. Anneke Bosch, who missed the World Cup with a fractured thumb, also returns.While the T20Is are part of South Africa’s preparation for the Commonwealth Games and next year’s T20 World Cup, the ODIs are part of the 2022 to 2025 Women’s Championship, which will determine qualification for the 2025 World Cup.”When we are looking at the T20Is, there is a bigger picture when it comes to that. It is a new beginning for us this year, building up towards the T20 World Cup and the Commonwealth Games,” Hilton Moreeng, South Africa’s coach, said. “The senior players know what is at stake. The ODIs are the ICC Women’s Championship qualifications for the next 50-over World Cup, so there is a lot at stake in the sense that we are also looking to grow our base.”Squad: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus (capt), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt