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The former India batsman said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture that the only way to preserve Test cricket was to serve it to viewers at their convenience

Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai01-Oct-2018Test cricket needs saving and the players can be its saviours by embracing day-night Tests, Sanjay Manjrekar said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture. Manjrekar felt that cricket’s “cocky” attitude towards fans and archaic traditions in dissension with the changing times were impeding the format’s popularity. He expressed a need for the five-day game to be offered to fans “as per their convenience”, as they were no longer inclined to flock to cricket grounds during work hours.”The world is ever-changing and with it the taste of people. Don’t be fooled by the crowds at Test matches in England, that’s an aberration. I travel the world and see countries struggle to pull crowds to Test cricket,” Manjrekar said at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Monday.”It’s not that there’s zero interest in Test cricket, just that people can’t come to the stadium or watch on TV. That’s because we are cocky. We have kept the timings such that they are working hours. Gone are the days when people would bunk office and fill up every seat at the Eden Gardens. It’s time to be humble and offer Test cricket to fans as per their convenience.”The only way to increase viewership, popularity and thereby its quality is day-night Test matches. Why aren’t we playing more day-night Tests? It’s a no-brainer. It would draw more viewership.”The game’s biggest crowd puller, India, declined to play a day-night Test proposed by Cricket Australia as part of the four-Test series later this year. They were entitled to do so under ICC’s current regulations for bilateral series, which state that hosting a day-night Test requires the consent of the visiting team. However, they are likely to be stripped off that choice once the Test Championship starts, as member boards have recommended it should only be the prerogative of the host nation.It is understood that senior Indian cricketers were wary of being thrown into a pink-ball contest without having trialled it convincingly at home. While the pink ball has been tried in the Duleep Trophy – with mixed reactions from the players – most of India’s Test regulars did not participate. Manjrekar felt that it was paramount that administrators prioritised the greater good of the game as the players, subsumed by the desire to win, are prone to a myopic attitude during their playing days.”The players are wary of it – the pink ball, the dew factor, etc. But I’ve always believed that conditions are never unfair if they are the same for both sides. What is happening is that we want to give perfect conditions for players to play, even if it means nobody is watching. There was a time when the relationship between players and boards, especially in India, was uneasy. They were always at loggerheads. But we must be careful that we don’t go to the other extreme and make players happy, come what may. Not at the cost of the game. Take the bull by the horns. Do what’s best for the game, for its long-term health. And make the players join, even if they are reluctant. They will thank us later. As a player I, too, had a narrower vision of the game than I do now.”

The match, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, has been granted international status, with the proceeds going towards the restoration of the cricket grounds in Dominica and Anguilla

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2018World T20 champions West Indies will face an ICC Rest of the World XI in a one-off T20I at Lord’s on May 31 later this year, to raise money towards restoration efforts in parts of the Caribbean hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September last year. In particular, the proceeds of the match will go towards the restoration of the cricket grounds in Dominica and Anguilla. The match, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, has been granted international status.”To have two category 5 hurricanes in the space of two weeks was unprecedented and everyone around the world was shocked by the destruction which was caused,” Colin Graves, the ECB chairman, said. “The ECB and CWI have always enjoyed a fantastic relationship and we are keen to support them and the people of the Caribbean in this fundraising initiative.””Hurricanes Irma and Maria have devastated parts of the Eastern Caribbean and we have been considering how CWI can best show support for our region in the most impactful way,” CWI president Dave Cameron said.England’s international summer is set to get underway on May 24, with a Test against Pakistan at Lord’s, while the IPL final is scheduled on May 27, four days ahead of the fundraising T20I.

Adam Rossington’s 90 revived Northamptonshire to 259 after a stuttering start on the first day of the warm-up game

Alex Winter in Northampton04-May-2018
Shadab Khan had a successful day•Getty Images

One of Pakistan’s main concerns as they flew to the United Kingdom was how to replace their strike bowler, legspinner Yasir Shah. He was the top wicket-taker in their past two Test series and against England on the previous tour in 2016 but was ruled out of the upcoming Tests with a hip injury. Shadab Khan’s career-best 6 for 77 on the first day of the second tour match at Northampton gave further evidence that the role may be covered.Shadab, just 19 years old, has become a Pakistan prodigy. This is only his ninth first-class match but he already has a Test debut behind him – in Barbados a year ago – having risen to prominence in T20 cricket at the Pakistan Super League and subsequently for the Trinbago Knight Riders and Brisbane Heat.His greatest asset is generating significant turn and on a decent first day Wantage Road pitch, he found plenty of it to plunge Northamptonshire from 104 for 2 to 143 for 6 after lunch before returning to complete just a second first-class five-wicket haul after his 5 for 82 for Pakistan A in 2016.After a series of big-turning legbreaks, two balls that skidded on trapped Richard Levi and Rob Keogh lbw. Rob Newton was caught behind trying to cut a ball not short enough to do so. The most eye-catching of his dismissals, however, was a googly that Josh Cobb simply did not pick, shouldered arms to, and lost his off stump.And after Adam Rossington and Ricardo Vasconcelos compiled a smart stand of 80 for the eighth wicket to revive Northants, a classic legbreak turned sharply inside Vasconcelos’ drive and Rossington was lured down the pitch to be stumped.Pakistan were weighing up whether to include a specialist spinner for the Tests against Ireland and England – where seam-bowling conditions are likely to prevail – but a bowler so alien to UK-based players is a unique weapon and Shadab couldn’t have made a stronger case here.He initially began a little short as Newton and Levi were able to play him off the back foot but in his second over after lunch, he removed Levi to begin a memorable spell and one that could lead to a second Test cap in Malahide next week.Rossington and Vasconcelos – on his Northants debut – were the only batsmen to figure out how to survive against him as Northants – almost certainly – fell short of a par total.Rossington took two calculated risks, skipping down to lift sixes over long-on, but otherwise was content to largely play with the spin to take runs through the covers. He made a spirited fifty in the second innings against Warwickshire in Northants’ previous County Championship match. As he began to pull with authority after passing fifty in 65 balls – there was a notable short-arm jab off Faheem Ashraf – he looked set for a first century of the summer. But he lost his longest partner at a bad time and fell 10 short.Vasconcelos, South African but a Portuguese passport holder, shaped up very smartly on his first appearance for his new club – indeed perhaps an entirely new phase of his career. He was organised in defence, played with confidence to turn runs square of the wicket but undid his graft until that point with a lavish cover drive.Earlier, Pakistan’s seamers were a touch inconsistent. Rahat Ali picked up the opening wicket of the day with a ball that nipped back to trap Ben Duckett lbw. His second wicket was Steven Crook caught at third man top-edging a cut. Fellow left-armer Mohammad Amir, back in the UK after his stint with Essex last season, was used in short bursts without success and Mohammad Abbas, signed by Leicestershire this summer, beat Newton regularly but also went wicketless, leaving Shadab to ensure a good first day for the tourists.

The Australia batsman indicated that “training hard” will be a key to his return to the team’s white-ball ranks

Daniel Brettig18-Jun-2018Usman Khawaja was “extremely disappointed” there was no room for him in Australia’s limited-overs set-up despite unavailability of Steven Smith and David Warner, and has indicated that “training hard” will be a key to his return to the team’s white-ball ranks.Despite an outstanding recent record in domestic cricket and a handful of useful displays in sporadic ODI opportunities for Australia, there was no room for Khawaja in the first squad to tour under the coaching of Justin Langer. This has meant greater first-up opportunities for the likes of Shaun Marsh, D’Arcy Short and Travis Head.Khawaja was hesitant to give away too much detail about his omission – after previously being castigated by the selection chairman for his comments – but strongly indicated his disappointment at the decision. “I was extremely disappointed in all honesty,” he told RSN Radio. “I’ve had a lot of chats to the selectors and a couple to JL about it. I was a bit disappointed but some things you can’t control, so hopefully I’ll get a chance over the next year.”I scored a lot of runs in one-day cricket for the last five or six years, especially in domestic cricket, even when I’ve been away, a couple of Aussie A tours, so I’m not sure there is a lot more that I can do other than keep trying to score runs and hopefully I get a chance.”At the moment, I just assume they didn’t want me in the team because they just didn’t want me in the team. There’s not much other than that like … my record in one-day cricket is better than my red-ball record funnily enough and my Big Bash record … sometimes things just don’t align.”I’ve had some really good chats with JL, he’s been really clear about everything, and hopefully if I put my head down, keep training hard, doing all the right things that at some stage if an opportunity comes up then I’m still quite in line, talking to him and talking around. I think the door’s still there, I’ve just got to put my head down and hopefully an opportunity will present itself.”Last year Khawaja had ruffled plenty of feathers by saying that selection policy for Asian Tests, namely his omission from the batting order on the 2017 India tour, had caused “a lot of instability in the team”. He subsequently criticised the media for reporting these comments, in a radio interview with the ABC’s Jim Maxwell. In recent times Khawaja has done little other than to indicate how hard he has been working, posting Instagram videos of interval training before his departure to play county cricket for Glamorgan.Usman Khawaja plays a fine reverse sweep•Getty Images

The past Ashes summer took a considerable physical and mental toll on the Australian side, something that contributed to the environment in which Warner and Cameron Bancroft chose to tamper with the ball using a foreign object while staring at a Test match and series defeat to South Africa in Cape Town. Khawaja said the international treadmill was more draining than many realised.”I found it really draining to be honest after the Ashes, I know a few of the other guys did too,” he sad. “I was really tired. It didn’t hit me until it was all finished and I was like ‘oh boy’ it’s all caught up to me. Going over to South Africa I just knew what I had to do was give it all for another four or five weeks and I’d have a break somewhat. But the amount of cricket we played last year leading into that last series in South Africa, I think I was just pretty tired from that in general and that’s why I had two months off where I wasn’t hitting balls, working on fitness and that sort of stuff, but staying away from the game.”Langer has emphasised a higher level of fitness with the object of having physically and mentally durable players, and Khawaja highlighted some of the things that take a toll.”It’s more about the mind, you just don’t switch off. I don’t think people realise that when you’re playing cricket and away on the tour – even in the middle of a Test series, you play a five Test series and go for about two months – and you just do not switch off the whole time because you’re thinking about the next game, the next innings, what you’ve got to do to prepare. It’s one of those things where it’s sapping after a while. Four and five-day cricket is as tough as it gets.”People don’t realise that we get up early in the morning, if the game’s starting at 10, we’re up by 6.30-7, we’re at the ground about an hour and a half, two hours before the game starts, the game finishes at 5 but sometimes can go to 5.30 or 6, we’re in the changerooms until 7 o’clock, so we’re spending a lot of time at the ground. Those five days, it just feels like literally living in the ground and then it’s very hard to switch off because you’re always thinking about what to do next and how you can do better and everything that goes with it. After a big series it really is quite draining, let alone one Test match.”Despite his absence from the England ODI squad, Khawaja said he was hopeful of an opportunity, and expressed a preference for opening the batting in limited-overs formats. “In white-ball stuff I’ve always opened and I love opening, getting out there amongst it at the start, while the fielders are up I can really take on the game and I really enjoy playing that role,” he said.”In four-day and Test match cricket I prefer to be up in the top order somewhere, I’ve always preferred to bat at three. I batted four last week [for Glamorgan] and it was actually nice to sit down there and just relax and not have to worry about being next in, which was a little bit different, but I think I prefer to be in the top four, where I’ve always batted my whole life.”

George Dobell12-Jul-20195:31

#PoliteEnquiries: Roy v Dharmasena, Psychic Jofra, is MS Dhoni finished?

Trevor Bayliss has reminded the England team they “have not won anything yet”, in spite of the euphoria surrounding their crushing semi-final victory over Australia.Although Bayliss admitted England’s eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston was “extra special”, he was keen to keep his squad’s feet on the floor and their eyes focused on the prize. So the team had “a good chat” in the dressing room after the game on Thursday and were reminded there is “one big match to go”.”We can’t listen to the outside noise whether it’s good or bad,” Bayliss told the BBC. “We’ve still got a job to do and one big match to go.”We had a chat in the changing room after the game and realised we have not won anything yet. There is going to be a lot of noise around ‘you guys are the favourites’ but we can’t listen to any of that.”We have just got to concentrate on the way we have gone about our cricket over the past four years and what has got us to this point. We have to go through our process. If we do that, we know we will play good cricket and the opposition will have to play even better to beat us.”We’re full of confidence, but we’re not too over the top. Four years ago, after the last World Cup which was not good for England, we set out with plans to hopefully win the 2019 edition. It feels great that now we have a chance to fulfil those dreams.”Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of England’s eight-wicket win over AustraliaEngland will go into the final – their first World Cup final since 1992 – as favourites, having defeated New Zealand by 119 runs in the group stages of the competition. But New Zealand were also finalists in the 2015 tournament, during which they thumped England by eight wickets in one of the most crushingly one-sided World Cup contests of all time.With that in mind, Bayliss remains respectful of a side that contains the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult and feels the match is a “50-50″ encounter.”New Zealand have proved they’re a very good team,” Bayliss said. “Anyone can win the final. On the day it’s a 50-50 call.”Bayliss also welcomed the decision to show Sunday’s final on free-to-air television – Channel 4 will share Sky’s feed from 9am on the morning of the match – with England’s coach suggesting it was a chance to “influence another generation of young cricketers”.”It’s a fantastic gesture from Sky,” he said. “Any more fans we can get watching the game is fantastic for our sport. This provides an opportunity for more people to win the World Cup and that means we have the chance in England to influence another generation of young
cricketers. That’s great.”The England squad travel from Birmingham to London on Friday and will have a light training session on Saturday morning.

Bangladesh are expected to go hard with the bat against Hong Kong who lost their opening game by a distance

Mohammad Isam10-Sep-20252:29

Chopra impressed with Bangladesh’s seam attack

Big picture: Hong Kong would want to repeat 2014

Bangladesh come into the Asia Cup riding on the high of winning three consecutive T20I series. Their campaign begins with a Group B encounter in Abu Dhabi against Hong Kong. They will rely on a robust pace attack and a batting unit that has finally started to see the power of hitting sixes.Bangladesh, however, will remain wary of their opponents who defeated them in the T20 World Cup in 2014, when the hosts were taken down by two wickets in Chittagong. Hong Kong have two survivors from that famous victory, but they have also played only 11 international matches against Full Member sides since then.Related

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• Bangladesh finally see the power of hitting sixes

Hong Kong’s lack of exposure against top sides was stark in their opening outing against Afghanistan on Tuesday. Their medium pacers went for plenty before the spinners Ehsan Khan, Yasim Murtaza and Kinchit Shah pulled things back briefly, but they couldn’t stop Afghanistan from getting to 188.More disappointing was Hong Kong’s reply with the bat, scoring only 94 for 9 in 20 overs. Only one of their top six reached double-figures and wickets falling at the other end meant Babar Hayat had to restrain himself.Bangladesh will be in a rush to take wickets in the first ten overs, a phase in which they have been consistent in recent times. Taskin Ahmed will lead the fast-bowling group, although offspinner Mahedi Hasan has made a name for himself bowling in the powerplay. Mustafizur Rahman will shore up the death overs with Tanzim Hasan Sakib likely accompanying him. They will also be keen on using legspinner Rishad Hossain for a couple of overs up front.Bangladesh will also likely be a little more aggressive on a good batting track. They have raised their big-hitting prowess in the last 18 months, particularly openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon in the powerplay. Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali are the death-overs hitters the team is banking on.

Form guide

Bangladesh WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Hong Kong LLWWL1:27

Can Bangladesh maintain their aggressive batting approach?

In the spotlight: Tanzid Hasan and Babar Hayat

One of the reasons why Bangladesh have become a big-hitting T20I side is the young opener Tanzid Hasan. His shots have been free-flowing, targeting the straight boundaries frequently. Tanzid takes a bold approach, often looking for a big hit in the first over. Bangladesh will hope that his opening stand with Emon can give them a rollicking start.Babar Hayat stood firm while wickets fell regularly at the other end in the Asia Cup opener. He couldn’t quite cut loose as a result, but showed his might with three big sixes in his knock of 39. An attractive batter who is tasked to hold the top order together, Hong Kong will hope that Hayat continues to be their best batter against Full Member sides.

Team news

Bangladesh are likely to go with three pace bowlers and two spinners. They have options in their batting and bowling departments but are likely to stick to a more conventional playing XI to make a strong start in the Asia Cup.Bangladesh XI (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Tanzim Hasan, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.Hong Kong have experienced batters in Martin Coetzee and Anas Khan to step up from their bench, should they choose to.Hong Kong XI (probable): 1 Zeeshan Ali (wk), 2 Anshy Rath, 3 Babar Hayat, 4 Nizakat Khan, 5 Kalhan Challu, 6 Kinchit Shah, 7 Yasim Murtaza (capt), 8 Aizaz Khan, 9 Ayush Shukla, 10 Ateeq Iqbal, 11 Ehsan Khan.

Pitch and conditions

Abu Dhabi delivered with a pretty high-scoring start, with Afghanistan setting Hong Kong a target of 189. Dew also set in quite early although Afghanistan had the attack to defend their total after opting to bat. The weather will remain warm, almost touching 40 degrees Celsius during the day and won’t drop much once the match starts.

Stats and trivia

• Babar Hayat and Nizakat Khan are the only survivors from Hong Kong’s famous two-wicket win against Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup in 2014.
• Bangladesh have played only two T20Is so far in Abu Dhabi, and lost both, during the T20 World Cup in 2021.
• Openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon have struck the most sixes for Bangladesh this year – 23 and 22, respectively.

Tim Paine suggests Australia won’t go far from plans that succeeded in first Test as team moves on to London

Daniel Brettig09-Aug-2019Australia’s captain Tim Paine and his touring party ventured from Worcester to London on Friday with a fierce resolve to play to the strengths that they showcased at Edgbaston, even if it means again spelling Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at Lord’s for the second Ashes Test.Starc and Hazlewood both had their moments in a match curtailed on the final day by rain that fell overnight and then returned in early afternoon, signalling an early end to the fixture but also a chance for the Australian tour bus to beat the heaviest of the traffic on the trip back to the British capital.Paine, who did not keep wicket in the game, suggested that his men were intent on maintaining a sense of control on proceedings that did not give up the search for wickets but instead kept it in balance with restricting the flow of runs on fast-scoring English grounds – something Starc and Hazlewood did with mixed results against Worcestershire.ALSO READ: Hazlewood dares England to dish out greentops“We’re always bowling to a plan to get batsmen out, but I think sometimes perhaps we’ve set slightly more defensive fields than we have when we’ve come here in the past,” Paine said. “There’s a balance between doing that. We don’t want to have everyone out on the fence and have no fielders in positions where we think we can get batsmen out.”So it’s about trying to find a balance between attacking their weakness and also controlling their strengths and also where they can score quickly. In England, with the grounds being a bit smaller and the outfields being a bit faster the game can get away from you a little bit quicker.”I thought that was one of the pleasing things that we did in the first innings at Edgbaston, is that we controlled the scoreboard and if you can do that, when you do get a bit of run-on or a little change in weather when the ball starts to swing you can get well ahead of the game. So there’s certainly an element of control but we still want to be making sure that we’re working to get their batsmen out all the time as well.”To that end, Paine stressed that Worcester was less a selection trial for Starc, Hazlewood, Michael Neser and company than a chance for them to keep engines revving at a pitch that would see them ready if needed. That need will depend very much on the character of the Lord’s pitch, which will be the source of plenty of mystery to England as much as Australia after results so far this year.”Mitch has obviously come in off a World Cup so it was good for him to get another red-ball bowl,” Paine said. “As Josh said, it seems every time he’s bowled [he’s improved]. He has had a pretty long layoff with his back injury, so every time he’s bowled on this tour he has got better.
“I thought his first spell here – both their first spells here were really, really good. So we know the high-quality bowlers they are, Michael Neser the same – we know if he gets the right
conditions in England with the Dukes ball he can be a real handful.”So as we’ve said all tour, it’ll be conditions based. They’ll play a part in the Ashes if and when the conditions suit. We weren’t looking at Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc thinking ‘gee I hope they bowl well’. We know how good they are. We know what they can do.”Having spent most of the tour match observing things from mid-off or the team viewing area – he did not bat – Paine mounted a cogent counter-argument to the long held view that wicketkeeper captains had it tougher than their batting contemporaries.”I didn’t really enjoy it, it was a bit boring,” Paine said. “It’s different because you don’t see what the ball is doing. People have said in the past that being a wicketkeeper and a captain might be a disadvantage. Now that I’ve done it a bit more, I see it as more of an advantage. I can see ball movement, I can see or feel when a bowler’s getting tired from the way he’s hitting my gloves.”And I can see exactly where a batsman is moving to, or what mark he’s batting on and stuff like that. So I found it a little bit harder in this game, when you can’t see exactly what’s happening. You’re relying on other people’s information a lot, I found. It was nice to have a bit of a spell from wicketkeeping but I’m looking forward to getting back behind them.”In London, the Australians will reconnect with their most indispensable batsman, Steve Smith, refreshed by a few days away and doubtless eager for a few thousand more throwdowns to regroove his game for Lord’s. Paine received talk of fresh English plans for Smith with precious little discomfort.”Steve Smith averages over 60 in Test cricket, so I think the beauty of Steve is you can come up with a plan but he’s good enough to adapt really quickly,” Paine said. “I’ve seen him do it between balls, I’ve seen him do it when guys have targeted him from one end a certain way and a completely different way from the other end. I think that’s what makes him the best player in the world, his ability to adapt to any plan that is thrown at him. I think he processes it quicker than other players and adapts on the spot.”Resuming at 92 for 1, the tourists played out only another 13 overs before the rain returned. Marcus Harris got as far as 67 before his exit, but Cameron Bancroft is expected to retain his opening spot alongside David Warner for Lord’s.

The West Indies captain also asked his batsmen to convert starts into bigger scores, something they have lacked in the last couple of series

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2018West Indies captain Jason Holder wants his players to put in the extra effort to win the series 2-0 in Barbados. Holder emphasised on how he wanted the bowlers to be a “lot more consistent” and batsmen to convert their starts into big knocks when the final match of the series – the first day-night Test in the West Indies – begins on Saturday. West Indies currently lead the series 1-0 after they won in Port-of-Spain and the controversial St Lucia Test ended in a draw.”I try to get the guys to focus on the process, we’ve got to know what we need to do in order to win a Test match,” Holder said on Friday. “We’ve got to do small things over a long period of time, our bowlers have got to be a lot more consistent, our batsmen convert most of the starts we’ve been getting. I think the guys are really up for the occasion and everybody knows what’s at stake.”We’re playing some really good cricket in the series. Individual performances have really stood out, and we really came together as a side. The first Test match was obviously exceptional, probably we were not at our best in our last Test match in St Lucia.”Among Holder’s few concerns was how his batsmen were able to start in the last few Test series, but they were not making them count with big scores. In the two Tests of the series so far, West Indies have seen a century and a fifty from Shane Dowrich, and half-centuries from Kieron Powell, Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith. In their last Test series, however – in New Zealand in 2017-18 – the highest individual score in four innings was Brathwaite’s 91 even as three different New Zealand batsmen scored centuries. Among frontline batsmen, only Brathwaite averaged over 35 in the series.”Yeah, it’s obviously an area of concern for us,” Holder admitted. “We’ve had a number of starts over the last couple of Test series but the batsmen haven’t been able to carry on. I just think it’s matter for us to focus on every particular delivery, not get too far ahead. I always stress on the process and we need to be playing ball by ball and not looking too far ahead down the line. Obviously, once you get those starts, it’s about focusing a little bit harder on those twenties and thirties and push past the landmark and hopefully take it really big.”Holder had more praise for his bowlers who have headlined the series so far. Shannon Gabriel’s record-breaking 13-wicket haul in St Lucia helped bowl out Sri Lanka for 253 and 342, before the hosts drew the match on the last day. In the first Test, the bowling attack put up a combined performance when the fast bowlers helped dismiss Sri Lanka for 185 in the first innings and the spinners took over in the second, to seal a 226-run win. Holder hoped his bowlers would “adjust early” in the third Test.”I think the pitch at St Lucia offered a lot for our bowlers as well,” he said. “With these pitches offering something on the first couple of days of a Test match, it is important our bowlers find the length and line early. Some of us tend to get carried away although the pitch might be helpful, not still being able to put the ball in the correct area and draw the batsman forward and lure him into [edging] behind in the slip cordon. There’s still a chance for our bowlers to adjust to the surface, we don’t know how it’s going to play, we’re not going to sit here and assume. Whatever the situations and the conditions, I think it’s a matter for our bowlers to make the adjustment early and find the relevant length and line to bowl.”West Indies will also draw confidence from their recent record at the Kensington Oval, where they beat Pakistan and England in their last two Tests. Last year, Gabriel had taken nine wickets, including a 5 for 11 in the second innings when the hosts had dismantled Pakistan for only 81 in a chase of 188. In May 2015, their pace attack staged a fightback for a five-wicket win by keeping England to 123 in the second innings.”The pitch is very truly Caribbean,” Holder said. “And the last two pitches here in Kensington Oval in Test matches deteriorated quite quickly. This pitch seems to have a lot more grass cover on it, it should be a really good Test match. The ground looks in pretty good shape, the best I’ve seen in a long time.”

Family announce passing after year-long battle with Motor Neurone Disease

Vithushan Ehantharajah22-Jun-2025David “Syd” Lawrence, the former Gloucestershire and England fast bowler, has passed away at the age of 61 following a year battling motor neurone disease (MND).A strapping fast bowler, Lawrence played five Tests for England and making 280 appearances for Gloucestershire, taking 625 wickets for the county. In 1988, he became the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England. In 2022, he became his county’s first Black president. This month, Lawrence received an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, having been named as one of the inaugural Honorary Life Vice-Presidents of the ECB earlier in the year.Lawrence was diagnosed with MND in 2024, a degenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, causing muscle wastage. There is no cure, and Lawrence was working to raise money and awareness of the condition.Related

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In that time, he remained an inspirational figure at the club, sharing in their Vitality Blast success last summer. Gloucestershire assisted fundraising efforts with a “Pink 4 Syd” evening at the club, honouring Lawrence with a pink kit to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) during their men’s fixture with Hampshire Hawks in the Vitality Blast. Last week, his autobiography, “In Syd’s Voice”, written in partnership with his friend and former Mirror cricket correspondent, Dean Wilson, was published.A statement from Lawrence’s family read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dave Lawrence MBE following his brave battle with Motor Neurone Disease.”‘Syd’ was an inspirational figure on and off the cricket field and no more so than to his family who were with him when he passed.”A proud Gloucestershire man, Syd took on every challenge with everything he could and his final contest with MND was no different. His willingness to encourage and think of others right up to the end was typical of the man he was.”As President of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Syd took on the role with incredible pride and passion and loved every minute of it.”Syd’s wife Gaynor and son Buster thank everyone for the kindness and support that has been shown to them and the family so far and would ask that they are now given some time and space to grieve in private.”Lawrence played his five Tests and single ODI between 1988 and 1992. A genuine quick bowler, he debuted at Lord’s against Sri Lanka and went on to take 18 wickets, including his best of 5 for 106 against West Indies at The Oval in 1991.His career was cut devastatingly short when, in 1992, he fractured his kneecap as he ran in to bowl against New Zealand in Wellington. Though a comeback never truly materialised, barring a four-game stint for Gloucestershire five years later, he used retirement as a springboard to expand his horizons, becoming a nightclub owner and later a competitive bodybuilder.He was also a leading advocate for inclusion and diversity in cricket. In 2021, he spoke openly of his experience of racism at Gloucestershire, for which the club offered an unreserved apology. He was also involved with the African-Caribbean Engagement programme (ACE) in Bristol.”Everyone connected with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will be devastated with the news of Syd’s passing, and we send all our love to his incredible family and friends,” said Gloucestershire Cricket chief executive Neil Priscott.”The executive team at the Club were of course aware of his fine record as a one-county man but we all got to truly know and love him as our current President. He was so passionate about the power of cricket and how our sport can touch people’s lives. Syd pushed us to reach out to communities far and wide and we shall continue to do that in his honour. Friday night’s ‘Pink 4 Syd; match was a fitting tribute to a Gloucestershire great, and we are very sad to have lost someone so special.”In a statement released by the ECB, chair Richard Thompson said: “David ‘Syd’ Lawrence was a true trailblazer of English cricket and a man of immense courage, character, and compassion.”His impact on the game extended far beyond the boundary ropes. As a fast bowler, he thrilled crowds with his pace and passion. As a leader and advocate, he broke barriers and inspired change, becoming a powerful voice for inclusion and representation in our sport.”Even in the face of his illness, David showed extraordinary strength and dignity, continuing to uplift others with his resilience and spirit. He leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the hearts of all who love cricket.”Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire cricketing community at this time.”

Hobson smashed Bartlett for 24 in the final over of Scorchers’ innings and they carried the momentum thereon

Tristan Lavalette26-Dec-2024Nick Hobson again proved a thorn in Brisbane Heat’s attack before Perth Scorchers produced an outstanding effort in the field to claim a pivotal 33-run victory at Optus Stadium.In front of 41,921 fans, Scorchers struggled after being sent in to bat on a fast and bouncy surface before Hobson smashed an unbeaten 47 off 16 balls to lift them to 165 for 6.They carried over the momentum in the field and their disciplined bowling performance was highlighted by rapid bowling from speedster Lance Morris. Heat were never in the hunt after early wickets and were bowled out in the final over.Related

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Scorchers ran out easy winners to convincingly halt a two-match losing streak, while defending champions Heat suffered their first defeat of the season.

Hobson’s late heroics overshadows Allen’s struggles and Hardie’s return

Finn Allen was Scorchers’ big recruit this season and he started the season with a first-ball six against Melbourne Stars but it’s been all downhill since then. In his previous three innings, reaping just 10 runs, Allen has gone for broke from the get go but he started watchfully against left-arm quick Spencer Johnson. After failing to score off his first four deliveries, the pressure built and an edgy Allen then threw his bat hard at a full delivery only to edge Johnson to backward point.Cooper Connolly has been Scorchers’ best batter this season and made 37 off as many balls, but struggled to strike the ball with his usual fluency. Scorchers did regain allrounder Aaron Hardie, who made his season debut as a specialist batter at no.4 – a spot lower than his customary position which has been filled by Connolly.Hardie has been sidelined since the Pakistan white-ball series last month due to a nagging quad injury. He looked understandably rusty until giving himself room and smashing seamer Xavier Bartlett for a huge six over long on. It proved his best shot with Hardie holing out off left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann. He made 24 off 23 balls before Scorchers gained a late flurry from Hobson, who famously provided heroics in the epic BBL12 final between the teams.Hobson, well known for being an accountant in his day job, has been working very hard in recent times to build up his power-hitting and become a specialist finisher. His ever-improving muscular game was on show as he smashed Bartlett in the final over for 24 runs to lift Scorchers to a total that seemed implausible just moments earlier.

Johnson stars, spinners bowl well in tandem

Heat did start well through a superb opening spell from Johnson as Scorchers scored just 18 runs in the powerplay. He enjoyed a successful return in his season debut after missing their opening two matches with a toe injury.Spencer Johnson upped the heat with a four-wicket haul•Getty Images

Skipper Colin Munro turned to spinners Kuhnemann and Mitchell Swepson in the middle overs and they bowled with control to ensure the run-rate didn’t blow out of control. Swepson, particularly, mixed up his speeds well to ensure the batters could never find rhythm. Heat’s bowlers were backed up by slick fielding and catching until being swamped late by Hobson.Kuhnemann dropped a very high ball off Ashton Turner in the penultimate over before a rattled Bartlett lost his radar against Hobson.

Morris fired up, spectacular fielding

Morris had a point to prove. After being dropped from the team following a pummelling at the hands of Hurricanes opener Mitchell Owens, Morris returned to favourable conditions and unleashed on the fast and bouncy surface. He was perhaps fortunate after dismissing Tom Banton on his first delivery with a strangle down the legside. It was the confidence boost Morris needed as he bowled a hostile spell with the new ball and reached speeds of 148 kph.Scorchers were aided by brilliant fielding. Firstly, Ashton Agar produced a moment of magic in the field when he ran out Jimmy Peirson with a direct hit from point after initially pulling off a stop with his right hand before transferring the ball to his favoured left arm for the throw.Allen also spectacularly threw down the stumps from backward point to run out Nathan McSweeney. It was Allen’s most significant contribution this season and might be the tonic he needs for a turnaround with the bat.

Renshaw, Bryant shine briefly

Heat’s batters struggled to handle the conditions with the surface noticeably quicker than the season-opener between Scorchers and Stars. The exceptions were Matthew Renshaw and Max Bryant, who both clubbed the ball sweetly.After he was given an early life when wicketkeeper Matt Hurst dropped a catch off Agar, Renshaw looked in awesome form and smashed quick Matthew Kelly for consecutive sixes.But the task proved too great as Renshaw holed out to Andrew Tye in the 11th over after he smashed 36 off 24 balls. Bryant hit 35 off 20 balls but it was in vain.