India fell short by 28 despite having a first-innings lead of 190

Sidharth Monga28-Jan-20242:26

Manjrekar: Indian batters found wanting temperamentally in Hyderabad

England pulled off one of their greatest Test wins in front of the raucous Barmy Army and a stunned home crowd in Hyderabad. Of all the ways you envisage winning a Test in India, falling behind by 190 in the first innings – a deficit never before reversed by a visiting team in India – is not one. Yet England did the unthinkable with their most experienced spinner injured, half their side gone before scores were levelled, and did so emphatically even though a hilarious last-wicket stand took India to within 29 runs of their target.The highest lead India have lost from is 192, in Galle back in 2015. That Sri Lankan win was fashioned by a sweep-filled, adventurous, once-in-a-generation knock from Dinesh Chandimal. Ollie Pope played that role for England, scoring 196 runs full of sweeps, reverse sweeps and reverse Dilscoops, messing up with the lengths of the Indian spinners as if they were match predictions after two days of cricket. The other hero was Tom Hartley, the debutant left-arm spinner who was hit for two sixes in his first over in Test cricket and consigned to one of the costliest analysis for a debutant, who ended up with seven wickets in the second innings.Related

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Starting the day 126 ahead with just four wickets in hand, Pope added 48 to his overnight 148 with crucial assistance from Rehan Ahmed and Hartley. Only five times has 230 or more been chased down successfully in India, but the hosts would have had cause for optimism. Jack Leach, the experienced spinner, was at best hobbling. Hartley, the other left-arm spinner, had been punished for 63 runs in his first nine-over spell in the first innings. Ahmed had been so inconsistent and Mark Wood so unsuited to the conditions that Joe Root had been their best bowler until then.However, fourth-innings chases follow their own rhythms. Ben Stokes, who captained like a millionaire in the first innings to buy wickets, knew he just needed in-out fields here. Root, Hartley and Leach rose to the occasion despite obvious limitations. And India, unlike England, provided them stationary target, letting them bowl good length over and over again, a luxury not afforded to India’s spinners.You can imagine Pope, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley spent two weeks in Abu Dhabi just practising the various sweeps more than their front-foot defence against spin. They took those chances in the second innings after having got out playing defensively in the first. Pope’s execution lasted the longest. Some of the shots were sensational, like his repeat of the reverse Dilscoop off Ravindra Jadeja from Saturday.It is an indictment of the spinners – world-beaters and two of the greatest of all time – that Jasprit Bumrah was India’s best bowler. He got Ahmed early with a reverse-swinging outswinger, and also ended Pope’s innings with a slower ball. Between that, though, Hartley and Pope added 80 for the eighth wicket. During that partnership, with Ashwin and Jadeja bowling, India struggled to hold their lengths and the field settings allowed singles everywhere.It might not be unfair to say that India didn’t have a response for the time when unorthodox methods worked against them. Pope needed some luck all right, 72 false responses, which is the second-highest for any innings since 2003, but he did do his bit in getting rid of catching men, which reduces the potency of mistakes bowlers induce.Pope could do what he did because that is the philosophy of Bazball: rather get out reverse-scooping than defending as he did in the first innings. For if he reverse-sweeps, he is playing what he has practised and prepared for. That England had nothing to lose after falling behind by 190 freed him further.India had none of these liberties. Firstly, they are not natural sweepers, forget reverse-sweepers. They also had a home Test to lose, which they rarely do, and never after taking that kind of first-innings lead.Stokes, who had looked to manufacture wickets in the first innings with attacking fields, could now fall back on the conventional method: attack with the ball, defend with the fields. Two catchers at the wicket, two at cover and midwicket, but others protecting runs.Wood bowled only one over with the new ball – in which he had Rohit Sharma dropped at second slip – but Root and Hartley then were all over the good length like a rash. India got off to a good enough start, getting 42 for the first wicket, but the spinners were troubling them and were not making the errors in length they did in the first innings.Credit has to be given to Stokes, who kept bowling Hartley in the first innings despite that ordinary start and got him into his work. Now that he found his length, India needed someone to work him off his areas. The first time someone did try it, Yashasvi Jaiswal was outside the crease, forced to defend by the length correction, but Pope pulled off a stunning catch at short leg off the face of the bat. Two balls later, Hartley had sent Shubman Gill back, who defended with hard hands and Pope got down on his knees at silly point to catch it off the face of the bat again.Rohit was the only India batter who showed the willingness to sweep and reverse-sweep spinners off their length. He even played three reverse sweeps after having played the shot only seven times in his Test career. Two of them got him boundaries. However, Hartley was good enough to pin him on the crease and forward-defending at one that didn’t turn, and had him plumb lbw.India promoted Axar Patel to introduce a left-hand batter in the mix and also use his batting ability better. He and KL Rahul added 32 for the fourth wicket, but the runs came in two spurts. First when Rahul was allowed to sweep from outside leg, and the second when Ahmed missed his length.Once England controlled the bad balls, the wickets came promptly. Axar gave a return catch to Hartley, and Rahul went back to a full ball from Root, a rare misjudgement of length.Jadeja then ran himself out, and Shreyas Iyer played arguably the worst shot, giving slip practice to Root when he followed the turn and opened the face for Hartley. The ball had become soft by then, and India were in a position to capitalise on the easiest batting conditions. Instead, KS Bharat and Ashwin added a conservative 57 for the eighth wicket in 21.4 overs. If India had more wickets during this phase, they could have got closer.In the dying moments of the day, Hartley produced his ball of the match, one that drifted in, pitched leg, and turned past Bharat’s bat to take the off stump. England claimed the extra half hour and, despite a chancy 25-run stand between Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, got home in the last over of the day.

“We should have bowled first but the captain had some different instinct,” he said

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2024A campaign that ended in semi-final heartbreak for Tamil Nadu has now been jolted by coach Sulakshan Kulkarni’s remark that his team lost the match right at the toss on the opening day.Kulkarni made it clear in no uncertain terms the captain, R Sai Kishore, made the call despite conventional wisdom and his own knowledge of conditions having played and coached for Mumbai, suggesting they should’ve bowled first.”I always speak straightforward – we lost the match at 9 o’clock on day one,” Kulkarni said after Tamil Nadu were handed an innings defeat by Mumbai inside three days at the Bandra Kurla Complex Ground. “The moment I saw the wicket I exactly knew what we were going to get.”Everything was set, we won the toss, as a coach, as a Mumbaikar, I know the conditions well. We should have bowled but the captain had some different instinct.”Dinesh Karthik, the India wicketkeeper, termed Kulkarni’s comments as “so wrong” and “disappointing”, while former TN captain Hemang Badani felt Kulkarni had “thrown Sai Kishore under the bus” with his comments in the aftermath of their defeat.Sai Kishore’s decision to bat first backfired spectacularly as TN were tottering at 42 for 5. They were eventually bowled out for 146. Then they had Mumbai reeling at 106 for 7, before a century from Shardul Thakur hauled Mumbai out of a tricky situation. They eventually managed to make 378, which all but ensured TN were batted out of the game.”When I saw that they had played on a different pitch in the quarter-final and what wicket they gave, I realised that this is a seaming-friendly wicket and it was going to be a very tough match, and we would have to play really well to win this game,” Kulkarni said. “Ultimately he [Sai Kishore] is the boss. I can give my feedback and inputs (on) the kind of wickets and Mumbai’s mindset.”We were mentally prepared that whoever wins the toss would bowl first. We knew that we would bowl first. The moment they (on the TV broadcast) heard we would bat first, whatever you say (on how tough it can be to bat early on), it goes in the batsmen’s minds. That first half an hour (before play) got in the batsmen’s minds.”When you get into the first over, where the third (fourth) ball, your international player gets out and you see the situation… in the first hour, it’s difficult. We lost the plot in the first hour, it’s very difficult to come back from there.”

Bangladesh also brought in uncapped pace bowler Hasan Mahmud for the injured Musfik Hasan

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2024Shakib Al Hasan has returned to the Bangladesh Test squad after being out of action for a year in the longest format.Former captain Shakib has been picked for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram, starting March 30. He last played a Test in April 2023 before an eye condition kept him away from Tests although he has played white-ball cricket during this period, including at the ODI World Cup late last year. More recently, he has played in the Bangladesh Premier League for Rangpur Riders and in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League List A tournament for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.Shakib comes into the squad in place of the uncapped Towhid Hridoy, who wasn’t picked in the XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, which Bangladesh lost by 328 runs in Sylhet. The other change in the squad is the fast-bowling department, where Hasan Mahmud has come in for the injured Musfik Hasan, who has hurt his left ankle and will require rehab. Mahmud is also uncapped in Tests, like Musfik, but has played 39 white-ball games in international cricket.Related

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A retinal condition in the left eye had kept Shakib out of the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka. He had visited an eye specialist in Singapore at the start of the year to address the issue.Shakib had at the time said that batting had been an issue for him because of the condition. He had pushed himself down the order for Rangpur before returning to the top three in the latter stages of the BPL. He scored 255 runs in 11 innings in the BPL, striking at 158.38, and finished as the second-highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets at an economy of 6.31. Rangpur lost to eventual winners Fortune Barishal in Qualifier 2.Earlier this year, Shakib also joined politics, contesting the Bangladesh general elections for the Awami League party. He won from the Magura constituency and is now a member of parliament.Before the loss in the first Test against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh had won the ODI series 2-1 but lost the T20I series by the same margin.

Bangladesh squad for second Test vs Sri Lanka

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan, Shadman Islam, Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud

Club pays tribute to popularity and “infectious spirit” of young left-arm spinner

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2024English cricket has been left stunned by the news of the death of Josh Baker, the Worcestershire left-arm spinner, at the age of 20.In a club statement, Worcestershire declined to comment on the nature of Baker’s death and asked for “the respect of privacy” on behalf of his family. Ashley Giles, their chief executive, said that the club were “all devastated” by his passing.”The news of Josh’s passing has left us all devastated,” Giles said. “Josh was much more than a team-mate; he was an integral part of our cricket family. We will all miss him terribly. All our love and prayers go out to Josh’s family and friends.”Baker, who signed his first contract with the club at the age of 17 in 2021, claimed 43 wickets in 22 first-class matches, and a further 27 in 25 white-ball appearances.He was also a burgeoning allrounder, as demonstrated by two half-centuries including a career-best 75 against Gloucestershire in July 2023. Later that same season, while batting against Yorkshire at Headingley in Worcestershire’s final match, he scored the all-important run that secured a second batting point and therefore the club’s promotion to the top flight, prompting celebrations on the visitors’ balcony.Born in Redditch and educated at Malvern College, Baker came through the age-group levels at New Road, and also played for England at under-19 level. Last season, he signed a new three-year deal, and had spent the winter just gone in Sydney, playing grade cricket for Northern District CC in the New South Wales Premier League.Only on Wednesday, he had taken 3 for 66 in the first innings of Worcestershire’s four-day 2nd XI Championship match against Somerset at Bromsgrove School. The match was called off early on the final day.Worcestershire are not due to play in the round of County Championship fixtures starting on Friday, and do not play again until May 10 when they face Kent. The five scheduled Championship matches this weekend are expected to go ahead, with players wearing black armbands to pay him tribute.Baker’s most notable moment came against Durham at New Road in May 2022, when – as an 18-year-old in his ninth first-class match – he came up against Ben Stokes, newly unveiled as England captain, and in a mood to produce a statement innings.Baker was duly struck for 34 in an over – five sixes and a one-bounce four – but after finishing on 161 from 88 balls, Stokes sought Baker out on WhatsApp, sending a message imploring him not to “let today define the rest of your season”.”You’ve got serious potential and [I] think you’ll go a long way,” Stokes added. “Most important opinion is from the lads in your changing-room and they will always have your back. This coming from someone who got meeeeeeeelted in a T20 World Cup final.”Baker walks out to field at Trent Bridge•Getty Images

A statement from Worcestershire recalled Baker’s popularity within the squad. “More than his skills as a spin bowler, it was his vibrant spirit and infectious enthusiasm that endeared him to everyone he met. His warmth, kindness, and professionalism were remarkable, making him a true credit to his family and a loved member of our team.”During this profoundly difficult time, the club is dedicated to supporting Josh’s family, friends, and colleagues. We are united in our grief and committed to honouring his memory in a manner befitting the remarkable person he was.”Plans to pay tribute to Josh will be made in consultation with his family and will remain private at this time. The club, along with Josh’s family, requests the respect of privacy as we mourn this immense loss. No further comments will be provided during this sensitive period.”The ECB said it was “desperately sad to learn” of Baker’s passing, adding: “This is devastating news. We extend our best wishes to Josh’s family and friends, to everyone who knew and loved him, and to everyone at Worcestershire CCC.”Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “This is absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts go out to all of Josh’s family.”Rob Lynch, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, said: “Everybody at the PCA is heartbroken to hear of Josh’s passing and we offer our sincere condolences to all his family, friends and teammates.”Josh was a cricketer with his full career and life ahead of him and this news is impossible to comprehend. The PCA and the Professional Cricketers’ Trust are working to support Josh’s family, his teammates and all PCA members who are affected. Rest in peace, Josh.”

“When I took over as captain, that was one of my first mandates – to try our best to start winning series”

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-20243:50

Powell: ‘As players, we want to leave behind a legacy’

West Indies are one of two teams, England the other, to have won the men’s T20 World Cup twice, and being co-hosts, expectations for a record third title are high in the Caribbean for the latest edition. Rovman Powell, their captain, is aware of it, and is hoping to feed off that optimism because, as he says, winning the World Cup will mean more to cricket in the region that just one more trophy.”It’s very special, to be honest, not just for me but for the other players and for the people of the Caribbean – the possibility of winning a third World Cup title in front of our own people in the Caribbean is something very, very special,” he said at a press interaction ahead of West Indies’ tournament opener, against Papua New Guinea in Providence. “For us as players, it’s a legacy. It’s something that after we finish playing, we can sit down and tell our kids and grandkids, our family, and just replay those memories of 2024.”Also, from a financial standpoint, we know the standard of West Indies cricket, and it would be a massive boost for us to win the World Cup. So all that money that comes with winning the World Cup can be filtered down into our youth programme and to help benefit West Indies cricket.”Related

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It’s a thought Powell visited time and again during the conference. For example, when discussing the fact that West Indies have just risen two spots on the ICC T20I team rankings to No. 4 after beating South Africa 3-0 at home (in a series where both teams were missing first-choice players), Powell stressed on the importance of results like that to help the future of the game in the country.”It’s very, very good for the West Indies to be ranked No. 4 in the world,” he said. “When I started as captain, we were around eight or nine. I made an honest reflection and I realised that we haven’t won enough series. So when I took over as captain, that was one of my first mandates – to try our best to start winning series.”And once we start winning series, then our ranking will become much better in the ICC table. And then, from a financial standpoint, more sponsors for West Indian cricket. Because sponsors love to associate themselves with winners. That’s something I am proud of, to see under my captaincy West Indies has improved significantly in the ranking.”Powell was named West Indies T20I captain in February 2023, and in 16 games in charge, he has led West Indies to ten wins. Not the three against South Africa, though. He was away at IPL 2024 at the time, representing Rajasthan Royals, and Roston Chase filled in for him. The big ones under his leadership – the series wins he mentioned – were in December 2023 when West Indies beat England 3-2 at home and, earlier, when they beat India 3-2 in a series played across the Caribbean and the USA in August 2023.Home conditions do seem to bring out the best in Powell’s boys in T20I cricket, but it can be double-edged at times.”When you are playing in front of your own crowd, it can be good and it can be bad. We are trying to look at the positive side and hope the fans will come out anticipating and hoping that we will play good cricket and entertain them,” Powell said. “If you go over the duration of the last 12 months or so, we have played some good cricket right across the world. It’s a team that has confidence, it’s a team that knows how to play T20 cricket. So hopefully during the duration of this World Cup, we can show that.”

Sammy as coach ‘should provide us with additional resources’

When West Indies won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016, Daren Sammy was their captain, and Andre Russell was in the ranks as a player. Sammy has been the coach of the West Indies white-ball sides since May 2023, just over a year now, while Russell has over the years become one of the most powerful T20 allrounders in the world. That’s two men who know what it takes to win a T20 World Cup for Powell to lean on. And that’s something that gives him extra confidence.6:07

Bishop: There is focus on Pooran to dominate a World Cup

“Having Daren Sammy as our coach – two-time World Cup winner for the West Indies – that should provide us with additional resources that we need when things get tight, because he has been in that position before,” Powell said. “Hopefully his experience and knowledge can spread across the group and be very fruitful for us in this World Cup.”As for Russell, fresh from an IPL title-winning run with Kolkata Knight Riders, Powell said that there was no question he would slot right into the XI even though he hasn’t always been available for West Indies over the years – since the start of 2023, he has played just eight T20Is, spread over two series, against England at home in December 2023 and away against Australia in February 2024.”If Andre Russell rocks up for any international team, he would definitely slot in within the team,” Powell said. “So that is no surprise to see Andre automatically slot in to our team. He comes with a wealth of experience, and he comes with additional confidence on the back of good performances in the IPL.”So we are looking forward to Andre Russell being a significant part of our World Cup and hopefully we can be a three-time World Cup champion after this one.”

Says USA not complacent going into the T20 World Cup curtain-raiser, despite having recently beaten Canada 4-0 as well as stunned Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-2024T20 World Cup 2024 will kick off with North American neighbours USA – who are co-hosts of the competition – and Canada facing off on Saturday in Dallas. And of course, it was these two teams that played the first ever international cricket match, all the way back in 1844. The history of the rivalry is not lost on USA vice-captain Aaron Jones.”As everybody knows, USA and Canada played the first international game, so this has been something that was going on for years and years,” Jones said at a press conference on the eve of the World Cup opener.”As it relates to the players, we all are friends, we’ve all played together, against one another, for years. So everybody’s good and cool, but as it relates to the fans, it’s a bit of a rivalry, we all know that. We enjoy playing against Canada, they enjoy playing against us. We know for sure it’s going to be challenging and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”Related

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In the build-up to the World Cup, USA blitzed Canada 4-0 in a T20I series in April before recording a historic series win against Bangladesh in May. But Jones is not resting on past results.”I don’t really want to focus on the 4-0 victory in the last series [against Canada],” Jones said. “I mean, that’s gone already and, you know, the team that we played against in that series is not the exact same team we’ll be playing against tomorrow.”It’s a World Cup game, the first World Cup game. There’s going to be pressure on both teams. And obviously we know the outstanding rivalry we have with Canada, so pressure will be on both teams. It’s whoever handles the pressure best tomorrow [that will come out on top] to be honest.””Definitely, we have had some great competitive cricket over the past few years against US,” Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar said. “So we are hoping that we can play entertaining cricket.”Saad is also looking forward to the Canada players getting a chance to test themselves at the highest level.”Even coming from the qualifiers, as I mentioned for all of our players, it was like a dream to represent Canada in a World Cup,” he said. “We don’t get to compete against the top nations very often. The World Cup is the only stage where we get to compete and test our skills against the very best of the world. And we have finally made it.”It’s kind of emotional, but we were looking for this opportunity. We finally got it. And we just want to represent Canada well and to our potential play to our potential in this World Cup.”One player who will know how it feels to turn out for the country on both sides of the border is batting-allrounder Nitish Kumar. He had played 18 T20Is for Canada between 2012 and 2019, before getting his maiden T20I for USA in the series against Canada in April this year. Jones pointed out that Nitish already had experience of taking on his old team, so he would be more than ready for them come game day.”Obviously, he played against Canada the last time we played him in the series [in April] and he scored I think 60-something [64] in the game. He’s been gelling well, he’s been fitting in well, and I think he’s looking forward to playing against Canada.”

There is a view that the mega auction should only be held once every five years, and not three

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Jul-202413:31

Runorder: Is the mega auction good for the IPL?

Conduct a mega auction only once in five years. Allow teams to retain between four and six players. Give each franchise eight right-to-match (RTM) options. These are some of the significant suggestions franchises have shared with IPL officials during feedback sessions on player retentions ahead of the 2025 auction. The next steps will be discussed when IPL officials meet the franchises, possibly as early as next week though a date is yet to be finalised.According to a senior official at a franchise, there is more than one advantage in having the mega auction every five years instead of the present three-year cycle. A longer gap between mega auctions would help teams build continuity by developing young players, especially uncapped Indians. Franchises that have been around since the first IPL season in 2008 have invested heavily in this area, by building academies to find talented players at grassroot level and develop them into international quality. A mega auction every five years would incentivise teams to keep doing this, whereas in a three-year cycle there is a risk of losing a player that they have nurtured to a rival franchise.Incidentally, the IPL had four-year cycles between mega auctions twice in the last decade. The first was in 2018, which was the first mega auction since 2014, when Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals returned after two-year suspension. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the 2021 mega auction to be deferred by a year. On both occasions franchises extended their player contracts by a year.As part of the same suggestion, the franchise official said teams could also be allowed to work directly with its players to renegotiate salaries between mega auctions. This would help teams to not just retain core players but also help them reach better terms with players who were bought at base or lower prices at previous auctions. While the negotiation would be transparent and the new contract declared to the IPL, the official wanted the franchise to have control of proceedings without the player having the option of getting released.The 2025 IPL auction will be the first mega auction since 2022•BCCI

The RTM option

A CEO at another franchise said teams could be allowed to retain one big player, possibly the captain, and the rest could be through RTMs. Such an approach would allow the market to determine a player’s price, and also remove any monetary disappointment a player may have if they are last in the retention pecking order.What about a combination of retaining players and RTMs? It was the method used in the 2018 mega auction, when a maximum of five players could be retained by each team. Of the five, a maximum of three players could be retained before the auction, and up to three could be bought back by a team through RTM options during the auction. If a franchise did not retain any players before the auction, it would still have only three RTM options at the auction. A RTM option gives the franchise the ability to buy back their player during the auction by matching the price once bidding for the player is over.While such a combination is favoured by some franchises, at least one team official said it had potential to cause disgruntlement among the players retained ahead of the auction, if those bought back via the RTM option happened to secure higher bids. In 2022 mega auction, when Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants entered the IPL, the eight other teams were allowed to retain four players via two different combinations: three Indians and one overseas, or two Indians and two overseas. RTM options were not available three years ago because the IPL wanted Titans and Super Giants to have a larger player pool to choose from.

The challenge for all teams

Several players, especially those who were uncapped and bought at low prices, have gone on to play for India or grown into match-winners since the previous auction. They might want to go back into the auction instead of being retained so that they could get a higher price. While that might seem fair for the player, it may not be so for the franchise, especially one that spotted and developed the player.A possible solution, proposed by one franchise to the IPL, is to have eight RTM options and no retentions. The idea has received mixed response from other franchises: some agree it creates a level-playing field, others don’t want to put their biggest players in the auction. There’s also the concern that rival teams will drive up prices to disrupt auction strategy.One of the key points, something the franchises have highlighted increasingly over the years, is creating a loyal fan base. There’s a word for that in sport: tribalism. But how can a franchise accomplish this if, even after 17 years, they are being asked to overhaul their squads every three years? It’s a question being asked by a few of the top officials who have been part of the IPL for 15-plus years. Officials agree the IPL needs to find a way for players to be retained long term to cultivate better fan engagement. The official in favour of mega auctions every five years said it is time teams stop being selfish and look at the bigger picture.At the upcoming meeting between the IPL and the franchises, team officials expect that all ideas will be discussed further. They are also likely to discuss the Impact Player rule, which has got a mixed reaction from teams, the purse for the 2025 auction, and perhaps the salary cap deduction for retained players.

Worker played for many years with Central Districts and Auckland, and had a short stint in international cricket between 2015 and 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2024Former New Zealand batter George Worker has announced his retirement from professional cricket at the age of 34 to take up a “fantastic opportunity” with an investment services firm.”After a fulfilling 17-year journey in professional cricket, I am announcing my retirement from the sport. This decision marks the end of an incredible chapter of my life and the beginning of a new adventure,” Worker, who started his professional career with Central Districts and ended it with Auckland, said. “Throughout the course of my career, I’ve forged some great friendships that will last a lifetime and memories I will cherish forever.”Worker had a short stint in international cricket, playing ten ODIs and two T20Is between 2015 and 2018, in which he scored 272 and 90 runs respectively. It started on a 2015 tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa where, on T20I debut, he won the Player-of-the-Match award for his 38-ball 62 in Harare. An impressive 2017 Ford Trophy, where he scored 659 runs in ten innings for Central Districts while averaging 82.37, put him back on the selectors’ radar. The ODI debut came on that same tour of Africa, and he got a bit of a run in his best format in 2017 when he played in Ireland and at home against West Indies, scoring all his three ODI half-centuries in that span.More recently, Worker earned a call-up to New Zealand’s ODI squad for their home series against New Zealand in March 2022, when Mark Chapman was ruled out with Covid-19, but he did not get an opportunity to add to his 12 international caps.Overall, in 169 List A games, he scored 6721 runs at an average of 43.64 and a strike rate of 79.85 with 18 centuries and 37 half-centuries. His first-class (6400 runs at an average of 29.49) and T20 (3480 runs at a strike rate of 123.57) numbers were less impressive.Worker debuted for Central Districts in the 2007-08 season and represented New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup soon after. More recently, he played a big part in Auckland Aces’ Ford Trophy 2021-22 title win, topping the overall run-scoring chart with 672 runs in ten innings, averaging 84.00 and hitting four centuries.A part-time left-arm spinner, Worker finished with 58 first-class wickets to go with 60 in List A cricket and 42 in T20s.”Whilst his immense leadership and experience will be sorely missed in the Aces environment, we’re hugely excited for him as he embarks on this next chapter in his career,” Auckland Cricket’s head of performance and talent Evan Jones said. “George will, of course, remain an important part of the Auckland Cricket family, and we look forward to seeing what that may look like in the future.”The immediate future will be far away from cricket.”As I close this chapter, I am excited to embark on the next phase of my life with Forsyth Barr, who have offered me a fantastic opportunity,” Worker said. “I look forward to bringing the same passion and dedication to my new role with them.”

Former England opener racks up big hundred to put seal on Durham’s campaign

ECB Reporters Network28-Sep-2024Kent 96 for 3 (Finch 34, Ackermann 1-1) trail Durham 360 (Lees 144, Bedingham 66, Parkins 6-109)A sparkling century from Alex Lees gave Durham the upper hand in their Vitality County Championship clash with Kent despite a six-wicket haul from Matt Parkinson.Play was abandoned without a ball bowled on days one and two after heavy downpours at the Seat Unique Riverside, so Lees was on a mission to get quick runs with so much time lost in the game. Lees (144 off 180) was well backed up by Emilio Gay, who made 52, and David Bedingham, who made a swashbuckling 66, as the hosts made 360 in their first innings.Matt Parkinson led a Kent fightback after tea as he picked up figures of 6 for 109 to give the visitors some hope.Kent’s reply didn’t get off to the best start as they lost early wickets but Harry Finch and Jack Leaning combined for a partnership worth 72 to stall the hosts but they closed on 96 for 3, still 264 behind Durham.Kent captain Leaning won the toss and elected to bowl, with Ben McKinney and stand-in skipper Lees opening for the hosts. Lees found his groove early on with a lovely cover drive off the bowling of Grant Stewart.McKinney joined the party as he crunched a glorious shot to the boundary and Lees then reached his run-a-ball fifty with eight boundaries in the Durham skipper’s knock. Kent struck back, with Nathan Gilchrist removing McKinney for 23 after he was caught in the covers.Gay, who is on loan from Northamptonshire ahead of his permanent move to the North East next year, came in and elegantly flicked one off his pads for four. Lees continued to motor, combining well with Gay, and he carved a Stewart delivery for four to third man.After lunch, Lees resumed unbeaten on 95 and reached his fourth century of the season from 115 balls just minutes later. Gay impressed on his home debut looking calm at the crease and he manipulated the field well with the number three reaching his fifty from 92 balls. However, he didn’t last much longer as he feathered a Jas Singh delivery down the legside and it was caught well by Harry Finch behind the stumps.Bedingham wasted no time getting into the groove as Division One’s leading run scorer hit back-to-back sixes over the legside boundary off the bowling of Singh. Bedingham continued to hit the Kent attack around the park with the South African international reaching fifty from 30 balls, which included three fours and four sixes.Bedingham then smashed a Stewart full toss over the ropes, but he went for one maximum too many as he was caught off the bowling of Matt Parkinson for a 38-ball 66. Kent then got a second wicket in quick succession as Lees fell for an excellent 144 after he was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Stewart.Ollie Robinson then holed out for five, giving Matt Parkinson his second of the afternoon, and Bas de Leede quickly followed for a duck. Durham resumed after tea and 16-year-old James Minto, who is making his home debut, hit his first six in first class cricket as he smashed a Matt Parkinson delivery down the ground for six. However, the teenager’s joy did not last as the leg spinner bowled him for 25.Matt Parkinson then got his fourth as Daniel Hogg edged to slip and he then got his twin brother Callum out caught and bowled to wrap up his five wicket haul. The former Lancashire man then got his sixth as Durham were bowled out for 360.Kent’s reply got off to the worst possible start with Tawanda Muyeye caught behind off the bowling of Daniel Hogg for five. Kent then lost a second wicket as de Leede sent Jaydn Denly’s off-stump flying for 12.Finch and Leaning then came together and combined well with some lovely shots, but Colin Ackermann bowled Finch for 34 just before the close to leave Kent three down at stumps.

This Ranji season, Saurashtra have had three debutants in the four matches they have played so far

Rajan Raj10-Nov-2024Saurashtra have started the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season on a disappointing note. In four games so far, they have drawn and lost two each. Those results have put them seventh in their group, but their captain Jaydev Unadkat believes that his side is going “through a period of transition”. This season, Saurashtra have already had three debutants in the four matches they have played so far.”Efforts are being made to give opportunities to youngsters. As captain, I want this change to be smooth,” Unadkat told ESPNcricinfo. “We want young players to come forward, and we want them to be given maximum opportunities. I want young players to settle in our team during my captaincy.”Saurashtra’s debutants this season include pace bowlers Navneet Vora and Hiten Kanbi, and batter Parswaraj Rana. While Vora has three wickets in two games at an average of 41, Rana contributed only 21 runs across two innings against Tamil Nadu. Kanbi, though, had a promising debut against Jharkhand, as he picked up 5 for 70 in the first innings, before grabbing one more in the second.Related

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Over the last five Ranji seasons dating back to 2018-19, Saurashtra have made the final three times. Unadkat was their captain on each occasion, having even led his side to the title twice – in 2019-20 and 2022-23. Saurashtra also made the quarter-final last year, but this season, they run the risk of getting eliminated in the group stages. But Unadkat understands that a change of guard is inevitable, as seniors like Sheldon Jackson (38), Cheteshwar Pujara (36) and Arpit Vasavada (36) are near the end of their careers. Even Dharmendrasinh Jadeja is 34 while Unadkat himself is 33 years old.”It is not that players keep coming and going,” he said. “We know that when a transition period comes for a team, the performance goes up and down; but this is a part of this game.”Despite that, as captain, Unadkat remains focused on how to guide his side to a win each time he takes the field.”If you ask me what is most important for me, then I would say that I keep thinking about ways of taking Saurashtra to victory. I think about my team. When I wake up in the morning, the first thought that comes to my mind is how our team will win, and how it will become better. This is the biggest motivation for me right now.”Jaydev Unadkat had played 11 games for SRH in IPL 2024•Associated Press

‘IPL auction nothing new for me’

Unadkat is one of 1574 players to enter the mega auction for IPL 2025, which will be held on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah. Last year, he played 11 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which was the eighth different side he was representing since his debut in 2010. While Unadkat is hopeful to make it back to SRH for the 2025 tournament, he doesn’t mind getting a new team either.”I am definitely very excited about the auction. The auction is nothing new for me,” he said. “Mega auction is a big opportunity, but whatever the results of the auction, I am fully prepared to accept it… Hopefully, SRH will select me in their team again. But even if they don’t – or something else happens – I am ready for it.”I played for eight teams; now even if there is a ninth team – or I get a chance for any team – I don’t have any problem. If I get my bowling role and I get to play, I will be satisfied. Earlier, I was with Lucknow [Super Giants, in 2023]; before that, I was in Mumbai [Indians, in 2022]. I got [to play] very few matches there, but still I was very happy in that set-up.”