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Jonny Bairstow helped set a formidable total before Yorkshire held off a challenge from Richard Levi to move closer to the top of North Group in the NatWest Blast

Ryan Bailey at Wantage Road13-Jun-2014
ScorecardSuch is the unrelenting nature of the county schedule, sides can seldom manage to maintain the thrust to challenge on two, let alone three, fronts. It remains early days, but Yorkshire are formulating an effective formula to do just that. A victory at the home of the defending champions Northants, orchestrated by Jonny Bairstow’s masterly half-century, moves them within touching distance of the North Group summit.Playing resources at Headingley have been weakened by England calls, but on this evidence it has done little to enfeeble their ranks. They posted a formidable total and then had an abundance of conviction and resolve to suppress a bludgeoning innings from Richard Levi that threatened to single-handedly wrestle victory from them.While attention was on Yorkshire’s overseas opener, Aaron Finch, it was South-African Levi who wowed a near capacity Wantage Road with a cameo of typical disdain. His departure, for 76 off just 47, in the fourteenth over, however, attempting to launch Azeem Rafiq for his sixth maximum, brought about the type of reaction from Yorkshire that delineated a side with a real purpose.While their bowling was steadfast, it was Yorkshire’s endeavours with the bat that proved decisive. On a surface that made elaborate strokeplay and clean hitting a heavy task, the visitors lost both openers in their struggle to attune themselves before Bairstow took control in an unbroken stand of 90 in 8.3 overs with Adam Lyth.From the first ball of his innings, the England international managed to surmount the difficulties of the pitch by doing the simple things that are so often overlooked in Twenty20. His running between the wickets alongside Alex Lees and then Lyth ran Northants ragged.Having worked the ball around the vast outfield, continually keeping the scoreboard ticking, Bairstow demonstrated the full array of shots in his armoury. Successive boundaries off Azharullah in the eleventh over was a sign of things to come.Jonny Bairstow played a starring role in Yorkshire’s victory•Getty ImagesFinch’s dismissal, caught at mid-on attempting to force one over the top, highlighted the sluggish nature of the pitch when pace was taken off the ball. But, having restricted the visitors to 100 off 13 overs with a couple of overs of spin, Bairstow released the shackles.Levi’s approach was vastly different but equally effective. He played a lone hand, however, and despite swatting deliveries to the ropes at regular junctures, the collective trumped the individual. Only Steven Crook, who clubbed a quickfire 23, managed to dictate to the Yorkshire bowlers in a similar fashion.Azeem Rafiq was particularly impressive, not least because he dismissed Levi, but because he maintained a semblance of control at one end amid the carnage Levi was creating at the other. His departure left those below him with too much to do as the hosts wilted in the late evening warmth.Northants’ slogan this season is “Reign, Defend and Conquer” but their grip on the trophy they lifted last August is slowly slipping. They certainly are not showing the same pluckiness in the field.David Willey, on his return to bowling, struggled for any rhythm and Crook apart, none of the bowlers were spared from Bairstow and Lyth’s enterprise. The latter was unbeaten on 46 but he very much played subordinate to his partner at the other end.

Mahela Jayawardene has said Daredevils’ injury issues had prompted him to bat in the middle order at the start of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-2013Delhi Daredevils finally have their first points of IPL 2013, after cruising to a nine-wicket win against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. While it was quite a poor showing by Mumbai’s new-ball bowlers, credit would have to go to Virender Sehwag and Mahela Jayawardene for captialising on the chances offered them and allowing Daredevils to close out the chase of 162 with three overs to spare.Daredevils rejigged their batting line-up, reuniting Sehwag and Jayawardene at the top, and the pair went on to become only the third combination in the IPL to put together a second century opening partnership – they added 151 at almost 10 an over. Speaking after the match, Jayawardene said Daredevils’ injury issues had prompted him to bat in the middle order at the start of the tournament. “Losing Kevin [Pietersen] and Jesse [Ryder] prompted me to go down the order as we needed some solidity in the middle. But since our batting unit did not click, it was a call that I had to take,” he said. “I spoke to David [Warner] about it and told him that I wanted him to play the role that Kevin played last year.”Sehwag’s style suited him, Jayawardene said: “We complemented each other very well. As it is, Viru took a lot of pressure off me and my job was to give him more strike. His batting also allowed me to play freely and I could control the innings. We kept talking to each other, that we should not get carried away with good start.”After scores of 12, 25 and 17, and time out due to a recurrence of back trouble, Sehwag finally clicked, slamming 95 off 57 and batting through the innings. “I have seen how passionate Viru was about performing well. There is a lot of fire in his belly,” Jayawardene said. “He was also coming off injury, the back spasms. So you’ve got to give him a bit of time [to get back into touch].”Mumbai Indians captain Ricky Ponting was disappointed in the lines his bowlers delivered at the start. While Jasprit Bumrah bowled a lot outside off, Munaf Patel kept straying onto leg stump with fine leg up. “I think we could have stopped Sehwag getting off to the kind of start he got off to. With Sehwag, what’s important is to tuck him up at the start,” Ponting said. “Today, we gave him too many scoring options early on and let him get away. All the line and lengths that we spoke about, we weren’t able to execute.”

A wrap of the first day of the fourth round of Ranji Trophy matches in Group A

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2012
Scorecard
Group-leaders Punjab showed the form that has already given them a massive 11-point lead in Group A to roll over second-placed Saurashtra for 90, and take the first-innings lead in Mohali. Saurashtra missed the services of their biggest name, Cheteshwar Pujara, as they dramatically slid from a comfortable 73 for 1 to 90 all out. The last seven wickets lasted only 32 deliveries as India Under-19 fast bowler Sandeep Sharma ripped through the batting, finishing with 7 for 25, the best figures of the season so far. Punjab then consolidated the advantage by reaching 125 for 5 by stumps, guided largely by the in-form opener Jiwanjot Singh’s 61. They could have been in a stronger position but lost three wickets for one run towards the close of play.
Scorecard
Mumbai dominated the opening day against Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, with Hiken Shah continuing his prolific run and Rohit Sharma slamming another Ranji hundred. Hyderabad revamped their line-up, dropping three players including the captain in the previous match DB Ravi Teja, but it was to no avail as their bowlers – three of whom had only two first-class caps between them – had little success after the early dismissal of Kaustubh Pawar. Aditya Tare and Shah first put on 121 for the second wicket before Tare was run-out. After that Shah, who began the season with a 140 against defending champions Rajasthan, and Rohit, who has an astounding Ranji Trophy record, put on an unbroken 203-run stand to demoralise Hyderabad, who are still missing their marquee player VVS Laxman.
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Gujarat were bowled out for 117 by Railways in Bhubaneshwar after their top order failed for the second match in succession. Parthiv Patel, who has failed to make a half-century only once in seven first-class innings this domestic season, hit nine fours in a 60-ball 55 as everyone else in the top order failed spectacularly – the rest of the top six made 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4. When Parthiv became the sixth man to be dismissed, with the score at 66, he had made all but 11 runs for the team till then. There was no rescue from the lower order, unlike against Bengal earlier this week, as Sanjay Bangar took five wickets in 8.5 overs. Railways then built up their advantage by reaching 145 for 2 by stumps, with opener Amit Pauniker backing up his career-best 166 against Punjab with an 85.
Scorecard
Naman Ojha was stumped on 99 but he put Madhya Pradesh on course for a tall total against Bengal. Devendra Bundela, playing his 100th Ranji match, chipped in with 61, and Udit Birla hit a brisk half-century to make it MP’s day in Indore. Bengal were missing quick bowler Ashok Dinda, who is with the Indian Test squad, but struck twice early through Shami Ahmed. Ojha and Bundela steadied MP with a 127-run third-wicket stand, and the middle order built on that to blunt the Bengal attack.

Despite reassurances offered by Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board that he has not been sacked, Denesh Ramdin, has reiterated that he was told he would be replaced as T&T captain

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Nov-2014Despite reassurances offered by Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board that he has not been sacked, Denesh Ramdin has reiterated that he was told he would be replaced as T&T captain.He insisted that he was being “punished” for supporting the move by West Indies players to abandon the India tour last month. Ramdin said that the TTCB move was a “breach” of the agreement reached last week between the players, WICB and West Indies Players’ Association, where it was decided to set up a three-member task force to negotiate a deal between the three groups.Ramdin, the West Indies Test captain, said n a public statement issued on Thursday that things had been made “unnecessarily difficult and uncertain” for him since his return from India.Now Denesh Ramdin is sparring with the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board•Caribbean Premier League”I feel compelled to state that on my return from India I was restricted from attendance at a practice session with the Trinidad and Tobago team on Thursday, October 30, 2014,” Ramdin said. “Although I felt hurt and embarrassed, I knew that I should remain committed to my responsibilities.”Ramdin’s latest response is a direct contradiction to TTCB president Azim Bassarath confirmation to ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday that Ramdin remained the T&T captain. Bassarath also said that a decision over whether to replace him as captain for the regional competitions, one of the recommendations made by the selectors, would be taken at the board’s meeting this weekend.On Monday Ramdin met with Bassarath and executives of TTCB including Suraj Ragoonath (CEO), Arjoon Ramlal (secretary), Sukesh Maniam (treasurer), Patrick Rampersad (third vice-president) and Gus Logie (T&T coach). The meeting took place at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva in Trinidad where Ramdin said he was told Rayad Emrit would be his successor.”On Monday, November 3, 2014, I attended a meeting with the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. At that meeting, I was told that since I did not demonstrate proper leadership in relation to the tour in India, I would be relieved of the captaincy and would be replaced by Rayad Emrit. I understood this to be a punishment contrary to the undertaking given by the WICB at the meeting on Friday, October 31, 2014.”I am also advised that this action is a breach of my rights having regard to the fact that the Task Force appointed by the WICB has not made any findings and has made no findings of misconduct against me,” Ramdin said.Both Bassarath and Rampersad had explained that since Ramdin was likely to be busy playing for West Indies in various international series between October and the World Cup which ends in March, the selectors had recommended that a new captain be appointed. Both men insisted a final decision on Ramdin’s future as T&T captain would be taken at the TTCB executive meeting this weekend, though a media release on the board’s website indicated otherwise.Titled “Heavy WI schedule rules Ramdin out”, the release said: “The unavailability of Denesh Ramdin for selection for nearly all of the 2014-2015 regional cricket season was the deciding factor in the decision to appoint a new national team captain. And Ramdin, the West Indies Test team captain who was among the players who recently pulled out of a tour of India, was told this at a meeting on Monday with officials of the T&T Cricket Board.”Ramdin pointed out that on October 31 he along with fellow Trinidadian and West Indies ODI captain Dwayne Bravo along with their legal counsel attended a meeting with WICB president Dave Cameron, and Emmanuel Nanthan (vice-president) and one of the WCIB directors Baldath Mahabir, who also sits on the TTCB executive board. WIPA president Wavell Hinds participated in that meeting via Skype. Also present were the Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada. “At that meeting, the WICB gave an undertaking that the WICB would not in its selection policy victimise nor discriminate against any player who had gone on the tour to India,” Ramdin said.”I have been advised that it is improper for me to speak on the issue of the recent tour to India and that I must defer to the authority and deliberations of the Task Force appointed by the WICB to inquire into that tour. However, I wish to state that the circumstances that I have endured since my return to the Caribbean have been made unnecessarily difficult and uncertain,” Ramdin said.In a release issued on Tuesday the WICB listed what it called “updates” from the various meetings between the board of directors on October 30 and November 4. It stated that Michael Gordon QC would be chairman of the task force along with former West Indies fast bowler Wes Hall and Dennis Lalor.The WICB directors also decided after a conference call today to finalise the date next week to pick the squads for the South Africa tour, which starts in December.

Jamaica secured their place at the top of the points table at the end of the round-robin matches, scoring a five-wicket win against Combined Campuses and Colleges in Kingston

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2013
ScorecardJamaica secured their place at the top of the points table at the end of the round-robin matches, scoring a five-wicket win against Combined Campuses and Colleges in Kingston. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller played a central role in the victory with a match haul of eight, including six in CCC’s second innings. He was well supported by debutant offspinner Jamie Merchant, who finished with five in the match.The pair, with help from the new-ball partnership of Sheldon Cotterrell and B Buchanan (playing only his second first-class game), helped restrict CCC to 150 after they had chosen to bat. The visitors made a fist of it by keeping Jamaica to an 88-run lead, with one of their two debutants, pace bowler Dawayne Sealy, picking up a five-for. However, the Miller-Merchant combine wreaked havoc in CCC’s second take, reducing them from 68 for no loss to 152 all out.That left Jamaica with a target of 65, and while they made heavy weather of it, they eventually got home in the 23rd over with half their wickets intact. They will now host Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals from May 2.

South Australia have rewarded Jake Lehmann, the son of Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann, with his first state rookie contract after strong performances in last summer’s Futures League

Daniel Brettig24-Apr-2014South Australia have rewarded Jake Lehmann, the son of Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann, with his first state rookie contract after strong performances in last summer’s Futures League.Lehmann’s inclusion in the SA squad followed his compiling of 255 runs at 36.42, with a top score of 92, in four Futures League matches.He joined Sam Raphael and Trent Lawford among the final additions to SA’s squad for next season, for which the loss of Michael Klinger to Western Australia will be compensated by Mark Cosgrove’s return from Tasmania.Cosgrove is the only interstate addition to the squad, which will again rely heavily on the spin bowling and leadership of the South African Johan Botha in the push to win SA’s first Sheffield Shield title since 1996.However a batting line-up of Cosgrove, Phillip Hughes, Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper, Andrew McDonald and Travis Head should ensure swift runs for the Redbacks.”We want a team where players are battling for positions and no-one’s spot is guaranteed. With the batting list we have this season, we have a huge amount of depth to draw upon and competition is going to be intense,” said SACA’s high performance manager Jamie Cox.”Last year we finished just one wicket away from the final and have a number of players who took huge strides in terms of development. We believe the stability we have offered this group will be a huge advantage for us as we chase our first Sheffield Shield title in 19 years.”The major obstacle to the Redbacks’ progress in 2014-15 would appear to be the drop-in pitch at Adelaide Oval, which reaped four draws in addition to another stalemate at Glenelg Oval as the redeveloped ground completed its makeover.SA won three matches outright away from home, and were strongly placed to win a fourth before Usman Khawaja guided an outstanding fourth innings chase by Queensland at the Gabba.Apart from Klinger, others not to have their state contracts renewed included Alex Carey, Sam Miller, Elliot Opie and the tall pace bowler Peter George, who played one Test match for Australia against India in Bangalore in 2010.South Australia squad: Johan Botha, Tom Cooper, Mark Cosgrove, Callum Ferguson, Travis Head, Phil Hughes (CA), Trent Lawford, Tim Ludeman, Andrew McDonald, Joe Mennie, Gary Putland, Sam Raphael, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Kelvin Smith, Dan Worrall, Adam Zampa. Rookies: Tom Andrews, Alex Gregory, Jake Lehmann, Alex Ross, Nick Winter

The day before England fly out to Australia for the Ashes tour, the ECB have confirmed the recipients of central contracts for the next 12 months after protracted talks which began during the summer

Andrew McGlashan and George Dobell22-Oct-20130:00

McGlashan: A year ago Root hadn’t played

The day before England fly out to Australia for the Ashes tour, the ECB have confirmed the recipients of central contracts for the next 12 months after protracted talks which began during the summer. There is one change among the 11 from the previous batch with Eoin Morgan losing his deal and Joe Root, who plays all three formats for England, included in his place.The make-up of the current deals will run until 2019 – although individual contracts still last 12 months – and they are understood to be considerably enhanced terms which the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) were pushing hard for throughout the process. They had claimed in February that England players were “substantially underpaid” compared to their counterparts in Australia.The initial timescale had been to announce the new contracts when the Ashes squad was named last month, but the final negotiations took extra time although there was no suggestion of talks breaking down at any stage. As part of the raft of alterations made to enable players to increase their chances of maximising their earning opportunities, England’s home Tests will be pushed back to June from May to allow a longer period for lucrative IPL appearances.Angus Porter, the PCA chief executive, said: “I am pleased that we have secured a fair and appropriate long term agreement, and have done so via amicable and constructive dialogue.”Rapid rise: Joe Root is the one new face among England’s centrally contracted players•AFPMorgan’s absence is of no surprise. Although he remains integral to both limited-overs formats – and captained England against Australia last month in Alastair Cook’s absence – he has drifted well down the pecking order for a Test berth after opting for a full stint at the IPL and has not made a first-class 50 in more than a year.His potential route back onto the Test side would be at No. 6, a position that no-one has cemented since Paul Collingwood’s retirement after the 2010-11 Ashes. That the contracts list only includes five batsman confirms that the final berth in the middle-order remains up for grabs. There are three potential candidates in the Ashes squad with Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes vying for a place in the Brisbane Test.Root’s elevation to a full central contract is a natural progression after a year in which he has rapidly become a fixture in all three formats. This time 12 months ago he had not made his debut for England, but since his first appearance against India in Nagpur – where he scored a vital, composed 73 – he has produced key contributions in 20-over, 50-over and Test cricket even though his elevation to opener in the summer’s Ashes proved a challenge for him.England have resisted contracting extra fast-bowling resources, such as Boyd Rankin or Chris Tremlett, but despite his inconsistent year Steven Finn remains on the list.Geoff Miller, the national selector who was presiding over his final selection of contracts before stepping down, said: “Contracts are on-going recognition for those players who have regularly been selected for England and have performed consistently, as well as those players we feel are likely to play an important role for England over the next year.”Congratulations to Joe Root who is the one addition to the list of players awarded a central contract and this reflects the important role Joe has played for England since making his international debut last year and will I’m sure continue to play across all formats.”The outgoing managing director England Cricket, Hugh Morris, said: “We are delighted to have concluded a six-year deal and to have all contractual issues resolved in advance of what we all hope to be another successful Ashes tour. We thank the PCA, Team England Player Partnership and the ECB Board for reaching this agreement which now allows the players to focus solely on cricket, not just during this tour, but for a considerable period beyond.”Central contracts James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has backed young batsmen Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne to deliver in the home series against South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jul-2013Though Sri Lanka continue to perform satisfactorily in limited-overs tournaments, recent assignments in the Champions Trophy and the West Indies have helped make plain the challenges the side faces over the next two years. In both tournaments Sri Lanka leaned heavily on their experienced batsmen while the young talent largely failed to produce dividends for the considerable faith that has been afforded them.Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan were the team’s top scorers in the UK, with Lahiru Thirimanne, who made only 73 runs at 24.33, the best among the rest. Sangakkara and Jayawardene were also among Sri Lanka’s top scorers in the Caribbean, while Dilshan’s replacement Upul Tharanga led the list, thanks largely to a score of 174 not out.All three seniors privately hope to continue at the top level until at least the 2015 World Cup, but have maintained in public that their time in the game is largely subject to form and fitness. With all three over 35, the national selectors had embarked on building a team for the future, but with Sri Lanka’s young players unable to produce the kinds of innings their team can compile totals around, the home series against South Africa shapes as health-check for Sri Lankan cricket.”We’ve done well in patches in the last two months, and when we did that it was the seniors that stepped up – guys like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene,” captain Angelo Mathews said. “They’ve carried a lot of the burden and we need that experience in the side but what the youngsters need to do is look at how those guys prepare and how they focus and we all have to get that mindset right. It comes through experience, but the amount of matches the younger guys have played, they have some good experience now as well. We need to fine tune our performances.”We need to have that mindset where you think you can be the next Mahela and think you can be the next Kumar. It comes with experience and a lot of hard work.”Plenty is expected of Dinesh Chandimal and Thirimanne, and it is the former’s recent inability to make good on his initial limited-overs promise that has been most dispiriting for Sri Lanka’s future hopes. Chandimal averages 18.19 in the last 16 months since the tour of Australia, having hit only two fifties in 28 ODIs. He has been given a sustained run in the top order after becoming vice-captain in February, but his place in the side is in question even as he prepares for the prospect of captaining the team in the first two matches against South Africa, in Mathews’ absence due to an over-rate suspension.”We all know how good a cricketer Dinesh Chandimal is and he doesn’t become a bad player just because he has been unsuccessful in two tournaments – which can happen to any cricketer,” Mathews said. “He is the vice-captain and he deserves his place. I am sure he will be among the runs soon, and if the selectors make him captain, he will do it well.”Thirimanne has not yet made his place safe either, but he has produced promising innings in the recent tournaments, despite being the first batsman to be moved around the order as the team’s requirements change. His 57 in the Champions Trophy match against Australia set the foundation for Jayawardene’s sparkling innings, and a 46 in the tri-series final against India helped Sangakkara build what would become a competitive total.”Lahiru is one of our best up-and-coming players because he has never said no to anything. He always just gets on with the job even when it was hard work. We’ve sent him in when we were in trouble in England as well as in the West Indies, and he has responded brilliantly. He’s got great character, and we need that.”He has the potential to bat at number three in the long term. He has the composure, he’s very calm and he makes good decisions. He’s showed a lot of maturity and he’s got a long future. I’m sure he can be the next Sangakkara.”Mathews played himself into some form in the Caribbean and more confidence in both disciplines has had a positive impact on his captaincy, he said. Mathews averaged 49.66 with the bat and 17.57 with the ball in the tri-series.”When you’re contributing to the team in any way, that does a lot of good for your captaincy. As an allrounder, it’s especially good to get both wickets and runs and that helps you earn respect in the team as well.”

USMNT defender Matt Miazga has accepted his actions were inappropriate, but believes MLS's punishment was harsh regarding his recent suspension.

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Miazga suspended by MLS for 3 gamesFCC eliminated from playoffs without himDefender responds over 'unfitting' punishmentWHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking to media on Tuesday, the FC Cincinnati central defender claimed he thought MLS's punishment was unjust, but understood that his actions were inappropriate and that he let his team down. On November 4, Miazga confronted a referee postgame in the tunnel – and reports have been scattered since, but as a result of his actions, he was suspended for three games ahead of the Eastern Conference semifinals last weekend. Cincy fell to the Columbus Crew in extra-time, 3-2.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MIAZGA SAID

"I want to take responsibility for what happened. The intentions of what happened, my intentions didn't play out to what has actually happened. I take full responsibility… I felt the punishment didn't fit what had happened, but you know, I accept it and we got to move forward now."

"It was frustrating because you've been an in-form player all year and then all of a sudden, one of the most important games of the year you can't play. So that was frustrating, but I had confidence in my team that they can get the job done."

Despite crashing out of the playoffs in harsh fashion, the USMNT defender has optimism for 2024: "We're so close and it's a learning experience obviously for everyone involved, especially me as well. So, now there's that extra hunger for next year and extra motivation and, you know, we're a real team so we're excited for the challenges ahead."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Initial reports claimed that Miazga was 'forcibly removed' from the official's room following their November 4 victory over the New York Red Bulls, but as more news surrounding the incident came out, the official's report was described as 'exaggerated' by The Athletic. Fast forward nearly three weeks and MLS's investigation into the incident resulted in suspension – 72 hours prior to kickoff in their most important playoff match of the year.

Following the announcement of his removal from their remaining matches on the calendar, the MLS Players Association released a statement claiming that the investigation contained 'falsehoods' and 'false narratives' to paint the MLS Defender of the Year in the wrong.

Now, following Cincy's removal from the playoffs, Miazga has taken responsibility for his actions, but admits his 'frustration' over the league's findings.

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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR MIAZGA?

He will be suspended for two matches to begin the 2024 MLS season, but the dates for those matches will not be announced until next year. Until then, it will be a massive 'what if' for the defender, knowing that his side conceded three goals in a conference final without him.

Tymal Mills could be forced to retire from first-class cricket after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition

George Dobell21-May-2015Tymal Mills could be forced to retire from first-class cricket after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition.Mills, who is thought to be the fastest bowler in English cricket, moved to Sussex from Essex over the winter and has been thought of as an England bowler of the near future. But, after breaking down in the early weeks of the season, he has been diagnosed as having a narrow spinal cord, which he has been warned could, in a worst case scenario, eventually cause substantial mobility problems if he continues to bowl.For a man with so much natural talent, who had started to find the accuracy to complement his pace, it is crushing news.”I have accepted that I might not have a future in first-class cricket,” Mills told ESPNcricinfo. “It is absolutely gutting and I had a very difficult 48 hours when I first heard the news.”I haven’t completely given up on the dream of playing Test cricket but, realistically, it looks as if my future may be in the shorter formats. I still want to play 50-over and T20 cricket.”Sussex have already announced that Mills will play no first-class cricket for a couple of months, but specialists have advised that he will probably have to limit his bowling load significantly if he is to enjoy a prolonged career.Mills bowled in Sussex’s NatWest T20 Blast victory over Gloucestershire on Sunday and took three wickets – all bowled – and could feature in the side to play Somerset on Friday. He is travelling with the squad and hopes to shake off a minor ankle injury.With that in mind, a career as a T20 specialist seems the most likely solution for a 22-year-old who, only weeks ago, was thought of as one of the most exciting prospects in England.”I just hope nobody portrays me as a mercenary,” Mills said. “This isn’t a case of me not wanting to bowl; it’s a case of me having a medical condition would could affect my future. It’s all been pretty hard to take.”