The issue is not money, but that youngsters want to play on the big stage, Russell argues

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2024It’s not the money. According to Andre Russell, premier West Indian cricketers are “just not interested in playing Tests.”The issue has been simmering forever, with cricketers popular with T20 leagues around the world – like Russell – often staying away from West Indies cricket, particularly the longest format. Sometimes, they have been called mercenaries. Most recently, in December 2023, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Kyle Mayers turned down West Indies central contracts, but made themselves available for T20Is. Holder, though, has since played Tests.Even though observers say that is due to the lack of money in West Indian cricket, Russell disagrees. “I don’t think it’s the money, I don’t think money is the issue,” he told recently. “Based on the amount of T20 and leagues around the world, I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests.”Russell’s remarks came after West Indies – placed bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship table at the moment – were swept 3-0 in England. They have since drawn the first Test in Port of Spain against South Africa, a Test they were behind in for the most part but, following rain and an attacking South Africa declaration, got to a competitive position when time ran out.Related

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Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Pooran, Rovman Powell and Kieron Pollard were among the West Indians playing in The Hundred when the last Test against England was being played in late July. Among the highest-paid players in the league, they are still playing The Hundred while the Test series against South Africa is on. Pollard, Powell and Pooran have never played Test cricket. Russell played one, in 2010. Hetmyer has played 16, the last of them in 2019.”I’m always excited watching the other West Indian batters, especially when they’re hitting boundary after boundary,” Russell said. “As long as you can do well from contracts outside your nation I think they are going to grab that opportunity but everyone wants to play on the big stage.”So, if the big stage comes in Test cricket, I know youngsters will be happy to play. I just don’t think it’s about money or anything like that.”Russell, now 36, has managed to stay at the top of his game in short-format cricket despite a succession of injuries over the years, especially in the legs. A knee injury forced him out of the 2019 ODI World Cup after a few games. Test cricket, he said, was not on the table for him.”Red-ball cricket is not my cookie, I don’t think my body will keep up with Test cricket,” he said. “But those in the team at the moment are fit enough and taking on the challenge. They had a few moments in the Test series [against England] where they could have turned things around. Playing England at home is always going to be hard for the West Indies.”

Hosting India in all three formats and another bumper SA20 serves as a boost to CSA coffers

Firdose Moonda12-Sep-2024Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced profits of R815 million (US$ 45.6 million) for the 2023-24 fiscal year after hosting India for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is in the December-January period and benefitting from a bumper SA20. As the majority shareholder in the T20 tournament, CSA earned profits of R54 million (US$ 3.02 million) from the event, which boasted a double-digit growth.This comes after losses for the last three reporting periods – 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 which collectively amounted to R538 million (US$ 30.14 million). The turnaround was mostly due to the increased revenue derived from broadcast rights, which make up 54% of the CSA income.The coffers were also boosted by the successful hosting of the 2024 Under-19 men’s World Cup, which was moved to South Africa from Sri Lanka and generated revenue of R54 million (US$ 3.02 million). CSA’s total ICC disbursements for the period were R566 million, (US$ 31.63 million) up from R290 million (US$ 16.2 million) in the previous year.Related

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CSA is expected to enjoy another strong financial year in 2024-2025, largely due to hosting India for four T20Is in November. The revenue from those games is expected to be upwards of R150 million (US$ 8.38 million) per match. These figures again underline India’s monetary importance and the incentive other countries have to host them as often as possible. CSA is starting to move slightly away from total dependence on the Indian national team, thanks to the SA20, but it is important to note that all six franchises are IPL affiliates.The biggest beneficiary of CSA’s financial turnaround is the women’s game, which underwent professionalisation at the domestic level last season. CSA has spent R32 million on women’s cricket (US$ 1.78 million). The cost of running professional cricket – the eight division 1, seven division 2 domestic men’s teams and six provincial women’s teams – remains CSA’s biggest expense. They shelled out R633 million (US$ 35.3 million) on these costs, which also underlines one of the major problems in South African cricket: how reliant the domestic system is on CSA. The cost of the national teams amounted to R172.8 million (US$ 9.66 million) or almost a quarter of the domestic expenses.Overall, CSA reported strong performance, in everything from the national teams – the men reached the semi-final of the 2023 ODI World Cup while the women beat Australia in an ODI and a T20I for the first time in the period under consideration – to grassroots cricket. The KFC mini-cricket programme, which targets children between the ages of six and 12 and has produced the likes of Wayne Parnell and Ayabonga Khaka, reported a 20% increase in participation, with over 100,000 children from more than 2000 schools participating. The rate of progression of those players to provincial and national teams is 15%.CSA’s AGM also marked the end of Lawson Naidoo’s three-year tenure as CSA chair. A new chair will be elected at a special general meeting this month. The new chair will be chosen from the independent directors, in other words, not from presidents of provincial unions.

Shamim Hossain makes a comeback, while Ripon Mondol has been called up to a full-strength Bangladesh side for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2024Litton Das has been appointed Bangladesh captain for an entire T20I series for the first time – he filled in once for Mahmudullah on the tour of New Zealand in April 2021 – for the three-match series to round off the ongoing all-format tour of the West Indies.There is a return for batting allrounder Shamim Hossain, who last played in a T20I – or any international match – in December 2023 in New Zealand. Shamim, 24, has had a run in the format but hasn’t quite broken through yet. In 14 T20I innings, he has 254 runs at a strike rate of 115.98, and a highest of 51, his only half-century.

West Indies vs Bangladesh T20I series

December 16 – 1st T20I
December 18 – 2nd T20I
December 18 – 3rd T20I

The somewhat left-field pick is that of Ripon Mondol, the tall 21-year-old medium-fast bowler who played three T20Is in October 2023, all at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where he picked up four wickets as Bangladesh finished third.There is still no Najmul Hossain Shanto, the regular all-format captain, who is recovering after picking up a hamstring injury during the series against Afghanistan in November. There is also no update on Shakib Al Hasan’s availability, or future, in international cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mehidy Hasan Miraz led Bangladesh in the two-Test series in the Caribbean, which was split 1-1, and is also their leader in the ongoing ODI series.From the last T20I squad that played in India in October, Towhid Hridoy (groin injury), Mustafizur Rahman (on a break after becoming a father) and Rakibul Hasan are missing, along with Mahmudullah, who has since retired from the format.Apart from Shamim and Mondal, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, top-order batter Soumya Sarkar, who starred in Rangpur Riders’ Global Super League title win recently, and middle-order batter Afif Hossain have come in for this series.

Bangladesh squad for T20I series against West Indies

Litton Das (capt), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Ripon Mondol

Sanju Samson and Phil Salt will hope to get back among the runs as the series nears its climax

S Sudarshanan30-Jan-20252:30

Ten Doeschate: ‘Suryakumar a couple of shots away from regaining form’

Big picture: Series alive, using contrasting methods

The five-match series between India and England was expected to be a high-scoring one. A battle of sixes if you will. But three games in, this hasn’t been the case, but the series has by no means been devoid of thrills.It’s 2-1 going into Friday night in Pune, and it’s the bowling attacks that have stood out, in contrasting ways. While India have stacked their side with as many as four spin options, England have primarily relied on hitting the short-of-good lengths and undoing India with high pace: Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have tried to soften up the batters in the powerplay before handing over to Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton to pound the hard lengths through the middle overs.Related

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India have fielded just the one frontline quick – Arshdeep Singh in the first two games and the returning Mohammed Shami in the third – and used every type of spin at their disposal. England have not really found a way past them, but remain alive in the series thanks to their great escape in Rajkot led by Adil Rashid, who bowled a wily spell of legspin following a last-wicket rescue act alongside Wood.With the track in Pune also likely to favour spin, Rashid could revel once again, but it will only present Varun Chakravarthy and his spin colleagues another chance to get at England’s struggling batters.

Form guide

India LWWWW
England WLLLWSanju Samson will hope he can find answers to Jofra Archer and Mark Wood•PTI

In the spotlight: Sanju Samson and Phil Salt

Last October, Sanju Samson was given the chance to claim ownership of a top-two slot in India’s T20I line-up. And he set about it in fine fashion, scoring three centuries in five outings. One of them was in Johannesburg on a bouncy surface against the likes of Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen. But Samson hasn’t quite mastered the pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in this series. He has scores of 26, 5 and 3 so far, and has tended to get dismissed while being late on his shots. This may not yet be a cause for alarm for Samson or the India team mangement, given the next T20 World Cup is a fair distance away. But runs in a game India need to win to seal the series could go a long way towards raising both Samson’s and the team’s confidence.Having given blazing starts to champions Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, Phil Salt was expected to set the tone for England on his first tour of India since. His last international series was also a productive one, bringing him an unbeaten 103 and a 55 against West Indies in the Caribbean. But his three outings in this series have yielded 0, 4 and 5, even if he hasn’t really looked out of touch. Can Salt overturn this run of scores as England look to push the series into a decider?

Team news

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Rinku Singh batted on Thursday and is fit. This could mean Dhruv Jurel misses out. India could also look at an additional seam-bowling allrounder in Shivam Dube or Ramandeep Singh instead of Washington Sundar.India (probable XI): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Washington Sundar/Ramandeep Singh, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.England did not train on the eve of the match. Jamie Smith had walked off in the third T20I with a stiff calf, so there could be a straight swap with Jacob Bethell, whom he had replaced in Chennai. England could also look at giving either Wood or Archer a break and play Saqib Mahmood.England (probable XI): 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jos Buttler (capt), 4 Harry Brook, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jamie Smith/Jacob Bethell, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Adil Rashid.Adil Rashid has enjoyed an excellent series with the ball•Associated Press

Pitch and conditions

Evenings in Maharashtra have been on the cooler side with temperature in Pune expected to be in the late teens through the duration of the game. Teams batting first have tended to win more matches at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium: 35 times in 64 men’s T20 matches. The pitch is generally a black-soil one that favours spinners. Mitchell Santner picked up 13 wickets in a Test against India in October 2024, and then the only Ranji Trophy match here this season saw spinners take 34 of 39 non-run-out wickets.

Stats and trivia

• India’s run-rate in the middle overs (7 to 16) in T20Is since the start of January 2024 is 9.45, the best among Full-Member teams.
• India have picked up 30 first-over wickets in T20Is since the start of 2022, the most by any team. They’ve done this over 91 innings, which means they’ve struck in the first over almost once every three innings.
• England have lost the only previous T20I they’ve played in Pune, while India have won two and lost two at the venue, including their previous one against Sri Lanka in 2023.
• Only two of Mohammed Shami’s 24 T20I appearances, including the outing in Rajkot, have come in India

Quotes

“Regardless of how it went, it is so happy to see him playing for India again. It’s been a long time since he has played. He has been such a performer for the team. I thought he bowled well, apart from maybe that full-toss. Nice to see him build up in training again tonight.”
“We are moving in the right direction. I am really happy with the style we are trying to play and continuing to be aggressive and taking the shots on.”

An Afghanistan women’s cricket team, consisting of refugees who now live in Australia, will play a T20 match at the Junction Oval on Thursday

Alex Malcolm27-Jan-20252:01

Amiri: If Afghan women can play sports, they can study as well

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley has described Thursday’s exhibition match featuring an Afghanistan Women’s XI in Melbourne as the first small step towards playing international cricket saying it is a ‘real beacon of hope’ that should spark conversations globally.An Afghanistan women’s cricket team, consisting of refugees who now live in Australia, will play a T20 match between against a Cricket Without Borders XI at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Thursday morning ahead of the opening day of the day-night Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG that starts in the afternoon.It is the first time they have been able to come together as a group since leaving their country following the Taliban takeover, with half of the group settling in Canberra while the other half settled in Melbourne.Related

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Hockley spoke alongside two of the Afghanistan XI players, Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri, on Monday at the Junction Oval, with Sapan announced as the captain for the match. Cricket Without Borders Chair Clare Cannon, Director Ken Jacobs and Australia’s Federal Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts were also present as the organisation of the match has been a joint effort between, CA, Cricket Without Borders and the Australian government.Hockley was hopeful that this match will be the first of many playing opportunities for the Afghanistan women in the future and indicated that the England and Wales Cricket Board were keen to help promote their cause after captain Heather Knight met the exiled Afghanistan female players in Melbourne earlier this month.”I think this is a first step,” Hockley said. “We’ve got colleagues from the ECB coming out for the women’s Ashes, and there are conversations happening to support from England as well as from Australia. So I think the first piece is awareness. But I think it’s going to be such an exciting day on Thursday, and my hope is that promotes lots of conversations, that this becomes an annual thing and then ultimately, that this team were able to compete on the international stage as is their want.”I don’t think any of us can comprehend what they’ve been through moving to a new country in such difficult circumstances, not speaking the language. I’m just inspired by their resilience, their love for the game and hopefully this game just raises awareness, a real beacon of hope.Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri speak to the media ahead of the Afghanistan XI match in Melbourne•Getty Images

“I was privy to a moment where they got to see their playing shirts for the first time with their names and numbers on the back, and you can just see how much it means to them. So I really hope this is kind of the first step of a really successful journey for this group, but also that this match shines a light on the fact that in places around the world not every woman and girl has a chance to play.”Sapan has been playing club cricket in Melbourne for Carnegie while Amiri has been playing for Dandenong. But both players were overjoyed at the opportunity to play in an Afghanistan Women’s XI.”It’s really special for us, especially for Afghan women because this is a very historic moment for all Afghan women,” Sapan said. “We have a big hopes for this match, because this match can open doors for Afghan women, for education, sport and future. We don’t want this to be our first and last match. We want more matches. We want more support.”Amiri, who has been a prominent voice for the Afghanistan female cricketers, was thrilled that the team can come together for the first time.”We are going to represent millions of Afghan women that they are in Afghanistan and denied for their rights,” she said. “And also it’s very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan”It’s going to be very exciting for all of us to play together. We had couple of camps together, but it’s going to be our first match. We’re looking for a win.”Australia currently do not play Afghanistan in bilateral fixtures but continue to face them in ICC events and are in the same group for next month’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE.

Allrounder opts to focus on his own game after disappointing first season leading red-ball team

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2025Derbyshire allrounder David Lloyd has stood down as club captain ahead of the 2025 season. Lloyd, who joined from Glamorgan in 2023, led the club in the County Championship last year, but could not prevent Derbyshire from receiving the wooden spoon after finishing bottom of Division Two.In his first full summer at the club, Lloyd, 32, averaged 23.47 with the bat and 31.00 with the ball in the Championship, and has opted to stand down from the captaincy in search of better returns.”David has given his all to the captaincy and he has been a fantastic leader for us, but the mental pressures of trying to lead a team, especially while you are trying to rediscover your own form, coupled with having a young family mean it’s best for all parties if we take some of that weight off his shoulders,” Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said.”David has been honest with me, he is determined to contribute to the team and his experience and leadership will still be invaluable for us, both on the field and in the dressing room, and I’m looking forward to seeing the best of him this summer.”Derbyshire underwent a revamp ahead of the 2024 season, with Lloyd taking the captaincy after the departure of Leus du Plooy and several new players coming in. But progress was limited – having been winless in 2023, they managed one victory to go with six defeats and a last-placed finish.That one win, however, did see them end a barren five-year run in Championship cricket at their Derby headquarters.Lloyd said: “This has not been an easy decision for me, but I have had a good group of friends, family and team-mates to confide in over this winter, and I believe this is what will allow me to focus on my game.”It has been an honour for me to captain Derbyshire, and I’m now looking forward to playing with less pressure on my shoulders, continuing to learn from the experience of Mickey and our coaching team, and showing our members and supporters what I can do.”We want to get back to competing across all formats, I am excited to play my part and hopefully helping our new club captain any way I can.”

England have it all to do after Shubman Gill’s historic double-hundred gave India a mammoth 587

Matt Roller03-Jul-2025

Shubman Gill walks off to applause from the Edgbaston faithful•Getty Images

India’s new-ball bowlers picked off England’s top three with the same ease with which Shubman Gill ticked off records during his maiden Test double-hundred to take control of the second Test. This was a near-perfect day for India’s captain: Gill cruised to 269 before offering his first genuine chance, then snaffled a blinder at third slip to prompt England’s slump to 25 for 3.Gill made clear at the toss that he supported India’s decision to reinforce their lower-order batting after two collapses at Headingley, and it has paid off so far. He added 203 for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, then 144 more for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, turning 211 for 5 into the highest total that England have conceded in the Stokes-McCullum era.Related

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Gill personified class and composure. He milked Shoaib Bashir for singles with the ease of a father teaching his son a lesson in the back garden, caressed back-to-back boundaries off Brydon Carse through wide mid-on and cover, and treated Harry Brook’s medium pace with utter disdain as he swept landmarks aside.He started England’s innings off the field after his 387-ball epic, and then took a spectacular catch four balls after walking back on. Akash Deep, India’s replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, cramped Ben Duckett for room from around the wicket and induced a thick outside edge; Gill flung himself acrobatically to his left and clung onto the chance, sending last week’s fourth-innings centurion crashing back to earth.Akash Deep struck again with his next ball, a full outswinger that Ollie Pope optimistically tried to whip leg side. His outside edge flew to KL Rahul at second slip, who parried the chance up to himself and grabbed it at the second attempt; Pope said after his first-innings century in Leeds that he was determined to avoid a familiar tail-off as the series wears on but has now failed twice since.India were rampant and soon had a third when Mohammed Siraj, who bowled a faultless opening spell, had Zak Crawley edging to first slip. It was a textbook Crawley dismissal, pushing with hard hands – and no foot movement – at a ball which left him, which left Brook and Joe Root to pick up the pieces: after 151 overs in the field, England were still 362 short of the follow-on mark.While Root was watchful, Brook sensed an opportunity to take the pressure off himself – and to get rid of some close catchers. After surviving an umpire’s call lbw shout – with Sharfuddoula consistent across both innings – Brook charged Siraj, flat-batting him through extra cover before launching him for six down the ground. He made it through to stumps, the deficit still 510.But a 52-run stand could not take the shine off Gill’s day. It is increasingly hard to fathom that he averaged barely 35 in Tests before this tour: he has led by example in his first series as captain and already looks ensconced in his new role at No. 4. Chief among his records were the highest score by an India men’s captain, and the highest score by any India batter in England.He was brilliantly supported by India’s two spin-bowling allrounders. Jadeja was the aggressor at the start of the day, slapping Ben Stokes through the off side for back-to-back boundaries. The pair exchanged words about Jadeja’s habit of taking two strides down the pitch before deciding whether to attempt a run or not, and both were warned off the danger area by umpires.1:39

Aaron: English bowlers were way off their mark

Jadeja fell shortly before lunch, gloving Josh Tongue’s short ball down the leg side for 89, and Washington struggled early against the bumper barrage. But he decided to take Tongue on after lunch, pulling him over long leg for six, and otherwise held up one end while Gill dominated the scoring.Stokes opted to preserve Chris Woakes’ body, and his own: neither man bowled an over after their initial bursts which started the day, with Bashir relied upon to hold up an end as Tongue, Brydon Carse and Brook rotated from the other. It took Root, curiously under-bowled, to break the partnership, ripping an offbreak past Washington’s outside edge and into middle stump.Gill fell shortly after tea, mistiming a pull straight to square leg: it was the first genuine chance he had offered, after a half-hearted lbw shout on the first evening and an outside edge past second slip in Woakes’ early burst on the second day. Bashir was handed the final two wickets on a platter: Akash Deep holed out to long-on and Siraj walked past a carrom ball to be stumped.India’s selection plan is halfway to working: Gill explained that Washington’s selection ahead of Kuldeep Yadav owed to the extra batting he provided, and he played a major role in helping India add a national-record 372 runs for the last five wickets. The second half relies upon them taking 20 England wickets with the resources available: after three early strikes, so far, so good.

India Under-19 collapsed after a 133-run stand between Malhotra and Mhatre

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Jul-2025Ralphie Albert sparked not one collapse but two in taking 6 for 53 as England Under-19 edged ahead in the rain-affected 2nd ‘Test’ against India at Chelmsford.The 17-year-old left-arm spinner reduced India from 170 for 1 to 181 for 4 before helping to secure the last six wickets for 37 as India were bowled out for 279 to trail by 30.This looked unlikely when Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra were compiling a dominant stand of 133 for the second wicket. Malhotra would go on to make 120 at nearly a-run-a-ball, but aside from this pair, only Harvansh Pangalia (28) and Kanishk Chouhan (23) reached double-figures, with five batters making ducks.England openers Ben Dawkins and Adam Thomas survived the odd scare to stretch that lead to 123 before bad light ended play 12 overs before the scheduled close.Rain delayed the start until 12.15pm before Malhotra and Mhatre dominated the pre-lunch session.Mhatre, dropped at cover on the second afternoon, was reprieved a second time when Alex Green failed to take a tough caught-and-bowled chance, but soon made the most of his good fortune, two sumptuous fours off the back foot and a huge six from the bowling of day-two centurion Ekansh Singh among the pick of his shots.Malhotra survived a big shout for lbw and being struck midships by James Minto. His cover drive off Green was a thing of beauty, and he raised the 100 of the innings with six over square leg. Another six took him to 50 as India scored 108 in the 75 minutes of play. England looked to be searching for wickets, and the result was too many four balls in a tardy effort.[File photo] Ralphie Albert triggered twin Indian collapses•Getty Images

Whether it was harsh words from the coaches or an inspired lunch choice, England emerged a different side. Tighter bowling brought a breakthrough when Mhatre missed one from Alex French, which angled in and spreadeagled his stumps. He scored 80.Door ajar, Albert produced some spin wizardry to strike twice in as many overs, wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu bunting back a caught and bowled before Rahul Kumar edged low to Thomas at slip.India’s response was to counter-attack, Pangalia dispatching a long-hop over the longest boundary before driving and cutting for successive fours.At the other end, Malhotra’s 16th four took him to his hundred in 101 balls and at 242 for 4 the visitors were back in the ascendancy.However, Pangalia top-edged a cross-bat slog into the deep and RS Ambrish became the third duck on the Indian card when he drove to cover in Albert’s next over.The Surrey youngster was on a roll, Malhotra becoming his biggest prize when perishing to a catch by Ben Mayes on the midwicket fence. Albert wasn’t finished there, Henil Patel his fourth wicket in 13 balls courtesy of Thomas’ second smart slip catch of the afternoon.Thereafter, only Chouhan held up the hosts for a while, Albert’s fellow spinner Mayes (2 for 17) picking up the last two wickets – a due reward for a tight spell.Dawkins and Thomas were both on a pair and began nervously, the former given a life when dropped at first slip off Aditya Rawat on 7.Rawat’s searching examination survived, the pair prospered, Dawkins clearing the ropes at midwicket, while Thomas drove and cut well to reach 50 with seven fours in the last over before the light closed in.

Jamie Smith joins Ben Duckett in sitting out T20Is with World Cup just six months away

Matt Roller08-Sep-2025England will go into their T20I series against South Africa without both Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith this week, prompting head coach Brendon McCullum to concede they must learn how to cope better with their busy international schedule.Duckett, Smith and Harry Brook have been ever-present for England across their 15 international fixtures to date this summer, and all spent August playing in the Hundred. All three players will miss next week’s brief tour to Ireland, and McCullum has prescribed an additional week’s rest for his ODI openers so they can “freshen up” ahead of a busy winter away.It means that Duckett and Smith will miss consecutive T20I series less than six months out from a World Cup in the format, when better planning would have seen them skip the ODIs instead. In their absence, Phil Salt – who missed England’s most recent T20Is on paternity leave – looks set to open the batting alongside either Tom Banton or Will Jacks.Related

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• Bethell admits he 'probably should have played more' this summer

• Bethell, Root tons, Archer four-for see England hand out record thrashing

England face a tight turnaround between the Ashes and the T20 World Cup this winter, interspersed with white-ball tours to New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Rob Key, England’s managing director, claimed last year that their upcoming schedule was “easing” when expanding McCullum’s role to cover white-ball cricket but it shows few signs of doing so.A one-day gap after the Hundred final meant that England’s players did not train together as a full squad ahead of Tuesday’s first ODI in Leeds, in which they were thrashed by seven wickets. ECB chair Richard Thompson acknowledged the crammed fixture list was an issue on Sunday, but admitted that it is unlikely to change significantly within the ongoing broadcast rights cycle.”The scheduling isn’t ideal,” McCullum said after England’s consolation win in Southampton. “That’s just the way it is and it’s not going to change, so we’re going to have to find ways to deal with it… We’re just going to have to find ways to be able to hit the ground running a bit quicker than what we did in this one.”I spoke to [Duckett] and I said, ‘I think you need to freshen up. You’ve played so much cricket and you’re such an influential player for us over the next few months.’ He’ll have a decent break at home, as will Jamie Smith… It gives the other guys opportunities, and it’s exciting, too. If we just rely on 11 players, then we’re not really going to be competitive.”One of those “other guys” is Sam Curran, who will bat in the top six against South Africa after winning a recall through his performances for Surrey and Oval Invincibles. McCullum has never previously picked Curran for one of his teams, and told him in an “honest conversation” over breakfast earlier this summer that he needed to “bang the door down” as a batter.”The message to Sam was that a lot’s come to you quickly and you’ve had a lot of success and a lot of fame, and a lot of things have fallen your way,” McCullum said, “but, of late, your performance had just tailed off a bit… With us resting both Jamie and Ben, it gives us the opportunity to bring Sam in and he’ll get his chance to bat in the top six.”England are expected to stick with the spin-heavy strategy they trialled against West Indies in June for this week’s series as they prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Curran will likely be their third seamer, with Jacob Bethell and Jacks supplementing Adil Rashid and either Liam Dawson or Rehan Ahmed as spin options.Bethell and Jacks acted as England’s fifth bowler in the ODIs against South Africa but their combined 10 overs in a tight defeat at Lord’s were hammered for 112 runs. McCullum said it was “really hard” to balance the side without a genuine allrounder, but has already spoken to Brook about how to give his part-time options “slightly more in their favour”.”We’ve just got to be a bit smarter with it… Utilising the big side of the ground, or also trying to set slightly more defensive fields,” McCullum said. “They don’t need to take 3 for 30 off 10 overs. They’ve just got to find a way to be able to create pressure and hold for a period so that our attacking guys can come in.”We won’t always be married to that [balance] but at the moment, we want to make sure that we’ve got that familiarity within our batting group – particularly in the middle order, as they adjust to some new roles so that they get more and more comfortable with how each of them is going to play.”McCullum said that England’s record 342-run thrashing in Southampton had provided them with “an incredible blueprint” in ODIs during an “oscillating” series. “We got hammered in the first one, we were within one blow in the second, and we dished out a pretty good performance in the third… It shows that there’s not a huge gulf between the two teams.”

Worcestershire close second day five down after Tongue takes out top three in fiery burst of 9-1-24-3

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025A searing burst from Josh Tongue put Nottinghamshire back in the box seat after Worcestershire fought back well on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Nottinghamshire’s first-innings lead was restricted to 25 after they were bowled out for 207. Freddie McCann defied for 56 (106 balls) but Tom Taylor took 4 for 70 and Ben Allison 3 for 41 while wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick took five catches.The game had evened right up but Worcestershire closed the second day on 93 for 5 after Tongue took out the top three in a fiery burst of 9-1-24-3. With the pitch still helping seamers, Nottinghamshire won’t want to chase many in the fourth innings, but are well-placed to push for a win to keep them on the shoulders of leaders Surrey ahead of their mouth-watering meeting at The Oval next week.Nottinghamshire resumed on the second morning on 46 for 1 to find the pitch still lively. Allison soon produced a perfect away-cutter that Ben Slater edged to Roderick.McCann and Joe Clarke added 50 in 17 overs before McCann, having gritted out a valuable half-century, drove at a wide ball from Matthew Waite and Roderick accepted another catch. The slip cordon remained on high alert. Jake Libby, at second, pouched Jack Haynes off Allison. Clarke dug in for 122 minutes before nicking a waft at the same bowler.From an uneasy 121 for 5, the title-chasers were rebooted by Lyndon James’ punchy 42-ball 35 but Taylor ended the counter-attack by inducing another nick and pinned Liam Patterson-White lbw two balls later. Kyle Verreynne steered his side in front then edged Taylor to second slip.Former Pears pair Dillon Pennington and Tongue added a handy 23 before falling in five balls, the former lbw to Allison and the latter supplying Roderick with his fifth catch, off Waite.With the game so evenly-poised, a mammoth evening session – 49 overs – promised to be pivotal. Only 36 were possible before bad light intervened but Nottinghamshire made serious inroads.Tongue trapped Rehaan Edavalath lbw and dismissed Libby, caught at second slip, with a lifter so brutal it invoked comparison with Allan Donald, Curtly Ambrose and Percy Jeeves. Catching of similar quality followed from McCann, a one-handed, diving grab at second slip to remove Dan Lategan off James that invoked comparison with Graham Roope, Rikki Clarke and Ashley Giles.Tongue then knocked out Kashif Ali’s off-stump and James hit Brett D’Oliveira’s. At 68 for 5, Worcestershire were in danger of speeding to a defeat which would pretty much seal their relegation but Roderick and Ethan Brookes stayed firm until the light closed in to keep this fascinating match very much alive.