Leicestershire still in chasing pack after eighth draw in 10 Championship matches

ECB Reporters Network25-Aug-2024Peter Handscomb’s rock-sold half-century against his former club foiled a spirited last-day effort by Gloucestershire’s bowlers and earned Leicestershire a comfortable draw from their County Championship Division Two game at Bristol.The experienced Australian made 63 not out as the visitors reached 304 for 5 in their second innings from an overnight 41 without loss, a lead of 162, by the time bad light ended play with a possible 27 overs left. Rishi Patel hit 75 and Ian Holland 56.In the end the only winner was a typically placid Bristol pitch, which made it hard work for seamers and spinners alike over the course of four bat-dominated days. Gloucestershire took 16 points from the game and Leicestershire 13.It said much about the pitch that with the new ball only ten overs old at the start of play, Gloucestershire chose offspinner Ollie Price to open their attack from the Ashley Down Road End. He gained precious little more assistance than the seamers as Patel and Holland set about building on their opening partnership.There was a sense of inevitability as Patel progressed serenely to a half-century off 79 balls, with eight fours, making good use of the sweep against Price, who he lofted over long-on for six in the 33rd over.Two overs later Patel perished attempting a repeat of that shot, this time failing to clear Dom Goodman on the boundary. But the stand of 142 in 34.2 overs with first-innings centurion Holland had wiped out Gloucestershire’s sizeable lead.With 21 added, Marchant de Lange was rewarded for bending his back from the Pavilion End when Lewis Hill, on 11, could only fend a lifting a delivery to Chris Dent at short leg. By lunch, Leicestershire had reached 169 for 2, with Holland one short of his fifty.Gloucestershire hopes were briefly raised when Zaman Akhter took a brilliant catch at backward square, holding onto a pull shot from Ajinkya Rahane off de Lange. Akhter then induced an inside edge onto his stumps from Holland, who had reached a painstaking half-century off 127 balls.At 180 for 4, Leicestershire were just 38 runs in front. But Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed calmed any nerves in the visiting dressing room with a stand of 63 in 13.3 overs, ended when Rehan edged a delivery from Price through to wicketkeeper James Bracey and departed for 23.Handscomb went to an untroubled half-century off 73 balls, with seven fours, and was unbeaten at tea, with Louis Kimber 29 not out in a Leicestershire total of 286 for 5. The lead was 144 and barring a collapse, the Foxes were safe.The curtailed final session offered more of the same with Handscomb and Kimber having few alarms, despite Price getting some slow turn. At soon after 4.15pm, with the floodlights shining brightly, the umpires decided the light was too poor.Only six wickets had fallen in two days and the draw, which had long seemed the only likely outcome, was confirmed at 4.30pm with rain falling. Kimber was unbeaten on 38 at stumps.

Former Sri Lanka player found to have committed a serious breach of CA’s Code of Conduct by engaging in inappropriate behaviour while working at Cricket Victoria

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2024Former Sri Lanka international Dulip Samaraweera has received a 20-year ban from Cricket Australia for conduct that has been described as “utterly reprehensible” and he will not be allowed to hold any position within CA, the state associations, BBL or WBBL clubs during that time.Samaraweera, 52, was found to have committed a serious breach of CA’s Code of Conduct during his time as a Cricket Victoria employee with a CA Code of Conduct commission banning him for 20 years following an investigation from CA’s Integrity Department after complaints about his conduct had been made.Samaraweera, who played seven Tests and five ODIs for Sri Lanka between 1993 and 1995, was a long-time Victoria women’s and Melbourne Stars WBBL assistant coach before being elevated to the Victoria women’s senior coaching role earlier this year, only for him to resign just two weeks into the role after being denied an appointment he wanted to make to his staff due to the state’s policies.The serious code of conduct breach was separate from that issue. CA’s Commission found Samaraweera had engaged in inappropriate behaviour that breached section 2.23 of CA’s Code of Conduct. The behaviour is alleged to have been involving a player.Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins released a statement condemning Samaraweera’s behaviour.”We strongly support the decision taken by the Code of Conduct Commission today, banning Dulip Samaraweera for 20 years,” Cummins said. “It is our view that the conduct was utterly reprehensible and a betrayal of everything we stand for at Cricket Victoria.”The victim in this case has demonstrated incredible strength of character and courage in speaking up. She will continue to receive our ongoing support to allow her to achieve her goals on and off the field.”From an organisation perspective, the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Cricket Victoria is paramount. We will not tolerate any behaviour which compromises that position, or our people, and will always support our culture of speaking up.”CA also stated that they are “committed to providing a safe environment for all players and employees and the welfare of those subjected to mistreatment is paramount.”

No head of the committee has been named but it now means that since August 2021, Pakistan have used 26 different selectors

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2024The PCB has reconstituted its selection committee again, the latest on the day of another home Test thumping, this time at the hands of England. Shortly after England completed an ultimately comfortable innings win in Multan, the PCB announced Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, and Azhar Ali as the new members of the panel, joining Asad Shafiq, the analyst Hassan Cheema, and the captain and the coach, who were already part of the committee.All seven members will have a vote on selection. In addition, there are four non-voting members in Azhar Mahmood (the assistant coach), Bilal Afzal (an advisor to the PCB chairman), Nadeem Khan (director – high performance) and Usman Wahla (director – international cricket).The additions came ten days after Mohammad Yousuf’s resignation from the panel. No head of the committee has been named but it now means that since August 2021, Pakistan have used 26 different selectors.The appointments came within an hour of Pakistan’s innings-and-47-run defeat, becoming the first team in Test history to lose a Test by an innings after scoring over 550 in the first attempt. It was Pakistan’s third Test loss at home in a row and their seventh in their last nine home Tests.The immediate task for the new committee will be to pick a squad for the second Test, also in Multan, which starts next Tuesday – the PCB had only announced a squad for the first Test. The members met at the PCB’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Friday afternoon, and will travel to Multan on Saturday to meet the head curator, captain Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie, after which they will finalise the squad.Changes are likely with the performances of four to five players under the scanner. And despite scoring a hundred in the first innings, Masood’s captaincy is likely to be a subject of discussion given his longer run of indifferent form and a record that now reads zero wins and six successive losses. Pakistan have now slipped to the bottom of the WTC points table with only 16 points from eight games.When asked at the post-match presentation in Multan if Pakistan could see some new faces for the second Test, Masood said, “Look, we’re in the middle of the series. We’ve talked about a squad mentality. We’ve talked about consistency. Where I’d like the team to improve is no matter what the pitch is like, we must find a way out. And England showed us the way in this Test match, you have to give huge credit to them.”The selection panel had been restructured only earlier this year – with no chief selector – under PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, but has since seen Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq sacked after Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup in June, without any replacements named. Yousuf’s resignation at the end of last month also did not lead to a replacement immediately, which left Shafiq as the only voting member outside of the captains and coaches.Dar’s appointment is bound to attract attention, given how rare it is for umpires to become selectors. Though he stepped down from the ICC’s elite panel last year, he has continued to umpire domestically and in home internationals. He announced recently, however, that this season would be his last as a professional umpire.

ESPNcricinfo has learnt that India’s head coach will be back with the team before the Adelaide Test on December 6

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-20241:48

Manjrekar: ‘India’s selection calls made cricketing sense’

India will be without head coach Gautam Gambhir when they take on the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra in a two-day tour game starting on November 30. Gambhir has left the team to be in India for personal reasons. A BCCI source confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Gambhir will be back with the team before the next Test, which will be a day-night match in Adelaide starting on December 6. The tour game in Canberra will be a day-night match played with the pink Kookaburra ball.India lead the series 1-0 after they made a stunning comeback from being whitewashed 3-0 at home by New Zealand. Assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel will collectively be in charge in Gambhir’s absence.Related

• India lay down the gauntlet to Australia with 295-run thrashing

Just as Gambhir left, India were bolstered by the return of the full-time captain, Rohit Sharma, who had been on paternity leave during the first Test. Rohit’s return into the XI could lead to a tricky question around the combination as in his absence, KL Rahul made a successful return to the top of the order in difficult conditions.If Shubman Gill, who missed the Perth Test with a fractured thumb, also makes it back to full fitness, India will have to free up two places in the batting line-up. There is no update yet on Gill’s recovery as there is time to go to the next match. He will likely miss the tour game with assessments becoming more regular as the training days and the Adelaide Test approach.

Josh Hazlewood is being earmarked for a return in the Champions Trophy

Andrew McGlashan09-Jan-2025Australia captain Pat Cummins is in doubt for the Champions Trophy after it was revealed that he had been managing an ankle problem during the Test series against India.It was confirmed on Thursday that Cummins would miss the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka (paternity leave) and will undergo scans on his ankle in the coming days to determine whether he will be able to lead the team in the Champions Trophy, which will be held across Pakistan and the UAE next month.”We’ll have to wait and see when that scan comes back and see how it’s tracking,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “There’s a little bit of work to do. We’ll probably get a bit more information around where that’s at.”Related

• Mitchell Marsh out of Champions Trophy with back injury

• Finch: Selectors may have to 'cherry pick' Hazlewood's Tests

• ICC rankings: Boland, Bumrah, Bavuma and Babar make gains

• What did BGT win tell us about Australia's present and future?

Cummins sent down 167 overs during the five Tests against India, the most by an Australian bowler, taking 25 wickets at 21.36.Australia’s opening game of the Champions Trophy is against England on February 22, and they have a one-off ODI in Sri Lanka on February 13 after the Test series, which is part of their preparation.Cummins captained Australia to the 2023 ODI World Cup title in India but has only played two games in the format since amid workload management.Australia have used a variety of stand-in captains in that period. Steven Smith led the side last season against West Indies before Mitchell Marsh had the role in England, with Smith again deputising for the deciding game of that series. Earlier this summer against Pakistan, Josh Inglis led the team in the final ODI in Perth.Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, is being earmarked for a return in the Champions Trophy after the selectors took a cautious approach to his recovery from the calf injury that ended his India series after Brisbane, which in itself was a comeback game after a side problem.Sean Abbott could make his Test debut in Sri Lanka•Getty Images

“Josh is working really hard and all the news of how he’s responding to his recovery from the calf injury is coming along really well,” Bailey said. “It’s just probably a little bit tight, given the amount of time that he would have missed and also with how we may structure up and the loads those quicks may be put under.”Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Sean Abbott are the three frontline quicks heading to Sri Lanka. Abbott could earn a Test debut on the tour, and it was his durability that earned him the nod.”In Sean’s favour, given outside of the conditions that we expect to face, he’s just robust,” Bailey said. “We know he can put a heavy body of work in should he be required.”

Without Bumrah, India’s hopes faded away as Australia wrapped up the win within three days

Deivarayan Muthu05-Jan-20253:19

Cummins on making WTC final: ‘It’s huge, we talk about it a lot’

Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the silverware that had eluded them for a decade, and confirmed their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final alongside South Africa, after finishing off India inside three days at the SCG.India’s hopes of staying in contention for the WTC final rested on Jasprit Bumrah, but without him those faded away. For someone who had a massive influence on this series, with the most wickets by an India bowler on a tour of Australia, it was a shame he couldn’t play a part in the final act, though he had still done enough to be the Player of the Series.Related

• 'You can't be that soft' – Gambhir responds to Australia's intimidation accusation

• Do Kohli and Rohit have a future in Test cricket? 'It's up to them,' says Gambhir

• Bumrah frustrated after missing out 'on the spiciest wicket of the series'

• 9999 and out: Steven Smith falls one short of landmark 10,000 Test runs

• India find other heroes with Bumrah forced to the back seat

After having left the SCG on the second day for scans on his back, Bumrah returned to bat at No. 11 on the third day but wasn’t fit to bowl. All the early visuals had portended Bumrah’s absence. He didn’t warm up with the other bowlers and only did a bit of shadow-bowling. Then, after becoming the last India batter to be dismissed, for a duck, he didn’t take the field at all for India’s defence of 161. Given his history of back issues, India had to wrap him in cotton wool.The target was a substantial one for Australia, especially on this spicy SCG surface, but it did appear a whole lot smaller when Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna sprayed the new ball around. The pair conceded 12 runs via wides and byes down the leg side in the first two overs. Though Prasidh tightened up and took three wickets, including that of Steven Smith, Bumrah’s absence hung like Coleridge’s albatross around India’s neck.The batters didn’t make it any easier for India’s depleted attack. They lost 4 for 16 in 7.5 overs on the third morning to fold for 157. Scott Boland, who might not have played this series had Josh Hazlewood been fit and might not be a certainty for Australia’s next Test assignment in Sri Lanka, bagged his first ten-wicket haul in professional cricket to hasten India’s collapse. Having taken four wickets on the opening day at the SCG, Boland added six to his tally – his second five-for in Test cricket since his 6 for 7 on debut, which was just as glorious.The Australians got their hands on the trophy after a long gap•Getty Images

Boland had started the day with a maiden and continued to stalk both the edges by hitting a perfect length. He had Siraj caught at first slip and castled Bumrah in the 40th over to wrap up India’s innings. Boland then, fittingly, held the ball aloft and led Australia off the field, with the SCG crowd giving him a rousing reception.His captain Cummins had earlier accounted for Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Jadeja had been dropped by Smith in the slips on 6 on day two, but it cost Australia just seven runs, with Cummins going much fuller to kiss Jadeja’s outside edge. He then nipped one through Washington’s gate to expose India’s tail to Boland.Australia capitalised on the wayward new-ball bowling from Siraj and Krishna, running away to 39 for no loss in the fourth over. Prasidh provided India with the breakthrough when he had Sam Konstas miscuing a slog to mid-off for 22 off 17 balls.After the second day’s play, Prasidh spoke of how he shifted from his stock back of a length plan to a much fuller one after a chat with the analyst. However, on Sunday, with the harder, newer ball, he gleaned more bounce and seam movement with his natural length. After smacking Marnus Labuschagne on his elbow, Prasidh had him steering a catch to gully.For the second time in two days, more than 40,000 fans at the SCG were poised to celebrate Smith scaling 10,000 Test runs, but Prasidh had other ideas and snared him one shy of the landmark with a prancing delivery. Smith will now have to wait until the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle later this month for his next opportunity to become the 15th Test batter in the 10,000 club.India had to wait until after lunch to get rid of Usman Khawaja. The opener misjudged Siraj’s length, bottom-edging a pull to Pant for 41 off 45 balls. India felt that they were on to something after that. Siraj roared while Virat Kohli, who stood in as captain, charged towards his bowler from the slips and animatedly pumped his fist.Beau Webster, the debutant, roars after hitting the winning runs•Getty Images

Travis Head and debutant Beau Webster, however, changed the mood and the game quickly. When Nitish Kumar Reddy offered up a wide half-volley in his first over, Head stayed leg side of the ball and unleashed a rasping blow through the covers. At the other end, Webster was less adventurous, but still scored at a fast clip, thanks to his long reach, which messed with the lengths of the bowlers.Webster, who had made his first-class debut back in 2014, might have wondered if his time at the top level would ever come. When it finally did, the 31-year-old made it a memorable one. He top-scored for Australia with 57 in their first innings – only Pant scored more runs than him – and dismissed Shubman Gill to go with some excellent catching in the slips.On Sunday, Webster struck an unbeaten 39 off 34 balls and provided the when he stepped out to Washington and pumped him straight of mid-off for four. Australia chased down 162 in 27 overs.Prasidh and Siraj bowled 24 of the first 25 overs in the chase. Their only respite – besides a lunch break – came when Australia were three hits away from victory. Jadeja didn’t bowl at all in the final innings and Washington bowled just one over, bringing India’s selection into sharp focus once again. While Australia had immense depth in their attack, India lacked it and Bumrah’s injury only compounded their troubled tour of Australia.

The decision was taken by the board as his two-year contract came to an end

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2025Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has decided not to renew the contract with the head coach of the men’s team, Monty Desai. He recently completed his two-year tenure and a CAN spokesperson said “it was not a sudden decision,” but a “mutual agreement”.”Head coach of the men’s national cricket team Shri Mrugang Jagdish Desai ‘Monty Desai’ was appointed with a tenure of two-year and the agreement has come to an end which we all are well aware of,” CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama said in a release. “Also, it is hereby informed that the Cricket Association of Nepal has decided not to renew the contract.”It was not a sudden decision. A board meeting held earlier had decided not to offer him a contract extension. There is no reason to think negatively of him, the decision was more of a mutual agreement.”