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One debutant and another playing only the second ODI of his career shepherded the visitors’ chase to give them a 1-0 lead

Danyal Rasool08-Aug-2025An unbeaten 104-run partnership between debutant Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Talat – playing his second game – helped a nervous Pakistan overcome a stutter to chase down 281 in the penultimate over and take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series with a five-wicket win.West Indies had put up 280 through three half-centuries in the first innings, but Pakistan’s spinners contained them to keep them to a below-par score with Shaheen Shah Afridi (4 for 51) and Naseem Shah (3-55) mopping the hosts up at the death.Pakistan’s pursuit was far from convincing, struggling to pace the innings too. Babar Azam (47) and Mohammad Rizwan (53) each fell after promising, if placid, starts, and West Indies found themselves burrowing into the lower order when Rizwan fell with 101 still to get. But Nawaz overcame early struggles and briefly rode his luck with a couple of dropped chances to turn the game around with 63 not out, eventually finishing it at a canter alongside the more solid Talat, who made an unbeaten 41 in 37 balls.Much of Pakistan’s ODI success over the past year depended on Saim Ayub getting them off to a flyer, so it felt significant West Indies neutralised that threat early, Jayden Seales extracting rubber-ball bounce that took his edge and flew on command into the keeper’s gloves. While Babar took his time to settle, Abdullah Shafique looked classically pretty through an even-paced knock, but found himself undone by slightly lower bounce that excited Shamar Joseph enough to force his captain’s hand into a successful review.Initially, it appeared the worst of Babar and Rizwan was on display in that third-wicket partnership. At one point early on, they would play sixteen successive dot balls as the asking rate crept above six. They began, as they so often do, to catch up, finding regular boundaries and running a few twos, and the asking rate gradually eased back down into the fives. Whether that redeemed their slow start or made them even more culpable is by now an intractable question to answer.But West Indies trusted their pace bowlers longer than Pakistan had, only delivering one over of spin until the 20th over. But that wasn’t a commentary on Gudakesh Motie’s skills, who began to trouble the pair, ultimately sending Babar packing when he ventured out for a slog and was deceived by the turn three runs short of his half-century.Salman Ali Agha was more proactive, but threw away a decent start when he scooped a ball that gripped right back into a grateful Roston Chase’s hands. The value of Rizwan’s wicket was growing with each passing wicket, and he’d eased himself past a half-century by once more, Joseph found a way to rap him in front of the pads, this time securing the on-field decision that put West Indies on top.Nawaz and Talat, one ODI in 2019 the sum total of their 50-over international experience, seemed unlikely saviours at that point. Hasan scored just three off his first 12 balls, and looked vulnerable against spin. Shai Hope dropped him early as a nick off an attempted slog couldn’t nestle into his gloves, and with the asking rate rising, he was the one Pakistan required out there until the very end.The tide began to turn in the 39th over by which time the dew was making the ball hard to grip. Talat smacked Chase for two boundaries, before a rare errant over from Joseph saw five wides and 17 runs scored which brought the asking rate to just above seven. It was the break Pakistan needed to pace the innings on their terms, with each player finding the boundary anytime the equation became uncomfortable.With four overs to go and Nawaz on 49, Motie put down an unforgivably easy chance at short third, and as Seales went down on his knees in disbelief, the fate of the game was sealed. Talat plundered 15 off the following over, and five balls later, Nawaz had sealed the win.Evin Lewis and Keacy Carty’s 77-run stand got West Indies flowing despite losing an early wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Earlier, West Indies were put in to bat partially because of the uncertainty of conditions both overhead and underfoot, and once they’d brushed off the customary first-over wicket Afridi tends to take so often, Evin Lewis and Keacy Carty began to set a platform in the powerplay. Shaheen and Naseem struggled to find bite with the new ball, and by the eighth over, Rizwan had turned to the spin of Ayub. On a surface that has seen just the one ODI played, no one really knew how successful that would be, but the next two and a half-hours answered that question.With the surface gripping, each of Pakistan’s three spinners – Ayub, Agha, and Sufiyan Muqim – were thrust in immediately. The following 27 overs saw just one over of seam bowled as West Indies found themselves bleeding the occasional wicket while the run-rate Lewis and Carty had helped keep around six dipped below five. It was telling that the one over of seam – from Faheem Ashraf, saw Lewis pillage a six and a four bringing up his half-century in the process.But Lewis – on 60 – felt Ayub was the spinner to target, and having dispatched him for a boundary, opted to heave the final ball of his third over into the air. Shaheen spun himself around a couple of times before improbably holding onto it. A tortured innings from Sherfane Rutherford then concluded when he spooned Agha to cover-point.Chase (53) and Hope (55) put together a stand for the fifth wicket, but with no break from the stifling spinners, the run-rate began to fall. The 64 they added came off 89 deliveries, and with just one ball after the 34th over, Shaheen and Naseem began to find reverse swing. It took them a couple of overs to find their accuracy, during which Chase brought up his half-century. But he holed out to Naseem almost immediately afterwards, and just as the ball began to reverse, West Indies’ tail was exposed.The yorkers began to land, and West Indies had no answer. Naseem and Shaheen found pinpoint accuracy, and any runs West Indies scored had luck attached to them. At one point, the matting for the stump-mic helped lift the ball over Rizwan for four byes, and the following over a 140kmph yorker from Naseem hit leg stump, but without dislodging the bails.Even so, the last three were cleaned up by Pakistan’s two frontline quicks hitting the base of the stumps, and bowling West Indies out with an over to spare. Later, Pakistan would achieve their own target with seven balls to go.

The Thunder posted a comfortable victory over the Heat, but the evening game between Scorchers and Renegades went down to the final ball

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2024Perth Scorchers 108 (Hinkley 32, King 23, Capsey 5-25) beat Melbourne Renegades 106 for 8 (Dottin 40, King 3-23, Ainsworth 2-18, Devine 2-22) by two runsAlana King’s all-round contributions proved decisive in a low-scoring thriller at the WACA as hosts Perth Scorchers completed a two-run win over Melbourne Renegades while defending only 108.King first scored a crucial 15-ball 23 for the Scorchers from No. 8 amid a batting collapse triggered by the Renegades pair of Milly Illingworth and Hayley Matthews (2 for 15 apiece). Alice Capsey then ran through the tail to claim her career-best figures of 5 for 25 while skittling the Scorchers for 108.However, the Renegades’ batting failed to complement their bowling effort, losing wickets through their innings. Needing 15 runs off the last three overs – 11 off two overs and eight off the final six balls – they failed to hit a single boundary and finished their innings on 106 for 8.The pressure was put on Renegades early in the chase by seamer Chloe Ainsworth when she dismissed opener Courtney Webb and first-down Capsey for first-ball ducks in the first over. Sophie Devine and King then accounted for Naomi Stalenberg and Matthews respectively, and when Amy Edgar removed Georgia Wareham cheaply too, Renegades were 47 for 5 in the ninth over.Deandra Dottin counterattacked with a 27-ball 40 that included three fours and three sixes from No. 6 to lift the Renegades briefly, but King sent her back for the second of her three wickets. King also removed Illingworth in the 18th over to finish with 3 for 23.Tasked with defending 10 runs off the last two overs, Edgar and Ebony Hoskin closed out the game for the Scorchers, conceding only eight singles. Sarah Coyte, who finished unbeaten on a 31-ball 21, needed three for a tie or a boundary for a win off the final ball, but Hoskin kept the last delivery down to just one.Heather Knight played another vital hand•Getty Images

England captain Heather Knight cracked an unbeaten half-century and Sam Bates snared 4 for 25 to lead Sydney Thunder to a 19-run WBBL victory over Brisbane Heat at the WACA Ground.Knight, Phoebe Litchfield, and Chamari Athapaththu, all fired to lift the Thunder to a formidable 170 for 5. In reply, Charli Knott and Grace Harris threatened to pull off the run chase, but the Heat were eventually bowled out for 151 after Bates weaved her magic.After being sent in to bat, Thunder were 13 for 0 in the third over when Georgia Voll was dropped by Laura Harris on 2. Voll would go on to score 22, but more importantly she combined with Athapaththu for a quick-fire 52-run opening stand to give Thunder the perfect platform to launch.Athapaththu and Litchfield cracked seven boundaries apiece, and Knight went into overdrive later in the innings as Heat’s bowlers struggled to contain the star-studded battling line-up.Heat spinner Jess Jonassen was superb with 3 for 22 from her four overs, and Shikha Pandey was economical. But the rest of the bowlers struggled, with Grace Parsons and Nadine de Klerk copping the brunt of the punishment.Heat needed to make a fast start to their run chase, and opener Grace Harris received three slices of luck during her blistering knock. She was on 5 when she gloved a spinning Bates delivery through to the keeper. The appeal was turned down, and Thunder decided not to review it, but replays showed it clearly came off her glove. Harris was then dropped on 26 and 32, but was eventually out when she was caught in the deep from a Taneale Peschel full toss.Knott cracked six fours and a six to notch her maiden WBBL half-century and give Heat a chance, but their victory hopes came crumbling down when she was bowled by Bates who now has 12 wickets from four games in what has been a sizzling start to the season for the 28-year-old.”I don’t know if there’s a real secret behind [my form]. It’s nice to be contributing finally,” Bates told . “I had a pretty ordinary season last year, so I reflected quite a bit on that. I changed some little things and they’re paying off, which is nice.”

Bumrah had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty

Andrew McGlashan26-Dec-20241:51

Manjrekar explains how Konstas took down Bumrah

Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with an audacious display of strokeplay against Jasprit Bumrah which in the process riled Virat Kohli on a compelling Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty.By stumps, Steven Smith was the key figure in how much further Australia’s first innings would be able to extend as he eyed his second hundred in three innings after Bumrah had sparked a middle-order wobble. Yet it was the opening passage of the Test that could well go down as defining.Within an hour of his first Test innings Konstas, who became his country’s fourth-youngest men’s player, was the most talked-about figure in the game having brazenly taken 32 off two overs from Bumrah. While he was stopped on 60 off 65 balls, he had already written himself a chapter among the most remarkable debuts and more than repaid the selectors’ desire to provide something different at the top of the order after Nathan McSweeney’s struggles.Related

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Bumrah still pocketed key top-order scalps of Usman Khawaja, the prolific Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh although it did little to downplay talk India are over-reliant on him. The latter two came as Australia lost 3 for 9 in the final session with Akash Deep then claiming a much-deserved wicket with the second new ball when he removed Alex Carey to end the fourth significant partnership of the innings.Khawaja, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne all brought up half-centuries at more sedate tempos than Konstas. It was the first time since Rawalpindi in 2022 that Australia’s top four had all reached fifty in the same innings. Khawaja and Labuschagne will have been left wondering what could have been but Smith played a vital role in keeping Australia ahead.Sam Konstas celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

But it was all about how the day started. Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. Off his eighth delivery he worked a brace into the leg side to a loud ovation and two deliveries later signaled his intent with an attempt to reverse scoop Bumrah which brought a combination of cheers and gasps.He missed another an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 without loss after six overs when Konstas unleashed a passage of play that will never be forgotten. Off Bumrah’s fourth over he scooped to fine leg, reverse scooped for six over deep third and was an inch away from repeating it three balls later.He had dispatched the world’s leading bowler for 14 but wasn’t done there. In Bumrah’s sixth over he took him for 18, this time by peppering the boundary with drives including lofting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this point, he had been shoulder-checked by Kohli between overs with Khawaja trying to act as peacemaker with all eyes on how the match referee would adjudicate the confrontation.Not long after, a quickly run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he grabbed the Australian emblem on his shirt while pointing to the name on the back. What were you doing as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day? The mind started to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja trapped Konstas lbw in a manner many a more experienced batter has been removed.The tempo then reverted to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls, the next of 65 between Khawaja and Labuschagne required 150. The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, the latter again bowling without luck. Both batters had edges fall short of slip and another from Khawaja which bisected the cordon took him to just his second fifty of the year.Jasprit Bumrah removed Travis Head for a duck•Getty Images

India were largely keeping the scoreboard under control but were not overly threatening, only for Khawaja to toe-end a pull against the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket which left the bowler a little embarrassed to celebrate.Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluent best, but was looking as good as he had all series with some delicate glides to third off Jadeja and the types of drives to suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s No. 3. There was a shift in gears after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the final session against the older ball, although there remained enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batters as another luckless spell from Akash showed.However, the door was opened for India by offspinner Washington Sundar, who had been brought into the side in place of Shubman Gill, when Labuschagne picked out mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw his head back as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since last July had gone begging.Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah and against his third delivery Travis Head shouldered arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batter who has caused India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed not offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over Mitchell Marsh, having slotted away one thumping cover drive, edged an expansive pull to continue what has been a lean series after the summer of his life in 2023-24.As the ground rose for the hats-off commemoration of Shane Warne at 3.50pm (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja when Australia looked to be taking control but now his presence was vital in ensuring the innings didn’t lose its way. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a terrific delivery from round the wicket. Smith remained firm and walked off to warm applause from those who remained of an 87,242 crowd but it was nothing compared to the ovations earlier in the day.

Seamer lets the pitch do the work, as New York venue continues to draw mixed reviews

Danyal Rasool07-Jun-20243:24

Niall O’Brien: Ireland should have restricted Canada to 115-120

A week ago, Canada fast bowler Jeremy Gordon was thrown the ball to rein in a surging USA side. The previous over had leaked 20, but Gordon had bowled a tight couple of overs, and with USA still needing just under ten an over, Canada entrusted him to tighten the screws.Instead, in a nightmarish sequence of events, Gordon sent down an 11-ball over that saw 33 plundered off it – the second-most expensive over in T20I history. The US target was down to a run-a-ball, and they cruised to victory.Little wonder, then, that Gordon felt he had amends to make against Ireland. “I personally felt my over is what gave away the last game,” he said. “To make a comeback and help the team get over the line makes me feel I’ve done a good job and makes me quite happy. It’s very emotional.”Related

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• Kirton, Gordon and Heyliger sparkle in landmark Canada win

Gordon has reason to be proud. Opening the bowling in defence of 137, he homed in on the back-of-a-length area. The New York strip came in for heavy criticism following India’s match against Ireland, including from the ICC itself. While the wicket was much truer on this occasion, Gordon still understood how to exploit the conditions.”I realised when Ireland bowled first that when they hit the back of a length, it was sometimes over the batter’s shoulder and sometimes kept a bit low. So I thought ‘why should I change that?'”I was overthinking in the first game. Here, I realised the pitch was in my favour because of the variable bounce. So if I hit that 7-8m length and target a line on the body or just towards the off stump I figured I’d give myself a good chance to defend the total.”It was precisely how Ireland’s first wicket fell. Canada were keeping things tight, and Gordon banged another one in back of a length. Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain, had scored just 9 off 16, and the pressure told as he attempted a swipe across the line that was never truly on. The ball reared up and drew the top edge.Jeremy Gordon picked up impressive figures of 2 for 16•Getty Images

But having seen the game slip away at the death against USA, it was more satisfying for Gordon to return and finish Ireland off in the final over. Ireland needed 17 to win, and he followed up the trademark short-of-a-length ball with another. Mark Adair, Ireland’s last remaining hope of victory, tried to slap it towards midwicket but only ballooned it back up to Gordon, who took a straightforward catch. He would concede just four, and finish with figures of 4-0-16-2.”There’s definitely a lot of confidence now,” he said. “For us it’s about doing the basics right and to be disciplined. It’s about not getting ahead of ourselves. We’ll appreciate the win and then go back to the drawing board. It’s going to be Pakistan and India next, two of the better teams in the world currently. If we’re disciplined in all three areas, we might give a good account for ourselves on the day and then who knows what could happen.”Part of the intrigue of the game, though, concerned the pitch and ground conditions, particularly as the stadium gears up for it’s biggest clash on Sunday. India will take on Pakistan, so it wasn’t just the Canadians and the Irish interested to see how the surface held up after the tournament organisers were left scrambling to ensure their biggest game would not be played in subpar conditions.Though the improvement from the Ireland-India game was noticeable, Player of the Match, Nicholas Kirton, who scored 49 off 35 for Canada, felt it was far from ideal.”It wasn’t that easy to bat on this wicket, trust me,” he said at the post-match presentations. “I just tried to get in and get to grips with the pace of the wicket. There was an area in the middle of the wicket that played a bit up and down. I tried to stay as still as possible and get a good base. The outfield is a bit slow and I focused on running hard, but other than that it was a pretty good wicket to bat on.”

The duo helped Bangladesh defend 198 as India went down by 59 runs in Dubai

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2024Iqbal Hossain Emon and Azizul Hakim bagged three wickets apiece as Bangladesh defended their U-19 Asia Cup title with a comfortable 59-run win against India in Dubai.Chasing 199, India were bowled out for 139 in 35.2 overs, completing a horror Sunday that also saw the men’s Test and women’s ODI sides suffer big defeats.Electing to field, fast bowler Yudhajit Guha cleaned up Bangladesh opener Kalam Siddiki relatively early for 1. Zawad Abrar struck two fours and a six in his 20 but fell to Chetan Sharma caught behind. Guha then struck again getting rid of captain Azizul Hakim with Bangladesh slipping to 66 for 3 in the 19th over.Mohammad Shihab James and Rizan Hossan then stitched a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket to resurrect the Bangladesh innings, but wickets in quick succession wrested any momentum they had built.James departed first on 40 dismissed by Ayush Mhatre in the 32nd over before Debasish Deba fell eight balls later to KP Karthikeya. Raj then bowled Hossan for 47 while Samiun Basir and Al Fahad fell in the space of an over as Bangladesh slipped from 128 for 3 in the 32nd over to 167 for 8 in the 42nd.Wicketkeeper-batter Farid Hasan and Maruf Mridha added a crucial 30-run stand for the ninth wicket before Bangladesh were all out for 198 in the last over.India, however, failed to get going in their chase from the outset. Mhatre departed in the second over bowled by Fahad while 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi fell in the fifth after hitting two fours. When C Andre Siddharth became Hossan’s first victim, India found themselves struggling at 44 for 3 in the 12th over.Captain Mohamed Amaan and Karthikeya added a brief 29-run stand for the fourth wicket, but soon Emon ushered a collapse and there was no way back for India. The medium pacer first had Karthikeya caught behind for 21 before striking two balls later to send back Nikhil Kumar for a duck. In his next over, he removed Harvansh Pangalia as India were reduced to 81 for 6 in the 23rd over.That became 92 for 7 when Fahad removed Kiran Chormale giving ‘keeper Farid his fourth catch of the innings. Amaan and Raj tried to delay the inevitable but once Hakim removed his opposite number in the 32nd over, the game was as good as done.Hakim picked the last three wickets to spark jubilant scenes in the Bangladesh camp.

England seamer’s heroic rearguard could yet be his final act in international cricket

Matt Roller04-Aug-2025

Ben Stokes meets Chris Woakes after his valiant effort•Getty Images

It was an extraordinary sight at the end of an extraordinary series. On Friday morning, Chris Woakes was ruled out of “any further participation” in the fifth Test at The Oval. Three days later, he walked out to the middle with his left arm in a sling, tucked underneath his jumper, preparing to face up one-handed – and wrong-sided – with England 17 runs away from victory.Woakes marched out through the dressing-room, down the stairs of the Bedser Stand, and punched gloves with Gus Atkinson. It was a rousing moment to rival Rishabh Pant’s hobble to the crease with a fractured foot in Manchester, with the sense of theatre only accentuated by the drama and tension of the final day of the match – and the series.England have not yet given official confirmation but Woakes is understood to have dislocated his shoulder while diving in the field on the opening day of this Test. He will see a specialist this week to determine the extent of the damage, but will not play again this summer and is already considered a major doubt for the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21.Related

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It was an act of mercy that Woakes did not have to face a ball: Prasidh Krishna yorked Josh Tongue, England’s No. 10, with the final ball of the 83rd over, and Atkinson managed the strike thereafter. But even that caused Woakes serious pain: he grimaced repeatedly after every run, and had to ask umpire Ahsan Raza for assistance after dislodging his sling while sneaking through for a bye.In any other sport, Woakes would have been substituted immediately after his injury on Thursday evening but – for better or for worse – cricket remains an outlier. Instead, he watched on from the dressing room as England’s three-man attack toiled on Saturday; as they took the chase deep into Sunday afternoon, he went down to the indoor school for an exploratory hit.Woakes initially tried to hold the bat as usual, facing some gentle throwdowns, but as soon as the pace ramped up, the pain became excruciating. He then tried again with his left arm back in a sling, facing up with a left-hand batter’s stance: it allowed him the control of a “top” hand, but more importantly, ensured his shoulder would be as far away from the ball as possible.He needed help from Ben Davies, England’s physio, to get padded up on Monday, and had to get creative with his equipment: he wore two small arm guards on his right arm, and as much protection as he could on his left, which was tucked underneath a jumper to try and keep everything in place.2:02

Harmison: Woakes put his career on the line by coming out to bat

When Woakes scrambled through for a bye at the end of his first over at the crease, Mohammed Siraj was furious. ” [didn’t you tell him?]” he asked Shubman Gill, after landing his wide yorker only to see Dhruv Jurel’s underarm throw miss the stumps. But Woakes had other things to worry about, wincing in pain and clutching his left arm.He managed to take his helmet and right glove off in order to put his left arm back in place, and then asked Raza for help on realising that he would not be able to put his glove back on alone. As he took a deep breath and prepared to stand at the non-striker’s end once again, the sold-out fifth-day crowd began to understand the extent of what he was putting himself through.Woakes was again in agony off the next ball, scampering back for two as Atkinson swung Prasidh into the leg side, and scrambled through for another single off the final ball of the over as India – bizarrely – kept nine men on the boundary. One ball later, however, Siraj pegged back Atkinson’s off stump and, after 16 minutes of anguish, Woakes’ job was done – albeit in a heartbreaking, six-run defeat.India’s fielders made a beeline for Woakes after their initial celebrations, and Brendon McCullum, England’s coach, praised his bravery. “Good on Woakesy,” he told the BBC. “He’s in an immense amount of pain after that unfortunate injury, but it was never in doubt for him that, if needed, he was going to walk down the stairs and try to get us across the line.”1:19

Sanjay Bangar picks his moment of the series

It provided a fitting finale to a dramatic series in which 32 players have had their physical and mental resilience tested to the limit across 25 days of cricket. Both teams have lost players to injuries along the way after punishing workloads, but Siraj and Woakes, the only fast bowlers to play all five Tests, battled through right until the very last ball.”He was in a lot of discomfort,” Ben Stokes said, having himself been forced to miss this Test with a shoulder injury. “We’ve had Rishabh going out to bat with a broken foot, Bash [Shoaib Bashir] going out there bowling – and batting and fielding – with a broken finger. Then we go to Chris out there today, trying to get his team over the line with a quite recently dislocated shoulder… Everyone’s left a lot out on the ground for their countries.”Woakes’ innings can be used by both sides in the ongoing debate around injury replacements: it was difficult to watch a player in such clear physical discomfort risking aggravating a serious injury, but also an incredible display of bravery and perseverance. Stokes simply doubled down on his view that substitutes are impracticable: “If someone gets injured, tough s***. Deal with it.”It could yet prove to be Woakes’ final act in an England shirt: he is no longer involved in the white-ball set-up and, at 36, his Test future will also be in doubt if the injury is severe enough to keep him out of the Ashes. If so, this would be a sad but fitting end for a player who has always given everything he has across more than 200 international appearances.

The new contract structure is an attempt to prevent players leaving early for rival leagues but the drafts will remain

Alex Malcolm02-Apr-2024Cricket Australia has introduced the option of clubs signing one overseas player in the BBL and WBBL on a multi-year deal outside of the drafts, in an attempt to ward off the mass exodus of players to other leagues that has hit the men’s competition, but the player must be available for the entire tournament including finals after next season.The multi-year deals can be signed before the W/BBL drafts but clubs will still need to draft at least two more. However, in an intriguing twist, players who sign a contract before the draft, be it single year or up to three years, cannot be retained by their former club. It raises the prospect of a player like Rashid Khan being poached away from Adelaide Strikers after Melbourne Stars attempted to draft him at the last two overseas drafts only for Strikers to use their retention pick.Related

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Strikers would not have rights to Rashid at the draft if any other club signed him under the new contracting rules. If Rashid or another player who qualifies for a retention pick is not signed before the draft, they can be retained as per the previous rules.The new multi-year contracts can be negotiated at any price meaning in the BBL players can command a figure above the current overseas draft platinum contract of AUD$420,000. However, the club will still need to fit all 18 players in their squad under the AUD$3 million salary cap. In the WBBL the platinum level is AUD$110,000.Overseas players will be allowed to limit their playing availability for the upcoming season due to pre-existing contracts with other leagues but for the following W/BBL seasons starting in 2025-26, any player who signs a deal outside of the draft will have to be available to play the full season plus the finals.”We are excited to introduce this new contracting mechanism for the upcoming WBBL and BBL seasons,” BBL general manager Alistair Dobson said. “We have worked closely with clubs and the ACA to continue developing and enhancing the Big Bash, and a key focus has been ensuring the best players continue to compete in the Big Bash, and for longer periods.”The opportunity for international players to ink multi-year deals with teams not only strengthens the League’s global appeal but also provides clubs with greater stability and strategic planning capabilities.”

January’s T20 crunch

The move has been made to avoid the situation the BBL suffered in recent seasons after an exodus of overseas players to the ILT20 and the SA20 saw clubs severely affected heading into the finals. The overseas players themselves blamed the fact that the September draft meant they had no certainty over their own schedule and many of them had signed guaranteed deals with ILT20 and SA20 clubs well before being drafted to the BBL.Laurie Evans did not want to leave Perth Scorchers last season but was contracted to ILT20•Getty Images

The decision from the BBL to allow multi-year contracts with the caveat of availability does partly mitigate against those exits from 2025 onwards although clubs can only sign one player to that deal. They must still draft two more at the draft later in the year, which does leave the BBL vulnerable to those players leaving the tournament early due to existing deals in other leagues.It is understood there are BBL clubs who would prefer to contract players for all three overseas slots without a draft, as was the case previously, but the competition has invested heavily in the draft and believes the jeopardy of it adds value to the competition.It will be interesting to see how many overseas players are lured via multi-year deals which will lock them into playing in the BBL. The scheduling of the BBL, ILT20, SA20 and the BPL in the same January window has incentivised players to hop from one league to another to maximise their earnings causing chaotic player movement across the four leagues.Whether the new type of contract, which does get taxed heavily in Australia, will be enough to keep players in the BBL for a full season compared to the money on offer in the UAE and South Africa remains to be seen.In the WBBL the new contract structure will replace the direct nomination route which was in place for the 2023-24 season, the first time the competition had used an overseas draft. That system meant only 17 players were signed at the draft itself.

BBL contract window opens

Australia’s Test players should be available for a period after the India series•Getty Images

CA announced their new contracting mechanism on Tuesday as the BBL’s official contracting window opened. Clubs can officially trade and sign players in the coming weeks. The BBL only allows clubs to retain 10 players on their 18-player list each season to try and promote player movement.There is an added element to their contracting this season with Australia’s Test players set to be available for a short window at the back end of the BBL. The competition dates are yet to be announced but it is likely to start just after the Adelaide Test between Australia and India, which finishes on December 10, and run through until roughly January 26.In another new element clubs are also able to sign any player holding a CA contract during the initial retention week, even if they have not previously played for the team.Australia’s Test players will finish their five-Test series against India on January 7 but the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka is due to start around January 31. Players involved in that are likely to only be available for the BBL until around January 20, which means those who make themselves available will only play a handful of matches and won’t be available for the finals.Meanwhile, the WBBL schedule is still to be determined with a reduction to a 10-game season, in line with the BBL, still on the cards. There is only a limited window available for the WBBL this season between the end of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in late October and the start of a three-match women’s ODI series between Australia and India on December 5.

Earlier, O’Rourke completed his five-for as Sri Lanka folded for 305 in their first innings

Madushka Balasuriya19-Sep-2024Partnerships were the name of the game as New Zealand strung together several of significance to come within 50 runs of Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 305 at stumps on day two in Galle.There were breezy fifties from Tom Latham and Kane Williamson, and Rachin Ravindra also put forward an aggressive cameo. By the time an extended final session ended 15 minutes early due to bad light, there were more names on that list, as Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell had put together an unbeaten stand of 59 off 105. Theirs was the fourth 50-plus stand of the innings on a day that belonged almost in totality to the visitors.All this happened despite a rain-curtailed morning session during which only 15 minutes of play were possible. But that was all it took for New Zealand to pick up the remaining three Sri Lanka wickets.Related

• Latham's sweeping success shows NZ will not get bogged down on turning tracks

Sri Lanka’s best moments of the day were just that – moments – as their bowlers struggled to put together any periods of concerted pressure. Despite the surface offering turn, none of the four spinners used by the hosts were able to find consistent lines and lengths – either due to the strong breeze across the stadium or the New Zealand batters’ proactiveness in using their feet as well as a variety of sweeps.The hosts were also unable to build on any of the wickets to fall, with each new batter settling in quickly. Only a burst from Dhananjaya de Silva, when he dismissed Williamson and Ravindra in the space of two overs, offered a glimmer of Sri Lankan dominance, but that hope was snuffed out quickly by Mitchell and Blundell.Kusal Mendis took an excellent catch to send back Kane Williamson•Associated Press

The rest of the spinners’ figures told a story. Prabath Jayasuriya toiled for 31 overs for figures of 99 for 1, easily his worst in Galle thus far, while Ramesh Mendis’ 17 overs went for 69 and brought a solitary scalp. Kamindu Mendis was used only for one over that went for eight.Earlier in the day, it was Latham and Williamson who proved to be Sri Lanka’s tormentors. Latham, in particular, provided the blueprint during his 111-ball 70, both with his footwork and, more potently, prolific use of the sweep and reverse sweep.While Devon Conway never really looked anywhere close to his flowing best, labouring his way to 17 off 59 deliveries, Latham was more than making up for it at the other end. This ensured a solid opening stand of 63, one brought to an end against the run of play – and upon review – with Conway missing one from Ramesh Mendis that straightened after pitching.Instead of bringing Sri Lanka back into proceedings, the wicket only hastened New Zealand’s advancement as Williamson easily matched Latham’s urgency. Within his first 14 deliveries, the former captain had cut, pulled and lofted two boundaries and a six, and while that rate of scoring was never going to be maintained, the Sri Lanka spinners’ wayward lines allied with expert manoeuvring from both Williamson and Latham meant dot balls were rarely strung together.Daryl Mitchell attempts a reverse sweep, a shot New Zealand’s batters used quite often against spin•Associated Press

That Sri Lanka eventually broke the 73-run stand, which took only 120 balls, was down to the batter’s error more than the bowlers’ effectiveness, as Latham’s most potent weapon – the sweep – became his undoing, when he top-edged to backward square leg off Jayasuriya at the stroke of tea.There was no respite for Sri Lanka in the final session either, as Ravindra managed to further up the ante over the course of a 48-ball 39. His expert use of the depth of the crease also meant any error in length was punished square of the wicket on either side.The Williamson-Ravindra stand of 51 took just 84 deliveries, and were it not for a piece of brilliance from wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis – leaping forward past the stumps to hold on to a leading edge of Williamson – it was hard to see where a breakthrough might have come from. Ravindra himself fell shortly after, leaving an arm ball that clattered into his off stump and punching his bat in disgust on the way back to the dressing room. But Sri Lanka’s joy was short-lived as Mitchell and Blundell negotiated safely whatever was thrown at them, including a period of short-ball barrages from Asitha Fernando.During the heavily rain-affected morning session, William O’Rourke starred once more, adding two further wickets to his overnight tally, to end with figures of 5 for 55 as Sri Lanka were bowled out adding just three runs to their overnight total.

ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB is likely to reject NOCs to several all-format players for upcoming franchise tournaments

Danyal Rasool13-Jul-2024The PCB is set for a collision course with some of the biggest names in Pakistan cricket after deciding to refuse an NOC to Naseem Shah for the Hundred.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB is likely to reject NOCs to several all-format players for upcoming franchise tournaments. While the Global T20 League in Canada has not yet been officially sanctioned by the ICC – without which the PCB cannot issue NOCs to centrally contracted players – it is believed Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam will not be allowed to play there either way, with workload management likely cited as the reason.The immediate implications of the decision mean The Hundred’s Birmingham Phoenix will lose out on Naseem next month, while Afridi, Rizwan and Babar will be unavailable for the Global T20 League Canada. Neither tournament directly clashes with any international cricket Pakistan play, but with a busy upcoming schedule for the national side, it is understood the PCB wishes to see their all-format players rest up ahead of Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which starts on August 21.Related

• Shaheen, Babar, Rizwan denied NOCs to play in Global T20 Canada

• PCB mulls 'key changes', says domestic cricket 'compulsory' for players

• Wahab and Razzaq sacked from PCB selection committee

Though the GLT20 awaits official ICC sanction, the Pakistan players drafted were fully expected to be allowed to play the league; Afridi is scheduled to travel to Canada shortly, with the tournament officially slated to begin on July 25. Naseem, meanwhile was set to earn £125,000 for his time at The Hundred, which starts on July 23.This doesn’t necessarily mean no NOC requests will be entertained, with the latest NOC repressions likely to only affect those considered all-format regulars. Usama Mir, who had his NOC denied last month for the T20 Blast, will be allowed to play The Hundred, as will Haris Rauf.The NOC rejections are set to go further than just the leagues over the next month. Pakistan have a virtually non-stop cricketing schedule from October to May the following year. They play three Tests against England at home that month, followed by limited-overs series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, a Test series in South Africa, a home Test series against the West Indies, a home tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand, a home Champions Trophy, and the PSL. It is understood the PCB will entertain no NOC requests during that period for all-format players, which coincides with a spate of T20 leagues.The three-year central contracts the PCB and the players signed last year allowed for two overseas franchise leagues per year, as long as those tournaments did not clash with the player’s international commitments. While the contracts do state the PCB has the right to refuse NOCs if they feel it is in the best interests of Pakistan’s international obligations, the decision to withdraw the players from leagues which do not directly clash with international cricket is set to cause discontent among players affected, and questions around whether the allowance made in central contracts is being respected in spirit.The past month has seen an uneasy quiet take hold after Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign which saw them exit in the first round. Initial reports suggested PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wanted to enact “major surgery” on the side, but no immediate ramifications followed in the wake of the exit. Of late, however, there have been signs that events are beginning to gather speed, with Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq sacked from the PCB selection committee.

KL Rahul hopes England’s desire to go for win will play into India’s hands

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-20252:39

Manjrekar: A fascinating final day looms

Josh Tongue says that there has been no mention of the word “draw” in the home dressing-room at Headingley, a state of affairs that KL Rahul believes will play into India’s hands as England seek to hunt down a target of 371 on the final day of the first Test.England have drawn only once in their 36 Tests since Ben Stokes took over as captain, when rain washed away the prospect of a result at Old Trafford in the 2023 Ashes. There is a chance that the weather will play a role on the final day in Leeds, too, but the equation otherwise stands at 350 more runs – or ten wickets – required in 90 overs for a positive result.Tongue said that there was no situation in which England would consider a draw to be a good result, saying, “[We will] just go for the win. That’s the clear message in the changing room. It’s just [about] being as positive as we can. They’re going to bowl well at times tomorrow. It’s just crucial we soak up that bit of pressure and reapply it. I don’t see why we can’t chase that down.”Related

• Stats – Rishabh Pant breaks records with twin tons at Headingley

• Rahul rides his overdue luck to set India up with statement century

• Tongue mops up again to highlight lower-order disparity

• Pant, Rahul centuries set England 371 to win at Headingley

Rahul, who top-scored with 137 in the third innings, echoed Tongue’s sentiments, and said that England’s attacking approach would suit India’s bowlers. “There’s definitely going to be a result,” he said. “That’s what England have said very openly, and their style of cricket suggests that as well. It gives us a good opportunity to pick up ten wickets. We know how they’re going to come out and bat on day five.”The wicket today was a very tricky wicket: I spent a lot of time batting there and I didn’t feel set at all at any given stage. The wicket’s taken a beating, and tomorrow might break even more… We know their style of cricket, so [we’ll] try to keep that in the back of our heads and try to see what lines and lengths we can bowl and how we can get them out.”Rahul also revealed that India had fallen short of the target they were hoping to set, after collapsing from 333 for 4 to 364 all out. “There was a little bit of discussion about how many runs we need on the board or… maybe giving them a few overs to bat in the evening today and see if we can pick up a wicket or two,” Rahul said. “Ideally, from the position we were in, we would have wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more.”Tongue said England were “really confident” after seeing out the final six overs of the day. “If you look at our batting line-up, it’s very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket. Chasing 371 is going to be a good thing for us to do tomorrow. Getting through that first 30-45 minutes tomorrow is going to be crucial, and then hopefully [we will] get the winning runs.”