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Jack Edwards took 5 for 41 in each innings as NSW defeated WA with just 13 balls left in the match

AAP09-Dec-2024Jack Edwards has bowled New South Wales to a thrilling Sheffield Shield win over Western Australia, taking the final wicket with 13 balls to spare.Edwards claimed his second five-wicket haul of the match on Monday to help the Blues win by an innings and 68 runs, with Western Australia all out for 184.But while the margin may have sounded as if Edwards had helped the Blues to a comprehensive victory, it was anything but. Western Australia entered the final session with six wickets in hand, looking likely to hold on for a draw at the SCG.But when Edwards inspired a collapse of 4 for 7, the visitors looked spent with almost 21 overs to survive and only two wickets in hand.Edwards then had Brody Couch caught behind with 9.1 overs left, leaving Lance Morris and Corey Rocchiccioli with 53 balls to face.The two tail-enders looked likely to effect Western Australia’s great escape, before Rocchiccioli edged Edwards to second slip just before 6pm on the final day to concede defeat.NSW’s win capped a near perfect performance from Edwards as captain, with the seamer taking 5 for 41 with both innings.”Great win, especially with the rain taking time out of the game [on day two],” Edwards said. “I feel like I’ve been bowling well this year, and it’s nice to get the reward for it.”It was just about sticking at it. I thought we just had to make them play a bit more. When we did that, we were creating chances.”After Kurtis Patterson’s unbeaten 167 allowed NSW to declare at 463 for 9 overnight and with a lead of 252, wickets fell in clumps on the final day.Jackson Bird removed Sam Whiteman and Jayden Goodwin in the first session to move to 500 first-class wickets.Tanveer Sangha also claimed the crucial wicket of Cameron Bancroft on 48, skidding one on and trapping the opener lbw in the middle session. A furious Bancroft threw his gloves to the ground in frustration as he crossed the boundary rope, having appeared the man most likely to save Western Australia.Sangha also spun a ball across Hilton Cartwright to draw his edge and have him caught at slip seven overs later. But Western Australia were still able to spend the majority of the day looking likely to hold on, before Edwards’ late heroics.NSW had started the day in last place on the ladder headed into the BBL break, but now sit third. Western Australia are fourth.

Lockie Ferguson, who hurt his achilles against Australia, is likely to be fit for the Pakistan game

Firdose Moonda01-Nov-2023Fast bowler Matt Henry hurt his right hamstring during the World Cup match between South Africa and New Zealand in Pune and left the field midway through his sixth over. James Neesham completed the over, the 27th of South Africa’s innings, and went on to finish with 1 for 69 in 5.3 overs.Henry received treatment with the team management hopeful they could strap him up and have him back on the field but later confirmed he would not return to bowl. New Zealand Cricket said he will be sent for a scan on Thursday. Henry did come to bat at No. 11, with New Zealand 133 for 9 chasing 358 and desperate to reduce the margin of defeat. He faced nine deliveries but could not run, as Glenn Phillips took the score to 167 before he was the last man to fall in the 36th over.New Zealand have subsequently brought in Kyle Jamieson as cover into the squad. Jamieson will arrive in Bengaluru on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s game against Pakistan.”The severity of Matt’s injury, combined with a short turnaround to Pakistan, meant we couldn’t risk being a bowler down for Saturday,” head coach Gary Stead said.”Matt’s been a world class performer for us in ODI cricket for the past two World Cup cycles so we’ve got our fingers crossed for the scan results later today.”Stead said Jamieson was well prepared to return to India.”Kyle’s on his way over as we speak and we look forward to welcoming him back into the group. He’ll likely train with us on Friday with a mind to being available for Saturday’s game.”Kyle was able to train for two full weeks with us earlier in the tournament and has since played a Plunket Shield match – so we’re confident he’ll be able to hit the ground running.”There was another injury issue for New Zealand as well, with Neesham suffering a blow on the wrist of his right hand during his follow-through. He came out to bat at No. 9, below Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee, with New Zealand 109 for 7 in their chase of 357. NZC said an X-ray had “cleared him of any broken bones”.Meanwhile, Lockie Ferguson, who hurt his achilles against Australia, is likely to be fit for the next game. “Lockie Ferguson’s scan on his right achilles revealed no significant damage and it’s hoped he’ll be available for Saturday’s game against Pakistan in Bengaluru,” NZC said in a statement after the game.Related

• Rassie van der Dussen sets South Africa's tempo with another thankless century

• South Africa go top as New Zealand slump to third straight defeat

• World Cup Live Report – South Africa vs New Zealand, Pune

“We’re faced with a little bit of adversity with injuries,” New Zealand captain Tom Latham said at the presentation. “We need to see how they shape up tomorrow. Pretty quick turnaround in Bangalore so we need to reflect on this quickly and go into the next game with a positive mindset. We don’t become a bad team overnight.”Henry joined Ferguson, Mark Chapman (calf) and Kane Williamson (thumb) on New Zealand’s injury list, leaving them with only 11 fit players in their squad of 15. Ish Sodhi was used as a substitute fielder for Henry but when Tim Southee momentarily left the field, thoughts may have turned to who could field for New Zealand, because the playing conditions do not accommodate for travelling reserves to take the field.However, a male member of team management is permitted to take the place of a reserve fielder. That means that even though Tom Blundell is part of the touring party, should New Zealand have needed another substitute fielder, they would have had to call on batting coach Luke Ronchi. Blundell will only form part of the official squad if a player of the current fifteen is ruled out and the ICC approves a replacement. New Zealand initially also had Kyle Jamieson as a travelling reserve but he was sent home before Ferguson’s injury and has since played for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield.New Zealand’s campaign has been beset by injuries since their squad was named in September. Williamson and Southee were named in the touring group despite not having fully recovered from an ACL injury and thumb fracture respectively. Williamson returned for New Zealand’s third match against Bangladesh but then suffered a thumb fracture and is only expected to be available later in the tournament. Southee was available from New Zealand’s fifth match against India but was not selected; the match against South Africa was his first of the World Cup.After winning their first four World Cup matches, New Zealand have suffered three defeats in a row and are currently in fourth place with eight points.

Van der Dussen, who turned 36 earlier this month, has accepted that his time in the team will not be forever

Firdose Moonda27-Feb-2025While most in South African white-ball cricket see every step of the next two years as building a path to the home ODI World Cup in 2027, Rassie van der Dussen is entertaining the idea that the Champions Trophy 2025 could be his last multi-team event.Van der Dussen turned 36 earlier this month and currently plays only one format for South Africa, though he has been capped in all three. As he gets older and a younger crop of batters start coming through, he has accepted that his time in the team might be nearing an end.”It’s definitely a possibility that it’s my last ICC tournament. I’m not saying that with any preconceived ideas that I’ll call time on it, or management will call time on my career. It’s just the reality,” van der Dussen said in Karachi, where South Africa are preparing for their last group stage match against England.Related

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“It’s such a great thing that there’s so many young players coming through, guys really playing well. A guy like Tristan Stubbs, he’s sitting on the sidelines. Or Tony de Zorzi. And even if you go into the domestic structure, Matthew Breetzke came in and made that 150. You can even go further back, Lhuan-dre Pretorius just made a hundred against Western Province in the one-day cup. Ryan’s [Rickelton] only starting out now actually so there’s so many good players.”I’m not blind to the possibility that if I don’t perform that someone won’t be there to take my place. I certainly don’t expect any preferential treatment because I think in a healthy environment, guys push each other organically and that pushes everyone to be better.”Three of the players van der Dussen mentioned – Stubbs, de Zorzi and Rickelton – are in South Africa’s Champions Trophy squad and along with him are competing for, at most, two spots in the top order. One of those positions is to open alongside captain Temba Bavuma – and that role has shifted between de Zorzi and Rickelton – and the other to bat at No. 3 (though de Zorzi and Rickelton both played the tournament opener against Afghanistan as Heinrich Klaasen was out injured).Van der Dussen knows Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi are pushing him for a spot in the South Africa line-up•ICC/Getty Images

Since 2019, van der Dussen has been South Africa’s most regular No. 3 and with good reason – he has their third-highest batting average in ODIs and has built a reputation for reliability. But over the last year, that has started to wane.Before his 52 against Afghanistan, van der Dussen had gone ten innings without a half-century and it has been 13 since the last time he scored a hundred. Though there is no suggestion of it – and him being at a press conference suggests also no danger of it – when Klaasen returns to full fitness, van der Dussen could be in the firing line if all of Bavuma, de Zorzi and Rickelton are retained. In the immediate term, it is more likely, de Zorzi will sit out and van der Dussen could get a shot at a title he has been working towards. “For me I always wanted to get to the Champions Trophy, which is now, and then we’ll reassess after that,” he said. “My national contract is coming up at the end of April.”I’ll have discussions with Rob [Walter, the white-ball coach] and with Enoch [Nkwe, director of national teams and high performance] and see where they see me and what my role is going forward. I feel like I’m playing well. Physically, I’m putting a lot of time into my body. If I’m still good enough in two years, I’d like to think that I’m in the mix. If not, if other guys are pushing me and I can’t keep up with the youngsters, then that’s also fine.”Unlike some players in the twilight of their careers around the world – Trent Boult, Devon Conway and Tabraiz Shamsi are some examples – van der Dussen does not appear inclined to reject a national contract for league opportunities.”My ultimate goal has always been to play for the Proteas,” van der Dussen said. “People are asking me, are you going to play leagues afterwards? I don’t know. I don’t know if the prospect of not playing for the Proteas goes away, I’ll have that hunger to play in the leagues. Representing my country has always been one of my big and only goals so if that falls away, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If I’m offered another contract, I’ll definitely take it and commit for that time period.”And even if that contract does not take him all the way to 2027, van der Dussen wants to play a part in helping South Africa’s ODI side move towards their best ahead of the World Cup. “I would suspect that, from a management point of view, your 2027 World Cup side has to start playing more regularly and start playing together. But there’s a lot of leagues happening in the next few months and everyone won’t be available all the time, so even if it’s in a transitional sort of role, I’ll definitely commit to that. Being here is for me the ultimate thing. Leagues are nice, but that’s not my be-all and end-all.”Rassie van der Dussen is focusing on upskilling his game and believes leagues like T10 have helped in that regard•Sportzpics

He confirmed that while he has not retired from red-ball cricket, in “the last year or two of my career, I can’t see myself playing any more red-ball cricket”, and that he turned down an offer to do so later this year. “I did have a county offer thrown my way, which I declined.”Instead, he is focusing on upskilling his short format game and seeing how far it takes him. “I’ve played in a few leagues and done well. Even leagues like T10 have taken my game forward. That’s why I’m feeling now that I’m still hungry and I’m still playing well.”As things stand, South Africa have at least one more Champions Trophy game and, depending on the outcome of the Afghanistan vs Australia match, may not even need to win it to progress to the semi-finals.They take on England, who are already eliminated, but who van der Dussen believes could still be dangerous opposition. “We were always coming into this match saying that it will possibly be a quarter-final type of situation. Whoever wins that will go through. A little bit changes for them because they can’t go through anymore but for us, it’s a match against England. We don’t need any extra motivation to play England.”

It is understood they signalled the on-field batters to seek a review for a wide ball during the match against Punjab Kings

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Apr-2024Mumbai Indians batter Tim David and batting coach Kieron Pollard have been fined 20% of their match fee for breaching the IPL’s code of conduct during their match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Thursday.While the IPL did not reveal the details of the breach, ESPNcricinfo has learned that both Pollard and David were penalised for signalling from the dugout to the on-field batters to seek a review for a wide delivery.The incident took place on the last ball of the 15th over when Arshdeep Singh bowled a full and angled delivery outside off stump that Suryakumar Yadav failed to connect. Suryakumar did not review it initially, but asked for one belatedly. Punjab Kings’ stand-in captain Sam Curran walked up to the on-field umpire and it is understood he was querying whether 15 seconds had elapsed.It is understood that the on-field umpires were clear about the Mumbai batters not looking in the direction of the dugout before asking for the review.Later, the IPL sought the footage from the broadcaster to check for the sequence of events leading to the review. After confirming the Mumbai dugout had clearly prodded the on-field batters, the match officials informed the franchise about the breach.The said clause applied in this case was 3.2.3 in the IPL playing conditions which states: “The two batters may consult with each other prior to deciding whether to request a Player Review. Under no circumstances is any player permitted to query an umpire about any aspect of a decision before deciding on whether or not to request a Player Review.”If the on-field umpires believe that the captain or either batter has received direct or indirect input emanating other than from the players on the field, then they may at their discretion, decline the request for a Player Review. In particular, signals from the dressing room must not be given. Breach of this provision will be liable for reporting under COC.”As per a media release by the IPL, David and Pollard committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.20, which covers all types of conduct that are contrary to the spirit of the game. However, it did not specify the offence.Article 2.20 states: “When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered. Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays, with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 offence).”Both David and Pollard admitted to the offence and accepted the match referee Sanjay Verma’s sanction.Mumbai, who went on to win the match by nine runs, are currently seventh on the points table with three wins and four losses from seven games. Their next match is on Monday, against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

Carlson half-century resists but huge deficit remains on cards

ECB Reporters Network11-Sep-2023Glamorgan 150 for 6 (Carlson 53*) trail Yorkshire 500 (Masood 192, Bean 93, Hill 71) by 350 runsYorkshire skipper Shan Masood extended his highest score for the county to 192 as he led his side to maximum batting points against Glamorgan on the second day of their LV= County Championship clash at Sophia Gardens.The Pakistani Test star dominated the day once again as he built on his overnight tally of 113. That had led his side to an overnight score of 330 for 3, which then grew to 500 before their first innings ended with a run out in the 122nd over.Yorkshire then tightened their grip on the game by dismissing six home batsmen before the end of the second day to leave the Welsh county reeling at 150 for 6, still trailing by 350 runs and potentially facing the follow-on. A battling, unbeaten half-century from Kiran Carlson kept Glamorgan’s hopes aliveMasood was at the heart of his side’s third score of 500 this summer and he brought up his 150 off 191 balls with 15 fours. He was finally beaten eight runs short of what would have been his third championship double century – he scored two for Derbyshire in 2022 – when he was caught by Sam Northeast off the bowling of James Harris.He enjoyed two century partnerships – 127 with Finlay Bean and 132 with George Hill – and
put on 53 for the sixth wicket with Matthew Revis as the Yorkshire batsmen dominated the home bowling.Yorkshire lost George Hill for 71, Jonny Tattersall for six and Revis for 28 in the morning session as they went into lunch have secured their five batting points by reaching 448 for 6 from 107 overs.No sooner had Masmood departed, than Jordan Thompson went the very next ball from Harris, and it only took Glamorgan a further five overs to mop up the tail. It was still not enough, though, to earn them the three bowling points they needed to keep alive their outside hopes of staying in the promotion race.Midway through the day the news came through that Durham had gained promotion to Division One due to Leicestershire’s failure to earn any batting bonus points against Sussex. The north-east county need a maximum of five points from their last two games to seal the Division Two title.After suffering defeat at Worcester last week, the target for Glamorgan was to win the game with a full set of bonus points, but set the tall order of chasing 500 they then got off to a poor start with the bat.Zain ul Hassan was bowled by the last ball of the fifth over from Ben Coad for eight and when the experienced Colin Ingram had his bails sent flying in the air by Jordan Thompson for five three overs later, Glamorgan were struggling at 19 for 2.By the end of play they had were reduced to six down after Dom Bess had clean bowled Sam Northeast for 16, Revis had ended his first over by removing Eddie Byrom for 40 and then had Billy Root caught behind for four.The Yorkshire pace man ended the day for 3 for 20 from his five overs.

Elwiss responds with fighting 87 in lost cause for The Blaze

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025England starlet Freya Kemp smacked her first career century as Hampshire reclaimed top spot of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition from The Blaze with a bonus point win.Kemp turned around Hampshire’s batting having arrived at the crease at 34 for three to dispatch 109 in 92 balls, with Nancy Harman celebrating her PB of 77 after a 136-run partnership.In reply to 291, The Blaze hung their hopes around Georgia Elwiss’ impeccable 87, but exciting quick Daisy Gibb’s three for 21 and Ellyse Perry’s farewell three for 40 trumped her as Hampshire won by 80 runs.It ended a downbeat four days for The Blaze having lost in the Eliminator of the Women’s Vitality Blast on Sunday.The Blaze, and more specifically Cassidy McCarthy, dominated the powerplay after Hampshire had chosen to bat first.The former Utilita Bowl-based seamer ripped through the top three, taking three for 17 in the first 10 overs.Rhianna Southby couldn’t keep down a bouncer to square leg, Maia Bouchier was caught at mid on, and Perry – on her last Hampshire appearance – was wonderfully caught by Kathryn Bryce at midwicket.Kemp came to the crease at 34 for three, and immediately went into recovery mode with her captain Georgia Adams.They ticked along without taking risks and set the platform which allowed Kemp and Harman to fire Hampshire to a good score in the second half of the innings.They put on 80 before Adams was stumped by the incredibly fast hands of Sarah Bryce, with Abi Norgrove lbw to give Elwiss a quick-fire brace of wickets.But from there, Kemp found a fluency that brought boundary after boundary, while Harman ran hard to keep up.Kemp past 50 for the second time in a week, and fourth time in her last five List A innings, in 48 balls before securing her best score with back-to-back sixes, as the century stand zoomed up in 86 deliveries.Her maiden hundred came up in 86 balls before she fell with 22 balls to go to end a 136-run alliance with Harman.Harman, now with Linsey Smith in tow, had already reached her maiden half-century but made sure those last 3.4 overs went for 36 runs to take the momentum into the second innings.It worked as Gibb dislodged both Blaze openers within the first five overs.Marie Kelly cut straight to point, before Georgie Boyce swung uppishly to extra cover to give Hampshire an ideal start.But Kathryn Bryce and Elwiss recentred the visitors’ innings with a 98-run partnership, with the latter notching a 53-ball fifty at her former home.Just as they looked the favourites, Hampshire went bang-bang as Kathryn Bryce clothed to mid on, before Gibb’s return had Sarah Bryce stumped.Elwiss’s classy innings ended when she was bowled for 87 by Bex Tyson and then Ella Clarridge was castled by Perry as The Blaze were choked for runs.The Australian then had Kirstie Gordon caught scooping and Josie Groves comprehensively bowled, with Smith picking up Lucy Higham caught at mid off.Smith finished things off with 31 balls to spare when McCarthy slapped down the ground.

Cricket Australia contracted quick follows the same path as WA and Australia team-mate Cameron Green in a bid to end his repeated stress fractures

Alex Malcolm24-Aug-2025Australia quick Lance Morris will miss the entire 2025-26 season, and is expected to be out of action for 12 months, after opting for the same surgery that Cameron Green underwent last year following another stress fracture in his lower back.Cricket Australia confirmed on Sunday that the centrally contracted Morris, 27, would undergo pars stabilisation surgery in Christchurch to address an ongoing lumbar bone stress injury after being ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa. He had also been due to feature in the four-day matches on Australia A’s tour of India.After lengthy discussions between Morris, CA medical staff and the surgeons, he will follow the same path that Green took last October. Fellow Australia quick Ben Dwarshuis, India star Jasprit Bumrah, New Zealand quicks Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson among many others have had the same procedure with screws and a titanium cable fused into their lower back to stabilise the stress fracture and prevent future occurrences.Related

• Vidler ruled out of Australia A tour of India with a partial stress fracture

• Australia's pace depth: Who's in the Ashes mix if Cummins and co run aground?

• Owen, Morris, Short ruled out of South Africa series

• Morris hopeful of early Shield return despite 'frustrating' injury issues

“I feel this is the most logical way to realise my full potential and return to my very best cricket for the Scorchers, Western Australia and Australia long into the future,” Morris said. “I also take great confidence in others who have undergone similar procedures and returned to their best. I plan to work hard through my recovery and return when the time is right.”The surgery is performed by New Zealand based surgeons Rowan Schouten and Grahame Inglis who have two decades of experience performing the surgery on fast bowlers with a staggering return to play success rate. Former Australia team physio and now full-time CA injury case manager Nick Jones has vast experience in the rehab following the surgery having worked through it with Green and another Australia quick Jason Behrendorff back in 2019.It is a significant step for Morris who has had an incredibly frustrating run with injury. Since bursting into Test calculations at the start of the 2022-23 summer when he took 26 wickets in four Sheffield Shield matches while bowling at speeds over 150kph, he has not managed to play more than three first-class games without interruption since.He has been carried as a Test squad member during the Australian home summers and went on the Test tour of India in 2023. He featured in three Shield matches at the start of the 2023-24 home summer and made his ODI debut in February 2024 following an uninterrupted BBL but strained his side in his second game in Canberra and played just one ODI last summer.Lance Morris has been around Australia squads with only limited appearances•Getty Images

He played two Shield games at the start of last summer under careful management before playing eight BBL games out of 10 for Perth Scorchers. He played two more Shield matches at the end of the summer and took 5 for 26 in his last Shield game in March against New South Wales but has not played since.Morris’ management throughout the past two years since earning his first CA contract in 2023 has been a source of debate between CA, his state Western Australia and the fast bowler himself.There have been times when he has been feeling fully fit but regular MRI scans in his lower back have shown recurring areas of concern for CA medical staff which ruled him out of the 2023 Ashes and the 2024 white-ball tour of the UK.”It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo in September last year. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling.”He is also a bowler who has performed better, at first-class level especially, the more he has played but it has been difficulty to strike the balance of getting a string of games together without risking injury.There will be a hope that the surgery allows him to get some continuity as it has done for a number of fast bowlers globally. But with the exception of Henry recently, who does not bowl at the express speeds of others, many of the fast bowlers who have undergone the procedure have still had their red-ball loads capped with the recent management of Bumrah by India a prime example.Australia are very keen to have Morris fit and firing ahead of a brutal period of international cricket from October 2026 to November 2027, which includes three away Tests against South Africa, four home Tests against New Zealand, five away Tests against India, a home Test against England to mark the 150th anniversary of Test cricket a possible World Test Championship final, five away Tests against England and an ODI World Cup in South Africa.Fast bowling depth will be vitally important with Australia’s attack on the cusp of a significant transition. Mitchell Starc turns 36 in January while Josh Hazlewood turns 35 in the same month while skipper Pat Cummins turns 33 in May 2026.Morris and fellow injured West Australian CA contracted quick Jhye Richardson, who is 28, are in the ideal age bracket to come into the team when the big three finish up with Australia’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup winning quicks including Callum Vidler, Tom Straker, Charlie Anderson and Mahli Beardman just starting the transition from U-19 to first-class cricket.

Allrounder still nursing a sore hip; England could look to play Reece Topley against Bangladesh

Matt Roller09-Oct-2023Ben Stokes is highly unlikely to play England’s second World Cup game, against Bangladesh, in Dharamsala on Tuesday as he continues to nurse a sore left hip.Stokes came out of ODI retirement to make himself available as a specialist batter for the World Cup, despite his chronic left-knee injury. But he missed their heavy defeat to New Zealand in Ahmedabad last week and has not played a competitive game since hitting 182 – England’s highest ODI score – against New Zealand, nearly a month ago.He has batted in the nets twice since England arrived in Dharamsala, moving much more freely when he faced spinners on Monday morning than he did when batting against sidearm throws on Sunday afternoon. But he is a major doubt for Tuesday’s game, with England’s fixture against Afghanistan in Delhi on Sunday framing as a potential comeback.Jos Buttler, England’s captain, told the BBC that Stokes was “progressing well… he is doing more and more each day and seems to be improving, so it is good signs.” But he clarified at his pre-match press conference: “It’s good to see him back in the nets and building back towards full fitness, but he’s probably unlikely for tomorrow.”Stokes had initially planned to spend these two months resting his knee but confirmed in August that he had changed his mind. “The words ‘World Cup’ are pretty inspiring,” he said. “The idea of going in and potentially being able to win back-to-back World Cups was one of the big things.”In Stokes’ absence, Harry Brook filled in at No. 4 against New Zealand, scoring 25 off 15 balls before holing out to deep midwicket as he attempted to hit Rachin Ravindra for a fourth successive boundary. He is likely to continue in the same role on Tuesday, and will be tested by Bangladesh’s spinners.Tuesday’s match will be played on a fresh pitch, two strips over from the unusually slow surface on which Bangladesh beat Afghanistan on Saturday. England will consider bringing an extra seamer into their side, with Reece Topley the most likely candidate, potentially at the expense of Moeen Ali.”It’s definitely an option,” Buttler said, when asked about the possibility of picking an extra seamer. “I played here in the IPL just gone, and there can be some good pace and bounce in the wicket. So certainly, we’ll have those discussions and we’ve got fantastic options within the squad to pick different line-ups with a different balance. It’s something we’ll consider.”

Adelaide, meanwhile, has secured a seven-year commitment to a pre-Christmas slot for their Test

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-2024Australia and England will play a one-off Test at the MCG in March 2027 to mark 150 years of the format. The confirmation of the anniversary fixture in Melbourne came as Cricket Australia [CA] and state governments announced that the MCG, SCG and Adelaide Oval had locked in seven-year staging agreements for their regular Tests.The Test in 2027 will replicate the Centenary Test of 1977 which Australia won by 45 runs, matching the margin of the first Test played in 1877. In 1977, Rod Marsh and Derek Randall struck centuries while Dennis Lillee claimed 11 wickets.The annual Boxing Day (Melbourne) and New Year’s Tests (Sydney) have been guaranteed in until 2030-31 while Adelaide has secured a seven-year commitment to a pre-Christmas slot for their Test after the South Australia government made a pitch for the New Year’s Test.Although the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) is only inked up to early 2027, England and India have confirmed tours in the four years after that.Related

• Gabba to be demolished after 2032 Olympics, cricket to get new home in Brisbane

• Australia-England 150th anniversary Test in 2027 will be a pink-ball day-night match

• Australia-England Test to mark 150 years of Tests scheduled for March 11 in 2027

• Ashes 2025-26: CA schedules Brisbane day-night Test after Perth opener

• Is this the end for the Gabba?

Meanwhile, Optus Stadium in Perth will host the opening Test of the season for the next three seasons. Mike Baird, the Cricket Australia chair, said that it was the Western Australian government’s decision not to seek a longer deal. That means next year’s Ashes will start in the west rather than the traditional Gabba in Brisbane. They will then host New Zealand at the start of the 2026-27 season.The future of Gabba has been left clouded amid uncertainty over the redevelopment plans for the stadium ahead of the 2032 Olympics and only the next two seasons – matches against India and England – have been confirmed with a chance the Gabba doesn’t host a Test for a considerable time after that. The 2026-27 season will be the first time in 50 years that the Gabba won’t host a Test.”In Brisbane it is harder [to plan] because of the infrastructure,” Baird said. “There is just uncertainty, so we’re not sure of the long-term solution. What we do know is the Gabba has a use for life that ends in 2030. We need a solution, and are working with the AFL as well on a long-term solution.”We want a great venue in Brisbane, that can support Queensland Cricket and Australian cricket for years to come.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Adelaide is the traditional home of day-night Test cricket having hosted seven of the 12 matches held in Australia although the new agreement does not guarantee that all future Tests there will be pink-ball encounters and the 2025-26 Ashes Test will be a red-ball game with Brisbane hosting the day-nighter. Adelaide Oval will also host a New Year’s Eve BBL game for the next seven years.England will tour for a five-match Ashes series in 2025-26 and New Zealand will be the visitors in 2026-27. The latter series will be extended to four Tests from the original three on the FTP and be played in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Australia are then due to tour India for five Tests in January and February 2027.With the additional anniversary Test, there is a potential squeeze on the calendar in March 2027 with Australia due to host Bangladesh in two matches which are part of the World Test Championship. There is a chance those games will be moved although under the current WTC structure would need to be played ahead of the June 2027 final.Although rival states made attempts to take the marquee Christmas and New Year Tests off Melbourne and Sydney it was always an unlikely outcome. Beyond 2026-27 there could be an opportunity for other venues to compete for a Test should the Gabba be unavailable which would bring Hobart and Canberra into the mix. Tasmania has ambitions to host indoor Test cricket at their proposed new multipurpose stadium although that won’t be available until at least 2028.The staging agreements confirmed on Sunday are one of the final big projects completed by outgoing CA CEO Nick Hockley who announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down next March.A future schedule for women’s internationals will be confirmed in the coming months when the next FTP is complete but Adelaide has been guaranteed an ODI or T20I every season.

Cricket Australia match allocations

New South WalesSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s New Year’s Test each summerQueenslandTwo seasons (2024/25 & 2025/26)
Confirmed matches: 1 Men’s Test to be played prior to 30 December each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summerSouth AustraliaSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s Day/Night Test vs India (2024/25), Men’s Christmas Test (2025/26 to 2030/31), 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer, 1 Women’s T20/ODI each summer and BBL match on New Year’s Eve each summerVictoriaSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s Boxing Day Test each summer, Women’s 90th Anniversary Day/Night Test vs England in 2024/25 and Men’s 150th Anniversary Test vs England in 2026/27Western AustraliaThree seasons (2024/25 to 2026/27)
Confirmed matches: First Men’s Test each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer

Shakib said that he wants to play his final Test at home, provided SA go ahead with the tour and he can be assured of his safety on return to Bangladesh given the case filed against him

Mohammad Isam26-Sep-2024BCB president Faruque Ahmed has said that the board cannot guarantee Shakib Al Hasan the security he has asked for, to play the Dhaka Test against South Africa in October. Earlier today, Shakib had said that that Test will be his last.Shakib said that he wants to play his final Test at home, provided Cricket South Africa (CSA) goes ahead with the tour of Bangladesh. The doubt around the tour stems from the unrest in Bangladesh in July-August, when hundreds of people were killed during the anti-government protests. Shakib was a member of parliament of the Awami League-led government, against whom the protests were held. The government fell on August 5, Shakib was subsequently one among 147 persons named in a murder case related to the protests, and he has not been in Bangladesh since then. So, if he is to return for his final Test match, he wanted the BCB to provide some guarantee of his safety.”Shakib’s security is not in the board’s hand,” Faruque said. “The board can’t provide an individual with personal security. He has to take a decision on that. His security has to come from the highest level of the government.Related

• Official says govt will provide Shakib with security on Dhaka return

• Shakib says he's done with T20Is, and will play his final Test next month

• Shakib won't be 'harassed' on return to Bangladesh, say officials

“BCB is not a security agency like the police or RAB (Rapid Action Battalion). We haven’t spoken to anyone [in the government] about him. Since his case is a sub-judice matter, so we can’t really do much about it.”Faruque said he did not to try to change Shakib’s mind about quitting Test cricket. “Of course there’s going to be nothing like it, [if he plays] his last Test at home. Shakib is going through a difficult phase of his life. I didn’t try to [talk him out of the retirement]. He thought that this was the right time for him to retire. I respect his decision.”Previously, Bangladesh’s law adviser (the equivalent of a law minister) Asif Nazrul said that he hoped that Shakib will not be arrested in connection with the case, should he return to the country to play. The BCB’s cricket operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees then said, two days ago, that comments from government high-ups like the law adviser gave the BCB confidence that Shakib will not be “harassed” on return.Shakib said during the press conference in Kanpur on Thursday, ahead of the second against India – which will in turn be Shakib’s last if he does not get to play at home – that he is concerned about his security. “I am a citizen of Bangladesh, so I shouldn’t have any problem going back to Bangladesh,” he said. “My concern is my safety and security in Bangladesh. My close friends and family members are concerned. I hope things are getting better. There should be a solution to it.”While previous BCB members had held positions in the Awami League and therefore the board had some political clout, that is not the case anymore, following the board revamp after the protests. Therefore, the BCB’s stance of not being able to guarantee Shakib’s safety should not come as a surprise.