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Australia great passes away in Thailand following a suspected heart attack

Andrew Miller04-Mar-2022Shane Warne, one of cricket’s all-time greats, has died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 52 in Koh Samui, Thailand, while on holiday.Warne, who was named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century, claimed 708 Test wickets in a 15-year career for Australia between 1992 and 2007, and was also an ODI World Cup winner in 1999.According to his manager Michael Cohen, he died of a suspected heart attack.”Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” Cohen’s statement read. “The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”Related

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According to Reuters, Thai Police said Warne and three other friends were staying in a private villa and one of them went to inquire about him after the former cricketer did not turn up for dinner.”The friend did CPR on him and called an ambulance,” Chatchawin Nakmusik, an officer with the Bo Phut police in Koh Samui, told Reuters by phone.”An emergency response unit then arrived and did another CPR for 10-20 minutes. Then an ambulance from the Thai International Hospital arrived and took him there. They did CPR for five minutes, and then he died.”The police did not know the cause of death but were not treating it as suspicious, Chatchawin said.The shocking news comes hours after the death of another icon of Australian cricket, former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who also suffered a heart attack earlier this week at the age of 74.”Warnie”, as he was known throughout the cricketing world, was without question one of the true icons of world cricket, a man who almost singlehandedly revived the art of legspin in the early 1990s.Although luminaries such as Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir had kept the art alive, Warne brought a new glamour and attacking intent to legspin, with his bottle-blond hair allied to a keen tactical brain that he used to outfox a host of unwitting opponents in his pomp.After an underwhelming debut against India in January 1992, where his solitary wicket came at a cost of 150 runs, Warne hinted at his full potential in bowling Australia to an unlikely victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo, before – in his fifth appearance – he ripped out seven match-winning second-innings wickets against West Indies at his home ground of Melbourne in the 1992-93 Boxing Day Test.4:17

Shane Warne’s ball of the century

However, it was the 1993 Ashes tour that truly cemented Warne’s legend. In the opening match of the series at Old Trafford, and having been shielded from England’s batters during the preceding one-day series, Warne’s first delivery left the sport dumbfounded as he served up the so-called “ball of the century” to Mike Gatting – a drifting, dipping, spitting legbreak, that turned a full two feet from outside leg to hit the top of off.Gatting was so confused, he did not initially realise he had been bowled – and in that moment, Warne exerted a hold over England’s batters that was so absolute, they would not come close to reclaiming the Ashes for another 12 years. And even when they did, in the seismic summer of 2005, Warne’s fingers were the last to be prised from the urn, as he carried Australia’s attack with a career-best haul of 40 wickets.Away from the cricket field, Warne could not help but court controversy. He was rarely far from the front pages of the tabloids amid a string of revelations about his personal life. In 1995, both he and his then team-mate Mark Waugh were fined for giving information to an Indian bookmaker during the previous year’s tour of Sri Lanka.In 2003, on the eve of that year’s 50-over World Cup, Warne was suspended from international cricket for a year after a banned diuretic was found during a routine drugs test – he claimed it had been given to him by his mother to help him lose weight.However, though that setback might have ended lesser careers, the year away from the game arguably gave Warne an extra lease of life going into his mid-30s. He returned to action with four five-wicket hauls in a row to lead Australia to a memorable 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka in March 2004, and then played a quietly crucial role in their subsequent “final frontier” victory in India.He retired from international cricket with typical showmanship in the 2006-07 Ashes, leaving the field arm-in-arm with his long-term bowling ally Glenn McGrath – a fellow great in one of the all-time great Test teams – after reclaiming the Ashes with a 5-0 whitewash (the first that Australia had inflicted on England since 1920-21).Even at the age of 37, the Warne legend was not done. In 2008, he was recruited by Rajasthan Royals to captain their franchise in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and duly delivered the title with 19 wickets at 21.26 in the course of the campaign. Though he went wicketless in the final against Chennai Super Kings, he couldn’t be kept out of the action, as he and Sohail Tanvir sealed the victory with the bat in a thrilling final-over finish.Prior to his IPL involvement, Warne had spent eight seasons (2000-2007) in county cricket with Hampshire, after being recruited by his friend and England rival, Robin Smith. He claimed 276 first-class wickets at 25.59 in his time at the club, and later had a stand at the Ageas Bowl named after him.In retirement, Warne became a trenchant commentator, primarily for Fox Sports in Australia – ever insightful on tactical matters, if at times a touch bombastic. He also dabbled in professional poker, a card game that he said replicated the sort of mind-games that he had revelled in during his playing days. He became a fixture at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne and at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, where in 2009, his deep run into the tournament meant that he arrived late for his commentary duties at that summer’s Ashes.Tributes to Warne have poured in from the cricket world, from team-mates and rivals alike. Brian Lara, arguably the greatest batter to have faced Warne in his pomp, tweeted an image of a broken heart, adding: “Speechless at the moment. I literally don’t know how to sum up this situation. My friend is gone!! We have lost one of the Greatest Sportsmen of all time!! My condolences goes out to his family. RIP Warnie!! You will be missed.”Adam Gilchrist, Warne’s team-mate in one of the greatest Test teams of all time, added: “Numb. The highlight of my cricketing career was to keep wicket to Warnie. Best seat in the house to watch the maestro at work. Have often felt a tad selfish, that Heals [Ian Healy] and I pretty much exclusively are the only ones who had that thrill and pleasure at Test level. Rip Warnie.”

An Australia supporter has been jailed for seven days for indecent exposure, and fined 3000 rupees (approx. USD $21) for intoxication, after he streaked naked at Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday evening

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jul-2016An Australia supporter has been jailed for seven days for indecent exposure, and fined 3000 rupees (approx. USD $21) for intoxication, after he streaked naked at Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday evening.Alex James vaulted over two sets of metal barriers and made his way to the middle of the ground fully clothed, after rain had stopped play on the first day, before beginning to pose near the venue’s covered square. With no police or security personnel in the vicinity at the time, James then proceeded to remove his clothes and made a brief nude jaunt, which featured a dive on the rubberised tarpaulin covers.Upon seeing a policeman approach him, James then collected his clothing, scaled the barriers, and was seen high-fiving other Australia supporters on the bank. He was later arrested, taken to the police station, and was sentenced by the Kandy Additional Magistrate on Wednesday.Streaking is virtually non-existent at Sri Lankan sports venues, and public nudity deemed offensive, especially in the vicinity of children. Indecent exposure carries a maximum penalty of three months.

A quick recovery after a heavy loss in the first ODI would be New Zealand’s priority in Delhi, but India would want to celebrate the festive season with another win

The Preview by Sidharth Monga19-Oct-2016

Match facts

Thursday, October 20, 2016
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)2:33

Kumble backs Rahane to open

Big picture

In a normal Indian season, this ODI would have been played on Wednesday and not Thursday, but it has been postponed to accommodate the festival of . This is festival season in India; the Kolkata Test was advanced to avoid a clash with Durga Puja and Diwali, one of the biggest pan-Indian festivals, takes place during the ODI series.For India, the festivities seem to have extended to the field – they have beaten New Zealand in all four matches of the tour, the Dharamsala ODI being the latest. But it is easier to recover from a loss in ODIs than it is in Tests, even a comprehensive one.One defeat doesn’t make New Zealand, the World Cup runners-up, an ordinary team, nor will one win make India’s ODI issues go away but there are enough trends to bother one and please the other. Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor haven’t joined the festivities, whereas Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty showed he had no trouble putting aside a nine-month gap between ODIs.Excluding Zimbabwe, New Zealand last beat an international side in March in the World T20. These are the kind of things that begin to stack up; never mind the difficult conditions they have played in or the injuries. India will want to stretch that streak to leave New Zealand needing to win every game to win this series.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LWLWWMartin Guptill hasn’t been in form for New Zealand•BCCI

In the spotlight

Ross Taylor‘s miserable tour continued in Dharamsala where he got out first ball, poking at an outswinger. With 89 runs in seven innings, it will take a lot of mental strength from him to turn this tour around.This series is a great opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane to establish himself in the ODI XI beyond all doubt. KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan are injured, but when they are back, wasted starts such as the 33 in the first game could hurt Rahane’s prospects.

Team news

Suresh Raina has been ruled out of the second ODI too with viral fever, which should mean another chance for Kedar Jadhav. Hardik Pandya, after three wickets and the Man-of-the-Match award on debut, should get another go with the new ball.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Umesh YadavAfter resting for the first ODI, Matt Henry is ready to return to the XI. If it is a normal ODI pitch, Ish Sodhi should be the one making way for him.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Matt Henry

Pitch and conditions

The Dharamsala pitch, which offered assistance to quicks early on, should be an aberration. With winter setting in, dew can be an issue so expect the side winning the toss to chase.

Stats and trivia

• MS Dhoni is 61 short of becoming the fifth Indian to 9000 ODI runs.
• Luke Ronchi is third on the list of New Zealand wicketkeepers with most dismissals – 90
• Guptill needs another 144 runs to reach 5000 ODI runs. Only four New Zealand batsmen have done it

Quotes

“Everyone’s determined to make amends, and there are areas to we can make adjustments in. We’ll be good and ready to go.”
“I love coming to this ground… It’s a confidence booster. But we’re not banking on our records at Kotla. Numbers are nice to look at, but I think statistics is not how we approach every game, We go out there to win.”

He smashed seven sixes and four fours in his 38-ball 67

Andrew McGlashan12-Jul-2021So, those questions about Chris Gayle’s form. The opener put on a thunderous display, with his first T20I half-century since 2016, to secure a series victory for West Indies as he pummelled the Australia attack around St Lucia in what became a cakewalk of a chase.Having made 102 runs in nine innings since his recall earlier this year, Gayle launched seven sixes in an innings that took him past 14,000 T20 runs. After he departed, stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran ensured there was no hiccup in the chase he closed it out with more than five overs to spare. It is the first time West Indies have won a bilateral series (or more than one match) against Australia in any format since 1995.Australia had made three changes – two enforced by injury to Ben McDermott and Ashton Agar – and changed tact by opting to bat first when Aaron Finch again won the toss, but it was a laboured effort after some initial momentum in the powerplay. Moises Henriques and the recalled Ashton Turner added 59 but it took almost eight overs.

Watch cricket on ESPN+

West Indies v Australia is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the match.

West Indies were excellent with the ball despite Obed McCoy being able to bowl only one over. Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr, who took his series tally to eight wickets, bowled their eight overs for 44. Allen also took a spectacular rebound catch in the deep to remove Finch in a display that further enhanced his fielding credentials.The Wade, Finch contrast
The struggle for the majority of Australia’s innings is highlighted by the fact that they had a useful 41 off the first five overs. That was largely down to Matthew Wade who again struck the ball sweetly as he did in the opening match of the series. However, with some of the issues being faced by other batters, Australia needed him to make the most of those starts and kick on but he departed when he missed a slower ball from McCoy. His opening partner is finding things aren’t quite coming out of the middle at the moment and Finch never got his timing during a run-a-ball stay where he was often losing his shapes on shots. He eventually fell to a worldie of a catch, completed by Allen at deep midwicket who remained magnificently alert when Dwayne Bravo missed the initial chance, and hurled himself low to the ground to grab it.Fabian Allen was brilliantly alert to hold rebound catch•AFP

Walsh does it again
The Finch wicket was Walsh’s second of the innings as he again did a terrific job, this time also bringing notable economy to his four overs. Pooran had held back his spinners – the match was a rare example of all the powerplay play overs being bowled by seamers of various descriptions – and when they were introduced Australia struggled to up the tempo. Allen removed the in-form Mitchell Marsh when he missed a sweep and Walsh claimed his first by ending a lively start from Alex Carey who had reverse-swept his first ball of the series for four. The spinners, which included one over from Gayle, did not concede a single six as Australia only cleared the boundary twice – both hits coming from Henriques.Gayle’s reminder
Gayle arrived for the fourth ball of the chase after Mitchell Starc, who bowled excellently after two expensive outings, had Andre Fletcher taken at midwicket. He saw out the over from Starc but then things got lively. When he got on strike to Josh Hazlewood’s first over he went 6, 4, 4, 4. There was a look in his eye of a batter on a mission. He was measured too but after a brief period of more sedate play, he deposited Adam Zampa for a straight six and followed it up in the 11th over with three consecutive sixes against the legspinner, the third of which took him to a 33-ball half-century. He saved the biggest for a huge leg-side blow off Riley Meredith that was followed by another the next ball before a top edge ended the show. Five of the last seven deliveries he faced cleared the rope. The match and the series were done and dusted.

A whole lot of not a lot at Hove, but it’s an improvement on this time last year

Paul Edwards16-May-2021
A match that had once seemed likely to end in a Sussex victory with Jofra Archer displaying his fitness for Test cricket ended in the most sclerotic of draws with Archer not even on the field. The first of these outcomes had always seemed likely once Kent had survived a short session on Saturday, and the second was probable once the England bowler’s sore elbow had prevented him bowling that same evening.Despite their lowly positions in Group C these sides never appeared to contemplate the possibility of setting up a game and the 43 overs we saw this afternoon might not be numbered among the most gripping of the season. Other correspondents could even judge them balls-achingly tedious.But Jack Leaning will take a different view. The former Yorkshire batsman notched only his second first-class century since 2017 and will approach Thursday’s game against Glamorgan in a more confident mood. Likewise, from their different perspectives, Tom Clark, who took his maiden first-class wicket, and Tawanda Muyeye, who batted half an hour for 12 not out on his debut. A drop of red ink is as comforting as a duvet to a young professional making his way. Every solid defensive shot is a moment.And if these slightly aimless sessions were still a disappointment we could scourge no one but ourselves. On Friday, when a 104-over day had heaved itself beyond seven o’clock, we little thought how fortunate we were to see any cricket at all, let alone to be doing so when millions could not.Zak Crawley was batting on that second evening, so such ingratitude required public abasement. But our penance, such as it might have been, was useless. The following evening, when only 24 overs were possible, Crawley was dismissed by the excellent Jack Carson and even that moment was given the elbow by Archer’s inaction, forced or otherwise.Thus to Sunday with the Channel turquoise in its shallows but gravely blue farther out to sea. A pleasant dawn was replaced by an unlucky bag of showers, some of them slight, others heavy with Anabaptist doom. While David Millns and Graham Lloyd made one of their inspections the clouds to the west were grey as an undertaker’s work-suit; to the east they were blue as one of Bryan Ferry’s more exotic two-piece numbers. Birds gathered ravenously on the white pyramidal roofs of the hospitality suites. By the way, the gulls in Hove have clearly been watching Alfred Hitchcock movies; I’ve seen smaller turkeys. The white thugs waited for scraps; we waited for cricket.Related

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At ten past one our patience received its reward when the Sussex team, minus Archer, took the field and Carson bowled the first over from the Cromwell Road End. The cricket soon became good-humoured, gentler in its rhythms and enriched by jokes and encouragement. Neither side could win the game but the practice had value for Leaning, whose back foot drive off George Garton was the stroke of the day. A little while later he swept Delray Rawlins for a single to reach his century and Ollie Robinson was attempting to emulate that feat before he was lbw to Clark for 85 late in the piece.And so concluded a match in which we had been at the mercy of not only the elements but also the endless work of the Sussex groundstaff and the good judgement of Messrs Millns and Lloyd. But umpires are rather fortunate at the County Ground in that they are two of the few officials in this area to whom folk actually pay attention. There are large parts of Brighton and Hove where people pat legislation on its head and send it over to Eastbourne. Visit North Laine and you will find businesses that seem to regard official forms as entertainments to which only other people need pay any attention. One would not be surprised to find a Private Walker or two sidling in the alleyways: “Need any vaccines, guvnor? I can help you there.”(And should Millns and Lloyd ever jack in umpiring they could go into business together selling perfumed unguents and other bathroom aromas. They already have the names for it. “Oh darling, could you be terribly sweet and pop into Millns and Lloyd for a rosewood and peony diffuser?” This would be a tremendous achievement for two lads from Clipstone and Accrington, where, one imagines, no-frills aerosols are produced by firms called something like Broadbottom and Snout.)Such reveries occur to one on these afternoons at Hove, for this place retains its tender hold on the heart, even on days when there is nothing much going on. A year ago at least one of us would have paid twenty quid simply to sit here for half an hour during the perfect weather that taunted us during lockdown. And it is easy to be seduced by the County Ground, to be beguiled by its cricketing families, by the scent of the sea, by the view down Selborne Road and by the writers who have honoured this sacred space. Surely, one thinks, at odd moments, the romance is all too much, too heady…And then one understands that resistance is utterly useless. In dusk’s first fading light a fox and vixen stroll over the outfield as though asserting some ancient right; perhaps they have their den in George Cox’s garden. And so, like the foxes, we go in search of supper and leave a great ground to its kindly ghosts on a spring evening.

Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will undergo shoulder surgery on August 11 in London, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board

Mohammad Isam06-Aug-2016Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will undergo shoulder surgery on August 11 in London, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Andrew Wallace of London’s Fortius Clinic, who was recommended by the ECB to the Bangladesh board, gave Mustafizur the appointment for the surgery. The recovery time could keep Mustafizur out for at least six months.”The operation will take place in London on August 11,” BCB’s media committee director Jalal Yunus said. “After Mustafizur had met him yesterday, he gave the appointment. We are confident that Mustafizur is in good hands. We want this to get over as soon as possible.”BCB president Nazmul Hassan had said on Tuesday that Mustafizur was sent to Wallace after the surgeon who was the board’s initial choice went on leave. There was talk of sending Mustafizur to Australia for the surgery, too.Mustafizur had complained of pain after his second match for Sussex on July 22. He was ruled out of the rest of their one-day and T20 campaign with a SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) tear, and did not return to Bangladesh, instead meeting specialists for the injury to his left shoulder.

Dravid and stand-in captain Rahul both felt India were short on runs in the first innings, and expect Kohli to return for the decider

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-20227:29

Dravid: As a batting unit, we can look to seize a few key moments

India head coach Rahul Dravid has said the team management will have conversations with Rishabh Pant over his shot selection, even as they continue backing his natural aggression with the bat. Pant was out for a duck in India’s second innings in Johannesburg, edging Kagiso Rabada behind after charging out of his crease.”We know Rishabh plays positively and he plays in a particular manner and that has got him a little bit of success,” Dravid said in his post-match press conference. “But yeah, of course there are times when we’re going to have some level of conversations with him around, just a little bit of maybe just selection of the time to play that [shot].”No one’s ever going to tell Rishabh not to be a positive player, not to be an aggressive player, but sometimes it’s just a question of picking and choosing the time to do that. I think when you just come in, maybe giving yourself a bit more time might be a little bit more advisable, but look, in the end we know what we’re getting with Rishabh – he is a really positive player, he’s someone who can change the course of a game very quickly for us, so you naturally won’t take that away from him and ask him to become something very different. Sometimes it’s just about figuring out what is the right time to maybe attack or maybe play out a slightly difficult period that sets the game up for you or sets the innings up.”He’s learning. He plays in a particular way, so it’s always something that he’s going to keep learning, he’s going to keep improving and keep getting better.”Related

• Report: Elgar's unbeaten 96 seals Johannesburg Test for SA

• 'Immensely proud' Elgar lauds South Africa's character

On a challenging pitch characterised by uneven bounce, India were neck-and-neck with South Africa for three-fourths of the Test match before the hosts pulled away in a fourth-innings chase of 240, their captain Dean Elgar steering them home with an unbeaten 96. Dravid felt the result could have gone differently had India put up a bigger first-innings total after winning the toss.”It’s been challenging wickets for both the teams,” he said. “This fourth innings was probably their best innings as well. The wickets have been a little challenging, I will give that to the batsmen, but yes, honestly we pride ourselves on wanting to do better and wanting to get better, so yes, as a batting unit we can certainly look to maybe seize a few key moments and when we get those partnerships, maybe make them a little bit longer.2:54

Cullinan: ‘I thought India’s batters were too loose’

“There could have been phases in the first innings where it was challenging, the ball was tending to kick up a little bit, but we could have probably got maybe 60-70 runs more, it probably could have made a significant difference in this game.”So yes, certainly we would like to bat a little bit better, maybe some of the guys who got starts could have converted those into, say, hundreds. That was a difference in the first game – we had [KL] Rahul who went on to get a hundred for us and we ended up on the winning side. Second game, they had someone who ended up on 96 at the end of the game and they ended up on the winning side, so it really shows you the importance of, on these kinds of wickets especially, one of your batsmen going on and making a big score.”It’s not easy batting conditions, so if one of your batsmen who gets set can go on and make a significant score, that certainly adds those 60-70 runs to the total, which sometimes prove to be the difference in the end.”‘We had their backs’ – Rahul on Pujara-RahaneIndia’s captain for the Test match, KL Rahul, also felt his team had fallen 60 to 70 short in that first innings.”I think if I have to be really harsh, it’s the first innings, after winning the toss we could have put 60 or 70 more on the board and gone in [to the second innings] with 50-60 lead,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation. “That would have been really crucial for us in the second innings.”Apart from Rahul, no batter managed to get to 50 in that innings, with the second-best score coming from No. 7, R Ashwin, who hit a counterattacking 46 to lift the side to 202. That was to remain the lowest innings total of the match.Dean Elgar solidly carried South Africa past KL Rahul’s India•AFP via Getty Images

India had a wobble the second time around too, going from 155 for 2 to 184 for 6, before Shardul Thakur hit a vital cameo to follow up bowling figures of 7 for 61, the best Test figures for an India bowler against South Africa.Rahul was all praise for Thakur. “Shardul has had a great Test match. In the few Test matches he’s played, he’s really created that sort of impact and won us games. Really happy with the way he’s bowled and with the contribution that he had with the bat as well, it was really crucial for us and gave us a change to win the Test.”Before Thakur, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane did the bulk of the work in India’s second innings, hitting brisk half-centuries in a stand of 111 for the third wicket. The partnership came at a time when the pair’s places in the side were potentially under pressure, with both batters having endured extended periods of poor form.The team’s official stance, however, has always been to back both batters publicly, and Rahul maintained that stance.”They’ve been great players for us, they’ve done the job for the team over the years. They’ve obviously been under the pump a little bit but in the team we really believe Pujara and Ajinkya are our best middle-order batsmen and they prove that time and again,” he said. “So we really had their backs and to go out there and put up a performance like that it really shows the mindset they are in and the fighters they are. We always knew they could do something like that. Hopefully that gives them a lot of confidence and they can do out in the next game and put in an even better performance.”

Warwickshire hope to play a Championship game under floodlights before the end of the season as they continue to explore the possibilities of staging England’s first day-night Test in 2017

George Dobell25-Aug-2016Warwickshire hope to play a Championship game under floodlights before the end of the season as they continue to explore the possibilities of staging England’s first day-night Test in 2017.The club hailed their first trial game, a second XI match against Worcestershire held this week, as a success, though there were some concerns about the deterioration of the pink balls utilised. Both sides scored 300 in their first innings, with the three-day game eventually ending in a draw.Warwickshire accept that time is running out if they are to have any hope of staging the Test between England and West Indies at the ground next August under lights. As a result, they would like to extend the trials as soon as possible and have identified the Championship match against Lancashire (scheduled to start on September 20) as a possibility. Both the ECB and Lancashire would have to agree to the move.”There was no problem with visibility,” Ian Blackwell, the former England allrounder who is now an umpire, told ESPNcricinfo. “On a basic level, it was safe and there were no obvious issues for the batsmen, the fielders or us as umpires. The only issue was the wear of the balls.”Two types of ball were used in the game. While both aged more in the way you might expect a white ball to deteriorate, the general view was the Dukes ball has fared slightly better than the Kookaburra. Players also reported that visibility of the Dukes ball, which has a more prominent, dark seam, was better than the Kookaburra’s relatively light, slight seam.Of particular concern was the scuffing of the ball. Most involved agreed that, due to the way the ball aged, there was no obvious way to shine the ball, making it impossible to gain either conventional or reverse swing. The pronounced seam on the Dukes ball did, at least, enable bowlers to gain some movement throughout and spinners might even find gripping it a little easier.One option that has been mooted, though not especially forcibly, it the possibility of changing the pink balls earlier than the 80-over mark used for red balls. Russell Warren, the other umpire in the game, pointed out that, in List A cricket, the white ball used to be changed at 35 overs and that now a new ball isused from each end.”We couldn’t find a way to buff the ball,” William Porterfield, the Ireland batsman who captained Warwickshire’s 2nd XI in the game, said. “It went soft pretty early. After about 30 overs it looked like a 70-over old red ball.”The visibility was fine. If people think staging a Test under lights will bring in another 10,000 people, I’d say ‘go for it’. It’s a spectator sport and we have to be mindful of that.”But you’d want to see what happened at a higher level, against quicker, more skilful bowlers, before making that decision. It was a slightly different game due to the lack of shine, but from a player’s perspective it was fine.”A delegation from the ECB including Kevin Shine, Andy Flower, David Parsons and Alan Fordham attended the game at various times, as did John Stephenson from the MCC, which has been at the forefront of tests into the viability of staging Test cricket under lights. They will now reflect on all the relevant feedback from the match and consider the best way to progress.Among the issues to consider might be the start times. This game finished at around 9.30pm each evening, meaning that there was only around 30 minutes of cricket played in true darkness. Dew was not a factor, though it had been an unusually warm week.It may also be that, on a more grassy pitch (this was the pitch used for the Test against Pakistan and the Royal London quarter-final match between Warwickshire and Essex) the balls may have fared a little better. The pitch for the first floodlit Test, the Adelaide game between Australia and New Zealand in November 2015, was a little more grassy than usual and was finished, in a three-wicket victory to Australia, within three days.If plans to stage the Test in 2017 do not come to fruition – and Warwickshire chief executive Neil Snowball rates them 50-50 at best – the opportunity may not come again until 2020. The TV audience in India, England’s visitors in high summer of 2018, will not be helped by later start times necessary for floodlit games, while it may well be considered that there is no need to stage an Ashes Test in 2019 under lights with full houses all but guaranteed. For a Test against West Indies, however, the novelty value of floodlights might add to ticket sales.

Ten teams will run the gauntlet in Colombo, but only four will go on to the World Cup in England in June 2017

Shashank Kishore06-Feb-2017It is an anomaly that the qualifying event for a World Cup in England is being played in Sri Lanka, but that, perhaps, will be the last thing on the minds of the 10 teams fighting to be a part of the biggest event in women’s cricket.In principle, identifying four more contenders to join Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies for the World Cup in June spells expansion and indicates the drive off the ICC to promote the women’s game. But, there is a serious gulf in the quality of the teams in the Qualifier.Thailand, for example, will be playing their first 50-over game ever on February 8 – and it will be against India, the tournament favourites. Some recent match practice might have helped even the scales, but Thailand, in the last one year, have only played five T20s. The threat posed by Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea and Scotland seems similarly underwhelming. Expecting a level-playing field in the competition – where three teams from two groups of five will progress to the Super Six stage – would be far-fetched.The Qualifier may well become an opportunity for the bigger sides – India, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – to get more game time and fine-tune their combinations in preparation for the World Cup. Bangladesh and Ireland, who have been in the fringes of women’s cricket showed sparks of their ability at the World T20 in India last year, would be keen to play the role of a banana skin.The four teams who progress to England will also be a part of the next ICC Women’s Championship table. Considering most of the top-eight nations play a minimum of five ODIs in a series, with three of them counting towards the championship, the new entrants could potentially stand to play a lot more than the 21 games they were guaranteed over a three-year window from 2018 to 2020.Here is a look at all the teams in Qualifier, which begins on February 7, their key players and their chances of making the World Cup.

India

Mithali Raj leads a strong side full of options•International Cricket Council

They are still hurting from a first-round exit in the 2013 World Cup and an inability to make the semi-final of the World T20 in 2016. Mithali Raj and co. could have earned direct entry for the coming World Cup had they beaten Pakistan in a series, but that was a non-starter because of political tensions. India are looking at this tournament as an opportunity to prepare back-ups for the injured opener Smriti Mandhana and their bowling spearhead Jhulan Goswami.Recent form: Won the Asia Cup T20 by beating Pakistan in the final in Bangkok in December with Raj making an unbeaten half-century in the chase. Prior to that, they beat West Indies in the three-match ODI series at home, but lost the T20Is.Chances of making it: A largely spin-based attack will thrive on Sri Lankan pitches. Add a much-improved batting unit, and they have every chance of making the final.

South Africa

Legspinner Sune Luus was the highest ODI wicket-taker in 2016•Getty Images/ICC

At the World Cup in 2013, they were the rank outsiders who made it past the group stages. At the World T20 that followed, they made their first-ever semi-final. Those performances earned them a Test, a direct sign of improvement in women’s cricket, later that year. Having failed to make the semi-finals of the World T20 in 2016, the team has had a change of guard with Dane van Niekerk, who made her debut as a 15-year old, taking over the captaincy across formats from Mignon du Preez. If their warm-up performance, where they shot out a strong Indian batting line-up for 155, is anything go by, they will be more than a handful.Recent form: They gained valuable match-time in subcontinent conditions beating Bangladesh 4-1 last month. In October, they registered their first-ever ODI win over New Zealand, but eventually lost the series 5-2.Chances of making it: Their sheer athleticism in the field, and a largely improved bowling attack that has had vital contributions from spinners recently – Sune Luus finished as the top ODI wicket-taker last year, with 37 in 22 matches at an average of 20.40 – make them a definite threat in conditions that may not be too alien, after all.

Pakistan

Pakistan nearly made it to the semi-final of the World T20 last year•IDI/Getty Images

In 2011, the PCB managed to do what even bigger boards like Australia and England did much later: 19 top cricketers were awarded central contracts following their Asian Games gold-medal performance in Guangzhou. At the World T20 last year, improvements surfaced when they came within touching distance of a semi-final. At the World Cup in 2013, they were merely looking at “gaining experience.” Now, they want a lot more.Recent form: They beat Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand en route to the Asia Cup final, which they lost to India. Prior to that, they were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODIs in New Zealand. The improvements from their point of view: they topped 220 in two matches, and then ran the hosts close in the only T20I on tour.Chances of making it: Their opening game against South Africa on February 7 could likely determine the group toppers. Should make it into the Super Six stage, but have to be vary of Bangladesh, who recently beat South Africa to register their first ODI win over a Full Member.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka depent on Chamari Atapattu for most of their batting firepower•IDI/Getty Images

They need to look no further than their 2013 World Cup exploits in India, where they ousted the hosts and beat England to qualify for the second round. Familiarity of conditions will be an advantage, but their batting has regressed. Lack of power hitters and fitness that was rated by their own coach Hemantha Devapriya as “not up to standard” makes them vulnerable to meltdowns.They are over-reliant on Chamari Atapattu, the only Sri Lankan to score two ODI centuries in women’s cricket. Absence of a proper domestic structure has resulted in them having to learn on the job in international cricket.Recent form: Sri Lanka made totals of 168, 173 and 161 in the first three ODIs against England. Against Australia, they passed 150 just once in four ODIs. They lost both series. The defeat to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup T20 further exposed how much ground they have lost.Chances of making it: The lack of wins recently makes it a question of form v confidence. They could face stiff competition from Ireland for the second spot in the group stages.

The other contenders

Ireland, semi-professionals fighting for recognition, will bring into the tournament their experience from the World T20 in India last year. With money being pumped into their development activities and teams visiting their shores ahead of tours of England, players are finally getting good exposure. That some of them have earned contracts with Women’s Big Bash League frachises through ICC’s Associate Rookie Programme – Kim Garth, who featured for Sydney Sixers in the final two weeks ago – is an indication of how far the sport has come.As things stand, Ireland are the best-placed among the sides that don’t yet have international status to make the World Cup. Bangladesh may also be in the hunt for a Super-Six berth, but for Zimbabwe, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Scotland, this will be an opportunity to understand where they stand on the global stage and what they need to do to bridge the gap.

Nepal legspinner to make first appearance in Vitality Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2021Worcestershire have announced the signing of Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane as one of their overseas players for the Vitality Blast.Lamichhane, 20, first came to attention at the 2016 U19 World Cup and has been a regular on the global T20 circuit since becoming the first Nepali player to be signed for the IPL in 2018. He has taken 125 wickets in 96 T20 appearances, with an economy of 6.79.This will be his first stint in England, having also featured in the Big Bash, Pakistan Super League and Caribbean Premier League, among others.”Sandeep has played in many tournaments and gained a lot of experience in franchise cricket,” Worcestershire’s head coach, Alex Gidman, said. “He’s a legspinner, which is a bit of mystery spin we believe we need in our squad in terms of balance, so we are ecstatic with the signing.”We believe and trust that we have got an excellent squad of players ourselves, and it’s about adding to that squad, rather than getting players to replace players, and add to the balance of the team, which we think we’ve done well.”This is his first taste of playing in England, and I’m sure he will do well and have an enjoyable summer with us.”Worcestershire, Blast winners in 2019, have also recruited Australian left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis, with both overseas players set to be available throughout the tournament’s group stage.