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A crucial 71-run stand helped Loughborough Lightning begin their Kia Super League title mount with back-to-back wins

ECB Reporters Network 25-Jul-2018Loughborough Lightning 109 for 4 (Jones 35, Villani 35) beat Southern Vipers 105 (Beaumont 37) by six wickets
ScorecardAmy Jones and Elyse Villani carefully claimed a crucial 71-run stand helped Loughborough Lightning begin their Kia Super League title mount with back-to-back wins.The third-wicket stand saw both Jones and Villani score 35 as the Lightning beat last year’s runners-up Southern Vipers by six wickets.Sophie Devine skippered in place of Georgia Elwiss, who wasn’t available for selection for personal reasons, and won the toss – and decided to bowl on a sun-drenched dry wicket.Devine justified her own selection straight away as she won the battle of the New Zealand openers when she had Suzie Bates lbw, attempting to play through the leg side.Bates’ opening partner Danni Wyatt departed three overs later when she creamed a drive straight to former Vipers teammate Georgia Adams at cover.Despite the wickets, Tammy Beaumont was looking assure as she continued her form – having begun the campaign with an unbeaten 62.The England star got off the mark with a streaky inside-edge for four but started to ooze quality with a 36-ball 37 and wagon-wheel full of boundaries.Meanwhile, the slow nature of the pitch forced frustrated shots out of Mignon du Preez, caught splicing to point, Beaumont snaffled at cover and Sara McGlashan lbw.That left the Vipers 73 for five after 14 overs, with hopes of a recovery slim due to accurate bowling – especially from Sarah Glenn, who boasted impeccable figures of one for 14.Arran Brindle attempted to steady the ship with a calming 19, but Amelia Kerr was well caught at cover, before Brindle was run out and Paige Scholfield was snared on the long-on boundary.The collapse concluded with Carla Rudd bowled attempting a scoop to hand Devine a analysis of three for 21, and then Fi Morris was stumped as the Lightning bowled the Vipers out with four balls to spare.Chasing 105, Devine crashed the game’s first six with a massive flick over the square-leg ropes.Rachael Haynes also got off to a flier with a pair of boundaries, but she and Devine both fell in back-to-back balls.Haynes was caught by Wyatt at cover as she skewed leg-spinner Kerr, before Devine was leg before to Natasha Farrant.Scoring then resumed to its slow rate, mainly due to Kerr’s miserly bowling which only saw six runs come off her four overs, as Jones and Villani re-built.The pair methodically went about completing the chase, with Jones getting dropped on 20 by Brindle the only blemish in a 71-run stand.But with 11 runs required Villani was stumped off Morris, and Jones was run out in the space of three deliveries.But Jenny Gunn and Adams overcame the stumble and saw their side home with seven balls to spare to keep up their 100 per cent record.

Leicestershire’s dreadful start to the second day gave Northants the advantage at Wantage Road

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2017
ScorecardMohammad Azharullah took three wickets•Getty Images

Northamptonshire took hold of the pink-ball Specsavers County Championship match on the second day against Leicestershire, reaching 60 for 3 in their second-innings and a lead of 164 before rain curtailed play.With a first-innings advantage of 104, Northants were reduced to 12 for 2 before Alex Wakely’s unbeaten 34 – featuring a top-edged pull over the wicketkeeper – steered them to the close in steady shape. But setting a target above 300 will still be a challenge if cloudy floodlit conditions remain on day three.Northants were set for a much bigger first-innings lead when Leicestershire, having resumed day two 65 for 4, slumped to 86 for 8 before lunch but a stand of 60 for the ninth wicket between Lewis Hill and Matt Pillans ensured the follow-on would not be of concern.

More pink ball theories

Richard Gleeson, Northants seamer: “I think with this pink ball it tends to bounce a little bit more so everyone has been saying you need to get the ball up there a bit more and not let players just hang back and that seemed to work.
“It’s more like the Readers club ball I used to use: the seam seems to stay up a little bit longer. The new ball has been very difficult but after that it depends on the conditions and the overheads have definitely helped the ball swing here.”

Conditions favoured the bowlers all day with the floodlights on under gloomy skies and Leicestershire responded with two early wickets. Rob Newton was lbw to Klein for the second time in the game and Ben Duckett, after a first-inning century, was taken at second slip off Clint McKay for a second-ball duck.Max Holden’s 37-ball stay featured countless plays-and-misses, driving McKay in particular to distraction. He eventually edged Pillans to first slip to give Leicestershire a third wicket and further hope. Their chances of getting deeper into the Northants middle order were denied by rain.It was the Northants’ bowlers who enjoyed the conditions in the opening session of the day – during the first 25 minutes, 33 balls were bowled, Northamptonshire didn’t concede a single run and took three wickets.The first of those was McKay, who was dropped to the final ball of day one but caught off the first ball he saw of day two – driving loosely at Richard Gleeson and edging to first slip Chesney Hughes, the same man who dropped McKay the previous evening.Gleeson struck again when Ned Eckersley tamely chipped a catch to point. Between those dismissals, Sanderson nipped a ball back into Colin Ackerman, forcing an inside edge into the off stump.When Azharullah trapped Neil Dexter lbw for 11 – the decision appeared to be a marginal call – Leicestershire were facing the prospect of being asked to follow-on. But Hill rode his luck and with Pillans, who found five boundaries from No. 10, avoided being asked to bat again and kept a finger-hold on the game for the visitors.The second session was delayed by 55 minutes by the lightest of drizzle but when play did resume, Northants took only six overs to remove the Leicestershire tail. Sanderson, who probed away without full reward before lunch – nine overs for just eight runs and one wicket – changed ends to send a ball from wider on the crease through bat and bat and into the bails of Pillans. He finished with 3 for 36 from 20 overs.Azharullah cleaned up No. 11 Dieter Klein and Leicestershire’s 157 all out still gave Northants a very good first-innings lead.

A brilliant bowling performance by left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell saw
Guyana thump Trinidad & Tobago by five wickets in the fifth round
Busta Cup encounter between the two teams at the Albion Sports
Complex, Berbice, Guyana

Staff Reporter29-May-2016Guyana seal five-wicket win over BarbadosA brilliant bowling performance by left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell saw
Guyana thump Trinidad & Tobago by five wickets in the fifth round
Busta Cup encounter between the two teams at the Albion Sports
Complex, Berbice, Guyana.After dismissing Trinidad & Tobago for 230 in the first innings, the
Carl Hooper-led Guyanese side replied with 343. For the home team,
opener A Haniff made 67, while Shivnarine Chaderpaul made 76. Hooper
was also among the runs, making 44. Marlon Black, who claimed four
wickets, was the most successful bowler for Trinidad & Tobago.The Trinidad second innings proved to as pathetic as their first,
despite a 60 from opener IH Jan and a 52 from captain Richard Smith.
McGarrell claimed four wickets for Guyana.The home team, led by opener Sewanine Chattergoon, then, knocked off
the 150 runs they needed to win. Guyana claimed 12 points from the
match.Leeward thrash WindwardLeeward Isles beat Windward Isles by ten wickets in the encounter at
the AO Shirley Recreation Ground, Tortola. Runkao Morton, who made 103
in the Leeward first innings, was the standout batsman in a match
dominated by his team.After winning the toss, Windward made just 233 despite a 70 from
wicket-keeper Junior Murray.Leeward, aided by the Runako Morton hundred, and fifties from FA Adams
and Ridley Jacobs, amassed 367 in reply. Fast bowler Kerry Jeremy,
then, consolidated his team’s advantage by claiming six wickets, as
the Windward Isles were dismissed for just 200 in their second
innings.With just 67 to get, Leeward captain Stuart Williams, who made an
unbeaten 42, and his opening partner FA Adams (27*) sealed their
team’s win without any great fuss.Jeremy, who claimed nine wickets, was named man of the match in the
game which saw his team claim 12 points for their convincing win.Reifer stars in Barbados winBarbados, for their part, were outstanding in their ten-wicket win
over Bangladesh ‘A’.Fast bowlers Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore claimed eight and six
wickets respectively as Bangladesh A were dismissed for 293 and 161 in
their two innings.Bangladesh A’s capitulation in their second innings came after an
impressive performance by the Barbados batsmen. Hundreds from Sherwin
Campbell and Floyd Reifer ensured that they piled on 449 for five
before declaring their first innings. This left the home team needing
just six runs for victory in their second innings, the fourth innings
of the match. Their openers completed the task without any fuss.Reifer was named man of the match for his unbeaten 127. Barbados were
rewarded with 12 points for their win.Jamaica Breese to an easy winJamaica consolidated their position at the top of the table, with a
nine-wicket win over West Indies B at the Botanical Gardens, Roseau,
Dominica.Opener Leon Garrick, who made 138, and captain Robert Samuels, who
made an unbeaten 106, played outstanding hands in a Jamaican first
innings of 462 for seven declared. Off-spinner Gareth Breese, then,
claimed five wickets for the Jamaicans as West Indies B were dismissed
for just 179.Following on, the West Indies B batsmen put up a much better show, led
from the front by captain Roland Holder, who made an unbeaten 112.
Breese again was the best bowler on view, claiming another five
wickets to take his match haul for ten as West Indies B were dismissed
for 321.The Jamaican batsmen ensured that their star bowlers’ efforts were not
wasted, sealing a nine-wicket win. Breese was deservedly named man of
the Match. Jamaica claimed 12 points from the match to take their
tally to 51 at the end of round five.

Trent Boult’s temperament is unlike that of a subcontinent tail-ender, as was evident from his patient knock, Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzak has said

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong10-Oct-2013Abdur Razzak bowled 55 overs in his comeback Test innings, after which he was left having to defend Bangladesh’s helplessness in the face of a tenth-wicket stand that forced them to do a lot more work than New Zealand’s score of 342 for 9 had suggested was needed.Trent Boult and BJ Watling added 127 runs, holding up the home side for nearly two-and-a-half hours, the latest example of a worrying trend. Since 2001, there have been 36 fifty-plus partnerships from the seventh wicket onward against Bangladesh, including seven century-run stands.”Everyone thinks that such a last wicket partnership can be deflating,” Razzak said. “But it doesn’t really happen. Someone can play well, it is quite natural. During last year’s West Indies series, Raju [Abul Hasan] got a century at No. 10. The wait for the opening batsmen is harder. They are tired after fielding more than 150 overs and as it is, batting second is always harder in a Test match.”Watling recorded his second century in Test cricket while Boult reached a maiden half-century and became the 15th No. 11 batsman to reach the landmark in Tests. Robiul Islam, who opened the bowling for Bangladesh, bowled only 13 overs in the innings. His new-ball partner Rubel Hossain didn’t bowl a single yorker, focusing mainly on a shorter length after getting the wicket of Bruce Martin with a bouncer earlier in the day.”You always just try to get blocks of ten runs at a time, try to weigh them down and then you just keep going,” said Watling. “We played some good cricket and put them under pressure and I think we played with a lot of patience. It was great fun batting with Trent [Boult] out there. I thought he played extremely well. He waited for his ball and played some nice shots through the onside. We managed to put a good partnership together, which was pretty much needed because I think 400 is pretty much par on that wicket.”Watling handled Sohag Gazi well while Shakib Al Hasan, who bowled the most to the pair, was not at his best even against Boult, although he tried every line, angle and length.Razzak bowled 16 wicketless overs at the pair, after which part-timer Mominul Haque finally dragged Watling out of the crease to end the innings. There were times when Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque looked visibly down as they saw a No. 11 score an unbeaten half-century and their troubles only grew when both got out cheaply in Bangladesh’s first innings.Razzak praised Boult for his patience, which he said is unlike the temperament of subcontinent tail-enders. Boult has, in fact, been involved in his third 50-plus partnership this year alone but this his personal best score in first-class and Test cricket.”The last batsman [Trent Boult] didn’t try to do anything. I think his first drive was after he had got to 27. Before that he had scored most of his runs through edges and nudges as he defended the ball,” Razzak said. “The ball didn’t turn as well, so it was quite easy to play the straight deliveries. Plus Watling was a set batsman, the sort that is hard to get out on this surface. We gave it our all but it took us a long time to get the wicket.”

The World Twenty20 continued to conform to expectation – disappointingly so, some will say – as England began the defence of their title with a 116-run hammering of Afghanistan

The Report by Andrew McGlashan21-Sep-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLuke Wright was the second England batsman to score 99 in a Twenty20 international•Getty Images

The World Twenty20 continued to conform to expectation – disappointingly so, some will say – as England began the defence of their title with a 116-run hammering of Afghanistan. Luke Wright could not quite follow Brendon McCullum’s hundred earlier in the day, but produced a blistering 99 off 55 balls after the holders overcame a slightly tricky start in highly convincing fashion.Wright became the second England batsman to be stranded one short of a Twenty20 hundred following Alex Hales’ innings against West Indies earlier this year. Wright only returned to the line-up at the tail-end of the English season and had not really been earmarked for the No. 3 role until Ravi Bopara’s rapid loss of form but, having made a brace of useful 30s in the warm-ups, provided further evidence of his development over the last year. He powered past his previous best of 71 against Netherlands, at Lord’s, during the 2009 World Twenty20. England, famously, lost that match but there was never a risk of a repeat.Unsurprisingly, Afghanistan came out swinging with predictable results. Mohammad Shahzad picked out mid-off, Shafiqullah skied to cover and the captain Nawroz Mangal was brilliantly held by Stuart Broad off his own bowling. Much has rightly been written and said about the fairytale of Afghanistan’s rise, but this was a harsh of reality check as they slid to 26 for 8. However, they avoided the heaviest defeat in T20 which is Kenya’s 172-run defeat against Sri Lanka in 2007 and Gulbodin Naib, with a gutsy display, ensured they passed Kenya’s lowest T20 total of 67.England, though, did exactly what they needed to. Wright was chiefly responsible for some fierce acceleration as they scored 124 off the second 10 overs of their innings after a slow start against some lively new-ball bowling. He started the final over on 95 and needed three off the last ball to make England’s first T20 hundred but could only club a brace through midwicket.He received solid support from Hales and Eoin Morgan while Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow contributed rapid cameos. There were some costly overs during the innings, most notably 32 off the penultimate from Izatullah Dawlatzai which included two no-balls – the same figure that Wayne Parnell went for at Edgbaston earlier in the month putting it joint second in T20 records. It was also another poor fielding display from Afghanistan – Wright was dropped on 75 – as basic skills let them down as they did against India.

Smart stats

• The 116-run win is the third-highest margin of victory in the Twenty20 internationals and the highest ever for England. The top three victory margins (in terms of runs) have come in World Twenty20 matches.

• Afghanistan’s total of 80 is their joint-lowest in Twenty20 internationals. The previous time they scored 80 was against South Africa in the World Twenty20 2010. It is the also third-lowest total in World Twenty20 matches.

• England’s total of 196 is their third-highest score in Twenty20 internationals and their second-highest total in World Twenty20 games.

• Luke Wright became the 12th batsman to register a score in the nineties in Twenty20 internationals. He is also the second batsman after Alex Hales to make a score of 99.

• The number of sixes hit by Wright (6) is the highest by an England batsman in a Twenty20 international. Eoin Morgan is second with five sixes against South Africa in 2009.

It had not been easy start for England as Shapoor Zadran, who troubled India’s top order, produced a superb opening over. Craig Kieswetter appeared confused by the two-paced nature of the pitch and played out five dot balls before dragging into his stumps to complete a rare wicket maiden. Hales slashed his first delivery just over slip in a far from assured beginning and after four overs the score was 15 for 1.Then the game started to change. Having gauged the nature of the pitch, Hales and Wright located the boundary as Shapoor’s third over cost 23 although four of those were byes when the wicketkeeper was beaten by the bounce. The final ball of the over was launched into the stands by Wright as England began to take control with the last two overs of the Powerplay bringing 37.Hales was unfortunate to be dismissed when Wright’s straight drive was deflected into the non-striker’s stumps by Karim Sadiq. At 84 for 2 after 12 overs the innings hadn’t escaped Afghanistan, but Wright dented Samiullah Shenwari’s figures with a six over long-on and followed that by fetching another delivery through midwicket.Mohammad Nabi, the offspinner, bowled his first two overs for 10 but finished with 0 for 46. Morgan flicked him over deep midwicket – his one convincing shot – and Wright went four, six, four off three consecutive deliveries. There was more of that to come with Buttler continuing where he left off against South Africa and Bairstow drilling his first ball into the stands.Despite having a vast total on the board it was important England did not slack in the field. The quick bowlers made an early impression, zipping the ball through from back of a length with Kieswetter taking a number of deliveries above his head. There was very little for the batsmen to drive although Steven Finn pushed a few deliveries down the leg side.Broad decided to use his bowlers by the gameplan so Jade Dernbach was given one up front before the captain brought himself on. After a difficult home season of catching and fielding they began well in that department, with Buttler producing a sharp dive and throw from midwicket to run out Sadiq then, next ball, Bairstow held a stunning catch running in from fine leg against a top edged hook from Asghar Stanikzai.Graeme Swann started with two maidens then was taken for 16 by Naib who often declined singles and showed why by picking off two sweet sixes against Dernbach to mean there would be no record low for Afghanistan and to help himself to the highest score by a No. 8 in T20 internationals. Nobody should read too much into the result, but it was a good statement by the defending champions.

Cricinfo previews the Champions League match between Mumbai Indians and Trinidad&Tobago in Bangalore

The Preview by Sidharth Monga25-Sep-2011

Match facts

Mumbai Indians v Trinidad & Tobago, September 26
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)It must have been love: when Pollard and T&T first charmed the world•Global Cricket Ventures-BCCI

Big Picture

Two years ago a regional team from the Caribbean Islands entertained and captured the imagination of – at least – the Indian crowds. They played merry cricket, and their celebrations included national flags, something no other team in the Champions League had. They were almost the home team, and one man in particular, marauding runs, diving to pull off incredible catches and saves, became the darling of the crowds.Two years on, that man Kieron Pollard is the ultimate freelance cricketer. He plays Twenty20 cricket in India, Australia and England, sometimes even when West Indies are playing international cricket. When the said team, Trinidad & Tobago, were winning the Caribbean T20 this year – qualification for the Champions League qualifiers a by-product of that – Pollard was playing the Big Bash in Australia.Pollard and T&T raise the classical money-league questions. Was Pollard because of T&T or T&T because of Pollard? How much does Pollard owe T&T, his first team? Has he outgrown T&T? The two parties have followed the classical money-league solution too. They have both moved on seamlessly. Pollard plies his trade all around the world, and makes more money that he can imagine making with T&T. There is the general practical acceptance – at least on the surface – that making money through playing cricket is no sin.T&T too have got used to life without Pollard. They have put together another steady team playing merry and effective cricket, they have won the Caribbean T20 again, they were the best team in the Champions League qualifiers, and who should they face in their first match in the main draw? Pollard’s IPL side that is philosophically the exact opposite of T&T. Mumbai Indians have bought the finest players money could buy and auction would allow, they have bought the finest coaches the facilities, they have looked after their talent well, and when they were faced with a deluge of injuries they managed to even get the playing conditions twisted to accommodate five foreign players.

Watch out for …

Ravi Rampaul made it a habit to strike early during the past international season at home. The definition of “early” changes with Twenty20, but he has been doing it in the qualifiers, and will be crucial again, especially in Bangalore, a track not tailor-made for T&T’s slower bowlers.Lasith Malinga won Mumbai a game off his bat on Saturday; he bowled a few trademark yorkers too, but he will surely want to make bigger impact with the ball than 4-0-29-1, and T20 cricket knows he can.

Team news

T&T preferred the same XI in the qualifying leg, but given the better pace of the Bangalore pitch and the small boundaries they might want to add to the only specialist fast bowler, Rampaul.Mumbai don’t have too many choices with team selection, and are likely to retain their winning combination. The one concern for them is their South African opening batsman, Davy Jacobs, who is a doubtful starter after being stretchered off the field

Stats and trivia

• T&T have won nine of their last 10 completed T20 games.
• Malinga scored a third of his career runs, 37 out of 113, in his match-winning effort against Chennai Super Kings.

Quotes

“We are looking forward to meeting the Mumbai Indians with Kieron Pollard on board, and also the Chennai Super Kings with Dwayne Bravo on board, and we will be coming hard at them. We are hoping to pull off a victory over both teams, and the boys are looking forward to playing against players who were part of our set-up. I think getting victory over those guys in this tournament will be feathers in our caps.”

“I think this win will set the tone for us to go forward. We have won this game and this will definitely boost our confidence. We would like to stay very humble in the remaining matches, and do what we can do at our best.”

Kevin Pietersen’s hopes of boosting his confidence with a big score for Surrey at Bristol were shattered in the first over of the third day’s play

15-Sep-2010
ScorecardKevin Pietersen’s hopes of boosting his confidence with a big score for Surrey at Bristol were shattered in the first over of the third day’s play. The England batsman fended a lifting delivery from Gloucestershire’s Gemaal Hussain to Chris Dent at second slip to depart without adding to his first-day score of 40 not out.Resuming on 112 for 3 after the second day was washed out, the visitors were bowled out for only 186, Rory Hamilton-Brown also making 40, as Jon Lewis and Anthony Ireland claimed three wickets each. In reply, Gloucestershire, weakened by a stomach bug at the club, had reached 106 for 5 when they declared to set up a decisive finish. By the close Surrey
had made 55 for 2 in their second innings to lead by 135.The home team took the field for the morning session without captain Alex Gidman and Hamish Marshall because of illness. Several other players were affected to a lesser extent. Hamilton-Brown took three runs off the opening delivery from Hussain, giving Pietersen the strike. The third ball of the over appeared to take off and Dent held a sharp one-handed catch above his head.Pietersen had faced 61 balls and hit five fours and a six. He had batted beautifully in difficult conditions on the opening day and must have expected a longer stay. Hamilton-Brown’s typically positive 51-ball innings ended when he was caught at mid-off by Lewis off Ireland to make the score 152 for 5.From there only Gary Wilson (34) held up the Gloucestershire bowlers on a lively pitch. There was a maiden first-class wicket for 18-year-old offspinner Jack Taylor, who yorked Chris Tremlett for five. Surrey were 186 for 8 at lunch and failed to add to that score as Ireland
and Lewis polished off the tail.Former Surrey player Jonathan Batty’s miserable first season with Gloucestershire continued when he was dismissed for 10 with the reply on 26. He got a leading edge to Tremlett and was caught by Tim Linley running in from mid-off.Dent followed lbw in the same Tremlett over for a duck, but Chris Taylor helped Porterfield add 75 before falling to Stewart Meaker for 33 on the stroke of tea. Porterfield had reached his half-century off 87 balls with five fours and a six, but he fell early in the final session, caught behind when trying to force a delivery from Tremlett away off the back foot.When Jack Taylor became a fourth victim for Tremlett, Gidman, who was due in next, declared 80 runs behind. Surrey lost Jason Roy and Mark Ramprakash, the latter bowled driving at Ireland
for 33, in extending their advantage.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes over as captain, while Shahadat Hossain has been named Shanto’s replacement

Mohammad Isam10-Nov-2024 • Updated on 12-Nov-2024Najmul Hossain Shanto* and Mushfiqur Rahim have both been ruled out of Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test series in the West Indies. While Mushfiqur has a finger injury, Shanto has a groin strain. The absence of Mushfiqur means Bangladesh will go into a Test series for the first time in 16 years without any of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal or him.Mushfiqur, a veteran of 94 Tests, has also been suffering from a shoulder injury since the Pakistan Test series in August. He suffered the finger injury during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah last week.Shanto, who will also miss the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Monday, sustained the injury during the second ODI, a BCB statement said. He left the field, and scans later confirmed the nature of the injury.”We have received the team physio’s report and the scan report, which has confirmed a Grade II strain on his left groin,” BCB senior physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said in a statement. “This will require a period of rest and rehabilitation. We will reassess his condition after two weeks. He will return home from the UAE to continue his rehab.”Mehidy Hasan Miraz will captain the side in Shanto’s absence.Shahadat Hossain, the 22-year-old right-hand top-order batter, has been named Shanto’s replacement.He has played four Tests after debuting against New Zealand last year, and has an average of 14.75 with a highest score of 31. He was dropped for the home Tests against South Africa in October, and averages 26.33 in four matches in the National Cricket League, including a century in his last game. Possible alternatives could have been Amite Hasan, who has 466 runs at an average of 77.66 in the NCL, and Anamul Haque and Amit Majumder, who have also crossed the 400-run mark in the competition.Mushfiqur Rahim had hurt his shoulder during the Test series against Pakistan in August•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh have also left out Khaled Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan, but will welcome Litton Das back in the fold after the wicketkeeper-batter missed the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, and the three ODIs against Afghanistan due to fever.The touring party has a strong pace attack, including Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana. Uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad has been added to the spin department that includes vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.Bangladesh have kept faith in their regular top-order batters Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan. Shanto and Mominul Haque will bat at No. 3 and 4 respectively. Mushfiqur’s role could fall on Jaker Ali or Mahidul Islam Ankon, with Litton back with the gloves, and likely to bat at No. 7.Bangladesh will start the tour with a four-day warm-up game at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, followed by the first Test in Antigua from November 22. The second Test is in Jamaica, starting November 30. The visitors will then play three ODIs and as many T20Is, but their white-ball squad hasn’t been announced yet.Bangladesh Test squad: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad

Four out of the first seven women’s games have been abandoned without a ball being bowled

ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2023Rain wiped out both women’s fixtures in the Hundred on Saturday without a ball being bowled, meaning four of the first seven women’s games have been abandoned.Manchester Originals and London Spirit, who suffered washouts against Welsh Fire and Oval Invincibles, respectively, in their opening fixtures, were unable to get on the field at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday morning, with the game called off shortly after midday.Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets both lost their opening games – against Northern Superchargers and Southern Brave respectively – and their fixture at Edgbaston was called off shortly before 4.30pm on Saturday, after heavy rain in Birmingham.”If we would have played two games and won one and lost one, we would be in the competition and at least we would have played,” Stephen Parry, Originals’ head coach, said. “The good news is that we’ve got two points – and that’s the best start the Originals have ever had.”It isn’t the way we wanted to get the points but I’m really looking forward to seeing the girls go out there and show their skills, because they’ve been absolutely fantastic.”Parry said that Originals’ preparation has been affected throughout the build-up to the Hundred: “We had a training session at Ramsbottom and that was rain-affected; the rain has been with us for two weeks. But the attitude and energy of the girls has been second to none and I’m really pleased how they’ve gone about their business.”Emma Whiteman, London Spirit’s team manager, said: “We just want to play and it’s hugely disappointing that this has happened again.”We’ve always said we need to adapt to whatever conditions are presented, whether that is the opposition or the good old British weather, so we’re training now and hopefully we’ll get going together on Tuesday.”The weather also accounted for both of the scheduled fixtures in the men’s 50-over domestic competition on Saturday. Middlesex versus Surrey was washed out at Radlett, while Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire took a point each from their fixture at Trent Bridge.

New Zealand coach pleased with Kyle Jamieson prioritising Tests by not putting his name in IPL auction this year

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2022New Zealand coach Gary Stead is confident that Kane Williamson will be able to withstand the rigours of Test cricket when he returns from a long-standing elbow problem against England next month.”Absolutely, yep,” Stead said when asked if Williamson would be ready for the start of the series. “He’s going really well. Been talking to him regularly the last week or so and he has no issues at all, training almost completely unrestricted now.”Still just being careful around the overloading side of it so if that means he has a really big day batting just making sure he’s not doing too much the next day. It will be an ongoing thing probably for the rest of his career that we will need to keep managing.”Related

• Jamieson on sitting out IPL auction: 'About time to work on my game'

• Bracewell earns NZ Test call-up for Eng tour; Williamson nears return

• New England captain Stokes calls for team to revive Test fortunes

Williamson has missed New Zealand’s last five Tests, and sat out the entire home season due to the tendon injury in his left arm. His recovery was very carefully managed by the NZC medical team, which included being limited to 20-minute batting sessions. He has now returned to the action in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad – where he is averaging just 24.37 at a strike-rate of 99.48 – and as soon as his participation there is finished, will be heading to England for the three-match series.One remaining unknown for Williamson – and the other New Zealand Test players at the IPL – is how long they will have to prepare for the first Test once they reach England. They will certainly miss the two warm-up matches In late May, and if any are involved in the final on May 29, they would likely arrive just three days before the Lord’s Test on June 2, although it is a balancing act New Zealand have been through before.”That may cause us some discussions if we have a number of players who are in [the final] but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Stead said.One key player who will benefit from the full warm-up period in England is fast bowlerKyle Jamieson as he opted not to put his name forward for this year’s IPL auction after bagging a US$ 2 million deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021.”Think it’s a very brave move for someone of Kyle’s age to make,” Stead said. “He’s had some experiences there and worked out what he needs as a cricketer. He wants to play all forms for New Zealand if he can, but Test cricket being the pinnacle for him is really important to him.”He identified that, we had some conversations, and I think to not put his name in the hat was something not many cricketers would do. But I congratulate him on looking after what he thinks he needs to play Test cricket.”New Zealand, who beat England 1-0 last year ahead of the winning the World Test Championship final, will be facing a side going through upheaval in the format, and now under new captain Ben Stokes.Stead, who was Canterbury coach when Stokes made a brief appearance for them in 2017 during his ban from international cricket, is hopeful his team can make life tough as soon as the series gets underway.”I imagine there will be an immediate steel to their group,” Stead said. “Think the abrasive way he plays will probably have a rub-off to the group as well. Part of what we will be trying to do is making things very, very hard for Ben Stokes as immediately as we can. And if we can do that then hopefully that might nullify the strength of the English.”But they are still a quality team. You look through the list, there’s world-class players throughout the team so it’s certainly not that we are going over there expecting just to roll them over.”