All posts by n8rngtd.top

Richard Thompson says he will speak to ICC after disappointment of Old Trafford draw

Matt Roller27-Jul-2023Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, has said that he will lobby ICC chair Greg Barclay “to ensure that schedules can be more flexible” after England’s hopes of regaining the men’s Ashes were washed away in the Manchester rain on Sunday.The fifth day of the fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford was abandoned without a ball bowled, after only 30 overs were possible on the fourth day. With several overs lost due to slow over-rates on the first three days, Joe Root proposed that greater flexibility should be introduced in the hours of play to ensure all overs are bowled.Thompson, speaking to the programme on BBC Radio 4, stopped short of saying he would call for the introduction of reserve days across the board in Test cricket, but said: “It’s a debate that we need to have.”Thompson said: “I will talk to Greg Barclay, the chair of the ICC, for sure, just in the sense of him understanding what England has done to Test cricket. We’ve elevated that format and reinvented the way Test cricket has been played now.”There’s significantly more excitement and interest around Test cricket now, and this is part of that broader conversation, to ensure that schedules can be more flexible to accommodate this type of strange eventuality. But we need to have that conversation.”Related

• Urn secure but England look to deny Australia series glory

• England named unchanged XI for Oval Ashes finale

• No sign of James Anderson calling time just yet as England keep the faith

Speaking ahead of the final day in Manchester, Root questioned the lack of flexibility in the hours of play in England, where the vast majority of Tests start at 11am regardless of whether overs are lost the previous day, and play rarely extends beyond 7pm.”In England, it doesn’t get dark until 10pm,” Root told the BBC’s . “Why not start earlier?”Whatever it is, if you need to make overs up, instead of punishing teams for being slow on over-rates, can you find other ways of maximising play and finding chances of getting as much cricket in as possible? Why do you have to have hard and fast rules? Why not play until the overs are done?”According to the ICC’s Test match playing conditions, the hours of play are determined by the home board, rather than the governing body. “You could have a look at the schedule, in terms of the times you play,” Thompson said.”Fundamentally, people are buying a ticket expecting play to start at a certain time and end at a certain time, so from that perspective, you’re going to have to inject certain flexibility to broadcasters’ schedules, people with travel arrangements, all sorts of practicalities.”We are in the entertainment business. You want people to leave happy and entertained. Having a reserve day – as there was in the World Test Championship [final] – would be a great idea but you’d need to do that for each Test. That’s another five days you’d need to find in the schedule. There will be a lot of debate after this series.”

Superchargers pull victory out of the fire after home side suffer disastrous late collapse

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2023Trent Rockets threw away what had seemed a guaranteed first win of the season, losing five wickets in the space of 13 balls to collapse from 102 for 2 107 for 7 before losing by nine runs against Northern Superchargers.With opener Bryony Smith hitting nine fours and three sixes in a superb 70 off 44 balls, Rockets had looked entirely comfortable, needing 43 to win with 35 balls left. But spinners Lucy Higham – herself a former Rocket – and Linsey Smith turned the match on its head in a dramatic conclusion that saw the Superchargers pick up their second win in the competition and leaves Rockets winless after three matches.Superchargers had backed themselves to defend a target after winning the toss, posting 134 for 4 from 100 balls, Phoebe Litchfield leading the way with 38 from 27 balls after Jemimah Rodrigues had opened with 33 from 32, the total bolstered by Bess Heath’s 23 from 10 at the death.Nat-Sciver Brunt admitted she would have batted first too, given the chance, but Katherine Sciver-Brunt limited the consequences of losing the toss, conceding only eight runs from 15 balls in the powerplay. At the other end, left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon benefitted from the pressure Sciver-Brunt created as Marie Kelly skewed her first ball to short third, the Superchargers posting 24 for 1 from 25.Rodrigues got lucky on 17 when an edge off Naomi Dattani struck keeper Lizelle Lee on the knee, and again on 20, driving Gordon on the off side, where Fran Wilson put down a good chance at extra cover, but then Alexa Stonehouse struck an important blow for Rockets just past halfway, bowling the India star behind her legs for 33.Superchargers, needing boundaries, lost Georgia Wareham to some excellent work from Lee standing up to Dattani, the South African grabbing a thin top edge above her head, after which Litchfield, having heaved a six over cow corner off Alana King, holed out attempting a repeat.But Heath whacked a six and three fours to lift the total, with Katherine Sciver-Brunt oddly not bowled out.It did not look enough as the Rockets put themselves ahead of the game by collecting 33 without loss from the first 25, Superchargers offering too much width to Smith and Lee, although the former was put down on 21 when Alice Davidson-Richards shelled a straightforward catch at mid-off.Lee eventually departed for 16, caught at deep midwicket, but by the halfway point the target was already down to 64, the irrepressible Smith smiting big sixes off Wareham and Lucy Higham to reach 50 from 32 balls, her second half-century in the 100-ball format.The 25-year-old right-hander muscled a third maximum, this time off Linsey Smith, before another mighty slog off Wareham at last found a fielder, Higham taking her second catch to end what had looked nailed on as the match-winning innings.Rockets needed 33 from the final 25, yet suddenly the picture changed with only seven runs accrued from the next 16 balls and five wickets lost. Higham bowled both Nat Sciver-Brunt and Wilson in the space of three balls with her clever offbreaks, Smith took two in four to dismiss Jo Gardner and Harmanpreet Kaur – again both bowled – before Higham resumed with a third in the space of four balls, hitting the target again as Dattani’s swing failed to connect.Suddenly the contest was down to the last five deliveries and Rockets, having looked almost home and dry minutes earlier, needed an implausible 24 to win, falling 10 short despite Katherine Sciver-Brunt’s six off the last ball.

The offspinner has recovered from his Ashes-ending calf strain and is set to return to action next weekend before Shield return later in the month

Andrew McGlashan08-Oct-20231:45

Cummins: We feel we are in a good place with our allrounders

Nathan Lyon would be ready to come to Australia’s aid at the ODI World Cup in India if they needed spin-bowling reinforcements as he prepares to return to action after the calf injury which ended his Ashes tour.Lyon will be back on the park next week in grade cricket before making his state return for New South Wales in a Marsh Cup game against South Australia on October 20, followed by a Sheffield Shield comeback against Victoria at the MCG from October 26.Currently, he is penciled in for the three Shield matches before the Test summer. He is planning to play New South Wales’ home games against Western Australia and Tasmania at the SCG, starting on November 6 and November 28 respectively, but will likely be rested from the trip to Hobart for the first clash with Tasmania in between to avoid playing four in a row.Related

• Lyon poised to sign with Lancashire after injury layoff provides new goals

• New South Wales drop Kurtis Patterson after heavy Sheffield Shield loss

• Cummins: No doubt expecting a big tournament from Maxwell

• Maxwell a crucial piece to Australia's World Cup jigsaw puzzle

• Labuschagne replaces Agar in Australia's World Cup squad

The first Test starts on December 14 against Pakistan in Perth, but Lyon believes he would be able to play a part in India should the selectors call. Ashton Agar was ruled out of the final squad with a calf injury leaving Adam Zampa as lone frontline spinner supported by Glenn Maxwell.”I sent Andrew McDonald a text message the other day when I saw Ashton Agar was ruled out. I said, ‘just to let you know, I’m back bowling 10 overs, I’m right to go, 100 percent’. If that happened I’d do anything to go over and play the World Cup,” Lyon said.”I’d be more than comfortable going in there and doing it if I had to. But in saying that there has to be a lot of things go wrong, so let’s hope for Australia’s sake that doesn’t happen. Hopefully, they go out there and have a really good campaign and make sure they go over there to achieve what they’ve gone over there to do.”Nathan Lyon is set for three Sheffield Shield outings before the first Test against Pakistan•Getty Images

Legspinner Tanveer Sangha is currently a traveling reserve with the squad while Lyon backed Maxwell to be able to take on increased responsibility with the ball.”Glenn Phillips bowled pretty well the other night against England and I feel like Maxi’s skill set is up there and he’s extremely confident,” he said. “Hundred percent I’m backing his skill set to do the job there and when Travis Head comes back, I dare say his offbreaks will be quite effective as well.”Lyon’s recovery from his series-ending calf injury at Lord’s, which came during his 100th consecutive Test, has gone to plan, but he admitted there were tough times early in rehab.”It was very challenging at the start when the guys were still playing in the Ashes,” he said. “I found myself struggling a fair bit, just mentally. But apart from that, it’s been going really well.”Lyon’s injury proved to be a pivotal moment in the series with Australia unable to turn a 2-0 lead into a first away Ashes victory since 2001, although they did enough to retain the urn. Having seen the chance of series wins in India and England slip away this year, Lyon hinted that he hoped to be able to continue playing until the next Ashes tour in 2027 when he would be 39, with another trip to India preceding that.”I’ve always wanted to win in India [and] win in England,” he said. “Unfortunately we weren’t able to do that in either [series] so it’s made me reset and reassess where I’m at and where I want to get to as well. So probably, if an injury came at a right time, it’s probably the right timing. Would have been nice if it was at the end of the series…but all in all it’s allowed me to reset some goals and look pretty brightly about the future.”

The left-arm spinner is hoping to be part of the side for the Mumbai encounter next month

AAP16-Nov-2023Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen has been studying master of the art Ravindra Jadeja closely ahead of Australia’s Test against India next month.India will host Australia from December 21 in Mumbai, for the first time in a Test on home soil since 1984, and the 31-year-old Jonassen is leaving no stone unturned in her quest to make the most of the opportunity.Jonassen was named for Australia – along with fellow spinners Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King and Georgia Wareham – in the squad for the three-format tour that will also include three ODIs and T20Is.Related

• Healy '100%' keen on Australia captaincy, lauds 'unmatched' Lanning

• Healy and Brown named for India tour, Cheatle recalled, but no captain yet

• 'My body's been through a lot' – Cheatle digs deep and earns Test chance

On Wednesday, Jonassen became the first player to pass 150 wickets in the WBBL, with her 4 for 20 for Brisbane Heat in the 53-run win over Hobart Hurricanes taking the veteran’s tally to 152.Indian left-armer Jadeja is a regular for India and Jonassen is a student of his wily ways.”Jadeja has just got incredible control of his pace into the same length. His ability to beat both sides of the bat is probably second to none,” Jonassen told AAP. “That is something I will be hoping to emulate myself when I can get over there to India. Hopefully I can have a few spells like he has had in his Test career.”I used to watch a lot of [former New Zealand spinner] Dan Vettori but in the current climate Jadeja is the bowler I look to. I have been watching him in the 50-over World Cup in India.”It is a bit different in the sense that [the men] bowl a bit quicker than we do but in some respects it is still very similar with what I am trying to execute and achieve.”Jonassen acknowledged competition for spinning spots on tour would be intense but is relishing the challenge”Whenever [selection] becomes official it is always exciting and always nice and I am really proud to be part of such an historic trip,” she said. “We have some really talented spinners in the squad and we are all going to be licking our lips to get the nod.”Ultimately the balance of the side will dictate that. We will keep a close eye on the India-England Test match that will be a week or so prior to ours at the same Mumbai venue. That will give us an idea of what conditions may be like for our game.”Jonassen had not taken a wicket in three WBBL games before the Hurricanes clash but found her rhythm and confidence in her best return of the season so far.”I was really clear about the role I wanted to play and the impact I wanted to have,” she said. “I haven’t felt like I have been bowling too badly, bar a couple of games. The wickets just weren’t necessarily there. This game…they were.”

Australia batter wore the armband throughout the first Test in Perth but won’t continue to do so in Melbourne

Andrew McGlashan21-Dec-2023Usman Khawaja will challenge his ICC charge for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth having told the governing body it was for a “personal bereavement” but added that he won’t continue to wear one in the MCG Test which starts on Boxing Day.Khawaja wore the armband having initially planned to take the field with writing on his shoes which he had worn in training stating “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Black armbands are a regular sight in international cricket to mark deaths of former players, family members or other significant individuals, but they need permission from the national board and the ICC.Speaking at the MCG on Friday, Khawaja said that he did not believe ICC were implementing their own regulations consistently.”They asked me on day two [in Perth] what it was for and told them it was for a personal bereavement,” he said of the armband. “I never ever stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a different matter, I’m happy to say that. The armband makes no sense to me. I followed all the regulations, past precedents, guys that put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC approval and never been reprimanded.”I respect the ICC and the rules and regulations they have. I will be asking them and contesting they make it fair and equitable for everyone and they have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency hasn’t been done yet. I was very open and honest with that. I’ll deal with that with the ICC.”There was no official statement when Khawaja wore the armband on the first day in Perth, but at the time it was understood to be in relation to the video he’d posted on social media after being told he could not show the messages on his shoes.Nick Hockley, the Cricket Australia CEO, confirmed the board was having ongoing discussions with ICC about whether there was a way that Khawaja could share his message although it remain uncertain whether a conclusion to those talks would be reached in time for the Boxing Day Test.Under the level that Khawaja has been charged with, a reprimand is the most serious punishment so if that did eventuate it would not leave him in any doubt for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan. Even a fourth such sanction in a 12-month period would only be a penalty of 75% of the match fee rather than a suspension.”Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations,” an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “Usman displayed a personal message (arm band) during the first Test Match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages. This is a breach under the category of an ‘other breach’ and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”The ICC’s clothing and equipment regulations state: “Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey personal messages on their clothing, equipment or otherwise, irrespective of whether such messages are affixed to clothing, equipment or otherwise and whether such messages are displayed or conveyed through the use of the specific clothing or other items (eg. an arm band) or by the use of words, symbol, graphic message, images or otherwise (‘personal messages’), unless approved in advance by both the player or team official’s board and the ICC Cricket Operations Department. Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes.”Khawaja reiterated what he said in his video before the Perth Test, that he was not taking a political stance and was instead trying to bring awareness to the suffering.”I don’t have any agendas other than to shine a light on what I feel very passionate and strong about,” he said. “I’m trying to do it in the most respectful way possible. What I wrote on my shoes, I thought about it for a while. I made sure I didn’t want to segregate different parts of the population, religious beliefs and community. I wanted it to be really broad because I’m speaking about humanitarian issues. I’m talking about article one in the unified declaration of human rights. The reason I’m doing it is because it hit me hard.”I told Nick that when I’m looking at my Instagram and seeing innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what hit me the hardest. I just imagine my young daughter in my arms and the same thing. I get emotional talking about it again. I don’t have any hidden agendas.”If anything this brings up more negativity towards me…I don’t get anything out of this. I just feel like it’s my responsibility to speak up on this. We live in such a beautiful country. I’m blessed to live in Australia. I can walk outside, don’t have to worry about a thing. My kids can do the same. I just want that for the rest of the world.”

“New Zealand are a strong team, but if things go to plan, we can beat them with our spinners and batters,” says Najmul Hossain Shanto

Mohammad Isam27-Nov-20231:48

‘Guys from first WTC know how special it is’

The captains of Bangladesh and New Zealand couldn’t be more different. Tim Southee is a 94-Test veteran who is in the same stature as the best fast bowlers in his country. Najmul Hossain Shanto, meanwhile, has just completed his first 12 months of consistent form.Southee, who made his debut in 2008, has been the New Zealand captain from his 89th Test, since December last year. Shanto is the Bangladesh captain in his fifth year, after playing just 23 Tests.Related

• Bangladesh's spin band delivers another hit, sans leading man

• Phillips: 'As a batter, I'd look to target myself as well'

• Bangladesh and New Zealand meet for their first World Test Championship game of the new cycle

• Mitchell, coach Ronchi back NZ to adapt to Bangladesh conditions

• Hathurusinghe wants Bangladesh youngsters to step up in 'exciting' transition period

Their outlook for the World Test Championship is also, predictably, quite different.Southee wants to build the new cycle on his side’s experience – particularly with the first series being in Bangladesh – from their time spent in the subcontinent in recent years. New Zealand have packed their side with five spinners, although Southee believes that they are facing a stiff challenge against the home side.”It is foreign conditions compared to New Zealand,” Southee said. “Pace plays a big role in New Zealand. Spin historically plays a big role in this part of the world. Our spinners have done some great things in Tests. We are looking forward to them showcasing their skills. It won’t be easy to just get the (WTC) points. We know that Bangladesh are a great side in these conditions. I would imagine a hard-fought Test series.”It is a different role than what we are used to back in New Zealand. We have three seamers here that offer different strengths. It is a collective bowling unit wherever you play in the world. Everyone chips in different ways. Spin doesn’t play a big part in New Zealand but they will play a bigger role in Bangladesh.”Over at Bangladesh’s pre-match press conference, Shanto had to field questions about his impending captaincy debut in this format. He has led Bangladesh in three ODIs since September, including two matches at the recent World Cup. He got the role this time after the regular Test captain Shakib Al Hasan (finger injury) and his deputy Litton Das (paternal leave) both were forced to miss the series.”It is hard to pinpoint what I learned from those two games (in the World Cup),” he said. “It was a different format, too. I figured out small things like how to handle certain things in different situations. New Zealand is a good team. They are strong. They will be challenging in the Test series. But since we are playing at home, we should be able to challenge them with our spinners and batters. If things go to plan, we can beat this team.”Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has a close look at the Sylhet surface•BCB

Shanto also believed a Bangladesh captain should be ideally appointed with a long-term focus.”It helps to plan better,” he said. “I hope the board also considers a long-term captain. But I don’t think the players are thinking too much about this. A captain will perform his duty. A team always does well when everyone does their particular work.”Southee, meanwhile, spoke about how he intends to use the side’s recent experience of playing in India in the World Cup, and even their two-Test series in Pakistan at the start of the year, to good use in Bangladesh.”We took a little look at the (Sylhet) wicket. There hasn’t be a lot of Test matches here. So there’s not a lot of information and statistics to go back on. I think we are expecting a pretty good surface. Of course spin will play a part in the match. We played in Pakistan earlier this year. The guys now have a lot of experience in the subcontinent.”I think we will have a closer look at the wicket. There will be some assistance in the morning. It is what you get when you play at this time of the year. We have been training little bit early. So the wickets have been good in training.”Shanto said he was confident that Bangladesh’s batters can bounce back after a poor World Cup. He said that the likes of Mominul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan, who were playing domestic first-class cricket recently, will be free of the World Cup burden too.”Zakir (Hasan), (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy and (Mominul Haque) Sourav played well in this season’s NCL. They have made runs in this tournament. I played one game (after the World Cup). We obviously had a tough time but it was a different format. We are playing Tests now. We want to continue from where we left off from the Afghanistan Test in June.”

Rahul’s absence further complicates matters for India, who also didn’t pick Shreyas Iyer for the remaining three Tests

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2024India have been dealt a blow in the lead-up to the Rajkot Test against England, with KL Rahul ruled out of contention due to a sore knee. Devdutt Padikkal, Rahul’s Karnataka team-mate, has been called in as a replacement.Rahul had earlier missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam due to a quadricep injury, and was included in the squad for the last thee Tests only subject to fitness. *A BCCI release on Monday evening said he “has reached 90 per cent of match fitness” and that “he will continue his recovery process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to be completely match-fit for the fourth and fifth Test.”Already light on batting experience with Virat Kohli missing due to personal reasons, Rahul’s absence further complicates matters for India, who also didn’t pick Shreyas Iyer for the remaining three Tests.Related

• India's selection puzzle for Rajkot: is there room for both Kuldeep and Axar?

• Padikkal hits the high notes after some quiet seasons

• Iyer left out for remaining three Tests vs Eng; Kohli unavailable

• Padikkal looks to bounce back by 'staying stable through highs and lows'

That aside, it isn’t confirmed yet whether Ravindra Jadeja has recovered from the hamstring injury he had suffered during the first Test in Hyderabad. Jadeja is in the squad to play the third Test, which will take place on his home ground, but his participation is pending fitness clearance.Meanwhile, this is a maiden Test call-up for Padikkal, who is expected to link up with the squad on Tuesday from Chennai, where he struck 151 and 36 against Tamil Nadu in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy fixture that finished on Monday.Padikkal, the 23-year-old left-hand batter, has so far aggregated 556 runs in six innings at an average of 92.66 this Ranji season. He has scored three centuries, with a highest of 193 in the season opener against Punjab. Prior to his most-recent Ranji outing, Padikkal impressed with scores of 65, 21 and 105 for India A against the touring England Lions in Ahmedabad. The century in the second unofficial Test was part of a massive first-innings batting effort that helped set up an innings victory.He was also part of the shadow tour to South Africa with India A in December, where he had an opportunity to train alongside India’s Test regulars prior to an intra-squad fixture.So far in this Ranji season, Devdutt Padikkal has 556 runs at an average of 92.66•PTI

“South Africa was a great experience for me, in terms of having the chance to train with the seniors,” he had told ESPNcricinfo last month. “Being in and around them, playing that level of bowling prepares you well for the Ranji season. I looked at it as an opportunity to get volumes in, in terms of my batting. I’m grateful for that experience.”Having started off as an opener, Padikkal has slowly transitioned into a predominantly top-order role that requires him to bat at No. 3 – and at times even at No. 4 – for Karnataka. With Mayank Agarwal and R Samarth opening the innings for his state side, Padikkal has established himself lower down. This change of role is something he has learnt to embrace after a middling IPL 2023 for Rajasthan Royals. The tipping point, he said, was his trade to Lucknow Super Giants, where he’ll be playing under none other than Rahul.”I don’t look at it in terms of just being an opener anymore,” he had said. “I’m enjoying my opportunities, wherever they may be. Each position you bat in offers a different challenge. I’m trying to learn new things, [and] adapt to situations. It helps me grow as a cricketer, [and] helps me understand the game a lot more – not just in terms of my batting but [also] how the game works across different phases.”Overall, Padikkal has solid first-class credentials, having averaged 44.54 across 31 matches. He has played two T20Is for India, both of which came against Sri Lanka in July 2021.In Visakhapatnam, India handed a Test debut to Rajat Patidar. Sarfaraz Khan is the other uncapped batter in the mix along with Padikkal. Jadeja’s potential unavailability could well pave way for another Test debutant in Rajkot. It’s also likely India could still pick one of Sarfaraz and Padikkal even if Jadeja is available and they play their usual three spinners and two quicks.India have two full days of training leading into Rajkot, with the series locked at 1-1.India’s squad for the third Test: Rohit Sharma (capt), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal.GMT 1450 hrs This story was updated with information from a BCCI press release

PCB chairman wants the national cricketers to improve their fitness levels and training standards

Danyal Rasool05-Mar-2024Pakistan’s cricketers are set to team up with another iconic institution of the country, the Pakistan Army, from March 25 to April 8 in a ten-day training camp. The announcement was made by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday at a hotel in Islamabad while addressing several players. The camp will start roughly one week after the PSL ends, and Naqvi hopes it will help players get their fitness “up to speed.””When I was watching the matches in Lahore, I don’t think a single one of you hit a six that went into the stands,” Naqvi said. “Whenever a six like that was hit, I used to think a foreign player must have hit that. I have asked the board to make a plan that gets every player’s fitness up to speed. You’ll have to make a proper effort for that.”We have New Zealand coming up, then Ireland, England and the T20 World Cup. I wondered, ‘When will we train?’ but there was no time. However, we’ve found a window, where we’ve organised a camp in Kakul (military academy) from March 25 to April 8. The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training, and hopefully, they’ll help you out.”An intensive training camp in one of the few windows the players would otherwise have rested is likely to be unpopular, especially as it is preceded by six months of virtually non-stop cricket, and followed by several bilateral series leading up to the T20 World Cup.Moreover, the camp coincides with the second half of the holy month of Ramzan, a time when most Pakistanis culturally tend to prioritise family or religious activities over work. The effectiveness of the camp is likelier made tricky by the fact most of the squad players will be fasting, with no food or water from sunrise to sunset unconducive to a rigorous boot camp.There is, though, precedent for Pakistan cricket getting the military involved with training. Misbah-ul-Haq’s Pakistan famously organised a training camp with the military at Kakul academy before a Test series to England.When Misbah scored a hundred in the first Test, he celebrated by doing ten push-ups, followed by a military salute. The series was drawn 2-2, with Pakistan rising to the top of the Test rankings for the only time in their history.

‘Make Pakistan your first priority’

Naqvi also took aim at one of the thornier issues the board is grappling with, telling the players they needed to prioritise national commitments over the lure of T20 leagues. The matter was thrown into the spotlight when Haris Rauf declined to be part of Pakistan’s tour of Australia. Chief selector Wahab Riaz had publicly criticised Rauf, and two months later, the PCB terminated his central contract.To illustrate the point, Naqvi invoked his own time as caretaker chief minister of Punjab, a role he held for over a year, and briefly alongside the PCB chairmanship. He said it was a sacrifice he made because of a desire to serve Pakistan.”I’m not going to say you mustn’t earn money, or ask you to make sacrifices we are also not ready to make. But let me give you one example. One year ago, I was asked to become the chief minister of Punjab, and it caused me a financial loss in my business. I had to leave that aside and incur several extra costs. But I had a desire to represent Pakistan, and so I had to make that sacrifice.”I will support you 100%, but I’ll just ask you to make Pakistan your first priority, and T20 leagues your second priority. It’s unfortunate when money becomes first priority and the country second. If you do that, then we might have a problem. We can even look at central contracts and bolster them further if you desire, but you must be available for Pakistan first and foremost.”Pakistan are currently without a coaching set-up at the national level, and Naqvi briefly mentioned the PCB was in touch with potential options, saying no expense would be spared.”We’ll try to make the best available for you,” Naqvi said. “I have told the PCB our job is not to save money or keep it hoarded away, but to spend it on cricket, from grassroots right through to the national team. The money will be spent on your fitness, training and coaches rather than keeping it locked away.”

Allrounder resists temptation to make himself available for home campaign, amid stellar run of form

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-2024Sunil Narine has ruled himself out of a recall to West Indies’ squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA, insisting that “that door is now closed” despite his stellar form for Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL.Narine, 35, is currently leading the tournament’s MVP standings after a remarkable run of form, including a magnificent 109 not out from 56 balls against Rajasthan Royals last week, his maiden T20 century.He is also KKR’s joint-leading wicket-taker, taking nine at 22.11 with his offspin, at an economy rate of 7.10. That form led West Indies’ T20I captain, Rovman Powell, to admit he had been “whispering in [Narine’s] ears” over the previous 12 months, ahead of what will be West Indies’ first home World Cup campaign since 2007.Narine, however, retired from international cricket in November 2023, having not played for West Indies since 2019, and in a statement issued by KKR, he insisted he was not about to change his mind.”I’m truly flattered and humbled that my performances recently have moved many people to publicly express their wish for me to come out of retirement and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup,” Narine wrote.”I have made peace with that decision and whilst I never wish to disappoint, that door is now closed and I will be supporting the guys who take the field in June for West Indies.”Guys who have worked hard for the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title – I wish you all the best.”

Bad weather aids rearguard but double-century stand had already saved innings defeat

ECB Reporters Network06-May-2024Glamorgan 221 (B Root 51, Bess 4-25, Moriarty 4-74) and 372 for 7 (Northeast 142*, Ingram 113) drew with Yorkshire 519 for 7 dec (Bean 173, J Root 156, Brook 65) In-form duo Sam Northeast and Colin Ingram hit superb final-day rearguard centuries to help Glamorgan secure a Vitality County Championship draw against frustrated Yorkshire at Headingley.South African veteran Ingram and unbeaten captain Northeast continued their excellent starts to the season with patient scores of 113 and 142, completing a double-century partnership for the fourth wicket in their side’s second innings.Yorkshire had claimed a first-innings lead of 298 just after lunch on day three and would have been confident of forcing a first win of 2024 at the fifth attempt as Glamorgan started the day on 171 for three.But, when thunder and lightning intervened just before 4.20pm, they were 372 for seven with a lead of 74. No more play was possible.Pre-season Division Two title favourites Yorkshire have now gone five games without a win to ensure a slow start to their promotion bid.They were thwarted by Northeast, who is the leading run-scorer in the country with 561, and who hit 15 fours in 336 balls.While Yorkshire claimed 16 points from their fourth draw, added to a defeat, Glamorgan took 10 from their fourth successive draw.There remains plenty of time left for Yorkshire – nine games to be precise – to get on a roll and secure a top-two finish.But they have to find a way to take 20 wickets in a match, something they haven’t done at Headingley since June 2021, a run of 15 Championship fixtures.Glamorgan started the day 127 runs behind, with Ingram 43 and Northeast 46.The pair ended the day amongst the top three run-scorers in the division having shared a 210 stand – their county’s highest ever fourth-wicket partnership in first-class meetings with Yorkshire. Ingram has 467 runs to his name.While this used pitch showed signs of turn throughout the four days, it failed to deteriorate as much as Yorkshire would have hoped in Harry Brook’s last of five early-season appearances before England’s T20 World Cup preparations.Left-handed Ingram and 2021 Yorkshire loanee Northeast were watchful against the spin of Dom Bess and Dan Moriarty and the seam of Ben Coad and Matthew Revis, the latter two taking a mid-morning new ball.Yorkshire used four spinners in all, with part-time offies Joe Root and Adam Lyth employed as well as they raced through the overs. They claimed two wickets apiece.Ingram took Revis for three successive boundaries to move into the eighties and went on to complete his second century of the season, off 202 balls, just before lunch.Glamorgan reached lunch at 277 for three, trailing by only 21, and Northeast reached his latest century during the early stages of the afternoon.By that stage, the Welshmen were in front, and what had been an unlikely draw at the start of the day had turned into a highly likely one against a home attack hurt – literally – by the absence of injured fast bowler Matthew Fisher.He had suffered a left ankle injury whilst fielding just before tea on day three and failed to take the field again.Ingram and Northeast each reached three figures for the second time this season. Northeast’s previous hundred was his record-breaking 335 against Middlesex last month – the highest ever individual score posted at Lord’s.Northeast raised his bat early in the afternoon off 226 balls.Just moments before, Ingram had picked out mid-off against Root’s off-spin to fall as the first wicket of the day, leaving the score at 304 for four in the 100th over.Glamorgan had a lead of five runs by then, with the hard work done.Root forced Chris Cooke to play on and Lyth trapped Tom Bevan and James Harris lbw either side of tea, leaving Glamorgan at 370 for seven with a lead of 72.But the weather intervened for happy Glamorgan, whose captain was outstanding.