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Devine and Bates join Satterthwaite to bolster batting line-up against England

Valkerie Baynes31-Aug-2021New Zealand have almost got their batting band back together and key member Amy Satterthwaite expects an improved performance when they take on England, starting with Wednesday night’s opening T20I at Chelmsford.Satterthwaite will likely be joined in the upper order by Sophie Devine, back after taking a break from the sport in late March, and Suzie Bates, who returns from shoulder surgery which has kept her out of action since the WBBL last November.Allrounder Amelia Kerr remains out, having opted to miss the tour of England to prioritise her mental health, but with three big-name stars to call on, New Zealand are hoping to turn around a disappointing run of results.New Zealand were swept 3-0 by Australia in their ODIs in April after drawing their T20 series 1-1. That was after England won all three of their T20s in New Zealand in March and won their ODI series 2-1, the hosts securing a consolation victory in the last match on the back of Satterthwaite’s unbeaten 119.”We haven’t had an opportunity to probably have our full-strength side together for a while and get those combinations going,” Satterthwaite said. “And it’s no excuse as to why we haven’t then performed, but I think more importantly the exciting thing for me is that we have got all of us here, obviously bar Amelia for this trip, and to think that we can hopefully get back together and put some performances on the park that we have in the past and know that we’re capable of.”Certainly the way that people are hitting it in the nets, I wouldn’t want to be a bowler at the moment to some of them so hopefully we can see that translate onto the park and get some better performances and some big partnerships together and see our top order actually firing the way that we know that they can.”Amy Satterthwaite during her unbeaten century against England•Getty Images

All three played in the side beaten by England A in a 50-over warm-up match just over a week ago, Bates top-scoring with 70 off 110.”It’s been awesome to have Suze back in the group,” Satterthwaite said. “I think we forget in a way how much energy she brings to this team. It’s not just what she brings on the field but the energy and the standards that she sets as a player and an athlete on and off the field and at training. It’s lifted us as a group up another level.”She’s hitting the ball the best I’ve seen over the last couple of years, pre-shoulder as well, and for me that’s exciting to see what she’ll bring to the team and to be able to bat alongside her and hopefully form some partnerships – we’ve formed some big partnerships in the past and to be able to get back into that kind of rhythm is really exciting.”Soph as well, we all know what a world-class player she is and to see her back amongst the group and in a really good space and again hitting the ball really well. I’m excited to hopefully see the three of us be able to form some big combinations, not only with each other but even just the others in the side and start to really cement how we want our line-up to look.”Satterthwaite, who – like Devine – failed to reach double figures in the tour match, took two wickets and could assume more of a role with the ball in Kerr’s absence. But she was particularly happy to see wife Lea Tahuhu back in action in the nets after undergoing surgery to remove a pre-cancerous mole on her foot.”She’s going really well, I’m really pleased with how she’s tracking, she’s partaking in everything and you wouldn’t really know to be honest,” Satterthwaite said. “It’s been pretty impressive how quickly she’s bounced back.Related

• Sophie Devine: England game was 'more than that for me'

• Sophie Devine on stepping away from cricket: 'I just knew I couldn't do a job'

• Amelia Kerr opts out of England tour to prioritise mental health

• Lea Tahuhu overcomes cancer scare to make England tour

• Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean ruled out of first T20I vs New Zealand, Emma Lamb called into England squad

“That was a really tough road for her there for a while but the way she’s bounced back and I think she’s just really pleased to be around the group and on tour and contributing to that so it’s awesome to see her back and amongst the group.”The three-match T20 series is followed by five ODIs in which both sides will be honing their preparations for the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand next March, where England are defending champions. Satterthwaite recognised that this tour would provide a useful gauge of form ahead of the global tournament.”We certainly weren’t where we’d like to be,” Satterthwaite said of the series against England and Australia earlier this year. “For us this is almost a nice reflection point of, have we improved?”We’ve certainly been able to go away and work really hard over the winter and I guess the biggest thing is, now we want to be able to play cricket. It’s always different when you’re coming off just camps and nets.”England have had their summer and played a lot of games and a lot of cricket, so for us it’s about being able to get out on the park and play those games and see, have we moved forward from where we were in the summer and where are we at now? We’ve got yet another six months or so to keep pushing forward as a group and being ready for the World Cup, which is obviously that pinnacle that we’re looking forward to.”

Bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel to remain in team hotel with the head coach

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2021Ravi Shastri, the head coach of the Indian team, returned a positive lateral flow (Covid-19) test on Saturday evening in London, and has subsequently been placed in isolation in the team hotel by the BCCI medical team “as a precautionary measure”. Along with Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar, and physiotherapist Nitin Patel are also isolating.”They have undergone RT-PCR testing and shall remain in the team hotel and not travel with Team India until confirmation from the medical team,” a BCCI statement said on Sunday, less than half an hour before the start of play on the fourth day of the fourth England vs India Test at The Oval.”The remaining members of the Team India contingent underwent two lateral flow tests – one last night and another this morning. The members upon returning negative Covid reports were allowed to proceed for Day 4 of the ongoing fourth Test at The Oval.”Related

• Shardul Thakur on Covid-19 outbreak in India's bubble: 'There was fear that it could happen to me or to anyone'

• Is Rahane's form a concern? 'Not at this point,' says batting coach

• Steady Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns set up intriguing final day

• Surrey's trip to Durham off after Covid-19 positive cases

• Misbah tests positive for Covid-19, to isolate in Jamaica

ESPNcricinfo understands that in the absence of Patel, Yogesh Parmar, the second physiotherapist travelling with the team, will be with the team at The Oval, and help the players when needed during the fourth day’s play.As such, the two teams are understood to have been in separate bio-secure environments, and have only interacted with each other in the middle, during play.On the live broadcast, as the camera panned over the Indian dressing room, former England captain Nasser Hussain said, “The players are absolutely fine, but four of the backroom staff, including their influential coach, Ravi Shastri, are not here. We wish you well, all of you.”Indian national-team players have had to deal with more than one Covid-19-related incident in recent times, and this, in fact, is the second time Arun has had to go into isolation since reaching England. The first time was in July when Arun, as well as squad members Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran, were forced to quarantine for ten days for being close contacts of training assistant/net bowler Dayanand Garani, who tested positive for Covid-19 on July 14.That was not long after Rishabh Pant, the first-choice Test wicketkeeper, had tested positive for Covid-19 as well.Even as the Indian team was grappling with these developments in England, the second-string team that had travelled to Sri Lanka to take part in a short series of limited-overs matches had their own Covid-19 issues to deal with. First, Krunal Pandya tested positive between the first and second T20Is – which had come after the ODIs – and eight other players, who were Pandya’s close contacts, had to go into isolation too.Such was the situation that the second T20I had to be pushed back by a day, and even after that, India barely managed to field an XI.After that, two more players, Yuzvendra Chahal and K Gowtham, also tested positive, and while the others returned home at the end of the tour, Pandya, Chahal and Gowtham had to stay back in Sri Lanka, complete their quarantine, and return home in the first week of August after returning negative tests.

“We know that he heals quickly. He has proved that last year,” Morgan said of Russell’s fitness

Sidharth Monga07-Oct-20213:04

David Hussey: ‘Cool and calm’ coach McCullum has been a major factor in KKR’s performance

When the IPL stopped midway earlier this year, Kolkata Knight Riders were struggling with two wins out of seven, but in the UAE they have won five games out of seven to seal a place in the playoffs barring a miracle from Mumbai Indians on the last day of the league stage. They have done so despite losing Lockie Ferguson and Andre Russell to injuries along the way. Come the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore, though, and they could have selection headaches as Russell is close to being match-ready.”He had a fitness test yesterday,” David Hussey, Knight Riders’ chief mentor said. “I think he is maybe a game away so I think he will be pushing hard to get back in for the final [playoffs]. Which will be a huge boost not only for us but the competition. He is world class and he provides lots of entertainment.”Captain Eoin Morgan pointed to Russell’s tendency to heal quickly. “We are taking it day by day,” Morgan said. “We know that he heals quickly. He has proved that last year. He had a two-and-a-half inch hamstring tear last year and came back in two weeks. He is working incredibly hard and hoping we get through as is everybody else.”The Eliminator will be played on October 11, which gives Russell at least three days to recover.

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When Ferguson was fit and ready, he took his place back immediately even though his replacement Tim Southee did a good job in his absence. In Russell’s absence, Shakib Al Hasan has filled in nicely too. In the two games that Shakib has played, he hasn’t been required to bat but has returned bowling figures of 4-0-20-1 and 1-0-1-1.”Shakib Al Hasan coming in and performing the way he has made the job of replacing Russell a little bit easier,” Morgan said. “Very difficult to replace him because you miss out on a genuine batter and a genuine bowler. Shakib has been terrific and has contributed massively in the last two games.”For Knight Riders to miss out on a playoff spot, Mumbai will have to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 171 runs or so, which is in the realm of impossibility. Even when they were consequential, Morgan didn’t watch other games that could affect his side’s chances, so it is unlikely he will be watching the last day of the league stages to make sure the formalities are done.Hussey, though, said that the rest of the side will be watching, but from the sound of it, it looks like they won’t be watching Mumbai but Royal Challengers Bangalore, whom they will be facing in their first playoff match unless Royal Challengers beat Delhi Capitals by 163 runs and qualify in the top two slots.”We will watch it [the final day of the league stages] as a group,” Hussey said. “Start formulating our plans, hopefully the result goes our way, but yeah pretty much one eye looking forward to the final [playoff] against Bangalore.”

Left-arm quick was struck in the nets two days before Sri Lanka game, but trained on match eve

Alex Malcolm28-Oct-2021Mitchell Starc is set to take his place in Australia’s line-up against Sri Lanka after overcoming a fierce blow on the knee from a Mitchell Marsh shot during training although coach Justin Langer admitted the team “were really worried” for a short time.Starc was struck on the right knee by a straight drive in his follow-through during Australia’s Tuesday night training session at the ICC Academy. He left the session with a heavy limp and in some discomfort, but was moving without assistance.Starc trained fully on Wednesday with a compression bandage on his knee but did bat and bowl during the session with medical staff continuing to monitor his bruising but Langer was upbeat.”He’ll be playing, don’t worry about that. We had a couple of nervous moments. In the nets Mitch Marsh smacked one back at him and hit him straight in the right knee,” he told . “We were really worried about it, but he is that tough. He is an elite athlete and he’s bloody tough. He came out, trained yesterday and he’ll be up and running.”Related

• Starc's clarity of role brings confidence in white-ball cricket

• Langer says Australia will be flexible in selections depending on conditions, opposition, match-ups

Australia have two matches in three days, as they face Sri Lanka on Thursday and England on Saturday, and management of their fast bowling stocks will be critical.Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins all played in Australia’s opening win against South Africa in Abu Dhabi as part of an attack with only four specialist bowlers. It was the first time all three had played a T20I together, having played six times together in T20s for Sydney Sixers in 2012, with the Sixers winning all six games.Kane Richardson and Ashton Agar were left out of the win over South Africa and Langer said the decision was very tough. The coach stressed Australia would be flexible throughout the tournament with their selections, depending on conditions and match-ups.

Fast bowler made one Championship appearance in 2024 before injury curtailed his stay

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2025Neil Wagner, the former New Zealand fast bowler, will return to Durham for the final four months of the season, with his first appearance set for their home County Championship clash with Sussex on June 22.Wagner, 39, claimed 260 wickets in 64 Tests for New Zealand, from 2012 until his international retirement in February 2024, earning plaudits along the way for his indefatigable left-arm line of attack. He announced his New Zealand domestic retirement last week but said he still had plans to play county cricket.He made a one-off Championship appearance for Durham against Nottinghamshire last season, claiming four first-innings wickets to set up an innings win, but managed just three further List A games before his short stint was curtailed by injury.In total, Wagner has claimed 841 first-class wickets in more than 200 first-class appearances, and his return will shore up Durham’s fast-bowling stocks, which are set to be hit this summer by Brydon Carse’s likely inclusion in England’s Test plans.Related

• 'Definitely a tick off the bucket list' – emotional Wagner signs off with Plunket Shield in his hands

• Sussex aiming to ruffle Division One feathers as part of Farbrace revival

• Kemar Roach back at Surrey for start of Championship

• Will Smeed fighting on all fronts for Somerset after red-ball reversal

• Ben Stokes unlikely to play for Durham ahead of Test summer

“I am extremely excited to join Durham again!” Wagner said. “I loved and enjoyed my short time their last season, which was unfortunately shortened by injury, but I feel like have some unfinished business with wanting to contribute and play a role for a great club.”I met some awesome people during my last time in Durham and can’t wait to join up with the lads again and play some exciting cricket.”Durham is Wagner’s fifth county, following appearances for Northampton, Lancashire, Essex and Somerset.Director of Cricket, Marcus North said: “We are delighted that Neil is returning to Durham this season for a large block of the summer.”We saw during his short spell with us last season how much of an influential character he was in the changing room, so when the opportunity presented for Neil to return it was an easy decision.”His left arm pace complements our bowling attack immensely and his record speaks for itself with over 800 first-class wickets to his name, we are really pleased to welcome him back in June and see him play a key role in our County Championship success”.

In his first press conference as Bangladesh’s T20I captain, Litton stressed the importance of clear communication with the players

Mohammad Isam12-May-2025Litton Das’ target with the Bangladesh T20I side is to focus on results rather than a particular brand of cricket. He set this agenda on Monday, in his first press conference after being appointed as the Bangladesh captain in the format. Litton was appointed captain last week when the BCB named the squad that will play against UAE and Pakistan in a total of seven T20Is over the next couple of weeks.Litton replaced Najmul Hossain Shanto, who quit the position earlier this year. Shanto was named the all-format Bangladesh captain in early 2024, but a loss of form caused him to take this action.Form hasn’t been on Litton’s side either, but he led Bangladesh to a 3-0 T20I series win against West Indies in December, when Shanto was out with an injury. Given Bangladesh’s lack of choices, Litton was the BCB’s only option.Litton stressed that his role would require him to communicate clearly with his team-mates.”I am not going to talk about a particular brand of cricket,” he said. “We might need to chase 180-200 in some games. Then we will have to chase 140-145 in other games. The ultimate goal is to win the game. A batter might need to score 40 off 20 balls in one game, and 15 off 20 in the next game.”I want every player to be involved in the game. A player must understand what the team needs from him. It is more important for the player to know how to win a game, rather than stick to a brand of cricket.”For the Bangladesh team to go ahead, the players have to perform. They have to play their specific roles. I have to communicate well with the players, more than talking to the BCB. The more time I get, I will get to be more involved in team matters.”Litton scored 368 runs in the BPL at a strike rate of 143.19•BCB

Litton hasn’t played for Bangladesh in all of 2025. He was dropped from the ODI side ahead of the Champions Trophy, and missed the Test series against Zimbabwe after getting an NOC from the BCB to play in the Pakistan Super League. A thumb injury eventually kept him out of that tournament.While Litton was enduring a run of low scores at the time of his Champions Trophy axing, he has since returned to form. He scored 368 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League at an average of 36.80 and a strike rate of 143.19, and has carried that form into the 50-overs Dhaka Premier League, with two half-centuries in his last five innings for Gulshan CC.”I think I played international cricket last [in] December,” he said. “I was not [among the] runs at that time but since then I have tried to get back to form. I tried to get runs in BPL and DPL. I can only try my best. I will try to come back to some form, particularly in the way I have played in my career. If I am doing well, it will definitely help the team.”Litton believes that being appointed on a long-term basis is ideal for a captain . “It is certainly positive to be appointed on a long-term basis,” he said. “It allows you to think clearly about a lot of things. I have to organise the team my way. The players that I have, together we can do something good for the team.”Litton also praised the BCB for appointing Mahedi Hasan as his deputy. Mahedi was in great form against West Indies in December, and is one of the more underrated offspinners in world cricket.”Mahedi has been one of Bangladesh’s best powerplay bowlers,” Litton said. “He is a dominating bowler. You will see very few spinners around the world dominate in that manner. I think he will do better, and give us input to the best of his ability.”

Sultans posted 228, and no Lahore Qalandars batter converted a start as the innings petered out for 195

Danyal Rasool22-Apr-2025Multan Sultans finally got their PSL 2025 campaign off the ground, brushing Lahore Qalandars aside by 33 runs. In the first game at home on a stiflingly hot evening in Multan, Yasir Khan’s blistering 87 off 44 balls at the top gave his side an eay advantage they never relinquished. Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten 40 from 18 deliveries and cameos through the innings helped Sultans post 228 – the highest-ever score in Multan in the PSL.Qalandars never batted at the tempo needed to overhaul a total of that size, and Sultans’ bowlers were far more unerring in their execution. Michael Bracewell and Ubaid Shah found wickets up top as no Qalandars batter converted a start, and the innings petered out, stopping at 195 for 9.For Sultans, their opening pair of Yasir and Mohammad Rizwan began brightly, going after Shaheen Shah Afridi in his first two overs. But it was the takedown of Zaman Khan and Haris Rauf that set the tone. Bowling the fifth over, Zaman was plundered for three sixes and a boundary by Yasir. In the sixth, Rizwan picked off Rauf’s hard lengths at will, smashing him for 20 as Sultans soared to 79 in the powerplay.Asif Afridi, the only bowler who kept Sultans quiet, got rid of Rizwan, but Yasir kept powering along. He brought up his half-century with a six off Rishad Hossain, before he and Usman Khan went after Daryl Mitchell. Meanwhile, Rauf’s return only brought more misery upon Qalandars as Usman smashed him for another 19 runs; all told, Rauf would conceded 54 in his three overs.When Shaheen returned to bowl the final over, it was Iftikhar who found his range, taking 14 off a wayward over as Sultans surged to 228. Shaheen, Haris and Zaman, once the pride of Qalandars’ attack, had combined to concede 119 runs in eight overs.Michael Bracewell continued to do well for Multan Sultans•PCB

Sultans have failed to defend a higher total than this, but if Qalandars were to have a hope, they needed a vintage start from Fakhar Zaman. Initially, they appeared to get it when the opener went after David Willey, taking 30 runs off his first two overs, before smearing the parsimonious Bracewell for a six. In Ubaid’s first over, though, Fakhar heaved one that sailed above the Multan floodlights, but Josh Little held his nerve to cling on to a superb catch to cut his cameo down at 32 off 14 balls.Abdullah Shafique and Mitchell tried to keep the game alive through an enterprising third-wicket partnership that produced 36 from 22 deliveries. But the demands of the asking rate were much too stratospheric. Sultans responded with a triple strike to remove the pair as well as Rishad, thus leaving Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza as the final hopes for Qalandars.Billings was finding the middle of the bat, going after Little in an 11th over that produced 16 runs and brought the asking rate to just over 13 runs an over. Ubaid, too, went for a pair of sixes in the 15th over. But, crucially, Ubaid had the last laugh off the final delivery. Billings tried to heave over midwicket, but top-edged to Kamran Ghulam. Ubaid, meanwhile, comically struck Usman in the face as he celebrated his third wicket with a bit too much exuberance.The game, though, was done and dusted. Raza hung around and slapped a few huge sixes to bring the margin of defeat down, and off the final ball of the innings, brought up a 27-ball fifty. But Qalandars’ hope of victory had long dissipated, and the Multan crowd got to see their side launch a campaign that may just be taking off.

The PSL playoffs begin on Wednesday, and Lahore Qalandars will play the Eliminator on Thursday

Mohammad Isam19-May-2025Lahore Qalandars have signed up Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the playoffs stage of PSL 2025. The BCB has granted Mehidy the required no-objection certificate, and he is expected to fly to Lahore by Tuesday.The PSL playoffs begin on Wednesday, and Qalandars will play the Eliminator on Thursday – their opponents have not been identified yet.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Mehidy said that he was looking forward to the stint even though it could be for as few as one match.Related

• Rishad returns to Lahore Qalandars for PSL finals

• Nahid Rana pulls out of Bangladesh's tour of Pakistan

• PSL FAQs – what the six teams need to do in the final stretch

“Of course it is exciting for me to join Lahore Qalandars,” Mehidy said. “It is technically the second time I have got a call-up to a franchise league. Nonetheless, it is a good opportunity for me to compete at a very high level. PSL is one of the top tournaments going around. I have done well in the past in the BPL, so I am confident that I can give my best.”Mehidy said that he wanted to use the opportunity to find a way back into Bangladesh’s T20I setup. He wasn’t included in the squad that is currently involved in a T20I series against UAE in Sharjah or the one for the forthcoming five-match series in Pakistan.”I can get myself up to the mark in T20s, so that I am prepared for the selection opportunities ahead,” Mehidy said. “Definitely I want to get back into the Bangladesh [T20I] team, and this is one of the ways I can improve myself in the format.”At Qalandars, Mehidy will link up with his long-time team-mate Shakib Al Hasan.After the PSL resumed following the pause because of the border tensions between Pakistan and India, Qalandars managed to bring Sikandar Raza back, but he was available for only one game before he joins the Zimbabwe squad for the one-off four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge. David Wiese and Sam Billings haven’t returned to Pakistan, which led to Shakib being called up – along with Bhanuka Rajapaksa – for the business end of the tournament.Shakib made his first appearance on Sunday, falling for a first-ball duck against Peshawar Zalmi and going for 18 runs in two wicketless overs.Before Shakib and Mehidy, Rishad Hossain was in the Qalandars’ side, while Nahid Rana was with Karachi Kings. Litton Das was also with Kings this season, before he picked up an injury at training and had to leave.

As we approach the quarter-finals of Russia 2018, Goal's editors have put together a list of the best XI from the first knockout round

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  Igor Akinfeev | GK | Russia

  Russia's goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was the penalty shootout hero of the game after saving both Koke and Iago Aspas' shots. He also pulled off multiple saves during the match too and conceded just the one own goal. 

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• Mario Fernandes | RB | Russia

  Right-back Mario Fernandes put in an outstanding shift to limit the threat on Spain’s left wing and keeping the score to 1-1 before the penalties that took Russia through to the quarter-finals. 

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  Victor Lindelof | CB | Sweden

  Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof has formed a resilient centre-back partnership with Andreas Granqvist, who has won most of the plaudits so far this tournament with his penalty taking. But Lindelof shone as Sweden kept a clean sheet against Switzerland to win 1-0 and reach the quarter-finals.

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  Diego Godin | CB | Uruguay

  Uruguay centre-back Diego Godin put in yet another mammoth defensive performance, stopping Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese team-mates from netting more than the one goal.

EA Sports have revealed the best dribblers in the game, and Cristiano Ronaldo is a notable omission!

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  10Dries Mertens | CF | Napoli | Belgium

  Overall rating: 89

  Dribbling: 90

  Weak foot: 4*

  Skill moves: 4*

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  9Philippe Coutinho | LW | Barcelona | Brazil

  Overall rating: 88

  Dribbling: 91

  Weak foot: 4*

  Skill moves: 5*

• 8Douglas Costa | LM | Juventus | Brazil

  Overall rating: 86

  Dribbling: 91

  Weak foot: 3*

  Skill moves: 5*

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  7Lorenzo Insigne | LW | Napoli | Italy

  Overall rating: 88

  Dribbling: 91

  Weak foot: 3*

  Skill moves: 4*