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Kumar Sangakkara confirmed he will retire from international cricket after the second Test of Sri Lanka’s forthcoming series against India, calling time on one of the most successful careers in modern cricket.

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo27-Jun-2015Kumar Sangakkara confirmed he will retire from international cricket after the second Test of Sri Lanka’s forthcoming series against India, calling time on one of the most successful careers in modern cricket. Sangakkara will not play the third Test in the ongoing series against Pakistan, choosing instead to play for county side Surrey, before returning to Sri Lanka ahead of the first Test against India.”I have decided to call it a day on my international career during the second Test of the Indian series,” Sangakkara said after stumps on day three of the second Test in Colombo. “This was the commitment I had made with the previous selection committee. I had originally planned to retire after the World Cup, but following discussions with the previous selectors, I gave the commitment that I will be available for these two series.”At the same time I said that I would be unable to play six Test matches, but I could do four, and if that was okay, and I would give 100 percent of my commitment to these four Tests. Once they said this was okay, I decided that I would extend my career.”Sangakkara had given thought to playing only the first Test against India following a change of proposed dates for that tour, but has since chosen to honour his commitment to the previous selectors. There had been calls, from within Sri Lanka’s sporting and political establishments, for him to extend his career by another year, but he has declined those requests.However, a hitch has arisen in the latest schedule for the India series, with Sri Lanka’s general elections now scheduled for August 17 – the day before the first Test of that series is set to begin. Sangakkara hoped the India series “wouldn’t be postponed again”, but with the board reluctant to begin a high-profile series so soon after the elections, it now appears likely that the Galle Test will not begin on August 18, as presently proposed. A postponement of several days is likely.There is also the matter of the venue of the second Test. The tentative schedule has it slated for Colombo, but there are suggestions it would be more fitting if Sangakkara retires in his home town of Kandy. Ideally, he would play his final match at Asgiriya, where he grew up playing school cricket for Trinity College, but this is unlikely as the ground’s facilities are now considered inadequate to host international cricket. Pallekele would be a likelier option, but SLC has not committed to switching venues for the occasion.”I am actually not sure where the venues are,” Sangakkara said. “I would love to choose where I am going to end, but that’s not going to be possible. I have to play wherever the matches are.”I watched Muttiah Muralitharan play his last Test Match in Galle. Murali is from Kandy and we both grew up there. Kandy would have loved to say goodbye to Murali. I have had so much good fortune in my career, and I can’t ask for everything. Sometimes you have to just do the best you can with what’s there. If I don’t get a chance to play my last Test in Kandy so be it. I will be disappointed, but that can’t be helped.”Asgiriya would have been perfect. I remember when Test cricket went away from Asgiriya, I was disappointed as a player. But I understand that facilities and surface and all these things matter. It’s not going to be at Asgiriya.”Sangakkara said his decision to stagger his last four Tests over two three-match series had more to do with his personal desire to play only a few Tests beyond the World Cup, than with his contract with Surrey. “My request to play two Tests in each series is nothing to do with the Surrey commitment. Any county understands that your country commitment comes first. Even if I go now and say, ‘Listen, I am not coming. I want to play for Sri Lanka,’ there are no issues. I have signed a two-year contract with leeway to come and go whenever the national duty comes.”Sangakkara is Sri Lanka’s most successful Test batsman, having hit 12,305 runs over 132 matches. He is fifth on the all-time run-scorers list, and his present average of 58.31 is the second-highest for any batsman with more than 7000 runs. In terms of number of innings, he was also the quickest batsman to 8000, 9000, 10,000 (equal with Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara), 11,000 and 12,000 runs. He has 38 hundreds and 11 double-centuries – one behind Don Bradman’s record of 12.

The Pakistan Super League is set to be the latest money-spinning Twenty20 competition but English players have again be warned against participating by the player’s union

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2013The Pakistan Super League is set to become the latest money-spinning Twenty20 competition but English players have again be warned against participating.The PSL is scheduled to be launched on March 26 and could be worth more than $100 million according to organisers but the Professional Cricketers Association, England’s players’ union, is reported to have “grave concerns” about security in Pakistan. It has contacted each county asking them to refuse to issue No Objection Certificates – which would deny players permission to take part.”Our advice is that players should not take part in the PSL,” PCA chief executive, Angus Porter, told the “I’m certain England will not issue No Objection Certificates to their centrally contracted players.”The PCA also expressed apprehension over the Bangladesh Premier League but several English players have been involved in the first two editions. Worries over payment guarantees haven’t deterred the likes of Joe Denly, the Middlesex batsman, who had his county’s backing to take up an offer to join Barisal Burners earlier in the week. Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah and Phil Mustard are among other English players at the BPL.But counties have been less inclined to allow their players permission to play in the IPL, which clashes with the start of the English season. Alex Hales, Michael Lumb and Samit Patel were all told by Nottinghamshire they could not take part if they were bought by a franchise. Monty Panesar does have permission to enter the player auction from Sussex.

Northamptonshire have bought the freehold of their Wantage Road ground

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2012Northamptonshire have bought the freehold of their Wantage Road ground as they further their aim to become “one of the best non-Test grounds in the country.”The club, who have leased the ground for more than a century, have paid a six-figure sum for the land which they hope will enable them to pursue further development plans. The funds for the purchase came from a legacy left by their former president, the late Lynn Wilson.In the short term, the club aim to improve their outdoor practise facilities in the hope of attracting more fixtures involving international touring teams. They will also be able to use the ground as collateral with their bankers.”This purchase gives the club a good opportunity to continue developing the ground,” chief executive David Smith said. “And developments such as the outdoor nets facility will enhance our reputation within the game and it should benefit the club in securing future international touring team fixtures, as our improving facilities will be a big attraction to them.””We’re looking to develop the ground further when funds are available and owning the ground gives us security going forward,” Martin Lawrence, the club’s chairman, told the . “In the short term we’ve got to look after our squad and it’s important to get the balance right between the cricket side of things and the ground. I’m looking at maybe a five-year plan and possibly a small hotel or a block of flats but we haven’t made any decisions yet.”It gives us much more freedom to develop it however we wish. To the average spectator it won’t make a lot of difference but to those involved it’s very significant. We all believe it’s an important step for us.”

Sri Lanka’s attack has been given a major overhaul ahead of the first Test against Australia, with the uncapped Shaminda Eranga and Seekkuge Prasanna among those vying for a position

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2011Sri Lanka’s attack has been given a major overhaul ahead of the first Test against Australia, with the uncapped Shaminda Eranga and Seekkuge Prasanna among those vying for a position. The Sri Lankans have named a 16-man squad for the Test series, which begins in Galle next Wednesday, and there was no room for Thisara Perera.Also missing from the group that toured England was Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and the batsman Dinesh Chandimal, who is playing for the Sri Lanka Board XI in the ongoing tour match in Colombo. Angelo Mathews is back in the Test squad, while there was also a spot for the opener Lahiru Thirimanne, who replaced the injured captain Tillakaratne Dilshan in the third Test in England.The Australians are pleased Lasith Malinga no longer plays Test cricket, but they know they will have to respect the new fast man Eranga, who showed great promise in the limited-overs series. The nippy Eranga, 25, debuted in the third game in Hambantota and can already claim Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke among his international victims.The one-dayers also allowed the legspinner Prasanna, 26, to have his first taste of international cricket, and he stunned Australia with a triple-wicket maiden on debut. Prasanna, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv are the spin options for Sri Lanka, who will rely heavily on the slow bowlers knowing that on their home pitches, spin will be their best chance to run through Australia.Test squad Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Angelo Mathews, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath

Salman Butt was seen saying his prayers as he walked from the Pavilion to the media conference in the Thomas Lord Suite

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's29-Aug-2010How serious are the allegations?
Yawar Saeed Allegations are only one thing. They are all serious – small or big. There is nothing that I can say about them as far as these allegations are concerned.What was the feeling in the Pakistan dressing room coming into today’s game with all these allegations going on?
Saeed Obviously we are not delighted about it. We are sad. It was a very sober feeling the dressing room.Salman, are these allegations true? The evidence looks pretty damning in the paper this morning
Saeed No allegations are true till they proved either way. So at this point of time they are just allegations.Salman, are you going to resign as Test captain in the wake of these allegations?
Salman Butt Why? Pakistan won a Test match against Australia after 15 years and against England after nine years, so does that make me resign from this current situation?But what about after the serious allegations?
Saeed I don’t think you should ask [him] to resign [based] on allegations. Let us wait till the case is completed.The team surrendered quite meekly this morning as wickets fell quickly. Was that because of what happened in the morning and was that playing on their minds?
Butt We didn’t play good cricket. England played a lot better cricket in this game. The point is you can’t connect what happened in the morning’s display because even yesterday the team collapsed for 74 runs. So today was a bit better than that. The guys tried their best but it was just England’s game. They played the better game.Yawar, did you ask Salman if the allegations are true. And in view of these allegations will the ODI series take place?
Saeed As far as I’m concerned the one-day series is on. We are moving to the West Country after [Tuesday] and will play the one-dayers and the T20s. As far as the allegations are concerned I would still call them allegations, as it is not really for me within 24 hours to pass a judgment whether they are true or not.Why can’t Salman say whether are the allegations are true or not?
Butt These are just allegations and anybody can stand out and say anything, it doesn’t mean they are true. They include quite a few people and they are still ongoing. We’ll see what happens.The allegations involving you – are they true or false?
Butt I haven’t heard any allegation except someone just taking my name. There is nothing that I’ve seen or shown on TV, nothing that involves me.Yawar, have you spoken to the PCB today? Have they asked you for a report?

Saeed As a manager whether they ask or not I will give my report. I have not been speaking to them today because we came to the ground. Now the Test match is over. The series is over. Now I shall certainly talk to them.And how quickly have they asked you for a report?
Saeed The chairman of PCB is in town. I will be seeing him his afternoon and giving him my report.Salman, can you reassure the Pakistan fans that you have given 100% effort at every moment in this Test series?
Butt Definitely we have given our best that we could do on the days. We’ve tried our best. It has just been the conditions have been difficult for the batsmen. Remember that this has been a very inexperienced team, especially the batting which has been the main thing has not matched expectations. We all expected that [to happen] as I’ve been saying in all my press conferences, that the guys are young with the least experience, and in these difficult conditions they might struggle.Did the bowlers give 100% every ball of this Test series?
Butt I will say every person in my team has given his 100% and has given all the efforts he could, but not every time you go out do you achieve what you want to. All you can do is try, and the rest is beyond your control.You seem tired and weary and seem to have had a sleepless night?

Butt Obviously when some allegations are thrown at you, how can you have satisfaction? Because it is an allegation levelled against you, so unless and until it becomes clear in black and white, until then it is never easy.Mohammad Amir, just 18, won the Man-of-the-Series award for Pakistan. Is he upset by the allegations?
Saeed Mohammad Amir is a bowler who has done well so far in his career all over the world. Certainly he is a little disappointed because his name has come through but we and he will wait until the investigations are over. If he comes through clean there is nothing better than that.If he doesn’t come through clean, what then?
Saeed Then let’s wait until that time comes.Why did the Pakistanis not come out to practise in the morning?
Saeed It is a good question. We did not have even a cup of coffee in the morning. But we did not warm up because I was talking to the team. A lot had happened overnight and it was my duty to talk to them, get them focussed back into the match. There is no other reason.The newspaper report that makes these allegations describes you as the ring leader. Can you confirm that? Also can you confirm whether or not the police searched your room?
Saeed I have read it too in the press. As far as the Scotland Yard investigations are concerned I would not like to say anything more until we go along with it because it is not right for us to make the allegations.
As for the room search, I said this last night, too, the Scotland Yard officers came. They interviewed, they came to my room as well. They went to his [Butt’s] room and two other rooms and they were there for about two to three hours. After that I asked if there is anything we can do, they said no. “We are doing our investigations,” they said. “There is nothing more for you people to do”.

Plays of the Day from the fourth one-day international between England and Australia at The Oval

Andrew Miller at The Oval30-Jun-2010Golden arm of the day

Ryan Harris was the quickest bowler on show during the opening fixture of this series at the Rose Bowl – and if Shaun Tait’s belated inclusion has ensured that accolade is now long-forgotten, his value to Australia is becoming increasingly clear. He’s never yet gone wicketless in 16 ODI appearances, and today’s figures of 5 for 32 were his best since his consecutive five-fors against Pakistan back in January. He started England’s slide with the wickets of Craig Kieswetter and Pietersen in consecutive overs, then struck with the second delivery of two subsequent spells to remove Eoin Morgan for 47 and Tim Bresnan for 22. His five wickets came in the space of 31 balls, at a cost of 18.Glare of the day

Throughout this series, Shane Watson has been a model of consistency at the top of the Australian order, but unfortunately – with scores of 32, 57, 61 and now 41 – it’s the wrong sort of consistency for a team that needs its set players to push on to big scores. And so the shot he produced in the first over of Graeme Swann’s spell – a limp, lofted heave to wide long-on – was precisely what his skipper, Ricky Ponting, did not want. As Watson dropped to his knees, almost pleading for the fielder to muff the opportunity, Punter looked on from the non-striker’s end with a look that Captain Mainwaring might have given to Private Pike. “Stupid boy!”Drop of the day

Michael Clarke was once again Australia’s anchor as he became only the ninth batsman in ODI history – and the third Aussie after Dean Jones and Brad Hodge – to be stranded on 99 not out. But it could have been so different had James Anderson, one of England’s most reliable fielders, clung onto a sharp but regulation chance when Clarke had made just 5. The opportunity arose in Graeme Swann’s third over, a fast and flat drive into the covers that burst through Anderson’s hands as he dived across to gather. It would have left Australia wobbling on 83 for 3, but instead Clarke and Ponting injected some backbone with a third-wicket stand of 155.Sacrifice of the day

Clarke went into the final over of Australia’s innings on 98 not out, with every opportunity to rack up his fifth ODI hundred. But for all his undoubted merits, improvisatory slogging is not his forte, and with Australia’s total still lacking a gloss finish at 278 for 5, he realised that the man at the other end – Steven Smith, who had just tonked consecutive boundaries to round off Anderson’s spell – was probably better placed to apply the necessary humpty. So he settled for a single as he mistimed a drive to mid-off, then rested on his bat-handle for the remainder of the over. Clarke might have had a chance to pinch the strike when an air-shot was fumbled by the keeper, but seeing as Smith boshed 11 valuable runs from the final five balls, it was probably the right decision.Powerplay of the day

The third Powerplay is supposed to be a late-innings treat for the batting side, but as often as not it over-complicates the tempo and coaxes well-set players out of their comfort zones. That is exactly what happened to Ponting, who had been playing with the channelled fury of a scorned legend as he moved inexorably towards his fourth century in ODIs in England. The 43rd over was the right time to go for it – he and Clarke had brought up their 150 stand and Andrew Strauss was running low on ideas – but from the very first delivery, bowled by Anderson, he leant back on a drive and picked out Strauss himself on the edge of the circle at extra cover.Howler of the day

Legspinners are a rarity in modern-day international cricket. Warne, Kumble, Mushy and MacGill have all had their day and have left the stage free for an offspin revival with the likes of Swann and Hauritz to the fore – which perhaps explains why Aleem Dar thought that a delivery from the new leggie on the block, Smith, that pitched outside off and turned further towards the slips was a viable candidate for an lbw decision. Paul Collingwood was the victim, and it left England in some serious strife at 90 for 4 in the 20th over. Ironically, Collingwood took his lbw verdict rather better than Kevin Pietersen had done for his own dismissal – which replays showed was stone-dead.

Wellington’s notorious wind scuppered the Umpire Decision Review System on the fourth day as gusts of up to 120kph left the hi-tech cameras too unsteady to be relied upon

Brydon Coverdale at the Basin Reserve22-Mar-2010Wellington’s notorious wind scuppered the Umpire Decision Review System on the fourth day as gusts of up to 120kph left the hi-tech cameras too unsteady to be relied upon. The problems emerged when the Australians referred a not-out lbw against Brendon McCullum, only to be told the projected path was unavailable.Confusion reigned for several minutes while Ricky Ponting and Daniel Vettori conferred with the umpires and eventually the on-field decision was upheld but the Australians did not lose their review. The ball-tracking cameras at the Scoreboard End are mounted on a scaffold and were shaking in the gale, which made their projections unreliable, while the side-on Hot Spot cameras were taken down to protect them.The match referee Javagal Srinath told both teams that reviews would be assessed on a case-by-case basis and if the technology was not adequate, the on-field decision would stand and no review would be lost. However, the problem did not arise again after the McCullum incident, partly because of the long delays due to bad light that reduced the day to 52 overs.”The cameras that are involved in the UDRS are shaking quite a bit so they are unable to do the job,” Srinath said. “These are very unfamiliar conditions, what we are facing today, so they are not able to get the pictures across to us. All of the cameras are shaking. It is a very unusual day, a very, very unusual day. We know it is not the best in terms of decision-making.”Nathan Hauritz, who bowled the big-turning offbreak that led to the McCullum referral, said there was uncertainty out on the field until word came through on the umpires’ walkie-talkies. The players were told about the weather problems and Hauritz had to deal with the disappointment of missing what he felt would have been a wicket, after McCullum didn’t offer a shot.”We didn’t really know anything until the actual appeal and then we found out Hawk-eye (it was actually Virtual Eye) wasn’t working because of the wind,” Hauritz said. “You can’t really do much about it. It was just going to be off until they could put it back on, but the wind didn’t change through the day so it sort of made any real challenge tough to do because at the end of the day the third umpire is just going on what the normal umpires see.”The wind, which was described by Tim McIntosh as the strongest he had ever encountered in Wellington, made things hard for players and groundstaff as well as the match officials. Covers were blown from under the feet of falling groundsmen and equipment was hurled all over the place but Hauritz played down the impact of the gusts on his 23 overs into the wind on the fourth day.”It wasn’t too bad to be honest,” Hauritz said. “It was very windy at times but you can’t do much about it, it’s out of our control. It made it difficult at times, I reckon it would have been just as tough running down wind, trying to get that control. The wind might have played into my hands a bit, made it a bit harder to hit but it certainly was a new challenge and it was pretty good.”Hauritz picked up the only wicket of the day, when Vettori bottom-edged a sweep and played on. But more than Hauritz, more than Vettori or even McCullum, who finished unbeaten on 94, Wellington’s weather was the most important player of the day.

Tahir, 46, was retained by Amazon Warriors, while TKR recruited the Pakistan pair of Amir and Tariq

Deivarayan Muthu18-Jun-2025St Lucia Kings, the defending champions of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), have signed IPL winner Tim David as their first-round pick at the draft for the 2025 season. Kings, however, will be without Faf du Plessis, who had led them to their maiden title last year, prioritising the Hundred over the CPL this season.Du Plessis will instead play for Southern Brave in the Hundred, whose signing was the result of his involvement with Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The Capitals’ co-owners GMR Group are finalising their deal to buy Southern Brave, having taken over at host county Hampshire last year.Moeen Ali, who had announced his international retirement in September last year, has opted to skip the Hundred for the CPL, where he was re-signed as a seventh-round pick by Guyana Amazon Warriors. Imran Tahir, 46, was retained by Amazon Warriors as their first pick.Related

• Shreyanka Patil among three Indians picked in WCPL draft

• CPL 2025 to be played from August 14 to September 21

• Holder leaves Barbados Royals after 13 years to join STKNP; Rutherford moves to Royals

• Moeen Ali set to skip Hundred as part of English domestic retirement

• In Chennai, next-gen West Indians take part in spin masterclass

Four-time CPL champions Trinbago Knight Riders recruited the Pakistan pair of Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq. While this will be offspinner Tariq’s maiden CPL stint – he plays for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL – Amir is a familiar name in the CPL, having turned out for Barbados Royals, Jamaica Tallawahs, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the past.As for the Falcons, they snapped up Imad Wasim as their first pick and Shakib Al Hasan as their second pick. Shakib holds the record for the best figures in an innings in the CPL – he had claimed 4-1-6-6 for the Barbados franchise back in 2013.Rashid Khan will miss the CPL once again, but other spinners contribute to a fairly significant Afghanistan presence in the league. Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, who was picked by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 auction and is currently in fine form for Derbyshire in the T20 Blast, will join Naveen-ul-Haq at Falcons.Left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil moved from TKR to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman will return to Barbados Royals. When Royals made the final in CPL 2022, Mujeeb had collected ten wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 6.11. Seam-bowling allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai will join Mujeeb at Royals.Bevon Jacobs, the big-hitting New Zealand batter, will link up with Falcons for his first CPL gig after having stints with Mumbai Indians in the IPL and MI Emirates in the UAE’s ILT20. Glenn Phillips, who first made his name as a franchise player at the CPL before establishing himself as an allrounder for New Zealand, will join Amazon Warriors. Wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert will stay with Kings while Colin Munro will return to TKR.Imran Tahir, 46, was retained by Guyana Amazon Warriors•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Munro, who was signed as an eighth-round pick, has previously enjoyed success with TKR – he is still their highest run-getter with 2178 runs in 72 innings at a strike rate of 129.56. Munro, 38, has retired from international cricket but continues to be active in franchise leagues around the world. Darren Bravo, the second-highest scorer for TKR behind Munro in the CPL, will also return to the franchise and will reunite with his brother Dwayne Bravo, who is set to take over as head coach.Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell were all retained by TKR as expected.Allrounder Matthew Forde, who recently equalled AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest ODI fifty, was retained by Kings while fast bowler Shamar Joseph was retained by Amazon Warriors.

Incentive for emerging players

In CPL 2025, each franchise must play at least one player from the Breakout League, a new tournament that was held to identify emerging talent from the region, in every game. This also gives the franchise the option of picking five overseas players in their XI to go with their ‘breakout’ player.The last three rounds in the draft – 15, 16 and 17 – were all reserved for emerging players from the Breakout League.Reigning champions Kings brought back St Lucian Ackeem Auguste as one of their breakout players. After winning the CPL title with Kings, Auguste visited India to train at the Chennai Super Kings academy and his recent form for West Indies Academy is also encouraging.Having captained Trinidad & Tobago Legions to the 2025 West Indies Breakout League T20 title, Joshua da Silva will now link up with his home franchise, TKR, in the CPL.Jyd Goolie, a former Under-19 World Cup winner who recently earned a call-up to the senior squad, was picked by Patriots as a player from the Breakout League.

CPL 2025 squads

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder (traded), Rilee Rossouw, Evin Lewis, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Corbin Bosch, Waqar Salamkheil, Andre Fletcher, Alick Athanaze (traded), Mohammad Nawaz, Dominic Drakes, Mikyle Louis, Ashmead Nedd, Jeremiah Louis, Jyd Goolie, Navin Bidaisee, Leniko BoucherAntigua & Barbuda Falcons: Imad Wasim, Shakib Al Hasan, Fabian Allen, Naveen-ul-Haq, Obed McCoy, Justin Greaves, Bevon Jacobs, Jayden Seales, AM Ghazanfar, Rahkeem Cornwall (traded), Odean Smith, Jewel Andrew, Shamar Springer, Amir Jangoo, Karima Gore, Kevin Wickham, Joshua JamesBarbados Royals: Rovman Powell, Brandon King (traded), Sherfane Rutherford (traded), Quinton de Kock, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Jomel Warrican, Kadeem Alleyne, Shaqkere Parris, Kofi James, Nyeem Young, Rivaldo Clarke, Zishan Motara, Johann Layne, Ramon SimmondsTrinbago Knight Riders: Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Alex Hales, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Amir, Colin Munro, Usman Tariq, Ali Khan, Darren Bravo, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Terrance Hinds, McKenny Clarke, Joshua Da Silva, Nathan EdwardGuyana Amazon Warriors: Imran Tahir, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Glenn Phillips, Gudakesh Motie, Moeen Ali, Shamar Joseph, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamarh Brooks, Kemol Savory, Hassan Khan, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Quentin Sampson, Riyad LatifSaint Lucia Kings: Tim David, Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Tim Seifert, Roston Chase, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Wiese, Delano Potgieter, Matthew Forde, Aaron Jones, Khary Pierre, Javelle Glen, Micah McKenzie, Shadrack Descarte, Johann Jeremiah, Keon Gaston, Ackeem Auguste

Worcestershire rolled for 83 as visitors take a grip through Wright, Davey and Ackermann

ECB Reporters Network18-May-2023Leicestershire 173 (Ackermann 52, Leach 3-45, Waite 3-17) and 66 for 2 lead Worcestershire 83 (Wright 5-32, Davey 3-26) by 156 runsVeteran Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright took centre stage on a remarkable opening day to the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Worcestershire at New Road as 22 wickets tumbled.Wright initially played his part with the bat in making a valuable 30 during an eighth wicket partnership of 54 with Colin Ackermann – the best of the innings.Leicestershire were bowled out for a modest looking 173 in 55.5 overs after being put into bat with Matthew Waite and Joe Leach each taking three wickets. But it looked a challenging total after 36-year-old Wright completed his second five-wicket haul of the season.He ended with 5 for 32 from 10 overs and received excellent support from Somerset loanee Josh Davey as Worcestershire were bowled out for 83 – the lowest total of the season in Division Two.It was a severe test all day for batters with a combination of the ball swinging and uneven bounce. Leicestershire openers Rishi Patel and Sol Budinger then cashed in against a tired attack by plundering 64 in 10 overs before both fell in quick succession.Both sides had several injury problems in the bowling department and as a result the Somerset pair of Jack Brooks and Davey joined Worcestershire and Leicestershire respectively on short term loans.Worcestershire club captain, Brett D’Oliveira, opted to bowl first on a green-tinged pitch and his side were initially on the receiving end of some aggressive batting from Budinger. He raced to 30 off 28 balls with six boundaries before he was undone by a delivery by Leach which nipped away and was pouched at first slip.Patel, who has scored three centuries this summer, was fortunate when an attempted pull against Brooks flew over the slips to the third man boundary. But the introduction of Adam Finch, fresh from his maiden five-wicket haul at Cardiff last week, brought his downfall. Patel went for another pull and this time skied a catch to keeper Gareth Roderick running towards short fine leg.Leicestershire captain Lewis Hill needed lengthy treatment after being struck on the left arm by a lifting delivery from Finch. But he became the first of two victims in an over during a probing spell from Waite.The former Yorkshire allrounder obtained plenty of swing and Hill and Peter Handscomb were both undone in the flight and trapped lbw.D’Oliveira then produced a stunning catch in mid air away to his left at backward point to account for Wiaan Mulder after he drove at Leach.It became four wickets for 14 runs when Rehan Ahmed gave Waite a third success when he was snapped up at first slip. Tom Scriven then fell into the leg side trap and lofted Finch straight to Waite at deep square leg.Ackerman completed a 97-ball half century before Wright aimed a blow over midwicket and was lbw to Leach.He was denied a fourth wicket when Ackermann on 51 was dropped at second slip but Gibbon wrapped up the innings with two wickets in three balls. Ackermann added only one more run before he dragged on a delivery from Gibbon who then defeated the defensive push of Will Davis to win an lbw shout.When Worcestershire batted, Azhar Ali was promoted to open alongside Ed Pollock in the continued absence of Jake Libby with a back problem. But the Pakistan star was caught behind in the opening over from Wright to a delivery which nipped away and lifted and it set the tone for the remainder of the innings.Roderick also moved up to No.3 from the middle order and he was lbw to Davey in his first over.Pollock was his usual aggressive self in square driving Wright for four and then flicking Davey off his legs over the square leg boundary. But Wright reduced the home side to 34 for 4 as Jack Haynes and Adam Hose perished in successive balls to first slip before D’Oliveira was caught behind when he pushed forward to Davey.Pollock had scored 30 of the 45 runs on the board when he was snaffled by Ackermann at second slip off Wright. The procession of wickets followed as Waite clipped Davey straight to midwicket and Wright completed his five-for with Finch lbw.Mulder came on for Davey after a spell of 7-1-26-3 and he enjoyed immediate success as Leach carved his shot to cover. Brooks and Ben Gibbon added 33 for the last wicket before Mulder removed the former.Patel and Budinger went in for the second time and raced along at more than six an over before a double breakthrough.Budinger gave Gibbon the charge and perished at deep midwicket and Patel then nicked through to Roderick for Leach’s 21st wicket of the campaign.

Middlesex slip to heavy defeat despite Jack Davies’ debut half-century

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2021Alastair Cook and Tom Westley crashed big half-centuries as Essex crushed Middlesex by nine wickets in the Royal London Cup.England legend Cook clocked his 48th List A fifty to end 92 not out while Eagles captain Westley returned an unbeaten 87, the pair putting on 159 together.Essex were only chasing 212 after Shane Snater’s 3 for 45 and two-fors for Simon Harmer and Ryan ten Doeschate, and completed a comprehensive victory with 11 overs to spare to maintain their 100 per cent record in the competition.Westley won the toss and restricted Middlesex to a below-par 212, with runs not flowing particularly freely on a green-tinged wicket under thick grey clouds.Sam Robson was the exception to the rule has he stroked 18 in nine balls before he was strangled down the leg-side by Snater. Joe Cracknell was leg-before to Snater and Australian Peter Handscomb was excellently snaffled at first slip by Cook as the visitors slumped to 31 for 3.Middlesex then produced their two, much needed, partnerships of note as Max Holden and Robbie White added 49 before Holden top-edged a sweep to the short boundary and was replaced by Jack Davies, who put on 67 with White.Related

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Neither White nor Davies scored at any great speed but ticked along, the former falling for 47 lbw to Paul Walter, while List A debutant Davies reached his half-century in 67 balls.Middlesex lost their last five wickets for 39 runs as Luke Hollman was lbw to Westley, James Harris chipped straight back to Harmer, Thilan Walallawita edged ten Doeschate behind and then the Dutchman produced cat-like reactions to pouch a return from Davies. Snater ended up at the top of the wicket pile, returning 3 for 45, as Ethan Bamber pulled into the leg side to end the innings.Essex’s chase looked in little doubt from the moment Will Buttleman cut Walallawita to the boundary with the fourth ball. Cook looked in sumptuous form with pure timing trumping outright power. An on-drive through midwicket, a straight drive and a push through the off side typified his style and got him motoring.Buttleman flicked straight to Robson at short midwicket, having put on 54, with Cook in a rare batting misjudgement from the hosts.
Cook reached his 20th format fifty for Essex in 60 balls with a flick off his legs, with Westley unfurling some glorious stroke play as the duo reached a century partnership in 118 deliveries.Westley moved to his half-century in 59 balls before threatening to overtake his experienced partner, and eventually preventing him from reaching three figures.