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Prior to his appointment, the former South Australia keeper-batter was with Netherlands Women in the same role

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2023Shane Deitz has stepped down as Netherlands Women’s head coach to take up the same role with West Indies Women. Deitz will start in his new role in late August, ahead of the Women’s CPL, and the away series against Australia in October will be his first assignment with the team.Deitz, 48, is a former South Australia wicketkeeper-batter who played 66 first-class matches between 1998 and 2008. He has also featured in 27 List A games and two T20s. He has been into coaching for over a decade now, and was the head coach of the Bangladesh women’s team in 2013-14. He takes over a West Indies team that made the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2022 but failed to make the knockouts of the T20 version earlier this year.”West Indies cricket both men and women have a great history of success whilst playing entertaining cricket and my aim is to continue with that formula,” Deitz said. “The team has a great blend of world-class senior players and some talented younger players which is a good starting point to build from. We have a lot of work to do though as the reality is we are behind the top few sides in the world and we need to bridge that gap and become competitive again to challenge for World Cups in the future.”I do believe though the nucleus is there to create a world-class competitive side and that is what I will aim to do. The standard of women’s cricket is at an all-time high and we need to strive to reach those heights through good planning, a lot of hard work and then executing on the pitch.”Deitz became the full-time coach of the Netherlands women’s team in March 2021, and under him, they regained one-day status. Their ODI ranking peaked at 12 and the T20I ranking at 18. Netherlands are currently preparing for a European qualification tournament for the 2025 ODI World Cup.”Obviously the decision to leave the Netherlands Women’s team was extremely tough as I have loved working with this team, they really are a great bunch of girls,” Deitz said. “The team has grown on and off the field and they are in a really good position now to keep pushing to qualify for a World Cup. I really want to thank the whole squad for their efforts and sacrifice they put in to get the team where they are.”At West Indies, he replaces Courtney Walsh, whose contract was not renewed following a review of the team’s performance. The contracts of assistant coaches Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore were also not extended. Samuels, though, was appointed interim head coach for the ODIs and T20Is against Ireland, taking place over the past week, with Ryan Austin and Steve Liburd as his assistants. West Indies won both ODI and T20I series under this management.Deitz’s appointment was confirmed at the CWI board of directors meeting on June 30 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, and made public on July 8.

Allrounder also available for two Championship fixtures after impressing in Big Bash

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2024Beau Webster, the Australia allrounder, has joined Gloucestershire for this year’s Vitality Blast.Webster, a right-handed bat who bowls both right-arm medium-pace and off-spin, will join up with his new teammates in Bristol in late May. He will be available for the entirety of Gloucestershire’s Blast campaign, as well as two County Championship fixtures against Yorkshire and Glamorgan in June.”I am really excited and very grateful for the opportunity to join Gloucestershire for the 2024 Vitality Blast campaign,” Webster said. “I’m looking forward to not only developing my game further in the UK but also to playing a part in helping the team win matches during my time here. I can’t wait to meet my teammates and get started.”Webster, 30, has played for Tasmania in Australia’s domestic competitions since 2014, and made 554 runs at 61.55 in this year’s Sheffield Shield, second only in the run-scoring charts to Cameron Bancroft. Using his 6’6” frame to good effect, he also took 13 wickets in seven appearances.He has previous experience of county cricket, having played for Essex in last year’s Metro Bank One Day Cup. He finished that campaign with 14 wickets at an economy of 5.47, and also scored 280 runs at 37.14.More recently, Webster impressed in this year’s Big Bash League, scoring 262 runs at 43.66 for Melbourne Stars.Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire’s incoming head coach, said: “Beau is an incredibly well-rounded player who is experienced across all formats and offers a great option with both the bat and the ball.”He’s enjoyed a good season in the Big Bash League and will bring with him a lot of knowledge of playing in T20 franchise cricket, particularly in Australia. Beau is a tall, powerful player who can have a terrific impact on a game, and has I’m really excited to have Beau join us for the Vitality Blast and to see him help win cricket matches for Gloucestershire.”

Matt Henry has been confirmed as his replacement for Welsh Fire

Matt Roller and Danyal Rasool04-Jun-2024Shaheen Shah Afridi is in talks to join Canada’s Global T20 league, after pulling out of the Hundred citing a desire to spend time with his family. The two leagues are set to clash directly in 2024 and Afridi’s withdrawal is a significant blow to the Hundred’s standing.Afridi played in the Hundred for the first time last year, taking six wickets in six appearances for Welsh Fire. He was retained by mutual agreement on a contract worth £100,000 – the second-highest salary band in the league – for the 2024 season, but has now pulled out of his deal. The ECB confirmed his withdrawal on Monday.”I’m sad to miss out on playing for Welsh Fire this year,” Afridi was quoted as saying in a press release. “I enjoyed the Hundred a lot last season, and I was excited about being back in Cardiff. I wish Mike [Hussey, Welsh Fire’s coach] and the team the best of luck for 2024.”Related

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• MLC 2024 to begin on July 5, set for six-day clash with the Hundred

• Pakistan men's players to get landmark central contracts

ESPNcricinfo understands that Afridi’s official explanation to the ECB was that he is reluctant to commit to spending four weeks away from his family. The Hundred starts on July 23 and ends on August 18, with players expected to report a few days before their opening match.Pakistan players are only permitted two No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in foreign leagues per season, as per the terms of their central contracts with the PCB. Afridi is already locked into a long-term deal with the Avram Glazer-owned Desert Vipers in UAE’s ILT20.Rather than using his second NOC on the Hundred, Afridi will instead consider playing in the Global T20, a privately-run league in Canada, which is set to return for a fourth season in 2024. The league’s organisers are yet to announce a schedule but it is expected to run from July 25 until August 11 – a slightly shorter window than the Hundred.The first two editions of the Global T20 were in 2018 and 2019 but it was postponed indefinitely during the Covid pandemic. It returned unexpectedly in 2023, attracting a strong cast of overseas players including Andre Russell, Mohammad Rizwan and Shakib Al Hasan, running at a similar time to the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC).The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) has received reports of late or non-payment issues with the Global T20 in the past 24 months. As a result, FICA recommends on its leagues hub that “any participating players request advanced payment”.Matt Henry, the New Zealand seamer, has been confirmed as Afridi’s replacement at Welsh Fire in the Hundred. He could miss the start of the tournament if San Francisco Unicorns, his MLC franchise, reach the play-offs, with around half of the men’s overseas players signed up for the Hundred in a similar situation.The ECB’s desire to compete with salaries on offer in other leagues is among the reasons underpinning their decision to open the Hundred up to private investment. Four other Pakistan players are under contract in the men’s Hundred for 2024: Naseem Shah (Birmingham Phoenix), Haris Rauf (Welsh Fire), Imad Wasim (Trent Rockets) and Usama Mir (Manchester Originals).

Rest of India agreed to settle for a draw after being set a 450-run target with little time left in the game

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2024Tanush Kotian scored his second first class century on the fifth day of the Irani Cup as Mumbai won the title on the basis of their first-innings lead, lifting the trophy for the first time since the 1997-98 season.Kotian added 94 runs to his overnight total of 20 as Mumbai batted through the day, declaring with a 450-run lead when Rest of India agreed to end the match as a draw. Kotian became the first batter to cross fifty twice in an Irani Cup game while batting at No. 8 or lower. Offspinner Saransh Jain picked up a six-wicket haul, but Rest of India were unable to bowl Mumbai out with enough time to have a crack at their total.Mumbai began the day with a 274-run lead, with Kotian at the crease with Sarfaraz Khan. Saransh trapped Sarfaraz lbw in the fourth over of the day, and two overs later, had Shardul Thakur stumped.But Kotian and Mohit Awasthi batted 200 balls, adding 158 runs, to seal Mumbai’s victory.Rest of India turned to eight bowlers in total, including Ishan Kishan, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal, but could not add to their two strikes early in the day.Kotian, who made 64 in the first innings, hit ten fours and a six as he batted out 150 balls for his unbeaten 114.Awasthi, meanwhile, hit a six of his own and stroked four fours as he scored his maiden first class half-century.

The BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the two squads will be named

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-20254:39

Refresher course: remember how good Gill and Rahul are at ODI cricket?

Rohit Sharma is set to continue as India’s ODI captain; this was confirmed when the BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the squads for the Champions Trophy and the ODIs against England will be announced. The three ODIs against England will be India’s last in the format before they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.Rohit’s future came into sharp focus after he had stood down from India’s XI in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month. He, however, clarified that the decision shouldn’t be misconstrued as a retirement.Related

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Rohit, 37, has been struggling for form and during the home series against New Zealand, he also admitted to captaincy errors, which contributed to India’s 3-0 whitewash. In six Test innings against New Zealand at home, Rohit managed only 91 runs at an average of 15.16 and then in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, his average slumped further to 6.20 in five innings.In a bid to rediscover his form, Rohit had linked up with the Mumbai squad for training sessions in the lead-up to the start of the second phase of the Ranji Trophy.Having ended his T20I career by winning the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year, Rohit now has the chance to lead India to an ODI world title at the Champions Trophy. India will play all their three league games in Dubai, which will also stage one of the semi-finals and possibly the final too, if India get there.India have played just six ODIs since November 19, 2023, when they lost to Australia in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

Owen impressed on his T20I debut, taking a key wicket before clubbing 50 off 27 which included six sixes

Alex Malcolm20-Jul-2025A dream debut for Mitchell Owen with bat and ball alongside a stunning half-century from Cameron Green guided Australia to a three-wicket win over West Indies after a masterful death bowling display from Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis set the game up at Sabina Park.Owen took a key wicket before clubbing 50 off 27 to become the third Australian behind Ricky Ponting and David Warner to make a half-century on T20I debut and bag the Player-of-the-Match award. He smashed six sixes while Green thumped five and two boundaries in a 26-ball 51. The pair added 80 from 40 to rescue Australia from 78 for 4 and gun down the target of 190. Australia out-hit West Indies, smashing 17 sixes to just nine overall.Earlier, Dwarshuis took 4 for 36 including three in an over, as he and Ellis combined to take four wickets for just seven runs in the last 16 balls of West Indies innings to restrict them to 189 for 8 after half-centuries from Roston Chase and Shai Hope had threatened to set-up a huge total. Chase made 60 off 32 at No.3 while Hope made 55 from 39. Shimron Hetmyer also clubbed 38 from 19 but West Indies’ lower-order combined for 11 between them as they lost 6 for 30 in the final five overs.Chase-ing Hope earlyIn the absence of the injured Evin Lewis, West Indies new-look top three laid a superb platform. Brandon King made the switch from Test cricket to T20 mode look easy, thumping four boundaries in the first three overs as Australia’s quicks missed wide. The early introduction of spin halted momentum with Cooper Connolly bagging his first T20I wicket as King ran past one. Hope picked up the baton launching Connolly inside out over cover off the back foot.Roston Chase launches down the ground•Getty Images

Chase’s first 10 balls were very sluggish but he found his groove outside the powerplay. He launched Connolly and Adam Zampa in back-to-back overs before playing four superb strokes off Sean Abbott in the 10th to find the boundary four times. He first paddle-scooped fine, before showing power and touch to thread the same gap between short third and backward point before again paddling a predictable full and straight ball fine again. West Indies looked set for a huge score at 123 for 1 in the 13th over.Dwarshuis and Ellis death bowling masterclassDwarshuis started a West Indies collapse as Chase holed out to long-on trying to clear the rope again. Hope slowed down significantly before Owen made his first impact in T20I cricket with the ball, forcing a miscue from Hope with a wide slower ball. Either side of that though he conceded two sixes to Hetmyer.Ellis and Dwarshuis then put on a clinic. Hetmyer was threatening to push West Indies well over 200, smoking Ellis’ first two balls of the 18th over to the rope. But thereafter West Indies lost 4 for 7 off the last 16 balls of the innings. Ellis’ last four balls of the 18th over were a mixture of brilliant slower balls and yorkers. Dwarshuis took three wickets for one run in the 19th with three mishits caught in the deep. Ellis closed out the last thanks to some help from Green who denied Hetmyer a certain six at long-off with a stunning catch that no other Australian fielder could have caught at full stretch on the rope.Ben Dwarshuis bagged four wickets•Getty Images

Fraser-McGurk misfires yet againEyebrows were raised when Australia’s selectors recalled Fraser-McGurk in place of the injured Spencer Johnson as a reserve wicketkeeper for Josh Inglis, and they remained raised when he was selected in the XI to open in place of the injured Matt Short. But there was very little surprise when he struggled to 2 off 7 before miscuing Jason Holder to mid-off.Mitchell Marsh was in an all-or-nothing mood, mixing three monstrous sixes with seven dots in the powerplay before he got a thin edge to the extra pace of Alzarri Joseph. Green fought fire with fire. He got away with a top edge that flew for six over fine third before being pinned on the shoulder. He then deposited Joseph over fine leg twice to finish the powerplay.Australia looked in all sorts of trouble when Josh Inglis top-edged Akeal Hosein to short fine and Glenn Maxwell skied Motie straight up to end an indifferent innings of 11 off 10.Green and Owen power Australia home, justNeither man had much experience as middle-order finishers coming into the game but the pair showed extraordinary composure and power to rip the game away from West Indies. Owen was fearless, getting off the mark with a six off Andre Russell and launching another later in the over for good measure. He then deposited Hosein three times in the 12th over to dispel any concerns over his ability against spin in the middle overs. Green played really smartly at the other end knocking three twos to keep the board moving without risk after his fast start. He then took Holder and Motie down to blaze to 50 off 25 balls and get the target to just 32 off 31 balls. But he fell trying to hit Motie out of the ground again.Owen kept going, pounding Joseph into the stands to reach 50 off 26 but he too fell next ball trying to go again with Australia still needing 15 off 21. But Connolly, Dwarshuis and Abbott did just enough to steer the visitors home, but not without help from West Indies’ fielders. Substitute fielder Jewel Andrew dropped Abbott at fine leg off Holder with seven to win. He was almost run out too but they nurdled their way home with seven balls to spare.

Same sides meet again in Saturday’s Eliminator for chance to face Invincibles in final

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2023Tymal Mills continued his excellent Men’s Hundred campaign with three more wickets to help Southern Brave beat Manchester Originals by six wickets chasing 131 at Emirates Old Trafford and qualify for Saturday’s Eliminator – against the same opponents.Brave leapfrogged Welsh Fire into third place in the table with their fourth win from eight games, which also included a calm 54 off 40 balls from unbeaten New Zealand opener Devon Conway.Mills’ deceptive left-arm was perfect for this used, pace-off pitch. He returned 3 for 27 from 20 balls, and his tally of 15 wickets is now more than anyone else in the competition.Brave, who won with five balls to spare, remain on course to reclaim the title they won in 2021 – the Hundred’s inaugural year – and they will face last year’s finalists Manchester at the Oval on Saturday evening. The winners face the Oval Invincibles in the Lord’s final 24 hours later.Manchester were all but qualified in second place before a ball was bowled. Brave needed to chase their target in 50 balls to knock them out.England limited-overs captain Jos Buttler top-scored with 45 off 42 for Originals, who made 130 for 8 and were never able to break free having been inserted.Phil Salt, with two fours and a towering straight six in 17 off eight balls, was their most aggressive batter, and sluggish conditions were best highlighted by Buttler lacking fluency.Despite all being said about pace off, Buttler had to evade a fabulous early bouncer from left-arm seamer George Garton.Buttler later reverse-swept a couple of his five boundaries but didn’t hit a six before being caught at long-on off Rehan Ahmed’s leg-spin.At 110 for 5 with 16 balls remaining, it was evident the Originals were going to have to bowl well to win.Ahmed finished with 2 for 26 from his 20 balls, while fellow spinners Mitch Santner and Colin Ackermann were miserly. The latter struck once, and the trio’s combined figures were 3 for 53 off 50 balls.Mills had removed Salt, caught at deep midwicket with the new ball, before returning at death to outfox and bowl Jamie Overton off an inside edge and get Tom Hartley caught.Manchester only scoring eight runs and losing three wickets in the last 10 balls of their innings felt decisive, and so it proved.An eventful opening set of five balls at the start of the Brave chase saw Finn Allen hit two fours and an uppercut six before falling caught at short fine-leg against a Josh Tongue short ball.Conway then took on the aggressor’s role as some sweeping rain had everyone looking for the Duckworth Lewis Stern par score. But Brave were well ahead, reaching 25 balls at 51 for 1. Rain did briefly intervene at 52 for 1 after 26, but play resumed and Brave calmly sealed their qualification.Either side of the rain delay, Conway and second-wicket partner James Vince hit sixes over long-on off Hartley in sharing 67, skipper Vince adding 33. His departure, caught at long-on off Ashton Turner’s off-spin started a mini collapse from 81 for 1 after 53 balls to 91 for 4 after 64.Pakistani pacer Zaman Khan’s slingy action had Derbyshire team-mate Leus du Plooy caught and Joe Weatherley lbw. Khan built pressure impressively with 2 for 22 to take the game down to the penultimate set of five balls. But Conway reached his first fifty of the campaign off 38 balls and quelled concerns.

CA are also focused on the changing nature of the global game and working with T20 franchises

Andrew McGlashan27-Oct-20231:59

Where are all the last-over thrillers?

The bosses of Cricket Australia believe ODIs can continue to play a key part in the men’s international game but have stressed the importance of having context around bilateral fixtures.There has been heightened debate around the 50-over format amid the ongoing World Cup which has seen some disappointing crowds and a lack of close games, although the tournament has produced a number of eye-catching results with Afghanistan beating England and Pakistan while Netherlands overturned a powerful South Africa.But amid an increasingly packed calendar, now becoming ever-more dominated by T20 franchise leagues, there is a growing suggestion that it is ODI cricket that will be squeezed particularly at bilateral level with discussions set to take place when the ICC meets next month in India.Related

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The 2027 ODI World Cup is locked in to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and 2031 is to be staged by India and Bangladesh, with a returning Champions Trophy due to be held in Pakistan in 2025.Direct qualification for the current World Cup in India was decided by the ODI Super League which meant bilateral series had added importance but that has been disbanded after one cycle.”It’s really important that there’s context for those bilateral series,” CA chief executive Nick Hockley said after the board’s AGM. “We’ve seen with the introduction of the World Test Championship how that works, we’ve seen with the qualification through to this World Cup with major nations [like] West Indies missing out, Netherlands coming through.”So really creating jeopardy in those bilateral series. That’s something we’ll be discussing when we are in India towards the end of the tournament with the ICC.”Bilateral T20I series could be given greater context in the future with Olympic qualification likely to be based on the rankings.Australia have three men’s ODIs in their upcoming summer – crammed into five days against West Indies in early February – which according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP) is the likely figure for most future seasons. They are then not scheduled to play the format again until September when they tour England for a five-match series, with three ODIs against Ireland also marked on the FTP before that.Australia’s men will play three home ODIs this season•AFP/Getty Images

Mike Baird, the CA chair, suggested that performances such as the 40-ball century by Glenn Maxwell against Netherlands show how the T20 game can help keep the one-day format relevant.”We certainly see a role for all three formats,” he said. “To see a T20 century, Glenn Maxwell came in in the 39th over, so the spectacular impact of that in an ODI it adds a whole other dimension than just a T20.”It’s an important format, we certainly think there’s a role. What is important is context, [not] just having matches without connecting them into qualifiers for a World Cup as an example – so those are the things, how do you give more context.”

Central contracts vs franchise cricket

Linked to the changing nature of the men’s international game, particularly around white-ball cricketers, is how players are contracted to their national boards. newspapers reported that CA has put a group of their leading players on multi-year deals and the ECB has recently done the same. also reported this week that there is now a mechanism within contracts where players can be docked a percentage of their earnings if they opt to play in overseas tournaments during the home season.”It is designed so that if a situation does not clearly warrant a player being given a [No Objection Certificate], the answer doesn’t have to be only ‘no, you can’t go and play’. It is ‘let’s have a conversation and see if we can negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome’,” Todd Greenberg, the Australia Cricketers’ Association CEO, said. “That keeps the relationship strong and the player in our Australian system for longer.”CA acknowledged the rapidly changing landscape and how all sides need to work together.”We are conscious of the increased opportunity for players and to show some level of flexibility to pursue opportunities, certainly in the IPL and some of the other leagues around the world, is something we’ll need to support going forward,” Hockley said.”To go forward into the future, there are changes that are here, there are changes that are coming,” Baird added. “The fundamental thing we need is trust and that relationship with the players and we’ve certainly established that.”

CA makes a loss, but confidence for years to come

Meanwhile, CA reported a loss of nearly AUD$17 million for the last financial year but that was a stronger performance than expectations aided by AUD$42 million coming from hosting the men’s T20 World Cup.The upcoming year, which sees the men’s team host Pakistan and West Indies at home, is expected to also be loss-making before two big-earning seasons with India and England touring for five-match Test series in 2024-25 and 2025-26.”It’s part of the cycle … these [past] 12 months is the difficult period,” Baird said. “But we’re certainly very confident on where we’re going … over the next two or three years, the forecasts are really strong.”

Opener believes 2-2 would be just, welcomes prospect to take on the quicks at The Oval

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Jul-2023By the time Monday came around, the rains had ceased in Manchester. The clouds were finally empty after a weekend of showers. And just to rub it in, the sun dipped in and out of view as a reminder it was still up there on this, the first morning in which the 2023 Ashes were no longer live.An abandoned match and a draw in the fourth Test has Australia taking the urn back with them, boasting an unassailable 2-1 lead heading into the fifth Test at the Kia Oval. The great decider that was supposed to send English cricket into the stratosphere is now signposted as the tourists’ chance to win their first overseas Ashes series since 2001.Nevertheless, mimicking the two-all scoreline of 2019 is a huge motivation for this England side. Unlike then, when the fifth Test had a very end-of-term feel, with the only thing missing being both sides playing out the match in jeans, Ben Stokes’ charges have the opportunity to affix an asterisk to Australia’s retention.They believe they have been the most assertive across the series so far, despite the fact they were 2-0 down after two. And while it may only be an asterisk that those in the dressing-room can see, the fact that the weather stopped them from going into the final match on Thursday with it all to play for has England feeling robbed. A squared series at the end, to them, would represent some form of justice.”I think 2-2 would be fair,” said Crawley, whose stunning 189 from 182 deliveries drove England to 592 for a 275-run first-innings lead that they could not cash in. “They had the better of us at Lord’s, Edgbaston could have gone either way. We probably deserved this one and Headingley could have gone either way. So I think two-all would be right. We’ll see, hopefully we can get it.”We’ll play the same way and to know we can make a big score. It suits us to have a little in the wicket – we’ll see what happens. That’s the beauty of a five-Test series; you get a look at them, work out tactics and nuances. I’ve never played a five-match series before this one.”We’re massively up for it. And as Stokesy says, we’re building as a team, this isn’t the end just because it’s the Ashes. It’s very much the start, hopefully.”Even amid the positivity, Crawley admitted the Old Trafford dressing-room was flat when the match was eventually abandoned on day five, at around 5.24pm. A consistent downpour across days four and five meant England were only able to bowl 30 out of a possible 180 overs to push for victory.Up until Friday evening, England had played more or less the perfect game; reducing Australia to 113 for 4 in their second innings, trailing by 162, by stumps on day three. Alas, it was all in vain.”It’s pretty flat,” said Crawley of the mood among the squad. “We’re disappointed we’ve played a lot of good cricket in this game. We wanted to win, we were in a good position to win, and two days of rain cost us. But that’s how it is.”Related

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As for Crawley personally, his innings took him to the top of the run-scorers charts this series – comfort for a player derided as a weak link throughout Stokes’ and Brendon McCullum’s time in charge. He arrived into the fixture with handy starts, including 61 in his first knock of the series, which he marked by striking the first ball of the first Test at Edgbaston for four off Pat Cummins.He continued on in a similar vein and, as such, his 385 runs so far – at an average of 55.00 – have come from just 428 deliveries. Number two on the list, Australian opener Usman Khawaja, has scored his 377 from more than twice as many (961).”I feel I’m as good a player as I have ever been,” Crawley said, having now passed 2,000 career runs and lifted his 38-cap average to 31.01. “I feel good about my game, I’m pleased with how I’m playing – I’ve just got to build on it. I have a bit more experience now, things to fall back on in different conditions, so yes, I feel I can kick on now.”Crawley agreed that Australia’s extra pace throughout their attack has been a contributing factor to his upturn in performance. And on what should be an Oval pitch favouring batters, the Kent batter hopes to cash in once more before the Test summer concludes.”I think so, I certainly feel quicker attacks do. Fast bowling suits my game. The Australian attack is a quick attack and I think a bit less when they’re faster. I think that just suits my game a bit more. They are unbelievable bowlers, they present different challenges.”I love batting at The Oval for Kent, and I have played one Test match there and did okay (five and 69 not out against South Africa last summer). Hopefully it’s a decent wicket and a good game.”

The three-match series is due to begin from September 3 in Hambantota

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Aug-2021Afghanistan’s series with Pakistan is set to go ahead as scheduled, despite the surrounding uncertainty following the Taliban’s takeover of the country. The three-match ODI series will take place in Sri Lanka, a venue decided before political events in recent days saw the Taliban take charge following the withdrawal of western forces and the collapse of the elected government.All three games will be played in Hambantota. The series is due to begin from September 3, but will involve a three-day quarantine period on arrival for both sides.That commitment, as well as an Under-19 tour to Bangladesh later in September, have been the focus of immediate concern though ACB CEO Hamid Shinwari said both tours were on, pending logistical issues around the departure of the side. Kabul airport has been the focus of international attention, as many Afghans attempt to leave the country.”Cricket is doing very well,” Shinwari told ESPNcricinfo. “We are going to the office (ACB). The cricket team is preparing for the Pakistan series in Sri Lanka. It is confirmed. We are committed to sending a team to Sri Lanka as soon as possible. There is transition going on here in Afghanistan hence there is a vacuum in flight operations and availability is affected. But we will fly out as soon as we find a flight. We have our boys assembled in Kabul and they are preparing for the series.Related

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“We hope the squad will depart in the next four days. We have updated both the PCB and Sri Lanka Cricket and both are on board. I am thankful to SLC for hosting us and that is really generous of them.”There remain longer-term questions around the Taliban’s approach to the development of the game in the country. It is worth noting that the Afghanistan Cricket Federation (as the Afghanistan Cricket Board was then known) was formed in 1997, during the Taliban’s first stint in rule and they were inducted into the Asian Cricket Council not long after.The game was at a different stage then to where it is now in the country and in much better health. The ICC is monitoring the situation as of now, with a little concern, but will provide support when and if needed on practical matters of playing cricket.Shinwari was confident the game would not be affected adversely. “They [Taliban] are supporting cricket ever since the beginning,” he said. “They never had any issue with cricket. The thing is people love cricket here in Afghanistan and that’s why it has to go with the flow. My confidence that cricket will not be affected is because of two factors: firstly, the legacy. Cricket development in Afghanistan was initiated during Taliban’s first stint 20 years ago. Secondly ACB offices are operating. So far we have seen no issues.”The cricketers are doing very well. They have been assured and they are also happy that cricket will be going on. They are committed to going to Sri Lanka, playing against Pakistan, and after that to the T20 World Cup. Cricket has become an important tool for community development in the country. And the players in particular are icons, and understand the importance.”One area where it is difficult to predict how the Taliban will proceed is in women’s cricket. Their first stint as rulers was especially regressive and damaging for women in the country. The ACB announced central contracts for a pool of 25 women’s cricketers last year but that was very much the first step on a long road: to date, Afghanistan are the only Full Member side without a functioning womens’ team.Even then, ACB officials recognised the social, political and cultural difficulties in starting a women’s team in the country and that may become an even more distant prospect now.”My assumption is women’s cricket could be stopped,” Shinwari said. “But to be honest, I really don’t know the new policies of the government. That assumption was based on the previous stint of the Taliban.”Additional reporting by Umar Farooq Kalson