Returning from maternity leave, the captain says their aim at the World Cup is to reach the semi-finals

PTI16-Feb-2022She is well aware of the pressure of playing against arch-rivals India in the Women’s ODI World Cup opener next month but Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof hopes that the marquee match will inspire girls across the border to make a career in the sport.India are set to face Pakistan in their opener of the World Cup on March 6 in Mount Maunganui. The tournament will be held from March 4 to April 3 across six cities in New Zealand.”Pakistan vs India is indeed a great stage for any player to establish her credentials, but at the end of the day, it is a cricket match that has to be won by executing the basics right and keeping thing simple,” Maroof, who is making a comeback after motherhood, told PTI from Queenstown.Related

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“This match is a great opportunity to inspire millions of girls in Pakistan and India to take up this sport as a profession. It is the biggest rivalry, and attracts innumerable eyeballs.”I hope girls in the two countries will watch this match and will be inspired to take up the game.”She praised the Indian team led by Mithali Raj, but she was very optimistic about Pakistan’s chances against them.”The Indian team is a good unit and has done well recently. They also have had some very good youngsters coming in of late,” she said. “Our aim is to make it to the semi-finals, something which we have never done before. I strongly believe that this side has all the ingredients to achieve that.Being the senior-most player and the captain of the team, Maroof felt it was her duty to lead from from the front.”Being the senior player and the captain of the side you have to inspire your team and lead by example. If you are not doing the right things, you cannot demand them from girls. I have a very clear vision with this team that we need to be in top four.”When asked about the team composition, she said that conditions in New Zealand will determine the playing XI.Maroof has played 108 ODIs and equal number of T20I matches and has scored 2602 and 2225 runs, respectively.Having seen many ups and downs in her journey so far, she had once decided to quit cricket to embrace motherhood.”It has been an incredible journey and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Being a cricketer has designed my life and played a very important role in the person I am today. There have been ups and downs, which have made me learn,” she said.”I am very excited to be back. It feels like I am making my debut again for Pakistan. I am grateful to my family, especially my husband who has supported me immensely throughout this phase. I also want to mention the support that the Pakistan Cricket Board has provided me through the parental policy.”To make a successful comeback after motherhood is not easy and Maroof has worked very hard to regain that level of form and fitness.”The journey from childbirth to getting here had its fair share of difficulties, as I had to start from scratch to regain my fitness,” she said. “Women don’t often return to sports or continue their professional careers after getting married or childbirth.”I spent a lot of time doing strength and conditioning sessions at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore.”

“We want to create a strong foundation for the future with Mayank at the helm,” says head coach Anil Kumble

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2022Mayank Agarwal has been unveiled as the new captain of Punjab Kings, just under a month from the start of the 2022 edition of the IPL on March 26.”I have been at Punjab Kings since 2018 and I take a lot of pride in representing this fantastic unit. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the team,” Agarwal, one of two players retained by the franchise ahead of the latest mega auction – medium-pacer Arshdeep Singh was the other – said in a statement issued by the Kings on Monday morning. “I take over this responsibility with utmost sincerity, but at the same time, I believe my job would be made easier with the talent we have at the Punjab Kings squad this season.”We have some vastly experienced players in our ranks, along with many talented youngsters who are keen to grab the opportunity and run with it. We have always taken to the field hoping to win the title and as a team we will once again work towards this goal of lifting our maiden IPL trophy. I thank the team management for entrusting me with this new role of leading the side. I look forward to the new season and the new challenges it brings with it.” Agarwal, who has in the past turned out for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Rising Pune Supergiant and Royal Challengers Bangalore, joined the Punjab franchise in 2018, when it was still called Kings XI Punjab. After a slow start – he scored 120 runs at a strike rate of 127.65 from 11 innings in his first season – he has been one of the team’s leading batters. His 332 runs in 2019 came at a strike rate of 141.88, and as he forged a strong opening pairing with KL Rahul, the captain till last season, Agarwal scored 424 runs (SR 156.45) and 441 runs (SR 140.44) in 2020 and 2021 respectively.Overall, in 11 seasons of playing in the IPL, Agarwal has 2131 runs at an average of 23.41 and strike rate of 135.47.”Mayank has been an integral part of the side since 2018 and of the leadership group for the last two years,” Kings head coach Anil Kumble said. “The new squad we selected at the recently concluded auction has exciting young talent and outstanding experienced players. We want to create a strong foundation for the future with Mayank at the helm.Related

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“He is hardworking, enthusiastic, a team player with all the attributes required of a leader. I look forward to working with him as captain and believe that he will lead this team to a successful campaign.”Though he has had a good run in the IPL over the years, Agarwal hasn’t yet earned his India cap in T20Is. He was called up to the squad for the ongoing series at home against Sri Lanka, but only as an injury replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad. Looked at as a long-format player by the national selectors, Agarwal has played 19 Tests (1429 runs at an average of 43.30) and five ODIs (86 runs at 17.20) so far.In the 2022 IPL, though he won’t have Rahul, his friend and colleague from Karnataka for many years, to work with. Rahul led the Punjab franchise for the last two seasons, but was acquired before the latest auction by new franchise Lucknow Super Giants, who have also named him their captain. His price tag of INR 17 crore (US$ 2.28 million approx.) made him the joint-highest-paid player in the IPL across seasons, along with Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli. Kohli was signed for the same amount by Royal Challengers in 2018, ahead of the last mega IPL auction.Agarwal does, however, have a strong unit at his disposal. At the recent auction, Kings spent a lot of money on Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, Shahrukh Khan and Shikhar Dhawan, who should be Agarwal’s opening partner. They also have players like Jonny Bairstow and Odean Smith among overseas players, and locals like Rahul Chahar, Rishi Dhawan and Harpreet Brar, apart from Arshdeep.Kings have been stacked with Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers and Gujarat Titans in Group B in the upcoming IPL.

Former NZ U-19 allrounder is an Irish passport-holder and has signed a central contract

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2022Luke Georgeson, the batting allrounder who played for New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup four years ago, has signed a two-year central contract with Cricket Ireland.Georgeson, who turns 23 later this week, had a contract with Wellington in New Zealand’s recent domestic season but has taken the “big decision” to commit his future to Ireland after spending last summer playing for Northern Knights in the inter-provincial set-up.”Obviously I’m very pleased to have been offered a contract with Cricket Ireland,” he said. “It’s been a big decision to step away from the Wellington Firebirds and domestic cricket in New Zealand, but it’s an extremely exciting opportunity to get stuck-in with the Irish and Northern Knights lads and see if I can play a part in what I believe is an exciting time for Irish cricket.”Last year, I was so warmly welcomed into the Northern Knights set-up, and had an awesome time playing club cricket in the NCU [Northern Cricket Union] – and I felt like I became a better cricketer as a result.Related

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“Signing this contract will hopefully give me an opportunity to continue to do that, and test myself on the international stage if I’m fortunate enough to get the chance. I’ve had an awesome time with Wellington, within the Wellington system, and – for a brief time – within the New Zealand Under-19s set-up, but the opportunity to progress with a highly talented group of individuals here in Ireland, and test myself more consistently at a higher level, is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”Georgeson is an Irish passport-holder and will be eligible to play for the national team with immediate effect, if selected. He batted in the middle order for the Knights last year, but opened for Wellington throughout the New Zealand summer.”We’re obviously really disappointed to be losing a player of Luke’s calibre, especially a young player who has grown and developed through our pathway system,” said Cam Mitchell, Cricket Wellington’s CEO.”We know this has been a difficult decision for Luke to make, but we wish him all the best in Ireland and look forward to seeing him develop further as a cricketer.”Ireland’s home summer includes fixtures against India, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan. Andrew White, their chairman of selectors, said Georgeson would “bring further competition within our batting group” and “push standards within the group”.”Luke spent last summer in Ireland playing club cricket for CSNI and representing the Northern Knights,” he said. “What stood out wasn’t just his talent as a left-handed top-order batter, but the way in which he conducted himself on and off the field. His commitment and dedication to being the best he can be really struck the coaches that he worked under.”Batters Stephen Doheny and Murray Commins – who was born in South Africa – have also signed central contracts with Ireland, both on 12-month retainer deals.

Royal Challengers are coming off two successive wins while Kings were drubbed in their last outing

S Sudarshanan12-May-20222:25

How can Kings get the best out of Rahul Chahar?

Big picture

It’s not just cricket anymore. It’s mathematics.At the core of it all, the equation for Punjab Kings is pretty simple – they need to win their remaining games to stay in with a chance of making the playoffs. As for Royal Challengers Bangalore, they are already in the top four with 14 points, but their poor net run rate leaves them with less room to work with. They still need two wins to be assured of qualification.

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In the IPL, Royal Challengers’ captain Faf du Plessis has not scored more runs against any other team than Punjab Kings; he has 702 runs in 13 innings against Kings and the next best is his 432 in 14 innings against Kolkata Knight Riders. True to the numbers, du Plessis hit a stroke-filled 88 against Kings earlier this season. As the season has progressed, Royal Challengers have fitted their jigsaw puzzle better.In their last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, four of the top five batters scored 30 or more while their bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood, put on a clinical show. One of the key players in the past few games, the usual suspects aside, has been Rajat Patidar, who was brought in belatedly as a replacement player.Patidar is fourth among the Royal Challengers players in terms of player rating score as per ESPNcricinfo’s MVP ratings, among those who have played a minimum of four matches this season, after Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga and Hazlewood. In fact, Patidar’s batting impact score of 39.75 is the best for his side – tenth overall, closely followed by Dinesh Karthik’s 34.96.Their opponents, Kings, are yet again hovering in the lower half of the table after having a strong start. They are returning after a five-day break, having lost against Rajasthan Royals in their last outing. Jonny Bairstow’s promotion to the top of the order seems to have done him good and with Jitesh Sharma finding his feet lower down, Kings would be confident of putting up a good show, irrespective of whether they are batting first or chasing.Related

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However, with an economy rate of 8.65 this season, Punjab Kings have been the second-most expensive bowling side behind Mumbai Indians and how they use Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, two of their key bowlers, could well dictate how the contest flows.

Likely XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Shahbaz Ahmed, 6 Mahipal Lomror, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Josh HazlewoodPunjab Kings: 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Mayank Agarwal (capt), 4 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Rishi Dhawan, 8 Rahul Chahar, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Sandeep Sharma

Strategy punt

• Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli have fallen to Sandeep Sharma a combined nine times and to Kagiso Rabada on six occasions in T20 cricket. That could perhaps be best new-ball combination for Kings.
• Both Shikhar Dhawan and Bairstow have been quiet against Wanindu Hasaranga, having a strike rate of 85 and 67 respectively in T20 cricket. With Liam Livingstone and Bhanuka Rajapaksa having superior strike rates against the legspinner, there could be a case for Royal Challengers to open the bowling with Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood.

Stats that matter

• Twenty-seven sixes were hit in the Royal Challengers-Kings game earlier this season – the most in a game in IPL 2022.
• Arshdeep has given away just five sixes off the 38 overs he has bowled this season, the least for a bowler with a minimum of 35 overs.
• Kohli has been dismissed in the first 15 balls on eight occasions in IPL 2022, the most by a batter batting in the top six.
• Rabada’s 18 wickets are the most by a pacer in IPL 2022

Georgia Elwiss seals six-wicket win after dominant display from bowlers

ECB Reporters Network01-Jun-2022The Southern Vipers are the first team through to Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day – and the final – after beating Thunder by six wickets under lights at Emirates Old Trafford, chasing 95 in 15.3 overs.Vipers have qualified for the Northampton showpiece (June 11) with one Group B game remaining following a superb bowling and fielding display led by England off-spinner Charlie Dean, who returned three for 16 from four overs to limit their hosts to 94 for six.Thunder included England trio Emma Lamb, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone – the latter pair only just back from IPL Challenge commitments in India. But they were unable to break the shackles imposed on them by a team who have now won all five games in the competition named after their head coach.None of the Vipers’ five bowlers conceded more than 20 runs in their four-over spells, with left-arm seamer Freya Kemp also impressing with two for 20 before Georgia Elwiss top-scored in the reply with a measured 38 not out off 35 balls.The Vipers have also qualified direct for the final a week on Saturday as the best of the two group winners courtesy of a five-point, bonus point win here.They sit on 23 points, while Group A leaders Central Sparks have 17 with only five more points to play for.This was a display from the Vipers which had all the hallmarks of a team who reached last year’s Charlotte Edwards semi-final and are back-to-back Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy champions.Thunder, who elected to bat, lost in-form openers Lamb and Georgie Boyce for five and nine as the score slipped to 44 for three after 10 overs.Kemp had Lamb caught at mid-on and bowled Boyce. Sandwiched in between, Cross, promoted to bat at three, fell victim to a combination of England team-mates Dean and Danni Wyatt for 18.Cross hoisted Dean out to deep midwicket, where Wyatt took a fine low catch on the run.Ecclestone was also promoted to No.4 in a side who have struggled for middle-order runs through the competition.She demonstrated her power by pulling her fourth ball for six over backward square-leg off Kemp as the score moved to 41 for two in the 10th over – shortly before opener Boyce’s dismissal.Unfortunately for Thunder, playing in the primetime slot on a T20 double-header day with Lancashire’s men, there was no more acceleration.While Ecclestone made 28 not out off 32 balls, she was unable to find the boundary again and saw canny Dean trap Danielle Collins lbw and get Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld caught and bowled cheaply.In all, Thunder only hit four fours and that Ecclestone six, while 21-year-old Dean has now taken eight wickets in her first three games of the summer. This was her best haul so far.Determined to complete the chase in 16.1 overs to secure the bonus point win which qualified them direct to the final, visiting openers Wyatt and captain Georgia Adams were busy from the off.Wyatt slog-swept Ecclestone for six over midwicket to advance the score to 22 without loss after three overs.But there was a stumble as both openers fell in the space of four balls as the score slipped to 34 for two in the sixth over. Wyatt was stumped for 13 by Threlkeld sweeping at ex-World Cup-winning spinner Alex Hartley before Cross had Adams caught at cover for 17.Another left-arm spinner, Hannah Jones, had Maia Bouchier caught and bowled before Threlkeld superbly stumped Kemp stood up to Laura Jackson’s seam as the score fell to 75 for four after 13 overs.But the presence of Elwiss ensured they were only minor blips, hitting five fours in her match-clinching innings.

Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders will contest the tournament hosted by St Kitts, which is set to begin on August 30

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2022The three teams for a Women’s Caribbean Premier League, set to run concurrently with the men’s CPL, have been drafted. Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders will be captained by Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin respectively.The teams were drafted from a pool of players put together by Cricket West Indies, with 33 cricketers picked. The remaining three players in each 14-woman squad will be drafted in as overseas players. The tournament will begin on August 30, with St Kitts to host the entire tournament. The overseas players are to be announced in due course.The squads for the three Women’s Caribbean Premier League teams have been announced•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“With Matthews and Taylor rated in the top 10 T20 allrounders in the world and Dottin one of the most destructive batters in the women’s game, all three players have shown their quality for the West Indies and in domestic competitions around the globe, a CPL press release said.Ricky Skerritt, Cricket West Indies President, said: “This inaugural Women’s version of the CPL represents a huge upward step for West Indies cricket. I am grateful to all those in CPL and CWI who made it happen, especially the three pioneering franchises who have so willingly got on board.”A WCPL had been in the works, with the league officially announced by Skerritt in March. England, Australia and New Zealand have all played host to women’s T20 leagues with the same number of teams as the men’s tournaments. India has hosted four editions of the Women’s T20 Challenge alongside the IPL, and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has assured that a full-fledged Women’s IPL will be launched soon.Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s CEO, said: “A Women’s CPL is the next logical step as we grow the brand, and we are very pleased that we have been able to make this a reality in 2022. We are grateful to the CWI, the Barbados Royals, the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Trinbago Knight Riders for working with us on this ground breaking tournament and we look forward to showcasing the tremendous skills of all these talented players.”

The first 14 matches of the tournament will take place in Colombo before the action moves to Hambantota on August 13

Madushka Balasuriya12-Jul-2022Reigning champions Jaffna Kings will take on Galle Gladiators in the curtain raiser for the third edition of the LPL, set to begin on August 1 in Colombo. The final will take place on August 21 in Hambantota.SLC, in a media release, revealed that the first 14 matches – a majority of the first round games – would take place at the RPICS, Colombo before the action moves to Hambantota on August 13 for the last set of first-round games, as well as the eliminator, qualifiers and final.”In total, 24 matches will be played during the tournament, with 20 first-round games, and 4 final round games, including the finals,” SLC said.Barring the days for second qualifier and the final, each match day will see two games take place, with day matches beginning at 3pm and night games at 7.30pm local time.Like previous seasons, this year will see five teams compete – Jaffna Kings, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Giants, Colombo Stars and Kandy Falcons. Kings won the two previous editions of the tournament, with Gladiators runners-up in both finals.Much like the first two seasons, this year has also seen a refresh among the foreign players set to compete, however the LPL player draft held last week shook up several of the squads in terms of local talent, with high-profile names such Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjaya de Silva and Bhanuka Rajapaksa moving franchises.This year’s LPL comes amidst a packed schedule for Sri Lanka’s cricketers, as it immediately follows the home series against Australia and Pakistan – the second Test against Pakistan is set to end on 28 July – and will precede the Asia Cup set to be hosted in Sri Lanka in September. All of this will lead to the T20 World Cup the following month in Australia.

Brunt was also mum on international future, saying she needs ‘to reflect on that bit and see where I’m at’

Valkerie Baynes07-Aug-2022A tearful Katherine Brunt exited the Commonwealth Games without a medal to show for what had been – until their semi-final loss to India – an excellent tournament for England… and without knowing whether she will play international cricket again.Brunt, England’s 37-year-old seamer, had seen this event as her “one and only shot” at standing on a Games medal podium, but when India ended their hopes of contesting the gold-medal match, it seemed the host nation never recovered and they were thrashed by New Zealand in the bronze-medal playoff.Brunt had also said in the lead-up to the Games in Birmingham that she would see how she felt after the tournament before deciding whether to call time on her international career or play on to next year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.Speaking immediately after Sunday’s loss to New Zealand at Edgbaston, tears rolling down her cheeks and her voice wavering, the emotions were too raw for Brunt to make any announcement on her future.Related

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“I don’t know,” Brunt said when asked if she had played her last game for England. “I need to reflect.”I’ve got to get up in two days and play the Hundred, which is savage, but that’s life, that’s sport, and I will. But yeah, I need to reflect on that bit and see where I’m at, what my next goal is.”Brunt described Sunday’s defeat, built on an excellent all-round bowling performance from New Zealand – led by Hayley Jensen and 18-year-old Fran Jonas – and an unbeaten half-century from captain Sophie Devine as one of the toughest of her career, which has been going for as long as Jonas has been alive.”Everything is heightened when you get to the end of your career,” Brunt said. “Everyone will experience it. Things seem to mean a bit more, other things seem to slip away a little bit further. As long as I can hold my head up high and know I gave it everything I’ve got.”Despite her vast experience – perhaps because of it – England’s Commonwealth Games campaign on home soil meant a huge amount to Brunt, who said the team wanted to win a medal for the host nation.”It felt like a lot,” she said. “You’re doing it for your country. Normally, playing international cricket, I play for England, it shouldn’t be any different but it did feel different. It felt like the actual whole country was behind us and we’re just sad we let them down.”We couldn’t quite do it. On a personal level, it was my one and only shot at that so obviously I’m taking it quite bad. I’m exhausted. I’ve given it everything I’ve got and I can live with that.”England fielded a side featuring two 17-year-olds in Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp plus 20-year-old Issy Wong and all three newcomers performed admirably. In fact, England enjoyed a strong campaign despite losing captain Heather Knight to a hip injury before the start.They went undefeated through the group stage, including a thumping seven-wicket win with 50 balls remaining against New Zealand, before the latter turned the tables to win by eight wickets with 49 balls to spare when the bronze medal was on the line.Heather Knight consoles Katherine Brunt after the defeat•Getty Images

But it was England’s semi-final defeat on Saturday to India, who were set to play Australia for the gold medal later on Sunday, that did the damage. That match was even more fraught for Brunt, who received an official reprimand and one demerit point for using an audible obscenity when she had a catch dropped off Deepti Sharma.Brunt admitted that England found it hard to recover from that defeat while conceding that New Zealand wouldn’t have had it easy trying to overcome their semi-final loss to Australia.As it happened, New Zealand were able to set aside their disappointment overnight and focus on the bronze medal as a major prize, rather than a consolation without feeling any pressure as hosts or title contenders.”We’re all gutted,” Brunt said. “We’re a lot better than that. Obviously we had a big knock with Heather – a huge head on her shoulders, loads of experience and plenty of runs in the bank. We took a big hit, but we tried our best for her and thought we’d done enough but that game against India was brutal, and in the end, they deserved it.”We’ve got lots of youth in our team and they won’t have been in games like that, against India or against New Zealand, and they won’t have experienced bowling or battling against the best players in the world. So there’s plenty of learnings to take from yesterday and today for them to grow and move forward.”

His 5 for 49 helps skittle SA for 118 and underlines hard work to re-establish himself in England XI

Vithushan Ehantharajah10-Sep-2022On the day cricket took the sporting lead at the Kia Oval in paying respects to Queen Elizabeth II and honouring the new King Charles III, it was Ollie Robinson who led England some way to victory in this match and the series.On day three of the third Test, the first of any play after Thursday’s rain and Friday’s cancellation out of respect for the passing of the Queen, Robinson’s 5 for 49 helped skittle South Africa for 118 in their first innings. A total that meant even with the host’s own missteps towards the end of Saturday, they lead by 36 with three wickets still in hand.A recall in the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford at the expense of the impressive Matthew Potts represented a new chapter for Robinson, putting injury and general fitness issues behind him to take five in the match (1 for 48 and 4 for 43) as England levelled with an innings-and-85-run win. These five in the space of 14 overs, which not only are new a career-best but put him one away from 50 victims in the format in just his 11th appearance, reinforced the faith shown in him by captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum and underlined the hard work he has put in to re-establish himself in the XI.The accuracy and ability to manipulate the ball to outfox even the most seasoned pros – like when he took Dean Elgar’s off stump for a walk in the second over of the match – is now reinforced by a bit of extra pace and stamina. According to CricViz, his averaged speed this season, admittedly only three innings long so far, is 82.9mph – the highest across the three he has played so far. Summer 2021 (80.9mph) and the 2021-22 winter in Australia (79.2mph) being the others.Related

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• New bowler, new ball: Fitter, more focused Ollie Robinson shows he's worthy of key promotion

It is an improvement he recognises full well, particularly how he stacks up in later spells, not that they were needed with just 36.2 overs required to dismiss the Proteas first-up. Nevertheless, an initial eight-over spell of 4 for 21 was relentless throughout.”I don’t feel like too much is different,” said Robinson in his post-match press conference. “[I’m] still focusing on the same things – accuracy, bounce, bit of movement. The things we’ve noticed a little bit more is later on in the day, my pace has stayed more level compared to what it was maybe 12 months ago, which is something I’ve really worked on in the last three or four months. Those second, third and fourth spells, there’s a bit more intensity to them than maybe there was before.”He cedes conditions were tailor-made for his style. Stokes’ victory at the toss two days ago was more relevant with just as much cloud cover but not as much precipitation, with just the one delay for rain which did not last long enough to lose overs.”With the weather around, the wicket being under the covers for three days, it did feel like one of the bowlers was going to get a bagful,” said Robinson, who currently boasts an average of 19.79. “Fortunately it was me and it’s put the team in a great position going forward.”There was also an admission that he wasn’t quite at his most comfortable. Operating with the new ball from the Pavilion End while James Anderson (1 for 16) opened up from the Vauxhall End, he had trouble with his approach.”I actually didn’t feel that great. My run-up was all over the place, couldn’t find a rhythm, I was just trying to focus on smashing out the length, really. I felt better at Old Trafford, obviously didn’t get the rewards, but it’s not the best I’ve felt.”Nevertheless, Robinson’s exploits capped what the England and Wales Cricket Board might regard as their most successful days, on and off the pitch, for some time. The decision to continue with the match was not taken lightly, the need to lead the way with the public mourning and celebrating a change in monarchy as much of an honour as it was a huge responsibility. From the moment of silence, the sombre adornings around the ground, to the singing of “God Save The King”, it was expertly done. The players, at the centre of it all, were appreciative of the opportunity to pay their respects.”It felt special, said Robinson. “It felt like a really special morning to be a part of. To share our respects in the way we did was a huge honour for us and the silence that we experienced walking down those steps is something none of us have ever experienced. It just shows the respect and honour that we have for the last few days.”The message was pretty clear from Ben: just go out there, be positive and try and force a result, play brave cricket, and I think we did that here.”

The Australian captain stepped away after the Commonwealth Games earlier this year

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2022Australia captain Meg Lanning will miss the WBBL with Melbourne Stars as she continues her indefinite break from the game.Lanning stepped away following Australia’s Commonwealth Games gold-medal success in Birmingham and it remains unclear when, or if, she will return.”The club respects her decision and asks that her privacy continue to be respected,” a Stars statement said.Stars will need to find a new captain for their WBBL campaign which starts on October 15 against Brisbane Heat. Earlier this year Lanning had handed over the captaincy of Victoria to Sophie Molineux.With Lanning now ruled out of the WBBL it also increases the prospects of Australia needing a new captain for their tour of India in mid-December.When Shelley Nitschke was confirmed as the new permanent head coach last week she said that conversations about Lanning’s future had not yet taken place.”When the time is right we’ll have those conversations about whether she is back in December or whenever it might be,” she said.Previous vice-captain Rachael Haynes has retired from international and state cricket which means a new leadership team may need to come together but Nitschke was confident in the potential of the squad.”There are a good group of emerging leaders in our team that are going to have opportunities to stick their hands up,” Nitschke said. “We don’t have a designated leadership group but there are people amongst the team and group that are leaders on and off the field. Some girls lead in their states. They all have different strengths.”Lanning was named Australian captain when she was 21 and over the last few years has led the team to unprecedented success with the T20 and ODI World Cup titles, Commonwealth Games gold and multiple Ashes victories. She has also maintained her form as one of the leading batters in the world, averaging 53.53 in ODIs and 36.48 in T20Is.