England opener Crawley to miss Sri Lanka series with broken finger

In this file photograph, taken on March 7, 2024, England’s Zak Crawley plays shot during the fifth Test match between India and England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, India. (AFP/File)
Short Url
Updated 04 August 2024
Follow

England opener Crawley to miss Sri Lanka series with broken finger

  • The 26-year-old will switch his attention to being fit for England’s tour of Pakistan in October this year
  • Uncapped seamer Dillon Pennington joins Crawley on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury

LONDON: England opener Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka due to a broken finger.
Crawley has been ruled out after he fractured the little finger on his right hand while attempting to take a catch during the recent third Test victory over the West Indies.
The 26-year-old will switch his attention to being fit for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.
With Crawley sidelined, Dan Lawrence is set to open alongside Ben Duckett.
Lawrence has been included in several England squads but has not played a Test since 2022.
The 27-year-old moved from Essex to Surrey over the winter and has made an impressive start to the County Championship season, averaging 53.09 at a strike rate of 74.68 with two centuries and three fifties.
England made a number of changes to their side ahead of the West Indies series, handing Test debuts to Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith, and there is now a first call-up for Essex batsman Jordan Cox.
The 23-year-old has been involved in the England set-up previously after joining the white-ball tour of Pakistan in 2022 and will be looking to make his international bow against Sri Lanka.
Uncapped seamer Dillon Pennington, who was in the squad for the 3-0 series win over the West Indies, joins Crawley on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
Pennington is likely to be sidelined for the rest of the English summer.
Nottinghamshire seam bowler Olly Stone returns to the Test squad for the first time since 2021 and will be hoping to add to his three Test caps.
The first Test against Sri Lanka starts at Old Trafford on August 21, with the second match at Lord’s and the third at The Oval.
England squad for Sri Lanka Test series:
Ben Stokes (capt), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood


New Zealand basks in ‘golden 48 hours’ after sporting triumphs

Updated 21 October 2024
Follow

New Zealand basks in ‘golden 48 hours’ after sporting triumphs

  • Stuff: It was a weekend that kept giving, one that will go down as one of the greats
  • An outstanding all-round performance by Amelia Kerr led the country to their historic first Women’s T20 World Cup crown as they beat South Africa by 32 runs in Dubai

WELLINGTON: New Zealand hailed one of the country’s finest weekends in its sporting history Monday after the triple success of winning the Women’s T20 World Cup, a rare Test triumph in India and America’s Cup sailing glory.

“It was a weekend that kept giving, one that will go down as one of the greats,” the news website Stuff said.

“And the All Blacks weren’t even in action.”

First, the crew of Emirates Team New Zealand completed a commanding 7-2 victory over Ineos Britannia on Saturday to retain the America’s Cup.

The dominant Kiwis lifted the world’s oldest international sporting trophy for the third consecutive time after beating their British opponents by 37 seconds in the ninth race off Barcelona to end the best-of-13 series.

On Sunday, New Zealand crushed the mighty India by eight wickets in Bengaluru to record their first Test cricket win on Indian soil for 36 years.

Later the same day an outstanding all-round performance by Amelia Kerr led the country to their historic first Women’s T20 World Cup crown as they beat South Africa by 32 runs in Dubai.

Throw in a ruthless 64-50 victory over world champions Australia in Wellington in netball, and it had many in New Zealand debating whether the country had ever known a weekend like it.

“The best weekend for NZ sport ever?” asked Radio New Zealand.

Jesse Mulligan, a presenter on RNZ, said: “It’s been a golden 48 hours for New Zealand sport.”

New Zealand Herald reporter Bonnie Jansen said: “On a weekend when no All Blacks, Warriors (rugby league) or the Olympic Games were in sight, other Kiwi athletes absolutely dominated on their world stages.”

The Herald ran a poll on its website asking readers which was their highlight, also throwing in Auckland FC’s win on their debut in the A-League and Liam Lawson’s ninth-placed finish in the Formula One in Austin, Texas.

The T20 World Cup win came out top with 33 percent of the vote, followed by the America’s Cup and then the Test victory in India


‘Once in a lifetime’ Kerr leads New Zealand to Women’s T20 World Cup triumph

Updated 21 October 2024
Follow

‘Once in a lifetime’ Kerr leads New Zealand to Women’s T20 World Cup triumph

  • New Zealand captain Sophie Devine: We all know she is a once in a generation player
  • The win came 14 years after the White Ferns lost to Australia by just three runs in the 2010 final
  • They also lost to England in the 2009 championship match

DUBAI: New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr reached new heights with a superb performance with bat and ball that led her team to their first ever Women’s T20 World Cup title as they beat South Africa by a commanding 32 runs in Sunday’s final in Dubai.

Kerr, who was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament, top-scored with 43 as New Zealand posted an imposing 158-5 in their 20 overs.

The 24-year-old from Wellington then took 3-24, crucially picking up the key wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, to restrict South Africa to 126-9 in their 20 overs.

“We all know she is a once in a generation player,” said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.

“What she was able to do tonight was incredible. Physically to do what she did with the bat, I think she can’t feel her legs.

“She is not a bad cricketer but the person that she is, the world is her oyster.”

Victory marked a sweet finish to Devine’s own career.

The win came 14 years after the White Ferns lost to Australia by just three runs in the 2010 final. They also lost to England in the 2009 championship match.

It also marks a remarkable change of form as they had lost 10 T20Is coming into the tournament. They had won just five of their previous 22 before their eye-catching win over India in their opening game.

“I started to dream last night about what it feels to hold the trophy with this team,” said Devine.

“The great thing about this group is we know what we have been trying to achieve in the last 15, 18, 24 months.

“We kept taking steps in right directions, you want momentum and we came to the World Cup on the back of 10 successive losses. But everyone starts on zero.”

For South Africa, who demolished six-time winners Australia in the semifinal, it made for a double disappointment having lost last year’s final to the Aussies in Cape Town.

“Our focus was just to reset, not get too ahead of ourselves,” said skipper Wolvaardt.

“We knew that we still had a really quality opponent in New Zealand to go and yeah, we just didn’t play our best cricket tonight.”

After being put in to bat, the New Zealand openers began aggressively with Suzie Bates, playing in her 334th international, making a rapid 32.

When Devine was leg before to Nadine de Klerk on review, the innings appeared to be faltering but the arrival of Brooke Halliday lifted the tempo as she added 57 in seven overs with Kerr for the fourth wicket.

Halliday hit three boundaries in her 38 but was dismissed when she picked out Bosch on the midwicket boundary.

Kerr slammed back-to-back boundaries off Mlaba before finding Tazmin Brits to fall for 43 from 38 balls.

Maddy Green, however, maintained the momentum with 12 off six balls including the only six of the innings.

Wolvaardt (33) and Brits (17) got South Africa off to a roaring start bringing up the 50 in the seventh over before three wickets fell in quick succssion.

Brits was caught by Green at long-on before Kerr in her second over removed both of South Africa’s main batters, Wolvaardt for 33 and Bosch, who had played so well in the win over Australia

South Africa had slumped to 64-3 and New Zealand were in command.

With the required run rate rising, South Africa’s middle and lower order, who have barely batted in this tournament, struggled to get going with wickets tumbling at regular intervals.

Kerr took a catch to remove Nadine de Klerk and then claimed a third wicket when Bates, arguably the outstanding fielder at the tournament, took her third catch of the innings to remove Annerie Dercksen. Kerr finished with a tournament-leading 15 wickets.

Fast bowler Rosemary Mair made her presence felt with 3-25 as the tail folded.

The last pair held out for the final over but could not prevent New Zealand from celebrating their first title.

Victory completed a memorable day for New Zealand cricket after the men’s team clinched a first Test win in India for 36 years earlier Sunday.


South Africa reach final and end Australia’s title defense at Women’s T20 World Cup

Updated 18 October 2024
Follow

South Africa reach final and end Australia’s title defense at Women’s T20 World Cup

  • Anneke Bosch led the way with 74 not out off 48 balls, including eight fours and a six, as the Proteas finished with 135-2 in 17.2 overs
  • Having beaten Australia for the first time in this tournament’s history, South Africa now await the winner of the second semifinal between West Indies and New Zealand in Sharjah on Friday

DUBAI: South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semifinal of the Women’s T20 World Cup on Thursday, winning by eight wickets to reach their second straight final.

In a reversal from the 2023 final at Cape Town, South Africa chased down Australia’s 134-5 with 16 balls to spare. Six-time champions Australia had won three straight titles.

Anneke Bosch led the way with 74 not out off 48 balls, including eight fours and a six, as the Proteas finished with 135-2 in 17.2 overs.

She had support from skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who set the early pace with three fours and a six in scoring 42 off 37 balls.

Having beaten Australia for the first time in this tournament’s history, South Africa now await the winner of the second semifinal between West Indies and New Zealand in Sharjah on Friday.

The final will be played in Dubai on Sunday.

It ended Australia’s 15-match winning run in the tournament. Since 2009, it is only the second time in nine Women’s T20 World Cups that the six-time champions failed to make the final.

“It’s gonna be pretty hard to take. We just didn’t really show up tonight, and can’t afford to do that in tournaments like this,” Australia’s stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath said.

McGrath was skipper in the place of Australia’s star player and regular captain, Alyssa Healy, who suffered a foot injury earlier in the tournament.

South Africa had opted to bowl and made two vital early breakthroughs.

Opener Grace Harris was out caught for three off Ayabonga Khaka, while Georgia Wareham was caught off Marizanne Kapp for five runs.

Australia was down to 18-2 in the third over, but rescued by a 50-run partnership between Beth Mooney and McGrath.

Mooney top-scored with 44 off 42 balls, hitting two fours, and looked set to shepherd the innings to a competitive total.

Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba got the breakthrough — she dismissed McGrath in the 13th over for 27 off 33 balls.

The turning point came in the 17th over — Kapp ran out Mooney. Ellyze Perry scored 31 off 23 balls to take them past 100. But Australia failed to gather sufficient momentum in the final overs.

Annabel Sutherland provided the early wicket in the chase — she bowled Tazmin Brits for 15.

But Wolvaardt and Bosch seized initiative to put on 96 off 65 balls for the second wicket — South Africa’s highest partnership for any wicket against Australia in T20s.

Bosch brought up her 50 off 31 balls, and went on to score the tournament’s highest individual score.

Sutherland did get the breakthrough in the 15th over, but it was too little too late for the outgoing champions, who were thoroughly outplayed on the night.

Bosch was named player of the match for her unbeaten knock.

“My heart is racing. It was tough out there and I am just glad we got past the finish line. We knew we are capable and had a good tournament coming into this game. To restrict them under 140 tonight was outstanding,” she said.


Gulf Giants crowned DP World ILT20 champions

Updated 17 October 2024
Follow

Gulf Giants crowned DP World ILT20 champions

  • Shival Bawa’s unbeaten 63 steers team to a six-wicket victory against the ILT20 Pearls

DUBAI: The Gulf Giants were crowned champions of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024 on Wednesday following a six-wicket victory against the ILT20 Pearls at ICC Academy Oval 1.

The Giants’ run chase was buoyed by Shival Bawa’s dazzling half-century and vital contributions from Vriitya Arvind, Hameed Khan and Muhammad Saghir Khan. 

Yassir Kaleem’s half century helped the Pearls post 185/5 earlier in the day, with Rohan Mustafa also registering a comprehensive performance with bat and ball for the Pearls that went in vain. 

Notably, the competition offers UAE players a chance to earn one of 12 coveted berths in the six DP World ILT20 Season 3 squads, with the all-important draft set for October 23.

The Giants’ run chase faltered to 20/2 with Mustafa picking up the wickets of Muhammad Irfan and Samal Udawantha. Giants’ captain Arvind was joined by Bawa as the pair notched up an essential partnership of 80 runs.

While Arvind was scalped by Uzair Khan for 34 runs, Bawa remained unbeaten to steer the Giants home with 63 runs to his name. His 48-ball knock comprised five fours and three sixes.

Hameed Khan also contributed a swift knock of 27 runs in 13 balls before he was castled by Mustafa in the 16th over. Bawa was then aided by Muhammad Saghir Khan’s high-impact innings of 33 runs in 11 balls, as the Giants chased down the target in 19 overs. 

Earlier in the day, the ILT20 Pearls had an explosive opening push, with Alishan Sharafu’s rapid-fire knock of 35 runs in 15 balls, including four sixes and two fours. At the other end, Mustafa played the anchor’s role with 33 runs in 37 balls. The opening pair had put on 54 runs before Sharafu was dismissed by Irfan in the fifth over. Irfan would also account for Asif Khan, who only managed one run.

Kaleem remained unbeaten to emerge as the top scorer for the Pearls, smashing seven sixes on his way to 72 runs in 45 deliveries. 

Meanwhile, Aayan Azfal Khan picked up the wickets of Mustafa and Uzair Khan in the 14th over. Kamran Atta was the next man to depart as Muhammad Zuhaib’s sole wicket of the night. 

Shahrukh Ahmed joined Kaleem to script the finish for the Pearls with a cavalier knock of 24 runs in only 15 balls. The Pearls finished the innings at 185/5 in 20 overs. 

With the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024 completing a second edition, it continues to highlight some of the emerging talent from around the region. Raees Ahmed finished as the top scorer of the tournament, amassing 307 runs for the ILT20 Thunderbolts while Uzair Khan emerged as the leading wicket taker with 16 scalps for the Pearls.


Cricket’s expanding global impact showcased by records, rumors, revelations

Updated 17 October 2024
Follow

Cricket’s expanding global impact showcased by records, rumors, revelations

  • Highlights are 454-run fourth-wicket partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook for England against Pakistan, and shocks in women’s World Cup

Despite its low profile in Russia and China, cricket has grown to be a global sport. Sixty years ago, it was restricted to six major international teams, and now, in the past week, a series of events has emphasized its worldwide reach.

Test-match records have been broken in Pakistan, and the women’s T20 World Cup generated upsets at the close of the group stage. Alongside these events, reports are circulating that the Board of Control for Cricket in India is assessing the logistics of holding its forthcoming Indian Premier League auction in Saudi Arabia.

There are also rumors that the ICC Champions Trophy, due to be hosted in Pakistan in February 2025, may be shifted to another country, either partly or entirely. Almost unnoticed, regional qualification pathways for the men’s 2026 T20 World Cup are in progress.

Surely, the highlight of the week was the 454-run fourth-wicket partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook for England against Pakistan. It broke the previous English record which had stood for 67 years.

In 1957, at the end of the third day of the first Test in Birmingham, England were 102 for two in their second innings, 176 runs behind the West Indies, facing defeat. Imprinted on English minds was the memory of the last visit of the West Indies in 1950. Two spinners, Ramadhin and Valentine, were instrumental in the West Indies securing a 3-1 series victory, inducing calypso celebrations.

Ramadhin’s specter remained in 1957. In the first innings he claimed seven for 49, followed by the first two of the second innings. On day four, two of England’s finest, Peter May and Colin Cowdrey, blatantly attempted to nullify Ramadhin’s menace, using their pads as much as their bats. Despite repeated appeals for leg before wicket, not one was upheld by the umpires.

There was no decision review system in those days, no live television, no neutral umpires. Indeed, other than being one of the 65,000 people who attended the match, the only way to keep in touch with it was by radio. May and Cowdrey batted for 190 overs, Ramadhin bowled 98 overs in the innings and was a broken man for the experience.

A consequence of the May/Cowdrey tactic was that it became common practice to play spinners by thrusting the front pad forward in front of the bat. As long as there was a semblance of attempting to play a stroke, umpires did not rule in favor of leg-before-wicket appeals. It took until 1972 for the law to be amended.

Ramadhin did not spin the ball much but could turn it both ways. Crucially, half of his victims were clean-bowled, flummoxed by whether the ball would turn or not. It is staggering to think that not a single one of those balls which hit the pad would not have gone on to hit the stumps. Perhaps the umpires were equally flummoxed.

Notwithstanding this, May and Cowdrey’s feat was one of physical endurance, technical skill and immense concentration under pressure.

Although Brook and Root’s performance may have been on a flat, lifeless pitch against increasingly demoralized bowlers, the same applies to them, given the searing heat. Their partnership yielded 454 runs from 522 balls, typical of England’s current approach to Test cricket and much different to that of May and Cowdrey’s.

The requirement for concentration under pressure has seemed to be in short supply when it comes to catching ability in the current ICC women’s T20 World Cup. England dropped at least five catches, as the West Indies waltzed to victory and progressed to the semifinals.

Pakistan’s players were estimated to have dropped eight catches in their defeat by New Zealand. In the group stage, a total of 88 drops in 20 matches have been recorded. In the 2023 women’s World Cup in South Africa, there were 37 in 20 games. As yet, no one has been able to satisfactorily explain the reasons.

One factor may be the different lighting system at the Dubai International Stadium where, instead of the more common pylon towers, lights are built into the stadium’s round roof. Their lower positioning may make it more difficult to follow the trajectory of a white ball. Some research needs to be undertaken on this before the consequences can be known.

Despite producing the highest percentage of catches taken in the tournament, at 79 percent, India failed to make the semifinals. Their ground fielding, running between the wickets and inconsistent batting being their downfall. One consequence of this may be that the reign of 35-year-old team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, a veteran of nine T20 World Cups, could be over.

Apart from that decision, the BCCI has other ones to make, including the venue for the auction of players for the 2025 edition of the IPL. In 2024 it was held outside of India for the first time, Dubai being chosen. It is understood that other cities in the Gulf and Asia are being assessed, Riyadh and Jeddah amongst them. A key consideration is the availability of hotel accommodation sufficient to cope with the caravan of people involved. Cities with short supply may miss out.

The BCCI’s secretary, Jay Shah, will take up the post of ICC chair on Dec. 1. There are likely to be many consequences of this switch. It will be no surprise if changes occur to the location of the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to open in Pakistan on Feb. 19, 2025. It will be a blow for the country if its internal and external tensions lead to underuse of the infrastructure upgrades now underway at international stadiums.

One consequence of the ICC’s strategy to expand cricket’s global reach is the establishment of regional qualification pathways for World Cups. Four regions exist — Africa, Americas, Asia/East-Asia Pacific and Europe. Qualification events are already in progress, with the second African group set to open in Kenya on Oct. 19.

There may be no South America team in the Americas group but there was a surprise in the South American Men’s Championship T20I 2024, when Panama beat Brazil in the final on Oct. 13.

All these developments provide further evidence of cricket’s expanding global system.