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Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque will play for Bangladesh A in their first four-day match in Pakistan next month. The second-string side will play two four-day matches in total, apart from three one-day matches against Pakistan A. The games will run concurrently with the Bangladesh senior men’s Test tour of Pakistan, which begins on August 21.The entire series will be played in Islamabad, with the first four-dayer to be held from August 10. Apart from Mushfiqur and Mominul, the selectors have also picked Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Nayeem Hasan and Hasan Mahmud for the first game. Mushfiqur missed Bangladesh’s previous Test series against Sri Lanka due to a broken thumb, while Mominul, Joy, Zakir and Mahmud played in that series. Nayeem is also a Test specialist.These six players will be replaced for the second game from August 17. Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, Towhid Hridoy and Mohammad Saifuddin take their places.Shahadat Hossain, Mahidul Islam and Mosaddek Hossain are three other batters who have been picked for both four-day matches, meaning that they are unlikely to be in the Test side against Pakistan. Among the bowlers, left-arm spinners Hasan Murad and Tanvir Islam, and fast bowlers Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja and Ruyel Miah will play both games.This will be the first time that a Bangladesh A side will play first-class matches since the 2003-04 season, when they participated in the PCB Patron’s Trophy. Bangladesh A will depart for Islamabad on August 6.Bangladesh A team for first four-day game: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahidul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahBangladesh A team for second four-day game: Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Shahadat Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Jaker Ali, Towhid Hridoy, Mahidul Islam, Hasan Murad, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahBangladesh A team for one-day series: Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahidul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahTour scheduleAugust 10-13: First four-day matchAugust 17-20: Second four-day matchAugust 23, 25 and 27: Three one-day matches

Sussex 431 for 7 (Simpson 180*, Carter 96, McAndrew 51* Holland 3-60) vs Leicestershire Sussex captain John Simpson scored his third century of the season as he took control of a difficult situation against Leicestershire on the opening day of this second division county championship match at Hove.Leicestershire must be sick of the sight of Simpson, whose other two hundred came at Leicester, an unbeaten 205, and at his former home ground of Lord’s (167), so this was his first big score in front of his new supporters – and it was a crowd boosted by the club’s decision to grant spectators free admission.This time, coming in at 34 for 3, he scored a chanceless 180 not out in a Sussex total of 431 for 7, batting almost all day and hitting 29 fours from his 251 deliveries. But Oli Carter was arguably the real Sussex hero of the day. A gifted ball-striker but one whose keeping skills are not as good as Simpson’s, he lost his place in the side with the latter’s arrival, and this was his first appearance since the opening match of the season. He came in to open the batting for the injured Daniel Hughes and put on 156 with Simpson for the fourth wicket in just 34 overs. His 96 came off 142 balls, with 15 fours and a six off Scott Currie, flicked off his legs and onto the east-side scoreboard. He was caught and bowled by Currie attempting a hook that would have given him only his second fist-class century.When Leicestershire won the toss it looked a very good one to win. There was a pronounced green tinge to the pitch and the bright morning sunshine had given way to a heavy cloud cover, which lent humidity to the conditions.It should have been an even better start for the Foxes. Tom Haines had not scored when he edged the tall left-arm seamer Josh Hull only for Currie to spill the straightforward catch at third slip. But Holland, opening the bowling from the sea end, made up for that when he struck twice in four balls in the sixth over.First, he had Haines caught at second slip by Louis Kimber, moving sharply to his right. And the same combination accounted for Tom Alsop, with Kimber, on this occasion, taking a low catch. Holland bowled particularly well to the left-handers. Bowling round the wicket and wide of the crease, he slanted the ball into the stumps and then moved it away in the direction of his three slips.Sussex lost their third wicket at 34 when James Coles, dropped on four, added just five runs before he was caught down the leg-side to give Holland his third wicket. The Wisconsin-born Holland is one of county cricket’s more interesting players, having been given his first chance with Victoria, after winning a reality TV show in Australia. The all-rounder is on loan to Leicestershire from Hampshire.But Simpson, who promoted himself to No 5 in a rejigged batting order, then took charge with Carter. The lunch score was 84 for three after 29 overs but against some ragged bowling and shoddy fielding – four catches went down – Sussex, who are top of the table with three wins, ran amok in he afternoon session, when they scored 197 runs.Carter was fourth out at 190. Then Fynn Hudson-Prentice was brilliantly caught by Peter Handscomb at slip for a quick-fire 26 and when Danny Lamb was surprised by Currie’s bounce Leicestershire (third in the table after drawing all seven games) looked back in it at 260 for 6. But Jack Carson, dropped twice on the way to 25, and Nathan McAndrew (51 not out) helped put Sussex well on top at the close.

Cricket Australia officials will meet with Usman Khawaja this week and ask the opener to explain himself over criticism of the Perth pitch, as they weigh up whether to sanction him for labelling it a “piece of s***”.Khawaja raised eyebrows on Friday when he hit out at the surface for the first Test, just a day after the ICC handed it the highest possible rating of “very good”.Speaking at a fundraising lunch for the Usman Khawaja Foundation, he criticised the wicket’s variable bounce during Australia’s eight-wicket win.Related

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He also pointed to the fact 19 wickets were lost on day one this year against England, and 17 last year in the series opener between Australia and India.CA officials are believed to be disappointed by the remarks, and will speak with Khawaja in camp ahead of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.The Perth Test was the shortest in Australia in 93 years, and the second shortest of all time in the country, with just 847 balls bowled in the entire match.”Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit. That’s a great wicket, that seems real fair,” Khawaja said at the luncheon. “The same thing happened last year in the India Test. It’s just that day-one wicket, the ball just does not react.”Steve Smith’s by far the best cricketer I’ve ever played with and he’s missing the middle of his bat by a long way. He does not miss the middle of his bat, (yet) he’s getting hit in the elbow.”So day-one wicket at Perth is a piece of shit, I’m happy to say that. Has been last year, it was this year.”CA this week praised the wicket, with chief of cricket James Allsopp saying the ICC’s rating had justified head office’s view the pitch provided “a fair balance between bat and ball”.The rating also shone a light on England’s poor batting, which was labelled “brainless” by the likes of former England opener Geoffrey Boycott after they faced just 68.3 overs across two innings.But Khawaja was adamant the Perth pitch was still not good enough, with his main issue being variable bounce.”You can’t really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest. Sideways is little bit easier,” he said. But up and down, your hands can’t catch up. They do get better. Day two, day three and then day four, they start to crack up and cure again.”Whenever we play at Perth, it’s one of the few places we win the toss, bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe at the end of day two and into day three.”Khawaja’s talk with officials comes with pressure on his spot at the top of the order, with concerns over both his fitness and form in Perth.Back spasms meant he was unable to open for Australia in either innings in Perth, allowing for Travis Head to score a match-winning century in the fourth-innings chase.Khawaja is confident he will be fit to play in Brisbane, with his back having improved, while also insisting he had paid no attention to calls for him to be dropped from the side and Head moved up to open the batting.

Nottinghamshire have confirmed the return of Australia A seamer Fergus O’Neill for the first half of both the 2026 and 2027 seasons.O’Neill claimed 21 wickets at 17.90 in four matches at the start of the 2025 summer, helping set Nottinghamshire on their path to winning the County Championship. He had been expected to make a return and the club have now announced that he has signed a two-year deal.While O’Neill was only eligible for a short-term visa last season, limiting him to a four-week stint, changes to the UK’s visa rules to cover appearances in first-class cricket mean he will be available for the first block of Championship games from April through to June.It was O’Neill who purchased the “MOM” blazer that became a feature of Notts’ title win, and he will now be back to help with the defence.”I’m keen to come back and make sure our momentum keeps rolling,” O’Neill said. “Trent Bridge is a great place filled with great people, where I’ve had success.”With all the success I had, and we had as a team, it was a simple decision for me to sign on for not just one, but another two years. Success is what I play for, so for as long as I’m a part of Nottinghamshire, I’ll be putting my best foot forward for us to win another Championship title.”O’Neill has twice been picked for Australia A, including on their recent tour of India, and has started the Sheffield Shield season in good form, with 15 wickets at 21.80. He could come into contention for the Ashes, although is currently behind the likes of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser among back-up quicks.”Every now and then, you seem to sign a player who fits into the team perfectly, and Fergus was that man last year,” Nottinghamshire’s head coach, Peter Moores, said. “His impact on the field was clear for everyone to see, though it was his impact off it that also made a real difference.”His energy and excitement to play were infectious, as was belief in his own ability. That belied spread into everyone else in the team and was a real catalyst at the start of our season.”His ability to move the ball laterally and control line and length were perfect for English conditions, and it’s great news that the change in regulations will allow him to take on a fuller role next season.”We can’t wait to get him back to continue the promising start he has shown to his Notts career and to positively influence the defence of the title.”Notts have also secured the services of South Africa Test wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne for 2026. Verreynne, who has enjoyed productive spells at Notts in each of the past two seasons and hit the runs that secured the title, is expected to be available for a full summer of County Championship due to South Africa’s limited international commitments.

Stuart Broad has lit the fuse for a fiery summer, declaring Australia’s team is the worst they have rolled out for an Ashes series in 15 years.Almost six weeks out from the first Test in Perth, Broad joined the chorus of English voices talking up the tourists’ chances. In the past fortnight, Zak Crawley has claimed the term Bazball “winds” Australia up, while Joe Root has suggested this is his best chance to win Down Under.Former England captain Michael Atherton has suggested Australia are panicking with Pat Cummins’ injury, and Scott Boland no longer creates fear for the tourists.Related

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But amidst all the bravado coming out of England, Broad’s comments will grab the most attention, given he spent 15 years as Australia’s arch-nemesis before retiring after the 2023 Ashes.In the last 20 years, in home series Australia have swept England 5-0 in 2006-07 and 2013-14, as well as claiming 4-0 victories in 2017-18 and 2021-22.The 2010-11 summer is the only blemish on that home record over the past two decades, beaten 3-1 at a time when the Australian team was in a state of transition.Broad claimed the current Australian squad appeared to be in a similar state, having played in the 2010-11 series as well as England’s three series defeats in Australia since then.”It’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010,” Broad, who is now working as a pundit, said on his BBC Podcast hosted with Jos Buttler.”It’s actually not an opinion, it’s fact. So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”Broad’s comments came in response to David Warner claiming Australia would win 4-0, because they were playing for the Ashes while England are “playing for a moral victory”.Broad pointed to questions over the make up of Australia’s batting line-up. He also pointed to perceived lack of bowling depth, with Cummins having conceded he is unlikely to play in the first Test.Stuart Broad had a legendary Ashes career•Getty Images

“When have we ever, since 2010, been discussing who is going to bat No.1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and who is going to be the spare bowler for Australia,” Broad said. “You’re always go in there going: ‘well,the Aussies, they’re really strong. They’ve just got the same bowlers, the same team’.”But in 2010, when they were trying to replace [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne, [Matthew] Hayden, [Justin] Langer, they didn’t have a spinner. They changed the seamers all the time, and they had a bit of a mixed match of batters.”So I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s their weakest team since 2010.”Australian players have said England’s team is the best they have sent out in some time, with the high-octane pace duo of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer both fit.Questions do remain over how England will manage that pair, who have spent long stints on the sideline with injuries.Root also arrives as the No.1-ranked batter in the world, but he is yet to score a century or win a Test in Australia across three visits.Harry Brook headlines a list of younger England talents, after scoring 10 hundreds in his first 50 Test innings at a strike-rate of 87.52.

With 11 days to go for the World Cup, Pakistan and South Africa played out a high-scoring thriller in Lahore. There were three centuries: Tazmin Brits posted her career-best 171 not out, Laura Wolvaardt brought up her ninth ODI hundred, and Sidra Amin hit 122. After over 90 overs and a rain break, South Africa won the match and took a 2-0 unassailable lead in the series with a match to spare.Chasing a revised target of 313 in 46 overs due to rain, Pakistan lost their first three wickets for 101, with Omaima Sohail making a brisk 43 and laying a solid platform. From there, Amin and Natalia Pervaiz stitched a momentum-changing 146-run stand off just 111 deliveries to lift Pakistan to a strong position. When Amin was cleaned up by Chloe Tryon, attempting to slog to the midwicket region, Pakistan needed 66 from 49 balls, with Pervaiz batting on 55 off 46. However, South Africa struck again, thanks to Tryon, and that shifted the momentum in their favour.Pakistan lost captain Fatima Sana, Natalia Pervaiz (73 off 60), and Diana Baig in a span of just nine balls, as South Africa seized control late in the chase. The hosts eventually folded for 287 in 44.4 overs, losing their final seven wickets for just 40 runs. Nadine de Klerk led the bowling effort with 3 for 45.South Africa posted 292 for 3 after being asked to bat first, but were sloppy in the field. Sidra Amin, who went on to register her sixth ODI hundred, was dropped several times during her innings.Earlier, Brits and Wolvaardt got off to a steady start and converted it to a 260-run opening stand. Brits was the aggressor in the stand and reached her sixth ODI ton a few overs before rain interrupted play. After 41 overs, South Africa were 238 for no loss, with Wolvaardt unbeaten on 95. Once play resumed and the contest was reduced to 46 overs per side, Wolvaardt reached her ninth hundred in ODIs, and South Africa added 54 runs in the last five overs. Brits, who scored 101 not out in the series opener, remained unbeaten on Friday, scoring 20 fours and four sixes.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan urged fans to avoid a repeat of the ugly scenes that marred Pakistan and Afghanistan’s clash in Sharjah in 2022, saying that cricket brought “people and nations together”. Sharjah will host the opening game of the tri-series between the two sides.The end of the see-sawing game, which Pakistan won by one wicket in the final over, was followed by clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan supporters in the stands, leading to the PCB writing to the ICC in protest, with then-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja calling it “hooliganism”. Several Afghanistan fans were detained by the Sharjah police following the incident. However, no arrests were made.Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have politically soured further since. But this time around, there is heightened awareness about the potential for flashpoints. There are separate sections at the stadium for Pakistan and Afghanistan supporters, and greater alertness to nip potential crowd trouble in the bud.Related

• Afghanistan bring back former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as fielding coach

• Afghanistan pick 16 of 17 Asia Cup squad members for UAE tri-series

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It is, however, not the first time supporters of the sides will be separated in the general stands; that was also the case in 2023 when they played a bilateral series against each other. There are sizeable diaspora populations of both nations in the UAE, particularly Sharjah, and fixtures between the two sides have been historically well attended in the country.”[My] message to everyone who comes and watches the games in the stadium is that cricket brings unity,” Rashid said. “It brings people and nations together. It sends a peaceful message. This game is all about enjoyment. We play this game to enjoy ourselves and give entertainment to the crowd and the fans. It’s just a game of cricket. I ask people to come, enjoy themselves, support their respective teams and enjoy every moment of the game.”Rashid also believed the format, as well as the short nature of the tri-series, meant assigning a favourites tag to any side was difficult. “No team is favourite, especially in T20Is. You have to play good cricket. One or two players can totally change the game. Everyone will be trying to deliver their best performances.”Pakistan play back to back games, taking on UAE on Saturday following their contest against Afghanistan on Friday. The final, after two rounds of fixtures, is on 7 September.

Leicestershire built on a superb century from opener Sol Budinger to thrash neighbours Nottinghamshire by 124 runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Kibworth.Budinger, who started his career at Trent Bridge, made 102 from 80 balls as Leicestershire made 333 for 8 from their 50 overs. It was his second hundred in three visits to Kibworth, and this one included three sixes and 13 fours. He shared a third-wicket stand of 106 in 15 overs with Shan Masood (50), his assault on the Outlaws bowling ended only by a brilliant boundary catch by Joe Pockington.Peter Handscomb and Liam Trevaskis each scored 45 with 99 runs coming off the final 10 overs, the late-starter Pocklington (2 for 45) again impressing with his left-arm spin in his fourth match for the Outlaws at the age of 24.Jack Haynes hit 56 from 62 balls in the Notts reply but no other top-six batter made more than 23. Left-arm spinner Trevaskis took a career-best 5 for 52 as the Foxes made it two wins from three to keep themselves among the Group A front-runners.The Outlaws, meanwhile, suffered the indignity of two heavy defeats against East Midlands neighbours in the space of four days, having succumbed by 127 runs to Derbyshire on Sunday.Opting to make first use of what looked a good batting track, the Foxes lost Rishi Patel second ball, leg before to Brett Hutton after taking a boundary of the first delivery.But Budinger looked in great touch from the outset, receiving support from Ian Holland (32) as the first 10 overs yielded 58 for 1 before Holland was stumped off Liam Patterson-White. The Outlaws’ senior left-arm spinner was in for James Hayes after his release from Birmingham Phoenix.Liam Trevaskis took 5 for 52•Getty Images

Budinger pulled and drove Patterson-White for two of his sixes, adding a third with a superbly-timed pick-up off Lyndon James, the third taking him the left-hander to 95, a 75-ball century needing just two more deliveries.Having matched his score against Essex here two years ago, Budinger looked good for a few more but did not quite get hold of an attempt to clear the straight boundary off Rob Lord and Pocklington, sprinting round from wide mid-on, threw himself into a fine catch in front of the sightscreen.Leicestershire were quieter over the next 10 overs. Masood was caught at long-on and Ben Cox at deep square, but Handscomb, after a circumspect start, joined Trevaskis in injecting some momentum, each hitting maximums off Patterson-White before holing out. Ben Mike’s 13-ball 25, with cleanly-struck sixes off Hutton and Lord, took the total past 320.Nottinghamshire’s reply suffered an early setback when Ben Slater was given out caught behind in answer to bowler Chris Wright’s appeal, even though wicketkeeper Cox seemed disinclined to join in. The visitors were virtually level with the Foxes at 57 for 1 from 10 after Haynes and Haseeb Hameed had shared eight boundaries but the entry of Scriven into the attack snared Hameed with a superb first ball that had the Notts skipper caught behind.Haynes hit nine boundaries in reaching 50 from 51 balls but by the halfway point the Outlaws were not only slipping behind the required rate, they had lost four more wickets at 128 for 6.Freddie McCann fell to an impressive diving catch by Handscomb at midwicket to give Scriven a second wicket, Haynes was leg-before trying to sweep Trevaskis, who also had Tom Moores trapped in front playing across the line before Sam Seecharan was caught at square leg.James and Patterson-White added 46 but both were out in the same over by Trevaskis, leaving the Outlaws 174 for eight in the 32nd. The 18-year-old quick Alex Green picked up his 11th wicket of the competition when Pocklington skied to midwicket, before Trevaskis bowled Hutton to finish the job.