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While Ben Stokes keeps a low profile, the prospect of him returning to action in New Zealand has brought a mixed response

David Hopps29-Nov-20171:57

Woakes: Stokes’ trip to New Zealand was news to us

The Canterbury cricket board has held an emergency meeting in Christchurch as protests broke out about the prospect of Ben Stokes returning to action this weekend.Stokes did not attend the meeting, but kept a low profile with his family in Christchurch after his arrival on a Singapore Airlines flight to New Zealand attracted considerable media attention.After hugging his parents, Gerard and Deb, Stokes, stern faced, remained largely silent about the investigation by Avon and Somerset police into his part in a fracas outside a Bristol nightclub in late September.As he wheeled several large cricket bags out of the airport, he deadbatted questions by suggesting that he had arrived in New Zealand to see his parents and work on his golf swing.Canterbury’s coach, Gary Stead, has supported the idea of Stokes playing at the Mainpower Oval in Rangiora this weekend in a one-day Ford Trophy match against Otago.”I think if you get someone like that, then let’s do it,” Stead told an Australian radio station on Wednesday.But as howls of outrage carried from Australia across the Tasman Sea, it was clear that opposition to the idea was also building.Stokes meets his parents, Ged and Deb, at Christchurch airport•Getty Images

Peter Fulton, who retired from international cricket last year after 16 seasons with Canterbury, told stuff.co.nz: “”If he can’t play for [England], I would question whether he should be playing for Canterbury. It would depend on what his legal situation is really. He hasn’t been charged with anything.”Match practice would be a boon for Stokes, who was born in Christchurch and moved with his family to Cumbria at the age of 12. If police decided not to charge him, he could conceivably return to England’s side in time for the third Test in Perth.The ECB Board is poised to meet within 48 hours to consider any police decision and, if no charges resulted, they could take the view that any ban could be served retrospectively from the moment they withdrew him indefinitely from international cricket pending the police investigation.But the Canterbury situation is complicated by the actions of Ken McClure, a young Canterbury batsman, who withdrew from representative cricket on Friday after he pleaded guilty to a charge of injuring with reckless disregard.McClure assaulted a man in September on a pre-season trip for his Christchurch club side. He has been remanded for sentencing until January 19 and won’t play for Canterbury until that has been sorted by the courts.
Unlike McClure, Stokes has not been charged, but parallels were being drawn.The comments from Canterbury’s chief executive Jez Curwin have received particular attention. “We expect a certain level of behaviour on and off the pitch from everyone that represents us,” Curwin said earlier this week.
Fulton concluded: “From a cricketing point of view, it makes all the sense in the world, but from the other point of view, it gets a little bit more complicated.”

Roston Chase (injury) and Fabian Allen (personal reasons) were unavailable, while Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd were left out

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2022Following his return to West Indies’ T20I squad last month, Shimron Hetmyer is back in their ODI set-up too. The middle-order batter has been named in a 14-man squad for the three-match ODI leg of the ongoing home series against New Zealand.Hetmyer returned to West Indies colours for the first time since November 2021 – he had been excluded mostly on fitness grounds in the interim – for the T20I series against India and New Zealand. He is now in line to play his first ODI since July 2021.The squad includes one new face in the Guyanese offspin-bowling allrounder Kevin Sinclair, who has played six T20Is but is yet to make his ODI debut.”As we stated before, we are looking to broaden the pool of players, and we have decided to give Sinclair an opportunity in the CG United ODI Series against New Zealand,” lead selector Desmond Haynes said. “He has been in the system for a while and was also in the ‘A Team’ to play against Bangladesh ‘A’ in the upcoming series. We believe with his calm approach and skills he will do well in the matches against New Zealand.”Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, whose participation in the ODI series against India last month was cut short by a finger injury, has been included in the squad subject to clearing a fitness test.Legspinner Hayden Walsh, who replaced Motie during the series against India, has been left out. Also out of the squad are the hard-hitting middle-order batter Rovman Powell, and the seam-bowling allrounder Romario Shepherd.Shepherd, who was left out of the third T20I against India following expensive outings in the first two – and his bowling in the death overs – has been a concern for West Indies of late. Of all bowlers to have sent down at least 60 balls in the last ten overs of ODI innings this year, Shepherd has the worst economy rate with 10.28, with New Zealand’s Blair Tickner (9.09) quite a way behind in second place.Spin-bowling allrounders Roston Chase (injury) and Fabian Allen (personal reasons) were unavailable for selection.The first ODI against New Zealand takes place on August 17, followed by matches on August 19 and 21. All three games will be played in Bridgetown.West Indies squad: Nicholas Pooran (capt), Shai Hope (vice-capt), Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie (subject to fitness), Keemo Paul, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair

Alex Hales smashed the highest score in a one-day final at Lord’s as Nottinghamshire successfully hunted down a target of 298 to leave Surrey defeated at the last for the third successive year in the Royal London Cup

Alan Gardner at Lord's01-Jul-2017
ScorecardAlex Hales’ 187 not out was the highest-ever List A score at Lord’s•Getty Images

Alex Hales smashed the highest score in a one-day final at Lord’s as Nottinghamshire successfully hunted down a target of 298 to leave Surrey defeated at the last for the third successive year in the Royal London Cup. Hales’ extraordinary innings of 187 not out accounted for 63% of his side’s runs, eclipsing an accomplished, unbeaten 144 from Surrey’s Mark Stoneman earlier in the day, as well as Geoffrey Boycott’s previous mark of 146, made during the 1965 Gillette Cup final.Boycott’s innings for Yorkshire came in a 60-over innings, just two years after the advent of one-day county cricket. While he might bridle at the suggestion it should have been surpassed before now, Boycott would surely approve of his record being taken by a player of Hales’ calibre in limited-overs cricket, a man already in possession of the highest ODI and T20 scores for his country.”Incredible, one of the best days I’ve had in cricket,” Hales said. “The game went from one side to the other, they were on top to start with, we fought back really well with the ball, they took wickets early on and then we fought back as well, so it’s a great feeling to win the trophy.”As remarkable as the scale of Hales’ contribution was the ease with which he – and Stoneman – batted on a surface that was never quite as true as it appeared. Chris Read’s bustling 58 was the third-highest score in the match, as the Nottinghamshire captain, who retires at the end of the season, kept Hales company in a stand of 137 that lifted them from a troubled 150 for 5 to the brink of comparatively comfortable victory in the afternoon sunshine.Hales finished with the highest List A score ever made at Lord’s and the highest for Notts as the county claimed their second limited-overs title in four years. Read, who lifted YB40 trophy here in 2013, will play in an exhibition match at Lord’s for MCC against Afghanistan next week but could not have wished for a better finish on his last visit with Notts.Surrey’s 297 for 9 was the most substantial score in a one-day final since Durham made 312 for 5 ten years ago, but the fact it did not feel out of reach was reflective of the new realities of the game in England. Having chased 371 to beat Essex in their semi-final – after scoring 429 for 9 at Taunton a few days earlier – Notts were unlikely to be intimidated. Only Warwickshire, who hauled in a target of 322 over the course of 60 overs in 1993, had successfully chased more in the final of a one-day cup.Hales certainly wasn’t backwards in coming forwards during a majestic innings of controlled aggression, replete with crunching drives and scything pulls. He was dropped on 9, a rasping shot off Sam Curran that burst through the hands of Ollie Pope at cover, but quickly progressed to a 35-ball fifty – by which time he had lost opening partner Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels lbw for single-figure scores – and then his century from 83.He had amassed 82 out of Notts’ first 100 and 144 out of 200 and was still contributing two-thirds of the total by the time Read provided a belated support act. Hales peppered the boundary with 20 fours and four sixes – no other batsman managed to clear the ropes – and when he raised his 150, from 120 balls, Surrey could sense the game had gone for the third year running. Such was the power of his mojo, had it come a week earlier, Hales might have ended the day headlining the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.”I definitely wanted to attack the Powerplay, I thought they batted really well in it, looked like you got good value for decent cricket shots on a quick outfield,” he said. “That was my plan, obviously losing a few wickets meant you had to alter that a little bit but the way Ready played – we had our backs against the wall, to come out and score at a run a ball, when they had their tails up in the field and with the ball was a great effort. So, a special win.Told he had passed Boycott for the record in a final, he dissolved into giggles: “In a one-day game? That’s surprising… I didn’t know that but any chance you get to set a record is amazing.”While Hales motored smoothly, the throttle coughed and spluttered at the other end. Samit Patel, in such purple form going into the game, hooked Ravi Rampaul wastefully to fine leg before Jade Dernbach had Brendan Taylor caught behind. Hales just needed someone to hang around but Steven Mullaney, who had earlier delivered a pivotal spell of 9-0-50-2, became the fifth wicket to fall when Sam Curran won another lbw decision.This was the first Royal London final to be played in July, although the slightly grey start to the day and a middling crowd initially made it seem much like the faded September showpiece of recent seasons. Despite a firm surface and a magnificent effort from Stoneman, who had to rein himself in as wickets fell around him, Surrey were still somehow undone by a combination of spin and medium-pace nibble in the fashion of so many sides batting first at Lord’s on slow, late-summer pitches.Stoneman, overlooked by England when the Test squad was announced in the morning, was like Hales given a life when, on 32, an uppish drive presented Mullaney with a simple catch in the covers, only for the ball to squirm free. Notts had already seen Jason Roy dropped off the first ball of the match, a shocker from Wessels at slip, and Surrey, having chosen to bat after Gareth Batty again won the toss, must have hoped their luck in Lord’s finals had turned. Notts’ fielding remained somewhat ragged throughout, though it was Pope who would have most cause to regret his lapse.After an opening stand of 83 in 11 overs had given Surrey an excellent platform, Patel struck with his first delivery; Mullaney this time accepted the opportunity with alacrity, Roy getting a leading edge to cover as the ball gripped a little.That brought in Kumar Sangakkara, author of two Royal London hundreds this season (plus six more in the Championship). “If Sanga doesn’t come off, we’re stuffed,” opined one Surrey supporter on the way down Wellington Road before the game. Successive defeats in the final of this competition in 2015 and 2016 had clearly taken a psychological toll.Sangakkara began with his usual coiled intensity, walking into crisp forward defensives and nurdling singles before striking his first shot in anger from his 25th ball – a stroll down to flay Stuart Broad over mid-off’s outstretched arm for four. Two more boundaries followed in Broad’s next over, flicked to fine leg and then glided to third man with watch-maker’s precision, but then came the minor misjudgement that precipitated a major crisis for Surrey.Mullaney, who played a part in each of the first five wickets to fall, claimed the one every county bowler wants this season when he induced a thin nick to the keeper. Sangakkara’s 30 would turn out to be the second-highest contribution for Surrey, as they lost 4 for 39, Mullaney and Patel combining for an old-school knackering of a gleaming middle-order, full of young talent but unable to provide Stoneman with any substantial support. For Surrey, it was deja vu all over again.

Offspinner also talks about importance of getting rid of tailenders quickly in Test cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jun-2022The long spells in which ball after ball lands on the same spot. Flighting it up, keeping it on a string, putting work on the ball, over after over. In Australia, maybe, but on South Asian tracks, it’s about mixing it up a little, says Nathan Lyon. Here, it’s about “bowling ugly”.Lyon claimed 5 for 90 on day one, accounting for Sri Lanka’s best batters in Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews, before dismissing Niroshan Dickwella – their highest scorer of the innings – and two lower-order batters.”I have fallen in love with the shape of the offbreak bowling in Australia,” Lyon said. “But coming to the sub-continent that phrase of ‘bowling ugly’ is something that I say to myself to make sure I am using my different variations and bowling at the right speed.”It’s about me asking different questions by different variations. Whereas in Australia I will probably stick to my strength which is my stock ball and trust in that. When you come over here you have about three or four different variations that you are able to trust and know you’re going to get some assistance off the wickets.”His first ball of the day had taken off from a length to spin past a defensive shot. And he seemed dangerous throughout all his spells.”Look at my first ball today, that was on the quicker side of things, and you saw how much that turned and bounced. Every bowler is different, but if you are able to go up and down the gears I think that’s only going to help you as a spin bowler in these conditions.”Related

• Cameron Green stars as Australia build strong lead on truncated day

• Five for Lyon as spin dominates action-packed first day

• Another mad Dickwella day

Lyon was instrumental in Australia taking the last four Sri Lanka wickets for 19 runs, dismissing Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, and Lasith Embuldeniya through that period. When Dickwella and Mendis had been batting together through the course of their 54-run stand, a total of around 250 did not seem outlandish for Sri Lanka. However, they ended up 212 all out, which Lyon felt was a “massive” difference in these conditions.”We always talk of the importance of trying to knock over the tails as quick as we can and you look at the way Dickwella played, he played an incredible innings, he put the pressure right back on us as bowlers. I was really proud the way we came back after tea and stuck to our plans and we were able to get the late rewards and knock them over.”Thanks to this five-wicket haul, Lyon has now moved past Richard Hadlee on the all-time wicket-takers’ list, having taken 432 to Hadlee’s 431. He now sits 12th on that list, just behind Herath, who has just one more wicket than him.”The top end of the wicket-takers’ list – there’s some amazing names there,” Lyon said. “To overtake a few guys, and to join a few guys on whatever number that may be, is something I’m very proud of, there’s no doubt about that.”For me it’s always been about what I can do to help the Australian team. The numbers are something im proud of, but will look at in more depth at the end of my career. But that’s a long way off.”

Super Giants survive sloppy fielding effort after Rahul, Hooda fifties lifted them to 195

Sreshth Shah01-May-20222:13

What’s Mohsin Khan getting right? Ben Cutting explains

Half-centuries from KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda, followed up by a special spell from Mohsin Khan sealed a tight six-run win for Lucknow Super Giants over Delhi Capitals on Sunday. For Super Giants, the result appeared in doubt when their dropped catches and sloppy fielding gave Rishabh Pant’s men extra chances and bonus runs, but left-arm quick Mohsin’s dismissals of Pant, Rovman Powell and Shardul Thakur in his last two overs appeared to end the contest.

Shaw fined for code-of-conduct breach

Delhi Capitals opener Prithvi Shaw has been fined 25% of his match fee for breaching the IPL’s code of conduct during Sunday’s afternoon match against Lucknow Super Giants.
Shaw admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.2 of the code, and accepted the sanction imposed by the match referee. Article 2.2 relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match.”

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav did rally at the death with an unbroken partnership of 41 in 3.2 overs, but Marcus Stoinis successfully defended 20 in the final over, conceding 14, to seal the win.It was the second time that the team winning the toss and batting first in this tournament was victorious. Rahul (77) and Hooda (52) struck a partnership of 95 in 61 balls after Super Giants opted to bat first, and it was a decision that paid off since they made early use of a surface that did not offer big bounce but stayed slow and low as the game progressed. Despite the lack of a big flurry at the death with wickets in hand, they still finished on 195 for 3.It was a target that needed runs from Prithvi Shaw and David Warner in the second innings, and after both openers fell early, Capitals were always behind in the game. Despite Mitchell Marsh’s 20-ball 37, Pant’s 30-ball 44, Powell’s 21-ball 35 and Axar’s late burst of 42 not out in 24 balls, it was not enough. After nine games, Capitals now have more losses than wins, while Super Giants moved to second on the points table.Rahul, Hooda impressPant started with five different bowlers in the first five overs, but Quinton de Kock was unfazed for the most of it, racing away to 23 in 11 balls, especially brutal on Chetan Sakariya. However, Thakur had him caught at point in the fifth over, bringing Hooda in to bat alongside a sedate Rahul.Hooda started aggressively, hitting four of his first five boundaries through the covers off Axar and Kuldeep. Rahul, meanwhile, got to 27 in 24 balls, before hammering Kuldeep and the seamers in the next 11 balls to reach his fifty in 35 deliveries. Hooda, too, raced to a 32-ball fifty in the 14th over. Even though Hooda moved around in his crease, his shots weren’t audacious; he hit six fours and just the lone six.Rahul charged along after his fifty. With Hooda falling to Thakur soon after his half-century, Rahul hit two more sixes off the seamers. But he wasn’t getting much support from the other end, with Marcus Stoinis, the No. 4, struggling to find fluency. Rahul fell in the 19th over as the third Thakur wicket, and a final-over six from Stoinis took Super Giants into the 190s.A chaotic start to the chaseWarner and Shaw both fell early to the seamers, mis-timing a length and short ball respectively. Shaw was the first to go in the second over, top-edging a pull off the tall Dushmantha Chameera while Warner mis-hit a pull off Mohsin to midwicket.That brought in Marsh and Pant early, and instead of looking to rebuild, they counterattacked. Krunal Pandya’s fourth over went for three fours and a six off Pant’s bat, and the fifth from Jason Holder went for two sixes and a four. To end the powerplay, Chameera was hit for two fours and a six. Together, the duo had struck 53 runs between overs four to six to finish on 66 for 2 after the powerplay.And then came the ghost wicket. Marsh, on 37, and looking imperious against both spin and pace, tried to punch a skiddy K Gowtham delivery, only to miss it. The umpire gave him out caught behind, and Marsh walked back. However, replays showed that there was no spike when the ball passed the bat, and there was no way to pinpoint what caused the sound in real time. The dismissal came against the run of play, and Capitals were 73 for 3 after 7.1 overs.Mohsin Khan celebrates the wicket of Shardul Thakur•BCCI

Mohsin does the damageWith Pant around, and Powell having already produced a match-winning innings from the middle order, it was still game on after Lalit Yadav fell for 3.The Super Giants fielders – including the captain Rahul – dropped regulation catches and slipped up in the field, and Pant and Powell made the most of the unforced errors to build another partnership. Gowtham, playing in the XI instead of Avesh Khan due to more left-handers in the Capitals line-up, was punished by Powell for 6, 6, 4 as ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave Capitals a 24% chance of a win with six overs to go and 61 needed.But Mohsin returned, and set Pant up with four length deliveries, including cutters, up front. He then went full and had Pant failing to flick from around his pads, and saw his stumps flattened on 44. Axar and Powell then found a couple of boundaries to keep the required run rate to around 12, but Mohsin’s final over provided the body blow. A length ball angling across was dragged by Powell to Krunal Pandya at deep midwicket. A few balls later, Shardul slog swept Mohsin to the same fielder, and it looked like the game was in the bag. But Kuldeep and Axar eked out 15 off the penultimate over from Chameera to take it to the final over.Rahul turned to Stoinis – who hadn’t bowled all day – for the 20th, and he started poorly, conceding a six off Kuldeep’s bat. But Stoinis returned with four tidy balls to take the equation out of reach. With 12 needed off one ball, Axar hit a six that was mere consolation for a side that fell one boundary-shot short.

Only 3.3 overs possible in Bengaluru after South Africa opted to bowl

Firdose Moonda19-Jun-2022No result The deciding day of this series started with the teams locked at 2-2, and 2-2 it remained after rain had the final say. Persistent drizzle in Bengaluru delayed the start of the fifth match by 47 minutes, and initially reduced the contest to 19 overs a side, but only 3.3 overs were bowled. Despite the Chinnaswamy’s stellar drainage system, the rain did not abate long enough for mop-up operations to begin for even a five-over shootout.South Africa may be the more disappointed of the two sides after Lungi Ngidi, playing in just his second T20I in almost a year, removed India’s openers in successive overs. Ngidi spent the whole of IPL 2022 on the bench but used the time to hone his craft and has developed a particularly good slower ball. He used it to remove Ishan Kishan, who was through his drive by the time the delivery arrived. It was full on offstump and took it out with Kishan perhaps still contemplating the 141kph ball that had been called wide just before. In his next over, Ngidi stuck to the offcutter. Ruturaj Gaikwad advanced down the track and tried to clear the inner ring but hit the ball off the toe-end of his bat, to Dwaine Pretorius at mid-on. Only one more ball was bowled when the rain returned and the players left the field.The capacity crowd chanted “RCB” as they waited but not even the chant of their IPL franchise could bring their adopted home-town hero Dinesh Karthik to the crease. Karthik had scored his first T20I half-century in Rajkot and was keen to play in front of the Bengaluru crowd.Doubtless so was Keshav Maharaj, who was captaining for the fourth time in his 13-match T20I career, after Temba Bavuma was ruled out of the match with an elbow injury. South Africa made three changes to the XI that lost two days’ ago, one forced by Bavuma’s absence.Reeza Hendricks was brought in to open the batting, Kagiso Rabada recovered from a groin niggle to return to the attack in place of Marco Jansen and South Africa included Tristan Stubbs as an extra batter while dispensing with the second specialist spinner, Tabraiz Shamsi. Stubbs has yet to bat in international cricket after making his debut in the series opener in Delhi, where South Africa won the game without requiring him.India played the same XI throughout the series, lost every toss and had to defend in all five matches. After losing the first two, they hit their stride and won the next two. If they had been victorious in this match, they would have become the first team to win a bilateral T20I series from 2-0 down. Instead, it’s South Africa, who have held on to a record. They have never lost a T20I series in India, and have not lost a white-ball series in the country since 2010.

Marlon Samuels has called on the WICB to “compromise” in their selection policy after he was omitted from West Indies’ ODI squad

George Dobell23-Feb-2017Marlon Samuels has called on the WICB to “compromise” in their selection policy after he was omitted from West Indies’ ODI squad, and suggested he could accept a Kolpak deal in county cricket if an agreement cannot be reached.Samuels, twice man of the match in World T20 finals, was left out of West Indies’ 15-man squad after electing to miss games in the Super 50 competition – the Caribbean regional List A tournament – in order to play in the more lucrative Pakistan Super League. Current WICB policy is that no player will be considered for the international team unless they have made themselves available for the entire regional competition in that format.But Samuels, who claims he was offered double the value of his previous West Indies retainer contract (worth $135,000) to appear in the BPL, argues that the WICB could learn from the example of the boards of New Zealand and England, who allow their players to appear in overseas T20 leagues without it rendering them ineligible for international cricket. Late last year, Samuels was one of the three players – along with Darren Bravo and Carlos Brathwaite – to decline the WICB retainer. It is understood that Samuels was offered a Grade C contract worth $115,000, demoting him from the previous Grade B.”Why can’t I play some games in the PSL and come back and play against England?” Samuels asked in an interview with , a Jamaica-based television network. “I’m not 20. You’re still telling me to miss out on everything. Why can’t you compromise?”The rule they have doesn’t make any sense. You have to compromise. Eoin Morgan, the England captain, is playing in the PSL and then he goes to the Caribbean. Why can’t I do the same? Why play hard ball in everything?”While there is some logic in the WICB stance – they insist that, to retain the strength of their regional competitions, their best players must participate – the reality of the policy has been to deny them many of their best players. Players such as Samuels, who is aged 36, and aware of the diminishing opportunities he may have to earn for his retirement, can earn far more on the T20 circuit than the WICB can afford to pay in retainers. Sunil Narine, ranked third in the ICC’s ODI bowling rankings, is another who has been deemed ineligible.The ECB, by contrast, has actively encouraged some players to take part in the IPL during the county season – they have even allowed the likes of Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes to skip two ODIs against Ireland – reasoning that the benefits of the experience will outweigh the negatives of the dilution of their own domestic product. There might also be an acceptance that the value of central contracts cannot keep pace with the escalation in T20 fees and that, as a result, compromise is required.While Dave Cameron, the president of the WICB, recently stated the board’s selection policy could be reviewed, the selection of the ODI squad to play England suggests there has been no change in the short term.Samuels has not played for West Indies since the Pakistan tour in the UAE last year, and was dropped for the tri-series in Zimbabwe. He was especially surprised at his omission from the three-match ODI series against England given WICB’s recent investment in him when the board paid for his travel to England for his bowling action to be tested. That trip proved fruitful as the ICC cleared Samuels to bowl in international cricket once again.”I didn’t pay for my bowling. ICC didn’t pay for my bowling .The West Indies Cricket Board paid for my bowling. So they invested in my bowling for me to come back to bowl against England. Now I’m going to hear that I’ve to stay and play all the Super50 games.”Incidentally, Samuels ended up playing just one match for Leewards Islands in the Super50 before he left to play in the PSL.Samuels also revealed that he has been offered a three-year Kolpak deal by Derbyshire worth up to £130,000 a season, fuelling concerns that West Indies could be hit by a spate of international retirements of the sort that recently shocked South African cricket. While it is understood he has indicated a reluctance to accept the deal – he would prefer a deal as an overseas player in county cricket, thereby sustaining his hopes of playing international cricket – he has suggested it remains on the table.Samuels asserted that, for him, it is loyalty to West Indies that comes first, which was evident in his 17 years’ service in Caribbean cricket. “I’ve got a Kolpak deal on my plate which I’m contemplating,” he said. “It’s a three-year deal with Derbyshire. Worth probably £120,000-130,000 a year. The money is not the issue at the moment, I’ve been playing international cricket the last 17 years so have set myself the right way. This is about principle, about being loyal. I’ve been a loyal soldier for West Indies cricket and continue to play. I showed some loyalty, so I expect a bit of loyalty. I’m only the one from 2000 still here, sticking round and playing for the West Indies.”Samuels said he was in “no rush” to sign the Derbyshire deal as, after the PSL, he would travel to play another league in Hong Kong and had a “few other deals” in the bag.Samuels is unlikely to be the only Caribbean player attracting interest from England’s first-class counties. Darren Bravo, whose relationship with WICB would appear to be in tatters following a public falling-out with Cameron, is one who is certain to be snapped up if he decides to go that route, while fellow Trinidadian Denesh Ramdin is also understood to be of interest.Ravi Rampaul, the second highest wicket-taker in this year’s Super 50, is already on a Kolpak deal with Surrey, while former West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was second in the batting averages, has recently signed a similar deal with Lancashire. Fidel Edwards is also signed to Hampshire as a Kolpak, Other players such as Jofra Archer, Keith Barker and Chris Jordan have also chosen to pursue their careers in England when they could have been eligible for West Indies.

With New Zealand having won the first Test by a big margin, and with Tim Southee set to return, West Indies are up against it to level the series

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Dec-2017

Big picture

Two sessions of fortitude – that was about as much as West Indies could summon at the Basin Reserve. Either side of their third-day resistance, however, the visitors appeared outmatched with bat and ball – New Zealand’s batsmen cruising to big scores, and their bowlers more or less running riot. That West Indies will be without captain Jason Holder – suspended due to an over-rate violation – and that the hosts are likely to have Tim Southee back in their XI would seem to make the disparity between these teams even greater.And yet, there is unpredictability about West Indies that suggests New Zealand will not stroll to victory with quite so much ease, at Seddon Park. In August, having been walloped witless by England at Edgbaston, the likes of Shai Hope and Kraigg Brathwaite scripted a wonderful comeback win at Headingley. Last year, having been defeated handsomely by Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, West Indies had also triumphed in Sharjah. This young West Indies side has sometimes been overwhelmed in Tests, but over the last year they have also refused to cede trophies without a fight – winning at least one Test in each of their last four series.Such is New Zealand’s confidence at home, however, and so in form are their batsmen, that they will expect to pile on more big scores at Hamilton. The West Indies attack, intense only in short bursts at the Basin Reserve, has major improvements to make if their team is to square the series.

Form guide

New Zealand WDLDW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LDWLW

In the spotlight

He may have crept up on the competition, but over the past three years Neil Wagner has become one of the best quicks in the world. That he has only 139 wickets to his name is a reflection of the scarcity of Test cricket for New Zealand. The figure that makes for more impressive reading, however, is his average of 23.44 since 2015. Among quicks, only James Anderson and Kagiso Rabada have bettered him in that period. The challenge for Wagner is to sustain his success as more and more teams become wise to his unique mode of operation, and devise batting plans specifically to counter him.A number of batsmen did get the better of Wagner in the second innings at Wellington, however – among them: 20-year-old Shimron Hetmyer. Having been dismissed by Wagner in the first innings, Hetmyer scored 21 runs off 18 Wagner deliveries in the second dig, pulling him disdainfully on two occasions, and cracking him for offside boundaries as well. But Wagner was not the only bowler Hetmyer attacked – Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner also went for runs during what was a sparkling maiden half-century. There is talent here for sure, but New Zealand will be more prepared for him in Hamilton.

Team news

With Southee set to come back in, the seamer most likely to make way seems to be Matt Henry, despite Henry’s second innings three-wicket haul in Wellington. As BJ Watling remains unavailable, Tom Blundell will be the home side’s wicketkeeper-batsman again.New Zealand 1 Jeet Raval, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Tom Blundell (wk), 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultBrathwaite is set to lead the visitors in Holders’ stead. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph or uncapped left-arm quick Raymon Reifer may come into the side to replace him.West Indies 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt) 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Shimron Hetmeyer, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Sunil Ambris, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Raymon Reifer, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Miguel Cummins, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

The match will be played on a surface comprising Patumahoe soil, which means there is likely to be pace, bounce and carry right through the Test. There is some rain forecast for Sunday and Monday, with cloudy patches expected for the remainder of the Test.

• Of bowlers with more than 50 wickets since 2015, Wagner’s strike rate of 46.2 is third best, after Rabada and Mitchell Starc
• New Zealand have won three of their last four Tests at Seddon Park – one of those victories having come against West Indies in 2013
• Shai Hope needs 42 runs to complete 1000 runs in Tests

Quotes

“Seventeen is the benchmark that Hogan [Martin Crowe] wanted me to get to and beat. But he said, also, carry on and don’t stop there. Hopefully, in time, Kane will probably end up with about 40.”
“The key for us is the first-innings total. If we could get a good first-innings total, we’ll put ourselves in a good position.”

Tours by SA, Australia, Netherlands and India women will now be confined to a small list of venues

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2022New Zealand Cricket has announced a revised home international schedule for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, with its venue list streamlined in order to mitigate the risk of disruption by the Omicron variant of Covid-19.South Africa’s upcoming visit for two men’s Tests, as a result, will be confined to Christchurch – originally they were scheduled to play one Test there and one in Wellington.All three men’s T20Is against Australia will now be played in Napier, and Netherland’s visit for a men’s white-ball tour will be split between Mount Maunganui (one-off T20I and one ODI) and Hamilton (two ODIs).India women, meanwhile, will play their entire white-ball series (one T20I and five ODIs) in Queenstown.”These risk mitigations are based on avoiding known Covid-19 hotspots, and include limiting air travel, limiting accommodation transfers and, essentially, operating in safer environments,” said NZC chief executive David White.”We know the more domestic flights we have, and the more movement there is between hotels, the greater the chance of a match or even a series being put at risk.”Wellington is set to be hardest hit by the streamlining of venues. Apart from the second Test against South Africa, it was also set to host two of the T20Is against Australia.”It’s a real blow for those in our cricket family who have missed out on hosting events through no fault of their own.”However, the current environment demands we take every possible measure to, 1) ensure people are safe and well, and 2) deliver a summer of international cricket with the least possible disruption.”Fans who have purchased tickets at venues that will no longer host games are entitled to a full refund.

Australia’s captains Steven Smith and Meg Lanning jointly contacted Cricket Australia to ask that the board respect the Australian Cricketers Association as the players’ collective bargaining agent

Daniel Brettig15-Feb-2017Australia’s captains Steven Smith and Meg Lanning jointly contacted Cricket Australia to ask that the board respect the Australian Cricketers Association as the players’ collective bargaining agent, and stated that further attempts to the deal directly with the players would be a distraction from the performances of the national teams.As the board and the ACA attempt to work through drastically divergent positions over an MOU due for renewal in June, ESPNcricinfo has learned that Smith and Lanning felt compelled to write to CA chief executive James Sutherland, in a letter co-signed by their deputies David Warner and Alex Blackwell.The correspondence, delivered between the Brisbane and Melbourne Test matches against Pakistan last December, after talks between the two parties broke down, asked Sutherland that CA deal with the ACA as the players’ representative and called for ending attempts to go around the association by communicating directly with the players. The ACA confirmed the existence of the letter when contacted by ESPNcricinfo.It followed the invitation of Smith and Warner, alongside national team coach Darren Lehmann, to a dinner with the CA board directors and executives two days before the Melbourne ODI against New Zealand on December 9. That was trailed by a series of emailed communications from CA to all national and state-contracted players in Australia that sought to explain the board’s position.These included CA’s full initial submission, which stated among other things that only the top male contracted players deserved to continue to earn a fixed percentage of Australian cricket revenue. By contrast, the ACA are seeking, in a unified agreement for men and women, to expand the revenue-sharing model to include all players and also an expanded definition of that revenue. The MOU has not previously included female players.A subsequent email from team performance manager Pat Howard to the players sought to clarify the board’s pregnancy clause after it became the subject of heated argument during the Gabba Test against Pakistan. That email, in which Howard reiterated his view that he did not want to see the players become “the meat in the sandwich”, was a catalyst for the national team’s leaders to indicate to Sutherland that they were feeling quite the opposite.Earlier that week, CA had suspended negotiations with the ACA on the premise that the public slanging match between the two parties had begun to use oxygen that would otherwise be occupied by the Test matches and the Big Bash League.”Cricket Australia is committed to a negotiation that is conducted in good faith between the two parties,” CA said in a statement at the time, “but will not take part in a process which seeks to draw its players into a public dispute. Players deserve the opportunity to focus on the game, rather than being distracted by a negotiation that should be conducted in a professional and confidential manner.”Sutherland had previously kept at arm’s length from MOU negotiations, leaving them largely to CA’s head of strategy and people Kevin Roberts, head of team performance Howard, and David Peever, the CA chairman. Peever, an advocate of industrial relations reform when he was managing director of the mining giant Rio Tinto, has also involved his own IR advisor Ken Bacon.Smith and Lanning’s letter confirmed beyond doubt that the players were not wavering in their stance alongside the ACA, and that they wished to see negotiations resume in a more constructive manner. When Sutherland next spoke publicly about the breakdown in talks, he offered the most conciliatory words from the board in some weeks.”I think the facts of the matter are that both organisations have a lot more in common than they have not, and from that perspective, it’s all in the interest of the game, ensuring the game’s better,” Sutherland told ABC Radio during the Boxing Day Test.This week, Sutherland said the two parties still have an enormous amount of ground to cover. “I don’t think we’re close to a resolution,” he said. “We’ve got to work through a process of discussion on all sorts of different issues, there’s an agreement with a whole lot of different components to it.”Perhaps a little more complicated than it has been before where we’re wanting to professionalise the women’s game even more and to make sure there’s one collective agreement for men and women, so all those things need to be stepped through. We’ve got plenty of time, but at the same time, there are plenty of things to discuss. We’re down to it and we’ll progress, I’m confident of that.”