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

Hain, Sibley, Davies fifties help guide rearguard at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network15-Sep-2022Warwickshire and Somerset’s LV=Insurance County Championship relegation battle at Edgbaston ended in a hard-fought draw after neither side could find the firepower to force victory on a placid pitch.After Somerset’s declaration at 340 for seven set a target of 364 in 82 overs, both sides scented victory at times as the pendulum swung in a tense last session before the home side closed on 256 for six.The visitors’ decision to bat on 40 minutes into the final day enabled George Bartlett to reach his sixth first-class century (111, 228 balls). Finding ten wickets on a flattening pitch was beyond their bowlers, however, as Sam Hain continued his excellent season with an unbeaten 52 (101 balls), supported by Alex Davies (58, 95) and Dom Sibley 54 (110).The result only tightens up the relegation equation in Division One, setting up a three-way slug-out between Somerset, Kent and Warwickshire over the last two games to avoid accompanying Gloucestershire down to Division Two.Somerset resumed on the final morning on 277 for four, already 300 ahead, and added 63 in 12 overs before the declaration. Lewis Goldsworthy (44, 104 balls) was bowled by Henry Brookes in the first over but James Rew made a breezy 22 and Bartlett reached a patient 233-ball ton with a cut boundary off Jayant Yadav before missing a down-the-track attempt to carve Danny Briggs over the covers.Warwickshire’s second innings started crisply against the seamers with 30 coming from six overs but was damaged as soon as Somerset turned to spin. Rob Yates played back to Sajid Khan’s sixth ball and fell lbw.It was an isolated threat from Khan, however, as any turn was very slow and Sibley and Davies were little troubled in a stand of 95 in 29 overs until both perished to loose, lofted shots in successive overs from Kasey Aldridge. Sibley failed to control a pull and was caught on the mid-wicket boundary and Davies chipped to mid on.Hain and Rhodes (44, 61 balls) kept the board ticking over with a stand of 88 in 20 overs to stir hopes of a Bears victory charge, but those hopes folded when Jack Brooks bowled Rhodes and trapped Michael Burgess lbw with successive balls,It was Somerset sensing a late charge when Yadav was spectacularly run out by Khan’s direct hit from deep mid-wicket, but Hain and Danny Briggs (17 not out, 46 balls) stood firm through the last 12 overs.

Kurtis Patterson played a lone hand for the visitors as they were bowled out for 180 at the WACA

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2022New South Wales skipper Kurtis Patterson provided the sole resistance with the bat before debutant Ben Dwarshuis landed two quick blows with the ball in an intriguing opening day of the Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia.WA quick Lance Morris snared a career-best 5 for 36 off 18 overs and Joel Paris chipped in with 3 for 39 as NSW were bowled out for 180 late on Monday at the WACA Ground.Patterson was left stranded on 72 off 149 balls, with the left-hander a class above as wickets tumbled around him.In reply, WA stumbled to 2 for 18 at stumps, with openers Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft falling to Dwarshuis on his Shield debut, the left-arm quick striking with his first delivery in first-class cricket when Whiteman edged to slip. Debutant Sam Fanning and Hilton Cartwright ground their way to stumps.Morris was the hero of the day, with the 24-year-old’s second five-wicket haul putting WA in the box seat before the late stumble.”I’m just starting to understand my role within the team,” Morris said. “I’ve got a licence to bowl fast and intimidate. I’m settling into my role nicely now, and I’m enjoying it.”We’ll regroup tomorrow. We know NSW are going to come pretty hard early tomorrow, but hopefully we can blunt that and pile on a few runs.”NSW crawled to 0 for 30 off 18 overs before Morris inflicted an important double blow. Daniel Hughes was the first to fall when he struck Morris straight to mid-off, and they were 2 for 37 when a diving Paris took a sharp catch at gully to dismiss Blake Nikitaras.Morris, who was clocked around 145kph, found the edge of Jason Sangha after lunch, and he had his fourth wicket when he bowled Baxter Holt. The five-wicket haul was complete when Morris dismissed tailender Chris Tremain. Paris and spinner Corey Rocchiccioli helped clean up the middle order and tail.Patterson’s patience proved crucial in helping NSW avoid a complete crumble like they experienced in their nine-wicket one-day loss to WA on Saturday.In that match, NSW slumped to 6 for 20 before being rolled for 76, with WA needing just 17 overs to reach the victory target.Patterson’s half-century has at least given NSW something to work with in the Shield match, but WA remain in the box seat to take a sizeable first-innings lead.They kicked off their title defence without star duo Shaun Marsh (knee) and Jhye Richardson (rested).

“Prithvi Shaw is one I feel can be a very aggressive captain, a very successful captain because you see that aggression in the way a person plays the sport”

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2022Prithvi Shaw could be a future India captaincy candidate, according to former India batter Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir also picked Hardik Pandya, who has already led India in T20Is, as a future India captain, but Shaw was a more left-field choice as he has not played for India since July 2021.Hardik has been touted as a possible successor to Rohit Sharma, at least in T20Is, following India’s semi-final exit at the T20 World Cup last month. Over time, he has racked up some captaincy experience too. In May, he captained debutants Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL crown and then led India for the first time in T20Is on a tour of Ireland for a 2-0 series win. More recently, he led India to a 1-0 series win in the T20Is in New Zealand, in the absence of senior players such as Rohit, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.”Hardik Pandya obviously is in line,” Gambhir said at an event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi on Sunday. “But that’s going to be unfortunate for Rohit because I think judging his captaincy in only one ICC event is not the right way to probably judge him.”The other pick, Shaw, has struggled to find a regular place even in India’s second-string squads over the past year, and Gambhir didn’t specify in which format he saw Shaw as a potential captaincy candidate. Over the course of his short career, Shaw has had to cope with more than just a loss of form. Ever since he was suspended for a doping violation in 2019, his fitness and lifestyle issues have been under scrutiny.In March this year, Shaw was reported to have failed a yo-yo test. His score of less than 15 was far from BCCI’s prescribed minimum score of 16.5 for men.Having made his Test debut in 2018, the same year he led India to Under-19 World Cup glory in New Zealand, Shaw has managed to play just four more Tests. Shaw’s limited-overs appearances have been sporadic, too. He last played for India in July 2021, when he was part of a second-string squad that toured Sri Lanka for three ODIs and as many T20Is.”The reason I’ve picked Prithvi Shaw, I know a lot of people talk about his off-field activities, but that is what the job of the coach and the selectors are,” Gambhir said. “The selectors’ job isn’t just to pick the 15, but also to get people walk the right path.”Prithvi Shaw is one I feel can be a very aggressive captain, a very successful captain because you see that aggression in the way a person plays the sport.”Shaw’s recent appearances have come for Mumbai in the domestic circuit, where he was the second-highest run-scorer at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s. His 332 runs came in 10 innings at a strike rate of 181.42, and included a career-best 61-ball 134 against Assam.His form in the 50-over competition, the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, was patchy, with his only two half-centuries coming against inexperienced Mizoram and Railways. Overall, he managed just 217 runs in seven innings at an average of 31. He was shaded by fellow top-order batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 396 runs in six innings to top the run charts for Mumbai, who exited in the pre-quarter-finals.Over time, Shaw has racked up some captaincy experience with Mumbai, apart from captaining India Under-19. At the junior level, he led a batch of players, many of whom are regulars in the IPL currently.

Number one pick in the inaugural BBL overseas draft pulls out due to his increased international commitments with England

Alex Malcolm22-Nov-2022The BBL has suffered a major blow just weeks out from the start of a new season with Liam Livingstone, the number one pick in the inaugural overseas draft, withdrawing from the tournament due to his increased international workload.Livingstone was the first player picked by Melbourne Renegades in August and was the most sought-after player in the draft as the BBL looked to reinvigorate the tournament ahead of the next Cricket Australia TV rights negotiation which is set to be finalised in 2024.Livingstone was initially set to play the first part of the BBL and miss the second half having signed to play in the new SA20 league in January. He was then selected for England’s Test tour of Pakistan in December. Renegades signed Andre Russell on a short-term four-game deal for the start of the season in the hope Livingstone could join Renegades for a short stint following the Pakistan tour and prior to the SA20 getting underway.Related

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But Livingstone has opted to withdraw from the BBL entirely, leaving the competition without another overseas platinum player after David Willey also withdrew from the tournament.”We’re obviously disappointed that we won’t have Liam as part of our team this summer, but we understand his decision,” Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said.”Liam is a fantastic cricketer and there’s a reason we used our first pick in the draft to select him. Since then, his schedule has changed with added international duties and we wish him the best as he pushes for a Test debut.”We know Liam had been looking forward to working with our head coach, David Saker, and playing for our club. Hopefully, we can make that happen in the coming seasons.”We have been in regular communication with Liam and his management over the last couple of months, which has allowed us to execute a plan that is best for the Renegades for this season.”We’ve already secured Andre Russell for the first four matches and know the match-winning ability he will add to our team.”This news has allowed us to explore replacement options with greater availability beyond the first half of the tournament, and we look forward to being able to announce another big-name addition for the Renegades soon.”The news comes after it was revealed that Perth Scorchers’ overseas signing Laurie Evans had tested positive for a banned substance following a routine anti-doping test during this year’s Hundred, with the club announcing they had cancelled his deal.Australia star Glenn Maxwell is also likely to miss most of the BBL after breaking his leg in a freak accident on November 12.

While he’s made consistent contributions for state and country through the 2022-23 season, a dearth of big ones was a source of frustration

Andrew McGlashan06-Jan-2023For the third time in three Test innings Usman Khawaja was able to celebrate a century at the SCG and, though he will have spent two nights unbeaten 195 and hoping for the chance for a maiden double-ton, he was relieved to convert into three figures in a frustrating season.Khawaja had made consistent contributions for both Queensland in the Sheffield Shield and then against West Indies, but had not been able to turn one of his five half-centuries into something more substantial. However, he still ended 2022 with more than 1000 runs in Test cricket and has now cashed in at the start of the new year.”I’ve played some really good cricket this year and haven’t cracked a hundred,” he said. “Got three 50s in the Shield in consecutive games then got a couple of 50s at the start of the Test tour. Then a diabolical wicket at the Gabba and we won which was fine, [and] missed out last game. More of a personal battle when I got to fifty, continuing the process and see how long I can continue for. To get that reward was a nice feeling, I feel like I’m doing all the right things.”It was difficult for Khawaja to compare the experience this year with his comeback centuries against England because that opportunity had been so unexpected. However, he continues to be in a sweet spot in the latter stages of his career where he is batting serenely and is savouring the environment of the Test side created by coach Andrew McDonald and captain Pat Cummins.”Best environment I’ve been in,” he said. “I haven’t done a warm-up in about seven Test matches. Nothing hurts you more than a warm-up. Think it’s added two more years to my career, 100%. Ron’s [McDonald] been great about that, so has Patty. It’s those small things that has really helped the environment. I used to find it really intense and it used to take a lot of mental energy, all the, I call it the fluff, the box ticking. Since I’ve been back there really hasn’t been any of that. It has really opened up a lot of space in the mind.”After glancing skywards on bringing up his hundred, Khawaja brought out another of the dance-move celebrations that he unfurled against England. “Religion is a big part of my life…my family and religion the two most important things in my life,” he said. “I keep the religion thing pretty private and do my own thing. The celebrations after it, I always enjoying bringing a bit of colour to Test cricket, both figuratively and literally.”He is looking forward to next month’s tour of India, believing he’s playing “as well as ever” against spin, although was cautious about linking conditions at the SCG – which have been tempered by the rain – to what Australia will face on that trip. His success in Pakistan last year, the runs he scored on the 2019 one-day tour where he was Player of the Series and for Australia A leave him with plenty of good memories to draw on.”There’s no guarantee in cricket, I could get eight ducks in a row, but I know a process that works for me,” he said.Regardless of whether Khawaja gets the chance to cross 200 – the odds suggest he will get the opportunity as Australia look to extend the follow-on target unless day four is further delayed by rain, which could be the case – South Africa face a big task to bat for the best part of two days to save the game given they have passed 200 once in their last eight innings. However, they have been urged to take a leaf out of Khawaja’s book.”You can easily go into that mindset of just trying to survive…in comparison to still being in a positive mindset, that doesn’t mean you need to be reckless,” batting coach Justin Sammons said. “What Khawaja has done so well is to stay in his game plan. He was positive, but scored within his game plan, think that will be key for us. We’ve still got this game then two against West Indies to finish our season and we want to take as much confidence going into that series as we can.”

Nooshin Al Khadeer, Tushar Arothe and Gavan Twining also part of backroom staff, where Mithali Raj is mentor and advisor

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2023Rachael Haynes has been appointed head coach of Women’s Premier League team Gujarat Giants, who have also bolstered their support staff roster with Nooshin Al Khadeer as bowling coach, Tushar Arothe as batting coach, and Gavan Twining as fielding coach. Mithali Raj had earlier been signed up to be the team’s mentor and advisor.”The likes of Rachael Haynes, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Tushar Arothe, and Gavan Twining will certainly take the performance of the team notches up,” Raj said in a statement released by the franchise. “Not only have they carved a niche for themselves in their roles, but their stories of resilience will [also] be an inspiration for the team.”Haynes, who retired as a player late last year after a glittering international, domestic and club career, won six world titles with Australia, and was the vice-captain of the team from 2017 to 2022. For Australia, she played six Tests where she had 383 runs at an average of 34.81, 77 ODIs where she scored 2585 runs at 39.76, and 84 T20Is with 850 runs at a strike rate of 117.72.Related

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Al Khadeer, apart from being at the helm when Supernovas had won the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2022, was the coach of the India team that won the women’s Under-19 World Cup in South Africa earlier this week. An offspinner during her playing days, Al Khadeer played five Tests, 78 ODIs and two T20Is, picking up 115 wickets overall.And Arothe, a Baroda batting allrounder who played 114 first-class matches in a career of close to two decades, was the head coach of the India women’s national team for just over a year in 2017-18, before stepping down following reports of strong differences with some of the players. Twining, meanwhile, has been a part of the coaching circuit in Australia for a while, and most recently served as head coach of New South Wales women’s side in the Australian domestic set-up.The WPL is likely to be played between March 4 and March 24, between the Women’s T20 World Cup that ends in late February and the men’s IPL that is set to start one week after the women’s competition.WPL’s player auction, expected in just over a week’s time, will have auction purses of INR 12 crore (USD 1.46 million approx.) per team. Each sude can buy a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 18 players, including seven overseas ones, of which one must be from an Associate country. Unlike in the men’s IPL, WPL teams will have the option of fielding up to five overseas players in the XI, provided, again, that one is from an Associate team.A total of 22 matches will be played in WPL 2023, with each franchise playing the other twice to make it a total of eight games per team. The top-ranked side will enter the final directly, while the second- and third-placed teams will face off in a qualifier to determine the second finalist.

Warner will fly home to recover but is expected to return to India for the ODI series that follows the fourth Test

Alex Malcolm21-Feb-2023David Warner has been ruled out of the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to his elbow fracture. He will head home to Sydney to recover but he is expected to return to India for the three-match ODI series at the end of March.Warner suffered a hairline fracture in his left elbow after copping a blow from Mohammed Siraj during the first innings of the second Test in Delhi. Two overs later he was hit on the helmet and later suffered delayed concussion symptoms and was subbed out of the Test match.While his concussion symptoms have subsided, his elbow remains an issue. It was initially thought that the hairline fracture was so minor that could play in Indore.Related

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As of Monday night Warner was intending to stay in India to try and play the third Test. But after further testing on his pain and his range of motion, he was officially ruled out and will return home with his family.Australia are unlikely to call up any batters as cover. Travis Head is set to open the batting in Indore after filling in for Warner in the second innings in Delhi. Head made an enterprising 43 at the top and looked in excellent touch having only previously opened twice in first-class cricket in a County Championship match for Worcestershire in 2018. Australia coach Andrew McDonald stressed on Monday that Head opening was not a long-term solution in all conditions but that he was well-suited to open in the subcontinent.Cameron Green will be fit to play in Indore. He faced fast bowling in the nets for the first time during the second Test in a net session against Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc after he was very close to being selected in the second Test. Green is training on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on his own to keep his bowling loads up while the rest of the squad relaxes for a couple of days following the stunning collapse on Sunday.Australia have already lost Josh Hazlewood from the tour due to his nagging Achilles. Mitchell Starc is set to be fit to play in Indore. Mitchell Swepson is also set to return to the squad having flown home for the birth of his first child.Captain Pat Cummins flew home immediately after the Delhi Test for family reasons but it currently due to return later in the week and is expected to play in Indore, however his situation remains fluid.Australia may release some squad members to return home to play some domestic cricket with any changes to be finalised on Wednesday.

England wicketkeeper says there is “no point stressing” over the possibility of losing his place

Vithushan Ehantharajah21-Feb-2023Five years and 19 caps into his Test career, Ben Foakes knows not to take anything for granted. Just as it seems he is about to be on the cusp of good things, something comes along to knock him off course.A 2018-19 winter which started with a century on debut in Sri Lanka ended in being dropped two Tests into the West Indies series that January. A recall at the start of 2021 against India was followed by missing the entirety of the following summer after slipping on a sock in the Surrey dressing room and tearing his hamstring.Even when he became the side’s full-time gloveman at the beginning of last summer, he contracted Covid-19 in the third Test against New Zealand and was replaced mid-match by Sam Billings, who played the next game against India at Edgbaston after Foakes was unable to recover in time. He then fell ill in Pakistan meaning not only did he miss the first of the three Tests, but he was left out of the second as Ben Stokes decided to keep a more attacking balance and stick with Ollie Pope behind the stumps. Just to highlight the almost comical levels of misfortune, Foakes had to lend his Surrey team-mate his gloves because Pope had not brought his own.And now, after registering his sixth fifty-plus score in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand to help set up a thumping 267-run win, another hindrance lurks on the horizon. One far more threatening to Foakes’ Test ambitions than a stray sock.As Jonny Bairstow continues his recovery from a broken ankle, the world-beating, borderline historic form of his replacement Harry Brook has created a selection headache. While Bairstow was the beating heart of the batting in Brendon McCullum’s first few months in charge, scoring four centuries – making it six in 2022 – Brook has subbed in and, essentially, nail down a place of his own with three hundreds in four Tests.Jonny Bairstow has missed the winter through injury•Getty Images

Proposed solutions to get them both in the XI have included some creative licenses to have one of them operating as an opener. Unfortunately for Foakes, the most straightforward option would be to take the gloves off him and give them back to Bairstow for the first time since September 2021.Of course, none of this is guaranteed. And who knows – there’s every chance down the line this conversation does not happen. Foakes is aware it is a talking point. But the experiences over the last year alone have shown him enthusiasm towards his own game is far better than anxiety.”I think my England journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster from day one,” Foakes said in Mount Maunganui, prior to England leaving for Wellington where the second Test begins on Friday. “I’ve had a lot of times out of the team where I’ve thought about ‘how do I get back in?’ and things like that, and I guess thinking about those things doesn’t help my game at all.On the prospect of losing his place to Bairstow, he said: “Naturally, you’re going to think about things. But at the stage I’m at, there’s no point stressing over it. I’m having some good form in my career and I’m just trying to enjoy that rather than stressing about what happen.”In international cricket you will always go through certain phases. There have been so many times have in my career when I’ve thought ‘oh that’s going to happen, that’s going to happen’ and it never has. So there’s no point in worrying about it.”Foakes wasn’t always like this, even under the new regime essential built on eliminating doubt. His game, with all due respect, is something of a throwback – even if you don’t really have to go back that far. He’s got most of the shots, but not many of them in the air; he is more of a traditional accumulator than one of the new radicals alongside him.Related

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That he is now comfortable being the outlier is important because, gradually, he has found his own way of providing for the team – thanks in part to no pressure from those in charge, and occasional positive reinforcement to just be himself.”I’m not, as you’d say, Bazball,” he ceded. “So I was kind of thinking, ‘how am I meant to go about this?’ But I think ever since I’ve come in, I think it hasn’t been that, it hasn’t been, ‘you have to try and hit every ball for six’. It’s been, ‘play your way but if you think the option is on, don’t umm and aah about it and be negative. Go for it.'”Some of these guys have got more ability to hit it all over the place. I think if I try and do that it’s just quite far away from my strengths, so I don’t think it’s the smartest idea. I think playing with freedom, but doing it in a way you feel comfortable.”You do have a look up at the scoreboard at your strike rate: you want to keep it above 50. But I think it is a strength of mine to play slightly more normal cricket. And in bridging the gap between our explosive starts and then obviously batting with the tail, and batting with the tail I’ve got to bat a different way but in that period there when we’re so far down, I can bat normally with a batter that’s in, it’s generally worked quite well.”And I do think, quite a few of the games I’ve contributed have been in more in the role of batting normally and I guess more pressurised situations where you can’t lose a wicket. So I think for me trying to perform in those times is quite crucial for the team and that’s where I can probably show my impact the most.”Foakes is right, too. To look at his four highest scores since last May is to see the value of “batting normally”, as he puts it, in this line-up. He made century against South Africa at Old Trafford, after coming in with England 147 for 5, four behind South Africa’s innings total. He put on 173 with Stokes, then 95 with the tail to help the team to 415 for 9 ahead of a series-squaring innings victory.Earlier that summer was a 56 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in which he combined with Joe Root for 111 to turn a first innings deficit of 148 to just 14. In December in Karachi, he arrived with England five down and trailing Pakistan by 149 before combining with Brook (117) and the tail (62) to give the tourists a 50-run lead.Foakes has averaged 43.66 since Stokes’ appointment as captain•Camerasport/Getty Images

The fourth came on Saturday, and though the situation was not precarious when he arrived – 225 for 5, with a second-innings lead of 244 – Foakes was vital to the tactics of the day, to manage time into the evening when they put in New Zealand under lights for the second time in three days. Stuart Broad gutted the top order and the next morning, England went 1-0 up in the two-match series.Foakes’ composure from the off was all the more impressive considering he was not due in after Harry Brook was caught at slip. Stokes was originally the next man in – but was otherwise occupied. “He was on the toilet, yeah,” Foakes confirmed. “Literally, as the ball came down, he sat down and I had one pad on, nothing else, so I was scrambling around. I was shouting at him, ‘you go! I’m not ready.’ There’s never too much masterclass behind but yeah, he was preoccupied.””It kind of feels like club cricket,” he added. Not so much in terms of the captain being on the can, but how the mindset of the dressing room has changed, despite this still being such a taxing, relentless format. “When I first came in the pressures involved in Test cricket were so extreme and you were so worried about playing a false shot and things like that. And sometimes now you can get out in a weird way and it’s a kind of a joke.”As the one doing things differently, the pressure on Foakes will always be a little bit greater, particularly with Bairstow rehabbing in the wings. However the cards fall, it is apparent at this juncture that Foakes being true to himself and being true to the team go hand in hand. If and when that changes, he can be comfortable in the knowledge he has done everything asked of him. And done it well.

Super Kings restricted the hosts to 157 before Rahane tonked a 27-ball 61 on his franchise debut

Deivarayan Muthu08-Apr-20233:10

What’s gone wrong for Suryakumar Yadav?

Chennai Super Kings lost their premier seamer Deepak Chahar to injury after he had bowled just one over. They were already without the match-winner from their last game, Moeen Ali (illness), and Ben Stokes (injured), but Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner combined to carve up Mumbai Indians’ middle order on a Wankhede pitch that offered some grip and turn.Mumbai boy Tushar Deshpande also pitched in with the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Tim David as Super Kings limited Mumbai to 157 for 8. Ajinkya Rahane, another Mumbai boy, dashed out of the blocks for Super Kings, hitting a 19-ball half-century to set up their chase. His 27-ball 61 on Super Kings debut allowed Ruturaj Gaikwad and rest of the batters breathing room after Devon Conway had fallen for a duck.In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been sidelined from the entire tournament with a back injury, and Jofra Archer, who sat out of this game as a precautionary measure, Mumbai’s attack lacked experience and penetration.Ajinkya Rahane hit three sixes while scoring 61 off 27 balls•BCCI

Rohit, Kishan start strongly for Mumbai

As Santner suggested during the mid-innings chat, the ball slid onto the bat nicely in the early exchanges before the pitch slowed down. Rohit charged out of the crease third ball and pumped Chahar over extra-cover before backing away and carving Deshpande over point for four in the next over.Sisanda Magala had a tough initiation to the IPL as Ishan Kishan took him for three fours in his first over, the third of the innings, which cost 14 runs overall. Magala, a death-bowling specialist from South Africa, was operating early in the powerplay because Chahar had left the field, clutching his hamstring, after bowling the first over.But Deshpande stepped up, drawing movement off the surface to beat Rohit’s outside edge and hit the top of middle and off with a beauty. Kishan then smashed Magala for two more fours, helping Mumbai end the powerplay at 61 for 1.

Left-arm spin is right for CSK

In Super Kings’ previous game at Chepauk against Lucknow Super Giants, Jadeja bowled just one over as MS Dhoni kept him away from first Kyle Mayers and then Nicholas Pooran. On Saturday, Dhoni brought Jadeja into the attack immediately after the powerplay and the allrounder responded by having Kishan hole out for 32 off 21 balls.Jadeja kept bowling into the Wankhede pitch and came away with the wickets of Tilak Varma (22) and Cameron Green (12) as well.Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner finished with combined figures of 8-0-48-5•Associated Press

Santner might not have played this game had Stokes or Moeen been available for selection, but he proved his worth once again. In stark contrast to Jadeja, Santner tossed the ball up at a much slower pace and dismissed both Suryakumar Yadav (1) and the left-handed Arshad Khan, who had been promoted to No.6 to counter him and Jadeja.Tim David, who was pushed down to No.7, went 6, 4, 6 against Deshpande before the seamer struck back to have him dragging an offcutter to deep midwicket. After taking a pasting in the powerplay, Magala unleashed his yorkers and slower variations at the death to finish with 4-0-37-1.

Rahane slots into Uthappa role

After Conway fell in familiar fashion, chopping on in the first over, Rahane went on an unfamiliar boundary-hitting spree in the powerplay He crashed Arshad for 6, 4, 4, 4, 4 in the fourth over, and by the end of the powerplay he had zoomed to his half-century, setting Super Kings up for a net-run-rate-boosting victory.Before Robin Uthappa retired from international and Indian cricket last September, he used to be the enforcer in the powerplay and middle overs for Super Kings. Rahane slotted into this role straightaway, affording Gaikwad space to go at a run a ball or thereabouts.Mumbai brought in left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya as their Impact Player, but Super Kings messed with their plans by promoting their spin-hitter Shivam Dube to No. 4. Kartikeya eventually bowled Dube for 28 off 26 balls, but the game was all but up by then. Rayudu, who replaced Chahar as Super Kings’ Impact Player, and Gaikwad completed the formalities with seven wickets and almost two overs to spare.Super Kings notched up their second successive victory and will be bolstered further by the arrival of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana ahead of their home game against Rajasthan Royals on April 12. On the other hand, Mumbai slipped to their second successive loss and are still searching for their first points this season.