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George Bailey struck his maiden double-ton in first-class cricket but a strong reply from NSW meant the game in Wollongong looked to head for a draw

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – George Bailey reached his first double-ton in first-class cricket moments before running out of partners in Tasmania’s 490•Getty Images

Captain George Bailey soared to a double-century in Tasmania’s first innings of 490 against New South Wales but the Blues top order responded in kind to lessen the chance of an outright result on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match in Wollongong.It was the allrounder Simon Milenko (87) who followed up his four wickets on day one with a staunch innings in support of Bailey, their seventh-wicket stand ultimately worth 185 and frustrating the NSW bowlers.Will Somerville was able to maintain his strong displays while Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon are unavailable due to their India exploits, claiming another five-wicket haul on a surface not as supportive of his art as the SCG had been against Queensland.Bailey finished on 200 not out, leaving NSW with 43 overs to face, and when Nick Larkin edged Sam Rainbird through to Tim Paine the Tigers had opened up an end. However Daniel Hughes and Ed Cowan strode comfortably to the close, cutting the visitors’ lead to 96 runs.

A round-up of the matches in the Under-19 World Cup on January 29

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2016England Under-19 fast bowlers Sam Curran and Saqib Mahmood took two and four wickets respectively to help dismiss West Indies Under-19 for 221 and complete a 61-run victory in Chittagong. Curran began the defence of 282 in splendid fashion, dismissing Tevin Imlach and no. 3 Shimron Hetmyer for ducks in the first over of the West Indies chase. The other opener Gidron Pope made 60 out of the team’s first 84 runs at a run a ball before he was dismissed in the 18th over. The only other innings of substance came from the no. 7 Keemo Paul, who made 65 off 58 deliveries. Mahmood ran through the lower order and West Indies were all out in 43.4 overs.England had relied on a collective performance to post 282 for 7 after winning the toss, their second successive imposing total of the tournament. Opener Dan Lawrence was impressive again, making 55, while Callum Taylor top scored with 59. Jack Burnham made 44 and George Bartlett 48, and Curran also contributed 39 off 36 balls at no. 6 before wrecking the start of the chase.Fiji Under-19 suffered another massive defeat in their second match of the World Cup, losing by seven wickets to Zimbabwe Under-19 in Chittagong, two days after a 299-run thrashing against England. This time Fiji batted first and were shot out for 81 in 27.4 overs, with only three batsmen making double-figure scores and no one getting past 20. Offspinner Wesley Madhevere began his tournament with figures of 5 for 24, while legspinner Blessing Mavuta claimed 3 for 13 in Zimbabwe’s victory.Zimbabwe made short work of the chase, getting to 84 in 18.5 overs but lost three wickets in doing so. They were 27 for 2 at one stage. However, opener Brendan Sly made an unbeaten 29, while Jeremy Ives scored 23 off 26 balls, to seal victory. Medium-pacer Josaia Baleicikoibia took 2 for 19 for Fiji.The Namibia Under-19 bowlers dismissed Scotland Under-19 for 159 in Cox’s Bazar after which their top-order batsmen polished off the chase in 26 overs with nine wickets in hand. After winning the toss, Scotland lost their opener Jack Waller to Fritz Coetzee off the first legal ball of the game and never really recovered. They slumped from 59 for 2 to 97 for 8, before their last two wickets propped them up to 159 before they were all out in 36.3 overs. Owais Shah’s 39 at No.3 was Scotland’s top score, while Michael van Lingen took 3 for Namibia.Unlike Scotland, Namibia had a strong start to their chase, with their openers adding 95 in 15.3 overs. Niko Davin fell for 52 off 37 balls, while SJ Loftie-Eaton was unbeaten on 67 when the winning runs were hit with 144 balls to spare. He had added 67 for the second wicket with his captain Zane Green, who was unbeaten on 39 off 42 balls.

Worcestershire overcame Gloucestershire in Friends Life t20 thanks to a flush of form for Alexei Kervezee, who has had a difficult summer since he retired from international cricket with the Netherlands.

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2013Worcestershire 120-5 (Kervezee 42*) beat Gloucestershire 119-8 (Mitchell 3-21) by five wicketsAlexei Kervezee had found runs hard to come by since wearing Netherlands colours for the last time•ICC/Ian Jacobs

Worcestershire overpowered Gloucestershire to register their first Friends Life t20 win of the season by five wickets at New Road.Gloucestershire’s dismal batting performance on a slow, dry pitch mustered only 119 for nine and that proved to be plain sailing for Worcestershire, who won with five overs to spare thanks to a flash of form for Alexei Kervezee, who has had a difficult summer since he retired from international cricket with the Netherlands.Kervezee went into the match with one half-century in 26 previous innings in all formats – that arriving in a Yorkshire Bank 40 meeting with his former Dutch team-mates – but he held his focus in cruising to an unbeaten 42 from 32 balls.Worcestershire dominated the game from the outset but created some pressure in
the way they lost wickets at key times.Moeen Ali, following a successful spell of 2 for 14 with his off-breaks, was going well on 22 when he swept Tom Smith to deep square leg.But there was no more careless dismissal that that of Andre Russell, who hit a rapid 18 before he was run out in mind-numbing fashion, ambling towards the bowlers’ end with his bat off the ground when looking for a single off a no ball from Dan Christian and beaten by a trundling direct hit.When Gareth Andrew chipped Smith to mid-wicket, giving the left-arm spinner two for 22, the home side were on 93 for five but Ben Cox completed the job with a straight six off Benny Howell.Comprehensively beaten in their first two group games, Worcestershire selected three spinners in an attempt to take advantage of a dry, sparsely-grassed surface.The slow surface meant there was scant entertainment for the New Road crowd as Gloucestershire foundered but the plan worked to perfection in the case of Moeen, who delivered 14 dot balls in four overs. Daryl Mitchell later turned in a spell of three for 21.Six batsmen got into double figures but no one could break free as Worcestershire backed up their bowlers with slick catching, none better than Kervezee’s overhead take from Howell in front of the rope at mid-wicket.

Speaking about England’s decision to rest James Anderson from the final Test against West Indies Andy Flower defended the rotation policy

George Dobell05-Jun-2012It was telling that, not for the first time in this series, it was a man who was conspicuous by his absence who dominated the pre-Test discussion at Edgbaston. Speaking about England’s decision to rest James Anderson from the final Test against West Indies, Andy Flower defended the rotation policy, saying that the demanding fixture list meant it would be “crazy and naive” to think England could utilise just three fast bowlers – Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan – over the next couple of years.The move has provoked a varied response. While some have understood that it is simply a sign of the times and more a reflection of England’s hectic schedule than any slight on Anderson or the ticket-buying public of Birmingham, others have reacted as if it were an early sign of the breakdown of law, order and civilization. For example, Ian Botham, the former England allrounder and captain, wrote in his Mirror column that the decision was “complete madness” and “an insult to the English public who pay their money to go and watch the best players in the land represent them on the field”.Either way, it is a measure of the sensitivity of the subject that Flower, the England coach, took it upon himself to come and speak to a section of the media and provide an in-depth explanation of the rationale behind the decision. Flower, while at pains not to be seen to criticise officials at the ECB who have agreed the playing schedule, called the itinerary “incredibly heavy”. He also reminded supporters that rotation was not a new thing – Andrew Strauss, the captain, was rested from a tour of Bangladesh in 2010 – and, while Flower declined to answer any questions about Kevin Pietersen, he did admit that the prospect of players choosing to specialise was an “ongoing issue with the schedules that we’re being asked to undertake”.”We came into this series with one goal and that was to win the series,” Flower said. “We’ve achieved that goal so our priorities do shift. I’m not intending to demean the importance of this Test but, since we won the series already, our priority on the Test front does now shift to the South Africa series. There is also a slight shift to the West Indies one-day series because that series stands at 0-0. We haven’t won that series, we’ve won this one. Part of our decision making is based around those reasons.”If it had been 1-1 going into this third Test, Jimmy would have played. He is not badly injured and he could play this Test if we wanted him to. But it’s 2-0 and we’ve won the series already.”The second point I would make is that the days of us playing our players until they are either worn down significantly, or snap physically or mentally, are over. We think it our responsibility to manage things better than that. It is our duty to make decisions in their interests and the interests of the team. In the past we tended to play the fast bowlers until they were either bowling so poorly we had to leave them out, or they break down. And that doesn’t make sense to us.”Would you enter your prize horse in every race through the year? You wouldn’t. You would target the races you want to win. We’ve won this race already. Would you play your most valuable pitcher in every single game in a baseball season? No you wouldn’t. In fact, you don’t even see them play full games. You pull them out of games because physically it makes sense to do so. Eventually their shoulder or their elbow would go. Does Wayne Rooney play every game for Manchester United? No, he doesn’t because he would break down if he tried to do so. The schedule is really busy, and that’s why we have to make these decisions. It would be ridiculous if we expected our fast bowlers to play in every single game.”These types of decisions are made for the good of the team but also they will extend the careers of bowlers like Anderson. Actually I think it’s beneficial to him. I understand the reasons why he is disappointed but it is beneficial to him in the long run.Graham Onions is one of the players who could come into the England side at Edgbaston•Getty Images

“My third point is we have to try to and grow our pool of fast bowlers that are available to the England side. You would have seen through the Ashes in Australia that it wasn’t the same attack that was used throughout that series. When we left Steven Finn out and when Stuart Broad was injured, the guys who came in excelled. Over the next couple of years the schedule is incredibly heavy. It is not only going to be Anderson, Broad and Bresnan who are going to be our bowlers over the next couple of years. It would be crazy and naive to think so. We are going to use other fast bowlers. It is part of growing our pool of fast bowlers.”My fourth point is the possible replacement or replacements we use in this Test match are fine bowlers in their own right who have already performed very successfully in Test matches in England. I don’t see it as devaluing this Test, I see it as a really exciting opportunity for us and for those watching the game. We are making this decision in the best interests of English cricket. We are not trying to overcomplicate, or devalue the game in any way. I perfectly understand why James Anderson is disappointed to be left out and I would be surprised if he felt any different. He is hungry to play. That’s okay.”He will be using this time to get his body in as good order as possible. He is carrying a couple of niggles and this is a chance to get rid of them. If it was 1-1 he would be playing, but it’s not. We make decisions that make us stronger in the medium to long-term. Those are the reasons why we’ve made those decisions. Some people will disagree with them and that’s fair enough. But I hope you can understand the logic behind those decisions.”Flower admitted that Broad may also be left out of the final XI “for similar reasons” and dismissed the idea that either he or Anderson would be selected with a view to improving their Test statistics. “We don’t select people to get their Test tally up,” Flower said. “We make decisions in the best interests of English cricket.”It was also noticeable that, in Anderson’s absence, England spent some time in fielding drills with prospective new members of the slip cordon. Jonathan Trott, Steven Finn, Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook were among those who are not always in the cordon to be put through their paces.Anderson’s absence is unlikely to have much effect on last-minute ticket sales at Edgbaston. The weather forecast – grim, as ever this summer, it seems – may prove more relevant, though relatively high ticket prices will not have helped. Warwickshire, in their defence, would point out that various group discounts and ‘kids for a quid’ schemes were available.They may also point out that ticket sales as not as poor as has been suggested in some quarters. As of Tuesday, Edgbaston had pre-sold 52,300 tickets for the Test. While fourth-day sales are poor – around 4,000 – the first three days are respectable (16,500, 14,800 and 17,000 respectively). Indeed, some grounds outside London would need to turn people away with those figures.It is an important game for Warwickshire. Having invested heavily in redeveloping their stadium to an excellent standard – something they were encouraged to do by the ECB – they then missed out in the distribution deal and will not host an Ashes Test in 2013 or an India Test in 2014. While they will host some attractive limited-overs games – not least the final of the ICC Champions Trophy – they do not host another Test after this until 2015. With hefty loans to repay, they need to maximise revenues from this Test.

Lonwabo Tsotosbe, the South Africa left-arm pace bowler, has been released by Essex a week before the end of his contract

Firdose Moonda25-May-2011Lonwabo Tsotosbe, the South Africa left-arm pace bowler, has been released by Essex a week before the end of his contract. Tsotsobe’s poor form during his stint with the Division Two county side and an outburst on social networking site, Twitter, are the two major reasons for his early departure.”They [Essex] were not happy with his form,” Arthur Turner, Tsotsobe’s agent told ESPNcricinfo. “They expected more from him.” Tsotsobe signed a short-term deal with Essex and joined them last month. In three first-class matches, he took five wickets at an average of 77.60, which prompted Essex to drop him from the first XI last week . He also played in five limited-overs matches and his eight wickets came at average of 30.25 while he had a bloated economy rate of 6.28.Tsotosbe expressed his feelings about being dropped on Twitter on Monday when he posted. “Ive never felt like ths eva. Ths is the worst two mnths of my life. And u know wen u start regretin urself it aint gud.”Friends from back home replied to him with messages of encouragement, with many telling him to hang in and see the contract out. He replied to one by saying, “i think i shudhave stayed at home and work on my strength,” and another with, “talent is over rated,its the hard work u put wt talent that gets u places. And its just impossible to work in ths environment.”His reaction stunned Essex management, who told the BBC that their hospitality to visiting players had not come under such attack in the past. “Everyone who comes into our dressing room, one of the first things they say to me is what a great place it is to play cricket, because they like the great environment,” Paul Grayson, the Essex coach said. “So to hear that he said some things about the dressing room is very annoying.”Grayson also said there was no reason for him to stay around for their next fixture against Gloucestershire, which starts on Sunday. “He is not going to play next week at Bristol so he might as well go back to South Africa,” Grayson said. “It’s really disappointing. He has got to look at himself. We gave him a great chance to come and play some county cricket and he has not made the most of it.”Grayson added that Essex would put their feelings in a letter to Cricket South Africa. He did not go into detail about the content of the communication that Essex want to have with officials in South Africa, but it will likely deal with the public comments about the club, which Grayson reacted called “downright rude.”Tony Irish, chief executive of the South African Cricketers’ Association said that “there is a social networking policy in place and the guys are well aware that there are dangers.” Irish could not comment further on Tsotsobe’s case in particular but said that if any player is found to have contravened the code, “they will be disciplined.” Gerald Majola, the chief executive of CSA, also did not have the exact details: “If Essex want to put it all in writing I will take it up with them or with Lonwabo himself,” he said.This was Tsotsbe’s first stint at a county, having previously only played club cricket in England. He was Essex’s third choice overseas recruit after attempts to sign Peter Siddle and Tim Southee failed. Turner said that he “struggled with his lengths,” as is the case with many bowlers when they first travel to the UK. Tsotsobe has also been in regular contact with South Africa assistant coach Vincent Barnes who said that Tsotsobe felt he was “getting better,” although he had battled to adjust to the conditions, including the weather.

New sports minister Hugh Robertson has given a strong hint that the Conservative government will abandon plans to put home Ashes Test back on free-to-air TV

Cricinfo staff24-Jun-2010New sports minister Hugh Robertson has given a strong hint that the Conservative government will abandon plans to put home Ashes Tests back on free-to-air TV.The previous Labour government appeared to be backing proposals to return cricket to terrestrial TV, which created much opposition from the ECB and counties which feared a major loss of income, but when a decision wasn’t made before the general election there was always a chance the plans would change.Robertson also suggested that the current tough economic conditions mean that sporting bodies should be allowed to maximise their revenues, although he urged them to look at income streams away from the multi-million pound world of TV rights.”The previous Government did this for political purposes but then didn’t include it in their manifesto which is interesting,” Robertson told the Wisden Cricketer website. “Since then the economic situation has deteriorated quite sharply. Big public expenditure cuts will impact in sport so the way to equalise that is to give them [governing bodies] the freedom to market their own rights.”Since 2006 all live England cricket in the UK has been shown on BSkyB with highlights of home internationals available on Five. The recent IPL was shown on ITV4, a digital channel which is available over free platforms.

USA will want to take down another Full Member nation in what is likely to be their last game at the World Cup

Alan Gardner22-Jun-20241:23

Do England need Jacks for better balance?

Match details

USA vs England
Barbados, June 23, 10.30am local time

Big picture – Can USA upset calculations?

If this is the end of the road for USA’s memorable T20 World Cup 2024 journey – they could still squeak into the semi-finals, but the odds are very much against them – then what a stage on which to bow out, facing up to the defending champions with one last chance to cause an upset.England and USA have met at both football and rugby World Cups but this will be their first cricketing encounter of the modern age. Jos Buttler’s side have endured a choppy campaign so far, winning three and losing two to go with a no result in their opening match at Kensington Oval. But they return to Barbados knowing that a convincing performance will go a long way to ensuring their title defence continues into the knockouts.Related

• Buttler: De Kock innings 'the difference' in narrow SA win

• Chase, Hope help West Indies thump USA for NRR boost

• What do South Africa, England and West Indies need to do?

Victory will put them on four points, and a margin of more than ten runs (batting first) will ensure their net run-rate goes above that of South Africa, who then take on West Indies in the final Group 2 game later on Sunday.England’s cushion comes from their convincing win over the other co-hosts West Indies at the start of the Super Eight, and Buttler remained upbeat after his side lost a close game to South Africa in St Lucia. England have rarely been at their best over the last three weeks in the Caribbean but there have been signs that their game is coming together at the right time for a tilt at becoming the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup trophy.Before they get that far, they must avoid a mishap against a USA side that burned brightly at the start of the tournament but has looked to be running low on gas after three defeats in a row against Full Member oppositions. Their success has already put the names of Aaron Jones, Monank Patel and Saurabh Netravalkar in lights. If they can summon one final effort and become the latest former colony to put one over on the mother country, it will add another sprinkle of Hollywood stardust to cricket’s American adventure.

Form guide

USA LLLWW
England LWWWLLiam Livingstone nearly took England home against South Africa•ICC/Getty Images

In the spotlight – Aaron Jones and Liam Livingstone

Aaron Jones‘ six over midwicket to seal a rousing opening-night win over Canada was the shot that was heard around the World Cup. He followed up a career-defining 94 not out by helping secure the tie that eventually led to USA’s Super Over victory over Pakistan, but has found the going tougher since then, with scores of 11, 0 and 11. Taking on the captaincy, in the absence of the injured Monank, has added to his burden. But he has another chance to impress at a ground where he played in four first-class matches for Barbados during his time in West Indies’ domestic system.An innings of 33 off 17 balls in a losing cause might not sound much, but could it turn out to be the spark Liam Livingstone needed? Livingstone’s attempt to get England over the line against South Africa, helping to revive their chase while adding 78 for the fifth wicket alongside Harry Brook, was only the second time he has scored more than 30 in 22 T20 innings this year. His power when taking down Ottneil Baartman at the death was a reminder of what he can do, and suggested that he may be ready to repay England’s faith that he remains the answer in the finisher role.2:19

Stuart Law: ‘If we’re not winning, we’re learning’

Team news – England unlikely to make any changes

USA have been without Monank since their group-stage win over Pakistan, but head coach Stuart Law suggested he was close to returning from a shoulder injury. “He’s getting better, we’re constantly assessing him,” Law said after the defeat to West Indies on Friday. “Unfortunately, he nearly made it for this one. So, we’re constantly assessing it.”USA (probable): 1 Steven Taylor, 2 Andries Gous (wk), 3 Nitish Kumar, 4 Aaron Jones (capt), 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Shayan Jahangir, 7 Harmeet Singh, 8 Nosthush Kenjinge, 9 Shadley van Schalkwyk, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Saurabh NetravalkarEngland may be unchanged for the third match running, having apparently settled on Jonny Bairstow at No. 3 and Sam Curran as the extra bowling/left-hand batter option. Chris Jordan could replace Mark Wood to add further depth to the batting.England (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 3 Jonny Bairstow, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Jordan/Mark Wood, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid 11 Reece Topley

Pitch and conditions

Kensington Oval is one of only two venues at this World Cup to have seen a 200-plus score, but generally, the pitches have been on the tacky side. The forecast for Sunday has improved although there is still a chance of rainfall interrupting proceedings.

Stats and trivia

• This will be the first meeting between England and USA with full international status in any format
• England have played 13 completed T20Is in Bridgetown, winning six (including the 2010 T20 World Cup final) and losing seven
• Sam Curran needs one more wicket to reach 50 in T20Is

Quotes

“We’ve just got to win the game. We haven’t played them before so it’ll be a good challenge and we’re looking forward to it. The games come thick and fast now so we’ve got to dust ourselves down and go again. We’ve had a great win against the West Indies, a great game today which was a shame not to win but we’re still in it and looking ahead to the next one.”

“I think every match we play, obviously, representing the country is important. So, we’ll definitely go hard against England and try to finish well. Obviously, we can’t advance to the next round. But as I say, I think every match you play for your country is important. So, we’re definitely going to try to win the game for sure.”

Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne among those who will play in the UK while David Warner eyes form in the IPL

Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan28-Mar-2023 • Updated on 04-Apr-2023

IPL 2023

Jason Behrendorff (Mumbai Indians)
The 31-year-old left-armer returns to Mumbai having played his only five IPL games there in 2019 but he spent the last couple of seasons as a squad member at both Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is coming off his best-ever BBL taking 21 wickets in 14 games at an outstanding economy rate of 6.69 in Perth Scorchers’ title. Jhye Richardson’s absence from the IPL for Mumbai due to a hamstring injury and Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness queries, as well as Jofra Archer’s workloads, could present opportunities for Behrendorff.Tim David (Mumbai Indians)
The globetrotting gun-for-hire was underused by Mumbai last year after they paid big money for him prior to even being selected for Australia. The retirement of Kieron Pollard means David becomes a key cog in Mumbai’s middle order and a lot will be expected of him with the other overseas batters in Green, Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs all being relatively inexperienced.Nathan Ellis (Punjab Kings and Hampshire)
He returns for his third season at Punjab. He’s only played five IPL games in his first two seasons. He only played two matches in 2022 with Punjab having a strong group of first-choice overseas players. He has established himself as an international quality T20 bowler having bowled superbly in his limited opportunities for Australia. Ellis will also return to Hampshire for the T20 Blast where he was a key part of their title last year.Cameron Green (Mumbai Indians)
Mumbai splurged $AUD3.15 million on the emerging superstar after he tore India apart in the brief T20I tour last year. His Test century in Ahmedabad will only add to Mumbai’s excitement but Green is still very raw in T20. It is unlikely he will play every game for Mumbai and it may be a development year for him given the squad’s overseas depth. Australia’s selectors will be concerned however about his physical and mental fatigue ahead of the World Test Championship final and the Ashes, given he will have spent four straight months in India and does not travel home or play any red-ball cricket prior to heading to England.Can Josh Hazlewood prove his Test fitness?•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Hazlewood’s class is not in question but his fitness is. He was sent home from the Test tour of India due to Achilles tendonitis that has plagued him for two months. That came after he damaged his side in the first Test of the summer in early December 2022 and missed three Test matches. He has barely played any Test cricket over the last 18 months due to injury but he has hardly missed any T20s and has been outstanding in the last two IPLs. Australia’s selectors will keep a close eye on him with the World Test Championship final starting just a week after the IPL final. His lack of red-ball preparation will be a major issue.Mitchell Marsh (Delhi Capitals)
Marsh will be itching for the IPL to get going so he can continue the rich vein of batting form that he is in on the back of being Player of the Series in the 2-1 ODI victory over India. He is likely to bat at No. 3 although Rilee Rossouw’s presence in the squad makes Capitals’ overseas configuration a little more complicated. Marsh hasn’t bowled since returning from ankle surgery and that would only add to his value at Capitals. He has stated that he would also love to be considered for the Ashes as a back-up for Green but he would need to be bowling in order for that to happen.Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore and Birmingham)
Maxwell’s fitness remains a concern as he continues to recover from his broken leg. He pushed to play the ODI series against India but was clearly underdone. He is a key figure in RCB’s team with both bat and ball but he hasn’t bowled much during his recovery due to soreness. It will be interesting to see how many games he is able to play for RCB. He has also signed to play the T20 Blast for Birmingham Bears.Daniel Sams (Lucknow Super Giants and Essex)
Sams joins his fourth IPL team in four years having played three games for Delhi Capitals in 2020, two games for RCB in 2021, and 11 games for Mumbai Indians in 2022. He looks set to be a depth player for LSG. He had a good finish to the season with the ball last year for Mumbai but hasn’t shown his full batting capabilities in the IPL. Sams will also return to Essex for the T20 Blast. Matt Short (Punjab Kings)
The BBL Player of the Tournament has earned a late call as Jonny Bairstow’s replacement. It is a great opportunity for Short to further press his claims to be in Australia’s plans for the next T20 World Cup. He was superb for Adelaide Strikers, making 458 runs with a strike-rate 144.47 including a thrilling 59-ball century in a huge chase against Hobart Hurricanes and claimed 11 wickets with his offspin. With Aaron Finch having retired he could be an option to open for Australia.Big chance: Matt Short’s BBL form has been rewarded•Getty Images

Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Super Giants)
His IPL stock remains high despite some injury issues over the last 12 months. He only played eight games in the recent BBL due to ongoing side problems that have plagued him for years and he hasn’t bowled a lot, although he did bowl well in the ODI series against India. Bowling in back-to-back games remains a challenge for him.Matthew Wade (Gujurat Titans)
Wade returns to the IPL after winning a title with Gujarat last season although he did spend a period of the season out of the team. He has become a global T20 player in the last 12 months, forgoing Sheffield Shield cricket for Tasmania after the BBL season ended to play in the South Africa T20 league for Joburg Super Kings and in the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings. He will likely play a flexible for Titans having kept and batted in every spot in the top seven in the last 12 months and played as a batter only in the PSL.David Warner (Delhi Capitals)
Warner will be eager to make a statement in the IPL as he has done in the past after an unusual last few months. He is coming off a fractured elbow having missed the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series and he only made his return to playing in the final ODI of the recent three-match series where he batted at No. 4. He has been named Delhi captain in Rishabh Pant’s absence and will relish the responsibility having captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to an IPL title previously, and having been denied the chance to captain in the BBL. But he won’t get to play any red-ball cricket in the lead-up to the World Test Championship final and the Ashes which will no doubt be a cause for concern for Australia’s selectors.Adam Zampa (Rajasthan Royals)
The abundance of spinners in the IPL has meant that Zampa’s opportunities have been limited despite being one of the world’s best at T20I level for Australia. He joins his third IPL team having played for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017 and RCB in 2020. He is unlikely to play many games for Rajasthan with R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal set to be first-choice spinners.Marcus Harris will be looking for more runs with Gloucestershire•Getty Images

County Championship and T20 Blast

Sean Abbott (Surrey)
Abbott is one of those players who could end up very unfortunate not to have a stab at Test cricket, although this county stint puts him in the right place should injuries hit during the Ashes. He had previously joined Surrey in 2021 before his season was cut short by a hamstring injury.Cameron Bancroft (Somerset)
Far and away the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield with almost three hundred more than the next best. Bancroft has made a very strong claim for a place in the Ashes squad having briefly returned to the Test fold after his ban in the 2019 series. Has signed for a short four-match stint with Somerset although the selectors have probably already made their minds up either way.Peter Handscomb (Leicestershire)
Handscomb has a considerable amount at stake as he looks to secure a spot in the Ashes squad. Had an encouraging return to Test cricket in India where he impressed on the tough surfaces. However, his record in England across various county spell is modest with an average of 30.14 and just one hundred from 30 matches. His ability to be a back-up wicketkeeper adds value.Marcus Harris (Gloucestershire)
Like Handscomb, Harris is pushing for a back-up spot in the Test squad and will still have ambitions of being David Warner’s long-term replacement when the vacancy arrives. Was picked apart by England’s quicks during the 2019 Ashes and has failed to build on glimpses of promise at Test level although was unlucky to lose his spot during the 2021-22 series.Matt Kuhnemann (Durham)
The rapid rise of left-arm spinner Kuhnemann continues. A few months ago he was not first-choice for Queensland then he earned an Australia Test call-up and claimed a five-wicket in Indore. Now Durham have secured him in place of Todd Murphy who became unavailable for the first part of the season as CA watch his workload. Quite how conducive home conditions in April and May will be for Kuhnemann remains to be seen.Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)
Labuschagne has a long association with Glamorgan and his 2019 stint became a key part of his narrative after being parachuted into that summer’s Ashes as Steven Smith’s concussion substitute at Lord’s. He made three Test centuries in four innings during 2022 (including a double against West Indies) and continues to be a run machine.Michael Neser is ideal for English conditions•Getty Images

Chris Lynn (Northamptonshire – T20 Blast)
Lynn had a superb T20 campaign for Northamptonshire last year with 516 runs at a strike-rate of 159.25. After plenty of behind-the-scenes dealings he negotiated a deal to play the majority of the BBL being taking up an ILT20 contract.Nathan McAndrew (Sussex)
A developing allrounder, McAndrew had a very good season for South Australia where he claimed 28 wickets at 30.46 and scored 289 runs at 48.16. In 2022 he played for Warwickshire, taking 20 wickets at 37.85 and scoring 278 runs at 34.75, including two fifties.Ben McDermott (Hampshire – T20 Blast)
Has drifted down the pecking order for Australia’s white-ball sides after a strong ODI series in Pakistan last year when a number of first-choice players are missing. A poor BBL with Hobart Hurricanes where he averaged just 16.33 has left him with a lot of catching up to do to be in the frame for next year’s T20 World Cup.Lance Morris (Northamptonshire)
Once of the quickest bowlers in Australia, Morris has a good chance of being part of the Ashes squad having been around the Australia team over the last six months including throughout the India tour without yet earning a Test debut.Michael Neser (Glamorgan)
Will be very much in the frame for the WTC final and Ashes squads given a skillset that is ideal for English conditions. However, it could be that the selectors feel he’s better off playing regular cricket and calling him up if required. He is coming off the back of a career-best Shield season for Queensland where he claimed 40 wickets at 16.67 although did pick up an injury late in the campaign.Kane Richardson (Kent – T20 Blast)
Remains a very effective T20 bowler but it feels as though he is slipping down the Australia hierarchy and faces a challenge to be in the plans for the 2024 T20 World Cup.Peter Siddle (Somerset)
Still going at 38, Siddle returns to Somerset for another season. Last year, he claimed 27 first-class wickets at an average 23.92. Had a solid Shield campaign for Tasmania with 24 wickets at 25.58. Is returning to Victoria next summer.Steven Smith’s short deal raised some eyebrows•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Steven Smith (Sussex)
Smith flies in for a three-match stint during May in what has proved the most controversial of the pre-Ashes signings, but it is a fantastic opportunity for Sussex’s young batters to learn off the best. Spare a thought for the Sussex net bowlers and those giving throwdowns. He will come up against Labuschagne when Sussex face Glamorgan on May 18.Will Sutherland (Essex – withdrawn)
Was unlikely to be in Ashes contention barring a huge spate of injuries, but Sutherland is one of the emerging players in the Australian game. Has enjoyed an excellent all-round season for Victoria and took on their Sheffield Shield captaincy, guiding them to the final. However, his hopes of a season with Essex have been ended by a stress fracture of his back revealed after the Shield final.Chris Tremain (Northamptonshire)
The chance of a baggy green has likely passed Tremain by, but he remains a very consistent domestic performer. He has signed a short three-match stint with NorthantsAJ Tye (Northamptonshire – T20 Blast)
His international days are likely behind him but Tye remains a fine T20 bowler who has put on, or rediscovered, some pace. Had an outstanding season for Perth Scorchers where he took 26 wickets.Sam Whiteman (Northamptonshire)
A solid left hander, Whiteman could be an outside chance of pushing for higher honours if he can put together a strong county season then back it up at home. In this year’s Shield, he responded to an early-season pair with a career-best 193 against South Australia but wasn’t quite able to build on that.

Dilshan Fonseka, the team’s trainer, has also tested positive

Madushka Balasuriya31-Jan-2022Uncapped Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has tested positive for Covid-19, and his participation in Sri Lanka’s upcoming T20I tour of Australia has been put in doubt as a result. Dilshan Fonseka, the team’s trainer, has also tested positive and, like Thushara, is “currently undergoing covid-19 protocols”, according to a Sri Lanka Cricket statement*.Though the update about Thushara has just come to light, ESPNcricinfo understands that he had returned a positive result six days ago. His second RT-PCR test is scheduled for Tuesday, the seventh day from the initial test, but with the team set to fly out on February 3, SLC and its medical team will have to decide whether Thushara can travel with the rest of the squad or not.Related

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According to the head of SLC’s medical department, Prof Arjuna de Silva, even in the event of a negative test on Tuesday, Thushara would need to undergo further tests before getting clearance to play.”We haven’t still decided on that [his inclusion in the travelling party],” de Silva said. “Generally, under normal protocol, we do a cardiac and lung assessment [prior to clearing a player]. If we send him with the team, assuming his second PCR comes back negative, we will then have to assess him in Australia before he plays.”de Silva, though was optimistic of Thushara’s inclusion, with the 27-year-old currently asymptomatic, and also confirmed that no-one else from the travelling party had been in close contact with Thushara, who had picked up 12 wickets in eight games for Galle Gladiators in the recent Lanka Premier League.The quick with the slingy action has, unsurprisingly, been compared with Lasith Malinga, who was recently hired by SLC as a bowling strategy coach for the tour of Australia. The squad has a number of other fast-bolwing options: Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando and Shiran Fernando. Nuwan Pradeep was not picked for the tour.Sri Lanka are scheduled to play five T20Is in Australia from February 11-20, with the first two games in Sydney before the action moves to Canberra and then Melbourne.

The batsman was struck by a throwdown before the first ODI and was still struggling with concussion days later

Daniel Brettig21-Sep-2020Australia’s coach Justin Langer has revealed that Steven Smith was effectively ruled out of the entire ODI series against England from the moment it became clear he would not be fit for the opening match due to concussion symptoms.During an enthralling three-match series in which Australia won the opening game, lost the second after a hectic collapse and then rebounded from an equally hopeless position to claim the decider, Smith’s possible availability was discussed around each match, even to the point that Langer said before the third he was only one strong net session away from returning. However, Smith was then visibly ill at training in trying to prove his fitness before the final game and was ruled out.Langer gave a somewhat different account of events from the vantage point of the end of the series as he begins the first of two fortnight-long stints of hotel quarantine, the first at Adelaide Oval’s new hotel and then in Perth once he returns to his home town.ALSO READ: Australians in the IPL: ESPNcricinfo’s one-stop guide“We saw how unwell he looked, doing his very best to get up,” Langer said. “No one in the world loves playing cricket and batting more than Steve Smith does. So, I said to him after he didn’t play the first game, it’s very likely that will rule you out from the whole series, mate. Because we had to play three games in five to six days. It wasn’t a surprise to me.”The protocols are there for a reason. We’ve been really fair with those protocols and been consistent with them. It’s unfortunate it’s been Steve Smith the last couple of times and we’re really hopeful he gets back up and running in the IPL. We expect him to come back and play great cricket. He’s a great cricketer and he loves playing. We talk to him every day.”Steven Smith was struck on the side of the helmet by a throwdown during net practice at Old Trafford•Getty Images

Smith still needs to pass the last handful of concussion protocols being jointly monitored by Cricket Australia and his IPL club Rajasthan Royals in the UAE, where he is club captain alongside the coach Andrew McDonald, who also serves as Langer’s senior assistant. The Royals’ first match is to take place against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah on Tuesday night.”We keep in touch with the players but also with Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich, Andrew McDonald of course, there are a number of Australian coaches over there who we stay in touch with,” Langer said. “We’ll keep a close eye on the guys…we’ve been away for five weeks after the guys, the sacrifices they are making are huge. I know they get paid well but the sacrifices to their families and the game of cricket are huge.”I admire and respect for them for that. You look at a David Warner or Steve Smith or a Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins, they had their quarantine before they left for England, they go straight into the IPL, they play that competition and they come back for two weeks, strict quarantine back in Australia, and then we start a summer against India which is one our biggest rivalries in world cricket today.ALSO READ: Tour takeaways: Warner’s new nemesis, Carey’s comeback and quality quicks“These guys are under huge pressure and that’s why we have to care for them and look after them and make sure they’re going okay. If they need to chop out [and see their families], as I said, they’ll have our 100 percent support to do that.”Australia’s victory in the final match of the tour, after a couple of frustratingly lost opportunities in both the T20I and ODI series, allowed all concerned to fly out of the UK, whether into the IPL or quarantine in Adelaide, with a happier perspective on all that had gone before than if the trip had ended in a defeat.”It was brilliant. Everything considered, the whole tour to England was an incredible success, after four months of no cricket, the way our guys played in the T20s where we were so close, and then to beat England, who are the best one-day team in the world, 2-1 on their soil was very satisfying,” Langer said.”The wicket in the last game was very different to the first two games, which was nice to be tested on different surfaces. For our guys to go away with victory, it’s amazing the fine line, it’s more fun winning than losing, the smiles on our faces leaving the country after everything that had gone into it was a credit to everyone involved.”