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Morris represented South Africa 69 times across all formats, taking 94 international wickets in all

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2022South Africa allrounder Chris Morris has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. While declaring his decision to hang his boots after a 12-year career, the 34-year-old Morris also said that he would be taking up a coaching role with South African domestic side Titans.”Thanks to all who have played a part in my journey whether it be big or small…it’s been a fun ride!” Morris’ instagram caption read.Morris last represented South Africa during the 2019 ODI World Cup, a tournament where he was South Africa’s highest wicket-taker. He turned out for his country 69 times across the three formats, taking 94 wickets in all.A bowling allrounder who often sent the speedgun beyond 140kph, Morris was also a hard-hitting lower-order batter. Morris made his international debut in a T20I in December 2012, and an ODI debut followed next year, in June 2013. He had to wait for his Test debut though, finally earning the first of his four Test caps in January 2016.Morris’ all-round skills meant he was in high demand in T20 leagues earning high paychecks, particularly in IPL auctions. He had played only one T20I when Chennai Super Kings bid $US625,000 for him, more than 31 times his base price of $US20,000. In the IPL 2016 auction, Delhi Daredevils bought him for INR 7 crore (approx $US1.04 million). Then in the IPL 2020 auction, Royal Challengers Bangalore bid INR 10 crore for him (approx $US1.4 million).Finally, in the IPL 2021 auction, Rajasthan Royals broke the bank for him in bidding INR 16.25 crore for him (approx $US 2.24 million). The Royals bid in 2021 made Morris the most expensive player to go under the hammer in IPL auctions to date, although he wasn’t the highest paid player, with Virat Kohli being paid INR 17 crore by the Royal Challengers in IPLs 2018 to 2021.Morris’ Test career lasted only four matches, where he took 12 wickets at an average of 38.25. His Test debut against England also provided his highest Test score of 69.In ODIs, Morris played 42 matches and took 48 wickets at an average of 36.58 and an economy rate of 5.56. His batting average of 20.30 perhaps did not reflect his skills as a batter, but his strike-rate of 100.43 showed his abilities to be a gamechanger with the bat.However, Morris leaves his greatest legacy in the shortest format. He played 234 T20s, including 23 for South Africa between 2012 and 2019. In all T20s, he took 290 wickets at an average of 22.21 and economy of 7.78, while with the bat finished with a strike-rate of 150.04.Morris has played cricket all around the world, apart from his time spent with Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, North West, Lions and the Titans at home. In England, he played for Surrey and Hampshire, in West Indies for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Sydney Thunder in Australia.

With Amazon Warriors needing 11 from the last over, Naseem Shah held his nerve to concede just five

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2025In what was a must-win game for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Mohammad Rizwan and the bowlers helped them get the better of Guyana Amazon Warriors by five runs in a last-over finish in Providence.Chasing a mere 150, Amazon Warriors needed 11 from six balls with three wickets in hand. Naseem Shah held his nerve and had Keemo Paul caught at long-on with the first ball. For the rest of the over, he mixed slower balls into the pitch with yorkers to give away just five. While the result ended Patriots’ three-match losing streak, their playoff chances still look bleak. They need nothing less than a win in their last league match, against Barbados Royals on Friday, but also other results to go their way.Earlier, Patriots did not have a great start and were 26 for 3 inside five overs with Andre Fletcher, Kyle Mayers and Leniko Boucher all falling in single digits. But Rizwan’s 85 off 62 balls steered them to 149 for 6.Rizwan stabilised the innings with Rilee Rossouw and took the side to 64 for 4 at the end of ten overs. He was on 36 off 30 at that point but scored 49 off the next 32. In all, he hit eight fours and three sixes and was responsible for Patriots scoring 45 in the last four overs.Patriots’ Pakistani stars Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah celebrate the big wicket of Shimron Hetmyer•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Amazon Warriors had a much better start, reaching 41 for 1 after the powerplay. But they could not build on that, losing two wickets in the next four overs to be 67 for 3 at the halfway mark. Patriots pegged them back further by dismissing Hassan Khan and Shai Hope in successive overs. Dominic Drakes had Hassan caught and bowled and Navin Bidaisee castled Hope with a slider that kept low.After 15 overs, both sides were 100 for 5. But while Patriots had a set better in Rizwan, Amazon Warriors did not. With 50 needed from the last five overs, Dwaine Pretorius tried to take on Waqar Salamkheil but perished attempting a slog sweep. On the very next ball, Salamkheil could have had Romario Shepherd caught behind but Rizwan was not sure if there was bat involved. Replay showed a clear outside edge.Shepherd rubbed it in by pulling the last ball of the over for a six. Paul did the same against Naseem in the following over but could manage only a leg bye from the other five deliveries.With 21 needed from ten balls, Jason Holder had Shepherd caught at long-on with a short ball. Quenton Sampson hit two fours off the next three balls to bring it down to 11 needed from the final over. But Naseem denied them.

Defending champions Adelaide Strikers have retained their core, Melbourne Stars will have Meg Lanning and huge name will boost Perth Scorchers

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2023

Adelaide Strikers

Captain Tahlia McGrath
Coach Luke WilliamsSquad Georgia Adams (England), Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Danielle Gibson (England), Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath, Anesu Mushangwe, Courtney Neale, Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Ella Wilson, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)How the draft wentAfter a first title last season, Strikers understandably emphasised retaining their core. They expectedly retained South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt who returns to Adelaide for the fourth straight season. She is likely to again bat in the top order. Strikers also drafted England allrounder Dani Gibson, who will make her WBBL debut this season after her emergence during the Ashes. The 22-year-old is an aggressive cricketer, who bowls quickly and offers firepower with the bat.How they stack upHaving agonisingly finished runners-up twice, Strikers finally went all the way last season and will start their title defence as perhaps the team to beat. The bulk of the title-winning team remains intact, but Strikers will miss West Indian Deandra Dottin who was the player of the final after a stellar performance with bat and ball. They will also be without wicketkeeper Tegan McPharlin, who has retired, with Bridget Patterson asked to take the gloves this season in what looms as something of a gamble. But it’s a squad brimming with talent across the board and Strikers especially boast a loaded attack led by spearheads Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown. Legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington will again be the frontline spinner with English recruit Georgia Adams set to provide an offspin option and she’s also a versatile batter. Strikers should be in for another title-contending season.Player to watchIt’s hard to go past Tahlia McGrath. She’s Strikers’ inspirational captain and has blossomed into an international star, boasting the highest batting average in women’s T20I history. McGrath had entered the Australian season with extra motivation after a relatively lean Ashes campaign with the bat. McGrath, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, rediscovered her belligerent best against West Indies with a couple of trademark whirlwind knocks to suggest the travails of the UK are in the rear-view. She’s also a quality seam bowler and her tactical nous is well regarded. It all means that McGrath will again shoulder a heavy burden for Strikers.Amelia Kerr will carry a heavy load for Brisbane Heat after a delayed arrival•Getty Images

Brisbane Heat

Captain Jess Jonassen
Coach Ashley NoffkeSquad Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Sarah Glenn (England, replacement), Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Bess Heath (England), Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia VollHow the draft wentHeat predictably retained New Zealand legspinner Amelia Kerr with their platinum pick and she returns for a fourth season in Brisbane. But Kerr will miss the first four games of Heat’s campaign. They also selected England batter Bess Heath, who joins Heat after previously being with Melbourne Stars. Former South Africa batter Mignon du Preez was the marquee recruit for Heat through the direct nomination route having skipped the overseas player draft. Du Preez is the second-highest run-scorer in WBBL history among overseas players with 2292 runs at 28.29 and a strike-rate of 113.80 having previously played for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars.How they stack upAfter a heartbreaking defeat to eventual champions Adelaide Strikers in the Challenger final, Heat will be hoping their relatively youthful squad can take another step forward as they eye a first title since back-to-back triumphs in WBBL 04 and 05. England star Danni Wyatt and India allrounder Pooja Vastrakar have departed, but Heat believe they have batting depth. Du Preez and Heath should fit nicely around top-order batters Georgia Redmayne and Grace Harris, while 20-year-old Georgia Voll is tipped to have a breakout season. Their bowling attack perhaps isn’t quite as potent as some of the other leading teams though there is much anticipation over left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton, who was part of Australia’s team at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year. England legspinner Sarah Glenn will cover the early season absence of Kerr, who is part of New Zealand’s current tour of South Africa.Player to watchFor this relatively inexperienced group, the calming influence of skipper Jess Jonassen will be vitally important for a Heat team with big ambitions. She’ll also be relied upon to be a fulcrum of the attack with her versatile left-arm spin capable of being utilised at any stage of the innings. Throw in her batting capabilities late in the innings, it’s little wonder why she’s one of the most respected players in Australian cricket.Shabnim Ismail will bring a cutting edge to Hurricanes’ attack•AFP/Getty Images

Hobart Hurricanes

Captain Elyse Villani
Coach Jude ColemanSquad Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Emma Manix-Greeves, Amy Smith, Bryony Smith (England), Rachel Trenaman, Molly Strano, Elyse VillaniHow the draft wentHurricanes were a big beneficiary of the chaos at the top of the draft. With Thunder, Renegades and Scorchers all chasing the big-name allrounders, they were able to lock in Shabnim Ismail to bolster their attack despite Ismail being a retention option for Renegades. They then looked slightly left-field taking English offspinning allrounder Bryony Smith despite her limited international experience. But she had a solid Hundred tournament and opened the batting alongside Lizelle Lee at Trent Rockets. Lee bypassed the WBBL draft to be a direct signing for Hurricanes. Lee and Smith shared three 60-plus opening stands in the Hundred this season and could be reunited at the top of the order for Hurricanes if captain Elyse Villani bats down the order, as she did in five matches last season.How they stack upDespite Hurricanes and Tasmania’s WNCL programs being closely linked together Hurricanes have not been able to match Tasmania’s recent domestic success although they did make the finals last year after a dismal run over the previous five seasons. They have a solid core of experienced players without any out-and-out superstars. Lee, Villani, Heather Graham, Nicola Carey and Smith will form the backbone of the batting. Graham and Carey bowl a lot of the key overs along with spin duo Molly Strano and Maisy Gibson. Ismail’s inclusion adds some firepower to the attack and could make them very dangerous. They have enough talent to be a threat.Player to watchShabnim Ismail could be a difference maker for Hurricanes. She is still bowling very well despite retiring from international cricket in May. She is only eight months removed from taking 2 for 26 in the T20 World Cup final at home against Australia. She didn’t bring her best for Renegades last summer but she has a history of delivering in the WBBL. She was pivotal in Sydney Thunder’s title in 2020, taking 2 for 12 including the wickets of her new Hurricanes captain Villani and Australia captain Meg Lanning to be named player of the match. If she can be a strike weapon for Hurricanes, then they loom as a tough team to beat.Meg Lanning has been in form for Victoria early season•Getty Images

Melbourne Stars

Captain Meg Lanning
Coach Jonathan BattySquad Maia Bouchier (England), Alice Capsey (England), Sophie Day, Sophia Dunkley (England), Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Jas Nevins, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Annabel SutherlandHow the draft wentStars took a slightly different approach to the draft than other clubs in terms of their picks. They only took two players at the draft, which most clubs did, and then signed Sophia Dunkley as a direct nomination post-draft. But they opted to bring back England youngsters Alice Capsey and Maia Bouchier, who have both played for Stars previously, rather than some of the more experienced and proven names available in the platinum and gold categories. They had the option of taking Ismail to bolster their bowling but instead committed to the England duo. Bouchier played for Stars in 2021, just after her international debut, but has developed significantly as a player since then and was the fourth-leading scorer in the women’s Hundred this year. Capsey played all 14 games last season for Stars. She was their second-highest run-scorer and took nine wickets at an economy rate of just 6.98. Dunkley arrives for her first stint in the WBBL but comes as a proven international batter to give Stars batting some real depth and power.How they stack upStars have been the competition’s least competitive team having made just one finals series in 2020, although they did make it all the way to the final where they lost to Sydney Thunder. Last season they finished sixth and battled for depth in the absence of Lanning. But with the skipper returning and already finding some touch in the WNCL, as well as the addition of Dunkley and Bouchier, Stars suddenly bat very deep. The attack is a fraction light on but Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, Sasha Moloney and Sophie Day provide a reasonable core with Capsey able to add support. There is also some excitement about 18-year-old Victorian quick Milly Illingworth who looks set to make her WBBL debut this year.Player to watchAll eyes are on Meg Lanning. Her absence was felt competition-wide last year but especially by Stars. She is back fully fit and has already made a bright start in the WNCL with a brisk half-century on her return. If she has a big season with the bat, Stars will be very well-placed to make a run at the title. She has yet to captain on her return to cricket but her leadership experience will be invaluable for a very young group.Hayley Matthews is currently in the form of her life•Getty Images

Melbourne Renegades

Captain Hayley Matthews
Coach Simon HelmotSquad Tammy Beaumont (England), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Ellie Falconer, Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Sophie Molineux (out injured), Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck (out injured), Georgia Wareham, Courtney WebbHow the draft wentThe draft could not have gone better for Renegades retaining two of the world’s best players without needing to use their retention pick. While all of the clubs were keeping an eye on which world-class allrounder Sydney Thunder would take out of Marizanne Kapp and Sophie Devine, Renegades happily picked the world’s most in-form allrounder at present in Hayley Matthews with pick No. 2. They then waited as every other club passed on Harmanpreet Kaur and they were about to select India’s captain in the second round. The only cost of those was not retaining Shabnim Ismail but coach Simon Helmot had prioritised batting as a key area to bolster coming into the draft. They added Tammy Beaumont as a direct signing after the draft to lock-in arguably the best top-three in the WBBL.How they stack upHaving finished second on the table in 2021-22 and just missed the final, they had a poor season last year and finished second last. The absences of Harmanpreet and Jess Duffin then the season-ending injury to Molineux hurt them. They simply did not score enough runs with only two players averaging more than 20 for the season and none more than 27. Matthews was their highest runscorer with 253 from 14 innings, a paltry return compared to her 310 in three for West Indies against Australia just recently. They were very steady and miserly with the ball though and with some added batting strength this season that could set them up for success. It is a significant blow that Molineux has been ruled out for the whole season, but Harmanpreet’s return, after she was player of the tournament in 2021-22 is huge. Matthews returns a completely different player. Beaumont has been a run-machine in England this season becoming the first woman to score a century in the Hundred while Duffin returns after completing her Australian rules football career and adds valuable experience in the middle order. Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck will also miss the entire campaign as her injury-hit career continues.Player to watchThe WBBL hasn’t seen the best of Hayley Matthews yet. She has one fifty in 67 innings in her WBBL career, averaging 18.32 and striking at 100.53. Her economy rate with the ball in the WBBL is also higher than her career T20 rate although it is still good at 6.74. But she returns as a different player having won eight consecutive T20I player of the match awards and having tormented Australia, the all-conquering World Champions, with both bat and ball in the recent series. She was also player of the tournament at the inaugural WPL earlier this year, helping Mumbai Indians win the title, and led Barbados Royals to the WCPL title scoring 82 and taking two wickets in the final. If that version of Matthews turns up at the WBBL fully fit, look out.All-round star: Perth Scorchers kept Sophie Devine at the WBBL draft•Getty Images

Perth Scorchers

Captain Sophie Devine
CoachBecky GrundySquad Chloe Ainsworth, Charis Bekker, Stella Campbell, Piepa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Amy Edgar, Lisa Griffith, Amy Jones (England), Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Lauren Winfield-Hill (England)How the draft wentCaptain Sophie Devine returns after the Scorchers used their platinum selection on her. It will be her fourth season at the Scorchers, who she led to the title in WBBL 07. Scorchers also drafted England batter Danni Wyatt, but she withdrew from the tournament due to fatigue. It is understood Scorchers have pulled of a huge coup by securing England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who did not nominate for the draft, for an eight-game stint mid-tournament with Lauren Winfield-Hill to play the first six games until she arrives. England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones was secured through the direct nomination routeHow they stack upHaving won their first title in WBBL 07, Scorchers struggled last season and missed the finals. But hopes are high of a rebound under new head coach Becky Grundy, who takes the reins from Shelley Nitschke. Scorchers lost star allrounder Marizanne Kapp, but their opening partnership of Devine and Beth Mooney – a cornerstone of their title success – remains intact. They have a balanced attack with Alana King and Lilly Mills set to again form a menacing spin tandem. With a nice blend of international stars and local talent, bolstered by Sciver-Brunt’s appearance, the Scorchers should be back in the title mix.Player to watchScorchers’ title hopes were boosted by the addition of one-time Test quick Stella Campbell to beef up their pace stocks. It was an area that needed strengthening with Scorchers reliant on veterans Devine, Taneale Peschel and Piepa Cleary. Towering quick Campbell could ignite a career stalled by injuries on a WACA pitch where she might be able to generate significant bounce. Campbell, 21, had limited success with Sydney Sixers, but she’s one of the quickest bowlers in the country when fit. If she can stay on the field then Campbell might prove an x-factor for Scorchers, while re-emerging in the frame for national selection.Alyssa Healy will power Sydney Sixers’ top order•Getty Images

Sydney Sixers

Captain Ellyse Perry
Coach Charlotte EdwardsSquad Jade Allen, Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Mathilda Carmichael, Lauren Cheatle, Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Emma Hughes, Jess Kerr (New Zealand), Kate Pelle, Kate Peterson, Ellyse Perry, Linsey Smith (England), Gabby Sutcliffe, Chloe Tryon (South Africa)How the draft wentThe injury to England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was a spanner in the works to their plans as she would have been a certainty to be retained. They have tried to replace her with two players: South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon, who can provide some left-arm spin and hitting power, and New Zealand swing bowler Jess Kerr who has an excellent record in the powerplay but it remains to be seen whether the sum of those parts add up. Suzie Bates will return at the top of the order after taking the direct nomination route.How they stack upPlenty of familiar names led by the headline Australia trio of Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner. Sixers managed to shake off three years of underachievement last season by reaching the final – surging through the round-robin stage with 11 wins from 14 matches – before falling at the last hurdle against Strikers. Pace bowler Kate Peterson emerged as a wicket-taking star in the latter stages of last season. Alongside Ecclestone’s absence they have also lost the offspin of the retired Nicole Bolton while Perry is not expected to be able to bowl at the start of the tournament, and will miss the opening game due to an over-rate ban stemming from last season. Batter Mathilda Carmichael has made the move from Perth Scorchers. They have also put faith in youth with the signing of 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kate Pelle.Player to watchAsh Gardner was player of the tournament last season with 339 runs (strike-rate 150.66) and 23 wickets and a few months later became the most expensive female player in the world at the WPL draft. The dynamic allrounder will be pivotal to Sixers’ hopes again. It has been a quiet start to the international season for her with the bat, but she has chipped in with the ball. There is a chance she will float a little in the batting depending on how the Sixers’ top order goes.Marizanne Kapp will bring all-round star quality to Sydney Thunder•ICC via Getty Images

Sydney Thunder

Captain Heather Knight
Coach Lisa KeightleySquad Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Sam Bates, Lauren Bell (England), Paris Bowdler, Hannah Darlington, Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Saskia Horley, Ebony Hoskin, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Heather Knight (England), Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Olivia Porter, Lauren Smith, Tahlia WilsonHow the draft wentAfter finishing bottom last season, Thunder had the No. 1 draft pick and it feels like they came out of it very strongly. There was little surprise when they went with allrounder Marizanne Kapp who will bring class with bat and ball, then they were able to supplement her with England captain Heather Knight, who was a key part of the 2020-21 title and will lead them this season. England team-mate Lauren Bell was their third pick and the pace bowler will add another cutting edge to the attack. However, depending on the dates of England’s tour to India in December, Knight and Bell could be among the players who won’t be available for finals.How they stack upAfter being champions three seasons ago they have had two tough campaigns, finishing with just one win in 2022-23 which was Rachael Haynes’ last before retirement. It has, therefore, been a complete change at the top with Trevor Griffin replaced as coach by Lisa Keightley. The local names will be led by Phoebe Litchfield whose development as a T20 batter in recent months, highlighted by her record-equaling 18-ball fifty against West Indies, brings huge potential for Thunder in this tournament. The pace attack looks much stronger this season while Sam Bates is a consistent spinner. They could also have struck gold by recruiting Chamari Athapaththu from outside the draft.Player to watchLast season was interrupted one for Hannah Darlington due to injury and she played just seven matches taking seven wickets while her economy rate was high at 8.43. She has slipped down the Australia pecking order since her appearances in 2021 but there is another T20 World Cup next year in Bangladesh. The arrival of Kapp and Bell should take some of the pressure of her in the pace attack.

Allrounder worried his career could be in trouble once again after experiencing pain in his left knee during a tour game against Pakistan last week

Cricinfo staff27-Nov-2009New Zealand allrounder James Franklin is worried that his injury-hit career could be in trouble once again after he experienced pain in his left knee during a tour game against Pakistan last week.”It’s come like a bolt out of the blue, so naturally I’m pretty nervous because my knees have never been the greatest,” Franklin told the . “The last thing I want to do is spend a long time out of the game again, especially as I’m really enjoying my cricket at the moment. I’ve been happy with my form over the last little while so I don’t need a potential setback like this.”Franklin had patella-tendon surgery on his right knee in November 2007, followed by nine months of rehabilitation. This time, he may have injured the patella tendon in his left knee and ultrasound tests confirmed inflammation in the tendon. Franklin was prescribed a series of blood injections into the tendon to help speed up his recovery. In the past he has been through the same routine for his right knee, but the injections were administered too late to prevent surgery in that case.New Zealand are still recovering from the loss of allrounder Jacob Oram, whose retirement from Tests was forced by injuries. After two years on the sidelines, Franklin made a comeback to the New Zealand Test side in the home series against West Indies late last year. He tried to re-establish himself as an allrounder and scored a fifty against India in Napier.”I haven’t given up hope. I might even try and have a bat in the next day or so and if that goes well I might be able to squeeze a game in for Wellington, possibly just as a batsman, and then go from there,” Franklin said.

Essex spinner wheels away with support from three-man seam attack to help dismiss Kent for 182

Daniel Norcross at Chelmsford28-May-2019When Essex won the County Championship in 2017, Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer shared 147 wickets between them. The plan was simple; Porter grabbed wickets with the new ball, Harmer came on once the lacquer had gone, wheeled away from one end and an assortment of seamers rotated at the other.The plan was pretty much repeated last season, but Essex’s batsmen didn’t get the volume of runs to back up Porter, Harmer and Peter Siddle. Here at Chelmsford against Kent, it’s been like the (not so) old times all over again. Alastair Cook’s 125 in Essex’s first innings (64 more than anyone else has managed in this match so far) gave his bowlers plenty to play with on a pitch that is assisting the seamers and providing enough encouragement for a very good spinner. Porter, Harmer and Siddle have played to their hearts’ content. At times it was like watching a particularly sadistic cat toying with a particularly infirm mouse.Kent took just 32 balls to wrap up Essex’s innings in the morning session. Thereafter the torture began. Sean Dickson, fresh from a match haul of 219 runs against Surrey at Beckenham last week, confirmed the impression that he is very much a feast or famine batsman by succumbing to the last ball of Porter’s opening over, giving a catch to Harmer in the slips.It wasn’t until the 53rd ball of the innings that we witnessed Kent’s second scoring shot as the returning Joe Denly and the usually fluent Zak Crawley were offered nothing by Essex’s disciplined opening bowlers. No width, nothing short, not the merest sniff of an opportunity. When Crawley departed to the last ball before lunch, caught in the leg trap by Ravi Bopara off Harmer, Kent had crawled to 42 for 3 off 23.1 overs.This was not the sort of cricket designed to attract a new audience of cricket agnostics. This was very much for the connoisseur but my goodness it was absorbing. It is often said that spinners get a raw deal with the way the red-ball fixtures congest at the start and end of the season. But a very good spinner – and Harmer really is a very good spinner – find ways to thrive be it in April, May or July. Last year, Surrey signed the pace-bowling Kolpak Morne Morkel, and he was arguably the difference that turned a good side into a Championship-winning one. Harmer’s impact at Essex has been no less profound. To watch him tie Kent’s batsmen in knots, and nail most of their feet to the crease for good measure, was to watch a serious operator prove how potent top-class spin bowling can be, whatever the conditions, whatever the time of year.He looks to get batsmen caught in the leg trap either at short-leg or, as he did twice here, round the corner at leg-slip. To achieve this he has to generate significant turn and, crucially bounce. His height helps. And yes, the pitch also helped, though not extravagantly. The fields that Ryan ten Doeschate sets for him resemble the sort of fields you see in old photographs of Jim Laker bowling in the 1950s. To watch Harmer is, it feels, like stepping back in time.At the other end, however, he is assisted by a trio of very able seamers who never release the pressure. Although Porter and Sam Cook took the new ball, arguably Siddle is the most important of the three. Hammering away at a length and letting his natural variations combine with slippery pace, he ensured Kent went nowhere. Between the three seamers, they bowled 53.2 overs conceding just 91 runs and bagging seven wickets. Very seldom did any of them try the short ball. There was enough in the wicket for them to know that relentless nagging accuracy would be enough.It is true that some of Kent’s batsmen are not in the best of nick, notably Daniel Bell-Drummond and Darren Stevens, but the former, particularly, was determined to stick it out. It was at times not pretty to watch as he groped and pushed at thin air ball after ball, but what does impress about this Kent side is that they didn’t collapse. But like a punch-drunk boxer who has failed to land a retaliatory blow, they really could do little more than delay the inevitable. It was to their credit that they lasted 88.2 overs, but a last-wicket partnership of 45 between Matt Milnes and Imran Qayyum – the highest of the innings – was nothing like enough.When Milnes was bowled off the last ball of the day, the only batsman not to be dismissed to a catch behind the wicket, Kent had conceded a first-innings deficit of 131. On what is a good sporting pitch they may struggle to get back into this match, but they have shown enough character, not just in their first innings but throughout the season so far, to suggest they’ll give it a damn good go.

Three wickets apiece for seamers as visitors are bowled out for 162

ECB Reporters Network20-Sep-2022Durham made the most of bowling friendly conditions at Seat Unique Riverside on Day 1 of the LV Insurance County Championship as they bowled Sussex out for just 162..After winning the toss and asking the visitors to bat, Matthew Potts and Ben Raine bowled a lengthy opening spell interspersed with a rain delay to leave Sussex 47 for 3 at the lunch interval.Wickets continued to fall after the break, Paul Coughlin chipping in as Sussex’s young batting line-up struggled to deal with the moving ball under the floodlights, Ali Orr and Faheem Ashraf the only batters to score more than 30.Lower-order resistance from Sussex saw the score tick past 150, before Oliver Gibson bowled Sean Hunt to end the innings on 162, Potts and Coughlin leading the way with three wickets each.Hunt then got his revenge by pinning Sean Dickson lbw for 14, as the light constantly threatened to take the players off, and eventually succeeded at 5.25pm with Durham 54 for 1.It was the perfect toss to win for Scott Borthwick, with the floodlights being on from start of play to close and it was a no brainer to send Sussex into bat. The home side made the perfect start as Potts had Sussex skipper Tom Haines caught behind in his second over. Raine then dismissed Tom Alsop and Tom Clark before lunch.Wickets fell at regular intervals for Sussex, Dan Ibrahim edging behind to emergency loan signing Chris Benjamin, before Orr’s luck ran out as Potts cleaned up his stumps. Coughlin then gave the same treatment to James Coles, debutant Charlie Tear survived a while before eventually falling to Gibson. Faheem Ashraf and Jack Carson provided some light resistance, before Durham cleaned it up to leave Sussex 162 all outDurham made a steady start to their 1st innings, before Dickson was pinned to a Hunt delivery which kept low. Skipper Borthwick and Michael Jones then saw them through to the early close.

There are signs of recovery on and off the pitch from the scandal that rocked the game, but there remain unanswered questions

Andrew McGlashan23-Mar-20194:42

Smith and Warner’s year in cricket wilderness

The build-up

Australia arrived in South Africa on the back of a 4-0 Ashes victory, but there were already questions about their confrontational style of play and the manner in which the game was being run off the field. Not unexpectedly, given the history between the two teams, it was a heated series from the outset: David Warner exploded when running out AB de Villiers; Nathan Lyon was fined for dropping the ball near de Villiers; Warner and Quinton de Kock nearly came to blows in the Durban stairwell; Kagiso Rabada touched Steven Smith’s shoulder, was banned, then had the ban overturned. At the end of all that, the series was level at 1-1 as the teams arrived in Cape Town.

The incident

On the third day at Newlands, with the series on a knife-edge, Australia conceded a lead of 56. Not defining, but it left them needing early inroads. They managed one, when Dean Elgar fell to Pat Cummins, before South Africa steadily built on their lead through Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla and de Villiers.Cameron Bancroft cuts a sombre figure•Gallo Images/Getty Images

The first sight that something significant was developing came at the end of the 43rd over when the umpires, Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong, came together. This is how ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary recorded the moment:

Tea came five overs later, by which time the TV footage was becoming ever clearer with Australia’s 12th man, Peter Handscomb, delivering a message to Bancroft that his attempts to stuff the object (later proved to be sandpaper) down his pants had been broadcast on the big screen.

Cameron Bancroft shows a black piece of cloth to the umpires•Gallo Images/Stringer

The play during the final session of the day became almost an afterthought as TV pictures were scrutinised and Australia’s dressing room knew they had been sprung. When bad light brought an early close, the controversy continued to escalate as Bancroft and Smith fronted the media. The truth was not forthcoming to begin with, though.Bancroft said he had used tape on the ball. “I saw an opportunity to use some tape, get some granules from the rough patches on the wickets and change the condition, it didn’t work, the umpires didn’t change the ball. I was sighted on the screen and that resulted in me shoving it down my trousers.”Smith admitted he had seen the plans being hatched earlier in the day but had done nothing about it. “I won’t consider stepping down,” he said. “I still think I am the right person for the job.”

The aftermath

Australia had largely been asleep during the unfolding chaos and when the country – and the cricket board – awoke, the situation had developed, and escalated, rapidly.

• Smith and Warner were stood down by CA as captain and vice-captain
• Tim Paine took over as captain for the remainder of the Newlands Test and the next one in Johannesburg
• Smith was banned for one Test by ICC, Bancroft fined 75% of his match fee
• Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, had his say

Australia subsided to a 322-run defeat on the fourth day in Cape Town.Steven Smith gave an emotional press conference on returning to Australia from South Africa•AFP

The fallout

CA’s investigation was launched and James Sutherland, the CEO, flew to South Africa. Four days after the initial incident, it was confirmed that sandpaper had been used on the ball. Smith and Warner were handed one-year bans and Bancroft a nine-month suspension. Warner, who emerged as the ringleader in the plan, was barred from any leadership role for the remainder of his career and Smith for a further 12 months after the completion of his ban.Smith, Warner and Bancroft flew home, each giving emotional press conferences on their return to Australia. Smith and Warner lost their IPL deals for the upcoming season and Bancroft was dumped by Somerset. Darren Lehmann, who denied knowing anything about the plans and had said he would stay on, soon stood down as coach. Australia were thrashed in the final Test in Johannesburg.After suggestions that the severity of the bans would be challenged, the trio accepted their sanctions and began their time away from Australian professional cricket, although they were still eligible for overseas leagues and grade cricket. Smith and Warner would both end up playing in Canada, the Caribbean and Bangladesh plus also facing each other in a grade game, before undergoing elbow surgeries.Paine took on the captaincy full time, initially with the one-day side when they toured England and then with the Test team – handing over the one-day role to Aaron Finch. Justin Langer was named the new coach.The events in Cape Town led to a full cultural review of Australian cricket, with hard-hitting outcomes that exposed a toxic environment and win-at-all-costs mentality, leading to multiple resignations and sackings at board and management level:

• Sutherland stood down after 17 years as CEO (although it was said to be not related to the ball-tampering incident)
• David Peever quit as chairman after initially trying to cling on
• Mark Taylor resigned from the board
• Pat Howard left early as high performance chief

Steven Smith and David Warner shake hands at the end of a club match•Getty Images

The present

The bans for Smith and Warner expire on March 29 – they recently met with the Australia squad – and they are expected to make their international returns at the World Cup. Bancroft returned to playing at the end of December and is pushing his claims for a spot on the Ashes tour. However, questions remain unanswered as to who else knew about the plans and whether tampering had happened before despite repeated denials.On the field, Australia are emerging from a tough run of results since the scandal with a notable comeback against India in the recent one-day series. Off the field, there have been a significant number of new appointments, headed by new chief executive Kevin Roberts, as the board tries to rebuild its image. The next 12 months will give a clearer indication of whether there remains significant long-term damage from the last 12 months.

New South Wales shrugged off bushfire-smoke-filled air to record a nine-wicket victory over Queensland at the SCG

The Report by Daniel Brettig10-Dec-2019New South Wales shrugged off appalling air conditions in Sydney to record a nine-wicket victory over Queensland at the SCG and go to the Big-Bash-League break at the top of the Sheffield Shield table with five wins and a draw after six matches.On a day when NSW health authorities held an afternoon press conference advising all caught in the bushfire-smoke-filled air around Sydney to stay indoors and the harbour’s ferry service was suspended due to low visibility, the Blues and Bulls played out the final act of their contest after Dr John Orchard assessed conditions with match officials and concluded it was safe to play.Not only was the air a concern on a breathing level, the smoke was so thick that visibility also looked to be an issue for players on both sides – reminiscent of some of the worst smog-induced conditions seen at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi from time to time.NSW spinner Steve O’Keefe described conditions as “shocking” and “far worse than India”. “The one thing they need to look at is the air-quality policy,” O’Keefe told reporters after the match. “That was shocking. I don’t have kids, but if I did they’d be locked up inside, and if I was at home I wouldn’t be training or playing in it. I tip my hat to Queensland because when you’re behind in the game you’ve got a reason to whinge, but they got on with it.”That air quality was shocking. The doctor was all over it and speaking to us about it, and the fact the game wasn’t going to go all day was considered, but in the future they need to look at it because it’s not healthy – it’s toxic. That was far worse than [India]. It got to the stage we weren’t going to come off for quality, it was more about visibility. It was getting hard to pick the ball up. I’m sure they’ll address it. It’s a bit left field to have something as severe as this.”Queensland captain Usman Khawaja said he was surprised the NSW bowlers were able to persist for so long in the conditions. “When we arrived here this morning it reminded me of playing in India,” he said. “It was just hard to breathe, there was a lot of smoke. I was only out there for about five overs but it just got stuck in your throat. I was actually surprised the bowlers were bowling for that long, I thought they would have taken out of it. It was bad but it wasn’t unplayable.”Khawaja added that he had spoken with the players’ association about conditions and also revealed that air quality index readings had indicated the quality of the air had not slipped beyond the 300 rating considered dangerous.”I spoke to the ACA about it yesterday, just making sure I knew what was going on. There was limitations set, the doc knew about it,” he said. “I talked to the doc about it this morning, and yeah there was limitations there. If it got really bad – they’re obviously using a measuring device and they have numbers up there. I think 300 was the number, if it got to there then we probably would have come off.”But it never got to there, I think the highest it got to was 180s or 200s or whatever. So we just let them do what they need to do.”On Friday, Cricket NSW had advised club and community cricket organisations to consider cancelling weekend matches amidst similar conditions emanating from the bushfires that have engulfed the east coast of Australia in recent weeks.The Shield game, though, went on, and resuming at 5 for 111, still needing another 25 runs to make NSW bat again, Queensland suffered arguably the decisive blow in the first half an hour when Trent Copeland coaxed an outside edge from Usman Khawaja from around the wicket.Michael Neser and Mitchell Swepson kept the Bulls’ wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson company for long enough to allow the visitors to forge a lead, but when Peirson was last out, shortly before lunch, they had left the Blues needing just 42. This was enough to allow Swepson the wicket of Daniel Hughes, but with only another four runs required.The allrounder Moises Henriques was named Player of the Match for his match-shaping first-innings century.

“You are not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again. You can’t play four matches on the trot”

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Apr-20237:14

Shastri: ‘Make sure you get fit and come once and for all’

Ravi Shastri feels the frequent and recurring injuries to senior Indian bowlers is “unreal”, “ridiculous” and “frustrating”.Shastri’s comments came while discussing the latest injury to Deepak Chahar, who bowled just one over before pulling out of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL match against Mumbai Indians after picking up a left hamstring injury.”Let’s put it this way: there are quite a few in the last three or four years who are permanent residents of the NCA,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out show ahead of Super Kings’s home match against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. “Soon, they’ll get a resident permit there to walk in any time they want, which is not a good thing at all. It’s unreal.”Related

• MS Dhoni on injury list with CSK 'operating on pretty thin resources'

• Deepak Chahar to undergo scans to determine extent of hamstring injury

• Deepak Chahar on returning from big injuries: 'Mentally it's very tough'

• Bumrah undergoes back surgery in New Zealand

This was the second time in the last five months Chahar has had to leave a game without finishing his four overs because of hamstring problems. In the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur last December, Chahar pulled out after bowling three overs. He then returned to the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, his base for the majority of 2022 after he suffered a Grade 3 quadricep tear last February.A stiff back, which was diagnosed as a stress fracture, then delayed his comeback, frustrating both Chahar and the Indian team management, leading to Rohit Sharma saying that the team “can’t afford guys coming in here half-fit and representing the country”.Chahar is not the only Indian quick to have been sidelined for long periods because of recurring injuries: Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldip Sen, Mohsin Khan and Yash Dayal have all been out of action for varying stretches of late. Bumrah, in fact, attempted a comeback more than once after his back injury before eventually undergoing surgery recently.Shastri said that what bothered him the most was that most of these players’ workloads were not too big and despite being declared fit by the NCA medical team, they were still picking up injuries.”Make sure you get fit and come once and for all, because it’s damn frustrating”•BCCI

“Come on, you’re not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again,” Shastri said. “I mean, you can’t play four matches on the trot. What are you going to the NCA for? If you are going to come back and then three matches [later] you’re back there. So make sure you get fit and come once and for all because it’s damn frustrating. Not just for the team, the players, the BCCI, the captains of the various [IPL] franchises. It’s annoying, to say the least.”I can understand a serious injury, but every four games when someone touches his hamstring or someone touches his groin, you start thinking what are these guys… what are they training, what’s going on. And some of them don’t play any other cricket in the year. It’s just four overs [in the IPL], man, three hours. The game is over.”A day after the Mumbai Indians match, Super Kings said in a media statement that Chahar would undergo further scans before a call is taken on his participation in the remainder of the IPL.Chahar himself had said recently that it was never easy to come back from a major injury. In February, in a chat with PTI, he had declared himself “fully fit” and ready for the IPL. “I had two big injures. One was a stress fracture and one was a quad grade 3 tear. They are both very big injuries. You are out for months,” he had said. “Anyone who comes back after the injury, it takes time, especially for the fast bowlers.”

South African bowling allrounder set for his first stint in the BBL while English batsman returns after a successful spell last season

Alex Malcolm18-Sep-2019Sydney Thunder have signed South Africa bowling allrounder Chris Morris for BBL09 while England batsman James Vince has re-signed for with Sydney Sixers.Sydney Thunder coach Shane Bond was delighted to secure Morris for the BBL. He has extensive T20 experience globally and has been a valuable commodity in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and, most recently, Delhi Capitals. Bond has watched Morris closely whilst serving as Mumbai Indians bowling coach over recent seasons.”Chris is someone who I had my eye on,” Bond said. “It’s always great to have a player who can change the game with bat and ball. He’s an experienced, hardened cricketer who bowls 90mph and smacks it with the bat. Those players are very rare, so he brings a unique skill set.”I’m looking forward to welcoming his personality and competitiveness to the team as well.”Morris will join the Thunder after his commitments with Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in the Mzansi Super League in South Africa end. The MSL final is set for December 16, and the Thunder play the opening game of the BBL on December 17 in Brisbane. Morris’ early availability will be tested further given the Thunder play three matches in the first five days of the tournament.James Vince brought up his half-century off 36 balls•Getty Images

Meanwhile, Vince returns to Sydney Sixers after playing eight matches last season coming in as a replacement for countryman Joe Denly. Vince will return to Sydney alongside another Englishman Tom Curran as the Sixers’ two overseas players.Vince was instrumental in helping the Sixers to the semi-final, making 75 off 46 balls against Brisbane Heat and then 74 not out from 50 balls in a record-breaking partnership with Josh Philippe to beat competition leaders Hobart Hurricanes.”James made a huge impression within our group through his consistent performance in the vital No.3 position that assisted the team reaching the semi-finals,” Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said. “As captain of his county Hampshire, and an England player, he brings great knowledge, leadership and calm to our group.”He is one of the sweetest strikers of the ball in the world, with a rare purity of strokes on both sides of the wicket making him tough to contain. Who can forget his breathtaking unbeaten partnership with Josh Philippe at the SCG. He will compliment beautifully our opening duo of Philippe and Daniel Hughes.”Vince is keen to atone for last year’s semi-final loss. “Having lost out in the semis in BBL 08 I’m hoping we can go all the way this time around,” he said. “There is a huge amount of talent in the squad and some great people at the club. I’m looking forward to contributing to what is hopefully going to be a great BBL for the Sixers.”