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He suffered a quadriceps tear during a run of five T20 games in the space of eight days

Matt Roller01-Aug-2021Ollie Pope remains a fitness doubt for England’s first Test against India at Trent Bridge, which starts on Thursday, and has suggested that Surrey’s relentless Vitality Blast schedule was to blame for his injury.Pope suffered a grade three quadriceps tear during a run of five T20 games in the space of eight days during Surrey’s T20 Blast group stage run-in, immediately after a period of self-isolation after he was a close contact of someone who tested positive for Covid-19.The injury ruled him out of their last two Blast games, two County Championship fixtures – meaning he has not played a first-class game since the second Test against New Zealand in early June – and the early stages of the Hundred, and a decision is yet to be made about his availability for the first India Test.Related

• Pope doubtful for first India Test

• Ben Stokes to miss India series, takes an 'indefinite break from all cricket'

• Leach admits 'frustration' over England omission for NZ Tests

• Ollie Pope to miss four Surrey Blast fixtures

“I’ve been hitting a lot of balls just trying to get as much running as I can done as possible and I guess in a day or two a decision will be made,” Pope said on Sunday. “I’m hopeful, but I guess it’s up to physios and management to manage the risk of it.”At the time it was a grade three tear, but I think it looked worse on the scan because I played a couple of T20s on it – after I’d done it – so the swelling was worse than a grade three. Then it’s just about how I’m sprinting – I’m feeling it a little bit but nothing major. It’s just trying to make sure if I did play this one there’s not going to be issues for the next four if selected.”Pope is used to spending long periods out injured following lengthy lay-offs with two shoulder injuries over the last two years, and admitted that it was “frustrating” to have missed so much cricket.”I think the shoulder ones are even more frustrating because there’s not a lot you can do: you give 100% in the field and suddenly you’re left with two shoulder operations,” he said. “I guess this is a more short-term one. It is frustrating, especially when you’re missing games because I just want to play the whole time.”With the schedule, I think we played five T20s in seven [eight] days after I had to do 10 days sitting on the couch isolating as a close contact. Going from 10 days on a couch to five games in seven days is always going to provide a little risk. It is frustrating but hopefully I’ll sort this quad out and that’s the end of it.”As English cricket, the county set-up plays a lot more cricket than any other. I was speaking with Kyle Jamieson, the New Zealander, and they don’t play anywhere near as many games there, especially in that little T20 period. It is a lot of cricket but if it is possible, you’ve just got to try and manage it as best you can.”Ollie Pope: ‘I’ve been hitting a lot of balls just trying to get as much running as I can done as possible’•Getty Images

Pope made a brilliant 135 not out against South Africa in January 2020 to reinforce his status as English cricket’s most promising young batter, but has struggled for runs in Test cricket since, averaging 25.17 with only two fifties since the start of last summer. His county form has remained impressive, with 555 Championship runs at 61.66 this season, but his technique – and in particular his off-stump guard – have come under scrutiny from analysts and pundits.”You’ve got to get used to it,” he said. “When I was first playing, you looked at how I got out and people would say I should stand a little further across and it would help me leave that fifth-stump ball. Then you stand a little further across and get hit on the pad once and suddenly you’re standing too far across.”It’s an interesting one. You’ve got to be pretty stubborn as a cricketer in this environment. You’ve got to work out what’s best for you against these specific bowlers in these conditions and work with your coaches and who knows you best rather than guys who have seen you bat on TV two or three times.”With that technique that I use, I think I average 60-odd for Surrey this year batting like that against international bowlers, so there’s obviously some sort of use behind it as well. Everyone has got their opinions which is absolutely fine, but you’ve got to know your game better than everyone else.”As long as your balance is good, if you can cover that off stump with your eyes level, it helps you leave that fifth-stump ball. Especially in England where the ball does swing and nip around, you need to do what you can to cover one side of the bat. Hence why a lot of the best players of the world, when they come over, that’s where they stand in Test cricket.”Pope admitted that the absence of Ben Stokes – who is spending an indefinite period of time away from the game to focus on his mental wellbeing – represented “a blow” for England, but said that the team supported his decision to miss the India series.”Stokesy is one of, if not the, best allrounder in the world so you’re always going to miss him if he’s not playing,” he said. “But we’re well behind him with that decision and I wish him to be the best he can as soon as he can.”We, as a nation, and the world, look at Stokesy as a real macho fighter character – and he is. But this is a reminder and shows how mentally straining cricket and sport at the highest level can be, and the situation of being in a bubble away from the family does make that tougher.”We all support him 100 percent and would love to get him back as soon as we can, but I think mental health is much more important than a game.”

Chase goes down to the final over but New Zealander keeps Gloucestershire at bay

David Hopps01-Jul-2021Gloucestershire’s 161 for 7 represented a workable total on a nibbly pitch in the West Country derby at Bristol, but in Devon Conway they came up against a batter who relishes the chance to put in a serious shift. Conway’s unbeaten 81 from 65 balls would not make much of a gaudy highlights reel, but his sensible shot selection and judicious tempo never wavered as he guided Somerset home with four balls to spare.An eight-wicket margin it might have been, but Somerset’s first T20 win at Bristol since 2015 did not come easily. After Lewis Gregory’s career-best 5-24 in limited-overs cricket had prepared the groundwork, a controlled chase could easily have run awry, only for Gloucestershire to miss one or two opportunities to turn the tide.Regrettably, because he is having a tough time of late, the most glaring miss befell James Bracey, who palmed an edge from Conway, on 8, around the post during an eventful first over against Dan Worrall.Conway, who first came to prominence for many English viewers with his double-century for New Zealand in this summer’s Test against England at Lord’s, now has three successive half-centuries in the Blast. This one was sorely needed considering the withdrawal of Tom Banton, whose first flash of form was enough for him to be called up to the England squad to cover for someone who is covering for someone, which the counties have long learned to shrug off as just another example of England’s hegemony, but which could occasionally be imposed with more sensitivity towards the bigger picture.Somerset now join Gloucestershire in the top four and, although they are depleted, the force is with them, especially as Sussex are fast losing impetus after a series of washed-out matches destroyed their early-season momentum.Conway committed himself to a high-risk start and, although Banton’s stand-in, George Bartlett fell for nought, chasing David Payne’s wide half-volley, Will Smeed again underlined his potential with 36 from 23 balls, never better highlighted than by his fast-handed whip off Benny Howell’s length ball over deep square for six.But Tom Smith, who had come close to defeating Conway on the sweep, had Smeed lbw instead and Somerset were still 60 short with seven overs left as Lewis Goldsworthy, although admirably unwavering for someone at the start of his career, struggled to get his innings above a run a ball for a considerable time. Conway’s ability to manoeuvre the ball into the gaps kept Somerset just ahead of the game, although one sneaked single to regain the strike might have resulted in Bracey running him out at the keeper’s end.Lewis Gregory punches the air in celebration•Harry Trump/Getty Images

Ryan Higgins’ did not appear until the 18th over with 24 still needed and Goldsworthy was fortunate to under-edge his yorker for four. That moment of luck eased the chase and when Goldsworthy rounded off the win with successive boundaries against Higgins, he finished with 43 not out from 28 balls, misleading stats which suggested there had been nothing to worry about.Gregory has not had the most productive Blast campaign – only seven wickets and an economy rate of 10.63 – but he chose the West Country derby to address that, ensuring that Gloucestershire’s innings never quite broke the shackles despite Howell’s out-of-character, cautious half-century and a best-of-season 44 up top from Miles Hammond.Hammond was assisted by a collision in the opening over when he top-edged Craig Overton to fine leg where Jack Brooks and Conway, fulfilling the wicketkeeping role, tanked off in pursuit only to smash into each other in their efforts to take the catch.Conway helped him along again on 35, a relatively easy stumping eschewed as Goldsworthy drew Hammond down the pitch. Somerset regard their best keeper, Steve Davies, as a Championship specialist these days, preferring to set loose their exciting array of youthful young batting talent, but such is their injury list he appears to have been disposed off too readily.Gregory’s first victim was Chris Dent, who cut to short third in his second over. He returned in mid-innings after Hammond was beaten for pace by a full-length delivery from Marchant de Lange, who had come close to yorking him leg stump when he had made room to the previous delivery.That 13th over proved decisive. Gloucestershire supporters have become used to the destructive qualities in their middle order of Glenn Phillips, but he fell to a wonderful delivery which left him slightly to strike his off stump. Two balls later, Bracey followed, a botched pull flying vertically for Conway to pouch the catch. Since his 0, 0 and 8, in his first two Tests, and the fierce attention that understandably followed to his batting and keeping alike, he has made 1 and 2 in the Blast and needs a slice of fortune.That Gloucestershire reached a competitive score was due primarily to some rustic leg-side scythes from their skipper, Jack Taylor. Howell, who had much less than half the strike, found room for three sixes in his 41-ball 52, but they were rare moments of domination, and Gregory’s low full toss dismissed him at long-off before Smith’s first-baller completed his five-for.

“We’ve collaborated and agreed dates with CSA, who have confirmed the tour, acknowledged the arrangements and have been in receipt of the schedule for several weeks,” NZC says

Firdose Moonda20-Jul-2023New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is not open to negotiating the dates of the two-Test series against South Africa scheduled for February next year, despite CSA’s hopes that the matches could be moved to avoid a player availability crunch with the SA20. The matches, due to take place from February 4 to 17, 2024, necessitate that South Africa arrive in late January but will clash with the latter stages of the SA20 and CSA was hopeful of discussing a reschedule but NZC insists the fixtures are set, as per the FTP.”These Tests have been part of the FTP since it was announced two years ago,” Richard Boock, NZC’s manager of public affairs, told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ve collaborated and agreed dates with CSA, who have confirmed the tour, acknowledged the arrangements and have been in receipt of the schedule for several weeks. Flights have been confirmed, dates for the practice game have been agreed, and we’re looking forward to the squad’s arrival. The Proteas are a popular and formidable Test team and we view them as an important part of our home summer schedule.”Related

• A South Africa Test squad with just seven capped players

• Neil Brand captains makeshift South Africa Test squad to New Zealand

• SA in player availability conundrum for NZ Tests as T20 leagues encroach

• NZ to host SA, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh this summer

New Zealand were unable to adjust South Africa’s fixtures to any other time in a home season which also includes a visit from Australia, whose series must end before late March for the IPL.That means South Africa could be forced to field a makeshift Test side with a significant proportion of their first-choice players required for the SA20. Although South Africa’s centrally-contracted players are bound to both the national team and the SA20, CSA has guaranteed the SA20 first rights to the players over the January window and as such, the players will be obliged to play for their franchises rather than the national team. An SA20 mini-auction will take place in September which could see more players snapped up for the league and will also give CSA a clearer idea of who can make the trip to New Zealand.The series in New Zealand will be South Africa’s second engagement of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, during which they will only play two-Test series. It is understood that there are serious concerns within CSA of the quality of the squad South Africa will be able to send to New Zealand but no suggestion that they will forfeit entirely. On Wednesday, CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki told ESPNcricinfo the organisation was mindful of their bilateral obligations, while also stressing that the SA20 takes first priority.

Chhayakar was a key figure in the corruption case involving UAE cricketers in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2022Mehar Chhayakar, the man linked to the corruption cases involving UAE cricketers in 2019, has been banned from all cricket for 14 years after an ICC tribunal found him guilty of seven breaches of the ICC and Cricket Canada anti-corruption codes.The offences for which Chhayakar was banned relate to matches during the Zimbabwe vs UAE series in April 2019, and the Global T20 Canada in 2019. “Mr Chhayakar’s offences are linked to the previous cases of former UAE players Qadeer Khan and Gulam Shabbir,” the ICC said.”Both Qadeer and Shabbir accepted sanctions for admitted breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code relating to approaches they received from Mr Chhayakar.”Related

• UAE's Qadeer Ahmed handed five-year ban

• UAE duo 'stood to make US$272,000' in successful fix

• UAE's Naveed, Anwar, Ahmed suspended for corruption

According to the ICC, Chhayakar had breached the following provisions of the ICC and Cricket Canada anti-corruption codes:

• Article 2.1.1 (on two separate occasions) – Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any international match, including (without limitation) by deliberately underperforming therein.
• Article 2.1.4 (on two separate occasions) – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.
• Article 2.4.6 (on two separate occasions) – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperation with any investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible corrupt conduct under the anti-corruption code (by any participant), including (without limitation) failing to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU (whether as part of a formal demand pursuant to Article 4.3 or otherwise) as part of such investigation.
• Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU in relation to possible corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code (by any participant), including (without limitation) concealing, tampering with or destroying documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code)”.

“We first encountered Mehar Chhayakar through his involvement in organising a corrupt cricket tournament in Ajman, in 2018,” Alex Marshal, ICC general manager – integrity unit said in a statement. “The charges for which he has now received a lengthy ban are further examples of his continuing efforts to corrupt and damage our sport.. With a ban of 14 years, the tribunal has sent a clear message to anyone intending to corrupt our game.”

Zimbabwe likely to miss T20 World Cup Qualifer after becoming the first Full Member to be hit with suspension

Liam Brickhill18-Jul-2019Zimbabwe have been suspended from the ICC with immediate effect. ICC funding to Zimbabwe Cricket has been frozen, and representative teams from Zimbabwe will not be allowed to participate in any ICC events while under suspension, making Zimbabwe’s participation in the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in August and Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in October highly unlikely.After several rounds of meetings in London this week, the ICC Board unanimously decided that Zimbabwe Cricket was in breach of Article 2.4 (c) and (d) of the ICC Constitution, and that the actions of the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in suspending the board in June constituted government interference in Zimbabwe Cricket’s affairs.”We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference,” ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said. “What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked.”ESPNcricinfo understands that a major part of the ICC’s reasoning in blocking funds to ZC was that it was concerned the money might be diverted to the Zimbabwe government instead of being utilised for the development of cricket and the players.Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic crisis, with inflation figures increasing exponentially and price increases at a 10-year high as government coffers empty. According to an official who attended the meetings this week, since the ICC disburses funds in US dollars to member boards, it feared that the Zimbabwean government would seize the funds and hence the extreme step of barring ZC its funding had to be taken.Zimbabwe’s sanctioning marks the very first time a Full Member has been suspended by the ICC – although Sri Lanka were warned in 2015 by the then ICC chief executive David Richardson that they were at risk of immediate sanction for government interference in their administration. Various Associate Members are currently under suspension, including Nepal. However, Nepal’s national teams have been allowed to continue participating in ICC events during suspension, as had USA during their recent suspension and expulsion period from June 2015 through January 2019.The ICC has directed that the ZC board originally elected in mid-June be reinstated to office within three months, and progress in this respect will be considered again at the next board meeting in October. “The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution,” Manohar added.At least one member of that board will not be taking up a position, however, as Ed Rainsford, the former Zimbabwe fast bowler, released a statement on Thursday through his lawyers indicating that he would decline to accept his nomination.Representatives from both the SRC and Zimbabwe Cricket were heard by the ICC Board this week. Dave Ellman-Brown, the chairman of the SRC-appointed interim committee and a former Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive, was in attendance in London, and Tavengwa Mukuhlani took part in the board meeting, seemingly in his official capacity.Mukuhlani, who has played various administrative roles in Zimbabwean cricket at provincial and national level since 2004, had been re-elected as board chairman in those June elections. But that the elections took place at all marked the start of ZC’s conflict with the SRC – officially, at least.Since then, Zimbabwean cricket has been in lockdown – and meltdown. Mukuhlani, acting managing director Givemore Makoni, and the entire board were suspended by the SRC and ZC’s offices were literally locked, with a police detail dispatched to guard the property, “to ensure that no assets or other documents, especially of a financial nature, left the premises,” according to SRC chairman Gerald Mlotshwa.The ICC immediately froze Zimbabwe’s funding upon the suspension of the board in June, and as a result Zimbabwe’s women were unable to take part in a scheduled tour of Ireland. The men’s team, already in the middle of their tour of Netherlands and Ireland, completed their trip and have since returned to Zimbabwe.A member of the touring squad confirmed that players had not been paid match fees or salaries for the tour, and that “everything” has been frozen. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC will leave the question of player welfare to ZC while they are under suspension.

The India allrounder had earlier played in the Global T20 Canada league

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2019Yuvraj Singh’s career will resume with the Maratha Arabians in the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10, with the former India allrounder named the team’s Indian icon player for the tournament.”It is an exciting new format to be part of. I am looking forward to joining forces with some of the world’s biggest names in this league and representing team Maratha Arabians,” Yuvraj said in a press release. “It is going to be a thrilling time for the game of cricket. It’s heartwarming to see leagues like T10 putting in so much hard work and offering such exciting format for sports enthusiasts.”Following his retirement from international cricket and the IPL in June this year, Yuvraj had left open the possibility of turning out in overseas franchise-based leagues.”Yes, definitely, I want to go and play some T20 cricket. I think at this age, I can manage to play some fun cricket. I want to enjoy my life. It’s been too stressful, just thinking about my international career, performing, and big tournaments like IPL… hopefully, I’ll just enjoy myself,” he had said. “Obviously I’ll take the BCCI’s permission to go out and play. For this year, or maybe next year, I don’t know.”I just want to have fun and enjoy time for myself. It’s been a very long and hard journey, and I deserve that. I’ve had a word with the BCCI. I will have another word after this announcement.”Since then, the Man of the Tournament in India’s winning campaign at the 2011 50-over World Cup has played for the Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada league. The Nationals made the Eliminators there, and Yuvraj did well, scoring 153 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 145.71.The Arabians, who made the semi-finals of the T10 tournament last season, played in Sharjah, had earlier announced the signing of Andy Flower as their head coach for the competition, which starts on November 15.Dwayne Bravo will continue to lead the team, and they have also retained Sri Lanka T20I captain Lasith Malinga as well as the Afghanistan duo of Hazratullah Zazai and Najibullah Zadran. Australian batsman Chris Lynn has been signed up as the icon player of the franchise.

Twenty wickets go down on lively first day at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network05-Sep-2022Nottinghamshire 201 (Montgomery 43, Wright 3-26) and 15 for 0 vs Leicestershire 93 (Evans 50, Fletcher 4-23) by 123 runsDivision Two leaders Nottinghamshire are in a strong position with a lead of 123 after 20 wickets fell on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire.On a difficult batting surface, Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 201, losing their last eight wickets for 118 as they collapsed from 83 for two just after lunch, Chris Wright and Ed Barnes taking three wickets each. But Leicestershire found conditions no more to their liking, dismissed for just 93 in reply. Nottinghamshire are 15 without loss in their second innings.Luke Fletcher took 4 for 23 with opener Sam Evans carrying his bat for exactly 50 as the only Foxes batter to make double figures as Nottinghamshire made light of the absence of their Australian quick James Pattinson, who was granted an early release from his contract last week.Matthew Montgomery, in for Ben Duckett after the left-hander was added to England’s third Test squad, top scored for the home side with 43 after being dropped on 1 – one of three slip catches put down in the innings, all by Rishi Patel, who held two others.Leicestershire were without key allrounder Wiaan Mulder – picked as cover for England’s opponents South Africa – and England under-19 legspinner Rehan Ahmed, who is injured. They also left out allrounder Ben Mike after his decision to join Yorkshire at the end of the season in favour of 26-year-old left-arm seamer Michael Finan – signed on a two-year contract last month despite never having played a senior match.Wright dismissed both Nottinghamshire openers in his first five overs. Haseeb Hameed, having got off the mark with a beautiful drive to the extra cover boundary, edged to first slip before the left-handed Ben Slater was bowled not offering a shot.With the ball doing plenty, it was tough going for Nottinghamshire, who would have been 26 for 3 had Patel not dropped Montgomery off Barnes at first slip.Joe Clarke, for whom form has been elusive much of the season, took 32 balls to get off the mark but he and Montgomery guided Nottinghamshire to 82 for 2 at lunch. Yet after appearing to have weathered the storm, Nottinghamshire found themselves back in its grip from the start of the afternoon session.Barnes brought one back sharply to have Clarke leg before, picked up a second wicket as Montgomery played a loose shot to backward point and Lyndon James, missed at first slip on 4, edged Wright low to second slip.Roman Walker struck twice as Tom Moores was taken at third slip and Liam Patterson-White – dropped on 15 – offered a low return catch. Steve Mullaney was leg before to a full, swinging ball from Barnes.Brett Hutton nicked to the keeper off Callum Parkinson’s left-arm spin and Dane Paterson lasted just long enough to claim Nottinghamshire a batting point before he holed out to deep midwicket to give Finan a wicket on his first-class debut.It was Nottinghamshire’s lowest first-innings total of the season, yet it looked handsome indeed as Fletcher tore through the Leicestershire top order.After Hassan Azad was caught behind off one that left him late, Fletcher sent Louis Kimber’s off stump cartwheeling, had Colin Ackermann caught at third slip and swung one back into Patel’s pads as the visitors reeled at 32 for 4, which quickly became 33 for 5 as Harry Swindells was trapped in front by Paterson.Hutton made his mark as Barnes was leg before trying to work one off his pads and dismissed Walker via a fine catch by James at third slip. Parkinson nicked Paterson behind – the South African’s 100th first-class wicket for Nottinghamshire in just 22 matches – before Wright chipped Hutton to mid-on.Finan survived just long enough for Evans to complete his half-century – a remarkable effort in the circumstances – off 71 balls, but was bowled shouldering arms to Patterson-White four balls later.

Middle-order batsman’s belligerence helped the county reach Finals Day in 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2020Corey Anderson, the New Zealand middle-order batsman, has re-signed for Somerset for this summer’s Vitality Blast.Anderson, who will join Babar Azam as the club’s second overseas signing in T20 cricket, was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the competition in 2018, scoring 514 runs at a strike rate of 169.07 as Somerset reached Finals Day. He also appeared for the county in 2017, though had his stint cut short by injury.He last played international cricket in November 2018, with persistent injuries effectively ruling him out of the 2019 World Cup, and is a beneficiary of visa regulation changes pushed for by the ECB in order to ensure the world’s best players would be eligible to play in the Hundred.Previously, players needed to have played at least one Test or 15 white-ball internationals for a full-member country in the past 24 months to qualify for a ‘governing body endorsement’, but the ECB successfully had that criterion extended to those who had played at least 20 domestic T20 fixtures in recognised leagues in that time period, in order to ensure that players like Sunil Narine and Sandeep Lamichhane would be eligible for Hundred deals. That qualification extends to all domestic competitions, which means that Anderson will meet the new regulations.Anderson will form part of an imperious batting line-up that also includes Babar, Tom Banton, Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory, and will be available for all 14 group games and a potential quarter-final.Andy Hurry, the club’s director of cricket, said: “Corey has made a big impression both on and off the field for the club in his two previous stints with us. He was one of the first names mentioned when it came to considering our overseas players for next season because he is one of the best T20 players in the world and he was extremely popular with the playing staff and also with our members and supporters.”His contributions in 2018 were absolutely outstanding and he was one of the main reasons that we reached Finals Day that year.””I’m looking forward to playing for Somerset again next summer,” Anderson said. “The club has a great squad and the atmosphere in the dressing room is one of the best I’ve experienced.”The supporters are very knowledgeable and get right behind the team. It’s a great place to play cricket and hopefully I can help the Club go one better than we did in 2018 and make the Vitality Blast final.”

Hosts fail to capitalise on bowlers’ discipline but don’t feel match has got away from them

George Dobell in Mount Maunganui21-Nov-2019New Zealand were left to rue missed opportunities after a day of hard work and few rewards at the Bay Oval.On a slow – some might say painfully slow – surface, New Zealand kept such a check on England’s scoring that, for much of the day, the run-rate barely rose much above two-an-over.But a couple of missed opportunities – not least a dropped chance offered by Ben Stokes on 63 – meant New Zealand were unable to capitalise on their bowlers’ discipline. Rory Burns also survived a chance on 37, when he edged the deserving Tim Southee between slip fielders who left the chance to one another while Burns might also have been given out had New Zealand reviewed an appeal for caught behind when he had 10. Replays suggested he had edged Trent Boult to the keeper, but New Zealand were unable to hear the edge in the blustery wind.Also read: Patience pays off in England’s new old-fashioned wayWhile Neil Wagner later insisted, with more than a little justification, that New Zealand were satisfied with the way they bowled and “fairly happy” with the match situation, he accepted such moments were “frustrating”.”By no stretch have they got away from us so I think we’re still fairly happy with where we are at,” he said. “It is frustrating when catches go down and those things happen, but we’re a close group and no-one drops a catch on purpose. It can happen.”Ben Stokes is a special talent and he is a bit of a freak at times. Everyone wants to get him out because you know how important a wicket he is.”When it’s windy it’s quite hard to hear those things [edges]. There was a little bit of a noise but it was a bob each way, you have to take that risk with reviews but also you want to keep hold of them for when you do need them.”I thought we bowled well today and stuck at it. I know that our bowlers have bowled way worse than that and had more luck.”Although New Zealand were able to gain more swing than was, perhaps, anticipated the slow nature of the pitch meant both sides were persuaded to take a fairly attritional approach to the game. And Wagner was quick to pay tribute to England’s patient batting.”They batted really well,” he said. “They showed lots of patience and left well. There was swing on offer throughout the day and everything we threw at them they played quite well. At times they had a bit of luck but you need a bit of luck sometimes in cricket. The toss was always going to be crucial. It tends to be nice to bat on on day one.”There may be questions about the role – or the usage – of spinner Mitchell Santner, though. He was not called upon to bowl until the 72nd over of the day and delivered only five overs on the day. He may yet win the game for New Zealand in the second innings – though it doesn’t seem especially likely; he’s taken 13 wickets in 10 Tests in New Zealand – but his lack of overs on the first day does increase the workload on his colleagues.Much of the burden was taken up by Colin de Grandhomme. In 19 disciplined overs he conceded only two boundaries and went at under one-and-a-half an over. He also claimed the wickets of both openers as he maintained a perfect length and gained just enough swing to threaten the edge of the bat.”He’s got good skills and, with the pitch being on the slow side and getting slower, his slight lack of pace makes it hard to force the gaps,” Rory Burns said. “The men in the ring become catching options and you have to wait to pick him off.”The pitch seems like it’ll probably get slower so it’s lending itself to quite attritional cricket. You’ve got to scrap in and get in.”Wagner added: “There’s a long way to go and a lot of cricket to play. It is hard to say if the pitch will deteriorate. There’s a lot of unknown factors at the ground. This is the first Test match here and in the domestic games we’ve played here it tends to dry out with the wind.”

Belligerent batting display ensures visitors make good use of only practice ahead of Tests

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Feb-2023England XI 465 (Brook 97, Lawrence 85, Root 77, Foakes 57) vs New Zealand XIFor a warm-up fixture that had started to feel like an afterthought before it had even begun, England made the first meaningful day of cricket on this tour count. A score of 465 was blitzed in 69.2 overs against a New Zealand XI, with 55 fours and 17 sixes hammering home a mantra that the hosts are all too familiar with.As New Zealand’s favourite son Brendon McCullum watched those under his care squeeze plenty of juice from their only competitive day’s batting before the first Test begins a week Thursday, it was clear the apparently blasé approach to this fixture did not carry over onto the field. There was no toss, with England given the opportunity to bat the entirety of day one ahead of bowling all of day two. There was no Ben Stokes, either, with the captain opting to go through his own preparations to offer up an extra batting spot and give Ollie Pope another small dose of leadership. Only nine tourists were named in the XI ahead of the 2pm start.Adding to the cushty nature was the presence of Blackcaps captain Tim Southee. A white baseball cap hinted at an incognito look at the opposition, but any whiff of espionage was quashed when Southee caught up with McCullum before sitting down with Stokes and the England staff to chat about anything and everything. Better concealed was the former New Zealand limited-overs batter Anton Devcich in full England training gear. The Hamilton local has been lending a helping hand in training.Though play ended prematurely at 8:23pm with 20.4 overs of the 90 remaining, this had been a worthwhile endeavour. Particularly for Harry Brook, leading the way with a pugnacious 97, followed by 85 for Dan Lawrence, 77 for Joe Root and an accomplished 57 from Ben Foakes.Brook’s knock was the one of note, fast-tracking the innings, notably during a five-over spell before tea in which he and Yorkshire team-mate Root hammered 47. The pair combined for 115 in 16.1 overs for the fourth wicket, following starts from Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Pope that had lifted England to 95 from 17 overs.This was originally pencilled in as a four-day affair, as per the posters dotted throughout the ground, before the reduction to two to focus solely on the pink-ball elements ahead of the day-night opener in Mount Maunganui. That decision was ultimately made in Pakistan, a series also preceded by a reduced two-day scrimmage against England Lions. On that occasion, the decision to trim off a day was taken after conversations among the players at stumps on day two.Joe Root steers into the covers during his innings of 77•Getty Images

The knock-on effect of that discussion has been to give the players more ownership of their individual games, particularly when off-duty. That includes rest. Brook, for example, pulled out of a deal with SA20 franchise Joburg Super Kings to spend a bit more time at home after his player-of-the-series exploits in Pakistan.”I made the decision with England to pull out of the new South Africa competition and that was massive for me,” Brook said. “I was meant to travel on the 7th and I wasn’t quite ready to be completely honest, and I’m glad I pulled out in the end. That month was massive, just to be able to spend some time with the family and relax and not really touch a cricket bat was good. Hopefully I can come back in full flow this year and dominate.”Not that he’ll be lacking for the experience or coin. A £1.3million deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad for the upcoming IPL has only just sunk in. It is the fulfilment of a dream, even if he wasn’t expecting to go for as much. “Every little helps,” he said with a wry smile.This time last year, Brook was a non-playing member of England’s white-ball tour to West Indies. As he says, a fair bit has changed.”Last year was probably the best year of my life, lifestyle and cricket-wise, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Standing here saying I’m a World cup winner is unbelievable and nobody can ever take that away from me. It was a phenomenal year.”Related

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His work on Wednesday afternoon in Hamilton was far more attacking than his three innings across six days in Bloemfontein and Kimberley had been in last week’s ODI series: 97 off 71 versus 86 from 87. All four of his sixes during the ODIs came in the same knock of 80 in the second match. Today, five in a row came in the 36th over after Brook had played out a first-ball dot from legspinner Adithya Ashok. The first of those blows – comfortably the biggest of his nine – landed on Tristram Street which runs along the west of the ground. An attempted attempt for a 10th to take Brook to three figures was snared smartly on the thirf boundary to give Jarrod McKay the second of his 3 for 72. The first – cartwheeling Crawley’s middle stump – was the most spectacular blow landed.”To be honest, the way we’re playing cricket at the minute, it doesn’t really change,” Brook said, when asked about switching continents and ball colours in the space of a week. “I batted a lot slower for the 80 I got in South Africa than I did out there. We’re looking to put pressure on the bowlers, trying to hit them off the spot and keep the pressure on throughout.”He admitted to a degree of pressure in his own head to score briskly, which in turn meant his movements were a bit off by his own exacting standards. Nevertheless, he was impressed with his ball-striking beyond that one devastating over.”I think I’ve got a little bit stronger so I feel like I’m hitting the ball a bit harder,” he said. “Whether that’s just because I’ve been given the freedom to go out and play in a positive way and take the match on or I’ve just got stronger. I just feel like I’m hitting the ball a lot harder than I was before.”It was hard not to sympathise with those chasing leather, particularly given the heavy green tinge to their side. Ashok, for instance, only has one first-class appearance under his belt for Auckland against Central Districts back in October, though he did take 5 for 108 in his only innings of that game. Even with the misfortune of being thrashed around here for 82 from nine overs, he did at least emerge with the dismissal of Root, albeit a fortuitous caught-behind down the leg side off a lackadaisical sweep.By then Root had had his fun, pulling out the now-characteristic lap over third man for the first of two sixes, sending a reminder to the watching Southee after the hard launch of that shot in last summer’s Trent Bridge Test. By the time Lawrence got stuck in, the inferiority of the New Zealand attack was shining through as the sun dimmed.Play was at its most competitive when Kyle Jamieson had the ball in hand, and 15 overs of constant pressure throughout the day will have boosted Southee more than his eventual haul of 3 for 65. Jamieson has not played international cricket since picking up a back injury in that same Test in Nottingham, and has been working up to full fitness with limited-overs cricket.After shaking out a bit of rust on his return to whites, he removed Duckett with a neat delivery that drew the left-hander forward and slightly across for an edge through to Tom Bruce at second slip. A return in the final session exploited a bit of extra juice with the floodlights to square Lawrence up for another catch to Bruce in the cordon, before Will Jacks was turned inside-out to be caught at first slip this time.New Zealand’s coach Gary Stead has not confirmed whether Jamieson will make his comeback in the first or second Test. The decision won’t be made on this outing alone, although given England’s mood, and the absence of Trent Boult, perhaps it should be.