Cricket News

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, on 26 July (Friday), announced his decision to retire from Test cricket, expressing his desire to concentrate on the white-ball cricket.

The 27-year-old released an official statement through the Pakistan Cricket Board, expressing his desire to concentrate on white-ball cricket. He will continue to be open for selection in one-day internationals and 20-20 Internationals, and said his immediate goal was to be in the “best physical shape” for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in Australia.

Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard says his side cannot afford to dwell on their record low T20 score after losing by 97 runs against Surrey. The Welsh county was all out for just 44 runs after restricting surrey for 141 runs.

"They've just got to put it right against Middlesex, you can't dwell too much in T20 cricket on the bad days, it's never great, but I played in a team that got bowled out for 31 and we won our next couple of games," said Maynard.

After England’s victory in the finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup, ticket sales for the Vitality Blast 2019 have got off to a record start after the opening week of the competition.

Several counties have reported record attendance as they look to capitalize on a post-World Cup final buzz.

After a second Vitality T20 Blast match was sold out this week for last night’s win over Glamorgan, Surrey Chief Executive Richard Gould has urged the England Cricket Board not to forget county T20 cricket, which has “never been as popular” as it is now, when the Hundred is introduced next year.

27-year-old Mitchel Marsh will not be available for Glamorgan after he was called up for Australia's Ashes Squad. Marsh was due to join Glamorgan for 10 matches but instead is in line to face England.
Marnus Labuschagne who recently became the first batsman to score 1000 runs this County Cricket season for Glamorgan has also been named in the tour squad. He was also being considered as a possible T20 recruit.

In the upcoming world test championship, players will have jersey numbers behind their white jerseys. But Indian players are unlikely to use jersey numbers 10 and 7 as a mark of respect for Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni respectively.

Tendulkar's jersey number '10' is unofficially retired by BCCI and there is a possibility that no one will wear Dhoni's number also.

Most players will use their limited-overs jersey number.

Yuvraj Singh was expected to light up the Global T20 Canada league when it was announced that he would be playing for the Toronto Nationals, yet his tournament debut on Thursday was not one up to the expectations.
Yuvraj, who was the captain of his side in the first match of this season against the Vancouver Knights, scored only 14 from 27 balls before being given out stumped even though his feet was well inside the crease.

Bangladesh's senior batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that he is ready for captaining the side in the absence of regular captain Mashrafe Mortaza. "It was a last-minute call,” Tamim told reporters. “I have been given the responsibility, as regular captain Mashrafe [Mortaza] bhai is injured, while vice-captain Shakib [Al Hasan] is not available for personal reasons.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is set to host two T20Is between World XI and Asia XI in March next year. The matches will be part of the country’s extensive national celebrations to commemorate the birth centenary of its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1920-1975). Mujibur Rahman, the first president and second prime minister of Bangladesh who was gunned down in August 1975 along with other members of the family, is the father of the country’s current prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

Moeen Ali's unbeaten 60-ball 121 muscled Worcestershire to a comfortable 8-wicket win over Sussex in the 3rd quarterfinals, thereby booking Worcestershire's spot in the Finals Day. The 32-year old southpaw cracked 8 boundaries and 11 sixes to make an easy ride out of a chase of 185 for his side, who overhauled the target with 14 balls to spare.

Moeen Ali made his second T20 centuryMoeen Ali made his second T20 century
Worcestershire didn't begin well in pursuit of a relatively high target, with opener Joe Leech getting bowled by Reece Topley in the 1st over. However, Riki Wessels and Moeen batted in contrasting fashion and took the game away from the opposition. While the former was chugging along at almost run a ball for his 47, the skipper was more destructive with his ways. Much unlike Salt's assault in the other innings, Moeen's attack was well spread out against all the bowlers, with none spared. By the time the pair was separated, with Wessels falling to Ollie Robinson in the 18th over, they had already added 179 runs and Moeen had registered his second T20 century.

NICK HOWSON AT OLD TRAFFORD: Idiosyncrasies within sport are too often seen as a negative but it is key to remember that the destination is more important than the journey.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Best In All 3 Formats, Steve Smith best only In Tests- Shane Warne

The more time you spend listening to old-school custodians of cricket, it is increasingly easy to form a view that the sport can only be played a particular way. Head over the ball. A straight bat. Hit the top of off stump. Three fielders on the legside. Fingers down.

Such conventions have little relevance to a sport, which thanks to globalisation and to a degree its various formats, has changed unimaginably over the last quarter-of-a-century. Some of its most prestigious commentators are dated and disconnected from reality.

Players have found new ways of answering cricket's various conundrums with unique aplomb, leaving even the most educated redundant.

Few players in the modern game have techniques more distinctive than Rory Burns and Steve Smith. The Surrey man has a remarkable gait. He must be a nightmare on holiday, always on the move, unable to relax.

Jonathan Trott could take tips on digging a trench at the crease. The ultimate puzzle-solver Smith, meanwhile, has twinkle toes to rival Gene Kelly, moving as if operating on a conveyor belt. His technique in leaving the ball is equally as dazzling.

Neither of their approaches can be found in a coaching manual or on the curriculum of an academy. Proprietors of the game might wince and gawp but who cares: they get the job done.

It feels as though wider civilisation is finally catching up with the acceptance of such characters. Increasingly, we are breaking free of categories dictated purely by our creed and colour. Being what humanity has for so long considered as different is no longer taboo. Society is embracing individualism like never before.

It might appear extraordinarily unnecessary to draw a link between sport and wider society in an effort to understand certain trends. But even something as simple as a batting technique could provide inspiration to those struggling to comprehend themselves.

ALSO READ: Misbah-ul-Haq wants to build a Pakistan team that can dominate other top nations

Burns and Smith are not what convention says is pretty or typical. But they are undeniably successful. What makes them different is what makes them special.

Such eccentricity used to be mocked and in a bygone era would surely not have survived. Nowadays it is cherished. Perhaps even celebrated. For every Geoffrey Boycott and Rahul Dravid there is a Sheldon Cottrell and Rashid Khan. Even Pavel Florin.

Society is becoming more liberal to independence. We are breaking free of custom and propriety. People struggling to make sense of their existence, whether it be sexuality, gender, race or religion, are being permitted space to unravel the conundrum of life. Questions finally have answers.

Perhaps you really have to want to see it, but there is some encouragement to be taken from Burns and Smith, particularly if you are among those finding you don't exist within one of society's pigeonholes. Cynics will see a bat, ball, stumps and some white coats but it goes much deeper than that.

If only one viewer of the Old Trafford Test sees themselves in the Burns twitch or Smith's shuffle then surely it will all be worth it. Such a platform for idiosyncrasies should be saluted. We should all get used to it.

England coach, Trevor Bayliss would step down at the end of this summer's Ashes series and his successor has not yet been selected.

"Coaching is definitely an ambition," Flintoff told Test Match Special. There are probably two or three coaching jobs I'd like - England, Lancashire or Lancashire Academy.

"I'd love to be England coach one day, just not quite yet."

Flintoff played 79 Tests, 141 one-day internationals and seven T20s for England and was part of Ashes winning sides in 2005 and 2009.

After initially retiring from all forms of the game in 2010, Flintoff had one professional bout as a boxer before returning to play Twenty20 cricket for Lancashire and Brisbane Heat in Australia's Big Bash League in 2014.

Since retiring again he has been involved in various television projects and made his stage debut in Fat Friends the Musical in 2017.

Arthur, Gibson & Kirsten in frame for England coaching job'The warm glow from Headingley turned into a chill wind'Follow coverage of third day's play at Old Trafford.

Speaking at day three of the fourth Ashes Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford, Flintoff said he "never" wanted to be involved in cricket broadcasting as he likes the sport "too much".

He added that he had previously applied for the England head coach role in 2014 before Peter Moores' year-long second tenure in charge.

6th September,Friday-Zimbabwe have left out All Rounder Sikandar Raza from bangladesh tour due to disciplinary issues.

Zimbabwe Cricket said "the selectors have opted to leave out Sikandar Raza over pending disciplinary issues raised by the captain".

"It is important that we support our captain, whether it is [Hamilton] Masakadza or anyone else, by creating an environment in which we can be confident he will have the full support of all players, with everyone pulling in the same direction and able to trust each other. It is for those reasons that we have decided to leave Raza out," convener of selectors, Walter Chawaguta, said.

Earlier Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza had hinted of a rift in the dressing room in his letter to the sports minister. Masakadza will be retiring after this series.

Zimbabwe will not play T20 world cup in 2020 . ZC release said, the focus will be building for the future rather than "simply winning a couple of matches in the T20 international triangular series".

Steve Smith has announced his return to test cricket in style by scoring 589 runs in the Ashes series and has taken his number one ranking back.

Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne has said that Smith is slightly better than Kohli in tests and feels that Kohli will break Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries.

"As far as Test cricket goes, I would probably say it is a really tough one between Virat and Smith. But I think if I had to pick one batsman in Test cricket, it would be Smith, but if I lost that and had Virat, I would still be happy because he is a legend," he pointed.

"I think Virat is the best batsman in the world. I think if I had to pick one batsman across all formats, it would have to be Virat. Viv Richards was the greatest batsman I saw in ODI cricket and in all cricket probably. But Virat is now the greatest ODI player that we have seen. He overtakes Viv for me."

Steve Smith’s latest Ashes masterclass sapped England’s hopes as he reached 173 not out on the second afternoon of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Australia were 369 for five at tea, close to batting the hosts out of the game – though all such predictions now carry an asterix after Ben Stokes’ heroics at Headingley – with Smith once again at the centre.

He has now occupied the crease for over 17 hours in four innings during the series, following prior knocks of 144, 142 and 92.

England had their chances but Jofra Archer failed to gather a caught-and-bowled when he was on just 65 and when Jack Leach had him caught at slip on 118 he was summoned back to the crease after replays showed the spinner had no-balled.

He put on an unbroken 145 with captain Tim Paine who was also dropped twice, by Jason Roy and substitute fielder Sam Curran, on his way to 58*.

It appeared to be a relatively-simple return chance but Archer failed to get a firm hand on it and a golden opportunity for England turned into four runs for Australia.

Smith was being challenged, Archer drawing an inside edge that squirmed into the leg-side and then testing him with a more threatening bouncer than any he had managed on day one, but each minute that he spent in the middle seemed to reduce the bowler’s advantage.

An effortless steer to the third man boundary off Broad suggesting he was finding his feet once again and he soon began to accumulate effortlessly.

England were able to put an end to Travis Head’s sketchy innings of 19, Broad’s round-the-wicket angle to left-handers racking up another victim as he picked up his second lbw of the Test and 17th wicket of the series.

All-Rounder Hayley Matthews has been withdrawn from the West Indies Women’s squad for the upcoming series against Australia. This has arisen from a charge of breaching the CWI Code of Conduct following an incident that took place on Wednesday 4th September 2019 in Antigua. The matter has been referred to Cricket West Indies Disciplinary Tribunal.

west indies women's all rounder hayley williamswest indies women's all rounder hayley williams
Hayley Williams
Hayley was selected as part of the 13-member squad to play against Australia Women and the CWI Interim Selection Panel has named Sheneta Grimmond as a replacement.

CWI will make no further comment at this time.

Former Pakistan cricketer Misbah-ul-Haq, who has recently been appointed as Head Coach as well as the Chief Selector of the Pakistan Cricket Team has said that he would want to build a team that could play attacking cricket and dominates other top nations in the international circuit.
"I have been saying this forever that there is some confusion in the way we think about being defensive and aggressive. I always believed that your strategy is based on the resources you got. Ideally, you try and wish to have resources that you can just dominate and knock out the opposition."