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England captain encouraged by improvement in left knee as he looks to reprise fourth-seamer role this summer

Vithushan Ehantharajah11-Apr-2023Ben Stokes has requested “fast, flat” wickets for the Ashes this summer and revealed he has an XI in mind for the first Test at Edgbaston on June 16.Since taking over as Test captain at the start of last summer, Stokes’ team, under the guidance of head coach Brendon McCullum, has adopted a quicker scoring rate that has propelled England to 10 wins out of 12. In that period, their 4.76 runs per over is the highest of the 11 nations to have played Test cricket. The approach and success has created optimism of reclaiming the urn off Australia for the first time since 2015.Speaking to Sky Sports while out in the IPL, Stokes said he has spoken to curators at the five venues and asked for pitches conducive to England’s style of play, even though he accepts this may play into Australia’s hands, given they possess a quicker bowling attack.”We’ve been very clear, especially with the ground staff around England, about what type of wickets we want,” Stokes said. “And they’ve been very responsive to us which has been good.”We want fast, flat wickets. We want to go out there and score quickly. It brings their [Australia’s] guys in: if they’ve got fast wickets to bowl on then they’ll be happy with that as well.”Stokes also reiterated his desire to have up to eight bowlers to choose from ahead of every match, emphasising his 90mph-plus options in Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Olly Stone.Wood is currently leading wicket-taker at the IPL with nine dismissals for Lucknow Super Giants, while Stone bowled 30 overs for Nottinghamshire in the opening round of the County Championship. Archer, however, seems to have suffered a setback in the last week.Ben Stokes was able to bowl “pain-free” for CSK as left knee improves•BCCI

The 28-year-old has missed two matches for Mumbai Indians after discomfort in his right elbow – the same elbow which kept him out for 18 months with a stress fracture. Mumbai are optimistic he will return for Sunday’s fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders.Stokes expects Archer to play some red-ball cricket before making a return to the squad after a two-year absence. That Wood and Stone are fit and firing does allow Archer breathing room, particularly given his lack of multi-day cricket since 2021. With James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson preparing for their opening round of County Championship cricket this week, England are well-stocked for the time being. The England captain has asked the ECB medical personnel to ensure that remains the case come June and across a schedule of five Ashes Tests in six weeks.”I think I know what the starting XI is going to be, there or thereabouts,” Stokes said. “I think having the option to have someone who can bowl above 90mph is what any captain wants. When it comes to that first Test match, I’ll be making sure that I pick the best team for that first game.”With our bowling group, I’ve asked the medical team to give us the best opportunity to have eight bowlers to select from for every game. I think this year’s Ashes in particular, the games are quite close together. Being able to have those resources available every game is something I’m really keen to have.”I could pick a 20-man squad (right now) because that’s how fortunate we are at the moment to be able to pick from this group of English players who are so good at the moment.”Related

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On his own fitness, Stokes believes there has been considerable improvement in his troublesome left knee, buoyed by a “pain-free” over for Chennai Super Kings against Lucknow Super Giants eight days ago. Though the over went for 18, and he missed Saturday’s victory over Mumbai Indians, albeit due to an issue with his foot, the allrounder is encouraged by the progress made so far. He has already come a long way since February’s tour of New Zealand when Stokes was only able to bowl nine overs across the two-match series.”I’ve worked so hard over the last month, five weeks, to get where I am now,” he said. “Being able to bowl pain-free – touch wood – has been good. Even (though that over), I went for 18 runs, but I was like ‘oh I managed to bowl an over without pain in my knee’. That’s down to a lot of hard work I’ve done – medically, in the gym and obviously had a bit of help with some cortisone injections (before travelling to India).”By no means a long-term remedy, Stokes has not ruled out further injections during the summer in a bid to fulfill his role as the fourth seamer.”The main priority for me is making sure that I can fulfil my role as fourth seamer in the Ashes.”I’ve had some good conversations with the people who are employed to look after us, body-wise. I said I’ll be doing everything I can whilst I’m in India to make sure that when we get to the Ashes, I’ll give myself the best opportunity to do my role.”I’ll do whatever I can to get myself through but, medical team, if there’s anything you guys can do to help to get me through that, then please do.”

Victoria’s openers added 104 on a surface that is proving tough work for bowlers

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2022Victoria openers Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski have shared a century stand in a robust reply to a D’Arcy Short propelled Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.The pair put on 104 for the first wicket before Pucovski, who struck four boundaries and a six from 117 balls, was caught behind when fending a short leg-side ball just before stumps. He had earlier looked to be trapped in front during Jhye Richardson’s second over but the umpire’s finger stayed down.Harris’ mini-milestone continues his solid early Shield form – he scored 85 and 42 in a draw against South Australia last week.The left-hander hit 11 fours and dominated his union with Pucovski, who was continuing his first-class comeback after ongoing concussion issues.Earlier, Western Australia’s batting tail wagged as Short whacked a career-best 87 and Hilton Cartwright made 70.WA resumed on Tuesday at 5 for 290 and Cartwright soon posted his 19th first-class half-century. He found support from Corey Rocchiccioli, who struck three fours and a six in his 27, and the pair put on a handy 56-run stand for the sixth wicket.Short, batting at No. 8, cashed in with a late flurry – his career-high knock included seven fours and three sixes as WA set an imposing total.Spinner Todd Murphy (3-104) led the wicket-takers for Victoria with Mitchell Perry taking 2 for 59 and legspinning debutant Ruwantha Kellapotha claiming 2 for 122.

KKR handed Capitals a thrashing to make it three wins in three and go to the top of the table with a massive net run rate boost

Sidharth Monga03-Apr-20242:21

Moody: ‘Raghuvanshi’s hands, bat path similar to Gill’

Last Wednesday at the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad set the record for the highest IPL score: 277. What should have been a once-in-a-decade effort was very nearly taken down by a marauding Kolkata Knight Riders batting unit tonight in Visakhapatnam. Sunil Narine plundered his personal best in T20s – 85 off 39 – almost home-grown Angkrish Raghuvanshi matched him with 54 off 27, and Andre Russell added the finishing touches with 41 off 19.A searing yorker from Ishant Sharma to get Russell in the last over prevented the record being broken, but the 272 KKR put up was more than enough to register a comfortable win – by 106 runs – and join Rajasthan Royals with three wins from three matches at the top of the table. In taking four wickets in the powerplay, two each for Vaibhav Arora and Mitchell Starc, KKR ticked another box in a season in which they have presented themselves as serious title contenders.

Pant fined for slow over-rate again

Rishabh Pant, the Capitals captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate against KKR in their 106-run loss in Visakhapatnam. As it was Capitals’ second offence of the season – in just four matches – Pant was fined INR 24 lakh, while the rest of the members of the playing XII, were each fined either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their respective match fees, whichever is lower.

Narine, Raghuvanshi hammer Capitals

Khaleel Ahmed and Ishant Sharma set Capitals’ win in the previous match in Vizag with swing early on. Here, though, probably because of Narine’s presence, both of them started slightly short of a length. The one ball that Khaleel pitched up swung to beat Narine.It seems ridiculous now but Narine took six balls to get off the mark. Capitals had managed to keep Narine quiet, but had they missed the small window of swing to try to get him out? Another chance would arrive soon to a short-of-a-length delivery, but neither Ishant Sharma nor Rishabh Pant heard the edge. No appeal, no review.Narine and Phil Salt had got down to work by then, but Capitals could still have got Narine for 24 off 13 had they listened to Mitchell Marsh and reviewed. Then again, reviews were not the only thing they were getting wrong. They kept offering Narine room, when they went short they didn’t get it high enough, and the ball had stopped swinging by now.Sunil Narine smacked seven fours and as many sixes in his 39-ball innings•AFP/Getty Images

Anrich Nortje got rid of Salt in the fifth over, but Raghuvanshi, trained from the age of 11 by KKR’s own Abhishek Nayar, walked out and laced fours off the first two balls he faced. Mukesh Kumar is not express, but his injury has left DC with even less of a pace threat. Narine jumped on Rasikh Salam’s medium-pace in the last over of the powerplay, hitting him for three fours and a six to bring up his half-century in just 21 balls. Their 88 for 1 in the powerplay was the highest by any team so far at IPL 2024.The end of the powerplay brought DC relief only for one over, bowled by Sumit Kumar, but Narine ended any threats of variations in the attack by hitting two sixes off Axar Patel, who wouldn’t bowl again. Raghuvanshi matched him with a reverse-pull over short third for a six. Their 135 for 1 was the third-highest 10-over score in the IPL – all three have come this season.

Wickets fail to slow KKR down

Eventually it was the short ball from Marsh that got the better of Narine, but it wasn’t just one short ball. He kept bowling short and wide outside off with changes of pace. Narine still ended with a boundary every two-and-a-half balls, and the wicket came too late anyway. The 13th over was the right point of entry for Russell, and he punished the samey attack. Capitals didn’t go back to spin despite right-hand batters at the wicket, and Nortje was the only one who presented the batters with an inbuilt challenge.Andre Russell and Rinku Singh smashed 32 runs off 11 balls for the fifth wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Russell was too good for the rest, and when Nortje started the 19th over with one fewer fielder on the fence because of a poor over-rate, Rinku Singh got stuck into him, taking 25 off the over.Ishant then produced a beauty that drew an applause from Russell himself and prevented Capitals from ending up on the wrong side of the record.

Arora announces himself

One of the two tall domestic fast bowlers in the KKR stable, Arora came on as the Impact Player and found inswing immediately. It wasn’t just swing, though. He mixed it up with accurate bouncers. Prithvi Shaw fell to the inswinger before Abhishek Porel top-edged a bouncer.Vaibhav Arora took 3 for 27 in KKR’s clinical win•BCCI

At the other end, Starc took care of his Australia team-mates, Marsh caught trying to square-drive and Warner playing on immediately after slogging him for a six. These were his first wickets this IPL after his eight overs in the first two matches had gone for 100 runs.At 33 for 4 in the fifth over, even batting for net run rate would need heavy hitting and risks. For a while Pant and Tristan Stubbs managed to score quickly. Pant was especially pleasing as he continues his return from a life-threatening accident, but their fifties were never going to be enough to deny KKR a third consecutive win – the first time they have started a season with three wins in three in their history.

CWI will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO”

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2024Johnny Grave’s role as chief executive officer of Cricket West Indies (CWI) is set to end in October 2024. Grave had taken up the position in February 2017, before which he served as commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association [PCA] in England for nine years.”It has been an absolute privilege to have been CEO of CWI since February 2017,” Grave said in a CWI press release. “Having just hosted a successful T20 World Cup and delivered significant surpluses for CWI for the third consecutive year, I do feel it is the right time for me and my family to seek a new challenge.”I have received tremendous support from so many people since becoming CEO and I’d like to thank everyone, especially the staff and the players, particularly during the difficult pandemic, for their trust in me and their commitment to West Indies cricket. I have put everything into this role, and now is the right time for someone new with fresh energy to lead the organisation and continue this important work and build on the strong foundations that are now in place.”Related

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• India, Australia and England boards should do more for Test cricket – Johnny Grave

Grave had assumed the position vacated by Michael Muirhead. During his time at the helm, he oversaw three World Cups hosted in the West Indies: the 2018 women’s T20 World Cup, the 2022 Under-19 World Cup and the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted with the USA. He was also the T20 World Cup CEO for the event in June this year.Grave had also earlier this year sounded a warning to the ICC that its revenue-share model was “completely broken” and urged the board of India, Australia and England to work with the ICC to change the economics of Test cricket.”Johnny’s efforts, particularly through challenging times such as the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as successfully hosting three World Cups including have made a lasting impact on CWI,” Kishore Shallow, CWI President said. “Appreciably, the organisation has taken many positive strides during his tenure. A standout achievement is the acquisition and full ownership of the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), which is now our headquarters and home to our Men’s and Women’s Academies.”The CWI release also further stated the board will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO.””The organisation is dedicated to ensuring a thorough and transparent selection process,” the release stated. “Details regarding the recruitment process will be announced shortly and will be published across various media platforms to keep stakeholders informed.”

The allrounder was unable to bat in her usual No.3 spot after landing awkwardly in the field on day one

Alex Malcolm30-Jan-2025Australia are hopeful Ellyse Perry will be fit to bat on day two of the women’s Ashes Test at the MCG after she suffered a corked hip while fielding on the opening day.Perry landed heavily on her left hip after diving to flick a ball back on the rope during the afternoon session. She left the field shortly after and did not return for the last two hours of England’s first innings.Australia batted for 22 overs under lights after bowling England out for 170 and lost debutant opener Georgia Voll but Perry did not walk out at No.3 despite being eligible to bat because her injury was external.Annabel Sutherland instead joined Phoebe Litchfield with the Australian team confirming that Perry would not bat on the first night and would instead be assessed ahead of day two with hopes she will be fine to bat when required.Meanwhile, Nat Sciver-Brunt said the mood was “positive” in the England camp after yet another capitulation with the bat. Sciver-Brunt played a lone hand, top-scoring with 51 as England were bowled out for 170 having been sent into bat. It could have been a lot worse had Australia not missed six chances in the field.Sciver-Brunt’s body language gave hints of exasperation, but she was measured with her words after Australia had cruised to 56 for 1 at stumps.”Positive,” Sciver-Brunt said. “Obviously, we would have liked a few more runs but I think with the ball, we did what we wanted to do. We didn’t go chasing anything. We had great energy throughout and tried to build consistent areas and let the ball and the wicket do the talking. So, yeah, I thought we did that. We did that really well.”Alana King however continues to torment England. Australia’s legspinner claimed 4 for 45 on the opening day, including Sciver-Brunt, although she could have had her twice and picked up at least two more as four chances went begging off King’s bowling alone.King now has 18 wickets for the entire multiformat series at 11.33, including Sciver-Brunt three times.Sciver-Brunt was the only England batter to pass 30•AFP/Getty Images

“She’s bowled pretty consistent areas, and obviously got quite a bit of turn actually throughout the series,” Sciver-Brunt said. “And I think the fact that when it does turn, it’s not always the same amount every time. Some might skid, some might turn and bounce. So yeah, that makes it quite tricky when the stumps are always kept in play.”Despite being bowled by King playing back to her for the second time in the series, Sciver-Brunt said England’s plans hadn’t changed too much throughout the series.”I think playing her off the back foot as much as possible, and just, I guess reacting to the ball,” Sciver-Brunt said. “She does toss the odd one up as well, so being confident to use our feet as well. But yeah, she bowled pretty well today.”King was thrilled to take four wickets after bowling 23 overs unchanged from the Shane Warne stand end at the MCG. She hoped her hero was watching from on high.”Bowling from the Shane Warne stand end is something that is the first time I’ve ever done playing, obviously, here since the stand has been named after him,” King said. “So pretty nostalgic. He’s obviously taking plenty of poles at the MCG for fun, so yeah, all I can say is hopefully he’s smiling down and having a couple of beers and enjoying a few ripping past the outside edge.”It’s pretty cool. Loved playing at the MCG. I’ve played a few games here. It’s home for me. Loved playing Test cricket here and to bowl a whole session was pretty cool. Can’t get much better than that.”

Skipper leads from the front as George Balderson made inroads after Lancashire post 331

ECB Reporters Network11-May-2024Haseeb Hameed posted his first Vitality County Championship hundred since September 2022 and his first since being made captain but his Nottinghamshire side still have work to do to match Lancashire’s first innings total in their Division One match at Trent Bridge, where they trail by 52 runs on 279 for 7.Hameed, who still harbours ambitions of playing Test cricket despite being tried and discarded twice by England, finished day two unbeaten on 137 after hitting 16 fours, although he was dropped on 104 off left-arm spinner Tom Hartley.Hartley went wicketless in 18 overs in his last county match before joining the England squad as they prepare for the upcoming white-ball series against Pakistan and the T20 World Cup as all-rounder George Balderson took the bowling honours for his side. Balderson, who shared a key partnership with Keaton Jennings in Lancashire’s first innings, has 4 for 72 from 22 overs.Lancashire could reflect on a satisfactory morning’s work after Nottinghamshire’s strong finish to day one. Forcing the home side to concede another 25 runs for their last two wickets, most of them courtesy of Tom Bailey’s bat. The 33-year-old seam bowler hit five boundaries in his 42-ball unbeaten 31.Olly Stone, whose performance with the ball on day one deserved more than his one wicket, dismissed Will Williams, caught at second slip, and Saqib Mahmood, who chipped to extra cover, to finish with three for 56 from 23.2 overs.Seeking to overhaul Lancashire’s 331, Nottinghamshire started on the front foot but Ben Slater’s second-over boundary turned out to be his only scoring shot as Mahmood, bowling for the first time in a senior match for 12 months following a stress fracture, claimed his first comeback wicket via an edge to third slip.Hameed and Will Young looked as though they could put that setback behind them, weathering what remained of Mahmood and Tom Bailey’s new-ball offensive, but when Williams replaced Bailey at the Stuart Broad End, Young was dropped at second slip on 17 and then bowled for 27, shouldering arms to a ball that hit his middle stump, having come back sharply off the pitch.A sequence of beautiful shots by Hameed greeted the afternoon, and when Joe Clarke followed a deft steer to the third-man boundary off Bailey with a handsome drive through the covers to greet the return of Mahmood, it appeared the Lancashire bowlers might be in for a tough session.But again a potentially damaging partnership fizzled out as Balderson came back into the attack, his away movement finding a thin edge to have Clarke caught behind before Tom Moores, recalled after a couple of hundreds in the Second XI, rather gave his wicket away with a rash swing outside off stump that saw him caught behind too in Balderson’s next over.Jack Haynes proved to be a more patient accomplice, content with diligent accumulation as his captain cashed in on his form to dominate the bowling, most productively through the on side. Having reached his half-century from 99 balls, Hameed went past 100 in just 63 more, bringing up the milestone with his 15th boundary, tucked away backward of square off Balderson.After going a full season without reaching three figures last year, in which his numbers were generally disappointing after an excellent 2022, there was relief in his celebration on account of that, but also in quelling any fears that the challenge of stepping into Steven Mullaney’s shoes as captain might detract from his batting.It is his first hundred against his former county and his first against First Division bowling since 2016, when he was a 19-year-old prodigy hailed as the ‘new Boycott’ and made hundreds in both innings in the Roses match at Old Trafford.He was promptly put down on 104, a difficult chance coming hard to slip Luke Wells off Hartley, but though Hameed survived Nottinghamshire suffered another setback in the last over before tea, Haynes, on 35, becoming the second batter on the day to be out not playing a stroke as Balderson brought one back to claim his third success.With Hartley and seamer Williams matching each other for economy, Hameed and new batter Lyndon James had to graft for runs after tea, the first 50 runs of their partnership needing 145 deliveries.The sixth-wicket pair reduced the deficit to 83 runs but the second new ball, with which the Nottinghamshire bowlers had enjoyed success on the first day, brought a rapid dividend. James, driving expansively, was caught at first slip as Balderson picked up his fourth scalp, before Calvin Harrison’s bright 21 ended with an edge to second slip off Bailey.

David Warner, meanwhile, credits Pakistan’s bowling attack for bowling “unbelievable channels”

Danyal Rasool26-Dec-20234:16

How good were Pakistan bowlers on the day?

The scorecard might not suggest too much reason for optimism, but Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali has always tried to look at the brighter side. And on a gloomy Boxing Day in Melbourne where Pakistan toiled hard for the reward of just three wickets in 66 overs despite prodigious swing and several passages of play where Australia’s batters looked shaky, 187 for 3 isn’t exactly the scoreline Pakistan will have wished for after winning the toss and inserting Australia under grey skies.Hasan, though, felt Pakistan’s discipline and ability to keep Australia shackled meant they retained the upper hand. “We are a bit ahead of them right now,” he said at the post-match press conference. “Honestly, it was a good day as a bowling unit. We are a bit unlucky we haven’t got enough wickets, but the best thing is we have not given them enough runs. We’re looking forward to tomorrow, and restricting them to the minimum possible score.”Pakistan captain Shan Masood had effectively thrown down the gauntlet to Hasan and his fellow fast bowlers. After narrowing down the squad for the Test to XII a day earlier, his Pakistan side had made the decision to cut their sole specialist spinner Sajid Khan from the starting XI, thus fielding an all-seam attack for the second consecutive game. Winning the toss and choosing to bowl was a sign he wanted them to do a job for him.Related

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Hasan, left out of the first Test for the uncapped pair of Khurram Shahzad and Aamer Jamal, could argue he did exactly that. Coming on as Pakistan’s first-change bowler, he locked the scoring rate down just as Australia’s openers had begun to cut loose slightly. The helpful overhead conditions saw him generate movement through the air, and coupled with prodigious seam movement, he threatened both of David Warner’s edges.Post lunch, Hasan – and Pakistan – kicked the intensity up a notch. With ominous clouds threatening an interruption any moment, Pakistan began to recover from a wayward final half hour or so before lunch, tightening their lines and squeezing Australia’s run rate. Usman Khawaja had looked the most comfortable of the batters until that point, but a slightly audacious shot against a moving ball from Hasan found second slip, and Pakistan had two in quick succession, bookending the lunch break with the wickets of both openers.”There are certain times when the bowlers are a bit wayward as [we were before lunch], or the bowlers have different plans,” Hasan said. “But there is always a chance to come back. After lunch, we had a small discussion, and we were especially good in that period. We just gave them about 20 runs in that session.”It was the period in the game – indeed, in the series – that Pakistan looked most self-assured. Khawaja’s wicket saw an extended spell of Pakistani bowling dominance over Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, clogging up nearly all scoring opportunities. The 63 balls they survived after Khawaja’s wicket saw just seven runs scored, with every Pakistan bowler who came on probing and prodding, giving little away.Frustratingly for them, they got little back in return, too. Arguably, Australia’s two most stubborn batters saw off that period, and much of an extended session after the weather interruption, thus shielding themselves from the worst of the damage. Even Warner, who had almost chastised Pakistan’s bowlers for being bullied off their lines early on in Perth, gave them credit for “bowling beautifully”.David Warner was dropped on 2 by Abdullah Shafique•AFP/Getty Images

“Credit to the way that Pakistan bowled,” he said. “They bowled unbelievable channels. I think the way that [Mir] Hamza bowled around the wicket and pretty much at the end, it was almost like he was bowling with a Duke ball. He actually used his skills very, very well. Made the boys play and put the ball in the right area. I think going into tomorrow, we’re in a pretty good position. We’re going to have to bat well and try to set up for our bowlers.”If you’re not bowling quick in Australia, you have to have some skill base to actually hit that line and length area to actually create something. I think with these guys, they have actually been very, very good. I think they’ve been outstanding. They came back last Test match after lunch, and bowled a great line and length. With Shaheen Shah Afridi doing his job – and he bowled well today with not so much luck [but] when he’s up and about, I think the rest of the guys follow him – I think they’re fine.”There was, of course, the customary “what if”. Warner shouldn’t have been in the position to notch up a 90-run opening stand, because when he was on 2, Afridi drew an outside edge that floated to Abdullah Shafique at first slip. There was no mitigating factor for the drop; he wasn’t unsighted and no one else distracted him. But as has happened far too often in Australia – and far too often against Warner – Pakistan gave him a chance, and deprived themselves of the opportunity to make an early breakthrough.”If we’d caught it early, maybe the situation would have been different; but this is a part of the game – you drop some catches and you take others,” Hasan ruefully said. However, Pakistan didn’t let it define their day, and Hasan’s attitude suggests they will refuse to let the inability to take the wickets they felt they deserved define this Test, too.

Kings are better placed, but neither team can afford more slip-ups if they want to stay afloat

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2023

Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals have no option but to win each of their last three games to finish on 14 points, and then hope that several other results fall in place for them to qualify. One way for that to happen is if Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians win most of their games, leaving the other teams on 12 or 13 points. Then Capitals can qualify even without net run-rate coming into play.However, a defeat on Saturday will eliminate them from the tournament.

Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings have one extra win compared to Capitals in as many games. That means they can still go up to 16 points, which could be enough for direct qualification without getting caught up in NRR complications. However, depending on how other results go, they could miss out despite getting to 16.If they lose to Capitals, Kings will have to win their last two, finish on 14, and then hope that several other results go their way to help them qualify. That could happen if Titans and Super Kings win most of their matches, leaving other teams on 14 to battle it out for two spots. That means Kings will have to focus on their victory margins as well, given they currently have a very negative NRR.

Mumbai assured of a top place with a win; Delhi with a chance to draw level on points with Mumbai

S Sudarshanan19-Mar-2023

Batting in focus for Mumbai and Capitals

Both Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals head into their penultimate group-stage fixture with a particular focus on their batting despite being two of the best sides in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).Related

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Capitals’ batting floundered in their previous game against Gujarat Giants in a 148-run chase. Their batting mantra has been to go hard and that has come off whenever either of Shafali Verma or Meg Lanning has stayed in the middle for long. Capitals have used allrounder Arundhati Reddy’s bowling services in only two out of the four games she has played and she batted only in their last game. A case perhaps then for getting in an extra batter?Mumbai, on the other hand, have two batters among the top five run-getters in the tournament so far, and both of them – Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet Kaur – bat in the top order. They were hampered by a lack of firepower down the order on a slowish DY Patil track against UP Warriorz. Not a bad time for South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon, who bowls left-arm spin, to get a game.Amelia Kerr is expected to play a role with the surfaces starting to take turn•BCCI

Players to watch

Spinning tracks would increasingly mean a larger role for Amelia Kerr. She managed to get the better of an on-song Tahlia McGrath with a googly in the last game. She has had the upper hand against Lanning in internationals and could yet again challenge the Capitals captain.Capitals have benefitted from Jess Jonassen‘s all-round efforts. She has played a few handy knocks and also picked up five wickets.

Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians (possible): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Issy Wong/Chloe Tryon, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Humaira Kazi 9 Dhara Gujjar, 10 Jintimani Kalita, 11 Saika IshaqueDelhi Capitals (possible): 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Alice Capsey/Laura Harris, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Arundhati Reddy/Jasia Akhter, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Shikha Pandey, 11 Poonam Yadav/Tara Norris

Stats and Trivia

• Mumbai and Capitals’ bowlers have the best economy rates while bowling in powerplays – 5.61 and 6.27 respectively
• The two teams have also taken the most wickets in the powerplay. Mumbai’s bowlers have taken 16 wickets combined while Capitals’ bowlers have 11

Quotes

“I think our bowlers did a fantastic job. Anytime you get 127 or so, it is a hard job to defend but our bowlers did really well to take the game to the last over.”
“Something we are working hard on is improving the last five or six overs, when we are closing out as a bowling unit. We are also tinkering with our side and the [batting] order.”

Seamer remains optimistic about playing a part in England’s 50-over World Cup defence

Matt Roller26-Jul-2023Olly Stone has been ruled out of the Hundred with a hamstring injury but remains optimistic about his chances of being fit to play a part in England’s 50-over World Cup defence in India in October-November.Stone hoped to feature in England’s Ashes squad this summer but has been limited to a single appearance since May 4 due to a hamstring injury, suffered while playing for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship.He made a comeback in the T20 Blast on June 30, during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, with the intention of playing some part in the fourth or fifth Tests. But he lasted only three balls before walking off the field midway through an over, and has not played since.Stone was signed on a £100,000 contract by London Spirit in March’s draft for the Hundred but has been forced to withdraw from the competition. ESPNcricinfo understands that Dan Worrall, the Australian seamer who qualifies as a local player in English domestic cricket, has been signed as a replacement.Related

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Stone’s injury is not thought to be as serious as the one that ended up ruling him out of the Ashes, but it remains to be seen whether he will be fit for England’s white-ball series against New Zealand, which starts on August 30. Instead, he may target the three-match ODI series against Ireland from September 20 for a potential return.He has only played eight ODIs and one T20I, but as an out-and-out fast bowler who can regularly reach speeds in excess of 90mph/145kph, Stone is seen as an important part of England’s white-ball plans – particularly in the context of a gruelling World Cup schedule.Meanwhile, a number of New Zealand players are negotiating short-term replacement deals in the Hundred. New Zealand will tour England for four T20Is and four ODIs in August-September and NZC announced last week that Matt Henry, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi are due to be involved in the Hundred immediately the series starts.Neesham is expected to play for Oval Invincibles as a short-term replacement for Heinrich Klaasen when he is playing for South Africa against Australia, while Sodhi is likely to replace Rashid Khan at Trent Rockets during Afghanistan’s fixtures against Pakistan. Santner is expected to join Southern Brave on a short-term basis.Their deals will be confirmed later this week by the ECB. The involvement of five New Zealand men’s players – Finn Allen, Devon Conway (both Southern Brave), Adam Milne (Birmingham Phoenix), Daryl Mitchell (London Spirit) and Glenn Phillips (Welsh Fire) – has already been announced publicly.