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West Indies batter smacks joint-fastest half-century on ODI debut to help whitewash UAE

Deivarayan Muthu10-Jun-2023Alick Athanaze has admitted to being nervous before making his international debut, but he shook it off quickly and went onto make it a memorable one by slamming the joint-fastest half-century on ODI debut. Athanaze’s 65 off 45 balls, including 51 which came in the powerplay alone, set the tone for West Indies’ successful chase of 185.”I was a bit nervous actually, but the nerves went away when I got my first runs and it was good,” Athanaze told CWI media after West Indies swept UAE 3-0 in Sharjah. “It was a really good experience [on debut]. [I] haven’t batted much in the night, so it was a first for me actually. But normally that’s how I play in the powerplay – I always look to get the team off to a good start.”Athanaze grew up idolising Brian Lara and more recently when he was with West Indies’ Test side in South Africa, he worked with Lara, who was on tour as the team’s performance mentor. Athanaze said that the conversations with Lara have had a positive influence on his batting approach.”For me, it has been really good,” Athanaze said. “Basically, what we spoke about was judging lengths and trying to get ahead of the bowler. It worked really nicely, and I got myself into some good positions and it was really good to bat out there tonight.”Athanaze put left-arm fingerspinner Aayan Afzal Khan out of the attack in the powerplay with a brace of sixes. Then when UAE’s seamers bowled into the Sharjah pitch, Athanaze countered them with a variety of pulls, including the short-arm jab.Related

• India to begin next WTC cycle with two-match series in Caribbean

• Athanaze's joint-fastest fifty on debut helps West Indies sweep UAE 3-0

Athanaze was the top run-getter in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, ahead of Shubman Gill, but it has taken him five years to make the step-up to international cricket. Athanaze isn’t part of West Indies’ ODI squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup Qualifier but could get a run in the following home series against India. Spinner Kevin Sinclair, who had been part of the Under-19 and West Indies A set-ups with Athanaze, was impressed with Athanaze’s fearless strokeplay on debut.”For me, I’ve always known Alick since Under-19 [cricket],” Sinclair said. “He’s a good player and a good batsman. To watch himself express himself tonight at a higher level is something really good to see from the sidelines. I always knew he could bat and he did bring form from Bangladesh and he did very well.”Athanaze also spoke of how the new team management, under the leadership of Daren Sammy and Shai Hope, has encouraged the youngsters to play with confidence and freedom.”The team did really, really well,” Athanaze said. “One thing the captain stresses about is always improving and as you saw right throughout the series, we improved – not just on the batting but fielding as well and bowling. As a young player, it’s always good to be in a winning team and it gives you the confidence to go out and express yourself.”Kevin Sinclair brought out his signature celebration during his four-wicket haul•AFP/Getty Images

Sinclair dedicates Player-of-the-Match award to his grandfather

Friday’s match was a special one for Sinclair, too, who marked his international return with figures of 4 for 24. Carlos Brathwaite, who was on TV commentary, noted that Sinclair is now getting his offbreak to grip and turn more than he did in the past. This has in turn made his slider more effective and put him in West Indies or West Indies A contention across formats.”We were in a bit of a bother, so my thing was just to keep it simple and keep it as tight as possible,” Sinclair said. “Hence, getting a breakthrough as well, and that was really good for myself.”Sinclair credited former Guyana allrounder and coach Esuan Crandon for his recent progress. During the Headley-Weekes tri-series, Sinclair also benefitted from working with Nikita Miller.”As I mentioned I couple of weeks ago, Esuan Crandon,” Sinclair said. “The support he has given me and every time I step out [onto the field], I try and do what I can do with the bat, ball and in the field as well.”It’s all about consistency and I just want to take that moving forward and try to be consistent in what I do.”After winning the Player-of-the-Match award, Sinclair dedicated it to his grandfather Carlton, who was employed as a security guard. Carlton has doubled up as Sinclair’s mentor over the years.”Just want to mention that two days ago was my grandfather’s birthday,” Sinclair said. “It was his 75th birthday. He has been behind me since my tender age of seven, so I want to say this performance is for him.”

Bangladesh ODI captain makes surprise announcement a day after losing to Afghanistan in Chattogram

Mohammad Isam06-Jul-2023In a surprise development, Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s ODI captain, has retired from international cricket, barely three months before the World Cup, and bringing to a sudden end a glittering 16-year international career.Surrounded by a throng of reporters, Tamim was extremely emotional and in tears as he made the announcement at a press conference he arranged in Chattogram on Thursday. It came a day after Bangladesh lost to Afghanistan in the first of three ODIs.”This is the end for me,” he said. “I have given my best. I have tried my best. I am retiring from international cricket from this moment. Yesterday against Afghanistan was my last international game. It was not a sudden decision. I was thinking about the different reasons. I don’t want to mention here. I have spoken to my family members about it. I thought this is the right time for me to retire from international cricket.”I need to thank a few people, which they deserve. I have always said that I played cricket to fulfil my father’s dream. So I am not sure how much I have made him proud throughout these 16 years of my international career.”There are a lot of other people that I need to thank. My youngest (uncle), his name is Akbar Khan. I held his hands to go to my first cricket tournament. I thank him and his family. I thank Tapan , a coach in MA Aziz Stadium, who was my coach in my childhood. I thank all the players I played with from the U-13, U-15, U-17, U-19s, A team, Premier League, NCL and national team. Especially my national-team colleagues. The cricket board gave me the opportunity to represent the country for so long. I have captained Bangladesh too. I thank them as well.”I don’t have much to say. One thing I will definitely say is, I tried my best. I did try my best. Maybe I was not good enough or good enough. I don’t know. But I tried my 100% whenever I was in the field.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“There are a lot of other things I want to say, but as you can see I am almost unable to speak. But I hope you respect the situation. It is not an easy situation to speak. Quitting international cricket is not easy. I hope you understand. I am sorry to call you on such a short notice. I thank you all in the media.”I also want to thank the fans. Your love and faith in me inspired me to give my very best for Bangladesh. I want to ask for your prayers for the next chapter of my life. Please keep me in your prayers.”Whoever has helped me to grow as a cricketer and human being, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. My mother, my brother, my wife and two children. They suffered a lot in my journey. They also had much to cherish. I thank them as well. I have nothing more to say.”Tamim chose not to go into the reasons behind his decision, asking only for focus to stay on the team.”It is the end. At least for international cricket. Let’s not poke too much about it. ‘Why, why, what is it, what else could have happened.’ I have always said that the team is bigger than any individual. Let’s focus on the team. Two more games to go in the series. I think we should win. There are two major trophies.”Tamim, 34, had retired from T20Is around the same time last year. His last Test was Bangladesh’s one-off match against Ireland in April.The BCB hasn’t named a successor for the ODI captaincy – it didn’t name a vice-captain ahead of the series – or responded to Tamim’s announcement. Litton Das was Bangladesh’s ODI captain against India in December last year when Tamim was injured. Shakib Al Hasan is the regular Test and T20I captain, and is the favourite to take over the role in ODIs now.Tamim began his international career as a teenager with his ODI debut in February 2007, and made a match-winning half-century in Bangladesh’s iconic win against India in the World Cup in the West Indies. He finishes with the most ODI runs (8313) and hundreds (14) for his country, and is the third-highest run-scorer among current cricketers, behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.As a Test batter, Tamim scored 5134 runs – the second highest for Bangladesh – at an average of 38.89, with ten centuries in 70 matches.As ODI captain, Tamim has a marginally higher win percentage than Mashrafe Mortaza, who is considered Bangladesh’s best leader. Tamim won 21 out of 37 ODIs as captain, and he led Bangladesh to a third-place finish in the ODI Super League, ensuring their direct qualification for the World Cup in India this October and November. He also captained Bangladesh in one Test match, against New Zealand in 2017.

Andy Burnham and Tracy Brabin question London’s right to three Tests per summer

Matt Roller21-Jul-2023The mayors of Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire have urged the ECB to reconsider its allocation of men’s Ashes Tests for 2027, which will see the north of England overlooked.Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said before the ongoing fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford that he was “devastated” that none of the five Tests would be staged north of the River Trent, with Lord’s, the Kia Oval, the Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge chosen as the host venues.Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) and Tracy Brabin (West Yorkshire) have now written an open letter to the ECB, describing the allocation of venues as “remarkable” and criticising the fact that London “consistently hosts three Tests every summer”.Related

• Ageas Bowl to host its maiden Men's Ashes Test in 2027

• England players 'disappointed' at lack of northern venues for 2027 Ashes

“We are writing to you to express our disappointment at the English Cricket Board’s announcement of match venues for the men’s Ashes in 2027,” the mayors wrote. “As you know, there will be no men’s Ashes Test in the north of England in 2027 – meaning that this week at Old Trafford will be the last men’s Ashes Test played in the North of England until 2031.”Headingley and Old Trafford are two of England’s most iconic cricket grounds, and home to historic Ashes moments from Ian Botham’s heroics in 1981 to Ben Stokes’ own ‘Miracle of Headingley’ in 2019. Very few grounds attract support as passionate or indeed as diverse as Headingley and Old Trafford – as a number of England players themselves have acknowledged in recent days.”We understand that the ECB’s criteria for awarding Test matches includes maximising attendances and ensuring a geographic spread of matches. It feels even more remarkable therefore that an area so passionate about cricket, with a population of over 15 million people, misses out on a men’s Ashes Test in 2027 whilst the south hosts three.”It does not feel right that at a time when cricket needs to do more to spread interest in the game around the country that London consistently hosts three Tests every summer. Next year, for example, Lord’s hosts one third of England men’s Tests whilst Headingley doesn’t get any.”The rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire within cricket is legendary, but this is an issue that unites both sides of the Pennines. We urge you to think again and ensure people in the north of England get the opportunity to witness more iconic Ashes moments in 2027.”Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, rings the bell at Emirates Old Trafford on the third morning•Stu Forster/Getty Images

Stokes said on the eve of the Old Trafford Test that England tend to perform well in the north due to the level of support they receive from crowds. “I’m a bit devastated that there won’t be any Ashes cricket here in 2027 in the north. It’s a shame,” he said. “I don’t make those calls, but if I was involved, I would have said, ‘please keep at least one game in the north’. I think it’s always a loud atmosphere here. You know the crowds we get in the north – and I say the north quite bluntly there – is very good. We get a lot of support.”Mark Wood and Jack Leach had previously expressed their own “surprise” and “disappointment” around the choice of venues, with Leach suggesting that by playing primarily in the south, England were not making the most of their home advantage.Headingley is due to host a women’s Ashes Test in 2027, and both Headingley and Old Trafford are due to stage men’s Ashes Tests in 2031.Andy Anson, Lancashire’s chair, said that the club were “entirely comfortable” with the ECB’s process of awarding matches, as well as the opportunity host more women’s internationals in coming years.”We are entirely comfortable with the process that the club went through with the ECB regarding the major match allocation package for future men’s and women’s internationals between 2025-31,” Anson said. “The announced package provides the club with seven years of certainty for international match scheduling which will see 40 days of international cricket played at the venue. The package is the result of in-depth discussions between the counties and the ECB and has been a thorough and fair process.”As well as the men’s Ashes Test in 2031, we will also be welcoming India for four matches in five years, in addition to hosting international women’s cricket at Emirates Old Trafford for the first time in many years – which we all look forward to. We are grateful to the ECB and our fellow counties for the level of cooperation and communication in arriving at this schedule.”

George Bell, Dane Vilas, George Balderson add fifties against unconvincing defending champions

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2023England Lions batter Josh Bohannon’s excellent 105 represented his maiden List A century as Lancashire brushed Kent Spitfires aside by 125 runs at Blackpool to gain revenge for last year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final defeat.Kent have now lost two of their first three games in an unconvincing title defence, with Bohannon’s 117-ball innings underpinning 328 for 5.George Bell, Dane Vilas and George Balderson also added half-centuries after Lancashire were inserted. Kent List A debutant seamer Jas Singh returned an encouraging 3 for 74 from 10 overs.Lancashire then defended 329 with ease on a Stanley Park pitch not entirely straightforward for batting. They put two rainy no results behind them as new-ball bowler Jack Blatherwick claimed a career best 4 for 52 from 10 overs in Kent’s 203 all out inside 40 overs.Bohannon moved through the gears following a circumspect start. Kent were at their best with the new ball and deserved more early rewards. But they became increasingly ragged.They conceded only 34 runs from the first 10 overs and ensured Bohannon didn’t hit a boundary until his 36th ball – a six over long-on against Hamidullah Qadri’s off-spin.Bohannon’s quartet of sixes were all hit down the ground, an area opener Bell was particularly strong in en-route to 71. The two shared 112 for the second wicket from 15 for 1 after James Bazley had Keaton Jennings caught at second slip.That was one of four catches for Spitfires skipper Jack Leaning. Two of them helped debutant seamer Singh remove Vilas and Balderson, caught for 51 and 57 trying to attack late on. The 20-year-old had earlier bowled Bell following a heave to leg.Bohannon reached his century – his ninth in all senior cricket – off 113 balls shortly after Lancashire had moved to 250 for 3 in the 44th over.After navigating early challenges against Bazley and new-ball partner Grant Stewart, who surprisingly only bowled six overs for 17, the home innings was filled with fearless strokeplay.Balderson reached his fifty in only 25 balls, and right at the death, rookie pro Matty Hurst scooped his first ball over the wicketkeeper’s head for one of three fours in a six-ball unbeaten 15.Kent then made a troubled start to their chase, slipping to 97 for 4 inside 20 overs.Ben Compton miscued a wide ball from Tom Bailey which seemed to stop on him to cover in the third over before Leaning was bowled by one which kept low from Blatherwick.Alex Blake drove to mid-off against Balderson, who then had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught behind for 38 by Hurst off a skied miscue. Bell-Drummond had been released from Hundred duty with London Spirit to play and finished as Kent’s top-scorer.Fifth-wicket pair Harry Finch and Joey Evison then steadied with a 51-run stand, with the latter whipping a six off Tom Aspinwall’s seam. But their hopes were dashed by Blatherwick, who returned to the attack and claimed three wickets in eight balls, including two in two, to leave Kent floundering again at 153 for 7 in the 34th over.Finch was caught behind for 31 off an inside-edge in the 32nd before a pulling Australian Bazley top-edged his first ball to mid-off. In the next over, Evison was lbw for 30.Left-arm spinner Jack Morley then struck twice before some entertaining hitting from last-wicket pair, Singh and Matt Quinn, was ended by Aspinwall’s maiden senior wicket – Quinn caught at deep cover by Blatherwick.

Shafali, Rodrigues hit top gear against Malaysia before rain arrives; Pakistan-Indonesia quarter-final washed out without a ball being bowled

Shashank Kishore21-Sep-2023India and Pakistan have advanced to the Asian Games semi-finals in Hangzhou after their respective quarter-finals were abandoned because of rain.India’s rain-hit quarter-final against Malaysia was reduced to 15-overs-a-side in which they amassed 173 for 2 riding largely on a 39-ball 67 from Shafali Verma and an unbeaten 29-ball 47 by Jemimah Rodrigues. Rain arrived just two balls into Malaysia’s steep chase forcing the game to be called off. The second quarter-final between Pakistan and Indonesia was washed out without a ball being bowled.India and Pakistan advanced to the semi-final on account of having higher seeding than their opponents.The first quarter-final was a mismatch of epic proportions and Malaysia hardly posed a fight. India flexed their might from ball one after being put into bat with rain looming. Smriti Mandhana’s early elegance gave way to Shafali’s brutality, and Rodrigues lent her own signature touch to the innings as India blasted 173 for 2, including 113 off 9.2 overs after the rain break.Richa Ghosh, who wasn’t part of the Bangladesh tour, added the finishing touches with 21 not out off just seven deliveries. She hit 18 off those courtesy three fours and a six in the final over off medium pacer Mas Elysa, with the highlight being a bottom-handed shovel inside-out over extra cover off a yorker.There was brief concern in the Indian camp late in the innings when Shafali was hit on her right forearm at the non-striker’s end by Rodrigues’ cross-batted swat. She resumed her innings after some treatment from the physio but was out lbw in the same over, the 13th, playing across the line to a straight delivery from Elysa.Shafali played a power game, time and again moving to the offside to try and access the arc between long-on and deep midwicket where the boundary was only 45 metres. Malaysia didn’t help themselves by bowling full tosses and slot balls to Shafali.India were so dominant that Malaysia could not string together three dot balls. The only bright spot in their performance was Mandhana’s dismissal. She was early into a pull and lobbed a leading edge to point off medium pacer Mahirah Ismail in the sixth over. The celebrations were boisterous after the catch was taken, given Mandhana had looked in pristine touch until then, hitting five fours in 15 balls. But any sense of relief Malaysia may have had dissipated as Shafali took charge and ran them ragged along with Rodrigues and Ghosh.Bangladesh could potentially be India’s semi-final opponent if they win their quarter-final against Hong Kong. That will set up a tantalising contest for Mandhana’s team (Harmanpreet Kaur will sit out of the game due to a two-match suspension), given the recent history between the two sides. Bangladesh proved they were no pushovers during India’s recent tour in July, where they won two matches and tied one across six white-ball games. The series was remembered for a huge controversy over umpiring that boiled over into a nasty exchanges between the teams.

“It has not sunk in yet that I am finally back where my whole cricketing journey started,” Hardik says

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Nov-2023Mumbai Indians have completed the trade for Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans on Sunday, and also traded their allrounder Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore in order to increase their purse for the IPL player auction on December 19.”As the first captain of Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya has helped the franchise deliver two fantastic seasons that resulted in winning one IPL championship and one appearance in the final,” Titans director of cricket Vikram Solanki said in a statement. “He has now expressed a desire to return to his original team Mumbai Indians. We respect his decision and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.”The trades were confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by a BCCI official and confirmed by the IPL on Monday.Related

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• Shubman Gill appointed captain of Gujarat Titans

“The feeling of coming back to Mumbai is very special for a lot of reasons: how my cricketing journey started in 2015 with MI with them noticing me in 2013, you know when I look back and how my span of ten years has been something very special,” Hardik said in a video released by the franchise on Tuesday*. “It has not sunk in yet that I am finally back where my whole cricketing journey started. I have achieved all the possible things they have been the most important part of my life.”The franchise ownership group were equally excited.”We are thrilled to welcome Hardik back home! It’s a heartwarming reunion with our Mumbai Indians family,” Nita M Ambani, owner of Mumbai Indians, said. “From being a young scouted talent of Mumbai Indians to now being a team India star, Hardik has come a long way and we’re excited for what the future holds for him and Mumbai Indians!”Akash Ambani, owner of Mumbai Indians, said: “Seeing Hardik back at Mumbai Indians makes me very happy. It is a happy homecoming. He provides great balance to any team he plays. Hardik’s first stint with the MI family was hugely successful, and we hope he achieves even more success in his second stint.”While Titans’ purse will increase by INR 15 crore, which was Hardik’s salary, they will also receive from Mumbai an additional transfer fee which they will need to disclose to IPL. Hardik stands to earn up to 50% of that transfer fee from Titans based on the mutual agreement.