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Dale Steyn will miss the final Test between South Africa and England as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury

Firdose Moonda17-Jan-2016Dale Steyn will miss the final Test between South Africa and England as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury. ESPNcricinfo understands that even though Steyn will complete treatment in a hyperbaric chamber on the eve of the Centurion match he will not be risked with a view to getting him ready for the limited-overs’ matches that follow.That leaves the selectors with five other fast bowling options from the current squad – Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott and Hardus Viljoen – and they will have to decide on the right combination for SuperSport Park after going all-pace at the Wanderers.If they continue to with that strategy, they will choose between Viljoen, who made his debut at the Wanderers, or Abbott, who played in Durban but sat out of the Cape Town Test with a hamstring injury. However, both Viljoen and Abbott could find themselves on the sidelines if the selectors opt to bring back a specialist spinner in Dane Piedt and deploy only three frontline quicks for the fourth Test and that may be among the easier decisions they have to make.The more complicated questions lie in the batting line-up, where it is likely there will be a change at the top. Stiaan van Zyl, who has is averaging 15.60 as an opener and has five single figure scores from his last nine innings, could make way for Stephen Cook, who topped up on his two centuries in the first-class competition with a fifty in this week’s round of matches.Cook has been overlooked despite consistent performances because, at 33, he may not be a long-term solution but selection convener Linda Zondi last week said that age was not a barrier. “Cook is definitely in our plans. His age is not a concern. If a player is good enough his age doesn’t matter.”Changes could also take place in the middle order where JP Duminy could force his way back into the XI with Faf du Plessis the most vulnerable to omission. The No.7 position will also be assessed depending on the fitness of Quinton de Kock, who could be reinstalled as keeper if he has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of the Wanderers Test.De Kock slipped while walking his dogs the day before the Test and Dane Vilas was flown in as an emergency replacement. Vilas had a good game with the gloves in hand but like his team-mates, struggled for runs, and the suggestion is that if de Kock is fit, he will play. De Kock underwent a scan on the first day of the match and the initial diagnosis showed no tears. South African management said his injury was “not as bad as we initially thought.”The South Africa squad was given two days off following their three-day defeat at the Wanderers and will reconvene in Centurion on Tuesday, which is also when the selectors will meet to finalise their decisions.

Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies captain, has been suspended for one match after being fined a second time within 12 months for maintaining a slow over-rate

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2013Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies captain, has been suspended for one match after being fined a second time within 12 months for maintaining a slow over-rate. He will miss the crucial tri-series match against Sri Lanka on Sunday.West Indies were ruled one over short of the target at the end of match against India in Port-of-Spain for which the match referee, Jeff Crowe, fined Bravo 20% of his match fee and his team members, 10% of their match fees.”The captains were informed of their respective positions relating to over-rate breaches before the start of the series,” Crowe said. “On Friday, the umpires had kept Dwayne [Bravo] informed throughout the innings about the position regarding over-rates, and more so when his side fell behind.”The charge was laid by on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Peter Nero, as well as third umpire Nigel Duguid and fourth umpire Joel Wilson, with Bravo pleading guilty.It was the second such offence for Bravo after he was fined for a slow over-rate during the Champions Trophy match against South Africa on June 14.Virat Kohli was also slapped with a similar fine after India’s match against Sri Lanka in Kingston.

England’s ambitions to inflict a 3-0 whitewash upon West Indies were frustrated as rain washed out the first day of the third Test

The Report by David Hopps07-Jun-2012
ScorecardEngland and West Indies were forced to make do with net practice on a wet day in Birmingham•Getty Images

England’s ambitions to inflict a 3-0 whitewash upon West Indies were frustrated by the weather as rain washed out the first day of the third Test at Edgbaston. It was the first time a full day’s play in a Test in England had been lost because of bad weather since the third day of the 2009 Ashes clash against Australia, also at Edgbaston.Rain is forecast on Friday as well, raising the possibility that the opening two days of a Test in England could be abandoned without play for the first time for nearly 50 years, since an Ashes clash at Lord’s in 1964.The toss and team announcements have yet to take place, leaving Stuart Broad to face another uncertain evening as he waits to see if he will be rested alongside his new-ball partner, James Anderson.If Broad plays, only one of Steven Finn and Graham Onions is certain of a fast-bowling spot. Finn’s reputation as one of the world’s most-promising young fast bowlers suggests that he is the likelier choice but Graham Onions has been in outstanding county form for Durham and his case could become more persuasive as rain takes chunks out of the game.For West Indies, Sunil Narine is favoured to replace his fellow spinner Shane Shillingford, who England dealt with comfortably at Trent Bridge, and either Tino Best or Fidel Edwards will partner Ravi Rampaul. Kirk Edwards is expected to lose his top-order batting place after an unproductive tour.Heavy overnight and early morning rain meant the square was fully covered when the captains should have been tossing up ahead of a scheduled 11am start. There was only a brief spell when the covers were removed before fresh rain arrived. At 3.35pm it was announced that play had been abandoned for the day.

A potential match between New Zealand and another Full Member team in USA this summer appears more likely to happen in Florida rather than New York after plans to revitalise Floyd Bennett Field have not panned out so far

Peter Della Penna23-May-2011A potential match between New Zealand and another Full Member team in USA this summer appears more likely to happen in Florida rather than New York after plans to revitalise Floyd Bennett Field have not panned out so far. USA Cricket Association President Gladstone Dainty told ESPNcricinfo in February that a plan had been put in place to install a turf wicket and make other upgrades to the Brooklyn facility so that an international fixture could be staged there in August, but that timeline has been pushed back.”We’re really trying to do something in September,” Dainty told ESPNcricinfo. “Now where? We really wanted it to be in the New York-New Jersey area. I don’t know if it can happen, but we’re still working on it. Right now I’m more sure that we’re going do something than I am that it’s going to be New York or New Jersey.””We actually had an inspection [at Floyd Bennett Field] done by a top cricket official or referee. We are awaiting his report. The initial assessment is that it’s a great location. It will be a great facility but it needs work. We all know that so it depends on how fast we can get that work done.”Multiple sources confirmed over the weekend that ICC Global Development Manager Tim Anderson and ICC Match Referee Jeff Crowe were both recently in New York to meet with USACA officials and have a look at Floyd Bennett Field. A matting wicket is currently used for club matches there and the overall condition of the field is poor, making it unrealistic that it could be revamped by the end of the summer. Obtaining permits to use the ground could also be another obstacle to overcome.Dainty did say though that using New York as a venue did not necessarily hinge on a turf wicket being installed at Floyd Bennett Field. It could depend on the ability of Cricket Holdings America’s members to convince two Full Member boards that playing on an artificial pitch either at Floyd Bennett Field or elsewhere in New York would create more attention and exposure than playing in Florida on a natural turf wicket.”What we’re more concerned about is what type of match it will be,” Dainty said. “I don’t think we can get an official match because I don’t think New York or New Jersey has a facility. So do we do New York or New Jersey and have a match or do we go to Florida where you can have an official match? So those are decisions we have to make.”

Cricket Ireland are aiming to fast-track the requalification of Ed Joyce in time for next year’s World Cup

Cricinfo staff24-May-2010Cricket Ireland are aiming to fast-track the requalification of Ed Joyce in time for next year’s World Cup.Joyce, 31, played 50 times for Ireland between 1997 and 2005 and was widely recognised as the finest batsman in the country. His desire to play Test cricket led him to qualify for England, but his opportunities were limited to the one-day arena, and he played the last of his 17 ODIs for England against Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup.With the 2011 World Cup scheduled for February Joyce would be just short of the four-year period that he would normally have to serve but Cricket Ireland are seeking an exemption from the ICC.”When I made the decision in 2001 to try and play for England, it was with a view to trying to play Test cricket which is the pinnacle of the game and which of course Ireland doesn’t play,” said Joyce. “While I strongly believe I’m good enough to play Test cricket for England, I’ve taken the decision now to try and play for Ireland again. There are a few reasons for this, with the most obvious being that I’m a born and bred Irishman.”Secondly, I feel I have a lot to offer to Irish cricket. I had a very successful 2009 with Sussex winning the Most Valuable Player award for the Friends Provident trophy and also two winners medals in theTwenty20 Cup and Nat West Pro40 competition.”I feel I’m playing the best cricket of my career and would like to bring this form with me to help Ireland be even more successful on the world stage, a success which I am committed to running in tandem with my Sussex career, in the same way that other Irish players have satisfied club and country commitments really well.”Phil Simmons, the Ireland coach, welcomed the news and hopes that Joyce’s experience will add to the development of Irish cricket.”It’s fantastic news that Ed has decided to play for Ireland again,” he said. “He’s a superb cricketer and will be a great boost to have a player of his calibre in the team. It’s a really exciting development and will further strengthen our squad. He brings quality and experience, and those are two very welcome attributes for a coach.”

Says Gambhir, whom he’ll continue to work with in Sri Lanka after his maiden India call-up, boosted his confidence to help him handle pressure better when at KKR

PTI18-Jul-2024Fast bowler Harshit Rana, who earned a maiden India call-up for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, has said he owes much of his success to Gautam Gambhir “above everyone else”. Rana, 22, worked with the new India head coach Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this year and, like Gambhir, made his way up through Delhi cricket circles.”I believed in working hard but whenever I used to get hurt after being overlooked in age-group teams, I would sit in my room and start sobbing,” Rana told PTI after the India squad was announced. “My father Pradeep never ever gave up hope.”If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir [former India and Delhi pacer] and above everyone else Gauti [Gambhir].Related

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“If my outlook towards the game has changed, a lot of it has got to do with Gauti presence in the KKR dressing room and how he changed my mindset. At the elite level, you require skills, but more than skills you require the heart to handle the pressure.”Gauti would always tell me [I trust you, you can win the match].”Rana had a bright 2022-23 first-class season with Delhi, picking up 21 wickets in five Ranji Trophy games, but then injuries prevented him from playing a lot of red-ball cricket. With the white ball, though, he has been fantastic for Delhi: 22 wickets in 14 Vijay Hazare Trophy games, and 28 in 25 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s.At IPL 2024, in front of a packed Eden Gardens, he managed to nail his blockhole deliveries, wide yorkers and slow bouncers to finish as the tournament’s joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker, playing his part in KKR’s run to the title. How did he manage to back his skills under pressure?”If you ask about the pressure part, it is Gautam Gambhir’s advice,” Rana said. “He would say, ‘what’s the worst thing that will happen? You will get hit and we can lose the match. But if you don’t face your fears, how will you overcome them?'”[I learnt] there will always be a new day, a new match and things will fall in place. That’s what you train for.”Leading up to his IPL exploits, Rana had trained under Bhandari and Narinder Singh Negi at Delhi’s Players’ Academy. “If you talk about skill-set, then Bhandari sir and Negi sir have been my personal coaches for the past two years,” Rana said.Bhandari, a Delhi stalwart who played two ODIs for India between 2000 and 2004 and is now an assistant coach with Gujarat Titans, spoke to PTI about the time he spent with Rana. “I didn’t know who this boy was,” Bhandari said. “In fact, when he came to me, he had not played for KKR but had played Ranji Trophy. He only called me up and said, ‘sir, can you train me?'”First day he came, I didn’t give him a new ball but an old ball and told him the areas [he needed to bowl] with an [added] instruction. Just bowl and don’t look at me or come to me. If I feel [the need], I will call you.”What Bhandari saw impressed him enough to start working with Rana. “What I saw was a nice run-up but once he reached the crease, after load-up, everything needed a bit of work. The non-bowling hand, alignment… And he was ready to work.”Rana will hope it all pays off if he gets his first India cap in Sri Lanka. The tour – also a first assignment for Gambhir as India coach – begins with three T20Is from July 27, before the ODIs kick off on August 2.

They scored 213 for 5, the highest total in the competition’s history, ahead of their semi-final match against either SA or NZ

Tristan Lavalette21-Feb-2023England smashed the highest ever women’s T20 World Cup total in a record 114-run thrashing of Pakistan in Newlands to complete an unbeaten group phase.Electing to bat in sunny conditions, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt hit blistering half-centuries to propel England to 213 for 5, an almost flawless performance ahead of the semi-finals.After Wyatt powered England to a fast start, Sciver-Brunt took over with an unbeaten 81 from 40 balls and she combined in a century stand with Amy Jones to destroy Pakistan’s short-handed attack.England were just as ruthless with the ball to secure top spot in Group 2 and they will face South Africa or New Zealand in the semi-finals.

England obliterate Pakistan attack

In what was essentially a dead rubber, England were determined not to ease up and they eyed a formidable total against a weakened Pakistan attack with just one seamer.England have batted fearlessly under coach Jon Lewis, but this belligerent effort took them to new heights with a sustained assault through the innings.Wyatt kicked it off by smashing left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal for six and a four in the first over. She unleashed a range of strokes, including several sweet blows over cover, to reach her half-century off just 29 balls.It was a return to form for Wyatt, who had only scored 27 runs in England’s three previous matches this tournament.Sciver-Brunt, however, entered with confidence and played aggressively from the get go even though England wobbled at 33 for 2. She used her feet with authority against Pakistan’s spinners and scored at will all around the wicket.Sciver-Brunt and Jones took advantage of an increasingly ragged Pakistan attack and smashed 88 runs off the last six overs as England became the first team to post 200 in a Women’s T20 World Cup match.Nida Dar finished with 1 for 47 from four overs•ICC via Getty Images

Dar becomes women’s T20I highest wicket-taker

With Pakistan captain Bismah Mahroof missing due to a groin injury, Nida Dar grabbed the reins for the first time as she eyed breaking the record for most wickets in women’s T20Is.She entered tied with West Indian Anisa Mohammed on 125 wickets and had been in good form with her accurate offspin snaring four wickets in her previous matches against West Indies and Ireland.But Dar struggled to find her length after coming into the attack in the sixth over and was immediately under fierce examination from Sciver-Brunt, who hit a boundary through cover first ball.A rattled Dar leaked 25 runs off her first two overs before returning in the 13th over to claim opposite number Heather Knight, who holed out. It was enough for her to re-write the record books but proved the only moment of joy. Dar finished with 1 for 47 from four overs.

England tear through Pakistan’s batting order

England had been searching for a complete performance and were keen to complement their earlier effort with the bat.They did exactly that with Katherine Sciver-Brunt dismissing recalled opener Sadaf Shamas on the second ball of the innings. She also claimed Omaima Sohail to leave Pakistan 15 for 3 with the result a foregone conclusion.The wickets kept tumbling with Pakistan spiralling to 54 for 7 before Tuba Hassan and Fatima Sana mustered some belated fight with a 37-run partnership. But the disastrous run-out of Tuba symbolised Pakistan’s abject performance as they suffered the biggest defeat in women’s T20 World Cup history.

South Africa and India confirmed for tours either side of Hundred and Commonwealth Games

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2022England Women will play a Test match against South Africa, and return to Lord’s for their first international fixture at the venue since the 2017 ODI World Cup final, with confirmation of their schedule for the 2022 home summer.South Africa and India will be the visiting teams for full tours either side of the Hundred and the Commonwealth Games, which is being hosted in Birmingham. The Test match, to be staged in Taunton, will be South Africa Women’s first outing in whites since 2014.As previously reported by ESPNcricinfo, MCC had been keen for Lord’s to stage a women’s international as part of their drive to engage with a more diverse audience. The final ODI of the summer, against India, will be held at the ground in late September. Durham’s Riverside Ground will also host its first women’s fixture since 2013.Related

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The full programme – encompassing a Test, three ODIs and three T20Is against South Africa, followed by three T20Is and three ODIs against India – will be broadcast on Sky Sports, with two of the T20Is also shown on the BBC.”We are thrilled to be able to announce a compelling summer of international women’s cricket against two of the best teams in the world, in what is a bumper year for the women’s game,” Clare Connor, the ECB’s managing director of women’s cricket, said. “In particular, we are excited to be taking England Women back to Lord’s and up to the Riverside Ground as we continue to take the game to as many fans as possible.”With the second edition of the Hundred and the historic opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth Games on home soil, we’re looking forward to seeing our players thrive on the biggest stages.”Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, we keep seeing growth in our female participation numbers and I’m optimistic that a summer as action-packed as this, with more days broadcast than ever before, will continue to inspire more women and girls to play and watch the game.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

South Africa’s arrival will mark their first tour of England since 2018, and follows the cancellation of a planned trip in 2020, when restrictions around travel due to Covid meant they could not fulfil their obligations. Their most recent engagement in Tests was an innings defeat to India in Mysore more than seven years ago; they have only played England once in the format, beaten 1-0 over two Tests in 2003.Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, said: “The exciting times keep rolling on for the Momentum Proteas and this tour against old foes England won’t be any different with the team looking to go from strength to strength in world cricket.”As the squad step up their preparations for the World Cup in New Zealand and on the back of an enthralling home series against the West Indies, it was important to secure more formidable fixtures for the side as they seek to continue performing at their highest level.”The scheduled Test match, which is something most cricket fans want to see more of, is the cherry on top of what will be a pivotal tour in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games, and a huge thanks to Clare Connor and the ECB for helping arrange what promises to be a remarkable tour.”

England Women fixtures 2022

South Africa
June 27-30 LV= Insurance Test match, England vs South Africa, Taunton
July 11 1st Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Northampton
July 15 2nd Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Bristol
July 18 3rd Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Leicester
July 21 1st Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, Chelmsford
July 23 2nd Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, Worcester
July 25 3rd Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, DerbyIndia
September 10 1st Vitality T20I, England vs India, Durham
September 13 2nd Vitality T20I, England vs India, Derby
September 15 3rd Vitality T20I, England vs India, Bristol
September 18 1st Royal London ODI, England vs India, Hove
September 21 2nd Royal London ODI. England vs India, Canterbury
September 24 3rd Royal London ODI, England vs India, Lord’s