Tough on counties but ECB right to rest England players for final Championship fixtures September 21, 2016 I fully appreciate how disappointing it must be for counties and their supporters that their international players are not playing in the final round of Championship fixtures but on balance I believe the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are right. Of the eight Division One teams in action this week, six have something to [...]
Opener Nick Gubbins stands firm as leaders Middlesex fight back against Yorkshire in title bout September 20, 2016 Middlesex opener Nick Gubbins declared himself satisfied after he led his side’s revival against reigning champions Yorkshire as day one of their potential title decider at Lord’s ended with the tussle finely poised. Gubbins was dropped on 22 but finished unbeaten on 120 as leaders Middlesex recovered from a precarious 97-4 to reach 208-5 before [...]
England leg-spinner Adil Rashid defends decision to opt out of Yorkshire’s crunch clash with champions-elect Middlesex September 19, 2016 England leg-spinner Adil Rashid has defended his request to be omitted from defending county champions Yorkshire’s squad for their potential title decider against Middlesex at Lord’s, which starts today. Rashid, along with team-mates Liam Plunkett and David Willey, was made available by the England and Wales Cricket Board for Yorkshire’s final two games of the [...]
Teenage Lancashire batsman Haseeb Hameed expected to get England call for tour of Bangladesh September 15, 2016 England are expected to pick teenage Lancashire star Haseeb Hameed for next month’s controversial tour of Bangladesh when they name their squad on Friday. Hameed has played his way into contention to become captain Alastair Cook’s opening partner after a stellar county season which has yielded more than 1,000 runs. The 19-year-old from Bolton is [...]
Counties vote for domestic cricket shake-up and new city-based Twenty20 competition September 14, 2016 Domestic cricket is set for one of the biggest shake-ups in its history after counties voted to introduce a new eight-team city-based Twenty20 competition. First-class counties, along with law-making body the MCC, voted 16-3 in favour of the creation of the new tournament which will take place in addition to the existing 18-team T20 Blast. [...]
Eoin Morgan was brave to pull out of Bangladesh and it will be business as usual when he returns September 14, 2016 It was a brave decision for limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan to opt out of England’s tour to Bangladesh on security grounds, but while a big deal is being made of it now I believe it will be business as usual when he returns to the fold. Lancashire’s Jos Buttler, who will deputise as skipper in [...]
Director of cricket Andrew Strauss “disappointed” as one-day skipper Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales decline to tour Bangladesh September 11, 2016 England director of cricket Andrew Strauss has expressed his disappointment at the decision of one-day skipper Eoin Morgan and opener Alex Hales to opt out of October’s tour of Bangladesh due to security concerns. Morgan and Hales declined to tour despite the advice of the England and Wales Cricket Board and their head of security Reg [...]
England one-day captain Eoin Morgan remains non-committal on Bangladesh tour as ECB boss Andrew Strauss issues warning to absentees September 7, 2016 Limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan admits he remains a doubt for England’s one-day tour to Bangladesh amid ongoing security concerns and a stark warning over future selection by director of cricket Andrew Strauss. The tour, which includes three one-day internationals and two Test matches, was given the go-ahead on safety grounds by the England and Wales [...]
Teenage opener Haseeb Hameed is clearly talented but it would be a big call to thrust him into Test cricket September 7, 2016 Blodding Lancashire’s teenage opening batsman Haseeb Hameed during England’s tours to Bangladesh and India this winter could go either way. Head coach Trevor Bayliss has hinted at a call-up and the 19-year-old is clearly talented, having scored more than 1,000 first-class runs during his first full domestic season. The selectors will have watched him and [...]
Chris Jordan becomes latest player to commit to Bangladesh tour as Kevin Pietersen wades into debate over Eoin Morgan September 6, 2016 England cricket bosses were handed a boost by all-rounder Chris Jordan after he categorically confirmed his intention to tour Bangladesh this winter despite ongoing security concerns. Jordan followed the lead of Worcestershire’s Moeen Ali who has already publicly pledged his attendance, while Test skipper Alastair Cook and Jonny Bairstow are believed to be of a similar mindset. [...]