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. [...]
England head coach Trevor Bayliss hints that Alex Hales could be set for Test chop September 5, 2016 England head coach Trevor Bayliss has hinted that Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales could be axed from the Test side as the search for skipper Alastair Cook’s long-term opening partner looks set to continue. Hales smashed a record-breaking one-day knock of 171 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last week but failed to fire during the Test [...]
No regrets for skipper Eoin Morgan despite England’s failure to secure series whitewash September 4, 2016 Skipper Eoin Morgan insisted he had no regrets over team selection as his side missed the chance to whitewash Pakistan after slipping to a four-wicket defeat in the final 50-over tussle of the series at Cardiff. Pakistan chased down their victory target of 303 inside the 49th over thanks largely to a 163-run stand between [...]
Selection dilemmas lie ahead as Jonny Bairstow-inspired England beat Pakistan to boost chances of whitewash September 1, 2016 Skipper Eoin Morgan admits that selection headaches lie ahead after his re-jigged side dispatched Pakistan by four wickets at Headingley to boost their chances of whitewashing the beleaguered tourists. England opted to rotate their bowlers for the clash but were forced into another last-minute change as Jos Buttler suffered a hamstring injury in the warm-up. Jonny [...]
Deciding whether to tour Bangladesh will not be an easy call for England’s players August 31, 2016 I have every sympathy for any England player who may hold reservations about travelling to Bangladesh for October’s Test and one-day series due to security concerns. After all, 20 hostages were killed in Dhaka, the venue for one of the scheduled Test matches – the other will be played in Chittagong – when five gunmen [...]