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England captain says team won’t veer from aggressive style despite chastening defeat at Wankhede

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2025

Abhishek Sharma launches one down the ground•Getty Images

Jos Buttler, England’s captain, hailed Abhishek Sharma for producing some of the “cleanest ball-striking I’ve ever seen”, but insisted his team would not veer from the aggressive strategies they’ve brought to bear in their first series since Brendon McCullum took over as white-ball head coach.Abhishek’s stunning innings of 135 from 54 balls, the highest score ever made by an Indian batter in T20Is, proved to be 38 more runs than England’s entire line-up could muster in reply, as they were routed for 97 in 10.3 overs, to succumb to a 4-1 series loss.England’s eventual 150-run defeat was their biggest in the format, and a crushing end to an intermittently competitive series. Though Buttler acknowledged his team had had their chances to turn the campaign in their favour, he was happy to bow down to one of the mightiest batting displays imaginable.”We’re obviously disappointed,” Buttler said. “I’ve played quite a lot of cricket, and credit to Abhishek Sharma. That’s as clean a ball-striking as I’ve seen. He played fantastically well. We always sit down and think what more could we have done. But some days, you have to give a lot of credit to the opposition. I thought he played brilliantly well.”Buttler said that Abhishek’s display was a continuation of the full-blooded form he showed alongside Travis Head for Sunrisers Hyderabad in last year’s IPL. In such run-laden displays, he added, contests tend to go one of two ways.”I’ve played in a few games like this,” he said. “You either get somewhere near, or you fall in a heap, and today was that day. It can be difficult when a player gets on a roll, and plays as well as he did. Credit to us for sticking in there and fighting back, and keeping them down to 240, after the start they got.”England’s reply got off to a misleadingly flying start, with Phil Salt cracking 17 runs off Mohammad Shami’s first over, en route to a 21-ball fifty. But his was a lone hand as wickets continued to tumble at the other end, with the entire team being bowled out just after the halfway mark of their chase.”The way Phil Salt went out there and struck the ball, it was obviously a really good wicket,” Buttler said. “He needed someone to go with him, and for one or two guys to catch fire. That’s the way you’re going to chase that down. You either get quite close in games like this and surprise yourselves, or it doesn’t work.Related

• 'In the zone' Abhishek salutes seniors for guiding him to century

• Abhishek, rattle and roll at the Wankhede

• Compromise may be needed with concussion subs to ensure player safety

• Abhishek shatters records and England in Mumbai

• Gambhir on India's approach: 'We want to try and get to 250-260 regularly'

“But we certainly won’t change the way we want to play. We need to keep backing that, and be even more committed.”The final match got underway just 48 hours after the controversy at Pune, where fast bowler Harshit Rana stepped in as a concussion sub after a blow to the helmet for Shivam Dube. Dube declared himself “good to go” before the toss in Mumbai, despite the ICC’s protocols stating that a seven-day lay-off should be mandatory in such situations, and Buttler hinted at his continued annoyance by describing his four non-selected players as “impact subs”.Speaking after the defeat, however, he struck a more conciliatory tone. “He’s pulled up pretty well from a nasty blow on the head, hopefully he’s okay,” Buttler said, after Dube had scored 30 from 13 balls and claimed 2 for 11 in his two overs. “I’m sure he must have been happy with the risk he took or their medical staff were. Maybe a question for them.”Legspinner Varun Chakravarthy also played a key role in derailing England’s chase with figures of 2 for 25, and was named player of the series for his 14 wickets at 9.85. England’s struggles against spin have been a feature of all five matches, but Buttler said his players would be stronger for the experience.”Playing against India, you know you’re going to be faced with a lot of spin, but I’m not worried,” Buttler said. “There’s some really good players there and some guys having their first experiences in these conditions. Every day, you’re learning, improving, working things out as you go along and gaining more experience and trying to accelerate that process.”We certainly won’t change the way we want to play, we need to keep backing that, be even more committed and be desperate to do well and execute that,” he added. “If we’re going to fall, I’d rather fall on the proactive side. Hopefully, over time you get more comfortable with that and play better.”

West Indies chased down a paltry target of 123 with 46 balls to spare, and avoided a whitewash

Ekanth30-Sep-2025Nepal came into Sharjah eyeing a historic whitewash but ran into a revived West Indies side that put on the perfect game. However, that shouldn’t take away too much from their impressive feat of completing their first series win against a Full Member nation.Ramon Simmonds, one of the two changes they made, took a match-winning three-for after West Indies made the right call of bowling first on a pitch that was slow and offered regular sideways movement. Openers Amir Jangoo and Ackeem Auguste capitalised under easing conditions to take West Indies to their first ever ten-wicket win.Nepal’s start was sedate but secure with Kushal Malla and Bhurtel often in control of their shots. Bhurtel even whacked Mayers on the roof in the third over. The first sign of danger was Hosein getting turn and bounce in the third over to beat Bhurtel’s sweep, and the shot did connect the next ball for a six over square leg. Nonetheless, free-flowing strokeplay wasn’t to be seen.The effect of Nepal facing 20 dots in their 37-run powerplay was slightly mitigated by three fours and two sixes.Holder found success right after the powerplay using his high release and bounce. Malla was nearly caught behind trying to drive on the up through cover, Fabian Allen ran back from cover and dropped a tough chance off Bhurtel, and Malla’s edge was found the last ball.The spinners capitalised on the slowness and the sideways movement on offer. Hosein spun the ball away from around the wicket to beat the bat twice in the eighth over.Bhurtel and Paudel tried to break free after two quiet overs. After a first-ball six, both batters could’ve been out. Paudel survived an lbw as Hosein overstepped, but Bhurtel was caught at slip playing the reverse sweep. He wasn’t happy as the ball may have gone off just his forearm.Simmonds had a late introduction with Nepal needing to play within themselves. His lengths were often short or full and he bagged the wickets of Paudel – gloved pull to the keeper – and Aarif Sheikh – upper cut to deep third – in his first two overs. In between, Gulsan Jha was run out after taking a head start too far before running back. Nepal made 62 for 5 in the middle overs despite West Indies dropping two chances.Simmons and Blades took two wickets each in the death overs. A couple of boundaries from Lokesh Bam and Sundeep Jora took Nepal to 122.West Indies’ chase got off to a flier. In the first over, Auguste ensured that West Indies, too, hit a six on the roof. Karan KC was punished upon offering pace and missing his line. The openers peppered the leg-side boundary. With a four in each of the next four overs, West Indies bossed the 47-run powerplay.Paudel dropped a simple chance off Auguste, on 29, at cover. There were no further chances of a Nepal comeback, certainly not after Mohammad Aadil Alam was taken down for 18 in the ninth over. Jangoo losing his bottom hand but still driving over long-off showed just how well he timed the ball.Jangoo then went into top gear, smacking five sixes in his last nine balls. The back-to-back sixes off Paudel, that started the carnage, brought up his 38-ball fifty. Auguste played second fiddle as West Indies reached home with 46 balls to spare.

Sunrisers Hyderabad coach will attend the IPL auction in Jeddah during the first Test, despite being Australia’s bowling coach

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-2024Australia’s bowling coach Daniel Vettori will leave the team during the first Test against India in Perth to attend the IPL auction in Saudi Arabia as Sunrisers Hyderabad coach.The Test starts on November 22 at Perth’s Optus Stadium while the IPL auction will take place in Jeddah over two days on November 24-25, which has caused some conflict for three IPL coaches – Vettori, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, who are in Perth to either coach or commentate.Vettori is one of the rare coaches in world cricket that holds a permanent assistant role with an international team while also being the full-time head coach of an IPL franchise and the full-time head coach of a Hundred side in Birmingham Phoenix.Vettori has been Australia’s bowling coach for all three formats since 2022 working under long-time friend Andrew McDonald. He is highly-valued by Cricket Australia to the point where they have allowed him to pursue franchise coaching roles around his commitments with the men’s team.”We are very supportive of Dan’s role as Head Coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad,” an Australia team spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “Dan will complete final preparation for the first Test before attending the IPL auction. He will then be with team for the remainder of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.”The prioritisation of the IPL auction over a Test match, as well as the scheduling of the auction in Saudi Arabia during an Australia-India Test, is a sign of the times. Ponting and Langer, who are employed as commentators with Australian broadcaster Channel Seven, are also set to miss part of the Test to attend the auction as head coaches of Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.Vettori has missed certain series in recent years due to his franchise commitments with replacement coaches seconded to work with Australia. However, this will be the first time he will leave midway through a Test to attend the IPL auction, having been able to fulfil his duties with Australia this time last year against Pakistan before flying to India for the auction in between matches.CA is also advertising for a new full-time national pace bowling coach who will be able to fill-in for Vettori in the future on tours that he misses.Vettori was on deck with Australia’s squad at their first day of training at the WACA ground on Monday, working closely with the bowling unit while also throwing left-arm orthodox deliveries to the batters in preparation for facing Ravindra Jadeja in the Perth Test.Australia had two consultants working with their main coaching team on Monday in former Australia batter Michael Hussey and former Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Somerset allrounder Jim Allenby, who is permanently based in Perth. Both men worked with Australia’s team ahead of the first Test against Pakistan last summer and will be with the team all week in the lead in to the Test match.Australia’s fielding coach Andre Borovec is currently in charge of the T20I side that is playing the three-match series against Pakistan which concludes in Hobart on Monday night. Both he and Josh Inglis, the stand-in T20 captain, will fly from Hobart to Perth tomorrow to join the Test squad.CA’s national development coach Lachlan Stevens, who coached Australia A against India A and coaches Australia’s Under 19s, will fly into Perth to as additional support for the team when Vettori departs.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that the tournament is waiting to be greenlit by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi

Danyal Rasool19-Oct-2024There is no clarity on when the 2024-25 season of the Quaid-e-Azam (QeA) Trophy will start despite Pakistan’s bumper international Test season being well underway. A schedule tentatively put out by the PCB in August had Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament beginning on October 20, but the day before that date, the fate of the tournament remains uncertain.While the dates for all domestic competitions announced by the PCB in August were tentative and subject to change, a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo as recently as last month that the QeA was set to keep to its October 20 plan. ESPNcricinfo understands that no one, even those in charge of domestic affairs at the PCB, knows when the tournament schedule will eventually be announced.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the tournament is waiting to be greenlit by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.The PCB declined to comment on what holds the approval back at this stage, though budgetary approval operationally comes from the chairman, and is understood to be one of the factors in the delay. Even so, the lack of information about the QeA is in stark contrast to the fanfare with which the Champions One-Day Cup, which was held in September, was marked by the board.The decision to host that one-day tournament in September, in Pakistan’s only meaningfully free window until May, was significant because it meant players wouldn’t be able to get domestic red-ball cricket under their belts ahead of England’s ongoing three-Test tour in October. Members of the national Test set-up were understood to have privately expressed frustration with the situation, though there was an acceptance that the schedule was out of their control.The QeA has never quite managed to keep to a schedule or format, but no information about its start this late into a season is unprecedented of late. In each but two of the last 15 years has the tournament started later than October 26, with the schedule usually out well before October. Each of the last two seasons saw it begin in September; the tournament last year began on September 10, and was wrapped up by October 26.The situation is even more jarring in a season where Pakistan are scheduled to play more Test matches than any other this century. They are already more than halfway into the seven home Test matches they play between August 2024 and January 2025, with two Test matches in South Africa at the turn of the year.

Kuhnemann bowled, batted and fielded in Brisbane and said his surgically repaired fractured thumb is almost pain-free

Alex Malcolm23-Jan-20251:01

Clarke: Kuhnemann should tell everyone he’s fully fit

Matthew Kuhnemann says his surgically repaired right thumb is almost pain-free after bowling, batting and fielding in Brisbane on Thursday. He now awaits official clearance to fly to Sri Lanka to join Australia’s Test squad just a week after suffering a compound dislocation and fracture while playing in the BBL.The left-arm orthodox spinner is a key part of Australia’s plans for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka, with both Tests in Galle, but his tour looked in severe jeopardy when he was struck on the thumb during Brisbane Heat’s five-wicket loss to Hobart Hurricanes last Thursday.Kuhnemann, 28, was driven to the hospital that night by Heat team-mate Daniel Drew where he had the dislocation put back into place before having surgery the following morning to put a pin in the fracture.Related

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Kuhnemann’s recovery, though, has been rapid and he is hopeful he can fly to Sri Lanka after bowling eight overs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday. Kuhnemann also batted, facing throw downs from Heat and Queensland bowling coach Andy Bichel. He also took a few catches during the session that was overseen by Heat’s team physio Adam Smith.Speaking to reporters, Kuhnemann said he was feeling good but needed to consult Australia’s medical staff in Dubai via a conference call on Thursday evening, where the squad are holding a pre-tour training camp, before being cleared to join them when they fly to Sri Lanka in the next few days.”Nothing’s official yet,” Kuhnemann said. “I think it was more about just ticking off the boxes each day this week, and so far it’s gone to plan. I’m hoping so, but nothing’s come out yet. I’ll probably speak to the medical team this afternoon. My bowling, batting and fielding has gone excellent so far. So I’ll just relay that message. There’s a bit of a time zone difference and hopefully, I can get on the plane over there.”I’m feeling really good, really grateful with how it sort of progressed in the last week. It’s healed really well, and the surgery went excellent. Very fortunate and lucky so far that I’m sort of in a position to be able to bowl and bat and catch a few balls. Everything’s gone to plan so far. There’s not much pain at all any more, and no pain bowling and batting.”Kuhnemann has had a plastic thumb splint made to protect his right thumb and can wear it in games without needing to remove it as it is on his non-bowling hand. He has worn a similar splint in the past having previously broken the same thumb. He is confident that if a ball is hit back at him with power again, his thumb will withstand any blow.Matt Kuhnemann could yet feature in the Sri Lanka Tests•BCCI

“This is a conversation I had with the surgeons and doctors and it’s really stable now,” Kuhnemann said. “It’s probably more stable than it was beforehand. I’ve broken that thumb before and now I’ve got surgery on it, it’s probably in a better state.”I’ve played cricket with splints on and I’m very confident, it doesn’t affect my bowling or batting and fielding. If anything, I’m probably more confident in the field, because you’ve got something on your finger.”He said he would have no fear if a ball came at him in the field. “No, not at all,” Kuhnemann said. “That’s cricket in general. Balls have been hit back at me a lot harder, and I’ve been fine. So this is one of those freak incidents that it’s hit probably the exact spot it had to for it to cause some damage. I’ve already caught some balls. Andy Bichel’s already thrown some balls back at me straight away, so there’s no problem with that.”Kuhnemann was a very strong chance of playing in the first Test in Galle prior to the injury. He played three Tests in India in 2023 as part of a three-man spin attack alongside offspinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy. But the selectors have been clear in their desire to have a left-arm orthodox in the attack to complement Lyon, which meant Kuhnemann was in line to play if only two spinners were selected in the XI.Even if he is cleared to join the squad, a decision will still need to be made about his fitness to play. “I think everyone will have a bit of a say,” Kuhnemann said. “I think it’d be a good discussion.”I’ll just be honest with them, I think. So far, it’s tracking really well, so I’m confident. But there’s obviously protocols you’ve got to go through.”

He said it wouldn’t be “fair on the team” if he had to take breaks during long series as captain owing to workload

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-20250:28

Watch – Gill faces Bumrah at the nets

Jasprit Bumrah has said that he didn’t want to become India’s Test captain because of workload management and that he had communicated the same to the BCCI, who were looking at him as a leadership candidate at the time.After Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, Shubman Gill was picked as India’s new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England.”There’s no fancy stories to it [captaincy],” Bumrah told during an interview with Dinesh Karthik. “There is no controversy or there’s no headlining statements that I was sacked or I was not looked after. Before Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) retired during the IPL, I had spoken to BCCI that I have discussed about my workloads going forward in a five Test-match series. I’ve spoken to the people who have managed my back. I’ve spoken to the surgeon as well, who’s always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads.Related

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“I did speak to him and then we came to a conclusion that I have to be a little more smart. I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won’t be able to give [it my] all Test matches coming a five Test-match series. So then, yes, the BCCI was looking at me at leadership. But then I had to say no. It’s not fair for the team as well that in a five Test-match series, someone is leading in three matches and someone else in two matches. It’s not fair on the team and I always wanted to put the team first.”During the final Border-Gavaskar Test in Sydney in January earlier this year, Bumrah had suffered a back injury. What was initially reported as back spasms then turned out to be a stress-related injury, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy and the start of IPL 2025.Bumrah has been cautious about his workload since and is likely to play only three of the five Tests in England. Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who has also worked with Bumrah at MI in the IPL, had also suggested caution, saying another back injury for Bumrah in the same spot where he had surgery “could be a career-ender”.”[We will] plan on the go,” Bumrah said when asked about whether he would play the first, third and the fifth matches. “Three Test matches is what I’m looking at. Obviously that number is not decided. First [Test] is definitely on, that is going to happen. The rest we’ll see how things are, what is the workload, what are the scenarios going on. Three Test matches is what I can manage at this moment. And I don’t want to be in a desperate scenario.Jasprit Bumrah’s all smiles during a practice session•Bipin Patel

“I cannot be dictating if I’d have been the captain that, ‘okay, I’ll only play three Test matches’. That doesn’t send a good message in the team as well. All of these things in mind, trying to give my best as a player and trying to contribute to the best of my capacity. Hopefully in the games that I play, I’ll give it my absolute best.”Bumrah had marked his return to action in IPL 2025, taking 18 wickets in 12 games at an average of 17.55 and economy rate of 6.67. His returns were vital to his team, Mumbai Indians (MI), making the knockouts after they had started the season with four defeats in their first five games.Bumrah, 31, said that he had “no complaints” about his body going into the Test series in England. “The body is feeling good. All good, no issues,” Bumrah said. “I played an IPL, a hectic IPL. I always try my best to look after my body and do everything that is there in my power. The weather is good. It was hot in India. Now we are experiencing a different weather.”Bumrah has been cautious against big spikes in his workload and has steadily built it up to be ready for the first Test, which begins on June 20 at Headingley.14:58

Sai Sudharsan or Abhimanyu? Shardul or Nitish? What combination do India go with?

“So, it is all about workload. You don’t want to have a big spike,” Bumrah said. “So even during the IPL, we had spoken to the trainers and physios, what do we have to do, how do we slowly increase our weekly workload? We were doing that in IPL. We don’t just bowl four overs. We bowl six to eight overs. Then we have a weekly load and warm-ups. Even before the game, we try and squeeze in those overs.”So eventually by the time we reach here, we are at a decent level. From here, we still have some time, we keep building it up. So, by the time the Test matches come, you’re physically ready and the spike is not too much and the body is used to bowling a lot more overs.”There had been concerns around Bumrah’s workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He bowled 152.1 overs in nine innings in Australia, picking up 32 wickets at 13.06. Will he be able to shoulder similarly high workloads in England or will he shift his focus to shorter spells?”It all depends,” Bumrah said. “Even in Australia, I was the captain in the first game and a little bit in the last game. But for me, it doesn’t go that this is the plan going forward. Obviously, in Australia, there were certain scenarios that we had to push extra because the series was on the line.”I was doing really well. And you wanted to be in a scenario where you wanted to give yourself the best chance and the team the best chance because you would have won that series. WTC [final] was possible.”Having said that, whenever you play for India, you never think of, ‘I’m not going to do this. I’m not going to do that, I’m going to protect myself.’ But going further, you have to be smart. Sometimes the workload goes really high. There’s less time between Test matches. It takes a lot out of a fast bowler. So, coming to this series, I’ve prepared really well. But I have to be smart as well because I’m not becoming younger by the day.”

Captain needed treatment on the field after apparently experiencing discomfort to his groin

Valkerie Baynes10-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes receives treatment from the physio•Getty Images

England face an anxious wait on the fitness of their captain, Ben Stokes, after he pulled up sore while batting on the first day of the third Test against India at Lord’s.Stokes was unbeaten on 39 at the close, having faced 102 balls on a slow day in which the hosts ended on 251 for 4 with Joe Root on 99 overnight.On 32, Stokes took a step forward before leaving a Nitish Kumar Reddy delivery outside off and immediately winced in pain, clutching at his right groin.Related

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He called for the physio and after some on-field treatment returned to his crease. But he was still in visible discomfort, hobbling as he set off for a single and sitting on his haunches trying to loosen up between deliveries. Stokes was stretching again as the second new ball was brought out and Root eyed a century.Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah got the ball swinging again immediately – as it had at the start of the day, making the going tough.Root thought he could reach his milestone with a glance behind point on 98 but he only managed a single as Ravindra Jadeja swooped, then beckoned for Root to come back for a second as he held onto the ball, grinning. But there was no way he was risking it, especially with Stokes’ running a concern.Ollie Pope – who faced 104 balls for his 44 before falling to Jadeja on the first ball after tea – was hoping the as-yet-undiagnosed problem would improve overnight.”Fingers crossed he can do something magic and come back strong,” Pope said. “I’ve not seen him since, so fingers crossed there’s nothing too serious. But clearly we’ve got a big Test over the next four days and we’ve got a big two [at Old Trafford and The Oval] coming up as well, so it is important to try and manage him.”As vice-captain, Pope acknowledged he had a part to play in ensuring that Stokes didn’t push himself too hard in spite of the problem.”We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow, but for me, that is partially one of my roles, to make sure that he doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he’s dealing with at the moment,” Pope said. “I’m sure the physios, the medics will work with him to lay out a plan and then I’ll help push him in the right direction.”2:23

Pope: We’re constantly trying to get batting balance right

Stokes was England’s most effective bowler when they won the opening Test at Headingley, having finally been able to increase his bowling workload after two bouts of surgery to repair tears in his right hamstring in the space of six months.He bowled 19 overs in India’s first innings at Edgbaston and seven at an economy rate of 3.71 in their second before the tourists won by a massive 336 runs, levelling the five-match series 1-1.Stokes’ resurgence as a bowler follows painstaking work after he underwent knee surgery in late 2023. That threw a spotlight on his penchant for exerting himself through any discomfort for the good of the team.With plenty more runs needed before any thoughts turn to his bowling in this match, England will be carefully weighing up what is good for both heading into the second day.

Strong third-innings batting performances from Rahane and Suryakumar eventually set a stiff target for Haryana on a deteriorating pitch

Shashank Kishore11-Feb-2025A maiden five-wicket haul from left-arm seamer Royston Dias studded Mumbai’s 153-run win over Haryana at Eden Gardens. Up next in the semi-final will be Vidarbha, in a repeat of last year’s final.Dias fittingly picked up the final wicket when he had Jayant Yadav top-edge a pull to Suryakumar Yadav at mid-on to complete his five-wicket haul. Shardul Thakur, who picked up 6 for 58 in the first innings, was the other contributor. He ended with a match haul of 9 for 84 as Mumbai completed a sensational turnaround from 94 for 6 on the first morning.Related

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Mumbai’s turnaround was orchestrated by Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani, who put together 165 for the eighth wicket as they posted 315 in the first innings. Haryana responded solidly with Ankit Kumar, the captain, hitting 136, but from 218 for 3, Haryana collapsed to be bowled out for 301, thereby conceding a 14-run lead.Mumbai converted a slender lead into a match-winning one courtesy Ajinkya Rahane’s 108. The Mumbai captain put together a 129-run stand with Suryakumar, who ended a lean run of form with a typically robust 70 to set up the innings. Shivam Dube then made 48 to swell the lead further. Haryana were a bowler short for the entire second innings with seamer Ajit Chahal injured.Mumbai were poised for a lead of over 400, but collapsed on the fourth morning, losing 6 for 25 to set Haryana a 354-run target. They weren’t in the chase at any stage, stumbling to 60 for 5 very quickly. Opener Lakshay Dalal top scored with 64 while Sumit Kumar hit 62 as the pair briefly frustrated Mumbai with a 90-run sixth-wicket stand before the floodgates opened.

Spinner is stand-out name in 15-player squad for event in Malaysia in January-February

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2024Tilly Corteen-Coleman, the 17-year-old spinner who made a strong impression in this year’s Women’s Hundred, has been named in a 15-player squad for the Women’s Under-19 World Cup, which is due to take place in Malaysia early next year.Corteen-Coleman was still 16 when she made an instant impression on her Hundred debut for Southern Brave in July, catching Australia’s Meg Lanning off her own bowling for a notable maiden wicket. Domestically, she also impressed for South East Stars, claiming 5 for 19 against Northern Diamonds in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, including four wickets in five balls, before helping her team reach the final of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Davina Perrin is also included, having been a part of the England squad that lost to India in the inaugural Under-19 tournament in South Africa in January 2023. A captain is set to be named nearer the time.Sixteen teams will feature in the 41-match event, across 15 days of competition from January 18 to February 2, 2025, including the hosts Malaysia who will be making their maiden tournament appearance, as will Samoa.England have been drawn in Group B, alongside Ireland, Pakistan and USA, with all their group-stage matches set to take place in Johor.Chris Guest, who was last week appointed as Performance Lead for the women’s Under-19 set-up, oversaw that 2023 campaign as head coach, and looked forward to guiding another group of young players through their maiden global event.”What excites me most about working with the under-19 age group is the constant cycle of new talent and new groups coming through,” Guest said. “We’ve named a squad which features some players who have been involved at this age group before and some who haven’t.”This World Cup is a part of these players’ journey, not the end or the start and our message to them is to embrace the challenge, evolve ourselves and enjoy the ride. Naturally we want to do well but the programme is about developing these players in the future and for the long-term.”It was really exciting to see Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Hannah Baker, Seren Smale and Charis Pavely feature for the senior team in Ireland after representing the U19s in the first edition of this World Cup in 2023 and this acts as real inspiration for this group and demonstrates how important this tournament can be for a player’s development.”Guest will be joined by two assistant coaches, Dan Helesfay and Beth Morgan, the former batter who played a key role in England’s two World Cup wins in 2009, across the 50- and 20-over formats respectively. Morgan currently works as a Regional Talent Manager for Southern Vipers, while Helesfay is an assistant coach at South East Stars and Welsh FireRichard Bedbrook, Head of England Women Performance Pathways, said: “It is always an exciting time to be able to name an U19 World Cup squad and all those chosen, including the non-travelling reserve group, can be very proud of this achievement.”The quality in the group highlights the work of each of the regional teams across both their senior and Academy environments and I, plus colleagues, are indebted to them on the development work they continue to put in.”We hope each individual takes a huge amount from the experience they are about to have and uses it to continue developing themselves as a person and player.”This also goes for the staff group, a number of whom across various roles are also employees of the Regional teams and who will hopefully take huge amounts of experience and enjoyment from being a part of the programme.”Five non-travelling reserves have also been selected. The reserves won’t travel but will take a full part throughout the preparation phase and act as stand-by players should a replacement player be required:England Women U19 squad: Phoebe Brett (Central Sparks), Olivia Brinsden (Thunder), Tilly Corteen-Coleman (South East Stars), Trudy Johnson (Northern Diamonds), Katie Jones (Western Storm), Charlotte Lambert (South East Stars), Abi Norgrove (Southern Vipers), Eve O’Neill (Southern Vipers), Davina Perrin (Central Sparks), Jemima Spence (South East Stars), Charlotte Stubbs (South East Stars), Amuruthaa Surenkumar (Sunrisers), Prisha Thanawala (The Blaze), Erin Thomas (Northern Diamonds), Grace Thompson (Northern Diamonds)Non-travelling reserves: Maria Andrews (The Blaze), Sophie Beech (Central Sparks), Daisy Gibb (Southern Vipers), Poppy Tulloch (Southern Vipers), Annie Williams (The Blaze).

George Balderson half-century, Arav Shetty three-for help overcome Somerset

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Lancashire 254 for 8 (Harris 95, Balderson 65) beat Somerset 250 for 7 (Goldsworthy 63, Vaughan 59, Hill 57) by two wicketsMarcus Harris led the way with 95 as Lancashire recorded a nerve-jangling two-wicket Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory over Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The home side posted 250 for seven after losing the toss, Lewis Goldsworthy top-scoring with 63, while Archie Vaughan contributed 59 and 19-year-old Devonian Fin Hill 57. Offspinner Arav Shetty marked his List A debut with 3 for 34 from ten overs.In reply, Lancashire reached 254 for eight with 8 balls to spare, Harris making his runs off 99 balls, with 7 fours and 2 sixes. George Balderson hit 65 and shared a match-winning fifth wicket stand of 101 with the former Australia Test player.A crowd of more than 5,000 at Somerset’s annual Family Fun Day saw the hosts suffer an early setback when Tom Lammonby was caught at backward point off George Balderson with the total on five.Goldsworthy and Vaughan had to exercise caution on a pitch lacking pace and were largely content to accumulate in ones and twos. Goldsworthy was first to fifty, off 70 balls, with 5 fours and the hundred partnership occupied 143 deliveries.Vaughan’s 81-ball half-century included only three boundaries and with 30 overs of their innings completed his side were becalmed on 129 for one.Goldsworthy provided 21-year-old Shetty with his maiden List A wicket, driving a catch to mid-off. With only
ten runs added, Vaughan was stumped advancing down the pitch to the graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy, who quickly followed up by dismissing James Rew in similar fashion.Seamer Luke Hands claimed his maiden List A wicket on debut, Thomas Rew edging through to wicketkeeper George Bell to make the score 146 for five. Sixteen-year-old Hands ended the innings with a creditable one for 32 from eight overs.Somerset required another meaningful partnership and it came from rookies Hill and Josh Thomas, who added 66 in good style before Thomas holed out to deep square off Balderson for 32 at a run a ball. Hill then hit the first two sixes of the innings in the same over from Charlie Barnard, both launched over the leg side.The youngster’s maiden List A fifty came off 49 balls and enabled his side to post what appeared a below par total in bright sunshin.. Lancashire’s reply began with Michael Jones striking a straight six off Josh Davey in the fourth over, Somerset’s experienced seamer taking quick revenge by having him caught at deep cover with the score on 18.It was 42 for two in the ninth over when Bell, on 21, pulled a catch to deep square off Alfie Ogborne and 51 for three as Bohannon was caught and bowled by off-spinner Vaughan attempting a back-foot forcing shot
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Harris responded with a six off Somerset 18-year-old Cornish seamer Kian Roberts, a third player making his List A debut, but lost another partner when Harry Singh inside-edged a wide ball from Vaughan onto his stumps.Harris went to fifty off 61 balls and at the halfway point in their innings Lancashire were 111 for four. The Australian looked to be winning the game as he accelerated with a six over long-off off Goldsworthy in a century stand with Balderson that appeared perfectly paced.With a century in sight, Harris fell to the left-arm spin of Goldsworthy, driving a catch to Roberts at mid-off. Lancashire still required 71, but Balderson was going well and moved to a well-crafted half-century off 62 balls, with 4 fours. Shetty gloved a catch behind off JT Langridge with 25 needed and the left-arm seamer struck again when Balderson top-edged a pull shot.Hands was then yorked by Davey to set up a tense finish, which saw Sutton dropped at cover by Vaughan off Davey before seeing side over the line.