New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will miss the second Test against England in Nottingham on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19.
The Blackcaps skipper will begin five days of isolation after returning a positive sample on a rapid antigen test on Thursday.
New Zealand Cricket confirmed the rest of the touring party returned negative tests.
Blackcaps coach Gary Stead shared obvious disappointment over losing his captain, while confirming Hamish Rutherford will join the squad.
"It’s such a shame for Kane to be forced to withdraw on the eve of such an important match," Stead said. "We’re all feeling for him at this time and know how disappointed he will be.
"Hamish was with the Test squad earlier in the tour and has been playing for the Leicestershire Foxes in the Vitality T20 Blast."
Williamson made scores of two and 15 in England's win in the first Test at Lord's, with Matthew Potts claiming his wicket in both innings.
Ben Stokes heaped praise on the "brave" Joe Root for speaking openly about his England Test captaincy struggles as he backed the in-form batter to keep piling on the runs.
Root stepped down from his role as skipper of the red-ball side after a series defeat in West Indies following a run of just one win in their past 17 Tests.
Stokes was appointed as his successor, while Brendon McCullum took over as head coach after the dismissal of Chris Silverwood.
The new era got off to a great start, with Root scoring a majestic unbeaten 115 to pass 10,000 runs in Test cricket and help England to a five-wicket victory over New Zealand last Sunday.
Root admitted after that knock, his first international without the captaincy, that the extra responsibility had started to negatively impact his private life.
Stokes says the former skipper has a spring back in his step.
"I went through that whole ride with Joe, especially over the last two years. We had some private conversations on tours away around that kind of stuff," Stokes told reporters.
"I'm sure everybody knows, being England captain is more than just what you do out on the field. You can end up taking it home and it can affect your personal situation – which Joe was very brave to say.
"This week, without that added pressure of being captain, it was almost like Joe was 18 again. And I'm pretty sure it won't be long till he's snipping people's socks again.
"It's great to see Joe the way that he is. It's great that he doesn't have that mountain of added pressure of being captain on his shoulders.
"And the one thing Joe always does is score runs."
Stokes also hopes England can ride the wave under McCullum and secure an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning the second Test, which starts at Trent Bridge on Friday.
"First time out winning a series would obviously be good," he added. "It's going to be a long road with the way that we have changed mindset. I know there's going to be some ups and some downs.
"We're on a big up after winning last week, but we've just got to try and take everything as it comes, because who knows what this week will have in store for us."
David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen starred as South Africa chased a remarkable 212 to end India's 12-game T20I winning run.
Ishan Kishan (76) combined with Shreyas Iyer (36) in a destructive 80-run partnership as India posted 211-4 – the highest score in T20Is at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
That total was boosted by a late flurry of runs from Rishabh Pant (29 off 16 balls) and Hardik Pandya's 12-ball 31 for a much-changed India, without Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah or Virat Kohli.
South Africa soon lost captain Temba Bavuma (10) in the chase, caught behind off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-43), before Dwaine Pretorius and Quinton de Kock offered brief resistance.
Harshal Patel (1-43) then removed Pretorius (29), and De Kock (22) followed to Axar Patel (1-40), with South Africa 81-3 after 8.4 overs, before Miller and Van der Dussen joined in an incredible 131-run partnership.
Miller blasted 64 off 31 and Van der Dussen – dropped on 29 by Iyer – mustered 75 off 46 deliveries to complete the sixth-highest run chase in T20I history and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
India run ends
India seemed set to move clear of Afghanistan and Romania (both 12) for the longest winning streak in the format's history and end South Africa's own four-game winning run.
But the late heroics of Miller and Van der Dussen ensured South Africa collected their 12th win in 13 T20Is, while India have won just one of their past five at home to the Proteas in 20-over cricket.
Maharaj misery in winning cause
Maharaj picked up the all-important wicket of Kishan, but the left-armer struggled against India, albeit in a winning cause.
He went for 43 from his three overs, at an economy of 14.33, but could have been helped by De Kock had the wicket-keeper not missed a stumping of Iyer on 25.
Ben Stokes says it was an "easy decision" to pick Jack Leach for the second Test against New Zealand after the spinner was passed fit.
Leach was substituted out of England's five-wicket win at Lord's last week after suffering a blow to the head while fielding in the morning session.
The left-arm tweaker was replaced by Matt Parkinson, who took 1-47 in the second innings of an unexpected debut at the start of a new era under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Leach has undergone the standard return-to-play concussion protocols and was included in an unchanged side for a second Test that starts at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Stokes revealed it was a straightforward call to select Leach.
The all-rounder said: "It was an easy decision. It was pretty unfortunate what happened to Leachy last week at Lord's, but he’s pulled up well this week, and it was pretty straightforward once we knew he was fit to play. He was so excited to get the summer going.
"We all know that one of Baz's [McCullum's] things is for fielders to chase the ball right to the boundary.
"He made a very good point, and made Leachy stand out, that little thing epitomises what this team is all about."
There has been talk that Stokes may not be able to bowl in Nottingham, but the skipper allayed concerns on the eve of the match.
"It's just body stiffness, wear and tear," he said. "It's just about being more sensible in our training, because when you get out there and cross that line, you obviously want to do everything that you can to help win a game for England."
England's victory at Lord's was their first in 10 Tests, Joe Root starring with his first fourth-innings century to reach the 10,000 runs landmark.
New Zealand will have to do without all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme for the rest of the three-match series due to a heel injury, but Henry Nicholls will make a timely return to the side after recovering from a calf problem.
Neil Wagner or Matt Henry could replace spinner Ajaz Patel as the Black Caps eye a first Test win over England at Trent Bridge since August 1986 to level the series at 1-1.
Uprooting former skipper key for Black Caps
Root marked his first match since stepping down as skipper by producing another masterclass to get England home with support from Ben Foakes last weekend.
The 31-year-old's unbeaten 115 made him only the second England batter to score 10,000 Test runs after Alastair Cook and the 14th from any nation.
De Grandhomme removed Root for only 11 in the first innings, and Kane Williamson will be desperate to prevent England's best batter from getting set again.
Southee closing in on landmark
Tim Southee took 4-55 in the first innings at the Home of Cricket but failed to add to his wicket haul in the second innings.
The paceman needs another eight scalps to become only the third New Zealand bowler to take 350 Test wickets, with Richard Hadlee (431) and Daniel Vettori (361) the only others to have achieved that feat.
Ben Stokes hailed the energy and lift new England head coach Brendon McCullum has brought to the side as they prepare for the second Test against New Zealand.
McCullum and Stokes have been tasked with transforming England's fortunes in five-day cricket after captain Joe Root stepped down and coach Chris Silverwood was dismissed following a torrid run of one win in 17 Tests.
England got off to a great start to the new era at Lord's, Root scoring an unbeaten 115 to guide the hosts to a five-wicket victory over New Zealand to take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Stokes' side next head to Trent Bridge on Friday and can wrap up series victory over the world Test champions with a win in Nottingham.
While results will be undeniably at the forefront of McCullum's tenure, Stokes heaped praise on the New Zealand great for the feel-good environment he has instilled at England.
"It was fantastic," Stokes said of the win at Lord's as he addressed a news conference on Thursday.
"Obviously coming into the second game with a win under our belts straight away, with me captain and Brendon as coach, it's better than losing.
"One of the great things I've found about the last couple of weeks is genuinely just how much fun it has been.
"Sometimes the pressures of being an international cricketer, of delivering performances on a weekly basis, can get challenging.
"But we're playing for England and, when you play for your country, first and foremost the thing is to make sure you have as much fun as you can."
England will look to complete the series win before the third and final Test at Headingley, and Stokes believes the overhead conditions at Trent Bridge could serve his bowlers well.
"We're very evenly matched, especially in English conditions," he added. "Any overhead [cover] suits both our bowling attacks.
"We know that every time we go up against New Zealand it's never an easy ride. The game pretty much went to the wire until day four and we don't expect anything less."
Stokes also aimed to temper expectations surrounding Matthew Potts, who collected match figures of 7-68 on his Test debut, including the wicket of Black Caps captain Kane Williamson in both innings.
"The way that he started last week was obviously amazing," said Stokes. "It was pretty much a dream debut for him but I think the most important thing from a senior player point of view, and even for the coaches, is making sure that he keeps improving. And, if things don't go his way this week, it's not the be-all and end-all.
"But he's a fantastic competitor, that's why he got the opportunity to play.
"I obviously had to use him in a slightly different role because he normally takes the new ball for Durham, but he came on and I think he took a wicket three or four times in his first over when I asked him to do it.
"I'll be looking to use him in the same way, to come in and affect the game and hopefully try and take a wicket when we need one."
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran has heaped praises on in-form batsman Shai Hope who scored his 12th One Day International century against Pakistan, albeit in a losing effort.
On Wednesday, Hope maintained a rich vein of form that has seen the batsman score centuries in consecutive series. Against Pakistan, the opening batsman racked up 127 runs in an innings that featured 15 sumptuous fours.
Despite occurring in a losing effort, the score saw Hope move past into fourth on the all-time list of most ODI hundreds for the West Indies. His tally of 12 edged him ahead of the likes of Gordon Greenidge (11), Viv Richards (11), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11). Desmond Haynes (17), Brian Lara (19), and Chris Gayle (25) are the batsmen ahead of Hope.
“He continues to show his class,” Pooran said, following the match.
“He is one of the best batsmen in this format and today was a magnificent innings, especially in those tough conditions he just showed his class today,” he added.
Hope’s cameo led the team to an innings score of 305 but Pakistan successfully chased down the total with four balls remaining.
Three uncapped players have been named in a 12-man West Indies squad selected to play the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from June 16-20.
Wicket-keeper/batsman Devon Thomas, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and fast bowler Anderson Phillip are the players set to make their West Indies senior Test debuts.
Meanwhile, experienced fast bowler Kemar Roach is to undergo a fitness assessment as he recovers from an injury sustained in the English County Championship with Surrey. If he is passed fit, he will be included as the 13th player in the Test squad.
Allrounder Jason Holder is unavailable for selection as CWI has granted his request for a period of rest and recovery. He will therefore miss Bangladesh’s all-format tour of the West Indies. Batter Tagenarine Chanderpaul and fast bowler Shermon Lewis have been selected as reserves.
Thomas has played 21 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and four T20 Internationals (T20Is) while Motie has so far played one T20I and was a reserve for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year.
Phillip was in the squad throughout the recent Apex Test Series victory against England but has not made his debut to date. He has featured in three ODIs, including last week’s 3-0 Series win against the Netherlands and is in the ODI squad for the ongoing ODI series in Pakistan. The Test squad also includes left-handed allrounder Raymon Reifer, who has one match on his record.
“Devon Thomas has been knocking on the door for quite some time. He has done extremely well in our franchise cricket system and we view this as a good opportunity to give him a go,” said lead selector Sir Desmond Haynes.
“You would notice that Raymon Reifer is also in the squad. He is another person that has done impressively well in the four-day competition and against England. So again, we are giving opportunities to guys who are performing.
“We think Gudakesh Motie is one of those guys who is also bowling well and we think it will be a good opportunity for him to be involved. We are looking to pick up World Test Championship points against Bangladesh which will be very important. It would be good for us to use our home advantage to win both Test matches and collect those points.”
The Selection Panel also named the CWI President’s XI to face the visitors in a three-day warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12. The team will be captained by all-rounder Yannic Cariah.
“Yannic Cariah has captained Trinidad & Tobago at youth level and he was also the captain of the West Indies Emerging Players team which won the CG United Super50 Cup in 2019,” Haynes said.
‘We are looking at future leaders. We need to start identifying these persons as early as possible. While we will need some assistance from the territories as well, we want to make sure there are leaders we can identify and begin grooming for the future of West Indies cricket.”
Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales and Devon Thomas.
Reserves: Tagernarine Chanderpaul, Shermon Lewis
CWI President’s XI: Yannic Cariah (Captain), Colin Archibald, Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Bryan Charles, Roston Chase, Tevin Imlach, Jeremiah Louis, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican.
Pakistan captain and talisman Babar Azam scored a century to help steer Pakistan to a five-wicket victory over the West Indies in a keenly contested ODI in Multan on Wednesday.
Australia survived a Wanindu Hasaranga blitz to seal a T20I series win over Sri Lanka.
For the second time in as many days, Sri Lanka produced a disappointing batting showing in Colombo, following up 128 all out in the first game with 124-9 on Wednesday.
Charith Asalanka (39) again impressed with the bat but the Australia attack fired without the injured Mitchell Starc, as his replacement Jhye Richardson and namesake Kane Richardson accounted for seven wickets.
Australia stuttered to 64-4 in reply but were still in cruise control even when Marcus Stoinis departed to leave them 80-5 in the ninth over.
However, Hasaranga gave them hope with his final over, removing Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar in successive deliveries before narrowly missing out on a hat-trick.
But Matthew Wade kept his composure, scoring an unbeaten 26 to steer Australia over the line and secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a three-wicket win.
Relentless Richardsons
Starc suffered a hand injury in Australia's 10-wicket win on Tuesday but his absence mattered not thanks to the efforts of Kane and Jhye Richardson.
Kane Richardson claimed 4-30 and Jhye Richardson 3-26, the latter dismissing Kusal Mendis (36) hit wicket and removing all-rounder Hasaranga (12) in the penultimate over.
Wow-nindu
Hasaranga was 0-27 for his two overs in the first game but bounced back in style with 4-33.
He looked to be turning the game in Sri Lanka's favour in the 12th over, deceiving Maxwell (19) with a googly and then bowling Agar through the gate. Hasaranga came agonisingly close to drawing an outside edge from Jhye Richardson, who denied him a hat-trick.
Rishabh Pant will captain India for the first time against South Africa after KL Rahul was ruled out of the five-match Twenty20 International series.
Rahul was due to lead India in the absence of the rested Rohit Sharma, but the batter has sustained a groin injury.
That has opened the door for Pant to step up, with Hardik Pandya named vice-captain after leading Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League title in his first tournament as captain.
Delhi Capitals skipper Pant is relishing the opportunity to lead his country in a series that starts at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.
The wicketkeeper-batter said: "It's a great feeling, especially getting an opportunity like this in your hometown.
"There is nothing bigger than this. It didn't come under very good circumstances but I will try to make most of it and give my 100 per cent."
Pant came under fire for costly mistakes he made during a must-win IPL encounter with Mumbai Indians last month, but says he will learn from such experiences.
"I think it [captaining in the IPL] will help me a lot because when you keep doing the same thing over a period of time, you tend to improve," the 24-year-old said.
"I am someone who keeps on learning from my mistakes and that's something which is going to help me in the coming days as well."
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has also been ruled out of the series after taking a blow on his right hand in the nets on Tuesday, while Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested along with Rohit.
India will become the first men's team to win 13 T20I matches in a row if they take a 1-0 lead over the Proteas.
The tourists are also in excellent form, having been victorious in 11 of their past 12 games in the shortest format - their only loss during that time coming against Australia in the T20 World Cup last October.
Malik to be unleashed, Karthik returns
Umran Malik has been rewarded for a hugely impressive IPL by being called up for India duty for the first time.
The 22-year-old paceman was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 22 for Sunrisers Hyderabad and is a hugely exciting prospect.
Dinesh Karthik has not played for his country since 2019, but the 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is back in the fold with the World Cup on the horizon.
Nortje back, Van der Dussen closing on landmark
South Africa have brought a strong squad to India and are boosted by the return to fitness of Anrich Nortje.
Nortje had been sidelined by a hip injury, but played in the IPL and is set to fire in a hostile South Africa attack.
The Proteas also have a dangerous batting line-up and Rassie van der Dussen needs only 67 runs to reach the 1,000 landmark in T20Is. If he scores those runs in his next innings, he would be the joint-fastest to reach that figure along with Faf du Plessis (32 innings).
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran is confident of breaking free of an indifferent run of form at the crease, sooner rather than later.
Since the start of the year, the recently appointed West Indies captain has played in 9 matches, spanning three series. He has averaged a mere 11.22 with a high score of 34.
Heading into Wednesday’s series against Pakistan, Pooran scored a total of 24 runs in three matches against The Netherlands. Despite the added responsibility of captaincy, however, Pooran is backing himself to turn things around.
“This isn’t the first time I haven’t scored runs. If you check my stats I’m always scoring runs so I am not bothered,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
“I think something big is close. I’m working very hard and it’s only a matter of time,” he added.
In his career so far, Pooran has only faced Pakistan once scoring 34 unbeaten in 2019.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel has added allrounder Keemo Paul to the squad for the upcoming One-Day International Series in Pakistan. The West Indies arrived in Multan on Monday, after the impressive 3-0 series win in The Netherlands. They will now prepare to face Pakistan at the Multan International Cricket Stadium on June 8, 10 and 12.
“Keemo Paul has been kept out in the recent past due to injury and we view the management of his body as paramount to his success, not only when on West Indies duty but also when he is with his regional franchise. We have watched him perform in the recent West Indies Championship Four-Day
During the first-class tournament Paul was the leading fast bowler and second highest wicket-taker overall. He ended the five matches with 20 wickets at an average of 22.8 runs per wicket. He had best figures of 6-50. He was also among the leading allrounders with 169 runs including a highest score of 73.
The West Indies tour of Pakistan will bowl off on Wednesday, June 8. First ball is 4pm PKT time (7am Eastern Caribbean/6am Jamaica).
The series will also form part of the ICC ODI Super League where the teams will have the chance to earn points as they try to secure automatic qualification to the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.
Australia cruised to a 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the opening T20I of the three-match series after a dismal collapse from the hosts.
In a rain-affected first match of Australia's tour, which will encompass series in all three formats, Sri Lanka looked to be in a strong position on 100-1.
However, from there they lost nine wickets for just 28 further runs, Josh Hazlewood (4-16) and Mitchell Starc (3-26) ripping through Sri Lanka's line-up.
Danushka Gunathilaka went in the fifth over after a pacey 15-ball 26 but Sri Lanka appeared solid until Starc bowled Pathum Nissanka (36).
That brought about a flurry of wickets, Charith Asalanka (38) run out by Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade just before the first rain delay.
Australia polished off the tail upon resumption, Wanindu Hasaranga (17) the sole other batter to reach double figures, and the rain could not stop captain Aaron Finch (61 not out) and David Warner (70no) from powering the tourists to the meagre target with 36 balls remaining. Finch finished things off with an uppercut for six.
Josh the boss
Hazlewood's figures marked the second best of his career in T20 international cricket after the 4-12 he took against the same opposition in Sydney in February.
The seamer continues to torment Sri Lanka, his effort this time around comprising 15 dot balls as he gave up only two boundaries.
Hasaranga helpless
Hasaranga was one of the star performers of the 2022 Indian Premier League, taking 26 wickets, but was bludgeoned by Finch and Warner on home soil, his two overs going for 27 runs.
Maheesh Theekshana was slightly better with 0-25 from four, but Sri Lanka's decision to pick two spinners backfired.
Sean Abbott will fly home from Australia's tour of Sri Lanka without playing a game after suffering a fractured finger.
The paceman, who was only in the T20I squad, was struck on the left index finger by a net bowler this week.
Cricket Australia confirmed ahead of the opener in the three-match T20I series in Colombo on Tuesday that Abbott will not be replaced in the squad.
Abbott was due to link up with Australia's A squad in Sri Lanka after the T20I series. Scott Boland has been called up to cover for Abbott in the A team's four-day matches ahead of the two-match Test series
Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb will leave the A squad to return to Melbourne and be with his pregnant wife.
Jimmy Peirson has been added to the squad as a replacement for Handscomb.
Alex Carey is set to captain the Australia A team in their first 50-over match in Colombo on Wednesday after being added to the squad along with Cameron Green, who will also play.
New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has been ruled out for the remainder of the Test series against England due to injury.
De Grandhomme pulled up on the third day of the first Test at Lord's, which England won by five wickets thanks to Joe Root's majestic unbeaten 115 in the fourth innings.
The Black Caps man, who top-scored in New Zealand's first innings with 42 not out and picked up match figures 1-27 from his 11.5 overs, left the field for treatment on Saturday and did not return.
De Grandhomme could have added another crucial wicket to his tally but overstepped when bowling England captain Stokes, on 1, with the hosts languishing at 79-4 chasing 277 to win.
But De Grandhomme will play no further part in the series after scans revealed a tear in his right heel. All-rounder Michael Bracewell, who was with the squad for the first Test as cover for Henry Nicholls, has been added to the squad as a replacement, with the second Test to start at Trent Bridge on Friday.
"It's a real shame for Colin to suffer this injury so early in the series," Black Caps coach Gary Stead said.
"He's a massive part of our Test side and we'll certainly miss him.
"It's great to be able to call on someone like Michael who's been with the squad for the past month and is match ready."
Stead confirmed De Grandhomme is likely to miss the next 10 to 12 weeks, which would rule him out white-ball tours to Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands alongside the Test series with England.
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