Ben Stokes hits Test sixes landmark amid England collapse, joining Gilchrist and McCullum in 100 club
Ben Stokes became just the third Test cricketer to reach 100 sixes in the longest format, but his England side were taking a bruising in the third match of the series against New Zealand.
England captain Stokes had seen New Zealand advance from their overnight 225-5 to post 329 all out, before a collapse saw the home side slump to 21-4 in reply at Headingley.
That brought Stokes to the middle, and he elected to go immediately on the attack.
From the third ball he faced, Stokes slapped Tim Southee's delivery high over the long-off boundary.
It took him to a career haul of 100 Test sixes, matching the total achieved by former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist.
The only man to plunder more is Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand great who is now England's Test head coach.
McCullum cleared the ropes 107 times in his distinguished Test career.
The all-out-attack approach from Stokes did not bring the desired results, with the skipper cracking a delivery from Neil Wagner to Kane Williamson at mid-off to be out for 18 from 13 deliveries.
When Ben Foakes was pegged leg before wicket three balls later, without any addition to the score, England were in deep trouble on 55-6, having earlier seen Alex Lees, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley bowled by the hugely impressive Trent Boult.
The final match of the series is effectively a dead rubber, however, with England holding an unassailable 2-0 lead.
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Venezuela 1-1 Argentina: Rondon equaliser thwarts world champions on Messi return
Argentina dropped points in a second successive CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier, as Venezuela held them to a 1-1 draw in Maturin.
The spoils were shared at Estadio Monumental de Maturin, where Salomon Rondon's second-half header cancelled out Nicolas Otamendi's earlier effort.
After heavy rain delayed kick-off, Argentina took the lead in the 13th minute.
Venezuela goalkeeper Rafael Romo failed to properly clear the returning Lionel Messi's free-kick, and Otamendi reacted quickest to poke home from 12 yards out.
The hosts went close to levelling either side of the break. German Pezzella cleared off the line from Rondon, while Geronimo Rulli - deputising for the suspended Emiliano Martinez - kept out Yangel Herrera's powerful header.
However, Venezuela did grab their equaliser in the 65th minute - and subsequently a point - when Rondon rose at the near post to power home from Yeferson Soteldo's cross.
Messi returned to the international scene for the first time since limping off in tears during the Copa America final.
But the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner could not help Argentina get back to winning ways, while he conceded possession the joint-most times (19) by any visiting player.
The conditions certainly affected the flow of the game, and was more to the suiting of Venezuela. Although they had just 40.1% of possession, the hosts outshot their opponents 16-8.
However, they have now failed to win their last five CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers; their longest streak since going six without victory between June and October 2021.
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Haaland becomes Norway's record scorer with Slovenia brace
Erling Haaland became Norway's all-time leading scorer with a brace in their 3-0 victory over Slovenia.
The Manchester City striker was captaining his first nation for the first time, and marked the occasion in trademark record-breaking fashion.
Haaland broke the deadlock after just seven minutes of the Nations League clash at the Ullevaal Stadium, where Alexander Sorloth doubled the lead seven minutes after the restart.
Sorloth then turned provider just after the hour mark for Haaland, who broke Jorgen Juve's 87-year record with his 34th international goal in just 36 caps.
The result put Norway firmly in charge of Group B3 with seven points, three ahead of Austria and Slovenia, with Kazakhstan propping up the table on one point.
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CWI awards 2024/25 contracts to men's, women's Academy players
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has awarded full-time, one-year contracts to 30 young players as part of its ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging talent in the region.
For the first time, the Men’s Academy cohort will be based full-time at the CWI-owned Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua, while the Women’s Academy players will continue their high-performance development in their home territories with regular training camps at CCG throughout the year.
This year marks a significant step for the Men’s Academy, with 15 players under the age of 23 receiving dedicated, year-long coaching and training. These young men will have access to world-class resources, including a dedicated technical team, as they prepare for the rigors of regional and international cricket.
The Women’s Academy, which was launched during the 2023/24 season, continues to offer young female cricketers critical development opportunities.
Additionally, the 15 women awarded contracts for this season will benefit from specialized training with Talent Pathway coaches and ongoing high-performance initiatives in their respective territories and CCG, as well as experiencing an international tour.
Miles Bascombe, CWI Director of Cricket, emphasized the importance of both programmes.
“The CWI Academies are instrumental in bridging the gap between junior and senior levels, ensuring that both men and women receive the support they need to succeed internationally. By focusing on holistic development and providing tailored, high-performance programming, we are accelerating the growth of our emerging players and securing a bright future for West Indies cricket,” Bascombe said.