Ben Stokes intends to "create a legacy" with his new approach to Test cricket, and the captain of England's entertainers was further inspired by facing India's Rishabh Pant.
Since Stokes was named captain and Brendon McCullum head coach, England have won four consecutive Tests in thrilling fashion.
Across a 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand and the delayed fifth Test against India, in which they secured a series draw, England chased down scores of more than 275 runs in every match.
Stokes' side were ultimately dominant against India, winning by seven wickets despite requiring 378 in the fourth innings – the highest target they have ever successfully pursued.
An unbroken partnership of 269 between Joe Root (142 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (114 no) completed the job, with the pair scaling new heights.
Root now has 11 Test centuries since the start of 2021 and continues to improve, "which I thought was impossible", Stokes said, referring to his former skipper as "a freak".
But the exciting 'Bazball' tactics of the past month have not been restricted to just those two players, with Stokes confirming Stuart Broad had been padded up on day four to go in as a "nighthawk", rather than a nightwatchman.
His aim? "Thirty off 10 or nought off one."
And Stokes also saw evidence of the future of Test cricket in the India batting line-up, as Pant scored 146 off 111 in the first innings. His wicket, the England captain said, was every bit as key as the Root-Bairstow partnership.
"He is someone who would fit very well in our team at the moment, Rishabh, the way that he goes about to play the game," Stokes said.
"That wicket was huge for us because we know what he can do. We know how he likes to play the game, and he could really have taken it away from us in real quick time."
Later, discussing the "legacy" he and McCullum hope to forge, Stokes again turned his focus to Pant's performance.
"Rishabh Pant's innings for India in the first innings was obviously against us, but I absolutely loved watching it," he said. "Being on the receiving end of something like that is just is incredible to watch.
"And it's great to see now that someone like Rishabh, who's obviously received his criticism over the years, is now getting applauded for that.
"The more we see players like that succeed in the way that they want to do, I think the negativity around that type of way of Test cricket will eventually die out, because it's so exciting to watch.
"Cricket is an entertainment business at the end of the day. Yes, you want results and stuff like that, but you want people to enjoy watching a spectacle.
"Test cricket has always been a spectacle, but it's about doing it differently now. So cheers, Rishabh."
Wilson, Richardson named among 26 match officials for upcoming T20 World Cup
Umpire Joel Wilson and match referee Sir Richie Richardson will be the only West Indies officials involved in the upcoming ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be staged jointly in the Caribbean and United States.
Wilson, 57, boasts a wealth of experience, having stood in matches across all three formats of international cricket, and was also a member of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 Cricket World Cup match officials, while Richardson, 62, a West Indies legend, has been a prominent match referee since his appointment to the Elite Panel in 2015.
The two are among 20 umpires and six match referees, selected by ICC, to officiate in June 1-29 tournament, which will for the first time see 20 teams in action across 55 matches over 28 days at nine venues, making it the largest ICC T20 World Cup to date.
Also included on the elite list of umpires is last year’s winner of the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year, Richard Illingworth, along with Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, who all featured in the 2022 T20 World Cup final between England and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The match referees' team includes Ranjan Madugalle, who officiated the 2022 final, along with the format's most experienced referee, Jeff Crowe of New Zealand.
Crowe holds the record for officiating in most number of T20Is, having made 175 appearances, while Andrew Pycroft, also part of the elite list, is just one match away from reaching the milestone of 150 T20Is.
ICC’s General Manager Wasim Khan, reflected on the selection of the Match Officials for the historic event.
“We are pleased to announce our team of match referees and umpires for the historic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Within the selected cohort, we have a compliment of experienced match officials and other high performing members who have been recognized for their strong and consistent performances. The throughput from the pathway programme will continue to see the development and emergence of high-quality match officials across the game,” Khan said.
“With 20 teams and 55 matches played over 28 days, this will be the biggest T20 World Cup ever and we are proud of the team we have assembled. We are confident that our officials will perform strongly. We wish them all the best of luck for what promises to be a very exciting tournament,” he added.
The Match Officials for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Umpires: Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Allahudien Paleker, Richard Kettleborough, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, Ahsan Raza, Rashid Riaz, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Shahid Saikat, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson and Asif Yaqoob.
Match referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath.
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
