Australia have named a 17-man squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final and the first two Tests in the Ashes series in England, with David Warner backed despite his recent unconvincing form.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, opening batsman Marcus Harris and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis have earned recalls with few major shocks in the Australian touring party. Marsh missed most of the Australian summer due to an ankle injury.
Harris was preferred ahead of in-form opener Cameron Bancroft, despite the latter topping the 2022-23 Sheffield Shield scoring charts by almost 300 runs, with 945 runs at 59.06 including four centuries.
Peter Handscomb, Ashton Agar, Mitch Swepson and Matthew Kuhnemann miss out on selection after being called in for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Fast bowler Lance Morris is unavailable for selection due to a back injury.
Matthew Renshaw has retained his spot after scoring two centuries for Australia A against New Zealand A earlier this month, while 35-year-old Warner will return after a fractured elbow sustained during the India series.
Warner's selection will raise eyebrows, having scored just one Test century in his past 32 innings, albeit a gritty 200 in the recent Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
The veteran opener averaged only 9.5 across 10 innings in that last Ashes in England in 2019, with Stuart Broad dismissing him seven times.
Australia will take on India in the World Test Championship final from June 7 at The Oval in London, followed by the five-Test Ashes series from June 16 at Edgbaston. The selectors have clarified they will revisit the squad after the first two Ashes Tests.
"The UK is a very different assignment from our most recent tour of India and some of the changes are based upon the conditions we are anticipating," National Selection Panel Chair of Selectors George Bailey said.
"Marcus, Josh and Mitch return to the squad and provide valuable depth and flexibility within their respective skillsets.
"We see value in revisiting the squad following the second Ashes Test given the short turnaround between the WTC final and the first Ashes Test, along with the length of the tour."
Australia won the 2021-22 Ashes on home soil 4-0, while the 2019 series in England ended 2-2. The Australians will compete in the World Test Championship final for the first time with New Zealand beating India to the inaugural crown in 2021.
Squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner
Axed Jason Roy urged to remain positive with World Cup role still a possibility
England assistant Marcus Trescothick has urged Jason Roy to remain upbeat despite his World Cup axing, insisting the big-hitting opener could yet make an impression at the tournament.
Even though he was named in England’s provisional 15-man squad for the defence of their crown in India, starting in less than a fortnight, Roy made way for Harry Brook in a dramatic late change to the travelling party.
The decision invited speculation about Roy’s international future, which intensified after he rejected England’s approach to play in three ODIs against Ireland, although the 33-year-old has struggled with back spasms.
Having been invited to be a non-travelling standby for the World Cup, Roy, so crucial to the side that won the trophy in 2019, has been told to keep his spirits up as injury could swing his fortunes.
“I’ve not spoken to Jason,” said Trescothick, an Ashes 2005-winning opening batter. “He’s surely disappointed but you’ve got to remain positive that he can still make an impact.
“Reserves have a big part in World Cups, you pick up one injury and someone comes in, they could come in and make a hell of a lot of runs.
“If he keeps himself fit and ready to go, should we need him to come out then we’ll make that call.”
Trescothick and the rest of the England coaching staff will oversee the final ODI against Ireland at Bristol on Tuesday before embarking to the subcontinent for the World Cup on Wednesday evening.
England’s World Cup squad have been rested for this Metro Bank series, with a shadow side captained by Zak Crawley taking a 1-0 lead at Trent Bridge on Saturday – the first ODI having been abandoned – with Will Jacks one of the standout performers.
Jacks made a sparkling 94 off 88 balls in England’s 48-run win but the array of top-order options they have to choose from means he cannot take his place for granted.
“It was a good opportunity for him to play a longer innings and play a bit more,” Trescothick added.
“We know how much of a talent he is, it’s his opportunity – getting the chance to play is going to be the real challenge for him. It’s a good team, trying to break into it is tough.”
Guyana Amazon Warriors crush TKR by nine wickets on route to historic first CPL title
It was a historic night at Providence as Guyana Amazon Warriors won the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final with a nine-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders, ensuring a maiden CPL title for the franchise.
Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl first, producing a disciplined performance to bowl the Knight Riders out for just 94. Imran Tahir and Gudakesh Motie produced valuable economical spells, while Dwaine Pretorius took four wickets.
It was a nervy chase from the Amazon Warriors in front of a home crowd as the Knight Riders tried to restrict runs with spin. However, Saim Ayub and Shai Hope, the two leading run scorers in CPL this season, would ultimately see the team over the line, winning by nine wickets.
Despite a 24-run opening stand between Chadwick Walton and Mark Deyal, the Knight Riders lost wickets at regular intervals, with three falling to seam bowling in the Powerplay, including key batter Nicholas Pooran for just one.
Captain Kieron Pollard would fall straight after the Powerplay, as spin began to play a vital role, with Motie and Tahir causing havoc, taking a combined four wickets between them and conceding just 15 runs in total.
Keacy Carty would attempt to lead the resistance for the Knight Riders, but as he ran out of partners he found himself taking more risks, eventually falling to a brilliant Shimron Hetmyer catch. The Knight Riders would finish 94 all out.
Guyana Amazon Warriors lost the early wicket of Keemo Paul, who was opening, which added tension to their chase. Knight Riders would deploy both Akeal Hosein and Sunil Narine in the Powerplay in an attempt to prise more wickets, but the Amazon Warriors would end the Powerplay on 29-1.
Saim Ayub and Shai Hope would show the form that has led to them leading the run scoring charts this season, combining to take the Amazon Warriors to victory, Ayub bringing up his half century with a six from the last ball of the chase, to take the Warriors to a maiden CPL title win.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 99-1 (Ayub 52*, Hope 32*; Hosein 1-21) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 94 all out (Carty 38, Deyal 16; Pretorius 4-26, Motie 2-7) by 9 wickets.
ECB set to publish response to damning report on discrimination in cricket
The England and Wales Cricket Board will on Monday outline its attempts to create a more level playing field after a damning insight into the sport earlier this year.
Following a two-year inquiry, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) reported racism, sexism, elitism and classism as “widespread and deep-rooted” within the sport in England and Wales.
ECB chair Richard Thompson unreservedly apologised when the findings were published in June, making the pledge in a letter to ICEC counterpart Cindy Butts: “We will use this moment to reset cricket.”
After 44 key recommendations were advanced, the ECB undertook a three-month consultation process to agree on a path of reforms and will later on today set out its actions to make cricket more inclusive.
In the interim, the ECB has acted on one of the ICEC’s proposals by announcing the England women’s team would receive the same match fees as the men following a thrilling dual Ashes summer.
A fresh £2million investment has also been ring-fenced over the next two and a half years for programmes aimed at engaging black and south Asian communities as well as state-educated children.
Ebony Rainford-Brent’s African Caribbean Engagement Programme, the South Asian Cricket Academy and the MCC Foundation join long-term partners Chance to Shine and Lord’s Taverners in sharing the funding.
Among other suggestions put forward by the ICEC are overall equal average pay at domestic level by 2029 and at international level by 2030 and a new regulatory body within 12 months, independent of the ECB.
Butts said the report highlighted the “stark reality that cricket is not a game for everyone” but expressed confidence in the ECB’s leadership to bring about the change required.
Among those to give evidence to the ICEC’s investigation was England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes, who read out a heartfelt and personally prepared statement on the day of the report’s publication.
“I am Ben Stokes; born in New Zealand, a state-educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE,” he said.
“I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men’s Test captain.
“It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.”
Heather Knight, the England women’s captain, said: “It’s been really sad to hear about anyone that’s not felt welcome in our game – nobody should be made to feel unwelcome in our sport.
“This is a really important step for cricket, and cricket – having done this report – can really lead the way in terms of being more equitable, more diverse and more inclusive.”
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
