England will be hoping for calmer conditions as they seek a match-winning lead in the first Ashes Test, having lost both openers during a hostile spell under lights at Edgbaston.
The home side lost two wickets for two runs during an short but intense 20-minute period on the third afternoon, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley unable to survive under dark, floodlit skies.
Rain arrived to spare England any further losses and they will resume on Monday just 35 ahead. Joe Root and Ollie Pope are the men at the crease, tasked with taking the game away from a touring side who will fancy their own chances of setting up a finish.
The forecast looks encouraging for day four, but the prospect of more unsettled weather on Tuesday means things may need to move quickly for either team to assume full control.
Robinson riles Australia
Ollie Robinson could be on the verge of replacing Stuart Broad as public enemy number one in Australia. Having whipped up the pre-series rhetoric by predicting England would give their rivals “a hiding”, he reacted to bowling out centurion Usman Khawaja with a blunt, expletive-heavy send off. He drew plenty of criticism for his outburst, not least on social media, but was unrepentant in his media rounds. He suggested he was merely adding to the “theatre” of the series. He went on to accuse the opposition of playing “defensive” cricket and having “three number elevens”. Expect things to get spicy when he takes the crease.
Mo’s woes
As far as birthdays go, Moeen Ali’s 36th was one to forget. The returning off-spinner started his morning by being fined 25 per cent of his match fee for using an unauthorised drying spray on his hands during the previous evening’s play, then shipped three sixes in a loose four-over spell.
More worryingly, Moeen appeared to be struggling with an open blister on his right index finger and there are some concerns over how he will pull up ahead of what should be a central role in the fourth innings. He has already bowled 33 overs, seven more than he managed in the entirety of the recent Indian Premier League season. With the pitch beginning to take turn, England will need plenty more out of him to justify their decision to cajole the all-rounder out of retirement.
Big number
Jonny Bairstow made a dashing run-a-ball 78 at a crucial time in the England innings, but that was also the exact number of runs his three missed chances behind the stumps cost his side in the field. A botched stumping of Cameron Green and two dropped catches off Alex Carey helped Australia get within seven of England’s total and invited familiar talk of Ben Foakes’ impeccable glove work. Bairstow is inked into this side for the long haul but he will be hungrier than ever to make a big contribution in the remainder of this game.
Head wins over the Hollies
Travis Head’s back-and-forth with the Edgbaston crowd continued on day three, with fans in the Eric Hollies Stand enjoying every chance they got to get under his skin as he fielded on the boundary rope in front of them. But when Australia emerged after a long rain break in the afternoon, Head charged ahead of the pack and sprinted over to take his position at deep square leg with uncharacteristic gusto. The gesture drew a warm cheer from his tormentors, who warmed to him.
On the first day of the Test, Head put a target of his back with some sloppy fielding efforts that saw him drop Harry Brook and then fumble a boundary soon after. Head played along when the crowd mockingly cheered him for a straightforward stop a few moments later and raised his hand in acknowledgement, drawing a further cheer from the crowd.
England’s fielding adjustments
The ultra-attacking fields set by Ben Stokes have become a key tenet of his captaincy over the past year. But even by his own standards, the pattern he set for Khawaja in the 112th over was audacious. He conjured an ‘umbrella’ field – a semi-circle of close catchers with three on each side of the wicket – in an attempt to unsettle a man with 141 runs to his name. Khawaja obliged immediately as Robinson delivered an accurate yorker, missing with an unusually wild stroke. The Australian took the bait, charged down the track and paid with his off stump.
Barbados Pride soar into CG United Super50 final after commanding 153-run win over T&T Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the CG United Super50 Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season and reached their last final in 2017-18—into contention for their seventh title.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs)
After being sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers, Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher, laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer's 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer, and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point. The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the daunting total.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early and never recovered. The only bright spot in their reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After Webster’s dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday.
Finish well: Andre Coley eyes redemption, momentum as Windies gear up for Bangladesh Test
West Indies Head coach Andre Coley is exuding quiet confidence as his team prepares for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
With the matches—scheduled for November 22-26 in Antigua and November 30 to December 4 in Kingston—marking the final home series in the current World Test Championship cycle, Coley is determined to see the Caribbean side end the year on a high note after recent setbacks.
The West Indies are coming off a disappointing tour of South Africa, where they failed to capitalize on key moments and eventually lost that two-match series 1-0 after the first game ended in a draw. Reflecting on those matches, Coley stressed the importance of learning from the past and seizing the opportunity to close out this series on a strong note.
“Coming off the disappointment of the South Africa series, we put ourselves in a position to close out that series, and we didn’t. So the opportunity is there for us to do so against Bangladesh now, and it is very important for us to come up with a winning result on home soil,” Coley said in a pre-series interview.
“We’ve always had exciting and challenging series against Bangladesh, and this series offers a chance to create momentum as we head into tougher assignments in Australia and Pakistan,” he added.
Coley and his team, which includes players from the regional 50-over tournament and recent white-ball series, are currently in Antigua fine-tuning preparations ahead of Friday’s first day.
Despite initial weather disruptions, Coley pointed out that the team has had productive sessions, with all players fit and ready for action.
While West Indies boast a strong home record against Bangladesh, Coley is keen to keep his squad grounded. He recognizes the challenges posed by Bangladesh and the added intrigue of familiar faces on the opposition side, including Bangladesh Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, a figure Coley knows well.
“Each match brings a different opportunity. We have players who’ve been successful against Bangladesh, both home and away, but we also have some new players who wouldn’t have played in any of those series. So it’s an opportunity for senior players and emerging players to show what they are capable of and what we are capable of as a team,” Coley noted.
The series against Bangladesh serves as a vital stepping stone beyond the larger context of the World Test Championship, as West Indies sit at the foot of the standings in ninth on 20 points.
Still, with four matches left in the cycle, Coley is focused on building a cohesive unit capable of competing at the highest level.
“This series is about putting everything together from the last year and a half and ending the year in good form,” he declared.
That said, the Jamaican highlighted the importance of fan support, especially during the festive season. Cricket remains a unifying force in the Caribbean, and Coley hopes that fans will rally behind the team.
“I know that the West Indian fans really want us to do well and have been supportive in their own way because cricket means a lot to the region and the fans are very passionate about the game. Despite the nature of our squad, emerging and experienced players, everyone in the squad wants to do well, so I want to encourage the fans to come out and support us and give us that extra boost of encouragement at home,” Coley ended.
Global Super League announces schedule change ahead of 2024 Tournament
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has announced a schedule adjustment ahead of its inaugural tournament, which is set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The final will now be held on Friday, 6 December 2024, while the match between Hampshire Hawks and Victoria has been rescheduled to 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
The tournament, featuring five teams—Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria—kicks off on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the GSL, explained that the schedule changes were made in consultation with Cricket West Indies to avoid potential clashes with preparations for the West Indies' ODI series against Bangladesh.
“While the squads for the West Indies ODI series against Bangladesh have not yet been announced, we wanted to ensure that there was no chance of a clash between the conclusion of the GSL and the preparations for that series,” Lloyd said. “This decision has been made after discussions with Cricket West Indies to ensure the integrity of both the West Indies vs Bangladesh series and the GSL.”
Ticket holders for the affected matches can still use their existing tickets for entry. Those unable to attend the rescheduled games will be eligible for a full refund.
Revised Schedule for the 2024 Global Super League
26 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars
27 November, 7:00 PM: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders
29 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria
30 November, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars
1 December, 10:00 AM: Rangpur Riders vs Victoria
1 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks
3 December, 7:00 PM: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars
4 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders
5 December, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria
5 December, 7:00 PM: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders
6 December, 7:00 PM: Final – First Place vs Second Place
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