England and Australia produced another culture clash on the opening day of the final Ashes Test, with Harry Brook keeping the hosts afloat at the Kia Oval.
England’s ‘Bazball’ brigade lived fast and died young after being sent in to bat, bowled out for 283 inside 55 overs as Brook’s dashing 85 did much of the work.
There were 31 boundaries and five sixes as the hosts flashed hard in difficult conditions and scored their runs at a rollicking rate of 5.17 while losing wickets in costly clusters.
Australia were unusually ragged in the field, dropping five chances including Brook on just five, but showed plenty of care and attention as they reached 61 for one in response.
In place of England’s devil-may-care approach they set their sights on survival, happily sedate as they idled along at 2.44. Yet, if the tourists can go deep, win the Test and become the first Australian side to win outright on English soil since 2001, the entertainment factor will finish as a footnote next to a 3-1 away win.
Chris Woakes claimed England’s only wicket, David Warner doing the hard work then slashing to second slip for 24, but the home attack was a touch lethargic. James Anderson once again searched in vain for inspiration, tidy but unthreatening in what is fast becoming a worrying pattern as he approaches his 41st birthday.
England’s prospects were not helped by the absence of spinner Moeen Ali, who injured his thigh while batting and did not take the field.
The odds were stacked against England’s openers after Pat Cummins won his first toss of the series and sent them out under thick clouds.
Australia granted both men a life in the slips, Warner putting down Ben Duckett and Steve Smith parrying Crawley one-handed, but they asserted themselves well to add 62 in the first 12 overs.
Duckett made a run-a-ball 41, peaking when he skipped down the track and clubbed Josh Hazlewood for a straight four.
His departure was slightly unlucky, strangled down leg by Mitch Marsh off the glove, but Crawley was beaten in more authentic fashion as Cummins squared him up and took the shoulder of the bat.
Australia were suddenly up for the fight, rounding up their number one target when Joe Root dragged Hazlewood on for five.
At 73 for three, things had taken a sharp downturn for England when Brook arrived in the middle. He could easily have been the next domino to fall, edging a full delivery from Cummins through to Alex Carey.
It was a low chance, just in front of first slip, but once it hit the glove it should have stayed there. Instead, it popped out and invited Brook to enjoy his reprieve.
Two more false shots skipped through the cordon for four before he warmed to the task, pounding Marsh through the covers then denting his pride with a dismissive swat for six over midwicket.
With lunch approaching he went after Starc, threading back-to-back boundaries then stepping inside the line of a bouncer and hooking it over fine-leg for another maximum. His efforts dragged England to 131 for three at lunch, back ahead of the game after a rollercoaster session.
Moeen had been a silent partner at number three, but sparked into life when he pulled up completing a single. After eking 11 from his first 37 deliveries, he raced through the gears after treatment from the physio to clatter 23 off his next nine.
The partnership was up to 111 when Moeen swiped at Todd Murphy’s third ball, missing completely and losing his middle stump.
Brook was still looking good, reaching his fourth half-century of the series in just 44 balls and driving Cummins for back-to-back boundaries, but Australia were in the process of reclaiming the initiative.
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow came and went without leaving a mark. Cummins pegged back his fellow captain’s off stump up with one that swung in and straightened off the pitch, while Bairstow got into a poor position as he dragged Hazlewood on.
The responsibility lay firmly on the shoulders of England’s youngest player now, but Brook was suckered in by a fuller, wider offering from Starc. Brook threw everything at it but only succeeded in spraying a thick edge to Smith.
The heavy lifting looked to be done at seven down, but Woakes (36) and Mark Wood (28) had other ideas. Between them the pair added 64 in 65 balls, with 42 of those coming in boundaries as England continued hitting the fast forward button.
Chances continued to come and Starc finished with four for 82 when Woakes holed out to end the innings, partial payback for a steepling six that had sailed over his head a few moments earlier.
Conditions were still bowler-friendly during England’s 25 overs in the field, but Australia slammed the brakes on a breakneck day of action. Usman Khawaja made 26no from 75 balls and Marnus Labuschagne blocked for stumps, leaving Warner’s error of judgement as a solitary blemish on the card.
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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