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• Woakes replaced by Potts for final New Zealand Test match

  England have replaced Chris Woakes with Matthew Potts for the third and final Test during their tour of New Zealand in Hamilton.

  The visitors are coming into the Test with the Crowe-Thorpe trophy already secured, having won in Christchurch and Wellington.

  With the pressure off to some extent, England are using it as a chance to rotate their seamers, with Potts winning his first cap since playing against Pakistan in October.

  This will be Potts' 10th Test cap for England as he faces the same opposition against whom he had success in 2022 during his first summer as an England international.

  "We're looking forward to giving Pottsy an opportunity to see what he can do this week," said captain Ben Stokes.

  "He's got a massive engine on him. He can go all day and bowl a lot of overs, but not just that, he's a very skilful bowler.

  "He's a versatile bowler, you can use him with the new ball and the short-ball plan that we go to because he's so fit. He can bowl you 20 overs one day, then rock up again and bowl you another 20."

  Potts took 14 wickets in three Tests four years ago and, now 26 years old, will be aiming to stake a long-term claim for a place in England's pace-bowling options.

  Woakes might have been expected to keep his spot in the team had the series been alive, having resurrected a previously floundering international career.

  Despite a disparity between his figures at home and on the road, he ended the year with eight wickets at 35.63 in three overseas appearances.

  "Woakesy came into the winter tours with a bit of scrutiny behind his away record, but I think what he has done has proved a lot of people wrong," said Stokes.

  "He's been fantastic for us, he was great in Pakistan and pretty influential over here too.

  "At 2-0 up, you put yourself in an easier position to make that change, and we want to be giving opportunities and experience to the guys who don't always get that."

• ‘It's great to see the progression’: Windies captain Hope views sweep of Bangladesh as step forward in pursuit of consistency

  West Indies ODI captain Shai Hope exuded pride and optimism following his team’s commanding 3-0 series victory over Bangladesh at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

  The clean sweep, achieved with wins by five wickets, seven wickets, and four wickets, not only marked another feather in the team’s cap but also reinforced the strides they have made in recent months.

  “Anytime you win a series, it’s always good. Before the series, you could see a group of guys raring and ready to play cricket, so you can’t ask for a better result than 3-0. We’ve been planning well, and we’ve been playing good cricket, so it’s just great to see that we can get over the line and actually sweep the series,” Hope told reporters after Thursday’s final game.

  One of the standout features of the series was the collective effort from the entire squad, as Sherfane Rutherford (113), Hope (86), and Justin Greaves (41 not out) stood out with bat in the first game, while Romario Shepherd (3-51) did damage with the ball.

  

  The second contest saw positive knocks from Brandon King (82), Evin Lewis (49) and Keacy Carty (45), while Jayden Seales (4-22) shone with the ball.

  Meanwhile, debutant Amir Jangoo with an unbeaten 104, Carty (95), Gudakesh Motie (44 not out), and Alzarri Joseph (2-43) stood out on Thursday.

  Hope highlighted the significance of various players stepping up at crucial moments rather than relying on a single individual to carry the load.

  “It was pleasing for me as a leader to see everyone putting their hands up in different situations,” he declared.

  “There’s not one particular guy doing the bulk of the work every single time. Sherfane [Rutherford] has been consistent for the last three series, and it’s great to see guys contributing when the team needs it most, so I’m very happy with where the team is at this point,” he added.

  Jangoo’s century on debut was a crowning moment in the final match, as the 27-year-old joined Desmond Haynes as the only West Indians to achieve this milestone. His unbeaten 83-ball knock, alongside Carty’s half-century, was instrumental in chasing down a challenging target.

  “It’s great. I always speak about the accolades and milestones coming after the fact, but the way he played throughout the innings was impressive. It’s great to see him get a century while winning the game for the team. I’m very happy to see him get runs on debut,” Hope noted.

  

  While the batting unit garnered much praise, the bowlers also played their part in containing Bangladesh to totals of 294, 227, and 321 across the series.

  Hope addressed the consistency of the bowling attack, particularly in the challenging conditions of Warner Park, affectionately known as “the bull ring.”

  “In this day and age, 300 is a par score, so I think the bowlers did very well, especially here in St. Kitts,” he explained.

  “To restrict a team to less than 290 without bowling them out is a great sign. In the second game, the way we came back after their strong start was fantastic. Today’s (Thursday’s) pitch was the best of the three, and even though we didn’t start well, we had it under control. But again, as a strong team, pulling ourselves out of different situations shows that we’re building something,” Hope stated.

  That said, Hope acknowledged the strides the team has made in maintaining intensity throughout a series as the back-to-back series victories—2-1 against England and now 3-0 against Bangladesh—reflect a growing consistency in their performances.

  “The progression is showing. It’s clear we’re improving because before, we would take one step forward and two steps back. We would start a series well but play mediocre cricket in the back end, but we really keeping the foot down now, especially when we're up.

  

  “This time, I challenged the boys to keep the foot down, especially after that England series. When we have teams in strong positions, especially at our home, we’ve got to finish strong. We got to make sure we can finish the season and try to win a lot more three-nil if we can,” Hope stressed.

  With the Darren Sammy-coached team, currently ranked 10th, targeting a move up the ODI rankings and, by extension, a spot at the 2027 50-over World Cup, Hope is encouraged by the emergence of batsmen stepping up in recent series.

  In fact, he emphasized the importance of providing opportunities to new players while identifying areas for improvement, such as in their spin options.

  “There’s good competition among the players, and it’s giving us a better understanding of what the guys are capable of at this level,” the Barbadian said.

  “The more opportunities they get, the better for us, especially now when we’re doing well, so I’m just happy to see the guys getting opportunities and grab them with both hands. I think we need to find more spin options, especially wrist spinners, and we’ll get there one step at a time, but it’s great to see the progression,” Hope ended.

• A century to remember: Amir Jangoo joins legendary Desmond Haynes as Windies batsmen to achieve milestone on ODI debut

  Amir Jangoo stepped onto the field at Warner Park on Thursday for his One-Day International (ODI) debut with dreams of making his mark.

  By the end of the day, he had etched his name into West Indies cricket history, becoming only the second Caribbean batsman to score a century on ODI debut after the legendary Desmond Haynes achieved the feat in 1978 when he scored 148 from just 136 deliveries.

  Jangoo’s unbeaten 83-ball 104, laced with six fours and four sixes, not only piloted the West Indies to a thrilling four-wicket win over Bangladesh but also sealed a dominant 3-0 series sweep.

  For the Trinidadian, it was a moment that blended personal triumph with team success, as his innings showcased his grit, determination, and talent.

  “It’s an amazing feeling,” Jangoo told journalists after the match, still savouring the high of his debut milestone.

  “Scoring a century on debut is something that people only dream of. Growing up, all I wanted to do was play for the West Indies, and now that I scored a century, and on debut—it’s just an amazing feeling,” he added.

  The 27-year-old’s heroics came at a critical juncture for the West Indies, who were in a bit of trouble at 86-4 chasing a challenging 322.

  

  Though he walked into a high-pressure situation and even survived a shaky start, Jangoo showed great composure and forged a vital 132-run partnership with Keacy Carty, who contributed a stellar 95 off 88 balls. Together, they steadied the innings and turned the tide in favour of the home side.

  “I just didn’t want to score a duck on debut, so getting off the mark in international cricket was an amazing feeling, and everything else flowed after that,” Jangoo stated.

  “To be fair, it was a pretty good wicket. So no matter the situation of the game, I knew it was a good wicket. The head coach [Darren Sammy] came to me in the dressing room and told me how to break down my innings. All I had to do was retain the strike, score between five to six runs an over, and put away the boundaries when we got them. That’s what we did,” he shared.

  Jangoo, whose innings was a masterclass in calculated aggression and confidence, also credited the partnership with Gudakesh Motie, who was also unbeaten on 44. The pair added 91 runs, ensuring there were no late stumbles.

  “To be honest, I was very confident batting today (Thursday). Once I got past 50, I was pretty confident. The wicket was a belter…it’s a really good wicket, so kudos to the groundsmen. Unfortunately, Keacy didn’t get his hundred, but he’s such a class player and he really helped us win today as well,” the modest left-handed batsman noted.

  Becoming the second West Indian to score a century on debut was a milestone Jangoo had not anticipated.

  “It’s crazy. I didn’t know that stat at all, to be honest,” he said with a laugh.

  “But it’s amazing. It just goes to show—dream big and work hard, and that's what I do. Luck was on my side, too, but I’m really happy I could convert my first international innings into a hundred,” he stated.

  Still, Jangoo’s performance was no accident—it was the culmination of a strong domestic season in the regional four-day competition and Super50 Cup, where he showcased consistency and form.

  Those experiences he said prepared him for this moment.

  “It goes to show I’ve been batting well and in good nick. Getting the call-up was great because I knew I was batting well and I was just waiting for my chance in the series, and luckily, I got it in the last game,” Jangoo ended.