The England and Wales Cricket Board is setting up an internally-led review into a former Durham coach, who has admitted sexually assaulting a teenage player after being convicted of similar offences against young cricketers on four previous occasions.
On Wednesday, Michael Strange, 63, appeared via a video link from prison for a 10-minute hearing at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court and admitted a single indecent assault charge on a 14-year-old in the Tyne and Wear area in the late 1990s.
Strange has now admitted or been convicted on five separate occasions of abusing young players he was coaching at two clubs in the north east, and was most recently sentenced in January 2022.
The PA news agency spoke to one of Strange’s previous victims last year, who called on the ECB to hold an inquiry.
The ECB’s internal review will be done by the organisation’s safeguarding team. In December 2022, the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit, who audit national governing bodies annually, concluded the ECB is meeting the unit’s safeguarding standards.
An ECB spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with all victims of Michael Strange and we applaud their bravery in coming forwards.
“The ECB suspended Michael Strange from all cricket activity in May 2005, as soon as he was arrested and we were informed of the allegations, and he was permanently disqualified from all cricket activity in April 2006.
“We have been working with statutory partners in the area over recent months to discuss how the ECB can gain a full understanding of Strange’s offending behaviour.
“Through this co-operation, the ECB has been able to obtain some limited information about the offences. While victims retain their lifetime right to anonymity, the police have extended an offer to all victims to speak to the ECB should they wish to contact us.
“While statutory partners do not believe a complex case practice review is warranted, the ECB is now scoping an internally-led review to establish further information about the environment in which Strange committed his offences within cricket, and how this informs ECB safeguarding strategy.”
Magistrates had sent the case to Newcastle Crown Court on September 7 because their sentencing powers were not sufficient for the seriousness of the offence.
It was understood Strange’s prison sentence for his previous offending was coming to an end soon, but he will still be behind bars when this latest case is dealt with at the crown court.
No details can be published which identify the victim in this case.
Investigators have been in contact with the cricket authorities about Strange’s prior offending.
Archer back in IPL auction despite being left off the shortlist
Jofra Archer will be in the IPL auction after all, having been left off the shortlist initially.
The fast bowler was an entry on the longlist but did not appear among the names after it had been whittled down to 574 last week.
There had been no word from Archer as to why he had pulled out of the auction and re-entered, although the prospect of playing in the IPL in future could have been key.
According to new rules in the competition, a player will be ineligible to play in the IPL for two years if they do not enter the auction.
Archer has struggled with injury since 2020 and has carefully worked his way back from an elbow problem he suffered last year. Having been part of England's white-ball set-up since May, he has a desire to get back into Test cricket.
The 29-year-old has not played the longest form of the game in nearly four years and, if picked for the IPL, could find it harder to get back into it.
With the early rounds of the County Championship season clashing with the IPL, it could harm Archer's ability to prove his fitness and reduce his chances of playing in a home Test in 2025. Additionally, he could also find it difficult to force his way in for the Ashes in Australia next winter.
Magnificent Bumrah humbles Australia after India batting collapse
India wrestled control back from Australia to leave them 67-7 at the close of play, despite having been bowled out for just 150 earlier on a remarkable first day in Perth.
The tourists chose to bat first, having made six changes from their Test defeat to New Zealand earlier this month, but things did not go well for them as they were reduced to 32-3 and 73-6.
Virat Kohli struggled again and went for just five after being caught by Usman Khawaja. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Devdutt Padikkal were both playing in Australia for the first time and were dismissed for ducks.
Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) dragged India to a level of respectability before their bowlers tore through the Australian batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah (4-17) was India's saviour, producing a spell to leave the hosts 19-3. Nathan McSweeney (10) went on lbw after a review, Khawaja (8) was caught in the slips and Steve Smith was out on his first ball after another lbw.
Both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh went for a combined total of 17 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne next to go for two off 52 balls. Pat Cummins was the final wicket of the day, meaning Australia finished on 67-7 with Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc at the crease.
Data debrief: Australia and India go wicket crazy
It was undoubtedly a day for the bowlers on the first day in Perth, with 17 wickets being the most to have fallen on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
While all 10 of Australia's wickets were caught, India managed four dismissals through either bowling their opponent or lbw.
Following his unplayable performance in Perth, Bumrah now has 177 Test wickets for his country and can count himself unlucky not to have had more.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
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