England were chastened as never before in the Bazball era, all out for a meek 122 to collapse to their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs since the Second World War.

Yashasvi Jaiswal followed up his 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out with 214 not out in Rajkot as India became the first side to declare against England under the axis of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

After India amassed 430 for four to set a world-record 557 to win the third Test, England never looked like living up to their billing as happy hunters and were skittled in 39.4 overs to lose by a whopping 434 runs.

Only once before have England been hammered by a wider margin – against Australia by 562 runs in a timeless Test in 1934 – while they were spared total embarrassment by the last three wickets adding 72.

England were chastened as never before in the Bazball era following another blockbuster double century from Yashasvi Jaiswal as they were set a world record 557 to win the third Test.

Jaiswal, who made 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out, equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings with a dozen in his unbeaten 214 to underpin India’s 430 for four declared in Rajkot.

England then lost both openers on the stroke of tea, ending a grim session on 18 for two in sapping conditions, as India took a giant stride towards moving 2-1 up in the five-match series.

Ben Stokes and England’s bowlers were powerless to stop Jaiswal, who crashed James Anderson for three successive sixes at one stage and shared an unbroken 172 in 158 balls alongside Sarfaraz Khan (68no).

Anderson leaked 78 from 13 wicketless overs, the first time he has gone at or more than a run-a-ball in several years, while Joe Root and Rehan Ahmed conceded over 100 runs with economy rates exceeding four.

This marked the first time under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum’s stewardship that an opposing team had declared against England.

Ben Duckett said the previous evening India “can have as many as they want and we’ll go and get them” but India are set to be boosted by the reintroduction of Ravichandran Ashwin on the penultimate day.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

Even before he had taken the field, Duckett ran himself out before Zak Crawley was given lbw off Jasprit Bumrah, the decision staying with the on-field umpire as the ball would have flicked leg stump.

Jaiswal made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav added 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Mumbai mates Jaiswal and Sarfaraz, two of India’s big-hitters with a licence to throw caution to the wind and the pair accelerated sharply either side of lunch.

It was especially brutal in the first hour of the afternoon as 98 runs were added. Anderson attempted to frustrate Jaiswal by initially bowling wider but after going straighter the 41-year-old was flicked over long leg, carved over deep extra cover then driven back over his head for three sixes in a row.

Anderson, who has only gone at six an over on only a handful of occasions and not since December 2006 when he has sent down more than 10 deliveries in an innings, was hooked for Root soon after.

Root put down a difficult return catch when Sarfaraz was on 37 – the Yorkshireman’s second drop of the Test, although this was not as important as his first-day spill of Rohit, which cost 104 runs.

Sarfaraz went on to record an almost understated 50, the debutant’s second of the Test, with the crowd’s energy firmly fixed on Jaiswal.

He pushed Root into the off-side for a single, spreading his arms aloft before taking off his helmet and leaping and punching the air before soaking up the acclaim and sharing a handshake with Stokes.

Jaiswal was denied the chance to set the record for the most sixes in an innings, he is joint with Pakistan great Wasim Akram on 12, as Rohit called in his batters.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the fold for India against England on the penultimate day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s withdrawal from the Test on Friday evening to tend to a family medical emergency effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball.

But the spinning great will take India back up to their full complement at some point on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately as they look to move into a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

A statement from Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said: “Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on day four.

“The team management, players, media and fans have shown immense understanding and empathy, acknowledging the importance of family as a priority.

“The team and its supporters have stood united in support of Ashwin during this challenging period, and the management is delighted to welcome him back to the field.

“Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times.”

Ashwin celebrated his 500th Test wicket just a few hours before pulling out and heading “to Chennai to be with his mother”, according to BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla on X.

Despite India being a bowler down in his absence, England threw away a promising position of 224 for two as they were all out for 319 and a deficit of 126 after the first innings.

India have since swelled their advantage and Ashwin’s impending return will aid their cause when England go off in pursuit of what would be a world record chase in the fourth innings.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the fold for India against England in the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin withdrew from the Test just a few hours after taking his 500th wicket in the format on the second day to attend to a family medical emergency with India’s full blessing.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse on Saturday meant the hosts gained the upper hand.

But a statement from Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s secretary, confirmed Ashwin would come back at some point on the penultimate day as Rohit Sharma’s side push to go 2-1 up in the series.

“Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on day four and will continue to contribute towards the team’s cause,” the statement read.

“The team management, players, media and fans have shown immense understanding and empathy, acknowledging the importance of family as a priority.

“The team and its supporters have stood united in support of Ashwin during this challenging period, and the management is delighted to welcome him back to the field.

“Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times.”

India pushed their lead to 372 after the first hour of play on day four, with England’s only moment of success arriving directly before the break in play when Shubman Gill was run out by Tom Hartley for 91.

Nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav should have been leg-before two balls earlier after missing a sweep off slow left-armer Hartley but England elected against using their one remaining review.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes captain Rahkeem Cornwall spun a web around Guyana Harpy Eagles batsmen, as he snared 6-61 to lead his team to a handsome 273-run win over the defending champions in their West Indies Championship fixture at Warner Park on Saturday.

Along with Cornwall’s bowling masterclass, the Hurricanes victory was large in part to Mikyle Louis, who achieved the rare feat of scoring a century in both innings to put the game beyond the reach of the Harpy Eagles batsmen, who struggled throughout.

Louis, a St Kitts and Nevis native, scored 113 and 130 which propelled the Hurricanes to 352 and 295 respectively, after which Cornwall combined with Daniel Doram and Jeremiah Louis, to restrict Harpy Eagles to 188 and 186.

The burly Cornwall ended with match figures of 7-89, after taking 1-28 in the first innings, while Doram, who had 4-40 in the first innings, took 2-48 in the second to end with match figures of 6-88. Jeremiah Louis had match figures of 4-80, after taking 3-42 and 1-38 across both innings.

Scores: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 352 & 295; Guyana Harpy Eagles 188 & 186

Set a daunting 460 to win, Harpy Eagles resumed the final day from an overnight score of 67-1, with Raymond Perez and Tagenarine Chanderpaul seeking to push on in their 55-run second wicket stand. However, Chanderpaul only added seven to his overnight score of 40, while Perez added only three runs to his 20.

Though Kevlon Anderson (26), Kevin Sinclair (23) and Kemol Savory (24), offered little resistance, they found Cornwall and Doram too hot to handle.

Veerasammy Permaul tried to counterattack with a 29-ball 30, including two sixes, but he eventually went caught behind off Jeremiah Louis, before Cornwall and Doram wrapped things up with the wickets of Anthony Adams and Neiland Cadogan, both without scoring.

Captain Nicholas Pooran and Andre Fletcher both hit fifties to help the MI Emirates defeat the Dubai Capitals by 45 runs in the final of the IL T20 on Saturday.

After being put in to bat by the Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, MI piled up an intimidating 208-3 from their 20 overs.

Pooran, batting at number four, led the way with a 27-ball 57* including two fours and six sixes while Fletcher, who batted at three, provided excellent support with 53 off 37 balls including three fours and four sixes.

Openers Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera each had good contributions as well making 43 and 38, respectively.

Left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan was the Capitals best bowler on the day with 1-21 from his four overs.

The Capitals were then never able to recover from losing in form opener Leus du Plooy off just the second ball of the chase when he was trapped in front by Akeal Hosein.

Captain Sam Billings and Tom Banton tried their best with 40 and 35, respectively, but it proved to not be enough as Dubai were eventually restricted to 163-7 from their 20 overs.

Jason Holder made 24 while Rovman Powell made just eight.

Trent boult was excellent with the ball taking 2-20 from four overs while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth took 2-24 from his four overs.

Pooran was adjudged player of the match while Capitals all-rounder Sikandar Raza was named player of the tournament.

Full Scores: MI Emirates 208-3 off 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 57*, Andre Fletcher 53, Muhammad Waseem 43, Kusal Perera 38)

Dubai Capitals 163-7 off 20 overs (Sam Billings 40, Tom Banton 35, Trent Boult 2-20, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2-24)

Ben Duckett defended Joe Root despite the Yorkshireman’s ugly dismissal that sparked an England batting collapse and left India in the driving seat in the third Test.

Root directed a reverse ramp he has made a specialty in the last couple of years into the slip cordon off India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as England crumbled from a competitive 224 for two to 319 all out and a first-innings deficit of 126.

Ashes 2005-winning captain Michael Vaughan tweeted Root is “far too good to gift India such a cheap wicket” although it is a shot he has used 22 times in the past, bringing 60 runs and one dismissal.

After India ended day three 322 ahead on a Rajkot pitch showing signs of sharp turn, Duckett argued Root, who is yet to pass 30 in five attempts in this series, was correct to go for it as he did.

“I’d be interested to know if those people were against it when he was doing it to (Australia captain) Pat Cummins and hitting him for six in last summer’s Ashes,” Duckett said. “I’ve no words for it.

“It’s the same as me playing a reverse sweep and getting caught at point. Options are practised and that shot has been very successful for him over the past year, so next time it may go over slip.”

Duckett was seen off by a Kuldeep Yadav long hop after a majestic 153 off 151 balls while Ben Stokes, on his 100th Test, holed out to cow corner on 41 but Root’s downfall was the major talking point.

India were effectively down to 10 men without Ravichandran Ashwin, who can only be replaced in the field and not as a batter or bowler following his overnight withdrawal because of a family emergency.

But England lost their last five wickets in 38 balls before Yashasvi Jaiswal ground them into the dirt – despite their willingness in sapping heat – as India went to stumps on 196 for two.

“It was one of those days when I feel we have to give credit to India,” Duckett said. “We want to take the positive option and I get more frustrated when I get caught at silly point, playing a nothing shot.

“I’d much rather get out putting the bowling under pressure and getting caught on the fence at times – as long as it’s a shot that you play and have practised thousands and thousands of times.

“We’ll come back (on Sunday) and give it our best.”

Duckett had carried England to 207 for two overnight off just 35 overs with a swaggering 88-ball ton, taking on all of India’s bowlers, including Ashwin, who had tormented the left-hander in 2016.

Indeed, Duckett lasted just two Tests into a five-match series but after six years out of the side, he has become indispensable on his second coming, averaging a shade under 50 in 30 innings.

“It’s obviously a very tough place to come and tour and I’ve said a lot over the last so many years that I wasn’t the first left-hander to struggle against Ashwin,” Duckett added.

“It’s the backing of this team that means I can go out and play with the freedom that I did here. It probably wasn’t the same back then. I’m not a completely different player to what I was.”

Jaiswal followed up his sparkling double century in Visakhapatnam with 104 before retiring hurt with a sore back on Saturday and Duckett believes the 22-year-old is taking his cues from England’s attacking style.

“When you see players from the opposition playing like that, it almost feels like we should take some credit that they’re playing differently than how other people play Test cricket,” Duckett added.

“We saw it a bit in the summer and it’s quite exciting to see other players and other teams are also playing that aggressive style of cricket.

“He looks like a superstar in the making, unfortunately he’s in some very good form at the moment. He’s due a couple of low ones.”

England ceded control of the third Test after giving India a leg up in the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin as Joe Root’s ugly dismissal sparked a batting collapse in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s overnight withdrawal from the Test because of a family emergency meant India could only replace their premier spinner with a substitute fielder, effectively leaving them with 10 players.

But their guests were in obliging mood as Root fell on his sword to his patented reverse ramp on the third morning, with England crumbling from a competitive 224 for two to 319 all out and a deficit of 126.

Root made partial amends in India’s second dig, dismissing first-innings centurion Rohit Sharma, but Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 104 before retiring hurt helped the hosts swell their advantage to an already ominous 322 by stumps on a pitch taking increasing amounts of turn.

Root was not alone in contributing to his own demise as Ben Duckett chased a long hop after a quite brilliant 153 off 151 balls, while Ben Stokes holed out for 41 on his 100th Test as England lost their last five wickets in 38 deliveries, but the Yorkshireman’s dismissal will linger longest in the memory.

The tourists’ profligacy drew parallels with how they fared in last year’s Lord’s Ashes Test, where England were 188 for one in reply to 416, with Australia minus spinner Nathan Lyon due to injury, before a succession of rash shots saw them skittled for 325. They lost that match by 43 runs.

England’s brand under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum has attracted admirers far and wide but they have occasionally been guilty of a lack of game awareness and that was evidenced here.

With India’s bowling stocks depleted and after a gentle start to the third day following Duckett’s swashbuckling 88-ball hundred the previous evening, England did not need to gamble.

Root had claimed 12 boundaries from 21 previous reverse ramps and only been dismissed once but, on this occasion, it appeared ill-judged to target Jasprit Bumrah as Jaiswal reacted sharply to hold on to a chance that flew to him at chest-height.

Root, who had also spilled a difficult chance off Rohit costing 104 runs in India’s first innings, walked off for 18 and has now failed to pass 30 in five attempts this series.

The dismissal was put into harsher context when Jonny Bairstow was undone by sharp turn and plumb lbw to Kuldeep Yadav for his eighth duck against India.

Duckett was not as fluent upon the resumption of his innings but still moved to 150 off 139 balls. He added just three off his next 12 deliveries, which might explain why a batter so accustomed to feeling bat on ball pursued a short and wide delivery from Yadav and toe-ended to cover immediately after drinks.

Stokes was judicious off front and back foot and looked primed to mark his milestone Test in fashion but was suckered into a slog sweep off Jadeja, with Bumrah running back to take a fine catch at cow corner just a few minutes after lunch.

Ben Foakes fell for 13 next ball after pushing at Mohammed Siraj and England collapsed in a heap, losing their last three wickets in nine deliveries.

England were back out on the field in the mid-afternoon heat, where Root shared new-ball duties with James Anderson and made inroads into India’s batting by rapping Rohit on the front pad after he had missed a sweep, with a not out lbw verdict overturned on review.

England were unable to capitalise on a small opening as Shubman Gill got off a pair before he and Jaiswal, both aged under 25, adopted a pragmatic approach that England had earlier lacked.

Only when he was set did Jaiswal start to open up, carting Anderson for six-four-four then slamming successive Tom Hartley full tosses over long-on to reach his half-century.

A double centurion in Visakhapatnam, Jaiswal moved from 50 to 100 in 42 balls, slashing Mark Wood for his ninth four to go with five sixes before a sore back saw him walk off the field before stumps.

Jaiswal contributed 155 in 195 balls with Gill, who finished on 65 not out to flog a willing but tiring England in the sweltering heat. While Hartley accounted for Rajat Patidar late on, India finished on 196 for two to become firm favourites to move 2-1 ahead in this five-match series.

England gave India a leg up in the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin as Joe Root’s ugly dismissal sparked a dramatic collapse on the third day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s bombshell withdrawal from the Test the previous evening because of a family emergency meant India could only replace their premier spinner with a substitute fielder, depleting their bowling.

But they found their guests in obliging mood as Root’s patented reverse ramp off Jasprit Bumrah was brilliantly caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal, and a position of 224 for two became 319 all out.

Root was far from alone from contributing to his own demise, with Ben Duckett (153) and Ben Stokes (41) also guilty of loose strokes, as England surrendered a 126-run first-innings deficit before India swelled their advantage to 170 after going to tea on 44 for one.

Root partly atoned by making the breakthrough when India batted again, dismissing Rohit Sharma lbw when the home side’s captain missed a sweep. Umpire Joel Wilson’s not out decision was overturned but England still have a lot of work to do in the final session to swing back a bit of momentum.

The tourists’ profligacy drew parallels with last year’s Lord’s Ashes Test, where England were on 188 for one in reply to 416, with Australia minus spinner Nathan Lyon due to injury, before a succession of rash shots saw them skittled for 325.

England’s attacking brand under Stokes and Brendon McCullum is well-known but the match situation did not require a bold gambit from Root at the outset of a day where conditions grew increasingly sapping.

Duckett’s swaggering century had carried England to 207 for two from just 35 overs and, seeking to stay on the front foot, Root’s attempt to up the ante merely flew to second slip where Jaiswal held on excellently.

Root, who dropped Rohit Sharma in India’s first innings which cost 104 runs, was out for 18 which means he has failed to pass 30 in five innings in this series.

Root’s dismissal was put into harsher context when Jonny Bairstow was plumb lbw after Kuldeep Yadav found sharp turn. It was the Yorkshireman’s eighth duck against India and no other batter in history has made more.

Duckett lacked the fluency that had brought him an 88-ball hundred the previous evening but still moved to 150. However, he added just three off his next 12 deliveries which might explain why a batter so accustomed to feeling bat on ball chased a long hop from Yadav and toe-ended to cover.

Stokes, in his 100th Test, and Ben Foakes came through an exacting period, especially from Kuldeep, who bowled 12 overs unchanged with Ravindra Jadeja curiously unused until just before lunch.

Stokes was judicious off front and back foot and looked primed to mark his milestone Test in fashion but was suckered into a slog sweep off Jadeja, with Bumrah running back to take the catch.

Foakes fell for 13 next ball after pushing at Mohammed Siraj, albeit the ball sticking in the pitch a little, with those two dismissals the start of England losing their last five wickets in 38 balls and their final three in nine. Siraj bounced back from his mauling off Duckett to take four for 84.

England gave India a leg-up in the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin as Joe Root and Ben Duckett gifted away their wickets on the third morning of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s bombshell withdrawal from the Test the previous evening because of a family emergency meant India could only replace their premier spinner with a substitute fielder, depleting their bowling.

But they found their guests in obliging mood as Root’s patented reverse ramp, with which he has had success in the past, off Jasprit Bumrah was brilliantly caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at second slip.

After Jonny Bairstow fell for a record-breaking eighth duck against India, Duckett, who had batted with panache in an incredible counter-attacking 88-ball hundred on day two, toe-ended a Kuldeep Yadav long hop to cover for 153 as England lurched from 224 for two to 290 for five at lunch.

Memories of England burning themselves in last year’s Ashes Test at Lord’s – when several batters were caught hooking despite the absence of injured Australia spinner Nathan Lyon – came flooding back.

Captain Ben Stokes (39 not out) on his 100th Test and Ben Foakes (6no) survived some testing moments but England still trail by 155 runs on a pitch that is offering more assistance to the bowlers.

India used just three bowlers for most of the morning with Ravindra Jadeja, back from a hamstring injury sending down an over before lunch.

Before that, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj dovetailed at one end with Kuldeep operating from the other.

Wickets had fallen early in each of the two previous days but the breakthrough on Saturday owed more to a rash stroke from Root rather than skill from Jasprit Bumrah. The match situation did not require a bold gambit but Root’s attempt to up the ante merely allowed India to get their tails up.

Root’s dismissal for 18 means he has failed to pass 30 in five innings in this series while he has been dismissed nine times in 21 innings by Bumrah.

Root’s dismissal was put into harsher context when Bairstow was plumb lbw after Yadav found sharp turn, with the Yorkshireman burning a review. No other batter in history has made more ducks against India than Bairstow.

Duckett was not as authoritative as the previous evening and gave the slightest of chances on 149, with Rohit Sharma getting a fingertip to an edge, before the left-handed opener moved to 150 off 139 balls.

He added just another three off 12 deliveries, which perhaps contributed to his eyes lighting up when a short and wide delivery was offered by Kuldeep but Duckett horribly miscued.

Windward Islands Volcanoes made it two-in-two, as they completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Barbados Pride inside three days of their West Indies Championship encounter at Kensington Park, in Jamaica, on Friday.

Volcanoes, who were always in control of the contest from Wednesday’s first day, wrapped up victory by easily knocking off the 18 runs set by Barbados Pride, whose dismal second innings batting display, which resumed at 72-4, ended at 126.

Volcanoes seamers Shemar Springer and Ryan John again did the damage to set up the victory.

Springer took 4-44, to end with match figures of 6-105, after taking 2-61 in the first innings, while John, who had 4-47 in the first innings, snared 3-28, to end with match figures of 7-75. The in-form John now has 13-139 across the first two games, after match figures of 6-64 against Jamaica Scorpions.

Pride, who initially posted 214 batting first, started the day 39 runs behind, after Volcanoes replied to their first innings total with what turned out to be a match-winning 325.

Scores: Barbados Pride 214 & 126; Windward Islands Volcanoes 325 & 18-1 (3.5 overs)

Resuming their second innings on 72-4 with the likes of Kevin Wickham, who made 74 in the first innings, and others to come, Barbados Pride would have fancied their chances to possibly post something that would challenge the opponents. However, it was not to be, as the innings ended just as it started –in shambles.

Akeem Jordan added only 11 runs to his overnight score of four, while Wickham and the other batsmen, all failed to get into double figures, as Springer and John shared the remaining six wickets. Roshon Primus was the only exception, as he ended unbeaten on 25 off 26 balls.

Set only 18 to win, the Volcanoes unfortunately lost Kimani Melius (four) to the run-out route, but Jeremy Solozano, not out on 13, and Johann Jeremiah, with a solitary run, saw them across the line with minimum fuss.

The Jamaica Scorpions completed a dominant ten-wicket win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges in their 2024 West Indies Championship second round fixture at Sabina Park on Friday.

After starting Friday’s day three 259-6 off 73.1 overs, the Scorpions ended up being bowled out for 331 in 91.2 overs, a lead of 24 runs.

Peat Salmon was instrumental in helping the Scorpions establish a lead with a 44-ball 45 including four fours and two sixes.

17-year-old Zishan Motara, who entered the day with four wickets to his name so far in the innings, added three on day three to finish with career-best figures of 7-108 off 31.2 overs.

Facing a deficit of 24, the CCC had a horrendous showing with the bat in their second innings, being dismissed for just 87 in 30.4 overs.

Kirstan Kallicharan led the way with the bat with 29 against some excellent bowling from the Scorpions.

Peat Salmon with 4-12 from seven overs, Gordon Bryan with 3-19 from nine overs and Abhijai Mansingh with 2-35 from 8.4 overs were the main destroyers for the hosts.

Needing only 64 for victory, Scorpions openers Chadwick Walton and Carlos Brown wasted no time, needing just 9.3 overs to reach 69-0 and secure the Scorpions’ first West Indies Championship win in two years.

Walton followed up his 163 in the first innings with 46* while Brown, who hit 48 in the first innings, finished 19*.

Full Scores: Combined Campuses and Colleges 307 all out off 97 overs (Jonathan Carter 135*, Shamarh Brooks 36, Sion Hackett 30, Zishan Motara 28, Gordon Bryan 3-66, Ojay Shields 3-78, Abhijai Mansingh 2-37) & 87 all out off 30.4 overs (Kirstan Kallicharan 29, Peat Salmon 4-12, Gordon Bryan 3-19, Abhijai Mansingh 2-35)

Jamaica Scorpions 331 all out off 91.2 overs (Chadwick Walton 163, Carlos Brown 48, Peat Salmon 45, Zishan Motara 7-108) & 69-0 off 9.3 overs (Chadwick Walton 46*, Carlos Brown 19*)

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the third Test against England in Rajkot because of a family medical emergency.

Ashwin became just the ninth bowler in history and second Indian after Anil Kumble to reach 500 Test wickets on Friday when he dismissed Zak Crawley in the final session of the second day.

However, just a few hours after the close of play, the Board of Cricket for Control in India announced Ashwin had immediately pulled out of the squad and his availability for the last three days is unknown.

“In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin,” read a statement from the BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

“The BCCI extends its heartfelt support to the champion cricketer and his family. The health and well-being of the players and their loved ones are of utmost importance.

“The board requests respect for the privacy of Ashwin and his family as they navigate through this challenging time.”

A tweet from BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla added: “Wishing speedy recovery of mother of @ashwinravi99. He has to rush and leave Rajkot test to Chennai to be with his mother”