Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox made eye-catching debuts for Essex but it was Elgar’s fellow South African Dane Paterson who stole the show for Nottinghamshire on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship season at Trent Bridge.
Opener Elgar, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, looked more than capable of filling the void left by Sir Alastair Cook, defying typical opening-day conditions with a classy 80.
He shared a 112-run third-wicket partnership with the talented former Kent batter Cox, who went on to make 84, but Paterson powered a Nottinghamshire fightback by taking five for 49 with his wily medium pace.
Paterson bowled Elgar with one of several outstanding deliveries as Essex, runners-up in Division One last season, slipped from 170 for two to 176 for five before closing on 244 for nine from 77 overs, with time having been lost to a wet outfield at the start and bad light in the evening.
Kashif Ali scored an accomplished maiden century as Worcestershire made a solid 316 for seven against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Kashif struck 110 (188 balls) and Gareth Roderick added 68 (163) as the visitors returned to Division One with a strong day’s work following promotion last year.
Seamer George Hill claimed three key wickets, including Australian opener Marcus Harris for 56, as Yorkshire had the better of a shortened opening day against Leicestershire at Headingley.
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Heavy overnight rain meant a wet outfield and a delayed start until 3.40pm, with Division Two title favourites Yorkshire opting to bowl upon winning the toss.
The Foxes, led by fringe Test left-hander Harris, started brightly as they reached 89 for one. But skilful Hill set about changing the course of proceedings and left the close-of-play score at 164 for five from 46 overs.
Sam Northeast became the summer’s first centurion in Glamorgan’s Division Two clash with hosts Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Glamorgan skipper passed the landmark for the 30th time in his career, sharing century stands with Billy Root, 67, and Kiran Carlson, 77, and finishing unbeaten on 186 as the Welsh county reached 370 for three by the close.
Northamptonshire had the better of the half day’s play that was possible against Sussex as their batters battled hard and reached 95 for two when bad light – with no option for floodlights – drove the players from the field just after 6pm.
There was no play possible in the Division One games between Durham and Hampshire, Kent and Somerset and Lancashire and Surrey because of the wet weather.
In Division Two Derbyshire versus Gloucestershire was also wiped out.
Ramesh Subasinghe has been tasked with leading the West Indies Men’s Academy into a new era of performance and growth, as he was recently appointed Head coach by Cricket West Indies.
CWI in a release on Friday said Subasinghe's appointment, marks a pivotal step in advancing the organisation's commitment to excellence in cricket development. The former Sri Lankan first-class cricketer was selected following an extensive and meticulous process.
Subasinghe, previously served as Head Coach of the New Zealand Cricket Men’s Development Programme, and the Otago Cricket Associations Pathways Head Coach and Talent Development Manager. He holds an ICC Global Level Three coaching qualification and is a qualified Coach Development with New Zealand Cricket.
Besides his qualifications, Subasinghe has exhibited significant expertise in critical areas including developing and implementing high-performance systems, technical remediations and sports bio-mechanics, team and individual holistic skills development, injury prevention and bowling loads management.
The recruitment process for the Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s Academy attracted significant global interest, as there were 53 applicants for the position. Through a stringent vetting process, 12 candidates were shortlisted, representing diverse cricketing backgrounds and expertise. Ultimately, six individuals hailing from Guyana, Jamaica, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Sri Lanka were identified as finalists, reflecting CWI's dedication to inclusivity and global talent scouting.
Enoch Lewis, CWI Board Director and Chair of Cricket Development & Performance Committee, Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket, Graeme West, High-Performance Manager and Oneka Martin-Bird, HR Manager, were all part of the selection process and all contributed to a comprehensive assessment of each candidate's qualifications, experience, and vision for cricket development in our region.
Reflecting on the selection process, Bascombe said the unanimous decision of the interview panel, endorsed by the Board of Directors and HR Committee, underscores Subasinghe's exceptional qualifications and suitability for the role of Head Coach of the WI Men’s Academy.
"It was a rigorous and transparent exercise, ensuring that only the most qualified and capable candidates were considered for this position. We were given a clear mandate to choose the best talent at our disposal and we’re confident the most suitable candidate was identified," Bascombe said.
"We are continuously striving to elevate standards at CWI, and I am confident that Ramesh Subasinghe embodies the expertise and leadership necessary to drive our cricket development initiatives forward," he added.
Subasinghe pointed out that he is looking forward to the task.
“Joining CWI presents an incredible opportunity for me to contribute to the organisation's new strategic vision and build on their existing High-Performance programmes, working with their best young cricketers. I look forward to collaborating with the exciting natural talent and the passionate cricketing communities in the West Indies," he noted.
Subasinghe's appointment represents a significant investment in the future of West Indian cricket, as he brings a wealth of technical knowledge, strategic insight, and a passion for player development to the role. His leadership will be instrumental in shaping the next generation of cricketing talent in the region. Subasinghe will officially start on May 1, and will be based full-time at the CWI Headquarters at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
England managing director Rob Key has said that Jofra Archer will not play Test cricket this summer but will hopefully be ready for June’s T20 World Cup.
The Sussex quick is being eased back into action having struggled with stress fractures in his elbow.
His last Test for England was more than three years ago in February 2021, but he has since represented England in white-ball cricket, with his last outing coming in a T20 against Bangladesh last year.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Key confirmed that Archer will not play a part in England’s red-ball summer, when Ben Stokes’ side have Tests against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
“The whole plan with Jofra is he’s going to play white-ball cricket for this summer and going into the winter,” Key told Sky Sports.
“Then hopefully next summer, when we play India and then onto the Ashes, we get him back for Test cricket.
“It’s a slow process to get him back for all forms.”
Although Archer will not be involved in Test cricket for England, the aim is that he can be fit for this year’s T20 World Cup taking place in the West Indies and the United States.
Key is also hopeful the fast bowler can be involved in the T20 series against Pakistan in May.
“Jofra has been out with Sussex in India for pre-season and bowled quickly out there, he bowled really well,” Key added.
“He has now gone back to the Caribbean where he’s going to play a bit of club cricket, all about getting himself ready for that T20 World Cup.
“He’ll hopefully play the Pakistan series, but it’s always fingers-crossed at the moment with Jofra.
“What we’re going to do is take it slower (rather) than trying to go too quickly so that we get him back for not just a short period but we get him for a long period.”
James Anderson does not expect to be available for Lancashire until the end of May at the earliest as he looks to prime himself for the English Test summer.
Anderson became the first fast bowler in history to reach 700 Test wickets last month, joining spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne in an exclusive club, in England’s 4-1 series loss in India.
As he wants to be firing on all cylinders for the first of England’s six Tests this summer, against the West Indies at Lord’s starting on July 10 – three weeks before his 42nd birthday – Anderson anticipates he will sit out the early part of the 2024 Vitality County Championship, which got under way on Friday.
He is set to miss at least the first five rounds and could also skip the visit of Warwickshire, beginning on May 24, although Lancashire’s next fixture after that is not until June 23 at Kent.
“With the Tests being in July, it’s tricky,” said Anderson. “It’ll probably be June before I play, or maybe the end of May.”
Anderson featured four times within the space of a month last year but then suffered a groin niggle which left him touch and go for the start of an Ashes series in which he had an underwhelming impact.
Anderson reducing his county commitments this term means the prospect of him playing alongside Nathan Lyon has receded after Cricket Australia scaled back the off-spinner’s availability for Lancashire.
The pair have been on opposite sides of the Ashes divide over the years but Lyon revealed they had lunch earlier this week and Anderson remains hopeful they can play together at least once or twice.
“It was nice to actually have a civil conversation with him,” added Anderson, speaking following the announcement that £35million will be invested into grassroots cricket.
“I think he plays seven out of the first nine games, so hopefully I’ll play one or two, either at the end of May or in June.”
Following the non-selection of Guyanese Ashmini Munisar, Plaffiana Millington and Shabika Gajnabi, top performers in the recently concluded CWI Blaze T20 and Super50 Cup tournaments, for the West Indies Women’s upcoming tour of Pakistan, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is questioning Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) criteria/measuring stick used for selection.
Munisar, Millington and Gajnabi were among the leading performers in the recent CWI Women's Super50 and T20 Blaze tournaments, either with bat, ball or both, but were somehow overlooked ahead of the Pakistan tour.
CWI released their 15-member squad ahead of the upcoming eight-match Series which bowls off April 6 in Pakistan, with Guyana skipper Shemaine Campbelle being named vice-captain and all-rounder Cherry-Ann Fraser, the only Guyanese in the team.
“The non-inclusion of Munisar, Millington and Gajnabi comes as a shock, as the trio played outstanding cricket throughout,” the board expressed in a statement on social media on Thursday.
In the batting department, Guyana had 3 players in the top five run scorers for the T20 Blaze, with Gajnabi, Campbell and Mandy Mangru occupying spots 2, 3 and 5 respectively.
Gajnabi, a regular face in the Windies Women's team, finished as the second leading run-scorer overall in the T20 Blaze and top run-getter for Guyana, with 138 runs at an average of 34 and a top score of 52.
Campbell, who was selected for Pakistan, ended as the 3rd leading scorer behind Gajnabi, with an aggregate of 128 runs, also ended with the most dismissals by a wicket-keeper (6).
In Women's Super50 Cup, Munisar finished as the leading wicket-taker with 12 victims and a best of 5-15, which was also the best figures of the Super50 by any bowler.
She was followed by countrywoman Niya Latchman who was the next best wicket-taker in the 50-Overs with 11 wickets, as the latter also had a selection-warranted season with the ball.
The Guyanese trio statistically outplayed almost all of the other selectees for the upcoming tour, with the non-selection of three premier performers in both the T20 and Super50 now being questioned by the GCB.
Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and all-rounder Yannic Cariah will provide added experience to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force outfit as they look to move up the West Indies Championship table.
With just two rounds of matches left in the regional first-class season, the Red Force sit sixth on the eight-team standings with 51 points from five games.
The Leeward Islands Hurricanes currently lead the table with 81.2 points.
Gabriel took a back seat earlier in the season with Jayden Seales available to play the first five matches of the campaign.
However, with Seales unavailable for the final two games due to his commitment to play in the England County Championship with Sussex, Gabriel has made himself available for the final two matches.
Meanwhile, Cariah is also available following his stint in the Bangladesh Premier League T20 and Jyd Goolie also comes back into the team after recovering from injury which kept him out of the previous game.
Veteran leg-spinner Imran Khan was left out of the squad having played just one game for the Red Force this season.
Joshua Da Silva will captain the team with Bryan Charles serving as vice-captain.
The players will have the option of playing for their local clubs when the T&T Cricket Board Sunday League 50-over competition bowls off with matches tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday.
The Red Force will take on CCC in round five at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground from April 10-13 before finishing their season against Jamaica as Sabina Park from April 17-20.
T&T Red Force squad: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Brian Charles (vice-captain), Vikash Mohan, Kjorn Ottley, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Tion Webster, Anderson Phillip, Shannon Gabriel, Terrance Hinds, Jyd Goolie, Yannic Cariah, Khary Pierre.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and West Indies pacer Jayden Seales is hoping to use his upcoming stint at Vitality County Championship team Sussex to boost his bid for a recall to the West Indies Test squad.
The 22-year-old hasn’t represented the West Indies in the format since the first Test against Australia back in December 2022.
Overall, he’s taken 37 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of 24.24 and a strike rate of 42.9 with one five-wicket haul coming against Pakistan at Sabina Park in 2021.
He missed the rest of that Australia series after suffering a knee injury that required surgery.
He made a successful return to the Windies setup in an ODI series in August 2023 against India but then faced another spell on the sidelines after sustaining a shoulder injury while touring South Africa with the West Indies A team last November.
This season, Seales has played in all five matches for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the ongoing West Indies Championship, taking 11 wickets.
The West Indies next Test assignment will be three games in England from July 10-30.
“Of course,” was the quick’s response when asked whether he views this County Championship stint as an opportunity to get back into the squad for that series in an interview with Sussex.
“Obviously being able to play first-class cricket back home and now getting the opportunity to play in England, it will help me hone my skills in English conditions and, hopefully, the management is watching and I’m putting in the performances that I need to get back into the Test side,” he added.
The first Test of that series will be played at the ground commonly referred to as ‘the home of cricket,’ Lord’s cricket Ground.
Playing at this ground is the dream of a number of cricketers and Seales is no exception.
“Definitely. I think every cricketer’s dream is to play in England and play at Lord’s. I know the first Test will be there so I’m definitely hoping to get into the squad for that series and start in that Test,” he said before proclaiming his preference for Test cricket over other formats.
“Test cricket is always the first choice for me. I’d always love to play Test cricket for the West Indies at any given time. White ball cricket will come around at any time but I want to focus on the red ball first,” Seales added.
Seales is set to make his County Championship Division Two debut when Sussex faces Northamptonshire at Hove.
Nathan Lyon has tipped new county team-mate Tom Hartley to have a “big future” and insisted he is not at Lancashire to take his place in the team.
Lancashire pulled off a major coup by signing Australia’s record-breaking off-spinner on an overseas deal, but it was immediately brought into sharp focus when Hartley surged to prominence with a match-winning second-innings haul of seven for 62 on his Test debut in Hyderabad.
Brendon McCullum, England’s red-ball head coach, admitted during the five-match series against India that it would be “mad” if Hartley and Somerset’s Shoaib Bashir were overlooked at the start of the Vitality County Championship season.
However, Lyon rejected suggestions he could stall the development of Hartley and instead believes he can pass on plenty of wisdom to the 24-year-old during his stint at Emirates Old Trafford, which was originally for the whole campaign, but has since been reduced to seven first-class games.
“I was glued to that Test series,” Lyon told reporters on Thursday.
“To see Tom go over there, make his debut and play the five Test matches, I actually watched it quite closely.
“He’s a talent, he’s only 24 and to see what he does, what I believe he can get better at, he’s got a big future ahead of him which is exciting for England cricket and world cricket as well.
“I know what Baz has come out and said in the media, and that’s all well and good – but I’m not here to take Tom’s spot. I’m here to bowl in tandem with Tom.
“If you can play two spinners in the side, in my opinion, you’ll win a lot of games of cricket. So I’m here to bowl in tandem with Tom and to be honest I’m happy to help Tom out along the way, and no doubt he’ll help me as well with different skillsets, different mindsets, tactically as well.
“There’s no secrets in what I do, so I’m more than happy to help out. If Tom calls me every day, sits down with me for a coffee every day, to talk spin bowling, I’m more than happy to do that.”
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Lyon also revealed the chance to bowl alongside Ashes rival James Anderson was part of the reason for his arrival in county cricket.
He only touched down in the country on Tuesday, but went straight into the Lancashire squad for Friday’s curtain-raiser against defending champions Surrey.
Anderson, the most prolific seamer of all time, is currently resting up after his exertions in the five-match series against India but the prospect of two greats with a combined 1,230 wickets to their name is already being teased.
“That would be pretty amazing. I’d be lying if I said that opportunity coming around wasn’t a big part of the reason I signed,” Lyon told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“He’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest, fast bowler to have played the game. I’ve had some incredible battles against him.
“I admire his skill, there’s nothing but respect from my end for what he’s been able to do for English cricket but also world cricket, inspiring young boys and girls to play the game.
“If the opportunity comes around that I get to bowl in tandem with him and share a changing room with him it will be pretty special, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Lyon was set to spend the whole summer in England, but Cricket Australia made the decision to cut his spell over his workload management.
“It’s definitely not my call, that’s the nature of the beast,” he said.
“CA have come over the top and said they wanted to manage me and hopefully extend my career. My hands are tied.”
Alec Stewart is braced for the “toughest” season yet, but has still set Surrey the target of winning a third consecutive Vitality County Championship title.
It was confirmed last month that Stewart would leave his director of cricket role at the end of 2024 in order to spend more time with his family following 11 years in the post.
Stewart signed his first contract with the county in 1981 and has been involved in six Championship successes, but he is striving for one more.
While there have been multiple back-to-back Division One winners in recent seasons, Brian Close’s Yorkshire side from the 1960s are the last team to win three Championships in a row.
Chelsea-fan Stewart is well aware of how difficult that will be, especially with a T20 World Cup in June, but has challenged Surrey to go up a level in the longest format and to fulfil their potential in white-ball cricket with an overdue Vitality Blast win.
“It’ll be the hardest year because of the World Cup,” Stewart reflected.
“We’ll have players who will go from the IPL (Indian Premier League), straight into the World Cup or near enough.
“This season is the toughest because it’s an extra month or six weeks that we won’t have those players for, but we’ve known that, so therefore you try and plan for that.
“I’m greedy, I want to win everything. We won it (Vitality Blast) in 2003, the first year, and we’ve got to Finals Day since but we haven’t won it.
“So, of course I’d like to win it, but so would 17 other counties.
“The Championship is still, for me, the pinnacle. The fact we’ve won it two in two is fantastic. Can we do it three in three? That’s what we’re going for.
“And then it’s how do we play, because the champions are always the side to beat and have we got the skillsets? And can we up our game enough?
“We were good last year, but I didn’t think we were great last year.”
Surrey players are determined to give Stewart a fitting farewell, but even the former England captain knows it will not really be goodbye.
The Kia Oval has largely been Stewart’s home for the best part of five decades and even longer for the family given his father Micky made his debut for the county in 1954.
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Stewart acknowledged: “It’s never going to end. Formally, yes, but I’ll still be coming to this place or still feel a part of it.
“They want me to try and stay in some role but I’ve said, I’m never going to walk away completely, but they’ve got to get the person in place first, because that person may not want me hanging about, which I fully understand.
“So, yep, I’m stepping down from a role I have thoroughly enjoyed and continue to enjoy. And then in December or whenever it will be, then I’ll drive out and say goodbye.
“Whatever job you’re in, you want to leave it in a better shape than when you took it over. That’s for others to judge, but we’ve certainly made progress.
“I want to win every trophy, but I get as much enjoyment seeing a (Ollie) Pope, (Will) Jacks or (Jamie) Smith come through our system as youngsters, come into our first team and then going to play for England because that to me counts as success.
“The trophy cabinet has the Championship in it at the minute, but if you have another cabinet, it’d be full of Surrey players that have come through the pathway then got England caps.”
Nathan Lyon admits the chance to bowl alongside Ashes rival James Anderson was part of the reason for his arrival in county cricket.
Lancashire pulled off a major coup by signing Australia’s record-breaking off-spinner on an overseas deal and, despite only touching down in the country on Tuesday, he goes straight into the squad for Friday’s curtain-raiser against defending champions Surrey.
Much has been made of the possibility of Lyon forging a mentor relationship with Tom Hartley, following the slow left-armer’s emergence for England this winter, but Lyon has revealed it was the chance to go into battle against an old adversary that really attracted him to Emirates Old Trafford.
Anderson, the most prolific seamer of all time, is currently resting up after his exertions in the five-match series against India but the prospect of two greats with a combined 1,230 wickets to their name is already being teased.
“That would be pretty amazing. I’d be lying if I said that opportunity coming around wasn’t a big part of the reason I signed,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“He’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest, fast bowler to have played the game. I’ve had some incredible battles against him. I admire his skill, there’s nothing but respect from my end for what he’s been able to do for English cricket but also world cricket inspiring young boys and girls to play the game.
“If the opportunity comes around that I get to bowl in tandem with him and share a changing room with him it will be pretty special, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Lyon was initially brought in for the entire season, across all formats, but has seen his schedule cut to seven first-class games after a call was made by Cricket Australia over his workload management.
“It’s definitely not my call, that’s nature of the beast,” he said.
“CA have come over the top and said they wanted to manage me and hopefully extend my career. My hands are tied.”
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) created a total economic impact of US$39,470,999 for Saint Lucia during the 2023 tournament.
There were six matches scheduled in Saint Lucia between 16 and 20 August with games taking place at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground with all six CPL teams visiting the island over that period.
The total event impact is calculated by world renowned research organization, YouGov Sport with the final figure being determined by organiser spend, visitor spend and media and promotional value for Saint Lucia. During CPL’s stay in St Lucia, CPL booked 12,818 hotel room nights, made up of players, coaches, administrators, TV and media crews, team owner groups, league and franchise event management teams, alongside overseas visitors who arrived to watch the games. A meaningful part of the total economic impact figure stems from the money spent by these overseas visitors.
Saint Lucia also benefited from the tournament being broadcast around the world with CPL’s audience reaching 853.5million total viewers in 2023. As always, CPL worked closely with the local tourism authorities to create world class content which helped promote the spectacular benefits on offer to visitors to Saint Lucia. These exclusive features and vignettes were shown during the CPL matches, further promoting the tourism message.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “Saint Lucia was once again a wonderful host for CPL matches in 2023 and we enjoyed the unrivalled hospitality in such beautiful surroundings. We are looking forward to returning for the 2024 season to once again contribute positively to the Saint Lucian economy.”
Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, said: “Through the synergy of sports and tourism, the Republic Bank CPL has not only brought thrilling cricket action to Saint Lucia but has also catalyzed a ripple effect of economic prosperity. Some of our household names have developed through the sport even beyond the boundary. The tournament's impact resonates across sectors enriching our local economy and showcasing the unparalleled beauty of Saint Lucia to a global audience."
England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their ODI series against New Zealand with a 56-run win in the second match in Hamilton.
After being dismissed for a duck in the first match on Monday, opener Tammy Beaumont bounced back with a stellar 81-run stand to get England off to a hot start at Seddon Park.
Once Maia Bouchier was caught by Hannah Rowe for 20, England captain Heather Knight set about building an intimidating target alongside Beaumont.
The pair combined for 70 runs before Knight was dismissed by Jess Kerr.
Beaumont was not fazed however, continuing to belt boundaries despite the quick exits of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey.
She lifted England to 158 for five before she was finally dismissed by Rowe.
Amy Jones took the baton from there, contributing 48 from 40 balls as England set a lofty target of 253.
Despite a staunch 57 from Brooke Halliday and a blistering 47 off 48 balls from Izzy Gaze, New Zealand’s batters were unable to threaten England’s score, ultimately being bowled out for 196.
Sciver-Brunt led the way for England’s bowlers with three wickets from her seven overs.
The final match of the series takes place on Sunday.
Barbados copped the West Indies Under-15 Rising Stars title following a stunning 192-run victory over Windwards Islands in the final round of the tournament on Wednesday.
Jahidi Hinds with a top score of 84 from 105 balls propelled Barbados to 297 runs in 49.2 overs, and later returned to grab two wickets that assisted to restrict Windward Islands to a paltry 105.
Hinds, who slammed five fours and three sixes in his knock, was one of three batsmen that scored half-centuries for the Barbadians at Bethesda. Captain Damarko Wiggins supported with a 69-ball 62, including five fours and three sixes, while Justin Parris contributed 58 from 61 balls.
Earsinho Fontaine was the pick of the Windward Islands bowlers, as he ended with five for 18 from 4.2 overs.
Windward Islands in their reply failed to get going with Jorden Charles the only batsman to offer little resistance with 32. No other Windwards batsman got to 20, as they were dismissed in 26.2 overs.
Javed Worrell, with 3-17 from five overs, led the Barbados bowling, while Kelani Clarke and Hinds took two wickets apiece.
It was the fourth win in a row for the Barbadians after their opening match against Guyana was washed out without a ball bowled.
Last year, Trinidad & Tobago emerged victorious in the tournament which was also held in Antigua.
The annual tournament represents Cricket West Indies continued investment in the development of the region's rising stars.
In a riveting clash at the Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders displayed an unparalleled batting spectacle that nearly eclipsed the record set just a week ago by Sunrisers Hyderabad. With a blistering onslaught led by Sunil Narine's career-best 85, Kolkata Knight Riders left the Delhi Capitals in awe with a monumental score of 272 for 7, falling just short of rewriting history by breaking the highest IPL score record.
Narine's ferocious innings, peppered with seven fours and as many towering sixes, set the stage on fire as he found an able partner in the form of Angkrish Raghuvanshi. The young talent showcased his mettle with a scintillating 54 off 27 balls, matching Narine blow for blow. Together, they formed a formidable partnership that laid waste to the Capitals' bowling attack.
But the onslaught didn't stop there. Andre Russell, with his trademark power-hitting, unleashed havoc upon the Capitals' bowlers, plundering 41 runs in just 19 deliveries. However, a searing yorker from Ishant Sharma in the final over denied Kolkata Knight Riders the chance to etch their name in the history books by surpassing the highest IPL score.
Despite falling short of the record, Kolkata Knight Riders' colossal total proved insurmountable for the Delhi Capitals, as they succumbed to a crushing defeat by a mammoth margin of 106 runs. With this victory, Kolkata Knight Riders soared to the top of the table, joining Rajasthan Royals with three wins from three matches, solidifying their position as serious title contenders in the IPL.
The Capitals, despite a valiant effort from their batsmen, including notable half-centuries from Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs, found themselves outclassed by the Knight Riders' clinical performance. Vaibhav Arora emerged as the hero for Kolkata Knight Riders with a stellar bowling display, claiming three crucial wickets for a mere 27 runs, further sealing the Capitals' fate.
As the dust settled on the electrifying encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders celebrated their third consecutive win in the tournament, marking the first time in their history that they had started a season with three victories in three matches. With their batsmen firing on all cylinders and their bowlers delivering under pressure, Kolkata Knight Riders sent a clear message to their competitors: they were a force to be reckoned with in the race for the IPL title.
Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson is ready to take his chance in a potential “shootout” for the England gloves this summer.
With Ben Foakes yet to match imperious glovework with consistent runs and Jonny Bairstow potentially at a career crossroads following a lean tour of India, there are a number of contenders eager to push to the front of the queue.
Foakes’ Surrey team-mate Jamie Smith has no shortage of admirers, Somerset’s James Rew enjoyed a superb breakout season in 2023 and white-ball regular Phil Salt is keen to make the move across formats.
But there is also a compelling candidate at Chester-le-Street. Robinson was outstanding as Durham stormed to the Division Two title last season, scoring three centuries and 931 runs at a strike-rate of 88.66 to mark himself out as a ‘Bazball’ natural. In the field he contributed 37 catches and 10 stumpings.
That won him a place on England Lions’ winter series against India A and the 25-year-old is not shying away from the possibility of a swift promotion ahead of Durham’s top-flight return against Hampshire on Friday.
“You see articles all the time, people putting stuff online, and it sounds like the media think there’s going to be changes with England,” he told the PA news agency.
“Whether it’s me or someone else, who knows, but that’s an exciting place to be at the start of the season. It’s a bit of a shootout in a way.
“Things like the Lions call-up show you you’re not that far away. It might just be about who starts the best. That’s not me putting pressure on myself but it is an exciting opportunity to really put your name in the hat if something was to happen and changes are to be made.
“Coaches talk about having healthy competition all the time and that’s what drives people onwards, knowing someone is on your tail. I’m used to that, before I was here I was at Kent and I had Jordan Cox and Sam Billings around me so I’ve always had that feeling of trying to force my way in.”
Robinson is also pleased to be coming through at a time when England’s attacking philosophy, led by head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, chimes with his own instincts.
“That’s the way I’ve always played, I like to score runs and hit boundaries,” he said.
“I remember opening the batting for Kent against Northamptonshire once and getting 100 off 100 balls. Everyone was asking, ‘Are you in a rush to get somewhere?’.
“It’s a breath of fresh air for me that it’s becoming more the norm to go about things that way. I score quickly and hit the ball in areas that some players don’t. Batters are there to score runs, it doesn’t matter how many you face.”
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