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South Africa rolled aside for 135 after dramatic collapse at Kingsmead

Andrew Miller08-Dec-2024England 137 for 4 (Beaumont 34, Bouchier 33, Dercksen 2-22) beat South Africa 135 (Tryon 45, Dean 4-45, Ecclestone 3-27, Filer 3-32) by six wicketsCharlie Dean became the first England bowler to claim a hat-trick in a women’s ODI for 25 years – though later admitted she hadn’t noticed the feat – as South Africa were routed by six wickets at Kingsmead.Having lost the opening ODI in Kimberley by six wickets on Wednesday, England bounced back to level the series in style, instigating a collapse of five wickets for four runs before an aggressive batting display led by Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier wrapped up the contest with 26 overs to spare. After a 3-0 win in the T20Is, England have also claimed an unassailable 8-2 lead in the multi-format series.After winning the toss and bowling first, England showed their intent from the outset, with Lauren Filer bowling both Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus in her first two overs to reduce South Africa to 14 for 2.However, Laura Wolvaardt – in her 100th ODI – and Annerie Dercksen responded with a fluent stand of 58 in 13 overs to give the impression that South Africa had weathered much of England’s early storm.Then, however, came a drinks break at the end of the 16th over, and what followed was a stunning mid-innings meltdown.On 29, and just three balls after the resumption, Dercksen sliced an open-faced drive off Dean to Filer at backward point, and with her sixth ball of the same over, Dean bagged the key blow of the innings, as Marizanne Kapp drove impulsively through the line and scuffed a simple catch to Sophie Ecclestone at mid-off.Ecclestone herself was into the action four balls later, as Wolvaardt – whose cover-driving had once again been the feature of her innings – this time misjudged the length and inside-edged onto her own stumps for 35, as she hung back in the crease.At 76 for 5, South Africa were punch-drunk, and two balls into Dean’s next over, they were all but out for the count. Nadine de Klerk climbed into a horrible off-balance hack, which Heather Knight at slip scooped up via a deflection off the keeper’s gloves, and then Sinalo Jafta pressed forward without conviction, and was pinned in front of middle and leg first-ball.A review couldn’t save her, and Dean had become only the third England bowler to claim an ODI hat-trick in women’s cricket, after Carol Hodges against Denmark in 1993, and most recently Clare Connor against India in 1999. She looked nonplussed when quizzed about the achievement during the innings break, and later admitted at the post-match presentation that the moment had passed her by completely.South Africa found some resistance, thanks to Chloe Tryon, who marshalled the lower-order with a hard-fought 45 from 49 balls. Filer returned to the attack to bowl Nonkululeko Mlaba as she retreated to leg, but her extra pace proved more to Tryon’s liking, as her subsequent over was picked off for three fours through the off side.The spinners, however, would not be denied for long. Ecclestone found some extra turn and bounce to prise out Tryon via a sharp take from Beaumont at short leg, and then mopped up the innings with 18 overs left unused as Ayanda Hlubi was bowled for 6.In reply, England’s chase was kickstarted by Beaumont and Bouchier, whose opening stand of 69 in 12 overs broke the back of the requirement.Both were eventually done in by the aggressive Dercksen, whose use of the short ball induced two fluffed pulls, Bouchier to midwicket and Beaumont to the keeper, and when Heather Knight was trapped lbw for 7 by Kapp, there was the threat of a wobble at 82 for 3.Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Nat Sciver-Brunt put the contest beyond any doubt, however, with a fourth-wicket stand of 47, and though de Klerk grabbed a consolation lbw in the final over, two fours from Amy Jones sealed the deal.

Craig Ervine to lead Zimbabwe’s 16-member squad for their first ODIs since February

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2025Wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor is set to make his ODI comeback for Zimbabwe in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka after completing his ban for breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code. He had made his international comeback earlier this month, in the second Test against New Zealand in Bulawayo, and his previous ODI appearance was against Ireland in September 2021.Zimbabwe have named a 16-member squad led by Craig Ervine for the two ODIs in Harare on August 29 and 31. The teams also play three T20Is in Harare on September 3, 6 and 7.”We are delighted to welcome Brendan back into the fold,” Zimbabwe convener of selectors David Mutendera said in a statement. “His experience and quality are invaluable, especially in pressure situations, and his presence will no doubt lift the dressing room.”Zimbabwe have not played ODIs since the series against Ireland in February. Clive Madande, Tony Munyonga, Brad Evans and uncapped seamer Ernest Masuku are the new additions to the squad.”This squad has been selected to give us the best chance against a strong Sri Lankan side,” Mutendera said. “We have combined proven match-winners with players who are hungry to make their mark, and that mix of experience and energy will be crucial as we transition from red-ball cricket to the fast pace of ODIs.”Zimbabwe’s recent results have been poor. Since June, they have been beaten heavily in two home Tests against South Africa, lost all their games in a T20I tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand, and suffered heavy defeats in two home Tests against New Zealand.”We’ve just come off a tough red-ball series and now it’s about adjusting to the tempo and intensity of one-day cricket,” Zimbabwe’s head coach Justin Sammons said. “Clarity in roles will be key – each player must understand exactly what’s required. Get that right, and I believe we can compete strongly against a very disciplined Sri Lankan outfit.”

Zimbabwe squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka

Craig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Wessly Madhevere, Clive Madande, Ernest Masuku, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.

Young allrounder Cooper Connolly’s 79 pushed WA, even as Test aspirant Matt Renshaw fell cheaply

Tristan Lavalette09-Oct-2024Test aspirant Matt Renshaw fell cheaply, but captain Marnus Labuschagne led Queensland’s recovery with a half-century against Western Australia at the WACA. Labuschagne was in superb touch, as he hit 77 off 96 balls and looked in total command until falling lbw to offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli late on day two. It was a major blow in Queensland’s rally, but No. 4 Jack Clayton held firm and finished unbeaten on 52.After toiling in the field for 124.2 overs, openers Renshaw and Usman Khawaja were challenged by accurate new-ball bowling from quicks Matt Kelly and Cameron Gannon. The pitch flattened considerably amid sunny conditions, and represented a golden opportunity for Renshaw, who might be in the frame for a Test recall given the uncertainty over Cameron Green’s back injury.Renshaw started with a gorgeous drive down the ground off Kelly in the first over, but was worked over by Gannon, and edged to third slip. He made just 6 off 24 balls.Labuschagne, with his father watching on in the terraces, was cautious early, before counterattacking Rocchiccioli with quick footwork down the pitch. He combined well with Khawaja, who also pounced on an unusually ragged effort from Rocchiccioli.Gannon, playing against his former team, was the standout of WA’s shorthanded attack missing speedsters Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson, with allrounder Mitchell Marsh playing as a specialist batter. Having starred in WA’s Shield triumph against Tasmania last season, Gannon was relentless, and knocked over Khawaja, who on 31, played a short ball on to his stumps.WA debutant Brody Couch, recruited from Victoria and who has played in Major League Cricket, impressed and bowled a lively first spell before tea. He was the fastest out of WA’s trio of quicks, reaching speeds of 140kph while also bowling the occasional fiery short-pitched delivery. Couch tired late in the day, but did deliver a stinging delivery that hit Labuschagne in the stomach and had him on his haunches.Queensland still have considerable work ahead to close in on WA’s massive first-innings total of 465. WA’s recovery continued on day two when allrounder Cooper Connolly and Gannon batted for almost the entire first session. Connolly powered to his half-century off 64 balls, and was matched by Gannon, a useful middle-order batter for his local club team. Labuschagne reverted to funky fields for Queensland, but to no avail, as Gannon notched his second half-century in first-class cricket.After making his international debut during Australia’s tour of the UK, Connolly has been earmarked for a big summer, and might be a smokey for the Test tour of Sri Lanka early next year.Justifying his selection ahead of veteran Ashton Turner, Connolly unleashed powerful strokes to reach lunch on 79 not out. Having made 90 in his first-class debut in last season’s Shield final, Connolly’s bid for a maiden ton was cut short when he holed out to Renshaw in the first over after the interval.After a standout performance on day one, fringe Test quick Michael Neser only bowled three overs on day two. He finished with 5 for 68 from 25 overs, and completed a stunning athletic catch on the boundary to wrap WA’s innings up. Part-timers Labuschagne and Renshaw claimed two wickets apiece before having contrasting fortunes with the bat.

Shubman Gill has come in for sharp scrutiny following poor returns at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia

Shashank Kishore14-Jan-2025Shubman Gill has confirmed his availability for Punjab for their sixth-round Ranji Trophy fixture against Karnataka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru starting January 23. The squad hasn’t been announced yet.Gill’s possible return to the Punjab fold gives him an opportunity to work with Wasim Jaffer, the highest run-getter in Ranji history who is now the Punjab coach. It comes at a time when his poor returns outside Asia – he averages 17.64 in 18 innings since June 2021 – have come in for sharp scrutiny, especially with India slated to tour England for five Tests in the summer.His return will shore up a squad that will be without senior players Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh, who have both been picked in India’s T20I squad for the five-match series against England starting January 22 in Kolkata.Gill’s last Ranji Trophy appearance for Punjab came in 2022, when he played against Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-finals in Alur. His return coincides with the Indian team management having laid down strict protocols for national players in the wake of India’s 3-1 Test series loss in Australia.1:47

Pujara: Gill’s hard hands and lack of footwork causing trouble in Australia

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have spoken of the need for top players to make themselves available to play for their respective state teams when free of international commitments.Gill was among those who endured a disappointing run in Australia, where he managed a highest of 31 in five innings following a return from a finger injury that kept him out of the series opener in Perth. He averaged 18.60 for the series. He was also left out of India’s XI for the Boxing Day Test, with the team management slotting in KL Rahul at No. 3 after Rohit Sharma reverted to his opening position having initially started the series, in the second Test, in the middle order.At the time, though, the team management said that Gill hadn’t been dropped and was merely “unfortunate” to miss out owing to team combination, as India went in with two spin-bowling allrounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.Punjab’s hopes of qualifying for the Ranji Trophy playoffs hangs by a thread; they are currently fifth in Group A with a solitary win in five games.

Lauderhill is scheduled to host three Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan

Sidharth Monga14-Jun-2024Chances for cricket in Florida received a boost after a dry first half of Thursday, a day before Lauderhill hosts three T20 World Cup Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan. Not to forget Ireland and Canada, who haven’t yet been knocked out of the tournament. If the first match, between USA and Ireland, is washed out, though, USA will become the second team from Group A to go through to the Super Eight.After quite a few flights into Miami and Fort Lauderdale were cancelled on Wednesday, teams, production crews and commentators all made it into Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. While there were still delays in flights because of inclement weather en route, Fort Lauderdale itself had remained dry till late afternoon. The drizzle in the evening was expected to die down by night followed by forecast for some showers from 9am to 11am on Friday. Flash flood warnings for the larger area continued to remain in tact.However, the conditions at the ground were a cause for optimism. Mark Adair, the Ireland allrounder was impressed with what he saw. “I don’t think there was too many people who came to leave the hotel, but no, at the ground today, it was actually remarkably dry,” Adair said. “I think there’s still wet patches over the far side of the ground but you know considering what the place has been through 24 hours before I think the place is looking pretty good.”The USA opening batter Steven Taylor, who comes from Florida, also said the drainage at the ground is good. “Growing up here at the stadium, it has always had a nice drainage,” Taylor said. “So, we always hope that once the next day doesn’t rain, there’ll always be cricket. But we can’t stop the weather. So, whatever happens, we just have to work with it.”Saurabh Netravalkar, the USA left-arm fast bowler, said they were preparing as if the match was going on as scheduled. “Actually I haven’t thought about it [the weather] at all,” Netravalkar said hours before leaving from New York on Wednesday evening. “Now we are seeing and hearing that there’s rain, but from our perspective, what is controllable is to expect that we are going to have a full game and we have to try our best to get a victory ’cause even Ireland is a top side. They might have lost two games, but they’re a good team.”If USA beat Ireland or get one point from the match, they will qualify. After their defeat to USA and India earlier, Pakistan are left hoping no team goes past four points. For Pakistan to have a chance of going ahead, they need Ireland to beat USA and then beat Ireland on the Sunday. If Ireland win both their games against USA and Pakistan, they will give themselves a chance but their net run rate is not looking very healthy. Canada, who beat Ireland earlier, need USA to lose to Ireland for them to have a chance of progressing should they upset India on Saturday.

From 25 for 3, James Rew and Tom Abell set a new Somerset record for the fourth wicket

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-Jul-2025Somerset 338 for 4 (Rew 162*, Abell 156, Abbas 3-49) vs Nottinghamshire Centuries from James Rew and Tom Abell in a county record partnership enabled Somerset to take an opening-day advantage over Nottinghamshire in the clash between second and third in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship, closing on 338 for four.Rew (162 not out) and Abell, who fell for a career-best 156 moments before the close, added 313 in 81 overs, overtaking the 310 shared by Peter Denning and Ian Botham against Gloucestershire at Taunton in 1980 as Somerset’s biggest fourth-wicket stand.It was all the more impressive for Somerset having been two wickets down in three overs without a run on the board when Rew walked to the crease, and 25 for 3 when he was joined by Abell.Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas – who reached the milestone of 800 first-class victims – took all three wickets in a difficult first hour for the visitors after losing the toss but they were the only successes for the Nottinghamshire attack until the final minutes of the day.Rew earned a call-up to the England squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May after two centuries in the first month of the season. The 21-year-old did not make the cut on that occasion but senior international recognition must surely come in time.Nottinghamshire began this round of matches – the 11th of 14 – a point behind leaders and defending champions Surrey, with Somerset third after their victory over Durham last week.Somerset’s painful beginning to the day saw Abbas remove Lewis Gregory and Tom Lammonby in his first and second overs, the captain leg before offering no shot to a delivery he clearly judged would slide harmlessly past his off stump before Lammonby, with only defensive intent, nicked to second slip.Under heavy cloud cover after a damp early morning, conditions looked ideal for the veteran Abbas. Haseeb Hameed, the Nottinghamshire captain, duly gave him an extended spell while the Kookaburra ball retained its hardness.He was rewarded again, finding the outside edge of Josh Davey’s straight bat. With this dismissal, Abbas totalled 800 first-class wickets, 284 of them in the English county game.Somerset were in some trouble, but Rew had already shown a glimpse of his class when he drove Abbas to the cover boundary and pulled him for four in the same over with two high-quality strokes. More would follow.As batting became easier, Abell began to look as assured as his partner, the two adding 65 in what remained of the opening session, which proved to be a platform from which they dominated the afternoon.Rew, who reached 51 from 75 balls with his first scoring shot of the afternoon, lofting left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White clear of the straight boundary in front of the currently shrouded pavilion, went to a century – his third of the season – from 138, adding two more sixes to the shorter side of the playing area off Calvin Harrison, the leg spinner. Other than an edge off Patterson-White on 92, the ball looping out of even the tall Harrison’s reach at slip, he had looked in complete control.By tea, Abell having completed his first hundred of the year, Somerset had added 137 for no loss to be 227 for 3 and Nottinghamshire, though there had been signs of turn, needed some inspiration.Thereafter, Rew’s touch seemed a little less sure, both batters comparatively quiet as the Nottinghamshire spinners gained some control.They attacked the second new ball with some success, although Rew, cutting vigorously, survived a half-chance to second slip off Brett Hutton on 148 before going to 150 from 239 balls.Abell in turn reached 151 from 245 balls, setting the partnership record with two into the offside off Dillon Pennington, before falling to a top-edged pull off the same bowler, after which only two more deliveries were possible before failing light forced the players off 15 balls before the scheduled close.

It was Seattle Orcas’ second win of the season, and lifted them to No. 4; Los Angeles Knight Riders, meanwhile, have now lost six of their seven games

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2025For the second game in a row in MLC 2025, Shimron Hetmyer took charge of the Seattle Orcas innings at a critical stage and smashed his way through to victory.He did it off the last ball against MI New York just about 24 hours ago even as he cramped up, but didn’t show any signs of discomfort when he did it again. This time, against Los Angeles Knight Riders, who were on top at different stages of the game but came unstuck in the end.The base for Hetmyer had been set by Aaron Jones.After Josh Brown had been sent back for a two-ball duck by Jason Holder in the first over, Jones and Shayan Jahangir put together 119 for the second wicket in 11.1 overs. Jahangir’s contribution was 42 from 29 balls, while Jones scored 73 in 38, a strike rate close to 200.But the innings needed something more if Orcas, after losing their first five games of the season, needed to make it two in two. That came from Hetmyer, who walked out at No. 5 with 77 still needed in just under eight overs.Two fours came off Ali Khan in the 14th over. Tanveer Sangha was then sent for two sixes in the 15th, and 48 from 30 balls looked very gettable for Orcas. There was a little blip as Andre Russell, who had earlier smashed 65 not out from 39 balls, bowled a five-run over, but it was business as usual for Hetmyer after that, as he took two more sixes off Holder in the 17th, and another off Ali Khan in the 18th.Andre Russell smashed 65 not out in 39 balls to lead Los Angeles Knight Riders’ batting charge•Sportzpics for MLC

Still, after Russell had bowled an eight-run 19th over, Hetmyer had a bit left to do. And when the fifth ball of the last over, bowled by Shadley van Schalkwyk, went straight down the ground, it was all done and dusted.Orcas have now risen from the bottom of the six-team table to No. 4, while Knight Riders have taken their place.After being asked to bat, Knight Riders stuttered to 41 for 1 in the powerplay, and then 66 for 3 at the halfway mark, with none of Andre Fletcher (strike rate 113.04), Unmukt Chand (84.61) and Sherfane Rutherford (125.00) able to get a move on.Russell, promoted to No. 3 and having reached 15 from 13, took off at that point. With Saif Badar for company, Russell took 16, 15, 10 and 21 runs off the next four overs, and suddenly Knight Riders were in business.Even after Badar fell for a 21-ball 41, Waqar Salamkheil getting his second wicket of the game, the big-hitting didn’t stop. In fact, the entry of Rovman Powell made it worse for the Orcas bowlers. Russell, not as belligerent as he usually is, ended with 65 from 39 balls with six fours and four sixes, but Powell was another story. All Powell’s four sixes came against medium pace – three off Jasdeep Singh. and one off Ayan Desai. He ended with 43 not out in 21 balls, with two fours to go with four sixes.Orcas didn’t help themselves with a couple of dropped catches, both off Powell, while captain Sikandar Raza’s decision to not bowl himself and leave the last few overs to Jasdeep and Desai didn’t come off. Hetmyer made sure it didn’t matter.

Rain brought an early finish to the first Twenty20 and England edged home by one run so South Africa need a victory to level the short series

Preview by Andrew McGlashan14-Nov-2009

Match facts

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Start time 14.30 (12.30GMT)Plenty to smile about: Eoin Morgan has proved a revelation in England’s limited-overs batting line-up•Getty Images

Big picture

A highveld thunderstorm put paid to a potentially gripping finish to the opening Twenty20 but the action before the rain was still thoroughly entertaining in ideal conditions for quick scoring. With Albie Morkel and AB de Villiers in the middle, South Africa would still have fancied their chances of chasing down more than 10-an-over to win, while England’s bowlers were clawing back their figures are severe punishment from Loots Bosman.Not that England were short on boundaries. Eoin Morgan gave another display of his huge talent and Paul Collingwood showed there is plenty of life in the old(ish) dog yet. The tourists’ new-found freedom in limited-overs cricket is certainly the way forward. There will be days when it fails spectacularly, but as they learn how to adapt their aggression to conditions it will serve them well.So South Africa are left needing to win the second Twenty20 to square the series and finish the first phase of this long head-to-head on even terms. They will want to sharpen their bowling skills after they tended to feed Morgan’s leg-side strength, but Centurion should offer more high-scoring conditions. The main concern for England is the number of niggles the players are already picking up with James Anderson and Graeme Swann missing training along with Collingwood.With this being a day-game, it will hopefully mean that the full match is possible before any evening thunderstorms bubble up. However, it’s always worthwhile to keep the D-L sheets to hand.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa – LLWWW
England – WLWLW

Team news

If South Africa stick to their pre-series talk of giving all the squad a game it means some shuffling of the pack. Heino Kuhn is in line for a debut – Mark Boucher could be rested – while Jacques Kallis will return, although purely as a batsman, and Yusuf Abdulla, the left-arm seamer, is another pace option.South Africa (possible) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Loots Bosman, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Albie Morkel, 6 Heino Kuhn (wk), 7 Ryan McLaren, 8 Roelof van der Merwe, 9 Johan Botha, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Yusuf AbdullaEngland are carrying a number of players with minor niggles. Collingwood (back), Anderson (knee) and Swann (side) all missed training as a precaution and face morning fitness tests ahead of the game. With Stuart Broad still recovering from his shoulder injury, Kevin Pietersen not due to return until Tuesday and Andrew Strauss opting out of Twenty20 the squad could be stretched. Adil Rashid and Graham Onions are the two players who didn’t appear in the opening match.England (possible) 1 Joe Denly, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Paul Collingwood (capt), 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Sajid Mahmood, 11 James Anderson

Watch out for

Dale Steyn took a bit of a hammering on Friday, firstly at the hands of Trott, who took him for four consecutive boundaries, then from Morgan’s onslaught. It is still early-season for Steyn, but he doesn’t appear quite on top of his game. However, it would be foolish to read too much into his form so far and it won’t take a lot for him to turn it around. He’ll want to make a mark ahead of the contests to come and his record shows a match-winning performance is not far away.England have found something a little special in Morgan – and he likes facing South Africa. His thrilling effort at the Wanderers followed on from his display at the Champions Trophy, when he helped knock out the hosts. England’s batsmen have been criticised for their lack of sixes, but Morgan is quickly putting that right and one blow in the first match landed comfortably outside the ground.

Stats and trivia

• Joe Denly has been dismissed first ball in both his Twenty20 international innings after being trapped leg before by Charl Langeveldt at the Wanderers to following his golden duck at the hands of Brett Lee at Old Trafford.
• England’s 202 for 6 was their highest Twenty20 total while Morgan’s 85 was also their best individual effort.

Quotes

“It was just that the wicket happened to be good and I didn’t think he bowled particularly well. We don’t target any bowlers at all.”
“From my perspective, it’s a realisation that it is going to be a tough series, it’s going to be good and exciting – England have come here to play.”

New Zealand’s Tim Robinson will act as a temporary replacement for Moeen and then for Gurbaz

Deivarayan Muthu06-Sep-2024England allrounder Moeen Ali is set for his maiden CPL stint after having been signed up by defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors for the ongoing season. Moeen, 37, will slot in as a replacement for Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, who is unavailable for the entire season.Ayub’s absence is a significant blow for Amazon Warriors, considering he was the breakout star in their run to their first title in 2023. Ayub was the second-highest run-getter last season, with 478 runs in 13 innings at an average of 43.45 and strike rate of 142.26. Nobody hit more sixes than Ayub’s 28 in CPL 2023.This time, the CPL clashed with Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home, where Ayub opened the batting for his team, and will also overlap with the Champions One-Day Cup, a new version of Pakistan’s domestic 50-over competition. Ayub is set to play for Panthers in that tournament.Related

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Moeen’s availability for Amazon Warriors is subject to Birmingham Bears’ progression in the T20 Blast in the UK, which is also clashing with the CPL. If Bears win the quarter-final against Gloucestershire on Friday, they will reach the Finals Day on September 14.Until Moeen arrives for the CPL, New Zealand’s hard-hitting opener Tim Robinson will act as his temporary replacement. Robinson is a bit of a Finn Allen clone who “loves hitting sixes”. In the 2023-24 Super Smash, he was the second-highest run-getter, with 298 runs in six innings at an average of 59.60 and strike rate of 187.42. The tally included 139 off 64 balls, with ten sixes, against Otago, the second-highest score in the history of the Super Smash.Tim Robinson lit up the 2023-24 Super Smash with his big-hitting•Getty Images

Soon after the Super Smash, Robinson made his T20I debut for New Zealand. More recently, during the New Zealand winter, he spent time at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai training against spin, something which could come in handy during the CPL. This will be Robinson’s first T20 tournament outside of the Super Smash.Even after Moeen links up with Amazon Warriors, Robinson will stay with the squad, filling in for Rahmanullah Gurbaz who will leave the CPL after the Barbados leg for international duty. Gurbaz is not part of the Afghanistan squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand next week but is likely to play the three-match ODI series against South Africa in the UAE. The Barbados leg of the CPL ends on September 17, with the ODI series in the UAE set to begin a day after.Gurbaz will return for the last leg of the CPL in Guyana, with Robinson making way for him.In the absence of Ayub, Amazon Warriors had Gudakesh Motie opening the batting in their opening game of the season and then Kevin Sinclair in their second game. Even during the last season, Amazon Warriors had promoted pinch-hitters to the top – Keemo Paul, for example, opened the batting in the final – but the signings of Moeen and Robinson gives them the option of using proper batters at the top.Amazon Warriors have made a bright start to their defence, winning both their games so far.

An integral part of ECB’s privatisation of the Hundred involves the eight teams being run as a joint venture

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Jul-2024Is it wise or profitable to buy the minority (49%) stake being offered by ECB to own one of the eight franchises in the Hundred? That’s the question being asked by owners of almost all of the 10 IPL teams, most of whom are keen to buy teams in the Hundred but not in favour of being a “passive” investor.An integral part of ECB’s privatisation of the Hundred, which launched its fourth season on Tuesday, involves the eight teams being run as a joint venture. The ECB has finalised a model which will leave 51% stake with eight Hundred ‘hosts’ – seven counties and, in the case of London Spirit, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The remaining 49% will be sold to private investors, which will be finalised by ECB in coordination with the hosts, who have also been given the choice to divest some or all of their stakes before the formal bidding process from mid-September.But several IPL franchise owners have expressed reservations, especially on the controlling stake which, along with trust, is one of two key factors that determine the success and longevity of any joint venture. It is no different for the Hundred.Related

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• The Hundred: Why 2024 season is ECB's 'shop window' for investment

“This is going to be new for anyone who’s coming in, because in all the other franchise investments, we are 100% owners,” said the head of one IPL-winning franchise. “The dynamics of that are very different. Here, it’s going to be a joint venture. There’s valuation subject, then there’s ownership subject, then there’s operational matters – all these issues come to the fore immediately.”The official, who declined to be named, said the very fact that there’s another partner, whether they have a minority or majority stake, raised a “stumbling block” and “a huge difference” to how their franchises operated elsewhere. “If it is 49 %, who’s in charge? Would you want to come in as a pure investor? Probably not. I don’t know the answer to that yet.”But we have been told that control and all those things could be baked in for the investor who’s coming in. I don’t know that there’ll be a great deal of appetite and interest to say, ‘OK, here’s a cheque. I would like to be a passive investor. Let it run as it is and we’ll contribute to the extent we can.’ No.”Vikram Banerjee, head of business operations at ECB, was made aware of investors’ concerns on his trip to India during IPL 2024, where he met with owners and management at various franchises.”For a number of them, it’s around things like brand,” Banerjee said on the subject of control. “For a lot of them it is cricket, and being in control of the cricket side of things and others, pure and simple majority stakes from an equity perspective. So we understand that and we understand where they are at. We have then built that into the process.”If you look across our eight teams, there will be a variety there that will be on market, and that clarity will be provided when we go to market in September. And that clarity will provide a range that I believe, at this point, will have different offerings that will suit all different kinds. And then as the conversations build, the details will build through October, November, December. We’ll get to a really good place by the time the process runs its course.”Among the eight franchises, the MCC and Surrey said they currently have no plans to divest any of their 51% stake in their teams.Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, didn’t rule out the possibility of the investors holding a 100% stake subject to their fulfilling various criteria. “There’s certainly the opportunity for people to have, potentially, 100% ownership. It depends on the capabilities that they can bring both in terms of finance and operational delivery. Those opportunities do exist.”The ECB had been clear at the outset that the highest bid will not necessarily be the winning one. Banerjee said while there was no denying money was important, the board also wanted partners who were keen to support the growth of the game at all levels.Venky Mysore, the CEO of defending IPL champions KKR, believes any joint venture “boils down to the chemistry recipe”•BCCI

Venky Mysore, CEO at Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending IPL champions, said the success of a joint venture is determined by the “chemistry” between the investor and the county in the case of the Hundred. Mysore has been at the helm of the Knight Riders group since 2011, and has overseen their buying and establishing teams in the Carribean Premier League, International League T20 and Major League Cricket.”Like in any joint venture there are legacy issues which will be there in the Hundred, too,” Mysore told ESPNcricinfo earlier this month. “The existing shareholder group has existed for 100-plus years, and suddenly, you have a new investor coming in and you are joining hands.”Ultimately in any joint venture, with my experience, it boils down to the chemistry recipe. It’s not the number: it’s not about a closed bid and ‘here’s a cheque’ and the highest bid wins. From our perspective and from the partner’s perspective who have already spoken with us, it’s about that chemistry. Can you work together? Because this is for the long run.”Speaking for ourselves… we think about it for the long haul. So something like [the Hundred], again, you think about it for the long haul and then say, ‘OK, it’s a joint venture’. If it has to work, then the people, the chemistry has to be a big determining factor. And those are the risks of joint ventures in general.”Not everyone is chasing a majority stake, though. A CEO at a third IPL team told ESPNcricinfo that since they are just dipping their feet in the Hundred, and doesn’t fully understand the business model, they would prefer to buy a smaller stake in a franchise and build on it gradually.”49% is good enough to begin with,” the CEO said. “The key question is how much that 49% constitutes of the overall value. If that number is too huge and I am not sure and I see enough returns, then I would rather take a small share to begin with, with a rider that I would be allowed to take more of a stake with every passing year, or every five years.”