She’s been pigeon-holed as a red-ball specialist, but suddenly, with a must-win Test coming up, that’s no bad thing at all

Raf Nicholson16-Jul-2019Kate Cross knows a thing or two about women’s Test matches. Last time England won one, at Perth in 2014, she played a central role, taking 6 for 70 across both innings as England triumphed in a low-scoring thriller. Since then she has sometimes struggled to escape being pigeon-holed as a red-ball specialist, a somewhat useless designation in the women’s game given that only one Test is played every two years.Nonetheless, as England gear up for a must-win four-day encounter at Taunton this week, it is that very reputation which both she and England are hoping can once again bring home the Ashes bacon.”If someone’s telling me that they think that I’m a specialist Test player then to me that is a compliment in a way, it’s someone saying how consistent you are,” Cross says as she reflects on the double-edged sword that is her red-ball reputation. “In Test match cricket you know you’ve got to keep bowling in the same areas and you’ve got to put pressure on batsmen and starve runs. I think it’s a format that suits me.””We relish the opportunity to play in a Test match, and when you get your whites it’s really special, because it’s such a rarity. It’s quite hard to train for because there’s not many opportunities to get the red balls out. But everyone wants to play in it – it’s a childhood dream for a lot of the girls.”For Cross, the dream is one step closer after she was on Tuesday announced in England’s 13-strong squad for the Test. Only six of those players, including Cross, survive from the 2014 Perth Test – which was also the last time England won the Ashes. This time around, with England already 6-0 down on points and the spectre of a 194-run defeat at Canterbury looming large over the England camp, success against Australia seems an elusive thing.But Cross – something of a Test veteran, with three under her belt (they’ve only played six in the past decade) – knows that the longer format represents an opportunity for a clean slate for her teammates, and something of a leveller for both sides: “we don’t play a lot of it, so no one really knows what to expect.”Her own memories of the 2014 Test at the WACA are ready and waiting to be drawn on this week as she seeks to inspire her teammates to a repeat performance.”It’s probably going to be one of my all-time highs of my career,” she says. “I remember my dad texted me the day before and he said, ‘just take everything in, just enjoy the moment. It doesn’t matter the result, you’re getting a Test cap for England, just enjoy every second of it’.”Kate Cross conceded just one run in the final over•PTI

“And that’s an overriding feeling that I’ve got from that Test match, is the enjoyment that I had. Even though it was 40, 50 degrees and we were sweating our asses off, and it was difficult and I’d never been in a situation like that when we were fighting for four days, I still really enjoyed it and I had so much fun out there.Replying to England’s first innings of 201, Australia had already lost both openers to Anya Shrubsole, when Cross was called into the attack in the tenth over with Jess Cameron and Sarah Elliott in her sights.”I remember when Lottie [captain Charlotte Edwards] threw me the ball, I thought to myself ‘just land it on the strip at least!’ I bowled quite straight, my first delivery was quite a straight one, and I thought, ‘okay you’re going to be fine here. Just imagine you’re playing at Heywood [her home club] on a Saturday, this is fine’.”My first wicket [Cameron] was a big one because I took it in my first over, which really settled me into the game. It was my fourth ball. And I think if you watch my reaction and my celebration, I’m just in shock! I thought ‘you can’t have just got a wicket in your debut Test’. If you look at any photos, it’s just pure shock!”Many consider Perth in 2014 to be one of the greatest women’s Test matches ever played – with Cross again in the thick of the action in the second innings, claiming three wickets for no runs in the space of seven balls as England successfully defended a target of 185: looking back, Cross recognises what a privilege it was to be at the heart of such an occasion.”I remember just taking myself off at the end of the game, and I just sat on the hill with a beer. I remember I was sat there on my own at the end of it all, because I just wanted to take it all in and cherish it, I guess.”It’s a moment she would often return to over the years, as – after that spectacular start to her international career, only her fifth appearance in an England shirt – she struggled to retain her place, and eventually went two years (between July 2016 and July 2018) without playing a single international match. That included missing out on England’s 2017 World Cup win – a period she describes as “the toughest summer that I’ve had to go through”.Did she consider giving up and walking away? “If the ECB kept offering me contracts I would never have said no,” she says. “If [coach] Mark Robinson had turned round and said ‘look, we don’t quite think you’re good enough’, I would have walked away and said, ‘well I’ve given it my best shot’.””But while you’re still getting the opportunity to be a professional cricketer, and still getting the opportunities to learn, even though you’re not playing international cricket – which sometimes for us is really difficult, because we feel like we train more than we play. You often don’t get the opportunities that you want to showcase all the skill development that you do in the nets.”Robinson, though, never gave up on Cross: late last year he made a crucial intervention to which she attributes her recent return to form.”We sat down before I went to Australia and we tweaked my action a little bit. So my bowling hand, the one that carries the ball, I’ve got a bit more fluid motion in that. I used to load up quite near my hipbone, and now the ball comes up past my ear, and that’s to get a little bit more fluidity in my action, which consequently has helped my consistency as well.”Her returns for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL last winter were not spectacular – six wickets across 14 matches – but something, somewhere along the line, clicked. She returned to the England side for their T20 series against India, and saved them from what looked like certain defeat in the final match by defending three from the final over. She has subsequently been part of Robinson’s first-choice XI in every match this summer, and opened the bowling in all three of the Ashes ODIs: she feels that she is “back to somewhere near my best”.”I’m probably a bit fitter, which helps. For me, I’m quite a rhythmical bowler, so if I’m running in and attacking the crease, and if I’m staying tall and I’m getting seam movement then I’m generally in quite a good place.””It’s great for me to be able to help out Anya [Shrubsole] and Katherine [Brunt]. I would like to think that I offer something different. I try and contain batters, and put pressure on. If you look at the wickets that I took against the West Indies, they weren’t absolute jaffas of deliveries, I just felt like I created pressure and bowled a lot of dot balls, which then led to wickets being created. Robbo jokes with me that I’ve got the workhorse role in the team, I’m the one who bowls uphill into the wind and does the job that no one wants to do.””For me I love the challenge,” she concludes. A good thing too. Being handed the new ball in a must-win Test against Australia – challenges don’t come much bigger than that.England squad for Ashes Test Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor (wk)

England were blown away for 146 on the final day at Edgbaston to leave them with a host of questions early in the series

Report by Andrew McGlashan05-Aug-2019They came with hope of batting out the final day and leaving Edgbaston intact, but England were blown away by Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins as Australia completed victory by a crushing 251 runs before tea. Lyon lived up the billing as the major fourth-innings threat with 6 for 49, his best figures against England, and finished with nine in the match.It was Australia’s first victory at the venue in any format since 2001 – which is also their last Test series win in England – and this is the first time they have led an away Ashes since 2005. The lead-up to the match was dominated by a multitude of selection debates, but it was two of the nailed-on names who did the wicket-taking work on the final day to ensure that Steven Smith’s monumental performances will always be associated with victory rather than a stalemate. Given that Australia were 122 for 8 on the first day, it will go down as one of their finest victories even though England were a bowler down.Cummins began Australia’s march to victory on the final morning, by removing Rory Burns with a well-directed short ball, and finished with 4 for 32, in the process claiming his 100th Test wicket in his 21st match when he removed Jonny Bairstow. That was the second-fastest number of games for an Australian pace bowler, behind Charlie Turner’s 17, a game quicker than Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Bill Johnston.There was a milestone, too, for Lyon as he reached 350 Test wickets with the scalp of Ben Stokes as England’s middle order was destroyed. There had been some hope when, despite the loss of Burns – splicing the ball to gully – in the third over the day, they reached 60 for 1 but Lyon was soon getting to work.His first wicket of the day owed a lot to a horrendous shot from Jason Roy who charged down the pitch, was nowhere near the ball and still went through with a swipe to the leg side. The end result was not pretty. He is early in his Test career and has been picked because he is a dynamic player, but this was a bad misjudgement. Joe Denly started positively with a brace of sweeps off Lyon but everything was in the offspinner’s favour and it wasn’t long before a bat-pad chance looped to short leg.Root twice used DRS to overturn poor lbw decisions by Joel Wilson – who had a torrid game – when he was given out to James Pattinson on 4 with the ball missing leg and again on 9 against Peter Siddle when there was an inside edge. The contest between Lyon and Root was absorbing while it lasted, the England captain eager to try and not let Lyon settle, but there was no need for an umpiring decision when he did fall, a thick inside edge being safely held by Cameron Bancroft.Nathan Lyon wheels away in celebration•Getty Images

Four down at lunch and England’s only real hope was to have a wicketless middle session: six balls into the resumption and they lost their fifth. Cummins had troubled Jos Buttler before the break – reviewing a tight lbw that was umpire’s call on height – and Buttler was 1 off 24 balls when he had his off stump trimmed. He played it as though the ball kept low, and perhaps it did a fraction, but he was also beaten by Cummins’ challenging length.On a surface that became slower as the match progressed, Cummins made exceptional use of the short ball throughout the day. Having earlier defeated Burns, he then angled one in at Bairstow’s chest and he couldn’t lower his hands in time. The ball ballooned to slip and Bairstow reviewed, intimating it had come off his arm, but it had just brushed the wristband of the glove as well. Credit to Wilson for the correct decision.Next ball, Lyon got one to spin and bounce at Stokes to take the edge with Tim Paine completing another excellent catch up to the stumps. Chris Woakes played his shots as well as anyone on the day, but the end did not take long to come. In one of the more predictable dismissals Lyon snared Moeen Ali again, caught at second slip, for his fifth wicket then put himself on a hat-trick by removing Stuart Broad with another beautiful off-break. The distance by which Lyon out-bowled Moeen in this match was one of the deciding factors despite Smith’s run-glut.James Anderson, whose injury in the opening session created a hole England couldn’t cover up, hobbled out and denied Lyon the hat-trick. It was Cummins who started the demolition and Cummins who ended it when another short ball was fended to slip by Woakes. Fittingly, too, the ball landed in the hands of Smith.The Fortress had been well and truly breached.

The record for highest CPL total was broken twice on the same night as Patriots completed the second-highest T20 chase of all time

The Report by Varun Shetty11-Sep-2019
A rollicking run-fest at Warner Park in Basseterre ended with the second-highest successful T20 chase of all time, with hosts St Kitts and Nevis Patriots scaling down Jamaica Tallawahs’ 241 for 4 with seven balls to spare. The batting records tumbled on a night when the CPL got two highest team totals in a matter of hours. In all, 37 sixes were hit in the match, the joint-most in T20 cricket. Patriots’ win also resulted in the first points taken by a team other than Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders this CPL.Chris Gayle held the largest share of that, hitting ten sixes during his 22nd T20 century in the company of Chadwick Walton, whose 36-ball 73 came in a record CPL stand of 162. But Evin Lewis set the chase rolling with the fastest CPL fifty, off 17 balls, and the rest of the top four put in significant performances as Patriots overcame a late stumble to complete the win.Patriots hand the advantage earlyAfter a delayed start due to broadcast issues, Patriots opted to open the bowling with the left-arm spin of Fabian Allen. This played into the hands of Gayle, who hit him for two sixes and a four within the first four balls. In the second over, Alzarri Joseph bowled two bouncers to concede a no-ball, bowled a wide off the free hit, and then a short ball to give away a four. Without any risks, Tallawahs got 26 off the first two and put the pressure on Patriots.A record partnership, a record totalDespite the early damage, Patriots enforced a brief period of quiet by bowling their seamers for seven overs in a row, including bowling six straight dot balls from Carlos Brathwaite to Walton at the start of his innings. But when legspinner Usama Mir came on, the shackles were broken again. Walton hit him for two glorious straight sixes in an over that went for 19, and the pair didn’t relent from there. Walton kept the rate up when Gayle was kept quiet, with stylish strokes straight over the bowlers, and one especially inventive ramp over third man.Mir’s second over set Gayle free, the flat trajectory landing nicely in his arc as he lifted him over long-on in a 15-run over. With runs coming quickly from both ends, Patriots’ haphazard bowling plans were put under even more pressure. From the 11th to the 16th overs, Tallawahs hammered 13 sixes and one four. Only in one over during that period did an over go for under two sixes.Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton fist-bump during their partnership•CPL T20 via Getty Images

In a rare quiet 17th over, Gayle brought up his 22nd T20 hundred, and off the next ball, the pair took a double that brought up the highest CPL partnership for any wicket – 162. Walton holed out against Joseph, Gayle off Allen – who also dismissed Andre Russell – in the last over for 116 off 62 balls. But it was too late by then. The last ten overs had leaked 153 and Tallawahs had reached a record CPL total.Patriots fly in the chaseThe record-breaking streak continued into the Patriots innings, with the pitch proving with every over that it had nothing for the bowlers. Lewis picked the off side against both Jerome Taylor and offspinner Steven Jacobs, hitting delightful sixes square off the former, and attacking the straight boundaries off the latter. Opening with the promoted Devon Thomas, Lewis smashed 53 off 18 balls and was dismissed with the score on 85 in 5.3 overs. With 89, Patriots had the second-highest Powerplay score in the CPL.The wicket didn’t put a stop to the scoring. At No. 3, Laurie Evans began with a four first ball and continued the attack with Thomas. He was fed several leg-stump deliveries, some of them duly put away for sixes, as Thomas was characteristically more deft with his scoring options, trying to pick the gaps in the field to hit more fours than sixes. They put on 76 off 39 before Evans’ check-shot found sweeper cover at the end of the 12th over. At that point, they needed 81 off eight overs, far below the original asking rate of 12.10.Allen shows how it’s doneWicketkeeper Glenn Phillips took a sensational flying catch to his right, one-handed, as Thomas’ attempted slog against Oshane took a big outside edge. It turned out to be the first of three wickets in the 14th over, which had begun with Patriots needing 66 from 42 with eight wickets in hand. Captain Carlos Brathwaite slapped one to sweeper cover and Jason Mohammed edged one down the leg side trying to pull, for a three-ball duck. From 161 for 1, Patriots stumbled to 177 for 5.From being favourites, Patriots seemed to be slipping, with their coaching staff visibly frustrated at what seemed to be a compulsion to play big shots. But Allen alleviated any anxieties from the Oshane over, playing two controlled shots – a classy drive past mid-off and a cut past point – to pick up fours off consecutive balls against Russell.At the other end, Shamarh Brooks survived after swinging and missing at a few, before he too found the boundaries in an important 15-ball 27. When he fell in the penultimate over, with Patriots needing 15 from 12, Brooks and Allen had already put up 50. Soon, Allen pulled Russell over midwicket, cut him past point, and hooked him over short fine leg to seal the victory without needing the last over. Allen’s unbeaten 15-ball 37 came at a remarkable strike rate of 246.66, considering how chanceless and risk-free his innings had been.

The 1983 World Cup winner will stay in power until 2021-22

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2019Roger Binny was elected as president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday, winning by 943 votes to the 111 that his competitor MM Harish got. This is the former India allrounder’s third stint at the KSCA – he was a vice-president from 2007 to 2012 – and it will keep him in office until 2021-22.Former India women captain Shanta Rangaswamy, who resigned from the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee on Sunday, became the first woman to be elected to a managing committee in the KSCA.Binny, 64, was part of the World Cup-winning side in 1983, finishing the tournament as the highest wicket-taker. He played 99 games for India (27 Tests and 72 ODIs) scoring a total of 1459 runs and picking up 124 wickets.The Supreme Court of India had ordered all state associations in India to conduct elections by October 4. Several of them have announced their results but the KSCA is one of few to have chosen a cricketer as its president after former captains Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin took charge in Bengal and Hyderabad respectively. Saurashtra too have a former player as its chief – Jaydev Shah, who played over 100 first-class games. He is also the son of longtime cricket administrator Niranjan Shah.This isn’t the first time a cricketer will be running things in Karnataka cricket, though. Anil Kumble was elected president of the state association in 2010, and his team included the likes of Javagal Srinath and Vijay Bharadwaj, as well as Binny. Brijesh Patel, too, has served in various capacities in the KSCA over the years. Additionally, this time, KSCA also has a former umpire as its joint secretary – Shavir Tarapore.

The director of cricket is a new role created by the ZC board in August when a decision was taken to restructure its management

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2019Hamilton Masakadza, the former Zimbabwe captain and opening batsman, has been appointed the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) director of cricket. Masakadza, who is Zimbabwe’s fourth-highest run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs, retired from international cricket last month and will begin in the new position on Friday.The director of cricket is a new role created by the ZC board in August when a decision was taken to restructure its management. Masakadza will be responsible for defining policy, strategy and programmes of best practice through all Zimbabwe’s teams. He will also be accountable for the recruitment, management and interaction of senior cricket technical staff and is tasked with ensuring that coaches and captains are providing effective leadership to the national teams.”This is a key appointment that clearly indicates our desire to strengthen our cricket across all levels while also improving the game administratively,” ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said. “I have no doubt that his incredible passion for Zimbabwe cricket, massive knowledge of our game and the wealth of experience that he gained from playing at the highest level will help transform ZC and see him becoming a respected leader in the sport.”Masakadza has his work cut out for him. Zimbabwe’s recent results include a T20I loss to 22nd-ranked Singapore in a tri-series and finishing at the bottom of the points table in another tri-series, in Dhaka, which included Bangladesh and Afghanistan.Those matches were played while Zimbabwe was suspended by the ICC for government interference in the board. They have since been reinstated as a Full Member, a decision that came too late for them to participate in the ongoing men’s T20 World Cup qualifier. Instead, Zimbabwe’s focus is on the ODI Super League, which will determine qualification for the 2023 World Cup.Zimbabwe do not have any more international fixtures this year but are due to host Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands and India next year and are scheduled to travel to Bangladesh, Australia and Sri Lanka.

Opener was released by Lancashire after three lean seasons following maiden Test tour

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2019Haseeb Hameed, the opener released by Lancashire less than three years after starring in his debut Test series for England in India, has signed for Nottinghamshire on a two-year deal.Hameed attracted interest from several counties – including Worcestershire – after his release but the lure of Trent Bridge and the opportunity to work with Peter Moores has seen him sign a deal with Nottinghamshire, despite their relegation to Division Two of the County Championship.”I’m very excited to be joining Nottinghamshire and playing my cricket at Trent Bridge,” Hameed said. “I’ve enjoyed myself every time I’ve played at this great venue and hope to add to some good memories there.”This is a new chapter in both my life and career and I’m full of excitement to start working with my new teammates and helping get Notts back up to Division One where they belong.”I want to thank Lancashire for the support they’ve provided over the years and to my teammates, whom I’ve shared a dressing room with. A special mention to Mick Newell and Peter Moores at Notts for believing in me – I can’t wait to get started.”Hameed – still only 22 – enjoyed a breakthrough season for Lancashire in 2016, when he hit 1198 runs in Division One of the County Championship, including an innings of 122 at Trent Bridge against a Notts attack including Stuart Broad, Harry Gurney and Imran Tahir.His impressive run tally – as well as his temperament and his ability against the turning ball – won him a spot on England’s winter tours, and he made two fifties in six innings in the 2016-17 series in India, scoring 82 on debut in Rajkot and an unbeaten 59 – with a broken finger – in Mohali.But his form disintegrated dramatically over the next three years. He lost his place for the 2017 home Test summer, as his average in the Championship dipped to 28.50, and the following year he made 165 runs at 9.70. He started the 2019 season with an impressive 117 in an early-season Championship game at Lord’s – having also scored 218 against Loughborough MCCU – but it proved a false dawn, and he only passed 50 once after that innings.The theories behind Hameed’s loss of form are plentiful. Some suggest that his technique changed game-by-game with several different coaches competing to make changes, while others claim that he lost his judgement outside off stump after being brought into Lancashire’s limited-overs teams. Other note that his record again seam bowlers was never outstanding – at least not in comparison to against spin.His release from Lancashire came as something of a surprise, despite regular public criticism from director of cricket Paul Allott. At the start of the 2019 season, Allott told that Hameed was “hanging on by his fingertips” at the club.”He’s got six months left on a contract, and he’s not scored a run for two years,” he said. “Not only is he a million miles away from England, he’s hanging on by his fingertips at Lancashire.”Hameed will hope that a change of scene, and a chance to work with one of the most respected coaches on the county circuit, can reinvigorate his career.”There’s no doubting Haseeb’s talent,” Moores said. “It doesn’t get much tougher than Test cricket in India and he proved over there, at a very young age, that he has all the skill, temperament and patience to succeed at the highest level.”He’s enjoyed some more difficult times since then, and that’s going to happen with young players, but the ones that are destined for great things bounce back and move their games on again.”We believe that’s what’s going to happen with Haseeb and it’s great news for Notts that we can be the ones to benefit from that.”

Chahar felt mild pain in his lower back after the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Dec-2019Navdeep Saini is in line to make his ODI debut after replacing the injured Deepak Chahar for the decider of the three-match ODI series in Cuttack on December 22.Chahar “felt mild pain in his lower back” after the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, according to the BCCI. “The BCCI medical team examined him and has suggested that the fast bowler needs some rest in order to fully recover,” a release said.Chahar went wicketless for 44 runs in seven overs in the second ODI, which India won by 107 runs to level the series 1-1. In the first ODI, he finished with 1 for 48 from ten overs but West Indies chased down the target of 288 with ease.Saini has played five T20Is so far and could make his ODI debut on Sunday unless India change their combination and don’t field three quicks.

Kohli lends support to Williamson; lauds his ability to bring the team together

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-20203:41

‘Australia tour was a humbling experience’ – Williamson

Kane Williamson is open to the possibility of playing under another captain if it results in the betterment of New Zealand cricket. However, he also said he has been enjoying the captaincy across formats.”For me it’s always been about what’s best for the team,” Williamson said. “If those discussions [about captaincy changes] are to eventuate and collectively there’s a thought that it would be best for the team, then my stance is whatever is right and fits the group.”Williamson took over as captain across formats in 2016, and has had to deal with scrutiny after New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series whitewash in Australia. His poor returns with the bat was even linked to his workload.Ahead of a full home series against India, Williamson responded to the captaincy concerns. For starters, he understands the criticism and scrutiny that come with the role.”I’m always open to whatever is going to help move the team in those directions,” he said. “Without a doubt, there are a number of challenges that come throughout that period that you’ve been in the job.”I’ve been in it for some time now and you are forever dealing with those challenges and that’ll always be a bit different. It’s part and parcel of the job, but for me the focus is very much trying to help the team to grow and move in the right direction. That’s been the focus from day one”His leadership was openly criticised by Brendon McCullum during the Australia series. The former New Zealand captain felt Williamson was being a “reluctant leader at times” and that he wasn’t perhaps enjoying captaincy as much.For Williamson, captaincy is simply an extension of being part of a core leadership group, even before he formally assumed the role.”Even prior to captaincy I was fortunate to somehow be in the leadership role. I do feel fortunate to be leading such a great group of guys that share a similar passion, which is to keep moving this team forward,” Williamson said. “I’m not the only one that is trying to lead that.”There are a number of other guys, senior players and some younger guys who also obviously share the passion. The leadership thing is a collective approach. It is enjoyable and you do learn so much about yourself and about the team.”ALSO READ: India T20Is a chance to test New Zealand’s depth – TaylorEarlier, Williamson’s team-mate and senior batsman Ross Taylor had jumped to his defence, suggesting that taking breaks instead of giving up the role altogether could help him better. On Thursday, Williamson received support from his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli.”I don’t think leadership can always be determined by the results,” Kohli said at his arrival press conference in Auckland. “It’s also about how you get the team together and get the guys functioning under you as well, which Kane has done wonderfully well. I think he has the respect of his team-mates and he has the trust of his team-mates, that is what I can see.”And he is obviously a very, very smart cricketer. But if a team outplays you, you have to accept it as a collective failure, and not necessarily a lack of leadership or captaincy. I don’t think it’s fair to pressurise him.”It’s only fair that he is given space to sort of figure out himself whether he wants to continue or he wants someone fresh to take over, because I’m sure he is thinking in the best interest of New Zealand cricket and the team as well.”He has taken the team to the finals and as much as I know him, he reads the game very well. I think it should be left up to the guy who is most responsible for the team to take that decision and I’m sure that his heart and mind is in the right place.”

India’s legspinner bagged 4 for 19 in four overs to stun the defending champions Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup opener

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-20209.5 Poonam Yadav to Healy, OUT, caught and bowled! Just a 63kph leg break does the trick. This was a better length, Healy came down to it but wasn’t to the pitch, tried to work to long-on, closed the face, got a leading edge and it floated back to Yadav!
AJ Healy c & b Poonam Yadav 51 (35b 6×4 1×6) SR: 145.7111.3 Poonam Yadav to Haynes, OUT, Poonam strikes another blow! Lobs up a wrong’un, it lures the batter out and goes past the outside edge. Delightful flight and India are back in this. Bhatia continues her fine shift behind the stumps
RL Haynes st †Bhatia b Poonam Yadav 6 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 75.0011.4 Poonam Yadav to Perry, OUT, Poonam is on a roll, she sends back Perry for a golden duck. She lobs up another wrong’un, Perry dares to step out. She is done in by the variation. Poonam sneaks through the gate and hits leg stump. What a double-strike from Poonam
EA Perry b Poonam Yadav 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.0011.5 Poonam Yadav to Jonassen, no run, Nearly a hat-trick for Poonam. Bhatia, the keeper, drops it in the end. Fairly difficult chance for the keeper. Poonam lobs up another googly, draws an outside edge as the batter pushes away from the body, the keeper follows the ball, but it pops out of the gloves13.5 Poonam Yadav to Jonassen, OUT, 58kph, tossed up on middle and breaks away sharply, yet another wrong’un. She finds the edge again. Top work from Bhatia this time, after denying Poonam the hat-trick in her previous over. She snaffles it and sends Jonassen back. She dared to sweep against the break and paid the price
JL Jonassen c †Bhatia b Poonam Yadav 2 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33