Turner’s faith was justified when 19-year-old Connolly became an instant hero at a heaving Optus Stadium after combining with unheralded Nick Hobson to lift Scorchers past Brisbane Heat in an absorbing final. “We pick guys for a reason, we trust their skill. We don’t need to tell Cooper how to bat, how to play the
Cricket
West Indies 221 for 0 (Brathwaite 116*, Chanderpaul 101*) vs Zimbabwe After a wet outfield claimed the first two sessions on day 2 in Bulawayo, gritty centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw West Indies extend their grip on the first Test against Zimbabwe. Only 51 overs were played on a rain-curtailed opening day,
Former England captain Charlotte Edwards has been appointed head coach of the Mumbai franchise in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Edwards will be part of an all-woman coaching staff that also includes former India captain Jhulan Goswami, who will be mentor and bowling coach of the franchise that was bought by owners of the Mumbai
A final decision on whether Pakistan will host the 2023 Asia Cup is now expected in March, after an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Bahrain failed to reach a breakthrough. They will meet again in a month’s time, around the next set of ICC meetings. The uncertainty around the 2023 Asia Cup began in
By the end of an unforgettable BBL final, inexperienced Cooper Connolly and unheralded Nick Hobson etched their names into Perth Scorchers’ lore to become unexpected heroes at a febrile Perth Stadium. It wasn’t in the script when ice cool skipper Ashton Turner appeared set to once again rescue defending champions Scorchers in a nerve-jangling instant
Australia allrounder Cameron Green has shown encouraging signs in his recovery from a broken finger as he makes a late bid to be fit for the opening Test against India in Nagpur, although it remains highly unlikely that he will be able to bowl. Green got the all-clear to resume training shortly before leaving for
Australia are prepared for moments where batting could become chaotic against India, but will also enter the series with an open mind amid all the talk about the role spin could play. The squad are currently in Bengaluru for a four-day training camp before heading to Nagpur where the first Test will take place from
Kyle Jamieson has tried to treat his extended spell on the sidelines as “more of a blessing than a hindrance” and hopes to return to New Zealand’s Test side both mentally and physically fresher after missing the last seven months with a back injury. Jamieson hurt his back during the Trent Bridge Test in June,
Back on January 7, after being thrashed by Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium, the finals weren’t even on Brisbane Heat’s radar. They had just two wins from their first eight matches, after all. Less than a month later, Heat have journeyed back to Perth, only a win away from a second BBL title. If they
Jos Buttler, England’s white-ball captain, has admitted to “frustrations” that his team’s preparation for the defence of their 50-over World Cup title has been hampered by scheduling clashes ahead of this month’s tour of Bangladesh. However, Buttler insists there will be no consequences for those players who have made themselves unavailable for the tour –
Ireland will stage their final Super League series against Bangladesh in May at a venue in England to maximise their chances of World Cup qualification. Ireland’s hopes of finishing in the top eight of the Super League will rely on South Africa and Sri Lanka’s results against Netherlands and New Zealand respectively. But unless Sri
Bavuma was South Africa’s leading run-scorer in the series, with 180 runs from three matches, which was his most successful as an ODI batter. He struck a match-winning century in the second ODI, which also sealed the series, and maintained a strike rate of over 100 throughout the three matches. Having previously been criticised for his
Brisbane Heat allrounder Michael Neser says he is ready to step up and be the calming influence for the rest of the bowling attack in the absence of “spiritual leader” Usman Khawaja in the Big Bash ‘Challenger’ final against Sydney Sixers. Khawaja had been in great form with the bat in Heat’s run of six
Former Australia batter Mike Hussey has been confirmed as new head coach of Welsh Fire men in the Hundred. It was confirmed in December that Gary Kirsten would not be returning to lead the side for a third year after two dire campaigns. They finished seventh out of eight in 2021, the Hundred’s inaugural season,
In Sydney, Vihari batted with a torn hamstring to save the Test for India in collaboration with R Ashwin. This time, he returned to bat after having gone off when he fractured his left wrist while trying to fend off an Avesh Khan bouncer. Not just that, when he came back, he batted left-handed, to
England will test the depth of their white-ball reserves as they prepare to announce a depleted squad for their of Bangladesh in March this week. A combination of scheduling conflicts, injuries and franchise commitments will likely see limited-overs coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler lead a mixed squad of established players, fringe talent and
The inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction is likely to take place on February 11 in New Delhi or February 13 in Mumbai. A final decision will be made by the BCCI this week. Originally, the BCCI was looking at holding the players’ auction on February 6 in Mumbai, which would have allowed the
Big picture: Santner and Hardik impress India and New Zealand have travelled the length and breadth of the country for six games in 14 days and we are finally at the end, with the T20I series tied at 1-1. It’s time for one last push, and then please remember to put those tray tables in