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The world’s most prolific run-scorer in women’s cricket joins the Ahmedabad-based franchise for the inaugural season of WPL

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2023Former India captain Mithali Raj has been roped in as mentor and advisor at Gujarat Giants, one of the five franchises set to take part in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Raj – the most prolific run-scorer in the history of women’s cricket – has been one of the strongest advocates of an IPL-style women’s franchise league in India, and as mentor and advisor at Giants, will also promote women’s cricket at the grassroots level in their home state of Gujarat.”Women’s cricket is growing steadily, and this kind of impetus will undoubtedly encourage young women to consider taking up cricket
professionally,” Raj said in a media release. “I believe that the high-impact participation of corporates will help hasten the process of eventually bringing more glory to India. This level of influence can help strengthen the sporting ecosystem, and enhance opportunities for women athletes.”Related

• Charlotte Edwards to coach Mumbai's WPL team

• WPL player auction likely on February 11 or 13, Mumbai could host first edition

• The time is right for Women's IPL – Mithali Raj back in 2017

• Who are Adani Sportsline and Capri Global, the new WPL owners?

• Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, RCB win bids to own WPL teams

Pranav Adani, Director of Adani Enterprises, which manages Giants’ owners Adani Sportsline, said on hiring Mithali: “Mithali Raj is a role model for the young generation, and we are delighted to have such an inspirational athlete on board to mentor our women’s cricket team.”We believe that the presence of international sporting heroes like Mithali will attract new talent not just into cricket but also into every other sport.”On January 25, Adani Sportsline – the sports development wing of the Adani Group – purchased the rights to own an Ahmedabad-based team for INR 1289 crore (USD 158 million approx.), the most expensive team that will take part in the competition. In all, INR 4669.99 crore (USD 572.78 million approx.) was spent by Adani Group, Capri Global – who bought the Lucknow team – and the owners of Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore to acquire the rights for the five WPL franchises.The WPL is likely to be played between March 4 and March 24, a tight window squeezed out between the Women’s T20 World Cup that ends in late February and the men’s IPL that is set to start one week after the women’s competition. The WPL auction, set for early February, will have auction purses of INR 12 crore (USD 1.46 million approx) per team.Each team can buy a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 18 players, including seven overseas ones, of which one must be from an Associate country. Unlike in the men’s IPL, WPL teams will have the option of fielding up to five overseas players in the XI, provided, again that one is from an Associate team.A total of 22 matches will be played in WPL 2023, with each team playing the other twice to make it a total of eight games per team. The top-ranked team will enter the final directly, while the second and third-placed teams will face off in a Qualifier to determine the second finalist.

She’s a “bit annoyed” with herself because she didn’t stay till the end to finish off things, but heaped praise on her side after beating England

Firdose Moonda14-Mar-2022After a maiden career five-for and a game-changing cameo innings, the first word that passed Marizanne Kapp’s lips is not what you might expect. “Sorry,” she told Trisha Chetty when Hawkeye confirmed the Anya Shrubsole ball she missed would have gone on to hit the stumps. “I knew I was supposed to be there at the end.”Kapp took South Africa ten runs away from a third successive victory at the tournament, and the first over England at the tournament since 2000, having played a key role in ensuring they would only have to face a gettable 236.She took wickets at the top and bottom of England’s line-up, effected a run-out that changed the trajectory of their innings and could have viewed her performance as the perfect game until she was dismissed with the result still in the balance.Related

• Peerless Kapp takes SA over the line to leave England winless

• Lisa Keightley takes responsibility as England defeat leaves World Cup defence in crisis

Though South Africa have not lost a game while chasing since the start of 2020 – having won 12 out of 14 – with the lower order in operation against the team that narrowly beat them in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, Kapp had reason to believe she should have finished things.”I was a bit annoyed with myself,” she said. “I knew I should have finished that game. I put a lot of pressure on the two batters in the middle.”But she had faith they would get South Africa over the line and she told them so. “I told Trisha, ‘If I am out now [when the review was happening], you take charge; you take the lead. We only need a run a ball and I back the both of you’,” Kapp said afterwards. “I said the same thing to Shabnim [Ismail]: ‘Just watch the ball and don’t be scared’.”Ismail hit the first ball she faced for four to cut through the tension, and went on to rotate strike with Chetty to secure the win. Like their previous two matches, it wasn’t South Africa’s most convincing performance, but it showed that they can play under pressure. For Kapp, it demonstrated how they have developed over the last few years.”I’ve just reached a point in my career where now I know what I am capable of, and I just have to back myself,” Kapp said•AFP/Getty Images

“In the past, those close games were the ones we lost,” Kapp said. “In the first two games, we probably didn’t play the cricket we can and want to play, and even today, we scrapped the runs together and managed to get over the line. We know the heartbreak we had in the previous World Cup and we have different plans. Hopefully after today, this team is just going to get stronger and better. I feel like we are moving in the right direction and we will probably peak at the right time.”Kapp’s career is following a similar arc. After 13 years and 121 matches, she finally took five wickets in an innings and has adapted to her role as a pinch-hitter at No. 6 to allay fears of South Africa’s tail being too long. She also has more belief in herself than she did before, which comes from a combination of experience and consistent performance.”I’ve played over 200 games [in all formats] for South Africa, so I should be confident in my abilities,” she added. “But being with this team, being able to represent my country in so many games, I’ve just reached a point in my career where now I know what I am capable of, and I just have to back myself. If I do that, I usually perform well.”She is also carrying some extra responsibility now. In the absence of regular captain Dane van Niekerk, who is also Kapp’s wife, South Africa’s senior players had to step up to create match-winning moments of their own.”A lot of our performances over the past year or year-and-a-half are because of Dane. She carries this team,” Kapp said. “It’s so sad that she is not here to enjoy this with us. She leaves a massive void. Not only skill-wise, but just to have her around the group.”van Niekerk is still involved, albeit indirectly, and tweeted up a storm during the match. She called Kapp’s performance “world-class”, and the match against England “what World Cups are all about,” and Kapp had something to say to her in return: “I know she is our biggest supporter. I know she is back home cheering for us and this win was for her.”

World Cup-winning captain leads strong Australian contingent after signing Trent Rockets deal

Matt Roller05-Apr-2022Meg Lanning, Australia’s multi-World Cup-winning captain, will make her debut in English domestic cricket this summer after signing for Trent Rockets in the second season of the Hundred.Lanning was one of 11 Australians to pull out of the Hundred’s first season in 2021 due to restrictions on international travel and the competition’s proximity to their home series against India. She had previously withdrawn from a planned stint in the Kia Super League due to injury and is one of the few members of the Australia set-up who has never played domestic cricket in England.This year, she will lead a contingent of 10 members of the squad that went unbeaten the 50-over World Cup as well as an 11th Australian in Sophie Molineux, who missed that tournament through injury.Related

• Alana King awarded Cricket Australia contract, Sophie Molineux misses out

• Tim David's walk-on role inspires Hundred regulation change

• Women's Hundred trimmed due to Commonwealth Games clash

• Taylor joins Manchester Originals as men's assistant coach

• Mandhana, Rodrigues, Perry commit to Hundred as England players eye moves

The women’s Hundred starts on August 11, four days after the final of the T20 tournament at the Commonwealth Games which will be held in its entirety at Edgbaston, and as a result the calibre of overseas players involved is significantly higher than in the tournament’s first season. Wages have also doubled, with Lanning among the players due to earn £31,250 from their involvement.Twelve overseas players were confirmed on Tuesday, adding to the dozen that had previously signed up. The signings announced were: Megan Schutt, Beth Mooney, Amelia Kerr (all London Spirit), Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland (both Welsh Fire), Deandra Dottin, Amy Satterthwaite (both Manchester Originals), Lanning, Mignon du Preez, Alana King (all Trent Rockets), Molineux (Birmingham Phoenix) and Tahlia McGrath (Southern Brave).Several English players have also moved teams for the 2022 edition, headlined by Tammy Beaumont’s decision to leave London Spirit and captain Welsh Fire. She will be joined in Cardiff by Fran Wilson, Alex Hartley, Fi Morris and Sarah Bryce, who have all signed contracts after leaving their previous teams.The women’s squads as they stand•The Hundred

Elsewhere, Lauren Winfield-Hill has left Northern Superchargers in order to keep wicket for defending champions Oval Invincibles (Superchargers retained Alyssa Healy who will take the gloves) while Georgia Adams and Jo Gardner have left Invincibles to join Brave. Jenny Gunn, the veteran seamer who did not play in the inaugural season, has joined Superchargers and Bryony Smith will play for Rockets.Each women’s team will sign an overseas ‘wildcard’ player later in the summer, with a maximum of three overseas players permitted in a single playing XI.

New women’s signings

London Spirit: Beth Mooney (Welsh Fire), Amelia Kerr (Southern Brave), Megan Schutt, Sophie Luff (Welsh Fire)
Welsh Fire: Tammy Beaumont (captain, London Spirit), Rachael Haynes (Oval Invincibles), Annabel Sutherland (Trent Rockets), Fran Wilson (Oval Invincibles), Alex Hartley (Manchester Originals), Fi Morris (Southern Brave), Sarah Bryce (Oval Invincibles)
Manchester Originals: Deandra Dottin (London Spirit), Amy Satterthwaite, Ami Campbell (Northern Superchargers), Phoebe Graham (Northern Superchargers), Grace Potts
Northern Superchargers: Jenny Gunn, Lucy Higham (Trent Rockets)
Oval Invincibles: Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Superchargers), Aylish Cranstone (London Spirit), Emily Windsor (Trent Rockets), Eva Gray (Retained), Kira Chathili
Trent Rockets: Meg Lanning (Welsh Fire), Mignon du Preez (Manchester Originals), Bryony Smith (Welsh Fire), Alana King, Marie Kelly (Birmingham Phoenix), Sophie Munro (London Spirit), Alexa Stonehouse, Georgia Davis (Retained)
Birmingham Phoenix: Sophie Molineux (Trent Rockets), Sterre Kalis (Northern Superchargers)
Southern Brave: Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Adams (Oval Invincibles), Jo Gardner (Oval Invincibles), Freya Kemp (Retained), Ella McCaughan (Retained)

Former Yorkshire and Australia batter cites uncertainty around Covid-19 restrictions for decision

Matt Roller12-Jan-2022Darren Lehmann has resigned from his role as men’s head coach of Northern Superchargers, the Hundred team based at Headingley.Lehmann, the former Yorkshire and Australia batter, has started to step back from his coaching commitments since suffering a heart attack on his 50th birthday in early 2020. He stepped down as head coach of Brisbane Heat ahead of the ongoing BBL season, moving to a role as assistant, and has now left the Superchargers ahead of the 2022 edition of the Hundred.”It’s with a heavy heart that I have taken the decision to step down as men’s head coach at the Superchargers,” Lehmann said in a statement. “As for many people, the continuing uncertainty around Covid-19, quarantining and restrictions begins to play a part in your decisions.”I loved my time with the Superchargers. Last season, despite all the challenges of Covid, was up there with one of my coaching highlights.”The UK public got behind the new competition and I see it going from strength to strength. I thank the Northern Superchargers supporters, my coaching staff and the players and wish them all well.”Related

• England stars to receive Hundred salary boost for 2022 tournament

• Darren Lehmann Hundred appointment under scrutiny in wake of Azeem Rafiq revelations

• Sacked staff seek legal action after racism crisis prompts Yorkshire purge

• Ryan Sidebottom apologises after calling for Yorkshire to 'forget' racism scandal

• Azeem Rafiq: 'Time is right' for Yorkshire to get back right to host international cricket

Heather Jackson, the Superchargers’ chair, confirmed that Marcus North, Durham’s director of cricket, would be “taking on lead cricket responsibilities” and that he would be responsible for recruiting a new head coach, along with Andy Dawson, their general manager.Andrew Gale, Lehmann’s assistant coach, has not had his contract renewed with the Superchargers after he was sacked by Yorkshire following racism allegations made by Azeem Rafiq.Lehmann’s own appointment as Superchargers coach came under scrutiny after Rafiq first made his allegations of institutional racism in late 2020. Lehmann was banned for five ODIs in 2003 after using racially abusive language following his dismissal in a game against Sri Lanka.A statement from the ECB made no mention of Lehmann’s previous comments. The ECB’s decision in November to suspend Headingley’s right to host international and major matches extends to knockout fixtures in the Hundred, but it remains the Superchargers’ home ground for regular-season games.The 2022 edition of the Hundred is due to start in early August. The window for player retentions opened on December 1, and teams have been negotiating with players and their representatives over the last six weeks.

Richard Levi crashed 70 from 43 balls as Northamptonshire edged closer to a Friends Life t20 quarter-final spot after beating Worcestershire by five runs at New Road.

21-Jul-2013
ScorecardRichard Levi blasted six sixes in his 70•Getty Images

Richard Levi crashed 70 from 43 balls as Northamptonshire edged closer to a Friends Life t20 quarter-final spot after beating Worcestershire by five runs at New Road.Levi, the big-hitting South African opener, smashed six sixes and five fours while monopolising partnerships of 46 with Kyle Coetzer and 56 with Cameron White. A lower order slump then pegged Northamptonshire back to 137 for 6 but that proved enough for the group leaders to complete a quick turnaround from Saturday’s defeat by Warwickshire.Although Worcestershire dragged themselves into contention with Andre Russell’s 44 from 31 deliveries, they had too much to do after David Willey’s match-clinching return of 3 for 13 in four overs. Willey crucially had Russell well caught on the long-off boundary by Alex Wakely and despite Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 38, the home side could not get close to the 21 required from the last over.Joe Leach managed a four and six off Lee Daggett and in making 14 from the six balls faced the young batsman at No. 8 – fresh from a maiden championship century against Gloucestershire – made a case out for a higher position in the next match.Ultimately the result was all about Levi’s ability to dominate, as he did last Tuesday in blasting an unbeaten 110 from 62 balls against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. Worcestershire were blown away when he launched another onslaught with three consecutive sixes off Leach when taking 22 off the fifth over.Three other bowlers were targeted for further sixes and Worcestershire only found a way to stem the carnage when turning to Gareth Andrew for the 15th over. The eighth bowler to be used, Andrew made the breakthrough when Levi powered his first delivery to deep square leg where Russell was almost knocked off his feet in hanging on to the chance.There was little else to come from Northants as wickets fell to the spinners, Shaaiq Choudhry with 2 for 21 and Moeen Ali, 1 for 17. The last five overs produced only 30 in a disappointingly flat finish to the innings, but it did not prove costly in the end.

After six years as a fringe international player, Adam Voges hopes he can finally earn an extended run in the ODI side after being named in Australia’s Champions Trophy squad

Brydon Coverdale02-May-2013Last November, Adam Voges didn’t know where his next run would come from. His first 12 innings in the domestic season failed to bring a single half-century and not only did an international recall appear far-fetched, even his grasp on a spot in the Western Australia team was becoming tenuous. For a 33-year-old, that’s a scary position to be in. But fast-forward five months and Voges has not only held his state job, he is part of the Australia squad that will defend the Champions Trophy in England.”If you’d asked me if I’d be in a Champions Trophy squad back then I probably would have laughed at you,” Voges told ESPNcricinfo. “But it’s amazing how quickly things can turn around. Having a good Big Bash was a real catalyst for that and I’ve been able to kick on since then.”Another factor in his change of fortunes was the arrival of Justin Langer as the new Western Australia coach, which coincided with Voges being appointed state captain after the resignation of Marcus North. Voges became the sixth-leading run scorer in the BBL and earned a recall to the one-day international side for the series against West Indies in February, and an unbeaten 112 in the last ODI in Melbourne completed a remarkable turnaround.”I started last season really poorly. Myself personally and Western Australia as a team, we really had a horror start to last season,” he said. “I was always playing catch-up in terms of the number of runs that I scored. I’d finished the county season for Nottinghamshire not very well, and then to not start the season with WA well, my confidence was down a fair bit.”I was going through one of those patches where I wasn’t really sure where my next run was coming from. If I didn’t score some runs [being dropped by WA] was a real possibility. But then a lot of things changed with Marcus resigning, [coach] Lachie Stevens resigning and Justin Langer coming in. It gave me a breath of fresh air and I think it gave a lot of people the same thing. It certainly helped turn my season around.”Not that everything went swimmingly for Voges, whose Sheffield Shield run tally for the summer was 388 at 25.86, hardly the kind of season he wanted in a year when Ashes spots were up for grabs. His limited-overs form was good but even so, that February recall, two years after he had last played for Australia, loomed as the last chance for a man who had been on the fringes of Australian international cricket for six years without ever holding down a permanent place.Voges earned central contracts with Cricket Australia in 2007, 2008 and 2010, without ever being more than a backup. He has played 17 ODIs of a possible 164 since his debut, and has never held his position for more than three in a row. He is one of only four men in this Champions Trophy squad that was part of the group that won the tournament in 2009, but again he was no more than a reserve and did not play a game.”I’ve been away on tours and probably got opportunities at the back end of series, perhaps when the result has already occurred, so I’d love to be part of it and get a decent, long run in the team,” Voges said. “Obviously my performances will determine that and the next time I do get that opportunity I certainly have to make the most of it. But I can get those runs.”In the past, while I don’t think I’ve ever let myself down whenever I’ve got the opportunity, I maybe haven’t quite nailed it as well as I would have liked. That’s probably the reason I haven’t been able to play more than two or three games in a row. I realise that at this stage of my career that I’ve really got to make the most of every opportunity because there’s plenty of young guys knocking down the door.”The way Voges finished the international summer – he made 28 and 112 not out in his two ODIs and then 51 in the T20 against West Indies in Brisbane – gives him a good chance of being part of Australia’s line-up for their first Champions Trophy match. After the tournament, he will stay on in England to play T20 cricket with Middlesex and perhaps some first-class cricket as well, given the county’s other Australian signing, Chris Rogers, now has Ashes duties.And if Australia find themselves in need of another experienced batsman to cover for injuries mid-Ashes, Voges wants to make sure he is nearby and scoring heavily. His Shield performances last summer might have been disappointing, but his overall first-class record is solid: 7821 runs at 40.10.”With Chris Rogers being picked in the Ashes squad there could be an opportunity for me to stay on and play a bit of Championship and one-day cricket with Middlesex [after the T20s],” Voges said. “It would be terrific to be over there while the Ashes is on.”You just never know. You never wish injury or anything like that on anybody. But if opportunity arises I’ll certainly be there and hopefully scoring runs. It’s probably a long shot, but I’ll be there and ready to go if need be.”

Captain picked up three wickets in the final over but Bangladesh don’t get the fairytale ending

Danyal Rasool22-Nov-2021Bangladesh won the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat, Bangladesh put up a below par total, Bangladesh lost. You’ve seen this movie before in this series but anyone who told you this one was no different would have to be treated with scepticism. Because although it looked like the same script might play out, a sensational final over from Mahmudullah took Bangladesh to the brink of a famous victory. It went down to the final delivery, which Mohammad Nawaz carved over extra cover for a boundary to complete a clean sweep for Pakistan, and a heart-breaking loss for their opponents.Bangladesh got off to a slow start once more, with the top order failing to find enough boundaries in the Powerplay with Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim and Shahnawaz Dahani keeping the pressure up. Both sides had made a number of changes to their XI, with Bangladesh handing out as many as three debuts, and yet they still couldn’t help but fall behind. Despite wickets in hand, Pakistan ensured Bangladesh were never able to achieve the acceleration they will have aimed for, managing just 55 in the final eight overs and finishing with 124 for 7.Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have both found runs much harder to come by this series, and throughout the Powerplay, they preferred conservatism over aggression. That meant this was the highest opening partnership of the series, but when a rank long hop saw Babar hole out, Pakistan had just 32 runs in seven overs.The game entered a holding pattern where both sides were content to take it deep. Haider Ali was the glue holding Pakistan’s innings together – and the asking rate in check – with a 38-ball 45, but when he and Sarfaraz Ahmed fell off successive Mahmudullah deliveries, Pakistan still needed 8 off 4. It took a six from Iftikhar Ahmed and a final-ball boundary from Nawaz to get over the line even as pandemonium threatened to take over.That final overOn the first ball of the sixth over, a drive from Babar hit Taskin Ahmed flush on the hand, causing the Bangladesh fast bowler to go off for medical attention, with Shohidul Islam completing his over. When Taskin returned a little later, it seemed like little more than a footnote in the game. But towards the end it became immediately apparent that Shohidul taking over the sixth over meant Bangladesh were a bowler short for the final six deliveries.Haider Ali played a crucial hand in Pakistan’s chase against Bangladesh•AFP/Getty Images

Captain Mahmudullah took on the job himself, with Pakistan needing eight. He began with a dot ball before Sarfaraz sent one straight down cow corner’s throat, and Haider sent the next one down to long-on. Mahmudullah was on a hat-trick, Pakistan needed eight off three, and two new batters were at the crease. Iftikhar met his first delivery with a lovely lofted drive that went all the way for six, but with two to get off the last two balls, he went for the glory shot and was out caught at short third man.This is where things began to tip over in bedlam. Mahmudullah bowled from well behind the umpire, and Nawaz pulled out exceptionally late as the ball clattered into the stumps. The umpires called a dead ball but a brief argument ensued, with Bangladesh clearly unhappy about that call. Next delivery, Mahmudullah stopped in his stride, threatening to run the non-striker out. The build-up over, he finally tossed one up full, and Nawaz backed away to clear extra cover, finding a gap and taking Pakistan through to the narrowest of victories.The immediate squeezeThese three games have felt like clones of each other. Bangladesh, batting first once more, struggled in the Powerplay, with no player personifying their stifled approach more than Mohammad Naim. He top-scored with 47, but took 50 balls to get there. That he needed a sharp acceleration at the end to even manage that strike rate indicates how rough it was in the early stages for the opener, who managed just 10 runs off his first 21 balls. His innings was just one sign of a deeper malaise though, where no one who faced more than three balls was able to get more than a run-a-ball.Wasim and chances grabbedWasim spent the entire T20 World Cup on the bench, even when Hasan Ali’s struggles appeared to hint there might be an opening in the side. He has brushed aside that disappointment emphatically in Bangladesh on pitches that aren’t designed for his kind of game. After two exceptional performances, it was more of the same for the young fast bowler, who was economical up front, and returned to mop up with a couple of wickets at the death. This might have been a low-intensity game but Wasim treated it as anything but, keeping rigidly to an off stump line in the Powerplay, allowing just five runs in two overs, before being called on to bowl the 17th and 19th. Bangladesh would manage just 10 runs in those two, with two wickets in the 19th to take Wasim’s series figures to 11-0-48-5.Haider finally comes goodHaider’s inclusion in the Pakistan side is almost divisive enough to form part of a culture war. There’s the mounting statistical evidence he has failed to raise his game at international level, a slew of low scores in innings that palpably lacked confidence underlining that point. And then there’s the eye test combined with his domestic form, which indicates this precocious 21-year old is a supremely gifted striker of the ball. These might not be the pitches to showcase that, but in a target of 125 where no other Pakistan batter (min. three balls faced) scored at more than six an over, Haider smashed his way through the Bangladesh attack with 45 off 38. It included a courageous pair of sixes in the 16th over, just after Shohidul had Rizwan chopping on to bring the asking rate back under control and set Pakistan on course.

Tournament’s director says two other franchises have been lined up to replace them this season

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Jun-2021Two franchisees have had their contracts terminated ahead of the second edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), but the tournament’s director says two other franchises have been lined up to replace them.*The IPG group, who organises the tournament for SLC, has said it has dropped the Colombo Kings and Dambulla Viiking sides for breach of contract. Ravin Wickramaratne, the SLC vice-president in charge of the LPL, told ESPNcricinfo that this will not change the board’s plans for the tournament, however. It is currently slated to run from July 30 to August 22.Related

• LPL terminates 2020 champion franchise Jaffna Stallions

• LPL to be held from December 4 to 23

• LPL 2021 to go ahead as planned in July-August

In the first edition of the five-team tournament, the Dambulla Viiking, who had made the semi-finals after finishing second on the table in the league stage, were owned by Sachiin Joshi and Viiking Ventures, while the Colombo Kings, also a semi-finalist, were owned by Murfad Mustafa and Faza group.”Those two franchises (Kings and Viiking) have [been] terminated, but I’ve received other potential franchisees, whose details have been sent to the ICC for them to check,” Wickramaratne said. The ICC vets franchise owners as part of their anti-corruption procedure. “I can’t reveal who the owners of those teams are yet, but the other three team owners (of Galle Gladiators, Kandy Tuskers , and Jaffna Stallions) are still there.”Wickramaratne also confirmed that the 2021 edition will have five teams, though there were rumblings of a sixth team entering the fray.As with the first edition, the entire tournament is scheduled to be played at Sooriyawewa (Hambantota) to make a biosecure bubble easier to maintain.*This story originally stated that the teams had pulled out, but the tournament’s organisers say it is they who have let go of the teams.

The allrounder was added to the England squad ahead of the Lord’s Test against India

Matt Roller11-Aug-20210:50

Moeen is a massive part of the entertainment of our franchise – Livingstone

Liam Livingstone has admitted it is “obviously disappointing” for players to be pulled out of the Hundred for international duty but has backed Birmingham Phoenix to cope with the absence of their captain Moeen Ali for the final two group games.Moeen, Phoenix’s leading run-scorer, captain and poster boy, was added to England’s squad ahead of Thursday’s second Test at Lord’s after their 93-run win against Welsh Fire at Edgbaston on Monday, which sent them top of the men’s points table. Saqib Mahmood, the Oval Invincibles seamer, was also added to the Test squad at short notice on Wednesday following Stuart Broad’s injury, and both players will miss the final two group games with their availability for the knockout stages unconfirmed.Related

• Moeen Ali recalled to England squad

• Root hopes Moeen can carry Hundred form into Tests

• Broad ruled out for rest of Test series vs India

Players named in England’s Test squad for the first Test were only made available for their respective teams’ first two games of the tournament, with Welsh Fire (who missed their captain Jonny Bairstow) and London Spirit (who were without Mark Wood, Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence) particularly hit.Livingstone, who will stand in as captain in Moeen’s absence, said that he would be a “massive miss” and that it was “disappointing” for star names to be pulled out of the Hundred at short notice, but conceded that they had been “very lucky” to have him for as long as they did after he missed out on the squad for the first Test.”Any time you miss someone like Mo it’ll be a massive miss,” Livingstone said. “He’s obviously a big part of our attack and a massive part of our batting line-up, but his calmness around the dressing room is something that you can’t replace. He’s given us freedom, as a squad, to go out and enjoy our cricket, and we’ve not taken things too seriously – we’ve gone out and enjoyed ourselves and it’s gone really well. He leaves us in a good position for these last two games and hopefully we can get him back later in the tournament.”If you look at us as a team, Mo is a massive part of us, and I see Mo as a massive part of the entertainment of our franchise. Certainly as a spectator, you want to be seeing the likes of Saqib and Mo doing their thing. That’s what you come to cricket grounds wanting to watch, that sort of players going to work. It’s obviously disappointing but if anyone deserves a call-up to the Test squad at the moment it’s probably Mo. They’re missing that type of player, someone who can bat and bowl, so Mo thoroughly deserves his chances of going back and playing Test cricket.”Let’s hope he gets a go on Thursday and does what we all know he can do. He’s a great man to have in your side and we’ve been very lucky to have him for six games – he could have been in there from the start and we’d have had him for two. We’ve been lucky to have him as long as we have.”Moeen is likely to be replaced in the side by a specialist batter, with Daniel Bell-Drummond and Chris Cooke both in contention to return, but Livingstone was unable to confirm whether Tom Abell – an £80,000 signing in February’s re-draft – would be fit to play after spending the last two months sidelined by a hamstring injury he picked up playing for Somerset.Livingstone’s captaincy experience is limited to a season as Lancashire’s club captain in 2018, when he stepped down after their relegation from Division One of the County Championship, but he said that he saw the two roles differently.”I think it’s going to be very different,” he said. “This is just making a couple of decisions on the pitch and we’ve got a lot of experienced cricketers anyway. I think as a county club captain, there is a lot more responsibility than what I’ll have in the next couple of games. We’ve got a great opportunity to push our way into the finals.”You play these tournaments to get into finals. We’ve set ourselves up and have a great opportunity, even more so the lads that are coming in now. It’s a great learning experience and the boys are really excited for the two games to come.”

At the end of the second day, Yorkshire were 233 runs in arrears with nine wickets standing and facing a battle to save the match

Paul Edwards at Headingley11-Apr-2013
ScorecardSussex captain Ed Joyce led by example•Getty Images

This was a day when Sussex viewed the loss of wickets as necessary tariffs to be paid on the pathway to greater prosperity. Like TE Lawrence’s dreamers of the day, they sought to make their wishes reality by bold strategem and admirable risk-taking. It worked, too.Beginning the morning on 104 for 3, a lead of eight, Joyce’s men added 252 runs in 51.5 overs to be bowled out for 356. They then removed Alex Lees, caught at slip by Chris Jordan off Steve Magoffin for 4, before bad light and rain ended play 34 overs early. Already, just two days into the County Championship season, Yorkshire’s batsmen are 233 runs in arrears and face an interesting test of their technique and resolve in the top tier of English cricket. The forecast for tomorrow may predict dull weather but the sport on view at Headingley should be gripping.There was scarcely a moment in Thursday’s play when Sussex did not try to seize the game by its very throat. Rory Hamilton-Brown set the tone in the first hour by spanking five boundaries in a breezy 26 and Joe Gatting made 20 off 23 balls before he skied Azeem Rafiq’s first ball to wide mid-off where Jack Brooks ran round to take a good catch.Sussex’s tactics were plain. With bad weather predicted – it didn’t arrive until 3.45pm – the batsmen were intent on taking every chance to force the pace and establish a large lead. This approach was best expressed by the batting of Ed Joyce and Ben Brown, who added 120 in 23 overs either side of lunch as the Yorkshire attack was eviscerated. Joyce, who insofar as the innings needed an anchor had done the job, made 92 off 140 balls before he edged Brooks to slip. He deserved a century but not as much as Brown, whose batting was something of a revelation.The Sussex wicketkeeper hit 14 fours, some of them sublime, on his way to 93 and three figures seemed his for the taking when a full delivery from Brooks rattled the ash. Yorkshire were encouraged by these successes and Brooks celebrated by having Jordan lbw next ball. But by then the lead was over 200; Sussex were over the hills and far away as far as the match was concerned. The loss of the last five wickets for 38 runs still left Joyce’s bold adventurers with a first-innings lead of 260.It was an interesting day for Rafiq, who conceded 70 runs in his 15 overs, and even more so for Yorkshire’s Championship debutant Brooks. The ex-Northamptonshire seamer’s first 9.4 overs in the innings cost 60 runs; he then took four wickets in 15 balls at a cost of 15 runs and finished with 4 for 76 off 13 overs. At least he stuck at it but it was interesting to compare his figures to those of the admirable Ryan Sidebottom, who took 4 for 72 in 21.5 overs.At the end of the day Brooks was talking with conviction about Yorkshire chances of winning the game if they “bat long”. “Really?” the sceptical Leeds crowd might reply in unison. Most White Rose diehards would be very happy with a draw on Saturday evening. Unless a lot of weather intervenes, even that would be a significant achievement. But this is Headingley after all and perhaps Brooks will be celebrating his four wickets with a bottle of the ’81 this evening.