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Says he took the “difficult decision” to spend more time with his young family

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2022David Hemp, the head coach of Pakistan Women, will not extend his two-year contract in October, the PCB confirmed on Tuesday. Hemp, who was the second overseas coach for the women’s team, said he took the “difficult decision” to spend more time with his young family.”I have enjoyed living in Pakistan and working with the women cricketers, but it has also been difficult on me and my young family as I have been unable to spend enough time with them like any other father,” Hemp said in a statement issued by PCB. “After consulting my family, I have conveyed this difficult decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board, which has very graciously understood my situation and accepted my decision.”It has been incredibly enjoyable and satisfying working with the girls. Although results in international arena may not truly reflect the hard work and effort that went into the planning and preparations, I am satisfied that I gave my very best and the girls equally responded.”Hemp had taken charge from Iqbal Imam, who was appointed in an interim capacity after Mark Coles’ exit in October 2019. He oversaw Pakistan’s progress in the Women’s World Cup Qualifier last year, the Women’s World Cup earlier this year and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last month.While Pakistan failed to get past the league stages at the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, they managed to end their streak of 18 losses in the competition in New Zealand, when they beat West Indies by eight wickets. Moreover, the rise of young Fatima Sana has been one of the positives from Hemp’s tenure.”I was especially pleased with the emergence of Fatima Sana, who won the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2021 award and became the first Pakistan women cricketer to win the ICC Cricketer of the Month award and displayed her excellent talent in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games,” he said. “I am optimistic we will see many more young women cricketers from domestic competitions and talent hunt programmes to enter the Pakistan framework and contribute in the teams’ future achievements.”I want to thank everyone at the Pakistan Cricket Board, women’s wing and the entire side who not only backed and supported me but also made my stay memorable and comfortable. I will remain a big fan of Pakistan women’s cricket, will continue to follow their progress with excitement and remain confident that better results and successes await them down the road.”More recently, ahead of the Commonwealth Games, Pakistan blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 in the T20I series at home before taking the ODI series 2-1. Their next assignment is the ODI series at home against Ireland in November, which will be part of the ICC Women’s Championship.Tania Mallick, PCB head of women’s wing, paid tribute to Hemp by saying, “It is sad to lose someone of David’s caliber, enthusiasm and strong work ethics, but at the same we also understand and accept that family has to come first. The PCB thanks David for all his efforts and contributions, and wishes him best of luck in his future endeavours.”

Australians lose four in four in the final over – the first of the match from Shami – to lose by six runs

Ashish Pant17-Oct-2022It took till the final over of the Australians vs Indians warm-up game for Mohammed Shami to get into action, and what a return it was for him. Virat Kohli helped, with a stunning one-handed catch backtracking at long-on, and Ashton Agar ran himself out, and then Shami went yorker-yorker off the last two balls, to finish with 3 for 4. Match over. The Indians had scripted a come-from-behind win by six runs in Brisbane.With the Australians needing 11 to win off six balls chasing 187, Rohit Sharma called on Shami, back after time away from the format and a bout of Covid-19, and playing his first representative game since mid-July. The target became seven off four, but that’s when all the drama started.Not too long before that, the Australians were 171 for 4, with 16 to get from two overs. But Aaron Finch, after a solid half-century, and Tim David fell off successful balls. Finch was bowled by Harshal Patel with a slower yorker, delivered from wide of the crease, for a 54-ball 76. And then it was a moment of Kohli brilliance, as his pick-up-and-throw on the run from midwicket caught David short. And then it was all Shami.Earlier, asked to bat, the Indians were off to a flier with KL Rahul, particularly, taking the aggressive route from the get-go. By the end of the fifth over, India had raced to 56 for no loss, with Rohit on 1 off 5 and Rahul on 49 off 25. He soon reached his fifty off 27 balls before Rohit too got into the act, smashing Glenn Maxwell for a six and a four.Aaron Finch hit a 54-ball 76 to lead the Australia chase•ICC via Getty

The Australians struck back through Maxwell and Agar, who got rid of the openers in consecutive overs. Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav then got together and kept the scoreboard ticking. With massive square boundaries in use, the two ran brilliantly while also collecting boundaries at every chance.Suryakumar used the angles like he always does, finding the gaps around the square-leg region while also playing inside-out drives over the covers. Kohli struck a six straight down the ground but wasn’t always fluent in his stroke play with a lot of his mistimed shots landing perilously close to fielders. He eventually fell to a Mitchell Starc bouncer, top-edging to deep fine-leg. Hardik Pandya came and went while Dinesh Karthik holed out to deep midwicket for 20.Suryakumar, though, carried on, reaching his fifty off 32 balls. His innings was laced with six fours and a six, and while his dismissal was a tame one – a catch back to Kane Richardson off the leading edge attempting a flick off a full toss – he would have been pleased with the knock. R Ashwin’s first-ball six over point helped India reach 186. Richardson led the bowling for the Australians with 4 for 30, while Starc was at his pacy best.The Australians started their chase positively with Finch and Mitchell Marsh among the boundaries from the outset. It was Marsh who found the fence initially, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik bearing the brunt. Finch then lay into Harshal and Ashwin as Australia racked up 64 runs in the powerplay.For the most part, they looked on course. Till they fell apart at the close.

Usman Khawaja and Michael Neser made half-centuries to rescue Queensland

AAP31-Oct-2022Jhye Richardson was at his miserly best as Western Australia took the first-day honours in their Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland in Perth.Richardson snared 4 for 40 from 20.2 overs to skittle Queensland for 211, with the performance a timely boost for the 26-year-old as he attempts to win back his Test spot.In reply, WA finished the day at 1 for 3 after Mark Steketee removed the scalp of Sam Whiteman for a first-ball duck. Corey Rocchiccioli was sent in as a nightwatchman, and he survived eight balls to ensure WA didn’t lose any more wickets.Related

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Queensland were in a world of pain at 5 for 86 before Usman Khawaja and Michael Neser guided the visitors out of danger.Richardson looked uncomfortable at times on Monday, but he revealed after play that the problem wasn’t serious.”It’s just the fat pad on my heel,” Richardson said. “I get a bit of impingement. It bruises up and gets a bit sore. But I managed to get through with some goodies from the doctor, and I’ll be raring to go for the next innings.”Queensland struggled for runs on the green WACA deck, with the star-studded top order crumbling.  Matthew Renshaw, Joe Burns, and Marnus Labuschagne all fell cheaply as the visitors crashed to 3 for 26.Richardson set the tone for the day when he found the edge of Renshaw with the fifth ball of the morning. Alarm bells were ringing for Queensland when Aaron Hardie bowled Labuschagne before getting Burns to edge behind.Khawaja and Jack Clayton combined for a 44-run partnership that spanned 22.1 overs. Clayton eventually fell at the hands of Lance Morris, and Queensland crashed to 5 for 86 when Jimmy Peirson inside edged Richardson through to the keeper.Khawaja proved a stiffer obstacle to remove, but his innings was finally ended when he was stumped off the bowling of spinner Rocchiccioli.Neser was given a life on 14 just before the break when a diving Cameron Bancroft dropped a difficult one-handed chance at second slip. His half-century ensured Queensland made it past 200.Veteran Shaun Marsh was a notable absentee yet again for WA when the squads were lodged. Marsh had been tracking well in his recovery from a knee injury, but his comeback plans were scuppered by a recent calf tear.

“I don’t know what exactly it is. But we can’t afford guys coming in here half-fit and representing the country”

Shashank Kishore07-Dec-20221:25

Dravid: Hopefully we will have our full ODI squad in January

Rohit Sharma, the India captain, has expressed displeasure at players pulling up injured repeatedly despite being passed fit. He hopes the National Cricket Academy, the body that monitors and rehabilitates injured players, can “get to the bottom of it” soon.India have been ravaged by injuries to several regulars throughout the year. Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar, part of the Bangladesh tour, have been among those who’ve spent extensive periods in rehab at the NCA.Related

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• Unadkat replaces Shami for Tests in Bangladesh

• Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami likely to miss Bangladesh Test series

Then there’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who chief selector Chetan Sharma felt was “rushed back” from a back injury in a bid to be ready for the T20 World Cup that he eventually missed due to a stress reaction in his back. Bumrah hasn’t featured in any form of cricket since September, and there are no set timelines available on his recovery.”I mean there are definitely a few injury concerns,” Rohit said after India’s five-run loss that meant a 2-0 lead for Bangladesh on Wednesday. Incidentally, Rohit himself was ruled out of the third ODI against Bangladesh after injuring his thumb, and remains a doubt for the two-Test series that begins next week.”We need to try and get to the bottom of it. I don’t know what exactly it is. Maybe they’re playing too much cricket. We need to try and monitor those guys, because it’s important to understand when they come for India, they need to be a 100%, in fact more than 100%.”On Wednesday, India didn’t have the services of fast bowler Kuldeep Sen, who pulled up with a stiff back following his debut outing in the series opener. Chahar also managed to bowl just three overs due to a suspected hamstring strain that forced him off the field. While he did return to bat in India’s chase, the injury was serious enough to rule him out of the final ODI.It was another blow to Chahar in what has been a forgettable year. In October, he complained of back stiffness after the first ODI against South Africa and was pulled out of India’s net bowling contingent for the T20 World Cup. He also missed the entire IPL season due to a back injury that he picked up while undergoing rehabilitation for a quadricep injury he picked up in February.At the moment, players on the selection radar are asked to report at the NCA for a fitness assessment, following which a detailed report is submitted to the team management. The trainer then charts a workload management programme for the players in consultation with the support staff.If a player is injured, they spend a prescribed time under rehab after a detailed investigation into the injury and its causes are conducted. The final step of their recovery includes a detailed fitness assessment before they’re given a green signal.”It’s something we have to look at,” Rohit said. “We have to sit with our team back home at the NCA as well and try and monitor their workload. That is something we need to look at. We can’t afford guys coming in here half-fit and representing the country. There’s huge pride and honour in representing the country and if they’re not fit enough, it’s not ideal. Having said that, we just need to get to the bottom of it and find out what exactly is the reason behind this.”

England don’t name replacement, but Will Jacks could arrive in Bangladesh for the ODIs if not selected for second Test in NZ

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2023Tom Abell has been ruled out of England’s upcoming tour to Bangladesh with a side strain, denying him the chance to win his first international cap.Abell, the Somerset captain who bats in the middle order, strained his left side while bowling the first ball of his third over in England Lions’ victory over Sri Lanka A in Colombo on Wednesday.He did not complete his over, and was unused as a batter in the run chase as Lions secured a four-wicket win. A scan on Thursday confirmed the injury, with Abell to return home shortly to begin his recovery.Andy Hurry, Abell’s director of cricket at Somerset, said: “Obviously, we are all extremely disappointed for Tom. He has shown over a number of seasons the quality of player he is, and picking up an injury at this time is incredibly frustrating for him. We will focus now on ensuring he receives all the appropriate support he needs during a period of rehabilitation through to him returning to play.”Related

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England initially named 15-man squads for both the T20I and ODI legs of the tour, which runs from March 1-14, but said on Thursday that they would not name a replacement for Abell.However, ESPNcricinfo understands that Will Jacks – who is only in the T20I squad – could travel to Bangladesh early and arrive in time for the ODI series if he is not selected for the second Test in New Zealand.Several potential replacements such as Sam Billings, Alex Hales and Liam Dawson had previously ruled themselves out of the tour, instead opting to fulfil their respective contracts in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.Abell’s name did not feature among Birmingham Phoenix’s retained players when the ECB confirmed player movements in the Hundred on Thursday, but ESPNcricinfo understands Welsh Fire are instead considering signing him as captain in next month’s draft.England arrive in Dhaka next Friday ahead of the first ODI on March 1. The three ODIs are part of the ICC’s Super League, though both teams have already secured qualification for the 2023 World Cup.ODI squad: Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Rehan Ahmed, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, James Vince, Chris Woakes and Mark WoodT20I squad: Ben Duckett, Will Jacks and Chris Jordan replace Saqib Mahmood, Jason Roy and James Vince.

Both teams will have tricky selection calls to make if Chahal and Nissanka are fit and available

Hemant Brar14-Jan-20233:08

Should India stick with Kuldeep? Should Sri Lanka look to make changes?

Big picture – Why dead rubbers still matter

In 26 attempts across formats, Sri Lanka have never won a bilateral series in India. If you look at it through that lens, Sunday’s ODI in Thiruvananthapuram is inconsequential, with India having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead. However, in a World Cup year, the teams would like to utilise every opportunity they get.India will be looking to fine-tune their strategy and XI. Should their top three continue playing the aggressive brand of cricket they have adopted so far in this series? Who among the two wristspinners – Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav – is their preferred option? Is Umran Malik ready for the big stage?Sri Lanka, perhaps, are still in search of a couple of pieces to complete their jigsaw. Pathum Nissanka scored 72 in the first ODI but missed the next one because of back stiffness. In his absence, debutant Nuwanidu Fernando scored a fifty to put his case forward. If Nissanka is available for the third ODI, whom do Sri Lanka leave out? It’s a headache they won’t mind.

Form guide

India WWWLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLWLL

In the spotlight – Mohammed Siraj and Kusal Mendis

Mohammed Shami might be the leader of India’s pace attack at the moment, but Mohammed Siraj has had a bigger impact in this series, picking up five wickets at 12.00, with an economy rate of 4.73. He also seems to have grown more aware of his own strengths. In the second ODI, with the new ball not swinging, he switched to bowling wobble-seam and castled Avishka Fernando with a nip-backer to give India an early breakthrough.Kusal Mendis is by far the most experienced batter in this Sri Lanka line-up. He played some handy knocks during the T20I series, and looked good in the second ODI as well before being dismissed for a run-a-ball 34. If Sri Lanka are to challenge India, Mendis will have to bat longer.

Team news – Will Chahal return?

Chahal missed the second ODI with a sore right shoulder. If he is available for Sunday’s game, it will be interesting to see if Kuldeep Yadav once again misses out after a Player-of-the-Match performance.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Umran Malik, 11 Mohammed Siraj.Mohammed Siraj has been both economical and incisive with the new ball for India•BCCI

It will not be easy to keep out Nuwanidu after his composed half-century at the top of the order in the previous game. Given that he bats in the middle order in domestic cricket, Charith Asalanka may have to miss out if Nissanka is available.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Nuwanidu Fernando/Charith Asalanka, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Chamika Karunaratne, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Lahiru Kumara.

Pitch and conditions

The Greenfield International Stadium has hosted only one ODI to date: India vs West Indies in 2019. Batting first, West Indies were bowled out for 104, and India chased it down with nine wickets to spare. The temperature during the day time should be around 30°C; it will become slightly cooler at night. There is no forecast for rain.

Stats and trivia – Kohli vs Jayawardene

• Virat Kohli (12,588) needs 63 runs to go past Mahela Jayawardene’s ODI tally of 12,650 and move to fifth position among the top run-getters in ODIs.
• In the second ODI, Nuwanidu Fernando became the sixth Sri Lanka batter to score 50 or more runs on ODI debut.
• Avishka Fernando is 11 short of 1000 runs in ODI cricket. If he gets there on Sunday, in his 29th innings, he will be the fourth-fastest to the landmark from his country.

Quotes

“We will have a look at the pitch [in Thiruvananthapuram], we will definitely have a look at some of our guys because there are three ODIs coming against New Zealand as well. So we have to keep the guys fresh. We have got a long season ahead, so we need to keep everything in mind. If need be we will make some changes.”

He played six Tests and claimed seven wickets on debut against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2023Former New Zealand offspinner Will Somerville will retire from the professional game at the end of the domestic season.Somerville played six Tests between 2018 and 2021, taking 15 wickets, seven of which came on debut in Abu Dhabi where he helped New Zealand to a 123-run victory over Pakistan.”I’ve achieved more than what I thought I could achieve after becoming a professional cricketer at 30-years old,” he said. “I’ve played nine seasons professionally and loved every minute of it.”Somerville began his first-class career with Otago in 2004-05 before moving to Australia where, after a gap of six years, he represented New South Wales between 2014-15 and 2017-18. He also played in the BBL for Sydney Sixers.On returning home he joined Auckland in 2018-19 and earned an international call-up for the series against Pakistan in the UAE. In early 2020 he had the opportunity to play against Australia, a side featuring a number of former New South Wales team-mates, at the SCG. His last Test came against India in Mumbai in late 2021.Somerville will play his last first-class game against Central Stags in Nelson early next month. Ahead of the ongoing around of Plunket Shield matches he had 156 first-class wickets at 29.57.”Will is an all-round wonderful human being and is certainly the ‘Dad’ of the changing room,” Auckland coach Doug Watson said. “His calmness and humility as well as his skilful bowling will be greatly missed by the boys.”

It is learnt that he will recover in time for the WTC final in England, starting June 7

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2023Lucknow Super Giants’ quick Jaydev Unadkat has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2023 because of a left-shoulder injury, which he picked up while training in the nets on Sunday. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that he will be fit in time for the WTC final against Australia, starting on June 7 at The Oval.Unadkat was going to bowl his first ball in the Lucknow nets on Sunday when he ran in from around the wicket and his left foot got stuck in the rope that keeps the net up. He had a nasty fall on his bowling elbow. He clutched his left shoulder while still on the ground and was seen with his arm in a sling and an ice pack on his shoulder not long after.It is learnt that Unadkat travelled to Mumbai for scans and visited one of the specialist consultants appointed by the BCCI. In consultation with the board’s medical staff, Super Giants decided to withdraw Unadkat from the IPL. He is expected to head to the NCA in Bengaluru for rehab to get fit to travel to England for the WTC final against Australia.