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This final feels especially weighty, since it pits the two best teams not just of Test cricket’s last two years but arguably of its last decade

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Jun-20236:47

Do Australia have an edge in the WTC final?

Big picture – final flourish for Warner, Starc, Ashwin, Kohli, Pujara?

Is it world cricket’s most prestigious match? Or is it a final that should be more than a one-off contest but cannot be, thanks to the constraints of a calendar that is squeezing Test cricket to the margins, awkwardly positioned between two events that are, in hugely contrasting ways, more important, and tacked onto the end of an exclusionary league that isn’t even a proper league, in which nearly every team plays fewer Test matches than they used to?The answer, perhaps, is that it is both. For all its flaws, it’s the final of the World Test Championship, and for the 22 players who’ll feature in it, could be career-defining, and it could end with joys and regrets that they hold onto for the rest of their lives.This final feels especially weighty, since it pits the two best teams not just of Test cricket’s last two years but arguably of its last decade.Related

• India face a rehash of the R Ashwin debate in WTC final

• Pat Cummins 'aiming to play all six' Tests over English summer

• WTC final FAQs: Dukes ball, reserve day, a first-of-its-kind Oval Test

• Quiz: Who was India's leading run-getter during this WTC cycle?

• Lyon: 'I've never conquered this game of cricket and never will'

India were Test cricket’s dominant side, with all their key players at or approaching their peaks, during the 2019-21 cycle, during which they lost only one series, to New Zealand, before losing the final to the same team. They’ve had to chart a more tortuous route to the final this time, and some of the great names in their ranks have lost some of their old invulnerability, but they remain a superb team that will treasure this chance to do to Australia what New Zealand did to them two years ago.Australia will feel they should have been part of that 2021 final – they missed out because an over-rate penalty consigned them to third place rather than second on the points table. They’re here now, though, as league-table toppers, and they start with a clear edge. They are, like India, an all-weather side, but they’re especially good in conditions that favour pace over spin. More crucially, they start with fewer key players out injured. Australia will miss Josh Hazlewood, while India will be without Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, two once-in-a-generation players. The fact that India still look formidable is a credit to the depth of talent in their system.This final may also represent something of a final flourish for the era-defining players that crowd the two sides. Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc and David Warner are all 33 or older, as are R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav, with Mohammed Shami less than three months shy of joining them. They’ve all played upwards of 50 Tests, barring captains Cummins and Rohit who are set to reach that milestone on Wednesday.Two golden generations, then, are gunning for what could be their last shot at a Test world title. Some dreams are set to come true, and some others to shatter.

Form guide

Australia DWLLD (last five Tests, most recent first)
India DLWWW

In the spotlight – Cummins and Shami

Pat Cummins endured a difficult tour of India in February-March, on and off the field. He picked up three wickets in two Tests at an average of 39.55, and left the tour midway to spend time with his seriously ill mother, who died when the fourth Test was in play. In his absence, Australia made a stirring fightback from 2-0 down, winning the third Test and drawing the fourth, and stand-in captain Steven Smith came in for widespread praise for his tactical acumen. While Smith said he no longer held full-time leadership aspirations, and reaffirmed that this was now “Pat’s team”, Cummins’ captaincy might still come under some scrutiny at The Oval, where he’ll also want to restate his credentials as the world’s best fast bowler, particularly with Hazlewood out injured.5:05

Will Warner shine? Will Green adapt?

Bumrah might contest Cummins’ claim to being the world’s best fast bowler, but he’ll play no part in this final. Bumrah’s absence leaves India without their No. 1 strike weapon and could potentially upset the balance of their attack too – it’s harder for them to pick four fast bowlers, even if conditions dictate it, if Bumrah isn’t around. It is imperative, then, that Mohammed Shami brings all his class and experience to play. His record in England – 38 wickets in 13 Tests at 40.52 – is deceptive, because he’s often bowled brilliantly in the country without enjoying a lot of luck, and India will hope he’ll figure out a way at The Oval to not just beat the bat frequently but find its edge too.

Team news – Bharat or Kishan?

With Australia confirming that Scott Boland will take the injured Hazlewood’s place, their XI almost picks itself. With Peter Handscomb dropping out of the squad after an excellent spell as a horses-for-courses middle-order batter in India, Travis Head will move back to No. 5 and allow David Warner, who missed the last two Tests in India with a fractured elbow, to return as opener alongside Usman Khawaja.Australia (likely): 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland.Ajinkya Rahane is set to return to Test cricket for the first time since January 2022, his experience likely to get him the nod over Suryakumar Yadav with the incumbent No. 5 Sheyas Iyer out with a back injury. KS Bharat’s superior glovework won him the nod over Ishan Kishan during the home series against Australia, but in English conditions where keepers spend far less time up to the stumps negotiating sharp turn and inconsistent bounce, India could be tempted to back Kishan’s counterattacking skills and left-handedness. The biggest question they face, though, is whether to play four fast bowlers and just one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja, or pair him with R Ashwin.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 KS Bharat/Ishan Kishan (wk), 8 R Ashwin/Shardul Thakur, 9 Umesh Yadav/Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Mohammed Siraj.

Pitch and weather

Spin often plays a crucial role at The Oval. Since the start of 2012, during which time the ground has hosted 10 Tests, fast bowlers have averaged a collective 30.57 at The Oval and spinners 34.83. Of the English grounds that have hosted at least five Tests in this period, The Oval is where fast bowlers have achieved their worst collective average, while spinners have done better only at the Ageas Bowl (31.27) and Headingley (32.43).These numbers, though, could have something to do with Oval Tests tending to take place in August and September, when the weather is warm and dry and the pitches have undergone wear and tear over the long English summer. The ground has never previously hosted a Test match as early as June.Oval pitches typically tend to offer plenty of bounce, which could enthuse bowlers, both fast and slow, on either side, as well as allow batters to play their shots if there isn’t too much sideways movement.The forecast promises a clear, bright start to the Test match, with maximum temperatures in the early 20s Celsius. There could be rain on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, though – the scheduled fourth, fifth and reserve days.

Stats and trivia

• India have won their last four Test series against Australia – two at home and two away – all by 2-1 margins.
• Australia (0.411) and India (0.400) have near-identical win-loss ratios at The Oval. Australia have won seven and lost 17 of their 38 Tests here, while India have won two and lost five of their 14.
• Virat Kohli is 21 short of becoming the fifth India batter to score 2000 Test runs against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar (3630), VVS Laxman (2434), Rahul Dravid (2143) and Cheteshwar Pujara (2033) are the others to have reached the mark.
• In three Tests at The Oval, Steven Smith has scored 391 runs at an average of 97.75, with two hundreds and an 80 in five innings.

Quotes

“Think this puts a bit of a bookend on the last few years, then feels like it starts afresh with an Ashes series. Think the first final was a bit of foreign concept and it probably wasn’t until we missed out that we thought that would be nice to be part of. So there’s been a bit more on it in the last couple of years and pretty pumped to be here.”
“No, actually the way he is batting at the moment, I don’t think he needs any advice. It’s just about his preparation, how he’s prepared in the last five or six days since he’s come back from the IPL […] Gill is somebody who likes to bat, likes to spend a lot of time in the middle. I know even though it was the T20 format, you saw he got big hundreds [in the IPL]. He likes to be out there in the middle and face that challenge. That is what he likes and that is what I will also hope [he does in the WTC final]. And team India will also hope that he spends a lot of time in the middle and plays well like he’s been doing in the last six or eight months. So to be honest, not really too much to tell him. It’s just about giving him that confidence because he’s a very confident player.”

Already without Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal was ruled out for the hosts on the eve of the game

Mohammad Isam13-Jun-2023

Big picture

A Test match between two nations will be played in one of the premier cricket stadiums, and in front of a live TV audience. If this is considered as enough of a context, then the Bangladesh vs Afghanistan one-off Test is relevant. Otherwise, sandwiched between the World Test Championship final and the upcoming Ashes, this contest in Dhaka, being held bang in the middle of Bangladesh’s monsoon season, struggles to gain significance for their fans.The Future Tours Programme originally had this series scheduled as a two-match affair, before one Test was cut off. That, perhaps, is an indication that even the solitary Test seems out of place, not least when both sides will be rather more keenly looking forward to the ODI World Cup, which is less than four months away.In fact, Bangladesh have played just one Test this year – the one-off game against Ireland in April – with their next matches in the format scheduled only for November, shortly after the World Cup.Related

• Hathurusinghe: Forget WTC, winning Tests for your country is motivation enough

• Litton Das: Test experience gives us advantage over Afghanistan

• Litton to captain Bangladesh in Afghanistan Test in Shakib's absence

• Rashid Khan rested for Afghanistan's one-off Test against Bangladesh

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s last Test had come a long time ago – against Zimbabwe in March 2021 – although one of their six games in the format so far has featured a 224-run win against Bangladesh, even as it came further back in 2019.Nevertheless, the hosts enter the Test against Afghanistan on the back of an A series against West Indies in May, where an impressive show by uncapped batter Shahadat Hossain helped him earn a call-up to the national side. Bangladesh will be without regular Test captain Shakib Al Hasan – he is out with a finger injury – and Tamim Iqbal, who was ruled out on the eve of the game due to a lower back pain.However, the visitors will be taking some positives into the game: allrounder Karim Janat, who hasn’t made his Test debut, was the highest run-getter in the last Ahmad Shah Abdali four-day tournament – he also had 18 wickets at an average of 20 – while Amir Hamza had topped the wicket-taking charts. There were several other performers in that competition among those who are part of the squad for the Test against Bangladesh, including left-arm wristspinner Zahir Khan and legspinner Izharulhaq Naveed, who is also yet to play a Test.Ibrahim Zadran averages 44 after four Tests, where he has three half-centuries•Abu Dhabi Cricket

Form guide

Bangladesh WLLLLL
Afghanistan WLLWW

In the spotlight

The green pitch in Mirpur would put the onus on Bangladesh’s fast bowlers to come up with a match-winning showing. Taskin Ahmed is considered the leader of the pack, which also includes Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and the uncapped Musfik Hasan. A three-man pace attack is most likely against Afghanistan, although coach Chandika Hathurusinghe hinted that Bangladesh might even consider fielding four pace bowlers.Ibrahim Zadran is the in-form batter for Afghanistan. The tall, graceful right-hand opener averages 44 after four Tests, where he has three half-centuries – including an 87 against Bangladesh – and enters this solitary Test on the back of a match-winning 98 in an ODI against Sri Lanka earlier this month. He has the fourth-highest runs for any Afghanistan batter in Tests, and with only 84 runs separating him from the topper, Zadran has the chance to get right on top in Dhaka.

Team news

Bangladesh will be forced to make at least two changes, with Shakib and Tamim out. On Monday, Litton said that he would like to go with five bowlers although it is unlikely that Taskin Ahmed will be brought back so soon after recovering from a side strain.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Ebadot HossainAfghanistan last played a Test two years ago, with only four players from that side part of the squad to face Bangladesh. Rashid Khan has been rested. Thus, Abdul Malik is likely to open the innings with Zadran, while middle-order batter Bahir Shah, Janat and Naveed could be the debutants.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Abdul Malik, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Bahir Shah, 6 Karim Janat, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Amir Hamza, 9 Yamin Ahmadzai, 10 Izharulhaq Naweed, 11 Zahir KhanMehidy Hasan Miraz is one away from 50 wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

There was a surprising tinge of green on the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch when the ground staff unveiled it amid the rain breaks two days before the game. And if the forecast turns out to be true, there is likely to be a number of rain interruptions throughout the five days. Not much pace and bounce is expected at the venue.

Stats and trivia

Surrey ‘disappointed and frustrated’ as allrounder opts against 9000-mile round trip from USA

Matt Roller13-Jul-2023Surrey were “disappointed and frustrated” to learn late on Wednesday evening that Sunil Narine has ruled himself out of Vitality Blast Finals Day on Saturday, abandoning a planned 9,000-mile round trip from Dallas to Birmingham. ESPNcricinfo revealed on Tuesday that Surrey were expecting Narine to return from his Major League Cricket (MLC) commitments with LA Knight Riders in order to play for them this weekend, before returning to Dallas immediately after Finals Day at Edgbaston.But the club said in a statement on Thursday that they had been informed on Wednesday night about a change in Narine’s plans. Narine will instead remain in the USA, leaving Surrey with only one overseas player for Saturday’s showpiece in Australia’s Sean Abbott.Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, said: “We were aware when we signed Sunil for the T20 Blast that he could be unavailable for Finals Day due to his pre-signed contract with the Knight Riders in the MLC.Related

• Somerset keep faith in process in bid to end Finals Day pain

• Pepper adds the spice in enterprising Essex's title charge

• Sunil Narine's mission impossible: 75 hours, two continents, four games

• MLC wants more England cricketers, but not to 'start a war with anyone'

• Steven Smith in contention for Major League Cricket action in 2024

“However, all of the subsequent conversations with the various parties since he arrived for the group games and leading into this week were that we would have him back for Saturday, so it’s disappointing and frustrating to lose a player of Sunil’s quality at such late notice.”Kieron Pollard, Narine’s long-time team-mate and close friend, jokingly suggested to ESPNcricinfo that Surrey – the county he represented last year, alongside Narine – should have laid on a private jet to ensure his availability.”Maybe they should have sent some private jets for him, make him comfortable and then he might have been able to do it pretty comfortably!” Pollard said. “It’s totally up to the individual how you plan out your contracts, because there are going to be tournaments that are overlapping.”ECB regulations require players to be registered with a county in the group stages of a competition in order to be available for the knockout stages, so Surrey will not be permitted an overseas replacement for Narine.Dan Moriarty, their left-arm spinner, played his first Blast game of the season in their quarter-final victory over Lancashire and will likely retain his spot. Cam Steel, the legspinning allrounder, is the closest thing Surrey have to a like-for-like replacement for Narine, while Dan Worrall and Jordan Clark may also come into contention.”I genuinely think it’s a wonderful opportunity,” Gareth Batty, Surrey’s coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ve got a great squad. The worst part of my job is telling very fine players that they’re not playing. I hate it. It is the worst thing. It’s another opportunity to tell someone that they are playing.”I truly believe that we have lots of people that can play at any point across any competition and be a real success. Obviously Sunny is a wonderful player, but we’ll have a wonderful player coming in.”

Allrounder’s left-arm spin takes 4 for 85 in Somerset’s second innings

ECB Reporters Network06-Sep-2023Tom Kohler-Cadmore scored a well-made 84, but Hampshire’s patience was rewarded with their sixth LV=Insurance County Championship victory of the season.Kohler-Cadmore and James Rew’s 107-run stand threatened to frustrate odds-on-favourites Hampshire, who had taken two early wickets. But Liam Dawson plugged away with 4 for 85 before the second new ball opened the visitors up as Hampshire won by 185 runs before tea, with 33 overs shy of survival.Hampshire, whose title ambitions were ended by Surrey’s victory the previous day, took 21 points to Somerset’s three – with both sides only battling for prize money in the final month of the season.Hampshire needed eight wickets, Somerset a less likely 400 runs on the final day at the Ageas Bowl. Somerset were rolled for 137 in the first innings, and when Sean Dickson – who had completed a half-century the previous evening – was castled by Mohammad Abbas to the 11th ball of the day, it felt like a landslide victory was coming for the hosts.Andy Umeed, who had played his part in the 68-run stand with Dickson, edged a rising Abbas delivery to second slip two overs later to make the lunch orders start to feel redundant. But Kohler-Cadmore and Rew bedded in and ate away at the overs.Kohler-Cadmore was skittish and refused to err from his aggressive tendencies, with plenty of plays and misses in the early part of his innings exciting the Hampshire cordon.His lack of fear might not have been the traditional way to save a match for his team, but it benefited both his side and himself – with his fourth half-century of the season coming in 67 deliveries. Rew took 16 balls to get off the mark and at various points was three of 31 and 11 off 49 but never seemed bogged down or frustrated.The pitch remained as slow and flat as it had been across the match, with Dawson finding some significant turn, and very occasional spit out the rough, but it was much too slow to provide a stern test. However, the left-arm spinner did break the 107-run alliance between Kohler-Cadmore and Rew.Rew had retaken his place as the highest run-scorer in Division One, he now has 1,077 runs, but a drive away from his body found an inside edge and was caught by wicketkeeper Ben Brown.Kohler-Cadmore’s resistance ended on 84 with a brilliant off-spinning delivery from Tom Prest five overs before the second new ball. It caught the edge of the rough wide of off stump to turn back and bowl the slog-sweeping batter. It was the former England under-19 captain’s maiden first-class wicket.The second new ball pulled the rug out from under Somerset’s resolve. Lewis Gregory edged Kyle Abbott behind to the fourth ball with the new cherry. Neil Wagner was castled by the South African quick in his following over, before Dawson bowled Jack Brooks and had Shoaib Bashir lbw to complete the victory.

India batter says the two players have shared great respect for each other ever since first meeting at the 2019 ODI World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-20230:45

Rahul Dravid: Would be ‘fantastic’ if India meet Pakistan three times in Asia Cup

Pakistan have long viewed Babar Azam as their biggest global sports star, and the admiration is shared across the border by Virat Kohli, who called Babar “probably the top batsman in the world”.In an interview with Star Sports last year, Kohli spoke of his relationship with the Pakistan captain, and revealed that they had always been on good terms, since first meeting on a rainy day in Manchester in 2019.”The first interaction I had with him [Babar] was during the 2019 [ODI] World Cup after the game in Manchester. I’ve known Imad [Wasim] since the Under-19 World Cup, and he said Babar wanted to have a chat. We sat down and spoke about the game. I saw a lot of regard and respect from him from day one, and that hasn’t changed,” Kohli said. “Regardless of the fact he’s probably the top batsman in the world across formats, and rightly so. Performs so consistently and I’ve always enjoyed watching him play.”Related

• Bangladesh look to the future with Asia Cup squad

• Rohit admits No. 4 has been an issue for India in ODIs

• Faheem in, Masood out as Pakistan name Asia Cup squad

The rivalry between Kohli and Babar has always formed part of the cultural intrigue of India vs Pakistan contest s over the past five years, and partisan comparisons in both countries have added to the spice. When the two met at that World Cup game in Manchester, Kohli was ranked the top ODI batter in the world. On that day, he scored a 65-ball 77 as India eased to an 89-run victory.Over the years, as Babar has entered the prime of his career, he has risen to the top of the game, particularly in the ODI format. Earlier this year, he became the fastest player in ODI history to reach 5,000 ODI runs, beating out Hashim Amla and Viv Richards. He’s currently the top-ranked ODI player in the world by some distance with 886 points. Rassie van der Dussen is a distant second with 777. Kohli also makes the top ten, coming in ninth with 705 points.Babar is also ranked third in T20I cricket and fourth in Test cricket, as he is the only batter to make the top five in all three formats.India and Pakistan play each other in Kandy in a group stage game of the Asia Cup on September 2. They are also likely to play at least once more in the Super 4 stage, and are scheduled to play a World Cup match on October 14 in Ahmedabad.

He replaces Gavin Larsen, who had stepped down in March after almost eight years in the role

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2023Former Otago allrounder Sam Wells has been appointed New Zealand’s selection manager, taking over from Gavin Larsen ahead of the start of the upcoming domestic season. Wells, who has also been a selector for Otago, will work alongside head coach Gary Stead, who is also New Zealand’s chief selector.Wells, 39, played 61 first-class and 43 List-A games for Otago as well as two first-class matches for New Zealand A, in a career that started in 2007-08 and ended in 2016-17. He was even called up to the Test squad in January 2012, though he didn’t get the chance to make his international debut. After his playing career ended, Wells was a selector for Otago A, before taking over as convenor of selectors for Otago during the 2022-23 domestic season – all this while continuing to practice law in Dunedin.”Sam’s playing and selecting experience, combined with his communication and legal skills presented a compelling case,” NZC GM High Performance Bryan Stronach said. “He’s well-versed in running robust processes, where a variety of information and opinions are brought to the table to be considered – and that’s ultimately the role of the national selection manager.”While Gary will ultimately make the final decisions as the chief selector, we want Sam preparing him with as much intel as possible, and then challenging his thinking and decisions.”Larsen, who Wells succeeds as selection manager, had stepped down from the post this March, after almost eight years in charge.Wells’ role with the senior New Zealand side will be full-time in the summer but with reduced hours in the winter, with him starting officially on October 16.”I’m hugely passionate about cricket in this country, and to be given the opportunity to contribute at the highest level is an honour and a privilege” Wells said. “As a player, I always appreciated direct and honest communication from selectors, and that’s what I will endeavour to bring to this role.”

The tour will follow England’s three T20Is and Test match, with both sets of matches to be played in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2023Australia are set to tour India in late December for a multi-format women’s series comprising a Test, three ODIs and three T20Is.The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will play host to the one-off women’s Test and three ODIs while the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will be host for the T20Is. The ODIs will not be part of the ICC Women’s Championship.This is after England finish their tour of India starting with three T20Is in Mumbai followed by a Test in Navi Mumbai. All T20Is – against England as well as Australia – are night fixtures starting 7pm IST while the ODIs are day-night matches starting at 1.30pm IST.Both the Test matches are day games with a 9.30am IST start. During the home ODI series against West Indies earlier this month, Australia trained with pink balls in anticipation of a day-night Test match against India.Related

• DY Patil Stadium to host India's first women's Test since 2014

• Amol Muzumdar named India women head coach

Both the Tests are four-day fixtures, as has been the norm in the women’s game. In a departure from that, the women’s Ashes saw a five-day one-off Test match at Trent Bridge, which was only the second such game in women’s cricket.The red-ball fixture against England will be the first women’s Test in India since 2014, when the hosts beat South Africa. Since then, India have played two women’s Tests – one each against England and Australia – the latter being a pink-ball affair – in 2021. Both matches were thrilling draws.Since Australia’s tour of India late last year, all of India’s home cricket has been played in and around Mumbai. While the five-match T20I series last year was held at DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium, the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) earlier this year was also played across the two stadiums in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai.The twin series against the women’s Ashes rivals will be India’s first under new head coach Amol Muzumdar.Apart from the international series, three T20 games are also set to be played at the Wankhede Stadium between India A and England A from November 29 to December 3. All those games are afternoon fixtures with 1.30pm IST starts.

Marcus Trescothick recognised with OBE for work in area of mental health

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2023Stuart Broad, who retired in July as England’s second-highest wicket-taker, has been awarded a CBE in the New Year’s honours list. Marcus Trescothick, England men’s batting coach, receives an OBE.Broad, 37, called time on his storied career at the conclusion of the men’s Ashes, signing off with a wicket with his final ball to seal victory over Australia at The Oval – having also hit the last delivery he faced for six.His final tally of 604 Test wickets is second only to James Anderson for England and fifth overall. Broad also took 178 wickets in ODIs and 65 in T20I cricket, as well as scoring more than 4000 runs.”All I ever wanted to do was play cricket, and to have had the career that I was able to enjoy and to receive honours like this is incredibly special,” Broad said. “I’m very proud that my contributions to cricket have been recognised, and it means a lot to me and my family.”Trescothick, 48, scored more than 10,000 runs for England but has been recognised for his work as an ambassador for mental health, having helped to open up conversations in the game by documenting his own struggles since stepping away from international cricket in 2006.”It’s a huge honour to have been awarded an OBE,” he said. “I was delighted in 2005 when we were recognised as a team with MBEs but this is very special. I’ve always wanted to let people know my story and to try and raise awareness to help anyone who may be struggling with poor mental health alongside the Professional Cricketers’ Association, so recognition of that work means a lot.”Richard Thompson, ECB chair, said: “As a whole game we’re absolutely delighted to see Stuart and Marcus honoured in this way.”They have been fantastic ambassadors for cricket for many years, and they have played a major role in helping build the profile of our game and in turn bringing more people into our sport.”Stuart has long been an inspirational figure and will be remembered as a true great of English cricket, and the spectacular nature of his retirement this summer was the perfect farewell.”It’s also so fitting that Marcus has now been recognised both for his achievements on the field and for his bravery in talking so honestly about his own mental health challenges which has helped so many people.”I would also like to pay tribute to all those hard-working people who have been honoured for their work in cricket. I am delighted to be able to share with them my warmest congratulations, on behalf of everyone in our game.”

Somerset chief Hollins wants amendment to Performance-Related Fee Payments

Matt Roller23-Jan-2024English counties are pushing for an increase in the payments they receive from the ECB when players they have developed appear in international or representative cricket.Early discussions have started between the 18 first-class counties and the ECB over an updated County Partnership Agreement (CPA) which will replace the existing arrangements and cover the 2025-28 period, and Performance-Related Fee Payments (PRFPs) have been raised as an area for potential change.Under existing arrangements, counties receive payments when men’s players to whose development they have contributed make appearances for England Under-19s, England Lions or the full England side. These are weighted according to a points system, which ranks multi-day cricket above the shorter formats.”It’s a really good system,” Gordon Hollins, Somerset’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. “The principle of the system is that counties that develop players who go on to play for England are rewarded and we are very supportive of that because it rewards clubs who do the right thing by the national game. To my knowledge, it doesn’t happen in any other sport.”What we would like to see is consideration given to a greater level of payment for success: we believe it should be supercharged to provide a real reward for clubs that do the hard yards and develop those players. We’d like it to provide a real incentive to ensure that those rewards are suitable and don’t just cover the cost of a club replacing that player.”Hollins gave the example of Jack Leach, a graduate of Somerset’s academy who has never played for another county but is now rarely available due to his England commitments. “When we lose Jack, we can back-fill his absence with the money we get, but we don’t get any reward for it and we’d like to see that incentive really boosted.”In many cases, PRFPs are split between a player’s current county and the county that they represented at academy or pathway levels. “Take Jos Buttler: we get the lion’s share of Jos’s England performance fees,” Hollins said. “Lancashire get a bit, but we get the most because we’ve had the most influence on his career. It’s a good system.”There are also suggestions that the national counties (formerly minor counties) should be eligible to receive PRFPs, which they are not under the current system. If Shoaib Bashir makes his England debut in India over the coming weeks, Surrey and Somerset will share the relevant PRFPs but Berkshire, whom he represented at Under-18 level, will not receive any payment.Somerset’s stance is likely to find support from other first-class counties, not least those who are heavily reliant on central ECB funding. Leicestershire, for example, have long argued that they should have received higher payments than they did for their role in developing Stuart Broad and a change in the system would give them greater reward for bringing Rehan Ahmed through their academy.An increase in funds for PRFPs was among the recommendations of Andrew Strauss’s High Performance Review in 2022. “Without sufficient incentive to develop professional cricketers, we risk not making the most of the talent pool we have in England,” the report said, while also proposing an increase in the levels of compensation paid when players decide to leave their home counties.

Fast, furious and relentless through an unbroken spell of 11.5 overs despite a toe injury, Shamar bowled West Indies to a famous win in just his second Test

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-202430.5: Shamar Joseph to Green, OUT
Bowled him! Through the gate off the elbow! This leapt from a length, gets through the gate, hit the back elbow and dropped onto the stumps! Extra bounce from nowhere. What a delivery. Wobble seam as well and some nip in. Ball tracking says it bounced 12cm more than the average length in this game Australia 113/330.6: Shamar Joseph to Head, OUT
King pair! 141kph yorker thunders into the base of off! What a yorker! Around the wicket, 141kph, missile at the base of off, Head couldn’t get his bat down and West Indies are alive thanks to the wonderkid! Australia 113/4
34.3: Shamar Joseph to Marsh, OUT
Edged and taken! Shamar Joseph gets Mitch Marsh! That’s a peach of a delivery. Dug in back of length on a fourth-stump line at 144kph, the ball straightens. Marsh has to play at that. He looks to defend and the extra bounce means it comes off high on the bat and straight to Athanaze at second slip who can’t hold on. The ball pops out to third slip where Greaves holds on to complete the catch Australia 132/536.2: Shamar Joseph to Carey, OUT
Knocks him over! He nails the yorker again and Australia go six down! Alright, this wasn’t quite on yorker length, but it was fired in full at 145kph. Goes off the pad and knocks the off stump back. Australia 136/640.5: Shamar Joseph to Starc, OUT
In the air again and this time, Starc is gone! Shamar Joseph has two five-wicket hauls in two Tests! What a spell this is. Coming back after that toe injury yesterday. And he gets his revenge on Starc as well. Starc again swings at a back of length delivery going across him. Comes off the toe end and goes high in the air and Sinclair has to just move a little to his left from backward point to grab it. Shamar Joseph kneels with his head on the ground in celebration. This match is very much alive! Australia 171/742.3: Shamar Joseph to Cummins, OUT
Edged to the keeper and Shamar wheels away in celebration! Length ball outside off at 141.6kph kicks up and takes the outside edge. Goes wide of the keeper and Da Silva throws himself at it for a diving catch. Shamar Joseph is kicking up a storm here! Australia 175/850.5: Shamar Joseph to Hazlewood, OUT
West Indies win! Shamar Joseph flattens off stump! They charge off in celebration. Shamar Joseph takes seven! The West Indies huddle together. Brian Lara is nearly in tears in the commentary box! Perfect length, angled into middle and off, it straightens past the edge and flattens off! That is so good. Australia 207/10