Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman also come back after injuries to bolster the pace attack

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2022Allrounder Stafanie Taylor and middle-order batter Britney Cooper have returned to West Indies’ squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and India. Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman have also come back after injuries to bolster the pace attack, with West Indies naming 16 players for the tournament, which will act as their final preparation before the T20 World Cup.Taylor has been out of action since retiring hurt in the second ODI against New Zealand in September, and thus being ruled out of the entire five-match T20I series that followed. Cooper, on the other hand, last played for West Indies during the home series against South Africa in September 2021.”Our batting in the most recent series was less than par against a very good England bowling attack. We believe that with the return of some experienced batters, they will the able to support captain Hayley Matthews at the top of the order,” lead selector Ann Browne-John said of the squad.Related

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“The team had commendable performances [during the four ODIs] in South Africa in early 2022, and we know that the entire team will be drawing on that experience as they take on the home team and India in this tri-Series and then potentially again at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup also in South Africa.”Meanwhile, Connell had been left out of the side for three ODIs against England after going wicketless in two of the ODIs and a T20I against New Zealand. Although as per Browne-John, Connell was “expected to be ready to be considered for selection later in the series” after missing out on the first two of the five T20Is against England, she didn’t play any part in the remaining three matches either.Selman too had been ruled out of those T20Is after suffering an injury during the ODIs that preceded.West Indies’ squad otherwise wears a largely-familiar look, backed by the experience of captain Hayley Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation, among the relatively newer faces like Cherry Ann Fraser.The tri-series in South Africa begins on January 21, with two round-robin matches followed by the final on February 2. All games will be played at Buffalo Park in East London. The T20 World Cup then commences on February 10, with the final squads for the tournament to be submitted by February 2.Squad: Hayley Matthews​ (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Cherry Ann Fraser, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams

Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Gujarat Titans will be among the bidders

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Jan-2023At least eight of the 10 men’s IPL franchises will be bidding to own teams in the Women’s IPL. The BCCI is set to announce the winning cities along with the franchises when it opens the sealed bids on January 25.ESPNcricinfo has confirmed that Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and defending IPL champions Gujarat Titans will be submitting bids. The two remaining IPL franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants – did not confirm whether they had bought the tender document and whether they would enter the bidding for the five-team Women’s IPL, which is scheduled to be launched in March.Related

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The IPL teams are not the only entities to have bought the tender document, which the BCCI put on sale from January 3. Interested bidders have until January 13 to submit questions, with January 23 the deadline to submit the technical bids for evaluation, which the BCCI will conduct along with the Mumbai-based law firm Argus Partners.The BCCI has listed 10 Indian cities and the venues in the tender, which allows a single party to bid for more than one city. There is no base price set, and bids will be accepted for a 10-year period (2023-32).Among the eligibility criteria listed in the tender document, the BCCI has said the audited net worth of the bidder must be at least INR 1000 crore as of March 31, 2022. Consortiums or joint-ventures companies, the BCCI has said, are not eligible.How will the bids be evaluated?
The BCCI has included a key clause in the selection of the winning bid, saying it would not be “obliged to accept highest monetary offer”. This is similar to the clause the ICC had laid down when it sold media rights for women’s global events for the 2023-27 period last year. The BCCI has stated it will look at the vision bidders have towards enhancing the profile and accelerating the growth of women’s cricket in India.Listing the objectives it desired in a potential successful bidder, the BCCI said: “establishing a stable, successful, financially secure, long-term Franchise to participate in the League; ensuring the widest coverage and the widest possible audience for the League; assisting in the development of the game of women’s cricket in India at all levels; maximizing and enhancing exposure, wherever possible, for each of the official sponsors of the League; increasing and enhancing exposure for women’s cricket in India both within India and the rest of the world.”The BCCI has earmarked March as the window for the WIPL in the tender. While the BCCI has not formally announced the dates for the inaugural season, it is expected to start around March 5 and finish around March 23.

The batter feels the attack-first mantra he has now instilled in his Test-match batting puts him in a better position defensively

Andrew McGlashan25-Feb-2023Travis Head had “robust” conversations with Australia’s selectors after he was surprisingly dropped for the opening Test in India but believes he has shown he can find success in challenging conditions amid a hasty switch to opening the batting.Head was left out in Nagpur despite a prolific home summer based on his poor returns in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year. He admitted that having worked hard to adapt his game ahead of the tour, he was shocked by the decision but swiftly returned to the side in Delhi albeit the reasoning was curiously linked as much to his bowling as batting.”The conversations were robust, I guess, and everyone has different opinions,” Head said. “But I respect the coaching staff and selectors. I have a really strong relationship with them so think that’s what made the conversations the way they went because there’s respect both ways and we are able to voice our opinions.Related

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“It’s something I didn’t expect coming here, but sometimes that happens and thought I was able to go through that week and prepare myself for another chance… Now it’s making the most of that.”Head made 12 in the first innings in Delhi before edging Mohammed Shami to slip and then produced a sparkling 43 when he opened in place of the concussed David Warner. It was an innings that had put Australia ahead in the game, only for things to come crashing down on the third morning after Head edged R Ashwin.Head’s outstanding form at home – where he has averaged 73.50 over the last two seasons – has come with a blistering approach which has seen him strike at 91.20. He struggled to replicate that in the subcontinent last year, going at 48.40 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but was encouraged by the way he was able to counter Ashwin in Delhi where he scored at better than a run-a-ball against him during the second evening flurry.”I was pleased with the way I was going forward and back, watching length, and a few things I’ve worked on,” Head said of his innings. “It was a small sample piece but over here small sample pieces can be a little bit of gold to hopefully push forward for the next two Tests.”Felt like the way I played the other day was a step forward in that direction. Would have loved to have done it in the previous series, but that’s development, that’s understanding, that’s watching other teams go about it and other players and trying to learn on the go with not much experience in the subcontinent.”Head feels the attack-first mantra that is now instilled in his Test-match batting also puts him in a better position defensively and it was not being able to commit to that philosophy that brought his downfall on earlier tours.”[In] Sri Lanka, especially, when it was more spin-friendly than Pakistan, I found myself sitting on the crease a little bit and probably looking more to defend and waiting to attack, whereas here I’ve come with the approach that I want to attack first and defend second,” he said. “When I do that, and I’ve found it in Australia, my feet move better and I’m in better positions.”With Warner having been ruled out of the final two Tests, Head is all but certain to continue to open the batting in Indore next week. While Warner was defiant about his own future when he returned to Australia, it is far from guaranteed he will have the opportunity to resume his Test career in the World Test Championship final – should Australia qualify – and the Ashes.Whether Head is a viable long-term option remains to be seen – he appears inked in as the ODI opener heading towards the 2023 World Cup – but having been jolted by his omission in the first Test, he is more determined than ever to make himself valuable in any role.”Honestly, after missing out in the first Test, I would bat anywhere the team needed me to get a game. I’ve always said that. I didn’t come here expecting to open the batting last innings but whether it’s opening or No. 5, I’ve got to find a way in both of them if needed for the team.”Australia had a final training session in Delhi on Saturday before flying to Indore, which was hurriedly handed the third Test in place of Dharamsala. Mitchell Starc is expected to return to replace absent captain Pat Cummins who has remained in Australia with his seriously ill mother while Cameron Green will also be back from injury.

Decision follows the independent review, conducted after West Indies’ early exit from the T20 World Cup last year

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2023Following the independent review after West Indies’ first-round exit from the men’s T20 World Cup last year, CWI has decided to go the England route and appoint separate red- and white-ball coaches for the senior men’s team. The review, CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams said, “included a closer look at the roles of the current head coach position”.”We believe it is now necessary to split the role and engage separate coaches for red and white ball formats,” Adams said in a statement. “The increased frequency of back-to-back multi-format tours combined with the specific demands of the respective formats no longer provides enough time for one individual to adequately plan, prepare and review across bilateral series and franchise itineraries that are so condensed.”The recruitment process for both head coaches is expected to commence shortly, CWI said, adding that the red-ball coach would also be in charge of the West Indies ‘A’ team.Related

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Adams explained that the decision to have two separate head coaches was made based on the recommendation by the review group – comprising Patrick Thompson Jr (chair), Brian Lara and Mickey Arthur – that it would help improve preparation for all the teams.”Separating the roles will also provide the head coaches with more time to oversee players’ ongoing development away from tours directly, and through increased engagement and planning with suitable high-performance programmes and coaches,” Adams said.

No full-time coach since Phil Simmons left

Phil Simmons was the last full-time head coach of the West Indies men’s team, and he announced his decision to resign after what he called was the team’s “unfathomable” performance at the World Cup, though he stayed on to oversee West Indies’ Test tour of Australia soon after.In their opening match of the World Cup, West Indies were bowled out for just 118 chasing 161 against Scotland before managing to defend 153 for 7 against Zimbabwe, but Ireland easily overhauled their 146 for 5 to move into the next round.Then in Australia, they lost both Test matches, and after beating Zimbabwe away 1-0 in a two-Test series, they have gone down 2-0 in South Africa. They haven’t played white-ball internationals since the World Cup. Nicholas Pooran, their white-ball captain at the World Cup, has also since stepped down. Shai Hope and Rovman Powell have been named captains for ODIs and T20Is respectively, while Andre Coley has served as the interim head coach.

New Zealand were 164 for 5 in 18.5 overs thanks to Chapman’s unbeaten 71, before the weather intervened

Danyal Rasool20-Apr-2023Match abandoned A hailstorm in April, of all things, resulted in the fourth T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand being abandoned towards the tailend of the first innings. Mark Chapman’s unbeaten 42-ball 71 had spearheaded New Zealand’s innings after an early triple-strike from Imad Wasim put the visitors on the backfoot. The recovery had seen them post their highest total of the series with seven balls still to go, as New Zealand were 164 for 5 when the weather intervened.It was quite the intervention, too. Moments after Haris Rauf deceived Rachin Ravindra in the flight in the penultimate over to send him on his way, light drizzle began to condense on the Rawalpindi grass. The next batter would never be able to get in though, with the rain intensifying almost instantly. As the players scurried off the ground, spectators rushed for cover and groundstaff hurried onto the pitch, hailstones the size of ping-pong balls were peppering Rawalpindi, the groundstaff taking protection underneath the very covers they had hastened to bring out. With the ground bedecked in white, it was almost instantly obvious no further play would be possible.That means, somewhat remarkably, that this depleted New Zealand side stretch this five-match T20I series to the final game on Monday, where a victory would level the series. That did not appear likely when the visitors suffered two thumping defeats to start off the series, but the Pindi crowd is guaranteed a live decider when the teams reconvene on the other side of the Eid break.Pakistan had opted to field first on a surface that, in New Zealand captain Tom Latham’s words “looked a belter”, at a venue that saw stratospherically high scores in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League. But Latham’s side found themselves on the backfoot early on when Imad Wasim rocked them with three quick wickets. Latham miscued one to the boundary to be the first to fall before Will Young and Daryl Mitchell were both deceived by the pace and flight, and cleaned up soon before Imad was done with his spell. He’d bowl out straightaway, his four overs leaking just 19 runs and placing Pakistan firmly on top.That began to change when Chad Bowes hit his stride, taking on the dominant role in a fourth-wicket stand with Chapman that began to shift momentum back. Shadab came in for particular punishment in his third over, and a six off him brought up a 32-ball 50 for the opener before Shaheen Afridi returned to break through.But Chapman, the best batter for the visitors this series, had begun to crank through the gears, and was purring now. Successive boundaries off Haris Rauf helped him hit his stride before he took Zaman Khan to the cleaners, plundering 18 off his over. He’d brought up a half-century by now, and sparing no Pakistan bowler. Shaheen was carved through the offside for four, before Rauf was pummelled over deep midwicket just before the rains hit.It would all be forgotten as nature had its say, but Chapman’s form remains relevant to New Zealand’s chances of snatching an unlikely series draw.

Veteran fast bowler steps down ahead of this summer’s Ashes after decorated career

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2023Katherine Sciver-Brunt, the most prolific bowler in English women’s cricket, has announced her international retirement after a 19-year career.Sciver-Brunt, who made her England debut in 2004, played the last of her 267 international matches against South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Newlands in February.In all, she claimed a total of 335 wickets across formats for England, comprising 170 in ODIs and 114 in T20Is – both record hauls for the country – and a further 51 in 14 Test appearances, the most by any bowler this century.In the course of her career, Sciver-Brunt won three World Cups – including a Player-of-the-Match performance in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand at Lord’s in 2009 – and four Ashes series.Her announcement means that, having retired from Test cricket last summer, she will now play no part in this summer’s Ashes, which runs concurrently with the men’s series in June and July.Sciver-Brunt said: “Well here I am, 19 years later, at the end of my international journey. I thought I’d never be able to reach this decision but I have and it’s been the hardest one of my life.”I never had any dreams or aspirations to do what I’ve done, I only ever wished to make my family proud of me. And what I’ve achieved has gone way beyond that.”I have so much to be thankful for, cricket has given me a purpose, a sense of belonging, security, many golden memories and best friends that will last a lifetime. Of the trophies and titles I could have wished to achieve, I have reached them all, but my greatest achievement is the happiness that I have found in [wife] Nat.”It has been a huge honour representing England for so long and I’d like to thank all of the England cricket family past and present for making my time a special one. The supporters – you are awesome, without you we wouldn’t be able to do what it is that we love and the atmosphere you guys create is irreplaceable.”The biggest thanks I have though goes to my family, they are my biggest fans and greatest support without which I wouldn’t have made this journey at all.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Clare Connor, the ECB’s deputy CEO and England Women’s Managing Director – who was also Sciver-Brunt’s first England captain – said: “Katherine has done so much for the game of cricket and for women’s cricket in particular. She has been an unbelievable role-model, giving us everything she has for nearly 20 years.”When cricketers retire, we rightly celebrate their skill, their runs and wickets, their records and accolades. But what Katherine has given the game of cricket extends far beyond those things. Her most powerful impact has been through her human qualities – through her passion to take our sport forward, her care for her teammates, her desire to always come back better and stronger despite significant injury setbacks.”Through the time she has spent with fans, signing autographs, having her photograph taken with so many girls and boys who have been inspired by her. Many of those children will have watched Katherine play over the years and will have been inspired to start playing themselves. That’s an incredibly powerful legacy of which she should be so proud.”Katherine began her career in a completely different era from the one we are in now and we owe her a debt of gratitude for the part she has played in progressing our game, raising standards and bringing a new audience to women’s cricket.”She is quite simply a legend of our sport and I’d like to extend my thanks and the thanks of everyone at the ECB and across the game to her. We wish her all the best as she steps away from a remarkable international cricket career.”Sciver-Brunt had already announced her retirement from regional cricket, but she will continue to play in the Hundred.

Former PCB chairman appointed to board of governors by Pakistan’s Prime Minister

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2023Former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has taken a step closer to regaining the post once again after he, along with Supreme Court lawyer Mustafa Ramday, was nominated by the country’s Prime Minister to join the PCB’s board of governors.The development occurred the day after Najam Sethi, who is heading the interim management committee that runs the PCB until June 21, withdrew from the running to become the board chairman.Traditionally in Pakistan cricket, it is the Prime Minister’s appointment to the PCB board of governors who usually becomes the board chairman for a three-year term, and Ashraf is the overwhelming favourite to be elected, with the election process usually a formality.While announcing his withdrawal on Twitter, Sethi had said: “I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders.”Sethi’s tweet was referencing the political horse-trading over the chairman’s seat. Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, and also the PCB patron. Asif Ali Zardari, a former Pakistan president with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), is a prominent coalition partner in the current government, and Ashraf is thought to be his party’s man for the post.Ordinarily, the PCB chairman would be a pick of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) party. But over the last couple of weeks, the PPP has insisted that as they are the ones in charge of Pakistan sports, through the ministry for inter-provincial coordination (IPC), it maintained the right to nominate a candidate of their choosing.Ashraf’s return after a period of nine years ends – for now at least – a repeat of the tussles that had marked the tug of war between him and Sethi between 2013 and 2014. The pair were involved in a protracted legal battle for the chairmanship at the time, with the position switching hands several times. That issue was seemingly settled when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif – Shehbaz’s elder brother – finally ousted Ashraf and brought in Sethi. But after days of intense mediation between both parties, Sethi was compelled to make way for Ashraf.Sethi has been running the PCB on an interim basis since Ramiz Raja was removed as chairman, and the board’s 2019 constitution was scrapped last December. Sethi’s committee was initially given 120 days to bring back the 2014 constitution under which the PCB was run, and also reinstate the regional and department structure in domestic cricket. The committee was also given a mandate to form a board of governors and elect a chairman.That meant the dismissal of the six-team provincial model for domestic cricket which was formed with the backing of former premier Imran Khan. The domestic structure will now be based on 16 regions, marked by a return of departments. Among them, four regions and four departments are set to be given a board seat at the PCB for a term of three years.The 2014 constitution also requires the PCB to form a board of governors comprising ten members: four out of the 16 regional representatives, four representatives of services organisations, and two members directly nominated by the PCB patron.Over the last six months, Sethi’s management committee has also overseen the hiring of a predominantly overseas coaching staff for Pakistan, with former head coach Mickey Arthur appointed part-time director of cricket.One of the thornier issues that occupied Sethi during his short stint was Pakistan’s hosting of the Asia Cup and its link to Pakistan’s potential participation in the World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in October-November this year. Three days back, Sethi was talking about Pakistan’s participation at the event being subject to the approval of the Pakistan government. That will be one of the more pressing issues for Sethi’s successor to deal with.

Guest’s 80*, Scrimshaw’s career-best 5 for 49 and rain keep Sussex at bay after posting 402

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2023Derbyshire 212 for 3 (Guest 80*, Shipley 2-64) trail Sussex 402 (Hudson-Prentice 63*, Scrimshaw 5-49) by 190 runsAn unbeaten 80 by Derbyshire’s wicketkeeper-batter Brooke Guest frustrated Sussex on the second day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Hove.Guest, who has yet to score a century this season, came in during the third over and was still there when bad light forced the players off at 5.45pm, with his side 212 for three from 60 overs in reply to Sussex’s 402 and trailing by 190.In the context of the game, it was an important contribution from the 26-year-old who has so far shared a fourth-wicket stand of 70 with Leus du Plooy, the second-highest run-scorer in Division Two. He has contributed 32.With rain forcing the team off for an hour during the afternoon it was a frustrating day for Sussex, who have moved back into second place in the table as a result of Leicestershire’s inactivity against Glamorgan by claiming five bonus points so far, but are desperate to claim a second win of the season and enhance their promotion prospects.The hosts, dismissed earlier in the day for 402, had to be patient on a slow pitch with little sideways movement.Harry Came, having taken three boundaries off Henry Shipley in the first over of the reply, was caught at square leg off a mistimed pull in the New Zealander’s second over, but Guest and Luis Reece progressed carefully either side of lunch as Sussex employed five seamers and off-spinner Jack Carson in search of a breakthrough.Reece had his share of luck. On three a thick edge off Shipley dropped just short of third slip and then on 20 Ari Karvelas, diving forward at fine leg, couldn’t hold on to a mis-timed pull. But after adding three more runs he drove at Shipley’s away-swinger and edged to slip.Either side of an hour’s delay for rain in mid-afternoon Wayne Madsen accumulated busily and when he reached 23 he passed Denis Smith to become Derbyshire’s second highest run-scorer in all formats on 20,520. Kim Barnett’s club record of 36,212 looks safe for a while yet.But two balls after reaching fifty for the fourth time this season, Madsen was out in unlucky circumstances when a full-blooded sweep at Carson bounced off short leg Dan Ibrahim’s pads and rebounded to Karvelas, who took a simple catch in the covers.With the floodlights on and the light poor Sussex would have fancied making further inroads but Guest, who has so far faced 176 balls and hit 12 fours and a six, and du Plooy stood firm before the players went off with 22 overs not bowled.Earlier, Sussex had been dismissed for 402 with beanpole seamer George Scrimshaw picking up the last three wickets to finish with a career-best 5 for 49 as he took the 1000th five-wicket haul by a Derbyshire bowler.Karvelas was caught in the gully and Carson edged his second ball to second slip with Sussex still 20 runs short of a fourth batting point.But last man Shipley hit a six with the ball lodging on the pavilion roof to bring up the 400 before he was caught at point to give Scrimshaw his fifth wicket. Fynn Hudson-Prentice was left unbeaten on 63, his fifth half-century of the season.

Pair won two Championship titles together for Yorkshire in 2014-15 before Lees joined Durham

ECB Reporters Network26-Jul-2023Former Yorkshire opening partners Adam Lyth and Alex Lees shone for their respective counties on day two of this LV= Insurance County Championship fixture at Scarborough as Durham responded in kind to the home side’s commanding first-innings 340 all out.Lyth made his way from 75 not out overnight to 111 off 188 balls before fellow left-hander Lees dominated after tea with 65 not out in Durham’s reply of 106 for 1 from 33 overs.The pair won two Championship titles together for Yorkshire in 2014 and 2015 before Lees fell out of form and left his home county for Durham to reignite his career in 2018.He has since played Test cricket for England and is currently on a run of four hundreds in his last five Championship innings. Number five could follow on day three.Lees, 30, is the only player to have topped 1,000 runs in either division of the Championship this season, while Lyth is now inside the top 10 scorers in Division Two with 757.Like Lees, Lyth is in fine form having scored back-to-back Championship centuries. He was the cornerstone of Yorkshire’s 340 and was supported in thrilling fashion by Jordan Thompson’s 54 off 52 balls, including four fours and as many sixes.As Yorkshire advanced from 142 for 2 overnight, new-ball pair Matthew Potts and Ben Raine finished with 4 for 111 and 4 for 93 respectively. Raine claimed three of his wickets on day two.Lyth just loves batting at North Marine Road. Having grown up in Whitby, he learnt his craft on this ground, playing for the juniors and the seniors. He last played league cricket for them 10 years ago this coming September. Such is his fondness for Scarborough that he once went to Perth in Western Australia to play a winter of grade cricket for a coastal club of the same name.Lyth drove particularly well, especially on day one, and brought up his century off 157 balls.Durham clearly had more success with the ball during day two, claiming eight wickets. But they will have been frustrated at dropping a couple of slip catches, and Yorkshire will have been delighted with their work having been inserted.Just when it looked like Durham had created an opening, the lower order frustrated them.Raine trapped Ryan Rickelton lbw as Yorkshire reached an early lunch on 211 for 3, with rain preventing play between 12.35pm and 2pm. He then had Lyth caught behind cutting before wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson also helped Potts remove Matthew Revis, but at the second attempt after steepling bounce.And when Jonny Tattersall dragged a pull at Bas de Leede onto his stumps, Yorkshire were 236 for 6 in the 69th over having lost three wickets for 24.But a trio of handy contributions, led by Thompson, helped Yorkshire reassert their authority as another 104 runs were added.Ben Coad made 19 and Matthew Fisher 24, ably supporting Thompson’s freewheeling innings. He crashed four leg-side sixes off de Leede and Raine, one of them going out of the ground into the gardens surrounding this venue.Thompson was the last wicket to fall, caught at long-leg on the stroke of tea pulling against Potts.In truth, neither bowling performance has been anything to write home about, and we could now be set for the first Championship draw played at Scarborough since June 2013.Lees is doing everything he can to add to the 10 Test Matches he played last year. He hit all of his first seven boundaries down the ground or through cover off front and back foot, added to a lofted straight six off Coad’s seamers.Having lost opening partner Michael Jones caught behind off Thompson, leaving the score at 42 for 1 in the 10th over, he went on to reach his latest fifty off 64 balls. He shared an unbroken 64 for the second-wicket with captain Scott Borthwick, who will begin day three unbeaten on 29.

Back-room role with one-day squad has helped 2005 Ashes legend in recovery from near-fatal accident

Vithushan Ehantharajah25-Sep-2023Marcus Trescothick says he has been buoyed seeing Andrew Flintoff “grow back into Freddie” during his stint with the limited-overs squad, and hopes to see more of his former England team-mate in a coaching capacity in the future.Flintoff, 45, has been working as an unpaid assistant coach for England’s men during their one-day series against New Zealand and Ireland, as part of his recovery from a near-fatal accident while filming an episode of last December. His presence within the dressing-room proved hugely popular with the World Cup-bound players who featured in the New Zealand series, many of whom grew up idolising him, especially during the 2005 Ashes, and his stint was extended to take in the current series against Ireland, for which a separate 13-man squad was chosen.There are no concrete plans to extend Flintoff’s working relationship with the ECB after the third ODI in Bristol on Tuesday, which concludes the international summer. However, both sides have an appetite for more involvement going forward after the last few weeks. Having attended a few days during the Ashes with the encouragement of Rob Key, director of men’s cricket and a long-term friend, Flintoff has become a more visible presence around England training sessions, taking the mitt to the bowlers, and offering advice to those who seek it.His command of a room has also been noteworthy behind closed doors. He was given the floor to speak at The Oval after Jos Buttler’s side had beaten New Zealand, stating his admiration for what he felt was one of the best England environments he had been privy to. On Saturday at Trent Bridge, Flintoff was given the honour of presenting Tom Hartley, a fellow Lancastrian, with his maiden England cap ahead of the second ODI.Speaking to The Telegraph, Ben Stokes said “you can picture him being involved as a full-time coach”, adding that Flintoff “grew more confident within himself” as he became more familiar with the group. Those sentiments are echoed by assistant coach Trescothick, a fellow 2005 hero and international team-mate of Flintoff’s on 133 occasions between 2000 and 2006, though he also joked there would be a drawback in having someone he knows so well in the set-up.”It’s been hard actually because he hammers me more than anyone else,” Trescothick said. “I’m the first target for his banter at the moment, but having him around has been superb, it really has.Flintoff has proven popular in his role with England’s back-room staff•ECB via Getty Images

“Seeing him grow back into Freddie and getting back into the cricket…obviously he’s been away from cricket for a long period of time. But this is where it all starts and where it belongs for him. The guys have really taken to him.'”He’s been brilliant. A couple of times he’s spoken in the changing-room it’s been like, ‘wow’. You can see the difference, and I’ve seen the progression of him as a character; the way he talks and delivers messages to players has been superb. To have him sprinkling a bit of gold dust around the team and having the younger players working with that has been invaluable, really. You can’t put a price on it.”It was during the first ODI against New Zealand at Cardiff that Flintoff was first spotted as part of the staff. This happened to be his first public appearance since he had been left with facial scars following a crash at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome while shooting an episode for ‘s 34th series.As a legend of English cricket, and a key personality in the lineage of talismanic allrounders now carried forward by Stokes, Trescothick was particularly enamoured with how Flintoff has grown into his role. While he has been around the game recently, having worked with England’s Under-19s and frequent visits to Emirates Old Trafford given his sons Corey (17) and Rocky (14) are part of Lancashire’s age-group sides, he was understandably wary ahead of this opportunity with the national team.”I think he was a little bit nervous coming into the environment,” Trescothick said. “He doesn’t know many of the people so, from where he was coming in first at Cardiff to where he is now, he’s grown massively.”He’s back into the person you expect to be around cricket because that’s what I’ve seen for so many years and it’s been great, really good. He’s really enjoyed the opportunity and the team have taken to him being around. Hopefully, we’ll see more of him in the future.”Trescothick, like Flintoff, knows all about cricket’s ability to aid recovery. His mental-health struggles, especially when on tour, meant his international career ended in 2006, at the age of 30. With the help of those within the game, Trescothick has begun to take on more overseas trips in retirement. He returned to Pakistan for England’s Test tour last winter for the first time since 2005, a series which he believes triggered his depression, and he will be assisting England at the upcoming World Cup in India.”You become more comfortable, don’t you?” Trescothick said, recognising how cricket had helped Flintoff as it had helped him. “This is what we know, this is what we’ve grown up with for so many years. Once you come to your comfortable environment, you know what goes on and you understand the place, people have respect for what he has done and enjoy seeing him improving.”That’s really good from our point of view. If we as players and squads and cricket in general keep doing that for people who have fallen on tougher times, then great, we’re doing something right.”