Roshan Ranasinghe was removed from his post by Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Nov-2023The Sri Lanka sports minister who sought to sack the SLC board and install an interim committee has himself been sacked by the country’s president, on Monday. Roshan Ranasinghe’s ouster may ease the lifting of Sri Lanka Cricket’s suspension by the ICC, though it is not a certainty.SLC had beseeched the “top level” of Sri Lankan government to provide guarantees that there would be no further political interference in cricket administration in the country. Sri Lanka’s president Ranil Wickremesinghe has not provided such a guarantee thus far, but his sacking of Ranasinghe could be an indication that he wishes the government as a whole to back off. In any case, it was Ranasinghe who most energetically sought the sacking of SLC’s office bearers.Related

• What lies beneath Sri Lanka cricket's convoluted suspension saga?

• Sri Lanka Cricket suspended by ICC board

• Court issues stay order to prevent interim committee from taking over

• ICC shifts Men's Under 19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa

However, Ranasinghe has not only been sacked as sports minister, but has also been removed as minister of youth affairs and minister of irrigation – the other portfolios he held. This was after he had made accusations against the president in parliament, earlier on Monday. There is a chance his sacking was not particularly motivated by SLC’s suspension by the ICC, which had taken place two weeks prior.In any case, the news of Ranasinghe’s ouster will be welcomed by SLC officials, who have feuded with the minister for about 12 months. In the press conferences that SLC held in the past two weeks, board president Shammi Silva delivered personal insults against Ranasinghe, as Ranasinghe had against him elsewhere.Ranasinghe had also repeatedly accused SLC of corruption and mismanagement. The interim committee he had installed – and which was ousted by Sri Lanka’s courts a day later – was headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, and also featured two sons of politicians with no known history of cricket administration.SLC is understood to have asked to be suspended by the ICC in order to put pressure on the sports minister that had temporarily sacked the cricket board. Because of SLC’s suspension, Sri Lanka lost hosting rights of the Under-19 men’s World Cup, which had been scheduled for January and February 2024.

The England batter picked up a ball that had stopped in the crease by his feet

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2024England batter Hamza Shaikh ensured his time at the Under-19 World Cup would not be forgotten when he was given out obstructed the field against Zimbabwe.In the 17th over, Shaikh defended a ball down by his feet and Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba started to come from behind the stumps to collect it. Then, with the ball stationary in the crease, Shaikh bent down to pick it up to pass it back to the fielders, as is often seen from batters.Kamwemba and the bowler, Ryan Simbi, led the appeal and it was sent upstairs by on-field officials Donovan Koch and Masudur Rahman where third umpire Nigel Duguid gave it out.Previously it would have been handled the ball, but that mode of dismissal was combined with obstructed the field in 2017 with MCC saying they were effectively the same thing. The relevant Law, 37.4, reads: “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder”.Unsurprisingly, there was reaction on social media. “Oh get a grip,” Stuart Broad posted on X. “He’s passing a stationary ball back to the fielder? Doing him a favour! Cant give that out.”Sam Billings retweeted a video of the dismissal, simply adding: “Wow.”Late last year Mushfiqur Rahim was given out obstructed the field in a Test against New Zealand when he punched a delivery away after defending it down into the crease.

While the expectations from Mumbai are always big, Vidarbha are primed for their time under the limelight

Shashank Kishore09-Mar-2024

Big picture – Vidarbha vs Mumbai is domestic workhorses vs domestic superstars

Is the Ranji Trophy really the finishing school for those aspiring to wear the India cap? This question has been raised several times recently, at least in the aftermath of most big selection meetings for the Test team.Then again, look at those who have earned the Test cap at home against England. Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal – you can say with conviction they have taken the tougher route to the India cap, and aren’t overnight IPL sensations.This “tougher route” brings us to Vidarbha, a team comprising unheralded players who toil away in anonymity most times, searching for corporate cricket gigs and club cricket stints in the UK during the off-season to ensure they are “cricket fit” when the domestic season comes around. A chance to play in the Ranji Trophy final for the first time since 2018-19 is as big as it can get. For most, it’s the most important game of their careers.Related

• Tanush Kotian raises his all-round game for Mumbai

• Ranji final an opportunity for Akshay Wadkar to forge his legacy

Mumbai, on the other hand, are the golden boys of the domestic scene: 41-time champs, who are now playing in their 48th final. A team that knows how to conquer big moments, one whose DNA has been etched with “unsuccessful season” tag if they don’t win. That’s enough pressure to carry into a game.Most things they do are amplified, whether they like it or not. A glorious Prithvi Shaw straight drive has people comparing him to some of the legends, even if it’s just his first set of games on a comeback trail. Musheer Khan’s impressive initiation has many wondering if he can follow in the footsteps of Sarfaraz, his older brother. Shardul Thakur’s exploits has everyone going “Lord fantastic”.Ajinkya Rahane’s Test career may have hit a dead end, but his legacy has been set in stone – having helmed India to one of their greatest Test series triumphs in Australia. His drive to pull through a wretched run of form – he has made 134 runs in 11 innings this Ranji season – while astutely leading the team and backing a young group to flourish could be legacy defining too, if it culminates in their 42nd title.In short, the expectation is big. The chatter around them, even bigger.Vidarbha have never had to content with this pressure. And the cricket they have played all season reflects that. Take the semi-final against Madhya Pradesh, where they conceded an 82-run lead and then were effectively 79 for 5 in the second innings, before Yash Rathod and Akshay Wadkar, the captain, led a stunning turnaround with a 158-run sixth-wicket stand that set MP a target of 321.Unlike Mumbai, a relatively smaller and concentrated talent pool has served as a boon. It has helped them give a longer rope to certain players purely on potential they bring to the table. Like Atharva Taide, the opener, who has repaid the faith with 529 runs in 13 innings at 44.08 – not blockbuster, but not a minor feat either.That Vidarbha are here without having any batter in the top 10 scorers and only one bowler in the top 10 wicket-takers tells you how they have pulled along as a team. It’s therefore a contest of two contrasts. The domestic workhorses against the domestic superstars. And on the evidence of what we’ve seen so far this season, the workhorses are primed for their time under the limelight, if anyone is willing to throw it on them.

Run to the final

Both sides finished with five wins in seven league games to top their respective groups. Mumbai beat Tamil Nadu inside three days on a green-tinged deck at home, while Vidarbha overturned a first-innings deficit to beat MP and prevent a repeat of the 2021-22 final.Karun Nair holds the record for the highest score in a Ranji final•PTI

Players to Watch – Umesh Yadav and Shreyas Iyer

Umesh Yadav hasn’t been in India’s Test plans for two years now, and a road back up looks increasingly unlikely. But he has continued to put the hard yards in, having featured in seven out of nine games for Vidarbha this season. He has had decent returns too – 27 wickets at 26.77. While he hasn’t picked up a five-for yet, his quick bursts have proved game changing at different stages this season for Vidarbha.The last time Mumbai won a Ranji final (2015-16), Shreyas Iyer turned the game around with a swashbuckling century on a green top in Pune against Saurashtra. Eight years later, Iyer comes into another Ranji final under different circumstances. Having lost his central contract recently, with questions raised over his desire for Test cricket, the final is as good an opportunity as any to prove the fire still burns.

Pitch and conditions

Wankhede Stadium will host the final on what is confirmed to be a fresh surface. Mumbai have rolled out green-tinged decks for each of their two knockout fixtures and have an in-form pace attack to boot. Expect a similar surface with pace and carry. Mumbai’s only loss this season, however, came at Wankhede against Uttar Pradesh.

Stats and trivia

Jason Gillespie has stepped down at South Australia and the state needs to decide on their future structure

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2024Tim Paine would be “very interested” in putting his name forward to be Adelaide Strikers’ head coach if South Australia decide to split the state and BBL coaching roles following Jason Gillespie’s departure.There is a significant overhaul going on at South Australia this off-season with long-time general manager of high performance Tim Nielsen departing along with Gillespie. Luke Williams, who has become a sought-after coach in T20 leagues, has also stepped down as head coach of the women’s state team although will remain in charge of the WBBL side and has signed as an assistant coach in the BBL.Paine was an assistant coach with Strikers in last season’s BBL as they reached the Challenger final and is keen to progress his career but remained realistic about where he would stand.”Would I like to coach the Adelaide Strikers? Of course, I would,” Paine said on . “But at the moment, they have no GM of cricket and a number of other roles that need to be filled before any of that happens.”They need to decide with South Australia and the Strikers, do you go down the same model they’ve just had of one coach, in which case I cannot do it, [but] if they were to split the roles, I would be very interested certainly in having a crack at getting the job.””But I’ve been coaching for about six months and it’s a big job and I’d imagine it would get a lot of experienced coaches interested in that job as well. But I would love to go through the process because, one, it would be a great learning curve for me as a professional coach, to go through some sort of process would be awesome for my development, but like any coach of course you want to coach in the biggest leagues you can get in.”Paine added that it wasn’t the right time in his career to consider a combined state and BBL role as he would not want to move his family out of Tasmania. “If you are looking at a Big Bash job and state job, that is enormous,” he said.Currently, the four states with a single BBL team – South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia – have opted for a unified head coach across the state and BBL set-up. Brisbane Heat, the defending champions, are also in need of a new coach after Wade Seccombe stood down.

Here’s how the KKR players and coaches reacted after their IPL title win

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20241:25

Moody: Gambhir has created stability and clarity for KKR

Andre Russell: “No words to explain right now. It means so much with all the fans that have been supporting us throughout the season. We are the players who go game after game and make sure that we get the job done. And it’s the first time we’re actually celebrating our victory and I think it’s the right moment. I’m happy that all of us, we are very disciplined and want the same goal. This franchise has done so much for me, with the fitness and everything. This is a big gift from all of us to them, so I’m happy.”Russell to Star Sports: “It’s my first final for KKR and to get three wickets as well, it means a lot to me and all the bowlers did their job. We keep it as simple as possible. In the first couple of overs we realised the wicket was on the slower side and we used the cutters well, we didn’t overuse it as well. We kind of mixed up the pace. I was happy with a 113 chase any day . I just mentioned to him [Mitchell Starc]. I said, ‘hey, big man, you saved the best for last’. And I’m happy with that because he started on the rough side and I kept feeling that he’s still a world-class bowler, he doesn’t take a few bad games to decide the destiny and I’m happy that he bowled that jaffa to that guy [Abhishek Sharma] and then we’re on our way.Related

• Gambhir: 'I would love to coach the Indian team'

• Shreyas Iyer: 'We played like invincibles throughout the season'

• Cummins after loss to KKR: 'Old mate Starcy turned it on again'

• KKR's bowlers rip through SRH to win third IPL title

“GG [Gautam Gambhir] has not just been a mentor, he’s been a leader in every department for us, and I think that’s what was key to our success. He made sure that every batter and every bowler was playing their part and GG is just an amazing guy to be in any set-up. The support staff always gave us what we wanted, made sure that we were satisfied leaving the nets and everything played a big part leading up to this championship. GG coming back, winning the IPL, amazing support staff, you don’t need anything more than that.”Varun Chakravarthy: “All I can think of right now is the person who’s built this Indian core. Obviously the international players have been doing very well always, but the main guy behind this is Mr Abhishek Nayar.”Varun to Star Sports: “It’s a result of hard work. Credit goes to two main people, Dinesh Karthik and Abhishek Nayar. They are the guys who set the Indian core about five years back and that’s bearing fruits now. You can bowl at any other ground if you’ve bowled at Eden Gardens. It’s such a small ground, smaller than the TNPL grounds.”It went great bowling with Sunil Narine. We spoke a lot. We lost to Punjab Kings earlier in the season. Gautam then told us: ‘This is the loss that’s going to make us win the final’. And that’s what happened now. That Punjab match was the turning point for us. After we gave away 260-plus runs, Shah Rukh Khan [team owner] told me not to expect any magic ball. He said, ‘Just focus on your basics and that’ll bring you magic; don’t run behind the magic’.”Abhishek Nayar, assistant coach: “It means everything. It has taken a very long time. Personally, I started playing IPL in the first season. It’s taken me 16 years before I got my championship, but I’m really happy for the boys. It’s been five-six years. I can’t express how happy I am. Can’t express it, with the big man [Russell] turning up as usual, but it’s the most surreal feeling that I’ve had in a very long time.”1:20

How dominant were KKR this season?

Venkatesh Iyer: “As Varun mentioned, credit has to go to Abhishek Nayar. You know certain things go unnoticed. I’ll make sure that they don’t go because that guy deserves all the credit in the world for the way he’s been working for this franchise. And this one is for the fans who turned up in huge numbers year after year, waiting for ten years. We have some superstars in our team still we did not win, but kudos to the fans who came in regularly to cheer and support us, this is for them.”Nitish Rana: “When Gautam Gambhir was signed as our mentor, I had congratulated him on WhatsApp. I wrote a long message to him and he thanked me, but he also said he’ll be the happiest when we’ll lift the trophy at the podium. Today is that day and I’ll remember that message forever.”Bharat Arun, bowling coach: “I think it’s been pretty tough last two years. It was touch and go, we didn’t qualify and there’s been a lot of introspection and we did find out what are the areas we really need to work on. We did exactly that. I think Mitch [Starc] coming into the team boosted the confidence of the other youngsters in the side. Mitch is probably one of the best bowlers in world cricket and he’s been in similar situations many times. I think it’s just about Mitch discovering what his strengths are and how the Indian conditions would suit him. Once he understood that, it’s magic all over.””They [Narine and Varun] have been outstanding. Not often you come across spinners who are experienced. Spinners mature with age and so Sunny [Narine] with his experience and also Varun has been in the IPL for four to five years – both bowling in tandem has worked exceptionally well for us. He [Narine] has brought a totally different dimension to our batting this year. I thought it was Gautam who insisted that Sunny opens and that was a move that really paid off. What Sunny did was outstanding.”

SRH have sealed a top-four finish for the first time since IPL 2020

Karthik Krishnaswamy16-May-20242:36

Do Gujarat need to buy some power-hitters?

Sunrisers Hyderabad sealed a place in the playoffs of IPL 2024, with one point from their washed-out game against Gujarat Titans ensuring they will finish the league stage in the top four. They now have 15 points with one game remaining, against Punjab Kings on May 19.It was their first playoff qualification since IPL 2020, after finishing last in the league in 2021 and 2023, and in eighth place in 2022.SRH’s hopes of a top-two finish, however, took a hit. They can still achieve it – they need to beat PBKS and hope that Rajasthan Royals, who currently have 16 points, lose their last league game against table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders – but it is no longer entirely within their hands.GT’s campaign came to a gloomy end, with their last two matches – against KKR at home on May 13 and this one in Hyderabad – washed out without a ball bowled. They finished the season with 12 points, which currently puts them third from bottom, but they could slip down one place if PBKS beat SRH.The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was under covers for most of Thursday evening. A brief dry spell led to the announcement of an 8pm toss and an 8.15pm start, but rain returned almost immediately, and did not let up in any meaningful way thereafter. The match was called off at 10.10pm, two hours and 40 minutes after its scheduled start.

“My family actually doesn’t get to travel the world and watch me play a lot of international cricket. So to do it in front of them definitely is right up there”

Sidharth Monga23-Jun-20241:15

Has Chris Jordan made himself undroppable?

Perhaps because he has been around for longer, Chris Jordan doesn’t quite get remembered as an England cricketer of Bajan origin as Jofra Archer does. The Kensington Oval was where Jordan first saw a cricket match, incidentally between West Indies and England, and fell in love with the game. He vaguely remembers watching it from the old press box. Perhaps he means the stand and not the actual press box.There is nothing vague about having created a pretty special memory here by taking a hat-trick to end USA’s innings prematurely in a collapse that took out five wickets for no runs, before England eventually won the Super Eight match by ten wickets to seal a semi-final spot. It is naturally special having done it at “home”; those in attendance made it more special for Jordan, because he has never had so many of his family watching him play. It ranks “right up there” with his best days in an England shirt.”Yeah, it’s a good day,” Jordan said. “I think because my family actually doesn’t get to travel the world and watch me play a lot of international cricket. So to do it in front of them definitely is right up there. And then also in a World Cup, in a game to make sure that we can qualify, it’s definitely up there for sure. Ranks high.”Related

• Hat-tricks? Yawn

• Jordan, Rashid and Buttler lead England's charge into the semis

• Harmeet Singh: The road to 2026 World Cup must start now

• Jos Buttler takes the short circuit back to form as England's form hits the roof

• Buttler: Top of group was 'absolutely' the target in England's run chase

Who all were there then? “Yeah, everyone. The list goes on. My mum, my dad, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew. My nephew’s the one because he called me this morning and said, ‘Make sure you take three wickets today if you’re playing’. And yeah, so I looked up and he’s jumping up, because one day he might be out there trying to do the same thing. So yeah, you end up trying to be a role model and stuff like that. So yeah, it was a nice day.”It was fitting then that the England leadership brought Jordan in for a homecoming, along with Archer. After the defeat to Australia, Jordan missed the Oman game, but was brought back for the rain-shortened crunch match against Namibia. Then he missed games against West Indies and South Africa. It can be challenging for a player to not be sure of a place in the starting XI, but Jordan hasn’t let it affect him.”Not too much of a challenge because I [have] played a lot of cricket now, and I think the communication has been really good from the hierarchy as well,” he said. “I try to control the things that I can control – because even when I’m not playing, I’m trying to be there for guys and help guys with their planning, and make sure that guys are well motivated as well going into the game.”So we don’t really have too much time to even think about being in and out. All I can do is kind of keep training hard and just keep preparing as [though] I’m going to play every game anyway, whichever way the coin falls on the day. So yeah, not too much of a bother for me.”

Fallout from Pakistan’s dismal T20 World Cup campaign claims its first victims

Danyal Rasool09-Jul-2024The fallout from Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign has claimed its first victims, with Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq both sacked as selectors from the national side. Razzaq, who was appointed to the selection committee for both the men’s and women’s side just weeks ago, will no longer serve as a selector for the women’s team, either.As ESPNcricinfo reported last month, Wahab’s job was in danger following Pakistan’s group stage exit from the T20 World Cup. Despite being removed as chief selector earlier this year, and officially appointed as one of seven selectors to a committee that had no chief at all, Wahab was widely viewed as the de facto head of the committee. Internally, Wahab had raised frustrations at this public perception, primarily because it resulted in him bearing the brunt of any criticism for decisions the committee made, and it was a frustration that he also expressed on X after he was sacked.In a statement on Wednesday, the PCB confirmed that “it has notified” the duo that “that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup”.As reported earlier, the nature of the selection committee is also likely to be reconstituted, with a chief selector eventually expected to be reappointed. The numerical strength of the panel is expected to be reduced, making it unlikely that Wahab and Razzaq will be replaced to make up the numbers.Related

• PCB restructures selection committee by picking Aleem Dar, Aaqib, Azhar

• PCB mulls 'key changes', says domestic cricket 'compulsory' for players

• PCB set for collision course after rejecting NOC to Naseem Shah

• Babar Azam: Pakistan captaincy is 'PCB's decision'

• Pakistan must face up to hard truths of modern T20

Wahab’s departure is a speedy fall from grace for a man viewed as extremely close to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Wahab had served in his cabinet as caretaker sports minister while Naqvi was appointed caretaker chief minister of Punjab, and followed him to the PCB, where he was initially appointed chief selector. Wahab had also travelled with the Pakistan side to the T20 World Cup as senior team manager, another duty he is likely to be stripped of. Naqvi, for his part, is understood to have been keen to demonstrate no one was immune from adverse consequences.The decision effectively means the PCB has performed another U-turn on the procedure by which players are picked for the Pakistan national side. The seven-member committee was only announced less than four months ago, with Wahab demoted from chief selector, with each of the seven members carrying an equal vote, and Naqvi saying at the time that the committee would “make a majority decision based around debate and argument to reach a satisfactory conclusion”.It also indicates a continuation of the instability that has plagued the selection committee over recent years. The PCB has seen five chief selectors since January 2022, with Wahab, Haroon Rashid (twice), Shahid Afridi and Inzamam-ul-Haq all serving brief stints; Mohammad Wasim and Misbah-ul-Haq also served stints in the preceding period.The remaining five selection committee members are the head coach and captain of the respective formats, Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq and Bilal Afzal.

Durham take strong grip on game, piling up 531 for 7 dec on back of third individual ton

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2024A fantastic four-wicket return from the evergreen Neil Wagner and a century from Ashton Turner consolidated Durham’s dominant position in their Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire.Wagner was in a league of his own on day two at the Seat Unique Riverside as the experienced left-armer picked up figures of 4 for 68 on a pitch that has offered little for the bowlers, while Turner finished unbeaten on 114 on his Durham first-class debut.The Australian combined with Bas de Leede for a swashbuckling partnership of 134 from 120 balls in the morning session to take Durham to an imposing total of 531 for seven declared.Wagner ran through the Notts top order, despite a maiden first-class fifty for Freddie McCann, with the visitors losing five wickets for 26 runs in the afternoon session. The Kiwi was well backed up by Callum Parkinson but a defiant fifty from Lyndon James led Notts to 220 for 8 at close, with Durham leading by 311 runs.Durham resumed after an excellent first day on 393 for 5, but nightwatchman Parkinson didn’t last long as England man Olly Stone got him lbw for 4.Turner was then joined by de Leede and the pair guided Durham past 450, picking up maximum batting bonus points for only the second time this season. The pair played some lovely shots with de Leede hitting a glorious straight drive for four and the Dutch international got his fifty from 51 balls, his third in Durham whites.The elegant Turner then reached his century on his first-class debut for the hosts, with the Australian’s hundred coming from 141 balls.The hosts then passed 500, with de Leede and Turner switching to white ball mode as the hosts began to set up a declaration, with the former the aggressor in the pursuit of quick runs. De Leede was then dismissed for 79 off 68 balls after he smashed a Luke Fletcher delivery to long-off and the hosts declared on 531 for 7, with Turner unbeaten on 114.Notts’ reply got off to the worst possible start as Ben Slater was bowled by a Wagner beauty for 2. Skipper Haseeb Hameed and debutant McCann saw the visitors through to lunch. The pair frustrated the hosts after the break as they remained solid in defence and looked to score when they could.Hameed played a glorious cover drive in Daniel Hogg’s first over to continue his side’s progress and McCann looked the part on debut with the former England Under-19s man playing some lovely cover drives.An 81-run second wicket partnership was broken by Wagner, who is also making his first-class bow for the county, as key man Hameed gloved one down the leg side to Ollie Robinson.McCann got his first County Championship fifty from 62 balls, but his innings ended just one ball later when the youngster was caught behind off the bowling of de Leede.Wagner got his third as Clarke pulled a short ball straight to fine leg to leave his side with a mountain to climb. Wagner continued his incredible spell as Matt Montgomery tried and failed to control a hook shot and it went straight to Alex Lees at leg gully.Ben Raine got in on the act as Jack Haynes departed for nine as he chipped one straight to midwicket.James and Calvin Harrison saw the visitors through to tea without further loss and the pair grinded their way through a difficult period after the break.James made sure that he dispatched any loose bowling from the Durham attack and he slapped a Raine delivery to the cover boundary.Parkinson then got Calvin Harrison lbw for 18 to halt the mini fightback from Notts and the spinner could have had another but Turner dropped James on 28. However he didn’t have to wait much longer for his second wicket as he bowled Stone for 18.James got his fifty from 122 balls and remained unbeaten on 50 at close, but Durham will be the happier of the sides heading into day three.