Amy Satterthwaite is the most experienced of the trio, having represented NZ in 145 ODIs and 111 T20Is, leading the side in 15 of those games
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2025Former New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite, as well as Anna Peterson and Sarah Tsukigawa have been appointed female pathway leads for their respective regions of Auckland, Canterbury and Otago. Sara McGlashan, a former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, is leading the group of regional pathway managers.”Having three former players step into pathway manager roles is enormously valuable,” McGlashan said. “Their experience allows them to connect with players in a way that truly accelerates development, and inspires the next generation on where their journey in cricket can take them.”From strengthening relationships with clubs and schools to driving high-quality training environments, they’re helping create thriving pathways for young cricketers. Environments where players feel supported, inspired, and confident to push their potential is pivotal to their development.”Satterthwaite is the most experienced member of the trio, having represented New Zealand in 145 ODIs and 111 T20Is. She retired from international cricket in May 2022 after being told she would not receive a new central contract, and went on to join the Adelaide Strikers support staff as their assistant coach ahead of WBBL 2022-23. She led New Zealand in 13 ODIs and 12 T20Is too.Peterson, meanwhile, played 32 ODIs and 33 T20Is in a New Zealand career that ran from 2012 to 2020, and Tsukigawa, the oldest of the three at 43, played 42 ODIs and 19 T20Is between 2006 and 2011.In addition to the appointments of Satterthwaite, Peterson and Tsukigawa, former Northamptonshire and Middlesex coach Luke Pomfret has joined the Northern Districts pathway team.
West Ham United’s recent Premier League win against Arsenal has moved them up to sixth position in the table and David Moyes’ men head into 2024 full of confidence.
Not all is perfect at West Ham, however, as Moyes clearly needs some investment into his side if they wish to maintain their current position and challenge for more European glory.
West Ham United manager David Moyes
Jarrod Bowen is West Ham’s top scorer this season with 13 goals from 24 matches and he has had to operate through the middle due to Moyes’ lack of centre-forward options.
This will surely be an area the Scot targets when the January transfer window opens and there have already been a few names linked with a move to the Irons – including Hugo Ekitike.
West Ham transfer news – Hugo Ekitike
Moyes previously showed interest in the young striker during the summer transfer window, yet no move ever materialised, and he joined Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal from fellow French club Reims instead.
An update from French outlet Le Parisien claims that PSG are open to letting the youngster leave on loan during the January transfer window and this has certainly piqued West Ham once again.
Just like in the summer, Crystal Palace are also keen on luring Ekitike to the Premier League in January, and it means Moyes will have to act sooner rather than later in order to finally sign the player.
The 21-year-old is valued at €17.6m (£15m) according to Football Transfers and while it is a loan move being touted, if West Ham make a substantial offer, they could secure his signature permanently.
This could be the best outcome for Moyes, especially as Michail Antonio is out of contract in the summer, while Danny Ings simply cannot be relied on as a regular source of goals in the long term.
The manager has built a wonderful midfield which features talent such as Lucas Paqueta, Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse and Moyes could form a devastating duo by signing Ekitike to partner with the latter.
James Ward-Prowse’s season in numbers
The former Southampton gem signed for the club during the summer, and it looked as though he was the missing piece of the jigsaw for Moyes, especially with his attacking talents.
With 55 goals and 54 assists across 410 games for the south coast side, it was clear he would be in high demand following their relegation from the Premier League last season and West Ham were the club to stump up the asking price of £30m – and it already looks to be a wise move.
The Scot praised him heavily upon his arrival, saying: "He's performed to a very high level in the Premier League over the last decade, constantly producing good numbers season after season.
"His leadership qualities are obviously another huge plus for us – he'll be a big voice for us, someone who drives the team on from the middle of the pitch."
The 29-year-old may have scored only three goals so far, yet his 11 assists more than make up for it and he has proven to be one of the most creative players in the squad during the 2023/24 campaign.
The Englishman currently ranks second in the squad for goals and assists (nine) in the Premier League, along with ranking second for big chances created (six), first for key passes per game (two) and third for shots on target per game (0.5).
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He has certainly settled in well at the Irons since his summer move and all that Moyes needs now is to sign a talented centre-forward who could benefit from Ward-Prowse’s creative spark. Ekitike could well be the ideal candidate.
Hugo Ekitiké’s career statistics
The 21-year-old made his Reims debut during the 2020/21 season, but it wasn’t until the following campaign that he would enjoy his big breakthrough.
In just 26 matches for the French side, Ekitike found the back of the net on 11 occasions and this sort of form didn’t go unnoticed, especially in his homeland.
Of course, PSG were the frontrunners for his signature and while they couldn’t agree to a permanent deal during the summer of 2022, the two clubs agreed on a season-long loan move with the option to buy, and he joined the capital club.
It was a gamble for both parties and with Ekitike facing stiff competition from the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar, the youngster had to take his opportunities with both hands.
He didn’t do too badly considering the circumstances as he finished the season ranked fifth among the squad for goals and assists in Ligue 1 (seven) while also ranking fourth for shots on target per game (0.5) and fifth for scoring frequency (a goal every 385 minutes) in what was a relatively decent maiden season at the club.
West Ham could land Antonio upgrade in £40m gem who's "very Ian Wright-like"
West Ham are currently interested in a fellow Premier League striker
ByRoss Kilvington Dec 30, 2023
With Messi and Neymar both leaving ahead of the 2023/24 season, it should have given Ekitike a major boost that he could strive for a regular first-team role, but it has been a nightmare campaign so far.
The French U20 international has played just eight minutes of football during the current season, and it is evident that a move is the best thing for him to reinvigorate his stagnating career.
Journalist Graeme Bailey lauded the striker back in 2022 when Newcastle United were leading the chase for the player, saying: “many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe” and while for a short period this looked accurate, his progress has stalled recently.
Ekitike could link up well with Ward-Prowse should he make the move to West Ham, and he needs some regular game time in order to fulfil his massive potential.
The Premier League could be the perfect platform for the PSG starlet to rediscover his form and forge a solid partnership with the former Southampton gem and if Moyes can make a deal happen in the coming weeks, it could give the Frenhman renewed hope that he can reach the very top and more importantly, stay there.
Rangers are searching for a new manager after the dismissal of Michael Beale, and a former Premier League boss is now believed to be a target.
Who is in the race to become Rangers manager?
Beale's time as Gers boss was brought to an end on Sunday night, with those high up at Ibrox feeling that a change was badly needed. A poor start to the season got even worse over the weekend, following a dispiriting 3-1 loss at home to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, and a new face is now required in the dugout.
Now, Rangers are working hard on finding the best possible replacement for the Englishman, with a host of names already in the picture to take charge next. The likes of Graham Potter, Kevin Muscat and Pascal Jansen have all been mentioned as possible options, with the former currently out of work and the other two in charge of Yokohama F. Marinos and AZ Alkmaar respectively, but no decision has been made yet.
Now, another name has entered the race to become Rangers' next manager – one with plenty of experience in the Premier League.
Who has been added to Rangers' manager shortlist?
According to an update from Glasgow World, former Chelsea and Everton manager Frank Lampard is one of the candidates being looked at as Beale's potential successor at Rangers:
"Rangers have compiled a list of prospective new managers after sacking Michael Beale and are interested in speaking to Chris Wilder, Kevin Muscat and Frank Lampard among others. All three names feature prominently in the Ibrox club's early plans to replace Beale, who was relieved of his duties by the Ibrox board on Sunday.
"Lampard has managed in the English Premier League with Everton and Chelsea and was most recently caretaker manager at Stamford Bridge for the last 11 games of last season. He is also seeking a route back into football at a high level. The 45-year-old would command a considerable salary given his background south of the border.
"Rangers will cast their net far and wide in order to find Beale's long-term successor and are determined not to rush their next appointment."
Lampard is someone who could be a good choice for Rangers, even though his reputation as a manager arguably isn't the greatest it has been at the moment, following a challenging period in the past year or so.
The 45-year-old has had tough spells at both Everton and Chelsea recently, perhaps showing that he isn't quite at Premier League level, but the Gers could be the ideal place for him to rebuild, with the standard in the Scottish Premiership not as high league wide.
Lampard has still done plenty of good in his managerial career to date, guiding Derby County to the Championship playoff final and saving Everton from relegation, being praised by Jurgen Klopp, with the Liverpool manager describing the job he was doing at Chelsea at one point as "really good".
The England legend is also still a relatively young manager learning his trade, so he could develop into something greater at Rangers, finding it the perfect fit and proving to be an upgrade on Beale.
The country’s sports minister is considering a request to issue a moratorium on the board, preventing it from making any further announcements about the tournament
Firdose Moonda20-Aug-2018Cricket South Africa has run into more trouble in their efforts to get a T20 league up and running.The country’s minster for sports, Tokozile Xasa, has been asked to consider issuing a moratorium on the board, preventing them from making any announcements regarding the tournament until they appear before the parliamentary committee for sports and recreation.This request, delivered by letter on Monday morning, was made by Darren Bergman, the deputy shadow minister of sports and recreation and has been seen by ESPNcricinfo. Bergman asserts that the damage CSA have already suffered and the risks of greater financial losses are sufficient for parliament to demand assurances from the board that they can get a T20 competition up and running without any further hiccups.”While I do not believe that politicians should interfere in the running of sports and that we are best placed to play a supportive role, I am concerned that Cricket SA has the potential to risk major reputational and financial loss both to the sports as well as to the players and sponsors. This could have a negative impact locally and internationally,” Bergman’s letter reads. His comments were in reference to the legal action CSA is facing over the postponed GLT20.At least four owners have threatened CSA with legal action and reserved their rights to a team in the new T20 competition, despite the board announcing a new equity deal with broadcaster SuperSport. That deal is now believed to have fallen through, with SuperSport reportedly happy to telecast matches but averse to holding a 49% stake in the tournament.CSA’s board met in the weekend, planning to make an announcement on the future of their 20-over competition in the next two weeks, but if Bergaman’s request is successful, they will need to appear before parliament first. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Bergman said forcing to CSA to delay any further announcement would be “responsible rather than reckless.”CSA were due to address the parliamentary committee on Tuesday but asked for an extension while it prepares for next month’s AGM. If a moratorium comes in place – and Bergman hopes to hear back in the next few days – CSA may hasten their appearance in parliament. Then they need to satisfy the committee that they can conduct the 20-over tournament smoothly, despite the legal battles looming, the lack of a sponsor and the uncertainty over SuperSport’s role. All of this points to a likelihood that this new T20 league might be postponed as well, with the current six-team franchise competition continuing as usual.
Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge of Sunderland looks to have ended in a whimper rather than a bang, the Black Cats losing 1-0 to Bristol City last time out with the Tyne and Wear side now gearing up to announce Tony Mowbray's successor imminently.
Mowbray's successor looks as though it could be former Rangers and QPR manager Michael Beale, a potential appointment met with many detractors owing to the 43-year-old's recent failures with the Gers and the fact he walked out on the Hoops just months into his tenure at Loftus Road to move to Ibrox.
Failing to get a deal over the line to secure the services of a left-field manager from afar in both Will Still and Kim Hellberg, Beale could still freshen things up and give the entire Sunderland squad a boost on his suspected arrival.
Jewison Bennette in particular will welcome the new appointment, a fresh set of eyes in the dug-out who could give the dynamic Costa Rican forward more first-team opportunities at the Stadium of Light soon.
Frozen out by Mowbray, the 19-year-old has shown glimpses of his quality for the Black Cats when used sporadically in the past.
Jewison Bennette's numbers for Sunderland
Rumoured to be loaned out in the coming transfer window, owing to just 79 minutes of senior action, Beale could give Bennette a lifeline by playing him in the first team more.
Described as a "flamboyant winger" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig on social media, Bennette has shone in patches on rare senior occasions for the Black Cats.
This season, the 19-year-old tricky attacker entertained the Sunderland masses with a dazzling cameo versus Southampton in a comprehensive early campaign 5-0 win.
Bennette had a part to play in adding more salt to the Saints' wound, only amassing seven touches – as per Sofascore – but assisting Chris Rigg's goal late into the game to make the scoreline even more embarrassing for Russell Martin's visitors.
Skilfully taking it past two Southampton defenders with outrageous showboating, his cross after pulling off the skills was also floated in expertly for Sunderland's 16-year-old midfielder to head home.
Bennette is yet to experience more first-team action this season, but has been impressive in the Premier League 2 during his short time at the Stadium of Light too – scoring two goals and assisting a further four from ten U21 appearances to date.
The bold left winger could be given a chance to impress in the first-team fold under Beale however, who has previously enhanced players in that very position at other clubs he's managed.
Why Bennette could benefit from Beale
In his previous job post at QPR, the divisive 43-year-old got the best out of former Arsenal man Chris Willock down the flanks who plays where Bennette operates.
Willock would become a man possessed under Beale, scoring six goals and picking up one assist under Beale's guidance in west London before Rangers came calling.
The goal output dried up after for QPR's number seven without the 43-year-old in the dug-out, only helping himself to one more assist during the entire rest of the 2022-23 season with zero goals scored.
Former Rangers boss Michael Beale.
Football journalist Jack Austwicke described Bennette as "hungry" and having a desire to "want to learn earlier in the year when speaking to Football League World, and so the Costa Rican forward will hope he can push on and advance his game under new potential Black Cats boss Beale by showing his eagerness and willingness to make strides.
Bennette won't come in and displace the likes of Jack Clarke – the ex-Leeds United winger into double figures for the season already with ten goals – but the new Sunderland manager will want to utilise his squad more effectively than Mowbray.
He can start that by giving Bennette far more first-team chances, hoping to work his Willock magic on the promising attacker.
The Premier League bears witness every year to the stars of the future making their debuts and also wily veterans at the other end of the spectrum.
Players young and old make their presence felt on English shores whether it be goalkeepers in their 40s such as Brad Friedel, Mark Schwarzer and Jens Lehmann or teenagers like Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri getting a runout at just 15 last season.
With this in mind, Football FanCast has ranked the Premier League clubs from the oldest squads to the youngest, as per Transfermarkt.
Data correct as of 20th October 2023.
20 Fulham – 28.5 years
Marco Silva’s Fulham take the crown for being the oldest squad in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season thus far.
28-year-old Aleksandar Mitrovic left for Al-Hilal, with Shane Duffy and Anthony Knockaert amongst the Cottagers over 30 to also recently depart the club.
Meanwhile, Raul Jimenez joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the age of 32 was the oldest arrival at Craven Cottage, showing that Fulham have always boasted an older squad as opposed to this being a new phenomenon.
Tim Ream and Willian are the oldest two members at 36 and 35 respectively.
19 West Ham United – 28.1 years
Lukasz Fabianki for West Ham
Remaining in London, West Ham United are another club who are known for having several experienced heads in their side, particularly in defence.
James Ward-Prowse was their oldest signing of the summer at 28, whereas Declan Rice and Gianluca Scamacca left the club, both of whom are 24.
Lukasz Fabianski is currently one of the oldest players in the league, with the Polish goalkeeper having turned 38 back in April.
18 Newcastle United – 26.7 years
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are next, with their average age of just under 27 one of the league's highest.
Selling 31-year-old Chris Wood and 32-year-old Karl Darlow, combined with the youthful new arrivals hasn’t done much to move the Magpies any further down this particular list.
No one at St. James’ Park is particularly old but it all adds up, with 10 players being 30-plus – four of them goalkeepers.
17 Crystal Palace – 26.7 years
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson.
Crystal Palace follow a similar trend with the defensive trio of James Tomkins, Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne having been about a bit.
With Roy Hodgson at the helm, the Eagles are led into battle by the oldest-ever manager in the Premier League and the average age of their squad is fairly high too at 26.7, the same as that of Newcastle. They do, however, have a slightly smaller squad than the Magpies.
16 Luton Town – 26.4 years
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is the only man in charge in the Premier League younger than 40-year-old Hatters chief Rob Edwards.
Luton Town’s average age, meanwhile, is 26.4 – with their summer business being very mixed once again.
Ross Barkley and Thomas Kaminski have arrived, who are 29 and 30 respectively, whilst Tahith Chong and Ryan Giles are both only 23.
Goalkeepers do tend to be on the older side as that is represented by Tim Krul being the oldest in the squad at 35, plus James Shea is close behind at 32.
15 Nottingham Forest – 26.4 years
Ibrahim Sangare (25), Murillo (21), Nicolas Dominguez (25), Matt Turner (29) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (22) have arrived at the City Ground and gone straight into Steve Cooper’s starting XI, with the American goalkeeper being the only player over their average age of 26.4.
There has been so much turnover for Nottingham Forest in the last couple of years that it is a struggle to keep up to date.
One thing we do know is that Wayne Hennessey and Harry Arter are amongst the oldest players in the squad, bringing the average up, even though they rarely feature on the field.
14 Everton – 26.3 years
52-year-old Sean Dyche is near enough double the average age of his squad, with Everton coming next at 26.3 years.
Youssef Chermiti has joined from Sporting CP and is just 19, while the signing of Ashley Young on a free transfer from Aston Villa makes him an outlier at 38.
A similar picture is painted when it comes to the outgoings, as 36-year-old Asmir Begovic joined Queens Park Rangers whilst Tom Cannon (20) and Ellis Simms (22) were amongst the youngsters to depart, signing for Leicester City and Coventry City respectively.
13 Manchester United – 26.3 years
Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen.
Finishing comfortably mid-table in these rankings are an indifferent Manchester United side.
The signings of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans haven’t done the Red Devils any favours when it comes to the average age of their squad.
It currently sits at 26.3 with the aforementioned trio pulling that way up alongside 37-year-old goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
12 Brighton & Hove Albion – 26.2 years
Brighton and Hove Albion’s average age is marginally lower than that of Manchester United's and that can only have been lowered by their summer signings.
Five of their eight arrivals were 21 or younger, including Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati. Meanwhile, James Milner is at the opposite end of the spectrum, bringing a wealth of experience to the midfield at 37.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Milner is therefore the oldest player at the Amex, although he is closely followed by former Liverpool teammate Adam Lallana at 35.
11 Aston Villa – 26 years
Aston Villa managerUnaiEmery
Placing in 11th of this particular table are Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, even though they parted ways with the aforementioned Ashley Young.
Young may have left, but so did Cameron Archer and Jaden Philogene, both 21, with their destinations being Sheffield United and Hull City respectively.
England star Lauren James has been lauded for her 'unique ability' by Chelsea team-mate Erin Cuthbert after starring in a 3-1 win over Arsenal.
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James stole the show in Arsenal routResult puts Chelsea three points clear in title raceBlues' team-mate explains star's free roleWHAT HAPPENED?
James broke the deadlock and generally stole the show for the Blues in a huge 3-1 result on Friday night that put them six points clear of their London rivals in the Women's Super League title race. Chelsea were without three centre forwards for this game due to injuries but James filled the position well with a free-roaming role in which she wreaked havoc.
AdvertisementWHAT CUTHBERT SAID
Speaking to after the game, midfielder Cuthbert said of James' role: "We let Lauren do her own thing because on the ball, she can produce something out of nothing and she has that unique ability. I think for me, it is just keeping her defensively in check and narrow, keeping the spaces close, but when she gets the ball, she’s free to do whatever she wants and she is such a talented player."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea are looking to secure a fifth successive WSL title this year and they are in pole position to do so, sitting three points clear of Manchester City ahead of their clash with Brighton on Sunday. The win over Arsenal not only boosted their hopes, it also probably killed the Gunners', with there just six league games to go.
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DID YOU KNOW?
James has been in such good form this season that she could well end it with the Golden Boot. Only Man City's Bunny Shaw has scored more than her in the WSL, with 15 goals to the England star's 13.
Two dashing innings – a confident 87 off 117 from Kusal Mendis, and a stroke filled 62 off 70 from Niroshan Dickwella – propelled Sri Lanka to a 287-run lead in St Lucia, edging them ahead in the Test
The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2018CWI MediaTwo dashing innings – a confident 87 off 117 from Kusal Mendis, and a stroke filled 62 off 70 from Niroshan Dickwella – propelled Sri Lanka to a 287-run lead in St Lucia, edging them ahead in this match. Although Shannon Gabriel bowled spiritedly through the fourth day, collecting figures of 6 for 57 to take his match haul to 11 for 116, Sri Lanka still have two wickets remaining in their second innings. Only twice in this century have West Indies chased a higher score for victory. That the visitors found themselves in such a healthy position is a testament to their fight on day four, having found themselves effectively four wickets down with a lead of only one run, in the first hour of play.Two big partnerships built this Sri Lanka innings. The first was the 117-run fifth-wicket stand between Mendis and a lucky Dinesh Chandimal, who could have been out twice on his way to 39 off 112 balls. The second was the 99-run association between Dickwella and Roshen Silva, after Mendis and Chandimal had fallen within 10 overs of one another. Silva made his first significant score of the series, hitting 48 off 115, while Mendis and Dickwella batted more aggressively at the other end. Both Silva and Dickwella were out to the second new ball, but late in the day, Suranga Lakmal and Akila Dananjaya put on a useful unbeaten partnership amounting to 27. As that second new ball is only nine overs old, however, West Indies will hope to knock out the last two wickets before the lead stretches to 300 on the fifth morning.Gabriel has been the best bowler in the series by a distance, and Cricket West Indies’ recent decision to switch to the Dukes cricket ball appears to be suiting him well. He sometimes attempted to intimidate the batsmen, sending plenty at the ribs and at the throat, but it was the ball that he seamed in from outside off stump that brought him the most joy on day four. He struck nightwatchman Kasun Rajitha in front of the stumps in his first over of the day, then bowled Mendis off an inside edge much later. Roshen Silva was also out to a ball that bounced and nipped back at him more than he expected – Shane Dowrich snatching a tough chance close to the ground after Silva had gloved it.Only Dananjaya de Silva and Dickwella got out to Gabriel deliveries pitched on fuller lengths. Dananjaya was caught at slip attempting an expansive drive – the ball seaming away to take the outside edge. Dickwella merely slapped a full ball into the hands of mid-off, after Gabriel had pitched on a leg stump line.Where during his Trinidad hundred Mendis had had reprieves early in his innings, in this knock he was secure and polished. In the morning, he thwarted Gabriel’s short deliveries, defused Miguel Cummins and Roach, while taking a particular liking to Devendra Bishoo’s legspin, which he hit for 18 off 13 balls. As usual, he favoured the sweep to the spinners, and scored all but 12 of his total runs through the legside, the most attractive of his strokes an elegant push off Roach through mid-on for four early in the day. After lunch, he was especially confident. He whipped Roach over the leg side for six on two occasions, and swivel-pulled Jason Holder to the midwicket boundary for four. Some of the pressure he exerted on the bowlers through his positive approach had sucked some venom out of the West Indies effort, especially earlier in the day.Dickwella had a slightly easier task, not having to face the newer ball, but his innings was nevertheless important, after he had arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka in some peril. He scored most of his runs in the arc between third man and cover, audaciously carving two boundaries over the slip cordon whenever he was given some width. But even though he struck at 89, less than half of Dickwella’s runs came from boundaries. The big shots may have been the most memorable, but this was an innings held together by sharp singles and twos.Of the two supporting acts, Silva was better than Chandimal in this innings. For the first time in Caribbean, Silva managed to ride that sharp bounce that the West Indies quicks tend to generate, and stuck around while Dickwella scored more quickly at the other end. Chandimal was also reticent, only hitting a single boundary in an innings that stretched to 112 deliveries. He should have been out twice in one Gabriel over in the last half hour of the first session. First, he was struck in front of the stumps, but the appeal was turned down because two noises were heard. As it turned out, the second noise was the ball hitting his back pad, and had West Indies reviewed, they would have had Chandimal out for 21. Two balls later, Gabriel sent a bouncer at his throat and had Chandimal caught at gully. But thanks to Kusal Mendis, who had watched Gabriel overstep and prompted the umpire to check the front foot, Chandimal survived.All this, after West Indies had threatened to run away with this Test with their early-morning surge. Inside the first seven overs of the day, they had taken three wickets – those of Rajitha, de Silva and Mahela Udawatte. Having had Sri Lanka 47 for 4, they will perhaps be disappointed that the score has now swelled to 334 for 8.
Zimbabwe have been somewhat unsettled, and they’ll need their batsmen to come good in a must-win second ODI
Liam Brickhill23-Oct-2018Big PictureBangladesh have been finding ways to win even as their top order has struggled this year. They’ve won nine out of 15 ODIs since January, but 2018 hasn’t been good for their top four.Barring the final of the Asia Cup, the last time a Bangladesh opening pair lasted the first ten overs of an ODI innings was back in January, in the third match of the tri-nation series. In the 13 ODIs since, the openers have repeatedly failed to get through the Powerplay unscathed, and during the Asia Cup they were two or three down inside the first ten in every game apart from the final against India.It was a familiar story in their series opener against Zimbabwe – Liton Das survived an early run-out chance and a catch that was ruled not out by the TV umpire only to spoon a catch to mid-off, Fazle Mahmud fended at a lifter for a duck on debut, and Bangladesh’s middle order was under severe pressure early on.As they close in on their sixth World Cup appearance, all this points to a pressing question: who is going to open with Tamim Iqbal? Imrul Kayes’ career-best ton did his chances no harm, while Anamul Haque has fallen out of favour, Soumya Sarkar and Nazmul Hossain Shanto struggled at the Asia Cup, and while Liton registered his maiden ODI century in that final he has struggled for consistency. His partner in that game was Mehidy Hasan, but that is an experiment unlikely to be repeated in the long term. Heading into the second ODI against Zimbabwe, the hosts are searching for consistency at the top.So are the visitors. Zimbabwe have trialled seven different opening combinations in ODIs this year, and while the Solomon Mire-Hamilton Masakadza combo seems to be their favoured one, it hasn’t been helped by Mire’s indifferent form. He is averaging 14.77 in ODIs this year, without a fifty, while Masakadza has strung together several 20s recently but hasn’t been able to convert his starts. The difference for Zimbabwe is that, unlike Bangladesh, they have not been able to recover through the middle order or land the killer blow with the ball, and have won just five of 24 ODIs this year.Form guideBangladesh: WLWWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first) Zimbabwe: LLLLLIn the spotlightBrendan Taylor has scored more runs than anyone else against Bangladesh in ODIs, and despite missing Zimbabwe’s mid-year assignment against Pakistan he is still his country’s leading run-scorer in ODIs this year. But he’s not passed fifty since his 138 against West Indies at the World Cup Qualifiers in March, and in five of the eight limited-overs innings he’s played since then, he’s been out to spin. Zimbabwe desperately need Taylor to play to the potential of his statistics if they are to keep the series alive.Mustafizur Rahman only took one wicket in the opening match, but the waspish menace of his spells meant that Bangladesh retained control throughout Zimbabwe’s chase. He was the most economical of the home attack, racking up 36 dot balls as Zimbabwe sought simply to see him off. He also seemed to have added a little more zip through the air, and it was easy to see why he is Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year.Team newsRubel Hossain is fit but Bangladesh are unlikely to go for four pacers in their playing XI. The team management could also think of Nazmul Hossain Shanto in place of Fazle Mahmud.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Fazle Mahmud, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza, 10 Nazmul Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanAn out-of-sorts Mire will probably sit out for Cephas Zhuwao once again, and Zimbabwe may look to firm up their batting with the inclusion of Tarisai Musakanda.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Cephas Zhuwao, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Brendan Taylor (wk), 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Peter Moor/Tarisai Musakanda, 8 Donald Tiripano, 9 Brandon Mavuta, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Tendai ChataraPitch and conditionsChasing sides have won four out of seven day-night games at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium where pitches are reputed to be batting-friendly. The weather is likely to be dry on Wednesday, and dew could be a factor.Stats and triviaBangladesh have never lost an ODI to Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium. The teams have played five completed ODIs at the ground.Brendan Taylor is the only Zimbabwe batsman to have made an ODI century at this ground.No bowler has taken an ODI five-for here, though Shakib Al Hasan has come close twice with four-wicket hauls.Quotes”You have to shuffle according to the situation in ODIs. Everybody is on their toes that they can bat anywhere from three to five.” “Mushfiqur made nearly 150 against Sri Lanka, almost a hundred against Pakistan so he should have scored 200 against Zimbabwe. Mustafizur should have taken five or six wickets. But cricket doesn’t work that way.”
Trent Woodhill appointed as consultant as ECB finetune plans for new competition in 2020
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2018The latest plans for the ECB’s new 100-ball competition, due to be introduced in 2020, could involve 20 five-ball overs, instead of the traditional six, to be bowled in blocks of ten deliveries from each end.The reports of a rejigged format come after the ECB were forced to ditch their original notion of 15 six-ball overs and a single ten-delivery final over following strong opposition from the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Instead, the fielding captain could now be given the option to retain a given bowler for ten deliveries in a row if they are performing well.The proposals are being fine-tuned by an ECB steering group, chaired by Clare Connor, with the reduction in end-changes allowing the game to be further sped up – a significant factor in the original framing of the competition, with ECB research suggesting that new audiences are put off by the length of time that matches take to be completed.Under these revised regulations, all matches can be expected to fit comfortably into a two-and-a-half hour window from 6.30pm to 9pm.The notion of bowling consecutive overs from the same end, while radical, is not unheard of in English cricket, with many parks leagues in England and Wales adopting such a policy to hasten the progress of evening matches.According to the , trial matches for the new competition are expected to take place in September, with Trent Bridge earmarked for the men’s teams and Loughborough for the women. Nottinghamshire have no home fixtures scheduled between September 14-23.To help lay the groundwork from a playing perspective, the ECB have hired Trent Woodhill, the general manager of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Melbourne Stars, as a consultant on a one-month contract.Renowned as an innovative thinker, Woodhill has previously worked as a batting coach with Pakistan and was John Wright’s assistant with New Zealand between 2010 and 2012. His varied career also includes stints as an analyst at Surrey and working in junior cricket in New South Wales, and his input will be sought on the operational elements of franchise cricket.Woodhill met with England Lions players at New Road on Wednesday, and is expected to speak to county directors of cricket over the next few weeks.