Returning England captain Ben Stokes was unable to repeat his bowling heroics with the bat as the hosts suffered a dramatic collapse in the third and deciding Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
‘Strikeout’: Cricket World Cup winner Plunkett makes instant impact in baseball
Veteran of 2019 champions in first game for Oakland Ballers
‘The hitter didn’t know what was coming’
The former England cricketer Liam Plunkett swapped his cricket colours for a baseball glove, playing his first game for the Oakland Ballers and even claiming a strikeout.
The 41-year-old was part of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning side – his final international appearance – taking three wickets in the tied final against New Zealand as England emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins on boundary count. He moved to the United States, where his wife is from, and has played Major League Cricket for the San Francisco Unicorns.
Continue reading...Saracens’ George slams Auvaa’s ‘unacceptable behaviour’ in nightclub incident
England veteran says Samoan ‘immature – but a good kid’
Academy player ‘a rabbit in the headlights in London’
Jamie George has criticised his Saracens teammate Totoa Auvaa’s “unacceptable” behaviour during the nightclub incident that led to the cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson being dropped by England but insisted he was “a good kid”.
The England international and former captain described the 21-year-old Samoan back-row as “a rabbit in the headlights in London” and said the academy player “doesn’t know right from wrong”.
Continue reading...IPL teen sensation denied debut as minnow shocks India in all-time T20 boilover
Ireland stunned T20 world champions India with a landmark 34-run win in their series opener in Belfast on Friday after the tourists opted against giving an international debut to teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
‘You see clearly’: DRS drama as returning Stokes makes ‘magical’ statement
Ben Duckett scored his first century in over a year and Jacob Bethell banished his first-innings blues after returning England captain Ben Stokes sparked a fightback in the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Ireland rattle through India to claim first ever win over world T20 champions
Ireland 182-9; India 148; Ireland win by 34 runs
Three wickets on debut from Ireland’s Matt Hollard
Ireland defeated India for the first time in men’s international cricket with an unexpected 34-run victory over the world T20 champions at Stormont.
Ireland recovered from 51 for four to post 182 for nine, before an attack inspired by debutants Matt Hollard and Jai Moondra left India all out for 148 with seven balls remaining. This was the tourists’ first defeat since winning a second successive T20 World Cup in March.
Continue reading...Rain stopped play? Biggest worry now in British sport is extreme heat | Emma John
Climate crisis is on show every day when sportspeople do their thing and the rest of us sweat on the sofa
Nothing sharpens the distinction between professional athletes and the rest of us like a week of truly hot weather. While we’re apologetically crying off long‑in‑the-diary engagements – so sorry, just can’t face it in this weather – elite sportspeople are blinking the rivulets of sweat out of their eyes while squinting under a hot and heavy helmet, then doing 22-yard sprints with a couple of kilos of padding strapped to their legs.
As one of nature’s non-athletes, I speak not only with admiration but with genuine wonder. My experience of the past week has been working out how not to do things, or, if forced, doing them half‑heartedly because, you know, I haven’t slept. My friends and I message each other the latest innovations in fan strategy (“Apparently putting a frozen bottle of water in front of it helps”) and talk about our journeys on public transport as if we’ve just survived the Somme.
Continue reading...Kiwis’ monster opening partnership smashes record… but late stumble gives England a ‘sniff’
New Zealand’s Tom Latham and Devon Conway broke a record that had stood for nearly a hundred years before England skipper Ben Stokes marked his return to international duty by sparking a late fightback on the first day of the third and deciding Test at Trent Bridge.
England v New Zealand: third men’s Test, day one – live
Cricket updates from Trent Bridge, play at 11am BST
Read the Spin | Simon Burnton’s preview | Mail Daniel
Bad news for New Zealand: Matt Henry has a calf injury, so will be out for two to four weeks, while Glenn Phillips has a side strain, the length of his absence to be determined following a scan.
The pitch is flat, but it’s dry so might crumble later in the game. I can’t see any way you win the toss and don’t bat.
Continue reading...Bizarre reason 15yo phenom Vaibhav Sooryavanshi won’t be allowed into Indian changeroom during debut
Teen cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will reportedly be required to use his own changeroom during India’s white-ball tour of Ireland and England.
Alarm bells ring over Stokes answer as ‘frustrated’ England star breaks silence on nightclub saga
Returning captain Ben Stokes insisted he had been “man enough” to apologise to his England teammates after missing the last Test for breaching a curfew.
Perry’s all-round heroics in World Cup thrashing… but Aussies sweat on wounded star
Ellyse Perry starred as Australia moved closer to the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with a 113-run rout of lacklustre Pakistan on Tuesday.
Inside the civil war threatening to tear England apart as McCullum responds to Stokes rift claim
England coach Brendon McCullum has denied his relationship with Ben Stokes was damaged by the nightclub controversy that forced the captain into exile for the second Test defeat against New Zealand.
The County Championship is delivering a magnificent season
Cricket fans were treated to a few thrills this week. It’s just a shame the season is now on pause until late August
This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog
Continue reading...Title dream in tatters as sloppy England dealt massive penalty in fresh setback
England’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final have taken another heavy blow, with Brendon McCullum’s side sanctioned for a slow over-rate during the second Test against New Zealand.