Cricket – Page 22 – Worldwide Sports News

May 25, 2025

Pope determined to prove he warrants England place and Stokes’ defence

Batter relaxed about Jacob Bethell’s potential return after century against Zimbabwe with India and Australia to come

A Test match that began with England saying they wanted to be better at media interactions and show a touch more humility ended with the captain growling about his words being twisted. And they say a week is a long time in politics …

It was my question that sparked all this, as it happens. The day before the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, I asked Ben Stokes about Jacob Bethell, the conversations that surrounded his absence to play in the Indian Premier League, and whether, as the “incumbent No 3” who made such an impression in New Zealand, he would be “straight back in” for the series against India.

May 24, 2025

Stokes slams ‘agenda’ against centurion as England star stuns with unbelievable one-handed catch

Ben Stokes came to the defence of Ollie Pope by saying the vice-captain’s century against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge had answered an “agenda” against the Surrey batsman.

May 24, 2025

Stoinis, Inglis flurries not enough for Punjab as Delhi prevail in final over IPL thriller

Samir Rizvi hit an unbeaten 58 after Karun Nair celebrated his India Test recall with 44 as Delhi Capitals ended their IPL season with a consolation win over Punjab Kings on Saturday.

May 24, 2025

Time for the ‘Prince’: India entrusts 25yo star to lead new era as 18-man series squad revealed

Shubman Gill, long Indian cricket’s “Prince” in waiting, has been entrusted with leading a new era as India announced the team for next month’s all-important tour of England.

May 24, 2025

Telling Sam Konstas act emerges as Aussie teen expected to be left out for World Test Championship

Sam Konstas is reportedly set to be snubbed for the World Test Championship final for a batsman who has never opened at the international level, but the teenager is doing all he can to change selectors’ minds.

May 23, 2025May 24, 2025

He’s back! Stokes makes statement in Test return, Zimbabwe star hits record-breaking ton

Ben Stokes struck twice on his return to Test cricket as England enforced the follow-on against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on Friday despite a record-breaking century from Brian Bennett.

May 23, 2025

Cummins stars in hit to IPL team’s top-two hopes… but big Aussie boost firms for playoffs

Pat Cummins starred with the ball in hand while Ishan Kishan top-scored with 94 not out as Sunrisers Hyderabad scripted a 42-run consolation win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League on Friday.

May 22, 2025

Aussie brothers make history as Marsh records first IPL ton in upset win

Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans.

May 22, 2025

Audition could swing Marnus vs Konstas; Green surge to spark Aussie shake-up: State of play

It is a rare occasion when a domestic match abroad carries significant implications for Australia, but that will be the case when Glamorgan meets Middlesex in a match beginning on Friday in Wales.

May 22, 2025

England faces ‘hard decision’ after dominant Ashes tune-up as under-pressure star sends message

England’s top three of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope all made hundreds as they piled on the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe in a one-off four-day Test in Nottingham.

May 21, 2025

Bazball’s moment of truth arrives in year that will define era of McCullum and Stokes

One-off Zimbabwe Test at Trent Bridge the launchpad for a decisive summer for England and their abstemious captain

So where are we up to right now? Still Bazball 2.0? The start of Bazball 3.0? Given Ben Stokes has knocked the grog on the head this year, perhaps it should be Bazball 0.0% ABV.

Although, jokes aside, that recent revelation on one of those man-chat podcasts said a fair bit about Stokes’s nature. Not only has he temporarily paused drinking during his recovery from hamstring surgery but, so taken by this, he has even bought shares in an alcohol-free spirits company. England’s Test captain is someone who, when he sets his mind on something, sees it through to the extreme. Even abstinence.

May 21, 2025May 21, 2025

Ben Stokes targets No 1 spot in world Test rankings: ‘One more place to go’

Ashes rivals Australia sit above England in ICC table
Zimbabwe Test is captain’s first action since December

England under Ben Stokes have never lacked ambition, but they go into a defining period of Test cricket with one in particular in mind: to become the first England side in 15 years to take top spot in the International Cricket Council’s rankings – officially the best in the world.

“If we win what we’ve got coming up, the likelihood is that we will be at the top of that leaderboard,” Stokes said. “There’s no doubt in my mind we have the ability to be that team.”

May 20, 2025

‘I don’t have words’: 14yo sensation’s touching act for legend after half-century in IPL win

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit a half-century as Rajasthan Royals ended their IPL season with a consolation six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.

May 20, 2025

‘Be humble’: Brendon McCullum’s plea to England stars over ‘dumb’ comments as Bazball reality finally sinks in

England head coach Brendon McCullum on Tuesday urged his side to “show some humility” as they prepare to start a defining period in his reign.

May 20, 2025

County cricket talking points: Notts stay top but Surrey are on the prowl

Nottinghamshire remain top of Division One after defeat at Durham but, cue the Jaws music, the champions are coming

By the 99.94 Cricket Blog

At the end of day one, Haseeb Hameed had carried his bat for 206, his team had posted more than 400 and Nottinghamshire’s position at the top of Division One was secure. At the end of day four, all of that was still true but quite a lot had happened in-between.