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Hobart Hurricanes opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s unbeaten half-century secured a thrilling four-wicket win over Adelaide Strikers.Wyatt-Hodge, the golden cap owner for most runs for the season, paced her 72 not out off 57 to perfection to get the undefeated Hurricanes home with two deliveries to spare.Strikers fast bowler Darcie Brown (4 for 16) had threatened to win the match for her side with equal career-best figures, which allowed her to wear the golden cap for most wickets for the summer to date.Hurricanes pace bowler Hayley Silver-Holmes hit consecutive boundaries in the last over off Megan Schutt to secure victory at Bellerive Oval as they chased down Adelaide’s 134.Related

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Wyatt-Hodge, who now has 251 runs in just four games this season, took 18 runs from 19-year-old Eleanor Larosa’s first over in the WBBL, including four boundaries in a row highlighted by some delightful timing through the offside.Lizelle Lee (12 runs) flicked a six with ease over deep square leg before chopping on a Brown delivery after a breezy 33-run opening stand. Brown had her rhythm working and bowled stump-to-stump. Nat Sciver-Brunt tried an ill-conceived ramp and heard the death rattle.Next on Brown’s hit list was Nicola Carey who was well caught at first slip by Amanda-Jade Wellington. Then a fast Brown yorker went straight through Heather Graham.Though wickets fell at the other end, Wyatt-Hodge kept finding the boundary when she needed to and picked up her ones and twos as well.Hurricanes are doing everything right in the early stages of the season. Their bowlers are picking up wickets with regularity and their fielders are backing them up with quality work.Strikers never got going early in their innings after being sent in and the pressure built and built. Carey’s inswingers tied up the Strikers and she made the early breakthrough to get rid of Tammy Beaumont.Adelaide’s best batter Laura Wolvaardt was well caught at mid-off by skipper Elyse Villani from the crafty offspin of Lauren Smith. Seamer Heather Graham (2-23) knocked over Madeline Penna with a peach of a delivery that seamed in and after 10 overs the visitors had dawdled to 3-45.Captain Tahlia McGrath appeared to be finding the form that has eluded her in the opening round but couldn’t kick on. Wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson (24) was another who failed to make the most of a start.Strikers legspinner Wellington (33 not out off 21) was the most creative and effective batter in her late cameo. Left-arm orthodox turner Linsey Smith (1-11 off four) gave nothing away in a wily spell for the Hurricanes.

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, will not be heard by UK audiences during this winter’s Ashes in Australia, after BT Sport followed the BBC’s decision to remove him from their TV coverage of the series.Vaughan, 47, was last week stood down from BBC Test Match Special’s coverage for “editorial” reasons, following allegations from Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire cricketer, that he had said “there are too many of you lot” following the selection of four players of Asian heritage in a county fixture in 2009.Vaughan, who denies the allegations, apologised last week in an interview on BBC Breakfast for the “hurt” caused to Rafiq during his time as a player at Yorkshire, and will still be involved in this winter’s Ashes coverage through his commentary role with Fox Sports, the Australian host broadcaster.However, BT Sport – who are due to take the Fox Sports feed after choosing not to send a bespoke commentary team to Australia – announced on Tuesday that they will be taking a “hybrid” approach to their coverage, with Vaughan’s on-air stints to be overlaid with studio analysis.”As a result of Covid and travel restrictions BT Sport had made the decision to take our commentary feed from the Australian host broadcaster,” the channel said in a statement. “The recent report presented to UK Parliament uncovering institutional racism within cricket and specifically Yorkshire County Cricket Club is extremely disappointing and a concern for all.”Given these recent events and the controversy with the situation we have taken the decision that including Michael Vaughan within our Ashes coverage would not be editorially appropriate or fit with BT Sport’s values. We are still finalising plans but we are assessing the option of taking a hybrid approach, using Fox commentary where possible with the aim of putting our own commentary team in place if necessary.”Vaughan’s troubled build-up to the series continued on Tuesday, when he announced on Twitter that his arrival in Australia had been delayed by a week due to a positive Covid test. “[It] is frustrating,” he wrote. “But at least I’ll avoid the rain in Brisbane for a few days!”However, his hopes of being retained by the BBC after the Ashes have received a boost, after the corporation confirmed that they had been in “regular contact” with Vaughan since his suspension, and had held “positive conversations with him in recent days”.”Our contributors are required to talk about relevant issues, so Michael’s involvement in a story of such significance means it’s not possible for him to be part of our Ashes coverage or wider cricket coverage at the moment,” the statement added. “We’re pleased with how our conversations are going and expect to work with Michael again in the future. He remains on contract to the BBC.”The BBC’s stance was criticised this week by his former England team-mate Monty Panesar, who wrote in a column in the Daily Telegraph: “This feels deeply unethical — a classic case of someone being tried and convicted without any form of due process being undertaken.”

After a thrilling last-over finish in Hyderabad, India romped to an eight-wicket victory in Raipur on the back of an inspired performance from their quick bowlers to take the series 2-0 with one match to go. India’s domination started with a display of swing and seam with great accuracy to bowl New Zealand out for 108 in under 35 overs in an international debut for the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. Two sharp return catches also helped matters.India chased it down in 20.1 overs after a 51 off 50 from captain Rohit Sharma, who struck seven fours and two sixes before Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan saw the hosts through. It was India’s seventh consecutive bilateral ODI series win at home.Stifling Test-match style bowling from Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj caused the early damage, after India won the toss, to reduce New Zealand to 9 for 3. Hardik Pandya bowled three maidens and picked up 2 for 16 from six overs as New Zealand slipped to 15 for 5, with their top five falling in single digits, after 10.3 overs. Glenn Phillips stretched the score past 100 with the help of Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner, but 108 was a total too low to trouble a team that had scored 349 and 390 in their last two games.

Replay – Ind vs NZ, 2nd men’s ODI

You can watch the replay of the second ODI between India and New Zealand on ESPN Player in the UK and on ESPN+ in the USA.

Shami was the first to strike when he followed a few outswingers with one that came in and bowled Finn Allen for a duck in the first over. His swing and Siraj’s wobble seam tied up the top order, and Siraj had Henry Nicholls edging one to first slip in the sixth over.Four balls after Nicholls’ fall, Shami grabbed a sharp return catch with his left hand off Daryl Mitchell to finish his first spell with 4-1-5-2 while Siraj’s read 4-1-4-1. Shardul Thakur and Hardik also got breakthroughs soon after being brought on and kept the pressure on the visitors.1:17

Irfan: Siraj has become Rohit’s go-to bowler in ODIs

Devon Conway eased some nerves by registering the first boundary of the innings in the ninth over but Hardik sent him back with another one-handed return catch in the following over. Thakur also struck when Tom Latham, who had left nearly half of his first 16 balls, chased a wide delivery and handed Gill his second catch at first slip.Fifteen was the lowest score at which India have picked up five wickets in a men’s ODI and it was also New Zealand’s lowest score at five down.Phillips, Bracewell and Santner all bothered India but only briefly. Phillips started with back-to-back fours off Hardik – including a top-edge over the wicketkeeper – before Bracewell dispatched consecutive low full-tosses for fours off Shami in the 19th over. Shami immediately changed from around to over the wicket and banged in a bouncer that ended the stand of 41 when Bracewell nicked behind for 22.From 56 for 6, Phillips and Santner put on a patient stand of 47, thanks to two lives Santner got off Kuldeep Yadav. The first came when Rohit couldn’t hold on to a tough chance while diving to his right at midwicket, and Kuldeep later put down an easier return chance despite getting both hands to the ball over his head.Phillips scored at a good clip during his 36 with boundaries whenever he got loose deliveries from Thakur. Santner, too, chipped in with two fours off Kuldeep after the halfway mark of the innings, but he fell just after New Zealand crossed 100.Hardik started the 31st over with a 112.8 kph slower ball which Santner chopped on off the inside edge, and New Zealand collapsed again. Two long-hops from Washington Sundar saw Phillips and Lockie Ferguson hole out to deep midwicket, and Kuldeep trapped Blair Tickner in front in his eighth over to wrap up the innings.In the chase, Rohit and Gill started patiently as the new ball swung around. Soon though, Rohit turned aggressor, starting with a pull in the second over off Henry Shipley before also pulling Ferguson for six in the fifth over. Whenever the scoring would quieten for India, Rohit would either unleash another pull or manufacture room to dispatch the ball on the off side, including a stunning six over the covers off Tickner. Rohit also used the cut with perfect timing to collect boundaries as Gill waited more patiently for the loose balls to pick boundaries. Rohit also swept and reverse swept Santner to reach a 47-ball fifty but was trapped lbw when a Shipley delivery stayed low in front of off stump.Kohli was stumped off Santner for 11 after he struck Shipley for two fours and Kishan and Gill wrapped up the win by smashing three fours in the space of 11 balls.

Red-ball cricket, meet white-ball cricket – this is (the new) England.Set 299 from a minimum of 72 overs to win the second Test and take an unassailable 2-0 series lead, England mowed down the target thanks to an incredible onslaught from Jonny Bairstow after the tea break on the final day at Trent Bridge.A capacity crowd, granted free entry by Nottinghamshire CCC, were treated to a jaw-dropping display as Bairstow blazed his way to 136 off 92 balls, which included 14 fours and seven sixes, his 77-ball hundred falling just one ball shy of England’s 120-year-old record for their fastest Test century.Following Bairstow’s dismissal, Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes saw their side home inside 50 overs, the highest successful Test chase at Trent Bridge. Stokes remained unbeaten at the close with 75 off 70, his 179-run stand with Bairstow for the fifth-wicket stand off 20.1 overs at 8.87 was the third fastest century stand in Tests, in terms of run rate.Related

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Resuming after the interval with 160 runs still needed from 38 overs, Bairstow – unbeaten on 43 – led a brutal assault as Matt Henry’s short-ball tactics came to grief. Bairstow brought up fifty with back-to-back fours off Henry in the first over, which went for 13 runs in all, and he didn’t let up, lofting Trent Boult for six over long-off in the next, which also went for 13 to put England ahead of the required run rate. Two more maximums to Bairstow off Henry’s following over meant England had added 43 runs off three overs.With Kyle Jamieson, the pick of New Zealand’s bowlers during their five-wicket defeat in the first Test at Lord’s, unable to bowl after breaking down with lower back pain on the third evening of this game, the visitors began to look bereft of ideas in a hurry.Stokes appeared to twist his knee lunging forward to a Henry delivery with Bairstow approaching the nineties but he forged on despite appearing to be in clear discomfort. When Bairstow brought up his ninth Test century steering Tim Southee through backward point and shouting “yes, yes, yes” as he called his batting partner through, they ran three.Jonny Bairstow celebrates after scoring a 77-ball hundred•AFP/Getty Images

As Bairstow’s attack on the boundary continued, Stokes did not need to worry about running so much and he launched into a power game of his own, bringing up his fifty off 55 balls with a six down the ground off Southee, at which point England needed 50 runs off 28 overs. Stokes then muscled spinner Michael Bracewell into the back of the second tier of the stand over long-on.By the time Bairstow was caught behind off a bottom edge to Boult, England needed just 27 runs. There one more moment of drama when Foakes was dropped by Bracewell at cover with 14 needed before Stokes struck the winning runs with a blistering cut for four off Boult.While Bairstow is not new to the Test side or even an aggressive playing style, all the talk of a “positive” approach from this team under Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as new head coach made this feel like laying down a marker as England moved from one win in 17 Tests to to two in two. In eight innings since his century in the first Test against West Indies in March, Bairstow had failed to pass 30 but he rediscovered his form when his side needed it most.Earlier, Boult had Zak Crawley out for a duck, caught at second slip by Southee to send England to lunch at 36 for 1. By tea, Boult had claimed the vital wicket of an in-form Joe Root, Henry had seen off Ollie Pope cheaply and Southee – who battled for rhythm and wickets through the match – removed Alex Lees for 44 to leave England 93 for 4.Boult had also played a neat cameo alongside Daryl Mitchell, who remained unbeaten on 62 as New Zealand were bowled out for a second-innings 284 with just over half-an-hour left in the morning session, having resumed on 224 for 7.Henry, dropped by Root at slip on the second ball of the day when Leach got one to grip and rise to meet the edge, powered Stokes through cover for four in the second over before Stokes had him ducking and swaying like an air dancer outside a car dealership to avoid some well-directed short balls thereafter. It was Stuart Broad who made the breakthrough, however, when he had Henry caught behind with just his fifth ball.Boult punched Stokes through wide long-on and ran two to finally grasp the title of highest Test run-scorer at No.11 outright after being stranded equal with Muthiah Muralidaran on 623 since making an unbeaten 16 off 18 balls in the first innings.Broad took the second new ball three overs after it had become available and was duly bundled over the rope at long-on by Mitchell. James Anderson returned to the attack in the next over and ended New Zealand’s innings with his fourth ball back when he had Boult caught by Stokes at mid-off for 17.

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum has backed Venkatesh Iyer to come good again and insisted that the misfiring allrounder is still in contention to win a spot in the XI.”He didn’t get as many runs as he would have liked and we were forced to look at some other [opening] options, which is disappointing for someone who has represented India in the last seven-eight months on the back of what was a very good IPL last time in the UAE,” McCullum said after Knight Riders’ seventh loss on Saturday.After a mere 109 runs in seven innings as opener, Knight Riders moved him down to the middle order, like India did when he debuted for them last year. But that didn’t work either. With just one score above 20 – a half-century against Mumbai Indians – he had to make way.”It is frustrating for him and he is working hard in the nets and trying to get his spot back and that’ll certainly be a consideration,” McCullum said. “In a short tournament, you’ve got to be prepared to use some other guys in the squad and that’s what we had to unfortunately do with Venkatesh but he’s certainly not out of the reckoning in the games to come. He is a real talent and has a good head on his shoulders. I know he is determined to take that next step and start to perform more regularly.”Related

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Venkatesh’s struggles are all the more bizarre considering he was one of the biggest contributors to the Knight Riders’ improbable run to the IPL final last year. Though he played only 10 of their 17 matches, he finished as their fourth-highest run-getter with a tally of 370. ESPNcricinfo experts Daniel Vettori, Chris Lynn and Aakash Chopra believe the allrounder may be suffering second-season syndrome. McCullum agreed. “As well with Venky’s second year, teams do a bit more scouting and homework as has historically been the case in this tournament as well as in international cricket.”Knight Riders have tried five different opening combinations this year and none of them have worked. They are averaging just 13.09 runs for the first wicket, which is the worst out of all the 10 teams. Their run-rate in the powerplay (6.53) is another low point. And they’ve been losing way too many wickets (23) in the first six overs too.”We’ve struggled in the powerplay, which has been a bit of a frustration for us right throughout the season,” McCullum said. “We’ve been good throughout the middle phase, not too bad at the death, but the powerplay, we’ve been a little stuck. We’ve got to find a method to not lose too many wickets [in the powerplay] and throw a few punches and pick up a few boundaries because at the moment we are sort of stuck in between and opposition teams are taking advantage of that.”If you look around at the other teams who sit towards the top of the table, one of their opening batsmen is also one of the highest run scorers. It’s an area where we haven’t been able to settle and unfortunately some guys haven’t been in the form that they would have liked as well. So we’re just searching for a little bit of form and sometimes in a quick tournament you do often have to change personnel. It’s been frustrating but the guys are certainly working hard and I can’t fault the effort.”Venkatesh’s second suit has also not been come to his aid, having bowled all of three overs at an economy over 12. But McCullum put that down to his not getting too many chances.”Unfortunately, Venky and (Nitish) Rana, who we’ve underutilised a little bit, they haven’t had enough opportunity to bowl and have just missed the execution (in the chances they have got). That can affect one’s confidence when they are not able to get into a game and settle into a game.”

The Hundred will run from August 1-27 in 2023, a shorter window than in its first two seasons as the competition avoids a clash with England’s home international cricket for the first time.England men’s Tests against India (2021) and South Africa (2022) have been previously played alongside the Hundred, overlapping with the second half of the competition, but the tournament will instead dominate the month of August in 2023.A draft fixture schedule obtained by ESPNcricinfo sees the tournament launch in Nottingham, where defending men’s champions Trent Rockets play Southern Brave on Tuesday, August 1, the day after the scheduled fifth day of the fifth men’s Ashes Test at The Oval.The group stage is due to finish on August 24 with the eliminators on August 26 and the finals on August 27. Both knockout rounds are likely to be staged in London following criticism over the travel time involved in the 2022 schedule.The tournament will span 27 days in 2023, compared to 32 in its first two seasons. That shift may be held up as a victory for the counties, some of whom asked the ECB to explore a shorter window for the Hundred as part of their feedback on the reforms to the county schedule proposed unsuccessfully by the Andrew Strauss-led High Performance Review.In practice, the Hundred was always likely to last a shorter period of time in 2023 due to the avoidance of any overlap with international fixtures, opening up broadcasters’ schedules. As a result, there are due to be eight double-matchdays – which see two venues host men’s and women’s fixtures on the same day – in 2023, compared to three in 2022.The Hundred’s future has been in the spotlight this weekend after Sky News reported that a private equity firm had approached the ECB with a £400 million bid for a 75 percent stake in the competition. It appears unlikely to proceed at this stage with the board hopeful that the tournament’s value will continue to increase in coming seasons.The tournament’s critics argue that the Hundred has not been worth the significant investment it has required, pointing to underwhelming free-to-air broadcast figures and a disappointing standard of overseas players; its proponents counter that strong attendances, commercial interest and its transformative impact on the women’s game have vindicated the ECB’s decision to launch its own short-form tournament.Related

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The appointments of Richard Gould and Richard Thompson, two outspoken critics of the Hundred during their time at Surrey, as the ECB’s new chief executive and chairman, might have suggested a change of direction from central leadership, but the tournament is locked into the terms of the broadcast deal with Sky which runs until the end of the 2028 season.Provisional fixtures for 2023 were circulated to Hundred teams’ general managers last week and discussions with players around retentions have already begun. Men’s teams are expected to have the option to retain up to 10 players at a mutually agreed salary band before the draft in March, while the women’s retention mechanism was recently confirmed.Salaries have been frozen and the overseas wildcard has been scrapped after one season. Teams in both the men’s and women’s competition will only have three overseas players in their squad rather than four, with all three allowed to feature in any given playing XI.As a result, the availability of overseas players will be particularly important. New Zealand’s international schedule is clear during August across the next two years and tournament officials hope that Trent Boult will enter the draft as a potential top-bracket pick. Bangladesh, Ireland and Sri Lanka’s players should also be fully available while South Africans and Australians may miss the final week for a bilateral series.While the England men’s schedule is clear during the Hundred’s window, organisers accept that the likelihood of multi-format players being available for more than a handful of fixtures is low. The tournament starts immediately after the Ashes and England’s busy limited-overs schedule in September leads straight into their 50-over World Cup defence in India, meaning some players could skip the Hundred entirely.The ECB held talks with the Caribbean Premier League earlier this month to discuss the competitions’ windows and it is understood that all parties are keen to avoid future clashes. However, they are expected to overlap again in 2023, with space during West Indies’ home season limited by the World Cup in October.The 2023 county season will follow a similar pattern to 2022: the T20 Blast’s group stages will run from May 20 until July 2 with the quarter-finals held the following week and Finals Day at Edgbaston on July 15, while the Royal London Cup will be staged at the same time as the Hundred, with the final at Trent Bridge on September 16.Men’s county and women’s regional fixtures will be released in full on Wednesday, with the Hundred’s fixtures announced at a later date.

Pakistan will host seven Tests in 2024-25 in what is set to become their busiest red-ball international home season this century. Bangladesh, England and West Indies will all play Test series in Pakistan between August this year and January 2025.The PCB announced the dates and schedule for the entire home season, which also includes hosting the Champions Trophy. However, it has released only a draft schedule for the Champions Trophy, which is expected to be held from February 19 to March 9 next year.Pakistan’s home season will begin with the arrival of Bangladesh to play two Tests – one each in Rawalpindi and Karachi – from August 21 to September 3, even though Pakistan don’t play home internationals in August traditionally because of high heat and humidity. It is also in the middle of the monsoon season, which makes any cricket more vulnerable to weather interruptions. Pakistan have played only two Tests at home in August in their history – also against Bangladesh, in 2003.Related

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After the Bangladesh tour, England will arrive to play three Tests in Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi from October 7-28.That will be followed by Pakistan’s limited-overs tour of Australia and Zimbabwe, and an all-format tour of South Africa. While the three ODIs and three T20Is in Australia will take place from November 4-18, Pakistan play a further three ODIs and three T20Is against Zimbabwe, all in Bulawayo from November 24 to December 5.Their tour of South Africa will begin with a T20I series from December 10, and ends with the two Tests from December 26 to January 7 in Centurion and Cape Town, respectively.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The home Tests against West Indies will start nine days later. West Indies, whose tour of Pakistan was due in January this year but was postponed due to a busy calendar, will play their matches in Karachi and Multan from January 16-28. However, the three T20Is that were also in the original tour will not take place.All seven home Tests will be part of the World Test Championship, where Pakistan are currently No. 5 on the points table. But the 2024-25 home season is a marked contrast to the one that preceded it, when Pakistan played no home Tests. The last Test in Pakistan was in January 2023, when Karachi hosted a two-match Test series against New Zealand.After the West Indies Tests, Pakistan will also host an ODI tri-series, which will have South Africa and New Zealand as the visiting teams. That will take place from February 8-14, and will comprise four games, all in Multan.Lahore, where the headquarters of the PCB is situated, is not scheduled to host a single fixture in any format until the Champions Trophy, owing to the Gaddafi Stadium being redeveloped. The PCB has said it is confident that the Stadium will be ready for the Champions Trophy, the first ICC event Pakistan will host in 29 years.However, it remains to be seen if India, the only team in the Champions Trophy to not have travelled to Pakistan since international cricket resumed in the country in 2015, agree to make the trip.

Pakistan’s home season 2024-25

Tests against Bangladesh
Aug 21-25: First Test, Rawalpindi
Aug 30-Sep 3: Second Test, KarachiTests against England
Oct 7-11: First Test, Multan
Oct 15-19: Second Test, Karachi
Oct 24-28: Third Test, RawalpindiTests against West Indies
Jan 16-20, 2025: First Test, Karachi
Jan 24-28: Second Test, MultanODI tri-series vs NZ and SA
Feb 8: Pakistan v New Zealand, Multan
Feb 10: New Zealand v South Africa, Multan
Feb 12: Pakistan v South Africa, Multan
Feb 14: Final, MultanChampions Trophy
Feb 19- Mar 9

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins says Justin Langer should not be surprised that the players asked for a coaching change when they were consulted on his contract extension.Cummins spoke on Wednesday for the first time since Langer resigned on Saturday after declining a six-month contract extension, just an hour after releasing a strong statement that defended his and the players’ role in Langer’s exit after four years as coach.Cummins confirmed that the players had felt it was time for a change of voice on the back of some of the feedback that had been provided to Langer in several reviews following a turbulent 12 months that included a home Test series loss to India and two away T20I series losses to West Indies and Bangladesh prior to the T20 World Cup and Ashes triumphs.”I don’t think he should be surprised,” Cummins said. “I think two years of evaluations in our environment at Cricket Australia, it’s probably pretty boring, but we get 360 [degree] reviews all the time. So we get our strengths and weaknesses poked, prodded, always trying to learn. I think it’s become more public probably in the last week or two, but I don’t think there are any big surprises.”I think he tweaked and changed a lot and was brilliant. He made some really big changes and deserves a lot of credit for that. I guess the question, after the success last couple of months became, do we think it’s sustainable? And, again, it’s probably a matter of varying opinions. But we thought it’s the right time to make a change.”Cummins gave an insight into the type of environment that the players had asked for during those review sessions with Langer last year.”We had a couple of instances where we wanted to really flesh out our team culture and what we think is important and what we think is going to get the best out of our group,” Cummins said. “A few of those things that came out really strongly was owning your own space, and having a really calm, consistent, composed environment in which to operate.”Tim Paine and Pat Cummins had given Justin Langer feedback last year•Getty Images

Cummins said he had been in contact with Langer in recent days and that the players still cared for him and were appreciative of his guidance over a four-year period.”We’ve had a few messages over the last few days, and we’re all good,” Cummins said. “From my viewpoint, I’ve got huge respect for the man and I love what he’s done. I owe him a lot. He’s been brilliant, not only for the team but for me individually. He’s given me a lot of opportunities, backed me in a lot. So yeah, that’s probably more or less what I passed on. We’re all good. And hopefully, we can catch up soon and talk about it. He’s someone I’m sure in the future I’ll keep leaning on.”A raft of former players, many of whom are Langer’s former team-mates have criticised Cummins for his role in the saga after Langer noted in his resignation letter that media reports had suggested “several senior players and a couple of support staff” did not support him continuing on as coach and that he accepted that decision.Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson wrote in a column for the newspaper that Cummins had failed his first big test as captain and described his media performances prior to Langer’s resignation as gutless.Cummins was diplomatic in his response to Johnson and the criticism in general.Related

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“He’s just standing up for his mate,” Cummins said. “I absolutely disagree with what he said. No, he hasn’t reached out. But that’s fine.”I haven’t really had much [criticism] before so it’s actually been good to get it out of the way early in the captaincy. I knew when I took on the job it was going to come with added scrutiny and so the last week has been good to know that I’ll cop it, but I’m absolutely fine with it. I know a lot of it’s come from the right place. We all want to do what’s best for Australian cricket.”I think the reality of some of those comments as well, is the Aussie cricket team is full of cricket players. It’s our job and in fairness, the 11 players, they’re the guys who are out there on the field so absolutely I think it’s fair that we get a say.”Cummins was far more forthright in his written statement earlier in the day that was issued by Cricket Australia just over an hour prior to his press conference.”For good reason, I haven’t made public comment before today,” Cummins said in the statement. “To speak about a decision, which was yet to be made and which is for Cricket Australia to make, would have put Cricket Australia and the team in an impossible position. I’d never do that. I believe in respecting the sanctity of the change room and proper process.”Now that a decision has been made by Justin to resign and given his own public comments and others by Cricket Australia, I can provide some clarity.”Justin has acknowledged that his style was intense. And it was. He has apologised to players and staff for his intensity. I think the apology was unnecessary. Because the players were ok with JL’s intensity. It came from a good place – his fierce love of Australia and the baggy green – something which has served Australian cricket well for three decades.Cummins went on to explain why he had requested to CA that the players wanted a fresh voice as coach moving forward.”We have been very well schooled in how to play cricket in the right way – in the correct Australian way. We understand the importance of always playing to the highest ethical standards. And the players need no motivation as I’ve never played with more motivated cricketers. To be better players for Australia, from this solid foundation, we need a new style of coaching and skill set.”CA have made a brave call to transition, given the team has been winning. Finally, we are custodians of cricket, with one very big thing in common: our first duty is to Australian cricket, which is bigger than any one of us. I take this responsibility seriously. I live and breathe it. We also have a duty to our mates. Many former players have reached out to me and silently offered me their advice which is welcome.”Some others have spoken in the media – which is also welcome and comes from a love of the game and their support of a mate. To all past players, I want to say this: Just as you have always stuck up for your mates, I’m sticking up for mine.”

Meg Lanning will continue her break from the game as the Australian domestic season gets underway with the expanded WNCL, but a host of international players will be on display during the opening rounds which take place ahead of the WBBL.Even though they are missing Lanning, Victoria can still call on Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland from their contracted Australia names when they face South Australia while Sophie Molineux will captain the side having taken over during the winter.Related

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South Australia, meanwhile, are stocked with international names. Megan Schutt has been named captain while the side could feature Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown and Amanda-Jade Wellington.New South Wales will be captained by Alyssa Healy who will be joined by Ash Gardner against Queensland at North Sydney Oval. Others with international experience include Hannah Darlington and Erin Burns, while pace bowler Maitlan Brown has featured in squads without yet making a debut.

Opening WNCL fixtures

September 23 SA vs VIC, Karen Rolton Oval; WA vs ACT, WACA; NSW vs QLD, North Sydney

September 25 SA vs VIC, Karen Rolton Oval, WA vs ACT, WACA; NSW vs QLD, North Sydney

September 30 NSW vs WA, North Sydney

October 1 QLD vs ACT, Bill Pippen Oval

October 2 NSW vs WA, North Sydney

October 3 QLD vs ACT, Bill Pippen Oval

October 4 VIC vs TAS, Junction Oval

October 6 VIC vs TAS, Junction Oval

Queensland will be captained by Jess Jonassen and their squad features Grace Harris who was a key part of the Commonwealth Games success. Georgia Redmayne has been a regular reserve player for Australia.Western Australia will be able to call on Beth Mooney, who made the big off-season move by switching from Queensland, and breakout bowling star Alana King. Their first opponents, ACT, are the only side without an Australia-listed player.Tasmania, who begin their title defence next month, have Nicola Carey as a current Australia representative while Heather Graham has also featured in recent squads.From the players in Australia’s contracts list announced earlier this year, Rachael Haynes won’t feature having announced her retirement along with the Victoria pair of Tayla Vlaeminck (foot) and Georgia Wareham (ACL) who remain long-term injuries.The WNCL has increased to a 12-game tournament this season with each side playing each other twice before the final. The competition begins on Friday with six sides in action with the fixtures repeated on Sunday. Tasmania and South Australia will play twice in these opening rounds while the other teams have four games.The tournament then resumes in mid-December when Australia will be in India for T20Is, but there should be another opportunity for those players to appear after Christmas before the visit of Pakistan in January. The latter part takes place in February when the T20 World Cup is on in South Africa.

Wellington

Wellington have lined up Adam Milne to fill in the Hamish Bennett-sized void after the 35-year-old quick retired from all formats of cricket following the last season. After being part of Central Districts for more than a decade, since his debut in March 2010, Milne will now work under head coaches BJ Watling and Bruce Edgar at Wellington. He joins Logan van Beek and Ben Sears in a potent seam-bowling group.Milne has not played red-ball cricket since October 2018, but he did not rule out the possibility of a return, for Wellington. He, however, added that, given his history of ankle and elbow injuries, workload management would be given priority. Milne is now fit again after having been sidelined from his IPL 2022 stint with Stephen Fleming’s Chennai Super Kings with a hamstring injury.Related

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“I think it happens in sport all around the world, but particularly with my history, it’s important to manage my expectations and the team’s expectations of how much cricket we are playing,” Milne said. “But I’ll try and play as much as I can. I think it’s again assessing how I’m feeling after games or from a week-to-week and if the body is saying that it needs a rest and that’s possible with the team… Obviously, [I’m] trying to keep myself in the best of shape to play as much cricket as I can.”In another move, Wellington have roped in batter Nick Kelly from Otago. The Victoria-born top-order batter also brings with himself CPL experience, having been part of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.Batting allrounder Luke Georgeson, who recently withdrew his Ireland central contract to chase his New Zealand dream, has also won a deal with Wellington.Wellington’s first-round contracted players: Finn Allen, Jakob Bhula, Luke Georgeson, Troy Johnson, Nick Kelly, Iain McPeake, Adam Milne, Ollie Newton, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Michael Snedden, Nathan Smith, Logan Van Beek, Peter Younghusband

Auckland

Allrounder Simon Keene has earned his first domestic contract after having bagged 25 wickets in five first-class matches earlier this year, including career-best returns of 6 for 44 against Canterbury in March.Auckland’s first-round contracted players: Adithya Ashok, Cole Briggs, Mark Chapman, Louis Delport, Danru Ferns, Ryan Harrison, Ben Horne, Simon Keene, Ben Lister, Robert O’Donnell, Will O’Donnell, Sean Solia, Will Somerville, Ross ter Braak, George Worker

Central Districts

Milne’s departure has stripped CD of experience and firepower, but they have signed up a promising prospect in Brett Randell, who has moved from Northern Districts. Randell was the joint-highest wicket-taker in last season’s Plunket Shield, with 31 strikes in six games at 14.83. Randell’s entry boots a pace attack that has been further depleted by the injury-enforced absence of Ben Wheeler.CD’s first-round contracted players: Doug Bracewell, Tom Bruce, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Joey Field, Greg Hay, Jayden Lennox, Seth Rance, Brett Randell, Brad Schmulian, Ben Smith, Blair Tickner, Ray Toole, Bayley WigginsIsh Sodhi will play for Canterbury this season•AFP

Canterbury

Wicketkeeper Mitch Hay, allrounder Zak Foulkes and batter Matt Boyle have been awarded their first Canterbury contracts. After ten seasons with Northern Districts, Ish Sodhi, who resides in Christchurch with his family, will now represent Canterbury.Canterbury’s first-round contracted players: Cole McConchie, Chad Bowes, Matt Boyle, Leo Carter, Sean Davey, Cam Fletcher, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Ken McClure, Ed Nuttall, Will O’Rourke, Fraser Sheat, Henry Shipley, Theo van Woerkom, Will Williams

Northern Districts

Tim Pringle, the son of former New Zealand seamer Chris Pringle, has been handed his first Northern Districts contract. The left-arm spin-bowling allrounder was recently part of a New Zealand XI that faced a touring Netherlands side in a one-day fixture in March earlier this year. More recently, Tim made his international debut for Netherlands, where he was born, dismissing Liam Livingstone with a beauty.ND’s first-round contracted players: Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Kristian Clarke, Henry Cooper, Matt Fisher, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Scott Kuggeleijn, Bharat Popli, Tim Pringle, Jeet Raval, Tim Seifert, Fred Walker, Joe Walker, Anurag Verma

Otago

In one of the major moves of the season, Glenn Phillips has shifted south to Otago from Auckland to reunite with his younger brother Dale. Glenn’s contract will not count towards Otago’s domestic contracts as he is already part of NZC’s central contracts list. This is another opportunity for Glenn to bowl more in domestic cricket and establish himself as an allrounder. He can also keep wicket although a back condition has limited that skill in the recent past.South Africa-born allrounder Dean Foxcroft, who had been locked out of the past two domestic seasons in New Zealand because of border restrictions and visa complications, is now set to return to Dunedin to resume his career. He had recently turned out for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL in February.Otago’s first-round contracted players: Matt Bacon, Max Chu, Jacob Cumming, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Ben Lockrose, Jarrod McKay, Travis Muller, Dale Phillips, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Hamish Rutherford