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There’s not a week that goes by without some sort of rumour surrounding the future of arguably the world’s greatest player. Continuously linked with a return to his former club Manchester United, it seems that Cristiano Ronaldo’s future with Real Madrid could be in some doubt if recent speculation is to be believed.

Despite scoring a hatful of goals, as well as winning all the major trophies during his six seasons with the club, the Spanish giants are being urged by some to consider selling their star man. And with the Portuguese forward cutting a disgruntled figure in recent weeks, now could be the time to consider cashing in on the three-time Ballon d’Or winner much to the delight of Manchester United.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Spanish football expert Terry Gibson last month suggested that Real should sell Ronaldo in the summer for the good of the team, with the 30-year-old’s obsession with individual achievements hindering the performances of the side. And he has a good point.

Ronaldo’s form has certainly dipped since the start the year, with his main rival Lionel Messi surpassing him in all areas during the last few months. The first signs of unrest came in January when he failed to score at the Bernabeu in the league for the first time in 15 months. His frustration was clearly visible after reacting badly to his team-mate Gareth Bale when the Welshman chose to shoot instead of pass to him.

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February saw Ronaldo fail to score three consecutive La Liga games for the first time since 2011, and after a petulant sending off in another blank with Cordoba he drew more criticism when failing to celebrate an Isco goal off the back of an open-goal miss, clearly annoyed that it wasn’t his name on the score sheet.

And in his latest game there was more unrest as Ronaldo was left disappointed to see his acrobatic effort rebound to Bale to net the opener in a 2-0 win over Levante.

Ronaldo’s focus appears to be on his goal-scoring record and for the good of the team now could be a good time to cash in on the star. Having passed 30-years-of-age, his days at the peak of his game won’t be around for too much longer, and if they don’t sell him in the next couple of transfer windows they risk losing out on a lot money through transfer fees.

Still one of the world’s best, there would be no shortage of clubs queuing up for his signature, and Madrid would be more than capable of recouping the majority of the £80m they spent on him back in 2009. Manchester United would no doubt be prime contenders, and there’s no doubt he would be welcomed back with open arms.

His departure would help to bring the best out of the likes of Bale and James Rodriguez, who have more than enough talent to help fill the void he would leave. There’s no hiding the fact he would be a significant loss to any team, but Madrid are not short of attacking quality, and they would certainly be able to recruit further quality to bolster their front line with his transfer fee.

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Messi aside, there isn’t a player who can match his record in front goal. But no matter how important a player is, when they fail to embrace the spirit of the team in celebrating goals, it certainly leaves the club with a big decision to make about what outcome will be most beneficial to the team and their success going forward.

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It’s important to take note of the rise of Italian football since Juventus reclaimed the Serie A title last season in emphatic fashion. Sure, Italy’s league might not be as fashionable as it once was, with many outsiders looking to it as defend first, excite later. But you can’t hide from the rise in talent over recent years, with a great deal of players attracting attention from foreign clubs.

Both Arsenal and Tottenham will be in need of addressing a number of weaknesses in their squad, and the Italian league could prove to be a good hunting ground this summer. It’s the need to look to a market which can be exploited for one reason or another; Serie A may be experiencing a renaissance, but that doesn’t mean other clubs have to look on without taking action.

Juventus will prove to be the runaway club for the second consecutive year, and there is much to admire about the Champions League quarter-finalists. But they’re the tip of the iceberg, and there is plenty of talent to be found especially for teams like Arsenal and Tottenham.

Click on Marek Hamsik to see the full list of transfer targets

R Ashwin points to the stand-in captain’s calming influence for giving the team stability at the MCG

Sidharth Monga30-Dec-2020A single tucked to the leg side, no raised bat or arms, no plucking of stumps, no removing the helmet, just casually walking off knocking fists with others. Looking at Ajinkya Rahane, it might seem he had won against Railways Canteen Staff XI in a weekend club game and not against the No. 1 Test side in their own backyard a week after getting rolled over for 36. And that calmness of the stand-in captain has come in for praise from coach Ravi Shastri and spin frontman R Ashwin, who played a key role in the attack in the absence of two first-choice players.Related

• Ajinkya Rahane is brave, smart, calm, and he has the respect of his team

• Sachin Tendulkar credits R Ashwin for neutralising the Steven Smith threat

• The MCG: India's most successful venue away from home

• Shastri: MCG triumph is one of the great comebacks in history

• Mental strength and trust in skills help India bounce back

“I think getting bowled out for 36 was never going to be easy in a country like ours,” Ashwin told Channel 7 after the win. “We are quite a proud cricketing country and losing Virat [Kohli] as well, him going back was a bit of a setback as well. We stuck on very well.”Jinks [Rahane], Puji [Cheteshwar Pujara], myself and Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah], all of us, we got a great bonding inside the team. And Jinks’ calmness inside the dressing room really provided us that stability to go out there and express ourselves in this game, and a good first day set us on the road.”At the press conference after the eight-wicket win at MCG, Shastri was asked if he thought Rahane was more of a bowlers’ captain. “I don’t know,” Shastri said. “I am hearing it [‘bowlers’ captain’] for the first time. What is a bowling captain? There is no definition as such for that.”But he [Rahane] is a very shrewd leader, he has a good understanding for the game. A good reader of the game. And I thought his calm composure out there in the middle helped the debutants [Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj] as well, helped the bowlers as well. There was a calming influence out there.Virat Kohli is more expressive as captain than the quieter and calmer Ajinkya Rahane•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

“In spite of losing Umesh [Yadav, who hobbled off with a calf injury in his fourth over in the second innings], he did a great job out there.”The praise didn’t come at the exclusion of the regular captain, Kohli, who left the tour for the birth of his child but followed the action and kept tweeting encouragement at the end of each day’s play. “Both are good readers of the game,” Shastri said. “Virat is very passionate. Ajinkya, on the other hand, is very calm and composed. It is their character. Virat is more in your face whilst Ajinkya is prepared to sit back in a very calm and composed manner. But deep inside he knows what he wants.”Ever since Rahane took over, he emphasised on not over-analysing the one bad hour that cost them the Test in Adelaide but focusing on repeating what they had done on the first two days of the Test, which was to bat as well as they could and then stifle Australia with their tight lines and lengths.”We decided there is no point thinking about Adelaide,” Rahane told Sony Sports Network. “Just one bad hour and we lost the game but before that first two days were really good. We bowled well and batted well as well. But it was all about coming into the Test match with that intent, with that attitude on the field. Collective effort from each and every individual. That was the message from me and Ravi . That’s what we decided.”

The Sunrisers Hyderabad spinner talks about bowling to Kohli, the forced break, role of spinners in the UAE, and more

Hemant Brar20-Sep-2020
Tell us what you did during the Covid-19 forced lockdown.
Nobody was doing anything, I think . But at the same time, I focused a lot on my fitness with nothing else to do. I tried my best to not put on weight. That was something that was in my mind. In fact, I lost 3-4 kgs during that period because I knew if I put the weight on, it will be tough for me to get back to that level of fitness when we have a game. So I lost some weight in advance. But otherwise nothing special. Just being with the family, mostly trying to learn new dishes, or playing with the nephews in the backyard. That’s how I was trying to keep myself entertained.What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you this IPL?
How these two months will be in the bubble. How we adjust ourselves and how we keep ourselves fresh for the game. It’s 14 games and at the same time, you have those restrictions as well. The guy who can enjoy the most and keep himself mentally fresh, I think he will be successful in this competition. That’s going to be the toughest challenge for all the players.ALSO READ: How did IPL-bound players fare in the CPL?With the whole tournament being played at just three venues, do you think spinners will have a far bigger role as the tournament progresses?
That’s what I believe as well. Spinners will be the key as the competition goes on because the wickets might get better for spinners. The other thing is the grounds here are big too, 75-77-80-metre boundaries. When you have long boundaries, that helps as a spinner. Sharjah is a small ground but the wicket is still very good for spinners. But at the same time, you need to bowl your best deliveries as well.It’s not like you can depend just on the wickets. As we saw in the first game, it wasn’t as supportive wicket for spinners. It wasn’t turning much as it is happening here in Dubai. But as a spinner, you have to come up and deliver your best irrespective of the wicket.With the pitches expected to be conducive for spin bowling, what will there be a change in how you bowl?
I think my strategy won’t change a lot. I just focus on bowling on a good line and length, that’s what matters for me. Change of conditions from India to Dubai doesn’t matter. I still need to bowl well, I still need to bowl where I am successful. That’s how I bowl wherever I bowl and adjust myself with two or three deliveries to get an idea of the wicket and what the best line and length is on that particular wicket.Of late, teams have started playing out your four overs, and as a result, your wicket-taking ability has suffered. Are you planning something to counter that cautious approach?
To be honest, I never think about I have to take this many wickets. I am always focusing on bowling economically. When I am bowling economically, that helps other bowlers in the side to take wickets as well. I have always focused on bowling a lot of dot balls and to put the batsman under pressure, so that he tries to take risks from the other end, or even against me. That’s what I am mostly thinking about. What the team requirement is at that time, do I need to make the asking rate high, do I need to bowl dot balls. If I take five wickets and the team loses, it doesn’t make sense. If I take one wicket but we win the match, that’s what matters.You like to develop different deliveries. Can we expect something new this IPL?
I have been working hard on a few deliveries but I haven’t made them 100% perfect so far to bowl in a game. We hardly play the longer format, i.e. Test cricket. That’s the only format where you can improve those deliveries. I can bowl them very well in the nets but to bowl them in a match, it requires different energy, a different mindset. I have made them perfect in the nets, but bringing them into the game is a bit tough for me at the moment. I tried them a few times in the CPL, but I think if I get to bowl them in the longer format, I can make them more perfect. But what I feel is I need to be smarter and more consistent compared to the last few years. That’s something which I want to think about more than new deliveries.The Sunrisers start their campaign against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday. Are you looking forward to bowling to someone like Virat Kohli?
Although I have just played in the CPL, the IPL is a different league, different pressure. And then you are playing against big names, like Virat, AB de Villiers. I have bowled to him in the World Cup and in the IPL previously. You have to bowl your best deliveries against him. No doubt he is one of the best players but there is no excuse for bowling a bad ball against him where he can smash you anywhere. I will just try my best to keep it simple and enjoy my game.Rashid Khan and David Warner share a light moment•BCCI

Do you feel any any pressure while bowling to Kohli?
Whenever you are bowling to anyone for the first time, you are always a bit under pressure. No doubt, he is a world-class player in every format, but I love it when somebody like him is batting against me. That’s the competition you want it as a bowler. Rather than being under pressure, I think I enjoy myself bowling to him. It’s a proud moment too bowling to him. As a bowler, I will try must best to enjoy and bowl the best deliveries to him and it doesn’t matter what the result is as long as I am giving my 100%.David Warner talked about dew yesterday. Having played here, do you think dew will be a big factor?
We [Afghanistan] have played here before, including the Asia Cup in 2018. So I am a bit used to the conditions but still, sometimes pitches behave differently. So we don’t know what kind of wickets we will get. We have played here against Zimbabwe and Ireland too and have faced such conditions. As a spinner, I managed a bit to bowl with the dew. Even in India, in Mumbai, we get a lot of dew. And yeah, we have been practising with the wet ball and trying our best to get used to it.During the first game on Saturday, we heard commentators talking about the wind factor too. How big a role wind could play here?
It’s always playing a part here. There is dew and there is wind. So batting second is easier, and as a spinner, it’s tough to bowl in those conditions when there is dew as well as wind. We played the Asia Cup here in the same month, in September, but that time we didn’t see much dew. Even not much wind. It [the dew and wind] doesn’t happen every day either. But you shouldn’t be thinking about those things a lot, at the same time.The Sunrisers have got the firepower at the top order but can the middle-order batsmen clear those big boundaries?
We have guys like Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar and other youngsters in the middle order; they all can hit the ball a long way. But sometimes on big grounds, you need to play sensible cricket. So it’s not just about hitting big sixes as we saw the last night [in the Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians game] as well, how [Faf] du Plessis took it till the end and finished it well. I think the team that does these things well will be successful. That’s what matters in the UAE. When you play sensible cricket in the middle overs, it helps you get positive results in the end as power-hitters can give you 50-60 runs in last five overs.Will players like you who are coming here after playing in the CPL have an advantage over others?
I think everyone has had enough practice. Players have been here for the last three weeks. Still it’s totally different playing a game, but if you are a professional cricketer, those five-six months shouldn’t affect you that much. That’s how I felt too when I played in the CPL for the first time. I had good net sessions and as soon as I came back to the field, I didn’t feel I was playing after five-six months. I have been playing consistently for the last four-five years and suddenly if there is a five-six months break that shouldn’t affect me a lot. I think that would be the case for everyone else as well. You just need five-six-ten deliveries to be back.In the CPL, you were batting at No. 9 or 10. Do you think you are underrated as a batsman in T20s? Are you expecting to bat a bit higher for the Sunrisers?
I always have this thing in mind that I am more effective when I bat in the last three-four overs where I can play my shots. But if you have a long batting line-up as we had in the CPL, you cannot complain. That’s why I was batting so low.When I was playing in the Big Bash, I was told clearly by the captain and the coaching staff that ‘Rash, this is when you are gonna go in, after 14th-15th over, that’s your time. It doesn’t matter if we are down one wicket or two wickets.’ When you get the positive-ness from the coach and captain, you just focus on what you are going to do. But I shouldn’t be thinking about when I am coming in to bat. What I think about is what I can do in that time, whether it’s three overs, one over or one delivery.At the CPL, there were no crowds. How was it like to play in front of the empty stands?
It was a bit tough initially. Without any crowd, I was reminded of my club cricket. But then I watched the first game of the IPL yesterday and there was some noise arranged, which helps you that there is something going on. No doubt having the crowd gives you that extra energy, but we know the fans are still watching us on the TV and we need to give our 100% and keep enjoying ourselves on the field.

He also showed confidence in Azhar Ali, who he expects to “deliver in the upcoming matches”

Danyal Rasool12-Aug-2020Pakistan fast bowling coach Waqar Younis has dismissed suggestions that Pakistan would feel compelled to rest some of their fast bowlers due to the short turnaround between the first and the second Test. He said Pakistan hadn’t played Test cricket for five months, which meant the bowlers still had plenty of energy to get through the second Test.”We haven’t decided who we’re going to play at the moment, but we haven’t played any cricket for a long period of time,” Waqar said at a video press conference. “It’s been five months since we last played a Test. I don’t think tiredness is an issue with the team. Yes, it’s very hot here, but it’s going to cool down in the next few days, and I’m sure they’ve got plenty of gas left the tank to tackle this Test and we’ll see how it goes after.”Should Pakistan go with the same bowling attack, it will be a departure from the strategy England employed to excellent results during the series against West Indies. Stuart Broad and Sam Curran missed the first Test, only to come back in for the second with James Anderson and Jofra Archer sitting out. Anderson and Archer then returned for the decider, with the fast bowlers claiming 50 of the 56 West Indies wickets that fell during the series. West Indies, meanwhile, made fewer changes, and fatigue was at times apparent as the series progressed.In the first Test, Pakistan opted for three seamers and two spinners in Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan, though the latter only bowled 11.3 overs across the match. Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas shouldered the fast bowling responsibility, and the youth of Naseem – combined with the pace at which the 17-year-old bowls – led to suggestions Pakistan may not want to overwork him. The fast bowling coach admitted Naseem hadn’t bowled as well as they had expected, but backed him to come good.ALSO READ: Misbah-ul-Haq ‘frustrated’ at Pakistan’s lack of fortune on final day“He’s so talented, and he’s so young. He’s still growing, his bones are growing. I don’t think he really bowled as well as we expected in the previous game, but he can really bowl well and take the opposition on at times. Because he’s young and inexperienced, it gets tough sometimes. When he gets fitter, he will bowl more overs and definitely be a force for Pakistan in the next few years.”But when you talk about becoming a great, it’s really difficult to be sure about anyone. Pakistan have produced some really quality fast bowlers in the past few decades, so if he keeps himself fit and strong and keeps bowling, he’s going to get much harder to face.”There’s always room for improvement for the quicks. But if we’d won that Test match, no one would ask questions about it. I don’t think we’ve bowled poorly but because we lost, there will be questions. In the series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, I think the quicks did a wonderful job.”In Australia, which was the first tour for most of the bowlers as well as the management, we struggled. But we’re looking to invest in these players who will be instrumental for Pakistan for a number of years to come.”Waqar sympathised with the under-fire Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, who was heavily criticised for a string of decisions at pivotal moments on the final day as Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes’ partnership inched England closer to victory. Ali, who was given the job only nine months back, has also struggled with the bat of late, particularly in away Test matches, managing just 139 runs in his past 12 innings. Waqar said Ali’s vast experience would tide over across this bad patch, and that the added strains of captaincy could take time to become accustomed to.”Being captain and playing in the top order is not easy. He’s been captain before as well, so he’ll understand that. When you’re in bad form, or have had a bad game, everything gets scrutinised. I’ve been captain myself so I know what he’s going through. You have several more responsibilities, and on top of all that, you have to focus on your batting as well.”Like I said, if we’d won this match, then he’d get a lot more encouragement and confidence. But he’s a seasoned player who has played 80 Tests and scored runs in England before, too. He knows how to come out of these situations and I expect him to deliver in the upcoming two Test matches.”

He powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score with an unbeaten 93 as Brisbane Heat fell short by 34 runs

Tristan Lavalette11-Jan-2020A belligerent Mitchell Marsh powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score and an important 34-run victory over Brisbane Heat at Perth Stadium.After electing to bat, the Scorchers captain took advantage of a batting paradise with an astounding 41-ball unbeaten 93 highlighted by eight sixes to energise the Scorchers faithful. Marsh, who notched his highest BBL score, dominated a 124-run partnership with Cameron Bancroft (41*) to lift the home side to a mighty 3 for 213.In reply, Tom Banton hit a rapid 55 but lacked support as the Scorchers easily won for just the fourth time from 12 attempts at Perth Stadium. It was their second straight victory over Heat in as many weeks.Pattinson struggles amid Scorchers flurryAustralian Test fast bowler James Pattinson had a tough BBL season debut when a pumped-up Josh Inglis cracked his first ball to the boundary in a sign of things to come. Pattinson’s struggles forced captain Chris Lynn to turn to in-form spinner Zahir Khan in the third over, but Inglis – who hit six boundaries in his first 12 deliveries – was unperturbed as he pounced on uncharacteristically loose bowling.Inglis looked unstoppable until he tamely chipped back to Josh Lalor. Inglis’ exit meant a return of Pattinson, but his horror start continued when Max Bryant dropped a sharp chance at backward point to reprieve Sam Whiteman in the fifth over.After a sedate start, Liam Livingstone found his groove and attacked Zahir in the sixth over to cap off an outstanding Powerplay for the Scorchers, where they amassed 63 runs.Ben Laughlin deceived Whiteman with a slower delivery as Heat dried the runs. But with big-hitters Livingstone and Marsh at the crease, Scorchers appeared well poised at 2 for 87 in ten overs.Marsh eviscerates HeatHeat clawed back when a frustrated Livingstone ungainly fell to a Zahir full toss, as the contest tightened in the middle overs. Scorchers failed to score a boundary for six overs with Marsh and Bancroft content on knocking the ball around on the wide expanses of Perth Stadium.Marsh ended the drought in the 14th over when he clubbed a Laughlin short delivery into the crowd to signal his intentions. He set his sights on a returning Pattinson in the 16th over with two sixes to further dent the big quick’s grim figures. He finished with figures of 0 for 52 from 4 overs.Bancroft joined the party with several lusty blows to expose Heat’s lack of bowling depth. Marsh was dropped by Banton on 54 and made them pay with an outrageous flick into the crowd off Lalor in the 19th over, followed by another six.Marsh then outdid himself with three successive sixes off Laughlin to complete the innings in style and ensure Scorchers easily beat their previous highest BBL score of 7 for 203.Heat lose wickets around aggressive BantonHeat needed a flyer and Banton got them rolling with a slew of boundaries off Scorchers’ fast bowlers. His most astounding shot was a premeditated ramp shot off Jhye Richardson in the fourth over to fuel hope. But his partner Bryant couldn’t get going and holed out moments later to bring Lynn to the crease.Marsh unsuccessfully tried Fawad Ahmed inside the Powerplay with the spinner leaking 19 runs, marked by a towering six from Lynn over long-off. The partnership menaced until Lynn holed out to a brilliant catch from a sliding Livingstone to put the onus on Banton.Straight after the Powerplay, Joel Paris, who replaced youngster Matthew Kelly in the team, claimed Matt Renshaw as Scorchers continued to chip away. Banton proved a thorn and brought up his half-century with a crunching straight drive off Marsh, but fell shortly after when he skied a return catch to Chris Jordan. His dismissal left Heat 4 for 89 at the halfway point with their faint hopes slipping away.Party time for ScorchersAfter his tough start, Ahmed bowled much better in the middle overs to shackle Heat, who did not score a boundary for five overs. Ben Cutting needed to hit top gear immediately but couldn’t get going.He had a reprieve in the 15th over when Cameron Green dropped a sitter and then smashed a six next ball. But Cutting’s luck ended when he hit straight to backward square leg to effectively end the contest.The back-end was party time for Scorchers on the disco themed night at Perth Stadium, as the Heat’s three-game winning streak ended.

England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, meanwhile, has been named the Emerging Player of the Year

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2018

ICC women’s teams of 2018

ODI team of the year: Smriti Mandhana (India), Tammy Beaumont (England), Suzie Bates (New Zealand, capt), Dane van Niekerk (South Africa), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Alyssa Healy (Australia, wk), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Sana Mir (Pakistan), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Poonam Yadav (India)
T20I team of the year: Smriti Mandhana (India), Alyssa Healy (Australia, wk), Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Harmanpreet Kaur (India, capt), Natalie Sciver (England), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Ashleigh Gardner (Australia), Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand), Megan Schutt (Australia), Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh), Poonam Yadav (India)

India opener Smriti Mandhana has become the second winner of the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award after being adjudged the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year for 2018. Mandhana, the leading run-getter in women’s ODIs with 669 runs at an average of 66.90 and the third-highest scorer in T20Is with 622 runs at a strike-rate of 130.67, has also been named the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year.The T20I honours went to Alyssa Healy, who was Player of the Tournament during Australia’s run to their fourth Women’s World T20 title in the West Indies, where she made 225 runs at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 144.23.Mandhana, 22, is only the second Indian woman to win an ICC award. The fast bowler Jhulan Goswami was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2007. Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry was the inaugural recipient of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“The awards are pretty special because as a player when you score runs, you want the team to win, and then when you get acknowledged for your performances through these awards, it motivates you to work harder and do well for your team,” Mandhana told .”The century I scored in South Africa (in Kimberley) was quite satisfying and then I had good home series against Australia and England. A lot of people used to say I do not score that much in India, so I had a point to prove to myself. That was something which really made me better as a player. And then, of course, the first four matches of the ICC Women’s World T20 were quite memorable.”Healy, meanwhile, enjoyed a memorable year in T20s even outside her World T20 heroics. Having begun her year with a maiden WBBL hundred and a maiden international century within the space of three months, the wicketkeeper-batsman finished fourth on the T20I run-getters list in 2018 behind New Zealand allrounder Suzie Bates, India T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and Mandhana.”It’s obviously a huge honour,” the 28-year-old Healy said. “I enjoyed some form over the last couple of months, thoroughly enjoyed playing for the Aussie team in the T20I format. Winning the ICC Women’s World T20 final against England is something pretty special, especially after a disappointing couple of years in World Cups. That win against them, a dominant performance, was pretty special and one I will never forget.”When I first started playing for Australia I never thought that I would achieve anything like this. It’s a huge honour and one that I will not take lightly.”The 19-year-old England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone has been named the Emerging Player of the Year. She took 18 wickets in nine ODIs and 17 in 14 T20Is during the calendar year. She was part of the squad that finished runners-up at the World T20.”There have been lots of great moments,” Ecclestone said. “As a team we’ve played some really good cricket and we did well to reach the final of the ICC Women’s World T20. We learned a lot in India at the beginning of the year and we took that into our summer against New Zealand and South Africa. We’ve never said we’re the perfect team but we’ll keep working hard to get better and that’s the same for me.”Alyssa Healy swats one through the leg side•Getty Images

The ICC also named Bates and Harmanpreet the captains of the women’s ODI and T20I teams of the year.Harmanpreet, 29, led India to their first semi-final appearance in the World T20 since the 2010 edition, but was involved in a public fallout with the ODI captain Mithali Raj after the team’s exit. Harmanpreet said the award would help build her confidence in the role.”BCCI is showing confidence on me – that I can do well in the format and I am looking forward to do well in the future,” Harmanpreet said. “To be honest, it was really surprising for me. The last two years we did not get enough T20I matches to play and it was really tough for me to build that confidence in the team and show that self-belief that we can do well in T20Is. Credit goes to all team members, the way they worked hard and show that self-belief.”Bates, meanwhile, stepped down from the captaincy ahead of the World T20, handing over the reins to Amy Satterthwaite. Bates had led New Zealand to second place in the second cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship after three rounds.”Thank you very much to everyone who voted for the ICC team of the year,” Bates said. “To be named captain is just an absolute honour. Obviously, I have been playing for a long time and stepped down from captaincy, but to be named captain of a World XI is pretty special and something I will always remember.”It would be nice one day if we got together to play as a group and to captain some of the superstars, but once again such a huge honour and congratulations to all the award winners for this year.”

Pat Cummins, who suffered an injury similar to the one Mitchell Starc is carrying, says the nature of the bruised heel makes it a difficult one for the team management and medical staff to assess

Daniel Brettig23-Dec-2017Australia’s spearhead Mitchell Starc has no chance of playing the Boxing Day Test if the example raised by his fellow fast bowler Pat Cummins is any indication. Starc has a bruised heel on his right foot, the same injury Cummins suffered during his November 2011 Test debut and which then dogged him throughout the following summer – he did not play again for Australia until mid-2012.While Cummins was then a teenager and Starc is far more seasoned, the niggardly nature of the injury makes it a complicated one for Australia’s medical staff and selectors to assess. As Cummins described, it is a problem that requires rest, and with a four-Test tour of South Africa looming in February, there is little room for recovery should the injury be aggravated in either of the two remaining dead Ashes Tests, however much Starc may want to play.”I think that’s certainly part of the thinking of the selectors, the skipper and everyone around him,” Cummins said in Melbourne. “I know for him he just wants to play every game that’s in front of him but it’s a funny kind of injury. It’s not super common but if it’s not treated well it can drag on for a long time, a bruise where you have to walk all day and bowl on.”I chatted to him about it, I had a similar one on my Test debut and it’s one of those ones there’s no way around. You can’t strap it differently, you can’t try to bowl off the other foot, it’s hard to hide from, so it’s just trying to get it early enough and not really damage it. He knows all that, the staff know all that and I’m sure they’ll work it out.”He’s doing everything he can to get right, he’s been on crutches the last few days to try to take some weight off the heel. But hasn’t tried to bowl yet or anything, we’ve just got down to Melbourne so I think the next couple days they’ll assess that. He’s absolutely itching to get out there and play, but got to make sure he’s right.”With Starc highly unlikely to play, the breach is set to be filled by the Tasmanian seamer Jackson Bird, who has spent most of the year in reserve after playing the most recent of his eight Test matches in the 2016 Boxing Day fixture against Pakistan. Bird is less a fast bowler than a seam and swing merchant, but he knows how to bowl on the MCG’s drop-in pitch, having excelled there on his debut against Sri Lanka in 2012 and also having performed well at the ground for Tasmania.”The wicket is pretty flat, the drop-in wicket,” Bird said. “Whatever length you try and bowl, you have to really bowl the ball into the wicket. Hit the wicket as hard as you can – there usually is a bit of movement on the first day or two. I find whatever length you bowl you really have to hit the wicket. Then in the second dig it usually goes reverse swing, you just have to find the right length that’s going to hit the top of the stumps and try and stand the seam up, hit the wicket hard to get the most out of it.”Mitch has still got a couple of days of training to recover, or try to recover, hopefully for Mitch’s sake his heel isn’t too serious and he
does get up but in saying that, it’d be unbelievable to play an Ashes Test on Boxing Day. Either way, I’ll be ready and preparing as I normally would for any Test match.”In the first two Tests I left early and went and played Shield cricket for Tassie [Tasmania], so I got a fair few overs under my belt and felt like the ball came out really nicely in those couple of weeks I was away. I had a week in the Perth nets working on a few different things with Sakesy [David Saker, assistant coach]. I haven’t played a Test match since this game last year, so I’ve been ready to go for 12 months basically. If I get the opportunity, I’m really looking forward to it.”Bird said his year as a drinks waiter had been frustrating, albeit mitigated by the quality of the pace bowlers ahead of him in the queue.
“It’s a little bit frustrating to not get an opportunity but I’m completely realistic in where I sit behind the fast bowlers ahead of me,” Bird said. “They’re all world-class fast bowlers, I’m under no illusions where I sit.”I’ve just got to prepare as if I’m going to play. I just need to be ready to go if any of those guys don’t come up. That’s the spot I’m in at the moment. I’m not complaining, I’m in a better spot than some blokes are. So I can’t complain too much, it’s great to be around the Australian team, especially in the Ashes.”You can only have 11 players in the team and when we’ve got such good fast bowlers around at the moment, someone’s got to miss out. It’s just been me for the past 12 months and the conditions we’ve played in haven’t helped my cause – a lot of those Tests were in the subcontinent. It is frustrating missing out – and some of the circumstances of the last 12 months made it a little bit more frustrating, but that’s the way it goes. Sometimes you’ve got to cop it on the chin and can’t complain too much about it.”The wicketkeeper Tim Paine is expected to join the squad in Melbourne on Sunday after spending some extra time at home with his family after his father-in-law suffered a stroke. “Tim’s one of the most mentally strong players I’ve ever played with,” Bird said. “He’s shown that the last couple of weeks, to get back into the Test team and perform how he has after such a long period out with career-threatening injuries when he thought he might not get back. If there’s anybody who can compartmentalise that, I think it’s him.”

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph led the way in the final session on day one of the County Championship game against Gloucestershire in Bristol

ECB Reporters Network15-May-2016
ScorecardGraham Wagg picked up three wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed cheaply•Getty Images

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph led the way in the final session on day one of the County Championship game against Gloucestershire in Bristol, to leave the Welsh county in a position of relative strength.The former South Africa Test batsman survived the early loss of opening partner Mark Wallace to help Glamorgan to 82 for 1 at the close, in reply to Gloucestershire’s 262 all out. With Rudolph 33 not out and Will Bragg unbeaten on 45, the visitors looked well set to not only consolidate their work on Sunday, but push for a first victory of the new season.The day was not so rewarding for Gloucestershire who, batting first under a near cloudless sky, soon found themselves in trouble. Openers Chris Dent and Cameron Bancroft departed for 6 and 5 respectively, as Glamorgan left-armer Graham Wagg made early inroads.Graeme van Buuren, on his first start for the county since arriving last month, played one or two shots of real quality, but eventually flashed at one too many and was caught, at the second attempt, by Chris Cooke at third slip.By lunch, Wagg, Timm van der Gugten and Harry Podmore had left the hosts struggling on 98 for 5, with captain Gareth Roderick and Hamish Marshall departing too. Roderick was snapped up in the gully by Andrew Salter for 12 before Marshall was trapped lbw by the impressive Wagg.The innings required a steady hand and that, somewhat surprisingly, came from the former Millfield School batsman, George Hankins. The 19-year-old came to the crease at 69 for 4 and batted without fear. After losing sixth-wicket partner Kieran Noema-Barnett, who was run out for a single shortly after lunch, he added 42 for the seventh wicket with the rather fortuitous Jack Taylor.Taylor, who was dropped at first slip before scoring by Bragg, was given another chance off the very next ball when Cooke spilt a straightforward catch, off Podmore, at third slip. Thereafter, he struck 24 in quick time, before being trapped lbw by Michael Hogan.Hankins continued to dominate the bowling and duly reached his maiden first-class half-century off 55 balls. Six runs later, he was bowled by Van Der Gugten, having struck 10 boundaries in his 74-ball stay at the crease.Glamorgan would have been excused for thinking the hard work had been done, as Hankins left to a standing ovation. Unfortunately Craig Miles and David Payne had other ideas and without ever looking in trouble, the pair added 90 for the ninth wicket. Payne eventually perished, for 39, as did Yorkshire loanee Josh Shaw, for 1. Miles was unbeaten on 49 as Gloucestershire were finally bowled out in the 68th over.Glamorgan made a terrible start when Wallace gifted debutant Van Buuren a catch, off Miles, in the second over of the innings. But Bragg joined Rudolph at the crease and the left-handed pair provided an even keel in the 25 overs remaining.

Ireland’s seam bowler Craig Young has joined Hampshire on a short-term loan deal in their first response to a crippling early-season injury crisis

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Apr-2016Ireland’s seam bowler Craig Young has joined Hampshire on a short-term loan deal in their first response to a crippling early-season injury crisis.Young, 26, will get an outing in Hampshire’s Second XI Championship match against Somerset at the Ageas Bowl, starting on Monday, in the hope of forcing himself into contention for the home Championship match against Middlesex on May 1.Young was previously on the books at Sussex but had a frustrating time with injuries and never graduated beyond 2nd XI cricket. He has played 24 times for Ireland across three formats.Ireland coach John Bracewell said: “Craig will continue his progression as one of Ireland’s front-line bowlers after a very good spell, especially over the last 12 months.”With the North-West Warriors not having any championship cricket until late May and Ireland not in action until June, we feel the timing is ideal for Craig and hope he can aid Hampshire’s significant injury problems.”Young said: “The request has come from completely left field. But it’s great to be given a chance, which I hope I can grab with both hands.”Two years ago, he suggested that he had the pace and bounce to fill the void left for Ireland by Boyd Rankin. He took five wickets on ODI debut, against Scotland, and was Ireland’s top wicket-taker on a World Cup acclimatisation tour in Australia and New Zealand.Hampshire’s current injury crisis includes fast-bowler Fidel Edwards, who suffered a fractured ankle at Headingley this week whilst fellow seamers Reece Topley, Gareth Berg and Ryan Stevenson are all still not available for selection due to injury.Hampshire’s director of cricket Giles White told The Echo: “Craig comes as a recommendation from John Bracewell and, in light of the current injury problems we have, this gives us a good opportunity to take a closer look at him.”