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Lancashire and England seamer says it will be “weird” not playing for Manchester Originals

Matt Roller25-Mar-2023Kate Cross, the England seamer, has revealed her shock at being signed by Northern Superchargers in Thursday’s Hundred draft, having captained Manchester Originals in the competition’s first two seasons.Cross had spoken to the Originals ahead of the draft, who gave her a verbal guarantee that they would sign her for £25,000 with their second pick if she was still available. But the Superchargers gazumped them by using their first pick to sign her for £31,250.Related

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Since the Originals had already used their first pick to sign South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, they were unable to use their Right-To-Match (RTM) card to bring Cross back – much to her surprise, as she watched on from her regional team Thunder’s pre-season tour to Mumbai.”I didn’t look at the money at all,” Cross said on , her BBC podcast with Alex Hartley. “I wasn’t bothered about that. But I knew I wasn’t playing for Manchester, and I’d been picked up by their rivals, the Superchargers, who are based in Yorkshire. For a Lancashire girl, it’s quite a big move…”Cross has spent her whole career playing for Lancashire or teams affiliated with them, like Thunder and the Originals. “It’s just such a big thing to get my head around, the fact that I won’t be playing in the environment that I’ve grown up playing in,” she said. “For a long time, all my cricket has been in one environment, one club, one place.”And then I’m just over the Pennines! It’s going to be weird playing against Manchester; it’s going to be so weird not playing Manchester.”Thursday’s draft was the first time that a recruitment process in the women’s Hundred has been broadcast publicly, and Cross said it had been difficult to deal with hearing about a surprise move at the same time as the rest of the world.”It’s so strange to find out information at the same time as everyone else,” she said. “Whenever we normally get this information, we find out two weeks before it goes out to the public: selections, all that kind of stuff.”It comes out in public and you’ve dealt with it, you’ve processed it, whereas we found out when everyone else found out, which is the thing I’m struggling with the most.”To watch yourself literally get sold live on TV, and for a price that someone values you at… I can’t even describe that feeling.”Each women’s team in the Hundred has eight confirmed players after Thursday’s draft. They will now fill their squads over the coming months, with their remaining contracts agreed mutually on the open market.

Back-up keeper-batter arrives in Sydney after making mercy dash from Brisbane by car

Andrew Miller08-Jan-2022Sam Billings was “90 minutes” away from catching a flight back to the UK prior to his call-up to England’s Ashes squad, according to the team management, as he undertook a nine-hour drive from Brisbane to Sydney to provide wicketkeeping cover ahead of next week’s fifth Test in Hobart.Billings, who has just completed a Big Bash spell with Sydney Thunder, had been set to return home to prepare for England’s T20I tour of the Caribbean later this month. But, with Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow both being sent for X-rays after sustaining hand injuries during the fourth Test, Billings has now joined the touring party in Sydney, where he will undergo a period of isolation in the team hotel, subject to returning a negative Covid test result.”Just an observation… Australia is a reallyyyyy big place!” Billings wrote in a post on Twitter, while taking a break from his journey at a resting place near Newcastle in New South Wales. Billings is yet to make his Test debut, but he has spoken previously of his ambitions to break into the red-ball side. He has played 58 limited-overs matches for England and averages 34.29 in first-class cricket with six centuries.He now looks set to become England’s 700th Test cricketer at Hobart next week, despite an impressive stand-in display from Ollie Pope on day four, who equalled the dismissals record for a substitute player with four catches behind the stumps.”It’s a bit like the goalkeeper, if you don’t really notice them, that means that they’ve done very well,” Graham Thorpe, England’s assistant coach, said. “After a while I realised that it was Ollie Pope back out there again, keeping wicket, so I thought he did fantastically well.”Given the extent of England’s injuries, however, Pope may well be required as a specialist batter at Hobart, but Thorpe said that Billings’ call-up would give the squad options going into the fifth Test.Buttler’s battle for form with the bat was compounded on the third day when he was dismissed for an eight-ball duck to take his tally for the series to 96 runs at 16.00 from seven innings. He reportedly struggled to grip the bat properly during his stay after sustaining a hand injury while keeping on the second day.Bairstow meanwhile compiled a gutsy century in England’s first innings – eventually falling for 113 on the fourth morning – despite being left in agony by a savage blow to the right thumb from Pat Cummins”I was hurting,” Bairstow said. “But, look, you’re playing in a New Year’s Test match in Sydney on the pink day, it is going to take a heck of a lot to get you off the field. In some ways, it frees you up, in some ways it doesn’t. But at the end of the day, you’ve still got a job to do. Yes, it will be sore, but at the end of the day you’re playing cricket for England and I’m very, very proud to do that.”Related

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Asked about potentially taking the wicketkeeping gloves in Hobart, Bairstow said: “I don’t know as yet, to be really honest with you. I’ll know some more information tomorrow. I’m not sure about the keeping side of things anyway. But from a batting point of view, I’ll be out there in the morning.”England’s issues deepened with the side strain that Ben Stokes sustained while bowling on the second afternoon. He too was sent for a scan on Saturday, and though he returned to the field he has not bowled since. The ECB subsequently stated that they would “evaluate the extent of the injury and update at the end of the Test match”.Thorpe, however, hinted that Stokes might yet play at Hobart as a specialist batter, having compiled a vital 66 in his first-innings partnership with Bairstow.”It’s possible,” Thorpe said. “Obviously Stokes’ injury is not a great one, being an allrounder. So we’ll have to see generally what we can do with that situation once the game is finished.”Sometimes the adrenaline running through the body, when you’re out there, can actually assist you. And then there are times when you have to assess the whole injury going into a fresh game as well.”Obviously, Sam Billings has been called into the group, as you’re aware, so that’s a good indicator of some of the concerns with the injuries.”

Derbyshire stay top of North Group with second win in as many matches

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2020Legspinner Matt Critchley picked up career-best figures of 6 for 73 as Derbyshire extended their lead at the top of the North Group by completing a nine-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Bob Willis Trophy match at the Fischer County Ground, Grace RoadCritchley had Colin Ackermann caught at first slip by a diving Wayne Madsen, Ben Mike caught at second slip by Leus du Plooy and Dieter Klein caught behind by wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein in the space of five balls as the Foxes collapsed from 104 for 2 to 140 for 8. Only a defiant last-wicket stand of 52 between Harry Swindells and Chris Wright, batting with a runner, prevented Leicestershire being beaten by an innings.The morning had seen a double wicket maiden from first-class debutant Ed Barnes raise Derbyshire’s hope of forcing a three-day win. The young Yorkshireman, on loan at Derbyshire until the end of the season, bowled nightwatchman Callum Parkinson off the inside edge as the batsman tried to leave a delivery just outside off stump, and three balls later found the edge of left-hander Ben Slater’s bat and saw Madsen hold a waist-high catch at first slip to leave Leicestershire struggling on 34 for 2.They would have been in even deeper trouble if Leus du Plooy had been able to hold a chance given by Harry Dearden soon afterwards, the batsman edging an attempted cut at a wide delivery from Dustin Melton to second slip, where du Plooy got both hands to the ball but could not hang on.Dearden played aggressively after lunch, hitting 21 runs off 14 balls and raising a 50 partnership with opener Hassan Azad, but an attempt to clear mid-on off the bowling of Critchley gave Luis Reece a simple catch. Azad followed, leg before wicket on the back foot to the occasional left-arm spin of du Plooy, and the writing was on the wall for the Foxes when George Rhodes tried to clip a full straight ball from Melton through midwicket, missed, and was palpably leg before wicket.Critchley’s three in five made the win all but certain, though Will Davis, Swindells – who finished on a career-best 41 not out – and Wright battled impressively to ensure the home side avoided the ignominy of an innings defeat.With the pitch offering increasing turn, left-arm spinner Parkinson then had Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman caught behind before Reece and Madsen saw their side over the line for their second win in as many matches.

The matches, scheduled during the IPL 2019 playoffs, are likely to feature three teams with international stars from six countries apart from India regulars

Annesha Ghosh08-Apr-2019The women’s T20 exhibition games, scheduled to be held during the IPL 2019 playoffs, are set to involve overseas players from as many as six countries, an improvement on last year’s one-off Women’s T20 Challenge, which saw representation only from Australia, England and New Zealand, apart from current India regulars.Some of the top women’s international players likely to be invited for the three-team tournament include West Indies’ Deandra Dottin and T20 World Cup-winning captain Stafanie Taylor, South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk and fast bowler Marizanne Kapp, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Atapattu.The overseas players – all prominent names in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and the English Kia Super League (KSL) – are likely to be grouped with players who had participated last year, including Australia’s Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Megan Schutt, New Zealand’s Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, and England’s Danielle Wyatt.ALSO READ: Women’s games during IPL 2019 – what’s the best way forward?ESPNcricinfo understands the three teams will square up against each other in one round-robin league, with all fixtures likely to be held at a single venue for logistical reasons. Chennai, which is likely to host the IPL final on May 12, could stage the final of the women’s tournament, too.The planning around these exhibition matches during the IPL has taken over four months. Staging a full-fledged domestic women’s T20 league in India – in the manner of the eight-team WBBL or the six-team KSL – however, was deemed implausible from the outset given the concerns of the BCCI’s think-tank over the depth of India’s domestic pool of players.Last year, the one-off Women’s T20 Challenge in Mumbai was played as a curtain-raiser to the first IPL 2018 Qualifier, and comprised two teams – the Supernovas and the Trailblazers – that featured Indian and prominent foreign players. The match was conducted as a means to test the feasibility of starting an IPL-style women’s T20 league in the country. Although the game was a last-ball thriller and was telecast by the board’s host broadcaster, the crowd presence at the venue was thin, partly because the game had a 2pm start.

The Pakistan allrounder was struck on the back of the head while batting in Hamilton and, after suffering signs of delayed concussion, did not take the field for the second innings

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2018Pakistan allrounder Shoaib Malik was struck on the back of the head while running between the wickets during the fourth ODI in Hamilton. Though he continued batting, he had signs of a delayed concussion and did not take the field in the second innings.Malik had come out to bat without a helmet or hat because New Zealand’s spinners were bowling. The incident occurred in the 32nd over, when he set off for a quick single but was sent back by Mohammad Hafeez. While Malik was trying to make his ground, the throw from Colin Munro at point hit him flush on the back of his unprotected head and the ball ricocheted to the boundary. Malik went down immediately, and though he needed on-field attention for several minutes, he resumed batting. He suffered the blow when his score was 1 and he was dismissed for 6 three balls later.Malik’s absence from the field, the PCB said, was due to a delayed concussion. “Shoaib was assessed by the match doctor and myself,” Pakistan team physiotherapist VB Singh said. “He did not have any symptoms of a concussion and was able to carry on playing. After getting out, he was reassessed and was showing delayed concussion signs. He is doing well and is resting.”

Firdose Moonda in Melbourne21-Nov-2016For the next week, the South African squad will not be enjoying romantic sunsets with their other halves. Instead, at twilight, they want to be on the cricket field, preparing for their first day-night Test in the time frame they have identified as the trickiest to play with the pink ball.As the natural light fades and artificial ones take over, the pink ball becomes what JP Duminy called “gloomy” and, so, more difficult to see. Duminy admitted the South African players, who have limited experience with the pink ball, don’t really understand whether the colouration of ball or the changing hues from the environment affect visibility but confirmed the contrast is significant. “It’s definitely a difference that you see, but I can’t give you the scientific reason why that is. We’ve still got to work that out.”At dusk, the pink ball also starts to move a little more and so, for batsmen, survival in that period is key. “You’ve just got to fight through that phase,” Duminy said. “It’s obviously new to us, pink-ball cricket and day-night Test cricket. We’ve got to get used to it. And that’s why we wanted to bat as much as possible in that period during the warm-up game.”For their warm-up match at the MCG on Saturday night, South Africa chose to bowl first to give their batsmen time in the middle when things got tough. The sun only set around 8pm – which will be the same as Adelaide – so the first hour of the final session is the most crucial. The second hour of that session takes place in complete darkness when Duminy said it actually becomes “a little bit easier” to see the ball.Hashim Amla batted through that twilight period and it became clear that his scoring slowed and the only chance he gave away, a catch to slip, came then. Both Duminy and Faf du Plessis were dismissed then too. With net sessions scheduled for that time, Duminy is hopeful they can tighten up. “I don’t know if it’s a danger, maybe it’s just something we need to be wary of. The more we can spend time in that light… it’s the same sort of thing in the practice nets as well. The more we can spend time under that sort of light, the easier it will be for us.”The converse of all that is South Africa could end up in the field at that time, when their bowlers will come into play in a big way. After Steven Smith lamented Australia’s inability against the seaming, swinging or spinning ball, it may transpire that they too have problems against the pink ball, even though they are more experienced with it.Kyle Abbott and Tabraiz Shamsi were the most economical and effective bowlers at the MCG, but Duminy believes South Africa’s entire attack would prove useful with pink ball in hand. “KG [Kagiso Rabada] has been pretty effective too, he swings the ball a little bit,” Duminy said. “The main thing is that most the guys are in good form, which is great for us, and it’s not determined by the colour of the ball in terms the areas you want to hit, the lengths you want to it, it stays the same no matter what the colour of the ball.”Twilight is also a tricky time for close-in fielders, so drills will be an important part of this week’s practises. “In certain positions, it becomes a little more challenging. It’s all about preparation; how much time you can spend in that light, catching balls, fielding,” Duminy said.”If you think about any sort of sport – if you think about a golfer, for example, he needs to be on the practise range to get better. That’s the sort of approach we are taking.”Because South Africa had not any time on the range, so to speak, before this tour, they were hesitant about playing a pink-ball Test when it was first proposed. Their major worry was that the series would be riding on the match and they would be at a disadvantage. The opposite has happened.As a contest, the series is over and this fixture is a dead-rubber, albeit with a difference: it’s Australia’s chance for redemption and South Africa’s to rally around a captain with a cloud hanging over him. Still, Duminy believes they hold the advantage. “We are probably sitting in the pound seats in terms of the concerns around the pink-ball Test but that doesn’t change the motivation and the desire to win the game,” Duminy said. “The goal was always to win the series, however that came about; now we sit with an opportunity to win 3-0, so that’s the new goal.”

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 Group C matches played on December 2, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2015
ScorecardFile photo – Bipul Sharma’s 6 for 33 in the second innings helped Himachal Pradesh dismiss Kerala for 83•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In what was the eighth two-day finish in this season’s Ranji Trophy, Himachal Pradesh picked up a six-wicket win over Kerala in their fixture in Malappuram, ending Kerala’s chances of a knockout spot.Trailing by 60 runs, Kerala suffered a batting meltdown and were bundled out for 83 early on day two with left-arm spinner, Bipul Sharma claiming 6 for 33 in 10.2 overs. Rishi Dhawan, Karanveer Singh and Rahul Singh picked up a wicket apiece, as none of Kerala’s batsmen managed to score more than 20.Himachal were set only 24 to win but stuttered when left-arm spinner Karaparambil Monish picked up four wickets – he claimed three wickets on the first, third and sixth ball of the fourth over – without conceding a run. The four-wicket haul put Monish on top of the wicket-taking chart of the Ranji Trophy this season. Himachal Pradesh, however, sealed the victory in the fifth over of the innings.
ScorecardSaurabh Tiwary’s unbeaten 190 marshalled Jharkhand to a massive first-innings lead of 221 runs with four wickets in hand against Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. After bowling out the hosts for 145 on the first day, Jharkhand finished the second day on 366 for 6.Continuing from 31 for 1, Jharkhand lost overnight batsmen Shiv Gautam (14) and Anand Singh (5) within five overs, leaving them on 48 for 3, as Chama Milind took the first three wickets. That brought together Tiwary and Ishank Jaggi who put on a crucial stand of 117 runs in under 20 overs to take them past 150. Jaggi missed his fifty by two runs, before Kaushal Singh assisted Tiwary with a patient fifty to help them towards 300. Their sixth-wicket stand yielded 131 runs before Kaushal fell for 54 and Tiwary ended the day with 24 fours and four sixes to put Jharkhand on top with his 15th first-class hundred.
ScorecardServices piled on a massive score of 512 on the back of Rajat Paliwal’s maiden double-hundred against Tripura in Agartala. Paliwal’s 203 was assisted by Devender Lochab’s career-best 95, as the two stretched their sixth-wicket stand to 239 runs, before Tripura ended the day on 45 for 1, trailing by 467 runs.On 282 for 5 overnight, Paliwal continued from 147 and Lochab carried from 31 to help them towards 400. Paliwal fell for a brisk 203 off 266 deliveries with 26 fours and three sixes, and Lochab was caught behind 13 runs later with the score on 410 for 7. Muzzaffaruddin Khalid (32), Raushan Raj (32) and Diwesh Pathania (25) chipped in with useful lower-order scores to accumulate some more runs as Services were eventually bowled out in 136.3 overs. Rana Dutta finished with 4 for 104 and Tushar Saha picked up three wickets.Tripura lost Virag Awate for 14 as Arindam Das and Udiyan Bose remained unbeaten with the team’s large deficit.
ScorecardAfter Himachal Pradesh topped the table, Saurashtra made their case to eventually lead the table by taking a massive first-innings lead against Jammu & Kashmir by ending the second day on 491 for 9 in Jammu, in reply to the hosts’ 138.Saurashtra were led by Sheldon Jackson’s century and fifties from Samarth Vyas and Jaydev Unadkat. Jackson’s 121 took them past 250 after two wickets fell in front of him, and Vyas’ brisk 53 off 69 gave the lower order some confidence. Saurashtra were then 378 for 9 and the last-wicket stand between Unadkat (91*) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (38*) frustrated the hosts further.