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The ECB have moved quickly to appoint a new England Women’s coach with Paul Shaw replacing Mark Lane, who stood down after five years in the role on May 13.

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2013The ECB have moved quickly to appoint a new England Women’s coach with Paul Shaw replacing Mark Lane, who stood down after five years in the role on May 13.Shaw, who played for Staffordshire Minor Counties, has been promoted internally and takes on more wide-ranging responsibility than Lane with the role of head coach becoming redundant.Shaw becomes the new ECB Women’s and Girls’ high performance manager, with overall responsibility for the performance of the senior England Women’s team. He was previously head of England Women’s performance.”The rationale for the role evolving is to reflect the scope and expansion of the England Women’s programme and the skill set now required to lead that programme, the coaching/support staff and the players,” Clare Connor, ECB head of England Women’s cricket, said. “Paul has already made an excellent contribution and has considerable strengths in a range of areas, most notably in leadership, creating high performance cultures and talent development.”I am wholly confident that Paul has the expertise and dynamism required to ensure that the England Women’s team regains its number one world ranking as we embark on a new World Cup cycle.”The ECB had said they hoped to have a successor to Lane installed for the Women’s Ashes, which begin on August 11, but the appointment of Shaw means a permanent coach can oversee the first series of the summer, two ODIs and two T20s against Pakistan at the start of July.Shaw, 45, was born in Burton-on-Trent and played for his home county from 1992 until 2004 appearing 12 times in the NatWest Trophy that became the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy. He scored two half-centuries in those matches, including 55 against Surrey as his side failed to cause an upset by just nine runs.He went into coaching and began at Barnsley CC – home club of England Women’s seamer Katherine Brunt – before working for ICC Europe. He joined the ECB in 2007 as coach education training manager and became England Women’s academy coach in 2008 and head of England Women’s performance in 2010.”Paul was one of the first graduates of the ECB’s highly successful Level 4 coaching programme,” Hugh Morris, ECB managing director – England Cricket, said. “He will now lead a world class programme with increased support from specialist coaches as well as sports science and medicine.”Shaw added: “I am delighted to be taking on this new role and I’m looking forward to the challenge of leading the England Women’s cricket team towards achieving number one status in the world, and working with some outstanding players, coaches and support staff as we head into a busy summer of cricket with games against Pakistan, followed by what promises to be an exciting Ashes Series.”

Delhi Daredevils batsman Kevin Pietersen, whose hundred helped beat his former team Deccan Chargers by five wickets on Thursday, said that he felt “a little sorry” for Chargers

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2012Delhi Daredevils batsman Kevin Pietersen, whose hundred helped beat his former team Deccan Chargers by five wickets on Thursday, said that he felt “a little sorry” for Chargers, who lost their fourth straight match in the tournament. Deccan sold Pietersen to Daredevils in the 2012 transfer window after he missed out on the entire 2011 season due to injury. Pietersen said that the thought of playing against his former team didn’t cross his mind during the match, as he concentrated on his batting.”I feel a little sorry for Deccan, but we came out here as Delhi players and had to get the two points. They played very well, they put us under a lot of pressure and could have won. Luckily we came through but they are a very good team that should have won against Mumbai, and [against Rajasthan Royals] the other night,” Pietersen said.Pietersen said though that there is still time in the tournament for Deccan to improve. “You don’t want to play your best cricket in April, if you have a good May. In my first season [in 2009] I played for Bangalore, and we lost five out of our first six games and went on to play the final in Jo’burg [Johannesburg], so nothing’s lost for Deccan at all,” Pietersen said.Pietersen said his innings against Deccan was his best in the Twenty20 format. “It’s my first hundred in T20 cricket so it’s my favourite. I hit one [six] on the top terrace which was good. It’s amazing, you look at guys that get T20 centuries and you envy them. It’s something that I hadn’t done yet, I’ve got Test centuries, ODI centuries and now a T20 century. Although it’s the IPL and not an international T20, it’s still a special feeling.”Chargers, who’ve struggled in the field this season, made matters worse on Thursday by dropping Pietersen three times [on 6, 68, 84]. Chargers coach Darren Lehmann said that poor fielding cost them the last two matches. “I said it the last time, they’ve cost us matches, they have cost us the last two games. You can’t drop a bloke like Pietersen. To give him some credit it’s one of the best knocks I’ve ever seen so when you drop him on six it costs you the game.””We were in a good position at the 12th, 13th over mark and then we lost our way with a couple of poor shots and poor decision making. We are playing at 90%, if we kick off the other 10% we’ll win each game.” Lehmann said.Daredevils currently top the table with four wins and one loss. The team have been performing well [with both bat and ball] and Pietersen said it was a team effort that helped them beat Deccan. “Irfan was good, Yogi [Yogesh Nagar] was good, unfortunately we ran out Ross Taylor and it put a lot more pressure on me,” Pietersen said.”[Shahbaz] Nadeem was excellent, he took three wickets for nine runs in the Chennai game, went to Mumbai and bowled beautifully with the new ball and again he bowled fantastically today. He’s a clever bowler,” Pietersen said. “People were talking about us not having a spinner for this tournament but we’ve turned out to have a little superstar.”

A ferocious 145 not out from captain Andrew Gale put Yorkshire firmly in
control of their County Championship Division One clash with title-holders
Nottinghamshire at Headingley

21-Apr-2011Stumps
Scorecard
A ferocious 145 not out from captain Andrew Gale put Yorkshire firmly in
control of their County Championship Division One clash with title-holders
Nottinghamshire at Headingley.The visitors have been second-best on all fronts since winning the toss
on the first morning, and had to fight hard to avoid a two-day defeat, eventually closing on
175 for 6 – with 18 runs required to make Yorkshire bat again.Yorkshire began the second day on 213 for 5 with a lead of 70 but things did
not go entirely to plan early on. Gale completed a watchful half-century off 91
balls but Adil Rashid added only a single to his overnight 39 before he played
round a ball from Samit Patel and was bowled.Richard Pyrah had his stumps hit by Luke Fletcher after one kept low but David
Wainwright gave valuable support to Gale as Notts began to feel the handicap of
being without Andre Adams, who did not take the field because of a groin
strain.Just as he was beginning to settle in, Wainwright drove a gentle return catch
to Patel and in the following over Ryan Sidebottom was lbw to Paul Franks
without scoring, leaving Yorkshire on 254 for 9.It looked as if Gale, on 67, would be denied his century, but he managed to
plunder the bowling while last man Oliver Hannon-Dalby offered solid support.
Every ball the number 11 kept out was loudly applauded by the home fans.Consecutive boundaries for Gale advanced him to 101 off 169 balls, with 13
fours, at which stage Hannon-Dalby’s contribution to the 34-run stand was a mere
single. It was Gale’s first century since flogging an unbeaten 158 against the
same opponents at Trent Bridge towards the end of last season.Gale moved into hurricane mode as he planted consecutive balls from Fletcher
high over mid-wicket for six and when lunch came at 334 for 9 he had
contributed 76 from the previous 80 runs. That exceeded the previous best for
Yorkshire’s last wicket against Nottinghamshire at Headingley, 73 between
Wilfred Rhodes and Abe Waddington in 1920.Only two were added after the interval, however, before Hannon-Dalby was caught
at second slip by Adam Voges of Charlie Shreck, Gale receiving a standing
ovation for his unbeaten 145 from 205 balls with 15 fours and two sixes.It did not take long for Nottinghamshire’s top order to hit trouble again,
Franks’ middle stump being struck so hard by Sidebottom that it had to be
changed. Mark Wagh’s off stump was flattened by Pyrah’s 10th delivery and in the
next over Patel bagged a pair when he was bowled by Sidebottom.At 38 for 3, a two-day finish looked on the cards but the visitors’ resolve
was stiffened by a 105-run stand between Alex Hales and Voges, during which the
former completed his second half-century of the match by driving Rashid over
long off for six.The fourth-wicket pair looked assured against both pace and spin but once again
Hales was to move into the 80s without reaching three figures. After making his
way to 83 off 112 balls, with 12 fours and a six, he stood no chance of keeping
out a shooter from Pyrah which hit the base of his off-stump.Pyrah was once more fulfilling a vital role with the ball and he went on to
remove Voges for 42 before being rested with figures of 15-8-19-3, Sidebottom
returning to deepen Nottinghamshire’s gloom by getting Alistair Brown caught
behind.

Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has said he is satisfied with his team’s overall performance in the World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff19-May-2010Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has said he is satisfied with his team’s overall performance in the World Twenty20 but admitted the shock defeat against Australia in the semis, after having dominated the bulk of the game, hurt them more than a loss in the final, had they qualified, would have done.”I was not expecting that we will perform so good against South Africa and Australia
especially after we dropped too many catches against England and lost narrowly (by one run) to New Zealand,” Afridi told reporters upon arrival in Karachi. “So I think overall I am quite satisfied with the team’s performance and importantly we played as a unit.”Had I won that match (against Australia) and lost the final I would not have been disappointed.”Michael Hussey’s late assault stunned Pakistan, as he smashed 60 off 24 balls, including three sixes and a four in the final over off Saeed Ajmal to seal victory with a ball to spare. “The situation was not looking like we were going to lose,” Afridi said. “We had our two best bowlers bowling the last two overs, but I must say the Australians played very well.”Afridi defended Ajmal, and said his performance at the death against South Africa in Pakistan’s previous game prompted the decision to let him bowl the final over. “It was a big match for Ajmal, he was under pressure,” Afridi said. “(But) he also bowled the 20th over against South Africa and moreover he was also bowling from his favourite end against Australia.”Pakistan play Australia again in England in a ‘home series’ in a couple of months, and Ajmal, then, will have another opportunity of facing off against Hussey. “I hope I will have another go at him when we meet in two months’ time,” Ajmal said.

Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant made short work of a target of 97 to get India off to a winning start at the T20 World Cup 2024

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Jun-20242:03

Flower on New York pitch – ‘Bordering on dangerous’

New York’s second match as a T20I venue was a lot like its first: low-scoring and brutal. Two days after South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 77 here, India bowled Ireland out for 96. A different strip was used for this game, but the bounce was just as inconsistent, and batting just as difficult, if not outright dangerous.India’s selection was spot-on – they picked four fast bowlers including Hardik Pandya, and two spin-bowling allrounders to lengthen their batting, which meant they left Kuldeep Yadav on the bench. They didn’t need all that batting in the end, as Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant helped them cross the line with 46 balls remaining, but the packed pace attack proved extremely useful. Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik picked up 8 for 81 between them, extracting seam movement and up-and-down bounce right through an Ireland innings that lasted just 16 overs.As good as those performances were, though, this match will be remembered for the conditions. Batters from both teams took body blows – Rohit retired hurt on 52, soon after being struck on the arm – and by the time India wrapped up their win, their thoughts may have gone ahead to June 9 at the same venue, and what kind of pitch they may have to play Pakistan on.

Arshdeep sets the tone

The first two overs gave enough of a clue of how this pitch would behave, with both Arshdeep and Siraj extracting inconsistent bounce. One ball from Arshdeep – seam-up rather than a slower ball or cutter – bounced a second time before reaching wicketkeeper Pant, but most of the inconsistency was up rather than down, with one ball forcing Pant into a leaping, overhead, goalkeeper-style save.

Extra bounce brought India their first wicket, Paul Stirling top-edging a heave across the line at the start of the third over.By the end of that over, Arshdeep had taken out both openers. He was finding ways to mix up his stock inswinger to the right-hander with balls that kept going with the left-armer’s angle across them, and one of these away-slanters bowled Andy Balbirnie, as he stayed leg-side of the ball and tried to steer one down to third.

Ireland collapse

By the end of the powerplay, Ireland were still only two down, but Harry Tector had already been hit on the glove and the thigh pad and was batting on 1 off 10. That became 4 off 15 before a nasty short ball from Bumrah hurried him, and he ended up gloving the attempted pull into his helmet and then to the fielder at short extra-cover.By then they had also lost Lorcan Tucker, bowled trying to drive a nip-backer from Hardik.Hardik Pandya showed some form•Getty Images

India kept getting the length ball to nip around and the short-of-length ball to climb, and Ireland kept losing wickets. Even the introduction of spin didn’t stem the collapse, as Barry McCarthy was caught and bowled by an Axar Patel ball that stuck in the pitch. At 50 for 8, Ireland were in danger of falling short of their lowest T20I total – 68 against West Indies during the 2010 edition of this tournament.They eventually crossed that mark, with Gareth Delany’s risk-taking coming off – where that of his team-mates’ mostly didn’t – in a 14-ball 26 that carried Ireland to 96.

Rohit and Pant finish the job

Rohit and Virat Kohli came out swinging – perhaps they reckoned that the new ball and powerplay field restrictions gave them the best chance of quick runs – and came away with contrasting outcomes.Kohli fell early, caught on the deep-third boundary while charging at Mark Adair and looking to slap him over the covers.

Rohit enjoyed two slices of early luck – Balbirnie put down a tough chance at second slip in the first over, off Adair, and an inside-edge in the second over, off Josh Little, ran away for four past the stumps – and carried on to score his 30th T20I fifty. The pitch remained treacherous, and Rohit’s control percentage hovered in the 40s for most of his innings, before climbing to 51 by the time he retired hurt. But he hit some telling blows too, most notably two trademark pulls off successive balls from Little that brought up his 599th and 600th sixes in international cricket. Before that, he also went past 4000 runs in T20Is.Pant looked more fluent than Rohit, indeed as fluent as anyone could have looked on this pitch, and hit three sixes and two fours while scoring an unbeaten 36 off 26. He took a hit to the elbow and one to the shoulder, and his response to the latter blow summed him up as a cricketer and character: he finished the match off the next ball, reverse-scooping McCarthy for six over the wicketkeeper.

Depending on Mumbai Indians’ result in their last game, a win for Capitals can push them straight into the final

Shashank Kishore21-Mar-2023

Big Picture

UP Warriorz have Sophie Ecclestone to thank for bailing them out of troubled waters for two games in a row now. Wins that seemed tough – first in a low-scorer against Mumbai Indians, and then in a tall chase against Gujarat Giants – have catapulted them into the top three.Even if third-placed Warriorz lose against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday, they are certain to play the Eliminator, thus giving them a shot at the final; but if they beat Capitals, it will force a three-way race for the top spot if Mumbai happen to lose their final match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, Warriorz are so far behind both Mumbai and Capitals on net run rate that it is near impossible to catch up in just one game.That said, they would have probably settled for third if you had asked them last week, which saw them suffer their third loss in four games despite starting the season with a win.Over to their opponents. Capitals have come storming back to steal the top spot that seemed destined to be Mumbai’s when they had raced to five straight wins. But two losses in a row for Mumbai have opened the door ajar. In sending Mumbai on a tailspin by chasing down 110 in just nine overs last night, Capitals are in a position where a win in their final group game could vault them straight into the final provided Mumbai either lose their final match, or win it but don’t cross Capitals on net run rate.But Capitals could finish atop with a loss too, though they wouldn’t want to enter the playoffs devoid of momentum. Capitals further stand to gain if Royal Challengers bring their A game to beat Mumbai.Warriorz would dearly love for their Indian batters to turn up and strike form. Devika Vaidya, Kiran Navgire and Deepti Sharma have all struggled lately, but their lack of runs have been compensated by contributions from Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath.Capitals, though, have no such worries. Meg Lanning is the highest run-getter of the tournament so far, while Shafali Verma’s destructive game that seemed to have deserted her during the T20 World Cup has given them the turbocharge up top; her strike rate of 189 is clearly the best for any batter with at least 200 runs in the tournament. To add to that, Marizanne Kapp has been scoring runs and picking wickets for fun, Alice Capsey has lent batting muscle in the powerplay, and Jemimah Rodrigues has provided a calming influence in the middle order.Then there has been the ever-reliable Jess Jonassen who has been around to play a role similar to what Michael Bevan did for Australia all those years ago – bail the team out of trouble time and again. This is a well-rounded batting unit high on confidence.Arundhati Reddy’s bowling was applauded after the win against Mumbai Indians•BCCI

Players to Watch

With scores of 12, 8 and 1 in her last three innings, Warriorz captain Alyssa Healy has hit a rough patch. But she has the reputation of being a big-match player. As the Eliminator nears, there couldn’t have been a better chance than this to roar back into form and carry the confidence of doing so against a gun bowling attack.Don’t let the raw numbers fool you. She may have just two wickets in five games, but Arundhati Reddy had a rhythm to her bowling that Lanning applauded unprompted after the win against Mumbai. Reddy also appears to have cranked up her pace, and seemed menacing with her nip-backers during her spell of 1 for 10 in three overs in that match.

Possible XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Alice Capsey, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 8 Shikha Pandey, 9 Arundhati Reddy, 10 Radha Yadav, 11 Tara NorrisUP Warriorz: 1 Alyssa Healy (capt, wk), 2 Devika Vaidya, 3 Tahlia McGrath, 4 Kiran Navgire, 5 Grace Harris, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Sophie Ecclestone, 8 Simran Shaikh, 9 Anjali Sarvani, 10 Parshavi Chopra, 11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Stats and Trivia

• Among teams that have finished in the top three, Capitals’ pace bowler Shikha Pandey’s ten wickets is the most among seamers in the competition.
• Harris’ strike rate of 170.07 is third best in the competition among batters who have made at least 200 runs, with Sophie Devine second with a strike rate of 175.
• Ecclestone’s economy of 6.21 is the best among those who have picked up at least ten wickets this season

Former Zimbabwe captain accepts ban and separately one charge of breaching doping code

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Jan-2022Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been banned from all cricket for three-and-a-half years by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit for failing to report an approach from alleged corruptors without delay. In a release on Friday, the ICC said Taylor has accepted the ban, which starts from January 28. Taylor has also accepted one charge of breaching the doping code – relating to a dope test he failed in his last international game last year. He tested positive for cocaine.The ICC release comes at the end of a week which began with Taylor’s confession on Twitter of the encounter he failed to report. Taylor revealed he had been filmed using cocaine during a meeting in India with an alleged businessmen that the ICC refers to as ‘Mr S’, who then used that video to allegedly blackmail Taylor into an agreement to spot-fix.Taylor, who will turn 36 next week, has also since admitted himself into a rehabilitation clinic.Taylor told the that he had “beaten a few” drugs tests in the past few years before eventually failing one in his final international match in September 2021. “I might have beaten a few tests in the past two-and-a-half years but it got me when I was heading for destruction,” Taylor said.Related

• Brendan Taylor set for ODI comeback in Zimbabwe's series against Sri Lanka

• Brendan Taylor's ban ends, added to second Test squad against NZ

• 'I didn't know how to do life anymore': Brendan Taylor's biggest battle

• How Brendan Taylor got into a fix

• Brendan Taylor says he faces ICC ban for delay in reporting approach

The ICC release said Taylor breached the ACU code on four counts, including failing to disclose not just the approach but also receiving gifts and cash, including hospitality, from the alleged corruptors. One of the approaches to spot-fix, the charge read, was made for Zimbabwe’s tours to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh: “Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of the approach received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code including in relation to Zimbabwe’s then upcoming series against Sri Lanka and/or Bangladesh.”Taylor was also charged with “obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation,” because he first delayed reporting the approach and then deleted messages he had exchanged with Mr S. Though his first contact with Mr S took place “in or around September 2019” according to the ICC’s published details of the case, Taylor didn’t get in touch with the ACU until March 2020.By then, Taylor had flown out to meet Mr S in India in October 2019, a meeting in which he accepted USD$ 15,000 in lieu of future payments for carrying out spot-fixes. He was also gifted a new phone, some local currency to spend, as well as new clothes. Taylor did not carry out any spot-fixing; in fact, he called the ACU to report the approach when Mr S reached out to him again in March 2020 to push him to spot-fix as Zimbabwe were touringBangladesh. Taylor has yet to return the USD$ 15,000The ICC said Taylor “chose to admit the charges” and “agreed” the sanction instead of facing an anti-corruption tribunal hearing. That, as well as his previous disciplinary record and eventual cooperation during the four interviews he had with the ACU were seen as mitigating factors in the eventual punishment he received. The fact that he took payment, which is yet to be returned, and initially agreed to engage in corrupt activity, as well as his seniority as an international cricketer, were seen as aggravating factors in the length of his ban.Doping charge
The anti-doping charge, independent of the anti-corruption charges, “resulted” after Taylor had done the in-competition test on September 8, 2021 during a match between Ireland and Zimbabwe. Taylor tested positive for a stimulant Benzoylecognine, which the ICC said is a “cocaine metabolite” and is specified as a “substance of abuse” under the anti-doping code.”This one-month suspension will run concurrently with the suspension of three-and-a-half years under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code,” the ICC said. “Mr Taylor will be free to resume his involvement in the game on 28 July 2025.”Alex Marshall, the ICC’s ACU head, said it was “disappointing” that Taylor, who played for Zimbabwe for 17 years and attended at least 13 anti-corruption and anti-doping sessions had failed to report the approach in time.”It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations, however he has accepted all charges, which has been reflected in the sanction,” Marshall said. “I would echo Brendan’s message to other players to report approaches as soon as they happen, so any corrupt activity can be disrupted at the earliest possible opportunity. We wish Brendan well in his rehabilitation.”

He was among the 15 cricketers who were tested for the virus ahead of their month-long training camp in BKSP

Mohammad Isam19-Aug-2020Bangladesh U-19 player Iftekhar Hossain has tested positive for Covid-19 during the second batch of tests at the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s academy building on Monday. Hossain was among the 15 cricketers who were tested for the virus ahead of their month-long training camp in BKSP which begins on August 23.The first batch, tested on August 16, were all negative, while Hossain was the only one among the second batch to test positive. MA Kayser, BCB’s game development manager, said that Hossain has been kept in isolation in his room at the academy.”We have had one positive case, and his name is Iftekhar Hossain,” Kaysar told ESPNcricinfo. “He will now be in isolation under the BCB’s medical protocol. He is healthy but he is being closely monitored. We will provide him with everything during his isolation and the next course of action will be decided by the BCB’s medical team.”The first batch of 15 players arrived at the academy on August 15, were tested the following day, and when all were found negative, were sent to BKSP, the sports institute situated 36km from Mirpur. The same plan was followed for the second batch, except Hossain, while the third batch will be tested on Thursday.”Since July 19, several of Bangladesh’s senior cricketers have been training at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, utilising the academy ground and indoor facilities. The BCB has generally discouraged any such activities due to the country’s delicate Covid-19 situation, but earlier this week, Tamim Iqbal and Mustafizur Rahman joined training in Mirpur.

Tim Bresnan and Jonny Tattersall resurrected Yorkshire, who scrambled a bye from the final ball for a share of the spoils

ECB Reporters Network19-Apr-2019A wonderful match came down to the final ball with former Warwickshire spinner Josh Poysden needing to find two runs to secure a Yorkshire victory. He swished and missed – but the batsmen scrambled a bye to bring the scores level.It was a pulsating match in which Warwickshire amassed 270 for 8, a solid total but one which appeared no more than par on a good batting pitch. Tim Ambrose provided their backbone with a well-worked 77 but without Adam Hose (absent with a hand injury sustained in the nets the day before the game) and Ian Bell (foot injury) in the top order, too many others got in then got out.It looked a very good total after Henry Brookes and Chris Woakes reduced Yorkshire to 33 for 4. A superb sixth-wicket partnership of 138 in 24 overs between Tim Bresnan and Jonny Tattersall then kept their side alive before a game which fluctuated fascinatingly all day – a tribute to the format – finished all square. Fifty-over cricket was the winner.Warwickshire, put in, lost Ed Pollock to the 11th ball when Bresnan rattled his off stump. Bresnan then removed the other opener Dom Sibley, caught by wicketkeeper Tattersall.A fine spell of 7-0-17-0 from captain Steve Patterson kept a brake on the scoring before Adil Rashid removed Sam Hain, stumped by Tattersall. While Ambrose settled, Will Rhodes moved fluently to 43 against his former county before tickling a leg-side offering from Mathew Pillans to the wicketkeeper.Liam Banks, on his List A debut, made a punchy 31 off 28 balls but when he and Woakes hoisted Poysden to long-off in quick succession, the innings lost momentum when it needed to be gathering it. Ambrose’s 24th List A half-century was ended by a catch at deep midwicket and Yorkshire, who had piled up 379 in their North Group opener two days earlier, could reflect on a decent job done.They were less happy when four down in the 11th over. Brookes hit the stumps of Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Adam Lyth and Woakes had Harry Brook caught in the gully and the in-form Gary Ballance taken at cover. David Willey and Tattersall added 56 in 11 overs before Willey spliced a pull at young seamer George Panayi to mid-on.That was 89 for 5 but Tattersall and Bresnan both advanced to 56-ball half-centuries to take their side into the last ten overs with 80 required. The sixth-wicket pair brought the chase down to 44 needed from five when both fell in three balls, Tattersall bowled by Jeetan Patel and Bresnan caught by Patel at cover off Woakes.It came down to 10 needed from the last over, delivered by Brookes and when Patterson swiped the second ball for four, suddenly the Vikings were favourites again. With three needed from three balls, Pillans holed out to mid-off, but the batsmen crossed, leaving Patterson on strike. A single brought Poysden down to face his first ball against his former club – and a bye meant a fine match concluded in a tie.

Return to county cricket after successful Yorkshire stint, but ball-tampering fall-out means speculation is rife

Andrew Miller at Hove29-Mar-2018Jason Gillespie never thought he’d be returning to county cricket quite so soon after bringing his trophy-laden tenure at Yorkshire to an end in 2016, but he’s adamant that his new role at Sussex is a long-term commitment, despite inevitable speculation linking him to the Australia head coach role in the wake of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.Speaking at Hove during his belated unveiling, after visa issues had delayed his arrival earlier in the month, Gillespie was tight-lipped about the events in South Africa that had led to the sacking of Australia’s captain Steve Smith, and left the future of their incumbent coach Darren Lehmann in serious jeopardy.However, Gillespie insisted that his excitement at taking up the reins at Hove was the only thing on his mind for the foreseeable future.”I’ve signed a three-year deal, and I have every intention of honouring that commitment,” Gillespie said. “I also have a couple more years on my contract with the Adelaide Strikers, and I enjoy and cherish that job.”I have only been here since Saturday, so it is a bit early to think about other jobs! It is a really good opportunity here. I am excited about the role. It is fantastic. I have a great group of kids coming through, with some good experienced cricketers, and strong support staff. I am really looking forward to it.”The allure of Hove wasn’t abundantly apparent on Sussex’s pre-season media day, with torrential rain flooding the square and forcing the entire squad to take shelter in the pavilion.However, Gillespie’s enthusiasm for getting stuck into his new role was far more obvious. He spoke with passion about the challenge of reviving the fortunes of a club that has hit a fallow period after rising to become the dominant Championship team of the early and mid-2000s.”You always ask yourself when an opportunity comes up, do you feel you can help, and make a difference,” he said. “I genuinely feel that with Sussex.”I’ve been very clear on this, I’m not talking to the team about wins and losses,” he added. “Trophies are end results. We need to put in place how we are going to go about playing the game. We want to entertain our crowds and show the pride and passion of representing Sussex.”What I can guarantee is that the lads that represent our county are going to have a smile on their face, have great body language and be enjoying themselves.”Such a stated focus on cultural values will surely have caused some jealous glances from Cricket Australia towards the South Coast, as they set about reframing their priorities in the wake of the Cape Town Test.For the time being, Lehmann – Gillespie’s former Australia team-mate – retains the support of the board, after it was decided that he had no prior knowledge of the decision to use sandpaper on the match ball during the third day at Newlands.However, Lehmann’s role in fostering a team culture in which such actions were deemed acceptable may well come under scrutiny at the end of what has been an acrimonious series against South Africa.Gillespie himself, writing in his Guardian column earlier this week, described Australia’s predicament as a “train-wreck”, and cast doubt on Lehmann’s claim that he had been ignorant of his players’ intentions.”I would be amazed if this was not the case,” he wrote, “and that the moves he made when it all unravelled on the field were not done on instinct to protect his players.”Sussex chief executive Rob Andrew, the man who lured Gillespie back to the English game, admitted that he was keeping his fingers crossed that there would be no change of heart from his new head coach, given what a state of flux world cricket has been in since the events of Saturday afternoon.”Sadly nothing surprises me in the world of sport,” Andrew said. “Dizzy says he’s committed to Sussex and I hope he is. Cricket Australia have not come knocking so everything’s hypothetical. We will deal with situations when they are real.”