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Ben McKinney’s excellent unbeaten century gave Durham the edge on day one of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Warwickshire.Durham had the worst possible start when they lost Alex Lees in the first over, but they recovered well with McKinney leading the charge and he was well supported by Emilio Gay and the fortunate David Bedingham, who was dropped twice on his way to making 58.The Bears then took the initiative thanks to double-wicket bursts from Michael Booth and Taz Ali either side of tea, but Matthew Potts joined McKinney at the crease and made an unbeaten half-century to take Durham to 343 for seven at the close.McKinney impressed on tour with England Lions over the winter and he’s brought that form with him to the county scene. The tall left-handed opener saw out some tough periods but he remained calm and composed throughout the day to pick up his third first-class ton.This century, when others around him struggled, will likely prompt further calls for the opener to be in the reckoning for a senior international call-up and England Test skipper Ben Stokes was among the spectators as he steps up his recovery from injury at Chester-le-Street.Durham won the toss and elected to bat at the BANKSHomes Riverside, but the decision didn’t look a good one when Ethan Bamber bowled Durham skipper Alex Lees for a six-ball duck.McKinney and Gay settled the nerves for the hosts, with the former producing a booming shot through the covers which went for four. Gay, who made a pair against Nottinghamshire in the season opener, then got in on the act with a lovely punch through backward point for four.The hosts continued to tick along nicely through the two left-handers. McKinney showed a good balance of attack and defence amid some tight Warwickshire bowling, but he launched a Rob Yates delivery for four to keep the scoreboard ticking over.However, Booth picked up a much-needed wicket soon after as Gay edged a delivery behind to keeper Kai Smith for 41. But that brought last year’s top Division One run-getter Bedingham to the crease and he looked in good touch from the off as the South African international picked up a boundary with the first delivery he faced.McKinney and Bedingham resumed after lunch and they continued to combine well as the former reached 50 off 93 balls to kickstart his season.Warwickshire then missed two huge chances to get rid of the dangerous Bedingham, as the South African was dropped twice, both from the bowling of Bamber, with Smith and Yates the culprits for the visitors.The drops were proving costly for Warwickshire as Durham talisman Bedingham reached his half-century from 88 balls, but Booth removed him for 58 after he trapped the South African in front.McKinney continued to impress as he plundered a Booth ball through the covers for four but Ollie Robinson didn’t last long as Booth got his third scalp of the day when the wicketkeeper picked out Ali at extra cover for 12.Ali then got himself into the wickets with two in quick succession as Colin Ackermann holed out to the legside boundary for 18 after tea and he then bowled ex-Warwickshire man Will Rhodes for a three-ball duck. A third wicket in seven balls then came for the visitors as Ben Raine was bowled for four by Sri Lankan international Vishwa Fernando.Despite the chaos at the other end, McKinney remained calm and composed and reached his century from 186 balls after a nervy period in the 90’s where Potts had the bulk of the strike.Potts supported McKinney well and produced some lovely shots as well including a cut shot for four from a Fernando delivery.McKinney then heaved a Bamber ball over the legside boundary for six to pass his career best score and just before close Potts passed fifty for the fourth time in his first-class career.

When Royal Challengers Bengaluru last beat Mumbai Indians at the Wankede Stadium in the IPL prior to Monday, Krunal Pandya was a struggling domestic cricketer looking to break into the big league like his younger brother, Hardik. Between 2015 and now, Krunal has been part of three title-winning campaigns with Mumbai, made his white-ball debut for India and has captained an IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants.On Monday, he was up against his brother – also the opposition captain – as RCB attempted to defend 221 for their first win over MI at Wankhede in 10 years. Tasked to defend 19 in the final over, Krunal picked up three of his four wickets in the 20th, while conceding just seven to seal RCB’s third win in four games.Related

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“When I came into bowl, [Mitchell] Santner was batting, the leg-side was short and the amount of games I’ve played in the last 10 years, whatever experience I had, it had to come in,” Krunal said after the match. “I just wanted to have clarity in my run-up, what ball I wanted to bowl. I wanted to commit 100% to whatever I wanted to bowl and I’m glad it came out well.”Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, was impressed by Krunal’s courage.”The way KP bowled that last over, it was not easy and the way he bowled was amazing,” he said. “The way he has shown the courage was fantastic. It was pretty clear (at the second time-out) that we had to take the game as deep as we can, and then we could use one over of KP at the last.”On his part, Krunal was effusive in his praise for Patidar’s calmness and for being one who comforts bowlers while also empowering them.”Rajat has been fantastic,” Krunal said. “He’s again a captain who gives you the comforts when he gives you the ball, he gives you the confidence, backs your game plan and as a bowler you want that. He has a calm demeanor as a person, he doesn’t make things complicated. You can see that also in how he bats.”At one stage, the Hardik v Krunal narrative formed a subplot that could’ve well decided the game. Hardik hit Krunal for two sixes off the first two balls he faced of him in the 15th over after which MI fancied their chances needing 65 off 30 with six wickets in hand. Hardik eventually fell in the penultimate over before Krunal closed down the game for RCB with his triple-wicket over.”The bond that we have, at the end of the day, we knew only one [Pandya] would win.” Krunal said. “But the love and affection we have for each other is very natural. He batted well. We won, and I also wanted to win, he also wanted to win. I feel for him.”

Taskin Ahmed is the only player in the A-plus category in the BCB’s men’s central contracts list for 2025. The Bangladesh board has reverted to categorising players’ monthly salaries based on grades, after a few years of giving out contracts based on which format(s) the player featured in. Taskin will get BDT 1 million (USD 8200 approx.) per month this year, after being in the white-ball-only category last year.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the BCB changed its salary policy from format-based to grade-based for the benefit of its Test specialists. In the previous policy, the board found it difficult to properly reward Test cricketers. The BCB’s cricket operations chairman Najmul Abedeen Fahim said after a recent board meeting that the central contracts would look to reward Test specialists.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is among four cricketers in Grade A, for which the salary will be BDT 800,000 (USD 6,600 approx.) per month. It is a step down for a Bangladesh captain to be in the second category; usually the captain gets the top category of contract under any policy.Grade A also included Mushfiqur Rahim although his retirement from ODIs means that he will move to Grade B where the salary is BDT 600,000 (USD 4,900 approx.) per month.Speedster Nahid Rana is also in category B after his impressive 2024. He is among four newcomers to get a contract, the others being Jaker Ali, Tanzid Hasan and Rishad Hossain, who are all placed in Grade C with a salary of BDT 400,000 (USD 3,300 approx.) per month.The BCB mentioned in its press release that Mahmudullah – who turned 39 last month – requested that the board not consider him in the central contracts list after February 2025.Soumya Sarkar and Shadman Islam return to the BCB’s central contracts for the first time since 2021 and 2022 respectively.Shakib Al Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Naeem Hasan and Nurul Hasan had contracts last year but are not on the list this time.

2025 Bangladesh central contracts

Grade A+: Taskin Ahmed
Grade A: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim
Grade B: Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
Grade C: Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, Tanzid Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Mahedi Hasan
Grade D: Nasum Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed

New Zealand’s fast bowlers tore through Sri Lanka’s top order to set up a big win, before their own top three clinched it, Will Young hitting 90 not out off 86 balls in a nine-wicket victory.On a grassy Basin Reserve pitch, on a cold day beset by biting southerlies, New Zealand had had Sri Lanka 23 for 4 by the end of the powerplay. There were resurgent innings from the likes of Avishka Fernando especially, but Sri Lanka never seemed headed to a healthy total. They were out for 178 in the 44th over. New Zealand ran that total down with 23.4 overs to spare.It was Matt Henry who set the tone for the early exchanges with his first spell, and claimed the first wicket on his way to figures of 4 for 19 from ten overs. He caught Pathum Nissanka’s leading edge with a full away-seamer in the fifth over, the ball floating out to mid-off for a simple catch. In his first five overs, Henry seamed the ball substantially, and conceded only six runs.At the other end, Jacob Duffy was delivering probing overs as well. He took the second wicket with a short delivery that surprised Kusal Mendis, and which he inside edged into his leg stump. Three overs later, Kamindu Mendis – batting at No. 4 now – was run out attempting a suicidal single. Dropping a ball towards cover he called his partner through for a run, only for Mitchell Santner to swoop on the ball, and fire in an underarm throw that hit the base of the only stump Santner had to aim at. In general, New Zealand’s fielding was exemplary, with Mark Chapman also outstanding in the point region. On the rare occasions, New Zealand’s quicks strayed in the early overs, an act of spectacular fielding would tend to ensure the pressure stayed on Sri Lanka.The last wicket to fall in the powerplay was that of captain Charith Asalanka, who initially only seemed to be beaten by a sharply rising Nathan Smith delivery outside off stump, only for Smith to insist on the review, and for Snicko to show that the ball had brushed the shoulder of the bat. Asalanka, so often the batter who arrests Sri Lanka collapses, was out for a duck.This brought Janith Liyanage to the crease to join Avishka, and the pair set about the repair work, finding boundaries square of the wicket after much of the seam movement of the early overs had disappeared. Avishka played the short balls well through the middle period, as New Zealand’s seamers switched occasionally to that mode of attack. In any case, the pair put on 87 together, Avishka scoring his ninth ODI fifty, before Liyanage miscued a Mitchell Santner ball to deep midwicket and was out for 36.Sri Lanka had contributions from Wanindu Hasaranga, who hit 35, and Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who made 22. But New Zealand always had Sri Lanka by the collar – no passage of retaliation lasted very long.Given the trouble New Zealand’s quicks had given Sri Lanka, the chase was exceptionally smooth. Rachin Ravindra was strong on the front foot early on, finding six boundaries in the arc between backward point and mid-off. Young, meanwhile, was excellent whenever Sri Lanka’s bowlers pitched short, playing a number of powerful pulls and hooks. New Zealand were 70 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka’s seamers guilty of a little indiscipline. There were no serious wicket chances, aside from one missed run-out by Asitha Fernando, who had fielded the ball in his follow-through.Ravindra would be dismissed attempting an ambitious leg-side flick off a full delivery down the leg side, but the remainder of the chase was straightforward. Young continued to find those leg-side boundaries and sped past his tenth ODI half-century. Mark Chapman was a steady presence at the other end. Their unbeaten stand of 87 took the hosts home.

Joe Burns has been announced as Italy’s new captain. The former Australia batter had shifted his allegiances to Italy in May this year.Burns, who was born in Brisbane, had qualified for Italy through his mother’s heritage and made his debut for them in June.”I am honoured to take on this role and represent Italy on the international stage,” Burns said in a statement. “For me, it is a return to my family’s roots. Italian cricket has enormous potential and I am excited to contribute to its growth. Together with my team-mates, we are working to achieve ambitious goals and make our fans proud.”Related

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Fabio Marabini, president of the Italian Cricket Federation, backed Burns to succeed in the leadership role. “Since day one, Joe has shown great generosity and professionalism, putting his experience and competitive spirit at the disposal of the team,” he said. “His choice as captain reflects our ambition to take Italian cricket to new levels. We are also counting on his leadership to play a leading role in the next qualifying stages for the 2026 T20 World Cup.”Burns has played five T20Is so far, all for Italy, scoring 211 runs at an average of 70.33 and strike rate of 144.52. In his most recent T20I, he scored an unbeaten 108 off 55 balls to set up a victory against Romania in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier Group A.Burns has also attracted interest in franchise T20 cricket, with Dubai Capitals signing him up for the upcoming season of the UAE’s ILT20. Burns has also featured in the Vitality Blast apart from the Big Bash League.In his previous coming, as an Australia Test opener, Burns had scored 1442 runs from 40 innings across 23 matches – between December 2014 and December 2020 – hitting four centuries and averaging 36.97.Italy had also emerged on the IPL radar when Burns’ team-mate Thomas Draca made the long list for the 2025 player auction. The fast bowler, however, didn’t make the final cut.

Gujarat Titans are likely to retain Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, leaving them with one right-to-match card (RTM) option at the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction.While the amounts for each player are not yet known, GT will have at least INR 51 crore deducted from their purse of INR 120 crore for retaining three international players and two uncapped players. If they pay more than INR 51 crore to retain five players, then the higher amount will be deducted from their purse.October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction. The teams have been allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction before the 2025 season, of which a maximum of five can be capped internationals and two can be uncapped players. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained – INR 18 crore for the first player, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, INR 14 crore for the fifth, and INR 4 crore for an uncapped player – the franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts to their retained players.Gill and Rashid were picked by GT before the auction in 2022, when the franchise had just entered the IPL. While Rashid got INR 15 crore (USD 1.807 million approx. then), Gill got INR 8 crore (USD 963,000 approx. then). While Rashid remains their lead bowling allrounder, Gill was given the GT captaincy for IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians.Related

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While the retention of 23-year-old Sudharsan ahead Mohammed Shami and David Miller might be a surprise, GT believe the left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu is a long-term player who can perform a key role in the top order. Sudharsan, who was bought for INR 20 lakhs in 2022, was sixth highest run-maker in IPL 2024 with 527 runs with an average of nearly 48 and strike rate of 141. He is considered as a potential future Test player too by India’s selectors and the team management lead by Gautam Gambhir. It is learned Sudharsan was discussed as a candidate for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Tewatia and Shahrukh, both uncapped allrounders, were among the most expensive buys for GT and have been retained for their power-hitting ability in the lower-middle order. Tewatia, who was bought for INR 9 crore ($1.084 million approx. then) in 2022, has played several impactful knocks as a finisher and has been a key sounding board for GT’s leadership group with his knowledge the domestic Indian players. Shahrukh, who is also a part-time offspinner, is among the strongest hitters in domestic cricket and was bought in 2024 auction for INR 7.4 crore ($891,000 approx. then).

The BBL and WBBL have introduced a new trade window which will allow clubs to sign players and swap draft picks for a brief period after the conclusion of both competitions.There has also been a change to the contracting embargo period – where no players can be signed – which will now begin after the home-and-away part of each tournament rather than after the final. The new 10-day trade period, dubbed the player movement window, will be the only time where clubs can make changes to their list once the embargo begins.For the WBBL, the new trade period will be from December 2 to December 11 and in the BBL it will run from January 28 to February 6. During the two windows, clubs cannot extend contracts of existing players which can only be done before the embargo begins or after it is lifted which is expected to be mid-March.During the new trade window, clubs can:

• Trade a player with another club, although this does not need to be reciprocal
• Sign a player from another club who is in the final year of their current contract.
• Trade overseas draft positions as part or independent of player trades.

Previously, there could be no player signings outside the embargo window although non-binding agreements could be reached. One example of where the new model could have had an impact recently is Melbourne Stars’ interest in Matt Kuhnemann only for Brisbane Heat to be able to persuade him to stay before the contracting embargo period lifted.Clubs will also have to work within squad sizes: for the WBBL, there can be eight players on a list before the trade window and a maximum 10 afterwards and in the BBL the corresponding numbers are 10 and 12.Overseas players signed on multi-year deals count towards those squad sizes. Across both tournaments, that includes Marizanne Kapp, Amelia Kerr, Chamari Athapaththu, Lizelle Lee, Nadine de Klerk, Sophie Devine, Sam Billings, Colin Munro, Tim Seifert, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran and Finn Allen.The ability to trade players has been available in the BBL since 2013 although has been used in a limited capacity. Ahead of this season, Wes Agar was traded from Adelaide Strikers to Sydney Thunder as part of a draft pick exchange between the clubs. In 2023, Adam Zampa and Sam Harper were traded between Melbourne Stars and Renegades.”The introduction of Player Movement Windows immediately following the WBBL|10 and BBL|14 seasons will add another strategic dimension to our Leagues,” Alistair Dobson, the executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues, said. “The windows will add certainty and stability for players and clubs at a crucial period in the list management cycle.”

Nottinghamshire have thrashed Kent by ten wickets in the Vitality County Championship at Canterbury, condemning the hosts to relegation and boosting their own survival hopes into the bargain.Jacob Duffy took 4 for 60 and Robert Lord 3 for 42 as Kent were dismissed for 230 in their second innings.Joey Evison scored 42 to make Nottinghamshire bat again, but the target was a mere 23 and the visitors needed just 3.3 overs to chase it down, Ben Slater finishing on 22 not out with Haseeb Hameed unbeaten on 6.The result ends Kent’s wafer-thin chances of staying in the top flight, while Notts will stay up provided they avoid defeat in the final round of fixtures next week.Kent began day three on 85 for 0, still 123 behind, but even their most pessimistic of fans, a title for which there is some fairly stiff competition this season, would have struggled to imagine a start as grim as this one.Batting conditions were arguably the best they’d been, but they lost Tawanda Muyeye for 60 to the sixth ball of the morning, when he hit Duffy almost vertically and was caught by Dane Schadendorf.Fellow opener Ben Compton was lbw to Lyndon James for 32 and Jack Leaning then swished at a short-pitched ball from Duffy and was caught behind for a third-ball duck.Lord replaced James at the Nackington Road end and had Joe Denly caught by Freddie McCann in the slips for 8 with his third delivery before Duffy sent Daniel Bell-Drummond’s off stump flying for 21. In the next over, the 31st, Lord got Harry Finch for a second-ball duck, the victim of a superb one-handed grab by Schadendorf.Matt Parkinson made 9 before Farhan Ahmed had him caught by McCann at leg slip but when Akeem Jordan then hit a boundary, a lone voice on the Old Dover Road sang: “We will make you bat again,” to the tune of “Bread of Heaven.” His faith, at least, was rewarded.Having begun the day with an over rate of minus four, Notts bowled spin from both ends to get themselves back level before lunch, at which point Kent had eroded the deficit to just 12.Jordan creamed Duffy for six to bring up the 50 partnership and Evison swept Ahmed to bring the scores level, but Ahmed got Jordan lbw with the next ball for 32 and Duffy bowled Nathan Gilchrist for a third-ball duck.A sterile passage of play followed as the fielders stayed on the boundary when Evison had the strike, but as soon as Lord returned from the Pavilion end he had him caught at point.The only question remaining was how long it would take Notts to tick off the runs and Slater did it some style, pulling Jordan for six.Notts take 23 points and Kent three.

Central Sparks turned the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table upside down by thrashing league leaders Southern Vipers by seven wickets at Worcester.Sparks took full advantage of Vipers’ depletion by international calls to add another emphatic victory to their five-wicket Charlotte Edwards Cup win over Georgia Adams’ side at New Road in June.Put in, Vipers were bowled out for 183 in 48.4 overs as Georgia Elwiss fought a lone battle against a potent attack led by Emily Arlott (4 for 15) and Charis Pavely (4 for 31).Sparks then cruised to a seven-wicket win with 64 balls to spare after a polished opening stand of 95 between Eve Jones (54) and Ami Campbell (48) gave the pursuit a perfect platform.Vipers started solidly with an opening partnership of 64 between Rhianna Southby (36) and Ella McCaughan (26) but were then hit by a superb spell from Arlott. The 26-year-old broke through when Southby top-edged a pull and removed the other opener in her next over when McCaughan drove round an inswinger and was bowled. After Adams and Emily Windsor edged to Arlott to wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn, four wickets had fallen for 28 runs in 57 balls.Eve Jones’ 54 set up the run chase•Getty Images

Elwiss dug in for Vipers but partners came and went as the Sparks’ spinners got to work. Hannah Baker trapped Abi Norgrove lbw on the sweep, and Pavely bowled Nancy Harman with a beauty. Georgia Davis flighted one onto Linsey Smith’s off stump and Pavely added two more wickets in four balls when Mary Taylor was lbw and Freya Davies was bowled through the gate. Last batter Ava Lee lasted 28 balls to help Elwiss add 36 but Vipers still came in well short.They desperately needed to strike early with the ball but Sparks opening pair Jones and Campbell put 50 on the board in 12 overs. The openers turned the chase into a formality with a stand of 95 in 19.3 overs before Campbell sent a low return catch to Lee.Davina Perrin edged Adams to wicketkeeper Southby and the Vipers’ captain removed her Sparks counterpart when Jones was caught on the long on rope but the Sparks skipper departed with her side on the threshold of victory.A dazzling cameo from Katie George (38 not out from 29 balls) saw Sparks over the line and left Vipers still with work to do to qualify and Sparks reflecting on what might have been if they had produced performances of this quality on a consistent basis.

Shubman Gill, India’s vice-captain in ODIs and T20Is, has said he aims to improve his performance in the shortest format, as the team begins to build towards defending their T20 World Cup title in 2026.”My performance in T20Is before the World Cup this year wasn’t how I had expected it to be,” Gill said ahead of the series opener against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. “Hopefully, going forward, in the upcoming cycle – I think we play 30-40 T20Is [before the next T20 World Cup] – I can improve my performance when it comes to batting, and also [we can improve] as a team.”Gill was a reserve player and not part of the squad that just won the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, where India opened with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. With both senior batters now retired from T20Is, Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was the back-up opener at the World Cup, are now first choice for India at the top of the order”We really enjoy batting with each other. Especially the kind of shots we play, we kind of complement each other,” Gill said of his partnership with Jaiswal. “Being a right-left combination, we have had good partnerships in whatever T20Is we have played before; two partnerships have been 150-plus [too]. So we have a great understanding and communication between us, and I have fun batting with him.”Related

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Gill and Jaiswal strung a couple of big partnerships in the T20Is in Zimbabwe after the T20 World Cup 2024 ended. Gill, who was India’s stand-in captain that series, top-scored with 170 runs at a strike rate of 125.92 in five innings. He was then appointed vice-captain for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, selected ahead of other opening contenders like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma, who had scored a hundred in Zimbabwe.The series in Sri Lanka is also Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as India coach after he succeeded Rahul Dravid, whose coaching tenure ended after the T20 World Cup triumph.”We have had just two net sessions together, and this is the first time I am working with him,” Gill said about Gambhir the coach. “But whatever he has told me during these two sessions, his intent and communication have been very clear – he knows what he wants from which player, and what he thinks will work for each player.”India play three T20Is against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on July 27, 28 and 30, followed by three ODIs in Colombo on August 2, 4 and 7.