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Mid-June is arguably too soon to write off a team’s prospects for the season. Nevertheless, the final morning of Somerset’s tussle with Nottinghamshire at Taunton looks set to be a seminal one for the county.

Andrew Miller at Taunton16-Jun-2015
ScorecardTom Abell helped Somerset begin their big chase strongly•Getty Images

Mid-June is arguably too soon to write off a team’s prospects for the season. Nevertheless, the final morning of Somerset’s tussle with Nottinghamshire at Taunton looks set to be a seminal one for the county.Pick off the remaining 127 runs required for victory, having been set a daunting fourth-innings chase of 401 against Nottinghamshire, and the confidence of such an achievement could course through the veins of a beleaguered team. But trip up, having at one stage been cruising on 197 for 1, and it would surely count as the most crushing of their five defeats in seven games this season.Somerset’s fightback was set in motion by their bowlers who, since shipping 300 runs in claiming their first three wickets of the match fought back with spirit to claim 17 wickets for 300 more in 65 subsequent overs. But at 274 for 5, with Jim Allenby and Peter Trego already at the crease, it will be down to those bowlers plus Michael Bates, the wicketkeeper, to haul them over the line.”It’s been an intriguing day’s cricket,” Matthew Maynard, Somerset’s director of cricket, said. “I think we played some excellent cricket today. The old bowling attack have done themselves proud. We did brilliantly to get ourselves into this position and, at the end of the day, we are still in a position where if we can get a couple of partnerships together and see off the new ball, it’s going to be a very tight finish tomorrow.”But a late collapse of 4 for 46 runs in 13 overs left Maynard conceding that Nottinghamshire had reclaimed the initiative going into the final day. “We’ve lost clusters of two or three wickets, where in the past we would have lost four or five,” he said. “I always try and look at the positive side of it. It would have been nice to have lost one fewer wicket in the evening session. That extra wicket just puts us behind in the game.”For all the spirit they showed on a testing day, however, Somerset’s composure proved about as robust as the surface tension on a millpond. For as long as Marcus Trescothick and Tom Abell were in harness, adding 129 for the first wicket with their contrasting but complimentary styles, the size of their chase caused barely a ripple of alarm.Even Trescothick’s departure, caught and bowled by a diving Samit Patel for 65, failed to create the sort of splash it might have done in his pomp five years ago. But the loss of Abell, 17 overs later was another thing entirely. For 307 deliveries, spanning two innings, 148 runs and scarcely a false stroke in six and a half hours of crease occupation, Abell had been a model of technical excellence and restraint, with confident footwork, a composure way beyond his 21 years, and with a sniper’s eye for a scoring opportunity.”He’s got a fantastic temperament and a natural ability, and that’s what distinguishes a lot of real, top players,” Maynard said. “He’s got that in abundance. To bat all the way through one innings and go out there again, for an hour short of three full days on the pitch, it’s a terrific achievement.” But, on 72, Abell succumbed to virtually his first false stroke of the match, a loose drive at Will Gidman to be caught at a very precisely positioned Steven Mullaney at straight mid-off, and the effect was like plunging a tombstone into Somerset’s troubled waters.One over later, James Hildreth, who became the first man to 1000 first-class runs this season in the first innings, chased a wide half-volley to hole out to the same combination for 4, and Somerset lost their third wicket in the space of five overs when Tom Cooper swung wildly to Patel at mid-on to hand a first wicket of the innings – and eighth of the match – to the debutant offspinner, Matthew Carter.Somerset’s reaction to their sudden predicament was not dissimilar to England’s new-found attitude to one-day cricket. Swing hard, swing fast, and slurp up the target before before drowning in the sheer weight of runs.Johann Myburgh proved a qualified success in this approach, thumping eight fours and a six in making 56 from 89 balls before he too fell to Carter via a brilliant, instinctive grab from Mullaney at slip after Wessels had parried the initial edge. But Tom Cooper was less successful. He completed a miserable match with a slogged duck to mid-on.By the close, Allenby and Trego had restored their team’s fragile hopes with a hard-earned 31-run stand for the sixth wicket, although Trego was lucky to receive a life on 9 when Brendan Taylor at slip missed a sharp edge off Ben Hilfenhaus.”Once you’re in it’s a nice wicket to bat on but it’s hard to get in at times,” Maynard said. “We’ve had some good partnerships with the bat, which is key, we need to try and build a couple more tomorrow.” Somerset’s season may depend on it.

Gloucestershire’s chief executive Tom Richardson, the driving force behind the development of their Bristol headquarters, will leave the club at the beginning of September

David Hopps25-Jan-2013Gloucestershire’s chief executive Tom Richardson, the driving force behind the development of their Bristol headquarters, will leave the club at the beginning of September after 12 years in the post.Richardson has presided over good times and bad, including a period at the turn of the century when they were renowned as the best one-day side in the countrry. But it is the development of Nevil Road,in the face of considerable opposition, which will be his legacy.”It is a logical break point as we aim to have completed the development of the pavilion and media centre at the end of July, ” Richardson said. “I have hugely enjoyed my time here and feel privileged to have been involved for so long.Clearly, getting started on the development has been a major lift for the club and I am really pleased to have played a full part in that. There is a real buzz about the place at the moment and whilst in some ways it will be sad not to be involved next year it is time for me to move on.”It remains to be seen whether Gloucestershire’s investment will satisfy their ambition of attracting more international cricket to Bristol. England already has nine international grounds, all scrambling for their share of England cricket and any further expansion of the international calendar is impossible to contemplate.But at a time when the counties remain hopeful that Twenty20 cricket will prove a long-term attraction, especially after a general switch to Friday nights from 2014, Nevil Road’s expansion will give Gloucestershire the opportunity to rediscover their strength in one-day cricket, especially if they can stir Bristol’s sometimes apathetic following into greater support.The expansion of Nevil Road, approved by Bristol City Council in March, included the demolition of the Mound and Jessop stands, provision of 7,500 permanent seats and a 147-room apartment with basement car parking. There will also be a business and conference centre in a new pavilion and a new media centre which will replace the primitive or temporary accommodation in the past.Rex Body, Gloucestershire’s chairman, said: “Tom’s value to Gloucestershire cannot be overestimated, particularly the work he has done on our ground development programme, in at times extremely difficult circumstances.Richardson will retain a link with Gloucestershire by becoming involved in their Youth Trust activities whern he stands down from the chief executive post.

Sulakshan Kulkarni, the Mumbai coach, says Kaustubh Pawar typifies the defiant attitude of Mumbai batsman and says it is nice to have a batsman in the side who is willing to keep the ball on the ground

Abhishek Purohit at the Holkar Cricket Stadium03-Jan-2012Kaustubh Pawar came out to bat at No. 3 yesterday and saw Mumbai lose half their side with 60 runs on the board. A day later, he calmly got forward to ease the final delivery of day two to the long-off boundary to take Mumbai to 346 for 7. It was Pawar’s 322nd delivery, many of which had beaten him. Some of them had him falling to the ground as he looked to avoid them. One of them even hit him on the helmet. But he battled through it all for almost eight hours to end unbeaten on 160 and put his side on top.Pawar, 21, defied a testing Madhya Pradesh attack in the pressure situation of a knockout game in his debut first-class season. More importantly, he did it despite struggling to find rhythm in his batting till he reached three figures. It was the kind of single-minded devotion to the cause that Mumbai needed, and coach Sulakshan Kulkarni hailed Pawar as the quintessential Mumbai batsman. “What is a Mumbai batsman? Someone who can play with that [defiant] attitude,” Kulkarni said. “Someone who can stand all day and make a hundred in 250 deliveries. Pawar is that kind of batsman.”Kulkarni said that Pawar’s presence was vital in a line-up that contains stroke-makers like Suryakumar Yadav and Wasim Jaffer. “The phase that the Mumbai team is currently in, we needed someone like him. We need someone who can hold one end up. There are a lot of stroke-makers in this team. But you also need a player in the Rahul Dravid mould. Kaustubh fits that role.”He has been given that role. Surya [Yadav] is the free bird of the side. He has the mandate to go out and play strokes. Kaustubh cannot do what Surya does, and vice versa.”Kulkarni also said that with the advent of the IPL, batsmen had started to play a lot of shots in the air. Having a batsman like Pawar who was able and willing to bat in the conventional way was a huge positive for Mumbai, he said. “If you observe, he hardly played a shot in the air.
In these times, it is extremely difficult to find a batsman who plays shots along the ground. I can recall only one more name among the current lot who does that: Cheteshwar Pujara. It is extremely valuable to have such a player.”Pawar had had a discussion with his coach before the start of play today with Mumbai 122 runs behind and had assured him that he would not throw his wicket away. “I had told him to hang in there, and he had promised me that he will remain unbeaten at stumps today, which he did,” Kulkarni said.Pawar said his mandate was to tire the MP bowlers out which he was able to do successfully. “There was a little nervousness given the situation we were in. We knew that the first 30-45 minutes would be crucial. I and Hiken [Shah] were able to get through that period. They were bowling well initially but later got tired.”There was no weariness in Pawar’s demeanour though. As soon as he hit the last ball of the day for four, he walked back eagerly with a broad smile towards a grateful Mumbai dressing-room. A maiden double-hundred, which Pawar said he has never made in a “big match”, beckons.

Darren Gough believes there is no way back for Australia in the Ashes series and can’t see them winning a Test regardless of who makes up their bowling attack

Andrew McGlashan09-Dec-2010Darren Gough believes there is no way back for Australia in the Ashes and can’t see them winning a Test regardless of who makes up their bowling attack. The situation has become so desperate for the hosts that there are growing calls for Shane Warne to make a comeback but, while Gough thinks the legspinner would seriously consider it, he says Cricket Australia can’t be seen to be making such a backward step.As England completed their crushing innings-and-71-run victory in Adelaide, a campaign was launched to encourage Warne – who last played Tests four years ago – out of retirement to help salvage the series. Bookmakers have cut their odds on such a move, and a website has been launched to raise money, while Warne himself called the talk “flattering”.”It’s not going happen. If someone rang Shane and said ‘we really need you’ I think he’d probably say yes, but Cricket Australia just aren’t going to do that,” Gough, who struck up a close friendship with Warne during their playing days, told ESPNcricinfo. “They would never ask him because it would be going back on their own statement to back youth. It just won’t happen.”I can’t see how they are going to win a game,” Gough added. “Their best chance is at Perth where their record is very good, but England have got players who all play well off the back foot so they won’t be worried about extra bounce – they’ll actually enjoy it. I just can’t see that they have the bowlers, whoever they pick, to bowl England out twice.”Gough is bemused by the decision to dump Mitchell Johnson for the second Test despite his wicketless display at Brisbane and thinks the selectors will have to immediately backtrack on that call for Perth. Johnson is currently working with Troy Cooley at the WACA, rather than playing for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield, and could be one of three players recalled alongside Ben Hilfenhaus and Nathan Hauritz.”The reason they are struggling is because they can’t take 20 wickets,” Gough, speaking at the Red Tractor beef and lamb launch ‘Give the Bird a Break’, said. “They left out their best strike bowler in Mitchell Johnson which was a total surprise to me. He’s the one guy who can bowl a team out and Ricky Ponting knows that and that’s why he has backed him in the media. It will be interesting to see which way they go. They’ll have to bring Johnson back to partner Ryan Harris so they have two strike bowlers.”England will also need to make a change to their attack for Perth after Stuart Broad was ruled out for the rest of the tour with a stomach injury. The three reserve quicks – Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad – will play against Victoria in a three-day match starting on Friday and despite his strong Yorkshire connection, Gough would go with Tremlett for the Test match.”If it had been any other pitch over there I’d have gone for Tim Bresnan but I just think we need that bit of extra firepower at Perth where there’s a touch more bounce,” he said. “You look at history and the guys that have done well there are the tall bowlers – Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Glenn McGrath – the guys who can hit back-of-a-length to make the most of the extra bounce and carry. That’s the only reason I’d favour Tremlett. Bresnan is a fine bowler and in any other conditions I think he’d be the man.”I think Tremlett has developed a lot over the last few years and his move to Surrey has clearly helped him. The key for England is to continue to be positive and I think Tremlett is the man who can help them do that in Perth,” Gough added. “He would send out a positive message that England aren’t going to sit back on their 1-0 lead. However, if they come across some flatter pitches later in the series I’d play Bresnan because he bowls good reverse swing and accurately. For this Test, though, they need to replace Broad’s wicket-taking ability.”Gough has huge sympathy for Broad having twice experienced the major disappointment of leaving an Ashes tour. In 1994-95 Gough had produced a fine all-round performance in Sydney with 51 and 6 for 49 but then suffered a stress fracture of his foot, and eight years later returned home without playing a game. “He’ll be distraught,” Gough said. “An Ashes tour is the one you want to play on. I came home from my first Ashes tour and my last – without bowling a ball in 2002 – so I know exactly how he’ll be feeling right now.”Darren Gough is launching the ‘Give the Bird a Break’ virtual Christmas cooking school for men together with Red Tractor beef and lamb. For his recipe videos and top tips visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk/birdabreak

Ricky Ponting believes his pulling will become less risky as soon as his injured elbow heals properly

Cricinfo staff09-Jan-2010Ricky Ponting believes his pulling will become less risky as soon as his injured elbow heals properly. Ponting has been dismissed twice to the shot during the Pakistan series and there have been calls for him to shelve it to extend his outstanding career.However, Ponting, 35, is determined to keep playing the way that has gained him 11,561 runs at 54.79 in 141 Tests. “Wait until I get fit again and we’ll see if everyone is still saying the same thing about it then,” Ponting said in the Sunday Telegraph. “They are such reactive shots, they are instinctive. I’m not sure how people in the past have gone about putting them away.”I think I have been out twice this summer pulling, but it is a shot that keeps bringing me runs so we’ll see how we go with that. But as I said, if I get my elbow right then I think you’ll see me playing with a lot more freedom and not only those shots, but a lot of other shots around the ground as well.”Ponting is having his worst home Test summer in more than a decade after picking up 216 runs in the five games against West Indies and Pakistan. The problems stem from his sore left elbow, which was tenderised by a Kemar Roach bouncer at the WACA last month, and there have also been suggestions that he step down from his preferred No.3.”I read it for the first time the other day midway through the Test match, when all the negative stuff was in the papers about the team and about certain individuals and selecting of the team,” Ponting said. “I haven’t thought about that.”But if the day comes where I think there is someone better in the order to bat at No. 3 than myself, then by all means I will give it some thought, but I still think I’m the best equipped to be batting at No. 3 in the Test side. Hopefully I can show everybody that over the next few weeks.”Ponting has the summer’s final Test on his home ground in Hobart to find some form before the start of limited-overs campaigns against Pakistan and West Indies. He felt the extra rest between the second and third matches would help his elbow.”Where I’ve struggled with it is I’ve had two or three days at a time in between batting days and I’ve just needed a little bit longer than that,” he said. “From where I batted in the second innings in the Sydney Test, I’ll have had about six or seven days without batting. So when I hit the nets on Monday it will be better than it has been in the last couple of weeks.”

Chris Jordan left the field apparently concussed after a heavy fall attempting a catch

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay20-Jun-2025Will Jacks’ scintillating 97 led Surrey to a fifth win in a row as they thrashed London neighbours Middlesex by 75 runs at the Kia Oval.The England allrounder, not required for Test duty against India, nevertheless reminded the selectors of his batting prowess, pummelling five sixes and 10 fours in a 56-ball masterclass. Noah Cornwell and Ryan Higgins were the pick of the Middlesex attack with two wickets apiece.Middlesex were never in it in reply, subsiding to 119 all out, New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner taking 3-25.It was a sobering watch for new Seaxes head coach Dane Vilas, who will officially take charge ahead of the County Championship clash with Northamptonshire on Sunday.The one concern for the hosts was the loss of Chris Jordan, who left the field apparently concussed after a heavy fall attempting a catch.Jacks sent the opening ball of the match to the fence before the first of his five sixes came from a clip over long leg.That was the prelude to 22 off the last over of the powerplay bowled by youngster Naavya Sharma which took Jacks to 50 in only 24 balls.There was a brief pause for breath before an audacious golf-swing shot into the crowd at long-off and after being given a life when dropped by Cornwell at deep fine leg, another vicious pull over square leg off Tom Helm took him into the 90s.There would be no hundred as he holed out going for the century in the grand manner, one of three wickets in four balls for Helm but this was scintillating stuff.To Middlesex’s credit others came and went as the hosts didn’t make the most of being 66 without loss after the powerplay and 95 for 2 at halfway.Dom Sibley, dropped on 8 by Shah, reached 27 and Sam Curran 26 before both being caught and bowled by Cornwell, as the visitors chipped away, Ryan Higgins hitting the stumps twice in the final over.Kane Williamson, fresh from his 50 against Essex 24 hours earlier, ramped, paddled drove and cut Reece Topley for four boundaries in his second over to launch the chase, but the former New Zealand Test skipper fell in the next over, slapping Tom Curran straight to Jason Roy at cover.Max Holden picked up the baton with fours to long leg and third, but perished attempting to sweep Mitchell Santner over the long boundary, while Ben Geddes, returning to face his former county, survived two vehement appeals for catches behind later in the same over, but left without scoring in the next trying to go over extra cover.Stephen Eskinazi’s torturous innings of less than a run a ball ended when he was bowled by Santner and Joe Cracknell in his first game in the tournament this season quickly came and went.With the rate required now 14 an over Santner then bowled the dangerous Luke Hollman to claim his third wicket as Middlesex folded.

Sixers overcame an all-round challenge from Will Sutherland to notch up their eighth straight win over Renegades

Tristan Lavalette08-Dec-2023Steven Smith smashed a half-century in another statement as Sydney Sixers overcame a superb allround performance from Will Sutherland to edge Melbourne Renegades out at the SCG.In what will be a rare BBL appearance this season, six days before the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, Smith again relished opening the batting to top-score in Sixers’ 175 for 6.No.3 Jake Fraser-McGurk made Sixers’ veteran attack nervous with a furious 48 off 24 balls, but his dismissal just before drinks left Renegades in peril at 78 for 4.Sixers were made to work with Sutherland, having earlier starred with the ball, providing a late twist. He bludgeoned an unbeaten 51 from 30 balls before Sixers secured their eighth straight win over Renegades.Several of the high-profile signings for Renegades, who last season made finals in a bounce back, did not play including Test spinner Nathan Lyon. But legspinner Adam Zampa performed well with 2 for 24 after crossing over from Melbourne Stars.It wasn’t enough for them to break a Sixers hoodoo with Smith once again relishing returning to the BBL.Smith has openly stated his desire to open the batting for Australia at next year’s T20 World Cup having shuffled around the order previously. He auditioned for the role late in last season’s BBL with blistering centuries in consecutive innings.Smith also made a half-century against India during the recent T20I series in his first opportunity to open at the international level.After Sixers were sent into bat, Smith starred with 61 off 42 balls in a knock mixing gorgeous traditional strokes with inventive tennis-like swats. He waited patiently for the strike with opener Josh Philippe hitting a boundary off the first ball of the innings to foreshadow what was ahead.Philippe, once a BBL standout who has endured a torrid run in this season’s Sheffield Shield, was in superb touch with five boundaries in his first 11 deliveries.Smith wasn’t to be overshadowed and made his move in the third over by whipping seamer Tom Rogers through backward square before bludgeoning a six over deep square on the next delivery.With pace having no impact, offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was thrusted into the attack in the powerplay but Smith treated him with disdain by striking three straight boundaries through the offside.Smith raced to 25 off 10 balls as Sixers stormed to 48 for 0 after four overs. Zampa hoped to stem the onslaught, but Philippe slog swept him for six into the famous Member’s Pavilion.Ben Dwarshuis picked up three crucial wickets to dent Renegades•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Sutherland provided a much-needed breakthrough with his first ball after Philippe chopped on and James Vince fell in similar fashion later in the over. Bowling a hard length, the towering Sutherland led a fightback with a brilliant four-over spell.He was difficult to score off as Smith reverted to unfurling the ramp shot to hit a rare boundary in the middle overs. Smith reached his half-century off 31 balls, but struggled to regain his earlier fluency and eventually holed out to deep midwicket off Zampa.Zampa on his next delivery clean bowled Tom Curran with a brilliant googly to continue Renegades’ stirring comeback. But late hitting from Jordan Silk and Jack Edwards lifted Sixers to a strong total.Renegades’ hopes rested on Fraser-McGurk just two months after he entered the record books for the fastest ever List A century. Wickets fell around him, but Fraser-McGurk was undaunted and whacked 18 runs in the third over off seamer Jackson Bird.He then whipped quick Sean Abbott for six to race to 24 off nine deliveries before pulverising Edwards over long-on and onto the roof.Fraser-McGurk, playing his 26th BBL game, rapidly closed in on a maiden half-century before being bamboozled by a clever slow bumper from veteran quick Ben Dwarshuis.Veteran Aaron Finch overcame a scratchy start to provide support for Sutherland, but Renegades were always pushing an uphill battle. Sutherland tried his best and a huge six off Dwarshuis meant Renegades needed 14 off the last four balls.But Dwarshuis did enough to complete a resilient performance after his father passed away this week.

His Afghanistan team-mate Mujeeb ur Rahman will join Barbados Royals

Deivarayan Muthu11-Sep-2022Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan is set to return to the CPL with the defending champions St Kitts & Nevis Patriots signing him as a like-for-like replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga.It is understood that Hasaranga, who is currently with the Sri Lanka side in the UAE for the Asia Cup final, is unavailable for the entire CPL season. Meanwhile, Maheesh Theekshana, who was picked up by Trinbago Knight Riders to play for them in this year’s tournament, is still awaiting an NOC from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).Rashid returns to the CPL after having missed the last season owing to national commitments. Patriots will be the third team that he represents, after Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Royals (then Tridents). Rashid has had success with both franchises – he was the highest wicket-taker for Tridents in CPL 2020, with 11 strikes in ten games at an economy rate of 6.85. Earlier in 2017, he bagged the first-ever CPL hat-trick, for Amazon Warriors, to knock out Jamaica Tallawahs.Malolan Rangarajan, Patriots’ assistant coach and strategy coach, was happy with Rashid’s inclusion which he expressed via Twitter, “Missing Wanindu, [but] can’t complain about the replacement.”Related

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Patriots could really use a player as accomplished as Rashid. They have only one win in five games, and even that came in unlikely circumstances, where they had to make history by becoming the first CPL team to score more than 20 runs in the last over to get across the lineRashid will now lead a spin attack that includes Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya, Afghanistan’s Izharulhaq Naveed and local boys Jaden Carmichael and Jon-Russ Jaggesar.Rashid was recently in action at the Asia Cup, where he was Afghanistan’s second-highest wicket-taker, with six scalps in five matches at an economy rate of 6.55. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who took one more wicket than Rashid at the Asia Cup, will link up with the table-topping Barbados Royals this CPL.Adam Hose has earned his maiden CPL gig•Getty Images

Hose to replace David at St Lucia Kings
St Lucia Kings have roped in English batter Adam Hose as a replacement for Tim David, who is set to make his T20I debut for Australia in India later this month, in the lead-up to the World Cup.Hose, 29, made 557 runs at 55.70 and a strike rate of 160.98 in this year’s T20 Blast and also had a strong Hundred season for Northern Superchargers. He was also snapped up by Adelaide Strikers in the BBL draft last month.

Chris Silverwood assumes responsibility with Joe Root and Eoin Morgan alongside him

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2021Ed Smith is to leave the ECB with almost immediate effect after his role was made redundant.Smith, who was appointed as national selector three years ago to the day, has been squeezed out after a restructure of the selection process by Ashley Giles, the managing director of England’s men’s cricket.Under the new structure, the head coach, Chris Silverwood, will have responsibility for squad selections. He and the team captains, Joe Root in Test cricket and Eoin Morgan in the limited-overs formats, will then decide on the final XI together.How Silverwood can combine his role as coach and selector remains to be seen. England’s relentless schedule provides him with little time to watch county or pathway cricket, though the ECB have previously said he may not need to be with the senior sides at all times.He will, however, have some assistance. James Taylor keeps his job, though its title will change from ‘England selector’ to ‘head scout’, while Mo Bobat, the performance director, will also provide input. Information from performance analysis and scouting is likely to become more important.”I would like to personally thank Ed for his contribution to the England men’s teams over the past three years,” Giles said. “Ed’s input has helped deliver successes for all our England Teams, and he has worked with commitment and professionalism throughout his time as National Selector. I wish him well in his future endeavours.”The new structure also makes lines of accountability much clearer, with Chris Silverwood, as Head Coach, taking ultimate responsibility for picking England senior men’s squads.”On the face of things, Smith is the victim of a restructuring that no longer has the necessity for his role. It may be relevant, however, that the relationship between Smith and some within the England set-up has been on the wane for some time. Some felt he attempted to interfere in team (rather than squad) selection, which has traditionally been the preserve of the captain and coach. Several players were understood to have taken a personal dislike to him.It may be that the turning point for Smith’s tenure came in the Barbados Test of January 2019 when Stuart Broad was left out for Sam Curran and England lost heavily. Some felt Smith has exerted a surprising amount of pressure over the final selection.Related

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There have been successes under Smith’s watch. Jos Buttler’s return to the Test team has, in general, been well received, while his willingness to back young players such as Curran and Dom Bess has refreshed the England side. Negatives include picking Jason Roy as an opener for the Ashes, asking Ollie Pope to bat at No. 4 in his first incarnation in the team and the apparent shunning of Moeen Ali.”It has been a huge privilege to work with great people trying to help England cricket and I am excited about watching England’s continued development,” Smith said. “I’ve been very lucky to work with James Taylor, and I’m delighted that he will remain part of the new structure. My thanks to the dedicated team of scouts and to all the coaches, data analysts, medics and members of the ECB Pathway, who are available every day of the year at all hours to help England’s decision-makers.”England’s two captains, Joe and Eoin, have already completed remarkable achievements in an England shirt. England has two men dedicated to playing cricket in a way that makes the country proud. The role of National Selector has been enjoyable and rewarding, and that is significantly due to my interaction with all of the England players.”At such a high point for England cricket, I wish Ashley Giles, the coaches and all support staff good fortune over the coming months. I know how hard Ashley and his team work for England cricket. In particular, I’d like to wish Chris Silverwood good luck and every success going forward.”

Seamer to play on into his 40s with Middlesex after calling time on international career

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2019Tim Murtagh has announced his retirement from Ireland duty after signing a two-year contract extension with Middlesex. The decision, forced in part by the change to ECB regulations that would have seen him classed as an overseas player had his continued his international career, means Murtagh’s final outing in an Ireland shirt was his honours board-worthy performance in their maiden Test at Lord’s.Murtagh, 38, has instead committed to Middlesex, where he has taken almost 1000 wickets since moving from Surrey in 2007. He was first capped by Ireland in 2012, qualifying through his Irish grandparents, and went on to feature in all three formats, delivering their first ball as a Test nation at Malahide last year.However, with Ireland’s rise to Test status came the ECB’s decision to revoke their status as non-overseas players. With that rule due to come into effect from next summer, Murtagh has lived up to his word after telling Middlesex’s director of cricket, Angus Fraser, that he would stick with the county if required to make the choice. Several Irish players have been forced to give up county contracts in recent times, including Paul Stirling at Middlesex.”This is a day that I have known has been coming for a few years since the ECB changed their regulations, but it hasn’t made the decision any easier,” Murtagh said. “I’ve had eight great years playing international cricket and loved every minute of it. It’s sad that it has come to an end but a decision that I have made my peace with.”I made a promise to Angus Fraser when I first started playing international cricket that if I ever had to make a choice between playing for Ireland or rewarding Middlesex for the commitment they’d shown to me over the years, that I would commit to finishing my playing days at Lord’s.”Having been a member of the Middlesex family for over a decade now, I believe that with the additions we’ve made over the winter, we have one of the most promising squads here now that I’ve ever been a part of.”I wouldn’t have committed my future to Middlesex unless I felt that the club shared my ambition to win trophies and we have a huge amount of young talent here to drive us forwards towards that goal. Under the new coaching regime, we’ve got a harmonious dressing room that is excited for the new season to get underway and a new captain that everyone is keen to impress.”Murtagh made his T20I and ODI debuts within a few days of each other in July 2012, although his hopes of playing at the 2015 World Cup were dashed by a foot injury. He was part of the 2016 World T20 team, before making three Test appearances as Ireland rose to Full Member status at the ICC.Each of them were memorable: he opened the bowling against Pakistan in 2018, taking six wickets as Ireland briefly threatened an upset; against Afghanistan, in Dehradun, he scored a maiden Test fifty batting at No. 11; and then at Lord’s earlier this year, his five-wicket haul saw England dismissed before lunch on the first day, although Ireland then collapsed themselves in the second innings as the wait for a first Test win went on.”On behalf of the management and staff of Cricket Ireland I’d like to thank Tim for his eight years of service to Irish cricket,” Cricket Ireland’s performance director, Richard Holdsworth, said. “It only seems like the other day that we were organising the paperwork to allow him to declare for Ireland – while you always hope for the best when opportunities like that arise, little did we know the impact he would have on the international setup.”Irish cricket has been on quite a journey over the last decade, and Tim has certainly played a key role in our rise. That the Lord’s Test will be his last game for us is very appropriate, and he certainly gave a lot of Irish fans great pleasure on that first morning having written his name on the honours board before lunch.”We know how hard the decision was for him, but we wish Tim, Karina and his family well. I would also like to thank Angus Fraser and all at Middlesex Cricket for their support and flexibility in working with us on Tim’s availability for internationals and tours. Cricket Ireland and Middlesex have had a great relationship over many years, and it is always appreciated when club and country can work so well together for the benefit of the player.”Murtagh is set to play on into his 40s with Middlesex, with the club aiming to push for promotion in the Championship next season. Middlesex finished a disappointing eighth in Division Two in 2019, with Dawid Malan resigning the captaincy and subsequently moving to Yorkshire; they will be led next year by Australia batsman Peter Handscomb.Middlesex’s head coach, Stuart Law, said: “To have Murts commit to Middlesex for the future is really great news for the club. It has been a tough decision for him no doubt, but we are looking forward to seeing him continue to provide the team with quality and experience.”A vital member of our squad, both on and off the field, I look forward to working with him again in 2020.”