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ScorecardAngus Robson made 72 but Leicestershire could only set a target of 181•Getty Images

Glamorgan’s seamers picked up Leicestershire’s last eight second-innings wickets for just 85 runs to put the visitors in a strong position to go on and win their Division Two Specsavers County Championship match at Grace Road.Needing 181 to win, Glamorgan did lose an early wicket, pacy left-arm seamer Dieter Klein trapping Nick Selman lbw for just 2 before bad light saw play ended 15 overs early.The morning had seen Leicestershire openers Angus Robson and Paul Horton extend their second-innings partnership to 123 before being parted. Robson hit three fours in a single over from Timm Van der Gugten to bring up his ninth half-century of the season before Horton was drawn into pushing at a Craig Meschede delivery and edged to second slip.On the same score, Robson attempted to cut a short ball from Lukas Carey but succeeded only in edging to first slip, where Will Bragg held the catch.Neil Dexter and Mark Cosgrove added 75 for the third wicket before the lCosgrove, having survived two vehement appeals for catches behind the wicket, drove airily at a Meschede inswinger delivered from around the wicket and had his off stump knocked back.Ned Eckersley played two glorious back-foot drives through the off side before clipping a Michael Hogan leg-stump half-volley straight into the hands of square leg, and Mark Pettini, having suffered a first-ball duck in the first innings, had made only 1 when he chopped a wide delivery from Van der Gugten on to his stumps.Harry Dearden, making his home debut for Leicestershire, played solidly in going to 16 before being trapped leg before on the back foot to a van der Gugten inswinger, and the tail quickly followed, with Hogan picking up two wickets in two balls. Dexter was the last man to go, looking to force a wide delivery into the off side and like Pettini, edging the ball into his stumps, to give van der Gugten match figures of 9 for 133.Klien’s dismissal of Selman indicated Glamorgan might not find their target easy to reach, but with the ball continuing to swing Leicestershire were frustrated when light forced an early close.

Match facts

August 9-13, 2016
Start time 1000 local (1400 GMT)2:21

‘Looks like a result-oriented wicket’ – Kohli

Big Picture

During the rearguard in the second Test, when there was general momentary positivity around West Indies cricket, a feedback to ESPNcricinfo commentary put the plight of West Indies’ long-form cricket in perspective. “Ten years ago, we used to talk about WI turning the corner when we won a Test match,” Joel, the correspondent, said. “Now we’re talking about it after winning a session.”West Indies drawing a Test that seemed long lost is worth celebrating, but the proof of this pudding lies in its sustainability. Given that most of their best talent are either not interested or not wanted in Test cricket, it will be a great result for Phil Simmons’ and Jason Holder’s team if they can consistently make teams work hard for wins. The bowlers will need the same discipline as they showed in Jamaica, the lower middle order will have to show the same application. And, yet, if their top order continues to contribute to the opposition’s cause, they will keep needing help from the weather to save matches, lest we forget that four washed-out sessions played their due role in the draw.Expect India to come back hard at West Indies. They have added motivation, thanks to Australia’s poor series in Sri Lanka. Leading the series 1-0 after two Tests, if they win the two remaining matches, India will go to the top of the ICC Test rankings, irrespective of the results in other concurrent series. They will have an issue or two after the previous Test. Cheteshwar Pujara’s struggle to convert slow starts leaves a little extra strain on the five-batsman unit. Internal questions will be asked of the five-bowler attack that couldn’t close the game out. While it is understandable that the pitch hadn’t broken up enough, that West Indies had finally put up a fight will leave a side striving to be the best in the world to ask more of itself.

Form guide

West Indies DLDLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India DWWWD

In the spotlight

After roaring back into the side with a match-winning century against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year, Cheteshwar Pujara has averaged 33 in eight innings, with just one half-century. Four of his six Tests since have come in pretty testing conditions in India, where the ball turned alarmingly pretty consistently. His strike rate of 41 compares poorly with his career strike of 48 because he accelerates once he is in. However, of late, he has been getting out before reaching that acceleration phase. In a side that is playing only five batsmen, though, you can imagine he might be under pressure to keep his place, especially when the team is focusing on scoring quickly enough to give its bowlers enough time to take 20 wickets.Roston Chase debuted in the series with an experience of 29 first-class matches behind him, but he now already has the double of a hundred and a five-for in the same Test, and a Man-of-the-Match award next to his name. Starting off as a part-time bowler and a bit of a punt as a No. 6 batsman, Chase has outbowled West Indies’ specialist spinner and has shown a more organised technique than any other specialist batsman in the side. India will come back with plans for him, so the test begins now.

Team news

With Rajendra Chandrika dropped from the squad, Jason Holder clarified on the eve of the match that Leon Johnson, who has been part of the squad since the first Test, will take his place, and not the newly included Shai Hope. Holder also said there was a “strong possibility” of including an extra seamer, since he felt St Lucia offered “the best cricket pitch in the Caribbean in terms of carry and assistance for the quicker bowlers”. But he did not say whether the extra seamer would be an out-and-out quick in Alzarri Joseph or a seam-bowling allrounder in Carlos Brathwaite, and whether it would be one of the batsmen or the legspinner Devendra Bishoo to make way.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Leon Johnson, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Carlos Brathwaite/Alzarri Joseph, 10 Miguel Cummins, 11 Shannon GabrielIndia captain Virat Kohli was quite cryptic about resolving the happy headache around the choice of openers, but he did suggest M Vijay was fit when he said the management would have to make the tough call after practice. While that leaves Pujara in the clear, the way Kohli spoke about the openers, one could take the risk and assume that KL Rahul is going to continue at the top. Kohli brought up the example of Mandeep Singh getting injured minutes before an IPL game, which created an opportunity for Rahul; he “hasn’t looked back since then”. Kohli said he had to have a chat with Mandeep to explain to him his misfortune. However, M Vijay, India’s best opener since Virender Sehwag, is not quite a Mandeep Singh; he has a body of work behind him, so good luck explaining to him that he has to sit out. Mishra and Yadav’s places should be debated, with Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar being possible replacements.India (probable): 1 and 2 M Vijay/KLRahul/Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 R Ashwin, 7 Wriddhiman Saha, 8 Amit Mishra/Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Umesh Yadav/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Ishant Sharma

Pitch and conditions

Both captains felt on the eve of the match that St Lucia will offer pace and carry for the quick bowlers through the five days. The pitch had an even covering of grass on Monday, though it did not look as green and alive as the surface in Kingston before the second Test. Scattered showers, though mild, have fallen over St Lucia in the days leading up to the Test. Rain is expected on the first four days of the match too.

Stats and trivia

• Take out Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and the last time West Indies went undefeated for two straight Tests was against New Zealand in July and August 2012
• If R Ashwin takes 16 wickets in the next two Tests and Ishant Sharma doesn’t add to his 205 wickets in these two games, Ashwin will have equalled Ishant’s tally in exactly half the number of Tests
• If Ashwin takes 11 wickets in St Lucia, he will be the solo fastest to 200 Test wickets; if he does so at Queen’s Park Oval, he will join Clarrie Grimmett as the fastest
• There has been only one result in four Tests in St Lucia. Brain Lara holds the record for the highest individual score at this venue – 209 – and Kemar Roach has the best bowling figures – 5 for 42. A wicket has fallen every 37.13 runs in the four Tests here

Quotes

“We should take positives from the last draw. If we had even 10-15% more assistance from that pitch on day five, given the same situation, we would have come out on top. We need to realise we played good cricket on the first four days, but West Indies showed resistance on the important days. But the lesson is that we shouldn’t doubt our ability going forward.”
“I would love for more people to watch cricket. Recently, you see a lot of people coming out to see the T20 and the one-day stuff. You get a bit more party-like atmosphere. For the last number of years, the crowds for Test cricket have been really, really down. I’ve been trying to scratch my brain to see ways I can suggest how to get more people in to the stands, but I think good performances is one way to get crowds coming back.”
on sparse crowds at Test matches in the West Indies

ScorecardBrett D’Oliveira made 81 to solidify Worcestershire’s dominant position•Getty Images

Joe Leach’s third five-wicket haul of the season and 81 from Brett D’Oliveira put Worcestershire in complete control on the second day against Northamptonshire. The visitors, having taken a first-innings lead of 129, closed 181 for 4 in their second-innings, a lead of 310.Leach added two more wickets to his three on the first evening to help bundle Northants out for just 148 – comfortably their lowest total at Wantage Road this season. D’Oliveira then led Worcestershire into a commanding lead with a fourth score over fifty in the Championship this season.A century opening partnership with Daryl Mitchell saw Worcestershire seize the game. He and D’Oliveira survived the odd play-and-miss but it was a chanceless partnership to demoralise Northants, who are now staring at a second defeat of the season with two days to go on a dry wicket beginning to show signs of turn.Worcestershire utilised sunnier afternoon weather to build their lead, first between D’Oliveira and Mitchell – who eventually fell lbw to Seekkuge Prasanna for 47 – and then for the second wicket with Tom Fell, who closed 36 not out.D’Oliveira was composed and clever, scampered keenly between the wickets and tucked Prasanna finely past short square leg for a fifty in 92 balls with three boundaries. He lifted Rob Keogh down the ground for four through long-on but, shuffling down the pitch again, Keogh fired a ball down the leg side and David Murphy completed a smart stumping with D’Oliveira 19 short of a third century of the year.Keogh struck again next ball, bowling Joe Clarke, but Tom Kohler-Cadmore survived the hat-trick, only to be trapped lbw by Prasanna for a 13-ball duck before the close.The day began very overcast with Northants 64 for 3 and the home side’s hopes of getting back into the game pinned on Richard Levi and Adam Rossington. But Levi never settled having resumed 11 not out and after adding 16 at-times-awkward runs, he pulled Matt Henry straight into the air off a top edge and was caught for 27 by wicketkeeper Ben Cox running towards square leg.It was the first of two important wickets for Henry who produced a beautiful away-swinger to draw an edge from Rossington – Cox dived to his right to take a smart catch. Rossington had at least provided something for his side with a half-century in 61-balls but he fell in the penultimate over before lunch. Another Henry away-swinger saw Prasanna taken at second slip in the first over after lunch.D’Oliveria helped clean up the tail, trapping Azharullah and Ben Sanderson lbw with consecutive balls across two overs, before Murphy was the last man out – held at point to hand Leach, who earlier had Steven Crook caught at second slip, 5 for 70 and 36 wickets in the Championship this season.

Given Sri Lanka’s growing injury concerns, the national selectors will pick a squad ahead of each Test for their upcoming three-match series against Australia, which begins on July 26.Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya and co-selectors Romesh Kaluwitharana, Eric Upashantha and Ranjith Madurusinghe face a dearth of fast-bowling options after injuries to several first XI players. Dhammika Prasad’s shoulder injury is likely to keep him out of the Test series, while Dushmantha Chameera and Suranga Lakmal, who will undergo a fitness test on Monday for a hamstring strain, will be assessed later. Shaming Eranga’s suspect action leaves Nuwan Pradeep as the only seamer available for selection from the recent tour of England.”It is very difficult times as a selector to pick a balanced squad with so many injuries,” Jayasuriya, who is in his second stint as chief selector, said. “It’s a bit tough but we will try and pick the best possible team. I hope the players picked also know what is expected of them and that they will do their best.”Whoever is fit and whoever is doing well in the Sri Lanka A team, we’ll have to give them the opportunity. It is the feeding place for the senior side. If we feel there is somebody who is very good in the Sri Lanka A, emerging or Under-19 squads, we will not hesitate to pick them.”I am really happy the way some of the Sri Lanka A players have been performing in England. Fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando, batsmen Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva are quite a few players.”When we play in Sri Lanka we have a better chance of performing than when you are overseas. I am confident they can do well. But it’s a lot of hard work to come out and show their character.”Jayasuriya said despite the bowling concerns, Sri Lanka’s young batting core is headed in the right direction.”Our main concern is the bowling but this is also a good time for a youngster to put his hand up and perform and show his character,” he said. “The batting line-up is a fairly good one and stable. If you see the way they progressed in the Tests the batting was really good. It’s the one key department we can think that we are on the right direction.”With players like Kusal Mendis, Kaushal Silva, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, the batting line-up did really well. Some of the innings of 20s and 30s, I would like to see them go and get a big 100 or 200.”The unfortunate thing about the Test series in England was that we had a very good bowling line-up but we started getting injuries from the first Test onwards and before long our main three fast bowlers – Prasad, Chameera and Eranga – were out of the scene. We were basically left with only another two fast bowlers Pradeep and Lakmal to run through the rest of the games. If not for those injures we would have done really well. But injuries are part and parcel of cricket and you have to face them.”Jayasuriya also felt the increased workload of international cricket was responsible for Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling injury crisis.”At the moment, they are playing a lot of cricket – Tests, ODIs and T20Is. In our days, our cricketing life span would have been about 15 years but now it has come down to about eight years.”In the present context if you play for 10 years you will have played more than 150 Tests and almost 300-400 ODIs on top of T20Is. A human body cannot take such a workload. The main thing is how the player manages and rehabs himself. It is easy to come and say ‘I am injured’. To play with the pain is the key. No fast bowler can play without any pain. They have to play with niggles here and there. We are currently working on the players with one of the best trainers, Michael Mann, who has been trying to get them into shape.”Jayasuriya said Chandimal will continue to be Sri Lanka’s designated wicketkeeper during the Test series with Kusal Perera as a middle-order batsman.”At the moment Chandimal is the better keeper, Kusal is a bit out of touch. Chandimal normally bats at No. 4 but because of the conditions in England, we pushed him to No. 6 and it was successful. We will discuss with him what position he is comfortable batting, he is flexible.”Although many Australian players have not played a Test in Sri Lanka, Jayasuriya warned against complacency.”They (Australia) have come early and started practice to get to know our conditions and they have hired (Muttiah) Muralitharan to get information about Sri Lankan conditions and pitches. They are very smartly doing their homework. At the end of the day they are also professionals, their coach has played here. We can’t take things lightly.”

Wahab Riaz’s spell at Essex has been cut short by two games after he was required to join up with Pakistan’s training camp ahead of Test series against England. The news is a further blow to Essex’s NatWest T20 Blast campaign, after Adam Milne’s involvement in the second half of the group stage was ruled out by injury.Wahab had signed as Essex’s second overseas player – alongside Jesse Ryder – for the first seven games of the Blast, with Milne expected to replace him for the final seven. New Zealand quick Milne suffered a hamstring tear during the IPL, in which he played one game for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and subsequently required surgery on a shoulder injury.Essex are currently bottom of the South Group, having won one out of five games in the Blast, and have been looking for a replacement overseas signing.Although Wahab only managed to take four wickets in five matches, at an average of 46.50 and with an economy of 9.45, he said he had enjoyed his time at Chelmsford. He could return if Essex manage to turn things around and reach Finals Day.”Wonderful to be a part of the Essex team,” he said. “I have enjoyed it a lot there, it’s been fun with these guys, everyone really supportive and treated me well. I’ve learnt a lot about how to bowl in these conditions, so hopefully the experience I am taking from Essex I will try to put into my Test bowling.”Pakistan’s Test squad are currently based at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl, where they will undertake a two-week conditioning camp before the first tour game against Somerset on July 3.Essex’s coach, Chris Silverwood, added: “It is a shame Wahab’s spell has been cut short. Obviously we understand that his international commitments come first and that is the risk you take when signing international quality players. We thank Wahab for his efforts and his commitment to the club during his spell.”

Cracks in the CARICOM-led opposition to the West Indies Cricket Board have come out wide open with Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne categorically opposing the dissolution of the WICB. Browne is a member of the CARICOM’s sub-committee on cricket.Last November, the CARICOM panel, appointed by the Prime Ministerial Committee on the Governance of West Indies Cricket, had called the WICB “antiquated” and suggested it be replaced by an interim board. However, Browne has said such a move would only push West Indies cricket into further turmoil.”I categorically reject the call for the dissolution of the West Indies Cricket Board, and I do so in my capacity as chairman of the committee governing West Indies cricket,” Browne said in his address to mark the WICB’s 90th year of recognition by the ICC. “I believe firmly that to dissolve the board would be to plunge West Indies cricket into further chaos and confusion.”Browne’s comments come less than a week after Grenada Prime Minister and head of CARICOM Keith Mitchell said the WICB and the territorial boards were resisting change, which in turn was hindering West Indies cricket’s growth. “The one thing that has remained constant over the years is the board’s rigid and antiquated structure,” Mitchell had said on May 25, while delivering the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Lecture. “By now, the board should have learned that reshuffling its leadership without changing its thinking and structure is just as futile as adjusting its structure without reforming its leadership.”Mitchell had also said that the WICB, just as it had done with previous governance reviews – the Patterson Report in 2007 and the Wilkins Report in 2012 – had rejected his committee’s report last year. “Although the WICB gave its solemn promise to four CARICOM prime ministers on July 20, 2015, that it would accept and implement the recommendations of the WICB/CARICOM Governance Committee, it reneged on its promise.”Browne acknowledged governance could be an issue, but urged the WICB to be more transparent and accountable in dealing with the problems and conflicts, especially involving the players.10.20 GMT The article had incorrectly mentioned Gaston Browne as chairman of CARICOM’s sub-committee on cricket

The Maharaja T20 has been moved to Mysuru, after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to obtain clearance from the Bengaluru police to stage their franchise-based T20 competition at the M Chinnaswamy stadium from August 11 to 27.All the franchise owners were notified of the change earlier this week, leaving them with just a few days to finalise logistics. Most teams, barring Mysuru Warriors, have been training at different venues across Bengaluru over the past week.The failure to obtain permission to host games at the Chinnaswamy could potentially be a big blow to the KSCA, given the stadium is slated to host five matches of the Women’s World Cup – including the tournament opener and one semi-final – starting September 30. However, ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC isn’t overly worried just yet about the possibility of moving the games out of Bengaluru.The KSCA has been in the eye of a storm ever since 11 people died and over 50 others were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy stadium, during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4. The stampede also forced two KSCA office bearers to resign, citing moral responsibility.A stampede ensued at Chinnaswamy stadium during RCB’s victory celebrations•AFP/Getty Images

Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that are “better suited” to handle significant crowds.Initially, the Maharaja T20s were supposed to be held behind closed doors in Bengaluru. But once the committee’s ruling came in, getting permission to play at the Chinnaswamy – with or without a crowd – became untenable. The KSCA’s focus now is on making sure things go smoothly in in Mysuru. They have been putting up makeshift stands, preparing pitches, squares, as well as temporary broadcast facilities at the Wadeyar Stadium.The Maharaja T20 is set to feature a number of high-profile Karnataka stars, including Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna, who will feature for Mysuru Warriors following their return from India’s Test series in England.Nair is understood to have injured his finger while batting in the second innings of the fifth Test which ended three days ago, and could sit out the first few matches. Prasidh, who picked up eight wickets in India’s series-levelling win at The Oval, has been prescribed rest. The pacer is expected to join the squad mid-tournament.Some of the other big players in the mix include Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, and Devdutt Padikkal, as well as the younger crop, led by R Smaran, Vijaykumar Vyshak, KV Aneesh and Nikin Jose.Elsewhere, the Maharani T20, KSCA’s women’s competition which began on August 4, will continue to be played in Alur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Matt Breetzke blazed 93 off 45 balls, just one short of his highest T20 score, to reignite Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ Vitality Blast campaign by setting up a 13-win over bottom-placed Derbyshire.The victory puts the Steelbacks’ quest for qualification back on track, after they lost their previous five games, following six straight wins at the start of the tournament.Back from Test duty with South Africa, Breetzke adjusted instantly to the change of format, setting the pace with nine fours and five sixes in a partnership of 125 in 10.4 overs with skipper David Willey who made 53 off 33 deliveries (six fours, two sixes).With Saif Zaib also making an unbeaten 53 from 20 balls (three fours, four sixes), Northamptonshire finished with 237 for four, equalling their highest ever T20 score scored away against Yorkshire earlier this season.Derbyshire looked on course to chase down the target and post their highest ever T20 total. In a display of ferocious hitting, Aneurin Donald smashed 71 off just 22 balls (eight fours, six sixes) in a blistering opening stand worth 112 in just 7.4 overs with Caleb Jewell (39). But Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope made the crucial double breakthrough, removing both Donald and Jewell in his opening over. George Scrimshaw then struck twice in his second over to further arrest Derbyshire’s hopes.The match saw the highest aggregate score between these two sides in T20 cricket.Earlier, Allah Ghazanfar trapped Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw and almost picked up Breetzke but shelled a simple return catch. The South African responded by pulling Aitchison for six and taking three consecutive boundaries off Zak Chappell as Northamptonshire finished the powerplay on 51 for one.Breetzke progressed to his half-century off just 24 deliveries, pummelling Alex Thomson through extra cover before dispatching consecutive sixes.Willey got into the groove too, hitting Aitchison over his head before running a single to bring up the Steelbacks’ 100 at the end of the tenth over. Breetzke then flat-batted Ghazanfar straight for six to bring up the 100 partnership off 54 balls. Later in the over, Derbyshire incurred five penalty runs for a Level 2 disciplinary offence when Ghazanfar threw the ball in what was deemed an inappropriate or dangerous manner.Willey hit Samit Patel for consecutive straight sixes before he was caught in the deep. Such was their rate of acceleration, he and Breetzke had added 81 in the previous six overs.Zaib made a blistering start, clubbing Patel down the ground and sweeping for six. Meanwhile Breetzke paddled Aitchison round the corner for a huge six, but fell next ball, edging behind. The 200 came up courtesy of four overthrows, while Zaib continued his assault.Donald struck five boundaries off Willey’s opening over in the chase. He attacked Scrimshaw too, the former Derbyshire man leaking 24 off his opening over, Donald sending one ball sailing over fine leg for six, Derbyshire reaching 50 off just 19 balls.Jewell went after left-arm spinner Zaib too, sweeping him for six. But Northamptonshire missed a tough chance to remove Donald on 41 when keeper Lewis McManus slipped attempting a catch off a skier.Donald pulled Willey for six to close out the powerplay at 85 without loss before bludgeoning consecutive sixes off Luke Procter to reach his half-century and Derbyshire’s 100.But Pope’s double-wicket strike lifted the spirits of the home fans, as first Jewell was trapped lbw before Donald was caught behind chasing a wide one. Scrimshaw then struck twice in the 11th over, having Ross Whiteley caught at mid-on and bowling Martin Andersson.Wayne Masden (29) and Harry Came (35*) continued to attack before Masden holed out in the deep off Procter. While Northamptonshire shelled other chances, McManus made no mistake in the final over, catching Patel off a skier, off Procter’s bowling.

England will consider Joe Root and Ben Stokes for their 2025 Champions Trophy squad despite neither playing a 50-over match since last year’s World Cup. Root (rested) and Stokes (injured) are not involved in September’s five-match ODI series against Australia, and will both miss November’s tour to West Indies due to England’s Test tours to Pakistan and New Zealand.The Champions Trophy will begin in mid-February in Pakistan, with England due to play three ODIs in India at the start of that month as preparation. Those fixtures will be the only opportunities that Root, Stokes and other all-format players like Chris Woakes and Mark Wood have to play 50-over cricket before the tournament.”We’ll want to be as strong as possible,” Luke Wright, England’s selector, said at Lord’s on Tuesday. “There’s no Test cricket around at that point, so it gives us an opportunity to play our strongest team. The schedule over this next period up until Christmas is crazy, so there will be opportunities for guys to stake their claim. But come the Champions Trophy, we will be able to pick our strongest side.”Root (Paarl Royals) and Stokes (MI Cape Town) have both signed up for the SA20, which runs from January 9 until February 8. They are both likely to miss January’s T20I series in India but will arrive for the ODIs – which start on February 6 – if they are selected.Root struggled for form at the World Cup after hardly playing 50-over cricket in the build-up, averaging 30.66 as England crashed out with three wins in nine group-stage games. He will face a similar challenge at the Champions Trophy but Wright defended the decision to rest him against Australia, saying England have “asked a lot of Joe” across his international career.”He’s given a lot to English cricket,” Wright said. “There’s no reason why he can’t then come into the major tournaments… we know how important Joe is to the England team. He also offers us [something] with the ball as well, and there’s not many that do that… With someone like Joe, we’ve got to look after him, we don’t want him to burn out.”On the difficulties of adjusting to a format that English players hardly play, Wright said: “It’s a challenge for everyone, isn’t it? And even more so for us in England… Those top players are able to adapt as well as possible, as I don’t think it’s as big a problem for them as it would be for some of the others. That’s why it’s great to get that cricket into some of the younger guys.”Related

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England have dropped Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow from both their T20I and ODI squads, though Wright denied that their international careers are now over. “They’re disappointed to miss out,” he said. “I certainly won’t be saying that that’s the end for them. They’re fine cricketers, but right now, we just want to give some other opportunities.”They have picked three uncapped players for September’s Australia ODIs – Jacob Bethell, Josh Hull and John Turner. “It’s nice for guys to get 50-over cricket under their belts: we don’t play much of it,” Wright said. “I don’t decide the schedule so I’ve just got to make the best of what we can and we try to do that, but also try to make sure we’re looking after players’ welfare.”Jos Buttler has retained the captaincy despite England losing their status as world champions in both white-ball formats in the past 10 months, with Matthew Mott instead paying the price. Buttler is under pressure heading into September’s series, and looks set to hand the gloves to Phil Salt during the three T20Is – though is likely to keep wicket in the five ODIs.Buttler kept wicket at June’s T20 World Cup, but may field at mid-off to be near his bowlers in the absence of Moeen and Chris Jordan. “It is something that he’s considering,” Wright said. “It’s something he’s open to. He’s spoken about that before, the need to be in the field and be with the bowlers at times. It’s something that could easily happen in this Australia series.”Among Buttler’s biggest challenges is to restore some energy to the white-ball set-up, after two disappointing World Cup campaigns. “I wouldn’t say [things have been] stale,” Wright said. “Those guys have given us some of the best times we’ve had in white-ball cricket. It’s life… It’s a great time now: without a World Cup just round the corner as there hasn’t been for a while is an opportunity to blood some new players.”England have generally stuck to the tried and tested in white-ball cricket but September’s squad represents a shake-up. “We haven’t needed to [take risks in selection] with the white-ball team,” Wright said. “They’ve been one of the outstanding teams. We’re very lucky to have had that team for such a long time.”Now feels like the right time to have a few more picks in there, and look probably for the future as well. It’s an exciting time for everyone to watch and see how that builds going forward.”

Ricky Ponting will no longer coach the Delhi Capitals, bringing his seven-year association with the franchise to an end before the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025. It is understood that with DC failing to achieve desired results, the owners decided to move on and look for a new head coach.Ponting took over as DC’s head coach in 2018, when the team was called Delhi Daredevils, and has been part of their previous seven IPL seasons. They finished last in the league in his first season as coach but then qualified for the playoffs in 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2020, DC made the IPL finals for the first time, where they came runners-up to Mumbai Indians. However, they did not qualify for the playoffs in any of the last three years and finished sixth in IPL 2024, winning and losing seven games each in the season.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“As you move on as our head coach, we’re finding it incredibly hard to put this down in words,” DC said in a post on social media. “The four things you told us about in every huddle – care, commitment, attitude and effort – they sum up our seven summers together. Seven summers of you being hands-on, but also hands-off, so that we could become better. As athletes, yes, but more importantly, as human beings. Seven summers of you reaching every training session first, and leaving last. Seven summers of you sprinting out of the dugout during strategic timeouts, and biting your nails off until there were none left.”Seven summers of your dressing room speeches – the speeches, Oh! (Separate post for that loading) Seven summers of your hugs, shoulder pats and fist pumps for us all – newcomer, superstar… and everyone in-between. Thank you for everything, Coach! Like, you often close out, ‘Let’s leave this here mate, grab a beer, get back to work tomorrow, yeah?'”The remaining DC coaching staff comprises director of cricket Sourav Ganguly, assistant coach Pravin Amre, bowling coach James Hopes, and fielding coach Biju George.