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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe last day of the series at Lord’s had promised so much. England needed to bowl out Sri Lanka to take a 3-0 clean sweep in the series, but Sri Lanka, driven ahead by a sense of grievance, were not about to relinquish the Test easily. At 32 for 0, requiring 362, they were down but far from out.Then the rain spoiled it. The clouds were so black over Lord’s that one might have imagined St John’s Wood had become the centre of a second industrial revolution which would certainly have disturbed a few people in the posh boutiques in the High Street.Only 12.2 overs were possible all day until the Test was laid to rest with 5.15pm approaching. By then it felt like a blessed relief. Jonny Bairstow was named as England’s man of the series and Kaushal Silva took the equivalent award for Sri Lanka.All that now remains is for the fall-out from a Test, in which Sri Lanka felt they did not have the rub of the green with umpiring decisions, to move on to the ICC annual meeting in Edinburgh later this month. Speeches will be made (again) about the accuracy of DRS, the validity of a 50% margin for Umpire’s Call and a perceived bias in favour of the Big Three. Lord’s has put fresh vigour into an old debate.Silva was the only Sri Lanka wicket to fall on the final day as a mere 3.4 overs were possible up to tea. He departed lbw to an excellent late inswinger from James Anderson, up the slope, and after an unsuccessful review could at least console himself that he had finally broken his extraordinary run of being caught at the wicket in each of his previous nine innings in two Test tours of England.Had Bairstow pulled off something utterly miraculous by diving across first slip to intercept an edge that fell short off Stuart Broad, that record would have remained intact for his next tour.England still theoretically held hopes of victory when the Test resumed after tea at 4.10pm with 47 overs remaining, with Sri Lanka’s prospects of chasing 362 to win effectively reduced to zero because of the rain. There was talk of Cardiff 2011 when England spirited a win from nowhere in the Glamorgan gloom.Kusal Mendis smashed a return catch at Broad’s bootlaces which he could not pick up in his follow-through, while one attempted bouncer that hit a crack and scuttled off down the leg side emphasised that, with a full day to bowl, England could have been in business. The pitch, in fairness to the groundsman, Mick Hunt, had not become the final-day featherbed that has occasionally blighted Lord’s.Nobody believed the game was going anywhere. Alastair Cook even allowed Broad to indulge in a nonsensical wasted review when even the groundstaff, who were prowling the outfield as the rain clouds approached again, could have seen that the ball had deflected off his back as he ducked.England were forced to turn to spin, all eight balls of it, the last of them from Joe Root, who was slog-swept for six into the Tavern Stand by Mendis. Perhaps he knew something we didn’t. The umpires removed the bails and everybody could go home. Sri Lanka, with a one-day series still to play, will hope for some sunshine.

The Blaze 59 for 0 (S Bryce 33*) beat Essex 211 (Smale 41, Prendergast 3-43) by 35 runs (DLS) Orla Prendergast led the wickets charge as The Blaze won a rain-affected encounter with Essex at Chelmsford to book a home semi-final at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.Prendergast took 3 for 43, including a momentum shifting double strike to help bowl out the hosts for 211. Her efforts were ably supported by Lucy Higham’s 2 for 33 and some outstanding out-fielding, typified by Kathryn’s Bryce’s run-out of Ariana Dowse.Six of Essex’s batters reached double figures, but only Sophia Smale (41) got beyond 40, Jo Gardner making a run-a-ball 36. The pair added 52 for the seventh wicket after the hosts collapsed from 104 for 2 to 133 for 6.Blaze openers Sarah Bryce (33 not out) and Georgie Boyce had knocked 59 off the target in 11.2 overs when the weather closed in.Dowse and skipper Grace Scrivens gave the hosts a a solid start, the former caressing one through the covers and driving another square for four. Scrivens reached 16 before mishitting a half-tracker from opposite number Kirstie Gordon to square leg and a brilliant pick up and throw from Katherine Bryce ran out Dowse for 20.The response to the double setback was good with Lissy Macleod (30) and Lancashire loanee Liberty Heap (33) targeting the straight boundaries in a stand of 59 at almost a run a ball. Essex looked poised to push on, but Heath’s demise, top edging a short one from Prendergast to midwicket sparked a mid-innings slump.Flo Miller was another Prendergast victim and when Higham sent Macleod packing courtesy of a stunning caught and bowled, three wickets had fallen for six runs in 16 balls.Higham then bowled Amara Carr with a beauty, before Smale and Gardner rallied the home side’s flagging effort, the latter striking the ball powerfully back past the bowler in the mid-on/mid-off arc.But before they could entertain hopes of a score of 250, Prendergast splayed Gardner’s stumps and thereafter only Smale who was last out held up The Blaze for long.The bad weather was closing in by the time The Blaze began their reply, Sarah Bryce and Georgie Boyce immediately showing aggressive intent. Bryce hit Gray for the only six of the match while Boyce three times struck the ball firmly to the fence along the floor.By the time rain drove the players from the field enough overs had been completed to constitute a match and The Blaze were a mile ahead on the DLS and looking forward to a semi-final.

Jamie Overton, the England and Surrey fast bowler who was a permanent member of the Test squad during this summer’s series against India, has announced an “indefinite break from red-ball cricket”. The decision effectively rules him out of this winter’s Ashes campaign, a development that has left his white-ball captain and Test team-mate, Harry Brook, “shocked”.Overton, 31, played the second and last of his two Tests at The Oval in July, claiming two second-innings wickets in England’s thrilling six-run loss. His previous match had come at Headingley in 2022, when he made a match-turning 97 in partnership with Jonny Bairstow, in the first summer of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s stewardship of the England team.Despite his infrequent appearances, Overton was a near-certainty to feature in England’s Ashes squad, given his sturdy build, strong action and ability to bowl at 90mph – all attributes that the selectors have been identifying in their bid to win in Australia for the first time since 2010-11.However, in an interview with the Telegraph, he spelt out his reasons for the shock decision, saying that at this stage of his career, it was “no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level, both physically and mentally”. He will be in Australia this winter, but as part of Adelaide Strikers’ squad in the Big Bash, a team with whom he has spent the past two seasons, and for whom he was named MVP earlier this year for his haul of 11 wickets and 191 runs at 95.50.Related

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“After a great deal of thought, I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket,” Overton said. “I feel very fortunate to have played 99 first-class matches, including two Test matches for England. Red-ball, first-class cricket has provided the foundation for my professional career and has been the gateway to every opportunity I’ve had in the game so far. It’s where I learnt the game, and it fuelled the goals and ambitions that have driven me for so long.”However, at this stage of my career, with the demands of cricket across a 12-month calendar, it’s no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level, both physically and mentally. Going forward, my focus will be on white-ball cricket, and I will continue to give everything to play at the highest level for as long as I can.”Overton is currently at Headingley, as part of England’s white-ball squad, with their first ODI against South Africa coming up on Tuesday. Speaking on the eve of the match, Brook admitted he was taken aback by the announcement, and its timing.”A little bit shocked to be honest,” Brook said. “I thought he did well in that last Test, he bowled quick. Obviously you’ve got to respect that decision that he’s going to have a little bit of a break from red-ball cricket. Hopefully at some point we’ll see him again in the future.Overton arrives at training ahead of the Headingley ODI•Getty Images

“I’d heard rumours but I hadn’t heard it from him until today. You’ve just got to respect the decision, he obviously doesn’t feel like he wants to play red-ball cricket at the minute and we can’t do anything about it. He’s made the decision now but it’s unfortunate. I thought he did really well in that last Test match and it would have been nice to have him there in the Ashes.”From his perspective as white-ball captain, however, Brook acknowledged that the singular focus could be of benefit to his team. “Absolutely,” he said. “When he is fully fit and firing he bowls thunderbolts and he can whack it out of the park. Hopefully he can upskill even more from what he’s got now and be the best white-ball player he can be.”Overton had only played once in the County Championship for Surrey this season before being recalled to the Test squad. Overall, he has made four first-class appearances for his county since the start of 2024, with injuries limiting his availability.Rob Key, England Men’s director of cricket, said: “Jamie’s news came unexpected and it is sad to see, as he would have been part of our red-ball plans for the foreseeable future. That said, it serves as a reminder of the cricketing landscape we now operate in. We respect his decision and are grateful to him for informing us when he did.”

A T10 tournament in the Cayman Islands featuring David Warner, Shakib Al Hasan, Alex Hales and Carlos Brathwaite has been plunged into uncertainty with fixtures unfulfilled over allegations of unpaid salaries.The Max60 Caribbean event was launched last year, but its second season has been blighted by off-field issues. ESPNcricinfo has learned that five fixtures on Tuesday were cancelled after strike action from players, the majority of whom had not received a payment that was due to be cleared 30 days before the start of the tournament.On Tuesday evening, Max60 posted on Instagram that all games had been cancelled “due to off-field issues” and announced that the final would take place on Thursday at 2pm local time between Caribbean Tigers and Vegas Vikings, who were first and third respectively in the league table.This post was later deleted and on Wednesday morning, the fixture was replaced by a “runner-up playoff” between Grand Cayman Falcons (who finished fifth) and Vegas Vikings, followed by a trophy presentation.Players have been supported in their strike action by the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), which said that the non-payment issues were the latest example of contracts being treated like “worthless pieces of paper”.”It’s disappointing to hear that players still haven’t been paid what they’re owed under their contracts,” Tom Moffat, the WCA’s chief executive, said. “Players have fulfilled their commitments in good faith the whole way along, but it’s unreasonable for anyone to expect them to continue to turn up and put on the show if the terms of their contracts have flagrantly been breached.”This isn’t an isolated or new issue. It’s another example of an officially sanctioned cricket event treating player contracts like worthless pieces of paper, and of the lack of protections for players who compete in events that have been sanctioned by the ICC or its members.”There are simple solutions to these issues and the game’s global leadership and regulations should protect the whole sport, and people within it.”Max60 is run by BMP Sports, a Dubai-based company which claims to be a “global market leader in cricket league ownership, sponsorships, franchising and more” on its website. It is affiliated with the Braves franchise, which has featured in T10 leagues in Abu Dhabi, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.BMP Sports and Max60 were both contacted for comment but did not respond at the time of the publication of this report.

Temba Bavuma, captain: “[Sum up your emotions] It’s been a special couple of days. At some point, it felt like we were back in South Africa with all the support in the stands. We’ve prepared hard for this, we’ve worked hard for this moment. We came here with a lot of belief, I think also with a lot of doubters, and we’re happy that we were able to play well enough to get that type of result. It’s been a special moment for us as a team, a special moment for all the people back home. Probably it will really sink in in a couple of days, but yeah, it’s been special.”[On the feelings of a WTC final and the heartbreaks] Definitely the energy was there. I think us as a team, we’ve been wanting this. We’ve been knocking at that door, being relentless, getting ourselves into positions where we can be in the finals. We’ve gone through the heartache, we’ve gone through the disappointment, and seen it with past players who’ve come before us. The sun is on us at the moment and that responsibility, we’ve been carrying it and hopefully this is one of many.”[On Kagiso Rabada] Yeah, KG [Rabada] is a massive player. A couple of days ago, I went to the ICC Hall of Fame meet. I think in a couple of years, KG will be one of those guys. When he came into the game, there was controversy behind him. He was motivated to do what he needed to do, and like a champion, he came and did what he did. [On Aiden Markram] Unbelievable. A couple of months ago, people were asking why Aiden is in the team. I think stats are important, but character is something that we look at. A guy like Aiden, he carries all those traits. We knew in the second innings we were going to have to come out and play and he led it in true Aiden fashion. Again, another massive player for us. Character has been a big thing for us as a team and those two guys are the ones who carry that.”[Significance of this moment] I think us as a team, we got ourselves into the final. There were doubts as to the route that we took, supposedly playing weaker teams. We’re happy that we were able to perform like this, and hopefully that kind of squashes that. I think for us as a country, here’s an opportunity for us to… as divided as we are at times, to forget all of that, rejoice in this moment and just be one. I’m sure the people back home will be celebrating it with us, and you can trust that we’ll be celebrating it massively as well.”Temba Bavuma of South Africa lifts the ICC World Test Championship Mace in celebration with his team•ICC/Getty Images

Aiden Markram (Player of the match): “Weird how things work out if you get a duck in the first innings and you come into the second innings with quite a few concerns. Ultimately, you need a bit of luck here and there and spend some time in the middle and find some runs. I’m just really grateful it worked out nicely. Lord’s is the place every Test cricketer wants to play. Playing a final here is incredibly special with all the members there, but also plenty of South African fans that made the trip and plenty at home as well that have supported us through it. It was one of the most special days.”It’s always one side of the sword, I guess. You either absorb and bank on yourself scoring later, but I think when you look at the wicket and the quality of bowling, you’ve probably only got x amount of balls out there to face and it’s about maximising scoring out of those balls. Everyone played with their intent, and it certainly helped in the second innings.”I had plenty of bits of banter with him (Nathan Lyon) on the field, and I just kept saying to him he’s one of the best in the world, and if this thing keeps spinning on day four and five, he’d have been an absolute handful. So, always great to play against some of the best in the world, and not just only him, but plenty of the players on that side. Really chuffed for our boys to have got over the line, of course.”To be very honest, a lot of it came from him (Bavuma). He’s always led from the front for us. He’s been incredible for us, specifically in this campaign in this last two, three years. He was never going to give up and found a way to score runs, really important runs, and build an important partnership for us to get close, and those sort of knocks are something that I think a lot of people end up remembering.”Kagiso Rabada: “Oh man, I can’t describe it in words how I feel at the moment! Obviously, just extremely happy throughout the entire season. I think we’ve played really well, we’ve worked really hard, and I think we deserve to get into this position. There were people saying that we weren’t playing a good enough opposition, but I think that’s rubbish. We came here, and we played the best team.”Australia have been magnificent all season, and we had to be in our A game to beat them. Thank you for your support. Today, or rather these last four days, felt like a home game. So thank you guys for turning out, and keep turning out.”1:53

Steyn on SA’s WTC win: ‘We saw the biggest of the biggest come through’

Keshav Maharaj: “It’s special. I think tears won’t even describe what we feel right now. It’s just a privilege and honour to be able to lift the cup and the title, and to be a part of it. For everyone out here and everyone back home, it’s super special for us and the boys. It’s just what our country’s about, to see the unity over the last five days and throughout the season. It’s super special and we’re very grateful as a team, as a nation and as our proud country.”100% [special to see so many South Africa supporters at Lord’s]. I think without the crowd here today, we probably wouldn’t be in this position over the last four days. So we’re grateful and thankful to everyone that’s here and from abroad that’s supporting us. Thank you very much.”I don’t think that far ahead. But there was an opportunity that could have closed this out, but I think the emotions will have probably squared me into the right direction. Just like I said, thank you to everyone that’s here, back home, to everyone around the world that’s been supporting us, to adversity, we’ve stood strong as a team, and here we are today to raise the trophy that’s eluded us for a number of years.”But we honour those before us, to those that are here, and to those that have come, we love you, appreciate you, and continue supporting us. We’re doing good things as a team and as a country, and may this just be the stepping stone of better things to come.”Marco Jansen: “[Feelings] I don’t know what to say. I was sitting there just praying and then luckily we got the job done. They made us think twice there, but I’m just happy that we got the job done. [Feeling in the changeroom] Yeah, in the change room there were a lot of nerves. A lot of guys [were] quiet, myself included. To have the fans here, to hear them cheer us on every single ball, every single run – you can’t ask for anything more, and obviously the families are here as well.”We’re just happy we could do it. [A few words on Aiden Markram?] I can’t say that exactly… but unfreaking believable. What a player, what a guy to have on your team. He’s a fighter, Temba – both of them, fighters to the nail. I think that’s what dreams are made of. Dreams are meant to be achieved. We’re going to celebrate really, really well.”An emotional Keshav Maharaj celebrates the win with Lungi Ngidi•ICC/Getty Images

Shukri Conrad, head coach: “Yeah, I think mine [eyes] are worse than Kesh’s, but they are so thrilled, really ecstatic for these guys. Something we don’t talk about often is the bigger picture of South Africa, but this was for South Africa and everything that goes in my country. To be able to deliver something like this, truly special.”I think we obviously got the best of the batting conditions, 280 was always going to be a stiff task. But when our two senior pros, Aiden and Temba put that big stand together, I felt that was obviously where the game was won for us. I was the one to say Temba shouldn’t keep going [because of the injury]. I was the one to say, ‘No, I think Temba should stop’. But both of them, the partnership was critical. It didn’t matter what the flow was. They always know better than the coaches anyway.”Lungi Ngidi: “[Emotions right now] Yeah, look, I’m speechless right now. The other evening, obviously with that spell, it was to try and break the game open. A lot of excitement at the time as well, which is probably what kept me going throughout that spell. But right now, I’ve got no words for how I feel, to be honest with you.”I’m very proud of what the boys have achieved today. It’s been a long journey. It’s been a lot of hard work as well. The blood pressure is really high right now. But most I’m very proud of what the guys have been able to achieve today.”David Bedingham: “[Feelings] Amazing. Obviously nervous, but the way that Aiden and Temba went about it made us calm. I didn’t feel calm going into the innings. Thank goodness we got over the line. [On the wicket] The sun plays a massive factor here, and I think we got luckier with the conditions, but we’ll take it. It’s been 27 years, and I am so thankful we got over the line. I am so thankful for everyone watching here and back home.”Kyle Verreynne: “I am just relieved. I was sitting there watching the first morning… well, the morning session and kept thinking, ‘please, I don’t want to go bat, I don’t want to go bat’. Obviously, Aiden did beautifully well. When I walked out to the middle, I was the most nervous I have ever been. I have my partner with me [David Bedingham] and we got over the line.”[What does it mean to SA?] Means a lot. You can listen to the whole ground singing. While we were on our way back last night, and you see the guys in the street singing songs, it is incredible. Probably getting a little emotional now. We had a tough time as South African cricketers. It’s incredible.”

Not often in Pakistan cricket does someone pass up the chance to take credit for any successful outcome, regardless of how significant their part was. But Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie kept such praise at arm’s length when talking about Pakistan’s bounce-back win over England in the second Test.Gillespie made clear that effectively all the decisions taken in the wake of Pakistan’s chastening innings defeat in the first Test had little to do with him. Moments after the result was official, the PCB announced a new selection committee, one that included former umpire Aleem Dar, as well as Aaqib Javed. It excluded Gillespie and captain Shan Masood from having any say in selection matters – Masood, too, last week said he preferred to pass on the credit “to everyone else” for their part in the win.”The PCB came out and made some changes after that Test match,” Gillespie said ahead of the third Test. “It was decided that a new selection panel would come in and they would be making decisions. I was not involved in the decision-making, I was just there. I’m now just the coach on match-day strategy. I just keep out of things now and just focus on the players and getting them ready for cricket.”It is a remarkably different brief from the one Gillespie was given when he was offered the role earlier this year. At the time, he told ESPNcricinfo he had some “really positive conversations” with the board and the chairman to make sure “we’re moving in the right direction short term, in the medium and long term”.Industrial fans have been used to dry the Pindi pitch•AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan’s late decision to pack the bowling attack with spinners and prepare a surface to assist them does appear to run in contrast to Gillespie’s goals and ambitions when he took over the Test side. In that interview with ESPNcricinfo, he had specifically cautioned against short-termism. “It’s very easy when you’re coming into jobs; you’ve got a two-year contract or a one-year contract,” he had said. “You make short-term decisions to look after your own back. But that doesn’t help anyone, because if everyone has that approach, nothing long-term gets done.”When asked about the composition of the team, Gillespie repeated the point. “It’s not for me to talk about now. I’m no longer a selector, so I’m probably not the person to ask.” Corralled into a role that is much narrower in focus than his initial job description suggested, he did indicate he understood how unusual his situation was. “I’m getting splinters in my a*** from sitting on the fence here,” he quipped.But with a potential series win against England on the line, the importance of the final Test was not lost on Gillespie. In his short time as coach, he has built up positive relationships with several players in the side, paying as much tribute to their qualities as human beings as to their cricketing talent.Related

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“The last few years, Pakistan’s Test cricket hasn’t been where we’d like it to be. Any win is great, and any series win’s fantastic. Just coming into this environment, as a coach, I’m very protective of players. They’re the ones going out and representing their country. I suppose there’s a dad in me that comes out and I want to protect all the boys from all outside noise and whatever.”It is this ability to stay calm that Gillespie wanted to channel more meticulously in his players. At several key points during the second Test, with England appearing to swarm, Pakistan found a way to hunker down when the pressure was on. In the first ten overs, Pakistan fell to 19 for 2 as Babar Azam’s replacement Kamran Ghulam walked out for his Test debut. It could have gone awry very quickly, but Ghulam scored a hundred, and Pakistan put on 366.When England responded, they made light work of the spinners in the first 40 overs, and stood poised for a significant first-innings lead when they were placed at 211 for 2. But in the drying embers of Day 2, Sajid Khan slowed up the pace, found the rough, and triggered a collapse that helped Pakistan take a decisive 75-run lead.”There’s a lot of things in professional sport that you can’t control,” Gillespie said. “To be able to just park that and not focus on that is a skill within itself. Focusing on what we can control, the right things at the right times, and staying calm when things are all happening. The way England played, they looked to create things all the time and the way we want to go against them is to by staying calm and not getting flustered. I thought we did that really well in the last Test match. I was really proud of the boys.”You communicate with your players regularly, talking about their games and how we can help them improve as cricketers and people. I’m very fortunate, I’ve got a wonderful support staff who have developed some really good relationships with our players and players will gravitate towards certain coaches over others at times. But if you all work as a team, that’s the most important thing.”

England will test out their fast-bowling depth when they unleash seven seamers across their ODI series against Australia. A tight schedule of five matches in 11 days – starting at Trent Bridge on Thursday – will demand some degree of rotation, which could aid Hampshire’s John Turner in his long-standing bid to make his international debut.Turner is 23 and only finished an economics and finance degree at Exeter University this summer, but has been on the fringes of England white-ball selection for over a year. He was first named in a squad for last summer’s T20I series against New Zealand, but was ruled out through injury, and was then an unused member of the touring party in the Caribbean in December.After running the drinks during last week’s drawn T20I series, Turner looks set to win first cap at some stage in the Australia ODIs – not least with Jofra Archer’s workload being managed, and three of England’s seven fast-bowling options (Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Olly Stone) flying to Pakistan for October’s Test series days after the final ODI on September 29. Saqib Mahmood’s late addition to the squad on Tuesday further underlined that there will be regular changes through the series.”Just being in the squad is a cool experience for myself,” Turner said. “But you obviously want to and hope to debut at some point, and hopefully that comes at some stage in this series… being in and around the squads and the players, you naturally improve and you naturally learn.Related

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“I definitely would say I’m in a much better place now than I was this time last year, but I’ve still got quite a long way to go: I’m not anywhere near the finished product… The way you approach the game with different ideas for different batsmen and different scenarios, that’s what I end up taking from these types of environments.”Turner has an unmistakable South African accent and only moved to the UK four years ago. But his pace piqued England’s interest during his first T20 campaign for Hampshire last summer and he has taken regular wickets throughout his young professional career, with a bowling average below 20 in all three formats.England are still hoping to identify a middle-overs wicket-taker in the Liam Plunkett mould and Jos Buttler – who will watch this series from the sidelines due to his calf injury – hinted last week that Turner could be used in a similar role. “[It’s about] finding ways to break partnerships and take wickets, which is crucial in those 50-over games,” Buttler said. “Having high pace is certainly a way of doing that.”Turner broke the 90mph/145kph barrier while playing for Trent Rockets this year and describes himself as “naturally competitive”. His Hundred season started in bizarre fashion – he was removed from the attack with figures of 0-0-5-0 against London Spirit after consecutive beamers – but he quickly recovered, taking five wickets in his next two games.He has enjoyed the challenge of playing in the Hundred – “constantly bowling against the best… you’re always under pressure” – and in particular, having his speeds tracked. “Post-game, I’ll probably end up watching every single ball back to see what speed I was at… it’s quite handy to know at times: almost don’t try too hard and it works itself out.”Turner believes that there will be “healthy competition” among England’s fast bowlers in their ODI series. “I’ve never played in the same team as Jof, and I probably won’t be as quick as him. But if I’m bowling with him, if I see his speed on the board, I’ll be like, ‘let me see if I can match him.’ I’m naturally competitive and I’ll naturally want to try and be the quickest.Turner jumps in celebration during the Hundred•PA Images via Getty Images

“It’s probably healthy competition if we have that as well… Pace is my point of difference, but around that, I want to have the skillset also to be able to compete. It’s always exciting to have a full stock of fast bowlers: the crowd enjoy watching sixes and boundaries, but I think it’s quite enjoyable watching guys bowling 85-plus and pure speed.”Despite having played only twice in the County Championship this year, Turner’s ambitions extend across formats. He missed the start of the season with a knee injury and has struggled to break into a Hampshire seam attack which boasts both Mohammad Abbas and Kyle Abbott as spearheads.”Just being in and around them has been a good learning area for me: they’ve helped me improve my game immensely,” Turner said. “That’s definitely the way I want my career to pan out. I’d like to be an all-format [player]: Test cricket, white-ball and franchise stuff. I don’t really want to put myself into a single category.”John Turner was speaking at Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl to mark the installation of 1044 solar panels at the venue, as part of an industry-leading partnership with Utilita Energy

Nick Gubbins equalled his first-class best before Ethan Brookes scored a scintillating maiden Vitality County Championship century but couldn’t prevent a hefty Hampshire lead.Gubbins shone to reach 201 as Hampshire picked up maximum batting points in their improbable title charge, before Mohammad Abbas ran rampant to leave the visitors 61 for 5.Worcestershire’s Brookes and Gareth Roderick countered in a flurry of sweeps and high-quality batting to put on 196, with scores of 132 and 94 individually to confirm their side’s safety in Division One.But Liam Dawson claimed his fifth five-wicket haul of the summer to boast a 189-run first-innings lead, however Hampshire did not enforce the follow-on – instead closing the day on three without loss.Dawson and Gubbins began the day by setting a fifth-wicket partnership record for Hampshire against Worcestershire – beating the 209 between Jim Bailey and Neville Rogers in 1946.The stand reached 220 before Dawson advanced, swatted and skied Tom Taylor to Adam Hose, to begin a hair-raising 10-over spell where Hampshire attempted to reach 450, while losing regular wickets.Gubbins continued his reign and reached the second double-century of his career in 315 balls with a powerful strike through the leg side.But around him, Surrey loanee Amar Virdi took advantage of the aggression to pick up his first professional five-for since 2021.Tom Prest chipped to midwicket to give Taylor his fourth, before off-spinner Virdi got one to turn sharply to pin James Fuller, found Felix Organ slogging to deep midwicket and Kyle Abbott leg before when going back.It was left to Abbas to clip off his legs to the boundary to reach 450 and a fifth batting point before he left Gubbins unbeaten when he edged to second slip.Worcestershire’s response continued the wicket rush as Abbas produced one of his spells where he has the ball on a leash.Jake Libby was done between bat and pad to a ball that nipped in and took the top of the off stump, before Kashif Ali tried to cover his stumps but edged to first slip.The Pakistan international produced another teaser by holding one outside off stump for Rob Jones to nick off, before adding an Adam Hose lbw after lunch to leave Worcestershire 30 for 4.Dawson began his haul with a smart piece of field movement to switch Fletcha Middleton from short leg to short mid off, before some extra bounce saw Brett D’Oliveira glove one to the re-placed Middleton.Roderick had weathered the storm from his end and found a bullish Brookes keen to score quickly – his second time past fifty in 52 balls has he quickly zoomed ahead of his top-order partner’s scoring rate.With Dawson, and Felix Organ, in operation for much of the innings, Brookes took to sweeping to survive and score. He played 44 variations on the shot during his innings. It brought him 13 boundaries and 71 of his runs.His century came in 128 balls and was celebrated with great gusto on and off the field, as he and the increasingly attacking Roderick broke a 124-year record for the sixth wicket for the Pears versus Hampshire – eventually ending on 196.By getting to 250, tied with their three bowling points, Worcestershire secured their Division One status for another season.But that positivity melted into a sticky collapse – with the last five wickets falling for 16 runs.Roderick was leg before to Organ – who wrestled things back after an expensive opening few overs to only go at sixes in the face of jeers from spectators – before Dawson took over.Brookes died by the sweep when he picked out deep square, Logan van Beek and Virdi were lbw before the innings ended with Joe Leach pouched at slip.Without Roderick and Brookes’ stand, the next highest partnership was worth 31, and only D’Oliveira scored more than four runs.Hampshire’s didn’t make them go again, and Hampshire openers Middleton and Toby Albert went through six overs unscathed.

Zimbabwe have emerged as one of two options being considered to host the Women’s T20 World Cup this year. The tournament, which is due to start on October 3 and was scheduled for Bangladesh, is likely to be moved after anti-government agitations prompted security concerns. The UAE is the other place being considered, after India ruled themselves out on Thursday. It is understood that a decision is expected to be made by the ICC board on Tuesday, August 20.Zimbabwe’s interest, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo, comes on the back of intentions to promote themselves as a destination for big cricket after successfully hosting the last two ODI World Cup Qualifiers (in 2018 and 2023). The country last hosted a World Cup in 2003, along with South Africa and Kenya.Since then, Zimbabwe spent several years isolated from major events, which included the Robert Mugabe regime cutting itself off from much of the world, hyperinflation, a self-imposed Test hiatus between 2005 and 2011, and the men’s team failing to qualify for two successive ODI World Cups and two of the last three T20 World Cups. The women’s team has never competed at a World Cup (neither have the UAE’s) and will not feature at this year’s event either, but Zimbabwe are eager to be neutral hosts of the tournament.Related

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Zimbabwe will co-host the men’s Under-19 World Cup with Namibia in 2026 and the ODI World Cup with South Africa and Namibia in 2027. By then, the country will have two more international grounds with Zimbabwe Cricket and local government authorities working together to build multi-purpose facilities in Victoria Falls and Mutare.For now, Zimbabwe can offer Harare Sports Club (which also has newly installed floodlights) and Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo as venues for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup. These grounds also hosted all the televised matches in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers, with streaming games held at Takashinga Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club.The weather in Zimbabwe is expected to be a major selling point, with the country entering summer in October and minimal rain expected. India rejected the offer to host because the country will be experiencing the last of the monsoon. Sri Lanka is also understood to have fallen out of contention for weather-related reasons.Crucially, Zimbabwe will be able to generate fairly good crowds, including school children at venues, where the maximum capacity is 10,000. A concern with the UAE as a venue is the lack of spectators in stadiums that can seat over 20,000 people. Zimbabwe are also hopeful that the relatively lower cost of hosting a tournament in their country compared to the UAE will give them an advantage when the final decision is made.

Suryakumar Yadav knew he “hadn’t touched the rope” and that he’d made the split-second decision of going all out for the catch the moment he saw Rohit Sharma further away from the ball at long-on as compared to him at long-off.The topic of discussion was the catch he took to dismiss David Miller in the final over to tilt the T20 World Cup final in India’s favour, decisively, as it turned out.”Rohit usually never stands at long-on but at that moment he was there,” Suryakumar told the . “So when the ball was coming, for a second I looked at him and he looked at me. I ran and my aim was to catch the ball. Had he [Rohit] been closer, I would have thrown the ball towards him. But he was nowhere close. In those four to five seconds, whatever happened, I can’t explain.”Related

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Was the catch clean? Did Suryakumar’s foot tickle the advertising skirting? Replays have been inconclusive so far.”When I pushed the ball [up and inside the playing area] and took the catch, I knew I hadn’t touched the rope,” he said. “The only thing I was cautious about was that when I pushed the ball back inside, my feet don’t touch the rope. I knew it was a fair catch. In hindsight, anything could have happened. If the ball had gone for six, the equation would have been five balls, ten runs. We might have still won, but the margin would have been closer.”Suryakumar revealed the method behind taking such catches, while also crediting fielding coach T Dilip for motivating the entire group by introducing the fielding medal after every match, which has ensured “everyone wants to do something extra on the ground”.”The catch I took, I have practised it at different grounds, depending on the wind,” he said. “I was standing a bit wide because Hardik [Pandya] and Rohit had put a field for the wide yorker, and Miller had hit straight. My mind was clear that I have to catch it come what may.”A day before the game, we do a quality fielding session where for 10-12 minutes, we have more than ten high catches, flat catches, direct hits, slip catching. It’s not a one-day exercise, I practise these kinds of catches during IPL, during bilateral series. Yesterday’s catch was the reward of the hard work done over the years.”Getty Images

Suryakumar said that such balance and agility wouldn’t have been possible without working on his fitness. He spent four months on the sidelines from November 2023 to March 2024, recovering from a sports hernia and an ankle injury. It was during this period that he worked on slimming down as part of his fitness regimen which also included working with a nutritionist.”I remember last August, I was at around 93kg, maybe because I was having too much local food,” he said. “I got injured and then had a hernia operation. I went to NCA [BCCI’s National Cricket Academy] from January 1 to April 1 [this year]. Even during off days, I used to not go home because I knew Monday morning would be my session. I couldn’t waste time.”I ate proper food prepared by my chef. I used to sleep sharp at 10pm and get up early in the morning. Even now, I have decided on my meals for the next week with the help of the chef and nutritionist; they decide how much protein and fat I will have daily, how much water I need to take with my food. We have a group for it which also has my wife. They decide and I just follow. It helped me here.”How has he soaked that moment in, along with the euphoria of being a world champion?”In those four to five seconds, whatever happened, I can’t explain,” he said. “The amount of reaction I have been getting for that, people have been calling, messaging; there are more than 1000 unread WhatsApp messages on my phone. The catch is all over social media. I’m grateful that I was there in those five seconds of play.”