July 2024 - News Digest

July 31

Sri Lanka women to tour Ireland in August

The 2024 Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka will travel to Ireland in August for a series of two T20Is and three ODIs. The team will leave Sri Lanka on August 6, ahead of the first game of the series which begins with the T20I leg on August 11. The three-match ODI series will be played from August 16-20, with all three games part of the ICC Women's Championship.

Sri Lanka tour of Ireland schedule:

11th August - 1st T20I, Pembroke, Dublin

13th August - 2nd T20I, Pembroke, Dublin

16th August - 1st ODI, Stormont, Belfast

18th August - 2nd ODI, Stormont, Belfast

20th August - 3rd ODI, Stormont, Belfast

July 30

Zak Crawley to play for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20, 2025

Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape confirmed the signing of batter Zak Crawley and spinner Roelof van der Merve for SA20, 2025. England's 26-year-old Test opener, who also has a T20 Blast hundred for Kent, recently spoke about adding to his repertoire as a white-ball batter.

"I've always wanted to be a good white-ball player," he said.. "I'm trying to add a few other shots to my game, but I feel like it's quite suited and I've gone well in T20 cricket in the past when I've had a run at it. I'm trying to add a bit more power to my game, I'm working hard in the nets trying a few different things to hopefully hit more and bigger sixes."

Meanwhile, former South Africa and Dutch international, Roelof van der Merve will also return to play for the two-time champions in 2025. Van der Merve was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the inaugural edition of the tournament, with 20 wickets at an 5.62 ER including a Player of the Match-winning effort of 4/31 in the final. The 39-year-old also still boasts the best-ever figures - 6/20 - in SA20 history.

July 29

Pretoria Capitals appoint Trott as Head Coach

Former England batter Jonathan Trott has been appointed as the head coach of Pretoria Capitals, the franchise announced on Monday. Trott will take over from the outgoing Graham Ford for the 2025 season.

Trott is currently the head coach of Afghanistan and his new deal, signed in January, runs through to the end of the year. The SA20 is scheduled to be held in January and currently, there is no clarity on Trott's future with the Afghanistan team. Under his guidance, Afghanistan had a commendable campaign in the 2023 ODI World Cup and went a step further in the 2024 T20 World Cup by reaching the semifinal.

July 26

Durban Super Giants sign Williamson, Woakes

New Zealand stalwart Kane Williamson and England all-rounder Chris Woakes are all set to make their maiden dash into the SA20 after being picked by Durban Super Giants for the 2025 season. Williamson's signing doesn't come as a surprise, given his recent move to turn down the New Zealand central contract. At that time, the former captain had stressed on his intention to feature in more T20 leagues across the globe, pointing out the January-February window as a particular point of interest. With the window coinciding with the SA20, this development was only a matter of time and it was only a question of which franchise would win the race to sign him. Meanwhile, Woakes' value in England's national white-ball setup has waned with the pacer being ignored in the recent 2024 T20 World Cup. But the seamer remains an integral asset in the shorter forms with his all-round value. He joins Joe Root (Paarl Royals) and Ben Stokes (MI Cape Town) as the latest Englishmen to join the league.

July 24

Akeem Jordan replaces Jeremiah Louis in WI Test squad

Fast bowler Jeremiah Louis has been replaced by Akeem Jordan in the West Indies Test squad following an injury. Louis didn't play in the first two Tests but copped a hamstring injury during the second Test at Trent Bridge and is now out for the series. Jordan, already in the UK, has joined the squad and trained with them on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Louis remains with the team to continue his treatment, the CWI said in a statement.

July 20

Deepti Sharma to play in the 'Hundred'

Deepti Sharma returns to the Hundred and will feature for the London Spirit Women. She featured for the same side in the inaugural edition in 2021 and was with the Birmingham Phoenix in 2022. She will replace the injured Grace Harris who has been ruled out of the tournament.

Deepti Sharma will come into the competition with form under her belt, having played some crucial knocks in the recent series against South Africa. She was also named the Player of the Tournament in the WPL earlier this year where she amassed 295 runs in 8 matches and picked up 10 wickets.

Deepti will be one of three Indian players to feature in this year's Hundred with Smriti Mandhana featuring for Southern Brave and Richa Ghosh representing the Birmingham Phoenix.

Sophie Molineux who was to feature for the Manchester Originals has also been ruled out of the tournament, courtesy a broken finger and has been replaced by Kim Garth.

July 19

Root bags SA20 deal

Out of favour in the England T20 set up, Joe Root has secured a deal at the SA20 after Paarl Royals signed him up for the 2025 season. This will be the second Royals franchise for Root after he played for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2023. "We all know what a phenomenal player Joe Root is, and to have him back at the Royals is a great feeling," Royals' Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, said. "He has been a great contributor to all the teams he has represented over the years, and has also proven to be a valuable all-rounder with his bowling and fielding attributes. As we saw during IPL 2023 and have also seen over the years, he is also a great team man, and has the ability to help his teammates develop both on and off the field."

Stokes to return for 'Hundred'

England test match captain Ben Stokes will play in the 2024 edition of the for four matches. He will turn out for the Northern Superchargers, the team based in Leeds. Stokes has not played a single game in the Hundred since the first edition where he had made two appearances back in 2021. This was due to him taking over captaincy of the Test team in 2022.

The Superchargers had a forgetful campaign in 2023 finishing rock bottom winning just two games in their eight matches. They would hope Stokes' inclusion during the group stage would see them push for a Top 3 spot.

England are currently playing a three match test series against the West Indies and the rest of the players in the Test squad, selected for the Hundred will be available for their sides after the series ends on 30 July.

Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson and Dillon Pennington selected in the squads will play only after keeping a keen eye on their workload management while Chris Woakes will feature from 6 August.

The Hundred is scheduled to start on 23 July with defending champions Oval Invincibles taking on Birmingham Phoenix at the Kennington Oval in London.

July 16

Dockrell to join Lancashire for T20 Blast; Livingstone rejoins squad

Lancashire Lightnings have signed Ireland all-rounder George Dockrell for the remaining matches of the T20 Blast as an overseas player. Dockrell is set to join the squad on Wednesday ahead of the clash against Notts Outlaws at Old Trafford.

He will also be available for any potential knockout stage fixtures in September. Dockrell has previously played for Somerset from 2011 to 2014 in the County Championship

Dockrell said of the signing, "I am delighted to join the Club for the rest of this summer's Vitality Blast, and I am looking forward to helping Lancashire Lightning push for some silverware this season. We are in a really strong position in the North Group, with two important home games remaining as we look to secure that all important home quarter-final at Emirates Old Trafford in September."

Lancashire head coach Dale Benkenstein also added, "We are really pleased to add George into our squad for the rest of the Vitality Blast this year. With the potential for knockout round matches in September and uncertainty around player availability, George provides us with another overseas option for the latter stages. He will go straight into the squad for the final two matches of the group stage this week and will offer us an experienced left-arm spin option, while he can also be a match-winner with the bat in the finisher role as he has proven on the international stage with Ireland."

Meanwhile, Liam Livingstone is also set to return for Lancashire ahead of the game against Outlaws.

July 14

Minnu Mani to lead India A in Australia

Minnu Mani has been named captain of the 18-player India A squad announced by BCCI on Sunday. India A are set to play three T20s and as many 50-over matches followed by a 4-day match against Australia A, starting August 7.

The squad includes several players who have played international cricket, including Priya Punia, Shubha Satheesh, Kiran Navgire, Uma Chetry and Meghna Singh. Mumbai pacer Saima Thakor has been named as a standby for the tour.

Squad: Minnu Mani (C), Shweta Sehrawat (VC), Priya Punia, Shubha Satheesh, Tejal Hasabnis, Kiran Navgire, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (Wk), Shipra Giri (Wk), Raghavi Bisht, Saika Ishaque, Mannat Kashyap, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Meghna Singh, Sayali Satghare, Shabnam Shakeel*, S. Yashasri

The multi-format tour will kickstart at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, which will host the three T20s. The tour caravan will then move to Mackay for the three one-dayers followed by a four-day game in Gold Coast.

*Shabnam Shakeel's inclusion in the side is subject to fitness clearance.

July 13

Trinbago Knight Riders bring in Jhulan Goswami as mentor in WCPL 2024

Former India cricketer Jhulan Goswami has been roped in as mentor by the Trinbago Knight Riders ahead of the women's Caribbean Premier League 2024 season. The Knight Riders, who won the inaugural WCPL season in 2021, recently snpped up the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Meg Lanning, Jess Jonassen and Shikha Pandey. The team is led by former West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin.

"It's an honour to join such a quality franchise," Goswami said. "Knight Riders have done so well in India and around the world, and to join TKR Women at the WCPL is a pleasure. Thanks to KKR management for thinking about me as a mentor and I'm really looking forward to this tournament."

Goswami, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career spanning 20 years, also comes with coaching experience. She plies her trade as the bowling coach and mentor of Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League.

"The conversation about me joining TKR started with Mr. Venky Mysore [CEO of Knight Riders group]. As a management head, the way he takes care of everyone is amazing. I felt really honoured by the way both Shah Rukh Khan and Venky sir welcomed me and spoke to me when we met in Kolkata during the IPL," Goswami revealed.

The WCPL season will be held from August 21 to 29.

BCB to relaunch NCL in T20 format for women

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to relaunch the National Cricket League (NCL) in the T20 format for women as part of preparation for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup be played in Bangladesh from October 3.

The NCL is usually played in the 50-over format but the competition for women wasn't held last year. BCB women's wing head Habibul Bashar said they are looking to start an eight-team NCL for women cricketers from August 10-22 at Rajshahi Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium.

"Last year we could not host the NCL for women cricketers but we are eyeing to re-launch it in Rajshahi from August," Bashar told Cricbuzz on Saturday (July 13). "Usually the NCL (for women cricketers) is played in 50-over format but this year we are eyeing to play it in T20 format as we want it to be part of our preparation for the next ICC T20 World Cup."

In the coming days the Bangladesh women's team will be busy playing the Women's Asia Cup. The ninth edition of the Women's Asia Cup will be played from 19 to 28 July in Sri Lanka in the T20 format.

Pakistan and India are placed in Group A along with Nepal and UAE, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia are in Group B. The top two teams from each group will play in the semi-finals on July 26. Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka on 20 July, followed by matches against Thailand and Malaysia respectively 22 and 24 July.

July 12

Venues announced for India tour of Sri Lanka

India will play three T20Is - on July 26, 27 and 29 in Pallekele, and three ODIs - on August 1, 4 and 7 in Colombo, against Sri Lanka. This series will be the start of a stint for both head coaches as Sanath Jayasuriya and Gautam Gambhir take charge of Sri Lanka and India respectively.

India last toured Sri Lanka in 2021 where they won the ODI series (2-1) and lost in the T20Is (2-1).

July 10

Ajinkya Naik files papers for MCA president post, up against Sanjay Naik

Ajinkya Naik, the secretary of Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has filed nomination for the president's post of the association. He will be up against three candidates but the main opposition will be from Sanjay Naik, a former secretary himself and current vice-president.

The election for the president's post is being held following the death of the MCA president Amol Kale recently in the US.

"Today, I submitted my nomination for the position of President of the Mumbai Cricket Association. I remain committed to continue the legacy of the late Amol Kale sir by collaborating with the Apex Council to work for the MCA, its clubs, and its cricketers," Naik said in a statement.

Apart from the two Naiks - Ajinkya and Sanjay - Vihang Pratap Sarnaik and Bhushan Patil are also in the fray. Wednesday was the last day for filing the nominations. July 16 is the day for withdrawal and the election will be held on July 23. The result also will be declared on the same day.

Tony Hemming resigns before completing tenure

The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Wednesday announced that curator Tony Hemming left his position before the completion of his tenure. Hemming, a highly regarded figure in cricket turf management, joined the BCB in July 2023 on a two-year contract.

The Australian was tasked with developing the Sheikh Hasina International Cricket Stadium in Purbachal and running education programs for curators.

"Tony Hemming has been an invaluable asset to the BCB, bringing his extensive knowledge and experience to enhance our cricketing infrastructure. His meticulous approach and dedication have raised the bar for ground preparation in Bangladesh, leaving a lasting impact on our facilities," BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said in a statement on Wednesday.

July 8

BCB introduces grading system for local coaches

Bangladesh Cricket Board has introduced a grading system for its contracted local coaches, BCB officials confirmed to Cricbuzz on Monday. The gradation system was approved during the last board meeting on July 2.

As per the proposed salary structure of contractual coaches proposed by BCB game development unit and seen by Cricbuzz, the contracted coaches will have to serve BCB full-time as per the given assignment.

However, BCB may allow them once a year (maximum) for external work, to take part in either the Bangladesh Premier League or the Dhaka Premier League, while the external work period will be considered as leave without pay.

"Keeping the socio-economic condition of the country we have decided to increase the salary structure but at the same time we have decided that a contracted local coach can take part in DPL or BPL because if we allow a coach to take part in both the tournament in that case we won't get him for more than 100 days," BCB game development chairman Khaled Mahmud told Cricbuzz on Monday.

"We would prefer them to do the DPL as during the BPL there are lots of players who are not picked and at that point they can work with them," he said.

The coaches are divided into four grades - A, B, C and D. A grade has three categories while the others have two each. The coaches of A and B grade will have a three-year contract, while the coaches of C and D1 grade will have a two-year contract. The D2 coaches will receive a one-year contract.

July 7

Confident that India will win WTC Final and CT under Rohit, says Jay Shah

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has thrown his weight behind Rohit Sharma the captain and expressed faith in him to deliver the WTC title, which India has missed out on in the last two cycles, and the Champions Trophy.

"I am confident that under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, we will win the WTC Final and the Champions Trophy," Shah said in a BCCI video.

"I want to congratulate Team India for this historic win. I want to dedicate this triumph to skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, head coach Rahul Dravid and Ravindra Jadeja. This was our third final in the last one year. We lost (WTC final) in June 2023. In November 2023, we scored 10 wins and won the hearts of the people, but couldn't win the (ODI) World Cup.

"I had said in Rajkot that in June 2024 that we will win the hearts of the people, and also the T20 World Cup and plant the tri-colour and our captain did it. In this win, the last five overs played a big role. For this contribution, I want to thank Suryakumar Yadav, Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya. Now, our next target is the WTC final and the Champions Trophy."

July 5

Nafees Iqbal, Bangladesh's former national batter and current national team's logistics manager, suffered a stroke in the morning, a BCB official said on Friday. Nafees reached Dhaka in the evening by air ambulance and was admitted to Bangladesh Specialized Hospital.

Nafees recently toured USA and West Indies with the national team for the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup. "All we know is that he had a stroke in the morning and we admitted him to specialized hospital and the severity of the stroke can only be revealed after the diagnosis is completed in the hospital," Debashish told Cricbuzz on Friday. Nafees, who played 11 Tests and 16 ODIs for Bangladesh between 2003 and 2006, is the elder brother of Tamim Iqbal and the nephew of Akram Khan.

July 4

Langeveldt joins Zimbabwe as bowling coach

Close on the heels of naming Justin Sammons as head coach and Dion Ebrahim as batting coach, Zimbabwe finalised the rest of the support staff. Former South Africa pacer Charl Langeveldt has been appointed as the bowling coach, with Ravish Gobind and Curtly Diesel taking over as strategic performance coach and strength and conditioning coach respectively.

The appointments were made in consultation with Sammons. Stuart Matsikenyeri was retained in the coaching setup but now assumes the role of fielding coach, while Amato Machikicho continues as the team's physio.

The new coaching staff was one of the recommendations by the Mhishi Committee of Inquiry which probed Zimbabwe's failure to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

July 3

Marizanne Kapp joins Melbourne Stars

South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has joined Melbourne Stars for three years in the Women's Big Bash League. She was picked as the first ever overseas player in the WBBL draft for Sydney Thunder last year.

The 34 year-old all-rounder has made 103 T20I appearances for South Africa since she made her debut in 2009. She was the Player of the Match in the Final of the 21-22 WBBL season helping Perth Scorchers win the title.

Kapp said that her time working with Jonathan Batty and Meg Lanning at Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League was one of the key reasons for the move from the Thunder to the Stars and is excited to bowl at the MCG.

"I've been working with JB (Jonathan Batty) for a couple of years and then obviously working with Meg was a big factor for me moving, I like they way they work." Kapp said.

"I feel like the first couple of Big Bashes, we played a lot more in the bigger stadiums, I absolutely love bowling at the MCG."

July 2

Balaji yet to accept TN role

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has confirmed to Cricbuzz that Lakshmipathy Balaji has been appointed as the coach of the state side for the upcoming domestic season. However, there remains uncertainty regarding whether he will accept the role. As of now, he is still contracted to the TNCA.

Balaji refused to speak on his future plans, but sources indicate that the former Indian pacer has received an offer from elsewhere.

Balaji served as the assistant coach of Tamil Nadu last season under Sulakshan Kulkarni, who resigned after the team's semifinal exit from the Ranji Trophy. Recently, Balaji was in the US as a television expert for the World Cup.