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A thrilling chase and a cruel missed chance saw India seal a Twenty20 series sweep over Australia at the SCG, as the more settled side was victorious once again

The Report by Daniel Brettig at the SCG31-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA thrilling chase and a cruel missed chance saw India seal a Twenty20 series sweep over Australia at the SCG, as the more settled side was victorious once again.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli laid the groundwork for India’s pursuit before Suresh Raina was able to finish things off with the help of Yuvraj Singh, who looked out of touch before finding his timing at precisely the right moment as the pair took 19 off Andrew Tye’s final over of the innings to finish off the win. Victory also lifted India to No.1 in the ICC T20 rankings; they were eighth before the series began.Raina was fortunate to be there, having escaped a stumping chance second ball. The bowler Cameron Boyce was Australia’s outstanding performer on the night, but he was let down by the glove work of Cameron Bancroft, a speculative choice as wicketkeeper for this match in the absence of Matthew Wade.The error typified Australia’s muddled approach to this series, just a month out from the World T20 in India. However they did have the consolation of an outstanding century by the stand-in captain Shane Watson, who showed why he should be indispensable to the team’s campaign on the same day his former team-mate Michael Clarke announced he intended to return to cricket after a five-month break.India’s bowling was not particularly strong this night, but their batting strength was demonstrated by Rohit, Kohli and Raina. Vitally, Raina and Yuvraj did not lose their heads under the pressure of the chase – a strong lesson for the Australians given their panicky displays in Adelaide and Melbourne.In pursuit of 198, India needed a fast start, something Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit were more than capable of providing. Dhawan only lasted nine balls, but in that time clumped 26 runs and made a mess of Shaun Tait. Rohit was a little more circumspect, but helped keep the score ticking over well ahead of the required rate.Australia were able to pull things back somewhat through the middle overs thanks largely to the bowling of Watson and the legspinner Boyce, who gave the ball teasing flight and loaded it with spin to beat Rohit, Kohli and Raina in the air. Boyce gained two wickets for his effort but should have had a third, when Bancroft missed the stumping chance that a more seasoned keeper might have completed.After Kohli’s exit to Boyce’s penultimate ball for another sparkling contribution of 50, Raina and Yuvraj Singh pottered around for a time. As MS Dhoni had done during the 50-over match on this ground a little over a week ago, they allowed the equation to stretch out while finding their bearings, and Tye was left to defend 17 from the final over.As though rousing from a deep sleep, Yuvraj pounced on Tye’s first two balls, flicking over backward square leg to the fence then pounding a six into the heaving crowd at midwicket. That rather simplified the equation for India, and a pair of hustled twos by Raina were followed by an exultant last ball boundary that completed India’s clean sweep.Watson had won the toss on a warm evening and walked out to bat with his Thunder opening partner Usman Khawaja. In the form of his life, Khawaja strolled to 14 from five balls before edging a good one from Ashish Nehra and being dismissed for less than 50 for the first time since last October.That was something of a shock for the crowd and the Australians, but Watson was soon finding his range with powerful shots struck through and over MS Dhoni’s fields. He was given a helping hand by a pair of no-balls from Jaspreet Bumrah in the fourth over, the second from the free-hit he gave up by bowling the first – both were crunched to the cover boundary by Watson.Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell could not endure in Watson’s company, but Travis Head provided common sense support to his captain, who grew in fluency and confidence with every over. A few weeks ago Watson had played similarly well on this ground for the Sydney Thunder against the Sydney Sixers, and this time Watson went on from his typical resting place between 50 and 90 to a maiden T20 international century.The milestone brought an expansive celebration by Watson on the ground of his adopted home state for several reasons. Not only was it a rare international century for him and a moment to assure his presence in the team for the World T20 in India, the innings was also doubtless a timely one a few days before the IPL auction.Watson would follow up with some tidy bowling, but as captain he could do little about some of the less illustrious work of others, as India romped home. They will go into the World T20 full of confidence; Australia meanwhile do not look sure where to go.

Pujara’s availability will be determined by his other commitments

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2022Cheteshwar Pujara will return to Sussex in 2023 after making a significant impact during his first season with the club this year.”I am glad to be back with Sussex for the 2023 season,” Pujara said in a statement released by the club. “I thoroughly enjoyed my last stint with the club last season, both on and off the field and I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s growth and success in the coming year.”Pujara made Sussex his fourth county after previous spells with Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, and made eight hundreds – including three doubles – for them across formats. He was their leading run-scorer in Division Two of the County Championship, with an aggregate of 1094 at 109.4 across 13 innings, and was the second-highest scorer across the 50-over Royal London Cup, making three hundreds as Sussex reached the semi-finals. He also deputised as captain.Sussex did not specify in their statement which formats Pujara would play, or for how long, but his availability will be dictated by his involvement in India’s Test squad and, possibly, the IPL. The club later clarified that they expect him to play Championship and 50-over cricket for them and added that he is due to arrive in time for the start of the season.Pujara remains an important part of India’s Test plans, top-scoring with 66 in their most recent game in the format against England in July. Their Test schedule is relatively sparse in 2023, but they are due to play a two-match series away against West Indies in July-August.He has not played an IPL game since 2014 but was part of Chennai Super Kings’ squad in 2021, and would miss the first two months of the county season if picked up in December’s auction.Keith Greenfield, Sussex’s performance director, said, “It is fantastic news that Cheteshwar will be returning in 2023. We all saw the class he showed with the bat and his performances, but he was also outstanding in our young dressing room as a world-class role model for them to follow.”Sussex are in the process of recruiting a new coach after Ian Salisbury left at the end of the 2022 season. James Kirtley acted as T20 coach throughout Salisbury’s tenure, but the club will return to a single head coach from 2023.

Dean Elgar has provided a forceful defence of South Africa’s coaching staff, who have taken a public battering in the aftermath of the team’s back to back series defeats

Firdose Moonda20-Jan-20163:45

‘Definitely not a dead rubber’ – Elgar

Dean Elgar has provided a forceful defence of South Africa’s coaching staff, who have taken a public battering in the aftermath of the team’s back to back series defeats. Head coach Russell Domingo and his slew of support staff were most heavily criticised by former captain Graeme Smith who questioned whether the management was getting the best out of the players and directing them in the right way. Elgar insisted they are.”My words are pretty firm. What’s been said in the media is quite wrong and a little bit hurtful. Our management deserve a lot more respect, especially by those guys who have worked with them before,” he said. “People don’t know what our management team do behind closed doors, with regards to their work ethic and giving guys freedom to prepare their own way. They have ticked all the boxes in my eyes.”Elgar found no fault with either preparation or personnel although he conceded a full-time batting coach could be a welcome addition to a backroom staff that includes two bowling coaches. “Our preparation has been brilliant. That’s a non-negotiable for us,” he said. “I do think a specialist batting coach would add a lot of value. I know there have been a few guys asked to help us, to a bit of a negative response. Even though you are playing for South Africa, you sometimes do need that little bit of fine-tuning from someone else that is just observing from the sidelines. I do think there will be a benefit for one in the squad. With regards to who it would be, I’m not sure.”South Africa have been through three batting consultants, Gary Kirsten, Mike Hussey and Smith, who played under Domingo for nine months between June 2013 and March 2014. In that time, South Africa drew a Test series against Pakistan in the UAE, beat India at home and lost to Australia. That period also saw the retirement of Jacques Kallis before Smith signed off from the international stage, putting the team into its greatest transitional period in a decade.At first, it seemed South Africa would cope with the loss of big names. They won a series in Sri Lanka and beat Zimbabwe and West Indies under Hashim Amla. But the frailties began to show in India, where South Africa were beaten 3-0 on turning tracks, and the malaise has continued into the England series.Injuries to key members of their pace pack – Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn – have hamstrung then in one department while a misfiring batting line-up, which has been bowled out for their two lowest scores since readmission in the last two series, has handicapped them in the other. As a result, there have been questions asked about the mental strength of the side and whether the behind the scenes dramas including transformation, uncertainty over AB de Villiers’ long-term future and now, the domestic match-fixing scandal is bleeding into performance.Elgar admitted the scrutiny around the team’s performances had not gone unnoticed but insisted the team remained united. “The best is to try and laugh it off. If you let that affect you, it’s taking a few steps back. I’m sure every player will say they don’t read what’s in the media, I do read the media,” he said. “It is disheartening to hear those things in the media but the Test side is a tight unit. I know that the cricket doesn’t reflect that, but we are. I can vouch for that. It is a little bit unpleasant hearing it in the media. That’s their opinions. I know from where I sit the Proteas are a strong unit.”South Africa’s coach Russell Domingo is under pressure after a string of poor results•Gallo Images

But they are also a changing unit, and that may be the biggest difference between them and a settled England side. “The English players seem to know their game very well. Two years ago, they were in a similar position to us. They were getting a beating by Australia or another team. Their players have adapted very quickly. It seems like they know their role very well.”They have a lot of impact players within their side. Ben Stokes adds a huge advantage with bat and ball and fielding at gully. They’re also a very experienced unit. Especially with ball in hand, you can see they know their stuff. They’re highly skilled and focused and they know what to do on the international circuit.”South Africa’s experience has been whittled down to that extent that even Elgar, who has only played 24 Tests, is now considered part of a senior core, especially when it comes to the top two. Given that Elgar is the experienced opener he is expected to anchor the innings, something he wants to work harder on.”I have been reasonably happy but in the same breath very frustrated as well. I’ve got three 40s, which if people know me, that really grinds me,” he said. “I would rather go out for zero than in the 40s or 50s, when the hard work has been done. All you have to do then is apply yourself a little bit more. There are still two more innings in the series and I’ll try and make it count.”If he can, it may strengthen his case as a candidate for the Test captaincy, which will be decided on during the winter break. De Villiers remains the frontrunner for the job but Elgar, who could have more years left than de Villiers, has been picked to lead the South African A side against England in a fifty-over warm-up match and may now start mulling the possibility of the main job.”Since school cricket I was someone that wanted to lead from the front. I wanted to be the best in the side. It was something that was drilled into me from a young age. Irrespective of who you are playing against. It’s about pride,” he said. “If it had to come my way, it’s something I will have to think long and hard about. I don’t think it’s something that’s very easy. I know it’s something a lot of guys take very seriously.”

Michael Vaughan believes it is time to replace Moeen Ali with Adil Rashid in the England Test side and for Gary Ballance and Ian Bell to swap the places in the batting order as England prepare for the start of the Investec Ashes

George Dobell30-Jun-20151:00

‘England should throw Rashid in for something different’ – Vaughan

Michael Vaughan believes it is time to replace Moeen Ali with Adil Rashid in the England Test side and for Gary Ballance and Ian Bell to swap the places in the batting order as England prepare for the start of the Investec Ashes.Vaughan, England captain when they won the 2005 Ashes, feels that Rashid’s legspin can help England cut through Australia’s tail and fears Moeen is not bowling with the confidence required to withstand the likely assault he will face. While Vaughan accepted that Australia would also target Rashid, he feels he is bowling with such confidence following the ODI series against New Zealand that he can come through such a challenge.”I certainly would have Rashid in the squad and I’d be looking to play him,” Vaughan said. “I just think it would be something that Australia wouldn’t expect. I think they’re expecting to face Moeen. “If England can surprise them and play just a little bit above the level they did against New Zealand, I think it will surprise Australia.”I just look at Rashid the other day flicking them out at Durham. If he does well in the four-day game at Durham as well, I’d just throw him straight in as a young chap who’s confident. He is on the crest of that one-day wave, so I’d just play him.”With the way that he bowls and the way England have really struggled to get rid of tails, it is something different that England might surprise Australia with.”Moeen Ali is the incumbent spinner in England’s Test side•Getty Images

Vaughan admitted that Rashid is not the finished article, though. He cautioned against too much expectation in him and suggested that Alastair Cook, as captain, would have to find a way to assist him, in first innings especially.”I wouldn’t expect him to whip through the Smiths and Clarkes in the first innings,” Vaughan said. “Any top-order player will probably attack him. And in the first innings, on good pitches, you would have to manage him very well. But with careful management and careful field settings he certainly can play a big part.”Vaughan suggested Moeen can still perform an important role for England in the future. “I think Moeen is terrific, I really do,” Vaughan said. “I think he’s going to have years and years with the England side. But he has had a difficult time of it of late. He has not quite been as consistent and he has not been having the long spells as he has not been taking wickets.”When you go into an Ashes series you have to be so confident in your own ability and you have to be on top of that confidence level to compete. I just don’t know if he’s got the confidence level. He’s not bowling enough overs for me to suggest that he’s bowling with that fizz like he did last year.”He bowled great against India. But you don’t pick someone for what was happening last year. And if they go one-nil down it’s going be a long series.”Vaughan believes Bell would benefit from the demonstration of confidence a promotion to No. 3 in the batting order would provide. Bell currently bats at No. 4, with Vaughan suggesting he could swap places with Ballance.”The way Ballance played against New Zealand was a concern but he’s tough,” Vaughan said. “He got good balls, but his feet weren’t moving as well as he can. So I’d make the change. I’d put Gary at No. 4 and Bell at No. 3. I just think that every now and again Bell needs a prod and a poke. He should gain a lot of confidence by someone telling him he’s No. 3.”That could knock Gary’s confidence, but I just think he’s better suited at four. I look at the whole order and you can have left hand, right hand down the order. At the moment, we have three lefties at the top of the order. If you have three of one suit in any position of the order, you can get used to captaining against it.”Hardys of Australia are proud sponsors of England cricket. Show your support this summer with #HardysENG or #HardysAUS to win prizes

No play on Friday after first-day washout, match could still begin on Saturday

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Sep-2022The third Test between England and South Africa at the Kia Oval has been suspended following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.The announcement of the Queen’s death at the age of 96 came at 6.30pm on Thursday, the scheduled first day of the Test, after which the ECB confirmed that no scheduled cricket would take place on Friday. As well as day two of the Test, four fixtures in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were due to be played.”Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Friday’s play between England and South Africa Men at The Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place,” the ECB said in a statement. “For fixtures beyond Friday, updates will be provided in due course.”The ECB is in consultation with government and other sports on the appropriate course of action for the rest of the Test. Ticket-holders for day two will be eligible for a full refund, the board confirmed.No play was possible on day one because of rain throughout the day, with stumps eventually called at 4.44pm, as speculation rose about the condition of the monarch.ESPNcricinfo understands the ECB and the Proteas management team met to discuss options, whether moving day two to Saturday or cancelling the Test altogether. CSA was happy to accept whatever the ECB board deemed appropriate and is willing to extend the team’s stay in the UK to facilitate the completion of the series, which is currently tied at one Test apiece.ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in the game when I say how truly sad I am to hear of the Queen’s passing. Her Majesty has been such a great supporter of the game and was always so vocal of her and her late husband’s enjoyment around the sport. Her dedication to her country will never be forgotten. For her service and her selflessness over her extraordinary reign, we owe her a debt that can never be repaid.”A period of national mourning is expected in the UK, with sporting cancellations likely. Play was suspended at the PGA Championship in Wentworth on Thursday evening, while the British Horseracing Authority announced the postponement of Friday’s races.England were playing a Test match in India when the death of King George VI was announced in 1952. Day two of the Chennai Test was designated a rest day, with India going on to record their first victory in the format on the fourth day of play.

Senior figures from UK Sport, FA and Manchester City also invited to give input

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2022Andrew Strauss says that England’s ambition is to become the “best in the world at all formats of the men’s game within the next five years”, after announcing a panel of experts for the ECB’s high-performance review that includes Sir Dave Brailsford, the former head of the British Cycling team that topped the medal tables at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.Writing in a blog post on the ECB’s website, Strauss reiterated his intention to be “bold” in assessing the failings that have left England’s Test team with one victory in 17 matches since March 2021, and with their lowest ICC ranking since 1995. His aim, he added, is to have solid proposals for the game to vote on by September, in order for the restructuring to begin in time for the 2023 season.”Over the past 42 years, England’s Men have been the number one ranked Test team in the world for a total of 12 months, and 50-over number one for 64 months,” Strauss wrote. “In T20 cricket, we have held the top spot for 748 days since the inception of those rankings in 2011.”At the moment, we aren’t top in any format. So we want to set an ambitious and clear goal – to become the best in the world at all formats of the men’s game within the next five years.”It’s extremely ambitious because we’ve never done it before. But why can’t it be achievable? What’s stopping us – and what else could help us get there? That’s what I want our high-performance review to consider.”From within cricket, the ECB’s panel includes Rob Key, England men’s director of cricket, and Durham’s Marcus North, alongside Daryl Mitchell from the PCA and Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director.From outside the game, Strauss has also secured the expert input of Kate Baker, director of performance at UK Sport; Simon Timson, Manchester City’s performance director; Dan Ashworth, the former FA director of elite development, and Penny Hughes, the ex-chair of Aston Martin.However, Brailsford – who is currently the director of the professional cycling team Ineos Grenadiers – is arguably the most prominent name on the panel. Strauss has long been an admirer of his “marginal gains” philosophy, and adopted many of those principles on England’s victorious Ashes tour of 2010-11.Brailsford’s reputation within cycling was recently tarnished, however, when his ex-colleague, Dr Richard Freeman – the former doctor at British Cycling and Team Sky – was found by a medical tribunal to have ordered testosterone “knowing or believing” it was to be used to improve the performance of one of the team’s riders.”I wanted to find experts in high performance whatever that field, some who’ve been in the spotlight, others who’ve been in the background generating high-performance programmes or systems,” Strauss added. “Some with cricket knowledge and expertise, others from a wider sporting background. People with different experiences, who have undergone different journeys, but all of whom we can learn from. And people who are all keen to help cricket.”Strauss added that views would also be sought from cricket’s supporters, and that the whole process would have oversight from a group of first-class county chairs. The remit of the review will not, however, take in the international schedule, nor will it tackle the specifics of the domestic calendar until the remodelled structures have been put in place.”I read a lot of speculation about the domestic competition structure. Of course, this is an important part of the picture, but it’s not the only part,” Strauss added. “The review is designed to look at the high-performance system in its entirely, including the England men’s pathway and our high performance set-up.”And let’s be clear – we have no pre-built solution. At this stage the project is only just starting. There are no hidden agendas. I wouldn’t be bothering to carry out a review if I was already sitting here with specific proposals for change.”

Mashrafe Mortaza has said he will play Khulna Division in their next first-class match, against Rangpur on October 10, in the National Cricket League

Mohammad Isam05-Oct-2015Mashrafe Mortaza has said he will play Khulna Division in their next first-class match, against Rangpur on October 10, in the National Cricket League. While his fitness remains a constant worry, Mashrafe is optimistic that a return to Test cricket isn’t far away.His last Test was in July 2009 in which he had been captain as well. Mortaza had taken a tumble in his followthrough after bowling only 6.3 overs and the resulting knee injury kept him out for three months. Thereafter he struggled to meet fitness requirements to play five-day cricket but has been a regular fixture in shorter formats, especially over the last 18 months.”I will play from the NCL’s next round for Khulna against Rangpur from October 10,” Mashrafe said. “I will also play one more game but not two in a row. I will play the other one later. Now my fitness is quite good, so I am getting the courage to play. I am even thinking about Test cricket. Now I have to see how it goes in the NCL.”His last first-class appearances were in January 2014, when he played a game each for East Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League and for Khulna in the NCL. He usually turns up in first-class cricket to prove match fitness, but this time the urge to play was due to Bangladesh’s long lay-off from international cricket.Mashrafe will join a strong Khulna Division bowling attack that comprises of Abdur Razzak, Al-Amin Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. His last competitive match was the third ODI against South Africa on July 15 and after the NCL, his next assignment would be the BPL T20 competition in mid-November.

Canterbury-born allrounder Logan van Beek has been named in Netherlands’ 15-man squad for the World T20 in India

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2016Canterbury-born allrounder Logan van Beek has been named in Netherlands’ 15-man squad for the World T20 in India, which starts from March 8. Van Beek had played seven matches in the previous T20 World Cup in Bangladesh for five wickets and 78 runs, but has not played for Netherlands since. In terms of recent match practice, van Beek had played ten matches in Canterbury’s title-winning Ford Trophy campaign.Netherlands coach Anton Roux welcomed back van Beek and said that he was happy with the team’s performance in the UAE, where they won their Intercontinental Cup and World Cricket League Championship matches against UAE in addition to playing two T20Is against the hosts and Scotland.”After a very successful tour of the UAE, I am happy to announce an exciting group of Dutch cricketers that will represent The Netherlands in India at the WT20,” Roux said.”This group has shown an immense amount of commitment to what we are trying to achieve on the field of play, and to continue playing our brand of cricket. After a great season with Canterbury, the addition of Logan van Beek can only mean added value to the squad and we look forward to having him back. Being able to showcase our skills on the world stage in a tournament like this is a wonderful opportunity that we are very grateful for, and we intend to add more magical memories for the boys in orange. For some this will be a last shot at World Cup glory and for some it will be a first taste of cricket in magical India, which means it all adds up for some exciting times for all involved.”Opener Michael Swart, who was part of Netherlands’ recent tour to the UAE, though, has been left out of the squad. He had hit an unbeaten 60 in Netherlands’ seven-wicket win over UAE in the ICC World Cricket League championship. However, Swart had managed only 35 runs and two wickets in the subsequent two T20s.Tim Gruijters Tom Heggelman, and Eric Szwarczynski who all were part of Netherland’s previous World T20 squad did not find a place either. The squad for India includes 18-year-old Sikandar Zulfiqar who made his T20I debut for Netherlands against UAE earlier this week.The top eight teams have a direct entry into the main draw of the World T20 but Netherlands, who are ranked 12th, will have to go through a qualifying round. They are placed in Group A of the first round with Bangladesh, Oman, and Ireland and will play one match with each team, in Dharamsala. Their tournament opener is against Bangladesh on March 9. Only if they finish on top of the group will they move on to the main tournament.Squad: Wesley Barresi, Logan van Beek, Peter Borren, Mudassar Bukhari, Ben Cooper, Timm van der Gugten, Vivian Kingma, Ahsan Malik, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, Stephan Myburgh, Max O’Dowd, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar, Sikander Zulfiqar.

Netherlands bowled Kenya out for 97, and needed to chase the target in under eight overs to claim the top spot in Group B and gain direct qualification to the World T20 in India. But their four-wicket victory took a few balls too many

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Cooper smashed three sixes and eight fours in his quickfire 59•ICC/Donald MacLeod

Netherlands bowled Kenya out for 97, and needed to chase the target in under eight overs to claim the top spot in Group B and gain direct qualification to the World T20 in India. But their four-wicket victory took a few balls too many.After seven overs, Netherlands were 80 for 3 and needed 18 more runs. Ben Cooper went 6 4 6, but was stumped off the fourth ball for a belligerent 59 off 24. The new batsman Max O’Dowd bagged a golden duck and Michael Swart managed only a single off the last ball. Netherlands managed 17 runs off the over, one short of the requirement.That left Netherlands tied with Scotland and Afghanistan on eight points, but Scotland by virtue of a higher run-rate finish as league leaders and have confirmed their progress to the World T20.In a group of fine margins, Kenya would have qualified for the World T20 as well had they won. They would have then finished at the top with nine points, but instead their tournament was prematurely ended, after failing to qualify for next week’s playoffs. Although they were tied on seven points with Oman. The heavy margin of defeat ensured they finished fifth – below Oman due to a lower net run-rate.Kenya were asked to bat and struggled from the outset, losing three wickets in the first 15 balls. Collins Obuya did his best with 33 off 44 balls, but the innings never gained any momentum. His 45-run stand with Morris Ouma(16) was the only significant partnership.Obuya was sixth man out in the 16th over with the score on 82 and Netherlands shot through the tail 15 runs later. Timm van der Gugten picked up figures of 3 for 13 while Swart and Michael Rippon picked up two wickets each.The chase began a little unsteadily with Stephan Myburgh caught in the second over but Cooper and Wesley Barresi took charge of the chase – smashing 61 runs in 31 balls. It wasn’t enough to go through punch their World T20 ticket tonight, but they have qualified for the playoffs and still have a chance of making it.

Redbacks refresh their list after losing Worrell, Mennie and Kane Richardson, while four WNCL sides also announce contract lists

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2022South Australia have poached seam-bowling duo Harry Conway and Henry Thornton from interstate as well as offspinner Ben Manenti to bolster their bowling depth ahead of the 2022-23 Australian domestic season.Conway and Thornton were both part of the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and have joined South Australia for more opportunities in the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup.Conway, 29, has played 38 first-class matches – and reached Australia A level – but struggled for continuity in New South Wales playing just five matches last season while Thornton, 25, had left NSW last winter to search for opportunities in Victoria. He played four Marsh Cup games last season and was named Victoria’s Marsh Cup player of the season despite only taking five wickets. But he made his name as a replacement player in the BBL for Strikers taking 14 wickets in nine games in 2021-22 including 4 for 26 against Melbourne Stars.Both men join a South Australia squad that is starting to build fast-bowling depth after the recruitment of Nathan McAndrew and Brendan Doggett last season, which offsets the loss of Daniel Worrall and Joe Mennie, who have both moved to the UK, and Kane Richardson who has moved to Queensland.”It’s so exciting that lads come and spend time at the Strikers and feel South Australia is a great place to be,” South Australia coach Jason Gillespie said. “It’s wonderful to be able to get these guys over. Henry got drafted into the second half of the BBL and I thought he did remarkably well. He fit in so well to the group. He clearly enjoyed himself. The players enjoyed playing with him and it is fantastic to have him here.”Henry brings airspeed. He pitches the ball up and moves it away from the right-handers at pace. Harry is a tall fast bowler with plenty of skills. He can move the ball off the straight but also the height and bounce he can generate is fantastic. He’s also a big personality who aspires to be a leader around the group. He wants to be a leader and that is fantastic.”Ben Manenti celebrates•Getty Images

Manenti, 25, adds to South Australia’s thin spin stocks after making his first-class debut for Tasmania late last season. Manenti, originally from NSW, has been a regular in the Sydney Sixers squad over the last four seasons in the BBL but finally made his List A and first-class for Tasmania.”We’ve had our eye on Ben for a little while now, and what we are really excited about is his competitive nature and how he goes about his work,” Gillespie said. “He is a really competitive guy who plays to win, and we know that energy will add significantly to the squad.”South Australia played their last two Shield games last season without a specialist spinner, with legspinner Lloyd Pope still taking time to develop but he remains on SA’s list. Thomas Kelly and Jordan Buckingham have been upgraded to the main list after making their Shield debuts last season.The Redbacks have recruited some young batters with Australia Under-19 right-hander Aidan Cahill moving from NSW on a rookie deal.In the Scorpions squad, the South Australia women’s team, youngsters Ella Wilson and Paris Hall have been added alongside Strikers batter Madeline Penna who has moved from ACT. Former captain Tegan McPharlin retired from state cricket after 15 season at the end of last summer.Belinda Vakarewa has lost her WNCL deal•Getty Images

Elsewhere, former Australia quick Holly Ferling has moved from Queensland to the ACT for the coming WNCL season. Ferling, 26, adds plenty of international experience to the Meteors after the retirement of veteran Erin Osborne.”Whilst she is an extremely accomplished cricketer, having made 34 appearances for Australia across all formats, she is also a wonderful leader and will be a great mentor for some of our younger players,” ACT coach Jono Dean said.Former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Rachel Priest and one-time Australia ODI seamer Belinda Vakarewa have not been offered new contracts with WNCL title-holders Tasmania while Corinne Hall has retired. Rachel Trenamen has moved from NSW to Tasmania while Saskia Horley has taken her place on the NSW Breakers’ contract list.South Australia men’s contract list Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Kyle Brazell, Aidan Cahill, Alex Carey (CA), Bailey Capel, Jake Carder, Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, David Grant, Travis Head (CA), Isaac Higgins, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Ryan King, Jake Lehmann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Ben Manenti, Harry Mathias, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald, Nick Winter.In Harry Conway (NSW), Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Ben Manenti, Henry Thornton | Out Ryan Gibson, Corey Kelly, Sam Kerber, Joe Mennie, Kane Richardson (Queensland), Daniel Worrall (Surrey).South Australia women’s contract list Jemma Barsby, Sam Betts, Darcie Brown (CA), Emma de Broughe, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Paris Hall, Brooke Harris, Tahlia McGrath (CA), Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Madeline Penna, Kate Peterson, Megan Schutt (CA), Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ella WilsonIn Madeline Penna, Ella Wilson, Paris Hall | Out Tegan McPharlin (retired), Alex Price, Eliza DoddridgeACT women’s contract list: Angela Reakes, Katie Mack, Kayla Burton, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Chloe Rafferty, Carly Leeson, Matilda Lugg, Olivia Porter, Rebecca Carter, Amy Yates, Zoe Cooke, Holly Ferling, Alisha Bates, Angelina Genford, Annie WikmanIn Holly Ferling (Queensland), Alisha Bates, Annie Wikman, Angelina Genford | Out Erin Osborne (retired), Madeline Penna (South Australia), Nicola Hancock, Erica KershawTasmania women’s contract list: Nicola Carey (CA), Julia Cavanough, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Emma Manix-Geeves, Sasha Moloney, Clare Scott, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano, Emma Thompson, Rachel Trenaman, Elyse Villani, Callie Wilson.In Rachel Trenaman (New South Wales), Clare Scott, Callie Wilson, Julia Cavanough | Out Corinne Hall (retired), Chloe Abel, Rachel Priest, Emily Smith, Belinda Vakarewa.NSW Women’s contract list: Jade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner (CA), Rachael Haynes (CA), Alyssa Healy (CA), Saskia Horley, Emma Hughes, Sammy Jo-Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Lauren Smith, Tahlia Wilson.In Saskia Horley | Out Rachel Trenaman (Tasmania)