Sussex batter shows benefit of work with Ian Bell on first Lions tour

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Feb-2023Sri Lanka A 136 and 228 for 1 (Fernando 114, Madushka 91*) trail England Lions 467 (Haines 118, Fisher 53, de Silva 3-59) by 1o3 runsTom Haines’ century on debut has put England Lions in a commanding position on day two of the first unofficial Test in Galle.The Sussex opener scored 118 from No. 3 as the Lions finished their innings on 467, establishing a first-innings lead of 331. The hosts were able to whittle that down to 103 by close, with a century from Oshada Fernando and unbeaten 91 from Nishan Madushka in a strong response of 228 for 1 in their second innings.Haines, 24, has been touted for higher honours off the back of two stellar seasons that saw him average 47.04 and 49.52 in the 2021 and 2022, with 1176 and 941 runs respectively. Among them were six centuries spread evenly across both, with this latest three-figure score taking him to nine in his first-class career.”It is very special and a very proud moment for me,” Haines said at stumps. “The thing that I was most pleased with was that it has put us into a really good position in the game. We would have liked a few more wickets to end the day, but we’ll have to come back tomorrow and try and get some more.”While not his first experience of Sri Lankan conditions, having toured here with Sussex Academy “nine or 10 years ago”, he scored positively with 12 fours and a six across a knock that boasted a strike rate off 85.50. It was in line with the innings as a whole which went at a rate of 5.31 across the 87.5 overs. Evidently the pre-tour briefing to try and emulate the positive approach of the Test side instilled by head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has been well heeded.Haines also credited batting coach Ian Bell, who presented him with his Lions cap on day one, for reinforcing his work against spin. Bell, along with Graeme Swann, have been drafted in by the ECB to pass on their wisdom to the Lions, a relationship the began on the Lions training camp in Abu Dhabi last November.”I have really enjoyed working with him it has been top drawer,” Haines said. “I enjoyed working with him at the Lions camp in Dubai before Christmas.”He has definitely helped me out with playing spin and just my mental attitude towards it, and how you apply that so that you do it in the game.”Swanny and Belly spoke about the importance of first-innings runs before the game – about how certain shots you can play in the first innings but second innings you might need a completely different repertoire of shots. We’ll see how it plays tomorrow.”

India Maharajas lost their second match in a row, with Gautam Gambhir’s half-century again going in vain

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2023Fifties from Aaron Finch (53) and Shane Watson (55), along with Impact Player Ricardo Powell’s late wicket of India Maharajas captain Gautam Gambhir – who hit 68 – helped reigning champions World Giants escape with a thrilling two-run win. Gambhir’s magnificence, which included his second successive fifty in this tournament, again went in vain as Maharajas lost their second match in a row.Robin Uthappa and Gambhir adopted a watchful approach during the first three overs of the chase of 167. The former Kolkata Knight Riders opening pair rotated strike consistently before Uthappa changed gears in the fourth over as he dispatched Tino Best for two consecutive boundaries.Meanwhile, Gambhir carried on his momentum from the previous match. He got into his work in the final over of the powerplay, hitting Chris Mpofu for three successive boundaries, pushing along his opening partnership to 65 after the powerplay.Powell broke the partnership in the next over, as Uthappa found Kevin O’Brien at long-off. But it was Powell’s dismissal of Gambhir in the 16th over, which came about through a quicker delivery that skidded on to rattle the stumps, which was more significant to the late turnaround. Powell ended with figures of 2 for 16 in three overs, even as Brett Lee defended seven off the final over to complete a sensational come-from-behind victory.Earlier, Giants had made a slow start to their innings, picking up just five runs in the first two overs. Gambhir played his cards smartly by bringing on Harbhajan Singh against Chris Gayle, though Harbhajan started with two consecutive wides while bowling around the wicket. But his switch to over the wicket immediately found success, as a skiddy delivery went on to dislodge the leg stump. It was the seventh time Harbhajan dismissed Gayle in T20s.New batter Watson began his innings by hitting Harbhajan for two consecutive fours. Finch quickly picked up his scoring rate too as he took down Pragya Ojha in the fifth over, which included four fours and one six.Ojha’s nightmare evening continued in the seventh over. Finch paddled the second delivery to the final-leg boundary, before smashing an overpitched ball over cover for six. The fourth delivery was also hit for a boundary as Finch brought up his fifty off 26 balls.Gambhir then replaced Ojha with Pravin Tambe as the Impact Player. And Tambe made an impact in the final delivery of his first over itself, as a quick delivery forced Finch to edge one to Uthappa.Watson then took charge of the innings. He brought up his 30-ball half-century in the 12th over with a six off Irfan Pathan, clearing his front foot and launching one into the stands over midwicket.But Harbhajan had derailed Giants’ middle order as he helped reduce them from 129 for 3 to 137 for 7. O’Brien was Harbhajan’s second wicket as he miscued a delivery to Mohammad Kaif, who took a sharp diving catch forward. Two deliveries later, in the 16th over, Ross Taylor was caught lbw. Off the penultimate delivery of the over, Morne van Wyk’s sweep caught an inside edge onto the pads, with Uthappa completing the catch. Harbhajan finished with 4 for 13 off just two overs.

Blair Tickner, Matt Henry and Tim Southee shared nine wickets for the hosts

Madushka Balasuriya12-Mar-2023Angelo Mathews’ 14th Test century pried open the door to an unlikely World Test Championship final berth for Sri Lanka, one that had seemingly been firmly shut the previous day. The game though is nevertheless finely poised, with New Zealand needing a very gettable 257 runs on the final day, and Sri Lanka requiring nine wickets. However, the visitors’ biggest obstacle might be the rain that is forecast for Monday morning.But that both teams are still in with a shot of winning this Test is a credit to the fight shown by both sets of players. At the start of play, Sri Lanka were on the back foot, with Mathews being kept company by nightwatcher Prabath Jayasuriya, who fell within the first half hour of play, with Blair Tickner having got all four wickets to fall until then. New Zealand, meanwhile, had to cope with the news that Neil Wagner would not be able to take the field for the remainder of the first Test after he failed a late fitness test on the back injury he suffered on day three.But otherwise, neither side gave an inch away, with Mathews sharing partnerships of 105 and 60 with Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva, respectively, in the process dragging Sri Lanka back into position of relative strength in the face of relentless probing from New Zealand’s seamers.Tim Southee and Matt Henry – the latter nursing an injury that required stitches on his bowling hand – peppered the corridor outside off, while Tickner and the tireless Daryll Mitchell, who was called in for an extended spell owing to the absence of Wagner, particularly tested Chandimal – and even Mathews – with a packed leg-side field and an avalanche of short deliveries from around the wicket.Sri Lanka though continued to slog, and it would take until shortly after the tea interval for Mathews to finally fall. Another length ball outside off, shaping away, examining Mathews’ patience, which for once would fail him, saw him nick one through to the wicketkeeper. His 115 came off 235 balls, but by the time he fell, Sri Lanka’s lead had grown to 233.And as it turned out, Mathews’ wicket sparked a collapse for Sri Lanka, who lost 4 for 42 to fold for 302. However, de Silva remained unbeaten on 47, adding 22 for the eighth wicket with Kasun Rajitha, while accumulating crucial runs for his side, as Sri Lanka ensured New Zealand were left with a challenging chase nevertheless.And when the hosts came out to bat, the Sri Lankan bowlers did their part, utilising the early swing as well as some variable bounce on offer to trouble both Tom Latham and Devon Conway. The latter even fell before the close of play, chipping a return catch to Rajitha after one reared up off a good length. Latham and Kane Williamson held fort till the close, content to see proceedings through to the end of play.

Sam Hain 165* sets platform before visitors lose last five wickets for 48 then follow on

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2023Kent 158 (Bell-Drummond 40, Hasan 3-36) and 27 for 1 f/o (Compton 15*, Rushworth 1-7) trail Warwickshire 453 for 4 declared (Hain 165*, Yates 128, Mousley 94) by 268 runsWarwickshire are scenting LV=Insurance County Championship victory over Kent at Edgbaston despite the loss of four sessions to the weather after excellent seam bowling forced the match forward on the third day.In reply to the home side’s 453 for 4 declared, with Sam Hain 165 not out from 269 balls and Dan Mousley scoring 94 from 93 balls, Kent were skittled for 158 before closing the third day on 27 for 1 following on.The visitors’ first innings was cut down by a superb collective effort by the Bears’ seam attack. All five seamers took wickets as Hasan Ali led the way with 3 for 36 and England’s Chris Woakes picked up two wickets in his first Championship match for 19 months.It remains a good batting pitch but Kent have a lot of work to do on the final day to deny Warwickshire what would be a remarkable win after the weather took out sessions four to seven of the match.After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 367 for 3, Hain and Mousley extended their partnership to 179 against ultra-defensive fields. With Kent a key bowler down, Matt Quinn off the field nursing the groin injury he collected on the first day, at times all nine outfielders were on the boundary.Runs still came freely and Mousley collected his fourth six with a breathtaking ramp over the keeper’s head off Conor McKerr before falling six short of a maiden first-class century when he hoisted spinner Jack Leaning to long on.Hain and Michael Burgess added a perky 39 from 31 balls to take Warwickshire to maximum bating points at which point they declared to make the earliest possible start on the pursuit of 20 Kent wickets. Chris Rushworth delivered the first two in a textbook new-ball spell as he trapped Zak Crawley lbw for a sixth-ball duck and then pinned Ben Compton in front.When Joe Denly nicked a Hasan outswinger to wicketkeeper Burgess, Kent were 63 for 3 and a good-sized Edgbaston crowd were getting some reward for their patience through hours waiting for the grass to dry.Daniel Bell-Drummond survived a nervous start to unfurl some attractive strokes on his way to 40 but perished just after tea when he sliced a steeply lifting Hasan delivery to gully. Ed Barnard then ousted Jack Leaning, caught at point.At 86 for 5, Kent needed serious shoring up and Jordan Cox and Sam Billings put down some roots in a stand of 24 but a lapse in judgement from Cox triggered another clatter. The 22-year-old left one from Olly Hannon-Dalby which hit off-stump to spark the loss of the last five wickets for 48.Kent’s implosion earned them the unwelcome prospect of an awkward 12 overs to bat second time round. Crawley’s unhappy day continued when he suffered an arguable lbw decision against Rushworth before, much to Kent’s relief, bad light lopped off the last four overs.

de Klerk stars with ball as Vipers are restricted to 118 in their 20 overs

ECB Reporters Network29-May-2023The Blaze 119 for 5 (Beaumont 49*) beat Vipers 118 (de Klerk 2-10) by five wicketsThe Blaze made it four wins from four matches in the Charlotte Edwards Cup as they squeezed home by five wickets against holders Southern Vipers in a low-scoring match at the Incora County Ground in Derby.The East Midlands representative side, who had never beaten the Vipers in their previous guise as Lightning, made it home with two balls to spare thanks to an unbeaten 49 from England opener Tammy Beaumont.Batting first, Vipers were all out for 118 in 19.3 overs, skipper Georgia Adams top scoring with 31 as Nadine De Klerk, Kathryn Bryce and Sophie Munro took two wickets each.The Vipers attack made sure an apparently easy chase was anything but for The Blaze, but Beaumont used all her know-how to ensure her side did not miss out.Vipers were without key duo Charlie Dean and Lauren Bell, rested ahead of their upcoming England commitments, but The Blaze lost Nat Sciver-Brunt for the same reason and suffered a further blow when another of their England internationals, Sarah Glenn, had to pull out after suffering a back spasm in the warm-ups.Put in on a slow, dry surface, Vipers were 40 without loss in the powerplay after Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt had profited from hitting the ball in the air over the fielders in the circle, aided by a quick outfield.Yet wickets lost in each of the next three overs changed the tenor of the innings as Bouchier, Wyatt and Australian wicketkeeper-batter Nicole Faltum departed in quick order.Bouchier, having pulled Kathryn Bryce for four, connected with a leading edge attempting to do the same, Bryce herself taking a well-judged catch. Wyatt drove left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon’s second ball straight to extra cover and Faltum lost her middle stump as Bryce claimed a second success.From 44 without loss, Vipers were suddenly 49 for three and never recovered that early momentum, Adams unable to find a partner able to stick with her long enough to put any sustained pressure on the Blaze bowlers.Freya Kemp, making her first appearance of the campaign, slog-swept Gordon for six but misjudged Lucy Higham’s off-spin and was bowled, before Georgia Elwiss handed 18-year-old leg-spinner Josie Groves a Blaze debut wicket somewhat unluckily, an inside edge hitting her foot and rolling on to the stumps.Sophie Munro, whose sole powerplay over had cost 15 runs, came back well at the death, claiming the important wickets of Adams and Emily Windsor, while Nadine De Klerk, who went down so heavily in the field a few minutes earlier it seemed for a moment she would not continue, recovered so fully she was able to bowl Alice Monaghan middle stump and pin Mary Taylor in front, in between which Linsey Smith was run out at the non-striker’s end by an impressive direct hit by Beamont at mid-off, the last five Vipers wickets falling in the final four overs for 17 runs.After that, Vipers needed a good powerplay if they were to put The Blaze under pressure and achieved it, restricting the home side to 31 runs and removing two key batters in Marie Kelly, who clipped left-arm spinner Smith straight to square leg, and Georgie Boyce, who chipped a return catch that Elwiss grabbed at head height.Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce looked a combination that might take the game away from Vipers but against bowling that rarely offered easy runs were falling behind the required rate when the latter went down the pitch to off-spinner Adams and failed to connect, paying the price.A tight over from third seamer Taylor left The Blaze needing 72 from 54 balls but a contrastingly costly over from Monaghan then tilted the balance back in the home side’s favour as the fourth-wicket pair plundered 25 runs, helped by a couple of no-balls, Beaumont ending it with three consecutive fours.Smith claimed a second wicket when she beat Sarah Bryce’s swing but with Beaumont still there as a calm, experienced competitor The Blaze were able to edge home.

Nidamanuru’s 76-ball 111 helped Netherlands tie the game after they were set 375 to win

Himanshu Agrawal26-Jun-2023″I can’t really explain it,” Player of the Match Logan van Beek said. Netherlands, chasing 375 against West Indies, were deep in trouble with 205 required from the remaining 125 balls with only six wickets in hand. Who would have known they would end up getting 204 of them in a frenetic finish that would force the game into a Super Over?And if you thought that was enough excitement for the day, van Beek bashed 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 to smash the record for most runs in a one-over eliminator. In reply, West Indies lost two wickets for eight runs, and that was it. Netherlands took two vital points into the Super Six of the World Cup Qualifier, leaving West Indies with nothing to carry forward after being beaten by both Netherlands and Zimbabwe. The two-time World Cup champions are now teetering, their hopes of making the World Cup proper hanging by a thread.Before van Beek batted like a free spirit, it was Teja Nidamanuru and his captain Scott Edwards who made that finish possible, adding 143 for the fifth wicket to give Netherlands hope from the most helpless of situations. That stand consumed only 90 deliveries. West Indies stormed back, though, taking 3 for 14 in a hurry to leave Netherlands needing 30 from the last two overs.Teja Nidamanuru celebrates his century•ICC via Getty Images

At the crease was none other than van Beek. The first three legal balls of the 49th over, bowled by Roston Chase, disappeared for 4, 6, 4. Nine needed off six balls. Four more from van Beek. But there was a twist. With one to get from the last ball, he swiped to mid-on, where Jason Holder tumbled to his right to grab the ball. It was given out only after the third umpire made sure Alzarri Joseph hadn’t overstepped.Van Beek hit 28 at a strike rate of 200 during the run chase after Nidamanuru belted 111 off just 76 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes. Edwards, meanwhile, smashed 67 from 47. Not only did they find boundaries at will, they also made the West Indies fielders look ragged, converting ones into twos and twos into threes. Every run counted towards a remarkable Super Over win.The game was set up by West Indies’ centurion Nicholas Pooran. After half-centuries from Brandon King and Johnson Charles laid a solid foundation, Pooran added 108 with Shai Hope for the fourth wicket in less than 13 overs.Pooran was on 7 off 17 balls at one stage. He then took Saqib Zulfiqar for a four and a six in the 35th over. In the 39th, he targeted the same bowler with a six and four again, before reaching his fifty in the 40th with another run of boundaries off Vivian Kingma.West Indies added 118 in the last ten overs. Pooran reached his second century of the World Cup Qualifier in the penultimate over, before Keemo Paul took over, ransacking Aryan Dutt for 20 in the final over to propel West Indies to 374. Who knew even that wouldn’t prove enough?

India’s displeasure with the umpiring extended to their captain smashing the stumps with her bat after being given out

Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2023The final, deciding Women’s ODI between Bangladesh and India should have been about the exciting finish, since it ended in a tie, but instead, Harmanpreet Kaur’s conduct – she smashed the stumps after being given out, and later called the umpiring “pathetic” – has become the talking point.While Smriti Mandhana defended her captain at the post-match press conference, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana didn’t hold back, saying Harmanpreet “could have shown better manners”.In the 34th over of India’s chase of 226, Harmanpreet was given out caught at slip off Nahida Akter while attempting a sweep. Did it go off the pads, or was there a bit of glove or bat on the way? Harmanpreet hit the stumps with her bat after being given out, and then had words for the umpires before walking off, giving a thumbs-up to the crowd on her way. Initially, it looked like Harmanpreet was unhappy as she assumed it was a lbw decision, but the umpire made the decision after the catch was completed.Related

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Yastika Bhatia had earlier protested the lbw decision against her in the fifth over, standing her ground and staring back at the umpire after being given out. Later, in the final over, after Jemimah Rodrigues’ single had tied the scores, Meghna Singh played away from her body to Marufa Akter’s next delivery, and was given out caught behind.Curiously, Meghna appeared to be walking towards the dressing room initially, even as the Bangladesh players celebrated around her, but then stopped and started speaking to the umpire.For the Harmanpreet and Meghna dismissals, the umpire at the bowler’s end was the experienced Tanvir Ahmed, while for the Yastika wicket, it was Muhammad Kamruzzaman.”A lot of learning from this game,” Harmanpreet said at the presentation ceremony. “Even apart from the cricket, the type of umpiring that was happening there, we were very surprised. The next time whenever we are coming to Bangladesh, we’ll have to make sure we have to deal with this kind of umpiring and accordingly, we’ll have to prepare ourselves.”Bangladesh, batting first after winning the toss, rode on Fargana Hoque’s 107 to score 225 for 4. In the chase, when Harmanpreet was dismissed, India were 160 for 4 in 33.4 overs, and well placed to win. But they collapsed to 225 all out.”They [Bangladesh] batted really well, batted according to the situation. They were taking those singles which were very crucial,” Harmanpreet said. “In between, we leaked a few runs but when we were batting, we controlled the game very well. But, as I mentioned earlier, some pathetic umpiring was done, and we are really disappointed about some decisions given by the umpires.”ESPNcricinfo understands that when the end-of-series photograph with both sets of players was being taken, Harmanpreet shouted “bring the umpires too”, suggesting they were a part of the Bangladesh team. Nigar, it is understood, spoke about it to BCB officials, and took her players back to the dressing room soon after.”It is totally her problem. I have nothing to do with it,” Nigar said in the press conference when asked about the incident. “As a player, she could have shown better manners. I can’t tell you what happened, but it didn’t feel right to be there [for the photograph] with my team. It wasn’t the right environment. That’s why we went back. Cricket is a game of discipline and respect.”About the umpiring, Nigar said, “The umpires wouldn’t give her out if she wasn’t out. We had umpires from men’s international cricket, so they were good umpires. What are they [India] going to say about the caught or run-out dismissals [of which there were six excluding the Harmanpreet and Meghna wickets]? We have respected their decisions. The umpire’s decision is the final decision, whether I like it or not. Why didn’t we behave in that way [like the India players]?”Possibly the moment when Harmanpreet Kaur asked for the umpires to be brought for the photograph as well•BCB

At the press conference, Mandhana had said that Harmanpreet was caught in the heat of the moment as she couldn’t accept the umpire’s decision. “When you play for India, you want to win the match, and it happens in the heat of the moment,” Mandhana said. “I think she [Harmanpreet] wasn’t really happy with the decision given and she felt she wasn’t out. That is why that [reaction] came about. It is just the heat of the moment and nothing much.”What happened in the middle is a part and parcel of the game. We’ve seen these incidents so much in the past as well. When you really want that ‘W’ on the board for India, these things happen.”Mandhana did, however, call on the ICC to appoint neutral umpires in the future.”In any match, sometimes it happens that you are really not happy with the [decisions]. Especially when there is no DRS in a match in a series of this kind, we kind of expect a little better level of umpiring in terms of some decisions,” she said. “It was very evident that there was not even a second thought given when the ball was hitting the pad when our batters were batting. There was not even one second of thought given before the finger went up.”I am sure the ICC, BCB and BCCI will have more of a discussion on that and maybe we can have a neutral-umpiring system from maybe next time so that we don’t sit here having these discussions and maybe we can focus more on cricket and cricket-oriented questions.”Separately, Harmanpreet also criticised the BCB for not inviting the Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Kumar Verma, for the presentation ceremony even though he was present at the ground. “Our high commissioner from India is also there – I hope you could have also invited him here, but that’s also fine.”

Club chair calls for further evidence with three members already suspended

AAP07-Jul-2023Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members face restrictions on their movements and more space between them and players in the Lord’s Long Room as investigations continue into the second Ashes Test.Australia faced a mixed reception at Headingley on Thursday, with the country’s national anthem booed by some sections of the crowd before play on day one.Fans in Leeds were largely well behaved following the ugly scenes at Lord’s, but each Australian was still jeered onto the field as they came out to bat.The largest boos were unsurprisingly saved for Alex Carey and Pat Cummins, with the pair viewed as Australia’s chief villains in England for Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.But while some fans still posed with players for photos before play in Leeds, the use of camera phones was condemned by MCC chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown in an email to members.In a lengthy address, Carnegie-Brown said members who had abused Australia’s players on day five at Lord’s had brought shame to the entire Marylebone Cricket Club. He also criticised members for posting videos of the drama, which has brought the full extent of the abuse Australia copped to light.”The video footage captured on Sunday (including some which was taken in clear breach of our regulations) is there for all to see,” Carnegie-Brown said. “The members shown on camera have brought shame on MCC. Their actions hinder our efforts to promote the positive things our club does to promote and celebrate the game.”As a result of Sunday’s drama, which included players being sworn at, abused, and tripped over as they walked up the stairs, MCC will distance players from fans for the rest of the summer.The measures will include proving a wider roped-off space for players to walk through the Long Room away from members, while also stopping members from being on the stairs when players come on and off the pitch.Related

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The rules will come into place for Australia’s women’s T20I against England on Saturday night. MCC have already suspended three members for directly confronting Australia’s men’s players, and have asked people to help identify other culprits.”The behavioural issue amongst members that day does not end there,” Carnegie-Brown said. “Were more evidence to come to light, and additional witness statements gathered, further disciplinary sanctions would undoubtedly be warranted.”We encourage any member with information that could lead to the identification of others involved to come forward.”It is unacceptable for any of us to point the finger of blame at others unless we are willing to intervene ourselves when we see behaviours which fall short of what is expected of members.”

Legspinner declares himself available for Leicestershire’s Metro Bank Cup final

Matt Roller06-Sep-2023Rehan Ahmed cherished a “special feeling” on Tuesday night as he played international cricket in his home town of Nottingham for the first time – and could play at Trent Bridge again later this month after declaring himself available for Leicestershire’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Hampshire.Rehan, the 19-year-old legspinner, made his Test debut in Pakistan last December and won his first white-ball caps in Bangladesh earlier this year, but England’s six-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Nottingham was his first taste of international cricket on home soil.He was inundated with requests for his four complimentary tickets, estimating that he had seen “150” friends and family in the stands at Trent Bridge. And he impressed with both bat and ball, hitting 11 off 7 before taking 2 for 27 from his four overs.”It was a special feeling,” Rehan said. “Obviously playing abroad is great but playing in front of my home crowd is a different feeling. To be fair, in Pakistan we got a couple of big roars as well but when you are playing at home, especially in Nottingham – I know a lot of people here and am from here – it’s special.”Related

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He bowled in tandem with Adil Rashid through the middle overs, and admitted that he used to dream of playing alongside his fellow legspinner. “Him and Mo [Moeen Ali] are people we look up to as an Asian community,” Rehan said. “Everyone in England looks up to them, so to play with them is a special feeling.”We talk about bowling quite a bit. He [Rashid] is probably five times the bowler I am: he has four different legspinners, he’s played a long time, has a lot of experience. He was young, played and it didn’t go well for him; then he came back, and became the best bowler. He’s been through a lot.”Rehan is not part of England’s ODI squad to play New Zealand and is due to link back up with Leicestershire later this week. He is available for their four-day fixture against Sussex which starts on Sunday, as they bid for promotion to Division One of the County Championship.He will then join up with England again for a three-match ODI series against Ireland, starting on September 20 at Headingley, but hopes to be involved two days before in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final.Rehan missed the group stage of the Metro Bank Cup while playing for Southern Brave•Getty Images

Rehan has not featured in the competition this season, instead representing Southern Brave in the Hundred, but is eligible to play in the final. Leicestershire will be without Peter Handscomb, who has returned to Australia, but they announced on Wednesday that he will return to the club next summer and in 2025 after signing a two-year contract.”I’ve not thought far ahead,” Rehan said. “I’ll hopefully play some four-day cricket next week, try to get some overs in. I’d like to [play in the final] if I’m free and get picked. The boys are smacking it without me so I don’t know if they need me…”His 15-year-old brother Farhan has been playing for England Under-19s in a one-day series against Australia this week, and was in the stands at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. “I have been watching,” Rehan said. “They got smacked 4-1: that never happened to us when we were Under-19s.”Rehan himself only turned 19 last month; he missed England’s training session on Monday to take his driving test, with permission from head coach Matthew Mott. He passed “first time, no minors” and said: “It was the Bank Holiday Monday morning in Nottingham, so there was no-one on the road.”

BCB official says Tanzim “takes full responsibility” for the posts, and the board will monitor him going forward

Mohammad Isam19-Sep-2023Bangladesh quick Tanzim Hasan has had to apologise to the BCB for a number of offensive Facebook posts from the past, which resurfaced after his international debut at the Asia Cup last week. Some of the posts date back to 2014, and BCB cricket operations chair Jalal Yunus said Tanzim was repentant about his posts and took full responsibility for them.At least four posts, which are now deleted, became viral shortly after his ODI debut against India on September 15, when he picked up wickets in a Bangladesh win.In a Facebook post from September 2022, he wrote in Bangla: “A working woman will not allow her husband or children to have their way with her; she loses her charm, destroys her family, her purdah, and the society.”In April this year, Tanzim, now 20, shared a photo, purported to be from 1954, of a burqa-clad woman travelling in a rickshaw, possibly with her family, and called it the “golden past”.In another post (date unknown), Tanzim wrote: “If you marry a girl who mingles freely in the university, you can’t get your child a demure mother.”In 2014, when he was 11 or so, Tanzim had shared a post about not celebrating Bangladesh’s Victory Day, which is on December 16.The posts were reshared in the last four days and became a topic of discussion on social media and television news and shows in Bangladesh. Women’s right activists, writers and journalists criticised Tanzim for his posts.Yunus, who is also a BCB director, said that he spoke to Tanzim about the matter on Monday.”The cricket operations committee spoke to Tanzim Sakib on behalf of the Bangladesh Cricket Board,” Yunus said at a press conference at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday. “The media committee also got in touch with him. We informed Tanzim about the discussions surrounding his Facebook posts. He said that he didn’t write those posts to hurt anyone. He wrote it for himself, not targeting anyone. If those posts have hurt anyone’s feelings, he said he was sorry.”He said that the posts he has made about women, he takes full responsibility. He said that he is not a misogynist. We have warned him that if he posts something on Facebook in the future, the BCB will monitor him.”We are keeping an eye on this area [his mindset]. We will monitor him. His family is concerned too. They didn’t expect such a situation. They are also sorry. We have given him a warning because he is a young player, and a World Cup is ahead. If he does something like this again, we will take action against him. If there’s a [psychological] problem, we will provide support.”