Punjab in control against wounded Karnataka

On a gloomy day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Punjab became the first team to take the first-innings lead against Karnataka this season

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran at the Chinnaswamy Stadium15-Dec-2011
Scorecard
On a gloomy day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Punjab became the first team to take the first-innings lead against Karnataka this season. Mayank Sidhana’s second half-century of the match, and bad light that ended play more than an hour early made a draw the likeliest result as Punjab ended the day nearly 200 ahead with only three wickets down.The odds on the draw were even shorter than the scoreline suggested, as Karnataka lost two of their frontline bowlers to injury – S Aravind struggling with a knee problem, and Stuart Binny having hamstring trouble after completing his second century of the season. Robin Uthappa came into the match as a batsman, but had a surreal day in which he first shared the new ball and then took over as wicketkeeper after the specialist gloveman CM Gautam went off with a bruised foot.Karnataka began the day with only a slim chance of overhauling Punjab’s first innings total, but with overnight pair of Binny and Gautam starting with a bunch of boundaries, the chase was on. Gautam reached his fifty with a cut behind point and Binny moved into the 90s with a six over long-on. Left-arm spinner Rajwinder Singh snapped the stand with Karnataka still 139 behind, getting Gautam lbw with a delivery that stayed low.Binny reached his hundred with a sharp run to point – raising both hands in celebration even as he began the single – but Punjab hit back with the second new ball. Fast bowler Harmeet Singh struck three times, including the wicket of Binny for 119, as Karnataka lost their final four wickets for nine runs, to give Punjab a crucial 76-run lead. If this game ends in a draw, as seems probable, Punjab will get three points which will be vital in a tight race for the third and final qualifying spot – four teams are currently separated by one point.Like Karnataka, Punjab’s top order made a wobbly start. Karnataka’s only fit quick bowler, NC Aiyappa – playing his first match in three years – bowled Ravi Inder Singh for 2, before Sarul Kanwar was run out and Karan Goel chipped a catch to mid-off leaving Punjab at 32 for 3.If Karnataka briefly had hopes of a glorious turnaround, they were crushed by Sidhana’s attacking innings. A flurry of driven fours from Sidhana took him to 50 off 73 deliveries, as he dominated in an 87-run stand with Uday Kaul. Kaul was more subdued, surviving several loud appeals for lbw.Barring some major drama on the final day, Karnataka will end up being second best in a Ranji match for the first time this season. But with qualification more or less guaranteed, it won’t affect them as much as the news that they will be without their main fast bowler, Aravind, for four weeks.

Khurram Shahzad fires Worcestershire into Trent Bridge final

Pakistan seamer takes 4 for 36 after Daniel Lategan’s 78 lays foundation

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay31-Aug-2025Worcestershire powered through to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final with a 131-run (DLS) victory over Somerset at New Road.Put in, the home side totalled a solid 275 for 9 as Daniel Lategan struck his List A-best 78 against a disciplined Somerset attack with Jack Leach’s excellent 10-1-28-2 at its heart. Ben Green took 4 for 52.The target looked around par on a good pitch but Somerset’s top order imploded against Khurram Shahzad (4 for 36). The visitors lurched to 108 for 7 from 23.4 overs before rain arrived with them more than 100 runs behind the DLS score.After the resumption they further crumbled to 141 all out as Worcestershire emphatically secured a place in the final at Trent Bridge on September 20.Somerset chose to bowl but were kept waiting for their first breakthrough as openers Lategan and Brett D’Oliveira (45) added 85 in 15 overs. The bowlers gave little away though and, as risks were taken in search of acceleration, wickets began to fall.D’Oliveira drilled Kasey Aldridge to extra cover. Kashif Ali was caught with the greatest nonchalance by Finley Hill on the midwicket boundary off Green. Jake Libby skied Aldridge to mid off.Nineteen-year-old Lategan posted a polished maiden List A fifty but fell lbw, reverse-sweeping, to Leach as the spinner built pressure which also saw him bowl Rob Jones through a failed sweep. After Ethan Brookes was lbw, sweeping Tom Lammonby, Worcestershire needed some late order contributions. They got them from Henry Cullen (32) and Matthew Waite (24) before Tom Taylor (22 not out) clubbed three sixes to hoist the total to 275.Pakistan international Shahzad then began with two wides, one of which went for four, in his first three balls. From the dubious platform of 0.1-0-6-0, however, he built an opening spell of 7-2-36-4. Lammonby and Lewis Goldsworthy were beaten for pace when trying to pull and sent up catches. Archie Vaughan was brilliantly caught by Ben Allison at mid-wicket. Thomas Rew edged to slip.Worcestershire’s other seamers deepened Somerset’s plight. Waite had Joshua Thomas well caught by Lategan on the long-leg boundary and Allison dismissed Finley Hill, caught at slip, and Green, caught at mid-off.Green fell to the last ball before heavy rain arrived with Somerset in dire straits at 108 for 7. They resumed needing another 165 from 14.2 overs and quickly lost Aldridge, caught behind, and Leach, stumped, off Brookes.Last pair James Rew and Jake Ball needed to find 137 runs from ten overs. They managed five before Rew lifted Brookes to long off to trigger loud and long celebrations from the home fans.

Splendid Usman ton leads Multan Sultans into playoffs

The No. 3 batter struck the fastest PSL 2024 century and deflated Kings in the first innings

Associated Press04-Mar-2024Usman Khan hit the fastest century so far in this season’s Pakistan Super League to lead Multan Sultans into the playoffs with a 20-run win over Karachi Kings on Sunday.The Sultans continued their dominant run, securing its sixth win in seven games. They top the standings with 12 points, while fifth-place Karachi has just two wins from six games.Pakistan-born Usman, who now plays for the United Arab Emirates, smashed 106 not out off 58 balls after reaching his ton in 56 deliveries. Captain Mohammad Rizwan contributed 58 in Multan’s imposing 189 for 3 after choosing to bat first.The Kings never looked a threat before reaching 169 for 7 in 20 overs and losing their third straight home game. Skipper Shan Masood got clean bowled for 36 off 29 balls by the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Usama Mir (2-29). Legspinner Mir stretched his wickets tally to 15. Fast bowler Mohammad Ali, who took 1 for 40, has 14.Usman and Rizwan exploited some wayward Kings bowling, sharing a second-wicket stand of 148 off 93 balls. Rizwan was caught at mid-off soon after completing his half-century before Usman reached his ton with a pulled six against Mir Hamza in the last over.The Kings’ overseas signings Tim Seifert (1) and James Vince (7) fell inside the batting powerplay.Shoaib Malik top-scored for his team with 38 before holing out at long off in the 12th over and the Kings had plenty of soft dismissals in the run-chase.

Ian Salisbury placed on gardening leave following dispute with Sussex player

Joint head coach ‘not currently part of the business’, say club, as Kirtley takes over

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2022James Kirtley says that the turmoil behind the scenes at Sussex is “an obvious distraction” to the players, after it was revealed that Ian Salisbury, his fellow head coach, was “not currently part of the business” following a non-cricketing dispute with one of his players.Salisbury had been in charge of Sussex’s Championship and 50-over team since November 2020, with Kirtley taking over the T20 set-up in the same timeframe following the departure of their predecessor Jason Gillespie.However, with the club currently second-from-bottom in the County Championship and battling to avoid defeat in their final match of the season against Glamorgan, it is understood that Salisbury has been placed on gardening leave, due to his handling of the 21-year-old spinner, Jack Carson.Carson, who debuted as a teenager in the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020, was Sussex’s leading wicket-taker in both that competition and the 2021 County Championship. However, having missed the start of the 2022 season following knee surgery, all three of his appearances in the current campaign have come in the past fortnight, since Salisbury’s departure.That includes the ongoing contest against Glamorgan at Hove, but speaking to the BBC at the close of the second day’s play, Kirtley was coy about the circumstances at the club.”We can’t make any further comment on that. There’s a legal process that has to be followed,” Kirtley said. “But it’s an obvious distraction to the lads.”We talk a lot about distractions,” he added. “This is a time of year when contracts are negotiated, and for this young side, it’s very important they understand that this is part of the game, and their ability to rise above those situations is a real skill.”The prospect of losing Carson – a highly-rated offspinner who was born in Northern Ireland but is England-qualified – comes in the wake of several high-profile departures from Hove in recent seasons, most recently the England duo of Chris Jordan and Phil Salt, but before them the likes of Reece Topley, Luke Wells, Danny Briggs, Laurie Evans, Michael Burgess and Harry Finch.It is a talent drain that has come in for scathing criticism from the former Sussex and England wicketkeeper, Matt Prior, who renewed his attack on the club hierarchy – in particular the CEO Rob Andrew and director of cricket, Keith Greenfield – in a series of tweets on Tuesday evening.”Another one the @SussexCCC Chairman, Board, Cricket committee, CEO and Performance Director will want to disappear very quickly,” Prior wrote. “Not sure that’s happening this time. The circle is closing around these people who have done so much to destroy our club.”

Australia's method offers promise, if not results

There were plenty of positives for Australia’s bowlers, on a day where they created chances but had little luck

Daniel Brettig02-Aug-2019Every now and then, it can be hard to quantify a day’s cricket. Nine years ago at the Gabba, Brad Haddin and Michael Hussey batted through three full sessions to add 307 together against England, their edges and pads being threatened throughout even as the scorecard continued to chronicle an ostensibly dominant partnership.On the third morning alone, armed with the second new ball, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn and Graeme Swann drew, according to CricViz, a false shot percentage of 18% without taking a single wicket. Briefly frustrated, Anderson and company were eventually exultant, having persisted with their plans and methods to secure an ultimately yawning 3-1 series margin.Back in the here and now, a ledger reading England 257 for 4, Rory Burns 125 not out, does not exactly suggest day two of this Ashes series was a good one for Australia’s bowlers. Certainly it must be said that there were certain overs and spells from Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon that were not all they could have been, with runs being allowed to leak in places and at times when more pressure might have brought more wickets.But the question that will be asked by many, at the end of the day on which the hosts crept to within 17 runs of a total Australia were gifted by the singular genius of Steven Smith, is whether or not the scoreboard merits a reconsideration of approach or merely a few tweaks at the edges of things. By the same measure as Brisbane 2010, England’s false shot percentage on day two was 22%, enough usually to claim comfortably more than four wickets – certainly there was no panic emanating from the team’s mentor, Steve Waugh.”[It was] just one of those days, wasn’t it?” Waugh said. “I thought they tried really hard, a lot of plays and misses, but it’s not an easy wicket to bat on either, so you’ve got to give the England batsmen credit. They played really well, they took their opportunities, made it hard for us to take wickets, but it just wasn’t our day. [We] beat the bat on a lot of occasions, a couple of half-chances, a run out, maybe a referral we could have got better, so one of those tough days of Test match cricket. The first session tomorrow is what really counts for us.”I thought our boys really toiled well all day and it wasn’t easy. There were moments when we bowled really well and not much seemed to happen, then we played well in the afternoon. I thought Ben Stokes played well at the end of the day, took a bit of the initiative away from us. I really can’t fault our bowlers today or the effort in the field, early in the day Pattinson hitting the stumps, maybe the referral we got wrong, we could have has them three or four down at lunch and it might’ve been a totally different day.”I think our bowlers’ efforts were really good. If they can do the same thing tomorrow, get a couple edges first up, it could be totally different.”There were undoubtedly a few moments in the first session that the Australians will ponder. The first edge of the day, coaxed out of Jason Roy by James Pattinson, flew through fourth slip, a position that was to be taken up after the moment had passed. Nathan Lyon’s early lbw appeal against Burns, found to be pitching in line, hitting in line and squarely striking the stumps according to ball-tracking, was a mistake by both the umpire Joel Wilson and the Australian fielders not deigning to review.Nathan Lyon reacts after a loose delivery•Getty Images

An early wicket there might well have brought a rush of them for Lyon, after the fashion of his dominant series in Australia in 2017-18. Instead he spent the rest of the day either dropping a fraction too short – a possible hangover from the ‘bowl ugly’ mantra he uses in limited-overs cricket, content at times to fire down flat deliveries that only draw a single to the boundary sweeper – or spinning his off breaks past the groping bats of Burns and later Ben Stokes.Similarly, the bizarre spectacle of Pattinson striking the outside of Joe Root’s off stump, creating a noise that brought a caught behind decision then overturned, left plenty of Australians to ruefully ponder the weight of the bails and the depth of their grooves, among other things. Root’s stand with Burns was never fluent, but sapped precious time and energy from the tourists up to the point where a wonderfully sharp return catch from Siddle sent England’s captain back to the dressing room, punching his glove against the guard rail as he did so.Siddle’s day looked decent on paper, conceding just two an over while conceding a mere four boundaries. But he will have been frustrated not to be more impactful on a surface that offered plenty of grass for him to work with the seam of the Dukes ball. And in common with Cummins, he spent long tracts of time operating from around the wicket against Burns and Stokes, seemingly without generating the sorts of chances that Australia’s team analysis has suggested will be the reward for accurate seam bowling from that angle to left-handers.One passage of play, after a ball change had provided additional life and accounted for Joe Denly and Jos Buttler in quick succession, underlined the somewhat questionable nature of this approach. Cummins, steaming in from the pavilion end, beat Burns four times in a single over from over the wicket, as the opener was marooned in the 90s. Next over he defeated Buttler from the same line, but when Stokes came in revered to around the wicket for Burns.The change in angle brought a loose ball Burns was able to glance for four to go from 94 to 98, and provided a discernible relaxation in the pressure previously applied. These moments, allied to the fact that Chris Woakes won lbw verdicts against Travis Head and Matthew Wade from over the wicket on day one, should be cause for some pondering about future lines of attack.Later, as Tim Paine cast around for options to bowl the last few overs before the second new ball, Wade and Head shared three amiable overs for 14 runs. The inclusion of Mitchell Marsh in the squad as a potential fourth seam bowling option will have its own issues in terms of his limitations as a batsman, but on flatter pitches in other venues, the Australians will need to think about their balance. Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, of course, will not wish to be running drinks all series either.”It’s always useful when you don’t take too many wickets you’re looking around seeing who can bowl a few overs,” Waugh said. “We had the luxury of four great bowlers and didn’t often need a fifth bowler, but those sort of days where you’re not taking a lot of wickets you can probably do with five or 10 overs from someone. Having said that the bowlers handled the workload pretty well … but ideally it’s nice to have another bowler.”Ultimately, the best measure of this day will arrive in mid-September, when the outcome of this series is known. It may well be that the Australians see it the same way as England did in 2010, or perhaps as the 1989 team of which Waugh was a part saw an England first innings of 430 at Headingley before not topping 400 again for the series – a day when the exception proved the rule. But they have a lot of work ahead of them to do so.

Ponting sees potential in Australia's team

Ricky Ponting sees potential in the current Australia team, despite their disappointing Ashes against England

Renaldo Matadeen17-Aug-2013Ricky Ponting sees potential in the current Australia team, despite their disappointing Ashes against England. Ponting believes that there have been spots of brightness from time to time, but admitted that England were the dominant side.”I have kept in touch with it [the Ashes] and putting my biased goggles on for a minute, I think the boys have probably played a little bit better than the scoreline suggests as they have been in with a chance of winning three Tests,” Ponting, who is on duty with the Antigua Hawksbills in the Caribbean Premier League, said. “But the scoreline reads 3-0 and that is the difference sometimes between the really good and experienced teams, and the ones on their way up… the know-how to actually get across the line and to win games.”England have got a really good team, an experienced team and their bowling group has been together for pretty much the last six or seven years now.”Australia have much to learn still, but they are headed in the right direction, he said. “There are some challenges there for Australia cricket but with Darren Lehmann’s appointment as coach and some of the younger guys they have got around there I think there is enough talent but they are just going to have to learn and at the moment they are learning the hard way.”Ponting will be in the commentary box this Australian summer, covering the Big Bash League, but he also sees himself staying within the game in a more hands-on approach. “There is no doubt I will stay in the game somewhere. There will be some coaching offers that will come my way and I am really interested in coaching. I’m really interested in helping out younger players,” he said. He was confident that he had a lot left to offer the breeding grounds of Australian cricket.”The state Australian cricket is at, at the moment, my services could be used in some way. We will just wait and see, but the one thing I do not want to do is to travel around the world for six or eight months a year.”

George Bailey pledges to maintain standards

George Bailey, Australia’s new T20 captain, has set himself the marker of ensuring the high standards reached by the Test team against India do not slacken in the game’s shortest format.

Daniel Brettig in Sydney31-Jan-2012New captain, new format, same attitude. Australia’s new Twenty20 captain, George Bailey, has set himself the marker of ensuring the high standards reached by the Test team against India do not slacken in the game’s shortest format.Bailey has been passed the leadership baton from Test captain Michael Clarke and is leading a much-changed side in the first Twenty20 at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. He is intent on making sure India are again pressed to their limits and beyond by a team that works harder and more assiduously at the game’s fundamentals, irrespective of the difference in format and personnel. Bailey also wants to keep the sense of happiness and clear objectives maintained under Clarke, mindful his group has only six fixtures between now and the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.”It’s important we continue the momentum of the Test team, not just in the cricket they played, but in the standards they’re setting in the Test team at their training and the great feel around the group as well,” Bailey said. “We’ve spoken about that and about the great energy they’ve provided, and the great start and the great feeling among that group, and how they feel like they’ve set a real standard.”We’ve talked about that as a T20 group as well, continuing that, allowing the one-day side to have that feeling when they get together as well, and knowing you don’t get the T20 group together that often, so up until the World Cup in six months time we’ve got six games. Every opportunity we get to hit the ground running and make a big impression, we have to take.”As the first Australian since Dave Gregory in the first Test match of all to make his international debut as captain, Bailey is poised to create rare history. The other side of this achievement, of course, are the sniggers about whether or not Bailey is worth his place in the XI, having been elevated to the role as much for his leadership as his feisty middle-order batting.”It wasn’t me who picked the team. I’m just excited to be here and be leading it and hopefully continuing on the great form and the great start to the summer that Australia have had,” Bailey said. “I’m nervous about both [captaincy and debut], from the playing aspect you’re anxious to get out there and perform really well, and the captaining side of things I’m really comfortable with that, it’s more getting to know the players as quickly as I can. We’ve had some great training sessions, really hard sessions … once I get my head around knowing the players as well as I can, that’ll fall into place nicely.”At the opposite end of the scale to Bailey in terms of international experience are Brett Lee and Brad Hogg, two well-travelled bowlers likely to play a significant role for the new captain at the top and tail of the Indian innings. Bailey said Lee’s leadership of the bowling attack would be critical.”That experience is going to be really important and something that we’ll tap into,” he said. “I think his numbers in the recent Big Bash were outstanding, particularly for someone who bowls in your key periods at the top and also at the death. Lee embraces that role as the leading fast bowler in our team, and his experience is outstanding, and the thing I love about him is just how competitive he is.”

Lee Goddard leaves Derbyshire

Lee Goddard has left Derbyshire after the decision was taken not to renew the wicketkeeper’s contract at the end of the 2010 season

Cricinfo staff10-Aug-2010Lee Goddard has left Derbyshire after the decision was taken not to renew the wicketkeeper’s contract at the end of the 2010 season. With Tom Poynton currently nursing a finger injury, former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Steve Adshead has been drafted in on a short-term basis to fill the wicketkeeping vacancy.During his first stint at Derbyshire between 2003 and 2007, Goddard, 27 made a career-best 91 against Surrey and also set a record for the largest total against Derbyshire without conceding a bye when he kept a clean sheet against Essex as they scored 580.He returned to Derbyshire after three seasons with Durham ahead of the 2010 campaign but he has now been deemed surplus to requirements at the County Ground. He played eight first-class matches this season, taking 24 catches and averaging 16.50 with the bat.”We made the decision to sign Lee Goddard following James Pipe’s retirement from the professional game and hopes were high that he could become a long term replacement,” said John Morris, Derbyshire’s Head of Cricket. “Unfortunately it hasn’t worked out for him with gloves or bat so we are looking at alternative options.”

Instigators not punished enough – Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble, the former India captain, has said the ICC’s match referees don’t seem to punish the instigators of on-field spats severely enough

Cricinfo staff21-Dec-2009Anil Kumble, the former India captain, has said the ICC’s match referees don’t seem to punish the instigators of on-field spats severely enough. He feels that too often the provocateurs escape with a light censure while players who react strongly are penalised severely.Kumble expressed his views in his syndicated column after the completion of the Perth Test, during which three Australian players were fined while West Indian spinner Sulieman Benn was banned for two one-day internationals by match referee Chris Broad. Benn, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin were involved in an ugly incident on the second day of the Test, which led to Benn’s ban and Haddin and Johnson being fined 25% and 10% of their respective match fees.The clash began with a run-in between the bowler Benn, who was moving across to field a drive, and the non-striker Johnson, who was taking off for a single. The contact seemed incidental, with neither man at fault, but Haddin appeared to inflame the situation after completing the run, when he pointed his bat at Benn.The pair exchanged words and the sparks flew again two balls later, when Haddin drove the final ball of the over back to Benn, who shaped to throw at the striker’s end even though Haddin was not taking off for a run. Haddin and Johnson had a mid-pitch meeting at the end of the over and Benn continued his remonstration, moving close to the batsmen and pointing at Haddin across the shoulder of Johnson.There appeared to be some incidental contact between Johnson and Benn when Johnson moved to position himself between his partner and the bowler. Things became even uglier when Johnson pushed Benn away, following the initial contact. After stumps the West Indies captain Chris Gayle said he felt Benn had not initiated the physical clash.”There doesn’t seem to be any punishment forthcoming for someone who provokes and that to me is against the principles of natural justice,” Kumble wrote. “The Australians always seem to get away. Whatever their transgressions on the field, invariably it is their opponents who end up paying a price. Somehow or the other, teams playing against the Aussies seem to invite the match referee’s wrath.”Kumble cited the example of the Delhi Test in 2008, during which Gautam Gambhir was banned for a Test by match referee Broad because he elbowed Shane Watson, with whom he had verbal altercations before the incident. Gambhir also argued with Simon Katich in the same innings.”In the Delhi Test against us, my last, the one that earned Gautam Gambhir a ban for having a go at Watson, the same umpire and the match referee were officiating,” Kumble wrote. “At that time, the umpire Billy Bowden didn’t see it fit to report Simon Katich who had later obstructed Gautam and the match referee Chris Broad too didn’t bother to act on his own or follow it up with the on-field umpires even though it was very much evident on TV. And as on that occasion, the provocateurs got away in Perth too, with Haddin and Johnson receiving minor reprimands.”

Healy: 'Door is still wide open' for Jonassen to return

The left-arm spinner lost her spot earlier this year and has been unable to find a way back in for the T20 World Cup

Andrew McGlashan26-Aug-2024Jess Jonassen has been given hope of forcing her way back into the Australia side after she was omitted from a World Cup squad for the first time where she has been available.Despite having 105 T20Is to her name, the writing was on the wall for Jonassen when she was left out of the squad to tour Bangladesh earlier this year and it was always going to be difficult to find her way back in amid a strong spin group that features Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Alana King and Ash Gardner.The only previous occasion that Jonassen has missed a World Cup was the 2013 ODI edition when she was ruled out through injury after originally being selected.Related

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It is Molineux’s return to fitness after a couple of injury-hit seasons, alongside the selectors’ preference to have two legspinners in the squad, that played a big part in forcing Jonassen out. She lost her spot in the T20I team last summer after being given some heavy punishment by Hayley Matthews at North Sydney Oval and has not played an ODI since last July in Ireland.Jonassen took 11 wickets in seven matches for Delhi Capitals in the WPL earlier this year and is currently at the WCPL playing for Trinbago Knight Riders off the back of an impressive Hundred campaign which brought 12 wickets and 176 runs for Welsh Fire.”Hundred per cent, the path’s still there, the door is still wide open,” Australia captain Alyssa Healy said of Jonassen. “You look at her career and how it’s progressed, particularly over the past five or six years, she’s been in the squad, out of the squad, her and Sophie Molineux have sort of [gone] tit-for-tat along the way.”I’m disappointed for Jono myself. I have played a lot of cricket with her over the years and know exactly what she can contribute to the Australian team in big tournaments and how clutch she can be. I still see a big future for her in the Aussie side, there’s always a niggle or whatnot around [during] the summer, and she’ll still be around this summer no doubt.”Jonassen’s absence is another part of the subtle evolution of the Australia side over the last couple of years which has seen the retirement of Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning, although a senior core of Healy, Gardner, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt remains.The depth in Australian cricket is such that replacements have been close to hand and they are now starting to be given a greater role in the side. This upcoming World Cup will be a first for Phoebe Litchfield, who has a T20I strike rate of 161.86 after a breakout 2023-24 season in the middle order, while allrounder Annabel Sutherland is coming off a Player-of-the-Tournament performance in the Hundred.There is a chance that Tayla Vlaeminck could team up with fellow quick Darcie Brown•Getty Images

“We’ve seen a fair bit of change,” Healy said. “You even look at the last 12-18 months, the turnover we’ve had, we’ve lost over 700 games of experience. It’s got to come at some point in time, [but] fortunately there’s still a few of us old birds still floating around who can hopefully impart some wisdom on how to win tournaments. Think the youth in our group is really exciting and hopefully we can just help mentor or lead them in the right direction because think the youth in our squad is going to win this World Cup for us.”There is also a chance that Australia could field the pace duo of Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck in an XI together for the first time, either in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand in September, which provides preparation for the World Cup, or the tournament itself, although that will be dictated by conditions in the UAE.Even if it doesn’t happen over the next couple of months, it’s an enticing prospect for the Ashes, which will take place in January.”I’d love to see it,” Healy said of the two playing together. “We are so blessed with ample allrounders that I think we can play around a little bit with our fast-bowling attack. Think having those two in our side is huge point of difference, especially in [the] conditions potentially we are going to get, having real pace in your side is a real advantage.”We’ll have to wait and see what the make-ups of the side are but it’s really exciting for the future that those two are in the squad in together and hopefully we can get them firing at the same time.”

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