Tymal Mills insisted he is much more of a threat with the ball in his hand than ever even though he may not have as much of a ‘wow’ factor on the speed gun.
Mills’ express pace from a left-arm angle brought him to prominence, with a searing 93mph yorker which castled Chris Gayle in the 2016 Vitality Blast going viral. He made his England debut soon afterwards.
A congenital back problem diagnosed the previous year led to him becoming a T20 specialist as too much bowling can inflame his spinal cord and he has spent plenty of time since then on the treatment table.
However, he stayed fit throughout the English summer and was Sussex’s leading wicket-taker in the Blast before topping the dismissals charts in the men’s Hundred with Southern Brave.
While he was overlooked for a series against New Zealand before the World Cup, the 31-year-old remains very much on England’s radar and has been drafted into the squad for five T20s in the West Indies.
After a few months to savour, Mills admitted he may not be as fast as he once was but the trade-off is he makes up for it in other ways and has honed a devilishly deceptive slower ball.
“I probably don’t bowl quite as quickly as I did when I was 20 or 21 years old but I think I can still bowl quick enough,” said Mills, who has made 13 T20 appearances for England.
“Ultimately what’s most important is that I’m a much better bowler; I’m much more accurate, my nous and tactically I’m very astute – that’s something I take a lot of pride in.
“I’d rather be maybe a touch slower but playing a lot of games than being a tearaway and breaking down a lot. That was a subconscious sacrifice maybe I had to make over the years.
“I still feel in a good rhythm and in a good space, and I certainly still try and bowl my quickest every time I’m bowling a pace-on delivery. Naturally things change as you get a little bit older.
“I am only 31, I have to keep reminding people of that, everyone thinks I’m 40 the way people look at me sometimes. Hopefully I’ve still got a good few more years left to play cricket at a high level.”
These five fixtures against the Windies double up as a reconnaissance mission for England ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence in the Caribbean and the United States in June 2024.
Mills was an unused squad member when England clinched the crown in Australia 13 months ago and he is determined to do everything he can to put his name in the hat for the middle of next year.
“With the T20 World Cup next summer, it’s a really important series for myself to try and get my name in and around that squad,” he added. “The first step to that is getting picked.
“Hopefully everybody will be in a great place to come back out here and use this little bit of knowledge we’re going to gain from this trip to stand us in good stead to defend it next summer.”
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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