Next summer’s domestic T20 schedule kicks off in May with men’s and women’s double-headers taking place across four days.
The Vitality Blast Off begins with a four-day festival played out from Thursday May 30 to Sunday June 2, where seven men’s and women’s T20 double-headers will take place along with two men’s matches back-to-back at Edgbaston, which will host two Midlands clashes.
The Thursday fixtures see games played out at two venues as reigning Charlotte Edwards Cup champions Southern Vipers host Western Storm and, after both competing in this year’s Finals Day, Hampshire Hawks meet Surrey at the Ageas Bowl.
At Old Trafford, Thunder, who reached their first Finals Day earlier this year, take on Central Sparks before Lancashire Lightning face Durham.
In a replay of the 2023 Blast final, Somerset begin their title defence against Essex, whom they beat to earn a first Blast crown in 18 years, and Western Storm face Sunrisers at the Cooper Associates County Ground on Friday.
Friday’s action also sees Northern Diamonds hosts South East Stars before Durham clash with Birmingham Bears at the Seat Unique Riverside, while at Trent Bridge the Blaze play Sparks and Notts Outlaws face Northamptonshire Steelbacks.
Edgbaston will host two Midlands games on the Saturday as the Birmingham Bears clash with Notts Outlaws while Derbyshire Falcons take on Leicestershire Foxes.
The action finishes on the Sunday with games at the Oval and County Ground as the South East Stars play Southern Vipers before Surrey aim to avenge last season’s semi-final defeat when they face Somerset in south London.
The remaining matches then see Sunrisers hosting Northern Diamonds and the Steelbacks will face Yorkshire Vikings.
Speaking about next year’s double-headers, ECB managing director of county cricket, Neil Snowball, said: “It is hugely exciting to be able to confirm that Vitality Blast Off will be expanded to include eight venues next summer as we aim to attract more people to watch men’s and women’s domestic cricket.
“We have scheduled some of the highest-profile men’s and women’s games during the four-day window, which will also launch the new Vitality Blast season in style.
“We saw how successful Vitality Blast Off was this summer when Edgbaston did a remarkable job, as they always do, to put on a show for fans on and off the field and we’re determined to build on that.”
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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