Australia great Ricky Ponting has claimed England’s ‘Bazball’ revolution was designed with one eye on the Ashes but believes their plans could “backfire” in the next few weeks.
England’s have undergone a remarkable makeover since the double act of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took charge of the Test side, committing to a fearless brand of ultra-aggressive cricket.
One of the hallmarks of their tenure has been a refusal to look beyond the next game, with Stuart Broad revealing this week that ‘the A word’ had not been mentioned in the dressing room until the end of last week’s Lord’s win over Ireland.
Former Australia captain Ponting, who won the urn five times but also lost three times, finds that hard to believe and thinks this summer’s contest has been on England’s radar right from the start.
“I think the reason that they’ve played this way for the last couple of years is with this series in mind,” he said.
“I think they’re trying to find a brand of cricket that they can play that’s going to win an Ashes series. It’s been refreshing to be honest, to see the win at all cost type of mentality.
“I’m not saying they’re not caring, but they’re not putting that ahead of trying to win a game. I don’t think it’s impossible (that it could work), I think they’ll definitely try it, they’ve made that pretty clear.
“The Australian attack will have to be ready for it, I’ve got a few thoughts on what I’d be doing if I was an Australian fast bowler or if I was talking to the Australian fast bowler about how they should be looking to bowl to the England batsman.”
England skipper Stokes has gone on record with his preference for the five grounds to provide fast, hard pitches and there have been reports that the boundary ropes could be brought in to encourage the rapid scoring rates England have thrived on.
But for Ponting, that could be a double-edged sword and one he feels may well play into Australian hands.
“I’m really intrigued to see what sort of conditions England want to play that style of cricket,” he said
“If they have the flatter wickets with smaller boundaries it might just backfire on the bowling group, so let’s wait and see.
“Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson and Ollie Robinson are going to want pitches that offer them something. If they don’t have those wickets for their bowling attack, let’s see how they go against the Aussie batters.”
Australia overcame some sloppy catching and careless footwork to remain in full control on day three of the World Test Championship final against India.
England’s Ashes rivals were not at their ruthless best at the Oval, allowing three chances to go down in the morning session while captain Pat Cummins saw a wicket chalked off for over-stepping for the second time in the match.
But even that was not enough to chip away at their dominant position in the match, Cameron Green making amends for an earlier drop with a stunning take at gully as India were dismissed for 296.
David Warner fell cheaply as the Australians moved to 23 for one at tea in their second innings, leaving Rohit Sharma’s side 196 behind and facing a mountainous task.
Without a fine 89 from Ajinkya Rahane and a battling 51 from a battered and bruised Shardul Thakur, they would be even further adrift.
Australia enjoyed a dream start when Scott Boland scattered Srikar Bharat’s stumps with the second ball of the day, leaving India 317 behind with just four wickets in hand.
Remarkably, and despite a relentless attacking effort from the Baggy Green bowlers, that was the only wicket to fall before lunch.
Boland came close to striking again in the opening over, snaring a thick edge from Thakur which soared high towards Usman Khawaja in the cordon. It was a tough chance and one that squirmed free from the fielder’s fingertips.
Thakur needed plenty of steel to stick around, requiring lengthy treatment after being hit three times by Cummins in a single over – wearing blows on the forearm, wrist and glove.
Having softened him up, the seamer should have got his rewards when Thakur sprayed a chance to gully but this time Green’s handiwork let him down.
With Thakur in a state of almost permanent danger, Rahane gave the vocal Indian crowd something to cheer when he hooked Cummins over fine-leg for six to bring up his half-century.
He passed 5,000 Test runs soon after, the 13th Indian to do so, but he also required a stroke of fortune to reach the break.
On 72 he aimed a flowing drive at Cummins, sending a head-high catch to first slip. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey appeared to offer a minor distraction to Warner, but he will still be kicking himself after seeing the ball pop out and land safe.
A handful of boundaries took the partnership into three figures as India began to have some fun, while Australia’s annoyance only increased when Cummins saw his lbw against Thakur overturned by the no-ball call. It was a case of history repeating for Cummins, who had also lost a wicket to over-stepping on day two when Rahane was on 17.
Australia needed a pick-me-up and Green provided it in style at the start of the afternoon session, showing razor sharp reactions and athleticism to take a jaw-dropping catch that ended Rahane’s stay on 89. Cummins was the beneficiary and he made sure to cash in when he cleaned up Umesh Yadav for five.
Thakur reached 51 before being undone by Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc finished things up by bouncing out Mohammed Shami.
India’s fans, whipped up by Virat Kohli, created a hostile atmosphere at the change of innings and Warner lasted just eight balls before nicking off to Mohammed Siraj.
Marnus Labuschagne was woken from a nap on the balcony to dash out at number three, and became the latest batter to take a nasty-looking blow to the hand when Siraj got one to lift aggressively at him.
Careless footwork and sloppy catching halted Australia’s progress as India fought back on the third morning of the World Test Championship final at the Oval.
Australia enjoyed a dream start when Scott Boland scattered Srikar Bharat’s stumps with the second ball of the day, leaving India 317 behind with just four wickets in hand, but despite creating plenty of chances that was the only breakthrough of the session.
Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green and David Warner all put down chances to allow a century stand between Ajinkya Rahane (89no) and Shardul Thakur (36no) to shore up India on 260 for six at lunch, a deficit of 209.
Captain Pat Cummins also erred, denied a possible wicket for the second time in the innings due to a front-foot no-ball. He had Rahane lbw for 17 on day two, only for replays to show he had overstepped, and he saw history repeating itself just before the break when he had Thakur given out after being struck on the knee-roll.
Umpire Richard Kettleborough immediately raised his finger, much to Australia’s relief, but a DRS review showed Cummins had once again failed to get anything behind the line.
Boland, pushing hard to retain his place for next week’s Ashes opener at Edgbaston, started superbly as he ripped his second delivery through a small gap between Bharat’s bat and pad and straight into middle.
Had Thakur’s thick edge been held by Khawaja in the cordon four balls later, India may well have struggled to come back from it. Instead the ball squirmed out of his fingertips and the battle continued.
Thakur needed plenty of bravery to stick around, requiring lengthy treatment after being hit three times by Cummins in a single over – wearing blows on the forearm, wrist and glove.
Having softened him up, the seamer should have got his rewards when Thakur sprayed a chance to gully but this time Green’s handiwork let him down.
With Thakur in a state of almost permanent danger, Rahane gave the vocal Indian crowd something to cheer when he hooked Cummins over fine-leg for six to bring up his half-century.
He passed 5,000 Test runs soon after, the 13th Indian to do so, but he also required a stroke of fortune to reach the break.
On 72 he aimed a flowing drive at Cummins, sending a head-high catch to first slip. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey appeared to offer a minor distraction to Warner, but he will still be kicking himself after seeing the ball pop out and land safe.
A handful of boundaries took the partnership into three figures as India began to have some fun, while Australia’s annoyance only increased when Cummins saw his lbw against Thakur overturned by the no-ball call.
Georgia Adams hopes to continue ribbing Charlotte Edwards about keeping the trophy that bares her name at home as Southern Vipers go in search of more silverware this weekend.
The former England captain had an illustrious playing career and success has continued to follow her as head coach of a few domestic sides, including helping Vipers to Charlotte Edwards Cup glory last year.
Edwards’ side are into Finals Day on Saturday at New Road, where they will challenge Thunder at midday with the winners taking on group winners The Blaze later on in the T20 tournament showpiece.
“We’ve got the trophy and we don’t want to let it go,” Vipers captain Adams told the PA news agency. “We give Lottie a lot of stick about the cup being on her mantelpiece at home.”
As well as also winning the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy twice as head coach with the Vipers, Edwards inspired Mumbai Indians to the inaugural Women’s Premier League title in India earlier this year while her teams have finished runners-up in The Hundred in both seasons and the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia.
Asked to pinpoint the reasons for an enviable cricketing CV, Adams highlighted Edwards’ instincts for the game and her unwavering loyalty to the players at her disposal.
“She’s got a sixth sense for cricket,” Adams said. “She understands the game in ways that I’ve probably never known anyone else to be able to.
“Sometimes it’s not great when you’re sat on the sidelines watching with her. She’ll say ‘she’s about to get out’ and you’re like ‘no’ but you know it’s going to happen.
“She’s very good at people management, she’s very clear, she’s honest but in an appropriate manner and she backs you. You see with the teams she steps out to create, they don’t flit around too much.
“If you do have a bad day, you know she’s confident in your abilities and you don’t ever feel under too much pressure to prove your place because you know if you make it into her playing XI then she’s backing you all the way. Her player management is fantastic and we have a lot of fun.”
Vipers defeated Thunder last week during the eight-team group stage en route to finishing runners-up behind Blaze, who will be favourites in Worcestershire after winning all seven matches.
But Vipers will be boosted by the form of Adams, who has flourished since dropping down as opener to the middle order and racked up 228 runs at an average of 57 this season – second only to Bryony Smith’s haul (256).
England recognition has eluded Adams and the 29-year-old is firmly concentrating on matters at hand.
“All my career I’ve had one eye on England but I’ve been very aware it’s an incredibly tough side to get into,” she added.
“As captain of the Vipers, the role is getting quite big now with the professionalisation of the women’s game, that’s got to be my primary focus.”
Vipers will be able to call upon England centrally contracted trio Danni Wyatt, Charlie Dean and Freya Kemp on Saturday. Sophie Ecclestone and Emma Lamb are available for Thunder while Sarah Glenn and Tammy Beaumont can appear for Blaze.
There is no Kate Cross for Thunder or Nat Sciver-Brunt for Blaze as the pair are building their bowling loads for the start of the Ashes series later this month.
Eoin Morgan hailed the authenticity of Ben Stokes and believes the England captain is sincere about following through with a win-at-any-cost mentality in every Test against Australia.
Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have transformed the Test side’s fortunes with 11 wins in 13 matches but a long-awaited Ashes showdown starting next week could challenge their aggressive approach.
However, Stokes demonstrated in New Zealand in February he is prepared to risk defeat to pursue victory and the all-rounder is adamant that will not change despite the stakes being considerably higher this summer.
And Morgan doubts there is any bluffing from Stokes, who has insisted that he would declare even if England were 2-1 up and 300 ahead with seven wickets in hand going into the last day of the final Test.
The former England white-ball skipper, speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, told the PA news agency: “I don’t believe anything Ben says is for show.
“He is a man of his word, he is very authentic, you can tell it speaks volumes both on and off the field and it rings clear in the changing room, so it should be no different for anybody in the public.
“When you have a leader like that, it’s great because there’s just clear, transparent direction in where you’re going and what you want to achieve.
“A draw isn’t the task, they want to win, their eyes are on the prize and he seems to get more out of his own players that way.”
Morgan lifted England’s white-ball sides out of the doldrums to 50-over World Cup glory in 2019 – and among his team-mates was Stokes, who took charge of a Test side that had won just once in 17 matches.
While there might be some parallels in their captaincy arcs, Morgan feels that is where the similarities end.
Morgan said: “I see shades of the trend and journey that he’s going through but ultimately he’s his own leader – and he should be.
“For the best part of four or five years, England were terrible at Test match cricket, they tried fighting and being dogged, defensive and playing the long game, and that just doesn’t work. I can imagine the cornerstone of Ben’s thinking is ‘we’re not going back to playing that way’.
“You need to be as authentic as you can as a leader, particularly around the group simply because you ask everybody else to be authentic and if you’re not, people tend to notice it at various stages.”
Morgan was renowned for his shrewd thinking under intense pressure but even he draws a blank when asked how he would attempt to negate England under Stokes and McCullum.
He said: “When they get going, it’s a captain’s nightmare so I suppose stopping them getting going would be the biggest challenge. I’m not even sure how you do that. I wouldn’t put myself through it!”
Stokes, though, could meet his match in opposite number Pat Cummins, according to Morgan, who played alongside and captained the paceman at Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Morgan added: “Pat’s captaincy has been exceptional. I would hold him in the same regard as I hold Ben Stokes’ leadership. He is a very cool, calm customer and very intelligent for a fast bowler.
“He’s completely bucked the trend. An important part of captaincy is taking in what’s happening in the game and taking in opinions from others – that is incredibly difficult to do when you’re charging in for upwards of 20 overs per day, giving your all physically and mentally in the bowling innings.
“He has managed to find a balance. Clearly, he’s making good decisions and being able to bowl very well at the same time.”
:: Every match of the men’s and women’s Ashes will be shown live and exclusively on Sky Sports and NOW from 16th June.
England captain Ben Stokes has told his team-mates to enter the Ashes without fear.
England host their old rivals this summer, with the first Test getting under way at Edgbaston on June 16, having won just one of the last five series against Australia.
Stokes has led his team to victory in 11 of his 13 Tests since he was installed as permanent skipper at the start of last summer.
He and coach Brendon McCullum have overseen a change of approach in preparation for an attempt to regain the Ashes urn for the first time since 2015, following their 4-1 drubbing Down Under in 2021/22.
“It’s not like any other series,” Stokes wrote for the Players’ Tribune.
“There’s the pressure, the hype and the extra noise that comes with it, but we’re ready for all that this summer.
“We’ve had some good results in the last year and the mindset in the group is so strong. Everyone is fully committed to what we’re doing.
“We know how good we are and that on our good days we can beat anyone on their good days.”
Stokes, 32, who hit an unbeaten 135 as England battled back to chase down 359 and beat Australia in a memorable meeting at Headingley in 2019, wants the team to go into the latest series unburdened by any pressure.
“I promise you: We’re going to play without fear,” he added.
“We want to create an environment where everyone has the freedom to try things without fear. I know it hasn’t always been that way, even though we’ve always had the ability.
“Hold nothing back. Express yourself. Show us what you can really do.
“And you know what? If you fail, then you fail. So what? As captain, I’m not going to be chewing people out in press conferences or in the media for trying to play a big shot.
“And behind the scenes, you’re not gonna get a slap on the wrist from me or Brendon McCullum about it.
“I don’t want this to be taken out of context. Just because I say it’s alright to fail, it doesn’t mean I’m fine with losing. I hate losing.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced that Johnson Charles has been named as the replacement for Gudakesh Motie in the 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament to be played in Zimbabwe, starting on Sunday 18 June.
Left-arm spinner Motie has not recovered from a lower back injury. Charles recently made a return to the West Indies ODI team for the ongoing three match ODI series against United Arab Emirates in Sharjah. He scored 63 in the second match, his 50th ODI appearance, and was named Player of the Match.
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “We want to wish Motie the best as he continues his rehabilitation. He is one of the players who we expect to feature in West Indies cricket going forward, so we want to see him recover fully so he can participate when called upon.”
Haynes added: “When we discussed the replacement player, we looked at the possibility of another spinner in the squad. However, we felt it was better to go with Charles. He is experienced at the international level, he will add value to the team for what will be a very important tournament. He also has knowledge of the Zimbabwe conditions having played ODI matches there before, so we see him as the right man for the job at this stage.”
West Indies will arrive in Harare on Saturday 10 June, where they will prepare for the 10-team tournament. They have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Zimbabwe, Nepal, Netherlands and the USA.
West Indies face the USA in the opening Group A fixture on Sunday 18 June at Takashinga Cricket Club, followed by Nepal on Thursday 22 June at Harare Sports Club. West Indies meet Zimbabwe on Saturday 24 June at Harare Sports Club. The fourth preliminary match will be against the Netherlands on Monday 26 June.
Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from the groups progressing to the Super Six stage from Thursday 29 June to Friday 7 July. The teams each play three Super Six matches against the sides they did not meet in the group stage.
All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group. The final will be played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday 9 July. The two finalists will both progress to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
FULL SQUAD
Shai Hope (captain)
Rovman Powell (vice-captain)
Shamarh Brooks
Yannic Cariah
Keacy Carty
Roston Chase
Johnson Charles
Jason Holder
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Kyle Mayers
Keemo Paul
Nicholas Pooran
Romario Shepherd
West Indies Match Schedule
All matches start at 9am local time (3am Eastern Caribbean/2am Jamaica)
Sunday 18 June: v USA at Takashinga Cricket Club
Thursday 22 June: v Nepal at Harare Sports Club
Saturday 24 June: v West Indies at Harare Sports Club
Monday 26 June: v Netherlands at Takashinga Cricket Club
Steve Smith invited England to try and make ‘Bazball’ pay off in the Ashes after Australia bowlers took control of the World Test Championship final against India, declaring: “they haven’t come up against us yet”.
England have spent the last year establishing themselves as the most daring red-ball team around, scoring at a frantic rate against New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan and notching 11 wins from 13 games under Ben Stokes’ captaincy.
One by one they have lined up to take aim at England’s ultra-attacking approach, but Stokes and company have yet to take their foot off the throttle.
Australia clearly fancy their chances of breaking the streak and Smith saw no reason to doubt his side’s attack after they put the squeeze on India on day two at the Oval.
Seamers Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green each took a wicket, as did spinner Nathan Lyon, with India closing day two on 151 for five – 318 adrift.
Asked if England’s preferred style would be a success against that bowling pack, Smith said: “I think I said it initially when ‘Bazball’ started that I’m intrigued to see how it goes against our bowlers. I’ve said that all along.
“I think it’d be difficult on this kind of wicket – up and down and seaming around – it’s not easy to defend, let alone come out and swing.
“They’ve obviously done well against some other attacks, but they haven’t come up against us yet. So, we’ll see.
“It’s obviously been exciting to watch. I must say I’ve enjoyed watching the way they’ve played and the way that I guess they’ve turned things around in the last 12 months or so, but it’s yeah we’ll wait and see how it comes off against us.”
Smith played a significant role of his own in putting Australia firmly in charge in London, taking his tally of Test centuries to 31. He spent just over five-and-a-half hours compiling 121, sharing a stand of 285 with the more expansive Travis Head (163).
Smith has now scored seven hundreds in English conditions, amassing 774 runs in the 2019 Ashes at a staggering average of 110.57.
“It was nice to spend a lot of time out there against some good bowlers on a challenging wicket after getting sent in. I’ll take a lot of confidence out of that and hopefully can keep building and have a successful summer here,” he said.
“I think in terms of English wickets it’s probably as close to Australia as you get. I’ve enjoyed playing here and it was nice to score a few out here again.”
India were scrapping to stay afloat in the World Test Championship final after a top-order collapse left Australia in the driving seat on day two of the World Test Championship final.
Australia were all out for 469 in their first innings, Steve Smith following in the footsteps of first-day centurion Travis Head to post 121, and then snapped up key wickets to establish a dominant position.
Each of their seam quartet struck as India lurched to 71 for four in the 19th over, before spinner Nathan Lyon joined the party and ended a battling fifth-wicket stand.
Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja doubled the score before the latter nicked Lyon to slip for 48. By stumps India were 318 behind on 151 for five, with plenty of work to do retain a realistic chance of succeeding New Zealand as red-ball world champions.
Australia arrived in the morning already boasting a healthy position on 327 for three. At that stage, they were surely hoping to clear 500, but India landed a few handy blows of their own as they took the last seven wickets for 108.
With 10 overs before lunch to work their magic, the Australian seamers made short work of the India openers. Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.
Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly-judged leave.
Boland filled his boots against England Down Under in 2021/22, taking a remarkable six for seven on debut at the MCG, and he made a compelling case for holding his spot at Edgbaston next week with 11 high-quality overs with the Dukes ball.
India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps, but their struggles continued after the break.
Cheteshwar Pujara belied his years of experience in English climes by repeating Gill’s error, shaping to leave all-rounder Cameron Green and paying the price with his off-stump. Kohli’s exit left India in strife but he was at least guilty only of receiving a brutish delivery from Mitchell Starc.
The left-armer was expensive, shipping 52 from nine overs, but showed off his ability to deliver big moments when he got one to explode off a length at Kohli and rap the thumb of his bottom hand as it sprayed to slip.
India’s position left a lot to be desired but, with Australians sensing blood Rahane’s perseverance and Jadeja’s counter-attacking nature served them well. They put on 71 together, parted only when Lyon offered a change of pace. He forced Jadeja into an unusually defensive stroke and clipped the outside edge to break the stand.
Smith had earlier brought up his 31st Test century, his seventh in England and his third at the Oval. Resuming on 95, he dispatched his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary to reach three figures with minimal fuss.
India made regular inroads to keep the game moving forwards, Head departing for a classy 163 as Siraj got him brushing to the keeper with a bumper aimed at the ribs and Smith ending a five-and-a-half hour stay with an uncharacteristically loose prod that canoned into his stumps.
India were scrapping to stay afloat in the World Test Championship final after a top order collapse left Australia in the driving seat on day two of the World Test Championship final.
Australia were all out for 469 in their first innings, Steve Smith following in the footsteps of first day centurion Travis Head to post 121, and then snapped up key wickets to establish a dominant position.
Each of their seam quartet struck as India lurched to 71 for four in the 19th over, before spinner Nathan Lyon joined the party and ended a battling fifth-wicket stand.
Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja doubled the score before the latter nicked Lyon to slip for 48. By stumps India were 318 behind on 151 for five, with plenty of work to do retain a realistic chance of succeeding New Zealand as red-ball world champions.
Australia arrived in the morning already boasting a healthy position on 327 for three. At that stage, they were surely hoping to clear 500, but India landed a few handy blows of their own as they took the last seven wickets for 108.
With 10 overs before lunch to work their magic, the Australian seamers made short work of the India openers. Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.
Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly judged leave. Boland filled his boots against England Down Under in 2021/22, taking a remarkable six for seven on debut at the MCG, and he made a compelling case for holding his spot at Edgbaston next week with 11 high-quality overs with the Dukes ball.
India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps, but their struggles continued after the break.
Cheteshwar Pujara belied his years of experience in English climes by aping Gill’s error, shaping to leave all-rounder Cameron Green and paying with the off stump.
Kohli’s exit left India in strife but he was at least guilty only of receiving a brutish delivery from Mitchell Starc.
The left-armer was expensive, shipping 52 from nine overs, but showed off his ability to deliver big moments when he got one to explode off a length at Kohli and rap the thumb of his bottom hand as it sprayed to slip.
India’s position left a lot to be desired but, with Australians sensing blood, Rahane’s perseverance and Jadeja’s counter-attacking nature served them well.
They put on 71 together, parted only when Lyon offered a change of pace. He forced Jadeja into an unusually defence stroke and clipped the outside edge to break the stand.
Smith had earlier brought up his 31st Test century, his seventh in England and his third at the Oval. Resuming on 95, he dispatched his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary to reach three figures with minimal fuss.
India made regular inroads to keep the game moving forwards, Head departing for a classy 163 as Siraj got him brushing to the keeper with a bumper aimed at the ribs and Smith ending a five-and-a-half hour stay with an uncharacteristically loose prod that canoned into his stumps.
Cricket West Indies has rubbished reports about the International Cricket Council (ICC) possibly asking England to step in and hist next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA.
A number of media outlets including CricTracker, Sportskeeda and the Daily Mirror have reported that the venue shift is being considered due to a lack of infrastructure in the USA but CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, denied these claims and questioned the source of the information.
“No!” was Grave’s answer when asked about the validity of the claims being reported.
“I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’m in London for the World Test Championship final and I’ll be here again for the ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in a few weeks’ time so who knows what the agenda is. There’s no truth to it,” Grave added.
The West Indies previously hosted the ICC T20 World Cup in 2010.
Ollie Pope admits England are searching for a way to burst Steve Smith’s bubble in the Ashes, after the “stubborn” Australian notched up yet another century in the World Test Championship final.
Smith ground India’s bowlers down with a meticulous 121 at Pope’s home of the Oval, the 31st ton of his career and a seventh in English conditions that have served him well over the years.
It took India 268 deliveries and over five-and-a-half hours to end the 34-year-old’s knock, as his trademark bloody-mindedness once again came to the fore.
It was reminiscent of some of Smith’s epic occupations against England, against whom he has scored three double centuries, and Pope believes finding a way to derail his famed concentration could be the key to preventing more of the same this summer.
“He loves batting in England, over the years he averages over 60 here now. It’s obvious he knows these conditions and he knows his game inside out, so there’s a lot of respect for him,” said Pope.
“But there’s also a lot of talented bowlers in our changing room who have worked out ways we can challenge him. I can’t say too much but there’s probably slightly different plans this time.
“He’s got his routines – his slightly longer routines – before he faces each ball and he won’t be ready until he’s done all those routines. What’s made him successful is that stubbornness and that stubbornness for runs as well. That’s exactly the bubble we’ve got to try and get him out of.
“Steve Smith is a highly-skilled batter and scores a lot of runs but I think for him we might be looking at even quirkier ways to challenge him, test him out and make him as uncomfortable as we possibly can to try and get his wicket.”
While Smith’s Ashes record makes him a clear and obvious target, Pope is still looking to make his mark on the famous rivalry.
He was nursing a dislocated shoulder during the last series here in 2019 and endured a miserable time Down Under in 2021/22, making just 67 runs in three matches.
The 25-year-old’s status has soared since then, elevated to the crucial number three position by Ben Stokes and subsequently establishing himself as the skipper’s heir apparent.
He cracked a career-best 205 against Ireland in his final pre-Ashes innings and is certain he is a different prospect to the one who stumbled last time around.
Speaking at an event with England sponsors Radox, Pope said: “I’ve worked really hard and I’m definitely a better player than I was in the last Ashes. Hopefully I can show that in the runs I score.
“I’ve got a lot more experience, I know my game a lot better. I’ve worked hard at my game from a technical point of view, just to make everything slightly smaller in terms of less hand movement and less foot movement, a stiller base.
“From a mental point, obviously with this McCullum-Stokes era, I feel like it’s allowed me just to go and play rather than have to worry about getting out the whole time and what’s going to be said to me.
“The last Ashes was tough. I kind of assumed Jonny Bairstow was going to be playing the first Test, I found out the night before, probably about 9pm that I was playing. When you’re not certain, it’s quite hard to actually mentally properly prepare yourself.
“We’ve got a changing room now where everyone knows their position and everyone is having a lot of fun in that changing room, enjoying each other’s company. It just creates a really good environment that gives you every possible chance of success and that has been produced from the guys at the top.”
:: Ollie Pope was speaking on behalf of Radox, the Official shower gel of England Cricket.
India lost both openers cheaply following Steve Smith’s 31st career century as Australia turned the screw on the second afternoon of the World Test Championship final.
Smith followed day one centurion Travis Head to three figures, for his third ton at the Oval and his seventh overall on English soil.
Australia were eventually bowled out for 469, Head falling for 163 and Smith for 121, as India’s bowlers rallied to pick up the last seven wickets for 108 runs.
But Australia still had plenty of scoreboard pressure and kept themselves in the driving seat by striking twice with the new ball as India reached tea on 37 for two.
Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.
Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly judged leave.
India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps.
Smith had ended day one on 95 not out and showed no sign of any overnight nerves, pinging his first two balls of the morning for four as Mohammed Siraj coughed up a couple of gentle looseners.
Smith raised his bat in celebration after 229 balls at the crease, his latest triumph in a country where he has batted long and often. In doing so he took his average in England back above 60 and up beyond 100 at this ground.
Head progressed from 146 to 163 at a reliably rapid pace, but eventually came undone against India’s short-ball tactics.
After peppering the left-hander with a variety of bumpers, Siraj finally got his man with one that climbed towards his hip and flicked a glove as Head tried to step inside the line and whip towards square-leg.
Cameron Green fluffed his lines slightly at number six, guiding his first ball for four but making just two more before driving airily at Mohammed Shami and spearing a sharp catch to second slip.
India continued to drag themselves back into the fight, Smith’s concentration finally wavering when he nicked Shardul Thakur back into his stumps with an uncharacteristically lazy prod.
The lower order were wrapped up with moderate resistance, Alex Carey chancing his arm in an unconvincing 48, with Siraj finishing with four for 108.
That left India with 10 overs to see off before the break and Australia ensured the opportunity did not go to waste as Cummins and Boland both opened their accounts for the summer.
Steve Smith continued his love affair with batting in England, adding to his impressive collection of centuries on the second morning of the World Test Championship final against India.
Smith already had six Test hundreds to his name in English conditions and added a seventh as Australia moved to 422 for seven during a lively morning session at the Oval.
The 34-year-old came out on the wrong end of a couple of debatable lbw decisions during his recent overseas stint with Sussex in the LV= County Championship, but he was back in a familiar groove as he converted an unbeaten 95 overnight into 121.
As well as driving home Australia’s advantage in the ICC’s showpiece, it also tuned Smith up nicely for an Ashes series that is just eight days away, nudging his average in this country back past 60.
Australia resumed on 327 for three after a dominant first day, with the match progressing swiftly as 95 runs and four wickets were added in two eventful hours.
Smith wasted no time at all in passing three figures, hitting his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary as he cashed in on a couple of looseners.
It had taken him 229 balls to get there, a gentle pace by modern standards, but it was another reminder of his ruthless ability to grind down bowling attacks.
India’s bowlers quickly settled on bouncing the set pair of Smith and Travis Head, who lit up day one with a brilliant ton of his own. He continued his rapid scoring rate to reach 163 in 174 deliveries, but eventually came undone against a relentless tactic.
After trying and failing to pick him off with a variety of bumpers, Siraj finally got his man with one that climbed towards his hip and flicked a glove as Head tried to whip towards square-leg.
Cameron Green fluffed his lines slightly at number six, guiding his first ball for four but making just two more before driving airily at Mohammed Shami and spearing a sharp catch to second slip.
India continued to drag themselves back into the fight, Smith’s concentration finally wavering when he nicked Shardul Thakur back into his stumps with an uncharacteristically lazy prod.
With Alex Carey living dangerously and Mitchell Starc running himself out for five, Australia were losing a little momentum but with plenty of scoreboard pressure already applied.
England captain Jos Buttler struck a fine half-century to help Lancashire beat Vitality Blast North Group leaders Worcestershire by four wickets in Blackpool.
Opener Buttler hit 58 off 42 balls to record only his second fifty in 14 T20 innings as the hosts successfully chased down 178 at Stanley Park.
Steven Croft had been run out for 40 after he and Buttler fell in the space of three balls during the 15th over, but New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell hit a rapid 33 to end Lancashire’s four-game losing streak.
Worcestershire – who lost for the just the second time – had posted 177 for nine, with Adam Hose making 42 and Mitchell Santner a swift 57 as Mitchell took three for nine from his two overs.
In the South Group, leaders Somerset suffered a first defeat as Hampshire secured a five-run win at the Ageas Bowl.
Nathan Ellis produced two stunning death overs as Hampshire made it four wins on the bounce after James Vince hit 50 and an unbeaten 59 from Joe Weatherley helped the hosts post 178 for four.
In reply, Will Smeed cracked an exciting 52, with seven boundaries, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore made 43 to seemingly keep Somerset on track.
But Australian quick Ellis helped close out victory with some fine tight bowling in the 17th and 19th overs as Hampshire moved up to third.
A hat-trick from Sam Cook helped Essex beat Kent by four wickets in Canterbury.
Cook – who claimed four wickets in Tuesday’s home win over Sussex – struck in the fifth over, removing Tawanda Muyeye (10) swiftly followed by having Sam Billings caught behind and then trapping Jordan Cox lbw.
Kent recovered from 35 for four to post 150 for eight, with Joe Denly (39) a fourth wicket for Cook and Grant Stewart hitting four sixes in his 37 off 16.
After Essex openers Feroze Khushi and Dan Lawrence both fell for ducks in reply, Matt Critchley’s unbeaten 63 saw them home as Kent suffered a fifth consecutive Blast defeat.
An unbeaten half-century from Derbyshire captain Leus Du Plooy pushed the Falcons on to a six-wicket win over Birmingham at Edgbaston.
The hosts had posted 203 for seven, built on 79 not out from Sam Hain as Mattie McKiernan took three for 39 from his four overs.
Derbyshire – who had won just two Blast games so far – set about what was a club-record run chase through openers Luis Reece (57) and Haider Ali (48).
Du Plooy then came in to plunder an unbeaten 66 from just 25 balls – with five sixes and four boundaries – to see the Falcons home.
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At Sophia Gardens, Laurie Evans struck a magnificent 118 off 60 balls – including 12 boundaries and half-a-dozen sixes – as Surrey closed out a 65-run win over Glamorgan.
Sam Curran (66) and Will Jacks (46) were also among the runs as Surrey set their hosts a victory target of 237.
Glamorgan, though, could only reach 171 for eight, with opener Sam Northeast having made 76 while all-rounder Dan Douthwaite was unable to bat because of injury.
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