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County Cricket Discussion Thread

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This is incredible!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&#55357;&#56518; 18th April 2021<br>⌚ 437 days<br><br>The last time Sussex last won a red ball game &#55357;&#56390; <br><br>This is what it means &#55357;&#56391; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LVCountyChamp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LVCountyChamp</a> <a href="https://t.co/OHVvIG3iZ1">pic.twitter.com/OHVvIG3iZ1</a></p>— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) <a href="https://twitter.com/CountyChamp/status/1542201526281797636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Warwickshire batter Dom Sibley will leave Edgbaston when his contract finishes at the end of the 2022 season to re-join Surrey.

The 26-year-old, who joined Warwickshire in 2017, played a leading role during the 2021 season as the Club secured its eighth County Championship and won the Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s.

The right-hander’s form with the Bears saw Sibley make his England men’s Test debut in 2019 and he has featured in 22 Tests, scoring two centuries and five half-centuries.

In total, Sibley has so far played 82 matches in all formats for the Bears, hitting 4,042 runs with 11 centuries.

Sibley said: “After five fantastic seasons at Warwickshire, I’ve decided to return to London and Surrey. After much thought over the last six months, it feels like the right time to make the move.

“I will be forever grateful and thankful to everybody at the Bears who signed me and helped me achieve so much in my time here. I will always cherish the memories and friendships made on and off-the-pitch.”

Director of Cricket Paul Farbrace said: “Dom has been a fantastic servant for Warwickshire and we thank him for everything he has done for the Club.

“Dom made a big decision to join Warwickshire in 2017 and watching him develop as an international cricketer and match-winner for the Bears has been a delight.

“The role he played in 2021 to help secure a domestic double was pivotal and I’m sure he’ll look back at his time at the Club with incredibly fond memories.

“We wish Dom all the best in his future at Surrey.”
 
The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) has imposed a two-point sanction on Leicestershire.

The sanction is imposed immediately to Leicestershire’s 2022 Vitality Blast points total after the club incurred two further fixed penalties during their home match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Friday night.

The CDC’s decision follows the sanction it imposed on Leicestershire on 2 August 2021, after the club had received six fixed penalties for breaches of ECB Directive 3.6 from the period 2 August 2020 and 1 July 2021 and the subsequent hearing on 3 September 2021 after Leicestershire incurred a further fixed penalty point after the 2 August 2021 decision.

On 2 August 2021 the CDC imposed the sanction on the club as follows: “Subject to the over-riding discretion of the panel, should there be one or more fixed penalty issued to a Leicestershire player within 12 months of this hearing, the Club will be deducted either 12 LV= County Championship points (or equivalent), 2 Royal London Cup points (or equivalent) or 2 Vitality Blast points (or equivalent). The more serious the breach or breaches, the more likely it is that points will be deducted.”

On 3 September following the further fixed penalty the CDC decision stated “if there are any further breaches at any Level on or before 1 August 2022, a points deduction will almost certainly be an inevitable consequence”.
 
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The Yorkshire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the signing of Shannon Gabriel for the next three LV= Insurance County Championship matches.

The West Indian fast bowler is set to debut against Surrey at Scarborough on Monday 11 July, before taking on Somerset at Taunton and then playing Hampshire at North Marine Road later this month.

Having taken 161 Test Match wickets with a best of eight for 62, the Trinidad quick bowler will add valuable experience and significant pace to the Yorkshire attack.

Yorkshire’s Interim Managing Director of Cricket Darren Gough said: “We are delighted to have signed Shannon for the next three County Championship matches and are very much looking forward to seeing what he can achieve in a Yorkshire shirt.

“With two of the next three games coming at Scarborough, which has been one of the quickest surfaces in the country for a number of years, his pace will be a real asset to us.

“I think it’s fair to say supporters at North Marine Road will be entertained watching him and I’m sure he will play his part in bringing us some success over the next month.”
 
Senior India pacer Umesh Yadav will play for Middlesex for the remainder of the English County season replacing Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi. The 34-year-old pacer has represented India in 52 Tests, 77 ODIS, and 7 T20s and has scalped 273 international wickets across all formats.

The county club sought Umesh's services as Afridi has returned home to join his national team for the tour of Sri Lanka.

“Middlesex Cricket is delighted to announce that Indian international quick bowler Umesh Kumar Yadav has signed terms with the Club and will join for the remainder of the 2022 season,” the club said in a statement.


“This morning the Club received this confirmation, and confirmation that he is registered with the ECB, and Yadav has, as a result, now been named as an addition to Middlesex's squad for this weeks' game.”

https://www.outlookindia.com/sports...ddlesex-for-rest-of-county-season-news-208511
 
Who'd be a bowler?

No fewer than 11 batters scored centuries today (if we have counted correctly), capped by Keaton Jennings' magnificent 318 for Lancashire against Somerset and Ed Pollock's astounding 67-ball ton as Worcestershire beat Middlesex..

It wasn't all doom and gloom for the bowlers, though, with Simon Harmer taking 15 wickets in Essex's win over Gloucestershire, and Chris Rushworth has 11 so far for Durham against Derbyshire.

One day left in the latest round of games and some enthralling finishes in store. Join us again tomorrow.

BBC
 
LV= County Championship Division One, North Marine Road, Scarborough (day four)

Yorkshire 521 & 220: Waite 59*; J Overton 6-61
Surrey 515 & 228-6: Foakes 42*, Hardie 40*; Gabriel 2-18
Surrey (22 pts) beat Yorkshire (5 pts) by four wickets

Jamie Overton's season-best 6-61 and a breezy 28 up the order helped County Championship leaders Surrey to a thrilling final-over win against Yorkshire at Scarborough.

The visitors pursued 227 to win by four wickets with three balls remaining, picking up 22 points to lift them back 15 points clear at the top of Division One, after being briefly overtaken earlier in the day by also victorious Hampshire.

To further disappoint T20 Blast finalists Yorkshire, the Tykes were then docked two points for a slow over-rate - and they take just five points from this match.

Having been dramatically denied off the final ball by Yorkshire in the Blast quarter-final at The Oval just seven days earlier, Surrey this time kept their cool to turn the tables.

England paceman Overton's exploits set up the victory target in the final 44 overs of a high-scoring contest which only burst into life when he struck twice in the penultimate over of day three.

Surrey's chances of a fifth win in nine games were left doubtful at 147-6 when a tigerish home bowling display was led by two wickets apiece for Jordan Thompson and Shannon Gabriel.

But Overton's England Test team-mate Ben Foakes (42) and Australian Aaron Hardie (40 not out) saw them home with an unbroken 81-run stand.

Yorkshire, who started the day on 65-2 - a lead of 71 - were bowled out for 220 midway through the afternoon, including Matthew Waite's career-best unbeaten 59.

The hosts lost four wickets during a morning interrupted by 25 minutes of bad light and rain.

George Hill, Will Fraine, James Wharton and Will Luxton fell lbw before lunch to give Surrey a real sniff of victory.

Overton trapped Hill in front for 38 with a devastating yorker five overs into the day, before Dan Worrall got Fraine with the first ball after the resumption at midday, then Wharton fell to Tom Lawes and debutant Luxton to Hardie.

Either side of the break, Waite and first-innings centurion Jonny Tattersall shared a calming 52 for the seventh wicket.

However, within six balls of each other, Tattersall (14) was trapped lbw by the off-spin of Will Jacks and Thompson was caught at second slip by Jacks off Overton, whose fourth wicket left Yorkshire at 180-8 in the 59th over - a lead of 186 with almost 53 overs remaining.

Steve Patterson then fell to the same combination as Thompson shortly afterwards, handing Overton his second five-for of 2022 - and that gave Waite licence to attack with only Gabriel for company.

Waite reached his 50 off 73 balls when he took three fours off a Worrall over to elevate the lead beyond 220, only for Gabriel to edge behind off Overton to end a 32 stand.

Rory Burns and Ryan Patel started Surrey's chase confidently, scoring at just under five runs per over.

But Burns was stumped for 20 advancing at the off-spin of Dom Bess two balls before tea, with Surrey on 32-1 in the seventh over.

Gabriel was not on the field when Surrey's chase started, having sustained a hip injury fielding in the first innings - but he returned after tea with gusto as Surrey slowed up in the early stages of the evening.

Patel miscued Patterson to cover for 27 before Hashim Amla (28) uppercut Thompson to third, leaving Surrey 90-3 in the 20th.

Overton had been elevated to number four to increase the scoring rate and got off the mark with a six over long-on off Bess, repeating the dose before falling lbw to a Thompson slower ball - 121-4 in the 24th.

Then Gabriel steamed in, trapping Jacks lbw for 27 and uprooting Jamie Smith's off-stump with a beauty in his first two overs as a Surrey win suddenly became doubtful at 147-6 in the 28th, with 80 still needed.

But Foakes and Hardie initially steadied, then hit three sixes between them off Bess. And, with four needed from the last over, Hardie pulled the winning runs off Patterson to gain revenge for Yorkshireman Gareth Batty's men for last week's T20 defeat.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters Network.

Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson:

"You never really find much to be proud about in defeat but, at the same time, I am proud of the way we fought with some inexperience in the team - Jonny Tattersall playing his first game of the season and Will Luxton making his debut. But it's another game lost.

"Every game we've played in four-day cricket this year has gone down to the last hour, so it says that we're not conceding an inch. Over time, we'll find a way to win.

"That's been the one frustration. We've found ourselves in winning positions in a large number of games and haven't been able to get across the line."

Surrey's Aaron Hardie:

"We're absolutely pumped. To come here and win was a bit of a dream. Everything had to go perfectly to plan, and it pretty much did. We're buzzing in the changing rooms. We'll enjoy the long drive back tonight.

"To Yorkshire's credit, they came really hard. Shannon Gabriel bowled really well. Our plan was to take it deep because we knew we'd be the ones driving the game.

"If we took risks early and lost wickets, Yorkshire would be a chance of winning. We wanted to get Yorkshire out of the contest and have a crack late on. It worked."
 
Yorkshire bottled it.

Brilliant win for Surrey and Joverton / Foakes demonstrated their England credentials superbly throughout the match.
 
Looks like 70-75 overs played in most games today due to the heatwave conditions
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's painful enough to drop a catch...<br><br>Conceding five penalty runs as well is just unfair! &#55357;&#56854;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LVCountyChamp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LVCountyChamp</a> <a href="https://t.co/1XIdVrEaK2">pic.twitter.com/1XIdVrEaK2</a></p>— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) <a href="https://twitter.com/CountyChamp/status/1550029618819829760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Glamorgan batter Sam Northeast set a new record for the highest individual score for the county as he hit 410 not out, passing Steve James' previous best of 309 not out.

Northeast's score was the third highest in Championship history.

The county went on to post their highest team score of 795 for five, a lead of 211 over Leicestershire.

Northeast's stand of 461 with Chris Cooke (191 not out) was also the biggest for Glamorgan.

Glamorgan were 21 runs behind overnight but plundered 232 on the fourth morning, with both batters scoring hundreds in the session.

Northeast needed just two runs overnight to beat the landmark after a marathon eight-hour effort against Leicestershire.

He took a single, then set the record with a four off Chris Wright, but the Foxes missed a run-out chance immediately afterwards.

Leicestershire finished with nine fielders around the boundary in a bid to limit the damage, but Northeast reached 400 with the second of his three sixes to go with 45 fours, rarely playing a false shot as he pierced the field regularly.

Cooke struck 19 fours and three sixes at the other end in an innings which would have taken the headlines on any other day.

Their partnership was the biggest ever for the sixth wicket in the competition, and overtook the 425 by Sir Viv Richards and Adrian Dale as Glamorgan's best stand.

Meanwhile Northeast's score is only behind Brian Lara (501) and Archie MacLaren (424) in Championship games.

James' score was posted against Sussex at Colwyn Bay in 2000, the first treble century for the Welsh county, a match which had also seen the highest team score of 718 for three.

Former Kent and Hampshire captain Northeast, 32, also passed 1,000 runs for the Championship season in his first summer with Glamorgan.

His tally of 258 on the third day of the match at Leicester represented the most ever scored by a Glamorgan player in a day, 20 more than the previous best by current coach Matthew Maynard.

BBC
 
Craig Overton has been released from the England Men’s ODI squad to be available for Somerset ahead of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Essex, which starts tomorrow.
 
After an unusually dry spring & summer in the UK, it seems like the recent rain in the last week has spiced up the county pitches at last. Bowlers having fun this week.
 
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club can confirm that Steven Patterson has stepped down as Club Captain.

Speaking about the decision to step down, Patterson said: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to Captain the club for the past five seasons. I would like to thank those who entrusted me with the position, my teammates for always getting behind me, and the members and supporters for their unwavering support. I would like to assure you that I’ve never taken the position for granted, and I’ve always given my very best in the interests of the team.

“It’s been made clear to me over the last few days that my career at Yorkshire will come to an end when the season finishes.

“With that in mind, I think now is the appropriate time to step back from the captaincy. It will allow me time to consider my future, and to enjoy the time I have left playing at the club.

“I will remain available for selection for the remainder of the summer, and if selected, will give my all for the team as I have done for the past 18 years.”
 
Sir Andrew Strauss hopes his performance review of English cricket can help make the domestic game “a little bit cleaner and more simple” and called for the buy-in of the 18 first-class counties.

The former England captain is currently leading a wide-ranging investigation into the domestic structure and whether the county system prepares players properly for the rigours of international cricket with the long-term ambition of England being the best team in the world across all three formats.

Strauss is nearing the conclusion of the review and will put forward proposals to the first-class counties shortly, with 12 required to vote in favour of his recommendations for them to be implemented.

“We are obviously very cognizant that the counties will vote on whatever schedule we actually have so they have to be very conscious of their members’ thoughts and make sure they are respectful of the traditions of the game,” Strauss told Test Match Special.

“Our job running this high-performance review is to put options in front of them and say we think this moves cricket forward in this country and this will help us achieve our ambitions alongside all the other measures we put in place.

“Hopefully we get a new domestic structure which is a little bit cleaner and more simple that encourages better cricket and more intense cricket along the way.

“I honestly believe there is a really clear way through for us as a game but it is not going to be easy. We are in this consultation phase for the next month or so and then hopefully after that we can give some concrete proposals.

“It is difficult politically for us to move forward but a lot of what we’re talking about in this high-performance review, I honestly believe it is in everyone’s best interests and will not be controversial.”

The Hundred, English cricket’s franchise tournament, continues to be a point of contention but Strauss believes Test cricket can survive alongside the new format created by the England and Wales Cricket Board to help engage a new audience in the sport.

Despite the rise of franchise leagues seemingly threating the future of red-ball cricket, Strauss is confident his recommendations can keep an appetite for the next generation to represent England in the longest format.

“Look at the rise of franchise tournaments all around the world, the incredible investment that is going into these tournaments and quite frankly the pressure on the international game that comes off the back of it. We can’t have our head in the sand on this,” the 45-year-old insisted.

Hopefully we get a new domestic structure which is a little bit cleaner and more simple that encourages better cricket and more intense cricket along the way.

“We need to make The Hundred, in my opinion, into the best tournament it can possibly be. We want it to have all the best stars in it, to do exactly what it is designed to do which is engage a new audience and create a buzz around English cricket.

“Of course we need to balance that with… my favourite format is Test cricket and it is the same boat for most people but that is not the whole cricket audience. It is part of the cricket audience and I think the two can survive side by side but not without some rough patches along the way.

“The game of cricket will muddle forward but I think what we have the opportunity to do as part of this review is let’s provide some potential solutions that allows our players to concentrate on red-ball cricket, gives them incentives to do so but also gives them some freedom to take the incredible financial inducements they get from playing franchise cricket.

“We can’t stop our players doing that and nor would we want to, so there is a balance to achieve there. It is not easy and by the way it will never be perfect. It is about hopefully moving things forward in the right direction rather than having a perfect solution for everyone.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...nglish-test-cricket-strauss-ecb-b2146933.html
 
Warwickshire County Cricket Club has signed India international fast bowler Mohammed Siraj for the final three matches of the LV= Insurance County Championship season.

The 28-year-old will arrive at Edgbaston ahead of the Bears home fixture against Somerset on Monday 12 September.
 
Former county cricketer Ryan Davies has received a six-month suspended ban after an investigation by the ECB.

Davies, who has not played first-class cricket since 2018, admitted to charges relating to a series of bets that he placed on cricket matches between 2015 and 2020. Davies placed a total of 181 bets, which breached Article 2.2.1 of the relevant ECB Anti-Corruption Codes that were in place at the time.

Under Article 5.1.12 of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code, the ECB’s sanction was agreed by Davies and then ratified by the Chair of the independent Cricket Discipline Commission.

The sanction took into account several mitigating factors, including that Davies admitted the charges when he was first contacted by the ECB, has shown remorse and contrition throughout the investigation process and that none of the bets related to matches in which he played. Davies was also suffering from a severe gambling disorder at the time of the relevant offences. He has sought professional help with his disorder and has confirmed that he is no longer gambling.

Davies’ six-month ban is suspended for two years (commencing on 6 May 2022). The period of suspension would only be activated if Davies returns to first-class cricket, and will therefore not impact his involvement with recreational cricket, and would only be triggered if he committed a further offence under the ECB Anti-Corruption Code during that period.
 
James Pattinson, the Australian fast bowler, has been released from the remainder of his Nottinghamshire contract at his own request.

The 32-year-old, who has taken 73 First-Class wickets at 21.71 across three spells with the Green and Golds, explained that he came to the decision for a combination of fitness and family reasons.

“After having another child recently, I’m keen to be there and provide support and I think the best place to do that is back in Australia,” said Pattinson.

“Also, my body has really struggled with getting through the county season, so I just really need to give it a break.

“I wish Notts all the very best for the rest of the season and really hope we can take out the second division title.”

Pattinson signed for his third spell with the Green and Golds ahead of the 2022 campaign having previously removed himself from contention for international selection with Australia.

He departs Trent Bridge with Peter Moores’ men positioned at the summit of LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two and having contributed 33 dismissals across eight appearances.

“We’re all really sorry that Jimmy won’t be involved in these last few games,” said the Nottinghamshire Head Coach. “But it’s a decision he’s made that’s right for him, and one we respect completely, so we wish Jimmy and his family well.

“Meanwhile, we are confident that, with the depth we have in our bowling unit, we can continue the work that he’s been such a key part of during the season so far.”
 
Warwickshire County Cricket Club has signed India international spinning all-rounder Jayant Yadav for the final three matches of the LV= Insurance County Championship season.

The 32-year-old will join up with his international teammate Mohammed Siraj at Edgbaston next week ahead of the home fixture against Somerset, which starts on Monday 12 September.
 
Warwickshire County Cricket Club has signed India international spinning all-rounder Jayant Yadav for the final three matches of the LV= Insurance County Championship season.

The 32-year-old will join up with his international teammate Mohammed Siraj at Edgbaston next week ahead of the home fixture against Somerset, which starts on Monday 12 September.

The right-arm spinner will provide another experienced option to the side, with Yadav taking 173 wickets and scoring 2,194 runs in 64 first-class matches to date.

A right-hand batter, Yadav became the first Indian to score a Test century batting number nine, whilst his eighth-wicket partnership of 241 with Virat Kohli against England in 2016 is still an India record and seventh highest of all-time.

In six Tests, Yadav has taken 16 wickets in addition to his 248 runs.

Yadav said: “This will be my first County Championship experience and I’m incredibly excited to join up with the squad for the final three games.

“When I was asked if I would like to join Warwickshire it was something I couldn’t say no to. Having played my sixth Test earlier this year, I believe these three games will help me improve my game for more opportunities in the near future.

“I have never played at Edgbaston, but I have heard great things about the stadium and it will be a privilege to call it my home.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to both Warwickshire County Cricket Club and BCCI for helping to make this happen and I look forward to arriving next week.”

Paul Farbrace, Director of Cricket said: “Jayant is another fantastic addition to the squad, and we’re excited to welcome him to Warwickshire.

“Jayant has played Test cricket this year and adding his First-Class experience to our bowling attack could be vital in the final three games.

“It was vitally important that we strengthened our bowling line-up for the run-in and the signing of Jayant, plus Siraj gives us an enviable array of options.”
 
Lancashire has received a six-point deduction in the LV= Insurance County Championship, following a hearing of a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel.

The CDC panel hearing was convened after Lancashire had incurred two Fixed Penalties within 12 months of being handed a suspended sanction on 10 November 2021.

The fixed penalties were incurred in Lancashire’s County Championship matches against Warwickshire (12-15 June) and Northamptonshire (19-22 July) and were both minimum Level 1 offences.

The original panel had imposed a maximum 12-point suspended sanction on Lancashire for the County Championship, with the proviso that any subsequent points deduction should take into account the severity of any further breaches within the 12-month period.

The CDC panel took into account the fact that both Fixed Penalties were Level 1 and decided a six-point sanction, imposed immediately, was appropriate.
 
The Board of Somerset County Cricket Club met last week to discuss the ECB Men’s High-Performance Review, led by Sir Andrew Strauss.

While the Review’s final recommendations are awaited, the Club’s Chair, Chief Executive and Director of Cricket, have recently been involved in consultation meetings with the ECB and officials from other First-Class Counties. The Board was updated on those discussions and was made aware of the ‘direction of travel.’

The Club’s Board welcomed the overarching objective of the Review – for England to become number one in the world across all formats within five years – and note that 14 of the 16 possible recommendations are proposed improvements which are not related to the domestic playing programme. It also unanimously agreed that, following the impact of COVID-19 and the macro-economic challenges facing the country, reform of the professional game in England & Wales is necessary to ensure the game is sustainable in the short, medium and long terms.

The Board has advised ECB that in its opinion:

The Review provides invaluable analysis on various topics, and identifies improvements which will help enhance professional cricket in this country

Clear standards that modern, progressive professional clubs need to deliver for England teams to be number one in the world are required.
Over a season, a diet of cricket across all formats which is satisfying for Members, paying spectators and players is required. The current domestic playing programme, which resulted in only four one-day matches being played in Taunton over 43 days in the height of summer this year, with 17 Somerset players unavailable, is unacceptable to the Club, its Members and the South West’s cricketing public.

It is crucial that the highest standard of men’s and women’s domestic cricket is available in the South West throughout the summer to satisfy the tremendous demand from Members and supporters, and to allow children to be inspired during school holidays and fall in love with cricket.

A path is needed to a sustainable funding model that will enable counties without a Test match venue to thrive at the top table of English cricket and allow Somerset to continue to provide a strong talent pathway from the entire South West region through excellent County cricket and into England teams.

It is critical that ample time is given to Counties to discuss any proposed changes with their Members, supporters, players, coaches, staff and wider stakeholders before any material changes are made to the programme.

The Club will be organising further consultation sessions with Members and other parties in early course.
 
Club Statement: Cricket Disciplinary Committee Hearing

Lancashire Cricket acknowledges and respects the decision of the Cricket Disciplinary Committee (CDC) to impose an immediate six-point deduction on the Club in the LV= Insurance County Championship.

The Club also acknowledges the CDC’s independence of the ECB and accepts that the Committee has little room for manoeuvre within its regulations, along with First-Class Counties then having no right of appeal.

However, the Club would like to place on record our dissatisfaction at being awarded an immediate points deduction.

The six-point deduction follows a cumulation of points accrued by Lancashire Cricket, however the Club contends that most points were picked up over a year ago, following which we strengthened our code of conduct and disciplinary process for players.

During the hearing, which took place on Wednesday last week in London, the CDC did acknowledge the strengthening of protocols, and this was cited as a reason for the Club not receiving a full 12-point deduction.

Director of Cricket Performance, Mark Chilton, has commented: “Following all our hard work throughout the winter and in the County Championship this season, to be deducted points for what are, in our opinion, minor discretions is gut wrenching. With our suspended sentence from previous indiscretions, we knew the position we were in at the start of the season, addressed this as a group and set our expectations of one another. Such behavioural standards are important for us, both on and off the field, to ensure we are creating the appropriate environment for high performance to flourish.

“In our opinion, both fixed penalties we received were unduly harsh punishments, which could have gone either way, and it is this inconsistency in the decision making that makes this difficult to take. I would also call on the ECB to include officiating as an important part of the high-performance review. We recognise umpiring is a challenging job and mistakes will happen, but at present there isn’t enough accountability surrounding their decisions and too much subjectivity still exists. The sooner we can provide additional support by way of technology and improved processes, the better.

“As a Club, we take particular exception to penalties being issued immediately, on the field, and think that this is an additional responsibility which umpires don’t need. Everyone would benefit from taking a breath, considering each case away from the heat of the battle, with the match referee then playing a leading role in the decision-making process. This would allow for the umpires to build working relationships with the players, as opposed to being seen as the final judge and jury and the ones that punish, this only creates tension between the two parties.

“Both of our incidents could have been avoided with an ability to review the decisions, and the sooner this is in place, the better. I accept there is significant expense with this, but if we are serious about raising standards, it should be closely looked at. I have no doubt it would make a huge difference and would be welcomed by players and officials alike. The early examples of the new ball tracking data that I have seen could be a game changer and would allow for more effective performance management of officials whilst increasing the percentage of correct decisions.”
 
<b>County Championship: George Balderson takes hat-trick as Lancashire bowl out Essex for 59 in famous win</b>

George Balderson claimed a hat-trick to wreck Essex's hopes of victory in an incredible match at Chelmsford that spanned just a little over four sessions as Lancashire won by 38 runs.

The pace bowler finished with 5-14 from seven overs, supported by Will Williams, who returned 4-24 as Essex lost their last nine wickets for 35 runs in pursuit of 98 to win.

Only two Essex batters reached double figures against the telling and incisive bowling of the Lancashire duo, who helped their side to 19 points, whilst the hosts were left with a paltry three points after a dramatic Championship game.

The demons of the previous day, when 26 wickets fell, continued to manifest themselves. Lancashire resumed their second innings on 25-6 and lost another wicket just 20 balls into the morning play.

Debutant George Bell looked settled as he moved on to 24, the equal-highest score by a Lancashire player in the match.

However, his 28-ball knock ended when he was bowled around his legs by Shane Snater to reduce Lancashire to 34-7. Snater had taken 5-6 in 4.2 overs at that stage.

The two Toms, Bailey and Hartley, both hit successive boundaries in an uncharacteristically wayward over from Sam Cook that cost 17 runs. Bailey then threw the bat to the first ball of the next over only to pick out Dan Lawrence on the long-leg boundary and hand Snater his sixth wicket and stunning figures of 6-10.

Cook gained a measure of personal satisfaction when Hartley attempted an upper-cut to a short ball and only succeeded in edging behind. It was Cook's 200th first-class wicket for Essex.

Simon Harmer had the last word when he struck Matt Parkinson full on the front pad to end the visitors' second innings inside 24 overs for a paltry 73.

All-rounder Snater, Essex's player of the year, was rewarded for a breakthrough season with his county cap during the lunch interval.

With the floodlights on throughout the day, the home side, seeking a third successive Championship victory in September, set out on the task of reaching a modest 98 runs for victory but, on this pitch, it was a tortuous task.

Sir Alastair Cook and Nick Browne made a comparatively serene start to the chase, and had 24 on the board in seven overs to ease the nerves of the home camp when Browne was trapped lbw by Bailey.

But the introduction of Balderson sent panic waves through the home camp.

With his second delivery he had Cook beaten all ends up by one that ducked in and dislodged his leg bail.

His next ball had Lawrence chipping carelessly to Williams at mid-wicket before the bowler breached Matt Critchley's defences to claim his hat-trick.

Lunch arrived soon afterwards with Balderson feasting on figures of 2-2-0-3, while Essex tottered on 34-4.

The latest dismissal on a wicket denounced as unplayable by Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple was Feroze Khushi, bowled by Williams for a single as Essex wobbled further to 35-5.

Adam Rossington opted for aggression and collected two boundaries before Balderson wiped him out and, with the score on 55, Essex lost their seventh and eighth wicket, both to Williams.

During all the carnage, skipper Tom Westley had stood firm but he finally succumbed for 13 having survived 41 balls when he was caught to become a fifth wicket for Balderson.

Williams rounded off proceedings when he bowled Sam Cook to leave Lancashire celebrating victory in a match in which the four innings produced just 370 runs.

BBC

— — —

What a match and result!!!
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WE HAVE WON THE LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE AFTER VICTORY TODAY AGAINST YORKSHIRE. <br><br>We will be officially crowned Champions next week at Lancashire when we’re presented with the trophy &#55356;&#57286; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SurreyCricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SurreyCricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tey6mp85BP">pic.twitter.com/Tey6mp85BP</a></p>— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/surreycricket/status/1572942786412023810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Sussex say head coach Ian Salisbury is currently "not part of the business", having not taken charge of the first team since mid-August.

Salisbury, the first-class and 50-over coach, has been replaced by T20 boss James Kirtley.

It is understood the 52-year-old has been placed on gardening leave over the handling of off-spinner Jack Carson.

Sussex are set to finish second-bottom of Division Two in the County Championship.

Carson, 21, is highly rated and seen as an England prospect. Born in Northern Ireland, he qualified to play for England two years ago.

He has been on the sidelines for most of the season after undergoing knee surgery, but has also been the subject of a non-cricketing disagreement with Salisbury.

Since Salisbury has been removed from the first team, Carson has made his return and played three matches in the Championship.

Sussex would not discuss the nature of Salisbury's absence, other than to confirm he is not currently working at the club.

Salisbury and Kirtley, both former England internationals, were given the split responsibilities as head coaches at Hove at the end of 2020.

Kirtley took over from Salisbury during the One-Day Cup, in which Sussex finished top of Group A, only to lose to Lancashire in the semi-finals.
 
MenInG said:
Sussex say head coach Ian Salisbury is currently "not part of the business", having not taken charge of the first team since mid-August.

Salisbury, the first-class and 50-over coach, has been replaced by T20 boss James Kirtley.

It is understood the 52-year-old has been placed on gardening leave over the handling of off-spinner Jack Carson.

Sussex are set to finish second-bottom of Division Two in the County Championship.

Carson, 21, is highly rated and seen as an England prospect. Born in Northern Ireland, he qualified to play for England two years ago.

He has been on the sidelines for most of the season after undergoing knee surgery, but has also been the subject of a non-cricketing disagreement with Salisbury.

Since Salisbury has been removed from the first team, Carson has made his return and played three matches in the Championship.

Sussex would not discuss the nature of Salisbury's absence, other than to confirm he is not currently working at the club.

Salisbury and Kirtley, both former England internationals, were given the split responsibilities as head coaches at Hove at the end of 2020.

Kirtley took over from Salisbury during the One-Day Cup, in which Sussex finished top of Group A, only to lose to Lancashire in the semi-finals.
Click to expand...

This is very interesting, and kind of disturbing.
 
Durham have accepted a 10-point deduction from the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) after batter Nic Maddinson admitted a breach of ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3.

Maddinson used a bat which failed a bat-gauge test during Durham’s LV= Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire on 6 September 2022.

The CDC considered the points put in mitigation by Durham CCC and Maddinson, that the offence was committed unintentionally, but confirmed that the matter had to be dealt on a strict liability basis with the responsibility on players to ensure the equipment they use conforms to the laws of the game.

The CDC therefore decided a 10-point deduction in the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship was the appropriate penalty with no further sanction.
 
Will Jacks has won the PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP award whilst Keith Barker picked up the LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year.

Both players are deserving winners of the awards having spent so much time at the top of the rankings this summer. Jacks picks up a specially created gold MVP trophy and £10,000 for the overall award with Barker also collecting a trophy and £2,500.

The PCA Men’s Overall Domestic MVP and the LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year have been identified by the PCA MVP Rankings with Jacks and Barker finishing top of their respective tables.

The formula enables players to score or lose MVP points on every ball based on their expected performance for that ball in comparison to CricViz’s extensive historical database of limited-overs and First-Class fixtures, with the venue being played at also taken into account.

Jacks has enjoyed a phenomenal season across all formats and has been shortlisted in both male categories at the cinch PCA Awards with the prestigious ceremony taking place at The Hurlingham Club on Thursday 6 October. The Surrey man also ends Simon Harmer’s amazing run of winning the Overall MVP three years in a row.

Featuring in a new role this season for his county as their premier four-day spinner, Jacks proved his all-round abilities taking 17 wickets and scoring 648 runs at an average of 54.4 with two hundreds, as he helped Surrey win the LV= Insurance County Championship.

The 23-year-old has impressed in the shortest format too, making history in The Hundred by scoring the highest individual total in the competition. Jacks smashed 108* off just 48 balls including 10 fours and eight sixes against Southern Brave and picked up the Match MVP award with a competition record of 67 points.

Across all domestic cricket this year, Jacks won an astonishing eight Match MVP awards, one in the LV= Insurance County Championship, four in the Vitality Blast and three in The Hundred.

In the Blast, Jacks scored 449 runs at an average of 32.1 and a strike-rate of 142.1, with his white-ball performances earning him an England debut in Pakistan, scoring 40 off 22 balls in the second IT20.

Jacks won Match MVP awards in the Vitality Blast against Sussex twice for 57 off 37 balls and 76 off 48 balls, as well as against Somerset for 66* and Gloucestershire for 51 off 33 balls.

On winning the trophy and £10,000 prize money, Jacks, said: “I’m very happy with how I performed all season in County Championship cricket, we set out the goal of winning the competition at the beginning of the year so I’m pleased I could help the team win.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing as more of a bowler in the Championship this year and I hope I can do a lot more of that in the future.

“To be named Overall MVP is great because it shows I’ve been consistent over the season and it’s an award that’s hard to win.

“I’m really pleased to have won it because obviously lots of good players have won it in years gone by so I’m happy to add my name to that winners list.”

Finishing a close second on the Overall table is Hampshire’s James Vince who picked up 521 MVP points this summer.

The Hampshire batter captained his side to victory at Edgbaston on Vitality Blast Finals Day and enjoyed a fantastic competition with the bat.

The 31-year-old finished as the leading run scorer and Player of the Year in the Vitality Blast with an incredible 678 runs at an average of 48.4, which included two eye-catching hundreds.

Vince won three Match MVP awards in the 20-over competition, the most impressive of which came as the Hawks skipper recorded a career best of 129* off 62 balls with 10 sixes against Somerset, picking up 40 MVP points as his side won by 14 runs.

The winner of the last three PCA Men’s Overall Domestic MVP awards, Simon Harmer, finishes third on the table with 518 points, ending his epic stronghold over the award.

Barker wins LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year

Barker secured the LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year by finishing top of the PCA MVP Rankings in four-day cricket on 371 points.

The Hampshire all-rounder enjoyed a brilliant First-Class season, helping his side finish second in the LV= Insurance County Championship by taking 52 wickets with a fantastic average of 22.4, which included three five-fers and best bowling of 6-27

The 35-year-old also scored 595 runs at an average of 29.8 with a highest score of 76.

Barker picked up three Match MVP awards for his impressive performances in First-Class cricket this year.

Helping Hampshire beat Kent, Barker took 6-53 and then scored 44* off 36 balls to earn 43 points on the MVP Rankings.

Against Somerset, Barker took season best figures of 6-27 and scored 36 picking up 41 more MVP points.

Second on the LV= Insurance County Championship MVP table with 332 points is Essex spinner Simon Harmer, despite missing three fixtures.

Harmer took 59 wickets during the campaign averaging 20.7, taking seven five-fers, including his 50th in First-Class cricket, two ten-fers and best match figures of 15-207.

The South African proved his abilities with the bat too, scoring 396 runs at an average of 26.4 with a highest score of 75 not out.

The 33-year-old picked up a Match MVP against Hampshire with 83 points, the highest total of any Match MVP winner this season. In the first innings Harmer took 8-46, then scored 61 with the bat and finished off with 7-161 in the second innings.

Gloucestershire’s Zafar Gohar made a late charge up the MVP Rankings, finishing in third with 323 points, having taken 47 wickets at 28.4, whilst scoring 493 runs with the bat at 27.4.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of the best. Ever.<br><br>🐻<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YouBears?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YouBears</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WARvHAM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WARvHAM</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/LCNorwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LCNorwell</a> <a href="https://t.co/v9nq1kKQW6">pic.twitter.com/v9nq1kKQW6</a></p>— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarwickshireCCC/status/1575538324483280911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Sussex Cricket announces that Ian Salisbury, Co-Head Coach (Championship and 50-over) is leaving the club as the season comes to an end.

Rob Andrew, Chief Executive, said “we would like to thank Ian for his contribution to the club over the last couple of years and wish him well for the future in whatever this may hold. He has helped develop a very promising group of young players and we are looking forward to seeing them develop further in the next few years.”

Ian Salisbury said “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Sussex for last 2 years and the journey has really helped me after the loss of my wife. However it’s the right thing for myself and daughter to look for a fresh challenge.

"I want to thank the backroom staff, ground staff, foundation, office staff, catering and stewards for their support throughout my time at Hove. Whoever takes over from myself will inherit a very talented homegrown squad who if supported from above are ready to fly in next few years.”

https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/club-statement-0
 
Durham lost 10 points for oversized bat use by Nic Maddinson

Durham are deducted 10 County Championship points for Nic Maddinson using an over-sized bat against Derbyshire - and slip below Mickey Arthur's side in the table as a result!

Durham have been docked 10 County Championship points after Australian Nic Maddinson used an over-sized bat against Derbyshire earlier this month.

Maddinson had scored a single run on the second day of the match at Derby when umpire Hassan Adnan halted play, concerned the bat's measurements exceeded cricket's regulations.

Adnan's suspicions proved well founded when the offending article would not pass through a bat gauge in an on-field test and it also failed a second test that evening.

Durham have accepted their points sanction from the Cricket Discipline Commission.

The CDC said despite mitigation that the offence was committed unintentionally, it was a player's responsibility to ensure any equipment used conforms to the laws of the game.

A bat must not be longer than 96.52cm from the handle down and its dimensions should not exceed 10.8cm for width, 6.7cm for depth and 4cm for its edges.

If it does, it will not fit pass through the metal gauge carried by officials.

Bats are checked twice in such circumstances as wood can swell in damp conditions and the second test allows time for it to dry out.

The penalty meant that Durham effectively claimed just two points from what turned out to be a drawn match, and will slip a place from fifth to sixth in the final standings in Division Two as a result.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/c...-Maddinson-using-sized-bat-vs-Derbyshire.html
 
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The 2022 IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year has been decided by the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings to give an ultimate XI from all this season’s domestic men’s cricket.

Will Jacks captains the side after winning the PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP award, finishing with a total of 536 points. The Surrey all-rounder has also been nominated for the cinch PCA Men’s and Men’s Young Player of the Year awards, following a fantastic season that culminated in an England debut.

IG is an official partner of England Cricket with the IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year selected ahead of the final LV= Insurance County Championship round of the season with three players that made the 2021 Team of the Year selected again this season. The 2021 cinch PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year and 2022 nominee Harry Brook maintains his sport at number five, with Simon Harmer and Sam Cook also retaining places.

The cinch PCA Awards takes place at The Hurlingham Club on Thursday 6 October where the best performing players of domestic and international cricket will be recognised. LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year, Keith Barker takes one of the slots in the team, with James Vince and Wiaan Mulder also in the XI after winning the Vitality Blast Player of the Year and Royal London Cup Player of the Year respectively.

All players selected in the 2022 IG PCA Women’s Team of the Year will received a personalised winner’s medal from Mappin & Webb.

Adam Lyth (Yorkshire / Northern Superchargers)

512 MVP points
The Hundred PCA MVP Men’s Player of the Year
Over 52 more MVP batting points than anyone else with 447
824 runs across Vitality Blast and Hundred


Shan Masood (Derbyshire)

402 MVP points
Highest average MVP batting points per game with 13 (min 25 appearances)
Won two PCA Player of the Month awards (April and June)
1,074 LV= Insurance County Championship runs in 13 innings


James Vince (Hampshire / Southern Brave)

522 MVP points
1,653 runs across formats
Won the Vitality Blast and Player of the Year as top run scorer with 678
Most MVP fielding points for an outfielder with 84


James Bracey (Gloucestershire)

376 MVP points
Highest placed outright wicketkeeper in MVP, including 93 fielding points
1,294 runs across formats
Three centuries and six fifties


Harry Brook (Yorkshire / Northern Superchargers)

403 MVP points
967 runs at average of 107.4 in the LV= Insurance County Championship
436 runs, averaging 39.7 in Vitality Blast
Shortlisted for cinch PCA Men’s and Men’s Young Player of the Year


Will Jacks (Surrey / Oval Invincibles)

536 MVP points
648 runs at 54.4 and 17 wickets in LV= Insurance County Championship
710 runs in Vitality Blast and Hundred, including highest individual score in Hundred
Shortlisted for cinch PCA Men’s and Men’s Young Player of the Year


Wiaan Mulder (Leicestershire)

395 MVP points
533 runs and 14 wickets in Royal London Cup
Royal London Cup Player of the Year
689 runs and 14 wickets in LV= Insurance County Championship


James Fuller (Hampshire / Southern Brave)

509 MVP points
Highest placed genuine all-rounder in MVP (267 bowling and 186 MVP points)
60 wickets and 871 runs across all formats
Won Vitality Blast as third best player according to MVP


Keith Barker (Hampshire)

400 MVP points
595 runs in LV= Insurance County Championship
52 wickets at 22.4 in LV= Insurance County Championship
LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year


Simon Harmer (Essex)

518 MVP points
Highest placed spinner with 365 bowling points, 87 ahead of second place
59 wickets at 20.7 in LV= Insurance County Championship
Two 10-wicket match hauls and seven five-wicket hauls


Sam Cook (Essex / Trent Rockets)

471 MVP points
Most bowling MVP points with 393
74 wickets across all formats
Won Hundred with 11 wickets in 6 matches
*IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year was selected ahead of the final LV= Insurance County Championship round of the season.
 
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the appointments of Alan Richardson as our new Head Coach and Kadeer Ali as Assistant Head Coach.

Richardson who makes the step up from his current position of Assistant Coach and Kadeer, who has been promoted from 2nd XI Coach, both say they want to build an even closer bond with the Club’s members and supporters.

The pair will take charge of the men's first team immediately, leading the winter training programme with support from academy coaches when first team and academy players report back in mid-November.

Their decision to bring the professional and academy squads closer together during the winter aims to "accelerate the development of younger players" under the new coaching group's leadership.

Before joining the coaching staff in 2018, Richardson had a successful playing career, appearing in 169 first-class games, claiming 569 wickets, including 254 in his spell at Worcestershire, and was awarded Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2012. He is a highly regarded coach and has been part of the England coaching staff on several occasions, most recently touring the Caribbean for the IT20 series in February this year.

Kadeer, who started his career at Worcestershire before playing in over 100 first-class games and representing England under-19's with distinction, has been the 2nd XI coach since 2019.

Further permanent coaching support will also be added to this new setup, with an open process for applications to begin in the coming months.

The recruitment of a Director of Cricket is ongoing.

Paul Pridgeon, Worcestershire's Cricket Steering Group Chair, said, "On behalf of the Board, it's a pleasure to welcome Alan and Kadeer into their new roles.

"They both have a deep understanding of the Club and are amongst the most respected and progressive coaches around, having excelled in their coaching roles here and in previous roles.

“They deserve their chance to excel and build on our impressive foundations, and they will be further assisted by other important hires over the coming months.

“We wish them well.”

Alan Richardson, Head Coach, commented, "I've been involved in the Club for a long time now and know its rich history. It's a proud moment for me to take on this role at Worcestershire.

"Kadeer and I always work hard to improve and develop players and we look forward to working more closely with our professional squad and the famous production line of talent from our academy.

"All of our efforts will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team.

“I feel that we’ve already got a good relationship with our members and supporters, and we’ll be looking to build on that and look forward to sharing lots of memorable moments with them.”

Kadeer Ali, Assistant Head Coach, added, “This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I’m really excited for the future of the Club too.

“The members and supporters really know their cricket and have always been really welcoming to me, and I look forward to spending much more time with them going forward.

"We've got a young, hungry squad, and everyone has their best days in front of them. I'm excited about working with the players on a full-time basis."
 
Laurie Evans statement:
"I was shocked to be told that an anti-doping sample I provided in August 2022 tested positive for trace amounts of a banned substance.
"I believe passionately in clean sport and I have never taken any banned substances. I do not know what caused the positive test but my team and I are investigating how this could have happened and I am doing everything possible to find out.
"Due to the confidentiality of the process, I cannot say any more at this stage but I would like to thank my family for supporting me at this very distressing time."
 
Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Farbrace as our new Head Coach.

The former England assistant coach joins the club having spent the past three years with Warwickshire as their sporting director.

Speaking on the appointment, Sussex Cricket CEO, Rob Andrew, said: “We are all delighted Paul has agreed to join the club.

“His all-round experience is exactly what we have been looking for when we made the decision to return to one Head Coach across all formats and I am confident he will enable our team to fulfil its full potential.

“He shares the club’s ambitions to produce our own players, develop players for England and win trophies for Sussex.

“We have a very exciting few years ahead as we see the young talented players develop further in Sussex colours.”

During his time at Warwickshire, he oversaw their title success in the County Championship in 2021, as well as victory in the Bob Willis Trophy in the same season.

Speaking on his new role, Paul Farbrace, said: “I’m delighted to be joining Sussex and I’m really looking forward to helping everyone at the club to achieve their ambitions.

“It is a fantastic club that has produced many fantastic players for both Sussex and England.

“I am really looking forward to the opportunity of working with the players and coaches to drive the performance of the team forward.

“We should be very focused on developing our own players, as well as developing players to play for England at all levels, but also winning trophies for the members and the club.”

Farbrace worked alongside England Head Coach Trevor Bayliss from 2015-2019, and both are credited with implementing a new positive approach to England’s one-day cricket, culminating in the 2019 Cricket World Cup victory at Lord’s.

Prior to working with England, Farbrace worked as the Head Coach of Sri Lanka, where he delivered the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup trophy for the first in their history.
 
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the signing of New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner.
The left-arm seamer, who is known for his aggressive style of bowling, has signed to play in the opening ten LV= Insurance County Championship games.
Having taken 246 Test Match wickets, and a total of 795 in First Class cricket, Wagner’s experience will add a valuable component to Yorkshire’s attack.
The 36-year-old will debut for Yorkshire in the opening round of the County Championship against Leicestershire at Headingley, starting on Thursday 6 April.
Wagner said: “I’ve always enjoyed playing my cricket in England and to be getting this opportunity again at such a big club like Yorkshire CCC is a great honour.
“I feel like I can offer a lot to the team with my experience, attitude and skill set, so I can’t wait to get going. I want to be a big part of helping move the team back up into Division One”.
Yorkshire CCC’s Managing Director of Cricket Darren Gough said: “We are delighted to have confirmed the signing of Neil for the opening ten rounds of the Championship.
“His record in First-Class cricket is phenomenal, and the impact he has had on Test cricket playing for New Zealand has been huge. We are blessed to have some great bowlers to choose from within our ranks and believe that, with the addition of Neil, we have the bowlers to bowl any team out”.
 
Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the signing of ICC world number two Test batter, Steve Smith, on a short-term deal that will see him play three games for Sussex in the LV= Insurance County Championship.

Smith will be available for selection for Sussex for the trips to Worcestershire (Thursday 4th May) and Leicestershire (Thursday 11th May), as well as a home game at The 1st Central County Ground on Thursday 18th May, against his Australian teammate Marnus Labuschagne’s Glamorgan.

After making his international Test debut in 2010, Smith went on to become Australia’s 45th Test captain in 2015, taking over from Michael Clarke.

The additional responsibility of captaincy did not impact his ability to score runs, as Smith made six centuries in his first eight Tests as captain, propelling him to the number one spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batting rankings.

He has since played 92 Tests for Australia, scoring 37 half-centuries and 30 centuries, at an outstanding average of 60.89.

As of today, Smith sits in the number two spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batting rankings, as well as second in the ICC’s All-Time Test Rankings, behind the great Don Bradman.

Speaking on the signing, Sussex Cricket CEO, Rob Andrew said: “We are thrilled to have Steve Smith available for our County Championship matches in May.

“To have arguably the world’s best batter play for Sussex just before an eagerly awaited Ashes Test series is great for us and the County Championship.

“Our Championship form has not been good enough for a number of years, and under the new direction of Head Coach Paul Farbrace, we are looking to be positive and ambitious.

“Being able to attract a player of Steve Smith’s calibre is a massive statement and will be of great benefit to our young homegrown players, particularly our crop of talented young batters.”

Smith joins fellow formidable international Test batter, Cheteshwar Pujara, who agreed a return to Sussex in October for the 2023 season.

On his decision to play at The 1st Central County Cricket Ground this season, Steve Smith, said: “I am excited about joining Sussex for a few games in May and hopefully making a contribution to a successful season.

“I am particularly looking forward to working with the younger players in the squad and hoping I can provide some guidance to them."

Sussex are also continuing their search for an overseas bowler for the season, following the news of Jayden Seales’ long-term knee injury.
 
Keep up to speed with all the signings, departures and overseas players in county cricket for the 2023 season.

DERBYSHIRE
Ins: Zak Chappell (Nottinghamshire), Matthew Lamb (Warwickshire), Mark Watt

Outs: Dustin Melton, Mikey Cohen (released), Alex Hughes (retired)

Overseas players: Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka), Haider Ali (Pakistan)


DURHAM
Ins: Ollie Robinson (Kent), Nathan Sowter (Middlesex), Brandon Glover (Northamptonshire), Bas de Leede

Outs: Chris Rushworth (Warwickshire), Sean Dickson (Somerset), Matt Salisbury (Leicestershire), Ned Eckersley (released)

Overseas players: David Bedingham (South Africa), Matthew Kuhnemann (Australia), Tristan Stubbs (South Africa - Vitality Blast)


ESSEX
Ins: None

Outs: Adam Wheater (retired), Jack Plom (released)

Overseas players: Simon Harmer (South Africa), Doug Bracewell (New Zealand - County Championship, until the end of July), Daniel Sams (Australia - Vitality Blast)


GLAMORGAN
Ins: Harry Podmore (Kent), Zain-ul-Hassan (South Asian Cricket Academy)

Outs: Michael Hogan (Kent), Lukas Carey, Joe Cooke, Tom Cullen, Ruaidhri Smith, James Weighell, Tegid Phillips (all released)

Overseas players: Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Michael Neser (Australia), Colin Ingram (South Africa)


GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Ins: Marchant de Lange (Somerset)

Outs: Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Benny Howell (Hampshire), Ian Cockbain (released)

Overseas players: Marcus Harris (Australia), Zafar Gohar (Pakistan)


HAMPSHIRE
Ins: Benny Howell (Gloucestershire)

Outs: Lewis McManus (Northamptonshire)

Overseas players: Kyle Abbott (South Africa), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan), Ben McDermott (Australia - Vitality Blast), Nathan Ellis (Australia - Vitality Blast)


KENT
Ins: Joey Evison (Nottinghamshire), Michael Hogan (Glamorgan)

Outs: Ollie Robinson (Durham), Matt Milnes (Yorkshire), Harry Podmore (Glamorgan), Darren Stevens (released)

Overseas players: George Linde (South Africa - second year of deal), Arshdeep Singh (India - five County Championship matches June-July), Kane Richardson (Australia - Vitality Blast)


LANCASHIRE
Ins: None

Outs: Liam Hurt (released)

Overseas players: Dane Vilas (South Africa), Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand), Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand)


LEICESTERSHIRE
Ins: Sol Budinger (Nottinghamshire), Matt Salisbury (Durham)

Outs: Ben Mike (Yorkshire), Hassan Azad (Northamptonshire), Sam Bates, Nat Bowley, Alex Evans, Gareth Griffiths, Abi Sakande (all released)

Overseas players: Wiaan Mulder (South Africa), Peter Handscomb (Australia - County Championship, April and May), Ajinkya Rahane (India - County Championship and One-Day Cup, June onwards), Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan - Vitality Blast)


MIDDLESEX
Ins: Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire)

Outs: Nathan Sowter (Durham)

Overseas players: Pieter Malan (South Africa)


NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Ins: David Willey (Yorkshire), Lewis McManus (Hampshire), Ollie Sale (Somerset), Hassan Azad (Leicestershire)

Outs: Brandon Glover (Durham), Nathan Buck (retired), Charlie Thurston, Ben Curran (both released)

Overseas players: Chris Lynn (Australia - Vitality Blast), AJ Tye (Australia - Vitality Blast), Sam Whiteman (Australia - County Championship and One-Day Cup, until the end of August)


NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Ins: Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Tom Loten (Yorkshire)

Outs: Joey Evison (Kent), Zak Chappell (Derbyshire), Sol Budinger (Leicestershire)

Overseas players: Dane Paterson (South Africa), Colin Munro (New Zealand - Vitality Blast), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan - Vitality Blast)


SOMERSET
Ins: Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire), Sean Dickson (Durham), Shoaib Bashir (Berkshire)

Outs: Marchant de Lange (Gloucestershire), Ollie Sale (Northamptonshire), James Hildreth, Max Waller (both retired)

Overseas players: Peter Siddle (Australia - County Championship and Vitality Blast, until the end of July), Cameron Bancroft (Australia - County Championship, until May 17), Matt Henry (New Zealand - County Championship and Vitality Blast, May 11 until the end of July)


SURREY
Ins: Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)

Outs: Hashim Amla (retired)

Overseas players: Kemar Roach (West Indies - first six rounds of County Championship), Sean Abbott (Australia - County Championship and Vitality Blast, until the end of July), Sunil Narine (West Indies - Vitality Blast)


SUSSEX
Ins: Tom Alsop (Hampshire)

Outs: Luke Wright (retired)

Overseas players: Steve Smith (Australia - three County Championship games in May), Cheteshwar Pujara (India), Shadab Khan (Pakistan - Vitality Blast), Nathan McAndrew (Australia - April to July, County Championship and Vitality Blast)


WARWICKSHIRE / BIRMINGHAM BEARS
Ins: Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Ed Barnard (Worcestershire), Chris Rushworth (Durham)

Outs: Dom Sibley (Surrey), Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire), Adam Hose (Worcestershire), Matthew Lamb (Derbyshire), Ryan Sidebottom (released)

Overseas players: Hassan Ali (Pakistan - until the end of July), Glenn Maxwell (Australia - Vitality Blast)


WORCESTERSHIRE
Ins: Adam Hose (Warwickshire), Matthew Waite (Yorkshire)

Outs: Moeen Ali (Warwickshire), Ed Barnard (Warwickshire), Tom Fell, Josh Dell, Jacques Banton (all released)

Overseas players: Azhar Ali (Pakistan), Michael Bracewell (New Zealand - Vitality Blast), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand - Vitality Blast)


YORKSHIRE
Ins: Matt Milnes (Kent), Ben Mike (Leicestershire), Jafer Chohan (South Asian Cricket Academy)

Outs: Gary Ballance (released, will now play for Zimbabwe), David Willey (Northamptonshire), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Somerset), Matthew Waite (Worcestershire), Tom Loten (Nottinghamshire), Steve Patterson (retired), Harry Sullivan, Josh Sullivan (both released)

Overseas players: Shan Masood (Pakistan), Neil Wagner (New Zealand - first 10 County Championship matches), David Wiese (Namibia - Vitality Blast); Saud Shakeel (Pakistan)

SKY
 
Proposals to alter the structure of domestic cricket are "dead in the water", says England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould.

A review led by Andrew Strauss proposed cutting the number of matches in the County Championship and dedicated windows for the white-ball tournaments.

Changes to the schedule would have to be supported by at least 12 of the 18 first-class counties.

"They did not get through the procedures we have," said Gould.

Speaking on the eve of the new County Championship season, former Surrey chief executive Gould added: "The 18 counties have a right to decide what their season looks like."

The high-performance review led by former England captain Strauss was commissioned on the back of the 4-0 loss in Australia in the Ashes of 2021-22.

It produced 17 recommendations with the aim of making England's men the best team in the world in all three formats within five years.

The ECB was able to adopt 15 of the recommendations, but needed the support of the counties in order to make the alterations to the domestic competitions.

The proposed changes included cutting the number of Championship matches from 14 to 10, creating a top flight of six teams, playing the One-Day Cup in April, reducing the T20 Blast from 14 group matches to 10 and leaving The Hundred as the only white-ball competition played in August.

It was initially agreed there would be no changes to the 2023 season, but Gould has now admitted there will be nothing different in 2024 - and perhaps not at all.

"At this point I would say they are dead in the water," he said. "We have to consult with people. We can't just impose. There are many ways in which we can drive forward towards success."

Gould suggested that part of the reason for the lack of change was the upturn in fortunes of the England Test team, who have won 10 of their past 12 Tests playing a radical style under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

"Those recommendations came about as a result of performances delivered 12 months ago," said Gould. "We are in a slightly different position now.

"The way we have seen the England men's team perform over the past 12 months would suggest there were other issues in play as well, not just structure. I'm not going to get hung up on structures, because every time there is a reversal in the Ashes, there is always a review."

With no alteration, the domestic schedule remains congested. August will see The Hundred played alongside the One-Day Cup, but there will no international cricket in that month as England's Test summer ends in July and white-ball internationals do not begin until September.

It is a pattern that is set to be repeated in coming years, with international cricket in August largely limited in part to ensure it does not clash with The Hundred.

Gould was previously a critic of The Hundred during his time with Surrey. He now says the competition has been a "significant success" and will have a "long future" beyond the ECB's current broadcast deal to 2028, but admitted the "consequences" of the competition will need to be looked at.

"We will look at August again," he said in relation to the lack of international cricket played at the height of summer.

With regard to domestic implications, Gould said: "There will be issues in terms of the unintended consequence of The Hundred, in terms of finding purpose for some clubs which aren't wholly engaged in cricket in the way they'd like to be in August. Those are the issues that we have now got to address."

Another recommendation of the high-performance review was an "evolution" of central contracts and match fees for England's men in order for the national team to compete with the increasing number of opportunities in franchise leagues.

Gould confirmed England managing director Rob Key will now have the option of offering multi-year deals to players, rather than the current 12-month contracts.

There will be increased flexibility on when contracts can be offered - the current system of annually awarding deals means a player like Harry Brook is without a contract despite establishing himself as an England regular after the last round of contracts was announced - and fees for individual match appearances will increase.

"We are going to have to take different approaches in how we contract our players," said Gould.

"We will be trying to tailor contracts to the needs of each individual in order for us to secure their services for when we need them.

"We don't have a choice in this. If we don't secure the services of our best players, the media rights will drop. We cannot afford not to have our best players available when we need them."

Gould, who left a role with Bristol City Football Club to join the ECB, was speaking days after the Cricket Disciplinary Committee upheld a number of charges of racism at Yorkshire in relation to allegations made by Azeem Rafiq.

Gould called the disciplinary process "a culmination of a lot of issues over a long period of time which had become poisonous for the game".

The game now waits on a report from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) and the ECB's own review into dressing-room culture at professional level.

"I'm sure when the ICEC report lands it will be very helpful in laying bare to us so that we are under no illusions in terms of the communities that we have not been engaging with to the extent that we should have," said Gould.

"We need to make sure that we do become the most inclusive sport in the country by being able to demonstrate that we are wholly representative of the communities within which we sit.

"We know we have huge challenges, but also great opportunities to change the sport. Championing inclusion and winning back trust are going to be key."

BBC
 
My goodness what an awful dismissal of Haider...he has such a good oppertunity to learn unlike saud shakeel who cant even get his visa. Ball was missing the so wide he managed to drag it on his stumps...
 
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