Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed England Test head coach by the England and Wales Cricket Board after weeks of speculation over who would take charge. England managing director Rob Key said that while regaining the Ashes remains the immediate priority, Fleming has also been tasked with building a culture that enables England to win consistently in all conditions.
Questions have been raised over Fleming’s appointment given that he has no red ball coaching credentials, having spent his entire coaching career with Chennai Super Kings in franchise cricket. However, there is no denying that Fleming commands enormous respect in every dressing room he enters, making him a natural fit for the role.
Fleming will work alongside Joe Root after England’s selectors decided against handing the Test captaincy to white ball skipper Harry Brook. It will be Root’s second stint as captain. During his first tenure, despite establishing himself as England’s greatest ever Test batter, he was often criticised for a lack of tactical imagination.
Saltburn CC suspend ‘Clicky Ponting’
Saltburn Cricket Club have suspended a player after he was accused of cheating by clicking his fingers as the ball passed the bat to imitate an edge. Brian Devine was instantly nicknamed ‘Clicky Ponting’ on social media, with several leading figures in the game condemning the incident.
Devine was playing for Saltburn’s second XI against Norton in Division Two of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League when the incident occurred. The video quickly went viral, attracting more than seven million views on X, formerly Twitter. Some commentators even likened the incident to Argentina football teams of bygone years, notorious for pushing the boundaries in pursuit of victory.
Bumrah ruled out of Sri Lanka Tests
India have suffered a major setback ahead of their tour of Sri Lanka, with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the series because of a knee injury. The tourists are already without Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy through injury, while Akash Deep has also been sidelined. Washington Sundar is expected to miss the opening Test as he continues his recovery.
Auqib Nabi has replaced Bumrah in the Test squad. The 29-year-old played a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title this year. He was also selected for the India ‘A’ tour of Sri Lanka and should he make his Test debut, will become the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India in Test cricket.
Cape Town tipped to host World Cup final
Cape Town has emerged as the frontrunner to host next year’s Cricket World Cup final. Although no official decision has been made, many stakeholders favour the picturesque coastal city over Johannesburg, which staged both the 2003 Cricket World Cup final and the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 final in 2007.
Johannesburg’s high crime rate has reportedly prompted organisers to consider alternatives. Twelve venues will stage matches during the 2027 tournament, with eight in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia. Alongside the traditional centres of Harare and Bulawayo, the scenic Victoria Falls has also been earmarked as a venue, while Windhoek will host matches in Namibia.
The tournament gets underway on October 4, with the final scheduled for November 21. The finalists will play as many as 13 matches, compared to 11 in the 2023 edition, prompting some experts to urge the ICC to expand squads from 15 to 17 players to better cope with injuries.
Ajinkya Rahane retires from international cricket
One of India’s unsung heroes, Ajinkya Rahane, announced his retirement from international cricket last week.
Rahane, who turned 38 in June, played 85 Tests and built a reputation as one of India’s finest overseas performers, thriving in challenging conditions. His last appearance for India came three years ago.
The defining moment of Rahane’s career came when he captained a depleted Indian side to a famous Test series victory in Australia. After India were bowled out for just 36 in Adelaide and regular captain Virat Kohli returned home on paternity leave, Rahane assumed leadership, inspired a remarkable turnaround and ended Australia’s three decade unbeaten run at the Gabba.
SLC to get new constitution
Sri Lanka Cricket is set to adopt a new constitution by the end of the year after a committee featuring former greats Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny identified several areas requiring reform. The draft, prepared by President’s Counsels Dinal Phillips and Upul Kumarapperuma, has been submitted to the Attorney General’s Department for review.
Once approved, the draft will be endorsed by the Cabinet before being presented to Parliament. Following its first reading, there will be a two week window during which any individual may challenge the draft in court. Once those processes are complete, Parliament is expected to approve the new constitution.
Under the proposed structure, the board will consist of 14 directors, with seven elected and seven appointed.
West Indies cricket on the rise
There are encouraging signs that West Indies cricket is on the rise. Fresh from defeating Sri Lanka in a two Test series, the Caribbean side also looks well placed to wrap up their two match series against Pakistan. Both opponents are ranked above the West Indies and the performances of their fast bowlers have been particularly impressive.
Not everything has been smooth sailing in the Caribbean. Fierce inter island rivalries remain and players have occasionally placed personal interests ahead of the team’s. Even so, there are unmistakable signs of progress, which can only be good news for world cricket.
USA spinner banned for eight years
USA Cricket’s troubles continue after the ICC last week banned spinner Akhilesh Reddy from all forms of cricket for eight years on corruption charges.
According to the ICC, the corrupt approaches took place during the Abu Dhabi T10 League last season.
