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Qatar Tribune
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Stead to step down as New Zealand head coach
Agencies New Zealand head coach Gary Stead will step down from the role when his contract expires at the end of the month, reports The 53-year-old had already said he would quit as coach of the Black Caps' one-day international and T20 sides, but had remained interested in coaching the Test team. However, New Zealand Cricket decided they want one head coach across all three formats, which effectively ruled Stead out of the Test job. Stead, a former top-order batter who played five Tests for the Kiwis, succeeded Mike Hesson in August 2018 and oversaw a period of success. The highlight was guiding New Zealand to the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 where they defeated India in the final. He was also in charge of the white-ball teams which reached the finals of the 2019 50-over World Cup, 2022 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy in 2024. Stead said he still has the 'coaching bug' and will 'look to explore opportunities at home and abroad'. 'There's been some amazing memories over the past seven years based around a group of fantastic and talented people who have gone out to give their best for their country, each other and for the fans,' he said. 'For a country with five million people and limited resources, we comparatively perform outstandingly well against the other powerhouses of the game. 'It's been nice to be competitive across all three formats and I'd like to think that regardless of results, the opposition know the Black Caps are a team that won't fold and will always show the grit and determination to compete.' Stead took charge of 268 matches across all formats with 147 victories, 100 defeats, six draws, six ties and nine matches with no result. Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said Stead 'gave absolutely everything' to the Kiwi cause. 'There was no one more hard working and passionate about seeing the Black Caps grow and succeed,' added Williamson. 'He was always thorough in his planning and preparation and will go down as one of our best coaches, but an even better bloke.'
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Sri Lanka to host Pakistan matches at ICC Women's World Cup
Agencies London Sri Lanka will host matches at this year's Women's World Cup as part of ongoing arrangements surrounding fixtures involving India and Pakistan, reports India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the men's Champions Trophy earlier this year prompted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to introduce neutral venues to tournaments hosted by either nation. As part of the plans, announced in December, neither country will travel to the other for an ICC event. The Sri Lankan city of Colombo will join Indian cities Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam in staging the Women's World Cup, which runs from 30 September until 2 November. Colombo will host Pakistan's seven group games, including against India and England. It will also host a semi-final and the final if Pakistan make it that far. Bengaluru will stage the opening match, involving India, and the final if Pakistan are not involved. The full list of fixtures for the eight-team tournament is still to be announced. Australia are the defending World Cup champions, having beaten England in the final of the previous tournament in New Zealand, delayed until 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. One potential problem with the logistical switch could be the weather, with October one of the wetter months of the year in Sri Lanka. India and Pakistan were not playing each other outside of major tournaments even before the conflict between the two nations last month. The cricketing tension between the two countries escalated over the Champions Trophy. Even though Pakistan travelled to India for the men's 50-over World Cup in 2023, India did not make a reciprocal journey earlier this year. As part of the ICC arrangements, India played their matches in Dubai, going on to win the trophy after playing every fixture at the same venue. In May, amid cross-border military strikes between the two nations, both the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League were suspended before resuming. The delayed IPL final will be played on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the government of either country will allow their team to take part in a fixture against the other. It has also been announced the opening game of next year's Women's T20 World Cup in England will be played at Edgbaston on 12 June. The semi-finals have been confirmed for The Oval. The final will take place at Lord's on 5 July 2026.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Root's unbeaten 166 steers England to series win over WIndies
Agencies Joe Root became England's leading run-scorer in one-day internationals as his sparkling unbeaten 166 secured a three-wicket win over West Indies in Cardiff, reports Root, who is also his country's highest run-scorer in Tests, finished with 166 from 139 balls as England reached their target of 309 with seven balls remaining to take the three-match series with a game to spare. He surpassed World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan's tally of 6,957 runs on the way to his highest ODI score, leading England's recovery from 93-4 which included ducks for Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler. Root combined with Harry Brook for a third-wicket stand of 85, before a masterful partnership of 143 with Will Jacks put England within touching distance of victory. A fierce spell from Alzarri Joseph, who finished with 4-31, accounted for Jacks for 49 and Brydon Carse for two to keep West Indies interested, but Root and Adil Rashid calmly ticked off the remaining 21 runs, sealed in style by a classical Root drive down the ground. Earlier, West Indies' 308 was set up by Keacy Carty's 103, bookended by half-centuries from Brandon King and Shai Hope - and with plenty of assistance from England's sloppy fielding. Carty and King added 141 for the second wicket but the former was put down on by Duckett on one and Saqib Mahmood on 41, while Duckett also dropped King on 11 and somehow squandered a run-out opportunity when both batters were stranded in the middle of the pitch in the 21st over. The innings fell away from 205-2 when Carty fell three balls after reaching his century, with Rashid taking 4-63 and Mahmood's three late wickets mopping up the tail. ScorescColor:> West Indies 308 (47.4 overs) Carty 103 (105); Rashid 4-63 England 312-7 (48.5 overs): Root 166* (139); Joseph 4-31. England won by three wickets.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Heitinga leaves Liverpool to become Ajax head coach
Agencies John Heitinga has left his role as Liverpool's assistant boss to return to Dutch club Ajax as their head coach, reports The former Netherlands defender made more than 200 appearances for Ajax before having spells as their reserve team boss and interim head coach. The 41-year-old has rejoined the club on a two-year contract and will be assisted by another Ajax academy product, Marcel Keizer. Heitinga succeeds Francesco Farioli, who left Ajax last week after his sole year in charge ended with an end-of-season collapse. With seven games left Farioli's team were nine points clear at the top of the Eredivisie, but ended up finishing a point behind champions PSV Eindhoven. That meant a third straight season without a trophy for Ajax, who have won the Dutch title a record 36 times. 'John is a good coach with enormous drive,' said their technical director Alex Kroes. 'He is ambitious and has further developed himself over the past few years in the Premier League and Champions League. 'John knows the club well and we are convinced that he, together with Marcel, will help improve our players and build on the progress made since last summer.' Ajax won 14 of Heitinga's 22 games in charge at the end of the 2022-23 season to finish third in the Eredivisie. Heitinga then spent 2023-24 as West Ham's first-team coach under David Moyes before joining Arne Slot at Liverpool last summer, and they helped the Reds win their second Premier League title in Slot's first season in charge. 'I am incredibly excited to start,' said Heitinga, who also played for Atletico Madrid, Everton, Fulham and Hertha Berlin. 'The last years in England have done me a lot of good. I'm ready to continue as a head coach and I'm honoured to be given that opportunity at Ajax.'
Qatar Tribune
7 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
England begin Brook era by hammering Windies
Agencies England racked up 400 to begin Harry Brook's reign as captain with a comprehensive 238-run defeat of West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston, reports Brook, Ben Duckett and Joe Root all posted half-centuries, but the most impressive contribution came from Jacob Bethell, who struck 82 from 53 balls. England's 400-8 after being asked to bat was the sixth time they have reached 400 in an ODI, their highest total in three years and best against a Test-playing nation since they won the World Cup in 2019. West Indies were ordinary with the ball and would have conceded plenty more had they not taken three superb catches. The chase was a non-event, the second half of the game little more than a procession after Saqib Mahmood ran through the West Indies top order for 3-32. The highlight was Brydon Carse's spectacular catch at deep square leg to hold West Indies captain Shai Hope off Mahmood. The tourists were hustled out for 162 in 26.2 overs. The lack of spectacle will matter little to England, who were desperate for any sort of victory after a wretched 18 months in white-ball cricket. This ended a seven-match losing streak in ODIs and the series can be sealed with victory in Cardiff on Sunday. ScorescColor:> England 400-8 (50 overs) Bethell 82 (53), Duckett 60 (48), Brook 58 (45), Root 57 (65); Seales 4-84 West Indies 162 (26.2 overs) Hope 25 (21); Overton 3-22, Mahmood 3-32. England won by 238 runs, lead three-match series 1-0.
