Latest news with #whiteballcricket
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Jacob Bethell is the future for England cricket but here's why he should be kept waiting for Test call, writes NASSER HUSSAIN
England's new white-ball era under Harry Brook got off to an excellent start on Thursday. When I arrived at Edgbaston and looked at the team sheet, especially the batting line-up, my initial thought was, 'Crikey, how have this side lost seven in a row and slipped to No 8 in the world?' Everyone has been writing off our white-ball team. But I never viewed England as a side lacking in talent. They have just been underachieving and needed a reset, which you often get with a change of captain. I have seen some people comparing the situation to the Eoin Morgan reset in 2015, when they also started by scoring 400 at Edgbaston against New Zealand. I would be careful with that comparison because this West Indies side are ranked ninth in the world and really struggling. One good game doesn't change everything for England. But what Thursday did prove was that there is undeniable talent out there, it is just up to Brook and Brendon McCullum to get the best out of them, just like Ben Stokes and McCullum have done with the Test team. Whatever the format, this England regime have always selected very well. They are very good at talent-spotting and they have certainly spotted a talent in Jacob Bethell. As soon as Jos Buttler stood down, I said I would give it to Brook, Nasser Hussain writes I am told he is very organised — not just with the way he bats, but in everything he does. He is meticulous in his preparation. When I was England captain, I always looked for that in young players coming into the side. Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick were two who turned up and prepared for a game exactly how you'd want them to. When you add that characteristic to the raw talent that Bethell has, he is clearly going to have a long career in all formats for England. He is the future. For that reason, you might want to get him back into the Test team sooner rather than later. My view would be to keep him waiting. I would find it very difficult to leave someone out who has just got a big hundred in a Test match for someone who is yet to score a professional hundred. But if they went the other way and played Bethell, I would completely understand. As for Brook's captaincy, the early signs are positive. As soon as Jos Buttler stood down, I said I would give it to Brook because he is not someone who is easily fazed. He does not overthink or overcomplicate things in life, not a bad habit for a captain, especially when the pressure is on. I looked down from above at Edgbaston on Thursday and there were a lot of people trying to help Brook at times. At this stage, against this West Indies side, I would just leave him alone and let him show everyone who is in charge. I like the way he stands at mid-off, so he can be in constant communication with his bowler, as opposed to when Buttler kept wicket as captain and had a long way to go to talk to his. He also thought clearly about the ground dimensions at Edgbaston, which was something Morgan was very good at. Today in Cardiff, it is short straight but big square, so he will want to get his seamers to bowl it into the surface. I still think England need a left-arm seamer to give them more variety, whether that is Luke Wood or someone else, and they need to introduce a left-arm spinner, be it Tom Hartley or Liam Dawson, with next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in mind. When picking their next squads, England need to keep an eye out for their future wrist spinner I'd also like to see some succession planning for Adil Rashid. When Buttler handed him his 150th ODI cap at Edgbaston, he told him in the huddle that he was probably the most irreplaceable player in the side. That is all well and good, but you do eventually have to replace him, whether that's because he is injured or you are just thinking about a few years down the line. When picking their next squads, they need to keep an eye out for their future wrist spinner. Another thing which is going to determine the success of this side is player availability. With two iconic Test series against India and Australia coming up, I will be intrigued to see how much white-ball cricket England's red-ball stars play this year. For people like me, the Ashes is the absolute priority, but England need to be successful in ICC events again. You can't rock up to next year's T20 World Cup and say, 'We had the Ashes so we didn't focus on this tournament enough'. That will no longer wash with fans. It is going to be fascinating to see how Rob Key, McCullum, Stokes and Brook strike that balance between the different formats.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
England seamer Saqib Mahmood confident he can play a leading role in new white-ball era under Harry Brook - as he reveals delight with his injury recovery
Saqib Mahmood is confident he can play a leading role in England's new white-ball era – thanks to his versatility. The Lancashire seamer took three wickets with the new ball as England thrashed West Indies at Edgbaston on Thursday in the first match of Harry Brook's captaincy. And Mahmood believes his ability to swing the ball both ways, as well as being able to bowl at both the start and end of an innings, can make him a key component in Brook's attack. 'I feel like I'm quite versatile in what I try,' said the 28-year-old ahead of the second ODI in Cardiff. 'From one end at Edgbaston, I was trying to swing the ball back in with the breeze. Then when I came on at the other end, I found I could swing the ball away as well. 'I try to cover all bases, especially with that new ball. That's my way of helping out the team. That's what I feel like my role is here. And I obviously have my skills at the backend as well.' Mahmood was not awarded an ECB central contract at the end of last year, which could have signalled the beginning of the end of his international career. However, the pace bowler appears to be back to his best after recovering from successive stress fractures dating back to spring 2022. 'I don't want to say I'm stronger than ever because I feel like I'm jinxing it,' said Mahmood. 'But since coming back from those back injuries, this is the most I've put through my body and it's tolerated it pretty well. 'I've managed to string a lot of cricket over the last 12 months and I'm just happy about that.' Despite signing a white-ball only deal with Lancashire last autumn, Mahmood made two County Championship appearances earlier this season. However, he claimed just two wickets on batting-friendly surfaces at Old Trafford and is realistic about his chances of adding to his two Test caps. 'It was good that I got some overs under my belt for Lancs, but they were two pretty hard wickets to bowl on,' added Mahmood. 'They didn't really give me the best chance to try and get some wickets. 'But I'm just trying to do well here at the moment. The main focus is this series and the T20s. But he is refusing to get carried away as he looks to add to his two Test caps to date 'I'm not really looking too far ahead of that because there's just so much competition in the team and you want to do the best you can. 'You don't really want to take your eye off it and look too far ahead. So my main focus is the here and now and I don't want to take my eye off the action.'
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Jamie Smith is handed chance to be England's answer to Adam Gilchrist as he is urged to 'bang it' by new captain Harry Brook
Jamie Smith has been given the chance to become England's answer to Adam Gilchrist after being promoted to open the batting at the start of the new white-ball era under Harry Brook. Thursday's first one-day international against West Indies at Edgbaston represents the latest white-ball reset, with Brook — stand-in captain against Australia last September — embarking on the role full-time following the resignation of Jos Buttler. And one of his first acts has been to make Smith central to transforming the fortunes of a side who have contrived to lose nine of their last 10 ODIs, and 19 out of 26 since the start of the 2023 World Cup in India. Backed to the hilt by head coach Brendon McCullum, the big-hitting Smith has already made the successful transition into a Test wicketkeeper. Now he been tasked with getting England's one-day innings off to a flyer, just as Gilchrist — another wicketkeeper-turned-opener — once did to such devastating effect for Australia. McCullum came up with idea during the recent Champions Trophy in Pakistan — despite Smith's struggles in an experimental move to No 3, which brought him only 24 runs in three innings. And while England will return the gloves to Buttler, the faith in Smith is a move right out of the Bazball playbook. 'Me and Baz just have this desire that Smudge [Smith] could be an unbelievable white-ball opener,' said Brook. 'I'm not saying he's cemented his spot, but he's going to get a good crack at it. He's such an immense player. He can play the moving ball, as we've seen in in Test cricket, and there's no reason why you can't go out there and bang it as an opener.' With Jacob Bethell, who controversially missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe so he could extend his stay at the IPL, returning to international cricket, and Will Jacks ensuring a deep batting line-up at No 7, Brook is determined to throw everything at a West Indies side who inhabit a similarly lowly slot in the rankings. England begin the three-match series eighth in the ICC table, with West Indies in ninth. Should either side drop any lower, it could imperil automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup in southern Africa — an unthinkable humiliation. For the moment, though, Brook simply needs to get England — world champions until less than two years ago — winning again, even in a year when much of McCullum's focus will be on two seismic Test series against India and Australia. 'New era now, new leadership,' said Brook. 'Hopefully we can bring a lot of energy, competitiveness and fun out there.' England will again turn to legspinner Adil Rashid to provide breakthroughs in the middle overs His clarion call came on the day the ECB confirmed they were establishing a new entity — GB Cricket — with a view to qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. 'It would be pretty cool to get an Olympic gold medal,' said Brook. Right now, escaping the lower reaches of the rankings will be enough to keep everyone happy. England: 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wkt), 6 Jacob Bethell, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib Mahmood.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Ben Stokes uncertain whether he will play white-ball cricket for England again
Ben Stokes accepts he may have played his last white-ball game for England, despite being involved in 'very brief' talks over becoming one-day captain. The Test skipper was namechecked by managing director of men's cricket Rob Key as a possible all-format leader when Jos Buttler stood down earlier this year. In the end, Harry Brook was handed the reins of the T20 and ODI teams, with Stokes' recent injury problems and a focus on forthcoming marquee series against India and Australia effectively taking him out of contention. The 33-year-old is adamant the right solution has been found, offering Brook his full backing in the role. Speaking to former England captain Nasser Hussain for Sky Sports, Stokes said: 'Those conversations (about becoming white-ball captain) were very brief. 'There's a lot of things to think about. It would never just be a simple, 'yeah'. 'I have to think about how much cricket I've got coming up, the important cricket I've got, to then add on top of that more cricket, more responsibility. It's going to take it out of you physically and mentally, being captain of two teams. 'I think the the decision they made there, making it Harry Brook, was 100 per cent the right one. He's someone who has grown as a player but, at such a young age, as a leader. 'He's got a great cricket brain, I love the way he thinks about the game as well. I think he's going to be fantastic moving the white-ball team forward.' The prospect of Stokes lining up in one of the Yorkshireman's sides appears to be receding, though. Stokes has not formally closed the door on featuring again – having already reversed one retirement in 2023 – but appears doubtful about adding to a legacy that saw him carry England over the line in two World Cup finals. 'I think we're in a place where there is a new crop of players coming through that is going to take the team to new heights,' he said. 'The best way for me to answer is: if I do play more white-ball cricket for England, then great, but if I don't then I'm going to sit back and watch the incredible talent England has put on a show and hopefully win more World Cups in the future.' Stokes will lead his country out at Trent Bridge in a one-off Test against Zimbabwe, his first competitive action since tearing his hamstring in December. That was a repeat of a similar injury in August, leaving him requiring another bout of surgery and rehabilitation. There are legitimate concerns over further setbacks as England head into a defining period of Test cricket against their two biggest rivals, but Stokes is bullish about his prospects of coming back better than ever. 'My ethos when I'm injured is I come back fitter than I was before I got injured,' he said. 'I've worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I'm going to be in a position when I am back on the field to potentially be in, physically, the best possible shape I have been in.' England will have a new face in their coaching ranks in Nottingham, with former New Zealand seamer Tim Southee joining up. Southee effectively replaces James Anderson as fast bowling consultant, with the country's record wicket-taker set to resume his playing career with Lancashire this week.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
New Zealand's Hesson is Pakistan white-ball coach
Mike Hesson has been appointed Pakistan's white-ball head coach. Hesson, who coached his home country New Zealand for six years, replaces interim coach Aaqib Javed. His appointment follows a turbulent period where ex-South Africa batter Gary Kirsten stood down from the role after just six months and former Australia bowler Jason Gillespie stood in temporarily. Javed was then in charge for Pakistan's Champions Trophy campaign, when they were knocked out in the group stage without a win. Hesson is in charge of defending Pakistan Super League champions Islamabad United and will begin his role with the national side once the franchise tournament concludes. "Mike brings with him a wealth of international experience and a proven track record of developing competitive sides," said Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board."We look forward to his expertise and leadership in shaping the future of Pakistan's white-ball cricket."
