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Bbl Final Battered Sydney Sixers Looking For One Last Chance To Play Steve Smith

BBL Final | Battered Sydney Sixers looking for one last chance to play Steve Smith

Sydney Sixers are set to launch one last bid for Steve Smith to play in the finals of the Big Bash League, reported the Australian Associated Press.

The Sydney-based franchise who are set to play the finals against a strong Perth Scorchers squad have several players out either through injury or due to Covid-19. Things have been so bad for the team that they were forced to play assistant coach Jay Lenton in the first XI because they were not able to field an able-bodied team.

Their last game against Adelaide Strikers saw another fresh set of injuries in Jordan Silk, Steve O’Keefe and captain Moises Henriques, who were forced to hobble off the pitch due to their respective injuries.

The whole drama of Steve Smith started off after Cricket Australia blocked his signing due to objections raised by the rival state associations based on a technicality. Cricket Australia in a release stated that since Smith was not a part of the local replacement pool due to his commitments with the national team, he could not be allowed to play in this year’s Big Bash League.

Sixers take on Perth in Melbourne in the finals of the BBL on Friday 28 January.

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West Indies announce squad for ODI series against India

West Indies have recalled veteran Kemar Roach in the ODI set up for the series against India, set to be played in February. Roach, 33, was a tearaway fast bowler in his prime, but now relies more on his length and the surprise ability to skid on the one-off delivery. He last played for Windies when India toured the Caribbean shores in 2019. "Kemar Roach is one of our leading fast bowlers and we believe we need bowlers upfront to get early wicket, and Kemar, with an economy rate of five, is certainly good enough to play,” selector Desmond Haynes was quoted as per Cricbuzz. Haynes stated that the selection for the squad is aimed at providing competition in the team ahead of the 2023 World Cup in India. "We want to have competition for places. We want to reach a stage where we have a lot of players fighting for positions. We want to broaden the pool of players we have to choose from. The team we have selected is a very good side and we are looking at this tour as part of the preparations for the World Cup in India in 2023.” Barring Roach, Nkrumah Bonner and Brandon King have also been called back into the team. Full Squad Kieron Pollard (C), Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren, Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Windies go 2-1 up against England on the back of Rovman Powell’s first T20I hundred

Rovman Powell unleashed his inner demon to launch a ballistic assault against the Englishmen on Thursday, 27 January. Powell notched up his first century in the T20Is becoming only the third Windies batsman to achieve the feat after Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis. The quickfire innings of 107 runs off just 53 balls, came largely by punishing the English spinners and debutant George Garton who was hit all over the park. Despite losing early wickets of Brandon King and Shai Hope inside the powerplay, Nicholas Pooran and Powell put England right back under the pump. Powell hit 10 sixes on the day while Pooran notched up 5 to his name. Windies ended their outing with 224 runs on board with Powell highlighting the majority of the innings. The score was always going to be near-impossible to chase down and England batters having an off day did not help either. Barring young Tom Banton nobody else contributed at the top of the batting order and an England victory was taken out of the question by the 13th over of the game. Banton could probably have seen the innings through to his first hundred as well, but the climbing run rate made him desperate enough to hole out to the fielder in the deep. Just when things looked lost in the middle, a late assault was launched by Philip Salt who was batting out of position in the lower half of the order. The 25-year-old, playing his first game in the T20I format, showed incredible promise to notch 57 off just 24 balls, while others around him struggled to time the cherry. England could only manage 204/9 in their 20 overs and fell short by 20 runs. Click here to access the full scorecard.

Women’s Ashes | Day 1 - Meg Lanning & Rachel Haynes denied centuries as England keep on the fight

England kept on the fight with two quick wickets of Meg Lanning and Rachel Haynes by denying twin centuries. Australia were on the driver’s seat after a 169-run partnership after losing three quick wickets in the morning session. However, a rebuilding act from the two batters put Australia back on track as the day kept getting better for batting. Both batters were especially punishing against anything back of the length offered to them after seeing through a tight phase of play early morning. But, both were sent back in similar fashion outside edging the ball back to the keeper. At the time of writing, another partnership had brewed among the Australians with Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner putting together 66 runs from 109 balls. Australia were 280/5 in 84.4 overs. The new ball had just been taken.

Former head coach Ravi Shastri wants Kohli to take a break of 3 months

Former Head Coach of the Indian national team Ravi Shastri wants Virat Kohli to take a 2-3 month long break. Speaking on Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel, Shastri has argued that the break will do a world of good for the former Indian captain and he could come back to dominate the world for the next three or four years. "He realises he is 33, he realises he has 5 years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well, I think, if he goes out for 2-3 months, if he takes a break from one series, it will do him a world of good," Shastri opined. He further argued that it is important for Virat’s legacy as well stating that Virat - the batter has a lot more to give Indian cricket. "He can come back and play those 3-4 years like a king, absolute king where he is clear mentally, and knows exactly what his role is and play as a team player. That's what I want to see Virat Kohli do now, come, contribute as a team player and win games for India. That will be the legacy he will leave. Virat Kohli’s next assignment will be India’s white ball series against West Indies at home next month in February.