Contract dispute has not been on the radar ahead of England series: Mickey Arthur

Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur has said that the contract dispute wasn’t an issue ahead of their tour to England. The dispute could have come as a threat to the side’s tour.

"We have not mentioned it at all. It has not been on the radar. Since we have been here, it has just been cricket, cricket, cricket," he said.

The coach further added that the players are “mature enough” to not get distracted from this. "Everybody has been mature enough to put it on the back-burner and realise why we're here so it has not been a distraction. It has not been an issue as far as I know,” he added.

The Sri Lankan team was slated to play warm-up matches against Kent and Sussex but the fixtures were cancelled citing safety concerns due to Covid-19. The T20I series between England and Sri Lanka will commence on June 23 in Cardiff. The sides will lock horns in a three-match T20I series and as many ODIs.

The touring team had intra-squad matches ahead of the T20I series. “This is a massive challenge for our young team but a wonderful opportunity and I just want to see us progressing,” Arthur said.

"To see the players going head-to-head yesterday and competing for positions has certainly heightened the challenge,” he added.

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Misbah-ul-Haq likes idea of playing against top teams to better prepare for ICC World T20

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Smriti Mandhana bats for more Test matches to help India Women mature at playing under pressure

India women’s team opener Smriti Mandhana was dismissed at the stroke of lunch on Day 3 of the one-off Test against England in Bristol while the visitors were following on in the second innings. The left-hander batsman has said that the slight pressure of staying unbeaten till the end of the day might have played the part. “Definitely, a slight pressure of ending the day ‘not out’, might have played a part (in the loss of wickets in a heap) and that will come with experience,” Mandhana said. “The more we play Test matches, the more we’ll get used to the conditions – one over before lunch or one over before the day’s end and all those sessions, so we can be more mature about (approaching them) and not take pressure,” she added. India had a brilliant start to the proceedings in the first innings after Mandhana and debutant Shafali Verma put up 167 runs for the first wicket in reply to England’s 396. But Verma just fell short of her maiden Test ton after she miscued a stroke off Kate Cross and was caught by Shrubsole for 96. Mandhan soon followed her for 78 and the left-handed batter’s dismissal saw a flurry of wickets. India were soon reduced to 197/8 to eventually get bowled out for 231. The home side enforced the follow-on later in the day. Ecclestone bagged four wickets for England. India on the other hand were 83/1 with Verma scoring yet another half-century when stumps were called.

WI vs SA | 2nd Test | Day 1: Dean Elgar, de Kock resurrect Proteas after early jolts by Windies pacers

South Africa captain Dean Elgar was back in form after he scored 77 against West Indies in the first innings of the second Test at St Lucia. Batting first, the visitors didn’t really have a great start after they lost some early wickets to get reduced to 37/3. Opener Aiden Markram was the first one to depart without troubling the scorers off Shannon Gabriel while Keegan Peterson and Rassie van der Dussen followed him. Peterson only managed to score 7 before Jayden Seales removed him while Der Dussen was undone for 4 after he was cleaned up by Kemar Roach. Elgar was then joined by Kyle Verreynne in the middle and the two provided some resistance to the Proteas to put 87 for fourth wicket before Verreynne was sent back in the hut for 27. Gabriel scalped his second wicket after Verreynne was caught by Joshua Da Silva off him. Wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock replaced Verreynne and joined hands with the skipper to steady the ship for the visitors once again. The two batsmen stitched a partnership of 79 for the fifth wicket. Elgar eventually got out while in-form De Kock continued his good run in the series to notch up a half-century before the stumps were called. South Africa were 218/5 with De Kock and Wiaan Mulder at the crease at stumps. For West Indies, it was Gabriel who made a comeback in this Test had a couple of dismissals while Roach and Mayers had a wicket apiece. The Dean Elgar-led side lead the two-match series 1-0 after they thumped the hosts in the first match by an innings and 63 runs at the same venue.