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Joe Root Ireland Womens Eimear Richardson Voted Icc Player Of The Month For August

Joe Root, Ireland Women's Eimear Richardson voted ICC Player of the Month for August

England Test skipper Joe Root has been named as International Cricket Council’s Player of the Month (Male) for August for his outstanding run during the Test series against India.

In the series, the 30-year-old hit 564 runs in only seven innings at an average of 94 to ward off the competition against India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi to win the award. This performance also saw the English skipper reach the top of the ICC Rankings for batters in August and he currently occupies the top spot having taken it from Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson.

Talking about his performances, former South Africa international JP Duminy, one of the panellists in the ICC Voting Academy said, “With the expectation and responsibility on his shoulders as the captain, I was really impressed with how he led from the front with the bat, and become the number one ranked Test batter in the world.”

The award in the female category went to Ireland’s Eimear Richardson who surpassed her teammate and record-breaker Gaby Lewis, who became the first Ireland Woman to score a century in T20Is and Thailand’s Nattaya Boochatham.

While Gaby’s was a great achievement and Boochatham has been sensational throughout the team’s Zimbabwe tour in which they drew the ODI series and won the T20I series, Richardson’s all-around show in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier last month was too much to take ignore.

She took seven wickets at an economy rate of 4.19 and scored a crucial 49-ball 53 in their final match against the Netherlands to win it and keep the hopes of her team for qualifying for the ultimate Qualification round and eventually the World Cup alive.

The 34-year-old veteran, who has represented her team in 29 ODIs and 52 T20Is was excited to have won the award and said, “It was very exciting to be nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for August and to now be voted as the winner is just so amazing and humbling.”

“It was great to contribute to overall team performances at the European Qualifiers and hopefully we have done enough to make the next stage and compete on a global level again,” added the Dublin born who has 67 wickets and 868 runs to her kitty in all of the international games combined.

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Ramiz Raja elected PCB Chairman, takes over role with big coaching appointments

Ramiz Raja has been elected as the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on September 13 following a meeting of the PCB's Board of Governors in Lahore. Raja, a former Pakistan captain, has been elected "unanimously and unopposed" as per the press release shared by the PCB. Raja extended his gratitude to the members of the board for his election and stated that he will aim to start his journey as PCB chairman with the mission of bringing back the old “culture, mindset, attitude and approach” that he said made Pakistan a tough side to beat at the international level. “One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mindset, attitude and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket playing nations,” Raja was quoted as telling the other board members in a PCB press release. “I am thankful to all of you for electing me as the PCB chairman and look forward to working with you to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to thrive and grow stronger, both on and off-the-field." There were words of discontent in Pakistan cricket over the elevation of Raza as his relations with some of the former and current players have not been great in the recent past. He has had a verbal altercation with Mohammad Hafeez while his relationship with Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis was also not great. The duo left their coaching role with the Pakistan side and as soon as Raja took the chairmanship, he has appointed Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander as coaches of the national teams before the ICC World T20 due later next month.

CPL 2021 | 1st Semi-Final Preview: Confident Trinbago face inconsistent Kings for a spot in final

Trinbago Knight Riders etched a win against Patriots in their last league match to seal the top spot in the Caribbean Premier League points table on Monday, September 13 and will now take on Saint Lucia Kings in the first semi-final of the CPL 2021 slated to take place on Tuesday in St Kitts. Trinbago rode on captain Kieron Pollard’s masterclass with the bat after he struck a 22-ball 51 to help the side chase down a target of 148 runs in 20 overs. Apart from Pollard, Isuru Udana also chipped in with some runs after he scored 25* off 16 to see the side home. The TKR batting looks stable at the moment barring some hiccups that they faced during the chase against the Patriots. The Knight Riders’ batting unit comprises some prominent names like Lendl Simmons, Tim Seifert and Colin Munro in the ranks. While Simmons and Munro can provide a steady start to the proceedings up the order, Seifert, Darren Bravo and Pollard will have the onus on themselves to capitalise on it. In the bowling department, Ali Khan was on song against the SKNP after he bagged a three-for at the cost of just 19 in the allotted 4 overs. Apart from him, the TKR team has the services of Udana and experienced campaigner Ravi Rampaul in fast bowling while Sunil Narine and Akeal Hosein jeer up the spin department. The side looks pretty balanced at the moment and would be riding high on confidence after the win in their last encounter. The Kings on the other hand are coming into this game after suffering a defeat in their final league match against Barbados Royals. The Royals’ batsmen Kyle Mayers and Glenn Phillips hammered the Saint Lucia bowlers all around the park and helped the side win the match by 8 wickets after chasing down a stiff target of 191 runs with more than an over to spare. While Mayers remained unbeaten at a 62-ball 81, Phillips unleashed a brutal knock and scored 80* in just 39 deliveries that included nine maximums. Apart from Jeavor Royal, all the Kings bowlers were hit for runs and it was only Roston Chase who was able to pick up a wicket. Well, the Kings were without their regular captain Faf du Plessis as he was carrying a groin injury and missed the fixture. The Saint Lucia side would be hoping that he returns back to play the all-important semi-final clash. While the Saint Lucia bowlers were hammered for runs, the side still had some positives to take away from this game. The batting unit, especially the top-order was among runs and the side eventually posted 190/6 in 20 overs. Chase has been in good form for the Kings in this competition and the team management would be banking on him to continue with what he has been doing. Match Details Match: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Saint Lucia Kings, CPL 2021 Date: September 14, 2021 (Tuesday) Time: 7:30 PM (IST) Venue: Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts TV: Star Sports Network Pitch Report The pitch can assist the batsmen during the clash between Trinbago Knight Riders and Saint Lucia Kings. So, if you win the toss, elect to bat first and try to put up a good total on the board. Probable XI Trinbago Knight Riders: Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Colin Munro, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard (c), Tim Seifert, Isuru Udana, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Ali Khan, Ravi Rampaul Saint Lucia Kings: Andre Fletcher (wk), Rahkeem Cornwall, Faf du Plessis (c), Roston Chase, Tim David, Samit Patel, David Wiese, Keemo Paul, Wahab Riaz, Alzarri Joseph, Jeavor Royal Fantasy XI Andre Fletcher (wk), Lendl Simmons, du Plessis, Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard (VC), Roston Chase (C), Rahkeem Cornwall, David Wiese, Jeavor Royal

Pakistan appoint Matthew Hayden, Vernon Philander as 'consultant coaches' for T20 World Cup

Pakistan have announced two prominent additions to the support staff for the upcoming T20 World Cup with former Australian opener Matthew Hayden and South Africa pacer Vernon Philander joining the side as batting bowling respectively. The duo will replace the Pakistani duo of Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis who resigned from their post of the head coach and bowling coach earlier this month. These developments have come on the day when former Pakistan cricketer and a prominent voice in the world of cricket, Ramij Raza has taken over the chairmanship of the Pakistan Cricket Board. “One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mindset, attitude and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket playing nations,” Raza said after taking over the reins of the PCB and one could argue if someone can be better than Hayden to instil a fearless attitude in players. “The Australian can bring some aggression into the team. He has experience of World Cups and was a world-class player himself. Having an Australian in the dressing room will be of great benefit for us,” Raza said of Hayden. It was always expected the Raza’s elevation to the top of the PCB will bring some changes in the side with two global events coming up and the signing up of Hayden and Philander is a perfect start to the expectations. Interestingly, Hayden has also signed up for commentary in the second half of the Indian Premier League due to start on September 19 and hence it is unlikely that the left-hander would be able to do the dual role in such a quick time.

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine to undergo neck surgery, but insists will be fit for Ashes

Australia Test captain Tim Paine is set to undergo neck surgery in the coming days but expressed confidence in becoming ready for the first Ashes Test against England scheduled to start on December 09 in Brisbane. Paine said that the decision of going under the knife has been taken after discussion with the spinal surgeon and Cricket Australia’s medical team. “The consensus of the spinal surgeon and the CA medical team was to have the surgery now which will allow plenty of time to fully prepare for the summer. I expect to be able to restart physical activity by the end of this month and be back in full training in October. I will be ready to go by the first Test and am very much looking forward to what will be a huge summer,” Paine said. There will be a lot at stake for Paine and his Australian Test team after a devastating series loss against India the last summer. Paine would be hopeful of having a full-strength squad to pick for an all-important Ashes series at home which they have not lost since the 2010-11 edition. It is also being speculated that Paine will announce his retirement from international cricket or at least give up the captaincy of the national Test team. He had taken over the reins from Steve Smith in the aftermath of the Newlands Test where the trio of former captain and vice-captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were penalised for the ball-tampering offence.