Joe Root surpasses Tendulkar, Gavaskar, Vaughan on list of batsmen with most runs in a year

Josh Little called up by Ireland after four players test positive ahead of US-Windies tour

Irish fast bowler Joshua Little who is currently plying his trade in the Lanka Premier League 2021, has been called up to bolster the squad that has left for the combined tour of the United States and West Indies which will begin December 22. According to a Cricket Ireland media release, four players i.e. Barry McCarthy, George Dockrell, Harry Tector and Gareth Delany have tested positive in the pres series testing and fast bowler Craig Young was identified as a close contact of Covid-19 positive persons and has therefore not been allowed to travel with the team. While McCarthy and Dockrell tested positive during pre-series testing, Tector and Delany, who have been in Florida playing the US T20 Open tournament-tested positive before linking up with the side which landed in Miami a few days ago. The pair have begun their 10-day in-room isolation already. McCarthy and Dockrell are also expected to link up with their teammates in the USA soon. Along with players, Assistant coach Gary Wilson has also not been able to travel with the team after he received a false positive report on his pre-series Covid test. The former Irish international is being re-tested, and if clear, will fly out on Sunday. "We are pleased to have our squad arrive in Miami and are all looking forward to the series ahead,” Richard Holdsworth, high-performance director for Cricket Ireland, said. "We have experienced a few last-minute complications related to COVID, but with the extended travelling squad that we have taken, and the recall of Josh Little from Sri Lanka, we don't foresee any issues with the series proceeding as scheduled,” he further added. After playing three ODIs and two T20Is in the US, the Irish team will travel to the Caribbean and play West Indies in three ODIs, between January 8 and 14, and a one-off T20I scheduled for January 17.

Pat Cummins confirmed to return on Boxing Day Test

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is set to return in the third Test of the Ashes series. After being sidelined from the first pink-ball Test in Adelaide due to being in close contact with a Covid-19 affected person. Having isolated for seven days, Cummins has been cleared to train after testing negative for the virus. “Cummins, who has tested negative to the virus, can mix with family but only in small groups while being urged to avoid any highly populated location, particularly indoors," a cricket.com.au story stated. Cummins was replaced by Micheal Neser for the Adelaide Test and has put up a strong performance on debut for the home side. With Cummins coming back into the fore, once again the Australians will have a problem of plenty in their hands considering their pace bowling riches in the current squad. The Boxing Day Test is scheduled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Ashes | Day-Night Test, Day 3: Australia chip away as England suffer yet another batting collapse

Just when England gained some momentum and breathing space in the ongoing Day-Night Ashes Test in Adelaide on the back of splendid half-centuries from Joe Root and Dawid Malan, they slipped rapidly into yet another batting collapse in the evening session on the third day. Joe Root was worked over in an impressive spell of seam bowling by Cameron Green while Malan was sent back by a charged up Mitchell Starc. The duo added 138 runs for the third wicket but was sent back in quick succession in a space of seven runs to leave the middle order fighting for England’s survival in the game. They were clearly not up to it and while Ollie Pope paid the price for being too unsettled for the accuracy and guile of Nathan Lyon, Jos Buttler was guilty of becoming greedy against Starc’s away going delivery. Pope looked jittery and was not able to get on top of Lyon and a desperate attempt of reaching out to the pitch of the ball saw him handing an easy catch of Marnus Labuschagne. Four wickets in space of 15 overs or so and 21 runs derailed whatever progress England had made in the afternoon session of the third day and are staring at a big deficit in the first innings. They are left relying once again on the miracles of Ben Stokes and the grit of Chris Woakes.

Yorkshire invites applications for the role of head coach and non-executive directors

In a bid to revamp the system, Yorkshire has begun their search for a new head coach and six non-executive directors.