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The Ashes Players Welfare Agenda Paramount As Ecb Begins Negotiations With Cricket Australia

The Ashes | Player's welfare agenda 'paramount' as ECB begins negotiations with Cricket Australia

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said that it will make the player and staff welfare the main priority as it is going to discuss the provision plans for the upcoming Ashes series.

The ECB has held meetings to discuss provisional plans with the England team and the Team England Player Partnership, the board in a joint statement with the Professional Cricketers’ Association said.

“All parties are collaborating and will continue to work together to understand protocols around bubble environments, family provision and quarantine rules that will be in place for the tour during the current COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement said.

“With player and management’s welfare paramount, the ECB will discuss planning and operational requirements with Cricket Australia in the coming weeks and how they seek to implement their policies in partnership with state and federal governments,” it added.

“All stakeholders are committed to putting player and staff welfare as the main priority.”

Earlier, all-rounder Ben Stokes had pulled out from the five-match Test series and taken an indefinite break from cricket to improve mental well-being.

"Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and wellbeing,” the Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, Ashley Giles said.

Stokes was making a comeback to the Tests after missing out on the series against New Zealand at home. Though, he had led England against Pakistan in the ODI fixtures.

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Herschelle Gibbs slams BCCI for 'preventing' him from playing Kashmir Premier League

Former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs has said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is trying all possible ways to prevent him from playing in the Kashmir Premier league. Gibbs has taken a dig at the Indian board and said that it is unnecessary of the BCCI to bring in the political agenda. “Completely unnecessary of the @BCCI to bring their political agenda with Pakistan into the equation and trying to prevent me playing in the @kpl_20. Also threatening me saying they won’t allow me entry into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous.” Former Pakistan player Rashid Latif had earlier made some similar allegations. “The @BCCI warning cricket boards that if their former players took part in Kashmir Premier League, they won’t be allowed entry in India or allowed to work in Indian cricket at any level or in any capacity. Gibbs, Dilshan, @MontyPanesar & several others have been selected in KPL.” The Kashmir Premier League will feature six teams, Overseas Warriors, Muzaffarabad Tigers, Rawalakot Hawks, Bagh Stallions, Mirpur Royals and Kotli Lions. Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal have been named as the captains of their respective teams. Apart from this, Matt Prior, Dilshan, Monty Panesar are some of the prominent players who would feature in the tournament. The sides will also have at least five players in the lineup from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and the competition will be played in Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium.

WI vs PAK | Azam Khan suffers blow on head, ruled out of 2nd, 3rd T20Is of series

Pakistan’s new recruit Azam Khan has been ruled out of the second and third T20I against West Indies after he sustained an injury on his head during the practice session, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said. “Azam Khan has been ruled out of the second and third T20Is against West Indies after sustaining a head injury during the scheduled training session,” a PCB statement said. “A neurosurgeon has recommended an observation period of 24 hours. He will then be reassessed on Monday,: it added. Azam’s availability for the fourth and final T20I will be decided only after the reassessment. The first match between the two sides in Barbados was called off due to rain while the next three encounters will be played in Guyana. The second match is slated to take place on Saturday (July 31, 2021) while the third and the fourth match will be played on Sunday (August 1, 2021) and Tuesday (August 3, 2021) respectively. Azam has played three T20I matches for Pakistan so fas and has only managed to score 6 runs during the course. The T20I series will be followed by a two-match Test series. The first Test begins on August 12 in Jamaica. Both the matches will be played at the same venue.

Isuru Udana retires from international cricket

Sri Lanka pacer Isuru Udana has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. “I believe the time has come for me to make way for the next generation of players,’’ said Udana whilst notifying his decision to Sri Lanka Cricket. ‘’It is with immense pride and passion, and unfathomable commitment that I have represented and served my country,’’ he further added. Udana first donned the Sri Lankan jersey back in 2009 in a T20I game against Australia in Nottingham while playing his first ODI against India in 2012. The fast bowler has played 21 ODIs for Sri Lanka and has scalped 18 wickets during the course and has been capped 35 times in the T20Is where he has picked a total of 27 wickets. The 33-year-old has been a handy batsman in the lower order as well. He has notched up 237 runs in ODIs and 256 runs in T20Is and also has a half-century in both the formats to his name. Sri Lanka Cricket wished Udana the very best in his future endeavours. “Sri Lanka Cricket wishes Udana, who was a valuable player in Sri Lanka’s White-Ball teams, the very best in his future endeavours,” a statement from SLC said.

Ben Stokes takes "indefinite break" from Cricket to improve mental well-being

In a huge setback and development for England cricket, all-rounder Ben Stokes has withdrawn his name from the squad to face India in the series starting August 04. Ben Stokes were to return to the England Test side after missing out in the last home series against New Zealand. As per the ECB statement, Stokes has withdrawn his name to “prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger”. He was included in the 17-man squad for the first two Tests of the series. The Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, Ashley Giles, lauded Stokes’ “courage” to open up about his feelings and state of mind while reiterating the ECB has always emphasized the need to help players in maintaining mental well being. "Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and wellbeing,” Giles said. Ben Stokes had returned to lead England ODI side against Pakistan and later he admitted the “ridiculous" pain” he endured while playing the ODI series. Stokes had injured his hand in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League earlier this year and the injury is yet to heal after he went through an operation. Stokes’ withdrawal from the big series against India will reignite the debate surrounding the mental health of players amid the Covid-19 pandemic and will complicate ECB’s planning and management for the Ashes series scheduled for the end of this year.