WI vs SA: Shai Hope, Roston Chase return as Jyden Seales earn maiden Windies call up

A fine ODI batsman who has a lot to achieve in Test cricket, Shai Hope made a return to the red ball team of the West Indis as he was named in the 13 man provision squad of the West Indies to face South Africa in two Tests at home. However, a trimmed 13 man squad would further be announced on June 7.

Along with Hope, spin all-rounder Roston Chase has been selected in the squad, which would include a fresher in the form of 19-year-old quick Jayden Seales. Jahmar Hamilton, whose two international appearances for the Windies have come two years apart, once in Tests and once in ODIs (February this year), has also fina a place in the side as a backup wicketkeeper to Joshua da Silva.

Kieran Powell is another new name in the squad which was present on the Bangladesh tour but wasn’t picked for the Sri Lanka series. John Campbell has been sidelined for this tour. Fast bowler Chemar Holder was unavailable due to injury and the pacers in the squad include the likes of Shanon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph.

The two-match series would begin with the first Test from June 10 onward at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. The last test for the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy, beginning on June 18 will also be played at the same venue.

Squad; Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-capt), Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.

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Certainly a challenge for Root: Kiwi coach expects de Grandhomme to keep troubling English captain

Shane Jurgensen said that wily swing bowler Colin de Gradhomme would be much more than just a challenge on an overcast Saturday morning at Lord’s. After the third day getting washed out completely due to rain, the Kiwis would be hopeful to wrap the English innings up inside the registered 98 overs to be played on day four. “Colin certainly presents a challenge for Joe. Joe’s such a fantastic player … a very good captain, and it’s a great battle, and me personally, I love watching it from up on the balcony,” said the Blackcaps bowling coach. Jurgensen, a skiddy customer himself during his playing days for Western Australia and Tasmania, believes that de Grandhomme might not be express quick but packs a punch while bowling a heavy ball. “On the speed radar you may see 115-125 kilometres per hour, but as you see when he hits the cricket ball, and he hits it a long way, he’s extremely strong, so he does bowl a heavy ball and I think that’s what you say yesterday, he had the ball either jumping up or down and was getting some movement,” the 45-year-old said. Testament to Jurgensen’s claims was the bowling performance by the right-arm medium pacer who conceded just 12 runs in his nine overs on day two. In fact, of the 30 balls that Root had to face off de Grandhomme, 29 were dots. The Zimbabwe born all-rounder would be on the cards as the Blackcaps would take the field to break the 93-run partnership between Root and Rory Burns, who is on 58, with England 111-2 in reply to the visitors’ first-innings total of 378.

Amol Muzumdar's Mumbai coach appointment unconstitutional: Former MCA President files stay petition

Former Mumbai Cricket Association President Ravi Savant filed a plea in Bombay High Court to put a stay on Mumbai Cricket Association’s appointment of domestic legend Amol Muzumdar as Mumbai coach. Savant is of the opinion that the process to appoint the coach was unconstitutional and hence must be challenged. "I have nothing against Amol who has been a Mumbai legend and Ranji Trophy-winning captain. It’s just the appointment was unconstitutional,” Savant was quoted as saying by the Times Of India. Savant alleged that MCA’s dissolution of the previous Cricket Improvement Committee headed by T20 World Cup-winning India manager Lalchand Rajput was mala fide and arbitrary. Muzumdar, 46, who played 171 First-Class games to score more than 11,000 runs at a scintillating average of more than 48 was appointed the coach by the new CIC. The decision, however, hasn’t gone down too well with two Apex Council members of the MCA as well. Umesh Khanvilkar and Ajinkya Naik wrote to MCA secretaries Shahalam Sheikh and Sanjay Naik enquiring as to what was the hurry to appoint the coach at a time when domestic cricket’s future for this season stands at a crossroads due to COVID-19.

ENG vs NZ | 1st Test Day 3: Continuous rain plays spoilsport, dents chances of result

The third day’s play of the first Test between New Zealand and England has been abandoned without any bowled as continuous rain poured down in the city of London. The next two days of the Test will have 98 overs in a day to compensate for the loss of play on the third day. The game was poised interestingly on the back of a brilliant half century from Rory Burns and assured batting from England skipper Joe Root while New Zealand new ball bowlers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson rocked the hosts early. At the stumps on day two, England were 111/2 and trailing New Zealand’s first innings total of 378 runs by 267 runs with Burns and Root unbeaten at the crease. The abandonment of the third day’s play has more or less dented chances of a result in the Test except for some dramatic turn of events on the fourth and fifth day of the Test. For New Zealand, the star of the game was Devon Conway, who struck a sublime double hundred on his Test debut and Henry Nicholls while for the hosts, the pair of Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson put their hands up to bring them back in the game.

Ireland level series against Netherlands with 8-wicket win in second ODI

Ireland levelled the three-match ODI series against Netherlands on Friday after winning the second encounter by 8 wickets in Utrecht. Chasing 158 in 50 overs, the Irish team went over the line in 43 overs. They didn’t have a really good start to the chase after losing William Portfield for a duck. But Paul Stirling and captain Andrew Balbirnie made sure that the last match’s feat doesn’t repeat again where the Ireland side failed to chase down a pretty small total and suffered a defeat by just one run eventually. While Stirling scored 52 off 64, Balbirnie remained unbeaten at 63 off 127 deliveries. The two batsmen put up a stand of 82 runs for the second wicket before Stirling departed. Balbirnie was then joined by Harry Tector in the middle. The skipper along with Tector (30*) anchored the team to the finish line. For Netherlands, Logan van Beek and captain Pieter Seelaar scalped a wicket apiece. Earlier, batting first, Netherlands started off the proceedings in a decent manner as the openers Myburgh and Max ODowd scored 44 runs for the first wicket before Myburgh was sent in the hut for 11 after he was cleaned up by Joshua Little. Myburgh’s dismissal saw the fall of wickets at regular intervals and the Netherlands team was soon reduced to 111/6 to eventually get bundled out for 157 in the final over. Craig Young and Little starred with the ball for Ireland as both the bowlers picked up a four-wicket haul each. Ireland bowler Little who bagged a four-for expressed his delight for making a significant contribution in the team’s win. “Happy that I was able to contribute to a win. I've lost weight and got fitter. It was a huge disappointment the other day and so I'm absolutely delighted that we've pulled this off,” he said. Netherlands skipper Seelar explained how the track player in the initial part of the match when they were put into bat by Ireland. “It was a good toss to lose I guess. Thought that it was going to be a similar surface but it did a little more in the morning. Got a bit flatter in the afternoon. I won't say that it's why we only got 157 but it was trickier in the morning,” he said. Ireland captain Balbirnie hailed his side’s win and lauded the bowling effort. “It was (a complete performance). I thought we bowled really well and the chase was much more composed than the other day. Bowlers are in a good spot at the moment and it's good that the batting group could see the team through today,” he said. With the series now levelled, the decider will be played on Monday at the same venue.