The allrounder has returned to international cricket a dominant force with bat and ball

Andrew McGlashan02-Mar-2022A little under a year ago, Tahlia McGrath was part of Australia’s tour of New Zealand and did not get a game. Now, she returns for the ODI World Cup as an integral part of the team after a breakout home season that saw her win Player of the Series awards against India and England.It has been a remarkable return to the side for McGrath. She had played just once for Australia between October 2017 and September 2021 – an ODI against New Zealand in 2020 where 29 off 11 balls gave a glimpse of the cricketer she was becoming.Related

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Over the course of this season, she has yet to earn a T20I average after three match-winning, unbeaten innings, she has scored a maiden Test half-century, and, most significantly with what is approaching across the Tasman, was a regular contributor with bat and ball in the ODIs including a superb 74 against India in Mackay when Australia had been 52 for 4 chasing 275.”Looking back, it was probably the innings that started my whole summer,” McGrath reflected as she spoke to ESPNcricinfo ahead of the World Cup. “When I walked out to the crease I was strangely relaxed and just went about my business from ball one. Being able to go out there and play the way that I know that I’ve been capable of playing, that had a flow-on effect to my overall confidence for the rest of the whole Big Bash and Ashes. At the time, I probably didn’t realise the significance that it had on the rest of my season, but it was very important in the way that things played out.”For McGrath, her goal at the start of the season was to secure a regular place back in the XI. Yet, by the latter part of the summer, her success in the T20I side played no small part in Ellyse Perry being sidelined in that format and there was little doubt she was among the best XI in ODIs.”It’s been a crazy season,” she said. “Loved every second of it and it’s been really nice to play some good cricket as a team and individually as well. I’m always someone that likes to set myself goals and my biggest motivator at the start of the season was making my way back into the teams.”What happened from there has well and truly exceeded my expectations, I never would have imagined what has happened.”

“This [World Cup] is a tournament that I flagged probably about two years ago that I was really wanting to be a part of. I think it’s my best format. I haven’t been part of a World Cup before, have been so close quite a few times, so this is one I’ve had in by diary for a while”Tahlia McGrath

In many ways, McGrath is a prime example of what makes Australian cricket so strong. She had her first taste of international cricket in 2016 and, though she made 47 on Test debut against England, it was a relatively short-lived stay which then followed a battle with back injuries that led to her having to rebuild her bowling.But there was a setup in place to help her and a strong domestic structure where she was able to grow her game while keeping her connected to the national scene around Australia A.”We’re really lucky in Australia, with the domestic setup we have, the fact that we can train all year round and play in competitions like the Big Bash,” she said. “I was lucky enough to be part of the NPS [national performance squad] and travel to a few countries with the ‘A’ team. Even when you’re not playing in the Australian team, you can chip away at your game and get some really valuable experience.”I think that’s part of why there’s so much depth in Australian cricket and we saw that in the Ashes. When we looked at the players in the Aussie A side, you think ‘wow, there is serious talent there’ and it certainly keeps you on your toes.”McGrath has returned with her skills enhanced, but also a refreshed mental approach to the game, which includes extensive use of a sports phycologist and a move into leadership roles at the domestic level.”When we looked at the players in the Aussie A side, you think ‘wow, there is serious talent there’ and it certainly keeps you on your toes”•Getty Images”The initial call-up to the Australian side came out of blue, and if I look back now, I think I just lacked that self confidence, that self-belief,” she said. “That was probably a contributing factor to the fact that it was a bit of a brief stint initially, and a few unlucky injuries and things along the way. I’ve certainly come a long way in terms of my overall self-belief, that’s for sure.”I found it hard if I had a bad game to sort of park that and move aside, so I have certainly grown a lot over the last four or five years, that’s for sure. Once you’ve had a taste of [international cricket] it’s the place I wanted to be. I gave it everything to get back and the hard work is starting to pay off.”She believes the forays into leadership – which has seen her form a close relationship with former Australia captain Belinda Clark – has aided her own game, but it was not a path she would not have envisaged taking.”I would have never seen myself as a leader and it was never something that I thought about,” she said. “Then a few opportunities popped up through some [South Australia] Scorpions stuff and Australia A. Caught me by surprise, and I found enjoyment from it, especially leading the [Adelaide] Strikers last year was an experienced I absolutely loved.”I think it has probably had a positive effect on my cricketing ability as well… that’s had the flow-on effect to my on-field performance with my overall confidence, getting me outside of my comfort zone and just believing that I belong to this level.”This [World Cup] is a tournament that I flagged probably about two years ago that I was really wanting to be a part of. I think it’s my best format. I haven’t been part of a World Cup before, have been so close quite a few times, so this is one I’ve had in by diary for a while.”

After the make-believe atmospheres of first two Tests, this was a day for the home supporters

Cameron Ponsonby24-Mar-2022It was almost the perfect day for West Indies. Winning the toss and bowling, they dismissed England for 204. And how could that possibly be bad?But the order in which things happen matter. This was an innings reminiscent of those reverse poems that, when read forward, mean something completely different to when read backwards. West Indies bowling England out on day one is undoubtedly a good news story. But, oh, England were 90 for 8. And England’s No.10 Jack Leach scored 41 not out. And England’s No.11 Saqib Mahmood scored 49. His highest ever first-class score? Which included his first ever first-class six? Oh.”For me and I think for the team, it’s a bit of bittersweet”, Jayden Seales said after the game. “Because if someone had come to us and said we’ll bowl England out for 204 we’d be very pleased. But on the other hand if someone told us they’d be 110 for 9 and they get to 200 you’re disappointed in yourself. So it’s just a matter for us of, once we’re getting into these positions, to close off the game and get the job done.”It was a desperate end to what had been an otherwise fantastic day in the spectacular settings of Grenada. Opting to go for an all-seam attack by replacing spinner Veerasammy Permaul with all-rounder Kyle Mayers, West Indies took three wickets before lunch before reducing England from 53 for 3 to 67 for 7 in the afternoon. Their decision to leave out the spinner had been justified. Even more so that Mayers took the first two wickets of the day by having Zak Crawley caught at cover before getting Joe Root to edge behind for a duck. To make matters even more emphatic, Mayers didn’t even concede a run from his opening five-over spell.What followed was a combination of high-class bowling and mediocre batting. Where Ben Stokes will curse himself for a poor pull shot that ended up back in the hands of bowler Alzarri Joseph, the likes of Ben Foakes, Craig Overton and perhaps even Jonny Bairstow will acknowledge they were dismissed by bowlers operating at the top of their game. The delivery from Kemar Roach to clean bowl Overton seamed in viciously from back of a length and would likely have dismissed any batter, on any day, anywhere in the world. It was fantastic bowling in a fantastic part of the world.Because this is a comically beautiful island. The hills are steep and the views are vast. Houses stick out of hillsides that appear accessible only via jetpack. In fact, everything in Grenada is steep. To take a pew in the top row of the main stand is to sign up to a healthy dose of vertigo, which is made that much worse by the rusted barrier which is all that’s separating you from becoming a much flatter version of yourself. It probably holds your weight. But I wouldn’t recommend trying to find out.”It has to be up there, top two for me [after Sabina Park, Jamaica] I’d say”, Seales explained after play, with Sabina only getting the nod due to Seales’ heroic past performances there. “I’d never played here before and it’s a beautiful island.”Related

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The day was noticeable also for the much larger percentage of local fans in attendance. Don’t let the TV cameras fool you, just because there are plenty of empty seats doesn’t mean this wasn’t an event. Grenada is an island of 112,000 and this stadium has a capacity of 20,000. To expect it to be anywhere close to full is nonsensical. And yet here, for the first time in the series, sizeable cheers were accompanying moments of West Indian success.Schoolchildren were scattered around the ground in their uniforms, a local fan berated Jason Holder for not going around the wicket, another yelled “pressure” relentlessly as England began to crumble in the afternoon session. It was Caribbean cricket as opposed to cricket being played in the Caribbean.”We knew coming into this game that there would be a big local support for the team,” Seales said. “And every time we got a wicket you could feel the energy and the buzz coming from the locals. It was really good to see the fans out.”The sight of 8,000 Barmies taking over Bridgetown last week was spectacular, but much in the same way that Disneyland is spectacular – it was quite the spectacle, but it wasn’t exactly real. This, however, is the recommendation given to you by a local where all your dreams do actually come true. And for West Indies, they so nearly did.

We assess the Division One contenders in our County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2022EssexLast season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer, Mark Steketee (April-May)
Ins: Matt Critchley (Derbyshire), Adam Rossington (Northamptonshire, loan)
Outs: Ryan ten Doeschate, Varun Chopra (both retired), Matt Quinn (Kent)The most-successful red-ball side in the country over the last five years, Essex nevertheless experienced a disappointing 2021. Attempting to defend both their County Championship title (won in 2019) and the Bob Willis Trophy, Tom Westley’s team could only place fourth in a tightly congested Group One – they only lost twice but those defeats, crucially, came against the top two, Nottinghamshire and eventual champions Warwickshire. Condemned to Division Two in the latter part of the campaign, there was little solace to be taken from securing the “title” with a two-day hammering of Northants in the final round. “It’s not something we are actually going to celebrate,” said Dan Lawrence, bluntly.The core of the squad remains, and they will be looking to make amends. Alastair Cook has signed on for another two years of run-harvesting (his 2021 was unusually subdued, with only 165 in the penultimate game bringing his average above 30), but there will be a big hole to fill following the retirement of Ryan ten Doeschate. The return of Simon Harmer to South Africa’s Test set-up will limit his availability, too, and Anthony McGrath has hinted at a change to the balance of the side: Matt Critchley, the legspinning allrounder signed from Derbyshire, is expected to have a key role in supporting a four-man seam attack, with Jamie Porter and Sam Cook once again setting the standard and Mark Steketee, the leading wicket-taker in the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield, potentially a shrewd early-season recruit.One to watch: The departure of ten Doeschate, after nearly two decades in Essex’s engine room, will likely mean opportunities for homegrown batters, including Michael Pepper, Feroze Khushi and Josh Rymell, who turned 21 this month. Rymell debuted in last season’s Royal London Cup and was soon opening alongside Cook, scoring his maiden hundred in the quarter-final victory over Yorkshire and finishing the campaign with an average of 55.16.Diversity action: Essex have long championed community outreach work in east London, and the club runs numerous engagement initiatives, around faith, ethnicity, disability and gender – examples include tape-ball cricket in Leyton, Super 1s and table cricket, an Afghan refugee programme, and events around Diwali and Ramadan. A faith and reflection room has been installed at Chelmsford, with dedicated family and non-alcohol areas at the ground. Also ongoing is an independent investigation into historic claims of racism at the club, conducted by Katherine Newton QC. Alan GardnerBet365: 7/2Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley will be key to Essex fortunes•Getty ImagesHampshireLast season: 4th in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
First-team manager: Adi Birrell
Captain: James Vince
Overseas: Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott
Ins: Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Ben Brown (Sussex), Ross Whiteley (Worcestershire, white-ball contract)
Outs: Sam Northeast (Glamorgan), Ajeet Dale (Gloucestershire), Tom Scriven (Leicestershire), Brad Taylor, Ryan Stevenson (both retired), Tom Alsop (Sussex, loan), Lewis McManus (Northants, loan)Hampshire finished fourth in Division One last year but were a wicket away from their first title since 1973. Lancashire’s nerve-wracking run chase at Aigburth in late September ended in a one-wicket defeat; victory would have seen Hampshire pip Warwickshire to the pennant by half a point. They have strengthened over the winter with the addition of Ben Brown, who will keep wicket and bat in the middle order, while Mohammad Abbas will resume his new-ball partnership with Kyle Abbott.Giles White and Adi Birrell are confident enough about the depth of their squad that Tom Alsop (Sussex) and Lewis McManus (Northants) have been allowed to leave on loan and there are a handful of young players coming through – notably Tom Prest, the England Under-19s captain, and the tall seamer Scott Currie – who are likely to come into first-team contention. As the season wears on, the spin combination of Liam Dawson and Mason Crane will come to the fore.One to watch: Nick Gubbins arrived from Middlesex halfway through last season and, at 28, it is time for him to deliver on his obvious potential; his development has not been helped by playing home games on green seamers at Lord’s but his game should be better-suited to the flatter pitches at the Ageas Bowl. Alongside James Vince, Ben Brown and Liam Dawson, he will be part of one of the strongest middle orders in the country.Related

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Diversity action: Rod Bransgrove described allegations at a DCMS select committee that he had told fellow county chairmen that he knew understood racism because he was a white man in his 60s as “absolute nonsense”. The club launched an Inner City State School Partnership over the winter and appointed a non-executive communities adviser to its board last month. Matt RollerBet365: 7/1GloucestershireLast season: 2nd in Division Two
Head coach: Dale Benkenstein
Captain: Graeme van Buuren
Overseas: Marcus Harris, Naseem Shah, Zafar Gohar
Ins: Ajeet Dale (Hampshire), Paul van Meekeren (Durham)
Outs: George Hankins, Harry Hankins (both released)No team in the country won as many Championship games as Gloucestershire last summer but three defeats in four games at the end of the conference stage saw them miss out on the top division. This season, they have the chance to prove their mettle in Division One, belatedly taking their place in the top flight for the first time since 2005 after two years in which the format was affected by Covid.They do so with a new coach in Dale Benkenstein and a new captain, with Graeme van Buuren taking the reins after he was granted British citizenship at the end of last year following a season in limbo. They have recruited well, bringing in Marcus Harris after his success with Leicestershire last summer, while Chris Dent and James Bracey will expect to contribute with the bat after stepping back from the captaincy and overcoming a disappointing first taste of international cricket respectively. Ryan Higgins and David Payne will lead the attack again and hope to prove they can be as effective against the country’s best batters.One to watch: Naseem Shah is among the most exciting young fast bowlers in the global game, as evidenced by his reverse-swing masterclass against Australia in Lahore last month. This is his first taste of county cricket – he is due to be available for the first half of the season though selection for Pakistan’s ODI series against West Indies might cut his time short – and while he struggled against England two summers ago, his pace will make him a handful at county level.Diversity action: Ebony Rainford-Brent’s African-Caribbean Engagement programme launched in Bristol last year and several England players have been involved in coaching sessions over the winter. The club invited Afghan refugees to play at the County Ground in late 2021. David “Syd” Lawrence was offered an “unreserved apology” after recounting abuse he suffered while playing for the club in the 1980s. MRBet365: 16/1Darren Stevens: still on the run from Father Time•Getty ImagesKentLast season: 1st in Division Three
Director of cricket: Paul Downton
Head coach: Matt Walker
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas: George Linde, Jackson Bird (April-May), Matt Henry (July-Sept)
Ins: Matt Quinn (Essex), Ben Compton (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: While being able to call themselves “Division Three champions” – as things stand a unique accolade in the history of the Championship – might not quite rank alongside their Vitality Blast success, there were reasons for Kent to feel encouraged by their red-ball form come the end of the summer. That said, having held their own on their return to Division One in 2019 and finished second to eventual champions Essex in the Bob Willis Trophy South Group a year later, it was undoubtedly a disappointment to find themselves scrapping it out in the bottom tier once the conference system had played out in the first half of 2021.Three defeats in their opening four games – to Yorkshire, Lancashire and Glamorgan – meant they were in trouble from the outset, and in July they were forced to summon an entire replacement squad for the home fixture against Sussex after a Covid-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, they shored things up to go unbeaten through the rest of the summer, winning four games out of four in Division Three to pip Middlesex to top spot on the final day. Despite a disjointed campaign, there was plenty of talent to pick from, including encouraging displays from youngsters such as Nathan Gilchrist and Tawanda Muyeye, and the sempiternal brilliance of Darren Stevens, who finished as leading wicket-taker and third-highest run-scorer. His three hundreds included a whirlwind 190 off 149 balls against Glamorgan, and the ink was dry on another one-year contract extension by late June.One to watch: Born in Zimbabwe but arriving in the UK as a teenage asylum seeker, Muyeye was being talked about in exalted terms even before he signed for Kent at the beginning of last summer. Muyeye was named Schoolboy Cricket of the Year in 2020 for his run-scoring feats at Eastbourne College, and gave an indication of his talents with a composed 89 as Kent chased 372 in the fourth innings against Middlesex to seal top spot in the final round.Diversity action: Kent are one of a number of clubs to have benefited from increased central funding from the ECB for Rainford-Brent’s ACE programme, which is to be rolled out in the county’s Greenwich and Lewisham catchment areas. AGBet365: 14/1Tom Hartley celebrates a wicket with his Lancashire team-mates•Getty ImagesLancashireLast season: 2nd in Division One
Director of Cricket: Mark Chilton
Coach: Glen Chapple
Captain: Dane Vilas
Overseas players: Dane Vilas (South Africa), Hasan Ali (Pakistan, until May 22)
Ins: Phil Salt (Sussex)
Outs: Taylor Cornall (Worcestershire), Alex Davies (Warwickshire)
The last time James Anderson bowled in a county fixture, at Old Trafford in July last summer, he ripped out his career-best figures of 7 for 19 against Kent… and he didn’t even have a burning desire for vengeance that day. Anderson’s axing by England, and his clear determination to prove the folly of that decision, could be the impetus that Lancashire need to go one step beyond their spirited title bid last summer, and land their first title since 2011. Certainly his early-season alliance with Pakistan’s Hasan Ali, and with Saqib Mahmood eager to cement his own status after the tour of the Caribbean, promises one of the most potent pace attacks on the circuit.On the batting front, there may be a similar urge to impress from the highly rated Josh Bohannon – a gritty batter whose consistent excellence over the past few seasons had put him in the frame for a Test call-up in the Caribbean. A similarly solid run of scores in April and May could yet propel him into the mix before New Zealand arrive. Phil Salt is another one to watch – nominally a white-ball signing after moving north from Sussex, he’s expressed a desire to give the red-ball game a good go.One to watch: It may not feel like the ideal weather for his art right now, but in 2021, Matt Parkinson set about demonstrating that April need not be the cruellest month for legspinners with a startling “ball of the century” clone to Adam Rossington, in his first Championship appearance since 2019. “Sack it, I’m going to try and rip it,” was his plan after a frustrating winter in England’s bio-bubbles in Sri Lanka and India… you suspect he might be feeling a similar desire to let off steam after his nearly-man status in the Caribbean.Diversity action: Manchester is one of the target cities for the expanded ACE programme. In terms of meeting the ECB’s targets for 30% female representation at boardroom level, Lancashire are closer than most counties, but still have work to do. Six of the 16 attendees at their board meetings are women, but only two of eight are full members. Andrew MillerBet365: 9/2NorthamptonshireLast season: 4th in Division Two
Coach: John Sadler
Captain: Ricardo Vasconcelos
Overseas: Will Young, Matt Kelly (April-May)
Ins: Lewis McManus (Hampshire, loan)
Outs: Adam Rossington (Essex, loan), Richard Levi (released)Northants will finally get to enjoy the fruits of their 2019 promotion, though the perennial juggling around playing resources at Wantage Road means new head coach, John Sadler, faces a significant challenge in attempting to keep them up (they have been relegated straight away on three previous campaigns in Division One). Sadler, who took over from the long-serving David Ripley at the end of last season, has already stirred things up by deciding to change the captaincy – a decision that caused a rift with Adam Rossington, the man who led them up three summers ago, and prompted a move to Essex on loan three days before the start of the season.Ripley’s Northants always had something of 1990s Wimbledon about them, and the “Crazy Gang” nearly managed a significant upset in last year’s conference system; in the end, a heartbreaking one-run defeat to Yorkshire at Headingley at the start of May was the difference between them ousting the White Rose and claiming one of the top two spots in Group Three. But being skittled for 81 and 45 at Chelmsford in the final game of the season – the shortest four-day Championship contest on record – was a rude reminder of their position in the pecking order. Squad depth could be a problem but Ricardo Vasconcelos, the new red-ball captain, is a prolific run-scorer at the top of the order and Ben Sanderson (287 first-class wickets at 20.89) is one of the nibbliest county seamers around.One to watch: Dynamic allrounder, England Under-19 talent, son of a local legend? James Sales ticks all three boxes but “Mini Jumble” – after his father, David – will be looking to make a name for himself this summer. Has already made his first-class and List A debuts, and was part of the England team that reached the ICC U19 World Cup final in February.Diversity action: Northants have launched the Luton Steelbacks Cricket Academy, a joint partnership with The Shared Learning Trust and run by Ripley, in an attempt to better tap into secondary schools; a similar scheme is being run in Peterborough. Free cricket sessions are also offered to those on free school meals. The club has made EDI a priority for its welfare group and also established a whistleblowing and complaints procedure. AGBet365: 20/1Can Tom Abell’s Somerset catch a break?•Getty ImagesSomersetLast season: 6th in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Tom Abell
Overseas: Marchant de Lange, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle
Ins:
Outs: Eddie Byrom (Glamorgan)After topping a strong initial conference last season despite an eight-point deduction, Somerset were given a reality check in the final weeks of the summer. They lost four games in a row – two by an innings, another by ten wickets – to finish bottom of Division One as it became apparent that their young batters were still a work in progress. The return of Matthew Renshaw – who will arrive in time for their second game against Essex on April 14 – should strengthen their top order but Tom Lammonby, George Bartlett and Tom Banton will be expected to step up after lean summers last year. Banton suffering a broken finger in pre-season training won’t help his cause.Craig Overton and Jack Leach are both rested for the first round after England’s tour to the Caribbean but should be available for much of the season, while Peter Siddle will be expected to lead the attack in their absence. Tom Abell, who turned 28 last month, is already in his sixth season as captain and a strong start to the season will see him mentioned as an England contender.One to watch: Lammonby caught England’s eye with three consecutive hundreds in the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 but his form fell off a cliff last summer and he ended the season averaging 19.60 in the Championship despite a shot-a-ball century against Lancashire. Now 21, he spent the winter playing club cricket in Sydney and had a brief taste of franchise cricket but needs early-season runs to get his red-ball career back on track.Diversity action: One of two counties, along with Durham, with no non-white players or coaching staff, reflecting both the demographics of the region and the club’s reliance on its private-school production line. Reprimanded Jack Brooks over the winter, following revelation of historic racist tweets and involvement in nicknaming Cheteshwar Pujara “Steve” while at Yorkshire. MRBet365: 13/2Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, takes his place at the pre-season photocall•Getty Images for Surrey CCCSurreyLast season: 5th in Division Two
Director of Cricket: Alec Stewart
Coach:Gareth Batty
Captain:Rory Burns
Overseas players: Kemar Roach, Hashim Amla
Ins: Chris Jordan (Sussex), Cameron Steel (Durham), Dan Worrall (Gloucestershire)
Outs: Mark Stoneman (Middlesex), Jade Dernbach, Liam Plunkett (both released), Gareth Batty, Rikki Clarke (both retired)There was talk of “dynasties” when Surrey romped to the Championship in 2018 – a feature of their record tally of 19 titles has been their tendency to win big for seasons on end whenever they get on top. But that triumph remains an outlier for coming up to 20 seasons now, and after a deeply unimpressive mid-ranking finish in 2021, an end to the drought doesn’t feel entirely imminent.A glut of old stagers have cleared their lockers in the off-season. Liam Plunkett has upped sticks to the USA, Jade Dernbach has moved across the river to take up a coaching role at Middlesex, and Rikki Clarke is now putting schoolboys through their paces as head of cricket at King Edward’s, Witley. Gareth Batty, meanwhile, has moved upstairs, straight off the pitch and into Vikram Solanki’s hot seat as head coach, after the lure of the IPL became too strong.For the start of the season at least, there will be plenty of players with some urgent points to prove – none more so than the Ashes casualties, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope, and to a lesser degree, Ben Foakes, whose long-awaited recall as England wicketkeeper in the Caribbean didn’t quite turn into the coronation that had been envisaged. Sam Curran, returning from a stress fracture and missing the IPL as a consequence, has a rare chance to major on his red-ball batting. Hashim Amla and Kemar Roach offer quality and experience in abundance as the overseas pros.One to watch: Amid the furore of Anderson’s and Broad’s sackings, Burns was the forgotten fall-guy of the Ashes disaster. The indignity of his first-ball duck at Brisbane was a hard one to endure, and there was a sense that his quirky technique had deserted him by the back-end of a miserable tour, on which mutterings about his attitude also lingered. But no England opener since Alastair Cook has looked a longer-term bet than Burns. If his game is back on track, then it’s not too late for the same to happen with his England career.Diversity action: The ACE programme was pioneered at Surrey by Rainford-Brent, and last week it went nationwide with overdue funding from the ECB. The Surrey Cricket Foundation continues to push opportunities for young and disadvantaged people in South London, with almost 11,000 children benefitting from a range of junior programmes in 2021. AMBet365: 8/1WarwickshireLast season: Champions
Director of Sport: Paul Farbrace
First team coach: Mark Robinson
Captain: Will Rhodes
Overseas: Nathan McAndrew
Ins: Alex Davies (Lancs)
Outs: Ed Pollock (Worcestershire), Alex Thomson (Derbyshire), Tim Bresnan (retired)Sensible, safety-conscious cricket, with consistency and a strong team ethic at its core, was the basis of Warwickshire’s surprising Championship success in 2021. They were hardly the most flamboyant side, and their matches could be a grind, but they displayed many of the qualities that have been sorely lacking by England at Test level. They do not strike you as a flash in the pan. Once again, Warwickshire will take some bowling out twice. Dom Sibley’s front-on stance was ultimately found out at Test level, but if England reject his limited, obdurate ways, Warwickshire could reap the benefit at the top of the order, although if Rob Yates repeats last season’s success at No. 3 (Alex Davies, signed from Lancashire is expected to open as well as rival Michael Burgess for the keeper’s gloves) England might give him the once-over instead. Jonathan Trott, now installed as an assistant coach, will observe their willingness to bat time with delight.Warwickshire took some time before announcing an overseas signing and they have settled on Nathan McAndrew, a South Australian medium-paced allrounder who neatly fills the gap left by Tim Bresnan’s retirement. McAndrew, much less experienced, has shown an ability to take top-order wickets and Paul Farbrace, Warwickshire’s director of sport, believes that he will revel in English conditions. Warwickshire’s pace attack owes much to the ability of the former Gloucestershire pair, Craig Miles and Liam Norwell, to kick on their careers at Edgbaston. They took 86 wickets between them and, even with the addition of McAndrew, Warwickshire could do with some contributions at some point over the summer from England’s Chris Woakes or the talented young quick Henry Brookes if he can put injury problems behind him.One to watch: England reached the final of the U19s Men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998 before losing to India and, in allrounder Jacob Bethell, they possessed one of the most eye-catching players of the tournament. Bethell’s 88 off 42 deliveries in England’s quarter-final win against South Africa had plaudits pouring in. In Birmingham, this came as no surprise. An impact in one-day cricket is more likely, but signs are good.Diversity action: Where to start? A multifaith charter, open trials, an Edgbaston for Everyone strategy, prayer rooms, alcohol-free zones, diverse food outlets, the second year of the Ramadan Midnight Cricket League and a GLOW Festival for girls as part of the South Asian Core Cities programme: Warwickshire’s commitment to diversity sets the standard. David HoppsWarwickshire also won last year’s Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesBet365: 6/1YorkshireLast season: 5th in Division One
MD of cricket: Darren Gough
Head coach: Ottis Gibson
Captain: Steve Patterson
Overseas: Haris Rauf
Ins:
Outs: Matt Pillans (released)The ebullient figure of Darren Gough has never been more needed by Yorkshire as he fulfils an interim role as MD of cricket in the wake of Azeem Rafiq’s racism allegations. Gough has trodden an intelligent line by underlining that diversity problems are not exclusive to Yorkshire, but that the uproar has served county cricket well by drawing attention to widespread issues in the game. Work is also proceeding to ensure a talented dressing room will find a cutting edge on the field rather than in dressing room verbals. Much day-to-day responsibility rests, though, with the head coach Ottis Gibson and he will be anxious that his skipper, Steve Patterson, 38 now and sedate of pace, has a contented season; Dom Bess has been appointed captain over 50 overs and appears to be the likeliest successor. In a season when the support staff will be under particular scrutiny, initially at least, Kabir Ali and Alastair Maiden also come in as bowling and batting coaches.Yorkshire’s greatest concern will be top-order runs, especially with Gary Ballance (who had committed to a diversity education programme) absent again because of mental health issues. Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s return is also uncertain because of lingering concussion. Dawid Malan’s availability helps, Joe Root might pop in by the end of April and a long-batting order will be essential. Ben Coad is eight short of reaching 200 first-class wickets with one of the best averages of modern times, and the departure of Duanne Olivier, so destructive at Test level but who operated several rungs below in the daily grind of the Championship, is not about to displease many Yorkshire supporters.One to watch: George Hill, slight of build and not particularly powerful of stroke, does sell his wicket dearly and, in view of England’s recent travails, there is much to admire in such an attribute. A bit of early-season obduracy will not go amiss. He bowls useful medium pace, too.Diversity action: Yorkshire are interviewing complainants who told a whistleblowing hotline that they faced racial discrimination in their dealings with the club. The enquiry is being led by Mohinderpal Sethi QC, of London law firm Littleton Chambers, the chair of the Employment Law Bar Association and a specialist in discrimination cases. DHBet365: 7/1

The ECB’s marquee competition needs to achieve cut-through with the public while maintaining a veneer of progress

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Aug-2022″You know about ‘the Hundred variant’ right?”There was a theory doing the rounds at the end of last summer that each of the four men’s and women’s teams contesting the Hundred Finals Day fielded players suffering from Covid-19. It is a tough nugget to prove. Some only reported symptoms after that Saturday in August while others kept quiet. No one wanted to miss out on the Lord’s showpiece event, fearing they would not only be taking themselves out of action, but a number of team-mates as close contacts too. By that stage, the virus had been around the team environments more often than influencers. It had become part of the norm.Players were required to take regular lateral flow tests before training and match days – a regulation brought in by the ECB after fears the first edition of the eight-team competition (delayed by a year) would be cut off at the knees by coronavirus. A worry that was exacerbated by England having to pick an entirely new squad for their one-day series with Pakistan, reflective of the world outside the changing room walls in which more than half-a-million people were pinged by the NHS track and trace app in the first week of July 2021.Related

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The 2020 season was a drag, leading many to contemplate why they do what they do. That crisis of confidence spilled into the start of 2021, with restricted crowds in the T20 Blast up until the knockout stages. And so, as the Hundred wore on, testing lapsed, as it did pretty much everywhere else. Among the logic of the majority of fit, young 20-somethings was that they were able to cope with this iteration of the virus, and a more relatable fatigue when it came to imposed restrictions, which were more severe on the players given what was at stake (money, lots of it) if the Hundred or any part of the international schedule stumbled.The freedom the Hundred offered extended beyond parking inhibitions on the field to make every ball count. To many who ply their trade on the domestic circuit, it offered a sense of relief. A chance to emerge from the grey.One of the overlooked aspects of men’s county cricket is its social scene. As much as it can be a grind, one of the upsides for a player is travelling to various parts of the country and sampling the nightlife. After one-and-a-half summers of losing that perk, the timing of a glitzy tour of seven major cities encouraged making up for lost time. Coming off the back of the England football team’s run to the final of the European Championships, which opened the floodgates when it came to public disregard of what rules were still in place, there was little encouragement needed. As players indulged at night, at times ignoring team guidelines to stick to outside spaces, mixing with the general public and occasionally friends on other teams, “the Hundred strain” was born.Shane Warne was the most high-profile member of staff to contract the virus, ruled out of fulfilling in-person duties for the start of the London Spirit campaign after testing positive in the first week of August, almost immediately after Andy Flower had done the same. The biggest fright for the competition came when Adam Lyth and Harry Brook returned positives ahead of Northern Superchargers’ match with Manchester Originals. It eventually went ahead when the rest of the Superchargers squad reported a clean bill of health.You can probably gauge the more sociable by the final standings, particularly in the men’s competition. That’s not to say such behaviour was allowed to slide. During Welsh Fire’s tournament debrief – they finished seventh – head coach Gary Kirsten lamented a lack of professionalism among his group, particularly from those who should have regarded this as an opportunity to showcase their wares on a bigger platform.

“There was a sense from some female cricketers that their male counterparts regarded them as an inconvenience when it came to sharing training spaces or other resources”

His sentiment was shared by other coaches and senior players, who felt English players in particular were coasting when they should have realised a clearer path to stardom given the lack of stellar names, even if only for a month. Likewise a handful of overseas pros who benefitted from the absence of their more-decorated peers. That’s not the case this time around.The approach to Covid encapsulated why the first edition of the Hundred should be regarded in isolation. An anomaly of societal and cultural overcorrection to a pandemic still simmering beneath the surface. And it is also why so much of what was regarded as success will come under greater scrutiny this time around.The women’s competition held most of the aces, showcasing the depth of domestic talent and appetite for women’s cricket, even if the latter was abundantly clear following the 2017 50-over World Cup on these shores. Beyond performances ranging from a breakthrough for Alice Capsey, reaffirmation for Tash Farrant and confirmation of Jemimah Rodrigues’ talents were ceiling-busting asides, typified by the sight of London Spirit players sipping cans of cider on the Lord’s home balcony to celebrate the academic achievements of Alice Monaghan, who skipped her graduation from Loughborough University to play against Superchargers. Crowds for women’s matches averaged 7000-8000, with a peak television audience of 1.4million for the final between Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave across BBC and Sky.It will be fascinating to see how that success continues on this year, given how much of 2021 women’s edition was based on alignment with the men. Last year’s double-headers were another Covid-enforced circumstance rather than boardroom design, which will be harder to replicate this time given the women’s competition starts three rounds in because of the clash with the Commonwealth Games.There is also the notion of “respect” between the sexes, publicly insisted on but which at times felt overblown. Despite the odd men’s cricketer championing the output of their women’s team or the standard as a whole, there was a sense from some female players that their male counterparts regarded them as an inconvenience when it came to sharing training spaces or other resources.The Hundred pushed the women’s game to a new level in the UK•Getty ImagesOf course, it was always going to need more than a souped-up competition and accompanying marketing campaign to change the sexist views prevailing within cricket. Perhaps most instructive is how the Hundred is being used as the vehicle to drive this, even if the shifts are tectonically slow at this stage. The highest-paid women (£31,250) will now earn more than the lowest-paid men (£30,000) and the opening match of the women’s competition (Invincibles vs Superchargers on August 11) will be staged after the men’s fixture. “I’m excited to see how it goes,” Beth Barrett-Wild, head of the women’s Hundred, said on Monday. “It is going to be interesting to see how it plays out and I am very optimistic that it is going to look brilliant, and feel brilliant.”On the playing side, the expectation is for a better spectacle, in part because of a strong pool of international talent in both codes now that travel to the UK has eased. The playing conditions should feel a little more natural after players admitted being thrown by the adjustment to five-ball sets. Some even found the scoreboards confusing for the second innings (where balls remaining and runs required count down together) having been used to calculating required rates in six-ball overs.”Things like the five balls, the tactics behind it were totally different, especially at the death when you’re the fielding side,” Moeen Ali, captain of 2021 runners-up Birmingham Phoenix, said. “For people who didn’t know anything about cricket before, having spoken to those kinds of people – for us who knew a little bit about cricket, it was a little confusing, but for people who don’t know anything about cricket, they seemed to understand it really well and got the concept of it really well and quickly.”That, really, is the point of all this. A game that plenty admire given a makeover to make it more appealing to the rest, in a bid to future-proof English cricket. Beyond some unruly scenes in the crowd, which the ECB has vowed to clamp down on with more effective stewarding, the first season was far less garish than many had expected.So, what are our guarantees this time? A strong on-field product, over-the-top cheerleading from official broadcasters, prime real estate across the media the powers-that-be really care about, and a sense of belonging to something bigger for male and female cricketers who had become too accustomed to the shadows.As for the uncertainties, cut-through will be the biggest hurdle. The start of the 2022-23 Premier League on Friday is as big a distraction as they come, and a reminder of how lucky the 2021 season was to follow the Euros and not have to compete for eyes with the Olympic Games given the time difference meant Tokyo’s days were done by late afternoon, British Summer Time. The absence of centrally contracted England players such as Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, who ESPNcricinfo revealed has pulled out on the eve of the competition, won’t help. Nor will overseas stars flying out early for international duty.By and large, though, there is a liberty the Hundred will be looking to exploit. And with a soon-to-be confirmed window set aside for it in the upcoming Future Tours Programme, liberation is only going to grow.In a post-pandemic Britain, amid a sporting ecosystem shifting underfoot, 2022 will dictate where the Hundred intends to position itself in the future. And by proxy, where the ECB is looking to pitch up – that little bit closer to the peak of the global game. Now, ultimately, is the time for a tournament that will never be allowed to fall to take its first meaningful steps.

Only two points currently separate the four teams from fourth to seventh spots

S Rajesh16-May-2022Delhi Capitals: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR 0.255
Delhi Capitals’ comfortable 17-run win against Punjab Kings is good news for them, but not so encouraging for all the other teams trying to sneak into the playoffs. Capitals’ net run rate, which was already a healthy 0.210, has gone up to 0.255, but the runs that Kings scored towards the end means that there is still a chance for other teams to catch up, should there be an NRR scramble for the last spot.From Capitals’ point of view, the equation is simple: win the last game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, and qualify for sure. Even if they lose and stay on 14, they will have a fair chance to qualify if Royal Challengers Bangalore lose to Gujarat Titans. However, if it comes down to NRR, they aren’t yet safe.If Capitals lose their last game by 30 runs (chasing 171), their NRR will fall to 0.123. Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders are on 0.160, so a win by any margin in their last game will keep them above 0.123. If Capitals lose by 15 runs, their NRR will be 0.179. Thus, Capitals could still be on a sticky wicket if they lose to Mumbai. They play their last game after Knight Riders, though, so they will know the equation before they get into that game on Saturday.Punjab Kings: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR -0.043
Kings’ qualification chances have taken a severe beating with the loss to Capitals. Their NRR has slid into negative space, and even a 40-run win against Sunrisers in their last game (after scoring 170) will only improve it to 0.112. However, big victory margins have been common in the last few games – in seven of the last 12, the winning margin has been greater than 50 runs, while another win came with 31 balls to spare – which should give the Kings some hope.They also play the last game of the league stage, which means they’ll know if they have a chance at all, and exactly what they need to do. Obviously, if Capitals or Royal Challengers win their last match and move to 16 points, then Kings will be knocked out.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR -0.323
Royal Challengers will need Capitals to lose their last game to stand a chance of qualifying. Even if Royal Challengers score 200 and win their last game by 100 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.071. Capitals will be well ahead of that if they win by any margin.And if both these teams lose and stay on 14, Capitals will have to lose by an absurdly high margin for their NRR to slip below that of Royal Challengers. For instances, if Royals Challengers lose by one run, Capitals will have to lose by around 150 (depending on the exact scores).In other words, Royal Challengers will have to win their last game, against table-toppers Titans, and hope that Capitals lose theirs against bottom-of-the-table Mumbai.Kolkata Knight Riders: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR 0.160
Knight Riders still have a chance of qualifying if they win their last game, and if Capitals and Royal Challengers lose theirs. As mentioned earlier, their relatively healthy NRR means that they are best placed to capitalise if those two teams slip up.Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mat 12, Pts 10, NRR -0.270
Even if Sunrisers score 170 and win each of their last two games by 40 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.056. Capitals will have to lose by around 48 runs for their NRR to drop below that. It looks highly unlikely that Sunrisers will progress further in the tournament, but they could do worse than pull off a big win against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, and keep their slim hopes alive.

Allrounder heaps praise on head coach Aavishkar Salvi for his development as Punjab crush Baroda in Mumbai

Shashank Kishore15-Nov-2022Ramandeep Singh, the Punjab allrounder, had a moment to cherish on Tuesday when he picked up a hat-trick at the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Baroda. He finished with figures of 5 for 17 as Punjab shot out Baroda for 81 and then chased down the score with nine wickets in hand and 228 balls to spare in Mumbai.The match wasn’t televised, and those following it through scorecards would only know each of his three wickets in the hat-trick were “caught” by a fielder. Where was it caught? What balls did he bowl? What was his thought process? Here’s Ramandeep in his own words.Related

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“The first wicket, I got a little lucky,” he recalled to ESPNcricinfo. “I wanted to bowl an inswinger, but ended up straying down leg, and [Vishnu] Solanki flicked it straight to fine leg.”The second ball, I decided I’ll bowl short. On red-soil decks in Mumbai, if you hit the deck hard, you get good purchase. So, I knew if I bang it in properly and beat them for pace, I could have a chance if they went for a hook. He [Ninad Rathva] went for a hook and top-edged a catch to fine leg.”From the corner of his eye, as Ramandeep watched Ambati Rayudu take guard for the hat-trick ball, he decided to bluff the batter. The square leg fielder went back, fine leg remained where he was, and the field was positioned for a short ball.”I just had a hunch the short ball was probably at the back of his [Rayudu’s] mind, so I set fields for it, but wanted to bowl full and get the ball to move away. I happened to land it in the right area – bowled full, it nipped away a bit – and he nicked behind to our wicketkeeper Anmol Malhotra. I’ll remember the wicket because it happened to be a quality batter.”It’s all the more special because this is my first hat-trick at the senior level.”After the game, having done his job with the ball, Ramandeep went out range hitting at the Bandra Kurla Complex for a better part of the next hour before returning to his Mumbai hotel to take congratulatory calls.Among the first things he found out when he returned was that Kieron Pollard, the man who had given him his Mumbai Indians cap in Pune earlier this year, had retired from IPL. Ramandeep was, however, delighted to know Pollard wasn’t going anywhere and that he’d continue to be able to pick his brains when he joins the IPL camp in March.Ramandeep Singh was picked up by Mumbai Indians at last year’s auction•BCCIRamandeep is an allrounder, like Pollard. Until recently, he was a gentle 125kph “trundler” – in his own words. Last year, a 23-ball 54 against Odisha at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy proved to be a turning point as he was soon invited to trial with Mumbai Indians. At the February auction, Ramandeep was picked up at his base price of INR 20 lakh.Having made his way into the setup, he quickly realised the need to be multi-skilled and began working on his bowling. But it wasn’t until August this year, when Aavishkar Salvi, the former India fast bowler, took over as Punjab coach, that Ramandeep began working on his bowling seriously.”Among the first things he [Salvi] told me when he took over and watched me bowl in one or two training sessions is, ‘you can’t be a medium pacer. There’s no way you’re a part-timer. I will play you as a third pacer in the team. You’re that good. You should be bowling 140kph, not military medium. But I can’t make it happen unless you believe in yourself.'”No amount of praise is enough for him. Whatever issues I’ve had with my bowling, whether its rhythm or consistency, it’s a lot better now and it’s because he’s spent time and effort into making me the bowler I am. His simple message was: ‘don’t worry about looking for swing or nipping the ball around. You just focus on hitting the deck hard, you have the height, if you can do that, rest will take care of itself.’ I’ve just followed that,” Ramandeep said.

“We have seven or eight players who feature in the IPL, so there’s definite quality. Now, there’s belief too.”Ramandeep Singh on Punjab’s chances

Three months on, the results are slowly bearing fruit. Ramandeep believes he’s a lot more confident, less shy and on top of his game. In July, a month after his maiden IPL stint with Mumbai, Ramandeep captained Reliance, the owners of Mumbai Indians, on their tour of the UK.It was a preparatory tour aimed at giving their local Indian players, along with some of their overseas players, like Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brewis, exposure as they toured the country for multiple T20 games against several counties.”Just the captaincy was such a big boost, I loved having that extra responsibility,” he said. “I got a pair of 40s as a finisher, with the ball in one of the games, I conceded just four runs off the penultimate over with us defending 18. Playing on different wickets, working on skills, training to play with specific goals – it was a lot of fun.”Ramandeep’s immediate goals are now to win a domestic title for Punjab, something that eluded them at the Syed Mushtaq Ali this year, where they lost in the semi-finals to Himachal. With two wins in as many games, Punjab are second on the points table in their group. He knows there’s a long way to go but is confident they have the team to lift the title.”We have seven or eight players who feature in the IPL, so there’s definite quality. Now, there’s belief too. Not that it wasn’t there earlier, but the vibe within this group is different. Salvi sir deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s turned around a group of motivated players into a winning unit. Hopefully, if we can go all the way, that’ll be the best reward we can give ourselves.”

They’re inexperienced, they’ve had some drama, but Pooran believes the team understands itself better now

Alex Malcolm04-Oct-2022Shimron Hetmyer made headlines for missing his flight to Australia. But spare a thought for those who made it.

While part of West Indies’ T20 World Cup squad arrived in Australia on Saturday, those that played in the CPL final made the exhausting 35-hour journey from Guyana to the Gold Coast, via New York, Dubai and Brisbane to arrive at the team hotel late on Monday night ahead of their first match of the tour on Wednesday.All 14 members of the squad, with Shamarh Brooks still to arrive, fronted up to their first training session in Australia as a group on Tuesday afternoon. West Indies could be forgiven if they sleepwalk their way through the two T20Is against Australia.”It’s definitely tough,” West Indies Nicholas Pooran said in pre-match press conference. “We’ve been playing a lot of cricket for the year.”It’s difficult. It’s a challenge. But we are professionals. At the same time our main focus is obviously the World Cup qualifiers first. We have an opportunity to play against Australia, [but] we need to be smart as well. Our number one priority is obviously getting ready for our qualifiers. In saying that we will use these games here … obviously we want to win but we need to be smart as well. We need our players fresh and ready for when that qualifiers start.”Related

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Such travel can often leave an individual dazed and confused when they wake up in a strange hotel room, needing a moment to clarify where they are and how they got there.West Indies find themselves in a strange hotel room right now. The two-time T20 World Cup champions, once giants of the format, now find themselves ranked seventh in the world and facing a qualifying fight against Scotland, Zimbabwe and Ireland just to make it the Super 12 section of the tournament later this month.These are unfamiliar surrounds for a team whose current squad features just five players who were part of the previous T20 World Cup. The legendary figures of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have left the international stage while Andre Russell and now Hetmyer are personae non gratae. That is 2217 games of T20 experience missing, albeit from a side responsible for the current qualification predicament they face. That number does not include Sunil Narine’s 435 games of experience that mysteriously remain missing from international cricket. Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh have also been overlooked.Picked in their place is a man who has played just four domestic T20s, and none since 2016. Yannic Cariah, a 30-year-old legspinner from Trinidad, made his ODI in August but heads to the World Cup having not even been contracted to play in the CPL.There is some tournament-winning experience in Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis. Pooran and Jason Holder bring vast global experience while Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell and Alzarri Joseph arrive carrying outstanding form from the CPL.Courtesy the BBL, players like Jason Holder have plenty of Australia experience•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaBut the squad is not the fearsome force it was not so long ago. From the outside looking in, it is hard to fathom where West Indies find themselves. But Pooran believes the team is acutely aware of their surroundings and what needs to be done.”It’s a new generation for us,” Pooran said. “Some of them this is their first World Cup as well. We spoke about obviously being here for the first time. We are not coming here as the defending champions anymore. We obviously had a bad World Cup last year. We’re starting from the bottom. We have to obviously take the harder road first, which is the qualifiers and our number one priority at the moment.”But [it is about] roles and responsibility and accountability. We sat down and spoke to players about which parts of the game you are responsible for. Starting with it in practice, we want to have the right mindset. I think once we can perform our roles to the best of our ability, then everything else is going to take care of itself. And we’re not talking about winning or losing but we’re just talking about having a chance in a cricket game and that’s all that matters.”Making West Indies’ challenge even harder is the combined inexperience in Australian conditions. West Indies have not played an international match in Australia since the Sydney Test in January 2016, with Holder the only squad member to have played in that game. Their last ODI in Australia was during the 2015 World Cup and they have only ever played three T20Is in Australia, the last of which was in 2013. Charles is the only squad member to have played in that game. Aaron Finch and Josh Hazlewood, the latter who made his T20I debut, are the only remaining Australian players from that match at the Gabba, which the West Indies won comfortably.There is some BBL experience in the ranks, with Holder and Pooran having played at Metricon Stadium before for Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars respectively in one of the greatest-ever BBL matches in 2020.”I absolutely love my experience in the Big Bash with Melbourne,” Pooran said.” I think that’s one of my best T20 innings so I’ll always remember that.”But experience is not what this West Indies team wants to lean on against Australia on Wednesday and in the upcoming World Cup.”We understand that we don’t have as much experience in the room,” Pooran said. “But we have been playing cricket together for the entire year so we do understand each other a little better now.”But the culture is just all about love. Being a family. Actually looking out for each other and being in this together. This entire year we have been through our ups and downs. We’ve been all over the world. We’ve been losing cricket games. We have been winning games and we have been performing as a group.”We have stuck together and we’re here today and obviously we’re here to fight again.”