The Buzz
Bravo v Pollard: CPL 2017 edition
Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have had a long on-field rivalry going in franchise T20s, and their latest encounter had Bravo showing off his dance moves
ESPNcricinfo staff
14-Aug-2017
West Indian allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are friends off the field but have never been shy of a run-in or two whenever have they have faced each other in franchise T20 cricket. The Caribbean Premier League game between Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents was just the latest setting for their no-holds-barred rivalry.
Bravo started things off with a toe-crusher to get rid off Pollard at the end of Tridents' innings, before going on a tour of the stadium with his famed celebration. At the end of a close game, in which Bravo's home side came out on top, the stadium PA blared out his "Champion" song before the post-match presentation. A lengthy trolling gag followed, leaving even the usually expressive Danny Morrison stunned for a while.
Full postHambantota authorities ensure safe distance between elephants and fans
With the stadium set to host its first international match in two years, the cricketing action is the least of the authorities' worries
Andrew Fidel Fernando
04-Jul-2017
Elephants have been known to invade the Hambantota stadium pitch in the dead of night, but it is spectators who are likely to stray into elephant territory when the venue hosts three ODIs in the coming week, a forest warden has warned. Hambantota's Widlife Department office confirmed they will deploy staff between the stadium and the nearby jungle, to ensure no cricket fans stray into the range of an elephant herd known to forage in the area.
"The jungle starts about 300-400 metres from the stadium, and we know there is a herd whose range can be about a kilometre or two from the venue," forest warden JAC Vijaykumara said. "It's unlikely that the elephants will come towards the stadium during the day, but people have been known to go into the forest - sometimes even to have a drink - so we've prepared a team which will be stationed there to prevent that."
The ground, which is surrounded on three sides by thick vegetation, is situated in the southeast of Sri Lanka, which is renowned for its wildlife. Leopards, sloth bears, deer and water buffalo roam nearby national parks and forest reserves, along with all manner of reptile and bird life. During previous series in Hambantota, elephants have charged the vehiclse of cricket journalists returning to their hotel after a match, and on another occasion, a vehicle belonging to venue staff collided with a water buffalo resting on the road. Venomous snakes are also frequently seen in the vicinity of the ground.
Full postBumrah rages at road safety meme
Jasprit Bumrah was not thrilled at an image of him bowling a no-ball becoming part of a traffic rules awareness message
ESPNcricinfo staff
23-Jun-2017
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah bowled a costly no-ball in the final of the Champions Trophy: Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman was on 3 when he nicked to the keeper, but Bumrah had overstepped. Zaman went on to score a match-defining century as Pakistan took the title.
Police in the northern Indian city of Jaipur, who have been using memes to increase awareness about traffic rules, tweeted a photo with Bumrah overstepping, captioning it: "Don't cross the line. You know it can be costly". With over 500 RTs, the tweet was a hit, and the police put up a billboard of it as well.
Bumrah didn't appreciate it though.
Full postDermot Reeve sells Wisden to raise money
Dermot Reeve, a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1996, has placed his leather-bound Almanack up for sale in a desperate attempt to raise some money.
George Dobell
19-Jun-2017
Dermot Reeve, a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1996, has placed his leather-bound Almanack up for sale in a desperate attempt to raise some money.
Reeve, once a millionaire with lucrative opportunities in coaching and the media, is currently staying with his brother in the UK as he seeks work.
He was awarded the 1996 Wisden, with his name printed on the front cover in golden gilt, as one of the Almanack's traditional Five Cricketers after a 1995 season in which his Warwickshire side won the double to complete a 24-month period in which they claimed six trophies. It is signed on the title page by both Reeve and the Wisden editor at the time, Matthew Engel. It is believed to be the first time that such an item has come up for sale from a living player.
Full postIndia beat Pakistan in fans warm-up
India's fans secured the early bragging rights ahead of next month's showdown by defeating a team of Pakistan fans in a series of indoor games at Edgbaston
ESPNcricinfo staff
17-May-2017
India's fans secured the early bragging rights ahead of next month's Champions Trophy by defeating a team of Pakistan fans in a series of games for the Edgbaston Fans Trophy.
The event, which had originally been scheduled to take place at Attock Cricket Club, was.moved indoors to the Edgbaston Cricket Centre following heavy rain. After two eight-over games ended with one win per side, a Super Over was called to decide the winner with India securing victory by four runs.
The event, which formed part of the Nissan Trophy Tour, was a partnership event between Warwickshire County Cricket Club, the ECB, the National Asian Cricket Council (NACC) and Attock Cricket Club, aimed at deepening the ties between Birmingham's South Asian communities, ahead of India's clash with Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 4.
Full postRoot awards club batsman after matchwinning knock
Joe Root went back to his roots over the weekend by paying a surprise visit to Abbeydale Sports Club in Yorkshire, where he handed over a signed pair of his batting gloves to the man of the match
ESPNcricinfo staff
16-May-2017
Joe Root went back to his roots over the weekend by paying a surprise visit to Abbeydale Sports Club in Yorkshire, where he handed over a signed pair of his batting gloves to the man of the match in a South Yorkshire Cricket League Division Four fixture.
Root, who played for Sheffield Collegiate as a kid, had his fiancée Carrie and their young son, Alfred, alongside him as he watched his father, Matt, play for Sheffield Collegiate Third XI against Handsworth Junior Sporting Club.
Unfortunately for Root senior, he made just 8 in a total of 119 all out, after Collegiate had been batted out of contention by Handsworth's wicketkeeper-batsman, Ashley Naseby, who made 124 out of a total of 187.
Full postSex, lies and cricket umpires in Old Bailey 'hitman' trial
A former producer of the TV police drama, "The Bill", who is on trial for allegedly attempting to hire a hitman to kill his scriptwriter partner, has admitted he made up lies about being a village cricket umpire in order to carry on an affair
ESPNcricinfo staff
12-May-2017
A former producer of the TV police drama, "The Bill", who is on trial for allegedly attempting to hire a hitman to kill his scriptwriter partner, has admitted he made up lies about being a village cricket umpire in order to carry on an affair with a young lover.
David Harris claimed to be officiating for Arundel Castle Cricket Club when instead he was travelling to London for "away days" with Ugne Cekaviciute, the Old Bailey heard.
Harris, 68, has denied offering £200,000 to three potential hitmen, including an undercover officer, with a view to murdering his partner of 27 years, Hazel Allinson, and start a new life with Ms Cekaviciute, 40 years his junior, whom he first met in a brothel.
Full postWill Sutherland pick football over cricket?
The cricket v football battle is on - at the home of Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland
ESPNcricinfo staff
04-May-2017
James Sutherland is the chief executive of Cricket Australia and as such one of his responsibilities is to campaign for the game's future. He might just have to start work a little early - around the time he wakes his son Will up for school - now that the 17-year-old is being courted by Australian Football League scouts.
Will is a seam-bowling allrounder who made his List A debut for the Cricket Australia XI against the touring Pakistanis earlier this year. In April, he was appointed captain of the national Under-19 team to play against Sri Lanka and, with a performance that fetched him 133 runs and seven wickets from four Youth ODIs, he helped win the series 4-1.
Last weekend, however, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report, Will took the field for Scotch College's First XVIII side as centre half-forward against Xavier College and scored five goals in the Associated Public Schools of Victoria competition. His height of 195 centimetres is said to be of particular interest to the scouts, who also feel Will's deciding not to play the TAC Cup - so he can concentrate on his studies and his cricket - should not affect his chances of in the coming AFL draft should he choose to put his name up.
Full postEngland's Test kit goes back to the future
England's Test cricketers will have a retro feel to their kit, with the reintroduction of cream clothing and cable-knit sweaters by their new equipment manufacturer, New Balance
ESPNcricinfo staff
03-May-2017
England's Test cricketers will have a retro feel to their kit when they take the field at Lord's in July, with the reintroduction of cream clothing and cable-knit sweaters by their new equipment manufacturer, New Balance.
The start of a five-year deal, worth around £2million a year to the ECB, was heralded on Tuesday night at a glamorous launch event at New Balance's flagship store in Oxford Street, London, where each of England's seven captains - in men's, women's and disability formats - paraded the new kit on a cricket-themed catwalk.
Joe Root, who will be leading England for the first time when the South Africa series gets underway in July, welcomed the return of a more traditional look and feel, after their predecessors, Adidas, had opted for a "brilliant white" look to their Test kit back in 2008.
"I love it," Root said. "It feels like I'm a kid again, it's as traditional as it gets. It's like my first woollen jumper my grandma knitted me so it takes it all back to the beginning, and it's a nice way to remind yourself that even though there are times when we're under a lot of pressure, it's a game we enjoy playing."
Full postA farewell gift to Afridi... from India
A surprise from Virat Kohli and Co for the former Pakistan captain
ESPNcricinfo staff
21-Apr-2017
A gesture from Virat Kohli and the Indian team has won the admiration of the recently retired Shahid Afridi. "To Shahid Bhai, best wishes, always a pleasure playing against you," reads the message to Afridi on Kohli's limited-overs jersey, which has been signed by other members of the Indian team.
Afridi, who announced his retirement from international cricket in February 2017, played eight Tests, 67 ODIs, and eight T20Is against India. He scored three of his five Test hundreds against India and was Player-of-the-Match in two ODIs.
Thank you to you and the entire Indian team for a wonderful farewell gift @imVkohli. Respect superstar, hope to see you soon pic.twitter.com/DGz8aMs1Xv
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 21, 2017
Afridi's tweet received a prompt reply from Kohli as well.
Full post