In Case You Missed It: Australia win, the CPL winds up, CSA has a fresh crisis
Our best content from last week
ESPNcricinfo staff
13-Sep-2020
Trinbago Knight Riders are the 2020 CPL champions after winning 12 matches in 12 • Getty Images
What a week it's been! Australia went from series loss in T20s to series lead in the first ODI against England in the space of a few days. The CPL wound up with an invincible seeming Trinbago Knight Riders clinching their fourth title. Cricket South Africa plunged into a fresh administrative crisis. And the race to the IPL hotted up with just a week to go. Catch your breath, and catch up on a very busy few days in cricket.
Australia close out victory for 1-0 series lead despite Sam Billings hundred
Australia may have lost the T20 series 2-1, but they were back on solid ground in the first ODI - and first match of their World Cup Super League campaign - after a recovery from 123 for 5 through Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh before England fell short in the chase. It's a good reminder, says, to the current World Cup winners that Australia will always be the benchmark to beat.
Australia may have lost the T20 series 2-1, but they were back on solid ground in the first ODI - and first match of their World Cup Super League campaign - after a recovery from 123 for 5 through Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh before England fell short in the chase. It's a good reminder, says
Decoding Trinbago Knight Riders' CPL 2020 dominance
There was nothing, and no one, to stop the Trinbago Knight Riders' relentless and undefeated march to the CPL 2020 final and their fourth tournament title. What makes them so dominant in the tournament? There's Kieron Pollard's captaincy smarts, a bit of luck at the toss, big-hitting galore, and more. Deivarayan Muthu breaks it down. And he also has an eye on the CPL players bound for the IPL next. How do Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine and more fare here? And what does that say about the form they'll be bringing to the IPL?
There was nothing, and no one, to stop the Trinbago Knight Riders' relentless and undefeated march to the CPL 2020 final and their fourth tournament title. What makes them so dominant in the tournament? There's Kieron Pollard's captaincy smarts, a bit of luck at the toss, big-hitting galore, and more. Deivarayan Muthu breaks it down. And he also has an eye on the CPL players bound for the IPL next. How do Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine and more fare here? And what does that say about the form they'll be bringing to the IPL?
South Africa Olympic body instructs CSA board, executive to step aside
Cricket South Africa plunged into fresh crisis last week as the South Africa Olympic body (SASCOC) asked its executives to step down after a nine-month administrative meltdown in its ranks. As of Thursday evening, it is no longer operational and is under investigation. The ICC meanwhile said it was "concerned" about SASCOC's actions constituting government interference. What does it all mean and how have things come to this point? Firdose Moonda has a handy handbook to the chaos.
Cricket South Africa plunged into fresh crisis last week as the South Africa Olympic body (SASCOC) asked its executives to step down after a nine-month administrative meltdown in its ranks. As of Thursday evening, it is no longer operational and is under investigation. The ICC meanwhile said it was "concerned" about SASCOC's actions constituting government interference. What does it all mean and how have things come to this point? Firdose Moonda has a handy handbook to the chaos.
Dan Christian lifts lid on casual racism in Australian cricket
As Cricket Australia makes an attempt to reckon with casual racism in the game and past and present mistakes made in dealing with it, allrounder Christian, who is indigenous, pointed to throwaway comments on skin colour and a lack of cultural training for professional cricketers, in the first of a series of panel discussions.
As Cricket Australia makes an attempt to reckon with casual racism in the game and past and present mistakes made in dealing with it, allrounder Christian, who is indigenous, pointed to throwaway comments on skin colour and a lack of cultural training for professional cricketers, in the first of a series of panel discussions.
How the Royal Challengers Bangalore have miscalculated over the years
RCB have gone from contenders in the early years to bottom feeders in recent seasons of the IPL. What has gone wrong for them? Varun Shetty has a list.
RCB have gone from contenders in the early years to bottom feeders in recent seasons of the IPL. What has gone wrong for them? Varun Shetty has a list.
How do the 2020 IPL captains stack up?
And going into the IPL, what have MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Steve Smith, David Warner and Dinesh Karthik's leadership styles been like in the league? Nagraj Gollapudi and Gaurav Sundararaman have a comprehensive analysis.
And going into the IPL, what have MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Steve Smith, David Warner and Dinesh Karthik's leadership styles been like in the league? Nagraj Gollapudi and Gaurav Sundararaman have a comprehensive analysis.
Come to think of it: Do you really want Virat Kohli in your T20 XI?
Does Kohli even belong on the same level as Russell or AB de Villiers or Kieron Pollard or Jos Buttler or peak Chris Gayle? The answer to this lies in whether the format even needs the sort of role he plays in the batting order, says Karthik Krishnaswamy.
Does Kohli even belong on the same level as Russell or AB de Villiers or Kieron Pollard or Jos Buttler or peak Chris Gayle? The answer to this lies in whether the format even needs the sort of role he plays in the batting order, says Karthik Krishnaswamy.
Dream Team: One out of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah doesn't make it to our best current IPL XI
Also, is there room for AB de Villiers and David Warner? Our panelists get stuck in on the all-time IPL XI and aren't afraid to ask controversial questions.
Also, is there room for AB de Villiers and David Warner? Our panelists get stuck in on the all-time IPL XI and aren't afraid to ask controversial questions.
Who are the IPL's MVPs?
And who comes in at No. 1? We're counting down to the best among Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Sunil Narine, AB de Villiers and one more, using Smart Stats.
And who comes in at No. 1? We're counting down to the best among Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Sunil Narine, AB de Villiers and one more, using Smart Stats.
Breaking boundaries in the women's game
In a first for cricket, the ICC is streaming a documentary chronicling the record Women's T20 World Cup that took place earlier this year. Annesha Ghosh takes a look at it and says documentary goes for glory, but leaves out some of the story.
In a first for cricket, the ICC is streaming a documentary chronicling the record Women's T20 World Cup that took place earlier this year. Annesha Ghosh takes a look at it and says documentary goes for glory, but leaves out some of the story.
Young 'uns and big guns
Tymal Mills picks an all-time T20 XI from among the cricketers he played alongside and it's got some familiar names.
Tymal Mills picks an all-time T20 XI from among the cricketers he played alongside and it's got some familiar names.
The balls of the century, No. 12: Jasprit Bumrah to Shaun Marsh
As we inch closer to the top 10, Sidharth Monga picks an absolute corker by Jasprit Bumrah to Shaun Marsh in Melbourne in 2018 at 12th place.
As we inch closer to the top 10, Sidharth Monga picks an absolute corker by Jasprit Bumrah to Shaun Marsh in Melbourne in 2018 at 12th place.