London: Following debacles in the Ashes and the three-match series against the West Indies, Joe Root stepped down as captain of the England Test side on Friday after leading the team for five years.One of England's most successful Test captains, Root's side had recently endured a 0-4 thrashing in the five-match Ashes and lost the away three-Test series against the West Indies 0-1. Root led England in 64 matches, winning 27 of those. The record meant he had the most number of matches and wins as England Men's Test captain. During his tenure, Root made headlines for memorable victories that included the 4-1 win against India at home in 2018, 3-1 triumph away to South Africa in 2020 and winning a Test series twice in Sri Lanka."After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England Men's Test Captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right," said Root, who had been blamed by former England players for the string of losses, despite the 31-year-old player's personal form remaining intact."I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket," said Root.In recent times, Root has shown excellent form with the bat, earning him the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year Award in 2021.During his reign, Root amassed 5,295 Test runs including 14 centuries to become England's most prolific run-scorer as captain. However, the leadership had started to take a toll on Root, impacting him during his time away from the game."I have loved leading my country, but recently it's hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game."I want to take this opportunity to thank my family, Carrie, Alfred and Bella, who have lived it all with me and been incredible pillars of love and support throughout. All of the players, coaches and support staff that have helped me during my tenure. It has been a great privilege to have been with them on this journey."I would also like to thank all the England supporters for their unwavering support. We are lucky to have the best fans in the world, and wherever we play, that positivity is something we always cherish and admire, which is a huge drive for all of us out there. "I am excited to continue representing the Three Lions and producing performances that will enable the team to succeed. I look forward to helping the next Captain, my teammates and coaches in whatever way I can," added Root.—IANS

 Following debacles in the Ashes and the three-match series against the West Indies, Joe Root stepped down as captain of the England Test side on Friday after leading the team for five years.

Root Steps Down As England Test Captain After Ashes, West Indies Reverses

London: Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen believes Ben Stokes "has the personality" to captain the Test side, but added that the 30-year-old all-rounder will need a leadership group which can complement him as he aim to bring back the side's glory days back.Stokes was made England captain after Joe Root stepped down in the wake of the away Test series loss in the Caribbean, while England chief coach Chris Silverwood quit his post following the 0-4 Ashes debacle Down Under. The Test team's uninspiring showing in the last couple of years has been blamed as much on the players as on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) top bosses.Pietersen said that while England had got the "right personnel in charge", the entire cricket structure needs a "shake-up" to bring the team out of the "doom-and-gloom" scenario."Being appointed as England Test captain is an incredible honour. Ben Stokes and his family will be incredibly proud and rightly so. I'm a firm believer that the England team needs a leadership group with some gravitas and personality," said Pietersen on Betway Insider. England have recently appointed Rob Key as the new managing director of the England men's team and the former cricketer felt he enjoyed that bit of news."I enjoyed hearing Rob Key talking about getting the best coaching system in place to change the mentality of the team. It's been so doom and gloom, the cricket's been poor and the results have been rubbish. The whole thing needs a shake-up. They've got to get the right personnel in charge, above the team, to make sure that the environment is right. "Key is a good start, Stokes has the personality to captain the side, and personally I would love to see (South Africa's) Graham Ford come in as Test coach to complete the brain trust. He is an incredible man manager and he'll work with every player all day long. He'll give you throwdowns until dark and you can ring him at 2am with any issue. He's a fabulous leader who understands the game of cricket like no other."Ultimately, though, Stokes and the new coach will be hamstrung until a radical overhaul of the system improves the quality of players coming through. It will be difficult until then, but I wish Stokes the best of luck," added Pietersen.—IANS

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen believes Ben Stokes "has the personality" to captain the Test side, but added that the 30-year-old all-rounder will need a leadership group which can complement him as he aim to bring back the side's glory days back.

Stokes Has The Personality To Lead But He Will Be Hamstrung By The System: Pietersen

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen believes Ben Stokes "has the personality" to captain the Test side, but added that the 30-year-old all-rounder will need a leadership group which can complement him as he aim to bring back the side's glory days back.




London: Around one in five people in England will contract skin cancer during their lifetime because of increased exposure to the sun and more foreign holidays, a media report said citing experts.According to the Daily Mail, cases have hit a record level and the specialists believe an ageing population and improvements to how cancers are reported are behind the rise. Increasing exposure to the sun and more foreign holidays may also be to blame, the report said.There were 224,092 skin cancers recorded in England in 2019, a rise of 26 per cent on the 177,677 recorded in 2013, according to figures analysed by the National Health Service (NHS) Digital and the British Association of Dermatologists. Between 2013 and 2019 the total was more than 1.4 million, as per the report. "We are fast approaching a quarter of a million cases a year in England. We estimate that one in five people will have a skin cancer in their lifetime," Tanya Bleiker, the association's president, was quoted as saying."While more needs to be done to prevent skin cancer, we also need to increase the resources available to tackle the rise," Bleiker added. A breakdown shows there were 15,332 melanomas in 2019, up from 12,885 in 2013. Melanoma is less common than other skin cancers but can be more deadly. —IANS

Around one in five people in England will contract skin cancer during their lifetime because of increased exposure to the sun and more foreign holidays, a media report said citing experts.

1 In 5 In England Will Contract Skin Cancer During Their Lifetime: Report

Around one in five people in England will contract skin cancer during their lifetime because of increased exposure to the sun and more foreign holidays, a media report said citing experts.




Mumbai: Jonny Bairstow hasn’t opened the innings for England much in recent times, but he is relishing his job at the top of the order for Punjab Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League.Bairstow's 66 off just 29 balls, with the help of four boundaries and seven sixes, laid the foundation for Punjab Kings’ 54-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mumbai on Friday."I am happy with the way I have transitioned to opening the batting. It has been very enjoyable being back at the top," Bairstow said, at the post-match press conference.He arrived late for this edition of the tournament and initially started in the middle order, where he struggled to find his touch. The team management then promoted him to the top and captain Mayank Agarwal moved himself down the order.The move yielded results as, after scoring one in his first match as opener against Gujarat Titans, Bairstow roared back to form with a 56 against Rajasthan Royals before Friday's 66."It's one of those days. A couple of those come off and it's your day," he said.Bairstow has mostly batted in the middle order in T20Is for England in the last two years, though he opened the innings in a few matches. He also kept wickets when Jos Buttler was not playing."It's a completely different commodity playing for England and playing here. Through the middle, there's a job to do for England. Coming here, the stats suggest I quite enjoy opening the batting," added the 32-year-old.Before Friday's match, Bairstow had scored 136 runs in eight IPL innings, at a strike rate of 117.24, but never thought he was having a tough time in the tournament."It depends on what you class as a tough tournament really."Because obviously I have been caught at fine leg twice, third man once, and run-out on 19.5 overs. So there is a difference in being unselfish and it being a difficult competition."Bairstow was sensational on Friday while scoring 59 out of 83 in the powerplay, taking down RCB key bowler Josh Hazlewood in the process. He got to his fifty off 21 balls.&nbsp;"There are many quality bowlers in the IPL and sometimes you have to try to get them off their lengths, because someone like him (Hazlewood) hits that length consistently. So you have to try to get him off that length into areas you want to be hitting."From the end he was bowling at, the line he was bowling was off-stump. Just think that sometimes there is balls in your area, and you have to try to take advantage of that."Sometimes it is fine lines where you might get caught on the boundary, just inside the rope, or you might get a thin edge on another one. Today was a good day. Was happy to take advantage of the powerplay."Asked if there was any game plan to attack the opposition bowlers, he replied: "That has generally been the ethos of how we have tried to go about all of the tournament."That has been the way in which the guys want to go about the process of the game. You may have noticed sometimes we have lost wickets in clusters in the middle, which has stifled our progress on from there, but I think on the whole that was the way we wanted to try and go about it for a majority of the tournament."It doesn't happen all the time but if we can do it more often than not, then hopefully when a couple of people stand up we can get the job done."—PTI

Jonny Bairstow hasn’t opened the innings for England much in recent times, but he is relishing his job at the top of the order for Punjab Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Bairstow relishing opening role at Punjab Kings

Mumbai: Kolkata Knight Riders batter Ajinkya Rahane has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL, owing to a hamstring injury, the franchise said on Tuesday.In an official announcement posted on its Twitter handle, KKR said, "Ajinkya Rahane is going to miss the remaining games of #IPL2022 due to a hamstring injury. Wish you a speedy recovery @ajinkyarahane88. The knights camp will miss you." Rahane had undergone scans, which revealed that he had torn his tendon.In a video posted in the same tweet, Rahane said, "I really enjoyed my time on and off the field with everyone. (I) Learnt a lot as a cricketer; about life; about everything. I will definitely come back stronger next year and I am sure we will do well as a team in the next game and hopefully we will go to Kolkata and the play-offs." Kolkata will take on Lucknow Super Giants in their final league match at the DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai. With seven losses and six wins, KKR are placed at the sixth spot with 12 points and they will not only have to win but do it with a big margin and then hope that other results go their way to salvage any hope of sneaking into the knockout stage.—PTI

 Kolkata Knight Riders batter Ajinkya Rahane has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL, owing to a hamstring injury, the franchise said on Tuesday.

Rahane ruled out of IPL 2022, will miss England tour

London: England's new red-ball coach Brendon McCullum has sounded an ominous warning, saying if Test cricket has to survive in a world now heavily tilted towards franchise leagues, it needs England to play some attractive brand of game against teams like India, Australia and New Zealand. England are in the midst of one of the worst Test slumps in recent times, having won just one of the 17 previous games, and begin the new season with the three-match series against the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand.McCullum was recently appointed England's Test coach in the wake of the disastrous Ashes tour -- where hosts Australia won 4-0 --, and the 0-1 loss in the away series against the West Indies. The debacles forced Chris Silverwood to step down as chief coach, and Joe Root to relinquish his captaincy. McCullum has now been tasked with turning around the fortunes of England side, which is placed ninth and last on the World Test Championship table. In an wide-ranging interview with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), McCullum, who stepped down as IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders' head coach a couple of days back to take up the England job, said, "Test cricket has always been the pinnacle for me, it really has. I think the popularity of Test cricket has somewhat trended south of late."So if Test cricket is to not just sustain but also thrive then it needs England playing an attractive brand of cricket which is competitive with Australia, India and New Zealand and that was what enthused me the most (about the job). "If we are able to get back to where we should which is at the top of the pile, challenging the best teams in the world and playing a brand of cricket which appeals to the next generation of talent, then we'll hopefully get Test cricket to a stage where young kids are wanting to play the sport rather than just the short versions. "It's a big lofty goal, but that's what's in front of us and we'll go about trying to build it from the ground up. I think we've got the talent to do it."McCullum's first challenge will come when England take on New Zealand in the three-Test series starting at Lord's on June 2.—IANS

England's new red-ball coach Brendon McCullum has sounded an ominous warning, saying if Test cricket has to survive in a world now heavily tilted towards franchise leagues, it needs England to play some attractive brand of game against teams like India, Australia and New Zealand.

Brendon McCullum sounds ominous warning for Test cricket

New York: Less than a day after the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) -- the governing body of the men's professional tennis circuits -- stripped Wimbledon of ranking points due to its ban on Russian and Belarusian players, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) followed suit, saying it will also "not award WTA ranking points for this year's Wimbledon Championships". The WTA said in a statement on Saturday that the, "recent decisions made by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to ban athletes from competing in the upcoming UK grass-court events violate that fundamental principle, which is clearly embodied in the WTA rules, the Grand Slam rules and the agreement the WTA has with the Grand Slams." Ian Hewitt, chairman AELTC had announced in April that Russian and Belarusian players will not be allowed to play in the UK this summer following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The decision meant the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Victoria Azarenka will miss out on the Grand Slam this year.WTA chief executive, Steve Simon, said in the statement on Saturday that, "The atrocities happening to millions of innocent people in Ukraine because of Russia's unprovoked invasion are horrific and appalling. The WTA strongly condemns Russia's ongoing attack. "Nearly 50 years ago, the WTA was founded on the fundamental principle that all players have an equal opportunity to compete based on merit and without discrimination. The WTA believes that individual athletes participating in an individual sport should not be penalised or prevented from competing solely because of their nationalities or the decisions made by the governments of their countries. "As a result of the AELTC's position that it will not honour its obligation to use the WTA Rankings for entry into Wimbledon and proceed with a partial field not based on merit, the WTA has made the difficult decision to not award WTA ranking points for this year's Wimbledon Championships."Simon also stated that three WTA-sanctioned events -- Nottingham, Birmingham, and Eastbourne -- will also be penalised. "In addition, each of the WTA-sanctioned events (Nottingham, Birmingham, and Eastbourne) will be penalised and their WTA tournament sanctions will be placed on probation. Since alternative and comparable playing and ranking point opportunities exist in the same weeks as those events for the affected players, WTA ranking points will remain in place for those events. "The stance we are taking is about protecting the equal opportunities that WTA players should have to compete as individuals. If we do not take this stance, then we abandon our fundamental principle and allow the WTA to become an example to support discrimination based on nationality at other events and in other regions around the world. The WTA will continue to apply its rules to reject such discrimination."We remain hopeful and willing to reassess the issuance of points should we find a solution that has consensus from all parties and allows our players the opportunity to compete in a unified environment. We continue our humanitarian relief efforts to support Ukraine through Tennis Plays for Peace, which to date has raised over USD1.1 million and continues to provide meaningful assistance," added Simon. Earlier, on Friday, ATP had said it will not award ranking points for Wimbledon this year following the All England Club's decision to ban players from Russia and Belarus. The Wimbledon begins on June 27. "The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our Tour. The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP Ranking system," the ATP said in a statement. "It is also inconsistent with our Rankings agreement. Absent a change in circumstances, it is with great regret and reluctance that we see no option but to remove ATP Ranking points from Wimbledon for 2022," it added.—IANS

Less than a day after the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) -- the governing body of the men's professional tennis circuits -- stripped Wimbledon of ranking points due to its ban on Russian and Belarusian players, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) followed suit, saying it will also "not award WTA ranking points for this year's Wimbledon Championships".

ATP, WTA won’t award ranking points for Wimbledon after Russia ban

London: England's newly-appointed Test head coach Brendon McCullum has hinted at a possible return of wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler to the English Test side. Buttler was omitted after England's distressing 4-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia despite being one of the world's best white-ball run-makers.McCullum, who observed Buttler's brilliant IPL 2022 run closely and believes the player can work on his batting in red-ball cricket too. He believes players who have succeeded in T20 cricket can definitely bring that talent to their red-ball game. "Jos is one of those players you look at instantly and think how could he be so dominant in one form of the game and not quite have found his feet, other than a few fleeting performances, in Test cricket?" ESPNCricinfo quoted McCullum as saying to Sky Sports."There are certain guys you look at and think there's a lot of talent that could improve the side given the right opportunity. There's no reason why, if you're good at T20, you can't bring those skills into Test cricket and you look at some of the guys who have dominated the IPL in the last two months," he added. McCullum also opened up about reviving the Test careers of spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, even though the former is officially retired from Test format."Obviously you've got the likes of Livingstone, Mooen, Rashid. All these guys have played international cricket before, been successful in the other forms of the game and you'd think they'd be able to transition across," said McCullum. The former Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter was appointed as England men's Test team's new coach earlier this month. This is his first-ever international coaching assignment. He has stepped down as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders head coach following his appointment.—ANI

England's newly-appointed Test head coach Brendon McCullum has hinted at a possible return of wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler to the English Test side. Buttler was omitted after England's distressing 4-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia despite being one of the world's best white-ball run-makers.

Brendon McCullum hints at Jos Buttler's return to England Test side

London: England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been awarded OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to the game of cricket during the Queen’s birthday honours on Wednesday. Moeen was included on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, in recognition of his 16 years in a professional cricket career including 225 appearances for his country in all formats.The 34-year-old announced his retirement from the Test cricket last year with 2,914 runs and 195 wickets from 64 Tests but still plays an important role in England’s limited-overs sides. “It is obviously an honour and the more you think about it, the more you realise how nice it is and how rewarding it is,” ESPNcricinfo quotes Moeen Ali as saying. He rose from a small cricket community in Sparkhill Park in Birmingham to making more than 200 appearances for his country across all formats. “More than anything, I know it makes my parents happy and that’s the most important thing – one of the main reasons for accepting. It’s amazing and my family are really proud and happy,” he added.Moeen has not always been pleased with being regarded as an ambassador for Britain’s Asian population. “From the word ‘go’, as soon as I played for England, people labelled me as being a potential role model or role model. It is a big responsibility…But as time has gone on, you kind of accept it and deal with it a lot better,” he added. “I think it’s more about the journey I’ve been on, my background, my upbringing and all that. Maybe the way I played a little bit and the way I go about my cricket, maybe that’s what people have liked or whatever,” said Moeen. Moeen, who retired from Test cricket last year in September, added, “You have to accept it and realise you are probably a role model even though you don’t like saying it too much. You do inspire a lot of people, especially from the inner city and the people that can relate to you. “I don’t like that term role model, to a certain extent, but I know my role and what I need to do,” he said.—ANI

England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been awarded OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to the game of cricket during the Queen’s birthday honours on Wednesday.

England all-rounder Moeen awarded OBE for his stellar cricket career

London: On this day in 1986, India made history at the Lord's and clinched their first-ever Test victory at the venue, defeating England by five wickets at the historic venue in the first match of their three-match series against the Englishmen. India won the toss and elected to field first, England put up 294 on the board in their 128.2 overs. England had got off a great start, with openers Graham Gooch and Tim Robinson (35) stitching a 66-run stand for the first wicket. After the end of this stand, wickets fell quickly for England, sinking them to 4/98. Gooch then stitched a valuable 147-run stand with Derek Pringle (63) and went on to make 114.However, the rest of the batters could not provide much resistance to Indian bowling. Chetan Sharma (5/64) and Roger Binny (3/55) were the stars for India with the ball and stopped England from posting an intimidating total. In the second innings, India gained a 47-run lead over their opposition thanks to the efforts of Dilip Vengsarkar (126*), Mohinder Amarnath (69), Sunil Gavaskar (34) and Mohammad Azharuddin (33). Other batters could not do much for India and England dominated them. Vengsarkar had also become the first-ever overseas cricketer to score three hundreds at the historic venue. Pacers Graham Dilley (4/146) and Derek Pringle (3/58) did a great job of not letting the match slip out of England's hands entirely by letting India gain a huge lead after the second innings. In the third innings, It was in hands of the English to gain a lead and also post an intimidating total on the board that would translate into an intimidating target. However, Indian bowlers completely dominated the English. Other than Mike Gatting (40), Allan Lamb (39) and Paul Downton (29), batters let the English down. Kapil Dev (4/52), Maninder Singh (3/9) terrorised their opposition with their mix of spin and pace. England were restricted to 180/10. With a lead of just 133, Indians were given a target of 134. Though wickets kept falling for India regularly and reduced India to 110/5, it chased down the target. Contributions from Sunil Gavaskar (22), Dilip Vengsarkar (33), Ravi Shastri (20*) and Kapil Dev (23*) were sufficient for India. India achieved their historic first-ever Test win at the venue and went on to win the series 2-0, clinching their second series against England at England. Kapil Dev was adjudged as the 'Man of the Match' for his 1/67, 4/52 and 23*. As of now, India has played 19 Tests at Lord's, winning three and losing 12. 4 matches have ended in a draw.—ANI

On this day in 1986, India made history at the Lord's and clinched their first-ever Test victory at the venue, defeating England by five wickets at the historic venue in the first match of their three-match series against the Englishmen.

On this day in 1986, India won its 1st Test match at 'Mecca of Cricket'

Edgbaston, July 4 :&nbsp;India vice-captain for the rescheduled fifth Test against England Rishabh Pant has given the credit for the massive 222-run stand between him and Ravindra Jadeja to “setting small goals” and excellent communication between the two on Day One of the match. India were in dire straits at 98/5 when Pant and Jadeja came together to turn the game on its head and give the tourists advantage on the opening day. Pant ended up scoring a 111-ball 146 on Day 1 and by the time Jadeja was dismissed on Day 2, he too had scored a century in India’s 416-run total.&nbsp;“The communication was excellent between the two of us. We decided we will do small-small partnerships… 20 runs, 50 runs. When we started at 98/5, we spoke when we touched 150, then we spoke when we reached 175. That communication was the best part of our innings,” revealed Pant in a video shared by BCCI. Jadeja added that it’s natural for a batter in the middle to get confident after scoring a few boundaries, which results in him committing mistakes and throwing away his wicket. But the communication between him and Pant gave them the roadmap to go about their task in a&nbsp;<a href="https://freshheadline.com/tag/cool/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(230, 73, 70);">cool</a>&nbsp;and calculated manner.﻿“It happens during a Test match that after you&nbsp;<a href="https://freshheadline.com/tag/hit-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(230, 73, 70);">hit 2</a>-3 boundaries, you become so confident that your shot-selection suffers. That increases the risk of getting out. So, our discussion to prolong the partnership for as long as we could really helped. That partnership changed the game… from 98/5 we reached 416,” said Jadeja. “Having said that, it was a huge team effort, everyone contributed to the score… even those who came later in the order; Bumrah, Shami they also tried to build partnerships.” Jadeja also spoke about how Pant stuck to the plan the two discussed in the middle, adding that confidence was the hallmark of the wicketkeeper-batter’s historic innings. “Whatever he told me, he played exactly the same way.&nbsp;<a href="https://freshheadline.com/tag/i/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(230, 73, 70);">I</a>&nbsp;could see he was very confident about his shots, very calm against every bowler,” added Jadeja.

India vice-captain for the rescheduled fifth Test against England Rishabh Pant has given the credit for the massive 222-run stand between him and Ravindra Jadeja to “setting small goals” and excellent communication between the two on Day One of the match. India were in dire straits at 98/5 when Pant and Jadeja came together to turn the game on its head and give the tourists advantage on the opening day. 

Rishabh Pant Says ‘Setting Small Goals’ Was Key for Big Partnership With Ravindra Jadeja Against England in 5th Test

Southampton : Hardik Pandya carried his sublime form from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the recently-concluded series against Ireland into the game against England, guiding the visitors to a massive 198/8 in 20 overs, before returning to bowl a fiery spell that saw the hosts bundled out for 148 in 19.3 overs. The side has now won 14 of the last 17 T20Is since the tournament, with a no-result against South Africa in Bengaluru.A smashing half-century from all-rounder Hardik Pandya (51 off 33 balls) backed up by his superb bowling efforts (4/33 in 4 overs) gave India a huge 50-run win against the Jos Buttler-led England in the opening T20 International -- a day-night game -- at The Rose Bowl here late on Thursday.Pandya carried his sublime form from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the recently-concluded series against Ireland into the game against England, guiding the visitors to a massive 198/8 in 20 overs, before returning to bowl a fiery spell that saw the hosts bundled out for 148 in 19.3 overs. Pandya picked up where the top order left off, joining Suryakumar Yadav (39 off 19) in the blitz, keeping the run rate above 10-an-over in the crucial middle phase.The side has now won 14 of the last 17 T20Is since the tournament, with a no-result against South Africa in Bengaluru meaning the side has lost just twice in the same stretch. Pandya then returned with the ball to account for the dangerous opener Jason Roy (4), Dawid Malan (21), (Liam Livingstone 0) and Sam Curran (4) as England under new captain Buttler found the going tough from the start of their innings.With Pandya giving such a commanding performance, and players like Deepak Hooda too contributing in a big way, it bodes well for the team as it prepares for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. Deepak Hooda's 33 (17) shows his form in Ireland was no flash in the pan, with the Dinesh Karthik career renaissance providing the side with another finisher at the side's disposal.On the bowling side, Yuzvendra Chahal continues to look imposing. Claiming Harry Brook (28 off 23) and Moeen Ali (36 off 20), the leg-spinner curtailed any chance of an English fight back.As his red-ball compatriots ride the wave of a successful start under Brendon McCullum, it wasn't to be for Buttler as the new T20I white-ball captain fell to the defeat and fell for a first-ball duck in the chase. The right-hander was set up by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with the swing bowler's first four deliveries moving away from Jason Roy, only for Buttler's first to hoop in and dismantle the stumps.Earlier, Buttler deployed seven bowlers, with Chris Jordan (2/23 from four overs) the only to provide any pushback to India's charges.Brief scores: India 198/8 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 33, Suryakumar Yadav 39, Hardik Pandya 51) beat England 148 in 19.3 overs (Moeen Ali 36; Hardik Pandya 4/33, Yuzvendra Chahal 2/32, Arshdeep Singh 2/18) by 50 runs. -- IANS

Hardik Pandya carried his sublime form from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the recently-concluded series against Ireland into the game against England, guiding the visitors to a massive 198/8 in 20 overs, before returning to bowl a fiery spell that saw the hosts bundled out for 148 in 19.3 overs. The side has now won 14 of the last 17 T20Is since the tournament, with a no-result against South Africa in Bengaluru.

 Hardik Pandya inspires India to 50-run win over England in opening T20I

Ravindra Jadeja’s fighting knock followed by a clinical bowling effort helped India thrash England by 49 runs in the second T20I and take a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series, here on Saturday.

2nd T20I: India thrash England By 49 Runs, Take Unassailable 2-0 Lead In Series

Northampton : At the County Ground in this city, England defeated South Africa Women by five wickets in the opening One-Day International thanks to a debut century from young Emma Lamb and standout bowling from Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt.&nbsp;The Proteas were dismissed for 218 in 47.4 overs thanks to Sciver's four-wicket haul and Brunt's three wickets, who proved to be difficult to deal with. After stopping South Africa's charge in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup semifinal in New Zealand, England scored a huge victory.&nbsp;The hosts then scored the winning runs in 32.1 overs, thanks in large part to Emma Lamb's virtually run-a-ball 102, which featured 15 boundaries.In her earlier return, Katherine Brunt established a quick rhythm, taking 2/5 in her first five-over spell. The fast finished with a third strike, overcoming Ayabonga Khaka's defences as the hosts continued to press for all ten wickets after shattering the South African batting order with strikes in back-to-back overs.&nbsp;Nat Sciver, who finished with 4/59, was not as deadly with the new ball but came back to annihilate the middle order.Chloe Tryon, who was injured and missed the Test match, demonstrated her strength in a valiant counterattack, smashing 13 boundaries in a 73-ball 88. Tryon prevented the visitors from collapsing completely by putting on 97 with Nadine de Klerk (38), walking out at 73/4, and losing Laura Wolvaardt shortly after at 108/5. This raised the score above 200. Only in the final five overs, when he was trying to shift into a higher gear, did the right-hander falter.&nbsp;According to ICC, it was her second-highest score in the format and ninth ODI fifty for her.The England lineup put a lot of pressure on Lamb to perform at the top of the order, but the 24-year-old outdid herself with an outstanding debut century in her first Test. After losing Tammy Beaumont early in the 219-run chase, Lamb outscored Sophia Dunkley aggressively in a partnership of 78 runs then plodded along with Sciver, who quickly made 55 runs from just 36 balls.&nbsp;Lamb, however, was the star as she completed her century with an excellent drive wide of cover. Tumi Sekhukhune eventually caught the opener for 102, but the hosts had already won the match and were coasting home in the 33rd over.Brief scores: South Africa Women 218 in 47.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 43, Chloe Tryon 88, Nadine de Klerk 38; Nat Sciver 4/59, Katherine Brunt 3/18) lost to England 219/5 in 32.1 overs (Emma Lamb 102, Nat Sciver 55) by five wickets. --- IANS

At the County Ground in this city, England defeated South Africa Women by five wickets in the opening One-Day International thanks to a debut century from young Emma Lamb and standout bowling from Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt. 

 Emma Lamb slams maiden ton as England Women crush South Africa in opening ODI

London :&nbsp;In the first ODI against England at The Oval, India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was at his menacing best, rattling the England top-order with swing, extra bounce and pitching it up to pick a magnificent 6-19 in 7.2 overs as England were bowled out for 110, setting the base for a thrashing 10-wicket victory for the visitors.With the new ball on a greenish pitch and overcast skies, Bumrah took out Jason Roy, Joe Root and Liam Livingstone for ducks, and dismissed Jonny Bairstow for 7. He would then come back to take the last two England wickets to grab his best-ever figures in ODIs and the third best by an Indian bowler in this format of the game after Stuart Binny and Anil Kumble.Former England captain Nasser Hussain hailed Bumrah, saying that the right-arm pacer is the best all-format bowler in the world right now. "The performance in this game was spectacular, high-class. Some of the balls were absolute jaffas. He has the unusual action and run-up so the ball does come at you like a thunderbolt. He also swings it both ways -- but he does not just swing it, he is quick as well. "Bumrah would have to be the best all-format bowler in world cricket. Who would be the challengers? Maybe Trent Boult, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jofra Archer when fit. But right now, he is the best there is," said Hussain after the match.Former India head coach Ravi Shastri pointed out that Bumrah's adaptability has enhanced ever since he burst on the scene in 2016. "Where he has improved is his ability to adapt. When he sensed conditions were good for swing, he went closer to the bat. He has variations - a good bouncer, a good yorker - so he can hustle you. You don't know what to expect."Hussain concluded by applauding India for being streets ahead of England in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series."It was a walloping from the first ball to the last, a very one-sided game. India were far too good with the individual performances of Bumrah, Rohit and Dhawan. India were brilliant and England were just not at the races." --- IANS

In the first ODI against England at The Oval, India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was at his menacing best, rattling the England top-order with swing, extra bounce and pitching it up to pick a magnificent 6-19 in 7.2 overs as England were bowled out for 110, setting the base for a thrashing 10-wicket victory for the visitors

Nasser Hussain hails Jasprit Bumrah as 'best all-format bowler in the world'

In the first ODI against England at The Oval, India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was at his menacing best, rattling the England top-order with swing, extra bounce and pitching it up to pick a magnificent 6-19 in 7.2 overs as England were bowled out for 110, setting the base for a thrashing 10-wicket victory for the visitors.

London :&nbsp;Swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler's life as England's white-ball skipper hasn't been off to a great start, losing the T20I series to India 2-1, which was followed by a 10-wicket thrashing handed by the visitors in the first ODI at The Oval on Tuesday.Despite the return of big guns like Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, England were skittled out for 110 in just 25.2 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah being the chief destroyer with a fiery 6-19. In a paltry chase of 111, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan were unbeaten on 76 and 31 respectively to seal a 10-wicket win for India.Buttler's predecessor and former England skipper Eoin Morgan has backed him to deliver a strong message to the side in taking the direction to bounce back from the crushing defeat."I know what this feels like. It's not nice -- you focus inwards, not outwards. But, having had the experience both playing and leading previously that Jos has had, he will see this as an opportunity in that changing room to reiterate a very clear and strong message about where they are going and what they're doing," said Morgan after the match on Sky Sports.Morgan further explained how people are attentive to listening what the captain says after a loss in England's dressing room."People will be in that changing room wanting to flinch and wanting an out, but that is the time to lead. You can give the best possible message to somebody, and if they're not listening it doesn't go anywhere."But I can guarantee you that when you lose, everybody in the changing room listens. A clear-cut message from your leader at times like this, and for your senior players to embody it, is crucial."Morgan recalled instances from his captaincy days where despite poor performances, he wanted England to continue with his new approach in ODIs and expected for Buttler as well as head coach Matthew Mott to continue in the same vein.The matches Morgan referred to were an ODI against South Africa at Lord's in 2017, where England were reduced to 20-6 before recovering to score 153 in a seven-wicket defeat and at Adelaide in early 2018, when Australia reduced England to 8-5 before eventually posting 196 in a three-wicket loss."There were a couple of times early on in my captaincy, and continued questions throughout. I look back at Lord's, I think, against South Africa, and Adelaide where we were 8-5. Those are key moments where people are waiting to go 'let's be smarter, let's pull back in a bit'."That's not where Jos Buttler and his England team want to be. They want to be at the forefront of performance, winning World Cups and considered to be the best side in the world. And I think that's what he will be saying to his side." --- IANS

Swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler's life as England's white-ball skipper hasn't been off to a great start, losing the T20I series to India 2-1, which was followed by a 10-wicket thrashing handed by the visitors in the first ODI at The Oval on Tuesday.

 Buttler will deliver strong message to England after heavy defeat in first ODI: Morgan

London : India were guilty of inept batting on Thursday with the top order, comprising Rohit Sharma (0), Shikhar Dhawan (9), Virat Kohli (16) and Rishabh pant (0), perishing in no time as tall England left-arm quick Reece Topley claimed his career-best figures of 6/24 in ODI cricket to decimate the tourists' batting. India captain Rohit Sharma attributed the massive 100-run loss in the second One-day International against England at Lord's to poor batting and dropped catches, as the hosts struck back after the drubbing in the first game to level the series 1-1.India were guilty of inept batting on Thursday with the top order, comprising Rohit Sharma (0), Shikhar Dhawan (9), Virat Kohli (16) and Rishabh pant (0), perishing in no time as tall England left-arm quick Reece Topley claimed his career-best figures of 6/24 in ODI cricket to decimate the tourists' batting.India could only manage 146 in 38.5 overs in their chase of a modest England total of 246.While Sharma was satisfied with his bowlers, he admitted the top order not firing consistently was the reason for the defeat. "We bowled pretty well. They (England) had the partnership in the middle with Moeen (Ali) and (David) Willey. Not that the target wasn't chaseable, we just didn't get there," said Sharma."If you want to win games, you have to take those catches," said the India captain of the spilt catch of Willey. "All in all, we bowled well. We just didn't bat well. I thought the pitch would get better, but there was something for the bowlers throughout."We have enough of bowling options, but we do understand we have a long tail. One of the top-order guys must bat as long as possible," added Sharma, who himself was out for a duck.The captain hoped India will come back strongly in the decisive third game to try and win the series and add to the T20 series triumph. "A lot to look forward to. We will get there, see the conditions and adapt," added Sharma.The final match of the series will be played at Manchester on July 17. --- IANS

India were guilty of inept batting on Thursday with the top order, comprising Rohit Sharma (0), Shikhar Dhawan (9), Virat Kohli (16) and Rishabh pant (0), perishing in no time as tall England left-arm quick Reece Topley claimed his career-best figures of 6/24 in ODI cricket to decimate the tourists' batting. 

Poor batting and dropped catches not helping matters, indicates Rohit Sharma

London :&nbsp;On the third anniversary of England winning the 2019 Men's Cricket World Cup at Lord's, tall left-arm quick Reece Topley left a lasting impression in the second ODI against India at the home of cricket.In defence of 246, Topley made use of seam movement, variable bounce and varied his pace to pick up 6-24, the best-ever figures by any England bowler in ODI history as India crashed to 146 all out in 38.5 overs, giving the hosts a 100-run victory.Topley's career-best efforts meant that England levelled the three-match series 1-1 and set the stage for a winner-takes-it-all affair at Manchester on Sunday.Now, former England captain Nasser Hussain believes Topley justified his importance and the value he brings to England in white-ball cricket after enduring a rough run with four stress fractures to his back in five years."It's an outstanding story, the way he's gone through the ups and downs, the stress fractures. He's bowled well in white-ball cricket of late and as well in that T20 game at Trent Bridge when everyone else was going around the park."It's his place now and when you get figures like that, with so many big games coming up and England are looking for bowlers with a long list of injuries...if some bowler can stand up and continue to put in performance after performance then you're almost saying 'you can't leave me out'," said Hussain on Sky Sports after the match.Topley was well-supported by fellow left-arm pacer David Willey, who bowled a miserly spell of 1-27 from nine overs with two maidens and the big scalp of Virat Kohli. Hussain felt the different bowling styles of Willey and Topley proved to be a testing combination for India, who couldn't do much after being 31-4 in 11.2 overs."He's (Topley) quick enough, he's tall, he gets bounce, he's accurate and he's got a good left-arm companion at the other end in David Willey, so they're a good combination. David Willey pitches it up and swings it, and Reece Topley comes in and hits the deck. You can see at the death, he's got the variations and the balls out the back of the hand."Hussain signed off by pointing out that Topley used his six feet, seven inches height to good effect at Lord's. "He's very smart, he's a good T20 cricketer as well, so he's got it with the new ball and the old ball - but on a pitch like this, where they were slightly two-paced, his biggest assets are his height and hitting the deck hard." --- IANS

On the third anniversary of England winning the 2019 Men's Cricket World Cup at Lord's, tall left-arm quick Reece Topley left a lasting impression in the second ODI against India at the home of cricket.

 Hussain believes Topley justified importance in England's white-ball side after 6-24

Manchester: India&nbsp;captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first against&nbsp;England&nbsp;in the series-deciding third and final ODI at Old Trafford, here on Sunday. India&nbsp;made one change in their playing XI as Mohammed Shami came in place of Jasprit&nbsp;Bumrah, who has a niggle.“We are gonna bowl first.It looks like a good track and won’t change for the course of 100 overs.It is the series decider and we have played some good&nbsp;Cricket&nbsp;on the tour, we took the learning from the last game and hopefully will rectify the mistakes,” said Rohit at the toss.“We have bowled well in the limited overs leg, the T20 series as well.Hopefully we can restrict them today to a reasonable target.Bumrah&nbsp;has a niggle and we don’t want to risk him, so&nbsp;Siraj&nbsp;comes in,” he added.On the other hand, Jos Buttler led&nbsp;England, who won the last game, stuck to the same playing XI for the series-decider.“We would have looked to bat.It is a little muggy and there might be some swing early on, but will get better for batting as the game progresses.It is great for the series as it is 1-1 coming into this game.Lots of positives, we scrapped with the bat to get a defendable total in the last game.We are going with the same team,” said Buttler.Playing XI:England:&nbsp;Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w/c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Craig Overton,&nbsp;David&nbsp;Willey, Brydon Carse, Reece TopleyIndia:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed&nbsp;Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna —IANS

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first against England in the series-deciding third and final ODI at Old Trafford, here on Sunday. India made one change in their playing XI as Mohammed Shami came in place of Jasprit Bumrah, who has a niggle.

3rd ODI: India win toss, opt to bowl against England; Siraj replaces unfit Bumrah

Manchester: India's series victory over England has seen the Rohit Sharma-led side further consolidate their third place ahead of Pakistan on the latest ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings.India, with 109 rating points, are now three ahead of Pakistan (106), as New Zealand continue to be the No.1 side with 128 rating points. Jos Buttler's England, in spite of losing the three-match ODI series, are second with 121 rating points.A maiden One-day International century by wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant helped India clinch a 2-1 series victory over England on Sunday and in the process ensured they held on to third spot.That situation could change over the coming weeks, with sixth-placed South Africa currently only seven rating points behind Pakistan and with the opportunity to rise as high as fourth if they can sweep their upcoming three-match series against England.India have their own three-match series against the West Indies later this month and could put further pressure on the likes of Pakistan, Australia and South Africa with a good performance in the Caribbean.Pakistan are currently battling it out on the Test arena against Sri Lanka, with the next 50-over assignment for Babar Azam's side in August in the Netherlands. —IANS

India's series victory over England has seen the Rohit Sharma-led side further consolidate their third place ahead of Pakistan on the latest ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings.

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