Northern Diamonds begin quest to go one better, but other contenders could emerge

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2021

Southern Vipers

Last season: Winners
Director of Cricket: Adam Carty

Coach: Charlotte Edwards
Captain:Georgia Adams
The Vipers stormed to the title in the inaugural season of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, winning all six group games and defending 231 in the final against Northern Diamonds at Edgbaston. They had the competition’s leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in Georgia Adams and Charlotte Taylor respectively, and were the dominant force throughout the season.The challenge this year is to back those performances up when England players are available for a greater proportion of the season. The Vipers will be boosted by the returns of Danni Wyatt and Georgia Elwiss but it will be a major test for their less experienced players to come up against internationals on a more regular basis.Both of those returning England players bring intrigue. Wyatt, a T20 firestarter by trade, has never quite cracked ODI cricket and has struggled for international runs since the start of 2020. She was given Lisa Keightley’s backing despite a lean series in New Zealand earlier this year, but comes into this season under scrutiny; with Adams anchoring the innings alongside her, she should have licence to play her shots. Elwiss, meanwhile, has not made it onto the field in an England shirt since July 2019, and missed the whole of last summer with a back injury. She will be desperate to provide a reminder of her all-round worth.Key player: The biggest test of the season will come if Adams’ domestic form is rewarded with an England call-up. Her captaincy last year – in combination with Charlotte Edwards’ leadership as head coach – galvanised the squad and her consistency with the bat has not gone unnoticed. She might well have been considered for England’s tour to New Zealand over the winter but for shoulder surgery, and if she is named in the squads for the India series – likely to be announced in within the next two weeks – then the Vipers will feel her absence keenly.One to watch: Lauren Bell is a tall seamer who bowls hooping inswingers and finds sharp bounce from a good length. She took seven wickets in four appearances last season, spending most of the summer in England’s training group in the Derby bubble, but should have the opportunity to lead the attack alongside Tara Norris throughout this year. Still only 20, she is one of England’s best young seam-bowling prospects, alongside Central Sparks tearaway Issy Wong.Georgia Adams lofts one over the leg side•PA Images via Getty Images

Northern Diamonds

Last season: Runners-up
Director of Cricket: James Carr

Coach: Danielle Hazell
Captain: Hollie Armitage
Beaten by Southern Vipers in the final, the Diamonds are looking to go one better this year. Having reached 74 for 1 in the decider, the Diamonds’ collapse to 96 for 6 hurt them as they were bowled out for 193 inside 43 overs at the hands of Charlotte Taylor’s stunning six-wicket haul.If they can take advantage of having the likes of England stars Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver in their ranks for the early part of the season, the Diamonds should be able to inflict some damage on their opponents. From there, it will be down to those that are left to kick on once international duty calls.Among them, Jenny Gunn provides vast all-round experience, Beth Langston was their leading wicket-taker last year with 12 at 19.41 and Dutch player Sterre Kalis offers big run-scoring potential. After three ducks in a row last season, Kalis struck three consecutive fifties to lead the team ahead of Hollie Armitage and Gunn. If Kalis can press on from the outset, it will stand her side in good stead.Key player: Lauren Winfield-Hill is on a mission to make an England opening berth her own again and she started well with an unbeaten 140 for England Women A against England Women in a pre-season warm-up earlier this month. Time in the England squad bubble restricted her to just three matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy last season, with a highest score of 72 in her overall tally of 93 runs. Having finally settled into a treatment regimen in recent months for Crohn’s disease, she is feeling and performing better physically, which can only mean good things for the Diamonds, if not England.One to watch: Bess Heath, the 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, signalled her early form with a quick-fire 30 off 20 balls in a recent pre-season friendly against England Academy, including four fours and a six. Home-schooled throughout her secondary education, often through hands-on outdoor learning, Heath’s love of cricket was forged through playing the game with her three older brothers. With eight catches, she had the most dismissals of any keeper in the competition last year.Lauren Winfield-Hill hopes a good start with Northern Diamonds will lead to England selection•Getty Images

Western Storm

Last season 2nd, South Group
Director of cricket Lisa Pagett
Coach Mark O’Leary
Captain Sophie LuffWestern Storm spent the Kia Super League years vying with Southern Vipers to be considered the dominant force, and that rivalry extended into the inaugural RHF Trophy. Storm won four out of their six matches in the group, but twice went down to the Vipers, who pipped them to top spot and went on to lift the title after an unbeaten campaign.Although the squad has changed a fair bit since the KSL days, and highly rated former head coach Trevor Griffin is now at Sunrisers, Storm retain an air of white-ball knowhow: margins of victory by 86 runs, 47 runs, seven wickets and six wickets in their other group games hint at how strong they were. In captain Sophie Luff they had the tournament’s third-leading run-scorer, while few sides could match the all-round depth provided by Georgia Hennessy (209 runs, 11 wickets), Fi Morris (115 runs, 11 wickets) and Alex Griffths (141 runs, three wickets).Experienced offspinner Claire Nicholas is on maternity leave, but with their three England players available for the opening half of the tournament – captain Heather Knight taking her place in the ranks and Anya Shrubsole and Katie George primed for action after injury-disrupted winters – Storm are once again likely to be among the leading contenders.Key player: Still waiting for a chance with England, Luff is a giant of the domestic scene in the West Country. Storm’s No. 3 has shone in the pre-contract era, twice a KSL winner and mainstay with Somerset. At 27 and playing as well as ever, there is still time to make an unanswerable case for inclusion at the next level.One to watch: Nat Wraith, 19, is a “wicketkeeper who gets on with it with the bat”, according to Knight. Bristol born and currently studying at Cardiff University, she cites South Africa’s Quinton de Kock as her favourite player. Wraith played all six games in last year’s RHF Trophy, tallying 111 runs at 22.20 – including 68 off 75 against the Vipers – and winning an ECB domestic deal.Sophie Luff clears the front leg•Getty Images

Central Sparks

Last season: 2nd, North Group
Director of cricket Laura MacLeod
Coach Lloyd Tennant
Captain Eve JonesThe Sparks finished runners-up behind RHF finalists Northern Diamonds in 2020, and were the only team to beat the Headingley-based outfit during the group stage. Opening batter and captain Eve Jones led from the front, although they were perhaps over reliant on runs from the top order – only Jones, Marie Kelly and Gwenan Davies managed to pass 100 for the campaign.To kick on, the Sparks will hope for greater returns from a clutch of young batters including Poppy Davies, Chloe Hill – the pair who made sure of victory over the Diamonds with an unbroken 46-run fifth-wicket stand at Headingley – and Milly Home. Allrounder Clare Boycott was fourth in the run-scoring with a mere 53, and she was also joint-leading wicket-taker with eight, alongside legspinner Anisha Patel. On their day Liz Russell, who claimed 4 for 28 against the Diamonds, and Issy Wong, wrecker of the Thunder top order at Edgbaston, could be match-winners with the ball, too.The availability of their England pair, aggressive wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones and legspinner Sarah Glenn, who is also looking to burnish her allrounder credentials, should give them even greater cutting edge. Ria Fackrell, a top-order batter and offspinner who arrived over the winter from Lightning, also adds to their options.Key player: With 334 runs at 66.80, including a century and two fifties, to finish fourth on the competition run-scorers’ list, Eve Jones was in fine form last season. If she and namesake Amy (no relation) get going against the new ball, it could be a case of keeping up with the Joneses for opposing teams this year.One to watch: Look no further than Issy Wong. The 19-year-old joined England’s tour to New Zealand over the winter in a development capacity, and as a pace bowler has ambitions to hit the 80mph mark – never previously achieved in women’s cricket. With her penchant for a funky haircut and ability to solve a Rubik’s cube in circa 30 seconds, there’s plenty to like.Issy Wong appeals•Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

South East Stars

Last season: 3rd, South Group
Director of Cricket: Richard Bedbrook

Coach: Johann Myburgh
Captain:Tash Farrant
The Stars’ first season in the regional domestic structure was a mixed bag: they were beaten home and away by the top two in the South Group, but cruised to wins against bottom club Sunrisers to finish third. They used a competition-high 18 players, and the result was that there were few standout performers: Tash Farrant, the captain, won an England recall thanks to her nine wickets in six games, but no batter managed to score 150 runs across the season.As a result, improvements with the bat will be crucial to their chances this summer. They have two teenagers with great potential in Chloe Brewer and Alice Capsey, while Aylish Cranstone – who will have made significant strides forward over the winter as a contracted player and Susie Rowe – back in the game after several years focusing on her hockey career – bring some experience. Sophia Dunkley, who is almost certain to receive more England opportunities this season, will be vital in the early stages.Related

• Sunrisers greet new dawn for women's game with equal focus on mental and physical strength

• Katie Levick battles suspected long Covid ahead of season start

• 'There's an awful lot of fight left in me' – Lauren Winfield-Hill rediscovers her England ambition

• Same family, same team: meet Kathryn and Sarah Bryce of Scotland

Dunkley is one of a number of players who could be lost to England duty, and international call-ups could well have a significant impact on the Stars’ season. Farrant, Freya Davies, Alice Davidson-Richards and Bryony Smith may all miss fixtures at some stage, leaving a big hole in the bowling attack. As a result, it is vital that they hit the ground running while all of them are available and hope their uncapped players can cover the gaps later in the summer.Key player: Farrant’s performances and subsequent England recall last year were crucial in demonstrating the clear new path from domestic success to international cricket, but also set the tone for the rest of the Stars’ attack with the new ball. Her ability to chip in with some lower-middle-order runs and her captaincy will be vitally important, too – though if she is picked for England’s series against India, she will be a huge loss.One to watch: “If you want to know who’s going to be opening the batting for England in five years’ time, have a watch of the London Cup live stream right now,” the journalist Raf Nicholson tweeted last summer. “Her name is Alice Capsey.” Still only 16, Capsey is particularly strong hitting down the ground and through midwicket, as she demonstrated in a nerveless 73 not out off 75 balls in a successful chase against Sunrisers last summer. Having batting at No. 4 last season, she may shuffle further up this year.Alice Capsey flays through the off side•Getty Images

Thunder

Last season: 3rd, North Group
Director of Cricket: David Thorley

Coach: Paul Shaw
Captain:Alex Hartley
Thunder got the better of Lightning twice in as many meetings last year, although that proved to be of more meteorological than RHFT significance, as both sides finished off the pace in 3rd and 4th place respectively in the North Group.If Thunder are to improve on that showing in 2021, then you can expect their gun spinner Sophie Ecclestone to be in the thick of the action. Still only 22, Ecclestone has risen to the top of the ICC’s T20I rankings, having married impact and economy to devastating effect, and in what is still a young squad, her experience will be invaluable.Regardless of how many games Ecclestone is available for, the Thunder squad won’t be lacking spin options. The skipper, Alex Hartley, is another left-arm purveyor, as is Hannah Jones, who played all six of their RHFT matches last season and was awarded a full-time professional contract in the winter. And then there’s Liberty Heap, a 17-year-old offie whose 3 for 34 was instrumental in the second of their wins over Lightning.But the squad’s success is likely to be defined by their other departments – notably the batting, which never really fired in 2020, with just three half-centuries, two of which came in their opening fixture as they posted 200 for the only time in the competition. Much will be expected of Emma Lamb, earmarked to bat at No.3, and Ellie Threlkeld, the wicketkeeper and No.4, as well as powerful Laura Marshall at the top of the order.Key player: Kate Cross has been there or thereabouts in the England set-up for years now, but with Freya Davies now edging ahead of her in the pecking order, she may well be on hand to lead Thunder’s seam attack through their campaign. If the pitches at the first-class venues turn out to be true, spin alone may not cut it.One to watch: Given the whippersnappers in her midst, Natalie Brown is a relative old sweat at the age of 30. But she was the team’s most consistent source of runs throughout the 2020 campaign, with 189 at 31.50. And what’s more, she passed 25 in five of her six innings, but made a top score of 52, which implies there’s more to come if she can apply herself with similar discipline this time around.Kate Cross in action for Thunder during the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy•Getty Images

Lightning

Last season: 4th, North Group
Director of Cricket: Ian Read

Coach: Rob Taylor
Captain: Kathryn Bryce
A tough campaign in last year’s RHFT, marked by the loss of a glut of tight contests, was enlivened only by Lightning’s twin victories over their Midlands rivals, Central Sparks, as they finished rock-bottom of the North Group. However, theirs is a squad with sufficient pedigree to make a better fist of things this year, not least thanks to the Sister Act on which their 2020 campaign was pinned.Captain Kathryn Bryce was the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps at 15.42, and chipped in with 141 runs at 28.20, while her younger sister and fellow Scotland international, Sarah, bossed their runs-charts with 395 at 79.00, second only to Southern Vipers’ trophy-winning Georgia Adams.And, assuming Bryce Minor maintains those levels, then the prospect of her teaming up with the returning England star, Tammy Beaumont, at the top of the order is mouthwatering. Kirstie Gordon, another Scot within the Lightning squad, albeit one who has long since pledged her allegiance to the Sassanachs, claimed just three wickets with her left-arm spin but was the squad’s most economical performer.Kathryn and Sarah Bryce talk mid-pitch•Getty ImagesKey player: Beaumont was available for just two Trophy fixtures last season due to the concurrent West Indies series, but she proved her eye is still in on the recent tour of New Zealand, averaging 231 in the ODIs with three consecutive half-centuries, before a further matchwinning 63 in the second T20I.One to watch: The South Africa-born Michaela Kirk, 21, has hopes of using her dual-passport to one day play for England, but for the time being she arrives with a big reputation and a big opportunity to seize the limelight, having also been signed as one of Trent Rockets’ overseas players for the Hundred. A hard-hitting batter in the mould of her mentor Mignon du Preez, she’s been playing top-level domestic cricket since making her debut for Northerns as an offspinning 13-year-old in 2012.

Sunrisers

Last season: 4th, South Group
Director of Cricket: Danni Warren

Coach: Trevor Griffin
Captain: Amara Carr
A young Sunrisers side – they range in age from 17 to 29 – went winless throughout the 2020 season but Danni Warren, their director of cricket, believes they will have grown from experience and exposure in the competition as well as six months training in a fully professional set-up, which includes Trevor Griffin, coach of reigning WBBL champions Sydney Thunder and a two-time KSL-winning coach with Western Storm.Up-and-coming England spinner Mady Villiers and Fran Wilson, with 64 international appearances to her name, add depth alongside the likes of full-time contract holders Naomi Dattani, Cordelia Griffith and captain Amara Carr who are all former England Women’s Academy members.Right-arm seamer Sonali Patel, who has just turned 18, was the team’s leading wicket-taker last season with seven, including 4 for 52 against South East Stars, while fellow right-arm seamer 20-year-old Katie Wolfe also took seven wickets, which bodes well for the future.Cordelia Griffith is one of five Sunrisers to earn a full-time professional domestic contract•Getty ImagesKey player: Jo Gardner, Sunrisers’ leading run-scorer last year with 193 at 32.16, is among five women in the team who are expected to take the next step in their careers as full-time professionals. Gardner also claimed seven wickets with her off-breaks and is no slouch in the field. A keen golfer, Gardner has also secured a spot with Oval Invincibles for the Hundred.One to watch: Now just 17, Grace Scrivens was second on Sunrisers’ run-scoring charts last season with 137 at 22.83 and a highest score of 72. She also claimed three wickets with her off-spin and will undoubtedly have benefited from her experience playing all six matches of Sunrisers’ campaign. This season, Scrivens scored 191 runs in six matches, including an unbeaten 94 off 62 balls against Surrey, as her Kent side went undefeated to win the Women’s County T20 South East Group.

A county regular made it to The Oval for the opening night of the Hundred. Would it end up as an “I Was There” moment?

Tawhid Qureshi22-Jul-2021The game
The Hundred is supposedly English cricket’s Brexit; a contentious new format that has polarised opinion. Despite the nagging sense that I was betraying my loyalty to county cricket, it still felt important to be at The Oval for the first-ever match of the Hundred, if only to see what all the fuss was about. Perhaps it will turn out to be a significant “I Was There” moment or it could just end up as a curious footnote in cricket’s long history.I was determined to view the game through the lens of open-mindedness rather than scepticism, but I was also aware that middle-aged me is not really the demographic that the ECB marketing team is so desperate to attract. So I thought it would make sense to invite my nine-year-old nephew and experience the game through his eyes. Unfortunately, as it was a school night, he wasn’t allowed to join me. Even though two hours and 30 minutes might seem like a short time for a cricket match, the 6.30pm start creates a finish time that’s too late for many kids, just one small example of the organisers shooting themselves in the foot.Watching county cricket as a solo spectator is almost the norm: during County Championship matches at The Oval, the stands are flecked with the odd person against a vast backdrop of empty upturned seats. On this occasion, I was very much the exception, as groups of families and young friends were in the majority. It was in keeping with the general theme of the evening, when almost every assumption associated with a game of cricket was challenged.Key performers
I’m ashamed to admit that the last time I went to a women’s cricket match was about ten years ago and I’ve only kept loose tabs on the women’s game. That changed after England’s 2017 World Cup win and the increasing visibility of the women’s game on TV and radio. And having watched much of the recent England series against India, my interest was certainly piqued.I recognised Kate Cross from that recent series, as well as from presenting a popular BBC podcast which also features her team-mate Alex Hartley. Cross picked up two wickets in two balls and three altogether .Her second wicket, a ball viciously jagging back to hit middle stump, was the best of the lot.Wait, what does that mean?•Getty ImagesThe batting partnership between real-life partners Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp broke the back of the chase for the Oval Invincibles. The cameo innings by Mady Villiers, including a much-needed six, was also vital. But it was the brief innings of the Manchester Originals’ Harmanpreet Kaur that really caught the eye. She appeared to have much more time and timing than anyone else. Early in her innings, she hit four fours in five balls, the best boundary being a flowing cover drive which sent the ball skipping to the rope.One thing I’d change
It’s difficult to boil it down to one thing! I ended up with a long mental note of things that need improving. The most fundamental issue is the format itself. Doing away with overs in favour of five-ball sets is difficult to get used to. Similarly deciphering a scoreboard that doesn’t show total runs scored, in favour of runs required and the waving of a white card by umpires to signify a ten-ball over (at least that’s what I think it meant) are also alien concepts. A bit like learning to bat left-handed after a lifetime of holding the bat the opposite way.There was always going to be an element of people taking time to understand the new format, even more so for those who are entirely new to the sport. There were lots of quizzical looks among groups of fans at the start of the game and conversations about what exactly was going on in the middle, and I felt no embarrassment about being confused myself. The giant screen showing runs and balls only was self-explanatory but the more detailed scoreboard on the smaller screen was almost impenetrable. Interestingly the largest scoreboard, the non-digital one, was made redundant: it’s layout sadly deemed no longer fit for purpose. It might seem like a minor detail but to not show partnership runs detracted from the overall narrative of the game. In general, the short five-ball sets initially seemed to make things feel a bit disjointed and caused the game to lack rhythm.The crowd
Easily the best thing about the evening was the crowd. Exactly how many were paying customers is a moot point, as many were enticed by complimentary tickets. In any case, the largest crowd for an English domestic women’s game was exactly how the organisers wanted it to be: diverse. People weren’t obsessed about refilling empty pint glasses; instead the crowd felt innocent and totally intent on enjoying the occasion. It reminded me of crowds at the 2012 London Olympics, which had a similar feel-good undertone. It was very different to the crowds found at the Oval for a T20 Blast match, when the frenetic energy of after-work drinkers can sometimes blur the line between fun and rowdiness.Young fans seemed to enjoy the thrilling finish to the game•Getty ImagesThe pre-match fireworks, the DJ and the music during the interval were all lapped up by the crowd. The most memorable thing were the shrieks of delight from youngsters towards the end of the Oval Invincibles’ chase. With 10 balls remaining and 16 runs required, the crowd played a big part in getting the home team across the line.Marks out of 10
A strangely satisfying 7. As I tried to let the game wash over me rather than judge its shortcomings, I feared I wouldn’t really be invested in the outcome. I only knew a few of the players on show and most of them were playing for the away team, the Manchester Originals. But then I noticed that the crowd didn’t really seem to care who was scoring the runs or taking wickets, they were just enjoying each boundary and catch as an exciting event in itself. I decided to take my cue from them and try and revel in the slightly weird moment, and it almost worked.
Want to do a Fan Following report? Read our FAQ here.

As Jofra Archer succumbs to injury, England’s Mr Durable rolls on in miraculous style

George Dobell05-Aug-2021A few years shy of his 100th birthday, the comedian George Burns signed a five-year deal to perform at a Vegas hotel. Would he make it, a journalist asked? “It looks like a pretty sound business,” Burns replied. “It should be OK.”James Anderson appears to be made of the same stuff. From Alec to Sam, he has been the man England teams have relied upon to exploit conditions on good days and stop the bleeding on tough ones. In his 40th year, at an age when other seam bowlers have long-since transferred to the commentary box, he remains as hungry and potent as ever.There was some poignancy in the timing of his two-wicket burst on the second day here. It came as news emerged that Jofra Archer, the man whom many expected to succeed him as England’s attack leader, had been ruled out for the rest of the year with a recurrence of an elbow injury that would appear to raise questions about his future in this format, at least. It was wretched news that will have any cricket lover, whoever they support, sick to their stomach for him. Archer is a hugely exciting 26-year-old with many unfulfilled dreams. If good wishes change anything, there are surely a few chapters left to be written in Archer’s playing career.But his struggles provide a reminder, if one were required, of the miraculous nature of Anderson’s career. Opinion is divided on whether he’s the seam bowler of his era. But what can hardly be disputed is that he is the most durable. And that his durability is something almost miraculous in itself.Related

• James Anderson admits his wife talked him out of retirement after injury setbacks

• Archer ruled out of all cricket for the rest of 2021 after recurrence of elbow fracture

• Masterful Anderson leaves India wobbling on rain-hit day

• Stats – James Anderson's 454-ball wait against Virat Kohli comes to an end

• James Anderson's moment of mastery sets tone for another duel for the ages with Virat Kohli

When he started his career (his List A debut was in 2000), T20 cricket hadn’t been invented, the Dead Sea was just the Sick Sea (that’s a George Burns gag) and Sam Curran was still in nappies. Now he’s delivered almost 35,000 deliveries in Test cricket alone – that’s nearly 5,000 more than any other seamer in history – and, with the wicket of Virat Kohli, drew level with Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 Test wickets. Only two men, Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralidaran, have more.Over that time, various players have emerged who we thought might eventually succeed him as England’s attack leader. There was Steven Finn, for example. And Chris Woakes. But now we look back, it’s entirely possible that Anderson will out-last them both. Chris Tremlett, with whom Anderson played in the Ashes-winning side of 2010-11, is also 39. And he’s been retired for six years.It was Anderson’s reaction to the wicket of Kohli which was telling. While he barely celebrated the dismissal of Cheteshwar Pujara (who probably received the delivery of the day; a ball which demanded a stroke and left him to take the edge), the dismissal of Kohli inspired an uninhibited dash round the in-field that even Imran Tahir might have found excessive. Not just that, but it elicited the sort of unabashed smile which Anderson seldom displays on a cricket pitch. “I probably used some muscles that I don’t often use there, didn’t I?” he dead-panned later.In truth, it was – by the high standards of Test cricket – a slightly loose shot from Kohli. A nervous shot, anyway. A stroke which suggested that, while Anderson had not dismissed him for seven years in Test cricket, Kohli knew he was in for a tough encounter under the sort of overcast conditions in which the bowler thrives. As a result, he pushed surprisingly hard at one he might, in retrospect, have left. Anderson was ecstatic.”There was some emotion in the celebration,” he said later. “I knew how important that was for the team. It’s such a big wicket.”To bowl the ball exactly where I wanted to, and for him to nick it…. Getting their best player doesn’t happen that often. And getting Kohli out that early is quite unusual. It was just an outpouring of emotion.”James Anderson gave Joe Root reasons to smile on the second afternoon at Trent Bridge•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile there is probably an element of freakish genetics to credit for Anderson’s longevity, he has endured his own spells of disappointment and despair. In the lead-up to this game, he revealed he had come close to retiring in 2019 when it proved tough to recover from a calf injury. At other times, he has suffered a stress fracture, a serious shoulder injury and, remarkably, a broken rib caused by over-exertion. Make no mistake, Anderson has suffered for his art.So it was no surprise that Anderson expressed great sympathy for Archer. He knows the mental pain Archer will now be experiencing and he knows how lonely and arduous the recovery process can prove. Not everyone has the drive to keep putting themselves through it.”He’s been a really influential part of the team since he started playing for England,” Anderson said. “He’ll be a huge miss with what’s coming up in the rest of the year. But I think this injury has been bugging him for quite a while. Hopefully this can be the end of it. He’s been great for this team and we want him back, fully fit and firing.”The news of Archer’s injury confirmed something else that we have probably suspected for a while: if the Ashes tour goes ahead – and that may be a 50-50 call right now – it seems likely that Anderson will be the man leading England’s attack. Really, it’s not impossible Anderson will be fine to make the Ashes but the Ashes itself won’t be able to take place. It’s George Burns’ joke in action.Can England challenge in the Ashes with a 39-year-old spearhead? Well, it’s not what any of us expected. And it’s not what England planned. But so often has Anderson challenged our preconceptions that it seems foolish to dismiss the possibility entirely. No doubt they would have preferred he was complementing an attack which included Archer, but it is not to be.And that, so often, has been the way of things with Anderson. When others have faltered and fallen, he has been the man that a succession of England captains – from Nasser Hussain to Andrew Strauss and Joe Root – have relied upon to fill the holes. There have been times, such as when England went to No. 1 in the Test rankings with a four-man attack, when you suspected they asked too much of him. But, equally, you suspect he rather enjoys that responsibility.Either way, after all these years and all the success, Anderson remains the man on whom England’s hopes will rest. It has been an incredible career.

At one stage in his career, the fast bowler played just three T20 matches in more than 2000 days

Jarrod Kimber15-Nov-20213:12

Moody: Credit to Langer and Finch for galvanising this Australian team

Josh Hazlewood dismisses Daryl Mitchell with immaculate line and length. That shouldn’t surprise you. Line and length at decent pace is Hazlewood’s talent. Taking wickets is what he does.The weirdest thing is that Hazlewood is at the World Cup at all. In 2019, at an ODI World Cup in England, Hazlewood was overlooked for the squad twice. The first time, Cricket Australia said he wasn’t fit enough, but there was an injury where they could have inserted him, and they still didn’t choose Hazlewood. Despite the fact that he was in the country playing for Australia A during the tournament.Although, in 2016, it was nearly as confusing that he playing in the T20 World Cup hosted in India.On February 5, 2014, he had played a match for Sydney Sixers. On January 5, 2020, he played for the Sixers again. In that almost six-year window he played three T20s. All three were in 2016. The first was in a high-scoring game in Johannesburg, and then two World Cup matches in India. One against Pakistan in Mohali where he did well, and then Virat Kohli destroyed him at the same ground.Australia had two years to prepare him for a World Cup in India. In two years coming into that tournament, he played one game. Kohli in that same period played 45 matches. If you look at pure talent, these are both A-list players. But one had spent a generation working on his T20 game, and the other had been overlooked by his own team.How on earth can Hazlewood only play three T20s in 2161 days?Related

• 'I can't wait to keep playing with this team' – Stoinis, Langer, Maxwell, Cummins and others reflect on Australia's win

• Mitchell Marsh proves his doubters wrong

• Toss played 'a big part', admits Aaron Finch, but so did Australia aggression

Welcome to Australian cricket over the last few years, where their planning seems to be very last minute, or not at all. But the talent, well, we saw again, it’s off the chart.Look at the players that didn’t do much in the final. Steven Smith never even made it to the crease, and while his T20 credentials may not be as special, he’s still Steven Smith. Aaron Finch just had perhaps the quietest World Cup of any winning captain ever. But he is the fourth-leading scorer in men’s T20I history. And Mitchell Starc, usually Australia’s – and sometimes the world’s – best white-ball bowler, just had the worst T20 match of his entire career, allowing ten more runs than he ever has in a game before. Glenn Maxwell had a quiet tournament as well. The same Maxwell who was in the UAE during the IPL destroying bowling attacks. He is one of the true batting freaks with the ability to hit boundaries and not take up dot balls. None of these players starred in this World Cup, and it just didn’t matter.Josh Hazlewood was the pick of Australia’s quicks•Getty ImagesDid Australia plan for this tournament? Not like other teams. Matthew Wade is fitting into this side wherever they need him, not where he’s suited. Yet he still played his best-ever middle-order innings the other day. That’s testament to the talent of Wade, not any great preparation.None of this is new either. In 2016 David Warner was asked to not open. In 2014, Hazlewood wasn’t in the team, despite having a great BBL season. Back in 2012, Xavier Doherty found himself bowling at the death for Australia in the semi-final to Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard.Wade’s partner for the semi-final victory was Marcus Stoinis, who recently decided to try and become the world’s best finisher. Australia were toying with him as a No. 3 only last year. Stoinis became a late-overs enforcer through the necessity of his IPL team, Delhi Capitals.

Cricket on ESPN+

Match highlights of the Men’s T20 World Cup final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

Even the Mitchell Marsh decision was random. Australia have tried eight No. 3 batters in the last two years. Even in this tournament, they have used Maxwell and Smith. Marsh was dropped from one game; in another he was demoted. Those are three pretty important batters in Australia’s finals.This team arrived knowing they had plenty of talent, but experience, role definition, strategy, and planning wasn’t their thing.But when Marsh saw a short ball from Adam Milne first delivery and pulled it into the crowd, that was talent smacking preparation in the face. This team has assembled accidentally, but with some incredible players.You can focus on some of their luck; they won six tosses, and six matches. They were a wicket from going home just after halfway in their innings against Pakistan. And for the final, they went up against the team that seems to have a mental block against them.But you cannot argue with the talent of this team.Not many countries would ignore a player like Hazlewood as a white-ball bowler. But not many could.Josh Hazlewood delivered for his captain using a lot of his Test skills•AFP/Getty ImagesHazlewood’s comeback to T20 is because Australia had given up on him as a white-ball bowler. So he played some BBL, had some decent games, and was then brought in the IPL auction. In his second season for CSK this year he did well – partly because of the form of Lungi Ngidi and injury to Sam Curran.Giving a player of this talent the financial imperative to become good and some experience playing games really improved him. He may never be an all-time T20 great, just because of how little he will ever play. And at times in this tournament he certainly showed that he still has a lot to learn, especially at the death.In his bad moments, you can see why Australia were never completely sure of Hazlewood the T20 bowler. He is metronomic in the style of Mohammad Abbas or Vernon Philander. In T20s, those bowlers get lined up; everyone knows where he is going to land them. But Hazlewood is taller and faster than most bowlers of his accuracy. And he’s been working on his variations, including a knuckleball and a decent cutter.The Daryl Mitchell wicket was accurate. Hazlewood had delivered three consecutive deliveries just outside off stump on a hard length. Mitchell played the first two well, timing both of them perfectly but straight to the ring. Had he picked the gap with either, he would have had four.What might Hazlewood have done in 2016, with no experience behind him? Here he chose to deliver the third ball in exactly the same spot. Mitchell decided to change his plan of attack and run it fine for a boundary. But while the ball was near identical in line and length, it was not just a standard Hazlewood delivery. He bowled it with a cross seam and then ran his fingers down the back.Mitchell gave himself some room, opened the blade a little, and the ball deceived him off the deck by stopping. He wasn’t in the right place, and he ended up running it through to the keeper. It was a skill Hazlewood doesn’t need in Tests and, two years ago, probably wouldn’t have been in control of. But here he was so much in control he used it to dismiss the batter who put New Zealand into the final.Think of this as the new Josh Hazlewood, who has been perfecting his T20 bowling in the IPL – playing more than 50% of his career matches in the last two years. And becoming a good T20 bowler in spite of his country.But, very much like Australia, Hazlewood worked it out at the right time, and because of his talent he, and they, won. Line and length at decent pace is what Hazlewood does. Winning is what Australia does.

All the stats and numbers from Pakistan’s thrilling win in the second Test against Bangladesh

Sampath Bandarupalli08-Dec-2021300 for 4 Pakistan’s total in the first innings, the third-lowest total by them to result in an innings win. They defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 20 runs in 1986 in Kandy despite a first-innings total of 230, and claimed an innings and one run victory against New Zealand in Karachi in 1955 after posting 289.3 Teams winning a Test by an innings margin since World War II, despite a total lower than Pakistan’s 300 for 4 while batting first. The lowest total is 269 all out, by England against New Zealand in 1958 at the Lord’s, with the home side winning by a margin of an innings and 148 runs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1291 Balls bowled in the Dhaka Test, the second shortest Test match in terms of balls in Bangladesh to yield a result. The shortest completed Test was 1287 balls long, between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2018, also in Dhaka.7 Test wins for Pakistan in 2021, the joint-most for them in a calendar year. They won seven Tests each in 1982 and 2002 as well. All those seven wins came under Babar Azam, who made his captaincy debut this year. Only Steve Waugh (8 wins in 1999) and Ricky Ponting (7 wins in 2004) won as many Tests as Babar in their captaincy debut year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd8 for 42 Sajid Khan’s bowling figures in the first innings, the best for any bowler against Bangladesh in Tests. Stuart MacGill is the only other bowler with an 8-wicket haul against Bangladesh, with figures of 8 for 108 in Fatullah in 2006. Sajid’s bowling figures are also the second-best by a bowler in Bangladesh, behind Taijul Islam’s 8 for 39 in Dhaka in 2014.12 for 128 Sajid’s match figures in the Dhaka Test, the third-best for any bowler in a Test match in Bangladesh. Nathan Lyon’s 13 for 154 against the home side in 2017 in Chattogram are the best Test match figures in the country, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 12 for 117 against West Indies in 2018 stands second.3 Players with better bowling figures in a Test innings for Pakistan than Sajid’s 8 for 42 against Bangladesh. Abdul Qadir and Sarfaraz Nawaz had nine-wicket hauls, while Yasir Shah claimed 8 for 41 against New Zealand in 2018. Sajid’s match figures of 12 for 128 are also the second-best for Pakistan in the past 20 years.ESPNcricinfo Ltd87 Bangladesh’s first-innings total is the joint-lowest in Bangladesh in Test cricket. Bangladesh equal their own mark, against West Indies back in 2002. The 87 all-out is also the joint-fourth lowest total for Bangladesh in this format.6 Players with the all-round double of 4000-plus runs and 200-plus wickets in Test cricket, including Shakib Al Hasan. Achieving the double in 59 Tests, Shakib became the fastest player to get there, eclipsing Sir Ian Botham, who did it in 69 matches.

ESPNcricinfo brings you all the statistical highlights from a run-fest in Hamilton

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Mar-20221 Number of totals while chasing in Women’s ODIs, higher than England’s 298 for 8 on Saturday. The highest total is 305 for 9 by South Africa in an unsuccessful attempt to chase 374 against England during the 2017 World Cup.608 Runs scored in this match by Australia and England in Hamilton, the third-highest aggregate in a Women’s ODI. The 2017 World Cup game between England and South Africa aggregated 678 runs, while 635 runs were scored in the 2018 Dublin ODI between New Zealand and Ireland, courtesy of New Zealand’s 491 for 4.Related

• Haynes-Lanning record stand studs close Australia win

310 for 3 Australia’s total in this match, their second-highest total in the Women’s World Cup. Only once before have they breached the 300-run mark at the World Cup, when they scored 412 for 3 against Denmark in 1997. The 310 runs scored by Australia is also the highest ODI total against England women, surpassing South Africa’s 305 for 9 in 2017.1 England’s 298 is also the highest total against Australia in ODIs, going past New Zealand’s 288 for six in 2012 in Sydney. New Zealand also ended up on the losing side in that game as Australia chased it down with 20 balls to spare.130 Rachael Haynes’ score in this match, her highest in ODIs. It is also the second-highest individual score by any player against England in this format, behind the 148* by Belinda Clark in 2000 in Newcastle.4 ODI centuries by Natalie Sciver. All four of her tons have come while batting at No.4 and lower, the most by a player in Women’s ODIs. Harmanpreet Kaur (3) and Stafanie Taylor (2) are the other batters with multiple ODI hundreds while batting at No.4 and lower.