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Tara Norris, Amelia Kerr share five wickets as Spirit strangle home side for first win

Matt Roller15-Aug-2023London Spirit clinched their first win of the season to leave their rivals Oval Invincibles’ bid for a three-peat in tatters, battling back from 53 for 6 and 87 for 9 to defend 118. The back-to-back champions are three points behind third-placed Northern Superchargers, and need not only to win their last two games but to hope other results go their way.Invincibles were in control of the game after taking early wickets. Suzie Bates – captaining for the rest of the season with Dane van Niekerk sidelined – used Marizanne Kapp aggressively: she bowled 15 of the first 20 balls, and 20 of the first 35.And she struck twice early, bowling Niamh Holland and taking a return catch off Heather Knight, and when she completed her allocation, Spirit were 37 for 4 after 35 balls. Spinners Mady Villiers and Sophia Smale strangled Spirit through the middle and when the ninth wicket fell, Spirit were 87 for 9 with 22 balls left in the innings.But Tara Norris and Lauren Filer, Spirit’s No. 10 and 11, ensured that they not only avoided being bowled out, but had a total to defend. In the final set of five balls, Filer hit Alice Capsey for a straight six and a four through mid-off, breaking the record for the highest 10th-wicket stand in the women’s Hundred (31*) in the process.Filer was an unlikely source of runs. She has one senior half-century for Western Storm but admitted afterwards: “I don’t like batting.” She said: “I feel like I’m a ‘go big or go home’ type of batter, but I’ve obviously had to work technically on it as well. Tara has to take credit as well. The first eight or nine balls, I couldn’t find the middle but in that last set of five, I found it.”And Invincibles never got going in the chase. It took until the 20th ball for them to hit a boundary, by which time Lauren Winfield-Hill had holed out to deep midwicket, and Capsey’s cameo of 11 off 6 balls was not the innings they required, with van Niekerk’s absence leaving them light on batting.Bates struggled to time the ball, hitting a solitary boundary in her anchoring innings of 24 off 34, and while Kapp showed her more intent in hitting Filer back over her head for consecutive boundaries, she was the only batter to adjust to the demands of a slow pitch.Sophia Smale picked up two cheap wickets•PA Photos/Getty Images

After Bates sliced Charlie Dean to short third, shortly after the strategic timeout, Kapp had a life: she spooned Norris’ slower ball up towards the edge of the ring, but Knight dropped a tough chance over her shoulder, running back from cover-point. Paige Scholfield fell three balls later, holing out to long-on.Kapp had another life on 28 when Richa Ghosh dropped an under-edge and failed to gather for a stumping chance, but skied a catch behind two balls later. Invincibles were well beaten, eventually bowled out off the final ball of the innings when Amelia Kerr held a blinding return catch to finish with 3 for 16.”We’re ecstatic,” Filer said. “We’ve had rain every game and it’s been up and down. We just needed to come the other side of the river! It’s one of those things. We’ve got a few tough games coming up but we’ve take this going forwards.” Spirit are mathematically still in contention, but need to win their final three games.For Invincibles, van Nierkerk’s absence proved too much to overcome. “It’s a massive hole to fill – she’s such a good batter, as well as a leader,” Smale said. “But I don’t think we should be relying on Dane: we’ve got some really good domestic players in that middle order that have stepped up really well. It’s obviously massive to lose her.”They need to beat Southern Brave in Southampton on Saturday but their title defence looks all but over.

An Afghanistan women’s cricket team, consisting of refugees who now live in Australia, will play a game in Melbourne in January, the first time they have been able to come together as a group since leaving their country following the Taliban takeover.The T20 match between an Afghanistan Women’s XI and a Cricket Without Borders XI will take place on January 30 at Junction Oval ahead of the opening day of the floodlit Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG.The players involved fled Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban came into power and now live in Canberra and Melbourne. Many play for local cricket clubs but have not been able to form themselves into a representative team.The Australian government has been involved in helping set up the match.”Many people across cricket and the community have come together to provide support for members of the Afghanistan women’s team since their relocation to Australia and this match will be a celebration of that work,” Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said.”I’m delighted that their ambition to play together will be achieved in this exhibition match which will be a wonderful addition to the many events around the Day/Night Women’s Ashes Test.”Earlier this year, 17 of the players who were contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2020 prior to the Taliban takeover wrote to the ICC asking for assistance in setting up a refugee team in Australia.”Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face,” the letter said. “Like the Afghanistan men’s team, we aim to compete at the highest levels. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket to show the world the talent of Afghan women, and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC.”On Tuesday, CA announced a partnership with UNICEF Australia as part of the foundation’s “Until Every Girl Can Play” campaign aimed at gender equality.

Watson says the 19-year old’s adaptability to different conditions and India’s plans would be a “good test of his evolution”

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-20252:11

Clarke: ‘Freakish’ debut for Konstas

Sam Konstas’ mentor Shane Watson has admitted the 19-year-old’s audacious start to Test cricket took even him by surprise, both in terms of the strokeplay and the way he carried himself in the field and with the crowd.Konstas scored 60 off 65 balls on the opening morning at the MCG, regularly scooping Jasprit Bumrah, and had a run-in with Virat Kohli who was fined for a shoulder barge. Later in the game he embraced the crowd when fielding on the boundary and was a vocal presence under the helmet, clearly getting under the skin of Yashasvi Jaiswal during the second innings.”I understood what his game plan was, what plan A was anyway,” Watson said as part of the ICC Champions Trophy tour at the SCG. “So when plan B sort of kicked in quite quickly, within a couple of overs, that was a little surprising. But the one thing that we’ve always talked about is trusting his gut.”Related

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While Watson was aware of the range of strokes Konstas had in his locker, even if showing them so early in Test was unexpected, he admitted the character shown in the field was not something he had seen before.”My experience of dealing and working with Sam has been a very quiet, reserved personality,” he said. “[He’s] a very deep thinker and certainly not an extrovert. But obviously what we saw in the Test match is that he absolutely is a showman. And he certainly rose to the occasion, as in he wasn’t overawed.”I know through my experience of debuting…you just put a lot of pressure on yourself because it’s your dream to be able to represent your country, wear the baggy green. But for Sam, it’s superhuman in a way that he sort of just didn’t have any of that at all. You can see it wasn’t put on. That’s just obviously who he is. And again, I hadn’t seen that side of him. It just shows that he’s built for this stage where most people it takes a bit of time to warm up to sort of get into that. Whereas Sam, he obviously just thrives on that.”Konstas has continued to enjoy the trappings of being a Test cricketer since arriving with the squad in Sydney, having photographs with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his fiancée Jodie Haydon during the annual New Year’s Day gathering at Kirribilli House. He also spent time chatting with Kohli, who his brothers took the opportunity to get a photograph with.Albanese joked about his role in Konstas’ rapid rise to the Test side after the century he scored against the Indians in Canberra. “Of course, he got his break in the Prime Minister’s XI [game],” Albanese said. “I’m claiming some of the credit, which is about my only contribution to national cricket.”Shane Watson on Konstas: ‘He’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make adjustments’•Getty Images

On Friday, Konstas will become the youngest Australia men’s player to feature in a Test at his home ground of the SCG followed by the prospect of two Tests in vastly different conditions in Sri Lanka. India had already adjusted their tactics by the second innings in Melbourne where Konstas was kept quiet before being bowled by an inducker from Bumrah.”Look it’s going to be a different challenge for him now,” Watson said. “Because he’s shown what his plan B is. And we already saw in that second innings the field positions certainly changed. It’s going to be a good test of his evolution. To be able to continue to work through how he can take the game on against the best bowlers in the world. But he’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make those adjustments quickly.”He is technically very correct and waits for loose balls. But he’s also got the other gears to be able to hit the ball down the ground. But when they do have third man fine and fine leg fine, the ramp shot is probably out. But you know what? I thought the ramp shot wasn’t going to come out in the first couple of overs, and it did. Sam will just trust what he feels and go with it. And that’s something very special that he taps into.”Australia captain Pat Cummins said there had been no instructions given to Konstas about how to go about his innings and believed he would be able to adjust to different scenarios.”Think he showed how adaptable he can be,” Cummins said. “That takes a lot of skill first of all, but we always encourage our players just to read the moment, play it how they see fit. For Sam he sensed the moment was to attack and put pressure back on the bowlers and he did that, it might be different this week; it might be ‘I’m going to play a slow game and kind of score runs that way’. Our message is always just to back yourself, have really clear plans and back your decision making.”

Crystal Palace have now made an ambitious approach to sign a “rapid” £40m star, who is being targeted by some of the Premier League’s top clubs, according to a report.

Palace's transfer plans taking shape amid Europa League uncertainty

Palace’s decision to reject Tottenham Hotspur’s £70m bid for Marc Guehi in the January transfer window ultimately paid dividends, given that the captain went on to play a key role in the FA Cup triumph against Manchester City.

However, the Eagles will always be well aware that a replacement may be needed this summer, given that Guehi’s contract expires next summer, and Premier League rivals Newcastle United are now believed to be close to completing a deal.

In theory, Selhurst Park should be an attractive destination this summer, given that Europa League football should be on offer next season, although it is still up in the air whether Oliver Glasner’s side will even be able to take part in the competition.

Indeed, amid issues around multi-club ownership, UEFA may remove Crystal Palace from the competition, although they are willing to do whatever it takes to participate.

It remains to be seen whether Palace are allowed to take part, but should they embark on a European adventure, they may need to bring in a top-quality replacement for Guehi, and they have now made an approach for Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande.

That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which states an enquiry has been lodged over the centre-back, who is being targeted as a direct heir to Guehi, and is thought to be valued at £40m.

Diomande could be viewed as an ambitious target, however, considering 2025-26 Champions League participants Chelsea and Newcastle United have also expressed an interest.

Crystal Palace now keen to hijack 21 y/o gem who's the 'next Upamecano'

The Eagles could get one over on their rivals.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 7, 2025

Diomande could be real coup for Palace

Zach Lowy has been left enamoured with the Sporting defender in the past, describing him as “physically imposing” and “rapid”, before going on to claim the 21-year-old “has everything it takes to become one of the best center backs in football.”

As such, if the Eagles were able to win the race for the defender, it would be a real coup, and he could be a fantastic replacement for Guehi, who now appears to be heading to St. James’ Park.

Not only is the Ivorian impressive from a defensive point of view, but he also offers an attacking threat, while regularly displaying his ability in possession of the ball over the past year.

Should Palace manage to win UEFA round and secure their place in the Europa League, a move to Crystal Palace could appeal to Diomande, but they will have to bank on the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle pursuing other targets.

Already closing in on Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United have now reportedly submitted an opening offer to the representatives of an ex-Manchester City defender who is desperate for a move this summer.

Man Utd closing in on Mbeumo as INEOS ramp up summer plans

Despite finishing closer to the relegation zone than any European place and compiling their misery by suffering defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United remain an attractive club. Already, their name has carried enough weight to lure Matheus Cunha to the club and it looks as though Mbeumo is set to follow suit.

Recent reports even suggested that those at Old Trafford are ready to offer the Brentford star a stunning contract worth as much as £13m-a-year to complete a move to Manchester United this summer. If there was a collective belief that the Red Devils were entering this summer with financial limits, then that has already been put to bed somewhat.

INEOS may not be done there, either. They will be well aware that two arrivals won’t do the trick for Ruben Amorim’s side. The former Sporting Club boss needs an overhaul, not just Cunha and Mbeumo. The attacking duo represent the perfect start, however.

INEOS readying strategic £25m bid to sign "unique" Ligue 1 ace for Man Utd

He could join Cunha at Old Trafford.

1

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 6, 2025

With that said, Sir Jim Ratcliffe could yet set his sights on defensive additions now that United’s attack is about to be handed the injection of talent that it so desperately needed. And if that does prove to be the case, then Manchester United may even reportedly seal a deal to sign a former Manchester City star.

Man Utd open talks to sign Laporte

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have now opened talks to sign Aymeric Laporte, making a bid to the defender’s representatives. The centre-back is reportedly desperate to leave Saudi Arabia for European football once again and has been public with his complaints about life at Al-Nassr in the past – sparking exit rumours.

As ever, though, the deal won’t come cheap. Al-Nassr are reportedly keen to recoup the €27m (£23m) that they initially paid out to secure Laporte’s signature in 2023, whilst the defender himself reportedly earns as much as €15m-a-year (£13m-a-year) at the Saudi club.

Whether Manchester United deem that price affordable remains to be seen. However, in terms of quality and experience, Laporte would certainly offer Amorim a much-needed upgrade within his backline. The Spaniard played a huge role in Manchester City’s historic treble in the 2022/23 campaign and could now come back to haunt the Citizens, years after signing for what was then their club record of £57m.

Described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola in 2022, Laporte could yet return to the Premier League and earn similar praise at the home of his former club’s biggest rivals. The move would be full of controversy, there’s no doubt about that. But it would also hand Manchester United an instant upgrade.

England great bows out in perfect finale as England square the series at Kia Oval

Andrew Miller31-Jul-2023

There aren’t many fairytale finishes in elite-level sport, but Stuart Broad came closer than most players ever could. In claiming Australia’s final two wickets at the Kia Oval, Broad put his personal seal on a thrilling fifth Test, closing out a series-squaring 49-run victory, and bowing out on a high with a final tally of 604 wickets at 27.68 in his remarkable 167-Test career.”It was absolutely wonderful,” Broad told Sky Sports at the close. “The crowd were unbelievable. It was so loud and we just jumped on the back of that. To contribute to the team with two wickets is very special. When you make that decision you wonder what your last ball will be so to take a wicket to win an Ashes Test match is pretty cool.”Broad’s decision to retire was announced at the close of play on day three, at which point England led by a hefty 377 runs and appeared nailed on to seal victory in the remaining two days. As things turned out, however, Usman Khawaja and David Warner bit a large chunk out of that with an unbeaten century stand on a truncated fourth day, and it wasn’t until Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali came together in a crucial fifth-wicket alliance on the final afternoon that England’s path to victory was reopened.”I thought Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali set the tone absolutely unbelievably,” Broad added. “Woakesy picked up a couple of wickets, particularly Steve Smith, who has just been a wonderful player to play against all these years. Once we got a couple we really started to believe.”Related

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Moeen bowled 23 overs for his three wickets, despite being hampered with a groin strain sustained while batting on the first day. And afterwards, he too confirmed that this Test would be his last, joking that “if Stokesy messages me again I’m going to delete it,” after the WhatsApp exchange that triggered his return to the side after a two-year absence.”A special mention to Moeen, he’s not officially announced he’s moving on, but we’ve played a lot together and he’s been such a special friend,” Broad added. “To put that performance in to help England win an Ashes Test match will be a dream come true for him.”England’s victory was not without controversy, following a ball-change late on day four that offered significantly more bounce and movement than the 37-over-old original that it replaced. But with Australia’s ninth-wicket pair, Alex Carey and Todd Murphy, whittling the requirement down into the 50s, it took one last act of Broad black magic to break the contest open again. Having successfully swapped the bails in the first innings, moments before Marnus Labuschagne snicked off to Mark Wood, he repeated the trick at the non-striker’s end, then immediately found Murphy’s edge to dismiss him for 18.The fact that England persevered with the same ball that had claimed all ten wickets was, Broad admitted, a lesson that they had learned from their crucial two-wicket loss in the series opener at Edgbaston.”I don’t have many regrets with cricket,” he added. “I wouldn’t have taken the second new ball at Edgbaston. Throughout the series the new ball has been the hardest time to bowl. We found it hard to create changes after that.”If I could turn back the clock for that final hour I’d have maybe stayed with the old ball, stayed heavy and short and see if they’d made a mistake. I had blood in my socks, sweat, and I knew the team had put their heart and soul into it. When you lose to a great team like that, but you know you’ve done everything like that, you’ve got to hold your head high.”Stuart Broad bowls in his final Test match•ECB via Getty Images

On his remarkable longevity, maintaining his standards over a 17-year England career, and even reaching a new peak of performance in his final three post-Covid years, Broad put that down to his relentless curiosity, and desire to keep learning new tricks – not least his angle into left-handers from round the wicket, which contributed significantly to his tally of 17 dismissals against Warner.”I like detail, data and I like to research things,” he said. “I almost need facts and data for me to believe something. That was something that was very evident when I decided to come round the wicket in 2015 and really worked on bowling to left-handers around the wicket. My data wasn’t very good so I had to make a change. I did a lot of research into Davey Warner because I found him difficult to bowl at and to try and find a way to dismiss him.”In Test cricket it is about knowing what your weaknesses are but finding your exact strengths and sticking to them so strongly and not getting knocked away. Test cricket and the whole environment, there’s a lot of things trying to knock you off the straight road, but if you can stay on it you’ll have a lot of success coming your way. I’ve found that a lot more in the last 10 years and I’ve focused solely on what my super strengths are and I’ve stuck to them in this series.”To complete a special personal occasion, Broad even hit his final ball for six – a feat last achieved by West Indies’ Wayne Daniel in 1984. “The six was the only ball I’ve middled all year! I was quite happy that went for six.”

Watto announces himself as an MVP allrounder

Sruthi Ravindranath23-Apr-20214:41

Gautam Gambhir, Farveez Maharoof and Dinesh Karthik on Watson’s performance

We polled our staff for their picks of the top ten best batting, bowling and all-round performances in the IPL through its history. Here’s No. 5Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils, 2008“He lost a bit of the edge in the last few games but today he was absolutely fantastic and showed his class. He’s a fantastic all-round cricketer and good enough to be in the Australian team.” – Shane Warne, Rajasthan Royals captainTwenty-six-year-old Shane Watson had endured a tough year. Though he was touted as one of the most promising allrounders in Australia, frequent injuries had left a perpetual question mark over his international future. Then came the 2008 IPL and in those 44 days Watson found his range. One performance showed he had it in him to become T20 allrounder.The Rajasthan Royals, seen as underdogs for their low-budget approach, had become the side to beat as the inaugural IPL season progressed. While lesser-known players put their hands up at crucial moments, most of the Royals’ campaign had been built around Watson. Coming into the semi-final, against the Delhi Daredevils, he was in tremendous form: 392 runs and 13 wickets in 13 games.In the semi-final, he cranked it up a notch. Such was Watson’s performance that the Wankhede crowd rose to its feet to chant his – yes, an Australian’s – name.Shane Watson all but finished the game in his first three overs with the ball•BCCIThe Royals were put in to bat and the openers took them to 65 in seven overs before Watson arrived at the crease with the intention to maintain momentum through the middle overs. He stuck to the brief for the first ten balls, hitting just one boundary. “It took me a few balls to understand the wicket and the bounce, but after that I got into the rhythm,” he said later.Watson then unveiled beast mode. In the 11th over, which brought 21 runs, he hit the inexperienced Yo Mahesh for a four and two humungous sixes on the leg side. With adept timing and footwork, he went after specific bowlers, swinging through square leg and midwicket. He took on legspinner Amit Mishra, who lured him with teasing flight, by getting under a delivery and dispatching it for six over midwicket.His 29-ball 52, combined with Yusuf Pathan’s final flourish, took the Royals to 192. By no means was this an easy target, though with Gautam Gambhir – the tournament’s second highest run scorer – and Virender Sehwag in the opposition, you couldn’t rule out an even contest.No, the chase was not on, considering the kind of day Watson was having.

The numbers

67 Percentage (12 out of 18) of Watson’s deliveries that were on the shorter side, which shows he executed the bowling plans to perfection on the day

5 Number of Player-of-the-Match awards Watson got in the 2008 IPL season. He also finished as Player of the Tournament for his 472 runs and 17 wickets

138.64 Watson’s Total Impact – the sum of his batting and bowling impacts – in the match. Daredevils’ Farveez Maharoof, who picked up three wickets in the match, had the second highest of 78.24 points

His opening spell pretty much decided the game. Gauging the amount of bounce the surface offered, Watson kept his length short and beat the batters with pace. In his first two overs, he got Sehwag to top-edge a catch to deep square leg and beat Gambhir repeatedly before having him caught at cover. In Watson’s third over, Shikhar Dhawan pulled a back-of-a-length delivery straight to the fielder at square leg. With 3-0-10-3, the Daredevils’ chase was all but over and they were eventually skittled out for 87.Such was Watson’s impact in the match that his 52 runs were worth 64.03 Smart Runs, and his strike rate of 179 translated to a Smart Strike Rate of 220. His economy of 3.33 in the match was 2.6 in terms of Smart Economy.This performance helped Watson revive his international career, and right as T20 cricket took root, he established himself as a complete, two-in-one player in the format.The Greatest IPL performances 2008-2020

Nottingham Forest have the ‘strongest’ interest in a midfielder who’s been compared to Aston Villa star John McGinn, with Evangelos Marinakis expecting offers for Elliot Anderson.

Elliot Anderson shining for Forest with £100m price mooted

Anderson has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most impressive midfielders this season, with Forest reportedly setting a £100 million asking price to deter potential suitors during January.

The 23-year-old has transformed into one of England’s most complete central midfielders since his £35 million arrival from Newcastle in July 2024.

His exceptional form also convinced Thomas Tuchel to hand him a senior international debut in August, with the Three Lions manager subsequently praising him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.”

Anderson featured heavily during Forest’s fairytale seventh-placed finish last campaign, making 37 Premier League appearances whilst scoring two goals and registering six assists.

However, his development has accelerated dramatically throughout 25/26, establishing himself as Sean Dyche’s most influential player whilst earning recognition among Europe’s elite midfield talents.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Matic-like starlet who could replace Anderson

Forest have slapped a £100 million price tag on the latter’s head amid growing interest.

ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago

Man City have emerged as Anderson’s preferred destination should he depart the City Ground, though Man United and Liverpool are apparently monitoring developments closely as well.

Pep Guardiola views him as an ideal long-term successor to Rodri, who is currently suffering from another injury setback which threatens to derail his mission to return to Ballon d’Or winning form.

Reports suggest that Forest are already making enquiries for potential Anderson replacements as interest grows in his signature grows, and this is backed up by The Mail’s Simon Jones.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Hibernian star Josh Mulligan

According to their information, Forest have emerged as frontrunners in the race for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, with Dyche’s side making initial enquiries ahead of a potential January move.

The Scotland international has impressed since arriving at Easter Road during the summer on a free transfer from Dundee, featuring in all 24 of their competitive matches whilst chipping in with three goals and three assists.

Mulligan, who The Mail report has been compared to McGinn for his tenacious style of play, was lavished with praise by Hibs boss David Gray following the Edinburgh side’s 3-0 win over Falkirk last weekend.

Steve Clarke recently called Mulligan into Scotland’s World Cup qualifying squad, challenging him to become a leader at club level.

With the 2026 tournament approaching and the Tartan Army qualified, regular Premier League football would significantly enhance his international prospects.

Hibernian secured Mulligan on a four-year contract and will demand substantial compensation before considering any mid-season departure.

Forest’s Europa League participation provides additional motivation for strengthening squad depth during the January window, with the Tricky Trees also expecting offers for Anderson next year.

Warwickshire wicketkeeper Michael Burgess has made a sudden retirement from professional cricket.Burgess had been at Warwickshire since 2019 having initially joined from Sussex on a two-year deal. With his current contract due to run until the end of the 2025 season, the 30-year-old has decided to step away from the game altogether and will pursue other career options in London.Having come through the age-group set-up at Surrey, Burgess took up a three-year Sports and Excercise Science degree at Loughborough, making his first-class debut for the UCCE side in a pre-season fixture against Sussex in April 2014. A year later, he joined Leicestershire and struck an impressive 98 on first-class debut during a tour match against Sri Lanka in 2016 before being released at the end of that season.After considering other options at the time, including a city job in London and at Royal Hospital School in Ipswich, he was able to secure a trial at Sussex which soon evolved into a permanent deal. Two years later, having found his first-team opportunities limited, he swapped Hove for Edgbaston as one of Paul Farbrace’s first signings as Warwickshire’s director of sport.Burgess went on to score exactly 3,000 runs in 65 first-class matches for Warwickshire, including a career-high 178 against Surrey at the start of the 2022 County Championship. In 2021, he helped the club secure the double of a County Championship title and the Bob Willis Trophy. Last summer, he struck 745 runs at 43.82, scoring his sixth and seventh red-ball hundreds.Speaking on his retirement, Burgess said: “It’s been a very difficult decision. I know it will come as a surprise to many people around the club. But I’ve decided the time is right to step away from the game and pursue other opportunities.”I’d like to thank all the members, fans and the wider club for their support over the last six years. Warwickshire is a brilliantly supported club and the members make it a great place to play cricket.”Winning the Championship in 2021 will always be an incredibly special part of my career and something I’ll forever be proud of. It’s been great sharing a dressing room with this group of players, who I know will bring lots of future success to the club.”In a statement released by Warwickshire on Wednesday, performance director Gavin Larsen said: “On one hand it’s extremely disappointing to lose a player of Michael’s experience, but also we recognise all player’s careers come to close at some point and Michael has decided now is the time for ‘life after cricket’.”What I loved about Michael was his combativeness and toughness with the bat when presented with challenging situations. I’ve lost count of the number of times he has rescued a Championship innings, batting superbly with the tail.”He’s a gifted wicketkeeper who always showed the ability to deliver classy performance behind the stumps. There’s no doubt we’ll miss his all-round skills. He’s made the call right at the start of the new season, as the players return to training, so it gives us time to consider options.”We wish Michael all the very the best, and like we say to all our departing players ‘Once a Bear Always a Bear’. Michael will be welcomed back at Edgbaston at any time, and we wish him all the very best for his new career start in London.”The onus is now on Warwickshire to reinforce their squad, with Burgess’ retirement another loss ahead of the 2025 season following the departures of Will Rhodes and Chris Benjamin, to Durham and Kent respectively. Fast bowler Liam Norwell, who was forced to retire through injury this week, was released in August. Their only incoming so far has been seamer Ethan Bamber from Middlesex.

Temba Bavuma is in doubt for South Africa’s Test series against Bangladesh, which starts on October 21, after being ruled out of the third ODI against Ireland with an elbow injury. Bavuma retired hurt during the second match on Friday, on 35, and was unable to field thereafter. He will consult a specialist on his return to South Africa.Rassie van der Dussen will captain South Africa in Bavuma’s absence, with T20I captain Aiden Markam rested for this series.The injury is on the same elbow Bavuma hurt in 2022 on a T20 tour of India. It ruled him out of South Africa’s tour of England later that year. He made a comeback ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he captained South Africa to a group-stage exit. Bavuma was removed from the T20 captaincy thereafter, but remained in the ODI role and was moved to Test job as well.Since then, he has been beset by injuries including a right hamstring niggle – which threatened to keep him out of the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final – and a left hamstring injury sustained during the Boxing Day Test against India last year – which ruled him out of the rest of that series. Bavuma did not travel to New Zealand for the Tests in February as he was recovering and then contracted to the SA20, which means the only series in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle he has played fully was the two-Test tour of the West Indies in August this year.South Africa have six Tests left in the cycle; two against Bangladesh away and two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. They would need to win at least five of those matches to be in with a chance of making the WTC final next June.For now, for the white-ball series against Ireland, they are also without allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who has left the tour for personal reasons. They play the third and last ODI of this series on Monday, already having a 2-0 lead. The preceding T20I series finished level at 1-1.