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Warwickshire spinner could play first match for England since 2014 after Covid reshuffle

George Dobell07-Jul-2021Danny Briggs is promising not to put too much pressure on himself as he makes a return to the England set-up that he admits he thought would never happen.It’s seven-and-a-half years since Briggs last played a T20I for England and almost a decade since his only ODI. But now aged 30, and called up to the hastily-picked squad for the ODI series against Pakistan after the original squad were ruled out due to Covid protocols, he believes he has the experience to cope with whatever the next few weeks throw at him.”I was 21 when I was first picked for England,” Briggs told ESPNcricinfo. “And 23 when I played my last game. It’s very young, isn’t it?”Looking back, I put too much pressure on myself. I don’t think I’d ever experienced any lows in cricket before then and I sort of expected to be successful.”I think I tried too hard, really. I was trying to impress other people. Obviously it’s great to play for your country, but I’m not sure I enjoyed it as much as I should have done, really.”It’s an odd situation now, but it’s an incredible opportunity, too. This time, I’m going to try to take it all in. I’m going to do my best, of course, but I want to try and enjoy every minute of it.”Briggs has been a consistent performer in T20 cricket for years. His tally of 184 wickets in England’s domestic T20 competition is more than anyone else and, of those in the top 39 wicket-takers, only three men (Jeetan Patel, Stephen Parry and Imran Tahir) have lower economy-rates than his 7.16.But while he has always bowled his left-arm spin with impressive control, he now feels he has the experience to optimise his variations. And he hopes his positive experience in the most recent BBL season – only six men who delivered more than 30 overs had a better economy-rate than his 7.41 – bodes well for his return to the top level.Related

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“I took a lot of confidence from that Big Bash experience,” he says. “There’s a certain level of expectation that comes with being an overseas player in a high-profile tournament like that; you’re expected to do well.”But I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the responsibility and I enjoyed helping the younger players. I performed pretty well and it felt like a stepping stone on the return to international cricket.”He’s also improved his batting. While he remains something of a blocker, he has made two half-centuries in the Championship season – he had only reached 50 twice previously in a first-class career that stretches back to 2009 – and has developed into a willing nightwatchman and reliable lower-order player. He could probably hold up an end at international level pretty effectively, which is one of several reasons why a Test call-up isn’t entirely out of the question.”I’ve worked hard on my batting,” he says. “Particularly my four-day batting. I’ve upskilled a little, but for me, it’s been about being disciplined. I’ve always enjoyed batting and it makes you more selectable.”He’s had some opportunity, too. He only played four first-class games in 2019 and none at all in 2020. But once Sussex had made it clear they didn’t see much of a future for him, Warwickshire offered him the chance to replace Patel and become a central figure in all formats.”I just felt I had more to offer in first-class cricket,” he says. “I was desperate to play in all formats and Warwickshire were good enough to give me that opportunity.”Coming to Warwickshire has been brilliant. They’ve demonstrated a huge amount of confidence in me. They way they’ve backed me – and the way the bowling coach, Graeme Welch, in particular, has kept saying I shouldn’t have given up on England – has helped me believe in myself much more. I hope I’ve shown I can play four-day cricket now. I’ve loved it.”If I’m honest, there were times I didn’t think I’d win a recall. It’s been a long haul and there have been times when I’ve felt miles away. Yes, I’d told myself it wasn’t going to happen.”And I know this is a very unusual situation. I know there are a few who would be ahead of me in the pecking order. So I’m not looking too far ahead.”But I’ve always worked hard. I’ve always been willing to learn. And yes, of course in the back of my mind, I’ve an eye on both the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. I’d love to be there.”But whatever happens, I feel very lucky. I’ve a great role at a great club and I’m really enjoying my cricket. I’m happy in everything I’m doing and my feet are staying on the ground.”

Pakistan’s collapse, he suggested, came about because conditions were difficult for batters new to the crease

Umar Farooq23-Mar-2022Pakistan have a long history of collapses in Test cricket, and they added a new chapter on Wednesday, when they lost their last five wickets for just four runs – a new record – to hand Australia a 123-run first-innings lead. Azhar Ali has conceded that the lower-order implosion has “dented Pakistan’s chances” in the Lahore Test, but has not lost hope that they can come back into the game.Related

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Pakistan began the day at 90 for 1, and the overnight pair of Azhar and Abdullah Shafique batted through the first session and stretched their second-wicket stand to 150 to put Pakistan in a solid position at 170 for 1 in response to Australia’s 391. Along the way, Azhar also brought up a major milestone, becoming only the fifth Pakistan batter to score 7000 Test runs.There were no major partnerships thereafter, however, as Pakistan crumbled around Babar Azam’s 67 to be bowled out for 268, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins running amok in furious spells of pace and reverse-swing.”The collapse we had after tea has dented our chances a little bit in the game but Test cricket is like that – it goes up and down,” Azhar said in his press conference at the end of the day’s play. “That’s the beauty of Test cricket and hopefully we can turn things around tomorrow.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

He was generous in his praise for Starc and Cummins. “We have to give credit to them. We always knew how good they are, especially Starc when it comes to reverse-swing. Cummins, he’s an all-round very good bowler – he is the top bowler in the world right now, and he exploited the conditions really well.”It was hard work for the fast bowlers but there was always a kind of low bounce and reverse-swing was going on since yesterday. They kept on bowling on the right areas and kept asking questions, even to the set batsmen as well, and late in the day there was some good results for them. It was lovely to see good, fast, reverse-swing bowling, and unfortunately we were on the receiving end.”Asked for a possible reason behind Pakistan’s collapse after tea, Azhar suggested the pitch was not an easy one for new batters to settle down on. Knowing this, he said Pakistan’s batters had been conscious of needing to bat long when set, but that didn’t quite happen, with neither he, Shafique nor Babar going on to convert their half-centuries into a hundred.”When you play on these pitches you have to bat long, because runs don’t come very quickly. Our intent was to maximise the partnerships because it becomes a little difficult for the new batsman, because runs don’t come quickly, you don’t become set, and reverse-swing starts very early. So I think against a quality bowling side like Australia who have Cummins and Starc, they can cause problems in these conditions especially for new batsmen.”Our 80s, we wanted to convert them into 150s and 170s because it was difficult for the new batsmen. Once our partnership [Azhar-Shafique] was broken, it wasn’t easy for the new batsmen who came in. Unfortunately the collapse happened very early, and yes, we are in some trouble. But we will try to change [our situation] and in a similar way we have the opportunity to take quick wickets and change things around.”Pat Cummins held a stunning return catch to remove Azhar Ali•AFP

Pakistan’s scoring rate – 2.29 over their innings – became a talking point too. Other than Babar, who scored his runs at a strike rate of 51.14, no batter even struck in the 40s. Azhar said these scoring rates were an outcome of the slowness of the pitch.”The conditions basically dictate how you play cricket, Azhar said. “If you compare across all three Test matches, both teams have been batting similarly. Even when we used to play in the UAE, one question was always asked, why we score so slowly. When you get slow pitches it’s not easy to score quickly. It’s easier when the ball is new, but when the ball gets old and there are straight fields [more fielders in front of the wicket], and when there are low-bounce pitches, it’s not easy to score quick runs.”Pakistan went into this match with five specialist bowlers, leaving out their allrounder Faheem Ashraf and playing only six specialist batters including the keeper Mohammad Rizwan. Asked if that had left them with a long tail that contributed to their collapse, Azhar backed the decision, saying it was a positive move made with taking 20 wickets at the forefront.”You have to take a chance sometimes,” Azhar said. “I think it was a positive move from the management, they wanted five bowlers because you win Test matches only by taking 20 wickets. Our top six were the ones scoring maximum runs and we wanted to take [extra] responsibility as a batting unit. Unfortunately this collapse happened, but it doesn’t mean the team selection was wrong. Naseem Shah proved that decision to play him as a fifth bowler paid off; he took four wickets and bowled very well. So sometimes, while taking a positive decision, you have to sacrifice something else, and we stand behind the decision as a team and and optimistic that it will pay off.”

Former NZ batter and selector Bruce Edgar will be in charge of the red-ball side

Deivarayan Muthu09-Jun-2022Former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter BJ Watling has been appointed Wellington Firebirds’ white-ball head coach, ahead of the upcoming domestic season. This will be the 36-year-old’s first role as head coach of a senior side, having been in charge of the Northern Districts A side after playing his last Test against India in the WTC final in June 2021.Watling takes over from Glenn Pocknall, who had coached Wellington to titles in all three formats and even had a stint with the New Zealand national side for a tour of Bangladesh last year, when Gary Stead was absent. Pocknall will now lead Cricket Wellington’s talent acceleration programme, which aims at producing more players for the men’s and women’s national sides.While Watling will oversee the one-day and T20 teams, Bruce Edgar, the former New Zealand batter and selector, will take charge of the red-ball side. The 65-year-old will also serve as Cricket Wellington’s director of cricket until the end of 2022-23. The dual role marks his return to the Wellington set-up since stepping down as Wellington’s head coach at the end of the 2018-19 season.Watling said that transitioning from playing to coaching was something that was always on his agenda. Since his retirement, Watling has been active as Northern Districts’ network coach in the Waikato. He even assisted Northern Brave men during their triumphant Super Smash campaign.Related

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“To be honest – for the whole way through – I kind of have been planning for this,” Watling said during a virtual media interaction. “Been doing whatever ones and twos and what not throughout playing and probably started my network coaching three or four or five years ago with ND [Northern Districts] here. So it has always been on the backburner. Obviously, once I retired I started to dive in a bit more.”Watling shrugged off any apprehensions around his quick elevation to the head coach’s role, less than a year after he retired, and looked forward to working with Edgar and Toby Radford, who has also joined the Wellington support staff as a specialist batting coach.Notably, Radford was West Indies’ batting coach when they won the 2012 T20 World Cup and recently worked as the head of high performance in Bangladesh. Radford was also England Under-19s batting coach at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup in the Caribbean, where they finished runners-up.”Not yet [apprehensive]. I’m quite excited to be fair,” Watling said. “It is something that might have come in a little bit early, but I’m definitely ready for the challenge and looking forward to working with what I see as a very talented young group and core senior players as well and some Black Caps. It looks like a fantastic squad to be in charge of, especially in the white-ball stuff, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”[My role is] to lead and I’ll try to do that through my attitude. I know I will get a good little preparation time with Bruce in charge there. I will have some good learning off him and obviously Toby as well – two very experienced coaches I can lean on and use throughout the season. I plan on doing that and basically connecting with the playing group and staff will be the first priority and trying to find my feet at Wellington.”Watling said he would also draw motivation from the success of countrymen Brendon McCullum, Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori who are all now active coaches in top-flight cricket.”It’s great to see the boys out there coaching,” Watling said. “Obviously, recently was exciting to see him [McCullum] get the England role. I know he will do a fantastic job. I’ve kept an eye on Flem with the Chennai Super Kings there [IPL]. Yeah, I guess that has inspired me, but throughout my career, I love cricket and I’m passionate about the game and I’m really looking forward to get back.”Cricket Wellington CEO Cam Mitchell was confident of Watling making an impact at the province as coach.”We have no doubt that BJ will be a successful elite coach, and we are pleased to be able to help support his career development,” Mitchell said in a Cricket Wellington statement.”His work ethic, strong values and recent playing experience will be so valuable for our young playing group, and his strong track-record of success as a player shows what we are trying to achieve.”

Seamer had no doubts about pushing through the final Ashes Test despite damaged shoulder

Andrew McGlashan27-Jul-2023Mitchell Starc had no interest in finding out the full extent of his shoulder injury before the final Test at the Kia Oval. Instead he was fully focused on seeing out an Ashes series which has now become his most successful away from home.Starc landed heavily on his shoulder on the second day at Emirates Old Trafford but was able to bowl through the pain there and has now done the same again as Australia look to open up a 3-1 margin.”I’m not interested in getting scanned or anything like that,” Starc said. “We’ll worry about that at the end of the week. Just a bit of discomfort there, something going on there in the AC [joint]. Nothing major and I’m still able to bowl and do what I need to do.”Related

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He needed to go off the field on the opening day at The Oval for some extra strapping but returned to produce a stunning delivery to remove Ben Stokes – “it swung a little bit late and managed to hit the stumps,” Starc said – before inducing England’s top-scorer, Harry Brook, to edge to slip.It’s the second time in less than a year that Starc has defied an injury, after bowling with a badly damaged tendon in his finger against South Africa at the MCG. That problem would rule him out of Australia’s next three Tests. After this series there is at least three weeks off for the multi-format players, while Starc may also be rested from the T20Is in South Africa before the build-up to the ODI World Cup begins.”I’ve played for over ten years and been through a few niggles and injuries over the time,” he said. “There’s been times when I’ve left the team a man down or other people have. We all push through niggles and whatnot. No difference this week, it’s just a little bit of discomfort and away we go.”This tour had already been a marked contrast from the 2019 series in which Starc played just once, in the Ashes-retaining victory at Old Trafford, but was surprisingly overlooked for the next Test at The Oval where Australia stumbled and ended up sharing the series 2-2.On this trip he was left out at Edgbaston, where a fit-again Josh Hazlewood was preferred, before being called up for Lord’s in place of Scott Boland. He claimed six wickets in that Test where Australia took a 2-0 lead then claimed another seven at Headingley, but was not able to help his team across the line. The four-wicket haul on the opening day at The Oval has taken him to 19 for the series, the most for any bowler, one ahead of his 2015 tally.”It’s not the most comfortable thing,” he added of the shoulder problem. “But I don’t think any bowler [in] international cricket is going to say it’s something that’s comfortable for the body. So just push on. We’ve got a big week ahead of us to try and win this Ashes series and then a few weeks off so there’s no reason not to get up for this week.”

The Chennai pitch on which India played their first Test against Bangladesh was rated “very good”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2024The outfield at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, which hosted the rain-affected second Test between India and Bangladesh from September 27 to October 1, has earned an “unsatisfactory” rating from the ICC. The rating comes with one demerit point for the venue.Only 35 overs of play were possible on day one of the Test match, and there was no play possible on days two and three – this was despite no rain falling during the scheduled playing hours on day three. In the lead-up to the Test match, the state’s public works department had deemed one of Green Park’s stands unsafe, and had instructed the stadium authorities to open up only a limited number of its upper-level seats to spectators.The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) uses the Green Park Stadium on the basis of an MoU it has signed with the UP government. The government owns the land but as per the MoU, the stadium and its upkeep are the responsibility of the UPCA.BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla, who hails from Kanpur, defended the venue after it came in for widespread criticism following the washout of day three but conceded that the ground, which has hosted Test cricket since 1952, was in need of refurbishment.After more than two-and-a-half days of the Test match were washed out, India put in a concerted effort to force a victory, picking up 20 Bangladesh wickets in the space of 121.2 overs, and scoring 383 runs in just 52 overs across two innings, at an unprecedented 7.36 per over.The pitch for this Test match, meanwhile, earned a “satisfactory” rating.The ICC rates pitches and outfields for all international games on a scale of very good to unfit: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and unfit. One demerit point is awarded to venues for an unsatisfactory rating, and three for an unfit rating. If any ground receives five or more demerit points in a five-year rolling period, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months.The rest of the venues that hosted India’s 2024-25 international season did not come in for any censure from the ICC. Of the pitches on which India played their five Tests, four – including all three that hosted the recently concluded series against New Zealand, in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai – earned “satisfactory” ratings, while the surface at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, which hosted the first Test against Bangladesh, earned a “very good” tag.

He helped Australia pille up 196 before Scotland were bowled out for 126 with Stoinis and Green picking up a combined 6 for 39

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Sep-2024In conditions where every other batter from both sides struggled for timing, Josh Inglis struck the ball with remarkable fluency on his way to the fastest T20I hundred by an Australia batter. He brought up the milestone in 43 balls, beating the previous record – held jointly by himself, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell – by four balls, and finished with 103 off 49.To put the innings in context, the rest of Australia’s top six scored 89 off 73 balls between them. His innings laid the foundation of Australia’s 70-run win over Scotland and also helped them take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Sent in, Australia set Scotland 197 to draw level after their shellacking in Wednesday’s series-opener. The home side had their moments in the chase, particularly during a 42-ball 59 from Brandon McMullen, but they could never quite keep up with the asking rate. On an occasionally two-paced pitch that offered a bit of seam movement, Australia’s seamers used their height advantage expertly, bowling hard lengths and extracting every ounce of help they could find.Scotland managed the odd spurt of quick scoring – George Munsey whipped Xavier Bartlett for two leg-side sixes in the first over, and McMullen used his feet against the quicks and hit four sixes, the pick of them a front-foot pull over wide long-on off Aaron Hardie – but Australia kept chipping out regular wickets, bowling into the pitch and inducing miscues.When Sean Abbott employed this modus operandi to end McMullen’s charge in the 13th over, the contest was all but over. From there, the end was swift, with Scotland losing their last six wickets for just 20 runs and being bowled out for 126 in 16.4 overs.Take Inglis away, and Australia didn’t do a whole lot better with the bat. Jake Fraser-McGurk, who had fallen for a duck on T20I debut on Wednesday, got off the mark in the format with a first-ball four. But he struggled to middle the ball – and often failed to connect – as his aim-for-the-grandstand methods proved unsuitable for the conditions, particularly against McMullen’s nibbly new-ball medium-pace.Marcus Stoinis picked up 4 for 23 with his medium pace•AFP/Getty Images

He fell for a run-a-ball 16, and Travis Head, who had battered Scotland for 80 off 25 in the first T20I, was out for a first-ball duck, bowled by a peach of an inducker from left-arm quick Brad Currie. Currie was one of five players in Scotland’s XI who hadn’t played on Wednesday.Three of the incomers were bowlers, and the revamped attack continued to make the Australia batters not named Inglis work for their runs. Cameron Green scratched his way to 36 off 29, and Marcus Stoinis finished with an unbeaten 20 off 20. They would eventually have their revenge with the ball, picking up a combined 6 for 39 in 5.4 overs.Inglis, though, seemed to bat on another pitch, against another attack. Where his team-mates seemed to lack options if they were denied room to free their arms, Inglis kept finding the boundary by means of quick feet and quicker hands. He manipulated the field expertly with his movements around the crease and his use of the scoop and reverse-scoop. When the Scotland bowlers tried to cramp him by going short and into his body, he generated incredible bat-speed through his short-arm whips and pulls.Despite this, Australia had only got to 179 when Chris Sole ended Inglis’ innings in the 19th over. Sole, introduced only in the 11th over and bowling just three overs, was perhaps Scotland’s best bowler on the day, quicker than his colleagues and as a result more impactful when he used his pace variations.In the end, Australia got close to 200 thanks to a cameo from Tim David, who clubbed the first two balls of the final over, bowled by Brad Wheal, for six, the second one soaring well beyond the midwicket boundary and landing outside the ground.

She holds a long-term view about returning to the South Africa national team, but as it stands, is not in consideration for the upcoming T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2024Former South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk will make her return to professional cricket this summer after signing for provincial side Western Province.While she has long-term hopes of making a return to international cricket, she told ESPNcricinfo she has “no timeline”. For now, she just wants to “play again and have fun.”That means van Niekerk is unlikely to be in consideration for South Africa’s squad, led by Laura Wolvaardt, at the upcoming T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. Van Niekerk’s wife, Marizanne Kapp, will play a key role in that tournament which van Niekerk is unlikely to be at, as she participates in domestic games at home.She confirmed she will play “all the fixtures, if I am able,” and hopes to get back into contention for higher honours. “My No.1 priority is to play again,” she said. “I have no expectations other than that. What will be, will be. I miss representing my country and playing at the highest level. It has nothing to do with anything other than that.”Van Niekerk has not played any cricket since The Hundred in August last year, which she was forced to leave early after fracturing her right thumb. Before that, she captained Sunrisers in the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Trophy, where they finished fourth, and had a stint in the first edition of the WPL, where she was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru outfit. She has not played for South Africa since 2021 and retired from international cricket in March last year, shortly after she missed out on South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2023 squad because she was unable to meet Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) standards.At the time, South Africa required women’s national players to run a two-kilometre time trial in 9:30 and van Niekerk, who had recovered from a broken ankle, missed the mark by 18 seconds. CSA have since abandoned the rigid application of the time trial and skinfolds tests and left national selection to the coach’s discretion.Currently, South Africa do not have a confirmed permanent coach after Dillon du Preez took over in an interim capacity for the tour to India. Du Preez replaced Hilton Moreeng, who was in the role for almost 12 years. CSA are expected to announce a succession plan for the women’s coaching role ahead of October’s T20 World Cup but with no fixtures between now and then, and only two months, it is likely du Preez will continue, with a permanent appointment to be made ahead of the home season. South Africa host England this summer for an all-format tour including the first home Test in 22 years.

India’s captain also conceded that his players were “a little poor in the field” and “gave too many chances”

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2022South Africa needed 25 from 18 balls with six wickets in hand when India captain Rohit Sharma decided to bring R Ashwin on for his final over.The Perth surface had assisted fast bowlers throughout the game, but India had one over of spin left to squeeze in. David Miller took advantage of that and hit Ashwin’s first two balls for two sixes to all but seal the game.Related

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While Ashwin trapped Tristan Stubbs lbw with his fourth ball, his over left South Africa needing a run-a-ball 12 off the last two overs, which Miller and Wayne Parnell knocked off with two balls to spare.After the game, Rohit said his decision to give Ashwin the 18th over was influenced by how spinners had fared in the final over at the 2022 T20 World Cup. In India’s opening game, Pakistan left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz had failed to stop India from scoring the 16 runs they required to win.”I have seen what happens in the last over with spinners, so I just wanted to go the other way and see if I could finish Ash and not keep him for the last over,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation. “I just wanted to make sure that the seamers were bowling the right overs but honestly, when you have options like that, you have to use them at some point. I thought given the new batter [Stubbs] came in, it was a perfect time for him to bowl. But things like that can happen. Miller played some good shots as well.”Ashwin finished with figures of 1 for 43 from his four overs, at an economy rate of 10.75. He was hit for four sixes and was the most expensive bowler on either side. After the match, Aiden Markram was asked if South Africa had pre-decided to attack Ashwin.”I think naturally that’s how our game would pan out when the seamers are all that difficult to get away,” Markram said. “We expected them to take on Keshav [Maharaj]. I’m sure they expected us to take on Ashwin as well, just because of the nature of the wicket, because the seamers were so difficult to get away.Rohit: “We gave too many chances on the field and we were not quite clinical”•Getty Images

“It almost got to a stage where we had to target someone because they bowled so well initially in the first ten overs up until the drinks break. It got to the stage where we had to pick someone. It could be anyone on any night. And sometimes you execute, sometimes you don’t.”You pick those match-ups according to who you’re most comfortable against on the night. You get to different conditions and those match-ups would change completely. Yeah, it was a discussion we had at the drinks break to pick one of the bowlers and commit to that, and if it comes off, then it might give us a chance.”Earlier, India scored 133 for 9 on a fast, bouncy surface before having South Africa 40 for 3 after ten overs. They had a couple of opportunities to press home the advantage but Virat Kohli put down Markram in the 12th over. In the next over, Rohit missed a run-out chance that could have sent Miller back. Markram and Miller made India pay for their mistakes, adding 76 off 60 balls to shift the momentum.”Honestly, when you see that score [40 for 3], you will always think you are in the game because the pitch is such that a wicket can come at any time for the seamers,” Rohit said. “But I felt that was a match-winning partnership from their perspective from Markram and Miller.”We were a little poor in the field as well. We gave too many chances on the field and we were not quite clinical. We have played in such [cold] conditions before so that was not an excuse at all. We were not just good enough.”The last two games we played, we were pretty good in the field and we want to continue to be consistent in that department. But unfortunately we couldn’t hold our chances, a few run-outs we missed, including myself. But we need to keep our heads high and think about what’s coming for us and take learnings from this game, what we need to do in games like that.”

Locked I, J and K stands will also be thrown open to the public

Varun Shetty02-Feb-2021It’s official now. Crowds up to 50% capacity of the MA Chidambaram Stadium will be allowed for the second India-England Test in Chennai, as reported by ESPNcricnfo on Monday.The BCCI had informally given a nod to TNCA on Monday, and the clearance was then subject to the approval of the Tamil Nadu government, which has been received. The first Test will be played behind closed doors, as originally planned. This was confirmed via a press note from RS Ramaswamy, the TNCA secretary.The move to allow crowds signals a change in course from the BCCI and the TNCA, who had recently informed its members that the MA Chidambaram Stadium would not allow crowds for the two Tests. But the decision comes in the wake of the Indian government revising its guidelines pertaining to spectators at outdoor sports in the country last weekend.”For outdoor sports events spectators will be allowed to full seating capacity,” the Indian ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said in a circular updated on January 29. The circular, titled ‘Standard Operating Procedures for opening up of Stadia for sports events’, revised the ministry’s previous guidelines issued on December 26 which had stated spectators can be allowed at 50% capacity for outdoor sports.In another development, the I, J and K stands, which have been locked to spectators for over nine years due to issues between TNCA and the local municipality, will also be thrown open to the public, with necessary clearances obtained by the TNCA.It is understood that media personnel will be allowed at the stadium starting from the first Test, which is another change in flavour for Indian cricket, whose seven venues in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy had neither spectators, nor media personnel.Tamil Nadu is currently seeing a decline in active Covid-19 cases, and life in Chennai has slowly crawled back towards normalcy in recent months, with movie theatres allowing up to a 50% capacity indoors.

There was speculation the enclosure would be renamed due to the political dynamics in the country

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2025The PCB has dismissed speculation that former captain and politician Imran Khan’s name would be removed from an enclosure at the recently-renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore owing to his imprisonment on charges of corruption.Speculation was doing the rounds that PCB had removed Imran’s name due to the current political situation in Pakistan. The Gaddafi stadium has been renovated for the Champions Trophy that starts on February 19.The Imran Khan enclosure, which is one of the VIP stands in the stadium, has been a permanent fixture at the venue since 1992, when he led Pakistan to victory in the ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Tickets for Champions Trophy games in Lahore are being sold online under the ‘Imran Khan Enclosure’.Imran is presently in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi and has denied allegations of corruption, insisting he is a victim of a political vendetta. However, a court recently convicted him and his wife Bushra Bibi in a corruption case, sentencing them to 14 and seven years respectively in prison.Imran, who leads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, is currently in opposition to the ruling coalition government of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party. The Punjab province is governed by a PML (N) government led by Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier, Nawaz Sharif.