LSG implode after rocket-fuelled start to finish on 210 against DC

Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh – 147 off 66 ballsThe rest of Lucknow Super Giants – 55 off 55 ballsIt was an innings of two halves in Delhi Capitals’ opening game against LSG in Visakhapatnam. When Marsh and Pooran were going the way they were, LSG looked set for more than 250. Then came an implosion and LSG found themselves well short.That’s saying something because, despite the late quick wickets, LSG finished on 209 for 8. Yet, DC will feel relatively happy going into the break.Marsh, who is playing IPL 2025 as a batter, piled on the runs in the powerplay – 43 off just 19 balls, the most he has ever scored in the phase in the IPL. His countryman, Mitchell Starc, was at the receiving end.Starc started with four dot balls and a single to Aiden Markram in the first over. Then he bowled a length ball on leg stump, and Marsh walloped him over deep square leg for a huge six first ball. Starc’s next over was when Marsh took full toll. The first ball was tonked for a six over long-off by Markram. Then Marsh went 4, 6, 4 against Starc, an over which went for 21.Vipraj Nigam, on IPL debut, was pulled for four by Marsh, but he soon had his revenge as he sent back Markram for 15. That brought Marsh and Pooran together and they pummelled the DC bowlers. Pooran was dropped on 17 by Sameer Rizvi, and once he got that reprieve, there was no stopping him. He carted three sixes in a Nigam over and then hammered four back-to-back sixes and a four off Stubbs, an over which went for 28. Marsh brought up his fifty off 21 balls, Pooran took 24 and the duo added 87 off 42 balls.Marsh fell for 72 off 36 balls, while Pooran was cleaned up for 75 off 30 by a swinging Starc fall. But the wickets brought DC back into play. Rishabh Pant fell for a six-ball duck on LSG debut, while none of the other LSG batters did much.The last seven overs cost DC only 49 runs with LSG losing six wickets, and that included two David Miller sixes off the final two balls.

Hundred sale process encounters delay over future TV rights

The exclusivity period for the eight prospective buyers of stakes in the Hundred has been extended until the end of April, after concerns were raised about the terms of the agreement, in particular those relating to future broadcasting rights.The ECB’s landmark equity sale concluded in mid-February and is expected to result in a cash injection of approximately £520 million into English cricket, following the sales of at least 49% stakes in each of the eight existing teams.However, as reported by the Daily Telegraph, the ECB has received pushback on the terms of the agreement from four of the interested parties, including the investors in both London Spirit and Oval Invincibles, the two London-based teams that received the highest valuations in the sales process.Reliance Industries, owned by India’s Ambani family, is set to pay £60 million for its 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, while Cricket Investor Holdings, the American tech consortium in negotiations with MCC, valued its own 49% stake in London Spirit at £145 million.Related

  • The Hundred to introduce player auction for 2026 season

  • ECB consider 'de-coupling' Women's Hundred in bid for standalone sell-outs

  • Lancashire CEO: Give BCCI Hundred stake to unlock Indian players

  • Hundred sale explainer: Who has bought what and for how much?

  • Moeen Ali set to skip Hundred as part of English domestic retirement

The Indian owners of Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers are also understood to have reservations about the ECB’s participation agreement, a key legal document which will determine how the tournament’s television rights are sold in the future.The Hundred is currently part of the ECB’s exclusive domestic rights deal with Sky Sports, which also covers international cricket and is up for renewal for the 2028 to 2032 cycle. The new owners are understood to have queried this model, arguing that the competition ought to be available as a separate entity to the highest bidder.None of the eight franchises are planning to sign their agreements until all of the new owners are satisfied with the arrangements. ESPNcricinfo understands that an extension to the eight-week exclusivity period had always been likely given the complexity of the negotiations.No major changes are anticipated for the 2025 edition of the tournament, which commences on August 5, when London Spirit host Oval Invincibles at Lord’s.

Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars to kick off PSL 2025 on April 11; final on May 18

The tenth season of the six-team Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin on April 11 with a fixture between defending champions Islamabad United and two-time champions Lahore Qalandars in Rawalpindi. The matches – 34 in total – will be played across Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan and Lahore, with the playoffs slotted for Rawalpindi (May 13) and Lahore (May 14 and 16) and the final also in Lahore on May 18.The refurbished Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the most matches, 13, including two of the playoff fixtures and the final, while Rawalpindi will host 11, including the opener and the first qualifier, and Karachi and Multan will host five matches each. There will be a total of three double-headers: Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi and Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans in Karachi on April 12; Sultans vs Kings in Multan and Qalandars vs Gladiators on May 1; Sultans vs Gladiators in Multan and United vs Kings in Rawalpindi on May 10.”We are thrilled to officially announce the schedule for the historic 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League,” PSL chief executive Salman Naseer said in a PC statement. “Over the past decade, the HBL PSL has grown into a globally recognised tournament, showcasing the best of Pakistan’s cricketing talent.”Related

  • PSL draft: Warner, Williamson, Mitchell among big-ticket signings

  • English players want NOC clarity after signing PSL deals

  • PCB confirms PSL expansion from 2026 with two new teams

This season, there will also be an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament – the teams for it have not been announced yet, but it is scheduled for April 8, three days before the start of the tournament proper.”As part of our commitment to expanding the reach of the HBL PSL, we are delighted to host an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament, which is a significant step in bringing top-tier cricket to Peshawar, a city with a deep-rooted love for the game,” Naseer said. “We remain dedicated to enhancing the experience for players, fans, and stakeholders, who have witnessed some breathtaking contests in the league over the years.”Starting this year, the PSL will be played in an April-May window, clashing with the IPL. This year, the schedule was changed to accommodate the ongoing Champions Trophy, which is being played in the traditional PSL window, but from next year, because the ILT20 and the SA20 have eaten into the PSL window, it will officially move to later dates.This edition will also be the last six-team PSL, with the PCB and the six existing franchises having agreed to add two new teams from 2026.Though the cities for the two new teams have not been announced yet, there could, potentially, be some changes around, since the ten-year lease ownership agreements the PSL had reached with franchise owners expire in 2025. All six owners have the right of first refusal, meaning ownership of a current franchise only goes up for sale in the event of an owner declining to match the franchise’s valuation.

All-time attendance record for a Test in Australia broken at the MCG

A new attendance record for a Test match in Australia has been set with more than 373,691 passing through the gates at the MCG across the five days of the fourth Test between Australia and India, surpassing the previous mark of 350,534 set in 1937.Cricket Australia [CA] confirmed early on Monday that 51,371 had already come in for the first session of the fifth day to break the record. That crowd had swelled to a final tally of 74,362 by late in the afternoon.The crowd tally meant that more people have attended the 2024 MCG Boxing Day Test than had seen a Sir Donald Bradman-led Australia play England in January 1937 at the same venue, which was played over six days.The crowds have been absolutely extraordinary for this Test match with daily tallies of 87,242, 85,147, 83,073, 43,867 and 74,362. A day five crowd exceeding day four is unheard of with the Melbourne Cricket Club, who run the MCG, underestimating the number on day five.They opened Yarra Park outside the ground for general public parking on day five, which is a rarity. But they only had one gate open and it caused a significant traffic choke point prior to play with a number of fans late to get into the ground.The record numbers follow the huge crowds India attracted at the MCG at the 2022 T20 World Cup when 90,293 saw India play Pakistan and 82,507 watched India play Zimbabwe.

India withdraw from T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in Pakistan

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) on Wednesday announced that it is pulling the team out of the fourth edition of the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be held in Pakistan, after failing to secure the Indian government’s clearance for the squad to travel to Pakistan.The tournament is set to start on November 22 and go on till December 3.”While this is a significant setback for the team, CABI fully respects the government’s concerns and the decision for the same,” the board said in a statement. “The team had been training rigorously and was eager to compete. However, we prioritise the government’s guidance and remain steadfast in our commitment to the continued development of Blind Cricket in India.”Related

  • Champions Trophy saga: Blame lies with ICC leadership

  • India will not travel to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy

“We play with passion, and we represent our country with immense pride. We have always looked forward to competing at the biggest stage, and it is disheartening to miss out on this opportunity,” Durga Rao Tompaki, the captain of the Indian men’s cricket team for the blind, said. “However, we know that the next World Cup is just around the corner, and we remain committed to our training and preparation.”We have had a successful coaching camp and have seen emerging talent that we believe can lead our team to greater heights. It’s time to nurture these talents and ensure that our team is ready when the next tournament comes.”The development comes 100 days ahead of the start of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is also set to be held in Pakistan. On November 9, the BCCI had informed the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament – again, a decision taken on the advice of the Indian government.The schedule for the Champions Trophy was originally expected to be released by the ICC today.India had hosted and won the first three T20 Blind Cricket World Cups, beating Pakistan in the finals of the first two editions and Bangladesh in their most recent triumph.

Duckett: Anderson told me to throw a drink on his head during Ashes incident

Ben Duckett has lifted the lid on the incident that saw him sent home from Australia during the 2017-18 Ashes after pouring a drink over James Anderson, revealing Anderson threw a drink over him first before feeling bad and encouraging Duckett to return the favour.Duckett was part of the Lions tour at the time, desperate to add to four Test caps picked up from tours of Bangladesh and India at the end of 2016. The indiscretion ended up setting him back as he was sent home with a fine and suspension from the ECB. He eventually returned to the Lions set-up at the end of 2018.The incident took place before the third Test against Australia, at Perth’s Avenue Bar, with England 2-0 down and subject to intense scrutiny of their off-field behaviour. The venue had already gained notoriety on the tour after Jonny Bairstow “greeted” Cameron Bancroft at the bar by butting heads ahead of the series, a story that emerged with falsely malicious undertones during the culmination of England’s loss at the Gabba in the first Test.Related

  • Duckett 'poured drink over' Anderson

  • Bairstow 'headbutt' allegations 'blown out of proportion' – Strauss

  • Dynamic Duckett gives England a puncher's chance on turning deck

The ECB was already on high alert heading to Australia after Ben Stokes was charged with affray in September of that year, before being found not guilty in 2018. Duckett’s misdemeanour ended up being the final straw, prompting a midnight curfew instilled following the Bairstow-Bancroft episode to be made permanent, though it has been relaxed intermittently since.At the time, head coach Trevor Bayliss could not contain his anger, telling reporters: “It’s a fairly trivial incident but, in the current climate, it’s just not acceptable”. Anderson used his column in the to downplay what he regarded as “a pretty silly incident”.Both Bayliss and managing director Andrew Strauss – who had to insist England players were not “thugs” after losing the first Test in the wake of the Bairstow’s “headbutt” – put their foot down as allegations of a booze culture prevailed. England ended up succumbing to a 4-0 series defeat. By then, Duckett had already returned home as part of the collateral.Seven years on, Duckett is an established international, and with Anderson now retired – though he remains part of the Test set-up as a bowling consultant – he is comfortable clarifying that he was not the instigator on that fateful night in Perth, and that he feared his England career was over.”Jimmy actually threw a drink on me, but no one knows about that,” Duckett told podcast. “And then said, ‘oh, we’re just messing around. You can just lob one on my head. That’s fine.’ Genuinely. So then I just poured one on his head and the security guard saw me from the ECB, who looks after us, and it filtered back.”That was kind of basically the story. We carried on the rest of the night together, getting on well. That’s the story that’s got blown up. Then obviously when things start getting out in the media and everyone’s saying all this stuff, then everyone believes that like that. And as soon as a story or a headline’s out there, ‘well that’s what happened then’.”But then you can’t really come out and say what I’ve just said, because I’m a young lad trying to break into the England team. It’s one of the best ever England players, you know? And people didn’t really want to hear me.The 2017-18 Ashes tour was largely a miserable one for England•Getty Images

“It was actually a really, really tough time. People look back and it’s probably funny and stuff like that. But when you’re in Australia and you’re kind of being told you can’t go to training, you can’t play – it’s a lonely place for a 22-year-old.”And being in Australia, you’re not getting much sympathy from any anyone out there, are you? But yeah, it was one of those things where… it feels like your world’s ending. The time difference, you’re not speaking to family much. The lads around me in that group at the time were amazing.”Duckett’s subsequent emergence as an England regular across has allowed him to put a positive spin on that period of his career. Only Joe Root (2250) has more than Duckett’s 1980 runs since returning to the Test side as an opener at the end of 2022, at a strike rate of 88.55, with four centuries.The left-hander was one of just three batters to average over 50 in the recent 2-1 series defeat to Pakistan. He is also set to be a vital cog in the rejuvenation of the limited overs set-up, led by Test head coach Brendon McCullum who will assume control of England’s white-ball sides in the new year.While Duckett feared for his future after that 2017-18 winter, he believes the resolve it bred has been integral to developing as a mainstay across all three formats.”It’s not that moment that was the issue. It was, you know, for the next 12 months, it was, ‘you’re basically on hold now for a little while’. Which for a 23 [year-old]… that’s kind of a bad time to basically get told you’ve got no chance here.”It does make you grow up a little bit faster and stuff and dealing with what I had to deal with probably made me a little bit more resilient as a person and probably a bit tougher.”All these things now, in a really weird way, I wouldn’t change much of it because, where I am right now, when I play for England, it’s like I don’t want to give that shirt to anyone else.”I’ve probably not made things easy at times. I’m not a saint and an angel, and I probably was an easy target at the time. That would be the only thing I’ll say – whether it was dealt right or wrong, that’s for people to make their own mind up.”

October 12 at the T20 World Cup: NZ, SA look to boost semi-final chances

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka

Sharjah, 2pm local timeNew Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Isabella Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea TahuhuSri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariTournament form guide: After beating India comprehensively in their opener, New Zealand were handed a thrashing by defending champions Australia, crumbling to 88 all out in the 149 chase. Sri Lanka have lost all three matches they’ve played so far in the tournament, with the loss against India putting them out of semi-final contention.News brief: Sri Lanka broke a 12-match losing streak against New Zealand by posting their first-ever T20I win against the opponents last year. In the third T20I in Colombo in July 2023, Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama helped crush New Zealand by 10 wickets to seal a historic win. While Sri Lanka will be looking for a consolation win, New Zealand will want to win big to strengthen their semi-final chances and boost their net run rate.Player to watch:Legspinning-allrounder Amelia Kerr is one of the most reliable players for New Zealand. Against Australia, she waged a lone fight, taking four wickets and top-scoring with 29 in the chase. She took three wickets in five balls, with Australian batters struggling to read her googlies on the Sharjah pitch. She is once again expected to be key for New Zealand at the same venue against the shaky Sri Lankan batting order.Laura Wolvaardt is the leading run-scorer of the tournament so far•ICC/Getty Images

Bangladesh vs South Africa

Dubai, 6pm local timeBangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha BiswasSouth Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe TryonTournament form guide: Bangladesh are coming into this game on the back of two losses – against England and West Indies – and are fourth on the table with just one win. South Africa, meanwhile, bounced back with a big win against Scotland after their seven-wicket loss to England.News brief: There are no injury concerns for South Africa. For Bangladesh though, captain Nigar Sultana seemed to be limping during West Indies’ run chase in Sharjah. She seemed to have hurt her knee and received the physio’s attention but continued to keep wickets. While Bangladesh are all but out of the tournament, South Africa’s NRR-boosting win has kept them well in contention for the semi-final.Bangladesh won the first-ever T20I they played against South Africa back in 2012 but went on to lose the next 10 matches against them. They broke the streak in December 2023, but the last T20I these two teams played ended with South Africa winning by eight wickets.Player to watch: Captain Laura Wolvaardt’s strong starts have been one of the biggest positives for South Africa. She is currently the top run-scorer of the tournament, with 141 runs in three matches. With South Africa searching for a big win against Scotland to improve their NRR, she scored 47 off 27 in the chase, hitting five fours and a six. She was excellent in the powerplay in the loss against England as well.

Gloucestershire break Blast hoodoo in style with eight-wicket rout of Somerset

Gloucestershire claimed their maiden T20 title, and West Country bragging rights into the bargain, as they crushed defending champions Somerset in a one-sided Blast final at Edgbaston. An eight-wicket margin of victory, sealed by Ollie Price’s six over long-on with 30 balls to spare, told the story as Gloucestershire marched to their first piece of silverware since 2015.It was a night of many heroes for Gloucestershire. Miles Hammond’s unbeaten 58 from 41 led them home, having put on a raucous century stand with Cameron Bancroft, after the bowlers had blown Somerset away. David Payne, Gloucestershire’s stalwart attack leader, capped a remarkable campaign with 3 for 27 to take his tally to 33 and equal Alfonso Thomas’ longstanding record for an English T20 season. Matt Taylor, with 29 wickets himself, was the catalyst as he picked off three of Somerset’s top four on the way to figures of 3 for 18.For the second Finals Day running, all four teams came from the South Group. Gloucestershire arrived as the underdogs, having squeaked through in fourth place on net run-rate – but after seeing off Birmingham Bears on their own patch in the quarter-final, they returned to Edgbaston to demolish Sussex in the second semi, then took apart their cider country rivals with another inspired bowling performance. Somerset’s bid to become the first team to successfully defend the Blast title fell at the final hurdle, hopes of a domestic treble brusquely shelved in the process.Gloucestershire’s success was made all the more poignant by the presence of club president, David “Syd” Lawrence, the former England fast bowler who was diagnosed earlier this year with motor neurone disease. It was also a rousing performance from a county who have had their struggles, facing financial insecurity and battling in the wrong half of Division Two in the County Championship. But Mark Alleyne, in his first season back as head coach, has steered a side featuring eight homegrown players to a memorable T20 success.Chasing the dream
Somerset’s wicket-taking prowess was behind their 2023 victory, when they defended 145 in the final against Essex. But they were even lighter on runs this time around and could not conjure the early breakthroughs required to jangle Gloucestershire nerves.Bancroft drove his third ball, from Craig Overton, through the covers, launched the same bowler over long-on in the third over and then ramped Josh Davey all the way for six at the start of the fourth. Lewis Gregory, whose half-century carried the fight as one of only three Somerset players to reach double-figures, brought himself into the attack for the final over of the powerplay and was promptly dispatched for three boundaries as Gloucestershire raced to 49 for 0.Gloucestershire had twice beaten Somerset when chasing during the group stage but both of those games were helter-skelter affairs. This was clinical, though not entirely business-like, as Hammond channelled the mood in the Hollies Stand by belting Jake Ball and Roelof van der Merwe for sixes to speed Gloucestershire towards their target.Bancroft struck van der Merwe for back-to-back fours to raise a 39-ball half-century, before Hammond went to the mark from 36 balls in the following over, clouting Ben Green over long-on for another serene six. No team had ever won the T20 final by a ten-wicket margin and Somerset saved themselves from that ignominy by dismissing Bancroft and James Bracey. But the result was already in the post.Taylor-made start for Gloucs
Somerset were looking not only to make history by winning back-to-back T20 titles, but become the first team since Worcestershire in 2018 to lift the trophy after coming through the first semi-final. Having been inserted, Somerset got off to a decent start – certainly better than the 7 for 3 after 2.1 overs they managed earlier in the day – as Payne’s first two overs cost 19, only to come unstuck against Gloucestershire’s other left-armer.Matt Taylor is less heralded than Payne but barely less effective, and he struck three times in his first two overs. His first ball induced a slash to backward point from Will Smeed, before a clever change of pace saw Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who had hit Payne for two sixes in the previous over, miscue high into the off side. When James Rew, in the third T20 knock of his professional career, punched uppishly to the diving Bancroft at short cover, Taylor had startling figures of 3 for 7.Three down at the end of the powerplay, things got worse for Somerset. Sean Dickson had been their matchwinner in the semi – and top-scored in both games at last year’s Finals Day – but departed for a golden duck this time around, missing a reverse-sweep at Ollie Price’s second delivery. Somerset were 42 for 4 and up against it.Gregory can’t soothe Somerset Payne
In the absence of Dickson, Gregory stepped into the firefighter role. He and Tom Abell ticked over initially, taking the score to 63 for 4 at halfway, before the captain began to play some shots in an attempt to give Somerset something defendable. The left-arm spin of Tom Smith was targeted, Gregory clubbing six straight back down the ground before lofting the next ball over extra cover. Abell was less successful taking the aerial route, however, as he drove Tom Price down the throat of long-on to end a stand worth 44.Gregory continued to carry a threat, again clearing the ropes off Smith before a swivel-pull off Tom Price took Somerset’s innings into three figures. But the return of Payne to bowl the 16th over tipped the scales in Gloucestershire’s direction again – two consecutive slower deliveries accounting for Ben Green and Craig Overton leaving the defending champions up the River Rea without a paddle at 105 for 7. In the process, Payne overtook Hampshire’s Chris Wood as the most-prolific seamer in the history of English domestic T20.Gregory lost another partner when van der Merwe sent a flying edge straight into Bracey’s outstretched right glove, but raised a fighting fifty off 33 balls with a nudge for one off Matt Taylor. He was dropped at the start of the 19th, Ben Charlesworth unable to cling on to a diving effort running in from the cover boundary, but became Payne’s third wicket four ball later when he picked out long-off.

Jos Buttler doubt for Australia T20Is after pulling out of Blast quarter-final

A setback in his recovery from a calf injury has ruled Jos Buttler out of Lancashire’s T20 Blast quarter-final, and leaves him facing a battle to be fit for England’s T20I series against Australia.England are not overly concerned about Buttler’s fitness ahead of their first T20I on September 11 and remain hopeful that he will be available to captain the side throughout Australia’s eight-match white-ball tour. England’s new-look squad are due to report to the Utilita Bowl on Sunday ahead of two training days, when their medical staff will get a clearer picture as to whether Buttler will be available.England’s white-ball teams do not have an official vice-captain, with Sam Curran and Phil Salt the main contenders to deputise in the event that Buttler is unavailable. He is not expected to keep wicket during the T20I series, which increases the chance that he will be able to feature despite suffering a setback.Buttler has not played any cricket since June’s T20 World Cup•Getty Images

Buttler has not played any cricket since England’s semi-final defeat to India at June’s T20 World Cup. He sustained a calf injury in July while preparing for the Hundred which ruled him out of the tournament, and had been targeting Wednesday’s quarter-final at Hove for his comeback after weeks of rehabilitation.But he has now been ruled out of contention, as their coach Dale Benkenstein confirmed to BBC Radio Lancashire. “We’ve had some bad news on his recovery,” Benkenstein said. “He had an injury he was recovering from, and he’s sort of tweaked it again. He’s not only just out of our T20s, but I think he’s even struggling to make the international ones. He was very keen to play for us.”Lancashire will have their other England players available on Wednesday night at Hove, with Salt, Liam Livingstone and Saqib Mahmood all set to be involved. Jofra Archer is expected to feature for Sussex, whose T20 side is captained by Tymal Mills. Hove has not hosted a T20 quarter-final in front of a crowd since 2019, and tickets have been sold out for the past two weeks.

Yorkshire begin search for Ottis Gibson successor as head coach

Ottis Gibson will leave Yorkshire when his contract expires at the end of this season, the club announced on Saturday.Gibson joined the club in early 2022 on a three-year contract after Andrew Gale, his predecessor, was sacked during the fall-out that followed Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism at the club.Yorkshire paid tribute to Gibson’s “total professionalism” during “the most difficult period of Yorkshire’s history” in a statement. Results on the pitch have been a mixed bag but they are in the hunt for promotion this season, sitting third in Division Two of the County Championship with five matches still to play.”The club is in a strong position in the County Championship, contending for promotion to the first division, and all players and coaches remain firmly focused on that aim,” Yorkshire said. “Ottis goes with everybody’s best wishes and everyone at the club wishes him well in his future career.”Yorkshire said that they have started the process for recruiting a replacement and that Gibson’s successor would be confirmed “in due course”. Darren Lehmann and Chris Silverwood have both been linked with the role.Gibson said: “Despite the issues we have faced off the field, that inevitably spilt on to the playing side, I am pleased with the state of the squad, the development of our younger players and to be in contention to challenge for promotion. I’d like to thank all of my staff, players and the supporters that have been behind us in my time here and I wish Yorkshire all the very best going forward.”Colin Graves, Yorkshire’s chair, said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Ottis. The work that Ottis has done in really difficult circumstances has been impressive, and he’ll leave with his head held high, having helped build some solid foundations, which we are seeing with performances this season. Everyone at the club would like to wish him all the best for the future.”

Game
Register
Service
Bonus