Tag Futebol

Sussex have confirmed their captaincy roles for next season, with Ed Joyce appointed as club captain, alongside Chris Nash as his vice-captain.

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2012Sussex have confirmed their captaincy roles for next season, with Ed Joyce appointed as club captain, alongside Chris Nash as his vice-captain.Joyce, 34, took over the captaincy midway through the 2012 season as Michael Yardy stood down from the position in LV=County Championship and CB40 cricket. He led the side in four Championship matches and five CB40 games, guiding Sussex to a semi-final in the CB40 competition and a fourth-placed finish in the Championship.Joyce said: “I hugely enjoyed doing the job for the last few months of the 2012 season and, having gone close this year, I feel very strongly we can bring some silverware back to Hove next year.”With Murray Goodwin moving on and Rory Hamilton-Brown re-signing, the team will be slightly in transition next year. But it should also be a very exciting time for the club with perhaps some more opportunities for the younger members of the squad to show what they can do. I’m really looking forward to helping these guys develop.”

Cheteshwar Pujara took a huge step towards Test selection as he added 73 with No. 10 Shami Ahmed to take India A to a thrilling win in the first unofficial Test

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2012
ScorecardNo. 10 Shami Ahmed added 73 with Cheteshwar Pujara to take India A home•WICB

Cheteshwar Pujara took a huge step towards Test selection as he added 73 with No. 10 Shami Ahmed to take India A to a thrilling win in the first unofficial Test, at Kensington Oval. Pujara’s unbeaten 96 was the highest score in all four innings of the match, and more than three times the next best effort by an Indian in the final innings. An equally impressive performer, the 6’7″ tall Jason Holder, playing at his home ground, ended up on the losing side despite registering his third five-for in his 15th first-class match. His effort reduced India A to 115 for 8 in a chase of 186.It might have been an unofficial Test, but the qualities that make Test cricket special were all on display. Two teams full of young men hoping to represent their Test sides went into the final day with all three results possible, and three rain interruptions brought a draw into the picture too. In fact when the players went off the third time, in the last hour of the day, with India A needing 20 runs, it seemed the sides would have to settle for a draw.India A would have been glad they got a chance to come out to finish the game off, but not long before that they would have happily taken that draw when rain interrupted on the first two occasions. When the clouds opened up for the first time, during the lunch break, all three West Indies A quicks had taken a wicket each to add to their overnight effort of 22 for 3. And in a tense morning session, they had conceded just 55 runs.India A had added only two runs on the final day when left-arm quick Delorn Johnson broke through Shikhar Dhawan’s defence with a slower ball. Dhawan failed to add to his overnight 13. Rohit Sharma and Pujara then fought through a testing period. Rohit was dropped on two by substitute Kyle Corbin when India were 28 for 4. Even before he had reached double figures, Rohit had played two edgy shots: a mis-hit that just cleared extra cover, and another that just fell short. In the first hour only 20 runs came by. Johnson and Holder’s figures on the final morning at one point read 6-2-9-1 and 6-2-9-0.Rohit relieved a bit of pressure with a six over long-off and a four over mid-on. However, just when he had begun to show signs of having overcome a shaky start, Rohit followed and edged a wide delivery from Jonathan Carter, who already had a five-for to his name in the first innings. In the minutes before lunch, Holder bowled Manoj Tiwary with an inswinger to make the session West Indies A’s.Showers during the lunch break caused a 45-minute delay in resumption. Pujara, 26 at lunch, now counterattacked. He hit three fours in five deliveries to bring the target down to two figures, but Holder struck soon. It took a sharp low catch from Nkrumah Bonner to send Wriddhiman Saha back. That was the cue for Pujara to attack more, and he did so by hitting Johnson for back-to-back fours to reach his half-century. India A had reached 115 when Holder pegged back Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s off stump, and West Indies were all but there.Holder followed Bhuvneshwar’s scalp up with a bouncer that hit Pujara on the right hand. Even as the physio made his way off the ground, rain made a second appearance, sending players in for an early tea break. Pujara and Ahmed had added only five runs by then, and you would have thought that a further delay might have given them some hope for a draw if they could hang in until the next rain interruption.You had another thing coming: soon after tea Ahmed lofted Holder over long-on for a six. That seemed to be a momentum-shifting shot. The partnership now relied more on Pujara’s risk-free shots. He now took such control of the situation that in the end Ahmed ended with just 27 of the 73-run stand. The drama was hardly over, though.By the final drinks break of the match, the two had seen off the quicks, eased through a brief spell of spin from both ends, and were now bracing up for another burst from Holder and friends. They had added four after the drinks, which took the partnership past 50, when it began to pour down again. This interruption seemed to have a finality to it, but about 15 minutes later we were back on again.Now India A needed 20, West Indies still needed two wickets, and the weather was around too. Serenely Pujara resumed with a four to fine leg. Streakily Ahmed swung at two wide deliveries and took seven. Holder put in one last effort, but an inside edge off Ahmed’s bat evaded the stumps. He did manage another maiden to keep India A waiting, but Pujara at the other end finished it off with another boundary.Pujara has had previous experience of batting well with the Saurashtra tail too, most notably when he saved one in the fog and fading light of Delhi in 2007-08. He’ll be glad he went a step further this time.

Mark Wallace has been named Glamorgan captain for the 2012 season, taking over from Alvrio Petersen who will be replaced as overseas player by Marcus North

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2011Mark Wallace has been named Glamorgan captain for the 2012 season, taking over from Alvrio Petersen who will be replaced as overseas player by Marcus North.Wallace, 29, made his Glamorgan debut in 1999 and reached England Lions level before fading from the scene but this season has enjoyed his best Championship season with more than 900 runs.”This is a very proud moment for me,” Wallace said. “It is a great honour to be appointed captain of my county and I hope I can follow in the famous and illustrious footsteps of my predecessors. I am delighted to receive this personal accolade but my job now is to help the team achieve what I know we are capable of, and bring success back to Glamorgan.”Colin Metson, Glamorgan Cricket’s managing director, said: “We are delighted Mark has accepted the role of club captain for 2012. He has been a senior player for a few years now and is a very experienced cricketer who can take this team and the club to the next level. The other three candidates, Jim Allenby, Marcus North and Gareth Rees, were all very strong, and the interview panel was very impressed in the way they approached the whole process.”

India’s forthcoming tour of England will take place without the use of the Decision Review System (DRS), after the Board for Control of Cricket in India officially informed the England & Wales Cricket Board that they would be unwilling to embrace the use

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2011India’s forthcoming tour of England will take place without the use of the Decision Review System (DRS), after the Board for Control of Cricket in India officially informed the England & Wales Cricket Board that they would be unwilling to embrace the use of technology.The news comes as a blow to England, who – despite some teething problems on their tours of West Indies and South Africa in recent years – have become increasingly astute in their use of the review system. Graeme Swann has been a particular beneficiary of Hawk-Eye replays, with 29.71% of his 138 Test wickets coming via lbw decisions, the highest proportion for an offspinner in Test history.”The England team are comfortable with the use of DRS, but the BCCI have advised us that they won’t be willing to sanction its use during the Test and one-day series,” an ECB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “Both boards have to agree to the technology being in place for it to happen, so it doesn’t look as though it will be used this summer.”DRS technology has been used without incident during the current Test series between England and Sri Lanka, with the addition of Hot Spot replays helping to diffuse a potentially controversial caught-behind verdict against Kumar Sangakkara in Cardiff. Despite no visible deviation through to the keeper, a thin white mark on the edge of Sangakkara’s bat helped to confirm that he had touched the ball, and at the close of play, his captain Tillakaratne Dilshan conceded that the right decision had been reached.India, by contrast, have been reluctant participants, most notably during the recent World Cup, when Ian Bell was ruled not out during the tied match against India, because the batsman had advanced more than 2.5m down the wicket, at which point the parameters for Hawk-Eye’s tracking system are deemed unreliable. “The adulteration of technology with human thinking meant we didn’t get that wicket,” said India’s captain, MS Dhoni, at the conclusion of the match.Dhoni’s outspoken opposition to DRS is backed by other senior players within the Indian squad, including Sachin Tendulkar, and as a consequence the BCCI is willing to take a stand on the issue. “Our official position on DRS remains unchanged,” an Indian board official told ESPNcricinfo. “To implement UDRS you need the agreement between the two participating nations. Now with the BCCI not supporting DRS, the ECB cannot force it on us.”India’s stance leaves the future of DRS in doubt, given that the ICC’s cricket committee recommended in May that technology ought to be incorporated in all forms of the game. There had been moves to make DRS mandatory at the ICC’s annual board meeting in June, but the BCCI’s opposition will be hard to overcome.

The Delhi High Court has limited the number of complimentary passes for each of the four World Cup games to be played in Delhi to 10,000

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2011The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) to limit the number of complimentary passes for each of the four World Cup games to be played at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium to 10,000. The stadium has a capacity of 41,000.Justice Sunil Gaur said the association should make sure the remaining passes for Thursday’s game between West Indies and South Africa were available online for the “general public who want to book it,” according to the . The court issued its directive while hearing a case filed by Jai Karan Singh, one of the DDCA’s oldest members, who has challenged the “arbitrary ways” in which the association’s executive committee has been issuing complimentary tickets.The order calls for the DDCA to make sure in the future it sells 30,000 tickets online and at general outlets throughout Delhi. “A total of 3,000 passes should be kept at the stadium gate so that match viewers can buy from there on the day of match also,” the order said. “Five thousand tickets should be sent to various banks in Delhi so that the cricket lovers can buy them there.” The order also directs the association to make sure all the prices are available online.Singh had argued that the executive committee issued free passes “at their whim and fancy for getting personal benefits not connected with the promotion of game of cricket”. He claimed that selling these tickets deprived the DDCA of revenue when they were already operating at a loss.The executive committee denied issuing free passes and said it was only in response to certain “firm commitments”. The committee also defended giving free tickets to officials of the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, traffic police and other civic agencies, saying they had to be “rewarded” for their cooperation and support.The Kotla is scheduled to host four games during the World Cup, beginning with today’s game between South Africa and West Indies. The other three are: West Indies v Netherlands on February 28, Kenya v Canada on March 7 and India v Netherlands on March 9.

Sarah Coyte is aiming for an astonishing 10th state title against a Queensland side further hit by Georgia Voll’s absence

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2025New South Wales veteran Sarah Coyte makes no secret of the fact a grand-final win on Sunday over Queensland would mean more than her first six WNCL titles with the state.”Just for the sheer fact that NSW have spent the last four or five years rebuilding,” Coyte told AAP.Coyte, at age 33, is one of the last remaining members of NSW’s days as the powerhouse of women’s domestic cricket. She won six competitions with the state between 2010 and 2015, as part of the Breakers’ record run of 10 straight titles in the 2000s and 2010s.Related

• UPW pick Georgia Voll as replacement for Chamari Athapaththu for WPL 2025

• Wilson bides her time in Australia's tight wicketkeeping race

So dominant were the Breakers in the early days of the 50-over WNCL, they claimed 20 of the first 23 competitions and finished runners-up in the other three.”Back when NSW kept winning, it was just an expectation, because we had all the big names,” Coyte said. “The program has completely changed since then. You don’t have as many big names, the Australian team have always got something on. Now we have to fight and work so hard for it, and it shows.”Coyte is no stranger to winning. On leaving NSW for South Australia in 2015-16, she broke NSW’s streak with a title there. Another two came in Tasmania, with the seamer now gunning for a 10th WNCL title in 13 full seasons separated by a mid-career break.”It would be the ultimate. It would mean everything for NSW to be back at the top,” she said. “Not just for me but for Cricket NSW to be back after having to rebuild.”Winning machine: Sarah Coyte is searching for a 10th WNCL title•Getty Images

The changed nature of the WNCL means Sunday’s final features no Australian players, with Queensland’s Georgia Voll the last to leave for India and the WPL on Friday. But that does open the door for other players to eye off lifelong dreams. For table-toppers Queensland, up to six of their XI will hunt a first title after losing to Tasmania in last year’s decider.”It’s disappointing – we would have loved her to play, and I know she would have loved to have played as well, but it’s a great opportunity for her and a good reward for her season so far,” Queensland captain Georgia Redmayne said. “Considering the urgency to get her to India, I really hope they give her the opportunity she deserves on Tuesday.””The good thing about having so many players in and out is that we’ve been able to give a lot of opportunities to a lot of girls throughout the season. Everyone in our squad of 13 has played games this season, so everyone’s been there and been exposed to it – we’re not bringing new players into the team suddenly for a final so I think that bodes well for us.”Georgia Voll has beeen handed a late call-up to the WPL•Getty Images

For NSW, a new generation wants success after finishing fifth and sixth for the past two years. And for the likes of senior Breakers quick Sammy-Jo Johnson and spinner Sam Bates, a title shot awaits after NSW’s dominance was a double-edged sword as teenagers.Knowing only of NSW’s stars winning, both were forced to move to Queensland and ACT respectively for a chance before returning in recent years.”The goal for me growing up was to play for NSW,” Johnson said. “That’s all I dreamt about, I just wanted to wear a baggy blue. But Queensland gave me an opportunity, and I wouldn’t have made a name for myself if I didn’t go chase it somewhere else.”Now, they know the chance awaits for NSW to create a new legacy on Sunday.”The history is very rich, but the cool thing about this group is we’ve forged our own path,” Johnson said. “We’ve gone through the struggles. We’ve had so many injuries … We’ve had to go through the grind.”

WNCL final squads

Queensland Georgia Redmayne (capt), Charli Knott, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Lucinda Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Lilli Hamilton, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Grace Parsons, Courtney Sippel, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla WrigleyNew South Wales Georgia Adams (capt), Sam Bates, Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Elsa Hunter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Kate Pelle, Tahlia Wilson

Progression to top division still in the balance for both teams after draw

George Dobell07-Jul-2021Warwickshire and Durham retained their hopes of qualifying for Division One in the LV= Insurance County Championship despite a frustrating final day at Edgbaston.The rain which had bedevilled this match throughout allowed just 28 overs on the final day. And while there was no lack of effort to get back on the pitch – quite the opposite, really – successive waves of rain rendered it all futile. Craig Miles, striking with the second delivery from the second new ball, completed a second five-for in successive Championship matches but David Bedingham was left eight short of a fourth century of the campaign.You could understand why everyone involved wanted to get back out there. With 20 overs left of Durham’s first innings in which both teams could earn bonus points (these are available in the first 110 overs of each first innings) and qualification for Division One looking tight, there was an obvious incentive.Both may yet come to rue dropped points here. Warwickshire, who took 11 points from this game (eight for the draw, one for their batting and two for their bowling) will feel that, from 195 for 3, they really should have made more than 237.Durham, meanwhile, let two points slip through their grasp due to a slow over-rate. So keen were they to make up that rate that it is understood that, from around mid-afternoon, they would have happily declared with Bedingham short of his century to have rushed through a few overs. It means they, too, took 11 points from the game.It all leaves Warwickshire the better placed of the teams going into the final round of games in the group. A high-scoring draw against Worcestershire at New Road should do it. Durham, meanwhile, probably need to beat Nottinghamshire. Both will have to watch out for Essex who, while someway off the pace at present, take on a weak Derbyshire team who are enduring a horrid season.If Warwickshire are to progress, though, they will do it with a squad stripped to the bones by injury and absence. Not only have they lost a coterie of seamers (Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Tim Bresnan, Carlos Brathwaite and Henry Brookes), but they are without their spinners, too, with Danny Briggs called up for England and Dan Mousley injured.It is understood they have enquired about various loan options – Surrey’s Dan Moriarty was one obvious lead – but with no luck. It is also understood they have had contact with various overseas players (including India’s Ravi Ashwin) but abandoned such plans as they felt it would be impossible to get a visa in time. Surrey’s plan to sign Ashwin may well stumble for the same reason. Kyle Mayers, who has been signed to play three T20 matches, could be drafted into the Championship side as a consequence.As a result, it seems likely that Jacob Bethell will win a first-class debut in their next game. He is only 17 and had a scan on a knee injury on Tuesday. But he is seen as an extravagant talent – albeit one whose primary skill is batting – and looked admirably calm in his two T20 appearances so far. Just as importantly, with Jake Lintott seen as a limited-overs specialist and the scan having cleared Bethell of serious issues, he is pretty much the only fit spinner available.Rob Yates may take issue with that description. He claimed his maiden first-class wicket in the final day of this game, luring Ned Eckersley into a chip to mid-wicket with one which dipped and turned a little. But it is Yates’ batting which is causing the excitement and you can understand why.After his first-innings dismissal here – his second shortly after completing a century this season – his coach, Mark Robinson, challenged him over whether he wanted to be a “good or great” batter. His point being, great batters go on and make double-hundreds. But given that Yates is 21, still a student and just recovering from an illness that kept him out of cricket for the best part of a month, and he is enjoying an outstanding season. Nobody in the land has made more centuries. A Lions call-up is starting to look like a possibility.The one man in this game whose batting impressed as much was Bedingham. He survived a chance on the third day and was fortunate, perhaps, to survive a leg before appeal on the fourth when he had 78. Liam Norwell was the unfortunate bowler.But he is clearly a class act. Like many of the best, he makes batting appear a simply business and, during the course of this innings, he extended his lead on top of the run-scoring chart to more than a hundred. Sooner or later, he will surely play international cricket with distinction.

Moeen Ali returns to team hotel after aborted attempt to relocate him to Galle after Covid result

George Dobell06-Jan-2021England’s tour of Sri Lanka will continue – for now, at least – after the latest round of Covid-19 tests showed no new positive results.The squad will hold their first training session of the tour in Hambantota on Wednesday afternoon, where Moeen Ali has now returned to stay in separate accommodation, after an aborted plan to relocate him to Galle following his positive Covid test.There had been anxiety over the future of the tour after Ali’s test result upon arrival in Sri Lanka. Chris Woakes, who travelled from Birmingham to Heathrow airport in the same car as Ali, was also put in quarantine as he was considered a close contact and there were concerns that the virus may have spread through more of the tour party.News that the rest of the squad – including Woakes – tested negative after a new round of testing on Tuesday will be a significant relief both to the England camp and Sri Lankan authorities nervous over the prevalence of the virus in the UK.While it would be wrong to think the threat to the tour has passed completely – the entire tour party will be tested again on Thursday in the understanding that the virus sometimes takes several days to manifest itself – the news revives the prospect of the series getting underway as scheduled in Galle on January 14.Not all has gone smoothly, however. Although Ali was on Tuesday transferred to a hotel in Galle booked for just such an eventuality, upon arrival it was concluded by the ECB’s chief medical officer, Nick Peirce, that building work rendered it unsuitable.Related

• Joe Root hopeful best is yet to come ahead of 2021 that could define captaincy

• James Anderson: Sri Lanka have 'slight advantage' heading into England series

• Moeen Ali tests positive for Covid-19 as England arrive in Sri Lanka

• England touring party in Sri Lanka faces anxious wait on Covid-19 test results

As a result, he was transferred back to Hambantota – a round trip of over 250 kilometres – and, after an alternative option in the town was also rejected as “not up to standard as per the protocols” in the words of a team spokesperson, is now isolating in a separate wing of the team hotel. Woakes, too, remains in isolation but should be able to join the tour party next week if he continues to return negative tests.To round off a tough day for Ali, he is now experiencing mild symptoms of Covid-19. While nothing is confirmed at this stage, it is increasingly hard to see him playing in either of the Tests on the Sri Lankan leg of this tour, with some doubt as to his availability for the start of the series in India.

The five-match series will provide more valuable planning ahead of the T20 World Cup later in the year

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2020New Zealand’s depth will be tested in the T20I series against India, but Ross Taylor sees it as a good chance for fringe players to stake a claim for spots in the World Cup squad later this year.The five-match series, part of a full tour by India, which also includes three ODIs and two Tests, begins in Auckland on Friday with New Zealand shorn of two key bowlers – Trent Boult (hand injury) and Lockie Ferguson (calf injury) – who will certainly be part of the T20 World Cup if fit.A number of other seamers who could have been in the frame – Matt Henry, Seth Rance, Doug Bracewell and Adam Milne – are also nursing injuries, meaning the T20I squad will lean heavily on the experience of Tim Southee along with spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.New Zealand’s most recent T20I series saw them lose 3-2 against England at the beginning of the season – with the deciding match going down to a Super Over – and after the visit by India they will finish the summer with three more matches at home against Australia.ALSO READ: Virat Kohli stresses on intensity and clarity in New Zealand“Probably right from the Sri Lanka series and England the focus has been on the World Cup,” Taylor said. “It will be different conditions in Australia but getting those combinations, trying a few different guys out, obviously a few injuries as well which changes the dynamic of the side, but tests the depth out and gives guys opportunities which bodes well for competition for spots.”While the upcoming series on home soil are a key part of New Zealand’s preparations for the tournament later this year – an event where they have never gone deeper than the semi-finals – Taylor believes there will have to be adjustments made for the conditions across the Tasman in October.”It’s the first time a T20 World Cup is there and you watch the Big Bash, there are big boundaries so you are going to have to skin the cat differently than how you play in New Zealand and other parts of the world,” he said.Kane Williamson, who missed the series against England with a hip problem, has returned to captain the team. New Zealand have won four out of the five T20Is they have played at home against India, including a 2-1 series win last year.Taylor is also confident that New Zealand will be able to put up a better showing in the two Tests that conclude the tour than they managed in Australia, were they were beaten 3-0 with heavy margins in all the games.”It didn’t go as we would have liked, we were completely outplayed in all three facets of the game,” he said. “Now we are back on home soil, India will be totally different opposition, No. 1 team in the world but in conditions we know.”

England’s all-time leading run-scorer is content to be preparing for a season on the county circuit. But that won’t stop people asking the question

Alan Gardner02-Apr-2019Here’s a fun game to occupy the coming months. Which is likely to happen sooner (if at all)? Parliament will gather round, agree on a course of action, and complete the first stage of Brexit. Or the England selectors will gather around, agree on a course of action, and put in a phone call to Alastair Cook.If you thought Theresa May’s attempts to get a different answer to the same question on her EU withdrawal bill were becoming monotonous, just imagine how Cook must feel every time he is confronted with a microphone as England’s search for a Test opener (or two) continues. All it took was a bread-and-butter hundred against the students of Cambridge MCCU last week for the murmurs to strike up – although this time Cook had his Essex captain, Ryan ten Doeschate, to thank for fuelling the speculation.Every time Cook raises his bat during ten rounds of the Championship that will precede the Ashes later this summer, someone is liable to ask: could England’s all-time leading run-scorer be tempted out of retirement? In terms of occupying your time on Twitter, it surely has to beat discussions of backstops and customs unions.ALSO READ: I’d love to bat at No. 3 for England – FoakesThere is something in the stubbornness of May (a proclaimed Geoffrey Boycott fan) that surely chimes with Cook. He clung on for so long with England that there seemed an element of relief when he let it all go – his departing force channelled into one last valedictory Test hundred at The Oval in September. Now he seems equally set on enjoying the last few years of his career with Essex. “I’ve played my last game for England,” he says early in the piece during the club’s media day at Chelmsford.Although, that said… For a man who has given so much for the cause, that definitive full stop is hard to contemplate. In his maiden stint as a radio commentator for the BBC during England’s tour of the Caribbean, Cook let slip a tantalising “never say never”, and although he is happy to make the case for others to take up his mantle, the sense of possibility will linger for as long as he continues harvest runs in the shires.Leaving centre stage is understandably hard. After winning his fourth rowing gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, Steve Redgrave, another sporting knight, said: “Anybody who sees me in a boat has my permission to shoot me.” Four years later, he was wearing a fifth gold around his neck in Sydney.

Harmer named T20 captain

Simon Harmer, Essex’s former South Africa offspinner, has been made captain of the T20 Blast side, taking over from Ryan ten Doeschate, who will continue to lead in the Championship and 50-over competition.
While Essex won the Championship under ten Doeschate in 2017, their limited-overs form has been less impressive in recent seasons, and last year they managed just two wins in the Vitality Blast South Group.
“It’s an exciting challenge,” Harmer said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of expectation going forward as we haven’t performed to the levels we know we’re capable of, but it’s a challenge that I wanted and I’m really looking forward to leading the team in the right direction.”

Cook was never quite so given to melodramatic pronouncements, but he is sticking to the script for now. “I was asked a very interesting question on a panel show, with about 18 different circumstances, and I said ‘you can never say never’. But look, I’ve played my last game for England. There’s always that one thing, if there’s an absolute emergency or something… But I’m nowhere near that mindset. I saw Tendo say something the other day, but I’ve had 12 amazing years of playing for England, it’s time for the next generation of players – certainly top-order players – to try to make their mark.”In terms of pulling on that cap and playing cricket – in one way it’s a sad thing it’s never going to happen again, but I’ve had my time. I had an amazing journey, I’ve loved it, but towards the end I wasn’t the player I was and things had to move on… They won’t be making the phone call to me anyway, and no matter what happens I’ve got the summer with Essex and I’m looking forward to spending it with the Eagles.”The Eagles certainly won’t mind having Cook around as he attempts to quietly unwind after more than a decade on the treadmill with England. Adjusting to the more mundane rhythms of a county season was not the sort of challenge that enthused his predecessors as England captain, Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan, but Cook has always played the game at his own tempo. As well as the challenge of winning a few more trophies with Essex – he played his part in their memorable 2017 Championship title – there is the simple pleasure of taking to the field with your mates.”It’s going to be different, it’s the first time I’ve ever played a game without the lure of England selection there, and that’s probably going to take a little bit of time to get used to,” he said.”It was important for me to have something to look forward to. The transition period, I spoke to a couple of people about retiring, and they were very clear that you’ve got to have something to do. I’m not saying I’m just here ‘to do something’ but I needed a date in my diary, and in my mind, that I could have the winter [to myself] and then come back to it.”I didn’t know what else to do, in one sense, but also I’ve spent a lot of time playing cricket here at Essex. I know a lot of the guys here really well, people like Ryan and Ravi [Bopara]. Ravi I played against at Under-11s, the next year I was playing in an Essex team with him. That’s a lot of time and I wanted to carry on playing cricket with people like that – Nick Browne, Tom Westley, people I get on really well with, I want to share a dressing room with.”On who might finally lay an irrefutable claim to his spot in the Test side, as with Brexit, there are no easy answers. Cook is circumspect – “you’ll have to read my column,” he joked – but he more than anyone knows the value of seizing an opportunity when the spotlight is on you. An Ashes summer without Cook to face down the new ball seems a disconcerting prospect; but it is up to his would-be successors to quell talk of a return.”Places are up for grabs, I think everyone who’s played has showed glimpses of good stuff, to be in the side for a long period. It’s certainly not an easy place to bat, and it’s a challenge, but whoever they pick’s got a great summer to go in with, an Ashes summer, always a very exciting time. It’s a great opportunity to do something special. You score a hundred in an Ashes Test match at the top of the order, then you get remembered.”