The Cricket.com Weekly - Edition 37

With yet another week of riveting cricketing action behind us, let's take a look at what made the headlines:

Agarkar the next chief selector?

After parting ways with Delhi Capitals, former India pacer Ajit Agarkar has applied to be the next chief selector of the Indian team. The position has been vacant ever since Chetan Sharma quit in February following a sting operation. 

Shiv Sundar Das from the East, S Sharath from the South, Subroto Banerjee from the Central, and Salil Ankola from the West are the current selectors, and Agarkar could just become the chief selector. 

World Cup fixtures are announced

Finally, the fixtures for the World Cup was announced in an event in Mumbai on June 27. The 2019 finalists, England and New Zealand, will kick-start the tournament on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad - the venue for the final on November 19. 

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face each other at the same venue on October 15, while Kolkata and Mumbai will host the two semi-finals. Get ready to fight for tickets. 

Shreyanka scripts history

Shreyanka Patil took the WPL by storm finishing as the leading wicket-taker for RCB. She also finished as the leading wicket-taker in ACC Womens Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023 with nine wickets at 1.67. The off-spinner has scripted history, becoming the first-ever Indian Woman player to be picked in the Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), having been snapped up by the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2023 draft. An India 🧢soon?

Ashes

Women's

Ashleigh Gardner picked up 12 wickets, including career-best figures of 8 for 66 in the second innings, to help Australia Women beat England Women by 89 runs in the Women's Ashes Test at Trent Bridge Nottingham. Chasing 268, England kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 178, with only Danielle Wyatt (54) offering some resistance. Tammy Beaumont, however, was the batters' pick, scoring a double century in the first innings. Anabelle Sutherland also slammed an unbeaten 137, coming in at eight. 

The two teams will clash in a three-match T20I series, starting today (July 1), followed by three ODIs from July 12.

Men's

England do not seem to be in any mood to give up their aggressive approach, but despite finding a lot of success, they seem to have hit a dead end against the Aussies. They were brutally criticised for declaring on Day One of the first Test at Edgbaston and on Day Two of the Lord's Test, they lost their last six wickets for just 47 runs which as things stands could very well prove pivotal in the context of the series. Australia lead by 221 runs with eight wickets in hand and have taken control of this Test by the scruff of its neck.

However, the only downside for Australia is that Nathan Lyon will most likely miss this Test and the series as he injured his ankle on Day Two, fielding at the boundary. Australia may miss him lesser if they have a 2-0 advantage at the end of this game.

World Cup Qualifiers

Upset alert

No, Oman beating Ireland in the World Cup Qualfiers was not an upset. However, the second-string Netherlands managed to beat a full-strength West Indies side in the Super Over. Chasing 375, a 147-run stand between Teja Nidamanuru (111) and Scott Edwards (67) and a late blitz by Logan van Beek (28) helped the Dutch tie the game. Van Beek took matters into his own hands in the Super Over, smashing Jason Holder for 30 and then returned to take two wickets as well.

The Dutch had a terrific chance of causing another upset by beating Sri Lanka, but they eventually fell 21 runs short in pursuit of 214, despite fifties from Wesley Barresi and skipper Scott Edwards.

This win means Sri Lanka needs just another victory to assure themselves of a place in the World, while the Dutch may not go through even if they win their remaining two games - against Scotland and Oman.

Zimbabwe almost through

Zimbabwe did themselves a huge favour by narrowly beating Oman by 14 runs in the Super Six fixture, which means that they already have one foot in the 10-team World Cup in India later this year. Like Sri Lanka, they need to win one of their remaining two fixtures to book their tickets to India. Incidentally, Zimbabwe take on Sri Lanka next on Sunday (July 2).

Coming to the Cheverons' game against Oman, Sean Williams put his side in command with a 103-ball 142 as Zimbabwe accumulated 332 for 7. Oman too had a centurion of their own in Kashyap Prajapati (103) but fell short by 14 runs. It's a steep learning curve for Oman, whose indisciplined bowling and fielding efforts let them down. 

Shaheen wreaks havoc

5w, W, W, 1, 1, W, W. Shaheen Afridi was on fire at the T20 Blast as he picked up four wickets in the first over of the innings after his side Nottinghamshire had put on 168 runs on the board against Birmingham Bears. 

Any other day, his side would have emerged victorious, but a total of 22 extras, including 16 wides, eventually cost the Notts. With this win, the Bears further consolidate their place at the top of the North Group Table, while Notts are in fourth. Nevertheless, Shaheen's first over will be remembered for many years to come.

Indians in County cricket

Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh has started off his life in England on a decent note. In his two matches so far, he has picked up seven wickets at 36.14. He made his debut against Surrey at Canterbury, picking up the wicket of Ben Foakes leg-before with a beautiful inswinging delivery. He eventually finished with four wickets in the game as Kent went down by five wickets.

However, in the following match against Northamptonshire, Daniel Bell-Drummond stole the limelight with a superb triple hundred to help his side to an innings victory. Arshdeep picked up three in the game.

Navdeep Saini

Fast bowler Navdeep Saini who signed to play for Worcestershire for four County games will have his stint reduced to just one after being picked for India for the Test series against West Indies. He got off to an excellent start as he struck off his first delivery, removing Harry Came for just 1. That's, however as good as things got for him as he would go on to bowl another 28.5 overs without another wicket as Derbyshire would go on to pile on 578 for 5.

What's happening in TNPL?

With five wins in six games, Lyca Kovai Kings become the first team to make it through to the playoffs. Nellai Royal Kings and Dindugal Dragons, too will have an opportunity to join them if they win their next game. Incidentally, they face each other later today (July 1). The main forces behind Kovai Kings' dominance in the tournament has been Sai Sudharsan's performance with the bat (371 runs, SR 172.55) and Shahrukh Khan's show with the ball (11 wickets at 9.18), who are the leading run-getter and the wicket-taker of the tournament.

Border diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

Former Australia captain Allan Border announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2016. "I'm 68. If I make 80, that'll be a miracle. I've got a doctor friend and I said if I make 80, that'll be a miracle," Border, who led Australia to their maiden World Cup title in 1987, said.

Articles in focus

Does performances in domestic cricket even matter when it comes to picking the Indian team? While India have plenty of domestic tournaments, only IPL performances seem to matter. Here's Aakash Sivasubramaniam's sarcastic take on the matter. 

Is it the end of the road for Cheteshwar Pujara? The veteran batter was not picked for the Test series against the West Indies, and after a career of many ups and downs, it seems as though the selectors have decided to move on. Despite playing over 100 Tests, it always looked as though he was playing for his spot. Here's Shubh Aggarwal look back on his career.

How do domestic cricketers who have toiled hard make it through to the Indian side? Someone like Abhimanyu Easwaran has churned out plenty of runs but without an IPL contract, is unable to catch the eye of the selectors. Here's Anirudh Suresh on the sad plight of such cricketers.

While Oman have made the Super Six in the World Cup Qualifiers, can they take that big step and make it to the mega event in India later this year? I caught up with the Oman skipper Zeeshan Maqsood, who sheds some light on the country's progress, his journey and what it would mean for Oman to make the World Cup.

What does that win over West Indies mean to the Netherlands? They tasted success in the T20 World Cup, where they beat Zimbabwe and South Africa and now, are taking the Qualifiers by storm. Here's yours truly trying his best to capture their journey, which is been nothing short of staggering.

Hardik Worah is up next as he brings to you the next crop of Test cricketers that India have at their disposal. A good show in the Duleep Trophy can certainly push their case, unless of course, they do not have good numbers in the IPL to show for it!

Do you know how much a domestic cricketer earns? Here's Bastab Parida with an in-depth analysis.

Has David Warner buried the ghosts of the 2019 Ashes? He certainly has, reckons Anirudh Suresh, who analyses the southpaw's performance in the ongoing series

Has the word 'clinical' lost all its meaning? That's what it looks like in The Ashes, where both teams have squandered the advantage on more than one occasion to put themselves on the back foot. Anirudh Suresh has more.

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