Cricket news

• ICC plan to end five-day Tests would remove all that is best about cricket | Barney Ronay

  07-01-2020 20:59
  
  The tone of the game flows backwards from the possibility of five days – just look at Dominic Sibley’s century in Cape TownNo. No. No. And also: no. Not even: no thanks. No, later or maybe or let’s see. This is simply a hard, flat no. And indeed an angry and reproachful no, too. When it comes to the ICC’s suggestion that four-day Test matches may be the future of international red-ball cricket there is only one sensible response. That response is an aggressive, concerted
  
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• Ben Stokes dedicates England heroics against South Africa to stricken father

  07-01-2020 20:46
  
  • England all-rounder: ‘Hopefully I’ve made him proud’
  • Stokes told Joe Root he was bowling until England wonBen Stokes has dedicated his match-winning performance in the second Test against South Africa to his stricken father, who kept tabs on England’s series-levelling victory from his hospital bed in Johannesburg.An emotional Stokes spoke after his three wickets in the final session led Joe Root’s team to a 189-run win in Cape Town. The all-rounder&rsq
  
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• Joe Root thrilled with ‘golden nugget’ Ben Stokes after match-winning spell

  07-01-2020 20:21
  
  • Stokes takes three for one from 2.2 overs to secure thrilling win
  • England captain describes all-rounder as a ‘born match-winner’Joe Root hailed Ben Stokes as a born match-winner and “golden nugget” after the all-rounder bowled England to their first Test victory at Newlands since 1957 on a dramatic final day in Cape Town.England’s captain was indebted to Stokes for the series-levelling victory as he followed up his record-equalling five catches in Sout
  
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• 'I'm just trying to be Ben Stokes' - man of the match plays down Flintoff comparisons

  07-01-2020 19:17 via bbc.co.uk
  
  England's Ben Stokes plays down comparisons with former all-rounders Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff after helping his team beat South Africa in the second Test.
  
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• England beat South Africa by 189 runs to win second Test and square series – as it happened

  07-01-2020 16:59
  
  Ben Stokes led the line as South Africa lost five wickets in the final session on a dramatic last day in Cape TownRead our report of the action at Newlands 3.59pm GMT And with that, I’m done. It’s been a fantastic day of Test cricket, up there with the best. Cheers for dropping in. Here’s our report: Related: England break South Africa’s resistance to win second Test and square series3.59pm GMT And here’s Joe Root on four-day Tests:Some people might think there&rsqu
  
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• England break South Africa’s resistance to win second Test and square series

  07-01-2020 16:14
  
  • England 269 & 391-8 dec; SA 223 & 248 – England win by 189 runs
  • Ben Stokes takes last three wickets to wrap up winEngland have won the second Test against South Africa by 189 runs after dismissing the hosts for 248 at Newlands, with Ben Stokes taking the last three wickets.South Africa began the day on 126 for two. Jimmy Anderson quickly dismissed the nightwatchman, Keshav Maharaj, for two and Faf du Plessis was caught by Joe Denly for 19 off Dom Bess, the only wicket
  
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• Ben Stokes strikes again as England beat South Africa to level series

  07-01-2020 16:14
  
  • England 269 & 391-8 dec; SA 223 & 248 – England win by 189 runs
  • Ben Stokes takes last three wickets to wrap up second TestBen Stokes had a very satisfactory 2019. Well, 2020 has not started too badly either. With the shadows lengthening under Table Mountain on the fifth evening of a memorable match it was, inevitably, Stokes who sealed a famous England victory by 189 runs. He was the man to snatch the last three wickets just when it seemed that a determined South Afri
  
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• England beat South Africa by 189 runs to win second Test and square series – live reaction

  07-01-2020 16:11
  
  Ben Stokes led the line as South Africa lost five wickets in the final session on a dramatic last day in Cape TownEmail Simon or tweet him with your thoughts3.11pm GMT For the record: Philander c Bess b Stokes 8 (South Africa 248 all out)And also, stick that in your four-day Test pipe and smoke it, or whatever. 3.09pm GMT Sky lose the feed, they cut to a still of a distant cricket ground and make their apologies ... and then they cut back to the action, Stokes bangs one in, and Philander fences
  
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• England need one wicket to beat South Africa: second Test, day five – live!

  07-01-2020 15:53
  
  Over-by-over updates from the final day’s play at NewlandsThe Spin: Anderson’s records pile up but he is still in Barnes’s shadowBurns to miss tour of Sri Lanka after undergoing ankle surgeryEmail Simon or tweet him with your thoughts2.53pm GMT He’s gone first ball! Another edge, and the slip cordon - four of them! - is so close that it’s almost past Crawley when he sticks out a right hand to deflect the ball up and into the air with his right, and then catch it wit
  
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• England need three wickets to beat South Africa: second Test, day five – live!

  07-01-2020 15:32
  
  Over-by-over updates from the final day’s play at NewlandsThe Spin: Anderson’s records pile up but he is still in Barnes’s shadowBurns to miss tour of Sri Lanka after undergoing ankle surgeryEmail Simon or tweet him with your thoughts2.32pm GMT 129th over: South Africa 237-7 (Philander 0, Pretorius 0) Philander decides it’s about time he scored a run, and swings his bat at a couple of Bess deliveries. He doesn’t get hold of either of them, and this is thus maiden No
  
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• England need four wickets to beat South Africa: second Test, day five – live!

  07-01-2020 15:13
  
  Over-by-over updates from the final day’s play at NewlandsThe Spin: Anderson’s records pile up but he is still in Barnes’s shadowBurns to miss tour of Sri Lanka after undergoing ankle surgeryEmail Simon or tweet him with your thoughts2.13pm GMT 124th over: South Africa 237-6 (van der Dussen 17, Philander 0) A second slip comes in for Broad here, and there’s a gully there as well. Broad tries to bring them into play by bowling wide of off stump, which only allows Van der D
  
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• England need five wickets to beat South Africa: second Test, day five – live!

  07-01-2020 14:15
  
  Over-by-over updates from the final day’s play at NewlandsThe Spin: Anderson’s records pile up but he is still in Barnes’s shadowBurns to miss tour of Sri Lanka after undergoing ankle surgeryEmail Simon or tweet him with your thoughts1.15pm GMT 115th over: South Africa 221-5 (van der Dussen 17, de Kock 38) Bess overpitches, which he has tended to do a bit, and De Kock hits past point for four. And then a sniff of a wicket, as he edges the last ball before tea just short of Root
  
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• The Spin | Jimmy Anderson claims another record but still bowls in shadow of Sydney Barnes

  07-01-2020 13:41
  
  A trailblazer for seam and spin on the field and for proper pay and respect off it, Barnes’s greatness is undimmedWhen The Spin scours statistics to help rank our cricketers in end-of-the-decade lists or posthumous tributes, occasionally there are still records that make your tummy turn. Jimmy Anderson finished off South Africa’s first innings on Sunday to complete the 28th five-wicket haul of his career, in 151 Tests, and now stands alone among English bowlers at the leader in this
  
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• Rory Burns to miss England’s tour of Sri Lanka after undergoing ankle surgery

  07-01-2020 10:08
  
  • ECB say batsman is aiming to return for county season in April
  • Burns returned to London for operation on ruptured ligamentsRory Burns will miss the Test tour of Sri Lanka in March after undergoing surgery on his left ankle, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.The batsman was hurt while playing football on the eve of the Cape Town Test against South Africa last week and was diagnosed with ruptured ligaments after flying home. Related: South Africa v England: second Tes
  
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• Rory Burns to miss England’s tour of Sri Lanka after ankle surgery

  07-01-2020 10:08
  
  • ECB says batsman is aiming to return for county season in April
  • Burns returned to London for operation on ruptured ligamentsRory Burns will miss England’s tour of Sri Lanka in March after the opener was ruled out for up to four months following surgery on his left ankle.Burns sustained ruptured ligaments on the eve of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town while playing football with his teammates on the Newlands outfield before training. Related: South Africa v En
  
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• Ruthless Australia's red-ball dominance whets appetite with India next to visit | Jonathan Howcroft

  07-01-2020 03:32
  
  The numbers being etched into history by Tim Paine’s men are underpinned by discipline and graftTest matches, Test series, heck, Test summers don’t get more convincing than that. After eviscerating Pakistan before Christmas, Australia have now finished toying with New Zealand. Insatiable with the bat and relentless with the ball, Australia proved once again that in home conditions they are near unbeatable.“It’s hard to put a finger on something, but just the level of conc
  
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