Cricket news

• England and Australia prepare for decider as Steve Smith eyes return

  15-09-2020 18:49 via theguardian.com
  
  England set to stick with winning team at Old TraffordJofra Archer will resume Smith battle if batsman is fitAt the start of the pandemic few could have said with any confidence that England’s men would play all 18 of their scheduled internationals. But here they are, about to complete the set. And it’s the small matter of a series decider against Australia.Justin Langer revealed during the buildup that, when the tourists looked to be cruising to an unassailable 2-0 lead during the s
  
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• Tom Banton: Somerset's England batsman to miss Trophy final for Indian Premier League

  15-09-2020 15:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  England's Tom Banton will not play for Somerset in the Bob Willis Trophy final against Essex because of his IPL commitment.
  
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• England v Australia: Chris Woakes keen to help England defend five-year unbeaten record

  15-09-2020 14:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  World champions England are defending a five-year unbeaten record when they play Australia in Wednesday's series-deciding ODI at Emirates Old Trafford.
  
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• County cricket's short, sweet season has provided succour amid turmoil | The Spin

  15-09-2020 13:23 via theguardian.com
  
  Despite the absence of spectators the Bob Willis Trophy has delivered – and offers a pointer to further changeAnd so it leaves, as it always does, with a jolt. Even though you can smell it in the air, in the hastening evenings, in the turning trees, in the shock of the cold morning and an extra jumper. Red-ball cricket, for most of the country, slides away for another year after a season unlike all others.In the chaos of mid-March, as counties started to cancel pre-season tours, and then a
  
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• County cricket talking points: all to play for as T20 Blast comes to the boil

  15-09-2020 12:46 via theguardian.com
  
  Every team will play three games this week as they try to book their places in the quarter-finalsBy Gary Naylor for the 99.94 Cricket Blog
  With all sides having three matches left in the Blast, Nottinghamshire are the closest to securing a top-two slot in a group and thus guaranteeing progress to the quarter-finals at, wait for it, the beginning of next month. Related: The sad goodbye when you give up your Lord's seats after 15 seasonsRelated: Getting the picture: cricket's relationship with pho
  
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• ECB to axe 62 jobs with Covid-19 to hit cricket for expected £200m

  15-09-2020 12:10 via theguardian.com
  
  Harrison: ‘Board needs to be leaner and more agile organisation’ECB proposals include 20% reduction in the workforce budgetThe England and Wales Cricket Board is to make a sweeping round of redundancies as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with chief executive Tom Harrison describing the measures as “unthinkable”.The game’s governing body believes the health crisis has already cost the wider game £100m, and estimates that figure could more than double if rest
  
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• England and Wales Cricket Board to cut 62 jobs as a result of Covid-19

  15-09-2020 12:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The England and Wales Cricket Board is to cut 62 jobs as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
  
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• Best six of England's T20 summer - as picked by BBC Sport readers

  15-09-2020 10:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  There was a clear winner in the vote by BBC Sport readers - but which batsman takes the prize?
  
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• The Hundred: Women's players can keep contracts for 2021

  15-09-2020 09:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Players due to play in this year's postponed women's Hundred will have the option of keeping their contracts for next summer.
  
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• Relationship further stretched as Seven refuses to pay Cricket Australia in full

  15-09-2020 08:37 via theguardian.com
  
  Free-to-air broadcaster was due to pay $25m instalmentSeven instead paid amount that reflected ‘fair value’Seven West Media has refused to pay full price for its broadcast rights with Cricket Australia, making a partial payment that is certain to stretch a relationship that is already incredibly strained.Seven and CA remain at loggerheads on the eve of the 2020-21 season, with the disgruntled free-to-air broadcaster threatening to walk away from its $450m commitment to the sport. Rel
  
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• Dropped Yorkshire players 'sat outside ground' in hope of negative Covid result

  15-09-2020 01:03 via theguardian.com
  
  David Willey among four players who missed T20 Blast matchCoach Andrew Gale ‘they were sat outside waiting for a text’Yorkshire were left without four senior players, including captain David Willey, for their T20 Blast match against Lancashire at Headingley due to a coronavirus-related issue. Lancashire took advantage of their rivals’ weakened team with a commanding six-wicket win. After the game, Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale revealed that the four men – Willey, Matthew Fi
  
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