Cricket news

• Nicholls’ experienced knock shows the way after callow England swatted aside | Simon Burnton

  21-06-2026 22:57 via theguardian.com
  Brendon McCullum relied too much on youth in the second Test, while persistence paid dividends for New ZealandIn December 2020 Henry Nicholls was a fixture in the New Zealand team, batting at No 5, but he was under pressure. In nine Tests since the end of their series against Bangladesh in early 2019 he averaged only 20.33. But they stuck with him and in his next game, against West Indies in Wellington, he scored 174 and was named player of the match.“In another time he may not have been o
  
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• Leicestershire win in top tier for first time since 2003: county cricket day three – as it happened

  21-06-2026 20:46 via theguardian.com
  Leicestershire, Notts, Hampshire and Derbyshire all win inside three days while Ben Stokes returns for Test dutyAnd Essex are in real trouble now with Dean Elgar and his limpet like qualities gone, lbw Stone for 42. Essex 65-4, trail Notts by 208. Nick Friend of The Cricketer was at Chelmsford for the first two days and tells me that Essex prepared a pitch for Harmer, only for Patterson-White to rip through them on day one. Harmer finished with a five-fer too – his first in 36 games(three
  
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• Essex v Notts, Sussex v Hampshire, Stokes and Atkinson rejoin England: county cricket day three – live

  21-06-2026 18:42 via theguardian.com
  Stokes set for England recall after Durham withdrawal
  Email Tanya with your thoughts on the day’s actionAnd Essex are in real trouble now with Dean Elgar and his limpet like qualities gone, lbw Stone for 42. Essex 65-4, trail Notts by 208. Nick Friend of The Cricketer was at Chelmsford for the first two days and tells me that Essex prepared a pitch for Harmer, only for Patterson-White to rip through them on day one. Harmer finished with a five-fer too – his first in 36 games(three y
  
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• Essex v Notts, Sussex v Hampshire, Stokes out of Durham game: county cricket day three – live

  21-06-2026 14:23 via theguardian.com
  Stokes set for England recall after Durham withdrawal
  Email Tanya with your thoughts on the day’s actionAnd Essex are in real trouble now with Dean Elgar and his limpet like qualities gone, lbw Stone for 42. Essex 65-4, trail Notts by 208. Nick Friend of The Cricketer was at Chelmsford for the first two days and tells me that Essex prepared a pitch for Harmer, only for Patterson-White to rip through them on day one. Harmer finished with a five-fer too – his first in 36 games(three y
  
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• Ben Stokes set for England recall after being withdrawn from Durham match

  21-06-2026 14:04 via theguardian.com
  Brendon McCullum: England ‘planning’ to recall captainBowler Gus Atkinson also stood down from county dutiesThe England head coach, Brendon McCullum, has confirmed Ben Stokes is likely to return as captain for the third Test against New Zealand.Speaking to Sky Sports after his side’s heavy defeat in the second Test was confirmed on Sunday, McCullum was asked if Stokes’ withdrawal from county duties with Durham meant he would return to captain the starting XI at Trent Brid
  
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• Ben Stokes returns as England captain after ECB concludes nightclub investigation

  21-06-2026 14:04 via theguardian.com
  Gus Atkinson said to be victim of ‘unprovoked attacks’McCullum admits to ‘ambiguity’ in team curfew rulesBen Stokes and Gus Atkinson have returned to England’s squad for the decisive third Test against New Zealand after the England & Wales Cricket Board concluded their investigation into the pair’s breach of the team curfew celebrating victory in the first game of the series.“Stokes and Atkinson were found to have breached specific contractual obliga
  
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• New Zealand rout England by 253 runs: second men’s Test, day five – as it happened

  21-06-2026 13:36 via theguardian.com
  Matt Henry ripped through England on the final morning to finish with career-best figures of 11 for 10949th over: England 184-5 (Root 76, Cox 1) Henry sets the agenda with a perfect first delivery on off stump that is defended awkwardly by Root. After Root takes a single later in the over, Jordan Cox gets off the mark from his 15th delivery. Can’t imagine that has happened too often.Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been withdrawn from the remainder of Durham and Surrey’s ongoing Coun
  
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• Matt Henry highlights England’s disarray as New Zealand complete second Test rout

  21-06-2026 13:02 via theguardian.com
  2nd Test D5: NZ, 391 & 362, bt Eng, 291 & 209, by 253 runsHenry takes 6-29 to help level series at 1-1 with one to playThis summer was supposed to be a reset for England but already it is shaping up as a reckoning. As New Zealand savoured a famous 253‑run win at the Oval, Matt Henry needing just 48 minutes to go through Joe Root and a crepe‑paper tail, the team they defeated and the setup behind it appeared in a state of disarray.Like New Zealand as a whole, Henry was excelle
  
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• Matt Henry ends England’s resistance as New Zealand complete second Test rout

  21-06-2026 13:02 via theguardian.com
  Second Test D5: NZ 391 & 362; England 291 & 209Henry takes 11 match wickets in 253-run victoryNew Zealand made very short work of claiming the five England wickets required to secure victory in the second Test on Sunday.Matt Henry removed four England batters, including Joe Root for 77, in a ferocious 25-minute spell at the Oval. The hosts began the day on 182-5 but added just 10 runs for the first four wickets lost, slipping to 192-9 as the Black Caps showed no mercy.Ali Martin’s
  
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