MARGATE: FL/USA – Vice president of operations at Cricket Council USA (CCUSA), Sofian Qamar is happy with preparations for the upcoming US Open T20 tournament thus far. Qamar, who has been working tirelessly since the end of the last US Open to prepare for this year’s tournament has been looking at all aspects of hosting and is happy with the current status. “Work for the US Open T20 begins the next day after one ends. We have been working all the while and I am confident that we will have…
London (AFP) – Australia’s Steve Smith has been ruled out of the last day of the second Ashes Test with concussion against England at Lord’s, saying he felt “groggy” on Sunday morning. Smith was felled when a Jofra Archer bouncer struck his neck on Saturday. “I started to feel a little bit of a headache coming on last night as the adrenaline got out of my system but I was able to get a good night’s sleep in, but I woke up feeling a bit groggy and with a headache…
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan on a group that knew how to bounce back Winnipeg Hawks are the GT20 champions for 2019. The team that won two matches in the league stage; the team that sneaked into the Playoffs thanks to their Net Run-Rate; the team that won an eliminator that they had no business winning – and then pipped the most consistent team in a last-ball finish – clinched the climactic final in a Super Over. They were this close to being eliminated the league phase. Now they are champions. At times…
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan on a bowler who both lost and won Winnipeg Hawks need 13 runs to enter the GT20 final. The man whom Brampton Wolves have picked to bowl that over is a 35-year-old medium-pacer who plays for Canada, Cecil Pervez. Cecil plays for the Shahid Afridi Cricket Club in Toronto. He was in high school when Afridi first played for Pakistan, when he reeled off that madcap hundred off 37 balls. For the next few years, Cecil “wanted to be Shahid Afridi”. He moved to Canada in 2000 and…
Dean Jones on the four big evolutions he wants to see in T20 By Siddhartha Vaidyanathan Dean Jones approached one-day cricket in the mid-’80s like many others would in the ’90s. He was one of the best when it came to running between the wickets, and he understood the importance of accelerating in the middle overs instead of sitting back and waiting for the last ten. He wore sunglasses to help him take catches when the ball disappeared in the glare of the sun. And he experimented with oval bat…
We respond to some Frequently Asked Questions by cricket newbies in North America Do they actually stop for tea? Do the players only wear whites? Do games really go on for five days? Do some games end without a winner? Our answer is always: Yes, yes, yes and yes but remember, this is true only for the oldest form of cricket. There are shorter versions of the game where these questions are irrelevant. Cricket has come a long way since when it was synonymous with the British empire. It is now…
The moments that stood out on a wild, edge-of-the-seat Playoff Thursday It was a day packed with action. A day when Vancouver Knights booked a spot in the final, when Brampton Wolves braced themselves for a semi-final on Saturday, when Winnipeg Hawks just about qualified for the game on Saturday, and when Toronto Nationals were eliminated by a hairsbreadth. It rained a bit, then it rained fours and sixes. There were electric catches and magic deliveries. It’s now time to pick the best of the lot: Most inventive innings of…
Sport enthusiast, Fizza Abid, recently returned to the UK to satisfy her dream of attending the Cricket World Cup. Fizza was selected by International Cricket Council (ICC) managers to represent her home country of Pakistan. During the World Cup event, which took place 30 May – 14 July 2019, she held volunteering roles across several teams, including spectator services. Fizza was also awarded the honour of carrying the Pakistan Globe at the World Cup Final match ceremony between England and New Zealand. Reflecting on the experience, she commented: “It was…
A look at how a team of diverse individuals combined for a clinical win The Toronto Nationals’ 35-run win over Montreal Tigers was a complete team effort. All eleven players had a role to play in a victory that ensured a place in the playoffs. To make matters interesting, the XI was as global as it gets. Here’s a brief summary of what happened: St Vincent-born Rodrigo Thomas – who is now settled in Canada – made an entertaining 70 with five fours and five meaty sixes. Partnering him at…
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan on a champion – both on and off the cricket field Ever since he landed in Canada, for the second edition of the GT20 tournament, Yuvraj Singh has been entertaining requests. For selfies. For autographs. For handshakes. For interviews. He has had fans approaching him at restaurants. Fans approaching him before and after games. Fans approaching him in hotel lobbies. And fans approaching him in the Niagara Falls. They have thanked him for making the trip to Canada. For giving them a chance to see him bat. Dhruv…
