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ScorecardArshad Ali took five wickets for UAE, but Netherland’s were indebted to fifties from Bas Zuiderent and Peter Borren in their 287 on the first day in Sharjah. At the close, the hosts had moved to 10 without loss.Netherlands, who were put in by Saqib Ali, began confidently with their opening batsmen, Alexei Kervezee and Zuiderent, putting on 79 for the first wicket. Kervezee struck eight fours in his 44 before he was trapped in front by Khurram Khan – and both Ryan ten Doeschate and Eric Szwarczynski fell cheaply before Zuiderent was joined by Borren.Zuiderent fell for 77, caught by Fahad Alhashmi off Mohammad Tauqir, but Borren found excellent support in Daan van Bunge who helped put on 59 for the fifth wicket. At 224 for 5, the match was hovering nicely in the balance, but Arshad Ali ran through the lower-order to pick up 5 for 43.

The MCC president, Ted Dexter, has gone on record as saying that Nasser Hussain, the England captain, might have kept to the letter of the law when he told left-arm spinner Ashley Giles to bowl over the wicket into the leg-side rough against Sachin Tendulkar in the Test series against India, but he was outside the spirit of the law.Now, Dexter believes that there needs to be a revision of the laws by MCC, and he is supported in that by the game’s governing body, the International Cricket Council. The ICC has been in touch suggesting that MCC might look at ways of closing this particular loophole that allows negative tactics to be employed.The tactics employed by Hussain attracted widespread condemnation, especially in India where Sunil Gavaskar, one of the country’s greatest batsmen and now both a media personality and chairman of the ICC cricket committee, tagged England as “boring.”Dexter, who was himself an innovative captain of England, said that leg-side bowling represented “a matter of pushing the laws to their limit to gain advantage.”He continued: “The umpires could have been stricter on the leg-side wide, and what we detected was an anomaly in the ICC playing conditions – just one sentence – which allowed the umpires not to intervene.”Since then we’ve been in touch with ICC – I’ve been in touch personally withSunil Gavaskar – and we’ve corresponded.”We’re thrilled that the ICC has asked the MCC for our proposals as to how todeal with it properly in the laws and the playing conditions, and we’ll seewhere we go from here.”Some critics suggested that the tactic had actually cost England the chance of squaring the series in the final Test in Bangalore. Tendulkar faced 198 balls for 90 before Giles had him stumped, but time was on India’s side even before rain came to wash out any chance of a positive result.Nevertheless, Hussain’s plan was designed specifically to counter Tendulkar in the prevailing conditions and, if the fault lay with the ICC playing conditions as Dexter maintains, it seems strange that the laws of cricket should be amended rather than the faulty playing conditions.

Scott Weenink will be stepping down as New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive. He has cited differences with “several member association” and the players’ association when it comes to “future priorities of NZC and long-term direction of the game” for his decision. Weenink will step away from the position on January 30, 2026 after a two-and-a-half-year stint.”After careful consideration,” Weenink said in a media statement, “it has become clear that I hold a different view from several member associations, and the NZCPA [New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association], on the future priorities for NZC, including the long-term direction of the game and the best role for T20 cricket in New Zealand. Given these differences, I believe it is in the best interests of the organisation that new leadership takes NZC forward from here.”While I am saddened to leave after such a successful period, I do not wish to create ongoing instability by continuing without the support of some key stakeholders. I depart with pride in the excellent progress made by NZC during my time as CEO, and confidence in the people in NZC who will carry the game forward.Related

• Plans being developed for NZ20 league in January 2027

“I will return to the role of executive chair of Xceda Group, subject to regulatory approvals, in the new year. I will take with me great memories of my time with NZC.”Weenink was appointed chief executive of NZC in August 2023, and under him, New Zealand won the women’s T20 World Cup and a men’s Test series in India in 2024 and made the final of the men’s Champions Trophy in 2025.His announcement came in the wake of new that plans were being put in place to launch the NZ20, a franchise-based T20 league in the country, by January 2027.The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League, with the tournament receiving the license from NZC but being managed independently. That tournament, once it’s in place, will replace the men’s and women’s Super Smash.The league requires approval from NZC. Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 establishment committee, wishes to have clarity over that call, ideally by January 2026.

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Scorecard Lisa Sthalekar ended with 3 for 9 to halt the Hurricanes’ charge•Getty Images

Not even the rain could stop Sydney Sixers. Inspired by the bowling of veteran Lisa Sthalekar, they romped to their ninth consecutive victory to set up a Sydney derby in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League final.The rain had been forecast and, true to form, it would simply not stay away. Torrential, persistent drizzle in the early part of the day delayed the game’s start and reduced it to 14 overs per side. After Hobart Hurricanes won the toss, elected to bat and posted a subpar 8 for 86, the rain returned, with a misty vengeance, forcing ground staff to bring on the full covers.Hurricanes knew, having finished second in the ladder, that a no-result would see them advance to the final. The second innings of the match had been due to start at 4.37 pm, and could start no later than 5.12 pm, with Sixers set to bat just five overs. Fortunately for the Sixers, however, the showers eased, the covers were peeled back and, at 5pm, with eight overs to be bowled and a target of 55, the players returned to the field.When they did, the sun even dared to shine. The Sixers had just a two-over Powerplay, and Alyssa Healy was determined to take advantage of it, with a brutal drive off Julie Hunter, and twice pulling Pyke – for four then six – to take Sixers’ target below a run a ball. With 20 from the Powerplay and in a small chase with no margin for error for the Hurricanes, Healy was dropped at square-leg by Brooke Hepburn, and spared a stumping when dancing down the track by wicketkeeper Em Smith.Healy and Ellyse Perry were in no mood to let the Hurricanes off. They ran hard and picked off boundaries with ease, both strong in front and behind square on the legside. Despite Hunter’s best efforts – her second over, the sixth, included three dot balls – the Sixers strolled home with 10 balls to spare as Perry drove Knight through the offside. It had taken just 22 minutes.Earlier, Veronica Pyke looked to guide Marizanne Kapp’s second ball of the innings to third man, but only succeeded in edging behind, where Healy took a fine diving catch. Heather Knight found some rhythm, consecutively ramping and swinging Sarah Aley hard to leg for boundaries. With Erin Burns also looking at ease against Kapp, whose second over cost 15, the Hurricanes’ four-over Powerplay looked productive, with 30 runs scored for the loss of just Pyke.Enter Sthalekar. She tossed her first ball up, enticing Knight to drive down the ground, and the bowler dove to her right to take a fine catch. Her first two overs would cost just five runs to put the breaks on the Hurricanes, even if Amy Satterthwaite swiped twice to drive Lauren Smith for boundaries in the over between. Sthalekar was withdrawn from the attack and the batsmen settled again, with Burns late-cutting Perry beautifully. The Hurricanes looked well-placed on 68 for the loss of two wickets.Perry brought Sthalekar back to bowl her third and final over in the innings’ 11th, and the offspinner dismissed both set batsmen in three balls to derail the Hurricanes’ charge. First, Burns used her feet but slapped straight to cover. Then, off the last ball of her spell, Sthalekar gave a full ball plenty of flight and trapped Satterthwaite plumb in front.From there, Hurricanes’ innings never recovered, losing four more wickets, with Hayley Matthews inside edging Aley, Corinne Hall playing on to Kapp, and both Sasha Moloney and Julie Hunter run out going for the third in Perry’s final over. Indeed Sthalekar, surprisingly, provided the only blot on the Sixers’ superb finish, dropping Moloney at cover off Perry.Otherwise, this was a highly professional performance. Sixers were a team thrown together a matter of days before the tournament. They took time – six defeats – to find their feet. Now, however, they are within touching distance of completing a truly outstanding, unfathomable turnaround.

Tammy Beaumont, the Kent wicketkeeper-batsman, has been recalled to the England Women’s squad for the T20 series against South Africa but Mark Robinson, the new head coach, has kept faith with the players who lost the Ashes to Australia last yearBeaumont last played in the one-day series against India in August 2014 and her previous T20 came against Australia in Dhaka in the final of the 2014 World T20.She is only included in the 15-player squad for the T20 with Lancashire’s Kate Cross playing the one-day series.

England squad for SA tour

Charlotte Edwards (capt), Tammy Beaumont (T20 only), Katherine Brunt, Kathryn Cross (ODI only), Georgia Elwiss, Lydia Greenway, Rebecca Grundy, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt

Sarah Taylor is in line to win her 100th ODI cap during the series. She currently sits on 98 one-day appearances and will be the seventh England player to reach a hundred caps.The nine members of the squad who are currently playing the Women’s Big Bash will join the rest of the party in South Africa at the end of January for a 10-day training camp before the ODI series starts on February 7 in Benoni. The three ODIs will form part of the ICC’s Women’s Championship in which England currently sit fifth and South Africa fourth.It will be the first assignment for Robinson and he is looking forward to getting the team back into the middle.”Having started to work with some of them, having watched recent footage and through following the progress of those playing in the WBBL, there is no doubt that this is a hugely talented squad with enormous potential,” he said. “I am relishing the prospect of helping them unearth even more of that potential and to seeing them develop in their next chapter as professional cricketers.”The ICC Women’s Championship table is currently very tight so the next twelve months are vitally important for us. We need to hit the ground running in the three ODIs against South Africa, who we know will pose a strong challenge on home soil. I am excited to see what this England team can do.”

The West Indies coach John Dyson is about to face his toughest assignment against the world champions, but he is confident of a strong performance against his former team. Dyson, who played 30 Tests for Australia in the 1970s and 80s, knows the series will be a huge examination for his men and has picked 17 of them for a five-day camp starting on Monday.While the big names of Chris Gayle, who has a groin injury, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo are missing from the list, the large collection includes many of the players who faced Sri Lanka in March and April. “We know it will be tough against Australia, but we are ready for that challenge,” Dyson said. “We are looking forward to getting all the players in the right frame of mind.”What I like about the group we have here is the consistency of selection. Those selected will know what is required. We are happy with the group that we have and we are confident as we prepare for the series.”Daren Powell, Darren Sammy and Jerome Taylor have been chosen while Kieron Pollard, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels were also part of the 2-0 one-day win over Sri Lanka. “This is an opportunity to continue the work we did against Sri Lanka,” Dyson said. “Our last Test was a win and our last one-day series was also a win.”We believe the bulk of the team against Australia will come from the squad that played against Sri Lanka.” The first Test starts in Jamaica on May 22 before the contest moves to Antigua and Barbados.West Indies training squad Sulieman Benn, Patrick Browne, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Runako Morton, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Brenton Parchment, William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor.

ScorecardAmit Verma’s unbeaten 74 helped Assam stay afloat, but by only just, on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Vadodara•Fotocorp

Saurashtra’s seam bowling has been an underrated virtue this season largely because of the havoc created by the Jadejas – Ravindra and Dharmendrasinh – on the raging turners of Rajkot. But their claim to early bragging rights in the semi-final was engineered by some first-rate seam bowling from the left-arm pair of Jaydev Unadkat and Hardik Rathod.Assam, after being asked to bat, struggled with yet another batting meltdown, with only Amit Verma, unbeaten on 74 after a nagging day-long examination, and KB Arun Karthik attempting to wear the opposition down. But Arun Karthik’s wicket in the 62nd over, brought about because of misjudgment in length to an indipper from Rathod, opened the floodgates; Assam lost three more wickets in the space of 11 overs, eventually ending the day on 193 for 7.While a whiff of the early-morning nip might have aided swing bowling, pronounced movement off the seam on a sturdy, grass-speckled surface was the defining aspect of Saurashtra’s bowling. There was pressure applied on both ends, with a chatty slip cordon making it harder for the batsmen.Not surprisingly, Rathod landed the first blow in the fourth over as Rahul Hazarika, hassled by a succession of prickly, good-length deliveries, poked one to first slip where Cheteshwar Pujara bent forward to hold a fine, low catch. His opening partner, Pallavkumar Das, was luckier as Pujara put down a similar chance, off Unadkat. Assam’s next casualty was Gokul Sharma, the captain, who was bowled by Unadkat.With Unadkat and Rathod mostly persisting with just short-to-good length, Sharma’s dismissal was an exception: it was full and snaked through Sharma’s feeble front-foot offering. Having received a reprieve early on, Pallavkumar couldn’t encash his luck for much longer as Rathod got one to cut back into his pads and the batsman was trapped in front of the stumps.Assam coach Sanath Kumar had said on Friday that his team’s wobbly batting had virtually made it non-negotiable for one of the three professionals to score heavily, and in Verma and Arun Karthik they had two willing volunteers. Having weathered the last few overs of Rathod and Unadkat’s extended first spells, they found a little respite in the third and fourth seam-bowling partnership of Deepak Punia and Chirag Jani, but it wasn’t much more. Punia was miserly all day, conceding only 36 runs from 21 overs.For Verma and Arun Karthik, the square cut and the flick were the go-to strokes, and once the surface calmed down a bit, they ventured to drive through cover more often. Whenever Saurashtra’s bowlers went for the bouncers – they even had a leg trap complete with a leg gully and a short leg standing deeper than usual – both batsmen rode them down or left them alone. While they managed only 54 runs in the second session, they had importantly deprived Saurashtra of a wicket.They would return after tea to build on those small gains, and the intent came through in the accelerated rate of scoring. But Arun Karthik’s wicket left the door ajar for Unadkat, who dismissed Syed Mohammad, the quarter-final centurion, and Swarupam Purkayastha in successive overs. Mohammad’s wild slash was a response to being tied down by some sharp seam bowling, and he was duly caught behind.Verma, though, didn’t flinch; the last ball of the day that had him squared up and beaten without getting him out summed up his toil.

Glamorgan have turned to Australia to help ease their middle-order problems.They have signed Nick Selman, a 20-year-old from Brisbane with a dual passport, on a one-year contract ahead of the 2016 season.Selman represented Queensland in both cricket and Australian Rules football at age grade levels before choosing cricket as his first choice sport.Following spells with Kent and Gloucestershire 2nd XIs in 2015, Selman has joined Glamorgan after impressing in two late-season 2nd XI matches.”I’m very excited to be joining Glamorgan, coming to Wales and helping the county to build on their performances of 2015,” said Selman. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping the club push for promotion into Division One.”Glamorgan began the season well in Division Two but fell away badly and they were also one of the counties unable to surf the trend of rising attendances in Twenty20.Glamorgan chief executive and director of cricket Hugh Morris said: “We identified we needed more depth to our batting department and Nick is a talented young player who will have an opportunity to score runs for the county as he has done in grade cricket in Australia and in Second XI cricket over here.”Nick has played through the age groups for Queensland and has spent some time in county cricket already, so knows what to expect. I’m sure he will have a big future with Glamorgan.”

A leading player agent believes Australia could not sustain its own version of the Indian Premier League because the market is too small. The Australian Cricketers’ Association is dreaming of an Australian Premier League, but Neil Maxwell, who has Brett Lee in his management stable and is the chief executive of the Kings XI Punjab franchise, said only England and India were in a position to develop the big events.A smaller population combined with less opportunity for major broadcast and sponsorship deals limits the possibility of a stand-alone venture in Australia. “India and England are the only two markets that can sustain franchise tournaments,” Maxwell said in the Sydney Morning Herald. “[England has] the revenue, they have the pay TV and the population.”Let’s not beat around the bush, the major revenue is going to come from the television rights and then sponsorship helps too, but in Australia’s case the sponsorship is also weaker. You have to have consortiums who are prepared to invest in the tournament, and they will do it for the money, for the profit, and it’s going to be very different to India because of that lack of competition for the television rights.”Another idea that has emerged since the IPL began is having an Australian team in the league, which Cricket Australia will consider. However, Maxwell told the paper Australia would be better off benefiting from their players, which were their “biggest asset”. “Cricket Australia should probably try to set up a deal with the organisers to receive transfer fees,” he said. “So if someone ends up buying an Australian player they [Cricket Australia] are rewarded for producing that player.”

ScorecardFile photo – Smriti Mandhana top-scored for India with 55•Getty Images

Fifties from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, followed by Poonam Yadav’s four-wicket haul shaped India Women’s 107-run rout of Sri Lanka Women in the first ODI in Ranchi.After being inserted, Mandhana anchored the first half of the innings with an 81-ball 55 that included eight fours. After she fell at the end of the 27th over, Harmanpreet took charge of the innings with her 61-ball 50. Captain Mithali Raj also chipped in with a handy 49 that helped lift India to 245 for 6.In response, the only form of resistance the India bowlers faced was from Prasadani Weerakkody, who made a slow 69. Sri Lanka were well-placed at 122 for 3, but the India bowlers, led by Poonam, cut through their middle and lower order, as the visitors suffered a collapse that saw their last seven wickets fall for just 16 runs.