England's decision to tour India within a fortnight of the Mumbai mayhem was not driven by their urge to stand by a terror-stricken country but by a business deal, according to media reports in London. Apparently, it took lot of deliberation and persuasion on England and Wales Cricket Board's part to convince Kevin Pietersen and his men to tour India for the two-Test series.
Fearing that a number of senior players may opt out of the Test series in case England actually embarks on the tour of India, ECB has decided to keep three rookie bowlers on stand-by. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the untried Middlesex trio of Tim Murtagh, Alan Richardson and Steven Finn would be part of the England team which is scheduled to fly to Abu Dhabi on Thursday to join the camp before the two-Test series against India.
Kevin Pietersen and his men should call off their tour of India because the situation there is far from safe, former England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Lord MacLaurin said on Tuesday. MacLaurin said it would be sad if the ECB, which is awaiting a report from its security adviser Reg Dickason, eventually gives its go-ahead for the two-match Test series.
Allan Donald will stay on as a consultant to England's fast-bowling programme until the end of the Twenty/20 World Championship in his native South Africa in September.
Wood had knee surgery this week to clear up excess cartilage.
The International Cricket Council will be hoping to end the impasse surrounding the future of this year's T20 World Cup in Australia and sort the nomination process for its next chairman when the board members meet virtually on Wednesday.
The England all-rounder's participation in the July and August three-Test series against India is doubtful.
Lord MacLaurin, chairman of Vodafone, has said the mobile phone company's sponsorship of the England team would be jeopardised if the squad toured Zimbabwe next year.
Opening batsman Andrew Strauss will lead England in the first test against West Indies at Lord's starting on Thursday in the absence of injured captain Michael Vaughan.
The disciplinary hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club is a "terrible look for the game", former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Friday.
The proposed standalone Test between India and England should be treated as the series-deciding fifth match that was cancelled last week owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said on Monday and ruled out the possibility of it being treated as a one-off game.
England pacer James Anderson is 'gutted' that the fifth and final Test against India at his home ground in Manchester's Old Trafford was cancelled, bringing a premature end to the exciting series, which he said deserved a better finish.
England have dropped out-of-form opener Dom Sibley and brought in Dawid Malan for the third Test against India at Headingley, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Wednesday.
He will lead for the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
ECB confirms playing conditions for The Hundred
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday announced the details of England's tour to West Indies next year when they will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match.
India will tour England in 2011 to play four Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international, England and Wales Cricket Board said on Sunday.
The ICC currently only allows a player to be replaced during a match because of concussion. Under the proposed change, a late substitution would also be allowed on coronavirus grounds.
The number for overseas players for the English counties has been reduced to one.
On Sunday, New Zealand lifted most of the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic after no active cases were reported.
England paceman Liam Plunkett will miss the second and third Tests against Pakistan after suffering a side strain.
Pakistan's Danish Kaneria has finally admitted his role in a fixing scandal that led to the imprisonment of former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield after six years of denials, Britain's Daily Mail reported.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has said he is "devastated" after his calf injury ruled him out of the third Test against Pakistan.
The England fast bowler will miss the Test series because of a back injury.
The England speedsters are doubtful for the forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka
The fourth Test is due to start next Tuesday with Australia having already retained the Ashes, leading the series 3-0 with two matches to play.
There was no place for fast bowler Steve Harmison also, as the ECB included four uncapped players for the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on December 1.
Ashley Giles has yet to recover from a hip injury.
England's build-up to their one-day series in Sri Lanka has been hit by a stomach virus sweeping through the squad.
Pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom will miss England's first match of the one-day series against India in Southampton on Tuesday because of injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Monday.
The fast bowler has been included in the squad for the four-Test series against the West Indies in March.
Physio will observe the social distancing at each venue to accommodate the training, with coaches joining the sessions from next week.
England have named an unchanged squad for their tour of India with their all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson not included in the initial 16-man list for the five-Test series, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.
The England batsman said he would like to succeed Michael Vaughan as one-day captain.
England had been in control of the match after two days, scoring 570 for seven before bowling West Indies out for 146 and then reducing them to 22 for two when following on.
Donald, 40, will aid the England team's fast bowling programme on a "short-term consultancy basis", a media release by the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Friday.
Pakistan players' playing kits to feature Shahid Afridi Foundation's logo
Leg-spinner Scott Borthwick and off-spinner James Tredwell have been added to the England Test squad for the remainder of the Ashes series following Graeme Swann's surprise retirement, the country's cricket board said on Monday.
