Matthew Fisher

Ruturaj Gaikwad struck a fine 108 off 127 balls before New Zealand A fought back to dismiss India A for 293 on day one of the third and final unofficial Test on Thursday.

England all-rounder David Willey has tested positive for COVID-19, the player announced on social media on Thursday.

Brendan Taylor marked his return to Zimbabwe's Test squad after a four-year ban, playing against New Zealand in Bulawayo. His comeback coincided with New Zealand introducing three debutants. Taylor was previously sanctioned for failing to report a financial inducement and testing positive for cocaine.

Before the ongoing India 'A' and New Zealand 'A' series, Ruturaj Gaikwad had played 66 matches in two-and-a-half years. All of them were limited-over contests. The 25-year-old last featured in a red-ball match in February 2020, turning out for Maharashtra against Uttarakhand in Ranji Trophy.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday that Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Mark Wood have been awarded three-year central contracts as part of their new multi-year contracting system. Ben Stokes, the captain of the England Test team, has received a one-year contract, while Jos Buttler, who leads the white-ball side, has been granted a two-year contract. It's worth noting that in 2021, England transitioned to a new central contract system, departing from the previous arrangement introduced by the ECB in 2016.

Four Yorkshire players, including David Willey, will miss their two remaining Vitality Blast group matches after the England all-rounder tested positive for Covid-19.

England Under-19 captain Matthew Fisher on Sunday said that the One-day series against their India counterparts, starting here on Monday, would be a tough one but his team was here to win.

England pacer Gus Atkinson is the third England seamer to be sidelined, following injuries to Mark Wood (knee) and Jofra Archer (side strain). As a result, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes are set to carry the pace-bowling workload. England head into the Sydney Test, which begins on Sunday, trailing 3-1 in the five-match series.

England's Ashes campaign faces a significant blow as Mark Wood is out with a knee injury, forcing a reshuffle of their pace attack. Matthew Fisher is drafted in as cover. Meanwhile, Australia also loses Josh Hazlewood to injury but welcomes back captain Pat Cummins. Mitchell Starc is cleared to play despite a niggle.

Chasing 256, Himanshu Rana's 87-ball 101 went in vain as India U-19 succumbed to a 23-run defeat against England in the opening game of five-match Youth One-day International (ODI) series at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

A 23-ball 66 from Azmatullah Omarzai was backed up by some precise bowling by spinners Mujeeb Zadran and Qais Ahmad as Afghanistan recorded a thumping 202-run victory over New Zealand to reach the semi-final of the ICC U-19 World Cup on Thursday.

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and batsman Liam Livingstone have been given annual central contracts while Dawid Malan and Jason Roy have dropped from full deals to increment ones, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.

India A struggled to 106 for four in 32 overs after veteran Alastair Cook's marathon 180 powered England Lions to 423 all out on the second day of the only four-day unofficial Test here.

Surrey dominated Durham in a County Championship match, posting a record-breaking 820/9 declared. Dom Sibley's epic 305, supported by Dan Lawrence (178), Sam Curran (108), and Will Jacks (119), powered Surrey's massive total. Durham ended Day 2 at 59/1, trailing by 761 runs, facing an uphill battle against Surrey's commanding lead and potent batting display.

New Zealand showcased a commanding performance, crushing Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs in the second Test at Bulawayo. Zak Foulkes, on his debut, starred with a five-wicket haul as Zimbabwe were bundled out for a mere 117 in their second innings.

England Lions continued to dominate India A despite a rollicking unbeaten hundred from Rajat Patidar on the second day of their first unofficial Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Spinner Anukul Roy led India U-19 bowlers' splendid show as they drubbed England U-19 by 129 runs in the second one-dayer to level the five-match series 1-1, on Wednesday.

Medium-pacer Raj Angad Bawa (5.3-0-11-4) starred with the ball as India ‘A’ thumped New Zealand ‘A’ by 106 runs in the third one-day to sweep the series 3-0 at Chepauk on Tuesday. The hosts, batting first, notched up 284 and then bowled out their opposition for 178.

England's all-time leading Test wicket takers James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been dropped for the three-Test tour against West Indies, British media reported on Tuesday.

From Kohli to Smith, most modern-day greats have learnt the ropes in the Under-19 World Cup, which has gained significance with every passing edition. The boys not only become men here, they also become household names with millions following the live broadcast of the competition.

Medium-pacer Raj Angad Bawa (5.3-0-11-4) starred with the ball as India 'A' thumped New Zealand 'A' by 106 runs in the third one-day to sweep the series 3-0 at Chepauk on Tuesday. The hosts, batting first, notched up 284 and then bowled out their opposition for 178.

Bhardwaj Sai Sudharsan underlined his growing status as a productive top-order batter with a hundred against England Lions, as India A reached a position of strength on the third day of their third unofficial ‘Test' on Saturday.

New Zealand's pace attack decimated Zimbabwe's batting lineup on Day 1 of the second Test in Bulawayo. Matt Henry's 5-40 and Zakary Foulkes' 4-38 bundled out Zimbabwe for a mere 125. In response, Will Young (74) and Devon Conway (79*) powered New Zealand to 174-1, securing a 49-run lead. Brendan Taylor's return yielded 44 runs amidst the collapse.

The 20th edition of New Zealand's Men's Super Smash, the Gulf T20I Championship 2024 season, will start on December 26, featuring 32 matches across ten venues, concluding on February 2, with teams competing in a double round-robin format followed by an elimination final and grand finale.

New Zealand dominated Zimbabwe, securing their largest-ever Test victory by an innings and 359 runs, completing a 2-0 series sweep. Debutant Zakary Foulkes starred with a remarkable 9-75, setting a new record for a New Zealand bowler on debut. Zimbabwe struggled against New Zealand's pace attack, succumbing to their lowest series total, highlighting the gulf between the two teams.

Defending champion West Indies will open its campaign against host New Zealand in ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup starting 13th January. The West Indies will play the inaugural Group A day-night fixture at Bay Oval in Tauranga on the opening day of the event which runs from 13 January - 3 February featuring 16 teams across seven venues in four cities - Christchurch, Queenstown, Tauranga and Whangarei.

Silicon Valley has been mediating human relationships for decades, but can the use of more technology help solve problems like a 'loneliness epidemic' and marriage 'crisis' that humankind is said to be facing?