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Big hitting from Hobart Hurricanes mainstays Matthew Wade and Tim David has proved to be the difference in a crucial win over Melbourne Renegades in Hobart.The four-wicket home win with two balls left, however, has come at a potentially high cost, with opening bowler Billy Stanlake injuring his shoulder only six days out from the knockouts. The win puts Hurricanes on top of the points table with two games left and almost ends Renegades’ slim playoffs hopes.Sent into bat, Renegades fought hard after another top-order collapse, but their 154 for 7 was not enough. In the chase then, after limping to 66 for 4 at the ten-over mark, Hurricanes steadied through Nikhil Chaudhary’s 36. Wade then belted 36 from 23 balls with five fours and one six, but his dismissal in the 17th over meant another plot twist, with Hurricanes needing eight off the last over.Tom Rogers was unlucky not to trap David leg before with the third ball of the over – the review showed it pitched just outside off stump. Rogers tried a yorker with the next ball and David hoiked the low full toss over deep square leg for a massive six that tied the scores.David’s single then won the game and he hit an unbeaten 24 from 15 balls, including two fours and a six.Jacob Bethell scored a fluent 87 off 50 balls•Getty Images

Jacob Bethell picked two wickets with his left-arm spin after anchoring the Renegades with a 50-ball 87.The Hurricanes won the toss and paid a high price for the first Renegades wicket when Stanlake took a great diving catch off Riley Meredith to dismiss Josh Brown. Stanlake immediately held his right shoulder and briefly left the field. He twice tried to start the next over, but pulled up in his delivery stride and went off the ground again for the rest of the innings.The Renegades’ top order failed again and were in trouble at 23 for 3 and then 69 for 4. Then Bethell combined with Tim Seifert (24) and Sutherland (15) to put the pressure back on the hosts.Bethell was run out in the last over after facing 50 balls, with eight fours and four sixes. Meredith was the pick of the Hurricanes attack, taking 3 for 36 from four overs.Hurricanes brought in Caleb Jewell and Jake Doran for Ben McDermott (hamstring) and Chris Jordan (back), while Renegades’ left-arm wristpinner Callum Stow took a wicket on debut after he replaced Kane Richardson (soreness).

Rohit Sharma is set to join the India side in Australia on November 24, and will play the two-day pink-ball tour game from November 30 in Canberra, ahead of the day-night Test in Adelaide. The India Test captain was not available for the first Test in Perth as he stayed back in India for the birth of his second child.In the absence of Rohit, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team at the Optus Stadium. “I spoke with Rohit earlier,” Bumrah said at his press conference on the eve of the first Test in Perth. “But I got a little bit of clarity on leading the side after coming in here.”Rohit’s return is a boost to the India team, who will have to rely on some fringe players for the series opener in Perth. The two-day pink-ball fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval could serve as valuable prep for Rohit and the Indians as the hosts are likely to include some international players and Test hopefuls.Related

• Bumrah and Cummins keen to stand out as fast-bowling captains

• Rohit Sharma to miss first Test in Perth

In the last two seasons the Prime Minister’s XI fixture has a four-day contest featuring West Indies in 2022 (which was also a day-night game) and Pakistan in 2023, having traditionally been a limited-overs match, but the India game has been trimmed to just two days.Rohit will be hoping to find some form, having managed only 91 runs in six innings at an average of 15.16 against New Zealand at home recently.India had last played a day-night Test, against Sri Lanka, in Bengaluru in March 2022, when they won by 238 runs. When India last played a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, they folded for 36 in their second innings but they bounced back spectacularly to win the series 2-1.

Big picture: Pride (for India) and WTC points at stake

A 2-0 series scoreline heading into the final Test is what most followers of the game would have predicted when this three-match India vs New Zealand series began 15 days back. But barely anyone would have predicted that “2” would not be against India’s name.It has taken a series of firsts for New Zealand to find themselves in the position they are in. And now as they head to Mumbai with the series in the bag, they have the chance to do the unthinkable – inflict a series sweep over India in India. Only once have India been swept in a series of more than one Test at home – against South Africa in 1999-2000 – and never in a series of more than two Tests. Can India save themselves the blushes?Related

• Bumrah likely to be rested for Mumbai Test

• Ajaz Patel is back at the scene of his greatest triumph

• India need Kohli and Rohit to regain their old aura

• Nothing's changed, India say, but it all looks different

• Team-man Tim and the art of letting go (only if he has to)

While there is pride at stake for the home team, there are also crucial WTC points up for grabs for both sides. India are still leading the WTC points table but that lead has been cut short big time with these two defeats. Another loss here and they will have plenty of catching up to do in Australia.For New Zealand, getting to the WTC final seemed far-fetched when this series started but these two wins have brought them right back into contention. A win in Mumbai and then in the three-match series at home against England will keep them in the mix for another WTC final.It’s taken a lot of grit, determination and long spells of brilliant cricket for New Zealand to be able to dictate terms. They cleaned up India for 46 in Bengaluru and then stuck it out in the second innings when Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan were hitting them around. The naysayers would say the conditions in Bengaluru were more suited to New Zealand than to India. So they went to Pune and beat India in conditions that were completely different.Rarely has an overseas spinner outbowled his Indian counterparts in India. But Mitchell Santner understood the assignment from the get-go and India had no answers to his guile and dip. They also have Ajaz Patel, who is at the scene of his epic ten-wicket haul from 2021.For India, it’s more about how to bounce back from these shock defeats and get a win under their belt ahead of the Australia tour. On paper, this is a dead rubber. In reality, it’s anything but.

Form guide

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Gambhir: ‘The more T20 is played, the less people will defend’

In the spotlight – Virat Kohli and Mitchell Santner

Virat Kohli has a problem, it’s called spin, and it’s grown in the last few years, particularly in Asia. Since the start of 2022, Kohli has played 19 Tests in which he has scored four fifties and two centuries. Of those, 12 have been in Asia, where he’s managed just one fifty and a hundred. What’s stood out in those is his fallibility against spin.In 19 innings in Asia since January 2022, he’s fallen to spin 16 times, averaging 29.31. The corresponding number against pace is three dismissals while averaging 47.00. For someone who has that old-school long stretch forward against spinners, he has often been dismissed playing from the crease. He’s fallen to spin three out of the four innings in this series, to Glenn Phillips in Bengaluru and twice to Santner in Pune. On a Mumbai surface that is bound to turn, Kohli might need to do a bit extra to get his spin numbers on point.It will be Mitchell Santner who will once again be tasked with not allowing Kohli and the others to get away. For someone whose Instagram bio reads “part time New Zealand cricketer, full time golfer”, it was an incredible effort to come in and pick up 13 wickets in Pune, the same number he had managed in the five Tests he had played prior stretching to June 2021. He had tweaked his side in Pune, but seems to have recovered fine. He batted and bowled in the nets two days before the Mumbai Test and will hope to have a similar impact to what he did in Pune.

Team news: Bumrah to be rested? What about Southee?

While the series already lost, there are chances India might give Jasprit Bumrah a rest before the five-match series against Australia starting next month. With practice being mandatory, everyone did everything they could at the nets the day before the Test, except Bumrah, who did not bowl. Gautam Gambhir said that Bumrah is fit and available. But with a long tour ahead, India might look to give their premier quick a break like they did earlier in the year against England in Ranchi. Will they replace him with a spinner in Kuldeep Yadav or a fast bowler in Mohammed Siraj remains to be seen. The batting unit should remain unchanged with Sarfaraz Khan holding on to his spot.India (probable XI): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Sarfaraz Khan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Washington Sundar, 10 Jasprit Bumrah/Kuldeep Yadav/Mohammed Siraj, 11 Akash DeepMatt Henry looks set to come into New Zealand’s XI instead of Tim Southee•AFP/Getty Images

Matt Henry looks set to return to the New Zealand XI after missing out from the Pune Test because of a glute niggle. He bowled at full tilt two days before the Test and had a fitness test on Thursday. Henry was the pick of the bowlers in Bengaluru and is likely to come in place of Tim Southee. There were more indications from practice on the eve of the game with Santner fielding to the quicks at third slip instead of Southee, who often mans that position. The rest of XI is likely to be unchanged.New Zealand (probable XI): 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway, 3 Will Young, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Ajaz Patel, 11 William O’RourkePitch and conditionsThe red-soil surface in Mumbai is dry and will take turn early. It is expected to crumble as the Test goes on but there should be good bounce for the fast bowlers and spinners. It is expected to be humid in Mumbai with the temperatures likely to be around the low to mid-30s on the Celsius scale.

Stats and trivia

• Among the current lot, Kohli has the most runs at the Wankhede Stadium – 469 in eight innings at 58.62 with three fifties and a century
• Rohit Sharma has played only one Test at his home ground, back in 2013, where he scored an unbeaten 111 against West Indies
• Since his debut in November 2018, Ajaz has the most wickets for an overseas spinner in Asia – 70
• Henry is third on the list of fast bowlers for most Test wickets in 2024 – 31 in five Tests

Quotes

“I think looks a really good wicket. Obviously, it’s really difficult for anyone to judge how the wicket is going to behave unless the game starts on it and both the teams have batted on it. But I feel it looks a decent wicket and I’m sure once the guys get in, they can actually make the most of it.”
“I think so, yeah. We’ll have a look obviously at the wicket but I think if you look at past tosses, I think most teams have batted first.”

Taskin Ahmed was the first player called in this year’s BPL draft when the new franchise Durbar Rajshahi picked the 29-year old fast bowler. Defending champions Fortune Barishal took Mahmudullah, who recently retired from T20Is, with the seventh overall pick as they retained several of their last season’s squad members for the 2024-25 team.Like Taskin, fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana were also first round picks, for Khulna Tigers and Rangpur Riders respectively. Litton Das (Dhaka Capitals), Shamim Hossain (Chittagong Kings) and Rony Talukdar (Sylhet Strikers) rounded off the first round. There was however no takers for Category A players legspinner Rishad Hossain and Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh’s current T20I captain and the top scorer from 2023 season.Barishal would later pick both Shanto and Rishad with the 15th and 43rd overall picks for local cricketers. Shanto hasn’t been in great form off late, while many believed that Rishad’s availability is slightly unclear as the Hobart Hurricane picked him for this season’s BBL.Sylhet took Mashrafe Mortaza, who appeared for the same franchise for the past two seasons. Sylhet had retained Zakir Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Paul Stirling and George Munsey, while directly signing Jaker Ali. Among those they picked in the draft were Reece Topley, Rahkeem Cornwall and Samiullah Shenwari.Defending champions Barishal retained Tamim Iqbal, the player-of-the-tournament last season, and Mushfiqur Rahim. They directly signed Towhid Hridoy, Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Ali and Jahandad Khan. They also took Pathum Nissanka from the draft although the Sri Lankan batter is available partially during the BPL.Pakistani cricketers Saim Ayub (Dhaka Capitals), Akif Javed (Rangpur Riders) and Mohammad Hasnain (Khulna Tigers) were the first three overseas picks, followed by James Fuller (Barishal) and Graham Clark (Chittagong).Among the uncapped Bangladeshi players, Nahid Rana (Rangpur), Habibur Rahman Sohan (Dhaka) and Jishan Alam (Rajshahi) were the early picks.The BPL teams can continue to sign players directly till the scheduled tournament start date of December 27. Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet and Rangpur are the existing franchises while Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi are new in this season.

Teenage prodigy Sam Konstas has announced himself on the big stage, striking a coming-of-age century for New South Wales against South Australia in Sydney.Konstas went to his maiden century on day one of the Blues’ Sheffield Shield season opener, hitting 152 as the hosts went to stumps on 297 for 7 against South Australia at Cricket Central.One of the leading lights of Australia’s U19 World Cup success last year, Konstas has long been touted as one of the country’s best young talents. And the opener showed why on Tuesday.The 19-year-old cover-drove superbly throughout his innings, and took to spinner Ben Manenti by hitting him down the ground for three sixes. He then brought up his century off his 163rd ball in the final over of the second session, nudging Brendan Doggett down to backward-square for a single. Konstas’ first Sheffield Shield ton came with Australia’s chief selector George Bailey in attendance. And while the right-hander is not yet in the conversation for the Test opening spot, good judges expect him to one day figure.Konstas made his Shield debut for NSW last summer, and amid glimpses of promise he brought up a maiden half-century in the last round against Queensland. But he looks a far more accomplished and confident batter this summer.He used his feet well to spin, and swept Nathan McSweeney for a big six before offering up his only chance with a missed stumping by Alex Carey.The youngster then brought up 150 by flat-batting a Lloyd Pope full toss over the legside. He was eventually caught at slip off the legspinner, when adjudged to have inside-edged a ball onto Carey’s legs before it was caught by McSweeney.”It was an amazing achievement. Obviously, it’s good to get my first one,” Konstas said. “I just have to be hungry for runs. And whatever teams I make, it’s a bonus.”With Shane Watson as his mentor, Konstas is a regular meditator before games and rushes to the wicket at the start of his innings.”A big thing [I learned from last summer] was my mental stuff, just keeping simple plans and how can I do it for longer?” Konstas said. “I try to be calm.”I did [meditate] this morning, and then I was trying to do that on the field. Just breathing and using it to switch me on and off.”It worked today.”Konstas’ runs came as wickets fell around him under heavy cloud cover and light drizzle. Moises Henriques (five) and Matthew Gilkes (10) both fell to loose shots outside off stump, while Nic Maddinson was caught charging Manenti on 12.Oliver Davies provided some brief fireworks before being bowled by Jordan Buckingham for 37, while Josh Philippe hit 56 in his first Shield game for the Blues.Philippe was eventually stumped off Pope, as the South Australia spinner finished the day with 3 for 61 and NSW suffered a collapse of 3 for 17. Umpires called off play shortly after due to bad light, infuriating visiting captain McSweeney given he had kept his spinners bowling.

Rahul Dravid is set to return to Rajasthan Royals (RR) as head coach ahead of the 2025 IPL season, following the culmination of his tenure as India coach after the 2024 T20 World Cup win in June this year.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Dravid recently signed a deal with the franchise and has had initial conversations on player retentions ahead of the upcoming mega auction. He has a long-standing working relationship with the RR captain Sanju Samson, who came through the under-19 ranks on Dravid’s watch.Dravid has history with RR. He was their captain in IPL 2012 and 2013, and served as team director and mentor in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In 2016, Dravid moved to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) until he became the head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in 2019. In 2021, he was appointed head coach of the India men’s team and ended his three-year stint with their first ICC title in 11 years.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

RR are also likely to sign former India batter Vikram Rathour as one of Dravid’s assistant coaches. Rathour, a former India selector, was part of Dravid’s coaching staff at NCA before he became India’s batting coach in 2019.It is understood that while Dravid will take charge of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been their director of cricket since 2021, will continue with their franchise and look after their teams in other leagues – Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL.RR have not won the IPL title since the inaugural season in 2008; their next best finish was in 2022 when they came runners-up to Gujarat Titans. They failed to make the playoffs in 2023, finishing fifth in the league despite a terrific start to the season, but did so in 2024 and were knocked out in Qualifier 2.

Maia Bouchier put her hand to her mouth but she couldn’t conceal the broad, relieved grin for long.Bouchier had reached 92 when she was adjudged not out lbw after attempting to pull a Jess Kerr delivery which struck her low on the back pad, and New Zealand’s bid to overturn the decision was denied on umpire’s call. A maiden century was still on the menu.The moment was a precursor – an amuse-bouche, if you will – to a tense passage of play in which Bouchier, who had been in the 90s twice before at international level and never scored a century in professional ranks, set about reaching the milestone with the help of a cool-headed Nat Sciver-Brunt.”You’ve just got to take those as they come and I was just super happy it was umpire’s call,” Bouchier said after her Player-of-the-Match performance in an eight-wicket win for England in the second ODI at Worcester, which put the hosts 2-0 up in the three-match series.”They call them the nervous nineties for a reason. I try not to think too far ahead and it was nice to have Nat come in and be that calm voice. At the start of the game she did our little speech in our huddle and she just said. ‘one ball at a time’. That’s exactly what she said to me when I was on 96 and she just said, ‘keep thinking one ball at a time, watch and react’. My heart rate was going through the roof, but she really calmed me down, so that was pretty good.”England needed eight more to overhaul the target when Bouchier had her stroke of luck, having bowled New Zealand out for a mere 141 thanks to Sophie Ecclestone’s 5 for 25.Bouchier sent the next ball skywards and it dropped short of long-off as she and Sciver-Brunt scampered two, then two singles took her past her previous best, 95 scored in the third ODI against Sri Lanka last September.Danni Wyatt, padded up outside the dressing-room ready to come in next, could barely watch, holding her breath behind cupped hands as the tension rose. Would Bouchier run out of runs to get? It was possible after Ecclestone’s outstanding performance with the ball.Sciver-Brunt lightened the mood somewhat as she blocked the remaining four balls of Molly Penfold’s over to great cheers from the crowd, including a full toss which she prodded to mid-on where Sophie Devine even tried to lure an attempted run by taking a step back. But the England batters were having none of it and Sciver-Brunt succeeded in handing Bouchier the strike, facing Jess Kerr with four more runs needed to win.Related

• Lauren Bell stars with five wickets as Nat Sciver-Brunt puts seal on 3-0 sweep

• Ecclestone five-for, Bouchier century help England seal ODI series against New Zealand

• Tammy Beaumont hopes 'ruthless' victory is sign of inspiration to come

• Heather Knight: New Zealand ODIs offer chance for World Cup experimentation

• Dean, Beaumont, Bouchier lead New Zealand rout

Bouchier tucked Kerr’s first delivery to backward square leg and ran two more. Then, after a dot ball pushed towards point, Bouchier struck the next into space through midwicket and took off for the two runs she needed to reach her ton and seal the win for England inside 25 overs.”I didn’t really know what Nat was thinking in terms of just getting the runs for the team, but when she started blocking a full-toss, I kind of knew and it was great that she was there at the end with me,” Bouchier said. “It was an unspoken communication that we both agreed on.”It was on England’s successful tour of New Zealand earlier this year that Bouchier established herself at the top of the order, particularly in their five T20Is, where she had scores of 43 not out, 12, 71, 91 and 6 as England claimed the series 4-1.In last Wednesday’s first ODI, which England won by nine wickets in Durham, Bouchier scored 67 in a 137-run stand with Tammy Beaumont, who was not out 76.In Worcester, Bouchier took charge, particularly after Beaumont was run out for 28, having shared a 73-run opening stand with Bouchier.Bouchier was on 42 at that point and peeled off five fours in the space of eight balls following Beaumont’s dismissal, four of them off one Devine over. She struck 17 boundaries in all and faced 88 balls for her 100 not out.”I’ve just started to trust myself more and I’ve got a lot more confidence in the way I play and not forcing it really,” she said. “That’s a big thing for me. I time the ball quite well and that’s one of my big strengths, so using those as much as I can.”

Adam Lyth celebrated becoming the first Yorkshire batter to reach 4,000 T20 runs in style by hitting a superb 51-ball 84 in a nine-wicket win as they routinely chased 180 to beat Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast at Headingley.Yorkshire should have been pursuing many more, but the Falcons stuttered from 114 without loss at the start of the 11th over to 179 for 6. Opener Aneurin Donald blasted a brilliant 84 off 41 and England’s Joe Root claimed 2 for 20 from three overs of off-spin.Veteran opener Lyth, in his 164th county appearance, brought up the county milestone early in the chase as Yorkshire continued their bright start to the North Group with a third win in four games.Lyth was expertly supported by Dawid Malan in a 14.4-over opening stand of 137. The latter finished unbeaten on 79 off 48, sealing victory with 11 balls left.Derbyshire, who have now lost three from five, raced away having been inserted, with Donald taking the lion’s share of 22 off Matthew Revis in the fifth over. He ended it with two fours and two leg-side sixes.The Falcons finished the six-over powerplay at 70 without loss and put a much-changed Vikings attack under serious pressure.The hosts are suffering from a number of seam bowling injuries and earlier this weekend announced the loan signing of Surrey quick Conor McKerr on a five-game deal. It was, therefore, a surprise when he was left out of this fixture.Donald continued his assault at a notoriously batter-friendly venue. And, ultimately, Derbyshire were under par as a result of the true conditions.Fellow opener David Lloyd wasn’t quite the silent opening partner but not far off. When Derbyshire reached 100 in the ninth over, he had 30 to Donald’s 69. But the Falcons had their wings clipped.Jordan Thompson had Lloyd caught at deep midwicket for 41 to make the initial breakthrough, Dom Bess bowled Wayne Madsen and Samit Patel was caught at short third off Matthew Revis – 131 for 3 in the 13th over.Donald was starved of the strike and followed, caught at deep cover off debutant seamer Ben Cliff – his maiden wicket. Ross Whiteley then hoisted Root to deep backward square-leg. The same bowler had Brooke Guest caught at deep midwicket in the last.Derbyshire found or cleared the boundary 16 times in the first half of the innings but only four times in the second. It proved costly and best highlighted their struggles.Rain delayed this fixture by 15 minutes, and it was preceded by a minute’s silence in honour of local Rugby League legend Rob Burrow, who died a week ago. Burrow first made his name with Leeds Rhinos on the other side of Headingley.On the cricket field, Lyth also has legendary status. And the 36-year-old proved why when he set about the chase. Like Donald, he was similarly dominant against the new ball.By the time he reached his fifty off 33 balls with three sixes, his 28th for Yorkshire, the Vikings were well on course at 82 without loss in the ninth over. One of those sixes was handsomely hoisted over cover off Daryn Dupavillon’s seam.The rest of Lyth’s four sixes were slog-swept or pulled leg-side, just as Malan did with two en-route to a fine fifty off 37 balls. By the time Lyth was caught at long-off off Dupavillon, Yorkshire needed 43 and Derbyshire’s horse had bolted.

Fran Wilson, the former World Cup-winning batter, has been named as Gloucestershire Women’s head coach after ending her playing career with Somerset.Wilson, 33, made 64 international appearances across formats between 2010 and 2021, including eight of England’s matches at the 2017 World Cup, en route to their victory over India at Lord’s in the final.She also featured in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, and made the last of her international appearances on England’s tour of New Zealand in February 2021.Domestically, Wilson made her Somerset debut in 2006, before joining Western Storm in 2016, and also represented Gloucestershire in the 2022 and 2023 Vitality Women’s County T20 competitions while developing her coaching skills through the county’s Girls Emerging Players Programme.In the course of her career, she also represented Sunrisers, Middlesex, Kent, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Welsh Fire, Trent Rockets, Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix.Now, she will be taking full-time charge of Gloucestershire in Tier 2 of the new women’s county structure, having worked with the first team on a consultancy basis during the 2025 season.”I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to now step into that journey fully,” Wilson said, “especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time.”We all want results, but the real goal is to build sustainable success and to put the foundations in place that allow us to compete and thrive as a Tier 1 Club.”A huge part of my role is about building those foundations from the first team right through to the age groups, having a genuine influence across that pathway.”By developing the resources we already have in the county and creating a strong network and structure around the players, I believe we can achieve long-term success.”Jon Lewis, Director of Cricket at Gloucestershire Cricket, added: “Everyone at Gloucestershire is really excited about the appointment of Fran Wilson as Women’s Head Coach.”We went through a thorough recruitment process, and Fran was the standout candidate throughout. With strong roots in cricket across the South West, a deep passion for Bristol and Gloucestershire, and a long-standing connection with the Club, that understanding of the region was an important factor for us.”Fran demonstrated an exceptional range of qualities during the process and this marks a hugely significant appointment in an area where we have serious ambition. It also comes at the start of a landmark year for the Club, with Bristol set to host England Women v India in May, followed by six matches during next summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June.”An outstanding playing career, a history of success at both club and international level and a deep understanding of elite performance make this an appointment we are extremely proud of. The environment Fran will build will be welcoming, driven and true to the ‘Gloucestershire way’.”Our aim is to provide the best possible environment for our players to learn and develop and we believe Fran is the ideal person to lead that journey.”

A new independent assessment of cricket in England and Wales says that “genuine progress” has been made in the sport’s bid to address its long-standing issues of inclusion and equity – but adds that further work is needed in several areas, including at senior leadership level.The State of Equity in Cricket Report, published by Sport Structures, had been commissioned by the ECB as a follow-up to the damning 2023 report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), which found that racism, classism, sexism and elitism were “widespread” in the sport.That original report had concluded with 44 recommendations to the ECB, one of which was to publish a “full State of Equity Report every three years”. This latest document, 53 pages long, has been delivered a year ahead of schedule, with Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, stating that it was intended to “hold us to account” as cricket seeks to become the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales.”Cricket is not yet where it aspires to be, but the tone has changed,” Kate Percival, Sport Structures’ CEO, said in a statement. “Inclusion is now seen as central to the game’s health and future.”The report outlined several “notable areas of progress”, including improved access to talent pathways, and a doubling of the number of women’s and girl’s teams since 2021, backed up by significant increases in the number of professional women’s players and their pay.The establishment of a new independent Cricket Regulator, ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB, was also noted in the report, along with a £50 million investment in facilities since 2023, particularly in urban areas including two all-weather cricket domes in Bradford and Darwen.However, despite improved representation at board level – with female non-executives at 37% compared to 11% in 2019, and 18% ethnically diverse non-executives compared to 5% in 2019 – the report stated that “further action” was required at senior level, with a particular lack of Black representation.Dame Sarah Storey is the only female chair at a first-class county•Lancashire CCC

Dame Sarah Storey, who is currently interim chair at Lancashire, remains the only female chair at any of the 18 first-class counties, while the resignation of Essex chair Anu Mohindru – who was found to have lied on his CV – means the ethnic diversity among county chairs and chief executives remains at 6%.Coaching course data showed that more diversity is required in the Specialist programme which feeds the professional game, while Disability cricket requires “deeper integration” within county and club systems. The recreational game, meanwhile, requires further “capacity and expertise” to deal with discrimination issues, although a newly-formed Recreational Discipline Panel of independent experts is in place to hear the most serious and complex cases.”The State of Equity in Cricket Report holds us to account in relation to our ambitions to become the most inclusive team sport,” Gould said. “It shows us some areas of excellent work and progress, as well as where we need to go further.”The extensive work to open up the talent pathway to young people from every background is a great example of the changes that can be made when cricketing organisations join forces to break down barriers and deliver systemic change.”We know there is still a great deal of work to do, and a number of areas where more action is needed to address structural issues. We said from the start there could be no quick fix, but we committed to delivering meaningful and lasting change, and that will remain our absolute focus in the months and years ahead as we build on the progress we are setting out today.”