Latest updates from the cricket world
Worcestershire defeated Middlesex by 57 runs with a day remaining in their County Championship Division Two match at Lord's. Matthew Waite played a key role, scoring 34 runs and taking crucial wickets including those of Sam Robson and Ryan Higgins. Worcestershire set a target of 262 runs on a pitch with variable bounce, and the Middlesex batting lineup struggled, with Joe Cracknell top-scoring with 43 not out. The match also featured concussion protocols when Worcestershire replaced Adam Finch with Ben Gibbon after Finch was hit on the head. Ultimately, Worcestershire's seam bowlers, including Tom Taylor who took three wickets, wrapped up the game by dismissing Middlesex for 204 runs.
In the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Emirates Old Trafford, Derbyshire captain Harry Came scored 83 runs, helping his team reach 235-3 on a rain-affected second day. Lancashire posted 351 in their innings, with Marcus Harris scoring 125 and Bashir taking 4 wickets for 76 runs. Despite rain interruptions which reduced play by 23 overs, Derbyshire showed resilience, supported by Brooke Guest's unbeaten 60 and Martin Andersson's 37 not out. Lancashire's Mitch Stanley bowled a notable six-over spell following lunch. Derbyshire trails Lancashire by 116 runs going into the third day, still positioning themselves to challenge if they build a lead.
England's cricket team suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat in the Ashes series in Australia, marking their fourth consecutive away series loss. The Wisden Almanack editor, Lawrence Booth, described the team as 'feckless, reckless and legless,' blaming poor on-field displays, inadequate preparation, and a damaging drinking culture. Booth highlighted that despite the team's high hopes, the tour ended in failure and disappointment, urging more accountability for incidents such as the white-ball captain Harry Brook's nightclub altercation. The ECB has reviewed the series but retained key figures including captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Additionally, none of the England players were named among Wisden's five cricketers of the year, which this time mostly honored Indian players for their performance in a recent England series.
Craig Overton captained Somerset to an emphatic 10-wicket win against Essex in a County Championship match at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. Overton excelled as captain, top-scoring with 141 runs, taking four wickets, and making a key catch. Essex struggled on the third day, falling short in their second innings after a brief resistance. Somerset chased down the target of 47 runs in just 5.4 overs, with injury substitute Archie Vaughan scoring 41 runs aggressively from 25 balls. The win was achieved with more than four sessions to spare, reflecting Somerset's dominance throughout the match.
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has appointed Shane Jurgensen, former Bangladesh head coach and New Zealand bowling coach, as a bowling consultant until the end of June. The 49-year-old Australian has extensive coaching experience including leading Bangladesh as head coach from 2012 to 2014, during which Bangladesh achieved notable victories such as a 3-0 ODI series win over New Zealand and a Test win against Zimbabwe. Jurgensen joins Gloucestershire following their heavy defeat by Durham, aiming to bring his leadership and fast-bowling expertise to the struggling County Championship Division Two club. Gloucestershire's director of cricket Jon Lewis expressed optimism about Jurgensen's impact on the team.
Lancashire, the reigning champions of the Women's One-Day Cup, started their 2026 title defense with a commanding 149-run win against Durham. Gaby Lewis scored 131 runs, contributing to Lancashire's total of 303-8, while Durham was dismissed for 154. Key performances included Eve Jones's 82 runs and Emma Lamb's 4-29 bowling figures. Other first-day winners in the tournament were Somerset, Hampshire, and Surrey. Hampshire narrowly defeated Essex by five wickets, Somerset won by one wicket against Yorkshire, and Surrey beat Warwickshire by 52 runs, highlighted by Danni Wyatt-Hodge's impressive century.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured back-to-back wins against the Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), boosting their confidence after earlier losses in IPL 2026. KKR suffered their fourth straight defeat and remain at the bottom of the points table, having yet to win a match this season. CSK's Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, and Ayush Mhatre contributed significantly to the team's commanding total. Despite a strong bowling effort restricting CSK to 160 runs, KKR's batting faltered, with key players like Finn Allen and Cameron Green struggling. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane acknowledged the team's batting challenges but praised the bowling unit's performance and expressed the need for a longer innings from one batter to challenge the target effectively.
During the IPL 2026 match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), star batter Virat Kohli suffered an ankle injury and also experienced fever symptoms. Kohli has stayed back in Mumbai for treatment and monitoring by the team physio, missing RCB's upcoming match against Lucknow Super Giants. This will be his first missed IPL match in 8 years since a shoulder injury in 2017. Team management is assessing his condition to decide his return, and teammates including Krunal Pandya have expressed optimism about his recovery. Kohli, known for his fitness and leadership on the field, scored a fifty in his last game before the injury.
In an IPL 2026 match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), KKR pacer Kartik Tyagi deceived CSK opener Sanju Samson with a fast delivery, resulting in Samson's dismissal and denying him a half-century. Sanju Samson, who had scored an unbeaten century in the previous game, had begun confidently with 48 runs and was aiming to carry the innings forward but was out to Tyagi's 148 km/h delivery hitting the leg stump. Despite the dismissal, Samson has accumulated 185 runs in five games this IPL season and is ranked 5th on the Orange Cap leaderboard. Meanwhile, CSK is looking to maintain their strong batting performances at their home ground, the Chepauk, where they have twice surpassed 200 runs in previous matches this season.
Ahead of the Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), both Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan have been declared fit by LSG's Global Director of Cricket, Tom Moody. Mohsin Khan, who missed recent matches due to a leg stiffness, is ready to return after a history of injuries, including missing the entire 2025 season. Mayank Yadav, recovering from multiple long-term injuries, is expected to be included cautiously to avoid re-injury, having worked hard to regain fitness. Moody highlighted the importance of strategic play at the next venue, known for favouring teams batting second, and mentioned the strong balance in LSG's bowling attack.
Virat Kohli did not play during the second innings in the recent IPL match against Mumbai Indians because of an injury concern, raising questions about his availability for the upcoming game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Despite the injury, Kohli was seen practicing at the Chinnaswamy ground with his left leg strapped, indicating hopes for his return. This season, Kohli has scored 179 runs in 4 matches at an average of 59.67, with two half-centuries and a strike rate around 162, placing him sixth on the IPL Orange Cap leaderboard. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, powered by Kohli and other key players like Rajat Patidar and Tim David, have shown strong batting performances in IPL 2026.
Pakistani fast bowler Hasan Ali has signed with Yorkshire to replace Naveen Ul-Haq, who is sidelined for the season due to injury. Ali will participate in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament and be available for upcoming County Championship matches against Warwickshire and Leicestershire. With prior success in domestic T20 cricket, particularly in the Vitality Blast with Warwickshire where he took 44 wickets, Ali brings extensive experience. At 31, he has also played 57 T20 internationals for Pakistan, taking 72 wickets, and was part of Pakistan's 2017 ICC Champions Trophy winning team. Yorkshire's general manager Gavin Hamilton expressed confidence in Ali's skills and benefits to the team despite Ul-Haq's absence.
Ben Stokes has downplayed rumors of conflict with England's head coach Brendon McCullum following their 2025/26 Ashes defeat, affirming they still share a common vision despite some tactical differences. Stokes acknowledged that while they agree on most issues, occasional differing views lead to discussions to ensure alignment on ultimate goals. The approach to England's cricket this summer will differ somewhat from previous years, reflecting a new working dynamic between Stokes and McCullum after four years together. Despite the 4-1 Ashes loss and some philosophical tension over batting strategy, the pair remain committed to success and improving the team. Stokes also highlighted his confidence in their ongoing collaboration ahead of upcoming international fixtures and his return from injury.