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Logistical challenges around Covid mean there are “lots of parts to the jigsaw” for England coach

Alan Gardner17-Jan-2022England’s attempts to regain the Women’s Ashes and defend their 50-over World Cup title during the same winter trip to the southern hemisphere have already taken in a series of logistical challenges, with head coach Lisa Keightley admitting that there are “lots of parts of the jigsaw” still to piece together ahead of the T20I leg starting later this week.The schedule for the Ashes was rearranged earlier this month, with the T20Is moved forward in order to accommodate the quarantine requirements for getting into New Zealand for the World Cup, which begins on March 4. That has left England with just eight days of preparation, with patchy weather in Canberra affecting the squad’s ability to train and off-field concerns adding to the list of distractions.England had to leave a support staff member behind when they departed for Adelaide on Monday due to a positive Covid-19 test, and there are fears on both sides about how the virus could affect their respective World Cup campaigns. The England and Australia squads are due to arrive in New Zealand on February 10, just two days after the completion of the Ashes, and under current guidelines they must enter the country as one group before doing 10 days of quarantine.Related

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With three T20Is, a Test match and three ODIs to be played in just two-and-a-half weeks, Keightley said that rest and rotation was likely to be a factor throughout the Ashes.”There’s a lot of parts of the jigsaw this trip,” she said. “Firstly, we’ve got to see how everyone pulls up each game. I think that’s most important. Second, we’ve sometimes got different players for different formats. So there’s some players potentially getting ready for a Test match now, where other players – we’ve got a selection meeting coming up tonight, before the first [T20I], where we’ve got to make some big decisions.”We’ll be thinking about the World Cup throughout this Ashes. And I think Australia will be too. Yes, we will be concerned that we don’t get injuries and we’ve got full squads to select from, so that will be on the forefront of our mind coming into the back end of the Ashes. We know we’ve got a 10-day quarantine where you don’t want a key player to have injuries because they can’t be treated throughout that 10 days. So there’s a lot of things and sometimes we just have to wait and see how it’s all panning out.”Perfect world they’re all fit come the end and we can select our best team for every game. That’s what we’ll be planning to do, but I’m not hiding away that we do think about, gosh, we want our full squad to be available for the World Cup. That’s for sure. Especially when we’re the holders of it and we want to defend the title.”Mental well-being will also be high on the agenda, with the touring party already having effectively isolated within their households for two weeks before departing for Australia, where bio-security restrictions were tightened while England were in transit.”I really do hold my hand up if someone is in that space and we need to think of their mental health, the cricket comes second,” Keightley said. “We’re trying to look after our staff and players the best we can. We treat them all individually and I think what I’ve learned on this journey of Covid is that everyone’s bucket gets full at different times and you can’t pick it. You think one day they’re okay and you can talk to them two days later and they’re not coping so it is a challenge.”It’s a challenge in sporting teams, and being an athlete over the last 18 months. But we do try our best, we’ve got a fantastic medical support staff who do everything they can to make sure we’re all okay. But it is challenging being in coaching this time as there’s so many moving parts.”From a playing perspective, England’s build-up has been far from perfect (when they have been able to get out on to the field). Three intra-squad practice games were held in Canberra over the weekend – a 35-over fixture that was rain-affected, and two T20s – with England being beaten by England A on all three occasions.Heather Knight, England’s captain, had previously described the squad’s preparation as “pretty average”, with players forced to rope in family members for help with practice in the period before flying out, and Keightley echoed the view that there was work to be done.”I wouldn’t say we’ve started that well, to be totally honest,” Keightley said. “We’re trying to get up to speed as best we can.”With Covid you’ve got to be flexible. You’ve got to change and adapt. We’ve learned that over the last couple of years. We’ve got a really big couple of training [sessions] coming up over the next two days that we’ve got to get right. We’ve got to get the players hitting the ball well and bowling in good areas and sharpening up.”I think the [warm-up] T20s, they were trying to go too early. They wanted to click, wanted to get off and going really well in the practice matches, [but] they probably didn’t do the basics first. Then expand, get up and down, hit the ball in the middle and then go and then build from there. They probably went too early, which didn’t play out that well for us, but they know what they need to do.”We’ve got two good trainings prepped over the next couple of days. So I’m confident when we get to that first T20 they’ll be in a better place than what they are now and we’ll do our best to go 2-0 up.”Having originally planned for the one-off Test in Canberra to be the series opener, Keightley said that adapting mentally would be the key to getting off to a good start in the T20Is. England will also hope early success can help “dim the flame” of Australian expectation, after the men completed a thumping 4-0 victory in their version of the Ashes at the weekend.”I know Australia is very excited about winning the Ashes and we’ve got to turn it around and try and dim the flame, so to speak, and get a few wins on the board and put them under pressure, and get into our Ashes as quick as we can.”

Defending champions MICT bought Shamsi for R500,000 in the September 2025 auction

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025Tabraiz Shamsi, the South Africa and MI Cape Town wristspinner, will not feature in the upcoming SA20 season. Shamsi made himself unavailable for personal reasons and has been replaced by allrounder Thomas Kaber, who also bowls left-arm wristspin.MICT’s spin-bowling contingent for the fourth season includes Rashid Khan, George Linde and Dane Piedt. Their fast-bowling attack features Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch and Dwaine Pretorius.Kaber returns to the franchise he represented in the last two seasons. He played one game in MICT’s 2024-25 title-winning campaign and eight in the 2023-24 season.Related

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Overall, Kaber has bowled in seven innings in SA20 and has taken 10 wickets, averaging 16.60 at an economy rate of 8.05. In four batting innings, he has scored just 34 runs but with three unbeaten knocks. In the ongoing CSA T20 Challenge, he has seven wickets in six games for Warriors at an economy rate of 6.31 and average of 17.42.Shamsi was picked by MICT in the auction held in September for R500,000 (US$ 29,000 approx.) and was set to play his maiden season with the franchise. He represented Joburg Super Kings last season and Paarl Royals for the first two seasons. Shamsi is currently representing Northern Warriors in the Abu Dhabi T10. Earlier this year, he opted out of a Cricket South Africa (CSA) national contract, and was not selected for the ODI series against India. His last T20I appearance was in the 2024 T20 World Cup.Defending champions MICT play in the season opener on December 26 against Durban’s Super Giants. Newlands, the franchise’s home venue, will host the opener as well as the final on January 25.

Andrew Miller12-Feb-2020Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, backed his team to learn quickly and come back stronger after a thrilling one-run defeat in the first T20I, but added that the pressure to which his players had been exposed was a priceless experience in the final countdown to the T20 World Cup in October.After an erratic display with the ball, in which South Africa racked up 105 runs in the first ten overs before being restricted to 177 for 8, it was England’s high-octane batting that fell apart in the closing stages, as Morgan’s own dismissal for 52 in the penultimate over allowed Lungi Ngidi to power his side over the line with a brilliant death over that yielded three wickets and just five runs.And while Morgan was disappointed with England’s failure to get over the line, he was delighted to have been left with so much to digest, with just nine more opportunities for fine-tuning before until the T20 World Cup gets underway in Australia.”It was an outstanding game of cricket,” Morgan said in the post-match presentations. “Experiences like this, particularly with a World Cup around the corner, are just so valuable to the team.”I think we learn more about both sides when they get put a little bit more pressure,” he added. “Today was a fine example of that. Both teams gave it absolutely everything and left everything on the field, but in all honesty, I thought in all three departments today we could make up more than that.”Speaking on Sky Sports, Morgan went into greater detail. “We were always in a commanding position, and we never really looked flustered until Ngidi came on in the 18th over and then turned the game on its head,” he said. “Even in a position of needing seven off the last over, with new guys coming in, we expected to win that game, but it’s a great game to play in because you get a feel for where guys are at, what skill level they can produce, and how their temperament is. So in terms of actually improving [our team], I think it’s great for us.”Whereas England went into the 50-over World Cup as a battle-hardened outfit that had risen to No.1 in the world over the course of four years of success, the T20 World Cup offers fewer opportunities for such team development due to the dearth of bilateral T20Is. Nevertheless, Morgan pointed out that the core of the squad still remembered the sickening circumstances of their final-over loss in Kolkata in the 2016 event, and he backed the class of 2020 to arrive in Australia well placed to go one better.”In any given any circumstance, you’ve got to have the mindset of trying to win the game and trying to be as effective as you can,” he said. “You can say [this defeat] doesn’t really matter, but I actually think it does, because when you put in performances, it gives you a huge amount of confidence, and on the back of that confidence you win games of cricket.ALSO READ: Ngidi holds nerve as England collapse to one-run defeat“Looking back on the 2016 T20 World Cup, we were beaten in the final in a dramatic fashion, but we took a lot of confidence from that tournament because we went into it as a bit of an afterthought, and learnt as much as we could. This time around, [if we learn these lessons], we’ll be in a better position to counter anything that happens.”On this latest occasion, Morgan himself seemed to have broken the back of the run-chase in East London with a flurry of two fours and a six to bring the requirement down to a run a ball. But he holed out to deep midwicket off the final ball of the 19th over to give South Africa an opening.”With all the games I’ve played and the experience I have, I would have liked to seen it through and I didn’t manage to do that,” he said. “But the more games I play, the more I back myself to be there at the end. I’ll still continue with the method that I play and hopefully contribute to some more wins.”But for the last few years I’ve been really enjoying my cricket, and the majority of that is down to the guys I play with,” he added. “They are a great bunch of guys, and we’re learning a huge amount from each other. The backroom staff contributes huge amounts, they are always provoking thoughts and are very inquisitive, so it’s been thoroughly enjoyable.”One of the big things in our change room is that we learn quite quickly from each other,” he added. “We’re very open and there’s no massive egos around. It’s okay for guys to say ‘I struggled today, what did you look to do, and how were you effective? Teach me.'”There will be a bit of a look back at the footage in the next 24 hours, but full credit to South Africa, they clawed their way back into a game that I thought we should have easily won, but we didn’t, so fair play. We’re going to have to try and negate Ngidi’s slower ball because it was very effective on this wicket.”Morgan confirmed that England would continue to play their strongest available XI for the remainder of the series – unlike the mix-and-match approach they took to the ODIs – as they continue to fine-tune their plans before October.”We want guys to get absolute clarity in their positions, particularly from one to seven,” he said. “In the middle, at the end, in the Powerplay, whatever the circumstance might be … we want guys to feel as comfortable as they can. And to be exposed a little bit as well.”

South Africa captain puts off-field emotions to one side to lead team to priceless series win

Firdose Moonda29-Jan-2023″I am still here and I still deserve to be where I am.”That’s what Temba Bavuma meant when he gestured to his name on the back of his South Africa shirt and then thumped on his heart and the Protea badge as he celebrated his third ODI century.His innings of 109 from 102 balls been described by commentators and former captains Shaun Pollock and Ashwell Prince as the best they’ve seen Bavuma bat in international cricket, not only because of his clean hitting and quick-scoring but because of the context this hundred came in.Bavuma has spent the last year on an “emotional rollercoaster,” with questions over his place in South Africa’s white-ball sides and his ability to score quickly enough to keep up with modern batting trends. Painful, but also legitimate, questions.Since his 110 against India in Paarl last January, Bavuma had batted in 33 international innings across all formats, scored four fifties and had been dismissed in single figures 15 times. Among those were two ducks and a 3 against India on his comeback from an elbow injury that sidelined him for three months in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. There, he captained South Africa to an exit at the hands of Netherlands. He was subsequently snubbed at the SA20 auction and is the only member of the current squad not playing in the marquee T20 tournament, which has become the biggest party in the country’s cricket. Imagine being the national white-ball captain and not invited.”Emotionally it can be draining and it can be taxing. As much as you try to block it out, it does affect you,” Bavuma said. “The biggest one is when it affects people around you – your family. As a player, I have my ways of dealing with it. It is a part of the journey.”But that doesn’t mean it was easy. “We all go through periods of ups and downs, whether in our careers and family life,” Bavuma said. “The difference [with professional sportspeople] is that it’s in the eyes of everyone and everyone wants to have a piece of you. It’s about trying to not be as emotional as you can and to see things as plainly, as they are. Blocking out the noise is something you have to do but that is quite impossible, especially me in the situation I find myself in, as the captain.”That’s why Cricket South Africa offered him as much quiet time as possible. When Bavuma returned from the T20 World Cup, he, along with Kagiso Rabada, were the only two players not required to play red-ball cricket in preparation for the festive Test series against Australia, so they could take a mental-health break. Bavuma ended as South Africa’s most successful batter on an otherwise disastrous tour, making 185 runs at 37.00 in the 2-0 series loss.When he came home from that tour, Bavuma had another two weeks off before this series as the SA20 launched, and it allowed him to clear his head. “Being out of action for the last two weeks, being at home and away from the game, has also helped me,” he said. “Physically, I’m maybe not in the best shape but mentally I am. I’ve come in a bit more open towards the team and how we would like to go about things.”He also came into an environment with a new coach (albeit only temporarily in white-ball cricket). Bavuma has worked with Shukri Conrad at domestic level. and after the pair were spotted deep in dialogue in Bloemfontein, he revealed that Conrad had helped him work through some of his doubts.”The conversation I had with Shukri helped,” Bavuma said. “It was just being vulnerable to the coach about where I see myself and how I feel about everything. He helped me clear through all the nonsense that was in my head and helped me get ready for the series.”But he wouldn’t reveal too much more. “It was just him giving me an ear, hearing me out and validating the feelings that I’ve had. The biggest thing is getting your mind into the right state to play the game. Shuks is not a therapist. What I enjoyed was the honesty and the clarity that he gave in the chat.”Whatever was said, it obviously worked. Bavuma showed his intent in the first match, albeit he only scored 36. He made those runs, however, off 28 balls to give South Africa a good start and went on to make good tactical decisions in the field (such as holding Sisanda Magala back for the middle overs) which gave South Africa the series lead.Related

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• Bavuma will captain South Africa for as long as team-mates and management want

Then, he brought out the big guns. Chasing a record 343 at the Mangaung Oval, Bavuma was a batter transformed. He outscored Quinton de Kock from the get-go, with with five fours and a six from his first 25 balls to assert himself with a hundred for the ages, and after overcoming a bout of cramp, a celebration to match.”It was quite emotional getting to that moment.” he said. “The celebration wasn’t planned. It was a reminder to myself and to everyone that I am still here and I still deserve to be where I am.”Bavuma put his bold strokeplay down to a mindset of “looking to score, looking to dominate the bowlers,” and South Africa’s approach that is less about results and more about establishing a style of play that they can employ for a few years. “We’ve made it clear to ourselves that our focus is going to be on the process but not so much on the outcome,” Bavuma said.But the outcome for Bavuma mattered much more than he was willing to say. A self-confessed “resolute guy” who tried to “put my best foot forward”, Bavuma has obviously been hurt by the events of the last year. However, he has carried himself with integrity throughout. He knows his responsibilities as the captain – and before this series said he was willing to stay on as long as he was wanted but also that he would step aside if needs be – as the country’s only black African international batter and a role model to millions.For them, he had this message: “I’m sure other people are going through what I went through. You’ve got to find a way to keep going forward. Don’t give up. Keep going forward.”

It is learnt that it is stress-related and he could be out of action for about six weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-20224:23

Jaffer: ‘Shami is the best guy to replace Bumrah’

India’s T20 World Cup campaign has suffered a huge setback with spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the tournament with a back injury.The first reports of the fast bowler’s injury emerged just before India’s T20I series against South Africa began on September 28. Bumrah was rushed from Thiruvananthapuram, the venue of the first match, to Bengaluru, where the National Cricket Academy is located, so that he could be assessed by the BCCI’s medical team.Now, “following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists,” the board confirmed on Monday that Bumrah was out of the World Cup. Though the BCCI did not specify the nature of Bumrah’s back injury, ESPNcricinfo understands that it is stress-related and he could be out of action for about six weeks.Related

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Bumrah had previously missed the Asia Cup in August and September because of a stress reaction in his back but was then picked for the subsequent home T20I series against Australia and South Africa after four weeks of rehabilitation. He played the second and third T20Is against Australia on September 23 and 25, returning figures of 1/23 and 0/50, before missing the first match against South Africa on September 28.”Jasprit Bumrah complained of back pain during India’s practice session on Tuesday,” the BCCI had said on Twitter after the toss of the first T20I against South Africa. “The BCCI Medical Team assessed him. He is ruled out of the first #INDvSA T20I.”The stress reaction that had forced Bumrah out of the Asia Cup was on the left side of his lower back but the latest injury, ESPNcricinfo has learned, is on the right side and hence not a recurrence of the previous issue. This stress-related injury is Bumrah’s second such injury in the last three years. The fast bowler was diagnosed with a “minor stress fracture in his lower back” in September 2019 and was sidelined for about three months.”India have two fast bowlers – Mohammed Shami and Deepak Chahar – in their reserves for the T20 World Cup and one of them is likely to take Bumrah’s place in the main squad, although Mohammed Siraj could also be a contender. Teams that have already qualified for the Super 12 round of the tournament – as India have – can make changes to their squad without ICC permission till October 15.