Cricket News In General And From Around The World

Adding to the post above: Mike Procter: South Africa cricket legend dies aged 77..

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Mike Procter (left) and Barry Richards both had limited international careers because South Africa were banned between 1970 and 1991

Former South Africa all-rounder Mike Procter has died aged 77, his family have said.

Procter played seven Tests for South Africa before they were banned from international cricket in 1970 because of the country's apartheid government.

He spent 14 seasons with Gloucestershire and later coached South Africa on their international return.

His wife Maryna told South African website News24 he had suffered complications during surgery.

Gloucestershire said the club's flag would be lowered to half-mast until the start of the County Championship season on 5 April.

"Mike was a fantastic player and quite rightly regarded as one of the best all-rounders that has ever represented Gloucestershire," former team-mate David Graveney said.

"I don't think people realise that when Mike played he was playing through great pain in his knee, but that didn't stop him from performing at the level he did.

"The phase 'Proctershire' was very apt for Mike. He put in the biggest performances in the biggest games."

Procter was on the winning side in six of the seven Tests he played - all against Australia - between 1967 and 1970 and took 41 wickets at an average of just 15.02 before his international career was cut short.

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His reputation as a formidable fast bowler was well earned and in 401 first-class games from 1965 to 1988, he took 1,417 wickets at 19.53, with a further 344 wickets at 18.76 in List A cricket.

He won the Gillette Cup and the Benson and Hedges Cup in his time with Gloucestershire, captaining them to the latter, and in 2020 was voted the county's greatest overseas player.

Procter was Proteas coach from 1991 to 1994 and he led the side to the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup.

He later became an International Cricket Council match referee.

He forfeited the Oval Test between England and Pakistan in 2006 when the away side refused to return after the tea break having been penalised for ball-tampering by the umpires.

Procter also banned India's Harbhajan Singh for three Tests in 2008 for allegedly racially abusing Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds. The ban was lifted soon afterwards when the charges were downgraded to the use of abusive language.

Four fast-bowling greats pay tribute to James Anderson’s 700-wicket feat..by Will Macpherson.

James Anderson became just the third bowler to reach 700 Test wickets, with England captain Ben Stokes hailing the ultimate cricketing role model.

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As England crumbled in the final Test of a long series in India, Anderson brought up a milestone that may never be repeated by becoming the first fast bowler to join the exclusive 700 club, given the scale of the achievement and Test cricket’s shrinking schedule. He joins Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne (708) in having 700 Test wickets.
Playing his 187th Test, Anderson, 41, had Kuldeep Yadav caught behind by Ben Foakes. His muted celebration betrayed both his relief – it has taken eight matches to get the final 15 wickets – but also England’s desperate situation in the game. Soon after Kuldeep was caught behind, India were dismissed for 477, a first innings lead of 259 on their way to an innings defeat.
While there were just a couple of thousand England fans in the ground to toast the moment, Anderson’s father Michael was among them.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Stokes. “He’s been an amazing performer for a very long period of time now. 700 wickets, that is a big number and a lot of deliveries bowled. He’s an incredible athlete and one of the all-time greats. 700 wickets is ridiculous as a fast bowler. The longevity. You have to think of how much he has put his body through to achieve that feat. He’s a complete an utter role model for anyone who wants to be a fast bowler.
“It was a pretty subdued celebration for 700, even though he knew he needed one more for it. He’s just an unbelievable ambassador for the game and in particular fast bowling. If someone came up to me and said who should I emulate if I want to be a good fast bowler, the first name I’d say is Jimmy Anderson.”


1..Michael Holding, West Indies, 1975-1987 - 249 Test wickets at 23.7

It doesn’t matter how well managed Jimmy has been, or what era he is playing in, the man is 41… years… old. He is running up and bowling fast, and bowling fast is hard work, irrespective of how easy someone’s action might look.
There are many fast bowlers from the past, that even if they had his management, would never have lasted this long. And no other fast bowler of his era, with his management, has endured like he has. When Courtney Walsh was doing it in his late-thirties, I thought ‘this man has some special stamina and is unique’. Jimmy has gone years past that! I played 60 Tests and I was done, physically.
I remember Jimmy at the very start, with that red streak in his hair, and covered close to 100 of his Tests for Sky. One thing I love about him is the fact that initially his overseas record was ordinary. But he has improved that overseas record tremendously by adding new skills. You wouldn’t expect a player to improve anything as they get older. Maybe maintaining your level, but not improving it.
Jimmy’s greatest skill has been his control. Every day he looks in control of what he is doing, and very few fast bowlers are like that. People have tricks, pace, skill, but you cannot last without incredible control like his. I can always tell when he’s not 100 percent fit, because that’s the only time he ever loses any control.
A word for Stuart Broad, too. They complemented each other, causing havoc for batsmen. You need partnerships in bowling, that has been true through the ages. My West Indies team was unique in the 1980s because we had so many bowlers, but it’s normally pairs. The one great fast bowler who didn’t have another superb bowler at the other end was Richard Hadlee.
700 is an outrageous figure. When Fred Trueman set the world record for fast bowlers, no one expected a fast bowler to go past him. It was a spinner first, Lance Gibbs. And to hear that a fast bowler has now taken 700 wickets… that is a miracle.


2..Richard Hadlee, New Zealand 1973-1990 - 431 Test wickets at 22.3

For Jimmy Anderson to reach 700 Test wickets is an extraordinary achievement, and a proud moment for him, English cricket and the world game. He has shown true resilience and stamina along with superb fitness. He has mesmerised many of the world’s best batsmen with his control of swing (both ways) and nippy pace, with that simple, efficient, repeatable action.
I finished as a Test cricketer just after my 39th birthday. It took me more than 17 years to play 86 Tests, because New Zealand generally played six each year (three home, three away. I only played in two four-Test series.
That diet of cricket meant I had an incentive and motivation to keep playing as long as possible, especially as had Ian Botham’s world record of 373 wickets (which I passed in 1988), then being the first bowler to 400 wickets (which I passed in 1990) in my sights. After that, I had scaled my Everest, and knew the tour of England in 1990 would be my finale.
I relied on peak fitness and bowling to play that long. I very rarely used a gym (I didn’t like them), but did running and sprint work that along with stretching gave me a flexible body. For the last 10 years of my career I had a shortened run-up, and a simple, repeatable technique, which also contributed to my longevity.
But by 39, I found it increasingly difficult to recover from a big bowling day and replicate the same effort the day after. There was not enough time for my body to get over any aches, pains or niggles. I knew it was time to retire!
Jimmy has played more Tests each year, for more years, and has gone on longer age-wise. It is quite remarkable.


3..Pat Cummins, Australia 2011-present - 266 Test wickets at 22.6

It’s just an insane number when you think about him picking up four wickets per Test as a rough average across this many games and so many years.
I’ve always found Jimmy an incredibly tough competitor. You can always tell he wants the ball in his hand and can adapt to the conditions beautifully.
As a fast bowler, you are always looking to pick up little things from anywhere you can, including opponents. I’ve always admired and been interested in the way Jimmy uses swing. He’s a guy who can swing it a lot, but shows real restraint with how much he swings it, knowing that a little bit of movement can be more dangerous than massive hoop.
His use of the seam is outstanding too, and he is always looking to perfect it.
The things I most admire about Jimmy are his longevity and adaptability. Playing a lot of Test cricket is obviously hard, but to do it for as long as Jimmy has as a fast bowler is simply unheard of.
The other layer is that as a Test cricketer, you only play about half of your games at home. So he’s best known and remembered for his spells with a swinging Dukes ball in England, but what’s impressive is his ability to adapt and evolve and be effective anywhere in the world.
Could I still be going at 42? [Laughs]. I doubt it. Forget about keeping your skills up to scratch, I just don’t see how a 41-year-old still has the body to be bowling in Test cricket. Seriously impressive.

4..Stuart Broad, England 2007-2023 - 604 Test wickets at 27.6

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I had the privilege of fielding at mid-on for 138 Tests with Jimmy. I have never been in a Rolls Royce, but that is what I imagine being in the passenger seater of a Roller feels like. Everything is so smooth in the approach, there is no great force through the action, and there are no jolty, exaggerated movements.
With a milestone like this, it’s easy to talk about dedication and sacrifices. Of course that applies massively to Jimmy, but you have to combine it with a truly elite level of skill to deliver as consistently as he has for so long.
There were times when I watched him, especially at Lord’s when the ball was swinging, in absolute astonishment, thinking “this guy is so skillful he’s unplayable”. That said, the one game that stands out is Trent Bridge in 2013, when he stood up and won the game on his own. People remember the last wicket, Brad Haddin with DRS, but that was his 10th of the match on a slow, dry surface, hardly a classic English pitch. He used his full range, including an unbelievable off-cutter to get Michael Clarke.
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Jimmy’s record has kept getting better, but he is not someone who has been on a steep upward graph throughout his career. Look at last summer, when his future was questioned. At those times he has such a deep belief and understanding of what he needs to do to compete at the top, that even after seven months out of the game, he returned in India looking like he had been playing every week.
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How has Jimmy done it? The way I’d describe his approach is a healthy addiction. You hear stories about Muttiah Muralitharan, one of only two men ahead of him, and people say he was totally obsessed, living and breathing the game and watching every minute he could. Jimmy is not like that. He loves the game, but likes time away from it and has other interests. He’s a meticulous preparer physically, but he is not a stats nerd or mad researcher. He barely needs to research, because he has seen it all, knows exactly what his plans are, and works new problems out so quickly.

Test Match Special: Jonathan Agnew signs new four-year deal with BBC Sport..

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Jonathan Agnew succeeded former TMS colleague Christopher Martin-Jenkins as the BBC's cricket correspondent in 1991

Jonathan Agnew will continue to lead the Test Match Special team after agreeing a new four-year deal with BBC Sport - but will step down from his role as the BBC's cricket correspondent at the end of this summer.

Agnew says the time is right to step down so he can "focus entirely on TMS".

The former fast bowler, 63, joined BBC Sport at the start of the 1991 season.

"I am really delighted that I shall continue to present Test Match Special for the next four years," he said.

"It is a unique programme of which I am immensely proud, and means so much to so many people.

"However, this does seem the right time for me to step back from my role as BBC cricket correspondent.

"This summer, my 34th in the post, will be my last. In a quickly changing cricket landscape it is time for fresh legs to cover the daily duties, leaving me to focus entirely on TMS."

Agnew's announcement comes as BBC Sport launches its cricket coverage for the 2024 season, which begins on Friday.

Coverage includes:

Nearly 500 matches broadcast live across BBC Sport.

All international men's and women's games covered live, featuring matches against Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand - with digital clips for all matches available online.

Every moment of every County match covered live on the BBC Sport website and app.

15 live TV games from the Hundred, all available on BBC Radio.

The Tailenders Podcast, with England bowler James Anderson, exclusively on BBC Sounds.

Philip Bernie, Interim Director of BBC Sport, said: "After the thrilling Ashes summer last year, we have another feast of cricket to look forward to across the BBC, and our expert teams will once more deliver comprehensive coverage in style.

"We are so very pleased that Jonathan Agnew will continue to lead our outstanding TMS team. His brilliant commentary and presentation of this iconic programme are so central to its enduring success, and we look forward to Aggers continuing to make our cricket coverage special in the coming years."

Jofra Archer: England bowler ruled out of Tests until 2025..

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Jofra Archer has taken 42 wickets at an average of 31 in 13 Tests since making his debut in 2019

England pace bowler Jofra Archer will not play Test cricket until 2025 but this summer's T20 World Cup is "absolutely" a realistic goal, says managing director Rob Key.

Archer, 29, has not played for England in any format since March 2023 because of an elbow injury.

The T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States starts on 1st June.

"The whole plan with Jofra is he is going to play white-ball cricket this summer," Key told Sky Sports.

"Then hopefully next summer when we play India then the Ashes [in Australia] we get him back for Test cricket."

Archer bowled the super over when England beat New Zealand in the final of the 2019 World Cup.

However, his career has been hampered by injuries since and he missed the entire home summer last year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.

Archer, who signed a two-year central contract with England in October, last played a Test in February 2021.

"Jofra's been out at Sussex's pre-season in India and bowled quickly out there. He bowled really well," Key said.

"He's now just gone back to the Caribbean, where he will play a little bit of club cricket, stuff like that.

"It's all about getting himself ready for that T20 World Cup. He'll hopefully play the Pakistan [T20] series [in May], but it's all fingers crossed with Jofra at the moment.

"What we're going to do is take it slower [rather] than trying to go too quickly so we get him back for not just a short period, but a long period."

England play three Tests against West Indies and Sri Lanka this summer.

Essex CCC: County rename stands in honour of Graham Gooch and Sir Alastair Cook..

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Graham Gooch and Sir Alastair Cook accumulated almost 50 years of service to Essex between them

Essex have renamed two stands in honour of club legends and ex-England captains Sir Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch.

The Cloud County Ground's Hayes Close End becomes the Graham Gooch End while the River End is rebranded after Cook.

Both batters were one-county men, each plying their trade for Essex for more than two decades, Gooch from 1974 to 1997 and Cook from 2003 to 2023.

Essex chief executive John Stephenson said the club wanted to "pay tribute to two of our finest players of all time".

"For their respective contributions to our club, I can't think of many people more deserving of this honour than Graham and Sir Alastair," he told the Essex website.

Gooch, 70, played 391 first-class games for Essex, scoring 30,701 runs at an average of 51.77 as well as hitting 13,190 runs for England across 118 Tests and 125 one-day internationals, captaining his country 34 times.

He was England's all-time leading Test run scorer for more than 20 years - until he was overtaken by protege Cook, who Gooch coached for both club and country, in 2015.

Cook, 39, who retired from professional cricket last year, still holds that record, having amassed 12,472 runs in 161 Tests, captaining England in 59 of them.

He scored 11,337 runs in 158 first-class matches for Essex, averaging 45.16 and hitting 31 centuries.

"It's a real honour to rename the bowling ends at The Cloud County Ground after two legends of Essex cricket," Stephenson added.

"We're a club with a long history, and it's important that we recognise that. The renaming of our ground ends allows us to pay tribute to two of our finest players of all time."

Sir Geoffrey Boycott 83, reveals he has been diagnosed with throat cancer for the 2nd time as the former England batsman prepares for surgery..

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Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has been diagnosed with throat cancer for the second time and will have surgery.

Boycott, 83, was told last week the cancer had returned, having been treated for the illness in 2002 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Boycott will have surgery to remove the cancer in two weeks' time.

In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, external, Boycott said: "In the last few weeks I have had an MRI scan, CT scan, a PET scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed I have throat cancer and will require an operation.

"From past experience I realise that to overcome cancer a second time I will need excellent medical treatment and quite a bit of luck and, even if the operation is successful, every cancer patient knows they have to live with the possibility of it returning. So I will just get on with it and hope for the best."

The former England batsman scored 8,114 runs in 108 Tests from 1964 to 1982 and was captain on four occasions in 1978 in place of the injured Mike Brearley.

Over the course of his first-class career, Boycott, who played for Yorkshire, averaged 56.83 with the bat and scored 151 centuries and over 48,000 runs.

After his retirement, Boycott went on to become a successful broadcaster and was part of the BBC's cricket commentary team.

In 2020, his 14-year spell as commentator on the BBC's Test Match Special ended.

Boycott had quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2018, which he said was a factor in his time with the BBC coming to an end, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

Former England batsman Graham Thorpe has died aged 55..

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Former England and Surrey batter Graham Thorpe has died aged 55, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.

Thorpe played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, as well as 82 one-day internationals.

A stylish left-handed batter, he scored 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries, at an average of 44.66.

"There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death," the ECB said in a statement.

"More than one of England's finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.

"His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his team-mates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.

"Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men's talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.

"The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.

"We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport."

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Following the announcement of his death, his wife  said that Graham was suffering from severe depression,and unfortunately he had taken his own life, ...so sad..RIP 

Opening batter is 0 not out off 137 balls - club cricketer plays epic innings..

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An opening batter in club cricket faced 137 balls for 0 not out in a bizarre match on Saturday.

Ian Bestwick helped Darley Abbey Cricket Club's 4th XI finish on 21-4 after 45 overs against Mickleover 3rd XI - 251 runs short of victory.

Both teams are at the bottom of the table in Division Nine south of the Derbyshire Cricket League.

Thomas Bestwick also contributed four from 71 balls - the runs all coming off one scoring shot - and Nicholas Cutting finished unbeaten on 0 from 34 balls, with nine extras contributing to the score.

Darley Abbey's innings was in response to Mickleover's 271-4 declared from 35 overs, with opener Max Thomson scoring a contrasting 186 from 128 balls with 17 fours and 14 sixes.

Mickleover took 18 points from the game while Darley Abbey were awarded three.

The home side posted on social media that opener Bestwick was bowled by Dan Heaton, who sent down 10 overs for just seven runs, but it was called a no-ball.

BBC Sport approached Darley Abbey about the match but they did not respond.