Cricket News In General And From Around The World

The Sciver-Brunts announce they are having a baby..

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England cricket greats Nat and Katherine Sciver-Brunt have announced they are expecting a baby.

In a shared post on Instagram,, external all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt wrote that her wife - retired record-breaking bowler Katherine - is pregnant with their first child.

Katherine, 39, retired from international cricket last year after taking 335 wickets, more than any other woman for England. Later in the year she retired from all cricket.

"We have some exciting news to share with you, Katherine is pregnant with our first child!" said Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Along with a picture of a pair of dogs, she added: "Soon to be five in 2025!"

Earlier this year the pair announced plans to start a family, with Nat Sciver-Brunt, 32, undergoing egg-freezing treatment.

"I'd like to carry a baby when I finish playing cricket and I think Katherine would like to carry a baby as well," Nat Sciver-Brunt said in May.

At the time Katherine said she had a "fertility journey to go through".

Nat, who was named by Wisden as the leading women's cricketer in the world earlier this year, was recently selected in England's squad for the T20 World Cup which begins in October.

There are currently no mothers playing for the England team, but there are a number playing internationally and domestically across the world.

The last mother to play for England was all-rounder Arran Brindle, whose international career ended in 2014.

Bangladesh coach chandika hathurusinghe sacked for misconduct..by BBC Sport

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Chandika Hathurusinghe has been sacked by Bangladesh after slapping a player at last year's World Cup

Bangladesh have sacked men's head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe for "misconduct" and "breach of employment terms".

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said in a statement that Hathurusinghe was put on notice on Tuesday and, after receiving his response on Wednesday, it held an emergency board meeting where his contract was terminated.

Local media say, external a player claimed the Sri Lankan slapped him during the 2023 World Cup in India.

A BCB statement confirming Hathurusinghe's termination on Thursday said: "After considering all factors, the Board deemed Hathurusinghe's explanation unsatisfactory and unacceptable and found his action consistent with misconduct and dereliction of duty. His termination comes into immediate effect."

AFP and India media outlet Cricbuzz cited a news conference where BCB president Faruque Ahmed said: "I really felt bad from the moment I learned about the incident from the newspapers.

"I am not defending anyone but anything might happen in the heat of the moment.

"But you cannot hit a national player. It is not on. This is the right punishment. It should have happened some time ago."

The BBC has contacted the BCB but has been unable to verify the allegation against Hathurusinghe.

One last collapse in my final Test as correspondent - Jonathan Agnew..by Jonathan Agnew, BBC Cricket Correspondent

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Most people expected England to lose the third Test in Pakistan before the third day was out.

But to lose by lunch was a throwback to some bad old days of England tours past. The batting crumbled to their lowest total in a Test in Pakistan, 112, and the home side had the series won soon after.

Even before Saturday, England have not been at the races in this match.

They were 100 runs short in their first innings after enjoying the advantage of winning the toss, then they drifted through the second day as Saud Shakeel was compiling a vital century.

This Test was a strange spectacle, with giant fans and patio heaters used on the surface in Rawalpindi. I don't think I've ever seen a pitch prodded and poked so much before a game.

As it turned out, the conditions were not that bad, and far from unplayable. Publicly, England made all the right noises and did not complain, though one does wonder what was said in the dressing room. It certainly appeared like there were some demons lurking at the back of the mind.

Ben Stokes' dismissal on the final day, playing no shot to a straight ball from Noman Ali, was a complete brain fade from one of the most clear-thinking cricketers I've ever seen. Stokes usually has such clarity about his game. To see such an error in judgement is really unusual.

Jamie Smith's run and swipe at Sajid Khan was horrendous, especially with Joe Root not out at the other end. It was rabbit-in-the-headlights stuff. Incredibly disappointing.

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Aggers alongside legendary commentator Henry Blofeld

Standout moments from 33 years as correspondent

And, with that, my 33-plus years as the BBC's cricket correspondent come to an end.

There have been two aspects to my job. One is presenting Test Match Special, the other is being responsible for news coverage.

There's been a little bit of confusion. I am not leaving TMS and will carry on as normal with that programme. It's the news I'm handing over and it's definitely the right time to do so.

The game has changed. It is so much more about franchise leagues. I like T20 cricket, but find it hard to get excited about leagues that are simply the same players shuffled into a different shirt from the one they were playing in two weeks prior.

TMS means the world to me. I feel like the bridge between a bygone age of Brian Johnston and Fred Trueman, to a new era involving the likes of Steven Finn and Alex Hartley.

Looking back, it was just a bunch of middle-aged white blokes, or even a bunch of late-aged white blokes. Now the modern TMS team is nothing like that. I'm very proud of what we have achieved.

As correspondent, the biggest story I covered was South Africa's readmission to world sport, with cricket leading the way. I got to interview Nelson Mandela. People say sport and politics shouldn't mix, but sometimes they do. When it works, it can be such a force for good.

Allen Stanford was a huge story, as was the fallout from the Kevin Pietersen row. The KP saga felt so divisive, at a time when social media was really starting to take hold.

My favourite moment, without a doubt, was the end of England's victorious 2010-11 Ashes campaign in Australia.

We had won down under for the first and only time in my life working for the BBC. There was a spare pass in the commentary box and I was able to slip it around the neck of my wife, Emma, and take her on to the pitch with me.

She was there as I was talking to the England players, drinking in the celebrations and seeing the delight of the travelling fans in the crowd.

Mine has been a very selfish job, yet in that moment I was able to show Emma just why I do it. It was the absolute best.

Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC chief cricket writer Stephan Shemilt.

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Jonathan Agnew, now 64, with his daughters Jennifer, now 39, (right) and Rebecca, now 36, and second wife Emma (far left)

Cricket great Ian Botham caught out for two (speeches in four years): Ashes legend accused of not doing enough work in House of Lords because he is 'in Australia all the time making money from foot massagers'..by David Wilcock

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As an England cricket legend, Ian Botham was renowned for his high-energy approach to the game, scoring quick runs while ruffling the feathers of the old guard.

And 40 years later he is still ruffling feathers, though it is an alleged lack of energy and application which is angering them now.

Lord Botham has been accused of not doing enough in the House of Lords because he is 'in Australia all the time making money from foot massagers'.

The crossbencher's record was questioned by a senior Labour peer during a debate on reforming the unelected chamber.

Lord Botham was made a life peer in 2020 after being nominated by former prime minister Boris Johnson, and was also appointed a trade envoy to Australia – an interest that ceased in July this year.

According to the parliamentary record, he has only spoken twice in the chamber, the last time in November 2020, and has not voted since July 2021.

During the last four years he has tabled a total of five written questions, of which three were in the last month. Two of them related to the imposition of VAT on private schools by the new Labour government.

Last week Lord Botham revealed that at the end of October, when the Lords was sitting, he was in Australia, fishing in the Northern Territory with his former Ashes adversary Merv Hughes - and fell into shark and crocodile-infested waters.

He is also due to be part of the commentary team for Melbourne-based radio station Triple M's coverage of the test series between Australia and India, which starts next week.

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The lack of attendance by the independent crossbencher at Westminster and his advertising of products was highlighted by Labour peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

The lack of attendance by the independent crossbencher at Westminster and his advertising of products was highlighted by Labour peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, during a debate on reform of the unelected chamber, which has shone a spotlight on participation by members in proceedings.

Under the current rules, there is no requirement to take part beyond attending just once during a parliamentary session for a peer to maintain their seat.

A participation requirement by members of the unelected chamber had been proposed by Labour as part of a package of Lords reforms in its election manifesto, alongside a mandatory retirement age of 80 and the removal of hereditary peers.

However, only the latter proposal is currently being taken forward in the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill.

Lord Foulkes said there was 'a confusion' over the concept of a peerage.

He said: 'Some people think of it just as an honour and we end up with people like Botham, who never turn up and are in Australia all the time making money from foot massagers and things like that. But they are not here.

'We need, as others have said, to separate the idea of the honour – one above a knighthood – and the working peer. We should be working peers.

'I have said privately, and I have said it before, this is something we might be able to do without legislation, by a decision of this House or an agreement of the monarchy. I hope we will look into that.'

While supporting the replacement of the Lords with 'a senate of the nations and regions', Lord Foulkes said reform had to be taken forward 'bit by bit'.

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Backing the abolition of the 92 seats reserved for members who are there by right of birth, Lord Foulkes said: 'The most egregious example of why we are unrepresentative is the hereditary peers, some of them the descendants of robber barons and people who killed and worse – is there any worse? – to get the titles they got from the kings.'

He also supported removing the Church of England bishops from the Lords.

He added: 'They represent just one religion in one part of the United Kingdom and that is indefensible, but that should be dealt with separately.

'The Bill, when we get to it, deals with the worst part of the way in which we are unrepresentative.'

Lord Botham has been contacted for comment.

Sarah Taylor joins England Lions tour as keeping coach..by Stephan Shemilt, Chief cricket reporter

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Former England women's wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has joined the England Lions coaching staff for their tour of South Africa.

The 35-year-old, regarded as one of the finest keepers to have played the game, won 226 caps across all formats for England in a 13-year international career.

Taylor has worked as a coach in men's cricket with Sussex and Manchester Originals, and is thought to be the first woman to join an international men's set-up.

England performance director Ed Barney told BBC Sport: "She's got a huge amount of experience, she has a really nice coaching style and she's worked with some of the best male keepers in the international game.

"We're always looking to pull the best staff together and that means a certain element of diversity. That doesn't mean diversity of gender, but diversity of thought, coaching styles and points of difference."

Led by former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, on his first tour as Lions head coach, the backroom team also includes ex-England spinner Graeme Swann, and former South Africa internationals Dale Steyn and Neil McKenzie.

The squad departed on Wednesday for a training camp that will partly focus on white-ball skills, and conclude with a four-day match against South Africa A.

Taylor will also work with an under-19 Young Lions squad in South Africa at the same time. That group includes Flintoff's son Rocky and Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael.

In 2013, Taylor held talks over playing for the Sussex men's second XI, though never featured in a match.

Taylor made history in 2015 when she became the first woman to play Australian first-grade cricket, turning out for Northern Districts in Adelaide.

She initially ended her playing her career in 2019, but came out of retirement to play one season in The Hundred for Welsh Fire in 2021.