August 17, 2024

Gus Atkinson pulled out of Hundred final by ECB

The board is being cautious after Stokes injured his hamstring during the tournament.

Gus Atkinson will not play in the final of the men’s Hundred because the ECB has ruled him out to prepare for England’s Test match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Atkinson, who took 22 wickets in his debut series against the West Indies and was named Player of the Series, has only played once for the Oval Invincibles this year. He had figures of 0 for 28 in 10 balls against the Trent Rockets on Wednesday. He will miss the final at Lord’s on Sunday as he gets ready for the Test series.

“Gus has been withdrawn, which is quite understandable,” Sam Billings, the Invincibles’ captain, said. “It’s disappointing for him but Saqib Mahmood has been phenomenal for us all tournament and showed his class the other night. He’ll stay on the side.”

The Invincibles are also missing Spencer Johnson through injury, but Tom Curran will return after he was rested on Wednesday.

ECB’s Cautious Approach, Player Availability, and Key Matches in The Hundred

The ECB is being careful about England players’ availability after Ben Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers, which means he won’t play for the rest of the summer. Chris Woakes has already been pulled out of the tournament. However, Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett from Birmingham Phoenix, along with Jordan Cox from the Invincibles, are still available to play this weekend before the first Test.

“Jordan will be available and I think that’s great for him,” Billings said. “I’ve been in that position before where as a young player, you get withdrawn and miss out on playing time. For anyone to play in a final at Lord’s in the leading domestic competition in the country, in front of a packed house is perfect preparation for international cricket.”

Jofra Archer, who has been dealing with back and elbow problems, is expected to be ready for both Saturday’s eliminator and Sunday’s final if the Southern Brave make it through. He missed two group-stage games to manage his workload, but Southern Brave captain James Vince expects him to be fully available for the knockout matches.

“I’ve not heard otherwise, so I’m hoping that’s the case,” Vince said. “Obviously we’ve got tomorrow to take care of first, but as I understand it, he is available for both should we make the final. I can’t give you 100% confirmation because I don’t know that myself, to be honest. But there’s not much travel involved and it’s only 20 balls [per match] so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

In the women’s Hundred, Chamari Athapaththu won’t be playing for the Invincibles in their eliminator against the London Spirit on Saturday because she has joined Sri Lanka’s team for their ODI series in Ireland. Laura Harris has rejoined the squad as a replacement, and Megan Schutt, who has been with the team, may also be considered for the match.

Zimbabwe Expresses Interest in Hosting Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

The Women’s T20 World Cup, set to begin on October 3 and scheduled initially in Bangladesh, will likely be moved due to security concerns caused by anti-government protests. Zimbabwe and the UAE are the two main options being considered to host the tournament after India withdrew as a potential host. The ICC board is expected to make a decision on August 20.

Zimbabwe is interested in hosting the event to establish itself as a significant cricket destination. The country last hosted a World Cup 2003 with South Africa and Kenya. Despite facing challenges over the years, including political and economic issues, Zimbabwe has recently hosted successful ODI World Cup Qualifiers and is keen to support the tournament, even though their women’s team has never competed in a World Cup.

Zimbabwe’s Cricket Hosting Plans and Advantages for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup

Zimbabwe will co-host the men’s Under-19 World Cup with Namibia in 2026 and the ODI World Cup with South Africa and Namibia in 2027. Thanks to collaborations between Zimbabwe Cricket and local authorities, Zimbabwe plans to have two new international cricket grounds in Victoria Falls and Mutare by then.

For the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe can offer Harare Sports Club, which now has new floodlights, and Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. These venues hosted all the televised matches during the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers, while other games were streamed from Takashinga Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club.

Zimbabwe’s favorable weather in October, as the country starts summer with minimal rain, is a crucial advantage. India declined the offer to host due to the monsoon season. Sri Lanka is also out of the running for similar weather concerns.

Zimbabwe is expected to attract good crowds, including school children, with venues that can hold up to 10,000 people. In contrast, the UAE has large stadiums with fewer spectators. Additionally, Zimbabwe’s lower hosting costs than the UAE may give them an edge in the final decision.