Australia will take a depleted squad to the West Indies and Bangladesh after several big names, including David Warner, Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell, opted out of the upcoming white ball tours.

 

Steve Smith, who is nursing an elbow injury, is also missing from the final 18-man group that will depart for the West Indies on 28 June to play five T20 internationals and three one-dayers.

The employment tribunal case between Azeem Rafiq and his former club Yorkshire has failed to find a resolution.

 

Former spinner Rafiq, 30, filed a legal claim against the club after making allegations he suffered racist abuse.

 

Yorkshire opened a separate independent investigation into those allegations in September, which is ongoing.

 

In a statement, Yorkshire said it "is sorry to say that resolution did not prove possible

Rain wiped out the entire first day of the men's World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand in Southampton.

 

Heavy rain fell throughout Friday, preventing a ball being bowled, and play was abandoned at 14:48 BST.

 

The weather is forecast to improve over the weekend with play set to begin at 10:30 on Saturday.

England fast bowler Olly Stone has been ruled out of the rest of the summer and is an Ashes doubt after sustaining a stress fracture of his back.

 

Stone, 27, played in England's defeat in the second Test against New Zealand last week - his third Test.

 

The Warwickshire bowler's career has been hampered by injury, including two previous back stress fractures in 2019.

Been watching the T20 series and the Blast.

 

In the second T20 for the women, I was rather surprised that Viliers wasn't selected to bowl at the death as she had the best economy after her two overs.

 

Very impressed with the Pakistan performance in match 1.

 

Bit of controversy over Croft against Yorkshire. Should he have been run out?

I don't think he should have been run out. Yorkshire did the right thing.

 

I've been very impressed with Liam Livingstone, scoring the fastest century by an England player in one match and then hitting that massive six over the top of a high stand yesterday.

The selectors for the T20 World Cup squad will have a major headache after Livingstone's performance. I don't envy them, so good luck.

 

There was some debate amongst the commentators, but yes it was the right thing to do.

Has anyone been watching the Hundred? I have been enjoying it.

Yes, it's been a good watch with a close finish to most matches. Lords looked close to being full for this evening's match.

Amazing about the commentator's curse the other day. An unused (up to the third game) bowler drops a catch and then Sciver brings her into the attack and she gets a brace of wickets. It has been a great watch so far. Referring to Lucy Higham.

Is this the first time the Hundred has been played?

 

I wonder if it’s something Australia will take on.

It is indeed the inaugural season, I have been impressed with it so far.

 

Not sure what the Australian equivalent of the ECB will do about this format, they might be monitoring how the competition is progressing and then making a decision.

Has anyone been watching the Hundred? I have been enjoying it.

Yes, I'm enjoying it great seeing cricket back on free-to-air.

It is indeed the inaugural season, I have been impressed with it so far.

 

Not sure what the Australian equivalent of the ECB will do about this format, they might be monitoring how the competition is progressing and then making a decision.

 

Thanks, I don't think the ACB will bring it in this coming Summer but you never know. With The Ashes this year we might see a Australia v England trial match to test the waters,

Stuart Broad will miss England's second Test against India, which starts on Thursday, with James Anderson a doubt.

 

Broad, 35, has a calf problem, with fears he will not only miss the Lord's Test but further matches after that.

 

Anderson, 39, has a quad muscle niggle, on which England expect more information later on Wednesday.

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns is in an intensive care unit at a Sydney hospital after suffering a "major medical event" in Canberra.

 

Cairns, 51, was on life support after having cardiovascular surgery in Australia's capital city.

 

His family have said he has had further heart surgery at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.

Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali has been added to the England squad for the second Test against India.

 

Moeen, 34, last played Test cricket in February in the second match of the series against India at Chennai.

 

That was his first Test since the Ashes opener at Edgbaston in 2019.

This Saturday it will be interesting to see how the BBC plays it. They have two live Hundred games as well as the test match.

 

Presume that means Isa, Tuffers and Vaughan missing the day at the test. But even if Alison Mitchell presents and they bring Simon Mann back in on commentary with everyone doing radio as well they might be a bit short.

Southern Brave held their nerve to qualify for the latter stages of the men's Hundred and eliminate the Oval Invincibles with an enthralling six-wicket victory at The Ageas Bowl.

 

Chasing a tricky 135 in a must-win game, the hosts were wobbling on 68-4, but Colin de Grandhomme and Alex Davies both hit 40 not out, with the latter hitting a six to secure victory with five balls to spare.

Southern Brave thrashed Trent Rockets by seven wickets in the men's Hundred eliminator to set up a final against Birmingham Phoenix at Lord's on Saturday.

 

In a faultless bowling performance, the Brave's fearsome attack bowled the Rockets out for 96 in just 91 balls.