Cricket: Sussex' Matthew Hobden Dies At Age 22

The right-armer had played 18 first-class matches in total before his death, making his debut for the county in June 2014.

He took best figures of 5/62 in only his second first-class outing against Warwickshire, which were the best figures of his short career.

Hobden also made one half-century with the bat, registering a top score of 65 not out. His 48 first-class wickets came at an average of 39.35.

CRICKET: Micheal Clarke Caught In Sex Mix Up

While addressing the press before the third Ashes Test, Michael Clarke said it was all about executing the skills to have 'sex.' 

Australia Test captain Michael Clarke was once again caught in the sex-success mix-up during a press conference on Tuesday. 

While addressing the press before the third Ashes Test against England in Birmingham, Clarke, speaking about the win at Lord’s, said it was all about executing the skills to have ‘sex.’ The Australia captain was quick to correct himself to success. 

CRICKET: Police Raid Assam's Office

The police on Sunday in Guwahati raided two premises of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) and seized over a dozen trunks full of documents relating to its financial transaction and accounts of the past 10 years following an order of the Guwahati High Court.

“We have carried out search in two offices of the Assam Cricket Association, one at Nehru Stadium at Ulubari and the other at the Cricket Stadium at Barshapara and seized heaps of documents as per orders of the hon’ble Guwahati High Court,” Mukesh Agarwal, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati said.

The search and seizure were carried out following orders issued by a division bench of the Guwahati High Court comprising Justice T Vaiphei and Justice PK Saikia on a PIL filed by Sahajananda Ojha, a former secretary of the ACA.

ASHES 2015: Ben Stokes Aiming For Revenge Against Australia

All-rounder Ben Stokes says England's impressive start to the Ashes series feels "like revenge".
England lost 5-0 in Australia in 2013-14 but head into the second Test at Lord's on Thursday on the back of an impressive 169-run win at Cardiff.

"When they were eight wickets down, I was thinking how we felt when we were getting beat every game," said Stokes.

"To be on the verge of winning [the first Test] after what they did to us in Australia was pretty cool."
Durham's Stokes, 24, who made his Test debut in the second match of the whitewash down under, added: "We just had them on the back foot for pretty much the whole game, and they were a bit taken aback by that.

ASHES 2015: No Chance Of Victory For Australia

Australia do not have a "cat in hell's chance" of winning the first Ashes Test, says former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott. The tourists require 412 runs to win with two days remaining after England dominated the third day in Cardiff.

"There is no way they are going to get it," Boycott told Test Match Special. "Their batting is OK but not special."

CRICKET: Australia's Ryan Harris Bids Farewell

Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris has retired from the sport because of a knee injury, dealing the tourists a major blow going into the Ashes.

Harris is replaced in the Australia squad by New South Wales' Pat Cummins. The 35-year-old missed Australia's final warm-up game at Essex before the first Test against England, which starts in Cardiff on 8 July.

Harris said: "I have had a wonderful career and nothing made me prouder than pulling on the Baggy Green."

CRICKET: Paul Farbrace Resigns As Sri Lanka, Set For England Role

Sri Lanka head coach Paul Farbrace has resigned and is set to take up the position of assistant coach of England, Sri Lanka Cricket said on Tuesday.

Farbrace made it known to Sri Lanka Cricket that he no longer wanted to continue with his present position after being offered the chance to become assistant to England's newly-appointed coach Peter Moores.

He had served only four months of his two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket during which time he led them to the World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh.

CRICKET: Peter Moore Named England Head Coach Again

Peter Moores has been appointed England head coach for a second time. The 51-year-old Lancashire coach previously held the job between 2007 and 2009 but was dismissed after disappointing on-field results and a damaging personality clash with then captain Kevin Pietersen, who was also deposed.

With Pietersen's international career now over, however controversially, the way was clear for Moores to return.

He succeeds Andy Flower, who stepped down after a disastrous Ashes series last winter, and replaces Ashley Giles as the man responsible for leading England in limited-overs competitions after it was decided that the head coach must have oversight of all three formats.

CRICKET: Alex Hales Ranked As Second Best Twenty20 Batsman In The World

England opener Alex Hales has moved up a place to number two in the International Cricket Council's Twenty20 batting rankings.

Hales is in a minority of England players in having enhanced his reputation during the side's poor showing at the World Twenty20, cracking the country's first century in the format.

His 116 not out against Sri Lanka remains the highest score of the tournament to date and he moved up from third as a result.

CRICKET: England See Off West Indies To Win ODI Series

The Three Lions eked out the victory by 25 runs after hitting 303-6 from their 50 overs with Root managing 107 of those with a maiden ODI hundred and Jos Buttler adding 99.

But it was by no means an easy day at the office in Antigua with Denesh Ramdin keeping the game alive by hitting 128 before finally being bowled out by Tim Bresnan on the final wicket for a Windies overall total of 278.

With 14 deliveries left it looked like it could be heartbreak for England once before but Bresnan, 3-45, kept his cool to clean bowl the wicketkeeper-batsman and end the match with a wonderfully skilful inswinging yorker.

CRICKET: South Africa`s Captain Graeme Smith Set To Retire From Internationals

South Africa captain Graeme Smith has announced he will retire from international cricket after the third Test against Australia.The current match at Newlands is the 33-year-old's 347th for South Africa, including 117 Tests, while his 109 matches as a Test captain is a record.

"This has been the most difficult decision I've ever made," he said. "It's a decision I've been considering since my ankle surgery in April. I have a young family to consider."

He added: "I felt that retiring at Newlands would be the best way to end it because I have called this place home since I was 18 years old."

CRICKET: Moeen Ali And Stephen Parry Make England Squad

Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali and Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry have been named in England's squad for the limited-overs series in West Indies and the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
Nottinghamshire left-arm paceman Harry Gurney has been selected only for the tour of the Caribbean.
Moeen, Parry and Gurney are all uncapped in all international formats.

"It's an exciting opportunity for Moeen and Stephen," said national selector James Whitaker.

In addition to playing three one-day internationals, England will also face West Indies in three Twenty20 matches in early March. They will then travel to Bangladesh for the World Twenty20, which takes place between 16 March and 6 April.

CRICKET: Pietersen Can Make £3m Playing In The Indian Premier League

Kevin Pietersen could make "up to £3m" playing in the Indian Premier League following the end of his England career. The batsman, 33, was told by the England and Wales Cricket board on Monday that he is no longer part of the national team's plans.

His IPL participation was previously limited by his England commitments. Lalit Modi, founder of the IPL, said: "It is England's loss and the IPL's gain. He could go upwards of £2.5-3m."

Pietersen has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils in past seasons of the IPL, which has been running since 2008.

CRICKET: Australia Crush England In Second T20 In Melbourne

Australia took control of the second T20 against England in Melbourne courtesy of an outstanding performance in the field, and no example of that was better than Glenn Maxwell's run and throw to run out Joe Root.
Australia added the Twenty20 series to their victories in the Ashes and one-day internationals, as an eight-wicket win over England gave them a 2-0 lead. England lost four wickets in as many overs early in their innings after opting to bat and only Jos Buttler (22) passed 20 in their mediocre 130-9.

CRICKET: Australia Beat England In First Twenty20 International

Australia defeated England by 13 runs in Hobart in the first of the three-match Twenty20 international series.
Openers Cameron White (75) and Aaron Finch (52) shared 106 inside 11 overs, with 11 fours and seven sixes as the hosts posted 213-4 after opting to bat.

Needing to equal their highest ever T20 total to win, England soon lost three wickets for seven runs in 13 balls. Ravi Bopara struck seven sixes in an unbeaten 65, the fastest England T20 fifty, as they finished on 200-9.

CRICKET: Australia Defeat England In Adelaide

England threw away a winning position as they crumbled to a five-run defeat by Australia in the fifth one-day international in Adelaide. Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes took three wickets apiece as the hosts were restricted to 217-9 on a slow pitch.

The tourists were cruising at 154-3 in the 36th over before Eoin Morgan and Joe Root (55) fell in quick succession.
Wickets continued to tumble as England were 212 all out in the last over to gift Australia a 4-1 series win.

The defeat sounds the final note of a dismal tour for England captain Alastair Cook, who will fly home before the teams contest a three-match Twenty20 series.

CRICKET: Bopara Wants Cook To Continue As Captain

England all-rounder Ravi Bopara has backed Alastair Cook to continue as the side's captain in both the Test and one-day format of the game.

Following the 5-0 Ashes defeat and three successive ODI losses, Cook said he could resign as skipper of the limited-overs team.

But Bopara said: "I would love for him to carry on and do both formats.
"I do believe that your best player should be your captain and I still believe that he is our best player."

CRICKET: SOUTH AFRICA vs AUSTRALIA - George Bailey Dropped By Australia

Australia have dropped George Bailey from their Test squad to tour South Africa, despite the batsman helping them to beat England 5-0 in the Ashes. The 31-year-old has been dropped in favour of Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh for the three-match series, which starts on 12 February.

"This was a difficult decision," said Australian selector John Inverarity.

"We felt Alex and Shaun have games that are well suited to facing South Africa in South Africa."

CRICKET: WOMEN'S ASHES 2014: England Win First ODI By Seven Wickets:

England are within one victory of retaining the Women's Ashes after a seven-wicket win over Australia in the first one-day international. Alex Blackwell's unbeaten 82 helped the hosts post 209-3 from their 50 overs.

England slipped to 68-3 in response but an unbroken fourth-wicket stand from Lydia Greenway (69 not out) and Arran Brindle (63 not out) led them home.

England are now 8-0 up in the multi-format series having won the only Test in Perth by 61 runs earlier this month.

CRICKET: ASHES 2013-14 - Australia Whitewash England 5-0

England folded in dismal fashion to lose the fifth Test within three days and with it the Ashes series 5-0 to end their miserable winter in entirely appropriate style.

Alastair Cook's men were bowled out for a feeble 166 inside 32 overs to be thrashed by 281 runs in Sydney, at one stage losing four wickets in 11 balls.

It was the story of the last six weeks compressed into one final chastening day as Mitchell Johnson took three more pivotal wickets with ferocious pace to end with 37 in the series at an average of 13.9. Ryan Harris mopped up the tail to claim 5-25.

All of England's senior batsmen once again failed on a tour when not a single one has totalled 300 runs, and when six Australians have well in excess.