Cricket news round-up – 19 July: ICC suspend Zimbabwe, Ian Chappell diagnosed with skin cancer, Australia Women dominate Day One, de Villiers dazzles at Lord’s

Citing “government interference” as reason, ICC has suspended Zimbabwe from all cricketing activities. In other news, Ian Chappell has been diagnosed with skin cancer; Australia Women dominated the first day of the only Test of the 2019 Women’s Ashes; Sunrisers Hyderabad have appointed Trevor Bayliss as head coach as replacement for Tom Moody; and AB de Villiers helped Middlesex open Vitality Blast 2009 with an easy win.

Zimbabwe suspended

Following their annual conference in London, ICC have suspended Zimbabwe from all cricketing activities with immediate effect. This will put a freeze on all funds ZC are supposed to receive from ICC, while the team will be barred from participating in all ICC events.

An ICC release quoted Chairman Shashank Manohar: “We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference. What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked. The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution.”

Chappelli diagnosed with cancer

Ian Chappell has been diagnosed with skin cancer. Chappell, celebrated as the captain behind the turnaround of Australian cricket in the early 1970s and the Kerry Packer-induced financial overhaul in the later half of the decade, is currently a popular commentator. An aggressive batsman, Chappell also scored 5,345 Test runs.

However, there is good news. Chappell has already undergone five weeks of treatment in his shoulder, neck, and underarm. He expects to be fit before the Australian summer, and is raring to sit behind the Channel Nine microphone yet again.

Australia Women flatten England

Alyssa Healy (58), Meg Lanning (57), Ellyse Perry (84*), and Rachel Haynes (54*) ensured there was no respite for England Women at County Ground, Taunton. Australia Women were 265/3 at stumps on Day One. They merely need to draw the Test to retain The Ashes.

The tourists batted after Heather Knight lost a crucial toss on a used pitch. England Women bowled tightly, not allowing Australia to get away, but they could not prevent consecutive stands of 66, 69, and an unbeaten 105 from taking place.

To make things worse, Tammy Beaumont was hit on the finger by a full-blooded pull from Healy and left for a scan, while Sophie Ecclestone, who got Lanning, left her over incomplete and left for the day with a shoulder injury. The other two wickets went to Katherine Brunt and debutant Kirstie Gordon.

Sunrisers get Bayliss

Sunrisers Hyderabad did not renew the contract of head coach Tom Moody after their seven-year contract expired. Instead, they replaced Moody with Trevor Bayliss, whose contract has come to an end immediately after he coached England to their maiden World Cup win.

“Trevor has already won 2 IPL trophies with KKR and has also won the Big Bash League and Champions League with Sydney Sixers. He is a proven winner and we feel that his successful track record will be ideal in taking Sunrisers Hyderabad forward,” tweeted SRH from their official account.

However, SRH have retained the services of mentor VVS Laxman and consultant Muttiah Muralitharan.

County Championship roundup

Gloucestershire beat Leicestershire at Cheltenham in the only match of the day. Requiring 252 to make the hosts bat again, Leicestershire reached 213/3 at one point, largely due to Hassan Azad’s 121. Unfortunately, they collapsed to 299 against Ryan Higgins (5/71).

Gloucestershire required only 45 balls to chase down 48, though they lost 4 wickets in the process.

Vitality Blast roundup

AB de Villiers helped Middlesex, who had finished at the bottom of the South Division last year, win their first match in the 2019 Vitality Blast by 7 wickets. Ryan ten Doeschate (74* in 46) and Tom Westley (46 in 34) helped Essex put up 164/6 at Lord’s as Tom Helm had 4-0-27-3 and Nathan Sowter 4-0-32-2. In response, all Dawid Malan (43 in 34) had to was hold one end up as AB de Villiers (88* in 43) saw Middlesex home with 3 overs to spare.

Thanks to Jeremy Lawlor (43 in 30), David Lloyd (57 in 37), and Colin Ingram (50* in 28), Glamorgan piled up 180/5 at Cardiff despite Roelof van der Merwe’s 4-0-17-2. However, Tom Banton (64* in 34) and Peter Trego (47* in 31) ensured a Somerset win with 2 overs in hand.

Defending champions Worcestershire were left reeling at 102/6 in 15.2 overs at Trent Bridge when Ed Barnard (42* in 19) lifted them to 161/6. Samit Patel had 4-0-26-2 and Harry Gurney 4-0-33-2. Alex Hales (52 in 34) was the only one to put up any resistance in response, as Nottinghamshire collapsed against Moeen Ali (4-0-18-4).