Cricket news round-up – 28 July: Jofra Archer in Ashes squad after World Cup heroics

Jofra Archer’s heroics at the World Cup – he took 20 scalps to become England’s highest wicket-taker – pushed into the 14-man Ashes squad for the first Ashes Test. Elsewhere, Daniel Vettori and Charl Langeveldt have been made Bangladesh bowling coaches, and the Yuvraj Singh-led Toronto Nationals earned their first win of the GT20C season.

Archer earns Ashes call up

Jofra Archer was called up to the England Test squad for the first time, following his impressive performances at the World Cup 2019.

Ben Stokes was re-appointed vice-captain of the side – a position he lost after the Bristol incident in2017 – after the approval of ECB chairman Colin Graves.

Olly Stone and Joe Denly were included in the squad, but there was no place for Lewis Gregory or Jack Leach, despite the latter impressing in the one-off Test against Ireland.

Jimmy Anderson, who is nursing a calf-injury, was also included in the squad, and is expected to recover in time for the first Test in Edgbaston on 1 August.

Langeveldt, Vettori take up BCB coaching jobs

Daniel Vettori, the former New Zealand left-arm spinner, will be Bangladesh spin-bowling coach on a short-term basis, while Charl Langeveldt, the former South African paceman, was appointed as Bangladesh’s full-time fast-bowling on a two-year contract.

They replace Courtney Walsh and Sunil Joshi, whose contracts were not renewed following Bangladesh’s eighth-place finish at the World Cup.

The role of head coach remains vacant, after parting ways with Steve Rhodes, but the BCB is interviewing candidates, and according to ESPNCricinfo, Andy Flower was one of them.

Toronto secure first win of season

The Toronto Nationals saw off Edmonton Royals by two wickets in a thriller at the Global T20 Canada 2019.

The Royals posted 191/6, with Ben Cutting scoring a 24-ball 43*, despite Chris Green taking 3/33. However, the Nationals hit back, with Heinrich Klaasen’s 39-ball 45 and captain Yuvraj Singh’s 21-ball 35.

Their hero, however, was Manpreet Gony. He slogged a 12-ball 33 in the end to boost the Nationals to the brink of victory, before Mark Montfort and Salman Nazar took them across the line.

T20 Blast round-up

In a match that was reduced to a 11-overs-a-side affair, Mark Cosgrove’s 23-ball 37 and Arron Lilley’s 30-ball 66 helped Leicestershire post 125/3 against Nottinghamshire. The Notts managed 104/6 in response, despite Tom Moores hammering a 19-ball 44*.

Elsewhere, the clash between Essex and Gloucestershire was abandoned without a ball being bowled.