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The autopsy in Thailand has confirmed death by natural causes

ESPNcricinfo staff and AAP07-Mar-2022Members of Shane Warne’s family spoke of their heartache for the first time on Monday following his death, as an autopsy confirmed he had died of natural causes after a heart attack.Together, they spoke of the ongoing pain and impossible void left to fill, with his daughter Summer telling of her wish for a tighter final hug and the hurt of their time together being robbed.His parents, Keith and Brigitte, spoke of their “never-ending nightmare” and “a tragedy we will never come to terms with”.Warne’s brother Jason recalled days of travelling to the MCG together to watch Test matches, amid a childhood of wrestling and a lifetime of golf and poker battles.”I remember catching the train into the MCG in 1982, sitting in the front row of the Great Southern Stand with our fingers crossed the great Allan Border and Jeff Thomson would get the runs needed to beat England,” he said in a statement.”Who would have thought he would have such a huge impact at the ground in the years to come and that very stand being renamed in his honour? Amazing life. Amazing guy.”In a moving statement, Summer said: “Our time was robbed. I want more holidays with you, more laughs where your smile lights up the whole room, more ‘goodnight I love you SJ, I’ll see you in the morning’, more talks about how our days were and just to feel safe when you would hug me and you would let me know how proud you are of me and how much you love me.Brooke Warne said: “Dad, this doesn’t feel real and doesn’t make sense that you are not here with us anymore. It doesn’t feel right, you were taken away too soon and life is so cruel. I will forever cherish our final memories together laughing and joking around with each other.”Warne’s son, Jackson, recalled playing poker, golf and watching football. “But I know all you ever wanted for me is to be happy, no matter what,” he said. “You just wanted me to be happy, that’s it. So that’s what I’m going to do, try to be happy.”Former wife Simone said Warne “brought a light so great to the world that even after [he has] gone the light remains”.Following the conclusion of the autopsy, the final plans will now be made to return Warne’s body to Australia which is expected to happen on Tuesday.The family have accepted the offer of a state funeral but will first have a private ceremony before the public are given their chance to pay their respects to Warne. The MCG remains the most likely location for a state memorial service in the coming weeks.Warne also has a statue outside the MCG to go with the newly named SK Warne Stand, with flowers, beers, cigarettes and even cans of baked beans placed at his feet this week.Warne’s parents thanked the Victorian government for its offer of a state funeral and for naming a grandstand after their son but said they would never get over his loss.”The night of the 4th of March 2022 is when a never-ending nightmare began for our family,” they said. “For that is the date we lost our much loved and admired son, father, brother and uncle, Shane Keith Warne, a tragedy we will never come to terms with.”To find words to adequately express our sadness is an impossible task for us and looking to a future without Shane is inconceivable. Hopefully the mountain of happy memories we all have will help us cope with our ongoing grief.”

As top-level women’s cricket resumes this week, what’s the state of the game among the major nations after six months of Covid-19 hiatus?

Andrew McGlashan21-Sep-2020

Australia

Where do things stand?It became clear just a few days after the historic T20 World Cup final at the MCG how lucky it was that the game was played with sport shutting down less than a week later. The world champions will be back in action for the first time since that heady night when they face New Zealand this weekend (with a small crowd). After that there is the WBBL which will be played entirely in Sydney beginning on October 25. So while it won’t be normal, there should be plenty of cricket.What’s next?The first of three T20Is is on September 26 at Allan Border Field in Brisbane which will host all the matches against New Zealand. The tour also includes a three-game ODI series. Internationally after that things remain uncertain; India are due to tour Australia in mid-January although that was originally meant as a lead-in to the World Cup, but there are positive talks about a tri-series in New Zealand during February also involving England.ALSO SEE: Mithali Raj: India women ‘don’t know for what we’re training’

India

Where do things stand?Very much in limbo. As Covid continues to rise across India it’s very difficult, or impossible, for the female players to train as a group. The key event on the horizon, although details remains sketchy, is the T20 Challenge that is due to be held in the UAE alongside the IPL playoffs in early November. Since the initial announcement there has not been much further information which has left players nervous. The prospect of a domestic season in India looks bleak at the moment.What’s next?India were due to tour England, initially in June, and then there was hope of a tri-series in September also involving South Africa. However, both fell through and the fact that the IPL could be relocated but the women’s tour could not take place – despite much of the cost being borne by the ECB – creating some controversy. They are scheduled to have three ODIs in Australia in mid-January but it remains unclear whether they will go ahead.Harmanpreet Kaur addresses her team in the huddle•ICC via Getty

England

Where do things stand?The ECB has moved mountains to ensure the women can get some international cricket this season by hastily arranging for West Indies to head over for five T20Is after visits by India and South Africa couldn’t be made to happen. On the domestic scene, newly-created professional teams have managed to play the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint trophy, while a few players will head off to Australia for the WBBL in a few weeks and others may get a gig at the T20 Challenge.What’s next?Alongside the tours by India and South Africa, the launch of the Hundred – the new domestic format – has been pushed back by a year, although the ECB has ensured the salaries, which were considerably lower than the men’s tournament, have been ring-fenced from cuts. For those not getting places either at the WBBL or T20 Challenge, the next action could be a tri-series in New Zealand in February, when the World Cup was due to be held, involving the hosts and Australia.ALSO SEE: Alyssa Healy aims to develop 360-degree strokeplay

New Zealand

Where do things stand?A trip across the Tasman will see them resume international cricket in a few days. The squad has had to undergo two weeks of quarantine in Brisbane, but they have been able to train for a few hours day during that period. After this short tour a number of players will remain in Australia to join WBBL clubs while others will return home (through another period of managed isolation) and prepare for the home summer which include the T20 Super Smash competition.What’s next?After the Australia tour it is still to be confirmed but NZC are confident of having women’s international matches during the latter part of the season including a tri-series involving Australia and England. They had been due to host the ODI World Cup next February and March but that has been delayed by a year.Dane Van Niekerk celebrates the wicket of Heather Knight•Getty Images

South Africa

Where do things stand?That’s a loaded question in South African cricket. Things are such a mess that it’s hard to know what the knock-on effect will be on the women’s team. International travel restrictions, which mean that only individual athletes and not full teams could get exemptions, prevented the tour to England taking place so for the some the WBBL will provide a playing lifeline.What’s next?South Africa have been hit hard so far with two significant series, hosting Australia and touring England, not taking place. It is also difficult to know what sort of domestic season will take place. The squad has been able to resume training with the lifting of some restrictions and while borders have partially reopened no international sport is yet allowed.

West Indies

Where do things stand?Cricket West Indies has done a huge amount to help the ECB get a season played, firstly with the Test tour by the men and now arranging the women’s visit at short notice. The players had barely been able to training before leaving the Caribbean but have spent the last three weeks in Derby preparing for the T20I series where they will look to start rebuilding after a very disappointing T20 World Cup.What’s next?West Indies would have been part of the World Cup qualifiers in June as they looked to secure a spot at the main event in New Zealand. After the England tour it’s unclear what will follow, although something in West Indies’ favour is the number of Caribbean islands that have managed to keep Covid numbers down. Hayley Matthews has a WBBL deal with the Hobart Hurricanes.Chamari Atapattu goes on the attack•Getty Images

Pakistan

Where do things stand?There have been positive developments in the women’s game in Pakistan over recent years and the challenge will be ensuring that does not fall by the wayside amid the multitude issues to confront. However, there was the encouraging sign of the PCB offering increased salaries to their centrally contracted players and in August the board also offered a three-month support package to 25 unemployed cricketers outside of the contract system.What’s next?Pakistan were one of the teams set to take part at the World Cup qualifiers while there was also due to be a T20 Asia Cup tournament. There is no indication of when they will be able to return to action, although the fact that the PCB are hopeful of staging cricket again over the next few months offers some hope.

Sri Lanka

Where do things stand?After the T20 World Cup where they gave Australia a fright and beat Bangladesh, it will be a barren year for Sri Lanka with the World Cup Qualifiers postponed. There has been a change of coach with Lanka de Silva taking over until the end of the year although it is unlikely he’ll have any matches to take charge of. With the retirements of Shashikala Siriwardene and Sripali Weerakkody they will need to look to the future when cricket resumes.What’s next?They are expected to remain hosts of the qualifiers when they are rescheduled for some time next year and Sri Lanka has an advantage of being a nation to have coped well with Covid-19 which may make it a more practical destination for hosting matches. A few of the players, notably captain Chamari Atapattu, could have their eyes on the T20 Challenge as a chance to get back into the middle.Jahanara Alam looks on•Getty Images

Bangladesh

Where do things stand?Huge uncertainty surrounds the game at all levels in Bangladesh with the women’s set-up in danger of being particularly hard hit. The cancellation of domestic cricket has left many without any income. The BCB has offered some financial assistance with two lots of payments: in March it offered grants to all those who had been involved Women’s National Cricket League and in May another payment to all male and female league cricketers.What’s next?It is a waiting game. The priority for the BCB is to try and get the men’s international team back into action and work towards a resumption of domestic cricket. It remains highly likely that the women won’t play again this year.

Ireland

Where do things stand?Ireland’s last international cricket was a year ago during the T20 World Cup qualifiers. Since then they have had a tour to Thailand – part of a quadrangular 50-over series – cancelled along with the ODI World Cup qualifiers. There has, at least, been a small domestic programme during the summer with a two-team Super Cricket Series while there has been additional investment in a new category of retainer contracts below the full deals handed out by Cricket Ireland.What’s next?They will be waiting to see when the World Cup qualifier is moved to so they can resume planning for that. They have been dealt the significant blow of losing allrounder Kim Garth who has committed her future to Australian cricket with Victoria.

They were lighting up stadiums in India as opening partners three months ago. All that will be forgotten on Tuesday when England meet Australia at Lord’s

Melinda Farrell at Lord's24-Jun-2019Three months ago, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow were lighting up the IPL with a record-breaking partnership for Sunrisers Hyderabad. On Tuesday their bromance will be forgotten as they plot each other’s downfall when England and Australia meet at Lord’s. Such is the nature of the modern game where players regularly swap T20 franchise jerseys for national colours.Bairstow has used his column to question the fairness of Australians asking fans to cease booing Warner and Steven Smith in light of previous calls by the then Australia coach Darren Lehmann for fans to show less charity towards England players, Stuart Broad in particular. While that may seem incongruous after their feats as team-mates in India, Aaron Finch says it’s a natural part of the T20 era.”I think that’s the great thing about domestic tournaments around the world is that you get an opportunity to play with guys you might have had perception on, just from playing against them, about how they play, what kind of bloke they are, or something like that,” Finch said.”I think that’s opened up everyone’s eyes to [the idea that] 99 per cent of people that you play with are good blokes, regardless of what tournament it is or who you’re playing for. But that’s pretty easy to flick back into international mode, no doubt. It’s a game representing your country. There’s a lot of pride on the line. There’s a couple of points in a World Cup, which is so tightly contested.”David Warner and Aaron Finch walk out to bat•Associated Press

Finch has in some ways had a similar, albeit reversed, relationship with Warner; they have been opponents when playing for their states in domestic competitions in Australia and T20 tournaments abroad, while also combining forces to form a dynamic and aggressive opening partnership for Australia.”Yeah, I think a bit like anyone who plays with Davey,” Finch said. “They see a side of him and they play against him and they see one when they play with him, and he’s a great man. He’s someone that obviously Jonny and him have had some run-ins on the ground, too. It’s good to see that when you do get an opportunity to get to know somebody, that you take that advantage.”The other facet of the T20 era is that players come back from tournaments into the national side with far more knowledge about franchise teammates’ strengths and weaknesses, something Finch actively aims to exploit.”Absolutely,” Finch said. “Everyone is involved in sort of planning meetings and things like that. You get an opportunity to talk, whether it’s in a structured meeting or over coffee or dinner or a beer or whatever it might be. I think as cricketers, we’re all nuffies at the end of the day for the game; so you’re always talking about the game and coming up with different strategies and things that you’ve seen over time.”A lot of times, that changes. When a guy has come in as a youngster into international cricket, their game changes dramatically over a period of time, so you always have to be adapting, and that’s what’s a great thing about these domestic T20 comps, is that you get to play with so many players that you wouldn’t have had the access to in the past, that you do get to see more of them.”

They have won nine of their 11 games at the Eden Gardens, and another could catapult them above KKR, into fourth place

The Preview by Sreshth Shah08-May-20185:07

Hogg: Milne’s pace could expose KKR at Eden Gardens

Form guide (most recent matches first)

Kolkata Knight Riders: lost to Mumbai Indians by 13 runs, defeated Chennai Super Kings by six wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets
Mumbai Indians: defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 13 runs, defeated Kings XI Punjab by six wickets, lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14 runs

Big picture

When TS Eliot penned “April is the cruelest month” in , it’s quite likely he was talking about Mumbai Indians.They’ve always struggled through the season’s first half, only to blossom as the tournament enters May. This season is no different, and with three wins in their last four games, Mumbai are now fifth, and might just be one win from jumping to fourth on the points table.Mumbai are finally finishing games well – the inablity to do so hurt them in the first half – and are clinching important moments in their matches. Jasprit Bumrah did that in Pune and Indore while Hardik Pandya displayed that skill on Sunday, when he followed up a late flourish with the bat with a six-run 18th over to shut KKR’s middle order down.KKR, on the other hand, find themselves one defeat, potentially, from falling off the top four. Their situation reflects the chinks they are yet to iron out, which have so far kept them from going on a run of wins.Mitchell Johnson no longer strikes fear into opposition batsmen while Shivam Mavi and Prasidh Krishna still have some way to go as fast bowlers. Robin Uthappa has gone past 50 only once this season, while Nitish Rana’s poor strike rate in the middle overs has put extra pressure on Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell.KKR will need to sort out these issues given the momentum Mumbai bring to the contest, and given Mumbai’s record at Eden Gardens. The venue is truly a home away from home for Mumbai, who have won nine of their 11 games there. They’ve also won their last seven games against KKR, home or away, and their captain Rohit Sharma has exceptional numbers in Kolkata.Kolkata Knight Riders have not beaten Mumbai Indians for over three years now•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Shubman Gill, 5 Nitish Rana, 6 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Prasidh Krishna/Shivam Mavi 11 Mitchell Johnson/Tom CurranMumbai Indians: 1 Suryakumar Yadav, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 JP Duminy, 8 Ben Cutting, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Mayank Markande, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Previous meeting

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik propelled Mumbai to 181 for 4. Hardik led the defence too, finishing with 2 for 19 from his four overs, and KKR fell short of their target by 14 runs.Mumbai Indians’ pacers gave Knight Riders the short stuff•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Strategy punt

Against KKR on Sunday, Mumbai changed their lengths to shut down KKR’s scoring. Mumbai’s pacers bowled 69% of their deliveries either short or short of a length – while conceding 7.75 per over – and earned three wickets. Expect more of the same at the pace-friendly Eden Gardens.Vinay Kumar, meanwhile, could also be a left-field choice for KKR to combat Rohit. Vinay has dismissed Rohit in each of their six meetings. Rohit’s strike rate against Vinay is only 66.67.

Stats that matter

• The side winning the toss has opted to bowl in all 12 matches at Eden Gardens since IPL 2017, and have won 66.67% of those games.
• The brothers Pandya are reliable middle-overs operators. Krunal’s economy rate is only 6.7 in overs 7-15, while Hardik goes at 7.2.
• Dinesh Karthik has never been dismissed by Hardik or Bumrah. He strikes at 172 against Hardik, and at over 200 against Bumrah.
• Chris Lynn, on the other hand, has terrible numbers against Hardik and Bumrah. He’s fallen to Bumrah three times in five games while Hardik has dismissed him twice in seven balls.

Fantasy picks

How can you go against Rohit in Kolkata? At the Eden, he’s made 264 against Sri Lanka in an ODI, 177 on Test debut, a Ranji Trophy double-hundred, 109* in the 2012 IPL, 98* in the 2015 IPL and 84* in the 2016 IPL. In all, he’s gone past 30 five times in 11 IPL games.If you’re a KKR fan, stick with the spinners. They’ve taken 21 wickets among them at home, at an average of 18.1 and a strike rate of 14.4. With three spinners giving you four overs each, that’s an average of five wickets per game.

Ron Chandraguptha made 91 in front of national selector Sanath Jayasuriya as a Sri Lanka President’s XI resisted England Lions

ECB Reporters Network13-Feb-2017
ScorecardLiam Livingstone registered a Lions’-best score [file picture]•Getty Images

England Lions were subjected to a long, hot day in the field after a poor morning batting performance on the second day of their warm-up match against a Board President’s XI in Moratuwa – and captain Keaton Jennings was delighted.Not with the batting, which saw the Lions squander a decent overnight platform of 168 for 4, with the last six wickets falling for 74.”But that was exactly what we needed to get us ready for the two four-day games against Sri Lanka A,” said Jennings, after the President’s XI dug in on a slow pitch to reach 182 for 4 in their second innings. “All the bowlers had some good overs, and I thought we hung in there well.”Opener Ron Chandraguptha, who had top-scored in the first innings with 48, made 91 second time around in front of national selector Sanath Jayasuriya before he was again dismissed by a good ball from Middlesex off-spinner Ollie Rayner.Toby Roland-Jones had made an early dismissal with the new ball, Hashan Dumindu falling without scoring, but the Lions had to sweat for everything after that.Tom Curran claimed his third wicket of the match in seven tidy overs, and the fourth wicket went to Liam Livingstone, underlining his all-round value as the team’s third spinner.The Cumbrian had the President’s XI captain Nipun Karananayake smartly caught at short leg by Nick Gubbins, after earlier extending his half century to a new personal Lions best of 84 – including a second six.Tom Westley, with whom he had shared a fifth-wicket stand of 136, went on to 95 before squandering the chance of a maiden Lions century.But his performance was praised by Jennings, Lions coach Andy Flower and also Chris Silverwood, his Essex coach who is with the Lions as assistant coach. “It was great to see Tom batting so nicely early in the tour,” said Silverwood. “He did well for the Lions against Afghanistan before Christmas, and this is a great chance for him to build on that.”Of the rest of the Lions batting, only Sam Curran hung around for long, making 24 from 39 balls until he was last man out.

A draw in the third Test between Australia and West Indies at the SCG appears almost inevitable after the third day’s play was abandoned without a ball being bowled

The Report by Brydon Coverdale05-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt was a frustrating day for fans and players•Getty Images

A draw in the third Test between Australia and West Indies at the SCG appears almost inevitable after the third day’s play was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Persistent rain made it impossible for the players to take the field at all, making it just the third time in the past 20 years that a full day’s play had been lost in a Test in Australia.Only 68 balls had been bowled on the second day due to the wet weather, and rain also affected the first day’s play. The forecast for the fourth day is for a shower or two, but there is unlikely to be enough rain to significantly affect the chances of play. West Indies will resume in their first innings at 7 for 248, having not yet faced a full day’s allotment of overs.