Perth Scorchers thrash Sydney Sixers, clinch record fourth BBL title
A spirited performance from Laurie Evans and Ashton Turner with bat followed by a disciplined show with ball helped Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 79 runs in the final of the BBL 2021/22 in Melbourne.
The Scorchers thus became the first team to lift the BBL Trophy for the fourth time in the competition's 11-season history. They earlier had won titles in Seasons 3, 4 and 6.
The Scorchers were left reeling at 25/4 before Evans (76* in 41 balls) and Turner (54 in 35) added 104 for the fifth wicket to help them reach 171/6. In reply, Daniel Hughes top-scored for the Sixers with 42, but the others made little impact as they were knocked over for 92 in 16.2 overs.
Taylor banned for anti-corruption, doping breaches
Brendan Taylor was handed a three-and-a-half-year ban from all forms of cricket after he accepted four charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and one separate charge of breaching the Anti-Doping Code. Taylor, a veteran of 284 matches for Zimbabwe, ‘accepted all charges, which has been reflected in the sanction,’ confirmed Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager of the Integrity Unit, in a release.
‘Over such a long career, he participated in numerous anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping Codes. It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations,’ Marshall said in a statement.
Women’s Ashes Test 2022/23: Knight rescues England in Canberra on Day 2
England captain Heather Knight almost single-handedly resisted Australia with an unbeaten 127 on Day 2 to keep England's hopes alive in the 2021/22 Ashes Test match, in Canberra. Knight and Sophie Ecclestone (27*) added an unbroken 66 for the ninth wicket to drag England to 235/8 by stumps. They still trail by 102 after Australia declared their first innings at 337/9.
Morgan to miss remainder West Indies T20Is because of injury
England captain Eoin Morgan will miss the last two matches of the ongoing T20I series against West Indies because of a thigh injury. Morgan missed the third T20I, that England lost by 20 runs, on 27 January after feeling pain in the pre-match warm-up.
The ECB said tests had showed Morgan sustained a right thigh muscle injury which was ‘relatively minor’.