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Ollie Pope’s diving catch down the leg-side to dismiss Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel cost Pakistan and shouldn’t have been given out, according to Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Speaking after Pakistan succumbed to a 26-run defeat in Multan that confirmed a series loss to England, Babar said it appeared as if the ball had touched the ground”The Shakeel dismissal cost us,” he said. “It looked to us as if the ball had touched the ground. As a professional, you have to respect the umpire’s decision, but we felt the ball had been grounded.”Related

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Shakeel’s dismissal came at a vital juncture in the match, with lunch approaching and Pakistan reasonably positioned to pull off their second-highest fourth-innings run-chase. Pakistan required another 64 runs to win when Shakeel – six runs away from a hundred – pulled at a short ball outside leg stump, getting a tickle on it. Pope dived to his right to snare it low off the ground, although the replays suggested significant uncertainty as to whether the catch was clean.Part of the frustration of Shakeel’s dismissal was down to the manner in which the decision was reached, with Aleem Dar sending a soft signal of “out” to third umpire Joel Wilson. Wilson ended up sticking with it to confirm the dismissal.Despite discussions among the ICC Full Members around the protocols surrounding the on-field soft-signal, there has been no change to the playing conditions itself (the IPL has scrapped the soft-signal). The regulations continue to state that in the event of “inconclusive replay evidence, the on-field decision communicated at the start of the consultation process shall stand”.The TV umpire does review the footage and has complete authority to make his/her decision independent of the soft signal. Increasingly the trend among match officials has been to offer clarity to any decision and one way they have agreed to do that is to avoid using language that reflects that – so words such as ‘conclusive’ or ‘inconclusive’ referring to evidence have been removed from the radio communication between the TV and on-field umpires and instead, the former simply conveys his own decision as either out or not out.The issue is likely to be on the agenda of the ICC’s cricket committee when it next meets in March.”I think it’s for the umpires to decide [if the soft signal should be done away with],” Babar said. “Like I said, we felt the ball was grounded.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Pakistan dressing-room’s reaction was one of disbelief after Shakeel’s dismissal was upheld, revealing both surprise and a sense of the importance of the moment. Control of the match switched hands once and for all, with England taking the final three wickets with Pakistan still well away from the target.England captain Ben Stokes was more equivocal in his view. Immediately after the match, he said he felt there weren’t any doubts about the ball carrying, but also pointed out those sorts of decisions could end up going either way.”I don’t think [there were any doubts about the catch], personally,” he said. “The only thing where you start worrying is when it gets looked at for a long period of time because that’s when you start having doubt in your own head. I’ve been part of games before where I’ve been on the team who’s been on the receiving end of those decisions and you’re always like, ‘that’s not carried’.”You see a lot of lot of those decisions and those type of catches in cricket. You could say the similar thing was when Rooty got caught at short leg – you could say that might have touched the floor. But you’ve just got to go with what the umpire’s decision is. It went our way but I’ve been involved in a few decisions where stuff like that has gone against us. But you can’t change that.”The man at the centre of the controversy was certain the ball had reached him on the full but admitted that, after that, it was hard to be sure.”I knew it had carried,” Pope said. “I didn’t think it had bounced before. As a keeper when you’ve got the gloves on you honestly can’t tell. I didn’t think it had touched the ground after. When you have gloves on you feel it go in but that’s it.”

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand because of a back injury. He has been replaced in the squad by Madhya Pradesh and RCB batter Rajat Patidar.It is learned that Iyer reported a stiff back immediately after the final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka on Sunday. Keeping in mind he is part of the Test squad for the series against Australia in February, BCCI’s medical staff decided to ask him to head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru as a precautionary measure. As it stands Iyer, who reached NCA on Monday, is scheduled to rejoin the India squad in Nagpur for a preparatory camp ahead of the first Test against Australia on February 9.Iyer made scores of 28, 28 and 38 batting at No. 4 in India’s 3-0 victory in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. He is India’s second highest run-scorer in ODIs since 2022, after Shubman Gill, scoring 818 at an average of 51.12 and strike rate of 92.95.His replacement in the ODI squad, Patidar, is yet to make his international debut. Patidar, 29, was part of the squad for the ODI series in Bangladesh last December but did not get a game. He has 1648 runs in 51 List A games at an average of 34.33 and strike rate of 97.45.Iyer’s absence could give Suryakumar Yadav the chance of a consistent run in the ODI side. Suryakumar played only the third ODI against Sri Lanka, scoring 4 off 4 balls at No. 6.India’s first ODI against New Zealand is on January 18 in Hyderabad, followed by games in Raipur (January 21) and Indore (January 24).India’s updated ODI squad against New Zealand
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik.

There are any number of vacancies to be filled at the top of English cricket right now – captain, coach, director of cricket, head of paperclips*. But with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Olly Stone all at various stages in recovering from injuries, a genuinely fast bowler hitting their straps during the opening weeks of the County Championship has every chance of vaulting into the mix for the Test team.If that fast bowler happens to be named Jamie Overton, now 28 but long tipped to play at international level, then the anticipation sharpens. His maiden five-wicket haul for Surrey since moving to London from the west country in 2020, followed up with three more in the second innings for career-best figures in an innings win, will have had the selectors scribbling in their notepads. Or would have, if there were currently any in post.Never mind, the word will get out. Overton cranked up the intensity and cracked open the game for Surrey on day three at the Kia Oval, Hampshire brusquely swept aside as if caught up in the bank holiday weekend rush. Having picked up two wickets on the second afternoon, as the visitors struggled in reply to Surrey’s 467, Overton returned to quell a minor uprising by the eighth-wicket pair of Keith Barker and James Fuller, then bombed out the tail with enough alacrity that Rory Burns was happy to enforce the follow-on despite being a bowler down.Each of Overton’s five first-innings wickets was a capsule RF bowler’s dismissal. The left-handed Nick Gubbins was drawn into edging one angled across him; Liam Dawson beaten by a peach of an outswinger that hit the top of off. And after a tranquil start to the third morning, Overton came bullocking back into the fray to end a partnership worth 90, and the innings in the space of four balls: Barker bounced out from round the wicket, Kyle Abbott fending another bumper to short leg, Fuller’s resistance ended by a yorker that crashed into middle and leg.Overton was left out of the XI in Surrey’s opening fixture at Edgbaston – a tactical decision, according to the head coach, Gareth Batty – but showed the benefit of some technical changes made over the winter. “I don’t like singling people out but I think we’ve all seen Jamie Overton do something pretty special there,” Batty said. “Particularly that first innings, the bowling was electric, and that’s some hard work that he’s done. It’s nice that first outing he gets the rewards in wickets.”With Kemar Roach missing from the attack due to a hamstring injury, Overton carried straight on into a spell with the new ball. James Taylor made the breakthrough, straightening one a fraction to find the outside edge of Ian Holland’s bat, Ollie Pope taking a brilliant diving catch at slip – but it was perhaps no coincidence that the lapse came after Holland had been struck a blow on the hand in the previous over from Overton.The game again settled down for a period, despite Hampshire losing Gubbins before lunch. Joe Weatherley had weathered the initial storm, surviving a top-edged swipe at Overton that cleared Ben Foakes running back, and seemed to be progressing steadily towards a second hundred in consecutive Championship fixtures. But the return of Overton, this time menacing the middle of the pitch from the Vauxhall End, shook up the innings. His second ball, rearing past the gloves, brought a sustained appeal for caught behind, and although Weatherley slashed the next through backward point for four, he was immediately defeated by a short-pitched ball that stayed low and arrowed back at him, even as he tried to keep the hands down; Foakes’ leaping, one-handed take ended a century stand between Weatherley and James Vince.Overton removed Dawson for the second time in the match, this time flinching a pull to long leg, and Vince’s dismissal after a typically mellifluous half-century, tickling Taylor down the leg side shortly before tea, raised Surrey’s hopes of finishing the contest inside three days. Burns again turned to Overton, who claimed his eighth wicket when Felix Organ jabbed a sharp chance to gully, enabling him to better the 8 for 143 claimed for Somerset at New Road in 2018. With Taylor and Jordan Clark picking off the last four, Surrey secured victory well before the scheduled close.Overton has been on the England radar ever since he and twin brother, Craig, stomped out of Barnstaple and on to the county scene with Somerset as teenagers. But while Craig has been capped in eight Tests and four ODIs, and was involved on their most recent tour of the Caribbean, the closest Jamie has come is twice being called into white-ball squads without being picked.Related

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His performances at Surrey to date have not encouraged thoughts of a recall – remarkably, this haul more than doubled his first-class wicket tally for the club, after nine appearances in which he had averaged 87.33. Nevertheless, his pace and hit-the-deck approach remain coveted by England. And with Craig taking a career-best 13-wicket bag in Somerset’s one-wicket defeat at home to Essex – at one point, the brothers simultaneously took two in an over 150 miles apart – it raised the prospect that both could be involved in the summer, becoming the first twins to represent England in the process.Hashim Amla had suggested after the first day that this was “not a 300 for 3 pitch”, and that assessment was borne out. Resuming on 152 for 7, Hampshire had already shipped their best chance of getting something from this game – but losing by an innings still represented a mighty comedown after they had dished out a similar mauling of Somerset. Vince suggested after victory in the opening round that there wasn’t much room for improvement, but after seeing his side succumb twice in far-from-treacherous conditions, that position will have to be reassessed.

Warwickshire 293 for 7 (Lamb 106) trail Surrey 428 for 8 dec by 135 runsImmediately after the Grand National delivered yet another heartwarming story, Warwickshire and Surrey trooped back onto the field at Edgbaston after a rain delay. The Championship is far too earnest these days to suggest that the two facts were remotely connected, but in a more easy-going age county cricket has been known to briefly come to a halt to glean the result of the 2.30 from Uttoxeter, never mind the 5.15 from Aintree, so it might be a good thing if they were.When it comes to heartwarming stories, the Championship in early April struggles to deliver, although the enterprise of Matthew Lamb’s second first-class century was something to celebrate. It takes place at this time purely because administrators can’t agree upon a sane fixture list in an era when three formats are still jostling for attention so just take the easy way out. Its default position is cold and drudgery and four-day cricket on ECB-approved flat pitches, without warmth or sunshine, can be like nuts without bolts. It is valued only by coaches, aficionados and those who purport to be. At Aintree it was good to soft, but at Edgbaston it was heavy going.The players are professional, and fulfil their obligations. The best can turn their suffering into England recognition, such as Ben Foakes who made a resolute hundred on the second day here. Old stagers like Stuart Broad nod wisely and say, seven games in seven weeks, in such cold, with an England place to recover, no sorry, that’s not for me? Few really enjoy watching it in April unless the ball hoops around. The members insist upon their quota of four-day cricket, but not many turn up. It is a game staged for statisticians, a game staged to keep up appearances, a game best loved from afar.That made Lamb’s hundred all the more welcome. On a third day that for the most part was a gruelling watch, as Warwickshire responded to Surrey’s 428 for 8 declared by defiantly mapping out what appears to be a successful two-day route to draw points, he blissfully struck 106 from 138 balls. By the time the follow-on was averted, the rest of Warwickshire’s batters had mustered 169 from 463. Or to put it another way, his hundred came at more than twice their scoring rate. It felt less like a century than a blood transfusion.”I was a little bit frenetic for the first ten balls but then settled down,” he said. “I just went out there to be as positive as I can and I know that, in the past, when I have had that mindset I have got into much better positions and that has allowed me to score more freely.”He resisted, as did Sam Hain, a threatening first-hour assault from Kemer Roach and Reece Topley, but Lamb then drove with elan on a surface where others just dug in, adopting an assertive approach with three fours in an over against the young seamer James Taylor, who looks to have filled out a bit and otherwise bowled with great promise.Most fun was had, though, when Roach and Topley returned for second spells with an understandable desire to test him out against the short stuff, move the game on a bit, trade runs for wickets. Lamb had a couple of swishes against slower bouncers, but hooked and pulled Roach to enter the eighties, and did likewise against Topley to bring up the 90s. A fulsome leg-side pick-up against Roach to move from 92 to 98 was wonderfully out of keeping with much of the day and seemed to have been transplanted from a night at the Blast. By now, the adrenalin was flowing, and when he pulled Topley to long leg, he would have run two for his hundred anyway even if the hapless fielder had not chested it over the boundary.The gambit having failed, the old ball seemed to age 20 overs within moments. It required an exceptional piece of fielding to remove him. Lamb mistimed a pull at Topley and Jacks plunged low to his right at deep square leg, 10 metres in from the boundary as Surrey retained an attacking intent, to pull off a spectacular one-handed catch.From 41 for 4, facing a follow-on figure of 279, Warwickshire had been committed to a day of toil. At 198 for 5, they were still 81 short and quick wickets would have put them under pressure but Dan Mousley, whose place is under threat once the South Australian Nathan McAndrew arrives in time for Essex’s visit to Edgbaston in two weeks’ time, joined Hain in a stand of 65 in 36 overs despite a break for rain and ever retreating temperatures.Hain (78 from 228) and Mousley (43 from 128) both responded virtuously. Neither looked in good touch but, in a way, every mistimed stroke made their virtue all the more apparent. Hain got out to a leave-alone – a suitable end – as Jordan Clark nipped one back when the follow-on figure was in sight; Mousley fell at slip, whipping Clark, three balls after it had been averted, his concentration perhaps momentarily released. Their concentration had been more reliable than some of us who watched them – and they could take pride in that.It is a rum thing to consider that avoiding the follow-on remains such a thing even when many captains no longer bother to enforce it. For all that, the dirge was eminently justifiable. In football, lack of entertainment can often indicate a lack of desire – just look at Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United. But in cricket, the situation is often what matters. And, for those who don’t know, it was a helluva finish in the National.

Ghulam Fatima’s maiden ODI five-wicket haul backed up by half-centuries from Sadaf Shamas and Bismah Maroof helped Pakistan secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Ireland and complete a 3-0 series sweep in Lahore.Batting first, Ireland started strongly with Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis adding 84 runs for the opening wicket. Fatima removed Lewis, but Paul recorded her third ODI fifty to keep Ireland going. She got good support from Amy Hunter with the duo adding a 65-run stand for the second wicket.It was Fatima who once again broke the stand, getting rid of Hunter, whose wicket signalled an Irish collapse. Paul fell soon after for 65 while Orla Prendergast too did not last long as Ireland slipped from 149 for 1 to 161 for 4. There was brief resistance from Eimear Richardson, but once she fell in the 44th over to Fatima, the visitors lost their way again.They lost their last six wickets for 23 runs to be bowled out for 225 in 49.5 overs. Fatima with 5 for 34 was the star of the show with the ball.Pakistan’s chase then got off the wrong foot with both openers falling cheaply. Prendergast castled Muneeba Ali for 12 before Jane Maguire sent back the in-form Sidra Ameen for 10. However, Maroof and Shamas made sure the chase never got out of hand. Shamas, playing just her second ODI innings, recorded her maiden fifty while Maroof too chugged along.The duo added 124 runs for the third wicket in quick time before both fell in quick succession, but their stand had ensured the chase was on solid ground. While Shamas was stumped off Richardson for 72 off 80, Rachel Delaney brought about the downfall of Maroof for 57.There were no alarm bells for Pakistan though as Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz and Sidra Nawaz all chipped in to take their team over the line in 47.1 overs.Fatima was named Player of the Match while Ameen, having scored 277 runs in the three-match series, was named Player of the Tournament.

Shahid Afridi and James Vince have been traded by Multan Sultans to Quetta Gladiators in exchange for a Diamond and Silver pick in the upcoming PSL draft. In another deal, Gladiators traded wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan to Islamabad United and have received Iftikhar Ahmed’s services instead.After moving to his fourth PSL franchise, Afridi said: “I am excited to join Quetta Gladiators, a side that has had a roller-coaster ride in the past few events despite winning the title in 2019. In my final PSL event, it will be my dream and wish to sign off with another PSL trophy after tasting success with Peshawar Zalmi in 2017. PSL is an event that encourages and inspires a player to give his very best. I will use the same motivation to help my team and put up performances that can help us achieve our event objectives.”For the upcoming edition, the PSL management has also rejigged categories for some players ahead of the draft, notably moving Mohammad Rizwan – who captained Sultans to the title last year – up from Silver, the third-most valuable category, to Platinum, the most valuable. United batter Asif Ali and Lahore Qalandars bowler Haris Rauf also take their places in the Platinum category. This year, the categories were decided by the PCB. In previous editions, the six franchises would classify players into categories.Leaving Iftikhar was a tricky decision for United as they were allowed to have up to two local players in each of the Platinum and Diamond categories. Since they now have Shadab Khan and Asif in platinum, they had to leave one of Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Iftikhar out. They added Azam in the Gold category instead.”It has been a difficult decision to move from Islamabad United, but looking ahead at my future in T20 cricket that is linked to the Pakistan team, I thought this was the best move,” Iftikhar said.”I am grateful to the Islamabad United management for their support and understanding, as they have continued to stand behind me in all my decisions. I am thrilled to be rejoining Shahid Afridi at Quetta Gladiators after 2017, when we last played together in HBL PSL. Quetta Gladiators include a number of my contemporaries with whom I have played lot of cricket.”The seventh PSL season will be beginning on January 27 next year, with a pre-tournament draft on December 12. The league, which begins about a month earlier than usual to make room for Australia’s upcoming tour of Pakistan in March-April, will be ending on February 27.Every franchise is allowed to retain up to eight players from their previous roster and pick another eight in the draft. Players who were picked up as replacements for the Abu Dhabi leg in PSL 6 have not been considered in the original roster. Each team is also allowed to pick two additional players in the supplementary round.Only two venues will be hosting the PSL: Karachi’s National Stadium will be staging the first 15 matches, while all other games – including the final – will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.The deadline for PSL trades closed on Thursday with only United, Gladiators and Sultans utilising the option to trade. Teams now must decide their retentions – maximum of eight – by 4pm Pakistan time on Friday.

Saqlain Mushtaq, Pakistan’s interim head coach, would love it if his team got the opportunity to face India again, and beat them again, in the final of the T20 World Cup. He also feels more meetings between the sides will only improve relations between the two neighbours.Pakistan began their campaign with a 10-wicket win that ended India’s stranglehold over their arch-rivals in World Cups – they had won each of the five previous T20 World Cup meetings between the sides as well as the seven ODI World Cup meetings. That resounding win was followed by a five-wicket victory over New Zealand that has put Pakistan firmly on top of the Group 2 table, and left them favourites to reach the semi-finals. They next face Afghanistan on Friday, followed by matches against Associate teams Namibia and Scotland.Related

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“When you come with a mindset to become a world champion then you don’t think about the opponent,” Saqlain said in a virtual press conference. “You rather think whoever comes in, you do what you have to do and want to do. So we are thinking on the same lines day in and day out that whoever is against us in the next stage we will accept it. If you want to become a world champion then you have to live up to the requirements — being tough, being well-prepared, and playing cricket different from the others, and it shows that you are a genuine World Cup winner. If you want to be a world champion then you should be thoroughly [tested] so that the world actually recognises you.”If India makes it to the final with us, it would be a great thing because I feel — and this is not because we became big-headed after beating them — but because they are a strong team, everyone considers them a favourite. England and Australia always play tough cricket too. What we have in hand is our process, how we plan, our commitment, how we fight and bounce back and things we can control so we don’t focus on results and the opponent. If India comes in the final, then it would be very good for the ICC, fans around the world and for world cricket — everyone will enjoy it. They are our neighbouring country and playing one more match would only improve our relations.”‘They just play a sort of fearless cricket and I think that kind of team can be dangerous’ – Saqlain Mushtaq on Afghanistan•ICC via Getty

On Friday, Pakistan will face a stiff test against one of the best spin attacks in the competition, featuring Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi. It’s not a test Pakistan have faced too often: they have met Afghanistan only once in T20Is, beating them with one ball to spare back in 2013, when Rashid and Mujeeb were yet to make their debuts.Looking ahead to the game, Saqlain talked up Afghanistan not just for their spin attack but also their fearless batting. “I’ve been hearing about them, that they are actually a key player for Afghanistan,” he said of the spinners. “They’ve been doing really well in different leagues and they are quite confident to do their business on their day. They are very good but obviously we should play and we should execute our plan with the clarity of the mind.”It’s a strong unit. We can’t really say that it’s very easy and you will roll over them. It’s not like that. They have a wonderful bowling attack, especially the spinners. When they bat, they just play, the way they feel it, what’s in their heart, what they think. They just go and execute the plan. They just play a sort of fearless cricket and I think that kind of team can be dangerous.”But you play for your pride and you don’t think that this is a small team and this is a big team. Otherwise your mind will start thinking in that way. So in the World Cup, it’s a mega win. You play all the teams with the same intensity, with the same attitude, with the same sort of mindset and you execute your plan the way you execute the plan against the bigger-name team.”

It feels like there is something significant stirring in Australia’s middle order.Not for the first time this year, Cameron Green and Alex Carey joined forces to define a match. They had done it twice before at crucial junctures: in the third Test against Pakistan, they added 135 to build what became a match-winning first-innings total, and during the opening Test against Sri Lanka, they added a quick 84 on a spiteful surface to ensure a decisive lead.On Tuesday in Cairns, they combined to turn what appeared a likely defeat into a gripping victory, putting on 158 for the sixth wicket after Australia had been in a mess at 44 for 5.Related

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They have now batted together twice in ODIs and have already added 239 runs for the sixth wicket, albeit the 81 they accrued against Pakistan in Lahore came in a heavy defeat.Their runs against New Zealand came after Carey had been pushed down from No. 4 to No. 6 and Green moved a slot higher than originally listed to No. 7 after Australia’s early collapse. There is the natural complementary element of a right-hander and a left-hander, but there is clearly something that is clicking between the two when they join forces.”Batting with Kez [Carey] is awesome,” Green said. “He just puts so much pressure back on the bowler. He’s always looking to score and I think that complements both of us. We are both guys who like to rotate the strike and obviously a left and right combination. Hopefully there’s a few more [partnerships] with him in the future.”Green had to battle severe cramps in the closing stages of the chase – he said on Wednesday that it was a problem he has had to deal with throughout his career and when he played Aussie Rules football as a youngster – but for the most part had appeared unflustered by the challenge in front of him.”We enjoy batting together, we work really well,” Carey said. “He scores pretty freely at the other end and we just bounce off each other nicely. You saw that he can come in any time so that’s a great feather in his cap. He’s a really calm character with bat, ball and in the field. Just goes about his business. We know how good he is but [he’s] taking this format [up] another step.”Green has become part of Australia’s ODI side as they experiment with a deep batting order. Having played Ashton Agar in the last two matches against Zimbabwe following Mitchell Marsh’s injury, they reverted to that model by recalling Marnus Labuschagne in Cairns. It means that on some occasions, Green’s immense batting talents won’t be fully utilised, but having a Test-class batter to rescue Australia last night was key against the moving ball.Despite it being just his 11th ODI, in the post-match presentation Green said his first half-century was a “monkey off his back” and he explained that it was more about having a template to use again. “Everyone wants to get that first one so you have an innings to look back on, so I can see how I went about it and replicate it in the future,” he said.It feels inevitable that as the years go on, Green will move higher – No. 4 would not be over promotion when the vacancy arises – but for now he is focusing on expanding his white-ball batting, particularly power-hitting early in an innings, and will get a chance with the T20I side on the upcoming tour of India.”[Hitting from ball one] is definitely something you have to work [on],” he said. “Doesn’t really come naturally to anybody, maybe a few of the best in the world, but it’s something everyone has to work on. Building your innings slowly comes a bit more naturally to most people.”Everyone aspires to be [a three-format player] but will just have to wait and see how heavy the schedule is, how much time you get to actually improve your T20 game.”

David Willey will return to Northamptonshire at the end of this season after seven years at Yorkshire and aimed a parting shot at the club by suggesting that cricket has felt “secondary to repairing the club’s reputation” after the ongoing investigation into historic allegations of racism and discrimination.Willey, 32, left Wantage Road for Headingley ahead of the 2016 season, citing his desire to play with “some of the best players in the country” and signed a contract extension in 2019. But he said that he has always hoped to return at some stage in his career and has signed a four-year contract until the end of the 2026 season.Darren Gough, Yorkshire’s interim director of cricket, said that the club had been keen to keep Willey at Headingley and “proactively engaged with Dave on his return from the IPL” but were “unable to match Northants’ offer, but Willey described his comments as “inaccurate” in a stinging parting statement on Instagram.”I have loved my life in Yorkshire,” Willey wrote. “I have planted my roots and raised our young family here. Unfortunately the circumstances surrounding the recent events at the club have made my work environment unsettling. There are some great lads and fantastic players at Yorkshire and I hope the complications at the club will not take priority and overshadow their talents.”The cricket and the current players seem to be secondary at the moment to repairing the club’s reputation. It certainly felt that way for me over the past 12 months. I play cricket because I love the game. I just want to play somewhere that cricket is the focus and where I feel valued on and off the field.”The comments made by Yorkshire around my contract discussions with the club are inaccurate. I’d like to thank the players and staff who have helped me during my time at Yorkshire. Also, thank you to the fantastic support of Yorkshire fans. I’d love to say farewell by winning the T20 for the first time at the club.”Related

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Willey is Yorkshire’s T20 captain and while he has been only a peripheral member of England’s white-ball sides since his last-minute omission from their 2019 World Cup squad, he is part of the squad for their three-match ODI series in the Netherlands this week and remains an in-demand player in leagues around the world.His return represents a major coup for Northants at a time when several members of their first-team squad are approaching the end of their respective contracts and weighing up their futures.Ricardo Vasconcelos, the club’s red-ball captain, is under contract until the end of the 2024 season but a clause in his deal means he can leave at the end of this season. Somerset are favourites to sign him with wicketkeeper-batters Steven Davies and Tom Banton both approaching the end of their contracts but several counties are interested.T20 captain Josh Cobb is among the other Northants players out of contract at the end of this season, along with Emilio Gay, Luke Procter and Ben Sanderson.David Willey starred in Northants’ T20 triumph in 2013•Getty Images

Ray Payne, the club’s chief executive, said Willey’s signing was “a significant move that makes our ambitions for the professional squad really clear”.”We’ve already seen what he’s able to do for the Steelbacks,” he said, “and the international experience David has gained in white-ball cricket further strengthens our squad and really supports our goals of bringing more trophies at Wantage Road.””The best journey takes you home.” Willey had said in an earlier statement. “Wantage Road is home. I grew up playing on the outfield, behind the stands and in the groundsman’s shed. When I think back to my first introduction to cricket, I think of Northants.”Northants supported and nurtured me in my younger years and gave me the opportunities to achieve my childhood dreams. During the seven years I’ve been away, I have continued to watch the club closely and found myself celebrating their successes.”I always hoped at some stage in my career I would find my way back and I’m excited that the time is now. My love and passion for Northamptonshire has always been there and I hope I can give the club more than just my runs and wickets. I still have great ambitions in the game, to play at the highest level, to win trophies but also to give back to the club that has given me so much.”Elsewhere, Moeen Ali confirmed last week while working as a pundit on the BBC’s Test Match Special that he has been talking to other counties with his Worcestershire deal coming to an end and is widely expected to join Warwickshire along with Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood.Warwickshire may lose Adam Hose at the end of the season as he seeks further opportunities in red-ball cricket while Olly Stone and Dom Sibley are also out of contract.Ben Mike, the allrounder who has enjoyed a breakout season at Leicestershire, is also out of contract and attracting interest from other clubs.