Nottinghamshire have signed New Zealand allrounder Fraser Sheat as an overseas player for the final five matches of their County Championship campaign. The 28-year-old, who represents Canterbury in New Zealand’s Plunket Shield, has taken 151 first-class wickets at an average of 27.39. He previously played for Glamorgan during a two-match stint in 2024. Sheat is expected to make his Nottinghamshire debut against Warwickshire at Edgbaston this week, in a fixture that could have a major impact on the Championship title race. Nottinghamshire, the defending champions, currently lead Division One by two points over Somerset, while Warwickshire sit a further three points behind in third place. “When I heard Nottinghamshire were interested, I was really keen to get the deal done, and I’m excited by the opportunity,” Sheat said. “Having experienced English cricket before, I can’t wait to get back over and join up with the team at Trent Bridge.” Sheat recently made his representative debut for New Zealand A during their tour of Sri Lanka. In a four-day match against Sri Lanka A in April, he scored an unbeaten 61 off 60 balls and also claimed the wicket of Test opener Nishan Madushka. The allrounder believes his recent development has prepared him for the challenge of Division One cricket in England. “I feel like my game has really developed recently, and I’m excited to test myself even more in Division One of the Championship over in England,” Sheat said. “I know the standards that Nottinghamshire set, and with the boys in such a good position heading into the final few games, I’ll be looking to contribute as much as I can.” Sheat also comes from a cricketing family. His grandfather, Frank Rapley, previously played for Canterbury. Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores said Sheat’s arrival would provide valuable depth to the team’s seam-bowling resources during a demanding period of the season. “Fraser will add to our seam resources at what is a key point in the season,” Moores said. “Six games in six weeks is a heavy workload in the last part of this season and to have depth in our seam bowling will be key to staying competitive in every game. “This feels like a great opportunity for Fraser, and we can’t wait to have him as part of the squad moving forward.” With the Championship title race finely poised, Nottinghamshire will hope Sheat can make an immediate impact as they look to defend their Division One crown.

Australia’s Mitchell Starc has climbed to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings for the first time in his career after a sensational ten-wicket performance against Bangladesh in the second Test in Mackay. Starc produced match-winning figures of 6 for 12 and 4 for 39 as Australia defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs to level the two-match series. His outstanding performance lifted him two places in the rankings, taking him past India’s Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah has slipped to second, while New Zealand’s Matt Henry has moved into third place. Australia captain Pat Cummins also climbed one position to fourth after taking 3 for 25 and 3 for 10 in Mackay. Nathan Lyon was another Australian to make significant progress, moving up two places to break into the top ten after claiming three wickets in the second innings. Starc’s rise to No. 1 marks a significant milestone in his career. The left-arm fast bowler has been one of the leading performers in Test cricket for more than a decade, but this is the first time he has occupied the top position in the ICC rankings. Robinson and Tongue Make Big Gains England’s Ollie Robinson made a major leap in the rankings following his impressive return to Test cricket. Robinson claimed eight wickets against Pakistan at Headingley, helping England secure an innings-and-103-run victory. The performance saw Robinson climb 15 places to 11th in the bowling rankings. His England team-mate Josh Tongue also took eight wickets in Leeds and moved up 16 places to 17th. Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya each climbed five spots after their performances against India in Galle. Fernando claimed six wickets in the match, while Jayasuriya finished with seven. Brook Remains No. 1 Batter There was no change at the top of the Test batting rankings, with England’s Harry Brook retaining the No. 1 position after scoring 91 in the Headingley Test against Pakistan. India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, however, made significant progress. After scores of 39 and 66 against Sri Lanka in Galle, Pant climbed six places to return to the top ten, moving into seventh position. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped out of the top ten following disappointing returns with the bat in Galle. Starc’s rise adds another landmark to an already distinguished international career, while Australia’s strong showing in Mackay has also strengthened the team’s presence near the top of the Test bowling rankings.

Arshdeep Singh is determined to establish himself as a three-format international, and his latest Duleep Trophy outing offered a valuable opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials. The India fast bowler, who has represented the country in 18 ODIs and 91 T20Is, is still awaiting his Test debut. His demanding white-ball schedule has limited his opportunities in first-class cricket, with a year passing between his 22nd and 23rd first-class appearances. Arshdeep made the most of his chance in the 2026 Duleep Trophy quarter-final, taking 3 for 53 and 1 for 40 as North Zone defeated West Zone by 52 runs at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. “Very rarely I get the chance to play red-ball cricket. And this was a chance,” Arshdeep said after the match. “I wanted to showcase my skill set and just see how many overs I can bowl. The rhythm feels nice. After a long time, I was playing a red-ball game. I put in a lot of hours in practice and it felt nice. The body is sore, but it’s a good sore because we got the win.” Red-ball preparation With red-ball cricket making a rare appearance on his schedule, Arshdeep had adjusted his training accordingly. He said his preparation depends largely on the format coming up next. “When white-ball season is coming, then you practise with the white ball. It’s very specific training based on what kind of season is coming in front of you,” he explained. North Zone head coach Ajay Sharma also reminded Arshdeep of one of the key advantages of Test and first-class cricket — the opportunity to recover from an unproductive spell. “Even if you don’t get wickets with the new ball, you have a chance to come back in the second spell,” Sharma told him, according to Arshdeep. “Red ball has that beauty of giving you a chance again.” Arshdeep has previous experience of county cricket, having played five County Championship matches for Kent in 2023. However, a packed Indian cricket calendar has made another stint in England difficult. The message from the BCCI, he said, has been simple: perform wherever possible in red-ball cricket and wait for the right opportunity. Tactical change brings Musheer’s wicket The Bengaluru pitch offered little assistance to the seamers, with spinners dominating proceedings. Arshdeep therefore had to rely on tactics and variation rather than conventional movement off the surface. His most notable moment came when he dismissed Musheer Khan in the first innings. Musheer had frustrated North Zone with a defensive 31 off 125 balls. Arshdeep then switched to around the wicket and surrounded the batter with an attacking off-side field, including a wide slip, gully, short mid-off, short cover and cover. The tactic worked. Arshdeep bowled a fuller delivery that generated extra bounce, and Musheer edged it. “There was nothing for seamers in that wicket,” Arshdeep said. “I just wanted to play with his mind. He was playing very defensively, so we wanted the fielders to be in front of his eyes and let him think that we’re doing something different.” Arshdeep stressed that his approach changes according to the conditions. “When you have purchase from the wicket, when they seam, when they swing, that’s when you stay patient and just keep hitting lengths. When it’s a different wicket, when there’s nothing off the pitch and just variable bounce, you’ve got to play with the field and try out different things.” North Zone hold their nerve The match appeared to be slipping away from North Zone when Musheer and Ruturaj Gaikwad put together a 111-run partnership for the fourth wicket during West Zone’s chase of 287. Arshdeep admitted that he briefly feared the contest was heading away from his team. “Then I was thinking, ‘Sher-e-Punjab, time to go back home’, and what time ticket should I get booked,” he joked. But the game changed dramatically after Gaikwad was run out in the 45th over following sharp work from North Zone wicketkeeper and captain Kanhaiya Wadhawan. West Zone collapsed from 195 for 3 to 222 all out, handing North Zone a 52-run victory. Arshdeep credited Wadhawan’s alertness for the turning point and said the team remained confident that breaking the partnership could open the door to a collapse. “We always knew that whenever the partnership gets broken, there’s always a chance when a new batter comes in. We wanted to stay in the game, just be patient, and that wicket came and after that it changed.” For Arshdeep, the quarter-final was more than just another domestic match. With a Test debut still on his international ambitions, the rare chance to bowl long spells and adapt to red-ball conditions could prove an important step in his development as a three-format cricketer.

Australian and overseas cricket stars are set for bigger paydays in the Big Bash League (BBL) after Cricket Australia (CA) announced sweeping changes to its player contracting rules. The new system, which comes into effect when the contracting embargo lifts at 9am AEST on Thursday, will scrap the overseas player draft and give BBL clubs greater freedom to negotiate directly with both Australian and international players. The changes could pave the way for major deals for international stars such as Ben Stokes, Finn Allen, Jamie Overton and Tim Seifert. Australian players including Adam Zampa and Josh Inglis could also benefit from the new structure. Zampa is currently without a BBL club after leaving the Melbourne Renegades, while Inglis is out of contract with the Perth Scorchers. However, Inglis' potential Test commitments could limit his availability for the upcoming season. Overseas Draft Abolished Under the previous system, every BBL club was required to sign at least two overseas players, with at least one earning a minimum of AU$300,000. The highest overseas salary category, Platinum, was worth AU$420,000. Those requirements have now been removed. Clubs can choose to sign fewer overseas players—or none at all—giving them greater control over how they spend their salary cap. The decision follows growing frustration among Australian players and clubs that the draft could result in overseas players commanding significantly higher salaries than some of the league's leading domestic stars. BBL boss Alistair Dobson said the new rules were designed to give clubs greater flexibility in assessing player value. "Clubs having the flexibility to make their own assessments on the value of different players and whether they're domestic or overseas players is important." Despite removing the overseas requirement, Dobson said the league still expects international stars to play an important role in the competition. More Money for Marquee Players Another major change will see the minimum number of marquee domestic players reduced. For the upcoming BBL season, each club will need just three marquee players earning more than AU$212,242 from a total salary cap of AU$3.18 million. Previously, six players were required to reach that threshold. The top six earners on each 18-player roster must still collectively receive more than AU$1.7 million. However, the revised structure allows clubs to concentrate more money on their biggest stars rather than distributing it across a larger group of players. The same principle will apply to the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). Clubs will not be required to sign an overseas player, while three players in each 15-player squad must earn more than AU$53,000 from the AU$772,000 salary cap. The top five earners must collectively receive more than AU$439,000. Bigger Deals Could Be on the Way The timing of the rule change means some of the biggest beneficiaries in the first season could be players who are currently out of contract. Several established stars who have pushed for changes to the system are already contracted, while players such as Allen, Stokes, Overton and Seifert could enter negotiations with significantly greater earning power. The rules are scheduled to change again in the second year. The minimum number of marquee players will fall to two per BBL team, while the top four earners will need to collectively exceed AU$1.4 million. In the WBBL, the corresponding figure will be AU$400,000. CA said the phased approach was designed to minimise unintended consequences and maintain competitive balance. Trade and Replacement Rules Also Change Clubs will also receive a salary-cap concession when a highly paid contracted player moves to another club through a trade or mutual release after the embargo lifts. The concession will be funded by CA and will be equivalent to the value of a minimum BBL contract, roughly AU$52,000. To qualify, however, the player's new contract must be worth at least AU$360,000. CA is also tightening rules surrounding local replacement players. A contracted player who is ruled out before the tournament can still be replaced. During the season, however, a club will generally have to lose three contracted players before it can sign a local replacement. There is one exception: a club that loses both of its nominated wicketkeepers can sign a replacement wicketkeeper even if it has not lost three players overall. Changes Come Amid Wider CA-Player Negotiations The new contracting framework has been negotiated separately from the broader discussions between CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association over a new Memorandum of Understanding. The current MOU runs until 2028, while negotiations over a new agreement have reportedly stalled over the players' share of revenue. Players are seeking a higher percentage than the current 27.5%. The contracting changes are nevertheless an important step as CA prepares for the next phase of its plans to privatise the BBL. With the overseas draft gone and clubs given far greater control over their salary caps, Thursday's opening of the contracting window could trigger a wave of major signings—and potentially record-breaking BBL contracts.

Abid Mushtaq produced a match-winning performance with the ball as North Zone defeated West Zone by 52 runs in a thrilling Duleep Trophy quarter-final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, securing their place in the semi-finals. The Jammu & Kashmir allrounder claimed a remarkable nine wickets for 99 runs across the two innings on a red-soil surface that offered significant assistance to the spinners. A total of 25 wickets fell to spin during the match, with Mushtaq emerging as the decisive performer. West Zone began the final day needing 67 runs for victory, while North Zone required just three wickets. The contest, which had remained finely balanced, was settled in only 6.3 overs as Mushtaq and Nishant Sindhu completed the cleanup of West Zone's lower order. Mushtaq struck with the second ball of the day, dismissing Tanush Kotian with a delivery that skidded low and beat his defence before crashing into middle stump. Tushar Deshpande survived for 17 deliveries before attempting to attack Mushtaq in the allrounder's third over. Drifting the ball from around the stumps, Mushtaq induced an edge that was safely taken by Abdul Samad at slip. Three balls later, Sindhu finished the match when Urvil Patel was trapped lbw for 25 while attempting to attack the left-arm spinner. West Zone's hopes of completing the chase disappeared in quick succession. Mushtaq turns the match around Mushtaq's impact had begun late on the fourth day, when West Zone appeared to be in control at 211 for 4. A century partnership between Musheer Khan and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had put West within sight of the target. Mushtaq broke the stand and then returned on the final morning to dismantle the lower order, finishing with figures of 5 for 39 in the first innings and 4 for 60 in the second. North Zone were also well served by Arshdeep Singh, who made an impressive return to first-class cricket after nearly a year away from the format. He claimed four wickets in the match, including three in the first innings, using late movement in both directions to trouble West Zone's top order. Anshul Kamboj also played a crucial role. With North Zone struggling at 161 for 7 in the first innings, Kamboj struck a valuable 60 to help his team reach 251. He then contributed with the ball, dismissing Mumbai's Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian in quick succession with the old ball. His efforts helped North secure a 64-run first-innings lead. North Zone strengthened their position in the second innings through Ayush Badoni, who scored his second consecutive half-century of the match. Badoni made 51 in the first innings and followed it with 50 in the second, providing his side with the cushion they ultimately needed. West Zone's chase was led by Musheer Khan, who narrowly missed out on a century with a score of 96, while Gaikwad contributed 66. However, once Mushtaq broke their crucial partnership, North Zone seized control. North Zone set up semi-final against South Zone The victory sends North Zone into the first semi-final, where they will face South Zone, led by Tilak Varma. In the other quarter-final, East Zone defeated North East Zone and booked their place in the second semi-final against defending champions Central Zone, led by Rajat Patidar. Both semi-finals will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from August 30. For North Zone, the victory was built on a collective bowling effort, but Mushtaq's outstanding nine-wicket haul proved the difference on a surface heavily favouring spin.

Ishan Kishan believes the constant challenge of moving between white-ball and red-ball cricket is one of the most rewarding aspects of the game, despite the difficulties that come with adapting to different formats. Kishan led East Zone to a dominant innings-and-210-run victory over North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, recording his 65th first-class appearance. His previous first-class game had come in November 2025 against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy. Since then, the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has featured in 59 matches across international and domestic cricket, including the IPL, in just nine months. Having established himself primarily as a white-ball player, Kishan acknowledged that returning to red-ball cricket requires a significant adjustment. "Situations will get tricky," Kishan said in Bengaluru. "It will not be easy for us as players to just move around from white ball to red ball, red ball to white ball; change of format, change of gameplay. But that is the fun part about this game." Kishan also spoke candidly about the mental demands placed on professional cricketers. He stressed that players cannot afford to dwell on circumstances beyond their control if they want to succeed. "If you want to make it big, you want to make it count, you can't have many excuses," he said. "At the same time, I feel you should just think about getting better and not cry about things which you cannot control." Kishan admits to a red-ball mistake Kishan was unable to make a major contribution with the bat in East Zone's only innings, falling for four after attempting to guide a wide delivery behind point. He admitted that the shot was almost instinctive, despite knowing that he needed to leave deliveries outside off stump in a first-class match. "I was in the middle of the shot, and I was like, 'What the heck was I trying to do?' I should know this is a Test match and I need to leave a few balls," Kishan said. He attributed the mistake partly to a lack of recent red-ball practice and explained how thinking about avoiding a particular shot can sometimes lead to exactly the opposite outcome. "Sometimes when you think about something that you don't want to do, you end up doing it," he said. "I was just attracting those thoughts, which was not meant to happen, but yeah, it happened anyway." Despite the setback, Kishan insisted that his enthusiasm for red-ball cricket remains strong. He has played 32 ODIs and 55 T20Is for India, along with 134 IPL matches, while his last of two Test appearances came in July 2023. "I really do enjoy red-ball cricket," Kishan said. "It's always fun to be part of it because I love that challenge. Yes, it's easier to bat on flat tracks and it's fun as well, but the competition which goes around in Test matches is some different-level thing." East Zone dominate North East Zone East Zone produced an emphatic performance in the Duleep Trophy encounter, scoring 467 before dismissing North East Zone for just 111 and enforcing the follow-on. North East Zone resumed Tuesday on 7 for no loss, but East Zone's spinners continued to trouble the batters. Kishan noted that the surface was offering turn without much bounce, and East Zone eventually bowled their opponents out for 146 in only 50 overs. Anukul Roy was the standout bowler, claiming a five-wicket haul. Kishan was pleased that East Zone finished the game quickly rather than allowing the opposition to settle and consume valuable time. "I'm happy we got those wickets," he said. "If some of the batters were batting, it would have been easy for them to just control the game and keep on batting for the next one-and-a-half days." He also praised the bowlers for sticking to their plans and maintaining belief. "If you bowl in the right areas, you will have your plans clear, you will keep it simple, you will get your reward," Kishan said. Kishan wants greater intensity in semi-final While East Zone's victory was comprehensive, Kishan admitted that the team's energy levels were not where he wanted them to be after a long break from red-ball cricket. "We played after a very long time, this match, but I feel the energy was not up to the mark," he said. "But it can happen in these matches." East Zone will face Central Zone in the semi-final beginning on August 30, and Kishan expects his side to raise its intensity. "When we are going to play the next match, we'll have to be on our toes," he said. "We'll have to put effort, we will have to fight for each and every wicket." For Kishan, the return to first-class cricket has been a reminder that cricket may look simple from the outside, but adapting to its demands is anything but straightforward. "Cricket is always complicated, though it's simple," he said. "All of us know how we need to keep the sport simple, but it's very hard to maintain that."

Moeen Ali produced a stunning late assault with the bat before Joshua James and the Falcons' bowlers combined to dismantle Barbados Tridents, as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons secured a 30-run victory in the CPL 2026. The win lifted the Falcons back to the top of the points table, although they have already played seven matches—more than the other leading teams in the competition. After losing the toss, Falcons were sent in to bat and suffered an early setback when Rahkeem Cornwall was bowled by Daniel Sams off the first ball of the match. Amir Jangoo, Karima Gore and Hasan Nawaz helped steady the innings, but the Falcons struggled to score freely during the middle overs. The situation changed when Moeen Ali arrived at the crease at No. 5. Jangoo was dismissed soon after, while Shadab Khan failed to make a significant contribution. Moeen, however, found an effective partner in Shamar Springer, and the pair transformed the innings with an unbeaten 75-run partnership from just 41 balls. Moeen saved his best for the final over. With Falcons needing a late surge, he launched Sams for three consecutive sixes to begin the over and finished it with a remarkable 20 runs. He remained unbeaten on 56, striking three fours and four sixes, while Springer contributed 19 from 16 balls. Falcons eventually posted 155 for 5, a competitive total after what had initially looked like a below-par batting performance. Tridents' chase never gathered momentum. They reached 45 for 2 at the end of the powerplay, with Alzarri Joseph dismissing Shian Brathwaite and Zachary Carter, but the required acceleration never came. Rivaldo Clarke top-scored with 27 from 26 balls, while Kevlon Anderson made 22 at a strike rate of 137.50. Their 39-run partnership offered Tridents some hope, but Joshua James broke the stand and triggered another collapse. Sherfane Rutherford's first-ball dismissal, brilliantly caught by substitute fielder Anderson Phillip in the deep, further damaged Tridents' hopes. James finished with excellent figures of 3 for 18, while Alzarri Joseph, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim claimed two wickets apiece. Tridents were eventually bowled out for 125 at the end of the 18th over. Moeen's unbeaten half-century provided the foundation, while James' incisive spell ensured the Falcons completed a convincing 30-run victory. James was named Player of the Match for his three-wicket performance. The result also gave the Falcons an immediate response after their heavy defeat against Guyana Amazon Warriors two days earlier, sending them back to the top of the CPL 2026 standings.

Shahbaz Ahmed's career-best 167 and Sudip Kumar Gharami's 146 helped East Zone secure a commanding innings-and-210-run victory over North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru. After being bowled out for 111 in their first innings, North East Zone were dismissed for 146 in their second innings after being forced to follow on. The result sent East Zone into the semi-finals, where they will face defending champions Central Zone from August 30. North East Zone had made a promising start to the contest, reducing East Zone to 25 for 2 and later 128 for 5. However, Shahbaz and Gharami turned the game decisively in East's favour with a massive partnership, taking their side's total to 467. Shahbaz's 167 was the standout innings, while Gharami contributed a composed 146. With the bat, East Zone established a lead of 356 runs, putting enormous pressure on their opponents. North East Zone's first innings quickly unravelled. After reaching 78 for 3, they lost their remaining wickets rapidly and were bowled out for 111. Abhijit Sarkar was the chief destroyer, finishing with five wickets for 20 runs, while Shahbaz also made an impact with 3 for 20. Forced to bat again, North East Zone lost Arpit Bhatewara, their top scorer from the first innings, to Mukesh Kumar early on the third morning. Mohammed Shami then produced a testing spell in overcast conditions, repeatedly beating the outside edges without finding a wicket. East's spinners subsequently took control. Shahbaz removed Joseph Lalthankhuma before captain Rongsen Jonathan was caught behind by Ishan Kishan. Kangabam Priyojit was then dismissed by Anukul Roy, who had been relatively quiet in the first innings. Roy was almost unplayable during his second spell. Bowling from around the wicket, he maintained a tight wicket-to-wicket line and mixed his arm ball with subtle changes of pace to keep the batters under constant pressure. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added to North East's troubles by taking two wickets in an over. He first induced Kishan Lyngdoh into a miscue over the covers before drawing an outside edge from Imliwati Lemtur, with Kishan completing the catch. Akash Chaudhary and Pheiroijam Jotin briefly delayed the inevitable with a 39-run stand for the ninth wicket. Roy, however, returned to finish the innings and complete his five-wicket haul. He first bowled Choudhary before dismissing Jotin, with Kishan completing a leg-side stumping. North East Zone were bowled out for 146 shortly after lunch, giving East Zone a comprehensive innings victory. East Zone will now take on Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final beginning on August 30.

Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has been officially reprimanded and handed one demerit point for hitting the boundary wedges with his bat after his dismissal during the second day of the ongoing second Test against India in Colombo. Jayasuriya, who was playing the role of nightwatchman and batting at No. 3, was dismissed leg before wicket by India's Manav Suthar with what proved to be the final delivery of the day's play. As he made his way back to the pavilion, Jayasuriya struck the boundary wedges with his bat. Television footage also showed him throwing his gloves after reaching the dressing room. The incident was deemed a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. The relevant provision covers the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment, fixtures or fittings during an international match. The demerit point is Jayasuriya's first in a 24-month period. He is the third player to face disciplinary action during the Colombo Test after India's Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando were sanctioned following an incident on the opening day. Both Jaiswal and Fernando were fined 25% of their match fees and received one demerit point for inappropriate physical contact. The confrontation occurred after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal off the final ball of the 17th over on the first morning. Jaiswal, who was walking back towards the dressing room, appeared to change direction and approach Fernando following words exchanged during Sri Lanka's celebration. According to the ICC, the two players exchanged words before Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. Jaiswal then leaned forward, resulting in their heads making contact. Video footage, however, indicated that Jaiswal initiated the physical contact by turning back towards Fernando and moving towards him. Fernando also took a small step forward, after which Jaiswal leaned his helmeted head towards the Sri Lankan fast bowler. India entered the Colombo Test with a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after securing a 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle. The disciplinary incidents have added an off-field subplot to a closely contested series as both teams continue their battle in Colombo.

Cricket Australia (CA) is set to encourage domestic curators to prepare more batter-friendly pitches for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season as concerns grow over the quality of Australian surfaces and their impact on the development of Test cricketers. Australian pitches have come under increasing scrutiny following another two-day Test in Mackay, the third such occurrence in Australia's last seven home Tests. Despite the match ending inside two days, the Mackay pitch had only 3.5mm of grass and is expected to receive a favourable rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC), similar to the two-day Perth Test during last season's Ashes. CA's operations and scheduling chief Peter Roach discussed pitch preparation with curators from Australia's first-class venues during an annual conference in July. State men's coaches also held discussions with CA's high-performance staff, including national coach Andrew McDonald, head of national teams Ben Oliver and head of cricket James Allsopp. The quality of pitches in both Test and Sheffield Shield cricket was a major topic of discussion. One of CA's concerns is Australia's declining home batting numbers. Four of the country's last 20 home Tests have failed to reach a third day, while batting and bowling averages have generally moved in a less favourable direction. The issue has prompted debate over whether Australia's batting problems are primarily the result of declining techniques and temperament, modern batting styles influenced by limited-overs cricket, changes to the Kookaburra ball or increasingly bowler-friendly pitches. Roach said CA's message to curators has changed after years of encouraging a stronger emphasis on bowling-friendly conditions. "Our previous language, probably for the best part of a decade, has been that we do want to see a balance between bat and ball," Roach said. "But over the last decade, that's probably been a 'when in doubt lean towards the bowler'." He explained that CA now wants curators to adopt a different approach. "Our language is we still want the balance, but if in doubt lean towards the batter." According to Roach, the change does not mean CA will instruct curators to produce flat pitches. Instead, the emphasis will be on making small adjustments during pitch preparation, such as reducing the amount of grass, taking a little more off the surface or giving the pitch an additional roll. "We still want to see results in our games. We don't want long, laborious draws," Roach said. "But the language that we [now want] to get across to our curators is that 'if in doubt, favour the batter.'" The move comes amid concerns about the standard of Shield batting. Last season, the highest batting average among the competition's top 10 run-scorers was only 36.41. Former players have increasingly described the situation as a batting crisis, while Australia's batters have also pointed to the changing nature of the Kookaburra ball. The ball was modified in 2019 with a second layer of lacquer and additional reinforcement to the seam, making it harder and allowing it to retain its characteristics for longer. Australia batter Steven Smith has previously acknowledged that batting has become more difficult since the change. Smith averaged 77.25 in 29 home Tests between 2010 and 2019, scoring 13 centuries in 50 innings. Since the ball change, he has averaged 45.53 in 35 home Tests, with six centuries in 61 innings. During Australia's 2024-25 series against India, Smith said the combination of greener pitches and the harder Kookaburra ball had made batting particularly challenging. Roach agreed that several factors have contributed to the changing conditions and said curators would need to continue adapting. "It's been a combination of things, and our curators, as always, will need to adjust, as they always have, to try and get the best balance in each game of cricket they have," he said. Sheffield Shield Session Timings Changed CA has also made a minor change to session timings for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season. Previously, the first two sessions lasted two hours each, while the final session could be extended to two-and-a-half hours. Under the new arrangement, an additional 15 minutes will be added to the second session, meaning the second and third sessions will each last two hours and 15 minutes when the full extra hour is required. The change follows feedback that the final session had become too long, particularly because slow over-rates frequently resulted in an extended final session and two drinks breaks. The adjustment could also create more opportunities for spin bowling during the middle session, an area that has declined in the Shield in recent seasons. "This was in response to a submission," Roach said. "There might be an opportunity here to look at things a different way and get a marginal gain in terms of it being a bit easier to bat at a certain time of day, and maybe a few more opportunities for the spinners." CA will also retain the injury substitution rule for the upcoming Shield season after its successful introduction last summer. However, there are currently no plans to alter the competition's bonus-point system or toss rules. Roach acknowledged that 22 of 31 Shield matches last season saw teams choose to bowl first, but said CA had no immediate plans to make changes. The broader pitch strategy, meanwhile, represents a significant shift in emphasis as Australian cricket looks to improve the balance between bat and ball and ensure the domestic game continues to produce Test-ready batters.