Cricket

Gus Atkinson, the rising star of English cricket, has been crowned the Bob Willis Trophy winner as England's Player of the Year. The 23-year-old all-rounder had a remarkable debut Test summer, amassing 34 wickets and scoring his maiden century.Atkinson's impressive performances earned him the prestigious award, voted for by members of the Cricket Writers' Club. The award ceremony, held at the Kia Oval, also recognized other outstanding cricketers.Shoaib Bashir, the 20-year-old spinner, was named NV Play Young Player of the Year. Bashir has rapidly ascended to become England's first-choice spinner, claiming three Test five-fors in the past year.Sophie Ecclestone, the world's leading female spinner, won the JM Finn Women's Cricket Award. Ryana MacDonald-Gay, a promising all-rounder, was voted Emerging Cricketer.Liam Dawson, who was recently named the Professional Cricketers' Association men's player of the year, claimed the County Championship prize.Atkinson expressed his gratitude for the award, saying, "I was just hoping to make my England Test debut, and to have the summer that I've had, it's a huge honor and to get this award at the end of it tops it off."Bashir, who has made a meteoric rise in the past year, said, "Two years ago, I didn't have a county. It's been really special. With a lot of hard work, I'm thankful to be playing for my country. Long may it continue."Other award winners included Brendon Parr, who received the Lord's Taverners charity's Disability Cricketer of the Year award. James Anderson and the cast of Tailenders won the Peter Smith Award for outstanding presentation of cricket to the public. David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts won the Derek Hodgson Cricket Book of the year for "Richie Benaud's Blue Suede Shoes."Cricket Writers' Club chair Dean Wilson praised the award winners, saying, "Huge congratulations to all our award winners, reflecting another terrific year of cricket for all members of the media to cover."

Geoffrey Boycott, the legendary England opener, has urged promising off-spinner Shoaib Bashir to emulate the bowling techniques of Nathan Lyon, whom he considers the preeminent off-spinner in contemporary cricket.Since his debut in India earlier this year, Bashir has claimed 29 wickets in seven Tests. However, he failed to make an impact in the second innings of the series opener against Sri Lanka at Manchester, as the batters effectively countered his variations by advancing down the pitch.Boycott believes that Bashir possesses the talent to improve significantly. He highlights Bashir's height and fluid action, which can generate bounce on hard surfaces and impart natural loop to his deliveries. However, he suggests that Bashir needs to refine his line and length consistency."My impression is he is not clear on what line he should be bowling so he tries all sorts of deliveries searching for a wicket," Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.Boycott recommends that Bashir study videos of Lyon's bowling. He notes that Lyon bowls close to the stumps, allowing him to drift the ball away from the batsman while aiming to pitch outside off stump and spin it back into the stumps."His straight-on ball brings slip in play and he has a short square leg for the bat/pad nick. That way he can beat right-handers inside and outside of the bat," Boycott explained.Boycott emphasizes the importance of matching line with length, as great bowlers must be able to control both aspects. He also advises Bashir to develop a stock ball that he can rely on to keep batters in check during Test matches."I think Shoaib has to learn that he can't always go searching for wickets, admirable as that is, because it can become expensive," Boycott wrote. "Sometimes when two opposition batsmen get set on a flat batting pitch the seamers are given the best end and the spinner the worst end. They are asked to bowl uphill or against the wind to do a holding job, keeping the batsmen quiet and runs to a minimum. That is why he needs a good stock ball."England currently hold a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against Sri Lanka. The second Test will be played at Lord's on August 29, followed by the series finale at The Oval on September 6.

Shoaib Bashir's remarkable rise in international cricket continued at Trent Bridge, where he claimed a five-wicket haul to seal England's victory over West Indies. The 20-year-old spinner, who was barely known outside of Somerset when he was picked to tour India over the winter, has now taken 17 wickets in five Test appearances for England.Bashir's performance at Trent Bridge was all the more impressive given that he had been released by Surrey at age-group level. He only earned another county opportunity after impressing against Somerset twos, and was picked for England on the back of a clip spotted by Ben Stokes on social media.Bashir's rise has been meteoric, and he is now seen as a key part of England's future plans. His height, release point, and revs on the ball make him a dangerous bowler, and he is still learning and developing.Bashir's performance at Trent Bridge was a reminder of his potential. He bowled with great control and accuracy, and was able to extract bounce and turn from the pitch. He also showed great determination, continuing to hunt for wickets even when he was being hit.Bashir's five-wicket haul was a just reward for his hard work and dedication. He is a talented young spinner with a bright future ahead of him.

England's dominance over the West Indies continued in the second Test at Trent Bridge, as they secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a resounding 241-run victory.The West Indies, chasing a daunting target of 385, crumbled under the pressure of England's relentless bowling attack. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir emerged as the star performer, claiming Test-best figures of 5-41 as the tourists lost all 10 wickets in just 23 overs on the fourth day.Earlier, England had set a formidable target thanks to centuries from Joe Root (122) and Harry Brook (109) in their second innings of 425. Despite trailing by 41 runs on first innings, the West Indies had shown promise by posting 457 in response to England's 416.However, England's paceman Chris Woakes triggered the West Indies' collapse on Sunday, and Bashir proved unstoppable thereafter. The 20-year-old off-spinner bamboozled the tourists' batsmen with his accuracy and guile, leaving them helpless.Ollie Pope, who scored 172 runs in total, including a first-innings 121, was named player of the match for his outstanding contribution.The third and final Test of the series will commence at Edgbaston on Friday, with England aiming to complete a clean sweep and the West Indies desperate to salvage some pride.

England's Test squad for the first match against West Indies at Lord's has undergone significant changes, with three debutants set to make their mark. Surrey's Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts, while offspinner Shoaib Bashir will play his first home Test.Atkinson, a promising pace bowler, has impressed with his speed and consistency for Surrey. He has been earmarked as a long-term option for England's pace attack, and his selection is a testament to his potential. Smith, a wicketkeeper-batsman, has been in excellent form for Surrey this season, scoring two centuries and averaging over 50 in the County Championship. He will take over the gloves from Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow, who have been dropped from the squad.Bashir, who made his Test debut in India earlier this year, has been rewarded for his impressive performances with a home debut. He has shown great control and accuracy with his offspin, and his selection ahead of Jack Leach indicates England's faith in his abilities.Chris Woakes also returns to the XI after missing the India series. His all-round abilities provide balance to the team, and he is expected to play a key role in England's transitional period with the impending retirement of James Anderson.The England XI for the first Test against West Indies is as follows:1. Zak Crawley2. Ben Duckett3. Ollie Pope4. Joe Root5. Harry Brook6. Ben Stokes (capt)7. Jamie Smith (wk)8. Chris Woakes9. Gus Atkinson10. Shoaib Bashir11. James Anderson

England's managing director of men's cricket, Rob Key, has made bold selections for the upcoming Test series against West Indies, prioritizing potential over immediate performance. Jamie Smith, a 23-year-old wicketkeeper, and Shoaib Bashir, a 20-year-old spinner, have been handed their Test debuts despite not being first-choice options for their counties.Key defended the selections, emphasizing the need to identify players with high ceilings. He acknowledged the quality of Ben Foakes, Smith's predecessor as wicketkeeper, but expressed a desire for a more dynamic batsman. Foakes' batting on the recent India tour lacked the aggression expected of the current Test team.Similarly, Bashir's selection over Jack Leach, a veteran spinner, was based on his impressive performances in India. Key praised Bashir's character and potential, believing he has the attributes to become a top-class spinner.Key also addressed the absence of Ollie Robinson, a fast bowler who has struggled for form. He warned that Robinson must prove his worth in county cricket to earn a recall, given the abundance of fast-bowling options available.The Lord's Test will mark the retirement of James Anderson, but Key confirmed that the legendary bowler will remain with the squad as a mentor. Key believes Anderson has much to offer English cricket and wants to tap into his experience.

England Spinner Shoaib Bashir Concedes Record-Breaking 38-Run Over in County ChampionshipEngland spinner Shoaib Bashir endured a nightmare over in the County Championship match between Surrey and Worcestershire on Monday, conceding a staggering 38 runs. The over, which came after Dan Lawrence reached his century, saw the middle-order batter unleash a barrage of sixes on Bashir.Lawrence began the over with a charge down the wicket and a towering six over long-on. He followed it up with three consecutive sixes, including a straight drive, a pull shot, and a slog-sweep over mid-wicket. Bashir was left visibly perplexed as Lawrence's assault continued.Lawrence's fifth six was a slog-sweep over mid-wicket, bringing him within reach of joining the elite group of players who have hit six sixes in an over. However, Bashir's next delivery was wide down the leg side and missed by the wicketkeeper, resulting in five wides.To add insult to injury, Bashir then bowled a no ball, which in County Cricket incurs a penalty of two runs. Lawrence added a single before Bashir finally ended the forgetful over with a dot ball.Bashir's over is the most expensive in the history of the County Championship, surpassing the previous record of 36 runs conceded by Warwickshire's Keith Barker in 1995. It is also the first time a bowler has conceded five consecutive sixes in the competition.Lawrence's onslaught helped Worcestershire post a formidable total of 556/7 declared. Surrey, in reply, were bowled out for 280, with Bashir finishing with figures of 1/72.

Shoaib Bashir, the promising England Test offspinner, has joined Worcestershire on a short-term loan to bolster their Vitality Blast and County Championship campaigns. The 20-year-old will make his debut for the Pears in Friday's Blast clash with Northamptonshire and is also set to feature in the Championship match against Surrey.Bashir's loan move comes after a breakthrough winter with England, where he claimed 17 wickets in three Tests against India, including two five-wicket hauls. However, his selection had been hampered by limited playing time at Somerset, where he had taken just 10 wickets in six matches since his debut in 2023.With Jack Leach firmly established as Somerset's premier spinner, the club had been open to a loan move to enhance Bashir's playing opportunities. In March, head coach Jason Kerr stated that he would not "stand in the way of anyone's opportunity."Despite playing as Somerset's main spinner in three Championship matches in April due to Leach's knee injury, Bashir managed only four wickets at a high average of 74.75. He has since been playing alongside Leach in the county 2nd XI T20 competition.Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson expressed his delight at Bashir's arrival: "Shoaib is a player of immense talent and potential, and we believe his presence will significantly strengthen our squad for the Vitality Blast and our next Championship fixture against Surrey.""We're confident that he will make a positive impact from tonight's game against Northamptonshire. We're excited to welcome him, and we are looking forward to seeing him in action."Worcestershire currently sit fifth in the Blast North Group on net run-rate, while they are yet to win any of their seven Division One Championship matches. Bashir's addition is expected to provide a much-needed boost to their bowling attack.