Virat’s working his way back

How Kohli is ramping up, Archer returns to the IPL, & understanding sexism in English sport.

Everyone is fascinated by whether Kohli can ramp it up, and we have a nets update on what he's trying.

Perth won’t see “big-snake cracks”

Perth’s weather won’t affect the pitch, Archer returns to the IPL, & the ECB messes up the Women’s T20 Cup final.

• Perth has been seeing unseasonal rainfall, but the curator is sure they’ve got the pitch’s infamous “big-snake cracks” under control. ESPNcricinfo’s Alex Malcolm believes Nathan Lyon could be the X-factor on the bouncy surface.

• Jofra Archer has signed up for the IPL auction again, throwing England’s Ashes preparation into disarray. Meanwhile, cricket analyst Dan Weston has put together a list of expected player values based on the “wisdom of the crowd.”

• The Pakistan Super League franchises are worried that there will be no foreign players left as the new schedule clashes with the IPL calendar.

• The ECB has said they will be closely monitoring how counties spend the £1.5 million provided to boost Women’s cricket, but have also scheduled the final of England’s new Women’s T20 Cup to clash with an international fixture. Meanwhile, they think The Hundred sales will bring in at least £350 million.

• Jhulan Goswami will have a stand named after her at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata.

Virat’s working his way back

How Kohli is ramping up, why this series is important for Rohit, & Alana King’s wicket-taking streak in the WBBL.

• ESPNcricinfo’s Alagappan Muthu writes about Virat Kohli’s work in the nets to get back to form, & Indian Express’ Sriram Veera thinks that this is a make or break series for Rohit Sharma’s legacy as a Test captain.

• ESPNcricinfo’s Tristan Lavalette talks to Alana King about her vicious return as the WBBL’s second highest wicket taker, after she was dropped from Australia’s team for the T20 World Cup.

The systemic sexism in sport

Understanding sexism in English sport, & previewing the ENG-SA Women’s series.

• The Telegraph’s Laura Kenny has a fascinating podcast on the overt and subtle sexism that faces women in English sport, as she talks to the head of an activist organisation, a professor and an international cricketer to understand different sides of the issue. [Apple Podcasts]

• Powerplay’s Valkerie Baynes & Firdose Moonda catch up with England’s Paige Scholfield and South Africa’s Tumi Sekhukhune ahead of the two teams’ series, as both look to put a disappointing (for wildly different reasons) World Cup behind them.

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