James Anderson set to mentor England’s quicks after Test exit

England great James Anderson will join the team’s backroom staff as a fast-bowling mentor when he retires from Test cricket following next week’s series opener against the West Indies at Lord’s. (Reuters/File Photo)
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Updated 01 July 2024
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James Anderson set to mentor England’s quicks after Test exit

  • The 41-year-old is the first seamer and only third bowler to have taken 700 Test wickets
  • English great set to retire from Test cricket following next week’s series opener against the West Indies

LONDON: England great James Anderson will join the team’s backroom staff as a fast-bowling mentor when he retires from Test cricket following next week’s series opener against the West Indies at Lord’s.
The 41-year-old is the first seamer and only third bowler to have taken 700 Test wickets after spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Anderson, however, has decided to end his Test career after England made it clear they wanted to move on ahead of the 2025/26 Ashes.
But England managing director Rob Key told reporters on Monday: “After the Lord’s Test, Jimmy will continue in our set-up, and he’ll help a bit more as a mentor.”
Key added: “He has got so much to offer English cricket. We don’t want to see that go.
“When we asked him, he was keen. He is going to have a lot of options. English cricket would be very lucky if he chooses to stay in the game.”
Anderson is currently playing for Lancashire against Nottinghamshire in the County Championship at Southport, but his first-class future remains uncertain.
“What he does with Lancashire will probably work out after the Lord’s Test,” said Key.
England have included three uncapped players in their squad for the first two matches of a three-Test series against the West Indies, with Jamie Smith selected to keep wicket ahead of both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.
The 23-year-old Smith averages over 50 in the County Championship this season and celebrated his Test call-up by making exactly 100 for Surrey against Essex on Sunday.
He usually plays as a specialist batsman for Surrey with Foakes keeping wicket for the reigning county champions.
“Sometimes you’re selecting people for what they’re going to be as well, and where you think they can progress to,” said Key.
“It’s very much the start for Jamie Smith. We feel he’s going to be a fantastic international cricketer.”
Key, asked how Smith would cope with the demands of keeping wicket for 90 overs a day in a Test match when he is not a regular behind the stumps, said he had consulted several former England wicketkeepers in Chris Read, James Foster and Alec Stewart — Smith’s boss at Surrey.
“Some of the guys have been the best keepers in the country... We use them a lot really and we trust a lot of their opinions,” Key explained.
Key added Bairstow, 34, “needs to get back to what he was a couple of years ago,” when the Yorkshireman hit six Test centuries in 2022.
Bairstow, however, has struggled lately after nearly a year out of the game following a horrifying leg break in a freak accident on a golf course.
“Generally his form, in all formats, has just been going slightly in the wrong direction,” said 45-year-old former England batsman Key.
“It’s an arduous task being a keeper and you want someone who can back up series after series. We weren’t convinced that Jonny would be able to do that, especially at the stage of his career that he’s at.”
Key was speaking for the first time since defending champions England’s defeat by India in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup.
England won just one of their four matches against fellow Test sides during a tournament in the Caribbean and the United States following a woeful defense of their 50-over World Cup title in India last year.
Those reverses have called into question the positions of England white-ball captain Jos Buttler and coach Matthew Mott.
But Key said he would take his time regarding their future ahead of England’s next white-ball series against Australia in September.
“I’m not going to rush anything on that,” he said.
“At times I thought we showed how good we were and at times we were inconsistent. We’ll let the dust settle on the World Cup and then move forward from there.”


Bangladesh take second T20I for first series win over Pakistan

Updated 22 sec ago
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Bangladesh take second T20I for first series win over Pakistan

  • Left-arm Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam picks up his best T20I bowling figures of 3-17
  • Pakistan lost five wickets for 15 runs and was bowled out for 125 while chasing target of 134

DHAKA: Bangladesh survived a late onslaught by Faheem Ashraf and Ahmed Daniyal to pull off a narrow eight-run victory in the second T20I match on Tuesday, winning a first-ever series in the format against Pakistan.

Ashraf hit an aggressive 32-ball 51 while debutant Daniyal smashed an 11-ball 17 but holed out off the second ball of the final over as Pakistan were all out for 125 in their chase of 134 to win in Dhaka.

Earlier, Jaker Ali struck a 48-ball 55 as Bangladesh — sent in to bat — were bowled out for 133 in 20 overs, with Salman Mirza taking 2-17 and Daniyal close behind on 2-23.

Left-arm Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam picked up his best T20I figures of 3-17 on a slow-paced Mirpur pitch as Pakistan lost their first five wickets for just 15 runs by the fifth over.

Ashraf cracked four sixes and as many boundaries to raise hopes of a comeback win, but spinner Rishad Hossain bowled him in the penultimate over.

Ashraf and Abbas Afridi, who scored a 13-ball 19, had revived the innings from 47-7 with a 41-run stand, but Bangladesh had the last laugh.

Bangladesh won the first match at the same venue by seven wickets and took an unassailable 2-0 lead with the final match on Thursday, also in Dhaka.

This was Bangladesh’s first T20I series win over Pakistan in four tries.

Pakistan lost opener Saim Ayub to a run out for one in the first over before Islam dismissed Fakhar Zaman (8) and Mohammad Haris (0) to hit Pakistan hard at the top.

Bangladesh skipper Litton Das praised a team effort.

“It’s wonderful to win back-to-back series,” said Litton, who also led the team to a 2-1 T20I series in Sri Lanka last week. “This shows good improvement in our standards.”

Pakistan captain Salman Agha rued his side’s batting lapses.

“We thought 134 would be gettable but we lost too many wickets early on and that’s something we must address quickly,” said Agha.

Earlier, Jaker smashed five sixes and a boundary for his third T20I half century.

Bangladesh had lost four wickets for 28 by the sixth over before Jaker and Mahedi Hasan revived the innings with a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Mahedi scored a 25-ball 33 with two sixes and as many boundaries.


Saudi snooker prodigy hopes to one day be world champion

Updated 33 min 39 sec ago
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Saudi snooker prodigy hopes to one day be world champion

  • Abdullah Alqabani participated in the Saudi Junior Championship as the youngest player in the tournament
  • Alqabani practices at the Ronnie O’Sullivan academy in Riyadh

JEDDAH: Snooker prodigy, Abdullah Alqabani, age 10, is hoping to make a name for himself in the sport and represent Saudi Arabia internationally.

Alqabani on Tuesday took part in the Saudi Junior Championship, a part of the World Pool Championship making him the youngest player in the tournament.

Despite losing 4-7 in the first round of the Saudi Junior Championship to Romanian Hermeneanu Evan, the young Saudi remains hopeful about his future in snooker and aims to be the best snooker player in Saudi Arabia.

Arab News spoke to him at the Green Halls, he said: “I am so glad to be part of this international championship and seeing the best in the world competing here at home. It is a really great moment for me and my teammates because we learn from it. Just watching the best in the world performing here in Saudi Arabia is something else.”

Alqabani, who hails from Riyadh, practices and plays at the Ronnie O’Sullivan academy and recently has been shining on the junior snooker circuit in Saudi Arabia and because of his skills, he was invited to join the Saudi national team.

“Saudi Arabia is not a snooker nation but the sport is getting there and many players now are playing billiards and snooker of course with the support of the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation,” he said.

At the age of 8, he started playing American pool and moved to snooker as he got older, “It all started with my father who used to take me to play with him in one of the clubs in Riyadh.

He continued: “I am going to work hard to become the best player in Saudi Arabia and with such events held in Saudi Arabia, I think my generation can make it to the highest level but it takes time.”

As one of the young snooker players all over the world who look up to the greatest player of all time, Ronnie O’Sullivan, often referred to as ‘The Rocket,’ Alqabani said: “My idol is Ronnie O’Sullivan and hope one day to be like him.”


Power Slap returns to Abu Dhabi Showdown Week in October

Updated 22 July 2025
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Power Slap returns to Abu Dhabi Showdown Week in October

  • Event will take place in the lead-up to UFC 321 at Etihad Arena
  • Dana White: Power Slap has had 13 straight sold-out events, and is now heading back to Abu Dhabi, one of the premier fight capitals in the world

ABU DHABI: Power Slap, the world slap fighting promotion, is set to return to the UAE on Friday, Oct. 24 at the Space 42 Arena as part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, headlined by UFC 321.

Last year, Power Slap hosted its first international event, Power Slap 9: Dumpling vs Da Crazy Hawaiian, in the UAE capital. A sold-out crowd witnessed a showdown between two of the world’s best strikers, as former Power Slap super heavyweight champion, Da Crazy Hawaiian, defended his title against No. 1 ranked super heavyweight, Vasilii “Dumpling” Kamotskii, in a match that ended in a dramatic draw.

Power Slap 9 generated more than 700 million total views across social media platforms through promotional and event coverage content and drew global influencers with 1 billion-plus followers. This marked a big step in the sport’s international growth and highlighted the region’s enthusiasm for combat sports.

“Power Slap has had 13 straight sold-out events, and is now heading back to Abu Dhabi, one of the premier fight capitals in the world,” said Power Slap founder Dana White. “In just two years, Power Slap has exploded with nearly 30 million followers and close to 20 billion video views across our platforms. The Middle East is becoming a hotbed for Power Slap, and I’m excited to bring it back.”


Pakistan keep Bangladesh down to 133 in second T20I

Updated 22 July 2025
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Pakistan keep Bangladesh down to 133 in second T20I

  • Batter Jaker Ali smashes five sixes to hit a 48-ball 55 for his third T20I fifty
  • Bangladesh lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match

DHAKA: Pacers Salman Mirza and debutant Ahmed Daniyal grabbed two wickets apiece to restrict Bangladesh to 133 all out in the second Twenty20 international in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Mirza finished with 2-17 and Daniyal took 2-23 after Pakistan won the toss and sent Bangladesh into bat on another slow-paced pitch.

Jaker Ali hit a fiery 48-ball 55 for his third T20I fifty, smashing five sixes and a boundary before holing out off the final delivery of the 20th over.

Fast bowler Abbas Afridi also grabbed 2-37.

Bangladesh lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match — also at the same venue — by seven wickets.

Bangladesh had lost four wickets by sixth over for 28 before Jaker and Mahedi Hasan revived the innings with a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Mahedi scored a 25-ball 33 with two sixes and as many boundaries.


Pakistan wins toss and puts Bangladesh into bat in second T20

Updated 22 July 2025
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Pakistan wins toss and puts Bangladesh into bat in second T20

  • Pakistan handed Ahmed Daniyal his international debut
  • The third and final match in the series is in Mirpur on Thursday

DHAKA: Pakistan cricket captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and put Bangladesh into bat in the second T20 on Tuesday.

Pakistan handed Ahmed Daniyal his international debut. He replaces leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed in the team’s only change after it lost the first match by seven wickets.

Bangladesh made two changes with Naim Sheikh replacing opener Tanzid Hasan and paceman Shoriful Islam coming in for Taskin Ahmed.

The third and final match in the series is in Mirpur on Thursday.

Line-ups:
Bangladesh: Parvez Hossain Emon, Naim Sheikh, Litton Das (captain), Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Mohammad Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Abbas Afridi, Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal.