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A round-up of the National Cricket League matches which ended on February 11, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2015Dhaka Division won their third consecutive match of the National Cricket League by an innings, this time crushing Chittagong Division by an innings and 174 runs. It put them top of the points table with 75 points, 19 ahead of second placed Rangpur Division, while Chittagong are scraping near the bottom with only seven points.While it was Mosharraf Hossain’s five-wicket haul (his 13th in first-class cricket) that handed Dhaka the early advantage, once again it was the grand start given by the openers Rony Talukdar and Abdul Mazid that put them in total control of the game. The pair put on their second consecutive 300-run stand for the first wicket, adding 304 runs in 77.1 overs. They also had a 197-run partnership in Dhaka’s first match against Barisal Division.Talukdar struck his second double-hundred in three games (and his third consecutive 150-plus score), making 201 off 240 balls with the help of 22 fours and seven sixes. Mazid was slightly more sedate with his 248-ball 113 that had 17 fours. It was his second hundred in as many games.After the Rony-Mazid pair had plundered the Chittagong bowlers, Shuvagata Hom struck his sixth first-class century while Raqibul Hasan and Taibur Rahman hit fifties as Dhaka declared on 616 for 5 on the third day. Chittagong, who had made 155 in the first innings, folded for 287 in the second innings with Tasamul Haque making 114 off 180 balls. Irfan Sukkur also made 74. For Dhaka, pace bowler Dewan Sabbir took four wickets while Mosharraf added three more to his first innings five-for.Rangpur Division moved into second position after their 193-run win over Khulna Division in Mirpur. Mahmudul Hasan’s nine wickets was pivotal for Rangpur and the haul fetched him the Man-of-the-Match award.Batting first, Rangpur were bowled out for 310 with Tariq Ahmed and Ariful Haque making 63 and 68 respectively. Khulna were bowled out for 213 in reply, falling 97 runs behind. Mahmudul took five wickets with his offspin while debutatnt offspinner Sanjit Saha took four wickets.Rangpur batted slower in the second innings, making 259 for 8 in 105 overs before declaring on the fourth morning. Khulna lost their first three wickets by three overs for just two runs, and were ultimately bowled out for 163 in 51 overs with more than an hour to spare on the fourth day. Mahmudul took four wickets, while there was two each for Subashis Roy and Sanjit, who recently returned from Bangladesh Under-19’s tour of Sri Lanka.Rajshahi Division and Sylhet Division played out a draw at the BSKP-2 ground. Batting first, Rajshahi made 482 with Maisuqur Rahman and Junaid Siddique hitting centuries.But the most significant moment came in the 137th over of Rajshahi’s innings when Enamul Haque jnr became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take 400 first-class wickets, in his 100th first-class match. He finished with 4 for 137, the 46th time he has taken four or more wickets in an innings.Sylhet were bowled out for 324 and asked to follow on by Rajshahi captain Farhad Reza. They batted through the fourth day to make 335 for 3, with Rahatul Ferdous notching his maiden first-class hundred.The Barisal Division-Dhaka Metropolis match was also drawn in Fatullah.Batting first, Dhaka Metro were bowled out for 400 with Shadman Islam hitting his maiden first-class hundred. His innings was quite two-paced as he made 140 off 301 balls, with 110 runs coming in boundaries (26 fours and a six). He made the rest of his 30 runs off 274 balls. Left-arm spinner Al-Amin took his first five-wicket haul.In reply, Barisal raced to 161 for 0, but once the the opening partnership between Shahriar Nafees and debutant Saif Hasan was broken, they were bowled out for 261. Elias Sunny took a career-best 7 for 73, his 13th five-wicket haul.Dhaka Metro furthered their lead by another 247 runs in 52.4 overs before declaring their second innings. Shadman struck 89 while Asif Ahmed and Mehrab Hossain jnr made 53 and 51 respectively. Nafees and Saif once again gave a good start adding 90 for the first wicket. Unlike the first innings though, the next two batsmen held it together. Fazle Mahmud struck his second first-class century and added 140 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand with Mohammad Sajib.

The Uruguay midfielder revealed he doesn't know how to stop Lionel Messi, ahead of his country's clash with Argentina on Thursday

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Real Madrid midfielder admitted he doesn't know how to stop MessiPraised Luis Suarez after Uruguay call-upUruguay play Argentina in 2026 World Cup qualifying this weekGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Uruguay are set to face Argentina in 2026 World Cup qualifying this week, and La Celeste captain has admitted that it will be impossible to stop Lionel Messi. The Inter Miami and Argentina star hasn't played a competitive match in almost a month.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Uruguay are currently second in Conmebol World Cup 2026 qualifying, five points behind Argentina and ahead of Venezuela and Brazil on goals scored. The Marcelo Bielsa-led side notched a famous win over Brazil in their last World Cup qualifying fixture.

Getty ImagesWHAT VALVERDE SAID

In a pre-match interview, Valverde said he doesn't know how to slow down Messi — and could never do so when both played in La Liga: "I don't know how to stop Messi, I could never stop him. He is one of the best players in the world."

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GettyWHAT VALVERDE SAID ABOUT LUIS SUAREZ

The midfielder also praised Suarez, who earned his first Uruguay nod since the 2022 World Cup: “From the first moment Suarez has given me the values and rules to succeed in the national team. He is an idol for Uruguay."

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Everything you need to know about the new Celtic kits for the 2023-24 season

adidas unveiled the all-new Celtic 2023-24 away kit on June 14, as the history-making, Treble-winningchampions of Scotland, with a kit wrapped in Scottish heritage with Celtic FC tartan details. The Celtic 2023-24 home kit then followed, with its official unveiling on June 30 – featuring a modern twist on the traditional hoops.

👕 Shop the Celtic 2023-24 kits at adidas right now 

After securing yet another top-flight title this term, the Glasgow outfit will be chasing silverware once again at Celtic Park, and will hope to have the kit to suit the occasion.

The German sportswear giant has been the club’s apparel provider since 2020, after succeeding New Balance, and has brought a fresh touch to their classic hooped designs since then, with the Bhoys ready to put their tried-and-tested colours back to the test once again next term.

So, what new kits will Celtic wear in 2023-24? GOAL takes a look at the jerseys that are set to be sported by Kyogo Furuhashi, Callum McGregor and more, while we also give you the lowdown on rumours and leaks alongside details on how to buy them online.

Celtic 2023-24 kits

The Celtic FC 2023-24 home kit was unveiled on June 30, featuring a modern twist on the traditional hoops.

The latest home kit for the Bhoys features elements of the glass pattern from the original entrance to the stadium, offering a nod to the long and rich history of our great club. The Glasgow Celtic way is rooted in progression. Everyone who walks through Parkhead’s gates and past the iconic stained-glass window has adopted the Celtic way, making the Hoops an icon of progressive style in football.

The latest version of Celtic’s famous Home Kit features intricate detailing and is the perfect fusion of history and modernity. 

The Celtic 2023-24 home kit is available for pre-order now from JD Sports, with a replica shirt retailing for £70.00

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The adidas and Celtic 2023-24 away kit was unveiled on June 14, as the Celts head into the new season at the top of their game, as history-making, Treble-winning champions of Scotland.

The Celts will hit the road next season with a fresh new look, wrapped in Scottish heritage with Celtic FC tartan details on the ribbed crewneck collar and cuffs of the away shirt.

The new kit is the perfect blend of history and modernity with the strong and imposing black kit featuring the iconic adidas three-stripe and tonal details, complemented by traditional tartan elements to complete the new look. An embroidered Celtic crest displayed proudly on the chest will ensure your passion for the Celts stands out.

The Celtic 2023-24 away kit is available to buy now at adidas, with a men’s replica shirt retailing for £70.00.

Unlike their first two strips, details of the 2023-24 third kit Celtic will sport this coming season look to have already been confirmed, with online listings pointing towards a new design for the club’s alternate option.

A two-tone green design looks set to keep it firmly within the club’s colour specifications, mixing darker and lighter shades in a funky, soft-shaped pattern, while a third, darker hue caps the round-neck collar and sleeves.

The design makes for one of the more eye-catching additions to the club’s repertoire, and likely marks out the boldest option since adidas succeeded New Balance, the latter of whom often featured funkier third options during their tenure.

As with plenty of other third-choice kits for next season, not much is known about an exact release date, but you can expect it to match the price of their other strips, retailing at an anticipated £70.00 through adidas.

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The Celtic training kit for the 2023-24 season also remains under lock and key for now, but fans will expect it to offer another streamlined, classic look for the champions after this term’s effort.

A whole black-bodied number with green accents kept a simple feel this term, though there is the chance the Bhoys could strike out for something more dramatic to contrast the elegance of their first-choice strip.

There is no official release date set for the pre-match jersey, but with stock suggested to be close to the shelves, we can expect to see a summer 2023 launch.

Presenting the World Cup newcomers who are ready to sparkle in Qatar! ✨

With the most prestigious international football competition in the world now just weeks away, the excitement is building as squad announcements continue to pour in.

Ahead of the showpiece tournament, we've come up with an XI made up entirely of players aged 23 or under who have yet to play in a World Cup.

From Jude Bellingham to William Saliba, Vinicius Junior to Darwin Nunez, these are the World Cup newcomers who are ready to shine in the Middle East.

Getty ImagesGK: Diogo Costa – Portugal

The Porto goalkeeper has made the Portugal number one spot his own since gaining his first senior international cap in October 2021.

Rui Patricio was between the sticks for the three World Cup qualifiers that followed Costa’s debut, but when the playoffs came around in March 2022, the youngster took over and helped secure the team’s passage into the finals.

Costa, who represented his country at many youth levels before breaking into the first team, was named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year in 2021-22 as Porto won the title.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Sergino Dest – USA

Dest will be 22 when the World Cup begins but he has already played in the Eredivisie, La Liga, Serie A, and Champions League.

Having been born in the Netherlands, Dest committed to play for the USMNT when he was 18 years old, and the AC Milan loanee has gone on to play 19 games for the Stars and Stripes.

An attacking full-back that is not afraid to take players on, Dest is set to be one of the most exciting young defenders taking part in the World Cup.

Getty ImagesCB: William Saliba – France

Saliba’s loan spells at Saint-Étienne, Nice, and Marseille since joining Arsenal as a teenager look to have been a stroke of genius from the north Londoners.

The 21-year-old has slotted straight into the Gunners defence this season and looks as comfortable, assured, and physically dominant as you could hope for.

France have an embarrassment of riches at the centre-back position, but surely Didier Deschamps will have to include Saliba in his starting XI based on current form.

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Getty ImagesCB: Josko Gvardiol – Croatia

Runners-up in 2018, Croatia’s best ever squad is now an ageing one but they will be hoping that talented newcomers like Gvardiol can steer them towards the latter stages again.

The RB Leipzig man played at left-back throughout Euro 2020, but has since operated at the centre of defence – just like he usually does for his club.

Online betting sites have priced Croatia at 20/1 to reach the World Cup final for the second time on the bounce.

Mushfiqur Rahim has said that drawing the first Test in Khulna was as big as a win for Bangladesh, while the coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes the result was proof of the team’s competitiveness in the longest format

Mohammad Isam in Khulna02-May-2015Mushfiqur lauds Kayes and Mahmudullah for keeping

When asked how he rated Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah as wicketkeepers, Mushfiqur Rahim joked that both looked awkward behind the stumps. The pair had to step in after Mushfiqur hurt his right ring finger on the second day.
But he hailed their effort, particularly that of Imrul who kept wickets from the 37th over of the Pakistan innings on the second afternoon till the fourth morning.
“I think his keeping was disgusting,” Mushfiqur said giggling. “But seriously, it was extraordinary of him. In this heat, he didn’t back down. We tried to support him, and motivate him. He did it with an open heart.”
After his 120-over stint behind the wicket, Imrul asked Mahmudullah if anyone else could take over as he felt faint. Mahmudullah then took the gloves for the first time in his cricket career, and even effected a stumping, albeit the ball coming off his pad, making the dismissal look unintentional.
“He has great football skills. He did a decent job. It looked like a giant was standing behind the wicket. But really, it was good,” Mushfiqur said

Mushfiqur Rahim has said that drawing the first Test in Khulna was as big as a win for Bangladesh, while the coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes the result was proof of the team’s competitiveness in the longest format. This was the first time Pakistan failed to win a Test match against Bangladesh, who continued to stay on top of the visitors after their complete domination in the limited-overs leg of the tour.”We had plans to declare but for that we needed a safe score,” Mushfiqur said. “We thought about giving them something in the mandatory 15 overs but we needed enough time to bowl them out too. We dominated this draw and it was nothing less than a win, against such a team and with 296 runs behind. Such a performance gives you belief as a group that we can overcome future goals.”Hathurusingha said the 312-run opening stand between Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, now the highest opening stand in the second innings of a Test match, was a performance worth being called a watershed moment.”I think it is a very big turning point in Bangladesh cricket. We recently made some history but it is mostly beating our own records. The significance here is the biggest opening partnership in the second innings.”We have really made a mark in the international stage that we have come of age. The last two days have proved that we are a very competitive side,” he said.Hathurusingha added that the on-field performance was also a result of the Bangladesh players’ clarity of communication with themselves and the coaching staff. He had talked during and after the World Cup about how he was willing to give the batsmen more freedom.”You need to have clarity in whatever you say to the players. They are talented enough to take their own decisions,” Hathurusingha said. “My job is to be clear and give them freedom to make decisions in the middle. As long as they do that, it makes me happy. What you see in the middle is the clarity of what we are talking about in the dressing room,” .He also pointed out the crucial moments that Bangladesh overcame in the Test, particularly since the fourth morning, to ultimately find the desired result. “I don’t think the wicket helped us draw the game. The batters’ skills helped us, so hats off to them. Even Taijul took six wickets so we didn’t leave anything in Pakistan’s hand to make a declaration. So little things like that helped us to draw the game.”Despite all the records, though, Mushfiqur felt Bangladesh still had to bowl better in order to take 20 wickets.”There is no end to improvement,” Mushfiqur said. “We should have scored more runs in the first innings because you won’t be making 550 in the second innings. We must give less runs, maintain a good economy rate, and we also need to take the chances.”You need 20 wickets to win a Test match. We bowled better on the fourth day than we did on the third day. Taijul bowled very well. We have to plan according to the pitch in the next game. Hopefully it will have some help for the bowlers to take 20 wickets.”

A sluggish surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium produced an attritional first day on which India A took the early initiative through a century stand between KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara before losing five wickets for 94 runs to Australia A’s constricti

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy in Chennai22-Jul-2015
ScorecardKL Rahul hit 14 fours for his 96•K SivaramanA sluggish surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium produced an attritional first day on which India A took the early initiative through a century stand between KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara before losing five wickets for 94 runs to Australia A’s constricting tactics. When rain brought the first day’s play to a close at half past four, India were 221 for 6.With Varun Aaron missing out due to fever, India went in with an attack consisting of two seamers in Umesh Yadav and Abhimanyu Mithun, and the spin pair of Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha. India’s early progress, after they chose to bat, gave no hint as to how the day would pan out. Rahul eased Gurinder Sandhu for drives to the cover and straight boundaries in the first over, and Mukund caressed two cover-driven fours off Andrew Fekete in the next over before playing all around a yorker.The match settled into a steadier rhythm thereafter, but there were enough bad balls for Rahul and Pujara to score off and keep the score ticking along at more than three runs an over. Rahul flicked Sean Abbott off his toes to the fine leg boundary and took two fours off the left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe’s first over – a flat-bat drive between cover point and short cover, and a dismissive square cut when he pitched short. Pujara soaked up some good bowling early on, but caught up with Rahul as the session wore on, driving Abbott through cover and gliding Marcus Stoinis between slip and gully for two fours in two overs.Both batsmen were in their 40s at lunch, with India 104 for 1 in 30 overs. They both brought up their fifties with boundaries after lunch; Rahul cutting Fekete behind point, Pujara driving Sandhu down the ground.Australia, though, had worked out a plan for their seamers. From start of the second session through the rest of the day, they bowled a nagging stump-to-stump line with five fielders on the leg side – usually a short mid-on and a short midwicket, a deeper mid-on in between, and two back for the hook. Given the slowness of the pitch, the batsmen had to be careful about flicking or driving anything that was not overpitched. It was hardly the kind of test Rahul Dravid, the India A coach, had hoped his batsmen would be exposed to when he had called for quick, bouncy pitches in the lead-up to the series. It was still a test, nonetheless.Fekete got the ball to stop on Pujara twice in two overs. Both times, he jabbed early at the ball while defending from the crease. The first one fell just short of Usman Khawaja at short mid-on. The second one carried to him.Abbott, replacing Fekete after his successful spell, nearly struck in the same manner in the 48th over, Rahul popping one in the air between short mid-on and short midwicket. In between, O’Keefe, and the pressure of playing out 14 dot balls, had sent back Karun Nair, who drove too early and scooped a catch to short cover .Nair’s wicket brought Shreyas Iyer to the crease, and his arrival brought a thrillingly discordant note to the day’s play in a fourth-wicket stand of 55 with Rahul. Seeming to pick up length earlier than most, Iyer cut Abbott for four off a ball that was barely short and only marginally wide, and pulled Sandhu for two fours in one over – either side of deep square leg – when he went around the wicket shortly before tea. But a silly shot was always around the corner; having earlier attempted, unsuccessfully, to paddle Abbott, Iyer was bowled while trying to whip Sandhu across the line.Five overs later, Rahul gave short mid-on another moment in the sun. Trying to flick Abbott off the stumps, he played a touch too early, and fell four runs short of a hundred.Australia continued to constrict: only seven runs came off the ten overs that followed Rahul’s dismissal. The pressure finally told on Naman Ojha; having scored 10 off 55 balls, he saw a bit of air from O’Keefe, went after him, and failed to clear mid-off. The light was fading rapidly already, and Travis Head, brought on to bowl his offspin from the other end, could only send down one ball before the groundstaff raced in with the covers.

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Some amazing kits missed the limelight in Qatar

There’s no doubt that the 2022 World Cup included some of the best kits in international football. Argentina’s flames, Japan’s origami cranes and England’s vintage-inspired away shirt were all worthy participants at the tournament, but sadly not all of the immaculately and innovatively-designed kits made it to the World Cup. From 2018’s breakout stars to a fallen giant, these are the best international kits we didn’t see in Qatar.

Cast your minds back to the last World Cup, and Nigeria’s home shirt was the breakout star of the tournament. This time around, they were unlucky not to qualify (they were knocked out by Ghana on away goals) but still delivered the goods in terms of kit. Sticking to the team’s traditional green colour, Nike and Nigeria added a hand-drawn graphic across the entire shirt. Right in the middle is a flying eagle, a nod to the team’s Super Eagle nickname.

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Egypt’s failure to qualify for the World Cup meant heartbreak for Mo Salah, while also depriving fans of another strong kit. This one is relatively simple, although the thin black pinstripes help to elevate the all red shirt. Finishing off the design is a thin black and white trim around each sleeve and collar. Although the less said about this 2022 away shirt the better.

Undoubtedly the biggest team not to be in Qatar, Italy still decided to honour their four World Cup wins this year. They opted for a quartered approach, with two different shades of blue complemented by gold detailing and a Tricolore trim. It was also the last kit in Italy’s long running deal with PUMA, with adidas having already confirmed a sponsorship deal set to begin in January 2023.

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Sweden’s away shirt might appear to be playing things safe, but it's all in the details. The shirt’s base is plain white – something Sweden haven’t done since the early aughts – but it’s finished with blue and yellow detailing that creates a link both to the national flag and to the 2022 home shirt. This stripe runs around the collar and each sleeve, while also taking over the adidas Three Stripes on each shoulder, giving the shirt a coherent and sophisticated aesthetic.

The Man Utd youngster is thriving on loan at Spurs and not only was she rewarded with her senior international debut, she also marked it with a goal

For a team that saw 2023 end in such heartbreaking fashion, England have certainly started 2024 with a bang. The Lionesses flew to Spain for a warm-weather camp in February, playing friendlies after not making the UEFA Women's Nations League finals, with Sarina Wiegman hoping to try out fresh ideas, see new players and learn plenty about her squad. As the players start to return to their clubs, it certainly feels like the Dutchwoman can tick all three of those boxes.

There were bonuses, too, in the performances that England put on and the results they picked up, as they comfortably beat two strong teams in Austria, who were thrashed 7-2 on Friday, and Italy, defeated 5-1 four days later. "There are very many positives about this week," Wiegman told after the latter result.

So, who were the winners as the Lionesses kicked off 2024 in style? And who didn't fare so well? GOAL takes a look…

WINNER: Grace Clinton

The biggest compliment that can be paid to Grace Clinton after her performances for England this week is that it hardly looked like this was the camp in which she made her international debut. Awarded that first cap on Friday against Austria, she marked the occasion with a superb goal, was unlucky not to get a second, and backed it up with another terrific display in the win over Italy.

On loan at Tottenham from Manchester United this season, the 20-year-old has been in sublime form and she showed it in these friendlies, her clever footwork and ability to carve defences open making her one of the most eye-catching players across England's two games. But Clinton worked hard off the ball, too, ranking second for tackles won and third for possession among the Lionesses' squad. That she shone in two different midfield roles, box-to-box against Austria and then as a No.10 in the win over Italy, was also impressive.

"She just went out to play, played with a lot of freedom and showed her quality," Wiegman said of the youngster in a perfectly-put piece of praise. Given how well she slipped into England's starting XI, it'd be a surprise not to see more of her in the April window as qualifying for the 2025 European Championships begins.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Leah Williamson

As Wiegman says, there were tons of positives for England in this camp but there were also a couple of negatives. The first came before the Lionesses had even got together as Leah Williamson's long-awaited comeback was delayed further, a minor hamstring injury causing the Arsenal star to pull out of the squad.

Williamson has worked so hard to get back on the pitch after a devastating ACL injury that ruled her out of the Women's World Cup and this camp felt like the perfect opportunity for her England return, the friendly games removing some of the pressure. However, she'll be targeting a chance to pull on her country's colours again in April instead.

WINNER: Lotte Wubben-Moy

Every cloud has a silver lining and Williamson's absence opened the door for Lotte Wubben-Moy, her Arsenal team-mate who she will have no doubt been pleased to see get a rare opportunity to show what she can do for England. There have been plenty of calls for Wubben-Moy to receive more game time, especially given her sublime recent form at club level, and she saw significant minutes in both games this week.

Though starting from the bench against Austria, the 25-year-old came on at half time and got an assist thanks to a strong header. She then went one better in the game with Italy, scoring her first England goal with just 60 seconds on the clock, this on her first start since June 2022 and just her third overall. Her defensive work and general play in both matches was superb, too.

Asked if Wubben-Moy had taken a step forward in her thinking after the two performances, Wiegman told : "She's definitely taken a step forward because she's developing a lot and very well. That's what we see weekly at Arsenal and that's what she shows here, too." The coach did add that the competition at centre-back is "really high" but Wubben-Moy has certainly done nothing this week to harm her chances of getting more of a look-in when the opportunity presents itself.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Fran Kirby

After losing Williamson before the camp had even begun, England suffered another blow in the warm-up for the clash with Austria when Fran Kirby felt some irritation in her knee. The Chelsea star was replaced in the starting line-up by Ella Toone and, in the following days, withdrew from the camp altogether. "We didn't want to take any risks so she's being assessed at the club," Wiegman explained. "We don't expect it to be a bad injury."

Though it doesn't sound overly-concerning for Kirby, it is another frustration for the 30-year-old in what has felt like a real stop-start period of her career. After coming back admirably from some health scares in recent years, it is these knee injuries that are now plaguing Kirby as she looks to rediscover the form that made her one of the most talismanic footballers on the planet.

Chelsea have long been excellent at looking after the playmaker and will no doubt take the necessary steps to deal with this issue. Meanwhile the Blues, England and essentially every football fan will hope that she is able to ride this storm and get back to that level that made her so wonderful to watch.

Nicole Bolton and Rene Farrell have both earned Cricket Australia contracts for 2014-15 after missing out on last year’s list, while Rachael Haynes has been axed

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2014Nicole Bolton and Rene Farrell have both earned Cricket Australia contracts for 2014-15 after missing out on last year’s list, while Rachael Haynes has been axed. A 15-player squad has been named for the next year, which includes home series against Pakistan and West Indies, and the group is largely the same as the 14-member squad selected last May.Haynes was the only player dropped and although Bolton and Farrell were not part of last year’s group, both had earned contract upgrades over the course of the season. Julie Savage, the chair of the women’s selection panel, said she expected the 15 contracted players to form the basis of the Australia women’s teams for the matches later this year.”All of the 15 players currently hold a CA playing contract, with Nicole Bolton and Rene Farrell having received contract upgrades during the previous period,” Savage said. “Farrell played an integral part in both the home Women’s Ashes Series and the 2014 ICC Women’s World T20 victory, while Bolton made a memorable century on debut in an ODI at the MCG during the Women’s Ashes.”Rachael Haynes has been omitted from the contract list following a period where her performances with the bat have not reached the heights that she is capable of. As she is a very determined and talented cricketer, we are confident we will see more of her on the international stage in future.”In 2014-15, the top retainer for the nationally-contracted players will be $54,600 and the minimum retainer is $25,850, up from $52,000 and $25,000 respectively last year. The additional payment of $250 per day when touring remains the same.Contract list for 2014-15 Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Rene Farrell, Holly Ferling, Jodie Fields, Alyssa Healy, Julie Hunter, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani.

Tim Southee, who has moved up to No. 5 on the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, says he has learned to apply consistent pressure on batsmen

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2014Following his match-winning display on an unresponsive surface at Sabina Park, where he dismissed Chris Gayle twice on the way to match figures of 6 for 51, Tim Southee has jumped three places to fifth in the ICC Test bowling rankings.Only Dale Steyn, Ryan Harris, Vernon Philander and Mitchell Johnson sit above Southee, who has shown the consistency over the last three years to suggest he belongs in that company, having taken 78 wickets in 17 Test matches at an average of 22.78 since the start of 2012.The biggest factor in this, he has said, is his patience as a bowler. “The more cricket I’ve played the more patient I’ve become,” he told . “When you’re young, you want take wickets every time you bowl. The reality is it’s not going to happen.”Test cricket is tough. You work [through] spells to try and pick up wickets and you may not get it in the first spell but when you come back and keep applying pressure the rewards will come.”One thing I’ve learned is if the wickets aren’t coming, don’t go looking for them. Especially on wickets like this [in the West Indies]. Patience is going to be massive.”Southee credited the planning done behind the scenes for the success the New Zealand bowlers enjoyed in the Jamaica Test.”We have a raw and young bowling attack and it’s an exciting attack to be part of,” he said. “We all bounce ideas off each other, throw things around.”There’s a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes. [Bowling coach Shane Bond] Bondy and the bowlers set plans for each batsman and it’s pleasing to see them come off and know we are doing the right thing behind closed doors.”The first Test was also the scene of Kemar Roach’s return to cricket after more than seven months out with a shoulder injury.”Jamaica was a tough Test match,” Roach told . “It was my first Test back after injury. The wicket wasn’t really good for fast bowling so you had to work really hard on it.”It was best to keep line and length on it and pitch up to the batsman as much as possible. I think the bowlers did pretty well. We didn’t get the wickets we wanted but we created chances.”Roach seemed to be feeling his way back in during New Zealand’s first innings, but sent down encouraging spells during the second innings, in which he had figures of 2 for 12 in 12 overs.”The first morning I was a bit nervous,” he said. “I had a shoulder injury and it was my bowling shoulder so I was a bit tentative at first but then I realised it felt perfect. The first hour back in Test cricket was difficult for me but I came out on top.”The second Test is at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, a venue with happy memories for Roach, who took ten wickets in the last Test match he played there, against Australia in 2012.”Coming to Trinidad now, the last Test I played here I performed pretty well against Australia so I’m looking to better that performance or even top it,” he said. “I’m just going to go out there put in my best and give it a good shot.”In Trinidad, the wicket has got better over the years, so it’s better for fast bowling. So you’ve just got to go out there and put the work in, bowl some strong balls in good areas, the batsmen will make mistakes and you will get the wickets.”