South African former fast-bowler Morne Morkel could qualify as a local player in the Big Bash League as early as next year, but it is likely that he will still be considered as an import for the 2019-20 season.
Morkel, who has now retired from the international cricket, has said that he is keen to play in the Big Bash and Sheffield Shield having relocated to Sydney with his family.
“Australia is going to be home for me from now on, so hopefully we can sort out passports and visas and those sort of things," cricket.com.au quoted Morkel as saying.
“I understand there is a process and I respect that.
“I am open to any possibilities and opportunities that come my way because I am going to base myself in Australia for the next couple of years or however long it may be. Australias going to be my home so I am definitely trying to get my foot in the door,” he added.
Citizenship appears out of reach in the short term, but he could very well qualify as a local player in time for Big Bash if he is able to secure permanent residency.
Permanent residency is approved as a local if Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association are satisfied that the player is "dedicated to becoming eligible to represent Australia and will not seek or agree to represent any other ICC full member."
The player is keen to continue on playing first-class cricket in Australia next summer where he could join the likes of Englishman Mason Crane and his former Proteas teammate Johan Botha as recent foreign players in the Shield competition.
Morkel called time on his international career after playing 86 Tests, 117 ODI's and 44 T20I's.
The fast-bowler was able to pick up 309 wickets in the Test format, 188 in ODI's and 47 in T20's.
Tahir to quit ODIs after World Cup
South Africa's leg-spinner Imran Tahir has decided to step down from international ODI cricket after World Cup 2019.
“I have always wanted to play in the World Cup. It would be a great achievement for me to play for this great team. I have a mutual understanding with Cricket South Africa and going forward I decided that I would finish at the World Cup, that is why I am contracted until then," the International Cricket Council quoted Tahir as saying.
Pakistan-born Tahir, will make himself available for the T20 franchise cricket after the World Cup.
"After that, Cricket South Africa has allowed me to go and play around the world in various leagues but I would also love to play T20 cricket for South Africa. I think I have the ability and can play a role in T20 cricket for South Africa. I am grateful for the opportunity," Tahir said.
“I also feel there are a couple of good spinners in the country who need the opportunity. We are fighting for the same spot, but looking to the future, they will have more opportunities to play for South Africa,” he added.
Tahir qualified to play for South Africa on January 1, 2011, and he was selected for the Cricket World Cup 2011.
The player achieved many accolades during his international career. In a match against West Indies, he became the first South African to take seven wickets in an ODI.
He is also the fastest South African to reach 100 ODI wickets.
Tahir has taken 156 wickets in ODIs at 24.56 in 95 ODIs and he is expected to play an important role in the upcoming World Cup in England.
Want to show I am good enough, says Malan
England's top-order batsman Dawid Malan is keen to prove a point in the three-match T20 series against Windies. The batsman asserted that he wants to show that he is good enough to play all over the world.
"I definitely believe I am good enough to play Test cricket. Five [six] innings ago in Test cricket, I passed fifty. In my last T20 innings, I passed fifty. I still believe I can play international cricket. I still believe I am good enough. It is just when I get the opportunity to score runs to show the selectors and both captains, and people around the world, that I am good enough," International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Malan as saying.
The player last played for England in a Test match against India in Birmingham in August 2018. He was dropped from the Test squad as a result of his poor performances, since then he has been missing from International Cricket.
"You always want to play more and, when you average 50 with a strike-rate of 150, you do, probably selfishly, think you should be playing a bit more, it is never easy being dropped. It is your dream to play international cricket and you think it is gone at that time. It has been tough.”
The 31-year-old batsman also admitted that he did not take the decision of getting dropped too easily. He said that after getting dropped chief selector Ed Smith told him that he might be better suited for overseas conditions.
"It is obviously hard when you play your whole career in a country to be told you are suited somewhere else, it is disappointing to be tagged with that".
"I played with Ed at Middlesex and I have never had an issue with him. We did speak about a few things and were quite honest with each other, which is the way it should be".
England would be hoping to return to their winnings way after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Windies in the final ODI of the five-match series.
England take on Windies in the first T20I of the three-match series on Wednesday at St Lucia.
Broadcast dispute to cost Cricket West Indies
Cricket West Indies look all set to take a substantial financial hit after Sky declined to pay for the two T20I games in St. Kitts this weekend.
The value of such type of games is usually around US$1million each, but neither of the matches were part of the package that was agreed when the broadcast deal was made several years ago resulting in the reluctance of Sky to pay anywhere near that amount, as per ESPN Cricinfo.
Sky are arguing that they have paid a heavy amount for the rest of the tour which was originally scheduled to contain just one T20I.
The matches will still be broadcast in the UK. Cricket West Indies could refuse to allow Sky access to their pictures. The board is providing the cameras, the crew and the feed, they are prepared to compromise their relationship with either their sponsors or the St Kitts government meaning Sky could end up broadcasting the games for next to no cost.
If this happens, Cricket West Indies could live stream the matches on Youtube, Twitter and through their own website.
The series against England has not been a smooth ride for the West Indies management as they delayed the announcement of the T20 squad after some board members resisted the decision to retain the ODI squad under Jason Holder as captain.
West Indies were able to hold off England in a five-match ODI series at 2-2.
Watson guides Quetta Gladiators to PSL play-offs
Australia's former all-rounder smashed a 91 off just 55 balls to guide Quetta Gladiators to a place in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoffs after defeating Peshawar Zalmi by 6 wickets.
Watson stitched together a partnership of 129 runs for the second wicket with Ahmed Shehzad to comfortably chase down 165.
Watson's knock of 91 was his third half-century of this season in PSL. The all-rounder made Peshawar pay for their lapses in the field, striking six fours and six sixes in his knock.
Quetta became the first side in the tournament to make it past the group stage and they currently stand on the top of the table with 12 points from eight games.
There is a big concern for Quetta regarding Watson's availability in the Pakistan leg of the PSL.
The 37-year-old has said that he has not made up his mind yet on travelling to Pakistan and he has insisted that the squad has enough depth to do well without him.
Quetta Gladiators will take on Islamabad United in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Former NZ batsman Bill Playle, 80, dead
Former New Zealand Test batsman Bill Playle passed away, aged 80.
Playle, who played eight Tests between 1958 and 1963, had 2,888 runs from 85 first-class matches at an average of 21.87, with four hundred and nine fifties to his name. He made his debut against England in Birmingham at the age of 19.
Manawatu-born Playle went on to score 115 runs from his eight Tests, with a high score of 65.
"New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is saddened to hear of the passing of former Auckland and NZ Test batsman Bill Playle," Black Caps wrote on Twitter.
"Bill played eight Tests, all against England, before moving to Perth in the mid-1960s, where he represented Western Australia for three seasons. Bill died in CoffsHarbour, aged 80," the statement added.
