Danni Wyatt into World T20 semis with England; b Ollie Robinson c +Ollie Robinson; Travis Head & PSL round-up

The English season is getting ever closer, but there’s still plenty of cricket being played by Sussex’s players around the world. The latest edition of Winter Watch brings you up to speed with all the action over the last seven days.

Danni Wyatt and the England team booked their place in the final four of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia with three wins from three last week.

England got off to a nightmare start against Thailand on Wednesday, losing both Danni and fellow opener Amy Jones for ducks, but a 169-run partnership between Nat Sciver and Heather Knight saw them post 176 for 2.

That was well beyond the tournament debutants who could only muster 78 for 7 in reply. Danni bowled a solitary over for nine runs.

Two days later and Danni made 16 off 13 balls against Pakistan, putting on 43 for the second wicket with Sciver, as England made 158 for 7 batting first.

Pakistan were then bowled out for 116 in the final over to hand England a 42-run victory.

England’s final group game was against West Indies on Sunday. Danni was her side’s second top scorer with 29 from 27 balls as England – batting first once again – made 143 for 5.

Another excellent display in the field saw England dismiss the 2016 champions for 116 and secure their spot in the semi-finals.

The result of South Africa v West Indies on Tuesday will determine whether England will finish first or second of Group B.

If they finish top, they will play Australia at the SCG on Thursday evening. Otherwise, India await them at the same venue earlier in the same day.  

Ollie Robinson was part of the England Lions side that began their final match of their tour Down Under against a New South Wales XI at North Dalton Park in Wollongong on Monday.

Ollie picked up 1 for 50 from 20 tidy overs on the first day of , having NSW XI opener Ryan Hackney caught at the wicket five short of a century by his namesake, Kent ‘keeper Ollie Robinson. The hosts reached the close on 242 for 4.

Also in Australia, Travis Head was in Sheffield Shield action for South Australia against New South Wales at Sydney. He scored 21 in South Australia’s reply of 207 all out to the host’s 373 all out batting first and bowled two overs for 11 runs in New South Wales’ second innings of 236 for 2. With South Australia set 403 for victory, Travis made 57 as his side were dismissed for 269.

Four Sussex players took the field in the Pakistan Super League last week. David Wiese took 2 for 16 from two overs for Peshawar Zalmi as they won their match against Lahore Qalandars at Rawalpindi on Friday by 16 runs. The Zalmi sit in fourth place with a win, two defeats and one abandonment from their five matches to date.

Tymal Mills was also in the wickets for Quetta Gladiators. He took 2 for 34 from four overs against Islamabad United on Thursday, excellent figures given United’s score of 187 for 7 batting first. The Gladiators’ were able to chase that down with five wickets and two balls to spare. Quetta have now played five matches, winning three and losing two. That leaves them second in the table.

Chris Jordan enjoyed a good day with the ball for Karachi Kings against league leaders Multan Sultans on Friday, picking up 2 for 29 from his allocation during the Sultans score of 186 for 6. He made seven from seven balls with the bat as the Kings were bowled out for 134 in reply.

Karachi bounced back with a five-wicket win over Islamabad United on Sunday, with CJ’s four overs costing 41 runs on a night when the batsmen took a liking to the seamers on both sides. With two wins and two defeats from their four matches to date, the Kings are fifth.

It is Multan Sultans that sit at the top of the table after five matches after recording a fourth win on Friday against Karachi Kings. Ravi Bopara scored nine from five balls at number five in the order as the Sultans triumphed over Chris Jordan’s Karachi Kings.