Root scraps England curfew, Bangladesh rattle Australia, Satterthwaite takes Canterbury job — cricket digest 13 Aug 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Root’s first call back as England captain: no more midnight curfew

Joe Root has abolished England’s midnight curfew ahead of the three-Test series against Pakistan, arguing it doesn’t work and that players must take responsibility as “grown adults”. The ECB confirmed the curfew has been dropped, and said expectations will be made clear when the squad assembles for the series.

The move comes with Root back in charge after Ben Stokes’ retirement earlier this summer, and alongside a new Test head coach in Stephen Fleming following Brendon McCullum being stood down. England begin against Pakistan at Headingley on August 19.

Bangladesh bowl Australia out for 198 after Cummins chooses to bat in Darwin

Bangladesh’s pace attack hit back hard on the opening day of the first Test in Darwin, dismissing Australia for 198 after Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat on a grassy surface with some moisture. Hasan Mahmud led the way with a career-best 6 for 55, with support from Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, as Steven Smith top-scored with 71.

Australia’s XI featured Travis Head and Jake Weatherald opening, with Cameron Green and Beau Webster both included, and the main bowling group of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood. Bangladesh welcomed back wicketkeeper Litton Das, and went with Mahmud and Taskin with the new ball, plus Ebadot as the third seamer.

Satterthwaite takes charge of Canterbury Women; Donkers confirmed for men’s side

Amy Satterthwaite has been appointed head coach of Canterbury Women for the coming New Zealand domestic season, making her the only female head coach of a domestic team in the country this summer. She replaces Rhys Morgan, who spent six years in the role and oversaw two Super Smash titles and a Hallyburton Johnstone Shield crown.

Satterthwaite, a former New Zealand captain who quit international cricket in 2022, previously worked as Adelaide Strikers’ assistant coach in the WBBL and was named Canterbury’s female pathway lead last December. In the men’s programme, Brendon Donkers has taken over as head coach of the defending Plunket Shield champions after serving as assistant to Peter Fulton and then as interim when Fulton left for Middlesex.

England name Select XI for Pakistan warm-up, with Gay cleared after shoulder scare

Emilio Gay is set to play in the Professional County Club Select XI’s three-day warm-up match against Pakistan at Beckenham after a recent shoulder injury, with Shoaib Bashir and Matt Fisher also included. The fixture was moved back by a day, by mutual agreement, to help the ECB field the strongest possible invitational side before next week’s first Test.

Tom Haines will captain the 14, coached by Mike Yardy, and the squad also includes James Rew, Josh Hull, Noah Thain and Scotland’s Charlie Tear, plus several recent England Under-19 players. Pakistan have been training at Beckenham, with Shan Masood batting under medical supervision as he works back from a finger injury.

Sri Lanka bring back Dickwella for India Tests and add uncapped Nuwantha and Sooriyabandara

Niroshan Dickwella has returned to Sri Lanka’s Test squad for the home series against India, three years after his last international appearance. The 33-year-old comes in with Kusal Mendis sidelined by a hamstring injury, while Pathum Nissanka remains unavailable as he recovers from wrist surgery.

Sri Lanka have also picked uncapped offspinner Keshara Nuwantha and uncapped top-order batter Pasindu Sooriyabandara, and recalled left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka. The first Test starts in Galle on Saturday, with the second at the SSC in Colombo from August 23.

In brief

  • MI London beat Birmingham Phoenix by two runs but still missed the men’s Hundred Eliminator, sending Sunrisers Leeds through instead.
  • London Spirit signed off with a six-run men’s Hundred win over Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens after Fire stumbled late in the chase.
  • Ellyse Perry’s unbeaten 62 guided Birmingham Phoenix to a five-wicket win over MI London in the women’s Hundred, leaving MI with the wooden spoon.
  • Fatima Sana finished her Hundred campaign with a key contribution alongside childhood hero Ellyse Perry as Birmingham Phoenix beat MI London.
  • Welsh Fire ended their women’s Hundred season in fifth by beating London Spirit by 15 runs at Sophia Gardens, with Georgia Wareham and Grace Potts starring.
  • Afghanistan sealed an unassailable 3-0 lead in Ireland with a 42-run win in Belfast after hundreds from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran.
  • Jason Holder and Saurabh Netravalkar took three wickets each as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots beat St Lucia Kings by five wickets in Gros Islet, with Andre Fletcher’s unbeaten 48 leading the chase.
  • ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the era of “randomly scheduled” bilateral series should end, while arguing ODIs can still survive with their link to the World Cup.
  • The Abu Dhabi T10 is set for a reboot ahead of its tenth season, with stability the stated priority after corruption issues and a change in ownership structure.
  • Sussex allrounder Danny Lamb has retired at 30 on medical advice after a spinal-cord injury and neck discectomy and fusion surgery last month.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo