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Hamza Shaikh century caps powerful display from Young Lions batters

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/18

Priyan

Jaydn Denly made 91 as England thrived at Cheltenham [Cricinfo]

Hamza Shaikh played a true captain’s innings to put England firmly in control at the end of day two in the second Youth Men’s Test against Sri Lanka at Cheltenham.

Displaying an admirable work ethic, sound temperament and no little skill, the Warwickshire batsman fashioned a high-class innings of 107 from 210 balls and shared in a transformative partnership of 121 with Rocky Flintoff for the fifth wicket as England reached the close on 401 for 5, a handsome first-innings lead of 248.

Flintoff also impressed, raising a measured 82 not out from 148 deliveries with 8 fours and 2 sixes, while Jaydn Denyl posted 91 and Keshana Fonseka 76 as England fought hard to assume pre-eminence at the College Ground. Sri Lanka’s bowlers worked tirelessly throughout to build pressure on a true pitch, but it is the home side who will be in a position to dictate terms when they resume their first innings on day three with five wickets still standing.

With two days still to play, England have an opportunity to further extend their advantage and still allow themselves plenty of time to bowl Sri Lanka out and win the match and, with it, the series.

Resuming on 73 for 1, England’s initial goal was to overhaul Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 153 with plenty of wickets in hand. This they achieved, thanks in large part to Denly, the Kent left-hander dominating a substantial second-wicket partnership of 85 in 24.5 overs with Fonseka.

How Sri Lanka must have rued passing up a wonderful opportunity to dismiss the opener before he had added to his overnight tally, Tisara Ekanayake fumbling a straightforward chance at mid-on off the bowling of Vihas Thewmika in the second over of the day. That near miss appeared to adversely affect Denly, who faced 21 balls without scoring.

He was soon into his stride and made the tourists pay for their profligacy, hoisting the aggrieved Thewmika over mid-wicket for six as the second wicket pair raised a 50 partnership in 99 balls. When skipper Dinura Kalupahana again struggled to hit his line and length, Sri Lanka deployed spin at both ends in their quest to engineer a breakthrough.

It arrived with the Young Lions still 14 runs in arrears, Denly pinned lbw on the front foot by leg spinner Praveen Maneesha and dismissed just nine runs shy of three figures. Spanning 120 balls and adorned by 15 fours and a six, his progressive knock afforded the innings solid foundations.

Shaikh then joined forces with Fonseka in a steadfast alliance of 64 that served to propel England into credit. A bundle of hyperactive energy, Fonseka raised an assured 50 from 85 deliveries and had a hundred firmly in his sights when he inexplicably pulled Kalupahana to mid-wicket and departed shortly after lunch. He had faced 119 balls, accrued 12 fours and a six and provided crucial top-order cohesion.

A period of stalemate now ensued as both sides wrestled for control, spinners Maneesha and Thewmika probing for flaws in technique, while Shaikh and new batsman Noah Thain set their stall out to bat long and build a commanding lead. Thain blinked first, driving at Thewmika and holing out to Manuja Chanthuka running back from mid-on.

A picture of concentration, Shaikh grafted his way to a patient 50 from 120 balls, raising that landmark with his sixth four, swept behind square off Maneesha. Demonstrating an acute understanding of what was required of him, Flintoff played conservatively, offering staunch support to his captain after Sri Lanka had taken the new ball and ushering England to 303 for 4 and a lead of 150 at tea.

Flintoff showed glimpses of his outrageous talent in the final session, the 16-year-old producing some glorious off drives and pull shots to go to an authoritative half century from 114 balls, with 6 fours. Playing within himself, Shaikh nevertheless appeared pleasing on the eye as he attained three figures from 203 deliveries, going to his hundred in the grand manner by lifting Chanthuka’s slow left arm high over long-on for six before raising his bat to acknowledge the warm ovation delivered by an appreciative Festival audience.

He was out soon afterwards, skying a catch to mid-off off the bowling of Chanthuka, who finished the day with 2 for 59 from 29 overs.

Brief scores:
England U19 401 for 5 in 117 overs (Hamza Shaikh 107, Jaydn Denly 91, Rocky Flintoff 82*, Keshana Fonseka 76; Manuja Chanthuka 2-59) lead Sri Lanka U19 153 in 45.2 overs (Gayana Weerasinghe 77; Naavya Sharma 5-44, Harry Moore 2-38, Charlie Barnard 2-35) by 248 runs

[Cricinfo]

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ICC prosecutor Karim Khan removed over ‘political’ sex abuse claims

Published

18 mins ago

2026/07/25

Priyan

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan says that the case is politicised and a retaliation for pursuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu [File: Aljazeera]

The Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has voted to remove prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual misconduct allegations, his legal team has confirmed, suggesting that the move was “political”.

The vote on Friday came as the ICC faces backlash from the United States and Israel after Khan issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024.

Tayab Ali, head of Khan’s legal team, noted that a judicial panel had “unanimously” determined that findings by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services “did not establish misconduct or breach of duty by Mr Khan under the relevant legal framework”.

The administration of President Donald Trump had imposed sanctions on Khan and several other ICC officials and judges over the Netanyahu warrant.

“The decision has grave implications beyond Mr Khan’s individual case,” said Ali.

“The independence of the International Criminal Court depends upon its elected officials being protected from removal through processes that are political, procedurally unfair or inconsistent with the findings of independent judicial bodies.”

The lawyer added that Khan was removed “by an executive vote while under sanctions and while the Court is under immense political pressure”.

Ali added that the decision by the Assembly of States Parties “does not follow the evidence or the findings of the only judicial determination in this matter”.

Member states approved Khan’s dismissal almost two years after the allegations first surfaced. The 56-year-old British barrister had already stepped aside in June after an oversight panel concluded he had committed “serious misconduct”.

The ICC said on Friday that Khan’s office will now be headed by deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang.

“Mr Khan’s removal was determined by a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard, and in defiance of the conclusions of the independent judges who examined the full evidential record,” Ali said.

Khan’s accuser, named only ⁠as Sarah, recently told CNN that Khan had shown escalating behaviour of touching and groping her, recounting a time she said he touched her intimately while she was pretending to be asleep.

Khan has denied any wrongdoing and his lawyers have called the process that led to the vote procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence.

Khan was leading probes into multiple conflicts, but his decision in 2024 to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over war crime charges in Gaza prompted an intense backlash from governments and advocacy groups.

Former European Union chief diplomat Josep Borrell wrote in an editorial that the case against Khan is “obviously part of a larger offensive against the ICC”.

Khan’s dismissal immediately triggers the election process for a new ICC prosecutor, although a vote is not expected before next ‌year.

(Aljazeera)

Latest News

Sheikh Hasina ally resigns as Bangladesh’s president

Published

17 hours ago

2026/07/24

Priyan

Mohammed Shahabuddin, who became president in 2023, is one of former leader Sheikh Hasina's only allies left in power (BBC)

Bangladesh president Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned, as concerns grow that his former ally, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, will return to the country.

Shahabuddin’s resignation comes days after Hasina told Reuters that she would return to Bangladesh, where she faces the death penalty for crushing student-led protests in 2024 which led to the toppling of her government.

Since then, Shahabuddin has been under pressure to resign from leaders of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, sources had told BBC Bangla.

Several officials from the president’s office said Shahabuddin signed his resignation letter on Friday afternoon. In the letter he cited ill health as the reason for quitting.

The resignation letter has been submitted to the speaker of parliament, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

The speaker is cutting short his visit to Thailand, where he had gone for medical treatment, sources told BBC Bangla.

He will be discharging the duties of the president until a new leader is elected. According to Bangladesh’s constitution, a new president must be elected by parliament within 90 days.

Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the July mass uprising, sweeping changes were made across the board.

Many of her allies were removed, ranging from top-ranking bureaucrats and police officials who had served under her administration to others in key positions.

Shahabuddin was one of the few allies to remain in office.

He continued to serve when an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power, and even after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a landslide victory in the general election in February.

But Shahabuddin, whose term was supposed to end in 2028, told Reuters last December that he was eager to leave his presidency.

He said he had felt “humiliated” by the interim government, citing the sudden removal of his portraits from Bangladeshi consulates and embassies.

At that time he said he would continue his presidency until elections were held and let the next government decide on his position.

Hasina vows to return

Earlier this month, Hasina said in a Reuters interview that she and her allies would return from exile in India and face the court in Bangladesh.

Last year, the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh found Hasina guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters.

The UN Human Rights Commission has estimated that at least 1,400 people died during the unrest which eventually saw Hasina flee the country.

The court sentenced her to death in absentia.

In the months following her departure, her party, the Awami League, has been banned from politics, and many of its leaders jailed.

“My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression,” she told Reuters during the interview earlier this month.

“If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed.”

(BBC)

Business

Oil prices hit $100 for the first time since May

Published

22 hours ago

2026/07/24

Priyan

Oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May as the escalating conflict in the Middle East reignited fears over global energy supplies.

Brent crude – the global benchmark for oil prices – rose more than 6% on Thursday following several days of increases as the US stepped up military strikes against Iran.

Prices spiked after Houthi militia in Yemen attacked oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening a key export route that Saudi Arabia has used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Gas prices have also risen steadily over the past month, with the benchmark UK gas price currently at around 150 per therm, up from around 98p at the end of June.

Oil prices had been falling following a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran.

They dropped back to levels last seen before the US and Israel began military action against Iran on 28 February.

However, the ceasefire has failed and this week US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the people in charge in Iran were “not ready to make a deal”.

The ongoing conflict risks pushing up inflation for many countries, including UK and the US leading to higher prices for consumers.

Higher oil prices typically lead to petrol and diesel becoming more expensive.

While drivers are affected directly, households could also see prices of other goods, such as food, increase due to businesses passing on higher transportation costs to customers.

Inflation has fallen both in the UK – down to 2.6% in the year to June helped by slowing diesel and petrol prices – and in the US to 3.5%.

But questions remain whether the slow down will prove short lived due to the renewed conflict in the Middle East.

New data released on Thursday showed that UK petrol prices have risen by 5p a litre since the beginning of July, hitting reaching almost £1.56.

Diesel is at £1.72 a litre, on average, according to the RAC.

Average gasoline prices in the US have surpassed $4 a gallon once more, up from $3.92 a month ago, according to motorist advocacy group AAA.

“More expensive fuel and energy can ripple through the wider economy, increasing costs for businesses and ultimately feeding through into the price of food and other goods,” said Jonathan Raymond, investment manager at Quilter Cheviot.

“This creates another headache for central banks as they continue their battle against inflation.

“If energy prices remain elevated, policymakers may come under pressure to keep interest rates higher for longer or even raise them. This would come as a blow to mortgage holders and borrowers already feeling the strain.”

The Bank of England, which sets UK interest rates, has held them at 3.75% in its last four meetings.

Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said he believed the Bank will “almost certainly” hold them again. But he said analysts still expected that interest rates could be cut next year if energy price rises ease.

Kevin Warsh, the newly-appointed chair of the US Federal Reserve, last week told Congress that the central bank had “no tolerance to persistently elevated inflation”.

US President Donald Trump had pushed Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, to cut interest rates.

Trump has made it clear he expects Warsh to fulfil his demand for reductions in borrowing costs for Americans.

But the Fed held US interest rates between 3.5% and 3.75% at Warsh’s first meeting last month. He also told Congress that he was committed to “restoring price stability” in the wake of the Middle East conflict impacting prices.

[BBC]