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Eng to join SA’s cancer cause by sporting pink kits
England will join hosts South Africa in raising funds for breast cancer charities by wearing a limited edition pink kit when the two teams play each other in the third one-day international (ODI) in Johannesburg on Sunday.
It will be the ninth time that South Africa have played in their traditional home ‘Pink Day’ match, but the first time their opponents have also pledged their support to the charitable initiative by sporting similar kits.
Funds raised from the ODI will go towards the Breast Care Unit at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg.
“We’ve been proud to supply South Africa with pink jerseys for the past four years and to have both teams stepping out in special jerseys for the first time will be a special moment,” kit supplier New Balance’s head of cricket Liam Burns said.
Fans will be also able to purchase the limited edition England kits from the England and Wales Cricket Board store, where it will be available from Friday.
South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first ODI in Cape Town by seven wickets on Tuesday. The second ODI is on Friday in Durban. -- Reuters
Archer out of SL tour & IPL
Fast bowler Jofra Archer was Thursday ruled out of England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka and the Indian Premier League season due to a stress fracture in his right elbow.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said the 24-year-old underwent further scans on his injured right elbow on Wednesday, which confirmed a low grade stress fracture.
“He will now commence an injury rehabilitation programme with the ECB medical team with a view to be ready for the international summer campaign starting in June against the West Indies in a three-match Test series,” the ECB statement said.
Archer, who made his international debut last year, played just one Test during England’s recent tour of South Africa.
England, who beat South Africa 3-1 in the four-match series, are due to play two Tests against Sri Lanka in March.
-- Afp
Bushfire Bash moved to Melbourne
A star-studded charity game to aid Australian bushfire relief was on Thursday moved from the Sydney Cricket Ground to Melbourne due to forecast torrential rain, forcing some players to drop out.
Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were to come out of retirement to skipper the teams on Saturday to raise money for victims of the blazes which began in September and have left at least 33 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed.
It was scheduled as a curtain raiser to the Twenty20 Big Bash League final, but with downpours expected, Cricket Australia (CA) said it would no longer be possible at the SCG.
Instead, it will be played on Sunday at the smaller Junction Oval in Melbourne following a T20 clash between the Australia and England women’s teams.
Warne, Michael Hussey, and Michael Clarke were among those forced out due to prior commitments.
“We have moved the Bushfire Bash from the SCG because we want to provide every opportunity for the BBL final to be played on Saturday night,” said CA chief Kevin Roberts, amid concerns that the pitch could be damaged if there was a game beforehand.
Adam Gilchrist will now captain one of the teams in Warne’s absence with Australian Test skipper Tim Paine acting as coach. The Ponting team will be coached by Sachin Tendulkar.
Other international stars taking part include Wasim Akram, Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, and Justin Langer.
Match profits will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
The Sydney Sixers will face either the Melbourne Stars or Sydney Thunder in the BBL final, weather permitting.
-- Afp