Despite a narrow defeat, Afghanistan A upset India in the Sri Lanka A Team Tri-Series as Dambulla yielded only their second official One-Day win ever due to rain – with India’s total falling four runs short on the DLS method. With rain awaiting the conclusion of proceedings India A stayed ahead according to run rate due to an imposing total being posted and them well in command for a large portion but that still only just kept Afghanistan A at bay. Having been invited to bat first, India A made early use of the batting conditions with a good platform…

Rob Key has insisted that Harry Brook’s absence from the interim England Test captaincy is no setback to his future plans as a leader. Given that the second Test would come without Ben Stokes so many support staff believed Brook, vice-captain of England but key to their winning run over both formats in time playing as much competition regardless. Joe Root was then entrusted with that role instead, leading to fans and experts debating whether Brook should be further up the batting order or part of a wider leadership group. “The decision,” Key says, “was purely based on what we…