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The 42-year-old South African replaces Andre Coley, who has been appointed head coach of Windward Islands Volcanoes

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2017Ryan Maron has replaced Andre Coley as West Indies’ fielding coach. He joins the West Indies team in England ahead of their three-Test series which begins on August 17.Maron, the 42-year-old former opening batsman who played 18 first-class matches for Western Province in South Africa, has previously worked as fielding coach with Dolphins in South African domestic cricket as well as with the Afghanistan national team. Coley, meanwhile, has taken over as head coach of Windward Islands Volcanoes.”This is a massive privilege to be involved in West Indies cricket and I’m delighted to join the Windies coaching staff,” he said. “I have followed West Indies cricket over the years as a kid and then as a player and a coach and I’m just happy to be offered this opportunity to make a contribution as a coach.”The game in the West Indies has a great history and here in this group we have a young bunch of cricketers who will perform well. I’m also looking forward to working with the ODI and T20 sides as we look to climb back up the ladder in world cricket.”

An opening partnership of 171 between Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney paved the way for Australia women to begin their title defence with an eight-wicket win against West Indies

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:37

‘Felt like I was in a dream’ – Bolton

An opening partnership of 171 between Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney paved the way for Australia women to begin their title defence with an eight-wicket win against West Indies, the team they beat in the 2013 final. Mooney made 70, while Bolton remained unbeaten on 107 as Australia completed their chase of 205 in 38.1 overs.At no point were West Indies on top after they chose, after all manner of toss-related confusion, to bat first. Four of their top five got starts, but none of them got past fifty, as Australia’s bowlers, led by Ellyse Perry, kept striking regular blows to ensure that an innings struggling to get out of second gear never built significant momentum.Wickets through the middle overs cut short any partnership that threatened to blossom. Jess Jonassen, who dropped the opener Hayley Matthews on 27, made amends by bowling her with an arm ball just when she was looking dangerous, having added 19 off her last 18 balls. That ended a second-wicket stand of 52 between Matthews and Chedean Nation.Then came a cameo from Deandra Dottin, who put on 34 in 29 balls with her captain Stafanie Taylor for the fourth wicket. Dottin may have just begun to worry Australia’s think tank when Perry brought a swift end to her innings. Having just conceded two successive fours – a pull and a flick, both placed wide of midwicket – she came up with the perfect riposte, an inducker that bowled Dottin through the gate.West Indies, 157 for 4 at that point, simply couldn’t pick themselves up, with Taylor finding no support at the other end. The last seven wickets fell for 47 runs, Taylor eighth out for 45 off 57 balls.”It’s not the start we wanted,” Taylor said. “There were a couple of mistakes that we made but we just need to go back to the drawing board. We have more games coming up so we can use this as an example. We didn’t bat well, we had a platform but the middle order didn’t push on to get us to that total.”Australia were never going to sweat over a target of 205 unless they lost wickets up front. Bolton and Mooney ensured that wouldn’t happen, serenely seeing off West Indies’ new-ball bowlers. Shakera Selman found late swing into the stumps from over the wicket to the two left-handers, while the taller, quicker Shamilia Connell went round the wicket and extracted bounce from just short of a good length. The first five overs brought only 15 runs, but neither batsman looked anything but secure.Then Mooney, profiting from Connell dropping too short, picked up two fours in the sixth over before Bolton clipped Selman to the square-leg boundary in the seventh. Australia were away. Mooney and Bolton barely had to stretch themselves thereafter, as the spinners and medium-pacers kept offering up a boundary ball roughly every second over.Mooney led the scoring through two-thirds of the opening stand, bringing up her fifty 2.5 overs before her partner, before Bolton left her in her wake with a blaze of boundaries. Stepping out whenever she saw some flight and punishing the inevitable short balls that followed, Bolton raced from 45 off 69 balls to 92 off 96, her sprint to her third ODI hundred interrupted only by Mooney’s dismissal at the other end, bowled by Taylor’s offspin.Taylor picked up another wicket, Meg Lanning miscuing a big hit, but it was only a consolation, as Bolton and Perry steered Australia home with no further drama.”When we were out there that it felt like we were in a dream,” Bolton later said. “To share an opening partnership like that of 171 is special, we didn’t play the scoreboard but instead the way we normally play, tried not to put too ourselves under too much pressure.”It was a pretty damaging partnership, there was a period where it kicked into gear for me – I was mindful of getting the job done but the closer I got to a century the more the nerves kicked in.”It was a pretty special feeling, the result is exactly how we want to play as a team and the bowlers played a massive part in that.

ScorecardHashim Amla top-scored as the South Africans won their second one-day warm-up match•Getty Images

Tom Sole’s brave half-century on debut was not enough to prevent victory for the South Africans, despite a laboured display from the tourists at Wantage Road in their final warm-up match ahead of the ODI series against England.It was a game Northamptonshire could have won after Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and David Miller made half-centuries in the South Africans’ under-par total of 275 for 7. But the hosts’ chase failed to build on a strong start and the chance of an upset went begging.Sole, 20, had kept Northants alive after coming in at No. 9 with 91 needed. With 27 to win from 24 balls and Northants nine down, he swung Andile Phehlukwayo twice over long-off for six. Fourteen were needed from 18 balls as South Africa turned back to the pace of Morne Morkel and he ended the drama with a short delivery that Sole lifted to third man.Max Holden’s maiden List A fifty helped give Northants a bright opening. He took four boundaries from Chris Morris’ fourth over and went on to a half-century in 48 balls but dragged into his stumps for 55 trying to pull a short ball from Imran Tahir.Chesney Hughes also fell to a cross-batted stroke but his was far more agricultural, attempting a slog sweep at JP Duminy and being bowled for 31. Until then, Hughes played a full part in the second-wicket stand of 92 with Holden, the pick of his strokes a blistering cut against Morris.But Hughes’ dismissal was reflective of the innings where Northants were largely the makers of their own downfall. Saif Zaib swung Tahir to long-on, James Kettleborough mistimed a pull to mid-on and Rory Kleinveldt edged Morkel to the wicketkeeper trying to run a ball to third man.Steven Crook was the only other batsman to show for Northants, his entertaining 42 featuring four boundaries from Phehlukwayo’s sixth over. But he also fell in disappointing fashion, with a mistimed pull taken at short third man. That appeared to be Northants’ hopes ended but Sole got them close.The South African innings featured three half-centuries but no partnership of real damage. They slid from 197 for 3 to 221 for 7 and it took Duminy and Morris to haul 31 from the final three overs to put up a defendable score.The tourists lost Quinton de Kock for a seven-ball duck in just the second over – pinned by a Richard Gleeson inswinger – but then regained control through Amla and du Plessis, who added 93 for the second wicket.Amla played a delightful back-foot punch for four past point in the ninth over and was typically strong in working runs through the on side. He uppercut Gleeson for six to raise fifty in 63 balls but a rare display of aggression, trying to lift Sole down the ground, saw him hole out to long-on for 59. It was Sole’s first wicket in professional cricket.Du Plessis wasn’t as calm as Amla and worked himself into a lather in trying to force away a disciplined Northants attack. He finally fired, swinging the final ball of the 12th over back over Azharullah’s head for the day’s first six and repeated the shot for four more in the same bowler’s next over. But advancing down the pitch to Zaib he picked out deep midwicket.Miller launched Sole for two mighty sixes that both found the roof of the Lynn Wilson Centre but he lost his middle stump to an Azharullah inswinger during the South Africans’ slide.Lower-order runs were needed and Morris swept Zaib for four at the start of the 46th over and then lifted him over extra-cover for another boundary. Duminy, the captain who had relegated himself in the order to No. 9, swung Azharullah down the ground for six in the 48th over, and uppercut a boundary in the final over before lifting the final ball of the innings over long-on.

Tottenham Hotspur have now opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Which defender are Tottenham signing?

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has given an overview of Tottenham's potential defensive targets this summer, naming the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Edmond Tapsoba and Van de Ven as options for manager Ange Postecoglou.

Progress has also been made in Spurs' pursuit of Clement Lenglet, with an agreement in principle being reached over a three-year contract, meaning the last remaining hurdle is agreeing a fee with Barcelona, and a €10m (£8.6m) deal is being discussed.

Gleison Bremer has been named as another target for the Lilywhites, however Juventus' €50m (£43m) asking price is scaring off potential suitors from the Premier League, meaning the Brazilian is likely to remain in Turin for the time being.

In a new update on Twitter, Romano has now confirmed that Tottenham have opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg over Van de Ven, and the 22-year-old is amongst the club's "top targets".

Such is Spurs' interest in the defender, they are set to submit a "verbal proposal" soon, with the player himself said to be "keen on the move".

Tapsoba remains on the Lilywhites' list of potential targets, however a deal for the Bayer Leverkusen star would be more expensive.

Is Micky van de Ven signing for Tottenham?

If Tottenham are to win the race for the centre-back, they will have to fend off competition from elsewhere, with Liverpool also being named as potential suitors, and Football Insider report the Reds have identified him as a key target.

It is no wonder some of the Premier League's top clubs are queuing up for the Wolfsburg ace, as he has a range of important defensive qualities, with football scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as a "tenacious tackler" and "dominant in the air."

Not only that, the former Volendam man is also assured in possession of the ball, ranking in the 90th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating a willingness to drive the ball forward.

Van de Ven is still very young, and he only made his breakthrough in one of Europe's 'big five' leagues in the Bundesliga last season, but he is showing all the hallmarks of a quality centre-back, and it is exciting news that Tottenham have stepped up their interest.

England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2017

England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations.The Yorkshire fast bowler is still struggling with the groin problem he picked up during the one-day series in Mumbai – although England privately stress that he has not suffered a recurrence of the hamstring problems that bedevilled him last seasonFisher will stay with the Under-19 squad for another week to make the most of his first sub-continental experience as a member of England’s leadership group, while continuing to receive treatment from the medical staff. He will then return to Yorkshire to join their pre-season preparations at Headingley.Max Holden, the Middlesex batsman who has been loaned out to Northants for the start of the season, will take over the captaincy as planned for the four-day series.

Aston Villa choosing to let go of veteran player Ashley Young has 'shocked' journalist Ryan Taylor due to his experience and impact behind the scenes.

What's the latest news involving Ashley Young?

As per the Aston Villa official website, Young will be leaving the club once his contract expires, bringing the curtain down on a long association with the club across two separate spells.

During his two stints at Villa Park, Young became a fan favourite and managed to notch 38 goals and 60 assists across 247 appearances for the West Midlands-based outfit, as per Transfermarkt.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery did speak to the 37-year-old over the prospect of extending his £50k-a-week contract at the Villans, as per The Express and Star; however, no such agreement came to light and the former Manchester United man will be on the lookout for a new club this summer.

Club captain John McGinn posted a fitting tribute to the former England international on Twitter following the announcement of his departure, stating: "Absolutely gutted to lose a top guy and top player. Pleasure to have played with you."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Taylor is 'shocked' that Young has been let go and revealed that the versatile star was keen to extend his stay at Villa Park.

Taylor said: "I was shocked, to be honest, purely because I've done a few matches this season covering Villa and spoken to Young in the mixed zone and the sort of standards he sets and drives…. He was key to that European push behind the scenes.

"He loves Villa and he made it clear he wanted to stay, and I don't think he would have been asking for huge wages either. So I am slightly shocked at that."

Have Aston Villa targeted anyone to replace Ashley Young this summer?

Aston Villa will have a hard job trying to replace Young in the transfer window due to his versatility and presence around the dressing room at Villa Park.

According to The Times, Aston Villa are keen on Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney; however, they will need to fend off competition from Newcastle United to land the Scotland international.

Young predominantly featured in either right-back or left-back functions during his second spell at Aston Villa and Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is another name of interest to the Villans to bolster their defensive depth, as per Football Insider.

Earlier this year, Tuttomercatoweb claimed that Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries was also being eyed in an ambitious swoop by Aston Villa boss Emery, showing that the Spaniard is being proactive in trying to source an alternative to Young ahead of 2023/24.

Australia’s team performance chief Pat Howard, the man held ultimately accountable for the fortunes of the national side, has reached out to former opening batsman Chris Rogers for advice on how to scotch the bleeding of the Test team’s currently hapless top six.Howard also admitted that he, the coach Darren Lehmann and the national selection panel were under pressure to keep their jobs unless results improved. Appointed as a result of the Argus review in August 2011, he said that there needed to be renewed focus on the defensive and tactical skills of batsmanship to get through difficult days like the one experienced in Hobart on Saturday.”It needs more focus. That’s simple,” Howard said. “Chris was fantastic, you go back to what he and David Warner did at the Oval [in 2015], I think it was 14 runs off 10 overs, they read the situation really well. That patience and adaptability to read the situation there. I’ve really been impressed by Chris’ insights and comments and I was before.”He’s got a good insight into the game … we’ve talked to him about coming and talking to people around that, both technically and mentally, and about a year ago he worked with our Under-19s. It’s a fair comment and something to drive some of our thinking.”The position of Australian batting coach has changed hands this year, following Howard’s decision not to grant an improved contract to Michael Di Venuto, who held the position with some success for the previous three years. Di Venuto, who has been in Hobart this week, then took the job as head coach of Surrey, and the role was handed over to the former England batsman Graeme Hick, an internal appointment via his role at the National Cricket Centre.Before this Test, Hick admitted he had his work cut out to build the relationships necessary to be an effective batting coach for the team. The rest of Lehmann’s support staff, including the assistant coach David Saker and the fielding coach Greg Blewett, are all relatively recent appointments. Rogers has said that the spate of batting collapses pointed to deeper issues within the team, and in the domestic structure beneath it.”I think good sides always find a way to fight when they’re in trouble, and the Australian side at the moment, when they lose a few wickets it’s just a collapse,” Rogers told ABC’s Offsiders on Sunday. “All 10 wickets have fallen, we’ve seen it now two Tests in a row I think for 86 in the first Test and now 85 in this Test, and you don’t see that [often]. So there’s something fundamentally wrong I think with the side, they’re obviously lacking confidence. There’s no doubt the talent’s there, but they just can’t find a way to fight, and that’s really disconcerting.”Speaking to particularly a few of the older guys, past players, there’s a bit of a thought that maybe we should push to return to how the Sheffield Shield used to be – just pick the best sides, the best players and see who wins. We have this system now where we’re trying to identify players and push them through. But we’ve been doing that for a fair while now and it doesn’t seem to be working, the performances haven’t really been there to justify it. I think it’s about now finding that winning culture. We’ve perhaps lost that, and whether we need to find that at the level below, maybe that’s the way to go.”Howard stated, among other things, that Australia’s traditional Gabba start – where they had not lost a Test match since 1988 – had to be moved for commercial reasons, namely an effort to build the audience for a Brisbane match via the avenue of a day-night Test. But he also said the team had to be adaptable enough to cope.Pat Howard on Chris Rogers’ role: “He’s got a good insight into the game … we’ve talked to him about coming and talking to people around that, both technically and mentally”•Getty Images

“The team does like starting in Brisbane obviously but we just talked about adaptability and being able to play in different conditions at different times,” Howard said. “Brisbane has been a Test match that has struggled in other areas of the game over the last couple of years and they look to do something different.”I’d like to have games in Brisbane to support the team at times, there were other aspects as well, but we also need to adapt and I don’t want to look for excuses. We want to look for excuses at times and look for easy answers, and I don’t want to go down that track. Whatever you get overseas, whatever you get at home, do your homework, do your preparation get ready to adapt to the situation and the conditions on offer.”Like the national selectors, Trevor Hohns and Mark Waugh, Howard’s contract expires at the end of June 2017. The selection chairman Rod Marsh has already indicated he will vacate his post at that time, but Howard said there had been no discussion about finding his replacement any earlier than that. He did indicate,d however, that the entire panel may be refreshed at that time.”It’s important to note that Rod and I had that discussion well before the Sri Lanka tour,” Howard said. “This has been well in train and [his replacement] hasn’t been contemplated, we announced it a couple of weeks ago, and it was just confirming what all of us had known for a long time.”We’ve always had different guys on different tours. Trevor Hohns and Mark Waugh will go on and their contracts are due up at the same time as well, so they may not be staying either. I appreciate the pressure comes on Rod, he knows that this comes with the role, but there are people in that situation all the time and every time you say someone is not going to stay and you exit them straight away it doesn’t respect the work that they are doing at the time.”Howard also defended the decision to extend Lehmann’s contract until 2019 in August. “This is a great challenge for his coaching, I think he’s in uncharted territory for him as well and we’ve talked about that,” Howard said. “This is a great chance for him to reinvent.”He’s been contracted through past 2019, which is a huge year in the calendar, Ashes away and a World Cup back-to-back. We’ve got a young captain with a coach that’s wanted to give the team and squad some stability. I make no apologies for that, I made the decision and I take accountability for that.”

Glasgow Rangers finished their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 3-0 victory against St Mirren, with Michael Beale’s side ending the season positively.

The Ibrox crowd said their farewells to the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor, Filip Helander and Scott Arfield during their midweek draw against Hearts and the manager rotated the first team for this afternoon's tie, bringing back Robby McCrorie into the starting XI.

Rangers were bright in the opening exchanges, with Ianis Hagi dictating play by operating as a false nine, and it’s evident that the club have missed his creativity at times this season, especially during their dismal Champions League showings.

It took half an hour for the first goal, when Fashion Sakala cut inside from the left-hand side to slot a calm finish into the net to make it 1-0. He doubled the lead with his second just after halftime and the game eventually finished 3-0 to the visitors.

Sakala was clinical during his spell on the pitch, scoring twice while succeeding with two of his four dribble attempts, winning 50% of his total duels and ending his game with a 100% pass success rate, and he could still have a future at the Ibrox side next term on this form.

It was an impressive showing, yet it was Ridvan Yilmaz who took his opportunity vs St Mirren today.

How did Ridvan Yilmaz perform for Rangers today against St Mirren?

The Turkish defender hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons, missing 29 games through injury, yet he managed to take his opportunity well today, with sections of the media praising him.

The Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie lauded the youngster, writing on Twitter: “Think Ridvan’s taken his chance well these past few games after a tricky season. Really impressive pass through the gap for Sakala to break the deadlock.”

Yilmaz received a rating of 7.6/10 for his performance against the Paisley outfit, showcasing his attacking abilities which proves he could well be an ideal heir to Borna Barisic.

The 22-year-old registered two assists for both of Sakala’s goals, while he also created one big chance, played two key passes, attempted one dribble and delivered two crosses, indicating that he was regularly bombing up and down the left flank with purpose.

He also managed 56 touches throughout and his passing was virtually spot on, achieving a 92% pass success rate while succeeding with all three of his long balls. And although he clearly didn’t have much to do defensively, Yilmaz still won one duel, made a clearance and wasn’t dribbled past once during his time on the pitch.

Next season will be massive for the youngster, and he has certainly given Beale food for thought over the previous few weeks, that’s for sure.

Match facts

August 31, 2016
Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)Adam Zampa has troubled Sri Lanka through the series with his six wickets•AFP

Big picture

Sri Lanka had lost key players to injury right through the Test series, but continued to thrive on dwindling resources, as the opposition appeared in slight disarray. In the ODIs something of a reversal has occurred. Australia have lost Steven Smith, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and most recently, Shaun Marsh, yet lead the series 2-1. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have made alterations to the squad three times already, and have had a retiring batsman take a veiled dig at the present captain. For this match, spin-bowling allrounder Sachith Pathirana comes into the side, replacing Tillakaratne Dilshan.Like in the Tests though, it is at the top of Sri Lanka’s innings that the hosts have lost the most ground, and where Mitchell Starc has been at his most imperious. He has taken a wicket within his first two overs in each of the three matches, in which Sri Lanka have been 45 for 2, 12 for 2 and 23 for 2. And like Australia had espoused changing theories on how to counter spin in the Test series, Sri Lanka also appear to be reshaping their strategy against Starc. “We will try to play him out safely and score off the others,” captain Angelo Mathews had said ahead of the first and second ODIs. Most recently, he has advocated being “positive in Starc’s first four overs.”Australia’s limited-overs specialists have also steeled the middle order, and have looked more comfortable against spin than their Test counterparts. George Bailey swept and reverse-swept in his match-winning 70 on Sunday. Matthew Wade has made strong contributions through the series, and Travis Head has been involved in useful partnerships in the second and third matches. Sri Lanka have made early breakthroughs in each game too, but will want the likes of Seekkuge Prasanna and Dilruwan Perera to pose more menace through the middle overs, in support of Amila Aponso, who has easily been their bowler of the series so far.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

Australia WLWWW
Sri Lanka LWLLL

In the spotlight

Dilshan now out of the ODI picture, Sri Lanka must set about the tricky business of finding an opening combination for the 2019 World Cup. The man on immediate trial is Danushka Gunathilaka. In 14 ODI innings so far, he has dazzled in patches, though has not strung together enough significant scores to embed himself in the XI. Having had his middle stump removed in Starc’s first over on Sunday, he will want a half-century in this match to make his place safe.Adam Zampa went wicketless in the first match, but has imposed himself on the series since then, taking three wickets in each of the next two matches. His straighter delivery has caused the most trouble (half of his dismissals have been lbws), but he has also beaten batsmen in the air. With 19 wickets at an average of 23.15 from 10 ODIs so far, he appears to have a bright ODI future.

Teams news

Pathirana – a bowling allrounder who delivers left-arm spin – has been drafted in, but appears unlikely to play, for now. Sri Lanka may push Dhananjaya de Silva up the order to open, as he does for his club team, and push Angelo Perera into the middle order.Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Dhananjaya de Silva, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Angelo Perera, 7 Kusal Perera, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Dilruwan Perera, 11 Amila AponsoWith Marsh now unavailable, Usman Khawaja is likely to enter the XI in his place. Nathan Lyon may also play in place of Josh Hazlewood, as the Dambulla track will have worn since Sunday.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner (capt.), 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 George Bailey, 5 Travis Head, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 James Faulkner, 8 John Hastings, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Nathan Lyon

Pitch and conditions

With Sunday’s pitch being used again for this match, the spinners’ threat is likely to be further heightened. There is often a strong breeze from the south in the evenings, in Dambulla, but rains are not forecast.

Stats and trivia

• In 11 ODI innings in 2016, Dinesh Chandimal has crossed 50 eight times, including two hundreds, and averages 72.22. He needs a further 196 runs to make this his most productive ODI year.
• David Warner averages 22.10 from 10 ODI innings in Asia. He has scored 19 runs across the three innings in the series so far.
• Australia have batted second in each of their six international games of the tour so far, having lost five of those tosses.

Quotes

“We may try out another couple of options against Starc, but the only thing is that you have to be positive in his first four overs. Don’t lose wickets, but be positive and look for the loose one. We’ve been a bit tentative up front, and that’s where we’ve been giving him a lot of wickets. It’s put a lot of pressure on the No. 3 and No. 4.”
“That’s just what happens with cricket. Sometimes you’re in form, sometimes you’re not. I feel like I’m hitting the ball well. I’ve had some good dismissals, I’ve had a couple of poor shots here and there.”

England will open their two-part tour of India with the first Test from November 9 in Rajkot, the BCCI has announced

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2016

England will open their two-part tour of India with the first Test from November 9 in Rajkot, the BCCI announced on Friday, unveiling the schedule for the tour comprising five Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.Full schedule

Tests
Nov 9-13 – Rajkot
Nov 17-21 – Visakhapatnam
Nov 26-30 – Mohali
Dec 8-12 – Mumbai
Dec 16-20 – Chennai
ODIs
Jan 15 – Pune
Jan 19 – Cuttack
Jan 22 – Kolkata
T20Is
Jan 26 – Kanpur
Jan 29 – Nagpur
Feb 1 – Bangalore

England will complete the Test leg by December 20 and then return home for a break over Christmas and New Year, and come back to India for the limited-overs games in January.Visakhapatnam will host its first Test, the second of the series, from November 17, with Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai to host the third, fourth and fifth Tests starting November 26, December 8 and December 16 respectively.After their return in January, England will play two warm-up one-dayers in Mumbai ahead of the first ODI in Pune on January 15. Cuttack and Kolkata will complete the ODI leg, while Kanpur, Nagpur and Bengaluru are scheduled to host the T20Is that conclude on February 1.”This is going to be a fierce and competitive series,” India’s Test captain Virat Kohli said. “England is one of the better sides in the world, and we can expect some high quality cricket from both sides.”Anil Kumble, India’s head coach added: “To be involved in a five-Test series against England is quite exciting. I’ve had fierce battles against them in the past, and I’m looking forward to this.”Andrew Strauss, ECB’s director of cricket, welcomed the scheduling of a five-Test series, which will be England’s first in India since 1984-85. “It’s a great opportunity for Alastair Cook and his players to repeat the memorable Test series win we enjoyed on our last trip to India in 2012,” he said. “Equally, Eoin Morgan’s white-ball squad will be anticipating hard-fought and competitive encounters against high quality opposition in both formats – with the one-day series providing excellent preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy to come at home later in the summer of 2017.”