bowler

A bowler from Bhutan has become the first cricketer to take eight wickets in a T20 international.

Left-arm spinner Sonam Yeshey finished with fine figures of 8-7 from four overs in his side’s 82-run win, external over Myanmar in the third of five men’s T20s between the sides in Gelephu.

The 22-year-old now has the best-ever figures of any bowler in men’s or women’s T20 international cricket.

Six of Yeshey’s wickets were caught while one was bowled and the other lbw.

Bhutan were victorious after they made 127-9 then bowled out Myanmar for 45.

Malaysian seamer Syazrul Idrus previously held the best T20 figures for a man with the 7-8 he claimed against China in July 2023.

Indonesia off-spinner Rohmalia Rohmalia has the best figures in women’s T20s for her 7-0 against Mongolia in April 2024.

Bhutan are an Associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and many players representing countries at that level are unpaid amateurs.

However, Bhutan have 36 players – equally split across their men’s and women’s national sides – who are paid via central contracts.

Bhutan are currently ranked 77th in the ICC men’s T20 rankings while Myanmar are 95th.

Gus Atkinson has become the third England pace bowler to be ruled out of the Ashes series after confirmation he will miss the final Test against Australia in Sydney.

Atkinson suffered an injury to his left hamstring on the second and final morning of England’s win in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

The tourists will not call up a replacement, leaving Matthew Potts in line to play in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (23:30 GMT on Saturday).

Atkinson joins Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in failing to complete the series because of injuries. All three were in England’s first-choice XI for the first Test in Perth.

Wood has not played since Perth because of a knee issue, while Archer was ruled out after three Tests because of a side strain.

Surrey’s Atkinson struggled in the first two Tests, managing only three wickets, and was subsequently left out of the third.

The 27-year-old looked nearer his best when he was recalled for the fourth Test, taking three wickets and making 28 with the bat in England’s first innings.

He grabbed his left hamstring at the end of the fourth over of his spell on the second morning and immediately left the field. Atkinson played no further part as England completed a four-wicket win later the same day.

There is no confirmation on when he will return to the UK, at which point he will be assessed further. Earlier this year Atkinson spent two months out with an injury to his right hamstring.

Atkinson’s absence leaves Durham’s Potts in line to add his to his 10 Test caps and make an Ashes debut.

The 27-year-old has not played a Test match since the defeat by New Zealand in Hamilton last December.

A regular in the first summer of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, Potts has made sporadic appearances over the past two years. His previous seven caps have come against six different opponents.