Tag: australia

Dewald Brevis belted South Africa highest T20I individual score with a blistering 125 not out from 56 balls as the tourists stayed alive in the three-match series after a 53-run victory over Australia in Darwin on Tuesday.

Australia decision to bowl backfired as South Africa powered to a massive 218-7 on the back of Brevis’ maiden century in international cricket.

The 22-year-old rescued South Africa from a shaky 57-3 and dominated a 126-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (31).

“I’m extremely grateful, just happy to be out here on the winning side,” said Brevis, who surpassed Faf du Plessis’ 119 against the West Indies in 2015.

Playing just his ninth T20 international, Brevis smashed eight sixes to leave Australia’s powerful batting line-up with an uphill task.

Australia’s daunting chase was made more difficult after the early wickets of opener Travis Head (five) and Cameron Green (nine).

Australia’s hopes rested with in-form Tim David, fresh off his match-winning 83 in their 17-run victory in the series opener at the same venue.

Promoted to number four, David started with a trio of boundaries and then bludgeoned several massive sixes, including one that landed on the roof.

But David’s 24-ball assault ended on 50 when he hit spearhead Kagiso Rabada straight to cover.

Australia’s chase ran out of steam, bowled out for 165 in the 18th over with quicks Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka picking up three wickets each.

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“Chasing that down was always going to be tough and we needed a few partnerships, which we couldn’t do,” Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said.

Without several key batsmen for this tour, South Africa had struggled to fire in the opening game.

Captain Aiden Markram signalled his intent with a sublime boundary off the first ball of the innings, rattling quick Josh Hazlewood.

But Markram (18) fell tamely to a fired-up Glenn Maxwell, who celebrated another wicket when he had Lhuan-dre Pretorius (10) stumped to leave South Africa in trouble.

Likened to legendary South Africa batter AB de Villiers, Brevis turned the innings on its head to power past his previous highest T20 international score of 41.

Brevis received a life on 56 when substitute fielder Matthew Kuhnemann fumbled on the boundary off the bowling of an increasingly frustrated Maxwell.

Brevis made Australia pay and in a flash he was saluting the crowd after reaching his century with a boundary off his 41st delivery.

Maxwell and quick Ben Dwarshuis picked up two wickets apiece in an unusually ragged effort in the field for Australia, whose nine-match T20 win streak ended.

The series-decider will be played in the Queensland city of Cairns on Saturday.

READ: Pakistan to begin training in Abbottabad ahead of AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers

Tim David crunched eight sixes in a blistering 83 from 52 balls in the opening Australia vs South Africa T20I clash of the three-match series to help the hosts in Darwin on Sunday.

After being sent in, Australia were all out for 178 on the final delivery of their 20 overs.

The Australia vs South Africa match also marked the first international cricket game in Darwin in 17 years.

Cameron Green (35 off 13) was the only other batter to get going, with left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka bagging 4-20 as South Africa bowled out Australia for the first time in a T20.

But David’s phenomenal innings proved enough, with the Proteas restricted to 161-9 in reply. That was despite a battling 71 from Ryan Rickelton, who fell to a spectacular Glenn Maxwell catch on the boundary.

For Australia, Josh Hazlewood and Ben Dwarshuis took three wickets each.

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Backing up from a recent 5-0 series sweep against the West Indies, Australia signalled their intent early with Marsh slamming a six off the first ball.

But he lost opening partner Travis Head (two) and Josh Inglis (golden duck) in the space of three deliveries and then skied Kagiso Rabada on 13, with Maphaka taking a tricky catch before Green and David let loose.

They put on a quickfire 40 for the fourth wicket before Green was undone by a slower ball from Lungi Ngidi.

Australia were in trouble on 75-6 when Mitchell Owen was out for two and dangerman Glenn Maxwell went for one.

But David dug in and, with Dwarshuis (17), added 59 for the seventh wicket.

David was dropped by Tristan Stubbs on 56, although Stubbs made amends by holding the catch that finally removed the big Australian after a power-packed knock.

South Africa started poorly in the chase, with skipper Aiden Markram out to Hazlewood in the first over, and they had lost three wickets for 48 by the sixth over.

Rickelton and Stubbs (37) knuckled down in a threatening 72-run stand, but Hazlewood struck again with two wickets in an over to shatter their momentum.

South Africa’s hopes were all but over when Adam Zampa matched Hazlewood’s feat in the next over.

The second match of the Australia vs South Africa series will be played in Darwin on Tuesday.

READ: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to retire from ODIs after Australia series: reports

Australia have named their first-choice opening duo of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head for the T20 World Cup, which is set to commence in Sri Lanka and India next year.

The T20I skipper, Mitchell Marsh, on Friday confirmed that he and southpaw Travis Head will occupy the top two spots until next year’s shorter format World Cup.

The announcement came ahead of the three-match T20I series opener against South Africa, which is set to begin on August 10 at Darwin.

“It’ll be myself and Heady [Travis Head] up the top for the foreseeable future,” Marsh told reporters in Darwin on Friday.

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“Obviously we’ve played a lot together, (we’ve) got a great relationship, so (we’ll) start there.”

Australia is coming off a 5-0 clean sweep over West Indies, where Marsh opened the batting in all five matches, a thing he had done only once before the tour.

Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head had never opened in the T20I format for Australia; however, they have been pivotal in ODIs, boasting an excellent record.

The pair have amassed 282 runs in just five innings at a stellar average of 70.50 in the shorter format.

Across all formats, Marsh and Head have accumulated 504 runs across 14 innings at an average of 38.67, including one century and three half-century partnerships.

Australia T20 squad:

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Schedule of Australia-South Africa T20I Series 

August 10: First T20I, Marrara Stadium, Darwin

August 12: Second T20I, Marrara Stadium, Darwin

August 16: Third T20I, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns

READ: Former Zimbabwe captain Cremer set to return after seven-year break

Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath has predicted that England will be whitewashed 5-0 in the 2025-26 Ashes.

The Three Lions have not won an Ashes series since 2015 and, notably, not a single Test in Australia since the 2010-11 series.

The most recent series between two arch-rivals, played in 2023, resulted in a 2-2 draw, with Australia retaining the urn.

Now, the six-time Ashes winner and legendary fast bowler McGrath is known for his bold predictions, and in the past, he has made similar statements.

“It’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn’t it? And I can’t make a different one-5-0,” McGrath stated in an interview with a British news outlet.

“I’m very confident with our team. When you’ve got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon firing in their home conditions, it’s going to be pretty tough. Plus, that track record England have had, it’d be interesting to see if they can win a Test,” McGrath added.

Glenn McGrath deemed Ashes 2025-26 crucial for England’s ace batter Joe Root, who is yet to make his mark down under.

Joe Root has amassed 892 Test runs in Australia, including nine fifties, but is yet to score a century.

The 55-year-old also lauded Harry Brook’s batting and termed his wicket crucial for the Australian pacers.

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“This series will be a big one for Root. He’s never really done that well in Australia, he’s not even got a 100 over there, so he’ll be keen to get out there. He’s in fine form,” he said.

“Brook’s the one that I’ve enjoyed watching,” added McGrath. “He just goes out there, plays his game, and takes it on. The Australians will need to get on him pretty early.

He further mentioned England’s top order and the key matchups between both teams.

“Ben Duckett is such an aggressive opener. Zak Crawley would be keen to score a few more runs than he has previously.

“It’s the top order or top and middle order of England against the Australian fast bowlers and Lyon. That’s going to be a big match-up,” Glenn McGrath concluded.

For the unversed, the opening match of Ashes 2025-26 will commence on 21 November in Perth.

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Australia batter Tim David has been fined 10 percent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies on July 28.

David was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”

The incident occurred in the fifth over of Australia’s innings when West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph bowled a delivery down the leg side that wasn’t signalled as a wide.

Tim David reacted by stretching his arms out in protest and walking towards the umpire with his arms still extended, an action deemed to constitute dissent.

As a result, one demerit point has been added to the 29-year-old’s disciplinary record. This is his first offence within the past 24 months.

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David admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Reon King from the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, meaning there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Zahid Bassarath and Leslie Reifer, third umpire Deighton Buttler, and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite.

Level 1 violations typically carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and can go up to 50 percent of the player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points.

Despite the brief controversy, Tim David made a handy contribution of 30 runs, playing a key role in Australia’s three-wicket win, which completed a 5-0 clean sweep of the West Indies in the series.

READ: Bangladesh announce preliminary squad for Asia Cup 2025

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has recently spoken about his exclusion from the Playing XI for the third and final Test against the West Indies, which took place earlier this month.

Lyon was left out of Australia’s Test XI for the first time in over a decade, due to factors other than injury, as he missed the pink-ball Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park.

The decision ended a remarkable run for Lyon, who had been a fixture in Australia’s Test side since 2013. With conditions expected to overwhelmingly favour pace, selectors opted for an all-seam attack, leaving no room for spin.

Speaking publicly for the first time since that match, Lyon admitted the decision stung, especially because it meant missing a special milestone alongside a close mate.

“There’s no point hiding behind it. I was disappointed with the decision, but I totally understood it,” Lyon said in Melbourne on Tuesday.

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“I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that. And then honestly, the other one was not to walk out on the field with Starcy [Mitchell Starc] in his 100th Test.”

Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc have shared the field in nearly 90 Tests, and the 37-year-old was hoping to mark the milestone together.

Despite the personal disappointment, Lyon acknowledged the bold call had paid off.

“If I’m going to miss a game, Scott Boland’s probably the guy you want to see go out and perform,” he said.

“For him to go out there and bowl like he did, like we always know he does, to take a hat-trick, was pretty special. And to witness the guys bowl them out for 27, that was pretty amazing.”

READ: Dale Steyn criticizes Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar for chasing personal milestones

An England XI will take on the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on November 29 and 30, slotted between the first Ashes Test against Australia in Perth and the day-night clash at the Gabba.

The match, traditionally a one-day fixture, was upgraded to a multi-day format in 2022-23 and will now serve as a key preparatory outing for England’s red-ball specialists.

This year’s fixture gives the touring side a valuable opportunity to get accustomed to the pink ball under match conditions before the second Test in Brisbane.

While the match doesn’t overlap with the Sheffield Shield, it remains the only fixture England will play outside the five-Test Ashes series once it begins.

Earlier, they’ll have a three-day internal game against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, although it’s expected to be more of a centre-wicket practice session than a competitive fixture.

Last season’s PM’s XI match against India was reduced to a one-dayer due to rain, but it still proved significant.

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Young batter Sam Konstas made headlines with a century that propelled him into national reckoning, later earning a call-up for the Boxing Day Test.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the historical value of the fixture.

“An Ashes series is something every cricket fan looks forward to,” he said. “Like many Australians, I grew up admiring, and begrudging, the brilliance of players like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch.”

He added that he’s looking forward to finalising a competitive PM’s XI squad to challenge a strong English side.

“I look forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team,” he added.

READ: Pakistan kick off training in Lauderhill ahead of West Indies T20Is

BASSETERRE: Ben Dwarshuis took three wickets to help Australia beat the West Indies here on Monday to sweep the five-match T20I series.

The 31-year-old pacer dismissed both openers early and returned later to claim the prized wicket of top-scorer Shimron Hetmyer.

Chasing a modest 171 to win the fifth T20I, Australia recovered from 25-3 and 60-4 to score 173-7 with three overs to spare.

Cameron Green anchored the middle-order recovery with 32, big-hitting Tim David raced to 30 off 12 balls with four sixes and a four, and Mitchell Owen scored 37.

When Green departed, Australia were 141-6, still needing 30, and the West Indies sniffed a consolation win.

But Aaron Hardie kept his composure to see Australia home by three wickets with an unbeaten 28.

“I didn’t expect 5-0 at the start of the series. But we played some great cricket,” said Australia captain Mitchell Marsh.

West Indies captain Shai Hope pinpointed the reason for his team’s failure to win a match.

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“We never put together a proper batting display. We either started well or finished poorly, or the other way round,” said Hope. “Against a quality team, you can’t get away with that.”

The West Indies were in trouble early, having been asked to bat when the Australia captain won the toss.

Ben Dwarshuis removed Brandon King for 11 and Hope for nine to reduce the hosts to 22-2 in the fourth over.

That became 64-4 until Hetmyer led a fightback, hitting three fours and three sixes on his way to a half-century.

It looked like the left-hander might take the West Indies to a challenging total, but Dwarshuis returned to induce a miscue to Sean Abbott at long-off from a slower bouncer.

Hetmyer departed for 52 from 31 balls to leave West Indies 155-7 in the 17th over.

“It was a little bit of a slower wicket, so we tried to hit the wicket hard and use the slower balls as well,” said Dwarshuis, who was named player of the match.

Australia also won the three Tests which preceded the T20 series to sweep all eight matches on the tour.

READ: Usman Khawaja reacts after fan asked to cover the Pakistan jersey in England

Cameron Green, unbeaten 55, and Glenn Maxwell, quick-fire 47, propelled Australia to a three-wicket win over the West Indies in the fourth match of their Twenty20 International series.

West Indies were 205 for nine after being sent to bat first after the visitors won the toss, but took five wickets after the midpoint to keep the pressure on Australia chasing 206 to win.

The Aussies seized a 4-0 lead in the five-match series and can complete a sweep by winning Monday’s finale at Warner Park.

Green struck his half-century off 35 balls with three sixes and three fours, while Inglis had one six and 10 fours in 30 balls, and Glenn Maxwell had 47 runs off 18 balls, hitting six sixes and a four.

But a night after Tim David bashed Australia’s fastest T20I century off only 37 balls, he was rested from the Aussie lineup, and the chase had some tense moments.

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh was out lbw for a second-ball duck from West Indies left-arm fast-medium pace bowler Jediah Blades.

Inglis entered to partner with Maxwell but flew out to deep backward square, caught by Sherfane Rutherford off a ball from Romario Shepherd to start the seventh over, leaving the Aussies on 66 for two.

The visitors reached 129 for two at the drinks break, but on the next ball to start the 11th over, Glenn Maxwell was caught by Jason Holder at long on from a Akeal Hosein delivery.

Blades bowled Mitchell Owen for two thanks to Rutherford’s deep cover grab and two balls later Blades got his third wicket, sending off Cooper Connolly for a duck on Holder’s mid-off catch, the Aussies stuck on 134 for five.

Holder took Aaron Hardie for 23 on a long off catch by Shimron Hetmyer to open the 17th over with the Aussies still 21 runs from victory.

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A drive by Green deflected off Shepherd’s fingers and into the stumps of Xavier Bartlett out of his ground, his seventh wicket gone for nine, and the Aussies two runs from victory.

Green, however, scored runs off the next two deliveries, and Sean Abbott pushed Australia across the line, scoring the final run with four balls to spare.

West Indies managed only a top score of 31 as Aussie fielders shone.

Bartlett bowled out Brandon King for 18 when he chipped out midwicket to Hardie, and removed Shai Hope for 10 after Maxwell made a diving catch mid-on.

Maxwell made a one-handed grab to retire Roston Chase for nil off a Hardie delivery, leaving West Indies on 42 for three, only one ball into the fifth over.

Rutherford went out for 31 when caught by Marsh at backward point off a nice delivery from Adam Zampa to make it 67 for four.

Owen made a diving catch at deep backward point to retire Hetmyer on 16.

Maxwell struck again for the seventh wicket, flicking the ball before going over the boundary so Green could make the catch and send off Shepherd on 28.

Green then caught Matthew Forde for 15 to put the West Indies on 184 for eight.

Rain hit with four balls remaining, but after a 55-minute delay, the hosts scored two final runs.

READ: Kamran Akmal’s blazing ton helps Pakistan Champions crush West Indies

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday unveiled its squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, marking the return of key players though, experienced batter David Miller was notably absent from both the ODI and T20 line-ups.

South Africa’s regular white-ball skippers Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma are set to lead the T20I and ODI squads, respectively, after missing out on the Zimbabwe tour.

Bavuma was out of the Zimbabwe Tests with a hamstring injury sustained at the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June, while Markram was rested from the Proteas Test and T20I series against Zimbabwe.

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Among the South African regular players, David Miller and Marco Jansen are not included in either of the squads. The left-arm pacer is out due to injury, while David Miller, who will be playing in the hundred, will return to the team for the White-ball tour of England in September.

South Africa’s pace attack will be led by Kagiso Rabada in both squads, while Keshav Maharaj will take the responsibilities in the spin department, although in ODIs.

The Proteas batting line welcomed the return of opening batter Ryan Rickelton and midlde-order batter Tristan Stubbs. Moreover, young batters Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, currently playing in the Zimbabwe tour, have been retained.

South Africa ODI Squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen

South Africa T20I Squad

Aiden Markram (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

READ: England set to host Pakistan for Test series in 2026