Tag: australia

KINGSTON: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has revealed the reason for forgoing several editions of the India Premier League (IPL) ahead of his milestone 100th Test against the West Indies.

The 35-year-old pacer has played in the IPL in recent times; however, he has skipped several editions in the past to prioritize Test cricket.

Starc is set to join Australian legend Glenn McGrath in an elite list of fast bowlers who have played 100 Tests. The left-arm pacer, on Saturday, 12 July, will become the second Australian pacer to achieve this milestone and the overall 16th player to do so.

Having made his debut in 2011 against New Zealand, Starc is only five wickets away from reaching 400 wickets in Test cricket. He has so far taken 13 wickets in the two Tests against the West Indies.

Speaking on the eve of the third Test, with the series already secured by Australia, Starc expressed his thoughts on playing 100 Tests and skipping several editions of India’s marquee league.

“Test cricket was probably the hardest format to either feel like I was good enough for or felt like I was capable of doing. To get that opportunity, I wasn’t going to let that pass at all,” Starc said on IPL.

Most Test Wickets for Australia

• Shane Warne 708 wickets in 108 matches
• Glenn McGrath 563 wickets in 124 matches
• Nathon Lyon 553 wickets in 137 matches
• Mitchell Starc* 395 wickets in 99 matches

“The years that I did miss franchise cricket, I don’t regret that at all. To get my body in as good a spot as I could for Australia to play 99 games, spend some time at home, spend some time with Alyssa [Healy] and family. That’s the reason why I did those things,” he added.

“It makes me feel old,” Mitchell Starc stated on a lighter note when he was asked about the milestone.

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GRENADA: Star batter Steve Smith is set to return as Australia has named its playing XI for the second Test against the West Indies, starting Thursday here at the Grenada National Stadium.

Smith, who suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, practiced in the nets for an hour on Wednesday.

However, Steve Smith will not field in his regular slip cordon position because of an injured finger.

“Fielding some balls in front of the wicket … will probably be the strangest thing for me, I don’t think I’ve ever done that in a Test match,” Steve Smith said on his return to the squad.

“Fielding at either mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip, so I think that’s probably going to be the biggest difference,” the 36-year-old stated on his changed position in the field.

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Josh Inglis, who played in the first Test, will make way for Steve Smith, who will occupy the No. 04 spot.  Apart from one change, the rest of the lineup is unchanged, with Usman Khawaja and young batter Sam Konstas set to open the innings.

Cameron Green, the newly promoted number three batter, retains his spot despite scoring 3 and 15 in Bridgetown.

The bowling quartet remains unchanged, featuring Josh Hazlewood, who took a five-wicket haul in the opening match, alongside Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

For context, Australia led the three-match Test series 1-0 after securing a convincing 159-run win over the West Indies at Bridgetown.

The right-arm pacer Josh Hazlewood starred with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul that bowled out the West Indies for just 141 runs while chasing a challenging target of 301 on day three of the Test match.

Australia Playing XI

Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.

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South Africa left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has reflected on the Proteas’ maiden ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title.

The Proteas lifted their first WTC mace with a five-wicket win, anchored by Aiden Markram’s sensational fourth-innings century.

The opener’s 136 earned him the Player of the Match award, while Kagiso Rabada’s fiery nine-wicket haul proved instrumental in dismantling Australia across both innings.

Held from June 11 to 14, the final of the third WTC cycle saw an extraordinary 2.94 billion minutes of TV watch-time on Star Sports, reaching an audience of 47 million viewers nationwide, a staggering milestone for a Test that didn’t feature the Indian team.

The match also sparked massive engagement online, clocking 225 million digital views, matching the numbers from the previous WTC Final between India and Australia at The Oval in 2023.

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During an interview with a sports platform, Shamsi, who played two Tests for the Rainbow Nation, hailed South Africa’s victory and praised Temba Bavuma’s leadership for ending the title drought.

“Definitely, it was very, very special even for guys who were not part of the triumph. You know, South African cricket had a history of heartbreaks in major tournaments,” he said.

“So, just to watch the guys and finally break the curse was really an emotional moment, and I think it’s the first of many, many trophies that South Africa is going to win in the future,” Tabraiz Shamsi added.

The spinner who was not part of the winning squad hailed Temba Bavuma’s leadership.

“Yes, he is a little man with a big heart, and he is very calm in his demeanour and the way he speaks and communicates, Tabraiz Shamsi said of Bavuma.

Tabraiz Shamsi also eyed the 2026 T20 World Cup, stating that the South Africa team is his priority.

“Obviously, playing for the country will always be a priority, and I am fully available for South Africa,” the 35-year-old stated.

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Australia Champions have announced a star-studded squad for the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), set to be played from July 18 to August 2, 2025.

Pace legend Brett Lee headlines is part of the squad, alongside power-hitter Chris Lynn and classy left-hander Shaun Marsh.

This year’s Australia Champions outfit also features performers like Ben Cutting, Moises Henriques, Peter Siddle, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and D’Arcy Short, giving them one of the most well-rounded and dangerous line-ups heading into the tournament.

For Lee, the emotions run deep. The 47-year-old spoke about the thrill of pulling on the Aussie colors again, this time in a tournament that combines the fire of competition with the camaraderie of old mates.

“Being part of WCL is an incredible opportunity to relive the adrenaline of top-level cricket,” said Lee.

“Representing Australia again, alongside some of my best mates, is something truly close to my heart. We’re coming with intent—to entertain and to dominate.”

Team owner Puneet Singh also struck a bold note ahead of the tournament, calling the Australia squad more than just a team.

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“With Brett, Lynny, and Cutting leading the charge, we’re bringing back the fierce Australian spirit to WCL. Expect fireworks, passion, and pure cricketing brilliance,” Singh said.

Harshit Tomar, Founder and CEO of the World Championship of Legends, welcomed the Aussies’ announcement with high praise.

“Australia has always been a force in world cricket, and the WCL is proud to welcome back icons like Brett Lee and Chris Lynn,” Tomar said.

“With a squad stacked with power hitters and fiery pacers, the Australia Champions are set to be one of the most formidable sides this season.”

The second season of the WCL will see six legendary sides in action: Australia, Pakistan, India, England, South Africa, and the West Indies.

The tournament kicks off on July 18 at Edgbaston, with Pakistan Champions facing England Champions in the opener.

Australia Champions Squad for WCL 2025

Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk, Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Peter Siddle, Moises Henriques, Dan Christian, Rob Quiney, Nathan Coulter-Nile, D’Arcy Short, Stephen O’Keefe.

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BARBADOS: Josh Hazlewood claimed figures of 5-43 as Australia bundled the West Indies for just 141 to complete a comprehensive 159-run victory in the final over of the third day of the first Test at Kensington Oval on Friday.

Half-centuries from Alex Carey, Beau Webster and Travis Head were the fulcrum of a recovery from 65-4 late on day two to a final second innings total of 310 at tea the next day.

Shamar Joseph led the West Indies bowling effort with five wickets at the cost of 87 runs for a match haul of 9-133.

Any winning target in excess of 200 was always going to be challenging on this two-paced surface.

As it transpired, the West Indies never looked up to the task from the moment former captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell to Mitchell Starc in the first over.

Hazlewood then took centre stage. His metronomic accuracy accounted for John Campbell and debutant Brandon King off successive balls, before adding the wickets of captain Roston Chase and Keacy Carty.

Chase’s Australian counterpart, Pat Cummins, removed first innings top-scorer Shai Hope and insult was added to considerable injury when substitute fielder Marnus Labuschagne ran out Alzarri Joseph with a direct hit to the striker’s end from mid-off.

Josh Hazlewood returned to the attack to prise out Jomel Warrican, but Shamar Joseph entertained with 44 off 22 balls before falling to off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The veteran spinner then dismissed Jayden Seales on the next ball to wrap the West Indies innings, steering Australia to victory with two days to spare. Justin Greaves was left unbeaten on 38.

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Australia’s intent was clear at the start of the day as Head and Webster transformed the consolidation of the previous evening to controlled aggression in a partnership of 102 for the fifth wicket.

Head was trapped lbw for 61 by Shamar Joseph 20 minutes before lunch.

However, the course of the first session could have been very different had Greaves held on to another straightforward catch at second slip off Alzarri Joseph when the left-hander was on 22.

It was the seventh chance put down by the West Indies slip cordon in the match, a poor display in one of the fundamental aspects of the game, which began on day one when four catches were shelled.

With a clear intent on aggression on a pitch becoming increasingly two-paced, the Australians progressed at almost a run a minute after lunch, despite wickets falling at regular intervals.

Carey, who top-scored with 65, built on the platform laid by Head and Webster (63), who fell off the persevering Shamar Joseph.

The right-armer also accounted for Starc and wrapped up the innings when last man Hazlewood was bowled off the inside edge to give the West Indies pacer his fourth five-wicket haul and third against Australia.

By then, though, the task already looked beyond the West Indies, which was confirmed two balls before stumps.

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BARBADOS: West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph gave a strong reply to critics with a fiery four-wicket haul against Australia on the opening day of the first Test here at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday.

The right pacer was on song, which left Australia struggling at 138-6 on day one at the stroke of the tea.

Shamar Joseph’s spell rattled Australia as he dismissed all three in the top order, including Sam Konstas. Later he came back to castle Beau Webster with a peach of a delivery.  The pacer has taken four wickets in his 13 overs so far.

Joseph, who made his Test debut in 2024, was applauded for his outstanding spell against Australia at the Gabba last year.

The right-arm pacer claimed seven wickets in the game to hand West Indies a historic victory on Australian soil.

However, the pacer was out of action for a while due to a toe injury he sustained while facing a deadly inswinging delivery from Mitchell Starc.

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The pacer has now made his red-ball comeback in the first Australia vs West Indies Test in Barbados.

Ahead of the series, Shamar Joseph warned Australia’s young batter Sam Konstas, which did not sit well with the Aussie fans, former cricketers.

“Just look out, that’s all.” Shamar Joseph had warned Sam Konstas ahead of the first Test between the two teams.

Meanwhile, the warning did not sit well with former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy, who criticized Joseph.

“He’s had a terrible year since he went through us at the Gabba. He had this toe that had blown up and didn’t think he could play, he got out of his injury bed after someone said just come down and try it, and then he realised ‘oh you can play with pain.

Shamar has come out today and said to Konstas to just look out and watch what is coming,” he said.

“Ok Shamar well you’ve delivered crap all year. So he better improve, that’s what I’m saying in the dressing room. He’s got real trouble. You’re not Curtly Ambrose, champ.” Ian Healy concluded.

READ: Mitchell Starc on the verge of major milestone in West Indies Test series

BARBADOS: Australia speedster Mitchell Starc is on the verge of achieving a major milestone in the three-match Test series against the West Indies. 

Starc, currently featuring in the Australian playing XI in the ongoing first Test, has 387 scalps to his name in 97 Test matches.

The pacer requires thirteen more wickets to reach the milestone of 400 wickets in Test cricket. With this feat, he will become the second Australian pacer after Glenn McGrath to claim 400 wickets.

Most Test Wickets for Australia

Shane Warne 708 wickets in 108 matches

Glenn McGrath 563 wickets in 124 matches

Nathon Lyon 553 wickets in 137 matches

Mitchell Starc* 387 wickets in 97 matches

In addition to this, Mitchell Starc could also surpass former Australia great Bree Lee’s tally of 718 international wickets in 322 matches. Currently, Starc has 710 wickets to his name in 289 international appearances.

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Moreover, if the 35-year-old features in all three games of the series, he will be the 16th Australian to play 100 Test matches.

At the time of writing this report, Australia were 21-2 in 13 overs. Usman Khawaja (9) and Josh Inglis (5) remained unbeaten in an attempt to steady the innings.

For the West Indies, Shamar Joseph bagged two wickets in the opening burst, removing Sam Konstas and Cameron Green for three runs respectively.

West Indies XI:

Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty,  Brandon King, Roston Chase (c),  Shai Hope (wk),  Justin Greaves,  Jomel Warrican,  Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

Australia XI:

Usman Khawaja,  Sam Konstas, Cameron Green,  Josh Inglis,  Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c),  Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon,  Josh Hazlewood

Schedule For Australia-West Indies Test Series

1st Test: June 25-29, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

2nd Test: July 3-7, National Cricket Stadium, St George’s, Grenada

3rd Test: July 12-16, Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica

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Cameron Green is the “long-term option” to bat at number three for Australia, Pat Cummins said, after the captain named his team for the opening Test against the West Indies in Barbados.

The recalled 19-year-old Sam Konstas will open alongside Usman Khawaja, after it was previously announced that Marnus Labuschagne had been dropped.

“Sammy is obviously an opener, and the available spot for Josh this week is at number four,” added Cummins.

Australia have retained the same bowling attack that played in the defeat to South Africa, with just one specialist spinner in Nathan Lyon.

“We don’t really know what to expect, but it feels like the three quicks are better suited for this wicket,” fast bowler Cummins said.

“I think it’ll be a pretty good wicket with maybe a little bit of spin later on in the game, (but) honestly, I’ve got no idea.”

It’s worth noting that Cameron Green scored only four runs and faced just five balls in the World Test Championship (WTC) final defeat against South Africa this month after being elevated to come in at the fall of the first wicket.

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But Cummins told reporters in Barbados that Green would retain his place in the batting order, with Josh Inglis at number four while Steve Smith recovers from a finger injury.

“We always like to not have too many moving parts,” Cummins said. “We see (Green at three) as a long-term option. He’s hitting the ball really well.”

“He had a Test match where it didn’t go to plan. The message is not to look into that too much.

“We’re really happy with where his game is placed, and I dare say he’ll get a decent run at number three.”

On the other hand, a new-look West Indies will also line up with three quick bowlers in Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.

Roston Chase, who has replaced Kraigg Brathwaite as captain and will be playing his first Test in more than two years, has two spinners at his disposal.

Chase said he hoped the visitors were “still hurting” from Shamar Joseph’s seven-wicket haul in their shock win at Brisbane’s Gabba in January 2024.

The West Indies team contains just four players from the eight-run win at the Gabba and just three survivors from their last Test, against Pakistan in January.

PLAYING XIs

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Brandon King, Roston Chase (capt), Shai Hope, Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

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Veteran opener Usman Khawaja has put retirement speculations to rest, reaffirming his commitment to Australia’s Test side ahead of their two-match series against the West Indies.

The 38-year-old, who is set to return to the top of the order, believes he still has plenty to contribute, not just with the bat but also as a mentor to 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who is expected to partner him at the top following David Warner’s retirement.

“I understand I’m 38 years old, people will always look for an excuse,” Khawaja said while addressing the media in Barbados.

“But I still have a role to play, opening the batting, providing a solid start, and setting up a platform for Australia.”

Khawaja, who formed a successful partnership with Warner across 41 innings, is now eyeing a similar bond with Konstas.

“With young Sammy [Sam Konstas] coming in, it’s an added role for me, helping him through his journey and passing on knowledge,” he said.

“I won’t be around forever, so it’s important to build some stability at the top and guide him while I can. He’s still very young, and it’s exciting to see what he can do.”

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Despite whispers about a dip in form, particularly against seam bowling, Khawaja stood firm, defending his technique and contribution.

Notably, since January 2024, Usman Khawaja averages 25.29 against pace, slightly below the global average of 27.84 for openers.

“I don’t understand how people say I struggle against seam if I’ve scored so many runs in Shield cricket and been Australia’s top scorer in the WTC,” he said.

“As an opener, you face the new ball every time; that’s just the nature of the job. I wish I could face more spin.”

While there’s growing chatter that the Sydney Test at the end of this year’s home Ashes series might be his farewell, Khawaja isn’t in a hurry to draw the curtain on his career.

“I’m not someone saying I want to play another 10 years, it’s about what’s best for the team,” he said.

“I could have stopped two years ago, but I knew I was still contributing. When that changes, everyone will know.”

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Australia’s middle-order batter Travis Head has urged his team to move on from the loss against South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at the iconic Lord’s stadium.

Travis Head remained optimistic about Australia’s chances ahead of their new World Cup Test Championship campaign, which is set to commence on Wednesday with a three-match series against the West Indies.

“There’s added motivation to go out there and play well,” Head said ahead of the first Test in Barbados while admitting that Australia did not play according to expectations against the Proteas.

 

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The southpaw expressed confidence in his team’s chances in the upcoming WTC cycle, stressing the need to move on from the loss.

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“We’ve got two more years to build, and this is another first look at it, so I think if you dwell on it for too long or if you look back, you forget about what’s moving forward,” he said.

“Of course, we care and, of course, it’s not ideal. But at the end of the day you can’t change it. You have to move on. You have to get back on the horse,” Travis Head added.

It is noteworthy to mention that Australia will be without the services of ace batter Steve Smith, who is recovering from a finger injury in New York. In contrast, former No.1 Test-ranked batter Marnus Labuschagne has been axed from the squad due to a slump in form.

Travis Head is now the most experienced middle-order batter in the Test against the West Indies.

They [the pitches] spun a little bit here,” he recalled. “They were pretty slow, but I’ve heard different things, especially with the Dukes and what that brings,” Head said of West Indies pitches on the back of his experience in the Caribbean.

Australia Squad For West Indies Tests

Pat Cummins (c), Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann

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