Tag: australia

Incessant afternoon rain forced an early end to day three of the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka on Friday, with the visitors leading by 518 and former home skipper Dinesh Chandimal waging a lone battle on 63.

Sri Lanka were 136-5 by lunch in Galle, with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis also at the crease on 10, after losing two more wickets from their overnight 44-3.

The break was called early and players were kept off the pitch through the afternoon, with officials calling an end 90 minutes before the scheduled finish.

Kamindu Mendis departed for 15 after an edge to the keeper off Mitchell Starc, further denting the Bradman-like average he maintained at the start of his Test comeback last year.

Captain Dhananjaya de Silva looked comfortable before rushing down the track to Matthew Kuhnemann and missing the ball completely, gifting Alex Carey a regulation stumping and leaving for 22.

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Left-arm speedster Starc expertly created rough patches outside the off stump, while Nathan Lyon relentlessly probed away from the other end.

Dinesh Chandimal, who was promoted to the crucial number three position last year and has since averaged over 50, stood firm despite the uphill battle to avoid the follow-on.

Australia declared on 654-6 late on the second day after opener Usman Khawaja’s career-best 232.

The opening day saw stand-in skipper Steve Smith join the elite club of 10,000 career Test run-makers, the fifteenth player and fourth Australian to reach the milestone.

Picturesque Galle will also host the second and final match of the series next week before a two-match ODI series in Colombo.

READ: Asad Shafiq clears air on Pakistan’s opening pair for Champions Trophy 2025

Australia had Sri Lanka three down after opener Usman Khawaja first double century and a ton on debut by Josh Inglis helped the tourists to 654-6 declared in the first match on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were 44-3 by stumps on day two at Galle with senior batter Dinesh Chandimal, on nine, and Kamindu Mendis, on 13, on guard until rain stopped play.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck first to have Oshada Fernando lbw and soon pace spearhead Mitchell Starc got Dimuth Karunaratne caught at gully. Both batsmen made seven.

Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon then sent back former skipper Angelo Mathews out for eight with Travis Head taking a diving catch at short leg.

Khawaja’s 266-run third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith, who hit 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs, stood out after Australia elected to bat first at the start of the two-match series.

It was the first time the tourists had breached the 600-run mark in Sri Lanka, surpassing their previous Asian high of 617, posted in Pakistan in 1980.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey was unbeaten on 46 with Starc on 19 when Smith declared the first innings in the final session.

Inglis made it count when he walked in after Smith departed on 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs.

He made 102 and with Khawaja kept up the batting surge in a 146-run stand to tire out the opposition attack.

“Hasn’t sunk in yet,” Inglis told reporters. “Nice to get the team into a very strong position.

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“Obviously having played in the sub-continent helps. The training camp in Dubai was really key. We were able to work out our individual plans. If you see all our guys had clear plans.”

Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya broke the partnership to get Khawaja caught behind as the opener walked back after 352 balls that included 16 fours and one six.

Inglis reached his ton off 90 balls as he jumped in delight and punched the air.

But he got out in the next over as he gave away a catch to short cover off Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya and fellow spinner Jeffrey Vandersay took three wickets each as Sri Lanka toiled for 154 overs.

“The surface didn’t change much. They were bowling better lines and a bit quicker and that was the difference,” said Vandersay.

“Australia has a mammoth total on the board. We just need to bat long as possible and keep focusing on building partnerships and take one session at a time.”

The tourists resumed on 330-2 as overnight batsmen Khawaja and Smith frustrated the opposition attack on a sunny morning.

Khawaja took a single off Jayasuriya to reach 200 as he removed his helmet, raised his bat and dropped down to kiss the turf while teammates and fans stood up to applaud.

His previous best was an unbeaten 195 against South Africa in 2023 at Sydney and he is now the first batter from Australia to make a double ton in Sri Lanka.

He silenced his critics who questioned his future after his recent lean patch with just one fifty in the last 15 innings coming into this week’s Test.

READ: Ricky Ponting leaves Virat Kohli out of ‘best of the generation’ debate

Steve Smith stood unbeaten on 104 after crossing 10,000 Test runs and helped Australia pummel Sri Lanka alongside fellow centurion Usman Khawaja on day one of the opening Test on Wednesday.

Australia reached 330-2 in 81.1 overs when rain stopped play for the day after the tourists elected to bat first in Galle at the start of the two-match series.

Left-handed opener Khawaja, on 147, and skipper Smith put on an unbeaten stand of 195 to thwart the opposition attack in two wicketless afternoon sessions.

Milestone man Smith got three runs off Nishan Peiris to reach his third ton in four matches as he took off his baggy green and raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd’s cheers.

Steve Smith took the crease in the first session with 9,999 runs and calmly nudged his very first delivery to mid-on for a single off Prabath Jayasuriya.

He became the 15th batsman to 10,000 Test runs and only the fourth Australian to achieve the feat after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

Australia captain survived an early reprieve in his knock when Jayasuriya grassed a sharp return catch in the same over, a chance Sri Lanka would come to rue. He made the hosts pay dearly, crafting a sublime 35th Test century.

Usman Khawaja reached his 16th Test hundred -– his maiden ton on Sri Lankan soil -– after a 17-match drought since his Ashes century in June 2023.

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The ton came with a flick off fast bowler Asitha Fernando to the fine leg boundary, a stroke brimming with elegance and relief.

The 38-year-old had a few heart-in-mouth moments when a couple of edges fell just short of fielders and a reprieve on 74 when he nicked Jayasuriya to the keeper, but Sri Lanka chose not to review the on-field decision.

Another opportunity slipped through Sri Lanka’s fingers with Smith on 90 as Kusal Mendis, slow to react behind the stumps, spilled a bat-pad chance.

Earlier, Travis Head smashed 57 off 40 balls including 10 fours and one six to put Sri Lanka on the back foot right away.

Head, who replaced 19-year-old Sam Konstas as an opener for the Test, put on 92 runs with fellow left-hander Khawaja.

The hosts finally found a breakthrough when Head misfired an ambitious charge against Jayasuriya only to find the long-on fielder.

Jeffrey Vandersay had Marnus Labuschagne caught at first slip for 20 with his left-arm spin.

With three specialist spinners in the Australian XI, the tourists hold all the aces, especially with the pitch expected to deteriorate as the game progresses.

READ: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Amir look back at Champions Trophy 2017 victory

Afghanistan announced their squad for next month’s ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, with prolific opener Ibrahim Zadran returning after an injury lay-off but spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman missing out.

The country’s performance in white-ball cricket has been strong recently — finishing sixth in the ICC ODI World Cup in 2023 and reaching the semi-final in last year’s T20 World Cup.

This will be the first time Afghanistan participate in the eight-nation Champions Trophy, staged between February 19 and March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

“Zadran, who was away from action due to an ankle injury, has returned to the squad,” said a statement from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

“However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman misses out on the selection, as AM Ghazanfar, a similar mystery spinner, has made the cut for the mega event.”

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Rahman was left out because “he has been advised by his doctor to focus on T20s for a while to ensure his full recovery”, added acting ACB chief selector Ahmad Suliman Khil.

But the ACB said that the fast-rising opener Sediqullah Atal did secure a place in the squad.

Afghanistan beat England and Pakistan in the ODI World Cup and Australia and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup.

The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

Afghanistan will kick off their Champions Trophy campaign with a clash against South Africa in Karachi on February 21, before they face England and Australia in Lahore.

Afghanistan squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.

READ: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood return to Australia squad for Champions Trophy

Skipper Pat Cummins and injured paceman Josh Hazlewood were named in the squad of Australia for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, in Pakistan next month.

Cummins opted out of the Sri Lanka series, which is set to commence later this month, due to the birth of his second child. He is also reportedly carrying a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Hazlewood was included in the two-time tournament winners’ preliminary 15-man line-up after calf and side strains restricted him to just two Tests during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India over the summer.

While they return, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dumped, paying the price for his poor recent form after opening for Australia during their most recent one-day series against Pakistan.

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“This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” said chief selector George Bailey.

“It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on the opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”

The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

Australia squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Pat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

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AUCKLAND: New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Sunday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled in Pakistan, with India playing their matches in Dubai.

Seasoned players Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson were recalled to form an experienced New Zealand squad to contest the Champions Trophy.

The aforementioned three players were unavailable for the recently concluded home ODI series against Sri Lanka because of offshore T20 commitments.

Batters Williamson and Conway have been playing in South Africa’s T20 league while pace bowler Ferguson is involved in Australia’s Big Bash competition.

Ben Sears was also selected for the ICC tournament co-hosted by Pakistan and UAE, having missed the 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka with a knee injury.

It will be the first senior ICC event for Sears and fellow pace bowlers Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith.

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Coach Gary Stead will oversee a squad he said also boasted experience and depth.

“We’re currently blessed with a lot of quality players and that certainly made for some challenging selection discussions,” Stead said.

Spin bowler Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand at a major event for the first time, after being named full-time white ball captain in December.

Santner, former skipper Williamson and wicketkeeper Tom Latham were all part of the New Zealand squad for the last edition of the Champions Trophy, in England and Wales in 2017.

New Zealand will contest the tournament’s opening match against Pakistan in Karachi on February 19, followed by pool games against Bangladesh and India.

New Zealand squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Mitchell Santner (c), Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke

READ: Shakib Al Hasan dropped as Bangladesh announce squad for Champions Trophy

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, with veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan missing out.

The all-rounder was recently banned from bowling in competitions governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). This decision came on the heels of an independent re-assessment of his bowling action revealing concerns over the legality of his deliveries.

Although Shakib Al Hasan remained eligible to participate as a specialist batter, the Bangladeshi selectors opted to exclude him.

Moreover, Bangladesh will also be lacking the services of another veteran player, Tamim Iqbal, who recently retired from international cricket, despite having been approached by the team’s white-ball captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, along with other key figures within the squad, urging him to reconsider.

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However, experienced players such as wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim and all-rounder Mahmudullah have secured their places in the contingent, bringing their wealth of knowledge and skill to the mix.

The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

Bangladesh are placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan and New Zealand. They will play their opening game in the tournament against India in Dubai on February 20.

Bangladesh squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.

READ: Tamim Iqbal retires from international cricket again

Australia recalled opener Nathan McSweeney and called up all-rounder Cooper Connolly on Thursday for the first time in a spin-heavy Test squad under the captaincy of Steve Smith for the tour of Sri Lanka.

Regular skipper Pat Cummins stays home for the birth of his second child while fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is rested after picking up a calf injury.

Meanwhile, out-of-form all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who was dropped from the fifth Test against India, remained out of favour for the series.

McSweeney was axed after just three matches for the fourth India Test after failing to justify his inclusion at the top of the order and replaced by fearless 19-year-old Sam Konstas.

Both opening batters are included in the Australia squad for the two Tests against Sri Lanka in Galle beginning on January 29.

Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy have been included to join Test regular Nathan Lyon as specialist spinners.

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Connolly, 21, is in line to make his Test debut, with selectors prizing his ability to bowl left-arm offspin, an asset on Sri Lanka’s turning pitches.

“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions players may be presented with,” selector George Bailey said. “This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets we may encounter in each match.”

After an impressive debut in the final Test against India in Sydney, all-rounder Beau Webster retains his place over the out-of-favour Marsh, as selectors looked to inject some youth into the touring party.

“We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the squad members who are at the start of their Test careers to continue to grow their games in subcontinent conditions, where we have a number of important tours in coming years,” Bailey said.

Australia have recently defeated India 3-1 in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.

Australia Test squad for Sri Lanka Tour

Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

READ: Martin Guptill announces retirement from international cricket

Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday advocated for a two-tier structure in Test cricket with relegation and promotion to ensure the survival of the red-ball game.

His comments follow the blockbuster fourth Test between India and Australia that drew a record 373,691 spectators to the Melbourne Cricket Ground over five enthralling days.

That beat the previous record of 350,534 at the same ground during the 1936-37 Ashes series against England, when Donald Bradman ruled the sport and Tests were played over six days.

Shastri, now a commentator, said he could not remember “a bigger advertisement for Test cricket” and said it proved the five-day game continued to hold its own in the face of ever-increasing T20 franchise cricket.

But the 62-year-old said it also reinforced his view that for Test cricket to survive, the biggest teams needed to be playing each other more often.

“To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving,” he said in a column for The Australian newspaper.

“It was also a sound reminder to the ICC (International Cricket Council) that the best should play the best for Test cricket to survive. I will say that there’s too much of a clutter otherwise.

“This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing.”

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The ICC has been contemplating a two-tier system for years to keep the format competitive but the plans have never got off the ground.

A proposal for a de facto premier league featuring the top seven sides was on the agenda of the world governing body in 2016. It was scrapped after the powerful Indian board led a backlash.

While India stand to gain from playing more matches against teams such as England and Australia, the BCCI said at the time the cost to smaller cricketing nations was too great.

Ravi Shastri also said the Melbourne game proved that Tests should remain five days, amid chatter that they should be reduced to four to help streamline schedules.

“The theatre in the end on (day five) Monday was further proof of why we need five days for a classic Test match,” he said.

“However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day.

“Then there’ll always be talk of four-day Tests.”

Australia won the Test by 184 runs deep into day five and lead the series 2-1 heading into the final clash in Sydney this week.

READ: ‘He is some player,’ Harsha Bhogle heaps high praise on THIS Pakistani all-rounder

MELBOURNE: India suffered a major blow to their chances of qualifying for the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) after suffering a thumping defeat in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia here on Monday.

India bundled for 155 with just 12.5 overs left in the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as Australia claimed a thrilling 184-run victory to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

Despite the heavy defeat, India are still in contention for a spot in the WTC final next year at Lord’s. Currently ranked No. 3 on the points table, India holds a Percentage of Points (PCT%) of 52.78, leaving them with a glimmer of hope.

To secure their qualification, India must triumph over Australia in the crucial fifth Test match, which is set to commence on January 3, 2025, at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

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However, India will also need Sri Lanka to achieve victory over Australia in their two-match Test series, scheduled to begin on January 29, 2025, in Galle. A series win for Sri Lanka by either 2-0 or 1-0 would be essential for India’s chances.

If everything falls into place, India could conclude the WTC 2023-25 cycle with a PCT% of 55.26. In this scenario, Australia’s maximum PCT% could rise to 53.51, while Sri Lanka could finish with a maximum of 53.85 PCT%.

However, if India fails to secure a win in the fifth Test against Australia, they would be out of the race for the WTC final, even in case of a draw.

Furthermore, if India manages to overcome Australia in Sydney yet Australia still manages to win at least one Test in their series against Sri Lanka, India would still fall short of qualification.

Meanwhile, South Africa have made history on Sunday by clinching their first-ever place in the WTC final. This achievement came after a thrilling victory over Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test of their two-match series in Centurion.

READ: Mohammad Abbas achieves historic feat after heroics in first South Africa Test