Tag: australia

SYDNEY: Rock-solid Jacob Bethell plundered a chanceless maiden century on Wednesday as England reeled in Australia, then built a tenuous 119-run lead to leave the fifth and final Ashes Test on a knife-edge.

By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.

The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.

But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the part-time off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.

A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.

Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.

England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.

Remarkably, it was not just Bethell’s maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.

Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions, with the number three position now his to lose.

His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head’s 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith. That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings of 384.

They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough, his 29th wicket for the series.

The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads, and he was out lbw for one.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.

Root, fresh from his first innings of 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser. He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.

But Jacob Bethell proved unmovable. A single off Neser overhauled Australia’s lead soon after tea, and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.

But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.

Jamie Smith’s run-out compounded England’s problems, the wicketkeeper-batter setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald’s throw.

Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.

Earlier, Australia resumed Day 4 at 518-7, with Steve Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century and Webster on 42.

Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.

But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.

Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71. Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.

READ: Star pacer named in New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 squad

SYDNEY: Run-machine Travis Head hit a swashbuckling 163 and Steve Smith a composed unbeaten 129 as Australia built a 134-run lead over England to seize control on day three of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Tuesday.

It was a destructive opener Head’s third ton of the series, to go with the phenomenal match-winning 123 he made in Perth and 170 at Adelaide.

Smith was equally impressive, with his first hundred of the series driving the hosts to 518-7 by stumps at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in reply to England’s 384.

Beau Webster was alongside him on 42 at the close.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

Head brought up three figures off just 105 balls and seemed destined to score 200.

But he came undone in the third over after lunch by the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell, who was bowling for the first time in the series.

In his second over, Bethell trapped the 32-year-old lbw attempting a sweep shot to end a magnificent knock.

Skipper Smith treated Bethell with contempt, launching him for a big six on his way to a 37th Test hundred.

It was Smith’s 13th Ashes century to move past England legend Jack Hobbs. Only Donald Bradman with 19 has more.

Usman Khawaja, in his 88th and last Test after announcing his retirement, fell lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 while Alex Carey made 16 before Josh Tongue enticed an edge.

Nightwatchman Michael Neser made 24 and Cameron Green 37.

Head resumed on 91 and Neser on one after Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48) were out on Monday.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Head clattered an early midwicket boundary off Ben Stokes and reached three figures with his 17th four, crunched through the covers from Tongue, windmilling his bat in celebration.

It was his 12th century and first in Sydney to cement his reputation as one of the game’s most versatile batsmen.

Head only moved to the top of the order in the second innings of the first Test in Perth due to Khawaja’s back injury, but he has made the position his own.

With his hundred secure, he banged three straight fours off Matthew Potts then had a massive let-off on 121 when he pulled Carse and Will Jacks dropped a sitter near the ropes.

Neser ably stuck around for 90 balls to foil England, who wasted their last two reviews on him.

Batting like a top-order batsman, he smacked four boundaries before getting a thin edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Carse.

Smith, on 12, was dropped at leg slip by Zak Crawley but safely made it to lunch and passed 50 with a drive down the ground.

When Khawaja departed, Carey produced a series of textbook strokes before being dismissed in similar fashion to his last two Tests.

Unruffled, Smith slammed Stokes to the ropes for four to put Australia in the lead for the first time and, steely eyed, kept going to yet another stylish century.

All-rounder Green came into the Test under increasing pressure after failing to fire with either bat or ball through the series, with his automatic selection being questioned.

He produced a glorious cover drive and a big six to show flashes of what he can do.

But he then needlessly spooned Carse to Ben Duckett in the deep to throw away his wicket.

READ: PCB unveils fourth qualified bidder for PSL 11 auction

SYDNEY: An imperious Joe Root hit a magnificent 160 to drive England to 384 in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday before Travis Head let rip to haul Australia back into the contest with a quick unbeaten 91.

Root’s superb innings, his 41st ton to match Ricky Ponting, was only ended courtesy of a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Michael Neser, who finished with 4-60.

Australia were left to negotiate the final session of day two at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, which they did for the loss of Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48).

By stumps, the hosts had raced to 166-2 with nightwatchman Neser on one alongside Head.

Weatherald, who needed a big score to stave off the critics, again failed to live up to expectations since making his debut at the first Test in Perth.

He was dropped twice in the space of three balls, by Root and then Ben Duckett, before Ben Stokes trapped him lbw.

But Head, who, like Root, has slammed two centuries in the ongoing Ashes, was in the zone.

He clattered three boundaries off the second over from Matthew Potts, in the side for the injured Gus Atkinson, and there was no let-up, blitzing a quickfire 50 off 55 balls.

Labuschagne was also in good touch, stroking seven boundaries before thick-edging Stokes to Jacob Bethell at gully.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

England resumed at 211-3 but lost Harry Brook (84), Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) before lunch.

Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0), along with Root, departed in the second session.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The day belonged to Root, who started on 72 and reached an almost chanceless century off 146 balls to reaffirm his status as an all-time great.

The 35-year-old had begun the series under pressure after failing to make a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours.

He snapped the drought with an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane, and his exploits in Sydney drew him level third with Australia’s Ponting on the all-time century-makers’ list, with 41.

Only India’s Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test centuries.

Root and Brook came together with England in trouble at 57-3 on Sunday, with both eyeing big centuries on an ideal batting deck.

But Brook only lasted five balls on Monday, adding six to his overnight 78 before dabbing at a Scott Boland delivery and edging into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.

It ended a 169-run partnership, not just England’s best of the series but the biggest by either team, surpassing Head and Alex Carey’s 162 in Adelaide.

Stokes only survived 11 balls before getting the faintest of edges off Mitchell Starc to Carey.

Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22. He began walking off, but replays showed Green overstepped, and it was a no-ball.

He added another 24 before medium-pacer Labuschagne bagged him in his first over.

The run rate slowed significantly after lunch when the new ball was taken, but Root persisted, passing 150 for a 17th time, just one behind the legendary Don Bradman and three short of Tendulkar.

He and Jacks put on 52 for the seventh wicket until Jacks sent a leading edge to Green in the gully off Neser. Root was the ninth man out, and Tongue followed without any addition to the score.

READ: Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record in fifth Ashes Test

Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has awoken from an induced coma following meningitis, ex-teammate Adam Gilchrist said on Sunday in a statement on behalf of Martyn’s family.

Martyn, 54, fell seriously ill last week and was rushed to the hospital.

He was diagnosed with meningitis — an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Now, former wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist provided an update regarding his health, calling his recovery a ‘miracle.’

“It’s been an unbelievable turn of events in the last 48 hours,” Gilchrist said. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment.”

“He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out of the coma to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He remained hopeful of moving the batter out of the ICU amid speedy recovery.

“It has been so positive that they’re hopeful he will be able to move out of the ICU into another part of the hospital, which is representative of what a great recovery it’s been and how quickly it has flipped around.

He’s in good spirits and overwhelmed by the support. There is still some treatment and monitoring to go, but it’s looking positive,” he concluded.

For the unversed, Damien Martyn represented Australia in 67 Tests and 208 ODIs between 1992 and 2006.

He remained part of Australia’s triumph in the 2003 ODI World Cup. The right-hander played a pivotal role in the final against India alongside skipper Ricky Ponting, scoring an unbeaten 88*.

Damien Martyn called time on his international career during the 2006 Ashes and has kept a low profile since.

READ: Bangladesh opts out of T20 World Cup fixtures in India

SYDNEY: Australia’s ace pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are likely to miss the three-match T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Although the ace duo is included in the World Cup squad, the fitness of both bowlers has raised doubts over their participation.

Cummins has made one appearance in the third Ashes Test after recovering from a back injury, while Hazlewood, who was ruled out of the Ashes after the opening match, is recovering from an Achilles injury.

Australia’s chair of selectors, George Bailey expressed confidence over Hazlewood and Tim David’s fitness ahead of the mega event.

“I don’t think they [Cummins and Hazlewood] will be available for the Pakistan series [three T20Is in January], but I think both should be online [for the World Cup],” Bailey told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He shed light on Pat Cummins and stated that the latter could play in the second half of the World Cup just like Travis Head did in the ODI World Cup during 2023.

“Patty might be a bit later; that might be a similar sort of situation to Travis Head in the 50-over World Cup, where there’s an entry point at some point.

Hopefully, we can manage and carry a squad until that point. I think Hoff [Hazlewood] should be right by the start, think Tim David should be right by the start,” he said.

He also revealed that the Big Bash League (BBL) players will also come into consideration for the inclusion in the squad for the Pakistan series.

Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

READ: Anthony Joshua’s driver charged over fatal car crash

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were, on Thursday, named in a spin-heavy provisional squad of Australia for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after their Ashes campaign was ruined by injury.

Test skipper Cummins only played one of the five Ashes Tests against England, in Adelaide, as he slowly recovers from a lower back issue, while Hazlewood (Achilles) missed the entire series.

Cummins will have another scan on his back later this month to determine whether he will be fit for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka beginning on February 7.

Hazlewood and big-hitter Tim David (hamstring) are also on the comeback trail, but are expected to be ready.

“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well, and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup,” chief selector George Bailey said.

“This is a preliminary squad, so should changes need to be made, they will be made ahead of the support period.”

Left-arm spinners Matt Kuhnemann and Cooper Connolly were additions to a largely settled 15-man squad, alongside chief tweaker Adam Zampa and part-timer Glenn Maxwell.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Australia’s group-stage matches are all being played in Sri Lanka, with the expectation of spin-friendly surfaces.

In a surprise, Australia opted against a back-up wicketkeeper for Josh Inglis and no left-arm pace replacement for Mitchell Starc, who has retired from the 20-over game.

The fast-bowling attack is led by Cummins and Hazlewood, along with Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett, plus all-rounders Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis. All are right-handers.

“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success, which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” Bailey added.

Australia open their account on February 11 in Colombo against Ireland.

They will name a separate squad for a T20I series against Pakistan that precedes the World Cup 2026.

Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

READ: Afghanistan announce squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Former Australian Test batter Damien Martyn has been rushed to hospital in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis, media reports said Wednesday.

The 54-year-old, who played 67 Tests between 1992 and 2006 and 208 one-day internationals, was admitted on Boxing Day last week after falling ill while lying down.

Australian media said he was being treated for meningitis, which can be deadly.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

“He is getting the best of treatment,” Test great and close friend Adam Gilchrist told The Australian newspaper.

“Amanda (his partner) and his family know that a lot of people are sending their prayers and best wishes.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann, a long-time teammate of Martyn’s, also sent support.

“Lots of love and prayers… keep strong and fighting, legend. Love to the family,” he wrote on X.

Known as one of the game’s great strokemakers, Damien Martyn became a key figure in Steve Waugh’s all-powerful Australian side, hitting 13 centuries and averaging 46.37.

He was also part of the Australia team that won the 2003 ODI World Cup, cracking 88 not out in the final against India in a match-winning partnership with Ricky Ponting.

He retired in 2006 during the Ashes series and had kept a low profile since.

READ: Shaheen Afridi ruled out of BBL 15 due to injury

MELBOURNE: A fighting England won their first Test in Australia since 2011 on Saturday, restoring their battered pride with a gutsy four-wicket victory to clinch a chaotic fourth Ashes clash that was all over inside two days.

The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of a bumper 92,045 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one.

It left them chasing 175 to win, with Harry Brook (18) and Jamie Smith (three) seeing them home for the loss of six wickets to huge roars from their travelling “Barmy Army” of fans. Jacob Bethell contributed 40 and Zak Crawley 37.

England crashed in the first three Tests and arrived in Melbourne under enormous pressure, amid questions about their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break.

But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test, brimming with confidence.

England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak, play ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style.

Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over, while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls.

They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership, but next ball, Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell.

But England’s pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.

Crawley fell lbw to Scott Boland after a gritty knock, and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja from the same bowler.

Richardson trapped Joe Root (15) lbw, and Starc accounted for Ben Stokes (2), but by then only 10 runs were needed, and Brook and Smith completed the job.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Australia resumed on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.

It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.

With 10 millimetres of grass on the track, it was a bowler’s dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for “doing too much” and being “unfair for the batters”.

Nightwatchman Boland added two to his overnight four, but his time was always going to be limited, and he edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith.

Atkinson left the field soon after clutching what appeared to be his left hamstring.

Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.

Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Stokes for five, leaving a delivery that nipped back.

Travis Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne, but he only made eight, caught by Root in the slips off Tongue.

Head was in good touch before being bowled on 46 by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls, the momentum was back with England.

After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising Stokes ball to Harry Brook at slip.

Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring, and Richardson fell to Stokes with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.

READ: Short Tests are bad for business: Cricket Australia boss after MCG carnage

MELBOURNE: Australia will take an all-pace attack into the Boxing Day Ashes Test, skipper Steve Smith said Thursday, while Josh Inglis was dropped from the squad with selectors preferring Usman Khawaja.

The hosts head into the Boxing Day Test with an unassailable 3-0 lead over England, but are without pace spearhead Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon.

Cummins is being managed after his return in the third Adelaide Test after a lengthy lay off with a lower back injury and will play no further part in the Ashes.

Lyon had surgery this week for a torn hamstring and faces a long recovery.

Todd Murphy was called up as cover for Lyon, but Smith said they had opted for a pace attack given the “quite furry” surface at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

“We’re going to be playing four quicks and no spinner. (The pitch) has 10 millimetres of grass, quite furry, quite green,” he said.

“I dare say it’s going to offer quite a bit, particularly if (day one) is similar conditions to today, quite cold and overcast, so I dare say there’s going to be quite a bit of movement.

“You just got to play what surface you’re presented with,” he added.

“This one looks like it’s going to offer a fair bit of assistance for the seam bowlers, and the weather throughout the week looks conducive for that too.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Australia named a 12-man squad, with a final decision on who leads the attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland being made at the toss.

One of Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, or Brendan Doggett will miss out.

Doggett and Neser played in the second Test in Brisbane, but made way in Adelaide when Cummins and Lyon returned.

Richardson is in his first squad for four years after three shoulder surgeries.

Smith missed the third Test with vertigo symptoms and will slot back in at number four.

Khawaja filled his role in Adelaide, hitting 82 and 40, and slides down to five ahead of Alex Carey and Cameron Green, with Inglis missing out.

Smith, who captained Australia in the first two Tests during Cummins’ absence, said he was fully recovered and feeling “100 percent” fit.

“I was watching in the hotel those first two days (in Adelaide) and wished I could have been out there, but it was the right call at that stage because I was struggling,” he said of his vertigo, an issue that has plagued him before.

Australia squad for fourth Ashes Test

Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson

READ: Delap, Estevao in line for Chelsea return against Aston Villa

England head coach Brendon McCullum is unsure about his future but maintained that the Three Lions are not a ‘finished article’ with two Tests left in the Ashes against Australia.

This comes after England’s 3-0 drubbing in the Ashes series, despite two matches still remaining.

England were unable to put up a fight in the opening three matches, resulting in their fourth series loss down under since their 2011 triumph.

The head coach is unsure about his future ahead of the 2026 England summer, in which they will face New Zealand and Pakistan.

“I don’t know,” he said when questioned about his future with the Three Lions.  “It’s not really up to me, is it?

“I’ll just keep trying to do the job, try to learn the lessons that [we] haven’t quite got right here and try to make some adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He emphasized the goals and fun that come with a bunch of England players, noting that he aims to bring out the best in them.

“It’s a pretty good gig. It’s good fun. You travel the world with the lads and try to play some exciting cricket and try to achieve some things … For me, it’s a matter of trying to just get the very best out of the people and try to achieve what you can with them.”

The 44-year-old mentioned the side’s progress since taking over and stressed that England should play the kind of cricket they have been known for over the past couple of years.

“Those other decisions are up to other people. But from my point of view, I’m enjoying the time that I’ve got with these guys, and I think we’ve made some progress from when I took over to where we are,” McCullum reiterated.

“We’re not the finished article, but I think we’ve definitely improved as a cricket team.

We’ve had an identity about us. Now’s the time for us in the last two Tests to really show that identity and try to salvage something from it,” the head coach concluded.

READ: Shadab powers Sydney Thunder to first win of BBL 15