Tag: australia

ADELAIDE: A pumped-up Australia ripped through England’s fragile batting Thursday to leave the tourists staring down the barrel of a third Test defeat with their Ashes campaign on the brink, barring a miracle.

At stumps on a sweltering day two, England had ground to 213-8, trailing by 158 after Australia added 45 to their overnight 326-8 as temperatures soared to 40 Celsius.

A gutsy Ben Stokes was a weary not out 45 after facing a marathon 151 balls in searing heat with Jofra Archer on 30 in a Test England must win, and on a pitch ideal for batting.

The captain’s mood was not helped by another suspect decision by the Snicko technology, but at least his brave knock, including a blow to the helmet off Mitchell Starc, helped his side avoid the follow-on.

Australia lead the five-match series 2-0 and will retain the urn if they win or draw after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.

Opening pair Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley saw off the early overs from Starc and Pat Cummins.

However, it was a mirage, as England lost three wickets for five runs in a 15-ball blitz, the latest chapter in a familiar tale.

Cummins first tempted an edge from Crawley, on nine, to wicketkeeper Alex Carey in the Australian skipper’s first Test since July after lower back issues.

Then, in a stroke of genius, he brought on spin king Nathan Lyon, who was controversially left out for the pink-ball second Test at the Gabba.

Lyon grabbed two wickets in a sensational opening over, with a hapless Ollie Pope (3) flicking to Josh Inglis at midwicket before he bowled Duckett for 29.

Joe Root edged Scott Boland to Carey, but a review showed it did not carry.

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England’s most experienced player failed to capitalise and was gone in the third over after lunch to Cummins, with Carey collecting another edge.

It was the 12th time Cummins has dismissed Root, more than any other bowler.

With the Ashes on the line, Stokes showed what he called “a bit of dog”, and he barely flinched when a Starc bouncer thudded into the back of his helmet.

But he lost a succession of partners, the first when Cameron Green removed Harry Brook, again caught by Carey.

Jamie Smith departed for 22 when Carey took what Australia claimed was a faint bottom edge off Cummins.

Snicko showed a small spike despite a gap between bat and ball, with Stokes shaking his head in disbelief as Smith trudged off.

Carey’s day one century on his home ground had been shrouded in controversy over a Snicko error when he was on 72 and given not out.

England failed to have the decision overturned on review, with replays showing a noise spike well before the ball reached his bat.

Carey later conceded he likely edged the delivery from Josh Tongue, and the technology operator admitted to an error.

Scott Boland quickly removed Will Jacks (6) and Brydon Carse (0) before Archer dug in with Stokes to see out the day.

Earlier, Starc plundered five quick fours before being bowled by Archer for 54. Lyon and Boland then piled on the pain in a 23-run last-wicket stand before Lyon was trapped lbw for nine by Archer, who ended with 5-53 as Australia posted 371.

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ADELAIDE: Controversy erupted as Australia wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey wrongfully survived a caught behind England review on the opening day of the third Ashes Test here on Wednesday.

Carey hit 106 off 143 balls on his home ground, which kept Australia afloat at stumps as the scorecard read 326-8.

His knock hauled Australia out of trouble after losing two quick wickets in the first over after lunch. However, he could have been out way too early from his landmark.

The left-handed batter survived a caught behind review when he was batting on 72, and the scoreboard read 245-6.

During the second ball of the 62nd over, England appealed for a caught behind and reviewed it straight away, which was eventually turned down by umpire Ahsan Raza.

There was an evident noise as the ball went past Carey’s outside edge, whereas a large spike was also seen on Snicko technology.

However, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney swiftly ruled the not-out decision should be upheld because the Snicko spike showed up before the ball had reached the bat.

Later on, the operator of the Snicko technology, BBG Sports, admitted the mistake that led to Carey’s wrongful survival of an England review.

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Carey, who went on to make 106 having been on 72 at the time of the review, admitted during a press conference after the close that he thought he had edged the delivery.

Later on Wednesday, BBG Sports, the company that owns Snicko, accepted culpability for the mistake.

Notably, the sound used for the review was taken from the stump microphone at the bowlers’ end rather than the striker’s end, which caused a discrepancy between the pictures and the sound wave shown to TV umpire Chris Gaffaney.

“Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this, is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing,” BBG Sports said.

“In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error,” it added.

For the unversed, the decision review system (DRS) technology, which is mandatory in ICC World Test Championship matches, is provided by the host TV broadcaster for the home team.

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ADELAIDE: A composed Alex Carey slammed a majestic 106 on his home ground, and Usman Khawaja hit a defiant 82 on Wednesday to put Australia in the driving seat of the third Ashes Test against England.

Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as temperatures topped 36 Celsius at Adelaide Oval, the hosts were 326-8 at stumps on day one after the shock news of Steve Smith being ruled out with illness.

Mitchell Starc was not out 33 at Stumps, and Nathan Lyon was yet to score.

A tireless Jofra Archer ended with 3-29 on a tough day toiling in the field.

Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes if they win or draw, after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.

Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was named in the side. He was on the field during the morning warm-up but left 20 minutes before the toss, shaking his head.

His absence gave an unexpected chance for Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and was overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, with many fearing it spelt the end of his career.

Khawaja, who missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, grabbed his chance in a stoic knock after being handed a reprieve when dropped on five.

He was eventually out just before tea, slog-sweeping to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.

Carey picked up the mantle, first alongside Josh Inglis (32), then Pat Cummins (13), and latterly Starc, who once more showed his prowess with the bat.

He hit eight fours and a six in his third Test century, bringing up the milestone in front of family, friends and 56,298 fans — the biggest cricket crowd ever at the venue.

A blistering first over after lunch from Archer had left Australia reeling. He removed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball after the interval.

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Two deliveries later, Cameron Green was gone, with Brydon Carse collecting catches at midwicket to dismiss both.

Inglis and Cummins also fell in the final session to Tongue and Carse, respectively. Weatherald was earlier out for 18 and Head for 10.

Players from both teams were wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

A moment of silence was held before the game, with security tightened at a packed Adelaide Oval where flags were flying at half-mast.

Weatherald was in fine early touch, clobbering a series of boundaries from Carse, who was too short and wide.

But the opener’s gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer, who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Head followed next over, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left at short cover off a fuller ball from Carse.

That brought Khawaja to the crease, and he was fortunate to survive when Harry Brook dropped a sitter at second slip.

Labuschagne lobbed an easy catch to Carse on their return, then incredibly Green repeated the feat in the softest of dismissals.

Khawaja brought up his 28th Test 50 to big cheers, but his bid for a first century since his 232 against Sri Lanka, nearly two years ago, was dashed.

Alex Carey had a life on 52 when Carse put down a difficult chance in the covers, and the 34-year-old made the most of it.

He kept the scoreboard ticking over to reach his hundred before top-edging Jacks to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith late in the day.

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ADELAIDE: Australia’s Steve Smith was ruled out of the third Ashes Test against England just before it started on Wednesday with vertigo symptoms, but is expected to be available for the Boxing Day clash in Melbourne.

Smith, who captained the team to emphatic eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, missed training on Monday, citing illness, but batted on Tuesday and was initially named in the starting XI.

He was on the field at Adelaide Oval but walked off 20 minutes before the toss, shaking his head after a chat with coach Andrew McDonald.

“Over the past few days, he has been feeling unwell, with symptoms including nausea and dizziness,” Cricket Australia (CA) said.

“He was assessed and monitored closely and was close to being available to play. However, given the persistence of symptoms, a decision was made not to proceed.”

The governing body said Smith was being treated for “a potential vestibular issue”, which is essentially vertigo, a problem he has suffered from before.

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“This is something Steve has experienced intermittently in the past and is being managed accordingly,” Cricket Australia added. “He is expected to be available for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.”

Steve Smith has long been Australia’s middle-order rock, a player with 36 Test centuries and more than 10,000 runs, and his absence is a huge blow.

It handed a lifeline to 85-Test veteran Usman Khawaja, who had been axed as opener with selectors opting to stick with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald.

Khawaja came in for Smith at four and was 41 not out at lunch with Australia reaching 94-2.

“Pretty lucky we’ve got someone like Uzzie (Khawaja) who can step right in,” said skipper Pat Cummins, who won the toss and chose to bat.

Smith’s absence capped a dramatic build-up to the third Test in which Australia is chasing an unassailable 3-0 series lead and England is battling to keep the Ashes alive.

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Fit-again opener Usman Khawaja was left out of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide starting Wednesday as skipper Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon were named in Australia’s Playing XI.

Khawaja, who turns 39 this month, had back spasms and failed to open in the first Test victory against England in Perth, then was ruled out injured for the second in Brisbane.

He has since recovered, but selectors opted to stick with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald at the top of the order, leaving the 85-Test veteran’s international future in grave doubt.

Asked if there was a way back for Khawaja, who has been on a lean run of form, Cummins replied: “Yeah, potentially.

“I think the selectors have been quite adamant we’re picking a side each week that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s got to be exactly the same team as the previous week.

“We do that with the bowlers, this week obviously Nathan Lyon’s coming back in, he missed last week.

“One of Uzzie’s (Khawaja) great strengths is [that] he has scored runs at the top, he scored runs in the middle,” he added.

“If we didn’t think he’d be good enough to come straight in, then he wouldn’t be here in the squad. So absolutely, I can see a path back at some point if needed.”

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As expected, Pat Cummins returns after missing the first two Tests with a back injury and will lead the attack alongside the outstanding Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.

Veteran spin king Nathan Lyon is also back after being axed in preference for an all-pace attack at the Gabba, with Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser making way.

Cummins said he was firing on all cylinders and raring to go.

“If I played in Brisbane, I would have probably been in limited overs, but this week it’s just go and play like any other Test match,” he said.

“It’s been fantastic to watch,” he added of the series. “I think it’s lived up to the hype, captivating every session.

“I’ve loved it and itching to get out there. The boys have been fantastic, Steve (Smith) has led brilliantly, and I feel like I’m coming into a pretty settled and happy side.

“Couldn’t have gone any better from our point of view.”

Australia Playing XI for third Ashes Test

Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

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England paceman Gus Atkinson was axed, with Josh Tongue replacing him in the playing XI for the third Ashes Test against Australia in Adelaide starting Wednesday as the tourists fight to stay alive in the series.

It was England’s only change, with off-spinner Will Jacks keeping his place ahead of Shoaib Bashir.

Atkinson struggled in eight-wicket defeats at Perth and Brisbane, clobbered for 236 with just three wickets to show for it.

Tongue was named Monday for his seventh Test to complement a pace attack led by Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and skipper Ben Stokes.

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Bashir was considered England’s number one spinner leading into the tour, but he was overlooked in an all-pace attack for Perth, then Jacks got the nod in Brisbane.

Jacks only bowled 11.3 overs at the Gabba, taking 1-34, but was composed with the bat, cracking a gritty 41 in the second innings in a 96-run stand with Stokes.

England kept their same top seven, with the under-performing Ollie Pope fending off Jacob Bethell to retain his place at number three.

England Playing XI for third Ashes Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue

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Australia captain Pat Cummins is in line to return for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide after being named in a 15-man squad on Wednesday.

Cummins is the only addition to an otherwise unchanged squad from Brisbane, where Australia won by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

The 32-year-old Cummins has been sidelined since the tour to the West Indies in July with a lower back injury.

“We feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as can be,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said.

Under-pressure veteran opener Usman Khawaja, who did not play in the second Test because of a back injury, kept his place in the squad for the match, which begins at the Adelaide Oval on December 17.

Josh Inglis replaced the injured left-hander in the team for the second Test, but batted in the middle order with Travis Head moving up to open alongside Jake Weatherald.

McDonald did not rule out a fit-again Khawaja moving down the order if the dynamic Head opens again on his home Adelaide Oval wicket.

Khawaja batted at five in the fourth Test of the 2021-22 Ashes, making a century in each innings, 137 and 101 not out, in a drawn match at Sydney.

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“Uzzie should be fit and available, and then we will work out our batting order based on the surface,” McDonald said.

“The assumption is that (Khawaja) can only open as well. He does have flexibility.

“We like to think that all our batters have the flexibility to be able to perform anywhere in that order.”

Veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who has 562 Test wickets, is likely to return after being dropped at the Gabba for the first time in 12 years at home when Australia opted for an all-seam attack.

If Cummins also plays it means that only one of Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett will keep their place alongside Mitchell Starc in the pace attack.

Starc, who is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 18, was reported fit by McDonald after suffering what the coach termed a “left side niggle” while making 77 with the bat in Australia’s first innings in Brisbane.

After Adelaide, the series moves on to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, with the fifth and final match in Sydney starting on January 4.

Australia squad for third Test

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

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Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was on Tuesday ruled out of the rest of the Ashes 2025 against England following an injury setback.

Coach Andrew McDonald told reporters that Hazlewood, who missed the first two Tests, had suffered problems in recovering from hamstring and Achilles injuries and would sit out the remaining three matches.

“Really flat for him. A couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming,” McDonald said. “We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. But really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity.”

Josh Hazlewood will now aim to be fully fit for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, which begins in February.

Fellow fast bowler Pat Cummins looks certain to return as captain when Australia look to wrap up the series in next week’s third Test in Adelaide.

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The 32-year-old Cummins has been sidelined since the tour to the West Indies in July with a lower back injury.

McDonald said that Cummins had come through a match-like workload in training last week and was ready to play.

“This is something we’ve done with Pat before with longish layoffs, where we’ve put some time and effort into rebuilding his body,” said McDonald.

“He simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spells. So we feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as can be.”

Mitchell Starc, who leads the bowling charts with 18 wickets in the first two Tests, had battled a left side niggle at the Gabba but would be fit for Adelaide, said McDonald.

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BRISBANE: Australia skipper Steve Smith and England fast bowler Jofra Archer were involved in a heated altercation during the second Ashes Test here at the Gabba on Sunday.

Smith propelled Australia over the line with an unbeaten 23 off just nine balls, which was laced with two sixes and two fours, including two boundaries and a maximum in Archer’s over.

With this, Australia took a 2-0 lead in the Ashes, defeating England by eight wickets in a commanding all-round display.

However, things got heated. Smith took on Archer, who was bowling at 150km/h. The right-hander hit a four off the first off Archer and missed the next ball in a bid to hit an uppercut.

 

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After this, both exchanged words with the pacer, asking Smith why he was playing shots when there was nothing on the scoreboard.

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“Why play your shots when there’s no rush on the scoreboard?” Archer had asked Smith.

The ace batter gave a cheeky reply, “You bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion.”

Archer did not bowl another over, as Smith launched Gus Atkinson over deep square leg for six before an animated celebration with Weatherald.

After the match, Smith commented on the spat and explained the reason behind his aggressive approach.

“I heard there’s a bit of a storm coming around. We obviously had a few behind us. It was a chance to just play a few shots,” he said.

“The adrenaline was pumping at the end there. Obviously, we didn’t need too many to win, and Jof was bowling pretty quick.

I had a short boundary behind me, and I thought, ‘Why not just try to get up and under a few, and put a few in the stands?’ Fortunately, it hit the middle of the bat on a couple of occasions,” Smith explained.

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BRISBANE: Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith took three catches on day four of the second Ashes Test to equal former India great Rahul Dravid’s record for most catches in Test cricket.

Steve not only demonstrates his prowess with the bat but is also an excellent fielder.

Earlier today, Smith grabbed three catches, which helped Australia bowl out England for 241. Smith first took a blinder at slips of Will Jacks to break the threatening stand.

Later on, he took Gus Atkinson’s catch at mid-wicket, followed by the final catch of Brydon Carse, which wrapped up the Three Lions innings.

With this, the 36-year-old equalled Rahul Dravid’s record of 210 catches in Test cricket, and he is now only trailing behind England ace Joe Root.

Most catches for a fielder in Tests

213 – Joe Root

210 – Steve Smith

210 – Rahul Dravid

205 – Mahela Jayawardene

Additionally, Smith also surpassed Greg Chappell’s long-standing record of taking the most catches at home against a single opponent.

Most catches at home against an opponent in Tests

39 – Steve Smith vs ENG in Australia

38 – Greg Chappell vs ENG in Australia

32 – Rahul Dravid vs AUS in India

31 – Alastair Cook vs IND in England

For the unversed, All-round Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser’s five-wicket haul helped Australia romp to an eight-wicket victory in the second Test to go 2-0 up in the Ashes series against England here at the Gabba on Sunday.

Australia comprehensively chased down a mere target of 65 runs in 10 overs with skipper Steve Smith remaining unbeaten on 23 from nine balls laced with two sixes and two fours.

The home side outplayed the visitors in every department of the game and took a 2-0 lead. On the contrary, the only silver lining for England was Joe Root, who hit an unbeaten 138 in the first innings.

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