Tag: england vs australia

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday sanctioned both Australia and England for slow over rates during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

“Australia and England have lost two points from their World Test Championship tally after they were found guilty of maintaining slow over rates during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston,” said ICC in a statement.

The players from both sides were also fined 40 percent of their match fees.

Andy Pycroft of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after both teams were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Australia captain Pat Cummins and England counterpart Ben Stokes accepted the sanctions, meaning there was no need for formal hearings.

The sanctions see Australia lose two World Test Championship points, leaving Cummins’ side with a total of 10 points after their first Test of the new cycle.

England are also deducted two points, meaning they are behind all eight of their rivals in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle.

Cummins’ Australia beat India to win the WTC23 crown at The Oval earlier this month, and the current Ashes series is the first of six series that will determine Australia’s qualification chances for the next WTC Final – scheduled to be held at Lord’s in London in June 2025.

Both Australia and India were penalised for slow over rates in the WTC23 Final.

In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, sides are penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points will be deducted from both teams’ points total.

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Australia captain Pat Cummins led his side to a dramatic two-wicket win over England in the first Test at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

The Ashes holders were 209-7, still 72 runs shy of a victory target of 281, when fast bowler Pat Cummins came in to bat after first-innings century-maker Usman Khawaja fell for a painstaking 65.

And after Alex Carey was out to leave Australia 227-8, the tourists still required another 54 more runs.

But Cummins and Nathan Lyon’s unbroken stand of 55 saw Australia home in a match to rival the tension of England’s two-run win in a celebrated 2005 Ashes clash at Edgbaston.

Pat Cummins, who finished on 44 not out, hit the winning boundary when he edged Ollie Robinson to third man where a diving Harry Brook knocked the ball over the rope.

Lyon, whose missed run out contributed to England’s stunning one-wicket win at Headingley in the drawn 2019 Ashes series in England, was 16 not out.

The victory left World Test champions Australia 1-0 up in the five-match series as they bid for a first Ashes campaign win in England in 22 years.

Pat Cummins had promised Australia would stick with their traditional game rather than get caught up in the hype surrounding England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach.

“One of the beauties of this series is the totally contrasting styles,” Cummins said after the nail-biting win.

“We both played to our strengths. You don’t necessarily know which style is better but it makes for good entertainment.”

Australia’s method was exemplified by player of the match Khawaja, with Cummins saying: “He showed composure in both innings, playing at his own pace, playing his own method and didn’t get caught up in anything else.”

This was just England’s third defeat in 14 Tests under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

England were left to rue a series of missed chances throughout the match, none more so than when Lyon was dropped on just two by Stokes at square leg, after the skipper failed to hold a one-handed diving chance from a pull off Stuart Broad as he hit the turf.

Stokes had made a surprising decision to declare before stumps on the first day at 393-8.

But the unrepentant all-rounder told the BBC: “Scoring 390 and then being able to declare sends a message to Australia about how we want to take them on…

“We’ve managed to stand up to Australia and being in control for most of it makes it hurt a little bit more that we’ve lost, but there are four more games left.”

After Tuesday’s morning session was washed out by rain, Australia resumed on 107-3 with veteran seamer Broad having removed Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen, late on Monday’s fourth day.

But Khawaja was still there on 34 not out as the 36-year-old opener became only the second Australian, after Kim Hughes at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all five days of a Test.

After nightwatchman Scott Boland fell to Broad, spinner Moeen Ali, struggling with a finger injury, struck on his Birmingham home ground.

Moeen’s first ball of the day, a rank long hop, was pulled for four by Travis Head.

But his fifth was a classic off-spinning delivery to the left-hander, taking the outside edge on its way to Joe Root at slip as a near capacity crowd erupted in celebration.

Australia reached tea at 183-5 but were quickly reduced to 192-6 when Robinson had all-rounder Cameron Green (28) chopping on to end a stand of 49 with Khawaja.

Meanwhile, Stokes, capable of swinging the old ball at a lively pace, brought himself on to bowl as the floodlights came on.

Stokes struck when he had Khawaja, who made 141 in Australia’s first innings, chopping on to end a 197-ball stay.

Part-time off-spinner Root dropped two tough and caught bowled chances offered by Carey and Cummins.

But he made no mistake with a third chance as he clung on to remove Carey for 20.

Pat Cummins, however, reignited Australia’s pursuit by launching Root for two straight sixes before finishing the job himself.

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England’s Stuart Broad took two late wickets to pile pressure on Australia as the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston headed for a dramatic finish.

Australia were making steady progress at 78-1 in pursuit of a victory target of 281 when veteran paceman Stuart Broad removed both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith — the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen — to leave the Ashes holders 89-3.

At stumps on Monday, the World Test champions were 107-3, still needing a further 174 runs to win on Tuesday’s final day.

Usman Khawaja, who ended his decade-long wait for an Ashes hundred in England with 141 in Australia’s first-innings 386, was 34 not out.

And that meant the left-handed opener was set to become only the second Australian, after Kim Hughes against England at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all five days of a Test.

Usman Khawaja, however, should have been out to just the fifth ball of the innings when he edged James Anderson but neither wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow or first slip Joe Root moved for the catch.

Usman Khawaja and fellow opener David Warner then settled in on a pitch previously labelled “soulless” by Broad.

But the breakthrough England needed came when Warner fell for 36, with Ollie Robinson’s superb seaming delivery taking the outside edge on its way to Bairstow.

Labuschagne, out for a golden duck in the first innings, reverse-swept fours off successive deliveries from off-spinner Moeen Ali.

Stuart Broad, however, proved his undoing on 13 when he poked outside off stump and was caught behind.

Smith fell in similar fashion for just six to the raucous delight of the crowd.

Australia sent in Scott Boland rather than specialist batsman Travis Head and the nightwatchman survived 19 balls to reach 13 not out at stumps.

Earlier, Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon took four wickets each in England’s second-innings 273.

There were times when England looked as if they might build an impregnable lead.

But their desire to bat in the aggressive ‘Bazball’ style that has proved destructive to opponents in a run of 11 wins in 13 Tests cost them several wickets on this occasion.

England were also up against an impressive attack, fast bowler Cummins leading the way with 4-63 and off-spinner Lyon taking 4-80.

Lyon’s haul included the key scalps of Root and Harry Brook, both out for 46, as he closed in on 500 Test wickets.

England had resumed on 28-2, with both Ollie Pope and Root, who made an unbeaten 118 in the hosts’ first-innings 393-8 declared, yet to get off the mark.

Root signalled his intentions from the very first delivery, when he failed to make contact with an audacious reverse scoop off Cummins, the ball just missing his off stump.

The former England skipper was undaunted and reverse-ramped seamer Boland for six in the next over.

But Cummins hit back when he bowled Pope (14) with a thunderbolt yorker that left England 77-3.

Lyon made the breakthrough when the advancing Root slogged and missed, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey completing a neat legside dismissal as the star batsman was stumped for the first time in his Test career.

Australia were then rewarded for keeping Brook tied down when he miscued a pull off Lyon to Labuschagne.

Stokes also fell in the 40s, lbw to Cummins for 43.

Australia were now into England’s tail but the last two wickets added 44 runs before Robinson holed out in the deep off Cummins.

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Joe Root ended his Ashes century-drought as England made 393-8 before skipper Ben Stokes’s bold declaration on the opening day of the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston on Friday.

England were in danger of squandering the advantage of winning the toss on a good pitch as they fell to 176-5 after losing two wickets in quick succession.

But former England captain Joe Root was 118 not out — the 32-year-old’s first Ashes hundred in eight years and 17 Tests — when Ben Stokes called a halt to give his side 20 minutes’ bowling against Australia before the close.

In the corresponding Ashes campaign four years ago, Australia opener David Warner averaged a meagre 9.50 in 10 innings and was dismissed seven times by veteran England bowler Stuart Broad.

But despite Broad taking the new ball on Friday, Warner survived to be eight not out in a total of 14-0 at stumps.

Earlier, Root received excellent support from Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow, who made a run-a-ball 78 during a sixth-wicket partnership of 121.

Australia’s Nathan Lyon was taunted by sections of a capacity 25,000 crowd.

But he still took 4-149 as he moved to within nine wickets of 500 in Tests after bowling 29 overs — an unusually high number for an off-spinner on the first day of a Test.

England have won 11 of their last 13 Tests, with an aggressive approach, dubbed ‘Bazball’ in reference to coach Brendon McCullum’s nickname, exemplified by the aggressive batting that was a hallmark of Bairstow’s irun-a-ball innings.

“It hasn’t changed over the last 12 months,” Bairstow told Sky Sports of Englad’s approach. “If the ball is there to hit we have tried to hit it. If we miss, it’s part and parcel of the game.”

Bairstow and Root both hit hundreds during a match-clinching stand of 269 against India at Edgbaston last year, with Bairstow compiling centuries in both innings of a seven-wicket win.

As for his latest big partnership with Root, the wicketkeeper added: “We were five down and thinking ‘lose a couple here and we are in trouble’. But I’ve been lucky enough to bat with Rooty for far too long. We’ve shared some special times in the middle.”

England signalled their intentions from the first ball of the Ashes, with Zak Crawley driving Australia captain Pat Cummins through the covers for four in elegant fashion.

But recently-crowned World Test champions Australia, hit back when Ben Duckett (12) was caught behind off recalled paceman Josh Hazlewood.

And Crawley fell for 61 off what became the last ball of the first session of the Ashes opener, when paceman Scott Boland produced a superb delivery that leapt off a length and brushed the glove, with England 124-3 at lunch.

Harry Brook was out for 32 in bizarre fashion when he shouldered arms to Lyon, with the ball looping off the thigh pad and spinning into the stumps after Brook had lost sight of it.

Stokes then lasted just eight balls, caught behind on the drive off Hazlewood.

Australia thought they had the prized wicket of Root when he was given out lbw to Lyon, but the batsman’s immediate review confirmed he had gloved the ball.

Bairstow thrashed Hazlewood for four.

But having been dropped by a diving Alex Carey on 68, Bairstow was dismissed when he charged at Lyon only to be stumped.

Moeen Ali, in his first Test for nearly two years since retiring from red-ball cricket, had made 18 when, just like Bairstow, he was needlessly stumped off Lyon.

Joe Root, who reverse swept both Boland and Cummins for extraordinary sixes, however, took a single off Lyon to complete a 145-ball hundred that included seven fours.

England are bidding for a first Ashes series win since 2015, with Australia aiming for a first Ashes campaign victory in England in 22 years.

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LONDON: James Anderson has suffered a “mild strain to his right groin” just a month before the Ashes get underway, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced late Sunday.

The 40-year-old Anderson, the most successful fast bowler in Test history with 685 wickets, sustained the injury on Thursday’s opening day of Lancashire’s County Championship match against Somerset at Old Trafford and took no further part in a match that ended in a draw on Sunday.

The ECB added Anderson’s fitness will be assessed nearer the time of the lone Test Test against Ireland at Lord’s starting on June 1.

England are due to name a squad for the Ireland game, which precedes a five-match Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia commencing on June 16, later this week.

Anderson had a scan on the injury on Saturday, with Lancashire coach Glen Chapple telling the BBC it was not “anything too serious”.

Nevertheless, England will want to avoid a repeat of the situation in the 2019 Ashes opener at Edgbaston where Anderson bowled just four overs before pulling out, having torn his calf playing for Lancashire.

With substitutes unable to bowl, his absence left a huge hole in England’s attack as Australia won by 251 runs.

That series ended in a 2-2 draw, with holders Australia retaining the Ashes.

Anderson’s latest injury adds to a growing list of fitness problems suffered by England fast bowlers, with Jofra Archer, Olly Stone and Brydon Carse all sidelined in recent weeks.

Archer returned from the Indian Premier League with a recurrence of his longstanding elbow problem, Stone suffered a hamstring injury playing for Nottinghamshire and Carse, uncapped at Test level, was laid low by a side injury playing for Durham.

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MELBOURNE: Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head scored magnificent centuries to power their side to thrash England by a hefty 221 runs in the third ODI to complete the clean sweep.

Australia, batting first on the invitation of England captain Jos Buttler amassed a mammoth 355/5 in their quota of 50 overs at the back of brilliant centuries from Head and Warner.

The openers provided a solid start to their side as they stitched 269 for the first wicket as both scored centuries.

England pacer Olly Stone then made twin strikes in the 39th over to hand England much-needed breakthroughs as he removed both Warner and Head.

Head, who was the core aggressor of the astounding opening stand fell after top-scoring for Australia as he accumulated 152 runs for 130 deliveries, laced with 16 boundaries and four sixes.

Warner, on the other hand, scored an anchoring 106 off 102 balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes.

Following their dismissals, the Australian middle order added 86 runs to the total in the remaining 11 overs with Mitchell Marsh being the notable run-getter among them as he scored a quick 30 off 16 deliveries.

Despite a bad day for the English bowlers, Stone was the pick for England as bagged four wickets but was expensive, while Liam Dawson managed to make one scalp.

England then had to chase a DLS-adjusted target of 364 runs in 48 overs after rain interruption and failed miserably in pursuit as they bundled out for a mere 142 in the 32nd over.

Hard-hitting opener Jason Roy showcased grit with his cautious 48-ball 33, while the rest of the batters failed to sparkle in the massive run chase.

Besides Roy, only James Vince was the other notable run-getter with his 45-ball 22.

Adam Zampa led the Australian bowling attack with 4/31, while Sean Abbott and Pat Cummins bagged two wickets each.

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ADELAIDE: Australian all-rounder Ashton Agar has made headlines with his astonishing fielding effort as he saved a six with a brilliant piece of fielding at the boundary during the first ODI against England.

Agar stole the show with a remarkable effort in the field to save a certain six in the 45th over of England’s inning when the well-set batter Dawid Malan was batting at 131.

Australian captain Patt Cummins bowled a short delivery which was powerfully pulled by Malan over deep mid-wicket where Agar was patrolling the boundary.

He soared in the air at full stretch and snaffled the catch in one hand but quickly released the ball as he flew towards the hoardings.

That's crazy!

Take a bow, Ashton Agar #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/FJTRiiI9ou

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 17, 2022

His breathtaking effort saved six runs for his team and reduced the damage to just one run.

Later, Malan’s valiant centurion knock went in vain as Australia sealed a comprehensive win against England by six wickets in the first encounter of the three-match ODI series.

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ADELAIDE: A superb Dawid Malan century was in vain as Australia cruised to a six-wicket win over England in their first one-day international at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Malan hit a stylish 134 as England made 287-9, but it never looked enough on a flat batting track that offered nothing for the bowlers.

Australia were largely untroubled as they reached the target with 3.1 overs remaining.

“It was a fantastic performance, a team performance,” Australian captain Pat Cummins said.

“We came in here really fresh and keen to get back into it.”

The Australian openers had made light work of the England attack and were in control from the outset as both David Warner and Travis Head launched an all-out assault.

They brought up the century partnership in just 88 balls, with only Olly Stone able to contain the two left-handers.

Neither looked in any danger until Head pulled a short ball from Chris Jordan straight to Phil Salt at deep square leg to fall for 69.

Warner appeared headed for his first century in almost three years until, on 86, he pulled David Willey in the air and was well caught by Sam Billings at deep backward square.

But Steve Smith, who finished not out 80, was untroubled as he guided Australia home despite losing Marnus Labuschagne for four and Alex Carey for 21 along the way.

“We’ve got plenty of Test cricket coming up, to see Smithy play like this was really pleasing,” Cummins said.

Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl, and England were soon in trouble at 20-2 after four overs before Malan strode to the crease.

When he departed, they were 259-8 with the next highest score Jos Buttler’s 29.

The England captain, who four days ago lifted the Twenty20 World Cup trophy at the MCG, said he wasn’t concerned at the result.

“It’s all about the character we showed,” he said.

“We wanted to play with intent. Dawid Malan played a fantastic innings and to get to that score from the position we were in was brilliant.”

Malan’s 134, his second ODI century after the 125 he scored against the Netherlands in June, came off 128 deliveries, including 12 fours and four sixes.

Cummins, playing his first match as captain following Aaron Finch’s retirement, would have been delighted by Australia’s start to the innings.

They tied down the English opening pair with some tight line and length bowling, then made a double breakthrough.

Cummins had Phil Salt caught at second slip by Smith on the last ball of the fourth over, and two balls later Mitchell Starc bowled the recalled Jason Roy with a beautiful delivery that swung back late.

The Australian captain then put his side on top when James Vince edged to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

At 31-3 England were struggling but Malan stayed calm, starting slowly and then picking up the pace as the shine went off the ball.

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MELBOURNE: The crucial Group 1 Super 12s fixture between Australia and England has been abandoned without a ball bowled due to persistent rain, here on Friday.

Earlier, another Group 1 fixture between Ireland and Afghanistan was abandoned at the same venue.

Following the match abandonment, Australia and England were awarded a point each. England move to the second in the table with three points while Australia jumped to fourth with as many points.

Australia will now face Ireland in their next group match on October 31 (Monday) in Brisbane whereas England will compete against New Zealand on Tuesday.

The top two teams of the group will qualify for the semifinals which are scheduled on November 9 and 10, respectively.

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CANBERRA: England bowlers held their nerves calm as they defended 179 in 20 overs to power their side to another eight-run victory over the hosts Australia and clinched the three-match T20I series 2-0 with one game to spare.

Set to chase 179 in the second T20I, Australia fell eight runs short of glory as they could finish at 170/6 in their quota of 20 overs.

The hosts were off to a dismal start as they lost two wickets for a paltry 21 in the fifth over with captain Aaron Finch (13) and his opening partner David Warner (4) falling cheaply.

All-rounder Mitch Marsh then attempted to anchor the run chase with hard-hitting batter Glenn Maxwell as the two added an important 29 runs for the third before the latter perished in the eighth over scoring a snail-paced eight off 11 deliveries.

Marcus Stoinis then joined Marsh in the middle and put on a valiant 40-run stand for the fourth wicket before England’s pacer Sam Curran halted his brief cameo in the 12th over. He scored 22 off 13, laced with two boundaries and a six.

England’s dynamic all-rounder Ben Stokes then struck gold for his side as he removed Australia’s lone-warrior Marsh in the 15th over to hand his side a much-needed breakthrough.

Marsh top-scored with 45 off 29 with the help of three boundaries and two sixes.

Following the slump, Tim David kept Australia’s hopes alive in the run chase till the 18th over as he smashed a quickfire 40 off 23 before Curran castled him to give England an upper hand.

Matthew Wade (10) and Pat Cummins (18) remained not out but failed to get their side over the line as Australia fell eight runs short in the end.

Curran led the bowling attack for England with 3/25, while Stokes, Reece Topley and David Willey made one scalp each.

Batting first, England managed to accumulate a commendable 178/7 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a magnificent half-century from Dawid Malan.

The left-handed batter top-scored for the touring side with 82 off 49, laced with seven boundaries and four sixes. He partnered strongly with another notable run-getter Moeen Ali for the fifth wicket.

The duo added 92 runs in just 52 deliveries and bolstered England to a defendable total.

Moeen scored 44 off 27 balls including four boundaries and two sixes, while the rest of the England batters failed to contribute significantly with the bat.

Marcus Stoinis returned with match-winning figures of 3/34, while Adam Zampa claimed two. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc had a wicket each to their names.

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