Category Archives: Australia cricket team

Australia settle on new Test opener as Nathan McSweeney named in squad to face India

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  • South Australian to debut at top of batting order in first match in Perth
  • In-form Josh Inglis also picked as batter in 13-player squad

Australia have settled on Nathan McSweeney to be Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the start of the blockbuster Test series against India. After an outstanding start to the domestic season, McSweeney has beaten Marcus Harris for the vacant spot in the Australian XI.

McSweeney will become the first Australian player in 47 years to make his Test debut as an opener despite never having batted there at Sheffield Shield level. The 25-year-old top-scored in both innings of the first Australia A match in Mackay when batting at No 4. But he was unable to convert starts – 14 and 25 – in both innings as Australia A closed out a six-wicket win in the second match at the MCG.

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T20 World Cup 2024: Australia beat Oman by 39 runs – as it happened

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4th over: Australia 25-1 (Warner 11, Marsh 1) Shakeel Ahmed into the attack with his pacey left arm spin. Gah! His first ball is a drag down that Warner clubs away for four. The bowler is on the button after that though, round the wicket and with a flat trajectory, firing it in at the stumps and pads. He beats Warner’s edge and gets out of the over for just six runs in total.

3rd over: Australia 19-1 (Warner 6, Marsh 0) Mitch Marsh arrives at the crease. Oman have a slip in place and Bilal Khan has his dander up. Marsh blocks back the final two balls of the over. Good stuff this.

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Cricket Australia cancels men’s T20 against Afghanistan due to concern over women’s rights

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  • Australia postpones a second series in as many years
  • It comes amid fears conditions under Taliban are getting worse

A second Australian men’s cricket series against Afghanistan in as many years has been postponed due to the country’s poor record on human rights for women and girls.

Australia had already cancelled a one-day international series to be played in the United Arab Emirates in March 2023 due to “a marked deterioration” in the treatment of females in the country.

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Pat Cummins says he supports changing the date of Australia Day

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  • Cricket Australia not branding Gabba Test for public holiday
  • Men’s cricket captain says country could ‘choose a better date’

Pat Cummins has called for a change to the date of Australia Day, backing the decision for the term not to be used in marketing for the Brisbane Test.

Cricket Australia (CA) have chosen not to brand this week’s second Test against West Indies as “the Australia Day match”, or use the term at the Gabba on day two on 26 January.

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Josh Hazlewood hoping weather can save Australia after Bairstow’s blast

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  • Fast bowler admits tourists face fight to save Test
  • Bairstow hits out at criticism after unbeaten 99

Josh Hazlewood admitted he was crossing his fingers and hoping for rain at the end of another day of English domination, which ended with Australia 113 for four in their second innings, still 162 away from making England bat again.

The amount of rain likely to fall on Manchester over the weekend varies between forecasts, but all of them suggest Saturday’s play will be significantly affected, with parts of Sunday also in jeopardy. “I’d be very pleased if it rains,” Hazlewood said. “It’s obviously forecast, and forecasts can change all the time, but it would be great to lose a few overs – it would make our job a bit easier.”

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Australian PM hands Sunak picture of Bairstow stumping at Nato meeting

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Anthony Albanese tries to ambush UK counterpart, but Sunak was ready with image of England team at Headingley

The Australian prime minister tried to ambush his British counterpart at the Nato summit with a picture of the controversial stumping of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow in the Ashes cricket series.

Rishi Sunak was unexpectedly prepared, and produced from his official portfolio his own photo of England’s Mark Wood and Chris Woakes celebrating getting the winning runs at Headingley on Sunday, giving the host nation their first victory after two consecutive Australian wins.

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‘Stay in your crease’: Anthony Albanese offers Rishi Sunak advice following controversial Ashes dismissal

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  • Australian PM says he wishes his UK counterpart well
  • Rishi Sunak had claimed Australia contravened ‘the spirit of cricket’

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has offered some advice to his UK counterpart after Rishi Sunak weighed into the controversy over Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal at Lord’s on Sunday.

Mr Albanese said on Tuesday he understood Sunak’s disappointment.

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Australia’s actions in Ashes Test not in the spirit of cricket, says Rishi Sunak

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Spokesperson says PM agrees with Ben Stokes about Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal at Lord’s

Rishi Sunak has weighed into the row over Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal at Lord’s on Sunday, saying Australia did not act in the spirit of the game.

Downing Street said it was the prime minister’s belief that the Australian team had contravened the spirit of cricket by stumping Bairstow out when the England batsman appeared to believe the ball was not in play during a heated final day of the second Ashes test.

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Australia crash to defeat against India in first ODI after losing eight wickets for 59

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  • Hosts chase down 189 despite shaky start left them on 89-5
  • Australians imploded in Mumbai from 129-2

India have overcome a scintillating spell from Mitchell Starc to post a five-wicket win over Australia in the series-opening one-day international clash in Mumbai.

Australia were bowled out for a paltry 188 in 35.4 overs on Friday after suffering a collapse of 8-59.

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Nathan Lyon’s landmark wicket helps Australia tighten grip on second Test

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  • West Indies reduced to 109-4 after career-best 175 by Travis Head
  • Spinner surpasses Shane Warne’s wicket tally for Adelaide Oval

Travis Head registered a career-best 175 at Adelaide Oval on Friday, run out just as his home crowd began to anticipate a Test double century. Nonetheless, he was the major contributor to a score of 511 for seven, the declaration coming shortly before the end of the second session in order to give Australia’s bowlers the evening portion of play with a new ball. They made good use of it, having West Indies four wickets down with 102 on the board by stumps, adrift by 409 runs.

The bowling performance with the pink ball was the big point of interest for the home side, with Patrick Cummins and Josh Hazlewood missing with minor injuries. That brought in two different fan favourites. Michael Neser’s first and only Test appearance to date had come in Adelaide a year ago, after he had long been the subject of the online #NeserMustPlay campaign. After that breakthrough he was unlucky to slip from his perch as Australia’s first reserve when Scott Boland did even better, 18 Ashes wickets at 9.55 after being picked in Melbourne.

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Australia cricket great Ricky Ponting in hospital after heart scare

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  • Former captain was commentating on West Indies Test
  • Ponting left Optus Stadium after feeling unwell

Ricky Ponting was taken to hospital on Friday after the former Australia captain suffered a heart problem while commentating during day three of Australia’s first Test against West Indies in Perth.

According to the reports, Ponting left Optus Stadium around lunchtime after feeling unwell. The 47-year-old is part of the Seven Network’s commentary team for Australia’s two-Test home series against West Indies.

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Australia set New Zealand target of 268 to win third ODI – live!

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Out strides Aaron Finch, leading the Australian XI onto the field for the final time in 50-over cricket. Both teams take the oval and stand by the boundary for a minute’s silence in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

It’s 30 degrees, bright and sunny in Cairns with a southerly breeze taking the edge off the sun’s intensity.

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Australia defeat New Zealand by 113 runs in second one-day international – as it happened

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4th over: Australia 14-2 (Smith 6, Labuschagne 3) Marnus joins his mentor at the crease with green and gold backs against the wall. He’s away straight off with a pretty on-drive for three. Smith then repeats the shot bit gets a bit more oomph on it and it goes to the rope.

I’ve not had time to slurp my Kenco with this rapid start, it’s now tepid at best. Tough gig eh. It’s creeping up to 6am here in London, if you are out there then do drop me a line with your thoughts and/or theories.

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Cam Green guides Australia out of dire straits in ODI win over New Zealand

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  • New Zealand 232-9; Australia 233-8 | Australia win by two wickets
  • Green (89 no) shares 158-run partnership with Alex Carey (85)

Cameron Green and Alex Carey have steered Australia to an unlikely victory over New Zealand in their opening ODI in Cairns with the hosts languishing at 44-5 at one stage.

Chasing 233 to win, Australia’s innings under lights began abysmally when skipper Aaron Finch fell once again to a left-arm seamer, scoring just five for a second consecutive innings.

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Australia beat New Zealand by two wickets in first one-day international – as it happened

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WHAT A CATCH. Glenn Maxwell pouches a scintillating diving catch at backward point. Think Ben Stokes off Stuart Broad in the 2015 Ashes at Trent Bridge! Guptill slices a length ball on the drive and it flies off his blade to Maxwell’s left hand side. Maxwell launches himself goalkeeper stylee to pluck the ball out of the air as it went past him at high speed. Ooof, get that on the replay.

5th over: New Zealand 10-1 (Conway 1, Williamson 0)

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Australia stunned by Zimbabwe in final ODI as David Warner denied century again

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  • Australia rolled for 141 in three-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe
  • Warner falls for 94 to make it 54 innings without a ton

Zimbabwe have recorded their first ODI victory in Australia to stun the hosts by three wickets in the final match of their bi-lateral series, as leg-spinner Ryan Burl took 5-10 early for Zimbabwe to roll Australia for just 141.

Zimbabwe won the toss and put Australia in to bat for the first time this series, nabbing three crucial wickets inside the first 10 overs. Left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava got skipper Aaron Finch for the third time in three ODIs.

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Former Australia captain Tim Paine in training ahead of return to cricket

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  • Wicketkeeper-batter training with Tasmania’s state team
  • Paine has not played since November last year

Tim Paine could be back playing in Tasmania in six weeks as Australia’s former Test captain prepares for his cricket comeback. Paine is training with Tasmania’s state squad as an uncontracted player as he plots a return for the first time since losing the Test captaincy in a sexting controversy.

The 37-year-old took time away from the sport after standing down as Test skipper in November last year. He never retired but was not contracted on Tasmania’s playing roster for this summer.

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Australia’s top end ODIs will not trumped by the Hundred

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  • Stoinis, Abbott, Maxwell and Zampa to return for series
  • Six ODIs scheduled against Zimbabwe and New Zealand

Pat Cummins will be rested for Australia’s ODIs against Zimbabwe and New Zealand but the Hundred will not take precedence for four other star players.

Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa are all set to cut their Hundred campaigns in England short after been included in a 14-man squad to play six ODIs in August and September in Townsville and Cairns.

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Sri Lanka offer resistance with bat against Australia amid protests in Galle

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  • Australia 364; Sri Lanka 184-2 (63 overs) at stumps on day two
  • Thousands march in protest during second and final Test

Sri Lanka rediscovered their fight amid the chaos of loud protests and firecrackers in Galle to go to stumps on day two at 184-2 in response to Australia’s 364.

Bolstered by their efforts to run through Australia’s tail and leave Steve Smith stranded on 145 not out, the hosts enjoyed their best day of the series in the second and final Test.

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Australian spinners rip through Sri Lanka to wrap up first Test inside three days

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  • Sri Lanka 212 & 113; Australia 321 & 10-0 (0.4 overs)
  • Australia win by 10 wickets in Galle to take 1-0 series lead

Australia have thrashed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in Galle, bowling the hosts out in a session and claiming their fastest Test victory in 20 years. In a comprehensive display, Australia took only 22.5 overs to roll through Sri Lanka for 113 in their second innings on Friday, with Nathan Lyon and Travis Head taking four wickets each.

That left Australia needing five runs to win, with David Warner (10 not out) finishing the job inside an over with a four and a six. The win came in 153.2 overs for the Test match, Australia’s fastest since they demolished Pakistan in Sharjah in 2002.

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