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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.”
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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)
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...Cameron Green helped bat Australia to the safety of a 101-run lead in the first Test in Galle, after a morning of chaos caused by heavy rain and wild winds. Green’s 77 was the highlight of day two for Australia, before they went to stumps at 313-8 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 212 as bad light stopped play.
It came after more than two hours of play were lost to a morning storm that caused the roof of a makeshift grandstand in Galle’s International Stadium to collapse. Sightscreens were also torn down and a glass panel in a marquee smashed, as gusts of more than 60kph thrashed the coastal city.
Continue reading...Australia’s cricketers have raised ethical concerns about touring Sri Lanka but will support a decision from officials to precede with next month’s tour. Australia are due to fly out to Sri Lanka next week, with the island country in the midst of an economical crisis and political unrest.
Sri Lanka was placed under a curfew early this month after protests turned deadly, and while those have been lifted rising inflation and shortages of key resources remain problematic.
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