Australia have reasserted their status as the heavyweights of international women’s rugby league, thrashing New Zealand 24-4 in the Pacific Cup final as revenge for last year’s decider.
The pressure was on the Jillaroos this Pacific Championships following that shock loss to the Kiwi Ferns in the 2023 final, and some controversial selection calls since.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...World champions Australia have been embarrassed by Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval, suffering one of the heaviest defeats in their ODI history.
After posting only 163, Australia were then punished in the field by Pakistan’s openers Saim Ayub (82) and Abdullah Shafique (64 not out) as the tourists raced to a nine-wicket victory in the second ODI with 141 balls to spare. It is the first time since 1992 Australia have lost a home ODI by nine wickets. They avoided becoming the first Australian team to lose a white-ball match at home by 10 wickets when Adam Zampa ended the 137-run opening stand.
Continue reading...David Warner has accused Cricket Australia of sweeping the India A ball-tampering accusation under the carpet, suggesting officials had quickly “squashed” the issue before the Test summer.
Warner officially declared closure on his own ball-tampering scandal on Wednesday, after being announced as the Sydney Thunder’s new BBL captain. The 38-year-old’s appointment comes just a fortnight after his lifetime leadership ban was lifted, removing the last remaining sanction from Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering saga.
Continue reading...In-form Nathan McSweeney has one foot in the Test team after being confirmed as opener for the final Australia A game. The South Australia captain was the only contender for the vacant batting spot in Australia’s top six to fire in last week’s win against India A in Mackay.
McSweeney top-scored twice in the game, including hitting an unbeaten 88 in the second innings as Australia A sealed a seven-wicket victory over India A. The 25-year-old batted at No 4 in both innings of that match but has been promoted to open with Marcus Harris in the four-day match at the MCG starting on Thursday.
Continue reading...Ultra-aggressive Australia almost fumbled a certain victory, but eventually steadied after a lightning quick spell from Haris Rauf to beat Pakistan by two wickets in the first ODI at the MCG.
Chasing just 204, Australia crumbled to 139 for six in the 21st over as Rauf skittled the middle-order when the hosts were trying to end the game as quickly as possible. But the captain Pat Cummins (32 not out), playing his first ODI since last year’s stunning World Cup final triumph, was again there at the end in a tight chase as Australia got home with 99 balls to spare. One of the best quicks of his generation, Cummins has quickly become a specialist run-chaser in the last 18 months after being involved in two close Test wins and three ODI victories.
Continue reading...Jack Miller believes he is lucky to have walked away from a horror crash on the opening lap of MotoGP’s Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit.
The Australian motorcycle star was left thanking his lucky stars after his early crash on Sunday as his racing helmet struck the rear tyre of Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha before Joan Mir’s Honda then ran over his legs.
Continue reading...India’s A team have been cleared of ball-tampering and will escape any sanction, after initially appearing to be accused of causing scratches on it against Australia A.
In an explosive start to the summer, the A-match in Mackay threatened to boil over on Sunday morning when umpires changed the ball before play on day four.
Continue reading...Tonga have reigned supreme in one of the greatest rugby league Test matches of all time, holding on to beat New Zealand 25-24 and qualify for their first ever tier-one final.
In an Auckland epic that sent Tonga through to the Pacific Cup final against Australia, the visitors led 24-0 in the first half before the Kiwis drew level with 13 minutes to play. Isaiya Katoa then nailed a 75th-minute drop goal from 30 metres out to put Tonga ahead again, before the Kiwis missed several chances to win and draw level.
Continue reading...Nathan McSweeney has the chance to assert himself as the favourite for the Test vacancy after closing in on a half-century in Australia A’s second innings against India A.
On day three in Mackay, Australia A captain McSweeney (47 not out from 98 balls) was by far the most impressive of the four leading candidates to open the batting for Australia alongside Usman Khawaja this summer.
Continue reading...Josh Addo-Carr has been sacked by NRL club Canterbury with immediate effect after failing a roadside drugs test in September.
Addo-Carr’s fate was sealed on Thursday when the Australian Test winger was forced to front the Bulldogs board of directors and explain why he should not have his contract torn up.
Continue reading...Richmond star Eilish Sheerin remains free to play a week out from the AFLW finals after the appeal board rejected an AFL challenge against her tribunal win. The three-man board took less than 15 minutes to reject the AFL’s three grounds of appeal.
The league took the unusual step of going to the appeal board after Tuesday night’s marathon tribunal hearing, where Sheerin was cleared of intentional umpire contact. Sheerin had been referred directly to the tribunal and was facing a significant ban if found guilty of the original charge. Instead, she was fined $200 for careless contact.
Continue reading...Former world champion appears in Adelaide court 10 months after partner, a fellow worlds winner and Olympian, died outside their family home
The former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has delayed pleading to charges over the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins, so negotiations with prosecutors can continue.
Dennis, 34, was arrested after Hoskins, 32, was struck by his vehicle in front of their home at Medindie in Adelaide’s inner north on 30 December last year.
Continue reading...Australia have opted to leave out all of their first-choice Test XI for the upcoming Twenty20 series against Pakistan so they can prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
After facing Pakistan in three ODIs, starting on 4 November, Australia will then take on the same opposition in the shortest format of international cricket.
Continue reading...Australia have exacted revenge on New Zealand for last year’s heartbreaking Pacific Cup final with a 22-10 win that propels the Kangaroos into the decider of this year’s tournament. Nearly a year after the Kiwis handed Australia their biggest loss, a try-scoring double to Zac Lomax saw off the chance of another defeat before a hostile Christchurch crowd on Sunday.
The Kangaroos still appeared below their best, with Angus Crichton notably bombing an early try and new halfback Mitch Moses spraying a kick and then putting a line dropout out on the full. Regardless, the win over an admittedly understrength New Zealand helps vindicate a raft of changes made to the Australian team following last year’s 30-0 debacle in Hamilton.
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