Author: Australian Associated Press

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Josh Hazlewood’s Test series likely over after suffering calf strain against India

  • Australian quick sent for scans after bowling just one over on Tuesday
  • Scott Boland likely replacement for Melbourne and Sydney Tests

Josh Hazlewood’s home Test summer is feared over after the quick suffered a calf strain that is expected to rule him out of both Melbourne and Sydney. Hazlewood was sent for scans on Tuesday after sending down just one over at the Gabba, after hurting his right calf in the warm up before play.

Scans have since confirmed a strain, leaving Australia with just two frontline quicks for the rest of the Brisbane Test. “He is likely to miss the remainder of the Test series. A squad replacement will be made in due course,” Cricket Australia confirmed in a statement.

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Doubles trouble ahead with Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic to team up in Brisbane

  • Former bitter rivals are now firm friends
  • Kyrgios has played just one ATP match since 2022 US Open

Nick Kyrgios will team up with Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International after crediting the former world No1 for motivating his return from serious injury. Once bitter rivals but now firm friends, Kyrgios and Djokovic plan to play doubles at the Queensland tournament, which gets under way on 29 December.

The pair will use the event to warm up for next month’s Australian Open, with Kyrgios using an injury-protected ranking to secure a direct entry at Melbourne Park. The Australian posted the announcement on Instagram, using a photo of himself and Djokovic walking on to court ahead for their 2022 Wimbledon final which he lost in four sets, writing “Doubles at Brisbane. See y’all there”.

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Rain delays slow rampant Australia after India lose four early wickets in third Test

Brisbane’s big wet looms as India’s best chance of saving the third Test against Australia, after the tourists slumped to 51-4 after a miserable day three for them at the Gabba.

In between seven rain delays, one aborted start and an early finish due to bad light, Australia were all out for 445 before Mitchell Starc stamped his authority with the ball.

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‘A dangerous threat’: Nick Kyrgios backed to make an impact on Australian Open return

  • Thanasi Kokkinakis tips doubles partner to impress in Melbourne
  • Former world No 13 to play first singles grand slam event since 2022

With his weapon of a serve in hand, tennis showman Nick Kyrgios can hit the ground running on his Australian Open return, says doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Kyrgios, 29, who has had a horror run of wrist and knee injuries, will play at the Brisbane International from 29 December, before returning to the grand slam stage at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open which starts on 12 January. The former world No 13 is using a protected ranking for his first Open since he pulled out on the eve of his first-round match in 2023.

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Rohan Dennis pleads guilty to charge relating to death of Olympic cyclist wife Melissa Hoskins

Adelaide Olympian faces up to seven years in jail after pleading to lesser charge of creating likelihood of harm

Cyclist Rohan Dennis will not be found responsible for the death of his wife – fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins – but could be jailed for up to seven years after pleading guilty to a new charge.

Dennis, 34, had appeared in the Adelaide magistrates court on Tuesday to answer charges of dangerous driving causing death and an aggravated charge of driving without due care. He 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 2023.

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Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head found guilty of breaching ICC code over Adelaide spat

  • Indian bowler fined and given demerit point after incident
  • Australian batter reprimanded and given demerit point

Australian batter Travis Head and Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj have been found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct for their verbal spat in the second Test in Adelaide.

Siraj was fined 20% of his match fee after being found to have breached article 2.5 of the code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal”.

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India’s Mohammed Siraj accuses Travis Head of abuse and lying after Test send-off

  • Words exchanged following wicket on day two of second Test
  • Indian quick claims Head lied in post-match interview in Adelaide

Travis Head says he won’t allow accusations of lying from India firebrand Mohammed Siraj to ruin Australia’s second Test triumph.

The batsman has admitted swearing at Siraj during their tense flashpoint at Adelaide Oval on Saturday. Siraj gave century-maker Head a send-off and the Australian responded with some choice words.

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Nick Kyrgios will be in Australian Open draw with No 21 ranking

  • Fans favourite is one of 10 Australian men in main draw
  • Olivia Gadecki is the only direct women’s entrant

Fan favourite Nick Kyrgios will play his first grand slam tournament since 2022 at the Australian Open in January.

Organisers announced on Friday that Kyrgios, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, will use a protected ranking of No 21 to gain entry to the main draw.

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Scott Boland returns for Australia as Mitch Marsh cleared to bowl in Adelaide

  • Popular quick will play his first Test since July last year
  • Marsh expected to bowl in day-night match starting on Friday

Paceman Scott Boland has been recalled to Australia’s team and allrounder Mitch Marsh is clear to bowl in the second Test against India. Australia captain Pat Cummins has confirmed Boland’s inclusion for his first Test since July last year, replacing Josh Hazlewood who is out because of a side strain.

Marsh will play, and is available to bowl, despite suffering soreness in the aftermath of Australia’s horror 295-run defeat to India in the series-opener in Perth. Cummins expects Marsh will be called on to bowl at some stage during the second Test starting Friday in Adelaide. But the Australian captain dismissed the notion of added pressure on his team after the crushing defeat in Perth.

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Don Bradman’s ‘sun faded and worn’ baggy green sold at auction for nearly $500,000

  • Test great’s tatty cap said to have ‘some insect damage’
  • Record $479,700 fetched for one of Bradman’s cricket hats

The combination of Sir Donald Bradman’s fabled brilliance and the baggy green’s near-mythical status has persuaded an Australian to part with nearly half-a-million dollars for one of the Don’s Test caps.

Unlike modern Australian players the Test cricketers of Bradman’s era wore a different cap for each series, so the one worn by Bradman during the 1947-48 home summer against India is far from unique, but it has nevertheless sold at auction for $479,700, a record for a cap worn by the great batter.

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Neale Fraser, Australian tennis great and Davis Cup captain, dies aged 91

  • Fraser oversaw four Davis Cup triumphs between 1973 and 1986
  • He won three grand slam singles and 16 doubles titles as a player

Australian tennis is mourning the loss of legendary player and Davis Cup captain Neale Fraser AO, MBE. Fraser, who won 19 grand slam titles, has died aged 91.

For all his grand slam glory, Fraser’s name will forever be associated with the Davis Cup both as a player and in a record-setting run as Australian captain.

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World No 954 golfer Ryggs Johnston turns into lethal weapon to win Australian Open

  • Johnston shoots nerveless 68 in final round to snatch Stonehaven Cup
  • Jiyai Shin seals second women’s Australian Open with 17-under 274

Unheralded American Ryggs Johnston has crashed the party with a stunning and improbable Australian Open triumph in Melbourne.

The world No 954 emerged from a big pack of home hopes to steal the Stonehaven Cup with a nerveless final-round four-under-par 68 at Kingston Heath on Sunday.

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Former Test cricketer and Australian Hall of Fame hero Ian Redpath dies age 83

  • Victorian opener played 66 Tests and scored eight centuries
  • Redpath was inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023

Australian cricket is mourning the loss of one its last old-school stonewall openers, with former Test batsman Ian Redpath dying at 83.

A member of Australian cricket’s hall of fame, Redpath was a fixture of Australia’s side in the 1960s and 1970s. The Victorian played 66 Tests and scored eight centuries between 1964 and 1976, compiling 4734 runs at an average of 43.45.

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Josh Hazlewood ruled out of second Test in huge blow for Australia

  • Fast bowler to miss clash with India in Adelaide due to side strain
  • Uncapped Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett called into squad

Australia’s bid to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has taken another hit after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the second Test with a side strain.

Already sweating on the fitness of Mitch Marsh, Australia suffered a further blow on Saturday when medical staff put Hazlewood on ice for the day-night Test in Adelaide with a sore left side. The injury is not thought to be serious and Hazlewood will remain around the Test squad ahead of the third Test in Brisbane.

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