Category: Cricket

The team’s management needs to offer decisions that make sense, rather than spurious justifications for ones that don’t

No homecoming for the Australian Test team will ever be as hostile as the aftermath of the sandpaper debacle in 2018, but the team making the equivalent trip from South Africa in 2026 will still find that some knives are out. Having led 1-0 after Durban, reversing a trend of poor starts, the side managed to surrender the series across the next two contests, bowled out for 99 in Gqeberha and 111 in Cape Town. As Charlton Heston may have observed: you maniacs, you blew it up.

Pat Cummins as captain strives for equanimity, fond of saying that good performances don’t make his team great and bad ones don’t make them terrible. He concluded his post-match interview in Cape Town by saying that he was “overall relatively happy with how we’re going”. Perhaps, having twice had a team 4 for 40, then gone on to lose both matches by a mile, he should be willing to signal more concern. This team has long had batting problems and made decisions that entrenched them, while a habit of playing down evident concerns has become entrenched across its leadership, from Cummins to coach Andrew McDonald to selection chair George Bailey.

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Ashleigh Gardner has demonstrated the leadership the Sixers value with an epic knock of 124 from 60 balls setting up a massive 87-run win for her Sixers over Hobart.

As South Africa’s chief spinning protagonist Simon Harmer was assessing what was been a superb series clinched by the Proteas in brilliant fashion, he declared it was one cricket fans might remember for a long time to come.

Cameron Green’s dismissal to Simon Harmer in the second innings of the final Test against South Africa has left an Australian cricket great stunned, after a bizarre tactic to protect the all-rounder backfired.

Pat Cummins has conceded the Australian Test side has to improve if it is to reclaim its status as the world’s best team and said it is fair to question whether a personnel change is needed to spark their best this summer.

It was the moment South Africa had wanted for over a fortnight and a pivotal piece of the winning jigsaw on the deciding day.

• South Africa regain top spot in Test rankings

• Harmer takes career-best six for 16 at Newlands

At the start of the fifth day in Cape Town, the contest was set up beautifully: 288 for Australia to chase, a day in which to do it, on a surface that had been sporting but allowed batters to flourish when set. A kettle and a cup of tea later, Australia were ripped open by Kagiso Rabada and gobbled up by Simon Harmer, losing two wickets in the first over, four in the first hour and seven by lunch. Two putrid batting displays back to back, their 99 all out in what should have been an easy draw in Gqeberha, then 111 all out here to lose the match, the series and the world No 1 ranking.

During one of Australia’s great former humiliations, the 47 all out on this same ground in 2011, one of the piquant notes was that a young Nathan Lyon top scored from No 11. Fifteen years later, having worked his way up one spot in the batting order, he did so again with 33 not out. That bravery through the second session, taking over from Cameron Green to join captain Pat Cummins, who defended for nearly 30 overs, underlines how dire the rest of the side was. The third-highest score was extras with 16.

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The gains made by Australia during their blockbuster three-Test tour of South Africa all but vanished in two hours of torment on the final morning in Cape Town.

Australia’s batters crumbled as Simon Harmer took six for 16 to seal a series victory for South Africa at Newlands

3rd over: Australia 14-2 (Head 9, Green 1) Brave of Green to leave the ball outside off. Similar spot to the one that got Marnus, a touch fuller perhaps. He gets moving from the fifth ball, knocks a single into the off side.

2nd over: Australia 13-2 (Head 9, Green 0) Well, I said that Australia needed Head to take a bite out of the chase first, but wasn’t anticipating that he would lose two partners in the first over. He decides to do his part anyway. Defends three balls from Jansen, then lets loose as he sees width. Misses his first flail, connects cleanly with his second one along the ground, and connects dirty with his third, in the air through the cordon but safe. Two boundaries, but if I were South Africa, I’d happily feed that shot a few times looking for the mistake.

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In a game that won’t be remembered for the fielding, Sophie Ecclestone has taken an early contender for the WBBL’s catch of the season.

Nic Maddinson’s Sheffield Shield return after being discarded from the Test squad didn’t go to plan as NSW collapsed on the second day against Tasmania.

Australia have been humiliated in Cape Town. Again.

TONIGHT ONLY, KAYO SPORTS IS GIVING YOU ACCESS TO THE FIRST SESSION OF THE DECIDER’S FINAL DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR FREE. 

TONIGHT ONLY, KAYO SPORTS IS GIVING YOU ACCESS TO THE FIRST SESSION OF THE DECIDER’S FINAL DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR FREE. 

After guiding the Proteas to a strong position to win a riveting series with a stunning century on Friday in Cape Town, Ryan Rickelton believes only two results are on the table, with Australia facing a massive task to win the finale.