Category: Cricket

On a balmy South African autumn afternoon in March of 2009, a parochial home crowd in Durban witnessed something extraordinary.

Matthew Hayden has teed off at Australian selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide in an explosive rant following the shock decision to add Nic Maddinson to the Test squad for their series against South Africa.

For a bloke from the bush in Bendemeer, finding solitude in Sydney can be a tricky feat, but Josh Hazlewood found an idyllic spot in the suburbs with a mate when first making his way as a talented tearaway quick.

The hosts’ stunning Test victory was overshadowed by the scale of national angst felt in Australia after the team’s ball tampering

For South African cricketers, administrators and supporters, the most surprising aspect of the Sandpaper scandal was not that it happened. After all, the ball had been suspiciously reverse-swinging during the first two Tests of that ill-fated series in 2018. The atmosphere had turned febrile after a stairwell bust-up between Quinton de Kock and David Warner in Durban and after supporters directed misogynistic abuse at Warner and his family in Gqeberha. Nathan Lyon had promised before the tour to “head-butt the line” of what was acceptable. Darren Lehmann, then Australia’s coach, came from an old school where bullying was sugar-coated with the phrase “mental disintegration”.

No, what surprised South Africans most was the scale of the fallout, and how one tiny piece of sandpaper could cause so much national angst.

Australia is “likely” to be without Cameron Green for the first Test in South Africa as the all-rounder struggles to overcome an injury.

• Batter makes 111 against Cricket South Africa Invitation XI

• Three-match Test series starts in Durban on Friday

The indefatigable Marnus Labuschagne has responded to all the hand-wringing over whether he merits a place in Australia’s Test future by just doing what he likes doing best – scoring runs.

After a difficult year, the under-pressure 32-year-old chose the most timely moment to score his first century in any form of cricket for 11 months in Potchefstroom, just five days before Australia play their first Test in South Africa since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

Marnus Labuschagne has all but confirmed his place at No. 3 for the first Test against South Africa, hitting a century in Australia’s pre-series warm-up game.

Skipper Shai Hope overcame a groin injury to produce a memorable century and orchestrate a record chase as West Indies secured a consolation five-wicket victory over India in the final one-day international on Saturday.

Forgotten ex-South African captain Neil Brand was the star of the day as Australia were made to toil to begin their pre-series tour match in Potchefstroom.

Nic Maddinson’s call-up to Australia’s Test squad in South Africa came from nowhere.

Sam Harper’s first innings century and Liam Scott’s five-wicket haul were in vain as Australia A agonisingly fell one wicket short of a series-levelling victory against India A in Puducherry.

Defending champions Australia will begin their 2027 Cricket World Cup campaign with a blockbuster clash against India in Cape Town on October 7.

The injury curse that has struck Australia in its tour of South Africa has worsened with all-rounder Cameron Green under a cloud ahead of the first Test beginning next Friday.