Category: Cricket

Australian great Usman Khawaja has thrown a fresh curveball at selectors ahead of Tuesday’s third and final Test against South Africa, calling for left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann to enter the selection conversation.

Cameron Green has received medical clearance to resume his Test career ahead of Tuesday’s series-decider against the Proteas after recovering from a bizarre injury he attributed to the lowest of blows.

It is a measure of the strength of Australia’s Test team that the next most likely men into the XI are in their 30s according to Travis Head.

South African speedster Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the third and final Test against Australia after succumbing to a groin injury.

Tilak Varma struck a brutal half-century as India powered to a thrilling four-wicket win over New Zealand in the second T20 on Saturday for a 2-0 series lead.

Sam Konstas has another hundred, belting 149 in an attacking masterclass against Western Australia in NSW’s One Day Cup clash on Saturday night.

Travis Head has described Australia’s stunning collapse in Gqeberha as “s**thouse” but said the tourists are the world’s top-ranked Test team with good reason.

Temba Bavuma could not bring himself to watch the most pivotal moment of the final day in Gqeberha, turning his back to the action as his nerves jingled with anxiety.

There’s not much in cricket that will question the make-up of a team more than being beaten by an innings, and that’s exactly where Australia finds themselves after a horror show in Gqeberha this week.

After the congratulations were complete at St George’s Park on Thursday and the Australians milled on the outfield for a moment, Marnus Labuschagne lingered a few metres behind his teammates and appeared to be taking the whole ground in.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins has conceded selectors will look closely at the positions of several players after a humilating innings defeat in the second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha.

• Rabada and Mulder lead hosts to victory in second Test

• Boland bats for more than three hours as nightwatcher

It took time, it gently frayed nerves, but ultimately South Africa sealed the second Test at Gqeberha deep into the final day, clear by an innings and 31 runs, levelling the series with one to play. In truth, although Australia made 295 and got within 28 overs of safety, they did not deserve to save this game, even if Scott Boland and Travis Head did. Letting South Africa escape from 40 for four to pass 400 was the first offence, then came Australia’s capitulation for 99 to be forced to follow on. The salvage operation was in waters too deep.

Australia got an early boost from a washed-out morning session that cut the day’s ration from 98 overs to 82. The next boost came from Boland, once again the headliner: having done it all with the ball while nobody else could match him, he then led with the bat. He had the nightwatch job in the first innings, batting briefly on the fourth morning, then had to do it a second time that evening, taking Australia to stumps at 156 for four.

Australia’s batting is once again in the gun as several greats of the baggy green reveal their frustration with the current crop.