Australia’s first Test against West Indies is on a knife edge entering the third day as the tourists hold a 82-run lead with six wickets in hand after the vulnerability of their top-order batting was exposed.
Sports quiz of the week: England v India, Euros, Wimbledon and Club World Cup
Have you been following the big stories in golf, basketball, football, cricket, rugby union and tennis?
Continue reading...‘Regressed’: Aussie great’s big call on batting coach as worrying top order ‘failing’ laid bare
Australian cricket great Ian Healy has taken aim at national batting coach Michael Di Venuto, claiming the top six has “regressed” under his tutelage.
Great’s reality check for Green as crossroads loom; Cummins’ epic feat reveals true worth: Talking Pts
The first Test between the West Indies and Australia hangs in the balance after another dramatic day in Bridgetown, with fast bowlers from both sides showing their class.
‘Please help me here’: Windies coach fumes as FOUR umpire controversies stun cricket world
Third umpire Adrian Holdstock was the central figure in four DRS controversies on day two of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown, two of which involved West Indies captain Roston Chase.
‘Oh my goodness me’: West Indies coach Darren Sammy left fuming after ‘unacceptable’ blunders
Coach Darren Sammy was left screaming in disbelief after the West Indies dropped two catches in the same over on day two of the Bridgetown Test, with Australian opener Sam Konstas the beneficiary on both occasions.
Australia regain initiative as West Indies dismissed for 190
Hosts rue controversial dismissals at crucial moments
Beau Webster impresses with two wickets in fight back
Australia’s bowlers have hit back after a poor morning session to bowl out West Indies for 190 and regain the initiative in an absorbing and fluctuating first Test at Bridgetown.
But while the hosts grabbed a 10-run first-innings lead, they were again left unimpressed by two controversial dismissals of their key batters, captain Roston Chase and white-ball skipper Shai Hope, which may have tipped the game in Australia’s favour.
Continue reading...He’s back! Jofra Archer added to England’s squad for second Test against India
Paceman Jofra Archer has been named in England’s squad for the second Test against India after an absence of more than four years.
England call Jofra Archer into squad for second Test against India at Edgbaston
Bowler last in Test setup in February 2021
Archer played first red-ball match in four years this week
England have fast-tracked Jofra Archer into their squad to face India in the second Test at Edgbaston next week despite the misgivings of the bowler’s coach at Sussex.
The 30-year-old fast bowler returns to the Test setup for the first time since March 2021 after successfully coming through his first red-ball match for 1,501 days in Sussex’s match at Durham this week.
Continue reading...County cricket: balls bring bore draws and Blast needs a boost
The top flight was blighted by a series of draws, but there was some very bright cricket in Division Two
This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog
Continue reading...Konstas, Green fail again in big Aussie headache as rollercoaster Test on knife’s edge
Australia is at risk of suffering its first Test defeat in the West Indies since 2003 after the team’s inexperienced top order flopped yet again on day two of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown.
Switch behind Starc stunner; big headache as Aussie hope ‘not the answer’ — Test Day 1 Talking Pts
The fast bowlers dominated day one of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown, with the West Indies and Australian quicks collectively taking 14 wickets in frantic scenes.
West Indies bowler Shamar Joseph denied crucial wicket after dubious umpiring call
The Bridgetown crowd was left in disbelief following a dubious umpire decision that denied West Indies bowler Shamar Joseph a crucial wicket on day one of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener against Australia.
New-look top order blown away by West Indies as Australia dismissed for 180
Batting ripped apart by Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales
Travis Head top scores with 59 in first Test
Australia’s new-look top-order has been shredded by a familiar West Indian tormentor Shamar Joseph as life without Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith began in wholly unconvincing fashion in Bridgetown.
Joseph, playing against the Aussies for the first time since his brilliance at Brisbane 17 months ago bowled the West Indies to their first Test triumph down under in 27 years, ripped through the new-look vanguard with four wickets as Pat Cummins’ men were dismissed for 180 in Barbados on Wednesday.
Continue reading...England ease off Bazball big talk but continue to embrace thrill of the chase
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’s side have developed clarity in the final innings and never seem to give up
Sports writers love a Churchillian speech that precedes a mind-bending feat. Take three years ago, when word got back that Brendon McCullum had told his England players to “run towards the danger” at Trent Bridge before Jonny Bairstow vaporised a target of 299 against New Zealand. It was like ruddy catnip for the press corps.
This time, after reeling in 371 at Headingley on Tuesday at a breezy 4.5 runs per over and with 14 overs to spare? Apparently very little was said in the dressing room beforehand beyond “bat the day, win the game” or Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett deciding between them to ignore the target and just “play like it was day one”.
Continue reading...