Category: Australia Cricket

There was a silver lining to Australia’s shock decision to recall Nic Maddinson and promote him to the top of the order for the first Test against South Africa.

Australia’s latest selection gamble has come under fire after another shaky batting display against South Africa, with Pat Cummins’ call to embrace the “grind” again put to the test.

A fighting partnership from Matt Renshaw (46*) and captain Pat Cummins (33*) saved Australia from embarrassment before bad light brought an early end to the opening day’s play of the first Test against South Africa in Durban at 3.22pm local time.

• Opener’s painful duck gets tourists’ series off to bad start

• Renshaw and Cummins keep hosts’ attack at bay

If we accept that sporting tenures are results-based, then the Australian selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide should be conferring with the coach Andrew McDonald to submit a mass resignation. The opening moments of the first Test in Durban were enough to return the predictable harvest of one of the most bizarre selection decisions ever made for the national XI, with Nic Maddinson bowled for a torturous 33-ball duck, early impetus for Australia’s slide to 187 for 6 by the time bad light ended play.

Maddinson should not have lasted half that long, nailed on the pad by Wiaan Mulder after 15 balls but spared by umpire error and a timid South African non-review. Even that huge slice of luck never looked like becoming anything more. His innings went nowhere, shuffling, defensive, missing opportunities on his legs, dealing in extras. His only shots were a few cuts hurled at wild width, all air-swings until the bottom edge that took out his stumps.

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With Australia’s hopes of posting a significant first innings score in Durban resting on his shoulders, Matt Renshaw declared he had no worries with being moved around the batting order as criticism mounted on Friday.

Australia A has secured the ODI series against India A, cruising to a 69-run victory in the second match of the three-game series.

Australia has made a dominant start to its three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, cruising to a seven-wicket victory with 146 balls remaining in Brisbane.

It was the most highly anticipated return in cricket, one that had an admittedly meagre crowd in Durban on the edge of their seats as they warmed up their vocal chords.

Anrich Nortje struck twice in three balls to put Australia in deep trouble as the tourists limped to 6/149 at tea on day of the first Test against South Africa in Durban. Live updates below!

Nic Maddinson’s remarkable return to Test cricket has begun with a rusty knock, with the Aussie opener dismissed for a 33-ball duck in the first Test against South Africa.

As Temba Bavuma was assessing South African cricket’s finest triumph at Lord’s a year ago, he paused before noting that to walk a mile in his shoes would not be the smoothest of treks for any cricketer.

• Former Test opener is writing a new book released next month

• Australia captain Cummins confirms conversation with Khawaja

Pat Cummins has suggested he is unfazed by the prospect of the sandpaper scandal being raised in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, which will be the first from any Australian player who played in that 2018 Cape Town Test.

Cummins confirmed that Khawaja had called to inform him he would be writing the book, which will be released days after the end of Australia’s first Test tour of South Africa since the infamous match.

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When Australia’s Test team walks out in front of a hostile South African crowd for the first time since the infamous 2018 series, the man caught with sandpaper in his pocket — and later down his pants – will surely wonder how different things might have been.

Emerging NSW star Ollie Davies has etched himself into the Sheffield Shield record books, blasting the competition’s fastest double century on record.

It is more than eight years since a devastated dad sat with his shattered son at Sydney Airport, consoling a man who felt he had lost almost everything of importance to him after a moment of madness in South Africa.