Australia enjoyed a fruitful day with the bat as half-centuries from Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put the tourists ahead of the game in the deciding third Test in Cape Town.
Forgotten opener’s 364-day drought ends with emotional Shield knock to reignite Test dream
Cameron Bancroft ended a 364-day drought with an emotional century to put Western Australia in a dominant position after Day 1 of their Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia.
‘Anger inside the touring party’: Shock Smith claim supports theory over Cummins’ toss call
The sky was blue and the Newlands pitch was brown as Pat Cummins met Temba Bavuma for the third Test toss on Tuesday.
‘Pretty disrespectful’: Furore erupts as England great slams Lancs after legend’s bizarre exit
England’s record Test wicket-taker James Anderson was treated with disrespect when he was released by Lancashire, according to his former pace bowling partner Stuart Broad.
‘My opinion doesn’t matter’: Starc’s blunt reply over toss shocker as star’s spell saves series
If Mitchell Starc had his way, Australia would wipe out everything that happened before lunch in an extraordinary opening day of the series decider against South Africa in Cape Town. But his finale will feature on highlights for a long time to come.
Australia fight back in rollercoaster start to deciding Test against South Africa
Decision to bowl first looked like backfiring
But hosts all out for 329 after being 140-0 at lunch
For a time, it was heading up there with the worst. David Gower at Leeds in 1989, when Australia topped 600 and declared. Nasser Hussain in Brisbane, 2002, when Australia were 364 for two by the end of the day. Edgbaston 2005, where England lamped 407 from 80 overs. Those were the looming comparisons for captains deciding to bowl at the toss, after Pat Cummins did the same in the third Test at Cape Town, only for South Africa’s openers to smash 140 by lunch. Yet, by day’s end, Australia had taken 10 for a further 189, Mitchell Starc destroying the tail with four wickets in six balls, 329 all out constituting a serious Australian comeback.
What a rollercoaster. The Australian setup has looked frazzled on this tour: confused player selections for the squad, then for the XIs, confused shot selection in the middle, players bouncing around the order with nightwatch duties and injury absences. Here they chose to leave out their best player from the second Test, Scott Boland, for Nathan Lyon, and were forced to leave out their best player of the last decade, Steve Smith, for Josh Inglis, as well as dropping Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster for Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly. The last time a touring Australian side made four non-disciplinary changes was in the West Indies in 1984.
Continue reading...How Aussies rose from the dead after ‘revolt’ over selectors’ ‘dangerous message’ — Talking Pts
Australia were on the ropes halfway through day one against South Africa in Cape Town, but punched their way back into the fight to bring the third and deciding Test to life.
Indian blaster’s insane 38-ball onslaught sparks stunning run chase… after scary near-miss
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma crunched a 35-ball century to make light work of a hefty New Zealand run chase and secure the visitors a series victory in Wellington.
Australia vs South Africa third Test in Cape Town 2026: Steve Smith neck injury rules him out deciding Test, reaction, latest news, photos, video
Steve Smith’s return to South Africa for a Test series for the first time since Sandpapergate in 2018 came to a bizarre end with the neck issue he sustained in Gqeberha ruling him out of the deciding third Test in Cape Town.
Boland ‘surprise’ deepens as shock toss call raises major XI doubt after 8yr Aussie first
Former greats David Warner and Mark Waugh have questioned the make-up of Australia’s Test team, after Pat Cummins confirmed a whopping four changes at the toss in Cape Town.
Aussies in extraordinary escape as Starc blitz sparks wild comeback from toss disaster
Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket haul capped off a much-needed Australian fightback on day one after a horror start to the deciding third Test in Cape Town.
‘Lack of respect’: Worrying 135-day reality facing Aussies as legends demand major shift
Fans of Australian cricket had a decision to make last Thursday evening.
‘Ready-made’ fix to finally solve major problem; shock bowling switch up Aussies’ sleeves — Talking Points
Selections questions are once again on everyone’s tongue as Australia appears set to ring the changes for the deciding Test against South Africa in Cape Town, starting Tuesday night.
Australia give Steve Smith chance to prove fitness ahead of South Africa series decider
Batter aiming for Newlands return after injuring neck in second Test
Marnus Labuschagne set to keep place; Nic Maddinson dropped
Australia will give key batter Steve Smith as much time as possible to prove his fitness ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands, captain Pat Cummins said.
Smith injured his neck in South Africa’s innings and 31-run victory in the second Test in Gqeberha which levelled the series at 1-1 going into the decider in Cape Town starting on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Three glaring questions in Smith’s return to Cape Town as kryptonite laid bare
As Marnus Labuschagne was dreaming about a South African homecoming that has become a nightmare, he was asked about Steve Smith during a chat at the SCG last month.