Cricket – Page 105 – Worldwide Sports News

June 5, 2024

India beat Ireland by eight wickets: T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 – as it happened

India won emphatically in New York after their quick bowlers bulldozed Ireland for 96 on a very lively pitch

1st over: Ireland 3-0 (Balbirnie 1, Stirling 2) Stirling walks down the track to time his first ball through the covers for … two. That would have been four on most grounds.

There’s a bit of swing for Arshdeep, who beats Stirling with a ball that keeps a bit low. Stirling’s second and third attempts to walk down the track are less successful; Arshdeep cramps him for room with one delivery and then zips a bouncer past his noggin. A really good start.

May 10, 2024

Sports quiz of the week: Real Madrid, Tom Daley and Women’s FA Cup final

Have you been following the big stories in football, boxing, diving, snooker, rugby, cricket and motor racing?

May 3, 2024

Sports quiz of the week: Issy Hobson, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Monty Panesar

Have you been following the big stories in football, cricket, snooker, rugby union, baseball, cycling and golf?

March 22, 2024

A model of the reliable and durable: Mitchell Starc and a rare piece of cricket history | Geoff Lemon

The Australian quick’s modesty after passing Dennis Lillee’s mark of 355 Test wickets belies the fact the milestone is serious business

In the second week of March this year, Mitchell Starc passed a big number: Dennis Keith Lillee’s 355 Test wickets, which was still second for any Australian fast bowler. This coming Saturday, in the fourth week of March, Starc will pass another: as the most expensive player yet to take the field in the Indian Premier League, with a season’s contract a lick under US$3m.

In the modern era, with the focus on cricket’s shift from a long-form demonstration of international pride to a short-form instrument of commerce, most people would probably see the second number as more significant. Lillee was the sensation of the 1970s, but you would have to be nearing 50 to remember seeing him bowl.

March 11, 2024

Alex Carey leads mighty run chase as Australia beat New Zealand in second Test

New Zealand 162 and 372; Australia 256 and 281-7
Carey unbeaten on 98 in three-wicket victory in Christchurch

Australia’s middle order squeaked out a mighty Test win in Christchurch, where Alex Carey’s fighting 98 not out defied New Zealand to wrap up a 2-0 series victory. Carey and Mitch Marsh, who made 80, did the business for Australia, which stumbled to 4-34 before reaching 281-7 to win.

Combining after the early loss of Travis Head (18) at 80-5, Marsh and Carey put on 140 runs together – the biggest partnership of the series, when the pressure was at its heaviest. New Zealand debutant Ben Sears gave Australia a mighty shake, removing Marsh and then Mitchell Starc in two balls to reduce the tourists to 220-7.

March 10, 2024

New Zealand close in on drought-breaking Test victory against Australia

New Zealand 162 and 372; Australia 256 and 77-4 at Hagley Oval
Black Caps eye first Test win over rivals on home soil since 1993

New Zealand are in the box seat to claim a drought-busting Test win over their arch-rivals after Australia wilted on day three of the second Test.

Chasing 279 for victory, Matt Henry and debutant Ben Sears ripped through the Australian top order at Hagley Oval on Sunday, leaving Australia dazed at 34-4.

March 9, 2024

Pat Cummins strikes late but New Zealand claw back ascendancy in seesawing second Test

Marnus Labuschagne scores 90 as Matt Henry takes 7-67
New Zealand fight back to 134-2 leading by 40 runs on day two

Australia skipper Pat Cummins bowled Kane Williamson in the final hour of play on the second day of the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday, just as the master batsman threatened an innings that would put New Zealand on top.

After 14 wickets fell on day one and seven more before tea, Williamson and Tom Latham had hit the pause button on a frenetic match with a partnership of 105 that erased Australia’s first-innings lead and put the home side 17 runs ahead.

December 27, 2023

The Spin | Men’s Test cricket team of the year: from Joe Root to Mitchell Starc

Our special board of selectors announces the picks for the best men’s Test XI of the past 12 months

After 32 Tests, 33,408 runs, 1,016 wickets, it’s time at last for the Guardian’s tenth annual men’s Test XI of the year. This year’s selectors were Vic Marks, Ali Martin, Rob Smyth, Tanya Aldred, Taha Hashim, Geoff Lemon, Adam Collins, Emma John, Tim de Lisle, Daniel Gallan and Andy Bull. Depressingly, some teams (South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh) played so little this year that it was hard to pick any of their players, which feels like a worrying sign of the way the game is going, but for now …

September 26, 2023

England v Ireland: third men’s one-day international abandoned – as it happened

Ben Duckett, Phil Salt and Zak Crawley all starred with the bat before torrential rain brought a premature end to play in Bristol

5th over: England 65-0 (Salt 42, Jacks 22) Time for a bowling change, Paul Stirling reckons. On comes Craig Young, who has one job: to stem the flow. And he does, cramping the batters for room and going for just a run a ball. Miserly stuff.

4th over: England 60-0 (Salt 39, Jacks 19) Does Jacks settle for playing second fiddle? He does not. He has a gleam in his eye and he flicks Little’s first ball for six, then pulls for six more. Just for a change, Salt plays a straight drive for four. Alas, poor Little – when he does induce a top edge, it lands safely at short fine, and then Salt adds another four. That’s 23 off the over! And the fastest 50 in England ODI history.

September 22, 2023

Ben Duckett looking to nudge England selectors with World Cup looming

Duckett is vice-captain against Ireland at Trent Bridge
28-year-old excited by possible central contract

For England’s looming World Cup defence in India a gaggle of players will sit in reserve back home and it may just be that Ben Duckett is the best fit to jump on a plane should a batter go down injured during the tournament.

An option anywhere in the top seven and armed with an array of sweeps and reverse sweeps, the 28-year-old would offer Jos Buttler and the management excellent flexibility regardless of whether Jason Roy makes himself available. A pugnacious desire to get on with it – evidenced across all formats – is another thing to pop in the pros column.

June 3, 2023

England’s Ben Stokes insists he’s ‘on course to bowl’ in first Ashes Test

Captain ‘happy’ with fitness despite not bowling against Ireland
‘Very impressed’: Stokes hails Josh Tongue after fine showing

A week ago, Ben Stokes had never met Josh Tongue. But as the England captain heads into the Ashes series with questions over his own fitness, he fancies an additional fast bowler has been found to augment his attack.

Tongue was already in the 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Australia before completing a maiden five-wicket haul on debut at Lord’s, with England, a team in a hurry, naming the group at lunch on the third and final day against Ireland.