Daryl Mitchell struck an unbeaten 131 to lead New Zealand to a series-levelling seven-wicket win over India in the second ODI on Wednesday.
‘How on earth?’: Brisbane Heat pull off BBL miracle to keep title hopes alive after ‘impossible’ collapse
The Brisbane Heat have achieved ‘Mission Impossible’ to keep their BBL|15 finals hopes alive on Wednesday night, defeating the Hobart Hurricanes by three runs in a final-over thriller.
‘Not ideal’: More MCG pitch drama as team’s plea over ugly deja vu revealed
The Melbourne Stars have secured a BBL|15 finals berth in a somewhat underwhelming fashion on Tuesday night, beating the Adelaide Strikers by six wickets in a low-scoring affair.
‘Difficult to stop’: Aussie star makes former teammates look foolish with ‘dangerous’ knock
Australian big-hitter Grace Harris showed her former teammates what they were missing by thumping a 40-ball 85 during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s convincing nine-wicket victory over the UP Warriorz in Navi Mumbai on Monday evening.
‘Got what it takes’: Contenders to replace Healy as left-field options emerge in awkward dilemma
Former Australian captain Alex Blackwell has warned the national women’s team doesn’t need to commit to a long-term skipper following the retirement of Alyssa Healy, endorsing all-rounder Ash Gardner and young gun Phoebe Litchfield for the role.
‘Never say never’: Aussie star hasn’t shut door on T20 dream despite World Cup snub
Alex Carey hasn’t shut the door on a recall to Australia’s T20 side but concedes he has had plenty of opportunity in the format over the years to nail down a spot.
‘Our generation’s legacy’: Healy’s proudest act as Aussie captain retires with selfless final call
Australian women’s captain Alyssa Healy will retire from all forms of cricket at the end of this summer.
‘Not good enough’: $420k import hooked in stunning BBL move as season left hanging by thread
The Melbourne Renegades’ finals chances are hanging by a thread after the Sydney Thunder stole a remarkable four-wicket victory from the jaws of defeat during Monday’s rain-affected contest at ENGIE Stadium.
Ex-Aussie captain backs forgotten star to end three-year hiatus despite contract snub
Former Australian captain Alex Blackwell has encouraged national selectors to recall Nicola Carey ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup, with the all-rounder making an impressive start in her maiden Women’s Premier League campaign.
Ashes 2025-26: our writers’ end-of-series England v Australia awards
Brainless moments, moral victories and tough lessons were abundant during a series that still provided plenty of drama
Player of the series Travis Head was the boxing kangaroo at the top of the Australia order. But this one goes to the other animal on the baggy green crest, Mitchell Starc bounding in like an emu, slicing through England during the live bit, and playing all five to finish with 31 wickets at 19 apiece. Elite.
Continue reading...England ruthlessly privatised cricket – Australia embraces it with constant public displays of affection | Emma John
If there is one takeaway for England from this Ashes tour it should be how cricket thrives in a nation where it is readily and freely available as the dominant summer pastime
The drive to Bowral in New South Wales takes you through some of Australia’s most English countryside. Pastoral hills roll right up to the roadside and finish in grassy verges, flecked with yellow and white wildflowers. Alliums stand sentinel around vibrant lawns. Even the eucalypts are cosplaying as beech and oaks. You might be in Hampshire, if it weren’t for the dazzling sun.
Just a few roads from the high street – storefronts full of fancy cookware and country casuals – is the Bradman Oval. This small ground, with its pre-loved outfield, has become a pilgrimage stop for the Australian cricketing faithful. Head out to the middle and you’re walking across the sacred turf where Sir Don honed his skills. Stand at the crease, look past the white picket fence, and you can see the family homes where he grew from boy to man, on Shepherd Street and Glebe Street respectively.
Continue reading...Sports quiz of the week: Ashes, Afcon, Australian Open and moving managers
Have you followed the big news in football, cricket, boxing, tennis, athletics, snooker, darts and cycling?
Continue reading...Australia 4-1 England: player ratings as the hosts win the Ashes in style
Mitchell Starc and Travis Head were astoundingly good, but plenty of England players will want to look away now
Ben Stokes: 184 runs at 18.4; 15 wickets at 25.1; two catches
A body unable to match his will, a team unable to match his ambition and, surely, a screaming sense that he made mistakes when preparing for this challenging but winnable series all adds up to a horrible seven weeks for the England captain. His personal form inevitably buckled – and you have to feel a little sympathy for a man more guilty of giving too much rather than too little.
The mediocre Ashes: England arrived as a rabble and Australia weren’t much better | Geoff Lemon
Australia were there for the taking but Brendon McCullum’s tourists were so poor and ill-prepared they never got close
As far as endings go, it ended nicely. People streamed on to the Sydney Cricket Ground, wanting to get close to the trophy presentation and to have a canter on the turf. Nothing thrills an audience more than a chance to walk the stage. On a sun-kissed blue-heaven day, the match had finished early enough to leave plenty of afternoon to spare. Later Usman Khawaja soaked that up with his own crowd of family and friends, on his last day as a Test player.
These endings are supposed to signal the close of something momentous. Another Ashes wrapped up, another chapter in the rivalry written. Still, once it was done, the whole thing felt like it had been more hole than doughnut.
Continue reading...‘We’re losing more’: Ben Stokes admits England need to go back to the drawing board – video
Ben Stokes, the England Test captain, has said the team 'need to go back to the drawing board' after losing the Ashes 4-1.
'When you come up against a team like Australia, who know how to play cricket out here and you are adding to your own downfall then you're going to end up losing the series 4-1 like we have done,' Stokes said.
'In the first couple of years, teams found it difficult to try and come up with anything to combat the way we played, but now teams are coming up with plans that are standing up to a certain style of cricket that we want to play.
'When a trend is happening on a consistent basis, that's when you do need to go back and look at the drawing board and make some adjustments.'
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