Cricket – Page 16 – Worldwide Sports News

February 9, 2025

Australia crush Sri Lanka in second Test to complete rare series sweep

Sri Lanka 257 and 231; Australia 414 and 75-1 in four days
Spinners Lyon and Kuhnemann take seven wickets each

Australia have capped off a brilliant summer with a nine-wicket defeat of Sri Lanka that confirms their first clean sweep of a subcontinent Test series in almost 20 years.

Chasing just 75 runs in sunny Galle on Sunday, Australia (75-1) secured victory in the second Test and two-match series when Marnus Labuschagne (26 not out) hit the winning run to square leg just before lunch on day four.

February 9, 2025

Aussie batters’ insane numbers amid three perfect 10s… and one glaring fail: Series Player Ratings

Australia sealed a whitewash with a nine-wicket victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle to pick up a series win in the island nation for the first time since Nathan Lyon’s debut tour in 2011.

February 9, 2025

Vic prodigy’s huge debut as fellow teen Konstas struggles; WA skittled for 66 — Shield wrap

Victorian prodigy Harry Dixon has made a whirlwind start to his Sheffield Shield career on Sunday, hitting 66 off 72 balls against Tasmania in Hobart.

February 9, 2025February 9, 2025

Aussies end 14-year drought with historic series whitewash as stars quickly complete Day 4 chase

Australia have won their first Test series in Sri Lanka in 14 years after another thumping victory in Galle.

February 8, 2025February 8, 2025

NZ cricketer suffers sickening head injury after freak fielding accident

New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra suffered a sickening blow to the head after he appeared to misjudge a catch during his team’s ODI victory over Pakistan on Saturday.

February 8, 2025

Australia close on series triumph after swatting aside Sri Lanka resistance

Sri Lanka 257 and 211-8;Australia 414 after day three
Tourists only trail by 54 runs in the second Test

Australia need only two wickets and a bit of gusto from the top order to defeat Sri Lanka and claim their first series whitewash on the subcontinent in nearly 20 years.

Sri Lanka went to stumps on day three of the second Test only 54 runs ahead of Australia in their second innings, with Kusal Mendis (48 not out) their last recognised batter. Australia could seal the win in the morning session on Sunday, but won’t want the run chase getting out of hand given the tricks the Galle pitch played early on day three.

February 8, 2025

Questions grow over debut vanishing act; no doubt over key Aussie spot: Talking Pts

Australia faces the prospect of a potentially tricky run chase on Day 4 of the Second Test of the tour of Sri Lanka after the hosts produced their best performance of the series to date on Saturday.

February 8, 2025

Konstas’ Shield return overshadowed; 20 wickets fall in a wild west day – Shield Wrap

Queensland batsman Jack Clayton, not NSW opener Sam Konstas, was the headline act at the Gabba on Saturday.

February 8, 2025

I was wrong to say Bazball is a cult. It’s actually a death cult | Barney Ronay

As defeats pile up Brendon McCullum’s brand of cricket now has the feel of a cool music video on the deck of a sinking ship

Two summers ago, with interest in the England Test team’s seductive new energy reaching an early peak, I wrote an article suggesting that Bazball was a cult.

There were some parts of the clinical definition of a cult that seemed analogous. A sense of mission. Charismatic, dominant individuals in charge. Presents itself as innovative and elitist. Aggressively hostile towards any kind of outside questioning.

February 8, 2025February 8, 2025

Late drama as Aussie gamble pays off; ‘brainfade’ burns SL in brutal collapse: Day 3 Wrap

Australia is in the box seat to pull off a series whitewash with three late wickets turning the tide back in the visitors’ favour after an admirable Sri Lankan fight back for much of day three in Galle.

February 8, 2025

‘Words can’t describe’: Cummins family announces birth of second child

Pat Cummins and his wife Becky have welcomed the birth of their second child, a baby girl.

February 7, 2025

Smith and Carey plunder unbeaten tons as Australia take charge of second Test

Sri Lankan hopes snuffed out by partnership of 239
Tourists are 73 runs ahead with pitch wearing fast

Unbeaten centuries for Steve Smith and Alex Carey have put Australia on course for a series whitewash of Sri Lanka after the second day of the second Test in Galle.

On a dusty wicket tipped to soon become very tricky for the batsmen, Smith (120 not out from 239 balls) and Carey (139 not out from 156) forged a potentially match-winning 239-run stand that ripped momentum back in Australia’s favour.

February 7, 2025February 7, 2025

Resurgent star’s selection statement as struggling Marnus faces cruel twist: Talking Pts

Australia is in a dominant position against Sri Lanka after stand-in skipper Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a masterful partnership on the second day of the Second Test in Galle.

February 7, 2025

Sports quiz of the week: Six Nations, stadiums, Simona Halep and speed

Have you been paying attention to the big (and small) stories in football, rugby, cricket, tennis, boxing and NFL?

February 7, 2025February 8, 2025

‘Emotions got to me’: Konstas’ admission over debut chaos… and what’s next after Test axe

Rising star Sam Konstas admits he got “caught in the moment” of his whirlwind Test debut against India, as he made his return to Shield cricket on Saturday.