India will need to complete the highest successful run chase at the MCG in Test history to win the Boxing Day contest after Australia’s lower-order wagged on an enthralling fourth day in Melbourne.
‘Underrated for how tough he is’: Starc playing hurt as Boland flags pitch issue that may hurt Aussies
Scott Boland has confirmed strike bowler Mitchell Starc is feeling a niggle around the ribs but is confident the star quick will do his utmost to secure Australia a Boxing Day Test triumph over the next two days in Melbourne.
Three memories of cricket in 2024
Following on from reviews of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, here are a few more moments to savour
By Gary Naylor for the 99.94 Cricket Blog
Such is the volume of Test cricket played by England that perspective is hard to discern – great wins soon displaced by great defeats, social media heroes elbowed out by social media villains (often the same player) and generational talents suddenly condemned as also-rans. Cricket, with its statistical tables, sortable databases and multiple formats, lends itself to trite hierarchies – take your pick of rankings, averages or aggregates as the basis for a row.
Continue reading...‘Nah, don’t worry’: New footage reveals full, bizarre extent of no-appeal BBL howler
Melbourne Stars remain winless after their first five matches of BBL14 with a loss to Sydney Thunder on Saturday night all but putting a line through their finals hopes.
‘Why you’re not coach’: Greats trade hilarious sledges as debate rages over ‘awful’ act
Mark Waugh has hilariously sledged fellow Australian great Mike Hussey after the pair disagreed in a comical spat that was broadcast live on Saturday.
‘Don’t let me speak’: Kohli’s ‘schoolboy’ blunder sparks live TV drama between commentators
Cricketing greats Irfan Pathan and Sanjay Manjrekar have been involved in a heated live TV incident during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Smith reveals ‘hard to explain’ technique tweak… and that his biggest asset is ‘still there’
If you’re an international side touring Australia, the last thing you want to hear is Steve Smith telling fans that his eyes are still fit and firing.
‘Stupid, stupid, stupid!’: Great eviscerates star over brainfade as Cummins move pays off
Five wickets down and trailing Australia by 283 runs, India desperately needed star Rishabh Pant to dig them out of trouble with the Boxing Day Test on a knife’s edge.
Dad left in tears as unlikely hero blasts maiden century to keep Boxing Day Test alive
Nitish Kumar Reddy has emerged as the unlikely hero for India on day three of the Boxing Day contest, notching a maiden Test century to damage Australia’s chances of victory at the MCG.
Indian fight, odd pitch snooker Aussies into awkward spot; Starc fears grow: Boxing Day Test Day 3 Talking Points
Heading into Day 3 five wickets down and 310 runs behind Australia, India was up against the wall.
Sophie Molineux set for surgery as Australia unveils Ashes squad for white-ball matches
Australia has announced its squad for the white-ball leg of the upcoming Women’s Ashes series, with injury-prone all-rounder Sophie Molineux ruled out of the campaign due to surgery.
30-year-old’s stunning debut continues as South Africa close in on Test Championship final
South Africa’s Corbin Bosch’s remarkable Test debut has continued, with the evergreen 30-year-old hitting an unbeaten 81 in addition to his first innings four-wicket haul to put his country in the box seat against Pakistan.
Sport in 2024: the moments that made us smile
Guardian writers recall their memorable occasions over the past year, from fraternity in the F1 paddock to an indiscreet moment in the darts
You hear all sorts of whispers at the Olympics; my favourite this year was about the 61-year-old grandmother Ni Xialian, who had an outside shot in the women’s table tennis. She won world titles for China in the early 1980s, then fell in love with another player, Tommy Danielsson, and moved to Luxembourg to run a hotel. She still plays and at this year’s Games she won her first match but lost to the world champion in the second. Afterwards, she spent a happy hour offering life advice to the assembled press. “I was worried if I was good enough, but if you never play, you’ll never know,” she said, “and as I always say: ‘I’m always younger today than I will be tomorrow.’” Andy Bull
Continue reading...Kohli’s tense crowd moment as Lyon aims hilarious run-out sledge at Indian superstar
Virat Kohli came close to an angry moment with fans after he was involved in a disastrous run-out near the end of Day 2’s action between Australia and India on Friday.
‘Big play’ gives Aussies the upper-hand as Indians lament MCG moment of madness
Steve Smith believes the calamitous mix-up that led to the run out of Indian sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal has given Australia the upper-hand in an MCG Test that is pivotal to the hosts hopes of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.