Ravichandran Ashwin’s dad has claimed that “humiliation” may have played a role in his sudden retirement from the Indian cricket team.
Tinselled bowling duos hand England fresh resolution for new Ashes year
Atkinson and Carse have followed in Anderson’s and Broad’s giant footsteps, while Filer and Bell are a pairing to fulfil Christmas wishes
Fast bowlers are the Formula One engines of a cricket team: purringly powerful when they want to be, painfully vulnerable when bits fall off. When a partnership works, and sticks – Lillee and Thompson, Ambrose and Walsh, Wasim and Waqar – they carry the team on their shoulders. When that partnership fades, teams often falter, losing their identity.
It is nearly 17 years ago that Michael Vaughan and Peter Moores informed Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison that they were to be dropped for the second Test against New Zealand at Wellington, replaced by James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Harmison played only six more Tests and Hoggard never played for England again, while Anderson and Broad famously went on to be the most successful bowling pair in Test history.
Continue reading...Wade set for time on sidelines after on-air ‘twinge’… and ‘merry-go-round’ that ensued
Retired Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade looks set to spend time on the sidelines this BBL series, after a calf injury forced him out of Wednesday night’s record-breaking loss to the Melbourne Renegades.
BREAKING: McSweeney axed as prodigy’s Boxing Day debut looms in drastic shake-up
The Australian selectors have unveiled their squad for the upcoming Boxing Day Test against India, dropping opening batsmen Nathan McSweeney and calling up teenage prodigy Sam Konstas.
‘Couldn’t have had a worse night’: Renegades run riot on Hurricanes in nightmare all-time low
The Melbourne Renegades have enforced a demolition of the highest order on the Hobart Hurricanes in Geelong on Wednesday night, winning by six wickets in their chase of a franchise record-low target of just 75 runs.
‘Can’t film without asking me’: Kohli‘s airport clash with media ahead of MCG blockbuster
Indian superstar Virat Kohli has been been involved in a verbal stoush with media at Melbourne Airport, landing in Victoria ahead of the Boxing Day test at the MCG.
Stars’ huge boost as marquee duo set to return; Sixers gun out for season: BBL Late Mail
The winless Melbourne Stars will be bolstered by the inclusion of their two best bats, with Glenn Maxwell and Ben Duckett locked in to face Adelaide Strikers on Friday.
‘I’ll take the compliment’: Prodigy unfazed by deafening hype as ‘dream’ Test calls grow louder
He was belting everything on Tuesday on his way to a record-breaking BBL half-century, but teen sensation Sam Konstas was on the defensive two days later when peppered with questions about his possible Test debut after English legend Michael Vaughan urged Australian selectors to pick him for the final two matches against India.
Aussie skipper’s big change on hold as women’s ODI series opener in NZ abandoned
Australian captain Alyssa Healy is set to return from a knee injury as a specialist batter but her comeback will have to wait as the first ODI against New Zealand in Wellington was abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.
‘Makes me jealous’: ‘Intoxicating’ experience has Test hopeful primed for cricket’s biggest stage
Beau Webster says his recent addition into the Australian Test squad has only fuelled his desire to wear the Baggy Green.
Aussies on brink with high-stakes Tests ahead; India’s precarious position: WTC State of Play
The race to the World Test Championships final is heating up.
The ‘tipping point’ and shock ultimatum in Ashwin retirement that’s left India ‘short’
Ravichandran Ashwin told Indian team management he did not want to tour Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Test series unless guaranteed a spot in the playing XI and made his shock retirement decision after being snubbed by coach Gautam Gambhir for two of the three matches so far.
‘Really hard’: Cummins leaps to defence of under fire stars as huge Aussie issue laid bare
Captain Pat Cummins has jumped to the defence of Australia’s top order after another disappointing performance at the Gabba, attributing their lean run to the country’s lively decks and acknowledging a recent drop in Test batting averages worldwide.
Flintoff calls up Flintoff as 16-year-old makes cut for England Lions tour
- Teenager made his professional debut this year
- Bashir to be given experience in Australia for Ashes
Rocky Flintoff has been called up to his father’s Lions squad for next month’s tour of Australia, with England using the trip to give young bowlers who are already in contention for a place in the senior Test squad experience of local conditions before next winter’s Ashes.
The junior Flintoff continues what has been a startling rise, having been given his first professional contract by Lancashire in August, aged 16. He made his first-class debut soon afterwards and was a last-minute call-up to the Lions squad in South Africa this month, their first trip since his father, Andrew, was named coach in September.
Continue reading...New Zealand v England report cards: grading every player after Test series
Praise for Brook and Carse, with Bethell and O’Rourke announcing a new rivalry as Southee bows out
By Gary Naylor for the 99.94 Cricket Blog
Ben Stokes: 158 runs at 52.7; seven wickets at 36.9; one catch
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