Page 4 - Ashes Test

Ashes Test: Rain forces early lunch on Day 1; Warner, Harris firm at crease

Opening batters David Warner and Marcus Harris ensured that Australia does not lose any wicket in the morning session on Day 1 of the ongoing fourth Ashes Test

Khawaja looks assured to play SCG Test; Covid all-clear for Australian

Veteran middle-order batter Usman Khawaja looks assured to replace Travis Head in Australia's playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test at the SCG

Travis Head tests positive for COVID-19, to miss 4th Ashes in Sydney

Australia batter Travis Head has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been ruled out of the 4th Ashes Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Ashes: Match referee David Boon tests Covid positive, to miss fourth Test

England head coach Chris Silverwood too will miss the fourth Test because a member of his family, who is a part of the tour party, has tested positive

Ashes in bag, Warner advises England to prepare on synthetic wickets

The Ashes already retained, Australia opener David Warner has advised a sorry-looking England side to prepare on synthetic wickets to be able to adjust to the extra bounce in the pitches Down Under

I was really angry after missing Adelaide Test, says Oz skipper Pat Cummins

Australia captain Pat Cummins didn't know how to channelise his anger after a fellow diner turned out to be COVID positive, forcing him to miss the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Ashes gone, can a 5-0 England team's series loss be far away?

England has been beaten 5-0 in an Ashes series only three times. On the evidence of Tuesday's innings defeat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, captain Joe Root's side could soon become the fourth.

Joe Root finishes 2021 with third-most calendar year Test runs in history

England captain Joe Root added another feather to his cap on Tuesday as he finished the calendar year with the third most Test runs in history.England skipper's dismissal on day three of the third Ashes Test in Melbourne for 28 left him with 1,708 runs for the year, at an average of 61.00. Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 in 2006) is on the top among the most runs scored by a batter in the calendar year while West Indian legend Viv Richards (1,710 in 1976) is on second just two runs ahead of Root.On Day one of the third Ashes Test, the 30-year-old Root surpassed former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith's record of scoring most Test runs as captain in a calendar year.However, the Englishman who is yet to score an Ashes century in Australia will be more concerned about his side's crushing Ashes defeat in the first three Test matches.In the third Test at MCG, Scott Boland returned with figures of 6/7 in his four overs as Australia defeated England by an innings and 14 runs. With this ...

Australia retain Ashes after thrashing England by an innings in 3rd Test

Pacer Scott Boland took six wickets in the second innings as Australia defeated England by an innings and 14 runs in the third Ashes Test

Ashes: England in big trouble in third test amid virus scare

On an extraordinary of cricket both on and off the field, England faced an uphill battle to save the third test against Australia and with it the Ashes. Before play even began Monday. Cricket Australia called for calm after a COVID-19 scare involving two members of England's support staff resulted in a delay to the start of the second day of play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia was bowled out for 267 as the home side grabbed a first-innings advantage of 82 runs, before England reached 31-4 in its second innings at stumps Monday. England seamer James Anderson gave a masterful display, claiming the key wickets of Marcus Harris (76) and Steve Smith (16) in his tally of 4-33 off 23 overs. But England's batters were soon under attack again. Mitchell Starc (2-11) dismissed Zak Crawley, caught behind for 5, and Dawid Malan, leg before without scoring, in consecutive deliveries in the fifth over. Debutant Scott Boland (2-1) delighted his home crowd of 42,626 roaring fans by ...

Ashes, 3rd Test: Australia takes 1st-innings lead amid Covid scare

Cricket Australia called for calm after a COVID-19 scare involving two members of England's support staff resulted in a delay to the start of Monday's second day of the third Ashes test. Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley said there was no need to change current plans, which include staging the fourth and fifth tests in Sydney and Hobart, respectively, in January. We just need to remain calm and get the facts, Hockley said. Everyone needs to follow the medical advice. On that basis, we keep going. Our protocols are designed for absolutely this set of events. On the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch, Australia, resuming on 61-1 in reply to England's first-innings total of 185 on a green-tinged pitch, edged carefully to 200-6 at tea, an overall lead of 15 runs, on a wicket that was not suited to extravagant shot-making. After a clumsy batting display on Sunday, England came back with the ball on Monday by claiming the wickets of Nathan Lyon (10), Marnus Labuschagne (1) a

Ashes Test: Short delay to Day 2 start after England Covid-19 scare

The start of the second day of the third Ashes cricket test between Australia and England was delayed by Covid-related scare within the England camp.

Ashes, 3rd Test: Anderson, Wood lead England's fightback (Lunch, Day 2)

James Anderson and Mark Wood struck in the opening session to lead England's fightback on Day 2 of the ongoing third Ashes Test against Australia here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.At lunch, Australia's score reads 131/4-- still trailing by 54 runs. Marcus Harris (48*) and Travis Head (11*) are at the crease for the hosts.Resuming Day 2 at 61/1, overnight batters Marcus Harris and Nathan Lyon added 15 more runs to the total before the latter was scalped by Ollie Robinson. Centurion from the previous Test, Marnus Labuschagne (1) also failed to leave a mark with the bat.Labuschagne was sent back to the pavilion by Mark Wood and Australia was reduced to 84/3 in the 25th over. Vice-captain Steve Smith then came out to the crease and along with Harris, he added 26 runs for the fourth wicket.However, veteran Anderson ended the stay of Smith (16) at the crease. In the end, Travis Head and Harris ensured that Australia does not lose any more wickets before the lunch break.On Day ..

Ashes, 3rd Test: Australia 61/1 at stumps, trail by 124 runs on Day 1

Australia were 61/1 at stumps, trailing by 124 runs against England on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Pat Cummins strikes; England 61-3 at lunch in 3rd Ashes test

Australia's pace-bowling captain ripped through England's top order taking three wickets to leave the tourists at a precarious 61-3 at lunch on Sunday's first day of the third Ashes cricket test

Ashes: I like the balance of England attack, says Vaughan before 3rd Test

After defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide, the Joe Root-led England team made four changes for the Boxing Day Test

A quick rundown on the Ashes ahead of Australia vs England 3rd test

Ahead of one of the biggest games of cricket on the calendar, with Australia aiming to clinch the five-match Ashes series against England by early next week, here's a quick rundown

Ashes, 3rd Test: Boland named in Australia playing XI, Cummins returns

Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Saturday confirmed the playing XI for the upcoming Boxing Day Test, beginning Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.The hosts have made two changes to their lineup as Pat Cummins and Scott Boland have replaced Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson.Joe Root's England are 0-2 down in the series with three matches to play."He (Jhye Richardson) was pretty sore. We were umming and ahhing - he had a bowl yesterday but we thought seven days off (before the fourth Test in Sydney) will give him enough rest," cricket.com.au quoted Cummins as saying."He's got a small leg injury which is nothing major but we thought rather than risking a long-term injury, we'd give him a week off," he added.Talking about Boland, Cummins said: "We earmarked him as a chance for here and the SCG in particular, we think his record is really well suited. His record speaks for itself here in domestic cricket. Home ground, having someone fresh like him who can perform straightaway were the .

Ashes: No point in sugar-coating the losses, says England's Stokes

England are 2-0 down in the Ashes and need a change in fortunes at Melbourne

Ashes: Anderson hits back at criticism of pacers not bowling right length

Anderson's comments come after England captain Joe Root slammed his pace bowlers for not bowling at fuller length in Adelaide