Page 66 - Test Cricket

AUS vs PAK 2nd Test: Warner picks Marcus Harris as his opening replacement

Veteran Australian opener David Warner has picked Marcus Harris as his replacement at the top of the order after he quits the longest format of the sport. Warner had already said that the ongoing three-Test series against Pakistan will be his last in the format. While there have been talks about his ideal replacement in red-ball cricket, Warner vouched for the 31-year-old Harris, who he feels has been around for a long time and that the selectors need to show faith in him. "It's a tough one. It's obviously up to the selectors. But from my position, I feel like the person who's worked their backside off and has been there for a while in the background," Warner was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday. "I think Harry's been that person. He's toured, he's going to have that chance. He scored a hundred the other day (for Victoria XI vs the Pakistanis). "He missed out in a couple of other games, but he's always been that person who was next in line. If the selectors show faith i

AUS vs PAK 2nd Test: Australia reaches 187-3 after rain-interrupted 1st day

Marnus Labuschagne notched a gritty score of 44 not out to guide Australia through a rain-interrupted first day of play in the second test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday. Invited to bat first by Pakistan captain Shan Masood, who won the toss in overcast conditions, Australia reached 187-3 at stumps. Pakistan squandered a golden opportunity to put Australia on the back foot early, allowing openers David Warner (38 off 83 balls) and Usman Khawaja (42 off 101) to share a 90-run partnership on a pitch offering sideways movement for the seamers. Warner, in his penultimate test, played a loose shot outside off stump on 38 in the final over before lunch and was caught at slip off the bowling of spinner Agha Salman. The 37-year-old Warner, who scored 164 in the first test in Perth, was lucky to reach double figures Tuesday. Warner offered a regulation chance on 2 to first slip off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third over, but it was put down by ...

Australia 114-2 at Tea on first day of 2nd Test against Pakistan at MCG

Invited to bat first by Pakistan, Australia reached 90-1 at lunch Tuesday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the second Test of the three-match series. Spinner Agha Salman claimed the key wicket of opener David Warner for 38 in the final over before lunch, caught at slip. Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and elected to bowl first in overcast conditions, opting for a four-man pace attack. Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Warner both advanced down the pitch in the opening five overs in a bid to counter the seam movement of Pakistan's new-ball attack. Warner, on 2, offered a simple chance to first slip off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third over, but it was put down by Abdullah Shafique. The 111-Test veteran Warner, aged 37 and appearing in his farewell Test series, played at a wide ball in the 28th over and offered an edge to slip in the only breakthrough for the session. In a watchful innings, Khawaja was unbeaten on 36 off 80 balls at lunch, as Pakistan

India vs South Africa 1st Test, Day 1: Centurion weather forecast today

India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1 weather prediction: According to Accuweather.com, there is a rain forecast at SuperSport Park in Centurion throughout the day on December 26.

India vs South Africa Test schedule, key stats, match time, live streaming

South Africa vs India Test series 2023-24: From IND vs SA live match timings to India vs South Africa head to head - check all details related to the two-match series here

IND vs SA 1st Test preview: Will India end 31-year wait for series win?

He endured the heartbreak of a lifetime 36 evenings back but Rohit Sharma will give his all to erase the memories of a World Cup final defeat as he trains his eyes on ending India's 31-year wait for a Test series win on South African soil. The two-match Test rubber, starting here on the Boxing Day, will be India's ninth away series in the Rainbow Nation since 1992, and captain Rohit will have an onerous task of traversing a difficult terrain in order to conquer what has always been dubbed the team's 'final frontier'. However, for the action to start at Supersport Park, the heavy rains predicted on the first two days need to subside. The Centurion track offers variable bounce and is one of the fastest in the region. And that makes up for a compelling contest between bat and ball in relatively cooler and windy conditions in an open ground where it can jag around a bit. In the last 50 over World Cup, skipper Rohit, at best would have emulated Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but if

AUS vs PAK 2nd Test preview: Will Pakistan end 15-match losing streak?

Pakistan goes into Tuesday's Boxing Day match against Australia on a 15-match test losing streak, not having won Down Under since November 1995. The team's ever-expanding injury list heading into the Melbourne Cricket Ground test won't make ending the streak any easier. Pakistan spinner Noman Ali became the second player in two days to withdraw from the touring squad for the remainder of the three-test series due to illness and injury. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz will replace Ali in the squad, the selection committee said on the weekend. Ali, who didn't play in the 360-run defeat in the first test at Perth last week, underwent surgery for appendicitis in Melbourne on Saturday. "Noman Ali complained of sudden and severe abdominal pain yesterday, leading to examinations and scans in emergency that confirmed a diagnosis of acute appendicitis," a Pakistan team statement read. "Post-surgery he is stable and doing fine. He will be discharged later (on Saturday)." The latest blow fo

IND vs SA 1st Test: Green pitch, tough weather for Boxing Day in Centurion

India vs South Africa 1st Test, 2023: How will the pitch and weather behave for the Boxing Day Test between India and South Africa?

India women's team record maiden Test win over Australia, win by 8 wickets

It was a befitting end to India Women's first 'home season' of Test cricket in 28 years as they recorded a historic maiden victory over a venerable Australia in the one-off Test here on Sunday. On the final day, India produced their best both with the ball and bat to thwart a spirited Australian resurgence, first sparking a collapse in the visitors' ranks to snaffle the remaining five wickets for 28 and then knocking off a meagre target of 75 without much ado to script an eight-wicket win. Smriti Mandhana (38 not out) and Jemimah Rodrigues (12 not out) embraced each other in a warm hug when the objective of beating a world-dominating side was accomplished, bringing back memories of India's shushed reaction in 2008 in Australia when MS Dhoni's side beat the hosts and made a statement by not indulging in any passionate celebrations. Playing more than one Test at home for the first time since 1995, there was hardly a moment when the team put a foot wrong. India Women's stuck to the ..

IND vs SA Tests: Virat Kohli flies back home; Gaikwad ruled out of series

Virat Kohli came back to India due to a family emergency. India vs South Africa Test series is scheduled to begin on December 26 in Centurion

Shaheen could be rested for third Test against Australia to manage workload

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi may be rested for the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney to manage his workload following the angry backlash the PCB faced after Khurrum Shahzad suffered a serious rib cage injury. Pakistan lost the opening Test at Perth by 360 runs with debutant Shahzad taking five wickets but he also got injured in the process and was ruled out of the Melbourne (December 26) and Sydney (January 3) Tests. Pakistan's strike bowler Afridi took just two wickets in Perth and the thinking is that, if the visitors also lose the Boxing Day Test, he will be rested for the final game in Sydney to keep him fresh for the crucial T20I series in New Zealand. A source said that the team management wants to manage the workload of the pace bowlers, especially Afridi, as the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA is less than six months away and the series against the Blackcaps will be crucial to their preparations. "The backlash the board and managem

Khawaja to challenge ICC reprimand, says armband was for a bereavement

Bewildered by the ICC's decision to reprimand him for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan, Australia's Usman Khawaja on Friday said he will contest the charge as he had told the governing body it was for a "personal bereavement". Khawaja had worn a black armband during Australia's 360-run win over Pakistan in Perth last week. He had arrived for a training session on December 13 with "all lives are equal" and "freedom is a human right" inscribed on his batting spikes and had reportedly planned to wear them during the inaugural Test. "The ICC asked me day two (of the Perth Test) what (the black armband) was for, I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else," Khawaja told reporters "I respect the ICC and all the regulations they have, I will be asking them and contesting them From my point of view, that consistency hasn't been done yet." "The shoes were for a different matter, I'm happy to say that, but the ...

Former Proteas captain Dean Elgar to retire after IND-SA Test in CapeTown

South Africa will host India for two-match Test series, starting December 26. The second Test will begin on Jan 3. Elgar has amassed 5146 runs in 84 Tests, hitting 13 centuries and 23 fifties.

IND W vs AUS W Test: Harmanpreet calls intensity key to win against Aussies

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur wants the hosts to play with the same energy and intensity which they displayed against England, when they take the field in the one-off women's Test versus Australia starting here on Thursday. India thrashed England by a record 347-run margin in the lone Test at the DY Patil Stadium to record the biggest win for any side in terms of runs and will now look to register their maiden Test win over Australia. India have never beaten Australia in 10 Tests and the contest will definitely challenge them in terms of fitness and temperament, given they are playing back-to-back matches. "The way we played the first Test (of the season), we want to carry the same energy into this one. It is very exciting, knowing Australia is such a good team and everyone wants to beat them," Kaur told reporters after India's training session on Wednesday. Australia will be without Meg Lanning who has retired from international cricket recently, and in her place Alyssa Healy wil

AUS vs PAK Test: Bowlers keep Australia in control, extend lead on Day 3

Australia stayed in control of the opening Test against Pakistan despite an early stutter in the second innings after it didn't enforce the follow-on Saturday. Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja carried Australia to a watchful 84 for two in the last session on Day 3 for an overall lead of 300 after Pakistan collapsed to 271 all out at the stroke of tea and conceded a 216-run lead. Smith was unbeaten on 43 and needed a brief on-field treatment after he was struck on the shoulder by a sharp Shaheen Shah Afridi's ball late in the day with Khawaja not out on 34. Nathan Lyon grabbed three for 66 and was just a wicket away from the elusive landmark of 500 Test wickets as Pakistan's resistance faded in the first couple of sessions. Australia's pacers bowled at a disciplined line and length and Lyon also squeezed the batters on a wicket which gave him some assistance. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh took the prized wicket of Babar Azam in the first session to go along with his spirited knock of 90

IND W vs ENG W Test: India record biggest Test win in history by 347 runs

Deepti Sharma played the enforcer's role to perfection for the second time in as many days as the dominant India Women scripted a historic 347-run victory over England on the third day of the one-off Test here on Saturday. India set in motion the hunt for triumph while declaring their second innings closed at the overnight score of 186 for 6, leaving England to climb a huge mountain of 479 runs in their second innings. The Indian bowlers led by off-spinner Deepti Sharma (4/32) and pacer Pooja Vastrakar (3/23) then bundled out England for 131 to celebrate a victory which now stands as the biggest in terms of runs in the history of women's Test cricket, bettering Sri Lanka's 309-run victory over Pakistan in April 1998. It was also India's first win over England at home in 15 Tests, having beaten them in away games twice in 2014, giving them a big boost ahead of the one-off Test against Australia starting here next week. Over the course of the last three days the Indians did not show

India vs South Africa: Chahar withdrawn from ODIs, Shami ruled out of Tests

Deepak Chahar was unavailable for selection due to a family emergency while Mohammed Shami could not recover in time for the Test series

IND W vs ENG W Test: Deepti's all-round show gets India near win on Day 2

Deepti Sharma's stunning all-round show, a fifty and a fifer, provided India Women a perfect launching pad to record their maiden home victory in the traditional format over England after the second day of their one-off Test here Friday. After a patient 113-ball 67 in India's first-innings total of 428, Deepti destroyed England line-up with a sensational 5.3-4-7-5 spell helping the hosts take a massive 292-run lead. The visitors were bundled out for 136 in their first essay despite Nat Sciver-Brunt's composed 59. India did not enforce the follow-on and reached 186 for six in their second dig at stumps, for an overall lead of 478. Deepti was at the heart of India's effort when they grabbed six England wickets for a mere 10 runs, that saw them tumbling spectacularly from 108 for 3. As the game progressed, the DY Patil Stadium pitch offered turn and variable bounce for spinners, leaving the batters in a quandary. The day also saw 19 wickets falling from either side and 15 of them were

Hoping for good progression: Ben Stokes provides update post knee surgery

Star England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Friday said that his rehabilitation after a knee surgery last month has been going on well and he's hoping to make further progress in the next two weeks. Stokes underwent a successful surgery on his left knee on November 29 in a bid to stay fit for the Test series in India, beginning January next year. The 32-year-old had been struggling with long-standing issues on his left knee before undergoing surgery. He was unable to bowl in the final three Ashes Tests against Australia this year and only featured as a batter at the recent World Cup in India, with his body unable to cope with the rigours of bowling. On Friday, Stokes took to Instagram to share a video of his workout in the gym following the surgery, which mainly involved small squats. "2 week post knee op. First 2 weeks was just relentless icing to get the swelling down and very small amounts of exercises to keep my knee moving," he wrote. "Great to be able to start some work in the gy

AUS vs PAK 1st Test: Pakistan trail by 355 in first innings, Jamal takes 6

Australia hit back with two late wickets as Pakistan clawed to 132 for two and trailed by 355 runs in the first Test on Friday. Pakistan fast bowler Aamer Jamal grabbed six for 111 in his debut test, claiming the last four of the five wickets before Australia was bowled out for 487 after it resumed Day 2 at 346 for five. Opening pair Abdullah Shafique (42) and Imam-ul-Haq (38 not out) thwarted the pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc before offspinner Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc struck in the last session. Lyon had Shafique caught at leg slip for 42 off 121 balls as the Pakistan right-hander fell in the trap and attempted an aggressive shot while walking out of his crease. Lyon moved closer to the 500-wicket mark as he took his tally in Test cricket to 497 by finishing the day at one for 40. Captain Shan Masood nearly chopped Lyon's delivery back onto his stumps off the first ball he faced before showing plenty of aggression, hitting five boundarie