2:50 AM ET Andrew Fidel Fernando Clouds overhead, a green pitch underfoot, conditions were perfect for the kind of searing, prodigious late swing that Trent Boult specialises in, but the thing that really envenomed him – the thing that really set his spectacular burst of six wickets from 15 balls in motion – was rhythm. Bowlers had nipped it off the seam all through the series, but Boult’s spell was…
2:29 AM ET Attempts by Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft to deflect ultimate blame for the Newlands ball-tampering scandal towards David Warner have done little to change Cricket Australia’s plans to reintegrate the former vice-captain into the national team, as influential former players spoke out against the interviews aired on Boxing Day. While both Smith and Bancroft accepted responsibility for their part in the Newlands scandal that led to the…
Dec 25, 2018 Sreshth Shah Australia 8 for no loss (Harris 5*, Finch 3*) trail India 7 for 443 dec (Pujara 106, Kohli 82, Agarwal 76, Rohit 63*, Cummins 3-72) by 435 runs On a day when the bowlers found no real purchase – barring the occasional uneven bounce – from the MCG surface, India continued their batting dominance, consolidating their overnight position of 2 for 215. India rode on…
3:00 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff South Zone retained the Bangladesh Cricket League first-class title after their nine-wicket win over North Zone in Chittagong. This is the fourth time they have won the competition, having earlier been champions in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak struck the decisive blows in South Zone’s last round match, taking 12 for 144 to pick up the Player-of-the-Match honours. Razzak took…
9:58 PM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Allrounder James Neesham and fast bowler Doug Bracewell are back in New Zealand’s ODI squad after a gap of more than a year. They have both found places in the squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which begins on January 3 in Mount Maunganui. Also in the squad is wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert, who is set to make his ODI debut with the…
© Getty Images New Zealand 178 and 0 for 0 lead Sri Lanka 104 (Mathews 33, Boult 6-30, Southee 3-33) by 74 runs In a truly phenomenal burst of swing bowling, Trent Boult uprooted six Sri Lanka batsmen in the space of 15 balls, conceding only four runs through that period, to give New Zealand a 74-run first-innings lead at Hagley Oval. Sri Lanka had begun the day 100 runs…
Nayeem Hasan bagged five wickets in an innings on his debut, becoming the youngest Bangladeshi to take a five-for in a Test © Getty Images A win by 321 runs against Central Zone in Sylhet has propelled East Zone to the top of the table from the third position in the last round of BCL 2018-19. Eight wickets from 18-year-old offspinner Nayeem Hasan bowled out Central Zone for only 134…
Jhye Richardson, as gravity did not intend him to be © Getty Images Perth Scorchers 3 for 92 (Bosisto 36*, Turner 24) beat Adelaide Strikers 88 (Richardson 3-7, Tye 2-9, Behrendorff 2-16) by seven wickets Throughout their history as the BBL’s most successful side, the Perth Scorchers have beaten teams by outbowling them, with a potent ally in the WACA’s pace and bounce. Playing only their second match at their…
6:02 AM ET Andrew Fidel Fernando Suranga Lakmal bowled brilliantly, but the period in which Sri Lanka’s younger seamers – Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha – attempted a short-pitched barrage “worked in New Zealand’s favour” according to Tim Southee. Top-scoring for his team with 68 off 65 balls, Southee collected 29 of his runs behind square on the legside – a tally that included three top-edged sixes and two fours….
Mitchell Marsh was the most economical of Australia’s bowlers © Getty Images Travis Head has labelled the behaviour of the MCG crowd as “poor” and “disappointing” after fans booed Mitchell Marsh on two occasions during the opening day of the third Test. The loud booing that followed the announcement of Marsh’s bowling spells appeared to be an expression of the Victorian crowd’s disapproval that Peter Handscomb was dropped for the…