Ross Taylor will undergo surgery on his left eye after the Hamilton Test © BCCI Ross Taylor has been cleared by eye specialists to play the Hamilton Test against Pakistan, which is set to begin on November 25. However, the batsman needs surgery on his left eye, which will be done after the Test, thereby ruling him out of the ODIs in Australia in December. Taylor has a benign growth…

Steven Smith on Nic Maddinson: ‘I think on his day he can tear any attack apart’ © Getty Images Australia’s captain Steven Smith is staking plenty on his ability to get the best out of the New South Wales left-hand batsman Nic Maddinson, as a potential match-winner among the raft of changes made to the team for the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval. No name among the five to be…

Faf du Plessis addressed the media at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday © Getty Images Speaking for the first time since being found guilty of ball-tampering on Tuesday evening, South Africa’s stand-in captain Faf du Plessis used the first half of his pre-match press conference to continue to claim innocence. Du Plessis began with an explanation of what he considered the difference between altering the condition of the ball and merely…

BJ Watling, who plays his domestic home-matches in Hamilton, says the character of the pitch can change anytime © Associated Press Pitch prediction sometimes brings to mind the reading of palms or tea leaves. In the days before a Test, coaches and captains take familiar positions near one end of the track and stare pensively down at the clay; silently nodding or shaking heads, or murmuring softly under their breath….

Australia’s three debutants: Nic Maddinson, Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb © Getty Images Match facts November 24-28, 2016Start time 1400 local (0330 GMT) Big Picture Remember back in April, when South Africa’s players were reluctant to accept a day-night Adelaide Test? It could be a series decider, they said, and there could be a No.1 ranking on the line. What quaint, innocent times they were. This series was decided when…

Parthiv Patel has been spotted in his IPL franchise’s kit more than the Indian kit of late © BCCI More than eight years after his previous Test match, and four years after his last international, wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has earned a recall to India’s Test team. He comes in due to an injury to first-choice keeper Wriddhiman Saha; Saha strained his left thigh during the second Test against England in…

Hilton Cartwright has emerged over the past few seasons with Western Australia © Getty Images Hilton Cartwright, the Western Australia allrounder, is line for his ODI debut after being named in Australia’s 14-man squad for next month’s Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series. Cartwright is the only uncapped member of the group, which also includes fast bowler Pat Cummins, who has not played for Australia since September last year, and recalled allrounder Glenn…

The eight-team tournament, which will involve Ireland, is being viewed as a signal that a 2018 edition of the World Ct20 would be approved © AFP The eight Associate countries with T20I status will take part in a round-robin tournament planned for the start of the new year, multiple sources have told ESPNcricinfo. Although a 2018 World T20 is yet to be confirmed by the ICC, a source said that…

Chittagong Vikings 185 for 5 (Smith 69, Malik 63, Kamrul 2-29) beat Barisal Bulls 107 (Enamul 42*Nabi 3-16, Roy 2-16) by 78 runsScorecard File photo – Shoaib Malik struck a 30-ball 63 and took a wicket to help Chittagong Vikings dominate against Barisal Bulls © Getty Images Mohammad Nabi led a solid bowling display by Chittagong Vikings, who bowled out Barisal Bulls for 107 to seal a 78-run win in…