Cricket

The Ashes 2021-22

The fifth Test of the Ashes series had not been a pretty smooth one for the Australia cricket team. The visitors lost their first four wickets within a total of 83 runs. But first a partnership of 71 runs off 74 balls between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head and then another solid partnership of 121 off 160 deliveries between Head and Cameron Green helped the Aussies in avoiding an early threat.&nbsp;Head (101 off 113 balls) went on to score a century eventually but Green (74 off 109 balls) missed his century after he was dismissed by English pacer Mark Wood.&nbsp;Attempted pull shotGreen would indeed be unhappy with the way he got out. A pull shot attempted by the 22-year-old all-rounder went straight to Rory Burns standing at deep midwicket.&nbsp;Australia were eventually bowled out for 3030 in the first innings.&nbsp;Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has now come out and praised Green. Ponting talked about the century Green could have scored and said that the Aussie all-rounder seems to be “learning pretty quickly.”&nbsp;"He just had England exactly where he wanted them today," Ponting was quoted while talking to cricket.com.au.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Flat (pitch), a bowler down, a 50-over old ball, lights on and the ball skidding on beautifully, no quality spinner. It was all there waiting for him today, but it's not going to be far away.&nbsp;"If he takes that same mental approach into every innings going forward, regardless of if he's got runs in the game before or not (he'll perform well).&nbsp;"That's what he'll learn. It takes a lot of people a long time to learn that but he seems to be learning pretty quickly," Ponting added.&nbsp;Using the heightA lot has been said about Green’s tall figure and how the 199cm tall all-rounder can use it as an advantage. Ponting also suggested how Green can use his height and improve his playing style.&nbsp;“The art of batting is minimising the margin of error for bowlers on length.&nbsp;"And especially if you're that tall, you've got a better opportunity to do that.&nbsp;"It just looked like he was there to get on with it a bit more and back himself a bit more and if he continues to learn and understand what that means, then he'll get better game after a game."

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'He seems to be learning pretty quickly,' Ricky Ponting praises this Australia all-rounder

England pacer Stuart Broad was irritated by the spider-cam's actions as he let his anger out on it during the second day of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.&nbsp;The 35-year-old pacer halted his run-up just before he was about to release the ball after being distracted by the robot camera. The camera was moving behind English wicketkeeper Sam Billings.&nbsp;The backgroundThe incident took place before the last ball of the 63rd over of the Australian innings in the first session on Saturday. Broad came charging in against Mitchell Starc and stopped midway during his run-up as the batsman and the wicket-keeper were left wondering what happened before Broad let everyone know, why he was upset as he yelled at the broadcaster's spider-cam, "Stop moving the robot."&nbsp;Broad was leading England’s bowling attack as veteran pacer James Anderson was rested for the final game in Hobart. Broad took the big wickets of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne on Day 1.&nbsp;Past incidentsIn the past, batters were also seen to be complaining when they would find anything moving behind the bowlers' head. It was the other way round this time when the bowler was not happy with the spider-cam moving behind the wicketkeeper. Even the commentators couldn't control their laughter seeing Broad lose his cool at the object.&nbsp;However, it was a good start to the morning session for the English team as they wrapped Australia's first innings within the first hour of the day’s play. Australia were reduced to 252/8 as English pacer Mark Wood dismissed Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nathan Lyon then came in and smashed three sixes to take Australia to 280. Chris Woakes then got the wicket of Aussie wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey and England were just one wicket away from finishing Australia first innings.&nbsp;Aussie tailender Scott Boland hit 2 fours to score 10 runs off 13 balls as Australia reached the 300-run mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;Broad got the final breakthrough as he bowled Lyon to finish with an impressive figure of 3/59 while Wood picked up three wickets as well.

After Kohli, Broad not happy with technology in Ashes game

Australia's seamers, led by skipper Pat Cummins, blew-off England's fragile batting order to bundle the three lions out for just 188 on an eventful second day of the fifth and final Ashes Test.&nbsp; Australia have taken a 152-run lead and are 37-3 in their second innings at stumps on day two.&nbsp;England's first innings &nbsp;started in a chaotic style when Rory Burns was run out for a duck. Zack Crawley followed for 18 when he provided Cummins' first wicket, well caught by Travis Head leaping high at short leg. Each time a partnership looked like forming, it was broken apart by Australia's bowlers.&nbsp;Australia’s 10th wicket partnership averages 14, which is more than the &nbsp;English &nbsp;openers who average just about 12.77 in this Ashes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cummins took 4 for 45 and Mitchell Starc 3 for 53 with number eight&nbsp; Chris Woakes &nbsp;being England's top-scorer with 36, followed by Joe Root's 34 and Sam Billings, whose 29 on debut was solid.&nbsp;Joe Root and Dawid Malan put on 49 runs before both fell in quick succession during a passage of play which also claimed Ben Stokes as England lost three wickets for seven runs in the space of 21 deliveries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Australia with a 115-run lead were reduced to 5/2 in their second innings. England’s new ball attack made use of the conditions as Australia finished the day on 3 for 37 in their second innings with Steve Smith unbeaten on 17 and nightwatchman Scott Boland on 3.&nbsp;At the start of the day, Australia added 62 runs for the loss of four wickets with Alex Carey unable to convert his start of 24 and Nathan Lyon making a bright cameo worth 31 off just 27 balls, including three sixes off Wood, before he was last man out with the hosts first-innings total on 303.

Australia on lead despite late blows as England crumble in 1st innings

Australia's Ashes-winning heroes Travis Head, Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey were all asked to leave the rooftop hotel in Hobart by police after the players went partying all night with loud music. The group of players also included England skipper Joe Root and veteran pacer James Anderson. England assistant coach Graham Thorpe was also present in the late-night Ashes party. According to the reports, no arrests or any kind of legal action has been taken against the players but they were asked to immediately leave the rooftop. A video went viral, in which Australian players were seen celebrating after their 4-0 triumph in the Ashes. Australian players including 'Man of the Series', Head, Carey and Lyon and were all seen having drinks. Lyon and Carey were still in their white kits as the players arrived back at the hotel at 1:30 AM on early Monday (January 17) morning. The video footage shows four police officers asking the Australian players to stop drinking and leave the terrace area. A clock in the background shows that the players were partying until 6:00 AM. A police officer can also be heard saying, “Time for bed. Thank you. They just want to pack up.” As per reports, the complaint was launched only because of the loud volume of music being played. The players' behaviour was not the reason for complaints. A Tasmanian police spokesperson said, “Tasmania Police attended the Crowne Plaza Hobart on Monday morning after reports were made of intoxicated people in a function area.” “The guests were spoken to by police just after 6:00 am and left the area when asked. No further action will be taken by police,” the spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph. Anderson and Root were also seen on the spot of the event but were not spotted with drinks in their hands. The England captain was sporting the full kit, even wearing the cap. England faced a 0-4 series defeat in the Ashes 2021-22 as the final Test in Hobart saw Root's team stumble for just 124, losing all the 10 wickets for just 56 runs in the second innings after a solid opening partnership. Australia on the other hand, had all the reasons to party as they retained the Ashes urn once again.

Ashes stars kicked out of Hobart hotel after late-night party

Australian seamers ran through the England’s batting unit to win the fifth and final Test in Hobart by 146 runs within three days and seal the Ashes Test series 4-0. Chasing 271 runs to win, England were bundled out for a mere total of 124 runs.&nbsp;English openers Rory Burns and Zak Crawley started the chase brightly enough, but once Cameron Green dismissed Burns on the stroke of tea, they started to collapse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Solid opening partnershipThe openers put 68 runs for the first wicket. But the three lions eventually lost all their 10 wickets within a span of only 56 runs.&nbsp;England captain Joe Root endured a difficult series defeat after some bright starts, but there was nothing he could do when a Scott Boland delivery barely bounced, shooting through and crashing into the bottom of off-stump.&nbsp;The wickets continued to tumble after that with no one offering any resistance and it was no surprise when Australia wrapped up the win 40 minutes before stumps.&nbsp;Cameron Green, who also removed Crawley and Dawid Malan, finished with 3 for 21, while Boland and Pat Cummins also took three wickets each.&nbsp;It was all set up by Travis Head in the first innings for Australia; his 101 (off 113 balls) helped the hosts to reach 303 in the first innings. Aussies were reeling at 12-3 when Head and Marnus Labuschagne resurrected the Aussie innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cummins leading from the frontSkipper Cummins led the Australia bowling unit after picking up 4 wickets conceding 45 runs in the first innings. Mitchell Starc claimed 3-53 as the visitors were bowled out for 188. Leading 115 in the second innings Australia were 37-3 at stumps on day two.&nbsp;&nbsp;Australia scored 155 runs in the second innings. England pacer Mark Wood showed a terrific bowling display and claimed 6 wickets.&nbsp;Alex Carey, who was the top scorer with 49 runs in the second innings and all-rounder Green tried to rebuild the innings for Australia and took the score to 112 before Stuart Broad was reintroduced into the attack with an immediate effect. Broad managed to dismiss Green (23 off 47 balls).&nbsp;The hosts could have easily won the series 5-0, but due to a bad weather and heroics from England's lower order in the Sydney Test, the visitors somehow secured in avoiding a humiliating whitewash.&nbsp;

England succumb to a catastrophic collapse; Australia seal the Ashes 4-0

It all went down to the wire in the fourth Ashes Test between hosts Australia and England as Joe Root's side was successful in pulling off a draw. Australia captain Pat Cummins though shared a funny incident as Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne had a mini tug-of-war towards the end as umpires directed the Australians to use only spinners to close Day 5 due to bad light. “Bit of a running joke in the team about a bowl-off (between Smith and Marnus) to see who the No.1 leggie is in the team,” Cummins said during the post-match interview. The Aussies were determined to clinch the fourth Test as they aimed for a whitewash but Jack Leach and Stuart Broad made sure they escaped the encounter without any further damage take a draw. Smith and Labuschagne were the probable options that Cummins had in his arsenal as he searches for the final wicket. England somehow managed to see off the Aussies attack to end Day 5 on 270/9, their only non-negative result on their tour Down Under. Both Smith and Labuschagne have 18 and 12 wickets respectively in Test cricket. However, Smith's first wicket in six years to dismiss Leach almost sparked a ray of hope for Australia before the Test match came to a close. Both Smith and Labuschagne have had stellar Ashes so far with the bat, with the latter even earning the ‘Man of the Match’ award in the Pink-ball Test in Adelaide. &nbsp;The two teams will next meet on January 14 at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The Test match was originally scheduled to take place in Perth, but Covid-19 protocols meant that the venue was changed for the final Ashes Test match. Australia leads the Ashes 3-0 and will try to get the better of England, who have had a disappointing Australian summer. They already have players on the casualty list with Jos Butler returning home with a finger injury, while Sam Billings has been drafted as a replacement.

‘Bit of a running joke in the team about a bowl-off’: Cummins jokes on Smith & Labuschagne's bowling supremacy

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has hit out at the England team for being nice and not showing the “bite” in the ongoing Ashes series. The England team were able to avoid a fourth consecutive loss in Sydney as old guards Stuart Broad and James Anderson did the job with the bat to earn a thrilling draw. But, Vaughan believes had the team shown their true colours, the result could have been different. He compared the current team to the New Zealand team as they are considered ‘nice guys’ of cricket. &nbsp;“I think what he’s shown this week, and we’ve all been crying out for the first three Test matches, I think England are a better team when there’s a bit of bite in that team,” Vaughan was quoted saying to foxsports.com.au. The 47-year-old was successful in winning the Ashes in 2005 when a young group of players came to their best. The likes of Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff all contributed back as England won the prestigious trophy under Vaughan's captaincy. &nbsp;“I’m not saying chirp, but a bit of rivalry, a little bit of heated debate, the situation when Bairstow and Stokes had a bit of fruit from the crowd. “They’re the kind of spirited performances we’ve seen this week in the light of 36-4, England had to come out and fight and they did. &nbsp;“People don’t like it when you say you want them to be a bit nasty, but I think England plays better when their backs are against the wall,” the 47-year-old added. “People say they’re not trying, they don’t care, these guys care hugely, it’s just not gone their way. “But this is the platform that you’ve got to fight every single week and no one likes to use the terminology of ‘nasty’ because it’s not right and they’ll say New Zealand play lovely cricket and they’re the nicest guys in the world, that’s New Zealand, England have always played better cricket when they’ve had a bit of bite in them and that’s what I want to see going forward,” Vaughan said. Joe Root's side was lucky to escape defeat in the fourth Test despite injuries to Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler. Both the players injured their fingers in the first innings, while Bairstow hung in to score England's first and only hundred in the Ashes. Buttler, though was slightly unfortunate as he will return home to England after injuring his index finger. Australia have missed a golden opportunity to do a whitewash courtesy of the draw but will have their head up as they will try to win the fifth Test. The final Test match will begin on January 14 in Hobart as confidence will be high in the Aussie camp. Pat Cummins' side leads the Ashes 3-0 and will be posed to drop the curtains on a winning note.

Michael Vaughan wants England to stop being nice guys like New Zealand in ongoing Ashes 

Former Australian cricketer Michael Hussey wants England to take inspiration from the Indian team that travelled Australia last year. India managed to draw a Test match at the Sydney Cricket ground due to a heroic effort by Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari on day 5.&nbsp;“This is what we love about Test cricket, you never know. Everyone had written India off last year. They were on their last leg, they were injured, but they found their spirit inside and I think England can draw inspiration from that,” Hussey said during a show on Cricbuzz.&nbsp;England ended Day four of the ongoing Test against at 30 for no loss, needing 358 runs more to win. Both the openers Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley played out a tricky period before stumps and will be keen on extending the already best opening partnership of the series for England.&nbsp;“There are some other great stories in there as well – Zak Crawley and Hameed possibly playing for their careers. So there’s plenty of motivation for the English to show that spirit and fight,” Hussey said.&nbsp;Batting has remained a big concern for the touring team since the first Test match as they hit the rock bottom during the Boxing Day Test when the batters could make only 68 runs in the second innings.&nbsp;“I’m not going to write them off yet, but it’s going to be very difficult. There are going to be big challenges along the way. The pitch is certainly not as good as it was last year and the Australian bowlers are probably a bit fresher than they were this time last year. So it’s in Australia’s favour without a doubt, but England I’m sure will not go down without a fight,” Hussey added.&nbsp;Hussey made it clear that Aussies are clear favourites to win at SCG. Aussie pacers have wrecked the English batters and are likely to grab all the 10 wickets on the final day..&nbsp;

Michael Hussey wants struggling England to take inspiration from India

Australia skipper Pat Cummins feels that little different weather conditions could have helped the match result as the fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground against England ended in a draw on Sunday (January 9). Stuart Broad and Jack Leach batted out 69 balls for the ninth wicket before Broad and James Anderson batted out the final two overs on Day 5 and remained unbeaten at the crease. The five-match series stands 3-0 in favour of Australia and the fifth game will begin on Friday in Hobart.&nbsp;“Great game of Test cricket. We got close. Bit less weather might have got us there. Obviously would've loved 4-0, but good match. The forecasts are hopeless, I learnt that this week. Getting close to 400, I felt we needed that. The wicket wasn't playing too many tricks. And I thought there was enough time. Smith did the vice-captain thing and said I will bowl (laughs). Bit of a running joke in the team that they should have a bowl-off to see who the No.1 leggie is in the team (Smith and Marnus),” said Cummins in the post match interview.&nbsp;Citing poor light, Australians were asked to bowl spin from both ends. Nathan Lyon holding on tight to on end, vice-captain Steve Smith shared the attack from the other. Smith in his very first over picked Leach and broke a 69-ball partnership, this was smith’s first Test wicket in six long years.&nbsp;England resumed the final session on Day 5 at 174/4, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow added 19 more runs, before Stokes (60) was sent back to the pavilion by Lyon which meant England had to see out 27.2 overs on the final day to walk away with a draw. English lower order hung on to pull an unlikely draw at the SCG, avoiding yet another defeat.&nbsp;The final Test was scheduled to be played at the Optus Stadium in Perth but due to Covid-19 restriction in the state of Western Australia, the fifth Test was moved to Hobart’s Bellerive Oval. Hobart Test will be a day/night fixture.

The forecasts are hopeless: Pat Cummins cites bad weather as main reason for Sydney Test draw

Former England captain Michael Atherton has said that a series of changes in the English cricket setup is needed, following the side's poor show against Australia in the ongoing Ashes Test series. &nbsp;&nbsp;He went on to point out that England Cricket Board (ECb) should be keeping England's ‘best interests’ as its top priority, referring to their policy of granting no-objection certificates for the Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp;“The leading multi-format players are paid seven-figure sums, but, incredibly, the ECB washes its hands of them for two months of the year during the Indian Premier League. The players should be told that, while the ECB will be accommodating of the request to play in the IPL, a 12-month contract is exactly that, and the granting of a no-objection certificate to play in the IPL and other franchised competitions is contingent on it being in the best interests of the England team,” Atherton wrote on his column.&nbsp;&nbsp;IPL not the top priorityAtherton also urged that players “should not miss international duty” to play in the IPL.&nbsp;“Players should not miss international duty to play in the IPL, nor be rested and rotated to allow them to play elsewhere. The carry-on during the winter, and at the start of the English summer, should not happen again,” said 53-year-old Atherton.&nbsp;Atherton also said England head coach Chris Silverwood should be shown the door after the series, which Australia have already wrapped up with two matches yet to be played.&nbsp;ENgland skipper Joe Root, who has not won any of his three Ashes series in charge, was not ready to discuss the long-term future of his captaincy after England lost by an innings and 14 runs in the third test in Melbourne.&nbsp;“Bear personal responsibility”&nbsp;"There have been so many errors here, from selection to strategy, that the captain has to bear personal responsibility ... This could have been a much closer series had Root got things right on the field.”&nbsp;"Root has been a good England captain, and has always carried himself superbly and is an incredible ambassador for the sport, but having done the job for five years and having had three cracks at the Ashes, including two awful campaigns in Australia, it is time for someone else to have a go.”&nbsp;The penultimate Ashes Test is scheduled to begin in Sydney on January 5.

Michael Atherton urges ECB to keep team's ‘best interests’ as top priority

Australia captain Pat Cummins has asked his team to be just themselves instead of getting involved in sledging related activities ahead of the fifth Test starting on Friday (January14). Australia were held to a draw on Day Five of the Sydney Test as the hosts were unable to find a way to register their fourth win of the Ashes Test series. While tensions flared in the final session of Day 5, Australia infamously known for their sledging act remained surprisingly a silent customer and focused on going the right way.&nbsp;Captain's words "It might have been done like that in the past,” the 28-year-old was quoted while talking to 'Sydney Morning Herald' . "I look at different leaders and someone like Eoin Morgan. I like his outlook on captaincy and how he brings the team together. I have worked with Eoin in the IPL for the last couple of years and we have very similar outlooks on life," Cummins said. "No doubt, the first Tests have been pretty smooth sailing and it (sledging) is something to keep an eye on...You lead by your actions in this space. If I need to pull someone up (for sledging) I will, but everyone is an adult here," he added.&nbsp;Praising teammates Cummins was named Australia's 47th Test captain ahead of the five-match Ashes series and he has successfully guided his nation to an unassailable 3-0 lead and praised the contribution of his teammates. "They have heard it loud and clear from the outside what is expected of us and from cricket fans in Australia. I will not be taking all the credit, the boys have been fantastic themselves," the Australian skipper explained. After a promising end to 2021, the Aussies will be hoping for a glorious start to the new year- 2022. The draw against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) saw them drop points for the very first time in the current cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC). The fifth and final Test match will take place at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, as Joe Root's side tries to salvage some pride from the Ashes.

Australia captain Pat Cummins urges his team to stay away from sledging after Sydney draw

Usman Khawaja's back to back centuries in the fourth Test against England at the SCG payed off really well as he has earned his spot for the final Test of the Ashes series. His spot came at the expense of Marcus Harris. Usman, who returned to the scheme of things after more than two years, had smashed a fine 137 in the first innings and then followed it with an unbeaten 101 in the second innings in the fourth Test against England that ended in dramatic draw. How could his top-notch knocks go unnoticed and unacknowledged?&nbsp; Usman was himself not sure about playing the fifth Test despite producing a great display from the willow.&nbsp;Australian captain Pat Cummins on Thursday (Janurary 13) confirmed that Harris would not appear in the final of the series at Blandstone Arena, while Khawaja would start batting with his childhood teammate David Warner.&nbsp;“I think he knew it was coming,” Cummins said.&nbsp;“The message to Harry is that we think he’s really doing well. I think Marcus has been really good, I think he’s growing in every game.“It’s definitely part of the future,” he added.&nbsp;Harris scored 179 runs in the first four Ashes Tests at an average of 29.83, his best performance during the Boxing Day match at MCG was 76.&nbsp;But the left-handed Victorian has been criticized for failing to turn a start into a big score – after 14 Tests among the white whites in Australia, he has reached 50 on just three occasions without scoring a century to his name.&nbsp;Khwaja himself admitted that starting batting is a different fish to play in the middle order, telling reporters after his second SCG century: “You really can’t compare No. 5 with the opening. It’s a little bit like an apple and an orange, and I know because I’ve done both. “The opening is very difficult. There is a big difference between opening and batting number five," he added. Cummins also confirmed that Travis Head would come into the playing XI for Hobart Test.Head was forced to isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. However, the makeup of the bowling attack is yet to be decided for the fifth Test.&nbsp;The Australian skipper, meanwhile, said the national selectors are waiting to see how pacer Scott Boland performs in training for Hobart before making a final decision on a bowling attack.

Khawaja rewarded for Sydney super show; to open in fifth Test against England

Travis Head, who had tested Covid positive and missed the fourth Test, roared back with a splendid ton in the fifth Ashes Test against England in Hobart on Friday (January 14). He clobbered 101 runs to steady the Australian boat as Kangaroos were once 12/3 with all the highly touted top three, David Warner (0), Usman Khawaja (6) and Steve Smith (0), sent back to pavilion. Travis' 113-ball innings was decorated with 12 boundaries to rescue his side from a precarious position as Australia are now at 241/6 while the match is currently halted by the rain. Marnus Labuschagne also bolstered the Australian innings with his gritty 44 off 53 as Stuart Broad (2/48) and Ollie Robinson (2/24) paired up to frustrate Australia.&nbsp; Earlier, Head slammed a terrific 152-run knock in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane and guided Australia to a nine-wicket victory. He followed that up with scores of 18 and 51 in the second Test at the Adelaide Oval as Australia took a 2-0 lead. In the third Test at the MCG, Head scored 27 in his lone innings.And now in Hobart, he has struck another century to make his case and with this knock he also got past the 1,500-run mark in Test cricket on Friday. He has mustered 1,502 runs at an average of 44.17.&nbsp; Head has four centuries and eight half-centuries in his kitty so far with a best score of 161. Playing his eighth Ashes Test, Head has surpassed 500 runs against England as he has scored 540 runs at an average of &nbsp;45.00 by belting two tons.&nbsp;In the ongoing Ashes, Head has scored a total of 349 runs at an average of 69.80. He has scored two tons and a fifty. Notably, he has got these runs after having faced 399 deliveries at a strike rate of 87.46.&nbsp;With pride at stake, England will be aiming to win the fifth Test as the hosts are already leading the series 3-0.&nbsp;Australia won the first Test by nine wickets and then followed it up with a 275-run win in the second fixture. In the third match, the Pat Cummins-led side won by an innings and 14 runs and the fourth Test ended in a thrilling draw.

Covid-19 recovered Travis Head rescues Australia from 12/3, hits counter-attacking 101 in Hobart Test

In a shocker of a revelation, a former Under-19 Australian player claimed that he was sexually assaulted while on tour in India and Sri Lanka in the 1980s.&nbsp;Australia's cricket leaders said that they were assisting a police investigation into this shock allegation.Cricket Australia said it supported ex-Australian under-19 Jamie Mitchell, whose claims that he was raped on the tour by a team official were first reported by national broadcaster ABC on Sunday.&nbsp;“We acknowledge and applaud the courage of Jamie Mitchell in speaking out about his experience," the governing body said in a statement, adding that it was “fully assisting" a police probe.&nbsp;“We have no tolerance for any form of abuse," said Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley.&nbsp;Mitchell said he was sexually assaulted in Colombo on the last night of the tour in 1985.&nbsp;A team official named in the ABC report denied wrongdoing and no charges have been made.&nbsp;“Instead of being a highlight of my cricketing life, that tour has caused me trauma and distress over many years," Mitchell said in a statement released by his lawyers to Australian media. “Cricket Australia has a chance to distinguish itself by facing up to this issue and doing the right thing.&nbsp;“And that means transparency, starting with proper answers to many questions. I’m going to send a list of them to Cricket Australia," he added.&nbsp;Former Australian captain Greg Chappell, who was a national selector at the time of the alleged attack, told Nine Entertainment newspapers that he was appalled by the allegations.&nbsp;“I would hope that CA will respond in a human way and deal empathetically with the individuals rather than try to defend the organisation," he said.&nbsp;“It was a shocking revelation. I would have hoped nothing like that had happened, but realism tells you that other areas of life have seen that sort of thing go on," he added.&nbsp;A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said they do not comment on “specific investigations".

Australian cricket shocked by sexual abuse claim

Usman Khawaja playing his first Test since being axed during the 2019 Ashes, made a comeback in style as he reached his ninth Test century to help Australia seize control in the fourth Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting first, Khawaja's 137-run knock off 260 deliveries helped Australia post 416/8 and declare their first innings.&nbsp; Khawaja resumed Day 2 on four, after Australia slipped to 117/3 on a stop-start opening day of the fourth Test. The left-handed batter weathered through the tough phases to settle into the innings. The 35-year-old had scored heavy runs in the Sheffield Shield since being dropped from the side and made the most of the opportunity when the opportunity presented itself. The Queenslander had also made his Test debut on the very same ground and against the very same opponent way back in 2011. After seeing off the second new ball, Khawaja never looked back. The southpaw stitched a 115-run stand with Steve Smith (67), who was later dismissed by Stuart Broad. The 35-year-old was earlier dropped by Joe root on 28. Broad finished with figures of 5/101. Alongside Khawaja, Pat Cummins (24) and Mitchell Starc (34) chipped in, helping Australia to propel to a good first innings score. &nbsp;The English openers Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed who were resilient enough to see off the opening burst from the Aussie quicks, will have tough task of setting a good platform for their team on Day 3. In five overs in third session, England managed to score 13 runs. The SCG pitch is expected to start assisting spin from Day 3 onwards. This would mean after negotiating with the Australian seamers, the three lions would still have face veteran Nathan Lyon's off-spin. England are 3-0 down in the ongoing Ashes already and another whitewash is on the cards if the English batters fail to start well on Day 3. A lot depends on Root as he has been the only batter in form for England this summer.

Khawaja’s fairytale Ashes ton on return from exile puts Australia on top

Usman Khawaja was the cynosure of all eyes as he clobbered a superlative ton against England on Day 2 of the fourth Test in Sydney but what grabbed more eyeballs was his celebration after the ton. Usman celebrated his ton in American basketball star LeBron James’ signature celebratory style.&nbsp;He celebrated with a high-knees strut and thumped his chest, copying King James' famous 'silencer'. The left-hander made a magnificent 137 in Australia's 416-8 declared on day two, leaving the tourists staring at a major challenge to avoid another Ashes defeat at the Sydney Cricket Ground.&nbsp;Khawaja reached his second Ashes hundred after being given a life on 28 when an edge off Jack Leach grazed Jos Buttler and was dropped by England skipper Joe Root at first slip.&nbsp;"It's the silencer - you probably shouldn't do it to a home crowd," said Khawaja after England closed on 13-0.&nbsp;"I was so excited, everything just came up to me. I love LeBron James, so it just felt right," he added.&nbsp;"I do it mucking around with the boys all the time and if I'm playing basketball and hit a few good shots I do it, so I've had a bit of practice at it, so it just happens.&nbsp;"I love Test cricket. Sometimes it feels a bit traditional for my liking, so I like to give it a bit of spark," he further said.&nbsp;Khawaja said of his near seven-hour innings: "It's pretty sweet. I wasn't expecting it. Hundreds don't come every day."It's a pretty tough wicket. I'm just trying to bat. I'm just trying to grind away. It's a lot of fun. I'm a bit tired, a bit lost for words. It's pretty special."&nbsp;Khawaja said he had been "in a very good spot the last couple of years", despite being absent from the Australia team.&nbsp;He has become a father, with his wife and daughter in the SCG crowd on Thursday, and has enjoyed his cricket despite dropping out of the Test side.This might be a one-off recall, with Khawaja included due to Travis Head returning a positive COVID-19 test result."I said earlier, I've got nothing to prove to anyone," Khawaja said on beIN Sports.&nbsp;“I love playing cricket, whether it's grade cricket down at my local club Valleys [Valley District], or playing for Queensland. I'm just really enjoying the game,” Khawaja signed off.

Khawaja celebarates in LeBron James' fashion after rollicking ton in Sydney

Veteran fast bowler Stuart Broad is just four wickets shy of becoming England’s leading wicket-taker in the Ashes history. Broad has picked 125 wickets in 34 Ashes Tests and is only behind the legendary English all-rounder Ian Botham who has picked 128 wickets in 32 games.&nbsp;Botham averaged 28.04 and took 58 innings to get to 128 wickets whereas Broad has picked his 125 wickets so far at an average of 29.32 in 61 innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 35-year-old has been around the English circuit for more than a decade, having made his Test debut way back in 2009. His new ball partner, James Anderson has 112 wickets to his name. Broad’s 5/101 in the first innings of the New year’s Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) took him past Bob Willis who has 123 Ashes wickets to his name.&nbsp;Broad has eight five-wicket hauls for England in the Ashes, most by any English bowler. In total, the former England’s T20I skipper has 19 five-wicket hauls to his name in the longest format and a total of 536 wickets, second most for England after Anderson.&nbsp;Over the years, the tall Nottinghamshire seamer has produced quite a few unforgettable spells in the Ashes. In 2015, Broad picked 8/15 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, which helped the hosts bundle out Australia for just 60 runs. The other standout Ashes spell of Broad's would be his 5/37 in 2009 at the Oval in London. He was also England’s leading wicket-taker in the 2019 edition of the Ashes, having picked 23 wickets.&nbsp;With second innings of the Sydney Test still remaining to go with the last Test at Hobart, the 152 Test veteran will have a chance to go past the magical number of 128 in this series itself. Before the SCG Test, Broad was disappointed with the team selection as he was not included in the first and third Test despite having a major impact on Australian opener David Warner in the home Ashes in 2019.

Stuart Broad just 4 wickets away from breaking Ian Botham's 33-year-old Ashes record

England pacer James Anderson has ourightly rejected all the rumours regarding his retirement. Anderson claimed that he and his bowling partner Stuart Broad have no plans of retirement following the Ashes Test series.&nbsp;Discussing his feeling England’s all-time leading wicket taker wrote in The Telegraph, “Unfortunately, I have been on a few tours that have not ended well in Australia.&nbsp;"There is always an air of uncertainty when you lose convincingly so who knows what the future will hold.&nbsp;“It is natural you start thinking about what happens next but the message from the chats I’ve had with the captain and senior players around me is to keep going.”&nbsp;“No intention of finishing”There were talks among the critics that time has come for the 39-year-old to retire from the game. But Anderson feels that despite the challenging times he feels he is “in a really good place” and has “no intention of finishing.”&nbsp;“Personally, even in these challenging times, I feel in a really good place with my bowling, and have done for a while.&nbsp;“I will have to wait and see but I have no intention of finishing,” Anderson added.&nbsp;&nbsp;England have already lost the ongoing five-match Ashes Test series to Australia after losing the first three Tests. The performance has caused remarkable outrage in English media with former players such as Kevin Pietersen calling for massive changes to arrest the slide.&nbsp;Call for systemic changes?Anderson's views were similar to that of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Ashley Giles, who has called for systematic changes in English cricket, but feels that mass sacking is not the solution for the team's recent struggles.&nbsp;“Unless we look at more systemic change, a collective responsibility, and collective solutions, we can't make whatever changes we want.&nbsp;"You can change me, we can change the head coach and change the captain, but we're only setting up future leaders for failure. That's all we do. It's only pushing it down the road,” Giles said.&nbsp;English team led by Joe Root, lost the Boxing Day Test by an innings and 14 runs after the Aussies had won the first Test by nine wickets in Brisbane and then registered a comfortable 275-run victory in the next match in Adelaide.

England star pacer makes big statement on retirement plans; says 'no intention of finishing'

Cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus while doing commentary duties in the ongoing Ashes between Australia and England. The series is currently in its fourth Test match being played in Sydney with Australia leading the five match series 3-0.&nbsp;The ongoing Ashes 2021-22 has already seen its share of COVID-19 positive cases after an outbreak in England camp saw members of support staff and family members testing positive during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. At the end of the Test match, it was reported that several members of the coaching staff including pace bowling Coach Jon Lewis, spin mentor Jeetan Patel, and strength and conditioning specialist Darren Veness.&nbsp;Now Sir Ian Botham has tested positive for Covid while covering the Ashes 2021-22 for Channel 7 in Australia, confirmed his former England teammate David Gower, who is covering the series for BT Sports, Daily Mail UK reported.&nbsp;Channel 7 have been hit by a Covid-19 outbreak that began the day of the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG.&nbsp;A member of the crew tested positive during routine testing and was asymptomatic and presenter Mel McLaughlin later revealed it was her, despite being double-vaccinated and boostered.&nbsp;The 66-year-old Lord Botham and fellow pundit Ricky Pointing were forced to take PCR tests after McLaughlin tested positive and Seven had to change its broadcasting team at the eleventh hour.&nbsp;At the time, Seven said: ‘Seven is activating its Covid measures to ensure the health and safety of all staff, as well as the broader community, and is working in line with all relevant guidelines and regulations. There have been a number of changes to today’s production schedule, which will be led by Alistair Nicholson, Andy Maher and Jason Richardson with expert comments from Lisa Sthalekar, Brad Hodge, Callum Ferguson, Michael Atherton and Dirk Nannes.’&nbsp;Earlier, England head coach Chris Silverwood and Aussie middle-order batter Travis Head also tested positive for COVID-19. Head didn’t play the New Year’s Test and is currently isolating in Melbourne as per the guidelines of the Victorian government.

Ian Botham contracts virus while commentating for Ashes

A rare moment of fortune went England and Ben Stokes’ way in the fourth Ashes Test series as the left-handed batter mightily escaped from being bowled out. A Test series in which there has hardly been anything that has gone England’s way, the English all-rounder witnessed a dramatic moment when the ball clipped his off stump but the bails did not come off.&nbsp;The incident occurred in the second session of Day 3 of the Sydney Test as Cameroon Green had the ball in his hand. On the first ball of the 31st over, Green’s in-swinging delivery got deflected before it carried to the wicketkeeper, with the slightest of noise and the ball angling towards off stump, Australian players appealed immediately for an LBW and the on-field umpire agreed as he gave Stokes the marching orders.&nbsp;Reviewing the decisionAt this moment, England were 57/4 and the soft signal from the umpire meant that it was 57/5, but Stokes was convinced that the ball hadn’t hit his pads. The 30-year-old all-rounder, batting on 16, challenged the call and reviewed the incident straightaway and then the replays showed an extraordinary footage as the ball clipped the off stump and was nowhere near Stokes’ pad.&nbsp;The deflection and noise were generated by the ball hitting the stumps, but most importantly and surprisingly as well, the bails never came off. Umpire's decision was overturned and Stokes was seen laughing and enjoying the moment. The famous hero of the 2019 World Cup final survived the scare as he and Jonny Bairstow (batting on 4 during the incident) went on to score a partnership of 128 runs for the fifth wicket to take England away from danger. Stokes eventually departed for 66 after Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing for prideJoe Root’s side have already lost the Ashes 3-0 and are playing for pride and were almost undone in the ongoing Test as they struggled for 36/4. Bairstow and Stokes somehow managed to keep their side in the game, with the former hitting his seventh Test ton, his first in 38 innings. Courtesy of his hundred England ended the day’s play on 258/7. With still two days of cricket to go, the English team might just require more luck to avoid a whitewash.

‘Lady Luck’ shines for Ben Stokes after bizarre moment of fortune on Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test

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MS Dhoni's latest injury update has further dented Chennai Super Kings' IPL 2026 campaign as the legendary wicketkeeper-batter will reportedly take more than two weeks to recover from calf strain

MS Dhoni is struggling with his calf strain amidst the ongoing IPL 2026

Reportedly, Dhoni will now miss the first 6 matches of the ongoing edition

Former Chennai Super Kings' captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in this frame. (Getty)

Worrisome update on Dhoni's injury, CSK legend to miss more matches in IPL 2026

Virat Kohli played an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opening clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. 

Virat Kohli scored 69 off 38 balls in IPL 2026 opener clash. 

RCB defeated SRH by six wickets in IPL 2026 opener. 

Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Getty)

Ex-India star's social media post after RCB's one-sided win vs SRH goes viral

Virat Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the IPL 2026 opener clash. 

RCB defeated SRH by six wickets in IPL 2026.

Virat Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 balls in SRH vs RCB clash.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Indian cricket player Virat Kohli adjusts his cap (Getty)

Ravichandran Ashwin's blunt take on Virat Kohli's performance in IPL 2026

SRH’s bowlers came under pressure after failing to defend a total of 201 on a batting-friendly pitch against RCB. With Pat Cummins and Carse unavailable, the attack lacked firepower. 

SRH will now take KKR in their 2nd IPL 2026 clash. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad players celebrate after the dismissal in IPL match (Getty)

SRH shares crucial update on Brydon Carse's injury ahead of IPL 2026 tie vs KKR

RCB started IPL 2026 in style, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the tournament opener at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

RCB will now CSK in their 2nd IPL 2026 clash. 

 Virat Kohli (L) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Indian cricket player Abhishek Sharma during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad (Getty)

Virat Kohli (L) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Indian cricket player Abhishek Sharma during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad (Getty)