All posts by n8rngtd.top

Keeper-batter says he’s been guaranteed white-ball games in Caribbean after coming to Test squad’s rescue

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2022Sam Billings is keen to grasp the unexpected opportunity of a potential Test debut in Hobart later this week, although his thoughts will quickly return to pinning down a place in England’s white-ball teams.Billings embarked on a 500-mile road trip to join up with England’s Ashes squad shortly after being told not to get on a plane back to the UK. Having finished his stint with Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League, Billings had been due to travel home ahead of England’s T20I series against West Indies in the Caribbean, before injuries to Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow, the two frontline Test wicketkeepers in Australia, forced a change of plan.His likely involvement in Hobart means Billings will miss England’s opening T20I in Barbados on January 22 – but he said had received assurances from the ECB of being picked for the rest of the series after agreeing to come to the Test team’s rescue.Related

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“I am 100% ready if required, and I will give absolutely everything I can,” he told reporters in Sydney, where England secured a dramatic draw in the fourth Test. “My game is in a good place. It has been in the longer format for the last three years for Kent.”I have been playing consistent cricket and scoring runs. It doesn’t really matter what format it is, it’s more about rhythm, confidence and mindset. Like any side I go into I will try to make a positive impact on and off the field, in any environment I am put into.”The three guys [Buttler, Bairstow and Ben Stokes] who came out to bat in Sydney with injuries, that’s incredible courage, and exactly what everyone involved in English cricket is about – playing for each other and that resilience. There’s a lot of inspiration we can take from that as a group, that character and over-my-dead-body attitude.”While a regular in England’s white-ball squads over the years, Billings has rarely had an extended run in either the T20I or ODI sides. The absence of Buttler and Bairstow for the West Indies trip meant he was first in line to keep wicket, and he said that Ashley Giles, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, had agreed to his request to play.”I’ve done way too much running the drinks,” he said. “So it was having that real clarity I wasn’t going to compromise that opportunity in the West Indies. Gilo agreed to that.”Billings has spoken previously of his ambitions to play Test cricket, although his proficiency on the T20 circuit has limited his chances to press a case – in the last three years, he has played just 10 Championship games for Kent, averaging 44.58 with three hundreds.”It’s a hard one,” he said. “As a non-contract [England] player, you have to try and maximise those opportunities, because you don’t have that fallback of knowing you’ll be picked in the next squad. Being constantly in that mindset isn’t very healthy. Playing in those T20 leagues, the great thing is you get signed as an overseas player and you get valued in that environment. You know you’re going to play a run of games and it’s great.”He also said that the performance of Usman Khawaja, a team-mate at Sydney Thunder, had provided a source of inspiration. Khawaja returned to the Australia Test XI for the first time in two-and-a-half years and proceeded to score centuries in each innings at the SCG.”He was very honest and said: ‘I wasn’t sure if this opportunity would come again.’ As you’ve seen, that’s how to grab an opportunity. Hopefully I can take some inspiration from him. You have got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Third-wicket stand of 141 with Haseeb Hameed overhauls Glamorgan with ease

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay17-Aug-2025Nottinghamshire 282 for 3 (Haynes 124, Hameed 58*) beat Glamorgan 278 for 9 (Byrom 62, Root 56) by seven wicketsJack Haynes starred with a century as Notts Outlaws kept their qualification chances at arm’s length with a comfortable run chase against winless defending champions Glamorgan.The 24-year-old Haynes struck a well-timed 124 with some late acceleration to chase the sub-par 278 for 9 set by the hosts.Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed played supporting roles in the seven-wicket win, the latter combining with Haynes for a 141-run third-wicket stand.

Eddie Byrom notched up back-to-back half-centuries with 62 while Billy Root also passed 50 to hold together the Glamorgan innings. One positive for the winless side was 18-year-old Romano Franco picking up a first professional wicket at the third time of asking.After being inserted, Glamorgan got off to a racing start, as has tended to be their way in this competition. Byrom and Asa Tribe’s 71-run opening stand left Notts’ bowling attack – hit by the absence of players in the Hundred – with cause for concern before Tribe’s fun was ended by 18-year-old debutant Byron Hatton-Lowe.Byrom, the steadier of the two openers in terms of strike rate, continued calmly as he watched on for Henry Hurle, playing a first Glamorgan game of 2025, to be dismissed.Kiran Carlson was unable to kick on, as was Will Smale who suffered a ball-watching run out to leave the hosts with just five wickets in hand with more than 20 overs to bat, a theme too common in their campaign.Root held the fort in a knock of few boundaries for 56 before Dan Douthwaite’s blistering cameo added some impetus, the hosts still left short.Zain Ul Hassan was able to contain in a seven-over new-ball spell while Ned Leonard leaked at the other end, Slater enjoying a rather comfortable start.After Ben Martindale was dismissed, a period of experience was due with Slater and Haynes adding 75 before Hameed struck an unbeaten 58 to ice the run chase.Franco impressed in his 10 overs but poor fielding, including a drop by Andy Gorvin with Haynes on 68 proved costly.Tribe followed as the third player in the game to take a first wicket for his club, after Hatton-Lowe and Franco, although the damage was done.

Left-arm seamer is Hampshire’s all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket but has been plagued by injuries

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2020Chris Wood, Hampshire’s left-arm seamer, has announced his retirement from red-ball cricket at the age of 29 to focus on prolonging his limited-overs career.Wood has taken 105 wickets at 30.22 across a 43-match first-class career, but has regularly been dogged by injuries. He will represent Hampshire in the T20 Blast, and was a £40,000 signing for the Oval Invincibles in the Hundred draft.”I’ve been desperate to play red-ball cricket,” Wood said, “but in recent years every time I get up and running my body seems to hold me back, and this has been the case since having two knee operations over the last few seasons.”When I play red-ball cricket, I feel I’m good enough to contribute to the team but my body just hasn’t allowed me to bowl 30 to 40 overs each week and in consecutive games, so I’ve been mulling it over for some time and now feels like the right time to finally make this decision.”Concentrating solely on white-ball cricket and trying to get the most of my career, playing the formats that I’m more comfortable with and have had more success in, feels like it makes sense and I’m looking forward to being able to focus all my training overs on improving my skills as a white-ball bowler, which will hopefully help me to continue contributing to the club’s limited-overs success in the years to come.”Wood is Hampshire’s all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket, with 131, and was a key part of the club’s limited-overs double in 2012, as well as their sustained period of T20 success from 2010-15. He had his first taste of franchise cricket earlier this winter, playing for Northern Warriors in the Abu Dhabi T10.

“A huge question mark remains on how the dressing room will take him,” Mashrafe Mortaza says

Mohammad Isam02-Feb-2023Chandika Hathurusingha’s appointment as Bangladesh coach has drawn diverse reactions from the country’s cricket fraternity. The new two-year deal will be Hathurusingha’s second stint in this position after he spent three years, from 2014 to 2017, before leaving abruptly for the Sri Lanka role. According to the BCB president Nazmul Hassan, he has now returned as the all-format coach, which all but rules out S Sriram as the T20I coach of the team.The BCB announced Hathurusingha as their new coach on Tuesday, four weeks after Russell Domingo resigned following suggestions from the board that they were looking for a new coach. Hathurusingha was on BCB’s wishlist for a long time even after he had resigned from the post in October 2017.This, despite his successors Steve Rhodes (2018-19) and Domingo (2019-22) having a better win percentage than Hathurusingha. Rhodes had a 51.11 win percentage in 45 matches while Domingo had a 42.34 win percentage in all formats. Both had a much better record in ODIs and T20Is than Hathurusingha, who had a better Test record, having won six out of 21 matches during his reign.Related

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Many felt that the BCB was hasty to dispose off Rhodes after the 2019 World Cup while Domingo resigned after being put in an untenable position due to the board’s criticism of his coaching style. But the timing remained questionable. The criticism followed the team’s 2-1 ODI home series win against India in December.Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza said that the way Hathurusingha left the Bangladesh job in 2017 left a bad taste in the mouth.”Considering our Test-playing nation’s stature, this is certainly not a good example,” Mashrafe told . “Jamie Siddons was also brought back. They are two of the best coaches in terms of technical and tactical aspects that I have seen. Maybe that’s why the board thought it best to bring him back. There’s also a coaching crisis. It is hard to find coaches since there are so many franchise tournaments. BCB took the right decision in that regard.”There wouldn’t have been a problem had he [Hathurusingha] left properly like Siddons, who wanted to stay back as Bangladesh’s batting coach. Hathurusingha left in the middle of his contracted period. He didn’t pick up the phone of our board president, neither did he reply to his SMS. He left suddenly. There’s always the question of respect.”Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said that Hathurusingha will be familiar with Bangladesh’s team culture and players, and has already committed to the board for two years.”We are happy,” Yunus told ESPNcricinfo. “He has worked here before so he won’t need a lot of time to adjust here. He knows the players and the environment. He is a good coach. He has the quality that’s needed for the players. He has always shown interest in Bangladesh cricket. I hope this time he will stay long and keep the contractual commitment. Judging by what he has told us, we expect him to work dedicatedly for the two years.”Mashrafe Mortaza on Hathurusingha’s return: [Whether it will be good for Bangladesh cricket or not] depends on how much the board can keep him in check•Getty Images

Mashrafe, who captained 69 of the 102 matches during Hathurusingha’s first stint as Bangladesh coach, said that the players’ response to Hathurusingha returning to the dressing room is his main concern. Towards the second half of his time as Bangladesh coach, there were murmurs about how he was treating the players.”A huge question mark remains on how the dressing room will take him,” Mashrafe said. “The most important thing is, how he and the dressing room is comfortable with each other. Apart from two or four new faces, most of the players are the same [from his first stint].”We have to see whether he forgets the past, or he behaves the same as before and how the players react to these things. Hathurusingha is an international coach, so I am sure he will manage everything. The sooner that happens, the better.Yunus said that the criticism was unnecessary as the BCB was looking for a father figure as a coach. “Headmasterly is not a proper term,” he said. “We need a coach who has to act like a guardian. Someone who can explain to the players, and then get the best out of him. He has that quality.”We have an important series coming up against England. It is part of the ICC Super League. Mainly, he is focused on the World Cup later this year. We have eight to nine months in our hands.”Mashrafe said that the two current captains Tamim Iqbal (ODI) and Shakib Al Hasan (Tests and T20Is) know Hathurusingha well enough to work properly with him. But he said that a lot depends on how the BCB handles Hathurusingha. In the past, he has had public run-ins with two BCB cricket operations committee chairpersons and former chief selector Faruque Ahmed.”Shakib and Tamim are going to coordinate well with Hathurusingha,” Mashrafe said. “They generally have good relations with Hathurusingha, although there were one or two incidents with Shakib. At the end of the day, he is the best player of the team. Hathurusingha also knows the Bangladesh culture, so I feel that he will do well from his end.”His influence will depend on the discussion between Papon [Nazmul Hassan] and Hathurusingha. I believe that Hathurusingha will have a more powerful position this time. [Whether it will be good for Bangladesh cricket or not] depends on how much the board can keep him in check.”Two days before Hathurusingha was named the next coach, BCB director Khaled Mahmud said that he felt it was going to be a timely appointment.”It would be good if Hathurusingha comes,” said Mahmud, who had worked as team manager during Hathurusingha’s first stint. “He has worked in Bangladesh before. There were a lot of good performances during his time. He is more mature [now], which is good for the team. I think it is a positive thing that he is coming for a second time. He understands us well, as he is also from the subcontinent.”Ahmed, who was the chief selector before falling out with Hathurusingha and resigning from the post in 2016, was, however, a bit skeptical.”I think the BCB has brought back Chandika Hathurusingha with a lot of great expectations in mind,” Ahmed told on February 1. “But the board probably forgot how he left the job last time. Usually, those who leave in that manner aren’t able to give back anything good. Subconsciously, both parties remember the previous incidents. When the team will not do well, the BCB will feel why did we get him back. The coach will not be able to say anything boldly. He will also have his last exit in the back of his mind. If his exit were a normal one, there wouldn’t be any questions about his return.”I am doubtful how wise a decision this is. The BCB bringing him back after such a departure will make Hathurusingha’s accountability low. He will dictate to us. I think it is important to work together. From what I know of him, Hathurusingha wants to do everything on his own. But still, I hope that he will work together [with everyone].”Hathurusingha is expected to arrive in Dhaka between February 18 and 20, a week before Bangladesh play England in a three-match ODI series from March 1.

A half-century by Georgia Voll was the decisive factor as Heat won by 26 runs

AAP21-Oct-2022Georgia Voll whips off her toes•Getty Images

Brisbane Heat’s batting depth has come to the fore with a match-defining half-century by Georgia Voll securing a 26-run win over the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL.Heat posted 8 for 163 and dismissed the Renegades for 137 at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval. It was the Heat’s second win in three days over the same opposition after prevailing in Mackay on Tuesday.Heat slumped to 3 for 31 at the end of the sixth over before Voll (52 off 37 balls) and Amelia Kerr (27 off 22) conjured a rescue mission to get their side back in the game.Voll’s innings was a masterclass of placement and common sense in a knock that included nine boundaries. She stayed until the 19th over to hold the innings together with late cameos from Jess Jonassen and Pooja Vastrakar giving the Heat bowlers a total to defend.Renegades’ innings was a carbon copy of Heat’s at the start as they crashed to 3 for 15 in the fifth over.Josephine Dooley (40 off 28) gave the Renegades a sniff but the turning point came when she holed out to the first ball of the 11th over. Two balls later Heat medium pacer Courtney Grace Sippel dismissed Georgia Prestwidge without scoring.Melbourne needed 99 from the last nine overs and a whirlwind hand by Ellie Falconer (27 off 11) gave her side a chance before she chopped on to Kerr. Courtney Webb ran out of partners when the last wicket fell at the end of the 19th over.Heat’s bowlers performed well as a unit with legspinner Kerr (3 for 26) and offspinner Charli Knott (3 for 19) chiming in with key wickets to swing the momentum their team’s way.Renegades announced on Friday that they had signed Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu for the remainder of the season.The 32-year-old will join the squad following Monday’s match against the Adelaide Strikers, and she replaces Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who was ruled out for the season with a back injury.Meanwhile, the dates for the WBBL finals have been confirmed, with all three matches to take place between November 23-26.The Eliminator (3rd v 4th) is on November 23, with The Challenger (2nd v The Eliminator winner) to be held a day later.The November 26 final is on the same day as the Socceroos’ World Cup clash with Tunisia, and also the Victoria State election.

The New Zealand captain gives an insight into exactly why his team is sitting pretty when so many of its rivals are in such advance states of funk

Andrew Miller at Lord's28-Jun-20194:02

Vettori: Nicholls will put pressure on Munro

Permutations, permutations… somebody spare us from permutations. Who knows, England might go a long way to doing just that on Sunday, by losing against India and placing their World Cup fate firmly into the hands of the teams around them. But for now, with the sun shining over a pristine Lord’s, and the New Zealand flag flying proudly over the home dressing room, Kane Williamson isn’t about to be tempted into stressing.Of course, it’s not entirely obvious what tempt Williamson into such a course of action.Certainly, last week’s scoreline of 7 for 2 with both openers gone for golden ducks wasn’t enough to rattle his cage – his silken-touched retort, 148 from 154 balls against West Indies, rather proved that point.And certainly not the situation that greeted him on the last occasion that Australia and New Zealand met in the group stages of the World Cup – that cage-fight of a contest in Auckland in 2015, when Williamson responded to the loss of four wickets for seven runs in ten balls by planting the front foot forward against Pat Cummins and stroking him over long-on to seal an epic one-wicket win.So, trying to suggest that New Zealand’s skipper should be overly bothered by a first defeat of the tournament – against a resurgent Pakistan at Edgbaston on Wednesday – was something of an exercise in futility. Even if that setback genuinely has put the squeeze, just a teensy bit, on his team’s final two games of the group stage.In short [deep breath…] if England can find their chill at any time between now and the end of the weekend, and overcome India, and if Pakistan can avoid losing to Afghanistan, the one side that can match them in the hot-and-cold air-blowing stakes… then New Zealand’s fate may yet be ripped from their own hands.For that to happen, they would need to go on to lose to England in Chester-le-Street, and for Pakistan to keep up their own rampant streak in their final game against Bangladesh. And even that match could yet come down to a battle of net run-rates if Shakib Al Hasan can crown his own stunning campaign by inspiring Bangladesh to a knee-trembler of a victory over India in their penultimate fixture…If… if… if. It’s what the tournament wanted, and needed. The sun shining, the tongues wagging, the stakes rising. But… nah! Williamson and his team will not be drawn in like that.”It kind of is what it is, really,” he said. “You come to tournaments and sides beat each other and they climb the ladder, and that’s what everybody sort of desires to do, and who remains is kind of the ones that go through. But, at the end the day, you’re trying to play the best cricket that you can to try and put yourself in one of those top four positions.”Kane Williamson leads his ‘no-stress’ boys out to the middle•Getty Images

Williamson was sitting deep within the bowels of the MCC’s real tennis court – a strangely appropriate setting for such an anachronistically fabulous batsman – and he spoke with the clarity and lack of fluster with which he compiles his best innings. All angles and pointed placement, and next to no recourse to raw power.There are, doubtless, times when it gets grating to be so consistently talked down in the tournament narrative – as if ploughing a very steady path towards an eighth semi-final in 12 World Cups (a tally that no team, not even Australia, will have exceeded) is in any way underwhelming.But there are clearly also times when that relative anonymity is a blessing. Who, at various stages of this campaign, would have wished to be in charge of Sri Lanka or Pakistan’s fates, for instance, let alone an England campaign that, to judge by Jonny Bairstow’s feud with Michael Vaughan, is in danger of borrowing the apocalyptic Brexit stylings of @Coldwar_Steve … all shipwrecks and squabbles as the dream dies before their eyes.Nope, Williamson seems perfectly content with the hand that he has been dealt. A solidly placed side that, in coming through some taut contests against Bangladesh and South Africa, has been arguably been tested more robustly than either India or Australia, the only teams above them in the table. Another subtly different challenge awaits on a used pitch at Lord’s and the hottest day of the year – but in spite of the temptation to play legspinner Ish Sodhi, New Zealand look every bit as likely to name an unchanged team for the seventh match in a row.And, within his measured responses to an admittedly low-key grilling, Williamson gave an insight into exactly why New Zealand are sitting pretty when so many of their likeliest rivals are in such advance states of funk.”At a World Cup, perhaps teams adopt slightly different plans when we’re playing different opposition day-in and day-out on different surfaces,” he said. “[But] the most important thing is adapting to the conditions. Sometimes I think we’ve seen in the last few games, that looking to blast teams out, perhaps with the use of seam movement and these sorts of things, it hasn’t quite been there, and it’s been about playing the long game a little bit.”We haven’t played at Lord’s yet, and we’ll just have to assess those conditions.”If that was meant as a dig at England after the failure of their gung-ho approach on this same pitch last week, then it was delivered with such deftness that it barely made a sound off the bat.”There’s so many games of cricket, so many different things can happen,” he added. “We know in this sport the variables and uncontrollables we can come up against on any given day, and perhaps some sides might be more suited to certain conditions than others on a certain day, and that’s just the nature of the beast.”England are still in a strong position, as are a few other sides. The focus for all of those sides is to keep trying to apply what they know holds themselves in the strongest position with the sort of cricket they want to play, which is equally different to one another.”When the time comes and the round-robin’s finished, if you can hang your hat on that, then at the end of the day, you can either walk away and end up in a semi-final, or know that you’ve done that and it hasn’t quite happened.”Or, more likely, you’ll find that – over the course of nine group-stage fixtures – the fact that you’ve done more right than wrong will get rewarded in the final analysis. And those who have either not been good enough, or have relied on bluster and preconception at times of duress (or both), will be found out.So, what if it’s the Australians tomorrow, was Williamson’s message. We’re pootling along just fine. How about the rest of you?

The India coach was asked whether the lack of BBL experience was a factor in India losing the semi-final to England

Sidharth Monga10-Nov-20221:39

Dravid: ‘If you allow Indian players to play overseas leagues, our domestic cricket will be finished’

India can’t send their players to overseas T20 leagues, their coach Rahul Dravid has said, because a lot of these leagues are played during India’s domestic season. The topic came up when Dravid was asked whether India had been at a disadvantage during their semi-final defeat to England because their players don’t have any BBL experience in Australia, while England’s do, and if India would look to send players to the BBL in the future. The tenuous link between the experience of playing the BBL in the Australian summer and doing well there in early spring conditions notwithstanding.”I mean, sure, there’s no doubt about it, the fact that England… a lot of their players have come here and played in this tournament,” Dravid said, “and it certainly showed. It’s tough. I think it’s very difficult for Indian cricket because a lot of these tournaments happen right at the peak of our season.Related

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“I think it’s a huge challenge for us. Yes, I think a lot of our boys maybe do miss out on the opportunities of playing in a lot of these leagues, but if you were to… it’s really up to the BCCI to make that decision, but the thing is it’s right in the middle of our season, and with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players, if you allowed all the Indian players to play in these leagues, we would not have a domestic cricket. Our domestic cricket, our Ranji Trophy, would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished.”I know a lot of people talk about it [no Indians in overseas T20 leagues], but we have to be very careful when we… we have to understand the challenges that Indian cricket faces or the BCCI would face in a situation like this. You’d see all our boys… like a lot of boys being asked to play leagues right bang in the middle of our season. We’ve seen what that’s done to West Indian cricket, and I would definitely not want Indian cricket to go that way. It would certainly affect our Ranji Trophy; it would affect Test cricket. Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game as well, I would think.”England’s captain Jos Buttler was also asked about this, but he quickly went on to praise Alex Hales, who ran away with the chase on the night. “I think Alex would have played as much Big Bash cricket as anyone, and his performance tonight was amazing,” Buttler said. “I think it’s some huge strengths of his, square of the wicket, which obviously today on this kind of grounds really is great. No, he’s a tough guy to bowl at. He’s been obviously performing really well for a long period of time. Unfortunately hasn’t been able to get back in due to other players playing brilliantly well as well. A few circumstances and that opportunity has arisen, and he’s come in, and the last three matches especially, his form has been brilliant.”The topic of participation in overseas T20 leagues has been a sticky one in Indian cricket. The bigger fear perhaps is that even if the BCCI allows only those with no ambition for a place in first-class cricket to play these T20 leagues, it will result in more and more players opting not to play first-class cricket, thus weakening the structure that has resulted in a formidable Test side. Other teams do have to deal with this friction, too, but the demand for Indian players for commercial reasons would be much higher.

Young allrounder makes 121 not out to rescue WA after they had slumped to 7 for 53 in their second innings

The Report by Alex Malcolm05-Nov-2019Emerging Western Australia allrounder Cameron Green has put his name up in lights with a stunning final-day century to help rescue his team from almost certain defeat against Queensland at the Gabba.Green’s 121 not out from 172 balls featured 13 fours and three sixes. He made 208 runs in the match without being dismissed and steered WA to safety after they appeared destined for an innings defeat.The visitors slumped to 7 for 53 just 12.1 overs into the final day, still needing 26 to make Queensland bat again. Cameron Gannon pinned Hilton Cartwright and Josh Philippe in consecutive balls to take his tally for the match to eight before Xavier Bartlett found Josh Inglis’ outside edge.Green, who had already made 87 not out in the first innings at No. 8 to dig WA out of trouble on day one, came in at No. 9 this time because of nightwatchman Matthew Kelly, and he again played with remarkable composure and assuredness for a 20-year-old in just his ninth first-class match.Green and Kelly batted nearly 42 overs in a partnership of 115 to at least ensure Queensland would have to bat again. Kelly faced 180 deliveries to reach his highest first-class score of 46 before falling to the part-time legspin of Marnus Labuschagne, edging an attempted cut trying to reach his fifty.Jhye Richardson joined Green after the pair put on 99 in the first innings, and again they frustrated Queensland by scoring freely against the second new ball.They added 52 to take WA into the last session and the lead beyond 150. But with Green on 97, Richardson was trapped lbw by Mitch Swepson. David Moody had to survive three balls of the over, having stranded Green in the first innings. He managed to do so before Green found the three runs needed for his maiden Sheffield Shield century in the next over via a tightly run two and a bonus overthrow. Green added 21 more runs before the match was declared a draw.

Australia’s counter-punching Indore victory confirms their spot in the WTC final this June

Hemant Brar03-Mar-20231:46

Chappell: Australia saw the error of their ways after Head’s non-selection

Australia sealed their place in the final of the World Test Championship with an emphatic nine-wicket win over India in the third Test in Indore. India still have their destiny in their own hands; if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, they will be through as well. But anything less than a win means they rely on New Zealand not losing 2-0 to Sri Lanka.After Nathan Lyon’s 8 for 64 bowled out India out for 163 on the second evening, Australia needed 76 to register their first win in the series. It’s not often a fielding side, on the third morning of a Test, has as much hope as India had of defending such a low target.R Ashwin duly had Usman Khawaja caught behind with the second ball of the day, but Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne made sure India’s hope never really transformed into belief. The two defended well and, once they had their eye in, didn’t hesitate to attack either, taking their side over the line in just 18.5 overs.While Australia now have a chance to draw this series 2-2, India would still retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the previous series between these two teams.Travis Head went after India’s spinners•Getty Images

Australia had lost their last six wickets in 11 runs in their first innings. So Khawaja’s wicket early this morning might have made them a little bit nervous, even if momentarily, with both Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja finding turn, extracting bounce, beating the bat, and hitting the pads.During that phase, Head and Labuschagne focused on survival; runs were an afterthought. In the first ten overs, Australia scored only 13.Then came the momentum-shifting moment, or at least it looked like one in hindsight. The umpires noticed that a part of the seam of the ball had come off, and asked for it to be replaced. In the first over with the replacement ball, Head hit Ashwin for a four and six. From the other end, Jadeja leaked two boundaries, one each to Head and Labuschagne. That was enough to deflate India’s hopes.Four more boundaries came in the next three overs as Australia raced to 56 in 15 overs. Rohit Sharma introduced Umesh Yadav into the attack after the drinks break but by then the result was a foregone conclusion. There was more interest in seeing if Head could bring up his fifty. He couldn’t, staying unbeaten on 49 off 53 balls as Labuschagne wrapped up the game with a four.Before this Test, Rohit had hinted that India could request a green pitch in Ahmedabad if they win in Indore. They might have to revisit that now.

Hazlewood, who picked up a side niggle at the IPL, remains in contention for the first Ashes Test starting June 16

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2023Josh Hazlewood has lost his race to be fit for Australia’s World Test Championship final against India. He has been replaced in the squad by Michael Neser. This makes Scott Boland a favourite to make the XI for the match, which starts on June 7 at The Oval.Hazlewood, who picked up side soreness at the IPL, remains in Australia’s squad for the Ashes, though, with chief selector George Bailey saying he remains in contention for the first of those Tests, in Edgbaston on June 16.”Josh was very, very close to being given the green light but we are cognisant that our upcoming schedule [the WTC final quickly followed by five Ashes Tests] means this is not a one-off Test match of us.Related

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“This will give Josh an ideal preparation leading into Edgbaston. With six Test matches in a little over seven weeks we will need all of our fast bowling assets.”Neser comes in on the back of a stint with Glamorgan on the county cricket circuit. Given the uncertainty over Hazlewood, Neser, along with Sean Abbott, had been pulled out of county duty to train with the Australian squad in Beckenham. “Michael’s county form has been strong and knowing that he was going to be close by allowed for him to keep playing and for us to be able to call on him,” Bailey said. “He is a great strength to have as part of the fast-bowling group.”Hazlewood had been withdrawn from the IPL after three games for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and at the time the decision was considered to be a precautionary measure, with scans clearing him of any damage to his side. The precautions were due to his recent run of injury, including two side strains over the past two years and an Achilles issue. This has all meant that he has only played four of Australia’s last 19 Test matches and has not played in back-to-back first-class games since early 2021.He was picked for the WTC final subject to proving his fitness with heavy training loads leading up to the game, and as recently as May 31 he was still very hopeful of making it. Sunday’s announcement came after Hazlewood bowled three spells at training on Saturday.As for the other specialist quicks in Australia’s WTC squad, captain Pat Cummins is back after missing Australia’s previous two Tests, in India, due to family reasons, and Mitchell Starc is fully fit having missed the first two games of that India series with a finger injury.