India's nemesis Travis Head (103 batting) scored his second successive century of the series while Steve Smith laboured to an unbeaten 65 as Australia took control of the second day's proceedings, reaching 234 for 3 at tea in third Test here on Sunday. The duo added 159 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand as Indian bowlers hardly looked penetrative during the wicket-less second session. Also Read: ISL: Mohun Bagan’s Rodriguez seals dramatic 3-2 win vs Kerala Blasters This is Head's ninth Test hundred and third against India. It came off just 115 balls with 13 boundaries to his credit. Smith on the other hand hit six boundaries. Jasprit Bumrah (2/51) and Nitish Reddy (1/33) got three wickets in the first couple of hours but success eluded the visitors in the post lunch session. Brief Scores: Australia 1st Innings 234 for 3 (Travis Head 103 batting, Steve Smith 65 batting; Jasprit Bumrah 2/51, Nitish Reddy 1/33) vs India. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
15 December,2024 10:54 AM IST | Brisbane | PTINew Zealand failed to capitalise on a rock-steady start to reach 315-9 on Day One of the third and final Test against England here on Saturday. Also Read: Saudi hosting 2034 World Cup will harm climate, say experts Led by seamers Matthew Potts (3-75) and Gus Atkinson (3-55), the tourists fought back with the ball after openers Tom Latham (63) and Will Young (42) put on 105 for the opening stand. However, the hard early work was undone by a flurry of loose shots in the afternoon as six wickets fell for 89 runs at Seddon Park. Late hitting from Mitchell Santner handed the momentum back to the home side, including a straight six off the day’s final ball to raise a half-century. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 December,2024 09:11 AM IST | Hamilton | AFPOn Sunday, the third Women’s Premier League (WPL) player mini-auction in Bangalore will see five teams vying to fill 19 slots overall from the pool of 120 players and complete their squads for the 2025 season. Nisarg Naik, a Mumbai-based cricket talent scout, has travelled around the country since late 2021 for scouting women cricketers and began recommending players to WPL franchises before the inaugural season began in 2023. Naik believes wicketkeeper-batters Nandini Kashyap and G Kamalini can become the most sought-after names in the WPL auction. Also Read: Excellent Lass may shock rivals in JSK1 Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr 1) Nandini was the leading run scorer in the Senior T20 Challenger Trophy and the third-highest run-getter in the Senior T20 Trophy while playing for Uttarakhand. On Friday, she earned a maiden call-up to the Indian team for the T20I series against West Indies. On the other hand, Kamalini hit 311 runs in eight games, as Tamil Nadu won the U-19 T20 Trophy in October. She followed it up by top-scoring with a sparkling 79 in the U-19 tri-series final for India ‘B’ against South Africa and is now in Malaysia to play for India in the inaugural U-19 Asia Cup, starting today. Purse available . Delhi Capitals: Rs 2.5cr. Gujarat Giants: Rs 4.4cr. Mumbai Indians: Rs 2.65 cr. UP Warriorz: Rs 3.9cr. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rs 3.25cr This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 December,2024 09:05 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSOn the periphery, it looks like a cakewalk for in-form Mumbai, but they will be quietly worried over Madhya Pradesh’s ability to be the disruptor when they meet in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final here on Sunday. Mumbai’s tag of favourites is printed largely on the back of their awesome batting unit, capable of setting or chasing tall targets with consummate ease. In a line-up that has skipper Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Prithvi Shaw, a reborn Ajinkya Rahane is leading their charge with the bat. Also Read: It’s T20 time once again! Rahane is the top run-getter in this edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 432 runs from eight matches at a strike-rate of 170 with five fifties. Shreyas, at No. 3, has ensured that the frenetic start that Rahane has often given is not wasted with brisk knocks of his own. The right-hander has so far amassed 329 runs from eight matches, while striking at 189. Their efforts have masked the rather underwhelming outings of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav. While their batting is in a far more secured space, Mumbai’s inconsistent frontline bowlers will have to be on the money against Madhya Pradesh. That Madhya Pradesh under captain Rajat Patidar can exploit that weakness will be a point of worry for Mumbai, looking to add a second title after 2022. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 December,2024 08:55 AM IST | Bangalore | PTIIndia, who failed to enter the T20 World Cup semi-final in October at Dubai, will look to start afresh with the three-match T20I series beginning today at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, today. India had lost to eventual winners New Zealand and runners-up Australia in the league stage of the World Cup. With Harmanpreet Kaur still at the helm, the hosts are expected to put up a better show against the 2016 T20 world champions West Indies, who are ranked sixth, three places below India. Also Read: IND vs AUS 3rd Test: Rain plays spoilsport, 80 balls bowled on Day 1 Windies captain Hayley Matthews India may have a better record in T20Is in this calendar year, winning 13 and losing six. But, when it comes to crunch games, India fail to cross the line like in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka or in the qualification for the World Cup semi-finals. “It’s only the mindset. Our team have very good players and all of them have done really well whenever they got the opportunity. In the big games, it’s only about the mindset and how you are feeling individually,” Kaur said on Saturday. “As a team, you can only talk about things you have done or you have to do. At the end of the day, it’s only you who is dealing in the middle and how you’re going to take things forward.” A tired-looking India, who were drubbed 0-3 in an ODI series in Australia four days ago, will draw confidence from their overall record against the Caribbeans (13 wins and 8 losses) and the fact that they have won each of their last eight clashes. The Windies’ graph has been declining since the World Cup triumph in 2016, losing 45 and winning only 37 in 85 T20Is. Captain Hayley Matthews said: “When we look at 2024 as a team, especially in T20 cricket, we’ve done really well. We won four out of five T20s against Pakistan and two out of three against Sri Lanka and then made the World Cup semi-final. So yeah, over that eight-year span, things might look like it’s not gone that well. But over the last year or so, we’ve done a really good job of putting the team together and everyone really putting up their hand and playing their roles to get us wins.” The three-match ODI series will be held in Baroda.
15 December,2024 08:51 AM IST | Mumbai | G KrishnanLong before umpires Richard Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth officially called off play at 4:10 pm local time, it was obvious that the opening day of the third Test on Saturday would see no more than 80 balls of action. They were 80 rather unremarkable balls after Rohit Sharma opted to field, his decision influenced as much by the live grass on the surface as the overhead conditions that had rain written all over them. In whatever little play was possible, Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney weathered the storm reasonably comfortably. There was the occasional play-and-miss, but no major alarms; no edges fell short of the slip cordon, there were no oohs and aahs on the odd instance when the ball struck the pads because it was always going to go above the height of the stumps. Australia had ground their way to 28 without loss in the 13.2 overs possible, clearly the happier of the sides even though this moving Test hasn’t really made any progress worth the name. The forecast isn’t very encouraging for the rest of the Test; the start of play has been advanced to 9:50 am from Sunday onwards in a bid to make up for lost time and sneak in 98 overs on each of the last four days. Also Read: Salary cap limits PSL teams’ ability to snag IPL’s high-profile unsold players The delay in the official announcement of the abandonment had something to do with the fact that had another 10 legal deliveries been bowled, it would have prevented a ticket refund because the minimum requirement of 15 overs would have been met. The return of their money will only be a minor consolation to the 30,000-plus fans who thronged the Gabba, hoping for more of the fascinating action that has studded this series so far. India made two changes to the side that was well beaten in Adelaide. Expectedly, Akash Deep came in for Harshit Rana, who had a disappointing pink ball debut, while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja replaced offie R Ashwin. Deep was clearly the best of the Indian bowlers after coming on the first change, bowling a fuller length and getting more zip off the surface compared to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Like they had in Adelaide on the first evening, the two new-ball bowlers didn’t make the openers play enough. At the first stoppage for rain, 25 minutes after the start, only one of the 33 deliveries till then would have hit the stumps, only two were fuller than the five-metre length. India did come up with better plans after the first interruption which lasted a half-hour, putting a brake on the scoring for the next 35 minutes before the tropical rain returned with a vengeance, not to let up at all for the next three and a half hours, at which point the worst kept secret of the day — the abandonment — was revealed to the few hundreds who had braved the precipitation and stayed on at the ground. Brief scoresAustralia 28-0 (U Khawaja 19*, N McSweeney 4*) v India
15 December,2024 08:45 AM IST | Brisbane | R KaushikThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the franchise owners in the Pakistan Super League are facing a catch-22 situation over signing on some of the high profile overseas players who went unsold in the Indian Premier League auction recently. PSL 10, to be held between April 8 to May 19, is clashing with the IPL this time and teams are keen to sign players such as David Warner and Steve Smith, who did not find takers in IPL auction. A team source told PTI while the six franchise owners were keen to rope in some of the high profile players available after the IPL auction, the salary ceiling of USD 200,000 for players in the PSL players draft had made the situation difficult. Big names like David Warner, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow. Adil Rashid etc would be free of international commitments as the window from April to May is reserved for the IPL. "But the problem is that the players draft scheduled on January 11 time is running out to find a formula to sign on high profile players and also ensure a sense of disparity doesn't develop among players in the PSL," said a source. Also Read: Ahmed Shehzad rebukes PCB over 'favouritism' and 'injustice', pulls out of Cricket Champions Cup He explained that the PCB and franchise owners were aware that it was unlikely most of the high profile players unsold in the IPL would sign for under USD 200,000. "The PSL's new CEO, Salman Naseer has even suggested that the franchise owners directly talk to the players' agents so that the PCB is not involved in negotiations." The source said some of the franchise owners were reluctant to pay players anything above the salary cap for the PSL and also fear that even if a franchise signs on a high profile player directly at a higher salary it could lead to dissatisfaction among other players specially the local ones in the league. Another franchise source said that some of the agents of those players unsold in the IPL had already made contact with some franchises inquiring about potential deals. "Some franchises are also opposing bypassing the draft and insist that all major players should be part of it. (With PTI inputs)
14 December,2024 02:27 PM IST | Karachi | mid-day online correspondentSteve Smith's activity in the Australian cricket team's dressing room became the talk of the day on Day 1 of the third Test against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday. With play halted early due to rain, the camera turned to Smith, who was caught deep in concentration, solving a crossword puzzle. Pen in hand, the experienced Australian cricketer was observed pondering over the clues, while commentators revealed he was working through the day's crossword. This quirky moment quickly captured the attention of social media users, with images of Smith’s crossword session going viral shortly after. Crossword puzzle time for Steve Smith during the rain-break!📸: Disney+Hotstar#AUSvIND #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/ukcryGhqJk — SBM Cricket (@Sbettingmarkets) December 14, 2024 Australia finished the day on 28-0 with Usman Khawaja 19 not out and Nathan McSweeney on four after India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field. Only 13.2 overs were bowled during the first session and there was no further play, much to the disappointment of the big crowd that had filed into the Gabba. At one stage the outfield resembled a lake but as the weather eased the water drained away quickly, leaving only a few small areas still affected. However, the rain persisted throughout the day and the umpires eventually called off play midway through the final session. Also Read: Tea: No play possible as rain persists at the Gabba Play will begin 30 minutes earlier for the remaining four days with a minimum of 98 overs to be bowled each day. However, while the forecast is better for Sunday, there is more rain predicted early next week. After a week of downpours in Brisbane, Rohit would have expected plenty of movement from his opening bowlers, but they struggled to find their length. Spearhead Jasprit Bumrah appeared down on pace early and Mohammed Siraj was equally unthreatening. The forecasted rain first came 25 minutes into the day's play, causing a half-hour delay, and when the players returned Akash Deep at last found the perfect length with movement in the air and off the wicket. He troubled McSweeney in particular, but 35 minutes later much heavier rain sent the players from the field for the second time. The five-match series is evenly poised with India thrashing Australia in the first Test in Perth and Australia recording an equally impressive victory in Adelaide. The Australians, as expected, brought back Josh Hazlewood for Scott Boland after he recovered from a side strain. India dropped spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and fast bowler Harshit Rana, replacing them with Ravindra Jadeja and Deep. (With inputs from agencies)
14 December,2024 02:14 PM IST | Brisbane | mid-day online correspondentA day after Imad Wasim announced his decision to re-retire from international cricket, Pakistan's experienced pacer Mohammad Amir announced his decision to retire from international cricket on Saturday. The 32-year-old seamer took to social media to announce his 'inevitable' decision after 'careful consideration'. Amir wrote that he felt it was the right time to pass the baton to the next generation to elevate Pakistan's cricket. "After careful consideration, I have taken the difficult decision to retire from international cricket. These decisions are never easy but are inevitable. I feel this is the right time for the next generation to take the baton and elevate Pakistan Cricket to new heights!" Amir wrote on X. Announcement of my retirement from international cricket 🏏. pic.twitter.com/CsPfOTGY6O — Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) December 14, 2024 "Representing my country has been and always will be the greatest honour of my life. I would sincerely like to thank the PCB, my family and friends and, above all, my fans for their continuous love and support," he concluded. Also Read: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir back for ‘unfinished work’ at T20 World Cup Amir retired from all forms of international cricket in 2021 but reversed his decision earlier this year. He reversed his decision and made himself available for the 2024 T20 World Cup. The experienced quick's career was filled with controversies, especially when he was banned for five years between 2010 and 2015 due to spot-fixing charges. During his career, Amir played 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is. In red-ball cricket, Amir scythed 119 scalps, averaging 30.47. In the 50-over format, the left-armer bagged 81 wickets at an average of 29.62. In the shortest format of cricket, Amir managed to pick up 71 wickets while averaging 21.94. Overall, Amir picked up 271 international wickets in 159 matches across all formats. Amir made his last appearance for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup during Men in Green's final game of the group stage against Ireland. He ended the tournament with seven wickets in four matches. Notably, before Amir, his compatriot Imad Wasim also retired from international cricket. Imad took to social media to bid farewell to international cricket and wrote, "After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from international cricket." "While this chapter comes to an end, I look forward to continuing my journey in cricket through domestic and franchise cricket, and I hope to keep entertaining you all in new ways," he added. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed thanked the duo for their services. "On behalf of the PCB, I extend sincere gratitude to Amir and Imad for their services to Pakistan cricket and wish them the very best in their future endeavours," Syed said in a press release issued by the board.
14 December,2024 01:29 PM IST | Karachi | mid-day online correspondentOn the periphery, it looks like a cakewalk for in-form Mumbai but they will be quietly worried over Madhya Pradesh's ability to be the disruptor when they meet in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final on Sunday. Mumbai's tag of favourites is printed largely on the back of their awesome batting unit, capable of setting or chasing tall targets with consummate ease. In a line-up that has skipper Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Prithvi Shaw, a reborn Ajinkya Rahane is leading their charge with the bat. Rahane is the top run-getter in this edition of the SMAT with 432 runs from eight matches at a strike-rate of 170 with five fifties. Shreyas, at No.3, has ensured that the frenetic start that Rahane has often given is not wasted with brisk knocks of his own. The right-hander has so far amassed 329 runs from eight matches while striking at 189. Their efforts have masked the rather underwhelming outings of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav. While their batting is in a far more secured space, Mumbai's inconsistent frontline bowlers will have to be on the money against Madhya Pradesh. Even while restricting Baroda to a below-par 158 for seven in the semifinal, Mohit Avasthi, Shardul Thakur and Dube were profligate. Spinners Tanush Kotian, Suryansh Shedge and Atharva Ankolekar kept the opposition on a tight leash. Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah's frustration with lack of swing caught on stump mic: WATCH That Madhya Pradesh under captain Rajat Patidar can exploit that weakness will be a point of worry for Mumbai, looking to add a second title after 2022. Patidar too was confident about his team's chances. ¿I think it's important to know our strengths. We are not thinking that we are playing against a form team like Mumbai. "We are treating it as any other cricket match, and whoever will play their best will win," said Patidar after beating Delhi in the semifinal here Friday. Patidar himself is the third highest run-getter in this tournament with 347 runs with four fifties, while maintaining a strike-rate of 183. He will have to play the lead role for MP to land their maiden SMAT title, as their best effort remains a final appearance in the 2010-11 season. The Rs 23.75 crore worth all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer too has given MP stability in the lower middle-order (210 runs, SR: 162) with handy knocks and taking six crucial wickets with his utility medium pace. The other Madhya Pradesh bowlers like pacers Avesh Khan (10 wickets), Tripuresh Singh (7) and spinner Kumar Kartikeya (16) have been in fine fettle in this event, and they can seriously challenge Mumbai's batting machine. (With agency inputs)
14 December,2024 01:15 PM IST | Bengaluru | mid-day online correspondentFast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was heard expressing frustration over the lack of swing on Day 1 of the third Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday. Despite the overcast conditions and just 13.2 overs of play being possible in the first session due to rain, the fast bowlers found little to no movement in the air. Bumrah, in particular, was caught on the stump mic voicing his concerns. During the fifth over of the match, Bumrah attempted to adjust his length in search of more movement off the pitch. However, he quickly realized that there was no swing to be had. "Nahi ho raha swing, kahin bhi kar (There is no swing, no matter where you bowl)," Bumrah was heard saying as he returned to his mark. Ah, oh! 😮💨What will #TeamIndia pull out of their armory for the first breakthrough? 🙊#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 3rd Test, Day 1, LIVE NOW only on Star Sports! #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/kAX2Suh557 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 14, 2024 Play was abandoned shortly after tea with Australia finishing the day on 28-0 with Usman Khawaja 19 not out and Nathan McSweeney on four after India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field. Only 13.2 overs were bowled during the first session and there was no further play, much to the disappointment of the big crowd that had filed into the Gabba. At one stage the outfield resembled a lake but as the weather eased the water drained away quickly, leaving only a few small areas still affected. However, the rain persisted throughout the day and the umpires eventually called off play midway through the final session. Also Read: Persistent rain cuts short play in Brisbane, Australia at 28-0 Play will begin 30 minutes earlier for the remaining four days with a minimum of 98 overs to be bowled each day. However, while the forecast is better for Sunday, there is more rain predicted early next week. After a week of downpours in Brisbane, Rohit would have expected plenty of movement from his opening bowlers, but they struggled to find their length. Spearhead Jasprit Bumrah appeared down on pace early and Mohammed Siraj was equally unthreatening. The forecasted rain first came 25 minutes into the day's play, causing a half-hour delay, and when the players returned Akash Deep at last found the perfect length with movement in the air and off the wicket. He troubled McSweeney in particular, but 35 minutes later much heavier rain sent the players from the field for the second time. The five-match series is evenly poised with India thrashing Australia in the first Test in Perth and Australia recording an equally impressive victory in Adelaide. The Australians, as expected, brought back Josh Hazlewood for Scott Boland after he recovered from a side strain. India dropped spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and fast bowler Harshit Rana, replacing them with Ravindra Jadeja and Deep. (With agency inputs)
14 December,2024 12:18 PM IST | Brisbane | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
