Mitchell Owen calls dream Australia debut against West Indies really special
Typically an opener in franchise cricket, Owen looked composed and confident at No. 6, guiding Australia through a tricky phase in the chase. Even with five fielders patrolling the boundary against spin, the right-hander remained unfazed."I honestly tried not to look at the field too much and just sort of react to each ball, which I think held me in good stead," he said. "Obviously it's a little bit different, but my process and game plan weren't too far off from opening. We had to strike at 10s or nines when I came out, so I still had to be nice and positive. If I took time to try and get into the innings, I feel like I'd dig myself a hole. So yeah, just tried to get after them from ball one."Owen earned his Australia call-up after a stellar Big Bash League season with the Hobart Hurricanes, where he scored two centuries as an opener. But his record in the middle order had been patchy before his debut-just 174 runs in 16 T20 innings between No. 3 and No. 8, averaging 14.50. Now, though, the tide appears to be turning for the talented Tasmanian.With Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh expected to anchor the top order in the 2026 T20 World Cup, selectors were eager to test Owen's versatility down the order-and the early signs are promising.Capping off an emotional debut, Owen received his first international cap from close friend and Hurricanes skipper Nathan Ellis, with his parents and partner watching on from the stands."Really special. He had some really nice words for me-super grateful that they got to experience that," he said.- Ends
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Padraig Harrington claims Senior Open for third major title
Ireland's Padraig Harrington carded a 3-under 67 to finish at 16-under 264 and claim the ISPS Handa Senior Open at Berkshire, England on Sunday. HT Image The victory marks Harrington's second major win in four weeks and makes him only the fifth player to win The Open and the Senior Open. "You want to do things that stand out, and having won a real Open, coming out, winning the Senior Open ... it adds a validation," Harrington said. "... I'm kind of on a high of winning, but then there will be that deep sense of satisfaction knowing that you've done both." Harrington won The Open in 2007 and 2008, and was on the cusp of winning the Senior Open in consecutive years. He finished second in 2022 and 2023, losing the latter in a playoff, before breaking through this year. The Dublin native entered the day with a two-shot lead, but never got complacent. "I don't want to relax, that has cost me in the past," Harrington said. "... I get ahead of myself, and you know, sometimes when it's an easy shot, easy tee shot, I can lose focus. "So I want to stay hyped up. And to be honest, I think today, because I wasn't comfortable with my swing, I never let my guard down. I was always into it and focused all day." Harrington, 53, started Sunday with an eagle on No. 1. He also tallied three birdies and two bogeys on the day, beating out Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Justin Leonard, who finished at 13 under. Bjorn rolled in four birdies from No. 9 to No. 14, threatening Harrington's lead. He then bogeyed on 16, putting Harrington out of reach and finishing at 3-under 67. Leonard notched four birdies and two bogeys on the day for a 2-under 68. He carded 5-under 65 on Friday and Saturday. "It wasn't quite as sharp as I was the last couple days. You know, just not able to really hit it close enough to putt pressure," Leonard said. "I felt like if I could have been 3- or 4-under on the front nine, then, you know, we're kind of neck and neck." Scott Hend (65) finished fourth at 12 under, while fellow Australian Cameron Percy (65) and South Africa's Ernie Els (66) tied for fifth at 11 under. --Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
The Latest: England beats Spain in a penalty shootout after 1-1 draw to retain title
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Defending champion England has won the Women's European Championship after defeating Spain in the final. HT Image The match in Basel was a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final where Spain defeated the Lionesses 1-0. Coincidentally, the same countries played in the men's European Championship final last year. Spain won that match 2-1. Here's the latest: England has defended its European title by defeating Spain in a penalty shootout. The game was tied at 1-1 after extra time. England won the shootout 3-1 with Chloe Kelly scoring the winning penalty kick. It's 1-1 at full time and the players are coming off the pitch for a quick break. Then it's extra time: two times 15 minutes to break the deadlock. England equalized when Alessia Russo made it 1-1 in the 57th minute. Chloe Kelly whipped one of her trademark crosses into the box from the left and Russo rose above the defense to make it 1-1. Spain heads into the break in the lead after Mariona Caldentey's goal in the 25th. Both teams traded early blows but Spain looked stronger after the goal. La Roja kept most of the possession and did not allow England to threaten much. England also trailed at halftime in the quarterfinal against Sweden and semifinal against Italy, but still won both games. Mariona Caldentey has made it 1-0 for Spain in the 25th minute. Ona Batlle whipped in a cross from the right, after good work by Aitana Bonmati, and Caldentey headed it powerfully home. Swiss former player Lara Dickenmann carried the trophy out onto the field after the closing ceremony of Euro 2025. A large circular banner was unfurled in the center of the field in tribute to the host nation, while smaller banners were displayed nearby with 'Thank You' in Switzerland's four official languages —Italian, French, German, and Romansh. Two large Alpine-inspired shapes were then carried onto the field, with the England flag on one and Spain's on the other. Nearly 30,000 inflatable clappers had been distributed to the fans beforehand, while 40 members of the closing ceremony cast also had them on the field. The Asturia Quartet, an all-female string ensemble, performed the national anthems. In somewhat of a surprise change, Athenea Del Castillo has been named in Spain's starting lineup in place of Claudia Pina. Del Castillo's only other start in the tournament was in the final group-stage match, against Italy, when many regular starters were rested with Spain already through. The Real Madrid forward scored one and set up another. She also scored the opener in the quarterfinal win against Switzerland just four minutes after coming onto the field. Pina was decisive the last time Spain played England, scoring twice to help her team to a 2-1 comeback victory in the Nations League last month. The only other change to Spain's lineup from its semifinal victory over Germany is the return of defender Laia Aleixandri from suspension, with María Méndez dropping back down to the bench. Spain's lineup: Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Aleixandri, Olga; Bonmatí, Patri, Putellas; Mariona, González, Del Castillo. Lauren James has recovered from injury and starts for England with coach Sarina Wiegman making just one change. James had to come off at halftime in England's semifinal victory over Italy on Tuesday with an ankle problem and was seen applying ice to her injury during the match. James has started all five of England's games at Euro 2025 and has been named in the lineup for the final. Defender Jess Carter returns after being omitted from the starting lineup for the first time against Italy, for tactical reasons, two days after revealing she was the target of racist abuse online during the tournament. England's lineup: Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Carter, Greenwood; Toone, Walsh, Stanway; James, Russo, Hemp. Basel's soccer stadium has a capacity of 34,250 during Euro 2025 and no empty seats are expected at the final. With an hour to go until kickoff, thousands of fans have already taken their seats. Even before the final, the tournament has broken the total attendance record for a Women's European Championship. A total of 623,088 spectators have attended the 30 matches so far, surpassing the previous total attendance record of 574,875 from Euro 2022. There have been intermittent torrential showers and thunderstorms but that has not dampened the spirits of thousands of Spanish and England fans that have been gathering in the fan zones in Basel. The rain teemed down about two hours before kickoff but the sun came out shortly afterward and the skies above St. Jakob-Park have cleared up for now. England got off to a rough start with a 2-1 defeat to France, becoming the first reigning champion to lose its opening match at a women's Euros. The team bounced back with a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands and a 6-1 thrashing of Wales. Then came the craziness of its quarterfinal against Sweden when it was trailing 2-0 with 12 minutes to go before equalizing and taking the match to extra time and a penalty shootout. There were nine failed penalty attempts before England finally triumphed 3-2. England left it even later in its semifinal against Italy. Teenager Michelle Agyemang leveled in stoppage time to force extra time and fellow substitute Chloe Kelly scored in the 119th minute to secure a 2-1 win, just as it appeared another penalty shootout was looming. Spain swept through the group stage, winning all three matches against Portugal, Belgium and Italy — scoring 14 goals and conceding three. Spain found it tougher to get past Switzerland in the quarterfinals but finally broke the resistance of the host nation with two quickfire goals midway through the second half. Spain also missed two penalties and hit the woodwork three times. Like England, its semifinal lasted 120 minutes. It took a moment of magic from two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí in the 113th minute to secure a 1-0 win over Germany. ___ AP soccer:
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Meet Lily Zneimer, McLaren star Oscar Piastri's girlfriend
Oscar Piastri won his sixth race of the season, emerging as the winner of the Belgian Grand Prix. McLaren's rising star in Formula 1 may be making waves on the track, but off it, he is enjoying the steady support of his long-term partner Lily Zneimer. The two met as teenagers at Haileybury, an elite boarding school in England's Hertford after Oscar moved from Melbourne to pursue a racing career. Oscar Piastri has been in a relationship with Lily Zneimer for over six years.(AFP) A People report quoted the Australian racer saying that he and Zneimer have been together ever since they met at the boarding school. Their romance blossomed in their penultimate year of secondary school. Also read: AFC Toronto brings Coldplay kiss cam moment to soccer celebration: Watch All about Oscar Piastri's and Lily Zneimer's relationship Piastri shared with People that the couple likes to keep things private but not secretive. However, despite their low-key relationship, Zneimer is frequently spotted cheering the Australian racer in Grand Prix events worldwide-from Miami and Singapore to Abu Dhabi. She was there for the FIA Awards 2023 as well when Piastri took home Rookie of the Year honors. Also read: Peacemaker season 2: Which DC villains are hunting John Cena's antihero? Who is Lily Zneimer? Zneimer, another Marie Claire report stated, was one of Haileybury's top-performing students in 2018. The engineering graduate is often spotted with her laptop trackside and reportedly is eyeing a career in motorsport herself. Photographer Kym Illman revealed in a 2023 interview that Zneimer wants to get a job in F1 and added that with her contacts, her chances are 'pretty strong'. Zneimer, the People report added, plays a major role in keeping Piastri grounded amid the glitz and pressure of elite racing. In downtime, the pair enjoys 'normal things' like cooking and video games. From touring Melbourne in a helicopter to being at the race track, the two take every chance they can to be there for each other. FAQs Q: Who is Oscar Piastri's girlfriend? A: His girlfriend is Lily Zneimer, his high school sweetheart from Haileybury in England. Q: Is Lily Zneimer involved in Formula 1? A: Not officially, but she's often seen at races and is reportedly interested in working in F1. Q: How long have Oscar Piastri and Lily Zneimer been together? A: They have been dating for over six years, since their late teens. Q: Does Oscar Piastri post about his girlfriend? A: Rarely. They keep their relationship private. Q: Where does Lily Zneimer come from? A: She is British and attended boarding school in Hertford, England.
