logo
England mocked after scoring six ducks in first innings of Edgbaston Test against India

England mocked after scoring six ducks in first innings of Edgbaston Test against India

7NEWS2 days ago
England have made history by becoming the first Test team to reach a score of 400-plus in an innings, while losing six players for absolutely zero runs.
That's right ... in their first innings of the second Test against India, six of England's batters made ducks, while two players made scores of more than 150 before their team was all out for 407.
Harry Brook hailed Jamie Smith's 'phenomenal' talent after sharing a mammoth stand of 303 with England's latest record-breaker.
The pair moved mountains together as they attempted to drag their side back into contention on Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test, coming together at 5-84 and conjuring a spectacular fightback.
Brook made 158 as he brought up the ninth century of his Test career, with Smith smiting a sensational 184 not out.
That was the highest ever score by an England No.7 and an England wicketkeeper, pinching the latter record from his Surrey mentor Alec Stewart.
Remarkably their efforts were not enough to keep the hosts on an even keel, India ending the day with a lead of 244 and nine wickets in hand.
Outside of Brook and Smith, Joe Root with just 22 was England's next best score.
The scorecard has never been seen before and cricket fans far and wide mocked the hosts, who were facing an Indian attack without their No.1 man Jasprit Bumrah.
Social media account Duck Academy said: 'Six beautiful ducks in one innings - the Duck Academy hearts are full today!'
While another fan noted: 'England's scorecard reminded me of me and the boys splitting a bill to pay.'
Another fan blasted: 'Crazy scorecard!!'
And another: 'TBH if you take out Smith and Brook, it rivals the absolute worst batting I've seen from an England lineup. This is a good pitch and not the best India attack you'll see, yet we've managed 46 runs from the other 9 players.'
And another: 'A unique yet a very unfortunate stat to have
And another: 'Maybe some of his mates could add a bit of support. 6 ducks is an absolute joke!
Of course, England's controversial 'Bazball' strategy again came under fire as well.
'Median score of 0. Top order out for a pittance ??? ... Post 407 ... Profit ... I love bazball,' one fan said on Reddit.
While another remarked: 'This is Bazball ladies and gents ....'
Another bout of fourth-innings heroics will now be needed to stop the tourists squaring the series 1-1 over the next two days, but Brook was buoyed by Smith's eye-catching contribution.
'It was good fun being out there with Smudge. He's a phenomenal player and it felt good to be out there, putting on 300 with him,' he said.
'The way that he came out of the blocks and put the pressure back on their bowlers was awesome. He tried to change the momentum back in our favour and it worked for a long period of time. It's one he should be proud of.'
To no great surprise, there is no suggestion whatsoever from the England camp that a draw, and preserving their series lead, would be an acceptable outcome with the odds stacked against them.
For a side who chased 378 on the same ground against the same opponents three years ago, as well as 371 in the first Test at Headingley, that can hardly go down as a surprise.
'I think everybody in the world knows that we're going to try and chase whatever they set us,' said Brook.
Brook may have taken second billing to his partner on the day but he batted with a tangible sense of purpose after being dismissed for 99 in the series opener.
'I was definitely hungry to get 100 today. I'd never been out in the 90s before in my life, so it was disappointing,' he said.
Should India finish the job and leave Birmingham with a win, they will have much to thank Mohammed Siraj for. He took 6-70, including Root and Ben Stokes off consecutive balls at the start of the day and three tailenders in quick succession at the end.
With Bumrah rested this week, he took the chance to fill the void left by the star seamer.
'I have been bowling well but not getting wickets, so getting six here is very special,' he said.
'When you are asked to lead the attack I love responsibility, I love the challenge.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown
I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown

The Advertiser

timean hour ago

  • The Advertiser

I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown

Dan Brown has shown nerves of steel to secure an emotional two-shot victory at the BMW International Open. The 30-year-old Englishman revealed he lost a close friend last weekend, but he showcased composure of the highest level to card a flawless 66 to hold off compatriot Jordan Smith with a 22-under-par total in Munich on Sunday. The pair, who were playing in the final group together, were locked at 20 under when they reached the turn, but a birdie at the 12th from Brown, coupled by successive bogeys from the 13th by his rival, saw the lead stretch to three. Smith produced a brilliant bunker shot to pick up a shot at the 15th to cut the gap to two strokes, before both men found the par-five last in two and finish the tournament with a closing birdies. Asked what his second DP World Tour victory means to him, Brown said: "A lot. The first one didn't really sink in, but that one straight away hit me. "I lost a friend at home last weekend. I don't know what to say really, but that was for him. "The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process. "I'm not too sure what happened today like all day, it was an out-of-body experience. Obviously nerves, and then thinking about the importance of winning a golf tournament. "It sort of played it down with what happened, I suppose he was there with me and it made it a lot easier. "This event being such a great event, and then the next two weeks, it's a nice three-week stretch and it's been made a lot nicer." Smith finished as runner-up for the second straight year as he finished on 20 under, while Laurie Canter earned a share of seventh at 15 under. Australia's Elvis Smylie finished 13 shots adrift of the leader. Dan Brown has shown nerves of steel to secure an emotional two-shot victory at the BMW International Open. The 30-year-old Englishman revealed he lost a close friend last weekend, but he showcased composure of the highest level to card a flawless 66 to hold off compatriot Jordan Smith with a 22-under-par total in Munich on Sunday. The pair, who were playing in the final group together, were locked at 20 under when they reached the turn, but a birdie at the 12th from Brown, coupled by successive bogeys from the 13th by his rival, saw the lead stretch to three. Smith produced a brilliant bunker shot to pick up a shot at the 15th to cut the gap to two strokes, before both men found the par-five last in two and finish the tournament with a closing birdies. Asked what his second DP World Tour victory means to him, Brown said: "A lot. The first one didn't really sink in, but that one straight away hit me. "I lost a friend at home last weekend. I don't know what to say really, but that was for him. "The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process. "I'm not too sure what happened today like all day, it was an out-of-body experience. Obviously nerves, and then thinking about the importance of winning a golf tournament. "It sort of played it down with what happened, I suppose he was there with me and it made it a lot easier. "This event being such a great event, and then the next two weeks, it's a nice three-week stretch and it's been made a lot nicer." Smith finished as runner-up for the second straight year as he finished on 20 under, while Laurie Canter earned a share of seventh at 15 under. Australia's Elvis Smylie finished 13 shots adrift of the leader. Dan Brown has shown nerves of steel to secure an emotional two-shot victory at the BMW International Open. The 30-year-old Englishman revealed he lost a close friend last weekend, but he showcased composure of the highest level to card a flawless 66 to hold off compatriot Jordan Smith with a 22-under-par total in Munich on Sunday. The pair, who were playing in the final group together, were locked at 20 under when they reached the turn, but a birdie at the 12th from Brown, coupled by successive bogeys from the 13th by his rival, saw the lead stretch to three. Smith produced a brilliant bunker shot to pick up a shot at the 15th to cut the gap to two strokes, before both men found the par-five last in two and finish the tournament with a closing birdies. Asked what his second DP World Tour victory means to him, Brown said: "A lot. The first one didn't really sink in, but that one straight away hit me. "I lost a friend at home last weekend. I don't know what to say really, but that was for him. "The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process. "I'm not too sure what happened today like all day, it was an out-of-body experience. Obviously nerves, and then thinking about the importance of winning a golf tournament. "It sort of played it down with what happened, I suppose he was there with me and it made it a lot easier. "This event being such a great event, and then the next two weeks, it's a nice three-week stretch and it's been made a lot nicer." Smith finished as runner-up for the second straight year as he finished on 20 under, while Laurie Canter earned a share of seventh at 15 under. Australia's Elvis Smylie finished 13 shots adrift of the leader. Dan Brown has shown nerves of steel to secure an emotional two-shot victory at the BMW International Open. The 30-year-old Englishman revealed he lost a close friend last weekend, but he showcased composure of the highest level to card a flawless 66 to hold off compatriot Jordan Smith with a 22-under-par total in Munich on Sunday. The pair, who were playing in the final group together, were locked at 20 under when they reached the turn, but a birdie at the 12th from Brown, coupled by successive bogeys from the 13th by his rival, saw the lead stretch to three. Smith produced a brilliant bunker shot to pick up a shot at the 15th to cut the gap to two strokes, before both men found the par-five last in two and finish the tournament with a closing birdies. Asked what his second DP World Tour victory means to him, Brown said: "A lot. The first one didn't really sink in, but that one straight away hit me. "I lost a friend at home last weekend. I don't know what to say really, but that was for him. "The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process. "I'm not too sure what happened today like all day, it was an out-of-body experience. Obviously nerves, and then thinking about the importance of winning a golf tournament. "It sort of played it down with what happened, I suppose he was there with me and it made it a lot easier. "This event being such a great event, and then the next two weeks, it's a nice three-week stretch and it's been made a lot nicer." Smith finished as runner-up for the second straight year as he finished on 20 under, while Laurie Canter earned a share of seventh at 15 under. Australia's Elvis Smylie finished 13 shots adrift of the leader.

Tennis world all saying the same thing as Cruz Hewitt delights Wimbledon
Tennis world all saying the same thing as Cruz Hewitt delights Wimbledon

News.com.au

time2 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Tennis world all saying the same thing as Cruz Hewitt delights Wimbledon

'Same backwards cap, same Yonex racket, same Nike heritage polo, same attitude. A carbon copy.' Tennis commentator Bastien Fachan echoed the thoughts of fans across the globe as Cruz Hewitt grabbed his first Wimbledon win overnight Sunday, 23 years after his dad Lleyton won the title. Hewitt 2.0 was almost untouchable in his opening match in the boys singles, thumping Russia's Savva Rybkin 6-1 6-2 to reach the final 32. With his dad watching and fist-pumping from the stands, Cruz looked eerily similar to his old man as he guided two-fisted backhands down the line and roared in celebration. Cruz, who will play Finnish 11th seed Oskari Paldanius in the next round, also won his opening match at the Australian Open juniors earlier this year before losing a tight match against the top seed in the tournament. Only 16, Cruz is hoping to emulate the famous feats of his father, which included victory over David Nalbandian in the 2002 Wimbledon men's singles final. Big names through to quarters Carlos Alcaraz remains on track to win this year's edition as he closes on a four set-win against Andrey Rublev. The defending champion recovered from losing a first set tie-breaker to win the next two sets and is up a break in the fourth. Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka overcame a battling Elise Mertens to also reach the quarter-finals. World number one Sabalenka has yet to drop a set in four rounds at the All England Club as every other top six seed has fallen, but was given a tough workout by Belgian world number 23 Mertens. The Belarusian came through 6-4 7-6 (7/4) against her former doubles partner under the closed roof on Centre Court to set up a clash against Germany's Laura Siegemund. The three-time Grand Slam champion is making up for lost time after missing last year's Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury. She was excluded in 2022 as part of a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes. 'With your support guys I think everything is possible,' said Sabalenka, who has never been beyond the semi-finals at the All England Club. 'Simply pathetic': Controversy erupts Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also progressed at the expense of Britain's Sonay Kartal, but had to mentally reset after a bizarre electronic line-calling failure. At 4-4 in the first set, Pavlyuchenkova held game point when a Kartal backhand landed clearly over the baseline but no call came and the umpire ordered the point be replayed. Kartal went on to break for a 5-4 lead. Pavlyuchenkova angrily made her case to the umpire, saying: 'They stole the game from me, they stole it'. 'Simply PATHETIC situation on Centre Court,' tweeted tennis journalist Jose Morgado. 'Pavlyuchenkova just lost a game that ... she won.' But the Russian broke back and won the tie-break, which proved a launch pad for a 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 victory. The technology glitch in the fourth-round match follows concerns raised by other players. The All England Club released a brief statement on the incident. 'Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question,' said an spokesman. 'The chair umpire followed the established process.' Russia's Karen Khachanov was the first winner of the day, brushing aside Polish player Kamil Majchrzak 6-4 6-2 6-3 on Court Two. He will face US fifth seed Taylor Fritz, who was only on court for 41 minutes before Australia's Jordan Thompson retired injured, trailing 6-1 3-0. America's Fritz faced gruelling five-set battles in his opening two matches but it was a different story in his fourth-round encounter on Court One. The Eastbourne champion broke Thompson twice to seal the first set in just 21 minutes and led 3-0 in the second set when the Australian decided he could not go on, due to an apparent thigh injury.

I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown
I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown

Perth Now

time2 hours ago

  • Perth Now

I lost a friend last weekend. That was for him: Brown

Dan Brown has shown nerves of steel to secure an emotional two-shot victory at the BMW International Open. The 30-year-old Englishman revealed he lost a close friend last weekend, but he showcased composure of the highest level to card a flawless 66 to hold off compatriot Jordan Smith with a 22-under-par total in Munich on Sunday. The pair, who were playing in the final group together, were locked at 20 under when they reached the turn, but a birdie at the 12th from Brown, coupled by successive bogeys from the 13th by his rival, saw the lead stretch to three. Smith produced a brilliant bunker shot to pick up a shot at the 15th to cut the gap to two strokes, before both men found the par-five last in two and finish the tournament with a closing birdies. Asked what his second DP World Tour victory means to him, Brown said: "A lot. The first one didn't really sink in, but that one straight away hit me. "I lost a friend at home last weekend. I don't know what to say really, but that was for him. "The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process. "I'm not too sure what happened today like all day, it was an out-of-body experience. Obviously nerves, and then thinking about the importance of winning a golf tournament. "It sort of played it down with what happened, I suppose he was there with me and it made it a lot easier. "This event being such a great event, and then the next two weeks, it's a nice three-week stretch and it's been made a lot nicer." Smith finished as runner-up for the second straight year as he finished on 20 under, while Laurie Canter earned a share of seventh at 15 under. Australia's Elvis Smylie finished 13 shots adrift of the leader.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store