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Perth Now
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Boland the best in 100 years, but remains unlucky man
Scott Boland could lay claim to being Australia's unluckiest ever cricketer, after adding a Test hat-trick to a magical late-career surge since his famous 2021 Boxing Day debut. Statistically the best Test bowler in more than 100 years, Boland became just the 10th Australian man to take a hat-trick on Monday (Tuesday AEST) in Jamaica. His haul came on a record-breaking day for the tourists, who bowled West Indies out for just 27 to wrap up a 176-run win and 3-0 sweep of the Frank Worrell Trophy. Starc was the chief destroyer with 6-9 up front, but Boland again vindicated the selectors' call to go with four quicks and leave out a fit Nathan Lyon for the first time in 12 years. Boland's inclusion also allowed him to join Glenn McGrath as the only paceman to play for Australia after his 36th birthday in the last 60 years. In Australia's 39 Tests since his 2021 debut, Boland has played just 14 of them for a hat-trick, 6-7 on debut in 2021 and 10-wicket match haul in Sydney last summer. All of it prompting Starc to label the seamer one of the unluckiest men to ever wear the Baggy Green. "He would have played so many more Test matches in another team," Starc said. "But every time he comes in he is on the money, like we saw this week. He is never far from the perfect length. "He is preparing all the time to play, and this week he got his opportunity and showed what a wonderful Test bowler he is." When Boland's next Test will come remains unclear. Selectors have repeatedly shown that Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins maintain top billing in Australia's squad, with Boland only picked ahead of any of them once. The final three Tests of this summer's Ashes will be played over a 23-day window, potentially opening door for the Victorian to come in if one of the big three are rested. Otherwise he could be forced to wait again, despite having the seventh-best bowling average in Test history with 16.53, and the best of any bowler in the past 100 years. Boland has been close to hat-tricks before, but nailed his execution in Kingston when he took the top of Jomel Warrican's off stump. He had previously discarded Justin Greaves and Shamar Joseph, edging the former off before having Joseph trapped lbw on review. "Today was three classic Scotty Boland wickets," Cummins said. "Three right at the stumps or not far away. Really happy for him. "He has spent a lot of time running the drinks in the past year or two when the other guys are fit, but he is always quality when he comes in." LIST OF TEST HAT-TRICKS BY AUSTRALIANS: * Fred Spofforth v England, Melbourne 1878-79 * Hugh Trumble v England, Melbourne 1901-02 * Hugh Trumble v England, Melbourne 1903-04 * Jimmy Matthews v South Africa, Manchester 1912 (1st innings) * Jimmy Matthews v South Africa, Manchester 1912 (2nd innings) * Lindsay Kline v South Africa, Cape Town 1957-58 * Merv Hughes v West Indies, Perth 1988-89 * Damien Fleming v Pakistan, Rawalpindi 1994-95 * Shane Warne v England, Melbourne 1994-95 * Glenn McGrath v West Indies, Perth 2000-01 * Peter Siddle v England, Brisbane 2010-11 * Scott Boland v West Indies, Kingston 2025
Perth Now
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Grass is greener: Kasatkina hopes for change of fortune
While Daria Kasatkina has embraced all the fuss surrounding her move to Australian tennis and is enjoying her new life, the unsettling few months has come at a price on the tennis court as her results have suffered. Yet after a fairly dismal start to the grass-court season as she's lost all three of her matches at Berlin, Queen's Club and Eastbourne, Australia's No.1 is hoping the rejuvenating air of Wimbledon is about to transform her fortunes. It's the grand slams, Kasatkina believes, that still bring the best out of her, just as she managed to be the last Australian standing by reaching the fourth round in the French Open. And now the 16th seed will kick off her eighth Wimbledon -- and her first wrapped in the green-and-gold -- with what looks an eminently winnable opening-round tie on Tuesday against Colombian Emiliana Arango, the world No.76 who's also on a four-match losing streak. "Everything seems a bit different, I must say. It's been a tough couple of years, especially the last couple of months, I had a lot of changes in my life and in my career," said Kasatkina, who revealed that after Wimbledon she'd be making her first visit to Australia since being granted permanent residency. "So it's normal I need to be a little settled in my head. It takes time. "But in general, I am in the good place. And just as soon I get a little bit more stable, I'm sure things will go better, because I'm very happy with the decisions I made in my life. "There have been small changes, which are huge changes, honestly, because I'm not used to this kind of treatment, feeling so much support. A little bit of pressure as well, because I want to show my best for the people who support me. "I have to be fair here. You lose a few matches in a row, it's not going to make you feel unbelievable - but at the same time, I feel good in my life. So this is kind of a balance which makes me alive. One tournament can change everything." AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION ON DAY TWO OF WIMBLEDON (Prefix number denotes seeding) (WC = wildcard) (Q = qualifier) Men (11) Alex de Minaur v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) Aleksandar Vukic v Chun-Hsin Tseng (TPE) Rinky Hijikata v David Goffin (BEL) Adam Walton v (Q) Arthur Cazaux (FRA) James McCabe (Q) v Fabian Marozsan (HUN) Alex Bolt (Q) v (10) Ben Shelton (USA) WOMEN (16) Daria Kasatkina v Emiliana Arango (COL) Maya Joint v (19) Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) Priscilla Hon (Q) v (18) Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
Perth Now
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
A last-16 hot date at Wimbledon? Demon's not Djok-ing
Alex de Minaur has been put on a collision course to face Novak Djokovic in the last 16 at Wimbledon after the draw threw up the intriguing prospect of the pair enjoying the duel that got away last year. The duo were scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals in 2024, but de Minaur had to pull out with a hip injury he had suffered at the end of his last-16 match against Arthur Fils. This year they are due to meet in the fourth round, if de Minaur negotiates a fairly kind-looking route, up against Spanish clay-court battler Roberto Carballes Baena in his opener and possibly meeting fellow Aussie Adam Walton in the second round if the Queenslander can beat French qualifier Arthur Cazaux first-up. De Minaur looks the best hope among the 17-strong Australian singles battalion at Wimbledon, the biggest green-and-gold contingent at a single Championships for 30 years. Talia Gibson, the 21-year-old from Perth who saved a match point in her final qualifying round before progressing to her first Wimbledon, has been handed perhaps the biggest glamour draw against Naomi Osaka, the four-time grand slam champ from Japan who in May won her first tournament since her return from a maternity break. Priscilla Hon, another Aussie who saved match points on Thursday en route to her maiden Wimbledon appearance, also has a tough task, up against 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Maya Joint, the US-born teenager who's enjoying another breakthrough week by reaching her first grass-coiurt semi-final at Eastbourne, has been handed a tough opener against Russian Liudmila Samsonova, the 19th seed who reached the semi-finals at the Berlin Open last week. In her first Wimbledon representing Australia, Daria Kasatkina, the 16th seed, should beat Colombian Emiliana Arango in the opening round, while Alex Bolt's daunting reward for getting through qualifying to make his fourth main-draw appearance will be a brutal examination from American 10th seed Ben Shelton. One intriguing tennis "Ashes'' clash will see 20th seed Alexei Popyrin tackling British wildcard Arthur Fery. Men's champion Carlos Alcaraz kicks off his title defence against the old Italian swashbuckler Fabio Fognini, and world No.1 Jannik Sinner plays on Tuesday against fellow Italian Luca Nardi. Women's champion Barbora Krejcikova, currently looking an injury doubt, opens her defence on Tuesday on Centre Court against Flilipino Alexandra Eala, and top seed Aryna Sabalenka starts against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine. WHO THE AUSTRALIANS FACE IN WIMBLEDON FIRST ROUND (prefix number denotes seeding) (Q = qualifier) (WC = wildcard) MEN (11) Alex de Minaur v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) (20) Alexei Popyrin v (WC) Arthur Fery (GBR) Jordan Thompson v Vit Kopriva (CZE) Aleksandar Vukic v Chun-Hsin Tseng (TPE) Rinky Hijikata v David Goffin (BEL) Chris O'Connell v (Q) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Adam Walton v (Q) Arthur Cazaux (FRA) James Duckworth v (25) Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) James McCabe (Q) v Fabian Marozsan (HUN) Alex Bolt (Q) v (10) Ben Shelton (USA) WOMEN (16) Daria Kasatkina v Emiliana Arango (COL) Kim Birrell v (22) Donna Vekic (CRO) Maya Joint v (19) Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) Ajla Tomljanovic v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) Olivia Gadecki v Greet Minnen (BEL) Talia Gibson (Q) v Naomi Osaka (JPN) Priscilla Hon (Q) v (18) Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
The Journal
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Journal
'Not survivable': Guests died of organ failure after toxic mushroom lunch, Australian court hears
THREE AUSTRALIANS DIED of organ failure after eating a beef Wellington dish laced with toxic mushrooms, a medical specialist said during a triple-murder trial sparked by the deaths. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering the parents and aunt of her estranged husband in 2023 by serving them a hearty lunch laced with lethal death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder her husband's uncle, who survived the meal after a long stay in hospital. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a trial that has drawn intense interest from around the world. Intensive care specialist Stephen Warrillow told the high-profile trial how doctors had scrambled to save the lunch guests. But as the toxins coursed through their bodies, causing multiple organs to shut down, there was little they could do. 'It was very apparent that this was not survivable,' Warrillow said, talking about one of the victims he treated. Another victim got 'relentlessly worse' even after receiving a liver transplant, he said. 'We had no other treatments to offer, no other therapies. He was dying,' the doctor said. Advertisement Warrillow was asked if the organ failure was caused by mushroom poisoning. 'That's correct, yes,' he told the court. Patterson was estranged from her husband Simon, who turned down the invitation to the July 2023 lunch. But his parents, Don and Gail, died days after eating the beef-and-pastry dish. Simon's aunt Heather Wilkinson also died, while her husband Ian fell seriously ill but later recovered. 'Sick of this' The court earlier heard how Erin Patterson had sent messages to a Facebook group chat in December 2022, several months prior to the lunch, saying she wanted 'nothing to do' with her in-laws. Patterson and estranged husband Simon were at odds over finances and child support, the court heard, and she had sought help from his parents, who refused to intervene. 'I'm sick of this shit I want nothing to do with them,' Patterson wrote in one message. The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests and took care that she did not consume the deadly mushrooms herself. Her defence says it was 'a terrible accident' and that Patterson ate the same meal as the others but did not fall as sick. The trial is expected to last another two weeks. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Australians go to the polls in election shaped by living costs, climate anxiety and Trump
MILLIONS OF AUSTRALIANS are today voting in a bitterly contested general election, following a campaign shaped by living costs, climate anxiety and US President Donald Trump's tariffs. From dusty desert towns to sun-splashed harbour cities, voters are choosing between left-leaning incumbent Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and conservative challenger Peter Dutton. The almost universal consensus across a slew of opinion polls leading up to election day was that Albanese's governing Labor Party would win a second term. 'The holy grail is back-to-back wins that we're aiming for today,' Albanese told Channel Seven. 'I'll leave nothing on the field over the next three years if I'm re-elected as Australia's prime minister.' Though trailing by a few percentage points in the polls, Dutton said 'quiet Australians' could yet deliver a surprise. Australian Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton talks to the media after voting in his electorate in Brisbane Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'I think they're going to go into the polling booth and say: 'You know what? I am not going to reward Anthony Albanese for the last three years',' he told Channel Nine. Asked if he would remain opposition leader if he loses, Dutton said he was only talking about winning, but added: 'I am 54. I am still very young, and I've just got a burning passion for this country.' Trump slump The first polls opened at 8:00 am (11pm Irish time last night) on Australia's east coast, followed later by the country's western cities and far-flung island territories. A total of 18.1 million voters have enrolled for the election. More than a third of them have cast an early ballot, the election authority said. Voting is compulsory, enforced with fines of Aus$20 (€13), leading to turnouts that top 90%. A result could come as soon as Saturday night, unless the vote is very tight. Albanese, 62, has promised to embrace renewable energy, tackle a worsening housing crisis, and pour money into a creaking healthcare system. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Liberal Party leader and former police officer Dutton wants to slash immigration, crack down on crime and ditch a longstanding ban on nuclear power. Advertisement Some polls showed Dutton leaking support because of Trump, who he praised this year as a 'big thinker' with 'gravitas' on the global stage. 'I mean, Donald Trump is as mad as a cut snake, and we all know that,' said voter Alan Whitman, 59, before casting his ballot on Saturday. 'And we've got to tiptoe around that.' High prices As Australians soured on Trump, both Dutton and Albanese took on a more pugnacious tone. 'If I needed to have a fight with Donald Trump or any other world leader, to advance our nation's interest, I'd do it in a heartbeat,' Dutton said in April. Albanese condemned Trump's tariffs as an act of 'economic self-harm' and 'not the act of a friend'. Economic concerns have dominated the contest for the many Australian households struggling to pay inflated prices for milk, bread, power and petrol. 'The cost of living — it's extremely high at the moment. So, taxes as well, is also another really big thing. Petrol prices, all the basic stuff,' human resources manager Robyn Knox told AFP in Brisbane. Small business owner Jared Bell had similar concerns. 'Our grocery shops are definitely way more expensive than they were a couple years ago,' he said. Campaign stumbles Coal-mining superpower Australia will choose between two leaders with sharply contrasting ideas on climate change and emissions reduction. Albanese's government has embraced the global push towards decarbonisation, warning of a future in which iron ore and polluting coal exports no longer prop up the economy. Dutton's signature policy is a US$200 billion scheme to construct seven industrial-scale nuclear reactors, doing away with the need to ramp up renewables. The 36-day campaign was a largely staid affair but there were a few moments of unscripted levity. Albanese tumbled backwards off the stage at a heaving campaign rally, while Dutton drew blood when he hit an unsuspecting cameraman in the head with a stray football. It remains to be seen whether Albanese or Dutton will command an outright majority, or whether they are forced to cobble together a coalition with the support of minor parties. Polls have suggested 10 or more unaligned crossbenchers could hold the balance of power – making a rare minority government a distinct possibility. - © AFP 2025
