Latest news with #Bowling
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Scott Boland jumps to sixth best bowler in world after West Indies hat-trick
He only plays one Test at a time but Scott Boland has vaulted into the top 10 on the ICC rankings on the back of his West Indian hat-trick. Boland, who took 3-2 in the final Test in Jamaica after being overlooked for the first two, is now the sixth ranked bowler in the world, ahead of man-of-the series Mitch Starc, who is 10th. The entire first-choice Australian attack all sit comfortably in the top 10, with captain Pat Cummins at three, Josh Hazlewood at four and spin star Nathan Lyon, who was left out for Boland in the West Indies, at number eight. It's a staggering feat for Boland, who has resigned himself to being a horses-for-courses selection, behind Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc despite performing whenever called upon. The 36-year-old Victorian took three wickets in both innings of the final Test, a day-night affair at Sabina Park, taking his career haul to 62 from just 14 games, with regular spells out of the Australian team. His bowling average of 16.53 puts him among the most effective in the game's history. Speaking after his brilliant turn in Jamaica, Boland said he's comfortable knowing his role was to do a job when called upon behind some of the best fast bowlers the game has ever seen. 'I'm playing with three of the best fast bowlers Australia has ever had, so I'm happy to be in behind them,' Boland said. 'It's going to extend all of our careers if we can all stay on the park and keep bowling really well, so I'm happy with that. 'I know I'm not going to play every game, so I can be really specific with my training, and then when I get to a Test match I'm going to play, I'm ready to go.' Confirmation of the brilliance of the Australian bowling attack comes through in the rankings. It's the first time since 1958 a team has had six bowlers ranked in the world's top 10. Lyon dropped a spot after being omitted to allow Boland to play in Jamaica, while Starc remained in 10th spot despite his haul of 6-9 in the second innings in his 100th Test, which took him past 400 career wickets.
France 24
6 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Starc inspires Australia as West Indies all out for 27
Australia swept the series 3-0 after earlier victories in Barbados and Grenada to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. Starc reached the landmark of 400 Test wickets and Scott Boland completed a hat-trick but the hosts just avoided New Zealand's record low of 26, set in 1955. "We didn't think things would start going our way with the ball today until the sun went down a bit," Starc said after collecting the player of the match and series awards. "But anyway our bowling attack has been pretty much on the money throughout the series," he added. West Indies captain Royston Chase warned his side must improve with the first of five T20 internationals on Monday. "Assessing this series is simple: the bowlers kept us in the contest and the batting let us down time after time," he said. "We need to put in some serious work on our batting moving forward if we really want to compete," he added. West Indies were set a victory target of 204 after the tourists lost their last four wickets within 45 minutes of the start of play to be dismissed for 121 in the second innings, their lowest Test innings total against the West Indies for 30 years. Alzarri Joseph led the effort with his best Test innings figures of five for 27 while Shamar Joseph claimed four for 34 to finish with 22 wickets in the series and go past the 50-wicket mark in Tests along the way. Everything else in the frenetic first session faded into irrelevance though in the face of Starc's wrecking ball-type performance as he reached the break with figures of five for six off five overs, finishing with six for nine when he bowled last man Jayden Seales half an hour into the second session to seal the win. In his 100th Test, the left-armer made up for a luckless first innings, when he picked up just one wicket, by dismissing John Campbell with the first ball of the second innings and adding two more victims –- debutant Kevlon Anderson and Brandon King off successive balls -- before the opening over was completed. Starc's 400th wicket came at the start of his third over when the other opener, Mikyle Louis, was palpably leg-before. At that stage, the West Indies were five for four and Starc boasted the astonishing figures of four wickets for no runs. The 35-year-old eventually conceded two runs via the outside edge of Shai Hope's bat but then promptly trapped the same batsman lbw for his fifth wicket. He had taken just 15 deliveries, the fewest ever in Test history, to complete a five-wicket haul. Skipper Chase was then caught behind off Josh Hazlewood to make the score an eye-popping 11 for six. Boland then stole the honours at the start of the second session when he dismissed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrican off successive deliveries to complete the rare feat of a Test hat-trick. "I was a bit nervous bowling that last ball (to Jomel Warrican)," Boland said. "I was just trying to concentrate and keep bowling balls in good areas," he added. Australia were without first-choice wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who suffered a concussion when hit on the helmet by Alzarri Joseph late on day two. Josh Inglis replaced him behind the stumps.
France 24
11-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Bumrah proud of 'really special' five-wicket haul at Lord's
Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, was rested from India's series-levelling win at Edgbaston last week, with the 31-year-old set to feature in just three out of five matches against England following a recent back injury. But he made his presence felt on Friday's second day of the third Test at Lord's with an economical 5-74 in 27 overs as India dismissed England for 387 in their first innings. That return, in what is just Bumrah's second Test at Lord's, will now be permanently recorded on the dressing room honours board. "It's really special," Bumrah told the BBC. "We don't come here (to Lord's) very often, maybe every four years. "You never know how many matches you'll get to play here. As a child, you see a lot of Test cricket played here. Being on the honours board feels good. I was excited to play at Lord's." Bumrah, asked how his body is holding up, replied: "I was training at Edgbaston, not just sitting. I was training very hard because I knew I had to prepare. "The body is good, it was a good break. I got some time to refresh. I didn't know the weather would be this hot, so it worked out well. I'm a lot fresher." India were aggrieved by an unrequested ball change early in the day's play, losing the one that helped Bumrah take three wickets for one run in seven deliveries for a replacement that offered much less as England's last three wickets added 116 runs. "I work hard and bowl a lot of overs, I don't want to say any controversial statements and get my match fees deducted," Bumrah later told reporters, with India 145-3 at stumps, a deficit of 242 runs. 'X-factor Archer' The India spearhead was not the only the fast bowler to have a day to remember Friday, with England express quick Jofra Archer making a heartening come back to Test cricket after more than four years of injury-induced exile. Archer struck with just his third delivery, a 90 mph gem that India's Yashasvi Jaiswal could only edge to second slip. The 30-year-old Sussex paceman's euphoric celebrations were echoed in the roars of the crowd. And now was the delivery to Jaiswal a one-off, with Archer a repeated menace during a return of 1-22 in 10 overs. "It was class, that atmosphere, the genuine joy seeing him back playing Test cricket, taking that wicket and making things happen," said England's Joe Root, Archer's first Test captain. He added: "The impact he adds is huge, in the dressing room but also out on the field. Clearly he's an X-factor player." Root, 99 not out overnight, went to his 37th Test hundred off the first ball of the day to go fifth in the all-time list of century makers. He also later held a brilliant one-handed-grab at slip to set a new Test record of 211 outfield catches, one more than India's Rahul Dravid. "It was just nice to catch one, there's been plenty of drops in there," added a typically modest Root. © 2025 AFP
Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Jofra Archer's comeback spell: Wicket with third ball, hitting 93mph and fastest over of series
One thousand, five hundred and ninety-eight days. That was how long Jofra Archer had to wait to bowl in a Test match again. And it only took three balls for him to strike. At 2.40pm on the second afternoon, one over into India 's first innings, Archer gave his cap to the umpire to huge cheers. The Lord's crowd can be notoriously relaxed about regaining their seats during the afternoon session. Not this time. An expectant hum awaited the sight of England's number 22, back with a red ball. Archer was back bowling from the Pavilion End at Lord's, the same end that he hit Smith from. Ben Stokes and Archer, long-time Call of Duty partners, were now back to sharing a field together. At mid-on, Stokes gave Archer his final words of encouragement. Three slips and a gully signalled the captain's faith. One delivery was all that Archer needed to show England what they have been missing. Bowling over the wicket to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had hit 13 from Chris Woakes's first over, Archer angled his first delivery across the batsman. He immediately located a speed of 87mph and his preferred length: just back-of-a-length, short enough to prevent batsmen from using their front foot. Archer's next delivery was slightly fuller, inducing Jaiswal to prod forward. The batsman did, and came within an inch of edging behind. Next ball, Jaiswal was not so lucky. Archer dragged his length back a little, squaring Jaiswal up. His edge ballooned to second slip: a testament to the value of Archer's 89mph pace. Indeed, Archer's first over was the fastest of any bowler this series yet: a graphic illustration of how he can transform a Test attack, and vindication for England's belief that a single first-class game for Sussex would ready him for a comeback. As the catch landed safely in Harry Brook's hands, Archer leapt away: a run of jubilation and disbelief, part pent-up frustration, part unadulterated joy. Tearing off to gully, he was first embraced by Shoaib Bashir, and then engulfed by his entire side, exultant that this brilliant cricketer was back on the grand stage. JOFRA ARCHER IS BACK! 😍 In the first over of his return to Test cricket he takes the wicket of Jaiswal ⚡️- — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 11, 2025 After four years of anguish and five surgeries, Archer had a Test match wicket. Archer beamed with delight, then picked out his mum in the crowd. They could bask in a moment that they feared would never come. Four factors that made Archer so lethal against India Speed For England fans, the most important question surrounding Archer's first spell was whether he could find his old speed. The answer was a resounding yes. Archer's first over was the fastest in the entire series so far. He then topped that in his second over, when he bowled at an average of 90.6mph. While Archer's speed dropped a little over the course of his five-over spell, he still averaged 89.2mph in his final over. Accuracy Throughout his opening spell, Archer harassed the batsmen relentlessly, immediately settling into an awkward line and length. Not until his 13th delivery did Archer mislay his radar, spearing a ball down the leg side. In his fourth over, in pursuit of extra seam movement, Archer was driven for a four and then a two by Karun Nair. Movement Archer relies more on seam movement than swing. Seam was his main asset throughout his spell, repeatedly jagging the ball past the outside edge against left and right-handers alike. Variety One of Archer's most valuable assets is his versatility. In the 2019 Ashes series, he combined ferocious short bowling at Lord's with masterful seam bowling at Headingley – when he dropped his speed, bowled fuller and claimed 6-45. In his comeback Test, Archer showed both sides of his game in tandem. On a largely docile pitch, Ben Stokes swiftly enlisted Archer to bowl short. In his fourth over, one ball leapt up to Nair's left shoulder. The batsman tickled the ball towards the on side, narrowly evading the man lurking at leg slip for the exact shot: Stokes himself. But, for all his frustration, perhaps Stokes's greatest feeling would be gratitude that he could once again summon a bowler with Archer's range of gifts.
Telegraph
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Josh Tongue cannot survive as a Test bowler purely by mopping up the tail
'The Mop' is Josh Tongue's nickname: recognition of his capacity to clean up the tail. Ben Stokes likes to joke about Tongue's penchant for 'rabbit pie', as he showed by celebrating at Headingley with an impression of the bowler scoffing. Tongue's dismantling of the tail in Leeds was instrumental in England's victory. While England's bottom four contributed 73 runs in their first innings, India's mustered nine runs across both innings combined. Five of those wickets fell to Tongue in devastating spells: 4-7 in the first innings and three wickets in four balls in the second. Tongue's method was simple: bowling fast, spearing the ball in either short or at yorker length, and attacking the stumps. Too often, England have lacked such prowess. In the 2023-25 World Test Championship, the average number of runs that England conceded for the last four wickets was the sixth worst out of nine teams. Yet however welcome Tongue's qualities against the tail, Test cricket requires that bowlers can do far more. Twenty20 allows for specialist death bowlers; the demands of Test cricket do not create scope for such a role. Quick bowlers must be effective in all climes - or, at least, maintain control when they are not incisive. As the clock ticked towards noon on the opening morning at Edgbaston, Stokes handed Tongue the ball. In their contrasting ways - Chris Woakes bowling fuller with more swing, Brydon Carse bowling shorter and with extra pace - England's quicks both bowled immaculate opening spells. After 11 overs, India had stumbled to 21-1; both batsmen at the crease had needed an umpire's call to survive lbw appeals against Woakes. Tongue needed only three balls to alter the feel of the morning - just not as he had hoped. After his first delivery was tucked away for one by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tongue then greeted Karun Nair with a pair of half-volleys. Both deliveries met the same fate: Nair caressed the ball through the covers for four. It set the template for Tongue's opening spell. Where Woakes and Carse had been relentlessly probing, Tongue was by turns too short and too full - and often too wide to boot. Tongue leaked eight boundaries in his first spell, culminating in three consecutive fours by Jaiswal: an imperious hook through square leg, then back-to-back cut shots, jumping up on his toes like a meerkat peeking over a wall. By the time that Tongue's six-over spell was over, he nursed figures of 0-42; India had raced to 91-1. While England bowled admirably on a flat pitch for much of the day, Tongue emphatically ranked bottom of the captain's list of preferred bowlers. Indeed, with England seeking wickets with the short ball when the ball had gone soft, Stokes opted to use himself. Tongue only bowled ten of India's first 73 overs. When Tongue returned, he was given an orthodox field, with two slips. While there was a tantalising hint of reverse swing, Tongue only bowled a perfunctory three overs until Joe Root was whisked on before the second new ball. In the opening day, Tongue conceded 0-66 from 13 overs. These figures extend Tongue's travails against India's top order this summer. Bowling to the top six across the first two Tests, Tongue has now taken 1-188 from 43.3 overs: a record that explains Stokes's reluctance to bowl him on the first day in Birmingham. In his first Test appearances, Tongue showed no such struggles against the top order. Indeed, in his second Test, at Lord's against Australia in 2023, all of Tongue's wickets were top-order players, including dismissing David Warner and Steve Smith twice apiece. At his best, Tongue's cocktail of pace approaching 90mph, an awkward angle from wide of the crease and seam movement can trouble the world's very best. Warner GONE! 🤩 S̶t̶u̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶B̶r̶o̶a̶d̶ Josh Tongue gets his man! #EnglandCricket | #Ashes — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2023 But after returning from an injury-ruined 18 months this summer, Tongue has only threatened India's best batsmen for occasional balls, not whole overs or extended spells. And, however brilliant Tongue was against the tail in Leeds, his record there against the lower-order is not sustainable for any bowler. If he is to enjoy the extended Test run that his talents suggest, then, Tongue will have to be much more than a mop. The sight of Jofra Archer carrying the drinks at Edgbaston showed the alternative that England will soon be able to summon instead.
