Latest news with #BoxingDayTest
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Australia confident of Smith's return for 2nd Test
Steven Smith is on course to be available for Australia's second Test against the West Indies in Grenada, following the compound dislocation he sustained during the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's. Smith spent the past week in New York, where he resumed batting using a tennis ball and an 'incredi-ball' (a soft cricket training ball), before rejoining the squad in Barbados on Saturday evening after their three-day win in the opening Test. He still has to complete a few medical protocols, with Tuesday's training session in Grenada set to be a decisive one. However, head coach Andrew McDonald is confident Smith will be fit to return at No. 4, a move that will likely see Josh Inglis make way in the playing XI. 'It's really about functionality around the finger rather than anything else. There'll be no risk to long-term health of that finger. He'll return and I think it's likely he'll play. Leading into the next game, he'll have the main session two days out. He'll (also) train the day before (the match). If that all goes well, then I'd expect Steve to resume at No. 4,' McDonald said. The Australian head coach also made it clear that Smith, if returns, will not change his batting spot from No. 4 despite low returns from Cameron Green at No. 3. 'In terms of why we see him as No. 4, I think we've settled on that. We could slide him up higher if we wanted to. He's been excellent at number three. 'But I think if you look at the last 12 months at No. 4 and his ability to stabilise that position, two down, arguably our greatest batter, we want to keep him at four and build around that rather than potentially risking too many moves in the order,' McDonald said. Australia won the opening Test of the three-match series in Barbados by 159 runs to start their new WTC cycle on high. The second Test of the series will be played in Grenada from July 3. McDonald also urged critics to show a bit of patience and time towards Sam Konstas' performances, as the young opener is still adjusting to find his feet in Tests. Konstas, who dazzled on his Test debut against India in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, earned a recall for Australia's series opener against the West Indies at Kensington Oval, which the visitors won by 159 runs in three days. But Konstas had a lean time – making scores of three and five in tricky conditions for batting. 'He's debriefing that, and we've had some conversations around, if you're in that situation again, what does that look like? And that's what experience is; it's learning from previous events and trying to implement a way through that. It felt like he was stuck at times.' Indo-Asian News Service
AU Financial Review
3 days ago
- Sport
- AU Financial Review
Trash, treasure and trauma: inside the Manhari juggernaut
Cricket superstars Virat Kohli and Pat Cummins were supposed to be the biggest names at last year's Boxing Day Test, but when a record crowd packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground, they found there was another name up in lights. For long periods of the blockbuster match between Australia and India, every centimetre of advertising space on every tier of every grandstand was emblazoned with the name Manhari.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Australia-West Indies Test in the balance after another day of drama
The first Test against the West Indies is in the balance after Australia bowled out the hosts for 190 but then made a nervous start to their second innings. The Aussies hit back after a poor morning session and were trailing by 10 runs when teenage opener Sam Konstas and veteran Usman Khawaja headed out to the crease. Konstas made a less than convincing start, and was dropped twice in the slips off the bowling of Shamar Joseph. The pair cobbled together a shaky partnership of 27 before Alzarri Joseph hit the pads of Khawaja and appealed for LBW. Despite demanding a review, Khawaja was out with replays showing the ball would have just hit the top of the bails. Enter allrounder Cameron Green. '(For the) first time Sam Konstas and Cam Green are batting together in Tests. At a combined age of 44. The future is here for Australia's Test team. How many more times will we see these two bat together over the next decade or more?' said commentator Bharat Sundaresan. Well, according fans, the answer to that question is not many as Konstas again fell cheaply — off the bowling Joseph — after edging the ball onto his stumps for just 5. It was a sloppy effort from Konstas and fans were quick to question the youngster's Test credentials (he has made a total of eight runs in this Test). 'Konstas as an opener is a HOAX,' one fan raged on social media. And another said: 'Konstas fails again ... painful to watch.' Others suggested the pairing of Green and Konstas at Test level will be short-lived. 'That might be the last time (we see Konstas and Green together),' one fan bluntly said. Another said: 'Hopefully not many (more Tests). Konstas is so technically deficient. It's in his own interests that he goes back to Shield cricket for five years,' Another added: 'Not many. Green is legit but Konstas looks genuinely terrible.' And another: 'Konstas gets 3 & 5 in the match. Some future ...' And another: 'Seriously! Is Sam Konstas the best opener Aus could muster? The guy is a walking wicket And another: 'If this happens Decline of Aussie cricket begins And another: 'Sam is all noise no substance! He got lucky against Bumrah on that day that's about it. Game of Cricket is teaching him nice & proper how tough it is out there. Cam is a real deal. Hope he stays injury free.' It is a long fall from grace for Konstas after his stunning debut for Australia in last year's Boxing Day Test against India. In that match he made a thrilling 60 off 65 balls, knocking around India's superstar bowler Jasprit Bumrah with a series of stunning ramp shots. He then lost his place in the team, and his return to the Test XI hasn't gone to plan. 'Sam Konstas doesn't have a bright future in Test cricket. His days are numbered. The depth in the Australian bench is bare at the moment, no one is looking world class. I don't think I have ever seen such a weak Aussie batting line-up,' one fan said. And another: 'Sam Konstas is not Australia's future ... poor technique.' While another suggested how to fix the technique. 'Sam Konstas needs to - relax his top elbow and - move the feet,big step forward - cant play off back foot?? Step back and across,' they said. Green — who earlier survived a lucky LBW review — didn't fare much better and was caught in the slips for 15 after swiping at a wide delivery from Justin Greaves. Earlier, the West Indies were again left unimpressed by two controversial dismissals of their key batters, captain Roston Chase and white-ball skipper Shai Hope on Thursday (Friday AEST), which may have tipped the game in Australia's favour. The two captains had proved the visitors' biggest obstacle as they put on 67 for the sixth wicket and didn't look in any great trouble as the Windies threatened to take a decent first-innings advantage, going to lunch at 5-135. But Chase looked hugely frustrated early in the afternoon session when he was given out lbw to Pat Cummins, convinced that he'd got an inside edge before the ball thudded into the pads. The Ultraedge review gave no clear evidence one way or another, and the disgruntled captain had to depart for 44 off 108 balls. Hope, back in his first Test for more than four years, had moved fairly trouble-free on to 48 off 91 balls when his inside edge off Beau Webster produced a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Alex Carey, only for the review to show that the ball may have touched the ground as the keeper thumped against the turf. The third umpire, though, gave Carey the benefit of the doubt. With their two key men gone, the West Indies were left simply hoping to battle their way to any first-innings lead, however slender, and paceman Alzarri Joseph did his bit to get them there, smacking an unbeaten 23 off 20 balls to put them marginally ahead. But after they had only managed to grab a single wicket in the morning - Brandon King (26) shouldering arms and getting bowled by Josh Hazlewood - Australia gleaned five wickets fell in the second session for just 55 with Webster proving impressive in his six overs, finding pace, movement and bounce as he took 2-20. The familiar triumvirate of Mitchell Starc (3-65), Hazlewood (2-34) and Cummins (2-34) all chipped in, while Nathan Lyon grabbed the final wicket of the innings, tempting Jayden Seales to slog one straight down Webster's throat in the deep.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel-Palestine war: Australia cricketer Usman Khawaja boycotts media outlet - here's why
Australian cricketer refused to participate in a post-game interview with sports media outlet SEN after day one of the first Test against the West Indies in the Caribbean, following SEN's controversial dismissal of journalist Peter Lalor earlier this year for posting about the Gaza conflict on social media. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Khawaja, who scored 47 runs in Australia's first innings total of 180 in Bridgetown, declined to speak when he spotted an SEN microphone, informing reporters Adam Collins and Bharat Sundaresan of his decision. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Lalor, who was fired by SEN during a Test match in Galle after sharing tweets about Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian prisoners while covering Australia's tour of Sri Lanka in February, expressed his appreciation for Khawaja's support. "Usman is a man of principle whose support I valued greatly when I was dismissed and whose ongoing support I appreciate," Lalor stated. Khawaja has been vocal about issues, particularly regarding the situation in Gaza. He wore a black armband during the first Test in Perth and attempted to wear shoes with messages supporting human rights before being stopped by cricket authorities. The cricketer was prevented by Cricket Australia and the ICC from displaying messages reading "freedom is a human right" and "all lives matter" on his shoes during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the MCG. "It's just a little bit disappointing. I don't really see the controversy of [saying] all lives matter and saying freedom is a human right," Khawaja said about the shoe incident. "I don't see where it becomes political ... I find it hard to accept where people find what I said distasteful. It makes me feel a little bit uneasy that people find those words uneasy." "It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for, I guess... I'll always stand up for what I believe in, even if people don't agree with me or don't like me saying it." "I want to look back on my career and say, look, I stood up for my values, I respect what I did on the field, but I also respect myself for what I did off the field... that means more to me."
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Time for India to change playbook?
CHENNAI: As Jamie Smith sent Ravindra Jadeja into the Headingley stands to take England home — with Jasprit Bumrah watching from the dressing room — in the first Test against India, a familiar feeling lingered among the visitors. For the fourth time (second time in England) in the last three and a half years, the Indian bowlers fell flat in the fourth innings, allowing the opponents to chase a total which they felt was enough. It had happened twice in South Africa and once in Edgbaston in the same year. On Tuesday, it was Ben Duckett and Joe Root who led the way against a Bumrah-led bowling attack. What was more worrisome was that long before the chase concluded in the last session of the match, the fate of the game was sealed. The moment had passed when Bumrah was not able to provide the early breakthrough, India's hopes, slowly, but steadily, slipped away. However, there is one common trend that has been prevalent since Gautam Gambhir took over. His consistent preference for batting depth over playing five frontline bowlers to make up for the lack of runs from the top-order. While it didn't matter in India, from the moment they arrived in Australia, Gambhir has sacrificed an extra frontline bowler to add security to a somewhat fragile batting unit. Across five Tests Down Under, the visitors played a batting all-rounder in Nitish Reddy as their fifth bowler. Even if Reddy struggled to do what was asked of him in the bowling department — no fault of his — India persisted with him. India's fifth bowler, Reddy, delivered only eight percent of the overall number of overs bowled in the first three Tests. Going into the Boxing Day Test, with the series 1-1, India had a chance to press for 20 wickets and take the lead. Instead, they fielded three all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Reddy and Washington Sundar. Both Reddy and Washington batted well, keeping the game alive, their lack of bite with the ball cost the visitors as they sent down only 13 per cent of all the balls. In Sydney, on what was a greenish surface, India went with the same combination only to be scorched again.
