Latest news with #baggygreen
CNA
11-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
A century of tests is a privilege, says Australia's Starc
Mitchell Starc is not keen on the attention he is receiving ahead of his 100th test but the Australia fast bowler says it has been a privilege to pull on the 'baggy green cap' so many times. Starc will become just the second Australian fast bowler after Glenn McGrath to play 100 tests in the third and final match against West Indies in Kingston on Sunday, with a series sweep on the line in the day-night contest. Much of the build-up has focused on the looming milestone but the 35-year-old just wants the match to start. "No, I don't like it. Get on with the cricket," a smiling Starc told reporters. "Same as every other week, I guess. No, a chance to win another test match away from home, which is never easy to do." The left-arm quick made his test debut against New Zealand in late 2011 and went on to establish himself as a key cog in Australia's pace attack. "Growing up, I was always wanting to pull on the baggy green. I didn't think I'd play one game, but to have 99 chances to do that has been a real privilege," he said. Starc took time to find his feet in test cricket but appeared to hit his stride after 2015, with batters in the longest format struggling against his swing and bounce. "I was either in and out or not good enough or injured. So it's a pretty stop-start to the first portion of test cricket," Starc said. "I had a bit of success along the way in white-ball cricket and got a bit more comfortable how things were going bowling-wise and started to put the pieces together with a few tools in red ball cricket and then had a bit of an extended run there." Starc is five test wickets away from becoming the fourth Australian player to take 400. McGrath is the country's most successful fast bowler with 563 wickets in 124 tests. "I've always been lucky enough to have a bit of air speed, so it was kind of harnessing the rest around that," he said. "I guess early doors, I had the ability to swing the new ball and bowl fast, but didn't have a lot through the period where the ball didn't do anything.
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Aussie cricket captain Pat Cummins suffers every Test cricketer's worst nightmare ahead of West Indies clash
Pat Cummins ' baggy green cap has reportedly gone missing. The Aussie skipper had turned up to a pre-series photo shoot with West Indies captain Roston Chase wearing a new cap. But according to The Daily Telegraph, Cummins had lost the hat sometime between the photo shoot and the toss. It is understood that the hat has still not been found. It comes as the Aussie cricket captain had opted against repairing his old cap and instead sought out a new one, which he had planned to debut during last week's 159-run victory against the West Indies in Barbados. His new cap was one of the last hats to be made by manufacturer Albion, who had lost the rights to make the famous caps to Kookaburra back in 2016. But the Aussie skipper arrived for the toss at the Kensington Oval last week wearing his old baggy green, which he recieved ahead of his debut against South Africa in 2011. Cummins isn't the first Aussie cricketer in the past year to lose his baggy green. David Warner was reunited with his missing cap during the side's Test series against Pakistan in November. The New South Wales batsman took to social media to plea to his followers to find the missing hat after his backpack, in which he had stored the hat, was stolen. Australian players are given their baggy green hats when they make their first appearance for the Test side and the caps are treasured by members of the team. Aussie cricket legend great Greg Chappell was also forced to issue a plea to the public after his baggy green went missing from a storage facility in Brisbane last year. Australia resume their three-match series against the West Indies later this week and coach Andrew McDonald has urged fans to be patient when it comes to young batter Sam Konstas. Konstas was recalled for the first match on Australia's three-Test tour of the West Indies, which the visitors won by 159 runs on day three. The 19-year-old opener logged scores of three and five in tricky conditions, with ball dominating bat throughout the match. His second innings spanned almost an hour but was devoid of fluency and full of frustration, with speed demon Shamar Joseph creating two chances before Konstas had scored. McDonald is preparing to rejig Australia's top four yet again. Steve Smith is set to prove he is ready to return from a finger injury in Grenada, where the series resumes on Friday morning (AEST). Josh Inglis appears the batter most likely to make way for Smith, who is set to link up with the squad after a stint in New York. But Konstas, who set the bar extremely high with a breathtaking Test debut on Boxing Day, is set to be given a lengthy opportunity to nail down his spot at the top of the order. 'We've had some conversations around, 'potentially if you're in that situation again, what does that look like?' and that's what experience is,' McDonald told reporters in Barbados. 'It's learning from previous events and trying to implement a way through that. It felt like he was stuck at times and he was over-aggressive and then (he) underplayed. 'It's really that balance and tempo ... that's a step up to Test cricket. 'He's got a really good partner down the other end (Usman Khawaja). That, over time, I think, will play out. That's all we ask for - a bit of patience and time with a young player coming into Test cricket.' Australia have a chance to wrap up a series win in the second Test but the bigger picture at play with their Konstas conundrum is this summer's home Ashes. The right-hander's technique has been a near-constant topic of debate since he burst onto the scene against India then was axed for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka. 'He knows his deficiencies,' McDonald said. 'But, from a batting perspective, I encourage all players to learn to play with their deficiencies. I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect technique. 'If that's what you're looking for then I think you're looking in the wrong place.' McDonald confirmed Smith, who suffered his injury while dropping a catch at Lord's in the World Test Championship final, was on track to bolster Australia's batting order. 'There'll be no risk to long-term health of that finger. He'll return and I think it's likely he'll play,' McDonald said.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pat Cummins goes against Aussie tradition as baggy green detail comes to light
Pat Cummins has gone against the grain and opted to sport a brand new baggy green for the Test series against the West Indies after a special request was granted for the Aussie captain. The baggy green is arguably the most recognisable and prestigious piece of clothing in Australian sport and players often wear the cap until it is in tatters. The likes of Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and David Warner all wore their iconic hat until it was falling apart. Waugh's captaincy changed the perception of what the baggy green stood for in cricketing culture and it became a treasured item in the Aussie sporting landscape. While some do get their cap repaired after years of wear, most players insist on keeping the same item throughout their entire career. Steve Smith recently had the front of his treasured cap fixed after it frayed on the brim having worn it for 16 years. However, Cummins has gone for an alternative approach and opted to replace his tattered baggy green with a new one after 68 Test matches. In the World Test Championship final, fans noticed the Aussie captain's cap was falling apart. He even opted to wear a hat in his post-match press conference. And ahead of the West Indies series, Cummins has been delivered a new cap albeit it with a twist. Cummins wasn't happy with the way his old baggy green was repaired and opted to get Albion to replace his cap, according to reporter Bharat Sundaresan in Barbados. While this is an alternative approach, Cummins' request for Albion to make the cap is big considering Kookaburra have taken over the manufacturing of the iconic piece. Cummins was initially presented his Albion Baggy green on his debut in 2011 against South Africa. Kookaburra took over the contract to make the item in 2016, which meant Cummins was going to have a different manufacturer and a slightly lighter shade of green. Instead, Cummins made sure Albion made his new item and it could be the very last one they do considering it was a request from the captain. "He asked for a new one, but insisted it was an Albion," Sundaresan said on The Final Word podcast. "There is always so many stories for every cricketer who's been fortunate to have got the baggy green." Cummins will wear his new baggy green for the first time on Wednesday when he leads Australia out against the West Indies. The new baggy green will also go along with a fresh starting XI for Australia after going down to South Africa in the WTC final this month. Pat's wearing a brand new baggy green with his old one quite knackered. Of interest to kit badgers: he's very pleased that it is one of the last (possibly the last) Albion. #WIvAUS — Adam Collins (@collinsadam) June 24, 2025 "Every Baggy Green tells a story" Pat Cummins got a new one but made sure it was the classic ALBION brand!#WIvsAUS @YouCanCountOnMB — The Final Word (@Final_Word_Pod) June 24, 2025 RELATED: Alyssa Healy reveals retirement backflip in huge call on future South Africa get last laugh as Aussie sledge backfires badly Speaking ahead of the first ball against the West Indies in Barbados, Cummins revealed the leadership see Cameron Green as their long-term No.3 option. Green was reinstated for the WTC final at No.3, but failed to get into double figures in either innings. However, the captain feels the side is looking to give Green an extended run to show his talent. "We see that (No.3) as a long-term option," Cummins said. "Going in to last week, he's hitting the ball really well. He's moving really well. He had a Test match where it obviously didn't go to plan. The message is not to look too much into that. We're really happy with where his game is placed. I dare say he'll get a decent run at No.3." This comes as Marnus Labuschagne was dropped from the side, which has seen Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis move into the XI. "If there's an opening, we could see him kind of fighting his way back into the Test team at some point, but obviously the focus now is giving a couple of other guys a go," Cummins said in a blow to Labuschagne.
