Latest news with #whitewash
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Australia will shut up ‘cocky' Lions after Henry Pollock claim
The British and Irish Lions have been branded 'cocky' by former Wallaby World Cup-winner Chris Latham after Henry Pollock's bold declaration that a 3-0 whitewash is 'definitely on the table'. A backlash to Pollock's comments earlier this week risks blowing up on the tourists after the topic erupted on Tuesday ahead of the first Test, with Latham relishing Australia's chance to shut up Andy Farrell's side. The tourists have won every game since arriving Down Under, leading Pollock to claim a side aspiring to be 'the best Lions team ever' can sweep the series 3-0. Latham, full-back in the Wallaby team that came from behind to beat a Lions side captained by Martin Johnson in 2001, said the boasts were music to Australian ears. The World Cup winner said: 'Personally, that fires me up. For me, and I'm sure for every Aussie, it's like, 'OK, righto.. We'll shut you up'. I'm a Queenslander and it's ingrained in us to be underdogs and be able to pull a win out from nothing. 'This [talk] is perfect for us. I've been feeling this now for the last probably three, four weeks while the Lions have been thrashing everyone else and getting cockier and cockier. 'Everything you read, it's about 'how good are we' and 'we're building' and 'this is so great'. It's like, 'Yeah, you keep talking that, you keep believing that'.' The Lions are red-hot favourites for the series but Latham, who has returned from Chicago where he coaches in Major League Rugby to be at the game, insisted: 'Without a doubt [Australia can win]. 'This is what we're built on. This is the Aussie spirit. We're built on being the underdog. We're built on being the outcast. I probably shouldn't say this but we were sent here on a boat and we built something from nothing. We're tough.' Australian rugby has been a punchbag since Eddie Jones' ill-fated return to coach the Wallabies at the 2023 World Cup led to pool elimination for the first time. Time and again since they have heard it said they are no match for the best Britain and Ireland can muster, not least when Argentina stuck 67 points on them last summer. The performances of the warm-up acts here have done little to change the narrative after the Wallabies stumbled to a 21-18 victory over Fiji. But Latham, starting full-back for the Wallabies in the first Brisbane Test 24 years ago, said: 'I've heard it all before. The 'best Lions team to ever come out', Australia's 'got no chance'. We went 1-0 down in '01 and came back to win the next two. 'My heart hopes and wants Australia to do well. We need to be competitive, make sure these games go down to the wire, create heroes for the kids. 'Anything's possible in rugby, that's what I love about this game. Anything can happen. So... yeah, strap yourself in.'
CNA
2 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Future uncertain for Australia's Konstas after Windies wipeout
Amid the back slaps and banter in a victorious Australian dressing room, teen opener Sam Konstas's celebrations may feel bittersweet at the end of his forgettable test series in the West Indies. Australia completed a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies on Monday with a 176-run rout in the pink-ball test in Kingston. But Konstas can claim little credit. A five-ball duck in the second innings at Sabina Park saw the 19-year-old, who has been touted as the "future of Australian batting", finish with 50 runs from his six innings at an average of 8.33. Only Jayden Seales, the West Indies fast bowler and tailender, had fewer runs among players who competed in all three matches. With England's Jofra Archer and the first Ashes test looming in four months, alarm bells are ringing in Australia. "The prospect of Konstas facing Jofra Archer with the first ball of the Ashes on November 21 – potentially delivered at 155km/h – doesn't feel like a fair fight," the Sydney Morning Herald said. Konstas also grassed two slips catches off Mitchell Starc's bowling on the final day at Sabina Park as Australia bowled out the hosts for 27, the second-lowest test innings score after New Zealand's 26 against England in 1955. Last December, Konstas took the cricket world by storm when he scored 60 on debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, repeatedly ramping India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. He has not passed 25 runs in an innings since, holding an average of 16.30 from five tests. Australia have discarded plenty of players for lesser batting crimes but selectors are desperate for Konstas to make the grade and fill the void at opener which has lingered since David Warner's retirement. The West Indies pitches were surprisingly tough and Konstas was not alone in his struggles. His opening partner Usman Khawaja also had a poor series, averaging 19.50, while Travis Head was the top performer with a modest average of 37.33. Australia captain Pat Cummins was loath to criticise his batting teammates in the conditions. "It's really hard to judge, I think," he told reporters. "There'll be a few of the guys who of course wish they could have done better and if they had another crack at it maybe did a few things differently. "No doubt it was tough." Konstas will look forward to returning to home pitches where last year he racked up centuries for fun in the Sheffield Shield. Still only a teenager, he has plenty of time to develop as a player, but only a handful of Shield matches to convince he belongs in Australia's Ashes lineup.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where to watch West Indies vs. Australia free live stream, TV channel, start time for 3rd Test match
With a 2-0 lead already, Australia will look to whitewash the West Indies in the Test series when they clash in the third Test match on Saturday. Roston Chase and team suffered another humiliating defeat in the series; having already lost the Test series, they will look to avoid the whitewash when they face Aussie in the final Test match. Brandon King, playing his second Test match, stood tall for his team with a crucial 75-run innings. Shamar Joseph has been wreaking havoc in the ongoing series, taking 14 wickets in just 4 innings. Advertisement Meanwhile, Pat Cummins led the side to the first series victory of the new World Test Championship (2025-27) cycle. They thrashed the West Indies side by 159 runs and 133 runs in the first and second Test matches, respectively. The duo of all-rounder Beau Webster and wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey stole the show with their performance in the first innings, scoring 60 and 63 runs, respectively. Steve Smith, who was coming off an injury, also registered his 43rd half-century of his Test career. Despite a stronger lineup and commendable performance in the Test series, the batting lineup of the Men in Yellow has been seen facing trouble against West Indies pacers. The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, start times, and the latest lineup news. West Indies vs. Australia 3rd Test live stream, TV channel Here's how to watch the 3rd Test between West Indies and Australia in the U.S.: Advertisement TV Channel: Willow TV Live Stream:Fubo This West Indies vs. Australia Test series will be available for live TV broadcast on Willow TV, the official broadcaster for major cricket events in the USA. Willow Sports is a cable TV channel, but if it's not included in your current package or you've cut the cord, it's available on Fubo as part of its expanded sports offering. In addition to live matches, you can also watch replays and highlights on demand any time from any device. Fubo offers a FREE trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without ca\ble. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.) fubo Advertisement What time does West Indies vs. Australia 3rd Test start in the US? The 3rd Test match between West Indies and Australia will be played at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, from Saturday, July 12, to Wednesday, July 16. Play is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. local time (EST) each day, which translates to 2:30 p.m. ET or 11:30 a.m. PT in the United States. West Indies vs. Australia 3rd Test predicted XIs, team news Having already lost the Test series, Darren Sammy would want to bring some new changes to the playing XI for the final Test match. Kraigg Brathwaite, who has been out-of-touch for a long time now, is likely to lose his spot to another opener, Mikyle Louis or Kevlon Anderson, who have been waiting for their opportunity in this series. Barring Brandon King, no other batter from the Windies has scored even a single half-century. Advertisement Skipper Roston Chase and wicketkeeper batter Shai Hope have failed to put up an impressive total on the scoreboard. On the bowling front, Shamar Joseph's love affair with the Aussies is likely to be seen in the last match of yours. Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales have been giving their best in the series. The trio is likely to retain their places for the next match. West Indies predicted XI: Mikyle Louis, Shai Hope (wk), John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase (c), Anderson Phillips, Alzari Joseph, Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph. Australia has already sealed the Test series; it would be a better option to provide much-needed rest for their key players. The opening pair of Usman Khwaja and Sam Konstas haven't given their best yet, but a much-needed partnership at the top will help your burdens. Steve Smith returned to form during the last outing after getting ruled out from the first match due to a fractured finger and scored a brilliant half-century on his returning match. Advertisement Australia's batting has been anchored by the middle order, with Travis Head, Alex Carey, and Beau Webster stepping up when needed. Pat Cummins is less likely to change the side for the final Test match. If Mitchell Starc appears for the final Test match, he would script history for Australia by becoming only the second Aussie pace bowler to reach this milestone. With the series already in their pocket, the Australian management would look to provide rest to their premier pacer Josh Hazlewood in the final Test match and opt for Scott Boland while Nathan Lyon is likely to retain his place as the only specialist spinner. Australia predicted XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
