A round-up of the action in the English Premier League on Monday.
Shocked by India's criticism of the practice pitches here, Gabba's chief curator Kevin Mitchell has said that no other touring cricket team has ever complained about the tracks and insisted that they are just fine for net sessions.
The 28-year-old Starc finished with a match haul of nine for 109, enabling him to overtake South Africa's new-ball bowlers Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander among others, eclipsing his previous best sixth position that he enjoyed in December 2016.
A victory at Hagley Oval to seal a 2-0 series sweep would also push the Black Caps firmly into contention for one of two berths in June's inaugural ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Michael Clarke remained unbeaten on 161, one of the more heroic of his 27 Test hundreds, as Australia reached 494 for seven before rain brought an early tea on the second day of the series-deciding third Test against South Africa on Sunday.
India vice-captain Virat Kohli's temperament was once again tested after the batsman was hit by a Mitchell Johnson return throw which resulted in the two players getting into a verbal duel.
Factbox on the four-Test series between India and Australia, which starts at Pune on Thursday:
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
'What we are about to watch in Australia is a mid-table contest -- 3rd versus 5th in the ICC Test championship table.' 'Both teams seem full of flaws.'
Chennai Super Kings will be determined to erase their IPL 2020 nightmare when they failed to make it to the IPL play-offs for the first time.
Kagiso Rabada regained his top spot among bowlers crossing the coveted 900-point mark in ratings even as Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin climbed up a couple of notches to be placed fourth in the ICC Test Player Rankings, released on Tuesday.
India fast bowler Bumrah has achieved a career-high ranking of 33rd, after his three for 47 and three for 68 at Adelaide helped him to rise five places.
Australia's coach Darren Lehmann believes that a happy high-heeled WAGs makes a happy cricketer.
India spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved up one place to take a career-best second position in the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after grabbing two for 26 in the final match against New Zealand.
India's Rohit Sharma jumped eight spots to enter the top five in the ICC batsman rankings after a stellar showing in the recently concluded series against top-ranked Australia.
Pujara was placed sixth, down one rung, with 791 points, while Rahane occupied the ninth spot after slipping a couple of positions with 759 points.
In the bowlers list, Bumrah achieved a career-high ranking of 28 while fellow teammate Mohammad Shami moved two places to 24th.
The second Test between Australia and New Zealand fizzled out in a draw on Tuesday but not before Mitchell Johnson gave one last reminder of his bowling prowess on the day he announced his retirement from international cricket.
On the ICC ODI Team Rankings, No.1 ranked Australia has moved up from 118 points to 120 points, while New Zealand has dropped behind India in fourth position. New Zealand had started the series on 112 points, but the 3-0 defeat has meant it has dropped to 109 points.
India's Saketh Myneni is one win away from making the singles main draw of the US Open as he advanced to the third and final qualifying round with a 7-6 (6), 6-4 win over local lad Mitchell Krueger.
NBA roundup: Hornets spoil Kyrie Irving's home debut
South Africa completed victory over Australia by an innings and 20 runs in the third Test at Newlands on Sunday, despite an entertaining maiden Test century from Mitchell Johnson.
New Zealand pacemen Trent Boult and Grant Elliott shared seven wickets as the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 210 to win the first one-day international at the pacy Basin Reserve by 70 runs on Monday.
Photos from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday
The second Test between Australia and New Zealand ended in a draw on Tuesday, with the tourists 217 runs short of their victory target of 321 on a rain-disrupted fifth and final day at the WACA.
Captain Brendon McCullum is expected to be fit for New Zealand's ICC World Cup clash against Afghanistan next Sunday despite being hit on the arm in Saturday's game against Australia.
Images from the World Cup match played between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Oval in London on Saturday.
Steve Smith and David Warner's first batting partnership on home soil since their ball-tampering suspensions helped Australia to a series-sealing nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Brisbane.
Brendon McCullum's final one-day international innings ended as spectacularly as it began when the New Zealand captain was dismissed for 47 in the series finale against Australia in Hamilton on Monday.
Paceman Mitchell Johnson has been ruled out of the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh with a toe infection, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday.
India's Saketh Myneni literally beat Serbian Pedja Kristin 6-3, 6-0 in only 56 minutes to earn his maiden entrance into the men's singles event of the upcoming US Open.
Tempers flared during the second One-dayer of the ongoing cricket tri-series when Indian opener Rohit Sharma and Australian batsman David Warner got involved in a verbal exchange at the MCG, on Sunday.
Ayew strikes as Palace hold Southampton to 2-2 draw
Rain prevented a result at Oval during the ICC Champions Trophy match, in London, on Monday.
England paceman James Anderson ripped shellshocked Australia to shreds with six wickets to bowl the tourists out for a paltry 136 on the first day of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
Images from the third One-Day International between New Zealand and India in Mount Maunganui on Monday.
A 75-run partnership for the second wicket between stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma and Vijay Shankar put India in a strong position but their middle-order failed to capitalise and the tourists finished with 208 for six in 20 overs.
Dortmund now have 14 points, one ahead of champions Bayern Munich, who suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday with a 2-0 loss at Hertha Berlin.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list the Most Valuable Players during the India-Australia ODI series.
During his patient knock, Pujara faced 250 balls, hitting 16 of them for fours, and added 75 runs for the unbeaten fifth wicket stand with Vihari.
