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.
Notwithstanding the 2-0 scoreline in favour of the home team, former Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan feels Indians have a good chance to bounce back in Melbourne in the third cricket Test, starting Friday.
The opener was left out because of a hamstring strain from the Australian squad for the Twenty20 match against India.
South Africa will pin much of their batting hopes on a new opening pair in the third and final Test against Australia which starts on Thursday. Imraan Khan has been brought in for his debut and opens with the recalled Ashwell Prince, who normally operates in the middle-order. They come in for captain Graeme Smith (broken finger) and Neil McKenzie (dropped).
Gautam Gambhir, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew Strauss and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have all been short-listed for the top honour at the LG ICC Awards 2009. In addition, Gambhir, Johnson and Strauss are also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year alongside Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera at the sixth annual LG ICC Awards, presented in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA).
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni revealed there was some 'unrest' in the dressing room before the start of fourth day's play in the second Test in Brisbane, on Saturday.
India lost the crucial wicket of opener Murali Vijay after Steven Smith led Australia's fightback with a magnificent century on his captaincy debut. He received able support from Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc, who both scored half-centuries. At close of play on Day 3 in the second Test , India were 71 for one in their second innings. Check out some images from the day's play.
Australia exploited England's lack of power hitters at Lord's on Sunday to beat the hosts for the second time in three days and take a 2-0 lead in the seven-match one-day series.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has matched compatriot Ricky Ponting's feat of winning the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricketer of the Year award twice, the governing body said on Friday.
Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 13 runs in their Indian Premier League match, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson feared being axed and struggled to cope with the pressure of playing at the Ashes before vice-captain Michael Clarke's advice and a bit of sledging turned things around for him.
Australia completed a crushing victory over England in the fourth Test on Sunday to level the Ashes series at 1-1 with one match to play.
England fast bowlers James Anderson and Graham Onions dismissed Australia for 263 on the second day of the third Ashes Test. England were 56 for one in reply at tea with captain Andrew Strauss on 33 and Ravi Bopara on 23.
South Africa got off to a sedate start after Michael Clarke's sterling century and some spectacular rearguard action powered Australia to 445 in their first innings on day two of the third and final Test in Sydney on Sunday. In reply, South Africa lost Neil McKenzie (23) to Peter Siddle and Graeme Smith (30 retired hurt) to injury before reaching 125 for one at stumps.
Pacer Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Andrew McDonald will make their Test debut as Australia on Friday named one of its most inexperienced teams in decades for the third and final Test match against an unchanged South Africa, starting in Sydney on Saturday. Along with 27-year-old Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, 24, McDonald and Bollinger will make up one of the youngest and the most inexperienced Australian pace attack.
Peter Siddle took three wickets to give Australia the upperhand as South Africa were reduced to 198 for seven at stumps on day two of the second Test at the MCG in Melbourne on Saturday. Captain Graeme Smith scored a fine 62 but kept losing wickets at regular intervals in reply to Australia's first innings score of 394.
Captain Ricky Ponting, his deputy Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Jason Gillespie and Cameron White are the Australians who have joined the IPL.
The opening Test between Australia and South Africa at Perth is interestingly poised at the end of fourth day's play on Saturday.
Had legendary fast bowler Dennis Lillie not spotted him years ago at a cricket clinic in Queensland, Australian Mitchell Johnson says he would have ended up joining the army.
Sunrisers Hyderabad stand in the way of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, who would be looking to bring their campaign back on track at home during an Indian Premier League T20 cricket clash, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar says the Indian team has an advantage in the upcoming five-match ODI series against Australia as the home team's bowling attack looks thin in the absence of the 'Two Mitchells' -- Johnson and Starc.
Australia's bowlers struck at regular intervals to reduce India to 311 for 5 by close on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test in Nagpur on Thursday.
Breaking his silence on the on-field clash between Australia skipper Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee, coach Tim Nielsen said a poor over-rate wasn't the main reason the strike bowler was not used in the first session on the fourth day of the second Test in Mohali. It was, he says, also because they wanted to take pace off the ball.
Kolkata Knight Riders would look to usher in a fresh era under new captain Dinesh Karthik with a victory when they open their Indian Premier League campaign against heavyweights Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
After his second century in the CB tri-series, Gautam Gambhir leads the list of Most Valuable Players.
Australia will be counting on their pace attack, not spin, to beat India in their four-Test series that begins next month, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said on Friday. Australia named the uncapped Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle in their 15-man squad to provide back-up to the front line trio of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson for the series.
Australia clinched a series win over South Africa and remained top of the world rankings after completing a crushing 175-run victory in the second Test on Tuesday.
South Africa were 138 for seven at the close of the second day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Saturday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith will miss the third and final Test against Australia after fracturing a finger, the team said on Saturday.
South Africa, chasing an improbable victory target of 454, were bowled out for 291 as Mitchell Johnson (4-112) and Peter Siddle (3-46) put Australia 1-0 up in a three-match series.
South Africa struggled to handle Australia's seam attack on a tricky Wanderers pitch, limping to 85 for three at the close of the second day of the first Test Friday.
Factbox World Cup match between Australia and England at the MCG.
Pacer Mitchell Johnson returns to the Australian team after a fortnight's rest for the third one-dayer against South Africa at the SCG on Friday. Johnson, who was rested after the 1-2 Test series loss against the Proteas, replaces Ben Hilfenhaus in the 12-man squad for the third match of the five-game series, which is locked 1-1.
Australia recorded its largest one-day victory over West Indies to claim a 5-0 sweep of their international series on Sunday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith will be out of action for six weeks after he broke his left little finger on the second day of the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney on Sunday. Smith, who was set to miss the one-day series in Australia and fly home after the third Test to inject his own blood on his injured right elbow, was surprised by a Mitchell Johnson delivery and was struck on the knuckle on his little finger.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul carried his bat for the third consecutive innings but once again lacked support from his team mates as West Indies were dismissed for 216 on the second day of the third Test on Friday.
Australia ripped out England's top order to take a vice-like grip on the second Ashes Test after completely dominating the second day at Lord's on Friday.
Left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson's brilliant spell of bowling helped Australia make a strong comeback and seize the initiative by the end of Day 2 in the first Test against South Africa at the WACA in Perth on Thursday. Johnson registered his best figures in Test cricket as he claimed seven for 42 to leave South Africa reeling at 234 for 8 at close.
The two Aussie players allegedly incited the crowd during the seventh ODI in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Ricky Pointing struck an outstanding 158 as Australia dominated West Indies to finish at 301 for four on the opening day of the first Test.
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