Mitchell Johnson electrified a world record Test crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a searing new ball spell to capture two late wickets and leave England a rocky 226 for six at the close of the opening day of the fourth Test on Thursday.
A dominant Australia were five wickets away from reclaiming the Ashes after hammering England with the bat and reducing them to 251 for five with the ball at the end of the fourth day of the third test at the WACA on Monday.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke said his body felt 15 years younger after a spell away from cricket as he prepared for a comeback at the Hong Kong T20 Blitz. Injury-plagued Clarke said nine months without cricket and its rigorous travel, as well as a revamped diet and training regime, had given him a new lease of life as he contemplates joining the lucrative Twenty20 bandwagon. The 35-year-old batsman played his last Twenty20 international in 2010 but he will test the waters for a stint in Australia's Big Bash League at the four-team Hong Kong event this weekend. Clarke, troubled by chronic back problems, retired after last year's Ashes series but less than a year later, he will make an experimental hit-out for Kowloon Cantons. "I'm going to play these couple of games and see how I go, see if I enjoy it and then assess after that," he said. "Right now it's about coming here and having some fun. If I enjoy it, I'll assess when I get home what my exact plan will be." He added: "My body's going really well. My body hasn't felt this good in 15 years. Let's hope I'm saying that on Sunday night after four games of cricket!"
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood received his reward for some fine domestic form on Wednesday when he was included in a pace-heavy 13-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against South Africa next month.
Pakistan's spinners scythed through Australia's top order in the second innings to get them close to victory in the first Test after twin centuries from Younus Khan and youngster Ajmal Shehzad helped the hosts set an improbable target.
England were scenting victory after claiming three late wickets to reduce Australia to 174 for six on a fluctuating fourth day of the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
Australia's remarkable Ashes fightback left England staring at a first innings total of 527 for seven on Friday and the loss of two late wickets on day two of the third Test made the task look even more imposing.
Pakistan's Test stalwart Younis Khan, who led the national team to its only World T20 title in 2009, remained unsold while captain Misbah-ul Haq was snapped up by the Islamabad franchise on the first day of the Players' Draft for the Pakistan Super League, on Monday.
While form is important, Tim Paine's hopes of retaining his spot may ultimately rest on whether selectors feel he might be a major distraction amid the pressures of an Ashes series.
David Warner and Shaun Marsh smashed fifties to complement their bowlers' efforts as Australia crushed England by seven wickets in the third one-day international in Sydney on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha says he will be "under pressure" to perform if he makes the playing eleven in the decisive third Test against Sri Lanka, starting Friday, after the freak injury to Wriddhiman Saha opened the door for him after a "long wait".
The Australian media were united in their view that the Mitchell Johnson-inspired humiliation of England at Lord's marked a decisive shift in the balance of power in the Ashes series.
Australia captain Michael Clarke said he could not have asked for a better performance from his team following their 405-run mauling of England in the second Ashes Test at Lord's.
Two brilliant individual performances by players on opposing teams lit up the second day of the first Test in Dominica on Thursday.
'If you had have told me then (he would captain Australia), I certainly wouldn't have believed you, but this game moves fast and sometimes things happen that are quite unexpected and that's exactly what's happened in this scenario.'
Ryan Harris sent shudders through the home dressing room by grabbing three early wickets but Bell weathered the storm with a majestic unbeaten 105 that led England to 234 for five in their second innings at the close, an overall lead of 202 runs.
India looking to avoid a seventh straight Test loss on Australian soil.
Sarfraz Ahmed's belligerent century powered Pakistan to a strong 454 in their first innings on the second day of the first Test against Australia on Thursday.
Delhi Capitals have made the perfect start to IPL, with two morale-boosting victories, while SunRisers Hyderabad are the only side yet to register a win in the tournament, having lost both their games.
'Nothing is confirmed yet either with anything, in regards to the captaincy, but if it works out that way and I am the next captain, then it's a lot of responsibility' 'Hopefully we can send Michael off on a high note at The Oval'
To say Joe Root has been galvanised since being dropped for the fifth Ashes Test that completed England's dismal 5-0 rout in Australia in the early days of last year would be an understatement.
Aggressive off-spin bowling from Graeme Swann and indifferent Australian batting allowed England to seize control of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Friday.
India lost the World Cup semi-final to Australia by 95 runs but that did not stop cricketers and other athletes the world over from acknowledging their good work in the mega event.
Captain Elton Chigumbura hit a fluent half-century as Zimbabwe secured a shock three-wicket win over Australia in the triangular series on Sunday.
Check out the images from the second semi-final between Australia and India at the ICC World Cup at the Sydney Cricket, on Thursday.
Australia will miss captain George Bailey in the One-dayer against England on Friday but their focus will be to seal a place in the ODI tri-series final.
Captain Steven Smith's domination reached new heights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground states Rajneesh Gupta
Pacer Umesh Yadav conceded that the Indian bowlers' plans went awry as they sent down too many short balls, allowing the Australian tail-enders to stage a comeback and put up imposing 505 in the first innings of the second Test in Brisbane on Friday.
Indian opener Murali Vijay put Australia to the sword in their Brisbane fortress with a brilliant 144 to help drive the tourists to 311 for four at the close of play on the opening day of the second Test.
Australia opener David Warner paid a fitting tribute to his deceased teammate Phillip Hughes, scoring a rollicking 145 before India dealt three quick blows at the fag end to share honours on an emotionally charged opening day in the first Test in Adelaide on Tuesday. Statistical highlights from the day's play.
Team India, set for a gruelling tour of Australia, looked in top gear as they practiced diligently during a nets session on the eve of the first Test in Adelaide on Monday.
The injury that left Australian batsman Phillip Hughes in a critical condition in hospital was a "rare" event but a reminder that cricket has always been a dangerous sport, West Indies batting great Brian Lara said on Wednesday.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq equalled Viv Richards's record for the fasTest Test century while his team stood six wickets away from a memorable 2-0 series win against Australia on Sunday.
Australian batsman David Warner is confident he will be fit to face Pakistan in next week's first Test despite suffering a groin injury in the final one-day international in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Part-time off-spinner Glenn Maxwell took two wickets without conceding a run in the last over as Australia edged Pakistan in a low-scoring thriller to win the third and final one-day international by one run in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Captain Steve Smith smashed his way to a brilliant century to guide Australia to a thrilling three-wicket victory over England with just one delivery to spare in the One-Day International tri-series match in Hobart on Friday.
Sangakkara, Dhoni, McCullum, de Villiers... Cricket has never had so many amazing wicketkeeper-batsmen in the same era...
The tri-series in Australia, India's final ODI engagement before the World Cup, gets underway on January 16, says Chandresh Narayanan, casting a fascinating look at the survivors from earlier World Cups.
England roared back in the final session following a feeble batting display as wickets tumbled on a dramatic opening day of the first Ashes Test against Australia at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.
James Faulkner scored an unbeaten 69 as Australia scored a thrilling one-wicket victory over England in the second one-day international in Brisbane on Friday.
