New Zealand have never appeared so well-united as they do currently. 'Individually and collectively, under Brendon McCullum's astute leadership, they seem a formidable lot.'
Kane Williamson was looming as the difference between a comfortable Australian win in the second Test against New Zealand and a match situation that could tip the scales either way, according to both sides.
Joe Burns and Steve Smith capitalised on perfect batting conditions to score centuries as Australia reduced New Zealand's lead to just seven runs at the end of day two of the second test on Sunday. Neil Wagner dismissed both batsmen in identical fashion in the final half-hour to give his side some late reward for a day of toil under a cloudless Christchurch sky. Burns, who had been dismissed early in his innings only to have the decision overturned on review, was well caught low down by Martin Guptill at square leg for 170, his highest test score and third century. Smith also fell to a short ball in Wagner's next over for 138, his 14th test century, caught by the same fielder. Adam Voges was on two with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon on four as the visitors ended the day 363 for four, having all but mowed down New Zealand's first innings 370.
Bairstow's unbeaten 114 was his second hundred of the match as England triumphed with two sessions to spare.
England's 3-0 series sweep in Pakistan on Tuesday is further validation of their 'Bazball' approach
I am amazed Ben Stokes is still in the country, I don't see any point in him being there, said former England bowler Steve Harmison who added that England need to consider rehab time post surgery, if Stokes has to play the Test series vs India.
India discard Dinesh Karthik has tendered an "unconditional apology" for violating BCCI's Central clause by watching a Caribbean Premier League game from the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned Trinbago Knight Riders' dressing room.
Pace bowler Jackson Bird has been recalled by Australia for the first Test against New Zealand after James Pattinson was deemed not quite ready to stand up to the rigours of a full workload, captain Steve Smith said on Thursday.
Vaughan has backed Jos Buttler to become the team's white-ball skipper
Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja hammered home the advantage their bowlers had established when they took Australia to 147-3, a deficit of just 36 runs, at the close of the opening day's play in the first Test against New Zealand on Friday.
Moeen Ali said Chennai Super Kings will always have an edge over their opponents because of the unpredictable strategies of their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Martin Guptill on Saturday bludgeoned his way to the record books with the highest individual World Cup knock as New Zealand beat West Indies by 143 runs
Chennai Super Kings' future in the Indian Premier League may be uncertain following the two-year suspension, but South Africa's Twenty20 captain Faf du Plessis feels the five seasons he played under 'Captain Cool' Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Indian Permier League transformed him as a cricketer.
Ross Taylor became New Zealand's most prolific One-day international century maker on Wednesday when his 102 not out guided his side to 289-4 in the second game of their five-match series against South Africa in Christchurch.
Meanwhile, Royal Challenger Bangalore brought in Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga as replacement for Australia's Adam Zampa. In the recent three-match T20I series against India in Sri Lanka, Hasaranga bagged a total of seven wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the final T20I.
Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne obstinately defied New Zealand's bowlers for much of the second day of the first Test at University Oval in Dunedin on Friday though the hosts still have the upper hand.
Gayle who has featured in his 27th World Cup match who had hammered 37 sixes in his 23 World Cup appearances.
Skipper Ben Stokes expressed pride in how England have fought toe to toe with India despite not having 'a chance in hell of competing' with the hosts.
Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel pulled off a nervy chase as India beat England by five wickets in the fourth Test on Monday to claim an unassailable 3-1 lead.
England's all-rounder Chris Woakes desperately wants to be a part of the English side in the fourth Ashes Test starting from July 19 in Manchester.
Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the first day's play of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. Play had been expected to begin at 1100 (2200 GMT), but heavy rain overnight ensured it did not begin as scheduled. While groundstaff, who had said earlier they would need two hours to prepare the venue once rain stopped, worked to prepare the ground during brief interludes of fine weather throughout the day, umpires decided at their second pitch inspection at 1600 there was no chance of any play.
The KKR attack prowled together and ensured that Rajasthan could barely set a par total.
"one cannot have a team-first mentality if only a few people are buying into it. When one has players sacrificing their own personal records for what the team needs, that's what it's all about".
Duckett fell during a wild hour in the middle of the afternoon when Australia seemed to bowl nothing but short aggressive balls and England seemed to do nothing but swing hard at every one of them.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes captaincy comes naturally to Shreyas Iyer, who has impressed in his first season as Kolkata Knight Riders captain.
Ponting was approached for taking over England's Test side but New Zealand's Brendon McCullum eventually took up the role.
Ahmed Shehzad struck his third Test century as Pakistan completely dominated the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi to reach 269 for one and stay on course for a mammoth first-innings total on Sunday.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
Nottinghamshire seam bowler Broad was not considered for selection, with his partner expecting their first child towards the end of November.
Expect a battle of wits when Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings lock horns in Wednesday's Indian Premier League match in Bangalore.
Opener Martin Guptill smashed a brisk century before New Zealand huffed and puffed to a thrilling three-wicket win over Bangladesh.
It will be Anderson's 10th Ashes campaign and Broad said he was still champing at the bit to get going.
'The series has shown a lot of talent, for us and India. I love Test cricket and we've seen some young, inexperienced players perform and the future looks bright in this format.'
Gavin Larsen says if he could rein in the batsmen of 1990s era even with his military medium pace it was because of his skipper Martin Crowe's tremendous leadership style and his faith in the bowlers.
New Zealand won a rain-affected fourth One-day International by 58 runs on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead over the West Indies in their five-match series.
Martin Guptill stroked a fluent century to help New Zealand edge past Bangladesh by three wickets with seven deliveries to spare, in the ICC World Cup Pool A match in Hamilton, on Friday.
Cricket became an analogy to highlight the warm ties between India and New Zealand as Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and John Key drew references from the game to stress on the progress made in their bilateral equation.
If the BCCI and CWI fail to reach an agreement over dates, some of the players could miss the initial few matches of the IPL.
Kane Williamson hit a fourth Test hundred to put New Zealand on top on the first day of their opening Test against Bangladesh on Wednesday. The visitors, who chose to bat after winning the toss, reached 280 for five at stumps with the last two wickets falling in the last two overs of the day on a slow and low surface in Chittagong.
