Queensland quick Michael Neser looks set to make his Test debut against New Zealand on Thursday with Australia considering an unconventional five-man attack for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The hosts, who can clinch the three-match series with a second successive victory, are wary of the surface at MCG where bowlers had to really toil for any success in recent times.
Craig McDermott, who took 291 wickets in 71 Tests for Australia, turned down a contract extension so he could concentrate on his outside business interests
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool raised the spirits with a rip-roaring 2-2 draw in a pre-Christmas Premier League classic on Sunday after a weekend marred by COVID-19 related postponements.
Headed goals from Anthony Martial and captain Harry Maguire earned Manchester United a hard-fought 2-0 win at toothless Chelsea on Monday amid more VAR controversy, putting them back in the hunt for a top-four Premier League finish. The VAR system made the headlines once again after two Chelsea efforts were ruled out and England international Maguire escaped sanction for a kick out at Michy Batshuayi.
Benjamin Pavard's swerving strike from the edge of the area in France's round of 16 win over Argentina in Kazan has been voted the best goal of the World Cup finals.
Real Madrid moved into the semi-finals of the Champions League after their makeshift defence held on for 0-0 second-leg draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday to complete a 3-1 aggregate win.
Former Australia batsman Dean Jones backed the Indian team to bounce back after being thrashed by an innings by England in the second Test at Lord's, on Sunday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Defending champion Rohan Bopanna went down fighting in the thrilling doubles opening round game at the third edition of Tata Open Maharashtra, in Pune, on Wednesday. Playing alongside local boy Arjun Kadhe, the ace Indian player Bopanna dominated the game initially. However, after winning the first set convincingly, the Indian duo couldn't manage to continue the momentum further in the games against French pair of Benoit Paire and Antoine Hoang as they lost the match 3-6, 7-5, 10-7.
Kevin Pietersen's Test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Table-toppers Mumbai Indians are on course to make it to the play-offs but the game is crucial for Rajasthan, who are languishing in seventh place. Defeat would mean a step closer to elimination.
Rohan Bopanna and his British partner Colin Fleming fought their way to the semifinals of the ATP Open 13, edging past James Cerretani and Adil Shamasdin, in Marseille.
Fit-again Australian pacer James Pattinson believes India still boast of a "class batting line-up" despite the retirements of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and the visitors will have to work really hard to beat the hosts in their own backyard during the four-Test series.
Fit-again Australian pacer James Pattinson believes India still boast of a "class batting line-up" despite the retirements of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and the visitors will have to work really hard to beat the hosts in their own backyard during the four-Test series.
Australian paceman James Pattinson has said he was ready to seize his unexpected chance in next week's historic New Zealand third Test following the retirement of Mitchell Johnson.
Images from Day 2 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Colombia became the first side to book a spot in the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals on Tuesday after beating Paraguay in Pasadena, while the United States kept their hopes of advancing alive by thrashing Costa Rica 4-0. Colombia's 2-1 win put them top of Group A on six points, with the United States on three and the other two teams on one point each. After losing their opener 2-0 to Colombia, the United States were in clinical form against the Costa Ricans in Chicago and scored three times in the first half through Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood. Substitute Graham Zusi added a fourth in the 86th minute to cap the win and improve the hosts' goal difference.
England pacer Stuart Broad has revealed that he and James Anderson are likely to be rotated through the five-Test series against India starting August 1 as part of the team management's strategy to balance the duo's workload.
Kings XI Punjab pacer Sheldon Cottrell is unfazed by the mounting losses of his team in the IPL and asserts that the side will bounce back just as he did after being pummelled by Rahul Tewatia not so long ago.
With its traditionally quick and bouncy wicket playing to the strengths of home pacemen, the WACA has been a house of pain for English cricket and Australians will be hoping for more of the same when the ground hosts its final Test.
A summary of Saturday's UEFA World Cup qualifiers.
'That is how it is. How we created the moments was outstanding, how we caused them problems was outstanding, we controlled the game so well'
Raducanu falls in first match since US Open triumph.
IMAGES from the US Open matches played on Day 1 at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.
As authorities investigate the rampant shooting incident at a movie hall during a showing of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises in Denver, Colorado, psychologists have said that James Holmes, one of the two masked gunmen, who stalked the aisles at the theatre with a rifle, may be delusional.
'If India maintains the Constitutional set-up that its founders envisaged -- which is that it is a parliamentary democracy, with a broadly speaking market economy, in which all people are equal as everyone votes, in which the rights of minorities are respected -- that will be a great thing.' 'Not just for India. But for humanity.'
A day earlier, the House of Representatives voted 326-78 to pass a waiver exempting Austin from the seven-year 'cooling off period' for retired generals taking over as defence secretary. The senate approved the waiver by 69-27 votes.
While 40-year-old racers were relatively common in the sport's early days, they are a rarity in modern Formula One with an increasing emphasis on youth.
The overhaul of South Africa's coaching structure has given the team a major boost as they get ready to take on England in a four-Test series which begins on Thursday, captain Faf du Plessis said. Meanwhile, veteran pacer James Anderson will be back on the frontline for England, for what will be his 150th Test.
Images from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers matches.
In her sit-down interview with Oprah, Meghan said the palace decreed that Archie would not have any title, a move she says was "different from the protocol."
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
The England attack were heavily criticized in media back home for their lack of penetration
IMAGES from Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Batsman Jonny Bairstow will replace Yorkshire team mate Gary Ballance as England made one change to their squad for the third Ashes Test against Australia beginning next Wednesday at Edgbaston, the England Cricket Board said on Tuesday.
Imperious Liverpool extended their Premier League home winning streak against Arsenal to six on Saturday with an easy 4-0 victory that lifted them to second in the table.
A captain's century hewn from granite and two wickets in a fiery pace assault after tea saw Australia wrest the momentum away from England on day three of the series-opening Ashes Test in Brisbane on Saturday.
Those in the need for the real, cerebral Holmes can find him in the BBC's terrific Sherlock, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch (Season Two starts on the first day of 2012) but for a rollicking winter evening, director Guy Ritchie provides stupid but striking fireworks.
England captain Joe Root says fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood must still prove their fitness to be included in the side to play South Africa in the third Test at St George's Park that starts on Thursday.
'I don't trust these days. Like now, everyone likes Mimi and my phone is constantly ringing. But tomorrow if I make a flop, the opposite will happen.'
