Images from Day 1 in the first Test between India and Australia at Molahi.
Brendon McCullum's dogged century could only delay the inevitable as Australia cruised to a convincing 10-wicket win in the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Tuesday.
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has said that the prospect of changes to the team's batting line-up for October's Test tour of India is remote.
New South Wales breezed into the final of the Champions League Twenty20, steamrolling country cousins Victoria Bushrangers by 79 runs in a grossly lop-sided semi-final in Delhi on Wednesday night.
With Nitish Rana emerging as one of the biggest gains of the new-look Kolkata Knight Riders, chief coach Jacques Kallis said they always backed the Delhi youngster fully and it is paying off.
Marcus North and Brad Haddin scored centuries as Australia declared their first innings on 674 for 6 before reducing England to 20 for 2 in the second innings on a rain-shortened fourth Day in the first Test.
South Africa's domestic Twenty20 champions Diamond Eagles will have to play out of their skin if they desire to start their Champions League campaign on a winning note against a formidable New South Wales (NSW) in New Delhi on Friday.
New South Wales is Australia's most successful domestic team and one to watch out for in the upcoming T20 tournament. The 15-man squad includes as many as eight current international players, led by pace ace Brett Lee, who played a major role in Australia's ICC Champions Trophy triumph.
Ricky Ponting's woes continued as Australia were dismissed for just 214 on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba (Brisbane), on Thursday.
Ricky Ponting on Wednesday became Test cricket's most victorious player and captain after Australia emphatically won the first Test against Pakistan at the MCG.
Solid knocks from openers Shane Watson (89) and Simon Katich (99), who put on a stand of 132, and Mike Hussey (81 not out) gave the hosts early command of the match despite skipper Ricky Ponting being forced to retire hurt on 23 after being struck on the arm by Kemar Roach.
England pace bowler James Anderson took two wickets in 14 deliveries to reduce Australia to 348 for 4 at lunch on Day 3 of the first Test against England.
Perfect timing is an essential commodity in cricket and the emergence of batsman Phillip Hughes could not have come at a better time for the Australians.
Mahela Jayawardene ended his poor scoring run with a crucial half-century to lead Kings XI Punjab to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League match in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. Jayawardene was unbeaten on 52 from 41 deliveries, inclusive of seven boundaries, while Simon Katich scored a brisk 34 from 28 deliveries as the Punjab side escaped to victory off the final delivery of the match.
'I think as long as I am at the crease, the team will win comfortably. In the past, I have seen the team has gone on to lose the match after I got out. All these things, I have brought some changes in my game. It's about playing shots'
Four new players were awarded contracts and test opener Chris Rogers has been dropped from Cricket Australia's list of contracted players for next season. David Hussey, Shaun Marsh, Doug Bollinger and Beau Casson were included on the 25-man list for the first time, while Simon Katich and Ashley Noffke were offered new contracts after failing to make the cut last season.
Australia battled hard against some accurate England bowling on Thursday to reach 142 for one at tea in their first innings on the second day of the first Ashes Test.
Kings XI Punjab failed to score a stiff 19 required off the last over and lost to Chevrolet Warriors by 10 runs in a warm-up Twenty20 match ahead of the Indian Premier League second season on Tuesday. Set a target of 152 to win, Kings XI lost wickets at regular intervals and could only muster 141 for 6 at the Sahara Oval, St George's Park.
Australia opening batsman Matthew Hayden has been ruled out of Thursday's first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park with an Achilles tendon injury, a team spokesman said. Simon Katich, returning to Tests after nearly a three-year absence, will now open along with Phil Jaques.
The visitors were 102 for 4 at stumps, after India posted a formidable first innings score of 469, on Day 2 of the second Test.
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.
Australia fought back in their second innings after losing its top order cheaply to end Day 3 in the first Test against South Africa on 228 for 7, an overall lead of 322, at the WACCA, on Friday.
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.
India were dismissed for 295 in their second innings, setting Australia a record target of 382 to win the fourth and final Test in Nagpur. In reply, the visitors raced to 13 without loss in 1.3 overs before accepting the offer of bad light at the end of Day 4. Matthew Hayden was unbeaten on five, with Simon Katich on eight from two boundaries.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting became only the seventh batsman to reach 10,000 runs in Test matches on Friday and declared himself proud of his long career. He went to the crease needing 61 on the first day of the second test against West Indies and become the third Australian to reach the milestone following former captains Allan Border and Steve Waugh.
West Indies pace bowler Fidel Edwards removed both Australian openers cheaply in the opening session of the first test on Thursday but visiting skipper Ricky Ponting guided his team to 87 for two at lunch.
Australia opening batsman Phil Jacques will return home from the Test tour of India due to a back problem. The left-handed batsman sat out the drawn first Test after Simon Katich was chosen to partner fellow opener Matthew Hayden. The pair were retained for the second Test, which began on Friday.
The second Test against India starts in Adelaide on Friday.
It will not be the first time that the competition has had to be held outside India.
Can you guess how much does an Indian cricketer selected for an away tour or for a single season earns without even stepping onto the field?
Riding on skipper Rohit Sharma's blistering half-century, Mumbai Indians cruised into the Champions League Twenty20 semifinals with a crushing six-wicket victory over Perth Scorchers in their must-win final group match in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Brad Hodge is set to make his Australia debut in the second Test against West Indies.
Katich opened the batting with Gilchrist after Australian selectors dropped Hayden from the one-day side.
Phil Jaques scored another century as New South Wales amassed 325 for 5 on the first day of the tour match against England.
Australia levelled the five-match one-day international series against South Africa at 2-2 after a nerve-shredding one-wicket victory.
The victory virtually guaranteed Australia a place in the series finals. They have 18 points, while Sri Lanka have nine and South Africa have eight.\n\n
Glenn McGrath returned to their side after being rested for the second match.\n
Mark Cosgrove hit a debut half-century as Australia beat Bangladesh by nine wickets in the third and final ODI.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting has demanded a review of security arrangements for the tour of New Zealand after his players were pelted with missiles.
England spinner Robert Croft Croft claimed five wickets as Glamorgan bowled out Hampshire for 350 in the County first division.
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