West Indies have said they are embracing their underdog status for the three-Test series against Australia, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, but the reality is they have very little choice in the matter.
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.
Australia's head cricket coach Darren Lehmann hopes the test team can avenge the Wallabies' Rugby World Cup final defeat by the All Blacks with a victory in the series opener in Brisbane starting this week.
Australia were dealt a blow as their all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will not bowl again in the remainder of the second cricket Test against India due to a hamstring injury on the first day at the Gabba.
Penpix of the Australia squad for the 2015 World Cup, which they are co-hosting with New Zealand.
A 22 year old took the honours on Day 3.
Ryan Harris claimed the last two wickets at the fag end of the match as South Africa were bowled out for 265 and lost the third and final Test by 245 runs at Newlands on Wednesday. Australia won the series 2-1.
Dale Steyn produced a ferocious spell of fast bowling to inspire South Africa to a crushing 231-run victory over Australia in fading light on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
Australian great Shane Warne and former captain Ricky Ponting lamented technical failings and mental approach as their countrymen were shot out for a humiliating 60 by England on the first morning of the fourth Ashes Test on Thursday.
Kings XI Punjab owner Ness Wadia said the spot-fixing scandal that rocked the Indian Premier League last year has made a dent on brand IPL.
Controversial England batsman Kevin Pietersen will be one of the first players to go under the hammer, along with senior India discards Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, when the two-day auction for the cash-rich IPL commences in Bangalore on February 12. The initial list of 651 players was pruned to 514, including 219 capped players, by the IPL governing council.
The world's top-ranked Test bowler said it's nice to have these numbers, but 'I have had a lot better moments in my cricketing career', after attaining the milestone. 'There was a period when I actually didn't want to have a ball in my hand, I think I just needed maybe two or three weeks off to get that love back again'
England paceman James Anderson ripped shellshocked Australia to shreds with six wickets to bowl the tourists out for a paltry 136 on the first day of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
With Steven Smith now helming the Australian affairs, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni returning from injury, the 2nd Test at Gabba, starting Tuesday, will shed light on the mindset of the two leaders.
Chris Rogers fell for 95, failing to turn a half-century into a hundred for the seventh Test innings in a row as Australia ended the second day of the first Test on 264 for five, 166 behind England on Thursday.
Downing Street also said that the Winter Plan will set out how people will be able to see their loved ones at Christmas, adding that ministers will be warning that this will not be a normal festive period.
Nathan Coulter-Nile slammed 92 from 60 deliveries to register the highest score by a No 8 batsman in a World Cup.
Australia have cut opening batsman Ed Cowan and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade from their list of 18 centrally-contracted players, but handed opener Phillip Hughes another chance to establish himself in the national set-up.
England will head into this year's Ashes series against Australia heartened by their performances against New Zealand but with nagging doubts about key areas in the team.
Rising Pune Supergiant head coach Stephen Fleming described their showing in the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League as a grand finish to a good competition.
Sunrisers Hyderabad would look to consolidate their gains when they take on beleaguered Kings XI Punjab .
Royal Challengers Bangalore will seek to consolidate their position among the top four, while bottom-placed Kings XI Punjab will and end a four-match losing streak when the two sides lock horns in Wednesday's Indian Premier League match in Bengaluru.
Even as they struggle to find the winning formula, laggards Kings XI Punjab will still fancy their chances when they host Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League cricket tournament in Mohali on Monday.
Captain Steven Smith scored a big century and then grabbed a sharp catch to put Australia in a good position on Day 2 of the third Test at the MCG on Saturday.
India looking to avoid a seventh straight Test loss on Australian soil.
Dhawan was forced to cancel a trip to hospital for X-Rays on the injury and returned to the middle to resume his innings.
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders would be eager to avenge their twin defeats in the league stage when they face old foes Mumbai Indians in the IPL Qualifer 2 in Bengaluru, on Friday.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Australia have drawn inspiration from former World Cup-winning captain Steve Waugh in how to handle big-match pressure ahead of Friday's quarter-final against Pakistan.
Kings XI Punjab continued their winning streak with a facile five-wicket victory to strengthen their position at the top of the heap as Royal Challengers Bangalore were left licking their wounds after yet another loss in the ongoing Indian Premier League in Dubai on Monday.
Australian great Glenn McGrath says the handling of the 'homework gate' saga during the team's tour of India earlier this year was "pretty poor" and felt it "all blew up" in the middle of the 0-4 Test series drubbing.
It will be a battle of youngsters with the likes of Nitish Rana, Hardik Pandya on one side and the new star in the horizon Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan with his variations on the other side.
Australia opening batsman David Warner is unsure how he will cope with an emotional first return this week to the venue in Sydney where Phillip Hughes was fatally struck by a bouncer.
Captain Steven Smith took a sharp catch to snare India's first wicket after scoring a big century to fire Australia to a mammoth first innings total of 530 on day two of the third Test in Melbourne on Saturday.
India cricketers' stance on the Decision Review System (DRS) seem to be softening with the national team director Ravi Shastri saying that the technology can be used in the event of "howlers".
Steve Smith smashed a brilliant century to lead Australia to a series-clinching three-wicket win over South Africa in their fourth one-day international on Friday. Smith hit a career-best ODI total of 104 from 112 deliveries as the Australians passed South Africa's 267-8 with six balls to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Priyanka Chopra has beat Jennifer Lopez and Gal Godot and even her Baywatch co-stars Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron to grab the leading spot in the Top Actors Chart.
Kolkata Knight Riders will have no margin for error when they take on hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad, who will fancy their chances despite coming off a defeat, in the Indian Premier League match in Hyderabad on Saturday.
India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named captain of ICC's ODI Team of the Year, but none of the Indian players found berth in governing body's Test Team of the Year, led by Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews.
Younus Khan's prolific bat continued to torment Australia as he struck his third successive Test hundred to put Pakistan in a commanding position on Day 1 of the second and final Test, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday. The former captain, whose twin centuries in the first Test secured Pakistan's 221-run victory in Dubai, extended his red hot form to hit an unbeaten 111 and helped Pakistan to a strong 304 for two wickets at the close.
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