Kevin Pietersen defiantly struck a mature century but England were staring down the barrel at 294 for seven at stumps on the third day of the third Ashes Test on Saturday, still 233 adrift on first innings.
James Pattinson will replace fellow-quick Mitchell Starc in the Australia team for this week's opening test against West Indies, captain Steve Smith said on Wednesday, reviving a promising career that had stalled because of injury.
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.
West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka will enter the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier high on confidence
Hashim Amla's blistering stroke-play and Morne Morkel's fearsome bowling put South Africa in control of the second Test against Australia as they closed the third day on 192 for four on Saturday.
How the world reacted to Smith, Bancroft and Lehmann
Australia medium-pacer Peter Siddle said his team is keen to put up a fine show in the Sydney Test against India in memory of late Phillip Hughes, who succumbed to a fatal bouncer on this venue five weeks back.
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.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test at Perth on Sunday
Skipper Steve Smith led the way with another torrent of runs as Australia raced to 251 for six and a lead of 348 over India before rain stopped play at the end of the fourth day of the fourth Test on Friday.
A Test match that ended in a forgettable draw between Australia and India on Tuesday will be memorable for all the wrong reasons for batsman Shaun Marsh who was run out for 99 in a desperate bid to raise his first century on home soil.
Ashes battles against England have done much to shape Steve Smith as a cricketer but his first series in charge of Australia could do plenty to define his legacy as captain.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Sunday
The maiden bilateral meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will further strengthen the US-India strategic ties and allow the leaders to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and how the two countries can work together to fight terrorism, a senior White House official has said.
Paceman Mitchell Johnson is still a class act despite a poor first Test with the ball but Australia know he will not get the fast pitches he thrives on in the rest of the Ashes series, coach Darren Lehmann said.
Australia last won an Ashes series in England in 2001 and captain Michael Clarke is expecting five hard Tests.
Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch and Travis Head all made half-centuries but none of them was able to really put their foot down on the gas as India pegged the Australians back on a grassy, drop-in wicket that occasionally played a few tricks.
Mitchell Johnson will be rested for the opening One-Day International against England to freshen up for the rest of the series, Australia coach Darren Lehmann said on Thursday.
Michael Clarke's touring side will attempt to win the urn on English soil for the first time in 14 years and Alastair Cook's hosts will try to win back the trophy following their crushing 5-0 defeat in the last series Down Under.
With the batting firepower in Australia's ranks, they cannot be ruled out as contenders to grasp it at the sixth attempt.
Khawaja to battle Head for openers' spot as Australia name squad for first two Tests.
India's lower order put on a rock-solid show to help the hosts take a slender lead.
It took 84 long years for Test cricket to come to the land of Ranjitsinhji.
Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne missed individual centuries but forged Australia's highest partnership of the summer to earn the hosts a handy first innings lead against Sri Lanka on day two of the series opening day-night Test on Friday.
Injured Australia captain Michael Clarke will arrive in the United Arab Emirates five days ahead of the rest of the Test squad as he races to be fit for the two-match series against Pakistan.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
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.
Australia fast bowler James Pattinson is recovering from his back injury ahead of schedule and is targeting the third Test in Perth in a boost for the hosts' hopes of wresting the Ashes back from England.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's retirement from Test cricket has left the Indian think-tank fretting over the ideal playing combination that will take on Australia in the fourth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting next Tuesday.
Australia captain Steven Smith defended his decision to declare late and concede a draw four overs early in the third Test on Tuesday, saying India had contributed to the non-result with their tactics in the morning.
India looking to avoid a seventh straight Test loss on Australian soil.
Top class left-armers are in short supply and chief selector Rod Marsh joked that he had mulled telephoning Johnson to see whether he might like to come out of retirement.
Seamer Ollie Robinson took 5/49 as England skittled South Africa out for 118 on the third day of the third Test at The Oval on Saturday, before grinding their way to 154/7 in reply, a lead of 36 runs.
David Warner punished a depleted and dispirited England with a brilliant century to help drive Australia to 235 for three and a dominant lead of 369 after the third day of the third Ashes Test on Sunday.
Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been omitted from Australia's annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020 after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year's Ashes. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
Australia chiselled out four key England wickets to take control of the fifth and final Ashes Test on an absorbing third day at the Oval on Friday.
West Ham United and Chelsea both narrowly avoided ignominious FA Cup exits with narrow wins against lower-league opposition but Everton marked Frank Lampard's first game in charge by sauntering past Brentford into the fifth round on Saturday.
Travis Head scored an unbeaten half-century on his home debut to give Australia hope of reeling in India's first innings lead at the close of day two of the first Test on Friday.
Publicly labelled 'soft' by former Test bowler Shane Warne only a few months ago, paceman Mitchell Starc has come of age.
