Pakistan's spinners scythed through Australia's top order in the second innings to get them close to victory in the first Test after twin centuries from Younus Khan and youngster Ajmal Shehzad helped the hosts set an improbable target.
South Africa got off to a sedate start after Michael Clarke's sterling century and some spectacular rearguard action powered Australia to 445 in their first innings on day two of the third and final Test in Sydney on Sunday. In reply, South Africa lost Neil McKenzie (23) to Peter Siddle and Graeme Smith (30 retired hurt) to injury before reaching 125 for one at stumps.
Pacer Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Andrew McDonald will make their Test debut as Australia on Friday named one of its most inexperienced teams in decades for the third and final Test match against an unchanged South Africa, starting in Sydney on Saturday. Along with 27-year-old Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, 24, McDonald and Bollinger will make up one of the youngest and the most inexperienced Australian pace attack.
Peter Nevill called up as a replacement; will make his debut in the 2nd Test at Lord's on Thursday.
Boozy celebrations have been a part of Australian cricket for decades but Test hopeful Fawad Ahmed will be politely declining when the victory beers are passed around on the tour of the Caribbean and England.
Jofra Archer took six wickets as England's bowlers gave their side a handy lead on the second day of the final Ashes Test, reducing Australia to 225 all out in reply to their own first innings score of 294.
Breaking his silence on the on-field clash between Australia skipper Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee, coach Tim Nielsen said a poor over-rate wasn't the main reason the strike bowler was not used in the first session on the fourth day of the second Test in Mohali. It was, he says, also because they wanted to take pace off the ball.
Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers scored unbeaten half centuries to take South Africa to 244 for two at the close of the fourth day of the second Test against Australia on Monday.
Australia will be counting on their pace attack, not spin, to beat India in their four-Test series that begins next month, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said on Friday. Australia named the uncapped Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle in their 15-man squad to provide back-up to the front line trio of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson for the series.
Australia dropped batsman George Bailey from the squad for their three-Test tour of South Africa on Monday and brought uncapped Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh into the 15-man party. Bailey made his debut in the first Test of the recently-concluded Ashes series, but scored only 183 runs at an average of 26 as an unchanged Australia romped to a 5-0 sweep of England.
India batsman Sachin Tendulkar became the highest Test-run scorer in Mohali on Friday when he passed his target of 15 runs in the first innings of his side's second Test match against Australia. Tendulkar scored three runs after tea to move on to 16, giving him a career record of 11,955 runs to surpass the previous mark of former West Indies captain Brian Lara.
India's ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar became the highest Test-run scorer in Mohali on Friday when he scored 15 runs in the first innings of the second Test against Australia.
'We've just got to make sure we get enough balls in the right areas and be relentless and patient and stick two up their nose an over' Australia have not lost a series home or away to West Indies since 1992/93.
Australia's explosive batsman David Warner finally tied the knot with his sweetheart of 18 months Candice Falzon at an intimate ceremony in the south coast countryside on Saturday.
With the world watching, Steve Smith crafted a sublime 144 to help Australia recover from 122 for eight to 284 all out of Day 1 of the first Ashes Test.
Australia will have to win both Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to go one point clear of South Africa, who displaced them at the top in July, but there is still little clarity about the side who would walk out for the first match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh combined for 449 runs and the sixth highest partnership in Test cricket history to put Australia firmly in control after the second day of the first Test against West Indies on Friday.
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney next week after a hamstring problem forced him out of training on Saturday.
Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin is in a race to be fit for the Test series against India after being ruled out of Australia's One-Day series against South Africa.
Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris has joined team mate Mitchell Johnson in criticising the unusually slow and low nature of pitches in the ongoing Test series against India.
Australia meet South Africa in a one-off T20 match on the Gold Coast on November 17, before three T20s against India starting in Brisbane on November 21.
Factbox on major ball-tampering incidents in cricket
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas destroyed Australia, picking up five wickets in both innings, as the hosts won the second and final Test by a huge margin of 373 runs to clinch the series 1-0.
Australia vice captain David Warner has accused New Zealand fans of going "too far" in their abuse of the tourists during the two-test series which concluded on Wednesday.
Battle commences at Edgbaston on Thursday and the last time Australia won there was the opening match of the 2001 series which they ended up dominating 4-1.
Australia can take the top Test ranking from India with a series victory
Brendon McCullum's dismissal in the final over of the day put Australia firmly in control of the first Test in Wellington on Sunday, as New Zealand were reduced to 178-4, still 201 runs behind the tourists' mammoth first innings of 562.
Australia have called batsman Shaun Marsh into their squad for the opening Test of the four-match series against India, which was pushed back to next week after the death of Phillip Hughes.
Cheteshwar Pujara hit his second century of the series before India captain Virat Kohli declared their first innings closed at 443 for seven after tea on day two of the third Test against Australia on Thursday.
The left-arm pacer is expected to join Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris in the Australian attack for the first Test against England starting at Gabba on November 21 after missing out on the Ashes tour of England earlier this year.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann says he and captain Steve Smith both wanted Mitchell Johnson to play on, at least in one-dayers, but were unable to convince the fiery fast bowler to reconsider retirement.
Kevin Pietersen felt like a "clown" after getting out in the first innings of the second Test but maintained he has been in prime form during England's heavy defeats in the opening three Ashes matches.
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.
Australia are perhaps fortunate that there is such a short gap between Tests given the navel-gazing that is likely to follow their first defeat in the opening test of a home Summer for 28 years.
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the fourth cricket Test against India in Sydney after fresh scans revealed that the injury on his hamstring has further deteriorated.
Steve Smith reached his maiden Test century with a six as Australia, trailing 3-0 in the series, took control of the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at the Oval on Thursday.
Phillip Hughes will forever be 63 not out after Cricket Australia (CA) adjusted the scorecard of his final match as a mark of respect for the promising cricketer who lost his life following a freak injury on the field.
Scroll down to see the list of other awardees and cricketers who glamed up the night in their sartorial best.
Australia's cricketers returned to their aggressive brand of cricket in the aftermath of Phillip Hughes's death as they held their first training session in Adelaide since the tragedy.
Paceman Mitchell Starc took pain-killing injections for his strained ankle to bowl through Australia's opening Ashes defeat in Cardiff but is confident he will be fit for the second match at Lord's, captain Michael Clarke has said.
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