Ashes aspirant Fawad Ahmed is to join Australia 'A' on their tour of England after legislation designed to fast-track immigration applications passed through Australia's parliament on Wednesday.
Images from Day 1 of the 5th and final opening Test between Australia and England at the SCG in Sydney on Thursday
Australia batsman Darren Lehmann is suffering from an acute leg infection and is in doubt for the fourth Ashes Test against England
'For what I think is a pretty common non-event, it does seem like everyone has a pretty strong opinion about it.'
Australian captain Michael Clarke believes the Ashes series against England starting next month will be played in the correct spirit, even if some players come close to crossing a line.
The retirements of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer have added an emotional incentive to Australia's bid to win the fifth Ashes Test against England.
Will Vijay will go the most successful MGR/Jayalalithaa way, or that of Vijayakanth, Seeman or Kamalahaasan, or will he end up as another Rajinikanth who cries wolf at the last minute and quits the scene even before it all had really begun, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
Ryan 'Ryno' Harris made a crucial contribution to Australian cricket at a critical time.
Getting whacked on the hand by a Cameron Bancroft shot would not keep Steve Smith from the Boxing Day Test against England, the Australia captain said on Monday.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Stokes, who has played for Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant in the past, will likely play as a specialist batter initially to manage his knee injury, for which he has been administered cortisone shots -- an anti-inflammation injection.
Clarke, like most of the visiting batsmen, has struggled in the English conditions and is averaging 18 compared to his Test career average of almost 50.
England have also included seamer Reece Topley, who they hope will have recovered from an ankle injury in time to play.
Uncapped batsman Jonathan Trott will make his England debut in the Ashes decider against Australia next week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Sunday. The ECB also included all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in a 14-man squad for the fifth and final Test, which starts at The Oval on Thursday, but Essex batsman Ravi Bopara was left out after struggling for runs throughout the series.
Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title against Roberto Carballes Baena.
Despite England's bowlers failing to take 20 wickets in any of the matches and the batsmen scoring just three centuries, one of those after the series was lost, James Anderson feels England are on the right trajectory.
The fourth Test will be played from January 5-9 at the SCG, with Australia having retained the Ashes after winning the first three games.
Opener David Warner and all-rounder Mitch Marsh will be rested for the five-match Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka next month to prepare for the upcoming tour of Pakistan.
The emphatic win gave Australia a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series, a stunning turnaround from the northern Ashes series that England won 3-0 earlier this year.
Images from ICC Women's T20 World Cup opener between Australia and India in Sydney on Friday.
Former wicketkeeper Ian Healy predicted a 2-1 win for India in the four-Test series against Australia, starting in Nagpur on February 9, provided the hosts don't prepare "unreasonable wickets".
Shane Warne believes Australia will triumph in the Ashes series against England, which starts in one week, because they know the local conditions and that defeat would mean a complete overhaul of the team.
The 16-man squad includes batsmen Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan and fast bowler Jake Ball, who have 11 Test caps between them, as well as three uncapped players in paceman Craig Overton, spinner Mason Crane and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
A fourth consecutive World Cup title triumph might not be enough to heal the scars left by the recent Ashes hammering Australia suffered against England, captain Ricky Ponting said on Tuesday.
Ricky Ponting believes that India will play both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in the World Test Championship final against Australia, starting June 7.
With key players -- KL Rahul (thigh) and Shreyas Iyer (lower back) yet to prove their fitness, the BCCI top brass and selectors could opt for safer options that gives them an opportunity to check all available players in the five (six if they reach final) Asia Cup games in Sri Lanka.
Former Test paceman Merv Hughes says he is dumbfounded by Australia's Ashes build-up and has given his countrymen little hope of beating England in the series starting next month.
Australia batsman Michael Clarke is fit to start the first Ashes Test against England on Thursday but fast bowler Doug Bollinger will miss out, captain Ricky Ponting said on Wednesday.
'...The players and staff deserve a lot of credit for the standard of cricket we have played over the past two years. It would be a great reward for everyone to finish as World Test Champions.'
The England and Wales Cricket Board released the dates for Australia's 2009 tour on Monday, including the five Ashes Tests, a seven-game, one-day series and two Twenty20 internationals.
The final chapter of the Ashes build-up ended in predictable fashion on Tuesday when opposing captains Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke played the straightest of bats ahead of the first test at Trent Bridge.
England ripped through Australia's top order in a stunning start to the second Ashes Test on Friday, taking three wickets in the first 10 minutes before the hosts were able to find their feet in the contest.
Root, who has not won any of his three Ashes series in charge, was reluctant to discuss the long-term future of his captaincy after England lost by an innings and 14 runs in the third test in Melbourne.
Australia have typically struggled in sub-continent conditions and a pitch which could assist the spinners is expected at the SCG, keeping in mind the upcoming tour of India in February.
Images from Day 3 of the third Ashes Test between England and Australia, in Manchester, on Saturday.
Langer has not ruled out a return to cricket for Tim Paine despite the wicketkeeper resigning
Images from Day 2 of the 2023 US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York on Tuesday.
Former captain Kevin Pietersen believes the form of three players will be key to England's hopes of beating Australia to regain the Ashes in their Test series starting in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Tasmanian batsman Alex Doolan could be in line for a test debut pending the fitness of all-rounder Shane Watson after being named in Australia's 14-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney.
Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen says defending champions Mumbai Indians can ill-afford a typical slow start when the IPL resumes, and the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings have a "fantastic shot" at regaining the title after a poor 2020 season.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances