Simon Katich's unbeaten century helped Australia take control of the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday. The left-hander was left stranded on 131 as Australia were bowled out for 268 in 81.2 overs in their second innings setting New Zealand a stiff target of 327 to win the match.
New Zealand finished day four on 222 for five, needing another 331 to win the third Test against England.
England produced an all-round performance to level the Test series with New Zealand on Monday, winning the second match by 126 runs early on the fifth and final day at the Basin Reserve. Left arm pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who captured 10 wickets in the first Test in Hamilton, provided the impetus for the visitors with five wickets in New Zealand's second innings to help dismiss them for 311.
New Zealand's pace attack of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, however, made life difficult for the visitors
South African-born all-rounder Grant Elliott has been called into an injury-hit New Zealand squad for the first Test against England, starting in Hamilton on Wednesday.
New Zealand named an unchanged squad that beat West Indies 2-0 in December for the two-match Test series against India starting February 6.
Pakistan beat New Zealand by 141 runs to win the second Test on Day 4 at the Basin Reserve on Sunday and level the three-match series 1-1.
Suresh Raina figures among the 10 players, who will "define" cricket in the next decade.
New Zealand, put into bat on a green wicket by Pakistan's stand-in skipper Azhar Ali, were 77 for two when the umpires ended the day's play just before 4:30 p.m. local time after light rain had forced the players off before lunch.
Australia's Steve Smith is back on top of the list of batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings after India captain Virat Kohli could manage only 21 runs in his two innings in the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington, which his side lost by 10 wickets to concede a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. This is the eighth time that Smith is on top of the rankings after first occupying the top position in June 2015.
Images from Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Friday.
New Zealand's three-pronged attack could spell trouble for India on a spiced-up track and Will Somerville, who played a gutsy knock in Kanpur, might have to sit out.
New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult has recovered from a broken hand to be included in the 13-player squad to face India in the two-Test series, as selectors swung the axe following the dismal tour of Australia. Left-armer Boult broke his right hand in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December but is fit for the first Test against India starting at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday.
Ross Taylor's scintillating unbeaten 154 put New Zealand in control of the second Test on the second day against England on Saturday. At the close England had limped to 152 for four in reply to New Zealand's 381 for nine after the injured Daniel Flynn did not return to the crease.
A counter-attacking 67 not out by Ross Taylor helped New Zealand to 202 for four when bad light ended play after just 54 overs on the first day of the second Test against England at Old Trafford on Friday.
Five New Zealand players have been given permission to miss the start of this year's tour of England to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has agreed to let their IPL-signed players: Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor arrive in England a week later than their team mates.
KL Rahul leads a pack of India players who have shot up the MRF Tyres ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after the visitors stormed to a 5-0 series win in New Zealand. Rahul's series topping aggregate of 224 runs has lifted him four places to a career best-equaling second place.
A first T20 series victory in New Zealand will be the icing on the cake for the Men in Blue, who have far exceeded expectations during their three-month sojourn in this part of the world.
England slipped to 87 for two, in reply to New Zealand's 470 all out, at the close of play on the second day of the first Test.
Images from Wednesday's World Cup match between England and New Zealand, at Chester-le-street.
Fast bowler Trent Boult picked up five wickets as New Zealand hammered India by eight wickets in the fourth One-Day International.
New Zealand would not be counting on the possibility of poor weather on Tuesday to save them from a heavy third Test defeat and series loss to India, vice-captain Brendon McCullum said on Monday.
New Zealand would look to a Test loss to try and salvage a victory against India in the third and final Test at the Basin Reserve, batsman Ross Taylor said on Saturday.
Tim Southee admitted he was disappointed not to have played in Sydney but said he has moved on.
India held sway in the last two matches pushing New Zealand to the back-foot but Ross Taylor says the current do-or-die situation will ultimately work in the favour of his team and help it make a comeback in the one-day series.
The Indian team is still searching for the right middle-order combination with the World Cup just a few months away.
India captain and batting mainstay Virat Kohli was named skipper of the International Cricket Council's Test and ODI teams of the year, following a remarkable run in 2018.
India should not lose sleep over the nature of the tracks here and the two Twenty20 Internationals would be enough for them to get used to the bounce, said New Zealand middle order batsman Ross Taylor.
The Kiwis posted a record total of 318 for 7 on a perfect batting pitch before winning the tri-series match 58 runs.
The all-rounder is a doubtful starter for Friday's day-night match against Sri Lanka due to the recurrence of a back problem.
Hasan Ali and Yasir Shah claimed five wickets each against New Zealand to put Pakistan on the brink of victory on day three of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Captain Virat Kohli admitted that India were at least 30 runs short while lauding the application shown by New Zealand's batsmen, especially Tom Latham, in the first One-Day International at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor got some valuable time at the wicket as New Zealand did what they needed to looking ahead to the World Cup quarter-finals with a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan at McLean Park on Sunday.
Usman Khawaja's magnificent 174 helped Australia to a dominant 556 for four declared and an imposing lead of 399 at the end of the second day of the first Test against New Zealand on Friday.
After England collapsed from 288 for five to 302 all out, New Zealand initially struggled in reply before Williamson and Taylor took the game away from the hosts with a clinical 206-run third-wicket stand.
Sanath Jayasuriya blasted 111 off just 87 balls as Sri Lanka chased down a daunting target of 285 with ten overs to spare in the first one-day international against New Zealand.
All-rounder Jimmy Neesham and batsman Tom Latham have been named in New Zealand's team for the second Test against India after Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell were dropped for a late night drinking session in Auckland last week.
Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane jumped three places to enter the top-10 in batsman's list while Ravichandran Ashwin maintained his pole position among all-rounders in the latest Test rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
India crushed New Zealand by 178 runs in the second Test on Monday to clinch the three-match series and reclaim top spot in the world rankings from Pakistan.
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