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The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch has received a demerit point after being deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ by the International Cricket Council Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.It comes after a whirlwind fourth Ashes Test concluded after just two days of play, as 36 wickets fell across only 142 overs with no batter managing to record a half-century. Thanks, in part, to the pitch at the MCG, England secured their first Test victory on Australian soil since 2011, but Australia have already retained the Ashes after winning the first three Tests. Head curator Matthew Page admitted he was in a “state of shock” at…
The pitch for the fourth Ashes Test has been deemed the worst produced in Australia under the current ratings system as the Melbourne Cricket Ground was put on notice by the International Cricket Council. As Australia coach Andrew McDonald today offered his strong support for MCG curator Matt Page, the ICC has confirmed match referee Jeff Crowe rated the wicket that saw 36 wickets fall in two days as “unsatisfactory”. It is the second lowest rating on the four-tiered system (above only “unfit”), which the ICC has updated since the ground received a “poor” rating for its 2017-18 Ashes pitch.…
Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the final Ashes Test, leaving England three bowlers down as they close the series in Sydney.Atkinson pulled up while bowling in his side’s two-day win at Melbourne and played no further part in the match. Scans have shown a left hamstring injury that will not allow him to feature in the New Year Test, starting on January 4, and the exact severity may not be known until further assessment when he returns home. The 27-year-old bows out of his first Ashes series with six wickets at 47.33, having shown glimpses of his ability…
Both teams are searching for their second win of the season as the Thunder host the Scorchers in Western Sydney Match facts Who: Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers What: Match 16, KFC BBL|15 Where: Engie Stadium, Sydney When: Tuesday, December 30. Bat flip at 6.30pm AEDT, first ball at 7.15pm AEDT How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports Listen: ABC, SEN Radio. Listen in standard and real-time with no delay to live play via Cricket Radio on the CA Live app. Find out more here Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here Live scores: Match Centre Highlights, news and reactions after…
Coach indicates squad for tournament could be announced in the coming days ahead of February’s opener Pat Cummins will be named in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad next month with scan in January to reveal whether or not he will be able to play as he continues to manage his back injury. Cummins missed the first two Tests of the NRMA Insurance Ashes series with “bone stress” in his back before returning to help seal the urn with six wickets in Adelaide. He was subsequently put on ice for the remaining two Tests with the series result decided and will…
Sixers have ‘made their own bed’ with early losses but their BBL|15 campaign remains on track The Sydney Sixers’ season is not yet entering do-or-die territory, says spinner Ben Manenti, who insists the perennial heavyweights remain “pretty calm” despite their slow start to the BBL. The Sixers have only once started a summer worse through four games than this year, with a 47-run defeat of rivals the Sydney Thunder their only win to date. Star recruit Babar Azam has only cracked double digits once in four knocks, while the Sixers had to contend without gun pace bowler Sean Abbott until…
Usman Khawaja was one player McDonald did guarantee would appear in Sydney, with the Australian coach dismissing any thoughts the veteran batter would announce his retirement from international cricket. Khawaja was dropped from the side for the second Test in Brisbane, but responded well in Adelaide when contributing scores of 82 and 40 after earning a late reprieve on the day of the game when Steve Smith was ruled out of the contest. “He’s with his family at the moment, having a couple of days off, and we will build into Sydney, and we’re always having conversations around where players…
As Mitchell Starc straps himself up to complete a third consecutive home summer of playing every Test, the indestructible fast bowler has been backed to do what no Australian fast bowler has done for almost 70 years. Starc will turn out in his home Sydney Test this week pushing to send the series margin to 4-1 over England and cap one of the best individual Ashes series of recent times. With regular bowling partners Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood limited to two Tests between them this summer due to injury, the left-armer has snared 26 wickets at 17…
England arrived in Australia with a four-strong pace cartel ready to rock the hosts. They will end the series with just one of them still standing Brydon Carse is officially England’s last out-and-out speedster standing after Gus Atkinson was ruled out of the Sydney Test with a hamstring injury. Hurt on the second morning in Melbourne, Atkinson was officially scratched from the Ashes series finale in Sydney on Monday with scans confirming the injury in his left leg. Atkinson was initially part of a four-strong pace cartel for the opening Test in Perth, with he, Carse, Mark Wood and Jofra…
Australian selectors are unclear whether the Sydney Test will be Usman Khawaja’s last with coach Andrew McDonald saying no discussions have been had regarding the veteran’s playing future. The SCG Ashes Test looms as a potential swansong for the 39-year-old batter, exactly 15 years after he made his debut at the same venue against the same opponents. Khawaja began the Ashes series as one of Australia’s openers, a role he had held since returning to the side in the early stages of 2022. But severe back spasms while fielding in the Perth Test prohibited him from opening the batting and…