(Cricket news) At the beginning of Day 4 India were in a commanding position as they were 125/3 with a lead of 257. Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara were at the crease but England bowlers came through with some quality. Pujara tried to cut Stuart Broad's wide short ball but it went straight to the hands of the fielder. Shreyas Iyer came in and started playing his shots like he usually does but then England reverted back to their short ball theory which is Iyer's weakness. The batter fell straight into the trap as he was dismissed by Matthew Potts. 

England kept India quite for a very long time and the runs stopped flowing. Pant had already smashed Jack Leach all over the park in the first innings but the bowler got his revenge. Pant was trying to take him on again but couldn't do so. He was dismissed after trying to play a reverse sweep which was caught at first slip. Jadeja was also dismissed on 23 after being cleaned up by Ben Stokes. Unfortunately for India this time their tail didn't wag and they were bowled out for 245 before tea. England started really well in the 2nd innings. Alex Lees and Zak Crawley stitched a 107 run partnership as both batters were looking solid. Lees reached a fine half century of just 44 balls.

Just before tea Jasprit Bumrah came into the attack and managed to clean up Crawley. The English opener left the ball which came back into him and dislodged his stumps. Bumrah once again provided a breakthrough in the very first ball after tea as he managed to produce an edge off Ollie Pope. Moments later Lees was run-out which put India right back in the contest. The visitors picked up 3 wickets in no time and put the pressure back on England. The two in form batters Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root soaked in all that pressure with minimum effort. The pair batted the rest of the day and added a partnership of 150 runs. Root is unbeaten on 76 while Bairstow is 72 not out. The latter was given a lifeline as Hanuma Vihari dropped him off Siraj's bowl.

Both Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj failed to bowl tight lines which made things easy for Root and Bairstow. Jadeja did keep things tight from one end as he bowled from over the wicket into the rough. England are coasting towards what will be a record breaking victory. India will need to produce something extraordinary to win the match as a draw is pretty much out of the equation. There will be a lot of pressure on Jasprit Bumrah who is captaining for the very first time. Even Bumrah the strike bowler will be under the pump as he is expected to get the breakthrough.

Also read: Harmanpreet to return in Melbourne Renegades colours in WBBL

Melbourne, Jul 4 (Cricket News) India captain Harmapreet Kaur will return in Melbourne Renegades colours for a second season in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) during the eighth edition of the T20 tournament later this year.

Harmanpreet, who has represented India in over 200 matches across all formats, is an all-rounder, renowned for her destructive batting and handy off-spin.

The 33-year-old was Renegades' leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the WBBL last year.

She scored 406 runs at an average of 58 -- including 18 sixes, the most in the competition -- and also claimed 15 wickets.

"I'm excited to be coming back to the Renegades," Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by the Renegades' website.

"I really enjoyed being part of the team environment last season and feel like that helped me produce some of my best cricket. Personally, I just wanted to play my role for the team and it was pleasing to be able to do that.

"We supported each other as a team last year and were able to get some good results, but we still have plenty of room to improve. Hopefully we can do that, make the finals again and put ourselves in a position to compete for the title," she added.

Batting primarily at number four, Harmanpreet was a match-winner for the Renegades on multiple occasions throughout last season.

"We couldn't be more excited to have Harmanpreet returning to our club this summer," Melbourne Renegades General Manager, James Rosengarten, said.

"Harmanpreet is one of the best players in the world, her record speaks for itself. She was outstanding for us last season and was a match-winner on multiple occasions, having a prolific impact across the tournament with both bat and ball.

“As an experienced player, Harmanpreet’s leadership and calm approach under pressure was a huge asset for our team. She was a great fit both on and off the field and really bought into our team environment," he said.

"After not being able to play games in Melbourne last season, we know our fans will be thrilled about the prospect of watching Harmanpreet in action in WBBL." 

Also Read : Bowlers need to have patience when things are not going their way, says Siraj

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, Jun 23 (Football News) Indian Super League heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan on Thursday announced the signing of Australian A-League star defender Brendan Hamill on a two-year deal for an undisclosed transfer fee.

The 29-year-old Melbourne Victory centre-back will lead the Bagan defence in absence of their injured Spanish defender Tiri who is all but out of the upcoming season.

"From what I know about Indian football, the tradition of this club and the green-and-maroon jersey is huge," Hamill said in a statement.

"I am looking forward to bringing success to this famous club in India. I have heard that Kolkata is the city of football. There are millions of supporters of this club. Our goal is to make the Mariners happy." Coach Juan Ferrando was impressed not only with Hamill's defensive play but for creating moves from behind.

"Hamill not only forms the pillar of the defence, but he is also known for his creative mind from the back," the ATKMB coach stated.

"He has joined the team at a time our defence is going through a difficult phase. I have watched him play in the Australian League. His experience will enrich the team.

Hamill was an important part of Melbourne Victory's A-League 2021-22 squad, making 20 appearances for the club across all competitions, including in their Australia Cup triumph.

A former Australian under-20 defender, the Sydney-born Hamill had his professional debut for Melbourne Heart FC in 2010.

He played for the club for two years before beginning his stint in the Korean League where he played for Seongnam and Gangwon FC before returning to his country where he joined Western Sydney in 2014.

Hamill became a key member of the Wanderers side in his five-year tenure and left in 2019 when he joined Western United FC.

Having played at the WUFC for two years, Hamill reunited with his former Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic at Melbourne Victory.

This is the first big signing for the Mariners in the ongoing transfer window after their two key foreigners Roy Krishna and David Williams parted ways with the club.

ATK Mohun Bagan earlier had signed promising India midfielder Ashique Kuruniyan from Bengaluru FC and defender Ashish Rai from Hyderabad FC. 

Also Read : Kroos rejects Real Madrid's new contract offer for an unusual reason

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jun 22 (Cricket News) Cricket Australia on Wednesday announced the introduction of an IPL-style draft system to pick overseas players in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League.

With the BBL 12 scheduled to start in December, the draft is expected to take place in the next few months.

According to the draft system, each team will have to pick a minimum of two and a maximum of three players.

The Australian cricket board said that though the draft is designed to attract the best available foreign players, the overall objective is to give BBL a more competitive edge in the international market, and also provide new opportunities to the teams taking part in the competition.

The draft order will also be determined by a weighted lottery system with the three teams that missed the finals of the BBL 11 being entered first to determine the first three selections, CA further said.

There will be four categories and players will be nominated in four rounds -- Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze -- with those in the Platinum Group set to be in the highest payment category. 

Also Read : Washington Sundar likely to make county debut, to play for Lancashire

News Source : PTi

Jakarta, Jun 18 (Golf News) India's Udayan Mane posted a final round of two-under 70 to sign off at T-42 in the Indo Masters Golf Invitational at Imperial Klub Golf here on Saturday.

Mane had four birdies against two bogeys in a week that was patchy at times with rounds of 73-71-78-70.

It was the second event of the eight-event series in Indonesia on the Asian Development Tour.

Australia's Harrison Gilbert held on to win the Indo Masters Golf Invitational with a final round of 66 at 18-under-par despite a late charge by Thailand's Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (65).

The 23-year-old Australian Gilbert, who made his pro debut this year, started the day in the final group alongside Thai duo Sakulpolphaisan and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam.

He opened the scoring with a bogey but soon recovered his composure in the USD 70,000 Asian Development Tour event, posting three birdies and an eagle on the front nine. He picked up two more strokes on the way in to close with a six-under-par 66 and a final score of 270.

The young Australian, who hails from the fabled Royal Melbourne course, is excited to get his professional career underway.

"Really the last three days is probably the best golf I’ve ever played," he said.

Sakulpolphaisan maintained pressure all the way down the back stretch, carding six birdies in the last eight holes but in the end came up a single stroke short on 271.

Chonaltit Chuenboonngam, who on the front nine had four birdies, was unable to score after the turn and a final hole bogey dropped him down to a solo third with a score of 272.

Singapore's Jesse Yap (68) was fourth at 274. 

Also Read : Diksha Dagar helps team to 3rd place at ATS London

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jun 17 (Sports News) It was double delight for former world billiards champion Sourav Kothari, who clinched the Pacific International Billiards Championship title on Friday, just days after bagging the Snooker crown in the same event.

The 37-year-old Kothari edged past multiple-time English champion Rob Hall of England 1500-1321 in the finals of the Level 5 highest World Billiards ranking event to win the title.

The 2018 World Billiards champion thus became only the second cueist after Mathew Bolton of Australia to achieve a double title in the Pacific International.

In the thrilling final, Kothari displayed great mastery of cue ball control from the beginning. He notched up breaks of 161, 141, 135 and 117 to take a massive 600-point lead.

The Englishman could manage only a solitary century break of 177 during that session.

A couple of missed regulation drop cannons by Kothari in the next session saw Hall fight back with a magnificent break of 391 as he reduced the margin to 200 points before overtaking Kothari.

Kothari showed great calmness and composure under trying circumstances and sealed the issue with a century break of 111.

Earlier, Hall ousted World Billiards Champion Peter Gilchrist of Singapore by 1204-122 registering big breaks of 244 and 192.

Kothari scraped past compatriot Dhruv Sitwala in a nail-biting 1200-1131. 

Also Read : Ultimate Kho Kho: Capri Global and KLO Sports become franchise owners

News Source : PTI

(Motorsports news) The Australian Grand Prix will remain on the F1 Calendar until 2035, following a deal to extend its agreement beyond 2025 by a further 10 years. In addition, Formula 2 and Formula 3 will also join the race weekend schedule for the first time in 2023. This year more than 419,000 fans visited Albert Park for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix in April, making it the largest ever crowd for a weekend sporting event in Australian sporting history .

Albert Park has hosted F1 races since 1996, as significant investments were made over the past two years in order to improve the track for faster racing, fan experience and facilities while further improvements, including a revised paddock and pit lane, are planned in the future in order to continue the circuit’s modernisation. The date of next year’s Australian Grand Prix will be decided later on but in most likelihood it will be back as the first race of the season. It will be under the subject to World MotorSport Council’s approval. As part of the deal for the revamped Albert Park circuit, they have a contract that will open the Formula 1 season a minimum of five times. The Australian Grand Prix will be the season-opener in 2024 and 2025 and then another three are yet-to-be-determined.

The 2023 Grand Prix date is yet to be finalised, however this announcement is a clear indication that the first round will be in Melbourn, if not the first race then they have a slot inside the first three races likely each year of the new agreement. Australia has long been a tradition in F1 to start the season, however this year, due to pandemic-induced absence, it was pushed back to the third round. But it had little effect on crowds with near-record numbers filing through the Albert Parks over the four days of a marvellous spectale.In this year's Australian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc won the race and capped off a memorable weekend for the Ferrari team as home favourite Daniel Riccardo finished 8th as it was one of the two races where he has got points for the team. 

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “I am delighted to confirm that Melbourne and the Albert Park circuit will continue to be on the Formula 1 calendar until 2035. The race has always been a favourite for the fans, drivers and the teams and Melbourne is an incredible and vibrant international city that is a perfect match for our sport.

“This year we saw huge crowds and passionate fans at the Grand Prix, and we are very excited by the future in Australia as our sport continues to grow. I want to thank the Victorian Government, Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria and Martin Pakula, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Major Events for their tireless support for the event in Melbourne, as well as Andrew Westacott and Paul Little from the AGPC for making this already long-term partnership secure for the future. We are all looking forward to being back in Melbourne next season with all our fans.”

Martin Pakula, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Major Events, Victorian Government, said: “The Australian Grand Prix has never been bigger, with more than 419,000 people flocking to Albert Park for this year’s race. We know how important this event is to our economy and that’s why we’ve delivered the longest extension for the race since it has been held in Melbourne.”

Andrew Westacott, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, said: “This is a sensational announcement that is simply great for Melbourne and Victoria. It builds on our rich motor sport history as well as Melbourne’s love of big sporting events and provides aspiration to the next generation of Aussie racing stars. We’re proud of our strong relationship with Formula 1 and together we will grow the sport in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Everyone at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation looks forward to taking the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix to new levels over the course of the next 13 years.”

Also read: Ferrari find temporary fix for hydraulics after reliability concern
 

Melbourne, Jun 13 (Sports News) World billiards champion Sourav Kothari on Monday won the 2022 Lance Pannell-Pacific International Snooker Championship.

In the final, Kothari thrashed top-ranked Australian cueist Johl Younger 4-0 in the best of seven frames, with a high break of 93 in the third frame.

After topping his league, Kothari defeated Australian Cale Barrett 3-1 in the quarters and the talented Charlie Chafe 3-1 in the semifinals respectively.

He last had won the title in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Kothari will now be participating in the 2022 Pacific International Billiards beginning here on Tuesday. 

Also Read : Weightlifter Gurunaidu Sanapathi becomes IWF Youth World Champion

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Jun 2 (Cricket News) Out-of-favour India batter Ajinkya Rahane said it would take at least six to eight weeks to recover fully from the hamstring injury he had sustained while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in this year's Indian Premier League.

Rahane had sustained the injury in KKR's second last game and was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

"That (injury) was really unfortunate. But my rehab is going really well. I am recovering really well. I was in Bangalore (at the NCA) for nearly 10 days and I am going there again for my rehab and recovery. It's been on track," Rahane told PTI. "So right now my only focus is on getting better. Get fit as soon as possible and be on the field. I am not sure (when) I will be able to get (fully) fit, it is expected to be around 6-8 weeks but at this moment it is about taking one day at a time, one week at a time," added the elegant right-handed batter.

Rahane was speaking after the trailer launch of web-series 'Bandon Mein Tha Dum' to be streamed on 'Voot Select', based on India's 2020-21 Test series triumph in Australia. India won the series 2-1 after losing the first Test in Adelaide.

Turning out for KKR, Rahane scored 133 runs from seven matches in the just-concluded IPL, but the Mumbaikar termed his experience as a "good one".

"My experience with KKR was really good. I really enjoyed playing for KKR and the atmosphere there was really good. It is kind of a family atmosphere. We enjoyed each other's success on and off the field but unfortunately we couldn't qualify for the play-offs," he added.

"They (KKR team management) gave me a lot of freedom to play my game and I thought it was something special. Playing under (then KKR head coach) Brendon McCullum, I learnt a lot." Rahane, who scored a match-winning 112 in the 2020 Melbourne Test that scripted the turnaround for India, said it was a "special" knock.

"Definitely that hundred (in Melbourne) was really special and I think that is one of my best hundreds so far overseas and also in Test cricket.

"Considering what happened in Adelaide, 36 all out, losing the Test match and then going to Melbourne with a different mindset and getting a hundred there and winning the Test was more special.

"My hundred was special because we won the Test match there and from there we got the momentum and eventually went on to win the series," he signed off. 

Also Read : Indian domestic players can walk into South Africa's side any day: Luus

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, May 30 (Cricket News) The Indian women's team is set to host World Champions Australia for a five-match T20I series in December later this year.

The dates and the venue of the series, which was announced by Cricket Australia on Monday as part of its men's and women's schedule for the season, remain unconfirmed.

The Indian women's team, which last appeared in the ODI World Cup in March, will next compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July before taking on hosts England in a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is in September.

"It is the start of an exciting eight months for the team that also includes a tour to India, home series against Pakistan, the opportunity to play in the Hundred and our own extended domestic season, before the T20 World Cup," Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said.

In addition, the Australian men's team will also visit India for a three-match T20 series in September as reported earlier.

The series will serve as preparation for the T20 World Cup scheduled to held Down Under from October 17 to November 14 this year.

However, the exact dates are also yet to be finalised. Though it is expected to be during the latter half of September as Australia are schedule to host New Zealand for an ODI series from 6 to 11.

Both the Australian men's side and women's team are the reigning T20 champions. While Aaron Finch and Co. won the title last year and will aim to defend their crown at home, their female counter-parts had been crowned champions in 2020, after they beat India in the final.

The Australian men's team was slated to travel to India for a full series, including four Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is later this year but with the T20 World Cup being pushed back due to COVID-19, the red-ball games will now be staged next year in February and March.

Indian men's team's next assignment is a five-match T20 series against South Africa at home from June 9 to 19, followed by a tour of Ireland for two T20Is.

The Rohit Sharma-led side then takes on England in the rescheduled fifth and final Test, which was postponed last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp, on July 1.

The 'Men in Blue' are then scheduled to play a white-ball series including three T20s and as many ODIs against England. 

Also Read : Hardik showed eagerness to learn as captain, engaged with all of his teammates: Kirsten

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Women's T20 Challenge opener sees the two teams to have combined to win all the editions so far, and it promises to be a spectacle. Defending champions Trailblazers, led by Smriti Mandhana, take on Harmanpreet Kaur's Supernovas as the two-time champions in what is a three-season tournament looking to avenge their loss in the last edition. Since facing each other in the inaugural edition in Mumbai in 2018, the two sides have faced each other a further four times, including in two finals. While Supernovas rode Harmanpreet's 37-ball 51 to win the title clash in 2019, Mandana's 49-ball 68 gave Trailblazers the trophy in Sharjah in 2020 which was subsequently the last edition of the Women's T20 challenge.

The players to watch out for are:

• Smriti Mandhana: The opening batsman struck one half-century as she scored 236 runs in eight innings at the recent Senior Women's T20 Trophy, where she led Maharashtra to the final. In the 2021-22 WBBL, Mandhana, playing her first season for Sydney Thunder, smashed a 64-ball 114, which was the joint-highest score in the competition's history as she looks in good touch She will hope that she leaves behind the World Cup disappointment and look for a fresh start
• Sophie Ecclestone: The No. 1 bowler in the women's game came off a blockbuster ODI World Cup, as she finished at the top of the wicket charts in the tournaments. Having played for Mandhana's Trailblazers since her Women's T20 Challenge debut in 2019, she will be the key against Harmanpreet and Dendra Dottin in today’s match.
• Harmanpreet Kaur: The India T20I captain scored 121 runs, with two half-centuries included in three innings for Punjab in the domestic Senior Women's T20 tournament. Before that she had a prolific WBBL last season and was subsequently named the Player of the Tournament after scoring the most runs and taking the most wickets for the Melbourne Renegades. She scored 406 runs at a strike rate of 130.96, including three fifty-plus scores and 18 sixes. She became a crucial powerplay bowler there, taking 15 wickets at 7.45 with her finger spin.

Squad of Supernovas: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Taniya Bhatia (vice-capt), Alana King*, Ayushi Soni, Chandu V, Deandra Dottin*, Harleen Deol, Meghna Singh, Monica Patel, Muskan Malik, Pooja Vastrakar, Priya Punia, Rashi Kanojia, Sophie Ecclestone*, Sune Luus*, Mansi Joshi.

Squad of Trailblazers: Smriti Mandhana (capt), Poonam Yadav (vice-capt), Arundhati Reddy, Hayley Matthews*, Jemimah Rodrigues, Priyanka Priyadarshini, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, S Meghana, Saiqa Ishaque, Salma Khatun*, Sharmin Akhter*, Sophia Dunkley*, Sujata Mallik, Shradda Pokharkar.

Pitch and weather report: The Pune pitch during the IPL assisted the bowlers up front and batting became easier as the ball was older. The temperature is going to hover around 30 degrees as no rain is expected today, while dew should not play a part in the second innings.

Probable XI for the Trailblazers:

Smriti Mandhana (c), Hayley Matthews, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sharmin Akhter, Sabbhineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sophia Dunkley, Poonam Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Salma Khatun

Probable XI for the Supernovas:

Deandra Dottin, Priya Punia, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Sune Luus, Harleen Deol, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Sophie Ecclestone, Alana King, Mansi Joshi, Meghna Singh

Also read: IPL debutants Gujarat Titans hold edge against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1
 

(Cricket news) Former Australian international Nathan Hauritz has been announced as Cricket Ireland’s new Spin Bowling Coach. The 40 year old has played international cricket for Australia from 2002 to 2011, playing 17 Tests, 58 ODIs and 3 T20Is during his international career, taking 128 wickets across all formats. Domestically, Hauritz played for Queensland and New South Wales in First-class cricket, and featured for Brisbane Heat, Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.

Moving into coaching after retirement, Hauritz has been the Spin Bowling Coach for Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat since 2020. Hauritz’ role with Cricket Ireland will involve working with the senior men’s and women’s squads, as well as the pathway system.

Speaking from Brisbane after accepting the role, Hauritz said: “The opportunity was too good to not even think about. I love discussing spin bowling from all facets, and to be able to do that in an international environment while travelling the world, how could you not want to do it.

“My particular interest as a coach is the tactical and mental side of spin bowling. When you play at the top level of cricket your game is generally in a pretty sound space, but more often than not it comes down to how you perform on the day that needs the most work. I believe my career and experience will help me communicate with, and support the development of, our current groups of spinners. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be part of cricket in Ireland.”

How familiar is he with Irish cricket?

“Social media and livestreaming these days has made it easier to follow teams and games around the world. You can get a good sense of how the domestic competitions work particularly. But I also fondly remember playing a tour game for Australia against Ireland at Clontarf back in 2010. We were actually in a spot of bother in that game - we were under the pump early from the Irish openers. One of our old Norths mates, Alex Cusack, played for Ireland that day, so that was a fun experience. I was lucky enough to take a couple wickets and we won the game. But the main thing that sticks in my mind was that it was an amazing atmosphere.”

Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director at Cricket Ireland, said “We’re delighted that Nathan will be joining the high performance staff and look forward to getting him over here to start working with our spin groups. Filling this role now completes our elite coaching restructure and provides what we believe is a great coaching and support team around our performance squads.

“Not only will Nathan’s skills and experience be invaluable to our spinners in both the men’s and women’s squads, but he will also be looking at the next generation coming through the pathway system.”

Hauritz will join the Irish set-up in August, subject to a work permit.

Also read: Virat Kohli returns to form at almost the perfect time

Melbourne, May 13 (Cricket news) Kolkata Knight Riders pace spearhead Pat Cummins will not take part in the remainder of the IPL and has left for home to recover from a minor hip injury.

His franchise confirmed the development on Friday, few hours after a report in cricket.com.au said that the Australian Test captain, who was roped in by KKR for Rs 7.25 crore, is returning to Sydney for his rehabilitation ahead of the national team's tour of Sri Lanka next month.

"Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the remainder of the TATA Indian Premier League with a mild hip injury and has returned to Australia for two weeks of rest and rehabilitation," stated the official release.

Cummins' recovery is expected to take a fortnight.

Before leaving for Australia, Cummins said, "I had an amazing time in India, and I would like to thank KKR for taking care of my family and me. I wish all the team members the best of luck for the remainder of the tournament. I will be watching the games and be cheering on." Following the match against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, Cummins, who bagged 3-22 from his four overs, underwent an MRI on his right hip.

KKR, who will take on SunRisers Hyderabad in Pune on Saturday, has not asked for any replacement for Cummins.

Besides leading the Australian Test side, Cummins is also a vital member of the ODI and T20 teams.

The Sri Lanka tour will be followed by Australia's T20 World Cup title defence at home, a five-Test home summer, a Test tour of India and an away Ashes campaign.

The Aussies will then return to India for the ODI World Cup in October 2023.

The KKR team management, however, is yet to confirm the development.

Cummins played only five matches in the IPL this year and picked up seven wickets at a strike rate of 17.0.

With the bat, he scored 63 runs, which includes a blazing 14-ball 56 not out against Mumbai Indians -- the joint fastest fifty in the history of the IPL -- last month.

KKR are on the brink of elimination, having logged just 10 points from 12 games. 

Also Read : IPL 2022: SRH face KKR in battle of survival

News Source : PTI

(Football news)  The largest contributing market to LaLiga viewership on Viacom18 in India is Kerala, with a 23% viewership contribution to the sport coming from the southern state. Within the south cluster, 42% of the audience tune-ins for the live matches come from Kerala market as well. LaLiga matches and content are broadcast in India on MTV and Sports18 channels, along with Voot Select platform. The Spanish league, celebrating ‘Five Years in India’ since the opening of its Indian office, celebrated the milestone in Kochi, Kerala today with Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, LaLiga India and Aakriti Vohra, India Delegate, LaLiga Global Network participating in the event.

The growth in audience has been a result of focused initiatives from LaLiga to establish a deeper connection with the existing fanbase and increase accessibility of the global-quality product for potential fans in the region and country. Several of these major initiatives have been undertaken in Kerala, including the first-ever LaLiga club visit to India when Girona FC played matches against A-League’s Melbourne FC and ISL’s Kerala Blasters in the Toyota Yaris LaLiga World Tournament in Kochi in 2018, visit of LaLiga Legend and Ambassador, Fernando Morientes to Kochi, launch of the flagship LaLiga Football Schools programme in Kerala and many more. 

Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, LaLiga India, said, “Our audience base in Kerala has been growing consistently for the last five years. The love and passion the people here have for football is a well-known fact and their appreciation for a world-class product is visible to us. The fact that LaLiga clubs have remained at the top of European football for the last 15 years, along with our focused efforts in the region, have contributed towards increasing the following and audience. We are committed to strengthening this connection we have with fans here by improving their viewing experience, organizing engagements for fans and much more.”

The New Delhi office of LaLiga, which is the league’s second office in Asia, was set up in 2017. In the five years since, LaLiga has expanded the fan base exponentially, grown social audience by 2000%, established grassroots programs and built strong relations with leading Indian companies like BKT, Dream11 and HeroVired. Other landmark initiatives include signing the Indian Men’s Cricket Team Captain, Rohit Sharma as LaLiga’s first-ever Brand Ambassador in India, bringing Girona FC to Kerala to play matches in India, organizing large fan viewings and events with several of the most renowned LaLiga Legends visiting and many more.

Also read: Real Madrid shortlist two players for the position of backup striker

Melbourne, May 10 (Cricket News) India will gear up for the ICC T20 World Cup with a home series against Australia featuring three T20 internationals in September later this year.

According to a report in foxsports.com.au, "Australia will play a number of white ball series with home games against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies and England coming either side of three T20s in India in September." The series will serve as a preparation for the showpiece event to be held in Australia in October and November this year.

Next year, Australia is also set to tour India for a four-Test tour in February and March.

India's next assignment is a five-match T20 series against South Africa at home from June 9 to 19, followed by a tour of Ireland for two T20Is.

The Rohit Sharma-led side then takes on England in the rescheduled fifth and final Test, which was postponed last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp, on July 1.

The 'Men in Blue' are then scheduled to play a white-ball series including three T20s and as many ODIs against England. 

Also Read : Kolkata Knight Riders remain in competition with big win over Mumbai Indians

News Source : PTI

(Motorsport) Formula 1 will be making its debut in Miami this weekend and it promises to be an exciting one! The track is designed around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium and the sporting spectacle is already sold out amid the growing popularity of Formula 1 in the United States. The Miami International Autodrome is the 11th venue to host a race in the US while the Miami Grand Prix will be the 61st race to take place in the country. 

One of the biggest reasons for the growing popularity of Formula 1 in the United States is undoubtedly Netflix’s Drive to Survive show. With the tv show ratings high and cars more competitive than ever, there’s enough and more to look forward to in Miami. Speaking ahead of the race, seven time World Champion Lewis Hamilton said “I love Miami, I've been here many many times... but to have a grand prix here is something super special. I hope we put on a good show for you guys." 

The Miami street circuit has been built around the Hard Rock Stadium’s car park and drivers are already impressed by the layout and overall design, comparing it to Baku, Jeddah and Melbourne. The track features a number of quick corners, a few long straights and plenty of overtaking opportunities, featuring three DRF zones. The race will feature 57 laps and qualification timings are expected to be under 90 seconds. As things stand, reigning champion Max Verstappen appears to be the favourite to win while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is a close second. 

One of the most attractive features of the track is the marina from a visual/spectator perspective. The Marina has been artificially built especially for the race in an attempt to imitate the one in Monaco and does not actually have water. Instead, it has blue paint and boats. Recent results have meant that Ferrari’s lead over Red Bull has been reduced to just 11 points in the Constructors Standings while 27 points separate leader Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Carlos Sainz will be hoping to have a positive result this time around while Mercedes will hope that their upgrades pay dividends so that the car is back in contention at the top of the grid.

Also read: Formula 1: FIA plan to feature more sprint races in 2023 season

(Motorsports news) Max Verstappen bounced back from a miserable Melbourne Grand Prix to take an unbelievable pole at Imola in the wet. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took P2 after being hampered by a flurry of late red flags, while Lando Norris managed an excellent P3 on the grid for McLaren, which was subsequently their best qualifying result this season. Leclerc easily topped Final Practice before Friday’s qualifying session. As the rain subsided and the other drivers emerged on soft tyres for Q1, in which Leclerc again set the fastest time to go half a second ahead of Verstappen. Q2 saw a greater threat of rain, but this time Verstappen topped those timesheets before Sainz crashed from P2 and then Q3 saw the clouds unleashed.

All the drivers opted for the Intermediates for the final shootout and it was there that Verstappen set the early benchmark of 1m 27.999,  just as Valtteri Bottas crashed out and brought out the fourth red flag of the afternoon with just three minutes remaining. Nearly eight-tenths of Leclerc had one last chance to take  provisional pole away from the reigning champion but he was left 0.799s off from Max’s time. Norris took third for McLaren but slid off track in the final seconds of Q3, while Kevin Magnussen finished a magnificent  fourth for Haas and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top five for Alpine.

In sixth it was Daniel Ricciardo while Sergio Perez could only manage P7 for Red Bull, ahead of Bottas who was eighth before crashing. Vettel managed to enter Q3 in his Aston Martin and took a respectable  P9 to leave Ferrari's Sainz in P10 after crashing out of Q2. But the surprise of the day was that both the Mercedes missed out on Q3, both George Russell (P11) and Lewis Hamilton (P13) in the drop zone before rain hit in Q2 as this was the first time since Japan 2012. Mick Schumacher was P12 while Zhou Guanyu was 14th as Lance Stroll was 15th for Aston Martin.

“It was tricky out there with the rain… It was very slippery to get the tyre temps to work. It was a hectic, long qualifying but of course at the end I was happy to be here. It’s an amazing track, it also really punishes you if you make a mistake, you know you can go in the wall. That’s what we like to make it really hard and difficult.

“Very pleased of course with pole position. I know tomorrow and Sunday will be different in terms of weather conditions but at least it’s a good start to the weekend” – Max Verstappen, Red Bull

Also read: Carlos Sainz extends contract with Scuderia Ferrari until 2024
 

Melbourne, Apr 14 (Cricket News) Australian men's team assistant coach Jeff Vaughan has stepped down from his role to take up coaching duties at state side Tasmania.

The development comes close on the heels of Andrew McDonald's appointment as Australia's head coach.

"I feel very fortunate with how everything has worked out," Vaughan said in a statement.

"I have been connected to the program throughout and am confident that I have continued to develop my coaching and leadership skillset to assist the development of the Tigers' program holistically and for the players as individuals." He thanked Cricket Australia for the opportunities he received while he was part of the national squad.

"I'm incredibly grateful to Cricket Australia for the opportunity, and to Cricket Tasmania for being so open-minded about my return, so I really can't wait to just get stuck in and am looking forward to maintaining the direction of the program for an extended period of time." Vaughan was appointed Australia's assistant coach in July 2021 alongside Michael Di Venuto and was part of the team's T20 World Cup triumph last year along with the Test series wins over England at home, and more recently, in Pakistan. 

Also Read : PBKS hand MI 5th consecutive defeat courtesy of Dhawan and Agarwal

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London, Apr 12 (Sports News) Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games with the Australian state's regional centres organising the majority of events in a break from the traditional single host city model.

The Games will be staged in March 2026 across multiple cities and regional hubs including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, each with its own athletes' village.

The opening ceremony will take place at the iconic 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced on Tuesday.

The announcement follows an exclusive dialogue period between the CGF, Commonwealth Games Australia (CGAus) and Victoria.

An initial list of 16 sports, including Twenty20 cricket, have been put forward for the Games, with further sports to be added later this year.

The initial list, however, does not feature disciplines such as shooting and wrestling, sports in which India has done well in the previous editions of the sporting extravaganza.

Archery also does not feature in the list.

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said: "It's a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games - we can't wait to welcome the world to all of our state.

"The Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria is great for jobs, hospitality and our economy." Australia has staged the Commonwealth Games on five occasions, with Victoria playing host to the Melbourne 2006 Games; widely considered one of the most successful editions of the event in history.

The country has also staged the Games in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and most recently Gold Coast in 2018. Victoria has also hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo in 2004.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: "The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria.

"Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision for hosting our major multi-sport event. In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey." As per the CGF's new "strategic roadmap" unveiled at its 2021 General Assembly on October 11, athletics and swimming will be the only compulsory sports in the CWG from the 2026 edition, allowing host cities greater freedom to include disciplines of their choice from a proposed core list of 22 sports.

The proposed core list of the Commonwealth Games Federation after a review includes shooting, wrestling and archery. Disciplines that have previously been listed as optional sports such as T20 cricket, beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball were also brought under the proposed core list of sports.

The roadmap was approved at the CGF's General Assembly, which was held virtually last year.

The 2026 Games will be the 23rd edition of the major multi-sport competition, which first began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.

Victoria is a world-leading major events and tourism destination. The state has a strong track record for staging high profile sporting competitions including The Australian Open tennis grand slam, the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup.

The state also regularly hosts elite cricket, golf and Australian Rules Football competition. 

Also Read : India to host the 44th Chess Olympiad

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(Sports news) The 2026 Commonwealth Games has been officially awarded to the Australian state of Victoria. It will be the sixth time the Games will be hosted in the land down under but the first time in Victoria. The event will be held across multiple cities including Melbourne, which was the venue for the 2006 Games and 16 sports have already been confirmed for the initial programme with seven more yet to be added.

CGF president Dame Louise Martin said “The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria. Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision that provides an exciting new blueprint for hosting our major multi-sport event.”

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held across cities like Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, with each town having its athlete's village and the opening ceremony will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Daniel Andrews (Premier of Victoria) said “It's a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games - we can't wait to welcome the world to all of our states. The Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria is great for jobs, hospitality and our economy.”

Also read: Should trans women compete against biological women in sports?

(Tennis news) Current World No 1 Ashleigh Barty shocked the world when the 25 year old announced her retirement. The news sent shockwaves, not just in the tennis world but throughout the sporting industry because less than two months ago, she won the Australian Open for her third Grand Slam singles title and became the first Australian player in 44 years to triumph at the nation's Grand Slam tournament.

This is not the first time Barty has walked away from tennis. She was the Wimbledon junior champion at age 15 in 2011 and looked like she would choose tennis as her professional sport  but left the tour entirely for nearly two years in 2014 because of burnout, as she was overwhelmed by the pressure and travel required during the tours. She came back home and started playing professional cricket in Australia, then eventually picked up a racket once again and returned to tennis. 

Barty went on to win her first singles major championships on three different surfaces, first on clay at the 2019 French Open, then on grass at Wimbledon last year and recently won on the hard courts at Melbourne Park in January. Barty has gone on to win 15 tour level titles in singles and another 12 in doubles since first turning pro in 2010. She has spent 121 weeks at No. 1 in the rankings, including the past 114 in a row, which is quite an achievement since the women’s draw is quite competitive and open.

Her announcement was all the more shocking from an on-court perspective given that her recent run of success was quite extraordinary: Barty had won 25 of her past 26 matches and three of her past four events she participated in. Only one other woman who has walked away from the sport while being at the top of the WTA rankings was Justine Henin who was the former No. 1 when she retired in May 2008, after she spent around  61 weeks ranked at the top. Henin was also 25 at the time of her retirement, but she came back two years after her announcement, reaching the final of the 2010 Australian Open before stepping away for good in 2011.

"I'm so happy and I'm so ready. I just know at the moment, in my heart, for me as a person, this is right," Barty said. “It's the first time I've actually said it out loud and, yeah, it's hard to say.'' Barty said of her decision to retire, which she announced during an informal interview with her former doubles partner, Casey Dellacqua, "I don't have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level any more. I am spent.''

"I know I've done this before,'' Barty said with a laugh in the retirement video, "but with a very different feeling. I'm so grateful to everything that tennis has given me. It's given me all of my dreams, plus more, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to, yeah, put the rackets down.'

"I'll never, ever, ever stop loving tennis,'' she said. "It will always be a massive part of my life, but now I think it's important I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person, not Ash Barty the athlete.'

"I am so supportive of Ash that she does what makes her happy,'' Goolagong Cawley told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter of Ash's life, and what helps her achieve her dreams.''

Rawalpindi, Mar 8 (Cricket News) The pitch at the Rawalpindi stadium has been receiving negative reactions from all corners but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) does not think that the ICC will rate it 'poor' or 'not up to the mark' for Test cricket.

The Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia ended in a high-scoring draw but visiting skipper Pat Cummins and top batter Steve Smith were not impressed with the quality of the strip.

"Turning up to a pitch that's probably not a traditional pitch you would get here in Rawalpindi, and it's probably clear they've made an effort to try and nullify the pace bowling," Cummins said.

On the fourth day, Smith, who made 78, described the pitch as "dead".

"There's not a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers, that's for sure," said Smith.

It has been reported that the ICC match referee, Ranjan Madugalle could report it to the world body for not being up to Test cricket standards.

However a PCB source didn't see it happening.

"The ICC takes notices when a pitch is deemed dangerous and unfit for Test cricket," the source said.

Pakistan scored 476 runs in their first innings for loss of just four wickets. In response, Australia scored 459. Pakistan then hammered 252 runs for no loss in second essay, without losing a wicket.

The batters scored at an average of 84.09 runs per wicket which is the highest recorded since the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Test in Galle in 2013 (84.89).

According to ICC guidelines, a Test pitch should have a seam, bounce, spin, and carry at different stages to make an equal match for the batters and bowlers, slightly favouring the bowlers more.

A pitch is considered “poor” if it deprives the bowlers of a fair contest between bat and ball.

After the new ICC rules, the Wanderers Test pitch in South Africa was considered “poor” in 2018. That had played opposite of the Rawalpindi track and was dangerous for the batsman.

According to some Pakistan media reports, the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium may come under the radar of the ICC as only 11 wickets fell in the first four days of the match.

Ranjan Madugalle has previously rated a pitch 'poor' for being unacceptable at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the 2017 Ashes Test.

Under ICC laws if the pitch is rated poor by the match referee, the Pindi Cricket Stadium will receive three demerit points.

Any ground that receives five demerit points in five years is suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months. 

Also Read : Raj, Mandhana slip two places in ICC Women's ODI Player rankings, Lannings grabs 2nd spot

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Melbourne, Mar 7 (Cricket News) Former Australia captain Greg Chappell on Monday paid glowing tributes to Shane Warne, describing the spin legend as an illusionist first and then a spinner, who mesmerized the world with his craft and took it to an altogether different level.

Warne died at the age of 52 due to a suspected heart attack at the Koh Samui island in Thailand on Friday, leaving the world stunned and shell-shocked.

"When I think of Shane Warne, I think of the words of American naturalist, poet and writer Henry David Thoreau: 'It's not what you look at, it is what you see.' Shane Warne was an illusionist first and a great leg-spin bowler second," Chappell wrote in his column for 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"I was fortunate to get to know Shane well in his post-cricket days by playing numerous games of golf with him at one of his favourite courses, Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club in Thornton, Victoria. You get to know someone pretty well when you spend four hours with them on the golf course and then as many again over post-round replays." Chappell said Warne was just more than a great leg-spinner as he inspired a generation of cricketers to take up his craft.

"Shane was more than just a leg spinner. He was an entertainer with enormous charisma who attracted attention wherever he went. His success generated millions of viewers to the game and brought the art of leg spin to life.

"It also spawned a new generation of leg spinners who tried to walk up to the crease and let it rip! What they didn't have was Shane's brute strength and native cunning, so very few have reached great heights," he said. Chappell, a former India coach, feels Warne's public perception was "coloured" and misunderstood.

"What you got with Shane wasn't necessarily what you saw. You only got what he let you see. Most people’s impressions of him were coloured by what they gleaned from the way he was depicted in the media. That, often, only touched the surface," he wrote.

"Shane was the quintessential competitor. He loved games and he loved to pit himself against an opponent where he could utilise his mental acuity and his enormously strong self-belief. I have often experienced his uncanny ability to will the magical to happen.

"He had so much belief in his superpowers that he was usually staggered when it didn’t come off. It was invariably written off to extreme bad luck. Some of his golf opponents tried to use this against him by telling him how unlucky he was, but it is hard to kid a kidder," Chappell added. 

Also Read : Ponting says every time he thinks about Warne, he becomes emotional

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Dubai, Mar 7 (Cricket News) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting "loves" Shane Warne so much that he tends to switch off his television set on hearing the late spin king's voice in it in the past couple of days as he can't still believe that his one-time team-mate is no more.

In an emotional tribute to Warne with whom he played for much of his 15-year international career, Ponting said he is still struggling to comprehend the unexpected death of his close friend.

"It was so raw to me I couldn't really speak and every time I thought about him and our experiences and our journey together and I just got short for words," Ponting told Isa Guha, on The ICC Review.

"Even today I have had the TV on watching the tributes, but every time I hear his voice I have to turn it off.

"It's been a tough couple of days, but it makes us a bit more aware of things I probably need to pay more attention to and there is stuff there for all of us to learn.” Ponting knew Warne better than most having played alongside the iconic spinner for much of his international career, where the duo shared numerous Test victories, memorable series triumphs and a successful World Cup campaign in 1999.

But while Ponting lived in the same Melbourne bayside suburb as Warne and even caught up for the occasional game of golf all the way up to his death, the former Australia skipper said there was one thing he will never get to share with his long-time friend.

"I would say just how much I love him," Ponting said tearily, when asked what he would say to Warne if he had the chance for one final conversation.

"I didn't say that to him and I wish I did." Warne died at the age of 52 of suspected heart attack at the Thai resort of Koh Samui on Friday, leaving the cricket world stunned and shell-shocked.

"I woke up nice and early I was getting the kids ready to go to netball and Rianna (Ponting’s wife) looked at her phone and told me the news about Warney," he said.

"I grabbed the phone out of her hand to look at it and I couldn't believe it and it is still the same now," said the legendary batsman.

He vowed to ensure the champion leg spinner's legacy continues through his interactions with younger generation.

"He (Warne) was a teacher through his commentary and I've seen hundreds of photos over the last 24 hours of all the spinners he worked with. He helped Steve Smith in his younger days and Rashid Khan has been catching up with him - just imagine the conversations they would have had.

"So I feel it is now up to me whenever I get an opportunity to just let the world know what he was like and pass on some of the things I learnt from him." Ponting also reflected on the special memories he had with Warne while also paying homage to the type of man he was.

"If you spent a day with him (it was amazing to) see some of the names flashing up on his mobile phone.

"It was very rare for Warney just to be sitting at home. He would always try and find time for his friends and his family and that was one of his great strengths," Ponting said.

"The more people talking about Shane, the thing that will shine through will be just how loyal he was to family and friends and how loved he was. He had the energy that drew you to him and that is a trait that not a lot of people have." 

Also Read : India register emphatic win against Sri Lanka with multiple milestones 

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Melbourne, Mar 7 (Cricket News) Shaken by the death of his "true friend" Shane Warne, former Australia captain Michael Clarke said while cricket will miss it's Michael Jordan, he is mourning the loss of a man who would drop everything to be there for him through thick and thin.

Clarke and Warne shared great camaraderie both on and off the field. Clarke often said that the spin legend understood him much better than most and became his pillar of strength during difficult times in every aspect of his life.

Warne breathed his last on Saturday after suffering a heart attack in Thailand. He was 52.

"Cricket has always been a game of numbers and one simple number sums up my relationship with Shane Warne - 23," Clarke wrote in a column for 'the Daily Telegraph'.

"...it was not a done thing in cricket for a shirt number to be handed down. But all that changed when Warnie came up to me and told me he wanted me to take on his No. 23 that he wore in one-day cricket.

"...I am forever grateful for that and I will hang onto that honour for the rest of my life. For me, that simple act of handing me his number embodies the fact that he is the person who supported me more than anyone else," he recalled.

Clarke once again said that no one understood him and allowed him to be completely himself like Warne.

"I don't know why he was so open, kind and generous and loving towards me from day one – but he was," he said.

"There wasn't a time I couldn't pick up the phone. There wasn't a time I couldn't cry. There wasn't a time when, whatever it was I needed – he wouldn't drop everything to be my friend.

"That is what makes this so difficult." Warne's loss is a huge personal blow to Clarke, who lost another close friend in Phil Hughes in 2014 after he was hit on the neck by a bouncer during a domestic match.

Clarke sobbed through his gut-wrenching tribute to Hughes during his funeral and was also one of the pall-bearers.

He shared a similarly close bond with Warne even though the start of his international stint coincided with the last leg of Warne's career. "Everyone is rightly talking about the legend that Warnie was. If he's not the greatest ever Australian cricketer, then he is equal to Sir Donald Bradman. He is – as his No. 23 said – the Michael Jordan of cricket," Clarke said referring to the American basketball legend.

"But all that stuff is secondary to the friend he became to me and so many others around the game. Shane Keith Warne was loyal to the bone and would do anything for the people that he loved.

"We spoke two days before he passed away last week and he seemed as happy as ever." Clarke said he had planned to visit Warne and take his new car for a ride after the icon's return from Thailand. The 40-year-old also remembered the huge influence Warne had on his captaincy.

"I was always willing to risk losing to win and that was always the way he played, and he wanted me to play the game with that aggressive approach and encouraged me to be involved in the game anywhere I could, rather than sit back," he said.

"The people I played with for Australia saw how much Warnie had my back as a teammate. And when he commented on my matches, even I used to think he was biased towards me! I'd get a duck and play a shit shot, and he'd say it was a good ball." 

Also Read : Ranji: 7 teams including Mumbai, Bengal, Karnataka qualify for quarters directly

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Melbourne, Mar 4 (Cricket News) Former Australia spinner Shane Warne, considered as one of the all-time greats of the game who redefined spin bowling, has died of a suspected heart attack in Thailand, according to media reports here quoting a statement from his management.

He was 52.

According to 'foxsports.com.au', Warne's management released a brief statement that Warne passed away in Thailand and the reason could be a suspected heart attack.

"Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived," the statement reported by the website said.

"The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course." An iconic name in international cricket, Warne, since making his debut in 1992, played 145 Tests for Australia, picking up 708 wickets. In his 194 ODI appearances, Warne Pared 293 scalps. 

Also Read : Maharashtra post 462, UP 62/1 in reply on Day 2

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(Tennis news) Rafael Nadal extended his unbeaten run to 12 matches as he defeated Stefan Kozlov 6-0 6-3 to progress into the quarterfinals of the Mexico Open. It has been the Spaniard’s best start to a season since 2014 when he was unbeaten for 11 games before falling to Stan Wawrinka in the finals of the Australian Open. 

The 35 year old will be facing Tommy Paul for a place in the semifinals of the tournament after which he could potentially face world number 2 Daniil Medvedev who he defeated in the finals at Melbourne in January. Speaking after his 76 minute match against Kozlov, Nadal said “It's always important to win as quick as possible but the most important thing is to win. Tonight has been straight sets - that's great news, and I'll try to be ready for tomorrow against a tough opponent." 

Meanwhile, Russia’s Daniil Medvedev defeated Spain's Pablo Andujar 6-1 6-2 in just 64 minutes to progress into the quarterfinals. Medvedev will face Yoshihito Nishioka in the next match and will aim to win the tournament and progress to the top spot in the world rankings at the expense of Novak Djokovic by winning the title. 

Britain’s Cameron Norrie was also one of the victors as he defeated America’s John Isner 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-4. Norrie will face Germany's Peter Gojowczyk in the quarterfinals. World number four Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated American qualifier JJ Wolf 6-1 6-0 in just 47 minutes to progress into the quarterfinals where he will face America’s Marcos Giron. 

One of the controversial moments from the tournament has been when world number three Alexander Zverev was thrown out of the Mexico Open due to ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ when the German attacked the umpire’s chair at the end of a doubles match. A statement released by the ATP said “Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco”. 

As a result, Zverev’s opponent Peter Gojowczyk will be given a walkover in the third round. The 24 year old German took to Instagram to apologise for his actions, calling his behaviour “unacceptable”. Zverev said he had "privately apologised" to umpire Alessandro Germani and that he was “disappointed in myself”. He wrote “As you know, I leave everything on the court. Yesterday, I left too much. I am going to take the coming days to reflect - on my actions and how I can ensure that it will not happen again." 

Also read: Ostapenko sets up rematch with Krejcikova at Doha, Kvitova issues walkover

Melbourne, Feb 22 (Cricket News) Australia's star players, including David Warner, Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins, will miss the start of the IPL despite skipping the limited overs series against Pakistan, which is set to coincide with the lucrative T20 league.

Though the BCCI hasn't officially announced the dates of IPL-15, the league is expected to begin in the last week of March.

Warner, Hazelwood and Cummins are part of the Test squad for the series in Pakistan, starting March 4-25, but will be skipping the limited overs assignment, beginning March 29.

However, they won't be able to link up with their IPL teams before April 5 as Australia's selection committee chief George Bailey made it clear on Tuesday that centrally contracted players who are not part of the limited-overs matches against Pakistan will not be available for the league until the bilateral series ends.

Hence, the trio will return home following the Tests in Pakistan and prior to starting their IPL stints in India.

The likes of all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, pacers Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis will also miss the start of the league as they are part of the Australian squad for the three ODIs and one T20I against Pakistan.

"I fully respect the IPL as a tournament. I think they're at the forefront of the T20 game," Bailey was quoted a saying by cricket.com.au.

"I think it's been a really important tournament for the skill development of some of our players, so it's important not to underestimate that going forward," he said.

Bailey added that "the protocols that would dictate no centrally contracted Australia player was available to join an IPL team until April 6 were being finalised by CA's Executive General Manager High Performance and National Teams, Ben Oliver." The likes of Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Tim David, who are not bound by CA contracts, will be free to join the IPL from the start.

While Warner was bought by the Ricky Ponting-coached Delhi Capitals, Hazlewood will join the Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Cummins will return to Kolkata Knight Riders.

Also Read : Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan are back in the squad against Afghanistan

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(Tennis news) Jelena Ostapenko battled four Grand Slam champions and was a point away from making an exit in the semifinals at Dubai but it did not stop her from winning a 5th career title. Ostapenko was making her 5th appearance at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships and had one victory in her last 4 visits. She defeated Veronika Kudermetova 6-0, 6-4 in 65 minutes, Kudermetova was playing in her third career final and the second one this year after Melbourne.

The Russian is now ranked at a career-best of 25 after her results over the past week. Ostapenko broke into the top 15 with a ranking of 13 which is her highest in 4 years, she started the year at 28 and has a possibility of entering the top 10 again.

"I was fighting until the very last point, I even was down a match point against Petra Kvitova," said Ostapenko. "Every match was very tough, and I was fighting, that was the main thing I was doing, because I honestly had no other choice. But I’m really happy with the way I was playing all week, and I think this way I can gain more confidence."

The former world number 5 spent over 8 and half hours on court and lost three sets in 5 matches at Dubai. The Latvian only needed 22 minutes to take the first set as the winners kept coming, especially her backhand which was at its peak while hitting cross-court winners. Kudermetova was failing badly to land her first serves in as there were only 4 of them and overall won 5 points in her service games. Although Ostapenko did not serve a single ace in the match, the 2017 Roland Garros champion lost just three points of her serve in the opening set.

After the first set bagel, the 2021 Charleston winner retaliated in the second by converting all three breakpoints and broke serve in the opening game. Ostapenko started punching the returns as she made it 2-2 and broke serve in the 8th game to serve for the match at 5-3. The four time title winner had no answer to her opponent’s forehand as it looked like Kudermetova had a chance to extend the set when she took the game to make it 5-4. After saving a championship point, a forehand into the net gave Ostapenko her first title of the season.

In the women’s doubles, Kudermetova gained revenge along with Elise Mertens as the pair beat Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok in the final. It was a much more lucid affair as Kudermetova and Mertens only lost four games in a match that lasted for 58 minutes. It was the Belgian’s 15th career doubles title as for the young Russian it was her 3rd doubles title. Kudermetova and Mertens defeated Ostapenko and Kichenok 6-1, 6-3.

Also read: Ostapenko reaches final at Dubai, Kudermetova receives walkover

(Cricket news) The Sri Lanka tour of Australia has so far been a huge success for the hosts as the visitors have been winless in the T20 series. The fifth and final T20 will be played on February 20 as the Lankans are desperately looking for a victory and end the series on a winning note.

For Australia, everything has gone right in the last four matches. Josh Inglis has had a sparkling debut for the team with 132 runs in 4 matches and is the second leading runs scorer behind Pathum Nissanka. Glenn Maxwell has been in form in the last two matches and needs 5 more runs to become the second batter from Australia after David Warner to score more than 400 runs against Sri Lanka in T20s. The right hand batter has been dismissed twice by Maheesh Theekshana and once by Wanindu Hasaranga in the series depicting his weakness in tackling spinners. Ben McDermott has been the only one from the side to score a half century as the series has been a low scoring contest. Captain Aaron Finch has not yet scored a big one as the power hitter demoted himself to number 3 in the previous match.

Adam Zampa has been leading the spin attack while Kane Richardson and Josh Hazlewood have been the top wicket takers. Hazlewood took 4 for 12 in the first match and took 3 more in the next one for 22 runs. Ashton Agar only conceded 28 runs in the last two matches while taking 2 wickets, Mitchell Starc has not been able to deliver while Pat Cummins has also struggled to strike. 

Australia needs one more victory to complete a whitewash in the T20 series against Sri Lanka. The hosts are on a 9 match winning streak against the visitors which started in 2017, the last time Lankans beat Australia was on this day 5 years back at Geelong. 

Sri Lanka had a 5 match winning streak from 2010 to 2013 which included victories at Sydney and Melbourne. They must bring back the form to end the series with at least one win and hope Melbourne ends their luck in the format. Pathum Nissanka has been the only player from the side to make a notefull contribution as he is the leading run scorer with 171 runs and scored 73 in the second match which has been the highest score of the series. No batter from the side other than the opener has scored 100 runs on tour, runs have not come by much so far and their fate will be the same if they fail to put up a decent score in the final.

Theekshana, Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera have taken 5 wickets each. Chameera has been the top pace bowler for the side in terms of wickets and runs. While Theekshana was expensive in the first two matches, he has brought down the economy by a huge margin in the last two matches. The side will be under pressure but make sure their batters light the fireworks as the bowlers have been guarding the team so far.

Also read: India win last over thriller against West Indies to seal T20 series

(Tennis news) The rain delayed fourth round matches set up an exciting quarter final clash at the Rio Open. Matteo Berrettini was tested by Thiago Monteiro and the weather as a six hour rain delay further pushed up the proceedings. Berrettini was using forehand to the maximum as it looked deployable in all rallies, a cross forehand gave him the first break of the match which was more than enough to take the opening set. 

In the second set, the Brazilian began using his forehand which was not as fast but was placed well and the world number 6 is not known for his speed around the court. The 27 year old took a 4-1 lead but lost his flair with the strokes and the Italian paced himself to take it to the tiebreaker. In the tiebreak, Berrettini was clearly the better player as he reached matchpoint with a decisive forehand dropshot which made the wildcard miss his footing, in the next a scathing forehand attack implied the match like the rain will continue for some more time. 

After saving match points in the second set, Monteiro was given a chance in the decider as the rain again halted play in the 8th game when he was facing breakpoint. After a few hours, the players were back on the court and the crowd was hoping for their players to replenish their energy during the break. It only seemed to have made the right hander stronger as he served well and picked up 3 match points in the 9th game in which one point was saved with a brave forehand pass by the world number 106. The 25 year old hit a few punishing forehands which made Monteiro move out of the court and then a sudden forehand dropshot to end a well set up rally and enter the quarterfinals. Berrettini defeated Monteiro 6-4, 6-7(6-8), 6-3.

Carlos Alcaraz had only played 3 matches before coming to Rio but has a deep attachment with clay. Alcaraz was facing Federico Delbonis for the first time who had played 10 matches before coming to the event and had reached the semifinals at Buenos Aires. The Spaniard did not make any hasty decisions on the first set as he did not commit many unforced errors. The thought of the match being delayed for almost 48 hours might have hit Delbonis as he tried to speed up the match at the start which caused the break and even though his tactics changed it did not affect the teenager.

In the second set, the Argentine took no chances as he successfully attacked the world number 29 for a 4-2 lead. The forehand errors especially the ones from the baseline, the half volleys kept going out for the 31 year old. In the tie break, Alcaraz’s aura was too powerful as he had 5 match points in hand and needed just one to finally end the round of 16 match. Alcaraz defeated Delbonis 6-4, 7-6(7-1). 

On his third meeting with Berrettini, Alcaraz added: "Everyone knows the level of Matteo. I lifted myself in Melbourne, but I think on clay it's going to be a little bit different. His serve is not going to be as dangerous as on hard court. But I'm really excited to play against him. We've played great battles." The pair has met twice in hardcourts, both have shared victories and this will be their first meeting on clay.

Also read: Francisco Cerundolo continues winning run on clay at the Rio Open

Melbourne, Feb 16 (Cricket News) Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is set to miss the tour of Pakistan and the initial few games of Indian Premier League due to his wedding next month.

Maxwell told 'Fox Sports' that the clash was unavoidable due to changes in the schedule. He is one of the retained players by Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside Virat Kohli and Mohammad Siraj.

"Originally when I organised the dates with CA there was a two-week gap where I could potentially have it," Maxwell said after the third T20 against Sri Lanka in Canberra.

"So when I sorted that out I was pretty happy that I wasn't going to be missing in any series. And then I came to the [CA] contract meeting midway through last year and they said well this is [when] the Pakistan series [is on] and I thought well obviously that's changed since the last conversation we had." The IPL is expected to start in last week of March and Pakistan limited overs tour is scheduled from March 29.

Richardson feels leaving IPL early last season contributed to him and Zampa being unsold at the auction ============================================== The Australian duo of pacer Kane Richardson and spinner Adam Zampa had left India due to the devastating COVID-19 wave before the IPL was eventually suspended last year.

Both bowlers had no takers in the IPL mega auctions held last week.

Richardson was more surprised about Zampa going unsold.

"I was definitely more shocked for him. To be brutally honest, when we left last year, in the circumstances early, I remember having a conversation with him.

"I said to him, look, this may come back and bite us, and at that time it wasn't a priority for us to be there. We wanted to get back to Australia." "So I think there'd be some kind of buyers that'd be pretty wary of picking us up thinking that we wouldn't come again. I definitely think that's a factor," Richardson said.

The right-arm pacer had missed the 2020 IPL due to the birth of his child. He said he understood why the IPL teams did not bid for him but he has not spoken to any of them.

"I'm just speaking on what I think would be a factor in it. I don't know. I've never had a dialogue with a franchise or a person that says that's what would be the case. But I think I didn't go the year before as well with the birth of my boy.

"So my reputation probably is that in the last couple of years I haven't gone so it's obviously not something that I am.

"I try and play as much cricket as I can. But I think the circumstances in the last couple of IPLs have made me not go. But it's not a reputation I want," he added. 

Also Read : IPL auction is done and dusted, it's about giving best for West Indies now: Pollard

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Feb 15 (Cricket News) India skipper Mithali Raj maintained her second spot in the ICC Women's ODI player rankings even as New Zealand batter Amy Satterthwaite moved up to number three after a splendid show in the series-opener against India.

Raj made 59 off 73 balls in India's 62-run defeat in the first ODI of the five-match series in Queenstown.

Satterthwaite, who smashed a 67-ball 63 and was involved in an important 98-run third wicket partnership with opener Suzie Bates, has overtaken Australia's Beth Mooney with a gain of 13 rating points.

She is now 15 rating points behind Raj, who is second with 744 in the list led by Australia opener Alyssa Healy who has 749 rating points.

Bates' 11th ODI hundred, which helped her team take a 1-0 lead in the series, has lifted her into the world's top 20 batters in ODIs for the first time in six months.

The former captain has advanced five places to 17th position in the latest weekly update that includes the last match of the Australia-England series.

Australia completed their Ashes triumph with another comfortable victory in the final ODI in Melbourne last week.

Tammy Beaumont returned to form for England with a half-century, as did Meg Lanning with an unbeaten 57, allowing both batters to gain three places for their efforts.

Beaumont and Lanning are now in fourth and fifth positions, respectively, with just one rating point separating them.

In the bowlers' list, England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was a bright spark in the final ODI, bowling her 10-over allocation and conceding just 18 runs while dismissing Rachael Haynes, taking an an excellent catch off her own bowling.

She has moved a place up to second, closing in on the opportunity to top both the ODI and T20I bowling rankings at the same time.

Ellyse Perry's return to all-round excellence also enabled her to gain three places with the ball and increase her lead over second placed Nat Sciver in the all-rounders’ table to an impressive 87 rating points.

New Zealand’s Lea Tahuhu is up four places to 13th and India’s Rajeshwari Gayakwad is up five places to 16th. Both bowled economically in the first ODI in Queenstown to move up in the world's top 20 ODI bowlers.

In the T20I rankings, Beth Mooney is back in her third stint as the top ranked batter with captain Meg Lanning also gaining a slot to reach second position. India opener Shafali Verma is now third in the list.

New Zealand bowlers Amelia Kerr is up five places to eighth and her sister Jess Kerr is up 16 places to 34th, also making notable gains in the T20I rankings. 

Also Read : My parents have finally agreed to stop working: Tennis-ball sensation Ramesh Kumar after landing IPL deal with KKR

News Source : PTI

Sydney, Feb 13 (Cricket News) Star Australia batter Steven Smith was on Sunday ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series against Sri Lanka after suffering a concussion while fielding during his side's win in Super Over in the second match at the SCG here.

Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed after the match that Smith had suffered a concussion after landing on his head following a spectacular diving attempt to save a six in the final over of the second innings, according to 'ESPNcricino'.

He will be subject to low-level concussion protocols over the next few days. The senior batter is expected to make a full recovery within a week but he will not play in the final three games in Canberra and Melbourne.

Smith was fielding at deep midwicket in the final over of Sri Lanka's chase when Maheesh Theekshana launched Marcus Stoinis in his direction. Smith dived full length back and to his right to catch the ball and flick it back infield in the single motion but in the process his head thumped on to the turf.

He was seen to have some discomfort and the medical staff immediately attended to him. Smith walked off without much assistance but he did not field for the final two balls or during the Super Over.

Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood said Smith was fine despite the initial concerns.

"When anyone dives and doesn't get up straight away, it's always a bit of concern," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'.

"It's good to see him walking around now. He made his way off the field and he's walking around changing now. So early signs are good." 

Also Read : Auction dynamics were very different and challenging this time: Kumble

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 13 (Cricket News) Australian great Ian Chappell doesn't understand all the fuss over the resignation of Justin Langer, saying it is the captain and players who win matches not the coach.

Chappell also advocated replacing the coach position with a manager.

After months of complaints regarding his style of coaching, Langer had quit as chief coach, leading to criticism of Pat Cummins from former players, who slammed the skipper and his teammates for not publicly supporting him.

"The demotion of Justin Langer caused Australian hysteria to reach the Monty Python comedy stage, where someone screeches, 'He's not the Australian coach he's a very naughty boy'," Chappell wrote in a column in ESPNcricinfo.

"Cricket fans tend to take more notice of who is or isn't the coach rather than focusing on the important matter of the appointed captain. Pat Cummins and his charges take the wickets, make the runs and handle the chances. It is they, not the coach, who will win or lose the upcoming series in Pakistan." Chappell said international cricketers don't need round the clock coaching and any technical issue is best sorted by fellow players.

"Anybody who thinks international players need coaching and mollycoddling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is confused. International techniques don't disintegrate," he wrote.

"Players might encounter a problem along the way but what goes wrong is generally in the head. A decent natter with a preferred senior player in the team usually sets the cricketer on the right path.

"Why are fellow players the best international coaches? For starters they are playing against the same players. They are also out in the middle in the heat of battle and understand the trying consequences. They also see their fellow competitors regularly and will quickly notice any change in technique or mental approach." The 78-year-old feels "it's much more important to have well-credentialed selectors choosing the right squad than it is to have the public ranting about coaches." "Using the title "head coach" is a mistake. Anybody looking after a team should have the word "manager" in their title.

"If the captain, with the help of a few trusted aides, runs the cricket side of the game and the management concentrates on off-field matters, a team will be very competitive. An international coach should be something the Australian team travels in on a tour of England." Cummins had described Langer as a legend with a fierce love of Australia and also acknowledged his influence on the team but said the national side needed a new style of coaching. Lavish praise on Cummins, Chappel wrote: "Cummins is a smart cricketer. He is a good captain because he understands bowling, approaches the game with a common-sense attitude, and has tough competitors around him.

"He also competes fiercely on the field and has no time for any hijinks; his team generally plays in a similar vein. There's no doubt Cummins will experience tougher days than those he encountered against England. He will also have to fight through the occasional frustration - that's the life of a captain.

"Nevertheless he will establish his reputation as a good captain for the simple reason that he's a solid leader. His captaincy will be recognised because of his own efforts." Chappell had earlier called the past players supporting Justin Langer as his "PR machine". 

Also Read : IPL's 'Home Truth': Ishan Kishan hits jackpot with USD 2 million plus deal as Indians enjoy 'Big Pay Day'

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 12 (Sports News) Nobody should doubt the positive contribution of Quad, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday, asserting that a "major advancement" was made when he and his counterparts from the four-nation grouping visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jaishankar on Friday gifted his Australian counterpart Marise Payne a cricket bat signed by former India skipper Virat Kohli during a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here with Payne, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

"Anybody who doubts that Quad has a positive message and positive approach should have been with us at the MCG yesterday. I think a major advancement was made when we could teach ministers, Hayashi and Secretary Blinken, the intricacies of cricket, including bowling and how to actually use the seam on the cricket ball,” he said.

The MCG, which has a seating capacity of over 1,00,000, is Australia’s biggest sporting facility.

“So, nobody should doubt the positive contribution of Quad,” Jaishankar said at a joint press conference with Payne after their bilateral meeting and attending a crucial meeting of Quad foreign ministers here on Friday.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China's growing military presence in the strategic region.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.

Beijing is also involved in a maritime dispute with Japan over the East China Sea. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are also vital to global trade.

"All four of us yesterday, the two of us and Blinken and Hayashi as well, made that point that we are here to do positive things. We are here to contribute to the peace, prosperity and stability of the region,” Jaishankar said, amidst China's vehement opposition to the formation of the Quad grouping.

Minister Payne thanked Jaishankar for giving her the cricket bat the MCG.

"I really want to thank you for joining us here in Australia this week. I want to thank you for the fact that I've become the proud owner of a Virat Kohli signed cricket bat, which was a momentous and extremely generous gift. Thank you very much," she said.

The Australian minister said Quad is a very complementary part of the network of relationships that Australia has regionally and internationally.

She said the grouping is all about helping to “positively shape our region”.

“We're about building confidence and resilience, about promoting a region in which all countries are able to be and feel sovereign and secure without the threat of coercion or intimidation,” Payne said.

“We have a really practical agenda, which as evidenced by our support of access to vaccines, indeed over 500 million vaccines delivered under the Quad leaders’ commitments on vaccination,” she said.

Payne said Australia has welcomed the development and growth of China over the years, but will also act in the protection of its national interests as any sovereign nation would.

“What is reiterated in our quarter statement yesterday on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is the work we are also doing with ASEAN focused on ASEAN centrality for the region, the criteria, the factors that are laid out under the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific, on the Pacific. That is one of the keys to our regional engagement, our regional partnerships,” she said.

The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.

The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing in the last few years with the focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas of trade and investment as well as security and defence.

“We've talked at length about the work that we are able to do together, and I look forward to continuing this very practical and constructive effort in our region,” Payne said. 

Also Read : I knew 10 years ago I will represent my country in Winter Olympics: Arif Khan

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Irina-Camelia Begu advanced to the quarterfinals at St Petersburg for the first time in her third attempt. She had last played the event in 2018 where she lost to Petra Kvitova in the fourth round. It was a spot on victory for the Romanian as she finally got a victory against Kvitova in their 6th career meeting. The world number 23 was down 2-0 in the first set but the fiery service returns gave her ground to cover, she had chances at 3-4 but the 31 year old did not let the lead go in vain. In the second set, the former world no 2 was beaten by flawless groundstrokes as Kvitova lost 7 straight games to lose for the first time against Irina-Camelia . Irina-Camelia defeated Kvitova 6-4, 6-0.

Elena Rybakina had to withdraw from the fourth round due to illness, she was set to face Tereza Martincova. Irina-Camelia will play against Martincova for a place in the semifinals.

Jelena Ostapenko reached her first quarterfinal in 3 months as it took her less than an hour to beat Andrea Petkovic. Ostapenko hit 40 winners in the match as Petkovic could only win three games in total. The 24 year old used her groundstrokes, slowed down the rallies with her slice and used the lob to hit winners all around the court. Both players shared 2 victories in their last four meetings as two of them have come due to mid match retirements, this time it was utterly impossible for the 34 year old to outperform the Latvian. Ostapenko defeated Petkovic 6-1, 6-2.

Aliaksandra Sasnovich reached her first quarterfinal at a WTA 500 in 4 years as she beat Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets. Sasnovich had reached the season opening Melbourne Summer 2 as a qualifier and will now face Ostapenko for a place in the last four. The Belurasian broke serve 6 times in the match as Crisitan could only do it twice, the 27 year old only lost two points of her first serve in the second set. Sasnovich defeated Cristian 6-2, 6-3.

The quarter finals has two high intensity clashes, Maria Sakkari will play against Elise Mertens and Anett Kontaveit will battle Belinda Bencic. Kontaveit seems to be the favorite as she is riding on an indoor 17 match winning streak and Sakkari seems to be the one in form as she will look to win a second career title.

Also read: Sakkari to face Mertens for semifinal spot at St. Petersburg

New Delhi, Feb 10 (Cricekt News) He was a central figure in India's epic turnaround during the 2020-21 tour of Australia but stand-in captain of that series Ajinkya Rahane says "someone else took the credit" for decisions he made to resurrect the team after the nightmarish 36 all out in the Adelaide Test.

As regular captain Virat Kohli flew out of Australia, leaving in his wake the disappointment of the humiliating loss in the opener at Adelaide, Rahane took over the reins in the most difficult of circumstances.

What followed was one of the most incredible turnarounds seen in Test history as India rebounded to win the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by eight wickets, with Rahane leading the fight-back with a magnificent hundred.

"I know what I've done there. I don't need to tell anyone. That's not my nature to go and take credit. Yes, there were some things that I took the decisions on the field or in the dressing room but someone else took the credit for it," Rahane said in an episode of 'Backstage With Boria'.

"(What was) important for me was that we won the series. That was a historical series and for me, that was really special." Rahane did not take any names but his comments could well be a veiled attack on the then head coach Ravi Shastri, who was widely acclaimed for the team's performance and dominated the media space for being the architect of the turnaround given that the dressing room resembled a hospital ward at one point.

In fact, Shastri became the voice of the team after those brilliant victories.

Rahane earned plaudits from the cricket fraternity for the manner in which he led the heavily depleted team in one of the most difficult situations, not just at the MCG but through the remainder of the four-match series.

India missed three front-line players at MCG, and continued to lose key players through the series to injuries but still emerged triumphant at the end of it all.

"After that, the reactions from people or those who took credit or what was said on the media, 'I did this' or 'This was my decision', or 'This was my call', it was for them to talk about," Rahane said.

"From my end, I knew what decisions I took on the field and what decisions I took on my instincts.

"Yes, we talked with the management too but I used to laugh about it, that is what I did on the field, I never talk much about myself or praise myself. But what I did there, I knew." However, Rahane suffered a prolonged slump after leading India to that historic series win in Australia, and it continued on the tour of South Africa.

Last year, he played 13 Tests and managed only 479 runs at an average of 20.82.

He scored two 50s and some crucial 40s, but lacked consistency overall.

His shot selection came under the scanner too, leading to the senior batter being stripped of vice-captaincy last December.

In South Africa, he made 136 runs from six innings at a below-par average of 22.67.

But he remains unruffled by the criticism that has followed his run of poor scores.

"I just smile at it. People who generally know the sport will not talk like that. I don't want to get too deep into that. Everyone knows it, you know it, what happened in Australia," he said.

"Even after and before Australia, the contributions I made, especially in red-ball cricket, I don't want to talk about it but Australia was really. As I said, people who know the sport, love the sport they'll talk sensibly," he said.

He has full faith in his ability and remains confident about rediscovering his touch.

"Yes, I am confident about my own ability, I am batting really well and I believe in my ability. And I still believe I have good cricket left in me," Rahane said. 

Also Read : India eye whitewash as Dhawan returns to add more firepower

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 8 (Cricket News) Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey has dismissed Justin Langer's claims that a lack of backing from senior players and support staff led to the former opener's departure as the national team head coach.

Langer resigned from the post on Saturday when he was only offered a six-month contract extension until October's T20 World Cup final, despite guiding Australia to victory at the T20 World Cup before overseeing a 4-0 drubbing of England in the Ashes.

"I feel for him," Bailey told reporters on Tuesday.

"Absolutely no one deserves to have the saga that has been played out as publicly as it has been.

"Clearly he didn't get the length of contract extension offer that he was after so it hasn't been ideal, but I don't subscribe to the fact that it was individuals that were key to making the decision." After Langer's resignation, some of his former teammates have come out in his support and have also criticised the current players, including newly-appointed Test skipper Pat Cummins.

Langer was appointed in 2018 in the aftermath of a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa and Bailey praised the former Australia opener for the kind of work he has done and the results he has achieved with the team.

"(Langer) wanted the team to earn respect with Australians and he wanted to develop great cricketers and great people and I think he has absolutely done that," he said.

"The team have done that, JL has done that, the staff around the team have done that. The group, the individuals, all three teams are in a very different space where they are today to where they were four years ago.

"(Langer) absolutely has to take an enormous amount of credit for that and I hope he's immensely proud of it." Meanwhile, former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie has said he is not interested in replacing Langer as the team's head coach.

"I am not putting myself up for any jobs, I'm fully committed to South Australian cricket," Gillespie, a former Test team-mate of Langer, told reporters.

"I've got a lot of work to do here and I'm absolutely loving it." 

Also Read : Saqlain Mushtaq likely to continue as head coach for series against Australia

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Australia Women defeated England by 8 wickets in the final ODI at the Junction Oval to take a clean-sweep in the ODI leg of the multi-format series and win the Women’s Ashes 12-4. England scored 163 runs which was easily achieved by Australia Women who conceded just two wickets in the process. The England Women’s team will now travel to New Zealand for the ICC Women's World Cup on February 10, with their first game due to be played on Saturday March 5.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra. Match drawn. 4-6.

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points) Australia win by 27 runs. 4-8.

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points) Australia win by five wickets. 4-10.

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points) Australia win by eight wickets. 4-12.

Also read: Mandhana rises to 5th, Mithali maintains 2nd spot in ICC ODI batting rankings

(Cricket news) Indian women's cricket team are set to return to action for the only T20I against New Zealand. It would be fair to say that the match doesn't hold much importance as the 5 match ODI series leading up to the World Cup is the main focus. Nevertheless, Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the side for the first time since winning the player of tournament award in the WBBL. 

Six of the players in the Indian squad recently played the WBBL in Australia and performed well. Two other Indians in the WBBL are not in the squad, namely Radha Yadav and surprisingly Jemimah Rodrigues. Playing for Melbourne Renegades, Rodrigues had a very good tournament opening the batting. Before that she had a decent T20 series against Australia and also performed well in the Hundred. 

Rodrigues' exclusion in the squad along with that of senior seamer Shikha Pandey has attracted a lot of eyeballs over the selection policy. India still has a very good squad to win the World Cup and this T20I could be a good way to start, gain confidence and adapt to the conditions. ODI  captain Mithali Raj and strike bowler Jhulan Goswami are not playing, therefore this game could be a good opportunity for the others to cement their place in the side as two players would have to make way for the seniors as the squad for ODI's is the same.

India's possible playing XI:

Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Poonam Yadav.

Bench: Taniya Bhatia, Rajeshwari Gaikwad, Ekta Bisht, S. Meghna, Simran Dil Bahadur

The Indian side is quite balanced with a deep batting line-up going until number 8 while also having 7 very reliable regular bowlers. The opening partnership is definitely India's biggest strength as both Verma and Mandhana compliment each other really well. The middle order is also very flexible with both Sharma and Rana capable of batting up the order. Deepti Sharma in particular could be pushed up the order to steady things if India lose 2-3 wickets in quick succession so that Ghosh and Kaur can come in later with their hitting power. 

New Zealand squad:

New Zealand Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite, Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Frankie Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.
 

Also read: KL Rahul set to return as India look for series win in the 2nd ODI

Dubai, Feb 8 (Cricket News) India opener Smriti Mandhana gained two places to rise to fifth while her captain Mithali Raj maintained her second spot among batters in the latest ICC women's ODI rankings on Tuesday.

Mandhana has 710 rating points in her kitty while Raj has 738.

Australia's Alyssa Healy remained at the top spot with 742 points. Other Australians Beth Mooney (719) and Amy Satterthwaite (717) are at third and fourth places respectively.

Among the bowlers, veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami retained her second spot with 727 rating points, behind Australia's Jess Jonassen (773).

Australia's Ellyse Perry was back at the top of the list of all-rounders after a fine show in the second ODI of their three-match series against England.

The 31-year-old scored a steady 64-ball 40 and took three for 12 in seven overs to win the Player of the Match award in Melbourne. The performance helped her gain 47 rating points to go past England’s Nat Sciver (360) and grab number one position.

India's Deepti Sharma is unchanged at fourth with 299 points while Goswami (251) is at 10th. 

Also Read : Rahane named in Mumbai Ranji squad; Shaw to lead

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 8 (Cricket News) Australian great Ian Chappell has called the past players supporting Justin Langer as his "PR machine" and threw his weight behind skipper Pat Cummins, who had received flak for not backing the former coach in the lead-up to his resignation.

Former cricketers such as Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Mitchell Johnson, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne have slammed Cricket Australia and the members of the national team, especially Cummins, for not publicly supporting Langer, who was offered a short-term extension which he declined.

"It’s easy to lambast Cricket Australia, because they are not very good, and it was only to be expected, their reaction,” Chappell told the Wide World of Sports this week.

"What annoys me is two things; the fact Pat Cummins, who has probably been as honest as you can be in this sort of thing, that he’s copped a bit of a pasting… and the Justin Langer PR machine has been at work, and in a lot of cases that’s been believed." Cummins was one of the players who had raised concerns about Langer's coaching style last year.

Chappell said that Cummins should have a say in deciding Australia's next coach.

"And within reason I think the captain has got to get the coach that he gets on with, and works well with," he said.

Langer had guided Australia to the T20 World Cup win and the Ashes series triumph. He stepped down last Saturday after facing complaints from players about his coaching style for months.

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum lauded Langer for the T20 World Cup title but was critical of his overseas Test record as Australia coach.

“England are hopeless, so I think anyone that was at the helm in the Ashes, they would have won that,” he toldSENZ Breakfast.

“The T20 World Cup was a really good performance, but aside from that, the performance was just a bit middling for an Australian cricket side. He didn’t win a Test series away from home, which for an Australian side is pretty average really, and he wasn’t overwhelmingly successful.

“Yes, he did a good job while he was there, but I can kind of see why they wanted to head in a different direction as well." Under Langer, Australia lost to Pakistan in the UAE 1-0, and claimed a 2-2 draw at the 2019 Ashes.

Also Read : Team benefitting from sports psychologist's presence in New Zealand: Mithali

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 8 (Cricket News) Touted as one of the favourites to become Australia's new head coach, former pacer Jason Gillespie on Tuesday said he is not interested in the top job and described Justin Langer's departure as "heartbreaking".

Langer, under whose guidance Australia won the T20 World Cup and the Ashes series 4-0, stepped down last Saturday after facing complaints from players about his coaching style for months.

Gillespie, who is South Australia's coach and also has the experience of guiding English county sides Sussex and Yorkshire, was touted as a potential replacement for Langer alongwith Trevor Bayliss, Ricky Ponting, Greg Shipperd and Michael Di Venuto.

"I am not putting myself up for any job. It's nice to be thought of in that way but it's certainly something I am not even thinking about entertaining," Gillespie, who has taken 259 wickets in 71 Tests and 142 scalps in 97 ODIs, was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'.

Langer, who was handed the reins of Australian cricket after the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018, had been offered a short-term extension which he declined.

"Everyone has been pretty disappointed with how it has all played out - pretty heartbreaking to see, to be honest.," the 46-year-old Gillespie said.

"But unfortunately, it is what it is. Justin has handled himself very well...the decision has been made and whatever decision they make, they make.

"But I think everyone is of the opinion that things probably could have been handled better. He is okay. He felt he had something to offer Australian cricket. Cricket Australia felt differently. So move on, that's part and parcel I suppose of being in professional sport and being a coach." Lavishing praise on Langer, Gillespie said: "Justin will go on and do wonderful things that we all know he can. He has done a fine job with Australian cricket the last four years and we all wish him really well because he will succeed in whatever he puts his mind to." Following Langer's departure, assistant coach Andrew McDonald has been appointed as the interim coach ahead of the tour of Pakistan next month and the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka. 

Also Read : Kohli says he was approached a few times by IPL franchises in past

News Soure : PTI

(Cricket news) Australia Women beat England Women by five wickets in the second ODI to win the Women's Ashes after a disappointing performance from England Women in Melbourne.

The hosts bowled out Heather Knight's team for 129 and chased the total down without much difficulty. Australia Women are now 10-4 up in the multi-format series with one match left to play.

England: 129/10 in 45.2 overs

Australia: 131/5 in 35.2 overs

Player of the match: Ellyse Perry (7-3-12), 40 from 64 balls (5x4, 6x1)

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra. Match drawn. 4-6.

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points) Australia win by 27 runs. 4-8.

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points) Australia win by five wickets. 4-10.

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: Paul Collingwood named England’s Interim Head Coach ahead of West Indies tour

Melbourne, Feb 6 (Cricket News) Justin Langer has said that his respect for values might have been taken by some as being "too intense" during his tenure as Australia head coach after he opted to quit from the top job instead of agreeing to a short-term contract extension.

In his resignation letter to Cricket Australia (CA) officials, Langer offered his apology but stressed that he values "honesty, respect, trust, truth and performance" but some people might have taken it as being "too intense" in his working style.

"My life has been built on values of honesty, respect, trust, truth, and performance and if that comes across as 'too intense' at times, I apologise," wrote Langer in his resignation letter, according to 'abc.net.au'.

"It is said that in any venture, if you leave things in a better place than when you started then you have done your job. Whilst it is not up to me to judge, I hope Australians respect what has been achieved over the last four years in Australian cricket." Faced with months of complaints by senior players over his rigid coaching style and more recently by an uncompromising Cricket Australia board of directors, Langer resigned as head coach of the Australian men's cricket team on Saturday.

According to reports, the 51-year-old Langer wanted to sign a new long-term contract but CA only wanted to keep him on until the end of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.

"...I want people to know I am happy with my decision and proud of what I have achieved. I hope through this time, and throughout my tenure, I have held myself with integrity and dignity," the former Australia opening batter said in the letter.

"Last night I was offered a short-term contract until the end of the T20 World Cup in Australia (in November), with the sentiment of 'going out on a high'.

"After careful consideration, I have decided not to accept this contract renewal, and as a result, I believe it is in everyone's best interests for the Australian cricket team to begin the next chapter immediately." He said the media speculation on his future as Australian coach over the last 12 months has taken an enormous toll on his family.

"If media reports are correct, several senior players and a couple of support staff don't support me moving forward, and it is now apparent the CA board, and you Nick, are also keen to see the team move in another direction.

"I respect that decision." There had been speculation about Langer's future in the role since last summer's home Test series loss to India, when reports of discontent among players about Langer's "intensity" emerged.

Langer has received an outpouring of support from former teammates and ex-Australian players, including Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Mitchell Johnson. 

Also Read : BCCI announces Rs 40 lakh for U-19 team members, Rs 25 lakh each for support staff

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 5 (Cricket News) A tearful Matthew Hayden has slammed the national players for not publicly supporting Justin Langer in the lead-up to his resignation as Australia's chief coach.

Langer, under whose guidance Australia won the T20 World Cup and the Ashes series 4-0, stepped down on Saturday after facing complaints from players about his coaching style for months.

"If he was waiting for the current Australian cricket team to be presenting a face of care, I dare say they won't be and that's, to me, the real sadness around this," an emotional Hayden told ABC Sport.

Handed the captaincy following Tim Paine's unceremonious exit, Pat Cummins didn't endorse Langer as coach and had insisted that reviewing his suitability for the role was fair in a "high-performance environment".

Hayden was critical of Cummins, who was one of the players who had raised concerns about Langer's coaching style last year and also described the whole evaluation process as unhealthy.

"This was not a healthy process," said the 50-year-old, who had formed a formidable opening pair with Langer during his playing days.

"This was a bloke (Langer) that won the Ashes, stayed back basically in Melbourne for the entire time while this dragged on for a month. The whole thing just reeks of being orchestrated from basically the moment all of this garbage started coming out in the middle of last year.

"You could see that the writing was on the wall. If I had a bet back then that Justin Langer would have retained his spot at the end of his contract, I would have put my whole life's savings on him not doing it." On Friday, Langer had a long meeting with the Board, which offered him a short-term extension but he decided to decline the offer.

Hayden came down heavily on Cricket Australia, saying it along with the players need to be blamed for the way reports of dissatisfaction about Langer's coaching became public.

"It is such a leaking boat, this so-called high-performance culture within cricket. There is no inner sanctum anymore," he said.

Langer was handed the reins of Australian cricket after the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018. But Hayden said CA showed no respect for how Langer managed the team in the aftermath of that scandal.

Langer had welcomed Steve Smith and David Warner back into the team after the end of their one-year suspensions in 2019.

"Where would Davey Warner be right now if Justin Langer wasn't the coach? Where would Steve Smith be? Remember when they came back in after their year's suspension … JL spent forever around those two guys." "We, the Australian cricket community, loved Justin because he came in and said, 'No way, what we're going to do is play this game in a manner that is going to make Australians proud again,'" he said.

Following Langer's departure, assistant coach Andrew McDonald has been appointed as the interim coach.

Besides McDonald, Trevor Bayliss, Jason Gillespie, Ricky Ponting, Greg Shipperd and Michael Di Venuto are the other leading candidates to replace Langer as Australia's chief coach.

Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson was also left fuming after learning about Langer's resignation.

"You've got to look at some facts and the facts are JL has done an extremely good job. He got the team out of a very dark place," he said.

"I just feel like he has been forced into this. I don't blame him.

"I think the mess that's happened throughout this whole contract debacle has been disgusting and I feel like it has just gotten to him, and I think it is a bit of a token gesture by Cricket Australia." 

Also Read : ICC U-19 World Cup: Australia claim 3rd place beating Afghanistan

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Australia Women defeated England by 27 runs to win the first Women’s Ashes ODI and go 8-4 up in the multi-format series, thereby retaining the Women’s Ashes. England looked set to give Australia a run for their money after bowling brilliantly and restricting the hosts to 205-9, but Darcie Brown (4-34) and the Australian bowlers took consistent wickets which helped the hosts secure a win.

The second and third ODIs will be played at Junction Oval in Melbourne.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra. Match drawn. 4-6.

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points) Australia win by 27 runs. 4-8.

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: India women cricketers happy to get 'breathing space' in quarantine in New Zealand

Melbourne, Feb 3 (Cricket News) Legendary wicketkeeper Ian Healy feels Cricket Australia will renew head coach Justin Langer's contract because if they sack him after his successful stint, it will make the game look "stupid".

Langer, whose contract is due to end in June, guided Australia to its maiden T20 World Cup title last year and a dominant 4-0 Ashes victory recently. He is in the midst of discussions with CA regarding his future role.

"The coach is nowhere near as important as any major player … You can change the coach much easier than you can change a senior player," Healy told 'Sen Radio'.

"(However), the game is going to look stupid if they sack Justin Langer, but I don't think they'll sack him," Healy added.

The 57-year-old, who kept wickets for Australia in 119 Tests between 1988 and 1999, feels the discussion between the two parties could be revolving around number of years in Langer's new contract.

"They might manage him out by giving him two years and he wants more, he's probably informed them of what he wants.

"He might be playing that side, (saying) he wants four years, and they (CA) are saying, 'You can't have four years, we'll give you two and now we've bumped it up to three, will you accept that?'" "There might be a stalemate on those fronts, but let's see what the reasons are," Healy said.

Despite Langer's fine record as coach, it has been widely reported for sometime that he hasn't been in best of terms with the team due to his allegedly volatile temper. It is believed that the players will have a key role in deciding the 51-year-old's fate.

White-ball skipper Aaron Finch and Test captain Pat Cummins have steered clear of endorsing Langer to continue as the head coach recently with several other players going back and forth in support the former Test opener in the last 12 months.

Healy believes if the senior players do vote in favour of a new coach they will have a lot of explaining to do.

"Gee, there's going to have to be some big explanations from Pat Cummins, from Aaron Finch, from Steve Smith, and these senior players who have voiced their feelings," Healy continued.

"I don't know which way (they voiced their feelings), but it seems like they're not on board, or they weren't, but from all reports they got on board and they got winning again.

"So, cricket will look stupid (if Langer doesn't get renewed), the powerbrokers will look stupid that means," he added. 

Also Read : I think it's fair: Cummins on CA's evaluation process before deciding on coach Langer's contract extension

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Feb 3 (Cricket News) Australia Test captain Pat Cummins feels his country's cricket board is doing the right thing by evaluating head coach Justin Langer's performance before deciding on his contract extension as players too go through the same process at regular intervals.

Langer, under whose tutelage Australia hammered England in the Ashes and also won the T20 World Cup for the first time last year, has been in service for the past four years. Cricket Australia will be considering a contract extension for him on Friday.

Cummins insisted that he enjoyed working with Langer but it was only "fair" that the coach goes through an "evaluation process".

"It's in Cricket Australia's hands," Cummins was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

Cummins said speculation surrounding Langer's job was not healthy and he did not want to add to it.

"JL's been doing a fantastic job, he's been there for four years, his contract is obviously up soon, they're just going through an evaluation process at the moment, which I think is fair, the right thing to do.

"We all get evaluated all the time as cricketers. It's part of a high-performance environment. That process is happening, it's a decision for Cricket Australia and we just have to wait.

"That's Cricket Australia's job, it's not my job. I've really loved my time working with JL," said Cummins.

While former teammates like Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist have come out in support of Langer's contract extension, there has been media speculation about resentment towards him among current players, although no one has openly criticised the coach. 

Also Read : Skipped IPL to spend time at home and work on my game, says Jamieson

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Kaia Kanepi has climbed up in the latest rankings issued by the WTA. Kanepi was ranked 115 a few weeks back and after her performance in Australia she is ranked 63. The 36 year old made it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam after a 5 year gap, she had reached the last eight at the 2017 US Open.

Kanepi beat 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber, Czech player Marie Bouzková and local player Maddison Inglis to reach the fourth round. The biggest upset was beating world number two Aryna Sabalenka to reach the quarter finals. It was one of the most inspiring performances at the women’s draw along with Alize Cornet as both players had shown that patience goes a long way in achieving one’s goals. Although both the players lost at the same stage, they had done well compared to the younger competitors.

The quarter final performance at the 2022 Australian Open saw her complete the feat in all the majors. The former world number 15 had reached the quarterfinals of the three slams by 2010 but had not reached the stage at Melbourne. She had first played at Melbourne in 2007 and had made her debut in Grand Slams at Roland Garros in 2006. After 15 years she finally got past the third round this year and the result has done justice to her rankings. Kanepi could not have had a better start to the season as she has always had mid-year winning streaks and maybe this time things can end differently.

The veteran player made the biggest leap of any major player in the newly-unveiled rankings, while Estonia's number one player, Anett Kontaveit, fell two places to ninth after a disappointing showing in Melbourne where she was knocked out in round two. Kanepi ultimately lost to Iga Swiatek and will now try to continue her performance at Roland Garros. Experience helped her get back at the younger opponents over the past few weeks, it has been almost 10 years since she reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The right hander was ranked 15 in 2012 but it was in 2010 where she reached the quarterfinals in 2 consecutive Slams. She performed well at grass then went on to do the same at the US Open and after 2017 it was early exits which saw her rankings decline. This year she can aim to make her first semifinal at a major as after 16 years on tour there can still be hope for many.

Also read: Simon and Tsonga record first victories of the season at Montpellier

Melbourne, Feb 2 (Cricket News) Seasoned Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood says he won't be surprised if some of his national teammates refuse to tour Pakistan next month on security grounds.

Australia are expected to tour Pakistan in March, the first time in 24 years since a Mark Taylor-led team visited the Asian country in 1998.

"There's a lot of things in place and there's been a lot of work in the background by CA and the ACA," cricket.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying.

"So the trust is quite high there from the players, but there would certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them don't make the tour.

"And that's very fair. People will discuss it with their families ... and come up with an answer and everyone respects that." Australia's tour of Pakistan comprises three Tests, three ODIs and a lone T20 International.

The Test matches are scheduled to take place in Karachi (March 3-7), Rawalpindi (March 12-16) and Lahore (March 21-25), which will also be the venue for the four white-ball matches to be played from March 29 to April 5.

Hazlewood had missed a major part of the team's triumphant Ashes campaign against England owing to a frustrating side strain, leaving him on the sidelines.

"If I'd had a normal (side strain), a big injury and you know you're going to be out, then you can deal with it all at once. But it just kept teasing, kept teasing, I might be able to play this one, I might be able to play that one," said Hazlewood.

"I've certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can't bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks. This one was different ... the strength came back really quickly...

"It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one." Asked how he felt after Australia won the five-match Ashes 4-0, the 31-year-old pacer said: "It was very frustrating. You probably don't realize it as much now, but when you look back in 10 years ... people will talk about the Ashes when they won 4-0 in 2021 ... and it'd hit you again.

"It was frustrating watching and obviously as time goes on, you'd be reminded of it more often than not. But that's part of fast bowling, I guess." 

Also Read : Selectors and team management know where I stand, it's communicated to them: Hardik Pandya

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Danielle Collins made her debut in the top 10 WTA rankings after her performance at the 2022 Australian Open. She is currently the highest ranked American as Jessica Pegula is below 6 places at 16. Collins jumped 20 places after reaching her maiden Grand Slam final at Australia, her highest ranking before this month was 23 in 2019 after which her ranking did not wander around much.

The right hander has a strong backhand which can reach speeds around 130 to 140km/ hour. Her crosscourt backhand was very much visible at Melbourne especially with that bend in the knee and the long backswing which adds more power to the ball. The forehand also has a big swing and does not slice much of her shots even in the backhand.

Collins is also nine victories away from 200 career victories and will intend to reach the milestone by March. The 28 year old beat Elise Mertens and Iga Swiatek on her way to the final of the opening Grand Slam. She was a game away from winning the second set until home favorite Ashleigh Barty managed to break serve and take the set in a tiebreaker and win the title.

The world number 10 did not secure her first victory at the majors until the 2019 Australian Open where she reached the semifinals, beating former no 2 Angelique Kerber, Julia Georges and Caroline Garcia on the way. Collins had 5 majors before her big break at Melbourne and then in the next year it was at Roland Garros where she made an impact. She defeated Garbine Muguruza and Ons Jabeur on her way to the quarterfinals.

In the 2021 season she could not advance beyond the third round of any of the four majors but had a 12 match winning streak from the second week of July to August. She won the WTA 250 Palermo Ladies Open but her biggest victory was winning the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic WTA 500 event and brought her back to the top 30 of the rankings.

The WTA tour will have its next event on February 7th as this month has as many as 6 events. There are two WTA 500 events and the first WTA 1000 event of the season which is the Dubai Duty Free Championships. Collins has a few events to catch up on and ensure she stays in the top ten.

Also read: Zverev looking to bounce back at Montpellier after early exit in Australia

(Tennis news) After a busy tour in the first month, the 2022 season has now made its way out of Australia. The players are on the go as three events are currently going on at the same time. The Tata Open in India, Montpellier Open in France and Cordoba Open in Argentina. Cordoba Open will be the first clay event of the season and it will be the fast moving hard courts to the sliding dirt.

The Montpellier Open is into its 12th edition on tour and has seen three players out of France winning the title. Former player Tomas Berdych was the first player outside France to win the title and did it 10 years ago. This time too there are chances of breaking the tradition, here are four players to watch out for at the event.

Alexander Zverev

Zverev will be needing a deep run in France after his disappointing exit at the 2022 Australian Open. The German lost to Denis Shapovalov in the fourth round, the wildcard entry this year won the title here in 2017 to become the second non French player after Berdych to win the title. The world number three has only played here twice in 2016, 2017 and made the last four in 16. He will start his run against the winner of Mackenzie McDonald and Ilya Ivashka.

Gael Monfils

One of the most successful players here along with Richard Gasquet, Monfils has always been able to find victories at home. The 35 year old still moves around the court faster than anyone and is a three time champion at Montpellier. He won the inaugural edition 12 years ago and is playing for the first time at the event since winning in 2020. Monfils reached the quarterfinals in the first Grand Slam of the year after five years and already has a title under his belt this season.

Roberto Bautista Agut

Roberto has always had a great opening season act and will now have to shift his form to France. The Spaniard was a tough one to beat at the ATP Cup and suffered a five set loss against Taylor Fritz in the third round at Melbourne. The world number 19 was the runner up last year to David Goffin, this time he will face the winner between Giles Simon and Lucas Pouille in the opening round.

Nikoloz Basilashvili

Basilashvili last won a match three months ago as he is yet to open his account in the 2022 season. The world number 21 will be looking for his first victory in his fourth attempt at Montpellier, his hard hitting always has a way of finding itself at times as consistency is not his key strength.

Also read: Yuki comes from behind to win first round at Tata Open Maharashtra

(Cricket news) Australia Women and England Women competed in a thrilling draw in the Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes Test match. Having to score 257 runs in 48 overs, Heather Knight and her teammates attempted to chase and appeared to be favourites when Knight and Sciver combined for a 72-run partnership. Despite Sophia Dunkley keeping the score ticking, Australia reduced the visitors to the last wicket and Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross ensured both the sides shared points.

The first ODI is at the same venue on Thursday, the multi-format Women's Ashes series sits at 6-4 to the hosts.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra. Match drawn. 4-6.

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: It may be easier for Kohli to break batting records without responsibility of captaincy: Ponting

Melbourne, Jan 30 (Cricket News) Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has said that he opted out of the IPL auction at the last minute as he did not want to spend another 22 weeks in a bio-bubble.

"I was a click of the button away from entering the auction but personally didn't want to spend 22 more weeks in a bubble," said Starc, who won Australia's men's cricketer of the year award on Saturday.

"They'll be a time where I'd love to go back to the IPL but in terms of wanting to play as much as I can for Australia that's a decision I've done for a while," he was quoted as saying by 'espn.in'.

The former Royal Challengers Bangalore player has only featured in two IPL seasons, bagging 37 wickets in 27 matches.

In 2018, he was handed Rs 9.4 crore contract by Kolkata Knight Riders but he had to pull out due to an injury suffered on the South Africa tour a few weeks before the start of the IPL season.

The 32-year-old Starc had said on Saturday that not long before he was on the verge of quitting the sport.

Starc was not taking the number of wickets expected of a pacer of his calibre. He was also leaking plenty of runs on the field and, off it, he was losing his father to cancer.

While Starc managed to keep his cricket going despite a below-par outing against India in the 2020-21 Test series at home, he lost his father to the dreaded disease soon after.

"Obviously last year was particularly tough on and off the field," Starc had said after winning the Allan Border Medal, the highest individual award in Australian men's cricket.

Looking back at the tumultuous phase, he added, "I probably didn't play the cricket I wanted to and, at certain stages, I probably didn't want to play cricket at all." The pacer was heavily criticised after he took just 11 wickets at 40.72 in the series against India.

His performance in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE too left a lot to be desired, with the pacer conceding 60 runs without taking a wicket in his four overs in the final.

Starc ended the Ashes as one of the team's key performers in its 4-0 drubbing of England. He played in all the five Ashes Tests and finished with 19 wickets at an average of 25.37.

He will shortly start preparations for the T20I series against Sri Lanka in mid-February before the tour of Pakistan in March. 

Also Read : Hafeez questions appointment process for PCB chief

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 29 (Tennis News) Yuki Bhambri did not need to change his style of play or contain the aggression to protect his knees after making a comeback from an injury but the top Indian singles player says he would now play the "less taxing" doubles format "more actively" to prolong his tennis career.

At the peak of his career when he broke into the top-100 in 2018, Bhambri was eyeing a place in top-50 in the next season but injuries to both his knees took away his crucial three and a half years.

Then started a draining search for a reliable cure. Having consulted doctor after doctor, he finally got the treatment he needed, in the US, and was back on the courts in March 2021.

However, the comeback lasted just six tournaments as the knee began troubling him. He had to stop again.

Yet, he did not give up and got ready for 2022. He looked sharp, without any discernable discomfort in the Australian Open Qualifiers. His serve too was decent, if not great.

"I am playing exactly the same way. I always play aggressive. That's the way I play, taking my opportunities," Bhambri told PTI in interview as he geared up for Tata Open Maharashtra.

"I can not make point any shorter, apart for serve and volley but that is difficult in today's age." When pointed out that he did use the net quite often in Melbourne, Bhambri explained that it was because of the way the "surface was playing" and not because he was trying to protect his knees.

"The courts were faster in Australia, so it naturally came into play. The serve was faster, so you could put more pressure on the opponent. It was not deliberate to protect the knee.

"Maybe, in hindsight, having played a few doubles matches got me into that rhythm, it is a bit of everything but no change in game style." So, he did not keep the points short deliberately but considering the unpredictability around his injuries and the fact that he is almost touching 30, Bhambri will definitely prefer that his knees hold as much as possible.

The best way to not put pressure on the game and the body, is to play doubles. When it was expected that the highly-motivated Bhambri would say no to playing doubles, he surprised with his answer.

"Both options are there. You can never count out after seeing all the success we had had. That option is always going to be there. At the moment I am going to try and play as much as I can. I also want to get my doubles ranking up, more actively playing doubles event." "It is physically not taxing," he said indicating that his presence in doubles would be consistent.

He has already won two doubles titles, albeit on lower tier ITF events, with Saketh Myneni, and also played in Melbourne with old New Zealand partner Michael Venus.

They say more than the victory and success, it is the defeat and difficult times that help a human being learn new lessons. So what did Bhambri learn? "I have become a very good rehab specialist. My coaches and trainer joke that I am the real life version of Munna Bhai MBBS," he joked.

"Without a medical degree, I am pretty sure I am a top notch rehab specialist when it comes to knee injuries or ankle injuries or elbow injuries.

"I have already told the younger players if they need any sort of help, I would be the guy to go to because I know what works and what not." While Bhambri is sure about his game and his decision to play more doubles, but the reason behind his injuries remains a mystery for himself.

"There is no given reason. One doctor would say you have over-trained, another would say you are under-trained. It's not an accident that you have fallen down (and got the injury). I have been just unlucky. I did right things after getting injured. There is no text book to it." There were thoughts of giving up the game but his family and friends kept him motivated.

"I ended up doing a lot of fitness courses." "I would have been as disappointed if I were 500 or top-100 (when I got injured). It hurt a bit more but I created all those opportunity to play higher up -- the Grand Slams and the Masters.

"You work your way up and when you are able to taste the success and you have to start all over again, it is difficult, there is no question.

"But reaching that point also gave me the motivation to try and come back again and do it.

Bhambri assured that his knee looks perfect, and he is playing without pain but he will get sharper as he plays more.

"I did feel good getting into the tournament. I feel the more I play, sharper as I can be. The key for me here is to keep playing.

"It is difficult when you come after a break, after a long time, no matter how much practice you do, or how many practice sets you play, it's not the same feeling when the scores are all or when you are under pressure in the match. It wasn't bad, it was not great either, I know I can get better." Now ranked 1000, Bhambri won't be playing at the higher level. But he will certainly enter a few big events using his protected ranking of 129.

"I always try to revise my targets, it depends on how I am doing at the tournaments, what my ranking is. I am 1000 now, my next goal is to accumulate points, get to 400-500 and get into Challengers.

"Tennis is still the same, it's great to have in your mind (top-100, 50) as a goal but you still try to win every match."

Also Read : Daniil Medvedev once again in middle of Grand Slam history

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Daniil Medvedev is once again a barricade on the way to history only this time Rafael Nadal is on the other end. A few months back it was Novak Djokovic whose attempt to win a calendar slam at the US Open was thwarted by Medvedev right at the final turn. This time it's the 2022 Australian Open, both are hardcourts and the odds are stacked evenly. Both players have so far spent 17 hours on court and have got a day’s rest to let it all out in the final.

Daniil Medvedev has lost 5 sets on his way to the final, his first major hurdle was a 3 hour battle with Nick Kyrgios in the second round then Felix Auger- Aliassime in the quarterfinals where Medevdev even saved a matchpoint. In the semifinal, the Russian was fined $12000 for his behaviour with the chair umpire and was in a hot streak after that against Stefanos Tsitsipas. He has had a simpler route than Nadal in the draw and needs to bring in the game that gave him first his major at the 2021 US Open.

Medvedev had lost to Djokovic at last year’s final but since then he has taken on bigger challenges and succeeded. He needs to extend the match and put Nadal on the backfoot as the Spaniard has already played a couple of long enduring matches. He also needs to serve the same way like he did in the semifinal as serve and volleys might actually help combat the world number five’s groundstrokes. The world number two also stands way behind the court but can choose to come in especially during the serve as the left hander is not among the top servers on the tour.

The 25 year old will need to let pressure get to Nadal as all the expectations must put down the veteran. Medvedev can bring home his 2nd Grand Slam title and once again stop one among the big three in creating history. Rafael Nadal has not broken a racquet yet in his career which shows how hard it is to break the man’s spirit. The 21st Grand Slam is on the line as he aims to become the first player to win more than 20 majors, an effort which Roger Federer and Djokovic have failed to do. The 20 time major winner has dropped 4 sets so far and has had tougher opponents than Medvedev.

Nadal is into his 29th Grand Slam final so it will be all the usual for him as he will know what to expect. This will be the first time both players meet at the Australian Open but played a 5 hour match in the final of the 2019 US Open which was Nadal’s 19th title. The 35 year old is playing his first Grand Slam since losing to Djokovic at Roland Garros last year but has a patent in making comebacks as injuries have also failed to halt his speed and strength.

In terms of court coverage, although Nadal has been around since 2001 his speed has also kept him company even after so many years. His stamina might not be the same as an opponent 10 years younger can certainly outrun him in the longer race. Nadal is into the final at Melbourne for the 6th time and has only won one of them. In 2009 he won the title beating Federer in the final, he lost to the Swiss maestro in 2017. In 2014 he lost to Stan Wawrinka and lost twice to Djokovic 10 years ago in a match that lasted 6 hours then again in 2019.

Nadal has won three matches against Medevdev but the last time they faced it was Medvedev who got ahead. Predictions are Medvedev in four or five sets but Nadal will be longing to lift the trophy after more than a decade and has chances of taking down the next gen.

Also read: Ashleigh Barty wins singles title at 2022 Australian Open

(Cricket news) Katherine Brunt took two wickets during Australia’s second innings at Canberra before the match was interrupted by rain. The hosts will resume on 12-2 on the final morning, leading by 52 runs. Heather Knight continued her brilliant innings with 168*, enjoying a record ninth wicket 100 run partnership with Sophie Ecclestone. Brunt reached a milestone of 50 Test wickets and became the first woman to pass 50 wickets in Tests, ODI and T20I formats.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points)

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: Australia post 276 for 7 against Pakistan in quarterfinals of ICC U-19 WC

(Tennis news) Ashleigh Barty made sure that the home crowd cheered for her in the final of the women’s singles as she won her third Grand Slam title. The opening major of the year has now entered the final stage in all categories as the men’s singles finalists have also been confirmed. Daniil Medvedev will face Rafael Nadal in the final as the two players secured four set victories over their opponents in the semifinal.

In women’s singles, Ashleigh Barty made one of the best comebacks in Grand Slam finals as she beat Danielle Collins in the final of the 2022 Australian Open. The world number one did not lose a single set on the way to winning the title and was the first tiebreaker for both players in the event. Barty broke serve in the 6th game as Collins could not get a hold of the returns and could only win 1 point out of 16 off Barty’s serve.

In the second set, the American showed her determination by taking the first three games and then had a 5-1 lead as she was only a game away from forcing the match to a decider. Barty was on her way to losing her first set of the tournament and previous instances had seen the top players crumble under pressure especially when there is a lot depending on them.

Barty came back, maybe it was the crowd or the pressure which actually helped her cause this time. In the next four games, Collins could not get more than two points at each game as even a set point was not within reach. Now the 27th seed could not handle the weight as she was down 0-4 in the tie break and could only win two points at the end to get the runners up trophy in her maiden trip to a championship match. Barty defeated Collins 6-3, 7-6(7-2).

Barty has now won three titles in three finals at the Grand Slams as she continues to keep a strong hold on the rankings wheel. Collins will gain valuable ranking points as Barty will now be a part of a rich legacy at her home. Barty now only needs the US Open title to complete a career Grand Slam and has become the first Australian winner at Melbourne since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

The men’s singles and women’s doubles final will be the events on 30th January which is the last day of the 2022 Australian Open.

Also read: Ashleigh Barty set to face Danielle Collins in 2022 Australian Open final

Melbourne, Jan 29 (Cricket News) Not long before an incredible turnaround culminated in him winning Australia's men's cricketer of the year award, Mitchell Starc was on the verge of quitting the sport.

Starc was not taking the number of wickets expected of a pacer of his calibre. He was also leaking plenty of runs on the field and, off it, he was losing his father to cancer.

While Starc managed to keep his cricket going despite a below-par outing against India in the 2020-21 Test series at home, he lost his father to the dreaded disease soon after.

"Obviously last year was particularly tough on and off the field," Starc was quoted as saying by foxsports.com.au after winning the Allan Border Medal, the highest individual award in Australian men's cricket.

Looking back at the tumultuous phase, he added, "I probably didn't play the cricket I wanted to and, at certain stages, I probably didn't want to play cricket at all." The pacer was heavily criticised after he took just 11 wickets at 40.72 in the series against India.

His performance in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE too left a lot to be desired, with the pacer conceding 60 runs without taking a wicket in his four overs in the final.

Criticism by spin legend Shane Warne ahead of the Ashes didn't help either and Starc made it clear that it did not go down well with him.

He ended the Ashes as one of the team's key performers in its 4-0 drubbing of England. Starc played in all the five Ashes Tests and finished with 19 wickets at an average of 25.37.

"I think, what was it? It was a straight half-volley on leg stump I think someone (Warne) said," said Starc on the criticism from the legendary Australian spinner.

"What would you like me to speak to him (Warne) about? It doesn't interest me at all. He's (Warne) entitled to his opinion. I'm just going to go about my cricket the way I'd like to, and I've got my family support networks and I get to play cricket with some of my best mates, so I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at," said Starc.

Starc, who took 43 wickets across all formats in the 12-month period, edged out all-rounder Mitchell Marsh by one vote.

He is only the fifth fast bowler since its inception to win the award, joining Pat Cummins, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.

It was double delight for Starc as he also won the men's ODI Player of the Year.

Starc said what matters to him is the opinion of his friends and family, including his cricketer wife Alyssa Healy, who keeps wickets for the Australian women's team and bats explosively at the top of the order.

"I made it a key point of mine to not pay too much attention to, I guess, opinions outside of my circle of trust if you like, which I did a few years ago. And I think that's kept me in a pretty level space through the last few years with either not playing the cricket I wanted to, or certainly challenges off the field.

"I've got a wife who plays at the highest level and a couple of my closest mates who play international cricket, so I've got a pretty good sounding board in that regard," Starc said. 

Also Read : Aaradhya Yadav replaces Vasu Vats in India U-19 World Cup squad

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Ashleigh Barty created history as she became the first Australian player in four decades to reach the final at Melbourne. The 2022 Australian Open has surely contributed to the history of the sport, the world number one will face Danielle Collins in the final of the women’s singles on January 29th.

In women’s singles, Barty continued her strong run to the final with yet another straight set victory over Madison Keys in the first semifinal. The Australian needed only an hour to get past her opponent as she beat her for the third time in four meetings. Barty has so far dropped 21 games on her way to the final, a feat which has only been bettered by Williams sisters since 2000. The two time Grand Slam winner never looked better as she hit 20 winners of which 13 came in the second set as she reached her 3rd major final. Barty defeated Keys 6-1, 6-3.

“I didn't quite have my rhythm on the first serve, but when I needed it most it was there,” Barty said in the press after beating Keys. “I know I can just throw it up and really trust it, go after my spots and try and get free points and back myself in.”

Danielle Collins reached the finals of a Grand Slam for the first time as she beat Iga Swiatek in the second semifinal. Collins had reached the semifinal at Melbourne 3 years ago which was her next performance at a major before this year. The 28 year old was strong on her serve and won the first four games of the match before Swiatek won her first game. In the second set, Collins again won the first four games as the upset was completed and the 7th seed could take one game before losing the match. Collins defeated Swiatek 6-4, 6-1.

“It feels amazing,” Collins said in her on-court interview. “It’s been such a journey, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s so many years of hard work, hours at an early age on court. Yesterday I was talking about all the early mornings my dad would get up with me and practice with me before school. It’s just incredible to be on this stage.”

In the mixed doubles, Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig beat Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler in the final to win the title. Mladenovic and Dodig had overcome 2nd seeded John Peers and Zhang Shuai in three setter in the semifinal. Mladenovic and Dodig defeated Fourlis and Kubler 6-3, 6-4.

In the men’s doubles, the finals will see an all Australian pair win the title as all the four players will have adequate support from the home crowd. Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis will face fellow countrymen Matthew Edben and Max Purcell in the championship match.

In the women’s doubles, world number one Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková will face Anna Danilina and Beatriz Haddad Maia in the final. Danilina and Beatriz had beaten 2nd seeds Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara in the semifinal but will have a much tougher fight for the title. The women’s singles and men’s doubles will take place on January 29th as the men’s singles and women’s doubles final will take place on 30th January.

Also read: Medvedev, Berrettini have it tough to enter last four at Australia

Mumbai, Jan 27 (Football News) Australia completed hat-trick of wins at Women's Asian Cup while confirming their status as Group B winners with a 2-1 victory over Thailand at Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday.

While Thailand tasted defeat on the night, Miyo Okamoto's side also advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will face Japan on Sunday, while Australia will cross paths with South Korea.

Emily van Egmond opened the scoring for Australia in the 39th minute and Sam Kerr came off the bench to score off the poacher's effort before Nipawan Panyosuk netted a memorable consolation goal.

With Kerr, Ellie Carpenter and Caitlin Foord among those benched, Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson made wholesale changes to the side that beat the Philippines 4-0 on Monday.

A starting line-up filled with youngsters had the same dominance of possession enjoyed by the Matildas in their previous two matches, but Thailand offered fewer defensive deficiencies to exploit, remaining resolute and keeping the group leaders at bay for the first 30 minutes.

While the Thais themselves were limited to ambitious long-range efforts on the counterattack, Australia began to build momentum as the half went on, and their efforts were rewarded six minutes before the interval, when Egmond took her tally to five goals for the tournament by picking out the bottom corner of Tiffany Sornpao's net from 20 yards following Remy Siemsen's pass.

One could quickly have become two had it not been for Pikul Khueanpet's goal-saving block to deny Kyra Cooney-Cross three minutes later, with the Thai defender bravely keeping the ball out when the Melbourne Victory youngster looked odds on to score.

With the score at 1-0 at the break, both teams looked good to advance to the knockout stage, but there were struggles for each of them early in the second half.

The Matildas suffered a blow when youngster Holly McNamara sustained what appeared to be a knee injury, while Thailand saw their best chance of the night go begging when Suchawadee Nildhamrong intercepted the otherwise impressive Cortnee Vine's throw-in within sight of goal but took too long to pull the trigger before being closed down.

Goalkeeper Sorpnao made a fine reflex save to deny Remy Siemsen a first international goal just after the hour mark, and substitutes Mary Fowler and Kyah Simon before both saw gilt-edged opportunities go to waste as space in the Thai became increasingly available late in the game.

Instrumental for much of the night in keeping Thailand in the contest, it was Sornpao's mistake that provided Australia's second goal spilling Simon's cross directly into the path of substitute Kerr in the 80th minute, with the Chelsea star never likely to pass up the chance to score her seventh goal of the tournament from point blank range.

Thailand had offered little going forward, but they celebrated their progression to the last eight in style with one of the final kicks of the match, with substitute Panyosuk lobbing an audacious 25-yard effort beyond Lydia Williams in the third minute of stoppage time. 

Also Read : Bruno Guimarães has joined Newcastle United for fee of 40 million pounds

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) An unbeaten 127* by Heather Knight keeps England Women in the game against Australia in Canberra as the Three Lions ended day two of the Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes Test 102 runs behind the hosts. Knight’s ninth wicket 66 run partnership with Sophie Ecclestone and her second Test hundred has played an integral role in her side still having a chance ahead of day three. Earlier, Katherine Brunt took her third five wicket haul in Test matches, recording figures of 5-60.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points)

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: England seeks win against West Indies to stay alive in T20 series

(Tennis news) Matteo Berrettini created history at the 2022 Australian Open by becoming the first Italian to reach the semifinals at Melbourne. Daniil Medvedev too had his feathers rustled by Felix Auger Aliassime in the quarterfinals as the opening slam of the year is now coming to an end. The mixed doubles final will be the first one to get over as it will get over tomorrow.

In men’s singles, Berrettini secured his 3rd victory over Gael Monfils in as many meetings as the world number 7 will now face Rafael Nadal for a place in the final. Berrettini was serving and hitting well in the first two sets as it was power against speed; a single breakpoint in both sets was enough for him to take a 2 set lead against Monfils. The Frenchmen then won the next two sets as one breakpoint was enough to pocket the third set and had 7 chances but could only win 2 in the next.

Berrettini was drained of his energy but gained all of it back in the final set with a rock solid 4-0 lead. Monfils was fast but could not run up to his opponent’s net play and ended his run at the major after 3 hours and 45 minutes. Berrettini defeated Monfils 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-2.

“It feels unbelievable,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview. “I am really happy for myself. I thought I had him in the third set and then I found myself in the fifth. But I really fought hard and put everything on the court and that is why I am really happy.”

Rafael Nadal entered the semifinals at Melbourne for the 7th time with a 5 set win against Denis Shapovalov. It was a four hour marathon between the two left handers and Nadal started well on serve by taking the first two sets. Shapovalov had complained to the umpire in between the match about Nadal taking too much time between the points as both the players came to the net to talk about it.

The third and fourth set saw Nadal being pushed away from victory as the Canadian made sure his opponent would suffer in the heat. The Spaniard answered back in the deciding set by taking the first 3 games and went on to win the set to enter the last four. Nadal defeated Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Daniil Medvedev had to spend more time on the court than Nadal and Berrettini as he was playing against Felix Auger Aliassime. Felix continued the same form he had while winning the ATP Cup, the world number 9 had only taken a set in their last three meetings and was bageled in the second set of the ATP cup semifinal against Medvedev.

Felix took the first two sets and was comfortably looking at a semifinal spot until Medvedev gave no chance in the third set tiebreaker. The world number 2 then saved a matchpoint in the fourth set at 4-5 and got himself out of the tense situation to take the match to the deciding set. A break in the fourth game bailed him out as it was now Felix who tried to get himself back on track but could not make it back to shore. Medvedev defeated Felix 6-7(4-7), 3-6, 7-6(7-2), 7-5, 6-4.

“I was not playing my best and Felix was playing unbelievably,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. He was serving unbelievably, he was all over me. When they closed the roof I felt the momentum change, that I could hit through the court better.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas was the only player who had a straight set win in the quarterfinals as the other three had to play 5 setters to enter the last four. The Greek god took 2 hours to beat Jannik Sinner who had no chance of giving Berrettini company. Tsitsipas looked more powerful than Sinner as the groundstrokes were considerably charged up in most of the rallies. The 20 year old only gave away 4 breakpoints in the match but that was enough to complete a quality victory. Tsitsipas defeated Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Also read: Sabalenka and Halep crash out of the Australian Open

Melbourne, Jan 27 (Cricket News) Former opener and head coach of the senior men's side, Justin Langer has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame alongside Raelee Thompson, one of the pioneers of the women's game in the country.

During his successful career as a player, Langer had formed a formidable pairing with Matthew Hayden in Test cricket, playing a key role in Australia's dominance in the early and mid 2000s.

Former fast bowler Thompson, 76, captained the Australian team on four occasions.

Thompson and Langer become the 58th and 59th inductees respectively, since the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame was established in 1996.

Langer took up coaching after his retirement from international cricket and following successful stints at Western Australian and Perth Scorchers, Langer was appointed coach of the Australian men's cricket team in May 2018, and led them to the ICC 2021 T20 World Cup title and helped the team retain the Ashes in 2019 and 2021-2022.

"Justin's contribution to Australian cricket spans across four separate decades," Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman Peter King said.

"First as a player, as part of one of the most successful teams that world cricket has ever seen. As a coach, he entered the role at a time of great need and leads the Australian Men's Cricket Team with great distinction, a team which the Australian public is very proud of." The duo of Langer and Hyaden amassed 6,081 runs together from 122 Test innings at an average of 51.53, including 14 century partnerships.

The gritty Langer made his Test debut against the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval in 1993 with a gritty 54, an innings during which he was hit on the helmet by an Ian Bishop delivery.

The 51-year-old Langer finished his career with 7696 runs at an average of 45.27.

He also played in eight One Day Internationals in a career spanning 18 years and played first-class cricket for Western Australia, Middlesex and Somerset, scoring 28,382 runs at an average of 50.23.

However, Langer spent the first years of his Test career at No. 3, which included his famous match-winning partnership with Adam Gilchrist to chase down 369 against Pakistan in Hobart in 1999.

Thompson, hailing from Shepparton in Victoria, played 16 Tests and 23 One Day Internationals for Australia between 1972 and 1985.

Thompson remains the oldest player - male or female - to take a maiden five-wicket haul in Test matches at 39 years and 175 days of age.

About Thompson, King said, "Raelee is similarly a deserved induction, given her outstanding contribution to the game at a time where there was little fanfare at the elite level.

"She is no doubt one of our great pioneering female cricketers and represented the Baggy Green with such distinction - she is a worthy recipient of this recognition." Todd Greenberg, the CEO of Australian Cricketers' Association and a member of the selection panel for the Hall of Fame, added," Raelee is an ambassador and ornament to the women's game and was part of a team of trailblazing women - including four games as captain - who can be credited for the success that the current-day Australian women's cricket team enjoys.

Thompson took 57 Test wickets at an average of 18.24 and 24 One-Day International wickets at 18.66. She also represented Victoria on 45 occasions before serving as a selector for many years.

"Raelee's commitment to the betterment of women's cricket at all levels through mentoring and administration roles is inspiring.

"To this day she remains a prominent figure in cricket, particularly at Essendon Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club where she is a Life Member. She is hugely deserving of her induction," Greenberg said. 

Also Read : India's bold selection calls for ODI series against West Indies

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Nat Sciver (3-41) and Katherine Brunt (3-52) took three wickets each as Australia Women ended day one of the Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes Test at Canberra on 327-7. England Women took three wickets in the first session and four in the third session, either side of  a 169-run partnership between Australia captain Meg Lanning (93) and vice-captain Rachael Haynes (86).

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 2-4.

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points)

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: NZC moves all games against Indian women to Queenstown to reduce COVID-19 threat

(Tennis news) With only 5 days left for the final, the 2022 Australian Open is seeing more of the top seeds endanger their rankings as one more record was created at the opening Grand Slam. Last week it was Taylor Fritz and now it's Alizé Cornet who is making her first quarterfinal appearance at a major after 63 previous Grand Slam appearances. It is the most by any player and the 32 year old defeated Simona Halep to make it to the last eight at Melbourne.

In women’s singles, Cornet was meeting Halep for the 5th time and recorded her fourth victory over the Romanian. A second break of serve in the middle of the set gave the 32 year old the lead and Halep came back in the next set by breaking the serve four times as it was the first time a deciding set was needed in their career meeting. Halep lost a crucial break point in the 6th game and in the very next game hit a backhand into the net to give the break to Cornet. Cornet defeated Halep 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

 "I'm not closing any door to keep going," Cornet said. "But I gave so much to this game and to this tennis life. I feel I'm pretty much ready for the next chapter. At least by the end of the year, I think I'll be ready."

Kaia Kanepi was in the fourth round for the first time at the Australian Open and celebrated it with a victory over Aryna Sabalenka. The world number 2 had faced Kanepi last year at Melbourne and had lost in three sets. It was the result for Sablenka as the world number 115 made the quarterfinals of a major after 5 years. Kanepi was winning the short rallies but both the players hit over 30 winners in a 2 and half hour span.

Kanepi seemed to have positioned the ball better against Sabalenka even though both of them had heavy groundstrokes. Sabalenka had 21 unforced errors in the third set and was even down 2-4 but still came back to make it to the tie break. At the tie break it was just not enough as Kanepi progressed into the last eight. Kanepi defeated Sabalenka 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (10-7).

In men’s doubles, the Australian pair of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis continued their magical run when they beat 6th seeds Tim Putz and Michael Venus to reach the semifinals. The crowds were chanting every time the player won a point as the Kia Arena made sure the pair did not lose an inch of motivation at any point of time. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis defeated Tim and Michael 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Also read: Zverev, Sakkari, and Badosa go down in straight sets at Australia

Melbourne, Jan 25 (Cricket News) Australia are set to tour Pakistan with a full-strength squad as no player has so far expressed any reservation about travelling to the country which did not get to host top-flight international cricket for nearly a decade due to security concerns.

The last time Pakistan had an ICC event on its soil was when it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka. The terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 ensured Test cricket remained out of bounds until 2019.

Last year, before the T20 World Cup, New Zealand and England had pulled out of the tour of Pakistan citing security concerns, the Kiwis withdrawing at the eleventh hour.

However, Australia appeared to be on track for undertaking their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, with national selector George Bailey terming the security plans as "very, very robust and very, very thorough".

"I believe the boards are still working through some of the minor details around that tour, so once that gets the formal tick of approval then we'll announce the squad post that, but we're reasonably well down the track," Bailey told reporters on Tuesday according to Cricket Australia's website.

The last time Australia toured the Asian nation was way back in 1998, under Mark Taylor's captaincy.

It's all positive as far as the Pakistan tour is concerned but uncertainty hovers over the resumption of the Sheffield Shield season, even though the selectors may not be required to see Shield performances for picking the squad after Australia's 4-0 Ashes drubbing of England.

"Whether we need to (see any Shield cricket) or not, I'm not entirely sure what opportunity we will get," Bailey said.

"But the one thing that I think we have to be really just okay with is that we've got to accept what we get at the moment and be flexible.

"I think one of the great things and possibly one of the reasons the players performed so well in the Ashes was there were a number of players who got a good bank of Shield cricket in prior to that series.

"Whether it's for Pakistan or not, you'd certainly hope that there is an opportunity for some Shield cricket at some stage just because of the competition and to continue to see guys improving and getting the opportunity to show their wares," Bailey added. 

Also Read : Shafali Verma regains top spot among batters in ICC T20 ranking

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 25 (Tennis News) Trailblazing India tennis star Sania Mirza’s swansong appearance at the Australian Open ended with a quarterfinal loss to local pair Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler in the mixed doubled event here on Tuesday.

Mirza, partnering American Rajeev Ram, lost the match 4-6, 6-7 to wildcard entries Fourlis and Kubler in one hour 30 minutes.

The 35-year-old Mirza is India's most accomplished woman tennis player, having won six Grand Slam titles, including three mixed doubles trophies.

She was aiming to add a second Australian Open mixed doubles title to her kitty after making a first round exit in the women’s doubles event last week.

The Melbourne Park has been a happy hunting ground for Mirza, who recently announced that she will retire at the end of this season. Two of her six Grand Slam titles have come at the Australian Open.

Apart from winning the mixed doubles title in 2009 with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, Mirza also collected to the women’s doubles trophy alongside Swiss great Martina Hingis in 2016, which was also her last Grand Slam win.

With Mirza’s defeat, the Indian challenge also came to an end in the fist Slam of the year. 

Also Read : Zverev, Sakkari, and Badosa go down in straight sets at Australia

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 25 (Cricket News) Australian opener Ben McDermott and West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd are banking on their recent impressive performances to bag a maiden IPL deal, having gone unsold in the previous seasons of the lucrative T20 league.

McDermott wrapped up an impressive Big Bash League season, that saw him being voted as the Player of the Tournament on Monday, while also earning a recall to the Australia T20 side for the Sri Lanka series next month.

The 27-year-old was also the BBL's highest run scorer with 577 at a strike rate of 153.86.

McDermott, who has played 17 T20Is and two ODIs for Australia, has never featured in the IPL. He went unsold last season.

"There's not too much I can do now, it's all up to those people in charge," McDermott was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

"I'm excited. It's always an exciting time just to watch, last year I remember Riley Meredith getting picked up for the big bucks and sitting there watching him in our hotel rooms in quarantine in New Zealand." Last year, the Australian pace duo of Riley Meredith (Rs 8 crore) and Jhye Richardson (Rs 14 crore) had landed hefty contracts with Punjab Kings after a successful BBL season.

Shepherd, on the other hand, blasted an unbeaten 44 off 28 balls to take West Indies within one run of England's total in second T20 International in Bridgetown on Sunday.

The 27-year-old smashed five maximums and a four under pressure while also taking a wicket earlier in the game.

"I try to focus on what is at hand right now and try and put my all in here," Shepherd, who has entered February's auction with a Rs 75 lakh base price, was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNCricinfo’.

"Eventually, if an IPL contract comes, that would be great for me. I'm not saying that I don't think about it - I do think about it, but I try not to think about it during a game, I just focus on wherever the game is and trying to get ourselves out of a situation," he added.

Shepherd is one of the 41 players from the Caribbean who have registered for the mega auction.

"It's a great platform. For any youngster, it's their dream to go to the IPL and I'm no different. I'm trying my best to get myself in there, but at the same time trying to win a series here.

"It's something that I've dreamed about for a very long time. My name was in the [auction] for the last three years, so this year, I'm looking forward to it,” he added.

The IPL is expanding to a 10 team tournament this year. With two new teams -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises -- coming in, a two-day mega auction is slated to be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

The league is set to begin in the last week of March. 

Also Read : S African Indian-origin cricket commentators laud Proteas captain Temba Bavuma

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Day 6 of the 2022 Australian Open saw the draws taking predictable turns in most of the matches. Taylor Fritz reached a personal milestone as he went into the second week of a Grand Slam event for the first time.

Fritz beat Roberto Bautista Agut for the second time in 7 matches and for the first time in three years. The Spaniard had beaten Fritz in the last three matches including their last meeting in 2021 at Monte Carlo. Roberto had been one of the players to watch out for in the ATP Cup but the American hit 73 winners which was more than double of what Roberto hit. Fritz also hit 19 aces and hit more than 10 winners in every set. He bageled the 33 year old in the first set but lost the next two sets as he came back into the match like a true fighter. Fritz defeated Roberto 6-0, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

“It seems stupid, like after that match I was almost close to tearing up a bit” said Fritz. “So many people have made the second week of Slams, but it's just eluded me for so long. It means a ton, I'm proud, it didn't come easy, I beat an incredibly tough guy.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime continued his incredible start to the season as he reached the fourth round for the second consecutive time at the Australian Open. Felix had lost to Daniel Evans last year at Melbourne 2 in the final and wanted to set things right in their second meeting. The 21 year old took the first set under 50 minutes and further decreased the time in the next two sets. He was ahead of Evans in all aspects of the game, Felix had hit one unforced error than his opponent but everything else was just how his coach wanted it to be. Felix defeated Evans 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

“It’s definitely one of the best Grand Slam performances I’ve had,” said Auger-Aliassime after the match. “It was a tight first set, I was fortunate to get that break point to serve out and after that for some reason everything was working for me today. I’m really happy because the first two matches were really tough for me, so I’m happy to be through in straight sets.”

In women’s singles, Simona Halep has so far spent 3 and half hours on count in her first three matches. The 14th seed has not conceded more than 7 games in a match as she reached the fourth round by beating Danka Kovinic in straight sets. Kovinic had beaten Emma Raducanu in the previous match but failed to crack the Romanian puzzle. Halep defeated Kovinic 6-2, 6-1.

World number 2 Aryna Sabalenka had to come from a set down to beat Marketa Vondrousova. Vondrousova broke Sabalenka’s serve in the 7th game of the first set to take the lead and serve her way to the lead. Sabalenka answered back as the 32nd seed could only win 4 games in the next two sets. Sabalenka defeated Vondrousova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Also read: Osaka ousted as Kyrgios and Kokkinakis deliver double delight at Australia

(Cricket news) The second T20I between England Women vs Australian Women was abandoned after 4.1 overs due to rain. The two points on the line were shared between the two sides with Australia leading the series 3-1 and the final match set to take place at the same venue tomorrow. The multi-format Ashes is the best of 16 points, with two points each for a white-ball game and four points for the Test match.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2.

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Match abandoned due to rain. 1-3.

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 3.10am GMT (2 points)

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points)

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: Indian bowlers disappoint once again as South Africa seal ODI series win

Melbourne, Jan 21 (Cricket News) Australia's limited overs skipper Aaron Finch on Friday praised Justin Langer's "unbelievable work" in the team's recent success but did not comment if he would prefer him to continue in the coaching role.

Langer's contract extension will be up for discussion and both Finch and Test captain Pat Cummins are likely to be consulted by Cricket Australia before a final decision is made.

Langer, whose working style received some scathing criticism from the players, has expressed desire to continue as head coach.

"He has done a fantastic job. To win the World Cup when nobody really gave us a chance, then to dominate the Ashes 4-0, to almost get there 5-0, was super impressive," Finch was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"I am not going to comment on what Cricket Australia's process will be there, but he has done an amazing job over the last few months, in particular." In the past four months, the former Test opener has guided Australia to its maiden T20 World Cup title and a dominating 4-0 Ashes series win at home.

The white-ball skipper said the governing body of the game in the country has a process to follow and he is still not sure what the outcome is going to be.

"Whatever happens from the Cricket Australia side of things, that is out of our control as players, but his contract is up. No doubt, there will be some talk there.

"I know Patty [Cummins] and myself might be contacted about that. But I actually have got no idea - I have never been in a leadership role when somebody’s coaching contract is up.

"So, like I said, he has done an unbelievable job. To see how good the environment has been through the T20 World Cup, then throughout the Ashes, is a credit to everyone there," Finch added.

Langer had taken charge of the team after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018. His current contract is due to end in June. 

Also Read : Pathan brothers magic shoots down Asian Lions

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Tahlia McGrath was on fire with the bat and ball as Australia Women won the first IT20 of the Women's Ashes and went 2-0 up in the multi-format series.

Tahlia hit 91 from just 49 balls to chase down England's 169-4, and as the visitors' promising showing with the bat went in vain. Earlier, McGrath had taken 3 wickets to trouble England back after Danni Wyatt had made a solid 70.

The second IT20 will also be played at Adelaide Oval, on Saturday. The multi-format Ashes is the best of 16 points, with two points each for a white-ball game and four points for the Test match.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Australia won by 9 wickets. 0-2, Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 3.10am GMT (2 points), Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 3.10am GMT (2 points), Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points), Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points), Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points), Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: India left with a lot of questions to answer in the 2nd ODI

(Tennis news) Day 4 of the 2022 Australian Open has been the most cruel one yet with the women’s draw suffering the most. Garbine Muguruza, Anett Kontaveit and Emma Raducanu faltered in their second round matches as they were the highest ranked casualties of the day. In the men’s side it was all over for Diego Schwartzman, Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov. The mixed doubles event was flagged off today.

In women’s singles, 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu could not hold a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Danka Kovinić who took the set 6-4. In the second set, with a strong backhand and slice forehand combination the 19 year old took the second set to level the scores. In the deciding set, Kovinić won a crucial point in the 6th game by breaking Raducanu’s serve with a backhand lob as it cost the teenager the match. Kovinić defeated Raducanu 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Muguruza could not serve well against Alize Cornet as she suffered a straight set defeat in the second round. The Spaniard faced 10 breakpoints in the opening set but did defend 9 of them as one service break gave away the lead to Cornet who won all of her service games to take the set. In the second set, the 31 year old broke serve with a forehand cross court passing shot to take a 3-2 lead on serve and broke the world number 3 in the final game. Cornet defeated Muguruza 6-3, 6-3.

Anett Kontaveit could not bring in her late 2021 form against Clara Tauson who was playing in the Australian Open for the first time. The 19 year old had 20 winners and if there was a loose ball it did not stand a chance to be returned back into her side of the court. Tuson’s backhand swing also went back as far as possible and then like a golf shot put full force into the racket while connecting with the ball. Tauson defeated Kontaveit 6-2, 6-4.

In men’s singles, Taro Daniel entered the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time as he beat Andy Murray in a three setter match. Daniel had a brilliant net play against the former world number one and saved 9 of his 11 breakpoints on serve. Murray also hit 49 unforced errors as compared to 21 by Daniel. Daniel defeated Murray 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Benoit Paire got his third victory over Grigor Dimitrov in a battle of old gen players. The pair had last met 6 years ago at Tokyo in which the Frenchmen prevailed. Paire had been out of form in the last season but found his charm at the right time for the season opener against the Bulgarian. The match had 97 winners and 90 unforced errors as both players took risks in most of the rallies. Paire defeated Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-2).

Christopher O'Connell took out the big guns against Diego Schwartzman as the Argentine faced a similar situation last year at Melbourne. Schwartzman has now been knocked out in the second round for 2 consecutive years by a player outside  the top 100 at the Australian Open. O'Connell had received a wildcard to play the major and had beaten Hugo Gaston in the opening match. The Australian attacked with his strokes as Schwartzman played it safe and paid the price. O'Connell defeated Schwartzman 7-6(8-6), 6-4, 6-4.

Also read: Hurkacz and Bencic fall in second round of of Australian Open

Melbourne, Jan 20 (Tennis News) Sania Mirza and her American partner Rajeev Ram moved into the mixed doubles second round of the Australian Open with a confident straight-set win over the Serbian team of Aleksandra Krunic and Nikola Cacic, here on Thursday.

Ram came out serving big and also stayed like a rock at the net as he anchored the 6-3 7-6(3) win in the opening round that lasted 69 minutes. Ram is a defending champion in the event. He had won the mixed title here with Czech partner Barbora Krejcikova in 2021.

Mirza, who will retire after the 2022 season, also served well in the contest.

They had a chance to go up as early as in the second game but Mirza buried a forehand into the net on the deciding point.

The team got another chance on the serve of Krunic but that chance also went abegging when Mirza could not finish the point with a volley. However, they got the break on the deciding point.

Ram then served out the next game at love for a 4-1 lead.

Mirza too made a lot of first serves as the team cruised towards a first-set lead. Ram's solid serving and Mirza's smooth volleys sealed the set for the Indo-American team.

Mirza unleashed her big forehand to Krunic on a weak return from Cacic to earn the first break chance of the second set. But the Indian hit the forehand long on the deciding point.

A stunning cross court winner by Mirza earned the team two break points on Krunic's serve in the sixth game.

But the Serbians held the game as Krunic served wide and Mirza's return was dispatched for a volley winner by Cacic.

At 5-5, Krunic came out serving big for a crucial hold and now Mirza had to serve under pressure to stretch it to a tie-breaker. But the Indian made no mistake and served out the game at love.

Both Krunic and Cacic lost a point each on their serves to hand the Indo-American duo three match points. An error in return of serve by Cacic sealed it for Mirza and Ram.

Rohan Bopanna is also in fray in the mixed doubles event. He has paired up with Croatia's Darija Jurak Schreiber and will be in action on Saturday. 

Also Read : Hurkacz and Bencic fall in second round of of Australian Open

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 19 (Tennis News) India tennis star Sania Mirza on Wednesday announced that 2022 will be her last season since her body is "wearing down" and motivation and energy for the everyday grind is not the same anymore.

Mirza, 35, had returned to tennis after giving birth to her son in March 2019 but her progress was later thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mirza made the retirement announcement after losing the Australian open women's doubles first round with partner Nadiia Kichenok.

"There's a bunch reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'. I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I do feel, considering my son is three years old, I'm putting him at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account," Mirza said at the post-match press conference.

"My body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older," she said. 

Also Read : Bopanna-Vasselin pair's campaign ends in first round

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 19 (Tennis News) India's Rohan Bopanna and his French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin were knocked out of the Australian Open men's doubles event by wild card pair of Chirstopher Rungkat and Treat Huey here on Wednesday.

Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin began confidently but lost momentum mid-way to lose 6-3 6-7(2) 2-6 in the opening round that lasted one hour and 48 minutes.

Phillippines' left-hander Huey's exceptional service games and net play was crucial in the outcome of the match while Indonesian Rungkat, who initially appeared a weak link, gradually upped his game.

Rungkat's hitting from the baseline improved remarkably as the match wore on.

The Indo-French pair got the first break chance in the fourth game when Bopanna hit a crushing forehand winner past Huey at 15-30 on the serve of Rungkat, who could not put the ball across the net on the next point.

That break positioned Bopanna to serve out the set in the ninth game and he did that with ease, at love, with his booming serves.

Rungkat and Huey came out all guns blazing in the opening game of the second set, attacking Bopanna's serve and earned two breakpoints with a flurry of winners but could convert none.

Both the pairs held serves throughout the second set, which was decided by a tie-breaker.

In the 11th game, though, Roger-Vasselin and Bopanna earned two break chances but their rivals saved both. It was a winner from Roger-Vasselin and a Rungkat forehand error that put the wild cards 15-40.

The wild card pair reeled off six straight points in tie-breaker from 1-2 to level the match.

The momentum changed dramatically after that with Rungkat and Huey dominating the contest by breaking their rivals with ease. They raced to a 5-1 lead with a double break. The Indonesian then served out the match. 

Also Read : Kerber, Kvitova and Isner knocked in opening round of Australian Open

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) It's been almost a year since the Indian cricket team against all the odds defeated Australia in an away Test series. Now Sony Sports has released a 4 part docu series on India's triumph where they won 2-1 away against the mighty Australia despite numeral setbacks. The series is available to watch on SonyLiv

In the docu series, viewers will see players Hanuma Vihari, Mohammed Siraj and Marnus Labuschagne talking about their experiences. Former cricketers turned commentators Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Nick Knight, Isa Guha, Vivek Razdan, Lisa Sthalekar, Micheal Clarke, Jason talked about the series and also their own experiences in similar situations. Journalists Harsha Bhogle, Ayaz Memon, Joy Bhattacharjya, Gaurav Kapoor and Rajdeep Sardesai highlighted several points about the series and the historical context of it.

The topic of the documentary was such that fans of Indian cricket would enjoy it regardless of the quality of the end product because it is still fresh in people's mind and the memories of it would trigger the nostalgic factor in people's brain who have experienced the series even if it is through their T.V screens. Each episode focused on the 4 Test matches titled Adelaide Aberration, Melbourne Magic, Sydney Siege and Brisbane Breached.

Throughout the series there were stories and anecdotes about players like Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan and Washington Sundar. The series brilliantly portrayed important parts of the series like Virat Kohli leaving after the first Test, Ravichandran Ashwin's battle with Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane's hundred, India's multiple injury woes, racist abuse, the unexpected debuts of inexperienced Indian players and Tim Paine's sledging. 

The main thing missing was that Marnus Labuschagne, Hanuma Vihari and Mohammed Siraj were unable to enlighten the viewers about their mindset during and before the games. What the atmosphere was inside the changing room was not really talked about. The main takeaway from the series was that it depicted the beauty of Test cricket and why it is the best format of the game and must be preserved. Overall the series is definitely a must watch for all the cricket fans. The high drama along with the ebbs and flow of the Test series is highlighted and enhanced in the docu series. 

Also read: India begin preparations for the 2023 World Cup with 1st ODI Vs South Africa

(Tennis news) The first two day have not been kind to the seeds as they kept the trend on day 2 of the 2022 Australian Open. Multiple Grand Slam winners Petra Kvitova and Angelique Kerber made their way out of Melbourne in the first round of the event. In the men’s field, it was a bad start to the season for John Isner, Ugo Humbert and Nikoloz Basilashvili.

In men’s singles, Andy Murray has been playing a couple of stretched matches as he played a four hour match against Basilashvili. Both the players had been involved in a three hour battle a few days ago at Sydney and it was the former world number who again held on for a win. Murray totally outplayed Basilashvili in the opening set but in the second the 29 year old began his ball bashing technique to set up another marathon match. The Georgian even played a few deft dropshots which Murray had done earlier, the 3 time Grand Slam winner had his chances beaten to a pulp by Basilashvili in the fourth set. Murray defeated Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 6-4.

When two servers meet, there is not much movement on the court but there are a lot of first serves which take up all the heat. It was an all American meeting between John Isner and Maxime Cressy as it was also their first career meeting. The 36 year old has not been able to win matches lately and the streak continued in the 1st round as Cressy had the extra boost in the final set. The match saw 70 aces by the players and 20 double faults by the 24 year old who also won two service games more than the 6 foot 11 inch player. Cressy defeated Isner 7-6(7-2), 7-5, 6-7(4-7), 6-7(4-7), 6-4.

In another court there was a similar French battle and it was the senior this time who took the next gen in the 1st round. Richard Gasquet waved his magic backhand for his first victory at the event in four years and will face another next gen player Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round. Gasquet defeated Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-3), 6-3.

In women’s singles, Kaia Kanepi could not have imagined her match in any other way as she beat Kerber in 70 minutes. The 2016 champion was never strong enough against Kanepi who played from the baseline and never did rush a point to enter the second round. Kanepi defeated Kerber 6-4, 6-3.

It was the end of the road for another Grand Slam winner as Petra Kvitova was hit by Romanian storms. Sorana Cirstea had to pull out tough shots in the beginning of both sets but after that it was a smooth run against Kvitova. Cirstea reached the fourth round in 2017 and has not won more than 2 matches since then. Cirstea defeated Kvitova 6-2, 6-2

The next gen in the women’s field did not have as much luck as their male counterparts. Leylah Fernandez joined other top seeds in making an early exit of the season opener. Fernandez lost three breakpoints as she lost the first set in a close encounter in which both the players had long rallies but in the second set, Maddison Inglis took the first four games to open a huge lead in the match and over her opponent’s mind. From there it was game over for the 2021 US Open runner up who lifted her hands in disappointment after losing the match. Inglis defeated Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.

Also read: Norrie, Gauff and Fognini fall in opening day of Australian Open

Melbourne, Jan 18 (Cricket News) Former U-19 World Cup winning skipper Unmukt Chand on Tuesday became the first Indian cricketer to play in Australia's Big Bash T20 League as he made his debut for Melbourne Renegades.

The 28-year-old Chand, a right-handed batsman, made his BBL debut against Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.

"The new colours suit you, @UnmuktChand9," Renegades tweeted. Chand, under whose leadership India had won the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2012 in Australia, retired from all forms of Indian cricket in August last year, making him eligible to play leagues overseas.

After the Under-19 World Cup success, Chand led the India A team as well but never really graduated to the senior level. 

Also Read : K L Rahul set to lead Lucknow IPL franchise

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Day 1 of the 2022 Australian Open saw quite a few seeded players making their exit. The highest seeded player to fall was Cameron Norrie, the 12th seed had it tough against Next Gen player Sebastian Korda while 18th seed Cori Gauff was knocked out by Wang Qiang.

Cameron Norrie was nowhere near his best as he lost the first two sets in an hour and failed to take a single game in the second set. Korda kept hitting winners as Norrie’s court movement was also hampered, there was no ray of light for the British number one as the youngster did not shy away from taking chances in almost all the rallies. Korda kept coming forward to finish the points and only had some issues in the third set where Norrie put in some volleys which delayed the result of the match. Korda defeated Norrie 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.

“It wasn't easy. I didn't get a lot of preparation, didn't get any matches under my belt,” Korda said in his post-match press conference after he was forced to withdraw from the Adelaide International 1 in the first week of the season due to testing positive for Covid-19. “But I am just super happy with the way I came out. I stuck with my tactics. They worked really well and I am really comfortable on these courts.”

Fabio Fognini failed to find his touch against Tallon Griekspoor in the opening round. Griekspoor did see some half hearted winners from Fognini who could not hit most of the balls on the other side of the court. Griekspoor entered the main draw at Melbourne for the second time in his career and it was his second victory at Grand Slams. The 25 year old will next face Pablo Carreno Busta as it will be tough against the Spaniard who has been in form this year. Griekspoor defeated Fognini 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Feliciano Lopez played a record 79th consecutive Grand Slam at Melbourne, the 40 year old lost to John Millman in the 1st round. Millman was quick to find space around the net as Lopez is one of the last players to fully rely on the classic serve and volley. Millman moved well around the court while finding the lines even with his backhand and had sublime control when hitting winners from the net. Millman defeated Lopez 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

Cori Gauff made her first early exit at a Grand Slam in two years when she was shocked by Wang Qiang in straight sets. Wang secured her first victory in over 6 months as she took advantage of an error-stricken game by the teenager. Gauff had 38 unforced errors which mostly contributed to the former world number 12 taking 6 consecutive games from the end of the first to the second. Even though it looked like the American could have staged a comeback when saving a few match points but it was not happening this time. Wang defeated Gauff 6-4, 6-2.

Sofia Kenin also had her luck give up on her as she was up against Madison Keys in the first round. Sofia had won the title at Melbourne two years ago but it was all over right on the first day for the former champion. Keys was too powerful around the court as no amount of sprints could cover certain groundstrokes she unleashed. The 12th seed has been struggling with a foot injury and coming back on tour after being infected with Covid. Keys defeated Kenin 7-6 (7-2), 7-5.

Also read: Mirza-Kichenok to open against Zidansek-Juvan in Australian Open

(Tennis news) Paula Badosa set her priorities for the big ones in Australia when she won the Sydney Tennis Classic beating Barbora Krejcikova in the final. Krejcikova had played the match of her life against Anett Kontaveit in the semifinal but could not draw much inspiration for the championship match. Badosa on the other hand had a much straightforward semifinal against Daria Kasatkina.

Badosa had tough opponents on her way to the final as she faced Jelena Ostapenko in the opening match, Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals and also played one match more than Krejcikova. All of the opponents of the 2021 Indian Wells champion faced were in the top 50 while Krejcikova’s real test came in the semifinal against Kontaveit which took 2 and half hours.

The world number 9 had a 2-0 head to head record against Krejcikova, both the victories coming last year. The Spaniard started well by taking the first two games and broke serve thrice to win the first set comfortably. In the second set, the world number 4 took the first two games and the rallies were getting shorter as she found her target in no time while Badosa had no chances to take.

In the deciding set, the momentum kept shifting each game as both players broke serve once but could get a lead at point of the set. In the tiebreak, it was Badosa who took the lead with her defensive shield proving to be a tough one to break. She was leading 5-2 and Krejcikova tried to repeat the semifinal drama but could not get much time, Badosa lost the next two points but won the next point to get herself a championship point. With a strong backhand down the line, the 24 year old made it 3 out of 3 in WTA finals as well as a third victory over the 2021 Roland Garros champion.

"Of course winning the title gives me a lot of confidence, especially with the level I have played this week," Badosa said. "Of course I am tired. I play Monday. I will have to fly tonight, so let's see how I recover. But I will try to give my best there. I'm playing at a high level. Let's see. I'm looking forward to it."

Both players have a chance to play again at the Australian Open quarterfinals, the 26 year old would want to add more majors after her victory in Paris last year. While Badosa is still looking for a first Grand Slam title win and the victory at Sydney is certainly going to pump her up when she plays at Melbourne.

Also read: Krejcikova wins epic semi final against Kontaveit at Sydney

Melbourne, Jan 16 (Tennis News) Veteran Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok have been seeded 12th in the women's doubles event of the Australian Open and have been pitted against Slovenia's strong singles players Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek.

Sania and Kichekon have entered the first Grand Slam of the season after reaching the semifinals of the first Adelaide WTA event and making a first round exit from the second.

Zidansek is ranked 29th in the world in the singles chart while Juvan is also a top-100 player at number 89.

In the men's doubles, 41-year-old Rohan Bopanna and his French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin have been placed in the bottom half of the draw where they will play against wild card pair of Indonesia's Christopher Rungkat and Philippines' Treat Huey in their first round match.

The mixed doubles draw has not been made as yet and it is highly unlikely that Bopanna and Mirza would enter together since their combined ranking won't be enough to enter the event as a team.

No Indian player could make the singles main draw with Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ankita Rain falling in the qualifiers. 

Also Read : Tie break thrillers continue to take the spotlight in Australia

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Melbourne, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Australian great Ian Chappell feels the just-concluded Test series between India and South Africa involved the kind of emotion that the lop-sided Ashes lacked completely.

Beaten comprehensively in the three-match series opener, South Africa bounced back in style to claim the rubber 2-1 after convincing victories in the second and third Test against their fancied opponents.

"South Africa surprisingly defeated India in an old-fashioned dogfight that included some enthralling cricket. It also involved ample emotion of the sort that has notably been missing from an Ashes contest that has been surprisingly uncontroversial so far," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

The former Australia captain added, "The South Africa series featured bowling domination on pitches that were probably too much in favour of the fielding side, but there was also some exquisite batting." While both teams fought hard to outdo each other throughout the series, the Ashes series between traditional rivals Australian and England turned out to be completely one-sided with the former dominating their beleaguered visitors.

The hosts sealed the five-match series with three successive wins before England just about managed to halt the Australian juggernaut in the fourth Test with a hard-earned draw. Australia won the fifth Test with two days to spare, to take the series 4-0.

"The Australia-versus-England series has often been frustratingly one-sided. It was apparent again when the ebullient Travis Head, aided by Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, launched a defiant counterattack in Hobart.

"In the first three Tests it was mainly the home side displaying the grit and application that five-day cricket requires. That led to 12 days where Australia steamrolled their way to a series victory, while English cricket was exposed for all its ineptitude," Chappell said.

He added, "It was only when Joe Root's batting skill was duplicated and England finally applied some bowling nous that a Test was saved. Even then it was a close call.

"At the SCG, Australia were still by far the better side, expertly led and prepared to expend the required energy, but at least England unearthed some much needed fight." Chappell also believed that the administrators should start valuing the selectors more highly than coaches.

"A good Test selector is capable of including both considerations in his choices and that is why they are highly regarded. When it comes to financial rewards, cricket should start valuing selection more highly than coaching; it would make a pleasant and worthwhile change," Chappell said.

Speaking on the role of selectors, Chappell cited as example the 28-year-old South African Keegan Petersen, who had played just two Tests coming into the series against India.

However, he showed a lot of composure against the strong Indian bowling attack and was unfortunate to have not got a century after scoring three fifties in the series.

"... In particular, Petersen's sudden rise to fame has been a revelation and raises the question of where he has been all this while. This example exposes one of the mysteries of Test cricket: do some selectors know what they should be looking for? "Petersen is in his prime, at 28, but he has only played five Tests. Despite lacking experience he has all the requirements of a Test No. 3, including a wide range of shots that he is prepared to play, plus a solid defence.

"So why is he only playing now? Sometimes players deserve an opportunity on potential and temperament alone and this is where good selection stands out," Chappell pointed out. 

Also Read : Gavaskar wants Rishabh Pant to succeed Kohli as Test skipper

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Melbourne, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Spin legend Shane Warne has thanked star batter Virat Kohli for "passionately supporting" Test cricket, a day after he stepped down as skipper of the Indian Test team.

Kohli on Saturday ended his seven-year reign as India's most successful Test captain, the move coming a day after an unexpected 1-2 series loss to South Africa.

Under Kohli, India won 40 out of 68 Tests, a record which made him one of the most successful Test captains in world cricket.

"Congrats @imVkohli on what you and your team has achieved under your leadership and thankyou for supporting test cricket so passionately and insuring that it stays the number 1 form of the game," Warne tweeted.

Kohli has been the most successful Test captain India has ever produced. After taking over the reins from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he led India in 68 Test matches and secured 40 victories at a win percentage of 58.82.

As Test captain, he registered his first series win against Sri Lanka in 2015, a victory that India registered in the Emerald Island after 22 years.

Last year, Warne was all praise for Kohli after his team beat England by 157 runs in the fourth Test at The Oval to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Warne had then called Kohli the biggest superstar in world cricket.

However, the Australian great was not too pleased with the Indian maestro after he let it rip on the stump mic following the DRS episode that gave Dean Elgar a lifeline during the third and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

"Look it is an interesting one, I am not sure that should be happening from a captain of an international team.

"But sometimes frustration overflows, you just get so frustrated and that's why I said I wonder if that has happened three or four times through the series, and that was like okay that is enough now we can't have it anymore," Warne had said. 

Also Read : Your legacy as captain will stand for benchmarks you set: Ashwin

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(Tennis news) After more than 120 days since the last Grand Slam, the 2022 season is ready for the Australian Open to take place at Melbourne. At the beginning of every year, there are new expectations from the next gen to take over the older generation and there are few players who will look to take over the trophy from the seniors.

Daniil Medvedev had beaten Novak Djokovic at the 2021 US Open final and Djokovic had beaten Medvedev in the final of Australia at the start of the year. This year, the Serbian is currently playing against the Australian government as he needs a victory to compete in the main draw. Meanwhile the Russian will be keen to add a second major to his pocket but will be facing a challenge from the rest of the rising stars. Alexander Zverev has not won a major title yet, he has won everything else including the Olympic gold and can join Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal in winning all the major titles in the sport.

Nadal won the Melbourne Summer Set which was his first title at Australia in 13 years, his first title was the 2009 Australian Open. The Spaniard was beaten by Stefanos Tsistsipas in the quarterfinal last year and the Greek player will also be in line to get his first big title. Most of the next gen players have not played any matches so far, the players who have started with year in form would be Felix Auger Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov. The two Canadians have shown how much they grew as players and would be willing to do the same at Melbourne. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner would also play till the final days of the event as they had a good run last year.

In the women’s singles, Ashleigh Barty will be aiming for a third Grand Slam overall and a first at home. While the Australian has her targets, Aryna Sabalenka can set a sight at a first major as well as the top ranking when she plays next week. Sabalenka reached the semifinals of the last two Grand Slams, the 23 year old can steal the thunder from Barty and it would be daring to do it in front of the home crowd. In the top 10 rankings, all the players are below 30 years and a few made their debuts in the single digit platform. Barbora Krejcikova took the Roland Garros by storm by winning the singles and doubles trophy; Krejcikova takes on Paula Badosa who is yet another debutant in the top 10 and certainly one of them to watch out.

Naomi Osaka will also make her return and if she is in form then there is no doubt about her taking home her 5th major. The Japanese player issued a walkover in the semifinal at Melbourne Summer Set a few days ago but is expected to play at the event. The Australian Open is set to start from January 17 and the audience would want to wear their seat belts as its going to be a bumpy start to the year.

Also read: Novak Djokovic has long divided opinion. Now, his legacy will be complicated even further

Melbourne, Jan 15 (Tennis News) After a convoluted and shambolic visa approval process, followed by questions about his movements over the past month and the information provided to Australian border officials, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa.

The decision is a major blow to Djokovic, who is tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the most ever by a male player. While his lawyers will attempt to challenge the latest visa cancellation, Djokovic is unlikely to chase history at his most successful Grand Slam tournament.

The decision is also a blow to the Australian Open. With Federer out with injury, Djokovic and Nadal were the prime draw cards in this year’s men’s tournament. If the top-ranked Serbian player and nine-time Australian Open champion is deported, some have feared serious repercussions for the longevity of the event.

Critics have gone so far as to theorise global tennis powerbrokers might look elsewhere to host the “grand slam of the Asia-Pacific”, so as: […] to be confident the tournament can proceed smoothly with strong levels of public and government support.

In that sense, the conservative MP and former professional tennis player John Alexander had urged allowing Djokovic to stay in the country, arguing: Retaining the Australian Open as a grand slam event […] is in our national interest.

While the Australian Open’s reputation certainly has taken a hit, its status as one of the four Grand Slam tournaments has plenty of support. The longer-term damage might be to Djokovic’s legacy.

Given the extraordinary backstory to his medical exemption from COVID vaccination to enter Australia – along with the many questions that have arisen about his COVID infection in December – public opinion about him has swayed back and forth on a daily basis.

Djokovic has long been a polarising figure in tennis. Despite his athleticism, endurance and mental toughness, he has sometimes been accused of gamesmanship, “exaggerating” injuries to allow for medical pauses when an opponent has the momentum.

Like other players, Djokovic has also exhibited unruly behaviour on court, with occasional racket smashes, as well as disqualification from the 2020 US Open after recklessly – albeit accidentally – smashing a ball into a line judge.

Compared with the much-loved Federer and Nadal, Djokovic has a narrower fan base. At the Australian Open, he’s always had the effervescent support of Melbourne’s large Serbian diaspora, with their patriotic singing and flag-waving. But the mood of the rest of the crowd this year would likely have been mixed, with some undoubtedly voicing their hostility.

Indeed, local tennis fans would have good reason to chafe at Djokovic’s medical exemption from immunisation given the stringent COVID protocols they must follow to attend the Australian Open.

The tournament requires fans to be double-vaccinated or provide evidence of a medical exemption. However, unlike Djokovic’s peculiar defence, prior COVID status does not absolve local residents from the need to be double-vaccinated, with “previous infection” no basis for an exemption.

Grand slammed? Further complicating Djokovic’s legacy is the question of whether he’ll now face visa difficulties at the other tennis majors. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant may alter the rules for unvaccinated players in different countries and tournaments.

As things stand, Djokovic appears to face no vaccine-related impediment to competing at the French Open in a few months. The French sports minister has said Djokovic “would be able to take part”, although unlike vaccinated players he would need to follow “health bubble” protocols.

French President Emmanuel Macron, however, has made headlines by declaring he wants to “piss off” the unvaccinated – in part by mandating a “health pass” for public venues, a requirement for which is to be vaccinated. Whether Macron insists on changes for competitors at Roland-Garros remains to be seen.

As far as Wimbledon is concerned, unvaccinated international arrivals to the United Kingdom are currently required to take repeat COVID tests over several days, plus quarantine for ten days at a residence of their choice.

Djokovic would, presumably, look to a rent a house with a lawn tennis court attached.

The US Open seems less certain. The unvaccinated are not permitted in specific indoor venues in New York without a medical exemption.

So, if one of Djokovic’s matches on the showcourts at the US Open was affected by rain and the roof needed to be closed, it is not clear what organisers would do. He might be forced to forfeit the match.

Given Djokovic has been less prone to injury than Federer or Nadal and is coming off one of his best years on tour, he is still likely to retire with the most men’s grand slam titles. If so, he can rightfully be feted as the greatest male tennis star of all time.

But how he will be remembered is a more complicated question. In one sense, Djokovic appears to revel in being depicted as the “arch-nemesis” of Federer and Nadal – it has fuelled his desire to surpass their grand slam title hauls.

Yet, for all his tennis greatness, Djokovic often attracts eye-rolling outside the court – not simply in relation to his views on vaccines, but the wider pseudo-scientific ruminations that underpin his public pronouncements.

As the Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has put it, Djokovic seems “a very strange cat”.

The drama from the past week will have an effect on the way others view him, too. It will inflame his supporters, infuriate his detractors, and prompt even neutral observers to take a stand in respect to his entry to Australia. When it comes to Novak Djokovic, everyone will now surely have an opinion. (The Conversation) MRJ

Also Read : Krejcikova wins epic semi final against Kontaveit at Sydney.

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(Tennis news) The first semifinal at Sydney Tennis Classic saw the clash between the world number 4 and 7. The encounter saw 12 match points in the final set as Barbora Krejcikova and Anett Kontaveit lit the court on fire as the match was among the best on the WTA tour. Kontaveit began the first set as the crowd did not even settle even when she bageled her opponent in 26 minutes.

It was a tragic start for the 2021 Roland Garros winner, she improved in the second set as a backhand winner of Kontaveit’s second serve gave the crucial break in the 9th game. It was the only break in the set but it was all that Krejcikova needed to level the score. The final set saw the players sharpening their groundstrokes even after 2 hours, Krejcikova saved three match points while serving at 5-6 to take it for a tiebreak and then Kontaveit saved two match points in the tiebreak to make it 6 all. The tie break had 25 points in all which took almost half an hour to complete when the Estonian hit a forehand long to end her run at Sydney. Krejcikova defeated Kontaveit 0-6, 6-4, 7-6(14-12).

"I think from both sides it was a really, really tough match," Krejcikova said, in her post-match press conference. "I think we played wonderful tennis. It was very, very tight, and I'm really happy that I was able to hold my nerves better and that I won this match.

In the second semifinal, it was in-form Daria Kasatkina versus world number 9 Paula Baodsa. They both last played in 2013 in European Junior Championships in Moscow where Kasatkina had won the match. The former world number 10 had made the semifinals at melbourne earlier as Badosa had lost the opening match here a week ago.

Both the players have a similar playing style as they wait for the ball a bit after the bounce but Badosa did not wait for a breakthrough in the match as she won the first 3 games in 8 minutes. Kasatkina got her first game when she hit a forehand lob to break the Spaniard’s serve to make it 1-4 and then held her serve to make it two in a row. Badosa then won the next two games with her backhand dominating the winning shots.

In the second set, Kasatkina was left behind when she lost the first five games as Badosa was only a game away from victory. The Russian had to defend two match points on her serve and took the risk to win her first game of the set, she then broke Badosa’s serve with three nerve-wracking forehands for her second consecutive game. The crowd was getting mentally prepared for a second epic semifinal but then Badosa denied a second inspiring comeback at Sydney to enter the final. Badosa defeated Kasatkina 6-2, 6-2.

Also read: Kasatkina reaches second semi final in 2 weeks at Sydney Tennis Classic

(Tennis news) Arthur Rinderknech made his first ATP final since making his debut on tour two years ago. It was an all French semi final as Rinderknech was against Corentin Moutet who was aiming to go into the final stage for the second time. The world number 58 was powerful with his returns as Moutet's serves were slowing down as the match went ahead. Moutet’s average 1st serve speed was 169 km/ hour which was just ahead of Rinderknech’s second serve average of 159 km/hour.

The world number 115 lost more than half of his service points which allowed his fellow country mate to complete the match without much sweat. Rinderknech was also winning short and long rallies as he was on the front on all aspects of the game; he also won 21 of his 25 net points as it was overall just what he wanted. Rinderknech defeated Moutet 6-1, 6-3.

"It was a tough match inside our heads. I'm sure everybody knows what a home-country duel match is about," Rinderknech said. "There was a little bit of tension but I was happy to get the win with a pretty short time on court.

"It's a great achievement. I'm really happy to be in the final. It's a new step again. I made the semi-finals in Kitzbuehel last summer. Now the final here for my first tournament of the year.”

In the fourth quarterfinal of the event it was a battle of the wildcards. Two 25 year old Australians fighting for a spot in the semifinal at home, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic were facing each other for the first time. Kokkinakis had his chances in the first set, 9 breakpoints to be exact and could not win any of them as the world number 160 took the set in a tiebreak.

In the second set, Kokkinakis hit heavy winners off his forehand as he broke Vukic’s serve in the 8th game which gave him the lead and on the set in half an hour. In the decider, Kokkinakis broke Vukic’s serve twice in the first five games and only dropped two points of serve on his own serve. The world no 145 now has reached the last four in the first two events of the year, he will face Marin Cilic for a place in the final against Rinderknech. Kokkinakis defeated Vukic 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles, the first semi final was between second and third seed as Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski beat Marcelo Melo and Ivan Dodig. Melo and Dodig were the top seeds left in the event and had reached the final at the Adelaide International 1 but could not make it two in two. Koolhof and Skupski are in line for a second consecutive title as they had won in Melbourne. Koolhof and Skupski defeated Marcelo and Ivan 6-4, 6-1.

Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar have been a rising pair in the doubles as they made five finals last year and are into their first championship match of the 2022 season. In the second semifinal, Behar and Escobar defeated Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 10-6.

Also read: Monfils retires at Adelaide International 2, Rinderknech upsets Khachanov

(Tennis news) Daria Kasatkina has been shining bright in the warm Australian courts. The Russian reached her second semifinal in 2 weeks as she had reached the last four at Melbourne a few days ago. The Russian got her first top five victory in 4 years when she beat Garbine Muguriza at the Sydney Tennis Classic.

Kasatkina had last beaten Muguruza in 2019 and now remains the lowest seeded player left in the draw. The world number 26 placed the ball so well that most of her winners were not even attempted by the Spaniard, the world number 3 took time to build up the point while Kasatkina could instantly find a loose spot and hit the ball exactly in that area.

Muguruza was hitting the ball well but there was no momentum on her side as she was constantly distracted by her opponents' most unexpected winners. Kasatkina will face another Spanish player in the next match as Paula Badosa will be ready for another tough battle. Kasatkina defeated Muguruza 6-4, 6-4.

Badosa’s timing was right on target as she beat Tokyo Olympics Singles gold medalist Belinda Bencic for a place in the last four. The first set saw two players playing one of the best rallies of the year as Belinda took the ball on the rise while Badosa was patient enough to hit the ball well after the bounce. Badosa’s light bend backward while hitting the forehand generates enough power to smash the ball across and Bencic had this forward fall while hitting the ball.

Both of them had different styles but Belinda took more risks as it did not work in the first set as the world number 9 did not take many chances but the forehand winner at tie break was enough to prove her point. Sensing her groundstrokes were not doing enough damage, the swiss player changed her tactics completely and the speeds were decreasing in her groundstrokes. The surprise drop shot caught Badosa completely off guard on multiple occasions. A crucial backhand into the net by Belinda in the eighth game gave the lead to Badosa and she did not again let go of the chance to serve out the match. Badosa defeated Bencic 7-6(8-6), 3-6, 6-3.

Barbora Krejcikova only lost two games in her quarterfinal match against Caroline Garcia as she will next face Anett Kontaveit. Krejcikova won 8 consecutive games in the match as Garcia kept struggling to hit a clean ball on the other side of the court. The unforced errors gave last year’s Roland Garros champion a bagel in the opening set, she took the first two games until the unseeded player won her first game of the match. Krejcikova looked like she won the match even before the ending of the second set as Garcia could never get her form in the match. Barbora defeated Garcia 6-0, 6-2.

Also read: Emma Raducanu falls in opening match at Sydney Tennis Classic

Melbourne, Jan 13 (Tennis News) Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri suffered a straight sets defeat to Czech Republic's Tomas Machac in the Australian Open qualifiers here on Thursday, meaning the year's first Grand Slam will have no Indian participation in the singles main draw.

Bhambri lost his second round qualifying match 1-6 3-6.

Machac has a career high ATP singles ranking of 131 achieved on November 8 2021. He also has a career high doubles ranking of 470 achieved on November 1 2021.

On Tuesday, comeback man Bhambri had impressed with his attacking net play in a straight sets win but Ramkumar Ramanathan's 23rd attempt at cracking the singles main draw of a grand slam had ended in a first round defeat at the Australian Open qualifiers.

In the women's singles, Ankita Raina, ranked 203, was blown away by 120th ranked Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-0 in just 50 minutes. 

Also Read : Emma Raducanu falls in opening match at Sydney Tennis Classic

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 12 (Tennis News) Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost rhythm and energy before staging a mini comeback but eventually bowed out of the Australian Open Qualifiers with a second-round defeat against Germany's Maximilian Marterer, here on Wednesday. Up against a rival, who served big and packed a lot of power in his strokes but placed seven places below him at 228, Prajnesh lost 2-6 6-7(8) in one hour and 26 minutes.

With Prajnesh losing the battle of the left-handers, Yuki Bhambri is now ꪪthe only Indian surviving in the Qualifiers. Ramkumar Ramanathan and Ankita Raina have already exited the competition.

Down 2-6 2-4, Prajnesh managed to stretch it to a tie-breaker but squandered many a set point to lose the match.

Prajnesh handed the German two break chances in the fourth game of the match when he made a volley error after setting up the point and followed that up with wide forehand. The Indian saved the first chance with a big serve while Marterer's backhand slice landed just outside the baseline on the second.

An engrossing rally, that put Prajnesh's backhand to test against the German's forehand, ensued in the sixth game.

A smart backhand slice by Marterer, after no less than a 20-shot exchange ended the rally as Prajnesh hit the pick-up out, looking for a cross court forehand winner.

Prajnesh's strokes began to lose power and precision after losing that energy-sapping rally and the German began to dictate terms. Marterer hit a forehand winner to earn two break chances and converted the second for a 4-2 lead when Prajnesh made a forehand error.

The German came out serving big in the next game to consolidate his lead but Prajnesh seemed to have lost energy as unforced errors flew from his racquet as he surrendered the opening set.

Early in the second set, Prajnesh went from 40-0 to deuce and was down a breakpoint when he sent another shot long.

Marterer could not covert that but created one more chance when he had Parjnesh scurried to the net from the baseline to miss the ball. Already a break-up, Marterer held his own for a 4-1 lead.

A glimmer of hope came when the German allowed Prajnesh an opening by dropping his serve in the seventh game as it was back on serve.

Yuki Bhambri has a task cut out as he faces world number 130 Tomas Machac from Czech Republic. Yuki is ranked outside top-1000 and has entered the event, using his Protected Ranking (127). 

Also Read : Andy Murray records first victory of the season at the Sydney Tennis Classic

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Recalling India' incredible Test triumph in Australia last year despite being ravaged by injuries, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar said the performance ranks among the team's "greatest wins" of all time and can be considered a "golden chapter" in the country's cricket history.

India, led by Ajinkya Rahane, defeated Australia 2-1 in a closely-fought four Test rubber winning in Melbourne and then breaching fortress Gabba in Brisbane last year after Australia had outplayed the visitors in the Day-Night Test at Adelaide.

Heroics of Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin had helped secure a draw for the visitors in the Sydney Test.

"India's win in Australia early last year will go down as one of the greatest wins in Indian cricket history," Gavaskar said.

"To pick themselves up after the dismissal with their lowest ever test score of 36 and then to beat a rampant home team is a tribute to the determination shown by the players and the leadership roles played by the captain, coach Ravi Shastri and his support group "I was privileged to be there and see a golden chapter being written in the history of Indian cricket," added the 72-year-old former right-handed opener.

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of India's win, 'Sony Sports Network' has produced a special docu-series titled "DOWN UNDERDOGS - INDIA'S GREATEST COMEBACK" that will premiere on January 14 and Gavaskar gave his comments to the channel.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who led Australia to the 2015 ODI World Cup win, said India deserved all the credit for fighting it out after the morale-shattering opening loss.

"India picked an attack that worked," said Clarke.

"Different bowlers - not everyone bowls the same, different tactics, different skills, different weapons, so the credit goes to India for their execution but also Australia might have taken for granted their success in the first test," added the former right-handed batter. 

Also Read : PCB chief Raja proposes 4-nation T20 series involving India, Pakistan

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Andy Murray got his first win of the year in the first round at the Sydney Tennis Classic. He beat qualifier Viktor Durasovic for the second time after facing him in Stockholm last year. Durasovic’s first serves were over 195 km/hour but could not find the strokes to follow it up as Murray’s returns were equally good. A forehand error in the 6th game gave Murray the breakpoint and it gave the chance for him to take the set.

Murray’s serves were slower than his opponent but knew how to attack his returns as he only lost one point of his first serve in the match. The former world number one then went to hit his classic lob and quick reflex volleys at the net then hit a forehand return winner to end the match. Murray defeated Durasovic 6-3, 6-1.

“It is perfect conditions here,” Murray said in his on-court interview. “It feels like you are playing indoors. It is really nice to get your range here and hopefully I can carry that through to Melbourne. I was hoping to get matches in Melbourne last week, but that didn’t happen. Thankfully the tournament organisers and Tennis Australia agreed to give me the wild card and the opportunity to play here and I am very grateful for that.”

Alexei Popyrin who has reached the third round twice at Melbourne could not give his home crowd what they wished when he made an early exit. Pedro Martinez played exactly like how he intended as he finished certain points without the use of power and gracefully sliced the ball away. The Spanish players are known to be hardcore baseliners but Martinez did not stay much on the baseline as he came into the net on 17 occasions and only lost the point on thrice.

Popyrin started the second set with a huge forehand winner as the 6 foot five inch player broke the Spaniard to take a 2-0 lead. If it was raw power for the Aussie player then it was planning and execution for his opponent which worked out for the latter. Martinez defeated Popyrin 6-4, 6-4.

Brandon Nakashima has started the 2022 season with a second victory over Fabio Fognini and the 20 year old has now played four tie breaks in two matches. The Next Gen Finals player had defeated Fognini in San Diego last year in their first meeting. The match had 12 aces and 175 points in total from just two sets as Nakashima needed some defensive magic to prevail over the Italian firepower. Nakashima defeated Fogini 7-6(9-7), 7-6(8-6).

Also read: Goffin and Fognini celebrate comeback with victories at Sydney

Melbourne, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins has told his players to just be themselves instead of resorting to sledging just because "it might have been done like that in the past." Ever since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, the Australian cricketing culture has undergone a serious review for its win-at-all-cost approach in the past. Not a single untoward incident has been witnessed in the ongoing Ashes series, for which Cummins credited his teammates and not just his leadership style.

The England players applauded Usman Khawaja's effort of two hundreds in the Sydney Test and likewise the Australians appreciated the good performers in the visitors camp.

Cummins, the first Australian fast bowler to lead a Test side, said his approach to leadership is quite similar to England's Eoin Morgan.

"I look at different leaders and someone like Eoin Morgan. I like his outlook on captaincy and how he brings the team together. I have worked with Eoin in the IPL for the last couple of years and we have very similar outlooks on life," Cummins was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"You have to be aware of it. From a couple of years ago it was obvious the world wanted all cricket teams, particularly the Aussie cricket team, to tone it down a little bit.

"I keep encouraging all of our players to be themselves. They do not have to try to impress anyone or sledge just because it might have been done like that in the past. Just be themselves.

Cummins said he has been quite proud of the team's conduct.

"No doubt, the first Tests have been pretty smooth sailing and it (sledging) is something to keep an eye on...You lead by your actions in this space. If I need to pull someone up (for sledging) I will, but everyone is an adult here.

"They have heard it loud and clear from the outside what is expected of us and from cricket fans in Australia. I will not be taking all the credit, the boys have been fantastic themselves." Cummins said the Test format itself is such that inspires players to be at their best in every aspect.

"For just about every cricketer growing up in Australia, it is their preferred format. Test cricket means something in Australia. It is where history is made," he said.

"Ashes series 12 months out, you bump into people in the street and they are already saying they can't wait for the Ashes. It brings everyone together and gives us the chance to stamp our own legacy on the game." And he is relishing the challenge of being Australia's Test skipper and won't mind if bowlers continue to lead the side.

Very few pacers have led their teams like Bob Willis (England), Kapil Dev (India), Courtney Walsh (West Indies) and Pakistan's Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan.

"I've always thought bowlers can be captains. I'm not sure if it is the start of a trend, but why not? My experience of being a bowler is really valuable when I'm in the field talking to other bowlers, trying to make bowling changes and setting fields.

"I feel like I can draw on my own experiences a lot. There is no reason why there can’t be more bowling captains going forward." 

Also Read : Advantage South Africa after day 1 despite Virat Kohli masterclass

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) The first day of Sydney Tennis Classic WTA 500 was like a transverse wave as the singles matches did not have a single sporting element missing. The tour in January is packed with events at Adelaide and Sydney as players get busy at the start of the season. The 2022 Australian Open will be starting in 6 days as players have already soaked in the heat at the ongoing events.

Sofia Kenin was the highest ranked player to make an exit on the first day of the Sydney Tennis Classic. The American was up against Daria Kasatkina who had reached the semifinals at Adelaide two days ago. The world number 12 looked a bit off in the middle of the first set as she could not convert two breakpoints at 3-2 and then lost three successive games to give the Russian the lead. 

After winning the first set, Kasatkina made a huge leap ahead by bageling Kenin as she knocked out the 8th seed in an hour. Kasatkina saved all the 7 breakpoints in the match and converted four out five to give herself a confidence boost ahead of the season opening Grand Slam. Kasatkina defeated Kenin 6-4, 6-0.

Anett Kontaveit made sure she reminded the Melbourne audience how she ended last season with a straight set win over Zhang Shuai. Kontaveit began her first match of the season with a full stretched backhand and forehand shot in the opening rally. The world number 7 had her first serves come out hot as Zhang only won 4 points out of 35 as Kontaveit kept her aggressiveness full on for the match.

Kontaveit was pouncing on Zhang’s second serve as a single breakpoint was enough for the Estonian to take the set. In the second set, things turned even worse for the 32 year old as she could only win one point out of 16 first serves and lost nine of her 12 second serves. Kontaveit took more risks and it gave her 4 breakpoints in which she lost two but was enough to progress to the next round. Kontaveit defeated Zhang 6-3, 6-3.

Petra Kvitova had a devastating start to the season when she was beaten in the opening round at Adelaide. Kvitova was on her way to another early exit against Arantxa Rus and saved two match points in a match that lasted for three hours. The two left handers hit a total of 16 double faults of which 8 came in the second and Kvitova accounted for 5 of them.

Rus was completely ahead of Kvitova in the first set as it looked like the Dutch player was in full control. In the second set, Kvitova was the one on top of the waves as she had a 4-2 lead until the storm shook her out of the game and it was 4 all. Kvitova who was 7 months older to her opponent used her forehand to unarm Rus and took the match to the decider. In the final set, Rus had two match points at 5-4 but could not get that one point as Kvitova got three consecutive games to end the ordeal. Kvitova defeated Rus 3-6, 7-6(7-4), 7-5.

Also read: Safiullin, Evans among the best players from the 2022 ATP Cup

Melbourne, Jan 11 (Tennis News) Comeback-man Yuki Bhambri impressed with his match sharpness and attacking net play as the Indian progressed to the second round of Australian Open qualifiers with a comfortable straight set win over Joao Domingues, here on Tuesday.

Bhambri, who returned to the Grand Slam stage after 2018 US Open due to knee injury, beat his 248th ranked Portuguese rival 6-4 6-2 in just 68 minutes.

The 29-year-old Indian's serve looked decent and he played smartly as he charged the net to keep the points short.

He struggled to rein in his unforced errors in the beginning but earned his first breakpoint in the third game with a forehand winner after a long rally. Domigues served a double fault to hand the Indian first break of the match.

Bhambri served the next game at love with an ace to open up a 3-1 lead as Domingues also tried to charge to the net but Bhambri's powerful strokes pushed him back.

Bhambri fought off two break points on his serve in the sixth game. At deuce he pulled off a perfectly placed backhand slice and then dispatched up a half-volley for a 4-2 lead.

After getting one more break on account of his rival's unforced errors, Bhambri came out serving for the set but dropped the serve when his miscued overhead smash went out.

He wasn't in the position to play that shot but went for it, anticipating that lob would land in, behind him near the alley.

The Indian claimed the set when he served again.

In the second set too, it was Bhambri who got the first break as he led 4-2. He then served out the match without any fuss.

Ramkumar Ramanathan and Ankita Raina will also play their first rounds later in the day. 

Also Read : Safiullin, Evans among the best players from the 2022 ATP Cup

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 11 (Tennis News) Novak Djokovic is – at least for now – free to defend his title at the Australian Open after Judge Anthony Kelly of the Federal Circuit and Family Court quashed the cancellation of his visa following an agreement between the tennis star’s lawyers and the government.

After a confusing day-long hearing involving dense legal arguments, Djokovic was ordered to be released from immigration detention on procedural grounds – the judge said he hadn’t been given enough time to contest the original cancellation of his visa last Thursday morning.

But this left unresolved the bigger question of whether Djokovic was entitled to rely upon a medical exemption from Tennis Australia to enter the country and compete in the tournament without being vaccinated against COVID-19.

It is entirely possible Djokovic’s success in these proceedings is a hollow victory, with the government’s lawyer flagging Immigration Minister Alex Hawke will now consider whether to exercise his personal power to cancel the tennis star’s visa for a second time.

Grounds to challenge the visa cancellation The saga surrounding the nine-time Australian Open champion has gripped the sporting world since Djokovic was detained upon arriving in Melbourne last week due to questions about his medical exemption from vaccination to play in the tournament starting on January 17.

Djokovic was moved to immigration detention in Melbourne’s notorious Park Hotel following the cancellation of his visa. His lawyers then lodged an application to challenge that cancellation through judicial review proceedings.

The process of judicial review allows a judge to examine the lawfulness of government decision-making. It is a limited process, not concerned with whether a right, preferable or fair decision has been made, but only whether the decision followed the proper legal processes and requirements.

Before the hearing began today, Djokovic’s lawyers had put forth eight distinct grounds for why, in their submission, the decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa was not lawful.

These included some technical issues, such as a contention the notice given to Djokovic to cancel his visa was invalid and the decision was based on nonexistent grounds under the Migration Act.

Similarly, his lawyers argued the process was unfair as Djokovic was “pressured” to agree to a decision on his visa without first consulting his lawyers.

The bigger question around a medical exemption The substance of Djokovic’s challenge, however, revolved around his assertion that by testing positive to COVID-19 on December 16, he was exempt from any requirement to be vaccinated for six months.

His lawyers based this argument on guidelines set by ATAGI, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, which said: COVID-19 vaccination in people who have had PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection can be deferred for a maximum of six months after the acute illness, as a temporary exemption due to acute major medical illness.

In response, the government argued this approach was an inaccurate reading of the guidelines, saying that mere previous infection would not be enough to allow an unvaccinated person entry into Australia. In essence, the guidance provides for a deferment of vaccination, not a reason to avoid it altogether.

Moreover, the Commonwealth argued Djokovic’s reliance on the Tennis Australia exemption letter was misguided, and ultimately he did not provide sufficient information to justify entry without vaccination.

The medical exemption from Tennis Australia was a matter of significant disagreement between the parties. In the hearing, Kelly seemed to show some deference to Djokovic’s argument, saying: Here, a professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption. Further to that, that medical exemption and the basis on which it was given was separately given by a further independent expert specialist panel established by the Victorian state government […] The point I am agitated about is, what more could this man have done? The Commonwealth argued that irrespective of what Tennis Australia or the Victorian government may have decided, it is the federal government’s decision whether a visa ought be cancelled on public health grounds.

And this highlights the significant powers of the federal government in immigration matters, and that ultimately, according to the government’s court filings, there is “no such thing as an assurance of entry by a non-citizen into Australia”.

What could happen next Both sides agreed late in the day Djokovic hadn’t been given enough time to respond to the notification to cancel his visa. He was informed by border officials he would have until 8:30am on Thursday to respond, but his visa was cancelled at 7:42am. On this basis, Kelly ordered Djokovic to be released.

But the government’s lawyer immediately foreshadowed Hawke would consider using his personal power to cancel Djokovic’s visa again.

If such a decision is made, we should expect further litigation. Kelly said he expected to be “fully informed in advance” if he is required for future proceedings, ominously observing “the stakes have risen rather than receded”.

Kelly also noted Djokovic could be barred from re-entering Australia for three years if the personal power of the minister was used, though reports suggested this exclusion period could be waived.

For now, Djokovic is a free man. But it remains to be seen whether he will be spending the next few days on a tennis court or back in a federal court. 

Also Read : Ashleigh Barty secures two podium finishes at Adelaide International 1

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 11 (Cricket News) Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief Todd Greenberg has assured the country's cricketers that he will travel to Pakistan with them if the tour gets final approval but would respect if "one or two" backs out of the trip. If the team gets security clearance to travel, it will be Australia's first tour to Pakistan since 1998, when Mark Taylor's side won the three-Test series 1-0.

"I've made an assurance to the players that they won't go alone. If they're going to Pakistan, I'll be going with them and I think that's important. It's an opportunity to show the players that we're in this together," Greenberg told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"The ACA accompanied Cricket Australia on a pre-tour of Pakistan late last year, and the reports were all very positive.

"But we'll continue to take the advice of DFAT and other government organisations, as we need to be able to satisfy not just the players, but their families, that it's safe to tour." International teams have been reluctant to travel to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

However, international players have competed in Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the West Indies also travelled to Pakistan in December 2021 for a Twenty20 series.

Greenberg understands that despite security assurances, a few cricketers might be unwilling to travel to Pakistan but he won't force anyone.

"There may be one or two players who won't be comfortable despite the best advice we give, and that's OK, we need to respect that." CA chief executive Nick Hockley is also planning to travel to Pakistan for at least some of the tour, while the interim chair Richard Freudenstein may visit for a period to meet with his counterpart Ramiz Raja, unless a new permanent chair is chosen by then, according to the report in SMH.

New Zealand and England had called off their tours to Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup last year, much to the disappointment of cricket establishment in that country.

PCB chief Ramiz Raja had emphasised that cricketing nations need to back each other but rued that "western bloc" was not helping the cause. He said he was expecting Australia to do the same what Englanbd and New zealand did to them.

Greenberg said while they are keen to fulfil their international commitments, they would allow players to make their own choices.

"We have to be kind and patient with each other, and there'll be a player or two who say, 'You know what, this is not for me at this particular point in my life and career, I'm not comfortable going'.

"If that’s the case, we need to have great respect for that," Greenberg told SEN Radio during the SCG Test match. 

Also Read : I am absolutely fit but can't risk Siraj as he isn't ready to play 3rd Test: Virat Kohli

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Ashleigh Barty started the 2022 season with the singles and doubles title at Adelaide International 1. The world number 1 was playing after a gap of three months, she last played at US Open in September. At Adelaide, Barty only dropped a single set against Cori Gauff in the third round and was the only match in which she played for more than 90 minutes.

Barty was expected to win the final when she faced Elena Rybakina who beat Barty’s doubles partner Storm Sanders in the third round. Rybakina had beaten Shelby Rogers in the quarterfinal and looked in good form on her way to the championship match. Both players started well in the match as the Australian made her opponent cover a lot of ground in most of the rallies which Rybakina covered. In the 7th game, Barty broke Rybakina’s serve and then secured the first set.

In the second set, Barty took the first four games as Rybakina could not hold her serve even though she had 6 aces. The 22 year old only lost one point on her first serve in the set but only had 8 of them and lost 11 points out of 17 on her second serve. Barty was consistent on both her serves in the first and second set. She could not do much when Rybakina’s first serve was in but her returns in the second serve cleared the air. Barty defeated Rybakina 6-3, 6-2.

"I feel good leading up to an Australian Open like I have every year," Barty said. "Each and every preparation is unique, each and every preparation is different. So we take it for what comes and what it is, move on, try and do the best that we can in every opportunity, whether that's here in Adelaide or it's in Melbourne.

"It has absolutely no effect on the way that I prepare or the way I'm thinking leading forward just because it's a Grand Slam. Doesn't change for us. We look forward, we do what we can, then we see how we go."

In the doubles final, Barty and Sanders beat Andreja Klepac and Darija Jurak Schreiber in straight sets. Barty and Sanders last played as a pair in the Tokyo Olympics where they lost in the quarterfinal, it was also Barty’s 200th doubles win and is two wins away to make it 300th win in singles. The Aussie pair defeated Andreja and Darija 6-1, 6-4.

Also read: Canada gets the perfect start to 2022 season with ATP Cup victory

Melbourne, Jan 9 (Tennis News) India will keenly watch Yuki Bhambri's progress after his return to competitive tennis at the Australian Open Qualifiers while compatriot Ramkumar Ramanathan will enter the competition after a confidence-boosting maiden title triumph on the ATP Tour.

Bhambri, 29, lost invaluable three years due to a troubling knee but in a few tournaments that he has played going into the fresh season, the talented Delhi player seems ready for the grind yet again.

The close fight he had had against Aljaz Bedene in March was a testimony that he is ready for top flight tennis but his return came to halt again due to the same knee issue.

He began again in November, competing on the Challenger and ITF circuit and won a doubles titles with Saketh Myneni in Gurugram.

In the tune-up event for the first Grand Slam, Yuki tied up with old partner Michael Venus but lost first round in Melbourne at the ATP event.

He has got a decent draw as he has been pitted against Portugal's Joao Domingues, ranked 248 and clearing first round should not be an issue for Yuki. A good show at Melbourne Park will set the tone for him in the 2022 season.

In 22 attempts so far, Ramkumar has not yet succeeded in cracking the singles main draw of a Grand Slam and it's time that he breaks the losing trend. He will be up against Italian Gian Moroni, ranked 197.

Ramkumar has enjoyed fantastic results going into Australian Open. He has just won his maiden ATP doubles title in Adelaide with compatriot Rohan Bopanna and also won his maiden singles Challenger title in Manama, Bahrain in November.

His booming serve, a big heart to fight and nicely developed serve-and-volley game is there, just that he needs to put everything together at the big stage.

"It's amazing feeling to win my first ATP Title With Bopsy (Bopanna). A great week ended on a high note, always lived for these moments. Thankful to almighty God for all his blessings,"Ramkumar told PTI.

"I'll surely keep it going and give my best as always. I learnt a lot of things from Bopsy and Scott Davidoff (Bopanna's coach) who was part of our team. We combined well and didn't lose even one service game all week." Another Indian in the qualifying is Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who will open his campaign against Colombian Daniel Galan, ranked almost 100 places above him at 120.

In the women's singles, Ankita Raina will clash with Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, ranked 118.

Also Read : Bopanna and Ramkumar win Adelaide International with upset win over top seeds.

News Sources : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 9 (Tennis News) Teaming up for the first-time on the ATP Tour, India's Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan won the Adelaide International doubles trophy with a hard-fought 7-6 (6) 6-1 win over top seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo here on Sunday.

Bopanna's excellent service returns at crucial times and Ramkumar's all-round game tilted the match in their favour.

In the one hour and 21 minutes contest, the Indians saved all the four break points they faced and broke their rivals twice.

It was Bopanna's 20th ATP doubles title and first for Ramkumar, who was playing only in his second summit clash at this level, having ended a runner-up at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in 2018.

"When Ramkumar is serving by your side, you can finish the point early, so that was an advantage," said Bopanna.

Asked how different it was playing with Ramkumar than another compatriot and left-handed Divij Sharan, Bopanan said, "With Divij, we had to create a point, ensure that first volley opportunity is taken while with Ram, the point can be finished early.

"I am surprised not many Indians entered this event. If anyone had landed here, would have entered the field since not many players were there." Bopanna and Ramkumar will split USD 18700 as prize money and earned 250 ranking points each.

The win would be a huge confidence booster for Ramkumar ahead of the Australian Open Qualifiers, where he will aim to make the singles main draw of a Grand Slam once again.

After saving an early breakpoint, Bopanna and Ramkumar upped their game. In the seventh game, when Melo served at 30-0, Bopanna's unreturnable service on the right of the Dodig and later a crushing forehand winner made it 30-all but the Brazilian eventually held.

Bopanna then saved another breakpoint and converted the deciding deuce point to make it 4-4.

Serving to stay afloat in the set at 5-6, the Indian pair was up 40-30 when Dodig created a winner on Bopanna's serve that whizzed past Ramkumar on his right but the big-serving Coorgi hit an ace to drag it to a tie-breaker.

At 6-6, Bopanna found a service return winner on Melo's serve to earn their second set point and converted with his booming serve.

It was one-way traffic in the second set with the Indians dominating all through. 

Also Read : LSpain beats Poland to reach finals for second time of ATP Cup

News Sources : PTI

Adelaide, Jan 8 (Tennis News) India's Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan upstaged fourth seeds Tomislav Brkic and Santiago Gonzalez in straight sets to reach the final of the Adelaide International, here on Saturday.

The unseeded Indian duo ousted the Bosnian-Mexican duo 6-2 6-4 in the doubles semifinals.

The Indians will now lock horns with top seeds Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Brazilian Marcelo Melo in the summit clash of the of the ATP 250 event.

It will be an interesting match as the 41-year-old Bopanna and Dodig have often paired up together, the most recent being in the US Open in September when the duo was knocked out in the third round.

Bopanna and Ramkumar, who have paired up for the first time on the ATP tour, have enjoyed a good week so far.

The two have notched straight-set wins in the tournament barring the second round match against the American duo of Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow when they were stretched to a super tie-breaker.

The Adelaide event is a tune up tournament for the Australian Open, starting January 17 in Melbourne. 

Also Read : Russia prevail over Italy to reach semi finals of ATP Cup

News Source : PTI

Adelaide, Jan 7 (Tennis News) India's Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan registered a resounding straight-set win to cruise into the semifinals of the Adelaide International 1 ATP tournament here on Friday.

Bopanna and Ramkumar trounced the French-Monegasque duo of Benjamin Bonzi and Hugo Nys 6-1 6-3 in the doubles quarterfinals of the ATP 250 men's event.

The unseeded Indian pair will clash with the fourth seeded Bosnian-Mexican duo of Tomislav Brkić and Santiago Gonzalez for a spot in the final.

The two Indians are pairing up for the first time on the ATP tour.

Should Bopanna and Ramkumar continue their good show the two may pair up for India's Davis Cup tie against Denmark scheduled to be played in New Delhi in March.

Later in the day, India's Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok will take on local favourites Ashleigh Barty and Storm Sanders in the semifinals of the Adelaide International 1 WTA 500 event.

The Adelaide event is a tune up tournament for the Australian Open, starting January 17 in Melbourne. 

Also Read : Iga Swiatek continues stern title defence at Adelaide International 1

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia have announced changes to the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes schedule which is now set to begin a week earlier than originally planned. Three IT20’s will be played at the Adelaide Oval followed by a Test match at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on January 27th to 30th. The first ODI will also be played at the Manuka Oval on February 3rd while the next two matches will be played at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on February 6th and 8th.

The changes have been made keeping in mind the time taken for Australia and England to travel to New Zealand and complete the 10 day mandatory quarantine period ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup which is set to begin in March. England Women’s A schedule has also been updated which will run parallel to the senior side. The travelling party will leave by a charter flight on Friday January 7th.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes Fixtures

Thursday January 20: 1st IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 8.10am GMT (2 points)

Saturday January 22: 2nd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 3.10am GMT (2 points)

Sunday January 23: 3rd IT20, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 3.10am GMT (2 points)

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 26 (4 points)

Thursday February 3: 1st ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 3.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 5 (2 points)

Tuesday February 8: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 11.05pm Feb 7 (2 points)

Also read: Dean Elgar's resistance during run chase puts South Africa in the driver's seat

England Women's A Fixtures

Thursday January 20: 1st T20, England Women A v Australia A, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, 12am GMT

Friday January 21: 2nd T20, England Women A v Australia A, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, 4am GMT

Sunday January 23: 3rd T20, England Women A v Australia A, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, 11pm GMT Jan 22

Friday January 28: 1st 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A, Phillip Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 27

Sunday January 30: 2nd 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A, Phillip Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Jan 29

Wednesday February 2: 3rd 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A, Phillip Oval, Canberra, 11pm GMT Feb 1

Warm-Up Fixtures

Saturday January 15: England Women v England Women A, 20-over match

Sunday January 16: England Women v England Women A, 20-over match

Adelaide, Jan 6 (Tennis News) India's Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok entered the women's doubles semifinals of the Adelaide International 1 WTA event after beating American Shelby Rogers and Heather Watson of Great Britain in a hard-fought contest here on Thursday.

Sania and Nadiia got the better of their rivals 6-0 1-6 10-5 in a quarterfinal tie that lasted 55 minutes.

The Indo-Ukranian duo will now face Australia combination of Ashleigh Barty and Storm Sanders in the last-four round of the WTA 500 event.

Sania and Nadiia had earlier knocked out second seeds Gabriella Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos 1-6 6-3 10-8 in the first round.

The Adelaide event is a tune up tournament for the Australian Open, starting January 17 in Melbourne. 

Also Read : Novak Djokovic moved to quarantine hotel after being denied entry into Australia

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has been moved to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne after being denied entry into the country when his visa was cancelled by border force officials at Melbourne airport. The 20 time Grand Slam winner was forced to stay at the airport overnight and was told he would be removed from the country later on Thursday. Djokovic’s injunction request against the visa cancellation was listed for hearing at 4pm (0500 GMT) in the Federal Circuit and Family Court. 

In a televised media briefing, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “There are no special cases, rules are rules. We will continue to make the right decisions when it comes to securing Australian borders in relation to this pandemic. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.” On Wednesday, Prime Minister Morrison had reiterated that Djokovic would be “on the next plane home” if his evidence for a COVID-19 exemption proved to be unsatisfactory.

The saga has gained international and political interest with the Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic claiming harassment of its star player. Vucic said “I just finished a phone conversation with Novak Djokovic. I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him, and that our authorities are taking all measures to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world in the shortest possible period. In accordance with all norms of international public law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, for justice and truth."

The 34 year old announced on Tuesday that he would be travelling to Australia on an "exemption permission" but was held in isolation upon arrival after attempting to enter the country on a visa that did not allow medical exemptions for those unvaccinated against COVID-19. An Australian Border Force statement read: "The ABF can confirm that Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled. Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia. The ABF can confirm Mr Djokovic had access to his phone.​"

Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times, including the last three years. The 34 year old was hoping to surpass Roger Federar and Rafael Nadal by winning his 21st career Grand Slam title at the start of the tennis calendar but as things stand, the prospect looks unlikely.

Also read: Novak Djokovic confirms participation in 2022 Australian Open

Adelaide, Jan 5 (Tennis News) India's Ramkumar Ramanathan and Rohan Bopanna entered the men's doubles quarterfinals of the Adelaide International 1 ATP tournament with a hard fought win over their rivals here on Wednesday.

In the ATP 250 men's event, the Indian combination of Ramkumar and veteran Bopanna, pairing up together for the first time on the ATP tour, had to dig deep to stun the eighth seed American duo of Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 10-4 in a super tie-breaker in the second round.

The Indians had earlier trounced American Jamie Cerretani and Brazilian Fernando Romboli 6-2 6-1 in the opening round on Tuesday.

They will face the winner of another pre-quarterfinal match between the French-Monegasque duo of Benjamin Bonzi and Hugo Nys and the Belgian combination of Sander Gille Joran Vliegen.

In the women's WTA 500 event here, India's Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok overcame a first-set thrashing to knock out second seeds Gabriella Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos 1-6 6-3 10-8 on Tuesday.

They now await the winner of the match between Australian duo of Priscilla Hon and Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and American-British pair of Shelby Rogers and Heather Watson in the women's doubles quarterfinals.

The Adelaide event is a tune up tournament for the Australian Open, starting January 17 in Melbourne. 

Also Read : Novak Djokovic confirms participation in 2022 Australian Open

News Source : PTI

Gaming and esports is more than just a recreational pass time. It has quickly become a viable career option for many athletes around the world and the pandemic has further accelerated the growth of this industry, resulting in various gaming leagues in India organizing tournaments on mobile and console platforms, thereby providing a platform not just for those who wish to participate but also generating viewership amongst the masses.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Rahul Bhattacharya, Co-Founder & MD, Microgravity speaks about what inspired him to begin his venture, Microgravity Gaming League, his goals and vision, leveraging AR and VR technologies, overcoming challenges and building communities around gaming content.

Q 1) As co-founder of Microgravity Ventures, what inspired you to come up with a brand that promises to deliver a world-class multi-player gaming experience?

Video gaming had a cult following for generations. The latest and the best of them now attract even more fan-following as seen in my own house. I did spend a lot of time trying to master console-based gaming along with my son. I found the quality and the depth of the content taking major leaps in the last few years. Compelling content and great graphics have added to this excitement. Also, major metropolitan centers like New York, London, Dubai, and Melbourne have some of the best gaming hubs that are also multiplayer. My frequent travels to these locations during my consulting days at Accenture prompted me to bring such a platform to India. You can do a lot at home using your consoles and devices but the real fun in gaming is when you come together with friends and family. We wanted to set a new benchmark, not just in India but in this part of the world in terms of the quality of experience.

Q 2) Tell us about the Microgravity Gaming League and how it looks to enhance and promote the esports league format?

Microgravity Gaming League was conceptualized to promote communities around esports. We wanted to deliver the same quality of experience to people engaging purely online. At some point drive them to these locations to experience the best tech has to offer. As a company, we wanted to quickly acquire the know-how of hosting tournaments at scale. We have already managed 5 large tournaments, four on the mobile and one on the console. We want to be synonymous with gaming in India and therefore we will search for formats that are bigger and brighter. Last but  not least these esports leagues are not just played or competing. They are also watched. When top players compete against each other, the quality of content and the story becomes even more compelling. I have had the good fortune to see India’s best competing at Microgravity Gaming League. We want to take this content to everyone who is an enthusiast or is seeking an experience.

Q 3) What is your vision for Microgravity Ventures and how do you plan to achieve your goals? 

We want to capture the gaming enthusiasts’ mindshare. We want to be a platform where he satisfies all his needs. Setting up world-class destinations across major metros and tier 2 cities is  part of the plan along with the ability to bring in the crowds onto our esports platform to satisfy  the mobile gaming community. We are also working on an e-commerce website that is only gaming that can carry an enthusiast up the value chain whatever be his budget. So whether it’s  playing or competing, experiencing multiplayer, or shopping it has to be Microgravity. That’s the vision.

Also read: Orangutan Elite is an indestructible unit and being In-Game Leader of this team is a huge accomplishment - Dev “Iconic” Kumar

Q 4) How is the company looking to leverage AR and VR technologies to bring solutions to the  industry? 

The team is gathering know-how and skills that are cross transferable across industries. At some point, we will look to explore other allied industries like Retail, Hospitality, and Travel. Travel is already part of our plan where you can walk the city of New York in the heart of Gurgaon.  

Q 5) What are some of the challenges that you have faced as co-founder and MD of Microgravity  Ventures? How did you overcome them? 

We started small and needed to bring in the right team to achieve our short-term goals. We want to continue our search for the best talent in this space. It is a team effort and therefore building  a good team from scratch has been a compelling need. I also feel we may be a little ahead in time in terms of monetization options but going forward this industry is going to explode. Working on raising capital has been an important part of this journey. We are actively searching for strategic  partners to take this idea forward. There is a lot to do in this space and we are taking one step at  a time. 

Q 6) How are Microgravity Ventures building communities around popular gaming content? What are the various games that are promoted by the league? 

We wanted to bring in a differentiated experience whether it’s online or an offline format for the gaming enthusiast. We would like to constantly bring in new products and offerings that operate in both the worlds and where possible deliver the best experiences across popular content in a multiplayer format. I can only say that we are working with some of the best  principals globally and please watch this space.

(Tennis news) After more than a month of suspense, Novak Djokovic has finally confirmed that he will be playing at the 2022 Australian Open. Djokovic’s status has been under the scanner over the past few weeks as many players were withdrawing from injury but in his case it was a complicated scenario. News broke out a few hours ago about the medical exemption he received to play at the Grand Slam.

The world number 1 two years ago had publicly stated that he wouldn’t want to be forced to take the vaccine inorder to travel. Although since the pandemic, people have been encouraged to take the vaccine as it is one’s wish to finally take the shot or not and it is a personal choice. The travelling restrictions are there globally and the vaccination has been acting like a pass which confirms that the individual is abiding by the rules set by the lawmakers.

The organisers have said that there is no special treatment the Serbian received as due process was followed inorder to confirm his participation. "Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone," Tournament director Craig Tiley said. "Central to this process was that the decisions were made by independent medical experts and that every applicant was given due consideration."

Djokovic had tested positive two years ago when he organised an exhibition event at Zadar, Croatia. For a person who has already been affected by the pandemic, it should be easier to understand as to why the orgainsers stressed upon the vaccination. Taking the shot is a personal choice until it involves the public, no person should be put in danger just because of a personal decision. When the individual can pose a risk to other players then his personal reservations are not justifiable.

There has been criticism regarding the decision, if Djokovic can talk about the exemption then the audience will be able to get a clearer picture. Australia has been struggling to control the pandemic especially in the present situation as they have crossed the 5 lakh mark. When a place is affected by a pandemic then a top tennis star who has been private about his vaccination status gets allowed to participate is obviously not a very welcoming decision. Again only if Djokovic can explain on what conditions did he receive an exemption then it will be confirmed but until then there will be an angry audience especially in Australia.

The 20 time Grand Slam winner will be aiming for his 10th Australian Open title and 21st overall. Things will unfold in the next few days as the event will start on 17th January and Djokovic will be expecting hostility from the crowd but he will play as he has his own targets to achieve.

Also read: Rafael Nadal set to make comeback at Melbourne Summer Set

Melbourne, Jan 5 (Cricket News) Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell on Wednesday became the latest cricketer from the Big Bash League to test positive for COVID-19. Maxwell, who is the captain of Melbourne Stars in the BBL, became the 13th player from the franchise to test positive for the virus.

Maxwell's positive test was confirmed on Wednesday morning through a rapid antigen test which he had taken following his side's Melbourne derby against Renegades on Monday, cricket.com.au reported.

He also underwent a PCR test and is currently awaiting its result.

Meanwhile, the spurt in COVID-19 cases in the BBL continues with the Renegades becoming the fifth club to report a positive case.

Three other BBL clubs have reported positive COVID-19 cases, forcing Brisbane Heat to withdraw from their match against the Sydney Sixers on Tuesday.

The BBL organisers are desperately trying to keep the tournament going despite a surge in COVID-19 cases across the league.

Also Reas : Anything under 200 would be a realistic target: Petersen

News Sources : PTI

(Tennis news) The first week of the ATP tour has three events happening at the same time as the fans see the top players in all the three. The ATP Cup started 4 days ago, Adelaide International started yesterday and the Melbourne Summer Set is set to start from today. Many players in the draw will be making their comeback after a few weeks gap as Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Benoit Paire and David Goffin will need some Australian support. There are also top ranked players who will be playing as it will help them for the opening Grand Slam of the year which is only 13 days away. Here are the top three players to watch out for in the event.

Rafael Nadal

The Spaniard hasn’t had much success at Melbourne but is coming back after a couple of months. Nadal will be hungry to start the season strong and a title win will fuel his confidence for the 2022 Australian Open. The 20 time Grand Slam winner will play his first match against the winner of Ricardas Berankis and Marcus Giron. Nadal has a run till the final where he can face Goffin, Murray or Dimitrov and the Spaniard last won a hardcourt title two years ago.

Reily Opelka

The serve machine has improved a lot in the hardcourts as seen in the last season. Opelka will try to set the tone at Melbourne with his first serves and boring back his hardcourt form just from last year. The American will face the winner of two qualifiers in the fourth round and has chances of playing against Kevin Anderson or Paire in the quarterfinals. He last won a title two years ago on this surface and reached his maiden Masters 1000 final last year.

Grigor Dimitrov

Dimitrov rolled back the times when he played the previous season. The Bulgarian has played well in Australia over the past few years and needs to bring in the energy for some good starts to the season. Dimitrov also has the possibility of facing Murray in his opening match but once that is cleared up then he will only face tough ones in the end. Dimitrov last won a hardcourt title four years ago but last year he showed glimpses at Indian Wells. The world number 28 last played at Paris Masters 2 months ago and now will need to slide in through Melbourne.

Also read: Argentina and Spain closing in on top finish at the ATP Cup

Adelaide, Jan 4 (Tennis News) On an all-win day for Indian tennis players, Sania Mirza and the pair of Ramkumar Ramanathan and Rohan Bopanna emerged victorious in their respective first round matches, albeit in contrasting fashion, in the ATP and WTA tournaments, here on Tuesday.

Sania and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok overcame a first-set thrashing to knock out second seeds Gabriella Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos 1-6 6-3 10-8 in the WTA 500 event.

In the ATP 250 men's event, the Indian combination of Ramkumar and veteran Bopanna, pairing up together for the first time on the ATP tour, had an easy day out.

They trounced American Jamie Cerretani and Brazilian Fernando Romboli 6-2 6-1 to set up the pre-quarterfinal with eighth seed American pair of Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

"We had a good match. Both of us served And returned well. We combined well and stuck to the plan," Ramkumar told PTI.

"We had practiced once with the same team before the draw which helped us.

"I am always happy to play with Bops (Bopanna), who is so experienced and is someone who has always been of good support and helps me with my tennis with all the experience he has," he added.

Since India will host Denmark on grass courts in New Delhi in their next Davis Cup tie in March, it is a possibility that Bopanna and Ramkumar, who has developed a fantastic serve and volley game, may pair up for the doubles.

This tournament will give them that opportunity to find out what works for them, if at all the captain decides to field them as a team.

Interestingly, Ramkumar got a chance to play with Denmark's top singles player Holger Rune in the singles Qualifiers and lost 4-6 6-7(7) in a close first round match.

Rune, ranked 103, eventually qualified for the main draw.

The match must have given him a fair idea of what to expect from Rune when he lands in Delhi for the Davis Cup.

"It was a good match. I think, I started off a bit slow where I got broken in the first game. But After that it was an extremely close and hard fought match "I was just a bit unlucky to not have converted those set points. He played good on a few of them and he is quick, so all credit to him. Hopefully I can get him back on grass," Ramkumar said.

The Adelaide event is a tune up tournament for the Australian Open, starting January 17 in Melbourne. 

Also Read : Australia overpower Italy as Humbert puts up a show against Russia in ATP Cup

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 4 (Cricket News) Multiple COVID-19 outbreaks inside bio-bubbles on Tuesday have hit the Australian domestic league hard as cricket in the country continued to grapple with the virus while several top players cope with anxiety.

Both the men's and women's domestic game has been hit hard as Cricket Australia (CA) was forced to make many late schedule changes.

Two matches of the Women's National Cricket League involving Western Australia were postponed till March due to border closures after a spike in COVID-19 cases. This has pushed the women's domestic 50-over final to mid-March.

WA were scheduled to play Tasmania in Hobart twice this week, on January 7 and 9, but the games have been pushed back to March 9 and 11 given the western state's hard border with the rest of the country.

The Big Bash League (BBL) is facing an unprecedented crisis and CA has an onerous task at hand on how to complete the season and also keep players and staff safe.

Anxiety is running high among players across the BBL teams as multiple COVID-19 outbreaks reportedly leave a hub in Melbourne as a serious option to continue the tournament.

An announcement on the future of this season could be made as soon as Tuesday, and all the eight teams could be based in Melbourne to limit travel and allow greater flexibility in the schedule, according to a report in the 'Australian Associated Press'.

Twelve Melbourne Stars players have contracted COVID-19, forcing them to call-up Victorian club cricketers just to field a team for their last two games.

Melbourne Stars players Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa and Nathan Coulter-Nile were already in isolation due to COVID-19. Players at the Sydney Thunder, Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat have also tested positive in recent days.

CA was on Tuesday forced to make changes in the schedule of matches to be played at Gold Coast due to fresh COVID-19 cases, according to a report in 'cricket.com.au'.

CA said some members of the Heat camp returned positive results in rapid antigen testing this morning, forcing the club out of tonight's game against the Sydney Sixers at Metricon Stadium, with the Perth Scorchers stepping in to face the Sixers instead.

The Board has shuffled the order of this week's games as the Heat await the results of PCR tests.

Melbourne Stars all-rounder Hilton Cartwright admitted it was tough to forget about the coronavirus situation and prepare for matches.

"I've never felt more vulnerable to a virus in my entire life and I never realised how much it was going to affect my mental state," Cartwright was quoted as saying by 'cricket.com.au'.

"I've had form slumps and this ranks right up there with how I actually feel about going about my business day-to-day.

"Myself and my wife have basically been locked up in our room, not sure if we're capable of catching the lift in case someone in there might have caught (COVID-19)." He said he was not able to focus on games because of the happenings around.

"Constantly, it's on your mind and then you've got to walk out there and perform one of the biggest pressure stages in the world." "My mental state wasn't in a great place about coming to your workplace and COVID is basically running rampant," he said. 

Also Read : Hoping Siraj can come out and bowl tomorrow: Ashwin on bowler's hamstring injury

News Source : PTI

(Motorsport) After an action packed 2021 season that ended in the most dramatic fashion, the expectations are high for what the 2022 season has to offer as Max Verstappen defends his World Championship title against Lewis Hamilton while a number of other battles will be fought throughout the grid. The 2022 Formula 1 season is going to be unlike any other with drastic changes to the cars, more races around the world, new rules and more!

Here are four exciting new changes for the 2022 Formula 1 season

1) An overhaul of the car design

It’s no wonder why many Formula 1 teams had shifted their focus to car development for 2022 even while the 2021 season was underway. The new regulations are meant to ensure not just the safety of the drivers but also to promote more competitive racing amongst the teams. There will be 18 inch tyres in the 2022 cars, a redesigned front wing and nose, the usage of a higher ratio of sustainable fuel, over-wheel winglets and more! The car has already gone through over 7,500 simulations so far, which means that races will just get better, more competitive and intense for the season ahead!

2) A 23-race F1 campaign

The 2022 season will feature the longest campaign in Formula 1 with the title fight taking place over 23 races in different locations around the world. The season will also see many of the fan favourite tracks such as Suzuka, Montreal, Melbourne and Singapore return to the calendar while Formula 1 will also make its debut in Miami for the first time in history. This means that not only will fans have more race weekends to look forward to but the next Formula 1 game will have more tracks to race on than ever before!

3) Ferrari and McLaren stepping up in the title race

It’s easy to overlook just how intense the fight between Ferrari and McLaren was in the 2021 season because of the nature of Verstappen and Hamilton’s title fight. However, it’s clear that both the car manufacturers have kept an eye on the car development for the 2022 season for a very long time now and will look to close the gap on Red Bull and Mercedes for both the Constructors Standings as well as the Drivers Championship. Ferrari particularly will be keen to fare better than last year and finally compete for the title which has eluded them since 2008. 

4) Brand new driver lineup

The 2022 season will feature many changes in the drivers lineup with some of the most prominent ones being George Russell teaming up with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Alex Albon joining Williams, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou joining Alfa Romeo. Zhou’s inclusion in the Formula 1 grid is particularly significant as he is the first Chinese driver to make it to Formula 1 in history. 

Also read: Mick Schumacher named Ferrari’s reserve driver for 2022 season

(Tennis news) Venus Williams has joined her sister Serena Williams in skipping the 2022 Australian Open. Venus had skipped the US Open last year due to a leg injury and has not confirmed the status of her comeback. It is the first time in 25 years that the Williams sisters won't be seen playing at Melbourne.

The 41 year old first played at Melbourne in 1998 and since then has only missed it thrice. She has reached the final twice in 2003, 2017 and lost both the times to Serena. Venus reached the finals at Melbourne, Wimbledon in 2017 and also reached the semifinals of the US Open that year which was the last time she went beyond the third round of a Grand Slam. She has played 75 matches at Melbourne while winning 54 of them and has not progressed beyond the third round in four years.

The former world number 1 is currently ranked 318 as she has not played many events in the past twelve months and also did not play much in the 2020 season. She is one of the oldest active players on tour and has battled life threatening conditions to come back on court. Venus played her first professional match 28 years ago and is the senior most player who is currently playing. She entered the rankings chart in 1996 and was in the top ten for more than a decade although now she has to work her way up. One of the most resilient players on tour, the 6 foot one inch athlete has suffered multiple serious injuries in her career but has been able to bounce back every time.

The 8 time singles Grand Slam winner only played 12 matches last season and ended her season in August at the Chicago Open. She last won a title 5 years ago defeating Misaki Doi to take the Taiwan Open and last reached a final four years ago at the WTA Finals losing to Caroline Wozniacki. In the 2021 season, she played 9 events and did not enter the fourth round in any of them.

Venus will be joining Jennifier Brady, Karolina Pliskova and Karolina Muchova in skipping the Australian Open. The last two majors have seen many seniors players being absent due to recurring injuries as the toll is rising at each event. The Australian Open will start from 17th January as the players get pumped up for the first major of the year.

Also read: Samantha Stosur to play last singles match at Melbourne

Sydney, Jan 2 (Cricket News) His abysmal showing so far in the Ashes notwithstanding, England's flamboyant batter Jos Buttler has no plans to give up Test cricket and has expressed his disappointment over South African Quinton de Kock's sudden retirement from the five-day game.

One of the finest white-ball batters at the moment, Buttler has averaged only 19.20 in the three Ashes Tests against Australia so far, including a horrendous dismissal in the Boxing Day match in Melbourne.

Besides, he has also dropped several catches behind the stumps, including a shocker in Adelaide.

However, ahead of the New Year's Test here from January 5, Buttler has pledged his commitment to all the three formats of the game.

"It's certainly my ambition. I don't think I'd have put as much into it as I have done if it wasn't," he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

"I have fantastic family support – they're very supportive of me and my career and make a lot of sacrifices for that. That's one thing that gives you a lot of motivation and drive to try to make it all worth it. It's certainly maintained my drive and ambition to try and play.

"At the moment, I feel I've got that support, and I'm in a place where I want to try to make it work. All I'm focusing on at the moment is turning up in Sydney and practicing well." Asked about de Kock's decision to opt out of Tests at the age of 29, Buttler said he was disappointed with the decision but respected the South African's move.

There are similarities between the two -- both are wicketkeeper-batters, both of them first established themselves as limited-overs stars, and both are relatively young.

"That's (Test retirement) Quinton's own personal situation, but as a fan of cricket and a huge fan of his, I'm disappointed that he's at that stage," said the 31-year-old Buttler.

"I love watching him bat, keep wicket and play Test cricket. The world of cricket will miss him in that format. But I guess I commend him for making a decision that's right for him." Australia took an unassailable 3-0 series lead with comprehensive victories in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne, but Buttler insisted England have plenty to play for to avoid a 5-0 sweep. 

Also Read : Quinton's Test retirement has crippled further South African batting: Amla

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Samantha Stosur has announced she will retire from singles after the Australian Open. The 37 year old has over 600 career wins and has played 1000 matches on tour in singles. Stosur turned professional in 1999 then four years later won her first match on the WTA tour, she reached the semifinal for the first time in a Grand Slam at Roland Garros. She went on to reach the final next year but lost to Francesca Schiavone.

The former world number 4 won her biggest singles title in 2011 at US Open, defeating Serena Williams in the final. In 2012, she reached semis in Roland Garros and quarters at US Open after which her form dipped. Stosur’s last success in singles was in Roland Garros where she reached the semifinals in 2016 where she lost to eventual champion Garbine Muguruza. Stosur has won 40 matches at Roland Garros dating from 2004 to 2019.

 "I’m so excited and very grateful to play in my 20th [Australian Open] in a couple of weeks time. A huge thank you to Tennis Australia for giving me this opportunity to finish my singles career at my home Grand Slam," Stosur wrote in an Instagram post.

"It really means a lot to me to be able to finish in front of my family, friends and Aussie fans who have stuck by me through thick and thin. I’m sure it’s going to be a mix of emotions but I wouldn’t want it any other way as I always thought I’d finish playing in Australia."

Stosur is currently ranked No. 382 in the world and received a wild card to play in her 20th career main draw in Melbourne. She made her debut here 2 decades ago when she was a 17-year-old. Although she has not been very active in singles , Stosur is 16th in the doubles ranking. She has reached the finals of all the four majors in doubles and is yet to win at Wimbledon.

Stosur won the US Open with Zhang Shuai last year which was her fourth Grand Slam title in women's doubles. The previous season also saw her  finish as runner up at Melbourne with Matthew Ebden in mixed doubles. In the mixed doubles, Stosur has reached the last eight in all four majors, she has won at Australia and twice in Wimbledon.

Also read: Novak Djokovic looking to keep next gen waiting in 2022 season

(Sports news) As the new year begins fans around the world are bracing themselves for a plethora of sporting events that is sure to excite, entertain and break records. From the Winter Olympics to the World Cup and everything in between, there is a lot to look forward to in 2022 and here are a few events that you should absolutely not miss out on so go ahead and mark these dates on your calendar! 

Winter Olympics

The XXIV Olympic Winter Games is scheduled to take place from February 4th to 20th in Beijing. The city was elected as a host in July 2015 at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur and it will be the first time in history that the Winter Olympics will be held in China and the last of the three consecutive Olympic Games to be held in East Asia (the others being the Winter Olympics 2018 in South Korea and the Olympic Games in Tokyo). 

2022 Women's Cricket World Cup

The 12th edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is set to be held in New Zealand from 4th March to 3rd April 2022. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held last year but was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Being the hosts, New Zealand automatically qualified for the tournament while the other places were given as per the ICC ODI Rankings. Hagley Oval will be the venue for the finals while five other venues such as Eden Park, Seddon Park, Bay Oval, University Oval and Basin Reserve will also host the matches. 

2022 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup

The 15th edition of the Women's FIH Hockey World Cup will be held in Terrassa, Spain and Amstelveen, the Netherlands from July 1st to 17th 2022. In December 2018 the International Hockey Federation announced that the 2022 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup will be held in either July 2022 or January 2023 and the bid was subsequently won by Spain and the Netherlands. 16 teams will compete in the tournament and alongside hosts Spain and the Netherlands, five continental champions will receive an automatic berth. Wagener Stadium and Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa will be the venues for the tournament.

Also read: Neeraj Chopra's rise in seven-star Olympic show and fall of Sushil Kumar, 2021 had it all

2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

The eighth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held this year in Australia. The tournament was originally set to be held in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve teams have already reached the Super 12 phase of the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup based on their performances in the 2021 tournament and rankings. The remaining four places will come from the top two teams from each of the two Global Qualifiers. The host cities are Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney with the semi-finals set to take place in Sydney Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval while the finals will be held in Melbourne Cricket Ground.

2022 FIFA World Cup 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Qatar and it will be the 22nd time the competition will be taking place in history. It will be the first time the tournament will take place in the Arab world and is set to be held from 21st November to 18th December 2022. It will also be the last time the World Cup will feature 32 teams as the 2026 World Cup in the United States and Mexico will feature 48 teams. The tournament will be held across five venues, namely Lusail Iconic Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Stadium 974 and Al Thumama Stadium. This is by far the biggest sporting event in 2022 attracting audiences of over 1 billion.

(Tennis news) Novak Djokovic is on the edge of breaking more records in the 2022 season. Djokovic will not be playing at the ATP Cup and will be eager to make his return at the 2022 Australian Open. He has played 62 matches this year and only lost 7 of them including a 27-1 record at the Grand Slams.

Djokovic’s 2021 season was a constant reminder that the next gen will have to pull off a near impossible stunt to take the Grand Slam titles away from the big three. The Serbian won his record 9th Australian Open for a hat trick of victories at Melbourne. Djokovic had an early exit at Monte Carlo as Daniel Evans handed him the first defeat of the season, at Belgrade it was a semifinal exit and Aslan Karatsev did not hesitate in a three setter match.

The world number 1 then met his arch rival Rafael Nadal at Rome in the final as it took almost 3 hours when Nadal finally lifted the trophy. It was the Spaniard’s 28th victory over Djokovic and was trailing by one in their career head to head meetings. Djokovic then got a second chance at home as he won his second title of the season, at Roland Garros the 34 year old became the first man to defeat Nadal twice at the event. Djokovic recorded his 30th victory over the king of clay and went on to win the title after losing the first two sets against Stefanos Tstisipas.

Djokovic then moved on to grass as he was one Grand Slam away from equalling Roger Federer and Nadal’s record of 20 titles. Although he looked a bit hungover from clay madness as he dropped the first set in the opening round against world number 253 Jack Draper but did not drop a set after that until the final. The record books had to be edited as Djokovic won his 20th major.

Djokovic was aiming to repeat Steffi Graf’s Golden Slam in 1988, his hopes took a huge hit when Alexander Zverev defeated him in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. The 20 time major winner was visibly upset in his bronze medal match, even throwing the racquet at one point as the pressure took a toll on the champion. His next stop was at US Open, he got the Tokyo revenge over Zverev in the semifinals but Daniil Medvedev got his for the Australian Open loss. Medvedev played so well that even Djokovic’s cheeky smile disappeared and he lost the opportunity to be in the likes of Rod Laver who was the last one to win a calendar slam four decades back.

Djokovic got the final laugh over Medvedev at Paris Masters but his all year charm was turned to dust at the US Open. Although he was on top this year, the pressure has affected him to the extent that he was in tears in the middle of the match against Medvedev in the final at US Open. The record breaking run came to an end which clearly devastated Djokovic, a similar picture was painted earlier when Federer lost the Melbourne final to Nadal in 2009 as it moved the Swiss player to tears.

The 2022 season has mainly two targets. The first one is to stop the big three from winning any more Grand Slams and the second is for the big three to win a few more until they bid farewell from the game. A few more heartbreaking victories can hurt the big three more than any physical injury as the next gen will be focused on starting a new era and the time has come.

Also read: Sinner and Berrettini boost Italy's chances of maiden title at ATP Cup

Sydney, Dec 31 (Cricket News) Travis Head, Australia's leading run-scorer in the ongoing Ashes, has been ruled out of the fourth Test here from January 5 after testing positive for COVID-19.

Head is asymptomatic and will remain in Melbourne with his partner for seven days as per the Victorian government's health requirements.

"As part of our testing procedures, we are PCR testing players, their families and our support staff daily," said a Cricket Australia spokesperson.

"Unfortunately, Travis returned a positive Covid-19 result earlier today. Thankfully, he is asymptomatic at this stage.

"We anticipate that he will be available to play in the fifth Vodafone men's Ashes Test in Hobart." The southpaw has scored 248 runs in the series at an average of 62 including a hundred in the series-opener at the Gabba.

The selectors have added Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis to the squad as "additional cover".

A positive case in the Australian squad comes after a COVID outbreak in the England camp with head coach Chris Silverwood having to stay back in Melbourne after he was identified as a close contact of a person who tested positive for the virus.

Australia have already regained the Ashes by hammering England in the first three Tests. 

Also Read : With COVID-19 cases shooting up, BCCI postpones U-16 tournament for season

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) The ATP Cup groups and list of players were released on Wednesday as the latest updates saw many changes take place. Novak Djokovic will not be playing the event along with Andrey Rublev. Rublev had tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago and will need to complete isolation before he comes back to court as even Rafael Nadal and Denis Shapovalov had also tested positive after playing the Abu Dhabi exhibition event.

Djokovic had beaten Rafael Nadal in the final of the inaugural edition last year. The world number one last played at the Nitto ATP Finals where he lost in the semifinals to Alexander Zverev who went on to win for a second time. Djokovic had a record breaking year by reaching the finals of the four Grand Slams and losing only at the US Open to give Daniil Medvedev his first major.

The Serbian is expected to play at the 2022 Australian Open as the vaccination rules keep him in doubt. Meanwhile at the ATP Cup, Serbia will be led by Dusan Lajovic as the team will find it tough without its top player. Things have got tougher for defending champions Russia as Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev and Evgeny Donskoy have pulled out of the event; Daniil Medvdev will lead the field along with Roman Safiullin and Evgeny Karlovskiy.

“We have all been giving our best in the past days,” said Lajovic. “I'm looking forward to competing with these guys together by my side. Obviously, there are some tactical differences and pressure-wise, but at the end of the day, you've got to go out there, play your match and try to win.”

Meanwhile Andrey Rublev said, "I want to share some news with you. I am currently in Barcelona and unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19. I have minimal symptoms. I am in isolation and following all the protocols under the supervision of doctors. As you know, I am fully vaccinated and was preparing for tournaments -- ATP Cup and Australian Open. Now I have to recover and I will go to Melbourne only when it will be safe for everyone. I am very upset and concerned about what is happening. I will return to the court as soon as possible," added the world number 5

Russia were the strongest team this year as they also won the Davis Cup a few weeks back. Rublev had reached four finals this year including his first final in a Masters 1000 as he did it twice. The Russian had reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year which was his third consecutive last eight appearance after the US Open and Roland Garros last year.

Austria will not be playing this time with the withdrawal of Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak as France will be a replacement. Austria had lost both the matches it played this year as in the previous edition it played three matches and won one. France this year lost their first match but won the second one against Austria, last year they won their first two matches and lost the third match to South Africa.

Also read: Ashleigh Barty looking for a title at home in 2022 Australian Open

(Tennis news) Dominic Thiem has announced that he won't be taking part in the 2022 Australian Open. Thiem has been battling with a wrist injury since June this year, he had last played at Mallorca where retiring midway in the opening match against Adrian Mannarino. He has only played 18 matches this season and will see his ranking drop once he comes back in action at the end of next month.

"As you all know, I came back home to Austria to recover after the hard practice sessions I had in Dubai and the slight setback in my preparation. I am now feeling well again, my wrist is in optimal conditions and I am practicing normally with a very good intensity", said Thiem.

"After the short holidays, my team and I have assessed all matters and we have decided to make some changes to my initial tournament schedule: I will start the season in South America at the Cordoba Open in Argentina, end of January, and therefore I will not play this year at the Australian Open in Melbourne, a city that I love and where I have great memories of unforgettable matches in front of amazing crowds. I will miss the Australian fans but I will be back in 2023.”

The 2020 US Open champion will miss the Australian Open for the first time since making his debut in 2014. He had reached the finals last year by defeating Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal on the way, Novak Djokovic defeated Thiem in the final as the Serbian came back from a 2-1 set deficit in a four hour match. Thiem’s absence will also mean Austria taking a backseat at the ATP Cup as World number 119 Dennis Novak will be leading the team.

The 28 year old also won his first Grand Slam last year at the US Open and at Roland Garros he reached the quarterfinals to cap off the year as the world number 3. His current rank is 15 which will see a further fall after the first three three weeks in January. He was playing his 10th year on tour this season and failed to reach a final including a shock first round exit at Roland Garros.

Thiem has now joined Roger Federer, Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka as the list continues to grow for the 2022 Australian Open. Nadal so far has not given statements about missing the Slam although he tested positive a few days back. There are also questions looming about Novak Djokovic’s participation especially regarding the vaccination rules for the players entering the event. The 2022 Australian Open is set to start from 17th January as the next gen players will again play in a similar situation like the 2021 US Open.

Also read: Spaniard Garbine Muguruza back on top three in WTA tour

Melbourne, Dec 29 (Crikcet News) The Ashes already retained, star Australia opener David Warner has advised a sorry-looking England side to prepare on synthetic wickets to be able to adjust to the extra bounce in the pitches Down Under.

England's Ashes hopes went up in smoke after Australia retained the Urn with an innings and 14-run win in just two days and a session in the Boxing Day Test here on Tuesday.

A dominant Australia had won the first Test by nine wickets in Brisbane and then registered a convincing 275-run victory in the next match in Adelaide.

Having polished his skills on the Australian pitches, Warner said bounce is one of the main hurdles for England.

"From a batting point of view, the bounce is a big one. Growing up here in Australia and playing on these wickets is different for how we would approach it compared to England," Warner was quoted as saying by 'Australian Associated Press'.

"I would probably suggest going on the synthos (synthetic wickets) and practising against the (extra) bounce, doing that in England.

"You've always got to find ways to prepare and the only way you can prepare for bounce is on synthos in England," he added.

Warner also said that England bowlers erred in bowling back of length in the first three Ashes Test, a ploy which normally doesn't work on Australian pitches.

"In England that back of a length is still hitting the stumps … if you bowl that length at the Gabba or Adelaide, you're not really hitting the stumps," Warner said.

"You have to be brave enough to pitch the ball up here.

"We feel as a batting unit when England pitch the ball up, we drive them down the ground … but you have to do that to create the chances, to create the bat-pad gap to create those nicks," he added.

The fourth Ashes Test is set begin in Sydney on January 5. 

Also Read : England need another set of eyes to make decisions, says Bell; wants restoration of selection panel

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 29 (Cricket News) Former batter Ian Bell feels England need to bring back the traditional selection panel to choose squads as it would provide a different perspective.

The post of national selector of England's men's cricket team was made redundant as part of a restructuring process after more than a century by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) earlier this year.

Ed Smith, who had held the post for three years, left in April. Since then the responsibility of picking the national squads lies with head coach Chris Silverwood while captains Joe Root and Eoin Morgan help him in selecting the playing XIs.

But in the aftermath of England's surrender in the first three Ashes Tests, Bell called for restoration of the panel instead of handing all powers to the head coach.

"One of the hardest things, and I was very shocked if I'm honest with you, was when we went away from the chairman of selectors thing," he told 'Sportsday'.

"Even looking at it from a player's point of view…you're not stupid enough to think (Chris Silverwood) is not part of selection, but since he is head selector, how would you have the honest conversations with the head coach and say, 'I might be struggling a little bit here', because he is the man who's making all the decisions.” The 39-year-old, who has played 118 Tests, 161 ODIs and 8 T20Is for England, feels someone who is not present in the dressing room and not interacting with players on a daily basis will be more suited for the job.

"I think you need a chairman of selectors who sits outside of the dressing room sometimes, who's not attached to all the players emotionally or what's going on a daily basis and can actually see things from a different set of eyes, which I think is really important." England's selection over the past three matches has been met with sharp criticism.

Pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were rested on a bowler-friendly pitch in Brisbane while Mark Wood and spinner Jack Leach were dropped from the Adelaide Test where the pitch aided spinners.

Down 0-2, Silverwood made four changes going into the Boxing Day Test but to no avail as England succumbed to an embarrassing innings and 14-run loss inside three days at the MCG.

The changes yielded no result as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series to retain the Urn.

"When you look at it now, you look at some of the selections we've had and decisions we've made at the toss, it's been very internal, there's not been a lot of advice from those outside who aren't in those day-to-day training sessions and in the bubble and it all becomes a bit emotional," Bell said.

"They need another set of eyes helping them to make these decisions." 

Also Read : Sensational Shami bags 5 to give India the lead on day 3 despite early collapse

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 29 (Cricket News) An Ashes series win in England in 2023 and defeating India in their own backyard are the two important milestones Australia opener David Warner is eyeing before calling it quits from Test cricket.

After retaining the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead inside 12 days at the MCG here on Tuesday, Warner, who turned 35 in October this year during the T20 World Cup, where he won the player-of-the-tournament award in Australia's title triumph, admitted that he is not done yet.

"We still haven't beaten India in India. That would be nice to do. And obviously, England away, we had a drawn series (in 2019), but hopefully, if I managed to get that chance and opportunity, I might think about going back," Warner was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'.

Warner has played 13 and eight Tests across three series in England and two in India, respectively. But he has a poor record in both the countries, averaging 26 and 24 respectively without a century.

Warner would turn 37 by the next Ashes trip to England, but for the left-handed opener age is just a number.

"I think James Anderson sets the benchmark for older guys these days," he said.

"We look up to him as we're getting on in our days. But for me, it's about performing to the best of my ability and putting runs on the board.

"I feel in good touch. As I said, I was out of runs not out of form, so hopefully, I can put some more numbers on the board leading into this new year." 

Also Read : First session will be key tomorrow: Bavuma

News Source : PTI

Sydney, Dec 28 (Cricket News) The upcoming Sydney Test in the Ashes series is "sacred" and will go ahead as planned, New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard assured on Tuesday, saying players' health safety will not be compromised amidst rising COVID-19 cases in the state.

The fourth Ashes Test is scheduled to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 5.

According to the COVID-19 regulations in New South Wales, it is mandatory to spend seven days in isolation if anyone is found to be a close contact of a positive case.

Over 6000 cases were registered on Monday in NSW, which has witnessed a rise in infections.

However, Hazzard assured that he will work with the health authorities so that the match goes ahead as planned.

"The SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground) Test is sacred, an important date at the start of the third year of our life with Covid-19," Hazzard said in a statement.

"I want to assure the cricket-loving public, under our rules any players with exposure to a known case of Covid-19 would be asked to test and isolate only until a negative result was received.

"If there are any cases within the teams, their support staff, or families, we will work with the people involved to ensure they are safe, and there is as little disruption to others as possible." The third Test in Melbourne was thrown into chaos on Monday after two members of England's support staff and two of their family members tested positive for COVID-19 and were placed in isolation.

However, members of the English team and the management returned with negative results in rapid antigen tests and were allowed to head to the ground as Australia notched up an innings and 14 runs win to claim the Ashes urn in record time.

The subsequent RT-PCR tests for the Australia and England teams also came negative.

Australia have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series. 

Also Read : Cummins refuses to speculate on coach Langer's future, says wants to savour Ashes win first

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 28 (Cricket News) Australia Test captain Pat Cummins on Tuesday refused to speculate on head coach Justin Langer's future when his contract ends in June next year, simply saying that his team now just wants to "savour" the convincing Ashes victory over England here.

Cummins' statement came three days after Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley refrained from commenting on the issue of Langer's contract extension.

"I think we'll savour this victory today and continue the Ashes," Cummins said when asked about Langer's future.

"I don't think today is the day to speculate on that. We'll all sit down together after this series or whenever his tenure is up. His contract is up for renewal in a few months and we'll deal with that then." Pacer Scott Boland claimed six wickets for seven runs in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test to hand Australia an innings and 14 runs win over England to retain the Ashes. Australia had won the first two Tests by nine wickets and 275 runs at Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.

An ecstatic Langer was also non-committal about his contract extension.

"We'll worry about that later," Langer told Fox Sports.

There were reports of Langer's working style as head coach not going down well with some senior players with the then Test captain Tim Paine, limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch and Cummins having had discussions with CA top bosses on the issue.

In the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test, Langer had expressed his desire to continue guiding the side in all three formats of the game. Hockley, however, had remained non-committal. 

Also Read : Mohammad Shami bowling his way to the 200 wicket club

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 28 (Cricket News) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Tuesday criticised England for their poor planning, thoughts and structures, saying it has "come back to bite them" after the visitors lost the Ashes following an embarrassing defeat in the third Test here.

Joe Root's men were the fastest to surrender the Urn after they were skittled out for a meagre 68 on day 3 of the third Test to lose the match by an innings and 14 runs. England had lost the first two Tests by nine wickets and 275 runs at Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.

England had left out the experienced pace duo of Stuart Broad and James Anderson from the first Test squad. Anderson was not selected to keep him for ready for the day-night second Test in Adelaide, while left-arm spinner Jack Leach was picked over Broad for the just-concluded match.

"They've out-thought themselves with their selections for Brisbane, looking forward to Adelaide and then looking forward to the MCG," Ponting told Channel Seven.

"Pick your best team from the start and then see how far that group can take you. The fact that Anderson and Broad didn't play in Brisbane is staggering." Ponting also slammed Root's decision to bat first on a green pitch in overcast conditions in Brisbane.

"The fact that Joe Root didn't bowl first in Brisbane was staggering. The fact that Mark Wood didn't play in Adelaide was staggering. He looked like one of the most likely bowlers up in Brisbane," he said.

In the Brisbane Test, England had picked the pace trio of Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson alongside Ben Stokes, who returned to action since March after being away from the game due to injuries and mental health.

But England decided to rest Wood for the Adelaide Test although he looked in good rhythm.

"All their planning, their thoughts and their structures have just been completely wrong, and it's come back to bite them," Ponting said.

"There's no good looking forward from Brisbane if you're going to be one or two nil down. And that's what it was: they planned for Melbourne – already being two-nil down, they've come here and been pantsed again. So, they've got some really, really deep thinking to do." 

Also Read : Want to play at least for next three years: Rayudu

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 28 (Cricket News) Former captains Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham are "embarrassed" by England's abject surrender in the ongoing Ashes after the visitors capitulated in the third Test here on Tuesday.

England were bundled out for 68 in their second innings on day 3 as Australia notched up an innings and 14 runs win in the third Test to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test Ashes series.

It was the fastest for either Australia or England to have sealed the urn in the history of the Ashes and Vaughan said it won't be surprising if the Joe Root-led side lose the 2023 edition at home.

"It's not easy in these times, the England side didn't have a great preparation but if you want to look for excuses, you can," Vaughan, who had led England to the Ashes win 2005, told Fox Cricket.

"For some time now, this Test match team has not been good enough. They've not focused enough on the Test match team, the focus has been more on white-ball cricket - and it delivered a World Cup (win in 2019).

"But we're not a good enough cricketing nation to take our eye off the ball in Test cricket and expect to arrive and play (in Australia).

"I would say with the group that I've seen and the way they're playing, I'd be amazed if (Australia) don't beat England in English conditions in 2023." The 47-year-old Vaughan, who captained England to 26 wins in 51 Tests, said the English system doesn't allow "young players to develop and give themselves a chance of playing at this level." "England are a long way short and it could take some even worse times - (Stuart) Broad and (Jimmy) Anderson are going to retire soon - before it gets better." One of the greatest all-rounders of the game, Botham said England has lost its way.

"I'm a little embarrassed," the legendary all-rounder told the Seven Network.

"To lose the Ashes in 12 days, I don't know if that's the fastest, but it's got to be very close to it. I just think that England have lost their way.

"The performance today summed it up for me, I think you've got enough time to get a couple of players in from the Lions tour because we need to freshen it up, at the moment it's stagnating." England slumped to a nine-wicket defeat in Brisbane, lost by 275 runs at Adelaide before suffering the innings defeat in the Boxing Day Test here. 

Also Read : Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital after testing positive for COVID19

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Australia is ever so close to winning the 3rd Test in Melbourne and wrapping up the series. England at the end of day 2 are 31/4 trailing by 51 runs. Australia could wrap up the series tomorrow itself. The start of the day was delayed by 30 minutes due to a COVID scare in the England camp. Australia started the day on 61/1 with Marcus Harris and night watchman Nathan Lyon in the middle.

England started the day really well as Ollie Robinson got rid of the night watchman after Lyon hit a couple of boundaries. Mark Wood came into the attack and picked up Marnus Labuschagne early for just 1. Anderson started to really trouble both Steve Smith and Harris with some beautiful balls. The veteran bowler finally got his reward as he managed to get one through Smith's bat and pad as he was bowled on 16. Australia ended the first session on 131 for 4 trailing by just 54 runs.

While he was on 27, Travis Head edged Robinson's ball to 1 slip soon after lunch. Harris, whose place in the side was being questioned, answered the critics with a fine 76 off 189. He fell short of his ton as Anderson picked up his wicket. Alex Carey and Cameron Green occupied the crease for a good amount of time and got Australia past England's total. Jack Leech finally turned up and trapped Green in front. Stokes finally got his first wicket of the Test as he dismissed Carey. Anderson got his 4th wicket as he picked up the wicket of Pat Cummins. Mark Wood got Scot Boland as Australia were bowled out for 267 runs with a lead of 82 runs. England would've been content with their performance but what followed was disastrous.

Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley walked out to bat with England. Starc got rid of Crawley on 5 before trapping Malan in front on the very next ball. He came very close to getting a hat-trick as the next ball just went past Joe Root's outside edge. Debutant Scott Boland got two wickets late in the day as he got rid of Hameed before cleaning up meant to be night watchman Leech. Australia picked up 4 wickets but it could've been more as quite a few edges didn't carry. England need a minor miracle to rescue the match and keep the series alive. Australia could end the series tomorrow itself and retain the Ashes.

Melbourne, Dec 27 (Cricket News) Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Monday said Cricket Australia should act proactively in the wake of the COVID scare on the second day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test here and consider moving the Sydney fixture also to Melbourne.

The second day of play on Monday was delayed by half-an-hour following multiple positive cases within the England camp.

"I think Cricket Australia have to act quickly and be proactive in terms of the situation. It's unprecedented times," 'Sen Radio' reported Vaughan telling 'Fox Cricket'.

"Could the next Test match be played here in Melbourne, under lights at the MCG, to make sure we all stay in Victoria where the protocols are different to Sydney? "Do we really want to risk taking two teams over to Sydney, broadcast and production staff? You get to the SCG, there's one case in the team on day one and the Test match is off," he added.

Two members of the England support staff and two of their family members returned positive in Rapid Antigen Tests.

The development comes less than 24 hours after Channel Seven confirmed an asymptomatic staff member working on the Ashes broadcast crew also tested positive to the virus on Sunday evening.

"Surely Cricket Australia have to be proactive and realise that it's not going to be easy (even) staying here with what we've seen this morning," Vaughan said.

"The fact that it's a family member, Christmas Day… everyone's going to have been around that family member, so there is a chance the COVID positive could spread around the side," he reasoned.

"I think Cricket Australia have to act quite quickly…it would be quite sensible and reasonable to think 'okay, this is the situation now, it wasn't the situation a week ago, we have to act.' "It could be a good possibility." The 47-year-old said one has to look at the best possible way to get the series to go ahead while also keeping everyone safe.

"Unfortunately we're in times where that's the wording, 'get it done'. What's the best way to get those last two Test matches played in as safe an environment as possible? "For me, the sensible way would be 'alright, we're all in Melbourne, we know the protocols are different here, stay here, play the next Test match and see how the land lies in 10 days time.'" The fourth Test is slated to begin from January 5 while the final match of the series is schedule to begin in Hobart from January 14. 

Also Read : James Anderson nearing Tendulkar’s Test matches record

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 27 (Cricket News) Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels Ben Stokes hasn't looked like the "physically aggressive" presence that opposition teams have feared due to his "ultra-defensive approach" in the ongoing Ashes series.

Ponting also slammed England skipper Joe Root, Stokes and Jos Buttler for the manner of their dismissals in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test which the two-time World Cup winning captain believes was "inexcusable". England are 0-2 down in the marquee showdown between the traditional rivals.

"He's looked ultra-defensive. He hasn't looked like the big, physically aggressive presence at the crease that opposition teams have feared to bowl to in other series," Ponting told 'cricket.com.au'.

"You can understand why – the batting conditions haven't been easy in any game and he's coming up against some good bowlers," he added.

Ponting reckons Stokes must deviate from the conservative approach to help the struggling tourists.

"But I think if you just sit back and wait, and don't put pressure on great bowlers, they're going to get you out. We always used to say in teams that I played in that the better the bowler, the more risks you had to take as a batter, because you simply don't get bad balls.

"You have got to find a way to jump on anything that's a little bit bad, rotate the strike as much as you can." Heading into the third Test, England shuffled their top order, bringing in Zac Crawley and Jonny Bairstow in place of Ollie Pope and Rory Burns. But after being put in to bat on day one in the Boxing Day Test the tourists were bowled out for just 185.

Ponting feels the insipid performance by fellow England batters has put more pressure on Stokes.

"He's probably going into the game knowing that it's so important that he scores runs in that number five slot that he might be trying a little bit too hard," said Ponting.

"The bottom line with it is that technically he might be their second-best player, so you can't keep pushing him down the list when you're batting guys with inferior techniques ahead of him.

"And if you look at everyone outside of Joe Root then I would say that technically he is their second best player." Ponting was sharp in his criticism of Stokes, Root and Buttler, adding that the senior players need to rise to the occasion.

"(It was) inexcusable for three of your more senior players, the players that they needed to stand up on the back of what we believe were some pretty stern discussions after the Adelaide game.

"If your leaders aren't going to do it, then you can't expect the younger guys to get the job done.

"The young guys are going to learn from the senior players and when the senior players are setting examples like that, you can understand why some of the younger guys are making mistakes as well," he pointed out. 

Also Read : Game on if we can restrict India under 350: Ngidi

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 26 (Cricket News) Australia's recent success notwithstanding, head coach Justin Langer will have to wait until the end of the home season to know if his contract will be extended, according to the chief executive of the country's apex cricket body, Nick Hockley.

After an woeful run, including home Test series defeats to India, Australia turned things around in dramatic fashion to win the T20 World Cup and are on the verge of claiming the Ashes series.

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, however, refused to divulge much on Langer's future yet.

"I think JL, I think the whole square are doing a fantastic job," Hockley told reporters on Sunday, the first day of the Boxing Day Ashes Test against England.

"We've seen that through the performances of the first couple of Tests.

"We always said we're going to be really focused on the two upcoming campaigns - the T20 World Cup and the T20 team did fabulously to bring that trophy home, and same for the Ashes - I know JL, I know the team, they are very, very focused on this series." He added, "What we have said, before the summer, we'll be sitting down at the end of the season to review where we go from there." Hockley also did not entertain questions on whether CA would like to ease the workload on Langer, who is in charge of all three formats.

"As I said, that's something we're going to look at towards the end of the season," he said.

Hockley, however, did say that Langer would see out his contract, which expires in the middle of next year.

"There's no question Justin will see out his contract that goes through to the middle of next year," Hockley said.

"There's a tour of Pakistan and there's a lot of great cricket coming up, but as I said we'll sit down and review where we are at the end of the Ashes." 

Also Read : Can't fathom Broad's omission from Boxing Day Test: Vaughan

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 26 (Cricket News) Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Sunday said he "can't fathom" why experienced pacer Stuart Broad was not included in the playing XI for the third Ashes Test and believed the tourists have "got pretty much everything wrong" so far in Australia.

England, who are lagging 0-2 in the five-match series, left out Broad along with three others for the Boxing Day Test, which began here on Sunday.

"I look at someone like Stuart Broad, in Brisbane he wasn't selected on that green top there, he's not selected here," Vaughan, who led England to 26 wins in 51 Tests, including the 2005 Ashes, said on Fox Cricket.

"How England have not seen Stuart Broad, with all his experience, such a wonderful Test career, is not going to be bowling a ball on a green top in Brisbane and now not here in Melbourne, that's staggering really.

"So far the only thing they've done right on the trip is turn up on time. They've got pretty much everything wrong – selection, tactics have not quite been right.

"Stuart Broad should be playing here (in Melbourne), he should've played in Brisbane. How Stuart Broad is not going to be bowling around the wicket to David Warner on a green top, I just can't fathom that with the quality that he brings." Spin legend Shane Warne also echoed his voice.

"England looks a better balanced side - but I would have played @StuartBroad8 instead of Robinson & Pope looks a good player to me, but Bairstow had to play," he wrote on his Twitter handle. 

Also Read : Best pace attack in 30 years makes India favourites in first two Tests: Ali Bacher

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 26 (Cricket News) Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has a "slight tear" in his rib cage muscle and he is "not sure" if he would be available for the fourth Ashes Test starting at Sydney from January 5.

Hazlewood, who had taken three wickets in the opening Test against England, missed the second and third matches in Adelaide and Melbourne, due to the injury which was earlier believed to be a "side strain".

"I'm still a little bit away, (this Test) is probably a week early," Hazlewood told SEN.

"We're still not sure, we're going to take this week as it comes and likely have a bowl on Day 3 or Day 5, see how that goes and then build up from there.

"The workloads are still there from the first Test, but obviously I haven't had a bowl in 10-12 days and we'll see how it goes on Day 3." The 30-year-old said he will look to bowl at the nets on the third day of the Boxing day Test and will rely more on feel than on medical assessment.

"It's probably more on feel this one, it's a bit of an interesting one, it's the intercostal in between the ribs, there's a slight tear," Hazlewood said.

"I've never had it before, I've had the normal oblique side strain, which is the common one, but we're taking each day as it comes and we'll make the decisions on basically how I feel." Intercostal muscles are a group of intrinsic rib cage muscles.

Australia are leading the five-Test series 2-0. 

Also Read : U-19 Asia Cup: Pakistan beat India by 2 wickets in thriller

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 25 (Cricket News) Australia captain Pat Cummins didn't know how to channelise his anger after a fellow diner turned out to be COVID positive, forcing him to miss the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Cummins had gone out for a dinner with his friend Harry Conway, who plays for BBL franchise Adelaide Strikersk, at a restuarant in Adelaide ahead of the second Test when a patron at the nearby table was identified as a Covid positive case.

"I (was) really angry - but I don't know who at," Cummins, who is back captaining the side at the Boxing Day Test, was quoted as saying by 'The West Australian'.

"There was no-one to blame. Once it became apparent, the state rules, you have to follow them." Cummins had tested negative for RT-PCR but was asked to isolate accordingly to the COVID rules of South Australia, thus forcing his withdrawal on the morning of the Adelaide match.

"We knew it might pop at some stage in this series. I didn't think - or hope - it was going to be me," said the 28-year-old, who missed a home Test in about five years.

"You abide by the protocols, but there (was) hardly any COVID around, so I didn't factor it in at all until the bloke popped up next to me and said he's positive.

"No-one did anything wrong. The poor guy just flew to Adelaide to try and enjoy a couple of days of cricket - I felt really bad for him as well." Cummins' teammates Mitch Starc and Nathan Lyon too would have missed the match as they were supposed to join him for dinner at the same restaurant but since the skipper didn't check his phone for 40 minutes the two dined separately.

"They walked in angry - they kicked up a stink and sat out the back," he said of Lyon and Starc.

"It's just one player, it's slightly bigger news because it's COVID and the captain, but it's not the end of the world, it's not a huge change." Cummins thought he would cope but once he saw the Test match unfold on TV, he felt angry again.

"Then after about an hour (of watching the Test on TV) I was pretty angry, I wished I was back out there," he said.

"But it was good. It was a different perspective." Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0. 

Also Read : What inspired me most about Harbhajan was his hunger to perform: Ganguly

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Andy Murray is back in the Australian Open after two years, he last played in 2019 where he lost the opening round to Roberto Bautista Agut in a four hour marathon. Murray will be playing the Australian Open for the 14th time next year and is 2 victories away from 50 career wins at the first Grand Slam of the year.

“I’m really excited to be back playing at the Australian Open and grateful to Craig and the team for the opportunity," Murray said in a statement. "I’ve had some great times in Australia playing in front of the amazing crowds and I can’t wait to step back out on court at Melbourne Park.”

The 34 year old had one of his best streaks here a decade ago as from 2010 to 2016 he reached the finals 5 times and reached the quarterfinal and semifinal once. The Scot reached two consecutive finals twice in 2010,11 and in 2015,16; Novak Djokovic defeated him in four of the five finals while Roger Federer defeated him in the 2010 final.

Murray has been making a comeback since his hip surgery which almost brought down the curtains in his career after the 2019 event. The three time Grand Slam winner has shown strength in the toughest phase of his career as currently only Djokovic out of the big four has not suffered major injuries so far. Murray, Nadal and Federer are recovering from injuries as Federer won’t be seen in action this time.

More wildcards will be announced soon by the organizers as the five time finalist did have some convincing victories this year. He defeated Jannik Sinner, Hubert Hurkacz, Carlos Alcaraz and the list will grow next year. Murray played 29 matches this year same as Rafael Nadal and won 15 of them as Nadal had 24 wins. Nine more victories will give Murray 700 career wins which is the fourth most amongst active players after the big three.

The former world number one has never defeated Djokovic in five of their meetings at Australia, but has defeated Federer once and Nadal twice in which the Spaniard retired hurt in the second meeting. He has not faced Nadal for over 5 years, Federer for 6 years and Djokovic in 4 years and maybe the 2022 Australian Open can bring the old days back which can inspire the new gen even more.

Also read:  Radiant enters semi-final of Pro Tennis League

Melbourne, Dec 24 (Cricket News) The legendary Glenn McGrath on Friday loathed the lack of aggression from England players in the ongoing Ashes series, saying he would prefer to see a close battle in the ultimate contest instead of "political correctness".

For McGrath, too much bromance between England and Australian players, which he largely attributed to IPL and Big Bash, was taking away the required passion while representing the country. "It can be a little bit too nice sometimes. That's the way everything's going, isn't it? There's a lot of political correctness. People are a bit nervous about being aggressive and playing hard," McGrath was quoted as saying by Syndey Morning Herald.

"I remember, when Nasser Hussain came out here with England, they weren't even allowed to talk to us or say 'G'day'." The Australians have this habit of shortening the longer words but McGrath is aghast to see the nick names floating around.

"Every time you hear one of the English or Australian players interviewed, they use a nickname.

"Broady, Jimmy, Kez. I was asking the other day, 'Who’s Kez?' 'Oh, Alex Carey.' They’re a lot more familiar with each other than we were when I played." England are down 0-2 in the series but it did not show if the bashing by the hosts was causing any hurt. The England players were chatting around nicely with the home players.

"It's all about body language. How much does it mean, representing your country? England have to go back to the drawing board and have a real good think about this." "With the IPL and the Big Bash, these players know one another well. You see batsmen and bowlers joking around. I’d like to see some emotion out in the middle." McGrath was all for a spectacle out there in the middle.

"I'd love there to be more of a battle. Australia aren't going to take their foot off the throttle, now that they have Pat Cummins coming back.

"James Anderson looks like he's down on pace, and the ball's not swinging. This could get pretty ugly very quickly." He urged the visitors to add some aggression to their game and suggested that they unleash Mark Wood.

"If you've got someone bowling over 150 km/h, you want to play him as often as you can. Ben Stokes hasn’t looked good, so for him to come out in Adelaide and play the enforcer role was a big ask.

"They needed Wood. Any bowler with that speed is a rarity. Look at what Jofra Archer did to Australia in 2019. Not to use an out-and-out quick on a deck like Adelaide is surprising. Ollie Robinson will take wickets, but he’s not going to blast teams out, especially in Australian conditions." "......To turn things around they have to be much more aggressive. For all of us, the Ashes is the ultimate. All we want is to see a battle that's close." 

Also Read : U-19 Asia Cup: India thrash UAE in opener

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 23 (Cricket News) The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is confident that the Boxing Day Test, starting Sunday, will not turn into a superspreader event as the fans have been told they will be ousted from the venue if they flout COVID-19 protocols.

There is no crowd cap for attendance at the MCG this year and according to local media about 55,000 tickets have already been sold. Only 30,000 fans were allowed per day last year when Australia hosted India amidst raging pandemic.

Around 70,000 people are expected to watch the match from the venue on the first day.

The threat of new COVID-19 variant, Omicron is a cause of concern ahead of the Australia-England match.

"There's always risk (of a superspreader event), but we've got a COVID-safe plan in place for a reason," MCC chief executive Stuart Fox was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herlad.

"That’s served us relatively well. We had one reasonably significant issue this year in the football and we’ve managed that quite well.

"We had the data through to health for that particular event within two or three minutes. We've got a good handle on it." Wearing masks is a must for the fans.

Acting Premier James Merlino announced on Thursday that masks must be worn indoors by people aged over eight, and people must wear them when moving around major events of more than 30,000 people, but not when they are seated outdoors.

Victoria Police said it would take action against anyone repeatedly ignoring protocols.

"If someone is quarrelsome it doesn't really matter for me what they’re quarrelsome about or whether they’re being problematic or intoxicated, we’d evict that person if they weren't going to behave and comply with whatever the conditions and regulations are," Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Jamie Templeton said. 

Also Read : Langer may seek extension of contract with Cricket Australia

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 23 (Cricket News) Australia coach Justin Langer on Thursday hinted that he would seek an extension of his four-year contract, expiring in June 2022, saying he "loves his job".

Langer had faced criticism for his coaching methods from the players but now has a Twenty20 World Cup in his CV and is also close to adding the coveted Ashes Trophy win to it.

Australia are leading the home series against England 2-0.

The 51-year-old former Test opener insisted that his thought process has not changed.

"I have never thought differently, to be honest. I have been consistent with what I have said for the last four years. I love my job," Langer was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"The boys are playing well, no doubt about it, it's a great team to be involved in. So, nothing has changed from my point of view." Former skipper and much-respected Steve Waugh is one of those cricketing figures in Australian cricket who advocate splitting the coaching duties.

"Langer confirmed he wanted to remain in charge of the Test squad and the limited-overs teams in the long term, for there has been debate that the senior coach for the red-and-white-ball teams should be split," the report said.

"Langer’s senior assistant Andrew McDonald would be the ideal white-ball coach if Langer remained and the roles were split. McDonald, who listens closely to players and has an excellent rapport, is seen as a fine leader and also capable of guiding all three teams." Langer was given the job to overhaul the team's culture and regain the respect of the Australian public after the ball-tampering scandal of 2018. 

Also Read : Going forward, isolated COVID-19 cases will not disrupt our home series: PCB

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 22 (Cricket News) Under-fire head coach Chris Silverwood has defended his team selection despite England suffering heavy defeats in the first two Tests of the Ashes, insisting he is still the "right man for the job".

England slumped to a nine-wicket defeat in Brisbane before losing by 275 runs at Adelaide, leading to sharp criticism of the team selections.

The visitors had opted to leave out the experienced pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad on a green pitch in Brisbane while including spinner Jack Leach.

The left-arm spinner returned with poor figures of 1 for 102 in 13 overs and was dropped from the second Test with England depending on Root, Dawid Malan and Ollie Robinson for spin at Adelaide Oval.

Silverwood, who is also England's chief selector, said he will not change a thing when asked by the 'BBC' if he would pick the same teams.

"To be honest, I would," he said.

"There is always going to be divided opinion. You pick a team and not everybody's going to agree with you (but) I was happy with the skillset we had in the pink-ball Test, so I would pick the same team again." The third Test begins in Melbourne on Boxing Day and ahead of the departure of the team, Silverwood on Tuesday reiterated his stance. "We picked the best attack for those conditions and you look at the attack we had out, there's a lot of experience. I was happy with that attack this game and I was happy with that attack last game as well." Under Silverwood, England have lost nine and won only one of the last 11 Tests and many former players, including ex captain Michael Artherton, believes he should take responsibility for the two losses.

"Am I the right man to help the players get better? Yes, I believe I am. We have had those honest chats and I believe I have the right coaching staff around me to make that happen as well," Silverwood said.

"When you take a job like this you accept that (your job is on the line). It is what it is. Do I believe I'm the right man? Yes I do, or I wouldn't have taken the job in the first place. You're under pressure constantly, aren't you? "We knew it was going to be difficult when we came out here. Obviously we wanted to win but that is always going to be difficult. We have to be realistic about what we have, but we have to learn." 

Also Read : It's all a bit friendly, get nasty: Vaughan's advice to England

News Source : PTI

London, Dec 22 (Cricket News) England are being "too nice" and need to "get nasty" against Australia in the Boxing Day Test to fight back in the ongoing Ashes series, feels former skipper Michael Vaughan.

England suffered heavy defeats in the first two Tests to be down 0-2 in the five-match series.

"It's too nice," Vaughan, who led England to 26 wins in 51 Tests, including the 2005 Ashes, said on Fox Cricket's Follow-On podcast.

"I see on the morning of the game they are all talking to Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. I never had a conversation with Steve Waugh back in the day. I wouldn't have dared go and speak to Glenn McGrath on the morning of the game or Shane Warne. You just didn't.

"It's all a bit friendly. I'd get nasty with them … They somehow need to find that on day one. Get into the scrap. Chirp, do whatever, just get into the scrap." Vaughan wants England to bring a change in their attitude on the field.

"They are at that stage now where they have to change something," the 47-year-old vaughan, who scored 5719 runs in 82 Tests, said.

"It might be that they all get nasty, get nasty with each other. They all fall out. Who cares, but then come out and show a bit of spirit I actually want to see a bit of mongrel in the England side." Former skipper Michael Atherton, meanwhile, said Joe Root may lose his Test captaincy if England doesn't arrest the slide and overturn the 0-2 deficit in the ongoing series.

Root (23) surpassed Alastair Cook (22) to become the England captain with most losses in Test cricket following their 275-run loss in the Pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval.

"If the tour continues to go this badly, it is hard to see how Root will remain as captain," Artherton, who captained England in 54 Tests, told 'The Times'.

"Ashes tours have often done for England captains and Root is nearer the end of his cycle than the beginning. There is not a rash of alternatives, but the notion that there is no one to take over is the worst rationale for keeping the job." The 53-year-old also slammed head coach Chris Silverwood for taking "poor decisions", mainly in terms of selection of the team for the two Tests.

"As the head coach and main selector, he has to shoulder along with Joe Root. There have been a rash of poor decisions so far – selection, mainly – for which he now has the final call," Artherton said.

"For the past 12 months, lots of selections have been suspect; the move to invest responsibility for selection with the head coach was always a bad one." The third Test begins in Melbourne on December 26 and Atherton feels England need to address their batting woes.

"The batting needs urgent attention more generally, but given that no one else has played any cricket, I would give the same batsmen another chance," he said. 

Also Read : IPL's Lucknow franchise appoints Vijay Dahiya as assistant coach

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Jannik Sinner is the current youngest player in the top ten as he is only 20 years old and in his third year on the ATP tour. The Italian had a rapid rise to the top this year with four titles in five finals all coming on hard courts. Sinner started the season with a title at Melbourne 1 defeating Karen Khachanov in the semifinals, in the next two events he made first round exits. He will be expected to stage some upset at the 2022 Australian Open.

Sinner had never progressed beyond the fourth in Masters 1000 until this year when he made the finals at Miami defeating Khachanov for the second time this year and beat Roberto Bautista Agut in the semifinals. In the finals he lost to Hubert Hurkacz and at Barcelona he reached the semifinals by beating Andrey Rublev in straight sets. In the next 7 events, he did not progress beyond the fourth round until his title win at Washington where he beat four Americans on the way.

Sinner’s next title came at the Sofia Open where he was the defending champion. In the finals he defeated Gael Monfils for the second time in a row as he had beaten the Frenchmen at the US Open. Sinner then didn't drop for the second consecutive to win a title at Antwerp and went on to reach the semifinals at Vienna which projected him to career best ranking of 9.

Sinner was expected to play at the Nitto ATP Finals but a first round loss at the Paris Masters put him in the backseat. He then got a chance at his hometown when fellowmen Matteo Berrettini was injured and Sinner got off to a winning start as the crowd went berserk in his match against Hurkacz.

Sinner’s strokes are always on the offensive and hit flat with incredible force that causes him to master the hardcourts. Sinner has proven that even with very little experience, he can beat the elite players and with more practice can perform well in high pressure matches. The match against Carlos Alcaraz at Paris was supposed to be a trailer for what the rivalry holds in the future. Sinner is quick around the court and can also stretch to hit impressive winners.

Sinner is yet to make an impression at Grand Slams, he reached the quarter final stage at Roland Garros last year and that has been his only appearance at that level so far. He has only played at 8 Grand Slams so far but has many competitors aside him. Now with the top ten entry, Sinner will try to transfer his hardcourts supremacy into the Grand Slams as three of the four Grand Slams are held in fast moving courts. Sinner will need to progress deeper at the majors as he can then have a crack at the top five of the rankings.

Also read: Thiem and Nadal cast doubts over 2022 Australian Open participation

Melbourne, Dec 20 (Cricekt News) Australia skipper Pat Cummins and pacer Josh Hazlewood are set to return for the Boxing Day Test against England as the country’s cricket board named an unchanged 15-member squad for the remainder of the ongoing Ashes series.

Cummins had been unavailable for the ongoing second Test after being deemed a close contact of a person who had tested positive for COVID-19, while Hazlewood was ruled out of the ongoing match with a side strain he sustained in the series opener at the Gabba.

Jhye Richardson had replaced Hazlewood while Michael Laser had been handed a last minute debut.

Under-fire opener Marcus Harris has retained his spot for the remaining three fixtures alongside all others who featured in the second Test, while Usman Khawaja could also be asked to open the innings.

The fourth Test is slated to be played in Sydney from January 5 while the final game is a Day and Night fixture in Hobart, starting January 14.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. 

Also Read : Boxing Day Test between India and SA to be played without spectators: Report

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) England Women have announced the Women’s Ashes squad and England Women's A squad which will accompany the senior group of players throughout the tour. The senior group comprises 17 players and 12 players will be from the England Women’s A squad with the possibility of players in the A squad to be promoted into the Ashes squad while on tour.

England Women's Ashes Squad

Heather Knight (Western Storm, captain), Tammy Beaumont (Lightning), Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Katherine Brunt (Northern Diamonds), Kate Cross (Thunder), Freya Davies (South East Stars), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers), Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars), Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder), Tash Farrant (South East Stars), Sarah Glenn (Central Sparks), Amy Jones (Central Sparks), Nat Sciver (Northern Diamonds, vice-captain), Anya Shrubsole (Western Storm), Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds), Danni Wyatt (Southern Vipers)

England Women's A Squad

Emily Arlott (Central Sparks), Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Alice Davidson-Richards (South East Stars), Georgia Elwiss (Southern Vipers), Kirstie Gordon (Lightning), Eve Jones (Central Sparks), Beth Langston (Northern Diamonds), Emma Lamb (Thunder), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Ellie Threlkeld (Thunder), Issy Wong (Central Sparks)

Head Coach Lisa Keightley said: "It's always exciting to head to Australia to take on the challenge of winning the Ashes and we're really looking forward to going out there and making some memories as a team.

"This is the first time we've taken an England Women's A squad alongside the senior team, which is a big step forward for us. It gives us great depth, and provides so much competition for places. It's also an invaluable development opportunity for those players pushing for senior selection.

"Similarly, it's also a good chance to get more 50-over cricket under our belts ahead of our defence of the ICC Women's World Cup in New Zealand.

"We've got a nice blend of experienced pros and youngsters, and it's a trip we've been preparing for since the end of our summer. A multi-format series is a great test of all our skills, and we can't wait to get out there."

England Women A will take on Australia A in 50-over and 20-over fixtures, while also playing the senior England Women's team in a number of internal warm-up fixtures.

Also read: England lose 2 wickets late in the day after Smith and Carey fire on day 2

Women's Ashes Fixtures

Thursday January 27-30: Only Test Match, Canberra, 12am GMT (4 points)

Friday February 4: 1st IT20, Sydney, 9.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 6: 2nd IT20, Sydney, 9.10am (2 points)

Thursday February 10: 3rd IT20, Adelaide, 9.10am (2 points)

Sunday February 13: 1st ODI, Adelaide, 12.05am (2 points)

Wednesday February 16: 2nd ODI, Melbourne, 12.05am (2 points)

Saturday February 19: 3rd ODI, Melbourne, 12.05am (2 points)

England Women's A Fixtures

Wednesday January 26: 1st T20, England Women A v Australia A

Friday January 28: 2nd T20, England Women A v Australia A

Sunday January 30: 3rd T20, England Women A v Australia A

Saturday February 5: 1st 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A

Wednesday February 9: 2nd 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A

Friday February 11: 3rd 50-over match, England Women A v Australia A

Warm-Up Fixtures

Monday January 17-19: Three-Day Warm-Up, England Women's XI v England Women A

Saturday January 22-23: Two-Day Warm-Up, England Women's XI v England Women A

Wednesday February 2: Governor General's XI v England, Sydney

(Tennis news) The ATP year awards came to an end with the final award winner being Rafael Nadal who won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship for the fourth consecutive time. He first won it in 2010 and then has been the winner since 2018. Nadal played 29 matches this year and won titles at Rome and Barcelona.

Nadal last played at Washington after which he ended the season early in August. He is currently recovering from a foot injury, the Spaniard will be seen in action in the first week of January at Melbourne. This year marked his 20th year on tour with his entry coming as a teeanger, he even won the ATP newcomer award in 2003 and 2 years later he won the most improved player of the year title.

“I can’t be happier to receive the Sportsmanship Award one more time from my colleagues on the Tour,” Nadal said. “It means a lot to me, so thanks a lot to every player that thinks that I am the right one to receive this award.

"Honestly, it means a lot to me because I try to always be correct on court. Thanks for believing in me and I wish all the very best for the 2022 season to all my colleagues on the Tour and I hope to see you soon.”

The ATP also announced the best tournaments of the year from the 250, 500 and Masters 1000 series. Qatar ExxonMobil Open was the winner in the 250 series, having won the title in 2015, 2017 and 2019. It is held in Doha at the start of the year and is played on hardcourts. Roger Federer has won it thrice with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray winning it twice. Nadal has won the singles title once and has been a winner in doubles on four occasions. 

The Erste Bank Open which has been held since 1974 won the best event in the 500 series for the first time. It is held at Vienna in October and is played on hardcourts; Alexander Zverev won the title as there have been 7 different winners in as many years. Andy Murray has won the title twice with his last title coming 2016 and Djokovic’s lone win came 14 years back. Federer had won the 2002, 2003 in which he also won the doubles in 2003.

The BNP Paribas Open also known as Indian Wells Open since it is played at Indian Wells garden. It is the first event among the nine Masters 1000 series as it is held in March but this year it was held in October due to the pandemic. It has been winning the title since 2014 except in 2020 as the event was not held for the first time because of the pandemic. Federer and Djokovic lead with 5 titles each. Nadal has won the singles event thrice and the doubles event twice with Marc Lopez.

Also read: Jenson Brooksby wins Newcomer of the year award as Federer is fan favorite

New Delhi, Dec 13 (Table Tennis News) India's veteran table tennis star A Sharath Kamal has undergone a medical procedure to treat his "severe heel pain".

The 39-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist paddler tweeted alongside a picture of him on a hospital bed.

"Was experiencing severe heel pain since 8 months, that got worse in the last 3 months. Good to get treatment post #WorldChampionships now, with preparations starting soon for #CommonwealthGames, and #AsianGames in the coming year!" Sharath tweeted.

"(I) just have some calcium deposit due to wear and tear.. so had to do a small procedure.. need 3 days complete rest," he told PTI.

With multiple medals at top international tournaments, Sharath remains one of the country's finest players in his sport. His prowess was also in full display during his match against the mighty Ma Long in the men's singles round of 32 match at the Tokyo Olympics.

He has nine national titles under his belt, and he made history by winning India's first table tennis gold at the Commonwealth Games, in Melbourne in 2006.

The Asian Games and CWG are slated for next year in Hangzhou, China, and Birmingham respectively. 

Also Read : Payas, Suhana to return home with bronze from the Worlds Youth Table Tennis

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Dec 9 (Cricket news) Smriti Mandhana is the ideal candidate to lead India after ODI and Test skipper Mithali Raj retires following the conclusion of the Women's World Cup in New Zealand next year, said former captain Shantha Rangaswamy.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been the T20 captain since 2016 but her inconsistent run as a batter doesn't make her an automatic choice to replace Mithali in the longer formats.

Mandhana, on the other hand, has established herself as among the best batters in the world.

"Smriti is the ideal choice after Mithali retires. She has been an excellent performer for India and should be given the opportunity to lead the country," Shantha, who led India to their first ever Test win back in 1976, told PTI.

Shantha, who also happens to be a BCCI Apex Council member, feels captaincy has impacted Harmanpreet's batting which she thinks is key for India's success.

Mandhana, who has played four Tests, 62 ODIs and 84 T20s, was last seen in the Women's Big Bash in Australia where he also scored a hundred against Melbourne Renegades.

Harmanpreet, who has been battling with form and fitness over the last 12 months, also did well in the Big Bash and it remains to be seen if she can carry that form to the highest level.

India's next assignment will be the away series against New Zealand before the World Cup in March-April. India had finished runners-up in 2017.

With the Women's Challenger concluding on Thursday, Shantha said the competition showed there is no dearth of talent in the country.

"The event has unearthed a lot of talent which augurs well for women's cricket. It also shows that we are ready for a Women's IPL," she added.

Also Read : Every angle of BCCI's decision of appointing Rohit Sharma as ODI captain after sacking Virat Kohli

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Dec 9 (Cricket news) Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley has backed Tim Paine to return to country's Test squad, saying he wants to see the former skipper "playing and performing" for Australia again.

Paine took an indefinite mental health break from the game after stepping down as Test captain ahead of the Ashes in the wake of a 'sexting' scandal, which involved him sending inappropriate texts to a female co-worker in 2017.

"Would love to see him play again, for both his state and for Australia," Hockley told SEN.

"We want to see him back out there, playing and performing, as quickly as possible." Paine, who turned 37 on Wednesday, was handed the reins of Australian cricket at a time when the image of the game was in jeopardy following the ball-tampering scandal that happened in Cape Town in 2018.

Following Paine's decision to quit, there were speculations that he might never play for Australia again as the wicketkeeper-batter was expected to retire at the end of this summer.

Cricket Australia also received a lot of flak for the way it handled the issue with Cricket Tasmania chair Andrew Gaggin calling it "appalling" and "the worst since Bill Lawry over 50 years ago." Hockley said it was Paine's call to quit as captain and "that was a decision that the board felt was appropriate" and it was trying to support him.

"The head coach has been down to see him, we've had members of our high performance set up go down to Tassie. The Tasmanian cricket community have put their arms around him," said Hockley, who was appointed chief executive on an interim basis in 2020 before being made permanent a year later.

"We are all very, very concerned - to make sure that Tim is well supported. A lot of respect for Tim for owning his mistake and our job now is to really support him."

Also Read : Captain Cummins grabs maiden Ashes fifer to give massively swing the game Australia's way at the Gabba

news Source : PTI

Margao, Dec 8 (Football news) Defending champions Mumbai City FC will have their task cut out when they take on high-flying Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Thursday.

Mumbai had a good start to the season under new coach Des Buckingham, currently sitting at the top of the points table.

After a shock defeat to Hyderabad FC, Mumbai City registered back-to-back wins, including a 5-1 hammering of arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan.

But Owen Coyle's Jamshedpur are snapping at their heels, and are placed second having eight points from four games.

The Islanders have been at their aggressive best, something they adopted from previous coach Sergio Lobera’s coaching manual.

Igor Angulo has been in red-hot form for Mumbai, scoring four goals so far. Buckingham's men have netted the most number of goals this season and barring the game against Hyderabad FC, they have looked like an intimidating unit.

Buckingham, though, is not getting carried away.

"It's a good start and that's all. It doesn't matter where you are in the league right now, it's about where you finish," said the former Melbourne City assistant coach.

Mumbai have conceded two goals in the last two outings despite winning by 3-1 and 5-1 margins.

Buckingham said as a unit, he would love to see his side keep a clean sheet but at the same time, he would not change the way they play.

"We would love to win every game with a clean sheet. But we want to play an expansive game of football and in an exciting way. I would not want to change that." Jamshedpur, on the other hand, have looked their part this season, staying unbeaten in four games.

Coyle's charges were unstoppable against ATK Mohun Bagan in their previous match, not letting last year's finalists settle down into any kind of rhythm.

"We have a group of players who work their socks off and have quality. The boys are always hungry to do well for the club, for themselves and our fans which is very important," said Coyle.

Asked about his Indian players doing well, Coyle said: "They are working very hard and the foreign players are helping them. It's nice to see young players doing well." Jitendra Singh was excellent against ATK Mohun Bagan, pulling the strings expertly in the middle of the park.

Jamshedpur FC can take heart from the fact that they and NorthEast United were the only two teams to stay unbeaten against Mumbai in last ISL.

The first game between the sides ended in a 1-1 draw while Jamshedpur ran out 2-0 winners in the second game.

Also Read : Consistency key for Hyderabad as Bengaluru attempt resurgence

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Bianca Andreescu has announced that she will not be competing in the 2022 Australian Open. The 2019 US Open champion said she wants a mental break and will take some time off the tour. She finished her 2021 season ranked No.46.

Bianca also had to miss the 2020 season due to injury, the former World No.4 played her first match after a year at the Australian Open in February. She was the runner up in WTA 1000 Miami Open in March and recorded wins against Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sakkari before retiring in the final against No.1 Ashleigh Barty. Andreescu is the second tennis player after Naomi Osaka to have announced a break in the tour citing mental health as this year the sports players have repeatedly focused on mental health.

"I want to give myself extra time to re-set, recover, and grow from this and continue to inspire by doing charity work, giving back and working on myself because I know by doing this, I will come back stronger than ever”, said Andreescu.

"I will therefore not start my season in Australia this year, but will take some additional time to reflect, train, and be ready for the upcoming 2022 tennis season."

Serena Williams also will not be seen at the Australian Open as she still needs time to recover from injury. The seven time champion also missed out the US Open this year, she last won the Australian Open in 2017 which also was her last Grand Slam title. Serena is only 1 behind Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles and is still a tough competitor in her 26th year on tour.

"While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete," Serena said.

"Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit and I look forward to playing at the AO every year. I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level."

Serena last played a match a few months ago at Wimbledon where she had to retire from the first round due to an injury. She reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the fourth round at the French Open and totally played 17 matches this year. Bianca played 29 matches this year and her best performance in Grand Slams came at the US Open where she reached the fourth round; she last played at Indian Wells in October.

The US Open this year saw withdrawal of many top players as now the start of the next season has already seen withdrawals. The Australian Open is scheduled to start from 17th January.

Also read: Winners of the 2021 WTA Player Awards announced in five categories

Melbourne, Dec 8 (Cricket news) A piece of cricketing history, the bat used by the legendary Donald Bradman in the 1934 Ashes series with which he scored two triple-centuries is up for auction.

Bradman had also used the bat to score his highest ever Test partnership of 451 runs with opening batter Bill Ponsford.

The bat has been on display at the Bradman Museum in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands since 1999, on loan from a private owner.

The William Sykes and Son bat was used in all the five Test matches of the Ashes in England where Bradman amassed a total of 758 runs.

Bradman, who had scored 6996 runs from 52 Tests at an astounding average of 99.94, wrote his top scores from the series on the bat, including 304 at Headingley and 244 at the Oval.

"It's provenance is indisputable," museum Executive Director Rina Hore was quoted as saying by abc.net.au.

"Sir Donald has actually written in his own handwriting the fact that he made those scores with this bat.

"I think it is a treasure." According to the report, there is no reserve price for the bat. Another of Bradman's bats sold for Australian dollar 110,000 in 2018.

Bradman used that bat after the Bodyline series in Australia. The tactic was employed by the British to counter the prolific run-scoring of Bradman.

Also Read : England gear up to take on the Gabba challenge without Jimmy Anderson and Johnny Bairstow

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The 1st Test match between India and New Zealand at Kanpur ended in a draw. Captain Virat Kohli was rested for the game and his replacement was debutant Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbai batter scored 105 runs in his debut innings and then went on to score 65 in the 2nd innings. 

Virat Kohli will be back for the 2nd and final Test in Mumbai which leaves Rahul Dravid with a big decision to make. In both the innings at Kanpur, India were in a difficult situation when Iyer walked in. The debutant showed incredible character and played according to the conditions to get his team to a winnable position. In hindsight, if Iyer had failed to perform, Kohli would've taken his place and there wouldn't be a discussion about it.

Kohli himself hasn't been in the best of form but being the captain and the fact that he is 'Virat Kohli' means that he has to play. The game will be very important for Virat Kohli on a personal level. A big innings in the match will set the tone for the Test series in South Africa where India has never won a red ball series before. The all-rounders Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin all did well in the match so dropping them is out of question.

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Shubhman Gill scored a half century in his first game after returning from injury. Which leaves Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Agarwal was dropped after disappointing performances in the first two Tests against Australia. He then batted in the middle at Gabba but scored only 38 and 9. He was first in line to replace Gill in the England series but concussion and KL Rahul's amazing performance kept him on the bench. He returned to the side at Kanpur but couldn't capitalise as he got 13 and 17 in the two innings. 

Rahane and Pujara have had a difficult two years or so with the Willow. Rahane scored a magnificent century at Melbourne after which he had only one fifty which was against England in Chennai and 49 against England at Lord's both of which were very crucial for the team's win. Pujara on the other hand scored two gritty fifties in Australia, one of which secured a draw in Sydney and the other inspired a legendary victory at the Gabba. Since then he also has had a very poor run. His only notable performances have been a 45 at Lord's, followed by a 91 at Headingley and a 61 at the Oval.

Indian fans fear that Shreyas Iyer could be given the same treatment that Karun Nair got. After hitting a triple century in only his 3rd Test, Nair was dropped in the very next Test match in favour of Ajinkya Rahane. He then gave underwhelming performances in two home Tests against Australia and never played for India again. The same could happen to Iyer as Dravid has already come out and said that Rahane may be just one or two big innings away from getting back into form. That added to him being the vice captain makes dropping him more difficult.

At this point in time, Ajinkya Rahane looks the obvious choice to make way for Virat Kohli. Team India needs to pick a side that will win the Test match and not think about the future or fairness or harshness. India needs to beat New Zealand. All the away Test series wins will be massively overlooked if India lose or draw a home series against New Zealand.

Melbourne, Nov 28 (Cricket news) Australia's newly-appointed Test captain Pat Cummins has revealed that he was asked to share any secrets he might have had before he was handed the leadership role by the selection panel.

Cummins was made Australia's 47th Test captain ahead of Ashes series after Tim Paine stepped down last week and took an indefinite break from cricket following the 'sexting scandal'.

While Cummins was choosen for the top job, former skipper Steve Smith was handed the vice-captaincy, three years after he was suspended for a year for his role in the ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket in 2018.

Asked if cricket Australia panel had asked him "anything like a confession" before being appointed as captain, Cummins replied in an affirmative.

"Yeah, there were a couple of questions. I won't go into detail," Cummins told ABC sport during an interview but did not share the details.

"It was a really good open discussion. We talked about a lot of different things. So we both left it feeling really comfortable," said the 28-year-old Cummins.

The five-person panel comprised selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, former Australia batter and current CA board member Mel Jones, CEO Nick Hockley and chair Richard Freudenstein.

Australia had little time to prepare for the Ashes with the pace trio of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc lacking in game time in red-ball cricket as they were busy with the ICC T20 World Cup.

However, Australian bowling coach Andrew McDonald said he won't accept any excuse from his pace bowling unit as the opening Test begins on December 8.

"...It was always going to be a shortened prep, and less than ideal switching formats and quarantine and all that stuff," McDonald said during Australia's first practice session on Sunday.

"But I think the art of the modern-day cricketer is to be able to adapt to that. There'll be no excuses from our end and I'm sure there'll be no excuses from England's end either." The members of Australia's Ashes squad, who had participated at the T20 World Cup in UAE, are currently training at their quarantine centre in Gold Coast.

"We've had fantastic facilities up here. The weathe has been challenging at times but we've still been able to get out into the centre. Also, these guys have got a lot of Test experience to draw upon," McDonald told news.com.au.

"So changing formats is something that they've been able to deal with across their careers. I think we'll be really, really, really well-prepared."

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News Source : PTI