Ashes series in australia

SYDNEY: Pat Cummins said the Adelaide wicket had played a part in the humbling of India in the first test and the Australia paceman is hoping for another good track when the teams meet again in the second test in Melbourne on Dec. 26. Cummins took 4-21, including the key wickets of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood 5-8 to skittle India for 36 on Saturday and fire Australia to an eight-wicket victory and a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. Sideways movement from the Adelaide track had aided the Australian cause, Cummins said, and he was hoping the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) wicket would have some life in it as well. "I thought the Ashes test (in 2017) and the Indian test at the MCG a couple of years ago were pretty flat and boring wickets as a bowler," said Cummins. "Last year against New Zealand it was a really good wicket. It has a bit of sideways and pace and bounce. Hopefully it will be much the same. "I think not only as a … [Read more...] about Cricket: Australia’s Cummins hoping for life in second test wicket

SYDNEY: India, having claimed a first series triumph on their last trip Down Under, will again look to break new ground when they lock horns with the Australians on Thursday in the opening test under the lights of Adelaide Oval. Australia have featured in half of the 14 day-night matches played in test cricket and won all seven by comfortable margins, five of them at the picturesque ground by the River Torrens. India also won their only day-night test but the Bangladesh pace attack at Eden Gardens last year probably did not present as much of a threat in the evening sessions as Australia's will. Australia's pace battalion have flourished with the pink ball and India's fine array of batsmen will have to be at their best if they are to hand their hosts a first test defeat under the lights. Skipper Tim Paine said over the last few days Australia had also enjoyed a decent refresher course to prepare for the match, which will be played in front of a restricted crowd of 21,000. … [Read more...] about Cricket-Opener issues as India series begins under Adelaide lights

REUTERS: A potentially series-ending injury to seamer Mohammed Shami has jolted India's bid to bounce back in the test series against Australia, a task the tourists will have to accomplish without their talismanic captain Virat Kohli. Kohli will miss the last three tests to attend the birth of his first child in India and he leaves behind a team smarting from their shellacking inside three days after being shot out for 36, India's lowest innings total, in Adelaide. As if that was not bad enough, Shami retired hurt after a painful blow to his bowling arm from a Pat Cummins bouncer. "He was in a lot of pain, could hardly lift his arm," Kohli said at the presentation ceremony, adding the team were awaiting Shami's scan results. Kohli's departure also robs India of their batting mainstay as they try to stay afloat in the four-test series under Ajinkya Rahane. "I'd definitely have loved it for a fact if we had won this game, leaving with victory would have been great," Kohli … [Read more...] about Cricket-After Kohli exit, Shami injury adds to India’s woes in Australia

REUTERS: Australia crushed India by eight wickets inside three days of the first test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, skittling the tourists for their lowest innings score in 88 years of test cricket and taking a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. Josh Hazlewood (5-8) and Pat Cummins (4-21) turned a tight day-night test on its head in a devastating spell of pace bowling to open the day, ripping through the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up in less than two hours to dismiss the tourists for 36. Australia's batsmen, playing without pressure, chased down the victory target of 90 runs with some ease, opener Joe Burns giving his confidence a much-needed boost with an unbeaten 51 that included the six which secured victory. If the tourists were shellshocked, the hosts were also taken aback by a turn of events which few would have predicted when India came out to bat with a 62-run lead and nine second-innings wickets in hand. "We were expecting a real dogfight right to the end, … [Read more...] about India crumble to record low as quicks fire Australia to victory

SYDNEY: There are still many questions over Australia's opening partnership for the second test against India but one thing is all but certain - Joe Burns will face the new ball at the Melbourne Cricket Ground later this week. Burns came into the first test on an extremely poor run of form - 62 first class runs in nine innings - but scored a half century to drive Australia to victory at Adelaide Oval on Saturday (Dec 19), sealing the win with a six. His innings might be destined to be a footnote in the records of that remarkable test after the Australian bowlers had skittled India for 36, but it clearly did his confidence no harm. "I felt fantastic out there, just to get the job done on a fantastic day for Australian cricket, to back up our bowlers, was a really nice feeling," he told reporters on Monday. "We're the best team in the world, so we're confident against every team in every venue. Our bowlers are unbelievable ... it's a great luxury for our team." Burns took a … [Read more...] about Cricket: Australia’s Burns fit and raring to go again in Melbourne