Author: news

“Recalled: Australia’s Cameron Bancroft. ©AFP” /> Sydney (AFP) – Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns got the nod Thursday for Australia’s Test squad to face Pakistan, with Usman Khawaja and Marcus Harris axed after flopping during the Ashes series against England. Bowling allrounder Michael Neser was also included as a back-up to the formidable pace attack of Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson. Bancroft was only rushed into the Australia A team at the last minute this week when Nic Maddinson pulled out to deal with mental health…

“Jofra Archer says cricket fans who mouth racist abuse should realise times have moved on and the world is a much more multicultural place. ©AFP” /> Lond ]]> <![CDATA[ on (AFP) – England’s fast-bowling sensation Jofra Archer says cricket fans who resort to racist abuse should realise times have moved on and the world is a much more multicultural place. The 24-year-old Barbados-born bowler has quickly become a favourite with the England fans since he became eligible to play for his adopted country earlier this year. The Sussex star benefited…

“West Indies batsman Shai Hope scored his seventh one-day international century. ©AFP” /> Lucknow (India) (AFP) – Opening batsman Shai Hope struck an unbeaten century as West Indies outplayed Afghanistan by five wickets in the third one-day international on Monday to complete a 3-0 series rout. Hope made 109 and built crucial partnerships including an unbeaten 71-run stand with Roston Chase, 42 not out, to anchor West Indies’ chase of 250 with eight balls to spare in Lucknow. The wicketkeeper-batsman completed his seventh ODI hundred as West Indies, under new…

“Indian bowler Deepak Chahar delivered a six-for-seven performance. ©AFP” /> Nagpur (India) (AFP) – Paceman Deepak Chahar claimed the best-ever Twenty20 international bowling figures of six for seven as India clinched a 2-1 series triumph over Bangladesh with a 30-run win on Sunday. Chahar, a medium-pace bowler, finished the match with a hat-trick to bowl out Bangladesh for 144 in 19.2 overs while chasing 175 for victory in Nagpur. Chahar became the first Indian bowler to get a T20 hat-trick as he went past Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis, who had…

“West Indies’ Shai Hope in the second one day international win over Afghanistan . ©AFP” /> Lucknow (India) (AFP) – West Indies beat Afghanistan by 47 runs Saturday to claim their first one-day series win in more than five years as their bowlers took control amid an invasion of moths. Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase and Hayden Walsh each took three wickets as Kieron Pollard’s side wrapped up the three-match series with a game to spare.Afghanistan have now lost 11 one-day internationals in a row. Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran hit 67 off…

“Australian batsman Peter Handscomb will captain Middlesex in all formats of the game from next season. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – Australian Peter Handscomb will captain English county side Middlesex in both the County Championship and one-day competitions next season, the club announced on Thursday. The 28-year-old, who was a member of this year’s Australian World Cup squad, signed a two-year contract with the division two Championship side and replaces Dawid Malan as skipper.Malan has joined Yorkshire. Handscomb, who has represented his country 40 times in all three formats, has…

“Rohit smashed 85 to lead his side to victory. ©AFP” /> Rajkot (India) (AFP) – Skipper Rohit Sharma smashed 85 in his 100th Twenty20 international to pow ]]> <![CDATA[ 23 deliveries, reaching the milestone with his third six. He hammered six fours and six maximums in total, including three successive hits over the fence off spinner Mosaddek Hossain in his 43-ball blitz. “I knew that Rajkot is a good track, knew (it) will be difficult for bowlers in the second innings,” said Sharma, who is leading the side in the…

“Dawid Malan battered the New Zealand bowlers, helping England level the T20 series at 2-2. ©AFP” /> Napier (New Zealand) (AFP) – A whirlwind century by ]]> <![CDATA[ Dawid Malan in a record-breaking stand with Eoin Morgan saw England crush New Zealand in the fourth Twenty20 by 76 runs in Napier on Friday to level the series with one game remaining. Malan was unbeaten on 103 at the close of the England innings with Morgan out in the final over for 91 as England posted an imposing 241 for three…

“New Bangladesh skipper: Mominul Haque. ©AFP” /> Dhaka (AFP) – Mominul Haque says he was stunned to be named Bangladesh Test captain in place of the banned Shakib Al Hasan but is relishing the chance to take on Virat Kohli’s side in India. Shakib was banned last week by the International Cricket Council for two years, one of them suspended, for failing to declare attempts to bribe him. Such is the fame of 32-year-old superstar Shakib that around 700 people took to the streets of his hometown in protest, with…

“Australia is on a hot T20 streak, having not been beaten in their last seven matches. ©AFP” /> Canberra (AFP) – Master batsman Steve Smith stroked a faultless unbeaten 80 as Australia edged Pakistan by seven wickets in Canberra to go 1-0 up in their three-match Twenty20 series. Top-ranked Pakistan set a competitive 150 for six off their 20 overs, with skipper Babar Azam hitting his second consecutive half-century and Iftikhar Ahmed clubbing a quickfire 62. But their bowling attack was no match for Smith, who brought up his fourth…