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“Australia's Steve Smith celebrates making 100 runs on the second day of the fourth Ashes cricket Test match at Old Trafford. Australia star Steve Smith marked his return to international cricket with a third hundred of this Ashes series on Thursday. Smith was 101 not out in an Australia total of 245-5 at lunch on the second day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. Tim Paine, his successor as Australia captain, was unbeaten on nine after winning the toss. But it might have been a different story…

Test batting rankings after Virat Kohli’s golden duck in the West Indies ended the India captain’s reign at the top. Smith has overtaken Kohli following the India star’s second innings flop during their 257-run win against the West Indies in the second Test in Jamaica. Having made 76 in the first innings, Kohli edged his first ball from Kemar Roach in the second innings to the wicket-keeper. That allowed Smith, who missed the third Test defeat against England at Headingley due to concussion, to open up a one-point lead over…

“Usman Khawaja has been dropped for the fourth Test starting Wednesday. Sydney Australia on Tuesday dropped struggling batsman Usman Khawaja for the fourth Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford, making way for Steve Smith’s return. Selectors named a 12-man squad for the Test beginning Wednesday, with David Warner and Marcus Harris as openers but leaving out Khawaja, who has averaged just 20.33 in six innings in the series batting at number three. Leading batsman Smith, who suffered concussion after being hit on the head by Jofra Archer in the…

“Australia's Steve Smith is back for the fourth Test. Manchester (United Kingdom) Australia head into the fourth Test at Old Trafford starting Wednesday hoping Steve Smith and the boxer Muhammad Ali can revive their campaign following the hurt they felt at having the Ashes “stolen” from them by England. The tourists were on the brink of retaining the Ashes only for Ben Stokes’s superb 135 not out delivered England a stunning one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley. Stokes’s heroics have left the five-match series poised at 1-1 with…

“Despite Kemar Roach's excellence India close in on Test series and tour sweep . India moved closer to a Test series and tour sweep of the West Indies, reducing the home side to 45 for two at stumps after setting them the improbable target of 468 on the third day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday. Having declined to enforce the follow-on after the Caribbean team were dismissed at the start of the day for 117 to trail by 299 runs on first…

“Lasith Malinga in action on Sunday. Kandy (Sri Lanka) (AFP) – Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga Sunday became the highest wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals with his 99th scalp in the first match against New Zealand, surpassing Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi. Malinga, who retired from Test cricket in 2011 and played his farewell one-day international in July, bowled Colin Munro in the first over of the New Zealand chase to equal Afridi’s record of 98 wickets. The 36-year-old then cleaned up Colin de Grandhomme, for 44, to achieve the feat in his…

“Darren Bravo and umpire Paul Reiffel called for help when the West Indies batsman began to feel unwell. He left the match with concussion .Kingston (Jamaica) (AFP) – West Indies lost key batsman Darren Bravo to concussion as well as two wickets as they reached 145 for four at lunch on the fourth day of the second and final Test against India on Monday.Trailing in the series after losing the first Test in Antigua by 318 runs a week earlier, the home side are facing a daunting victory target of…