England’s box-office batting helps complete white-ball clean sweep
from Cricket https://ift.tt/986u7JE
from Cricket https://ift.tt/986u7JE
England’s box-office batting helps complete white-ball clean sweep
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
No room for Dane Paterson or Sam Konstas as South Africa and Australia name XIs for World Test Championship final
Australia have named the playing XI for this week’s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in London, England.
Batsman Sam Konstas, spinner Matt Kuhnemann, wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis and seamer Scott Boland are in the 15-man squad, but have been excluded from the XI.
Opening batsman Marnus Labuschagne was preferred to Konstas.
“Marnus has experience, he has done well here at Lord’s and in England in general,” said Australia captain Pat Cummins.
“Opening the batting can be tough, but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat, before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging.
“There’s an opportunity to score there, so just keeping that ball in tow I think is going to mean something.
“Realistically, Sam is really young, he’s got a long career ahead of him. So hopefully, even by not playing, we can show him their learning opportunities.”
Seamer Josh Hazlewood was selected ahead of Boland.
“There are some guys where you generally say you’ve done nothing wrong, don’t change a thing, and that’s Scott and he’s just really unfortunate to miss out,” added Cummins.
“The message to Scott is there’s a lot of Test matches coming up in the next couple of years, and just because you’re in your mid-30s doesn’t mean you’re missing this Test and that’s the last Test of your career.
“I think by having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can extend a lot of careers for an extra couple of years.”
Australia World Test Championship final XI
- Usman Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Cameron Green
- Steven Smith
- Travis Head
- Beau Webster
- Alex Carey (wicketkeeper)
- Pat Cummins (captain)
- Mitchell Starc
- Nathan Lyon
- Josh Hazlewood
South Africa have also named their playing XI for the WTC final.
Spinner Senuran Muthusamy, batsman Tony de Zorzi and seamers Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch are in the 15-man squad, but have been excluded from the XI.
Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who has not played Test cricket in 10 months, has been preferred to Paterson.
“Probably one of the tougher decisions that has been made. We see what Dane Paterson did for us to the end of last season,” said Proteas captain Temba Bavuma.
“But it was more from a tactical point of view. Probably a little bit more pace from Lungi, guess he’s a bit taller as well.
“Lungi also has a better record, not taking away anything from Paterson. Ngidi has the experience, he’s played here before, not that Paterson hasn’t.
“But I think Ngidi will complement that bowling attack a little more. It was probably one of the difficult decision we had to make.”
All-rounder Wiaan Mulder has been named at position number three in the batting order instead of de Zorzi.
“Mulder is quite young in that position. But I think having played with Mulder, having seen him and the way he has grown in the last two years within the red-ball format,” added Bavuma.
“It’s about giving him a lot more confidence, keep backing him and just allowing him to do what he does best. He has an opportunity in a pressure situation, but I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to play his game.”
South Africa World Test Championship final XI
- Aiden Markram
- Ryan Rickelton
- Wiaan Mulder
- Temba Bavuma (captain)
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Bedingham
- Kyle Verrynne (wicketkeeper)
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Lungi Ngidi
The post No room for Dane Paterson or Sam Konstas as South Africa and Australia name XIs for World Test Championship final appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/PUgmwkn
Monday, June 9, 2025
When will Pat Cummins become the 8th Australian to take 300 Test wickets? It could be as early as this week
Australia’s rich Test cricket history has been shaped by world-class bowling from generation to generation.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/O4CQdEL
From the post-war era to the present day, these players have taken the most wickets in the famous Baggy Green.
Combining skill, endurance and a monumental impact at the highest level.
Let’s take a look at the 15 bowlers with the most Test wickets for Australia.
15. Peter Siddle – 221 Test wickets for Australia
A tireless workhorse of the post-golden era, Siddle was never the flashiest seamer but always reliable.
His lion-hearted spells in the 2010/11 Ashes, including a hat-trick on his birthday at the Gabba, made him an Aussie hero.
14. Ray Lindwall – 228 Test wickets for Australia
Australia’s go-to bowler after the war, Lindwall was a smooth, classical fast bowler who could swing the ball both ways.
With a rhythmic action and aggressive intent, he brought vital wickets.
13. Graham McKenzie – 246 Test wickets for Australia
A positive light in a tough decade for Australian Test cricket, McKenzie led the attack during the 1960s with pace and accuracy.
He starred during Australia’s 1964 Ashes victory and consistently took wickets under pressure.
12. Richie Benaud – 248 Test wickets for Australia
More than just a prolific leg-spinner, Benaud was a sharp cricketing mind who revolutionised the importance of good captaincy from 1952-1964.
His spells were economical, yet attacking, as he became adored in Australia with hundreds dressing up as him on “Richie’s Day” annually at the Sydney Test match.
11. Jason Gillespie – 259 Test wickets for Australia
Gillespie was a fast, accurate and intelligent seamer who often didn’t receive the plaudits he deserved as he performed in the periphery of the McGrath and Lee era.
His sustained pressure made him instrumental in the early 2000s for Australia.
10. Josh Hazlewood – 279 Test wickets for Australia
His pinpoint consistency earns him comparisons to the bowling of McGrath, with his precision and bounce taking wickets en masse.
A key part of Australia’s current pace attack, he thrives when building pressure.
9. Craig McDermott – 291 Test wickets for Australia
McDermott led the Australian attack during their late 80s resurgence.
He was fast, aggressive, and hostile – your stereotypical Australian fast bowler.
8. Pat Cummins – 294 Test wickets for Australia
His combined pace, bounce and desire to take wickets has made him a generational talent for the Australian Test side – and now, their captain.
He leads from the front with enduring yet prolific spells in Ashes matches and beyond.
7. Brett Lee – 310 Test wickets for Australia
One of the fastest bowlers in history, Lee brought the fear factor to batters and wowed the crowds with his express pace and energy.
He was dangerous with the new ball and devastating when it was reverse swinging late.
6. Mitchell Johnson – 313 Test wickets for Australia
Another player that brought the energy, pace and fear factor – Johnson was simply unplayable during his peak in the 2013/14 Ashes.
He terrorised the opposition, especially at home, with his periods of short-pitched bombardment, ensuring maximum hostility in the middle.
5. Dennis Lillee – 355 Test wickets for Australia
He had all the qualities of a ruthless Australian fast bowler: fierce, skilful and enduring.
Lillee rebuilt his action after a major injury and became a smarter, even more dangerous threat against England and others.
4. Mitchell Starc – 382 Test wickets for Australia
Like Johnson, Starc has brought lethal left-arm pace, highlighted by his deadly inswinging yorkers that have taken victims time and time again.
He’s been even more ruthless following the introduction of more and more pink-ball Test matches.
3. Nathan Lyon – 553 Test wickets for Australia
Australia’s greatest ever off-spinner, Lyon, has been a pillar of consistency at a time when the fast bowlers often take the limelight.
A master of variations and fourth innings guile, he’s a match winner who can make magic even out of surfaces that don’t favour spin.
2. Glenn McGrath – 563 Test wickets for Australia
The elite standard for fast-bowling discipline, McGrath’s classical line and length mastery wore batters down no end.
He knew how to dominate the biggest of Test series and is a textbook model of patience and longevity.
1. Shane Warne – 708 Test wickets for Australia
There will likely be no spin bowler like the late-great Shane Warne, the ‘Master of Spin’, leaving a legacy as Australia’s leading Test wicket-taker.
His 700th Test wicket at the MCG remains iconic, and we all remember his ‘Ball of the Century’.
He’s a true great of the game.
The post When will Pat Cummins become the 8th Australian to take 300 Test wickets? It could be as early as this week appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/O4CQdEL
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Jacob Bethell goes from impotence to importance in England victory
Jacob Bethell goes from impotence to importance in England victory
from Cricket https://ift.tt/3bCpTae
from Cricket https://ift.tt/3bCpTae
Edgbaston in 2018, Hyderabad in 2024 – ranking the 7 best Test matches of all time between England and India
Contests between England and India have produced countless classics, matches that will live on in our memories.
Below, we share our top seven contests between the two sides.
This is an interesting top seven list of Test cricket humdingers between England and India.
7. Chennai, 2008
It doesn’t happen often, but it happened in 2008. Sachin Tendulkar played the paddle to bring up his century and also India’s winning runs. It was an improbable victory. England took control of the match with a brilliant first innings century from Andrew Strauss, supported by half-centuries from Alistair Cook and Matt Prior.
Kevin Pietersen, who captained that side, marshalled his bowling attack well and dismissed for 241, 75 runs short of England’s first innings tally. Strauss and Paul Collingwood scored 216 runs between them, each contributing 108 runs to the total as they set India a 387-run target for victory.
According to history, this was a lost cause for India. Never had a target of over 300 been chased down in India in the last innings, and 155 was the highest successful chase in Chennai. Sachin Tendulkar bucked history and scythed an unbeaten 103 in the fourth innings to shepherd India to victory.
What made the victory more special was that it came immediately in the aftermath of the November 25 terrorist attack. It was bigger than the game.
6. Chennai, 1952
This could have been number one on the list. It is not because it did not capture the nation’s consciousness as India’s incredible victory over England. India was a Test-playing nation for 20 years before they registered their first victory over England.
Vinoo Mankad inspired India to their maiden Test win over England with a haul of 8/55 in the first innings as India skittled England out for 266. The hosts stamped their authority on the match with a total of 457/9d. Pankaj Roy and Polly Umriger carved centuries, and Mankad scored a half-century.
Mankad took 4/53 in the third innings as India romped to a victory by an innings and eight runs. They did not look like the side that repeatedly lost to England in preceding years.
5. Mumbai, 2012
For a long time, England walked into its encounters against India as favourites. They lived up to the billing most of the time. This match comes in at third because England came into the contest as underdogs and turned the tables on their hosts.
Kevin Pietersen was a problem when he was at his best because he bludgeoned pace and spin with equal dominance. In 2012, England arrived in Mumbai to face an Indian side that was increasingly becoming unbeatable at home. The hosts had little trouble on their way to a nine-wicket win in the first Test.
They sauntered into the second Test confident that their spinners would do the job over the tourists. Instead, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann shared 19 wickets in the match as they outspun the hosts. Pietersen took the game away with the bat, playing what is considered his greatest innings for England, 186 off 233 balls.
4. Chepauk, 2021
Joe Root has scored six double hundreds in his storied Test career. However, his 218 against India in 2021 is probably his best. Not his highest, but his best. Root put on a masterclass on how to bat in Indian conditions.
While Root’s double ton was a catalyst for the victory, it wasn’t the only reason why England won. It was the cherry on top. The visitors delivered a perfect performance; James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, and Dom Bess put in an incredible shift with the ball to set England up for victory.
This match could have been in third place, however, Panesar and Swann’s heroics pushed the 2008 England victory to third place.
3. Hyderabad 2024
This is a definite top-five match. The biggest question was whether it could supersede the Kevin Pietersen- and Joe Root-inspired England victories.
Bazball made its way into the cricket lexicon in 2022 when Andrew Miller used it to describe England’s fearless brand of cricket under the leadership of Brendon McCullum. Between 2022 and 2024, McCullum and his Ben Stokes-captained side collected wins from other teams, but had yet to be tested by India in India when they arrived in Hyderabad.
England was the laughing stock of the cricket world after they bazballed their way to a meagre 246 in the first innings. India replied with a commanding 436. Unperturbed, England stuck to their guns and employed bazball in the third innings. Ollie Pope smashed a masterful 196 that helped England tilt the game in their favour, before Tom Hartley took an improbable 7/62 to help England secure a 28-run win.
2. London, 1979
England went in to bat first and were carried to a first-innings total of 305 by half-centuries from Graham Gooch and Peter Willey. Ian Botham, Bob Willis, and Mike Hendrick pressed home England’s advantage by helping restrict India to 202.
The hosts went into the third innings with a comfortable 103-run lead and added 334/8d to swell their lead to 437. An England win looked certain before Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan compiled a 213-run first-wicket partnership, and suddenly the most unlikely of wins looked possible. Victory for India seemed certain when Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar reached 366/1. They now needed 76 runs in 12 overs to secure a famous win.
Then the wheels came off for India as England fought back with the ball. Phil Edmonds dismissed Vengsarkar, and his replacement, Kapil Dev, who did not last an over. Yashpal Sharma stuck around for a bit while Ian Botham accounted for Gavaskar, Yajurvindra Singh and Yashpal Sharma. Willey dismissed Viswanath.
Bharath Reddy and Karsan Ghavri did well not to lose their wickets, but India agonisingly finished nine runs short of the target.
1. Edgbaston, 2018
No list of memorable matches featuring India and England is complete without a Virat Kohli special. In 2018, Kohli was captain of the India team, and he played the cliche captain’s knock. He top-scored for India with 97 in the first innings to lead India to 329. Hardik Pandya made things tougher for the hosts with a five-wicket haul when England came out to bat.
Kohli creamed a brilliant century in the second innings as India increased their lead. All seemed lost for England until Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes joined forces to fight back with a 169-run fifth-wicket partnership that gave England hope for a positive result.
The idea of England rising from the ashes died when Jasprit Bumrah accounted for Buttler. The pacer finished with a five-wicket haul and India registered a famous win in England.
The post Edgbaston in 2018, Hyderabad in 2024 – ranking the 7 best Test matches of all time between England and India appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/pai9M62
How Australia and South Africa reached the World Test Championship final instead of England, India and New Zealand
Defending champions Australia will face South Africa in the final of the 2023-2025 leg of the World Test Championship tournament.
South Africa is in their first final since the introduction of the league, while Australia is out to defend the crown they won after defeating India at the end of the 2021-2023 cycle.
South Africa last climbed to the summit of Test cricket when they won the mace in 2013 and come into the final with a new generation of players eager to return their side to the top of the rankings.
The Shukri Conrad-coached side will not have it easy against their traditional rivals, with whom they have been competing since 1902.
The Proteas were first to secure their place in the showpiece event, with Australia then joining them in what will be the holders’ second consecutive final.
This is how both sides made their way to the final:
How South Africa reached WTC final
Dean Elgar signed off his Test career in style. The former South Africa captain helped his side get a foothold in the Proteas’ two-match series with a match-winning century that helped them win the first Test. India rallied to win a low-scoring second Test in Cape Town to split the series 1-1.
A scheduling conflict forced South Africa to send a weak side to New Zealand. Five-wicket hauls from Dane Piedt and Neil Brand, a century from David Bedingham, and half-centuries from Bedingham and Ruan de Swardt were not enough to save the Proteas from a 2-0 series loss.
However, they made amends with a 1-0 series victory in the West Indies, Keshav Maharaj the hero with 13 wickets over the two Tests in the Caribbean.
From there, South Africa did not look back. A 2-0 series victory in Bangladesh featured a star turn from Tony de Zorzi, who scored a superb 177 in Chittagong as one of three first-time Test centurions alongside Wiaan Mulder and Tristan Stubbs, before Temba Bavuma shone in a home series win over Sri Lanka by the same scoreline.
They rounded out their campaign by beating Pakistan in two Tests on home soil, either side of the new year, with Ryan Rickelton shining in the second of those, scoring a double century in a 10-wicket success that clinched a top-two spot.
How Australia reached WTC final
Australia, on the other hand, kicked off the cycle with a drawn 2-2 Ashes series in England, although they would have hoped for an even better outcome after winning the first two Tests.
Australia was spurred on by Usman Khawaja’s brilliant batting. The opener scored one ton and three half-centuries for a total of 496 runs in 10 innings at an average of 49.6. Mitchell Starc led the way with a tally of 23 wickets in seven innings.
Mitch Marsh took the responsibility with the bat by racking up four half-centuries in five innings as Australia completed a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan at home. A few weeks later, Travis Head tonked a brilliant century to help Australia over the finishing line in the first of two Tests against West Indies. Shamar Joseph bagged 7/68 in the second Test to help West Indies spring an upset over Australia in Brisbane to force a 1-1 draw.
There were a lot of moving parts in the WTC cycle, with teams jostling for a spot in the final. However, Australia kept their fate in their own hands by beating New Zealand 2-0, before heading into a five-match series against India.
Australia did not begin that series well. Jasprit Bumrah ran riot with the ball as he claimed the first Test. Australia responded with three wins in the next four Tests to take the series 3-1. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bagged five-wicket hauls in the second Test to level the series 1-1.
The two sides settled for a draw in the third Test, before Steve Smith’s first innings century laid the foundation for a win in the fourth Test. Scott Boland delivered a bowling masterclass in the final Test at the SCG to clinch his side’s spot in the World Test Championship Final.
Australia closed out the cycle with a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka, finishing on a points percentage of 67.54, good enough for second behind South Africa’s 69.44, with previous finalists India in third on exactly 50 per cent.
The post How Australia and South Africa reached the World Test Championship final instead of England, India and New Zealand appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/zOhZJFH
West Indian and New Zealand fast bowlers surprisingly make this list of 9 fastest to 300 Test wickets
There have been 39 international cricket bowlers who have reached the 300 Test cricket wicket landmark, a point that separates the best from the rest.
Many have toiled for years to reach the coveted 300-Test wicket club, finally, but for some, the milestone was shattered at a lightning pace.
Achieving 300 Test wickets not only required vast levels of skill, but it also required longevity and mental fortitude to keep finding line and length, over after over, and Test match after Test match.
From Englishman Fred Trueman becoming a pioneer and the first man to take 300 Test wickets in 1964, the list of Test cricket greats to have joined the prestigious club continues to grow.
Here’s a countdown of the 9 men who raced to 300 Test wickets in the fewest matches…
9. Glenn McGrath – 64 matches to 300 Test wickets
McGrath was a master of disciplined line and length, while his ability to extract bounce and movement from even the flattest of pitches made him a nightmare for batters.
The Australian quick seldom had to rely on raw pace, instead using his pinpoint precision to build pressure and break down the best batters in the world.
=7. Allan Donald – 63 matches to 300 Test wickets
Often known as ‘White Lightning’, Donald brought the perfect mix of express pace and aggression to the South African bowling attack.
He led their international Test cricket bowling group with both hostility and heart, utilising his steep bounce and late movement to beat the bat and take wickets in clumps.
=7. Shane Warne – 63 matches to 300 Test wickets
The ‘Spin King’ revolutionised the art of leg-spin bowling with his craft, competitiveness and charisma with the ball in hand – batters simply couldn’t reliably pick his variations.
He used ripping leg-breaks and deceptive flippers to reach 300 wickets with guile, flight, and an understanding of what it took to get a batter out.
=4. Dale Steyn – 61 matches to 300 Test wickets
Steyn was a truly brutal pace bowler for South Africa, with late swing, aggression and a knack for bowling 90 mph+ with ease.
He was incredibly deadly with the new ball but equally effective with the old, and his energy, accuracy, and desire to take wickets made him one of the most feared pacers in recent history.
=4. Malcolm Marshall – 61 matches to 300 Test wickets
Though not the tallest, Marshall was deceptive, skilful and vicious with his bowling, using his snappy action to generate troubling bounce and sharp movement off the deck.
Though physically relentless, it was his mental ability to outfox batters that made him the heartbeat of the West Indies’ dominant bowling attack.
=4. Richard Hadlee – 61 matches to 300 Test wickets
Hadlee treated bowling as his craft, relying on swing, seam, and razor-like precision rather than speed off the surface.
Almost always the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand, Hadlee’s ability to adapt, no matter the conditions, made him one of the most complete fast bowlers in Test cricket.
3. Muttiah Muralitharan – 58 matches to 300 Test wickets
Murali’s off-spin was as unique as it was baffling. His high-arm action, huge turn and un-pickable doosra made life extremely difficult for whoever faced his bowling.
He had a knack for running through sides quickly, especially in favourable sub-continent conditions – a true match-winner with ball in hand.
2. Dennis Lillee – 56 matches to 300 Test wickets
Lillee demonstrated the perfect combination of aggression with control, targeting batters with a mix of short ball bombardment and deceptive late swing.
He played through injuries for Australia and still dominated, making his rise to 300 Test wickets even more incredible.
1. Ravichandran Ashwin – 54 matches to 300 Test wickets
Ashwin truly mastered off-spin, especially to left-handers, using his height for turn and bounce supplemented by his intellect and variety.
From regulation off-spin to carrom balls and deceptive variations through the rough, Ashwin always had a plan and never seemed to come off second-best.
The post West Indian and New Zealand fast bowlers surprisingly make this list of 9 fastest to 300 Test wickets appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/e7lDMgC
