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Abbas, Shahzad give Pakistan hope of defending 147
Earlier, Jansen picked up 6 for 52 to restrict Pakistan but a late burst has ensured South Africa do not rest easy overnight
Danyal Rasool
28-Dec-2024
South Africa 301 and 27 for 3 (Markram 22*, Abbas 2-3) need another 121 runs to beat Pakistan 211 and 237 (Shakeel 84, Babar 50, Jansen 6-52, Rabada 2-68)
The first Test match at Centurion is tantalisingly poised after Pakistan took three wickets in nine overs to leave South Africa wobbling at 27 for 3, still 121 runs away from the 147-run target that seals a win, as well as a place in the 2023-25 World Test Championship [WTC] final.
After South Africa had bowled Pakistan out for 237, they needed a fairly comfortable 148 to secure victory, but an unerring spell of accurate medium-fast bowling from Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad was well rewarded. Aside from Aiden Markram, the South Africa batters were somewhat timid in their approach to the last few overs of the day, while Abbas and Shahzad targeted the pads. Abbas brought one to jag back in sharply into Tony de Zorzi for the first breakthrough.
Full postBillings punishes run-out let off as Stars slump to fifth defeat
Duckett gave Stars hope with 67 off 49 balls in big chase but lacked support
Tristan Lavalette
28-Dec-2024
Sydney Thunder 182 for 8 (Billings 72, Sangha 33, Webster 3-42) beat Melbourne Stars 164 for 8 (Duckett 67, Stoinis 22, Agar 3-25) by 18 runs
Sam Billings smashed a half-century after capitalising on a bizarre non-appeal on a run out as Sydney Thunder beat hapless Melbourne Stars by 18 runs in Canberra.
After Thunder were sent in on a flat Manuka Oval surface, Billings top-scored with 72 off 39 balls having on 16 survived a run out when Stars failed to appeal.
Full postNitish Kumar Reddy's dramatic 105* leads India's rearguard
Reddy shared a 127-run stand with Washington Sundar as India fought back after being 221 for 7
Andrew McGlashan
28-Dec-2024
India 358 for 9 (Reddy 105*, Washington 50, Boland 3-57, Cummins 3-86) trail Australia 474 by 116 runs
A defiant maiden Test century by Nitish Kumar Reddy, brought up with No. 11 Mohammed Siraj for company, led an outstanding rearguard from India at the MCG to give them hope of at least avoiding defeat in the fourth Test although Australia were still set to take a significant first innings lead.
Reddy, who had shown his batting prowess at various stages through his first Test series, arrived at the crease early on the third morning after a Rishabh Pant dismissal that prompted some strong reactions and was still there when bad light and rain brought an early close. He forged a stand of 127 in just under 48 overs with Washington Sundar to halt Australia in their tracks when they appeared likely to take a stranglehold on the game.
Full postJacob Duffy the slayer as Sri Lanka suffer horror collapse
New Zealand fight back with bat and ball for eight-run win in series opener
Madushka Balasuriya
28-Dec-2024
New Zealand 172 for 8 (Mitchell 62, Bracewell 59, Binura 2-22) beat Sri Lanka 164 for 8 (Nissanka 90, Mendis 46, Duffy 3-21) by 8 runs
It was a heist for the ages in Mount Maunganui as New Zealand secured an eight-run win in the first T20I, and with it took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. But more importantly it was a lesson in fight from the hosts, one the visitors would do well to take note of.
For much of the game it had looked Sri Lanka's to lose. The first instance was when New Zealand were reeling on 65 for 5 midway through their innings, and the second when Sri Lanka were cruising after a 121-run opening stand needing just 52 off 40 deliveries.
Full postErvine, Bennett tons headline Zimbabwe's day
Afghanistan were 95 for 2 at stumps, staring at a mammoth 491-run deficit
Sreshth Shah
27-Dec-2024
Afghanistan 95 for 2 (Rahmat 49*) trail Zimbabwe 586 (Bennett 110*, Ervine 104, Ghazanfar 3-127) by 491 runs
Bulawayo was buzzing on the second day of the Boxing Day Test as the home fans celebrated one landmark after another, with Zimbabwe creating history against Afghanistan by getting to their highest Test score of all time. Overnight centurion Sean Williams posted his personal best in Tests, the captain Craig Ervine scored his fourth Test ton in a 13-year career, and Brian Bennett struck a dramatic maiden hundred, taking Zimbabwe to 586.
Williams set the tone early with a cut through point to pass 150. He looked to be aggressive to the leg side but mistimed a pull off Naveen Zadran to deep midwicket, adding only nine to his overnight score before departing for 154 in the day's sixth over.
Full postMcDermott blitz helps Hurricanes down Strikers in high-scorer
Efforts from Matt Short, D'Arcy Short and Jamie Overton were not enough for Strikers in the 215 chase
Tristan Lavalette
27-Dec-2024
Hobart Hurricanes 214 for 5 (McDermott 68*, Hope 37, Overton 2-27) beat Adelaide Strikers 203 for 6 (M Short 52, D Short 41, Jordan 2-36) by 11 runs
Ben McDermott powered Hobart Hurricanes to the highest total of the BBL season with a belligerent half-century to overwhelm a slumping Adelaide Strikers.
Hurricanes had contributions through their batting order after being sent in on a typically flat Adelaide Oval surface. McDermott's 68 off 34 balls, including five sixes, provided the finishing touches in the death overs to lift Hurricanes to a massive total.
Full postPakistan lose their way after Bosch bash hands South Africa advantage
South Africa added 88 for the last two wickets after Markram made 89
Firdose Moonda
27-Dec-2024
Pakistan 211 and 88 for 3 (Babar 16*, Jansen 2-17) trail South Africa 301 (Markram 89, Bosch 81*, Shahzad 3-75, Naseem 3-92) by two runs
Corbin Bosch's dream outing continued as he scored his maiden half-century off 46 balls and the highest score by a No.9 batter on debut in Tests as he built South Africa's 90-run first-innings lead. Pakistan ate into most of that in their second innings but lost three wickets and remained two runs behind, leaving South Africa with their noses in front.
The hosts, who need one more Test win to guarantee a place in the World Test Championship final, were at risk of squandering the opportunity to get ahead after collapsing from 178 for 4 to 213 for 8 but a 41-run stand between Bosch and Kagiso Rabada and a 47-run last-wicket partnership between Bosch and Dane Paterson gave them a healthy lead. They did not maximise the advantage immediately and Pakistan's opening pair of Saim Ayub and Shan Masood put on 49 inside 11 overs before they lost 3 for 25 on a day that ebbed and flowed, more from entertainment than the quality of the cricket.
Full postSmith's 140, late flurry of wickets push India on the back foot
After Australia finished on 474, India fought back with a century stand between Jaiswal and Kohli before they lost three wickets late on the second day
Andrew McGlashan
27-Dec-2024
Stumps India 164 for 5 (Jaiswal 82, Kohli 36, Pant 6*, Jadeja 4*, Boland 2-24, Cummins 2-57) trail Australia 474 (Smith 140, Labuschagne 72, Konstas 60, Khawaja 57, Cummins 49, Bumrah 4-99, Jadeja 3-78, Akash Deep 2-94) by 310 runs
Local hero Scott Boland was part of a late surge by Australia on the second day in Melbourne as they took control of the fourth Test after Steven Smith set up an imposing total with his second hundred in consecutive matches. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli had responded with a century stand but both fell in a dramatic final half-an-hour to leave India with a mountain to climb.
Jaiswal had moved into the 80s when he drove firmly to mid-on and set off for a run to which Kohli didn't respond and there was no way to beat Pat Cummins' throw. Two overs later, Boland found Kohli's outside edge to send the MCG into raptures and, all of a sudden, hope of anything close to parity on first innings looked a long way off.
Full postDeepti's all-round heroics hand India series sweep
After a six-for with the ball, Deepti scored 39* with the bat with India in choppy waters at that stage
Shashank Kishore
27-Dec-2024
India 167 for 5 (Deepti 39*, Harmanpreet 32, Rodrigues 29, Ghosh 23*) beat West Indies 162 (Henry 61, Campbelle 46, Deepti 6-31, Renuka 4-29) by five wickets
Deepti Sharma turned in a superb all-round performance to help India seal the ODI series 3-0 in Vadodara. She first took 6 for 31 as West Indies folded for 162. Then with India in choppy waters, Deepti provided a calming influence with an unbeaten 39 to the team home by five wickets.
While Deepti dug in for the hard grind, aided with luck when she was dropped by Hayley Matthews at slip on 21, Richa Ghosh lent the finishing touches. Having walked in to bat with India 129 for 5, Ghosh allayed fears of a collapse by hitting one four and three sixes in her brisk 11-ball 23. This included back-to-back sixes off legspinner Afy Fletcher to see off India's chase.
Full postHobson, bowlers scorch Heat to first loss despite Johnson four-for
Hobson smashed Bartlett for 24 in the final over of Scorchers' innings and they carried the momentum thereon
Tristan Lavalette
26-Dec-2024
Perth Scorchers 165 for 6 (Hobson 47*, Connolly 37, Johnson 4-20) beat Brisbane Heat 132 (Renshaw 36, Bryant 35, Tye 2-23, Behrendorff 2-32, Kelly 2-33) by 33 runs
Nick Hobson again proved a thorn in Brisbane Heat's attack before Perth Scorchers produced an outstanding effort in the field to claim a pivotal 33-run victory at Optus Stadium.
In front of 41,921 fans, Scorchers struggled after being sent in to bat on a fast and bouncy surface before Hobson smashed an unbeaten 47 off 16 balls to lift them to 165 for 6.
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