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Rocchiccioli, Doran share honours on truncated opening day
Allrounder Aaron Hardie was in action with the ball amid selection debates around the India series
Tristan Lavalette
20-Oct-2024
Tasmania 158 for 5 (Doran 59*) vs Western Australia
Allrounder Aaron Hardie bowled a lively opening spell in his first Sheffield Shield appearance of the season before Western Australia's frontline attack restricted Tasmania on a rare rain-interrupted day's play at the WACA.
Only 53 overs were bowled on the opening day with Tasmania finishing at 158 for 5 in a rematch of last season's Shield final. No.5 Jake Doran held firm with an attractive 59 not out before play was called off after rain lashed the ground early in the final session.
Full postAsalanka, Madushka help Sri Lanka take 1-0 lead
Their partnership provided the base as Sri Lanka comfortably chased down a DLS-adjusted target of 232 in Pallekele
Madushka Balasuriya
20-Oct-2024
Sri Lanka 234 for 5 (Asalanka 77, Madushka 69, Motie 3-47) beat West Indies 185 for 4 (Rutherford 74*, Carty 37, Chase 33*, Hasaranga 2-18) by five wickets (DLS method)
A 137-run stand between Charith Asalanka and debutant Nishan Madushka provided the base as Sri Lanka comfortably chased down a DLS-adjusted target of 232 in Pallekele, to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Asalanka top-scored with a 71-ball 77, while Madushka finished with 69 off 54. Both departed unable to see the chase through, but considering the precarious position at which they had come together - 45 for 3 in the seventh over - they had done more than enough to ensure the win.
Full postHunt shines with century but debutant Whitney aids Queensland fightback
The opener batted throughout the day but the visitors wobbled in the final session
AAP
20-Oct-2024
South Australia 289 for 7 (Hunt 130*, McInerney 51, Whitney 3-51) vs Queensland
Opener Henry Hunt scored a century to hold the South Australia innings together before Queensland struck back with the new ball to leave honours even after day one of the Sheffield Shield match in Brisbane.
Hunt remained resolute throughout to end unbeaten on 130 as the visitors reached 289 for 7. He brought up his ninth first-class century with a six despite taking 236 balls to reach three figures in a watchful knock.
Full postAbbott presses his case with four to give NSW an edge
Mitchell Starc also dismissed Marcus Harris for 26 while Peter Handscomb and Campbell Kellaway made half-centuries
Alex Malcolm
20-Oct-2024
Victoria 259 for 9 (Handscomb 64, Kellaway 55, Abbott 4-50) vs New South Wales
Sean Abbott put his name in the queue of back-up Test quicks with an outstanding spell while Mitchell Starc won a key battle over Marcus Harris that could shape Australia's side as New South Wales took the ascendency against Victoria on the opening day at the MCG.
In front of a lively Sunday crowd of around 1800, Abbott took four wickets and arguably deserved more on the back of some high-quality sustained fast bowling across the day, including an incredible spell after tea that yielded 3 for 0 in 15 balls and the swung the momentum NSW's way.
Full postRachin Ravindra headlines NZ's first Test win in India since 1988
Jasprit Bumrah threatened to take a wicket every second delivery, but NZ eased their way to the target of 107
Sidharth Monga
20-Oct-2024
New Zealand 402 (Ravindra 134, Conway 91, Jadeja 3-72) and 110 for 2 (Young 48*, Ravindra 39*, Bumrah 2-29) beat India 46 (Pant 20, Henry 5-15, O'Rourke 4-22) and 462 (Sarfaraz 150, Pant 99, O'Rourke 3-92) by eight wickets
The exhilarating Bengaluru Test got the climax it deserved, with New Zealand made to work hard to complete their first Test win in India in 36 years. Under overcast skies, the ball seamed around appreciably, Jasprit Bumrah threatened to take a wicket every second delivery, and the crowd appealed almost every ball, but New Zealand absorbed it all to ease their way to the target of 107 once things settled down a touch.
Will Young was the calming influence after Bumrah got Tom Latham second ball of the day, but Devon Conway did his bit - jumping around, wearing blows on the body, but not playing loose shots. By the time Bumrah finally got Conway for 17 off 39 balls, he was at the fag end of his spell and New Zealand had scored 35 already. The fielders did their bit, having saved at least 11 runs by then.
Full postIndia flex batting muscle before collapsing to set New Zealand 107
India lose 7 for 54 after Sarfaraz and Pant's 177-run partnership to leave NZ in sight of first Test win in India in 36 years
Sidharth Monga
19-Oct-2024
Stumps New Zealand 402 and 0 for 0 need 107 runs to beat India 46 and 462 (Sarfaraz 150, Pant 99, Kohli 70, Rohit 52, O'Rourke 3-92, Henry 3-102, Ajaz 2-100)
Test cricket showed off in all its glory as India, led by the impish Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, threatened to pull off the unthinkable in an audacious manner. But the second new ball claimed seven wickets for 62 runs to leave New Zealand 107 to win their first Test in India in 36 years. That, incidentally, is the lowest target successfully defended in India, but that was on a rank turner in Mumbai in 2004-05.
This was Test cricket shorn of all of its niceties. The bowlers were under extreme pressure from Sarfaraz and Pant, who added 177 in 35.1 overs, as India tried to become only the second team to win a Test from a sub-50 first innings. This same approach resulted in a collapse when the second new ball started to nip around.
Full postNew Zealand overcome Dottin's all-round brilliance for first T20 World Cup final since 2010
Dottin picked up four wickets and then blitzed 33 off 22 but New Zealand's spinners undid West Indies
Srinidhi Ramanujam
18-Oct-2024
New Zealand 128 for 9 (Plimmer 33, Dottin 4-22, Fletcher 2-23) beat West Indies 120 for 8 (Dottin 33, Carson 3-29, Kerr 2-14) by eight runs
New Zealand stormed into the final of the Women's T20 World Cup after 14 years, beating the 2016 champions West Indies by eight runs in a low-scoring thriller in Sharjah. New Zealand will meet the 2023 edition's runners-up South Africa as the tournament is set for a first-time champion.
Opting to bat first, Sophie Devine's side huffed and puffed their way to 128 for 9 on a pitch where the ball was not coming onto the bat. Deandra Dottin starred for West Indies, taking 4 for 22. However, West Indies' chase did not take off as expected with Eden Carson and Co keeping them to 25 for 2 in the powerplay.
Full postNoman Ali eight-for seals Pakistan's first home win since 2021
England lose eight wickets inside morning session as hosts sweep to victory
Alan Gardner
18-Oct-2024
Pakistan 366 (Ghulam 118, Ayub 77, Leach 4-114) and 221 (Salman 63, Bashir 4-66) beat England 291 (Duckett 114, Sajid 7-111) and 144 (Noman 8-46) by 152 runs
It had been a long time coming for Pakistan, but the conclusion was swift. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan combined for the second time in the match to bowl out England and seal Pakistan's first win in a home Test since 2021. Eight wickets fell in less than two hours as England went down in a flurry of sweeps and reverse-sweeps.
Noman claimed seven of them himself to finish with 8 for 46 and 11 for 147 in the match, both career-bests. With Sajid, who took 7 for 111 in the first innings, picking up the other two, they became the first pair to take all 20 wickets in a Test since Dennis Lillee and Bob Massie in 1972.
Full postBatting magic in Bengaluru as India threaten something special
They went behind by 356 runs but responded to it brilliantly to leave the Test fascinatingly poised
Sidharth Monga
18-Oct-2024
India 46 and 231 for 3 (Sarfaraz 70*, Kohli 70, Rohit 52) trail New Zealand 402 (Ravindra 134, Conway 91, Southee 65, Jadeja 3-72) by 125 runs
Only one side has ever won a Test after scoring fewer than the 46 they did in the first innings of the match, but India were entertaining thoughts of doing it. They are onto something special in Bengaluru, and that through a sensational attacking approach with the bat. Don't get it wrong, New Zealand were still ahead on cold numbers, but India have been pulling off unbelievable wins of late and a fourth-innings chase of even a 100 or so will not be easy.
A day after being bowled out for 46 and falling behind by 136 runs, which then ballooned up to a total deficit of 356, India batted at well over five an over until the last few overs to finish 125 behind with seven of their wickets still in hand. New Zealand got themselves late fillip through Glenn Phillips, who snuck in an outside edge from Virat Kohli to the last ball of the day.
Full postSouth Africa stun serial winners Australia to enter World Cup final
After Australia were restricted to 134 for 5, Bosch smashed her career-best 74 not out off 48 balls to seal the win
S Sudarshanan
17-Oct-2024
South Africa 135 for 2 (Bosch 74*, Wolvaardt 42, Sutherland 2-26) beat Australia 134 for 5 (Mooney 44, Perry 31, Khaka 2-24) by eight wickets
South Africa showed 'em all how it is done - with the papare band blaring at the Dubai International Stadium in front of a sparse crowd.
A collective bowling effort was followed by a strong batting show, led by a 96-run partnership between captain Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch. They registered an eight-wicket win in the first semi-final to send Australia packing from Women's T20 World Cup 2024, thereby ending their run of seven successive finals in the competition.
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