Australia

Andrew McDonald, the Australia head coach, has said 19-year-old Sam Konstas would not be held back from a Test debut against India due to his lack of first-class experience if the selectors believe he is the best option. Konstas, who will play for Australia A against India A in Mackay from Thursday, is in the

David Warner‘s lifetime leadership ban has been overturned after six-and-a-half years following a review by Cricket Australia’s Conduct Commission. It means he is now eligible to captain Sydney Thunder in the upcoming BBL having not been allowed to lead any team in Australia after the ban was imposed following the sandpaper incident in Cape Town

Cricket Victoria and the St Kilda Cricket Club have renamed one of the heritage listed grandstands at the Junction Oval in Melbourne after the late Shane Warne in honour of his contribution to Victoria and his club team St Kilda. The process of renaming the stand, which has stood since 1925, had begun well before

Sam Konstas‘ mentor Shane Watson believes circumstances have thrown up a “perfect storm” for the teen prodigy to make his Test debut in the home series against India. Konstas announced himself as a Test bolter with twin Sheffield Shield centuries for NSW earlier this month and will feature for Australia A next week alongside the

Tasmania 55 for 3 beat Western Australia 53 (Webster 6-17, Stanlake 3-12) by seven wickets Western Australia lost an incredible 8 for 1 – with their one run coming from a wide – in a batting collapse for the ages that has left their One-Day Cup defence in tatters. They were bowled out for 53

Queensland 223 for 1 (Peirson 100*, Renshaw 72*) beat South Australia 218 (McSweeney 137, Guthrie 4-15, Straker 3-54) by nine wickets Queensland stormed to their first One-Day Cup win of the season by nine wickets despite a masterclass century by South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney. Left-arm paceman Liam Guthrie set up the victory at Allan

Smith, Nic Maddinson and player of the match Gilkes, all made brisk half-centuries as the Blues piled up 336 for 8 from 45 overs, having been sent in after 10 overs of the match were lost. Most of Victoria’s bowlers were clobbered on a good pitch, but the veteran Peter Siddle was the exception. A

Victoria 272 and 246 (Harper 72, Rogers 59, Starc 6-81) beat New South Wales 136 & 241 (Philippe 88, Konstas 43, Elliott 4-44) by 141 runs Victoria’s seamers steamrolled a strong New South Wales line-up to claim a 141-run victory at the MCG but both sides were left in no doubt that Mitchell Starc is

Marnus Labuschagne says the race for the vacant Test opening spot is an open field, but insists it is fitting Steven Smith is no longer in that frame after his guaranteed switch back to No. 4 for the India series. Smith, speaking this week about the termination of his opening experiment, said Test opener Usman

It’s easy to forget, given all the chatter, that most of Australia’s squad for the first Test is locked in. It was a relatively lean week for Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne (who is bowling a lot of medium-pace bouncers) although the pair made runs in the opening round. Mitchell Marsh fell cheaply twice against

Western Australia 332 (Inglis 101, Cartwright 65, Connolly 55) and 83 for 4 (Cartwright 39*) beat Tasmania 277 (Owen 69, Doran 66, Rocchiccioli 4-70) and 137 (Couch 4-50) by six wickets With WA chasing just 83 runs under sunny conditions early on the final day, Bancroft had a golden opportunity for a confidence boosting innings

South Australia 314 (Hunt 136, McInerney 51, Whitney 5-57) and 352 for 9 dec (Carey 123*, McSweeney 72) beat Queensland 308 (Peirson 94, McDermott 52) and 229 (Clayton 91, McAndrew 5-38) by 129 runs Queensland opener Matt Renshaw did himself no favours in his bid to push for the vacancy at the top of Australia’s

Australia white-ball wicketkeeper Josh Inglis should be in the conversation alongside 19-year-old prodigy Sam Konstas to be the Test opener against India, according to one of the country’s most respected mentors and judges in New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd. Shipperd suggested Inglis should be a legitimate candidate to open the batting against India in

Tasmania 277 & 135 for 9 (Wakim 37, Webster 35, Couch 3-48, Gannon 2-22) lead Western Australia 332 (Inglis 101, Cartwright 65, Connolly 55) by 80 runs Josh Inglis continued his outstanding start to the Sheffield Shield season with another century before Western Australia’s attack tore into Tasmania late on day three at the WACA

South Australia 314 & 352 for 9 (Carey 123*, McSweeney 72, Whitney 3-62) lead Queensland 308 (Peirson 94, McDermott 52) by 358 runs Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey has fired another warning shot to India with an unbeaten century for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland. Already in blistering form to start the

Steven Smith has said Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne “hated” him opening the batting in the Test team, and believes it was a key driver behind his return to No. 4, but has insisted he did not request the move and would have continued to open if asked to. Australia’s chair selectors George Bailey confirmed

Western Australia 219 for 4 (Inglis 72*, Cartwright 52 ret not out, Elliott 3-31) trail Tasmania 277 (Owen 69, Doran 66, Rocchiccioli 4-70) by 58 runs Opener Cameron Bancroft‘s bid for a Test recall took a hit after a third consecutive failure to start the Sheffield Shield season. But in-form Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly

South Australia 314 (Hunt 136, McInerney 51, Whitney 5-57) and 0 for 1 lead Queensland 308 (Peirson 94, McDermott 52) by six runs Young quick Tom Whitney wrote himself in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield record books, before helping bat the Bulls back into their match against South Australia. Whitney created history on Monday, becoming the first

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

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

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

George Bailey was very careful with his words when he revealed that Steven Smith would no longer be opening the batting in Australia’s Test team. “Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position,” Australia’s chair of selectors said on Monday before stating that captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald

Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird is in no rush to appoint Nick Hockley’s successor, with the outgoing CEO’s March exit still a flexible date. Hockley addressed his last AGM as the sport’s boss on Thursday, as Cricket Australia delivered a better-than-expected AU$31.9 million loss for the financial year. Players’ union boss and former NRL CEO

Nathan Lyon has revealed how he felt it became his duty to keep spin bowling “cool” following the sudden death of Shane Warne. The 36-year-old insists there is no end in sight, eying off the possibility of playing on close to his 40th birthday and the 2027 Ashes series in England. Lyon said he had

Australia’s all-format powerhouse Travis Head has signed to play with Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming BBL season despite a hectic international playing schedule meaning he could only be available for a maximum of three games in between Test commitments. Head, 30, has signed a one-year deal to play for the Strikers, a club he captained

Mitchell Starc has conceded Cameron Green‘s absence will change the dynamic of Australia’s Test team, hinting pace reserves may be needed to get through the summer. Namely, the allrounder’s absence has the potential to have a flow-on effect for Australia’s aging pace attack, with an increased workload likely against India. Captain Pat Cummins had stated

Luckless Australia and Melbourne Renegades fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out of the WBBL for the third consecutive season following the shoulder dislocation she suffered in the T20 World Cup. Vlaeminck, 25, dislocated her bowling shoulder just moments into Australia’s World Cup match against Pakistan which was her first at a major tournament

Alyssa Healy revealed a ruptured plantar fascia in her foot forced her to watch from the sidelines as Australia were knocked out of the T20 World Cup. Healy’s absence wasn’t confirmed until the toss but after the game she spoke for the first time about the full extent of the injury to the connective tissue

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

There have been a couple of key developments in Australia’s selection plans for the Test summer with Cameron Green’s back injury and confirmation that Steven Smith will move back down the order. But there remains a fascinating few weeks ahead with a combination of Sheffield Shield and Australia A matches for players to push their