Josh Hazlewood admitted Australia were still trying to come to terms with a “new Ashes” after England came out firing to score at five an over on day one of the first LV= Insurance Test.
The tourists employed defensive fields for long periods, posting a host of boundary riders but could not find a way to stem the scoring as their rivals raced to 393 for eight before a surprise declaration late in the evening session.
While Australia would probably have taken the total after losing the toss and bowling in serene batting conditions, the speed at which England made their runs may have bruised some egos along the way.
The typically miserly Scott Boland went at more than a run-a-ball, Pat Cummins was blasted for two sixes and Nathan Lyon bought his four wickets at a steep price of 149.
Hazlewood fared best of all with two for 61 from 15 overs but admitted England’s attempts to force the game represented uncharted territory.
“We’ve got to start to look at things differently, not so much at strike-rates and economies and things like that. It’s just about wicket and the score,” he said.
“We’ve taken eight for just under 400 and you’d take that on this wicket, whether it takes 80 overs or 160. It’s the same score. If we can keep it as simple as that it will go a long way to wrap our heads around the new Ashes. We’ll keep learning but it’s a good start.”
Hazlewood at one stage hinted Australia were content with England’s scoring rate, suggesting they feared something even more dramatic had they kept the field up.
“There was a lot more ones out there probably but if we shut down the boundaries, then the score doesn’t really go through the roof at seven or eight (an over),” he said. “If we can keep it at five an over and keep taking wickets throughout the day, that somewhat keeps things in check.
“We had different fields at different stages and some worked, some probably didn’t. It’s a good fun challenge to have, although I don’t think we got dragged into it as much as we could have if things went really south. I thought we held our guns pretty well.”
Hazlewood was happy with his side’s standing in the game, with David Warner and Usman Khawaja negating England captain Ben Stokes’ declaration gambit by safely reaching 14 without loss at the close.
“They’re at 390 and we’re none-for, so it’s pretty even I’d say,” he said.
“If you’re none down, you’re pretty happy obviously. That’s a tick.”
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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