David Warner will be retained by Australia for the fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford despite his struggles against Stuart Broad, although off-spinner Todd Murphy could miss out.
As Australia weigh up whether to go into a Test without a frontline spinner for the first time in 11 years, captain Pat Cummins announced Warner would keep his spot and open alongside Usman Khawaja.
Warner amassed just five runs at Headingley before being snared twice by Broad, whose 17 dismissals of the left-hander is the joint-third highest by a bowler against an individual batter in the Test format.
Broad could equal the record – held by Australia great Glenn McGrath, who claimed the wicket of former England captain Mike Atherton 19 times – if he does the double over Warner again in Manchester.
But Cummins argued Warner’s three 50-plus stands in this series have been invaluable to their 2-1 lead and is backing the 36-year-old, who is averaging 23.5 after six innings, to come good this week.
“Davey didn’t have his best game last week at Headingley but prior to that, I think he’s looked really good – he’s had three fifty-run partnerships which can be rare over here in England,” Cummins said.
“Steve Smith got a great hundred at Lord’s, a lot of that was off the back of a really important first session from the openers.
“We back Davey, absolutely. We know how tough it can be to open over here. He’s doing all the right things, he’s shown some great signs and I’m sure a big score is just around the corner.”
Cummins revealed Josh Hazlewood would replace fellow seamer Scott Boland, who has taken just two wickets in two matches at an eye-watering 115.5 average, while fit-again all-rounder Cameron Green seems set to replace Murphy after the rookie spinner bowled just 9.3 overs in the third Test at Headingley.
Green lengthens Australia’s batting alongside fellow all-rounder Mitch Marsh if Murphy drops out, having come in at Leeds for Nathan Lyon, one of Australia’s greatest spinners who played 100 Tests in a row before injuring his calf in the second Test at Lord’s.
Australia’s last Test without a recognised spinner was in January 2012 against India at Perth – a match they won by an innings – although Old Trafford has a reputation for offering help to slow bowlers.
“Nathan Lyon is the greatest off-spinner we’ve ever had so it’s not quite apples for apples (in comparing him to Murphy),” Cummins said.
“We are really excited by Todd, we think he’s fantastic. He’s got a big future. It was more conditions or the way I used him, as opposed to how he bowled.”
England’s victory last time out narrows the deficit to 2-1 in a gripping, seesaw series but Australia are still the box seat, knowing they only need to draw one of the final two Tests to retain the urn.
However, Cummins – who played in the drawn series in 2019 – insisted the clear aim of this trip was to claim a first Test series win in England since 2001.
Ahead of the penultimate match, where rain is forecast for the weekend, Cummins said: “The first preference is always to try to win.
“We drew the 2019 series and we’ve all come back pretty clear we want to win this one.
“We’re prepared for anything, really. We’ll see how it plays out. We’ve already seen a lot of different things from both teams this series. I’m sure this one will be another cracker with some random stuff thrown up.”
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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