Daily Round-up | 30 Dec: David Warner returns

New Zealand created history as they grabbed the top spot in Tests after defeating Pakistan by 101 runs at the Bay Oval. On the other side of the Tasman sea, David Warner has returned to the Australian side against India. Here’s a look at the major developments in the cricketing world.

New Zealand attain top spot

New Zealand have become the number one Test team after beating Pakistan by 101 runs at Bay Oval. Chasing 373, Pakistan were bundled out for 271. The visitors were left struggling at 75/4 when Fawad Alam steadied the ship with Mohammad Rizwan to put a stand of 165 runs for the fifth wicket.

But their efforts went in vain after Jamieson sent Rizwan back in the hut for 60. Alam though, went on to score a ton but his knock wasn’t enough to see Pakistan over the line. Alam was eventually dismissed by Wagner for 102.

One of the highlights of the innings was Neil Wagner’s bowling. The left-arm quick continued to bowl despite suffering a fracture. He was struck on the right foot by a yorker from Shaheen Afridi earlier in the match.

David Warner returns

Australia opener David Warner has returned to the Australian squad for the remainder of the Test series against Australia. Joe Burns has been dropped.

The left-handed batsman was ruled out of the first two Tests due to injury. There have been few more changes in the Australian line-up. Will Pucovski and Sean Abbott have also been included in the squad.

The four-match series between the two sides is level at 1-1 for now.

Ajinkya Rahane's name gets onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground honours board

India’s stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane's name has been engraved on the MCG honour’s board. Rahane played a crucial knock of 112 runs in the first innings of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne.

India eventually went on to win the Test by 8 wickets and level the series.

This is the second time when Rahane’s name has been engraved on the MCG honours board. The first instance came in 2014 when he struck 147 against Australia.

T Natarajan likely to replace Umesh Yadav

India, fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been ruled out of the third Test against Australia after sustaining a calf injury during the second match. The pacer limped off the field after getting injured.

According to some reports, left-arm pacer T Natarajan who made his India debut in the limited-overs format earlier on the Australian tour might get the Test cap too in the third match in Sydney.

Hobart Hurricanes win nail-biter

Hobart Hurricanes got a win in a nail-biter against Brisbane Heat after beating them by just 1 run. Chasing 151, Brisbane were restricted to 149/8 in 20 overs. James Bazley remained unbeaten at 49 but failed to take his team home.

Earlier, spinner Mujeeb was in a brilliant form with the ball for the Brisbane Heat as he scalped a five-for in four overs after giving away just 15 runs. Hurricanes were bundled out for 150.

Dawid Malan top-scored with 39 off 32 including a six and 4 fours while Tim David chipped in with a 17-ball 36.

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BBL10 | Hurricanes vs Heat: Mujeeb's 5-wicket haul goes in vain as HH register 1-run victory

Hobart Hurricanes held their nerves and snatched victory by a solitary run in the 20th match of BBL against the Brisbane Heat. Fortunes fluctuated from one side to the other but in the end, it was a tiniest of margins which helped Hurricanes register their 4th win of the tournament. With the bat in hand, it was Tim David and Dawid Malan who ensured the Hurricanes reached a respectable total of 150. In the bowling department, it was the raw pace of Riley Meredith who accounted for 3 crucial wickets and was instrumental in wiping out their top order. Despite a valiant effort from James Bazley, the Brisbane Heat’s eventually fell short by just one run. Earlier in the day, it was Brisbane Heat skipper Jimmy Pierson who won the toss and put the Hobart Hurricanes in. They started off in a disastrous note as they lost the wicket of D’Arcy Short in the 2nd delivery of the match and Xavier Bartlett made good use of the new ball. In came David Malan who joined Ben McDermott in the middle and started taking on the bowlers with his sensational strokeplay. He timed everything to perfection and it was a sight to behold to watch him in full flow. He shared a stand of 27 runs with McDermott before the latter’s dismissal. In came skipper Peter Handsomb and along with Malan he tried to resurrect the innings and played some delightful shots in the process. He started off with a couple of good shots but was unable to carry and was dismissed on 18. Colin Ingram joined Malan in the middle and looked to keep the scoring rate up. However, it was Mujeeb ur Rahman who spun a web around the Hobart Hurricanes batsmen and pushed them on the mat. After dismissing McDermott, Mujeeb castled Malan with an unplayable delivery which turned just enough to miss his bat and disturbed the timbers. From there on, Mujeeb was all over the Hurricanes as he kept chipping away with some crucial wickets to never really allowed the Hurricanes to press on the accelerator. Wickets kept tumbling but Tim David provided the much-needed momentum for the Hurricanes with a breezy knock of 36 of a mere 17 deliveries. He looked in ominous touch and was in a murderous mood during his brief stay in the crease. His knock was laced with 2 fours and 3 sixes and was ably supported by Colin Ingram. The last few wickets fell very cheaply for the Hurricanes as Mujeeb was simply unplayable and finished with a five-wicket haul ensuring that the Hobart Hurricanes were skittled out for 150 before the end of their allotted 20 overs. Barring Mujeeb, Xavier Bartlett also chipped in with a couple of wickets. The target of 151 was not a big one and the Brisbane Heat would have backed themselves to chase the target. However, what followed next was just what the doctor ordered for the Hurricanes. Within the 3rd over, Brisbane Heat was reduced to 8/3 and it looked like a mountain too steep to climb for them. Riley Meredith was quite exceptional in his opening spell as he bagged the wicket of Sam Heazlett and it was the pressure which he created which helped Keemo Paul and Scott Boland to chi in with some crucial wickets. The pressure kept mounting for the Heat’s but the pair of Lewis Gregory and Max Bryant had other ideas They steadied the ship with a 52 runs stand and it regenerated the hopes for the Brisbane based franchise. Both Bryant and Gregory fell in quick succession which again tilted the scales in favour of the Hurricanes However it was the partnership between James Bazley and Jimmy Pierson who turned the game on its head. Bazley, in particular, played a sensational knock and started attacking the Hurricanes. He applied the pressure well and the Hurricanes found it difficult to get his wicket. Bazley smacked 49 of 31 deliveries and shared a good stand with Pierson. When Pierson’s wicket fell, the Heat’s was still well and truly in the game. They were actually a bit ahead in the 9 ball game but a cluster of wickets towards the end meant that they fell short of the target by a whisker. With 2 required of the final delivery, Mark Steketee was run out by the barest of margins which ensured a 1 run victory for the Hobart Hurricanes.

BAN vs WI: Pollard, Holder among 10 prominent players to opt out of Bangladesh tour

Bothe the Test captain Jason Holder and ODI skipper Kieron Pollard, along with eight other prominent players have opted out of the upcoming tour of Bangladesh due to concerns over COVID-19 and personal issues. Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis and Shai Hope are other players to have opted out of the tour citing Covid-19 as the reason while Fabian Allen and Shane Dowrich have made themselves unavailable over personal concerns. These moves by players will be a setback for both Cricket West Indies and Bangladesh Cricket Board who were involved in serious rounds of discussions to make the series happen in Bangladesh. In the absence of Holder, Kraigg Brathwaite has been awarded the captaincy of the Test team while Jason Mohammed will lead the ODI side. Cricket West Indies has issued a statement in a release that players who have opted out of the tour due to concerns of their health and safety, are entitled to withdraw their names and that their decisions will not impact their contention for future tours. "The CWI COVID-19 policy allows any player to opt-out of selection for an overseas tour, only when based on the player's own safety fears or concerns. Such decisions will not impact their consideration for future selection," Cricket West Indies said in a release. The men in maroon are scheduled to play three ODIs on January 20, 22 and 25 after reaching on January 10. The ODI series will be followed by a two-match Test series with matches at Chattogram and Dhaka from February 3 and February 11 respectively.

Struggling Scorchers take on high-flying Strikers in rematch

Two days ago, Adelaide Strikers emerged victorious over Perth Scorchers at the home ground of the former. The two sides will renew their rivalry tomorrow at the same ground. This is a must-win game for the Perth side as their season so far has been miserable. Three losses and one no-result in four games mean they are still winless. Adelaide, on the other hand, are improving with every game. Their captain Peter Siddle is leading from the front with good performances while their talisman Rashid Khan has once again established his supremacy in this format. Strikers are the favourites, but this is cricket, T20 at that, so anything can happen. Scorchers Looking Clueless Nothing has gone right for the Scorchers so far in this season. Their batsmen haven't got going while the bowlers, despite enough potential, haven't been able to create enough troubles for the opposition batsmen. Mitchell Marsh and Ashton Turner have shown glimpses of their big-hitting prowess. But that has to come after a strong base has been created by the top order. This is where the Perth-based side has been lagging behind. Colin Munro is a great striker of the cricket ball. However, he is known more for playing cameos than big innings. But even a cameo of 30 or 40 can set the Scorchers on their way to a big score. That strong punch has been missing. The team would have big hopes from Jason Roy. He has joined the team recently and his batting at the top could be the difference maker for the beleagured side. The bowling unit looks strong on paper but the key component in it - leg spinner Fawad Ahmed - hasn't been getting enough wickets. In this season of Big Bash League, leggies have been making a big mark. If Fawad doesn't lead the way, Perth would have a handicap. Rest of the bowlers, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, and Jhye Richardson are capable. If they have a good total to defend, they can be very effective. Strikers Find Their Stride Adelaide have found a great leader in Peter Siddle. A veteran with many years of experience, he has another string to his bow season by, seemingly, mastering the yorker. This skill seems to have brushed off on Wes Agar as well. But their trump card is Rashid Khan, and he is in full form. He won the Man of the Match award in the last game, against the same opposition he will be facing tomorrow. But in a bonus for the team, he is not the only spinner in the team making an impact. Danny Briggs has come up with great performances also. While Rashid has a bagful of tricks to fox the batsman with, Briggs relies on a tight line and lack of spin to get wickets. With these two taking wickets, Strikers are in a good space. Regarding their batting, there is great scope for improvement. Opener Phil Salt has been looking good but the middle order needs to contribute more. The likes of Matt Renshwaw, Jonathan Wells, and Matthew Short have been disappointing. That's a weak spot in Strikers's armour. Scorchers vs Strikers: Match Details Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Date and Time: December 31, 1:45 PM IST, 7:15 PM Local, 8:15 AM GMT Broadcaster: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV Pitch Report Adelaide usually has a flat pitch which helps spinners. This seems to be the case this time as well since spinners did get help in the first match of this season played at the Adelaide Oval. More of such conditions can be expected for the upcoming game. Weather and Toss Weather on new year's eve will be perfect. No rain is expected and temperatures in the evening will hover around 20 degrees. Weather will not be a factor in the toss-winning captain's decision. Probable XIs Scorchers: Josh Inglis (Wk), Jason Roy, Colin Munro, Liam Livingstone, Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Turner (C), Aaron Hardie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Fawad Ahmed Strikers: Phil Salt, Jake Weatherald, Alex Carey (C, Wk), Matt Renshaw, Jonathan Wells, Matthew Short, Rashid Khan, Daniel Worrall, Danny Briggs, Wes Agar, Peter Siddle

Rohit Sharma joins Indian team in Australia; likely to play SCG Test

Indian team welcomes the return of Rohit Sharma after the opener completed his period in isolation after arriving in Australia. Rohit did not travel with the squad from the UAE after the IPL, and later was ruled out of the white-ball leg of the series and the first two Tests. In a video posted by the BCCI on its Twitter timeline, Rohit was seen getting warm welcomes from all his teammates and support staff. Vikram Rathour was one of the prominent faces in the support staff to welcome Rohit back to the squad in a biosecure bubble. Head coach Ravi Shastri appeared pulling his legs while asking how his time in the quarantine went, while he also acknowledged Rohit’s outlook after a period of injury and isolation, and said the right hander was looking a lot younger. India will take on Australia in the third Test at the SCG from January 07 and with the return of Rohit Sharma, the team management will have to take a tough decision if they want to include Rohit in the playing XI.