Daryll Mitchell fined 15% match fee for obscene language during first Test

AUS vs IND | 2nd T20: Pandya shines again as India avenge ODI series loss

India defeated the hosts Australia by six wickets and took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match T20 series. Needing 14 runs off the last over of Daniel Sams, Pandya deposited two belligerent strokes over the leg side boundary to avenge the series loss in the ODIs. Pandya finished with 42 no out of 22 balls and was aptly supported by Iyer who stepped up after the fall of Virat Kohli with timely boundaries while the required rate was breaching the manageable mark. Chasing a big total of 192 runs on what looked like another lfat pitc at the SCG, the Indian openers were off to a very slow start with Australian pacers surprising them with a bit of help in the air. Both Sean Abbott and Danel Sams did ot allow Rahul and Dahawan to run away with the game as the visitors could have only 9 runs off the first two overs. Australian skipper Matthew Wade was reluctant to give Indian bowlers to set their eyes on a particular bowler as four new bowlers were tried in the first four overs. Andre Tye was brought in to bowl in the third obver and after troubled Rahul on the first two deliveries with seam-up deliveries, which are so unusual for his style of bowling but was guilty of overstepping on the second delivery. Indians got the license to go for the big one and Rahul made full use of the long half-volley that Tye put on a platter for him on the free-hit ball. A lofted extra cover drive ended up in the stands with a 90-metre six. Tye ended up conceding 15 runs in that over and India were up and running with the required rate. Wade did not disown his one-over spell tactic as Glenn Maxwell was brought in to check the left-handed Dhawan but the opener was up to the task as he deposited the off-spinner deep over midwicket boundary and followed it up with a four to plunder him for 19 runs. Rahul and Dhawan were up and going at the rate of knots as Sean Aboot too was put to the sword and the duo took 13 runs off him that made 47 runs from the three overs after economical first couple of overs. Wade brought back Tye and the pacer followed his tried and tested formula for years of bowling slower balls and caught Rahul early in his attempt to clear the off side boundary. He was taken at the deep-point boundary and it led to stopping of the rampage that the openers had brought on the Australian bowlers. The leg-spinning duo of Mitchell Swepson and Adam Zampa tried to choke the runs and Shikhar Dhawan went back to the pavilion in the quest of forcing the issue as the required run rate was always going up, but not before he completed his 11th fifty in the international T20 off 34 balls. Samson was trusted again to bat at the number four and he showed promise as he showed his repertoire of shots on both sides of wicket against Daniel Sams, hitting him for a four behind point on the off side and following that up with a gigantic six with a pull shot off the front foot when Sams tried to test his backfoot game. However, he once again threw it away but the surging required rate did not give him any chance but to keep running at the bowlers and Zampa was smart enough to preempt his big shot. He bowled into the pitch and it bounced more than Samson expected and he could hit it only to Steve Smith standing deep at the long-off boundary. Virat Kohli took his time when Dhawan and Samson were going for runs but as Pandya was promoted to the number five position based on his good showing the ODI series and first T20, Kohli started pulling tricks out of his boxes as he took Tye for 18 runs in the 15th over with the help of an uncharacteristic ramp shot over the fine leg boundary for six and a couple of boundaries, one via an outside edge while another came through a thumping pull shot that perfect bisected the two fielders deep on the boundary. Once again Tye provided India the momentum which they needed to chase such a big total but Adam Zampa denied the pair of Pandya and Kohli any hittable lengths to get underneath. However, the duo were smart as they made sure to take eight runs off Zampa to make it 46 required off the last four overs. Daniel Sams returned to price out the big scap of Kohli on the very first ball of the 1th over with a slower short bouncer that kept on going away from the Indian skipper and his counterpart standing behind the stumps flung to send him packing at a crucial juncture of the match. Next man in, Shreyas Iyer, who got into the playing XI in place of Manish Pandey who had an ‘elbow niggle’, could not have walked in to bat at a more crucial point than that as the visitors needed a total of 37 runs from the last three overs. Iyer has a reputation of being a big-hitter against spinners and he made sure to do no harm to that reputation smoking a big six off Zampa over the midwicket boundary that later turned out to be 111 metre and the biggest six hit in the series until then. Tye was again called in to do the hard work in the 19th over and he was successful in preventing Pandya from hitting any big shots on the first three balls but Pandya kept his cool and luck favoured him with an outside edge that flew over the top of short third man. Pandya changed his bat midway in the Tye’s over as he found it tough to swing the knuckle balls even though he was delaying his shot. He was not to miss out on picking Tye’s knuckle balls after missing two in the early part of the over and with the new bat smashed the fifth ball to the extra cover boundary for a much-needed boundary. It was always a matter of time before Pandya could take the Australian bowlers to the cleaners and the new bat might just have provided him the feel-good factor before going berserk and winning the game and the series for India. All were at stake for the hosts as the debutant Sams was tasked to defend 13 runs in the last over against Pandya and Iyer and as it turned out the task was too difficult to achieve against the firepower of Pandya. Earlier in the day, Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to chase at the SCG and his eyes must have been on the short boundary on one side of the wicket. The stand-in captain Wade promoted himself at the top of the order with Aaron Finch missing due to injury and he put on a show right from the start. He was particularly severe of any short balls and the Indian new ball bowlers bowled plenty of them. Kohli threw a bait on the left-handed openers, D’Arcy Short and the captain Wade to go across the line against Washington Sundar to the short boundary on the leg side. Wade took the bait and won the game within the game as Australia were off to a rollicking start at 23/0 off the first two overs. The carnage went on for the tourists as wade was not giving up his shots and was taking calculated risks. Just when the hosts appeared to be running away with the game, Natarajan induced a false shot from Short and Iyer was sharp at the mid-wicket fence to snaffle the catch and India were relieved to see the separation of the opening pair. India’s dismal performances in the field did not stop in this match as well as in the very next over of the fall of Short, Wade was dropped by Pandya who has dropped quite a few more than his reputation as a fielder would be able to digest. Wade was severe on the off spinner Sundar and took him for 31 runs off his three overs but a fair share of blame for his bad figure would go to Kohli as well as he dropped Wade when he induced a leading edge off the left-hander’s bat. But, Kohli was aware of the happenings around him and was quick to throw the ball after dropping the catch for Rahul to whipp off the bails before Wade could come back to the crease. Glenn Maxwell started in his usual style and took no time to settle before he could unleash his blistering shots. He started with a big six off Chahal over the long-off boundary but Shardul Tahkur got the better of him with balls away from his range on the off side. Steve Smith looked frustrated in the middle as he could not get going against disciplined Indian bowlers . He was given a breather by Moises Henriqyes who once again promised big with the bat but perished in the process of going for big runs. Out of all the bowlers in the Indian camp, Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers and went for only five runs per over and also took two big wickets of Short and Henriques, just when they were starting to look threatening for the visitors. Yuzvendra Chahal had a real off day in the field after a man of the match performance in the last game. The series win in the T20 is the second consecutive series win in Australia for the Virat Kohli-led team in the shortest form of the game. After showing not so impressive run of form in the first two ODIs of the series, the men in blue have bounced back strongly and will go into the Test series with high confidence.

Neil Wagner: The lionheart who personifies power of perseverance

Way back in 2012, New Zealand cricket was in a rather gloomy state. The team, across formats, was struggling and there was hardly any sign of a recovery in near future. That year, the Kiwis toured West Indies and got beaten comprehensively in both Tests and ODIs. But the Test series witnessed the debut of a new left-arm seamer named Neil Wagner. The first impression he left was rather disappointing. Simon Doull, the New Zealand commentator covering that series, expressed his disappointment over the fact that Wagner, despite a load of experience at the domestic level, couldn't bowl with the seam upright. There was little else in his bowling that suggested great potential. Later that year, New Zealand toured South Africa where they got smashed in the Test series by an unforgiving Proteas team. However, by then, Wagner had managed to get the seam upright on his deliveries. But still, he hardly seemed a big threat to anyone. One thing that Wagner did seem to possess was a big heart. He had an aggressive body language and didn't mind letting the batsman know that he was there. A tireless performer, Wagner kept charging in with intent, though without success. Next year, Wagner seeemed to have improved himself. Not only was he keeping the seam upright, but also swinging the ball. He dismissed Kevin Peterson for a golden duck with a full delivery that swung back in to the right-hander and trapped him plumb in front. Later that year, during West Indies' tour of New Zealand, Wagner continued to improve his swing bowling skills. One of the commentators made a pertinent observation about the bowler. He described Wagner as a medium-pacer with the mindset of a fast bowler. While his aggressive attitude suited someone who could bowl fast and nasty, in reality, his pace and style was more conducive to being an orthodox swing bowler. But Wagner's hostile attitude towards the batsmen wasn't going to be subdued. Also, his lion-heartedness was visible to everyone. Even on the deadest of wickets and most hopeless situations, he never seemed to stop trying. It was this quality that led him to bowl his side to victory at Auckland in 2014, against India. On the last day of the Test, when India were cruising towards a victory on a surface that was devoid of any help for bowlers, Wagner bowled his heart out and dismissed a well-set Virat Kohli, centurion Shikhar Dhawan, dangerous MS Dhoni, all through short pitch deliveries. It was clear, Wagner may not have the pace to be a Mitchell Johnson-style bowler, but his willpower would make him effective. In the coming years, the South Africa-born seamer who hailed from the same school as AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis, managed to get regular wickets with continuous, relentless short-pitch bowling, against what anybody would have expected. In a highly-insightful interview with Ian Bishop before the start of play on day 4 of the first Test match against West Indies, Wagner revealed the complex thinking and pursuit of excellence that lies behind his full-throated aggression. In his own words, the left-arm seamer mentioned that he doesn't want to remain a one-trick pony who only relies on short balls. The 34-year old who now has more than 200 Test wickets is using the knowledge of his two teammates and bowling comrades, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, both masters of the art of swing, to improve his own swing-bowling ability. This shows not just a great desire to learn but also a highly admirable trait of not just sitting on your laurels. Despite having proven himself to be of immense value with his unique bowling style, he still seeks to grow. Today, Wagner's record looks highly impressive. 212 wickets in 49 matches at 26.31 average and strike rate of 51.4 is among the best in the world. Last year, on a horrendous tour of Australia where the Kiwis were battered by the host team, Wagner emerged with his pride enhanced by a stellar performance. He not only picked up 17 wickets in three matches but managed to conquer Steve Smith's run-making prowess by the same tactic of continuous short-pitch bowling that is usually regarded detrimental to anyone bowling at his pace. If Tim Southee and Trent Boult have formed one of the greatest, if not the greatest, new ball pairing for New Zealand, Neil Wagner has been an equally integral part of the team and its success. Always giving his all, never backing down in a fight, and never relying on the pitch, Wagner has carved a niche for himself with utmost hard work and dedication.

Two England players may have tested COVID positive, reports suggest

The situation regarding COVID infections amidst the scheduled England vs South Africa ODI series keeps getting worse. After the first game of series got abandoned on Sunday, following two members of the hotel staff where England stayed in Cape Town testing positive for the infection, now it has come to light that members in the South African team have also tested COVID positive, though official confirmation is pending. As a result, members of the squad as well as the support staff are going into self-isolation and restricting themselves to their rooms. If the positive results of COVID tests are confirmed, then the series is certain to be cancelled. The first ODI was anyway postponed from its original scheduled date of December 4 after a player in the South African camp was reported to be infected with the dreaded virus. Sir Alastair Cook, part of the BBC's radio commentary team, also expressed his scepticism about the prospects of the tour continuing. "I’d be very surprised if this series continues. I think that’s pretty much impossible. They’ll be trying to get their flight home," Sir Alastair said. Financially vulnerable, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has been pulling out all stops to continue the tour. But with the situation stumbling from one setback to another, it seems their efforts will come to nought.

BBL 2020 Team Preview: Rich in all-round strengths, can Sydney Sixers defend BBL title?

Can the Sydney Sixers who were the champions of the Big Bash League last year defend their title in the BBL 10? That is a pertinent question on everyone’s including the Sixers’ team management’s mind as the team prepares to fight the battle while facing the prospect of the star trio of Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon missing from the season. Still, the team stack up nicely for their title defense on the back of world-beating all-rounders who are rich in experience of international and franchise-based T20 cricket. Steve Smith had opted out of the league while Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon will be busy on national duties and but the head coach Greg Shipperd is not losing hope as of yet to have the duo at the fag end of the tournament if favourable circumatsnces prevail over time. Another setback for the Sixers, will be the absence of Sean Abbott who has been selected in the Australian team for all formats and the coach Shipperd believes that it will provide opportunities for other guys in the groups to chip in to fill the void left by Abbott. "Sean Abbott has earned an opportunity in all three Australian squads this summer and we're thrilled for that, and it creates opportunities for others to fill that hole. We think we've got capable options from a medium-pace bowling point of view, but also a spinning point of view with Lloyd Pope, Steve O'Keefe and Ben Manenti,” Shipperd said to cricket.com.au. However, Shipperd is not losing the hope of getting Abbott back for the BBL in case the first preferred XI of the senior team plays well against the touring Indian side. “It'd be pre-emptive of us to put any pressure whatsoever around Sean possibly being released back to us early (from Test duty). He may find himself in sides and playing, so if that's the case we definitely won't get him back. But if the Test team is playing particularly well and he's not part of it, we'll make some enquiries about whether he will be available to us. But we have to wait and see how that unfolds,” Shipperd added. The Sixers are playing a long game with English pacer Tom Curran and the coach Shipperd believes that he has it in him what it takes to be successful with the ball in T20 cricket. He was expected to be available for the full season but the development around the COVID-19 in the England’s camps in South Africa might jeopardise both Curran’s fortunes and with him another first choice player of the Sixers squad. He’s also been seen as a like-for-like player who can fill into Sean Abbott’s shoes in the BBL 10. "We identified early on that we wanted Tom Curran to be a long-term member of our franchise and he signed a three-year deal with us. For such a young player, he's brought such cricketing intelligence into our environment, he's thirsty for the big moments, he's always improving with the bat … he's popular with the boys and popular with our members and fans. He'll be a long-term BBL player and hopefully for our franchise exclusively,” Shipperd said of Curran’s importance in the Sxiers setup. The Sixers are also very much reliant on another international duo of James Vince and Carlos Braithwaite, who the coach Shiffert confirmed, will be available for the whole season. Vince has been here and there with his form for the England side but his numbers in league cricket are second to no many batsmen and the Sixers will be looking forwards for him to give them a rapid start consistently throughout the season. The Sixers will pick Vince as the first-choice opener to partner the ever so enterprising Josh Phillipe who had lit up the BBL final last year and never allowed the Melbourne Stars to come in the game with his onslaught that turned out to be the match-winning effort for the side. The Sixers will be hopeful of them forging a long and consistent partnership and set the tone in the first six overs before the opposition teams could think of making a mark on a match. Another overseas import available for full-time, Carlos Brathwaite has been added to the squad for his finishing skills that earned him the recognition on the world stage. He will be assigned the task of taking the team to big totals from modest positions in the last overs of the innings along with chipping in with two-three economical and at best wicket-taking overs. He will play around two other valuable all-rounders of the Sixers in the form of Dan Christian and the captain Moises Henriques and will form the core of the Sixers’ batting order if they have to have any chance of posting massive totals or chasing steep target in the season that is critical for their reputation in the league. “We've added the all-round skill and experience of Dan Christian, which we think is a huge plus for us, and otherwise we're a pretty solid group. Carlos Brathwaite is our third international who will be particularly important this year given we're losing some valuable players during the tournament due to Australian duties. So hopefully we can cover the obvious losses that we're going to experience," Greg Shipperd said of the hopes the Sixers are keeping on the all-rounders in the set up. Greg Shipperd believes that Brathwaite has fitted very well in the squad when he had first joined the setup a few seasons ago when the team was going through a tough patch and he helped them turn the situation around. Hence, when Sean Abbott’s unavailability looked a distant possibility, he changed the approach of the side and went for a batting all-rounder in the form of Brathwaite who can help the Moises Henriques and Dan Christain in the middle phase of the innings. “We cast our net far and wide and we were waiting to see how particular players were travelling regarding Australian duties. And clearly with Sean Abbott's sensational form, we predicted he would be in the national squad, so we flipped from going for a batting allrounder to a bowling allrounder. And having had experience with Carlos Brathwaite before a few seasons ago, he came in after we'd lost six in a row and helped us win four games in a row to finish the season off and fitted into our squad really well. So it's great that he's available and he's keen to press his place in the competition,” Shipperd spoke highly of Brathwaite and his run of form for the Sixers in the past seasons of the BBL. Shipperd said that Brathwaite is no different from other international stars who have gone out of favour from the national team and wants to play for the West Indies in the two T20 World Cups scheduled to take place in the next two years and he will be highly motivated to stake claim for a spot with powerful performances in the BBL. “There's two T20 World Cups coming up and, like all players, he wants to play for his country again so this could be a nice stepping stone to do that,” he added. The Sixers have also brought in the West Indies skipper Jason Holder under a three-game deal and the all-rounder will feature in the plans for the matches scheduled on December 20, 26 and 29. Holder was highly successful in the IPL 2020 when the Sunrisers Hyderaabd had called him to replace Mitchell Marsh. He was immaculate in lengths and went on to change the outlook of the Sunrisers bowling attack while also stepping with the bat in tough games. The Sixers would plan to extract the best out of Holder’s availability for three games this season. The skipper, Moises Henriuqes was in red-hot form with the bat and the ball in the first round of the Sheffield Shield and the injury to Mithcell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis brought him back into the Australian limited-overs squad for the series against India. The Sixers will need all of his good form to click for them in the BBL especially in the absence of other experienced pros such as Steve Smith and Mithcell Starc. He led the Sixers to the triumph in the last season but the upcoming one can be tricky as he would have to deal with younger and inconsistent players who are capable enough of putting match-winning performances but Henriques would do well to remind himself and his teammates that to win a trophy as elusive as the Big Bash, they will need more than the sparks of brilliance from individuals and a a clear-headed team effort to keep the trophy with themselves at the end of the tournament. Sydney Sixers Squad Sean Abbott, Justin Avendano, Nick Bertus, Jackson Bird, Carlos Brathwaite (WI), Dan Christian, Tom Curran (ENG), Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Moises Henriques (c), Jason Holder (WI), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon, Ben Manenti, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Stephen O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Tom Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu, Jordan Silk, Mitchell Starc, James Vince (ENG)