'It’s your turn’: Smith's suggestion fetches Cummins important breakthrough

BBL 11 | Sixers special jersey to celebrate Indigenous round makes Dan Christian proud

Dan Christian, one of the most travelled T20 stars and a legend of the Big bash league having represented many sides in the competition, said that he was really proud to have been wearing the Indigenous jersey for the first time in a KFC BBL match when his takes on the Hobart Hurricanes at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Christian, a Wiradjuri man himself is of indigenous descent and was instrumental in designing the jersey which also involved WBBL star Ashleigh Gardner, a Muruwari woman. Both the kits have certain insignia which was explained by the Sixers in a tweet. Although the BBL will for the first time celebrate the Indigenous round next month, Sixers will be in Coffs Harbour during that week, so took it upon themselves to wear their new strip in a home game at the SCG. “We were hoping to have one last year, but we finally get it this year, and it looks fantastic,” said Christian who was photographed in the indigenous kit on top of the SCG traditional pavilion alongside the iconic clock tower. “The best thing about having an Indigenous round is opening up cricket and presenting it to the wider Indigenous community. We see it in the NRL and AFL … it’s just an awesome week in both those codes and everyone gets around (Indigenous Round). “I think it’s great that cricket is finally getting around it and the official Indigenous round that we have in January will be a fantastic week,” added the 38-year-old who has represented Australia in 43 international games.

Cricket not included in initial 28 disciplines of LA 2028 Olympics, but all is not lost yet

On December 09, when the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics organising committee announced the list of 28 initial sports disciplines to be competed in at the games, the cricket fans all over the world had a sinking feeling as the sport’s first chance of being in the world’s biggest sporting event ever since 1900 seemed lost once again. Cricket was not named in the list that will go before the IOC Session in February 2022 for ratification and changes if possible. “These quintessential West Coast sports share a youthful energy and creative vibe and will be perfect for the LA28 Olympics,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman. However, all hopes are still not lost as the LA28 may propose additional sports in 2023 to align with the fan base. LA being the biggest west coast city which also houses tech giants and a sizeable subcontinental population, might be tempted to get cricket in the program considering the following the game might have and the popularity it will gain in the United States. “As we look at additional sport recommendations, we will continue to focus on sports that are relevant to Los Angeles, provide an incredible fan experience and contribute to the success of the Games,” said Wasserman. “We want to build on tradition while progressing the Olympic Games forward,” he added. The LA28 initial sports program proposal includes aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, canoe, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, soccer, sport climbing, surfing, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, triathlon, volleyball and wrestling.

Josh Hazlewood unknowingly acknowledges he knew about the sandpaper being used in 2018

In a funny turn of events, one of Barmy Army members, the fan unit that travels to support the England team in away matches managed to get Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood’s signatures on a poster that read, “I Joshua ‘Joshie’ Hazlewood do solemnly swear that I knew it was sandpaper.” It is almost certain that Hazlewood didn’t read the poster before signing it as the fans were allowed to get the autographs from the players after a long time since the Covid-19 restrictions were in place for the most part of the last year. The Sandpaper gate forced three prime accused members then skipper Steven Smith, vice-captain David Warner and youngster Cameron Bancroft who was caught working the ball with the sandpaper got punished for the act. The act took place during the Cape Town Test match of 2018. Earlier this year, Bancroft almost admitted that bowlers, which included Hazlewood with now skipper Pat Cummins and Micthell Srac in the pace trio and Nathan Lyon as the lone spinner. “Yeah, obviously what I did benefits bowlers and the awareness around that, probably, is self-explanatory,” Bancroft had told The Guardian, a UK newspaper. In the aftermath of this statement, the Australian bowlers released a joint statement denying their knowledge of sandpaper being used in the game. The statement read, “We did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands.”

Ashes | Australia blow away England resistance in just one session to win at fortress Gabba

Australia picked up eight wickets in the morning session of Day 4 to put a halt to England’s resistance in the first Test of the Ashes series. In a near perfect two and a half hours of play, Australia skittled England out from 220/2 to just 297 runs, to effect a demoralising loss in the first Test. The visitors were left hapless against all the Australian bowlers as they fell one by one unable to judge the length, flight or the line of the delivery. The leader of the attack on Saturday, 11 December was Nathan Lyon, who went wicketless in the first innings of the game. He effected a crucial breakthrough of Dawid Malan, the left hander who had negotiated him with relative ease on the day before. But, on Saturday, Lyon’s mixing of flight and his ability to get extra bounce from the surface got the better of the #3 batter and that ended up opening the floodgates for England. In the process, Lyon became only the third Australian to take 400 or more wickets, and etched his name in the records books. In terms of wickets tally, he only stands behind Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Soon to follow Malan were Ollie Pope, captain Joe Root, whose century drought in Australia grows dire by the day. During his 89 runs innings, Root notched up his seventh 50 in Australia but he has not been able to convert a single one of them into a big total. Today, Root was sent home by Aussie youngster Cameron Green, who did just about enough to seam the ball away from the right hander to kiss the outside edge of his bat. From there it was just a waiting game before England folded and a collective bowling effort made sure that it did not take too long. England set up just 20 runs as target to the Australians, which was brought up in no time, but not before the visitors managed to take the wicket of makeshift opener Alex Carey. The left handed debutant opened the innings to protect David Warner, who opted out of both batting and fielding owing to a rib injury sustained in the first innings. Speaking after the game, England captain Joe Root took responsibility for the loss and stated they needed to bat better. He insisted that the team knows the areas that they need to get better, and they will work upon them in the lead up to the second Test match.