Kohli jeered at MCG after dismissal; turns around for short standoff with fans
Star India batter Virat Kohli was booed and jeered while walking back to the dressing room after his dismissal in the Boxing Day Test against Australia here on Friday, prompting him to turn around for a brief stand-off with the fans. Kohli’s conduct has become a hot topic in the ongoing fourth Test where he shoulder-charged 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas on the opening day. It resulted in a fine and a demerit point. On Friday, Kohli batted well for his 36 before being caught behind off Scott Boland.He was dismissed shortly after a mix-up with Yashasvi Jaiswal resulted in the opener running himself out at 82. As he entered the tunnel leading up to the dressing room, fans in that section of the MCG began booing him and also made some comments in a short clip that has since gone viral.
Bosch brilliance puts South Africa closer to WTC final
Rearguard action helped South Africa secure a crucial lead in the first innings after Pakistan pacers had nearly equalised the contest. Thereafter, strikes from their bowlers ensured that advantage remained with South Africa going into day three in Centurion. The hosts are a win away from sealing their first-ever World Test Championship final. South African pair of Aiden Markram and Tenda Bavuma began the day positively, cutting down the 129-run deficit by 54 runs in a brisk start. Bavuma ended up nicking one-off Aamir Jamal in the 37th over, giving Pakistan their first strike.
Ervine, Bennett tons headline Zimbabwe’s day
Bulawayo was buzzing on the second day of the Boxing Day Test as the home fans celebrated one landmark after another, with Zimbabwe creating history against Afghanistan by getting to their highest Test score of all time. Overnight centurion Sean Williams posted his person best in Tests, the captain Craig Ervine scored his third Test ton in a 13-year career, and Brian Bennett struck a dramatic maiden hundred, taking Zimbabwe to 586. Williams set the tone early with a cut through point to pass 150. He looked to be aggressive to the leg side but mistimed a pull off Naveen Zadran to deep midwicket, adding only nine to his overnight score before departing for 154 in the day’s sixth over.
Cricketers mourn Manmohan Singh
The cricketing fraternity came together to mourn the loss of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, as former India cricketers Harbhajan Singh, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh paid heartfelt tributes to the visionary leader. Harbhajan took to X and expressed his sadness on the demise of former Prime Minister and wrote, “Saddened by the news of sudden demise of former Prime Minister, a thorough gentleman, and a visionary leader, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji.” “What truly set him apart was his calm and steady leadership in times of crisis, his ability to navigate complex political landscapes.
Smith inside top 10 for most Test centuries following MCG classic
Australia batter Steve Smith believes he never lost form despite a recent lean patch prior to re-confirming himself as a modern-day great with his 34th Test century during the Boxing Day Test against India. It was Smith’s 11th Test century against India – the most by any player – and his innings of 140 has put Australia in a strong position after two days of the ICC World Test Championship contest.The innings sees Smith rise to equal seventh on the list for most Test centuries, with England veteran Joe Root (36) the only current player ahead of him in a star-studded list of batters in the longest format. Despite the feat, Smith said after play on Friday that he is not motivated by the amount of centuries he contributes and only plays to help his side win Test matches.
Hardik Pandya to play in Vijay Hazare Trophy from Saturday
Hardik Pandya is not playing in ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), the all-rounder has changed his mind. The latest from the Baroda camp is that Pandya will start playing in the 50-over tournament from Saturday (December 28). The Baroda team, led by Hardik’s brother Krunal Pandya, are presently in Hyderabad and they will be up against Bengal on Saturday. They have played two games so far in the domestic one-day competition, having won both – against Tripura in the first round and against Kerala in the second round. The Bengal game will be their third round match after a five-day gap. “He had some personal issues and that is why he was not available for the first few games. He has reached Hyderabad and he will play tomorrow,” Ajit Lele, the secretary of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), told Cricbuzz on Friday night.
Smith’s 140, late flurry of wickets push India on the back foot
Local hero Scott Boland was part of a late surge by Australia on the second day in Melbourne as they took control of the fourth Test after Steven Smith set up an imposing total with his second hundred in consecutive matches. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli had responded with a century stand but both fell in a dramatic final half-an-hour to leave India with a mountain to climb. Jaiswal had moved into the 80s when he drove firmly to mid-on and set off for a run to which Kohli didn’t respond and there was no way to beat Pat Cummins’ throw. Two overs later, Boland found Kohli’s outside edge to send the MCG into raptures and, all of a sudden, hope of anything close to parity on first innings looked a long way off. To cap off Australia’s day, Boland had nightwatcher Akash Deep taken at leg gully with minutes remaining as India lost 3 for 6.
Deepti’s all-round heroics hand India series sweep
Deepti Sharma turned in a superb all-round performance to help India seal the ODI series 3-0 in Vadodara. She first took 6 for 31 as West Indies folded for 162. Then with India in choppy waters, Deepti provided a calming influence with an unbeaten 39 to the team home by five wickets. While Deepti dug in for the hard grind, aided with luck when she was dropped by Hayley Matthews at slip on 21, Richa Ghosh lent the finishing touches. Having walked in to bat with India 129 for 5, Ghosh allayed fears of a collapse by hitting one four and three sixes in her brisk 11-ball 23. This included back-to-back sixes off legspinner Afy Fletcher to see off India’s chase. Under leaden skies, and on a surface that got progressively tougher to bat on with the odd ball keeping low and turning big, West Indies were left to rue another poor batting performance. Barring Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbelle, who put together 91 for the fourth wicket, there was little else of note from the batting unit.
India left reeling after late wickets put Australia in control of Boxing Day Test
India’s hopes in the Boxing Day Test are hanging by a thread after Australia picked up three late wickets – including the big scalps of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli – to remain in control of the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest after two days in Melbourne. Jaiswal and Kohli put on a century partnership to give India hope in reply to Steve Smith’s 34th Test century and Australia’s big total of 474, but the pair fell in quick succession and Akash Deep departed on the stroke of stumps to leave the tourists reeling at 164/5 with three days remaining of the crucial fourth Test. After Smith scored yet another Test century earlier in the day and skipper Pat Cummins contributed an equally entertaining innings of 49, Australia removed Rohit Sharma (3) and KL Rahul (24) prior to tea to reduce the tourists to 51/2 as the home side continued to dominate.
McDermott, Hope lead Hurricanes to second win
Matthew Short’s 29-ball 52 went in vain as Adelaide Strikers fell 11 runs short of Hobart Hurricanes’s 214 for 5 at the Adelaide Oval on Friday, handing the visitors their second successive win of the season. Electing to field, Short made an impact in the opening over itself with the ball, dismissing Mitchell Owen in the opening over. Caleb Jewell struggled to get going, but Shai Hope’s attack from the other end helped the second wicket pair add 56 runs in 34 balls and get going in their innings. Even when Jewell departed in the seventh over, Hope and Ben McDermott ensured a breezy pace in the innings, with the latter clubbing a couple of sixes early on in his innings. McDermott continued giving the charge from one end, but till the 14th over there was only limited support from the other end. It was in the 15th when Tim David took over the mantle of acceleration when Thornton was hit around for three boundaries and a six. Bar the 19th, the onslaught continued from both ends till the end of the innings with David plundering 33 runs in 14 balls and Chris Jordan adding 17 more in 10 deliveries. McDermott, the destroyer-in-chief, remained unbeaten on 68.
