India's road to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2027 has become much clearer following the recent Tests that were played.
As every match affects the percentage points table (PCT), India still finds themselves in the race, but with very little to spare as they move forward towards the end of the cycle.
In the first of the two Tests that India played against Sri Lanka, the visitors registered a massive 165-run victory in Galle and then aimed to complete a whitewash. However, a valiant performance from Sri Lanka in the final day of the 2nd Test in Colombo helped them to hold the visitors to a draw in the final match of the series.
After a surprise win over Australia in the first Test, Bangladesh succumbed to an embarrassing loss in the second and final match of the series in Mackay. Till date, Bangladesh hold on to the fourth position but India can overtake them if they win the second match.
England moved to the sixth position, replacing Sri Lanka after their 3-0 whitewash win over Pakistan on September 12.

#bangladesh

San Francisco Giants third-base coach Ron Wotus didn't hesitate to let umpire Alan Porter hear his two cents on Saturday, less than 24 hours removed from Porter tossing Giants manager Tony Vitello.
During the lineup card exchange before Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco, Wotus said his piece.
Porter sent him to the showers, too.
Wotus, a longtime Giants staffer who replaced a reassigned Hector Borg in the third-base coaching box earlier this season, had a front-row seat to a call that drew ire amid a five-run D-backs third inning that played a significant role in San Francisco's 10-6 defeat on Friday.
Nolan Arenado hit a chopper down the third-base line. Although the ball landed in foul territory beyond the infield, third-base umpire Alex MacKay ruled it fair since he believed it traveled over the bag. The play couldn't be reviewed, and as reported by MLB.com, it really wasn't until Tim Tawa launched a subsequent three-run homer that Vitello began his outburst.

#base

Tony Vitello is climbing the ejections list quickly this week, getting tossed twice in three days and giving the San Francisco Giants' manager five overall, tied for second most in the league.
Are umpires showing less patience with Vitello, who has no previous pro experience, than they are with other managers? He appeared to do little to earn an ejection in the Giants' 10-6 loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday night at Oracle Park, while home-plate umpire Alan Porter, who tossed him, was in the midst of a tough night - Porter had nine ball-strike calls overturned on challenges, and also called a clear third strike a ball in the third, keeping Lars Nootbar alive for a double that started Arizona's five-run inning.
Vitello may have earned his ejection Wednesday against the Reds when he disputed a check-swing call a little more strenuously, but he seemed to do no more than yell that Nolan Arenado's double to left in that third inning was foul along with a gesture indicating by how much.
The play was not reviewable - third-base umpire Alex MacKay ruled the ball was fair when it traveled over the bag and anything in front of the base umpires is not eligible for a review. But that doesn't mean Vitello didn't get a report from the Giants' video replay review room. The double put two on for Tim Tawa's homer to left center.
Vitello didn't appear to swear or insult the umpires when disputing the fair call, but once he was ejected, he charged out and made his feelings known to Porter, first appearing to say, "Why? What for?"

#umpires #five

Sunil Gavaskar slams 'brazen' hypocrisy over Mackay pitch, claims it was no surprise after Australia were 'humiliated' by Bangladesh originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
India legend Sunil Gavaskar has accused cricket of brazen hypocrisy over pitch ***** sments.
He said the Mackay surface was a deliberate response to Australia's humiliating defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin.
The second Test lasted just 750 ***** , the fourth-shortest completed Test in history.
Australia levelled their series against Bangladesh inside two days at Mackay, and Sunil Gavaskar has used the occasion to reopen an argument he has been making for the better part of two decades. The India batting great believes the silence surrounding the surface tells you everything about how pitches are judged depending on where they are laid.

#australia #hypocrisy

During England's first Test against Pakistan, we asked BBC Sport readers to send statistical questions for our colleagues at CricViz.
Our new feature, Ask CricViz, is here to help and we can reveal the first selection of answers below.
Please note that all stats in Tests are inclusive of the recent Australia v Bangladesh Test in Mackay, but do not include stats from the ongoing Sri Lanka v India Test in Colombo.
Graham, Hastings: Against Pakistan, Josh Tongue took two wickets in two **** but missed out on his hat-trick. What is the 'conversion rate' from having two in two, to going on and getting the hat-trick?
CricViz: In Tests where such data is available in our database, there have been 1,355 occasions where a bowler has taken wickets in two consecutive **** , with only 43 (3.2%) of them converted to a hat-trick.

#wickets #sport

Shoriful Islam became the first left-arm fast bowler in 140 years to take a seven-wicket haul in a Test innings against Australia, producing Bangladesh's standout performance in the second Test in Mackay.

The 25-year-old pacer from Panchagarh returned figures of 7/48 from 15 overs as Bangladesh bowled Australia out for 210 in their first innings at the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Shoriful also top-scored for Bangladesh with 14 runs in their first innings.

Despite his performance, Bangladesh suffered a crushing defeat, with the second Test ending inside two days.

Shoriful's seven-wicket haul put him in a select group of left-arm fast bowlers to have achieved the feat against Australia.

The last left-arm pacer to take seven wickets in a Test innings against Australia was England's **** Barlow, who finished with 7/44 in the second innings of the Manchester Test played from July 5 to 7, 1886.

Barlow had also taken seven wickets against Australia in the Sydney Test in January 1883.

The first left-arm pacer to take seven or more wickets in a Test innings against Australia was England's Tom Emmett. He took 7/68 from 59 overs in the first innings of the Melbourne Test played from January 2 to 4, 1879.

Shoriful is now only the fourth left-arm fast bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in a Test innings against Australia.

The best bowling figures by a left-arm bowler against Australia, however, belong to former England spinner Hedley Verity. He took 8/43 in the second innings of the Lord's Test in 1934, played from June 22 to 25.

The overall best bowling figures against Australia in Test cricket remain with England's Jim Laker, who took all 10 Australian wickets for 53 runs in the second innings of the Manchester Test in July 1956.

#test #australia

Australia hit back strongly after their shock defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh, winning the second match by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay on Sunday. Mitchell Starc starred with 10 wickets as Australia completed the Test inside two days.
Australia's win created a rare piece of Test cricket history. The Mackay Test was only the 28th Test to finish in two days from the 2632 Tests played so far.

In simple terms, only around 1.1% of all Tests have ended within two days.

The numbers show how rare such short Tests have been. From 1877 to 1946, 15 of the 275 Tests played during the period finished in two days.

There was not a single two-day Test between 1947 and 1999, even though 1,233 Tests were played during those 53 years.

Since 2000, 13 of the 1,124 Tests have been completed in two days.
The Australia-Bangladesh Test is the 28th two-day Test in history. The previous one was Australia's Test against England in Perth in November 2025, which also ended inside two days.

India have been involved in three two-day Tests in recent years.

India beat Afghanistan in Bengaluru in 2018 and England in Ahmedabad in 2021, with both matches finishing inside two days. India's Test against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2024 also ended in two days, with India winning the match.
No.
Teams

#played

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh's defeat to Australia in the second Test in Mackay has given India a small but significant boost in the race for a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Bangladesh had stunned Australia in the opening Test in Darwin to secure their first-ever Test win Down Under, but Mitchell Starc's 10-wicket match haul inspired the hosts to an innings-and-51-run victory in the second Test on Sunday. The result not only allowed Australia to level the series 1-1 but also cost Bangladesh valuable points in the WTC standings.

India, currently fifth in the nine-team table, can now move above Bangladesh and reclaim fourth place by beating Sri Lanka in the second Test in Colombo.
Bangladesh remain fourth despite the defeat, but their points percentage (PCT) has dropped sharply from 66.67 after their Darwin victory to 55.56. They now have 50 points from six matches, with three wins, two defeats and one draw.

India are just behind them with 64 points and a PCT of 53.33 from 10 matches. Shubman Gill's side have five wins, four defeats and one draw.

The equation is straightforward for India: a victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo will take them past Bangladesh and into fourth place.

Australia strengthened their position at the top with 96 points and an 80 PCT from 10 matches, while South Africa are second with a 75 PCT and New Zealand third with 72.22.

Sri Lanka, India's current opponents, are sixth with a PCT of 33.33. England, West Indies and Pakistan occupy the next three positions.

India's bigger challenge, however, is that they need to continue winning consistently to stay in contention for the top two positions that ultimately determine the finalists.
Bangladesh's Test campaign has still produced a landmark achievement. Despite losing the second Test, they climbed three places to No.6 in the latest ICC Test rankings — their highest-ever position.

"Of course (reaching No. 6) is good news," Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said after the Mackay defeat. "I am just hearing about it. To reach No 6 in the Test ranking is a huge achievement. It would have been better if we could have played better cricket in this Test match."

Shanto also called for Bangladesh to play more frequently in Australia after their first Test series there in 23 years.

"We are here after 23 years (first Test series in Australia since 2003). It's not easy to compete in this condition against this quality of team. If we are able to come here consistently, then the players can get an idea of playing here. They will have more experience playing in Australia. They can adjust to this kind of condition and play good cricket," he said.

"It's hard for the players. Probably 90% of the players haven't played here. They don't know how to adjust, how to cope with this kind of condition, and this kind of bowling attack. My request is that we want to play here. We want to play similar kind of conditions consistently, not after 23 or 25 year

Former Australia opener Justin Langer has slammed the increasing frequency of Test matches ending inside two days, calling the trend "unacceptable" after Australia wrapped up an innings-and-51-run victory over Bangladesh in Mackay on Sunday.

Australia needed only 750 ***** to complete the second Test, bouncing back from their shock nine-wicket defeat in Darwin to level the two-match series 1-1. The result also marked the third Test involving Australia in their last seven to finish inside two days, raising fresh concerns over the health of the longest format.

"Two-day Test matches (are) unacceptable. It's no good for the game for so many reasons. Last year was disappointing for the crowds, for the kids who get to watch their heroes on TV or listen on the radio or get to the ground," Langer said on SEN Radio.
Langer, who played 105 Tests for Australia, also highlighted the financial consequences of matches ending prematurely.

"Economically it's a disaster for Cricket Australia who put money into grassroots cricket. And you know we're talking about very well-paid professionals now, and you get tired of hearing 'Oh it's just the pitches, oh it's the curators, it's the ball moves a bit'," he said.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in their first innings and 95 in their second, while Mitchell Starc claimed 10 wickets in the match. Langer, however, believes the problem goes beyond pitch conditions and points towards shortcomings in batting fundamentals.

"I think a lot of it is down to basic batting technique. Take this test match alone. Almost every dismissal has been batters; their front foot has not gone past the front line. It's just basic technique, and it's footwork patterns.

"I coach young guys now, and I've just come back from England; there are a couple of batters who are in our Hundred team who are also wanting to become Test players. And you have some hits with them, and you say some things to them which are so basic for us in the game, and their eyes light up like you're teaching them magic for the first time," he added.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted his side did not produce their best performance but said the series would provide valuable lessons.

"Yeah, obviously I think we all know how good they are and, as I said in the press conference, they have been experienced for almost 50, more than 50 years. So yeah, they played, they showed their character, and as the Bangladesh Test team, we didn't play our best match," Shanto said.

He acknowledged the challenging conditions in Mackay, where extra bounce and movement made batting difficult.

"Yeah, obviously I think this is a different condition, and there is a little bit more extra bounce and swing in the air. So it's challenging for us. But as a team, if we want to go forward, we need to adjust to this condition, and I hope this experience will help going forward," he said.

Shoriful Islam's 7/48 was a major positive for Bangladesh, while Sha

Mitchell Starc produced another devastating spell in Mackay to finish with a 10-wicket match haul as Australia crushed Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test, levelling the two-match series 1-1 inside two days.

Starc returned figures of 10-51, adding four wickets on Sunday to his remarkable 6-12 on the opening day. Bangladesh were bowled out for just 64 in their first innings before Australia also found batting difficult on a spicy pitch at Mackay in northern Queensland.

The victory provided a significant boost for Australia after their surprise defeat in the opening Test in Darwin.

Starc's performance also moved him to 10th on the all-time Test wicket-takers' list. The left-arm quick now has 445 wickets, overtaking South African great Dale Steyn.

It was Starc's fourth 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. Pat **** mins and Nathan Lyon also played key roles with three wickets each as Bangladesh were dismissed for 95 in their second innings.

Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 31, while Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on 29. The Bangladesh captain and experienced wicketkeeper-batter received little support from the rest of the line-up, with only two other batters reaching double figures.

Australia had resumed their first innings at 165-8 and added 45 runs to their overnight total. Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon initially put on 28 for the ninth wicket before Shoriful Islam ended Green's resistance.

Shoriful produced a searing inswinging yorker that struck Green on the front pad, with the decision confirmed on review. Green departed for 67 from 105 **** , having struck 10 boundaries. It followed his breakthrough home century in the first Test at Darwin.

Shoriful finished with 7-48, the best bowling figures by a Bangladesh player in a Test away from home.

Lyon, unbeaten on 32, and Josh Hazlewood took Australia beyond 200 before Hazlewood fell for six to Taijul Islam. Australia were eventually dismissed for 210, giving them a crucial 146-run first-innings lead.

Bangladesh's second innings quickly became another Starc show.

After getting through his first over, Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam for one in Starc's next over, with Marnus Labuschagne taking the edge. Mominul Haque then shouldered arms to the following delivery, which crashed into his off stump.

Starc returned after lunch to dismiss Litton Das for another duck. The wicketkeeper-batter faced 27 **** across three innings in the series without scoring.

The Australia quick completed his 10-wicket haul shortly before tea, bowling Taijul Islam for seven with a delivery that breached the gap between bat and pad.

Starc finished with 4-39 in the second innings and narrowly missed his best Test match figures of 11-94, recorded against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2016.

Lyon completed the formalities after tea, taking the final two wickets in the first over of the session to wrap up Bangladesh's innings for 95.

The two-Test Top End series marks t

Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam etched his name in the record books on the second day of the second Test against Australia in Mackay, becoming the first bowler from his country to claim a seven-wicket haul against Australia. He also became the first Bangladesh bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings, with his sensational figures of 7/48 now the best-ever by a Bangladesh pacer in Tests.

Shoriful produced a sensational spell of 7/48 in 15 overs to overshadow Mitchell Starc's six-wicket haul and keep Bangladesh alive in a Test that appeared to be slipping away after they were bowled out for just 64.

The left-arm pacer also registered the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler away from home in Tests, surpassing Taijul Islam's 7/138 against Zimbabwe in Harare earlier this year.
Australia began their innings at 41/3 but recovered through a 77-run partnership between Steve Smith and Cameron Green. Smith made 42 off 74 ***** , including six fours, while Green continued the repair work with a fluent 67 off 105 ***** , hitting 10 boundaries.

Shoriful, however, kept Bangladesh in the contest with his pace, movement and bounce. He eventually reduced Australia to 148/8 before the hosts' lower order mounted another resistance.

Green and Nathan Lyon added 38 runs before Shoriful ended Green's resistance with a pinpoint yorker to complete his magnificent seven-wicket haul. Lyon then remained unbeaten on 32 off 62 ***** , including four boundaries and a six, and helped Australia reach 210.
Lyon and Josh Hazlewood added another 24 runs for the final wicket, frustrating Bangladesh before Taijul Islam dismissed Hazlewood to end the innings.

Australia's total gave them a commanding 146-run first-innings lead.

Shoriful's achievement came only one Test after Hasan Mahmud had set a new Bangladesh record against Australia with 6/55 in Darwin. Hasan's nine wickets in that match helped Bangladesh secure their first-ever Test victory in Australia.
Earlier, Australia had won the toss and opted to field, with Starc responding to Bangladesh's first-Test victory in emphatic fashion.

The left-arm quick tore through the Bangladesh batting lineup with astonishing figures of 6/12, while Pat ***** mins claimed three wickets as the visitors were dismissed for just 64. Shoriful was Bangladesh's top scorer with 14.

Bangladesh began their second innings under pressure and reached 39/3 by the end of the first session. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was unbeaten on 23, with Mushfiqur Rahim on four.

Starc had already taken two wickets, while ***** mins added one as Bangladesh trailed by 107 runs.

Despite Shoriful's historic spell, Australia remain firmly in control and Bangladesh face a daunting task to avoid conceding the series-levelling Test.

#bangladesh #australia #green

Why Australia should drop Marnus Labuschagne from Tests originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Marnus Labuschagne fell for 4 in Mackay against Bangladesh in the second Test.
Ricky Ponting said Australia should have dropped Labuschagne earlier, citing technical flaws exposed by his poor form.
Labuschagne hasn't scored a Test century since July 2023 and averages just 25.43 across his last two seasons.
Marnus Labuschagne's Test career is under the scanner after yet another failure with the bat, this time falling for just 4 in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay.

#labuschagne

MACKAY, Australia (AP) — Fresh from taking six wickets in the first innings, Australia's Mitchell Starc's again tormented Bangladesh's top order as the tourists were reduced to 39-3 at lunch in its second innings on Day 2 of a fast-moving second cricket test.
The evergreen left-arm bowler claimed an incredible 6-12 on Day 1 and backed up again Sunday morning with another two wickets in consecutive ****** to help Australia take a solid grip of the match in Mackay, in northern Queensland state.
At the break, Bangladesh trails Australia by 107 runs with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto unbeaten on 23 and Mushfiqur Rahim on four.
After surviving Starc's first over of the innings, Bangladesh were not as fortunate in the Aussie's next over as Shadman Islam (1) edged a catch to Marnus Labuschagne, before Mominul Haque (0) shouldered arms and has his off stump rattled with Starc's next delivery.
Pat ****** mins also grabbed a wicket, having Tanzid Hasan (9) caught on the boundary.

#first #next #fresh

Australia responded to their nine-wicket defeat in the first Test at Darwin by bowling Bangladesh out for 64 on the opening day of the second and final Test in Mackay on Saturday.

After winning the toss, Australia captain Pat **** mins chose to field and Mitchell Starc made an impact with the first ball. He dismissed Shadman Islam for a duck, registering his ninth first-over wicket in Test cricket and moving past England's James Anderson, who had eight such dismissals.

Starc then continued his spell, taking five wickets inside the first seven overs as Bangladesh slumped to 12/5. It was the sixth-fastest five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

. Starc took five wickets in the first 45 minutes as the visitors slipped to 12/5 before reaching lunch at 35/6.

Cummins added three wickets for 25 runs as Bangladesh slipped further to 39/9. The visitors, however, managed to avoid their lowest-ever Test total. Their lowest score remains 43 against West Indies in 2018.

Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 64, with Starc finishing with 6/12 from 10 overs.

The spell also took Starc past South African great Dale Steyn's 439 Test wickets. With 441 wickets, Starc is now the 10th-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He has taken 19 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket match hauls, with best figures of 7/58.

For Bangladesh, the collapse came after Australia had been beaten by nine wickets in Darwin in the opening Test. The second Test therefore began with Australia in control and Bangladesh under pressure with the bat.

#test #bangladesh #wicket

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons expects Australia to respond strongly in the second Test after his side recorded a nine-wicket win in the series opener in Darwin.

The result was Bangladesh's first Test victory on Australian soil and was described by Australian media as the "Darwin Disaster". Simmons said his players cannot afford to relax when they face the World Test Championship leaders in Mackay from Saturday.

"The only thing I had to say to them - and I will repeat it anyway - is that Australia is going to come harder," Simmons said.

"We have to either keep that level of performance or get a little bit better. Even if we have to get 1% better in some areas, then we will have to make sure that that's there."

"But we know that they are going to change their game. They are going to come harder at us."

Simmons said the victory in Darwin was among the most satisfying results of his coaching career in Test cricket.

Bangladesh could also retain the same XI for the second Test despite left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam pushing for a return. Shoriful, who has taken 27 wickets in 13 Tests, missed the first Test because of a hamstring injury.

"He offers something different. But again, we just won a test match," Simmons said.

"I'm one ... who hardly likes to change winning teams. So it's a possibility, but I can't really say."

Australia, meanwhile, confirmed one change to their team on Friday. Matt Renshaw will open the batting in place of Jake Weatherald, who was dropped on Tuesday.

Captain Pat ****** mins had also considered playing four pacers by bringing in Scott Boland and leaving out spinner Nathan Lyon, but the final XI was confirmed after training.

Cummins said Australia need to produce a better performance in Mackay.

"I think if we play really well and we lose, you feel like you need to do some soul searching," he told reporters.

"I certainly felt like we didn't play anywhere near our best, and they played really well and they deserved to win. So, I think it's going back to when we play well."

"I think everyone's in a pretty good nick. So it's just about translating our form into actually a good result."

#going #better #really

MACKAY, Australia (AP) — Australia's has dropped Jake Weatherald and recalled Matt Renshaw in a bid to stabilize the top order and try to level the two-match series after a shocking loss to Bangladesh in the first cricket test on the weekend.
Australia announced a 13-man squad on Tuesday, with only the one change for the second test in Mackay, in northern Queensland state, starting Saturday.
Weatherald was out for 23 in the first innings and didn't score in the second innings of Australia's nine-wicket defeat in Darwin, and averaged 20.36 in his 12 test innings. Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 1 and 31, was retained in the squad despite concern over his form.
The 30-year-old Renshaw is a contender to open the innings for Australia with Travis Head in his latest comeback to the test lineup.
Renshaw made his debut in 2016 and played 11 tests before being dropped in 2018. He was recalled in 2023 for three tests but has only played in the shorter formats for Australia since then. He averages 29.31 with one century in 14 tests, but has only played one of his last 10 tests on Australian soil.

#test #only #played #mackay

A home series against Bangladesh was expected to give Australia a chance to shake off the rust and begin a busy year of Test cricket. Instead, the nine-wicket defeat in Darwin has left the top-ranked side facing questions about its batting and the future of the team.

Australia were beaten inside four days on Sunday after Bangladesh dominated the first Test. The result was described by Australian media as one of the country's biggest Test defeats, with ninth-ranked Bangladesh outplaying the hosts.

The second and final Test in Mackay, Queensland, begins on Saturday and now carries greater importance than expected. Australia need a convincing win to level the series and ease concerns that the Darwin defeat was more than just a one-off result.

"Let's call this out for the gob-smacking shambles that it was ... Australia's nine wicket loss to Bangladesh is both the greatest upset in Test history and the most humbling Test loss ever suffered by an Australian cricket team," veteran cricket writer Robert Craddock opined in the Courier Mail newspaper, as quoted by Reuters.

"None of Australia's 236 Test losses over 150 years quite compare to it."

Captain Pat ****** mins did not try to hide Australia's poor performance after the match. He said the game was lost on the opening day, when Australia were dismissed for 198, but the problems extended beyond that innings.

Australia struggled throughout the match, losing ground across all four days and in every session.

The main focus has been on the team's batting. The concerns are not new and had already emerged during the home summer, when Australia won the Ashes 4-1 against England.

Opener Jake Weatherald has yet to show that he can consistently perform at Test level and may get one more opportunity in Mackay.

Marnus Labuschagne is also under pressure after two poor dismissals in Darwin. Once a key player in Australia's top order, his continued struggle is putting more pressure on the batters below him.

The defeat has also renewed calls for Australia to bring in younger players. Head coach Andrew McDonald and his coaching staff may have to consider changes despite the lack of young batters putting up enough runs in domestic cricket to demand selection.

#bangladesh #australian

Australia captain Pat ***** mins admitted his side were outplayed in all departments after Bangladesh completed a historic nine-wicket victory in the first Test at Darwin's Marrara Oval on Sunday.

The defeat gave Bangladesh their first Test win on Australian soil and only their second victory over Australia, following their maiden triumph in Dhaka in 2017.

Cummins pointed to Australia's first-innings performance as the key turning point, conceding that his side needed to find a way to bat for longer after Bangladesh's bowlers made early inroads.

"Probably that day one. You know, I thought our preparation was pretty much spot on. I thought it was excellent. So, no excuses. They played really well. I thought the day one wicket was doing a little bit early, but obviously got to try and find a way to bat a little bit longer than we did, and then, just couldn't penetrate with the ball," ***** mins said after the match.

Australia were dismissed for 198 in their first innings after ***** mins won the toss and elected to bat. Bangladesh responded with 426, taking a commanding 228-run lead that ultimately proved decisive.

The hosts showed more resistance in their second innings, reaching 284, with Cameron Green scoring a century. However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz's five-wicket haul helped Bangladesh restrict Australia's lead to just 56 runs before the visitors chased down the target in 14.2 overs.

Cummins acknowledged that Bangladesh maintained control once they had established their advantage.

"Yeah, they did. I think they outplayed us in all facets, really. I thought they were really patient and quite disciplined. And, yeah, once we were behind, it was really hard to get back," he said.

The Australian captain also admitted that the team's batting performances could come under scrutiny before the second Test in Mackay, Queensland, beginning on August 22.

"I think every time there's a game like this, you always kind of look at your match-ups and your make-up of the team for the next one. But, we only just finished, so we'll have a think about it. We're pretty good at bouncing back, so no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve," ***** mins said.

While Australia's batting came under pressure, ***** mins praised Josh Hazlewood for reaching the milestone of 300 Test wickets. Hazlewood finished with six wickets across Bangladesh's two innings.

"Josh, he hasn't had a great run for injuries the last couple of years, but he's one of the hardest workers and just showed his class. And, you know, didn't have too much in it, seam-wise, still picking up six really important wickets. So he was fantastic," ***** mins said.

He also singled out Green, whose 104 was his third Test century and first in Australia. The allrounder spent 201 ***** at the crease and combined with Australia's lower order to prevent Bangladesh from winning by an innings.

"And then Greeny,

'A bit of a blip!: Steve Smith defends No. 1 Australia after Bangladesh's historic 9-wicket Darwin upset originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Steve Smith called Australia's nine-wicket Darwin loss to Bangladesh a "blip," pointing to their No. 1 Test ranking.
Bangladesh secured their first-ever Test win in Australia, taking a 228-run first-innings lead before wrapping up the chase.
Pat **** mins defended his decision to bat first and hinted at possible XI changes ahead of the Mackay Test.
Steve Smith isn't ready to panic, even after Australia suffered one of the more humbling defeats in recent memory.

#steve #smith #bangladesh

After an eight-month absence Test cricket is back for Australia with an intense period of 15 matches in just seven months.
The Sporting News outlines everything you need to know about Australia's upcoming Test schedule.
Australia's red ball squad is currently taking part in the two-Test home winter series against Bangladesh.
The matches are being played in Darwin and Mackay, with Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay set to become Australia's 12th Test venue.
Following the Bangladesh series, Australia will tour South Africa and play three Test matches against the reigning ICC World Test Champions in October 2026 as well as three ODI matches.

#test #mackay

Test cricket returns to Australia's tropical Top End for the first time since 2003 when the hosts take on Bangladesh in a two-match series beginning Thursday.

The first Test at Marrara Stadium in Darwin will be Bangladesh's first Test tour of Australia in more than 20 years. It also starts a 12-month period in which Australia are scheduled to play at least 20 Tests, including series against South Africa, India and England.

Australia are set to bring back their main bowling attack, with Pat **** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon returning from injuries. Mitchell Starc is also in the side.

Injuries have meant the four have rarely played together in recent series. Hazlewood's expected return means Scott Boland will miss out, while allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster are also in the starting XI.

"We know Scotty's class, it is always a pretty tight call," **** mins said at a press conference on Wednesday. "There is not much you can say to Scotty except there is a lot of cricket coming up.

"He knows his worth, and how good he is, and I am sure he will be out there at some point pretty soon."
Australia's bowling attack looks settled, but there are questions over the batting order.

Jake Weatherald, the first Test player from Australia's Northern Territory, has kept his place after Australia's Ashes win over England last season despite his recent form. He is expected to open with Travis Head.

Usman Khawaja's retirement has allowed Australia to play both Green and Webster in the same XI. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith will bat at No. 3 and No. 4, with Labuschagne also looking for runs to strengthen his position in the side.
Bangladesh will be without Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam for the first Test. Shoriful could return for the second match in Mackay from August 22 to 26.

Rana, 23, is one of Bangladesh's quickest bowlers and was a key part of their ODI series win over Australia two months ago. He suffered a side strain during a T20I against Zimbabwe in July.
The series against Bangladesh begins a schedule of 20 Tests for Australia over the next 12 months, with another match possible if they qualify for the World Test Championship final.

After the second Bangladesh Test, Australia will tour South Africa for three Tests in October. They will then host New Zealand for four Tests before a five-Test series in India.

Australia will also play a one-off day-night Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March to mark the 150th anniversary of matches between the two countries.

The schedule will conclude with an away Ashes series beginning in June.

#series #bangladesh #match #play

The 2025-26 Ashes was frenetic, dramatic and sometimes truly indescribable.
Now, with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and Indian Premier League in the rear-vision mirror, Test cricket is set to return for Australia with an intense period of 14 matches in just seven months.
The Sporting News outlines everything you need to know about Australia's upcoming Test schedule.
Australia's red ball squad is about to reassemble for a two-Test winter series against Bangladesh to be held in northern Australian venues in August 2026.
The matches will be played in Darwin and Mackay, with Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay set to become Australia's 12th Test venue.

#premier

The Los Angeles Queens will face the New York Heights in the first game of the Women's Pro Baseball League today in Springfield, Illinois.
The best-known member of the Queens is outfielder Mo'ne Davis, who in 2014 became the first girl to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series and first Little Leaguer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Davis played softball at Hampton University in 2020 and 2022, was an intern in the Dodgers' video production department in 2023, received a master's degree in sports management from Columbia University in 2024 and played for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Banana Ball Championship League earlier this year.
The Queens chose ******* anese right-handed pitcher Ayami Sato with their first selection in the league's draft, the second overall pick. The 36-year-old has helped lead ******* an to six Women's Baseball World Cup championships. The Queens' lone Southern Californian is catcher Jamie Mackay, who played on the baseball team at Pacifica Christian High School in Newport Beach and college softball at Mississippi and South Carolina.
Saturday's 3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time game will be streamed by ESPN Select.

#played #little #World #sports

Hibernian's summer recruits are looking good and it's down to the "fantastic job" being done by sporting director Malky Mackay, reckons Andy Halliday.
Ahead of the Leith side's return to competitive action in the Conference League second qualifying round first leg against Malisheva in Kosovo, head coach David Gray has some selection headaches.
Key creator Nicky Cadden is one of the core squad members ruled out with injury, but former Hearts and Motherwell midfielder Halliday anticipates the summer reinforcements filling the void well, particularly at the top end of the park.
"Under David Gray, especially over the last couple of seasons, a big part of their strategy is to utilise the wing-backs and put crosses into the box," Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"I think I'd probably make a strong case that Nicky Cadden is arguably the best crosser in the league and a huge output for Hibs in terms of their chances created on that left-hand side.

#halliday

"I'm just a Jack of all trades," jokes Lucy Woodward as she trains at Jersey's athletics track for the final time before the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The 23-year-old is set to make history in Glasgow as the first woman from Jersey to compete in a multi-event discipline in the heptathlon later this week.
She is part of a five-strong athletics team from Jersey which sees decathlete Evan Campbell joined by sprinters Zach Saunders, Steve MacKay and Jamie Oldham.
"I don't have any standout events, I always thought if I was good enough at something it might be an easier life to specialise," she tells BBC Jersey at the FB Fields athletics track where she first started multi-eventing aged 10.
"I just think the training is so diverse, every day is different. I like that you can have one bad event and then you can make up for it and it's the most interesting event if you ask me."

#athletics #multi

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