21 h. ago Steve Smith plots return for second West Indies Test after baseball cage hitout

Batter out to prove fitness following compound dislocation of finger Smith backs misfiring Cam Green and Sam Konstas to shine on tourSteve Smith has backed young guns Sam Konstas and Cameron Green to find their feet in the Caribbean, with the Australia batting great expecting to return to face West Indies in the second Test after putting his injured finger to the test in an unusual setting.The former captain missed Australia’s 159-run victory in the first Test against West Indies after injuring a finger when spilling a catch in the World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa. Continue reading...

Events

45 h. ago Beau Webster’s dependability should give heart to Australia’s Test hopefuls new and old

Sam Konstas has been backed to open again and can look to Webster’s example of composure and calm at the creaseAustralia’s bowlers rescued the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, so the team will be relieved to welcome back blue-chip batter Steve Smith for the second Test in Grenada. In London a fortnight ago, a fielding mishap looked like it had caused Smith’s finger a horrific break, but instead the injury was a dislocation, and it has settled well enough for him to come safely through a net session in New York City. Smith will rejoin the team in Barbados on Sunday, with a final fitness check the day before the next fixture starting on 3 July.Australian coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Smith will slot straight back in at his preferred No 4 spot when available, which will mean that Josh Inglis has to make way after filling in and returning a rare failure with the bat in Australian colours. There are no other spots available, after McDonald backed Sam Konstas to open and...

Politics

56 h. ago England fall to heaviest T20 defeat as Mandhana century sparks India rout

1st T20i: India 210-5 beat England 113 by 97 runsDefeat is first of Edwards-Sciver-Brunt eraEngland’s one-sided series against West Indies last month was merely a dress rehearsal: India were always going to be the main event. And so the curtain finally went up on the Charlotte Edwards-Nat Sciver-Brunt era for a Trent Bridge Saturday matinee.The audience, though, went home disappointed after witnessing an England performance akin to The Play That Goes Wrong – bowled out for 113 inside 15 overs, to give India a 97-run win, England’s heaviest T20 international defeat in terms of runs. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Josh Hazlewood blitz sends Australia to victory inside three days in West Indies

First Test, day three: Australia 180 & 310; West Indies 190 & 141 Hazlewood picks up five wickets in 159-run victory in BridgetownIt was an extraordinary final session to end the first Test in Barbados in the long shadows of the third evening. After two days of wobbles, a portion of Australia’s batting got its act together, with the lower-middle-order trio of Travis Head, Beau Webster, and Alex Carey making half centuries to lift Australia’s second innings to 310. That left West Indies needing 301 to win the first Test in Barbados, always unlikely on a Kensington Oval pitch that already had balls keeping low. Josh Hazlewood made sure of it with a withering burst of 4-4 in 16 balls, later upping that to 5-23, as West Indies crashed humiliatingly to 141 all out, losing by 159 runs.Hazlewood has been the subject of some public attention of late, given his injury absences and how well Scott Boland has performed during each one. But the first-choice option has 288 Test wickets, t...

Events

3 d. ago Australia set West Indies 301 to win after middle order digs in

Australia dismissed for 310 on third day in BridgetownHead, Webster and Carey all made half-centuriesTravis Head has given Australia a fresh scent of victory in the first Test after delivering his second half-century against West Indies in Bridgetown.It helped Australia reach lunch on the third day in an improving position. Having resumed on 4-92, the tourists shored up their position by reaching 5-181, growing their lead from 82 to 171. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Charlotte Edwards has England ‘focused on winning’ again – Lauren Bell

It has been a positive start, with a clean sweep of the six-match white-ball series against the West Indies.

Events

4 d. ago Bowling attack bails out Australian batters with first Test in West Indies finely balanced

Day two: Australia 180 & 92-4; West Indies 190 | Australia lead by 82Beau Webster impresses with two wickets in fight backThe wheel turned as the wheel so often has in Australia’s Tests the last couple of years: the batters under-delivered, the bowlers made it right. With the team having been bowled out for 180 on the first day of the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, Australia’s quicks turned around and returned the favour, keeping West Indies to 190, the lead to 10, and making the match a one-innings shootout in an often chaotic day. The second Australian batting effort then stuttered to 65-4, before improving the score by stumps to 92, a lead of 82.Spare yet another thought for Shamar Joseph. In three career outings against Australia, the West Indies pace prodigy has been a bowling Mozart, but he runs towards a slip cordon with more drops than Tiësto. In the first innings after getting Sam Konstas lbw, his notional catchers put down chances from Cameron Green and Us...

Events

4 d. ago Australia’s top order stutters again to leave first Test in West Indies finely balanced

Day two: Australia 180 & 92-4; West Indies 190 | Australia lead by 82Beau Webster impresses with ball to keep West Indies in checkThe wheel turned as the wheel so often has in Australia’s Tests the last couple of years: the batters under-delivered, the bowlers made it right. With the team having been bowled out for 180 on the first day of the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, Australia’s quicks turned around and returned the favour, keeping West Indies to 190, the lead to 10, and making the match a one-innings shootout in an often chaotic day. The second Australian batting effort then stuttered to 65-4, before improving the score by stumps to 92, a lead of 82.Spare yet another thought for Shamar Joseph. In three career outings against Australia, the West Indies pace prodigy has been a bowling Mozart, but he runs towards a slip cordon with more drops than Tiësto. In the first innings after getting Sam Konstas lbw, his notional catchers put down chances from Cameron Gree...

Events

4 d. ago Australia regain initiative as West Indies dismissed for 190

Hosts rue controversial dismissals at crucial momentsBeau Webster impresses with two wickets in fight backAustralia’s bowlers have hit back after a poor morning session to bowl out West Indies for 190 and regain the initiative in an absorbing and fluctuating first Test at Bridgetown.But while the hosts grabbed a 10-run first-innings lead, they were again left unimpressed by two controversial dismissals of their key batters, captain Roston Chase and white-ball skipper Shai Hope, which may have tipped the game in Australia’s favour. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Huge summer of women's cricket sees England Women hosting India and the return of The Hundred

Cricket fans across England and Wales are set for a huge summer of sporting action, starting later this month with a refreshed England Women side, following a whitewash of the West Indies, taking on India in a series destined for unlimited drama. New Head Coach Charlotte Edwards and new Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will lead their team in three Metro Bank ODIs and five Vitality IT20s across June and July, with the rivalry between the two nations running deeper than ever before as – for the first time – England Men and England Men’s Mixed Disability sides will also host India.

Politics

1 week ago Marnus Labuschagne axed by Australia after World Test Championship final defeat

Having been promoted to open against South Africa at Lord’s, Labuschagne will miss out in the first Test against the West Indies next week

Sport

1 week ago Mark Ramprakash believes Jacob Bethell’s test match career can follow Brian Lara’s

Ramprakash says Bethell must wait for his chance to cement his place in the test side much like Lara did for the West Indies

Politics

1 week ago BBC EastEnders fans distracted by Stacey Slater plot hole during Zoe's return

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) returned to EastEnders on Tuesday following the arrival of her cousin Zoe Slater who made a shock return after 20 years away from Walford

Sport

1 week ago EastEnders fans point out 'insane plot hole' as Zoe Slater return explained

The character is adament that she doesn't want to reunite with her mum Kat Slater

Politics

2 w. ago Bridge collapse horror as several dead and 51 injured after structure gives way

At least four people have died and 51 others are injured after a bridge collapsed in India on Sunday. More than 100 people were reportedly on the footbridge over the Indrayani river in west India when a section of the structure collapsed at 3.30pm local time

Events

2 w. ago Gino D'Acampo unveils plans for TV comeback after being axed from ITV

Gino is plotting his return to television with a new travel series.

Politics

2 w. ago South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day four – live

South Africa chasing a target of 282 to win at Lord’sPlay starts at 10.30am BST / 11.30am SAST / 7.30pm AESTRead the latest edition of The Spin | And email GeoffWho’s nervous? I’m nervous, on their behalf. The batters in next will have spent the evening telling themselves that they’re relaxed, but I’m sure there are thoughts flittering around, mostly that they would all really like to not be required. Australia need to turn that screw right away to have a chance.Then there was Andy Bull, who pondered the slips and the turn of fate that saw Steve Smith’s horrible hand injury. Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago Couple killed in Air India plane crash lost pilot son in earlier aviation tragedy

Prayers were held at Hindu temples across north-west London on Thursday evening following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad as the Gujarati community in the capital had been hit "especially hard"

Events

2 w. ago Aiden Markram gives South Africa control against Australia at Lord’s

The Proteas need another 69 runs to win the World Test Championship final.

Politics

2 w. ago Steve Smith suffers nasty injury after dropping catch in World Test Championship final

The Australia batter shelled a sitter at slip and could face months out

Sport