
Former Australia captain and coach Bob Simpson dies at 89
'Bob Simpson was one of the greats of Australian cricket and this is a sad day for anyone fortunate to have watched him play or who benefited from his wisdom," said Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird.'As a brilliant opening batter, incredible slips fielder and handy spin bowler, Bob was a mainstay of a very strong Australian team in the 1960s, and he became a leader across the game as Australian and New South Wales captain and as a coach.'Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket.'On behalf of Cricket Australia, I would like to express my warmest condolences to Bob's family, friends, teammates and all those touched by his vast contribution to cricket.'Simpson worked as a consultant for India during the 1999 World Cup in England and inducted into the ICC Hall Of Fame in 2013.- Ends
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
20 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ashwin expounds on Shubman Gill vs Yashasvi Jaiswal Asia Cup debate: 'Rohit Sharma not in team, so he automatically...'
Veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin discussed a few talking points regarding India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. The selectors have not announced the squad yet, as they must be in a dilemma over some big choices. It is going to be a tough task for the defending champions to get their combination right, as it is going to be the first tournament after the transition period started after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirements. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had to make a call with coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav on whether to bring back Test captain Shubman Gill back in the T20I side. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal is another player who will be in contention for a place in the Asia Cup squad. India Shubman Gill, left, and Yashasvi Jaiswal might fight for a place for opener in the Asia Cup squad.(PTI) Ashwin weighed in on the Gill vs Jaiswal debate for the Asia Cup, pointing out that the left-hander was chosen ahead of the current Test captain as a backup in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which has now strengthened his case for selection. 'There are a few talking points regarding the Asia Cup. The first question that comes to everyone's mind is whether Shubman Gill fits into the T20 plans because in the last World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal was the backup opener," Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel. 'So Jaiswal automatically gets a kick-in. Rohit Sharma is not going to be a part of that team, so Jaiswal automatically gets a look-in. Now, who is going to be that other opener?" Ashwin added. 'Sanju Samson has had a fabulous run too…' The former Indian cricketer asserted that Shubman recently had an incredible Test series to make a claim to get picked. He also pointed out that Sanju Samson has performed exceedingly well as an opener in the shortest format for India so far. 'Shubman Gill had an outstanding series. Can he return to the squad? Sanju Samson has had a fabulous run as a T20 opener for India. So I think it is a tricky state for the selectors," he said. Meanwhile, he also emphasised that Shreyas Iyer has built a strong case for a return, adding another layer of complexity to the selection decisions. Can Shreyas Iyer make a comeback? There is a lot of decision-making that the selectors have to make," Ashwin said.


India Today
21 minutes ago
- India Today
Stop hoarding privilege: Johnson slams Cricket Australia CEO's take on lesser Tests
Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson has criticised Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg's remarks suggesting that the future of Test cricket lies in reducing the number of nations competing in the format. Greenberg recently argued that Test matches should be limited to the top teams to maintain financial stability and ensure 'quality' claimed that forcing smaller boards to play the five-day format could drive them towards bankruptcy, suggesting that 'scarcity in Test cricket is our friend, not our foe.' He pointed to the Ashes as an example of how meaningful rivalries between elite nations remain however, strongly disagreed, stating that cutting back opportunities for developing nations would damage the very fabric of the game. Writing in his column for the West Australian, he argued that leadership lies in lifting others up rather than shutting them out. 'The solution isn't to scale Test cricket down to three or four rich countries,' Johnson wrote. 'It's to help the rest grow. Players want it, fans want it — so why are we making it so hard? What these nations lack isn't passion, it's support. And if the ICC and the so-called big three want to protect the future, they need to stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility.'He stressed that the meaning of Test cricket is not determined by broadcasting revenue but by national pride. 'A Sri Lanka v Pakistan series might not break streaming records, but to the players and fans it means everything. You don't protect that by cutting it off. You protect it by investing in it.'Johnson also highlighted the irony of Test cricket being labelled 'too expensive,' while money continues to pour into new T20 leagues worldwide. He pointed out that South Africa, the reigning World Test champions, do not have a single home Test scheduled this summer, calling it a sign of misplaced priorities.'The money is there — it's just being pointed the wrong way,' Johnson wrote. He suggested that a share of revenue from major Test series should be reinvested into grassroots cricket, coaching and infrastructure across call was clear: Test cricket's future will not be saved by restricting it to a few. Instead, it requires shared responsibility, fair investment and a commitment to ensuring that all cricketing nations have the opportunity to play the format that remains the ultimate test of skill and character.- EndsMust Watch
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
'We're going to...': Alyssa Healy warns of spin challenge ahead of Women's World Cup 2025
Australia star Alyssa Healy smashed 137 not out against India A, highlighting her readiness for the upcoming Women's World Cup in the sub-continent. She stressed the need to tackle spin-heavy conditions in the tournament. Alyssa Healy is all set to play the ODI World Cup 2025 in India. Reuters Brisbane: Batting stalwart Alyssa Healy has acknowledged that Australia will have to negotiate the spin challenge in a big way to stake claim to the World Cup for a record-extending eighth time in the Indian subcontinent. The star wicketkeeper-batter will be the one to watch out for when the showpiece event begins in India and Sri Lanka next month as the Southern Stars aim to retain the title they won in New Zealand in 2022. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Healy gave a preview of what to expect in the global event when she blazed away to an unbeaten 137 as Australia A picked up consolation nine-wicket win against India A in the third one-dayer here. More from First Cricket India Champions' boycott of WCL matches against Pakistan was triggered because of one player: Report Though Australia A lost the series 1-2, Healy stood out in the opener's role by emerging as the highest run-getter in the series. She had struck a 91 in the previous game, once again displaying her mastery against the India A spin attack that had the likes of Radha Yadav, Minnu Mani, Tanuja Kanwar and Prema Rawat, who did not play in the inconsequential game. 'They've (India A) got a really spin-heavy attack and we're going to have to play a lot of that throughout the World Cup as well, a lot of the middle overs will be spin-biased,' Healy told Australia A was more determined on Sunday as they made a mockery of the spin attack to finish the match in less than 28 overs by chasing down a modest 217-run target for the loss of just one wicket. Australia A coach Dan Marsh too felt that Healy's performance on Sunday places her in good space ahead of the World Cup in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Alyssa batted well today. All pre-season she's been looking good and it was just nice to see her get some match practice and put that into place heading into India,' Marsh said. 'She'll be really happy with her two weeks (with Australia A), will have a nice little rest at home now and be ready to go to India,' added Marsh.