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United News of India
31-07-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Big Bash to consider private ownership
Sydney, July 30 (UNI) Cricket Australia (CA) will consider private investment in the eight Big Bash franchises after a recommendation from a consulting firm. CA commissioned Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to recommend ways the Big Bash could "evolve and capitalise on the past 15 years of innovation and investment across Australian cricket". The report suggested that CA could seek alternative forms of investment and ownership – including allowing private ownership for the first time. CA say no timeline has seen set and they will work with state and territory bodies and Big Bash clubs as well as the players' union and its broadcast and commercial partners as it assesses the recommendations, promising a "thorough exploratory process". Other recommendations included schedule changes, with the tournament possibly starting on December 26 to avoid more of the Australia Test summer and increase player availability. Increased salary caps to draw more top-tier international players was described as a "key recommendation", according to a BBC news. CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said the BCG report was "strong validation" for the 15 years of innovation, fan engagement and success of the Big Bash. "As well as creating amazing fan experiences, under its current operating model the League and its clubs are valuable assets with significant potential for growth. "The success of the T20 format has been a huge boost for the game globally in attracting new audiences and increasing participation. We need to ensure that the Big Bash remains among the world's top sporting competitions." UNI BM
BBC News
29-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Williamson century drives Middlesex at Cheltenham
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, College Ground, Cheltenham (day one)Middlesex 232-3: Williamson 104*; M Taylor 2-47Gloucestershire: Yet to batGloucestershire 1 pt, Middlesex 0 ptsMatch scorecard Kane Williamson bit the hand that once fed him with an unbeaten century for Middlesex on a curtailed opening day of the County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at a life on 29, the prolific New Zealander hit 104 not out, off just 112 balls, against his former county as the visitors ran up 232-3 after winning the toss. Josh De Caires contributed 58 and Leus du Plooy 42 not out, before bad light and drizzle ended play at 16:50 seamer Matt Taylor was the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers with 2-47 from 12 overs, but it was a largely disappointing day for the hosts in front of a sparse Festival crowd, no doubt resulting from the unsettled start was delayed until 12:15 by rain and when the covers were removed a two-tone pitch was revealed, green for the most part, but shaved at both ends. In deciding to bat first, Middlesex presumably anticipated it would turn as the match heavily overcast skies, Gloucestershire made a breakthrough with the second ball of the third over with the total on 10. Taylor found the edge of Sam Robson's bat and, although Cameron Bancroft could only parry the ball at first slip, Ollie Price was alert to pouch the Murphy was introduced into the attack from the College Lawn End for the ninth over, but the Australia Test off-spinner could make no impact during the shortened pre-lunch session, which ended with Middlesex Holden helped De Caires take the score to 54 in the 15th over before pushing forward to a ball from Taylor that he could have left and edging through to wicketkeeper James Bracey. Murphy switched to the Chapel End to little effect as De Caires moved to an authoritative half-century off 81 deliveries, with 10 fours.A big moment came with the score on 115-2 as Williamson edged Murphy to slip where Miles Hammond spilled a routine waist-high chance. It was all the good fortune the Kiwi master-bladesman needed to capitalise fully on the short boundaries at the College Caires was visibly frustrated to depart two runs later, lbw playing across a full delivery from Ben Charlesworth. That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire, du Plooy helping Williamson add 87 without alarm before the tea reached a 68-ball half-century, with 7 fours, Williamson took 20 off an over from Graeme van Buuren, twice smacking the left-arm spinner back over his head for sixes. Du Plooy looked equally untroubled and was unbeaten on 28 at tea, with his partner 10 away from a final session saw Williamson bring up the century partnership off just 95 balls before moving to his own hundred with a single to square leg off Murphy. He had faced only 104 deliveries and hit 12 fours and two the skies closing in, umpires Neil Pratt and Sue Redfern decided the light was unfit with a further 32 overs still possible in the day. Soon the rain was falling heavily again and play was abandoned at just after 17: Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
CNA
17-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Lions wrestle with favourites tag as Wallabies mend and make do
BRISBANE :The British & Irish Lions have rarely been as heavily favoured to win a test as they will be for their opening clash with Australia on Saturday, even if you might not guess it listening to coach Andy Farrell. The former rugby league player is too canny a man to hand the opposition any hubristic quotes they can snip out of the newspaper and hang on the dressing room wall for motivation, let alone give his squad any cause for complacency. "There's no overconfidence at all," Farrell told a news conference as he faced repeated questions about the favourable odds after naming his team on Thursday. "There's a realisation of what it is, and what it means and how privileged we are etc. But that doesn't get in the way of how we prepare to make sure that we allow ourselves to be the best version of ourselves." Many of the thousands of travelling Lions fans already starting to fill the streets in downtown Brisbane on Thursday were not as wary of projecting their confidence, even if some of the Welsh contingent were more than a little disgruntled. For the first time in nearly 130 years on Saturday, there will be no Welsh representative on the pitch in a Lions test after Farrell made the decision to play Tom Curry and leave out in-form Wales skipper Jac Morgan. His Wallabies counterpart and former mentor Joe Schmidt would probably have welcomed such a selection dilemma when choosing Australia's back row, particularly with his best ball-runner Rob Valetini unavailable with a calf strain. Having also lost his starting playmaker Noah Lolesio to injury after a warm-up test against Fiji, Schmidt selected flyhalf Tom Lynagh for his first test start and flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny for his international debut. Lynagh has promise and pedigree as the son of Wallabies great Michael, but on Saturday will be pitting his wits against 87-cap Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell, 10 years his senior and a three-times Lions tourist. Schmidt spoke glowingly of Lynagh's "quiet confidence" and pointed hopefully to the fact that the 22-year-old would at least be playing on his home ground. "Probably not ideal to be starting your first test match for the Wallabies against the British & Irish Lions," he conceded. "But you've got to start somewhere, and if not now, when? I am confident that he'll cope and I'm very confident that he'll learn from the occasion. "I'd like to think that we can still go out, probably sharing Tom Lynagh's quiet confidence that we can put a game together that at least can keep the British & Irish Lions pretty honest on the day." Local hopes of success otherwise appear to rely on Schmidt's coaching skills, their relatively decent test record in Brisbane, and the lore that the Wallabies "always turn up". Farrell has warned his players constantly of the latter point and, for all the wins and razzle dazzle in the tour matches, said he would not know the true mettle of the 2025 Lions until Saturday night. "You have to back it up. I guess I have sense that there's a determined bunch that's looking forward to what we came over here for," he said.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Derbys draw at Gloucs after batting collapse
Harry Came put on 177 for Derbyshire's first wicket with Caleb Jewell before their collapse [Getty Images] Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day four) Gloucestershire 187 & 526-6 dec: Bancroft 176, Van Buuren 175 Derbyshire 398: Came 103 & 296-8: Came 91, Jewell 83; Van Buuren 4-64 Advertisement Gloucs (11 pts) drew with Derbyshire (14 pts) Match scorecard Harry Came fell nine runs short of a second century in the match as Derbyshire were forced to settle for a draw in an exciting finish to their County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at Bristol. The hosts declared their second innings at lunch, having progressed from an overnight 364-3 to 526-6. Graeme van Buuren added 70 to his score before being dismissed for 175, while James Bracey hit a brisk 43. That set Derbyshire a victory target of 316 in a minimum of 67 overs. Came and Caleb Jewell put together an opening stand of 177 in just 31.3 overs before Jewell fell for 83, from 80 deliveries, with 12 fours, and Came for 91, off 118 balls, with seven fours and three sixes. Advertisement But Gloucestershire refused to buckle and left-arm spinner van Buuren claimed 4-64 to give his side a chance before Anuj Dal (36 not out) and Ben Aitchison batted out for a draw at 296-8. Derbyshire took 14 points and Gloucestershire 11. Cameron Bancroft began the day undefeated on 170 in Gloucestershire's second innings. The captain could add only six before being bowled by Zak Chappell, but could still take immense pride in a match-turning innings spanning almost seven-and-three-quarter hours and 366 balls Van Buuren was obliged to exercise initial caution as he and Bracey guarded against a collapse. But once the pair had brought up 400, they went on the attack. Bracey smacked a straight six off Alex Thomson to stretch the lead to 207 and followed up with two quick boundaries off Jack Morley. On 134, van Buuren edged Morley just short of Wayne Madsen at slip, but it was all the good fortune the South African needed to reach 150 off 261 balls, with 20 fours. Advertisement A six over long-on off Thomson brought up the century stand with Bracey, who faced just 56 balls in an entertaining cameo before top-edging an attempted slog sweep off Thomson and presenting wicketkeeper Brooke Guest with a simple catch. It was 498-6 when van Buuren's was caught at wide long-on off Thomson looking to accelerate towards the declaration. Zaman Akhter hit sixes off two of his first three balls, while Ben Charlesworth also cleared the ropes with a powerful reverse sweep off Morley on the stroke of lunch. Gloucestershire gave the new ball to debutant Todd Murphy when the afternoon session began, hoping the Australia Test off-spinner would make early inroads. With David Lloyd unable to open the batting having been off the field injured on day three, Came partnered Caleb Jewell and soon signalled his side's intentions with a four and a six in Murphy's second over. That set the tone for an exhilarating century stand, Came reaching a fluent half-century off 61 balls, with five fours and two sixes, and Jewell following him to the same landmark, having faced 52 deliveries and hit seven fours. Advertisement Came hit a straight six off van Buuren as Derbyshire progressed serenely to 169 without loss at tea, needing a further 147 to win. Came was 87 not out and Jewell unbeaten on 75. Jewell hit the first two balls of the final session from Ajeet Singh Dale for boundaries, but fell to the third, caught at mid-off by the diving Miles Hammond, who produced an even better effort to dismiss Came, one-handed at mid-wicket off Murphy to leave Derbyshire 189-2. Madsen made 17 before edging an attempted pull shot off Akhter to wicketkeeper James Bracey and Martin Andersson registered a third-ball duck, lbw to Murphy with 104 runs still required. That target had been reduced to 81 when Guest was caught behind off van Buuren for 22. Derbyshire entered the final hour of the match on 249-5, needing a further 67 from a minimum of 16 overs. Their task increased when Thomson, on 10, edged a sweep to Hammond at slip off van Buuren, who followed up by having Zak Chappell caught at mid-wicket. That finally brought in Lloyd to bat with a runner with 45 needed and Anuj Dal unbeaten on 27. Advertisement Lloyd made only nine before falling lbw to the inspired van Buuren. But Dal stood firm and Aitchison helped clinch the draw as the game ended with Gloucestershire fielders crowded around the bat. ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
News18
11-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
Star Pacer OUT, New Opener Chosen As Australia Reveal Playing 11 For WTC Final
Last Updated: Marnus Labuschagne is set to open the innings, and Josh Hazlewood has beaten Scott Boland for a place in Australia's now-confirmed playing 11 for the WTC Final vs South Africa. Pacer Scott Boland has missed out on Australia's 11 for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa, which begins on Wednesday (June 11) at Lord's. Skipper Pat Cummins announced the team, confirming all the expected tweaks in the team, with Josh Hazlewood taking his place back as one of the pace trio, Marnus Labuschagne opening the batting for the first time and Beau Webster picked for the number six spot. Boland, 36, has once again paid the price for being an excellent, but still the fourth-best, fast bowler in the country. With Josh Hazlewood returning from the side injury that kept him out of the country's last few Tests, Boland has to be content with the bench, despite carrying a stunning Test average of 17.66. Hazlewood will play his first WTC final, having missed out on the defending champions' 2023 win over India at the Oval, too. 'There are some guys where you generally say you've done nothing wrong, don't change a thing, and that's Scott and he's just really unfortunate to miss out," Cummins said at the press conference. 'The message to Scott is there's a lot of Test matches coming up in the next couple of years, and just because you're in your mid-30s doesn't mean you're missing this Test and that's the last Test of your career. I think by having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can extend a lot of careers for an extra couple of years." Meanwhile, Labuschagne becomes another addition to the Australia Test opening musical chairs. Sam Konstas impressed on debut against India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but was dropped for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka. Having already tried Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Nathan McSweeney, and several others in the role, the selectors seemed to have finally zeroed in on a promotion for Labuschagne. Australia will hope he can come good in the new role and improve on his form (he hasn't scored a Test century since 2023). His jump up top will mean Cameron Green, playing his first Test after undergoing back surgery in the summer, will bat at three. But Green can still only play as a specialist batter and hence, Beau Webster, who can bowl both spin and medium-pace, will take up the all-rounder's role. Australia's playing 11 for WTC Final against South Africa: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood. First Published: June 10, 2025, 17:53 IST
