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West Australian
an hour ago
- Sport
- West Australian
WACA Ground redevelopment: WA Cricket want venue to be hub for country's women's team
WA Cricket is making a push for its redeveloped ground to become the heart of women's cricket in Australia. The $170 million redevelopment of the historic WACA Ground — which is now set for completion in November — will host a day-night Test match between Australia and India's women's teams in March next season. It will be the first international match played at the venue after its facelift and just the second Test at the ground since a men's Ashes match in 2017. Sports minister Rita Saffioti was on hand to celebrate the 'topping out' of the ground's new northern pavilion on Friday morning. The project had originally been slated for completion in the middle of the year, but that has now been pushed back to beyond the start of the domestic season. It is likely the ground will be opened in line with Perth's Ashes Test from November 21. That could open the door for England's touring side to use the facility Australian stars Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner and Western Australia's own Beth Mooney and Alana King are set to star in the Test from March 6. That match will be the WACA Ground's first-ever pink-ball Test. There had been strong momentum when Australia played South Africa at the venue early last year around the prospect of the WACA becoming a regular venue for the national team. The size of the venue, the family-friendly nature of the grass bank, the soon-to-be upgraded facilities make it a strong option for women's internationals, while the fast and bouncy wickets make for entertaining cricket and the timezone means matches are beamed into the east coast in primetime. WA Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said the ground was well placed to host more women's matches. 'I think the WACA Ground 2.0 is going to be the perfect place for women's cricket and Cricket Australia definitely acknowledge that by allocating us a women's Test match,' he said. 'It will be our first pink-ball Test match, day-night women's Test match, which is an incredible thing us historically to be staging. 'One of our priorities is developing women's cricket, so everything we do here benefits Cricket Australia. The West Australian understands Cricket Australia had been keen to host the clash with India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground — after the success of last year's Ashes match there — but the schedule meant the match would be played too close to the start of the AFL season. Perry — Australia's highest-profile women's cricketer — is among the top players that have pushed for more matches to be played in Perth. The redevelopment of the facility includes the public pool and gymnasium, the nation-leading indoor cricket nets, function space and new public viewing areas.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Restocked Reds prepped for 'do or die' footy
Fraser McReight is confident his Queensland Reds are yet to hit top gear, dismissing their poor record against Super Rugby's best sides ahead of the finals. The Reds host Fijian Drua in their final regular season game at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, with the visitors winless away from home this season and out of top-six contention. Queensland can finish as high as fourth, which would still mean a road trip to begin their finals series but increase their chances of a second life, as the highest-placed loser in the new-look format, should they stumble next week. Fifth entering the final round, the Reds are yet to beat any of the sides sitting above them this year. A tight loss to the Hurricanes last week followed a pair of narrow defeats to the ACT Brumbies, while they were also beaten in New Zealand by the Chiefs and Crusaders. But McReight is adamant Queensland are capable. "We can mix it with anyone," he said, adding the Reds could go up a gear. "The last few weeks, we have had some up and down performances, had our chances. "But we're getting some key members back and building for next week and do-or-die footy." Test centre Josh Flook will be the latest reinforcement, back from a hamstring injury, after incumbent Test skipper Harry Wilson made an impressive return from a broken arm last week. Halves pairing Tate McDermott and Tom Lynagh will also be hopeful of steering the Reds deep into the finals, with Test coach Joe Schmidt acknowledging that as an advantage at the selection table. That continuity will reach new heights next year, with McDermott confirming on Friday he would not take up the option of a sabbatical to play overseas next season. The Drua are winless away from home this year but remain dangerous, as the Reds are well aware after falling victim for a third time in Fiji earlier this season. "They're a pretty dangerous side but in the weather … we have a great set piece game so hopefully we can use that to our advantage and it's too wet for us to also move the ball and have some fun with it," McReight said.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Restocked Reds prepped for 'do or die' footy
Fraser McReight is confident his Queensland Reds are yet to hit top gear, dismissing their poor record against Super Rugby's best sides ahead of the finals. The Reds host Fijian Drua in their final regular season game at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, with the visitors winless away from home this season and out of top-six contention. Queensland can finish as high as fourth, which would still mean a road trip to begin their finals series but increase their chances of a second life, as the highest-placed loser in the new-look format, should they stumble next week. Fifth entering the final round, the Reds are yet to beat any of the sides sitting above them this year. A tight loss to the Hurricanes last week followed a pair of narrow defeats to the ACT Brumbies, while they were also beaten in New Zealand by the Chiefs and Crusaders. But McReight is adamant Queensland are capable. "We can mix it with anyone," he said, adding the Reds could go up a gear. "The last few weeks, we have had some up and down performances, had our chances. "But we're getting some key members back and building for next week and do-or-die footy." Test centre Josh Flook will be the latest reinforcement, back from a hamstring injury, after incumbent Test skipper Harry Wilson made an impressive return from a broken arm last week. Halves pairing Tate McDermott and Tom Lynagh will also be hopeful of steering the Reds deep into the finals, with Test coach Joe Schmidt acknowledging that as an advantage at the selection table. That continuity will reach new heights next year, with McDermott confirming on Friday he would not take up the option of a sabbatical to play overseas next season. The Drua are winless away from home this year but remain dangerous, as the Reds are well aware after falling victim for a third time in Fiji earlier this season. "They're a pretty dangerous side but in the weather … we have a great set piece game so hopefully we can use that to our advantage and it's too wet for us to also move the ball and have some fun with it," McReight said.
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
England launch Harry Brook era with crushing win over West Indies
A decade on from posting a 400-plus total in ODIs for the first time in Birmingham to kick-start Eoin Morgan's revival of the limited-overs sides, England piled up 400 for eight in this Metro Bank ODI series opener despite no one reaching three figures. Brook was one of four batters to pass fifty – all of the top-seven made at least 37 – as he recorded 58 off 45 balls but Jacob Bethell stole some of his thunder by top-scoring with 82 off 53 deliveries. Brutal Bethell 🏏Five catches for Brook 🤲Carse takes a screamer 😱Full Match Highlights 👇 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 29, 2025 Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley may have quietened their critics with centuries against Zimbabwe last week but calls for Bethell to return to the Test side against India this summer are only likely to grow. This was a classy innings which included five sixes and eight fours but was also paced perfectly before the Windies were skittled for 162 in 26.2 overs as England snapped a seven-match losing run in style. Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton claimed three wickets apiece as a record win was in the offing when the Windies lurched to 102 for eight, but the tail wagged and England settled for their second biggest ODI victory – bettered only by the 242-run margin by which they beat Australia in 2018. Brook, who inherited an ODI side in disarray following a dreadful Champions Trophy that led to Jos Buttler's resignation as skipper in March, claimed a record-equalling five catches to complete a memorable day. It started by losing the toss but England's new-look opening pair pierced the in-field at will, with Jamie Smith showing off his range in his 37 after being dropped on one and Ben Duckett was customarily strong on the cut and pull in his 60 before both perished to outstanding catches inside the ring. Joe Root made a typically unobtrusive 57 then nicked off, while Brook took 13 singles from his first 19 balls before thrashing five fours and three sixes, including a couple of stylish whips over fine-leg. However, his uppish cut was taken well by a tumbling Keacy Carty and Buttler was also caught in the deep for 37 in his first innings back in the rank-and-file, leaving England vulnerable to a collapse with none of the top-five kicking on after getting in. Having missed the Champions Trophy because of injury and last week's Test win over Zimbabwe owing to his Indian Premier League commitments, Bethell was not so charitable in his first England innings in three months. He warmed to his task gradually before upping the ante with a mighty slog sweep for six off the underused Gudakesh Motie – the only boundary the wily slow left-armer conceded in seven tidy overs. Bethell cut loose with four sixes off the quicks in the final powerplay in an explosive 98-run stand in 44 balls alongside Will Jacks, who contributed a rapid 39, including 22 in an over off the expensive Matthew Forde. Needing 18 from the final over for a first international century, Bethell instead got a feather to Seales' wider off-cutter but England got to 400 – their sixth in ODIs – with four byes off the last ball. Any hopes the Windies had of recording their highest ODI chase appeared to rest on captain Shai Hope anchoring the innings but his pull off Mahmood's bouncer led to a stunning catch from Brydon Carse over his head, reminiscent of Ben Stokes' unforgettable leaping grab in England's 2019 World Cup opener. Hope's departure for 25 gave the bustling Mahmood his third wicket, having had Justin Greaves and Carty caught at mid-off by Brook, who dived to take a sharp chance off 18-year-old Jewel Andrew. Brook took a couple more before Motie and Seales hit out down the order as the Windies avoided their heaviest defeat. England, though, sealed a commanding victory when Adil Rashid castled Alzarri Joseph.
NDTV
6 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Harry Brook Hails 'Exceptional' Jacob Bethell As England Rout West Indies In First ODI
Harry Brook predicted Jacob Bethell "will be some player" after the 21-year-old rising star impressed in England's thumping victory over the West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston on Thursday. There has long been talk over whether Bethell, recently returned from IPL duty, will go straight back into the Test side for the upcoming five-match series with India. And that speculation will only intensify following Bethell's expertly-paced innings of 82 from 53 balls that propelled England to a huge total of 400-8 on his Warwickshire home ground. Faced with trying to become only the second team in the 4,880-match history of men's ODI cricket to score over 400 to win, following South Africa's 438-9 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006, the West Indies collapsed to 162 all out. Brook, speaking after launching his reign as England's permanent white-ball captain with a dominant 238-run win, said of left-hander Bethell: "He batted beautifully there. "When one of us gets going, most of the time it's hard to stop us and he showed that. He couldn't go on and get three figures but it was a match-winning innings and he's going to be some player. "He's a confident lad, I don't think he needs too much more bigging up, he knows he's a good player and we all know he's an exceptional player. He's going to have a very long England career if he keeps on batting the way he does. He brings so much to a side (because) he can bowl and field as well." Victory ended England's seven-match losing streak in ODI cricket and put them 1-0 up in this three-game series against the West Indies. Barbados-born Bethell's Indian Premier League commitments meant he missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe, with England not having to decide whether to retain him at number three after he starred in New Zealand in December or restore vice-captain Ollie Pope to that position. Pope made a hundred at Trent Bridge but Test captain Ben Stokes revived the debate around Bethell by indicating the spin-bowling all-rounder could be back in the side to face India. Stokes later insisted he was only talking about Bethell returning to the squad for the first of five Tests against India, starting on June 20 at Headingley. But a relaxed Bethell told the BBC: "Not a lot has been said to me, to be honest. At the end of the day in Test cricket, those boys have their spots and whatever happens, happens. I'll just be happy with whatever." Bethell rounded off England's innings on Thursday following earlier fifties from Ben Duckett (60), Joe Root (57) and Brook (58), while every batsman in the hosts' top seven passed 35. "It was a pretty exceptional start from the boys," said Brook. Hopefully we can top that. The tempo we batted with throughout the innings was pretty much spot on." Saqib Mahmood then rocked the West Indies with three wickets and fellow paceman Jamie Overton did likewise despite dislocating his finger in his first over. West Indies coach Darren Sammy, meanwhile, demanded an improved showing from the tourists in the second ODI in Cardiff on Sunday. "We were really outplayed -- that was just not good enough," insisted the former West Indies captain. Listen to the latest songs, only on
