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Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Australia goes past India to achieve rare feat in T20Is after memorable night against WI
Basseterre: Australia breezed past India and South Africa and etched its name in the history books for toppling the record for most successful chases of 200-plus targets in T20Is following a run fest in the third fixture against the West Indies. Tim David brought thunder down the ground with his record-shattering century to help Australia gun down the daunting 215-run target. This was the sixth time that Australia completed a successful chase of a 200-run target or more in the format. The Baggy Greens transcended India and South Africa, who have pulled off the unprecedented feat on five occasions each. West Indies, on the other hand, have fallen flat while trying to defend a 200-plus target on six occasions, the most by any team. The Caribbean side surpassed South Africa's tally of five at Warner Park. In the milestone-breaking contest, David delivered a power-hitting spectacle to smash the record of fastest fifty and hundred for Australia in T20Is. Within the blink of an eye, the 29-year-old brought up his half-century in just 16 balls, the quickest for the Baggy Greens, going past Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis' record of 17. He went firing all cylinders and celebrated his maiden and the fastest T20I ton for Australia, achieving the feat in a mere 37 deliveries. David bettered Josh Inglis' 43-ball effort against Scotland in Edinburgh last September. Estonia's Sahil Chauhan is at the top of the overall summit, hammering a ton in 27 deliveries against Cyprus the previous year. While flaunting his six-hitting prowess, in three consecutive overs bowled by ball tweakers, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase, David blasted nine maximums. He finished with 11 in his unbeaten 102(37) and is behind former captain Aaron Finch's tally of 14 for most sixes in a T20I innings for Australia. He raised a 128-run stand for the fourth wicket with Mitchell Owen, who played a belligerent, unbeaten cameo of 36(18), the highest partnership for Australia in men's T20Is for the fifth wicket or lower. David also became the first to hammer a hundred for Australia in the shortest format of cricket while batting at number five or lower.
India.com
17-07-2025
- Sport
- India.com
8 Players With Most Man Of The Match Awards In WTC History: Travis Head Leads, Ben Stokes Surpasses Joe Root, Ravindra Jadeja At…
photoDetails english 2933175 Updated:Jul 17, 2025, 03:49 PM IST Travis Head:10 Awards in 52 Matches 1 / 8 Travis Head tops the chart with an impressive 10 Player of the Match awards in just 52 WTC matches. His impactful knocks, including a game-changing performance in the WTC Final 2023. Ben Stokes: 6 Awards in 65 Matches 2 / 8 England's Test captain Ben Stokes moved past Joe Root with his sixth award during the Lord's Test against India. Known for his gritty all-round performances, Stokes continues to be a game-changer in the WTC cycle. Joe Root: 5 Awards in 67 Matches 3 / 8 A modern-day Test maestro, Joe Root has dazzled fans with his elegant strokeplay. With five Player of the Match awards, he remains a cornerstone of England's red-ball resurgence in the WTC. Harry Brook: 4 Awards in 24 Matches 4 / 8 The rising star of England, Harry Brook has made a significant impact early in his career. With 4 awards in just 24 matches, he boasts one of the best awards-to-matches ratios in WTC history. Ravindra Jadeja: 4 Awards in 42 Matches 5 / 8 India's only entrant on the list, Ravindra Jadeja, the world's top-ranked Test all-rounder, has earned 4 Player of the Match awards across 42 WTC matches. Usman Khawaja: 4 Awards in 43 Matches 6 / 8 Australia's reliable opener Usman Khawaja has stood tall in pressure situations, earning 4 awards in 43 matches during the WTC cycles. Marnus Labuschagne: 4 Awards in 53 Matches 7 / 8 One of the most consistent run-getters in recent times, Marnus Labuschagne has picked up 4 Player of the Match awards in 53 WTC matches, showcasing his value in Australia's middle order. Steve Smith: 4 Awards in 55 Matches 8 / 8 A legend of modern-day Test cricket, Steve Smith continues to leave his mark. He has won 4 Player of the Match awards in 55 WTC matches, often steering Australia out of trouble with masterclass batting.
News.com.au
06-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Australia v West Indies, Second Test, Day 4: Why Carey and Cummins hold key for Australia
Steve Smith and Cameron Green half-centuries pushed Australia into the ascendancy with a lead of 254 runs at stumps on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada on Saturday. Holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series following a 159-run victory in the first Test in Barbados, the tourists have three wickets in hand as they sit on 221-7 going into the fourth day of what has so far been a low-scoring duel. Smith's innings of 71, his 43rd Test half-century, reflected his awareness of the state of the match as the day progressed. Cautious at first when he came to the crease with his side again in early trouble at 28 for three in the first session, Smith unfurled more of the trademark shots from his considerable repertoire in productive partnerships with Green and then the always aggressive Travis Head. He looked well set to coast to a 37th Test hundred after tea only to be undone by Justin Greaves, the seam bowling all-rounder trapping Smith lbw to end an innings that spanned 119 deliveries and included one six and seven fours. His 93-run fourth-wicket partnership with Green was pivotal in the visitors tilting the balance of play in their favour. 'It's a tricky surface, a bit up and down, a bit of seam movement, so for this innings I decided to bat on middle (stump) and try and be a bit more still to negate lbw as much as possible,' Smith said. 'And then anything loose try to cash in on it. You've got to try to put the bad balls away to put the pressure back on the bowlers.' For the former captain, the state of the pitch plus effective use of the new ball will give Australia the advantage going into the final innings of the match. 'We're in a nice spot. I don't think the wicket is going to get any better to bat,' he said. 'I think the new ball will be pretty critical for us when we get that opportunity but hopefully we can first get up to (a lead of) 300.' Green, whose previous three innings in this series in the vital number three position have raised questions about his suitability for the role, displayed commendable discipline and application in working his way to a seventh Test fifty.
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Smith and Head build Australia's lead over West Indies after Green steadies ship
Finally, in a helter-skelter series, something approaching a normal day's Test cricket took place. In the second Test against West Indies in Grenada, Australia added 209 for five after resuming at a vulnerable 12 for two, taking their overall lead out to 254. The normality of the score is masked by the fact that several tropical rain delays kept play to 58.3 overs, so a full day's play would likely have seen Australia bowled out and West Indies at least commencing the fourth innings. As it is, this match will now make it into a fourth day. It was Cameron Green and Steve Smith who created that sense of normality, after the nightwatch Nathan Lyon hung around for almost an hour before nicking Alzarri Joseph to third slip on eight. The fact that John Campbell held the catch in a faulty cordon was a boost for West Indies, but Green and Smith tamped that back down. Green had the occasional problem, with an inside edge past the stumps or a sharply lifting ball, but produced the most convincing innings of his brief foray to No 3 in the batting order, moving to 52 with the occasional powerful cut shot, and otherwise a lot of forward defence and working the ball around. It was after lunch when he played a perfect straight drive, his shot of the innings, to reach his fifty, then next ball chopped the ball on to his stumps attempting a late cut. Feeling he had wasted the hard work to the stage, he lost his bat as he swung it in frustration. But at 121 for four, Travis Head walked out to crash his first ball through cover for four, and his free scoring seemed to ease some pressure on Smith. To that point Smith had looked more twitchy and unsure, playing conservatively but spasmodically trying an overly big shot that didn't work with the variable bounce of this pitch, balls scooting under or jumping over the bat. With Head periodically smoking a drive, Smith's aggressive shots came off, slotting Justin Greaves' medium pace over mid on for four, and Roston Chase's off spin over long off for six. Half century number 44 in his career came and went, but he couldn't turn it into century number 37. It was shortly after tea, on 71, when Greaves got his own back, angling the ball in to smash pad, then bat, the on-field umpire ruling correctly. Australia have relied on Beau Webster of late, but Greaves got on a roll, drawing a hearty drive that Webster nicked to Chase for another successful slip catch. Head had a little flurry with fellow South Australian Alex Carey for seven overs, then was bowled for 39 by a ball angled in at the left-hander around the wicket. By that stage it was past the scheduled close, but two overs later, added time was ended when the umpires decided that the light was insufficient. Without light towers on the small island ground, nature must be respected. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion West Indies, then, remain in the game, but only just, due to resume with Carey on 26, Pat Cummins on four, and Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to come. Australia's lead of 254 would already be a testing chase on a pitch with enough inconsistencies, and the leading likelihood of those getting worse. The home side can't afford to let those last three wickets add anything substantial on morning four, whereas Australia know that even another 50 runs will deflate their opponents. Showers may continue having an effect, but there is all the time in the world left for a result in a match this far along.
News.com.au
05-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Steve Smith rescues Australia in Second Test against West Indies
Steve Smith has rescued Australia after yet another top order capitulation to steer Australia towards a defendable total in the second Test against the West Indies. Smith and Cameron Green combined nicely to put together a 93-run partnership before Green chopped on one delivery after reaching fifty. The tourists were 4-175 at tea at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada, leading by 208 runs, with Smith (70*) and Travis Head (28*) unbeaten in the middle. Australia took a 33-run lead into the second innings after the West Indies' tail wagged on Day 2. Holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series following a 159-run victory in the first Test in Barbados, Australia looked in troubleat 3/28 before Smith arrived at the crease. West Indies' lone success on a morning interrupted by seasonal showers was nightwatchman Nathan Lyon for eight, the right-hander offering a catch high to John Campbell at second slip off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph having done his job the previous evening in protecting the next man in, Smith, from having to negotiate a tricky few minutes to the close. Cameron Green, once again entrusted with the vital number three position in the order, batted with great restraint with his 52 runs coming from 123 balls. Having missed the first Test through injury and fallen cheaply in the first innings on Friday, Smith seemed to settle in for a significant contribution. West Indies were disciplined in the main with their bowling effort although none of the pacers consistently challenged the Australian batsmen. Like Green, Smith was content to play carefully, the exception being consecutive boundaries off Shamar Joseph, the Guyanese fast bowler who famously claimed the former Australian captain's wicket with his very first ball in Test cricket in Adelaide 18 months ago. Aussie selectors will breathe a sigh of relief at seeing Green finally make some runs batting at first drop. The other top order selection of picking Sam Konstas to open alongside Usman Khawaja has been a spectacular failure. Konstas' Test career is only four Tests old but it might already be at a crossroads. Konstas, who had treatment on his back in the field, couldn't survive until stumps, chopping on to Jayden Seales for a four-ball duck in an ugly dismissal. 'I've just noticed a few balance issues in Barbados and here,' former Australian player Greg Blewett said in commentary. 'That dismissal there, his feet aren't planted and then he's throwing his hands at the ball. 'His feet are still moving after he makes contact (with the ball). That's not ideal. That just suggests things aren't quite right with his balance. 'Sometimes he's getting in good positions, but a lot of the time you're just seeing that overbalance after he plays a shot.'
