Cricket

Travis Head's Blitzkrieg Powers Australia to T20I Victory Over EnglandIn a thrilling encounter at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, Australian opener Travis Head unleashed a devastating assault on England's Sam Curran, smashing 30 runs off a single over to propel his team to a commanding 28-run victory in the first T20I.Head's pyrotechnics were the centerpiece of Australia's innings, as he plundered 59 runs off just 23 deliveries, including four towering sixes and eight boundaries. His partnership with Matthew Short (41 off 26) laid the foundation for Australia's competitive total of 179.The carnage unfolded in the fifth over of the Australian innings, when Curran replaced Jofra Archer in the attack. Head greeted him with a flurry of boundaries before unleashing three consecutive sixes, sending the ball soaring over the ropes with effortless power. He capped off the over with another four, leaving Curran reeling and the crowd in awe.England's chase got off to a shaky start, with the hosts losing four wickets for just 52 runs in the first eight overs. Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran attempted to steady the ship with a 54-run partnership, but Australia's bowlers maintained the pressure.Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood proved to be the tormentors for England, claiming two wickets apiece. Zampa's leg-spin bamboozled the English batsmen, while Hazlewood's pace and accuracy kept them on the back foot.In the end, England were bowled out for 151, falling short of Australia's target by 28 runs. The victory gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second match scheduled for Friday in Cardiff.

Australia's pace bowling woes continue as Xavier Bartlett joins the injury list with a side strain sustained during the first T20I against England in Southampton. Bartlett's injury, if confirmed to end his tour, would add to the absences of Spencer Johnson (side) and Nathan Ellis (hamstring).Bartlett's impressive performance in the match, claiming the wicket of Jordan Cox and extracting swing on a cold night, was cut short by his injury. The selectors now face the prospect of bringing in Riley Meredith, who was retained for the England T20 matches after Ellis's injury, for the second T20I in Cardiff on Friday. Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Cooper Connolly are also options for the side.The selectors have yet to confirm who will replace Ellis in the one-day squad. New South Wales left-armer Ben Dwarshuis is set to join the team ahead of the ODIs, but his role is currently limited to providing cover.Bartlett's injury is a setback for the Australian team, as he had not been included in the ODI squad despite his impressive performances against West Indies earlier this year. The side injury could also impact his availability for the start of the domestic season with Queensland, with the Marsh Cup beginning later this month and the Sheffield Shield starting in early October.Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood made a strong return to action in Southampton, taking 2 for 32 from his four overs, including the crucial wicket of Liam Livingstone. Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will be part of the one-day series, while Pat Cummins is missing the entire tour to focus on strength and conditioning ahead of the home summer.

Sri Lanka's historic Test victory over England at The Oval has propelled six of their players to new career-high ratings on the ICC Men's Test Rankings. Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, and Pathum Nissanka led the charge with impressive batting performances.De Silva's stylish 69 in the first innings earned him a three-place jump to 13th overall, making him Sri Lanka's highest-ranked batter. Mendis gained six places to 19th after a half-century, while Nissanka soared 42 spots to 39th following his innings of 64 and 127*.England's Joe Root remains the world's top-ranked Test batter despite modest scores at The Oval. However, his rating has dropped, allowing New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell, and Australia's Steve Smith to close the gap. Harry Brook fell seven places to 12th after disappointing performances.On the positive side for England, Ollie Pope gained seven places to equal 27th after a century in the first innings, and Jamie Smith jumped six spots to equal 30th after a quickfire half-century in the second innings.Sri Lanka's bowlers also made significant gains on the Test bowler rankings. Vishwa Fernando rose 13 places to equal 31st after taking five wickets, while Lahiru Kumara (up 10 places to 32nd) and Milan Rathnayake (up 26 places to equal 84th) also improved. England's Olly Stone gained 13 places to 74th after his three wickets in the first innings.In the T20I rankings, Australia's Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis climbed the ladder for batters after their series sweep over Scotland. Spinner Adam Zampa moved up one place to seventh on the T20I bowler rankings. Scotland's Bradley Currie made a significant jump of 20 places to 49th on the same list.

The fifth Test of the Pataudi Trophy between India and England, scheduled for Old Trafford in September 2021, was abruptly canceled just 90 minutes before its scheduled start due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Indian camp. The outbreak affected several support staff members, including head coach Ravi Shastri, and raised concerns about the health and safety of the players.Despite the Indian players testing negative for the virus, anxiety over potential health risks led to the postponement of the match. India was leading the series 2-1 and had a chance to achieve a historic win in England. The decision sparked debates, with some questioning whether health concerns or player reluctance were the primary factors behind the cancellation.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released a statement expressing regret and disappointment over the news, acknowledging the inconvenience and disappointment it would cause to fans and partners. The BCCI and ECB later negotiated to reschedule the match, which was eventually played in July 2022.India's tour of England in 2021 had originally included five Test matches. After a drawn opening Test at Trent Bridge, India won the second Test at Lord's by 151 runs. England responded strongly in the third Test at Headingley, defeating India by an innings and 76 runs, leveling the series at 1-1 after three matches.India fought back in the fourth Test, thanks to a brilliant 127 from Rohit Sharma, winning it by 157 runs. However, the rescheduling of the fifth and final Test in Manchester due to the COVID outbreak denied India the chance to secure their first Test series win on English soil since 2007.When India returned to England in 2022 for the rescheduled Test, they aimed to create history but ultimately lost the match by seven wickets, resulting in a 2-2 series draw. Apart from Rahul Dravid in 2007, only Ajit Wadekar (1971) and Kapil Dev (1986) have led India to Test series triumphs on English soil.

Pathum Nissanka's unbeaten half-century has put Sri Lanka in a commanding position to secure a historic victory over England in the third Test at the Oval. By the end of the third day's play, Sri Lanka had reached 94 for 1, needing just 125 more runs to seal the win and end a seven-match losing streak against England.Nissanka has been the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's batting, scoring an impressive 53 not out. He reached his second fifty of the match with a powerful drive through the covers off debutant Josh Hull. Kusal Mendis has also contributed with an unbeaten 30, including four boundaries.Sri Lanka's pursuit of a challenging target of 219 runs was made possible by Jamie Smith's counter-attacking 67. Smith's innings pulled England out of a collapse that saw them lose five wickets for 26 runs.Smith's aggressive approach provided England with a glimmer of hope for a first home Test series clean sweep since 2004. However, his dismissal on the stroke of tea, chipping a ball to short midwicket, ended England's resurgence.Vishwa Fernando played a crucial role in England's collapse, claiming three wickets for 40 runs, including the prized scalp of Joe Root for just 12. Lahiru Kumara also made a significant contribution, taking four wickets for 21 runs in seven overs.Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook have criticized the hosts for their poor batting performance, which saw them collapse from 221-3 to 325 all out in their first innings.As Sri Lanka closes in on a potential victory, Nissanka's role has been pivotal in keeping their hopes alive for a memorable win over England.

Sri Lanka's interim head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, hailed his team's ability to frustrate Harry Brook as a key factor in their fightback on the second day of the Kia Oval Test. England, who had dominated the first day, lost their last seven wickets for 104 runs, with Brook's careless batting setting the tone.Brook, who had been given out to his third ball of the day but successfully overturned the decision, was dropped on 12 and then mocked the Sri Lankan bowlers by taking guard outside off stump. However, his frustration boiled over when he flashed a drive to short cover, triggering a collapse that saw England lose seven wickets for 64 runs."He was frustrated because we bowled well, with the right line and length," Jayasuriya said. "We know their strong areas, and we kept them tight and frustrated."Michael Vaughan, commentating for the BBC, criticized England's unfocused performance, particularly Brook's lack of discipline. "He is a brilliant player, but he needs to be careful," Vaughan said. "There are tougher challenges ahead, and he can't take the mick out of the game."Jayasuriya, who was one of the most attacking batters in Test history, advised Brook to manage his tempo better. "You can't go in top gear all the time," he said. "You need to take less risk and fight hard."Sri Lanka reached the close on 211 for 5, trailing by just 114 runs. Jayasuriya praised his team's resilience and determination. "We go through each and every batsman, like they go through our batsmen," he said. "We know their very strong areas, and where we can keep them tight and frustrated."

Sri Lanka's resilience was on display at the Oval on Saturday as Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis forged an unbroken century partnership to frustrate England on the second day of the third Test.After a shaky start that saw them collapse to 93 for 5 before tea, the tourists rallied to finish the day at 211-5, trailing England's first-innings total of 325 by 114 runs.De Silva, the Sri Lankan captain, remained unbeaten on 64, while Mendis contributed 54 not out in an unbroken stand of 118. Mendis, in particular, has been in exceptional form, boasting a Test batting average of over 85 and passing 50 for the seventh time in six matches.Sri Lanka's recovery was aided by a stroke of luck when De Silva was dropped on 23 by Test debutant Josh Hull at mid-on. The ball went through Hull's hands after a miscue off spinner Shoaib Bashir.Earlier, an unfortunate mix-up cost Sri Lanka their first wicket as Dimuth Karunaratne was run out for nine due to Olly Stone's direct hit from short cover following Pathum Nissanka's ill-advised dash for a single.Nissanka went on to score an impressive fifty, highlighted by seven boundaries from 40 balls, but the middle-order wobbled soon after. Stone, returning for his second Test in three years, made a significant impact, taking the wicket of veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews for just three runs.Hull's first Test wicket, removing a set Nissanka for 64, marked a significant moment in the third Test. England gained momentum, reducing Sri Lanka to 91-4 and subsequently 93-5 after Stone trapped Dinesh Chandimal lbw for zero.Kamindu Mendis, batting at No. 7, displayed composure during a precarious situation as dark clouds loomed. To counter potential bad light after tea, England deployed spinners from both ends, with Bashir and part-timer Dan Lawrence bowling in tandem.De Silva responded by late-cutting Lawrence for four to reach his half-century off 81 balls, while Kamindu Mendis reached his fifty in just 60 balls. Joe Root also bowled briefly with his occasional off-breaks before bad light halted play for the day.By then, Sri Lanka had added 69 runs without losing a wicket in 17 overs of all-spin bowling post-tea.Earlier in the day, England saw a collapse, losing six wickets for 35 runs after starting at 221-3. Pope, who resumed on 103 not out, had struggled in previous innings. The Sri Lankan pace attack, initially lacking precision, found their rhythm, with fast bowler Milan Rathnayake ending with figures of 3-56 from 13.1 overs.Left-arm quick Vishwa Fernando dismissed Pope, who scored 126 off 156 balls, including 19 fours and two sixes. Despite his dismissal, Pope's first-class average on his Surrey home ground remained above 84.England are aiming for a clean sweep -- their first since 2004.

England's Kate Cross led her team to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Ireland in the first ODI at Stormont, showcasing her exceptional all-round abilities.Cross, captaining England for the first time, played a pivotal role in restricting Ireland to 210 all out. She claimed career-best figures of 6 for 30, including the wicket of Ireland's top-scorer, Orla Prendergast, who made 76. Cross's impressive bowling display included her second ODI five-wicket haul.Ireland had opted to bat first and were in a strong position at 151 for 3, with Prendergast anchoring the innings. However, Cross's return to the attack proved decisive. She broke the partnership between Prendergast and Leah Paul, and then proceeded to dismantle the Irish tail.England's chase got off to a shaky start as Ireland's bowlers reduced them to 156 for 6. But Cross stepped up once again, hitting an unbeaten 38 that included the winning runs. She was ably supported by Hollie Armitage, who made 44, and Paige Scholfield, who contributed 38.Ireland's total of 210 was their highest in women's ODIs against England, but Cross's heroics with both bat and ball proved too much for the hosts. England reached their target with 91 balls to spare, securing a comfortable victory.

Sri Lanka's bowlers staged a remarkable comeback on the second morning of the first Test against England at The Oval, bowling out the hosts for 325 and reducing their deficit to 324 runs.Resuming at 221 for 3, England collapsed to 6 for 35 in 56 balls, with poor shot selection and falling into Sri Lanka's traps. Ollie Pope, who had scored a dazzling 103 not out overnight, pushed his score to 154 before being dismissed by Vishwa Fernando.Harry Brook, who looked streaky on 8, added just four runs before skying a catch to Asitha Fernando. Vishwa Fernando also dismissed Jamie Smith, while Dhananjaya de Silva removed Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson.Pope brought up his 150 in just 151 balls, but Vishwa ended his knock with a short ball that Pope hooked to deep square leg. Debutant Josh Hull and Shoaib Bashir were the last two wickets to fall, giving Sri Lanka eight wickets in the morning session.Sri Lanka's fast-bowling coach, Aaqib Javed, had suggested his charges would "rest and come up with something better than this" after a dire opening day. The bowlers responded with greater patience and probing lines, making the ball swing and setting traps for the England batters.By lunch on the second day, Sri Lanka had one run on the board for no loss after batting just one over before the break. The tourists will be hoping to continue their improved performance and make further inroads into England's lead in the afternoon session.