Cricket

Brisbane Heat's 18-year-old sensation Lucy Hamilton etched her name into WBBL history on Sunday, becoming the youngest player to claim a five-wicket haul. The Bundaberg native, who skipped schoolies' week to join her team, played a pivotal role in Heat's crucial six-wicket victory over the Melbourne Stars.Hamilton's remarkable performance began in the first over, where she dismissed both Annabel Sutherland and Yastika Bhatia. Her impressive spell continued as she trapped Meg Lanning lbw and had Tess Flintoff caught driving on the up. The left-armer completed her historic haul by trapping Deepti Sharma lbw, becoming the first Heat bowler to achieve the feat in the WBBL.Hamilton's figures of 5 for 8 are the equal-second best in the competition's 10-year history, trailing only Megan Schutt's 6 for 19. Her performance was all the more impressive considering she had not taken a wicket in her previous eight WBBL matches."All my mates are at schoolies at the moment, on the Goldy living it up," said Hamilton after the match. "Going out there today I was just trying to back myself. Getting my first wicket and getting 5-fa, all the girls were getting around me. It was really exciting. I've had to be patient, played a few games, and it finally came and was really thrilling."Heat's batters made light work of the chase, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Charlie Knott leading the way. Rodrigues smashed 45 from 31, including two big sixes, before being deceived by a Sutherland slower ball. Heat reached the target with 15 balls to spare, moving back up into third on the ladder.The win was Heat's third straight, while Stars' season is now almost over with just two wins from seven matches. Hamilton's performance was a major highlight for Heat, who will be hoping to continue their winning ways in the coming weeks.

Australia's bowlers, led by Spencer Johnson's five-wicket haul, put in a dominant performance to secure a series victory over Pakistan in the second T20I match.Johnson's devastating spell of 5/26 saw him claim the first five wickets of Pakistan's innings, reducing them to 29/5. The visitors never recovered from this early setback, eventually being bowled out for a paltry 134.Usman Khan's half-century (52 off 38) was a lone bright spot for Pakistan, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to provide any meaningful resistance.Earlier, Australia had posted a modest total of 147, with Matthew Short top-scoring with 32. Haris Rauf was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, taking 4/32.The victory gives Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with one match remaining. It also marks the first series defeat for Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan's new white-ball captain.Johnson's performance was particularly impressive, as he became the first Australian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a T20I match against Pakistan. His wickets included the dangerous Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who had scored centuries in the first T20I.Australia's victory was a testament to their bowling strength, which has been a key factor in their recent success in the shortest format. They will be looking to complete a clean sweep of the series in the third and final T20I on Friday.

Arjun Tendulkar, the son of legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has achieved a significant milestone in his cricketing career by claiming his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. The 25-year-old left-arm seamer accomplished this feat during a Ranji Trophy Plate Division match against Arunachal Pradesh at the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground in Porvorim.In his 17th first-class match, Arjun spearheaded the collapse of the Arunachal Pradesh batting lineup, finishing with impressive figures of 5 for 25 in 9 overs, including three maiden overs. His performance was crucial in restricting Arunachal Pradesh to a mere 84 runs in 31 overs.Arjun's bowling prowess was evident from the outset as he dismissed opener Nabam Hachang in the second over of the match. Despite brief resistance from Neelam Obi (22) and Chinmay Patil (3), Arjun struck twice in quick succession in the 12th over, further worsening the situation for the visitors.By the time Arjun completed his five-wicket haul, Arunachal were reeling at 36/5 in 17.1 overs. Arunachal skipper Nabam Abo top-scored with an unbeaten 25 from 25 balls, including five boundaries, but his efforts were not enough to prevent his team from being bowled out for a paltry total.Goa's bowling attack was further supported by Mohit Redkar (3/15) and Keith Mark Pinto (2/31), who helped wrap up the Arunachal innings. Before this match, Arjun had taken 32 wickets in 16 first-class matches, with his previous best being 4/49.In addition to his bowling, Arjun has also proven to be a capable batsman, scoring 532 runs at an average of 23.13, with a century and two half-centuries to his name. This performance marks an important milestone in Arjun's career as he continues to make strides in domestic cricket.

Ravindra Jadeja's exceptional bowling performance in the ongoing Test match against Australia has earned him another five-wicket haul, his 14th in Test cricket. However, the all-rounder acknowledged the challenging conditions on the slow-turning pitch, which made bowling a demanding task.Jadeja's success stemmed from his ability to mix up his deliveries, targeting good length spots and exploiting the variable bounce and abrasive surface. He admitted that the wicket required significant effort to generate pace, indicating that Ravichandran Ashwin may have lost some velocity in his deliveries."I thought you need to mix and match (in terms of speed). The wicket has bounce but off the surface, the ball isn't taking off. Unless you put in a lot of shoulders and get the revs, it is difficult," Jadeja explained.Despite the arduous conditions, Jadeja praised the collective effort of the team, including Washington Sundar's impressive bowling performance. He emphasized the importance of the batters performing well to secure a first-innings lead.When asked about surpassing Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma in terms of Test wickets, Jadeja revealed that he only checks statistics when not actively involved in a series.Reflecting on the loss of three quick wickets towards the end of the day, Jadeja set a target of batting well enough to gain a 150-run lead on Saturday.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier spinner, has etched his name further into the annals of Test cricket history by claiming his 37th five-wicket haul. This remarkable achievement came in the second innings of the first Test against Bangladesh at his home ground, Chepauk.While the first innings proved less fruitful for Ashwin with the ball, he made a significant contribution with the bat, scoring a century that helped India post a formidable total of 376 runs. However, it was his bowling prowess in the second innings that proved decisive, earning India a comprehensive 280-run victory.Ashwin's exceptional performance highlights his status as one of the most prolific wicket-takers in Test cricket. He now holds the following records for India:* Second most wickets (522)* Most five-wicket hauls (37)* Joint most ten-wicket hauls (10)* Fastest to 250, 300, and 350 wickets in the world* Second most centuries at No. 8 or below in the world (4)* Only cricketer to have taken 30 five-fors and scored 20 50+ scoresAshwin's all-round brilliance was crucial in India's victory. His 113 off 133 balls in the first innings provided a solid foundation for the team's total, particularly after the top-order faltered. While the top-order struggled again in the second innings, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill stepped up with centuries to take India to a total of 287/4 before skipper Rohit Sharma declared.On Day 4, India wasted no time in dismissing the remaining six Bangladesh batters, securing a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. This victory also strengthens India's position in the World Test Championship points table.

Yuzvendra Chahal's Stellar Performance in County Championship Division IIIndian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has made a significant impact in the ongoing County Championship Division II match against Derbyshire, showcasing his exceptional bowling skills. Playing for Northamptonshire, Chahal wreaked havoc on Derbyshire's batting lineup, claiming a brilliant five-wicket haul.Northamptonshire batted first, posting a modest total of 219, with Saif Zaib's impressive 90 and Justin Broad's steady 45 being the highlights. Unfortunately, Indian star Prithvi Shaw, also part of the Northamptonshire lineup, continued his struggles with the bat, contributing only four runs in the first innings.In response, Derbyshire was bowled out for 165, thanks to Chahal's masterclass with the ball. Luis Reece gave them a good start with a half-century, but after that, Chahal took over. His list of wickets included Wayne Madsen, who looked dangerous on 47. He had already claimed the wicket of Aneurin Donald earlier, setting the stage for a dominant display.Chahal's performance didn't stop there. He added Zak Chappell, Alex Thomson, and Jack Morley to his tally, finishing with five wickets and ensuring Northamptonshire secured a 54-run lead. Off-spinner Robert Keogh chipped in with three wickets, adding to the pressure on Derbyshire.Chahal's performance has sparked conversations, particularly with his omission from India's squad in recent international series. His impressive display in the County Championship Division II has raised questions about his exclusion from the national team.