Australia had a near-perfect day in their endeavour to be in a position to push hard for victory on Saturday in Adelaide. Offspinner Nathan Lyon used the considerable bounce in the pitch to hasten the end of the Indian innings during an extended first session, securing a 73-run lead for his side, after which David
Micheal Clarke battled through severe back pain to make his 28th Test hundred, Steven Smith scored his fifth and the pair punished India’s inconsistent bowlers on a second day badly hit by rain. The pair racked up 163 for the sixth wicket through three long interruptions in play, hitting 21 fours in the 30 overs
David warner scattered whatever nerves or doubts there may have been ahead of Australia’s resumption of the international season following Phillip Hughes’ death with a blazing start to the first Test. Warner hit seven of his first 15 deliveries for four on the way to his fifth century in seven Tests in 2014 after Michael
Steven Smith started this series in form but out of the side. Matthew Wade started it out of form but in the side. Together, they set up a series victory by plotting one of Australia’s most remarkable one-day international chases, in front of one of the MCG’s most remarkably small international crowds. Smith’s 104 was
Centurion Aaron Finch, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were central figures in Australia’s commanding 73-run victory over South Africa in Canberra, despite a pair of sparkling innings by Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. In front of a crowd of 10,583 at Manuka Oval, Finch set the platform and Smith capitalised fully upon