Latest News
Head and Smith centuries grind England in the SCG dirt
Travis Head departed the SCG field to a thunderous ovation after his latest demolition of England in this Ashes series. But the roars from the terraces soon deafened when Usman Khawaja walked to the crease in his final Test match.
After Head’s belligerent 163 off 166 balls, his third century in what has been a remarkable series, Khawaja – batting at No.6 – could not produce a fairytale innings against a flagging England attack in the Sydney sunshine.
In what might prove to be his final Test innings, Khawaja fell for 17 in an ungainly dismissal – a low full-toss from Brydon Carse – and left the ground to more hearty applause.
Skipper Steven Smith then stole the show for the remainder of day three with an unbeaten 129 off 205 balls to put Australia in a commanding position as they seek a convincing 4-1 series victory.
Australia appear to have broken England’s spirit in an innings stretching 124 overs. Their first-innings lead has ballooned to 134 runs and looks particularly significant with uneven bounce becoming notable and cracks set to widen amid warm weather in Sydney.
Smith wasn’t at his most fluent, but looked locked in from the get go with his usual theatrics at the crease on full display. He even at one point asked Carse at mid-off to put his sunglasses on the back of his hat due to the reflection.
Smith feasted on wayward England bowling and also made a point to be aggressive against spinners Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell. A 37th Test century and 13th against England almost felt inevitable as he ended a relatively lean series in style, kissing his helmet in celebration late in the day.
Smith moved into second all-time on the Ashes run scorers and century list, with only Sir Donald Bradman ahead on both fronts.
His first home Ashes hundred since the 2017-18 series has tightened Australia’s grip on the match. They were aided by shabby bowling and fielding from England, who dropped four catches in the first session with Smith being reprieved on 12 by Zak Crawley at leg-slip just before lunch.
The early part of the day was dominated by Head, who had only just fallen short of scoring a century in an elongated final session on day two, but it didn’t take him long to reach his 12th Test ton.
After resuming on 91, Head completed his 105-ball century just 25 minutes into the day’s play and he celebrated by sticking his helmet on top of his bat handle as he once again had the crowd in the palm of his hands.
It ended Head’s modest record at the SCG as he became the fifth player to score tons at seven different venues in Australia.
Head received strong support from Michael Neser, who was used wisely as the nightwatcher ahead of Scott Boland after the latter performed the role in the previous Test.
Neser showed off his batting credentials, having made 4000 career runs in first-class cricket with five centuries. He frustrated England with solid defence and the occasional boundary to grind down the beleaguered tourists.
Head continued his rampant form from the previous afternoon when he inflicted more pain on hapless seamer Maththew Potts, whose Ashes debut has turned into a nightmare.
A new day did not bring an improved showing with Potts immediately smashed for three consecutive fours by a ruthless Head. England continued to persist with short-ball plans, even to Neser, and it almost paid off when Head skied Carse to deep midwicket only for Jacks to drop a sitter, taking his eyes off the ball as he was seemingly worried about the nearby boundary cushion.
Not only did it prove costly for England, Jacks had the further ignominy of receiving mocked cheers from the Australian fans when he subsequently fielded.
Head in the next over had another lucky escape when Carse dropped a much tougher chance at deep third but it only left Potts feeling even more aggrieved.
For all their focus on hitting a shorter length, Carse finally dislodged Neser with a superb outswinger that was caught behind to end the 72-run partnership.
Potts’ century was brought up when Head launched him into the crowd as England’s miserable session continued. Head did attempt to settle himself down having not quite recaptured his formidable batting from the previous day while Smith started in scratchy fashion.
Capping a forgettable morning for England, Smith was dropped at leg-slip by Crawley in a sharp chance down to his left to deny Josh Tongue another wicket against the Australia captain. Jacks’ woes continued when he could not hang on to a bullet from Head that was rifled back to him in the final over before lunch.
Head eyed a maiden double century but his hoodoo of getting out between 150-175 continued shortly after the interval when he missed a premeditated sweep and fell lbw to Bethell with his review proving unsuccessful.
After letting Head get his moment in the sun as he acknowledged the fans, Khawaja stepped onto the field amid a loud ovation but the game then went through a rare lull this series.
Khawaja and Smith played watchfully, with Ben Stokes pushing his battered body in a lionhearted spell with the old ball. Having been the most consistent and threatening bowler of an inexperienced attack, it was curious that Stokes decided not to have a breather until the second new ball.
Having sprayed the ball to start the innings, Potts and Carse were thrown the second new ball too, which did offer some swing as Australia closed in on England’s first innings total.
Khawaja made just 10 off his first 40 deliveries before briefly winding back the clock with a gorgeous drive down the ground off Potts. England once again appeared to be unravelling with Carse curiously bowling over the wicket despite Khawaja’s last 12 dismissals to right-arm pace being from around the wicket.
But Khawaja missed a full toss from Carse and then unwisely decided to review with ball-tracking confirming it was smashing the bottom of the middle stump. The crowd again rose, but there was no big wave of the bat for Khawaja and time will tell if he bats again in his Test career.
Alex Carey looked in glorious touch before on 16 glancing Tongue to leg-slip – the third time in four innings he has fallen in that manner. Cameron Green, batting at No.8, entered under enormous pressure having found himself being unable to convert starts and repeatedly falling in unusual ways.
Green started well with a glorious drive then pulled Stokes into the crowd as he moved to 37 in good time. But the critics will again be lining up after Green threw it away when he spooned a short Carse delivery straight to deep square leg.
Beau Webster, often competing with Green for a spot in the team, looked composed on his Ashes debut as he and Smith ensured England’s tired bowlers will have to back up for a third consecutive day.
Brief scores:
Australia 518 for 7 in 124 overs ( Travis Head 163, Marnus Labuschagne 48, Steven Smith 129*; Brydon Carse 3-108, Ben Stokes 2-87) lead England 384 in 97.3 overs (Joe Root 160, Harry Brook 84, Jamie Smith 46; Mitchell Starc 2-93, Michael Neser 4-60, Scott Boland 2-85) by 134 runs
[Cricinfo]
European leaders, including in France and Germany, have announced they are working on a plan in the event the United States follows through on its threat to take over Greenland as tensions soar.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio on Wednesday that while nations want to act if the US moves to seize Greenland from an ally, Denmark, they want to do so “together with our European partners”.
“I myself was on the phone with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday. He discarded the idea that what just happened in Venezuela could happen in Greenland,” Barrot said.
On Saturday, the United States – using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and special forces – abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to New York City to be tried for alleged drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump’s decision to greenlight the abduction of Maduro led to widespread condemnation and fear that Greenland, which the president has previously said should be part of Washington’s security apparatus, could be forcibly taken.
But since then, European allies have rallied behind Greenland’s sovereignty, saying the country belongs to its people.
Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Finland’s parliament, called for the issue to be raised within NATO.
“[Allies should] address whether something needs to be done and whether the United States should be brought into line in the sense that it cannot disregard jointly agreed plans in order to pursue its own power ambitions,” he said.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, requested an urgent meeting with Rubio to discuss the situation.
“We would like to add some nuance to the conversation,” Rasmussen wrote in a social media post. “The shouting match must be replaced by a more sensible dialogue. Now.”
Denmark has warned that any move to take Greenland by force would mean “everything would stop”, including NATO and 80 years of close security links.
Greenland’s government will join a meeting between Rubio and Danish officials next week following renewed US claims on the Arctic island, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.
The European Union will support Greenland and Denmark when needed and will not accept violations of international law no matter where they occur, European Council President Antonio Costa said.
“On Greenland, allow me to be clear: Greenland belongs to its people. Nothing can be decided about Denmark and about Greenland without Denmark or without Greenland,” Costa said in a speech.
“The European Union cannot accept violations of international law – whether in Cyprus, Latin America, Greenland, Ukraine, or Gaza. Europe will remain a firm and unwavering champion of international law and multilateralism.”
Greenland – the world’s largest island, with a population of 57,000 people – is located between Europe and North America. Since 2019, during Trump’s first term, the president has raised the idea of controlling Greenland, saying it would benifit US security.
So far, Trump has not ruled out using force to take the island.
Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that Trump’s intention is to buy Greenland. “That’s always been the president’s intent from the very beginning.”
House US House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hasn’t heard talk of sending the military into Greenland and the US is “looking at diplomatic channels”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and his national security team have “actively discussed” the option of buying Greenland.
“He views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region. And so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like,” Leavitt told reporters.
Neither Leavitt nor Rubio ruled out the use of force. But Leavitt said, “The president’s first option, always, has been diplomacy.”
[Aljazeera]
Latest News
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya
The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]
Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.
Greenland allies vow action if Trump moves to seize world’s largest island
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya
Coe commits World Athletics support to Jamaica
Rare mountain gorilla twins born in Africa’s oldest national park
ECB launch ‘thorough review’ in wake of 4-1 Ashes defeat
Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News3 days agoInterception of SL fishing craft by Seychelles: Trawler owners demand international investigation
-
News3 days agoBroad support emerges for Faiszer’s sweeping proposals on long- delayed divorce and personal law reforms
-
News4 days agoPrivate airline crew member nabbed with contraband gold
-
News2 days agoPrez seeks Harsha’s help to address CC’s concerns over appointment of AG
-
News2 days agoGovt. exploring possibility of converting EPF benefits into private sector pensions
-
Features3 days agoEducational reforms under the NPP government
-
News6 days agoHealth Minister sends letter of demand for one billion rupees in damages
-
Features4 days agoPharmaceuticals, deaths, and work ethics