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Khawaja stands tall as Australia stretch lead past 200
On a day dominated by the bowlers, with helpful conditions throughout, Usman Khawaja’s unbeaten half-century stood out as Australia stretched their lead to 221 before rain forced an early close on Friday (June 30). Having bowled England out for 325 to gain a 91-run lead, Australia kept the home team pacers at an arm’s length for more than 45 overs, thanks mainly to Khawaja’s 58 not out, as they ended the rain-hit Day 3 at 130/2.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad were a bit wayward with their lines at the start of the third session, with boundaries coming via extras as well as off the bat. Khawaja helped himself to a four off a full-toss from Broad, bringing up his fifty in the process. Labuschagne played his shots but wasn’t in full control when executing a few of them, and was even lucky when England decided not to review a leg-before shout off Broad – replays revealing it would have crashed onto the stumps. But he couldn’t capitalise as he hit a short ball straight to point to depart for 30, ending a stand worth 60.
Steve Smith had a jittery start as he edged an Anderson delivery for a boundary, was beaten outside off and also missed a flick off Broad. Taking a cue from the Australian bowlers, England too tried the short ball multiple times and even had Khawaja and Smith in uncomfortable positions. It got quite dark into the session and rain arrived, forcing the players off the field. The umpires later decided to call off the day’s play with 25-plus overs still remaining to be played.
Earlier, England lost six wickets for the addition of only 47 runs on an overcast morning as they were bowled out for 325. Ben Stokes fell in the opening over as he got a leading edge to Cameron Green at wide gully off Mitchell Starc. Harry Brook, who got to fifty, was troubled by short deliveries from the Australian pacers and eventually fell to one from Starc. Jonny Bairstow showed better application but his attempt to go over the top off Josh Hazlewood brought about his downfall. With Travis Head bagging a couple of wickets and Cummins pocketing one, England’s innings came to an early close as Australia picked up a 91-run lead. Khawaja and Warner then survived a challenging six-over period before Lunch.
With the cloud cover still helping the bowlers, Australia’s openers endured further challenge from the England pacers after Lunch. Warner survived a leg-before shout by Anderson and England ended up losing a review. Khawaja was finding the boundaries but a couple of them were streaky, and he scored most of the runs with Warner being cautious at the other end. Ollie Pope, meanwhile, landed awkwardly again while fielding and was off the field. It wasn’t a fluent innings from Warner who, after contributing only 17 in a 63-run opening stand, was out lbw to Josh Tongue. Labuschagne got a lbw decision overturned in Tongue’s next over and was unbeaten at Tea along with Khawaja, who collected two successive fours off Broad.
Brief scores:
Australia 416 & 130/2 (Usman Khawaja 58*; Josh Tongue 1-21) lead England 325 (Ben Duckett 98, Harry Brook 50; Mitchell Starc 3-88, Travis Head 2-17) by 221 runs.
Latest News
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.
The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.
According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.
The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.
Misbah ul Haq has offered his resignation from the Pak7stan men’s national selection committee the day after the PCB made wholesalw changes to the Teat squad and team management midway through the ongoing tour of England. Misbah has also decided to step down from his role as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
After going 2-0 down in the three-match series by losing at Lord’s by 194 runs, the PCB removed seven players from the Test squad and also released Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul as head coach and bowling coach ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston from September 9.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad were the seven players released. Five uncapped players – Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah – will join the Test squad along with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal. Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke – the head coach and bowling coach of the white-ball set-up – have joined the Test coaching staff.
Cricinfo understands the PCB served a notice to members of the selection committee following the Lord’s defeat seeking a written explanation regarding the selections of Rizwan and Imam in the squads for the tours of West Indies and England.
The notice was sent on Monday, the same day the board announced its decision to send home the seven players and two coaches, ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston from September 9. The notice asked for a written explanation outlining the reasons for their selections and the process through which it was arrived at, within 24 hours of the receipt of notice. From the start of 2024 until the West Indies tour, Rizwan was Pakistan’s top Test run-scorer with the highest average. Imam had only played two Tests in that period but was a heavy domestic run-scorer.
Since retiring as Pakistan’s most successful Test captain in 2017, Misbah has served in various capacities in the PCB. He was appointed in the dual role of head coach and chief selector in 2019. He served in both roles until October 2020, when he resigned as the chief selector to focus entirely on the head coaching responsibilities, from which he ultimately resigned the next year.
Two years later, he was brought in as an advisor by the then chief of ad-hoc management committee Zaka Ashraf and had since remained involved with the PCB. He was announced as one of five mentors for the now-defunct men’s Champions Cup after the current management took over in 2024, and he also mentored women’s teams in domestic competitions. He was the coach of the Pakistan Gold side which won the 50-over National Champions Cup in Multan last month under Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy.
Misbah was made part of the four-member selection committee which includes Aaqib Javed, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Asad Shafiq in March this year and had also been on a 180-days-a-year contract with the PCB as a batting consultant.
(Cricinfo)
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President to make a donation of United States Dollars One million as humanitarian and economic relief to the government of Nepal
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Misbah-ul-Haq resigns as Pakistan selector after Test squad upheaval
Amendment of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No. 3 of 1897
Cabinet approves donation of USD One Million to the Government of Nepal
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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