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With the recriminations well underway from an Ashes defeat, compounded by the fallout from some rather embarrassing off-field shenanigans, England were momentarily feeling the Christmas cheer at a heaving MCG on the biggest day in Australian cricket.But not for the first time this series, England could not capitalise on a position of strength as they trailed by 42 runs on the first innings – a seemingly sizeable deficit given the bowler-friendly conditions. By the end of a madcap opening day of the Boxing Day Test, England once again have their backs against the wall.A ground record crowd of 94,119, surpassing the 2015 World Cup final for the biggest attendance, saw an astonishing 20 wickets fall – the most on an opening day at an Ashes MCG Test since 1901-02.Reminiscent of the first Test in Perth, the match is moving at warp speed on a surface that is set to attract scrutiny. With 10mm of grass left on the pitch by curator Matt Page, the wickedly seaming conditions made batting extremely difficult with Usman Khawaja the only batter to face more than 50 deliveries. No England batter faced more than 40 balls with only three making more than five runs.England’s bid to halt Australia’s push for a 5-0 whitewash did start well with Josh Tongue starring with 5 for 45. After being sent in, Australia were bundled out for 152 from just 45.2 overs amid overcast and cool morning conditions. It was their third-shortest innings in a home Ashes Test but the total was made to look formidable with England crashing to 16 for 4 when Joe Root walked off after a 15-ball duck.Harry Brook then produced the most extraordinary counterattack, top-scoring with 41 off 34 balls as he audaciously danced down the wicket, reviving Bazball along the way amid an increasingly febrile atmosphere.But his cavalier knock didn’t last long enough as recalled Michael Neser and hometown hero Scott Boland combined for seven wickets as England were bowled out just before stumps.Josh Tongue salutes the crowd after his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

To cap a whirlwind day, Australia had to face one over before the close with Boland opening alongside Travis Head in place of Jake Weatherald. He faced the entire over, but only just survived after Jacob Bethell dropped a tough chance at fifth slip before he hit a boundary to bring the curtain down on a dramatic day.In seam-friendly, overcast conditions reminiscent of the 2010 Boxing Day Test – fond memories for England – one suspected that Ben Stokes was much more enthusiastic to win this toss compared to a couple of others earlier in the series.But his mood soured quickly with 27 of Australia’s 72 runs in the session scored in the first six overs. Brydon Carse was the culprit with his forgettable opening spell starting off with a front-foot no-ball. Things did not improve with Carse wasting the new ball and conceding three boundaries in the fifth over.England were in danger of wilting early before Gus Atkinson was rewarded for tight lengths when he had Head dragging onto his stumps in a similar dismissal to the backend of the second Test.It was a tonic for Atkinson, who had been dropped for the third Test after a luckless start to the series – a selection decision that had raised the eyebrows of the Australia camp.Atkinson received strong support from Tongue, who had a simple game plan that perhaps England’s quicks should have implemented earlier in the series – pitch the ball full outside off stump. His eight-over spell yielded 3 for 24 to put England well on top at lunch.Tongue had initial good fortune when he had Weatherald strangled down the leg side. It continued a strange run of dismissals to start the Test career of Weatherald, who has not quite bedded down his spot despite a fluent 72 in Brisbane.Tongue then removed Marnus Labuschagne and skipper Steven Smith, back in the side after being unwell to play the third Test, with top-shelf full-length deliveries. Labuschagne’s long Test century drought continued after edging a drive to first slip before Smith’s middle stump was knocked over having loosely attempted a booming drive.

It continued Tongue’s mastery over Smith across formats, having dismissed him in every innings from five games. Retaining his spot in the middle-order in favour of Josh Inglis, Khawaja and the in-form Alex Carey managed to get through to lunch in a session Stokes only deployed his three pace bowlers.Stokes came into the attack after the interval as the ground suddenly became bathed in sunshine to suggest that batting might become slightly easier in the afternoon. Khawaja carried over his form from Adelaide and rolled past 8000 career Test runs before nicking off to Atkinson in an overturned decision – the latest example of him being troubled by quicks bowling around the wicket.Carey has been a thorn for England through the series, but Stokes had him hitting straight to leg gully in a well-executed plan. Neser then dominated a 52-run partnership with Cameron Green, who entered under pressure having been demoted down the order after clinging onto his spot in the XI.Green was mostly content with hanging in there, but Neser decided to counterattack and it was a plan that worked well as he clubbed Tongue for three consecutive boundaries in a rare period of batter dominance.But Australia collapsed after Green ran himself out on 17, following a direct throw from a swift-moving Carse, who was perhaps fortunate to later dismiss Mitchell Starc after seemingly overstepping.England were buoyed as they walked off the field but knew the job was not nearly done given the surface, Australia’s vaunted pace attack and also their own batting frailties.Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley got through the first couple of overs unscathed before the mayhem started. Capping off a horror week amid the fallout from Noosa, Duckett gifted Starc another early wicket after tamely hitting straight to mid-on.Related

• Brook transcends brain rot (briefly) to give England glimmer

• 'I dreamt of this as a kid' – Neser emerges as Australia's unlikely Ashes hero

• Ashes fallout: Key to investigate whether England's drinking went too far in Noosa

• You're it, Ben Duckett, but England's problems aren't about one man

• Australia lock in all-pace attack for 'quite green' MCG pitch

Recalled into the side – playing his fourth career Test match but first without the pink ball – Neser’s seam-bowling prowess saw him open the bowling to devastating effect.He was all over Root and Bethell, who both were reduced to being lame ducks by the ball darting off the surface. Bethell’s much-hyped inclusion, finally replacing maligned No. 3 Ollie Pope, failed to materialise as he nicked off for 1 before Root also succumbed to Neser in similar fashion.In the midst of all that, Starc added to his extraordinary series after Crawley edged to Smith at second slip before Brook for an hour had the fans in the palm of his hands.There was drama on almost every delivery he faced, starting off from the very first ball when Brook charged Starc only to fail to connect. That did not deter him and he doubled down on the tactic in an effort to knock the bowlers off their lengths.England finally had a batter in double-figures when Brook charged down the pitch and snicked Neser past Green’s outstretched arms at gully. He best stroke was a bludgeoning blow for six off Starc over extra cover and he also pulled Boland into the crowd.But Boland got his revenge when he had Brook trapped plumb lbw to trigger another collapse. It was a field day for Australia’s quicks except for Jhye Richardson, who went wickletless from just four overs in his return to Test cricket since his last match in the 2021-22 Ashes series.Atkinson added some invaluable runs to ensure England at least reached triple-figures, a landmark that was enthusiastically celebrated by the Barmy Army. But it was little solace for the embattled tourists who are again on the back foot in a match that might not last longer than two days.

Cricket South Africa has warned players joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL) that it will not only ban them from playing for South Africa but will also keep them out of domestic cricket.”We view them as rebels,” Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, told , an Afrikaans newspaper. “They have joined a breakaway organisation.”But Majola added that the players could return to South African cricket if they cancelled their contracts with the ICL. “Once they have played even one game in the ICL tournament, it’s over and they will never be allowed to play in South Africa again.”Former internationals Nicky Boje and Lance Klusener have signed with the ICL and there are rumors that Andrew Hall, who quit international cricket last month and signed a three-year deal with Northamptonshire, could be also be joining the league.CSA’s decision follows that of New Zealand Cricket and the Indian board to ban players who joined the ICL. Apart from that, CSA, along with the boards of India, England and Australia had announced the launching of the Champions Twenty20 League to be played among the top domestic sides starting October 2008.

Ricky Ponting, the Australia batsman and captain was tonight named Test Player of the Year at the ICC Awards in Mumbai.Ponting, 31, topped the poll ahead of his team-mate Michael Hussey – who earlier was named ODI Player of the Year – Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf, Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia’s Shane Warne. During the voting period between August 1 2005 and August 8 2006, Ponting scored 1791 runs at an average of 68.88. And during a remarkable few weeks he scored hundreds in both innings of a Test in three different games: against the West Indies at Brisbane and against South Africa in Sydney and Durban.”On behalf of the ICC, I would like to congratulate Ricky on winning this award, which recognises his prolific year,” Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive said. “The fact this award was voted for by Ricky’s peers and many vastly experienced former players and observers of the game shows the high regard in which he is held by the cricketing world and he is a worthy winner.”Earlier in the evening, Ponting was been named in both the ODI and Test teams of the Year, as chosen by the five-man panel consisting of Sunil Gavaskar, Arjuna Ranatunga, Waqar Younis, Allan Donald and Ian Healy.Previous winners of the award were Jacques Kallis in 2005 and Rahul Dravid in 2005.

Simon Katich will captain New South Wales in his return match from illness when they play Victoria in Melbourne on Sunday. Brett Lee has also been named in the 13-man squad and will bowl if he is not selected in the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba on Thursday.Greg Mail, the opener, has been dropped from the ING Cup side but retained for the Pura Cup match against Victoria, starting on November 23.New South Wales ING Cup Phil Jaques, Aaron O’Brien, Matthew Phelps, Simon Katich (capt), Dominic Thornely, Brad Haddin (wk), Shawn Bradstreet, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Jason Krejza, Nathan Bracken, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Nicholson.New South Wales Pura CupPhil Jaques, Greg Mail, Matthew Phelps, Simon Katich (capt), Dominic Thornely, Aaron O’Brien, Brad Haddin (wk), Jason Krejza, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Nicholson, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark.

Michael Bevan will become the latest in a long list of overseas players to play county cricket this season when he makes his Kent debut, against Middlesex at Southgate tomorrow.Bevan, 34, has also played for Sussex, Leicestershire and Yorkshire in the past, and he will have seven Championship matches with Kent, whose title ambitions took a severe blow after they were stuffed by an innings and 45 runs against Sussex at Hove yesterday.Kent were without Andrew Symonds, the Australian allrounder who has been one of their overseas players this season, for that match. He was recalled by the Australian board to have an Achilles injury looked at, and David Fulton, Kent’s captain, is looking forward to Bevan’s arrival. “He’s a world-class player who demands high standards from himself and his team-mates in terms of preparation, performance and fitness,” he said. “It’ll be good for our younger lads to work with someone like that and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”Bevan certainly has plenty of experience. He has played 232 one-day internationals and 18 Tests for Australia, and was once renowned to be one of the best finishers in the one-day game. However, his international career now looks to be over after he was overlooked by the Australian board in the 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy in England this September.

BAT Sports are boosted by the return of left-hand opener Damian Shirazi as they bid to extend their sizeable lead at the top of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League against Andover at Southern Gardens tomorrow SAT, 11.30am.Sharizi, who has been on trial with Kent 2nd XI this week, was on Lord’s groundstaff duty at last Saturday’s NatWest 1-day final and missed the nine-wicket drubbing of Portsmouth.But the 407-run teenager kept his eye in by scoring 109 for the MCC YCs against the Army on Monday.He will resume his opening partnership with hard-hitting Kiwi Neal Parlane, who has 531 runs to his credit this season.BAT are 37 points clear of second-placed Havant, who face an awkward test against the rejuvinated Hampshire Academy in BBC Radio Solent’s feature match at Havant Park.Steve Snell returns for Havant, while off-spinning all-rounder Richard Hindley, who made his County Championship debut for Hampshire this week, will miss his return to his recreational role after having his right hand broken by a Michael Kasprowicz delivery on Thursday as he struck a debut 50 for the county.Bashley (Rydal) have an ideal opportunity to step up the pressure at the top when they visit lowly Liphook & Ripsley at Ripsley Park.The all-day game means a breakfast-time leave for Matt King’s side, but confidence is high that Bashley could return home in second place.”Obviously, we’ve got to win, but Havant – now only four points ahead of us – have a difficult game against the Academy and might find it tricky forcing a result,” said Bashley skipper Matt King.Chris Sketchley, absent from last week’s six-wicket win over Havant, returns at Liphook, where King looks to increase his season’s impressive 31-wicket haul.The Bashley captain is currently eight in front of BAT’s Dan Goldstraw in the quest to become the SPL’s top wicket taker.Bournemouth will also fancy their chances of improving their current 15 points per match average against Portsmouth, who have completely lost their way in recent weeks.Lee Savident, who spent a short while at Chapel Gate, has lost a host of key players through injury and unavailability, including locally-based Naqeeb Ali Mohammed, who is out for the rest of the season with knee trouble.Portsmouth call up Wayne Lockey from the 2nd XI, who have a potential Hampshire League title decider on their hands at Tichborne Park.David Kidner and Richard Scott play in the 2nd XI, both probably as batsmen, but there is no place for teenager James Kennedy, who hit a crucial 17 not out in last week’s thrilling two-wicket win at Sarisbury Athletic.Paul Cass, absent from the 138-run drubbing by the Young Hawks at the Rose Bowl last week, returns for Calmore Sports against off-colour South Wilts at Loperwood Park.South Wilts give talented 16-year old all-rounder James Hayward his Premier League debut. “He will bat and six and certainly bowl his left-arm spin,” confirmed injured skipper Rob Wade.

Delhi’s new recruit off-spinner Sarandeep Singh spun magic, grabbingsix wickets, to send Services crashing to an innings and 23 run defeatin the North Zone Ranji Trophy League Match at the Palam Ground heretoday.Requiring 170 runs to make Delhi bat again after they made 297 in thefirst innings and followed-on., Services were bundled out for 147 onthe last day. Delhi had scored 467 for five declared in their firstinnings. Unlike in the first three days, the Delhi spinners receivedassistance from the pitch, which had developed cracks and the servicesbatting except Yashpal Singh were bedazzled by the zip, turn, andbounce extracted by Sarandeep, Abishek Sharma and Rahul Sanghvi.Yashpal Singh, who hit 83 facing 182 balls with nine hits to theboundary, was the only one to show some resistance, as seven of hiscolleagues returned with single digits scored.Delhi were bang on target from the very beginning as the bowlersbowled according to the attacking field set by skipper Mithun Manhas.The strategy yielded reward in the seventh over when seamer AmitBandhari trapped opener NP Singh in front of the wicket. Services losttwo more quick wickets as Sarandeep send back Jasveer Singh (2) andPMS Reddy (13) in the space of twelve balls to leave Services reelingat 27 for 3. The offie then struck the crucial blow in the 24th overwhen he rattled the stumps of services skipper Sanjay Verma whoattempted a mighty heave over long-on, bringing Yashpal Singh to thecrease.Yashpal Singh straight away counter-attacked and played some lustyshots to shrug off the early losses and grafted 49 runs with SarabjeetSingh for the fifth wicket. The resistance however was shortlived asSarabjeet Singh edged one to first slip to give young Abishek Sharmahis maiden wicket in first class cricket. Yashpal Singh got nosupport from the other batsmen and with Sarandeep claiming three morevictims the procession towards the pavilion hastened.At 127 for nine, Yashpal Singh went for the big shots in an effort tomake Delhi bat again. He perished in the process, castled byBandhari.

The family of Ankit Keshri, who died in April after an on-field collision, will soon get a compensation of Rs 25 lakh under the BCCI’s group insurance policy. The BCCI has dispatched a cheque to Ankit’s home association, the Cricket Association of Bengal.Ankit died on April 20 after colliding with a team-mate while fielding as a substitute during East Bengal’s Division One quarter-final match against Bhowanipore Cricket Club in a CAB tournament.”The insurance company has delivered the cheque to the BCCI office. It will now be mailed to the CAB, who will hand it over to the family of the deceased cricketer,” Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI’s general manager of game development, told ESPNcricinfo.The development was news to Raj Kumar Keshri, Ankit’s father, who said he was unaware of the insurance cover: “I had no idea. No one including CAB has told us so far. We are grateful to the BCCI.”Ankit’s family recently spoke to The Cricket Monthly on their ordeal. During his meeting with the CAB officials, Raj Kumar expressed one of his wishes was that he should not be forced to ask for financial assistance. He said that so far, the family had got Rs 10 lakh each from CAB and Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rs five lakh from East Bengal.According to Shetty, the BCCI provides accidental insurance cover for all the senior and junior cricketers on the domestic circuit. The affiliate units have to provide a list of 35 cricketers for each age group (Under-16, Under-19, Under-23 and Ranji Trophy) at the start of a season and the BCCI provides them accidental insurance.Since Ankit had been shortlisted by CAB as a promising cricketer, the BCCI processed claiming the accidental insurance and followed it up with the service provider till it was approved. “For an accidental death, like the unfortunate incident with Ankit, the maximum claim amount is Rs 25 lakh. For injuries during Ranji Trophy, a player can claim up to Rs 50,000 per week for a maximum of 52 weeks,” Shetty said.According to Subir Ganguly, the joint secretary of the CAB, the BCCI cheque had not yet arrived. “I also heard it from the BCCI on the group insurance. We are expecting the cheque in the next few days,” Ganguly said.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:27

Barbados and T&T to face off in 2014 final rematch

Kraigg Brathwaite’s unbeaten 80 off 120 balls followed up a dominant spin bowling performance by Barbados to see off Windward Islands by seven wickets in the second Nagico Super50 semi-final on Thursday night at Queen’s Park Oval to set up a rematch of the 2014 final between Barbados and reigning title-holders Trinidad & Tobago.Eight of the ten wickets in the Windwards innings fell to spin as they struggled to 175 after choosing to bat first. Sulieman Benn claimed his third four-for of the tournament to lead the way in the field for Barbados but was well-supported by offspinner Ashley Nurse and fellow left-armer Jomel Warrican who took two wickets each.Nurse set the tone with a double-wicket maiden taking the new ball in the second over to remove Johnson Charles for a duck when the opener miscued a slog to short midwicket. The offspinner continued to choke off the runs and by the end of the opening powerplay he had figures of 5-2-12-1.Devon Smith and Tyrone Theophile saw off the threat of Nurse before targeting the pace of Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite to build a 74-run stand. However, the intervention of Benn and Warrican produced desired results for Barbados. After reaching the drinks break at 76 for 1 in 19 overs, Windwards’ batting slide was sparked by Benn on the first ball after play resumed as Smith drifted lazily out of his crease looking to drive and was stumped for 44.Benn proceeded to tear a hole in the Windwards middle order with wickets in each of his subsequent three overs. Theophile fell in the 22nd edging an attempted cut to slip before Andre Fletcher was trapped in front playing back to a good length ball in the 24th. Captain Liam Sebastien concluded the collapse of 4 for 19 when he fell in similar fashion to Theophile, though this time it was the keeper Dowrich who held onto the catch as the score became 95 for 5 after 26.Windwards reached 121 before the wicket of Sunil Ambris for 31 triggered another mini-collapse of 3 for 5 in seven balls. Warrican took out Ambris and Shillingford on back-to-back balls in the 35th before Nurse returned to induce a return catch off the bat of Keron Cottoy. Carlos Brathwaite wiped out the tail as Windwards were dismissed in 45.4 overs.Dwayne Smith’s poor tournament for Barbados continued when he fell on the first ball of the chase, playing around his pads to fall leg before to Mervin Matthew. Windwards couldn’t capitalize on the early breakthrough though and from there it was smooth sailing.Kraigg Brathwaite put on solid stands with Shai Hope and Jonathan Carter before a 96-run stand with Shamarh Brooks sealed the match with 33 balls to spare. Brathwaite coasted to his fifty off 95 balls in the 38th over with a flicked boundary through square leg. He survived a chance on 69 in the 43rd over but Fletcher muffed a simple stumping chance produced by Cottoy’s legspin. Windwards had given up hope of winning by that stage though and Brathwaite clinched victory two overs later with his ninth boundary through the leg side.

Lou Vincent, the New Zealand batsman, is in confident mood ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 though insists that, aged 28, now is the time for him to perform on a consistent basis.”It’s been my downfall before that I throw my bat a bit early on and make a monkey of myself,” he said in Johannesburg on Wednesday, “but in Twenty20 cricket, as an opener, the game is ideally set up for me. The new ball goes further and if I can set the run-rate going at a good rate and lay the platform for a big score then I’ll be satisfied.”If you look in the dictionary under Twenty20, it will probably say ‘a short game. You watch for three hours, you don’t fall asleep and you don’t ever leave your chairs. Three hours of wham! bam!’ That’s probably the longest definition ever in a dictionary and in Latin it probably just says ‘good times’.”But Twenty20 is fast and I’d like to see this tournament played every year.”Vincent is one of New Zealand’s more agile players, and he insists that fielding will have a vital role to play in the ICC World Twenty next week.”Fielding will make a massive difference, especially in a place like Durban,” he said. “It’s a bigger ground and the ball doesn’t travel so far down there on the coast, so it calls for a lot of twos when you are batting. The fielding side has to make sure they have their quicker guys on the boundary to attack the ball. The 10 or 15 runs they can save can be crucial at the end.”Vincent, who made an outstanding start to his international career in 2001, has since struggled to cement his place. Aged 28, he concedes that it’s now or never for him.”Early on, it’s an exciting time in your career and as you progress you have to adapt and learn as you go through all the ups and downs,” he said. “But then you come to the business end of your career when you’ve learnt the game and you need to keep improving. So I’m definitely taking this tournament very seriously, because I know that if I don’t perform I won’t be in the team.”It’s an exciting new era for us, we will miss Stephen Fleming, he obviously played a massive part in this team, but Daniel Vettori is taking over at an appropriate time, he’s been playing international cricket for the last nine or 10 years.”We’re all around 28 or 29 years old and it’s time for us, we’re all coming to the business end of our careers.”