Shaken Australia face stern NZ test in Chappell-Hadlee series

05.09.2022 - 13:27 channelnewsasia.com

MELBOURNE : Australia captain Aaron Finch will hope Saturday's debacle against Zimbabwe has served as the perfect wake-up call for his team heading into the three-match one-day international series against a formidable New Zealand on Tuesday.The Chappell-Hadlee series between the trans-Tasman rivals could not take place in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that came with it.Kane Williamson's New Zealand, currently the top ranked ODI team, arrived with a full-strength squad and having lost just one of their 12 Super League matches.Finch's Australia are still smarting from Saturday's five-wicket loss in Townsville, which denied them a series sweep against Zimbabwe."They're a fantastic unit, they have been for a long time," Finch told reporters on Monday."They continue to be one of the benchmarks in world cricket in all three formats of the game and the fact that they're number one in ODI cricket at the moment is testament to that."Few would have more at stake in the series than the Australia captain who finds himself in the middle of a prolonged slump in form.The opener aggregated 21 runs in the series against Zimbabwe and aggregates 164 runs in 11 one-day innings that include a fifty."Obviously the performances personally haven't been there in terms of the output of runs, but still feel like I'm a pretty good player," he said."You're always looking to improve and I think being able to train consistently and keep tinkering with my game to get better is the most important thing."Williamson, who skipped the last two ODIs in West Indies with a quad injury, said his long-standing elbow injury had also subsided allowing him extended training sessions.Their strong form

cricket Test Aaron Finch Australia Zimbabwe New Zealand county Kane

Rohit Sharma-led Team India levelled the three-match series at 1-1 after winning the Nagpur T20I which was curtailed to eight overs per side due to wet outfield. Now, the side would look to carry the momentum into the series decider against Australia on Sunday evening at Hyderabad. Jasprit Bumrah made his much-awaited return and he announced his arrival in style as he bowled a toe-crushing yorker to get the better of Australia skipper Aaron Finch. The fans in Hyderabad would be expecting a thriller to have a gala time on Sunday evening.

2nd T20I: India, Australia "Played The Game For City Of Nagpur", Says Dinesh Karthik

The fans at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur had to wait two-and-a-half-hours for the second T20I between India and Australia to finally get underway. Overnight rain left a few wet patches on the outfield and hence the match could not start on time on Friday evening. The match, which was slated to get underway at 7 PM finally began at 9:30 PM, and it was reduced to eight overs per side. In the end, it was Rohit Sharma and co that came out on the right side of the result, and hence series was brought on level terms at 1-1, with series decider set to be played on Sunday in Hyderabad.

Watch: Jasprit Bumrah Shows Why India Missed Him With Jaffa To Castle Aaron Finch In 2nd T20I vs Australia

India's bowling attack has come under the scanner recently, but star pacer Jasprit Bumrah on Friday showed exactly why his return was so highly anticipated with a peach of a delivery to castle Australia captain Aaron Finch in the third T20I in Nagpur. Finch looked in destructive mood until Bumrah came on to bowl in the shortened match and castled him with a low full toss. The delivery dipped on Finch and cramped him for space, and the Australia opener could not get his bat down on time. The ball went on hit his leg-stump, ending his knock of 31 off 15 deliveries.

India beat Australia by six wickets in rain-hit contest to level T20 series

Rohit Sharma starred as India levelled the three-match T20 international series against Australia with a six-wicket win in a match reduced to eight overs a side.

India's Rohit levels Australia T20 series in rain-affected Nagpur

Rohit Sharma's unbeaten 20-ball 46 helped India seal a six-wicket victory over visitors Australia in the second T20 which was cut to eight overs a-side on Friday.

Rohit Sharma Deals In Sixes To Guide India To Series-levelling Win vs Australia in Second T20I

Rohit Sharma displayed his six-hitting prowess with an unbeaten 46 after Axar Patel snapped two wickets in a fiery spell as India notched up a series-levelling six-wicket win over Australia in a rain hit second T20I in Nagpur on Friday. The India skipper smashed four sixes and as many fours as he single-handedly helped India chase down a target of 91 with four balls to spare in a match which was reduced to eight overs a side due to a wet outfield. Earlier, Matthew Wade smacked an unbeaten 20-ball 43 to fire Australia to a 90 for five.