Weekly CRICKET Review - LXXViii | TEST CRICKET

Hello, fellow Cricket Enthusiasts,

You already know I am sharing a weekly wrap-up of what is happening within the Cricket community. It's the 78th edition now. After last week's post, many interesting series are going on now! especially the remaining matches of WTC. Now just there are three teams are in the race! So, let's see what's happening!!

Using Canva & Getty Images

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India tour of Australia, 2024-25

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• Well, two of the greatest Cricket nations right now are in charge of the Broder-Goverskar trophy, for 5 Tests. After India's historic win in Perth at the first Test, the Aussies came back with a bang at Adelaide Oval in the next match. It was a day & Night Test or a Pink ball game.

• India opted to bat first after winning the toss, and Rohit's decision was checked straightaway in the first over. In the last match, we saw a funny comment from Jaiswal at Starc, and looks like Starc took it personally. 😅 I saw Prime Starc in this match. He started the day, by taking Jaiswal for a golden duck. From there, Gill and KL put in a small partnership, but after that was broken, the Indian team couldn't hold it together. Wickets fell regularly, and India was all out for just 180 runs.

Satrc got a 6-fer.

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• On the first day evening, the Aussie did well. They lost one wicket, and Labuschagne & McSweeney carried the inning. ut the next day was all about, India's biggest nightmare of recent years. Travis Head got the charge, and smashed listening 140 runs off 141 balls. He partnered with the middle, and tailenders to put in 337 runs, with a lead of 157 runs.

• Under pressure, India started the second innings on the second day evening. And Aussie pacers sealed the deal, taking 5 wickets. India could only score 175 runs, giving only 19-run chase. Aussie won the match by 10 wickets, and Head grade the player of the match award.

England tour of New Zealand, 2024

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• It's a 3-match Test series. After winning the first match, England won the second one even better and sealed the series.

• England started batting, and they lost 4 early wickets for just 43 runs. but the oy Harry Brook once again took the lead. He partnered with Pope to score 174 runs for the fifth wicket. He scored 123 runs off 115 balls. It's his 8th fifty in 23 matches. He has started something, and now he is the second in the ICC Test batting ranking, only behind his fellow Root who added another century in the second inning. Anyway, England scored just 280 runs for the inning.

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• but the NZ inning was way worse. They attend for only 35 overs and all out for 125 runs. Amazing performance from the England pacers.

• Then the pitch worked different for the England atters. Duckett - 992, Jacob Bethell - 96, Root - 106, brook - 55, Stokes 49. They declared the innings for 427-6. Kiwis had to chase 582 runs. They fell out for 259 runs, resulting in a 323-run huge loss. Apart from the century from Tom Blundell there was not nothing much from Kiwi matters.

Sri Lanka tour of South Africa, 2024

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• Sri Lanka was in the race for the WTC Final, but everything was shattered with a series loss against SA. As I said last week, we lost the first match cheaply.

• The second one was equally spinning for both teams in most of the match. Asith Fernando took a wicket in the second over. With a century from Rickelton and a half-century from Temba Bavuma, helped the Proteas. ut the century from Verreynne with the tailenders was the difference for them. With that, they reached 358 runs.

• Anyway, Sri Lanka had a good start from the top order. Anyway, they all got starts but couldn't carry it for big runs. Especially Pathum after scoring a brilliant 89 runs, threw the wicket. Anyway from 268/4, we were all out for 328 runs.

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• With good contribution from all, SA added another 317 runs, giving a 348-run target. That was gettable for a sensible team, but not for the Sri Lanka team. Once again yop order got small starts, but the wickets fell. Half of the team were in the dugout for just 122 runs. Anyway, from there Dhananjaya and Mendis, carried the innings putting a 97-run partnership. The third day ended with a little hope. ut on the first hour of the next day, Sri Lanka lost all the wickets for 238. SA won the series, 2-0 and avuma won the MoS trophy.

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• Now South Africa, Australia, and India are in the race, with just a few series remaining.

2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship points table

• India tour of Australia, 2024-25
• England tour of New Zealand, 2024
• Sri Lanka tour of South Africa, 2024

So, that's it for today!! Until the next time! Enjoy!

Thank you.
Best Regards!