Indore

Indore

Indian women’s squad for Oz tri-series, T20 WC probables on Sunday

The Indian women’s team for the tri-series in Australia and the probables for the subsequent T20 World Cup in the same country will be picked up in Mumbai on Sunday. The tri-series involves India, England and Australia and begins in Canberra on January 31. The teams will play each other twice before the final. The tournament will also give a clear picture on where the Indian team stands ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 21 when the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India take on hosts and four-time champions Australia in Sydney.

England opener Burns to miss SL tour

England opener Rory Burns will be out of action for up to four months after ankle surgery and will miss the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in March. Burns was injured while playing football to warm up for training ahead of the second Test against South Africa, and was ruled out of the rest of the tour. England have struggled to find a settled opening partnership in recent years, but Burns has brought solidity to the top of the order, and made a fighting 84 in the first Test loss to South Africa in Pretoria. Zak Crawley took his place for the second Test in Cape Town, but Burns’ absence in Sri Lanka could mean a recall for Keaton Jennings, who has performed well in Asia in the past.

Grandfather’s bets pay off for Sibley from beyond the grave

London, January 7

Dom Sibley made his maiden Test century for England in the second Test against South Africa but he had already scooped his family a record $28,500 thanks to his late grandfather Kenneth MacKenzie’s faith in his talent. MacKenzie died in 2011 four months after placing two bets on his then-teenage grandson — first at 150/1 then at 66/1 — that he would one day play for his country. That talent-spotting bore fruit when the 24-year-old opening batsman made his Test debut against New Zealand in November last year.

His family had no idea they could benefit from a posthumous payout until MacKenzie’s daughter Christine Sibley, Dom’s mother, went to a William Hill betting shop in Surrey.

“He’d have been so proud of Dom’s achievement, so watching him was tinged with sadness, but he’d also have been delighted at pulling off the bet at massive odds,” she said.

‘From beyond the grave’

The cashier said it was one of the more unusual payouts. “I’ve never seen two slips worth $228,500 like these before in nearly four years here — it’s even more unusual that the bets have been landed from beyond the grave,” Tyler Golledge said.

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said it was a remarkable bit of talent-spotting. “This is a record-breaking payout for any such bet involving a cricket protégé,” he said. “Dom clearly made a massive impression on his adoring grandfather.” — AFP

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First bet at age 16

Although Kenneth Mackenzie spotted something special in his grandson when he was just five he bided his time till he was 16 before placing the first bet. “It was unreal that Dom’s grandpa saw the potential and invested in the bet — he was very, very keen and passionate about cricket,” said the 57-year-old Christine Sibley. “Dom was five when he originally said he could play for England — by the time he was seven or eight he was playing for the U-9s and that was when the enquiries were made at William Hill about the odds. He went back a few years later and told them he thought the odds were a bit skinny, but they honoured the bet.”

Nothing tougher than playing India in India: Labuschagne

Sydney, January 7

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne is keen to test his skills against India, which he says is the toughest place to travel on a cricket assignment. “Whenever you play India, it’s a tough series because they’re a very tough opposition. They’ve got great batters and bowlers, so it’s going to be a challenge,” Labuschagne said. “But as a player you always want to test yourself against the best opposition in the toughest conditions, and there’s nothing tougher than India in India,” he added.

Labuschagne, who toured India with an Australia A side in 2018, said he would pick brains of his teammates who have travelled to that country for IPL and many international tours. “If I get an opportunity that’d be great. Luckily, I have a wealth of experience there with Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith… to continue to learn from those guys is great,” he said.

The series begins in Mumbai on January 14, and the second match will be played in Rajkot on January 17 and the third in Bengaluru on January 19. PTI

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Another Smith or Kohli?

Just 14 Tests old, Marnus Labuschagne is likely to claim the third position on the ICC Test rankings, behind India’s Virat Kohli and his compatriot Steve Smith. He has already drawn comparisons with these modern-day greats but Labuschagne played down the plaudits. “For people to speak like that is amazing, but there’s a lot more work to be done before anything like that can be talked about,” he said. “Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith — those guys have been doing it for five, six, seven years. To have one good summer doesn’t make you a great player. So for me it’s about trying to be consistent and trying to get Australia to win games,” he added.

Langer takes break as McDonald to lead Oz on India tour

Sydney, January 7

Australia coach Justin Langer is taking a break and will not travel to India, where his senior assistant Andrew McDonald will lead the side in the three-match series ODI series, starting January 14. The 38-year-old McDonald will be in charge of the national men’s side for the first time and Langer is confident the former medium-pacer will excel in his new role. “I said to him this morning, ‘We’re not reinventing the wheel’. He’s got a really good opportunity,” Langer said.

“I’m so confident in our coaching staff now with the cricket side of things. A lot of the time now I think about the cricket 30 per cent of the time, the rest of the time all the other stuff that goes with it: the bigger picture, the cultural stuff,” Langer added.

After completing a 3-0 home Test series sweep over New Zealand, Australia are slated to travel to India for a three match ODI series. “He’s an excellent coach, we’ve got other excellent coaches to back him up. I said to him I won’t ring him, I’ll let him go. He said ‘I might ring you’, that’s the difference. He’ll do a really good job,” Langer said. — PTI