26 Sports Sunday, January 5, 2020 New Zealand on the chase after Labuschagne’s double ton in Sydney Blackcaps batted through the final session without losing a

SYDNEY: New Zealand made a secure start after a SCOREBOARD double lifted Australia to a massive 454 first innings total in the third Test yester- Scoreboard after the second day in the third Test day. The rock-solid number three reached his highest between New Zealand and Australia at the Sydney Test score of 215 in Sydney with the Australians dis- Ground yesterday: missed just before tea on the second day. In reply, the Blackcaps grittily batted through the Australia 1st innings (overnight 283-3) final session without losing a wicket, leaving skipper D. Warner c de Grandhomme b Wagner 45 Tom Latham on 26 and Melbourne Test centurion Tom J. Burns c Taylor b de Grandhomme 18 Blundell at 34 in their team’s total of 63. M. Labuschagne c & b Astle 215 There were a couple of close calls — notably a leg S. Smith c Taylor b de Grandhomme 63 before wicket appeal off and a possible M. Wade b Somerville 22 edge off — but the Kiwis showed plenty T. Head c Watling b Henry 10 of fight after enduring five tough sessions in the field in T. Paine b de Grandhomme 35 sapping heat. The day belonged to Labuschagne, who J. Pattinson b Wagner 2 sweated on 199 for 20 minutes before he thick edged Colin de Grandhomme through the vacant slips to the P. Cummins c Phillips b Astle 8 ropes to bring up his double ton. The milestone came M. Starc b Wagner 22 off 363 balls with 19 fours and a six and eclipsed his N. Lyon 6 previous Test record of 185 against Pakistan in Extras (lb6, nb1, w1) 8 Brisbane last November. Total (all out; 150.1 overs) 454 “They batted really well to finish the day off. I Fall of : 1-39 (Burns), 2-95 (Warner), 3-251 thought we bowled really well,” Labuschagne said. (Smith), 4-288 (Wade), 5-331 (Head), 6-410 (Paine), “The wicket looks like it’s going to go a little up and SYDNEY: Australia’s wicketkeeper and (L) bats watched by New Zealand’s BJ Watling 7-416 (Labuschagne), 8-426 (Pattinson), 9-430 down and spin a bit but we stuck to our guns there and (2nd R) and Glenn Phillips (R) during the second day of the third cricket Test match between Australia and hopefully the rewards will come tomorrow. (Cummins), 10-454 (Starc) New Zealand at the in Sydney yesterday. — AFP “It’s always a privilege to play for Australia and it : Henry 32-3-94-1 (1w), de Grandhomme 24- was nice to get some runs today and when you’re bat- 1-78-3 (1nb), Wagner 33.1-9-66-3, Somerville 29-2- ting well it’s nice if you can make them count.” keeper BJ Watling. The Kiwi bowlers had strangled his 99-1, Astle 32-0-111-2 Labuschagne’s prodigious form has notched him a total WICKETS TUMBLE scoring shots and his 10 runs came off 42 balls. of 837 runs since November and he has now Wickets tumbled quickly just before tea with James Henry was bowling despite fracturing his left thumb New Zealand 1st innings leapfrogged the great (834) for most runs Pattinson bowled by Neil Wagner for two, Pat Cummins on Friday. He had the injury strapped and placed in a T. Latham not out 26 scored by an Australian during a five-Test summer. caught off Astle’s bowling for eight and splint to continue on playing. The Sydney Test is being T. Blundell not out 34 He was also ’s leading run-getter last hitting a breezy 22 off 21 balls before he was bowled by played against the backdrop of one of Australia’s most Wagner, who finished with three for 66. Extras (b1, lb2) 3 year with 1,104 runs. The Kiwis finally dispatched him devastating bushfire seasons with at least 20 people after he was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Todd The hosts lost two wickets in the morning session. losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, Total (0 wkt, 29 overs) 63 Astle. Skipper Tim Paine supported Labuschagne to was out in the day’s first over, bowled including on the outskirts of Sydney. Bowling: Starc 7-0-18-0, Cummins 9-3-18-0, reach his double century before he was bowled off-stump while attempting to sweep off-spinner Will Play will be suspended in the match at the umpire’s Pattinson 4-1-10-0, Lyon 8-3-13-0, Labuschagne 1- between his bat and pad by de Grandhomme for 35. Somerville for no addition to his overnight score of 22. discretion, should smoke significantly affect air quality 0-1-0. Paine faced 92 balls and shared in a 79-run stand with Melbourne centurion fell to Matt Henry, or visibility, but the sky above the ground has remained Labuschagne to take Australia beyond 400. cutting too close to his body and snicking to wicket- largely clear so far. — AFP

Elgar shines but Kohli opposes England on top four-day Tests in second Test

CAPE TOWN: and Rassie van der Dussen GUWAHATI: India captain put on a century fourth-wicket stand for yesterday hit out at proposals to cut Test but England have taken charge of the second test after matches from five days to four as the reducing the home side to 215 for eight at the close of world body battles with the crowded the second day at Newlands yesterday. cricket calendar. South Africa trail by 54 runs on the first innings hav- Reports that the International Cricket ing bowled England out for 269 and will resume the Council could decide to cut the length of third day with Vernon Philander (13 not out) and Kagiso Test matches from 2023 have divided Rabada (0 not out) at the crease. players and nations. Kohli, who leads the England had the new ball in hand five overs from the world Test rankings as well as end of play and will resume on day three in search of being captain of the number one Test side, the wickets to quickly end the home side’s innings with said the format should not be altered. a handy lead. There is plenty in the wicket for the “Day-Night Tests is the most that bowlers but South Africa were able to frustrate England should be changed about Test cricket, through the middle part of the day as they seek to build according to me,” Kohli said in Guwahati, on their 107-run first test win in . ahead of India’s T20 game today against England made an excellent start with the ball and CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen (L) runs between the wickets while England’s Zak Crawley Sri Lanka. With four-day Tests “you are reduced South Africa to 40 for three. Seamer Stuart (C) reaches for the ball during the second day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and purely only talking about getting numbers Broad (2-36) had debutant opener Pieter Malan caught England at the Newlands stadium in Cape Town yesterday. — AFP in and entertainment, and I think the intent by at first slip for five, while Zubayr Hamza (5) will not be right,” said Kohli. could only fend a to at second slip. “Then you will speak of three-day James Anderson (3-34) removed South Africa’s cap- captain Root halfway to the . Maharaj (4) off what proved the final ball of the day. Tests. I mean, where do you end,” he tain (1), also caught by Stokes, before The dangerous played a typically England had resumed their first innings on 262 for added. Elgar and Van der Dussen’s century stand steadied breezy 20 before he was out in similar fashion, though nine at the start of the day but Anderson (4) was caught “I don’t endorse that (change) at all. I things for the home side. Elgar has a reputation as a seamer Sam Curran (2-39) was the bowler and by Van der Dussen at first slip off Rabada (3-68). Ollie don’t think that that is fair to the purest dogged accumulator of runs and played to type to Anderson took the catch. Van der Dussen’s patient stay Pope finished the innings not out on 61. format of the game — how cricket start- score 88 from 180 balls, his 14th test half-century to go at the crease saw him reach 68 from 187 balls, before Meanwhile, the tourists are hoping to have fast ed.” “Day-night tests are another step on with 12 hundreds. guiding Curran to Stokes at second slip. bowler Jofra Archer available for the third test that commercializing Test cricket and creating He was out to an uncharacteristically loose shot Dwaine Pretorious also then steered an Anderson starts in Port Elizabeth on Jan. 16. A second scan on an excitement around it, but it can’t be tin- though, trying to smash off-spinner Dominic Bess to delivery to Stokes, a fourth catch for the all-rounder, elbow injury that kept him out of the Cape Town test kered with too much.” mid-off, but only succeeding in picking out England before the seamer also claimed the scalp of Keshav revealed only bruising and swelling. —Reuters Day-night Test were also initially resis- ted by players, but have become gradually accepted. The ICC allowed four-day Tests in 2017 and they have been tried in one- off games between South Africa and India’s Pathan Labuschagne hits record heights Zimbabwe and England against Ireland. But they are not allowed in the Test announces SYDNEY: has set some that I have had. Looking at it, it has been a world championship which is led by Kohli’s pretty lofty standards for Australian bat- very special summer but the real privilege India. The English, Australian and New ting in recent years but Marnus is playing in this team. Zealand national associations have indi- retirement Labuschagne’s exploits in the five home “You’re not just playing for yourself cated they are ready to change. Some Tests this season now bear comparison, you’re playing for a team that is really players like England captain Joe Root have MUMBAI: Indian all-rounder Irfan especially after he broke a 67-year-old enjoyable to be a part of.” Only Harvey, also said the plan should be considered. Pathan announced his retirement from scoring record yesterday. England’s and the great The effervescent 25-year-old, born in have ever scored in But the key Board of Control for Cricket all forms of the game yesterday, bring- ing the curtain down on an illustrious South Africa but raised from the age of 10 excess of 800 runs over a five-test in India has not yet made a comment. And in Queensland, made his debut against Australian summer. several leading players have joined Kohli career which included a World triumph. Pakistan in October 2018 and impressed Bradman did it twice and he alone now in coming out against the change. with four half centuries in last year’s Ashes stands above Labuschagne in the list of Australia captain Tim Paine said that while The 35-year-old left-arm seamer played 29 Tests, 120 one dayers and 24 series in England. career averages for those batsmen who four days could be used for some Tests, Since he first took guard against have played at least 20 innings. There is, of T20Is for India, picking a total of 301 the main games had to stay at five. Pakistan again in in November, course, daylight between the 99.94 international wickets. “I have been for- Australia’s most successful off-spinner though, he has enjoyed a purple patch of Bradman famously finished on and Nathan Lyon has called the idea “ridicu- tunate to share the dressing room with form that few other batsmen have rivalled. Labuschagne’s current 63.63. Smith is now lous”. “I believe you will get so many greats of the game like (Sourav) After scoring 215 to drive Australia to 454 relegated to third on the list on 62.84. more draws and day five is crucial,” he Ganguly, (Rahul) Dravid and (VVS) Pakistan in 2007. He took three crucial in the third Test against New Zealand yes- Labuschagne will face tougher assign- told the Unplayable Podcast before the Laxman. I am calling time on my wickets as India lifted the trophy in terday, Labuschagne has now scored a ments overseas and much tougher opposi- recent Test against New Zealand. “I’m career,” Pathan announced on broad- . double century, two 150s, one century and tion than Pakistan and a New Zealand side totally against it and I hope ICC aren’t caster Star Sports. He is one of three Indian bowlers to two half centuries in his last seven innings. ravaged by illness and injury but he has even considering it.” “I would like to thank my family for have claimed a test hat-trick and the first The knock took him to 837 runs at an already shown remarkable maturity for a The ICC and national boards in favour providing much-needed support. I would in the world to claim it in the first over of average of 199.57 for the home season, batsman with only 14 tests under his belt. of change say that cutting Test time is a like to thank my fans. They have always the match. Pathan last played for India bettering the 834 Australian batting great “I think he’s just very good at absorbing way to ease a calendar now packed with hoped for my comeback. Their support during the World T20 in 2012, but fea- Neil Harvey tallied in a five-match series pressure and keeping ticking away,” said Tests, 50 over internationals and the has kept me going.” tured regularly in the domestic circuit. against South Africa in 1952-53. New Zealand spinner Todd Astle, who dis- growing number of T20 internationals and Pathan’s biggest contribution to “I will keep contributing to Indian “Obviously that’s very special going missed Labuschagne caught and bowled leagues. — AFP Indian cricket came in the game’s short- cricket, but it is always better if someone past a player of that calibre,” said yesterday with the 363rd delivery the est format as he was named man-of-the- else takes my place in domestic cricket,” Labuschagne. “I haven’t really had a Australian faced. “It’s amazing how he’s able match in the World T20 final against Pathan added. — Reuters chance to stop and reflect on the summer to keep up that momentum.” — Reuters