Cricket’s record-holding batsman on his “rainbow baby”,mixing politics and sport – and his most enthusiastic fan base.
Glenn Maxwell went berserk with the bat,then Xavier Bartlett ripped apart Pakistan’s top order as Australia dominated a seven-over Gabba Twenty20 slog.
It is insulting to the loyalty of cricket fans that they are being asked to support a team that plainly is not the best Australia can field.
Jason Gillespie believes the hot pace of Haris Rauf “exposed some flaws” in Australia’s batting ahead of an India series he says was prioritised well above the ODI matches that provided Pakistan’s first win over the hosts in two decades.
Australia’s cricketers can’t please everyone all the time. But a Pakistan thrashing risks upsetting fans and the broadcaster.
For the first time in 22 years,Australia has lost a home ODI series to Pakistan.
World Cup champions Australia have been embarrassed by Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval,suffering one of the heaviest defeats in their proud ODI history.
Australian openers were pilloried for their aggressive approach in the first ODI. But Jake Fraser-McGurk says they won’t change their approach in Friday’s game two.
All signs are pointing to Nathan McSweeney being chosen as Australia’s next Test opener.
Australia,chasing 204,have limped to a two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening one-day international at the MCG. Meanwhile,David Warner has delivered his verdict on who should open the batting against India - and it’s not Cameron Bancroft.
Jason Gillespie is experiencing the chaotic nature of Pakistani cricket up close. Along with a player he was sacked from the team selection panel and replaced by a former umpire. Now the former quick is coaching the team when they play white-ball matches in Australia. “[It’s] one of those situations in which you just need to go with the flow,” Gillespie says.