Melbourne, April 1 (IANS) Cricket Australia has unveiled a streamlined 21-player central contract list for the 2026–27 season, reflecting a clear emphasis on red-ball cricket ahead of an unusually demanding Test schedule. With 15 Tests lined up over the next year, selectors have prioritised players suited to the longer format, resulting in several high-profile exclusions.Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett are among the notable inclusions, both securing their first full national contracts afte…
Latest Todd Murphy News & Updates
Melbourne, Jan 4 (IANS) Australia leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson has delivered a blunt assessment of spinners not being fielded in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, saying this decision made by the team think-tank ‘sucks’. At a venue historically renowned for favoring slow bowlers, Australia fielded an all-pace attack, and overlooked a spin bowling option for the third time in the ongoing Ashes. “It sucks, mate. I won’t be careful, it sucks. Being a spin bowler I am obviou…
Sydney, Jan 4 (IANS) Former England captain Michael Atherton believes the ongoing Ashes series has become “one-dimensional” due to the lack of spin bowling caused by pitches being more in favour of fast bowlers. England did not select a specialist spinner for any of the five matches, with off-spinner Shoaib Bashir overlooked, while Will Jacks bowled occasional off-spin but was not considered a frontline option.Australia, meanwhile, named Nathan Lyon for the first and third Tests but omitted the …
New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) With neither Australia nor England selecting a frontline spinner for the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, former Australia batter Simon Katich views this as a crucial shift in how spin bowlers are utilised in Australia. Despite both teams having full-time spinners, Australia’s Todd Murphy and England’s Shoaib Bashir, neither chose to include them in their starting lineups. Murphy’s omission is especially notable because it marks the first time since 1888 that Australia …
Sydney, Jan 2 (IANS) England opener Zak Crawley said a potential win in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground would show the team’s unity despite them being unable to retain the urn. After losing the first three games, England got something to cheer about by getting their first Test win in Australia for 15 years at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).”I think there is a big difference, just internally in the group. It shows a lot about how united we are if we can get a win. It (the …
Sydney, Jan 1 (IANS) Australia off-spinner Todd Murphy admitted that, although his eyesight isn’t great, he could see the SCG pitch looked very green three days before the fifth Test, once again raising questions about the role of spinners in this Ashes series.Murphy, 25, is in contention to play his first Test in Australia after featuring in seven matches overseas. However, there is no certainty he will be selected for Sydney, a ground usually friendly to spin, especially after he was left ou…
Melbourne, Dec 29 (IANS) Head coach Andrew McDonald was wary of making too many changes for the series finale, with valuable ICC World Test Championship points at stake as the Aussies strive for a third successive appearance in the final.The Aussies travel to the SCG for the fifth Test of the series, holding an unassailable 3-1 advantage, but the side will be keen to atone for the disappointing four-wicket loss to England in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.”WTC is something that we aim and stri…
Adelaide, Dec 23 (IANS) Todd Murphy and Jhye Richardson have been added to Australia’s 15-member squad for the fourth Ashes Test, starting on December 26.Murphy edged out Matt Kuhnemann and Corey Rocchiccioli to replace Nathan Lyon as the veteran off-spinner set to undergo surgery on his injured hamstring.Murphy has featured seven times at Test level for Australia, with his most recent match coming at the start of the year against Sri Lanka in Galle.Australia confirmed on Tuesday that Nathan Lyo…
New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) Right-arm quick Jhye Richardson is likely to be included in the XI for the Boxing Day Test of the Ashes series after recovering from shoulder surgery.After undergoing surgery in January, Richardson returned to cricket with his club, Fremantle, last month. He also spent time with the Test squad ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth, before playing for a Cricket Australia XI and Australia A against England Lions.Richardson got a golden chance to push his claims for a Test rec…