Jackson Bird

Jackson Bird will play as Australia's third pace bowler in the day-night Test against South Africa in Adelaide, skipper Steve Smith said on Wednesday.

Jackson Bird claimed a career-best 7-18 as Tasmania bundled out defending champions New South Wales for 32, their lowest total in first-class cricket, on day two of their Sheffield Shield match in Hobart on Sunday.

Handed a Test recall faster than he had expected, Australian pacer Pat Cummins said it would feel like a second debut when he takes the field against India in the ongoing Test series.

Eyeing the fast bowling all-rounder's slot in the upcoming Test series against India, Mitchell Marsh enhanced his chances with a solid 75 on the second day of Australia's warm-up game against India A and said he was ready to play at No. 6 slot.

A fuming Aaron Finch was caught smashing a chair with his bat after suffering an unfortunate run out during the Big Bash League final at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Sunday.

Mitchell Starc, known for his pace and ability to swing both the old and the new ball, took five wickets in the first two Tests and also contributed handsomely with the bat in the series opener in Pune.

Australia's Pune Test hero Steve O'Keefe in all likelihood will be dropped from the playing XI at expense of pacer Jackson Bird for the fourth Test match against India, starting Saturday.

Catch all the live action of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Brisbane.

Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat in the fourth Ashes test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

England claimed Steve Smith's prized wicket after Usman Khawaja hit his maiden Ashes Test century as Australia tightened the screws on the tourists in the final Sydney Test on Saturday.

England's James Vince blasted 95 and took a crucial catch as the Sydney Sixers downed the Perth Scorchers for their third title in Australia's Big Bash final in Sydney on Saturday.

The Australian cricket squad, led by Steve Smith, landed here on Monday ahead of engaging hosts India in a four-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy commencing at Pune on February 23.

Mitchell Johnson feels that Pune Test hero Steve O'Keefe may have to make way for pacer Jackson Bird in seamer-friendly conditions when the fourth Test match gets underway in Dharamsala from Saturday.

Australia captain Aaron Finch feels that he doesn't need a Big Bash League triumph to "pep" him up as playing an away series against a formidable Indian team is a big enough challenge. "I don't think you need anything to put a pep in your step when you're going on an Aussie tour, particularly to India," Finch said.

Test skipper Tim Paine has been named in Australia A's 13-member squad for the practice match against India A, set to begin on Sunday, December 6.

Shreyas Iyer stroked his way to an unbeaten half-century in an otherwise unimpressive batting display by India 'A' in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 469 for seven declared on the second day of the three-day practice game on Saturday.

David Warner raced to a half-century as Australia's openers pushed to 102 without loss at lunch on day one of the fourth Ashes test against England on Tuesday.

Mitchell Marsh, who is set to play the role of third seamer for Australia in the forthcoming Test series, perhaps isn’t rated seriously by his fast bowling colleagues.

New Zealand, England and Bangladesh were all beaten convincingly, but this is Australia, and India know what beating them to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will mean.

Henriques, who had missed the three-day second practice game due to a low-grade hamstring strain, cleared the fitness Test on Monday to return to the Test squad after a gap of four years. The opening game, a day-nighter, begins on December 17 in Adelaide.