Australian great Damien Martyn is battling for life against Meningitis!
Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn is in an induced coma, battling life-threatening meningitis. He was rushed to a Brisbane hospital in serious condition after falling ill on 26 December. The 54-year-old has meningitis, which inflames the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and can cause brain swelling. Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist, a close friend of Martyn, informed the public on behalf of his family that Martyn is receiving treatment in a hospital. “He is getting the best of treatment, and (Martyn’s partner) Amanda and his family know that many people are sending their prayers and best wishes,” Gilchrist was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg also sent his best wishes for Martyn’s speedy recovery. “I’m saddened to hear of Damien’s illness. The best wishes of everyone at Cricket Australia and in the wider cricket community are with him at this time,” Greenberg said in a statement. Martyn made his debut in international cricket during a Test against the West Indies in Brisbane in 1992, scoring 36 and 15 in two innings. Then, he established himself as one of the most elegant stroke-players in Australia and went on to play 67 Tests and 208 ODIs for Australia.
MCG turns into a sea of white-and-red! England win after 14 years on Australian soil
The Melbourne Cricket Ground turned into a sea of white and red on Sunday as England fans, consisting of the ever-vocal Barmy Army, finally had a moment they had waited more than a decade for. Songs echoed across the stands, flags fluttered in every corner, and chants drowned out the home crowd as England sealed a long-overdue Test victory on Australian soil, after 14 years. The Barmy Army finally had reason to celebrate. England completed a four-wicket win in the fourth Test at Melbourne, chasing down a tricky target of 175 and triggering scenes of jubilation among travelling supporters at the MCG. For a fan base known for unwavering loyalty, this was catharsis. Across two days, more than 186,000 fans packed into the iconic venue, and while the crowd was largely Australian, England’s travelling support made itself heard at every crucial moment. The green-top wicket once again raised questions as Australia faced the music, failing to survive against the English bowlers on a bowlers’-friendly pitch. At the same time, England’s batters showed clarity and intent. Although the pitch already shown its volatility, England reached the total in just 32.2 overs, registering their first successful fourth-innings chase in Australia since 1962 and their first Test win in the country since 2011. The match ended inside two days, the second such finish of the series, with 36 wickets falling across the contest. With only 13 days of cricket played so far in the Ashes, pitch conditions have become a major talking point. England have at least avoided a whitewash. As the focus shifts to Sydney, Australia will aim to close out the series 4-1, while England, buoyed by belief and the voice of the Barmy Army, will look to finish the tour on a high.
Ahead of the third test, Pat Cummins says he is anguished, being a resident of Sydney
Australian skipper Pat Cummins says, being a resident of Sydney, he is anguished about the Bondi Beach terror attack before the forthcoming third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, starting Tuesday. An attack by a father and son on a Jewish celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday killed 15 people, leaving dozens injured. It was the worst mass shooting attack in Australia in the last 29 years since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. “Like most other Aussies, I was just horrified watching on,” Cummins said. “I would just put the kids to bed and flick on the news as that was coming through. My wife and I were kind of watching in disbelief. “It’s a place that’s just around the corner from where we live, and we take the kids there all the time. Cummins’ young family are eastern suburbs locals in Sydney. The pacer’s wife and two children are with him in Adelaide for this Test. “It hit home pretty hard. I really feel for the Bondi community and the Jewish community in particular. Seeing the kind of scenes over the last couple of days has been pretty powerful as well,” Cummins added. The third Test will mark the first major sporting event in Australia since the attack, with the country still in mourning. Flags will also be flown at half-mast, and the players will wear black armbands.
Two Indian-origin cricketers included in the Australia Under-19 World Cup squad
Two Indian-origin players — Aryan Sharma and John James — have been selected in Australia’s 15-member squad for the men’s Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6. Aryan, an all-rounder who is an effective batsman and a slow left-arm spinner, and James, a right-arm medium pace all-rounder, were both part of the squad that played against India in the youth Tests and one-day internationals in September. Besides cricketers of Indian heritage, the squad features two players of Sri Lankan (Naden Cooray and Nitesh Samuel) and one of Chinese Origin (Alex Lee Young). Australia enters the tournament as defending champions, with Oliver Peake as captain. “We’re delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Our focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success in the tournament,” head coach Tim Nielsen said in a release. “The players named have impressed with their performances during the U19 series against India in September and at the recent National U19 Championship in Perth. “It’s an exciting group; some have already experienced senior training environments, while others are progressing rapidly through our pathway.” Australia is placed in Group A alongside Ireland, Japan, and Sri Lanka. The team will reach Namibia in early January and play warm-up matches from January 9–14. “The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the world,” Nielsen said.
Former England batsman Robin Smith dies unexpectedly, his family reveals
England’s former batsman Robin Smith has died at the age of 62. The news was announced by his English county, Hampshire, on Tuesday. Smith played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, died unexpectedly on Monday in Australia, where he lived, his family said. “It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of Christopher,” Smith’s family said in a statement released by Hampshire Cricket. Robin died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday, 1st December. The cause of his death is at present unknown.” Smith had only recently met with the England Lions squad in Perth ahead of the first Ashes Test at the invitation of team coach Andrew Flintoff. Robin rose to fame as one of England’s most charismatic and popular players,” Smith’s family said. It added: “Since his retirement from the game in 2004, his battles with alcohol and mental health have been well documented, but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death, which will be determined at postmortem investigation.” Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said: “Robin Smith is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time Hampshire cricket heroes. “He was a batsman of awesome power and control, and amongst the most courageous players this club has ever seen — especially against bowling of real pace.”
