Gay named in PCC Select XI for Pakistan warm-up game despite shoulder injury scare

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

London, Aug 12 (IANS) England opening batter Emilio Gay has been named in a 14-player Professional County Club (PCC) Select XI squad for a three-day warm-up fixture against the touring Pakistan side, starting at Beckenham on Thursday. It is followed by matches between the two teams at Lord’s (August 27-31) and Edgbaston (September 9-13) respectively.

Left-handed batter Gay, 26, suffered an injury scare after retiring hurt with a shoulder issue while batting for Durham in their One-Day Cup match against Middlesex. Gay felt discomfort in his right shoulder after hitting Toby Roland-Jones for four past mid-on, and immediately clutched the joint before signalling for the physio.

Despite undergoing a scan, Gay is expected to prove his fitness during the Beckenham encounter ahead of England’s three-match Test series against Pakistan, which is a part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, where the hosts are seventh in the standings and the visitors in eighth spot.

Sussex all-rounder Tom Haines will captain the PCC Select XI, with former England international Mike Yardy stepping in as head coach. The squad features an exciting mix of young talent alongside international players, including Test players Shoaib Bashir, Matt Fisher, and James Rew, all eager to impress.

Gay, who made his Test debut earlier this summer, has been included in England’s 16-man Test squad, which notably features no specialist opening cover. Returning batter Ollie Pope remains the spare option, while Jordan Cox is set to replace the injured Jacob Bethell at number three, with Dan Lawrence recalled to bat at number six.

PCC Select XI squad: Tom Haines (Captain), Shoaib Bashir, Luc Benkenstein, Caleb Falconer, Matt Fisher, Emilio Gay, Nathan Gilchrist, Josh Hull, Manny Lumsden, James Rew, James Sales, Charlie Tear, Noah Thain, Saif Zaib.

–IANS

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Indian women’s hockey team goes down 3-5 in opening match on Australia tour

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) The Indian women’s hockey team fought valiantly but fell short in its opening game of the Australia tour, going down 3-5 to a clinical Australia ‘A’ side at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth on Saturday.

India found the back of the net through Mahima Tete (27’), Navneet Kaur (45’), and Lalremsiami (50’) while Neasa Flynn (3’), Olivia Downes (9’), Ruby Harris (11’), Tatum Stewart (21’), and Kendra Fitzpatrick (44’) scored for Australia ‘A’.

The match began at a frenetic pace, with Australia ‘A’ asserting early control and breaking the deadlock through a well-constructed field goal by Neasa Flynn (3’). The home team continued to press hard, and in quick succession, Olivia Downes (9’) and Ruby Harris (11’) capitalised on defensive lapses to score two more field goals, ending the first quarter with a commanding 3-0 lead.

Australia ‘A’ carried the momentum into the second quarter, putting relentless pressure on the Indian defence. After earning back-to-back penalty corners, Tatum Stewart (21’) converted one, stretching their advantage to 4-0.

Despite the early onslaught, India showed resilience, and Mahima Tete (27’) pulled a goal back with a sharp field goal, injecting some energy into the Indian side as they headed into half-time trailing 1-4.

Australia ‘A’ upped their ante and were rewarded for their efforts as Kendra Fitzpatrick (44’) netted another goal for her side to make it 5-1. The Indian team launched a counterattack and their efforts bore fruit when vice-captain Navneet Kaur (45’) found the back of the net, narrowing the gap to 2-5.

In the final quarter, both teams continued to create scoring opportunities. India showcased their fighting spirit once again when Lalremsiami (50’) slotted home a fine field goal, keeping India’s hopes of a comeback alive. Despite some late pressure, India could not find the net again, and the match concluded with Australia A securing a 5-3 victory.

The Indian women’s hockey team wore black armbands during the match to mourn the innocent lives lost in the tragic Pahalgam attack on April 22. The team has decided to continue wearing black armbands for the remainder of the Australia Tour as a mark of respect and remembrance for the victims and their families.

The Indian women’s hockey team will aim to bounce back strongly when they face Australia A again in the second match of the tour on Sunday.

–IANS

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Head wins Allan Border Medal for second consecutive year, Starc named Test Player of the Year

Brisbane, Aug 7 (IANS) Australia’s dynamic left-handed opener Travis Head has won the prestigious Allan Border Medal for a second consecutive year following an outstanding 2025/26 international season.

At a Cricket Australia awards function held on Friday, Head took the top honour after scoring 1,437 runs across 30 matches in all three formats. His dominant season featured a match-winning 123 off 83 balls in the Ashes series opener in Perth and a high score of 170 in the Adelaide Test.

Head edged out South Australian teammate and wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey by a single vote – polling 153 votes to the latter’s 152. Carey compiled 1,079 runs in 24 matches and registered 28 dismissals during Australia’s successful Ashes defence.

Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc finished third in the medal tally with 150 votes and claimed the Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year award. Starc, who was named Player of the Series in the Ashes triumph, bagged 57 wickets at an average of 24 in 11 Tests, including career-best figures of 7-58.

In the white-ball categories, T20I captain Mitchell Marsh won the Men’s ODI Player of the Year after scoring 304 runs in six matches. Power-hitter Tim David claimed the Men’s T20I Player of the Year award, highlighted by his 37-ball unbeaten 102 against the West Indies — the fastest T20I century by an Australian male batter.

“Congratulations to all of tonight’s award winners, including back-to-back Allan Border Medallist Travis Head. Travis had a fantastic season with some memorable knocks that left lifelong memories for the fans lucky to watch him. Mitch Starc has moved into the realm of the world’s great fast bowlers while Mitch Marsh and Tim David starred in the white ball formats.”

“The Australian Men’s Team had a big 2025-26 summer which featured retaining the Ashes in front of record-breaking audiences. They have a huge year of cricket to come, starting with the two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay,” said James Allsopp, Cricket Australia Chief of Cricket.

Head joins an elite group of players as the sixth cricketer to win the Allan Border Medal multiple times, alongside Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, and David Warner.

Commending the achievements, Brendan Drew, Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) General Manager Member Services & Cricket Operations, said, “Congratulations to the winners of tonight’s awards, and to all involved in Australian Men’s Teams across the three formats over the last year.

“To Travis Head, who becomes only the 6th multiple-time winner of the Allan Border Medal – what a sensational player he’s become for Australia across all formats, a thoroughly deserving back-to-back winner of the award.

“Mitch Starc has aged like a fine wine and continues to act as a key cog in the Test bowling lineup — congratulations to him on becoming only the 5th player to be named Australia’s Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year multiple times.

“Congratulations to Mitch Marsh and Tim David who were duly rewarded for their stand-out years — both being reliable with the bat time and time again in ODIs and T20Is. As we wrap up last year, we look forward with excitement to a packed schedule of cricket for our Australian Men’s teams both home and away over the next 12 months,” he said.

Earlier this year, seam-bowling all-rounder Annabel Sutherland claimed her second consecutive Belinda Clark Award. She was also named ODI Player of the Year while left-handed wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney was named T20I Player of the Year.

–IANS

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Italian Open: Defending champ Iga Swiatek loses to Danielle Collins in third round

Rome, May 10 (IANS) In a stunning third-round upset at the 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Danielle Collins dispatched defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 7-5 on Rome’s Campo Centrale. The American’s aggressive play dismantled Swiatek’s rhythm, marking her second win over the World No. 1 in nine meetings.

Swiatek, who had dominated Rome with a 21-1 record in her previous 22 matches, appeared uncharacteristically subdued. Collins capitalised, delivering 32 winners to Swiatek’s 15 and converting six of eight break points. In contrast, Swiatek managed only two breaks from ten opportunities and committed 22 unforced errors as per WTA.

Collins’ victory not only ended Swiatek’s impressive run in Rome but also highlighted the American’s resurgence in her final professional season. Having announced her intention to retire at year’s end, Collins has been in formidable form, securing back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston and reaching the Rome semifinals. Her performance against Swiatek underscores her determination to conclude her career on a high note.

For Swiatek, this defeat marks her ninth loss of the season, equaling her total from the previous year. As she prepares for Roland Garros, questions arise about her form and confidence. Once a dominant force on clay, Swiatek now faces the challenge of regaining her momentum ahead of the French Open.

In another game, Peyton Stearns delivered the biggest upset so far at the Italian Open, triumphing in an all-American third round to upset No. 5 seed Madison Keys 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) and advance to her second consecutive WTA 1000 fourth round. There, she will face either Naomi Osaka or Marie Bouzkova

Stearns had also come through her only previous meeting with Keys, in the second round of Toronto last year — albeit via retirement, after a leg injury forced Keys to pull out while trailing 3-0 in the third set. In the rematch, the 23-year-old finished the job to notch her second career Top 10 win following her defeat of Zheng Qinwen in Dubai three months ago. Stearns twice led by a break in the third set, only for Keys to peg her back both times and force a tiebreak — but Stearns came up with a terrific drop shot-pass combination to gain a decisive 5-3 lead.

–IANS

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