Gabba dramas show why pink-ball Tests are here to stay – and could save the format

It took just six deliveries for Mitchell Starc to work his magic with the pink ball. The dismissal of Ben Duckett in the first over in Brisbane was the left-arm quick’s 82nd wicket in his 15th day-night Test. Starc would take another seven scalps in the second Ashes Test, as Australia romped to an eight-wicket victory at the Gabba. England’s belated resistance to begin day four ensured the hosts’ triumph was sealed under lights during the third session – when maximum eyeballs, for better or worse, would be locked onto the clash both locally and on the other side of the globe.England might be out to save Test cricket, or to at least reignite interest in it in their homeland

McCullum insists England do not have a ‘glass jaw’ and can fight back in Ashes

Brendon McCullum has insisted that England have the quality and ­character to fight their way back into the Ashes contest, and refused to accept the idea of players feeling sorry for them­selves after starting the series with two savage defeats.“You come to this country and have a glass jaw, you have no chance,” the head coach said. “You have to be strong, tough, and you have to get on with it.”England travel to Noosa on Tuesday for a short break before moving to ­Adelaide to begin their preparations for the third Test, 2-0 down for the third Ashes series in succession. In 2020-21 Australia converted that lead into a 4-0 series win, but in 2023 ­England fought back to draw 2-2

The once formidable Kansas City Chiefs look old, tired and out of ideas

Patrick Mahomes has led his team to seven straight AFC Championship Games, winning three Super Bowls on the way. That run appears to be overThis is how great runs end. Not with a single catastrophic collapse, but with a slow drift towards the finish, looking old, tired and out of ideas. For the Chiefs, that sense of finality arrived on Sunday night, delivered by the Texans in a 20-10 defeat at home that felt more lopsided than the score.For much of this season, there had been a gnawing sense of inevitability about the Chiefs

Lewis Hamilton to ‘unplug from matrix’ after worst season of F1 career at Ferrari

A despondent Lewis Hamilton said he could not wait to get away from Abu Dhabi after enduring what has been the worst season of his ­Formula One career. He finished in his lowest championship position of sixth place and is looking forward to the winter break and disconnecting from the sport as he attempts to reset and regroup.In the final race of the season in he qualified in 16th place and finished in eighth, while the young British driver Lando Norris claimed his first world championship, the first Briton since Hamilton last did so in 2020.“I can’t wait to get away from all this,” Hamilton said afterwards as he faced the media. “Every week, photoshoots and all that kind of stuff

Standing up for Alex Carey, undoubtedly the finest wicketkeeper in world cricket right now | Brendan Foster

Just after lunch on the fourth day of the Centenary Test at the MCG in 1977, the classroom speaker at my Perth primary school crackled into life with the muffled voices of the ABC radio.Our teacher demanded we stop what we were doing because history was about to be made. Perhaps Queen Elizabeth, who was in Australia on her Silver Jubilee tour of the Commonwealth, was about to address her colonial subjects with a momentous announcement?A thunderous bluster from the tiny speaker filled the room as the teacher proudly declared that Rod Marsh had just become the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a Test century against England.The pugnacious Western Australian, who had the reckless bravery of a bare-knuckle fighter at a travelling agricultural show, revolutionised world cricket because he was the first player to be selected for Australia for his batting ability rather than his glovework. It’s a template that most cricketing nations have been copying ever since, with varying degrees of success

Packers edge Bears and Bills topple Bengals in thriller: NFL week 14 as it happened

(2-11) Las Vegas Raiders 17-24 Denver Broncos (11-2)(3-10) Arizona Cardinals 17-45 Los Angeles Rams (10-3)(9-3-1) Green Bay Packers 28-21 Chicago Bears (9-4)Big shift in the NFC with these results. LA take over at the top of the conference with an absolute rout of Arizona while Green Bay jump to the top of the NFC North above Chicago as the Bears just fall short. Goodnight!Green Bay Packers 28-21 Chicago BearsNot like this, not like this! Chicago go for it all on 4th down as Williams rolls out on the boot leg to the left but he under throws the pass straight into the arms of Keisean Nixon. Game over.Packers 28-21 Bears 0:27, 4th quarterOn 3rd down in the red zone Monangai gets the hand off but is short! Huge play by the Green Bay defense to stop him