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The tough runs that propelled McSweeney to new world of opening
Bailey is never one to give much away. Nor should you ever read too much into his comments. But there was just a momentary pause before he answered.
"Not necessarily," Bailey said. "I think it's a good thing when you've got options, and there's players that are putting their hands up for different roles. So I think, not necessarily difficult on that front, but always looking for what you think the best balance will be and the sort of make-up of that team."
The reality is this was a challenging selection. Despite the insistence from the selectors that this wasn't a bat-off, or "the great Australian bake-off" as Bailey jokingly put it, the way the Australia A teams were selected and the batting orders, on top of the public debate, clearly showed there was no standout candidate even if the selectors had an idea of which way they were leaning from a long way out.
Where they have been consistent is with the insistence that batting positions don't matter, and they are intent on picking the best players in the country for the Test team.
This is where McSweeney's selection is fascinating. He is set to open the batting in Perth having never done it at Sheffield Shield level and having only done it at first-class level for the first time against India A in the last five days.
Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricket
George Bailey on Nathan McSweeney
"I don't think it's a huge adjustment to go from three to opening," Bailey said. "I think in the 15 or so games that he's been batting at three for South Australia, I think he's been in before the 10th over about 20 times. He's had plenty of experience. I think his game and the way he plays, I don't think the adjustment will be too much."
It's worth drilling into those numbers. The 15 Bailey refers to is the overall innings McSweeney has batted at No. 3 in Sheffield Shield cricket (one of those came for Queensland before the move to South Australia which accelerated his rise). He has averaged 30.86 with one century and three half-centuries that have all come this calendar year in his last seven hits in the position.
It is understood Australia's selectors did a deeper dive into the candidates' performances against the best Shield attacks on the Test venues in the recent past to find a separator amongst them. McSweeney stood out.
But it's worth noting he batted at No. 3 in just two of those eight innings, No. 4 in five of them and No. 5 once. His entry points were in the 26th, 18th, 46th, 19th, 24th, 11th, 4th and 25th overs respectively. Two of those four centuries came batting behind a nightwatcher.
Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No. 3 in Tests with eight centuries, including a double, and though he won't admit it publicly, even he found the adjustment to opening difficult.
For this reason, Harris and Bancroft have a right to feel aggrieved. For 12 months the selectors have pointed to past success stories of Usman Khawaja, Justin Langer, Simon Katich and Shane Watson as converted Test openers to support their stance that batting positions do not matter. But there is a chance they are outliers depending on how you view things. As Smith showed, and as most grizzled openers will attest, there is a distinct difference between occasionally walking out early at one or two for not many to face the new ball and doing it day in, day out for over a decade as Harris and Bancroft have.
Harris' Test scores of 79 and 70 at the SCG and Perth Stadium against a Jasprit Bumrah led India attack in 2018-19, and 76 against James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on an MCG minefield in 2021-22, do not seem to have overturned perceptions around his inability to convert starts and the large gulf between his first-class record at the bowling graveyard of the Junction Oval compared to the Test venues.
His 74 against India A on Friday appears to have been too little too late, despite no other top three batter in the game, including McSweeney, passing 25. His play against spin would also be a factor. He looked far from comfortable against Tanush Kotian's offspin. Australia's hierarchy are wary of giving R Ashwin a look at four left-handers in the top seven.
For Bancroft, perception about his technical deficiencies are becoming reality. After he was overlooked in January having dominated the Shield for two summers, he was never going to be selected having returned 29 runs in eight first-class innings this season. Bailey insisted the door wasn't closed for either Harris or Bancroft. But brutally for both men, it is clear they are the wrong side of 30, and despite higher career averages than McSweeney, those too are the wrong side of 40 despite this being a difficult era for batters in Shield cricket.
It is noteworthy that McSweeney's consistency of mechanics, method and decision-making have been praised in the aftermath of his selection.
For Konstas, his time is coming but it's not quite now. When Khawaja will end remains a mystery, but the 19-year-old appears perfectly poised to assume his position with more first-class experience under his belt.
Ultimately, McSweeney is in the right place at the right time. He has been identified as a future Australian leader and his first-class form is matching that standing.
"[We're] really thrilled with Nathan's game," Bailey said. "Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricket. I think he's wonderful person. He's clearly had some good leadership exposure now, good catcher, bowl's some good off spin too. So the package is really impressive."
He is, however, about to step into a new world.
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Haryana's Yashvardhan Dalal hits record 428 in CK Nayudu Trophy
Haryana opener Yashvardhan Dalal created history by scoring a record unbeaten 428 against Mumbai in the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy match on Saturday. He is the first batter to cross 400 in the history of the tournament, being played since the 1973-74 season.
Mumbai won the toss and decided to bowl first after winning the toss at the Gurugram Cricket Ground in Haryana's Sultanpur. On the back of Dalal's brilliant quadruple hundred, Haryana declared on 742 for 8 early on the third morning.
Dalal, who scored 4 against Madhya Pradesh, and 23 and 67 against Jharkhand in the last two matches, was sent to open in the match against Mumbai and shared a 410-run partnership for the first wicket with Arsh Ranga. Ranga scored 151.
Dalal hit 46 fours and 12 sixes in 465 balls in his marathon innings.
Afridi, Naseem and Rauf restrict Australia to 140 in hunt for series win
Australia 140 (Abbott 30, Shaheen 3-32, Naseem 3-54, Rauf 2-24) vs Pakistan
Pakistan moved closer to a rare series victory in Australia after their quicks produced another superb display of pace bowling on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface in the third and final ODI.
After his attack had rattled world champions Australia on favourable bowling pitches at the MCG and Adelaide Oval, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan had no hesitation to bowl first and his decision was vindicated.
They bowled with hostility with numerous batters succumbing to the short ball, while allrounder Cooper Connolly had to retire hurt on 7 after copping a blow to his left hand attempting to pull Mohammad Hasnain. He was taken for scans and might not return to the field in Pakistan's innings.
Pakistan's attack smartly did not get carried away with the bounce on offer as their quicks bowled unrelenting line and lengths to totally smother Australia, who once again would be disappointed with their shot selections on a surface that was not a minefield.
Their optimism was heightened by Australia making five changes after skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne were rested as they start to prepare for the first Test against India.
Australia had to rejig their batting-order, but openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk remained at the top of the order and desperate to fire having struggled across the opening two games.
They appeared intent on backing their ultra-aggressive methods and scored 12 runs in the opening over. But things quickly went downhill with Fraser-McGurk caught at second slip after attempting to drive a good length delivery from Naseem.
He failed to move his feet in a dismissal that is common in Perth and his wicket brought to the crease allrounder Aaron Hardie, who was elevated to No. 3 in a role he fulfils with aplomb for Perth Scorchers in the BBL.
Even though he was on his home ground, Hardie looked nervous and was rapped on the pads by Shaheen, who dangerously moved the ball in the air, but Rizwan did not review in a wise decision as per the replays.
Hardie's nerves appeared to settle with a whip through midwicket for his first boundary, but he soon fell in a moment of indecisiveness and edged to second slip in a reward for Shaheen, who conjured beautiful seam movement.
Short managed to get through the early barrage as he set his sights on furthering his bid to become Australia's permanent ODI opener. But on 22 he picked out square leg to gift a wicket to Rauf, who was feeling giddy at his good fortune.
Rauf ramped up his speed and claimed Glenn Maxwell for a duck as Australia stared down the barrel of being routed for under 100. The only momentary concern for Pakistan was Shaheen grimacing in agony after being whacked on his left thumb taking a throw at the stumps.
But he returned and was faced with a counterattack from Sean Abbott, who top-scored with 30. But Shaheen ended Abbott's resistance and then knocked over Lance Morris to send the large contingent of Pakistan fans in the terraces into raptures.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
Kelly on loss: Didn't live up to LSU's standards
BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU coach Brian Kelly repeatedly blamed himself for a 42-13 loss to Alabama on Saturday night, a defeat that almost certainly ended any hope of a College Football Playoff berth for the Tigers.
They dropped to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in SEC play as Kelly acknowledged they face an uphill climb if they want any shot at a conference title.
When asked how he and the team will approach the last three weeks knowing a CFP berth is now a long shot, Kelly said, "We're disappointed in the way we performed. These guys are not like, 'Hey, we're out of the playoffs.' They're disappointed. And I'm disappointed that we didn't live up to the standards of LSU football. That affects us more than the damn playoffs.
"When you put on a jersey for LSU, there's a standard of football that those three letters on your jersey -- it's a prerequisite, and we didn't live up to that. That's the disappointment."
LSU had an open date to prepare for the matchup against Alabama yet struggled to slow down quarterback Jalen Milroe and made costly mistakes on offense that allowed the game to get out of reach. Milroe has run through the LSU defense in consecutive campaigns now -- rushing for 185 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday after rushing for 155 yards in a 42-28 win over the Tigers last season. Milroe finished with more rushing yards than passing yards (109) this time around.
The Tigers have struggled to contain rushing quarterbacks this season. In a loss to Texas A&M their last time out, backup quarterback Marcel Reed replaced Conner Weigman and ran for 62 yards and three touchdowns for the Aggies to lead a comeback victory.
"If you're watching the game, you're like, 'What did these guys do for two weeks?'" Kelly said of his team. "We have a scheme to stop the quarterback. We did not get that done, so I take responsibility for it. But we also have to put our players in the right position too to take advantage of what they're capable of doing. So, we own it together, and we've got to get it fixed, because it's been a couple of weeks now."
Kelly, however, would not get into too many specifics when asked what needs to change defensively.
"We're not reinventing the wheel when it comes to defending the quarterback," Kelly said. "There's only a couple of ways to defend them. We have to be able to get our players -- we're not trading any of them. There's no waiver wire. We're not bringing anybody up from the demo squad. We've got to come up with the right answers on what works best for the guys that we have, and it hasn't worked very well these last couple of games."
LSU linebacker Greg Penn III said he thought the Tigers had a good game plan to stop Milroe coming into the game.
"Obviously, he has great speed, and we can't really account for that in practice or on film until you are in the game," Penn said. "He is just a great player. I thought our game plan was really good, but they just went out there and executed better than us."
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier struggled to get the Tigers into the end zone, particularly in crucial moments. Late in the second quarter while down 14-6, LSU stopped Alabama on fourth-and-short. But on the next play, Nussmeier was sacked and fumbled. Alabama recovered, and three plays later Milroe scored on a 10-yard run to give the Crimson Tide a 21-6 lead.
To open the third quarter, the Tigers drove down the field to try to get themselves back in the game. But Nussmeier threw an interception in the end zone from the 4-yard line. Milroe scored again on the ensuing drive to make it 28-6 and essentially put the game out of reach.
Nussmeier ended up with three turnovers. He now has six turnovers in his past two outings.
Turnovers hurt, but so do penalties.
On that decisive third-quarter Alabama scoring drive, LSU thought it had a crucial third-down stop and sack on Milroe. But officials called a face mask penalty that LSU fans took issue with after watching it on the videoboard, with some throwing debris on the field.
"If I was in the stands, I wouldn't be happy," Kelly said. "I'm not advocating that you throw anything on the field. But I think it's like any other venue: I think you should use good judgment. But I wouldn't be happy if I was watching us play, either. I wasn't pleased with the way I coached or played, either."
As for Alabama (7-2, 4-2), the victory keeps it in the hunt for a playoff berth. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer called it "probably the most complete game we've played" and said Milroe has a "superpower" when it comes to running the football.
"Not just a guy who gets first downs but finishes in the end zone," DeBoer said. "So, him doing what he did early on got the ball rolling there."
As Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker added, "We sent the message to every team that Alabama can run the football. Even though it took us a couple of plays to get going, this is what we're capable of every week."
Milroe celebrated after the game with Alabama fans in the stands who made the trip. On the other end of the field, an LSU fan, clearly upset with the performance, was shouting that Kelly needed to find a way to leave Baton Rouge. LSU players said afterward they would find a way to regroup and refocus before playing at Florida next week. Kelly reiterated he will get back to work.
"The bottom line is, we didn't play to the standard of LSU football," Kelly said. "That's on me. I've got to make sure that we put our players in better positions to succeed, and that's the work I'll do."
Auburn stuns No. 4 UH day after in-flight scuffle
HOUSTON -- Tahaad Pettiford had 21 points, including five 3-pointers, Johni Broome added 20 points and nine rebounds and No. 11 Auburn beat No. 4 Houston 74-69 on Saturday night.
The victory came one day after the Tigers' flight to Houston had to be grounded shortly after takeoff because of a scuffle involving two players. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl did not address the situation after Saturday's game.
The incident involving reserves Jahki Howard and Ja'Heim Hudson was over before it escalated into anything serious, sources told ESPN's Jeff Borzello, but flight personnel opted to turn around the plane. The replacement flight took off for Houston late Friday night, according to sources.
Sources told Borzello that Howard and Hudson did not travel with the team.
Chaney Johnson had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Auburn (2-0). In the second half, Broome scored 16 points and Pettiford had 15.
L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp each had 13 points for Houston (1-1), J'Wan Roberts had 12 points and seven rebounds, and Joseph Tugler and Milos Uzan each scored 10.
After Houston regained the lead at 67-66 on a 3-pointer by Sharp with 2:14 remaining, Chad Baker-Mazara hit a jumper for Auburn. The Cougars then turned it over the next time down the court and Baker-Mazara hit two free throws to give the Tigers a three-point lead with 49 seconds left.
Cryer missed a jumper with 33 seconds left, and Denver Jones stole the rebound. Jones was fouled and hit two free throws to extend the lead to 72-67 with 22 seconds left.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
पहल टसट क लए ऑसटरलयई दल
पट कमस (कपतन), सकट बलड, ऐलकस कर, जश हज़लवड, टरवस हड, जश इगलस, उसमन ख़वज, मरनस लबशन, नथन लयन, मचल मरश, नथन मकसवन, सटव समथ, मचल सटरक
Lizelle Lee smashes WBBL records with 150 not out against Scorchers
Hobart Hurricanes 203 for 3 (Lee 150*, Ainsworth 2-17) beat Perth Scorchers 131 (Ainsworth 41, Graham 3-24, Smith 2-11, Strano 2-17) by 72 runs
Coming into the match, Lee had a high score of 38 in five WBBL innings this season. "It's one of those days, I won't say everything came off the middle because it didn't, but things just went my way," she said. "Coming through a little dip like that, having the support of the group and family was incredible."
Lee was given a life on 63 when spilled at backward point as Ainsworth returned to the attack. The figures of the Scorchers quick, who had got through two overs before Lee hit turbo charge, stood out amid the carnage as she finished with 2 for 17.
Hurricanes' 203 was their second-highest total in the WBBL. Scorchers never threatened to get close after an awful start where they lost Sophie Devine first ball and also saw Chloe Piparo run out in the opening over.
Unchanged Pakistan field; Australia make five changes for decider
Toss Pakistan chose to field vs Australia
Australia are without skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne, who have set their sights on preparing for the first Test against India.
Pakistan named the same XI for the third straight game in the type of stability that has been a welcome tonic following recent off-field turmoil which resulted in white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten quitting just a week before the tour.
It has been a relatively mild spring in Perth and pleasant temperatures in the mid-20s are expected throughout the day fixture. A crowd of around 20,000 is expected for the first ODI at Optus Stadium since 2018.
Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Aaron Hardie, 4 Josh Inglis (capt, wk), 5 Cooper Connolly, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Lance Morris
Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, 11 Mohammad Hasnain
Ducks' Gabriel sets NCAA total TD record with 179
EUGENE, Ore. -- Dillon Gabriel's touchdown pass to Gernorris Wilson early in the second half of Oregon's 39-18 win over Maryland on Saturday broke Case Keenum's NCAA record for total touchdowns.
The 3-yard scoring pass gave Gabriel 179 total touchdowns for his career. Keenum set the previous record for touchdowns responsible for (155 passes, 23 rushes) at Houston from 2007 to 2011.
Gabriel matched Keenum's record with a 9-yard scoring pass to Terrance Ferguson at the end of the first half against the Terrapins.
It was Gabriel's 146th passing touchdown overall and his 21st scoring pass this season for No. 1 Oregon. He also has rushed for six scores this season.
A sixth-year transfer from Oklahoma, Gabriel has 59 career starts, two short of the NCAA record held by former Oregon QB Bo Nix.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Messi, Miami suffer stunning 1st-rd exit to Atlanta
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Inter Miami suffered a stunning first-round elimination from the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs after falling 3-2 against Atlanta United in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference series at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.
Lionel Messi looked to have rescued Miami after scoring a second-half headed equalizer, but Bartosz Slisz won the game and the series for Atlanta with a 76th-minute header.
The goal was scored while Miami defender Tomás Avilés was down on the field in his own penalty area, with his teammates appealing for the referee to stop the game to allow him to receive treatment.
Messi twice had chances to level the score with free kicks, but on both occasions his efforts were blocked by the Atlanta wall as Miami fell victim to arguably the biggest upset in MLS playoff history.
Led by the Argentina star, Miami entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed after setting the MLS record for most points in a season to earn its first Supporters' Shield. But it fell short against an Atlanta side that finished as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference, 34 points behind Miami, and qualified for the postseason only with a final-day win to clinch a wild-card spot.
The Herons defeated Atlanta in the first game at home before losing Game 2 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta that forced a decisive third game.
And Miami again struggled against the Five Stripes on Saturday. Though Matías Rojas gave Miami the lead in the 17th minute, Jamal Thiare quickly found the equalizer minutes later. Atlanta then took a 2-1 lead within seconds after a second strike from Thiare.
Miami, which amassed 79 goals in 34 regular-season games, including 20 each from Messi and Luis Suárez, would get back on level terms through Messi. But defensive frailties and a standout performance from Atlanta's 40-year-old goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, saw a star-studded Miami team exit the postseason to dramatically conclude its 2024 season.
Atlanta will face Orlando City in the conference semifinals.
The team with the best record won the MLS Cup four times in the league's first seven seasons. In the 22 seasons since, the top overall seed has gone on to win the title only four more times.
The loss extended Miami's struggles in the MLS postseason, with the team co-owned by David Beckham still never progressing beyond the first round.
The South Florida team first featured in the MLS postseason in its inaugural 2020 season, losing 3-0 to Nashville in the play-in round. Two years later, the Herons fell 3-0 to New York City FC in the first round.
Miami missed the playoffs last season after Messi's midyear arrival but expected far more this year with a full season of a team featuring not only eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi but his one-time Barcelona teammates Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba as well as a former Barcelona coach in Gerardo Martino.
Messi's $20,446,667 in total compensation from Inter Miami this season was about $5 million more than the entire Atlanta payroll, and Inter Miami spent a record $41.7 million on payroll this season.
Miami will now shift focus to building its roster for 2025, when it will compete in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup.
Though Suárez's contract is set to expire at the end of this year, the forward revealed there have been negotiations between his agent and the club to extend his time in South Florida.
Messi's deal with Miami will see him play one more season at Chase Stadium.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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