MELBOURNE: Four years after being dropped as a test player for Australia due to a run of poor results, allrounder Mitchell Marsh made a telling return to form with a run-a-ball century against England at Headingly during the Ashes series in July.
His resurgence as a batter — and bowler — continues.
In the first cricket test against Pakistan in Perth, Marsh scored 90 and 63 not out to be named man of the match in the home side’s 360-run win inside four days. The 32-year-old Marsh also claimed the crucial wicket of former captain and star batter Babar Azam in the first innings to further highlight his overall value to the team.
Marsh was dropped by selectors in December 2018 after a run of 11 innings saw him score single figures seven times – including two ducks. His highest score during that streak was 45 runs.
Australia captain Pat Cummins says one key difference in the new-look Marsh is his willingness to play to his strengths, rather than try to imitate the batting style of others.
“I think he’s just got a really clear process at the moment in whatever format it is,” Cummins said. “He knows how to score runs, and you know he doesn’t really care what it looks like.
“I think in the past you can get caught up in, ‘There’s a template of how you’re meant to play test cricket or supposed to play test cricket and you’ve got to have a good forward defense’. I think Mitch has found a really good game plan.”
Australia has won 15 tests in a row against Pakistan in Australia, and Cummins and Co. will hope to extend that streak in the Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground beginning Dec. 26. It’s the second of three in the series, with the third set to start Jan. 3 in Sydney.
Off-spin bowler Nathan Lyon will enter the MCG match having taken test wicket No. 500 during the win in Perth.
“He’s a star. He’s so good,” Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne said of Lyon, who joined Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath as Australians with 500 test wickets.
“He’s got a natural ability, very gifted ability of bowling a very good off-spin ball. The amount of revs he gets — it’s almost impossible for anyone else to get that amount of revs . . . that skill alone is almost unteachable.”
Lyon reached the 500-wicket landmark when he successfully went for a leg before wicket referral against Faheem Ashraf and was embraced by his teammates. The off-spinner raised the ball to the applause of the Perth crowd.
Lyon then clean bowled Aamer Jamal in the same over off a delivery which bounced no higher than ankle height to finish with 2-18 in his memorable test match.
Mitchell Marsh excels in test cricket comeback after four years, stars against Pakistan
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Mitchell Marsh excels in test cricket comeback after four years, stars against Pakistan
- Marsh was dropped in 2018 after he scored single figures seven times and was dismissed twice for a duck
- The 32-year-old became man of the match in the first test against Pakistan after great batting performance
San Antonio Spurs extend domination of NBA-best Thunder
- After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs
- Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96
- At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124
NEW YORK: Reigning champion Oklahoma City have the NBA’s best record, but they cannot beat San Antonio, with superstar Victor Wembanyama coming off the bench Thursday to help lift the Spurs to an emphatic 117-102 victory.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points while Wembanyama had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes and guard Stephon Castle added 19 points for the Spurs, who stretched their win streak to eight games.
“My first Christmas game,” Fox said. “It feels great getting another victory.”
After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs.
“When you play a team of this caliber, the details are much more magnified,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We did a phenomenal job as the game progressed adhering to those nuances.”
Wembanyama wouldn’t call it a statement win for the season but he says the Spurs have learned from beating the Thunder.
“I’m not really sure it’s smart to think so far into the future,” said Wembanyama.
“This is like a playoff series. We played them three times in 10 days so we learned a lot on the technical side.”
Oklahoma City lost for the first time in 15 home games this season despite 22 points by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder sank their first seven shots to take an 18-12 lead but the Spurs closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run for a 41-36 edge and never looked back.
“The guys were working their butts off,” Johnson said.
The Spurs improved to 23-7, second in the Western Conference behind the Thunder at 26-5.
Fox made 12-of-19 shots from the floor, 3-of-4 from three-point range.
“He was carrying us a little bit,” Wembanyama said. “He’s a guy who can make things happen.”
The Spurs have not reached the playoffs since 2019 and have not won a playoff series since 2017.
In other games, Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96.
Kevin Durant added 25 points and Alperen Sengun had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Houston.
“We wanted to come out here and play with a sense of urgency for 48 minutes,” Durant said. “The basketball world is watching you tonight.”
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 25 points while four-time NBA MVP LeBron James added 18 points.
James, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, played in his 20th NBA Christmas contest, his holiday record falling to 11-9.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves had 12 points in 15 minutes before leaving with left calf soreness.
Knicks outlast Cavs
At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124.
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 34 points, grabbed a 103-86 lead with 10:25 remaining but New York closed on a 40-21 run to seize the victory.
Benson, who hit 6-of-12 from three-point range, lifted the Knicks ahead for good at 121-119 on a three-pointer with 65 seconds remaining.
It was Benson’s 90th 30-point game as a Knick, a total eclipsed only by Patrick Ewing and Carmelo Anthony.
Jordan Clarkson added 25 points off the New York bench.
At San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 23 points despite shooting 6-of-18 overall and 2-of-10 from three-point range to lead Golden State over Dallas 126-116.
“Didn’t shoot it well but we got a great win,” Curry said. “Just focused on the details of what this team can do to win.”
Seven Warriors scored in double figures with Jimmy Butler contributing 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Mavericks’ 19-year-old forward Cooper Flagg, the second-youngest NBA Christmas starter after 18-year-old James in 2003, scored a game-high 27 points.
Dallas star Anthony Davis exited after playing only 11 minutes with what appeared to be a groin injury.
Dallas guard Klay Thompson scored seven points in a return to the Bay Area, where he helped Golden State capture four NBA titles.
