England eye rare Ashes chance against depleted Australia

November 19, 2025 1:56 PM

England eye rare Ashes chance against depleted Australia

England head into Friday’s Ashes opener in Perth with a spring in their step and a golden opportunity to strike the first blow in the five-test series against an Australian team rocked by key injuries. England have not won a first Ashes test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978, but their opponents are vulnerable without front-line quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Not in selectors’ darkest nightmares would the home side ever face the first “Bazb...

Former Australia batter Slater sentenced for domestic violence

April 22, 2025 1:35 PM

Former Australia batter Slater sentenced for domestic violence

Former Australian test batter and TV commentator Michael Slater was sentenced to four years' imprisonment on Tuesday after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges, but will walk free after serving more than a year in custody. Slater's prison sentence was partly suspended, a registrar at the Maroochydore District Court said. Slater was refused bail by the court just over a year ago after being remanded in police custody and charged with multiple domestic violence offences on Queensland sta...