Cricket Australia

The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the stadium where Shane Warne picked up his 700th Test wicket, will now also be the venue for the Australian spinner's state memorial on March 30. Victorian premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday confirmed the MCG as the venue for a state memorial service on March 30 to honour the legendary leg-spinner, who died due to heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand last week.

Openers Abdullah Shafique (136 not out) and Imam-ul-Haq (111 not out) dominated visitors bowlers and smashed unbeaten centuries on Day 5 as the first Test of the three match series between Pakistan and Australia ended in a draw, here on Tuesday.

Half-centuries by Usman Khawaja (97), David Warner (68) and Marnus Labuschagne (69 not out) took Australia to 271-2 at stumps on Day 3 and helped reduce the deficit in their first innings of the first Test, here on Sunday. Australia were 205 runs behind Pakistan's first innings total when the stumps were drawn with Labuschagne and Steven Smith (24 not out) at the crease.

Thailand investigators have reportedly found "blood stains" on the floor of Shane Warne's room and on bath towels while searching the villa where the legendary Australian cricketer was staying on the island of Koh Samui. Warne, 52, died of a suspected heart-attack on Friday despite his manager giving the cricketer CPR for 20 minutes before an ambulance arrived.

Western Australia Cricket chief Christina Matthews has said that the demise of two Australian legends -- Shane Warne and Rod Marsh -- in a span of just of few hours on Friday had left everyone "almost dumbfounded", adding that one wished "that's not true".

 Legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne, who passed away on Friday following a suspected heart-attack, 'had experienced chest pains prior to his death in Thailand and had asthma and some heart issues', according to Irish Times quoting the Thai police.

A report in cricket.com.au said on Sunday that stringent security measures were in place as the 18-member squad along with support staff exited the airport in the team's maiden trip to Pakistan in 24 years. The Australian cricket team last played a series on Pakistani soil in 1998, winning the three-Test series 1-0 and making a clean sweep of the ODI assignment 3-0.

While the three pacers are part of the Test squad, they along with opener David Warner with be rested for the limited-overs series under skipper Aaron Finch beginning on March 29 with the first ODI at Rawalpindi. The ODIs are part of the Cricket World Cup ODI Super League matches. Cricket Australia (CA) have, however, included batters Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head in the white-ball squad for the tour.

Finch could manage just 78 runs from five innings during Australia's 4-1 T20I series win against the Islanders, with the experienced right-hander struggling to find the middle of the bat. He managed just eight runs in the final game as Australia lost by five wickets at the MCG.

Sri Lanka, who lost the opening T20I match on Friday, decided to bowl first after electing to bat first. They managed to restrict Australia to 164/6 in their allotted 20 overs thanks to a knock of 48 by Josh Inglis with Dushmantha Chameera (2/30) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2/33) leading the bowling efforts for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka made a match of it as they rode on a 53-ball 73 by Pathum Nissanka and 19-ball 34 by skipper Dasun Shanaka helping them reach 164/8 in 20 overs.