Sports
Australia's ODI series vs Kiwis to kick-start minor tweaks in side for 2023 World Cup: McDonald

Townsville (Queensland), Sep 4
Australia men's cricket team coach Andrew McDonald has indicated the three-match One-day International series against New Zealand at Cairns, beginning September 6, will be the beginning of the process of streamlining the side for the 50-over World Cup in India next year.
Australia recently won the ODI series against Zimbabwe at Townsville 2-1, but the visitors too had some big takeaways, managing to upset the hosts, with part-time spinner Ryan Burl taking five wickets in the final ODI.
The three-wicket loss for Australia was a wakeup call and McDonald has insisted the ODI series against No.1 ranked New Zealand will kick-start a series of minor tweaks in the side in the run-up to the showpiece global event next year.
Australia made just one change during the series win against Zimbabwe with Mitchell Marsh returning to Perth to nurse a minor ankle injury. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar replaced him after captain Aaron Finch indicated he wanted the batting line-up to run deep with all-rounders Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green and Marsh all part of the winning unit.
"You'll see probably the balance of our team started to shift from game to game at times, just making sure that we're covering all the bases," McDonald was quoted as saying by thewest.com.au ahead of the series against New Zealand.
He added, with a limited number of matches remaining leading up to the 2023 World Cup, there aren't many opportunities left and only minor changes are possible.
"We haven't got a hell of a lot of cricket leading into that 2023 World Cup. We've got about 20 games and now that's diminished into the teens. We haven't gotten many opportunities to make sure that we're ready and prepared for that.
"We feel as though the personnel that's here (vs New Zealand) is going to underpin that with a couple of the obvious people that are missing as well."

8 minutes ago
'Bigg Boss 19' set to abide by the 'a new season, a new sarkaar' rule

8 minutes ago
Arjun Rampal celebrates 24 years in cinema with unseen pictures from the sets of 'Moksha'

9 minutes ago
Proud of you boys, says Lokesh Kanakaraj as he thanks team for pouring their hearts into making Rajinikanth's 'Coolie'

9 minutes ago
Here’s how Alia Bhatt spends her 'perfect mornings'

10 minutes ago
Jacqueline Fernandez stresses the need to prioritise mental well-being in a 'stressful world'

10 minutes ago
Mohak Matkar shares learning traditional Rajasthani puppet dance for ‘Saru’ was a challenge experience

49 minutes ago
Male skeleton, bones found at Dharmasthala digging sites; sent to FSL: Confirms K'taka HM

50 minutes ago
Three CRPF jawans killed, 10 injured in J&K road accident

50 minutes ago
Cong chief Kharge blames govt over increased tariffs; says US fails to understand steel frame India is made of

51 minutes ago
Lok Sabha adjourned amid Oppn uproar over SIR

51 minutes ago
Use ballot papers if VVPATs not available: Shiv Sena (UBT) in Saamana

52 minutes ago
If US goes ahead with this, India should also impose 50 pc: Tharoor on Trump's tariff threat

53 minutes ago
New US tariffs no big problem for India which has huge domestic market: Mark Mobius