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Root’s elusive ton guides England to 325-9 against Australia | The Express Tribune

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Root’s elusive ton guides England to 325-9 against Australia | The Express Tribune


I’ve done it: Joe Root celebrates his first Test century in Australia. Photo: AFP


BRISBANE:

Joe Root finally scored his maiden Test century in Australia on his fourth Ashes tour to guide England from a precarious 5-2 to 325-9 at stumps after a pulsating first day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Thursday.

Mitchell Starc became the most successful left-arm fast bowler in history as he claimed 6-71, but the opening sessions of the day-night contest were dominated by Root, who scored a masterful 135 not out.

Number 11 Jofra Archer thrilled the travelling army of fans as he smashed a career-best unbeaten 32 off 26 balls with two sixes to provide some late fireworks.

His unbroken 10th-wicket partnership of 61 with Root was a record for England at the Gabba.

The world’s top-ranked batter, Root, had failed to reach triple figures on three previous Ashes tours.

But the man who is second on the all-time run-scoring list behind only Sachin Tendulkar silenced the critics who said he couldn’t be considered a true batting great until he had made a century in Australia.

Coming to the crease in the third over at 5-2 with Starc swinging the new pink ball, he embarked on an epic knock, bringing up his century with a leg glance to the fine leg boundary off Scott Boland.

Starc’s six wickets moved him to 418 in Tests, surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram’s 414 as the most prolific left-arm paceman in Test history.

“Wasim’s still the pinnacle, I think he’s still better than me,” said Starc.

Starc again was the destroyer at the top of the order, removing Ben Duckett in his first over and Ollie Pope in his second to reduce a shell-shocked England to 5-2.

But unlike in the first Test defeat in Perth, England showed some grit with the partnership between Root and Crawley moving the score onto 122.

Australia, who won the opening Test inside two days, went into this match without regular skipper Pat Cummins.

He had been rumoured to be making an early return from a back injury, but instead the hosts sprung a major surprise by leaving out off-spinner Nathan Lyon for seamer Michael Neser.

It was the first time in almost 14 years that Australia played a Test at home without a frontline spinner.

Duckett was first to go on the last ball of Starc’s first over, nicking a full ball to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip for a golden duck.

Pope then chopped on a wide delivery he could have left alone to leave England wobbling.

Crawley and Root survived an examination from the Australian attack and began to take advantage as the wicket flattened.

Root shared important partnerships with Harry Brook (31), Ben Stokes (19) and Will Jacks (19) as England played more conservatively than they had in the first Test.

Root brought up his half-century off 83 balls, shortly after England had reached 150.

Starc was the only Australian bowler who looked threatening, but Boland did produce the ball of the day — bowling Jamie Smith for a duck with a beautiful delivery which cut back from outside off stump.

England had slipped from 210-4 to 211-6 before off-spinner Jacks justified his inclusion to bolster the batting with some positive stroke play before an expansive drive to Starc brought his downfall.

England were 251-7, which quickly became 264-9 as Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse came and went to a rampant Starc under the lights.

Just when it looked like England would fold, Archer and Root went on the attack.

Pace bowler Archer hit two towering sixes, and Root joined the fun with a reverse scoop off Boland that cleared the ropes at third man.



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College football star calls on Trump take charge of College Football Playoff decisions

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College football star calls on Trump take charge of College Football Playoff decisions


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The College Football Playoff Committee’s penultimate rankings caused a bunch of consternation among fans, and one Heisman Trophy hopeful called on the president to take charge.

The Vanderbilt Commodores are on the outside looking in at the final field with no more games left on their calendar. Vanderbilt has only two losses on the season – against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns. Both of them are conference opponents, which kept them from getting into the SEC Championship.

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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws to a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Diego Pavia wrote on social media that President Donald Trump should sign an executive order to expand the field with days before the final bracket is released.

“@realDonaldTrump MAKE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PLEASE,” he wrote on X.

Pavia responded to a post that called for the expansion of the College Football Playoff from 12 teams to 16 teams. The post called for the CFP to have four SEC teams, four Big Ten teams, two ACC teams, two Big 12 teams and four at-large bids.

“Get rid of these stupid committees filled with justifications nobody seems to understand,” the post added.

OLE MISS-LANE KIFFIN DIVORCE TAKES ANOTHER DRAMATIC TURN AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SEEMINGLY BACKS PLAYERS’ DISPUTE

President Trump at a cabinet meeeting

President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Trump taking over the CFP Committee was something Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked about in an appearance on CNN.

Right now, feeling the hurt the most are the Miami Hurricanes, who are sitting on the outside looking into the field despite having a head-to-head advantage against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

There are a few conference championship games Saturday that could shake up the rankings a bit. The BYU Cougars losing to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championship will ultimately hurt them and possibly catapult them into the field. The possibility of Alabama staying in the field despite having three losses should they lose to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC title game, would create more heated conversation as well.

Diego Pavia runs the ball

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) runs for yardage as he escapes from Tennessee defensive lineman Ethan Utley (17) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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The final rankings will come out Sunday once the conference championship games are finished.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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Coin toss curse puts India in a million-to-one heads or tailspin

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Coin toss curse puts India in a million-to-one heads or tailspin


Indian captain KL Rahul and South African skipper Aiden Markram pose with trophy ahead of toss. — BCCI

NEW DELHI: India are all in a spin after losing a scarcely believable 20 coin tosses in a row in one-day internationals (ODIs) — at odds of more than a million-to-one.

Stand-in captain KL Rahul admitted he was flummoxed at the run of bad luck that goes all the way back to the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad, when Rohit Sharma was in charge.

“I’ve been practising, but clearly it´s not working,” said Rahul after losing the flip again in the second one-day international against South Africa in Raipur on Wednesday.

The odds against losing 20 consecutive coin tosses are 1,048,576 to one, a statistical anomaly that Rahul wants to end in the third and final South Africa ODI on Saturday in Visakhapatnam.

“Honestly, that’s the most pressure I’ve had because we haven’t won a toss in a long time,” Rahul said after seeing opposite number Temba Bavuma call correctly, yet again.

Three Indian captains — Rohit, regular ODI skipper Shubman Gill and Rahul — have all tried and failed to win a toss since the last correct call against New Zealand on November 15, 2023, at the World Cup semi-final in Mumbai.

“Rahul said that he´d been practising, but how do you know what the opposition captain is going to call?” batting great Sunil Gavaskar told broadcaster JioStar.

“Because you know, for the first game, it was Aiden Markram who was captain.

“So Markram might be a person who likes opting for ‘heads’, and Temba Bavuma might be a captain who likes to opt for ‘tails’.”

Former South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn said Faf du Plessis once asked Bavuma to toss for him after a lengthy losing sequence.

“It’s the first time I have ever seen a captain ask one of the other players to come and do a toss,” said Steyn.

“Temba also lost that toss,” he remarked.





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Men’s ACC/SEC Challenge guide: Arkansas’ best game, Alabama squeaks by, more

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Men’s ACC/SEC Challenge guide: Arkansas’ best game, Alabama squeaks by, more


The 2025 ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge features a bevy of AP Top 25 men’s college basketball teams in action.

The first night did not disappoint, with No. 4 Duke escaping an attempted double-digit comeback by No. 15 Florida by a single point, followed by another one-possession victory for No. 16 North Carolina over No. 18 Kentucky.

No. 25 Arkansas kicked things off Wednesday night, taking down No. 6 Louisville at home, with No. 12 Alabama squeaking by Clemson, also at home.

Which conference will win the challenge?

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down key games across Tuesday and Wednesday — including Syracuse’s upset of No. 13 Tennessee.

Jump to: Tuesday results

Wednesday results

Arkansas put together its best performance of the season. In the first half, the Razorbacks held the Cardinals — who entered the game as one of the top offensive teams in the country, ranking second in adjusted offensive efficiency — to 29 points, zero fast-break points and zero points off turnovers. And Trevon Brazile (17 points in the first half) was a two-way threat. Although Louisville cut an 18-point halftime deficit to 6 points, Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas did enough to pull the Razorbacks across the finish line. Now, this squad looks like a real threat to compete for the SEC’s crown.

On the other side, Louisville clearly needs more from its offense than an expectation that projected draft lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. will find ways to score in tough stretches. When that didn’t happen in the first half, the Cardinals looked lost. When he got into a rhythm after halftime, they closed the gap. Still, their deplorable first half remains the headline. Louisville surrendered 47 points before the break and paid for that lapse the rest of the game. — Medcalf


Alabama led by as many as 19 points late in the first half before letting Clemson come all the way back to take the lead in the second. But after the Tigers took a two-point lead with 2:41 left, the Crimson Tide responded with eight straight points to close out the win.

Labaron Philon Jr. (29 points) had another huge game, again establishing his All-American credentials, but it’s Alabama’s depth that continues to impress. The Crimson Tide were without starting guard Aden Holloway due to a wrist injury, while Latrell Wrightsell and Keitenn Bristow also continue to be sidelined. Miami transfer Jalil Bethea did take the court for the first time this season, but played just six minutes.

Nate Oats had to rely on freshmen Amari Allen and London Jemison, who are really emerging as consistent threats for the Tide. Allen finished in double figures for the fourth straight game, with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and was assertive and aggressive with the ball in his hands and the game on the line. Jemison, meanwhile, was thrust into a bigger role at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, and has now scored in double digits in three consecutive games after putting up 13 points and making three 3s against Clemson.

If and when Alabama gets its full allotment of players, there won’t be many teams in the sport with more impactful depth. — Borzello

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Labaron Philon Jr.’s best Plays vs. Clemson Tigers

Labaron Philon Jr.’s best Plays vs. Clemson Tigers

Wednesday game to watch

9:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

Both teams hit the road for marquee Feast Week tournaments, with Auburn having the better time of the two. The Tigers were destroyed by Michigan like every one of the Wolverines’ opponents en route to winning last week’s Players Era championship, but the Tigers notched double-digit wins over Oregon and St. John’s while in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, NC State suffered a surprising quarterfinal loss to Seton Hall at the Maui Invitational and gave up 102 points in a defeat to Texas.

It’s easy to make the case that Will Wade’s team needs this win more than Steven Pearl’s group. At this point in the season, both offenses are ahead of their defenses, which should make for a fun affair. The head-to-head matchup between Darrion Williams and Keyshawn Hall is as good as it gets, while the difference will be whether Tahaad Pettiford‘s early-season slump is a thing of the past. He was terrific in Las Vegas, averaging 22.3 points over three games and going 7-for-14 from 3 in his past two games. — Borzello

Tuesday results

North Carolina wasn’t the most efficient team (41% from the field), but the Tar Heels made the right plays down the stretch. Caleb Wilson (6 assists) was a playmaker when the shots weren’t falling. Henri Veesaar (17 points), Luka Bogavac (12) and Derek Dixon (9) had impactful moments. And the Tar Heels did it without Seth Trimble.

North Carolina lost games under similar circumstances last season, which makes this win significant.

On the other side, Kentucky hasn’t been in sync in its biggest moments this season. The Wildcats’ scoring drought in the second half lasted 10 minutes and 25 seconds and included 13 consecutive missed shots — the program’s longest drought in the past eight seasons, per ESPN Research. There isn’t evidence that the Wildcats can beat quality teams, which is concerning for a crew that will face Gonzaga, Indiana and St. John’s this month before opening SEC play against Alabama in January. — Medcalf

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North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kentucky Wildcats: Game Highlights

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kentucky Wildcats: Game Highlights


The first half looked like a continuation of the first-month narratives for both teams: Cameron Boozer playing like the front-runner for every award, Duke dominating at both ends and Florida looking for answers in the backcourt. But Todd Golden and the Gators came all the way back from a 15-point deficit to take the lead in the final minute on a Boogie Fland 3 before the Blue Devils responded with an Isaiah Evans 3 and closed it out with two huge defensive plays.

Boozer did nothing to slow his momentum, finishing with 29 points and 6 rebounds and coming up with the game-winning assist to Evans. Credit to Boozer’s frontcourt mates Patrick Ngongba II and Maliq Brown, too, who came up with key plays in the second half at both ends.

Florida had a few encouraging developments: Fland has strung together two strong performances in a row, finishing with 16 against Duke after scoring 17 against Providence on Friday. The Gators were also able to take much better care of the ball in the second half — until the last couple possessions, at least. And Thomas Haugh (24 points) looks like one of the best players in the country, a legitimate All-American candidate.

It’s worth noting that Golden opted for Urban Klavzar over Xaivian Lee for long stretches in the second half. The Gators need to get Lee going to reach their potential, but he’s struggling right now. — Borzello

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Florida Gators vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights

Florida Gators vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights


After a week full of heartache after finishing 0-3 at Players Era in Las Vegas, Syracuse returned home and earned an upset over No. 13 Tennessee in the program’s second win over a ranked opponent under Adrian Autry. The same grit that kept this team alive in its overtime battle with No. 8 Houston last week — Nate Kingz had 19 points in Tuesday’s first half — fueled a win for the Orange, who have the potential to evolve into a bubble team, especially once leading scorer Donnie Freeman returns from injury.

For Tennessee, there are only questions. Projected NBA draft lottery pick Nate Ament had his second lackluster effort in three games, going 2-for-10 from the field. More than anything, the loss demonstrated the limitations of a Vols squad that needs Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie (0-for-3 from 3) to play well together in order to win big. Still, why couldn’t Tennessee stall a Syracuse squad that gave up 95 points to Iowa State a week ago? — Medcalf

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Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange: Game Highlights

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange: Game Highlights



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