3:00 AM ET Day 2 Lunch: South Africa 223 (Bavuma 53, Amir 4-62) lead Pakistan 181 (Babar 71, Olivier 6-37) by 42 runs South Africa squeezed out a narrow 42-run lead on the second morning at Centurion, Temba Bavuma‘s fifty and Quinton de Kock‘s 45 carrying the hosts to 223 all out. There were two

  shares Peter Handscomb struck a rapid half-century © Getty Images Melbourne Stars 5 for 132 (Handscomb 70, Dwarshuis 3-26) beat Sydney Sixers 9 for 130 (Silk 41*, Coleman 3-18) by five wickets Different format, different conditions, different bowlers, but Peter Handscomb produced a thrilling response to his Test omission as he hammered a 22-ball

10:29 PM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Allrounder James Neesham and fast bowler Doug Bracewell are back in New Zealand’s ODI squad after a gap of more than a year. They have both found places in the squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which begins on January 3 in Mount Maunganui. Also in the

  shares Dale Steyn is pumped up © AFP Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first against South Africa Sarfraz Ahmed called heads, the coin landed his way, and Pakistan will bat first in the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion. With Dale Steyn likely to open the bowling for South

  shares Jhye Richardson, as gravity did not intend him to be © Getty Images Perth Scorchers 3 for 92 (Bosisto 36*, Turner 24) beat Adelaide Strikers 88 (Richardson 3-7, Tye 2-9, Behrendorff 2-16) by seven wickets Throughout their history as the BBL’s most successful side, the Perth Scorchers have beaten teams by outbowling them,

3:00 AM ET Sri Lanka opted to bowl v New Zealand Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and opted to bowl first under cloudy skies at Hagley Oval, on a surface with enough grass to excite the seam bowlers. Kane Williamson said he would have bowled first as well. Sri Lanka made two

1:26 PM ET While Sarfraz Ahmed had yesterday all but spelled out his intentions at the toss – bat first and, even more importantly, avoid batting last – Faf du Plessis was much more reserved in his judgement. Recalling the Centurion Test match against India in January, he talked about how South Africa had prepared

2:16 AM ET The Ranji Trophy 2018-19 match between Puducherry and Uttarakhand started afresh on the fourth day, with a new toss taking place on a fresh pitch at the CAP Siechem Ground in Puducherry. However, only 15 overs were possible on the fourth day before the match was called off, with the pitch once

3:00 AM ET Big picture South Africa’s first Test of the home summer is one of three starting on Boxing Day around the world, and there are a couple of reasons why this match is definitely worth following amid a packed schedule. For starters, it will be Centurion’s first time hosting the fixture, but that’s

7:08 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff MS Dhoni is back in India’s T20I squad. He hadn’t found a place in India’s two most recent T20I squads, against West Indies at home and in Australia, but he has returned as one of three wicketkeeper-batsmen for the three-match T20I series in New Zealand in early February. In more