In a year where the New South Welshman became just the second Australian fast bowler to reach 100 Tests while also overtaking Wasim Akram to become the leading left-armed pace Test wicket taker, his consistency has become a virtue.

That saw him take 55 wickets at an average of 17, with a strike-rate of 28, in 11 Tests while also producing important innings including a 77 against England at the Gabba and an unbeaten 58 against South Africa in the World Test Championship Final.

The 36-year-old starts spells with the speed of Usain Bolt, but it is his improved ability to reproduce and remain effective throughout innings that has catapulted him to a position among the greats. And it stems from being open to change.

Starc led the Australian attack for extended periods in the injury-enforced absence of fellow champions Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in 2025, but said learning from their use of wobble seam had proven critical to his ability to keep performing.

It helps when two of my best mates are two of the world’s best bowlers, and I think we have been benefiting from one another for a long time, Starc told Wisden in a profile celebrating the honour.

The wobble seam is something Josh and Pat have used so well over the years, and talking to them about that has added a string to the bow. It probably means I'm a bit more useful to the attack when I can now bowl in all facets, as opposed to just using swing or air speed, like in the first half of my career.

Starc, who snared 31 wickets during the Ashes, will turn 37 in the midst of a gruelling stretch of Test cricket for Australia beginning with a two Test series against Bangladesh to be played in Darwin and Mackay in August.

Australia will travel to South Africa in October for three Tests, host New Zealand in a four Test Chappell-Hadlee Tour over summer and then head to India for a five Test series from late January to early March.

The Aussies then host England in a 150th Anniversary Test special at the MCG in mid-March and will hope to feature in the World Test Championship Final for the third cycle in succession preceding the Ashes beginning in late June, 2027.

Starc aside, the Wisden awards were dominated by Indian cricketers. The ability of stars including Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant to cash in on toothless England decks last northern summer carried weight with the bible of cricket".

STORY: COURTNEY WALSH WITH AFP

Talks to end the Iran war could resume in Pakistan over the next two days, U.S. President Donald Trump told the New York Post on Tuesday, after the collapse of weekend negotiations prompted Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said Israel and Lebanon had agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed-upon time and place after a U.S.-hosted meeting in Washington on Tuesday, although it was not immediately clear if they agreed to a framework for peace.

With volatile oil prices dramatically impacting inflation expectations, the market has been highly sensitive to developments in the Middle East, with any headlines about setbacks sending stocks lower, while even tentative signs of an off-ramp have been sufficient to encourage investors eager for positive news.

We don't have a resolution yet but investors don't want to miss the rebound, said Burns McKinney, portfolio manager at NFJ Investment Group, Dallas.

Meanwhile, Tuesday’s inflation data provided some encouragement as U.S. producer prices increased less than expected, opens new tab in March as the cost of services was unchanged. Ameriprise chief market strategist Anthony Saglimbene also cited a solid start to the U.S. earnings season as a boost for stocks.

The market is kind of moving past this concept of peak uncertainty. There’s been a lot of uncertainty in the market, whether that’s coming from the Iran conflict, AI disruption fears, inflation concerns or Federal Reserve policy concerns, Saglimbene said.

Markets are starting to kind of walk away from some of the worst-case scenarios for these events and because valuations have improved over the last couple of weeks and months, investors are buying the dip right now.

The S&P 500 gained 81.14 points, or 1.18%, to finish at 6,967.38 compared with its record close of 6978.60 on January 27. On Monday the benchmark index had closed above its finish on February 27 — the last trading day before the U.S. and Israel started their war against Iran.

The Nasdaq Composite gained 455.35 points, or 1.96%, to 23,639.08 for its tenth daily advance in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 317.74 points, or 0.66%, to 48,535.99, marking its highest close since early March.

Only three of the S&P 500’s 11 major industry sectors lost ground with energy down 2.2%, leading declines as oil prices fell.

In technology, software stocks rallied for a second straight day to close up 1.6% while the Philadelphia Semiconductor index finished up 2% for its fifth record close in a row.

On the earnings front, BlackRock shares rallied 3% after the asset manager reported a rise in first-quarter profit, helped by strong inflows into its exchange-traded funds and a sharp increase in performance fees.

Citigroup shares closed up 2.6% after hitting their highest level since late 2008 following earnings that beat first-quarter profit estimates.

However, JPMorgan had a less enthusiastic reception to its first-quarter results, while Wells Fargo shares fell after interest income fell short of market expectations.

While the market reaction was mixed, NFJ’s McKinney said, the earnings reports and executive commentary show that the economy has been sturdy and is holding up.

In the healthcare sector, Johnson & Johnson shares rose 0.9% after it reported earnings.

Meanwhile, United Airlines shares finished up 2% while American Airlines stock rallied 8% after Reuters, citing two unnamed sources, reported that United CEO Scott Kirby had pitched a potential merger with American Airlines to Trump in late February, raising the prospect of a deal that could reshape the industry.

Shares of Globalstar jumped 9.6% after Amazon.com agreed to buy the satellite company.

On U.S. exchanges 17.96 billion shares changed hands compared with the 19.10 billion moving average for the last 20 sessions.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.62-to-1 ratio on the NYSE where there were 363 new highs and 49 new lows. On the Nasdaq, 3,345 stocks rose and 1,478 fell as advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.26-to-1 ratio. The S&P 500 posted 20 new 52-week highs and one new low.
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The looming environmental crisis has sparked alarm among local councils and regional communities, which have accused the Albanese government of putting money into the rollout of renewable energy but not the decommissioning end of the process.

Australia, the world’s largest per capita adopter of solar power thanks in large part to Labor government subsidies, now faces its first significant wave of end-of-life rooftop solar systems but can't process all the hazardous waste that would come from this, the department said.

A small percentage of solar panels thrown away today are recycled but a significant share likely will end up in landfill without a ban against the practice being instigated across the country.

The remainder is assumed to be stockpiled, illegally dumped or exported, the department said in a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.

The problem is instead being borne by lower levels of government and more and more panels and other related materials are going to landfill, the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors said.

Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast ∼ one of the development forums the federal government put together ∼ has lashed the federal approach.

Funding the front end of the transition without funding the back end is an incomplete policy, it said in a submission.

On Norfolk Island, the options for disposing of solar panels were to hold onto the unused solar panels to throw out later, throw them into the local landfill, or send them back to the mainland.

None of these is acceptable as a long-term solution … solar panels contain lead solder, cadmium (in some technologies), and other substances … landfill of hazardous waste on a small island with a finite, unlined landfill poses unacceptable risks to groundwater and the surrounding marine park, the RDAMNC said in its submission.

But the DCCE said both reuse and recycling appeared to be un-attractive options.

On reuse, there was a lack of financial incentive, it said. New systems outperform reused systems under most circumstances. Although second-hand panel costs are lower, other costs ∼ such as transport, mounting, testing and installation and maintenance, as well as the reduced efficiency of second-hand panels ∼ results in higher total private costs of about $4500 a year for a large system of 101kW or more, the department said.

On recycling, it said it was not generally economically viable.

Research commissioned by the department indicates nationwide recycling costs could vary significantly, from $266,000 to $1.16m per tonne of waste, depending on the type and efficiency of the recycling method, the department said.

This suggests that the high costs of large-scale, high-efficiency solar recycling, combined with significant transport and logistics costs, is not generally economically viable solely for the material recovery benefits.

Adding to the issue, it said export demand was shrinking because of technological advancements, while solar panel owners were seeking to dispose of the panels before they wore out because of technological advances prompting them to buy upgrades.

The NSW government said in its submission the federal government’s home battery subsidy scheme had accelerated the issue.

Over 18 per cent of 2025 solar panel installations were considered replacements of an existing system, increasing from 9 per cent in 2020, it wrote.

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said this was proof that solar panels are not renewable and that the issue of solar panel disposal threatened to become a huge problem for Australia into the future.

All these panels are made overseas using materials which will not recycle, Mr Tehan said.

So the government has to front up and tell Australians what they're going to do with the huge waste that we're going to be left with from these overseas-produced and manufactured solar panels. l [click the intro to return to front page]

STORY: NOAH YIM

Mr Singleton issued a stinging rebuke of the every little bit helps campaign, which encourages Australians to consider using their cars less, imploring authorities to change their focus.

Australia’s trucking industry is on its knees, with three-quarters of operators facing wipe-out within six months as the industry and experts slam politicians over their talk of electrifying the sector.

Premier Chris Minns yesterday announced an incentive program to encourage operators to upgrade diesel trucks to electric vehicles, but industry and fuel experts said electrifying the nation’s freight network was unfeasible.

It comes as a damning survey from the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) found 70% of trucking companies believe they will need to close unless the fuel crisis is resolved.

Operators with 20 trucks or fewer reported reductions in work between 10 and 50%, while more than a quarter revealed they had already stood down staff.

The survey results follow federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King saying on Sunday the world has moved on from requiring fossil fuels for energy security, while Energy Minister Chris Bowen has said no other countries are dealing with the fuel crisis by wanting to expand their fossil fuel reserves.

Aidan Morrison, the director of energy research at the Centre for Independent Studies, said Mr Bowen was completely wrong

Everyone around the world is still looking at trying to secure and increase their production of fossil fuels, Mr Morrison said.

Retired Air Vice-Marshall John Blackburn, who warned in a 2013 report that Australia’s small fuel reserves were a significant risk to national security, said electrification would take decades.

It will take decades and is just a part of the solution, he told The Daily Telegraph.

Beware of simple solutions proposed by ‘simple’ politicians.

The NatRoad survey also found that small operators with fewer than 10 trucks faced immediate risk of closure.

Electric trucks were not commercially viable in -Australia, NatRoad acting chief executive Sarah Dunning said.

Right now there aren't charging stations for trucks between Melbourne and Sydney, she said. So how’s it going to work?

NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane yesterday ignited a political fight over fuel, vowing to pump the gas on boosting storage and domestic production".

Ms Sloane promised a fuel resilience strategy if elected in March, which would explore expanding storage capacity, investigate opportunities for domestic production, and also audit storage and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Ms Sloane said the strategy would look at prioritising fuel for farmers who won't benefit from electrification in the near term.

This isn't just about getting from A to B, it’s also about ensuring regional communities can function because their success is critical to the rest of NSW, she said.

The Liberal leader added that electrification risked leaving regional NSW behind.

Farmers shake their heads with frustration when they hear about transitioning to EVs (electric vehicles) in areas where it’s not easy to plug in and is not workable in the short term, Ms Sloane said.

Mr Minns yesterday announced he would spend $45m to build hundreds of new charging stations across NSW suburbs, unveiling a revamped EV strategy worth $100m.

Alongside NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe, Mr Minns also unveiled a plan to encourage trucking companies to go electric.

We think that will be taken up in big measure, he said.

He said electrification of the transport network was a shorter, better bet to reduce the state’s dependence on foreign oil, rather than drilling for our own. We don't have in NSW access to the natural fuels that are being explored in Queensland, he said.

It’s years into the future in terms of identifying those sites, exploiting that resource, getting it to the surface, then getting it to shore and refining it for domestic use.

The Premier pointed to the increase in the number of EVs on the road and the recent electrification of the Woolworths delivery fleet, saying complete electrification was achievable".

This is not a hypothetical utopia anymore. This is achievable, he insisted.

Mr Minns said the push to electrification came on top of short-term assistance for truck companies, like allowing bigger trucks to use more roads across NSW. We can deal with today’s fuel pressures and plan for the future at the same time, he said.

Truck driver Avi Smith warned a push to electrify freight fleets would only push up costs. If Catherine (King) is happy to wait longer for deliveries and pay more for groceries during the transition, then sure, we can go electric, but that’s the reality she’s not realising, he said.

Owner-driver Collin Burstow, who transports clothing across Sydney, has copped a $200 increase in fuel costs for every tank. He said electric trucks would be unfeasible.

It’s just not practical, he said. It doesn't work for how we operate.

STORY: JAMES O'DOHERTY, MADELEINE BOWER and DUNCAN EVANS

Perth-based father of three Phil Gregory, known online as % Australian Lawn Addict", recently clinched the inaugural title of Australia’s best lawn by Yates National Gardening League.

He was judged to have a near flawless yard of turf, judged by the colour, edges, uniformity, weed-free finish and a range of other metrics.

The award was the culmination of what has become a lifetime obsession for Mr Gregory, 52, who revealed he takes his lawn very seriously and considers it his main hobby.

Mr Gregory, a salesman for a food company, said he owns 10 lawnmowers and numerous other pieces of lawn care equipment acquired since developing his passion as a teenager.

The proud grandfather attributed his lawn addiction to a love of watching other people’s reactions to his yard.

People don't think it’s real, that it must be artificial, he said. It’s a great compliment.

Even with all specialised equipment and knowledge, he said the foundation of his immaculate, award-winning yard came down a $20 lifter lawn food product.

It’s nothing niche or fancy - you could get at just about any Bunnings or garden store, he said.

The Yates Click and Grow product, which attaches straight to a garden hose, is the cornerstone of Mr Gregory’s strategy to aggressively build up the soil.

In Perth, where the earth is notoriously sandy and prone to losing moisture, this lifter helps build a nutrient-rich foundation that encourages microbes and dramatically improves water retention.

Soil is key to it all, Mr Gregory said, noting that a common mistake people make is overwatering and fertilising the top of the leaves instead of focusing on the soil’s health.

Thanks to his meticulously built soil, he actually waters his grass less than the dead lawns down his street, easily thriving within WA’s strict twice-a-week watering limits.

His routine is relentless: during the peak growing season, he mows his couch grass every single day, keeping it incredibly tight.

By cutting it as low as 5mm, he forces the lawn to become so dense that weeds simply cannot penetrate it. [click the intro to return to front page]

STORY: AIDAN DEVINE

A 4.5-magnitude quake hit at 8.19pm on Tuesday at a depth of 5km about 30km south-west of Orange in central west NSW, near the Cadia goldmine.

Geoscience Australia received more than 2,000 reports of tremors in the region, which a senior seismologist said were weak to light and felt as far as hundreds of kilometres south-east in Batemans Bay.

It was a large earthquake for this area", Phil Cummins said

The last of a similar size was a 4.3 magnitude in 2017.

Cummins expected aftershocks but they would likely be much lighter and felt in a smaller area. [click the intro to return to front page]

STORY: AAP