been called up, this is definitely the most exciting, knowing t

Australias captain Steven Smith believes his dramatically changed team have found a way forward in their first Test since coming together, a rousing seven-wicket victory over South Africa in which the Queensland left-handers Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw played key roles.As well as Australia bowled, first-innings runs are going to be what defines the success or otherwise of Smiths side. To that end, Renshaws effort to see through a tough period on the first evening followed by Khawajas subsequent masterclass in dogged batting dictated much about how the match panned out. Tellingly, Smith said it helped that three new batsmen were free of the scars of the preceding five Tests. Not surprisingly, Smith wants to see more of the same.I thought we responded really well, Smith said of the challenges posed by the pink ball and floodlit conditions. We had three batters in the top six who had no scars or anything like that so they were able to come in and play their natural game, which was nice. I thought we adapted really well.I thought Usman was outstanding to come in under a pretty tricky situation on that night, opening the batting and get through that difficult period in the night and then bat the whole next day. It shows a lot about his character and what hes willing to do. I thought he played beautifully out there for seven hours to wear them down and score a big hundred. I guess thats the sort of template were looking for in our top six batters.Renshaws place will be a matter for some conjecture whenever Shaun Marsh returns to full fitness, but there was much to like about the way he played his game, tested the patience of the bowlers and put the highest premium on his wicket. Smith was enthused by what he saw. I thought he played quite well. He knows his game very well, Smith said. Obviously he got beaten a lot, but he wasnt chasing the ball. He was keeping his line. South African had some quality bowlers that nip the ball quite a bit so you cant afford to follow them. Something I thought Usman did particularly well in the first innings.He [Renshaw] played the line and let the ball that nips go past the bat and he didnt seem fazed by it at all. He just got on with the job and made them bowl to him. When they got a bit straighter he picked them off and thats the way he goes about his game and it was nice for him and Petey [Handscomb] - two guys on debut - to be there at the end.Khawaja is Renshaws state captain, and spoke with a similar level of warmth for someone who has set himself up with a Test match method in mind. Hes got a really good temperament, hes got a really good head on him, Khawaja said. What you saw today or during this Test match was one bit of Matt Renshaws game. He does have a very good temperament, hes got a good defence he plays the ball well and plays it late.But I think hopefully youll also be able to see the other part of him because Ive seen him take down some attacks. Ive seen him come up against a few spinners and really heave them for some big sixes and really change gears. Hes 20 years old, playing Test cricket for Australia. I think hes doing great for a 20-year-old. Id think he was doing great even he was 25 years old. Hes doing pretty well.Added to the way Australia batted was the teams best fielding display for some time. In this, Smith singled out another debutant in Peter Handscomb for snaffling Faf du Plessis in the gully on the third evening. I felt a bit of a switch straight away in energy and presence around the group in our first training session out here at Adelaide Oval, Smith said.Everything felt like it was running smoothly and when we got our chance to get out into the field we had good energy and presence about ourselves. That helps in the field as well, we were able to take some pretty good catches in this Test match, a part of our game that has probably been a bit disappointing for a while now.It works hand in hand, when you have that sort of presence and energy youre able to take chances like the one Petey took to open the game up. Its been great to have these guys come in, create that energy and have that hunger and character about them to want to win and fight.Looking at the wider picture, Smith was understandably delighted to have snapped a five-match losing run ahead of the next home series against Pakistan. After two weeks of fire and brimstone, there are now some green shoots of new growth to be optimistic about.Im very happy, its much better to be on this side of the fence, he said. A little bit bittersweet, it was a disappointing series, we were outplayed in the first two Test matches by South Africa, but Im really proud of the way that the team came back in this game. There were some new players who came in, they stood up and we showed some fight and character. Thats what I want us to do and Im really proud of the way we stood up.I think we can grow from what weve done in this Test match. Its been a great start for a young group that have come together so were going to have to continue to work hard as a group to get to where we want to. Obviously they [Pakistan] are going to be another tough opposition. I think they have been playing some very good cricket. Theyve got some quality players so were going to have to be at our best if we want to get on top of them this summer as well.Air Max 90 Clearance Sale . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Air Max 90 Cheap Wholesale . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. http://www.clearanceairmax90.com/ . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Air Max 90 Wholesale . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Air Max 90 Clearance .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.CINCINNATI -- The New York Mets certainly dont have the most desirable travel schedule.They beat the Washington Nationals 5-1 in a nationally televised game Sunday night, then flew to Cincinnati to face the Reds at 1:10 p.m. EDT on Monday at Great American Ball Park.Is that a big difference? Well, yeah, youre still talking about rest, manager Terry Collins said. Weve still got to get to the ballpark, weve got to be there at 11:30 (a.m.), just to get the blood flowing and get the guys out there, loosen them up and get them ready to play.Theyre not going to go board that plane tonight and go right to sleep. That isnt happening. So weve got to somehow make sure that theres a least a little period of time where theyre going to get some rest.Collins said Sunday night that he discussed resting some regulars on Monday but hadnt made any decisions.Monday will be a memorable day for Mets right fielder Jay Bruce, who will play in Great American Ball Park for the first time with his new team. He was traded Aug. 1 by the Reds, the club he played for during his first eight-plus seasons, to New York in exchange for infielder Dilson Herrera and minor league pitcher Max Wotell.Bruce, along with his wife Hannah, are to be honored during pregame ceremonies on Monday.The Mets have won 16 of the past 18 matchups with the Reds, including each of the past 11 games dating to a 2-1 loss on Sept. 16, 2014, at Great American Ball Park.The current 11-game losing streak is Cincinnatis longest ever against the Mets.At 27-15, the Mets have the highest winning percentage at Great American Ball Park of any team in the National League, including the Reds.New York swept the Reds in a three-game series April 25-27 at Citi Field.Right-hander Robert Stephenson, the Reds top-rated rated prospect according to Baseball America, will make his third major league start Monday. He is taking the rotation spot vacated by Homer Bailey, who is beeing skipped due to tightness in his right biceps.ddddddddddddIt has been a roller coaster year for Stephenson, who became the first Reds pitcher to win his first two career starts since Larry Luebbers in 1993. Wayne Simpson in 1970 was the last Reds pitcher to win his first 3 career starts.However, in the minor leagues, Stephenson struggled with his command while going 8-9 with a 4.41 ERA in 24 Triple-A starts. Delino DeShields, his manager at Louisville, said publicly that he wasnt making the adjustments as suggested by the coaching staff and should be embarrassed by his performance.I understood where he was coming from, Stephenson said of DeShields after being recalled on Friday. I was frustrated, too. He apologized. Id be stupid to not listen to coaching.Stephenson (2-0, 3.00 ERA) will be facing the Mets for the first time, and he said he will take solace in the fact that he will remain in the majors for the remainder of the season.Of the three times Ive been called up, this is definitely the most exciting, knowing that Im going to be here for an extended period of time, he said.Right-hander Bartolo Colon (12-7, 3.35 ERA) will start for the Mets. In his career, Colon is 4-1 with a 4.01 ERA against Cincinnati in six starts. He got a no-decision in his lone appearance against the Reds this year, giving up three runs in five innings on April 26 in New York.Cincinnati (57-78) took two of three from the wild-card contending St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend at Great American Ball Park. Meanwhile, the Mets (71-66) won two of three against the Nationals to climb within one game of St. Louis in the race for the second NL wild card.The Reds might be without a key contributor Monday, as center fielder Billy Hamilton left the Sunday game due to a strained left oblique muscle. ' ' '