Australian crickets story is littered with crucible moments; times when the national team has either stood up or flaked out. In the moment, these instances may not seem that important, only gaining resonance through what happens afterwards. Other moments stand out like beacons almost from the second they take place. Whatever is decided at levels above, whatever reviews or appointments take place, the fate rests ultimately with the players.The third dull, wintry day in Hobart felt like one such day and the next two to follow are no less important. Australia are so far behind South Africa they have only slim hope of getting out of Bellerive without a match and series defeat, but it is vital that they show evidence of improvement. The jobs of many, from the chief executive James Sutherland down to the debutant Callum Ferguson, are on the line.How much hinges on all this? Remember the words of the coach Darren Lehmann after Australia were bundled out for 85 on day one. Asked about the future, he did not want to think about the consequences of a hiding. Ill probably tell you in a few days, he said. Hopefully we fight back really well and the future is bright. We know weve got to get better in a lot of areas, weve always said that. Even four Tests ago when we were No.1. Now were way away from that.Each of the past five Australian captains have met moments of similar weight - of both the winning and losing varieties. For Allan Border, perhaps the most resonant was day one of the 1989 Ashes series at Headingley, when he came out to bat after a pair of early wickets on an overcast day and played an innings so brazen it included one six cut hard over backward point - back in the day when that shot was almost unheard of. Sixteen years of Ashes dominance were forged that morning.Border experienced the other side towards the end of his career, when he and his team were unable to take a chance to defeat West Indies in a series for the first time in 17 years. A chase of 186 to win in Adelaide was left too much in the hands of the tail, leaving Australia one run short of victory, and Border to hurl his worry ball so hard into the dressing room floor that it rebounded to strike the ceiling.For Mark Taylor, a personal turning point did not dovetail with team success, but foreshadowed it. By the time of the second innings of the first Ashes Test in 1997, he had gone 19 innings without passing 50, and a previously happy and dominant team were feeling the strain. Rolled by Darren Gough and Andy Caddick, then clattered to all parts of Edgbaston by Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain, Australia started their second innings 360 runs behind.Without a hundred, Taylors captaincy would have been at an end, and in the early overs the tension was close to unbearable. But in the company of Matthew Elliott and Greg Blewett, he carved out an ugly hundred, adding respectability to the scoreboard and allowing the team enough breathing space to regroup and ultimately win the series. Taylor led the team for another two years.Again in England, Steve Waughs captaincy came under enormous pressure during the 1999 World Cup, following on from a surprising 2-2 Test series draw against West Indies in the Caribbean. The team was not happy, Waugh and Shane Warne butting heads, and losses to New Zealand and Pakistan left the team needing to win each of their last seven matches of the tournament or face elimination at every stage. Waughs response, most pointedly in a pair of nail-biters over South Africa, was to make critical runs. Warne, by now toying with retirement, overcame doubts about a shoulder still regaining strength after surgery to rip the ball in his former fashion. The World Cup was won, and Waugh stayed on as leader until 2004. Despite a winning record overall, Ricky Pontings leadership is remembered most for a pair of Ashes defeats. The first in 2005 was said to have swung on Glenn McGraths injured ankle, but Pontings call to send England in even after he knew he would be without his best pace bowler proved much the more fateful juncture, leading ultimately to the loss of the urn for the first time since Borders 1989 redemption.Move ahead to 2010-11, and a home Ashes series now viewed as one sided may actually have pivoted on the loss of two wickets either side of the first drinks on Boxing Day. Phillip Hughes and Ponting were prospering well enough in front of a mighty crowd when the former skewed Tim Bresnan to point, before next over the captain snicked Chris Tremlett into the slips. The former coach Tim Nielsen still gnashes his teeth about that one and all the ignominy to follow - it proved to be Pontings last Test as captain.Michael Clarkes leadership tale always teetered between triumph and disaster with little in between. The pivotal point leading to the former came when Mitchell Johnson took the ball just before lunch on day two of the first 2013-14 Ashes Test at the Gabba, worrying out Jonathan Trott as per team plans and sending momentum flooding to Australia. The latter, perhaps harder to isolate, was arguably the second afternoon of the Cardiff Test in 2015, when a series of squandered starts sentenced Australia to an opening defeat in a series they would never lead. Clarke, fighting his own inner battles, was en route to retirement from that moment.So it is that Steven Smiths men find themselves in the crucible at Bellerive. They enjoyed a far better day on Monday than Saturday, even if Quinton de Kocks impersonation of Adam Gilchrist gathered impressive depth. The batting spine shown by Smith and Usman Khawaja, in particular, demonstrated a level of self-knowledge about where this team now stands after four consecutive losses and the distinct prospect of a fifth. The heaviness of expectation was not lost on Josh Hazlewood.Extremely important I think, he said. Everyone knows we need to improve and improve quickly. We talk amongst ourselves and everyone knows we need to improve. So I think its about everyone individually doing what they can on or off the field, and important to do it as a group as well. Hopefully it happens on the field. Were obviously a pretty tight group, we play a lot of cricket together and were on the road together a lot. Everyone gets along fantastically on and off the field, but nows an important time to stick together and even be tighter.Australian cricket has never been richer or better resourced. The national teams players have never been better paid nor looked after. There are problems with scheduling, and issues of coaching philosophy as it relates to the business of batting. But Australias Test team is ultimately in the hands of the players who shape it, through their own skill and presence of mind. The next two days will, once again, tell that tale. Jesper Fast Rangers Jersey . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Gartner Rangers Jersey . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/marc-staal-hockey-jersey/ .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Eddie Giacomin Rangers Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Glenn Anderson Rangers Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. MIAMI -- When Tommy Pham was hit by a pitch in the left hand in his first at-bat, it did not look like he would be able to stay in the game.Not only did Pham finish, but he had an RBI single and a two-run homer to help lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Miami Marlins 11-6 on Friday night.It didnt affect him hitting the ball to dead center in the biggest park in the country, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. That was a pretty nice sign that things should be OK, but well wait to see what the medical team says.The pain became too much in Phams final at-bat as he struck out looking, unable to swing the bat.I have anti-inflammatory pills that help you get through the game, but it was sore, Pham said. That last swing I took, my hand went numb and I couldnt swing.I literally just took the pitch strike three down the middle because I couldnt feel my hand, he said.Pham said his hand is not broken; he expects to be ready for Saturdays game.Its not broken, so you have to come here ready, Pham said.Pham was one of a number of contributors for the Cardinals. Kolten Wong had three hits and drove in two runs, and Jeremy Hazelbaker hit a two-run homer.The Cardinals have won four of five and lead the Marlins by one game in the National League wild-card standings.Miami outfielder Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4 to remain at 2,998 career hits.Martin Prado homered and drove in three runs, and Marcell Ozuna also homered for the Marlins.Mike Leake (8-8) won despite giving up six runs and seven hits in five innings.Jose Urena (1-3) allowed eight runs in 4 1/3 innings in what is expected to be his final start in the Marlins rotation after Miami acquired starters Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea from San Diego earlier in the day.Hazelbaker homered off Urena in the second. It was their first encounter since the two were involved in a bench-clearing brawl in a minor league game June 27.Thats the thing about baseball, and you usually have a chance to get back at somebody that you have a history with, Hazelbaker said. It was a satisfying time, and Im glad that it happened,In that minor league game, Urenas pitch went sailing near Hazelbakerss head, prompting the two to square off.dddddddddddd Punches were thrown.That history, you dont forget about that stuff, Matheny said. That means something to guys when they get the opportunity to compete.St. Louis scored three in the second and six more in the fifth for a 9-1 lead, and Prados three-run homer highlighted the Marlins five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.For a moment after I hit it, you felt the energy in the stadium, Prado said. The people got into the game.I know we got a tough loss today, but were showing signs that we are going out for 27 outs, no matter what. Weve lost a couple of important games for us, but theres nothing we can do about it now.Phams two-run homer extended the Cardinals lead to 11-6.You cant say its a back-breaker because anything is possible. But when you give it right back, its tough on your club, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.Suzuki threw out Wong at home in the fourth inning after making a running catch near the left-field line and throwing a 240-foot strike at the plate for the double play.We all know Ichiro is definitely someone who can hit, but you know he has a pretty good arm, too, and I knew it was going to be tough, Wong said.PRADOS GROOVEPrado went 2-for-4 and is hitting .485 (16-for-33) with two home runs and nine RBIs over his past nine games to raise his average to .327.Martin has been locked in all year, but now all of a sudden, hes kind of showing some power, Mattingly said. It kind of changes his dimension.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: 1B Justin Bour (right ankle) was scheduled to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A New Orleans with hopes of joining the big league club on Monday in Chicago in a series against the Cubs.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Jaime Garcia (7-7, 3.97) will take the mound Saturday. He is coming off two back-to-back productive starts, allowing three earned runs over 10 2/3 innings.Marlins: RHP Rea (5-5, 4.98) will make his Miami debut Saturday. Rea is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals. ' ' '