Saturday 28 January 2012

Time for changes for India

It was a mere formality, and early on Day 5, Australia hammered in the final nail into the wreckage that has been India's performances abroad since the tour of England. Out of that wreckage, change must come if India want better results.

The rumours of an impending retirement announcement turned out to be unfounded, but only so far as there was no announcement. The decision might well have been taken by at least Dravid and Laxman that Adelaide was their last Test match. If it is, then there is no more to be said, except accord a warm reception and farewell when the announcement is officially made and thank them for such sterling service to Indian cricket. If it is not though, then it makes matters more interesting.

For a start, both Dravid and Laxman have had an extremely poor series while batting. Tendulkar has been relatively better, but on an absolute scale, his numbers aren't really great either. It is worth noting though, that India will not play Test cricket away from home for a considerable period. And in the last Test series that was played at home - against West Indies immediately before the Australia tour - the two batsmen who had the highest averages and run aggregates were, you guessed it, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.

That, however, doesn't mean the right way forward is to continue to play with the same team since all of India's cricket is in familiar conditions now.

All three stalwarts are in the twilight of their careers and it's better if they go at a time when there is enough space for the ones who will replace them to grow into Test cricket. This is the perennial problem that any country faces when it is blessed with a clutch of great players. Because the players are so good, they last beyond the ordinary playing spans of lesser players. Consequently, the generation of players that comes next has to sit on the fringes during their best years, and there is then, an inevitable downturn in fortunes while the transition happens.

The downturn has already happened for team India and the time to begin the transition, is therefore now. In England, India didn't have their strongest eleven for a match for any Test (thought that still doesn't mean a team should be blanked 4-0 by such huge margins), but in Australia the best possible team was sent and still returned with four equally huge defeats. It's therefore clear enough that change is needed.

It's not a question of whether the new generation will fill the shoes of the three stalwarts as well as the three themselves did. They might not, but then again, they might too. When Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman made their debuts in 1996 nobody could have predicted that they would help Indian cricket rise to such great heights. Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and the rest therefore deserve the chance to try and emulate the men they grew up watching.

And by 'emulate' they must emulate everything. When India won zilch abroad for decades, these men didn't sit back and say, 'Let them come to India, we'll beat them on turners'. They set themselves the goal of making India a force abroad, and to a large extent, they succeeded. And so, while it is the right time for the stalwarts to walk into the sunset, the way they played their cricket, and what they brought to Indian cricket must not be forgotten. They might be going, their legacy should stay.

Pakistan demand respect from cricket world Abu Dhabi

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq on Sunday said he hoped his team's series win over test cricket's number one side England will earn them respect from the cricketing world after a turbulent period which tarnished their image.

Dogged by off-the-field problems like failed dope tests and lack of discipline, Pakistan cricket hit the lowest ebb on their 2010 tour of England when three of their top players were caught in a spot-fixing scandal.

The then Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were banned for conniving over the bowlers deliberately bowling no-balls during the Lord's Test against England, and getting paid for that by agent Mazhar Majeed.

Last November all three and Majeed were sentenced to prison terms by an English court.

But since the scandal, Pakistan have fared well both on and off the field under an astute captain Misbah.
Pakistan beat England by 72 runs in the second Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, their fourth series win on the trot and eighth win in 14 Tests under Misbah, who took over two months after the scandal.

And Pakistan's resurgence, Misbah feels should earn them respect.

"I think the whole world should acknowledge and accept that Pakistan cricket is coming up, the way our players are performing and they should accept it. Such (negative) things can happen anywhere and we must forget them," said Misbah.

Misbah, 37, stressed his team will build further on the success against England.

"We have put everything behind us," said Misbah, who has led from the front hitting 12 fifties as captain.

"I think whichever team is doing well it should be accepted, our team deserves that and with the self confidence we have, we can do better."
Coach Mohsin Khan, who rather unluckily will be replaced by former Australian batsman Dav Whamore after the series, said these are good days to relish after the bad times.

"I definitely agree with Misbah, we deserve more respect for the performances we have put together," said Khan, a former opener.

"Pakistan cricket has suffered badly in the last two years but the management and the team has done well to transform it."

Khan said the impressive win over England will only improve Pakistan's image.

"A win over the world's top team is the best thing Pakistan could have achieved," said Khan, who was appointed interim coach after Waqar Younis quit the post in September last year.
Former captain Ramiz Raja said Pakistan have earned respect.

"I think they have earned respect," said Raja, now a widely travelled cricket commentator. "They deserve a lot of praise for the manner in which they have beaten the world's best side, its no mean achievement."

Raja said the whole nation -- embroiled in terrorism, corruption and bad governance -- can take a lead from the cricket team.

"I think the whole nation can take the lead from the sequence of the team's wins. The team has shown more wisdom, sincerity and hard work which people in Pakistan should match in all walks of lives," said Raja.

"No praise is enough for this team which has lifted its image and the way they have beaten the world's best team like toddlers is a great achievement," said Raja.

Pakistan demolish England by 72 runs to win series

Pakistan recorded a stunning 72-run victory against top-ranked England within four days of the five-day second Test match here at the Sheikh Zayad Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan also took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This was Pakistan’s seventh Test series win against England.

Pakistan won the first Test in Dubai by ten wickets. The third Test will also be played in Dubai from February 3.

This is England's first series defeat after being unbeaten in their previous nine since their loss to the West Indies in early 2009 -- a sequence which saw them rise to world number one in the Test rankings in August last year.

Chasing an easy target of 145 runs to win, England were bundled out for a mere 72, their lowest ever total in a Test innings against Pakistan.

Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman grabbed six wickets for 25 runs in his career best bowling while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal claimed three for 22.

Rehman was ably assisted by off-spinners Saeed Ajmal (3-22) and Mohammad 
Hafeez (1-11) in a match which saw spinners dominate from the first day.

England lost their top four batsmen in the space of just 37 balls after an extra cautious start on a difficult pitch.

England captain Andrew Strauss topscored with 32 before he became one of Rehman's victims during his maiden five-wicket haul.

In the penultimate over before tea, Rehman trapped Kevin Pietersen (one) and two balls later bowled Eoin Morgan (nought) to raise hopes of an unlikely win for Pakistan.

Sensing they could only upset their rivals through early wickets, Pakistan opened the bowling with off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez who responded well by catching Alastair Cook (seven) off his own bowling after England had edged cautiously to 21 by the 15th over.

Bell, promoted to number three after Jonathan Trott was unwell, was all at sea against master spinner Saeed Ajmal and his tentative push went through his legs to hit the stumps. He made only three.

Pietersen, who has been woefully out of form making just 16 runs in the series, managed one more before Rehman trapped him and in the same over had the equally out of form Morgan bowled to dent England's hopes of a victory.

Rehman then accounted for Trott (one) and Stuart Broad (nought) in the same over to leave England 7-68.

Ajmal dismissed Graeme Swann (nought) and Matt Prior (18) to complete his 100 Test wickets in his 19th match before Anderson was caught off Rehman to give Pakistan a sensational win.

England's previous lowest against Pakistan was 130 -- made on two occasions at The Oval in 1954 and Lahore in 1987.

Earlier, Pakistan lost their last six wickets with the addition of 89 runs after resuming at 125-4, with all hopes pinned on Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq.

Rehman's effort overshadowed Monty Panesar's 6-62, in his first Test for 30 months, which finished Pakistan's second innings at 214 in the morning.

Panesar took three of those wickets to finish with his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Azhar Ali (68) and Asad Shafiq (43) added 88 for the fifth wicket before Panesar struck.

But England's decision to take the second new ball as soon as it was due paid rich dividends as Anderson removed the dangerman Ali with a sharp rising delivery which caught the edge and was caught behind by Prior.

Broad then had Adnan Akmal (13) caught by Strauss in the slips off an ambitious drive in the next over as Pakistan wilted.

Rehman (10) and Ajmal (17) added an invaluable 36 for the eighth wicket before Panesar wrapped up the innings by taking the last two wickets.

Wednesday 25 January 2012

India fight back against Australia’s huge score in final Test

Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke both hit masterful double centuries to drive Australia to 604 for seven declared before their bowlers reduced India to 61 for two at the end of second day of the fourth Test on Wednesday.

Sachin Tendulkar, who had made 12 not out, and Gautam Gambhir, unbeaten on 30, were at the crease at stumps after the in-form Australian pace attack dismissed stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.

Clarke, who made 210, and his predecessor as Australia captain Ponting, who scored 221, batted through the morning session for a record fourth-wicket stand of 386 at a sweltering
Adelaide Oval.

They were separated two balls after lunch when Clarke was bowled by Umesh Yadav and three more wickets fell before tea as the Australian batsmen went for their shots on a good batting wicket.

Perhaps mindful that England declared on 551-6 at the Adelaide Oval in 2006 and still lost the Test, Clarke waited until the scored passed 600 after seven overs of the final
session before calling time on the Australian first innings.

Paceman Peter Siddle struck in the first ball of his first over to remove Sehwag caught and bowled for 18 after the opener got the bottom of his bat onto a full toss.

Dravid was bowled for the sixth time in seven innings in the series in the next over, deceived by a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery that struck the Indian on his elbow and hit the stumps.

Already 3-0 down in the series after three emphatic defeats, India had laboured in the field as Clarke and Ponting ruthlessly, and often stylishly, drove home their advantage.

Resuming at 335-3, they passed their own record partnership for Australia against India of 288, which they set in the Sydney test, inside the first hour.

The next mark to fall was the all-time record partnership for the Adelaide Oval, which came when they exceeded the 341 that Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock shared in 1964.

Clarke brought up his second double century of the series after his unbeaten 329 in the Sydney Test just before lunch with two runs through mid-wicket, celebrating with his ritual kiss of the insignia on his helmet.

The 30-year-old took 361 minutes and 255 balls to reach the milestone with another imperious display, which included 25 fours and one six.

Ponting was not far behind but was forced to wait nervously over the lunch break for his second double century against India at Adelaide after the 242 he hit in a losing cause in 2003-04.

The sixth double century of his career finally came courtesy of a trademark pull to midwicket for his 21st four in the 459-minute, 357-ball innings and the celebration left no doubt what it meant to the Tasmanian.

Clarke had already departed after being bowled between bat and pad by paceman Umesh Yadav, the first wicket to fall in more than three full sessions.

The stand was two runs short of the Australian record for a fourth-wicket partnership set by Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford when they made 388 at Headingly in 1934.

Mike Hussey, who had waited six hours and 20 minutes to bat, made a quickfire 25 from 33 balls before a brilliant Gambhir throw ran him out.

Ponting followed soon afterwards when another pull off Zaheer Khan found a leaping Tendulkar on the mid-wicket boundary.

Spinner Ravi Ashwin's carrom ball accounted for Peter Siddle (2) to give wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, standing in for banned India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his first test catch.

Brad Haddin, who hit a six to open his account, had made 42 not out and shared a 71-run partnership with Ryan Harris (35 not out) when Clarke called them back to the dressing room.

Pakistan steady after losing openers

Pakistan were 61 runs for two wickets at lunch on the opening day of the second Test against England here at the Sheikh Zayad Stadium on Wednesday.

Batsmen at the crease were Azhar Ali (13) and Younis Khan (6).

After captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and decided to bat, Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufiq Umar succeeded again to record a fifty-plus opening wicket partnership.

However, left-handed batsman Taufiq made exit on 16 when Paksitan reached 51 and ten runs later other opener Hafeez also departed for 31.

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Misbah, Strauss expect heavy workload for bowlers

Rival captains Misbah-ul Haq and Andrew Strauss expect tough work for bowlers on a batting-friendly pitch at Abu Dhabi Stadium where the second Test starts on Wednesday.

The two Tests played here were drawn with three double hundreds and two centuries, and the last one saw Pakistan letting Sri Lanka off by dropping seven catches in the second innings. Pakistan also drew with South Africa here.

But despite that Pakistan have edge with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in good form, having taken a career-best 7-55 during his 10-wicket haul which helped his team win the first Test by 10 wickets in Dubai inside three days.

"Ajmal got 10 wickets which created so much pressure on England so I think that is really an edge for us but at the same time I think the nature of the pitch here will make it tough to get 20 wickets," said Misbah on Tuesday.

Misbah urged the bowlers to stick to discipline and basics.

"I think you have to come out hard and just bowl a disciplined line and bowl according to the weakness of the batsmen, and just try to exploit the conditions but I think it will be really really tough to get wickets here," said Misbah.

Misbah said his team was ready for a backlash from England, who have not lost a Test series since January 2009.

"There is no doubt that England, being the world number one team, will try their 100 percent best and stage a strong comeback. We are ready for them," said Misbah, who has not lost a series since taking over as captain in October 2010.

Pakistan were likely to retain the winning combination, but if the pitch seems to offer initial pace they could replace paceman Aizaz Cheema with left-armer Junaid Khan.

England will wait on the fitness of paceman Chris Tremlett who has a sore back.

England captain Andrew Strauss agreed that the pitch looked good for batting.

"At the moment it looks a very good wicket, there's no doubt about that. We are expecting it to be very good wicket for batting," said Strauss, whose team has not lost two Tests in a row since beaten by South Africa in July 2008.

England have also managed to win just three times after going down 1-0 in a three-match series.

And Strauss realised it would be a tough challenge.

"It's a big challenge for us and one I personally really looking forward to. We clearly let ourselves down at Dubai, we got to hold up our hands and say there are no excuses for that," said Strauss who will open with Alastair Cook in their 100th innings.

About his own batting form which saw him dismissed for 19 and six in the first Test, Strauss said he hopes to overcome the slump.

"It's obviously disappointing and certainly not getting runs in the last game was disappointing for me but having been around the Test match scene for a while now I know form ebbs and flows and one innings can completely change both your perspective and others' perspective in how well you're playing.

"I do think I've been hitting the ball well and hopefully that means there's a nice recipe in place to go on and get a big score," said Strauss, who has scored only one hundred in the last 30 months, at Brisbane in 2010.

When asked whether Ajmal's bowling action, questioned by various quarters after the Dubai Test, could threaten the sense of harmony between the two teams, Strauss said: "Maybe, but you're not going to hear any discussion about it from us.

"It's not an issue for us, it's not something we're concerned about, we're far more concerned about coming onto the pitch and winning this game."

The third and final Test will be played in Dubai from February 3 to 7. Both teams will also play four one-day and three Twenty20 internationals.

Jayawardene named captain after Dilshan quits

Tillakaratne Dilshan resigned as Sri Lanka's cricket captain in all three forms of the game on Monday following the team's disastrous tour of South Africa, officials said.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named former captain Mahela Jayawardene -- who led
the side to the World Cup final in 2007 -- as skipper for next month's triangular one-day series in Australia, also featuring India.

Dilshan, 35, took up the captaincy on a series-to-series basis after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following Sri Lanka's defeat in the 2011 World Cup final against India.

Sri Lanka lost both the Test and one-day series in South Africa, though they recovered a measure of pride with victory in the final two limited-overs games, the last on Sunday.

Under Dilshan, Sri Lanka lost Test and one-day series against England, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa.

While Dilshan's own batting form suffered during his reign, he led the team to a historic Test win in Durban this year -- Sri Lanka's first on South African soil.

There was no immediate comment from Dilshan, who has so far scored 4,662 runs in 77 Tests and 5,896 runs in 224 one-day internationals.

His replacement is part of an ongoing shake-up after the national team's recent poor run abroad against South Africa and Pakistan.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage last week named a four-member selection panel headed by Asantha de Mel, a former national player, and gave them one year to put the team in order.

Australian coach Geoff Marsh and team manager Anura Tennakoon are also tipped to be replaced, local media reported over the weekend. Marsh was appointed in September 2011 for two years.

Former South Africa coach Graham Ford is due in the island on Tuesday to replace Marsh, the state-run Daily News said Monday.

Sri Lanka recall Maharoof for Aussie tri-series

Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Monday recalled Farveez Maharoof and Chanaka Welegedera for next month's triangular one-day series in Australia.

The four-man selection panel led by former player Asantha de Mel also named batsman Mahela Jayawardene as the new captain to replace Tillakaratne Dilshan, who quit on Monday.

All-rounder Maharoof and paceman Welegedera each played his last one-dayer in 2010.

Angelo Mathews was retained as vice-captain for the series, also featuring India.

Squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisira Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayaka, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedera, Dhammika Prasad.

Ponting third batsman to reach 13,000 Test runs

Ricky Ponting passed 13,000 Test runs Tuesday as he shared in a big partnership with Michael Clarke to put Australia in a strong position on the opening day of the fourth Test against India.

Ponting, the third all-time highest Test runscorer behind Indians Sachin Tendulkar (15,432) and Rahul Dravid (13,262), batted throughout the middle session with Clarke to recover the home side after the loss of three morning wickets.

At tea, Australia were 214 for three after winning the toss with Ponting unbeaten on 91 and Clarke on 71.

India, looking to restore some pride after drubbings in the first three Tests, were thwarted by the pair's unbroken 130-run stand for the fourth wicket on a flat batting strip.

Clarke, who scored an unbeaten 329 in the second Sydney Test earlier this month, had a life on 50 when Dravid put down a low chance off Ishant Sharma.

Ponting, Clarke tons as Australia plunder India

Australia were 335 for three at the close after winning the toss on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against India at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting was not out 137 with skipper Michael Clarke on 140.

Resurgent Ricky Ponting posted his 41st Test century and skipper Michael Clarke his second ton of the series as Australia plundered India in the final Test.

Ponting passed 13,000 Test runs with his second hundred in three innings while Clarke raised his 19th Test ton following his unbeaten triple century in Sydney.

The experienced pair shared in a ground record fourth wicket partnership to have the tourists on the rack as relentless Australia sought to ram home a 4-0 series whitewash.

India, who relinquished their top Test ranking when they were crushed 4-0 in England last year, face their eighth consecutive away defeat if they cannot prevent another Australian victory this week.

Ponting and Clarke combined in another domineering partnership with an unbroken 251 runs after their 288 stand in the second Sydney Test over the New Year and batted through the last two sessions.

At the close on a sweltering opening day, Australia after winning the toss were 335 for three with Ponting unbeaten on 137 off 254 balls and Clarke 140 off 188 balls.

'BD cricket team to visit Pak in April'

 Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf said on Tuesday that Bangladesh government has allowed cricket team to visit Pakistan in April.

A security team will come here to assess the security arrangements prior the team’s arrival. 

If Bangladesh cricket team visits Pakistan, then this would be a landmark achievement that a foreign team is touring the country after the Sri Lankan team was attacked three years back.

Monday 23 January 2012

Bailey to lead Australia in T20s against India

Uncapped George Bailey was Monday named skipper of a revamped Australian squad for next month's Twenty20 internationals against India as selectors looked towards September's T20 world cup.

Bailey replaces Cameron White, who has been dropped from the 14-man squad, while veteran spinner Brad Hogg returns to international cricket just weeks short of his 41st birthday.

Chief selector John Inverarity said Australia's T20 team, currently ranked fifth in the world, needed changes.

"The panel has been discussing this T20 squad for about six weeks and has unanimously decided on the squad, the captain and the vice-captain," he said.

"The selectors consider this to be a very well-balanced T20 squad and look forward to the team acquitting itself very well."

Inverarity said with this in mind the selectors had chosen Bailey to lead the new-look team.

"The panel unanimously favoured George Bailey as captain of the T20 team," he said.

"George is a very good T20 player with a sound record. He is widely respected and regarded as an outstanding captain, having had sustained success in this role."

Inverarity said selectors were looking to the new leadership of coach Mickey Arthur, Bailey and opening batsman David Warner to drive the T20 team.

The squad contains experienced bowlers Brett Lee and Hogg, while Shane Watson was not considered for selection as he regains full match fitness after recent injuries.

Australia take on India in T20 internationals at Sydney Olympic Park on February 1 and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground two days later.

The ICC World Twenty20 takes place in Sri Lanka, starting in September.

Australia - George Bailey (captain), David Warner (vice-capt), Travis Birt, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Australia squad for T20 series with India

The Australian squad named on Monday for two Twenty20 internationals against India in Australia next month:

Australia - George Bailey (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), Travis Birt, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade. 

South Africa win series despite Sri Lanka’s thrilling win

Sachithra Senanayake struck a six off the penultimate ball to give Sri Lanka a two-wicket triumph over South Africa Sunday in the final match of a five one-day international series won 3-2 by the hosts.

Captain AB de Villiers and predecessor Graeme Smith (125 each) struck tons as South Africa made 312-4, but a century from Kumar Sangakkara (102) led the tourists to 314-8 at the Wanderers and a second win within three days.

Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising until Sangakkara became the fourth wicket to fall with 275 runs on the board and a late South Africa rally saw them grab two wickets within three balls during the final over.

It left the tourists needing five runs from two balls to succeed and Senanayake hit Robin Peterson for a six to snatch victory in a thrilling climax to the two-month tour.

Sangakkara struck 10 fours in a maiden ODI ton against South Africa and there were also valuable contributions from Lahiru Thirimanne (69), Upul Tharanga (46) and skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (41).

De Villiers and Smith excelled as South Africa recovered from a sluggish early run rate having being sent in to bat by Dilshan in a match delayed for one hour by rain early in the Sri Lankan innings.

De Villiers finished unbeaten after facing 98 deliveries while Smith received a standing ovation from the sell-out 30,000 crowd after being caught by Dinesh Chandimal at mid-wicket off the bowling of Lasith Malinga.

While the Proteas skipper confirmed his position as one of the best stroke players in the world today with 10 fours and four sixes, Smith could not contain his joy as he walked off after a timely first ODI ton in three years.

There was a media and public outcry against him just a week ago after innings of six, 28 and two in the first three matches of the series before he stopped the rot with a brisk 68 in Kimberley two days ago.

Smith embroidered his innings with nine fours and four sixes off 143 balls during a 203-minute stand and the sun-drenched crowd revelled in his change of fortune.

South Africa lost opener Alviro Petersen (6) with only 10 runs on the board and were 70-2 when Faf du Plessis (24) departed before De Villiers and Smith took charge.

The Proteas stood at 133-2 after 30 overs and a run rate of 4.43 needed improvement on a good batting track, which the captains past and present duly did with 44 runs coming during a power play soon after.

Shane Warne great performance against New Zealand

De Villiers, Smith tons lift South Africa

Captain AB de Villiers and predecessor Graeme Smith both scored 125 runs on Sunday as South Africa totalled 312-4 after being put in to bat by Sri Lanka in the fifth one-day international.

De Villiers finished unbeaten after facing 98 deliveries at the Wanderers while Smith received a standing ovation from the sell-out 30,000 crowd after being caught by Dinesh Chandimal off the bowling of Lasith Malinga.

While the Proteas skipper confirmed his position as one of the best stroke players in the world today with 10 fours and four sixes, Smith could not contain his joy as he walked off after a timely ton.

There was a media and public outcry against him just a week ago after innings of six, 28 and two in the first three matches of the series before he stopped the rot with a brisk 68 in Kimberley two days ago.

Smith embroidered his Wanderers innings with nine fours and four sixes off 143 balls during a 203-minute stand and the sun-drenched crowd revelled in his change of fortune.

South Africa lost opener Alviro Petersen (6) with only 10 runs on the board and were 70-2 when Faf du Plessis (24) departed before De Villiers and Smith took charge.

The Proteas stood at 133-2 after 30 overs and a run rate of 4.43 needed improvement on a good batting track, which the captains past and present duly did with 44 runs coming during a power play soon after.

South Africa lead 3-1 in the five-match ODI series after winning the Test battle 2-1 and no Twenty20 fixtures are scheduled.

Sri Lanka bat against South Africa in final ODI

Sri Lanka captain and opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan won the toss Sunday and opted to bowl in the final match of a five one-day international series against South Africa.

Rival skipper and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers admitted he would also have bowled had he called correctly on a picture-perfect pitch at the Wanderers with a sell-out 30,000 crowd expected.

South Africa hold an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series and made one change from the team that suffered a five-wicket loss in Kimberley with Albie Morkel replacing Vernon Philander.

Sri Lanka have retained the team that won two days ago and hope to maintain a steady improvement after a humiliating 258-run loss in the first game following a 2-1 Test series defeat.

Teams
South Africa: Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Colin Ingram, AB de Villiers (captain/wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Albie Morkel, Robin Peterson, Wayne Parnell, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) & Nigel Llong (ENG), TV umpire: Billy Doctrove (WI)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL) 

Saturday 21 January 2012

Afridi top prize in Bangladesh Twenty20 auction

 Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was the hottest property in an auction held for the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 tournament on Thursday, but English spinner Monty Panesar and former South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs failed to attract bids.

Afridi was sold to the Dhaka franchise for $700,000 after some intense bidding involving five of the six franchises for the Feb. 10-28 tournament, which is based on the successful Indian Premier League model.

The all-rounder, however, will only be available for the final two days of the opening BPL campaign as he is on national team duty against England in the United Arab Emirates.

Tournament organisers said the money would be given to the players proportionately for the matches they are available.

Quick-scoring West Indian batsman Chris Gayle, who is available from Feb. 14, was another to attract attention with Barisal paying $551,000 for him.

His compatriots Marlon Samuels and Kieron Pollard also created a stir as they were sold for $360,000 and $300,000 to Rajshahi and Dhaka franchises respectively.

A total of 111 overseas players and 80 local cricketers were put on auction with teams given a maximum budget of $2million and able to buy no more than eight overseas players.

Pakistan's Shoaib Malik (Chittagong $150,000) West Indies' Dwayne Bravo (Chittagong $150,000), Australia's Brad Hodge (Barisal $140,000), Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (Rajshahi $110,000) and Muttiah Muralitharan (Chittagong $100,000) were among others to go for big money.

No Indian players were included in the auction.

Along with Panesar and Gibbs, New Zealand's Scott Styris and Lou Vincent failed to attract a buyer.

Ireland's wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O'Brien was the most expensive player from the associate nations with Khulna paying $80,000 for the batsman.

Bangladesh internationals Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Ashraful, Shahriar Nafees and Alok Kapali had been selected as icon players for six franchises and were excluded from auction.

All-rounder Nasir Hossain was the most-sought-after Bangladeshi in the auction with Khulna sealing his signature for $200,000.

India-based Game On Sports Management will run the tournament after winning the bid from the Bangladesh Cricket Board for six years for $44.33 million.

England's destroyer Ajmal is world's best spinner

Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal Friday rose to world's highest ranking spinner a day after guiding his team to a comprehensive ten wicket win in the first Test against England inside three days.

The 34-year-old registered his second ten-wicket haul -- a career best 7-55 in the first innings and 3-42 in the second -- to help Pakistan take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

"Ajmal earned 117 ratings points for his magnificent bowling performance, now has England's second-ranked James Anderson firmly within his sights who has 37 more ratings points," the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced.

Given that Ajmal is still in a qualification period for bowlers, it is likely that he will move even further up the ladder depending on how he performs in the second Test which starts in Abu Dhabi on January 25, the ICC said.

South African paceman Dale Steyn tops the bowlers' list with 896 rating points.

Ajmal has also leapfrogged England's off-spinner Graeme Swann who has slipped one position to fourth, while Ajmal's spin partner Abdul Rehman has 
also leapt five places which has put him in a career best 14th position.

The latest rankings have brought bad news for England batsmen.

England opener Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, who entered in third and fourth positions respectively, have slipped two and three positions respectively, while Kevin Pietersen has fallen out of the top 10. 

Pietersen, who scored two and nought in the Dubai Test, has lost six places and is now in 16th position while England captain Andrew Strauss has also dropped six places to 34th spot.

The only England batsmen to make any upward movements are wicketkeeper Matt Prior in 18th (up by one) and Swann in 64th (up by 11).

In contrast, the Pakistan batsmen have made positive gains with Younus Khan in fourth (up by two), captain Misbah-ul-Haq in 14th (up by three), Mohammad Hafeez in 30th (up by 15), Taufeeq Umar in 32nd (up by six) and wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal in 70th (up by 23).

Ajmal action not my problem, says Trott

 England batsman Jonathan Trott on Saturday refused to be drawn into the ongoing controversy over Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal's action, saying it was up to the game's governing body and officials to decide.

The prelude to the three-Test series was surrounded by Ajmal's mystery delivery which he claimed to unveil against England.

Ajmal took a career best 7-55 and 3-42 to help Pakistan rout England by ten wickets inside three days, triggering doubts over the legitimacy of his bowling action which was already questioned and cleared in 2009.

Former England paceman Bob Willis sparked the controversy by saying he has problems with Ajmal's doosra -- a delivery bowled with the same action but turns the other way than an off-break.

When asked about Ajmal's action, Trott said: "It's not really my place, I've played against the bowler before and we've been pretty successful.

"With regards to delivery action and stuff, that wouldn't be beneficial for us to worry about the legitimacy of someone's action, it's important that we won the next game and don't take our attention off that," said Trott.

"It's their (on-field umpires) job, its not our job to do anything with regards to opposition players, we've got to worry about outselves. The fact of the matter is we are 1-0 down and we've got to win the next match."

The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from January 25. Dubai will stage the third and final Test from February 3-7. The teams will also play four one-day and three Twenty20 internationals.

Trott, 30, praised Ajmal but refused to accept England needed specific preparations against him.

"Of course, whenever somebody takes ten wickets whether seamer or spinner, I don't think you go around preparing for a specific type of bowling or a person you try and make sure that your game is in good order," said Trott.

Trott said he was confident England can stage a comeback.

"Since I have been a part of this team for two and a bit years, we've had a few losses, but we have managed to bounce back in the following games, so it's a case of hopefully being able to do that again," he said. 

End of the Ponting era?

There used to be a time when the first name written down in the Australian batting order was of Ricky ‘Punter’ Ponting at No. 3 and then the rest of the slots were filled. At one time he used to be the most feared batsman in the game to walk in at number 3, leaving bowlers and captains holding their heads in their hands. He would dismiss deliveries from his presence with disdain; a king of the batting world. He would pull anything short or driving anything full towards the boundary.
But, alas, that time has passed.
He is no longer a young player without fear but is approaching (and some even say is past) retirement age. The reflexes have slowed down and he is no longer the force he used to be. The mind is still at work but the body is not responding as it should and that shows up on the scorecard. He has failed to reach three figures in the test arena for over a year now. And today he lost the coveted number 3 spot to Shaun Marsh. Marsh took over the responsibility of coming one down in the second test match between Sri Lanka and Australia as Ponting was home attending the birth of his second child and scored a magnificent hundred. And that perhaps persuaded the management having one eye on the future to retain him at that spot, although Ponting is back for the third test. This marks the end of an era and is a sad day for cricket.
Ponting was a majestic sight to behold for any cricket fan. His batting was easy on the eye and left one in awe. He became only the third Australian cricketer to have gone past the mark of 10,000 runs in test cricket after Border and Waugh and then overtook them as country’s leading run scorer. He is the most successful cricketer to ever play test cricket with 100 wins to his name and is the most successful captain to ever lead a test side. His ODI record is illustrious as well.
But reputation counts for little when it comes to selection of the Australian team. Selectors are ruthless as former greats have found out. Ponting hasn’t been piling up scores of late and has looked a shadow of his former self.
And today, a statement has been made. The best batsman of the side usually bats at number 3. Ponting is no longer regarded as the best batsman in the Australian lineup and has been told that in no uncertain terms!
He has expressed his desire to play on but I think he should reconsider. It is always good to leave on a high rather than wait till the last nail has been hammered into your coffin.

Hafeez-Taufeeq Hunt in pairs

Pakistan might not be the best team in the world but it has all the right ingredients to become one. It has Saeed Ajmal, who according to legendary English batsman Geoff Boycott, is the best spinner in the world at the moment. Younis Khan is currently one of the most dependable batsmen in world cricket and luckily he is part of the national cricket team. Same can be said of Misbah ul Haq who has grown into an excellent batsman since becoming captain of Pakistan. But the foundations of any batting line up are laid by its opening batsmen, and no pair in Pakistan’s cricket history has been as successful as the dynamic duo of current openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar.

They say that Hawks hunt in pairs. Same can be said of the best openers in world cricket. The reason why no opening pair in Pakistan’s cricket history had scored more than Hafeez-Taufeeq’s 5 century partnerships is inconsistent selection throughout the 60 years. The country has seen world-class openers like Hanif Mohammad (337 runs against West Indies), Nazar Mohammad and Mudassar Nazar (carrying the bat through a completed innings), Majid Khan (one of the four players to score century before lunch in Test cricket), Mohsin Khan (200 runs at Lord’s), Aamir Sohail (205 at Manchester in only his 3rd Test), Saeed Anwar (carrying the bat against India), Shoaib Mohammad (two double centuries in Tests) and many more but none have been consistently paired with a partner with whom he shares the cricketing understanding.

The taboo was broken by the current management who are persisting with Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar and by scoring as many as 5 century partnerships for the first wicket, they have proved their mettle. They have outsmarted Aamir Sohail-Saeed Anwar and Majid Khan-Sadiq Mohammad who had provided as many as 4 century partnerships during their careers. While Saeed-Aamir did so in 37 innings, it took Majid-Sadiq 26 innings to provide Pakistan with an ideal opening start of 100 runs for the loss of no wicket.

A look at the most successful opening pair ever in test cricket would be worthy at this moment. The title of the Best Opening Pair belongs to West Indian openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. They first opened the batting together in 1978 for 13 years, they were inseparable because they were part of a winning squad. In 148 innings they opened, they scored 6482 runs at an astounding average of 47.31. They had taken the score past 100 runs without being dismissed on 16 occasions which has not been bettered since.

The English pair of Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe come second in terms of century partnerships. Between 1924 and 1930, they scored 3249 runs at an amazing average of 87.81 with as many as 15 century partnerships. In terms of runs, Australian pair of Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer come second. They scored 5655 runs in 113 innings together at an average of 51.88 per innings. They had 14 century partnerships to their name which helped a lot in Aussies domination of Test cricket during the first decade of the current millennium.

Alistair Cook and Andrew Strauss of England may not have been opening for a long time but they are in their 6th year as a pair and have scored 4157 runs in 98 innings at 43 runs per innings, with 11 opening partnerships. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir of India have opened in 76 innings together and have scored 3939 runs at 53.95, with 10 century partnerships. They have bettered compatriots Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar who, during 1973 and 1981, scored 3010 runs in their 59 innings as openers with 10 scores of 100 or more. Australia’s Michael Slater and Mark Taylor are the last pair to feature in this list of 10 or more partnerships as openers. Between the 1990s, they opened in 78 innings and scored 3887 runs at 51.14 runs per innings.

Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar may not be the best in the world but they are Pakistan’s best. The way they are playing and scoring runs against tough oppositions, it seems that one day they will feature in the list of those who terrorized bowlers around the world and provided ideal opening start to their team.

Highlights from MCG test Australia vs India 2012

Adam Gilchrist second Fastest Century

Friday 20 January 2012

Shoaib akhtar - The Legend of Legends

Presentaion Cermony Of The 1st Test Pakistan Vs England 2012

Beating England boosts Pakistan

Former Pakistan cricket greats rejoiced on Friday after the emphatic 10-wicket win in the first Test against England amid hopes the victory will boost the country's battered sporting image.

Pakistan bowled the world number one side out for 160 in the second innings and notched up the required 15 runs in no time to take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

Saeed Ajmal was Pakistan's star turn, taking a career best seven wickets for 55 runs in the first innings, and finishing with his second 10-wicket Test haul, while paceman Umar Gul took 4-63 to derail England in the second knock.

"It's a great win. It will have a great impact on Pakistan cricket and if we win the series against the best Test team in the world then it will take the team to new heights," he said.

Abbas, famous for his two double hundreds against England in the 1970s, hoped the cricket world will recognise Pakistan's development.

The current series, being played in the United Arab Emirates, is the first between the two countries since the spot fixing scandal.

"I think Ajmal's brilliant and varied bowling mesmerised the England batsmen who have a weak record on the sub-continent pitches and this was a typical sub-continet pitch," said Abbas.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf praised what he called a "brilliant and professional" team effort.