Cricket thread

[RAMESH]

it was an exciting game & zimbabwe out classed australia

[rainbow]

i'll agree with that.

zimbabwe were very professional, a bit surprisingly.

[RAMESH]

you guys vs england next & with kevin pieterson on the team, it's going to be a tough game, if you guys loose you going to be out, i wouldn't want to be pontin right now. if you can get pieterson out early australia should win
it's actually a very exciting time for australian cricket suporters, cricket is best enjoyed in situations like this, that's how alot of our games are, it looks like we going to loose or we got an impossable target to reach & then we do it, it's exciting stuff
right now we like afro samurai we got the no.2 headband in search for no.1 & we getting better all the time

[The Hound]

too bad zimbabwe will never outclass us in a test match. honestly i didnt even know this 20 20 world cup was on it's getting absolutely no coverage lol the only cricket article in the paper yesterday was how ricky ponting is going to advanced hair studios lol

waiting for the real cricket to start in november. fucking india and their bullshit lapdogs ICC changing our schedule and shit for the summer i wanted the sydney test to stay the same cos day 1 is jan 2 and i usualy go back to work from xmas break on the 3rd or 4th damn. dont matter we'll beat them wherever whenever.

20 20 is a toss of the coin job, it was fun 2 years ago now its just too much getting sick of the shit

[RAMESH]

cricket & rugby is big down here & it's been a great month so far, the biggest disscision i had to make was what i'm going to watch & what i must miss.
the 20 20 is the most exciting form of cricket, this worldcup opened the doors for this sport it's going to be big, that test cricket should be done with becuase it's too boring, i don't sleep much & watching test cricket it normally knocks me out, i feel sorry for the players that must stand in the sun for 5 days without even a gameboy for entertainment in the field
yesterday we played a game & today we playing another game, what more can a man ask for & we got rugby inbetween that to

[rainbow]

man, i can't agree with getting rid of test cricket. thats the truest form of the game, and to me is just as interesting as 20/20.

especially from a tactical point of view, its just more interesting.

and the game can turn completely between inninngs, with 20/20 its over so fast that you can hardly appreciate it.

i still like 20/20, but it doesnt rival test cricket.

[RAMESH]

i'm just fucking with tonearm it can be boring but not as boring as i made it sound

Cricket's future is Twenty20

Since time immemorial everything has been changing to keep up with the pace of modern life and cricket is no different.

All most all sport played by humans have undergone major changes to keep up with the times. The off-side rule in hockey has been abolished, tie-breakers introduced in tennis, and FIFA made many changes in football to make it more appealing to the fans.

Similarly the bosses running cricket have made their fair share of changes in the game. About 35 years back, it was a game spread over five days with most of the matches ending in a dreary draw before near-empty stadiums.

Bringing the fans back into the stadium and making the Test match more interesting was proving to be a big headache for the administrators of the game when they took a cue from English county's One-Day championship and introduced the limited-over match at the international stage. The first One-Day International took place between England and Australia in Melbourne in 1971.

And four years later in 1975 the West Indies won the inaugural World Cup with the fans coming out in large numbers to enjoy the latest version of the game.

Soon ODIs became a rage with day-night matches, coloured clothing, innovative tactics and new strategies adding more excitement to the game.

The World Cup became a regular fixture and Test cricket also changed with more matches throwing up a winner.

However, with an increase in the number of ODIs, the traditional fan and aficionados lamented the demise of the game, as they knew.

But there was nothing that could stop the rising popularity of the One-Dayers with most of the venues seeing record crowds to watch the slam bang version of cricket.

Those who had said that the ODIs would never be able to rule public imagination had to eat their words as it had a positive effect on the Test arena too. Teams now played to win, scoring runs at a faster rate, developed new strategies with players becoming more athletic and ready to take more risks.

Then, in 2003 there was time for one more change in the format with another abridged version of the game coming out in the open. It was the Twenty20 in which each team had only 20 overs to play with the match getting over in about three hours.

And just like the first ODI World Cup, we are going to see the first Twenty20 World Cup soon.

And once again the critics are up in arms saying that Twenty20 in nothing more that a shameless copy of baseball where all that the batsmen has to do is to swing the bat with all their might as the bowlers have been made just an appendage with too many restriction imposed on them.

But going by the initial response, it seems that though some of their concerns maybe valid but is not likely to dent the popularity of the Twenty20 match.

The biggest appeal of Twenty20 lies in the short duration of the matches. This is what has been Test cricket's biggest bugbear with the One-Dayers also losing fans especially in mostly in the developed countries as taking a day off in this fast moving world is becoming increasingly impossible.

This is where Twenty20 comes in. A cricket fan can come back home in the evening and sit down and enjoy the complete match. The common fan is more interested in seeing the ball fly to all corners of the field and enjoy the run feast than worry about the intricacies of the game.

While this version may lead to more domination by the batsmen with some bowlers already voicing their concern, it is also likely to lead to more innovation by the fielding team.

Who knows tomorrow we may see something as revolutionary as what New Zealand skipper in the 1992 World Cup did – opening the bowling with a spinner. And that in turn may also see the ODIs and Tests undergoing yet another change.

Twenty20 will also be helpful in spreading the game to those countries where it has not taken roots due to the amount of time involved in completing one match. Already countries like China and USA are showing interest in wielding the willow.

So instead of simply criticising Twenty20 let us grab the pop corn bowl, sit back and enjoy as in a fast paced world, the game that gives you result in the least possible time is going to be the future.

India win bowl out thriller

India won a dramtic bowl-out 3-0 to beat Pakistan and seal their place in the Super Eights after their Twenty20 World Cup Group D match ended in a thrilling tie.

Proteas keep battling Tigers at bay

South Africa survived an early batting assault from Bangladesh to record a comfortable 7 wicket victory under the lights in Cape Town to win Group A.

Bold Jayasuriya knock sinks Kiwis

Sri Lanka underlined why they are serious contenders for the ICC World Twenty20 with a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand to finish top of Group C.


Australia unstoppable at Newlands

England qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights despite being hammered by Australia by eight wickets in a one sided game at Newlands .

[RAMESH]

Vettori engineers win for NZ over India
Daniel Vettori had India in a spin as they wasted a good start and crashed to a 10-run defeat to New Zealand in their Twenty20 World Cup Group E match on Sunday.
Full Scorecard
After opening batsman Virender Sehwag had thrashed 40 off 17 balls as India raced to 76 without loss in the sixth over, left-arm spinner Vettori asked too many questions of the remaining Indian batsmen, taking four for 20 as they finished on 180 for nine.
Vettori's testing variations of flight and pace first accounted for Robin Uthappa for a duck as he pushed back a return catch and then Gautam Gambhir, who looped a catch on the leg side to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
Gambhir had top-scored with 51 off 33 balls and shared in an opening stand of 76 off just 37 deliveries with Sehwag.
Irfan Pathan (11) and Dinesh Karthik (17) were victims of Vettori's third spell as the required run rate became insurmountable for India.
Earlier, Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram made merry in the last five overs to lift New Zealand to a challenging total.
The pair shared a partnership of 73 runs in 5.2 overs as New Zealand scored 190 all out in 20 overs. McMillan scored a scintillating 44 off 23 balls, with four sixes, and Oram slammed 35 off 15 balls, with three sixes.
They reversed a decline in the innings that saw New Zealand slide from 69 for one in the ninth over to 91 for five in the 13th over.
Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the bowler who halted the charge, taking two for 24 in his four overs, while left-arm seamer Rudra Pratap Singh finished with two for 29. Neither McMillan nor Oram could bat through to the end of the innings, however, as New Zealand lost four wickets in the final over, wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni claiming the credit for three run outs. McCullum top-scored for New Zealand at the top of the order with 45 off 31 balls, setting the side on their way to their highest total in Twenty20 internationals. Their previous best was 170 all out against Australia in Auckland in 2004/05.



Australia win as Lee takes hat-trick

Australia gave Bangladesh a lesson in Twenty20 cricket when they thrashed them by nine wickets with 37 balls to spare in their ICC World Twenty20 (T20) Super Eight game at Newlands on Sunday afternoon, as Brett Lee took the first hat-trick in international T20 cricket.
Final Scorecard
Australia won the toss and sent Bangladesh in to bat. Bangladesh were unable to reproduce the pyrotechnics of Saturday, when they raced to their first 50 off just 23 balls against South Africa. This time, they were much more pedestrian as tight bowling and skilful fielding by Australia kept them in check.
Tamim Iqbal and Nazim Uddin put on 40 for the first wicket before Uddin was caught by Ponting off Michael Clarke for 11. Ponting initially fumbled the ball before catching it.
Tamim Iqbal was the top scorer, with 32 runs off 40 balls, while Aftab Ahmed made 31 off 34. The first wicket stand was the only partnership of note.
Mohammad Ashrafal, who recorded the fastest 50 in T20 history, off just 20 balls, against the West Indies, could only muster seven runs before be was caught by Symonds off Stuart Clark. Although Aftab Ahmed tried to keep things going, he started running out of partners.
Lee's hat-trick came in the 18th over, when Shakib Al Hasan was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist, and Lee followed up by bowling first Mushrafe Mortaza and then Alok Kapali. Farhad Reza could have been his fourth victim in four balls had Lee not bowled a no-ball. The hat-trick was his second in international cricket - he took a hat-trick against Kenya in the 2003 World Cup.
His opening partner Nathan Bracken took two wickets in successive balls in the final over, when he had Aftab Ahmed caught by Brad Hodge and then Farhad was caught by Michael Hussey off his next delivery.
Chasing a modest total of 124 for victory, Australia were merciless. Hayden was brutal, bludgeoning his way to 73 not out off 50 deliveries.
He hit nine fours and three sixes.
Gilchrist was only marginally less brutal, racing to 43 off 26 balls, including a single boundary and four sixes, before he was run out by Mushrafe Mortaza and Tamim Iqbal as he scrambled for a third run. After their hiccup against Zimbabwe in their first match, Australia have returned to the all-conquering brand of cricket which has taken them to the top in Test and 50-over cricket, and it would be a brave punter who did not back them to reach the final of the T20 in Johannesburg next Monday.


Morkel stars in SA win over England

Albie Morkel top scored and took two important wickets in South Africa's 19-run win over England in a Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights match in Cape Town on Sunday.

Morkel scored 43 in South Africa's total of 154 for eight and claimed two for 12 in England's reply of 135 for seven.
Morkel faced 20 balls and hit three fours and four sixes, three of them consecutively off leg-spinner Chris Schofield.
Number seven batsman Morkel came to the crease in the 15th over after South Africa had slumped to 91 for five, and six balls later they were 94 for six.
Pace bowler Stuart Broad led England's disciplined bowling performance with a haul of three for 37, but they did themselves no favours by dropping five catches.
South Africa reduced England to 27 for three before opener Matt Prior and Owais Shah stood firm with a partnership of 55. Medium pacer Morkel had Prior caught at deep cover for 32 before bowling Shah for 36 in his next over to halt England's momentum. England's last real hope of winning was snuffed out in the 19th over when fast bowler Johan van der Wath shattered Andrew Flintoff's stumps for 17.


Albie Morkel smashes Chris Schofield for one of three consecutive sixes


Kevin Pietersen collides with Shaun Pollock and is caught short by a direct hit from Makhaya Ntini

it was tough playing against england because our legendry bowler alan donald is the bowling couch for england now & their star batsmen is a south african they should change englands team name to the south african b side

[RAMESH]

Cricket: Pakistan beats Australia in World Twenty20; England loses to New Zealand

JOHANNESBURG - Misbah-ul-Haq hit an undefeated 66 in Pakistan's six-wicket win over Australia on Tuesday at the World Twenty20 tournament.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik was 52 not out to guide Pakistan to 165-4 after winning the toss and making Australia bat at the Wanderers Stadium.
Australia made 164-7 in its 20 overs, with Michael Hussey and Brad Hodge sharing a 63-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, England lost by five runs to New Zealand and looks likely to exit the Super Eight stage, while Sri Lanka played Bangladesh later Tuesday.
Hussey came in after the dismissal of captain Ricky Ponting - who battled his way to 27 off 26 balls - when Australia was on 92-4 in the 12th over.
Hussey hit 37 off 25 balls with three fours and one six, while Hodge scored 36 off 29 balls with three fours.
Sohail Tanvir was the best Pakistan bowler with 3-31 off his four overs.
Pakistan's batsmen started at a good run rate but lost four wickets by the seventh over. Stuart Clark took the first three wickets, finishing with 3-27, before Misbah and Malik got together at 46-4.
Without taking any excessive chances, they dominated the Australian attack in a 119-run partnership and Pakistan won with five balls to spare.
Misbah scored 66 off 42 balls with seven fours and the biggest six of the tournament so far - measured at 111 meters (364 feet). Malik reached 52 off 38 balls with four fours and two sixes.
In the opening match of the day, Craig McMillan hit four sixes in his 57 to help New Zealand beat England.
New Zealand, sent in to bat by England captain Paul Collingwood at the Kingsmead Stadium, reached 164-9 in its 20 overs after smashing 124 off the final 11 overs.
England finished at 159-8 and is bottom of its four-team group after losing to South Africa on Sunday. The top two teams advance to the semifinals and England must now win its final group match against India on Wednesday and rely on other results going its way.
New Zealand lost free-scoring opener Brendon McCullum in the first over for four, and then England's policy of rotating bowlers paid off as New Zealand's dangerous top-order was out of the way by the sixth over at 31-4.
But that signaled the arrival of Scott Styris and McMillan at the Kingsmead Stadium.
Styris hit four sixes in his 42 off 31 balls, and put on 60 with McMillan who faced the same number of balls.
When Styris departed, McMillan accelerated and took the score to 134-6 in the 17th over before he was caught by Dimitri Mascarenhas off the bowling of Darren Maddy.
Captain Daniel Vettori hit 17 off 9 balls.
Maddy took 2-6 in his single over, and James Anderson got 2-24 off his full quota of four overs.
Vikram Solanki stood in as wicketkeeper after Matt Prior broke his right thumb Monday during practice. England called up Durham wicketkeeper Phil Mustard as Prior's replacement on Tuesday.
England started the chase well with new opening pair of Maddy and Solanki, who put on 62 for the opening wicket before Solanki went for 24 in the eigth over.
The dismissal started a chain of wickets, with Maddy the next to go for 50 off 31 balls with four 4s and two sixes.
Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright each contributed 24, and Owais Shah hit 21, but the rest were unable to get into double figures as England wasted its good start.
Even so, there was still an outside chance for England with just two overs to go and 20 runs needed. But Shah was run out, and Shane Bond had Mascarenhas and Wright well caught on the cover boundary by substitute Jeetan Patel.
After the game, England captain Paul Collingwood apologized for visiting a lap-dancing club Friday night.
"It's obviously unacceptable and I'll have to learn from that," Collingwood said. "I made a mistake."



Proteas victory sends England home

Wed, 19 Sep 19:12:00 2007

South Africa beat New Zealand by six wickets in the Twenty20 World Cup Group E match in Durban to send England crashing out of the competition.
New Zealand stumbled to a total of 153 for eight before the hosts polished off the total with five balls to spare as Justin Kemp smashed an unbeaten 89 off 56 balls.

Morne Morkel took four for 17 to lead South Africa's fightback after Lou Vincent (32) and Brendon McCullum (38) put on 68 for the first wicket.
Morkel was denied the first five-wicket haul in Twenty20 internationals when umpire Billy Doctrove ruled that the delivery that bowled Mark Gillespie in Morkel's last over was a no-ball.
New Zealand, who beat India and England in their first two Super Eights matches, fell away after their sturdy opening stand and they depended heavily on Craig McMillan's unbeaten 48 to post a respectable total.
McMillan and Jacob Oram (15) shared 41 for the fifth wicket, New Zealand's only other noteworthy stand.
In South Africa's reply, Kemp and Mark Boucher (23) put on 65 for the fourth wicket after their side had slipped to 45 for three.
Shaun Pollock (16 not out) helped Kemp - who smashed six fours and six sixes - complete the job with an unbroken stand of 48 for South Africa who now have four points from two games in the group and face India in their last game.
Morkel earned captain Graeme Smith's praise after he set up the victory.
"He has the ability to bowl quick and, with his height, to get bounce," Smith said.
"The calmness he is handling himself with and the trust he is showing in his own bowling has been great.
"He's a humble guy and I'd like to keep him working hard and making further progress."


Justin Kemp relieved the pressure with some huge hits


India wins Durban run-feast by 18 runs

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 9:19:39 PM

Durban: The left-handed Yuvraj Singh set the Kingsmead Cricket Ground alight tonight with an amazing show of power hitting, becoming the first man in the history of Twenty20 cricket to hit six sixes in an over, and starring in India's 18-run victory over England to stay in the hunt for a semifinal berth in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament. England fast bowler Stuart Broad was at the receiving end of man of the match Yuvraj Singh's whiplash blade.

T20 cricket may be about big hitting and we have seen nearly 200 sixes in the tournament but everyone who was privileged to watch Yuvraj Singh tear apart Broad's bowling is unlikely to forget that he hit clean cricket shots around the park as India built on a century stand between openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag to make 218 for four in 20 overs. He said the five sixes that England allrounder Dmitri Mascarenhas hit him recently in the ODI series rankled and he wanted to set the record staright

To their credit, the England batsmen tried to make a match of it but Yuvraj had put it beyond their reach and India ran out winner by 18 runs. It kept India in the running for a berth in the semifinals, leaving itself the task of winning tomorrow's night game against South Africa. South Africa and New Zealand have won two matches each and Paul Collingwood's team went out without a win in three group E games.

For all that, to put a Sehwag blitz takes some doing. And two men managed to do that after Sehwag cracked a 38-ball half-century. Gambir got there in two deliveries fewer but Yuvraj reached the milestone with just 12 deliveries reducing Paul Collingwood to a helpless state as he waded into Broad with impunity.

Yuvraj had walked in to bat when India seemed to be losing some momentum and with 26 deliveries left for the innings to end. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had again batted ahead of Yuvraj and was unable to hit the boundaries. Yuvraj was welcomed to the crease by Chris Tremless with a short delivery that went past his flashing blade.

That was the only time Yuvraj's bat did not make contact with the willow. He batted as if he had been at the crease all day, driving the next ball over covers. Two fours followed in the next over from Flintoff and a single off the left ball set him up to face Broad. Nobody would have been prepared for the mayhem that followed.

He got the first one over wide long-on and the second was a flick off the pads over long leg and into the crowd there. He stepped outside the line of the leg stump and sent the third soaring over extra cover. And when Broad sought to go round the wicket and delievered a full toss, Yuvraj guided the ball over the point fence for his fourth six. The fans had already screamed themselves hoarse.

Collingwood called for a mini meeting with Broad but Yuvraj sent the next delivery, bowled from over the wicket, climbing over the man at the mid-wicket fence by going down on one knee and connecting it sweetly. Broad knew the last one was also going to get the treatment and Yuvraj did not disappoint, leaning back to hit it over long on.

The ball was still on its way when he swirled around and waved his bat at his team mates in acknowledgement of their cheers. It was the fastest Twenty20 fifty - it came up from 12 balls and had three fours and six sixes.. Garry Sobers and Ravi Shastri achieved the feat of scoring six sixes in an over in first-class matches and Herschelle Gibbs in the ICC World Cup 2007.


Yuvraj Singh smashes a six off Andrew Flintoff, England v India, Group E, ICC World Twenty20, Durban, September 19, 2007

[RAMESH]

we lost 1 game & we out the compitition, now that's some fucked up shit. it feels like i got kicked in the balls


Reprieve for Robin Uthappa: Vernon Philander drops a dolly

[RAMESH]

India v Pakistan, World Twenty20 final, Johannesburg
India hold their nerve to win thriller

It was the best advertisement for Twenty20 cricket as the inaugural World Cup final at the Wanderers was absolutely scintillating as India beat Pakistan by five runs with three balls to spare. The game see-sawed throughout and Mizbah-ul-Haq's heroic rearguard almost saw Pakistan through before Dhoni's gamble to give the final over to the relatively inexperienced Joginder Sharma paid off as Misbah tried being a little too cute and Sreesanth poached the offering.
Full report to follow


Sohail Tanvir was reliable as usual and got the dangerous Robin Uthappa out early on © Getty Images

Gautam Gambhir stitched together the fabric of the Indian innings with a magnificent 75, but tigerish bowling and fielding from Pakistan left them with only a modest target of 158 to chase to win the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. Umar Gul, the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, was the undoubted bowling star, taking 3 for 28 in a splendid spell where he bowled yorkers almost at will.
A late 30-run cameo from Rohit Sharma gave India hope, and they would attempt to draw inspiration from the previous encounter between the sides, when they tied the game despite scoring only 141 in Durban.
India's plans for the game had been rocked by the groin injury to Virender Sehwag, and his replacement, Yusuf Pathan, was nearly run out after dawdling for the first one. Otherwise known as Irfan's older brother, Yusuf came into prominence in domestic Twenty20, and he quickly demonstrated his ability with a straight six off Mohammad Asif.
With Asif bowling well below his normal pace, Yusuf then carved one through point for four before an ambitious pull landed in Shoaib Malik's hands at mid-on. That stemmed the early tide, and India were reliant mainly on singles to up the scoring rate. Robin Uthappa endeavoured to inject some momentum into the innings, but his attempt to go over extra-cover landed tamely in the hands of the fielder.
With Malik quickly bringing on Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez, India needed someone to find the gaps. Gambhir was the man, lacing some lovely drives through the covers and pushing the singles as Yuvraj Singh played himself in. Gambhir was ruthless with the loose delivery, heaving Afridi over midwicket for six as runs started to come too quickly for Malik's liking.
His response was to call on Umar Gul, Pakistan's most effective pace bowler in this competition. Gambhir cut him behind point en route to a 38-ball 50, but Gul's round-the-wicket line was soon to earn its reward. Yuvraj, in resplendent batting form in previous big games, didn't ever get going and a miscued pull landed straight back down in Gul's hands.
With the fielders showing tremendous commitment in the outfield and Gul mixing short-pitched deliveries with perfect yorkers, the batsmen grew increasingly frustrated. The pressure finally told on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose swipe met only with air as Gul produced another fast-and-straight special.
Gambhir tried to break free of the shackles, and a massive six that thudded into the scoreboard at midwicket had the Indian fans dancing, but Gul's retribution was swift. An attempted flick-paddle went straight to Asif at short fine leg, and Gambhir's splendid innings was finally over.
Sharma had shone against South Africa in a crunch game, and he came to the fore again in the final two overs, taking Yasir Arafat for two fours before he lofted a slower ball from Sohail Tanvir in the direction of long-on. Hafeez got there, but could only tip the ball over the rope. On such incidents could matches between these two rivals be won and lost, but after excelling with the ball it was Pakistan that were tantalisingly close to the trophy.

india really played great cricket & deserve their title as world champions


India and Pakistan line up ahead of the Twenty20 final


Yuvraj Singh lines up a cut shot during his innings of 14


Gambhir plays a pull off the back foot


An India fan roars his support as the teams line up for the anthems


RP Singh is jubilant after dismissing Mohammad Hafeez to start a Pakistan collapse


Yuvraj Singh

[RAMESH]

Pollock dropped for first test v Pakistan
South African allrounder Shaun Pollock has been dropped for the first time in his career and will not play in the first test against Pakistan which begins on Monday.
"I am surprised and disappointed at not being considered for the first test," Pollock told a news conference on Friday.
The former South African captain, 34, is his country's most experienced test player with 416 wickets in 107 tests and has scored 3781 runs.
"It is first time I have been dropped apart from fitness issues so it is disappointing because I know what I can still do and what my job is," he said.
"But obviously no individual is bigger than South African cricket or the team and it is a decision of the captain and coach that I have to respect.
"Coach Mickey (Arthur) told me yesterday that they wanted to go into the first test with a different side and I won't be part of it.
"Mickey still feels I have a right to play especially in South Africa where pitches are more conducive. Personally I don't think my job on the flat subcontinent pitches is over.
"If the opportunity arises they might play me in the second test. I will take it on a day-to-day basis." Pollock ruled out that he would consider retiring from tests as a result of being dropped. "I will just have to make sure I perform up to standard and it is up to the selectors to take me for tours ahead," he said.


we are the best but politics will always fuck it up for us so we not the best we just a good team & that's not good enough for me

one more thing i need to get off my chest if kallis was playing in the 20 worldcup we might of not beat india in that game but we would of still been in the compitition & on the next game we would of taken them out & i swear to god that's the truth

[RAMESH]

Kallis, Amla sparkle for Proteas
Jacques Kallis put three months of inactivity behind him with deceptive ease as he and Hashim Amla made sure that the Castle Proteas had an excellent first day to their cricket tour of Pakistan on Thursday.
The pair put on 130 in only 140 minutes for the third wicket after the Proteas had been sent into bat by the PCB Patrons’ XI to lay the foundation for a very solid first day (of three) close-of-play total of 294/5 in the allotted 90 overs. The total was actually worth another 50 or 60 runs as the pitch was typically low and slow as was the outfield which had a boundary distance of some 90 metres on one side of the wicket.
It was Kallis’ first innings in the middle in any form of cricket since leading the Proteas in their one-day matches against Ireland and India in Belfast in June but any casual observer would have found it hard to believe.
His timing, balance and footwork were well nigh perfect from the first ball he faced just before lunch as he compiled a classy 73 off 105 balls (9 fours) in two hours and 20 minutes.
“It is nice to be playing cricket again,” commented Kallis of his innings. “It was great to get runs under the belt, particularly in the first few days of the tour.”
It took a brilliant catch at midwicket to get rid of Kallis, and Amla was also out to a good catch in the deep just when he seemed certain to make the first century of the tour.
“I don’t expect the test wicket to be anything like this,” commented Amla, who is on his first tour of Pakistan, of his innings of 87 off 154 balls with 10 fours and two sixes. “I was very pleased to start the tour this way,” he added. “Even if the test wicket is different, it is important to spend time in the middle and it was an extremely valuable exercise.”
Amla’s innings was an object lesson of how to bat on the sub-continent as he wore down the opposition bowlers between lunch and tea and then batted with great freedom in the evening session. His two sixes, struck over extra cover, were classic strokes and were the pick of the day.
Amla’s innings was also a vindication of the selectors’ decision to send the test specialists to India with the South African A side ahead of the Pakistan tour and the Dolphin batsman has certainly benefited from the exercise. It was generally a good batting day for the Proteas as the two openers, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, also spent the best part of two hours at the crease while AB de Villiers, batting at No 6, was at his fluent best in contributing an unbeaten 48 (103 balls, six fours).
Both he and Mark Boucher will have the opportunity for further batting practice on day two with the only failure being Ashwell Prince, who is bound to be shifted up the order in the second innings to give him another knock. The three-day match against what virtually amounts to the Pakistan A side is being played on a 12-a-side basis with only 11 on the field at any given moment, and Shaun Pollock and JP Duminy were the two unlucky tourists to sit out this game. The first test starts on Monday.




Boucher scores first tour ton
Mark Boucher scored the first century of the Proteas tour of Pakistan on Friday as the tourists put in their second day of solid match practice against the PCB Patron’s XI in preparation for the Test series which starts in Karachi on Monday.
The feisty wicketkeeper batted for just over four hours before he finally ran out of tail-end partners to finish unbeaten on 109 off 184 balls with nine fours and one six.
His partnership with AB de Villiers (81 off 182 balls with eight fours) for the sixth wicket of 119 runs was one of two century partnerships put together by the Proteas over the first two days and gave them a substantial first innings total of 467 to which the home side replied with 136/3 by the close.
“The pitch was too slow for attractive cricket,” commented Boucher. “We had the unusual situation where it was easier to score off the spinners than the quicker bowlers, something that is strange for this part of the world,” he added.
Asked about the success of Pakistani leg-spinner Rizwan Ahmed who finished with 7/144 in 37 overs, Boucher said he had deserved his success. “He had to bowl a lot of overs for his wickets and we were able to score a lot of runs off him, so we were quite happy with the way that we handled him.”
Rizwan’s best wicket was probably that of De Villiers. The South African No 6 went down the pitch to attack him and was beaten by the turn to nick the ball to slip.
The Proteas’ position would have been much stronger at the close but for two uncharacteristic dropped catches by Herschelle Gibbs, the first in the covers and the second at third slip.
Coach Mickey Arthur declared himself satisfied with the bowling effort. “We are getting some nice variety into our pace attack,” he commented. “Dale Steyn swings the ball at pace, Morne Morkel gets a lot of bounce and Makhaya Ntini is very effective, bowling across the left-handers. Then you have Andre Nel’s ability to bowl a heavy ball and I thought he was particularly good when he attacked the left-handers from around the wicket. “It was also very important for Paul Harris, who has not played in Pakistan before, to get in a good spell in a match. “There is certainly strong competition for places in the Test side with five seamers in the touring party, not to mention Jacques Kallis, who, I thought, looked lively today. He has come back very well from his break.” The South Africans will want to finish off the Pakistan first innings reasonably quickly although they are unlikely to enforce the follow on. They need to give Ashwell Prince another innings and both Graeme Smith and Gibbs would probably also appreciate more time in the middle.



Akhtar faces action over brawl
The Pakistan cricket board has called fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to attend a disciplinary hearing after he was sent home from the World Twenty20 earlier this month after hitting a teammate.
Akhtar left South Africa after he hit Mohammad Asif with a bat before the start of the tournament. The bowler has said the blow was unintentional.
"We have issued a notice to Shoaib and asked him to appear before the committee on October 6 to record his statement, Shafqat Naghmi who heads the board's disciplinary committee said on Saturday.
The board has given the three-member committee two weeks to complete its hearing into the brawl and submit a report.
Akhtar has said his bat hit Asif accidentally and that allrounder Shahid Afridi had provoked the row.
"Besides Shoaib, Asif and Afridi would also be examined on October 6 and we will also question the team manager and some players," Naghmi said.
The controversial Akhtar escaped a fine of $5 000 last month for leaving a training camp in Karachi without informing the team management.
He appealed and the fine was suspended after it was accepted that he had told captain Shoaib Malik that he intended to leave.
Last year the fast bowler and Asif tested positive for a banned substance in out of competition tests conducted by the board and were sent home from the Champions Trophy in India. They were at first banned and then cleared by a drugs inquiry tribunal and appeals panel of the board. Akhtar has played just one test and four one-dayers in the last 15-months due to fitness and discipline related problems.




Ganguly doubtful for second Aus ODI
Indian batsman Saurav Ganguly is an injury doubt for the second one-day international against Australia on Tuesday after limping off the field during the first match.
Ganguly tried to stop a ball during the Australian innings when he pulled up clutching his right hamstring and walked off the field during Saturday's rain-abandoned opening game.
Gautam Gambhir replaced him as opener when India batted. "It is the hamstring, he will have an MRI scan done tomorrow," skipper Mahendra Dhoni told reporters. Ganguly, 34, has had a series of fitness problems. He made a comeback late last year after he was dropped from the team for many months due to poor batting form and fitness.




Aussies eager to prove their status
Injury-hit Australia aim to prove their status as world champions when they play their first one-day international since April, stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist said on Friday.
Australia, who have not played any 50-over match since claiming the World Cup in the Caribbean, will face Twenty20 champions India on Saturday in the first of seven one dayers.
"We were probably caught short a little bit in the Twenty20," Gilchrist, whose team were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Twenty20, told a news conference.
"There is no excuse for us now. We've had plenty of time and we know the conditions well."
Wicketkeeper Gilchrist will lead the team on Saturday as regular skipper Ricky Ponting recovers from a hamstring injury.
Ponting trained on Friday and is expected to return later in the series but injuries will provide newcomers the opportunity to help avenge their Twenty20 semifinal loss to India.
"We've got six changes for our first one-day international since the World Cup final through retirements, injuries and babies being born," said Gilchrist.
"Over the years we've shown that we have great depth. We'll be able to put out a team tomorrow that will be able to win the game."
Pace spearhead Glenn McGrath retired after the World Cup while allrounder Shane Watson, Mike Hussey and Shaun Tait are missing due to injuries.
Left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken is back home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child and is expected to return later in the series.
Denting Indian euphoria over their Twenty20 success is also on Australia's agenda.
Gilchrist said his men would be fired up following the comments made by some of the Indian players during their Twenty20 clash.
"We're giving a lot of focus on the fiery nature of a few of the Indian players," he said. "We expect that from all fast bowlers. It doesn't matter what they say, you got to back it up with good cricket.
"They did that in that semi and throughout the Twenty20," he said. "We've been doing that for well over a decade now. "We don't play on emotion, but on skill level and it is on a par with anyone else in the world." The tour will end on October 20 wiith a Twenty20 showdown.




Rain ruins Australia's one dayer v India
Rain forced the abandonment of the opening one-dayer between India and Australia after Michael Clarke hit a career-best 130 for the visitors on Saturday.
Final Scorecard
India, replying to Australia's 307 for seven, were nine for one in 2.4 overs when showers halted the day-night game. Although the rain stopped, a wet outfield meant the match was called off after a three-hour wait.
Left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson trapped Sachin Tendulkar leg before for a duck in the second over before the weather intervened.
"It was good to score a hundred but disappointing it was a bit of a waste," Clarke told reporters.
Australia were playing their first one-dayer since claiming an unprecedented World Cup hat-trick in the Caribbean in April.
Adam Gilchrist, the stand-in captain with Ricky Ponting absent due to a hamstring strain, said his players were ready to go back out despite the conditions.
"I was happy to take the guys out to field in those conditions," said Gilchrist. "But the umpires and the match referee felt the field was unfit for play."
Dhoni said: "I can only say there's a fine line between being brave and foolish."
</B>TEST DEBUT
Clarke, who hit a hundred on his test debut at the same ground in 2004, put on 144 for the fifth wicket with Brad Haddin (69) and 73 for the sixth with James Hopes (37).
The 26-year-old Clarke recovered from a painful blow to his right hand from left-arm paceman Rudra Pratap Singh early on to hit 10 fours and three sixes, helping Australia recover from 90 for four after Gilchrist had opted to bat.
"I'm hoping it is just a bruise," Clarke said. "I will have a scan after I have a bit of ice tonight."
Clarke was run out off the last ball of the innings, leaving Australia with high hopes of avenging their recent semi-final defeat in the Twenty20 World Cup.
Fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth struck three quick blows, removing Brad Hodge (0), Matthew Hayden (34) and Andrew Symonds (7) in successive overs. Sreesanth finished with three for 55 while left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan took two for 64 but the Indian bowlers struggled against Clarke and Haddin, who cracked 87 runs in the last 10 overs. The second game in the seven-match series is in Kochi on Tuesday.




Donald turns down full-time England job
Allan Donald has turned down the chance to become England's full-time bowling coach.
The former South Africa fast bowler said on Friday that he did not want to tour with the England team for family reasons. Donald has been working with England's fast bowlers since May.
"It has been an immensely enjoyable time but after 11 years on the road I feel that the commitment I would have to make to touring would be too great," Donald said.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier said Donald was offered a full-time contract in July.
"We are grateful to Allan for his contribution this summer and we fully understand the reasons for his decision not to take up the offer," Collier said. England are currently in Sri Lanka for five one-day international matches, starting on Monday. Donald, 40, retired from cricket in 2002 with 330 test wickets at an average of 22.25 runs.

[RAMESH]

Boucher is the world's best
Mark Boucher became statistically at least the leading Test wicketkeeper of all time when he stumped Umar Gul off the bowling of Paul Harris on the third afternoon of the first Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at Karachi National Stadium on Wednesday.
It was his fourth dismissal in the match and was his 396th in Test match cricket, putting him one ahead of Australia’s Ian Healy who set the previous mark of 395.
The only other wicketkeepers with more than 350 dismissals are two other Australians – Adam Gilchrist with 381 and Rod Marsh with 355.
It seems certain that both Boucher and Gilchrist will go through the 400 barrier but Boucher is half a decade younger than Gilchrist and has the opportunity to set a mark that will stand for a long time.
His position as South Africa’s No 1 is unchallenged although he has a very capable understudy in AB de Villiers.


Harris takes five as Pakistan are bowled out
South African spinner Paul Harris took five wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 291 runs, conceding a 159-run lead at tea on the third day of the first test in Karachi on Wednesday.
Live Scorecard
Playing in only his fifth test, his fourth against Pakistan, Harris took 5 for 73 -- his first five-wicket haul -- to dismiss the home side after they resumed on 219 for six after lunch.
Pakistan conceded a big lead in reply to South Africa's first innings score of 450.
The left arm spinner took three wickets after lunch, two of them stumpings by Mark Boucher to give him the highest number of dismissals for a test wicketkeeper.
Boucher equalled Australian Ian Healy's mark of 395 when he stumped skipper Shoaib Malik (73) and then set the record by stumping Umar Gul (12) seven overs later.
Harris started the Pakistan collapse by breaking an obdurate 84-runs seventh-wicket stand between Malik and his deputy, Salman Butt, who made a painstaking 24 from 76 balls.
Left-handed Butt was trapped leg before by an armer playing across the line at the total of 233.
Five runs later, Malik had a rush of blood, playing a wild slog and beaten by the turn. He was dismissed with his team 12 runs short of saving the follow-on.
Malik, who batted for 227 minutes and 170 balls in his patient innings, hit six fours and one six off Harris.
Tailenders Gul and Danish Kaneria teamed up to save the follow-on by taking the total to 259. After Gul was dismissed, Kaneria and Mohammad Asif put on 32 runs for the last wicket.

He reached his 150 off 238 balls

Cricket: No evidence of racial discrimination, ICC says

8:03AM Wednesday October 03, 2007


LONDON - Darrell Hair has no evidence that the International Cricket Council (ICC) sacked him from its elite panel of umpires because of his race, an employment tribunal was told today.
Hair, 55, is suing cricket's governing body in the central London tribunal for racial discrimination over his sacking from matches involving test nations last November.
Cross-examining Hair, ICC barrister Michael Beloff said the Australian's case was based on suspicion.
"I shall put it to the tribunal that you're swinging about wildly, seeking to make allegations against anyone you can without anything more than suspicion," Beloff said.
Hair claims the ICC bowed to pressure from a bloc of Asian members led by Pakistan and India when it stood him down.
His dismissal followed the abandoned fourth test between England and Pakistan at The Oval in August 2006.
Hair and West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove awarded victory to the home side after the Pakistan team failed to return to the field in protest at being penalised five runs for suspected ball tampering.

Amid the controversy that followed, Hair offered to resign in return for US$500,000 ($661,638).
Today Hair denied an allegation by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the offer compromised his position or constituted a "secret payment".
"I was, to my mind, seeking some sort of settlement," Hair said.
"There was nothing secretive ... but I expected confidentiality."
Doctrove, who has continued to umpire at the highest level, is expected to give evidence at the tribunal later this week.
Hair today told the tribunal he believes he would have been treated differently if he was from the West Indies, India or Pakistan.

Hair yesterday accused the ICC of racially discriminating against him when he was prevented from umpiring tests involving Sri Lanka between 1995, when he controversially no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing, and 2003.
But Beloff suggested the fact Hair had referred to Muralitharan's action as "diabolical" in his autobiography might have had more to do with his prolonged exclusion from Sri Lanka test matches.
Beloff then asked: "Are you saying that this episode, your removal from the panel of those to umpire in Sri Lanka, has this got anything to do with the claim you're bringing against the ICC board?"
Hair replied: "No, it does not."
The hearing continues.


Indians Come Crashing Down To Earth

October 02 2007

Symonds on his way to 87.



Australia produced a ruthless performance to win the second one-day international against India by 84 runs in Kochi.

Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin both made 87 as Australia piled-up 306-6 after being asked to bat, a total they had little trouble defending.

In response, India stumbled to 222 all out in 47.3 overs with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 58 the only note of resistance.

Left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg led the way with three wickets, while Stuart Clark and Michael Clarke claimed two apiece during an impressive bowling display from the world champions.

Earlier, Dhoni's decision to field first backfired as Australia recovered from 8-2 in the fourth over to post a formidable total.

A third-wicket stand of 58 between Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke partially repaired the early damage, before Clarke (27) was stumped off a wide delivery from Irfan Pathan.

Left-arm seamer Pathan (2-47) collected his second wicket by bowling Hayden between bat-and-pad for 75 to leave Australia at 160-4 in the 32nd over.

But Symonds and Haddin shared a momentum-turning fifth-wicket stand of 108 in 15.4 overs.

Symonds hit nine fours and two sixes before being caught and bowled by Shantha Sreesanth for 87 from 83 balls, while Haddin finished unbeaten on 87 from just 69 balls - his best score in a one-day international.

The opener in Bangalore last Saturday was washed out, meaning Australia lead the seven-game series 1-0 ahead of the third match in Hyderabad on Friday.

[RAMESH]

They used vulgar words, says Harbhajan


Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is peeved over the way Australians are behaving. He claims that the visitors haven't been sporting enough in the series so far, targeting him particularly with "personal and vulgar" words in the second one-dayer in Kochi on Tuesday.
Harbhajan got out to Michael Clarke and, while leaving, exchanged words with the Australians. Umpire Steve Bucknor had to pat him on his shoulder and ask him to move on.
Speaking to the media, a visibly frustrated Harbhajan said: "Australia are a good team, but that does not mean they can do whatever they want. They do not play the game in the right spirit even if they like to say they do. There is nothing gentlemanly about their approach."
Harbhajan also added that he personally did not have any problem with a bit of chatting on the field but it has to be about the game.
Australia, on the other hand, are also irritated with the way, they claim, S Sreesanth has behaved. "(Adam) Gilchrist tried to explain it to him, to try not to get tangled up with some childish exchanges," Symonds has said. Meanwhile, both the captains, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gilchrist have tried their best to remain as calm as possible on the issue.


Time for Team India to walk the ODI talk


Over the years, India and Australia have engaged in a few, classic, off-field duels. Among them were the Glenn McGrath-Sachin Tendulkar face-off, Harbhajan Singh's penchant to have Ricky Ponting facing him, and even VVS Laxman making Jason Gillespie's life difficult.
Pre-series projections were about fascinating battles, but there has also been a harsh reality involved. The last time India actually won an ODI against Australia was back in 2003-04, in a VB Series match in Sydney. The teams have played nine more times since, and India have lost all.
The other day's loss in Kochi wasn't a bolt from the blue. The recent Twenty20 victory over the world champions notwithstanding, their Kochi outing was another reminder of how they have been slaughtered time and again.
"They're very good at their strategies and how they implement it in the match," admitted Yuvraj Singh on Thursday afternoon. "What we need to look at is definitely very simple. We need to bowl better, bat better. In the next game the guys need to play more and talk less," he said. Sreesanth's angry looks haven't stopped the batsmen from taking runs. Instead, from costing 5.54 runs an over in the rain-affected Bangalore tie, he went on to give 7.74 runs an over in Kochi.
Harbhajan Singh is angry with the Australians for having said a few personal things to him. "It's fine if they're chatting about cricket but they can't go overboard with it. Australians are bad losers," he says.
For the record, the Aussies haven't lost a match in their last 12 outings. The Kochi win was their 22nd victory in last 25 one-dayers versus India. Ponting announced his return pretty obtrusively. "The Indians are actually not what they're looking to be. We know them well, and it's just that they're trying to be a bit aggressive to match-up to the situation. These are pressure-games no doubt, but they also need to back it up with performances," he said.



Jacques Kallis' second century of the match put South Africa in a strong position on the fourth day of the first Test in Karachi

Pakistan v South Africa, 1st Test, Karachi, 5th day
Steyn ends Younis' resistance
An intriguing final day's play awaits Pakistan and South Africa in Karachi with the balance slightly in the visitor's favour. They need to pick seven wickets while Pakistan require another 278 runs to win the first Test


Pakistan celebrate Ashwell Prince's wicket

Pakistan players celebrate the wicket of Herschelle Gibbs

Jacques Kallis in action during day three of the Test




Proteas behind the Boks
Graeme Smith and the Castle Proteas squad and team management on Friday sent a message of support and encouragement to the Springboks ahead of the knock-out phase of the Rugby World Cup. “Greetings and best wishes from Pakistan,” said Smith in a statement. “Now that you are entering the critical knock-out phase of the tournament, we send you every good wish for the remainder of the tournament. We have every confidence that you will go all the way and make all South Africans extremely proud. We will adjust our pool session and team preparation on Sunday so that we can watch the match live. Good luck.”



Shah paves way for Eng to level series


England batsman Owais Shah scored 82 to set up a 65-run victory as his side levelled the series against Sri Lanka in the second one-day international in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on Thursday.
Full Scorecard
Shah's 92-ball knock guided England to 234 for eight after they had collapsed to 61 for four.
The hosts lost wickets steadily in reply to slump to 126 for nine before a last-wicket stand of 43 between Jehan Mubarak (44no) and Dilhara Fernando (20) lent their effort respectability.
Shah shared partnerships of 78 with skipper Paul Collingwood (42) for the fifth wicket and then 70 with Graham Swann (34) to lift the tourists after their shaky start.
Swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom then struck two important blows with the new ball, removing Upul Tharanga (eight) with his second ball and then claiming the prized scalp of Sanath Jayasuriya (ten), who cut straight to cover in his 400th ODI.
Kumar Sangakkara was dropped twice early and battled for 54 minutes for his nine before the left-hander nicked a catch behind off paceman Stuart Broad.
Mahela Jayawardene (23) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (29) repaired some of the damage with a 52-run stand for the fifth wicket before Graham Swann bowled Dilshan through the gate and Jayawardene flicked a slower ball from Collingwood to mid-wicket.
Sidebottom, Collingwood, Broad and Swann finished two wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka's bowlers had started well after England chose to bat first, making early inroads and then bowling consistently straight.
Opener Alastair Cook (one) was brilliantly caught by a diving Mahela Jayawardene at first slip having edged a Chaminda Vaas outswinger.
Farveez Maharoof trapped Ian Bell (18) lbw and had Phil Mustard (28) caught at cover off a leading edge.
Kevin Pietersen laboured through 41 deliveries for his 12 runs before pulling a short ball straight to mid-wicket.
England were left struggling on 61 for 4 in the 19th over before Collingwood and Shah rebuilt the innings.
Fernando ended the partnership, trapping Collingwood lbw, but Shah was then supported by allrounder Swann. Maharoof was the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers taking three for 30 from nine overs. The third game in the five-match series is in Dambulla on Sunday.