Test Cricket Info

England Also Could Win Only at Home Says Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.

2012-01-30T23:24:00.003+05:30

Pakistan 0-2 in the ongoing three-match Test series in the UAE

The 45-year-old also felt that even England also could win only at home.

England, who defeated India 4-0 at home last year to snatch the No.1 tag from them, are now trailing Pakistan 0-2 in the ongoing three-match Test series in the UAE.

"It's (World No.1) a very misleading number," Akram said.

"England are lions only at home and their weaknesses are always exposed on foreign tours of a top side is one that can handle every condition in West Indies did it in the 1970s and 80s. Pakistan did it for while under Imran Khan, when we were playing to australia have done that in the 1990s," he added.

Stating that he was "proud of Pakistan", Akram said,

Australia Won Border-Gavaskar Trophy and Series Won 4/0 and Whitewash aginst india.

2012-01-28T20:03:00.017+05:30

Chasing a world-record target of 500 to win the fourth Test, India resumed on 6-166 and were bowled out for 201 in 58 minutes of play at Adelaide Oval.

Australia 7 for 604 dec and 5 for 167 dec beat India 272 and 201 (Sehwag 62, Lyon 4-63, Harris 3-41) by 298 runs.

"The bowlers in this series have been absolutely outstanding and it certainly gives the batsmen a lot of confidence," said Hussey who averaged 58.6 in the series.

Paceman Peter Siddle, who claimed 5-49 in India's first innings of 272 on a flat batting track and had figures of 6-96 for the game, was named man of the match.

Siddle said patience was the key to his haul of 23 wickets at 18.65 in the series.

Captain Michael Clarke, who scored 626 runs at 125.2 in the series including a triple hundred and a double ton, won the player of the series award.

Ex-skipper Ricky Ponting, who averaged 108.8 in the series, said he was just glad to make a contribution.

"We're heading in the right direction," said Ponting, 37

"The disappointment of last summer has inspired a few of us. There's been a bit of fire in the belly and we've known we've had to get better," Clarke said of Australia's 2010/11 Ashes defeat.

Australia's preparations for their 2013 Ashes tour

Australia's next Test series is in the West Indies in April.

Series New Zealand Won The One-off Match aginst Zimbabwe

2012-01-28T19:34:00.010+05:30

Zimbabwe tour of New Zealand, 2011/12

Umpires Enamul Haque (Bangladesh) and RJ Tucker (Australia)

TV umpire NJ Llong (England)

Match referee DC Boon (Australia)

Reserve umpire BG Frost

Test debuts SW Masakadza and F Mutizwa (Zimbabwe)

Scorecard:

New Zealand 495 for 7 dec

Taylor 122, Watling 102 Not Out

Zimbabwe 51 All Out

Waller 23

Zimbabwe 143 All Out

Chakabva 63 and Martin 6-26

New Zealand won by an innings and 301 runs

Chris Martin had combined figures of 8 for 31

Man of the Match CS Martin (New Zealand)

Series New Zealand won the one-off match

Pakistan Classic Win Second Test beat England by 72 Runs at Abu Dhabi

2012-01-28T18:19:00.006+05:30

Scoreboard: DAY 4

Toss Pakistan, chose to bat

Pakistan 257 ALL OUT

England 327 ALL OUT

Pakistan 214 ALL OUT

England 72 ALL OUT for 36.1 over

Pakistan won by 72 runs

Player of the match Abdur Rehman (Pakistan)

Abdul Rehman 6 wickets for 10.1 over, 7 madian, JUST 25 RUNS

Series Pakistan led the 3-match series 2-0

England were shot out for their lowest Test score of 72 against Pakistan in all Tests. Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman took six wickets.England captain Andrew Strauss top-scored with 32.

Pakistan won the 1st Test by ten wickets in Dubai.

....Pakistan won the 2nd Test and Series Won......

NOTE:

The 3rd Test will be played in Dubai from February 3.

Whitewash, Clean Sweep, Shutout India and Australia 4-0 Series Victory.

2012-01-28T00:03:00.006+05:30

India tour of Australia, 4th and Final Test:

Australia v India at Adelaide, Jan 24-28, 2012

Scoreboard:

Australia 604/7dec & 167/5dec

India 272 ALL OUT

India 166/6 (56.0 over)

India require another 334 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Stumps - Day 4

And the

india losing eight consecutive overseas Test is a massive.

Tendulkar's average of 35.87 in the series is his lowest ever in a series in Australia and his fourth-lowest overall in series of four or more matches. His lowest average is 33.66 in South Africa in 1992-93.

Rahul Dravid once again had a batting failure taking his run tally to just 194 runs in the series. Except for the 2003 tour, Dravid's average in Australia is just 24.95 in 22 innings.

VVS Laxman ended the series with 155 runs in eight innings at an average of 19.37. This is his second-lowest average in a series (four or more matches) after the 17.57 in the home series against Australia in 2004.

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag last shared a century stand in Centurion in 2010. Since then, they have aggregated 182 runs in 12 innings at an average of 15.16 with a highest of 27.

NOTE:

Cricket Australia have annouced that there will be free entry to Adelaide Oval tomorrow..

Australia Won Series 4-0 and Whitewash in Home Ground vs india.

Score Upadte: Pak vs eng 2nd Test and Nz vs Zim 1st Test.

2012-01-27T22:58:00.007+05:30

England tour of United Arab Emirates:

2nd Test: England v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi, Jan 25-29, 2012

Scoreboard:

Pakistan 257 ALL OUT

England 327 ALL OUT

Pakistan 125/4 (61.0 over)

Azhar 46*, Shafiq 35*

Pakistan lead by 55 runs with 6 wickets remaining

Stumps - Day 3

Sixteen batsmen were dismissed bowled or lbw in the first innings of both teams, which equals the record for the first two innings of a Test. The record for an entire Test is 26, in last year's game between West Indies and Pakistan in Providence.

Saeed Ajmal is playing his 19th Test, and has taken 97 wickets at 27.92. After 19 matches, Graeme Swann had taken 85 wickets at 30.84.

Stuart Broad's batting average at Nos.8 and 9 is 30.43. With a cut-off of 40 innings at those two positions, only four batsmen have done better in Test history.

Zimbabwe tour of New Zealand, Only Test:

New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Napier, Jan 26-30, 2012

Scoreboard:

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field

New Zealand 392/5 (105.2 over)

Watling 52*, Bracewell 11*

Stumps - Day 2

Ross Taylor 122 Runs NOT OUT

A calf injury led to Ross Taylor having to retire hurt.

Australia On Top for Adelaide Test Day 2

2012-01-26T00:21:00.008+05:30

Michael Clarke entered this Test with a whitewash on his mind and they are After two days, he could hardly have hoped for Australia to be in a stronger position to push for it.

Scoreboard:

Australia 604/7declared

Michael Clarke 210 Runs

Ricky Ponting 221 Runs

India 61/2 for 21 Over

Sachin Tendulkar 12 runs not out

Gautam Gambhir 30 runs not out

India trail by 543 runs with 8 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Stumps - Day 2

Australia got Sehwag off a full toss, and Dravid was bowled off his elbow.

Australia captain Michael Clarke (210), who shared a record partnership of 386 with Ricky Ponting (221), has warned his bowlers they need to stay disciplined on such a good batting wicket.

The 386-run partnership in 380 minutes between Clarke and Ponting is the fourth-highest by an Australian pair for any wicket.

Australia Aim for whitewash aginst india.

England Control in Pakistan For Day One Second Test

2012-01-25T23:35:00.006+05:30

England tour of United Arab Emirates,

2nd Test: England v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi, Jan 25-29, 2012

Umpires SJ Davis (Australia) and BNJ Oxenford (Australia)

TV umpire BF Bowden (New Zealand)

Match referee J Srinath (India)

Reserve umpire Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)

Scoreboard:

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat

Pakistan 256/7 for 94 over and Stumps - Day 1

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq 83 Runs NOT OUT for 5 FOURS & 4 SIXES

Asad Shafiq 58 Runs Out

England's Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann Take Six Wickets

Australia v India, 4th and Final Test, Adelaide, 1st day Close For Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke Unbeaten Century.

2012-01-25T02:35:00.014+05:30

Scoreboard: Australia — 1st innings

Australia won the toss and elected to bat

Australia 335/3 for 90.0 over Stumps - Day 1

E. Cowan 30

D. Warner 8

S. Marsh 3

R. Ponting 137 Not Out

M. Clarke 140 Not Out

Ricky Ponting, with his 41st Test century, and Michael Clarke, with his 19th, ensured that India's tour, as enjoyable thus far as a cold shower on a winter morning, gained nothing by way of succour and the Ponting said he and Clarke would seek to build their unbroken 251-run partnership.

Former Australian captain who made his debut against Sri Lanka at Perth in 1995 - hit his 13,000th run.

The only two men to have scored more Test runs than Ponting, India's Sachin Tendulkar (15,432) and Rahul Dravid (13,262), were both fielding on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting says for it's never been about making 13,000 runs or 14,000 runs. It's about doing what I can when it's required of me to get my team through a certain situation in a game.

"You have to be careful not to bat too long. It will be a tough wicket to take 20 wickets if you want to win this game," he said.

They are two worrying aspects to the bowling for Zaheer, Umesh, and Ishant didn't get the ball to swing enough and they even when they had it reversing, it wasn't the late, sharp curve that causes trouble for the four frontline bowlers also couldn't manage world-class consistency and they another one debut wicketkeper only Wriddhiman Saha, impressive behind the stumps.

And the Clarke was dropped on 133 by a diving Laxman at second slip.

Johnson says Test career isn't over

2012-01-11T16:14:00.003+05:30

Injured fast bowler Mitchell Johnson believes that "five to six years" of cricket is still left in him and he wants to use the Indian Premier league to regain his place in the Australian Test cricket side.

Johnson had injured the big toe of his left foot while batting Australia to victory in the second Test against South Africa in late November and had to undergo a surgery.

Since then the 30-year-old pacer has been out of the national team and is also been ruled out of the upcoming West Indies tour in March-April.

And with youngsters in Pat Cummins and James Pattinson doing well in Tests it would be difficult for Johnson to regain his spot. But the bowler said he was ready to work hard and was hopeful of making a comeback in the fifth edition of the IPL.

"I'm definitely confident of my ability. I'm only 30 years of age, I've got five or six years left in me so that's my goal," said Johnson on Fox Sports.

"Whether I get back straight away or not we'll have to find out but I'll be working as hard as I can.

"(The IPL) wouldn't be a bad way to get back into it, four over spells, short and sharp. If not I'm happy to start back into grade cricket or back into State cricket," he added.

Johnson has played 47 matches and has taken 190 wickets so far since making his Test debut in November 2007 against Sri Lanka.

Australia won by an innings and 68 runs against India

2012-01-06T12:13:00.001+05:30

India crushed out their best batting display overseas in the last six months but could not prevent an embarrassing innings and 68 runs defeat by Australia in the second Test at Sydney Cricket Ground.

India were bowled out for 400 in the second innings 20 minutes shortly after tea on the fourth day as Australia won the 100th Test at the SCG and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. For India, it was their sixth successive Test loss overseas.

Australian captain Michael Clarke was the Man of the Match with his unbeaten 329, the highest score at the SCG, that took the hosts to a mammoth 659 for four declared in the first innings. Australia took a huge 468-run first innings lead having skittled India out for 191 runs in the first innings on the opening day of the New Year Test.

India, resuming at 114/2, came out on the fourth day determined to put on a respectable performance. They had a good first session scoring 129 runs, but lost way during the second when five wickets fell for just 108 runs.

It was local boy Clarke, who triggered the dramatic batting collapse by picking up the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar (80), who again fell short of his much-awaited 100th international century.

Other notable contributors were Gautam Gambhir (83), V.V.S. Laxman (66) and Ravichandran Ashwin

In 2008 against India, Clarke took three wickets in five balls in the dying overs to clinch the Sydney Test for Australia.

Tendulkar's wicket triggered a batting collapse as India slumped from 271 for three to 286 for seven. Virat Kohli (9) failed again and is likely to be replaced by Rohit Sharma in next week's third Test at Perth. Zaheer Khan blasted a quickfire 35 off 26 balls.

I don't want to play for Australia again: Hodge

2012-01-04T11:55:00.002+05:30

Consistently ignored by the national selectors despite scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket, out-of-favour batsman Brad Hodge says he is no longer interested in playing for Australia again.

Hodge, who is considered as the most devastating batsman in domestic cricket, played just six Test match for Australia despite averaging 55.88 and also having a double hundred to his name.

His ODI career lasted just 25 matches during which he scored three fifties and a century at an average of 30.26.

"There's two 37-year-olds (Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey, who is actually 36) doing pretty well now. If I was still there I'd be doing pretty well, I reckon," said Hodge, who turned 37 last week and has not played international cricket since mid-2008.

"But I don't want to play for Australia again, no way," he was quoted as saying by 'The Age'.

Hodge, instead, said he would like to spent the rest of his career as a freelancer in various Twenty20 tournaments around the world and represent his state team Victoria in domestic circuit.

"This is my life now. It's enjoyable, stress free. It's time for the youngsters to step up and do something," said the right-hander, who is the leading run scorer in Australia's domestic limited overs competition this season with 312 runs.

Wish Sachin scores 100th ton in Melbourne: Shane Warne

2011-12-22T17:59:00.003+05:30

Australian spin legend Shane Warne has little doubt that Sachin Tendulkar would get his 100th international century on the present tour Down Under, but he wished the iconic Indian batsman to reach the milestone in the first Test starting on December 26 here.

"I feel Sachin would get his 100th century but I wish he does so in Melbourne," Warne said on the sidelines of a function at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where his 300kg bronze statue was unveiled this morning.

Warne also expects the famed Indian batting line up to do well in the upcoming series.

"I think their batters, especially Rahul Dravid, will make big runs. He's a quality person, a quality act, a quality player. India has a quality team. In Test cricket we've seen them, against the West Indies. Their batsmen will do pretty well," said Warne.

If Warne is confident about India's good showing in the batting department in Australia, he has serious doubts over the visitors' bowling abilities.

"Their bowlers will have to stay fit. If Zaheer Khan or Ishant Sharma get injured, then I think their bowling attack could be quite weak. The Australian batsmen could perform pretty well. I think it's going to come down to how India are going to take 20 wickets with their bowling," he said.

India in Australia 2011-2012 Test Series Schedule

2011-12-22T17:54:00.000+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	Place
Dec 26 - 30	Australia v India, 1st Test	05:00	Melbourne
Jan 03 - 07	Australia v India, 2nd Test	05:00	Sydney
Jan 13 - 17	Australia v India, 3rd Test	08:00	Perth
Jan 24 - 28	Australia v India, 4th Test	05:31	Adelaide

India have clinched the Test series

2011-11-17T18:12:00.004+05:30

India dismissed the West Indies for 463 in its second innings eight minutes before tea on the fourth day after the visitors resumed the day at 195-3.

India, which had a massive 478-run first innings lead, faced stiff resistance from Bravo (136) and Marlon Samuels (84), before spinners Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin took two crucial wickets each to regain control. It was then left to pace bowler Umesh Yadav to help remove the tail and finish with figures of 4-80.

The West Indies batting lineup showed a new strength in its second innings as its free stroke play changed the tempo of the game even though it was always doomed to lose after being dismissed for only 153 in the first innings.

The West Indies was cruising at 401-4 at one stage before Ojha, Ashwin and Yadav claimed a pair of wickets each to pick up the last six for just 62 runs. Bravo was the pick of the batsman and his aggression seemed to rub on to others. After making 195 against Bangladesh at Mirpur last month, Bravo brought up his second test century in 12 matches.

The 22-year-old left-hander dominated the bowling and reached his century with a four, celebrating by taking off his helmet, pumping his fist in the air and waving his bat toward the dressing room.

Bravo made on 119. His 5th-wicket partnership with Samuels made the Indian bowling look pedestrian as they plundered 132 runs off 158 deliveries before Bravo was out caught to a low catch by Rahul Dravid at slip off left-arm spinner Ojha.

Dravid also took a fine one-handed catch to his right off Ojha to dismiss Carlton Baugh for 3, before offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin trapped Samuels lbw in the next over to end West Indies' hopes of prolonging proceedings.

Captain Darren Sammy made a dashing 32 off 37 balls with one four and three sixes, but the end was always inevitable.

Earlier, Chanderpaul, seen as the visiting side's best hope of putting up a resistance, was dismissed when he seemed to be settled in for another big innings.

Chanderpaul hit six fours off 94 balls before he was dismissed by Yadav with the second new ball. Chanderpaul, resuming on 21, played-on a delivery around the off stump much to the joy of the few thousand spectators at the stadium.

The final test will be held in Mumbai from Tuesday.

Scorecard:

India 1st innings - 631/7 dec.

VVS Laxman - 176*
MS Dhoni - 144

West Indies 1st innings - 153 allout

Ojha - 4/64
Yadav - 3/23

West Indies 2st innings - 463/10

Darren Bravo - 136

Yadav - 4/80

Ganguly saddened by poor crowd Eden Gardens

2011-11-15T18:09:00.003+05:30

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday joined the growing list of cricketers who expressed their concern about poor crowd turnout in the Eden Gardens and said something needs to be done to so that more people come to watch Test cricket.

The second Test between India and West Indies on Monday began with less than a thousand spectator in attendance, a pitiful sight for a historical venue where in the past more than a 100,000 people would come to witness a cricket match.

Shocked to see the poor response for the match, former English captain and now commentator Tony Greig likened Eden Gardens to that of a "morgue", while Indian stalwart Rahul Dravid echoed on the same lines, saying the old "magic" was missing.

"It was sad to see an empty Eden Gardens. Something seriously needs to be done to get the crowd back," said Ganguly, who plays for Bengal in Ranji Trophy, on the sidelines of Tuesday's practice.

With crowd turn out dwindling for Tests, the ICC is currently toying with the idea of having floodlit Test matches but Ganguly felt day-night games cannot be an option.

"In the subcontinent conditions where there is dew towards the evening, I don't think day-night would be an option. But Test format is mother of cricket and we got to find a solution to it," he said indicating proper planning and scheduling of Test cricket.

During the first day's play, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid recreated their old magic of 2001 Test against Australia when they forged a 140-run partnership but Ganguly said the epic 376-run stand in 2001 would remain classical ever.

"It will remain one of the memorable partnerships. But yesterday Dravid played well putting India in a strong position."

Laxman's 281 and Dravid's 180 in an epic 376-run stand helped India rise from the dead for a 171-run win after being asked to follow on by Australia in the Test in 2001.

Asked about the hype centered around Sachin Tendulkar's impending 100th international century which he missed again by getting out at 38 Monday, Ganguly said: "It's just a matter of time."

After the first day's play, West Indies coach Ottis Gibson had said maybe it was the heavy load of fan's expectations which was getting the better of Tendulkar but Ganguly disagreed.

"I don't think pressure is getting on him. He has been there for 22 years and the burden of expectation has always been there. The way he got to the 99, he will get to the 100. It's just a matter of time," he said during Bengal's practice at the Jadavpur ground.

West Indies in India 2011, Schedule

2011-11-02T16:42:00.001+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	Place
Nov 06 - 10	India v W.Indies, 1st Test	09:30	Delhi
Nov 14 - 18	India v W.Indies, 2nd Test	09:30	Kolkata
Nov 22 - 26	India v W.Indies, 3rd Test	09:30	Mumbai
Nov 29 - Tue	India v W.Indies, 1st ODI	14:30	Cuttack
Dec 02 - Fri	India v W.Indies, 2nd ODI	14:30	Vizag
Dec 05 - Mon	India v W.Indies, 3rd ODI	14:30	Ahmedabad
Dec 08 - Thu	India v W.Indies, 4th ODI	14:30	Indore
Dec 11 - Sun	India v W.Indies, 5th ODI	14:30	Chennai

Good to have Sachin in the side: MS Dhoni

2011-11-02T16:22:00.005+05:30

India Cricket Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not have much to say about Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy but said it's good to have a "genius" like him in the side.

MS Dhoni was asked to react on former BCCI secretary J Y Lele's book, in which he wrote that Sachin Tendulkar could not prove himself as a successful skipper as he paid heed to too many advices.

"I have not played under his captaincy. It's always good to have him in the team, he is a genius and comes up with his own ideas. It's good to have him on the field as he is a class batsman," MS Dhoni told reporters at an Army function, where he was bestowed the honorary rank of Lt Colonel in Territorial Army.

Lele wrote in his book that,"Sachin could not exactly prove himself as a successful captain, though as a player he is a legend, the greatest. His biggest problem was that he used to listen to too many people. Basically a very soft, rather shy, cultured gentleman, Sachin formed the habit of respecting elders.

"He thought it was his duty to implement what they suggested. While doing so, he sometimes did not apply his mind. In deserving cases, it proved advantageous, in others, otherwise."

Asked about upcoming West Indies series at home, Dhoni said, "We have got full batting strength and good bowlers in our side, so hopefully we do well in the series."

The West Indies series starts at Delhi on Sunday, November 6.

Australia in South Africa 2011, Schedule

2011-10-11T09:51:00.004+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time		Place
Date	Match Details	GMT	IST	Place
Oct 13 - Th	S.Africa v Aus, 1st T20I	16:00	21:30	Cape Town
Oct 16 - Su	S.Africa v Aus, 2nd T20I	12:30	18:00	Johannesburg
Oct 19 - We	S.Africa v Aus, 1st ODI	12:30	18:00	Centurion
Oct 23 - Su	S.Africa v Aus, 2nd ODI	08:00	13:30	Port Elizabeth
Oct 28 - Fr	S.Africa v Aus, 3rd ODI	12:30	18:00	Durban
Nov 09 - 13	S.Africa v Aus, 1st Test	08:30	14:00	Cape Town
Nov 17 - 21	S.Africa v Aus, 2nd Test	08:00	13:30	Johannesburg

Ready to bat at No. 4: Ricky Ponting

2011-10-11T09:29:00.002+05:30

Ex-Captain Ricky Ponting has revealed that Shaun Marsh's elevation to the 1st down in the Australian Test team was a part of skipper Michael Clarke's 'long-term plan'. Ponting added that he had no problem in moving down the order as long as he is part of the playing XI.

Australia shuffled its batting order to squeeze in Marsh at the No.3 position, which means former captain Ponting, his successor Clarke and Michael Hussey had to slip down one spot each.

"It was a long-term plan of Michael's to have Shaun move to No 3 and me move to No 4 and Michael move to five and Hussey to No. 6" Ponting said.

"So that wasn't just something I don't think as a one-off for that game. Michael sees that in the best interests of the team going forward for a period of time. So I'll be three this week, probably three in the one-dayers in South Africa and then probably drop back to four for the Test Cricket matches," he added.

Ponting also said that playing at number four spot would give him some more time to think on how to go about his batting.

"When I first came into the Australian side, batting at six was hard. Waiting that amount of time to bat for me was something that was very foreign to me.

"But three to four I don't think is as big a change as three to six, or it certainly wasn't in the last Test because I was in pretty early both times. Slight adjustment. It just gives me a little bit more time once our fielding's over to get my head around what I have to do to bat," Ponting was quoted as saying in the Australian media.

Clarke had earlier made it clear that all-rounder Shane Watson will not be moving down the order from his original opening slot.

West Indies in Bangladesh 2011, Schedule

2011-09-26T11:39:00.004+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	Place
Oct 11 - Tue	Bangladesh v W.Indies, Only T20I	14:00	Dhaka
Oct 13 - Thu	Bangladesh v W.Indies, 1st ODI	14:00	Dhaka
Oct 15 - Sat	Bangladesh v W.Indies, 2nd ODI	14:00	Dhaka
Oct 18 - Tue	Bangladesh v W.Indies, 3rd ODI	08:30	Chittagong
Oct 21 - 25	Bangladesh v W.Indies, 1st Test	09:00	Chittagong
Oct 29 - Nov 02	Bangladesh v W.Indies, 2nd Test	09:00	Dhaka

ICC Cricket Awards 2011

2011-09-13T11:27:00.004+05:30

The award winners:

Player of the year: Jonathan Trott (England)

Test Player of the year: Alastair Cook (England)

ODI Player of the year: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

Women cricketer of the year: Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)

Umpire of the year: Aleem Dar (Pakistan)

Best Twenty20 performance of the year: Tim Southee (NZ) - for taking 5-18 v Pakistan

Associate and Affiliate Player of the year: Ryan ten Doeschate (Netherlands)

Spirit of Cricket award: MS Dhoni (India)

Emerging player of the year: Devendra Bishoo (West Indies)

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in One Test Match Series

2011-09-05T16:47:00.004+05:30

Pakistan won by seven wickets against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club here on Monday. They were left needing 88 runs for victory after bundling the home team out for 141 runs in their 2nd innings, although they did lose 3 wickets in the process.

Having been put into bat by Pakistan skipper Misbah ul Haq, Zimbabwe reached 412 all out in their 1st innings before Pakistan replied with 466 all out to establish a 1st-innings lead of 54.

There was not much in it at that stage but Zimbabwe's 2nd innings collapsed to 135-8 at the close of 4th day.

Man of the match was Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 119 and took four wickets for 31. With one more wicket he would have recorded a 'viper' in cricket terms - a century plus five wickets in an innings - but he did not get a bowl in the final session.

For Zimbabwe, it is a disappointing result following their victory over Bangladesh but they can go out of this Test match with their heads held high. They ran Pakistan close for most of the game and they can be proud of the way they took the fight to Pakistan.

The first of three one-day internationals will be played on Thursday, followed by the other two in the series and two Twenty20 Cricket matches to round out the Pakistan tour in Harare.

I Support Anna Hazare

2011-08-26T13:34:00.002+05:30

Sachin slips, Dravid enter top-10 in ICC rankings

2011-08-24T11:49:00.003+05:30

Almost all the Indian batsmen save Rahul Dravid slipped in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batsman released on Tuesday.

The poor performance of their batsmen in England Test series affected their individual rankings with Sachin Tendulkar dropping a spot to 5th place.

However, Rahul Dravid, at the back of his 3 centuries and 461 runs, ensured a leap of four places to make it to the top-10.

Jacques Kallis firmly entrenched at the top of the ranking table. Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen's star acts during the test series helped them to gain four and five places respectively.

While Bell is now 3rd in the list after Kallis and Sangakkara, Pietersen has also broken into the Top-10 and is now in 7th place.

VVS Laxman, who has had a terrible series, lost 5 places to be at 17th while Virender Sehwag also dropped a couple notches to be at 19th. Gautam Gambhir is now 31st.

In the bowling department, Zaheer Khan remained 7th despite bowling only 13.3 overs in the test series. Off-spinner Graeme Swann is now in top-3 with a leap of two places while Dale Steyn and James Anderson remained number 1 and 2 respectively.

While Stuart Broad maintained his 5th position, Tim Bresnan with his brilliant show is now 11th, having gained five places. India's Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma dropped a place each to be 12th and 13th in the list respectively.

Dravid announces retirement from ODIs

2011-08-08T16:19:00.003+05:30

Hours after he was chosen for the ODI series in England, veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from both the Twenty20 Cricket International, 50-over format of the game.

However, he will play in the five-match ODI series against England, beginning on September 3 and continue playing Test cricket for India.

"I am honoured and privileged to be selected in the Indian one-day team," he said after India's warm-up match against Northamptonshire in which he did not play.

"Since I had not been picked for one-day cricket for the last two years, I was obviously a little surprised and to be honest, because I had not been picked," he said in the statement issued after the warm-up game.

He said he now wants to concentrate on Tests in the future though he had not informed about it to the BCCI before his selection.

"At the end of this one-day series, I would like to announce my retirement from one-day and Twenty20 cricket and concentrate only on Test cricket. I had not informed the selectors or the board of my desire to solely focus on Test cricket," he said.

"I am committed, as always to give my best to India in this one-day series and obviously the Test series that follows." Dravid last played an ODI against the West Indies during the 2009 Champions Trophy in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dravid has made 10765 runs in 339 ODIs with an average of 39.43 with 12 hundreds and 82 fifties. He has not played any Twenty20 International match.

He recently became the second highest run-getter in Test cricket - 12576 runs from 155 matches - behind Sachin Tendulkar and also levelled Sunil Gavaskar's 34 Test centuries.

Warne slams MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina

2011-08-03T11:42:00.003+05:30

Shane Warne has launched a ruthless attack on India's young batsmen and felt MS Dhoni's captaincy was being affected by his below-par wicketkeeping as the visitors slumped to a massive 319-run defeat against England in the 2nd Test.

"As far as the batting is concerned, it is three down, all down. If you get Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman out, the rest all follow suit because they can't handle the intensity of the position," Warne wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

Warne was particularly critical of Suresh Raina and finds the left-hander a misfit for the challenging Test Cricket Format.

"The way some of the Indians play the short-ball is embarrassing. Suresh Raina just does not look like a Test player when the ball is dug in. He is OK in Twenty20 Cricket and ODI matches because teams can't bowl that many short balls at him, but in Test cricket they can batter him."

"India have to bounce back to make this a competitive series and the guide has to come from Dhoni. He needs to lift everyone. He looks too casual at the moment. He has lost his positive body language. "The skipper has to set the tone with the fielding. He cannot hang on to a ball behind the stumps and that is hurting his captaincy, batting and having an impact on the whole team. He needs to work really hard on his keeping over the next week because you can't carry on like that," he said.

"There is an argument that says he should not be playing the next game because he can't keep hold of the ball. Dhoni is a quality person and leader so I am sure he will turn it around but deep down he will feel a bit embarrassed about how it has been going," Warne added.

England win comprehensively! Lead the Series 2-0

2011-08-02T16:06:00.007+05:30

England secured a fantastic victory inside four days to go 2-0 up in the test series as India's batsman crumbled to 158 all out at Trent Bridge.

India has won the toss and elected to field first in the 2nd Test match against England.

Yuvraj Singh will play in place of Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid to open, and Sreesanth will plays for the injured Zaheer Khan.

This has been England's Test match. It did not begin that way when they were reduced to 124/8 in the first day. However, a brilliant 73 run partnership for the ninth wicket between Broad and Swann helped England reach 221. It was Rahul Dravid's brilliant 34th Test century that allowed India to reach 267/4 and it looked like India would build a healthy lead.

In stepped Stuart Broad and he blew away the Indian tail with a hat-trick, the first ever taken at Trent Bridge. This was also the first Test hat-trick against India in Tests. India lost their last six wickets for only 21 runs. A potential lead of 100-150 plus was cut down to only 67 runs.

There was a ray of hope when the openers departed cheaply. But, Bell and KP stepped up to the plate and took the Indian bowling apart. Bell registered his first century against India and backed from fifties by Morgan, Prior and Bresnan, England amassed 544. The abject display by the Indian bowling on the third day put England in the driver's seat and they never looked back.

Tim Bresnan was the star as he picked up his maiden five wicket haul in Tests. Tendulkar sparkled with his 60th Test fifty but it was a bridge too far for the India team as they suffered their biggest loss in terms of runs against England. This 319 run loss will be a bitter pill to swallow for MS Dhoni and his men.

This is the first time that India have lost two consecutive Tests in England since 1974. This is also the first time that MS Dhoni has lost two consecutive Tests in his captaincy stint. One must feel for Rahul Dravid here. Before this series, whenever Dravid has scored a century, India have lost only once. Now, he has scored two consecutive centuries in two matches and India have lost both. England are now in a great position to clinch this Test series in Edgbaston, but India will be determined to bounce back. However, for the time being, it is a very disappointed Team India.

Match Details

Ist Innings
England 221/10
Stuart Broad 64
Praveen Kumar 3/45

India 267/10
Rahul Dravid 117
Stuart Broad 6/46

2nd innings
England 544/10
Ian Bell 159
Praveen Kumar 4/124

Target 478

India 158/10
Sachin Tendulkar 56
Tim Bresnan 5/48

Man of the Match : Stuart Broad

Dhoni in danger of one-match ban for Slow over-rate

2011-07-25T12:22:00.002+05:30

Indian skipper MS Dhoni is facing the danger of a one test-match ban unless his side manage to increase their over-rate following slow bowling during England's 1st innings in the opening Test.

India recorded an over-rate of 13 overs per hour instead of the required 15, according to a report in the tabloid 'Daily Express'.

The ICC code of conduct states that the skipper of any team which is found responsible of bowling slow over-rates on three occasions in a 12-month period will face a one-match suspension.

India had failed to maintain the required over-rate during January's 3rd Test against South Africa and the recent match against the West Indies in Barbados.

Even if MS Dhoni escapes punishment at Lord's here, the threat will remain throughout the England Test series, the report said.

Not to use the DRS for LBW

2011-07-20T17:11:00.003+05:30

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have agreed the protocols for the use of the Decision Review System (DRS), in consultation with the ICC, for the forthcoming Test series which begins at Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday, 21 July 2011.

In accordance with the recent ICC Board decision, the minimum standards of infra-red technology and stump microphones will be employed during the four Test Series and five One Day Internationals between England and India .

The agreement of both Boards is required to extend the DRS technology beyond these minimum standards. While ECB were in favour of full usage of DRS, which would have included ball tracking technology, the BCCI indicated their desire for the system to be limited to the agreed minimum standards in this series. Accordingly, to achieve practical application, it has been agreed by all parties that players shall not be able to review leg-before-wicket (LBW) decisions during the Test and ODI series.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, said: 'While we are disappointed that the full DRS will not be used to support the umpires, we are pleased that the ECB and BCCI have worked hard to ensure the minimum DRS is used in this much anticipated series.

'It is common knowledge that the ICC and ECB would have liked ball tracking to have been included so that LBW decisions could have also been reviewed, but the last Chief Executives Committee and Board meeting in Hong Kong had agreed to independently confirm the accuracy of ball-tracking technology. This will now take place as a matter of urgency.'

The ICC Board had agreed a CEC recommendation that ball tracking technology be used only if both participating teams agree.

India won the three-Test series 1-0

2011-07-11T10:10:00.005+05:30

India settled for a draw in the 3rd and final Test against the West Indies after rock-solid century-maker Shivnarine Chanderpaul and the home bowlers gave them a fight on Sunday. Chasing 180 for victory, India finished on 94 for three, deciding to bring the match to a close with the statutory final 15 overs remaining on the last day of the inaugural Test at Windsor Park.

The result meant that the visitors won the three-Test series 1-0, following a 63-run victory inside four days in Jamaica and a draw in the 2nd Test at Barbados. The visitors also wrapped up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean and they also became the first Indian side to win a Test and one-day series here.

Harbhajan Singh take 400 Test wickets

2011-07-08T10:27:00.003+05:30

Harbhajan Singh became the 11th bowler in history to capture 400 Test wickets while Ishant Sharma again bowled impressively in the rain-lashed third Test between India and West Indies on Thursday.

India were 8/0, replying to West Indies' first innings total of 204/10, when a combination of rain and bad light stopped play early on the second day at Windsor Park, where only 49.2 over were possible.

Ishant Sharma, the most successful of all the bowlers in the series, upstaged Harbhajan, taking 5-77 from 21.3 overs.

His success, followed up his 6-55 in the first innings of the drawn 2nd Test at Bridgetown, taking his tally in the three-Test series to 21 wickets at 14.04 apiece. Harbhajan, playing his 96th Test for the Indians, bowled Carlton Baugh for the West Indies top score of 60 about an hour and 20 minutes after lunch to achieve the milestone.

Only former skipper Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434) have taken more wickets for the visitors than Harbhajan.

He is also the 4th spin bowler to take 400 wickets in Test Cricket, following in the footsteps of fellow off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, whose 800 scalps are the most, Australia's Shane Warne (708), and Kumble.

17-member Test squad for India's upcoming tour of England

2011-07-05T11:17:00.003+05:30

Star players Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan likely returned to the team as the national selectors on Saturday announced a full-strength of 17-member Test team for India's upcoming tour of England starting mid July.

Yuvraj Singh, who missed the tour of West Indies because of a chest infection, also made a comeback to the Test squad along with Kerala speed star S Sreesanth.

Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha got the nod ahead of Parthiv Patel as the 2nd wicketkeeper, while Virat Kohli and opener Murali Vijay were dropped from the squad announced by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a meeting of the selection committee here.

Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund was retained in the squad but pacer Abhimanyu Mithun couldn't find a spot in the team.

Dashing opener Virender Sehwag, who was also forced to skip the Caribbean tour because of a shoulder surgery, will miss the first test but will join the team after a fortnight.

The team, to be captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will have Gambhir as the vice-captain.

The squad has as many as five pace bowlers considering the seaming conditions in England. It has two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra.

Test Team Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Gautam Gambhir (vc), Virender Sehwag, Abhinav Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Wriddhiman Saha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel.

India are scheduled to host play 90 Tests and 166 ODIs in next 8-year

2011-06-29T14:38:00.004+05:30

A day after the BCCI announced dates for IPL next season, the ICC on Tuesday virtually left an unofficial window for the cash-rich Twenty20 event, making it possible for players from most nations to participate in it.

The ICC on the third day of its annual conference left gaps in the FTP for most nations during April and May for the eight-year period from 2012-20.

The FTP, which was approved by the ICC Executive Board on Tuesday on the recommendations of Chief Executives' Committee, contains an official two-week window in September for the Champions League Twenty20 each year and leaves space for an unofficial IPL window in April and May.

Under the new FTP calender, India are scheduled to host Pakistan for a Test series in 2013, the first time after 2007.

But, beyond that, particulars of other series between the two countries were vague with neither the host nation nor the number of games was specified. They would also play 90 Tests and 166 ODIs within the eight-year span.

India also plays fewer Test matches than England and Australia in the 8-year period though the world champions would be the busiest team in ODIs.

The FTP has a clear division among the Test playing countries with England, Australia and India scheduled to play the most Tests, followed by Sri Lanka and South Africa.

England will play 99 matches, Australia 92, Sri Lanka 76 and South Africa will play 74 Tests respectively. They are followed by the West Indies and New Zealand with 66 Tests each and Pakistan 65 followed by Bangladesh 42 and Zimbabwe 41.

The ODIs are more evenly distributed. India will play 89 away ODIs among its 166 matches. Zimbabwe have the fewest at 64, of which 37 are at home. All other countries play between 100-160 games.

In the Twenty20 format, most teams are scheduled to play between 30-55 matches.

India in England 2011 Complete Series

2011-06-17T18:29:00.003+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	City
Jul 21 - 25	Ind v Eng, 1st Test	15:30	London
Jul 29 - Aug 02	Ind v Eng, 2nd Test	15:30	Nottingham
Aug 10 - 14	Ind v Eng, 3rd Test	15:30	Birmingham
Aug 18 - 22	Ind v Eng, 4th Test	15:30	London
Aug 31 - Wed	Ind v Eng, Only T20I	22:30*	Manchester
Sep 03 - Sat	Ind v Eng, 1st ODI	14:45	Chester-le-Street
Sep 06 - Tue	Ind v Eng, 2nd ODI	18:30*	Southampton
Sep 09 - Fri	Ind v Eng, 3rd ODI	18:30*	London
Sep 11 - Sun	Ind v Eng, 4th ODI	14:45	London
Sep 16 - Fri	Ind v Eng, 5th ODI	18:30*	Cardiff, Wales

* - Day-night Match...

Pakistan win by 196 runs and level the series at 1-1

2011-05-25T12:45:00.001+05:30

Abdur Rehman finished with career-best figures, and shared the last five wickets with fellow spinner Saeed Ajmal to usher Pakistan to a series-levelling 196-run victory in the second Test against West Indies on Tuesday.

Rehman captured four for 65 from 24.3 overs, and Ajmal took three for 79 from 31 overs, as West Indies, in pursuit of a highly improbable target of 427, were dismissed for 230 in their second innings about 15 minutes before lunch on the final day at Warner Park.

The match came to an anti-climatic close, when Kemar Roach failed to beat Wahab Riaz's direct hit at the bowlers' end, and was run out for 12, after indecision about taking a single with Devendra Bishoo.

The Pakistani victory meant the two-Test series was tied 1-1, after West Indies claimed a 40-run victory in the first Test.

Sri Lanka in England 2011, Test, ODI & T20i Schedule

2011-05-18T12:02:00.006+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	Place
May 26 - 30	England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test	15:30	Cardiff, Wales
Jun 03 - 07	England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test	15:30	London
Jun 16 - 20	England v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test	15:30	Southampton
Jun 25 - Sat	England v Sri Lanka, Only T20I	19:00	Bristol
Jun 28 - Tue	England v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI	17:30	London
Jul 01 - Fri	England v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI	15:15	Leeds
Jul 03 - Sun	England v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI	15:15	Chester-le-Street
Jul 06 - Wed	England v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI	18:30	Nottingham
Jul 09 - Sat	England v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI	15:15	Manchester

West Indies defeated Pakistan by 40 runs in 1st test

2011-05-17T10:32:00.004+05:30

West Indies Captain Darren Sammy took five wickets and Ravi Rampaul claimed four as the West Indies defeated Pakistan by 40 runs on Sunday in the 1st Test.

Chasing 219 for victory, the Pakistanis were dismissed for 178 in their 2nd innings about 50 minutes after lunch on the 4th day at Guyana.

WI captain finished with the impressive figures of 5/29 from 17 overs that helped him to earn the man of the match award, and Ravi Rampaul supported with 4/48 from 21 overs.

Fittingly, the embattled Sammy brought the match to a climax when he bowled Pakistan bowling hero Saeed Ajmal for three.

The victory gave West Indies a 1-0 lead in the two-match test series, which concludes with the 2nd Test, starting on Friday at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

It was also the West Indies' first Test victory since February 2009, when they humbled England by an innings and 23 runs at Sabina Park in Jamaica. "This is all about West Indies cricket," said Sammy. "We as a team needed this performance, this victory, and I can't stop commending the effort of the guys - every single person that batted on such a difficult pitch.

"It was a total team effort, and it was good to come out on the right side of the result for a change."

The result also meant that Pakistan will have to wait for another trip to earn their first Test series victory in the Caribbean. "To lose a Test match is never an easy thing," said Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, whose 52 was the top score in his side's 2nd innings.

"But they played better cricket than us. They bowled really disciplined throughout the match, and most of the time, they got us out with good bowling."

Misbah added: "I think it was a bit of everything that went wrong for us, but our fielding especially. We dropped way too many catches.

"We gave away too many runs, especially runs scored by the tail. They had good partnerships towards the end of each innings, particularly in the 2nd innings, and that was really crucial.

Pakistan's bid for victory hit a problems in the final half-hour before lunch, when Sammy removed Misbah and Mohammad Salman - both lbw - in the space of three balls to leave the visitors on 153 for six at the interval.

But the result did not appear to be a formality until Sammy trapped Umar Akmal plumb lbw for 47, as Pakistan lost their last four wickets for 18 runs in the space of 31 deliveries after lunch.

Akmal's dismissal established a new record for the most lbw decisions ever in a Test of 20, erasing the previous mark of 17 between the two sides 18 years ago at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.

India in West Indies 2011, Series Schedule

2011-04-19T12:09:00.005+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time (IST)	Place
Jun 04 - Sat	West Indies v India, Only T20I Ind won by 16 runs	-	Trinidad
Jun 06 - Mon	West Indies v India, 1st ODI Ind won by 4 wickets	-	Trinidad
Jun 08 - Wed	West Indies v India, 2nd ODI Ind won by 7 wickets	-	Trinidad
Jun 11 - Sat	West Indies v India, 3rd ODI Ind won by 3 wickets	-	Antigua
Jun 13 - Mon	West Indies v India, 4th ODI WI won by 103 runs	-	Antigua
Jun 16 - Thu	West Indies v India, 5th ODI WI won by 7 wickets	-	Jamaica
Jun 20 - 24	West Indies v India, 1st Test Ind won by 63 runs	-	Jamaica
Jun 28 - Jul 2	West Indies v India, 2nd Test Match Drawn	-	Barbados
Jul 06 - 10	West Indies v India, 3rd Test	-	Dominica

India get rewarded for finishing as No.1 in Test

2011-04-16T12:35:00.003+05:30

India will be handed USD 175,000 for finishing as the No.1 Test side while also pocketing one more USD 75,000 for finishing as 2nd-ranked ODI team this season, the ICC said today.

India has been sitting on top of the Test Championship table since December 2009 with 128 points. South Africa (117 points) will pocket USD 75,000 for ending in 2nd position in the Test Championship table at the cut-off date of April 1.

Australia earns USD 175,000 for finishing on top of the ODI table with 128 points at the cut-off date. It has been occupying the number-one position on the ODI Championship table since leapfrogging South Africa and India in September 2009.

In the latest ODI rankings issued today, Australia has 129 points, eight points more than India's 121 points.

Afridi should return to Test cricket: Imran Khan

2011-04-07T12:50:00.002+05:30

Pakistan's ODI & T20 skipper Shahid Afridi should return to Test cricket and captain the national team in all three formats of the sport, former skipper Imran Khan said.

Afridi pulled out of a Test series against Australia last year in England after losing the 1st Test at Lord's as skipper.

Since then he has only captained Pakistan in one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket matches. Senior batsman Misbah-ul-Haq led Pakistan in their last two Test series against South Africa and New Zealand.

Afridi, who led Pakistan to the semi-finals of the World Cup that ended on Saturday, has made himself available for this month's tour to the West Indies after previously planning on missing the series.

"There should be just one captain for all three formats of the game," Imran told reporters at a function held in Lahore to honour Pakistan's World Cup umpire Aleem Dar.

"The main reason for India winning the World Cup is that their captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads them in Tests, ODIs and T20 cricket," the cricketer turned politician said.

Imran said that Dhoni had matured quicker as a captain because he had developed the temperament to handle the different pressures of the three formats.

"Afridi must also be captain in all three formats of the sport. My belief is that unless you captain in Test cricket you can't really be at the top of your game," he said.

England win the Ashes Series 3-1

2011-01-07T14:46:00.003+05:30

England won the fifth Ashes Test by an innings and 83 runs on Friday to claim a first series triumph in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.

The tourists, who had already ensured they would retain the famous urn, needed a little more than 17 overs to remove Australia's last three batsmen on day five of the final Test to win the Ashes series 3-1.

"We came over here desperately wanting to win the series. Obviously in Melbourne we retained the Ashes but we really wanted to finish with a bang over here in Sydney," an ecstatic Andrew Strauss said on the podium.

"All credit to the guys, they've been outstanding again, the way the bowlers bowled on day one, the batsmen dipped their bread in it again and we got another victory."

"So we're delighted with what we've done and we're certainly going to enjoy this evening, that's for sure."

Australia have lost series by bigger margins but in more than 130 years of Test cricket they had never conceded three defeats by an innings or more in a series against any country.

Stand-in skipper Michael Clarke had been handed the unenviable task of leading a demoralised Australia side into the final test after Ricky Ponting was ruled out with a broken finger.

"It's been a tough couple of months to be honest, we've been outplayed in all facets of the game," said Clarke, who like Ponting failed to inspire his team with the bat throughout the series.

"I think England have shown us what execution and discipline does with the ball and they've managed to go and make some big scores with the bat as well."

"Obviously I'm very disappointed like all the boys. We didn't perform as well as we'd have liked."

Free entry had ensured a half full house as the tourists performed the final rites but it was dominated by England fans with the Barmy Army's songs and chants echoing around the famous ground.

They celebrated wildly as England, just four years after suffering a first Ashes clean sweep in 86 years, matched the achievement of Mike Gatting's touring party of 1986-87.

Alastair Cook was named Man of the Match and won the Compton-Miller medal as Man of the Series.

The England opener made 189 in Sydney and 766 runs at an average of 127.66 over the fives Tests, the second highest by an Englishman in an Ashes series.

India and South Africa Test Series have ended 1-1

2011-01-07T14:30:00.005+05:30

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked forward to new challenges after his side validated their ranking as the number one Test team by earning a share of the series against 2nd-ranked South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.

The third and final Test ended in a draw when play was called off eight overs early with India on 166 for three after being set to make 340 to win.

Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir guided India to safety with a careful innings of 64.

"We're happy with our performance," said MS Dhoni, pointing out that India were possibly one wicket away from being able to force a win when South Africa were reeling at 130 for six on the 4th day.

"If we could have got that one wicket we could have done something very special," he said.

Dhoni said he felt a shared series was a fair result and that his team were less concerned with the world ranking than with the process of preparing and playing well.

"Series between the top teams are very good for cricket," he said. "This year we go to England and then to Australia, so we will have played all the other top three teams."

Dhoni said there was always room for improvement. "We need to have a bigger pool of players because of the amount of games we play, especially fast bowlers, who are always likely to have injuries. It will be nice to have more fast bowlers who can do well in all conditions when we go to England and Australia."

South African captain Graeme Smith was less satisfied after India batted out the final day, scoring 166 for three after being set to make 344.

"It was a pity we couldn't close them out today but it has been a tremendous Test Series, very competitive."

But Smith acknowledged that South Africa were in trouble on the 4th day before Jacques Kallis made his second century of the match despite struggling with a side injury.

"Jacques was an inspiration to all of us in the dressing room," said Smith. "We could see how much pain he was in."

Kallis said the injury had got worse during his innings. Initially expected to be out of action for two weeks, he said he would rest for four weeks, "then start focusing on the World Cup".

The World Cup in Asia starts on February 19.

India won Durban Test to set up series decider

2010-12-30T11:30:00.002+05:30

Dale Steyn hit the first two boundaries of the day before he edged Khan to gully after making 10.

Ashwell Prince made 39 not out and there was a gusty innings of 20 by Morne Morkel, before South Africa's resistance was ended when last man Lonwaba Tsotsobe was run out by a sharp return from short leg fielder Cheteshwar Pujara. It was Sreesanth's third wicket of the innings and came during a fine spell of one for seven in five overs from the start of play.

South Africa's hopes were well snuffed out by two debatable leg before wicket decisions in the space of three overs.

De Villiers, who had looked solid in making 33, was struck on the pad when he pushed forward to off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

He appeared dismayed when he was given out by umpire Asad Rauf and replays suggested the ball would have gone over the top of the stumps by several centimetres. But India's bowlers shot out South Africa for 131 to take control of the match and an innings of 96 by man of the match VVS Laxman meant that South Africa had to score by far the highest total of the match to snatch victory.

The win ensures that India will retain their No. 1 ranking in Test cricket, irrespective of the result in the 3rd and final Test.

Second-placed South Africa wanted to win the series 3-0 to displace the tourists at the top of the rankings.

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth struck the first, crucial blow of the day when he produced a vicious bouncer that star batsman Kallis could only fend off his glove to Virender Sehwag at gully.

Kallis was out for 17 after he and De Villiers had added 12 runs in half an hour to the overnight total of 111 for three. India completed an 87-run win on the fourth day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Wednesday to set up a series decider in the final match in Cape Town.

Set a target of 303, South Africa were bowled out for 215.

The match finished an hour after lunch but South Africa's hopes were effectively ended when overnight batsmen Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers were dismissed in the first hour of the day.

It was a remarkable fightback by India, who lost the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 25 runs and whose chances seemed to have nosedived when they were sent in at Kingsmead and bowled out for 205.

England won by an innings and 157 runs to retain Ashes

2010-12-30T10:34:00.003+05:30

England won by an innings and 157 runs in the fourth test on Wednesday to retain the Ashes on Australian soil for the 1st time in 24 years.

The victory, sealed before lunch on the 4th day, gave holders England a 2-1 lead in the Ashes series, which will be completed with the 5th and final test in Sydney next week.

The England players embraced and pumped their fists in the air upon the final wicket as deafening cheers rang out from England's "Barmy Army" of supporters who had sung happily throughout the morning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia had resumed on 169-6, still facing a 246-run shortfall to make England bat again but lost their remaining wickets soon before lunch to be all out for 258.

Chris Tremlett removed Mitchell Johnson for six in the 2nd over of the morning, the Australian Faster pushing half-heartedly at a fuller delivery that took an inside edge before crashing into off-stump.

Peter Siddle defiantly slogged his way to 40 before belting a lofted drive off Graeme Swann straight to Kevin Pietersen at long on.

The injured Ryan Harris did not take his place leaving Ben Hilfenhaus to take the crease. The paceman was out to Tim Bresnan for a fourth-ball duck, caught behind to wicketkeeper Matt Prior to complete the innings.

Brad Haddin enjoyed a blustering partnership with Siddle, striking four boundaries and a six off Graeme Swann, but was left stranded on 55 not out.

South Africa wrap up victory over India

2010-12-21T11:31:00.004+05:30

Fast bowlers Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn took a wicket respectively as South Africa completed victory by an innings and 25 runs on the 5th day of the first Test Match against India at SuperSport Park on Monday.

Sachin Tendulkar was left stranded on 111 not out as India were bowled out for 459, losing their last two wickets for five runs in 26 minutes and 35 balls.

Morkel had Sreesanth caught at 3rd slip before Steyn had last man Jaidev Unadkat caught at gully to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series against the team ranked number one in Test cricket.

South Africa were always in control after winning the toss and sending India in to bat after rain delayed the start on the first day.

Morkel and Steyn had ripped through India's batting on a lively pitch, dismissing the visitors for 136 in their 1st innings. Taking full advantage of improved batting conditions, South Africa piled up 620 for four declared, with Jacques Kallis hitting a maiden Test double century and AB de Villiers racing to South Africa's fastest Test century.

Faced with a first innings defict of 484, India put up a much-improved performance in the 2nd innings to give them heart going into the remaining two matches of the series, in Durban and Cape Town.

Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag both made half-centuries before Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni put on 172 for the 7th wicket to ensure that the match would extend into a 5th day.

Tendulkar went on to record his 50th test century.

India resumed at 454 for eight, still trailing by 30 runs.

Morkel struck with the 21st ball of the day when Sreesanth edged a lifting delivery to de Villiers at third slip.

Unadkat could only find a lifting ball from Steyn to gully where Ashwell Prince completed a simple catch.

The second Test starts in Durban on Sunday.

Zaheer Khan's fitness remains a concern

2010-12-14T11:57:00.004+05:30

The head of the Indian bowling attack, Zaheer Khan picked to not go through a full practice session with the Indian squad, raising concerns about his injury. Zaheer Khan only went through fitness drills with Paul Chapman, the team physio while the rest of the Indian team were going through their first full practice session in South Africa.

Reportedly, the move was to make sure that Zaheer does not aggravate the injury as scans failed to pin point what the problem was.

A team source said "As of now he is not fit, there are still 3 days to go to the Test, so we didn't want to take any risks." The Indian team was seen at the Supersport Park in Centurion, but Zaheer was going through light fitness drills with Chapman and was frequently holding on to the groin area.

The injury could be results of Zaheer suffering niggle in the 4th ODI against New Zealand at Bangalore. Zaheer was seen holding on to the groin area after bowling the 49th over.

Zaheer had missed the 3rd Test and the first two ODIs against New Zealand with a groin injury. He also didn't play in the 5th ODI in Chennai.

Zaheer has missed out on quite a lot of cricket this year due to injuries. He missed the tour of Sri Lanka with a shoulder injury. He played some T20 cricket in the Champions League Twenty20 following that up with a good performance in the Test series against the Aussies, but got injured again.

India have Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat to choose from in case Zaheer is ruled out with injury.

Warne never in the mix for Perth Test: Chappell

2010-12-14T11:44:00.004+05:30

Former Australian skipper and current national team selector Greg Chappell has sought to put the lid on Shane Warne's comeback rumors by stating the famous leg-spinner was never in conflict for the Perth Test starting on December 16.

There have been strong calls for Warne's comeback since Australia was whipping by an innings and 71 at Adelaide to go 0-1 down in the five-Test Ashes series against England. In fact, a group of businessmen have offered Warne $ 1 million to come out of retirement and save Australia in the remainder of the series.

Chappell said he was smiling by the sudden hype surrounding Warne, especially considering, the latter has only played Twenty20 cricket since his retirement four years back. "Warne's been a great bowler but he's 41 years of age, or near enough to 41," Chappell was quoted by the Telegraph as telling his brother Ian in an interview for the Sunday Herald.

Australia has tried out nine spinners since Warne's retirement, and the latest incumbent in that role, Xavier Doherty has been axed from the Ashes squad after a disappointing performance in Adelaide. Australian selectors have now turned to rookie Michael Beer to fill in the spinner's position for the Perth Test.

Chappell also said he wasn't sure if Warne's comeback was the way to take Australian cricket forward. "I'm sure he could still land a few but I don't know that that's going to take Australian cricket forward. We haven't really given a lot of thought about it other than that," Chappell added.

No thought of quitting despite Ashes pains: Ricky Ponting

2010-12-11T13:11:00.003+05:30

Ricky Ponting may be just one Test defeat away from becoming the 1st Australian skipper in 120 years to lose three Ashes series but he is not entertaining any retirement thoughts.

Ricky Ponting, who turns 36 on December 19, has not been at the top of his form with the bat while his team trail England 1-0 in the five-match series with 3 Tests remaining.

"My absolute focus is on all the things within my control, preparing the team and myself to perform at our very best in Perth, Melbourne and then Sydney over the next three tests," Ponting wrote in the Australian newspaper on Saturday.

"I have not stopped for one moment to consider retirement. The question of my future as skipper is ultimately a decision for Cricket Australia and categorically the future of Australian cricket must come first."

"I have every confidence in my ability to score runs and be the experienced batsman and leader that my teammates can rely on."

"As captain, I am accountable for the performance of my team and I accept that our most recent results mean that I am being assessed more seriously than at other times in my career as skipper."

"The team is my priority, not my own ego or the status that comes with being the captain of the Australian cricket team."

Ponting accepted England had dominated the series so far.

"We've been ordinary, we've played poorly. I haven't played the way I would like to have played, especially in Adelaide, but I don't think I'm that far away."

"I've got to keep trusting the way I prepare and play and keep working hard. If anything I might have worked a bit too hard on my batting over the last couple of weeks."

England crush Australia by an innings and 71 runs

2010-12-08T12:17:00.003+05:30

Australia suffered a massive blow with the loss of key batsman Michael Clarke in the final over Monday to leave them facing an uphill battle to salvage the second Ashes Test against England.

Clarke looked set to go to stumps leading a fighting rearguard action at the Adelaide Oval only to fall to a catch close to the wicket off part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen, with only four balls left of the fourth day.

Clarke had appeared to have recaptured his best form after cheap dismissals in Brisbane and the Adelaide first innings before he was out for 80.

At stumps Australia, chasing 375 runs to make England bat again, were 238 for four with Mike Hussey the not out batsman on 44.

Clarke was initially given not out and refused to walk off until England called for a referral and replays showed that the ball had come off his bat to Alastair Cook fielding close in.

"Just want to apologise for not walking off the ground tonight when I hit the ball. I was just so disappointed, my emotions got best of me," Clarke said via Twitter after play.

England spinner Graeme Swann, who looms as his team's major weapon on Tuesday's final day, said it was a significant wicket for the tourists.

"It's a massive bonus for us. It was tough going for us in the last session, their two best players against spin at crease, both playing well," he said.

"Sometimes you need a bit of inspiration and who else but Pietersen to come on and give you it."

Hussey said it was a "kick in the guts" to lose Clarke. England amassed their fifth highest innings in Ashes Tests and their second best in Australia, only surpassed by a 636 scored in Sydney in 1928.

Captain Strauss finally called a halt to the run onslaught at 620 for five with Ian Bell unbeaten on 68 and wicketkeeper Matt Prior not out 27.

The tourists lost only the wicket of Pietersen for his Test best score of 227 in the 40 minutes of free scoring, in which they added 69 off nine overs.

Pietersen smashed beleaguered spinner Xavier Doherty's first ball of the day through midwicket for four but went for a lusty swing at the next ball which turned sharply out of the rough to Katich at slip.

Pietersen amassed his haul off 308 balls with 34 fours and a six and he shared in a 116-run partnership with Bell in 125 minutes.

His previous best Test score was 226 against the West Indies in May 2007.

On Sunday Pietersen became only the fifth Englishman to score a double century in Australia with his first century in 28 Test innings since his 102 against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in March last year.

Dominant England have amassed 1,137 runs runs for six wickets in their last two innings in this series.

England paceman Stuart Broad strained stomach muscles during his second bowling spell but returned to the field after the rain break. "We?re going to have to keep fighting hard and I thought we fought pretty hard today. It was a bit of a kick in the guts to lose that one in the last over."

Clarke, the Australian vice-captain, went to the crease under pressure following scores of nine and two and his team needing him to produce a long match-saving innings against dominant England, who are chasing their first win in Adelaide since 1995.

Rain might yet assist Australia's rearguard after a storm suspended play for an hour after tea and with more bad weather forecast for Tuesday's final day.

Top-rated spinner Swann proved the major threat with his sharp turn out of the footmarks and he captured the key wickets of Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting.

Katich's painful resistance ended in the 30th over, when he pushed forward to Swann and got a touch for wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

The stoic left-hander battled a painful Achilles injury and hobbled for his 43 off 85 balls to help build an opening stand of 84.

Katich later went to hospital to have scans of his injury with the results expected on Tuesday.

Swann got Ponting's prized wicket when the Aussie skipper came forward and edged to slip, where Paul Collingwood snapped up a great low two-handed catch.

It was a huge setback for the Australians, with Ponting lasting only 21 minutes for his nine when occupation was more important than runs.

Opener Shane Watson again failed to go on after a good start when he nicked Steven Finn to Andrew Strauss at first slip for 57.

Doherty will best Pietersen: Ricky Ponting

2010-11-23T11:17:00.005+05:30

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday backed uncapped Xavier Doherty to best England batsman Kevin Pietersen during the Ashes series 2010/11, saying the spinner was ready for the tourists' top order.

Xavier Doherty was included in Australia's Ashes team over Nathan Hauritz - a decision retired spin legend Shane Warne slammed on micro blogging site Twitter as "very very harsh on Hauritz" who he said "deserved first break at poms".

But Ricky Ponting said left-arm orthodox spinner Doherty, 28, had been impressive in recent Sheffield Shield domestic matches for Tasmania while Nathan Hauritz had "lost his action".

"Seeing him up close and personal for those couple of games probably gave me a bit more of an idea of how good he was because I haven't played much with him in the last few years," Ponting said.

"He's a good solid character as well and I think he'll handle the situation pretty well and I think we saw that in his 1st ODI Cricket Match at the MCG."

Doherty took four wickets on his ODI debut against Sri Lanka at the MCG on November 3.

"I think he'll be ready for what the English batters try and do," Ponting said.

Pietersen has a patchy record against left-arm orthodox bowlers and was dismissed by Australia A spinner Steve O'Keefe, also a left-arm orthodox, during a tour match in Hobart last week.

Zaheer Khan ruled out of 3rd Test

2010-11-17T12:02:00.003+05:30

India were dealt a big blow ahead of the 3rd cricket Test against New Zealand with pace head Zaheer Khan being ruled out of the final rubber because of a groin injury.

Young left-handed pacer Jaydev Unadkat has been drafted in the team in place of him.

Zaheer suffered a groin injury during the 2nd cricket Test, which ended in a domestic draw at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium.

"Zaheer Khan is injured and is unavailable for the 3rd Test against New Zealand, to be played at Nagpur from 20th November to 24th November," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a release.

"The All India Selection Committee has chosen Jayadev Unadkat to replace Zaheer Khan in the squad," it said.

Zaheer was off the field for a good part of the 4th day. The left-handed pacer bowled just 3 overs during the 5th day.

McCullum 225 secures draw for New Zealand

2010-11-17T11:47:00.002+05:30

India made 68/0 at close after the visitors declared their 2nd innings at 448/8 at tea, setting the hosts an improbable target of 327 runs to win in 30 overs.

Virender Sehwag returned to hit an unbeaten run-a-ball 54, studded with six boundaries and a six, to bring up his 2nd half-century of the match. Fellow opener Gautam Gambhir stayed not out on 14.

Brendon McCullum (225) frustrated the Indian spinners with his quick footwork and clever reverse sweeps. He was dropped on 148 by substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg off Harbhajan Singh's bowling.

The stylish right-hander reached the coveted double hundred mark with a paddle scoop to the fine leg boundary off part-time spinner Suresh Raina.

"It was quite important for us to bat some time and score some runs, else we were in danger of losing the Test," man of the match McCullum told Neo Cricket channel.

Resuming on 237 for four, McCullum and Kane Williamson (69) added 124 runs for the 5th wicket before the latter was out, adjudged leg before to Harbhajan.

McCullum perished trying to hit paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (3-121) for the third consecutive boundary, skying a slower ball for Raina to take a well-judged catch.

The three-match Test series is tied at 0-0 after the first two tests.

Chris Gayle puts West Indies on top with triple-century

2010-11-16T17:29:00.000+05:30

Chris Gayle became the first West Indies batsman to hit a triple-century in an away Test, putting Sri Lanka under pressure in the opening Test on Tuesday.

The former skipper made a career-best 333 as the West Indies posted a massive 580/9 declared in their 1st innings on the second day at the Galle International Stadium.

Sri Lanka are 54/1 in reply at stumps, with debutant West Indies Fast Bowler Andre Russell dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan with his 2nd delivery in Test cricket.

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara (33) and Tharanga Paranavitana (10) were the not-out batsmen at the close.

Gayle, 31, also became only the fourth batsman to score two triple-centuries in Tests after Australian Don Bradman, India's Virender Sehwag and West Indies' Brian Lara.

Harbhajan Singh slams maiden century, match ends in draw

2010-11-09T11:02:00.003+05:30

India found an unlikely batting hero in Harbhajan Singh, who produced a match-saving maiden Test century to turn his team to safety along with VVS Laxman as the first Test against New Zealand ended in a draw on Monday.

Harbhajan (115) notched up his only first class century and combined with experienced person, VVS Laxman (91) as the duo spoiled New Zealand's push for victory with a solid 163-run partnership for the 7th wicket.

Resuming their 2nd innings at a precarious 82/6, Laxman and Harbhajan saved India the blushes by batting carefully before the innings folded up for 266 shortly after the tea break for an overall lead of 294.

The Kiwis were 22 for one in their second innings before both captains decided to call off play.

It was Harbhajan who stole the spotlight on the final day's play and had it not been for his valiant batting effort, the story could have been quite different for the home team.

Harbhajan, who made his highest score of 69 in the 1st innings, achieved his dream of scoring a century in Test cricket. His 115 came off 193 balls and contained 13 boundaries and three sixes.

Harbhajan reached his maiden ton in style with a six off Vettori and held his bat in the air to return the applause of his teammates in the dressing room.

The stylish Laxman, who has bailed India out of many a crisis, was a picture of poise and concentration as he held the innings together and kept guiding Harbhajan.

Laxman was wrongly given out leg before wicket to rival team captain Daniel Vettori by umpire Steve Davis as TV replays showed the ball had deflected on to the pad off the inside edge of the bat.

Laxman and Harbhajan took India from a difficult 65 for six last evening at the fall of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket and were not separated till close to the tea interval when Vettori won the verdict against the former. The partnership was together for 10 minutes under four hours and faced 328 balls.

Man of the Match: Harbhajan Singh

Steve Waugh warned to out-of-form Australia

2010-10-29T12:41:00.003+05:30

Former Test skipper Steve Waugh Friday warned Australia's under-performing senior players they might not count on experience alone to keep their places in the Ashes team to play England next month.

Ricky Ponting's Australians are emotions the heat after a 2-0 series defeat in India this month left them languishing at 5th on the ICC world rankings, below 4th-listed England and on their worst losing streak for more than 20 years.

Waugh, who led Australia to 41 Test victories - including eight out of nine Ashes Tests -- said inexperience should not rule out players when the team is selected for the November 25 1st Test at Brisbane's Gabba ground.

"I don't see why not," the hard-bitten warrior of 168 Test matches told reporters. "Just because it's an Ashes series it doesn't make it any different from any other series.

"You've got to put your best 11 players on the park irrespective of age or experience."

"I'm never a big believer of picking players by age, it's more the passion, your form and whether you're the right person for the job," he said.

Australia's bowlers failed to take all 20 wickets in either Test against India but Waugh said he had no concerns about the pace bowling depth as the team returns to home pitches.

Waugh said under- pressure captain Ponting may be able to turn the censure he has received to his advantage this summer as he bids to reclaim the Ashes urn lost last year in England.

"With criticism, you've just got to look at it and see whether you can get something constructive from those comments," he said.

"If you can learn by it that's a positive, if you think it was unjustified then move on.

"You can't please everyone as captain. It's about having the respect of the team.

"That's your number one priority, if he's got that then I don't think he should worry too much."

Waugh believes Australia will win a tightly-contested Ashes series 3-2 due to superior knowledge of the home conditions.

Pietersen can recover his form if he clears his mind: Tendulkar

2010-10-28T10:42:00.004+05:30

England batsman Kevin Pietersen can recover his form if he "clears his mind" before the Ashes series against an Australian side who is no longer the team to beat in Test cricket, feels India's batting genius Sachin Tendulkar.

"If Kevin Pietersen is thinking right it will replicate in his game and the runs will come. All I would say to him is just be relaxed, be calm and watch the ball as closely as possible because that is what a batsman is meant to do," Tendulkar told the “Evening Standard”.

Tendulkar spoke after receiving the "People's Choice Award and the Outstanding Achievement in Sport Award," at the Asian Awards at Grosvenor House last night.

"If Kevin clears his mind and perceives that Australia is no longer the team to beat, he will regain his form. The thought process has to be free flowing and that's when you react and your body movement is not stiff and tight. If he can clear his mind I am sure his game will improve."

The iconic batsman gave Australia a hot time a fortnight ago with his mammoth first-innings score of 214, helping India to a comfortable win over the visitors in Bangalore.

In stark contrast to Tendulkar's dominance, Pietersen has been struggling, with the last of his 16 Test centuries coming way back in March 2009.

I missed being a part of the test squad: Gambhir

2010-10-27T18:33:00.002+05:30

Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has said that he is happy with his fitness and cannot wait to start batting again. Gambhir's show has been hampered by knee problems, which also saw him sit out Tests against Sri Lanka and Australia. The left-hander has been named in India's Test team against New Zealand and he will be eager to prove his critics wrong and get back to rhythm.

"It's important to get back into the rhythm," Gambhir told the Indian Express in an interview. "I have increased my batting time at the nets and am happy with my fitness."

"I watched every bit of the Visakhapatnam game and I missed being part of the team. To be frank, missing out on a game after being dropped feels bad but to sit out with injury and watch other people play feels even worse."

Gambhir admitted that it will be a challenge for him to get into groove after a long break. "When you go out to bat in a match after a long break, you just try to test if you still have the old touch. When you come back from a break, you need time to get used to things around you. If you look, I haven't played much in the last three months. It's a challenge that I am now looking forward to meet."

He added that he was focused on the World Cup and wants to use the upcoming series against the New Zealand and the Proteas to provide him with the impetus to play at the peak in the WC. "It is not just about playing the World Cup but it's about being in good form and being absolutely fit. I plan to build on it from this Kiwis series, then to South Africa series and so on."

Gambhir, VVS and Ishant return for test series against Kiwis

2010-10-26T11:21:00.003+05:30

India are back to their full power side as the three injured players - Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma, returned to the side for the three match test series against New Zealand. The above mentioned players had missed the 2nd test match against Australia at Bengaluru with injuries.

Ishant and Gambhir were stressed with knee problems and VVS had to bat with a runner, due to a bad back in that marathon chase at Mohali. Due to the injuries continued during the opening test at Mohali.

Gambhir would be under pressure to perform against the New Zealand. An in-form Murali Vijay, is breathing down Gambhir's neck.

Though Cheteshwar Pujara played an outstandingly well on his debut, retains his place, making a crucial 72 in a match winning chase, he will have to sit out of the playing eleven as Laxman would take his place. Suresh Raina would maintain to bat at No. 6, while an under pressure Dravid will get a chance at 3 to make some crucial runs before the arduous away tour of South Africa.

Yuvraj Singh, was again left dissatisfied when the selectors preferred Pujara as the standby batsman in case someone suffers an injury. Yuvraj Singh, has not played a test match since the 1st test against Sri Lanka at Galle where he scored 52 and 5.

Indian Test Squad: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, M Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, VVS Laxman, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra.

New Zealand in India 2010, Schedule

2010-10-21T10:46:00.005+05:30

3 Match Test Series Schedule
Date	Match Details	Time IST	Place
Nov 04 - 08	India v New Zealand, 1st Test Match Draw	09:30	Ahmedabad
Nov 12 - 16	India v New Zealand, 2nd Test	09:30	Hyderabad
Nov 20 - 24	India v New Zealand, 3rd Test	09:30	Nagpur

5 Match ODI Cricket Schedule
Date	Match Details	Time IST	Place
Nov 28 - Sun	India v New Zealand, 1st ODI	08:30	Guwahati
Dec 01 - Wed	India v New Zealand, 2nd ODI	14:30*	Chandigarh
Dec 04 - Sat	India v New Zealand, 3rd ODI	14:30*	Vadodara
Dec 07 - Tue	India v New Zealand, 4th ODI	14:30*	Bengaluru
Dec 10 - Fri	India v New Zealand, 5th ODI	14:30*	Chennai

* - Day-night Match...

Ricky is the right man to lead Aus for the Ashes: Warne

2010-10-20T11:21:00.003+05:30

While suggesting that Ricky Ponting is still the best man for the captaincy, Shane Warne has written on his own website that there was no rift between Ricky and himself, and that he never ever told that Ricky's time as Aussie captain is over.

Former Aussie players including Geoff Lawson have been advised Ricky to give up captaincy and focus on his batting which has seen a slump in the last few seasons. The issue has occupied abundance of airtime on sports talk back radio stations over the past week, but Warne doesn't agree with the many callers who think Ponting's reign should end.

"Ricky Ponting, to me, is the right man to lead Australia for the Ashes Test Series," Warne wrote. "It's a great opportunity for him to show his leadership skills. He also looks in super touch with the bat; I am sure he's going to fill his boots this summer.

"This Ashes series is going to be the biggest of his and the Australian team's career. I think Ricky is at his best when he shows his Tassie devil side which is, aggressive with a dash of flair."

Chris Gayle axed, Darren Sammy Named New WI Skipper

2010-10-18T10:36:00.003+05:30

The West Indies Cricket Board axed Chris Gayle as the captain of the national side, and replaced him with Darren Sammy, while installing Brendon Fraser as the vice-captain.

The West Indies will tour Sri Lanka for a 3 match Test series in November, and though Gayle has kept his place as part of the team, he is no longer the skipper. The move came after Gayle and Dwayne Bravo refused to sign central contracts with the WICB. Bravo was before the vice-captain under Gayle.

Gayle, Bravo and Pollard have all got profitable Twenty20 contracts, and are likely to be in high demand in the IPL Twenty20 auctions too, which has led to their refusing the WICB central contracts, which stipulated availability at all times for the West Indies.

Sammy, who is the Windward Islands captain, was not a regular member of the Test starting XI, but he now finds himself in the hot seat. His appointment as skipper and Fraser's as vice-captain will run till the end of the West Indies' home series in 2011. Sammy said he regarded the appointment as a distinction and an honour.

"Being appointed West Indies captain is an honour and distinction which I will treat with the highest regard and dignity," Sammy said. "I believe my captaincy of the Windward Islands, a young team which I have been molding into playing consistently spirited cricket, will stand me in good stead as West Indies captain as we work on building a team for the future.

India sweep the test series 2-0 against Australia

2010-10-13T15:45:00.008+05:30

Debutant batsman Cheteshwar Pujara proved an unlikely hero as India thrashed Australia by seven wickets in the 2nd and final Test on Wednesday to sweep the Test series 2-0.

Pujara hit 72 as the hosts, set 207 runs to win on a wearing wicket, cruised home soon after tea on the 5th and final day at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.

"University of Cricket” Sachin Tendulkar, who hit a double-century in the 1st innings, remained unbeaten on 53 as India enhanced their reputation as the world's No.1 Test side.

Ricky Ponting's Australia Team, preparing for next month's start of the Ashes series at home against England, slipped to 5th place behind the Indians, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the England.

Match Summary:

Aus 1st Innings 478/10 M. North 128 R. Ponting 77 H. Singh 4/148 P.Ojha 3/120	India 1st innings 495/10 S.Tendulkar 214 M. Vijay 139 M. Johnson 3/105
Aus 2nd innings 223/10 R. Ponting 72 Z. Khan 3/41 P. Ojha 3/57	India 2nd innings 207/3 C. Pujara 72 S. Tendulkar 53*

Man of the match: Sachin Tendulkar

Man of the Series: Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin crosses the 14,000 landmark

2010-10-11T10:27:00.003+05:30

In yet another first, India's all time great Sachin Tendulkar became the only person to scale the 14,000 landmark in Test cricket during their 2nd test match against Australia.

Needs 27 runs to reach the landmark, the 37-year-old cut Nathan Hauritz through cover point for a four and accomplished the feat in his 171st Test.

A packed Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd rose and gave the Indian little maestro a standing applause as Australian captain Ricky Ponting came up to congratulate Tendulkar. At 12178, Ponting remains Tendulkar's next-door rival.

Misbah-ul-Haq named Test skipper

2010-10-08T18:08:00.003+05:30

Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed skipper of Pakistan's Test side a day after he was recalled to the squad. Misbah-ul-Haq, who has been in and out of the Pakistan side was axed following the catastrophic tour of Australia in 2009-10, is Pakistan's 4rth Test captain this year. Shahid Afridi has been retained as the captain of the ODI and T20 team.

Former Test Captain Younis Khan however failed to get the nod of the selectors, something that was seen as a surprising choice by the cricketing fraternity in Pakistan.

Taufeeq Umar makes a surprise recall to the squad, after a long gap of 4 years and will be looking to cement his place in the squad.

Zulqarnain Haider, who daunted on his debut in England Test Series, has been included at the cost of Kamran Akmal.

Pakistan Test team: Misbah ul Haq (capt), Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal. Azhar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria, Abdur Rehman, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir.

Pakistan ODI & T20 Squad: Shahid Afridi(Captain), Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Tanveer Ahmed, Zulqarnain Haider.

Gautam, Ishant sharma ruled out of 2nd Test against Aus

2010-10-07T10:18:00.003+05:30

In a huge blow to the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma were ruled out of the 2nd Test against Australia due to knee injuries while VVS Laxman was rendered doubtful on account of back spasms.

The celebrations of a narrow 1-wicket win over the Australia had not even ended when the Indians were left to deal with the twin loss ahead of the 2nd and final match of the test series scheduled from October 9 in Bangalore.

"I have an injury and I won't be playing in the Bangalore Test," Gautam Gambhir told PTI.

The BCCI named batsman Abhinav Mukund and fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat as replaces for Gambhir and Ishant sharma.

"Gambhir and Ishant have been ruled out of the 2nd Test against Australia in Bangalore, on number of injuries to their right knees."

"The All-India Selection Committee has picked Abhinav Mukund and Jaydev Unadkat in their place. Mukund and Unadkat will be replaced in the squads for the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy by Harpreet Singh and Pankaj Singh respectively," BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

While Mukund plays for India Red, Unadkat represents India Green in the tournament.

It was one of my best knocks: VVS Laxman

2010-10-06T11:16:00.000+05:30

After single-handedly guiding India to a 1-wicket victory over Australia in the nail-biting 1st Test, VVS Laxman termed his unbeaten 73 as one of his best innings of his career.

"It is definitely one of my best innings. I have always enjoyed batting in such situations and I feel disappointed if I do not perform in such situations. I was able to deliver," he said after helping India taken unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

"Whatever knock you play, if it helps the team in winning it feels really satisfying," he added.

VVS Laxman gave credit to the tailenders Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha for supporting him in completing a unforgettable win.

"It was a great effort from Ishant at the other end because with an injured leg he played and showed his character. He displayed great temperament. The partnership with Ishant was very important," said Laxman.

"All our tailenders take a lot of pride in their batting and they work really hard on their batting," he said.

Asked about how he reserved his best for the Australians, Laxman said, "You always feel good when you play well against Australia. Each session, the fortunes were fluctuating."

Injured Laxman guides India to nail biting 1 wicket victory

2010-10-05T14:46:00.000+05:30

VVS Laxman defied a back injury to make an unbeaten 73 as India rushed a amazing 1-wicket victory from the jaws of overcome in the first Test against Australia on Tuesday.

In a nail biting encounter, India sealed the cliffhanger by 1 wicket. India thrashed Australia in the1st Test of two-match series here at PCA ground in Mohali on Tuesday.

It was the Very Very Special Laxaman innings, which helped Team India to take 1-0 lead in the two test-series.

VVS Laxman made crucial 9th wicket partnership with Ishant Sharma (31) to take India close to the target of 216 runs.

However, Ishant Sharma fell prey to wrong decision of umpire Ian Gould, bringing Australia back to the match.

But After several ups and down, Laxman and Pragyan Ojha took India home. It must be one of the greatest innings by Laxman, who was playing with a runner due to back stiff.

Earlier, Zaheer and Sachin Tendulkar started final day's proceedings on positive note but Zaheer khan was dismissed by spinner Hauritz for 10 runs.

Later, Tendulkar and Laxman embarked on run chase brilliantly but confident Sachin Tendulkar was caught at Gully region off Bollinger for 38.

After Tendulkar’s dismissal India lost skipper Dhoni (2) and Harbhajan Singh (2) in fast session.

Credit should go to Ishant Sharma, who shown brilliant spirit against might Australian fast bowling attack.

Sharma's crucial partnership with Laxman helped India to win the Mohali Test.

Match Summary:

Aus won the toss elected to bat first

Aus 1st innings: 428 all out
S. Watson 126
T. Paine 92

Z. Khan 5/94
H. Singh 3/114

Aus 2nd innings: 192 all out
S. Watson 56

Z. khan 3/43
I. Sharma 3/34

India 1st innings: 405 all out
S. Tendulkar 98
S. Raina 86

M.Johnson 5/64

India 2nd innings: 216/9

VVS Laxman 73 not out

B. Hilfenhaus 4/57

Man of the Match: Zaheer Khan

Australia in India 2010, Schedule

Kumble appointed the chairman of the NCA

2010-09-30T14:38:00.000+05:30

Anil Kumble on Wednesday was appointed the chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA)by the BCCI.

"Kumble is an excellent cricketer. He has the knowledge of the game and is Bangalore-based. So he can look after the academy very well," BCCI president Shashank Manohar said on the assessment taken at the annual general meeting.

"The Board has purchased about 50 acres of land in Bangalore where the Board is developing its academy. According to all of us, Kumble is the excellent choice for that post," Manohar said.

When asked about his commitments when playing for IPL, Manohar replied "He does not work for 365 days for the Bangalore franchise; neither will he work for 365 days for the NCA. We have a director in Sandeep Patil to look after cricket."

Clarke wary of India's bowling ability

2010-09-29T10:34:00.000+05:30

Australian Vice-Captain Michael Clarke is hopeful his team will be able to counter India's bowling attack in home conditions in a two-Test series starting on 1st Oct 2010.

The hosts' attack has been supported with the return of left-arm Fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who was forced to miss a recent Test series in Sri Lanka due to an injury.

"Zaheer and Ishant Sharma are two very good bowlers of reverse swing. It can be very hard to combat at times and we have experienced that in the past," Clarke told reporters in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

"But we've been preparing and batting against reverse swing and against spin bowling too. Hopefully, come Friday, we'll be able to do well."

Harbhajan leads India's spin attack, having already given a good account of himself against the Australians with 79 wickets in 14 Tests.

The off-spinner rose to fame in 2001 when he took 32 wickets in three Tests series against Steve Waugh's Australians to lead his side to a stunning 2-1 series victory at home.

"Every player plays spin differently. I think individually we all have a plan and it's all about trying to adapt to the pitch conditions and the bowler," said Clarke.

"I have a plan against the spinners and will try to stick to that. Hopefully, it works."

Australia, who lost the last Test series in India in 2008, will play the opening Test in Mohali and the second match in Bangalore. The Tests will be followed by three ODI internationals.

Shahid Afridi hinted at a return to Test Cricket

2010-09-27T11:22:00.000+05:30

Pakistan ODI skipper Shahid Afridi hints at test return Friday as the team returned from what he called the ‘most difficult’ tour of his 14 year career in England.

The corruption-tainted tour ended Wednesday with England taking the ODI series 3-2 after an Afridi-led Pakistani fightback had levelled the series. Pakistan also lost the Test series, 3-1.

"The best part of the whole tour was that the players showed unity even in difficult times and gave a good fight in the ODI series against England," Afridi told a scrum of reporters outside Karachi airport.

"I will think about it and if the team needs it, I may consider playing the Test series against South Africa," added the explosive all-rounder.

After a 4 year break, Afridi came out of Test retirement this summer only to quit after one game when Australia won Pakistan by 150 runs at Lord's in July.

Pietersen included in England squad for Ashes Series

2010-09-24T10:02:00.000+05:30

The England selectors named a 16-member tour party under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss for the Ashes Test series in Australia with faster Chris Tremlett and spinner Monty Panesar both recalled to the test squad.

Tremlett, who won the last of his 3 Test caps against India in 2007, is recalled to the England set-up for the 1st time since the tour of New Zealand in 2008, while Monty Panesar wins a place in the tour party after a successful domestic season which saw him take 52 first-class wickets for his Sussex team.

Surrey's Steven Davies has been named as England's deputy wicketkeeper behind Sussex's Matt Prior and is the only member of the squad uncapped at Test Cricket level.

Also included in the team was the high profile Kevin Pietersen, who had tired a brief spell out of the team through the limited-overs matches against Pakistan.

The selectors also named 11 players to be awarded 12-month England central contracts with Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott and Middlesex pace bowler Steven Finn each winning a central contract for the first time. A further five players have been awarded incremental contracts.

England Ashes Squad: Andrew Strauss (c), Alastair Cook, Chris Tremlett, Eoin Morgan, Graeme Swann, Ian Bell, James Anderson, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Monty Panesar, Paul Collingwood, Steve Davies, Steven Finn, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan

Indian squad announced for Aus Test Series

2010-09-20T16:18:00.000+05:30

Cheteshwar Pujara, after his excellent performances in the recent times, finally he get the place in the Indian team when the selectors met at Chennai to select the team for the Test series against Australia.

Gautam Gambhir also returned to the Indian squad after missing out of the last two Test match against Sri Lanka while the youngsters Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay retained their places in the team.

Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman were the regular choices.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh and Faster Zaheer Khan also returned from their wound layoffs to boost the Indian bowling attack.

Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth were the other seamers in the team while both spinners Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra were included.

India Team: MS Dhoni (c & w), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, M Vijay, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Sreesanth and Amit Mishra

Flintoff announced retirement from all cricket

2010-09-17T11:25:00.000+05:30

English All-rounder Andrew Flintoff announced his retirement from all forms of the game in a statement after being told by his doctor that his knee could no longer stand the rigours of top level sport.

"It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today (Thursday) announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket," former England captain Flintoff said in a statement released by his agents, International Sports Management.

"The decision to end my career came yesterday after consultation with medical advisers," added the 32-year-old all-rounder, who quit the Test format after helping England regain the Ashes last year.

Flintoff underwent knee surgery last August and needed a second operation in January before returning to training with Lancashire in June. Hopes of an early comeback were shelved, however, and he missed the entire county season.

He will always be remembered for his performances in the 2005 Ashes when his destructive bowling helped England beat Australia in a series for the first time since 1987.

Flintoff made his England debut in 1998 and went on to play 79 tests and 141 one-day internationals, scoring 3,845 test runs, including five centuries at an average of 31.77.

He took 226 test wickets and scored 3,394 runs in ODIs, taking 169 wickets in that format.

He captained his country for the first time in 2006 in India but was also in charge for a disastrous 2006-7 tour when Australia gained revenge for their 2005 series defeat -- thrashing England 5-0.

At the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean he became embroiled in controversy when he had to be rescued from the sea after taking out a pedalo after a night out. He was subsequently stripped of the vice-captaincy.

His popularity never waned, however, and despite ankle surgery he was selected for the 2009 Ashes squad.

India-Aus series important for cricket: Lawson

2010-09-08T16:55:00.000+05:30

Former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson considers the forthcoming Australia tour of India 2010 as a very important tour in the conditions of the 'spot-fixing' scandal that has engulfed the game.

"This series is very important. A good, tough and hard series before the Ashes Series will do a whole world of good for the Australian team. People's faith in the game will return if they see good cricket. They will start thinking about the current action, not the one which has happened in the past," said Lawson.

"If the players play good cricket, the public will forget what's gone before. The people want their heroes to play well. There wasn't a hero in this argument," he said.

The former cricketer, who was the coach of the Pakistan team for two years and has seen the spot-fixing tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir from close quarters, was secure the game would come out of the latest scandal as it has done several times in the past.

"Cricket is a very resilient game. People in Australia are looking forward to this series as well as the Ashes. The game will move on if better and competitive cricket is played at regular intervals," said Lawson when asked whether the game can bounce back in style.

India in England 2011, Schedule

2010-08-30T10:56:00.001+05:30

England will host Test, Twenty20 and ODI series against India in 2011, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Thursday.

London Lord's ground will stage its 1st Test during a four-match test series between England and India that will be followed by a Twenty20 international and five ODI internationals.

Date	Match Details	Time	Place
Jul 21 - 25	England v India, 1st Test	-	Lord's, London
Jul 29 - Aug 02	England v India, 2nd Test	-	Nottingham
Aug 10 - 14	England v India, 3rd Test	-	Birmingham
Aug 18 - 22	England v India, 4th Test	-	London
Aug 31 - Wed	England v India, Only T20I	-	Manchester
Sep 03 - Sat	England v India, 1st ODI	-	Chester-le-Street
Sep 06 - Tue	England v India, 2nd ODI	-	Southampton
Sep 09 - Fri	England v India, 3rd ODI	-	London
Sep 11 - Sun	England v India, 4th ODI	-	Lord's, London
Sep 16 - Fri	England v India, 5th ODI	-	Cardiff, Wales

Sri Lanka in England 2011, Schedule

2010-08-27T17:36:00.000+05:30

England will host Test and ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2011, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Thursday.

Hampshire's Rose Bowl ground will stage its 1st Test during a three-match test series between England and Sri Lanka that will be followed by a Twenty20 international and five ODI internationals.

Date	Match Details	Time	Place
May 26 - 30	England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test	-	Cardiff, Wales
Jun 03 - 07	England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test	-	Lord's, London
Jun 16 - 20	England v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test	-	Southampton

Jun 25	England v Sri Lanka, Only T20I	-	Bristol

Jun 28	England v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI	-	London
Jul 01	England v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI	-	Leeds
Jul 03	England v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI	-	Chester-le-Street
Jul 06	England v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI	-	Nottingham
Jul 09	England v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI	-	Manchester

Panicky Pakistan end England with winning streak

2010-08-23T12:17:00.000+05:30

Pakistan won the 3rd Test at The Oval by beating England by 4 wickets - the hosts lead the four match series 2-1 in Test Series.

Pakistan's triumph was their 4th at The Oval - but only their first over England since Lahore in December 2005 - and sets up a mouthwatering contest next week at Lord's for the 4th and final test.

Chasing 148 to succeed the tourists had reached 115 for 3 at lunch with experienced person Mohammad Yousuf 22 not out and looked well set for an easy victory.

England given a twinkle of hope just before the break when Graeme Swann had skipper Salman Butt caught at slip for 48, to give him his 2nd wicket of the innings.

Swann blocked up one end with his off spin but at the other runs were coming freely as Butt and Imran Farhat looking determined to finish things early got Pakistan past 50 in the eight over after they had lost opener Yasir Hameed to the fourth ball of the innings and the first he had faced.

Pakistan were directly put on the back foot when Hamed edged James Anderson to second slip, Swann wanted two attempts to hold on to the chance and leave Pakistan 5 for 1.

Farhat made 33 before he was leg before to Swann, the only bowler who gave skipper Andrew Strauss any control whatsoever. Butt nearly saw his team home, making his 48 runs from 64 balls but he was neatly caught by Paul Collingwood, again off Swann, just before lunch.

Mohammad Aamer recorded his Test best figures of 5-52 to give Pakistan a good chance of pulling one Test back in the series.

England who lost six wickets for 26 runs in a frantic period on Friday night could only add one run to their overnight total of 221 with Steve Finn getting off the mark.

Winning Ashes 5-0 “absolutely possible”: Ricky Ponting

2010-08-17T14:21:00.000+05:30

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said Monday it was "absolutely possible" that his team could reclaim the Ashes with a 5-0 sweep against England later this year.

Ponting, who lost the Ashes for a 2nd time as a skipper in the 2-1 series defeat in England last year, said the Australians had learnt from their mistakes and were a better side than the last Ashes contest.

Australia have slipped to 4th, narrowly ahead of England, in the Test rankings after their 1-1 drawn Test series against 6th ranked Pakistan in England last month.

But Ponting, who met Cricket Australia officials in Melbourne on Monday to map out preparations for the November-January Ashes series, is unconcerned.

"It's absolutely possible. There's no reason why not," Ponting told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when asked about a 5-0 Ashes sweep. "It's all in our hands. It's how well we play and how well we take charge of different situations.

"We've learnt from a lot of the mistakes that we've made. There's no doubt we made some mistakes in the last Ashes series in England that probably at the end of the day cost us the series.

"We know now that we're a more experienced and probably a better team now than we were then. We put that together plus we're playing in our conditions, we hope to win this series and win it well.

"I've got confidence in the squad of players that we've got that they are going to be good enough to win an Ashes series."

I have never taken anything for granted: Sachin

2010-08-13T11:54:00.000+05:30

Sachin has played five cricket World Cups in a career spanning over 20 years and Sachin Tendulkar says he has never taken anything for granted in life and always depended on his hard work.

Sachin, who gears up for his 6th World Cup to be held in the sub-continent, said he can't thank the massive more for all that he has achieved in his life.

"I'm very lucky to have played in five World Cups so far. God has been very kind to me to have given me good health and with that, fair amount of runs as well. I'm very happy and very grateful with whatever has come my way," said Sachin on this week's ICC Cricket World Cup Radio Show.

"I treasure each and every moment as I have not taken anything for granted. I have worked hard for everything I have achieved and will continue to do so. I'm just very happy, excited and extremely thankful to the Almighty," he added.

Flat pitches made Ind-SL series dull: Akram

2010-08-09T11:18:00.000+05:30

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram feels apart from Sachin Tendulkar's fabulous form the just-concluded Test series between India and Sri Lanka turned out to be a rather "dull" matter due to placid tracks.

Akram was disappointed with the way the fast bowlers were hammered during the three-match test series in Sri Lanka.

"Fast bowlers got murdered and it was not fun at all, believe me. The 1-1 draw is a fair result but it has to be said that apart from two or three brilliant performances, it was a dull series," said Akram.

But the former left-arm pacer praised Tendulkar for his performance in the series, during which he also became the most capped Test player in the world.

"Sachin was tremendous in the series. He scored those runs in the hour of need. Also, his double ton in the second game at the SSC, that helped India save the Test, was one of the highlights of the series," Akram said.

"Laxman got an amazing hundred under pressure, India were struggling at 62 for four and his contribution went a long way towards the successful Indian chase. Experience is very important in Test cricket and Laxman executed it by staying right there till the end," he added.

Akram was felt a strong batting line-up gave India the decisive edge in the series.

"India have got a very strong batting attack with Rahul Dravid and Sachin coming in at three and four, Laxman comes at five, Suresh Raina at six and Mahendra Singh Dhoni at seven.

So this experienced line-up augers well for them," he said.

Besides, Akram said dashing opener Virender Sehwag once again redefined aggressive batting in the series.

"Sehwag is a phenomenal player. It does not matter whether he is playing Twenty20s or ODIs or Tests, he never changes his game and that's where his strength lies. He has such strong and quick reflexes.. He judges the line and length of the ball to perfection and plays positive attacking strokes," he said.

"He has almost single-handedly changed the approach of an opening batsman. Instead of the conventional thinking that openers have to weather the new-ball storm, Sehwag takes the attack to the bowlers and forces them on the backfoot," he added.

Virender Sehwag - Fastest Indian batsman to reach 7000

2010-08-06T18:37:00.000+05:30

Virender Sehwag became the 6th Indian batsman to score 7000 Test runs during his unbeaten knock of 97 on the 2nd day(04/08/2010) of the 3rd Test against Sri Lanka. Sehwag reached the milestone during the final session of play when he scored a single off Lasith Malinga.

Virender Sehwag, who was playing in his 79th Test, became the 38th batsman overall to have scored 7000 runs in Test cricket.

Sunil Gavaskar was the 1st Indian to complete 7000 runs in Test cricket many years ago, while the other Indians in the list include Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. Virender Sehwag also became the fastest Indian to have reached the landmark of 7000.

Sachin completed 48th Test Century

2010-07-29T09:43:00.000+05:30

Indian Batsman Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century to lead India's fight back in the 2nd Test after Sri Lanka's bowling attack ran through the top order.

The world's leading international run-scorer (ODI & Test) was unbeaten on 108 as India, replying to Sri Lanka's 642-4 declared, recovered to 382-4 by stumps on the third day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Tendulkar, an experienced person of 168 Tests, reached his 5th hundred this year by sweeping Randiv to the square-leg fence for his 13th boundary.

India in South Africa 2010-11, Series Schedule

2010-07-26T15:39:00.002+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time IST	Place
Dec 16 - 20	South Africa v India, 1st Test SA won by innings & 25 runs	14:00	Centurion
Dec 26 - 30	South Africa v India, 2nd Test Ind won by 87 runs	14:00	Durban
Jan 02 - 06	South Africa v India, 3rd Test Match drawn	14:00	Cape Town
Jan 09 - Sun	South Africa v India, Only T20I Ind won by 21 runs	-	Durban
Jan 12 - Wed	South Africa v India, 1st ODI SA won by 135 runs	-	Durban
Jan 15 - Sat	South Africa v India, 2nd ODI Ind won by 1 runs	-	Johannesburg
Jan 18 - Tue	South Africa v India, 3rd ODI Ind won by 2 wickets	-	Cape Town
Jan 21 - Fri	South Africa v India, 4th ODI	-	Port Elizabeth
Jan 23 - Sun	South Africa v India, 5th ODI	-	Centurion

The Ashes Series 2010-11

Lasith Malinga out of 2nd Test, Mendis returns

2010-07-24T13:12:00.000+05:30

In a major gust to Sri Lanka, fast bowler Lasith Malinga was ruled out of the squad for the 2nd Test because of ‘stiffness in his knee’.

Lasith Malinga was off the field for large parts of the fifth day of the 1st Test, and walked with clear trouble on occasions. Chairman of selectors Aravinda de Silva said Malinga was rested on the advice of team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek.

Malinga will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando in the squad.

"We have to be cautious with Malinga. He was not feeling quite fit to go through a five-day Test. He complained of stiffness in his knee," de Silva said. "We are closely monitoring Malinga's fitness and we are hopeful he will be fully fit for the third Test starting in ten days time."

The second Test starts on July 26, while the third is scheduled from August 3.

In other changes, unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis made his way back into the team after picking up 6-67 against the Indians in a practice match, while Mahela Jayawardene was made the vice-captain of the squad. The earlier vice-captain had been Muttiah Muralitharan.

Ponting joins Tendulkar in 12,000 landmark

2010-07-23T16:05:00.000+05:30

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting became only the 2nd batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to score 12,000 Test runs when he reached the landmark against Pakistan on Thursday.

Ponting's edged a four runs to 3rd man off left-arm fast Mohammad Aamer on the 2nd day of the 2nd Test at Headingley gave him the 40 runs he wanted to reach the landmark in what was his 247th innings in his 146th Test.

Sachin Tendulkar also reaches the 12,000 mark in the same number of innings.

Ricky Ponting is one of the outstanding batsmen of his generation and has scored 39 Test hundreds, second only to Tendulkar's record mark of 47.

But the India star made his Test debut in 1990 - five years before the 35-year-old Ricky Ponting's debut - and has played 21 more matches at this level than the Australia batting great.

Tendulkar, 37-year-old, is the only batsman in Test history to have scored more than 13,000 runs. His tally stands at 13,539 runs from 273 innings in 167 matches with 47 hundreds, including a best of 248 not out, at an average of 55.48.

Sri Lanka beat India after Murali's 800 wicket-mark

2010-07-23T11:37:00.000+05:30

Muttiah Muralitharan retired with 800 Test wickets as Sri Lanka won India by 10 wickets in their first Test match.

The crafty off-spinner had last man Pragyan Ojha caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene to reach the 800 wicket landmark and finished India's 2nd innings in the post-lunch session of the final day's play.

India, who were made to follow on 244 runs behind, were bowled out for 338 in their second inning, leaving Sri Lanka a modest target of 95 runs in the opening match of the three-Test series.

The hosts cruised home without losing a wicket as Tharanga Paranavitana followed his 1st-innings century with 23 not out and Tillakaratne Dilshan ruined an unbeaten 68 off 47 balls.

Dilshan signalled the emphatic win by lofting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh over long-on for six.

Muralitharan, 38, who has taken more Test (800) and one-day (515) wickets than any bowler in history, remains open to playing limited-overs games.

India, the top-ranked Test side, have not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since 1993.

Muralitharan reached 800-wicket mark in Test Cricket

2010-07-22T14:41:00.000+05:30

Retiring world record bowling holder Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka clams 800-wicket mark with his last delivery in Test cricket on Thursday.

Muralitharan, 38, had last man Pragyan Ojha caught at 1st slip by Mahela Jayawardene to end India's 2nd innings after lunch on the final day of the 1st Test at the Galle.

Muralitharan, who has more Test (800) and one-day (515) wickets than any bowler in history, will retire from Test cricket after the 1st test match.

India, who were made to follow on 244 runs behind, were all out for 338 in their 2nd innings.

Sri Lanka needs 95 to win the 1st Test and take the lead in the three-match series.

The Ashes Series, 2010-11

2010-07-22T11:29:00.000+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time GMT	Place
Nov 25 - 29	Australia v England, 1st Test	00:01	Brisbane
Dec 03 - 07	Australia v England, 2nd Test	23:03	Adelaide
Dec 16 - 20	Australia v England, 3rd Test	02:30	Perth
Dec 26 - 30	Australia v England, 4th Test	00:01	Melbourne
Jan 03 - 07	Australia v England, 5th Test	00:01	Sydney

India in South Africa 2010-11, Schedule

Malik expect to replace Afridi for 2nd Test against Aus

2010-07-20T11:03:00.000+05:30

Former captain Shoaib Malik is set to replace Shahid Afridi in the Pakistan playing eleven for the 2nd Test against Australia at Headingley, which is also possible to see the return of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Sources said Pakistan will make two changes in the playing XI that lost to Australia by 150 runs in the 1st Test at Lord's.

Malik will replace Shahid Afridi, who has announced retirement from Test cricket, while Saeed Ajmal is likely to come in place of Danish Kaneria, they said.

Malik has actually convinced the team management that he can still contribute to the side after being axed from the first Test squad following his lack of significance in practice sessions.

"We know that he did not play any cricket in between the Lord's and Headingley so his form has got nothing to do with his selection. We have achieved what we wanted to and since he has scored fifty in the last Test he has played, he would be there in the team," according to 'The News'.

Pakistan undergo a humiliating 150-run defeat against Australia in the first Test last week and Malik's addition will bolster the batting as he is the senior-most players in absence of Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan.

Grand farewell planned for Muralitharan at Galle

2010-07-16T15:22:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka Cricket has deliberated a grand farewell for Muttiah Muralitharan, who will play his last Test against India from Sunday, but they will not prepare a tailor-made pitch to aid the spin wizard.

He is just eight wickets shy of touching the miraculous 800-wicket, but SLC officials say Muralitharan does not need a pitch suiting his style as he can strike on any pitch.

The cricket authorities have invited all former Test skippers to witness the Test and has even formed a special Muralitharan Farewell Committee to organize the show.

"We are planning to give him a good send-off and we will ensure that the event is memorable," SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga told PTI.

SLC will organize a brief event before the commencement of the 1st Test and a grand felicitation at the end of the match.

According to officials, the 38 year old bowler will be welcomed by the local bands from Galle District when he will enter the stadium on the first day.

All former chairmen and secretaries of the board have been invited to witness the farewell Test match and the Galle cricket ground is being spruced up for the occasion.

We will definitely miss Zaheer and Sreesanth: Dhoni

2010-07-13T11:52:00.000+05:30

The absence of pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth will be a big setback for the team, according to Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who reckons it will give an opportunity for young pacers to show their worth in the Test series against Sri Lanka.

Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of the series due to a shoulder injury while Sreesanth has sprained a ligament of his left knee and will be replaced by Munaf Patel in the test squad.

"It has happened with us in the past. In the past also we have lost our main bowlers just before an important series. We will definitely miss Zaheer and Sreesanth during the series," MS Dhoni told reporters.

He, however, felt that the circumstance was an ideal opportunity for non-regular bowlers of the team to show their worth.

"It is a great platform for young bowlers to prove their mettle and seal their place in the side," Dhoni said.

To make matters inferior for India, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is down with a fever and has been ruled out of the practice match.

"Harbhajan is not playing tomorrow. He has got a viral infection but he is expected to be fit for the first Test," Dhoni said.

Muttiah Muralitharan, who will quit Test cricket after the 1st Test against the Indians, Dhoni said his batting contemporaries will do their best to make it difficult for the Lankan spinner to attain the 800-wicket mark, a feat for which he needs just eight scalps.

"Murali is great bowler but we will make it tough for him in the series. He will have to earn his wickets," he said.

Dhoni also said that he was not in favour of the Decision Review System which will make its preface in next year's World Cup in the sub-continent.

"I am not in favour of the review system. I feel it should be used only when it is 99 per cent accurate," the wicket-keeper batsman said of the DRS which will not be a part of the forthcoming series.

Get Flintoff back for Ashes Series: Ian Chappell

2010-07-09T13:15:00.000+05:30

Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell has asked England to take prompt from the Bodyline series and talk into all-rounder Andrew Flintoff to come out of Test retirement if they desire to win the Ashes later this year.

After watching Ricky Ponting's struggle against the short balls since last one year, Chappell believes Andrew Strauss should use Flintoff the similar way former England captain Douglas Jardine had utilized Harold Larwood to remove Don Bradman in the infamous bodyline series of 1932-33.

"Jardine was quick to realise that you need good fast bowling to win in Australia. Jardine not only provided Larwood with a blueprint for unsettling Bradman, he also made sure he had plenty of fast bowling back-up. England currently have a flexible attack but the one thing they lack is a man with the speed, accuracy and aura to shake up good batsmen on bouncy Australian pitches," said Chappell.

"The one England bowler with those testimonial is Flintoff. Strauss would be wise to advise Flintoff that if he's fit, he'd like him in the touring party, even if it's just for two or three specific Tests," Chappell said.

Flintoff retired Test cricket after England's Ashes win last year but he is now gearing up to make a first-class comeback with Lancashire after going under the knife to fix his knee problems.

Muralitharan has announced his retirement

2010-07-07T12:51:00.000+05:30

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has announced his retirement from all international cricket, after the 1st Test of the 3-match series against India, which will begin on July 18.

Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in Test matches as well as ODIs, with 792 wickets in 132 Tests and 515 wickets in 337 ODIs.

He had announced last year that he would be retiring in Test matches after the home series against the West Indies in November 2010, but has now advanced the date. However, he could make himself available for the 2011 World Cup that is to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and will start in February 2011.

One of the world's finest exponents of spin bowling, Murali's career has spanned a staggering 18 years, most of which he spent dazzling the world, and a few of which were dogged by allegations of chucking, notably in Australia, where he was called for throwing on two occasions - by umpires Darrell Hair and Ross Emerson.

He has said that it is difficult to bowl long spell for him and is expected to play T20 cricket. He plays for reigning IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, who are due to play in the Champions T20 league in September in South Africa.

“I am a Sehwag fan" says Haynes

2010-07-06T14:56:00.000+05:30

Former West Indies opener Desmond Haynes concedes that he is a big fan of Virender Sehwag and says he hardly misses an occasion to watch the dashing Indian right-hander in action.

"I am a Sehwag fan. If he is batting anywhere I make sure to watch him," Haynes said.

Desmond Haynes also issued some word of guidance to Sehwag, who according to him "has the ability to take any bowler to the park".

"Sehwag should now realise that every one will bowl very close to his body and hence he should practice to play more shots off his body," says Haynes, who is in Dubai to do a coaching clinic, told Gulf News.

Haynes, also praised Yuvraj Singh and said he was happy to see Yuvraj return to the Indian Test team.

"Another exciting player for me is Yuvraj Singh and I am glad he is being given the chance again to play Test series against Sri Lanka," he said.

Haynes, who reckons Sunil Gavaskar as the "best opener the world has ever seen", said among the bowlers he faced New Zealand legend Richard Hadlee was the most fearsome.

"There are guys who could bowl at 100 miles an hour but they don't make you play every delivery. Hadlee is one who is always at you all the time and makes you defend your wicket all the time," he said.

Australia in India 2010, Schedule

2010-06-29T19:49:00.006+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time	Venue
Oct 01 - 05	India v Australia, 1st Test Ind won by 1 wickets	9.30	Mohali
Oct 09 - 13	India v Australia, 2nd Test	9.30	Bengaluru
Oct 17 - Sun	India v Australia, 1st ODI	9.00	Kochi
Oct 20 - wed	India v Australia, 2nd ODI*	14.30	Vizak
Oct 24 - Sun	India v Australia, 3rd ODI	9.00	Margao

Australia v Pakistan in England 2010

Sehwag continues his number one position in ICC Ranking

2010-06-08T16:19:00.000+05:30

The glitzy Virender Sehwag continues his number one position in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen and India also held on to its top spot in the latest ICC ranking chart.

Virendar Sehwag is a leading the list with 863 points and is followed by South Africa's Hashim Amla (842) and Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (836).

Left-handed opening batsman Gautam Gambhir (824) and Sachin Tendulkar (805) are the other two Indian batsmen in top-10 at number six and seven positions respectively.

VVS Laxman (14) and Rahul Dravid (16) also had their rankings unmoved.

In the bowlers list, India have two players in the top-10 with paceman Zaheer Khan placed at number six followed by spinner Harbhajan Singh at number 7.

In the teams list, India are at the top with 124 points followed by South Africa 120 points and Australia 119 points.

India in Sri Lanka Test Series 2010

2010-06-04T11:27:00.000+05:30

Date	Match Details	Time(IST)	Venue
Jul 18 - 22	India v Sri Lanka, 1st Test Sri won by 10 wickets	10.00	Galle
Jul 26 - 30	India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test Match Drawn	10.00	Colombo
Aug 3 - 07	India v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test Ind won by 5 wickets	10.00	Dambulla

Tri-angle Series In Sri Lanka, 2010

Laxman practices on grate for Sri Lanka tour

2010-06-03T14:06:00.000+05:30

Leaving no stone untwisted in his preparation for next month's Sri Lanka tour, stylish batsman VVS Laxman is practising on grate wickets to fine-tune his technique against spinners.

VVS Laxman said playing spinners well would be critical to the team's success in Sri Lanka and he was not taking any chance.

"For the last two weeks, I have been practicing hard for the coming Sri Lanka tour. I am playing on the gravel pitches to fine-tune my technique as Sri Lanka has some quality spinners in Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan," said the elegant stroke player.

"They also have some other good slow bowlers like Rangana Herath. I want to do well and start the season on a high," he said.

"Two years back when we toured Sri Lanka we lost the series 1-2. This time we want to turn things around," said

India will tour Sri Lanka in July-August for a three-match Test series and a triangular one-day series with New Zealand as the 3rd team.

The first Test match will start on July 10 at Galle while the remaining two matches are scheduled in Colombo and Dambulla on July 18-22 and July 26-30 respectively.

It is, however, Australia which brings out the best in VVS Laxman and Laxman said he was waiting to strut his stuff against the old enemies when the Aussies tour India later this year.

"Australia will tour India in winter and it's always a great enjoyment to host them," Laxman said.

"Australia is a highly competitive side in Test cricket and I hope to present a tough challenge to them. We want to repeat our earlier performances on home soil where we have always won against them," he said.

Dwelling on the second-string Indian team playing a tri-series in Zimbabwe, Laxman said these are the players who would take over from the seniors.

"The team in Zimbabwe is a very talented one and the boys have that killer sense in them. The match against Sri Lanka was indication of this fact where they crushed them in a comprehensive manner. These youngsters are the future of the country," Laxman said.

Afridi will lead Pak in all three formats of Cricket

2010-05-25T16:19:00.000+05:30

Pakistan's T20 skipper Shahid Afridi is all set to take over the wheel of the ODI and Test side as well for the upcoming Asia Cup and the tour of England.

Although the board was yet to make a formal announcement in this hold, sources confirmed that Afridi along with team manager Yawar Saeed today met Butt in his office to discuss the future tours where the glitzy all-rounder was offered the captaincy for all three formats of the game.

"The meeting also discussed the situation in view of yesterday's meeting of the National Assembly standing committee on sports which recommended that the bans and fines on players be removed," a source said.

"Afridi was asked by the chairman whether he had any problems accepting Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik back in the team and he said he was fine with their presence in the Test side," the source added.

This is the 1st time that Afridi will lead Pakistan in Tests and the all-rounder himself has not played any since mid 2006 in England.

"Yawar's presence indicates how powerful a role he is wielding these days in the cricket affairs because he was the one who convinced Afridi to make himself available for the Tests as well," another source said.

After their meeting, Afridi and Butt went into a discussion with the national selection committee at the Gaddafi stadium for the finalisation of the names of 30 probables for the Asia Cup and England tour.

Pakistan, after playing in the Asia Cup in June, will leave for England to play 2 Test series against Australia and then a 4 Test series against England.

They will also feature in four Twenty20 internationals and 5 one-dayers on the tour. Afridi recently led Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in the West Indies where they lost to Australia in the semi-finals.