Cricket

 An unreal Kieron Pollard blitz transformed a daunting run chase into a cakewalk for Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede, as he tore the match from Sunrisers Hyderabad's grip in a seven-ball stretch that yielded 36. At the end of the assault, Mumbai dethroned Chennai Super Kings and rose to No.1.

Sixes rained down on a delirious Mumbai crowd, whom for much of the run chase may have anticipated the hosts' first loss at home this season. But with 62 needed from the last four overs, 29 was plundered in the 17th from Thisara Perera, in which he bowled three balls in Pollard's slot and was duly smashed over the straight boundary three times, after Rohit Sharma had already hit a six earlier in the over.

Pollard had had no answer to an intense Dale Steyn, who conceded only four runs in the 16th over, making a turnaround seem all the more unlikely. But Sunrisers' supporting cast could not muster death-over competence, and the 21-runs off Amit Mishra's 18th over effectively sealed the match for Mumbai. Having been 9 runs off 10 balls at the end of Steyn's over, Pollard finished with 66 from 27, ending the match with two massive leg-side sixes off Perera, whose confidence was clearly shattered by then. Pollard bludgeoned eight sixes in all, and one four, and despite Steyn's final over going for only five, Mumbai reaped 67 from the last 21 balls of the match.

The late heroics had followed 16 overs of somewhat meandering batting from Mumbai, who attacked in bursts, but seemed largely content to allow the asking rate to mount - perhaps anticipating a late rally, though even they could not have imagined that Pollard would be so punishing nor Sunrisers so generous. Having been relatively cautious towards the start of his innings, Sachin Tendulkar had looked set to accelerate through the middle overs, but he hurt his bottom hand after striking Karan Sharma over long-on for six, and was forced to retire hurt for 38 off 31 balls. Dinesh Karthik chipped in a 30 off 23 balls, and helped keep wickets in hand, which paid rich dividends in the final countdown for the hosts.

Sunrisers' 178 for 3 had been set up by Shikhar Dhawan, who hit 59 from 41 at the start of the innings, and finished by Cameron White, who blasted 43 from 23. Dhawan prospered square of the off stump, as the Mumbai bowlers continued to indulge him outside the off stump throughout the innings. He found success elsewhere as well, slamming Pragyan Ojha over cow corner in his first over, before reverse-sweeping him powerfully to the fence in his next. He reached his fifty with a open-faced drive through the covers off Lasith Malinga, but was dismissed not long after, yielding the floor to White. However, Sunrisers scored only 33 off their last four overs, while Mumbai doubled that during their surge to victory.

Sunrisers must now win both their remaining games to stand a decent chance of making the playoffs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore finally got their first away win of the season, beating bottom-placed Pune Warriors by 17 runs. The margin of victory suggested a comprehensive win, but Royal Challengers were run close by Robin Uthappa, who showed his potential with a blazing fifty which gave Warriors hope of chasing a tall 188. AB de Villiers was at his innovative best with the bat, smashing an unbeaten 50 off 23 balls to launch Royal Challengers past 180. His blows were the difference in the end.

De Villiers' assault helped Royal Challengers ransack 68 off the last five overs. Warriors needed 66 off the last five overs, but with a set Uthappa at the crease, Royal Challengers couldn't afford to relax. Angelo Mathews too gave the visitors a scare with his cameo, but his untimely departure only piled further pressure on Uthappa. Uthappa's form was good news for Warriors, but had he received better support, the result could have been different.

The pitch at Pune has been one of the slower ones in the IPL and one that was going to test the batsmen more than the one in Bangalore when the teams last met. Chris Gayle found out the hard way early in his innings when he found the spinners hard to get away. It was a clever ploy by Warriors to take the pace off the ball, giving Ajantha Mendis the new ball and bringing in the part-timer T Suman. A repressed Gayle plodded to 15 off 19 balls before lofting Suman over the sightscreen for a six. It was hardly a sign of things to come as he tried to repeat that shot the following the ball and miscued it to deep extra cover, falling for a sluggish run-a-ball 21.

Since there was no blazing launchpad by Gayle for a change, it was unusual watching Royal Challengers scrap to 59 after nine overs. Saurabh Tiwary and Virat Kohli gave the innings some impetus with a rousing stand of 63. Tiwary, who has batted in the middle order, had requested to go up the order and he justified his promotion with a half-century.

The most decisive phase in the match came in the final over. De Villiers was on 24 off 17 balls when Ashok Dinda - not the most reliable death bowler - ran in. De Villiers moved across his stumps and smoked a full delivery outside off stump to deep midwicket for a flat six. The second was smashed over the bowler's head for four, the third over long-off for six, the fourth reverse-swept to third man and the fifth scooped over short fine leg. De Villiers had raced to 50 off 23 by the end of the over, rousing Royal Challengers and demoralising the Warriors before the chase began.

Warriors needed a pacy start but they too found the going difficult early on, moving to 49 for 2 after eight overs. Yuvraj Singh gave the innings a push with two exquisite sixes and his confidence began to rub off on Uthappa, who was starting to peak when he launched Muttiah Muralitharan over the sightscreen

Royal Challengers bounced back with two wickets in an over from Vinay, but Uthappa's was the wicket they needed. The equation narrowed after one over when Uthappa and Mathews targeted the most experienced of the lot, Muralitharan, smashing three clean sixes in one over. Forty-five off 24 was achievable, but Vinay provided some relief to the visitors when he had Mathews caught at backward point. Uthappa's heroics ended the following over when he top edged Murali Kartik to point. The chase was all but over when he walked back.

Ziaur Rahman led the Bangladesh attack with four wickets as they completed a 143-run win over Zimbabwe on Monday to draw the two-match series 1-1 and gain revenge for their mauling in the first Test.

Set a target of 401 runs to win in their second innings at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 257 just before tea on day five to hand Bangladesh only their fourth Test victory.

Hamilton Masakadza provided the only real resistance as he finished unbeaten on 111.

Zimbabwe resumed on their overnight score of 138 for four wickets, but nobody could build a significant partnership with Masakadza.

Medium-pacer Rahman finished with figures of 4-63 and was the best of the visiting bowlers, though he was ably supported by spinner Shakib Al Hasan who bagged 3-52.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was pleased with the way his team responded after being humiliated in the first Test in a 335-run defeat.

"A test win is a big achievement for us and after the first Test all the pressure was on us," Rahim said in a TV interview.

"The boys have stuck their hands up, especially the senior guys who all played well. That shows the character of our team. Hopefully we can take this momentum into the one-dayers."

Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor defended his decision to bowl having won the toss on the first morning and admitted they were simply out-performed.

"We expected them to come back strongly, we let ourselves down on the first day and that set the tone," Taylor said.

"The wicket played a little bit better than we thought it would on day one. There were some quality performances from them and they deserve the win. But we are fairly pleased with some of our own performances and can be proud with a drawn series."

Bangladesh's only other victories in their 79 Tests to date came with a 2-0 series win against a weakened West Indies outfit in 2009, as well as a win against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2005.

 The moment Ziaur Rahman hit Brendan Taylor's pad in front of the stumps and the umpire raised his finger, Bangladesh were closer to a rare Test win. At the end of the fourth day of the second and final Test, Zimbabwe were 138 for 4, chasing a 401-run target set up by Mushfiqur Rahim's 93.

The Zimbabwe captain's wicket was the one Mushfiqur would have wanted more than the seven runs by which he missed his third Test hundred. After umpire Ian Gould lifted his finger, it was easy to see and hear what it meant to the fielding side which was screaming for joy. Zimbabwe were 96 for 3, with their best batsman and captain out of the equation with a day remaining.

Malcolm Waller also fell to Ziaur for 15, missing a straightening delivery as his lack of footwork shackled him to the crease. Shingirai Masakadza was sent in as the nightwatchman at 118 for 4 with more than 15 overs remaining in the day, a strange decision but one which ultimately paid off. His elder brother Hamilton held his own at the other end, unbeaten on 46 off 94 balls.

Zimbabwe started the fourth innings positively but in the tenth over, Regis Chakabva played inside the line of a Shakib Al Hasan delivery which spun past to strike off. Vusi Sibanda fell soon after for a 50-ball 32, driving one straight to Sohag Gazi at short cover off Shakib.

Mushfiqur would thank his lucky stars that finally bowlers other than Robiul Islam stood up. Ziaur bowled a 10-over spell, mainly focused on being accurate. He hardly has pace like he did a few years ago, but managed to bring in his shoulders to generate speed. Shakib and Gazi bowled tightly too, both using a typical left-arm spinner and offspinner's line. There was hardly a loose ball.

Bangladesh declared about an hour after lunch on 291 for 9, going ahead of the home side by exactly 400 runs. Shakib, Mushfiqur and Nasir Hossain hit their second fifties of the game.

Nasir stretched the lead with the tail, making an unbeaten 67 and scoring most of the 40 runs that came after lunch. Apart from his effort, Bangladesh's dominance was also due to captain Mushfiqur's attentiveness to the situation.

He made 93 before being brilliantly caught at gully by Sibanda off Hamilton Masakadza, and his persistence was crucial to his side's staying power. Along with Nasir, he had to see off the first half-hour, which has often produced wickets in Harare. Though they hardly found boundaries because the home side had deep fielders on both sides, they played carefully. Zimbabwe bowled wide too, and the batsmen cut out the rash shots.

Mushfiqur and Nasir were happy picking up singles until the captain began to open up with a mistimed scoop and a slog-sweep - both off Elton Chigumbura. He had earlier hit a cover drive that sped to the boundary but the wicket had slowed down, and bounce was also on the low side. He and Nasir added 84 for the sixth wicket, back-to-back 80-plus partnerships for Mushfiqur, after his fifth-wicket stand with Shakib on the third evening.

Taylor missed the long hours put in by Keegan Meth, who is out with a right knee injury. He was seen sitting on the sidelines with his feet up and knee strapped. Hamilton Masakadza, bowling medium-pace, took three wickets but was never going to be as big a threat to the visitors. Kyle Jarvis did not bowl with the venom of the first Test, but Shingi Masakadza remained steady and picked up four wickets.

Had the Zimbabwe bowlers put up a better show even on the fourth morning, the Test match could have remained competitive. Bangladesh got most of what happened on the fourth day their way, though there again was the odd leg-before decision that they were denied. They would still take it, given they are closing in on a Test win for the first time in nearly four years.
 

Kolkata - India: Dogged by myriad controversies but glamorous nonetheless, the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League will kick off tomorrow with what promises to be a glitzy opening ceremony featuring Bollywood stars and international rapper Pitbull.

Jesse Ryder is awake and speaking to his family after being brought out of an induced coma just after 10am.

 

Hosts India were knocked out of the Women's World Cup with a 138-run defeat by Sri Lanka in their last group match.

Chasing 283, India would have secured a place in the Super Six stage on net run-rate had they made at least 251, but they crumbled to 144 all out.

Sri Lanka, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, who also stunned England in their opening match, had never beaten India in one-day cricket.

Sri Lanka, England and West Indies take two points through to the Super Sixes.

Hosts India were knocked out of the Women's World Cup with a 138-run defeat by Sri Lanka in their last group match.

Chasing 283, India would have secured a place in the Super Six stage on net run-rate had they made at least 251, but they crumbled to 144 all out.

Sri Lanka, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, who also stunned England in their opening match, had never beaten India in one-day cricket.

Sri Lanka, England and West Indies take two points through to the Super Sixes.

 Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Siriwardene said she hoped Indian fans would embrace her side as the last Asian side left in the tournament before her media conference was interrupted by a call from the nation's president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"He said he'd never seen a match like this and wanted to congratulate us," said Siriwardene. "He wished us luck for the rest of the tournament."

England had sealed their progress with their earlier win over West Indies, but required India to advance for them to carry forward the maximum of four points.

Group B sides Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the other three teams to advance.

After finishing bottom of Group A, India will take on Pakistan in a play-off to determine seventh and eighth place.

Protests from a right-wing political party against Pakistan's presence in Mumbai caused all their fixtures to be moved to the city of Cuttack, about 1,000 miles away.

India must now travel to play that game on Thursday, the day before the Super Six stage begins.

"I really didn't think we would we be in these circumstances at the start of the tournament," India captain Mithali Raj told BBC Sport.

"It's very disappointing to be out of the tournament. I can't sum up what my team is going through after this defeat."

Raj had previously suggested the tournament was an opportunity to advance the women's game in India, and conceded that the chance had been missed.

"It was an occasion for us to do well in front of a home crowd," said the 30-year-old batter. "To get the sport the kind of awareness, marketing and publicity it needs, this was a big opportunity for us."

Raj began the tournament as the number-one ranked batter in the world, but managed only 29 runs in three innings.

"I don't play the game for rankings, but it's more important for me how many runs I score for my country," she said. "I can't talk about the future but, as a team, we will take a little while to come out of this disappointment."

On her future as captain, she added: "That is the call of the selectors."
 

Just days before its national team flies out to the West Indies for a full series against the Caribbeans, Zimbabwean cricket has been rocked by allegations of racism. Zimbabwe have been a hotbed of racism ever since it got ICC recognition with several 'white' players quitting the nation for safer pastures in nations like Australia. The recent row erupted after Sports Minister David Coltart made it a must for national selectors to have played for Zimbabwe.

A look at the five best hundreds of Alastair Cook's Test career.

Alastair Cook has moved clear as the man with the most England Test centuries by reaching three figures for the 23rd time in the third Test against India in Kolkata.

Here, we look at his five best hundreds.

104 not out v India in Nagpur - March 2006

Cook came to prominence on debut with a marvellous ton but had it not been for several injuries to England's side, he would not have even been in the country. The then 21-year-old was in the Caribbean with the A team when the SOS call arrived and he rewarded his selection by following up a first-innings 60 with an unbeaten century from 243 balls second time around - the 16th Englishman to hit three figures on debut.

110 v Pakistan at the Oval - August 2010

Cook's place in the team ahead of the forthcoming Ashes series was heavily under scrutiny following a run of low scores and this fine innings in London is widely recognised as the one that prevented him from the axe. He overcame a nervy start - edging three times through the slip cordon - and it was far from aesthetically pleasing, but Cook showed the battling qualities that went on to become his trademark, with his 110 exceeding his total from eight previous Test innings on home soil that summer.

235 not out v Australia in Brisbane - November 2010

If his 13th Test century saved his career, the 14th set him on the path to greatness. With England needing to battle to save the first Test against their fierce rivals Cook was monumental. He batted for 10 and a half hours, putting on 188 for the opening wicket alongside captain Andrew Strauss and an unbeaten 329 for the second wicket with Jonathan Trott as England declared on a scarcely believable 517 for one. Cook went on to score 766 runs in the series as England recorded their first Ashes series win Down Under since 1987.

294 v India at Edgbaston - August 2011

Cook's star continued to rise and although he had struggled in the previous two Tests at Lord's and Trent Bridge, he claimed a remarkable seventh hundred in 18 innings in Birmingham before going on to register his highest first-class score. His concentration levels were second to none although he fell agonisingly short of a maiden triple ton when he sent Ishant Sharma to deep point. The damage was done, however, as England racked up 710 for seven declared before going on to seal an innings-and-242-run victory, one that sealed their spot at the top of the ICC world rankings.

136 not out v India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata - December 2012

Cook wrote his name into the record books with his 23rd Test century - the most by any England batsman. This was his third consecutive hundred after taking charge of the team permanently as he once again led by example. The 27-year-old was given a huge stroke of luck on 17 when he was dropped by Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip off Zaheer Khan. Cook made India pay for their profligacy with yet another fine innings in the sub-continent before bringing up his landmark ton off 179 balls. The innings also made him the youngest batsman to reach 7,000 Test runs.

Source : Sportinglife

Anamul Haque said he found a sea change between his previous hundreds and the one against West Indies in the second ODI, the most notable of which was the pressure to deliver under expectation.

His century of 138 balls against West Indies was the tenth hundred in his short career. He has gained a habit of making big runs, one that is often missing in Bangladesh batsman.

"There's a lot of difference between scoring hundreds anywhere else and one for Bangladesh," Anamul said. "I had fantasised of scoring a hundred in international cricket but never thought I would do it in my second game."

In domestic cricket he has scored seven centuries in the last 13 months: five in first-class cricket, two in the one-day competition plus a century in the Dhaka Premier League. The volume of runs last season had made him an automatic choice for back-up opener but he had a miserable time in an unofficial Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe which was his first brush with big time cricket. He was sent back to the Under-19s where he made two centuries against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Under-19 World Cup this year.

"I have scored ten hundreds in the last year. The difference between the previous ones and today is the experience of the bowlers," Haque said. "They bowl fewer loose deliveries and they have a lot of variations in the bounce and the lengths. There's crowd pressure and I am playing for the country, so there's a lot of difference."

The highlight of his innings was not just his footwork but the pace of the 145-ball knock. After reaching a half-century off 60 balls, Anamul took another 55 balls to move to 90 before waiting for another 24 balls to reach his century, off 138 balls. He then blasted 20 runs off the next six deliveries he faced, ending up with a 82.75 strike-rate. He would have attracted harsh words had he not made that final dash with two slogged sixes and a boundary off Andre Russell.

He said he slowed down after getting to fifty because Mushfiqur Rahim  was batting at a faster rate and finding the gaps, added that his constant encounter with the getting to a hundred eased him through the 24 deliveries between 90 and 100. "I am familiarised with the nervous nineties. When the fielders are outside, it is better to find gaps and just take singles. Mushfiqur was batting with me, so I didn't have much to do.

"Bad balls were available so ones, twos and the boundaries were coming. I didn't need to go after the bowling; it would have been criminal if I tried something extravagant at that stage."

Mushfiqur and Anamul added 174 for the third wicket, just a run short of the all-time highest partnership for Bangladesh in ODIs. Mushfiqur scored 79 off 87 balls with the help of eight fours and a six, an innings that not only raised the run-rate but helped Anamul settle. He was also helped out by Tamim Iqbal in the first game when the more experienced opener went after the West Indies bowlers from the word go.

"Tamim kept telling me to stay positive, be confident. If he bats in that manner, I don't have to do anything. It was the same today because I was batting with the captain.

"Mushfiqur told me to carry on till the 45th over, whether we are getting the runs in singles or doubles. We can go for the big hits from that point, we have batsman behind us."

Anamul's century was the third by a teenager for Bangladesh after Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim but the early success has to be channelled through a proper approach which would iron out his footwork and reflex issues. The competitive age-group system through which he has come out of successfully would help him not to bask on the hundred too much and stay on the course of improvement.

Source : Espn sports

 

 Ricky Ponting lasted just 10 minutes at the crease in his final Test match as ruthless South Africa claimed the upper hand over Australia in the third Test.

The tourists, who made 225 in their first innings, bowled out Australia for just 163 before racing to 230-2 at the close of play - a lead of 292.

Hashim Amla is a run away from making his 18th Test ton, while captain Graeme Smith scored 84 from 100 balls.

 Earlier, Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-40 from 16 overs.

Amla and Smith embarrassed the Aussie bowling attack on a Waca pitch that had seen 21 wickets fall by the second over of the sixth session.

South Africa were scoring at more than six runs an over against a set of bowlers seemingly devoid of ideas, with the usually patient Amla finishing the day on 99 from just 84 balls.

Australia began the day on 33-2, but that soon became 45-6 following a remarkable spell of bowling by pacemen Steyn and Vernon Philander.

Philander (2-55) removed Shane Watson (10) and Ponting (4) lbw, while Steyn added the wickets of Nathan Lyon (7) and Michael Clarke (5) to leave Australia shell-shocked.

Only wicketkeeper Matthew Wade saved his side from total humiliation in front of the home crowd, top scoring with 68.

Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson (3-44) cleaned up the tail as South Africa held a 62-run lead before starting their second innings.

Alviro Petersen was caught and bowled by Mitchell Johnson for 24. But Amla and Smith toyed with the attack, putting on 178 before Smith was brilliantly caught by Lyon running in from the boundary. Jacques Kallis end the day not out on 17, with Amla on 99.

The hosts, who drew the first two matches, must win to usurp South Africa at the top of the International Cricket Council Test rankings.

Source : BBC

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen struck record-equalling 22nd Test centuries before Monty Panesar spun England into a commanding position at stumps on day three of the second Test in Mumbai.

Cook (122) made an unprecedented fourth consecutive century as captain and Pietersen cracked a scintillating 186, as both men drew level with three all-time greats in Wally Hammond, Geoff Boycott and Colin Cowdrey as their country's most prolific centurions.

Cook's second successive hundred against India - following his rearguard 176 in last week's defeat at Ahmedabad - and Pietersen's first since last summer helped England post 413, giving them a useful first-innings lead of 86.

It was then time for England's spinners to take centre stage and, with the pitch beginning to turn and bounce appreciably, they took seven wickets in the evening session to leave India tottering on 117-7 at stumps - a lead of just 31.

Panesar, fresh from his five-wicket haul in the first-innings, claimed five more on day three, a feat which sees him become the first England spinner to take 10 wickets in India since Hedley Verity in Madras back in 1934.

The left-arm spinner accounted for Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Ravi Ashwin, while spin partner Graeme Swann snared Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli to make England firm favourites to level the four-match series on Monday.

Sehwag (9) was the first of seven India batsman to depart after tea, edging a spinning Panesar delivery to Swann at slip, while Pujara (6) endured a rare failure, presenting Jonny Bairstow with a sharp catch at short-leg.

Sachin Tendulkar, playing what could be his last Test match in front of his home crowd, once again fell to Panesar, playing back to a quicker delivery which pinned him lbw for just eight - his 10th successive score of less than 28.

India slumped to 65-4 when Virat Kohli (7) inexplicably hit a Swann full toss straight to sub fielder Joe Root at mid-off and England's day got even better when Yuvraj popped a catch to short-leg, Dhoni edged to slip and Ashwin sliced up to cover, all off Panesar.

Gautam Gambhir (53 not out) held firm for India and remains key to the home side's fading chances of posting a target which may trouble England on a wearing pitch.

Source : skysports

The Proteas mindset will not be clouded by the No. 1 Test ranking as they head into the battle for the ICC Test Mace against Australia starting at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday.

South Africa enters the series as favourites in the long-standing rivalry, but are aware that past success in Australia counts for nil in the three-match series.
 "It does feel slightly different coming to Australia as No. 1 because you come with that at the back of your mind," Jacques Kallis, a veteran of multiple clashes with Australia, said on Wednesday. "But we also come in the knowledge of how hard we had to work to get that success and I don't see any reason why we can't get ourselves into position to win again."

Kallis is on his fifth Australian trip with the Proteas and he averages 45.75 in 12 Tests Down Under. Gary Kirsten referred to him as "gold dust" on Tuesday, rightly so as Ricky Ponting revealed he would be their most crucial wicket with the ball. His batting record - excluding his bowling and fielding contributions - stands out as one of the greatest, but he feels the Proteas success with the bat rides on the collective form of the batting unit, rather than single performers.

"As a batting unit we have been firing well, it comes down to the guys wanting it, wanting to perform and bat as a group. I know the guys are hungry to do well here, we set ourselves high standards in the UK and hopefully we can continue with those high standards that we set for ourselves."

Kallis' personal standards are highlighted by his outstanding performances over the years, as his name remains synonymous with achievements of greats such as Graeme Pollock and Sir Garry Sobers.

"It's an honour to be compared to those guys but I have never been one that has played the game worrying about those things," Kallis said. "I love playing the game of cricket for whatever team I play for and I love winning games of cricket. That is what gives me the most satisfaction rather than stats or comparisons."

He has recovered from the chest infection he suffered from last week, and has urged his colleagues of "eleven match winners" to stay true to their skills. He is the only player in the current squad to have played first-class cricket at the Gabba (he made 186 there for Western Province), and the Proteas will be looking for the first Test victory by an away team at the venue since the 1988 West Indian team captained by Sir Viv Richards.

Source: The Times of India

 Even before reaching his maiden Test century, Nasir Hossain was thinking of how to celebrate the milestone. He got very close, within four runs, before his attempt to push the ball into the covers took the edge to the waiting Chris Gayle at slip. The world remains unaware of how he would have saluted the hundred, though Nasir said it would have "stunned everyone".

"I made plans for my [century] celebration too early, so it is my bad luck that I got out on 96," Nasir said. "I was trying to give [Shahadat Hossain] Rajib bhai as less strike as possible. After [Mahmudullah] Riyad bhai got out, I decided to bat aggressively. I think it was the right thing to do at that stage."

Nasir, however, enjoyed every bit of the freedom of coming in to bat at 362 for 5, a rarity for a Bangladesh No. 7, whose usual role is to stop a batting slide. On a wicket which he described as "beautiful", Nasir capitalised by hammering six boundaries and four sixes. He added 121 runs for the seventh wicket with Mahmudullah before taking full charge of the 61-run ninth wicket stand with Shahadat Hossain. He had reached fifty off 99 balls, with a pulled boundary off Ravi Rampaul, but scored the next 43 runs off 37 deliveries.

Known for his temperament and ability to close out games in limited overs cricket, Nasir is aware of what he is going to face at this position in the longer-format. "I told the coach that I might have to encounter the second new ball in that position so I would say I was well prepared to bat at No. 7, because I had done the hard yards in the nets.

"But there is not much of a challenge in batting at this position. In the national team I am willing to bat anywhere and as in domestic cricket where my performance is counted, I bat up the order."

In the national team, Nasir will likely have to continue in the lower-middle order for a little while longer after Naeem Islam confirmed his place at No. 4 with a hundred and Mahmdullah weighed in with a half-century of his own.

Nasir is going to turn 21 at the end of this month and he plays the part of an exuberant youngster. Last year, he had asked Mahmudullah how to celebrate just as he was approaching his first ODI century. This time he was itching to get to the three-figure mark. "I can't tell you what it is, but it would have been something that stunned everyone."

Source : ESPN

 

Back in the Indian cricket team after spending almost a year in the sidelines, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh today hit back at his critics and said that it cannot be a "one-way traffic".

Shortly after leading his side Punjab to an innings win over Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, Harbhajan said: "A good bowler should not be only judged by his wickets count, his skillful bowling methods should also be taken into account. His (a spinner's) role changes according to the wicket. Some people who have not played cricket themselves have been writing crap stuff about me. But it can't be like one-way traffic. "I have seen legendary spinners like Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan going wicketless in matches. Similarly, I am not a magician, I too can have rough times," he added.

The offie, who has taken 406 wickets in 98 Tests, said he has "evolved as a cricketer" and was excited about the news of his selection.

Adding that he was looking forward to playing his 100th Test soon, Harbhajan said, "I'm excited about the news of my selection in the Indian Test team. It is a big news for me. Although I played in the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, securing a Test berth was always on my mind. It would be nice to complete 100 Test matches, I just can't wait to get into the white flannels for India against England," said Harbhajan here today.

Having struggled to take wickets in the recent past, he said, "During the time I was out of the Indian team I got time to work on different aspects of the game. I captained Punjab team and also the Mumbai Indians.

"I think I have become a good listener and can handle things on the field in a better way. I have learnt to make the moves rather than work for things to happen on their own. I have evolved as a cricketer in the last one year."

On the nature of Indian pitches, he said, "The Indian wickets should be sporting ones. If we are playing on green wickets then they should be offering some help to the spinners also on the fourth and the fifth day.

"The wickets should have everything for everyone. When M S Dhoni says that he has not seen any spinner getting the ball bounce in the rib cage area of the batsman in the recent past, I agree with him.

"I would love to bowl on a wicket which has both turn and bounce, so that I can also bowl in the rib area of the batsman from outside the off stump".

On Punjab's big win, he said, "It is wonderful to start the Ranji season with the win. The boys played exceptional cricket to overpower the opposition. All credit goes to each one of them. I think all of them have the potential to reach at the top one day."

Source : Deccan Chronicle

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan bowler who was imprisoned in England for spot-fixing, has criticised the ICC, claiming cricket's governing body prejudiced his case ahead of the criminal trial in London by the timing of the verdict of its independent inquiry. Asif was speaking in Lahore, following his return from England five months after completing half of his one-year sentence.

 Asif, along with Salman Butt, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in November 2011, on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010. Mohammad Amir, the third player accused by the Crown Prosecution Service, had pleaded guilty to the charges.

However, the three players had already been found guilty by an ICC tribunal on February 5, 2011, and were banned for various durations. Asif's ban was for seven years and that punishment was announced a day after the CPS levied its charges against the players.

"It was quite difficult time, but thank god it is over," he said. "The way ICC has prejudiced my case, there are lots of things which are not yet clear and nobody knows it, even you people [the media] have not highlighted it, but I will do it.

"I didn't do anything wrong. There was one no-ball and, whatever the scenario was behind it, I described it in the court. There are lots of things and it will be in my book, which will be launched very soon."

Asif claimed he was going to appeal against the ICC's ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland and a hearing, he said, would take place in February 2013. "There's a hearing in February, second or third week, and it will be decided. Hopefully I will get justice there because it's just the ICC and me, and Inshallah everything will be all right.

"I'm fighting my own case, I have my own legal team," Asif said, criticising the Pakistan board as well. "They [PCB] have their own policy and they took a back step, when I think they should have taken a step forward."

Source : ESPN

 The groundsman, the commentators, the general manager who played at the Wanderers on March 12, 2006, all spoke about the resemblance of the pitch to the 438 game, but the way the Lions started it took major rebuilding to go past 38. Seemingly surprised by Sydney Sixers' spin with new ball from both ends, the Lions batsmen played some average shots to be reduced to 9 for 4, and the little chance that Jean Symes' maiden T20 fifty provided them slipped through their palms with the drops of both the Sydney openers.

This was the second Champions League T20 title for a team from New South Wales; current champions Brad Haddin, Steve O'Keefe, Moises Henriques, Steve Smith and Ben Rohrer were part of the winning NSW squad in 2009 too. Like the previous final, Haddin almost missed this one with an injured thumb, but not only was he spot on with the call at the toss, he spun a rabbit out of his hat after putting Lions in.

Sixers' three fast bowlers could one day form the Australia Test attack, they have been the talk of the tournament, but they opened with two spinners on a pitch that reminded Stuart Clark of his six-over-54-run nightmare at the same venue six years ago. Nathan McCullum, who wasn't called upon to bowl and scored a golden duck in the semi-final, was to perform the opening act of the big night. And it seemed the tournament would get worse for him when Gulam Bodi lofted the third ball of the match over long-on.

 Then the leading run-getter of the tournament, Bodi, didn't pause for a breath, and top-edged the next ball straight to deep square leg. A little more meat behind the mis-hit, and it might have travelled all the way in the rarefied Highveld air, and McCullum would have been 13 runs down. As it turned out, it was to be the night of the man from southern New Zealand playing for a southern Australian state.

The rest of the Lions top order then, seemingly over-reaching on the flat track, played some ordinary shots. Quinton de Kock and Neil McKenzie swiped across the line for top edges, and continuing with the momentum O'Keefe snared captain Alviro Petersen with one that turned across him. Symes then put up a lesson for his mates. His hitting through the line and along the ground showed the pitch was flat as expected, and that the shot selection hadn't been spot on.

After the promotion of Sohail Tanvir flopped to make it 32 for 5, Symes added 41 with the hit-and-miss Thami Tsolekile and 38 with the big-hitting Dwaine Pretorius. During the second of those partnerships, Sixers began to make a few mistakes in the field, but Rohrer roared back with a direct hit from point to run Pretorius out. That was Lions' final slide as they lost their last four wickets for 10.

The injured Haddin came out to open with Michael Lumb, and they were cautious against Sohail Tanvir and Dirk Nannes, reaching only 23 after five overs. At the first sight of spin, Lumb tried to break free, but Bodi dropped him at long-off. In the next over, it was Haddin's turn to be dropped, by Pretorius at deep square leg. There wasn't to be a third chance. Just to rub it in, though, Lumb overtook the man who dropped him, Bodi, as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Mitchell Starc led the wickets tally to make it a clean sweep for Sixers.

Source : ESPN

Sunil Gavaskar has been awarded the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI for 2012. Gavaskar, a former India captain, will receive Rs 25 lakh (approx US$46,600), a trophy and a citation at a BCCI awards ceremony. The prize money that goes with the award has been raised from Rs 15 lakh (approx US$28,000), which Ajit Wadekar received last year.

 Now a prominent television commentator, Gavaskar has been India's most successful opening batsman, at one point holding the record for the most Test runs (10,122) and most Test centuries (34). He was known for his near-perfect technique and his almost unbreachable defence. Since retirement, apart from working in the media, Gavaskar has also served in various roles with the BCCI and ICC.

Apart from Gavaskar, seven former players of repute will be awarded cash awards of Rs 15 lakh posthumously at the BCCI awards. This list includes batsmen Vijay Merchant, Vijay Manjrekar, ML Jaisimha and Dilip Sardesai, off spinner Ghulam Ahmed, and allrounders Vinoo Mankad and Dattu Phadkar. The awards are for the players' 'outstanding contribution to Indian cricket'.

Source : ESPN