Kanpur likely to lose Australia Test

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad is likely to host its second Test of the season if the BCCI decides to move the fourth Test against Australia from Kanpur

Amol Karhadkar17-Dec-2012The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad is likely to host its second Test of the season if the BCCI decides to move the fourth Test between India and Australia from Green Park in Kanpur. The decision is expected to be made before the year-end, after Cricket Australia expressed dissatisfaction over facilities in Kanpur.ESPNcricinfo understands that CA’s venue inspection team, which visited Kanpur on December 12, expressed concerns over not only the in-stadia facilities but also about hospitality. “The dressing room is not suitable to accommodate a modern-day entourage of a cricket team. Besides, they were not impressed with the facilities at the only five-star hotel in the town,” a source said.The BCCI asked the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), the host association, to get things in order within a fortnight but if the board’s recce team, which had inspected the facilities on December 1, finds the venue unsuitable, then Kanpur “will have to be replaced”. The beneficiary will be the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), which had hosted the first Test of the home season, against New Zealand in August.The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium became India’s 10th active Test venue when it hosted its first Test two years ago. The BCCI awards Tests to each venue by rotation and since India have 10 home games this season, Hyderabad will have first right of hosting the fourth Test against Australia, if Kanpur is ruled out.The UPCA, however, is making a late attempt to not lose the Test. Green Park is the only Test centre in India that is not owned by the cricket body. “Since it’s owned by the state government, maintaining it and renovating it becomes too difficult,” a UPCA official said. “Hopefully, we will be able to erase all doubts raised and be able to put up a good show.”Green Park has not hosted an international since the Sri Lanka Test in November 2009 primarily due to the UPCA’s administrative tussle with the state government. Though the UPCA office bearers were in talks with the government officials last year for leasing the stadium, the attempts haven’t reaped any rewards.

Yuvraj and Dinda take India to series-levelling win

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India overcame Mohammad Hafeez’s masterclass to win by 11 runs and level the two-match series

The Report by Siddhartha Talya28-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ashok Dinda’s second spell swung the game India’s way•BCCI

India overcame a Mohammad Hafeez masterclass to win by 11 runs and level the two-match series. His wristwork and effortless clearing of the ropes would have inspired admiration from those he tormented today. But Ashok Dinda bowled an excellent second spell at a time when Pakistan, led by Hafeez, were on track to chase down 193, a target set up by a dominating innings by Yuvraj Singh, who treated a packed house in Ahmedabad to an airshow that included seven sixes.Dinda was at the receiving end of a last-ball six that sealed victory for England in their T20 against India less than a week ago, but he came back well despite being put under pressure early in each of his two spells. He conceded 13 in his first over, during a promising opening stand of 74 between Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad, and was struck for two consecutive fours by Mohammad Hafeez in the 15th over that began with Pakistan needing 68 to win off 36 balls.The conditions in Ahmedabad were pitted against the seamers, with no movement on offer and thereby forcing them to rely on variations to contain the batsmen. Dinda not only did that, he was largely accurate and picked up three wickets, including Hafeez, in a three over spell that yielded 23 when Pakistan still had wickets in hand and the target appeared within reach. A slower ball that bowled Umar Akmal ended a 62-run stand with Hafeez that had given Pakistan the edge in the chase, and Dinda got Hafeez and Kamran Akmal to hole out in the penultimate over at the start of which Pakistan required 26.India’s spinners, R Ashwin, part-timer Suresh Raina and Yuvraj, slowed down Pakistan’s openers between overs six to 11, resulting in their wickets at the cost of just two boundaries. The required rate had climbed to more than 12 in the 12th over, when Hafeez began his charge with a scoop for four that highlighted the feature of his innings, swift but skilful and interspersed with some wonderful touch-play, but little brute force.

Smart stats

  • India’s score of 192 is their third-highest total in T20 internationals, and their highest against Pakistan. Pakistan’s 181 is also their highest against India.

  • Yuvraj Singh’s 72 is his fifth half-century, and his highest score, in T20 internationals. It’s also his first against Pakistan. Among Indians, only Gautam Gambhir has more fifty-plus scores.

  • Yuvraj’s seven sixes is the joint sixth-highest in a T20I innings, and the highest by an Indian. It’s the second time he has struck seven sixes in an innings. His tally of 54 sixes is the fourth-highest in T20Is.

  • Mohammad Hafeez’s 26-ball 55 (strike rate 211.53) is the fastest 50-plus score by a Pakistan batsman. He reached his half-century in 23 balls, the second-fastest for Pakistan.

  • Umar Gul picked up his fifth haul of four or more wickets in T20Is, which equals Ajantha Mendis’ record. Saeed Ajmal has four.

Hafeez deftly guided Yuvraj past point, then proceeded to dispatch Ashwin for two straight sixes over midwicket before driving and paddling Dinda for two consecutive boundaries, all in successive overs. A flat six over extra cover off Ishant Sharma showed the confidence he was playing with, but Dinda’s comeback was vital in preventing Pakistan from pushing on. Two wickets in the penultimate over brought the equation to 20 required off the last, too much for Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik against Ishant.India’s middle order played a prominent role in the win, after having squandered an excellent foundation laid by openers Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane in the opening encounter in Bangalore. The openers did their job again, and Yuvraj and MS Dhoni, in a stand of 97 off 44 balls, ensured their work wasn’t laid to waste.Yuvraj , who was struck a painful blow to the toe off a Mohammad Irfan yorker early in his innings, recovered well and seemed to be in his element, striking the ball cleanly, with a lovely flourish. Afridi and Saeed Ajmal were deposited towards cow corner, and two successive short balls were pulled over the square-leg boundary. Ajmal was targeted in the penultimate over, as Yuvraj took him for three consecutive sixes, the last of them smacked over long-on.The last five overs yielded 74 and though Dhoni played the supporting role, he wasn’t left far behind. He ran well between wickets, and pulled and drove Umar Gul for two straight fours. Though Gul picked up four wickets, accounting for India’s openers and the pair that took them towards 192, he was short of support from the rest of his attack and bowled a no-ball in the final over that yielded a boundary off the free-hit. Tanvir, Ajmal and Afridi each went for over 10 an over, leaving their batsmen too much to compensate for.

Familiar foes seek one more title

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Preview of the Caribbean T20 final between Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago in St Lucia

The Preview by Nagraj Gollapudi20-Jan-2013

Match facts

January 20, 2013
Start time 2000 (0000GMT)Christopher Barnwell helped power Guyana into the final with a six-wicket win over Chris Gayle’s Jamaica•WICB Media

Big Picture

Fittingly, the final of the last edition of the Caribbean T20 (due to be replaced by a franchise-based Caribbean Premier League) will be played by Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana, the two teams who have shared the title on the previous five occasions. They contested the 2006 final of the Stanford 20/20 (as the tournament was called in the first two years), with Guyana winning with a ball to spare. Guyana then regained the crown in 2010. T&T won the title for the first time in 2008 and have been the defending champions for the last two years.Yet both teams have taken contrasting paths to success over the years. Guyana have always surprised the form sheet with cavalier displays, like the determined effort from Christopher Barnwell against Jamaica on Saturday in the play-off. In contrast, T&T have subdued their opponents convincingly through consistent performances.T&T were the only team not to lose a single match during the preliminary round, which they topped with 21 points, to book a final berth about a week in advance. In contrast, Guyana had to sweat late into Saturday night. That only reveals their desperation right through, including two last-ball victories.T&T have looked more assured on both the batting and bowling fronts, with more than one match-winner in their ranks. Darren Bravo has been the tournament’s leading scorer, including three consecutive fifties, and has looked more dominant with every match. Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard have played around him to consolidate later. Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree have posed many difficult questions to the opposition batsmen, bowling aggressive lines throughout to maintain the pressure built by the batsmen. For Guyana, barring Barnwell and Steven Jacobs, the rest have remained inconsistent.A big factor that could give T&T an upper hand is the fact that they enter the final on the back of a four-day break. Expect them to be more fresh and agile. In comparison, the final will be Guyana’s fifth straight match in six days but, having won their last three games, they may fancy momentum being on their side.

Form guide

(most recent first, completed matches only)Guyana WWWLL
Trinidad & Tobago WWWWW

In the spotlight

Darren Bravo might be the tournament’s leading scorer but “young” Bravo, as he is popularly known, understands that he needs to show his spark in the biggest match, the final. He has spoken about the team management giving him the responsibility of playing until the end, so look out for him to play the finisher’s role. Bravo failed to accomplish the same for West Indies during the one-day series in Bangladesh and would like to play a more dominant role during the forthcoming ODI series in Australia.After Christopher Barnwell‘s match-winning innings in the play-off, he galloped to No. 2 on the run charts, behind Darren Bravo. Powerful wrists allied to smart thinking have allowed Barnwell to throw opposition plans into disarray at important moments and he can be expected to stand up to a stiff challenge once again on Sunday. Even with the ball in hand, Barnwell has shown good presence of mind: he has been accurate without feeding the batsman’s strengths as he showed against Chris Gayle on Saturday.

Team news

Shivnarine Chanderpaul ran on to the field joyously to hug his team-mates after Guyana’s spirited victory against Jamaica to make the final. Does that mean Chanderpaul, who had pulled a leg muscle and had to abort his batting in the victory against Windward Islands on Friday, is fit for Sunday’s summit clash? If he is not Trevon Griffith, who shared a match-turning partnership with Barnwell should retain his spot.Guyana (probable) 1 Derwin Christian (wk), 2 Shivnarine Chanderpaul/Trevon Griffith, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Christopher Barnwell, 5 Narsingh Deonarine, 6 Leon Johnson, 7 Royston Crandon, 8 Steven Jacobs, 9 Veerasammy Permaul (capt), 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Ronsford BeatonT&T are likely to play the same team as in their final league match, barring any injuries.Trinidad & Tobago (probable) 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Dwayne Bravo, 5 Denesh Ramdin, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Yannick Ottley, 8 Rayad Emrit, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Samuel Badree, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Stats and trivia

  • Guyana’s victory against Jamaica was the biggest successful chase in the history of Caribbean T20 in six editions.
  • T&T batsmen have scored five half-centuries, the most by any team.
  • Sunil Narine is the most economical bowler in the tournament with an economy rate of 3.85 (more than two overs).
  • Guyana have won the tournament twice and, coincidentally, both times they scraped past the finishing line with just one ball to spare.

    Quotes

    “We had a bad game in the earlier round against Trinidad & Tobago. Hopefully our bowlers will bowl in the right areas and restrict them to a right total. It is a big final.”
    “The boys have been working on specific areas of their game over the last few days and the time away from matches has allowed us the time to assess our game again and see what we need to enhance.”

    • Bailey and Starc set up Australia win

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    George Bailey’s maiden international century set up a 54-run victory for Australia in the second ODI against West Indies in Perth, where they took a 2-0 series lead

    The Report by Brydon Coverdale03-Feb-2013
    Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGeorge Bailey finished unbeaten on 125•Getty Images

    On Friday, West Indies batted first and were bowled out at the WACA for 70. Two days later, Australia were sent in at the same ground and were 6 for 98. Another short day’s play loomed. But George Bailey’s maiden international century changed all of that and drove Australia to a scarcely believable 7 for 266 – after the match he said he had considered anything more than 200 a bonus – and Mitchell Starc’s second consecutive five-wicket haul confirmed Australia’s 54-run victory.The Perth fans who returned after seeing only 33.1 overs in the first match were certainly rewarded for their dedication. Not only did they see Bailey’s remarkable unbeaten 125, they were also treated to some dazzling fielding from West Indies and some powerful striking in their unsuccessful chase. Kieran Powell and Dwayne Bravo struck two sixes each as they kept West Indies in the contest, but just as entertaining were the four sixes Sunil Narine took off the first four balls of a Glenn Maxwell over late in the game.Maxwell had his revenge later in the over when Narine was stumped for 24 off six balls. If he hadn’t already found out during the day, Maxwell would also have been greeted when he left the field by the news that he had sold for a $1 million price tag in the IPL auction that unfolded while the Australians were playing. It was quite a way to cap off a match in which he took 4 for 63, his first wickets at ODI level. Among them were Bravo, caught behind for 45, and the dangerous Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy cheaply.When the final wicket fell, Jason Holder run out in the 39th over, West Indies had reached 212, still well short of their goal. The damage had mostly been done at the top of the order by Starc, who found plenty of swing in his first spell and pitched the ball full and straight. Chris Gayle (4) was the first to fall, missing a ball that slanted in towards the off stump, and continued his poor run of form.

    Smart stats

    • George Bailey’s 125 is the fifth-highest score by an Australian batsman in ODIs against West Indies. It is also the third-highest score in ODIs in Perth.

    • Mitchell Starc became only the third Australian bowler after Gary Gilmour and Ryan Harris to pick up two consecutive five-fors. He now has two performances among the top six by Australian bowlers against West Indies.

    • The 24 runs scored by Bailey off the last over is the second-best (sixth overall) by an Australian batsman (ODIs since 2000) after Darren Lehmann, who scored 28 runs against Namibia in the 2003 World Cup.

    • The 100-run stand between Bailey and James Faulkner is the third-highest seventh-wicket partnership for Australia overall and their best against West Indies. It is also the second-best seventh-wicket stand in ODIs against West Indies.

    • Australia’s partnership aggregate of 168 runs for the seventh and eighth wickets is the second-highest in an ODI behind South Africa’s 198 runs in Cape Town in 2006.

    • The partnership run-rate of 12.00 during the 68-run stand between Bailey and Mitchell Johnson is the second-highest for an eighth-wicket stand for Australia (50-plus stands).

    • The 126-run partnership between Dwayne Bravo and Kieran Powell is the third-best fourth-wicket stand for West Indies against Australia. The highest is 149 between Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai in the first World Cup final.

    In the same over, Starc’s first of the innings, Ramnaresh Sarwan was also trapped lbw to a delivery that pitched in line and swung back in to the right-hander. Sarwan did not manage to get his bat anywhere near the ball and his second-ball duck meant he would leave Perth yet to get off the mark in the series, having also scored a duck in the first ODI on Friday. Darren Bravo (14) was Starc’s third lbw and his dismissal left West Indies wobbling at 3 for 33.But Dwayne Bravo and Powell led the recovery with a 126-run partnership that put West Indies firmly back in the contest. Powell was especially impressive, striking ten fours and a pair of sixes before he was lbw to Starc for 83, the victim of a successful Australian review. It was one of two reviews that went against West Indies in the chase, and by far the less controversial of the two. How the third umpire Asad Rauf came to overturn Nigel Llong’s not-out decision against Devon Thomas was a mystery.Starc dug the ball in short and Thomas, facing his first ball of the innings, thrust his hands up to fend and the ball fizzed through to Matthew Wade. Despite replays showing no Hot Spot mark, no definite vision of the ball hitting the gloves, and no clear sound as the ball went past, the decision was overturned and Thomas was gone for a golden duck. It was a baffling moment and one that took a little of the gloss of what was otherwise an excellent performance from the Australians.It wasn’t looking so good earlier in the day at 6 for 98. At the halfway point of the innings, Bailey was already the last recognised batsman and Australia needed something special from him to deliver them a competitive total, but even so his unbeaten 125 from 110 balls was greater than anything they could have hoped for at that stage.The top-order collapse came largely through poor shot selection and brilliant West Indian fielding as the competition for catch of the day intensified seemingly with each wicket. The Australian recovery then arrived via a 100-run seventh-wicket partnership between Bailey and his fellow Launcestonian James Faulkner, who made 39, and then an unbeaten 68-run eighth-wicket stand between Bailey and Mitchell Johnson, who finished on 16.Much of the damage came in the final five overs as the Australians added 64 runs, including 25 during a disastrous 50th over for West Indies bowled by Dwayne Bravo. In the 49th over, Bailey brought up his hundred by slogging a Kemar Roach full toss for six over midwicket and he followed with three more sixes from Bravo, over long-on and cover, as the bowler was unable to find the yorker length required.It was a perfect example of how to build an innings in difficult circumstances as Bailey began slowly and worked his way into a rhythm, constructing the partnerships Australia needed to get themselves back in the game. His half-century had come from 69 balls and by the end of his innings, he had accumulated so many runs that, since his debut in March last year, only Ian Bell had scored more ODI runs than Bailey’s 720.Initially, he had outstanding support from Faulkner, who was playing his first innings at international level. He scored a valuable 39 from 67 balls, occupying time and ticking the scoreboard over after the top order was unable to do the job. Faulkner had come to the crease after Maxwell was bowled for a golden duck by Sammy, following quickly from the loss of Matthew Wade for 16.Australia’s problems began when the opener Usman Khawaja, on 3, flicked Roach off his pads and was brilliantly caught by Powell, who hurled himself to his right from forward square leg and managed to make the ball stick. Khawaja’s opening partner Aaron Finch (11) fell to an even better take when his searing cut off Holder was snapped up at cover point by Darren Bravo, who plucked the ball one-handed above his head.Phillip Hughes (21) pulled Sammy to Darren Bravo at midwicket and Michael Clarke was bowled by a Dwayne Bravo yorker for 16, but then came the best catch of the lot. Wade went for a cut off Narine and his edge fizzed high and fast and Sammy displayed quite remarkable reflexes to thrust his hand above his head and grab the ball, which looked destined for the boundary.But that turned out to be the high point of the day for West Indies. For Bailey, Starc and the rest of the Australians, a much happier few hours were about to unfold.

    Karim ton leads Kenya to victory

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    Irfan Karim’s first ODI hundred in only his fourth match took Kenya to a six-wicket win against Canada in the World Cricket League Championship in Dubai

    ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2013
    Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRaza-ur-Rehman’s 51 off 52 balls helped Canada post a competitive total•ICC/Zainab Malubhai

    Irfan Karim’s first ODI hundred in only his fourth match took Kenya to a six-wicket win against Canada in the World Cricket League Championship in Dubai. Chasing 254, Kenya reached the target with two overs to spare as Karim scored 112 and almost carried his bat through.Karim and Alex Obanda gave Kenya a strong start with an opening stand of 48 off 40 deliveries. After Obanda was caught behind, Karim and Morris Ouma put together 76 for the second wicket before Ouma was dismissed for 34. Collins Obuya (57) and Karim almost took them home, but both were dismissed by seamer Rayyan Pathan in consecutive overs. The required run-rate wasn’t challenging enough to devoid them of a win.Earlier, after Canada chose to bat, most of their top and middle-order batsmen got starts but could not convert them into big scores. Hiral Patel scored 36 off 37 and stitched a 95-run stand with Rizwan Cheema (55) for the first wicket. Once Patel fell, Ruvindu Gunasekera scored 24 off 42 and No. 4 Jimmy Hansra scored 12 off 24. Both were dismissed, however, before Raza-ur-Rehman and Damodar Daesrath lifted the run-rate, scoring 76 in 12 overs.However, Canada lost their last five wickets for 23 runs from there to settle for 253 for 9 which eventually proved insufficient.

    Warriors look for revival at home

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    Preview of the sixth game of IPL 2013, between Pune Warriors and Kings XI Punjab in Pune

    The Preview by Siddhartha Talya06-Apr-2013

    Match facts

    Sunday, April 7, 2013
    Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)Robin Uthappa could play a key role at the top of the order•AFP

    Big Picture

    In a long tournament such as the IPL, one would be wise not to draw large conclusions from some early signs teams might display in their first few games. Pune Warriors would know that well. Last year, they began brightly, winning their first two matches, including one at the superb new stadium on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in front of a capacity home crowd. Things were looking up, but only temporarily, as Warriors’ fortunes slid rapidly. They won just two of their next 14 games.This season, their campaign has begun with a defeat, in a game they should have won, and Warriors will be hoping for a reversal that’s as stark as the one they experienced in 2012. They were tied down in a small chase by some excellent bowling by Sunrisers Hyderabad, and their batting needs to come good against the Kings XI Punjab attack that can be a tricky opponent.Kings XI Punjab are heavy on medium-pace and spin options that can restrict sides on slowish tracks, and the Subroto Roy Sahara Stadium appeared to produce a mixed bag last year, with several scores above 150 as well as totals as low as 121 that were successfully defended. Punjab have had their own concerns with deceptive starts. They had an impressive first season, but didn’t make it to the knockouts in the next four. Last season, they didn’t win more than two games on the trot and had a poor spell at home, just as Pune did.

    Players to watch

    Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey, both from Karnataka, can be an explosive duo at the top of the order, but found the going difficult against Dale Steyn in the first game. Both opened last season, but not regularly and never together. Uthappa did slightly better than his partner, amid frequent shuffling in the batting line-up, but how they – attacking batsmen who love to dominate the bowling – perform in tandem remains to be seen. They did provide an indication, with a 145-run stand, albeit in a losing cause last year.Parvinder Awana was in the limelight last IPL season with 17 wickets from 12 games, impressing many with his pace, at one point clocking 147 kmph against Mumbai Indians. He was ignored by selectors for the India A tour to the Caribbean last year, but a strong performance in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi won him a call-up to India’s Test squad during the series against England. Among the quicker bowlers in India, he’ll be closely monitored again.

    2012 head-to-head

    These two teams played back-to-back games last season, and shared honours. Warriors beat Kings XI by 22 runs in the first game. The second one was a low-scorer, with Warriors being bowled out for 115 and Kings XI chasing it down comfortably. Dimitri Mascarenhas picked up a five-for.

    Stats and trivia

    • Pune Warriors have played 31 IPL games in all, but are yet to have a centurion.
    • David Hussey stands an excellent chance of completing 5000 runs in T20 cricket. He is on 4821 currently, 75 behind Chris Gayle and 453 behind leader Brad Hodge.

    Quotes

    “I have brought about some technical changes in my batting, and at the moment it is working for me. I am happy [with] the way I am batting right now.”

    “In the last two seasons, we have been in the running for a semi-finals [berth] till [our] last game. We have strengthened the squad from last year.”

    Taylor signs for Caribbean Premier League

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    New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor became the third international player to sign for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist

    ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2013Ross Taylor, the New Zealand batsman, became the third foreign player to sign for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist. Six international players from West Indies have already confirmed their participation – Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Marlon Samuels.”I am very excited about playing in the first ever edition of the CPL,” Taylor said. “As current world champions, West Indies have been a force in T20 cricket over the past couple of years, and CPL should help uncover new international superstars in the mould of Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. The Caribbean is one of my favourite places to play cricket and with the passionate crowds, great atmosphere and the athletic style of play, I’m looking forward to being a part of this exciting competition.”Taylor has 3450 runs in 151 Twenty20s at 30.80 with a strike rate of 142.79. He is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for his fourth franchise Pune Warriors, after having previously represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils.The inaugural edition of the CPL will be played this year from July 29 to August 26 by six franchise countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. Each team will select 15 players with a limit of four international players and at least four players under the age of 23.

    Mathews steps aside as Pune captain

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    Angelo Mathews has resigned as the Pune Warriors captain for the season

    ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2013Five matches since he last made an appearance in the IPL, Angelo Mathews has resigned as the Pune Warriors captain for the season.”I would like to confirm that I have decided to stand-aside as Pune Warriors franchise captain for the rest of the current season to ensure team leadership continuity,” Mathews said in a statement issued to the media prior to the start of Warriors’ home game against Royal Challengers Bangalore. “It is in our best interests that the captaincy is not switched frequently as we strive to achieve the best balanced team for each different opponent.”Mathews was appointed the captain for the season after Michael Clarke, the Warriors’ first-choice leader, couldn’t join the squad due to recurrence of his back injury. Mathews had to be dropped for the Warriors’ game against Chennai Super Kings on April 15 since the IPL’s restrictions on not allowing Sri Lankan players to participate in the games played in Chennai.Since then, Mathews has been unable to regain his place in the side. While Ross Taylor led the side in Chennai, he was dropped because, like Mathews, he was also going through a bad patch, despite the team’s victory in Chennai. Aaron Finch has led Warriors in the four successive losses since then.Mathews hinted that despite the team’s slide to the bottom of the points table, Finch is expected to lead the side for the remaining six games.”Given that Aaron (Finch) is likely to play in all our remaining games then it is logical that he continues to be our captain,” Mathews said. “I will naturally provide my fullest support at all times to Aaron and my team-mates. I will also continue to work as hard as possible as a player as we all strive to win our remaining matches.”

    Kevin O'Brien secures Ireland dramatic tie

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    His fans have come to expect thunderous innings and Kevin O’Brien didn’t let them down, with his 84 off 47 balls seizing a tie for Ireland against Pakistan

    The Report by Ger Siggins23-May-2013
    Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Hafeez scored his fifth ODI century but he was upstaged by Kevin O’Brien’s heroics•AFP

    His fans have come to expect thunderous innings and Kevin O’Brien didn’t let them down, with his 84 off 47 balls seizing a tie for Ireland against Pakistan in the first of two ODIs at Clontarf.Ireland’s cricket resurgence was sparked by beating Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup, when Trent Johnston and O’Brien saw them home at Sabina Park. The same pair were at the wicket with 13 needed off three balls here, when O’Brien hit Saeed Ajmal for six and two, before the last ball sped for four to leave them one run short of their Duckworth-Lewis-adjusted target.”It feels a bit like a loss to be honest”, a downcast O’Brien said afterwards, “we got ourselves in a position to win. You don’t go out to tie a game, you go out to win it.”O’Brien’s Man-of-the-Match knock, which included 11 fours and 2 sixes, overshadowed two masterful centuries of contrasting styles. A high-class, unbeaten 122 by Mohammad Hafeez warmed the hearts and hands of the large Pakistani contingent before Paul Stirling fired Ireland’s chase with a ton of his own.Hafeez, 32, made his first ODI century in 19 innings as Pakistan overcame difficult early conditions to post a formidable 266 for 5. The quality of Hafeez’s innings was all the more laudable considering it was interrupted four times by stoppages as the Dublin skies emptied rain and hail on the picturesque ground.In some ways the climate may prove as much a block to Irish ambitions as anything else. The many new fans the game has won in the country in recent years can’t have been impressed by the live experience, as almost all the marquee fixtures since 2007 have been interrupted by rain.The crowd were good-natured, however, and a carnival atmosphere obtained despite the chill. Eyebrows were raised when Pakistan opted to bat on winning the toss but, after fine opening spells by Tim Murtagh and Johnston there was little to concern the visitors.Nasir Jamshed hit as big a six as has ever been seen here but was forced to retire hurt on 15 and when first-change bowler Alex Cusack snapped up Imran Farhat the locals found their voice. But it was another 30 overs before they had anything to cheer about as Hafeez and Asad Shafiq found batting increasingly easy.Shafiq passed 1000 runs in ODIs, and his personal best, and was in sight of a maiden century when he spooned Cusack to Johnston at long-on. Their partnership of 188 was the second highest against Ireland for any wicket, dwarfed only by Brendon McCullum and James Marshall’s opening 274 for New Zealand against a virtual second string in 2008.Hafeez moved steadily to his hundred, finding gaps all round the wicket and reaching the milestone off 102 balls. There was a hiccup next over when the recovered Jamshed was well-taken by a diving Tim Murtagh and, next ball, Hafeez sent Misbah ul-Haq back, which he declined to do and was run out without facing. Kamran Akmal cracked three boundaries before O’Brien yorked him in the final over, and there was just time for Hafeez to sign off with a glorious cover drive to close as classy an innings as Dublin has seen in quite a while.With only 47 overs bowled, the target was revised up to 276 and Stirling set Ireland off in a fashion that has become his mark. Two years ago he made a century against the same opposition, which caused Waqar Younis to rave: “He is a fine player, he played proper shots and he is not scared of playing his shots against good bowlers.”Here he played classical drives and deft cuts whilst bludgeoning boundaries on the way to his fifth ODI hundred, in 101 balls. He and Porterfield put on 62, before the second large second-wicket stand of the day, with Ed Joyce. The Sussex man has been in fine form in England but was disappointed to miss a straight one from Hafeez. The pitch generally failed to turn as much as expected and Saeed Ajmal had a day to forget quickly, his ten overs going for 71. He frequently bowled short and O’Brien played some punching backfoot drives through extra cover. Mohammed Irfan, too, had a difficult day, not least in the field where he was tested frequently.”Ireland are a good side,” Misbah, Pakistan’s captain, said afterwards. “We will need to improve in all areas before Sunday’s game.” There were still a few hundred tickets left for that game but they may go quickly when word spreads about this remarkable result.

    Three teams queue up for semi spot

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    ESPNcricinfo previews the crucial Group A match between Australia and Sri Lanka

    The Preview by Brydon Coverdale and Devashish Fuloria16-Jun-2013

    Match facts

    Monday, June 17, The Oval
    Start time 1300 (1200 GMT)Can Phillip Hughes reprise the form he showed against Sri Lanka in his first ODI series earlier this year?•Getty Images

    Big Picture

    Amid the vexing appearances of rain in the last few days, three of the four teams will nervously wait for the result of the final Group B match. Sri Lanka, who more often than not make it to the knockouts in ICC tournaments, just need a win; if they win big – that is, by about 90 runs in a full 50-over game – they can better England’s net run rate and finish top of the group. Australia, who have looked a shadow of their usual selves, need to win by about 125 runs to lift their NRR above that of New Zealand and knock them out. If they bat second and Sri Lanka score 200, Australia will need to chase the target down in about 27 overs. New Zealand, who looked good to make it to the next round till a day ago, need Australia to win but not absolutely thump Sri Lanka. The London weather may interrupt the match but is expected to hold better than in Cardiff or Edgbaston.If Sri Lanka do beat Australia by a big enough margin to leap over England, they will fix a semi-final date with South Africa at The Oval. The second-placed team from the group will play India in Cardiff.Although, Sri Lanka and New Zealand have better chances than Australia, it is Sri Lanka who have the situation in their control. Their batting showed form during the chase against England and their bowling was exceptional in the narrow loss to New Zealand. However, they have shown over-dependence on their three stalwarts for steering their batting and their long-awaited young brigade is yet to show signs of maturity. Sangakkara was the lone ranger against New Zealand and led the chase against England with a brilliant century. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene played useful hands at The Oval too, but if Sri Lanka are to make further progress, their young batsmen will need to shoulder some of the burden of the seniors.Australia find themselves in a strange position. The team has cruised to the knockout stages in the past, but this time, they are in danger of being eliminated without a win. Michael Clarke admitted the team was affected by the off-field controversies, but on the field they have lacked punch in their batting. The failures of Shane Watson and the absence of David Warner and Clarke have meant the batting order has never looked menacing. Stand-in captain George Bailey has shown good form with his two half-centuries, but if Australia are to make a serious attempt at improving their net run rate apart from winning the game, they will need Watson to fire.

    Form guide

    (most recent first, last five completed games)
    Australia: LWWWW
    Sri Lanka: WLLWL

    Watch out for…

    It was against Sri Lanka earlier this year that Phillip Hughes burst into one-day international cricket with a century on debut and proved that he should not be considered a Test-only player. Three single-figure scores followed but he finished the five-match series in Australia with another hundred, an unbeaten 138 that set up an Australian victory to draw the series. Hughes’ free-wheeling style can be suited to the 50-over format but he is yet to show his best form on this trip and threw his wicket away against England when he became tied down. A big score could not only help Australia stay in the series but might give Hughes the morale boost he needs ahead of the Ashes.A confident Nuwan Kulasekara is not what the Australians were hoping to face in this match. Fortunately for them his form in the previous match was most impressive for his batting – a brilliant 58 not out from 38 balls as a pinch-hitting No.5 – rather than his bowling. But they know precisely how dangerous he can be in swinging conditions, as they found to their detriment at the Gabba earlier this year. Kulasekara was the architect of Sri Lanka’s outstanding bowling effort to dismiss Australia for 74 in a match in which the hosts were lucky not to fall for their lowest ever ODI total, as they were 9 for 40 when the final pair came together. Rest assured that this Australian batting line-up will be just as wary of Kulasekara at The Oval as they will of the always threatening Lasith Malinga.

    Team news

    Michael Clarke trained with the squad in the lead-up to the match but was still considered an unlikely starter, with Australia’s medical staff and team management taking a cautious approach with his back injury ahead of the Ashes. Xavier Doherty came in for Mitchell Starc last game and is expected to retain his position.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Xavier Doherty.Shaminda Eranga was expensive in the win over England at the same venue and could be challenged for a place in the side by either Thisara Perera or the spinner Sachithra Senanayake.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Angelo Mathews (capt), 7 Lahiru Thirimanne, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Thisara Perera / Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Lasith Malinga.

    Pitch and conditions

    There were plenty of runs available at The Oval when England and Sri Lanka played there on Thursday and the forecast for London on Monday is for a cloudy day with the risk of showers.

    Stats and trivia

    • Sri Lanka have won six of their past 10 one-day internationals against Australia
    • Should Australia fail to progress past the group stage it will be the first time since 2000 that they have not reached the semi-finals of a Champions Trophy or ICC KnockOut
    • Kulasekara needs 19 runs and one wicket to become the fourth Sri Lankan to the double of 1000 runs and 150 wickets in ODIs, after Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas and Upul Chandana
    • Adam Voges has played Australia’s past four ODIs, his longest consecutive streak of matches in a spread-out career spanning nearly six and a half years

    Quotes

    “In the last two years or so we’ve been very consistent against Australia and we’ve played them very well. We managed to handle a lot of situations better than them, so hopefully we can continue that.”
    “Once someone in the top four goes on to make a hundred, the other guys bat around him. I’d like to see that happen in this game.”