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Sunday, August 5, 2012

C r i c H o t L i n e

C r i c H o t L i n e

West Indies beat New Zealand by 5 wickets in 2nd Test, wrap up series 2-0

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 12:25 PM PDT


West Indies won the second Test on Sunday to wrap up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand, beating the Black Caps in Kingston by five wickets.

The hosts reached 206 for five having started the day just 71 runs short of victory, as Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit the winning run to add to last month’s nine-wicket success at North Sound.

Kemar Roach, voted player of the series, missed a half century as he was the only wicket to fall on the day, caught for 41 by Tim Southee off the bowling of Kane Williamson, who induced an outside edge as the hosts claimed their first Test series against the tourists in 16 years.

Narsingh Deonarine came in and helped Chanderpaul guide his side past the winning post, the former levelling the scores with two towards mid-wicket before nicking a single towards third man.

West Indies’ skipper Darren Sammy praised his side afterwards — then looked forward.

“The next assignment is the World T20. We have gotten the feeling of what it is like to win, but we have to continue to work hard. The last year or two has been tough for us – we are going to celebrate this day, but it is about continuous hard work,” he said.

Black Caps’ counterpart Ross Taylor said: “It’s been a disappointing tour all round, we have had our chances in this match, in several matches this tour.

“There are some positives, the bowlers bowled well on a tough wicket. We needed to set them 270-300 on what was a fourth-day wicket. I think (our batsmen) shouldn’t be satisfied with 50-60s, we are a young team, we are getting better every now and then.”

After the Kiwis had established a 51-run lead following the first innings the West Indies found their way back to post the win with a day to spare after Deonarine produced figures of four for 37 to help polish off the tourists for a paltry 154 in their second innings.

Although Chris Gayle — returning to the Test fold after 18 months on the sidelines — could only make eight while fellow opener Kieran Powell only managed six, first innings centurion Marlon Samuels then stepped into the breach once again with an innings-leading 52.

Doug Bracewell forced an edge from Samuels, but after surviving being dropped he had done enough to build a winning platform — as Gayle and Powell had done in the first Test with their 150 and 134 in North Sound.

Sammy praised Samuels and Deonarine for their significant contributions,

“The way Marlon held the innings together in both innings, that spell from Narsingh yesterday, the performances are coming from different players at different times, that’s the hallmark of a good team,” he said.

It was appropriate Deonarine should have accompanied Chanderpaul at the crease for the final denouement after he, along with Tino Best, forced the collapse of the Kiwi middle order on Saturday.

England – South Africa 2nd Test heading for a draw: Day 4 Report

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 12:23 PM PDT


The second Test between England and South Africa at Headingley looked to be heading for a draw on Sunday, after rain stopped play during day four’s afternoon session.

South Africa’s batsmen had reached 39 for 0 in their second innings at the end of the day four, with Jacques Rudolph 21 not out and Graeme Smith unbeaten on 17.

The tourists lead by 33 runs at the notional tea interval but with only one day to go, neither side is likely to have enough time to force a result.

Earlier, England were all out for 425. Matt Prior hit 68 after Kevin Pietersen was out to the second ball of the morning without adding to his overnight score of 149.

Morne Morkel (96 for 2) trapped Pietersen lbw to end an innings of 214 balls, with a six and 22 fours.

Imran Tahir had South Africa’s best figures with 92 for 3.

After scoring 419 in its first innings, South Africa was hindered by three injuries.

With Alviro Petersen already sidelined with a hamstring problem, the tourists also took the field without Jacques Kallis because of back spasms and with captain Smith hobbling due to a knee injury.

Pietersen, so impressive on Saturday, never had the chance to reach his 150. After blocking Morkel’s first delivery he was powerless to stop the second, an inswinger that thundered into his pads.

Prior, who was 20 overnight, scored rapidly and reached his 50 from 66 balls with a single off Tahir.

Tim Bresnan supported Prior well, lasting 50 balls before he edged Vernon Philander to Smith at first slip for 9 after an hour.

By contrast, Stuart Broad’s innings lasted just eight balls before he played a poor shot to Tahir and was caught by sub Faf du Plessis for 1.

Prior survived an lbw referral from Tahir, from a ball that pitched outside leg, before England took the lead when Anderson steered Morkel to third man for four.

However, Prior was out in the next over when he tried to sweep Tahir and was caught by Steyn on the long leg boundary and Tahir then bowled Anderson to end the innings.

Petersen can bat later in South Africa’s second innings if needed but, as he was unable to field, Rudolph opened with Smith and the pair had to survive a torrid 11-minute spell before lunch.

Anderson hit Smith high on the pads in the third over and unsuccessfully referred umpire Rod Tucker’s not out call. Anderson’s next delivery fizzed past Smith’s bat and only one more ball was possible before torrential rain swept across Headingley.

Play resumed after a 73-minute delay but aside from a couple of edges that fell short of the slip cordon neither batsman looked in serious trouble.

After exactly an hour the rain returned, followed by thunder and lightning. With huge puddles gathering on the outfield, the further play on Sunday was called off.

West Indies vs New Zealand Day 4 Highlights #WIvsNZ 2nd Test 2012

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 11:09 AM PDT


West Indies vs New Zealand Day 4 Cricket Highlights 2nd Test 2012. New Zealand vs West Indies Highlights 2nd Test played at Kingston on 05 August 2012. Watch the Highlights of New Zealand tour West Indies 2012 series here so stay tuned for all the update!

West Indies vs New Zealand Day 4 Highlights 2nd Test will be posted here.

Part 1

Part 2

Check out the preview of 1st Test here and for live scores go here

England vs South Africa Day 4 Highlights 2nd Test #EngvSA Leeds 2012

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 11:07 AM PDT


England vs South Africa highlights of the Day 4 of the 2nd Test played at Headingley, Leeds, England on 05 August 2012. Day 4 Highlights of South Africa vs England will be posted here. Watch out for the highlights of the South Africa tour of England 2012 here.

Part 1

Part 2 Onwards coming up

Check out the preview of 2nd Test here and for live scores go here

West Indies vs New Zealand 2nd Test Post Match Presentation #WIvsNZ 2012

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 10:55 AM PDT


Roach: The wickets in the Caribbean is getting difficult to bowl. I bowled well in the first, but I would like to see wickets that will help the faster bowlers. The will continue to work hard like before. I am working hard on the no-balls and I will use this break to rectify on that.

Roach is the Man of the series for his 12 wickets in this series

Samuels: This award is for Jamiaca. They have supported us well in the last few days. Right now nothing is diffcult, because the same guys are praising me, who banned me for 2 years.

Marlon Samuels is the Man of the Match for his 123 and 52 in this match.

Sammy: It’s a good feeling and I couldn’t asked for more. Full cred it the New Zealand team for the way they played, but I think Samuels played very well in this Test. We would like to perform like this on a consistent basis. After conceding a lead, we thought if we bowl well and keep the lead around 200, we could chase. Our immediate focus is on the T20 World Cup and I hope the players contribute like this on a consistent basis. I want the guys to continue playing like this. We are now cheering for Boult and Blake in the Olympics and hope they will win gold for us.

Ross Taylor: It’s been a disappointing tour for us, we had our chances and we didn’t capitalise. Our batting let them down badly and we have an important Indian tour coming up. Our bowlers bowled well. We did miss the serivices of Vettori, but the pitch didn’t really helped the spinners much. I would like to thank the West Indies board.

Kevin Pietersen batted like Brian Lara: Donald

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 03:40 AM PDT


Former South African fast bowling great Allan Donald compared Kevin Pietersen to West Indian legend Brian Lara after the England batsman hit his team back into the game with a spectacular century on the third day of the second Test at Headingley on Saturday.

Pietersen launched a savage assault after tea, hitting 149 not out as England reached 351 for five at the close, 68 behind South Africa’s first innings total of 419.

“He played seriously well,” said Donald, South Africa’s bowling coach.

“It reminds me of when I ran into Brian Lara, something in the category of a bit of a genius to play knocks like that.”

Pietersen said his last two centuries, one in extreme heat against Sri Lanka in Colombo and Saturday’s 212-ball effort, were the best two of his Test career.

“It was against an unbelievable bowling attack that keeps coming at you and never gives in. To get runs against that attack is something I will always cherish.”

On a day when fortunes turned dramatically against them in an extended afternoon session, South Africa suffered a further blow shortly before the close when captain Graeme Smith had to be helped from the field after injuring his left knee in chasing a ball to the boundary.

“He said he felt something in his knee,” said Donald. “He will be assessed overnight.”

Until Pietersen cut loose, South Africa had been ahead in a battle of attrition as England struggled to 173 for four at less than three runs an over.

Alastair Cook (24), Andrew Strauss (37) and Jonathan Trott (35) all fell to disciplined bowling after lengthy but not particularly productive stays at the crease.

South Africa struck what seemed a crucial blow shortly before the tea interval when Ian Bell was caught at first slip off Jacques Kallis for 11, leaving Pietersen to rebuild the innings together with new cap James Taylor.

The match changed after the break. South Africa brought back fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to put pressure on the diminutive Taylor but it was Pietersen who took charge, slamming 26 runs off 11 balls in a thrilling passage of play.

In a continuation of the duel between the two players in the first Test at the Oval, Morkel sent down a series of bouncers, bowling from around the wicket and challenging Pietersen to take on two fielders on the legside boundary.

Pietersen was dropped at short leg by Hashim Amla off Morkel on 52 but then thrashed the next two balls to the midwicket boundary.

With Pietersen in such dominant mood, Taylor was able to feel his way into Test cricket in a supporting role and batted soundly as he made 34 in a fifth wicket partnership of 147 before being bowled by Morkel.

Pietersen reached a relatively conventional fifty off 90 balls with nine fours — although it was already by far the most aggressive innings played by an England batsman — then raced to his century off another 52 deliveries with eight more boundaries.

When he was on 85 he became the eighth English batsman to score 7000 Test runs.

His 21st Test century — his third against South Africa — came in the first over with the second new ball. After a brief period of consolidation he launched another burst of scoring, hitting 22 off 11 balls, including a straight drive which nearly decapitated Steyn and a dismissive swat to midwicket in Steyn’s next over followed by a straight six off the next ball.

He then batted more cautiously towards the close to ensure he would be at the crease to resume on Sunday.

Pietersen said he was flattered to hear that Donald had compared him to Lara.

“Allan Donald was one of my heroes growing up, so that’s special,” he said.

“I’ve never batted better in my life,” said Pietersen. “I got a big wake up call against Pakistan (in January and February). I was a bit overweight, I wasn’t physically in as good a nick as I should have been and I averaged twelve and a half which really hurt, because I set myself high standards.

“I took it on the chin and I went and spent hours and hours with (England bowling coach) Mushtaq (Ahmed).” (AFP)

Statistical Highlights : India vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI #IndvSL Pallekele 2012

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 03:36 AM PDT


Statistical highlights of the fifth one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka at Pallekele.

# Manoj Tiwary’s brilliant innings of 65 is his second highest in ODIs, next only to the 104 retired not out against the West Indies at Chennai on December 11, 2011.

# Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the second Indian player and the fourth overall to aggregate 2000 runs or more against Sri Lanka in ODIs. The top run-getters against Sri Lanka are Sachin Tendulkar (3113), Inzamam-ul-Haq (2265), Saeed Anwar (2198) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2041).

# Dhoni (58 off 38 balls) has posted his 16th fifty against Sri Lanka – his 46th in ODIs.

# Dhoni batted with a strike rate of 152.63 – his highest against Sri Lanka when he has scored 50 or more.

# Dhoni has averaged 60.02 against Sri Lanka – 2041 runs in 55 ODIs. His tally includes two hundreds.

# Pathan and Dhoni were associated in a seventh-wicket partnership of 77 – India’s highest against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, outstripping the 63 between Robin Singh and Ajit Agarkar at Colombo, SSC on July 1, 1998.

# Lahiru Thirimanne has posted his fourth half-century in ODIs – his second against India.

# Thirimanne’s superb 77 off 96 balls is his career-best in ODIs, eclipsing the 69 off 63 balls against South Africa at Johannesburg on January 22, 2012.

# Thirimanne’s fifty is his first in a losing cause.

# Irfan Pathan’s average of 76.00 – 76 runs in four innings, three times not out – is his best in an ODI series.

# Irfan Pathan (5 for 61) has registered his second instance of five wickets in an innings in ODIs – his best ever figures are 5 for 27 against Zimbabwe at Harare on August 29, 2005.

# Pathan is the first Indian bowler to concede 60 or more while claiming five wickets in an innings in an ODI.

# Pathan has become the third Indian bowler to take five wickets or more against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in ODIs. Ashish Nehra had claimed 6 for 59 on August 9, 2005 and Harbhajan Singh – 5 for 56 on September 14, 2009. Both performed the feats at Colombo (RPS).

# Pathan (29 not out + 5/61) has been adjudged the Man of the Match for the seventh time in ODIs – his third against Sri Lanka.

# Lasith Malinga became the fourth Sri Lankan to complete 200 wickets or more in ODIs, joining Muralitharan (534), Chaminda Vaas (400) and Sanath Jayasuriya (323).

# Malinga’s marvellous feat of completing 200 wickets in 127 ODIs is the fastest by a Sri Lankan bowler and the seventh quickest in ODIs.

# Tillakaratne Dilshan has registered his ninth duck in ODIs – his fourth against India.

# Three bowlers have captured eight wickets each in the just concluded series – Pathan (ave.26.37), Perera (ave.31.25) and Malinga (35.50).

# Jeevan Mendis (72 off 88 balls) has posted his maiden fifty in ODIs.

# Thirimanne and Mendis were involved in a stand of 102 for the sixth wicket – Sri Lanka’s sixth century stand against India.

# Gautam Gambhir has posted his ninth fifty against Sri Lanka – his 33rd in ODIs.

# In the course of his above half-century, Gambhir has completed his 5,000 runs in ODIs, aggregating 5077 at an average of 40.94 in 135 innings.

# Gambhir (5077) has become the ninth Indian batsman to make 5,000 runs or more in ODIs. He has joined Sachin Tendulkar (18,426), Sourav Ganguly (11,363), Rahul Dravid (10,889), Mohammad Azharuddin (9378), Virender Sehwag (8238), Yuvraj Singh (8051), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6908), and Ajay Jadeja (5359).

# Gambhir took 135 innings to reach 5,000 runs – the joint second quickest by an Indian batsman in ODIs. Sourav Ganguly had achieved the distinction in 126 innings and Mahendra Singh Dhoni 135.

# Virat Kohli, with 296 runs (ave.74.00), including two centuries, is the leading run-getter in the just concluded series – a record in a bilateral series between India and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, obliterating the 284 (ave.56.80) by Yuvraj Singh in 2008-09.

# Kohli has received his second Player of the Series award.

# Gambhir and Tiwary have added 110 – India’s third highest for the fourth wicket against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

# Suresh Raina has registered his fourth duck against Sri Lanka – his ninth in Limited-Overs Internationals.

# India’s superb series victory by 4-1 is their second by such a margin in a bilateral series in Sri Lanka. India had won by a similar margin against Sri Lanka in the 2008-09 series in Sri Lanka.

# India have won three series in a row in Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka – by 3-2 in 2008; by 4-1 in 2008-09 and by 4-1 in 2012. They have now won five bilateral series in a row against Sri Lanka in ODIs.

# Rohit Sharma could manage just 13 runs in five innings at an average of 2.60 – the least number of runs scored by a recognised batsman (No.1 to 7) in five innings for India.

Only three batsmen have scored less than Rohit in five innings in a series/competition – the dubious distinction for recording least number of runs in five innings was achieved by Romesh Kaluwitharana – 7 runs in five innings (ave.1.40) in the Asia Cup 1996-97. (PTI)
Posted by MohammaD IsmaiL at 1:08 PM

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