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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cricket News and Cricket Highlights - Crichotline

Cricket News and Cricket Highlights - Crichotline

Michael Clarke rise to no. 1 spot in ICC Test Rankings #AusvsSA

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 01:45 AM PST


Michael Clarke has regained the No.1 spot in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after producing a spectacular performance in the second cricket Test between Australia and South Africa which ended in a thrilling draw in Adelaide Monday.

The 31-year-old Australian captain scored 230 in the first innings, his fourth double-century of the year, which has earned him 33 ratings points and has helped him leapfrog Kumar Sangkkara of Sri Lanka and South African duo Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis into the number-one position.

This is the third time Clarke has moved to the top of the table. He first achieved the number-one ranking in August 2009 and then again surged to the top earlier this year in March-April.

Unfortunately, both the times his stay at the top has been brief – a possibility which still exists as he leads Sangakkara by a slender 10 ratings points margin.

If Sangakkara manages to turn around the first innings failure into a strong performance in the second innings of the ongoing second Test against New Zealand in Colombo, he has a good chance to reclaim the coveted spot which he snatched from West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul in July.

Clarke had started the year in 20th position and has made his way to the top scoring 1,309 runs to date at an average of 119. Apart from Clarke, Ricky Ponting (24th, down by three) and Michael Hussey (12th, down by one) are the other two current Australia team players who have tasted number-one positions in the past

Umesh Yadav ruled out of India-England 3rd Test at Kolkata #IndvsEng

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 01:15 AM PST


Pacer Umesh Yadav, who was ruled out of the second Test against England in Mumbai due to a lower back injury, will miss the third match too, to be held in Kolkata from December 5.

After a decent outing in the series-opener in Ahmedabad, Yadav missed the action in Mumbai, and will not be able to fully recover ahead of the third match of the rubber.

“The injury is more serious than it was thought to be, so the team will have to make do without him for at least another Test,” an insider was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNcricinfo’.

After the Indian bowlers’ disappointing show in Mumbai, where they lost by 10 wickets, Yadav’s injury could only add to the national selectors’ problems. They are to pick the squad, on Tuesday, for the remaining two Tests and the two Twenty20 Internationals.

Australian media lauds South Africa fighting spirit in 2nd Test #AusvsSA

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 12:45 AM PST


Australian media Tuesday praised the rearguard action by South Africa to save the second Test and said their survival will feel like a win going into the third and deciding showdown this week.

Debutant Faf du Plessis batted throughout the final day for a defiant unbeaten century to guide the Proteas to a thrilling draw in Adelaide, spending almost eight hours at the crease in a feat of physical and mental endurance.
“No faffing about from Du Plessis,” said the Sydney Morning Herald, with cricket writer Malcolm Knox saying the match had everything bar a winner.”Or maybe not,” he added.

“South Africa’s survival will certainly feel like a win as they go into Friday’s decider, while Australia’s failure to dismiss them in 148 overs will deflate their self-belief beyond quick repair.”

The Australian newspaper called Australia’s inability to nail the win a “heroic failure” while praising the contribution from Du Plessis, who was at the crease for 464 minutes and faced 376 balls in his draining 110.
“One of the joys of Test cricket is when a player explores the limits of their capabilities, proves something they always wondered if they could do, finds a reserve hidden even from themselves,” the paper’s Gideon Haigh wrote.

“Faf du Plessis discovered some things about himself in this marathon Test match in Adelaide, as have his opponents.”

Sydney’s Daily Telegraph also praised Du Plessis’ “dogged debut” while bemoaning Australia’s inability to find a consistent top order.

While David Warner got a century in the match, Ed Cowan, Rob Quiney and Ricky Ponting all struggled, with the run-scoring burden being shouldered by Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey.Quiney was dropped for Perth after making a pair of ducks with Shane Watson returning.

The Telegraph’s cricket writer Malcolm Conn said the top order was not sustainable as it was.
“The bottom line is Australia need to find a more functional and stable top order than the one which has left them three wickets down for a score below 100 on 16 occasions in the past 16 Tests,” he said.

BCCI announce unchanged squad for India-England 3rd Test at Kolkata #IndvsEng

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 12:36 AM PST


India have retained 15 players from the squad that lost to England in Mumbai for the third Test at Eden Gardens, beginning in Kolkata on December 5. Fast bowler Umesh Yadav, who did not play the second Test because of a back injury, was not fit and hence left out.

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Pragyan Ojha, Ajinkya Rahane, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Zaheer Khan.

More to follow….

Sachin Tendulkar must speak to selectors about future plans: Kapil Dev

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 12:18 AM PST


Saddened by the criticism that Sachin Tendulkar is facing due to his lean run, former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev said the veteran batsman should speak to the selectors about his future.

Tendulkar’s poor run continued in the recently-concluded second Test against England which the visitors won in just four days despite the track being tailormade to India’s demands.

Following the 39-year-old’s most recent failure, ex-captain Sunil Gavaskar said it was time for him to speak to the selectors. And now, Kapil has echoed his former teammate’s view.

“Either selectors should speak to him or Sachin should himself have a word with them. The problem is that Sachin does not speak about it openly and the selectors have also been mum about it till now,” Kapil told ‘Aaj Tak’.

“This results in confusion amongst the fans and also invites criticism from everyone, especially when Sachin performs badly. Selectors should talk to him openly. He (Sachin) is a hero and one feels really bad to see fingers being pointed at him,” he said.

After the defeat against England in the Mumbai Test, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is also facing the ire of former players. Kapil said Dhoni’s place in the playing XI is in itself questionable.

“It is a big loss, indeed. We never let other teams dominate in our own conditions. But, this loss has raised some serious questions. We all know that Dhoni has performed badly in the last 8-10 Tests and going purely by performance, his place in the playing XI seems a bit doubtful.

“When you win, a captain takes the entire credit and similarly he will also be blamed when the team loses. He has let himself down and fans are feeling the same,” said the 1983 World Cup winning skipper.

Kapil said that the team is going through a transition phase after retirement of legends such as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman but hoped that it will bounce back in the remaining two Tests against England.
Posted by MohammaD IsmaiL at 12:22 PM

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