Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Australia book place in finals
Australia confirmed their place in the finals of the Commonwealth Bank Series after they recorded a 24-run Duckworth-Lewis system victory against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Sri Lankans, who must now win their final two games of the competition to stand any chance of joining the Australians in the best-of-three finals series, had looked on course to claim a rare victory against the hosts when they restricted them to 184 for seven.
Half centuries from middle-order batsmen Michael Hussey (64 not out) and Michael Clarke (50) helped Australia to build a competitive target in difficult batting conditions after their top order had faltered.
However, in reply the tourists struggled to keep up with the modest run rate on the slow MCG pitch, and despite hope the players might re-appear after they were forced from the field in the 30th over with Sri Lanka on 77 for four, the rain persisted before play was called off.
Sri Lanka had lost eight of their previous nine one-day internationals against Australia, including last year's World Cup final, and their hopes of chasing down the modest target were immediately undermined by paceman Stuart Clark who struck twice to leave them at three for two.
Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene set about reconstructing the Sri Lankan innings in painstaking fashion as they reached the 15-over mark with just 33 runs on the board.
However, they both fell before long and with the forecast rain starting to appear and the Sri Lankans falling behind in the Duckworth-Lewis calculations, it was inevitable the hosts had done enough.
Earlier, Hussey's 12th one-day international half-century, which also saw him reach 2000 limited overs runs, coupled with a composed knock from captain-in-waiting Clarke helped the Australians recover from 54 for four in the 22nd over
The Sri Lankans, who must now win their final two games of the competition to stand any chance of joining the Australians in the best-of-three finals series, had looked on course to claim a rare victory against the hosts when they restricted them to 184 for seven.
Half centuries from middle-order batsmen Michael Hussey (64 not out) and Michael Clarke (50) helped Australia to build a competitive target in difficult batting conditions after their top order had faltered.
However, in reply the tourists struggled to keep up with the modest run rate on the slow MCG pitch, and despite hope the players might re-appear after they were forced from the field in the 30th over with Sri Lanka on 77 for four, the rain persisted before play was called off.
Sri Lanka had lost eight of their previous nine one-day internationals against Australia, including last year's World Cup final, and their hopes of chasing down the modest target were immediately undermined by paceman Stuart Clark who struck twice to leave them at three for two.
Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene set about reconstructing the Sri Lankan innings in painstaking fashion as they reached the 15-over mark with just 33 runs on the board.
However, they both fell before long and with the forecast rain starting to appear and the Sri Lankans falling behind in the Duckworth-Lewis calculations, it was inevitable the hosts had done enough.
Earlier, Hussey's 12th one-day international half-century, which also saw him reach 2000 limited overs runs, coupled with a composed knock from captain-in-waiting Clarke helped the Australians recover from 54 for four in the 22nd over
Hyderabad, Chennai IPL's dream teams
New Delhi: The players have been bought, but the big question is who has got the right ones. Powered with the findings of an opinion poll on Cricketnext.com, here's the expert view on who have the best team to go all the way in the IPL.
After a day of hectic buying and selling, everyone is wondering who got the mix right? That may not be easy to answer but the experts reckon some have no chance at all after the players they picked up, like team Jaipur.
"Serendipity. Whatever that lands up on the auction day. We might have picked out a few players and targetted them, but during the course of the auction, if you have been a little off target, there is a possibility of going off balance," VB Chandrasekhar, former India cricketer and selector of the Chennai Super Kings, told CNN-IBN on Saturday's Cricket 360.
Just one per cent of Cricketnext users thought Jaipur would win the league. Bangalore faired a touch better with four per cent, and Mumbai was at nine per cent.
"When you have these iconic players with you, and you pay them loads of money, I think it will call for true professionalism in them, and you have got to make sure that they win," notes former India speedster Javagal Srinath.
But one team that gets the accolades from nearly everyone is Hyderabad, who have Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shahid Afridi, Herschelle Gibbs, VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma among others to call on.
"They have got the best balance because they have got players who can win the game single-handedly," explains former India spinner Maninder Singh.
Cricketnext users tend to agree. Hyderabad, along with Chennai fetched the highest number of votes with 26 per cent.
And the mastermind behind Chennai's selection is in no doubt they have hit the nail on the head. "I would tend to think that it's all ours already," Chandrashekhar beams.
What of the dark horses? Shahrukh Khan's Kolkata and Priety Zinta's Mohali are pretty close; 17 per cent go for Kolkata while 13 per cent back Preity's Mohali. Delhi managed just two per cent
After a day of hectic buying and selling, everyone is wondering who got the mix right? That may not be easy to answer but the experts reckon some have no chance at all after the players they picked up, like team Jaipur.
"Serendipity. Whatever that lands up on the auction day. We might have picked out a few players and targetted them, but during the course of the auction, if you have been a little off target, there is a possibility of going off balance," VB Chandrasekhar, former India cricketer and selector of the Chennai Super Kings, told CNN-IBN on Saturday's Cricket 360.
Just one per cent of Cricketnext users thought Jaipur would win the league. Bangalore faired a touch better with four per cent, and Mumbai was at nine per cent.
"When you have these iconic players with you, and you pay them loads of money, I think it will call for true professionalism in them, and you have got to make sure that they win," notes former India speedster Javagal Srinath.
But one team that gets the accolades from nearly everyone is Hyderabad, who have Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shahid Afridi, Herschelle Gibbs, VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma among others to call on.
"They have got the best balance because they have got players who can win the game single-handedly," explains former India spinner Maninder Singh.
Cricketnext users tend to agree. Hyderabad, along with Chennai fetched the highest number of votes with 26 per cent.
And the mastermind behind Chennai's selection is in no doubt they have hit the nail on the head. "I would tend to think that it's all ours already," Chandrashekhar beams.
What of the dark horses? Shahrukh Khan's Kolkata and Priety Zinta's Mohali are pretty close; 17 per cent go for Kolkata while 13 per cent back Preity's Mohali. Delhi managed just two per cent
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
IPL Bidding Started
Squads as of now:
Jaipur Shane Warne (US$ 450,000)
Chennai MS Dhoni (US$ 1.5 million), Muttiah Muralitharan (US$ 600,00), Matthew Hayden (US$ 375,000), Jacob Oram (US$ 675,000)
Mumbai Sachin Tendulkar (icon), Sanath Jayasuriya (US$ 975,000), Harbhajan Singh (US$ 850,000)
Bangalore Rahul Dravid (icon), Anil Kumble (US$ 500,000)
Hyderabad Adam Gilchrist (US$ 700,000), Andrew Symonds (US$ 1.35 million)
Mohali Yuvraj Singh (icon), Mahela Jayawardene (US$ 475,000), Kumar Sangakkara (US$ 700,000), Brett Lee (US$ 900,000)
Kolkata Sourav Ganguly (icon), Shoaib Akhtar (US$ 425,000), Ricky Ponting (US$ 400,000), Brendon McCullum (US$ 700,000)
Delhi Virender Sehwag (icon), Daniel Vettori (US$ 625,000)
Jaipur Shane Warne (US$ 450,000)
Chennai MS Dhoni (US$ 1.5 million), Muttiah Muralitharan (US$ 600,00), Matthew Hayden (US$ 375,000), Jacob Oram (US$ 675,000)
Mumbai Sachin Tendulkar (icon), Sanath Jayasuriya (US$ 975,000), Harbhajan Singh (US$ 850,000)
Bangalore Rahul Dravid (icon), Anil Kumble (US$ 500,000)
Hyderabad Adam Gilchrist (US$ 700,000), Andrew Symonds (US$ 1.35 million)
Mohali Yuvraj Singh (icon), Mahela Jayawardene (US$ 475,000), Kumar Sangakkara (US$ 700,000), Brett Lee (US$ 900,000)
Kolkata Sourav Ganguly (icon), Shoaib Akhtar (US$ 425,000), Ricky Ponting (US$ 400,000), Brendon McCullum (US$ 700,000)
Delhi Virender Sehwag (icon), Daniel Vettori (US$ 625,000)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Yuvraj slides, Tendulkar rises in ICC ODI rankings
DUBAI, February 16: Yuvraj Singh's form slump has seen him drop four rungs to 19th, while master batsman Sachin Tendulkar continued to be upwardly mobile, rising a couple of spots to seventh in the latest ICC ODI rankings issued on Saturday.
Indian ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has also lost ground dropping two places to 13th in the batting charts.
Among the others Indians, Gautam Gambhir has improved his position by two places and is currently placed 35th in the list which continues to be headed by Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.
In the bowling charts, Harbhajan Singh is the only Indian in top 20 after improving five positions to the 18th spot.
Teenage pace sensation Ishant Sharma continues to make significant improvement and the bowler who has claimed six wickets in four ODIs of the ongoing tri-series has shot up 96 places to 154th position.
Meanwhile, retiring Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has climbed 10 places to second position after a superb 118 in Perth.
In the ICC ODI Championship table, Australia is still at the top of the table leading South Africa by three ratings points.
New Zealand is third, three ratings points ahead of fourth-placed India, while Sri Lanka is another two ratings point adrift in sixth place. England is seventh with 106 ratings points.
With just seven ratings points currently separating New Zealand in third position and England in seventh, the competition will be fierce over the coming weeks to see who finishes where before the cut-off date for determining seedings for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008, March 12.
Indian ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has also lost ground dropping two places to 13th in the batting charts.
Among the others Indians, Gautam Gambhir has improved his position by two places and is currently placed 35th in the list which continues to be headed by Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.
In the bowling charts, Harbhajan Singh is the only Indian in top 20 after improving five positions to the 18th spot.
Teenage pace sensation Ishant Sharma continues to make significant improvement and the bowler who has claimed six wickets in four ODIs of the ongoing tri-series has shot up 96 places to 154th position.
Meanwhile, retiring Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has climbed 10 places to second position after a superb 118 in Perth.
In the ICC ODI Championship table, Australia is still at the top of the table leading South Africa by three ratings points.
New Zealand is third, three ratings points ahead of fourth-placed India, while Sri Lanka is another two ratings point adrift in sixth place. England is seventh with 106 ratings points.
With just seven ratings points currently separating New Zealand in third position and England in seventh, the competition will be fierce over the coming weeks to see who finishes where before the cut-off date for determining seedings for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008, March 12.
India breathe easy as Australia rest Lee
It remains to be seen if India can take advantage of Brett Lee's absence as they take on Australia for the third time in the league phase of the CB Series at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Lee earns a well-deserved rest after working tirelessly to establish himself as the bowler of the season, taking 40 wickets in six Tests and eight in the triangular ODI tournament so far. His absence could be a significant plus for an Indian team which has been pushed to second place after Australia's convincing win against Sri Lanka in Perth on Friday.
After his magnificent five-for in the series opener at the Gabba that destroyed the Indian top order, Lee managed just one wicket in each of the next three games, but he has posed plenty of problems with his pace and movement. Keeping in mind the long summer and the fact that the tournament has just reached the halfway mark, the Australian management thought it would be wiser to preserve their most precious bowler instead of overburdening him.
Mitchell Johnson, who might get the new ball in Lee's absence, admits a mini break is a good move for him. "Brett's having a well-deserved rest. It's very important. I had a break during the Twenty20 game against India earlier in the month, and understand that rest periods are very good for the bowlers," Johnson said as Australia arrived in Adelaide after earning their second bonus point of the tournament.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, believes the Australian firepower doesn't diminish in Lee's absence. "They are a good bowling side with or without Lee. They've the power to get batsmen out," Dhoni said as his team came out for their third and final practice session before the game. Dhoni agreed it was an important encounter and indicated that India still hold the edge in the wake of their five-wicket victory against Australia in Melbourne.
It's difficult to ascertain which of the two teams have the momentum, but Dhoni based his confidence on the fast-improving performances of his young batsmen and bowlers. "The bowlers have taken up the responsibility and raised the level of their performance. Now the key is to be consistent."
The batsmen haven't always done the job, but Dhoni said he was willing to persevere with the out-of-form players. Yuvraj Singh heads that list, but given the importance of the game, the Indian think-tank will probably opt for his experience. "We'll look at the others but it is important to look at the series and what the best possible XI is," Dhoni said. One of the batting reserves - probably Manoj Tiwary - might still get a look-in if Virender Sehwag, who is battling a side strain, doesn't recover in time. A final decision will only be taken on the morning of the match.
The Australian batting, meanwhile, has been iffy as well, and Johnson agreed that the middle order had to lift their game. On Saturday Australia were eyeing at big total at 3 for 171 with 14 more overs to go, but eventually stuttered to 236. "We started off well yesterday but it's just that middle period where we need to kick to on and score a few more runs and keep wickets in hand."
There were a couple of annoying moments in the field too, with Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden missing a couple of chances in the slip cordon off Johnson. "It is frustrating at the time but I move on, put a smile on my face because I know if you think about too much it's of no use," Johnson said later. "Matty [Hayden] apologised later."
The Australians have an injury worry as well, with Michael Clarke remaining doubtful after suffering a rib injury when he was hit by a fast one from Lasith Malinga on Friday. "He's a little bit sore and tender still," was Johnson's update. The Australians have, in any case, called up David Hussey as a backup. Hussey has been in superb form this season, scoring 729 runs at 66.27 in the Pura Cup and 321 at 35.66 in domestic one-dayers. The only other change in the line-up will be Stuart Clark for Lee.
Australia (likely) 1 Adam Gilchrist, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Michael Clarke/David Hussey, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 James Hopes, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Stuart Clark, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Nathan Bracken
India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Sreesanth, 11 Ishant Sharma
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
After his magnificent five-for in the series opener at the Gabba that destroyed the Indian top order, Lee managed just one wicket in each of the next three games, but he has posed plenty of problems with his pace and movement. Keeping in mind the long summer and the fact that the tournament has just reached the halfway mark, the Australian management thought it would be wiser to preserve their most precious bowler instead of overburdening him.
Mitchell Johnson, who might get the new ball in Lee's absence, admits a mini break is a good move for him. "Brett's having a well-deserved rest. It's very important. I had a break during the Twenty20 game against India earlier in the month, and understand that rest periods are very good for the bowlers," Johnson said as Australia arrived in Adelaide after earning their second bonus point of the tournament.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, believes the Australian firepower doesn't diminish in Lee's absence. "They are a good bowling side with or without Lee. They've the power to get batsmen out," Dhoni said as his team came out for their third and final practice session before the game. Dhoni agreed it was an important encounter and indicated that India still hold the edge in the wake of their five-wicket victory against Australia in Melbourne.
It's difficult to ascertain which of the two teams have the momentum, but Dhoni based his confidence on the fast-improving performances of his young batsmen and bowlers. "The bowlers have taken up the responsibility and raised the level of their performance. Now the key is to be consistent."
The batsmen haven't always done the job, but Dhoni said he was willing to persevere with the out-of-form players. Yuvraj Singh heads that list, but given the importance of the game, the Indian think-tank will probably opt for his experience. "We'll look at the others but it is important to look at the series and what the best possible XI is," Dhoni said. One of the batting reserves - probably Manoj Tiwary - might still get a look-in if Virender Sehwag, who is battling a side strain, doesn't recover in time. A final decision will only be taken on the morning of the match.
The Australian batting, meanwhile, has been iffy as well, and Johnson agreed that the middle order had to lift their game. On Saturday Australia were eyeing at big total at 3 for 171 with 14 more overs to go, but eventually stuttered to 236. "We started off well yesterday but it's just that middle period where we need to kick to on and score a few more runs and keep wickets in hand."
There were a couple of annoying moments in the field too, with Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden missing a couple of chances in the slip cordon off Johnson. "It is frustrating at the time but I move on, put a smile on my face because I know if you think about too much it's of no use," Johnson said later. "Matty [Hayden] apologised later."
The Australians have an injury worry as well, with Michael Clarke remaining doubtful after suffering a rib injury when he was hit by a fast one from Lasith Malinga on Friday. "He's a little bit sore and tender still," was Johnson's update. The Australians have, in any case, called up David Hussey as a backup. Hussey has been in superb form this season, scoring 729 runs at 66.27 in the Pura Cup and 321 at 35.66 in domestic one-dayers. The only other change in the line-up will be Stuart Clark for Lee.
Australia (likely) 1 Adam Gilchrist, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Michael Clarke/David Hussey, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 James Hopes, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Stuart Clark, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Nathan Bracken
India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Sreesanth, 11 Ishant Sharma
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
Thursday, February 14, 2008
On the right track
Bouncing back into reckoning with a win over India, Sri Lanka will face a tough test when they take on world champions Australia in a cricket tri-series One-dayer at Perth on Friday.
The much-needed eight-wicket victory against India in a rain-truncated game in Canberra on Tuesday has served as a tonic for the islanders who will now look to consolidate their position by putting it across the hosts at the WACA.
The weather has really played spoilsport in the series so far with two matches being abandoned and one affected by rain but the met office has predicted a sunny day on Friday, providing the perfect setting for what promises to be an absorbing contest between two talented teams.
The much-needed eight-wicket victory against India in a rain-truncated game in Canberra on Tuesday has served as a tonic for the islanders who will now look to consolidate their position by putting it across the hosts at the WACA.
The weather has really played spoilsport in the series so far with two matches being abandoned and one affected by rain but the met office has predicted a sunny day on Friday, providing the perfect setting for what promises to be an absorbing contest between two talented teams.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Mahroof is likey to replace Dilshan
India, at the halfway mark of their CB Series campaign, have the edge over Sri Lanka, whom they meet at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday. India completed a strong victory against Australia at the MCG, while Sri Lanka suffered a 128-run defeat to the same opponents last week.
The game assumes significance for Sri Lanka, six points behind leaders India in the points table though with a game in hand, who have yet to catch fire in the tournament - their previous match against India was washed out after India's innings.
Most worrisome for Mahela Jayawardene, the captain, has been the team's indifferent batting - apart from Kumar Sangakkara, none of the Sri Lankan batsmen showed character against Australia. "Our batting is a bit of concern," he said. "You can have those days I suppose, just like what happened to the Aussies yesterday [against India]. They played seven batsmen, yet couldn't get a competitive total on the board." However, he felt there were enough runs in the wicket at the Manuka Oval if the batsmen got it right.
The wicket is nothing different from the tracks in the subcontinent, except for the bounce. Considering the track is set to aid strokeplay, both teams are expected to opt for batting depth. India wouldn't want to change a winning combination but Sri Lanka may bring in Farveez Maharoof, the allrounder, for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is recovering from a bout of infection.
Following their unfinished game at the Gabba, where they racked up 267 for 4, India will look to push forward the psychological advantage built by their batsmen against a Sri Lankan attack that's been below par despite the presence of Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga. Only the young Ishara Amerasinghe kept the Indians in check with accurate bowling even when his seniors failed to build pressure. Harbhajan Singh, the offspinner, was especially pleased by the manner in which his batsmen dealt with the danger of Murali. "The way we played Murali was very good," he said. "He got two early wickets but he gave away 50-odd runs."
For India, as the summer extends, every game is proving to be a profitable exercise. Harbhajan believes the team has more belief after every win and the hunger is increasing each day.
"We have young guys who are all raring to go," he said. "We played very well yesterday and we will stick to the same sort of the rhythm in the next game and try to win every game from here onwards.
"Every game is different. It doesn't matter what Sri Lanka did in the last game. It's going to be a good challenge for both sides and we'll put up our best show."
Jayawardene, however believes the competition is wide open now and says a Sri Lankan win tomorrow will even things out. "The challenge for them is to be consistent and the challenge for us is to challenge ourselves."
The match is also a special occasion for the locals given that international cricket is returning to Canberra after a 16-year hiatus. However, visiting teams have stopped over for the traditional contests against the Prime Minister's XI, just like India did before the Perth Test this season.
Teams
India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Sreesanth, 11 Ishant Sharma
Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Lasith Malinga 10 Ishara Amerasinghe 11 Muttiah Muralitharan
Source:Cricinfo
The game assumes significance for Sri Lanka, six points behind leaders India in the points table though with a game in hand, who have yet to catch fire in the tournament - their previous match against India was washed out after India's innings.
Most worrisome for Mahela Jayawardene, the captain, has been the team's indifferent batting - apart from Kumar Sangakkara, none of the Sri Lankan batsmen showed character against Australia. "Our batting is a bit of concern," he said. "You can have those days I suppose, just like what happened to the Aussies yesterday [against India]. They played seven batsmen, yet couldn't get a competitive total on the board." However, he felt there were enough runs in the wicket at the Manuka Oval if the batsmen got it right.
The wicket is nothing different from the tracks in the subcontinent, except for the bounce. Considering the track is set to aid strokeplay, both teams are expected to opt for batting depth. India wouldn't want to change a winning combination but Sri Lanka may bring in Farveez Maharoof, the allrounder, for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is recovering from a bout of infection.
Following their unfinished game at the Gabba, where they racked up 267 for 4, India will look to push forward the psychological advantage built by their batsmen against a Sri Lankan attack that's been below par despite the presence of Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga. Only the young Ishara Amerasinghe kept the Indians in check with accurate bowling even when his seniors failed to build pressure. Harbhajan Singh, the offspinner, was especially pleased by the manner in which his batsmen dealt with the danger of Murali. "The way we played Murali was very good," he said. "He got two early wickets but he gave away 50-odd runs."
For India, as the summer extends, every game is proving to be a profitable exercise. Harbhajan believes the team has more belief after every win and the hunger is increasing each day.
"We have young guys who are all raring to go," he said. "We played very well yesterday and we will stick to the same sort of the rhythm in the next game and try to win every game from here onwards.
"Every game is different. It doesn't matter what Sri Lanka did in the last game. It's going to be a good challenge for both sides and we'll put up our best show."
Jayawardene, however believes the competition is wide open now and says a Sri Lankan win tomorrow will even things out. "The challenge for them is to be consistent and the challenge for us is to challenge ourselves."
The match is also a special occasion for the locals given that international cricket is returning to Canberra after a 16-year hiatus. However, visiting teams have stopped over for the traditional contests against the Prime Minister's XI, just like India did before the Perth Test this season.
Teams
India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Sreesanth, 11 Ishant Sharma
Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Lasith Malinga 10 Ishara Amerasinghe 11 Muttiah Muralitharan
Source:Cricinfo
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Sreesanth doubtful, India may field two spinners
MELBOURNE, February 9: Paceman S Sreesanth has been rendered a doubtful starter because of fever as India go into the tri-series One-dayer against Australia on Sunday toying with the idea of fielding two specialist spinners to exploit a slow track.
The fever to the temperamental Sreesanth as come as a big blow for the visitors as the Kerala speedster had made quite an impact in the two rain-abandoned games.
The Indians have not yet decided on the playing eleven for the floodlit encounter but Sreesanth appears almost certain to be in the casualty list.
The visitors have also dropped enough hints that they could deploy the two-spinner strategy against the hosts who are high on confidence after thrashing Sri Lanka by 128 runs in the last match in Sydney.
"Looking at the slow and low conditions which usually prevail at the MCG, we would even consider the option of playing with two spinners," opener Virender Sehwag said.
In case the Indians indeed opt for two specialist spinners, leg spinner Piyush Chawla may get a look in to bolster the spin department which has Harbhajan Singh as the only other slow bowler.
With their first two matches being abandoned due to rain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his young brigade will need to pull up their socks against the home team.
While the Indian pacemen have given a good account of themselves, the batting has not shown the desired consistency in the two rain affected games
The fever to the temperamental Sreesanth as come as a big blow for the visitors as the Kerala speedster had made quite an impact in the two rain-abandoned games.
The Indians have not yet decided on the playing eleven for the floodlit encounter but Sreesanth appears almost certain to be in the casualty list.
The visitors have also dropped enough hints that they could deploy the two-spinner strategy against the hosts who are high on confidence after thrashing Sri Lanka by 128 runs in the last match in Sydney.
"Looking at the slow and low conditions which usually prevail at the MCG, we would even consider the option of playing with two spinners," opener Virender Sehwag said.
In case the Indians indeed opt for two specialist spinners, leg spinner Piyush Chawla may get a look in to bolster the spin department which has Harbhajan Singh as the only other slow bowler.
With their first two matches being abandoned due to rain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his young brigade will need to pull up their socks against the home team.
While the Indian pacemen have given a good account of themselves, the batting has not shown the desired consistency in the two rain affected games
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Weather still the one to beat
The last time Australia and Sri Lanka met in a one-day international the game's conclusion was ruined when the umpires forced play to continue as darkness fell on the World Cup final in Barbados. Weather looms as the only thing that could spoil their rematch at the SCG on Friday, with a cracking contest likely if the rain stays away. Unfortunately, that "if" should be bold and underlined.
Sydney spectators have witnessed some superb cricket from Sri Lanka over the years, although they have never played a Test there. They like the ground so much they have won four of their last five ODIs at the venue. "Maybe that's why they don't let us play Test cricket here," Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's captain, said jokingly ahead of the third CB Series game.
There have been some brutal individual efforts in those victories, especially by Sanath Jayasuriya, whose past five ODI innings at the SCG have brought 65, 122, 106, 114 and a duck in their most recent loss there. His aim of scoring a fourth century at the ground might be hampered by the weather, however, with the showers that drifted through Sydney on Thursday likely to continue on Friday.
Both teams hope the conditions are fine enough to cobble together a result, having each opened their CB Series campaigns with a wash-out against India in Brisbane. "It's probably been frustrating for all three teams I suppose," Australia's captain Ricky Ponting said. "Brisbane, the weather up there last week was horrendous and it hasn't been much better this week. Our preparation has been a little bit different this week than we probably would have liked."
Australia's abbreviated match against India at the Gabba allowed Ponting a little extra time to rest after suffering back soreness in the Adelaide Test against India late last month. Ponting conceded he should have retired hurt rather than batting on in the Test, although he is now confident of making it through the whole CB Series.
"I must admit I battled through [Sunday's] game in Brisbane," he said. "I had a lot of work over the last few days here but today I purposely had a really long hit-out in the nets out the back just to get a bit more confidence in my movements and try and iron out a bit of the stiffness that I've got."
Ponting's soreness has not helped his fielding and he was one of the culprits in the first ODI when two catches went down in the slips. There were several uncharacteristic misses from Ponting's team-mates in the field during the Test series and he said the trend was starting to worry him.
"The catching is a concern," Ponting said. "We've had guys moving all over the place in the cordon, [Andrew] Symonds coming in, Michael Clarke moving around first and second slip. It seems like if there's a half-chance or a hard chance we're putting them down but the more hard work we do they're going to start to stick pretty soon."
Matthew Hayden's return - Ponting said he was a definite starter after missing the opening game with a hamstring problem - should help as he slots back into his customary position at first slip. The news might not be so good for Australia's other notable absentee from the Brisbane match, Stuart Clark, who remains on the fringes of the limited-overs team.
"The current make-up have done a pretty good job," Ponting said of the attack led by Brett Lee. "We'll wait and see what the weather does but I guess he's probably going to find it hard to leapfrog over one of the other guys in the side."
Brad Hogg, who was overlooked in Brisbane, should earn a call-up, although the final side will depend on the conditions on Friday. Between rain periods on Thursday Jayawardene glimpsed a dry-looking pitch and he was hopeful of some reverse-swing for Lasith Malinga, however he would not commit to any particular starting line-up. As long as Jayasuriya turns up to open the innings, the Sydney fans will be happy.
Australia (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 James Hopes, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Nathan Bracken.
Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ishara Amerasinghe, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.
Source: Cricinfo
Sydney spectators have witnessed some superb cricket from Sri Lanka over the years, although they have never played a Test there. They like the ground so much they have won four of their last five ODIs at the venue. "Maybe that's why they don't let us play Test cricket here," Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's captain, said jokingly ahead of the third CB Series game.
There have been some brutal individual efforts in those victories, especially by Sanath Jayasuriya, whose past five ODI innings at the SCG have brought 65, 122, 106, 114 and a duck in their most recent loss there. His aim of scoring a fourth century at the ground might be hampered by the weather, however, with the showers that drifted through Sydney on Thursday likely to continue on Friday.
Both teams hope the conditions are fine enough to cobble together a result, having each opened their CB Series campaigns with a wash-out against India in Brisbane. "It's probably been frustrating for all three teams I suppose," Australia's captain Ricky Ponting said. "Brisbane, the weather up there last week was horrendous and it hasn't been much better this week. Our preparation has been a little bit different this week than we probably would have liked."
Australia's abbreviated match against India at the Gabba allowed Ponting a little extra time to rest after suffering back soreness in the Adelaide Test against India late last month. Ponting conceded he should have retired hurt rather than batting on in the Test, although he is now confident of making it through the whole CB Series.
"I must admit I battled through [Sunday's] game in Brisbane," he said. "I had a lot of work over the last few days here but today I purposely had a really long hit-out in the nets out the back just to get a bit more confidence in my movements and try and iron out a bit of the stiffness that I've got."
Ponting's soreness has not helped his fielding and he was one of the culprits in the first ODI when two catches went down in the slips. There were several uncharacteristic misses from Ponting's team-mates in the field during the Test series and he said the trend was starting to worry him.
"The catching is a concern," Ponting said. "We've had guys moving all over the place in the cordon, [Andrew] Symonds coming in, Michael Clarke moving around first and second slip. It seems like if there's a half-chance or a hard chance we're putting them down but the more hard work we do they're going to start to stick pretty soon."
Matthew Hayden's return - Ponting said he was a definite starter after missing the opening game with a hamstring problem - should help as he slots back into his customary position at first slip. The news might not be so good for Australia's other notable absentee from the Brisbane match, Stuart Clark, who remains on the fringes of the limited-overs team.
"The current make-up have done a pretty good job," Ponting said of the attack led by Brett Lee. "We'll wait and see what the weather does but I guess he's probably going to find it hard to leapfrog over one of the other guys in the side."
Brad Hogg, who was overlooked in Brisbane, should earn a call-up, although the final side will depend on the conditions on Friday. Between rain periods on Thursday Jayawardene glimpsed a dry-looking pitch and he was hopeful of some reverse-swing for Lasith Malinga, however he would not commit to any particular starting line-up. As long as Jayasuriya turns up to open the innings, the Sydney fans will be happy.
Australia (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 James Hopes, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Nathan Bracken.
Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ishara Amerasinghe, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.
Source: Cricinfo
VB Series (India, Australia and Srilanka
Sun 3
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 1st Match - Australia v India
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Tue 5
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 2nd Match - India v Sri Lanka
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Fri 8
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 3rd Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Sydney Cricket Ground
Sun 10
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 4th Match - Australia v India
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Tue 12
10:00 local, 23:00 GMT 5th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Manuka Oval, Canberra
Fri 15
13:30 local, 04:30 GMT 6th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth
Sun 17
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 7th Match - Australia v India
Adelaide Oval
Tue 19
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 8th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Adelaide Oval
Fri 22
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 9th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sun 24
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 10th Match - Australia v India
Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 26
10:00 local, 23:00 GMT 11th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Fri 29
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 12th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Melbourne Cricket Ground
March 2008
Sun 2
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 1st Final - TBC v TBC
Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 4
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 2nd Final - TBC v TBC
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Fri 7
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 3rd Final - TBC v TBC
Adelaide Oval
if required
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 1st Match - Australia v India
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Tue 5
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 2nd Match - India v Sri Lanka
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Fri 8
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 3rd Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Sydney Cricket Ground
Sun 10
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 4th Match - Australia v India
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Tue 12
10:00 local, 23:00 GMT 5th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Manuka Oval, Canberra
Fri 15
13:30 local, 04:30 GMT 6th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth
Sun 17
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 7th Match - Australia v India
Adelaide Oval
Tue 19
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 8th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Adelaide Oval
Fri 22
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 9th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sun 24
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 10th Match - Australia v India
Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 26
10:00 local, 23:00 GMT 11th Match - India v Sri Lanka
Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Fri 29
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 12th Match - Australia v Sri Lanka
Melbourne Cricket Ground
March 2008
Sun 2
14:15 local, 03:15 GMT 1st Final - TBC v TBC
Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 4
13:15 local, 03:15 GMT 2nd Final - TBC v TBC
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Fri 7
13:45 local, 03:15 GMT 3rd Final - TBC v TBC
Adelaide Oval
if required
Friday, February 01, 2008
Ponting out of Twenty 20 Match
Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of today's Twenty20 match against India in Melbourne as he continues to struggle with a back injury. Ponting batted in the nets on the morning of the game but Australia decided not to risk him and will now attempt to have him ready for Sunday's opening CB Series match against India at the Gabba.
"He pulled up pretty sore this morning," Australia's coach Tim Nielsen said. "His back is just not 100% and with the uncertain nature of Twenty20 cricket and the frantic nature of it we're just a bit concerned that if he has to dive in the first over if we're fielding and pulls up very sore it could leave us one short."
Michael Clarke will captain Australia for the second time in two months and he is set to lead a side with one debutant after Nielsen confirmed David Hussey would play his first match in Australian colours. Brad Hodge will slot into Ponting's No.3 position and Ben Hilfenhaus has been named the 12th man.
Nielsen said with the first tri-series match only two days away there was no guarantee Ponting would be available, and the travel to Brisbane was a concern. "Today's decision was all about today," Nielsen said. "We'll have to keep assessing him and see how he goes each game from here."
Nielsen was confident his players could move on from the controversial Test series and he was impressed with the resolve of the individuals in the team. "Don't for a second think that this is an easy thing to go through for anybody," Nielsen said of the aftermath of the Sydney Test. "It's been draining on our whole group. To be able to continually come out and play as well as we have as a group of individuals and as a collective team is something we're very proud of."
Source: Cricinfo
"He pulled up pretty sore this morning," Australia's coach Tim Nielsen said. "His back is just not 100% and with the uncertain nature of Twenty20 cricket and the frantic nature of it we're just a bit concerned that if he has to dive in the first over if we're fielding and pulls up very sore it could leave us one short."
Michael Clarke will captain Australia for the second time in two months and he is set to lead a side with one debutant after Nielsen confirmed David Hussey would play his first match in Australian colours. Brad Hodge will slot into Ponting's No.3 position and Ben Hilfenhaus has been named the 12th man.
Nielsen said with the first tri-series match only two days away there was no guarantee Ponting would be available, and the travel to Brisbane was a concern. "Today's decision was all about today," Nielsen said. "We'll have to keep assessing him and see how he goes each game from here."
Nielsen was confident his players could move on from the controversial Test series and he was impressed with the resolve of the individuals in the team. "Don't for a second think that this is an easy thing to go through for anybody," Nielsen said of the aftermath of the Sydney Test. "It's been draining on our whole group. To be able to continually come out and play as well as we have as a group of individuals and as a collective team is something we're very proud of."
Source: Cricinfo
Racism row ended , now back to Cricket
The Board of Control for Cricket in India and its Australian counterpart, Cricket Australia worked out a compromise formula to save the much interesting tri-series, which would not have been possible if Harbhajan was banned even for one match. Thanks to Sachin Tendulkar.
India's threat to abandon the tour worked. They even managed to get umpire Steve Bucknor removed from the Perth Test, which India won convincingly. And the Indian off-spinner consequently escaped a three-match suspension.
A young and resurgent Team India will be looking to put Australia under the mat when they clash in the one-off Twenty20 at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The likes of Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Sreesanth, Suresh Raina will put Australia to test at their happy hunting ground. The Aussies will be eagerly waiting to go after now-famous Harbhajan Singh in the Twenty20. The World Champions are yet to open an account with the Twenty20 Champions, India remain a team to beat.
The racism row involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds have brought new found crisis between India and Cricket Australia. The Australians desperately wanted Harbhajan be banned for two One-day games or one Test match. Ricky Ponting, obviously, is not happy with the CA, ICC and everyone in between. While the controversy is laid to rest he refuses to bury the hatchet. He is making all sorts of statements to the press rather concentrate on the game. The Test series was marred by the racism saga and now the players should ensure a fair play during the Twenty20 and the ODI's. This war of words will only add to the wounds.
Australians are known for their aggressive on-field behaviour and they play better cricket when they are aggressive. Now the aggression will be doubled after Bhajji's let-off. Ponting and his men will go in for kill to prove a point but the Indians in the recent past have shown that they do perform under pressure as they did with style when they won against Ponting's men in Mumbai when the Aussies visited India in 2007. Sachin Tendulkar, if he plays, will be a value addition, adding the necessary boost to the young Team India.
The Indian team will be more under pressure. The pressure from the crowds will be hard to cope with. For that matter, Harbhajan Singh has been provided with additional security fearing the off-spinner could be subjected to taunts by hostile Australian fans. The Indians have flexed their muscles enough off-the-field and maintaining the same posture against the angry Aussies on-field will be a true challenge. Things were said, cricket was dragged to the courtroom and yet it came out victorious. Now its time to play cricket, on-field.
Ricky Ponting, if he plays, will be the man to watch. Ricky got his lost form back after the Adelaide Test. The Australian players are furious, they had their share of heated and emotional sessions but this time they will ensure that their celebrations are not put on hold.
India have a perfect record against the Australians in Twenty20. Their game, sportsmanship and character will be tested. It is easy to succumb to the aggressive Aussies. What is not easy is to beat them in their ground. And true champions have always won under pressure. Let's see who buckles under.
Source: Indiatimes
India's threat to abandon the tour worked. They even managed to get umpire Steve Bucknor removed from the Perth Test, which India won convincingly. And the Indian off-spinner consequently escaped a three-match suspension.
A young and resurgent Team India will be looking to put Australia under the mat when they clash in the one-off Twenty20 at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The likes of Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Sreesanth, Suresh Raina will put Australia to test at their happy hunting ground. The Aussies will be eagerly waiting to go after now-famous Harbhajan Singh in the Twenty20. The World Champions are yet to open an account with the Twenty20 Champions, India remain a team to beat.
The racism row involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds have brought new found crisis between India and Cricket Australia. The Australians desperately wanted Harbhajan be banned for two One-day games or one Test match. Ricky Ponting, obviously, is not happy with the CA, ICC and everyone in between. While the controversy is laid to rest he refuses to bury the hatchet. He is making all sorts of statements to the press rather concentrate on the game. The Test series was marred by the racism saga and now the players should ensure a fair play during the Twenty20 and the ODI's. This war of words will only add to the wounds.
Australians are known for their aggressive on-field behaviour and they play better cricket when they are aggressive. Now the aggression will be doubled after Bhajji's let-off. Ponting and his men will go in for kill to prove a point but the Indians in the recent past have shown that they do perform under pressure as they did with style when they won against Ponting's men in Mumbai when the Aussies visited India in 2007. Sachin Tendulkar, if he plays, will be a value addition, adding the necessary boost to the young Team India.
The Indian team will be more under pressure. The pressure from the crowds will be hard to cope with. For that matter, Harbhajan Singh has been provided with additional security fearing the off-spinner could be subjected to taunts by hostile Australian fans. The Indians have flexed their muscles enough off-the-field and maintaining the same posture against the angry Aussies on-field will be a true challenge. Things were said, cricket was dragged to the courtroom and yet it came out victorious. Now its time to play cricket, on-field.
Ricky Ponting, if he plays, will be the man to watch. Ricky got his lost form back after the Adelaide Test. The Australian players are furious, they had their share of heated and emotional sessions but this time they will ensure that their celebrations are not put on hold.
India have a perfect record against the Australians in Twenty20. Their game, sportsmanship and character will be tested. It is easy to succumb to the aggressive Aussies. What is not easy is to beat them in their ground. And true champions have always won under pressure. Let's see who buckles under.
Source: Indiatimes
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