All posts by n8rngtd.top

Ireland are set to benefit from a new ICC support programme, receiving a funding boost of $1.5 million through to 2015.

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2012Ireland are set to benefit from a new ICC support programme, receiving a funding boost of $1.5 million through to 2015.The new Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme (TAPP) includes five ICC members and is designed to develop more competitive teams at international level.Ireland are the first cricket board to agree a TAPP deal will use the financial support to launch an elite domestic competition, create an academy and facilitate more fixtures against full member teams.”We are extremely grateful to the ICC for instituting such a forward-thinking programme of support,” Warren Deutrom, chief executive of Cricket Ireland, said. “We’re delighted to be the first member to get to this stage. We have no doubt the support will help us to be even more competitive on the world stage.”ICC President Alan Isaac added: “Ireland provided an excellent submission to the ICC Board and I am sure they will do their very best to deliver those plans now that the organisation has the funding in place.”Netherlands, Scotland, West Indies and Zimbabwe will also receive support.

Cricket Australia and Hampshire Cricket have announced a partnership which will see some of Australia’s most talented young cricketers spend the next English summer at the newly-formed Ageas Bowl International Cricket Academy

David Hopps17-Jan-2013Cricket Australia and Hampshire Cricket have announced a partnership which will see some of Australia’s most talented young cricketers spend the next English summer at the newly-formed Ageas Bowl International Cricket Academy.The deal confirms Hampshire’s status as the host of one of the best-equipped cricket academies in the world and left Rod Bransgrove, the county’s cricket chairman and long-time driving force, purring with delight at another sign of progress for the project that has long been his life’s obsession.”Cricket Australia has been an admirer of the Ageas Bowl for some time and we are delighted that they are sending six high-performing young players to the Academy in its inaugural year,” Bransgrove said. “We are one of the few professional grounds in the world with two full-sized cricket pitches immediately adjacent to each other which means our outdoor facilities are available even when there is a match on. That is a great advantage. We are a genuine international cricket academy.”Lord’s will always have its tradition and a presence second to none, but our ambition is simply to create the finest ground in the country.”English players have long had the advantages of winter stints in Australia, South Africa and India as part of their overall development and now Hampshire’s academy offers an opportunity in reverse which Cricket Australia has been quick to grasp. Hampshire promise access to world-class coaching, sports science and medical staff.As part of the programme the Australian players will play in the Southern Electric Premier League for the duration of the English domestic cricket season. “That’s an extra benefit – that six league clubs get an overseas player free of charge for the whole of the season,” said Bransgrove. “I’m not in favour of clubs using their hard-earned funds for recreational players even if they commit to regular coaching and have the club at heart.”Bransgrove has reason to be satisfied. The launch of the academy follows Hampshire’s achievement in winning the Friends Life Twenty20 and CB40 tournaments last season and the securing of a £45m investment from Eastleigh Borough Council to secure the final stage in the development of the Ageas Bowl which will include the construction of a 4-star hotel, additional conferencing and hospitality facilities and a state-of-the-art media centre.Although he has handed over the chief executive role to David Mann after ceaselessly driving Hampshire forward for 12 years, Bransgrove is not the sort for for semi-retirement. “I have taken a back seat in the day-to-day running of the business,” he said. “After 12 years the club needed new energy. But I’ve got so much emotion – and money – wrapped up in it I can’t run away.”The partnership will form part of the 2013 Australian Institute of Sport men’s cricket programme and The Kerry Packer Foundation will provide scholarships to the selected players.Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s team performance manager, said: “CA is very excited about this partnership and opportunity for our very best young players. The opportunity to experience cricket in a different country will grow them as players and as people. For those chosen it will be an important part of their development.”English counties have occasionally faced criticism for employing Australian players on short-term contracts ahead of Ashes series but Bransgrove is confident that within the cricket community at least the presence of some of Australia’s top young cricketers in Hampshire will be universally seen as a success story. Discussions are also underway with India and Sri Lanka for similar tie-ups.”The ECB fully recognises that we have a responsibility to maximise our income,” he said. “We are talking about the development of young players. Every country seeking to develop players wants to use the facilities of other countries in the off season. For England players not to have the chance to go abroad would be disastrous and it is only right that we reciprocate. I would like to think that cricket can be more high-minded about the development of young cricketers.”

Track who was sold to whom at the 2013 IPL auction

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2013

Bought

Ricky Ponting – $400,000 to Mumbai Indians (base price $400,000)
RP Singh – $400,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $100,000)
Johan Botha – $450,000 to Delhi Daredevils (base price $300,000)
Michael Clarke – $400,000 to Pune Warriors (base price $400,000)
Luke Pomersbach – $300,000 to Kings XI Punjab (base price $50,000)
Phillip Hughes – $100,000 to Mumbai Indians (base price $100,000)
James Faulkner – $400,000 to Rajasthan Royals (base price $100,000)
Glenn Maxwell – $1,000,000 to Mumbai Indians (base price $200,000)
Moises Henriques – $300,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $100,000)
Abhishek Nayar – $675,000 to Pune Warriors (base price $100,000)
Thisara Perera – $675,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $50,000)
Jesse Ryder – $260,000 to Delhi Daredevils (base price $100,000)

Darren Sammy – $425,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $100,000)
Jaydev Unadkat – $525,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $100,000)
Pankaj Singh – $150,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $50,000)
Ravi Rampaul – $290,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $50,000)
Manpreet Gony – $500,000 to Kings XI Punjab (base price $200,000)
Fidel Edwards – $210,000 to Rajasthan Royals (base price $100,000)
Sudeep Tyagi – $100,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $100,000)
Dirk Nannes – $600,000 to Chennai Super Kings (base price $200,000)
Nathan McCullum – $100,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $100,000)
Ajantha Mendis – $725,000 to Pune Warriors (base price $50,000)
Jeevan Mendis – $50,000 to Delhi Daredevils (base price $50,000)
Chris Morris – $625,000 to Chennai Super Kings (base price $20,000)
Sachithra Senanayake – $625,000 to Kolkata Knight Riders (base price $50,000)
Christopher Barnwell – $50,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price 50,000)
Nathan Coulter-Nile – $450,000 to Mumbai Indians (base price $100,000)

Ben Laughlin – $20,000 to Chennai Super Kings (base price $20,000)
Kane Richardson – $700,000 to Pune Warriors (base price $100,000)
Jacob Oram – $50,000 to Mumbai Indians (base price $50,000)
Quinton de Kock – $20,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $20,000)
Dan Christian – $100,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (base price $100,000)
Akila Dananjaya – $20,000 to Chennai Super Kings (base price $20,000)
Clint McKay – $100,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad (base price $100,000)
Jason Holder – $20,000 to Chennai Super Kings (base price $20,000)
Ryan McLaren – $50,000 to Kolkata Knight Riders (base pirce $50,000)
Kushal Perera – $20,000 to Rajasthan Royals (base price $20,000)

Unsold

Aaron Finch – base price $200,000
Upul Tharanga – base price $100,000
Martin Guptill – base price $100,000
Darren Bravo – base price $100,000
Herschelle Gibbs – base price $200,000
Adam Voges – base price $100,000
Matthew Wade – base price $200,000
Tim Paine – base price $100,000
Matt Prior – base price $200,000
Kaushal Silva – base price $20,000
Prasanna Jayawardene – base price $50,000
Dane Vilas – base price $20,000
Denesh Ramdin – base price $50,000
Dinesh Chandimal – base price $100,000
Ravi Bopara – base price $100,000
James Hopes – base price $100,000
Vernon Philander – base price $100,000

Doug Bollinger – base price $200,000
Cameron Boyce – base price $20,000
Veerasammy Permaul – base price $20,000
Suraj Randiv – base price $50,000
Devendra Bishoo – base price $50,000
Steve O’Keefe – base price $100,000
Paul Harris – base price $20,000
Rangana Herath – base price $100,000
Sulieman Benn – base price $20,000
Aaron Phangiso – base price $20,000
Farveez Maharoof – base price $50,000
Scott Styris – base price $100,000
Ben Cutting – base price $100,000
Josh Hazlewood – base price $100,000
Travis Birt – base price $100,000
Henry Davids – base price $20,000
Ben Rohrer – base price $50,000
Rilee Rossouw – base price $20,000
Kevin O’Brien – base price $50,000
Rory Kleinveldt – base price $50,000

Stuart Broad, looking sharp and contented again, ripped out New Zealand’s tail to finish with six wickets and secure a first-innings lead of 211 for England

The Report by David Hopps15-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsStuart Broad cleaned up New Zealand with six wickets•Getty Images

Stuart Broad, looking sharp and contented again, ripped out New Zealand’s tail to finish with six wickets and secure a first-innings lead of 211 for England. Alastair Cook faced a tricky decision at tea about whether to enforce the follow-on. Understandably, he opted to put New Zealand in again; an unsettled weather forecast, particularly on the final day, must have been a decisive factor.For his own sanity, it is to be hoped that Cook did not follow-up by studying when England last enforced the follow-on in an overseas Test: Durban in 1999, with Gary Kirsten marking the end of the old millennium by making an unbeaten 275 out of 572 for 7. England tried nine bowlers, including Nasser Hussain, a repentant captain.In seeking to avoid unsettled weather, Cook instead had to oversee an unsettled England pace attack, which was underpowered second time around, with James Anderson, ankle strapped, grumbling wearily about the footholds and labouring with a sore back.England’s only wicket in 33 overs fell to Monty Panesar, a scintillating catch around the corner by Ian Bell to dismiss Hamish Rutherford, and cheering as well for the new vice-captain, Matt Prior, who held up the game to press for the position. Panesar, for all his economy, will hope to find more turn as the match progresses.Broad finished with 6 for 51, his third-best figures in his Test career. His pace was around 135kph, but his control was immaculate and there was a zing in everything he did. This was Broad Total, exploring the cavities in New Zealand’s line-up and freshening the air with optimism. He was a walking advertisement for the benefits of England’s rotation policy and they will be desperate that his mood persists through back-to-back Ashes series.Brendon McCullum was the key wicket for England, dismissed for 69 from 94 balls as he forced Steven Finn off the back foot and offered a comfortable catch to Jonathan Trott at second slip. In a Test distinguished by fine counter-attacking cricket by two excellent wicketkeeper-batsmen, McCullum played just as pugnaciously as Prior had for England on the second day.

Smart stats

• Stuart Broad’s 6 for 51 is eighth on the list of best bowling performances by England bowlers in New Zealand since 1970. It is however the best bowling performance by an England bowler in Wellington in the same period.

• Broad’s 6 for 51 is his third-best bowling performance overall and his best in away Tests. In 25 away matches he has picked up 68 wickets at 35.70.

• The 100-run stand between Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling is the eighth-highest sixth-wicket stand for New Zealand against England. It is also New Zealand’s second-highest sixth-wicket stand against England in Wellington.

• In Tests played in New Zealand since 1970, England have gained a 200-plus lead on five occasions. It is the third such occasion in Wellington. Click here for the list of matches when England have batted first and here for a list of matches when they have bowled first.

• Watling’s 60 is his fifth fifty-plus score in Tests and his third such score in home matches. He now averages 32.66 with one century and four fifties.

• McCullum’s 69 is his eighth half-century against England in 11 Tests. He has also been dismissed twice in the nineties against England (both at Lord’s).

Basin Reserve was full for a Test, the first time that had happened in New Zealand for several years. It helps when the capacity is only around 11,000 and there are several thousand England supporters in town to help persuade the locals that there is a game on worth watching.Packed to the brim, the ground had a more intimate atmosphere than ever. The strong second-day breeze had also lessened, adding to the convivial feel as spectators strolled around. But New Zealand supporters only had to glance at the scoreboard for this sense of well-being to depart. England are well placed to go 1-0 up in the series unless Cyclone Sandra – or perhaps Hurricane Brendon – has a say in things.New Zealand, 66 for 3 overnight, needed another 200 to avoid the follow-on. They had produced much to admire on the second day, only to find themselves well behind the game by the close. They were even further behind the game at 89 for 5 when Kane Williamson and Dean Brownlie fell in the first half hour.Broad was given an immediate opportunity after his wickets of Rutherford and Ross Taylor had allowed England to finish the second day on a high. Williamson looked well drilled, at 22 a decent batsman in the making, but fell to a sharp reaction catch in his follow-through by Broad, who clung on around chest high and looked delighted at the realisation that the ball was nestling in his hand.Three balls later, Brownlie followed. He is a fine back-foot player, but there is a length to bowl to Brownlie, as South Africa can also testify after New Zealand’s recent tour, a length when he routinely plays back when he would be better forward. Anderson found it, and found some reverse inswing to defeat his defensive shot. Asad Rauf’s lbw decision was marginal because the ball had struck Brownlie just above the roll, and the batsman opted for a review, only for DRS to conclude that the ball would have clipped the top of middle.It would have been 95 for 6 if Cook had not been such a conservative captain. Evidence of this match suggests that McCullum, his opposite number, would have posted a third slip to Anderson but Cook did not. Watling edged at inviting height, and the ball scooted away to the third man boundary.McCullum’s solution soon became evident. Beaten on the outside edge by Broad, he crashed his next ball for four and then hooked him for six. The pressure built by Panesar at one end was released by Finn at the other. McCullum took advantage and reverse-swept Joe Root to reach his fifty shortly before lunch.Anderson ‘s strenuous efforts after lunch went unrewarded. England lost a review for an lbw appeal in the first over after lunch when McCullum was on 58. They chose not to review when Anderson came close again the following over and then had Watling, on 21, dropped low at second slip by Trott. When McCullum fell, New Zealand still needed 77 to avoid the follow-on with four wickets remaining. Tim Southee soon followed, unwisely hooking Finn with two fielders back for the shot.Watling had been very much the junior partner in a stand of 100 in 31 overs with McCullum. While McCullum bristled against the quicks, Watling’s passive resistance against Panesar provided a monotonous undercard. Only when McCullum was dismissed did he grow in ambition, reaching 60 before he edged Broad to the wicketkeeper.Neil Wagner became Broad’s fifth victim, caught at the wicket for nought. New Zealand’s last pair were 12 short of the follow-on mark when Broad’s bouncer befuddled Trent Boult, whose fend confused Panesar at mid-on even more. Broad, unusually when things go wrong, saw fit to smile and defeated Boult’s haymaker with his next delivery to end the innings.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his team had effectively won the second ODI in Centurion in the first ten overs of the South Africa innings, when the hosts had lost four wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2013Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his team had effectively won the Centurion ODI in the first ten overs of the South Africa innings, when the hosts had lost four wickets. Mohammad Irfan, the left-arm fast bowler, inflicted the maximum damage with figures of 4 for 33 to restrict South Africa to 191, which Pakistan chased within 40 overs to seal an emphatic win after a poor showing in the first one-dayer. AB de Villiers, the South Africa captain, said he was expecting a backlash from Pakistan.”To take four wickets in ten overs was good,” Misbah said. “That’s where we won the game. Teams batting first struggle to come back from that.”Irfan removed Hashim Amla, de Villiers, Colin Ingram and Faf du Plessis in a lengthy opening spell that lasted seven overs to leave South Africa reeling at 62 for 5 in 11 overs. Misbah gave credit to the entire bowling unit, including the spinners, who didn’t let South Africa recover. Misbah himself played an important part in the victory, scoring an unbeaten 57.”We believed we would be able to come back and now we erased some doubts,” Misbah said. “The bowlers supported Irfan, especially the spinners. There is more confidence in the team now, especially because some batsmen who were not scoring runs, did. We had some starts and wickets fell for 20s and 30s. We really needed to take responsibility and just go on.”De Villiers gave due credit to Irfan, whose spell had thwarted South Africa’s plans of getting to a par score of 250. He said no team could afford to relax against an attack like Pakistan’s.”Irfan bowled really well and got wickets at important times. He really has the ability to get breakthroughs for his team. That’s what makes a good bowler a great bowler. At the right moments, he got wickets,” de Villiers said. “Pakistan have a very good bowling line-up and we’ve known that. It’s not new to face them but we have to apply ourselves better.”De Villiers, too, conceded that the first ten overs had all but decided the match. “The important thing for the next game is to start better, to adapt and to assess better. The four down in ten overs is unacceptable in ODI cricket,” he said. “Most teams would lose the match from there. We have to start better.”He said the Pakistan batsmen applied themselves better. “When we were fielding, the ball got a little bit wet which made it tough to swing away. If we got two more wickets, we would have been into the tail. We tried everything but Misbah played too well. He left really well. I tried all our seamers at different angles, I tried Robin Peterson and nothing worked.”De Villiers expected his side to bounce back in more seamer-friendly conditions at the Wanderers, the venue for the third ODI on Sunday. The one crucial setback for Pakistan is that Irfan has suffered a hamstring niggle, putting him in doubt for the third game.

The moment Ziaur Rahman hit Brendan Taylor’s pad in front of the stumps and the umpire raised his finger, Bangladesh were closer to a rare Test win

The Report by Mohammad Isam28-Apr-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNasir Hossain stretched the Bangladesh lead•AFP

The moment Ziaur Rahman hit Brendan Taylor’s pad in front of the stumps and the umpire raised his finger, Bangladesh were closer to a rare Test win. At the end of the fourth day of the second and final Test, Zimbabwe were 138 for 4, chasing a 401-run target set up by Mushfiqur Rahim’s 93.The Zimbabwe captain’s wicket was the one Mushfiqur would have wanted more than the seven runs by which he missed his third Test hundred. After umpire Ian Gould lifted his finger, it was easy to see and hear what it meant to the fielding side which was screaming for joy. Zimbabwe were 96 for 3, with their best batsman and captain out of the equation with a day remaining.Malcolm Waller also fell to Ziaur for 15, missing a straightening delivery as his lack of footwork shackled him to the crease. Shingirai Masakadza was sent in as the nightwatchman at 118 for 4 with more than 15 overs remaining in the day, a strange decision but one which ultimately paid off. His elder brother Hamilton held his own at the other end, unbeaten on 46 off 94 balls.Zimbabwe started the fourth innings positively but in the tenth over, Regis Chakabva played inside the line of a Shakib Al Hasan delivery which spun past to strike off. Vusi Sibanda fell soon after for a 50-ball 32, driving one straight to Sohag Gazi at short cover off Shakib.Mushfiqur would thank his lucky stars that finally bowlers other than Robiul Islam stood up. Ziaur bowled a 10-over spell, mainly focused on being accurate. He hardly has pace like he did a few years ago, but managed to bring in his shoulders to generate speed. Shakib and Gazi bowled tightly too, both using a typical left-arm spinner and offspinner’s line. There was hardly a loose ball.Bangladesh declared about an hour after lunch on 291 for 9, going ahead of the home side by exactly 400 runs. Shakib, Mushfiqur and Nasir Hossain hit their second fifties of the game.Nasir stretched the lead with the tail, making an unbeaten 67 and scoring most of the 40 runs that came after lunch. Apart from his effort, Bangladesh’s dominance was also due to captain Mushfiqur’s attentiveness to the situation.He made 93 before being brilliantly caught at gully by Sibanda off Hamilton Masakadza, and his persistence was crucial to his side’s staying power. Along with Nasir, he had to see off the first half-hour, which has often produced wickets in Harare. Though they hardly found boundaries because the home side had deep fielders on both sides, they played carefully. Zimbabwe bowled wide too, and the batsmen cut out the rash shots.Mushfiqur and Nasir were happy picking up singles until the captain began to open up with a mistimed scoop and a slog-sweep – both off Elton Chigumbura. He had earlier hit a cover drive that sped to the boundary but the wicket had slowed down, and bounce was also on the low side. He and Nasir added 84 for the sixth wicket, back-to-back 80-plus partnerships for Mushfiqur, after his fifth-wicket stand with Shakib on the third evening.Taylor missed the long hours put in by Keegan Meth, who is out with a right knee injury. He was seen sitting on the sidelines with his feet up and knee strapped. Hamilton Masakadza, bowling medium-pace, took three wickets but was never going to be as big a threat to the visitors. Kyle Jarvis did not bowl with the venom of the first Test, but Shingi Masakadza remained steady and picked up four wickets.Had the Zimbabwe bowlers put up a better show even on the fourth morning, the Test match could have remained competitive. Bangladesh got most of what happened on the fourth day their way, though there again was the odd leg-before decision that they were denied. They would still take it, given they are closing in on a Test win for the first time in nearly four years.

Surrey have confirmed the signing of JP Duminy, the South Africa batsman, for the last few weeks of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2013Surrey have confirmed the signing of JP Duminy, the South Africa batsman, for the last few weeks of the season. Duminy will replace Ricky Ponting and is set to be available for six Championship fixtures, as Surrey attempt to secure their place in Division One for another season.Ponting had initially been signed as cover for Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, who was ruled out for the season with an ankle problem that required surgery. Ponting, the former Australia batsman, has played in two Championship games, both draws, with Surrey second from bottom in Division One and still looking for their first win after seven matches.South Africa are scheduled to play five ODIs and three T20s in Sri Lanka between July 20 and August 6, after which Duminy will link up with Surrey. A member of the Champions Trophy squad currently attempting to qualify for the semi-finals, Duminy recently returned to action after six months out with an Achilles injury.”I am really chuffed to have signed with a great club like Surrey,” Duminy said. “After my long lay off I just want to play and Surrey is a great wicket. I love the UK and I really look forward to working with Chris Adams and the rest of the team.”Duminy, who could also be involved in three YB40 matches as well as FLt20 Finals Day, should Surrey qualify, averages 50.79 in first-class cricket and nearly 40 in List A. He has played more than 150 times across all three formats for South Africa and also bowls useful offbreaks in addition to his batting.Surrey’s team director, Chris Adams, said: “I am delighted that JP Duminy has agreed to join Surrey for what will no doubt be an exciting and important period of our season. We are happy to be welcoming him to the club and look forward to him making a big contribution during his time here.”

Worcestershire edged closer to their third County Championship win of the season as Glamorgan continued to take a pounding at New Road.

22-Jun-2013
ScorecardJack Shantry has so far taken eight wickets in the match•PA Photos

Worcestershire edged closer to their third County Championship win of the season as Glamorgan continued to take a pounding at New Road. At the start of the third day the home side needed 15 wickets for victory and by the close they had taken all but three of them with Glamorgan still 28 short of avoiding an innings defeat.Jim Allenby propped up the visitors with 82 in their first innings dismissal for 277 and weighed in with an unbeaten 53 when they batted again, trailing by 228.Worcestershire’s seamers maintained relentless pressure on a largely unresponsive surface and weather permitting they can now expect a quick wrap-up the win when the visitors begin the final day on 200 for 7.Fast-improving Jack Shantry led the Worcestershire charge with 8 for 132 in the match and Alan Richardson became the leading wicket-taker in the country when claiming his 40th victim of the summer.For Shantry it was a continuation of an impressive sequence on his home ground. Having posted a championship-best 7 for 69 in the last home match against Essex, he has now taken 15 wickets in three innings at county headquarters.Glamorgan were simply overwhelmed by the pressure of replying to a massive total of 505 for 7. There was just a glimmer of hope on the third morning when Allenby and Mark Wallace took their sixth-wicket stand to 114 but there was little to come when Worcestershire won three leg before wicket decisions in 10 balls.Alllenby was the first for young allrounder Joe Leach and there was a final flourish by Wallace (43) and Michael Hogan, with 37 from 42 balls, before Shantry mopped up the last two wickets.Although Glamorgan’s second innings was twice interrupted by rain, their batting was again fragile. The door was ajar straightaway when Will Bragg skimmed a drive of Chris Russell to Alexei Kervezee at point and Ben Wright was soon fighting a lone battle as a succession of partners failed to reach double figures.Stewart Walters was lbw to Richardson and Marcus North got a leading edge to short extra cover when Worcestershire brought on offspinner Moeen Ali, partly with eye on their over-rate.Moeen then sparked off another burst by Shantry when he held a stunning left-handed catch at short midwicket to dismiss Murray Goodwin but he dropped a slip chance from Allenby when he had made only 1. In Shantry’s next over Daryl Mitchell held a sharp slip catch to dislodge Wright for 63 and Shantry had spell figures of 4 for 25 in 6.4 overs when he removed Wallace and Dean Cosker.But a tiring attack was unable to make the final push as Will Owen (34 not out) joined Allenby in putting on an unbroken 71 in the last 15 overs.

MS Dhoni struck 16 runs off the last three balls of the match with No. 11 for company to give India the title

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Jul-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Moments before mayhem: This ball was headed for the stands•AFP

Leave it to me, he says. I want to take this to the last over. Me against one man. One on one. I know I am better than the last man the other team can put up against me. Once again, MS Dhoni reduced a lost match into a one-on-one contest with an opposition bowler, and knocked off the 15 required in just three hits. You could see the bowler – Shaminda Eranga, 9-2-34-2 until then, wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli to his name – was intimidated the moment he saw the first one fly into the top of the top tier.Bear in mind that this was a treacherous pitch with seam, spin and uneven bounce. Dhoni was injured, and had come back only for this match. He wasn’t running as hard as he does, and wickets were falling at the other end. When Dhoni came in, the asking-rate was 3.35, but with falling wickets and turned-down singles, it hit the improbable towards the end. Dhoni, though, kept refusing singles, kept admonishing the last man Ishant Sharma for taking off for panic-stricken singles.Ishant couldn’t be blamed. The game had unravelled fast for India. They were cruising when Rohit Sharma had braved for yet another fifty despite another painful blow to his body (which makes it atleast four in two innings against Sri Lanka), despite many balls that seamed past his edge, despite the slow start. When India were 139 for 3 in the 32nd over, though, Rangana Herath delivered a grubber, and it squeezed under Rohit’s bat. Things were about to change.The pitch was still difficult to bat on as Suresh Raina soon found out. He thought he had a half-volley from Suranga Lakmal when he went for the drive, but even after pitching that full the ball seamed away appreciably and took his edge. The accurate and wily Herath saw an opening now. And burst through it. In the 38th over, his last, Herath trapped Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin – whose combined figures had been 17.5-1-65-6 – in successive deliveries. India 152 for 7.The drama had begun. Only a few minutes earlier, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had gone on and on – for overs it seemed – about an obstructing-the-field appeal against Dhoni. He had taken two steps down the wicket, and then realised he would have hit the other batsman if he ran straight. So he ran, nay hared on a bad hamstring, at an angle, but didn’t change his direction for the remaining 20 yards. The throw hit him, and the two senior Sri Lankans would not leave the umpire’s side. They knew they needed this man out as soon as possible.For the next half hour, though, Sri Lanka would have thought they didn’t need to get Dhoni out. Dhoni tried to intimidate Lakmal once during the Powerplay, but after that he began playing the percentage game. Sri Lanka knew Dhoni couldn’t manipulate the strike with that hamstring, and controlled the game well. Lasith Malinga – seven overs for 54 runs until then – finally got his radar right, and got Bhuvneshwar Kumar toe before wicket with his dipping slower yorker. In the tense overs that followed, R Vinay Kumar lost his cool, and slogged and got out. India 182 for 9 after 46.2 overs.With any other batsman than Dhoni, you would expect panic. Dhoni, though, wanted to corner just one man. He wanted to bring it down to that one man. He was also daring Sri Lanka to keep back Malinga, who had one over left, for the last. Sri Lanka didn’t. Malinga bowled the 48th. Dhoni faced the whole over, looking unhurried, for just a scrambled couple.The only man hurried was Ishant, who tried a suicidal single off the last ball of Malinga’s over to keep Dhoni on strike. The ball, though, had gone straight to the fielder, and Dhoni was miffed Ishant tried such desperation. It was not becoming of someone batting with the coolest and the best batsman in ODI cricket. Ishant would do that again off the first ball of the next over. Twice Dhoni let Ishant know what he did was not right. Ishant faced another dot. Then another dot. Seventeen off nine. Dhoni was cool at the other end. He had marked out his man. He knew it wouldn’t be an experienced bowler in the last over.Two runs came off the last three balls of the 49th over, but Ishant was made to feel under no pressure. He had been told to leave it to the man who knew his way around these lanes. Then began the great show. As soon as Ishant left alone – yes, left alone – the last ball of the 49th over, Dhoni signalled to the dressing room for a new, heavier bat.As Angelo Mathews psyched Shaminda Eranga up for the last over, Dhoni practised a few swings with two bats held together. Calculatedly he picked out one. Eranga went to his mark. This match should not have been on, but in Dhoni’s book this was even odds. Eranga bowled a nervous first ball: a wide length ball, which Dhoni swung hard at. That was a nervous ball, and would have been out of the ground had Dhoni connected. Dhoni didn’t.The second ball, though, was closer to Dhoni – swing, and met that hunk on the up. And up it went. And far. And kept going. Over the top of the stands. You could see it in Eranga’s eyes now. It was now going to be nigh impossible for Eranga to execute his skill. In one hit, Dhoni had brought it down to just luck for Sri Lanka. The luck was not with them. Eranga bowled length again, Dhoni went hard again, and the ball flew off the outside half of the bat, and over point.It was over already. Eranga just ran up for the formalities, delivered another length ball, and was dispatched over extra cover. The iceman had done it again, but he hadn’t had a great first half of the day as a keeper and a captain. Apart from not having been at his best with the gloves, Dhoni had also let Sri Lanka off the hook with his choice of part-time bowlers ahead of the specialist spinners, who would eventually go on to cut Sri Lanka’s effort short.Bhuvneshwar had given India his customary breakthroughs in the first spell, the scoring was difficult, but Virat Kohli and Raina provided Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne relief with their odd long hop or big wides. Their partnership took Sri Lanka to 171 for 2, but then Thirimanne made a mistake, and almost every batsman that followed. In over-aiming during that Powerplay, Sri Lanka had lost their last eight wickets for 30 runs, letting Dhoni off the hook now.You will be justified to think of Dhoni’s choice of bowlers as odd. As you would have been with his persistence against all logic with Ishant in the Champions Trophy final. Just that the results were drastically different.

Umar Akmal’s 46 off 36 gave Pakistan the final surge to take them to 135, which their bowlers made look like 185 on a slow, dry and used pitch to give them the Twenty20 series to go with the ODI spoils

The Report by Sidharth Monga28-Jul-2013Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUmar Akmal’s late burst gave Pakistan enough to defend•WICB Media

Umar Akmal’s 46 off 36 gave Pakistan the final surge to take them to 135, which their bowlers made look like 185 on a slow, dry and used pitch to give them the Twenty20 series to go with the ODI spoils. Pakistan threatened to leave Ahmed Shehzad’s platform of 44 off 46 to waste, but Akmal did just enough – with 38 in the last four overs – for the bowlers, who were soon all over the West Indies batting.Sohail Tanvir’s extra bounce accounted for Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels, Mohammad Hafeez got Chris Gayle for the second time in two afternoons, and before you knew West Indies were 17 for 4. A strategic promotion for Sunil Narine injected some life into the chase as he scored 28 off 16, Kieron Pollard gave them late hope with 23 off 10, but they were fighting too much quality.After Charles edged Tanvir to Akmal, Gayle’s horror home season continued as he fell to a leading edge; since his century in the first ODI of the tri-series earlier in the season, Gayle has not crossed 30 in 10 international innings, and has averaged 10.2. Samuels got a bit of a brute that kicked at him just outside off, and took the gove. Lendl Simmons soon played for a Shahid Afridi legbreak, but it didn’t turn and took the middle stumps.As Dwayne Bravo fought hard, Narine swung merrily, and enjoyed some good timing and some good luck. The two added 47 in 5.3 overs, and brought the target down 72 off 39. Pollard took time to get going, and by the time he decided everything needed to go as West Indies needed 62 in four overs. Over the next four balls, he brought out some savage hits against the 34-year-old rookie Zulfiqar Babar, losing two balls and scoring 20 runs. Babar, though, went over the wicket, and managed to get the outer edge, which still carried to deep cover. Immediately, he got rid of Bravo, who also wanted to go over the off side but found long-off.In those two balls, the brief life in the chase had frizzled out. Not even a shambolic no-ball call – for the cutting the side crease – could make any difference. In contrast, Pakistan might not have had any such spells of brilliant hitting, but they stayed around the six-an-over mark before going for the big runs in the end.West Indies seemed to have learned their lesson from having failed to defend 152 in the first game. They didn’t give Pakistan any pace to hit. When the visitors ended the Powerplay at 39 for 1, it was the last time their run rate would reach 6.5 before Akmal’s hitting in the 19th over. They had to fight a controlled West Indies effort throughout.Shehzad, who scored 44 off 46, found little support from the other end. Hafeez, opening in the absence of the dropped Nasir Jamshed, was caught on the late cut again. Umar Amin was done in trying to drive on the up. Haris Sohail swung before he got used to the pace of the pitch. Shahid Afridi hit Narine into the strong wind and in the air. Shehzad perished trying to pull Pollard, who had dug the ball in and provided no pace to go with.At 96 for 5 in the 16th over, it seemed Pakistan would struggle to get to a defendable total, but Akmal kept them in the game. Most of his good work came in the 19th over when Bravo went round the stumps and angled the ball across Akmal with little cover on the cover boundary. He was taken for a four and a six in the 16-run over, but Narine ended his good spell with just six runs in the 20th. As it turned out, Akmal had done enough damage by then.