India fails to shine again

INDIA once again wilted against quality pace bowling as Sri Lanka defeated them by 51 runs in the eighth match of the one-day Tri-series at the Gabba in Brisbane today. 

India, who were shot out for 178 by the Australian pace battery during a 110-run loss at the same venue on Sunday (February 19), were all out for 238 in 45.1 overs against Sri Lanka, chasing 290 for victory.

Nuwan Kulasekara picked up three wickets, including Gautam Gambhir (29) and Sachin Tendulkar (22), while Thisara Perera cleaned up at the end with four wickets. Lasith Malinga took two while the.......

Ricky Ponting is a prolific batsman

RICKY Ponting was dropped from the Australia team because of poor form today with selectors strongly indicating that his career in one-day internationals was all but over.

The 37-year-old, the second most prolific batsmen of all time in one-day internationals with 13,704 runs since his debut in 1995, had made just 18 runs in five games in the ongoing Tri-series against India and Sri Lanka.

“Ricky Ponting has been dropped from the ODI side and the national selection panel has spoken about moving towards the 2015 World Cup,” chief selector John Inverarity told a televised news conference in Perth.

“The.......

India's top order batsmen crumbled

A DOMINANT Australia cruised to a 110-run win over India in their one-day international tri-series match in Brisbane on Sunday (February 19).

After blasting 288 for five, the Australians, led by man of the match Ben Hilfenhaus with 5-33, ripped through the Indian top order before bowling them out for 178.

The win gave Australia a bonus point victory and sent them to the top of the tri-series standings on 14 points.

India stay second on 10 points with Sri Lanka on seven with a game in hand.
“It’s a long time since I’ve seen an Australian team bowl.......

Kumar Sangakkara reached 10,000 career ODI runs

SRI LANKA posted their biggest-ever one-day international win over Australia in Sydney today with a crushing eight-wicket tri-series ODI victory with 101 balls to spare.

Sri Lanka bounced back into finals contention with a bonus-point victory on the Duckworth-Lewis method after skittling out Australia for 158 off 40.5 overs and rattling up a revised winning target of 152 for two in just 24.1 overs.

It was Sri Lanka’s largest ODI win over Australia in terms of balls remaining.

The Sri Lankans, who were winless before today’s game after being held to a tie in their previous match by leaders India,.......

It was a dramatic tie with Sri Lanka

INDIA captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fell just short of pulling off another thrilling run chase as his team fought out a dramatic tie with Sri Lanka in the fifth triangular series match at Adelaide today. 

Needing four to win off the last delivery, Dhoni (58 not out) lofted paceman Lasith Malinga over cover but could manage only three runs before the throw came in from the fielder patrolling the boundary.

India, needing nine off the last over, finished on 236 for nine wickets from their 50 overs, exactly the same score as Sri Lanka.

On Sunday (February 12), in a.......

Gambhir lays the foundation for India

GAUTAM Gambhir’s 92 at the top and some smart batting by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the finish helped India chase down a 270-run target against Australia in Adelaide yesterday for their second win in the triangular series.

The visitors, needing 13 runs in the last over, reached the mark with four wickets in hand and two balls to spare, aided by a huge straight six by Dhoni who remained unbeaten on 44 to see India through.

Clint McKay, the most successful bowler for Australia with three for 53, made it easier for the Indians by bowling a no-ball in.......

Kohli lost his wicket in dramatic fashion

YOUNGSTER Virat Kohli steered India to a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their tri-series one-day international in Perth yesterday before losing his wicket in dramatic fashion.

Although Sachin Tendulkar again failed in his quest to score his long-awaited 100th international century, Kohli’s impressive 77 ensured the Indians notched a comfortable win.

Sri Lanka made 233-8 after winning the toss and electing to bat, but India replied with 234-6, reaching the victory target with 20 balls to spare.

Kohli, the only Indian centurion during the tourists’ dismal 4-0 Test series loss to Australia, again upstaged his more celebrated team-mates, until.......

England tries to salvage pride

PAKISTAN captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and decided to bat first in the third and final Test against England today. 

Pakistan, hoping to complete a 3-0 whitewash in the series, replaced Junaid Khan with fellow pacer Aiza Cheema, while England went in with an unchanged team, hoping to salvage some pride.

Teams:

England: Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema. 

MS Dhoni finds favour with former captains to lead the team

MAHENDRA Singh Dhoni’s offer to step aside as India captain if a “better” candidate can be found is a noble gesture given the team’s woeful run of Test form, but several former skippers believe the wicketkeeper remains the best man for the job.

Under Dhoni, India won the Twenty20 (2007) and 50-over (2011) World Cups and also became the top-ranked Test team, prompting many observers to hail him the country’s greatest ever leader.

In less than a year since India hit those heady heights, that assessment has been revised after India’s eight consecutive overseas Test defeats, seven under Dhoni, and.......

The auction will be on Saturday (February 4)

ENGLAND spinner Graeme Swann and Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene head a star cast of cricketers who will be auctioned on Saturday (February 4) to join the Indian Premier League.

As many as 144 foreign and Indian players have thrown their hat in the ring in an auction restricted to players not already aligned to any team in the money-spinning Twenty20 league.

Australian fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, and England duo James Anderson and Ian Bell, are among the other leading players going under the hammer in Bangalore.

Each of the nine franchises have a maximum of $2m.......

MS Dhoni fails to lead his team to victory

AN EXTRAORDINARY switch-hit six from David Warner and a Matt Wade half century fired Australia to a 31-run victory over India in the first of two Twenty20 matches today. 

Australia’s tally of 171 for four proved too tough a target for an India team hoping for a turnaround in fortunes after suffering a 4-0 hammering in the Test series and the tourists managed just 140 for six in the rain-delayed contest.

Warner took his time to get started before taking off with 18 runs in the third over, including a remarkable six when, with the ball in the air, he.......

Indian team was a world leader a few months ago, but cannot afford eight successive defeats

PAKISTAN cricket legend Imran Khan has blamed the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League for India’s recent dismal Test showing, saying the focus should be on the game’s longer format.

India were humiliated 4-0 in the recent series away to Michael Clarke’s Australians to record eight successive overseas Test defeats following a similar hammering in England last year.

“I can only use one word to describe India’s form... consistent. To lose eight Test matches in a row overseas is an achievement,” Imran, the former Pakistan captain, said in the first annual Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture in Kolkata on Monday (January 30).......

Sehwag tells that the same team was able to win world cup and bring laurels to the country

FANS AND the media should back the Indian team and not seek explanations for their dispiriting 4-0 series loss in Australia, skipper Virender Sehwag said on Saturday (January 28).

The last rites were served on India’s miserable series when Australia wrapped up a comprehensive 298-run victory early on the final day of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval.

It was the eighth consecutive away Test loss for formerly top ranked India after a 4-0 series loss in England last year and they have yet to win a series in Australia in 10 tours.

Sehwag, who led the team in.......

Kohli makes ton but upset by Australia antics

STAR batsman Virat Kohli accused Australia of "really low" sledging and criticised the boisterous Adelaide crowd after he scored a maiden Test century on Thursday as Indiaagain struggled with the bat.

The inexperienced batsman defied Australia's bowlers to reach a century as wickets tumbled around him on a day which saw the hosts build an imposing 382-run lead to take control of the fourth Test.
 

But Kohli, whose performances have improved during the.......

India shamed again in the fourth Test

RICKY Ponting and Michael Clarke both hit masterful double centuries to drive Australia to 604 for seven declared before their bowlers reduced India to 61 for two at the end of second day of the fourth Test today. 

Sachin Tendulkar, who had made 12 not out, and Gautam Gambhir, unbeaten on 30, were at the crease at stumps after the in-form Australian pace attack dismissed stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.

Clarke, who made 210, and his predecessor as Australia captain Ponting, who scored 221, batted through the morning session for a record fourth-wicket stand of 386 at.......

ENGLAND football fans are demanding extra security against right-wing
thugs at this summer's European Championships.

ENGLAND football fans are demanding extra security against right-wing
thugs at this summer's European Championships.

Some British Asian supporters have told Eastern Eye they will snub
the tournament in Poland and Ukraine over safety fears.

Right-wing gangs in Ukraine recently warned ethnic minority fans to
stay away - or they will end up in hospital. A hooligan leader in Kiev
said “people should stay in their own lands.”

Yasir Siddique, 35, says his group of six fans will not attend Euro
2012 in June.......