Cricket News

2009-11-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

Rain ruled in Johannesburg as the opening game of the one-day series between South Africa and England at The Wanderers was washed out.

Not a ball was bowled in the day-night contest with umpires Marais Erasmus and Rod Tucker calling off proceedings at 5pm local time.

Heavy rain had hit the area in the build-up to the game and further downpours continued during Friday, leaving standing water on parts of the outfield.

Having drawn the Twenty20 series 1-1, Proteas coach Mickey Arthur admitted the hosts were left kicking their heels at the bad weather.

Frustrating

"It is very frustrating. We were looking forward to getting stuck into the series," he said.

"We felt we picked up good momentum in the Standard Bank Pro20 Series, and our players are raring to go."

The abandonment means Paul Collingwood will have to wait to overtake Alec Stewart and become England's most-capped ODI player.

The Durham all-rounder will hope the weather allows him to make a record 171st appearance on Sunday, in the second one-dayer at Centurion.

The tourists will still be without injured duo Stuart Broad (shoulder) and Graeme Swann (side) at the weekend.

The two teams then move on to Cape Town for a day-night affair on November 27 before playing in Port Elizabeth on November 29. The five-match series concludes in Durban on December 4.

SA Vs England - 2nd T20

2009-11-16T22:24:00.000-08:00

2nd Twenty20 Match

Centurion Park

South Africa 241-6 Innings Complete (L L Bosman 94, G C Smith 88) v England 157-8 Innings Complete (I J L Trott 51)

South Africa beat England by 84 runs

South Africa hit back in style in the second Twenty20 international as they blasted England's bowlers all over Centurion Park in an 84-run victory.

Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman did all the damage early on as they shared a record-breaking 170-run opening partnership.

Smith clobbered eight fours and six sixes as he smashed 88 runs from just 44 balls while Bosman somehow did even better, with his 94 coming from just 45 deliveries and including nine sixes along with five boundaries.

South Africa's stunning innings eventually ended on 241-6 and that gave stand-in skipper Alastair Cook and his men an almost-impossible task of chasing 242 to win and claim the Twenty20 series.

Jonathan Trott did get a half-century while Kevin Pietersen made a decent 29 on his return from injury, but the run rate soon got way out of hand and England eventually closed on 157-8.

Pulsating start

After their pulsating start, Proteas skipper Smith eventually holed out in the deep off Joe Denly's first ball of the day, although by then the damage had already been done to England.

Bosman was largely playing second fiddle early on but he continued where his skipper left off before being caught in the deep with the score on 192-2.

AB de Villiers added 24 and Albie Morkel 14 as England's bowlers took a real hammering but for the exception of James Anderson, who took 1-28 from his four overs.

Sajid Mahmood conceded 61 from his four while Tim Bresnan went for 48 and Adil Rashid was thumped for 25 from his one-and-only over of leg spin.

South Africa's bowlers backed up their batsmen's efforts and England never looked like reaching such a lofty target, with Denly out early for a run-a-ball 14.

Resistance

Cook followed for 26 but Trott and Pietersen offered some resistance as the South African-born duo combined for 52 before the former was caught out a run after reaching his own half-century.

Pietersen missed a switch-hit and was bowled for 29, but he looked good on his return to action having been pushed back into the team ahead of schedule following an injury to Paul Collingwood.

Eoin Morgan could not rescue England again as he was one of two wickets for Dale Steyn, and the tourists went down to their biggest Twenty20 loss.

Victory for the Proteas squares the 20-over series in style at the start of a long duel between the two nations, with the one-dayers next up on the schedule.

South Africa VS England - 1st T20

2009-11-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

Eoin Morgan's eye-catching unbeaten 85 is the highest score by an England batsman in Twenty20 international cricket

Eoin Morgan still feels a distance from establishing his place in the England team despite turning in another impressive display to help down South Africa in the opening Twenty20 international at the Wanderers.

The Middlesex batsman trained with the rest of his team at Centurion ahead of their second and final 20-over encounter tomorrow, but there were three notable absentees in Paul Collingwood, James Anderson and Graeme Swann.

Twenty20 captain Collingwood sat out practice as a precaution after waking up with a stiff back following his half-century last night, while Anderson, who missed the final warm-up game against South Africa A on Tuesday due to soreness in his right knee, was also given time off alongside Swann (side).

The trio face fitness tests tomorrow but, despite their absence, the mood in the camp was still positive after what victory in their first competitive match of the tour.

Irish left-hander Morgan was named man of the match after a thrilling 85 not out from 45 balls helped set the tourists up for a one-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Morgan’s second Twenty20 innings for his adopted country since making the switch from Ireland was the highest score by an England player in the shortest form of the game, surpassing Collingwood's 79 against West Indies in 2007.

Morgan gestures to Andrew Strauss in practice today, which three England players sat out as a precaution before Centurion

Although he struck seven fours and five sixes, Morgan still believes he has some to go before he can be recognised as a first-team regular.

He said: “I think it’s contributed towards it; I think I’m far from cementing my place in the side.

“It’s a building block towards where I want to be, but I was certainly happy with the way I did play. But I’ve only played a handful of games and I’ve still a long way to go.”

Morgan was given fine support by Collingwood, who made 57 off 32 balls and shared in a thrilling stand of 98 off just 55 deliveries for the fourth wicket, as England totalled 202 for six – their highest Twenty20 international total.

The hosts were 127 for three after 13 overs in response when rain ended the game and, despite the manner of victory, it did not dampen England’s celebrations.

Asked if victory had a positive psychological effect, 23-year-old Morgan said: “Yeah, I think so. It was a good game of cricket and very exciting.

“We’ve certainly put a positive slant on the series to come with the way we batted, the way we bowled and the way we fielded.”

Eight of the nine sixes during England’s innings came off the fast bowlers, while Dale Steyn, Albie Morkel and Charl Langeveldt conceded more than 110 runs between them in their 10 overs.

Graeme Smith has taken note of Morgan, whose 67, combining keeping duties, knocked the hosts out of the Champions Trophy

Asked whether there was a particular plan to target Steyn, South Africa’s premier paceman, Morgan added: “No, certainly not. It was just that the wicket happened to be good and I didn’t think he bowled particularly well.

“We don’t target any bowlers at all. We were just happy to go out there and win.”

Graeme Smith recognised that South Africa will have to take note of Morgan - his knock was a second consecutive fifty against the Proteas, following his 67 to help knock them out of the Champions Trophy.

“He’s a dynamic player in that middle order,” said the Proteas skipper. “He’s one of those players that has really transformed England in the shorter formats of the game.

“From my perspective, it’s a realisation that it is going to be a tough series. It’s going to be good and exciting – England have come here to play.

“We’ve got to improve still on our bowling department - the execution of some of the plans. I think it just bodes well for an exciting performance on Sunday.”

Pak VS New Zeeland - 2nd T20

2009-11-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

Umar Akmal struck a half-century as Pakistan claimed a seven-run victory over New Zealand in their second and final Twenty20 international to wrap up a 2-0 series win.

Akmal's 56 off 49 balls helped Pakistan post a total of 153-5 and while Scott Styris gave New Zealand hope with a defiant 43 off 33 the Black Caps were unable to pull off the required final over heroics as they finished on 146-5.

While Akmal proved to be Pakistan's leading light, his supporting cast were less impressive as New Zealand bowler Ian Butler, who took no wickets for 42 runs from his three overs in the first match on Thursday, took three wickets this time around to give his side hope.

Butler bounced back from the indignity of a wide and then being hit for six by Imran Nazir in his first over by removing the opener for 19 after he tried to play his shot too early and was bowled.

His second wicket arrived in the seventh over as Kamran Akmal was trapped leg before for 26.

Shahid Afridi then contributed a quick-fire 22 before he was caught at deep mid-wicket by Shane Bond off the bowling of Nathan McCullum before Butler's third wicket came in the 15th over as Shoaib Malik skied a shot to Styris running in from deep extra cover.

Abdul Razzaq was out for a first-ball duck to James Franklin, but Umar Akmal ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over with Fawad Alam contributing a timely 17 off 13, including a six off Butler in the penultimate over.

It wasn't until the fourth over of New Zealand's reply that Pakistan made their first breakthrough as Bradley-John Watling departed for seven after edging behind off Sohail Tanvir, but Brendon McCullum - who finished with 47 off 41 balls at the top of the order - kept New Zealand in the running.

However, it was his dismissal in the penultimate over by Saeed Ajmal which effectively ended any hope of a surprise recovery.

Martin Guptill became the first of two victims for Umar Gul for 17, who skittled him before claiming the wicket of Styris with the last ball of the match, caught by Malik.

Pak Vs New Zeeland - 1st T20

2009-11-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

First Twenty20 International

Dubai

Pakistan 161-8 (Imran Nazir 58) v New Zealand 112

Pakistan beat New Zealand by 49 runs

Pakistan showed just why they are the reigning world Twenty20 champions with a convincing 49-run win in the first of two internationals against New Zealand in Dubai.

Opener Imran Nazir smashed 58 from 38 balls to help his side post a total of 161-8 on a pitch that wasn't easy for the batsmen.

The Kiwis certainly found life tough in their reply, slipping from 25 without loss to 41-4 before eventually being bowled out for 112.

Pakistan had suffered a collapse of their own earlier in the day despite Nazir helping them get off to a superb start after they had been put into bat.

The opener reached his second T20 half-century by hitting Nathan McCullum for six, one of four maximums in his knock. He also managed five fours.

Dangerous Bond

However when he was dismissed by Shane Bond, who finished with impressive figures of 2-17 from his four overs, the innings began to subside.

From 92-2 Pakistan quickly slipped to 116-5, part-time leg-spinner Aaron Redmond removing the dangerous Shahid Afridi for 24 and then taking a return catch off Shoaib Malik (six) before pulling up with a groin strain.

Abdul Razzaq at least produced some late hitting to boost the final score, the all-rounder making an unbeaten 26 from 15 balls.

With Redmond unable to bat due to his injury and Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram already sidelined, an understrength New Zealand line-up never came close to reaching their target of 162.

Sohail Tanvir removed Martin Guptill in the second over before fellow seamer Mohammad Aamer picked up the key wickets of Brendon McCullum, the stand-in skipper departing for 19, and Ross Taylor in the space of one run.

When all-rounder Neil Broom became Razzaq's second wicket the Black Caps had lost half their side for just 67 runs.

Debutant Bradley-John Watling and Nathan McCullum offered some resistance, the pair both making 22 to at least get the score into three figures before Pakistan wrapped up the win midway through the 19th over.

Pak VS New zeeland - 3rd ODI

2009-11-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

Third One Day International

Abu Dhabi
New Zealand 211 (B B McCullum 76, Saeed Ajmal 4-33) v Pakistan 204 (Mohammad Aamer 73 no)
New Zealand beat Pakistan by 7 runs

New Zealand have won the one-day series against Pakistan 2-1 despite a sensational 103-run partnership from tail-enders Mohammed Aamer and Saeed Ajmal in Abu Dhabi.

The pair combined in the middle with Pakistan in total disarray on 101-9 before taking their team within eight runs of the 212 they required for victory.

Aamer struck a career-best 73 not out and Ajmal made 33 before Jacob Oram (3-20) clinched victory for the Kiwis by dismissing the latter at the start of the final over.

New Zealand had earlier collapsed from 138-2 to 211 all out following a swashbuckling 76 from opener Brendon McCullum.

Reprieve

The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed six fours and three sixes in his 78-ball knock before watching his team-mates subside to a mediocre total.

Ross Taylor (44) at least ensured New Zealand surpassed 200 - off-spinner Ajmal (4-33) and paceman Aamer (2-41) having starred with the ball.

Pakistan received an early reprieve in their chase when opener Khalid Latif was dropped behind the stumps by McCullum off Kyle Mills when on nought.

The opener then drove the same bowler for three consecutive boundaries in his second over before taking his side on to 47-0 in partnership with Salman Butt (25).

Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori was forced to bring himself on in the ninth over - a move which brought immediate reward when he trapped Latif lbw for 19.

From there on Pakistan completely capitulated, Butt and captain Younus Khan departing in successive balls as the ICC World Twenty20 champions crashed from 47-0 to 86-8.

Emphatic

Shoaib Malik fell attempting to pull Mills, while Umar Akmal and the explosive Shahid Afridi both edged through to McCullum.

When Abdul Razzaq was run out, Pakistan had lost their last recognised batsman with 126 still required.

Umar Gul and Aamer then defied New Zealand's bowlers with a painstaking partnership that lasted 60 balls but contributed only 15 runs.

However, a sensational 103-run stand from Aamer and Ajaml - the second highest ODI tenth-wicket partnership of all time - brought Pakistan to the brink of the most unlikely of victories.

Aamer blazed seven fours and three sixes - all of which came during one Vettori over - as he emphatically surpassed his previous best effort of 24 not out.

But, with eight runs required off the final over, Oram struck off the first ball, removing Ajmal to clinch a thrilling series win for New Zealand.

Ind VS Aus - 6th ODI

2009-11-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

Australia cruised to a six-wicket win in the sixth One Day International in Guwahati to take an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven-match series.

It is India's first defeat in a bilateral series since their 4-2 loss to Australia in 2007-08.

Doug Bollinger claimed a five-wicket haul as the hosts were dismissed for just 170.

Seamers Bollinger (five for 25) and Mitchell Johnson (three for 39) reduced India to 27 for five with a destructive new-ball partnership.

Ravindra Jadeja (57) and Praveen Kumar (54 not out) were able to partially rebuild the innings but the total never looked good enough, and so it proved.

Shane Watson smashed a run-a-ball 49 and Michael Hussey made a steady unbeaten 35 as Australia overhauled the target with 8.1 overs to spare.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, but his decision to bat first in early-morning conditions and on a moist surface was immediately undone by the loss of early wickets.

Johnson bowled opening batsman Virender Sehwag with an inswinger and removed one-drop batsman Gautam Gambhir with the last ball of his first over.

Bollinger began with a maiden from the other end and he then got in on the act, claiming the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar by holding a sharp return catch.

Yuvraj Singh was quickly snared in bizarre fashion.

Bollinger rapped the left-hander on the pad, but the ball looped up over the batsman's right shoulder and Yuvraj knocked it back onto his stumps while attempting to regain the crease.

Johnson then claimed Suresh Raina wicket with a tame dismissal, as the batsman chipped straight to Nathan Hauritz at short mid-on

That was five down inside nine overs but Dhoni (24) and Jadeja revived the innings with a painfully slow 48-run stand for the sixth wicket, before Bollinger returned to knock over Dhoni, winning a dubious lbw decision.

Faltered

India faltered again as Harbhajan Singh fell in the same over, but Praveen joined Jadeja and the two held India together with a 74-run stand for the eight wicket.

The partnership was eventually ended by Bollinger, the left-arm seamer claiming Jadeja for his fifth victim in the final over of the batting powerplay.

Praveen, who had hit Clint McKay for a six and a four in an over that yielded 14, eased India past the 150 mark and continued to bat with aggression as he reached his maiden half-century in just 48 deliveries.

Australia lost Shaun Marsh early to give India some hope, but Watson, who had begun in a blaze of boundaries, then put Australia on course with a 61-run stand for the second wicket with skipper Ricky Ponting (25).

Harbhajan, however, provided another twist by taking the wickets of Watson and Ponting in quick succession, but Hussey and Cameron White (25) rebuilt the innings with a 53-run stand for the fourth wicket.

White was trapped in front by Raina, but with just 28 needed the game was already up and Hussey and Voges (23 not out) saw the tourists home to victory in the match and series.

Pak VS Newzland - 2nd ODI

2009-11-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

Brendon McCullum's dashing century helped New Zealand square the one-day series with a 64-run victory over Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

McCullum hammered 131 to lead the Black Caps to a total of 303-8 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium after they had opted to bat first.

Pakistan were bowled out for 239 in reply, Scott Styris claiming figures of 3-23.

The result sets up a winner-takes-all decider in the final match of the series at the same venue on Monday.

Rampage

McCullum's second one-day international hundred powered New Zealand to a formidable score.

After being stripped of the vice-captaincy last month and told to concentrate his mind on batting and keeping wicket, McCullum provided the perfect riposte with 131 off 129 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes.

His opening partner Aaron Redmond fell early for six to Mohammed Aamer but Martin Guptill combined with McCullum for a second-wicket partnership of 126.

Guptill hit two sixes and five fours on his way to a 70-ball 62 before departing to Abdul Razzaq (2-60).

Ross Taylor and Styris both failed to provide much support for the rampaging McCullum, Shahid Afridi accounting for Taylor (0) and Younus Khan's direct hit from mid-off running out Styris (9).

The ever-dependable Daniel Vettori weighed in with a timely 30 and Jacob Oram worked the ball around intelligently for a run-a-ball 33 not out.

McCullum's innings was finally brought to an end by Umar Gul (2-59) in the 47th over but Shane Bond's brisk 10 not out eased New Zealand past 300.

Teenage paceman Aamer took the most punishment, recording figures of 1-64 from his 10 overs, while leg-spinner Afridi (2-49) was the most economical.

Styris burst

Pakistan got off to a solid start in reply with opening pair Salman Butt and Khalid Latif putting on 77 in 16.2 overs.

Latif was trapped lbw for 45 by New Zealand skipper Vettori but Pakistan remained in contention as Younus helped Butt add 47 for the second wicket.

However, the introduction of Styris for his first bowl in a one-day international for 13 months turned the match decisively in New Zealand's favour.

The medium pacer struck three times in 10 balls to account for Younus (19), Afridi (0) and Kamran Akmal (4) and reduce Pakistan to 133-4.

That became 134-5 when Butt was run out for 59 after a mix-up with Mohammad Yousuf.

Vettori (2-37) won another lbw verdict to send Yousuf (18) on his way and, despite some resistance further down the order from Shoaib Malik (26) and Razzaq (35), Pakistan were all out for 239 in 47.2 overs.

A fan's tribute to Sachin Tendulkar

2009-11-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

This November, Sachin Tendulkar completes 20 years of international cricket. These twenty years can very well be divided in two halves. The first half between 1989-1999 wherein almost every time this champion batsman walked on to the crease, a 100-crore population stopped breathing. Their desires, demands and all other concepts of economics started and ended with his stay at the crease. Numbers say that for the first time in the history of Indian cricket, India touched a win-loss record of 50 per cent during this tenure. I would not say who all were the protagonists but for sure Sachin was the lead actor.

Thursday's scorecard would have made someone go back radically to the same years. It seemed Indian cricket was struck in a time-warp and not much has changed in the last twenty years for a nation where almost all feel cricket to be their own forte. It was a similar tale of Tendulkar being the one-man army belting the opposition under the most challenging circumstances. But didn't he prove what mettle he is yet again! The miracle was almost pulled off but then history repeats itself and Chennai 1999, a wound which was still green was rubbed again. Tendulkar once again got out at the threshold of a resounding win and the rest choked, falling short by three runs with two balls still to go. Then in Chennai he had left the last three wickets with 18 to get. Tonight he left them 19, script though after him didn't change for the better.

Ind VS Aus - 5th ODI

2009-11-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Nobody does solos better than Sachin Tendulkar, nor, perhaps, has anyone endured as much heartbreak during those solos. It was India of the 90s all over again: Tendulkar almost chased 351 on his own but, with the target in sight, he got out and the rest choked, falling short by three runs with two balls still to go. In Chennai in 1998-99, Tendulkar, having played an innings as incredible as this, left the last three wickets 17 to get; tonight he left them 19 off 17.

With Praveen Kumar hitting a six over long-off and then taking sensible singles, it seemed things would finally change for Tendulkar. With five required off the last three, Praveen - batting with No. 11 Munaf Patel - hit to wide of long-off, came back for a second, and was run out by a split frame. Had Praveen dived, or had the throw from Nathan Hauritz been even six inches off, he would probably have made it. That's how fine the margins were.

Had it been any other team, though, they would have given up long ago and just stood and admired Tendulkar's work. Not Australia. The bowler of that last over, Shane Watson, will not grudge Tendulkar his Man-of-the-Match award. Watson's whirlwind 93 set up the total and he then bowled a tight spell in the middle overs that claimed Yuvraj Singh. Coming back at the endgame, he took out Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh in one over when the chase seemed a cakewalk with 52 required off eight overs and six wickets in hand. Watson's effort, however, was almost a footnote on the night. Such was Tendulkar's innings.

Wickets kept falling around him but Tendulkar gave the bowlers only one half chance before he got out. All night they couldn't get an uncouth shot out of him. He came out of a relatively lean patch, kept the pace up without taking undue risks and playing mostly cricketing shots, struggling for support from the other end, but counterattacking every time a wicket fell. Virender Sehwag may have dominated the first-wicket partnership but Tendulkar got 18 out of 26, 24 out of 34, 29 out of 36, and 73 out of 137 for the subsequent stands.

Tendulkar started scratchily, as the series so far has been for him, and then shifted gears seamlessly. The flicks made the jaw drop for the bat seemed to came down later than usual, and hence the carry the ball finer than usual. Check the 38 runs he got behind square on the leg side. The aerial shots were all hit in vacant areas, many of them straight down the ground, some of them with the spin, to midwicket. Towards the end, late-cuts came out too, cheekily.

The acceleration was acute: from 10 off 19 he went to 50 off 47. But by then he had lost Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. MS Dhoni would soon go. But Tendulkar found support in Raina, at 162 for 4. It was a perfect partnership while it lasted. Every time the required run-rate would jump up, one of them would pull off a breathtaking shot. Australia started to fumble, Australia started to drop catches. Raina was dropped for 0 and for 22, Tendulkar given a half life when Michael Hussey couldn't hold on to an improbable return catch. Tendulkar started looking surer and surer, and even without taking the Powerplay India brought it down to 52 off 48.

Then Australia were let to get their foot in. Them opportunistic Aussies. Raina top-edged and Graham Manou took a special catch running behind. Harbhajan went in the same over. Tendulkar and Ravindra Jadeja added 32 for seventh wicket, and with the Powerplay going on it seemed a matter of Tendulkar's staying there till the end. But with Australia, it always seemed a matter of getting Tendulkar out. There seemed more men around than there were before, more attempts at stumps ensued, Tendulkar started misjudging singles.

On came Clint McKay, the Victorian debutant, to bowl the 48th over with just 19 required. Tendulkar went to clear short fine leg. It was a slower delivery. He found Hauritz. It was all over. Jadeja ran himself out, Ashish Nehra holed out to long-on, and Praveen was run out in the final over.

The way he batted in the afternoon, Watson wouldn't have known he'd be bowling the last over to save Australia. Watson provided the early impetus, converting a conservative start into a boundary-fest, and Shaun Marsh assumed the perfect anchorman role to take Australia to 350. Fifty-four of Watson's 93 runs came in fours and sixes, Marsh ran 68 of his 112.

Watson made India's bowlers pay dearly for every small error they made in length. Sixty-five of his runs came through midwicket and behind square on the off side, suggesting too many balls on the shorter side. But it was as much about Watson creating the length with his quick eye and footwork, thus putting the bowlers off their plan.

Marsh did his job, letting Watson take most of the strike. He was helped by two dropped catches too. Slyly, like an anchorman should, he went from 12 off 19 to 51 off 66 by the time the second drop came about.

After Watson's dismissal, Australia slowed down a bit, but picked off again in the 34th over. Australia didn't go wild slogging, yet managed at least a boundary hit each in the Powerplay overs, taken in the 35th. Forty-four came in those five, Marsh soon reached his maiden century, his strike-rate crossed 100 as he did so, suggesting a smartly paced innings.

For the innings as a whole to be considered smartly paced, Cameron White and Hussey added 79 in the last seven overs. And as it turned out, they needed every single one of them to survive Tendulkar.

Pak VS New Zeeland - 1st ODI

2009-11-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

Who needs the captaincy when you are in this kind of form? Shahid Afridi's supposed desire to lead Pakistan in ODIs and his rift with captain Younis Khan has dominated the chat in Pakistan since the Champions Trophy, and his all-round performance tonight to dismantle New Zealand - along with the captain's duck - will do nothing to quell further talk. But why burden yourself with leadership hassles when you can turn in the kind of man-mountain performance Afridi did, first resuscitating Pakistan from a disastrous start with the bat and then nearly taking a hat-trick as his side romped home to a 138-run win at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Afridi's day had begun halfway through Pakistan's innings, when having won the toss, they were making a mess of things. Shane Bond had bowled an opening five-over spell of refreshingly attacking intent, of real cunning, occasional pace and much guile. Each ball he bowled, it seemed, was geared only to take wickets, not save runs. With the rest of Bond's colleagues chipping in, Afridi turned up to find his side limping around at 75 for 4.

Much like a magician he turned it into an ominous 287 for 9 with his innings opening up the floodgates for his lower order, in particular Kamran Akmal, who plundered New Zealand relentlessly at the death. In all, 137 runs came in the last 15 overs and 206 off the last 25, and Afridi was the culprit.

It was a calm hand by his standards, pretty brutal by any other, and the kind of innings Twenty20 has brought out of him. In its entirety it was mature, particularly in the realisation that he need not go at it helter-skelter from the off and that if his forearms are somehow aligned to his brain then mountains can be moved.

Indeed there was nary a miscue or hoick to begin, just urgent nudges and grunted pushes to revive Pakistan's comatose run-rate. Once Khalid Latif, drafted in as opener, pulled a first boundary for nearly 12 overs in the 29th, he freed Afridi's mind. Soon Afridi was dancing out to hoist three sixes in two overs of spin from Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum.

The flurry of boundaries is an Afridi trait, but once out of the way he reverted - pleasingly - to taking well-placed singles and doubles, managing the occasional boundary. Shane Bond was muscled over long-off for one such, to bring up his fifty off 37 balls, which was still sedate for him. He went soon after biffing a couple more, but not before, with a tranquil Latif, having revived Pakistan. Latif looked as threatening as a butterfly, without being as pretty, but he stuck around for what was a valuable fifty. And he was at his most effective when Afridi was going for it, simply because he ensured that Afridi got much of the strike.

Akmal, relieved of opening and for Afridi's ballast, gleefully looted runs over the death, putting on 86 with Abdul Razzaq in just over seven overs - driving, scything and squeezing a parade of sixes and fours en route to a stunning 43-ball 67.

The momentum with them, Pakistan's pacemen worked their way through the top order, crippling the chase at the very off. Umar Gul may have been the main beneficiary in terms of wickets, but Mohammad Aamer's opening spell - much older than the 17-year-old body and mind that produced it - was the key. At whippy pace, he gnawed away at both Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond over after over, regularly beating them for pace and inward movement and ultimately setting the tone of who was to boss the chase.

Inevitably, though, Afridi had to have the final word. Daniel Vettori and Redmond had gamely kept New Zealand within a sniff, though Redmond's ponderous fifty - unlike Latif's earlier - did not have anyone going crazy enough around it. After an indifferent, hurried first spell, Afridi got the pesky Vettori to drag on an attempted sweep, and with his next ball trapped Nathan McCullum. Another umpire might have even given the hat-trick - incorrect as it may have been - but denying Afridi in this kind of mood took some standing. New Zealand found it beyond them.

Australia look to defy odds again

2009-11-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Match facts

Thursday, November 5

Start time 1430 (0900GMT)

Big Picture

Australia have no business being 2-2 in this series. Seven first-choice men out, followed by two of their replacements (Moises Henriques being the latest). Foreign conditions. Back-to-back matches, spread across the length and breadth of India, suggesting more a sightseeing tour than one of the cricketing variety. Bowlers struggling at the death. Big hitters absent. Horror of horrors, Andrew Symonds is being discussed again by the fans. Conventional wisdom suggests that cannot be a good sign for the Australian team. Look at the scoreline, though - Two wins each. Who told Australia they could compete once their players started going down one by one after the first ODI?

Two-all doesn't mean this becomes a fresh three-match series, as MS Dhoni would suggest. Australia have simply lost too many players, which has made India the favourites though the Mohali loss puts the pressure back on the hosts. They will know losing the series in home conditions against an under-strength Australia will be an embarrassment; a 4-3 result won't be much better received. All of which gives Australia added incentive to win on Thursday and take a step closer to the grand heist.

India have had their share of injury troubles, with Zaheer Khan out for the series and Gautam Gambhir missing the fourth ODI. But the selectors' retaining the existing XV for the final three games suggests Gambhir's injury is not serious, nor is Virender Sehwag's. India need a win in Hyderabad to start their march towards 5-2, anything less than which should disappoint them. By the look of things right now, there are no excuses in sight either.

Watch out for...

Virender Sehwag: Two fours off first two balls in Vadodara, three in the first over in Nagpur, and a first-ball boundary in Mohali. Despite a sedate 11 off 25 in Delhi, Sehwag's strike-rate for the series is 109.3, but he has faced only 86 balls in four matches. He needs to face 86 balls in one innings - and preferably utilise the third Powerplay.

Ricky Ponting has been exemplary through the series both as captain and in scoring 197 runs at 49.25. What's missing so far is the definitive Ponting knock, one during which he lets go of all restraint and wins the match on his own. The law of averages suggests it could be just around the corner.

Team news

Gambhir has been cleared to play and is likely to replace Virat Kohli, and it would be a surprise if India split Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar at the top.

India(probable): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt./wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.

It's an easy selection for Australia - with 13 fit men, they have only to decide which two to keep out. Clint McKay has arrived in India, but he and Jon Holland are likely to sit out.

Australia (probable): 1 Shane Watson, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt.), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Cameron White, 6 Adam Voges, 7 Graham Manou (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Doug Bollinger.

Pitch and conditions

Everyone who played the Champions League matches in Hyderabad loved the pitch: true and flat. And being in the southern part of India, Hyderabad should be relatively dew-free. The toss shouldn't put any team at a major disadvantage.

Stats and trivia

•Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, a relatively new addition to Hyderabad, hasn't been kind to teams who call themselves hosts. Deccan Chargers have gone through a season each of IPL and Champions League without registering a win. India have lost both the ODIs they have played here: to South Africa in 2005-06 and to Australia in 2007-08. Hyderabad, who call this their home ground, have lost six out of seven List A games they have played here, and won three and lost four first-class games.

•Yuvraj Singh has scored two centuries in those two lost matches: 103 off 122 balls against South Africa, and 121 off 115 balls against Australia.

•MS Dhoni and Michael Hussey have been the most consistent batsmen in the series. Dhoni has scored 255 runs at 85 and is the only centurion in the series on either side. Hussey has managed 247 at 82.33, his lowest score being 40, in Mohali.

Quotes

"It's disappointing to see these guys go down, because you know how much they want to play and be a part of the series. So it's more disappointing for them more so than anything. I'm sure everyone who's returned back home would much rather be here with the series as it is at the moment, but we've got what we've got.''

Ricky Ponting knows he can't do much about the fitness issues.

Lee to resume bowling next week, Paine escapes surgery

2009-11-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Melbourne: Injury-ravaged Australia heaved a sigh of relief with pacer Brett Lee expected to resume bowling next week and wicket-keeper Tim Paine escaping a surgery on his fractured ring finger. Cricket Australia today said that Lee's elbow injury, sustained during the first ODI against India at Vadodara, was not serious and he can be back to the groove next week.

Paine, who fractured his ring finger, is expected to start his training in three weeks time, just before the West Indies tour of Australia.

"Brett has seen a specialist and CA medical staff in Melbourne. He had a scan that confirmed the cause of the pain as being a long standing bone spur near the elbow joint," Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said.

"It is felt there is no major problem with the joint and we are optimistic that he may be able to resume bowling fairly soon, possibly some time next week. "Tim Paine saw a hand specialist in Melbourne today and Tim doesn't require surgery to the fractured ring finger of his left hand. He will recommence cricket training in approximately three weeks time," he added.

Vice-captain Michael Clarke, who missed the seven-match ODI series in India due to a back injury, is also expected to be fit for the first Test against West Indies at home. "Michael is making good progress and it's hoped he'll play for New South Wales before the first Test against the West Indies," Kountouris said.

New Zealand coach Andy Moles has stepped down from his post after admitting some of his players had lost faith in his ability.

2009-10-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

His resignation means that the Kiwis will travel to the United Arab Emirates for a limited-overs series against Pakistan without a coach.

Moles, whose contract was due to expire after the 2011 World Cup, was given the backing of the New Zealand Cricket Board earlier in the week after reports surfaced on Thursday that senior players had raised concerns about his tactical and technical input into the team.

However the 48-year-old former Warwickshire batsman has since handed in his resignation.

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan confirmed that the board and Moles reached an amicable agreement during arbitration, the terms of which will remain confidential, and Moles will not be with the team for their upcoming series in Dubai.

Vaughan said: "Andy has made a significant contribution to cricket in New Zealand, including the recent success of the Black Caps team in making the final of the Champions Trophy."

Problems

Moles revealed that he was left with little choice but to resign from his position after senior players had questioned his abilities to run the team.

"There was a group of players who had lost confidence in my ability as a coach," he said.

"This left me really in an untenable position after that had been so widely reported in the media the day before."

Moles said while he held no grudge against the players, he was disappointed that the areas of concern had not been highlighted previously.

"Over the 11 months that I've been around I had no inkling, no communication that there were problems until we got back after the Champions Trophy," he said.

"Let me be very clear, it is the players' team, they are the most important thing.

"It is unfortunate that it wasn't raised before and that will be looked at, I'm sure, by New Zealand Cricket going forward.

"If I had got some feedback earlier, we may have been able to quell this problem and been aware of it. Obviously we'll never know because the feedback wasn't forthcoming."

He added: "One of the great challenges as a coach is to try and get the chemistry right between the players and the coach. I will take it squarely on the chin that on this occasion I haven't got the chemistry right."

Under Moles, New Zealand managed four draws and three losses in the Test arena and suffered an early exit from the World Twenty20 in England.