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Cricket

Saturday, July 31, 2010

ANDERSON GLAD TO BE BACK IN TRENT BRIDGE SWING















James Anderson took ten wickets in a Test for the first time as England beat Pakistan by a crushing 354 runs in their series opener at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.

Pakistan were dismissed for just 80 -- their lowest Test total against England, replacing the 87 they made at Lord's back in 1954 -- before lunch on the fourth day.

They had been set a fourth innings target of 435 for victory that would have been a new world record had they acheived it.

But they got nowhere near, with swing specialist Anderson taking six wickets for 17 runs in 15 overs, including five wickets for 10 runs in 45 balls on Sunday, to add to his first innings five for 54.

That gave Anderson his best match haul of 11 for 71 in his 49-Test career, beating the nine for 98 he took against New Zealand on this ground two years ago.

"It generally swings here, which helps my game, and it certainly helped this week," Anderson told Sky Sports. "You do want to make the most of it because it doesn't always go your way."

Danish Kaneria (16 not out) and opener Imran Farhat (15) were the only Pakistan batsmen to make double-figure scores in an innings where the last seven wickets fell for 65 runs in 22 overs on Sunday.

"It was not all our way, we had some tough times but we reacted well," said England captain Andrew Strauss. "Our bowling was first class but I'm very conscious it's only the first game."

Pakistan resumed on 15 for three and with England again using the helpful, overcast conditions, it wasn't long before they were 37 for five, Farhat edging Anderson to Strauss at first slip before Umar Akmal was leg before.

Steven Finn then took two wickets for no runs in four balls. With his fourth ball he ended nightwatchman Mohammad Aamer's hour-long resistance, courtesy of Kevin Pietersen's catch in the gully. He then had Kamran Akmal leg before - a second nought of the game for the wicketkeeper.

Anderson then had Umar Gul brilliantly caught by a leaping Paul Collingwood at third slip and the duo combined again to give the Lancashire seamer his 10th wicket when Shoaib Malik exited for nine.

He wrapped up the match when last man Mohammad Asif edged to Graeme Swann.

England's batsmen had also struggled but an opening day partnership of 219 between Eoin Morgan, whose 130 was his maiden Test century, and Collingwood (82) gave England a crucial initiative as they reached 354 in their first innings.

After dismissing Pakistan for 182, England pressed home their advantage. Matt Prior's unbeaten 102 allowed them to declare at 262 for nine and set Pakistan a target in excess of the world record fourth innings victory total of 418 for seven, scored by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

Victory, with more than a day to spare, put England 1-0 up in the four-match series and left Pakistan with little time to turn things around before the second Test starts at Edgbaston on Friday.

However, Pakistan did bounce back from their 150-run first Test defeat by Australia at Lord's to square a two-match series 1-1 after a three-wicket win at Headingley last week.

"It's the same time difference as Lord's and Headingley," defiant Pakistan captain Salman Butt told reporters. "I'm just two games old (as captain). We've won one and lost one.

"What do you expect from these boys, to win every game? The faith I have in them, I know they'll come back."





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India-Sri Lanka 2nd Test ended in a draw




The second cricket Test of the three-match series ended in a draw with both the teams India and Sri Lanka blasting the unsporting pitch after the end of the final day's play at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground here Friday.

Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 129 for three shortly after tea and both the captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara decided to end the day with 70 minutes of scheduled play still left. Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 642 for four.

Earlier in the day, Sri lanka bowled out India for 707, some 20 minutes before lunch. Resuming at the overnight score of 669 for nine, India's last-wicket pair of Ishant Sharma (27) and Pragyan Ojha (18) put on a partnership of 39 runs. Sharma was finally caught in the gully off fast bowler Dilhara Fernando.

India captain Dhoni was unhappy with the pitch and said there was nothing in it for the bowlers.

"This one was very unsporting, there was nothing in it for the bowlers," said Dhoni.

"If there is nothing for fast bowlers in a wicket, it should at least help the spinners," said Dhoni. "This one was just for batsmen, while the bowlers got spanked all around the park.

"I am glad we took the lead because when the opposition bats first and puts up more than 600 runs on the board, there is always pressure on the team batting second.

"But we played well and built partnerships, so there are a lot of positives to take away from the Test."

Sangakkara also concurred, but praised his team's all-round performance in the match.

"We batted and bowled well, maybe we need to buck up on the fielding," said the Sri Lankan captain, who was adjudged Man of the match for his 219.

Sri Lankan coach Trevor Bayliss said such dead wickets were unlikely to ever produce positive results in Tests.

"We need pitches which are good for batting and have something for the bowlers too," said Bayliss.

The two teams now head for the final Test at the P. Sara Oval here from Tuesday, with Sri Lanka enjoying a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first match in Galle by 10 wickets.

A 2-0 series win will lift Sri Lanka to the top of the official Test rankings and India will remain number one if they win or draw the Test.

Friday, July 30, 2010

SACHIN & RAINA RUN FEAST INDIA LEAD 2nd TEST
















Tendulkar made 203 and Raina 120 as India were 669 for nine in the first innings, in reply to Sri Lanka's 642 for four declared, when the stumps were drawn at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground. Ishant Sharma was batting on 10 and Pragyan Ojha was yet to open his account at close.

Resuming at the overnight score of 382 for four, India started cautiously as they needed 61 more runs to avoid the follow on.

The first four came from Tendulkar's bat as he pushed debutant off spinner Suraj Randiv through the cover boundary and then Raina smacked the lanky bowler for a huge six over long off.

Tendulkar and Raina put on 256 runs for the fifth wicket as India avoided the ignominy of a second successive follow-on.

The 23-year-old Raina hit two sixes and 12 fours in his 228-ball knock and got to his century with a fluent off-drive off seamer Dammika Prasad that went for a four. Mendis picked up Raina with Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara taking a good catch at short-midwicket shortly after lunch.

The 37-year-old Tendulkar endured hot and humid weather for his marathon innings that was studded with 23 boundaries and a six. Tendulkar reached his 200, in his 168th Test, with a flick off Ajantha Mendis for two runs. It was Tendulkar's first double hundred in six years.

Tendulkar also equalled West Indian Brian Lara's record of 19 scores of 150-plus. Australian legend Don Bradman did it on 18 occasions.

Prasad rattled Tendulkar with a short-pitched delivery that hit the batting maestro's helmet and raced to the boundary. Part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan got rid of Tendulkar soon after tea as wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene took a bat-pad catch by moving quickly to the silly point area. Dilshan also dismissed Harbhajan Singh in the same over.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (76) then joined in the run feast and added 95 runs for the sixth wicket with Tendulkar and 51 for the eighth with Abhimanyu Mithun (41). Dilshan took a good return catch off his own bowling to remove Dhoni.

Mendis finished the day with four wickets conceding 157 runs from his 54 overs, while Dilshan picked up three wickets for 50 runs

Morgan Century CAPS England's DAY




Eoin Morgan leads the players off to warm applause, it could not have gone better for him. After wobbling either side of lunch England have surged into a position of control. Getting together at 118 for 4, Morgan and Collingwood have added 213 in quick time, with Morgan going on to complete his first Test hundred and Collingwood, steady as ever, ending unbeaten on 81.
So much was expected of this Pakistan attack and when they were asked to bowl first under leaden skies this morning you sensed England would be in for a real examination. As it happened Mohammad Aamer was the only man anywhere near his best - Asif , Gul and especially Kaneria were very disappointing indeed and on a dry pitch already beginning to crack, England will be very happy.






Thursday, July 29, 2010

Morgan Century CAPS England's DAY




Eoin Morgan leads the players off to warm applause, it could not have gone better for him. After wobbling either side of lunch England have surged into a position of control. Getting together at 118 for 4, Morgan and Collingwood have added 213 in quick time, with Morgan going on to complete his first Test hundred and Collingwood, steady as ever, ending unbeaten on 81.
So much was expected of this Pakistan attack and when they were asked to bowl first under leaden skies this morning you sensed England would be in for a real examination. As it happened Mohammad Aamer was the only man anywhere near his best - Asif , Gul and especially Kaneria were very disappointing indeed and on a dry pitch already beginning to crack, England will be very happy.






SACHIN & RAINA RUN FEAST HELPS INDIA IN SAFE
















Tendulkar made 203 and Raina 120 as India were 669 for nine in the first innings, in reply to Sri Lanka's 642 for four declared, when the stumps were drawn at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground. Ishant Sharma was batting on 10 and Pragyan Ojha was yet to open his account at close.

Resuming at the overnight score of 382 for four, India started cautiously as they needed 61 more runs to avoid the follow on.

The first four came from Tendulkar's bat as he pushed debutant off spinner Suraj Randiv through the cover boundary and then Raina smacked the lanky bowler for a huge six over long off.

Tendulkar and Raina put on 256 runs for the fifth wicket as India avoided the ignominy of a second successive follow-on.

The 23-year-old Raina hit two sixes and 12 fours in his 228-ball knock and got to his century with a fluent off-drive off seamer Dammika Prasad that went for a four. Mendis picked up Raina with Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara taking a good catch at short-midwicket shortly after lunch.

The 37-year-old Tendulkar endured hot and humid weather for his marathon innings that was studded with 23 boundaries and a six. Tendulkar reached his 200, in his 168th Test, with a flick off Ajantha Mendis for two runs. It was Tendulkar's first double hundred in six years.

Tendulkar also equalled West Indian Brian Lara's record of 19 scores of 150-plus. Australian legend Don Bradman did it on 18 occasions.

Prasad rattled Tendulkar with a short-pitched delivery that hit the batting maestro's helmet and raced to the boundary. Part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan got rid of Tendulkar soon after tea as wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene took a bat-pad catch by moving quickly to the silly point area. Dilshan also dismissed Harbhajan Singh in the same over.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (76) then joined in the run feast and added 95 runs for the sixth wicket with Tendulkar and 51 for the eighth with Abhimanyu Mithun (41). Dilshan took a good return catch off his own bowling to remove Dhoni.

Mendis finished the day with four wickets conceding 157 runs from his 54 overs, while Dilshan picked up three wickets for 50 runs