Ponting warns England against half-fit Flintoff

Australia in England 2009Ricky Ponting with the World Twenty20 trophy at a press conference, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, May 29, 2009Ricky Ponting: refreshed after sitting out the IPL © Getty ImagesAustralia's captain Ricky Ponting believes that England will be taking a massive gamble if they risk playing a half-fit Andrew Flintoff in the Ashes later this summer, and offered a veiled criticism of the decisions of both Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen to take part in the recently concluded Indian Premier League in South Africa.Facing the media at Trent Bridge following the Australian squad's arrival in England on Thursday morning, Ponting spoke of how "relaxed and rejuvenated" he felt after opting out of the IPL and taking a four-week break from the game, and suggested that in hindsight England's...

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Henry revels in Barca success

Champions LeagueThursday 28th May 2009Thierry Henry feels he made the right decision staying at Barcelona following a disappointing first season with the club.The France international recovered from a knee injury to play in the Champions League Final last night, and achieved one of his career goals by winning the European title as the Catalan club secured a 2-0 triumph over Manchester United."I didn't arrive at Barcelona just to win the Champions League but to win everything," he said."The coach (Pep Guardiola) wanted me to stay. He was the man that convinced me to stay."Henry played against Barcelona in the Champions League Final three years ago with Arsenal but was on the losing side.He was a doubt for this week's showdown with United but recovered from a ligament injury to his right knee...

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West Indies labour in huge chase

England v West Indies, 3rd ODI, Edgbaston25 overs West Indies 110 for 4 (Chanderpaul 32*, Ramdin 6*) need 219 more runs to beat England 328 for 7 (Prior 87)Matt Prior continued his fine form with a career-best 87 to put England on course for a huge total  England moved closer to a series win as West Indies laboured to 110 for 4 at the half-way point of their huge run chase at Edgbaston. Stuart Broad and James Anderson continued their impressive form with an early wicket each, while Runako Morton was run out in a hopeless mix-up with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and West Indies' problems deepened when Dwayne Bravo was trapped lbw after a sparky 26.If they were to have any realistic hope of chasing down 329, West Indies needed a big innings from their captain, but after two early boundaries Chris...

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Deccan snatch title in tense finish

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL final, JohannesburgDeccan Chargers 143 for 6 (Gibbs 53*, Kumble 4-16) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 137 for 9 (Ojha 3-28, Symonds 2-18) by six runsAndrew Symonds was gutted when he got out, but made up with his aggressive fielding and body language, and smart bowling © Associated PressDeccan Chargers invoked the bull in their emblem to successfully defend a modest total, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore and win a tournament they had ended up last in the previous season. They bowled with fire, fielded aggressively and sledged and hustled - almost literally - to victory in a final that twisted and turned and lived up to the occasion.The last of those turning points was the 15th over, bowled by Andrew Symonds, who matched his verbal skills...

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Efficient Bangalore outplay Chennai

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings, IPL semi-finalRoyal Challengers Bangalore 149 for 4 (Pandey 48, Dravid 44) beat Chennai Super Kings 146 for 5 (Parthiv 36, 2-38) by six wicketsIt was Pandeymonium again for the bowlers Last things first. Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers, placed at the bottom last year, will face each other in the IPL final tomorrow. And lightning does strike twice. Ask Chennai Super Kings. They had shot under by setting Bangalore 147, but would have thought of it as a fighting total. Manish Pandey, who came out of nowhere and scored a century in the last game, didn't think so. His 35-ball 48 almost killed the chase, and a minor hiccup later Bangalore were in the final.If anything this was an even better innings, both in terms of the quality of strokeplay...

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Raging Gilchrist carries Deccan into the final

Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils, IPL semi-final, CenturionDeccan Chargers 154 for 4 (Gilchrist 85) beat Delhi Daredevils 153 for 8 (Dilshan 65, Sehwag 39, Harris 3-27) by six wicketsAdam Gilchrist made the semi-final his ownThere's no rust on this baby. Adam Gilchrist didn't just blow the Delhi Daredevils out with a blitzkrieg but also backed up his vow at the end of a disappointing 2008 to give fans in Hyderabad more to cheer for in 2009. Gilchrist played a pivotal role in bringing last season's wooden spoon holders this far and tonight, in the cauldron of a semi-final, he treated Centurion to a stunning display of hitting. His assault on Delhi's bewildered bowlers turned what threatened to be a tricky chase into a no-contest as Deccan chased down 154 with six wickets in hand and 14 balls...

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Pandey century takes Bangalore to No. 3

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL, Centurion20 overs Royal Challengers Bangalore 170 for 4 (Pandey 114*) beat Deccan Chargers 158 for 6 (Gibbs 60, Akhil 2-18, Kumble 2-23) by 12 runsIn a campaign that has included matches insipid and inspiring the Royal Challengers have well and truly come to life. Maintaining the momentum of three consecutive runs, they pulled the rug from under Deccan Chargers' feet and went to No. 3 in the points table, setting up a semi-final clash with the Chennai Super Kings.At the end of a clinical win, Bangalore can thank Manish Pandey and RP Singh. Promoting Pandey to open in a pressure situation, Bangalore nearly lost him in the third over but RP's gross misjudgment at third man settled the nerves and then some. Either cutting solidly or swatting...

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Watson wins battle with Symonds

Shane Watson is back in Ricky Ponting's squad; now he just has to force his way into the starting line-up © AFPShane Watson and Andrew Symonds are two large, strong men, and like a pair of gunslingers in a western movie, this town ain't big enough for them both. During the 2006-07 Ashes, Symonds shot back into Australia's Test team while Watson, his then Queensland team-mate and rival allrounder, was injured. Now it's Watson who has gained a place for the return tour of England at the expense of Symonds.Australia's selectors faced a tough decision on which allrounders to include in their 16-man squad. Watson and the incumbent Andrew McDonald were preferred ahead of Symonds, who in the past year has twice been stood down from the team over behavioural issues.It could mean the end of the Test...

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Broad trumps Sarwan's century

England v West Indies, 2nd npower Test, Chester-le-Street, 4th dayWest Indies 188 for 5 (Nash 1*, Ramdin 0*) trail England 569 for 6 dec (Cook 160, Bopara 108) by 381 runs Ramnaresh Sarwan's century lifted West Indies, but Stuart Broad brought them back to earth © Getty ImagesRamnaresh Sarwan claimed his fourth Test century in six Tests against England to lead West Indies' resistance on the fourth morning at Chester-le-Street, but Stuart Broad trumped his efforts with a brilliantly hostile spell on a flat deck, to revive England's hopes of wrapping up a 2-0 series victory.In a defiant morning session played out under bright blue skies, Sarwan added 99 for the fourth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but Broad claimed both the big guns in contrasting styles, leaving West Indies rocking...

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Cool Sangakkara takes Punjab to victory

Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab, IPL, BloemfonteinKings XI Punjab 123 for 4 (Sangakkara 43*) beat Delhi Daredevils 120 for 9 (Karthik 32, Lee 3-15, Sreesanth 2-20) by six wicketsBrett Lee was the pick of Punjab's proficient attack, and his success ultimately proved decisive For the first time in what has been a mediocre campaign, the Kings XI Punjab arrived at the ground with three words carved in their minds: find a way. Yuvraj Singh, with his team in a do-or-die scenario, decided on fielding first on an obscure track and his bowlers vindicated that, limiting Delhi Daredevils to 120. They nearly muffed up a small chase, losing early wickets in a chaotic first six overs and then struggling after the strategic time-out, but yet again Kumar Sangakkara's level-headedness and Irfan Pathan's...

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Canny Bhatia steals one for Delhi

Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils, IPL, DurbanDelhi Daredevils 173 for 7 (Karthik 44*, de Villiers 44, Ojha 2-26) beat Deccan Chargers 161 (Gilchrist 64, Symonds 41, Bhatia 4-15, Sangwan 3-18) by 12 runsPradeep Sangwan helped Delhi endure the Gilchrist blitz before Bhatia cleaned up the middle and lower order Rajat Bhatia, arguably the best allrounder in India's domestic cricket, announced himself at the world stage tonight. Everything about Bhatia, his pace, his demeanour, his run-up, suggest an innocuous medium-pacer, but he was canny and deadly at the death, taking four wickets for four runs as Deccan Chargers choked to lose once again to Delhi Daredevils. Chasing 174 Deccan needed 25 in three overs, with six wickets in hand, but lost them all for just 12 runs.When Bhatia came to...

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Dazzling Bravo hands Mumbai big win

Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians, IPL, CenturionMumbai Indians 122 for 2 (Bravo 70*, Tendulkar 41*) beat Kings XI Punjab 119 for 9 (Sohal 43, Duminy 2-15) by 8 wicketsDwayne Bravo made little work of Kings XI Punjab's 119, scoring an unbeaten 70 to take Mumbai Indians to an eight-wicket win © Associated PressFor the second time in two meetings between these teams, Kings XI Punjab batted first and scored 119, but unlike the game in Durban, there was no redemption in the field this time as Mumbai Indians swept to an eight-wicket win to move up to 11 points and fourth in the points table. The win was set up by Mumbai's offspinners - Harbhajan Singh, JP Duminy and Ajinkya Rahane returned combined figures of 4 for 29 in nine overs to launch a stunning comeback. Dwayne Bravo ensured a hiccup-free...

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Delhi wallop Kolkata to go top

Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, JohannesburgDelhi Daredevils 125 for 3 (de Villiers 40*, Warner 36) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 123 for 8 (Ganguly 44, Agarkar 39, Mishra 3-14) by seven wicketsAmit Mishra kept Kolkata on the mat with his triple-strike © Associated PressThe reduced canvas of a Twenty20 game is supposed to shorten the gulf between sides but in Johannesburg there was no hiding the difference in quality between the two teams at opposite ends of the table. Another commanding performance from Delhi Daredevils helped them sweep past struggling Kolkata Knight Riders and regain their No.1 spot. After their bowlers, led by Ashish Nehra and Amit Mishra, had restricted Kolkata to a paltry total, the batsmen - led by AB de Villiers - kept the chase in hand and strolled to...

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Impressive England cruise to 10-wicket win

England 377 for 32 for 0 beat West Indies 152 and 256 (Nash 81, Ramdin 66, Swann 3-39, Broad 3-64) by 10 wicketsGraeme Swann removed Shivnarine Chanderpaul cheaply again and finished with six wickets in the match © Getty ImagesWith more than two days to spare, England began a Test series on a winning note for the first time in 14 attempts and won at Lord's for the first time since 2005 as they wrapped up a convincing 10-wicket success against West Indies. A positive sixth-wicket stand of 143 between Brendan Nash and Denesh Ramdin made England work during the afternoon session, but either side of that there was precious little resistance as they were left a simple target of 32.This was England's first victory in a live Test since they beat New Zealand, at Trent Bridge, last June, since when...

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Gul and Afridi demolish Australia

May 7, 200920 overs Pakistan 109-3 (Akmal 59*) beat Australia 108 (Watson 33, Gul 4-8, Watson 3-14) by seven wickets Umar Gul became the highest wicket-taker in Twenty20s, and his 4-0-8-4 were nearly the best-ever figures Umar Gul took a wicket first ball, Shahid Afridi took two in his first two balls, and Australia imploded bizarrely after a flying start from Shane Watson. From 42 for 0 in four overs Australia went to 73 for 5 and 108 all out, a target Pakistan chased down easily after an early wobble. Australia had fielded almost a second XI, and played like that.The first innings of the match was as frenetically eventful as the second was assured and sedate. Gul's 4-0-8-4 had just one run more than the best-ever figures in Twenty20 internationals. Afridi followed his double-wicket...

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ICC World Twenty20, 2009 India Squad

MS DhoniCaptain/keeperAge 27 years 301 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium Virender SehwagVice-captainAge 30 years 196 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreakGautam GambhirAge 27 years 202 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling Legbreak Harbhajan SinghAge 28 years 305 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreak Ravindra JadejaAge 20 years 149 daysPlaying role All-rounderBatting Left-hand batBowling Slow left-arm orthodox Zaheer KhanAge 30 years 209 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Left-arm fast-mediumPraveen KumarAge 22 years 214 daysPlaying role BowlerBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium Pragyan OjhaAge 22 years 241 daysPlaying role BowlerBatting Left-hand batBowling Slow left-arm orthodox Irfan PathanAge 24 years 189 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling...

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ICC World Twenty20 Pakistan Squad

Younis KhanCaptainAge 31 years 156 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium, Legbreak Ahmed ShehzadAge 17 years 162 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Legbreak Fawad AlamAge 23 years 208 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling Slow left-arm orthodox Kamran AkmalWicketkeeperAge 27 years 111 daysBatting Right-hand bat Misbah-ul-HaqAge 34 years 341 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Legbreak Mohammad AamerAge 17 years 21 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling Left-arm fast-mediumSaeed AjmalAge 31 years 202 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreak Salman ButtAge 24 years 209 daysPlaying role BatsmanBatting Left-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreakShahid AfridiAge 29 years 64 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium, Legbreak googlyShahzaib HasanAge 19 years 130 daysBatting Right-hand...

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ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh Squad

Mohammad AshrafulCaptainAge 24 years 301 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Legbreak Abdur RazzakAge 26 years 323 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling Slow left-arm orthodox Junaid SiddiqueAge 21 years 186 daysBatting Left-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreak MahmudullahAge 23 years 89 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreak Mashrafe MortazaAge 25 years 211 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm fast-medium Mithun AliAge 19 years 80 daysBatting Right-hand bat Mushfiqur RahimWicketkeeperAge 20 years 245 daysBatting Right-hand bat Naeem IslamAge 22 years 124 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreakRaqibul HasanAge 21 years 208 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling LegbreakRubel HossainAge 19 years 123 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium-fastShahadat HossainAge...

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T20 World Cup Australia Squad

Ricky PontingCaptainAge 34 years 137 daysPlaying role Higher middle order batsmanBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium Michael ClarkeVice-captainAge 28 years 33 daysPlaying role Lower middle order batsmanBatting Right-hand batBowling Slow left-arm orthodox Nathan BrackenAge 31 years 235 daysPlaying role BowlerBatting Right-hand batBowling Left-arm fast-medium Brad HaddinWicketkeeperAge 31 years 194 daysPlaying role Wicketkeeper batsmanBatting Right-hand batNathan HauritzAge 27 years 199 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm offbreak Ben HilfenhausAge 26 years 51 daysBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm fast-medium James HopesAge 30 years 193 daysPlaying role All-rounderBatting Right-hand batBowling Right-arm medium David HusseyAge 31 years 294 daysPlaying role Lower middle...

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Bopara ton holds England together

England v West Indies, 1st npower Test, Lord's, 1st day England 289 for 7 (Bopara 118*, Swann 7*, Edwards 4-53) v West Indies Ravi Bopara was an immediate success after being promoted to No. 3 as he held England's batting together at Lord's  Every time England have started a series in recent memory it has been preceded by talk of new eras before failing, often spectacularly, to deliver but Ravi Bopara's assured century, in his first innings at No. 3, suggests that this time might be different. It was a vital innings as the home side wobbled against the pace of Fidel Edwards, who claimed three quick wickets to rattle the middle order, but Bopara found crucial support from Matt Prior and Stuart Broad as honours ended even on 289 for 7, although West Indies rued a batch of dropped...

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Sharma heroics ensure Deccan win

Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians, IPL, CenturionDeccan Chargers 145 for 6 (Sharma 38) beat Mumbai Indians 126 for 8 (Duminy 52, Sharma 4-6) by 19 runsMumbai Indians squandered a crucial opportunity to grab a spot in the top four, losing to Deccan Chargers by 19 runs in a see-saw game where they had held the cards for the most part. An unlikely hat-trick by Rohit Sharma, which included the wicket of a threatening JP Duminy, followed up on a pivotal double-strike by RP Singh to remove the explosive pair of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya to shut Mumbai out of the game.Deccan Chargers 145 for 6 (Sharma 38) v Mumbai IndiansMumbai Indians' bowlers kept Deccan Chargers on a leash, limiting them to 145 for 6   Failure up the order had proved pivotal in Deccan Charger's stark turnaround...

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Dhoni and Jakati ensure huge win

Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers, IPL, East LondonChennai Super Kings 178 for 3 (Hayden 43, Dhoni 58*) beat Deccan Chargers 100 (Smith 49, Jakati 4-22) by 78 runsChennai Super Kings soared to the top of the points table with their third consecutive win, beating Deccan Chargers by an overwhelming 78 runs at Buffalo Park. The game was effectively won when Deccan were reeling at 1 for 3 and the chase took a surreal turn when Dwayne Smith blazed a cameo to redress the imbalance. But when he departed, yet another procession followed as Shadab Jakati took his second consecutive four-wicket haul. MS Dhoni led from the front with an unbeaten fifty to set up the win and his form coincided with his team's sudden upswing.More to follow...20 overs Chennai Super Kings 178 for 3 (Hayden 43, Dhoni 58*)...

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Akmal ton ensures consolation win

Pakistan v Australia, 5th ODI, Abu DhabiPakistan 254 for 3 (Akmal 116*, Misbah 76*) beat Australia 250 for 4 (Watson 116*, Ferguson 41*) by seven wicketsAkmal stroked 13 fours during his 115-ball inningsA scintillating century from Kamran Akmal helped guide Pakistan to book-ending victories in the five-match ODI series against Australia. Akmal's knock off 115 balls, his fifth ODI century, meant he top scored in both of Pakistan's successful run-chases this series and begged the question as to why he had not batted in the top four throughout.Akmal combined superbly with Misbah-ul-Haq to reel in Australia's total, the highest run-chase of this tough series, after being thrust together with Pakistan in trouble at 56 for 3. Their unbroken stand of 198 was an ODI record for the fourth wicket against...

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Raut shepherds Rajasthan to victory

Deccan Chargers v Rajasthan Royals, IPL, Port ElizabethRajasthan Royals 142 for 7 (Raut 36*, Carseldine 39) beat Deccan Chargers (Suman 41*) 141 for 5 by by three wickets Yusuf Pathan was Man of the Match © AFPRajasthan Royals prevailed in a see-saw chase which included three wickets in two overs and 51 runs in seven. Disciplined spells of bowling were followed by some nerveless batting, though misfields and dropped catches from Deccan Chargers contributed to the close finish.Yusuf Pathan, having starred with the ball early in the piece, took Rajasthan to within 11 of victory with two overs to go. Abhishek Raut, who played an anchoring role with an unbeaten 36 off 23 balls, was joined by Shane Harwood in the middle and Dwayne Smith fumbled a run-out chance with 10 needed off 10.Some...

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Yousuf claims he has resigned from ICL

Mohammad Yousuf says he is available to play for Pakistan whenever his country needs him © Getty ImagesMohammad Yousuf has claimed that he has "resigned" from the ICL after he decided last month that his priority was to play for Pakistan. The move potentially paves the way for Yousuf's comeback to the national side, as the PCB recently announced it was willing to talk to players who leave the ICL before the end of May and consider their cases for an international return on an individual basis."I spoke to Younis [Khan] about a month and a half ago and I resigned from the ICL after that," Yousuf told Cricinfo. "We both talked about how the country comes first and playing for them is the priority so I decided. I am available whenever the country needs me."Reports had been swirling around Pakistan...

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Raina gem inspires Chennai to victory

hennai Super Kings 164 for 5 (Raina 98, Badrinath 29) beat Rajasthan Royals 126 for 9 (Jadeja 37, Balaji 4-21) by 38 runsIn a demonstration of power-hitting with which he carried Chennai Super Kings in the first IPL, Suresh Raina again showed his ability to dominate and, when the need arose, get out of a jam. Chennai were in early trouble after being put in to bat but the early loss of the openers to Shane Warne's introduction of spin didn't deter Raina, who dispatched the Rajasthan Royals attack to all parts of SuperSport Park. His one-man show was complemented by a disciplined and enthusiastic fielding display - including a wicket and two catches to the man of the moment - and Chennai wrapped up victory by 38 runs.The spade work for victory had been done with a gem from Raina. His blazing...

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