All-round Razzaq flattens New Zealand

Pakistan 183 for 6 (Shehzad 54, Razzaq 34*, Franklin 2-12) beat New Zealand 80 (Styris 45, Afridi 4-14, Razzaq 3-13) by 103 runsAbdul Razzaq pummeled an 11-ball 34 to propel Pakistan to 183, before returning to flatten the New Zealand top order with the new ball, as the visitors stormed to a 103-run victory in the third Twenty20 in Christchurch. Razzaq capitalised on some inexperienced death bowling from Adam Milne to hammer 31 from the last nine deliveries of the innings, and picked up three wickets for 13 as New Zealand imploded dramatically, effectively surrendering the game within the first three overs of their chase.The chase was derailed...

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India level series with 87-run win

India 205 (Steyn 6-50) and 228 (Laxman 96) beat South Africa 131 (Harbhajan 4-10) and 215 (Sreesanth 3-35, Zaheer 3-57) by 87 runs India reiterated that they are no longer poor travellers by pulling off a series-levelling win in Durban, the scene of one of their worst Test defeats in 1996. Monday's victory at Kingsmead, after a humiliating loss in Centurion, joined other famous successes over the past decade on some of the world's fastest tracks - Headingley, Jamaica, Nottingham, Johannesburg and Perth. The match was even at the start of the fourth day but India's bowlers barely sent down a bad ball in the morning session to seize control...

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England retain the Ashes with innings win

England 513 (Trott 168*, Prior 85, Cook 82, Strauss 69, Pietersen 51, Siddle 6-75) beat Australia 98 (Tremlett 4-26, Anderson 4-44) and 258 (Haddin 55*, Watson 54, Bresnan 4-50) by an innings and 157 runs England have retained the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years, after inflicting one of Australia's heaviest losses, with a margin of an innings and 157 runs on the fourth morning at the MCG. It took less than 90 minutes for England to collect the three wickets they needed for victory, and when Tim Bresnan picked up his fourth wicket, an edge behind from Ben Hilfenhaus, the celebrations began. Bresnan finished with 4 for 50 and...

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Zaheer, Harbhajan skittle out SA for just 131!

Tea on Day 2 South Africa collapsed dramatically for a paltry 131 in 37.2 overs to concede a sizeable lead of 74 runs to India. Harbhajan Singh joined the party after Lunch to take four quick wickets. The hosts added only 57 runs losing six wickets in about 20 overs of the afternoon session. India had to work hard to get its first wicket after Tea and it came when Hashim Amla missed a pretedermined sweep shot to an arm ball from Harbhajan Singh to get plumb infront of off and middle. Amla settled for a modest 33 from 46 balls with 5 fours while SA got reduced to 96 for 5 in the 26th over. In the very next over, Ashwell Prince (13) dragged his backfoot drive off Zaheer onto the stumps to open the door for the clean up job for the Indians.In th e 30th over, Harbhajan Singh produced a well...

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Steyn provides bowling master class

The Kingsmead pitch was as green as advertised and Dale Steyn took full advantage with some high-class swing bowling When the covers came off the Kingsmead pitch early this morning, bowlers the world over would have felt like many men do on their wedding day: the world's most beautiful bride had been unveiled. It was as green as it was talked up to be, almost living up to that legend about the only difference between the Durban pitch and outfield being the painted lines. With gloomy overhead conditions that appeared to have made themselves comfortable for at least a day, it was a bowler's paradise. We'd seen this movie before. Ten days ago. In Centurion. The psychological mind- games reached their climax when Allan Donald said the pitch looked "exactly the same" as the one on which India...

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South Africa opt to bowl after rain delay

South Africa chose to bowl against IndiaGraeme Smith won a crucial toss after an hour's rain delay on a green track in Kingsmead and, to nobody's surprise, chose to bowl. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will be relishing the chance to bowl on this juicy pitch under overcast conditions, and look to repeat their Centurion demolition job. South Africa have gone in unchanged, resisting the temptation to field an all-pace attack by retaining Paul Harris.India's batsmen need to show more backbone than they did on the first day of first Test, and their task became harder when opener Gautam Gambhir was ruled out due to an injured left hand. In his place comes M Vijay, who made a century and an important 37 in his previous Test, but the conditions in Durban couldn't be more different than the sluggish...

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Cricket World Cup 2011 Fixture,Schedule

Cricket world cup is always a great attraction to all cricket loving countries specially in South Asian Countries. This time Three Asian countries co-hosting the tenth cricket world cup which is scheduled to start on 19th February 2011 in Mirpur Bangladesh. This World Cup is co-hosted by India,Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Here is the schedule or Fixture of World Cup Cricket 2011. You can also download this fixture from the link mentioned below.http://worldcupcricket2011.in/fixture-schedule-cricket-world-cup-2...

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Australia collapse for 98

James Anderson and Chris Tremlett destroyed Australia's batting line-up for 98 in less than two sessions on Boxing Day, as the Australians were dismissed for their lowest Ashes total in a home Test in 74 years. The frailties in the batting order were exposed as every man but the not-out Ben Hilfenhaus was caught behind the wicket, unable to handle a little bit of movement off the pitch.Anderson and Tremlett finished with four wickets each, and Tim Bresnan collected the remaining two, more than justifying Andrew Strauss's decision to send Australia in on a pitch with a green tinge and some moisture. The bowlers hit the right lines and found some nibble off the seam, but several of the Australians would be disappointed to have played with hard hands at deliveries they could have left.They lost...

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Southee's five help New Zealand end losing streak

New Zealand 146 for 5 (Guptill 54) beat Pakistan 143 for 9 (Southee 5-18 by five wicketsThe youngsters shone for New Zealand as they defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the first Twenty20 at Eden Park. Tim Southee ripped the heart out of the Pakistan line-up with a brutal spell of five for 18 in four overs, and Martin Guptill's fearless half-century ensured the chase went smoothly for the hosts. The visitors had rocketed to 58 for 1 in 5.5 overs before Southee struck five times in nine deliveries to derail the Pakistan middle order, using his height and pace to torment the batsmen on the quick, hard surface and throwing in the odd slower ball to keep them guessing. Guptill then attacked the Pakistan bowling with style and chutzpah, to get his team off to a rapid start, and continued to attack...

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Tendulkar focussed amid the frenzy

There were whites, there were blacks, there were browns at the grass banks of SuperSport Park, and all they wanted was for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test hundred to come in front of themHe was in a foreign land. At least a land that has stayed the most foreign to India even after their resurgence away from home. They started chanting "Sachin, Sachin" from the time he guided one past short third man to move to 88. There were whites, there were blacks, there were browns at the grass banks of SuperSport Park, and all they wanted was for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test hundred to come in front of them.It was difficult to not let that affect you, but Tendulkar was in a different sphere. He was trying to save a game, trying to kill time, trying to run through the deficit. He took his time to get to 89,...

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Perth classic Tendulkar's finest

With Sachin Tendulkar reaching 50 Test centuries, ESPNcricinfo asked some of his team-mates to pick the best of the lotVVS Laxman 114 in Perth, 1992I was young and watched that innings on TV and that innings became very, very special immediately and it still remains. For somebody on his first tour of Australia, especially when the team is not doing well, and to score a century on a fiery track like Perth at a tender age said a lot about Tendulkar's talent. Some of the shots showed glimpses of a great batsman at work. Some of the shots he played against Merv Hughes are a dream for any batsman: being a short guy, on a bouncy track, against a quick bowler and to play on the up, you have to have a lot of talent to do that. He displayed that in abundance during that century. He remained positive...

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'Congrats you massive little legend!'

Sanjay Manjrekar: "He has got it finally! and judging from his reaction..meant a lot to him...the 50th test ton..this is one record that is there to stay."Harsha Bhogle: "All great players redefine their profession.50 Test hundreds was considered unthinkable. Sachin has done it."Yuvraj Singh: "Greatest achievement by a bats man ever! His name is sachinnnnnnn tendulkarrrrrrrrrr!! Wooohooooooooo."Iain O'Brien: "Congrats you little massive legen...

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Tendulkar and Dhoni hold up South Africa

South Africa took such a significant stride towards victory during the first session that it seemed as though their 1-0 lead would be secure before tea on the fourth day at SuperSport Park. However, they faced resistance: first from Sachin Tendulkar, whose concentration did not waver as his middle-order mates departed meekly, and then from MS Dhoni, whose belligerent approach brought rewards on a sparsely-populated outfield.After taking four wickets before lunch, including the prized scalps of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, South Africa were wicketless in the second session. They took the new ball as soon as it became available after 80 overs but India's run-rate only increased as the shiny Kookaburra raced off Dhoni and Tendulkar's bats. Their partnership for the seventh wicket was worth 117...

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Harris takes six to level Ashes series

Australia wasted no time in levelling the Ashes series with a crushing 267-run victory at the WACA as Ryan Harris tore out the remaining resistance with a Test-best 6 for 47 to humble England. He finished off the visitors in a hurry as they were blown away in 10 overs on the fourth morning to set up a potentially thrilling conclusion to this series over the Christmas and New Year period.Harris collected the rewards that eluded him in Adelaide as he finished with nine in the match, while Mitchell Johnson claimed the other wicket to fall as he, too, picked up nine. Johnson's revival in this match reflects Australia's upward curve, leaving England with much to ponder before the MCG Test starts on Boxing Day.This was Australia's first Test victory in six matches since beating Pakistan at Lord's....

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Johnson's six blows England away

Mitchell Johnson revived his Test career and sparked Australia's Ashes hopes into life with a brutal six-wicket haul on the second day at the WACA as England subsided to 187 all out. Johnson claimed four during the morning session and returned to mop up the tail as the visitors lost all ten wickets for 109 following a solid opening partnership. He was well supported by Ryan Harris, who claimed three key victims, but this was the Johnson show.His hours in the nets since being dropped have clearly worked and he also rode on the confidence of his batting effort to produce a wonderful spell of 9-3-20-4 which included a spell of three wickets in 12 balls to crash through England's previously formidable top order. Harris's performance was also important, as he removed the key scalps of Andrew Strauss...

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Morkel and Steyn exact a carefully planned revenge

Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel must remember Kolkata 2010 the same way the United States remembers Vietnam. That's where they thought they had a chance to defeat an opposition that looked beatable, and that's where they misjudged badly. They were wounded from all fronts, their morale was broken and in the end, they lost the battle.After their victory in Nagpur a week earlier, South Africa had an ideal opportunity to win the series in the subcontinent. That never happened. They collapsed to 296 on a turning track at Eden Gardens and conceded a massive 643/6 to lose by an innings and 57 runs. Dale Steyn bowled thirty overs and Morne Morkel 26, both conceding 115 runs apiece. Virender Sehwag, in particular, treated the pair as though they were nothing more than cheap rag dolls. Sachin Tendulkar...

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Bangla song "Chithi" by Arfin rumey

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রিয়াল-বার্সায় সেই রোনালদো-মেসি

৮-০, ৫-০, ৩-০, ৫-০। ! মেসি, ভিয়া, জাভি, ইনিয়েস্তা—বার্সেলোনার এমন জয়ের যাঁরা কারিগর, তাঁদের নিয়ে যিনি কাজ করছেন সেই পেপ গার্দিওলাই তো বিস্মিত হচ্ছেন, সাধারণ দর্শক আর কী বলবে!বার্সেলোনার এই চার জয়ের সর্বশেষটি এল পরশু। বার্সেলোনাকে হুঁশিয়ার করে ন্যু ক্যাম্পে এসে রিয়াল সোসিয়েদাদ উড়ে গেল ৫-০ গোলে। এই জয়ের পর বার্সেলোনা কোচ গার্দিওলাই বলেছেন, ‘আমরা ঠিক জানি না এই দলটা কী করতে চলেছে! এটা সাধারণত এক বা দুটি ম্যাচে ঘটতে পারে। কিন্তু এখন এটি ঘটছে সব সময়!’বার্সেলোনার মতো অন্যস্তরের ফুটবল খেলতে না পারলেও ভালো খেলছে রিয়াল মাদ্রিদও। বার্সেলোনার সঙ্গে এল ক্লাসিকোর ফলটা বাদ দিলে এ মৌসুমে হোসে মরিনহোর দলকেও দুর্দমনীয় বলতে হয়। স্প্যানিশ লিগে বার্সেলোনার প্রধান প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বীরা পরশু রিয়াল জারাগোজার মাঠ থেকে ফিরেছে ৩-১ গোলের জয় নিয়ে।অন্য স্তরের খেলোয়াড়দের মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠ বলতে হবে লিওনেল মেসিকেই।...

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গভীর শ্রদ্ধায় পালিত হচ্ছে শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস

প্রতিবছরের মতো এবারও শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবীদের প্রতি গভীর শ্রদ্ধা নিবেদনের মাধ্যমে জাতি পালন করছে শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস। শহীদদের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধা জানাতে শীতের সকালে রাজধানীর এবং রায়েরবাজার বধ্যভূমিতে ভিড় করতে শুরু করে নানা শ্রেণী-পেশার লোকজন।মিরপুর শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী স্মৃতিসৌধে সকাল আটটার দিকে রাষ্ট্রপতি জিল্লুর রহমান ও প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা পুষ্পস্তবক অর্পণের মধ্য দিয়ে শহীদদের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধা জানান। এ সময় বিউগলের করুণ সুর বাজানো হয়। তাঁদের সঙ্গে সেখানে মন্ত্রিপরিষদ সদস্য, সাংসদ ও দলের জ্যেষ্ঠ নেতারা উপস্থিত ছিলেন। রাষ্ট্রপতি ও প্রধানমন্ত্রী এ সময় এক মিনিটি নীরবতা পালন করেন। প্রধানমন্ত্রী ও রাষ্ট্রপতি শ্রদ্ধা নিবেদন শেষে বের হয়ে যাওয়ার পরপরই শ্রদ্ধা জানাতে শুরু করে বিভিন্ন রাজনৈতিক, সামাজিক ও সাংস্কৃতিক সংগঠন। শহীদ পরিবারের সদস্যরা শ্রদ্ধা জানাচ্ছেন হারানো স্বজনদের প্রতি।এদিকে রায়েরবাজার বধ্যভূমিতেও...

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Hapless New Zealand swept away again

India 107 for 2 (Parthiv 56, Yuvraj 42) beat New Zealand 103 (Styris 24, Ashwin, 3-24, Yuvraj 2-5, Nehra 2-34) by eight wickets Only Brendon McCullum showed any intent, but Ashish Nehra nipped him out before he could inflict serious damage New Zealand were at the receiving end of another humiliation as a hapless batting performance led to their lowest score against India and sealed a 0-5 whitewash. On a dry pitch susceptible to the influence of the overcast weather, New Zealand were keen to make the most of initially favourable batting conditions. But their edginess against pace at the start of the innings, and capitulation to spin later on, ensured their misery in ODIs continued.The pitch offered limited assistance to the bowlers and was not responsible for the domination that India showed;...

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Gautam Gambhir, bowlers make 2-0

India 259 for 2 (Gambhir 138*, Kohli 64) beat New Zealand 258 for 8 (Guptill 70, Styris 59, Sreesanth 4-47) by eight wicketsThe captain led from the front to set up an easy chase Gautam Gambhir's bowlers responded well to his call of bowling first, restricting New Zealand with smart, accurate bowling, and the captain reciprocated with a fluent 138 off 116 balls to make the chase look easy.Gambhir, capping off a return to form that began with a struggling Test fifty in Hyderabad last month, never let his strike-rate come under 100 once he crossed the mark in the sixth over. He had for company an equally hungry Virat Kohli, who now has two centuries and a fifty in his last three international outings.Dew, expected later in the evening, was the reason why India put New Zealand in on a cracking...

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