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Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sri Lanka take series with 26-run win
Posted by Unknown on 8:05 PM
Sri Lanka displayed their bowling strength ahead of the 2011 World Cup when they rested three key bowlers and yet ended up beating West Indies by 26 runs in the third and final one-day international to take the series 2-0.Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara were missing from their line-up but their back-up bowling unit comprising Dilhara Fernando, Ajantha Mendis and Thisara Perera did extremely well to defend a total of 277 for 9 by bowling West Indies out for 251 in 49 overs.West Indies got off to a bad start, losing openers Chris Gayle and Adrian Barath for ducks before recovering through a 125-run stand between Darren...
Ryder's blazing ton sets up consolation win
Posted by Unknown on 8:04 PM
Jesse Ryder overcame his recent running woes and twitter travails to rattle an 82-ball hundred, and set up a consolation win, as Pakistan went a touch overboard with dead-rubber experimentation. Ryder's belligerence set up a solid base for New Zealand, before Pakistan's questionable choice of slog-over bowlers allowed Nathan McCullum and Scott Styris plunder 72 off the last five. It left Pakistan chasing 312, a target that proved too steep despite a couple of brief flutters.Ryder had been chastised earlier in the week for expressing his anger through a tweet following his run-out in a domestic game, but today he focused his fury on the opposition....
Voges helps Australia take series 6-1
Posted by Unknown on 8:01 PM
Australia rounded off their international summer in style with a commanding 57-run victory in Perth. It wasn't a high-quality match, with the exception of the batting from Adam Voges and David Hussey, as a long season drew to a close with two patched-up sides on show. However, Australia's depth came to the fore again as Voges hit a career-best 80 before England's mentally-finished top order was blown away to end hopes of a face-saving win.Nothing will compensate for the crushing loss in the Ashes series, but Australia's resurgent one-day form has suggested a fourth consecutive World Cup title isn't out of reach, especially if key players return...
Friday, February 4, 2011
Tharanga powers SL to easy win
Posted by Unknown on 12:06 AM
Upul Tharanga's ninth one-day century and his first against West Indies steered Sri Lanka to a convincing eight-wicket win and a 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day series.Tharanga paced his innings superbly, and batted out the entire length of the Sri Lanka innings, to remain unbeaten on 101 off 143 balls with the help of seven fours.The tall, lean left-hander is expected to play the sheet anchor role during Sri Lanka's World Cup campaign and bat out the entire 50 overs. On Thursday, he showed what he is capable of doing, as Sri Lanka chased down a rain-revised total of 197 off 47 overs in just 42.3, after West Indies had been dismissed for...
Blazing Shehzad seals series triumph
Posted by Unknown on 12:00 AM
Pakistan's World Cup preparations only got better as their youngest batsman scored a maiden ODI century to set up a series win - their first in a bilateral rubber since November 2008 - over New Zealand, whose fortunes continued to slide at home after a miserable time in the subcontinent.Ahmed Shehzad batted with utmost confidence during his calculated assault, overcoming a cautious start in overcast conditions by launching a counter-attack that snatched the initiative New Zealand had worked hard to gain at the beginning of the game. He was backed up by a determined performance from Pakistan's bowlers, who stepped up in areas where New Zealand...
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Clarke's acceleration seals thrilling win
Posted by Unknown on 12:31 AM
The boos from Brisbane turned to cheers in Sydney as Michael Clarke helped Australia hunt down a record 334, their highest successful chase, by two wickets with four balls to spare at the SCG. However, it was a tense finish after Clarke was run out for 82 with seven needed but John Hastings and Brett Lee held their nerve to see the home side across the line and leave a weary England with plenty of soul-searching to doThat will be particularly true of Jonathan Trott, who was involved in key pieces of action in the closing stages after earlier scoring a career-best 137 to anchor England's highest score in Australia and their highest total in a...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Misbah-ul-Haq masterminds narrow win
Posted by afif on 4:41 PM
Pakistan continued to show they are masters of making mountains out of molehills, but Misbah-ul-Haq's supremely paced innings and Sohail Tanvir's nerveless hitting took them to a tense win in Napier that puts them 2-1 up. New Zealand had earlier showed the benefits of stacking their side with allrounders as they recovered from an all-too-familiar top-order collapse to post a respectable total but it didn't prove enough.
On a pancake-flat track and with McLean Park's short boundaries and a quick outfield to assist them, Pakistan looked to be gliding towards victory when Misbah and Younis Khan played safety-first cricket to take them to 173 for...
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Australia take series with 51-run win
Posted by Unknown on 10:32 PM
Australia secured the one-day series with two matches to spare after a comprehensive 51-run victory at the Gabba as England's batting once again flopped. The top order was rocked by the pace of Brett Lee, then John Hastings removed the key pair of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell before the innings subsided rapidly to give Australia their first piece of silverware since March last year.The hosts' innings had been far from problem-free but Michael Clarke registered a much-needed half-century, which was his first since the Adelaide Test. He fell to the Man of the Match Chris Woakes, who took 6 for 45, England's best overseas analysis in one-day internationals,...
Japan crowned Kings of Asia
Posted by Unknown on 11:07 AM
Substitute Tadanari Lee was the hero as his goal led Japan to a 1-0 win over Australia at the Asian Cup Final.Lee volleyed home Yuto Nagatomo's left-wing cross after 108 minutes at Khalifa Stadium to clinch the title and deny Australia a maiden triumph.The Socceroos had the game's first chance when a slick move ended with Carl Valeri feeding Matt McKay but he sliced wide of the far post.Mark Schwarzer then nearly gifted Japan the opening goal when, in trying to prevent the ball going behind for a corner, he kicked it straight to Nagatomo. The defender's effort from distance to sailed over the bar with David Carney scrambling back to cover.Japan...
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Hafeez, Afridi star in series-levelling win
Posted by afif on 11:01 PM
A solid maiden ODI century from Mohammad Hafeez, a monstrous assault in the death overs led by Shahid Afridi and a spirited performance in the field were features of a roaring comeback by Pakistan in the ODI series, which they leveled 1-1 with a 43-run win at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch. Hafeez counter-attacked after Pakistan had been dented in their start and dropped anchor in the middle overs to set up a launching pad for Afridi and Umar Akmal to smash 126 runs in the last ten overs. Faced with a stiff chase, New Zealand fought hard but timely breakthroughs meant they were always struggling to measure up to the asking rate, eventually...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Trott heroics keep England alive
Posted by Unknown on 8:11 PM
England 8 for 299 (Trott 102, Prior 67, Hussey 4-21) beat Australia 7 for 278 (Watson 64, Trott 2-31) by 21 runsJonathan Trott's calculating century ensured England stayed in the series with a 21-run victory that upset Australia's national holiday in Adelaide. The tourists began the game needing to win and the scenario won't change when they head to Brisbane for Sunday's fifth ODI, but they have been boosted by an end to four consecutive limited-overs losses.Trott's perfectly timed 102 off 126 balls stood tall on a day that was meant to be a celebration of all things Australia, but the home supporters left unhappy as the series score-line in...
Rain wipes out second one-dayer
Posted by Unknown on 8:09 PM
Pakistan 31 for 0 v New Zealand Abandoned Queenstown is the place for adrenaline-junkies but there was little excitement on Wednesday as persistent rain allowed only 4.2 overs of play in the second one-dayer between Pakistan and New Zealand.There were showers early in the morning, but it cleared up before start of play, raising hopes of the fans who had gathered. The rains returned, however, soon after Daniel Vettori chose to field, as every international captain has done after winning the toss in Queenstown.New Zealand stuck with their plan of giving James Franklin the new ball, ahead of the much quicker Hamish Bennett, and it didn't work as...
Friday, January 21, 2011
Marsh and Bollinger star in Australian victory
Posted by afif on 10:00 PM
Australia 230 (Marsh 110, White 45, Tremlett 3-22, Shahzad 3-43) beat England 184 (Trott 32, Bell 32, Bollinger 4-28) by 46 runs
Shaun Marsh wasn't deemed good enough to be in Australia's World Cup squad, but in his first outing as Mike Hussey's injury replacement he cracked a brilliant hundred to lift his team from a hopeless position to 46-run victory at Hobart. Marsh's 110 rescued the hosts from two collapses, then England put together a poor run chase as Doug Bollinger completed a fine all-round match with four wickets.
Australia's top order slumped to 4 for 33 and, following a 100-run stand between Marsh and Cameron White, they slipped to 8 for 142, before Marsh turned the game on its head. But his matchwinning effort wouldn't have been possible without Bollinger, who showed previously...
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Yusuf shines as India win thriller
Posted by Unknown on 10:09 PM
India 223 for 8 (Yusuf 59, Harbhajan 23*, Morne 3-28) beat South Africa 220 (du Plessis 60, Duminy 52) by two wicketsYusuf Pathan swung the game India's way with three brutal shots and Harbhajan Singh sealed the win with two violent game-breaking hits. Morne Morkel had threatened to derail India's chase with an inspired performance but it was India who held their nerve, and took a 2-1 lead in the series. India were 104 runs adrift of the target when Yusuf cemented his World Cup spot by biffing Johan Botha for three sixes in an over to push India ahead. When he fell, 39 runs short of the target, Harbhajan crashed Wayne Parnell and Morne for stunning...
Misbah, Younis set up drawn match and series win
Posted by Unknown on 10:02 PM
New Zealand 356 (Vettori 110, Gul 4-87) and 293 (Guptill 73, Gul 4-61) drew Pakistan 376 (Misbah 99, Martin 4-91) and 226 for 5 (Younis 81, Misbah 70*) Pakistan weathered a hostile opening spell that reduced them to 42 for 3 in the first hour, worked their way to safety in the second session, and made a half-hearted attempt to win the Test before settling for a draw that gave them the series 1-0. It was their first victory outside the subcontinent since the triumph in New Zealand in 2003-04, and their first anywhere since 2006-07. It was another impressive result for a team that has managed to hold its own on the field - with Test wins against...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Ruthless South Africa win by 135 runs
Posted by afif on 1:19 PM
South Africa 289 for 9 (de Villiers 76, Duminy 73, Amla 50) beat India 154 (Kohli 54, Tsotsobe 4-31) by 135 runs
India had to survive the new ball if they were going to make a fist of chasing 290 but they were gasping for breath within 11 overs, after slipping to 43 for 4, and never quite recovered. South Africa had threatened twice to run away to a mammoth total in their innings. India pulled them back on both occasions to keep the target below 300, but the chase went nowhere. South Africa were 82 for 2 in the 14th over before Munaf Patel removed Hashim Amla to slow the innings down, but the hosts bounced back to reach 213 for 3 in the 36th...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Messi: It was a wonderful surprise
Posted by Unknown on 10:25 AM
Sporting a disbelieving look but smiling all the same, Lionel Messi joked at how heavy the newly presented FIFA Ballon d’Or felt. After his Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola offered to take it home for him, the Argentinian magician stepped down from the stage and spoke about his triumph to FIFA.com.FIFA.com: Lionel, how are you feeling?Lionel Messi: I’m happy, but I didn’t expect it because everyone had been talking so much about Xavi and Andres [Iniesta]. They also deserved it for the wonderful year they had. They won the World Cup, which usually goes a long way to deciding who wins this award, and they both had big parts to play in that. That’s...
Messi, Marta, Mourinho and Neid crowned as the best of 2010
Posted by Unknown on 10:18 AM
Argentina’s Lionel Messi collected the FIFA Ballon d’Or, his second consecutive title, while Brazil’s Marta continued her winning streak by claiming her fifth FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala held at the Zurich Kongresshaus on Monday evening. Meanwhile, José Mourinho, the Portuguese coach of Real Madrid, and Germany’s women’s national team coach Silvia Neid were the inaugural winners of the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football and FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football awards, respectively. These awards were decided after a poll in which the captains and head coaches of the men’s (for...
Monday, January 10, 2011
India win despite van Wyk fifty
Posted by Unknown on 12:33 AM
India 168 (Rohit 53, Raina 43) beat South Africa 147 for 9 (van Wyk 67) by 21 runsMorne Van Wyk defined irony on a lovely Durban night at the marvellous Moses Mabhida Stadium. On the day where he went unpicked by the IPL franchises, van Wyk hit a cultured 39-ball 67 to threaten to overhaul India's strong 168, but he fell in the 11th over to trigger a collapse and India closed in quickly. South Africa had deployed three spinners on a slow, low surface, but Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina propelled India to a match-winning total.Van Wyk had the crowd in screaming in delight with his strokeplay: He looted 25 runs from six deliveries, spread over two...
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