HOBART, Australia (Reuters) - Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke shared an unbroken century partnership to strengthen Australia's grip on the second test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.
The pair put on 107 runs for the fourth wicket to guide Australia to 392 for three when rain stopped play just before lunch on the second day at Bellerive Oval.
Hussey added 21 to his overnight score to reach the break on 122 while Clarke cruised to 50 not out after resuming on eight.
The Australians added 63 without loss from 18 overs before play was halted to put themselves in position to wrap up the series after winning last week's first test in Brisbane.
Neither player offered a chance as Sri Lanka's bowlers struggled on a pitch perfectly suited for batting.
The tourists suffered a setback before play resumed when pace bowler Farveez Maharoof was sidelined because of a foot injury that could force him to miss the rest of the match.
"Maharoof has stress fractures of his left foot," a Sri Lankan team spokesman told reporters. "He may not bowl or field for the rest of the game. He had a scan and the doctor said that would be best although he may bat if required."
With Maharoof unavailable, Muttiah Muralitharan, who needs just six more wickets to break Shane Warne's world record of 708, was introduced into the attack earlier than usual, but was unable to make the breakthrough.
Hussey smashed him over mid-wicket for six to bring up the 100 partnership with Clarke off 107 balls before Clarke flicked him down the legside for a single in the same over to reach his half-century.
Hussey and Clarke also had a 245-run partnership in the first test with both scoring hundreds. Opener Phil Jaques also made a hundred in the first test and 150 on the first day in Hobart.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Punjab show enterprise, yet 163 in red
Punjab ended the day at 216 for 3, still 163 runs behind Hyderabad, after the visitors had posted a first innings total of 379 in 105.3 overs.
Punjab skipper Pankaj Dharmani and middle-order bat Uday Kaul failed today to produce that 212-run partnership they had conjured up in last December's rescue effort against Rajasthan in Jaipur.
Earlier, in the Punjab innings, opener Karan Goel scored his third first class fifty, well supported by opener Ravneet Rickey (37).
A quickish Pragyan Ojha delivery broke the opening stand of 88 runs as Rickey fell.
With Hyderabad new-ball bowler Shoaib sending down five consecutive maidens, there was some problem for the Punjab openers. Even A Khader restricted the openers from the other end.
Hyderabad's stand-in skipper Arjun Yadav, who took charge after VVS Laxman opted to sit out due to a minor back strain, introduced Ojha in the 12th over who regularly troubled the opening pair.
Goel settled down to show some aggressive batting, sending Ojha for two sixes and reaching his half century in the 36th over.
After the tea interval, Ojha picked up his 100th first class wicket, getting Ravi Inder Rajji caught at mid-on.
Dharmani joined Goel, but the fireworks failed to happen. Goel, looking good for his maiden first class century, gave a simple catch to Anoop Pai at point off Khader to make it 150 for 3.
Dharmani continued to deal in boundaries only, racing to 33 in 45 balls, and completed his 27th first class fifty. He also crossed the 8000-run mark in first class cricket during the course of his innings.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 310 for seven, Hyderabad lost their remaining three wickets for the addition of 69 runs in 16.3 overs. Manpreet Goni picked up the wickets of Shinde and Shoaib.
Brief scores: Hyderabad 379 (D Manohar 119, R Teja 55; Kakkar 4/56). Punjab 216/3 (K Goel 75, P Dharmani batting 52; Ojha 2/86)
Punjab skipper Pankaj Dharmani and middle-order bat Uday Kaul failed today to produce that 212-run partnership they had conjured up in last December's rescue effort against Rajasthan in Jaipur.
Earlier, in the Punjab innings, opener Karan Goel scored his third first class fifty, well supported by opener Ravneet Rickey (37).
A quickish Pragyan Ojha delivery broke the opening stand of 88 runs as Rickey fell.
With Hyderabad new-ball bowler Shoaib sending down five consecutive maidens, there was some problem for the Punjab openers. Even A Khader restricted the openers from the other end.
Hyderabad's stand-in skipper Arjun Yadav, who took charge after VVS Laxman opted to sit out due to a minor back strain, introduced Ojha in the 12th over who regularly troubled the opening pair.
Goel settled down to show some aggressive batting, sending Ojha for two sixes and reaching his half century in the 36th over.
After the tea interval, Ojha picked up his 100th first class wicket, getting Ravi Inder Rajji caught at mid-on.
Dharmani joined Goel, but the fireworks failed to happen. Goel, looking good for his maiden first class century, gave a simple catch to Anoop Pai at point off Khader to make it 150 for 3.
Dharmani continued to deal in boundaries only, racing to 33 in 45 balls, and completed his 27th first class fifty. He also crossed the 8000-run mark in first class cricket during the course of his innings.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 310 for seven, Hyderabad lost their remaining three wickets for the addition of 69 runs in 16.3 overs. Manpreet Goni picked up the wickets of Shinde and Shoaib.
Brief scores: Hyderabad 379 (D Manohar 119, R Teja 55; Kakkar 4/56). Punjab 216/3 (K Goel 75, P Dharmani batting 52; Ojha 2/86)
Kotak in long graft
Patience is a virtue. Saurashtra's Sitanshu Kotak (or Pitamah Bhishma, as he is he is fondly called by some younger ones) will vouch for it. Today he frustrated the Delhi team with some sluggish batting on the second day of their Ranji Trophy super league tie at the Roshanara Club Grounds.
The veteran batted for nearly five and-a-half hours, playing 203 deliveries, out of which 70 he didn't even touch, in reaching his personal score of a modest 77. His team ended a very slow day on 175 for 7 before the game was called of early due to bad light.
Yesterday, Delhi had wound up their innings on 244, and this morning as expected went all guns blazing at the visitors. Ishant Sharma struck in his third delivery of the morning, uprooting opener Kanaiya Vaghela's off stump. The batsman had not anticipated the ball would nip back as much as it did.
Made to bat early today Kotak decided that he wasn't going to make the hosts earn his wicket. The southpaw remained adamant that he was going to stick around even if it meant not scoring. He was beaten more that two dozen times within the first session of the match yet the ball repeatedly evaded his bat's edge.
The difference in his batting from the other Delhi batsmen was that Kotak never really went for the ball and stuck to his crease defending everything that came his way.
At the other end opener Sagar Jogiyani was scoring freely and reached to 25 before he to fell victim to Ishant. He edged one straight to second slip where Aakash Chopra made no mistake.
Ishant, though not effective as one would have wanted him to be, still kept the ball up throughout the day and was swinging but he could not trouble the batsman. He was also the most expensive of the lot.
All eyes were suddenly focused on Cheteshwar Pujara and he was expected to score, but Rajat Bhatia's slow medium deliveries proved too tricky, and he was caught leg-before for 11. Immediately after lunch Bhatia claimed the wicket of skipper Jaydev Shah for a duck.
Jaydev, who was dropped the previous delivery by Virat Kohli at slips, made the same mistake next ball by edging it straight to the keeper becoming Bhatia's second victim.
Bhatia was the best bowler today and was best suited for a pitch that had slowed and died down as the day rolled on. The all rounder had only conceded 9 runs in his 13 overs. He kept a good line and length throughout his spell and even though Kotak and new batsman Pratik Mehta remained resolute. He stuck to his line and was finally rewarded by Kotak's wicket.
The left-hander had finally succumbed to his own game and slashed at a wide ball towards Shikhar Dhawan at gully.
Kotak's inning, though long and unending, had its better moments - a drive through mid-on off Pradeep Sangwan, a simple guide towards third man off Ishant were a few to mention.
After he departed Mehta, who also had applied similar tactics as Kotak gave way his wicket to Bandhari. He batted three hours and faced 116 balls for his 27 before playing on towards the keeper.
Sangwan then got Ravindra Jadeja's wicket in similar fashion before the umpires called stumps and left the visitors trailing by 69 runs with Rakesh Druv and Kamlesh Makvana batting on 12 and nought, respectively.
Brief scores: Delhi (1st innings) 244 vs Saurashtra 175/7 (Sitanshu Lotak 77, Rajat Bhatia 3/9, Ishant Sharma 2/61).
The veteran batted for nearly five and-a-half hours, playing 203 deliveries, out of which 70 he didn't even touch, in reaching his personal score of a modest 77. His team ended a very slow day on 175 for 7 before the game was called of early due to bad light.
Yesterday, Delhi had wound up their innings on 244, and this morning as expected went all guns blazing at the visitors. Ishant Sharma struck in his third delivery of the morning, uprooting opener Kanaiya Vaghela's off stump. The batsman had not anticipated the ball would nip back as much as it did.
Made to bat early today Kotak decided that he wasn't going to make the hosts earn his wicket. The southpaw remained adamant that he was going to stick around even if it meant not scoring. He was beaten more that two dozen times within the first session of the match yet the ball repeatedly evaded his bat's edge.
The difference in his batting from the other Delhi batsmen was that Kotak never really went for the ball and stuck to his crease defending everything that came his way.
At the other end opener Sagar Jogiyani was scoring freely and reached to 25 before he to fell victim to Ishant. He edged one straight to second slip where Aakash Chopra made no mistake.
Ishant, though not effective as one would have wanted him to be, still kept the ball up throughout the day and was swinging but he could not trouble the batsman. He was also the most expensive of the lot.
All eyes were suddenly focused on Cheteshwar Pujara and he was expected to score, but Rajat Bhatia's slow medium deliveries proved too tricky, and he was caught leg-before for 11. Immediately after lunch Bhatia claimed the wicket of skipper Jaydev Shah for a duck.
Jaydev, who was dropped the previous delivery by Virat Kohli at slips, made the same mistake next ball by edging it straight to the keeper becoming Bhatia's second victim.
Bhatia was the best bowler today and was best suited for a pitch that had slowed and died down as the day rolled on. The all rounder had only conceded 9 runs in his 13 overs. He kept a good line and length throughout his spell and even though Kotak and new batsman Pratik Mehta remained resolute. He stuck to his line and was finally rewarded by Kotak's wicket.
The left-hander had finally succumbed to his own game and slashed at a wide ball towards Shikhar Dhawan at gully.
Kotak's inning, though long and unending, had its better moments - a drive through mid-on off Pradeep Sangwan, a simple guide towards third man off Ishant were a few to mention.
After he departed Mehta, who also had applied similar tactics as Kotak gave way his wicket to Bandhari. He batted three hours and faced 116 balls for his 27 before playing on towards the keeper.
Sangwan then got Ravindra Jadeja's wicket in similar fashion before the umpires called stumps and left the visitors trailing by 69 runs with Rakesh Druv and Kamlesh Makvana batting on 12 and nought, respectively.
Brief scores: Delhi (1st innings) 244 vs Saurashtra 175/7 (Sitanshu Lotak 77, Rajat Bhatia 3/9, Ishant Sharma 2/61).
Pakistan seek confidence boost before India test series
JAIPUR, India (Reuters) - A downcast Pakistan are pinning their hopes on defeating a reshuffled India in Sunday's inconsequential final one-dayer to gather momentum before the test series starting next week.
"If their regular combination doesn't play we will definitely get some psychological advantage," Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul Haq told reporters on Saturday.
"We hope we can win this match before the test series and take some confidence into it."
India have already clinched the series, having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead after winning the fourth game at Gwalior on Thursday by six wickets.
India team manager Lalchand Rajput said frontline pacemen Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh would sit out the day-nighter (0900 GMT start).
The hosts could also leave out one of their leading batsmen to give youngster Rohit Sharma his first match in the series.
Pakistan have continued to struggle since arriving in India after losing the test and one-day series against South Africa. They lost the Twenty20 World Cup final to India in September.
"When you lose two-three series it does affect the players and the pressure builds on the team," Misbah said. "We're trying to win and that is the only way we can change things."
Misbah, 33, himself has failed to convert starts and finish games despite being handed a regular place in the XI since the retirement of batsman Inzamam-ul Haq.
His best so far in the series has been 49. He is in the squad for the three-test series starting in New Delhi on Thursday.
"If their regular combination doesn't play we will definitely get some psychological advantage," Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul Haq told reporters on Saturday.
"We hope we can win this match before the test series and take some confidence into it."
India have already clinched the series, having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead after winning the fourth game at Gwalior on Thursday by six wickets.
India team manager Lalchand Rajput said frontline pacemen Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh would sit out the day-nighter (0900 GMT start).
The hosts could also leave out one of their leading batsmen to give youngster Rohit Sharma his first match in the series.
Pakistan have continued to struggle since arriving in India after losing the test and one-day series against South Africa. They lost the Twenty20 World Cup final to India in September.
"When you lose two-three series it does affect the players and the pressure builds on the team," Misbah said. "We're trying to win and that is the only way we can change things."
Misbah, 33, himself has failed to convert starts and finish games despite being handed a regular place in the XI since the retirement of batsman Inzamam-ul Haq.
His best so far in the series has been 49. He is in the squad for the three-test series starting in New Delhi on Thursday.
Inzamam favours Malik as captain
Beleaguered Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik is under attack for his uninspiring leadership but his predecessor Inzamam-ul Haq has supported the young skipper, saying it was a right decision to extend his term for another year.
"I think the board took the correct decision by naming Malik as captain till end of 2008 and they need to support him," Inzamam said after Pakistan lost the five-match ODI series against India with one game to spare.
The Pakistan Cricket Board earlier this week extended Malik's term as Test and ODI captain until 2008 but Inzamam was not sure they will continue with the young captain if Pakistan also lost the Test series in India.
"I know that our people can't stand defeat specially against India and if we lose the Test series than these board officials might try to save their positions by making Malik the sacrificial lamb," Inzamam was quoted as saying by a Pakistani daily.
"Malik is clearly under pressure after losing the ODI series to India. But the Indians have played very well and they have not allowed Pakistan into the game except for Mohali," he added.
Inzamam, who stepped down from the captaincy following Pakistan's ODI World Cup debacle in the West Indies and subsequently announced retirement from international cricket earlier this year, is commentating for a private television channel in India during the ongoing series between two teams.
"I think the board took the correct decision by naming Malik as captain till end of 2008 and they need to support him," Inzamam said after Pakistan lost the five-match ODI series against India with one game to spare.
The Pakistan Cricket Board earlier this week extended Malik's term as Test and ODI captain until 2008 but Inzamam was not sure they will continue with the young captain if Pakistan also lost the Test series in India.
"I know that our people can't stand defeat specially against India and if we lose the Test series than these board officials might try to save their positions by making Malik the sacrificial lamb," Inzamam was quoted as saying by a Pakistani daily.
"Malik is clearly under pressure after losing the ODI series to India. But the Indians have played very well and they have not allowed Pakistan into the game except for Mohali," he added.
Inzamam, who stepped down from the captaincy following Pakistan's ODI World Cup debacle in the West Indies and subsequently announced retirement from international cricket earlier this year, is commentating for a private television channel in India during the ongoing series between two teams.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Tendulkar says no to Indian test captaincy
Sachin Tendulkar said on Tuesday he did not want to take on the job of India's test captain again at present.
"Tendulkar has conveyed to Sharad Pawar (board president) that he was not in a position to accept the captaincy of the Indian team for the tests," the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah said in a statement.
Indian selectors are due to name Rahul Dravid's successor as test captain on Thursday.
Batting great Tendulkar, 34, and one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni were in the frame for the job after Dravid relinquished the post two months ago, saying he wanted to focus on his batting.
"He (Tendulkar) was of the view that presently the Indian team was doing extremely well and the board must think of appointing a younger person as the captain looking at the future of the team," the statement added.
Tendulkar has led India twice before without much success.
"I don't feel right about it at the moment," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the CNN-IBN news channel.
Selectors, who postponed a decision on the captaincy last month, must now decide whether to hand the test reins to Dhoni, 26, who led a young team to success at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
Keeper-batsman Dhoni's leadership abilities were lauded during the home series against Australia which the visitors won 4-2 but he has played in just 20 tests since his debut in December 2005.
"Tendulkar has conveyed to Sharad Pawar (board president) that he was not in a position to accept the captaincy of the Indian team for the tests," the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah said in a statement.
Indian selectors are due to name Rahul Dravid's successor as test captain on Thursday.
Batting great Tendulkar, 34, and one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni were in the frame for the job after Dravid relinquished the post two months ago, saying he wanted to focus on his batting.
"He (Tendulkar) was of the view that presently the Indian team was doing extremely well and the board must think of appointing a younger person as the captain looking at the future of the team," the statement added.
Tendulkar has led India twice before without much success.
"I don't feel right about it at the moment," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the CNN-IBN news channel.
Selectors, who postponed a decision on the captaincy last month, must now decide whether to hand the test reins to Dhoni, 26, who led a young team to success at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
Keeper-batsman Dhoni's leadership abilities were lauded during the home series against Australia which the visitors won 4-2 but he has played in just 20 tests since his debut in December 2005.
Dravid presses for recall with double ton
After a day India put across a fine show against Pakistan to go one up in the series, former skipper Rahul Dravid made a strong statement in trademark style in the Ranji trophy match against Mumbai on Tuesday.
Dravid made a fine double century giving the selectors food for thought when they get down to pick the squad when India play Pakistan in the second ODI on November 8th.
Carrying on from his overnight score of 77, Dravid got to his 49th first class hundred in the first session. And hours later raised his bat to another feather in his cap.
The 34-year old hit 21 fours and five sixes en route his double ton.
Dravid’s 450-minute knock finally ended when rookie Iqbal Abdulla scalped him for 214.
After failing to make an impression in the first innings on the first day of the match where he could manage a scratchy 40, the classical batsman made a strong comeback.
'The wall' living up to his reputation hit rich form when his side needed him the most after Mumbai had imposed a sizeable first innings lead. Dravid coming to bat at number three showed great resistance against a strong Mumbai bowling line up boasting of Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar.
Karnataka have declared at 397/6, a lead of 255 runs. Mumbai now have to ward off Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi for two tricky sessions.
Dravid made a fine double century giving the selectors food for thought when they get down to pick the squad when India play Pakistan in the second ODI on November 8th.
Carrying on from his overnight score of 77, Dravid got to his 49th first class hundred in the first session. And hours later raised his bat to another feather in his cap.
The 34-year old hit 21 fours and five sixes en route his double ton.
Dravid’s 450-minute knock finally ended when rookie Iqbal Abdulla scalped him for 214.
After failing to make an impression in the first innings on the first day of the match where he could manage a scratchy 40, the classical batsman made a strong comeback.
'The wall' living up to his reputation hit rich form when his side needed him the most after Mumbai had imposed a sizeable first innings lead. Dravid coming to bat at number three showed great resistance against a strong Mumbai bowling line up boasting of Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar.
Karnataka have declared at 397/6, a lead of 255 runs. Mumbai now have to ward off Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi for two tricky sessions.
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