Aussies thrash Kenya by 60 runs

Updated at: 2200 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

BANGALORE: Holders Australia claimed their place in the last eight of the World Cup on Sunday but they were made to work surprisingly hard by Kenya who restored pride with a defiant performance despite losing by 60 runs.Michael Clarke (93) and the returning Mike Hussey (54) bailed their team out of trouble to help set up a daunting 324-6 but Kenya defied the much-vaunted Australian fast bowling unit to score a respectable 264-6 in Group A.Earlier, opener Brad Haddin had made 65 but Australia found themselves under unexpected pressure at one stage at 143-4.After four straight losses, Kenya had clearly decided not to go down without a fight and Tanmay Mishra (72) along with Collins Obuya (98 not out) resisted with a stubborn stand of 115 for the fourth wicket.The pace trio of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson regularly generated speeds in excess of 140 kmph but the Kenyan batsmen gave as good as they got and notched up their highest score in the tournament so far.Three of the six Kenyan wickets to fall were by run-outs as the Australian fast bowlers and spinners almost ran out of ideas to dismiss a batting side which was skittled out in their previous four matches.It had seemed as if the match was headed for a fast finish as Kenya slumped to 46-3 in the 10th over. But as the pitch lost its pace, Mishra took on the role of the aggressor and clobbered eight boundaries and one huge six.Obuya, however, was more restrained at the start of his innings but accelerated towards the end and singled out Shane Watson for some especially harsh treatment.Thomas Odoyo joined the African party with a 38-ball 35 at the end but the Kenyans always were well behind the asking run-rate and their valiant attempt fell short.Earlier, Clarke (93 off 80 balls) paced his innings to perfection to avoid a middle-order collapse after Australia lost three quick wickets in the space of 15 balls at the end of the 27th over.Clarke and Hussey (54 in 43 balls), who celebrated his return to the World Cup squad with a typically industrious innings, came together with Australia in a spot of bother and
with a 300 plus score looking a long way off.They immediately put the Kenyan fielders under pressure with singles and twos and the odd boundary to wrest the initiative back with a 114-run partnership for the fifth wicket at better than a run a ball.Shane Watson (21) and captain Ricky Ponting (36) also got some runs under their belt.

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Australia plunder 324 against hapless Kenya

Updated at: 1802 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

BANGALORE: Three half-centuries helped Australia amass 324 for six against hapless Kenya in their Group A day-night match of the World Cup here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday Michael Clarke's 93 helped Australia overcome a mid-innings wobble as the champions made 324 for six against Kenya in a World Cup Group A match on Sunday.Vice-captain Clarke and the returning Michael Hussey (54), in for dropped younger brother David, shared a stand of 114 after Australia had lost three wickets for just 16 runs to be 143 for four.Clarke, on the ground where he made a hundred on Test debut against India in 2004, took 52 balls over his first fifty with only three boundaries.But he then cut loose before he holed out off fast bowler Nehemiah Odhiambo, who took three for 57.Victory for Australia would see the title-holders, unbeaten in 32 matches at the World Cup dating back to 1999, into the quarter-finals.Left-hander Hussey, playing his first match of the tournament after recovering from a hamstring problem and getting a late summons to the subcontinent as a replacement for injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger, once again demonstrated his coolness at the crease.Odhiambo had opener Shane Watson (21) well caught by leaping wicket-keeper Maurice Ouma after Kenya lost the toss.Next ball captain Ricky Ponting, walking across his stumps, survived an Odhiambo lbw appeal.Opening batsman Brad Haddin, dropped twice off tough chances early in his innings, made 65 and helped Ponting add 89 for the second wicket.Haddin completed his 50 off 63 balls with his eighth four, a late cut off Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande but going for a big hit off the same bowler he was caught at deep midwicket by Rakep Patel.A score of 127 for two became 131-3 when Ponting was lbw on review to leg-spinner Collins Obuya for an unconvincing 36.Kamande took two wickets for nine runs in eight balls with some sharply turning off-spinners on his way to two for 46.But paceman Elijah Otieno's eight overs cost a colossal 75 runs.Kenya's best total in four previous losing appearances at this tournament was the 198 they made in a five-wicket defeat by fellow non-Test nation Canada.

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Kiwis record easy win against Canada

Updated at: 1732 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

MUMBAI: New Zealand went on to the top at the Group A points table defeating Canada by 97 runs in a one-sided World Cup Group A match here at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.New Zealand scored a mammoth 358 for six in their 50 overs and it proved too much for the minnows, who never looked remotely like challenging the target and ended on 261-9. However, they played all their 50 overs for their highest total in the tournament.They were in a perilous position at 4-2 before captain Ashish Bagai (84) and Jimmy Hansra (70 not out) came together to put on 125 for the fourth wicket and give the scoreboard a look of respectability.Kyle Mills did the early damage for the Black Caps, dismissing Ruvindu Gunasekera and Zubin Surkari with just four runs on the board but he had to leave the field injured midway through his third over. Jacob Oram took 3-47.Earlier, Brendon McCullum’s aggressive hundred and Jesse Ryder’s explosive 74 to help the Black Caps set an improbable target of 359.McCullum hits 101, his third One-day International century, from 109 balls with 12 fours and two sixes while Taylor smashed five sixes and six boundaries during his 44-ball innings.In one devastating over Taylor, who smashed 131 in 124 balls against Pakistan, took 28 off Harvir Baidwan, smashing four sixes and a four The stand-in skipper came to the crease in the 30th over with his side on 149 for two after a steady start against winless Canada, and injected urgency into the innings. He was caught by Jimmy Hansra off the bowling of Balaji Rao while McCullum, who put on 53 with opening partner Martin Guptill (17) and 96 with Jesse Ryder (38) for the second wicket, perished in the first over of the batting powerplay, holing out to Ruvindu Gunasekera at extra cover.Kane Williamson (34 not out) and Scott Styris (35) also joined in the onslaught, as the Canadian bowlers wilted, before a stunning cameo of 31 from James Franklin off just eight balls including three sixes and two fours. New Zealand lashed 31 off the final over.The pick of the bowlers for Canada was John Davison, whose 10 overs of spin yielded 1-30 but they were ragged in the field, dropping catches amid the New Zealand onslaught.Baidwan went for a whopping 84 runs in his 9.1 overs and Rizwan Cheema was thrashed for 64 off just 4.5 overs.The victory for New Zealand, without injured skipper Daniel Vettori, takes them to top spot in Group A with eight points, one clear of Sri Lanka, the only other team who have qualified for the quarter-finals.Canada have two points after one win and four defeats.

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Afridi backs Akmal brothers

Updated at: 1659 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

PALLEKELE: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said Sunday that struggling wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal and his younger brother Umar would both will play against Zimbabwe on Monday.There has been confusion over the Akmal brothers ever since the 110-run defeat against New Zealand last week, with elder brother Kamran spilling two crucial chances to dismiss century-maker Ross Taylor.Pakistan considered using Umar Akmal, Kamran's younger brother, as a makeshift keeper but abandoned those plans after he suffered a finger injury.There were reports in Pakistani media that Umar had feigned injury to help Kamran keep his place, speculation denied by team management.On Sunday Umar sprained his right ankle while playing football but Afridi confirmed the injury was not serious."He (Umar) is fit, it is a light injury. He fielded today and looked better, so definitely he will play tomorrow," said Afridi of Umar, who also took part in light practice.Afridi admitted there was no better option than going back to Kamran as wicket-keeper."Kamran's performance in batting hasn't been bad but, yes, he is struggling with his keeping. He is working very hard, and we haven't got such an option in the squad to whom we can give a chance in this tournament. "Kamran has been working hard for four days. He has support and our confidence, he seems a better choice. I think he knows the mistakes he has committed and he will try to cover it for sure and will perform," said Afridi.Afridi said there were no negative thoughts in the dressing room."We are just focusing on day by day and game by game and if we win against Zimbabwe the dressing room atmosphere will be better and positive. A win always gives you confidence," said Afridi.The skipper said he hoped his batsmen, especially the top order, did not repeat the mistakes they made in the match against New Zealand."At the moment our plan is not to lose wickets and be positive. I have already told them to play to your strengths, like you play in domestic cricket, play like that. "Over the last couple of days the openers have worked really hard and the coaches have worked hard with them as well. The results will hopefully come and realising the importance of the match I am confident that they will perform," said Afridi.A win for Pakistan, with six points from four matches, would take them through to the quarter-finals.

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Australia win toss, bat against Kenya

Updated at: 1339 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

BANGALORE: Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first against Kenya in their Group A day-night match of the World Cup here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadiumon Sunday.Michael Hussey, recovered from a hamstring problem and called into the Australia squad as a replacement for injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger, was selected for his first match of this tournament.The experienced left-handed batsman replaced younger brother David in the Australia line-up.Victory for Australia, bidding for a fourth straight title and fifth in all, would see Ricky Ponting's men into the quarter-finals and extend the champions' unbeaten streak at the World Cup to 33 games, a sequence dating back to 1999.Kenya, by contrast, have lost all four of their group matches at this tournament to date, including a five-wicket defeat by fellow non-Test nation Canada last time out. This is effectively Australia's first match for more than two weeks after last weekend's clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka ended as a no-result washout Australia: Brad Haddin (wk), Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait Kenya: Maurice Ouma (wk), Alex Obanda, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Tanmay Mishra, Thomas Odoyo, Rakep Patel, Jimmy Kamande (captain), Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, James Ngoche.

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McCullum, Taylor power Kiwis to 358 against Canada

Updated at: 1302 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

MUMBAI: Brendon McCullum’s aggressive hundred and Jesse Ryder’s explosive 74 to help fire the Black Caps to a daunting total of 358 for 6 against Canada in the World Cup Group A match here at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.McCullum hits 101, his third One-day International century, from 109 balls with 12 fours and two sixes while Taylor smashed five sixes and six boundaries during his 44-ball innings. In one devastating over Taylor, who smashed 131 in 124 balls against Pakistan, took 28 off Harvir Baidwan, smashing four sixes and a four The stand-in skipper came to the crease in the 30th over with his side on 149 for two after a steady start against winless Canada, and injected urgency into the innings. He was caught by Jimmy Hansra off the bowling of Balaji Rao while McCullum, who put on 53 with opening partner Martin Guptill (17) and 96 with Jesse Ryder (38) for the second wicket, perished in the first over of the batting powerplay, holing out to Ruvindu Gunasekera at extra cover.Kane Williamson (34 not out) and Scott Styris (35) continued the onslaught, as the Canadian bowlers wilted, before a stunning cameo of 31 from James Franklin off just eight balls including three sixes and two fours. The pick of the bowlers for Canada was John Davison, whose 10 overs of spin yielded one for 30 but they were ragged in the field, dropping catches amid the New Zealand onslaught.Baidwan went for a whopping 84 runs in his 9.1 overs and Rizwan Cheema, taken off in the final over after bowling two beamers, was thrashed for 64 off just 4.5 overs.A victory for New Zealand, without injured skipper Daniel Vettori, would make them the second team in the tournament to seal a last-eight berth after Sri Lanka, also in Group A.

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Cricket WC: Canada win toss, puts NZ in to bat

Updated at: 0840 PST,  Sunday, March 13, 2011

MUMBAI: Canada captain Ashish Bagai won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat Sunday in the World Cup Group A match at Wankhede Stadium.Ross Taylor is deputizing as New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who injured his right knee in the 110-run win over Pakistan on Tuesday and is expected to miss at least one match.The New Zealanders have six points from three wins in Group A, with the only loss so far coming against defending champion Australia.After heavy defeats to Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, Canada rebounded to beat 2003 semifinalist Kenya by five wickets in Delhi last Monday, producing only its second win ever at a World Cup. (Online)

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South Africa beat India by 3 wickets

Updated at: 2210 PST,  Saturday, March 12, 2011

NAIGPUR: South Africa won by 3 wickets in a World Cup Group B match against India played here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.

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India lose 9 wkts for 29 after Sachin hits 99th ton

Updated at: 1807 PST,  Saturday, March 12, 2011

NAGPUR: After Sachin Tendulkar smashed his second century in the World Cup 2011 India lost six wickets for just 29 runs as Dale Steyn helped South Africa to restrict the hosts to 296 in 48.4 overs in their Group B match here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday. Batting first after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, Tendulkar opened the innings with Virender Sehwag and both made 142 runs for the first wicket partnership and then Tendulkar added 125 along with Gautam Gambhir for the second wicket.Sehwag scored 73 off 66 balls with 12 fours while Gambhir made 69 from 75 balls with seven fours.Tendulkar made 111 runs from 101 balls with eight fours and three sixes. This was his second hundred in the tournament, sixth in the World Cups, 48th in One-day Internationals and 99th in all international cricket (Test and ODI).

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India win toss, elect to bat against Proteas

Updated at: 1348 PST,  Saturday, March 12, 2011

NAGPUR: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to bat after winning the toss against South Africa in a key World Cup Group B match on Saturday Both teams are already virtually assured of quarter-final places.India made one change from the side that beat the Netherlands by five wickets in the previous match in Delhi, bringing in seamer Munaf Patel in place of leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.South Africa replaced injured leg-spinner Imran Tahir with off-spinner Johan Botha for the only change from the team that lost to England by six runs in Chennai.India currently top the seven-team group with seven points from four games, while South Africa have four points from three matches.India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel.South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne van Wyk.Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Simon Taufel (AUS), TV umpire: Billy Doctrove (WI)Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL)

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Cricket WC: India, S. Africa eye win to justify favourites' tag

Updated at: 0904 PST,  Saturday, March 12, 2011

NAGPUR: Familiar foes India and South Africa will clash in a World Cup Group B match on Saturday with the aim of proving their World Cup credentials as favourites.While India have remained unbeaten in the tournament, with three wins and a tied match, the hard-earned victories against Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands have done little to calm the nerves of their fans.South Africa, on the other hand, compounded their problems by getting skittled for 165 runs, while chasing 172 for victory against England, giving their critics an opportunity of labelling them "chokers" again having never won this tournament.The Africans slipped past India 3-2 in an ODI series preceding the World Cup but the conditions will be completely different in Nagpur."We obviously know each other pretty well. We played a whole summer and we got to know each other. I think both the teams know what to expect today (Saturday)," South Africa captain Graeme Smith told reporters.South Africa also kept the decision regarding injured leg spinner Imran Tahir hanging until late on Friday.Tahir, the most successful bowler for his team in the tournament so far, developed a fracture on his left thumb during last Sunday's defeat against England"He has bowled this week, and come through fine, it's just whether we feel the need to risk him tomorrow or not, and that we'll decide later," Smith said.(Reuters)

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