Clarke eyes numero uno status in Test

 

Australia skipper Michael Clarke was naturally delighted with his team's series triumph over India on Sunday but said he and his players will not rest until they once again top the world rankings.

Clarke has overseen a transformation of his country's fortunes since the Ashes drubbing at the hands of England a year ago and their progress was confirmed when they beat India by an innings and 37 runs on Sunday to take a 3-0 lead in the series.

Currently fourth in the test rankings behind England, India and South Africa, even a bump above the Proteas will not satisfy Clarke and his team as they head into the fourth test in Adelaide with an insurmountable advantage.

"We're a long way from the team we want to be," the 30-year-old told a news conference.

"It's a nice feeling to have won this series, don't get me wrong, but we want to be the number one team in the world and we're a long way from that yet. We've got a lot of work still to do and that starts in Adelaide."

Clarke, booed by his own fans when he came out to bat in the final Ashes test last year, took over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting last March and is unbeaten in test series against Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and now India.

There have been some low points too, however, not least the skittling for 47 in South Africa and the first defeat to New Zealand on home soil in a quarter of a century in Hobart last month.

Clarke's mantra since he took over has been about improving the team's consistency and that was what pleased him most about the three victories over India.

"We look to continue to improve our cricket, we need to head in the right direction," he said.

"When you win a test series against the number two test team in the world, that is the result of the hard work we have been putting in behind the scenes, which is what is so pleasing about it for us players."

Clarke paid credit to David Warner, who scored 180, and Ed Cowan for the opening partnership of 214 which anchored Australia's sole innings on what was a difficult track for batting.

But as he has throughout the series, Clarke had a special word for his four pace bowlers, who once again took 20 wickets against a batting line-up studded with world class players.

"It's very easy when you get a couple of wins to take things for granted," he said.

"We haven't done that, both as an individual and as a team. We made a pact yesterday that we didn't want to send our batters out again on that wicket and it was pleasing to be able to keep to our word today."

Their quest to reach the top of the world game means there will be no let-up next week in fourth test, even if the series is already won.

"No such thing as a dead rubber, as far I am concerned," he said. "We'll be out there doing exactly the same in Adelaide.

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India name T20, ODI squad for Australia

 

NEW DELHI: India on Sunday named a 17-man squad for the limited-overs leg of the Australian tour that includes two Twenty20 matches and a tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka:

Indian squad:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Manoj Tiwary, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel. (AFP) 

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Tendulkar back for India in one-dayers

 

NEW DELHI: India picked Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday for the tri-series in Australia, ending the star batsman's self-imposed exile from one-day cricket outside the World Cup.

Tendulkar, the world's leading one-day batsman who is chasing his 100th international century, was included in a 17-man squad for the tri-series against Australia and Sri Lanka, to be played from February 5 to March 8.

The same squad, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will also feature in two Twenty20 internationals against hosts Australia in Sydney on February 1 and in Melbourne on February 3.

His inclusion means Tendulkar will have further opportunities to record a 100th ton if he is unable to achieve the landmark in the final Test against Australia in Adelaide later this month.

The Indian cricket board announced the squad on the day Dhoni's men were thrashed by an innings and 37 runs in the Perth Test to give Australia a decisive 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

It was India's seventh successive Test defeat abroad, following their 4-0 rout in England last year, in a dismal run that has taken the sheen off their limited-overs World Cup victory last April.

Tendulkar, who turns 39 in April, has played in just four of India's 47 one-day internationals outside the World Cup in the last two years, preferring to rest and concentrate on Test matches.

His record 18,111 runs in 453 one-day matches with 48 centuries includes the first-ever double-century in one-day cricket, an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in Gwalior in February 2010.

He was the star performer in India's World Cup victory, with 482 runs in nine matches, second only to Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan's 500 runs in as many games.

There was no place in the squad for the World Cup's man of the tournament Yuvraj Singh, who has yet to regain full fitness after being treated for a non-malignant lung tumour.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma, currently playing in the Test series, has been rested as seamers Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan join the new-ball attack for the one-dayers.

Veteran batsmen Rahul Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman, who do not play one-day cricket any more, will return home after the final Test.

Indian squad:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Manoj Tiwary, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel.

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India captain Dhoni suspended for slow over rate

 

PERTH: India's horrific tour of Australia got worse when captain M.S. Dhoni was suspended for one Test by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday for a slow over rate.

Dhoni was punished under the ICC Code of Conduct after being two overs behind the required rate, adding to the humiliation of his team's defeat in the third Test by an innings and 37 runs inside three days.

It means struggling opener Virender Sehwag, whose place in the team has been questioned due to his poor form against Australia, is likely to captain India in Adelaide for the fourth Test starting Tuesday week.

Sehwag, who is currently Dhoni's deputy, has captained India three times previously, for two wins. But before the third Test he was reported to be at loggerheads with his skipper.

Dhoni, who was also fined 40 percent of his match fee, is the first captain to be punished under the new two-strikes rule when captains are automatically suspended if they commit two over rate infractions within 12 months.

His previous misdemeanour came in July against the West Indies in Barbados.

"Dhoni pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted both by Dhoni and India," the ICC said in a statement.

"As such three was no need for a formal hearing."

Dhoni's place behind the stumps will be taken by 27-year-old wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who will be playing his second Test.

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Dav Whatmore reaches Lahore to meet PCB officials

 

LAHORE: One of the strong contenders to coach Pakistan cricket team Dav Whatmore has reached Lahore Saturday, Geo News reported.

Dav Whatmore reached Lahore today by a private airline to hold his final round of talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials who appear set to appoint the Australian as the national team's coach.

After landing at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport, Whatmore avoided to talk to media men present at the airport. He is expected to meet PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf and other officials during his stay in Lahore.

The committee appointed to select the head coach for national team finalized its recommendations last week that were conveyed to the PCB.

Sources told that the PCB has 95 percent finalised Whatmore as the next head coach. However, the final appointment would take place after England series, sources added.

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Australia close on quick victory over India

 

PERTH: Another dismal performance by India's creaking top order had the tourists tottering towards a heavy defeat after the second day of the third Test against Australia in Perth on Saturday.

At the close of play, India, needing to win to have any hope of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, were 88 for four in their second innings after yet another collapse, an overall deficit of 120 runs.

Veteran Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 32 and Virat Kohli on 21.

Young paceman Mitchell Starc, who claimed the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar cheaply in the Indian second innings, said the Australians didn't expect to have to bat again in the match.

Indian paceman Umesh Yadav, who was a rare chink of light for the tourists as he took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, put on a brave face.

Australia were dismissed earlier for 369 in their first innings, bolstered by a pugnacious 180 from opener David Warner, giving the home side an overall lead of 208 after the Indians made just 161 in their first innings.

Yadav's one-man heroics gave his Indian side some hope, but their ageing top-order batsmen again failed to deliver in the second innings.

As was the case in their 122-run defeat in Melbourne and innings loss in Sydney, the Indian rot set in early in their second time with the bat.

Left-armer Starc picked up the wicket of opener Gautam Gambhir (14), caught in the slips from a steepling delivery in his first over.

Out-of-form opener Virender Sehwag never looked comfortable and fell to Peter Siddle one run later for 10, while Tendulkar will have to wait at least one more Test for his 100th international century, after being trapped leg-before wicket by Starc for a paltry eight.

V.V.S. Laxman's poor series continued when he was caught in the slips off Ben Hilfenhaus for a nine-ball duck as India slumped to 51-4.

Australia resumed the second day at 149 for no wicket and looked set to bat the Indians out of the match when openers Warner and Ed Cowan put on 214 for the first wicket.

However, three wickets fell to Yadav before lunch -- Cowan (74), Shaun Marsh (11) and Ricky Ponting (seven) -- sparking a brief Indian fightback.

Warner, dropped on 126, looked set to become the second Australian batsman to pass 200 in as many innings, but he holed out to a back-pedalling Yadav at long-on off paceman Ishant Sharma.

Yadav completed the catch inside the boundary rope, ending a remarkable 159-ball knock by Warner.

His innings featured 20 fours and five sixes, the opener raising his century off just 69 balls -- the equal fourth-fastest in Test cricket -- late on the first day.

Skipper Michael Clarke, who scored an unconquered 329 in the second Sydney Test, went for 18, caught behind off Zaheer Khan.

Following their war of words, Khan got one over Brad Haddin, having the wicketkeeper caught behind for a three-ball duck, but it was Australia who looked well set to have the last laugh.

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Chandimal, Tharanga, boost Sri Lanka

 

EAST LONDON: Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga hit half-centuries in a battling Sri Lankan performance in the second one-day international against South Africa at Buffalo Park on Saturday.

Seeking to come back after a record defeat in the first match in Paarl, Sri Lanka made 236 for six after being sent in on a slow pitch on an overcast day.

Tharanga hit 66 and Chandimal 92 not out as Sri Lanka made some amends after being bowled out for a record low 43 in Paarl.

Sri Lanka made another poor start, with captain Tillekeratne Dilshan run out for his second successive nought and Kumar Sangakkara caught behind for three as they struggled to 21 for two after 10 overs.

Tharanga and Chandimal put on 84 for the third wicket to build a foundation for a late innings acceleration that yielded 109 runs off the last 15 overs.

But the tourists were seldom able to break a stranglehold imposed by tight South African bowling and tigerish fielding.

The wickets taken included two spectacular diving catches, by Dale Steyn at short fine leg to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene and Robin Peterson, running back from mid-on to end an aggressive innings of 22 off 13 balls by Nuwan Kulasekera.

The left-handed Tharanga made his runs off 85 balls with six fours and a straight six off JP Duminy.

Chandimal hit only one four in reaching his fifty off 84 balls but added five more boundaries off the remaining 31 balls of his innings to finish tantalisingly short of a third one-day international century in 19 matches.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Morne Morkel took two wickets each after rain delayed the start by 26 minutes

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Duminy steers Proteas to 5-wkt win over Sri Lanka

 

EAST LONDON: JP Duminy played a brilliant knock to help South Africa record their second successive victory over Sri Lanka in the second One-day International here at the Buffalo Park on Saturday.

Chasing a modest total of 237 runs, South Africa achieved the target losing five wickets with eight balls remaining.

South Africa now lead the five-match series 2-1 as they crushed Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 258 runs after bowling them out for a meager score of 43 runs in the first One-day International.

Duminy remained unbeaten on 66 which he made with the help of only a six and hit not a single four during his 87-ball innings.

He was ably supported by Hashim Amla who made 55 from 58 balls with two sixes and five fours. 

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Australia rout India to seal series

 

PERTH: Australia routed India by an innings and 37 runs inside three days on Sunday to seal a crushing 3-0 series victory against the hapless tourists.

Rahul Dravid and M.S. Dhoni were out before lunch at the WACA Ground in Perth and Australia cleaned up the tail for 171 soon after the break to complete their third emphatic win.

India, the world one-day champions, have now lost seven straight away Tests after their 4-0 loss to England last year and this latest heavy defeat is likely to lead to calls back home for a shake-up, especially of the top order.

"In the games in England and here we have not put enough runs on the board," said skipper Dhoni, who later learned he had been suspended for one match by the International Cricket Council for his second slow overrate infraction in 12 months.

"There is only one instance where we have scored over 350 runs and you want to give bowlers those amount of runs so they can look to get the opposition out," he said.

"One or two bad innings can happen in Test cricket, but seven Test matches is a bit long," admitted the captain, who will miss the fourth and final Test in Adelaide starting on Tuesday week.

It was the second Test in a row the tourists had been beaten without Australia needing to bat twice, having been smashed by an innings and 68 runs in the second Test in Sydney.

Despite a gritty batting performance by their most inexperienced batsman, Virat Kohli, the last man to fall for 75, it was another shoddy batting display by the Indians, whose abject displays have caused much consternation at home.

Australian skipper Michael Clarke said the hosts would now go for the jugular and a series whitewash.

"No such thing as a dead rubber for me," Clarke said. "We haven't achieved much at this stage.

"We should be very proud, don't get me wrong, to beat the number-two-ranked Test team in this series, but we've got a lot of work to do before we'll be satisfied.

"In Adelaide, you'll see that our goal has not changed from the first Test of this series, and it won't change until we achieve what we want as a team."

India resumed at 88-4, needing another 120 runs to make Australia bat again, and Kohli and veteran Dravid briefly revived their hopes with a dogged 84-run stand for the fifth wicket.

However, the loss of Dravid (47) and Dhoni in quick succession before lunch had Australia closing in on victory. The death knell came quickly after the resumption, with yet another insipid performance by the Indian tail.

Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus's incredible resurgence continued when he claimed three wickets in four balls after lunch, before Peter Siddle had Kohli caught behind to seal the win.

Hilfenhaus (4-54) claimed eight wickets for the match to have 23 wickets in the series at 16 apiece.

Kohli, who also top-scored in India's calamitous first innings with 44 as the tourists were dismissed for 161, before Australia made 369 on the back of David Warner's explosive 180, had been fighting his way towards his maiden Test century in his seventh Test, but received no support aside from Dravid.

Dravid's once-famed "wall" defence was again breached by Ryan Harris, who knocked the 39-year-old's leg stump out of the ground.

The delivery didn't do anything significant off the pitch, but found the gap between bat and pad, ending the veteran's vigilant innings after 177 minutes and 114 balls.

It was the fifth time in six innings in the series that Dravid had been bowled, and his average for the series of 28 is well down on his career average against Australia of 52.62.

Dravid has now been bowled more times in Test cricket than any other batsman -- 54 times.

Dhoni also failed once again, caught in the slips by a diving Ricky Ponting for two from the bowling of Siddle. The captain has made just 102 runs in the series at 20.40. 

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