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NEWS UPDATE : Asian Cricket Third Sri Lanka-Pakistan ODI abandoned due to rain COLOMBO: The third One-day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was abandoned due to rain here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday. The umpires made this decision after consulting ... Australia want to master all forms of game: Clarke SYDNEY: Australia's limited-overs tour of England and Ireland represents the start of a two-year campaign to make them the top nation in all three forms of the game, captain Michael Clarke said ... Bopara glad to be back for England SOUTHAMPTON, England: Ravi Bopara is eager to make up for lost times as he tries to revive his ... South Africa name unchanged squad for England series JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have kept faith with a winning formula by naming an unchanged squad for the three-Test series in England starting next month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on ...


Monday, May 07, 2012

IPL: Bangalore beat Deccan by five wickets


BANGALORE: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Deccan Chargers by five wickets with seven balls remaining in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a huge target of 182, the Royal Challengers completed the victory with ease in 18.5 overs after losing five wickets.
Sri Lankan batsman Tillekaratne Dilshan top scored with a 52-ball 71 with ten fours and a six while South African batsman AB de Villiers steered Bangalore to win with an unbeaten 47 with four sixes and two boundaries.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra claimed two wickets for 28 runs.
Earlier, the Royal Challengers captain Virat Kohli won the toss and put Deccan Chargers into bat.
Openers Shikhar Dhawan was the top scorer with an unbeaten 73. He hit ten fours and a six in his 52-ball innings. He along with West Indian Chris Gayle (26) made 86 to provide a good start.
Later, Australian batsmen Daniel Harris (47) and Cameron White (45) helped their team in reaching 181-2 in 20 overs.

Smith’s last over blitz helps Mumbai stun Chennai


MUMBAI: Dwayne Smith struck 14 off the last three balls of the innings to snatch an stunning two-wicket win from Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League – V here at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a difficult target of 174, Mumbai were well on the way towards victory when star Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma made 126 in 13.3 overs for the second wicket partnership but later it became an uphill task after they lost three wickets in the final two overs.
However, it was Smith who batted courageously to get Mumbai emerge victorious in the end. He smashed 24 from nine balls with two towering sixes and as many fours.
Tendulkar top scored with 74 in 44 balls with eleven fours and a six while Sharma made 60 off 46 balls with six fours and two sixes.
For Chennai, Ravindra Jadeja, Ben Hilfenhaus and Dwayne Bravo took two wickets each.
Earlier sent into bat by Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings made 173 for eight in the allotted 20 overs.
Their main scorers were Murali Vijay (41), Bravo (40), Suresh Raina (36) and captain Mahinder Singh Dhoni (25).
Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga and Indian pacer Rudra Pratap Singh captured three wickets apiece.

IPL: Two matches today


MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will clash in the Indian Premier league (IPL-2012) first match today.
This match will start in the afternoon at 3.30 P.M. (Pakistan Time).
In the second match, Royal Challengers Banglore and Deccan Chargers will lock horns.
This match will start in the evening at 7.30 P.M. (Pakistan Time).

IPL: Rajasthan crush Punjab by 43 runs


MOHALI: Rajasthan Royals outclassed Kings XI Punjab by 43 runs in a day-night Twenty20 match of the Indian Premier League – V here at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.
Set a rather difficult target of 178 runs, Punjab were restricted to 134 for eight in the allotted 20 overs by Rajasthan bowlers.
Australian fast bowlers Shaun Tait and Shane Watson, and South African off-spinner Johan Botha claimed two wickets apiece.
Main scorers for Punjab were Australia’s Shaun Marsh (34), Pakistan international cricketer and England county allrounder Azhar Mahmood (24) and Gurkeet Singh (23).
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals plundered 177 for six in the allotted 20 overs after their captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bat first.
Dravid was the top-scorer with 46, followed by Australia’s Shane Watson (36) and Brad Hodge (36), and Ashok Menaria (34).
Aussie fast bowler Ryan Harris captured four wickets for four for 34 while leg-spinner Pyush Chawla took two wickets.
Pakistan’s first sports tv channel Geo Super showed this match live from Mohali, Chandigarh.

IPL: Kolkata win thriller against Pune by 7 runs


KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Pune Warriors by seven runs in a thrilling match of the Indian Premier League – V (IPL-2012) here at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Chasing an easy target of 151, Pune Warriors were limited to 143 runs for eight wickets due to accurate bowling by the Knight Riders.
South African fast bowler Marchant de Lange captured three for 34 but it was West Indies’ off-break bowler Sunil Narine conceded only 13 runs from four overs with a maiden and a wicket. he was later adjudged the Man-of-the-Match.
For Pune, captain Sourav Ganguly made 36 with a six and allrounder Angelo Mathews scored 35 hitting three sixes.
Earlier, the Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bat first. He and New Zealand opener Brendan McCullum provided a good start making 113 runs for the first wicket but the latter batsmen could not improve the run rate and finished at 150 for five in the allotted 20 overs.
Gambhir made 56 with four fours and two sixes while McCullum scored 42 with five fours and a six.
Pacemen Mathews and Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed two wickets each for Pune Warriors.
Geo Super televised this thriller live from Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Chennai beat Deccan by 19 runs


CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings bowlers helped the team to beat Deccan Chargers by 19 runs in an IPL match played here at Chepauk on Friday.
Chasing a target of 166, the defending champions restricted Chargers to 146 for eight in 20 overs despite a flying start by the visitors.
Pint sized Chargers opener Sunny Sohal (56, 30 balls) initially scared Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men with some clean hitting but once he was gone CSK came back into the match.

Zimbabwean Brown joins Kenya coaching staff

NAIROBI: Kenya have appointed former Zimbabwe cricket coach Robin Brown as head of its national elite programme to oversee the development of the game from the grassroots to the top level.
The programme which is aimed at strengthening the structure of the sport, was initiated last year by the outgoing Cricket Kenya chief executive Tom Sears after Kenya's dismal performance in the 2011 World Cup.
Sears, who is set to leave his post at the end of June said the appointment of Brown as head of elite development will be a huge benefit in many areas.
"Robin is a vastly experienced coach who has played and coached at the highest level and is highly respected in the game," said Sears.
"His primary role will be to ensure we are identifying the best players in our system from junior level right through to our Emerging Players squad and ensuring they receive all the coaching and support they need to fulfil their potential."
Brown played seven one-dayers for Zimbabwe between 1983 and 1987 and was appointed coach to replace compatriot Kevin Curran in 2007. He left the post after only one year.

Asif admits spending tough time in London jail


LONDON: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif said he was 'surprised' when he was found guilty by the jury at Southwark Crown Court after the spot fixing trial in November last year, after which he was sent to prison alongside fellow players Salman Butt and Muhammad Amir.
In his exclusive interview to Geo News and Jang Group of Newspapers after his release from Canterbury Prison in Kent on Thursday, the former world number two Test fast bowler expressed his joy at being released and not being deported to Pakistan, vowing that he was determined to clear his name and be back on the field again. “I couldn’t believe that I was found guilty by the jury,” said the ace cricketer who vehemently denies any part in the spot-fixing that rocked the world of cricket.
Accompanied by Ravi Sukul of Balham Chambers, who is dealing with Asif’s criminal conviction appeal in the UK, and Savita Sukul of SJS Solicitors, who argued successfully against Asif’s deportation to Pakistan and is in conduct of the International Cricket council ban, Asif expressed his resolve that his legal team will look into any “legal errors” in his case and will attempt to redress the legal mistakes. Asif said he will not speak about any matter which will prejudice his upcoming appeals and would prefer his legal team to deal with such matters. “I am hopeful that I will come out of the problem that I found myself in unwittingly.”
At the Southwark Crown Court former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the2010 Lord's Test against England; Mohammad Amir, 19, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was given six-month sentence.
Mazhar Majeed, 36, the London-based sports agent at the heart of the fixing scandal, was jailed for two years and eight months.
Asif said he was able to serve half a12-month sentence for his part in the spot-fixing scam by keeping himself busy in the gym and by regularly playing football and badminton.
Simple, easy going and professional, Asif continues to plead that he had nothing to do with the spot-fixing scam and he found himself caught with the fellow players only by association.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah. I am out from the prison. I am really happy, I have seen very hard time,” said the genius bowler.
Asif saw his release as a landmark step as he begins a new battle to clear his name. He thanked his fans and well-wishers for standing by him in the time of trials and tribulations. “I am so happy I have fans who are still supporting me in this way, through social media. I am in touch with them. They wanted to see me on the ground playing again.”
Looking relaxed, jolly and in super-fit shape, Muhammad Asif described how difficult in the beginning it was at the prison, which is reserved for foreign national criminals, who are normally deported soon after the completion of their sentencing.
The ace cricketer didn’t play much cricket in the prison because there were not many Cricket-supporting facilities but concentrated on staying fit by playing badminton and football. “These 6 months were difficult. Canterbury has a lot of foreign national prisoners but it has lots of gym and supporting facilities. We got ourselves busy and the time passed. We played football and badminton and used gym regularly. I trained regularly and I am in good shape now. The staff in the Canterbury were very supportive.”
Asif paid tribute to his family for supporting him and having faith in him, especially his father Hassan Deen, who has defiantly defended his son, and his loyal wife. “My family has been brilliant. No other family can defend the way they did it. My father has provided crucial support to me at a very difficult time. They took charge of a very difficult situation and all is fine. When in prison, I remained in touch with my family and my legal team.”
Answering a question on how he plans to regain his once glorious skill and ability to play the first class cricket, Asif remarked: “A fish will never forget how to swim. A bowler doesn’t forget how to bowl well. I have maintained fitness and I will try my best to keep up with this level of fitness. I am thankful to all those who have prayed for me. I would like to be back in the ground playing and I hope my fans will soon see me back. I would like my fans and well-wishers to continue praying for me,” said Asif with confidence.
Asif said the credit for successfully convincing the Home Office to let him stay in the United Kingdom and launch the appeals went to his legal team. “The support offered by my legal team was brilliant. They made me feel comfortable when I was in prison. I would wish to have many dedicated supporters like this. Times good and bad pass but I have been able to recognise who is with me and who is not."