NEWS ALERT

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 ...


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Bangladesh need 285 to make quarterfinals

Updated at: 1215 PST,  Saturday, March 19, 2011
DHAKA: Bangladesh were set an imposing 285-run target by mighty South Africa to reach the World Cup quarter-finals here at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.South Africa made 284 for eight after captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat first in their World Cup Group B match.Co-hosts Bangladesh have to defeat the Proteas for only the second time in 14 meetings if they are to stay alive in the tournament.Defeat would send Group B rivals India, England and West Indies into the last eight along with South Africa, who have already qualified.South Africa's only defeat to Bangladesh came during the World Cup 2007.Jacques Kallis hit his ninth World Cup half-century as he hit five boundaries and a six in his 69 off 76 balls, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 82 with Faf du Plessis.Du Plessis smashed a run-a-ball 52 before the lower order added 92 runs in the last 10 overs.South African captain Graeme Smith (45) put on 98 for the first wicket with Hashim Amla (51).Bangladesh will chase a stiff target of 5.7 runs an over to win against a South Africa side who rested fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and brought in left-arm seamers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell.Leg-spinner Imran Tahir, fully recovered from a thumb injury, joined Johan Botha and Robin Petersen in a rare three-man spin attack.