Australia sets Ponting captaincy deadline

Updated at: 1209 PST,  Monday, March 28, 2011

SYDNEY: Under-fire Australia captain Ricky Ponting was given just three days to decide his future Monday as selectors said the next one-day squad would be announced on Wednesday.Ponting, who let slip Australia's 12-year grasp on the World Cup last week -- just three months after their heavy Ashes defeat -- has already hinted that he may step down.Cricket Australia said a squad for next month's three-match one-day tour of Bangladesh was expected to be announced on Wednesday, effectively setting a deadline for the veteran skipper.Ponting, 36, returned home on Sunday following Australia's quarter-final exit from the World Cup at the hands of India, saying he was considering his position this week.I'll have the opportunity over the next couple of days to reflect on where things are headed for me and certainly what direction I feel things are heading for the betterment of Australian cricket," the Test and one-day captain told reporters.I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward.Australia play three one-day matches against Bangladesh on April 9, 11 and 13, with Ponting previously stating that he wanted to lead the team on the tour.But Ponting has since suggested he could quit as captain, saying he was prepared to play on under the likely leadership of his deputy Michael Clarke and bat anywhere in the order.I see myself as a leader around the group, simple as that, whether I'm captain or not I still think I've got a lot to offer as far as leadership qualities go," he said.Though heartened by support of team-mates and senior officials, Ponting said he was "absolutely" prepared to drop down the order and step down as captain "if that's what they (CA) and I believe is the best way forward"Ponting, who has been under attack since the 3-1 Ashes series defeat to England, scored a fighting 104 but it was not enough to prevent India from knocking the champions out in last Thursday's quarter-final in Ahmedabad.He has now presided over the end of Australia's 12-year run as World Cup champions after his third Ashes series defeat as captain to England.Ponting, who has been captain for nine years, had a difficult World Cup, taking a reprimand from the International Cricket Council after smashing a dressing-room TV in a fit of fury after being run out against Zimbabwe.He was also criticised for angrily throwing the ball to the ground after colliding with team-mate Steven Smith during their victory against Canada, and for failing to walk in the group match defeat by Pakistan.

Read More

Updated at: 0227 PST, Monday, March 28, 2011

Updated at: 0227 PST,  Monday, March 28, 2011

MOHALI: The India-Pakistan match to be held in Mohali in Punjab is keeping even the Delhi Police on its toes. According to recent intelligence reports, terrorists have formed several groups to launch an attack on the match. About 30 small groups have been formed by terror organisations like the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Indian Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami.Sources said that several meetings to arrive at the final terror module have taken place in both sides of Kashmir.The Delhi Police on its part has intensified checking at all the borders, railway stations and inter-state bus terminals."This is one of the safety precautions we are taking. More people have been deployed at the city borders and we have also sought cooperation from the Uttar Pradesh police," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak to the media.The police are conducting searches in the guesthouses of areas like Paharganj and Karol Bagh. After the attack on Jama Masjid right before the Commonwealth Games last year, the police are not leaving anything to chance.The Taj Hotel in Chandigarh's Sector 17 has already been converted into a fortress with more than 1,000 security personnel manning the whole compound.The Indian National Security Guard too has sent its personnel to look into the security arrangements and to provide cover to the whole match. (Online)

Read More

sohaib akhter voting

Maybe Pakistan will play Shoaib Akhtar against India. ..... Ask a Question pakistan greatest fast bowler

• GREATE BOWLER
• UMAR GULL
• SHOHAIB AKHTER
• WAHAB RIAZ
• JUNAID KHAN
• VOTE NOW YOU FAVORITE BOWLER

Read More

Pak-India match tickets being blacked

Updated at: 1546 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

NEW DELHI: Cricket fans at Mohali are complaining about the unavailability of tickets at the counters on Sunday.The fans are angry and allege that the tickets are now being sold at a high price in the black market.However, there have been numerous reports of a thriving black market in tickets with prices rocketing so that a 5,000-rupee ticket was being sold for a price as high as 100,000 rupees."For a match as big as this one, we cannot do anything about black market tickets," said PCA joint secretary GS Walia.As far as we are concerned, we only gave the tickets to those who stood in the queues and bought them. We cannot keep track if they sell these in (the) black (market)."

Read More

World Cup 2011: SL president invites Kiwi premier to semi final

Updated at: 1358 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Sri Lankan president has invited the New Zealand prime minister to watch the semi final.President Mahinda Rajapaksa has extended an invitation to New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to watch the World Cup semi final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand on Tuesday, March 29.Sri Lanka and New Zealand have already faced each other in the group stage when Sri Lanka defeated the Kiwis. Both sides have also encountered in the semi final of the 2007 World Cup that was also ended in the victory of the Asian side.

Read More

Security stepped up as India-Pakistan clash nears

Updated at: 1358 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

MOHALI: Security was ramped up at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium on Sunday as India staged their first training session ahead of the high-profile World Cup semi-final against Pakistan.The match, the first between the arch-rivals on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, gained an added security headache Sunday when Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani confirmed he will attend Wednesday's clash.Police were out in greater numbers in and around the ground on Sunday and there were even "media security officers" escorting reporters into the ground.Meanwhile, the security presence was equalled only by the increaesed number of television trucks parked side by side outside the Stadium, all eager to beam back pictures of such stars as local hero Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar.India were due to train later Sunday but both television reporters and eager fans desperate for a glimpse of their favourites, could be disappointed if, as has happened before, some players decide to opt out of a practice session.Pakistan, the 1992 champions, were put through their paces once again by coach Waqar Younis in an early morning training stint that started with a lively football match.Coming back to the PCA Stadium was proving particularly pleasant for Pakistan manager Intikhab Alam, who earlier in his career coached a Punjab team featuring both Yuvraj and India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.I am nostalgic, I remember this place very well," former Test leg-spinner Alam told the Sunday Pioneer.The two years I spent here earned me friends for life. It feels great to come back.Alam's relaxed mood was in keeping with that of his team.Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez said on Saturday neither he nor his Pakistan colleagues had any qualms about security, saying: "We have no fear or a feeling of (any) shortcoming when it comes to security.That's not our job; our job is to play cricket. To provide security is the responsibility of the ICC (International Cricket Council) and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).We are very happy and we are enjoying ourselves very much.Around 3,000 police will patrol Wednesday's match with some 2,000 expected to be deployed in and around the 30,000-capacity PCA Stadium on matchday.An estimated 1,000 police have already descended on the luxury Hotel Taj in nearby Chandigarh where both teams are staying, a force which includes Indian army commandos.The game, which takes place in the border state of Punjab, has already sparked a flurry of political activity.Faharullah Babar, a spokesman for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari responded to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "cricket diplomacy".It was decided in response to the Indian Prime Minister's invitation that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will visit India to witness the semi-final cricket match," he said.Elsewhere the frantic scramble for hotel rooms and tickets showed no signs of slackening, even though the PCA had insisted as early as Tuesday that the 14,000 available tickets had been sold, with the rest in the hands of the ICC.However, there have been numerous reports of a thriving black market in tickets with prices rocketing so that a 5,000-rupee ($112) ticket was being sold for as much as 25,000 rupees ($560)For a match as big as this one, we cannot do anything about black market tickets," said PCA joint secretary GS Walia.As far as we are concerned, we only gave the tickets to those who stood in the queues and bought them. We cannot keep track if they sell these in (the) black (market

Read More

Tickets not available for Indo-Pak tie

Updated at: 1546 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

NEW DELHI: Cricket fans at Mohali are complaining about the unavailability of tickets at the counters on Sunday.The fans are angry and allege that the tickets are now being sold at a high price in the black market.However, there have been numerous reports of a thriving black market in tickets with prices rocketing so that a 5,000-rupee ticket was being sold for as much as 25,000 rupees.For a match as big as this one, we cannot do anything about black market tickets," said PCA joint secretary GS Walia.As far as we are concerned, we only gave the tickets to those who stood in the queues and bought them. We cannot keep track if they sell these in (the) black (market)

Read More

Misbah backs Akhtar factor against India

Updated at: 1522 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

MOHALI: Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq believes fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has a key role to play in the World Cup semi-final against India -- even if the paceman doesn't take the field.The 35-year-old Akhtar has said he will retire after the World Cup and has only featured in three matches at the tournament to date.But he remains capable of working up fearsome speed and may have one last shot at India when Pakistan face their arch-rivals on Wednesday.Shoaib Akhtar is a class bowler," said Misbah on Sunday.He has performed for Pakistan on a number of occasions including the 1999 World Cup (when the team lost to Australia in the final).And Misbah said that, at the very least, he would help Pakistan's batsmen get ready for the challenge of facing India's seamers.Batsmen get to prepare well against pace bowling when they face him at the nets. If he does play in the coming matches, I feel it will give us a psychological advantage.When it comes to India-Pakistan matches, Misbah is currently associated with the 2007 World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg The now 36-year-old Misbah rescued Pakistan from the depths of 77 for six and his 43 almost guided Pakistan to victory in the first World Twenty20 final.With three balls left, and six runs needed to win, he was last man out when he tried to lap Joginder Sharma over short fine leg and was caught by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.Asked if he wanted to put that right, Misbah said: "Every game is a new game and it's not because of that, that this is a special game.This is a World Cup semi-final, I really want to play well.Misbah, one of two former captains in the side along with Younis Khan, praised skipper Shahid Afridi for the way he'd led the side to the semi-finals.Leg-spinner Afridi is the tournament's leading bowler with 21 wickets and Misbah said: "I think the important thing is his aggression and the other thing is that he has led the team by example.He is performing really well, just taking wickets at the right time, so that really helps the team when the captain is performing like that. Everybody is standing behind him at the World Cup.There were concerns that having two ex-captains in a Pakistan team traditionally renowned for its volatility could prove divisive but Misbah insisted: "I think there are always differences in opinion but we always talk to the captain about what he thinks. He's really good at that.He listens to the players, especially the senior players and the coaches, we just decide everything with a good co-ordination, and that's why everything is going well and the team is performing well.Misbah added it was also good to have veteran manager Intikhab Alam, the former Pakistan captain, on board given his experience in helping the team win the 1992 World Cup in Australia and the 2009 World Twenty20 in England.That's a positive thing we have, the last two World Cups, 50 overs and 20 overs, we've won when he was with the team so he has a good experience of how to perform in pressure situations.No Pakistan batsman has yet made a hundred this tournament with Misbah's unbeaten 83 in the 11-run win over Sri Lanka, who face New Zealand in the other semi-final, their highest individual score.Our batsmen not making big scores is not a concern because we are winning. We will be happy if we win the World Cup without a single individual hundred," Misbah insisted.

Read More

Maldives releases cricket WCup terror suspect

Updated at: 1502 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

COLOMBO: Maldives police said Sunday they had released a man suspected of plotting an attack on the cricket World Cup taking place in South Asia.Maldivian national Iqbal Mohamed, 42, was arrested on March 10 as he arrived at Male International airport from Pakistan following a tip-off from the international police body Interpol.Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Interpol chief Ronald Noble announced the arrest last week, with Malik saying a "serious attempt" at an attack had been foiled.He (Mohamed) is no longer in our custody. He was released over the weekend on a court order," police spokesman Ahmed Shiyam said by telephone from the capital Male.Shiyam declined to give the reason, but local media reported that a court had refused to extend Mohamed's detention and ordered his release late Friday.Mohamed fled to Pakistan in 2007 after allegedly being involved in a bomb attack in Male. Maldivian police then sought France-based Interpol's help and issued a red notice for his arrest.At the time of his arrest, Interpol said their officers based in Sri Lanka's international airport had detected him while scanning passenger lists for terror suspects during the ongoing cricket World Cup.Police in the three World Cup host countries of Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh have thrown blanket security for the tournament, which ends in Mumbai on April 2.

Read More

Taufel, Gould to umpire India-Pakistan clash

Updated at: 1421 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

NEW DELHI: Australia's Simon Taufel and Ian Gould of England were on Sunday named as the umpires for Wednesday's highly-charged World Cup semi-final between India Pakistan.Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle will be match referee with New Zealand's Billy Bowden and Australian Rod Tucker acting as the third and fourth umpires respectively.For Tuesday's first semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Colombo, Steve Davis of Australia and Aleem Dar of Pakistan will be the on-field umpires.Chris Broad is the match referee with South Africa's Marais Erasmus and Billy Doctrove of West Indies, the third and fourth umpires respectively.The International Cricket Council said that officials for the final will be made later in the week

Read More

Gilani, Manmohan meeting would improve ties: Indian HC

Updated at: 1530 PST,  Sunday, March 27, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal said the meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in Mohali would help improve ties, Geo News reported He was talking to media during a friendly cricket match between Indian High Commission and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.He pointed that visas were being issued to Pakistanis for the match.Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani accepted the invitation of his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh to watch the cricket World Cup semi-final match between Pakistan and India in Mohali on March 30.According to official sources, Prime Minister Gilani will informally meet Manmohan Singh during the match and a formal meeting will be held after the match in which bilateral matters will come under discussion.

Read More

india vs pakistan 2011 amir fight shastri

Read More

Sachin will have to wait for 100 international tons: Afridi

Updated at: 2113 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

Karachi, (PTI): Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi predicted that Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will have to wait until after the World Cup to reach the milestone of scoring 100 international centuries.Sachin will have to wait until after the World Cup for his 100th international century because we are not going to allow either him or any other Indian player to play a big innings," Afridi said.Tendulkar has been in prolific form in the World Cup and completed 18,000 runs in One-dayers in the previous game against Australia. He needs just one more hundred to complete 100 international centuries, the first by any batsman.Pakistan will take on India in the second semifinal of the World Cup to be held in Mohali on March 30 and Afridi said he was confident of his side beating India.It is a game of cricket and both teams can lay claim they will win the semi-final but given our current form I am confident we can beat India," Afridi said.Admitting that his team-mates wanted to face India in the semi-finals, the skipper said, "The players wanted this clash and we are looking forward to it. We know the expectations are high but at the end of the day I have told the players that the team, which controls and keeps its nerves in such a high tension match, will prevail.Afridi also felt that the pressure on India would be far more in the semi-final as compared to Pakistan, as they would be playing in front of their home crowd.Normally whenever both teams play there is great pressure because of the high expectations of the people but this time India are playing in front of their home crowd and the pressure will be greater on them," he said.Stating that his players were under no pressure because of the fact that Pakistan had never beaten India in a World Cup match before, Afridi said, "That is history and this team has a habit of changing history. More importantly the winning momentum we have got it allows the players to be better prepared for the big match.The flamboyant all-rounder also made it clear the players were not feeling the pressure of having to go and play in India after a gap of nearly four years"We have a young team and many of our players have not played in India before but it is not a problem for them because they have become used to playing even home matches abroad. I am confident they can handle the pressures of playing in India.Afridi, meanwhile, also appealed to the fans to treat this high-profile clash between the neighbours as just another cricket match.

Read More

Sri Lanka demolish England to storm into semis

Updated at: 2113 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

COLOMBO: Openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga powered Sri Lanka into semi-finals, hitting brilliant hundreds in a comprehensive 10-wicket triumph against hapless England in the last of the World Cup quarter-finals here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.Sri Lanka will now play the first of two semi-finals here on March 29 against New Zealand who knocked out South Africa in Dhaka on Friday while arch-rivals Pakistan and India meet in the second semi-final in Mohali a day later.Dilshan finished with a 115-ball 108 not out, spiced with 10 boundaries and two sixes, while Tharanga notched an unbeaten 102 off 122 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and one six, as the duo easily reached the 230-run target with 10.3 overs to spare.It was the second 200 plus partnership in the tournament as the pair also scored 282 for the first wicket against Zimbabwe in the group stages at Pallekele.Dilshan was the first to reach his hundred, his 10th in one-day cricket and second in this tournament, cutting Swann to the cover boundary for his ninth boundary.Tharanga completed his 11th century, and also his second in this World Cup, with the winning boundary off Chris Tremlett.Earlier, captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and decided to bat first on a slow, flat pitch.but England made a poor start losing both openers for 31 However, Jonathan Trott (86) rescued them with a cautious innings of 86, adding 64 runs for the third wicket with Ravi Bopara (31) and 91 for the fourth with Eoin Morgan (50) as England made 229 for six in their 50 overs.Trott’s 86 was his 11th fifty in one-day internationals and the fifth half-century in the tournament. But he was unable to lift the innings in the final overs as England managed just 23 in the batting power-play.Trott fell in the 49th over, caught off Muralitharan who finished with 2-54, after a 115-ball innings which featured just two boundaries.It will be Sri Lanka's third successive World Cup semi-final, having finished runners-up to Australia in the last edition held in the Caribbean four years ago.

Read More

Updated at: 1945 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

MOHALI: Mohammad Hafeez is confident Pakistan can overcome India when the arch-rivals meet in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday thanks to the "strongest bowling attack in the world Pakistan, the 1992 champions, possess a bowling line-up for pretty much all conditions despite missing the new ball duo of Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, both banned following last year's spot-fixing scandal in England."We believe that we have the strongest bowling attack in the world at the moment," said Hafeez on Saturday.That is the key. Our bowling is our strength and our batsmen are just supporting them in whatever way is required.Umar Gul is arguably the most skilled exponent of reverse-swing at this tournament while Hafeez, who took the new ball alongside him in the 10-wicket quarter-final thrashing of the West Indies, is a more than handy off-spinner.Left-arm pace comes in the shape of Wahab Riaz, with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq providing seam support while Saaed Ajmal's off-spin is a potent weapon.And then there is the leg-spin of Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi who is the tournament's top bowler with 21 wickets at an average of just 10.71 apiece.Meanwhile fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who will retire after the World Cup waits in the wings."At the moment, we definitely rely on our bowling but we know we are capable enough as batsmen to achieve any total, whatever our bowlers give us," added Hafeez.The pitch for India's five-wicket quarter-final win over Australia in Ahmedabad offered plenty of assistance to spinners, an area where the co-hosts clearly had an edge on the beaten champions.But Hafeez said whatever kind of surface was prepared in Mohali would suit Pakistan."We really don't care about the pitch, whatever it will be, we are good enough to perform to the best of our ability."Matches between India and Pakistan are always special affairs.And the context of a World Cup semi-final in the border state of Punjab merely heightens the frenzied atmosphere, particularly as India-Pakistan fixtures have become increasingly rare for political and security reasons.

Read More

Trott steers England to 229 against Sri Lanka

Updated at: 1736 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

COLOMBO: A superb 86 by Jonathon Trott helped England set a target of 230 runs for Sri Lanka in the final World Cup quarter-final here at the R. Premadasa stadium on Saturday.After captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and decided to bat, England made a poor start losing both openers for 31 but Trott rescued them with Ravi Bopara (31) and Eoin Morgan (50) as his team made 229 for six in their 50 overs.Trott’s 86 was his 11th fifty in one-day internationals and the fifth half-century in this tournament. He added 64 runs for the third wicket with Bopara and 91 for the fourth with Morgan to
anchor England to a fighting total on a slow wicket.Sri Lanka went into the match with three frontline spinners -- Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath -- who made it tough for the batsmen to score with their tight line and length.Morgan was dropped three times -- on 16, 33 and 34 – while television replays showed he was also lbw to Lasith Malinga, a decision Sri Lanka did not appeal.Strauss struggled against some accurate bowling by part-time off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan, who bowled the second over of the innings.Ian Bell (25) became the third batsman to be promoted to open the England innings in the tournament and got off to a confident start but chipped one straight to Thilan Samaraweera off Angelo Mathews England kept the same side which beat the West Indies in their last Group B match, still keeping paceman James Anderson on the bench and playing with two off-spinners in Graeme Swann and James Tredwell.Sri Lanka included left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for paceman Nuwan Kulasekara as the only change in the squad which beat New Zealand by 112 runs to give them three frontline spinners.The winners of the match will play against New Zealand at the same venue on Tuesday in the first semi-final.

Read More

South Africa will rise from ashes, says Smith

Updated at: 1705 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

DHAKA: Outgoing one-day captain Graeme Smith, devastated by South Africa's sudden World Cup exit, has predicted the national team will quickly overcome their latest debacle.The Proteas collapsed from a winning position to hand New Zealand a dramatic 49-run victory in Friday's quarter-final at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in the Bangladesh capital.The Black Caps, restricted to 221-8 after taking first strike, bundled out South Africa for 172 after they were sailing merrily at 108-2 by the 24th over.South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup, have now lost in three semi-finals, two quarter-finals and once in the first round.But Smith, who will stand down as one-day skipper but remain the leader in Test cricket, was confident the team will taste success again."This is an exciting period for South African cricket," he said. "We have the players and the talent. Hopefully in future we will go all the way."South Africa deserves to win the World Cup." Friday's defeat lent credence to the widespread belief that South Africa are cricket's biggest chokers, and Smith was at a loss to pinpoint the reason for the failure."It is really hard to describe what happened," said Smith, mystified by a World Cup record which shows South Africa having failed to win any knockout game in the tournament since their 1992 debut."Your guess is as good as mine. It's been happening since 1992. We just weren't good enough, but we have to take it forward and not get bogged down."There will be a new coach and new captain. We are disappointed but nothing I say is going to change that for fans back home."Smith said his team threw away a great opportunity."We had the opportunity to close out the game after we kept them down to 221 and can only blame ourselves," he said. "We let ourselves down, we let our fans down."South Africa had topped the tough Group B with five wins from six matches in the league, but fell just when the pressure of a knock-out situation came along."I can't fault the way we played in the tournament," added Smith. "We trained hard and gave our best."We certainly bowled well in this game, but New Zealand squeezed us when the ball became soft. We needed to show composure at that stage. It is difficult to recover on wickets like this." "One must give credit to New Zealand for the way they played," said Smith. "Ryder set up the 200 which I thought was very gettable. But they stuck to the task in the field."They certainly deserved to win."

Read More

Vettori eyes big finale for little guys

Updated at: 1601 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

DHAKA: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori dismissed suggestions on Saturday that reaching the World Cup semi-finals should be the limit of his team's ambitions."I look at it as an achievement for a country so small that we make so many semi-finals. That's a better way to look at it for a country of four million people," he said. "People may put negative stamps on it but I think it's an achievement for a country like ours."New Zealand came from behind to upset South Africa by 49 runs in Friday's quarter-final at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium, their fourth win over the fancied rivals in six World Cup encounters.Vettori's men, restricted to 221-8 after taking first strike in the day-night match, bundled out South Africa for 172 in an exciting finish.It will be New Zealand's sixth appearance in the semi-finals, where they await the winners of Saturday's match between Sri Lanka and England in Colombo."I think the reputation we have is that we can beat any team on a given day," said Vettori."But consistency has avoided us a lot of the time, so it's our big chance in the semi-finals to go one or two better."Vettori said beating South Africa in a crunch game boosted morale, and praised his side for fighting till the end."Something around 250 would probably have been a really good score, but we knew 221 was defendable and the way we bowled, and particularly the way we fielded, got us through to the victory.""I think when we got de Villiers and Kallis out, we all started to believe we could go all the way, the captain said."Their top four batsmen have proved themselves for a long, long time and have an excellent track record. They also had a long tail. So we had to take wickets."South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have the World Cup, have lost in three semi-finals, two quarter-finals and once in the first round.

Read More

England win toss, elect to bat against Sri Lanka

Updated at: 1339 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

COLOMBO: England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and chose to bat in the last of the World Cup quarter-finals against Sri Lanka here at the R. Premadasa stadium on Saturday.England kept the same side which beat the West Indies in their last Group B match, still keeping paceman James Anderson on the bench and playing with two off-spinners in Graeme Swann and James Tredwell.Sri Lanka included left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for paceman Nuwan Kulasekara as the only change in the squad which beat New Zealand by 112 runs to give them three frontline spinners The R. Premadasa stadium pitch is likely to help batsmen but will take slow turn as the match progresses.The weather could play a major role with rain expected in the evening.Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.England: Andrew Strauss (captain), Eoin Morgan, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Luke Wright, Chris Tremlett.Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI) and Simon Taufel (AUS), TV umpire: Tony Hill (NZ)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)

Read More

Sri Lanka, England quarter-final today

Updated at: 0835 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011

COLOMBO: Soon after the Sri Lanka team returned to the dressing room following a practice session on the eve of their quarterfinal against England, skipper Kumar Sangakkara exited the enclosure.Rather than walking towards the media centre for the customary interaction, he headed straight to the wicket. Sangakkara first tapped the surface to check the firmness and then had a word with the ground-staff. However, he would know that more than the nature of the 22-yard strip, the decisive factor in Saturday’s quarterfinal would be handling pressure.While Sri Lanka would have to live up to the expectations of 20 million nationals 35,000 of who would be vociferously supporting the team from the stands England would have to deal with the challenge of fielding 11 physically and mentally fit cricketers.Sangakkara tactfully avoided questions on home pressure. “That’s the way cricket is played here. World Cup or not, we get a packed house here; it won’t be different tomorrow,” the left-hander said on Friday.Though the hosts were relieved to hear about Muttiah Muralitharan’s recovery from a hamstring strain, they still have a few areas to ponder on, going into the key clash. The lower-middle order, for instance, has proved to be a big headache.Thrice in six league matches, a flurry of wickets have fallen in the death overs. With the top-four coming good on each of the three occasions, it didn’t affect the outcome of any game. But, in the event of the top-four failing to click, the lower-middle order will certainly be exposed.England, on the other hand, are hoping for a less-than-dramatic match for a change. Thanks to the numerous close finishes, they have surprisingly emerged as the most entertaining outfit in the tournament. To add to their injury woes, Michael Yardy’s depression has kept England in the limelight.“We have had a lot of injuries, lot of people coming and going, and I think that tests your resolve as a group. Also, the core of the side has to be able to welcome other people in and make them feel part of the side. That’s something we are good at,” said skipper Andrew Strauss.Whether they are good at pulling off another surprise on Saturday remains to be seen.

Read More

ICC President Sharad Pawar praises Bangladesh for its wonderful hosting

ICC President Sharad Pawar has praised Bangladesh for its hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.Pawar, who was in attendance at the New Zealand-South Africa game on Friday, said: "It has been wonderful to experience the hospitality of the people of Bangladesh.I'd like to thank the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Sports Minister, Ahad Ali Sarker, and the Government of Bangladesh for their support and cooperation in so successfully hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup opening ceremony and all of the matches in Bangladesh."The manner in which the whole country has embraced the World Cup has been a joy to behold. The passion that the people of Bangladesh have for cricket is wonderful."I have also been very impressed with the facilities here in Dhaka. The Sher-e-Bangla Stadium is a world-class venue that all of Bangladesh should be proud of."All eight matches in Bangladesh were well-attended and even those that did not feature the home team were played out in front of big crowds. The people came in and appreciated the good performances and enjoyed the game."Immense credit must go to the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, AHM Mustapha Kamal, his team at the BCB, the Local Organising Committee, the Government of Bangladesh and, of course, the people of this beautiful country."An event of the scale of the ICC Cricket World Cup poses many logistical and operational challenges for host nations and I am pleased to say that the cricket community in Bangladesh has not merely met those challenges but has exceeded them."I am sure cricket in Bangladesh has a positive and prosperous future and we look forward to returning to the country for the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier later this year and the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014."

Read More

New Zealand stun South Africa to reach semis

Updated at: 2101 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

DHAKA: New Zealand in an astonishing effort defeated South Africa by 49 runs with 6.4 overs to spare to move into semi-finals of the World Cup in the third quarter-finals of the World Cup here at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Friday.Chasing a not so difficult target of 222, South Africa were all out for 172 runs in 43.2 overs.It was the fifth defeat in as many World Cup knockout matches for the South Africans since their first appearance at the 1992 tournament.South Africa were cruising to victory at 108 for two with their premier batsman Jacques Kallis well set on 47.But Kallis was magnificently caught on the boundary by Jacob Oram off Tim Southee, JP Duminy was bowled for three and AB de Villiers run out two balls later for 35.New Zealand, who had fielded tenaciously and bowled with spirit, piled on the pressure with medium-pacer Oram bowling snapping up two more quick wickets.Faf du Plessis, who was dropped by Oram on 29, hit the New Zealander for six off the next ball before holing out to Southee for 36. Morne Morkel was the last man to fall for three as South Africa were dismissed for 172 off 43.2 overs.Jesse Ryder anchored the New Zealand innings with 83, his maiden World Cup half-century. But although the Kiwis became the only team in the tournament to bat through their overs against South Africa their eventual total of 221 for eight seemed well short of a challenging total.New Zealand, who have now reached the semi-finals six times, will meet the winners of Saturday's quarter-final between Sri Lanka and England in Colombo next Tuesday.

Read More

Sania, Shoaib in loyalty battle on Indo-Pak 'war'

Updated at: 2002 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

NEW DELHI: A mini-battle of loyalty is simmering between star couple Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik as India gear to take on Pakistan in a high-voltage World Cup semi-final clash next week.Sania, India's top-ranked women's tennis player, will be rooting for her country despite her marriage to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik."I support India and Shoaib will support Pakistan as usual! The war is on," Sania wrote on her Twitter account from Miami where she is taking part in a WTA event.India booked a last-four World Cup berth against their arch-rivals after beating defending champions Australia by five wickets in the quarter-final in Ahmedabad on Thursday.Pakistan made the semi-finals with a 10-wicket mauling on West Indies the day before.Sania, 24, married Shoaib in Hyderabad in April last year amid a lot of hype surrounding the love-struck cross-border sport stars.Sania said she would have love to catch the semi-final action in Mohali next Wednesday but for her professional commitments.The last time they played in Mohali I watched the match live. What a semi-final on the line. Wish I could be there," read another tweet from the tennis star.Shoaib and Sania's sporting marriage is unprecedented in the perennial rivalry between the South Asian nations, and some right-wing Hindu groups in India had denounced the union, accusing Sania of betraying her country.

Read More

Pak team arrives in Delhi for Mohali match

Updated at: 1818 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

NEW DELHI: Pakistan cricket team reached here to play their arch rivals India in the semi-finals of the World Cup 2011.The team left Dhaka this morning for the Indian capital from where it will go to Mohali where the semi-finals will be played on March 30.Captain Shahid Afridi said, while talking with Geo News before the departure at the Dhaka airport, that Indian team is difficult but his players’ morale is high.Pakistan team will stay at Delhi for a few hours then proceed to Mohali.

Read More

World Cup: Proteas restrict Kiwis to 221-8

Updated at: 1714 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

DHAKA: Despite a 114-run third wicket partnership between Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor New Zealand could reach 221 for eight wickets in their 50 overs against South Africa in the third quarter-finals of the World Cup here at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Friday.After captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and elected to bat first but they were reduced to 16-2 by the sixth over. However, Ryder and Taylor rescued them to take the score to 130 by the 33rd over before the Proteas bounced back with three wickets for 26 runs in six overs.Jesse Ryder, who failed to reach 50 in six previous innings in the tournament, finally struck World Cup form with a fluent 83.Kane Williamson hit an unbeaten 38 towards the end to ensure South Africa chased a 200-plus target for a place in the semi-finals.Seamer Morne Morkel finished with 3-46, while fast bowler Dale Steyn and leg-spinner Imran Tahir picked up two wickets each.South Africa's ploy to throw the new ball to a spinner worked again as left-armer Robin Peterson dismissed Brendon McCullum in his second over with a superb diving return catch.It was Peterson's 15th wicket in the tournament behind only Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi (21) and Indian seamer Zaheer Khan (17).Steyn then had Martin Guptill caught at mid-off for one, but Ryder and Taylor settled in to take the attack to the rival camp.South African captain Graeme Smith introduced off-break bowler Johan Botha in the fifth over and Tahir in the 13th, but failed to secure another quick wicket.Ryder brought up New Zealand's 100 in the 28th over with a superb drive through the covers off Steyn for his seventh boundary.Taylor, who smashed an unbeaten 131 off 124 balls against Pakistan, looked set for another big knock before he holed out in the deep off Tahir in the 33rd over.South Africa choked the Black Caps with two more blows as Scott Styris was bowled by Morkel for 16 and Tahir ended Ryder's brave knock by having him caught on the mid-wicket fence.The winners will meet either Sri Lanka or England in the first semi-final in Colombo on March 29.

Read More

World Cup: Pakistan equal Australia in reaching semi-finals for 6 times

Updated at: 1649 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

COLOMBO: Though Australia could not reach the World Cup semi-finals for the seventh time as India shattered their dream of winning the fourth consecutive title in the mega event but Pakistan equaled the record of reaching the semi-finals for the sixth time.Pakistan did so while defeating the West Indies in the first quarter-finals in the tournament.Earlier, the record of playing the World Cup semi-finals for six times was held only by Australia who have now been beaten by India. India have reached the semi-finals for the fifth time stopping England to move into the semis.England have already played the semi-finals for five times while New Zealand have qualified for the semi-final for the fifth time. Both can stand beside Pakistan and Australia if they perform well in the quarters-finals.West Indies had won the World Cup twice but they played the semi-finals only for four times.South Africa and Sri Lanka reached this stage for three times and Kenya also joined the last four teams once in the World Cup.

Read More

Team morale high, we’ll give tough time to India : Afridi

Updated at: 1506 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

DHAKA: Pakistan captain Shahid Khan Afridi said that Pakistan has always given a tough time to India in India and his team would plan a better strategy against the hosts in their semi-finals in the World Cup.He said that the morale of the team is high and each player of his team has a sense of responsibility.Afridi said that he has fulfilled the promise of reaching the semi-finals with their nation’s prays and all his boys are confident enough to tackle India.He said that they would give positive results in the semi-finals, too.The skipper said that the Pakistan team is ready to compete with any team anywhere and he would plan an strategy according to situation.“The boys are professional cricketers,” he said. “Of course everybody likes to have the crowd supporting you but that doesn’t mean that we cannot play in front of fans, who are backing our rival team. There were over 30,000 people supporting Sri Lanka in Colombo but we won that match,” he said referring to Pakistan’s 11-run win over the tournament co-hosts in a Pool A match last month. Afridi is confident that his players were capable of giving their best at any venue.

Read More

Singh invites PM, President to watch semi-final

Updated at: 1830 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday invited Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari to watch semi-final match between Pakistan and India in Mohali, Geo News reported quoting Indian media.According to the Indian TV channel, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will witness the semi-final match to be played at Punjab Cricket Association ground in Mohali."I propose to be at Mohali to watch the World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan to be held on 30th March," Dr Singh said in a letter to President Zardari."There is huge excitement over the match and we are all looking forward to a great game of cricket that will be a victory for sport. It gives me great pleasure to invite you to visit Mohali and join me and the millions of fans from our two countries to watch the match," he said.Dr Singh wrote a similar letter to Mr Gilani, inviting him and his wife to join him at Mohali.

Read More

South Africa elect to bat against New Zealand

Updated at: 1304 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

DHAKA: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has won the toss and elected to bat against South Africa in the third quarter-finals of the World Cup here at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Friday.Teams: New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock, Daryl Tuffey.South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk.Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Rod Tucker (AUS), TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SL)Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SL)

Read More

South Africa bank on spin to outwit Kiwis

Updated at: 0900 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

DHAKA: South Africa captain Graeme Smith says the deliberate shift from pace to spin could help his team beat New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-final on Friday.South Africa, who in the past always used their accomplished battery of fast bowlers to blow away rivals, have played three spinners to take advantage of the slow wickets in the sub-continent.Smith has often handed the new ball to either off-spinner Johan Botha or left-arm spinner Robin Peterson even though South Africa boast a formidable pace attack in Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.The gamble has appeared to work so far with Peterson taking 14 wickets and leg-spinner Imran Tahir, the third slow bowler in the side, has 12 wickets."The thing about our three spinners is they're very different from each other," said Smith. "They've all performed different roles at different times, but worked well together."The versatility of the guys has been great. Imran's definitely been the more attacking option for us. To have him in the line-up adds a bit more to me as a captain."Robbie (Peterson) has been around for a long time but it is only now that people have started to show a lot of confidence in him as a cricketer. Through that faith and confidence, he's starting to believe more in himself."Spinners love being here, especially South African spinners. They don't get as much help back home, so to be able to execute their skills in these conditions is very exciting for them."Smith attributed South Africa's impressive run in the tournament which saw them top Group B with five wins in six matches to contributions from everyone in the squad.It also made picking the right combination difficult, he added."Selection has always been tough and it's getting tougher as guys perform well," he said. "It's an ideal challenge to have players performing well and that you have a good squad of players to pick from."We are not relying on four, five guys to win us the World Cup."In five previous tournaments, the Proteas crashed out three times in the semi-finals, once in the quarter-final and another time in the first round, earning them the unwanted tag of cricket's perennial chokers.South Africa know New Zealand will not be pushovers -- the Kiwis have won three of their five World Cup meetings against them, including a five-wicket success in the Super Eights round of the 2007 edition."New Zealand have always been a very street-wise, street-smart team," said Smith. "They have obviously got some power-batters in the top order, guys who can take the game away from you."From the bowling point of view, they can take the pace off the ball as a lot of their guys can bowl medium-pace or change of pace. And they have got a spinner like (skipper Daniel) Vettori."You can't take any guy in their line-up for granted. We need to play well to beat them."Smith said the presence of former South African pace spearhead Allan Donald as New Zealand's bowling coach was not worrying him."If we stressed over a South African in another team I don't think we'd sleep much," he said. "Allan was a great performer for South Africa and we wish him all the best in his role as New Zealand bowling coach."I'm sure he believes he can add value to their environment, but our environment has changed a lot since Allan was a part of it."

Read More

Defeated Ponting backs India to beat Pakistan

Updated at: 0952 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011
AHMEDABAD: Australia captain Ricky Ponting predicted India would beat Pakistan when the arch-rivals meet in the World Cup semi-finals after seeing the co-hosts end his team's 12-year run as champions.Ponting made his first international century in over a year when Australia batted but it wasn't enough as India, thanks to an unbeaten 57 from Yuvraj Singh, won by five wickets after finishing on 261 for five with 14 balls to spare."If you look at their attacks, they're quite similar," said Ponting, who in Australia's preceding final group match saw Pakistan end the title-holders' 34-match unbeaten streak at the World Cup."Pakistan played the quicks against us, (Abdul) Razzaq and (Umar) Gul and (Wahab) Riaz played that game as well and he's done a pretty good job for them. They used a lot of their spin."How do I compare the bowling attacks? It's pretty hard to say, but I think India will beat Pakistan in the semi-final."Ponting added of the March 30 clash in Mohali: "We all know how fierce a rivalry it is between Pakistan and India so I'm sure that's going to be a very entertaining semi-final."India have a got a great chance now. Their batting is very powerful and they bat quite deep."

Read More

Cricket WC: Muted Ponting praise as Aussies bow out

Updated at: 0635 PST,  Friday, March 25, 2011

Muted Ponting praise as Aussies bow out MELBOURNE: Ricky Ponting has subdued calls for his dumping as captain with a stoic overdue century despite Australia making their earliest exit from a World Cup in almost two decades, newspapers said on Friday. Under-fire Ponting made 104 -- his first international hundred in 13 months -- in Australia's total of 260 for six, but it wasn't enough as India finished on 261 for five to win their quarter-final in Ahmedabad Thursday with 14 balls to spare. Ponting has now presided over the end of Australia's 12-year run as World Cup champions after his third Ashes series defeat to England earlier this year. Although the Australian cricket public still want Ponting, 36, to go as skipper 65 to 35 percent in one newspaper poll of 10,000 fans he looks to have bought himself more time in the job, the press said. "Ricky Ponting's spot in the Australian cricket team is safe for now but his side's glorious World Cup era is over after losing their quarter-final to India," the Daily Telegraph said

Read More

World Cup: India floor Aussies to meet Pakistan in semis

Updated at: 2210 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011

AHMEDABAD: India recorded a sensational five-wicket victory to oust defending champions Australia with14 balls to spare in the second quarter-finals of the tenth World Cup here at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Thursday.Now they will meet Pakistan in the semi-finals to be played on March 30 at Mohali.Chasing a modest total of 261, India completed the victory in 47.4 overs to shatter Australia's dream of an unprecedented fourth straight World Cup title and fifth in all was shattered. Yuvraj Singh, who struck the winning boundary, was the man-of-the-match yet again as he top-scored with an unbeaten 57 besides taking two wickets.The left-handed batsman has so far scored four fifties in the tournament where he is averaging over a hundred.Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir also hit fifties for India.Tendulkar was caught behind off Shaun Tait for a fluent 53, his 94th ODI fifty, during which he became the first batsman to score 18,000 one-day international runs.Gambhir and Virat Kohli batted steadily in a stand of 49 before Kohli (24) slapped a full toss from part-time spinner David Hussey straight to Michael Clarke at short mid-wicket.One ball after surviving a run-out, he set-off for a non-existent single and was well-beaten by Cameron White's throw to David Hussey having made 50, his 24th ODI half-century Batting first after captain Ponting won the toss, defending champions Australia made 260 for six in their 50 overs.Ponting made 104 from 118 balls with seven fours and a six, his 30th ODI hundred and the fifth in World Cups.It was also his first century in 39 international innings since he made 106 against the West Indies in a one-day international in Brisbane last year.He was out late on when, he reverse-swept Ravichandran Ashwin straight to Zaheer Khan at short third man.David Hussey, recalled in place of the dropped Steven Smith, made a useful 38 not out and helped Ponting add 55 for the sixth wicket after Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Cameron White all fell cheaply.Back-up spinners Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh took four wickets between them with left-arm quick Zaheer taking the other two to fall. But lead off-spinner Harbhajan Singh's 10-wicketless overs cost 50 runs. Australia got off to a steady start through openers Shane Watson and Haddin but a change of ends for Ashwin had them roaring again when he bowled Watson for 25.Later, Haddin gave his wicket away by driving Yuvraj to mid-off where Suresh Raina took a low, tumbling catch to leave Australia 110 for two.Haddin was the second top scorer with 53. Together with Ponting, he shared a second-wicket stand of 70 runs.

Read More

Tendulkar crosses 18,000 runs in ODI cricket

Updated at: 2144 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011

AHMEDABAD: India's batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar completed 18,000 runs in one-day international cricket when he reached 45 against Australia in the second quarter-finals of the World Cup 2011 here at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Thursday.This was his 94th ODI half-century as he has already made 48 hundreds in this form of cricket, and both remain world records.The master batsman has also scored 51Test hundreds which takes his overall hundreds to 99, one short of the century of centuries.However, he missed a chance to score his 100th international hundred as he was dismissed for 53, made off 68 balls with seven fours against Australia on Thursday.Tendulkar edged paceman Shaun Tait to wicket-keeper Brad Haddin in the 19th over and had started walking when umpire Ian Gould called him back while he confirmed the legality of the delivery.Once the replays showed that the delivery was legal, Tendulkar walked away, much to the disappointment of the crowd which packed the Sardar Patel stadium for India's do-or-die encounter.Tendulkar, 37, looked in sublime form during his 68-ball innings, hitting seven fours in his 94th one-day half-century.Tendulkar has so far made 18,008 runs at an average of 45.13 in record 451 one-day internationals.His highest score of 200 not out is the only double-century made by any batsman in ODI cricket.

Tweet

Read More

World Cup: Ponting ton helps Aussies reach 260 against India

Updated at: 1748 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011

AHMEDABAD: Skipper Ricky Ponting’s classic century guided Australia to set a target of 261 runs for India in the second quarter-finals of the tenth World Cup here at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Thursday.Batting first after Ponting won the toss, defending champions Australia made 260 for six in their 50 overs.Ponting made 104 from 118 balls with seven fours and a six, his 30th ODI hundred and the fifth in World Cups. It was also his first century in 39 international innings since he made 106 against the West Indies in a one-day international in Brisbane last year.The 36-year-old Tasmanian, who had managed just 102 runs at 20.4 in five previous innings this tournament, had come into the match amidst reports he could be quitting international cricket completely after the World Cup.He was out late on when, he reverse-swept Ravichandran Ashwin straight to Zaheer Khan at short third man.David Hussey, recalled in place of the dropped Steven Smith, made a useful 38 not out and helped Ponting add 55 for the sixth wicket after Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Cameron White all fell cheaply. Back-up spinners Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh took four wickets between them with left-arm quick Zaheer taking the other two to fall. But lead off-spinner Harbhajan Singh's 10-wicketless overs cost 50 runs. Australia got off to a steady start through openers Shane Watson and Haddin but a change of ends for Ashwin had them roaring again when he bowled Watson for 25.Later, Haddin gave his wicket away by driving Yuvraj to mid-off where Suresh Raina took a low, tumbling catch to leave Australia 110 for two Haddin was the second top scorer with 53. Together with Ponting, he shared a second-wicket stand of 70 runs.India made one change from the side that beat the West Indies by 80 runs in their final group match in Chennai, bringing in Virender Sehwag, fit after recovering from an allergic reaction to a painkilling injection in his knee.He replaced dropped all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, with Suresh Raina retaining his place.Australia made one change from the side that lost to Pakistan by four wickets -- a defeat that ended their 34-match unbeaten run at the tournament dating back to 1999.Leg-spinning all-rounder Steven Smith was dropped and his place was taken by David Hussey.

Tweet

Read More

England's Yardy quits World Cup with depression

Updated at: 1654 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011

COLOMBO: England all-rounder Michael Yardy has quit the World Cup suffering from depression just days before the quarter-final against co-hosts Sri Lanka.The 30-year-old Sussex left-hander, who played in three matches at the tournament, said he felt he had no option but to return home."Leaving at this stage of a World Cup campaign was a very difficult decision to make but I felt that it was the only sensible option for me and I wanted to be honest about the reason behind that decision," he said."I would like to wish the squad all the very best ahead of the game on Saturday. "I would appreciate some privacy over the coming weeks while I spend time with family and close friends ahead of what I hope will be a successful season for Sussex."The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said they had applied to the International Cricket Council technical committee to request a replacement for Yardy. "I would like to offer my full support to Michael on behalf of everyone involved with the England team and the ECB," said ECB managing director Hugh Morris."Michael has been an integral part of the England set up in recent years and while he will be missed in the knock out stages of the World Cup, our priority now is to ensure that he returns home to his family and is able to spend time recovering with a strong support network around him."Sussex cricket manager Mark Robinson reacted to Yardy's exit by saying: "Sussex are very proud of Michael Yardy and very supportive of his decision, not only to come home but also to be prepared to go public with the reasons.As captain and one of our leading players, we'll give him all the time and all the support necessary so that he can continue to lead this club forward."Left-arm spinner and lower order batsman Yardy had managed just two wickets at an expensive 79.50 apiece and contributed a mere 19 runs at the World Cup.He was not set to feature in the quarter-final in any event, having been omitted from the team that beat the West Indies by 18 runs to secure England's place in the last eight.Yardy has though played in 28 one-day internationals since making his debut in 2006 and was a member of the England side that won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean last year.England had already lost star batsman Kevin Pietersen and fast bowlers Stuart Broad and Ajmal Shahzad to injury at this tournament.Yardy's condition appeared reminiscent of the problem that forced former England opener Marcus Trescothick to retire from international cricket.

Tweet

Read More

Australia win toss, elect to bat against India

Updated at: 1333 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011
AHMEDABAD: Australia captain Ricky Ponting has won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the second quarter-finals of the tenth World Cup here at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Thursday.India made one change from the side that beat the West Indies by 80 runs in their final group match in Chennai with opener Virender Sehwag fit after recovering from an allergic reaction to a painkilling injection in his knee.
Sehwag replaced dropped all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, with Suresh Raina retaining his place.Australia, bidding for a fourth successive World Cup title and fifth in all, made one change from the side that lost to Pakistan by four wickets -- a defeat that ended their 34-match unbeaten run at the tournament dating back to 1999.Leg-spinning all-rounder Steven Smith was dropped and his place was taken by David Hussey, a batsman and handy occasional off-spinner.India's Sachin Tendulkar came into this match needing just one more century to become the first player to score a hundred international hundreds.The winners of this match will play Pakistan, who thrashed the West Indies by 10 wickets in Dhaka on Wednesday, in a semi-final in Mohali on March 30.Their last World Cup meeting was in the 2003 final when Australia beat India by 125 runs in Johannesburg, with Ponting making a match-winning 140 not out.India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (captain, wk), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel
Australia: Brad Haddin (wk), Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun TaitUmpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Ian Gould (ENG), TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL)

Tweet

Read More

DRS results: Aleem Dar hasn’t had single decision overturned

Updated at: 1129 PST,  Thursday, March 24, 2011
COLOMBO: In all, 162 decisions have been reviewed so far, of which 35 have been upheld (i.e, the original decision has been changed), while 127 have been struck down. Among the umpires, Aleem Dar, Ian Gould and Billy Bowden haven't had a single decision overturned through the DRS. At the other end of the scale are Asoka de Silva and Daryl Harper, with 50% or more of their decisions being overturned. South Africa have used the DRS better than any other side with a success rate of more than 38%. Zimbabwe and Canada, while not matching South Africa for results, have done almost as well in terms of reviews. Ireland impressed everyone with their skills with bat, ball, and in the field, but they'll need to do some work on the DRS - they didn't get a single review correct in 11 attempts, making them the only team with a 0% record. Bangladesh, Netherlands and New Zealand weren't much better.

Tweet

Read More