All posts by csb10.top

Bosman's condition not encouraging, says Arthur

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Loots Bosman being carried off the field after hurting his back while attempting to catch Tatenda Taibu in the second ODI at Harare © Getty Images

South African opener Loots Bosman will know on Monday whether he will be fit to play the Twenty20 World Championship which begins in South Africa on September 11.Bosman suffered an injury when trying to catch Tatenda Taibu off Dale Steyn at the boundary during the second ODI against Zimbabwe on August 25. He failed in his attempt, and instead crashed into the advertising boards, hurting his back in the process. He was carried off the field in a lot of pain and didn’t bat later in the afternoon. He was reported to have a prolapsed disc in his spine.”The latest verbal assessment we have of his [Bosman’s] condition is not encouraging,” South Africa coach Mickey Arthur told . “We are still waiting for a written report, but we will not make a final decision before Monday. There’s no sense in going into a two-week tournament with an injured player.”No one has been called up as cover as yet but Arthur had said that Bosman would have to be replaced if he wasn’t fit enough to play the first warm-up match on September 8.

Brijesh Tomar to lead Madhya Pradesh

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Brijesh Tomar, the right-hand middle-order batsman, has been named captain of a 15-member Madhya Pradesh squad for Ranji Trophy Plate League during the 2007-08 season.Tomar’s elevation to captaincy was necessitated by former captain Abbas Ali’s decision to join the Indian Cricket League; a move which made him ineligible to play in matches conducted by the Indian board.The squad includes Devendra Bundela and Naman Ojha, the wicket-keeper batsman, both former India A players. Ojha, 24, was in the India A team that toured Kenya in 2004.Madhya Pradesh’s bowling attack will be led by Anand Rajan, the promising 20-year-old medium-fast bowler, who also played for India Under-19 as well as the Australia Centre of Excellence in this year’s Cricket Australia Emerging Players Tournament. Rajan has taken 37 wickets in nine first-class matches at 27.75, including a five-wicket haul on his debut in 2005.Madhya Pradesh begin their upcoming domestic campaign by taking on Jharkhand in a Ranji game from November 3.Madhya Pradesh squad
Brijesh Tomar (capt), Naman Ojha (wk), Mudassir Ojha, Devendra Bundela, Rahul Bakshi, Zafar Ali, Murtaza Ali, Sanjay Pandey, Shantanu Pitre, Anand Rajan, Ashutosh Jadhav, Asif Ali, Jatin Saxena, Jalaj Saxena, Sunil Dholpure
Coach: Amitabh Vijayvergiya

Crusaders sign off with win

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Middlesex Crusaders secured a six wicket victory over Glamorgan Dragons at Cardiff in the last round of National League matches.With three needed of the final ball young Irishman Joyce took an ambitious swing, and bottom edged the ball to the third man boundary.A nail biting finish never seemed on the cards after seamer Aaron Laraman had taken a career best 6-42 to restrict the Glamorgan Dragons to an under par 191-9. The Welshmen relied heavily on in form Michael Powell and his better than a run a ball contribution of 86 with 8 fours and a six off Ramprakash.Middlesex Crusaders seemed to be cruising, with Langer remaining undefeated on 75, but when Ramprakash top edged a hook, and Laraman was bowled the innings faltered, and the Londoners were grateful for Joyce’s fortuitous last ball heave.It was a sad ending for Maynard who was also dismissed for 0 in his last game as Glamorgan’s captain.

Harsh initiations, and Gilchrist keeps walking

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Manoj Tiwary had a harsh initiation to international cricket © Getty Images
 

Flash performer keeps on walking
Adam Gilchrist’s farewell has become a blinding experience. So many people were desperate to capture his last game in Brisbane that the light created by the camera flashes was more like an Olympic athletics event than an ODI. His 14 ended when he walked after a leg-side edge that the umpire Steve Davis didn’t look like giving. The crowd stood to applaud his career and his honesty.Sing for Harbhajan
The banner “Go Bananas Roy” went up as soon as Harbhajan Singh walked out and the crowd bellowed “boo” to welcome and send him off. Between the greetings Harbhajan carved out a neat little cameo of 27. Having survived a tough Gilchrist miss, Harbhajan retaliated with a force that had some of the same crowd clapping. He cut hard, charged at the bowlers, drove and slapped at anything short. In the penultimate over he picked 12 off Nathan Bracken with the best shot being a cover drive on his knees. The crowd chanting continued when he fielded and he encouraged the spectators to make more noise by cupping his hand to his ear.Debutant jitters
Ashley Noffke’s initiation was as difficult as the one Brett Lee saved for Manoj Tiwary. Gautam Gambhir was the target when Noffke sprinted in for the ninth over, releasing a short and wide ball which was pushed through point for four. The second effort was glided to third man for two, the next offering was cut firmly to a fielder and a similar shot greeted the fourth, except it was lofted and raced to the boundary. A single was taken before Noffke got a roar from the slips when the sixth delivery was a dot. Having given up 11 off his first over and 27 from four, he did well to bring it back to 1 for 46 off nine.Back, back … bowled
Tiwary’s entry was more frightening as Lee welcomed him with a series of short balls, including a couple which narrowly missed his helmet. The back-foot diet was continued until Lee surprised the batsman with a superb slower, fuller delivery. Expecting another short one, Tiwary was unable to convince himself to move forward and his feet barely moved before the stumps were upset. The way Lee worked him over was a repeat of Wasim Jaffer’s dismissal in the first innings at the SCG.Hit and run
There’s always a first time, but Sachin Tendulkar wouldn’t have imagined he could get out hit wicket. Lee bowled one into his ribs and Tendulkar, who had already braced himself for the short one, took a step back, tapped the ball to the onside and dashed for a single. However, his right heel brushed the base of the stumps.Slips in slips
Michael Hussey, standing at second, wanted to clasp the catch, but instead he ended up spilling the low-down offering when Gambhir nicked an outswinger from Mitchell Johnson. Two balls later Gambhir played closer to his body and managed another edge, but this one was travelling high towards Ricky Ponting at first slip. He got his hands on it without controlling it above his head and the ball bounced behind him. It was a much harder effort, but not as difficult as the diving one Gilchrist almost reached off Harbhajan.Caught short
While Australia’s catching wasn’t so impressive, Ponting made sure the fielding was memorable with a fine direct hit from midwicket that cut short Irfan Pathan’s innings. After Michael Clarke’s brilliant pick-up-and-throw in the Twenty20, Ponting showed he could match his young team-mate from a similar distance.Listen to this
He had a false start on resumption after another rain break. He turned back and pitched it just short of a length and it climbed quite high to a surprised James Hopes who was caught unawares. But it was a no ball and to rub it in, Mahendra Singh Dhoni gave away four byes. Ishant Sharma’s tail was up. Hopes had no clue to the next three deliveries as Sharma beat him equally with pace and bounce. The following ball pitched on a good length and jagged back in fiercely to flatten the off stump, ending Hopes’ agony. Sharma celebrated his first wicket by cupping his hands around his ears to hear if the crowd had to say anything.

Schiferli keeps game level

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Scorecard

Amjad Ali pulls during his gritty half-century but UAE could only manage a lead of two © ICC
 

Edgar Schiferli claimed a career-best 5 for 48 on the second day in Sharjah but UAE dented Netherlands’ hopes of qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup final by taking a narrow two-run lead.To stay in the race for a spot in the final, Netherlands really needed to collect the maximum 20 points from this match, but after conceding a lead, only 14 points are now available. However, following the efforts of Schiferli victory is still within reach. The home side looked well placed for a handy advantage on 256 for 5 until Schiferli ran through the tail as the last five wickets fell for 33 runs.UAE had been given a solid base as they replied to Netherlands’ 287 with a opening stand of 69 between two Ali’s – Amjad and Arshad – with Amjad reaching a hardworking 55 from 190 balls. The middle order scored more freely as captain Saqib Ali hit 58 off 73 balls while Khurram Khan and Rashid Khan produced useful innings.Mohammad Kashif and Daan van Bunge claimed two important wickets apiece, but it was Schiferli who produced the most dramatic intervention towards the end of the day. He made short work of the last four wickets, which fell for eight runs, and when he bowled Fahad Alhashmi it completed his first five-wicket haul.Netherlands, who currently lie fourth in the table, will now need to produce a solid batting effort to leave UAE a final-day target.

Gambhir drives home Delhi's advantage

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Stumps
Scorecard

Pradeep Sangwan’s early burst rocked Mumbai’s top order … © Cricinfo Ltd.

Gautam Gambhir called on his first-class experience, and current international form, to ensure Delhi didn’t throw away a great start to their clash with Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium. After dismissing Mumbai for just 166 inside two sessions, making superb use of a lost toss, Delhi suffered some stumbling blocks of their own before Gambhir buckled down for an unbeaten 81 to take them to within seven runs of a first-innings lead with six wickets in hand.Amol Muzumdar’s decision to bat on what looked a friendly surface backfired as Pradeep Sangwan and Ishant Sharma, Delhi’s enthusiastic new-ball operators, wasted little time in rattling the top order. Sangwan, the first left-arm seamer Mumbai have faced this season, showed no signs of nerves in his third match and forced Sahil Kukreja to chop his fourth delivery onto the stumps.Not wanting to waste what little assistance the pitch provided in the morning, Sangwan extracted maximum bounce in addition to his movement. Even Rohit Sharma, whom Mumbai looked to for class in the absence of Wasim Jaffer, was unsettled. Sangwan’s intelligent bowling came to the fore when he bowled two short balls in a row to Sharma, who played back both times, before bowling an immaculate inswinger, his stock ball. This surprised Sharma, weight transferred back again as he failed to get forward in time, and he was trapped plumb in front.At the other end Ishant hit the stumps with the first ball of his third over, breaking through the yawning defence of Ajinkya Rahane, the other opener. Unlike Sangwan, Ishant was finding it hard to control the ball but his pace compensated. Muzumdar and Prashant Naik had the responsibility of holding the innings together but Muzumdar slashed at one outside off from Rajat Bhatia that was plucked spectacularly by Virat Kohli inches off the ground. Even after the umpires ratified the decision, Muzumdar couldn’t believe what had happened.Offspinner Narender Singh, making his debut, confidently tossed the ball up and slipped in some fast off-breaks. Ajit Agarkar hit him for two boundaries off his first two balls but, going for a third one, slapped a cut straight to point. Naik opted to slog it out but soon became Singh’s second victim, caught at long-on. His 40 from 99 balls was the day’s highest score till Gambhir bailed Delhi out of a hole.The visitors wrapped up the innings in the 45th over, Ishant getting his third wicket, and their openers began positively. Gambhir, who along with Sehwag returned to his state side after India’s ODI series victory against Pakistan, adapted smoothly to the four-day format. He took three fours off Agarkar’s opening over and bruised the bowler’s ego further with a cut past square in his next.Mumbai’s woes increased when Aakash Chopra was reprieved on three as Naik, at second slip, failed to hold on to a simple chance off the impressive Avishkar Salvi. But after the openers had put on 42, Salvi trapped Chopra leg before with one that pitched on off and held its line and Chopra was slow to react to.In walked Sehwag who hit his fifth ball, from Salvi, over midwicket for four and, though mistimed, signalled Delhi’s intentions. A six over long-on and then a tap to fine leg for two, as Sehwag smartly moved inside the line, took Delhi to 60 for 1 at tea.

… before Gautam Gambhir’s watchful innings maintained Delhi’s slight advantage © Cricinfo Ltd.

The break seemed to have rejuvenated the Mumbai dressing room and, shortly after the resumption Nayar induced Sehwag, on 16, into a nick to Vinayak Samant behind the stumps. Nayar’s jubilant shrieks reverberated round the empty Wankhede but it was Gambhir who gave them the most trouble.Gambhir was unflinching in his task and played with a clarity of mind in an innings that might prove decisive. A single off Ramesh Powar brought up his half-century and Gambhir looked on as Kohli, a centurion in Delhi’s season opener against Rajasthan, went for an expansive drive off Nayar and was let off by a juggling Rahane at backward point. Gambhir came down heavily on debutant Bhavesh Patel, a young legspinner, immediately dispatching a pull past square leg and then stepping out and converting a tossed up delivery into a full toss, flicking past midwicket.Kohli pulled a long-hop from Powar short over square leg for his first six and looked good for more but was dubiously adjudged caught behind by umpire GA Pratap when he poked at one from Salvi that swerved away after passing his bat outside off stump. He added 51 with Gambhir. Delhi slipped further as Mithun Manhas, fresh from a second season hundred – against Saurashtra last week – reluctantly responded to a call from Gambhir and fell short of his crease to Agarkar’s direct hit.Gambhir stayed on till stumps and with his first century of the season in sight, has done plenty to take the game further away from Mumbai, who were left ruing the waste of the toss.

Atapattu released from central contract

by csb10.top Uncategorized

The future is not bright for Marvan Atapattu © AFP

Marvan Atapattu, the former Sri Lanka captain, has been released from his central contract with Sri Lanka cricket (SLC), as per his earlier request.”We decided at this evening’s committee meeting to release Marvan Atapattu from his contract from October 1,” Kangadaran Mathivanan, board secretary told .Though not official, the decision is likely to mean the end of the road for Atapattu as an international cricketer. Atapattu made his debut in 1990 and was one of the more elegant opening batsmen in contemporary cricket, scoring 5,330 runs in 88 Tests and 8,529 runs in ODIs.Earlier, Atapattu had asked to be released from his contract, without citing any specific reason. “We received a letter on Friday addressed to Duleep Mendis requesting release from his contract,” Mathivanan told Cricinfo.Atapattu’s current contract was supposed to run until March 2008 and he was one of only six players with ‘A’ graded contracts. He is currently playing for the Lashings XI in England.The development caps an uncertain period for Atapattu, during which he was overlooked by the Sri Lankan selectors for the World Cup in the West Indies and the subsequent tour to Abu Dhabi for the one-day series with Pakistan.Atapattu then announced his unavailability for the home series against Bangladesh citing personal reasons. The speculation is that Atapattu’s decision has come about because his name has been linked with the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

NZC to fill up vacancies caused by ICL departures

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Tim Southee, the 19-year-old bowling sensation, may be in line to win a central contract with New Zealand Cricket © Getty Images
 

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is expected to fill up two spots in its list of centrally contracted players – which fell vacant after Lou Vincent and Shane Bond joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League – before June.Justin Vaughan, the NZC chief executive, said Bond’s contract had been offered to another player while no replacement had been found for Vincent yet.”Shane’s contract has been offered to a player but I haven’t heard whether that player has accepted it yet,” Vaughan told . “[About] Lou’s contract, we are working through the process for that at the moment but a decision is probably about a week away.”Iain O’Brien, the right-arm fast-medium bowler, is likely to be named in place of Bond, the newspaper suggested, while Tim Southee – who took 17 wickets and was the Player of the Tournament at the recent Under-19 World Cup – and opening batsman Matthew Bell have been marked as the candidates to replace Vincent.Meanwhile, Richard Hadlee, currently New Zealand’s convenor of selectors, will be involved in handing out the 20 central contracts and in selecting the squad for the tour of England – which begins late next month – despite his announcement last week that he would step down as a selector.John Wright, the former India coach and currently high performance manager of NZC, is tipped to take over the role from Hadlee, who has served as a selector for eight years. However, Hadlee is likely to be replaced only later this year.

Spinners set up ten-wicket Jamaican victory

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Carlo Morris cutting to the boundary during his pugnacious maiden half-century for Barbados against Guyana© The Nation
 

Scorecard
A comfortable ten-wicket win over the Combined Campuses & Colleges put Jamaica on top ofthe standings in the Carib Beer Series. Chasing just 26 to win, after they dismissed the CCC for 213 in theirsecond innings, Jamaica eased home after tea on the third day at Kensington Park. Jamaica’s spin-bowling trio of Nikita Miller, Odean Brown, and captain Tamar Lambert shared the ten CCC second-wickets to fall, Miller the most successful with 4 for 65 from 31.4 overs. Legspinner Brown, who took ten wickets in the opening match against Leeward Islands, took 3 for 40 and Lambert, bowling offspin, 3 for 59. CCC’s overnight pair of Simone Jackson and Nikoli Parris batted solidly till just before lunch, when Miller had Jackson caught behind for 49 playing defensively forward to leave the home team on 120 for two at lunch. Jackson and Morris added 91 for the second wicket and the innings crashed after the interval, as CCC, as they lost their last eight wickets for 76 runs.
Scorecard
Title-holders Barbados put themselves in a great position to whip Guyana, first totalling 531 – their highest total of in six seasons – and then reducing the opposition to 85 for 3 in their second innings when fading light ended play seven early on the third day of their second round match at Kensington Oval. Resuming on 256 for 3 Ryan Hinds perished in the second over of the day, for 108, but wicketkeeper Carlo Morris’ maiden first-class half-century, on his 28th birthday, and some positive, attacking batting from Sulieman Benn and Alcindo Holder lifted Barbados. Morris slammed a run-a-ball 70, Holder and Benn also helped themselves to scores of 58 apiece and Shamarh Brooks, set to captain West Indies Under-19 in this year’s ICC Youth World Cup in Malaysia next month, made 39. Holder and Brooks added 86 for the fifth wicket, in contrasting styles, before Morris and Benn put on 91 for the seventh. Kemar Roach, the fast bowler, had Guyana in early trouble wen he nipped out openers Travis Dowlin and Royston Crandon in his first two overs. Leon Johnson, the former West Indies yout captain, and fellow left-hander Narsingh Deonarine consolidated with a stand of 75 before Deonarine fell to Benn’s left-arm spin. Johnson, unbeaten on 21 from 101 balls, and Ramnaresh Sarwan have plenty to do on day four.
Scorecard
Leeward Islands swung themselves back into the game with the crucial wicket of Andre Fletcher and left themselves four wickets away from victory at Queen’s Park. Set 289 to win, Windward Islands collapsed to 186 for 6 at stumps on day three. Fletcher played some aggressive shots in his 57 but his dismissal, in the final hour of play, triggered a slide that saw the home team drop from 164 for 3 to 167 for six. Earlier, disciplined bowling from captain Deighton Butler and offspinner Liam Sebastien revived the Windwards’ fortunes as the visitors’ last five wickets tumbled for a mere 42 runs. Leewards resumed on 179 for 5 but Butler’s 4 for 50 and Sebastien’s 3 for 62 cut them to 221. Omari Banks, the captain, made 57, the highest score of the innings.

Ireland coach Grealey quits

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Miriam Grealey has stepped down as coach of Ireland women due to family commitments, Cricket Ireland has announced. She had held the position for two and a half years, as well as coaching the development side for six years.Grealey has been heavily involved in cricket for decades, including an 18-year international career for Ireland.She said of her decision, “I’ve really enjoyed my time with the Ireland senior team, but it has just become too time consuming with my family responsibilities. I will still be involved with coaching at grass-roots level, and will assist Cricket Ireland in any way I can. I wish my successor all the very best in the role.”Cricket Ireland chairman David Williams said: “Miriam’s service to the game in Ireland has been without equal and I thank her on behalf of all in Cricket Ireland. Her dedication, loyalty, and professionalism has been instrumental in the success of the women’s game in recent years. She will be sorely missed.”Her replacement is expected to be sorted out in the next few months, a board spokesperson told Cricinfo: “The issue of the women’s coach will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cricket Committee and I expect an announcement to be made about the way forward before the end of this month.”