Report
Flintoff's run struggle continues
Another day, another match. Or was it? Actually, it was the same match and same two teams, Lancashire and Durham, now into their second innings, but with quite a difference
John Ward at Old Trafford
08-May-2008
Durham 114 and 28 for 3 (di Venuto 13*, Davies 4*, Flintoff 3-7) require a further 295 runs to beat Lancashire 143 and 293 (Horton 108, Wiseman 4-87)
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Scorecard
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Another day, another match. Or was it? Actually, it was the same match and
same two teams, Lancashire and Durham, now into their second innings, but with
quite a difference. Was it better batting, poorer bowling or improved batting
conditions? Probably a combination of all three.
It made no difference to Andrew Flintoff, whose struggle for runs continued with a
pair. Much happier was Lancashire's opener Paul Horton, whose admirable
century covered up a rather patchy scorecard for his team, while Durham's hero
was Garry Park, whose intrusion into the home side's middle order ¬- including
his dismissal of Flintoff - made the difference between a challenging target
and an impossible one. Then came what might be called "Fred's Revenge," and
Durham finished the day facing likely defeat.
Full postCharged-up Kolkata win tight battle
There was no 158 from Brendon McCullum, but the Bangalore Royal Challengers' away visit to the Kolkata provided a cracker of a contest, with the Knight Riders completing a five-run win
The Bulletin by Mathew Varghese
08-May-2008
Kolkata Knight Riders 129 for 7 (Steyn 3-27) beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 124 for 4 (Boucher 50, White 30) by five runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Desperately seeking points after a string of losses the Kolkata Knight Riders and Bangalore Royal Challengers, two of the IPL's struggling but high-profile teams, produced a fascinating, if low-scoring, contest that was decided in Kolkata's favour off the penultimate ball. Their second encounter lacked the batting heroics
of the first but there was plenty of brilliance in the field and with ball in a rain-shortened match that ended way past midnight.
The day began with Kolkata celebrating the birthday of its greatest son, Rabindranath Tagore, and ended with a crowd of thousands, braving a typical seasonal thundershower, delighting in the exploits of its current favourite as Sourav Ganguly led with the ball to revive his side's hopes in the tournament.
Full postJaveria six-for gives Pakistan their first win
Round-up of the fifth day of matches at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka
Cricinfo staff
08-May-2008
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Pakistan won their first match of the Asia Cup on a bowler-dominated day in Dambulla, successfully defending a low total with offspinner Javeria Khan taking six wickets to dismiss Bangladesh for 72 runs.
Bangladesh's bowlers gave their side a good chance of beating Pakistan for the second time in the tournament after restricting them to 110. Sana Javed was promoted up the order to open along with Bismah Maroof but they added four runs before Javed was caught behind off Panna Ghosh in the first over. She came back to remove Maroof and captain Urooj Mumtaz in her third and fourth overs and reduced Pakistan to 20 for 3. Things didn't improve for Pakistan and they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Asmavia Iqbal was their top scorer with 28 and no other batsman scored more than 20. Tithy Sarkar, Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with eight wickets, picked up 3 for 29.
Full postMartin impresses but Wright fights back
Most of England's second string didn't do much to enhance their reputations on the first day against the New Zealanders at The Rose Bowl, with the notable exception of Luke Wright who made a fine rearguard 120 to lift the Lions to 280
Andrew McGlashan at The Rose Bowl
08-May-2008
England Lions 280 (Wright 120, Martin 3-58) v New Zealanders
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Scorecard
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Most of England's second string didn't do much to enhance their reputations on the first day against the New Zealanders at The Rose Bowl, with the notable exception of Luke Wright, who made a fine rearguard 120 to lift the Lions to 280. However, with a view to the first Test, the visitors had a profitable day as Chris Martin, Jacob Oram and Tim Southee claimed three wickets each.
Almost as much attention was on Old Trafford where Andrew Flintoff made another duck before getting among the wickets but Wright, who yesterday said he'd had interest from the IPL, did his best to ensure another allrounder made the headlines. There was an unusual pattern to the day as the Lions crawled through the opening session at less than two-an-over before losing five wickets between lunch and tea. Wright shored up the lower order with his second hundred of the season, following the 155 he made against MCC at Lord's, and reached three figures off 119 balls with an arrogant slog-sweep-pull off Southee.
Full postChennai sneak a last-ball thriller
Chennai Super Kings pulled off a dramatic last-ball win, sneaking past Delhi Daredevils by four wickets
The Bulletin by Jamie Alter
08-May-2008
Chennai Super Kings 188 for 6 (Fleming 44, Vidyut 40) beat Delhi Daredevils 187 for 5 (Gambhir 80, Dhawan 59) by four wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Partisan fans at the Feroz Shah Kotla were treated to a cracker of a match as the Chennai Super Kings pulled off a dramatic last-ball win, sneaking past Delhi Daredevils' total of 187 for 5 by four wickets. Chennai's chase veered from the authoritative to the bumbling but they kept their nerves and put an end to their three-game losing streak, thanks largely to some fearless hitting right through the order.
Chennai recovered somewhat to restrict the hosts to under 200 after Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan added a record third-wicket partnership of 121 and that, in hindsight, proved critical before a thrilling chase helped them get back to their winning ways.
Full postPietersen builds on Tomlinson's efforts
A round-up from the first day in the latest County Championship matches
Cricinfo staff
07-May-2008
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First Division
Hampshire took complete control against bottom-side Somerset at Taunton after bowling them out for 126 and then racing to 194 for 3 by the close. Somerset were put in on a damp pitch and the move proved inspired as James Tomlinson took 6 for 12 in 4.2 overs to leave them at 23 for 6. Craig Kieswetter (32) and Ben Phillips (39) helped the home side scramble into three figures before Tomlinson returned to help polish off the tail, finishing with a career-best 8 for 46. Hampshire looked as if they would also struggle as both openers fell cheaply, but thereafter Kevin Pietersen and John Crawley dominated with a third-wicket stand of 190. Pietersen was at his imperious best, bringing up his fifty off 58 balls and his hundred off 158; he was caught behind after reaching three figures, but Crawley remained unbeaten on 78.
Championship leaders Nottinghamshire hit back after being bowled out for 202 by Kent at Trent Bridge, Ryan Sidebottom grabbing three wickets in 19 balls to reduce the visitors to 33 for 4 in reply at the close. Nottinghamshire did not bat well against a ball that seamed considerably, losing all ten wickets to catches, with Darren Stevens (3 for 42) and Martin Saggers (3 for 54) reaping the rewards. Adam Voges (43) and Samit Patel (39) dug deep in an attritional afternoon session, but the tail offered little and the last five wickets fell for 59. But Sidebottom gave a timely reminder to Geoff Miller, the chief selector, who was watching from the stands, with his late burst.
Full postFlawed techniques to the fore
John Ward reports on the first day of Lancashire v Durham at Old Trafford where 20 wickets fell
John Ward at Old Trafford
07-May-2008
Lancashire 143 (Davies 7-33) lead Durham 114 (Flintoff 4-21, Anderson 4-31) by 29 runs
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Scorecard
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Although Lancashire finished on top, leading Durham by 29 runs, the Man of the Match to date was Durham seamer Mark Davies, who started the entire batting nightmare by ripping through the home side's middle order to return his best career figures of 7 for 33. True, he benefited from some incompetence at the other end, but that should not detract from a masterly performance. His personal pleasure soon evaporated, though, in the face of even more woeful batting from his own team.
In sunny weather and on a good-looking shaven pitch, such carnage was hardly to
be expected. Lancashire batted on winning the toss and progressed without
undue difficulty to 33, with Paul Horton making most of the
running. Then both openers fell on that score, both to catches in the slips as
they flashed unwisely at the ball. Steve Harmison dismissed Horton, but the
best bowler, coming on first change, was Davies, who kept an accurate line
and length just on or outside the off stump, and reaped a rich harvest.
Full postMumbai bowlers shock Rajasthan
A slew of medium-pacers mixed bouncers, slower balls and cutters to restrict Rajasthan to a paltry 103 on a two-paced pitch at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
07-May-2008
Mumbai Indians 104 for 3 beat Rajasthan Royals 103 by seven wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Mumbai's medium-pacers bowled a clever mix of bouncers, slower balls and cutters to restrict Rajasthan to a 103, the lowest first-innings total of the IPL, on a two-paced pitch at the DY Patil Stadium before some sensible batting sealed a hat-trick of triumphs for the home team. In what was their second successive upset victory, after taming Delhi on Sunday, Mumbai prevailed over the table leaders yet again.
The pitch wasn't conducive to stroke-play: balls stopped, kept low and batsmen didn't find their timing easily. The experienced trio of Shaun Pollock, Ashish Nehra and Dwayne Bravo were canny with their variations but it was impressive to see the unheralded duo of Dhaval Kulkarni and Rohan Raje break the back of Rajasthan's line-up.
Full postDeccan outplay insipid Chennai
Chennai's top order failed again and their total of 144 was easily overhauled by Deccan, inspired by a blazing 54 by stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist
The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran
06-May-2008
Deccan Chargers 148 for 3 (Gilchrist 54, Styris 36*) beat Chennai Super Kings 144 for 7 (Raina 32, RP Singh 2-12) by seven wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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The Chennai Super Kings have plenty to ponder after losing to the Deccan Chargers by seven wickets, their third successive defeat. Their top order failed again and their total of 144 was easily overhauled by Deccan, inspired by a blazing 54 by stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist. Besides struggling to come to terms with the loss of their big-hitting overseas batsmen, Chennai's bowling, which has taken only seven wickets in the last three matches, is also a cause for concern.
Deccan's bowlers exploited the helpful conditions early on to slice through the Chennai top order. Just as in the previous two matches, the batsmen floundered against the moving ball in the first over. Parthiv Patel troubles with the bat continued as he survived a close lbw call first ball, was dropped by the bowler P Vijaykumar off the fourth, before RP Singh took a fine running catch to dismiss him sixth ball. S Anirudh, son of former India batsman Kris Srikkanth, fell soon after, miscueing a pull off RP.
Full postIndia and Sri Lanka continue winning ways
Round-up of the fourth day of matches at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka
Cricinfo staff
06-May-2008
India 161 for 5 (Jain 33*, Dhar 31, Goswami 23*) beat Bangladesh 160 (Khatun 90, Roy 2-18) by five wickets
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Karu Jain and Jhulan Goswami, India's stand-in captain, stitched together a 53-run fifth-wicket stand to help their side overcome Bangladesh in Dambulla and record a fourth-successive win in the Women's Asia Cup.
Chasing 161, India collapsed to 58 for 3, with Anagha Deshpande, Asha Rawat and Thirush Kamini falling on 18. Deshpande was bowled by Panna Ghosh while the other two were run-out. Priyanka Roy and Rumeli Dhar briefly steadied the innings by adding 30, before Roy became the third run-out victim. Dhar, however, could not build on her 39-ball 31 when she was caught by Ghosh off Shathira Jhatir. Jain and Goswami then stood firm to take India to safety, with Jain being the main aggressor, striking five boundaries.
Full post