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Ramprakash century overshadows Flintoff
Mark Ramprakash made an unbeaten 102, his 98th first-class century, as Surrey reached 242 for 2 on the opening day against Lancashire
Andrew McGlashan at The Oval
16-Apr-2008
Surrey 242 for 2 (Ramprakash 102*, Butcher 80*) v Lancashire
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For Ramprakash it was as though 2007 had never finished, but he should have been marching off with a duck. The over after Flintoff struck with his 20th ball Ramprakash edged the lively Oliver Newby behind, but Luke Sutton could only palm a regulation chance through the slips. There will have been a feeling of déjà vu in the Lancashire camp; during the match last September they had a chance to remove Ramprakash twice in single figures. History repeated itself when Ramprakash, on 24, pushed the ball towards mid-off and set off for a single before slipping mid-pitch. Flintoff collected, turned but missed his shy at the non-striker's end with Ramprakash stranded.
From then on it felt inevitable that Ramprakash would reach three figures, and the second half of his innings was markedly quicker. He brought up the hundred off 164 balls with a meaty pull through midwicket. It was just one of a string of imperious shots with his driving a stand-out feature. Before this game Ramprakash spoke about a couple of soft dismissals he'd suffered in pre-season and how it warned him to keep working. Faced with the first real serious challenge of the season it was enough to focus the mind.
Full postPakistan coast to victory despite Shakib
Shakib Al Hasan tried his best to lift Bangladesh, but his single-handed efforts - 108 and 1 for 34 - couldn't inspire an otherwise woeful team
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
16-Apr-2008
Pakistan 212 for 3 (Butt 74, Bazid 51) beat Bangladesh 210 (Shakib 108, Sohail 3-30, Gul 3-48) 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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Shakib Al Hasan tried his best to lift Bangladesh, but his single-handed efforts - 108 and 1 for 34 - couldn't inspire an otherwise woeful team as Pakistan equalled their most successful streak in ODIs, winning their tenth in a row to take a 4-0 lead in the five-match series. Shakib's innings lifted Bangladesh from a dire 109 for 8 to a respectable 210, but Pakistan's top order barely broke a bead of sweat in knocking off the runs, achieving the target with seven wickets and 5.3 overs to spare.
Shakib gave Bangladesh a fighting chance, but the game was settled when Butt and Akmal blitzed 97 for the first wicket in less than 17 overs. Both had scored hundreds in the previous game, and the good form showed as both oozed confidence, caressing fours through the off side and flicking wristily to the midwicket and square-leg boundaries whenever the bowlers erred even marginally.
Bangladesh had one opportunity to break the stand before it had reached dangerous proportions, but Mahmudullah made a mess of a chance at extra cover when Butt drove airily at Shahadat Hossain. Butt had made 16 in a total of 25, and he made Bangladesh - and Hossain - pay dearly in his next over, creaming three glorious drives through the off side, two of which found the boundary. Akmal then joined the party, flicking the last ball of that over - which leaked 15 - for four, and then belting Mashrafe Mortaza for two more fours. Fifteen more came off that over, and after nine, Pakistan had sped to 65.
Full postRain curtails West Indies chase
A series of increasingly heavy showers caused the third and final ODI in St Lucia to be abandoned, leaving West Indies 2-0 winners of a series which started with one a thrilling game and ended in a damp squib
Martin Williamson
15-Apr-2008
Sri Lanka 257 for 8 (Udawatte 73, Dilshan 64) v West Indies 81 for 2 - match abandoned
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There had been one shower much earlier in the day, but a brief downpour sent everyone scurrying from the field with West Indies trundling along and only ten balls needed for Duckworth-Lewis calculations to come into play. The mopping up was almost complete when a second squall brought the tarpaulins back, and soon after a third cloudburst was heavy enough to empty the stands and bring an early end to the night.
The shame was the game was bubbling up nicely with West Indies on 81 for 2 chasing 258 for a series whitewash. Sewnarine Chattergoon's breezy 46 had got the innings off to a rattling start but Sri Lanka were nevertheless in the box seat as on a lifeless pitch with variable bounce, their slow bowlers would have been desperately hard to get away, much as Chris Gayle had been earlier in the day. West Indies would have been further hampered by Gayle's absence, a passenger after limping off with a groin strain shortly after finishing his bowling stint.
Full postVignesh stars as India XI clinch title
A superb spell of bowling from Syed Mohammed left ICL World XI with a stiff task during their chase, and despite Damien Martyn's 60, it was India XI that prevailed
Cricinfo staff
15-Apr-2008
India XI 148 for 8 (Vignesh 57, Khaleel 37) beat World XI 138 for 5 (Martyn 60, Vignesh 2-28, Mohammed 1-10) by ten runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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The ICL India XI may have not reached a target they would have expected after a solid start, but a superb spell of bowling (4-1-10-1) from Syed Mohammed left ICL World XI with a stiff task during their chase, and despite Damien Martyn's 60, it was India XI that prevailed to clinch the title.
India XI, looking for their fourth successive win, decided to bat at the toss. The going was slow, with Johan van der Wath bowling a maiden first up and Daryl Tuffey conceding only one in his opening over. However, from then on, G Vignesh and Ibrahim Khaleel picked up steam as they put on an opening stand of 76.
Full postCanada women lose soggy tour opener
Canada women's tour started with a loss to Trinidad & Tobago Development XI at the National Cricket Centre in Couva on Sunday
Eddie Norfolk
15-Apr-2008
Trinidad & Tobago Development XI 62 for 3 beat Canada 85 for 5 by 3 wickets (D/L method)
Canada women's tour started with a loss to Trinidad & Tobago Development XI at the National Cricket Centre in Couva on Sunday but they put up a respectable showing. The Development XI went on to win by 3 wickets under Duckworth/Lewis during a storm-affected game, which started late through rain.
Amid the showers, Canada advanced to 85 for 5. Captain Mona Persaud top-scored with 24 not out, while Joanna White and Monali Patel each scored 14 runs. T&T's Amanda Samaroo, who starred for the T&T Under-17s in Canada last August, took 2 for 11 from six overs.
Eleven overs into the reply, with T&T on 42 without loss, a storm sent the players rushing for the pavilion. When play resumed, T&T needed 20 more runs off 10 overs. Persaud took two wickets, both bowled and although Canada took one more wicket, T&T ended on 63 for 3, the game ending on a wide.
Full postWorld XI thrash Pakistan XI enroute to final
The ICL Pakistan XI were thoroughly outplayed by the ICL World XI, who booked their place in Tuesday's final with a comfortable six-wicket win
Cricinfo staff
14-Apr-2008
World XI 117 for 4 (Harvey 52*, Afridi 4-16) beat Pakistan XI 113 (Elliott 3-17, Hall 3-22) by six wickets
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In a must-win clash for both teams in Hyderabad, the ICL Pakistan XI were thoroughly outplayed by the ICL World XI, who booked their place in Tuesday's final with a comfortable six-wicket win.
A disciplined opening spell from Johan van der Wath and Daryl Tuffey put the Pakistanis on the back foot, and Abdul Razzaq and Inzamam-ul-Haq were dismissed with only 19 runs scored in 4.5 overs.
Full postTitans overcome Lions to enter semis
A round-up of the Pro20 matches that took place on April 13
Ken Borland and Telford Vice
14-Apr-2008
Titans 112 for 8 (Bodi 28, Kruger 4-10) beat Lions 81 (Tahir 3-13) by 31 runs
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The Titans, after posting a mediocre 112 for 8, shot out the Lions for 81 to claim victory in their low-scoring Standard Bank Pro20 encounter in Centurion.The win gives the Titans, who were staring at elimination after three successive defeats, a place in the semi-finals.
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The Titans, after posting a mediocre 112 for 8, shot out the Lions for 81 to claim victory in their low-scoring Standard Bank Pro20 encounter in Centurion.The win gives the Titans, who were staring at elimination after three successive defeats, a place in the semi-finals.
Superb new-ball bowling by Andre Nel (2 for 13) and Ethy Mbhalati (2 for 16) saw the Lions' top order come undone as they crashed to 27 for 4. There could not have been a better time for leg-spinner Imran Tahir to be introduced, on hisPro20 debut, and he quickly ran through the middle order with 3 for 13. The Lions' innings lurched to 51 for 8, before Cliffie Deacon and Friedel de Wet hit out with some meaning in a doomed attempt to save the visitors from their lowest ever total in the competition.
The Lions' dismal batting robbed Garnett Kruger of the glory after he had set things up with his spiteful new-ball bowling. Kruger came hard at the Titans batsmen from the outset, taking three wickets in his first two overs to leave the home side in tatters.
But opener Gulam Bodi, who scored a patient 28, and captain Pierre Joubert, who took responsibility for the tail with his 22 not out, ensured that there was a score to defend. Kruger's inspired bowling saw him take 4 for 10, while left-armer Deacon was a scrooge at the other end, finishing with 1 for 9.
Full postClinical India seal berth in final with 32-run win
It was restrictive bowling at its best as ICL India XI, led by Ali Murtaza's miserly spell of 2 for 22 in four overs, shut Pakistan out of the contest after an aggressive start in their chase of 177
Cricinfo staff
13-Apr-2008
India XI 176 for 6 (Tejinder 52, Khaleel 35) beat Pakistan XI 144 for 6 (Raza 46, Murtaza 2-22, Vignesh 3-22) by 32 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
It was restrictive bowling at its best as ICL India XI, led by Ali Murtaza's miserly spell of 2 for 22 in four overs, shut Pakistan XI out of the contest after an aggressive start in their chase of 177. Pakistan XI pinned their hopes on Imran Farhat and Hasan Raza to guide them through but were unable to cut loose against the slow bowlers and eventually ended on 144 for 6, 32 short of the target. The win sealed India XI's place in the final on Tuesday.
The win was setup by an attacking half-century by Tejinder Pal Singh, whose 52 off 32 balls piloted India XI to 176. Ibrahim Khaleel and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala added 66 for the second wicket before a doube-strike by Arshad Khan set them back at 84 for 3. Tejinder and S Abbas Ali staged a recovery with a blistering stand of 52 in just 4.4 overs. Abbas Ali hit two fours in his 22 before he was run-out by Abdul Razzaq at the bowler's end for backing up too far. Tejinder continued the assault and launched two sixes, including one which towered high over long-on. He fell for 52 off just 32 balls, bowled by Naved-ul-Hasan off the penultimate ball of the innings.
Pakistan XI suffered an early setback after Imran Nazir was forced to retire hurt early owing to a groin injury. Razzaq meanwhile launched the chase into overdrive, smashing seven fours and a six in his 38. G Vignesh, the medium pacer, then struck twice in the space of two overs, sending back the dangerous Razzaq to bring the Indians back into the contest.
Full postSussex lose Lewry for early matches
Jason Lewry, the left-arm quick bowler, will miss at least the opening two week's of Sussex's County Championship defence after picking up a knee and calf injuries during the match against MCC at Lord's
Andrew McGlashan at Lord's
13-Apr-2008
Sussex 171 and 474 for 5 (Wright 155*, Nash 90, Martin-Jenkins 73* ) drew with MCC 205
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Lewry pulled up after a six-over opening spell on the first day and didn't bowl again during the match. He is being sent for an assessment and won't be available for the game against Hampshire on Wednesday and probably Kent the following week at Hove.
"He's going to a specialist tomorrow to make a plan," said Chris Adams. "He missed the pre-season tour [of Abu Dhabi] for personal reasons and that seemed to put him back a few weeks and we said 'we need to know if you are going to be right'. We played him here and it was probably a little early to put him through that."
Full postAkmal and Butt set up 23-run victory
A total of 309, disappointing given that Pakistan had been 151 for 0 in the 23rd over, ultimately proved sufficient as they wrapped up the series with a 23-run win
The Bulletin by Jamie Alter
13-Apr-2008
Pakistan 308 for 8 (Butt 132, Akmal 100) beat Bangladesh 285 for 7 (Shakib 75, Tamim 63, Aftab 42) by 23 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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A total of 309, disappointing given that Pakistan had been 151 for 0 in the 23rd over, ultimately proved sufficient as they wrapped up the series with a 23-run win over Bangladesh. The bulk of the total came from centurions Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, one trailblazing and the other smoothing over some middle-order cracks.
Tamim Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed's sparkling approach to a daunting target and Shakib Al Hasan's 75 with the lower order kept visions of a memorable chase under satisfactory lights at the Gaddafi Stadium flickering but it all proved a bit quixotic as Shahid Afridi snapped up two wickets in the 46th over to end their hopes.
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