Report
TP Singh's all-round show hands Lions win
Chandigarh Lions posted an easy 34-run win on the back of Tejinder Pal Singh's brisk 38 and two wickets in an over which snuffed out Delhi Giants' challenge in Panchkula
Cricinfo staff
15-Mar-2008
Chandigarh Lions 153 for 6 (TP Singh 38, Elliot 35, Benkenstein 2-42) beat Delhi Giants 119 (Bali 31, Tuffey 3-15, TP Singh 2-8)
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Chandigarh Lions posted an easy 34-run win on the back of Tejinder Pal Singh's brisk 38 and two wickets in an over which snuffed out Delhi Giants' challenge in Panchkula.
After opting to bat, the Lions made a competitive 153 with solid contributions from their top order. Lou Vincent and Matthew Elliot gave them a breezy start, scoring 44 before Vincent was bowled by former South African batsman Dale Benkenstein. TP Singh and Elliot then shared another 44-run stand to keep the run-rate up but the Giants hit back with three quick wickets.
Full postSampson and Sthalekar keep series alive
Emma Sampson's five-wicket haul put Australia on track for a tight success that sent the Rose Bowl to a deciding fifth game in Lincoln on Sunday
Cricinfo staff
15-Mar-2008
Australia 211 for 6 (Sthalekar 69, A Blackwell 62) beat New Zealand 205 (Tiffen 41, Sampson 5-30) by 6 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Emma Sampson's five-wicket haul put Australia on track for a tight success that sent the Rose Bowl to a deciding fifth game in Lincoln on Sunday. New Zealand slipped six runs short of Australia's 211 for 6, which was set up by half-centuries to Alex Blackwell and Lisa Sthalekar.
The hosts, who were looking to seal a 3-1 series victory, were in a strong position when they reached 107 for 2, but they lost 5 for 37 to severely disrupt the chase. Haidee Tiffen (41) and Sara McGlashan (39) were the key wickets for Australia following a stand of 84 before Sampson, Ellyse Perry and Sthalekar caused the collapse.
However, New Zealand's position of 144 for 7 did not mean the game was over and Rachel Priest (25) gained support from Helen Watson (12) before Sophie Devine continued the attack. They needed 15 to win from the final over, but when Devine, who skipped to 16 off 10 balls, became Perry's second wicket Australia celebrated. Sampson's 5 for 30 crushed her previous best figures of 2 for 19 while Perry and Sthalekar each claimed two wickets.
Full postBowlers help Trinidad take control
A round-up of the first day's play of the sixth round of matches in the Carib Beer Series
Cricinfo staff
15-Mar-2008
Trinidad and Tobago 224 for 5 (Pollard 85, Ganga 46) lead Combined Campuses and Colleges 97 (Parris 27, Jaggernauth 4-35, Rampaul 3-22) by 127 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Offspinner Amit Jaggernauth and seamer Ravi Rampaul took seven wickets between them to send CCC crashing to 97 before Kieron Pollard scored 85 off 79 balls to help Trinidad take a 127-run first-innings lead in their Carib Beer Series match in Bridgetown.
Trinidad's openers, William Perkins and Lendl Simmons, put on 44 runs for the first wicket, but both were removed by Kevin McClean before tea. Pollard, who came in at No.4, was in an aggressive mood, bringing up his half-century off 48 balls. In the mean time, he added 117 runs for the third wicket with Darren Ganga, who made 47. Jason Bennett, the right-arm seamer, then dismissed both batsmen, before Denesh Ramdin slogged at the third-last ball of the day from Shirley Clarke, the CCC captain, to be bowled for 18.
In the morning session, Rampaul took three wickets in a ten-over opening burst to leave CCC at 29 for 3. The introduction of spin hastened the end of CCC's innings as Jaggernauth, who was included in West Indies' Test squad for the coming series against Sri Lanka, took 4 for 35, including the wicket of their top scorer, Nekoli Parris, who made 27. Dave Mohammed, the left-arm spinner, complemented Jaggernauth by taking two wickets - he had Kurt Wilkinson caught at cover and induced a top-edged sweep from Bennett.
Full postEngland on top with huge lead
England maintained the high ground of the second Test in Wellington, extending their overnight lead over New Zealand from 148 to 421 at stumps on the third day
The Bulletin by Will Luke
14-Mar-2008
England 342 and 277 for 9 (Cook 60, Collingwood 59) lead New Zealand 198 by 421 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
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England maintained the high ground of the second Test in Wellington, extending their lead to 421 at stumps on the third day. As the shadows lengthened, New Zealand's fielding began to show signs of cracking and with two days to do, England can begin to sniff a series-levelling victory.
For all England's solidity, it was a curiously diffident performance from their batsmen. Only Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood reached fifty (and subdued ones at that), and there was a lack of urgency in their strokeplay - all the more surprising given the sublime batting conditions under blue skies with an un-Wellingtonian gentle breeze. Such are the constraints a nervous team places upon itself, especially one already 0-1 down. Nevertheless, they are firmly in the driving seat.
Full postFlintoff rested for Lancashire victory
Andrew Flintoff was made to wait for his competitive comeback from a fourth ankle operation but that didn't bother Lancashire, who opened their Pro Arch Trophy campaign with a comprehensive 78-run victory over UAE in Sharjah
Graham Hardcastle in Sharjah
14-Mar-2008
Lancashire 276 for 7 (Loye 83, Croft 45, Saqib 3-45) beat UAE 198 (Saqib 61, Marshall 3-35) by 78 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Flintoff is almost certain to feature in his county's second game, against Essex at the same venue on Sunday after being left out through nothing more than a selection decision. He could even bowl after coming through a week of nets without any problems.
Mal Loye, who was making his own comeback from a slipped disc in his back, claimed the Man-of-the-Match award with 83 off 103 balls as Lancashire compiled 276 for 7 from their fifty overs.
Full postNew South Wales suffer from Siddle shocks
Brad Haddin came to the rescue to make sure Simon Katich's efforts were not totally wasted on a tense opening day of the Pura Cup final
Peter English
14-Mar-2008
New South Wales 8 for 266 (Katich 86, Haddin 63, Jaques 53, Siddle 4-57) v Victoria
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Brad Haddin came to the rescue to make sure Simon Katich's efforts were not totally wasted on a tense, see-sawing opening day of the Pura Cup final. The momentum shifted on a handful of occasions, mainly thanks to the outstanding Peter Siddle, but on a pitch that should become trickier as the contest continues, New South Wales will not be too upset with their 8 for 266.
Victoria started strongly, fought back either side of tea, when they reduced the home team from 2 for 163 to 5 for 189, and finished with two wickets in three balls. Haddin almost managed to guide the Blues to stumps and had 63 when he was lbw playing back to a jagging off-cutter from Siddle. Stumps were called and Victoria left with their spirit renewed.
Full postIreland leave the UAE on winning note
Ireland's good form in the UAE continued as they beat Essex by six wickets in their final warm-up game before heading to Bangladesh where they will play three ODIs
Cricinfo staff
14-Mar-2008
Ireland 199 for 4 (Strydom 73, Morgan 57*, Phillips 3-25) beat Essex 196 for 8 (Pettini 84, Botha 4-36) by six wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
Ireland's good form in the UAE continued as they beat Essex by six wickets in their final warm-up game at theSheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi before heading to Bangladesh where they will play three ODIs.
Preparations ahead of the game were delayed - due to prayers on the holy day
of the Islamic week in the UAE - that resulted in 10 overs being lost as both sides agreed to a 35 over, 12-a-side fixture, with Ireland leaving out the unwell Phil Eaglestone, the injured Alex Cusack (groin), and Gary Kidd.
Batting first, Essex openers Mark Pettini and Jason Gallian got off to a solid start, adding 53 in 12 overs, before a direct hit from Kevin O'Brien ran out Gallian for 21. Pettini played the anchor role, scoring 84 from 82 balls, including six fours and three sixes. The only other score of note was Tim Philips (24*), as Essex posted 196 for 8 in their 35 overs.
Full postFernando blasts Royal College out of trouble
A superb hundred by Charith Fernando rescued Royal College on the opening day of the 129th Battle of the Blues at the SSC
Cricinfo staff
14-Mar-2008
Royal College 300 for 9 (Fernando 137, Walpita 3-46) v St Thomas' College
Scorecard
Scorecard
A superb hundred by Charith Fernando rescued Royal College on the opening day of the 129th Battle of the Blues at the SSC. Royal College, who had been 67 for 5 in the morning session, closed on 300 for 9.
St Thomas' stuck Royal College in on what appeared to be a good pitch, and the gamble immediately paid off as both openers fell cheaply. Kusal Perera and Banuka Rajapaksa then made sedate progress before three wickets fell for three runs to leave Royal College tottering on 67 for 5.
Kithruwan Vithanaga and Fernando again rebuilt the innings either side of lunch, adding 79 for the sixth wicket only for two more quick wickets to fall to leave them 149 for 7. It was then that Fernando, who has had a patchy season, cut loose, and he found the lower order offered him good support. He eventually fell in the penultimate over for a four-and-a-half hour 137, made off 203 balls with 18 fours.
Full postEast clinch victory despite Dravid ton
East Zone beat South Zone by 23 runs, despite Rahul Dravid's 138-ball 139
Cricinfo staff
14-Mar-2008
East Zone 274 for 5 (Saurabh Tiwary 73, Shukla 72) beat South Zone 252 (Dravid 139) by 23 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Rahul Dravid took South Zone close to their target of 275 with a fluent 138-ball 139, despite suffering cramps, but East Zone regrouped well during the death overs to cut them off when it really mattered. Where East had been so clinical during the latter half of their innings, after struggling initially, South offered little support to Dravid and they fell 23 runs short of victory in Hyderabad.
East's decision to bat didn't go down too well at the start and they were 28 for 2. Sourav Ganguly was tangled up in a poor call and ended up at the same end as his opening partner, Arindam Das, and Anustup Majumdar was excellently held by Robin Uthappa at gully off state mate R Vinay Kumar. Das was run out next for 32.
Full postYasir and Waqar complete big NWFP win
Backed by a mammoth total NWFP completed an innings-and-11-run win over Baluchistan
Cricinfo staff
14-Mar-2008
NWFP 664 for 6 (Hameed 300, Shafiq 181, Yasir 51*) beat Baluchistan 308 (Bin Nasir 149*, Maqsood 60, Waqar 4-47) and 345 (Bin Nasir 133, Maqsood 70, Yasir 5-106, Waqar 4-71) by an innings and 11 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Backed by a mammoth total, thanks to a maiden triple hundred from Yasir Hameed and 181 from Asad Shafiq, NWFP completed an innings-and-11-run win over Baluchistan in Peshawar.
Yasir Shah and Waqar Ahmed shared nine wickets to bowl Baluchistan out for 345, out of which Saeed Bin Nasir scored 133, his second century of the match. Faisal Imran scored 40 and helped add 34 for last wicket , but he became Yasir's fifth wicket for 40 in the second session.
Baluchistan went into the final day still 113 runs behind NWFP, who scored 664 for 6, and lost regular wickets. Yasir took three quickly and Waqar snapped up two, including Bin Nasir, before Yasir sealed a big win. Apart from Bin Nasir's twin hundreds, and two half-centuries from Sohaib Maqsood, there was little Baluchistan could take from this match.
Full post