Report
Baroda hit back after falling for 199
Thirteen wickets fell on a bowler-dominated opening day in Indore as Delhi took the early initiative before letting it slip in the final session.
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
05-Jan-2008
Delhi 49 for 3 trail Baroda 199 (Shah 46, Gaekwad 43, Bhandari 4-52, Narwal 4-56) by 150 runs
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Thirteen wickets fell on a bowler-dominated opening day in Indore as Delhi took the early initiative before letting it slip in the final session. Amit Bhandari, now in his tenth year in domestic cricket, made excellent use of the new ball, and four-wicket hauls by him and Sumit Narwal bundled out Baroda for a measly 199. However, Baroda hit back with three quick wickets, before Mithun Manhas and Aditya Jain guided Delhi to 49 for 3 at close of play.
The pitch didn't hold any terrors - the ball mostly kept low, though a few cocked up from a length - but both teams still struggled for runs, thanks to a combination of steady seam bowling and injudicious strokeplay, which saw batsmen hanging their bats out to deliveries they should have left alone. Connor Williams won the toss and chose to bat, a decision which suited Gautam Gambhir, who said Delhi would have preferred bowling first anyway. His new-ball bowlers showed why.
Full postChattergoon ton puts Guyana on top
A round-up of the first day's play of the first round of matches in the Carib Beer Series
Cricinfo staff
05-Jan-2008
A patient century from Sewnarine Chattergoon ensured Guyana took the first day's honours in the opening Carib Beer Series match against Trinidad and Tobago at Queen's Park Oval. Guyana finished on a healthy 267 for 4 with Chattergoon making 130 as the hosts, Trinidad, received a boost before the start of the game with Brian Lara being declared fit.
After Guyana captain Ramnaresh Sarwan decided to bat, Chattergoon, who has played three ODIs for West Indies, took full advantage of a placid track to help himself to his fourth first-class century, spanning more than five hours and including 16 boundaries. He was involved in a 126-run partnership with Sarwan for the fourth wicket before giving a catch to Lara at second slip off left-arm-spinner Dave Mohammad. Sarwan remained unbeaten on a three-hour 63, while the other significant contribution to the Guyana total came from 20-year-old Leon Johnson, who was dropped twice during his 41.
Barbados 64 for 3 (Pascal 3-28) trail Windward Islands 190 (Sebastian 68, Benn 4-30) by 126 runs
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Smith lifts South Africa to square the series
Graeme Smith made 85 from 79 balls as South Africa eased to a seven-wicket win to level the series
The Bulletin by Andrew Miller
05-Jan-2008
South Africa 321 and 186 for 3 (Smith 85) beat West Indies 243 and 262 (Chanderpaul 70*) by 7 wickets
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South Africa have squared their three-Test series against West Indies, with the decider coming up at Durban next week, following an extraordinary fourth and final day at Cape Town. At tea, a fluctuating match was emphatically in the balance thanks to the efforts of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and a one-legged, one-handed Chris Gayle, but in the final session, Graeme Smith reclaimed the initiative with a blistering assault of his own. He made 85 from 79 balls, as South Africa turned a tricky chase of 185 into a 35-over cakewalk.
The ease of South Africa's run-chase belied the tension they displayed for the rest of the day. West Indies began the morning with a clatter of wickets and finished by shipping their runs at five an over, but for a session and a half either side of lunch, they were the team in the ascendancy. Chanderpaul dropped anchor to bring up his ninth half-century in ten Test innings, allowing the tailenders Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards, and then - spectacularly - the injured captain Gayle to blaze their side out of the mire at 133 for 6, all the way to a respectable total of 262.
Full postHayden hundred propels Australia to 213-run lead
Innings of substance from Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey put Australia in a good position to set a platform for the final day, as they ended with a lead of 213, with six wickets intact
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
05-Jan-2008
Australia 463 and 4 for 284 (Hayden 123, Hussey 87*) lead India 532 by 213 runs
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The last two days have been about razzle-dazzle batsmanship from high-quality practitioners of the art but the fourth day was more about absorbing, trench-warfare cricket as India's spinners repeatedly chipped away at Australia on a wearing pitch. Innings of substance from Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey put Australia in a good position to set a platform for the final day, as they ended with a lead of 213, with six wickets intact.
The first session on the penultimate day was always going to be a crucial one and it was Australia who took first possession of the initiative, with Hayden and Phil Jaques blunting the Indian attack. It was Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble who were the real threats, teasing, flighting, turning and pushing through the ball on a pitch that was encouraging the spinners.
Full postTamim and Siddique keep Bangladesh in the hunt
Inspired by a new-ball burst that checked New Zealand's lower order , Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique bravely chipped away at a 220-run first-innings lead
The Bulletin by Jamie Alter
05-Jan-2008
Bangladesh 137 and 148 for 0 (Tamim 72*, Siddique 69*) trail New Zealand 357 (Oram 117, Bell 107, Mortaza 4-74) by 72 runs
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Junaid Siddique and Tamim Iqbal showed there was plenty of fight in the Bangladesh camp, adding a record 148-run opening stand on a slow track to reduce the deficit to 72 on day two at Dunedin's University Oval. Inspired by a new-ball burst that checked New Zealand's lower order - the first time in seven Tests they bowled a side out - the debutant left-handed openers bravely chipped away at a 220-run first-innings lead and left the hosts with plenty to think about.
New Zealand dominated the first half of the day as Matthew Bell made his comeback Test one to remember, converting his excellent provincial form into a second Test century, and Jacob Oram thumped a brisk fourth century, but they will be kicking themselves for not getting a larger total.
Full postWashout dampens South Africa U-19's prospects
A washed out game at the Sinovich Park in Sinoville, Pretoria dampened South Africa's chances of reaching the final
Cricinfo staff
04-Jan-2008
South Africa U-19 v Bangladesh U-19 Match abandoned without a ball being bowled
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A washed out game at the Sinovich Park in Sinoville, Pretoria meant hosts South Africa Under-19 need to win their final encounter against India Under-19 on Saturday to have a chance of qualifying for the final of the triangular tournament.
After rain affected Thursday's game between India and Bangladesh, it ruined the match between South Africa and Bangladesh, with even the toss not having taken place. South Africa had lost their earlier match against Bangladesh and with only two matches remaining before the final, the hosts must win against India, and hope India beat Bangladesh, which most likely will see South Africa qualify on a better net run-rate.
South Africa, though, face a tough ask, as India have won both their matches thus far in the tournament.
Full postErvine inflicts first Twenty20 loss on Victoria
Tasmania and Western Australia were the winners in the latest round of KFC Twenty20 matches
Cricinfo staff
04-Jan-2008
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Western Australia 5 for 187 (Ervine 56*) beat Victoria 9 for 186 (Hodge 45) by five wickets
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Sean Ervine helped Western Australia become the first team to beat Victoria in a Twenty20 match, pushing them past the Bushrangers' 186 with nine balls to spare. Ervine remained unbeaten on 56 from 34 deliveries after the Warriors' top order made a quick start to the hefty chase. Clinton McKay came in for some harsh treatment, finishing with 0 for 50 from his three overs as Luke Pomersbach belted 39 from 22 balls and Luke Ronchi struck 26 from 11. Shaun Marsh then added a handy 35 as Victoria's second-string attack could not stem the flow. The Bushrangers had looked on target to remain undefeated from all their matches in three seasons of Twenty20 when Brad Hodge's 45 guided them to 9 for 186. But the Perth crowd got its money's worth with 373 runs scored in three hours of play.
Tasmania 5 for 161 (Bailey 54) beat New South Wales 8 for 157 (Haddin 49, Hilfenhaus 3-28) by five wickets
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Battling Prince puts South Africa in control
South Africa gradually turned the screw on the third day at Newlands, building a telling first-innings lead of 78 and then chipping away at West Indies top order in the evening sunshine
The Bulletin by Martin Williamson
04-Jan-2008
West Indies 243 and 96 for 4 (Chanderpaul 8*, Gayle 1*) lead South Africa 321 (Prince 98, Boucher 59, Bravo 4-82) by 18 runs
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They still have the limpet-like Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the crease, but first time round he received scant support from a paper-thin tail and he is not the man to bludgeon the opposition out of the game. Chris Gayle is also there but he is troubled by his ongoing hamstring injury. After them there is little to give cause for hope back in the Caribbean.
It was Ashwell Prince, who robbed himself of a deserved hundred with an ill-advised gamble against Jerome Taylor's rifled throw, that ensured that South Africa gained a first-innings lead at all after they slid to 131 for 5 yesterday. He played the kind of innings that has become the hallmark of Chanderpaul - defending solidly, leaving as often as necessary, playing and missing once in a while, and occasionally unleashing a crisp drive or powerful pull. It was not one of his most attractive knocks few have been more valuable.
Full postTendulkar gives India 69-run lead
The Test match came well and truly alive as a masterly century from Sachin Tendulkar gave India the first-innings lead
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
04-Jan-2008
Australia 463 and 0 for 13 trail India 532 (Tendulkar 154*, Laxman 109, Ganguly 67, Harbhajan 63, Lee 5-119) by 56 runs
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If the second day belonged to the twinkling VVS Laxman, the third was all Sachin Tendulkar's as the brightest star in the Indian batting constellation shone once more at one of his favourite hunting grounds. His unbeaten century played a large part in India taking a lead in the second Test; less than the size of the lead - 69 runs - the fact that they got a lead at all will give them great strength in a series that was threatening to go steadily downhill for the visiting team.
There has been something about Tendulkar's batting in each knock in this series that stood out from the rest and it was hard to put a finger on it till the third day. On a day when India stumbled more than once, Tendulkar showed, through a mixture of tight defence, controlled shot selection and dazzling strokeplay, what has made him a batting tour de force over 17 years. While Sourav Ganguly has been the form batsman, and Laxman the man who inevitably defies the Australians, it is Tendulkar who can hurt them the most. On the day, Tendulkar scarcely put a foot wrong and, in a pleasant departure from the norm, he was more than adequately supported by a tail that showed stomach for the pitched battle.
Full postSeamers and Bell put New Zealand ahead
New Zealand edged ahead of Bangladesh on a day when 14 wickets fell at Dunedin's University Oval, making its debut as a Test venue in the series opener, as the tourists struggled during the opening day of their first Test in six months
The Bulletin by Jamie Alter
03-Jan-2008
New Zealand 156 for 4 (Bell 74*) lead Bangladesh 137 (Tamim 53, Martin 4-64) by 19 runs
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New Zealand edged ahead of Bangladesh on a day when 14 wickets fell at Dunedin's University Oval, making its debut as a Test venue in the series opener, as the tourists struggled during the opening day of their first Test in six months. The bowlers got themselves into Test mode, Chris Martin and Jacob Oram sharing seven wickets as Bangladesh's under-performing tour of New Zealand continued, with only Tamim Iqbal's debut 53 offering a semblance of respect to another poor overseas total of 137.
After the hiding they received in the ODI series the first innings of Bangladesh's 50th Test followed a pattern seen all too often in foreign conditions and even a spirited reply with the ball couldn't mask their frailties in the five-day game. The hosts' reply started off shakily as well and they owed plenty to a cultured half-century from Matthew Bell, on the comeback trail after six years in the wilderness, to leave Bangladesh playing catch-up.
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