Report
Parthiv hundred leads ROI fightback
A fifth consecutive hundred from Parthiv Patel, coupled with Manoj Tiwary's unbeaten half-century, pulled things back for Rest of India to leave the Irani Trophy match poised for a tight finish
The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga in Rajkot
07-Oct-2007
Rest of India 292 for 4 (Parthiv 161*, Tiwary 56*) trail Mumbai 453 (Nayar 118, Kukreja 110, Abdulla 56*) by 161 runs
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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A fifth consecutive hundred from Parthiv Patel, coupled with Manoj Tiwary's unbeaten half-century, pulled things back for Rest of India to leave the Irani Trophy match poised for a tight finish, both in terms of the first-innings lead and an overall result. At stumps, ROI trailed Mumbai by 161 runs with six wickets in hand and three days to go.
Things looked different at 64 for 3 and 150 for 4, in response to Mumbai's 453, but Parthiv and Tiwary batted aggressively without taking any undue risks. The flatness of the pitch, the inconsistent bowling, and the odd lapses in the field helped too.
Full postShahzaib Ahmed helps Pakistan rout Australia
Pakistan took a 2-0 in the series after a nine-wicket win as the Australian Under-19 team was shot out for 78
Cricinfo staff
06-Oct-2007
Legspinner Shahzaib Ahmed took five wickets to help shoot out Australia Under-19 for 78 in the second one-dayer in Sheikhupura. Pakistan then cruised to a nine-wicket win as they chased down the target in 11.4 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Captain Sam Robson's decision to bat backfired as the Australians slipped to 16 for 4. Kane Richardson and Jamie Smith helped stage a mini-recovery with a 43-run stand, but another collapse saw the last six wickets fall for 19 runs. Shahzaib was the star for Pakistan with 5 for 21 and was ably supported by the rest of the attack.
The Pakistani opening batsmen, Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood, put on a rapid 76 to take their side to the brink of victory. They were helped in their cause by the indisciplined Australian bowlers who sent down 12 wides and overstepped on three occasions.
The Australians had put on a better show in the first match on Thursday which they lost by seven wickets after setting a target of 199. Left-arm-spinner Imad Wasim was Pakistan's wrecker-in-chief with five wickets while Shehzad and Masood laid the platform for the win with the bat.
Full postKukreja and Nayar lead Mumbai
Contrasting centuries from Sahil Kukreja and Abhishek Nayar set up Mumbai's dominant position at the end of the first day of the Irani Trophy clash in Rajkot
The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga in Rajkot
06-Oct-2007
Stumps, Day 1 Mumbai 385 for 8 (Nayar 118, Kukreja 110, Rahane 52) v Rest of India
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Contrasting centuries from Sahil Kukreja and Abhishek Nayar set up Mumbai's comfortable position at the end of the first day of the Irani Trophy clash in Rajkot. Kukreja's patient century, his third first-class ton and second in succession, was in direct contrast to Nayar's counterattacking blitz and their 172-run stand in 31.2 overs was the highlight of a batsman-dominated day.
Coming on the back of his 110 in the Mohammad Nissar Trophy against Karachi Urban, Kukreja's hundred was filled with compact defense and correct strokeplay. Nayar, on the other hand, walking in at 164 for 4, improvised, and blazed his way to his second first-class century, the previous one coming in the same match against Karachi Urban.
Full postSteyn five-for gives South Africa 160-run victory
Despite Younis Khan's fighting century, Pakistan crashed to a 160-run loss, with the last five wickets falling for 33, to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series
The Bulletin by Faras Ghani in Karachi
05-Oct-2007
South Africa 450 and 264 for 7 dec (Kallis 100*, Prince 45, Rehman
4-105) beat Pakistan 291 and 263 (Younis 126, Steyn 5-56) by 160 runs
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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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South Africa duly converted their domination of Pakistan from the first day of this Test into a resounding 160-run win, a rare feat for them on the subcontinent. Dale Steyn's third five-wicket haul in Tests was enough for South Africa as Pakistan failed to capitalise on a scintillating century by Younis Khan and lost their last five wickets for 33 runs.
South Africa head into the second and final Test at Lahore, beginning on Monday, knowing they cannot now lose this series.
Full postAustralian brilliance overshadows Yuvraj ton
It wasn't a one-sided drubbing like the Kochi game, but the Australians won all the key moments in the contest to sweep to a 47-run win in Hyderabad
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
05-Oct-2007
Australia 290 for 7 (Symonds 89, Hayden 60, Clarke 59) beat India 243 (Yuvraj 121, Lee 3-37) by 47 runs
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It wasn't a one-sided drubbing like the Kochi game, but the Australians won all the key moments in the contest to sweep to a 47-run win in Hyderabad. The visitors now have a 2-0 lead after three games of the seven-match series. Following a coruscating 67-ball 89 by Andrew Symonds which powered them to 290, Australia survived an equally brilliant 121 by Yuvraj Singh and restricted the Indian run-chase to 243.
In a series so far punctuated by verbal skirmishes, this match was surprisingly incident-free, but the cricket was often scintillating. First Symonds provided the sparkle with a stunning assault on the bowlers, scoring 66 from his last 35 balls and combining in a 123-run fourth-wicket stand with Michael Clarke (59) - a record for the wicket for Australia versus India. When India lost three early wickets to slump to 13 for 3 within five overs, it seemed like another pasting was in store, but Yuvraj, who had been in glorious form in the ICC World Twenty20, carried on from where he had left off in South Africa.
With three top batsmen - including Rahul Dravid - already back in the hutch, Yuvraj's start was understandably slow. He added 95 in 20 overs with Sachin Tendulkar. And though Tendulkar was mostly circumspect, he unveiled a couple of glorious drives down the ground before falling against the run of play seven short of his half-century.
Full postResurgent England level series
England again demonstrated their ability to bounce back from adversity with a commendable 65-run win to draw level in the one-day series at Dambulla, England's first one-day victory in Sri Lanka since 1982
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
04-Oct-2007
England 234 for 8 (Shah 82, Collingwood 42, Maharoof 3-30) beat Sri Lanka 169 (Mubarak 44*, Sidebottom 2-23, Swann 2-27) by 65 runs
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The match was a case of role reversal from the opening game; this time it was Sri Lanka's turn to struggle under the lights after England had battled their way out of trouble. The first half of England's innings had been played in quicksand with the batsmen unable to make any advances against another consistent display from the home side's bowlers. But Shah showed his ability to marshall a recovery, adding 70 with Swann as 151 runs came from the second 25 overs. It gave the attack a target to bowl at, with England's quicks enjoying the evening conditions.
Ryan Sidebottom struck with his second ball when Upul Tharanga drove loosely and Alastair Cook snaffled the catch at second slip. The same combination should have accounted for Kumar Sangakkara two balls later, but this time Cook couldn't hold onto a chance which came higher and slightly quicker. Sangakkara continued to live a charmed life when Phil Mustard palmed a top edge off James Anderson.
Full postYounis keeps Pakistan in the hunt
Younis Khan's aggressive unbeaten 93 off 100 balls has set up an intriguing final day's play in Karachi, with Pakistan requiring another 278 runs to win while South Africa need seven more wickets
The Bulletin by Faras Ghani in Karachi
04-Oct-2007
Pakistan 291 and 146 for 3 (Younis 93*, Iqbal 44, Steyn 2-44)
need 278 runs to beat South Africa 450 and 264 for 7 dec (Kallis 100*, Prince 45,
Rehman 4-105)
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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Riding on Jacques Kallis' second century of the match, South Africa set Pakistan a daunting target of 424. South Africa got off to a good start as Mohammad Hafeez dragged an innocuous Dale Steyn delivery back onto his stumps in only the second over of the innings.
But Younis started off in aggressive fashion, driving uppishly past point before leaning into an elegant cover drive. Although Salman Butt got out to a remarkable catch by Hashim Amla at short leg, the flow of runs failed to cease as Makhaya Ntini, who is yet to take a wicket in the match, was driven, flicked and caressed past wide mid-on for more boundaries by Younis.
Full postSouth Africa take firm grip with 235-run lead
Pakistan spinners captured three wickets in 20 balls but Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince added 33 for the fourth wicket to ensure South Africa finished the day in a strong position with an overall lead of 235
The Bulletin by Faras Ghani in Karachi
03-Oct-2007
South Africa 450 and 76 for 3 (Kallis 18*, Prince 11*, Rehman 2-25) lead Pakistan 291 (Malik 73, Akmal 42, Harris 5-73) by 235 runs
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Pakistan seized back some of the momentum in this Test on a riveting third day's play, first saving the follow-on and reducing the innings lead with some spirited batting from Shoaib Malik, the captain, and the tail, and then picking up three quick wickets in the last session. However, South Africa retained in the dominant position, ending the day with an overall lead of 235 and Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince at the crease.
Malik, who formed an 84-run partnership with Salman Butt, batting lower down the order due to a stomach ailment, combined solid defence with controlled aggression. He stuck to a bat-and-pad tactic against Paul Harris, who failed to get much turn and bounce in the morning, and hit the lacklustre Makhaya Ntini for six fours.
Full postButt admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis
Salman Butt, the Pakistan vice-captain and opener, was admitted to hospital early this morning with suspected gastroenteritis
Cricinfo staff
02-Oct-2007
Salman Butt, the Pakistan vice-captain and opener, was admitted to
hospital early this morning with suspected gastroenteritis.
Talat Ali, the Pakistan manager, said Butt experienced severe pain in his
stomach late last night and a decision was taken to take him to hospital
early this morning. "He is still at the hospital. He was on a drip
initially but the doctors suspect gastroenteritis."
No word was forthcoming on whether or not Butt would take the field at any
stage but Yasir Hameed has taken his place in the field. This is Butt's
first Test for Pakistan in over a year and is also his first as
vice-captain.
Full postSouth Africa in control after Pakistan's batting collapse
Reaching 127 after Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal, opening the innings due to Salman Butt's illness put on 71 in only 14 overs, Pakistan still trail by 323 runs on a pitch assisting spinners immensely
The Bulletin by Faras Ghani in Karachi
02-Oct-2007
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Pakistan 127 for 5 (Malik 9*, Rehman 1*, Harris 2-18) trail
South Africa 450 (Kallis 155, de Villiers 77, Rehman 4-105) by 323
runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
A middle-order collapse inspired by Paul Harris gave South Africa the upper hand at the end of the second day of the first Test in Karachi. Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal, who was opening the innings due to Salman Butt's
illness, put on 71 in 14 overs before five wickets fell for 49 runs to leave Pakistan trailing by 323 runs on a pitch assisting spinners immensely.
Pakistan looked set to emulate South Africa with the bat as Akmal and Hafeez, their ninth opening combination in the last 16 Tests, began with some lovely drives on either side of the wicket. Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn built up a good pace and a few anxious moments were witnessed when Akmal played away from his body and edged either past the diving slips or between gully and point.
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