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Kumble bowls India to historic win
Anil Kumble turned in another matchwinning performance, taking 6 for 78 as India clinched a historic win at Kingston, beating West Indies by 49 runs to win a series in the West Indies for the first time since 1971
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran
02-Jul-2006
India 200 (Dravid 81, Taylor 5-50) and 171 (Dravid 68, Collymore 5-48) beat West Indies 103 (Harbhajan 5-13) and 219 (Ramdin 62*, Sarwan 51, Kumble 6-78) by 49 runs
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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What appeared to be a leisurely stroll to victory turned into more of a roller-coaster ride, but it all ended well for India, with Anil Kumble's six-wicket haul sealing India's second series victory in the Caribbean, 35 long years after Ajit Wadekar and his men had seen off the challenge posed by Sir Garfield Sobers and friends. For West Indies, Ramnaresh Sarwan led the resistance with 51, and Denesh Ramdin chanced his arm for an unbeaten 62 at the end to send a few jitters down Indian spines, but ultimately, a target of 269 was a few bridges too far once Brian Lara departed for just 11.
It was expected that Kumble would come to the fore on a pitch that was taking turn, but just as valuable was the part played by Sreesanth, who dismissed both openers and then put a full stop to a dangerous 70-run partnership between Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo. Harbhajan Singh couldn't replicate his first-innings heroics, and suffered the anguish of seeing Rahul Dravid drop Ramdin at slip, but every bowler played his part. Munaf Patel had just one entry in the wickets column, but it happened to be the most precious, Lara trapped plumb in front after misjudging the length.
Full postZimbabwe A tighten their grip
Young spinner Timycen Maruma picked up three crucial wickets to ensure Zimbabwe A maintained their grip on the second day of their four-day match against Bangladesh A
Cricinfo staff
01-Jul-2006
Zimbabwe A 353( Mufambisi 67, Hove 64 Haque 5-102) lead Bangladesh A
115 for 7 ( Hossain 27, Maruma 3-33) by 238 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Young spinner Timycen Maruma picked up three crucial wickets to ensure
Zimbabwe A maintained their grip on the second day of their four-day
match against Bangladesh A at Queens Sports Club. Maruma found some
turn on the Queens track to get rid of opener Mehrab Hossain, Alok
Kapali and Mahmud Ullah Riyad as Bangladesh A in reply to the home
team's 353 closed the second day on 115 for the loss of seven wickets.
The visitors still need 89 runs to avoid the follow-on and it is going to
be a difficult task with most of their reliable batsmen back in the
pavilion. Earlier on in the day, the home side added 77 to their
overnight score to take their first innings to 353 as their tail
enders continued to resist. Enamul Haque took all the
remaining three wickets to finish with five wickets.
Full postDravid rallies India again
Either side of fierce winds and a brief tropical shower, it rained wickets at Sabina Park as India took charge of the final Test of the series
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran
01-Jul-2006
India 200 and 128 for 6 (Dravid 62*) lead West Indies 103 (Harbhajan 5-13) by 225 runs
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How they were out
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Either side of fierce winds and a brief tropical shower, it rained wickets at Sabina Park as India took charge of the final Test of the series. Having made just 200 on the opening day, they bowled West Indies out for a paltry 103 soon after lunch, and though Jerome Taylor snaffled up both openers in next to no time, the colossal figure of Rahul Dravid - who passed 9000 Test runs along the way - ensured that India finished the day with a healthy lead of 225 runs.
India had needed the bowlers to produce something special to keep their hopes alive in this decisive Test, and S Sreesanth duly delivered the wickets of Chris Gayle and Brian Lara. Anil Kumble and Munaf Patel also chipped in, before Harbhajan Singh cut a swathe through the lower order. Significant advantage gained, but it was soon in danger of being squandered. However, in a time of strife, there can be no better batsman to turn to than the man who is so much more than the prosaic Wall that he's made out to be.
Full postBrilliant Jayasuriya leads Sri Lanka whitewash
Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga led Sri Lanka to a quite brilliant eight-wicket win in the final one-dayer against England at Headingley to secure the most comprehensive of whitewashes, taking the series 5-0 - with over 12 overs to spare
The Bulletin by Will Luke
01-Jul-2006
Sri Lanka 324 for 2 (Jayasuriya 152, Tharanga 109) beat England 321 for 7 (Trescothick 121) by 8 wickets
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How they were out
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Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga led Sri Lanka to a quite brilliant eight-wicket win in the final one-dayer against England at Headingley to secure the most comprehensive of whitewashes, taking the series 5-0 - with more than 12 overs to spare.
Though they won the series over a week ago, the method and destruction with which Sri Lanka's batsmen chased down 322 was a spectacle of remarkable audacity, self-belief and skill. Jayasuriya, of course, has been doing this for years but even he, the wise old man of Sri Lanka's side, looked over the moon at his 72-ball hundred and celebrated with the same wide-eyed enthusiasm as a young whippersnapper.
Full postTaylor bundles India out for 200
Jerome Taylor evoked Jamaican legends like Michael Holding with a consummate display that fetched him figures of 5 for 50.
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran
30-Jun-2006
India 200 (Dravid 81, Kumble 45, Taylor 5-50) against West Indies
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How they were out
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At a venue that has traditionally been a West Indian citadel, their pace bowlers brought back memories of the long-gone glory years with some menacing, incisive and disciplined bowling that left India in disarray after they had elected to bat first. Jerome Taylor evoked Jamaican legends like Michael Holding with a consummate display that fetched him figures of 5 for 50. Only a magnificent 81 from the redoubtable Rahul Dravid, and a typically gritty 45 from Anil Kumble, spared India more ignominy as they were bowled out for just 200.
Corey Collymore, whose love affair with Sabina Park continues, was the unfailingly accurate tourniquet, while Taylor was the blast from the past, discomfiting every batsmen with searing pace and variations in line and length. In an exceptional burst during the second session, he beat both Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif for pace, and only Dravid's tremendous technique and obduracy prevented abject humiliation.
Full postSri Lanka just keep on partying
This was a celebration for Sri Lanka says Andrew McGlashan
Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford
28-Jun-2006
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This was a celebration for Sri Lanka. It would be easy to say their
flamboyant and expressive cricket stemmed from the fact they had the
series safely in the bag and could let their hair down. But it was just a
continuation of how they have carried all before them during the one-day
matches and made England look very second rate.
The catalyst was again their captain, Mahela Jayawardene, who gave England
another lesson in how to build a one-day innings. When England attempted
to chase, the failings that have blighted the series shone like a beacon
next to Jayawardene's innings. The top four all made between 30 and 45,
only Ian Bell has much defence for being dismissed, and England made 285
without a half-century.
"It's certainly frustrating because we have identified the areas we need
to improve and haven't done that," said a weary looking Andrew Strauss.
"There were no scores over 50 and you aren't going to chase 300
very often if you don't do that. There were plenty of starts but we didn't
build on them."
Full postJayawardene hundred sends England packing
A new-look England it might have been, but the result was just the same as Sri Lanka swept to a 33-run win at Old Trafford
The Bulletin by Will Luke
28-Jun-2006
England 285 (Strauss 45, Bandara 2-43) lost to Sri Lanka 318 for 7 (Jayawardene 100, Maharoof 58*) by 33 runs
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How they were out - Sri Lanka
How they were out - England
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How they were out - Sri Lanka
How they were out - England
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Sri Lanka swept to another comprehensive victory in the fourth one-dayer at Old Trafford, with Mahela Jayawardene providing the backbone in a sparkling 100 to beat England by 33 runs. It wasn't the most polished of performances from Sri Lanka - but with England's bowling so short in confidence, and so generously wide, Sri Lanka were allowed once again to cruise home at a canter.
In spite of batting on one of the quicker Old Trafford pitches, England were never in with a shout of chasing down 319 - although Marcus Trescothick and Alastair Cook did, briefly, feign dominance at the crease with a 77-run opening stand, England's highest first-wicket stand of the series. Mahela Jayawardene spoke of the importance of one of his team making a big hundred in each match, something they have done with ease - Jayawardene in particular. England, on the other hand, have scored none.
Full postYousuf guides nervous Pakistan to win
Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq guided a jittery Pakistan to a five-wicket win as they began their UK tour in Edinburgh
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
27-Jun-2006
Pakistan 205 for 5 (Yousuf 83*, Razzaq 49*, Hoffmann 3-22) beat Scotland 203 for 8 (Watson 80, McCallum 68, Malik 3-35) by five wickets
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The packed Grange ground was treated to a decent day's cricket, starting with impressive bowling from Pakistan, followed by the Watson-McCallum alliance, a fine spell from Paul Hoffmann and the elegance of Yousuf and Razzaq. However, at the end the international skill and calmness of Pakistan proved too much for Scotland.
But at one stage a major upset was on the cards. Hoffman caused the early alarms for Pakistan through an outstanding spell of medium-pace with the new ball. He had Salman Butt caught at slip, Shoaib Malik clubbed to mid-on and also removed Younis Khan. The top order didn't find their timing - they only arrived in the country on Sunday - and the situation was particularly dicey when Inzamam-ul-Haq was caught behind off Dewald Nel.
Full postAnother draw despite calculated gambles
If India had threatened to make a match of it with an imaginative effort on the final day, it was all set up by Lara's declaration.
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
26-Jun-2006
West Indies 581 (Ganga 135, Sarwan 116, Chanderpaul 97, Harbhajan 5-147) and 172 for 6 drew with India 362 (Laxman 100) and 298 for 4
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How they were out
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In yet another tight finish the third Test was drawn, but not before a rollercoaster day tested weak hearts and tickled hyperactive ones. Brian Lara wiped out much of the criticism of his refusal to enforce the follow-on by setting India 392 off 88 overs - the best a captain could have done in the circumstances - and was given more than a few scares as India finished on 298 for 4, 94 short of the target.
Chasing scores of this kind happens only in the rarest of rare situations and yet with India's calculated assault on the target - built with the meticulousness and ingenuity of a mountaineer attempting a high-altitude Himalayan ascent - there was more than one moment when India were in the hunt.
Full postFleming ton powers Notts
A round-up from the latest C&G Trophy matches
Cricinfo staff
25-Jun-2006
North Conference
Stephen Fleming led from the front for Nottinghamshire to take his side through to a nailbiting two-wicket win over Northamptonshire at Trent Bridge, with just two balls to spare. Fleming received good support from Chris Read (61) in his run-a-ball 121, and was there at the end with Greg Smith.
A superbly crafted unbeaten 111 from Chris Taylor and an aggressive 41 from Andre Botha helped Derbyshire beat Durham by five wickets with eight balls to spare at Derby. Durham needed to win to maintain any chance of reaching the final, although Lancashire's win meant they wouldn't have gone through in any chase. But for most of the day the match was within their grasp as Jimmy Maher notched a fine century and the bowlers kept Durham under the cosh. However, Taylor timed the chase to perfection as Derbyshire finished on a high.
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