Report
Dutch take control as Kenya struggle
Netherlands ended the second day of their Intercontinental Cup tie against Kenya at Nairobi Gymkhana in a commanding position after scoring 474 and reducing the home side to 135 for 5 at stumps
Cricinfo staff
30-Mar-2006
Kenya 135 for 5 (Tikolo 50*) trail Netherlands 474 (ten Doeschate 158, van Troost 86, Schiferli 69) by 339 runs
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Kenya had fought back well on the first evening, but they failed to make any inroads after showers had delayed the start today. Their only success of the morning came when Jeroen Smits was bowled by the impressive Thomas Odoyo for 8, but runs flowed as Luuk van Troost was cutting loose at the other end.
He found a valuable partner in Edgar Schiferli, the pair adding a competition-record 95 for the ninth wicket. Schiferli was far from daunted by a wilting attack, dominating the partnership with a 95-ball 69, while van Trrost, who was dropped by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma immediately after lunch, began to open up in the afternoon as clouds gathered, eventually holing-out to Odoyo at long-on off Collins Obuya.
Full postDefiant Malik scripts a draw
Shoaib Malik's immense but painstakingly composed maiden Test hundred steered Pakistan to an unlikely but spirited draw on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka
The Bulletin by Osman Samiuddin
30-Mar-2006
Pakistan 176 and 337 for 4 (Malik 148*, Iqbal 60) drew with Sri Lanka 185 and 448 for 5 dec
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Shoaib Malik's immense but painstakingly composed maiden Test hundred steered Pakistan to an unlikely but spirited draw on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka. Malik was given invaluable support by Faisal Iqbal in a 115-run partnership, with whom he defied Sri Lanka for much of the morning and afternoon. The draw thus ended Sri Lankan hopes of a first Test victory against Pakistan at home for 20 years, confirmed Pakistan's recently acquired resolve and displayed Malik's versatility.
Malik's was truly a marathon effort, spanning over eight hours. Until the fun-filled dash at the end, his innings was one-paced throughout and his concentrated restraint nothing short of remarkable. Where he once hit South Africa's bowlers for five sixes in two overs of a one-day international, he didn't hit his first one here till his 354th delivery (and then did it again two balls later.)
Full postten Doeschate gives Dutch flying start
Netherlands took a firm grip on the first day of their Intercontinental Cup match against Kenya at Nairobi Gymkhana. At the close they had scored 326 for 7
Cricinfo staff
29-Mar-2006
Netherlands 326 for 7 (ten Doeschate 158) v Kenya
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Netherlands, who won the toss, suffered an early loss when Rajesh Bhudia bowled Tom de Grooth offering no stroke, but ten Doeschate immediately signaled his intent by cracking three fours off Thomas Odoyo.
Odoyo got his revenge when Bas Zuiderent was caught by Rahul Bhudia off a skied hook, but that brought in Tim de Leede, who had made a good hundred against Kenya A on Sunday, and he attacked from the off. A savage pull early in his innings was dropped by Hitesh Modi, who immediately left the field with a broken finger which is likely to rule him out of the remainder of the game.
Full postWellington to meet Central Districts in finals
A round-up of the State Championship matches that took place on March 29
Cricinfo staff
29-Mar-2006
Neal Parlane's undefeated 109 helped Wellington qualify for the finals of the State Championship as their match against Canterbury at Basin Reserve ended in a draw. A 136-run stand between Parlane and Grant Elliot (54) which helped Wellington reach 335 for 6, three ahead of Canterbury's first innings score of 332, ensured that Wellington bagged first-innings points. With rain denying any chances of a result, Wellington did the least they could to qualify for the finals, based on their points tally, and also to secure a home advantage, when they take on the other finalists, Central Districts, at the Prime Finance Basin Reserve on April 3.
Jacob Oram starred for Central Districts with a career-best bowling performance to guide his side to the finals of the State Championship, as their match against Northern Districts ended in a rain-affected draw. Oram routed the opposition for 173 with figures of 6 for 45. Central Districts then scored 175 for 5 in their first innings and bagged points for their lead, ensuring a place in the finals against Wellington. Nick Horsely was the top scorer for Northern Districts with 76 while the rest struggled to cross double figures. Central Districts got off to a shaky start but Jarrod Englefield and Timothy Weston both scored half-centuries to help overtake Northern Districts.
Opposing captains in the State Championship match between Auckland and Otago did everything to force a result. Finally it went Auckland's way, who made a sporting declaration in the first innings, which was vindicated as they cantered to a four-wicket win. Kerry Walmsley ran through Otago, finishing with a six-wicket haul to leave them reeling at 70 for 9 in their second innings. Set a target of 240, Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill saw Auckland home, with useful contributions from the other batsmen. Both sides failed to qualify for the finals, based on their points at the end of the round-robin league matches.
Full postMurali strikes after Sangakkara special
Sri Lanka, thrust by an immense 185 from Kumar Sangakkara and a twirling late afternoon special from Muttiah Muralitharan, edged closer to a memorable victory against Pakistan at the SSC in Colombo
The Bulletin by Osman Samiuddin
29-Mar-2006
Close Pakistan 176 and 89 for 2 (Malik 30*, Iqbal 9*, Muralitharan 2-20) trail Sri Lanka 185 and 448 for 5 dec (Sangakkara 185, Jayawardene 82, Samaraweera 64) by 368 runs
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Sri Lanka, thrust by an immense 185 from Kumar Sangakkara and a twirling late afternoon special from Muttiah Muralitharan, edged closer to a memorable victory against Pakistan at the SSC in Colombo. Sangakkara's ninth Test hundred, third against Pakistan and second in successive Tests against them, had earlier helped Sri Lanka set Pakistan a target of 458. Having tiptoed to 59 without loss, Pakistan lost two quick wickets to Muralitharan to end the day a little forlorn at 89 for 2.
The enormity of Pakistan's task - both in terms of time and runs - was mostly the result of Sangakkara's hundred, one which contained enough struggle, changes in tempo and pure strokeplay to warrant consideration for epic status. Certainly, it encompassed a vast enough span of play - 109 overs - for it to be considered and relative to yesterday, his touch was gold from the very start.
Full postRain rules as NZ take series 2-0
Rain snuffed out the last chance of breathing life into a wheezing Test as New Zealand clinched the series 2-0
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
28-Mar-2006
West Indies 256 for 4 (Morton 70*, Bravo 22*) v New Zealand
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When Ian Howell and Mark Benson, the two men in the hot seat for the best past of this Test, called off play on the final day as the standing umpires, there was little surprise or disappointment. In the first four days, marred so badly by rain that less than 80 overs of play were possible, West Indies had reached 256 for 4. New Zealand had not yet contemplated finishing off the Windies, forget about responding.
Brian Lara, one of those batsmen who rarely let a series go by without performing, ensured that he did what he could in the little time he was afforded at the McLean Park in Napier. He had failed spectacularly in the series, leading up to this game, threatening to be a Shane Bond personal hat-trick, but played himself in solidly and did his reputation no harm as he got compactly behind everything New Zealand sent down.
Full postSri Lanka ease into position of strength
Solid contributions from Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene enabled Sri Lanka to end the third day on 242 for 2, a lead of 251
The Bulletin by Osman Samiuddin
28-Mar-2006
Sri Lanka185 for 9 and 242 for 2 (Sangakkara 77*, Jayawardene 69*) lead Pakistan 176 (Farhat 69, Maharoof 4-52) by 251 runs
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Solid contributions from the Sri Lankan top order ensured that the home side ended day three of a hitherto tight Test firmly in control. Contrasting fifties from Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene enabled Sri Lanka to end on 242 for 2, a lead of 251, and a guarantee that the smart work of the bowlers in the morning - they took six wickets for 52 runs as Pakistan collapsed to 176 - was not wasted.
Tharanga had built a solid base in the afternoon with a vital, stodgy 72. He had begun brightly, with some punchy pushes through cover, to tide him till lunch. He mellowed down later, having lost Sanath Jayasuriya, as Pakistan did well to rein in Sri Lanka in the afternoon session. Until his dismissal, upping the tempo soon after tea, he had nudged the game away from the visitors; after it Jayawardene and Sangakkara, with an undefeated 115-run partnership, hurried it further away as Pakistan tired.
Full postHarbhajan spins India to victory
Kabir Ali returned the fine figures of 4 for 45, including two in two balls to wrap up the tail, as India were bundled out for 203 inside 47 overs
The Bulletin by Andrew Miller
28-Mar-2006
India 203 (Harbhajan 37, Kabir Ali 4-45) beat England 164 (Pietersen 46, Harbhajan 5-31) by 39 runs
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Harbhajan Singh bounced back from his disappointing Test series with an allround performance to savour, as England were sent tumbling to a 39-run defeat in the first one-day international at Delhi.
Having managed just eight wickets in 148.4 overs in the Tests, Harbhajan at last showed a glimpse of his true colours with the second five-wicket haul of his one-day career, as India successfully defended a meagre total of 203. And that was not all - had it not been for his hard-hitting 37 in the latter stages of a disappointing batting performance, that total would have been considerably less defendable.
Full postRain ruins fourth day
The fourth day's play was abandoned even before the umpires could entertain any serious thoughts of it getting under way
The Bulletin by Cricinfo staff
27-Mar-2006
West Indies 256 for 4 (Morton 70*, Bravo 22*) v New Zealand
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On the badly rain-hit first two days 78.1 overs were possible. Brian Lara sparkled with 83 while Runako Morton was 30 short of a maiden Test century on 70. Whether the rain that has soaked the whole of the Hawke's Bay region will stay away long enough for a window of play on the final day remains to be seen. The outlook, though, is not great.
Full postMisery in the gloom
The second day verdict by Charlie Austin
The Verdict by Charlie Austin
27-Mar-2006
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The skies were dark and the atmosphere moist. The pitch had been covered for over 36 hours and when the umpires walked out at 10am, 30 minutes early to catch up on lost time, it was a fast bowler's paradise. Pakistan, although handicapped by the sudden departure of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan back home for personal reasons, capitalised wonderfully.
Mohammad Asif was the star of the show, a major handful for all the batsmen as he swung and seamed the ball around dangerously. Umar Gul had more nip but Asif was always probing in the right areas. All four of his dismissals came from top class deliveries, not just in their own right but in the context of the entire spell.
Against Kumar Sangakkara, Asif had been pushing the ball towards the slips, drawing him into furtive dabs outside his off-stump. He knew he should not be following the ball. But just when he thought he discovered one to leave alone, it moved in wickedly and brushed over his off bail.
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