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Dilshan guides Bloomfield to victory
Tillakaratne Dilshan's unbeaten 107 to guide Bloomfield to a four-wicket win over Nondescripts in the final of the Premier Limited Over Tournament
Cricinfo staff
24-Dec-2005
Bloomfield 225 for 6 (Dilshan 107*, Dissanayake 46) beat Nondescripts 221 (Pushpakumara 47, Wijesiriwardene 4-25) by four wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
Tillakaratne Dilshan celebrated his selection for Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand with a sparkling unbeaten 107 to guide Bloomfield to a four-wicket win over Nondescripts in the final of the Premier Limited Over Tournament at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Bloomfield had been in trouble on 16 for 3 - the recalled Sanath Jayasuriya making only 5 - before Dilshan and Shanuka Dissanayake (46) consolidated with a fourth-wicket stand of 108. Dilshan struck ten fours in a perfectly-paced innings to secure the win with five balls remaining.
Nondescripts, who were put in, struggled to build on a good start, losing their last eight wickets for 107 runs, including their last four for one run as Omesh Wijesiriwardene polished off the tail with 4 for 25.
Full postCape Cobras crash out of the tournament
8th round wrap of the Standard Bank Cup
Cricinfo staff
24-Dec-2005
Titans regained the top spot in the Standard Bank Cup after a win in a high
scoring match against Warriors on a good batting strip at St
George's Park, Port Elizabeth.
Batting first the Warriors started off cautiously but at the fall of the first wicket Robin Peterson came to the crease and raced away to 90 off 82 balls. The third wicket also produced a partnership of 97 as Peterson and Arno Jacobs took control. Jacobs and Tyron Henderson then put on 42 in the final five overs for the Warriors to finish on 246 for 3.
The Titans fired on all cylinders as the top four all scored half-centuries. Alviro Peterson and Goolam Bodi scored 51 each, Martin van Jaarsveld, the Man of the Match, scored 62 and Johan Myburgh finished on 56 not out as they passed the target with an over to spare.
It was hard work for the bowlers, but that is how it should be for a limited overs match and credit must go to the ground staff for the preparation of a spectator pleasing pitch.
Full postPlucky rearguard efforts edge Queensland home
A breezy 77 off 66 balls by James Hopes set up Queensland before a rearguard effort steered them to a thrilling win over Western Australia in the ING Cup match at Brisbane
Cricinfo staff
22-Dec-2005
Queensland 8 for 231 (Hopes 77) beat Western Australia 226 (Martyn 77, North 58, Bandy 54) by 2 wickets
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Scorecard
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A breezy 77 off 66 balls by James Hopes set up Queensland before a rearguard effort steered them to a thrilling win over Western Australia in the ING Cup match at Brisbane. Hopes, the opener, charged Queensland to a comfortable 1 for 105 in a knock containing 13 fours before being part of a collapse engineered by double strikes from Brett Dorey and Peter Worthington. Four wickets fell for eight runs to leave the Bulls tottering at 5 for 113.
Chris Hartley combined first with the debutant Steve Paulsen (32) and then added an unbroken 34-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nathan Hauritz (12 not out) for a stunning come-from-behind victory in a thrilling last-over finish. Hartley's plucky unbeaten 36 came off 44 balls and included two fours and two sixes.
Damien Martyn's 77 lifted Western Australia to a competitive total after the 97-run stand for the second wicket between David Bandy and Marcus North. Martyn, who returned to the side after recovering from a finger injury, steered WA out of a middle-order slump as five wickets, including three for Hauritz, fell for 38 runs.
Full postBad weather curtails drawn encounter
Weather again had the biggest say in the match between Auckland and Northern Districts at Eden Park's outer oval
Cricinfo staff
22-Dec-2005
Weather again had the biggest say in the match between Auckland and Northern Districts at Eden Park's outer oval. Only 173 overs were possible over the four days, Northern winning on first innings after Auckland lost its last wicket this morning at 194, 60 runs behind. Batting second, Northern got through to 41 for 2 before the weather had the final say. Unfortunately, James Marshall (18) did nothing to advance his cause for selection in the New Zealand team to face Sri Lanka when he fell cheaply again.
The following matches finished on the third day
Canterbury completed the formality of knocking off the paltry 89 runs set by Otago at Carisbrook. They did so with just the loss of two wickets, Peter Fulton (31*) and Craig McMillan (30*) were the not-out batsmen. Otago's innings ended early on the third morning, with Hamish Bennett finishing with 4 for 43. It was a difficult match for batting, with no total above 200 and only Brendon McCullum, with 80, looked assured at the crease.
Central Districts beat Wellington by 54 runs at the Basin Reserve but that wasn't the big news from the day. It was confirmed that Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, had broken his finger. The injury might keep him out of the new-year series against Sri Lanka. Attempting to chase the target of 329 for victory, Wellington slumped to 103 for 6 with only Michael Parlane (54) of the top order getting any traction at the crease. Jesse Ryder was run out for 0 while Fleming managed just 7 before being trapped in front. Chris Nevin (90) and Jeetan Patel (50) offered spirited, but ultimately futile, resistance. Ewen Thompson took 4 for 52. Central picked up their first points of the championship, while Wellington still lead on 16 points.
Full postEagles soar back to the top
The yo-yo effect at the top of the Standard Bank table continued as the Eagles soared back into the lead after a four-wicket win over the Dolphins at Durban
Cricinfo staff
22-Dec-2005
Eagles 183 for 6 beat Dolphins 182 for 5 (Ahmed Amla 71*) by 4 wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
T
he yo-yo effect at the top of the Standard Bank table continued as the Eagles soared back into the lead after a four-wicket win over the Dolphins at Durban.
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Having won the toss and batted first the Dolphins made heavy weather of
a difficult pitch, getting only 182 in their allotted 45 overs. At 88 for 5 in the 26th over things did not
look too bright for them but Ahmed Amla, scoring 71 not out, and
Duncan Brown, scoring an unbeaten 41, put together a 94-run unbroken sixth-wicket partnership, of which 40 runs came off the final five overs, allowing the Dolphins to reach a reasonable score. As it turned out, it proved to be 15 to 20 runs short in the end.
The Eagles also struggled at the top of their innings, losing five
wickets in the first 20 overs with only 62 on the board. Ryan McLaren
and Ryan Bailey, both scoring 40, then put on 86 runs for the sixth
wicket as the Eagles clawed their way back into the match, allowing
Johan van der Wath the freedom to hit 23 runs off 24 balls to take the
Eagles to victory with five balls to spare.
Full postIndia spin to emphatic series win
Virender Sehwag decided to ask his spinners to open the bowling on the fifth morning of the Ahmedabad Test, and it paid off
The Bulletin by Amit Varma
22-Dec-2005
India 398 and 316 for 9 dec beat Sri Lanka 206 and
249 (Kumble 5-89) by 259 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Virender Sehwag decided to ask his spinners to open the bowling on the fifth morning of the Ahmedabad Test, and it paid off. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh were the dominant figures of this Test match, scheming and plotting, spinning and bouncing, wicket-taking furiously. And they
didn't take long to finish it off, allowing Sri Lanka to add only 14 runs to their overnight score before they were all out for 249, losing this Test by 259 runs.
Kumble struck in the second over of the day when Farveez Maharoof stretched out on the front foot and played for turn that wasn't there, as the ball hurried on through and rapped him on the pads (235 for 7). Jehan Mubarak fell in the next over, edging a ball from Harbhajan that
pitched outside leg stump and spun across him (235 for 8).
Malinga Bandara showed some spirit, executing what can best be described as a two-hand forehand down the ground for four off a short ball from Harbhajan, but it was the last flicker of a dying flame. Muttiah Muralitharan missed a slog sweep and was bowled by Harbhajan
for 3 (245 for 9). And shortly afterwards, Bandara edged a ball from Kumble to gully, where Sehwag took an excellent diving catch. Kumble, in the second innings of his 100th Test, had 5 for 89.
Full postCanterbury complete formalities against Otago
Canterbury completed the formality of knocking off the paltry 89 runs set by Otago at Carisbrook
Cricinfo staff
21-Dec-2005
Canterbury completed the formality of knocking off the paltry 89 runs set by Otago at Carisbrook. They did so with just the loss of two wickets, Peter Fulton (31*) and Craig McMillan (30*) were the not-out batsmen. Otago's innings ended early on the third morning, with Hamish Bennett finishing with 4 for 43. It was a difficult match for batting, with no total above 200 and only Brendon McCullum, with 80, looked assured at the crease.
Central Districts beat Wellington by 54 runs at the Basin Reserve but that wasn't the big news from the day. It was confirmed that Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, had broken his finger. The injury might keep him out of the new-year series against Sri Lanka. Attempting to chase the target of 329 for victory, Wellington slumped to 103 for 6 with only Michael Parlane (54) of the top order getting any traction at the crease. Jesse Ryder was run out for 0 while Fleming managed just 7 before being trapped in front. Chris Nevin (90) and Jeetan Patel (50) offered spirited, but ultimately futile, resistance. Ewen Thompson took 4 for 52. Central picked up their first points of the championship, while Wellington still lead on 16 points.
Auckland's match with Northern Districts was destined for a draw after another rain-interrupted day at Eden Park's outer oval. Chasing Northern's 255 for first-innings points, Auckland was deep in trouble at 172 for 9 when rain chased the players from the field. Scott Styris (51) scored a breezy half-century but no other Auckland batsman got going, though Kyle Mills battled hard for his 36. Joseph Yovich's golden summer continued as he took 7 for 61 off 18 overs after top scoring in Northern's innings. In the likely event that Northern will take first-innings points and nothing else from this match, the result will leave both these sides at the bottom of the State Championship table. One of the highlights of the day was a magnificent catch by Mark Orchard in the gully to dismiss Tim McIntosh for 3. Lou Vincent (0), one of the few in-form batsmen in the New Zealand line-up injured an ankle and could only bat down the order.
Full postKumble's strikes put India on top
The highlight of Sri Lanka's innings was a fifth-wicket partnership of 105 between Mahela Jayawardene and Tillekeratne Dilshan
The Bulletin by Amit Varma
21-Dec-2005
Sri Lanka 206 and 235 for 6 (Dilshan 65, Jayawardene 57,
Kumble 3-86) trail India 398 and 316 for 9 dec by 273
runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Sri Lanka began their last innings of this tour 508 runs behind, on a
pitch whose bounce and spin suited the Indian spinners, a template
that beckoned a fourth-day finish. And yet they fought hard, despite
being outplayed, and ended the day on 235 for 6, still 273 behind. The
destination was probably beyond them, but they made a fist of it on
the journey, never giving up, always scrapping hard, but simply being
outplayed by a superior team.
The highlight of Sri Lanka's innings was a fifth-wicket partnership of
105 between Mahela Jayawardene and Tillekeratne Dilshan. They came
together with the score on 96 for 4, and batted sensibly, mixing
caution with opportunism and frustrating the Indian spinners.
Jayawardene was compact, eschewing the flamboyant strokes he sometimes
indulges in, a gatherer instead of a hunter. Dilshan, who had handled
the spinners superbly in the first innings, played with an ease that
belied the trouble some of the others had got themselves in.
Full postJadeja pilots Rajasthan to dramatic win
A summary of the final day in the latest round of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group
Cricinfo staff
20-Dec-2005
Rajasthan 108 and 220 for 9 (Jadeja 77*, Nabi 5-56) beat Jammu & Kashmir 182 and 142 by 1 wicket
Scorecard
Scorecard
Ajay Jadeja's unbeaten 77 helped Rajasthan to a nailbiting one-wicket win in a cracker of a contest against Jammu & Kashmir at Jhalwar. Needing 77 at the start of the day with five wickets in hand, Rajasthan were guided by Jadeja's experienced hand all through the final phase. Abid Nabi, the 19-year-old medium-pacer, snapped up all the four wickets to fall today and threatened to pull it off for J&K but Sanjay Gill and Pankaj Singh provided Jadeja with valuable support. Mohammad Aslam, the No.11, walked in with 10 still needed but his 28-minute stay in the middle was all that Jadeja needed to seal the issue.
A captain's knock from Rajiv Kumar, and plucky contributions from the middle order, propelled Jharkhand to a thrilling two-wicket win over Assam at Jamshedpur. Needing an imposing 301 more runs on the final day, Jharkhand were propped up by Kumar's patient 70. Forties from Manish Kumar and Mohan Jha got them close and despite a lower-order stutter, a critical 28 from Shanbaz Nadeem, the bowling hero from the second innings, settled the game.
Full postMcCullum gives Canterbury the upper hand
The dreadful form of the Marshall twins was brought into sharp relief after another rain-affected day at Auckland
Cricinfo staff
20-Dec-2005
The dreadful form of the Marshall twins was brought into sharp relief after another rain-affected day at Auckland. After two days of this third-round match, Northern Districts laboured through to 234 for 9 against Auckland. James and Hamish Marshall, both trying to hold on to spots in the New Zealand team for the visit to Sri Lanka in the new year, again failed to impress, James battled through to 19 while his brother managed just 2. Chris Martin was the best of the bowlers with 3 for 59.
Wellington look certain to face a fourth-innings chase of more than 300 against Central Districts at the Basin Reserve. Leading by 32 in the first innings Central was 263 for 7 in the second, after Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor led a batting revival after a low-scoring first innings. Oram posted 71 and Taylor 51. Mark Gillespie was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 51.
Canterbury were staring at defeat against their southern rivals Otago after another bowler-dominated day at Carisbrook. Otago were 133 for 9 after trailing by 45 in the first innings. Canterbury's lead was largely thanks to an unbelievable run-a-ball 80 by Brendon McCullum, who was the only batsman who looked comfortable on this pitch. Batting again, Otago struggled, with Chris Cairns snaring 3 for 18 off 14.4 overs.
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