Report
Langer leads Australian riposte
After a day of resplendent batting from a genius, regular service resumed at Adelaide, as the Australian top order got among the runs
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
26-Nov-2005
Australia 3 for 229 (Langer 99, Ponting 56) trail West Indies 405 (Lara 226) by 176 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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After a day of resplendent batting from a genius, regular service resumed at Adelaide, as the Australian top order got among the runs on an excellent batting strip. Brian Lara's 226 lifted him to the top of the Test run-getters' chart and took West Indies to a first innings total of 405, but Australia hit back in style before two late strikes - including that of Justin Langer for 99 - left them at 3 for 229 at close of play.
Lara's magnificent knock pushed the West Indians to a respectable total, but the Australian response showed just how easy paced this Adelaide pitch was, as Langer and Matthew Hayden put together 97 for the opening wicket in less than 18 overs. When Hayden was out, Langer found a willing partner in Ponting, as the two put together 114. The West Indian total of 405 was looking alarmingly inadequate, but Dwayne Bravo, who bowled with excellent control throughout the day, removed Ponting before Langer was struck by a bad case of the Nervous 90s that eventually brought about his downfall.
Full postFree State dominate through Kock and Hector
A round-up from the latest matches in the SAA Provincial Challenge
Keith Lane
25-Nov-2005
Free State took control over Easterns at Benoni after bowling the home team out for 165 and taking a 113-run lead into the second innings. Jaco Booysen and David Wiese managed to get into the 40s and offered some
resistance but in the end it was the bowling of Jacob Malao, who claimed 4 for 51, that saw Free State gain the upper hand. Riel de Kock (46 not out) and Benjamin Hector (54 not out), Free State's stars in the first innings, then took them to 126 for 1 at the close, with a healthy lead of 239.
After 23 wickets fell on the first day, some sanity returned to Paarl where Eastern Province and Boland squared up to try and take the match into three days. If the pitch was not bad enough, the sight screen forced a delay in play and then to crown it all a power failure left the scoreboard all but dead. Eastern Province extended their 10-run lead on the first innings to 196, after being bowled out for 186, as useful contributions, considering the pitch, came from Riaan Jeggels (47) and Umar Abrahams (37). Pepler Sandri followed up his four wickets in the first innings to pick up a career best 5 for 32. A target of 197 was always going to be difficult and with Boland struggling at 42 for 4 (Juan Theron 3-11) things looked set for an early Eastern Province win. No close of play score was available at time of publishing.
At Kimberley, Gauteng declared their first innings at 327 for 7 after the mandatory 85 overs, to take a slender one-run lead against Griquas. Blake Snijamn (81) and Warren Dugmore (96), involved in a 139-run second-wicket partnership laid the foundations for the Gauteng innings. This advantage was well taken by Douglas Gain as he helped himself to 53 with the Griqua bowlers sharing the wickets. At close of play Griquas totalled 32 without loss making a result in this match most unlikely.
Full postTasmania sneak past Western Australia in thriller
The captain Michael Di Venuto struck a superb hundred as Tasmania pulled off a thrilling win over the struggling Western Australia at Perth
Cricinfo staff
25-Nov-2005
Tasmania 7 for 263 (Di Venuto 100, Anderson 46) beat Western Australia 7 for 262 (Rogers 72, Marsh 66) by 3 wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
The captain Michael Di Venuto struck a superb hundred as Tasmania pulled off a thrilling win over the struggling Western Australia at Perth. Needing 263 for victory, Tasmania sneaked home off the last ball with three wickets in hand. In a nailbiting last over bowled by Steve Magoffin, who was a late inclusion for Brad Williams, Tasmania wanted six from the final two deliveries, which they managed when Scott Kremerskothen smashed a four straight down the ground and followed it with two runs squeezed off the final ball.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Western Australia made a competitive total of 7 for 262 that included a blistering 63-ball knock of 66 from Shaun Marsh. Chris Rogers (72) had earlier got the home side off to a confident start before Tasmania fought back well with Adam Griffith conceding only 17 runs from his ten overs. In reply, Tasmania took 12 balls to get off the mark before Di Venuto got into his stride with an innings that helped push his side off the bottom of the ladder.
Williams, who was omitted from Western Australia's Pura Cup team on Thursday, withdrew on the morning of the match to give Magoffin his chance. A team spokesman said Williams had decided to take some time away from cricket to consider his future.
Full postGanguly's 159 helps Bengal gain lead
A summary of matches on the third day of the latest round in the Ranji Trophy
Cricinfo staff
25-Nov-2005
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Boosted by a superb 159 by Sourav Ganguly, Bengal gained a valuable 28 runs lead on the third day of the Ranji Trophy clash against Maharashtra at Pune. Ganguly, 81 overnight, cracked 17 fours on course to his 25th first-class hundred and he shared vital partnerships with Rohan Gavaskar and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (42). Munaf Patel, the fast bowler who moved from Mumbai, ended Ganguly's fine knock and pulled things back for Maharashtra by mopping up the tail, ending with 4 for 104. With only the last day to go, and Maharashtra only 73 ahead, Bengal appear to have done enough to end this game with first-innings honours.
Punjab 223 and 216 for 4 (Dharmani 89*) beat Services 147 and 291 (Mohanty 61) by 6 wickets
Scorecard
Full postScorecard
Smith smashes superb ton in big win
Graeme Smith scored a cracking hundred to lead South Africa to a thumping win after India had been skittled out for 188
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
25-Nov-2005
South Africa 189 for 0 (Smith 134*, Hall 48*) beat India 188 (Yuvraj 53, Pollock 3-25) by 10 wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Undone by some ordinary batting on a grassy pitch ideally suited to South Africa's seamers, India succumbed to 188 - a score that looked unlikely till Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif bailed the team out - and then found it impossible to defend such a low total under lights, in dewy conditions. Their batsmen failed to apply themselves in helpful conditions early on. When it was their chance to bowl, there weren't enough runs on the board, and Graeme Smith led from the front with a superb 134 not out, as South Africa won by 10 wickets.
When Smith won the toss and instantly chose to field, it was clear that the going would be anything but easy. Even with Makhaya Ntini unavailable through illness, South Africa, led by the redoubtable Shaun Pollock, had the bowling to exploit the conditions handed to them. India responded with unorthodoxy, sending Irfan Pathan out to bat with Gautam Gambhir. But Pathan lasted only three balls, dragging Pollock back onto his stumps. Soon after, Sachin Tendulkar got one that lifted and moved away and tickled fine to the keeper. Gambhir laced two excellent boundaries, giving hope that resistance was possible, before dabbing one straight to Smith in the slip cordon, and India were in deep trouble at 23 for 3.
Full postMalik strikes to tilt it towards Himachal Pradesh
Vidharbha were left with a tricky 121 more to get with six wickets in hand as their clash against Himachal Pradesh was intriguingly placed
Cricinfo staff
25-Nov-2005
Vidharba 93 (Thakur 5-42) and 60 for 4 trail Himachal Pradesh 110 (Atram 4-38) by 121 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Eighteen wickets tumbled on the second day as bowlers continued to dominate at Nagpur. Vidharbha were left with a tricky 121 more to get with six wickets in hand as their clash against Himachal Pradesh was intriguingly placed. Set a target of 181, Vidharba began well, reaching 41
for no loss, before Vikramjeet Malik, the medium-pacer, got into the act. He struck twice in the 12th over and later picked up one more to push Vidharbha to 60 for 4 at close. Earlier, five wicket hauls by Malik and Ashok Thakur helped Himachal gain a crucial 70-run lead as Vidharbha were
shot out for a paltry 93. Chandrashekar Atram and Pritam Gandhe then returned the favour, sharing seven wickets between them, and bundling out Himachal for 110 in their second innings.
Only 162 runs were scored on the second day's play at Indore as Madhya Pradesh inched along, adding only 152 in 82.3 overs, to end their first innings at 393. Ajay Jadeja, the Rajasthan captain, shared the workload among all the bowlers, who responded well by choking MP. In reply,
Rajasthan lost AS Jain, the opener, cheaply and were at 10 for 1 when stumps were drawn.
Full postLara's double-hundred rocks Adelaide
A slow, cautious start was shed for an approach bordering on recklessness before Brian Lara finally settled into his groove and stroked a double century that lit up Adelaide
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
25-Nov-2005
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It was the Brian Lara show all the way at the Adelaide Oval, as he uncorked an innings of stunning class and vintage majesty on the opening day of the Adelaide Oval. His eighth double-century - an unbeaten 202 - lifted West Indies to 7 for 352 at close of play on the opening day, and left him just 12 runs away from breaking Allan Border's record for the highest aggregate in Test cricket.
Dogged by poor form and bad luck throughout this series, Lara fought back in style at a venue which has always been a lucky one for him - he now averages 94.83 here. As has happened so often in the past, though, none of the other West Indian batsmen offered him substantial support - the second-highest score was a measly 34 - which ensured that despite Lara's monumental effort, West Indies still only had a par score on the board on a pitch which is an excellent one for batting.
Full postEngland and India share honors
If Michael Vaughan's England side was let off the hook by bad light in Faisalabad, then the faisala - or verdict - on the women's side against India on the final day in Delhi was slightly more heartening. Resolute batting from Charlotte Edwards (46
Jamie Alter
24-Nov-2005
England 210 for 6 (Edwards 46, Brindle 46) and 154 (Brindle 37, Goswami 5-25) drew with India 175 for 4 dec (Jain 35) and 289 (Raj 78, Jain 40, Chopra 65)
If Michael Vaughan's England side was let off the hook by bad light in Faisalabad, then the faisala - or verdict - on the women's side against India on the final day at Delhi was slightly more heartening. Resolute batting from Charlotte Edwards (46), the captain, Arran Brindle (46), and Jenny Gunn (32) staved off defeat and thwarted India's bid for a maiden Test win against England, Edwards' side finishing the day on 210 for 6.
The Indian women gave nothing away though. The fielding was enthusiastic, the bowling tight, but in the end the resolve of the English batsmen shone over all else. Veteran spinner Neetu David consistently found turn from a slow pitch, and she beat the bat on numerous occasions. Nooshin Al Khader, however, was the pick of the bowlers, sending down 32 miserly overs for just 30 runs, picking up the wickets of Laura Newton, Clair Taylor and Lydia Greenway to stymie England's run chase.
Full postPunjab ride on Malhatra's allround show
A summary of matches on the second day of the latest round in the Ranji Trophy
Cricinfo staff
24-Nov-2005
Services 147 and 228 for 8 (MP Reddy 55) lead Punjab 223 (Malhatra 63, Uniyal 68) by 152 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
An allround display by Ishan Malhatra left Punjab in a comfortable position at the end of the second day's play against Services at Mohali. First Malhatra put up a valuable 110-run eight-wicket stand with Amit Uniyal to lift Punjab, overnight on 130 for 7, to 223, gaining a valuable 76-run lead. Malhatra, who got a chance because of the absence of Gagandeep Singh, then grabbed 4 for 61 to push Services on the back foot..
Bengal's hopes of a lead rested on Sourav Ganguly and Rohan Gavaskar as they ended the second day 148 behind, in the clash against Maharashtra at Pune. Bengal were struggling at 63 for 4, when Ganguly added 84 with Deep Dasgupta, the captain, before sharing a vital 55-run stand with Rohan Gavaskar. Maharashtra, who started the day on 309 for 7, were propped up by a defiant effort from Anupam Sanclecha, the medium-fast bowler, who registered his highest first class score.
Full postAli and Bundela prop up Madhya Pradesh
A summary of matches on the first day of the latest round in the Ranji Trophy
Cricinfo staff
24-Nov-2005
Abbas Ali and Devendra Bundela stitched together a 147-run partnership for the fourth wicket to lift Madhya Pradesh from a shaky 41 for 3 to 241 for 5 at the end of the opening day at Indore. Choosing to bat first, MP were rocked by an initial burst from Sanjay Gill, who shifted from Delhi this season, but Ali, the grandson of the legendary Indian opener Mushtaq, and Bundela bided their time and repaired the damage. Both missed out on the centuries but they had kept the Ajay Jadeja led Rajasthan at bay for 66 overs.
Vidharba 68 for 6 (Thakur 4-22) trail Himachal Pradesh 163 (Sandeep Singh 4-28, Naidu 4-50) by 95 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Bowlers dominated the first day of the Ranji Trophy Plate match between Vidharbha and Himachal Pradesh at Nagpur. Himachal, after choosing to bat, were shot out for 163 by Sandeep Singh and Alind Naidu, the medium-pacers, and it was only owing to a 53-run eighth-wicket stand between P Dogra and VK Sharma that they reached a fighting score. The partnership proved crucial - Vidharbha were tottering at 68 for 6 with Thakur claiming 4 for 22.
Full post