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Bichel and Kasprowicz put Queensland on top
Queensland took charge of their Pura Cup match at Brisbane, as Victoria were struggling at 5 for 95 in their quest of 381
Cricinfo staff
20-Nov-2005
Victoria 194 and 5 for 95 (Mash 52*, Kasprowicz 4-22) need 294 more runs to beat Queensland 169 and 405 (Perren 90, Bichel 84, Maher 66, Simpson 52, Wise 5-92)
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Queensland continued their magnificent fightback in their Pura Cup game against Victoria at Brisbane. After Andy Bichel's 84 helped them to 405 in their second innings, Michael Kasprowicz nailed four top-order wickets as Victoria ended the day tottering at 5 for 95, needing a further 294 for an unlikely victory.
The day belonged to Queensland from start to finish. Beginning at 5 for 225, the lower order helped add a further 180, even though Clinton Perren, unbeaten on 86 overnight, added only four to that score. The highlight was a 98-run stand for the eighth wicket between Bichel and Chris Simpson, who made 52. Bichel hit ten fours and two sixes in his knock, which came off just 118 balls and allowed Queensland into a position of dominance.
Full postBlues clinch a comprehensive innings win
Tasmania were shot out for 138 as New South Wales cruised to victory by an innings and 90 runs
Cricinfo staff
20-Nov-2005
New South Wales 9 for 522 dec (Phelps 133, Thornely 123, Griffith 4-124) beat Tasmania 294 (Clingeleffer 83, Birt 62) and 138 ( Birt 50*) by an innings and 90 runs
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Grant Lambert and Stuart Clark grabbed three wickets apiece as New South Wales bundled out Tasmania for 138 in their second innings to cruise to victory by an innings and 90 runs in the Pura Cup match at Sydney. Asked to follow-on after being bowled out for 294 in their first innings, Tasmania crumbled in the second with only Travis Birt offering some resistance.
Stuart Clark, the fast bowler, repeated his first-innings act of taking two wickets in three balls to leave Tasmania struggling at 4 for 27 after Nathan Bracken had got rid Jamie Cox, the opener, and Matthew Nicholson had trapped David Dawson in front. Grant Lambert then struck twice in successive deliveries to remove Shannon Tubb and Sean Clingeleffer - the first-innings hero - to leave Tasmania in tatters at 6 for 64. Travis Birt (50 not out) continued from where he had left off in the first innings, and stayed till the end even as wickets tumbled at the other end. Clarke and Nicholson grabbed one more wicket apiece and in the 48th over Steve O'Keefe bowled Ben Hilfenhaus to end the misery for Tasmania.
Full postInzamam and Afridi hand Pakistan control
Pakistan ended the first day at Faisalabad on 300 for 4 after a powerful stand between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi
The Bulletin by Will Luke
20-Nov-2005
Pakistan 300 for 4 (Inzamam 80*, Afridi 67*, Yousuf 78) v England
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If England were delighted to welcome back their captain Michael Vaughan, Pakistan must have been positively over the moon at Shahid Afridi's return to the side. With a blistering unbeaten assault of 67, Afridi, his captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf have put their side in a commanding position at the close of play on the first day.
Afridi and Yousuf provided the innings with pace; Inzamam with the stability - he set his stall out to be there at the close of play. And he was. His innings, while not as adventurous in its strokeplay, shut the door on England, and on day two his remains the vital wicket - for both teams.
Full postMagnificent Bravo delays the inevitable
A superb century stand between Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin held up Australia's march to victory
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
19-Nov-2005
West Indies 149 and 334 (Bravo 113, Ramdin 71) lead Australia 406 by 77 runs
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A sparkling century from Dwayne Bravo and a spirited contribution from Denesh Ramdin delayed Australia's inevitable charge to victory, and not only forced them to bat again, but took the game to the fifth day. From a precarious position of 6 for 140, where an innings defeat looked the most likely result, Bravo and Ramdin put on 182 for the seventh wicket, and helped West Indies to 334 all out, leaving Australia needing 78 for victory when stumps were drawn on the fourth day.
Bravo was especially spectacular, and recalled the West Indian greats of old with his stylish strokeplay, bringing a Caribbean flair to his flicks though the on side. The manner in which he flicked against the spin, with a twirl of the bat, was a revelation in a match where the West Indian top order failed in both innings. Ramdin, who has shown a keen ability to bat in the past, was all wrist and touch, keeping the Australians on their toes. The 182 that Bravo and Ramdin added was the highest for the seventh wicket for West Indies in Australia. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, grateful as he may be for the face-saving partnership, must be wondering why his team could not respond in this manner when he won the toss and chose to bat first on a belter.
Full postTasmania struggle despite Clingeleffer's unbeaten 83
By the end of the second day's play New South Wales had taken complete command over the game, first scoring a mammoth 9 for 522 and then reducing Tasmania to struggle at 6 for 189
Cricinfo staff
19-Nov-2005
Tasmania 6 for 189 (Clingeleffer 83*, Birt 62) trail New South Wales 9 for 522 dec (Phelps 133, Thornely 123, Griffith 4-124) by 333 runs
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New South Wales took complete command of their Pura Cup match against Tasmania at Sydney. After piling up a mammoth 9 for 522 in their first innings, they reduced Tasmania to 6 for 189. Despite Sean Clingeleffer's valiant unbeaten 83, Tasmania were in danger of being forced to follow on.
Matthew Nicholson struck the early blows, dismissing the openers Michael Di Venuto, caught at gully for a duck in the first over, and Jamie Cox, edging to slips. Nathan Bracken, the left-arm swing bowler who was left out of the Test side, then got into the act trapping David Dawson for 9 and having George Bailey caught at short leg for a duck. Four for 23 soon turned 5 for 37 when Shannon Tubb edged behind off Stuart Clark for 8.
Full postPerren and Bichel lead Queensland fightback
Clinton Perren and Jimmy Maher led Queensland's revival at Brisbane, as they finished the second day of their Pura Cup match against Victoria on 5 for 225
Cricinfo staff
19-Nov-2005
Queensland 169 and 5 for 225 (Perren 86*, Maher 66) lead Victoria 194 (Moss 51, Bichel 7-56) by 200 runs
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Clinton Perren and Jimmy Maher led Queensland's revival at Brisbane, as they finished the second day of their Pura Cup match against Victoria on 5 for 225. After Andy Bichel had taken 7 for 56 to bowl Victoria out for 194, Perren (86 not out) and Maher (66) ensured that Queensland had an overall lead of 200 with five wickets in hand.
Starting their second innings 25 runs in the arrears, Queensland got off to a poor start in the second innings, losing Ryan Broad with only 14 on the board. Maher, their captain, struck ten fours in his 66, and put together a useful 55-run stand with Martin Love. Maher and Perren then added 61 for the third wicket, and when Maher was dismissed, Perren took over, hitting 14 fours in his knock. Though Queensland lost a couple of wickets, Perren was still around when stumps were drawn for the day.
Full postSehwag helps India level series
A resurgent Indian side made most use of a slow, turning pitch at Bangalore and levelled the five-match series at 1-1 with a hard-fought six-wicket win
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
19-Nov-2005
India 171 for 4 (Sehwag 77*) beat South Africa 169 for 9 by 6 wickets
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A resurgent Indian side made most use of a slow, turning pitch at Bangalore and levelled the five-match series at 1-1 with a hard-fought six-wicket win. South Africa, who were thwarted in their bid to stay undefeated in a record 21 successive games, refused to surrender without a scrap but their spirited effort on the field wasn't enough to defend a modest target.
Choosing to bowl first on a surface where the ball often stopped on the batsmen, India capitalised on some injudicious strokeplay by South Africa's top order before the spinners suffocated the rest of the batsmen with guile and rip. The chase to 170 didn't begin too auspiciously, with the openers tied down by some immaculate seam bowling, but a spirited half-century from Virender Sehwag, who batted in the middle order, ensured an emphatic finish.
Full postWest Indies in deep strife after brief fightback
West Indies fought back well but conceded a lead of 257 and then slumped to 82 for 4 in the second innings leaving Australia on top
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
18-Nov-2005
West Indies 149 and 82 for 4 trail Australia 406 (Hussey 137, Hayden 110, Hodge 60) by 175 runs
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West Indies showed some fighting spirit, picking up Australian wickets in a heap, but it was not enough as a proud and defiant Brad Hodge compiled a polished half-century in his first bat in Test cricket and pushed the lead on to a healthy 257 on another day truncated by rain. Then Glenn McGrath cantered in and did his thing, picking off the West Indian openers in quick time, opening the door for Brett Lee to blast out a couple more wickets and leave West Indies doddering at 82 for 4.
Had it not been for the rain, which robbed spectators of over an hour of cricket, the game might well have ended today. Looking at the scorecard you might imagine the pitch at the Bellerive Oval had suddenly turned nasty, but nothing could be further from the truth. The day dawned cool and sunny, perfect for batting, and cricket. Yet Ricky Ponting, who has a habit of pushing hard at the ball when he has just come to the crease, drove away from his body and inside-edged Fidel Edwards back onto his stumps in just the second ball of the day.
Full postEngland women make it four out of four
England women have now won four out of four matches on their subcontinental tour
Cricinfo staff
18-Nov-2005
England's men may be struggling with their tour of the subcontinent. Not so the women - four matches, four wins; so far, so good. And they will be highly encouraged by their latest triumph against a strong opposition yet, an India A side comprising seven Under-21s and four of the full side.
It was their first real test this tour, and a much-needed one ahead of the one-off Test at Delhi which starts next Tuesday and will in itself be a warm-up for the one-dayers which lie ahead.
True, this was a less-than-convincing performance from England's batsmen - they have that, at least, in common with their male counterparts - as they made 182 for 8 from their 50 overs. Their topscorer was Rosalie Birch, who made 30 at No 5.
Full postPhelps and Thornely put NSW in command
Fine hundreds from Matthew Phelps (133) and Dominic Thornely (107*) gave New South Wales the honours on day one of their Pura Cup match against Tasmania at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 18
Cricinfo staff
18-Nov-2005
New South Wales 4 for 363 (Phelps 133, Thornely 107*) v Tasmania
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Fine hundreds from Matthew Phelps (133) and Dominic Thornely (107*) put New South Wales in a commanding position at the end of the first day of their Pura Cup match against Tasmania at the SCG. NSW were 4 for 363 at stumps, with only Adam Griffith, with 3 for 89, standing out for Tasmania on a lifeless pitch.
Phelps began the day with a fine selection of shots on either side of the wicket, with 23 fours and a six as he dominated every Tasmanian bowler. After the early loss of Phil Jaques for 21, caught behind off the bowling of Adam Griffith, NSW were bolstered by a 110-run partnership between Phelps and Simon Katich, their captain.
Katich has been in top form for NSW with scores of 144 and 79 not out and his 60 today was a continuation of his fine run. His dismissal, again to the impressive Griffith, with the score on 138, did little to bring Tasmania back into the game.
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