Report
Bowl outs decide the day at rain-hit Leicester
The opening match of the International 20:20, between Chilaw Marians and a PCA Masters XI, was abandoned due to rain
Cricinfo staff
15-Sep-2005
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club 21 for 0 v PCA Masters XI Match Abandoned - PCA won bowl-out 6-2
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The opening match of the International 20:20, between Chilaw Marians, the Sri Lanka champions, and a PCA Masters XI, was reduced to a bowl-out of stumps in the indoor school at Leicester. The PCA won 6-2 after only 2.1 overs were possible at Grace Road before the heavens opened for a second time.
The PCA Masters XI - including a mixture of county players, fringe and former international cricketers - had won the toss and opted to bowl first. An experiment of giving the first over to Chris Gayle was an expensive decision as he went for 16 runs. But Jon Lewis, the Gloucestershire and England seamer, conceded just a single before the players were forced off the field.
Full postZimbabwe reel after Ganguly's ton
An uncharacteristically watchful hundred from Sourav Ganguly shut Zimbabwe out of the contest at Bulawayo before a sensational collapse reduced them to their knees on the third day of the first Test
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
15-Sep-2005
Zimbabwe 279 and 67 for 6 trail India 491 for 7 (Laxman 140, Ganguly 101, Pathan 52) by 208 runs
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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An uncharacteristically watchful hundred from Sourav Ganguly, who became the eighth Indian batsman to pass 5000 runs, shut Zimbabwe out of the contest at Bulawayo before a sensational collapse brought them to their knees on the third day of the first Test. Once India's batsmen, choosing graft over flamboyance, had stretched the lead to an imposing 275 it was only a matter of time before Zimbabwe surrendered. Crumbling to 18 for 5 in 44 minutes, though, was just too rapid.
The reason for the debacle was fairly straightforward: Irfan Pathan bowled as though he was hurling Frisbees at high speed - curving the ball at perfect arcs, zeroing in on a precise line - and he made the batsmen play at most, beat them with vicious swing, rattled stumps, thudded pads and eviscerated the top order. Brendon Taylor and Heath Streak plonked their front foot in the line of the fire, Dion Ebrahim left a gaping channel open between bat and pad while Hamilton Masakadza swished wildly out of sheer frustration. Amid this carnage, Zaheer Khan uprooted Terrence Duffin's off stump with another in-dipper as the vultures hovered around the mess created in the Queens Sports Club. Charles Coventry fell on the stroke of stumps, after he and Tatenda Taibu had added 49 in quick time, and handed Harbhajan Singh his 200th Test wicket in his 46th Test - the second-youngest bowler, after Kapil Dev, to reach the landmark.
Full postIndia ride on Laxman's hundred
VVS Laxman produced his eighth Test hundred as India piled on 325 for 3 and took control on the second day at Bulawayo
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
14-Sep-2005
India 325 for 3 (Laxman 125*, Ganguly 23*) lead Zimbabwe 279 (Taibu 71*, Duffin 56, Pathan 5-58) by 46 runs
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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A fragrant, soothing breeze blew across the Queens Sports Club as India stamped their dominance on the second day of the first Test at Bulawayo. The breeze was called VVS Laxman and his eighth Test hundred drove India to 325 for 3 at the end of the day and, after a patchy performance on the field yesterday, helped them wrest the initiative.
On a shirtfront of a pitch, with conditions ideal for batting, the rest of India's top order might rue their dismissals after getting their eye in. Both the openers threw it away after a rollicking start and Rahul Dravid looked impregnable until he received a ball that bounced more than he expected. Laxman, though, overcame early jitters, survived a few edgy moments and bided his time during a barren phase, before launching into one of his artistic symphonies that usually leaves the opposition in a daze.
Full postMurali spins Sri Lanka to victory
Sri Lanka comfortably beat Bangladesh in the first Test at Colombo
Charlie Austin
14-Sep-2005
Sri Lanka 370 for 9 dec (Samaraweera 78, Jayawardene 63, Dilshan 86, Rafique 5-114) beat Bangladesh 188 (Bashar 84, Herath 4-38) and 86 (Muralitharan 6-18) by an innings and 96 runs
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Bangladesh started the day with their backs to the wall after Muralitharan's double-strike the previous evening, but they would have banked on offering sterner resistance. Unfortunately, it turned into a procession after Chaminda Vaas found the outside edge of Habibul Bashar's bat early.
Bangladesh were bowled out for just 86 in 27.4 overs, their lowest total in Test cricket. Ultimately, they paid the price for failing to capitalise on a good start on day one. If 153 for 2 had been converted into a 300 plus total then Sri Lanka would have faced some pressure on a turning track.
Full postPakistan A complete impressive win
Pakistan A beat Australia A by seven wickets at Rawalpindi on the first match of the tour
Cricinfo staff
13-Sep-2005
Pakistan A 213 (Sami 33, Watson 4-39) and 114 for 3 (Butt 47) beat Australia A 196 and 130 (Haddin 34, Sami 4-33) by 7 wickets
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Just as Australia thought things could not get much worse, their second string players suffered a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat on the third day of their opening tour match against Pakistan A.
Mohammed Sami was the catalyst for Pakistan's victory as he tore through the Australian top order in their second innings. He removed Mike Hussey, Brad Hodge and Dominic Thornely in his opening burst and returned to dismiss Brad Haddin, the top scorer, for 34.
Full postTaibu and Duffin star on the opening day
There was no slaughter at Bulawayo on the opening day of the series as Zimbabwe began the series on a positive note and ended the first day at 265 for 7
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
13-Sep-2005
Zimbabwe 265 for 7 (Taibu 61*, Dabengwa 35*) v India
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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There was no slaughter at Bulawayo on the opening day of the series as Zimbabwe began on a positive note on a flat pitch under bright skies against a bowling attack that looked anything but penetrative. Unlike their recent debacles, Zimbabwe didn't collapse at the blink of an eye, ending on an impressive 265 for 7 thanks largely to plucky half-centuries from Terrence Duffin and Tatenda Taibu, and kept India at bay.
India's erratic effort with the new ball, the ragged fielding and the botched chances cost them and they were thwarted by Duffin's tenacious debut, Dion Ebrahim's determined methods, Taibu's impish improvisation and Heath Streak's steady influence. A few sloppy shots from the batsmen saved India further embarrassment and a potentially great day for Zimbabwe turned into merely a good one.
Full postBangladesh are looking down the barrel
Sri Lanka wiped out a small first innings deficit and reached lunch on 254 for 4
The Bulletin by Charlie Austin
13-Sep-2005
Bangladesh 36 for 3 and 188 (Bashar 84, Herath 4-38) trail Sri Lanka 370 for 9 dec (Samaraweera 78, Jayawardene 63, Dilshan 86, Rafique 5-114) by 146 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
A double strike by Muthiah Muralitharan just before a torrential rainstorm forced players off the field left Sri Lanka in control after they had built a 182-run lead through painstaking half centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan , Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene. Bangladesh will start the third day on 36 for 3, still trailing by 146 runs. Their hopes of escaping defeat now rest firmly on the shoulders of their captain Habibul Bashar and the weather gods. This is the monsoon season so Bangladesh do have some hope, although three days of rain is improbable.
The major obstacle, of course, was going to be Muralitharan on a track that has started to turn viciously. Earlier in the day, Mohammad Rafique's made Sri Lankan batsmen worked hard for their runs with his snappy off-spin and picked up 5 for 114 . When Bangladesh started their second innings, it was only a matter of time before Muralitharan got in to the act.
Full postAustralia A hit back
Nathan Bracken, Michael Lewis and Shane Watson delivered strong performances with the ball to leave the four-day game against Pakistan A intriguingly poised
Cricinfo staff
13-Sep-2005
Pakistan A 181 for 7 (Bracken 3-41) trail Australia A 196 (Jaques 92*, Nazir 3-36) by 15 runs
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After Phil Jaques had carried his bat for a masterly 92, Nathan Bracken, Michael Lewis and Shane Watson delivered strong performances with the ball to leave the four-day game against Pakistan A intriguingly poised at the halfway stage.
Pakistan A slumped to 82 for 5 and were indebted to useful contributions from Zulqarnain Haider, the wicketkeeper, and Mohammad Sami, who top-scored with 33. After a late start, rain forced the players off before the scheduled close as well, in conditions that still appeared ideal for pace bowling.
Full postAustralia go down with all guns blazing
England regained the Ashes after 16 years, drawing the final Test thanks to a superb match-saving 158 from Kevin Pietersen
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
12-Sep-2005
England 373 and 335 (Pietersen 158, Giles 59, Warne 6-124) drew with Australia 367 and 4 for 0
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Wicket-by-wicket in pictures
How they were out
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Wicket-by-wicket in pictures
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The series had certainly been given the grandstand finale that it warranted. At lunch, Australia were slight favourites as England led by only 133 with half the side gone. But Pietersen took charge and withstood everything that was thrown at him.
Even though the match ended in somewhat confusing scenes, as symbolically bad light played made one last interuption, the final day of this extraordinary series encapsulated everything that has earned this contest the 'greatest-ever' tag. Warne produced an heroic parting effort, England suffered a batting wobble and Pietersen played an innings to grace the grandest of occasions.
Full postPietersen ends England's long wait
England regained the Ashes after 16 years, drawing the final Test thanks to a superb match-saving 158 from Kevin Pietersen
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
12-Sep-2005
England 373 and 335 (Pietersen 158, Giles 59, Warne 6-124) drew with Australia 367 and 4 for 0
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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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