Report
Bangladesh take match into third day
Bangladesh put up stern resistance to take the match into the third day at Durham
The Bulletin by Jenny Thompson
03-Jun-2005
Bangladesh 104 and 297 for 8 (Omar 71, Bashar 63, Ahmed 67*) trail England 447 for 3 dec (Bell 162*, Thorpe 66*) by 47 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball
How they were out
 |
|
Ian Bell struck his maiden Test century for England, but Bangladesh put up some stern resistance to take the match into the third day at Chester-le-Street. Defeat still looms large for Bangladesh - they require 47 to make England bat again - but in posting more than 200 for the first time this series they have at least salvaged some pride. Their fight was led by Javed Omar, Aftab Ahmed and the captain Habibul Bashar, who finally came good this tour with 63. But after Bell and Graham Thorpe clattered an unbeaten stand of 187, Bashar's half-century proved little more than cold comfort.
The morning belonged to Bell, who carried on where he left off last night from the offset. He was in glorious touch, with some exquisitely timed strokes including a caressed flick through midwicket to bring up his maiden hundred in just 132 balls. And he brought up 100 runs in one session with a rare six over midwicket. He had been trying for the six for some time, after a challenge posed by his teammates; which proved a much stiffer test than anything Bangladesh's bowlers could offer. They served up a rich diet of short stuff and their heads soon went down as Bell's hitting went on the up. And, once past his century, he opened up further and displayed a vast array of shots.
Full postWest Indies complete crushing 276-run win
West Indies v Pakistan, 1st Test, Barbados, Day 4&
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
29-May-2005
West Indies 345 and 371 beat Pakistan 144 and 296 (Afridi 122, Kamal 55, Gayle 5-91) by 276 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
|
|
|
West Indies wrapped up a comprehensive 276-run win at Bridgetown, to take a 1-0 lead in the short series. Chris Gayle took his second five-wicket haul in Tests as the Pakistan tail subsided after lunch, following a memorable innings by Shahid Afridi, who made 122 from just 93 balls.
It is West Indies' first significant Test win since they beat Sri Lanka in June 2003 (their only success since then was against Bangladesh) and is a first victory for Shivnarine Chanderpaul as captain.
Full postWest Indies on the verge of big win
West Indies enjoyed a magnificent day at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, and had Pakistan running for cover, on the verge of defeat, at the end of the third day
The Bulletin by Anand Vasu
28-May-2005
Pakistan 144 and 113 for 4 need 460 more runs to beat West Indies 345 and 371 (Chanderpaul 153*)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
|
|
|
West Indies enjoyed a magnificent day at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, and had Pakistan running for cover, on the verge of defeat, at the end of the third day. Shivnarine Chanderpaul added an unbeaten 153 to his first-innings 92, and powered West Indies to 371, setting Pakistan an unlikely 573 for victory. From 1 for 2, to ending on 113 for 4 at stumps, forget the unlikeliest of victories, Pakistan were struggling just to find a way to eke out a draw. They still trail by 460.
If Bennett King, the West Indies coach, had written a script for his team to follow, it could not have been too different from the way things panned out. Bang on the stroke of tea they were bowled out, with more runs on the board than needed, and an inexperienced Pakistani batting line-up to bowl at. Fidel Edwards, hero of the first innings, combined with a diving Chris Gayle at second slip to strike, sending back Salman Butt before a run was scored.
Full postEngland win by an innings and 261
England wrapped up a conclusive victory before lunch on the third day of the first Test at Lord's
The Bulletin by Steven Lynch
28-May-2005
England 528 for 3 dec (Trescothick 194, Vaughan 120, Strauss 69, Bell 65*) beat Bangladesh 108 (Hoggard 4-42) and 159 (Mashud 44) by an innings and 261 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
|
|
|
A fighting innings from Khaled Mashud, Bangladesh's doughty wicketkeeper and former captain, staved off the inevitable for a while, but England still wrapped up a comprehensive victory - their ninth in succession at home - before lunch on the third day at Lord's. It was Bangladesh's 32nd defeat in 37 Tests, and the 21st by an innings margin.
Mashud got in behind the ball in a way that shamed some of the earlier batsmen, and ground his way to 44. His elegant push-driven four through the covers off Simon Jones, which raised the 150, was the pick of his five boundaries. He put on 58 - Bangladesh's highest and best partnership of the match - for the ninth wicket with Anwar Hossain, who also did the basics right in surviving more than an hour for his 13. But it was never going to be enough: with England's fast men roaring in and pushing all the batsmen onto the back foot, it was always only a matter of time.
Full postEdwards puts West Indies in control
West Indies' bowlers, led by the impressive Fidel Edwards, produced their first really decent spell of the home summer to rip through Pakistan's woefully unimpressive batting
The Bulletin by Martin Williamson
27-May-2005
West Indies 345 and 168 for 4 (Gayle 50) lead Pakistan 144 (Edwards 5-38) by 369 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
|
|
|
West Indies' bowlers, led by the impressive Fidel Edwards, produced their first really decent spell of the home summer to rip through Pakistan's woefully unimpressive batting on the second day of the Bridgetown Test. Although Pakistan battled back in the final session, West Indies led by 369 runs at the close, with six second-innings wickets in hand.
That should be enough, but on a pitch starting to take turn, West Indies do not have a front-line spinner and, worryingly, Edwards limped off the field shortly before the end of the Pakistan innings. The hope will be that it is nothing serious, although his track record of niggles is not one to inspire optimism.
Full postEngland close in on a thumping victory
Bangladesh slumped to 90 for 5 after England declared at 528 for 3 shortly after tea on the second day
The Bulletin by Steven Lynch
27-May-2005
Bangladesh 108 and 90 for 5 are 330 runs behind England 528 for 3 dec (Trescothick 194, Strauss 69, Vaughan 120, Bell 65*)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
|
|
|
England continued their dominance of the first Test at Lord's, easing to a lead of 420 before declaring, and then reducing the hapless Bangladeshis to 90 for 5 by the close. Unless some unscheduled rain puts a spoke in, early tomorrow England will complete a facile victory, in little more than two days, to restart all the arguments about whether international cricket is cheapened by this sort of one-sided mismatch. Next week's second Test, at a Riverside ground where the ball may well bounce and swing even more, could be even worse.
Once again the Bangladesh batsmen's shortcomings against the short, rising ball were all too obvious. Nafees Iqbal flinched Matthew Hoggard into the slips, young Mushfiqur Rahim gloved a nasty Andrew Flintoff bouncer to the wicketkeeper, and Mohammad Ashraful lobbed another short one out towards the gully, where Steve Harmison made an improbable plunge to pull off a spectacular one-handed grab.
Full postPakistan regain control after Lara blitz
West Indies v Pakistan, 1st Test, Barbados
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
26-May-2005
Pakistan 22 for 0 (Salman 5*, Afridi 12*) trail West Indies 345 (Lara 130, Chanderpaul 95) by 323 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
|
|
|
For the third time this season - and the second at Kensington Oval - Brian Lara hit a scintillating century to haul West Indies back into contention in the first Test against Pakistan. Shivnarine Chanderpaul made an equally important, if much less dynamic, 92 but the long West Indies tail folded in the late evening sunshine as Pakistan regained the initiative.
But Lara is not the only batsman on show who can take an attack apart. The West Indies attack were given a brief glimpse of the flashing blade they will face, on the second day, when Shahid Afridi played for the close in the only way he knows how - pulled a huge six onto the roof of the stand at deep mid-wicket.
Full postFormer VCA president Jack Edwards dies
Jack Edwards, the former VCA president and director of Cricket Australia, has died
Cricinfo staff
23-May-2005
Jack Edwards, the former VCA president and director of Cricket Australia, died yesterday aged 75. Bob Merriman, the Cricket Australia chairman, said Edwards was a highly respected member of the cricket community who made a significant contribution to the game at every level.
Merriman said Edwards was a man of "great honour and esteem". "Jack served Cricket Australia as chairman of its programming committee and manager of the successful West Indies tour in 1995 and the tour to Sharjah in 1994," he said. "He was also president of Cricket Victoria and chaired the organising committee for the Championship of Cricket in 1985, which saw the construction of the light towers at the MCG."
Ken Jacobs, Cricket Victoria's chief executive officer, said Edwards served St Kilda, Victorian and Australian cricket with distinction for more than half a century. Elected St Kilda president and a VCA delegate in 1972, Edwards worked in both roles until he became the state association president in 1992. A Cricket Victoria spokesman said when Edwards retired in 1997 he was asked to retain his VCA medallion for life, which was the highest honour a delegate could receive.
Edwards was on the VCA board for 24 years and was a director of the Australia Cricket Board from 1984-85 to 1996-97. A grade batsman, Edwards played 134 matches for St Kilda between 1949-50 and 1960-61.
Full postPakistan secure 3-0 whitewash
West Indies v Pakistan, 3rd ODI, St Lucia
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
22-May-2005
Pakistan 303 for 6 (Bazid 66, Afridi 56) beat West Indies 281 (Gayle 124, Razzaq 4-45) by 22 runs, and won the series 3-0
Scorebard and ball-by-ball details
Scorebard and ball-by-ball details
|
|
|
Chris Gayle's 11th one-day international century could not prevent West Indies slipping to a 22-run defeat against Pakistan in St Lucia. Pakistan, therefore, claim a 3-0 series whitewash, while for West Indies it means they have lost all eight ODIs during their home season.
But this was a valiant loss, rather than the timid surrenders which have been the common story in recent days. If West Indies had consistently batted with the conviction they showed in this game, the last three weeks of one-day cricket would not have been half as painful for them.
Full postDhillon steers CCA to easy win
The CCA President's XI put up a solid batting display and posted a comprehensive win over the OCA President's XI
Cricinfo staff
22-May-2005
The CCA President's XI put up a solid batting display and posted a comprehensive win over the OCA President's XI in the in the first game of the three-match series at King City. After rattling up 272, the CCA side rolled OCA over for a paltry 164 and ran home easy winners.
After John Davison choose to bat first, the CCA side got off to a poor start and were reduced to 49 for 3. But Iain Dixon (42), Haninder Dhillon (65) and Surkari (45) held the innings together and helped them build a launching pad for the final assault. The batsmen were also helped by some wayward bowling with 61 extras, including 40 wides, being conceded.
OCA were never in with a chance one they were tottering at 35 for 5 and George Codrington (45) and Don Maxwell (38) salvaged some pride before they inevitably folded for 164. Davison finished with 2 for 3 while Sanjay Thuraisingham and Umar Bhatti snapped up three wickets apiece.
Full postMost Read
Writers