Matches (30)

PAK vs SA (1)

WCL 2 (1)

NZ vs ENG (1)

AUS vs IND (1)

Women's World Cup (1)

AFG-U19 in BDESH (1)

Sheffield Shield (3)

Ranji Trophy (19)

BAN vs WI (1)

ZIM vs AFG (1)

(15/20 ov) 145/5

PAK

null

Schedule Report Series

UAE

211/9

USA

(49.1/50 ov, T:212) 213/6

null

Schedule Table Series

Report

Orissa take lead, consolidate position

Orissa secured the first innings lead after a grim tussle and then bowled their way into a winning position at stumps on the fourth day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh at the Captain Roop Singh stadium in Gwalior on Sunday

Staff Reporter

25-Mar-2001

The keen duel for the lead was the highlight of the penultimate day's play. Orissa seemed to be better placed to take the lead when they resumed in the morning, having made 369 for five in reply to MP's 437. But they suffered an early blow when they lost Rashmi Ranjan Parida early. Resuming on 159, Parida was leg before to HS Sodhi for 162. In a stay of 505 minutes at the crease, Parida faced 372 balls and hit 19 of them past the ropes. Then in one over Jai P Yadav put MP in the favourites circle by dismissing both P Jai Chandra (40) and RR Das (7). At this stage Orissa were 386 for eight, still 51 runs behind the MP first innings total.

Wicketkeeper Gautam Gopal and Jagannath Das came together and they proceeded to bring Orissa back in the game with some purposeful batting. Amidst a lot of tension and excitement, they took Orissa past the MP total. Finally, after the two had added 82 runs for the ninth wicket off 36.4 overs, Das gave former India leg spinner Narendra Hirwani a return catch. Das batted 2-1/2 hours, faced 113 balls and hit two fours. The innings did not last long thereafter but Gopal remained unbeaten with 63. He batted 155 minutes, faced 123 balls and hit four boundaries and two sixes. Hirwani and Yadav finished with three wickets for 121 and 112 runs respectively.

A dispirited MP side put up a poor show in their second innings. They lost three wickets for 51 before a fourth wicket partnership of 81 runs off 17.2 overs between Abbas Ali (37) and Jai P Yadav (46) pulled their total into the realms of respectibility. However towards the end, MP lost three quick wickets and at close of play, were ahead by only 111 runs with four wickets in hand.

Full post

India go 1-0 up with comfortable win

India are getting into the habit of upsetting Australian winning streaks

Sankhya Krishnan

25-Mar-2001

India are getting into the habit of upsetting Australian winning streaks. They stalled one at Kolkata barely ten days ago and now halted their opponent's 10 ODI winning streak at Bangalore, cruising home by 60 runs with 39 balls to spare. India got off to a flyer with Tendulkar and Laxman spraying the ball all round the park but it was Rahul Dravid who marshalled India's resources expertly in the middle overs.

Chasing 316 at an asking rate of 6.32, Australia suffered two early knocks in their runchase, losing Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting. However Matthew Hayden, who replaced a slightly out of touch Adam Gilchrist at the top of the order, is in the form of his life and stroked the ball effortlessly all round the wicket. Coming off ducks in his last two ODIs a year ago, Hayden pulled and drove with felicity, fortified by the company of Michael Bevan. The pair added 109 in good time, 17.3 overs to be precise, running between the wickets with audacity, and running the Indian ground fielding ragged.

Ganguly brought on Harbhajan Singh in the 13th over and the off spinner did deceive Hayden in flight a couple of times. Most notably when Hayden on 56 chipped one to the bowler's left; Harbhajan lunged at it with one hand but put it down. Bevan played a couple of lovely drives on either side of the wicket off the pacemen but as is his wont, preferred to accumulate his runs with the stealth of a panther.

Having collected 49, he pulled Ganguly unerringly into Robin Singh at midwicket and from then on Australia slid steadily downhill. Hayden was unlucky to be trapped leg before on 99 by Shewag; the ball may have just missed off stump. Damien Martyn, woefully short of match practice in the last few weeks, fell in a trice.

Full post

Railways virtually through to semifinals

Railways are virtually through to the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy championship

Staff Reporter

25-Mar-2001

Railways are virtually through to the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy championship. By close of play on the fourth day of the quarterfinal against Karnataka at the Karnail Singh stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, Railways had taken an overall lead of 599 runs with four second innings wickets intact.

After having gained a first innings lead of 214, Railways had put themselves in a commanding position by scoring 106 without loss at stumps on the third day. On the penultimate day, Railways batted the whole day to finish the day on 385 for six, shutting Karnataka out of the match.

Openers Amit Pagnis (68) and Sanjay Bangar (59) put on 131 runs off 35 overs. Dodda Ganesh dismissed both in quick succession.The middle cover did not contribute much and Railways were at one stage 219 for five. Then Yere Goud and Shreyas Khanolkar came together for a sixth wicket stand that realised 136 runs off 32.4 overs. Khanolkar, who scored 64 in the first innings, was the dominant partner hitting 90 off 120 balls, inclusive of 13 fours and a six. The in form Goud carried on till stumps, having made 78 from 230 balls with nine boundary hits. The last day's play will now only be of academic interest.

Full post

Elliott leads Victorian go-slow on third day

Slow scoring, slow over rates, slow progress

John Polack

25-Mar-2001

Slow scoring, slow over rates, slow progress. Painful, in fact. Yet far from a slow death. As a contest, the Pura Cup Final between Victoria and Queensland somehow roared back into life on a laboured third day here at the 'Gabba ground in Brisbane.

It was Victorian opener Matthew Elliott (88*) who lay at the core of the day's events. In a display laced with character and unstinting application, he batted through the entirety of the proceedings to lead his side into a genuinely competitive position at stumps. By the close, the Bushrangers had crawled their way to a second innings score of 4/172, and an overall lead of 106 runs, with two days still remaining in the 2000-01 season decider.

On another hot day in Brisbane, some of the headlines were also stolen by Matthew Mott (19), whose 141-ball stay at the wicket seemed not only to provoke frustration throughout a crowd of 4708 but also caused tempers to boil among some of the Bulls in the field.

Changes to the playing conditions under which domestic first-class finals in Australia are conducted have been mooted regularly over recent seasons. Neutral venues, the inclusion of the competing states' international representatives, greater haste in over rates, and amendments to the rule that ensures that one side can draw the match and still win the title, have all been raised as topics for discussion. Maybe after this match, there might be a move to abandon the first two sessions of each day altogether.

Full post

Pollock lifts South Africa after early torment against Board XI

A calculated, counter-attacking captain's knock of 81 from Shaun Pollock saved South Africa from embarrassment on day one of their three-day match against a strong West Indies Cricket Board XI at the Kensington Oval

Neil Manthorp - MWP

24-Mar-2001

Pollock, batting at number eight, turned a tide flowing alarmingly against his side when he arrived at the wicket with the score at 132 for six. South Africa were eventually dismissed for 271.

The Board XI faced just four overs before stumps which Daren Ganga and Leon Garrick negotiated confidently to close on 17 without loss.

With Neil McKenzie grafting a painstaking 50, there was more than just the captain's knock for the South Africans to enthuse about. But take nothing away from a determined and competitive Board XI, for whom Cameron Cuffy was outstanding. His three wickets were bought cheaply and may well have purchased a place in the West Indian side for the Third Test which starts here next Thursday. A pat on the back too for Colin Stuart, who was wild at times, but finished with 4/56.

Full post

Manicaland look close to victory against CFX Academy

Day 2 close of play: CFX Academy 222 and 117/8 (Soma 16*, Chari 0*); Manicaland 250

John Ward

24-Mar-2001

Day 2 close of play: CFX Academy 222 and 117/8 (Soma 16*, Chari 0*); Manicaland 250.

Accurate Manicaland bowling tilted the match against the CFX Academy by the close of the second day. After taking a first innings lead of 28, their bowlers seized the initiative by working steadily through a rather submissive batting order, and they should be left with not too difficult a target on the third morning.

Patrick Gada and Gary Brent continued to build steadily on Manicaland's overnight score of 122 for four, in reply to CFX Academy's total of 222. Gada, 67 overnight and with a century obviously preying on his mind, was fortunate to survive an easy chance to mid-off when on 71. He did not live long to enjoy it, being caught at silly point a few minutes later without adding to his score; his four runs of the day took more than 40 minutes.

Brent played a positive innings of 61 before being surprised and controversially given run out by a fine throw from Guy Croxford when attempting a run off a push by his partner to mid on. He did not receive much help from the later batsmen, though, until a determined ninth-wicket partnership between Andre Soma and Terry Denyer took Manicaland into the lead.

Full post

Despite Kapoor's heroics, Tamil Nadu face tough task

Staff Reporter

24-Mar-2001

Despite some splendid bowling by former Indian off spinner Aashish Kapoor, Tamil Nadu were badly placed at stumps on the third day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Baroda at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation ground in Baroda on Saturday. After conceding a first innings lead of 139, Tamil Nadu did well to dismiss Baroda for 184 in their second innings thanks in the main to Kapoor who finished with seven for 59 off 23 overs. However, requiring 324 for a win, Tamil Nadu at stumps were facing defeat having made but 50 for three wickets.

An action packed day started with Tamil Nadu medium pacers Mahesh and Shrinivas dismissing Satyajit Parab (0) and Himanshu Jadhav (2). Opener Connor Williams, who was in an aggressive mood, was finally stumped by Reuben Paul off Kapoor for 47. Williams faced 70 balls and hit nine of the to the ropes. Kapoor then took wickets at regular intervals and Baroda at one stage were 90 for seven. However Indian stumper Nayan Mongia held firm and he and Rakesh Patel (39) shared a vital stand of 66 runs for the eighth wicket which came off 15 overs. Patel was finally caught by Vidyut off Kapoor after facing 55 balls and hitting five fours and a six. The end of the innings came shortly afterwards but Mongia remained unbeaten with a fighting 61. He faced 97 balls and hit six fours and a six.

Tamil Nadu started their tough task on a wrong footing with S Badrinath falling leg before to Patel off the first ball of the innings. Skipper Sridharan Sriram (25) and Hemanth Kumar (18 not out) added 35 careful runs off 17.3 overs but then Ajit Bhoite struck two blows in quick succession to have the visitors reeling. First, he had Sriram caught by Patel and then he had prolific run getter Sharath caught by Mongia for one. Hemanth Kumar and T Kumaran (3) played out the remaining overs till stumps but Tamil Nadu, still needing 274 runs for victory with seven wickets intact, face a herculean task tomorrow.

Full post

Parida's unbeaten 159 helps Orissa gain upper hand

Thanks mainly to Rashmi Parida's splendid unbeaten 159, Orissa were poised to take the first innings lead at stumps on the third day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh at the Captain Roop Singh stadium in Gwalior on Saturday

Staff Reporter

24-Mar-2001

Orissa were certainly in a spot of bother when they resumed at 110 for three. Indian leg spinner Narendra Hirwani had struck twice late on Friday to have them struggling. Parida and skipper Sanjay Raul, the overnight batsmen got the innings back on track by adding 117 runs for the fourth wicket off 42.4 overs. Raul, who was content to play second fiddle, was then leg before to Jai P Yadav for 40. He faced 143 balls and hit four of them to the ropes.

The 26-year-old Parida then found another able partner in Pravanjan Mullick and the two raised the score by 90 runs during a fifth wicket association that lasted 24.2 overs. Mullick, who dominated the stand, was finally stumped by Srivastava off Golwankar for 51. He faced 78 balls and hit six fours and a six. Parida and P Jai Chandra (35 not out) then maintained the momentum by adding 59 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket off 26.4 overs. Jai Chandra by close had faced 83 balls and hit four of them to the fence. Parida came in having faced 363 balls and hitting 19 fours. It was a long toil in the field for the MP bowlers and Chandrakant Pandit tried seven of them in all. But Orissa enjoyed the upper hand throughout the day.

Full post

Sarandeep helps Punjab to humble champs Mumbai

It's not very often that Mumbai are beaten as early as in the quarterfinal of the Ranji Trophy championship

Staff Reporter

24-Mar-2001

It's not very often that Mumbai are beaten as early as in the quarterfinal of the Ranji Trophy championship. And yet Punjab achieved this rare feat when they overcame the 34 time winners and reigning champions at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday. Requiring 421 for victory, Mumbai resumed at 85 for one but found Indian off spinner Sarandeep Singh in deadly form. He took six for 38 from 12.1 overs as the hosts were bowled out for 213, about half an hour after lunch. Punjab will now take on the winners of the Railways-Karnataka match in semi-finals.

Though they faced a daunting task, Mumbai were not without hopes because of their batting strength. Overnight not out batsmen Vinayak Mane and Wasim Jaffer carried on from where they left off yesterday and all was smooth sailing till they added 102 runs off 18.4 overs. Jaffer reached his fifty but in the next over he was caught by Punjab skipper and wicketkeeper Vikram Rathour off Vaneet Sharma. The former Test opener made 51 off 63 balls hitting seven boundaries.

Jatin Paranjpe joined Mane and the latter too duly crossed his half century. But with the total 135, he was bowled by Sarandeep Singh. For his 56, Mane faced 69 balls and hit six of them to the fence.