ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2006 - UPDATE

Younis reinstated as Pakistan captain

LAHORE: Younis Khan dramatically returned as Pakistan captain, two days after refusing to lead the team for the Champions Trophy in India, officials announced on Saturday just hours before the start of the tournament.

In a strange twist of events, newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf announced Younis and not Mohammad Yousuf would lead Pakistan in the elite tournament.

The tournament kicks off with the qualifying rounds in India on Saturday.

Ashraf, who took over as PCB chairman after incumbent chairman Shaharyar Khan resigned on Friday night, announced the decision at a press conference.

"Younis has been reappointed as captain and we have decided not to take Mushtaq Ahmed as assistant coach for the Trophy," Ashraf said, apparently on advice from Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who is also patron of the PCB.

Younis had refused to lead the team on Thursday, saying he did not want to be a "dummy captain", apparently over differences with some of the senior players and over selection of Faisal Iqbal as 14th player.

Yousuf was subsequently appointed captain. Mushtaq's appointments as assistant coach were criticised as a match-fixing inquiry conducted by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum in 1998 barred the former leg-spinner from holding any post with the team.

Younis said he had spent the last few days enduring great mental strain and had agreed to take the captaincy again as he had a lot of respect for Ashraf.

"I just hope we can now put everything behind us and try to do well in the tournament," Younis said.

"I know the last two days have also been hard on the people who wanted to know why I had left the captaincy," he said.

Pakistan's regular captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is facing a four-match ban over bringing the game into disrepute during the August Oval Test against England.

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC Champions Trophy, 2006/07

SCHEDULE -

October 2006

Sat 7 Floodlit Match 1st Qualifying Match - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Sun 8 Floodlit Match 2nd Qualifying Match - West Indies v Zimbabwe
Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Tue 10 Floodlit Match 3rd Qualifying Match - Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Wed 11 Floodlit Match 4th Qualifying Match - Bangladesh v West Indies
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Fri 13 Floodlit Match 5th Qualifying Match - Bangladesh v Zimbabwe
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Sat 14 Floodlit Match 6th Qualifying Match - Sri Lanka v West Indies
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Sun 15 Floodlit Match 1st Match - India v England
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Mon 16 Floodlit Match 2nd Match - New Zealand v South Africa
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Tue 17 Floodlit Match 3rd Match - Pakistan v TBC
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Q1 qualifier

Wed 18 Floodlit Match 4th Match - Australia v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Q2 qualifier

Fri 20 Floodlit Match 5th Match - New Zealand v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Q1 qualifier

Sat 21 Floodlit Match 6th Match - Australia v England
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Tue 24 Floodlit Match 7th Match - South Africa v TBC
Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Q1 qualifier

Wed 25 Floodlit Match 8th Match - New Zealand v Pakistan
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Thu 26 Floodlit Match 9th Match - India v TBC
Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Q2 qualifier

Fri 27 Floodlit Match 10th Match - Pakistan v South Africa
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Sat 28 Floodlit Match 11th Match - England v TBC
Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Q2 qualifier

Sun 29 Floodlit Match 12th Match - India v Australia
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

November 2006

Wed 1 Floodlit Match 1st Semi Final - TBC v TBC
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Thu 2 Floodlit Match 2nd Semi Final - TBC v TBC
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Sun 5 Floodlit Match Final - TBC v TBC
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

:SugarwareZ-191:

 

[rahul_parab2006]

CHAMPUONS TROPHY 2006 - MATCH 1

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st qualifier, Mohali
October 7, 2006

Tharanga ton seals Sri Lanka's win

Sri Lanka 302 for 8 (Tharanga 105) beat Bangladesh 265 for 9 (Saqibul 67*) by 37 runs

Led by a fluent century by Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka started their Champions Trophy campaign in fine style beating Bangladesh by 37 runs in the first qualifying match at Mohali. Tharanga's 129-ball 105, coupled with vital contributions from all the Sri Lankan top-order batsmen, lifted them to an imposing 302, a target that was well beyond Bangladesh, who lost early wickets but managed to lift themselves to 265.

Bangladesh's only triumph against Sri Lanka in ODIs came earlier this year, but from the start it was apparent that another upset today was highly unlikely. Habibul Bashar's decision to field first was based on the unusual amount of grass on the pitch and the dew factor later in the evening, but none of the Bangladesh bowlers made much impression in the afternoon, though Mohammad Rafique kept the runs in check. Sri Lanka's fast bowlers, on the other hand, extracted plenty of bounce and movement under lights, and though Aftab Ahmed and Farhad Reza biffed 30s and Saqibul Hasan, the left-handed batsman, managed his maiden ODI half-century, there was never any doubt about which way the match would go.

The key to the Sri Lankan innings was regular partnerships for each wicket, with Tharanga being the common factor: with Sanath Jayasuriya he added 67 for the opening wicket in 13 overs to get the innings off to a brisk start; with Mahela Jayawardene, who scored an utterly delightful 35 off 24 balls, he added 63 more in a mere nine overs; Kumar Sangakkara then came in for a 63-run third wicket stand; and Marvan Atapattu, returning from a back injury, put together 51 for the fourth. These partnerships all came in quick time, and ensured that Bangladesh never got a look-in.

The batsman who held it all together was Tharanga, who creamed his fifth century in 28 ODIs. When the ball was new and the field in, he boldly chose to go over the top, twice creaming Mashrafe Mortaza over mid-off for fours in an over. Then, when the field spread out, he chipped and nudged it cleverly into the gaps to keep the board ticking over constantly, but also managed to find the fence whenever the bowlers dropped it short and wide. The only blip in his innings came when he played out nine dot balls when on 49, but once he reached his half-century, he motored along smoothly till he finally missed a slog across the line off Mortaza.

Tharanga's was the most substantial innings, but the rest of the batsmen all played vital roles. Jayawardene played with exceptional fluency in his entertaining cameo, cutting, flicking and driving with aplomb. After he was undone by overconfidence, Sangakkara kept the momentum going and then passed on the baton to Atapattu, who returned to international cricket in impressive fashion. Showing plenty of urgency with his strokes and running between the wickets, he farmed the strike around, and biffed seven fours, not all of which were off controlled, conventional strokes.

Bangladesh fought back towards the end, grabbing four wickets as batsman after batsman fell in an attempt to force the pace, but Tillakaratne Dilshan and Muttiah Muralitharan whacked 28 from the last two overs to take Sri Lanka past 300.

If substantial partnerships for each wicket characterised Sri Lanka's effort at the crease, then Bangladesh's reply was stymied by a lack of significant contributions from the top order. Aftab and Reza did their bit, and though it was entertaining while it lasted, the risk factor in their strokeplay was so huge that there was little chance of either batsman being able to sustain it. Aftab charged the fast bowlers and clipped Dilhara Fernando for a magnificent six over long leg, while Reza played a stunning lofted straight-drive off Muralitharan, prancing down the pitch with complete assurance. However, once they were done, the result was never in doubt: Saqibul battled hard for an unbeaten 67, but needed 108 deliveries to get there, and though the lower order all got among the runs, it only helped to the extent of reducing the margin of defeat.

Among the Sri Lankan bowlers, Lasith Malinga was the most impressive: though he finished wicketless, he consistently clocked more than 145 kmph and troubled all the batsmen with pace and bounce. Farveez Maharoof helped himself to two wickets in an over - including that of Bashar for a second-ball duck - and with the fast bowlers striking the early blows, Muralitharan's relative lack of success hardly mattered. Sri Lanka's effort in the field was out of the top drawer too - Sangakkara pulled off a one-handed stunner to dismiss Shahriar Nafees, while Jayawardene and Dilshan were terrific in the field - and in all, they did enough to suggest that they could be in contention come the first week of November.

How they were out

Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya lbw b Rasel 31 (67 for 1)
Beaten by one which nipped back and struck him in front of middle-and-off

Mahela Jayawardene c Aftab b Razzaq 35 (130 for 2)
Swept from outside off straight to short midwicket

Kumar Sangakkara c Mortaza b Rafique 22 (193 for 3)
Down the pitch and chipped to wide long-on

Upul Tharanga b Mortaza 105 (244 for 4)
Missed a heave across the line

Marvan Atapattu c Reza b Rasel 40 (260 for 5)
Slogged to long-on

Farveez Maharoof run out (Reza) 0 (1 (262 for 6)
Direct hit from short cover to the non-striker's end

Chaminda Vaas c Reza b Razzaq 4 (273 for 7)
Top-edged a slog-sweep to deep midwicket

Muttiah Muralitharan run out (Mortaza) 11 (295 for 8)
Direct hit from cover, batsman airborne as he tried to avoid the throw


Bangladesh

Shahriar Nafees c Sangakkara b Vaas 5 (22 for 1)
Outstanding one-handed diving catch off an outside edge

Mohammad Ashraful c Sangakkara b Fernando 18 (55 for 2)
Tickled a short one down the leg side

Aftab Ahmed c Sangakkara b Maharoof 33 (78 for 3)
Gloved a pull, the ball lobbed up to the keeper

Habibul Bashar c Jayawardene b Maharoof 0 (78 for 4)
Guided to second slip

Farhad Reza st Sangakkara b Muralitharan 34 (141 for 5)
Down the pitch and missed a heave, the ball rolled to the keeper who whipped off the bails

Khaled Mashud run out (Jayawardene) 8 (155 for 6)
Direct hit to the non-striker's end from short point after the batsmen attempted a quick single

Mohammad Rafique c Vaas b Jayasuriya 12 (177 for 7)
Slog-swept to wide long-on

Mashrafe Mortaza b Vaas 30 (226 for 8)
Moved outside leg to slog a yorker and missed

Abdur Razzaq b Maharoof 21 (264 for 9)
Shuffled across his stumps and missed a yorker

RESULT - SRI LANKA WON BY 37 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - UPUL THARANGA (105)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 2

West Indies v Zimbabwe, 2nd qualifier, Ahmedabad
October 8, 2006

Windies annihilate Zimbabwe

West Indies 90 for 1 ( Gayle 41) beat Zimbabwe 85 (Utseya 27, Gayle 3-3) by 9 wickets

Having beaten an erratic Bangladesh side on home soil a few months ago, Zimbabwe arrived here with the aim of proving their competitiveness at this level, but a West Indies side operating at well below full throttle gave them a cruel reality check at the Motera Stadium. After Prosper Utseya had won the toss and elected to bat, Zimbabwe were skittled out for 85 in just 30.1 overs, with the bowlers breaking through at will every so often. And a Chris Gayle blitz ensured that a lunch break wouldn't be required, with West Indies knocking off the runs in just 14.2 overs.

Anthony Ireland and Ed Rainsford had bowled a maiden apiece as West Indies started sedately, but Gayle, who had dawdled 17 balls for his first two runs, exploded into action in the eighth over, slamming Ireland for six and four over midwicket before clipping one down to the square leg fence.

Zimbabwe didn't help their cause with some awful fielding. With Gayle on 21, Prosper Utseya dropped a chance running back from deep cover and after Gayle had rubbed it in with two nonchalant lofts over the leg side, Ireland put down a simple chance at deep backward point, leaving Rainsford to wonder just what he needed to do to pick up a wicket.

Gayle's 34-ball 41 ended with another casual hoick, but two glorious sixes from Brian Lara finished off the job and continued the Champions Trophy's tradition of hideous mismatches. If not for the lure of Lara, even the 32 folk that bought tickets for this shambles might have had second thoughts.

The first half of the match had been every bit as one-sided. Though West Indies decided not to try out the express pace of Fidel Edwards, the opening duo were more than a handful for a Zimbabwe side that haven't beaten top-notch opposition is eons. Both Jerome Taylor and Ian Bradshaw struggled to settle into a steady length and line on a placid pitch, but the odd good delivery was more than enough to see off feeble resistance.

Bradshaw started the slide, darting one through Chamu Chibhabha's defence, and Taylor then did Hamilton Masakadza for pace. Tafadzwa Mufambisi and Brendan Taylor then threatened the briefest of revivals, with Mufambisi stroking a gorgeous straight-drive off Taylor, but a lethal bouncer put paid to such hopes. A shocking bit of running from Taylor then plunged the innings into further strife, and when Dwayne Smith produced the perfect outswinger to Stuart Matsikenyeri, half the side was back in the dressing room within 13 overs.

A direct hit from Wavell Hinds saw off the chunky Piet Rinke, and Elton Chigumbura's attempt to slog the team out of trouble only resulted in another wicket for Smith. With the lowest Champions Trophy total - the United States made a whopping 65 against Australia in the last edition - under threat, Prosper Utseya and Ireland merely delayed the inevitable. But for Utseya's gritty 27, the embarrassment would have been even more acute.

Chris Gayle proved effective for the mopping up, and his violent flails as the shadows lengthened ensured that the electricity bill for the lights would be a very small one indeed.

How they were out


Zimbabwe

Chamu Chibhabha b Bradshaw 1 (9 for 1)
No idea about one that nipped back

Hamilton Masakadza b Taylor 1 (10 for 2)
Beaten by swing and pace, off stump pegged back

Tafadzwa Mufambisi c Baugh b Taylor 18 (31 for 3)
Surprised by a quick bouncer, fended behind

Brendan Taylor run out (Chanderpaul) 7 (31 for 4)
Suicidal attempt at a single after playing the ball straight to the fielder at short mid-off

Stuart Matsikenyeri c Baugh b Smith 7 (39 for 5)
Undone by late away movement, regulation catch

Piet Rinke run out (Hinds) 1 (46 for 6)
Sent back, and caught short by the direct hit from midwicket

Elton Chigumbura c Taylor b Smith 10 (58 for 7)
Attempt to biff over the top goes no further than mid-off

Anthony Ireland b Gayle 6 (82 for 8) Played inside an off break, off stump pushed back

Ed Rainsford c Bravo b Gayle 0 (84 for 9) Slash outside off stump goes to the left of slip, sharp catch

Prosper Utseya lbw Gayle 27 (85 all out) Trapped in front going for a pull


West Indies

Chris Gayle c b Chigumbura 41 (66 for 1) One hoick too many, and the top edge drops to the man at midwicket

RESULT - WEST INDIES WON BY 9 WICKETS

MAN OF THE MATCH - CHRIS GAYLE (41 & 3/3)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

sorry for late update...

:SugarwareZ-191: :SugarwareZ-191:

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 3

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, 3rd qualifying match, Ahmedabad
October 10, 2006

Tharanga stars in another win


Sri Lanka 285 for 7 (Tharanga 110, Sangakkara 80) beat Zimbabwe 141 by 144 runs

Upul Tharanga's rich vein of form continued as he hammered his second hundred in a row and his fourth in nine innings, to help Sri Lanka coast to a 144-run win against Zimbabwe and all but ensure a place in the main draw of the Champions Trophy. Tharanga's 110, and his 165-run third-wicket stand with Kumar Sangakkara, lifted Sri Lanka from an ordinary start to an imposing 285 for 7. Zimbabwe briefly looked in the mood for a fight when Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza were involved in a 63-run partnership for fourth wicket, but a heap of wickets on either side of the stand meant it was yet another dreary one-sided contest.


To be fair to Zimbabwe, though, this effort was some improvement on their shambolic display against West Indies. During large parts of the Sri Lankan innings they kept the runs under control - in fact it was the first time in six innings that Sri Lanka didn't top 300 - and bowled and fielded with plenty of enthusiasm, with the 19-year-old legspinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi being the pick of the bowlers. However, Tharanga and Sangakkara eventually turned it on, and when it was Zimbabwe's turn to bat, their utter lack of ability against top-class bowling was again ruthlessly exposed.

When Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat, he would probably have expected another deluge of runs from the start, but Zimbabwe's bowlers weren't in the mood to follow the expected script. Sanath Jayasuriya and Jayawardene went cheaply without striking a single boundary between them as Anthony Ireland and Tawanda Mupariwa, the new-ball bowlers, kept a tight leash over the runs with their control over line and length.

Tharanga and Sangakkara began the rebuilding exercise, but after 30 overs there were still only 137 on the board, with the slow bowlers taking over from where the seamers had left off. Gradually, though, the batsmen took charge, taking more risks, using their feet and peppering the boundaries.

Tharanga continued from where he had left off against Bangladesh, driving sumptuously through the covers and point off either foot, and once even tonking Mupariwa straight and long for a superb six. When the spinners came on, he creamed more fours the offside, making room and hitting into the gaps to perfection.

Sangakkara's start was very subdued - after 42 balls he had 22 - but recognising the need to up the pace he changed gears in style, putting the spinners on the defensive by using his feet to clip it through midwicket or drive through cover. Both batsmen targeted Prosper Utseya, who had a rare off day and even bowled a couple of no-balls, and Kamungozi in a seven over burst which fetched 65 and changed the momentum of the innings completely.

Both Tharanga and Sangakkara - who went past 5000 ODI runs during his innings - fell in successive overs after adding 165, the highest third-wicket partnership in Champions Trophy history. Sri Lanka lost a couple of quick wickets thereafter, and though Marvan Atapattu batted with plenty of urgency at No.5, Sri Lanka managed only 65 in their last ten overs, with Kamugozi showing plenty of maturity in bowling during the slog.

As it turned out, the total was more than sufficient. There was a brief threat - and signs of a challenge - during a 12-over period when Taylor and Masakadza went after the bowlers with aplomb, flaying fours through the off side against a listless Dilhara Fernando and Farveez Maharoof and forcing Jayawardene to cast furtive glances at the scorecard. However, both bowlers hit back with wickets, and when Zimbabwe lost three in five balls - including those of Taylor and Masakadza - to slump to 89 for 6, the match was as good as over. Utseya and Mupariwa resisted stoutly, but it only served to delay the inevitable and marginally reduce the margin of defeat.


How they were out


Sanath Jayasuriya run out (Chigumbura) 9 (38 for 1)
Backed up too far at non-striker's end as Tharanga played to mid-off

Mahela Jayawardene c Taylor b Ireland 4 (49 for 2)
Chased a wide one and feathered a nick

Upul Tharanga b Matsikenyeri 110 (214 for 3)
Tried to hoick through leg and missed

Kumar Sangakkara c Matsikenyeri b Chibhabha 80 (219 for 4)
Lofted down to long-off

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Kamungozi b Utseya 6 (235 for 5)
Swept to short fine leg

Farveez Maharoof lbw b Kamungozi 13 (259 for 6)
Tried to sweep a straight one and was trapped in front

Muttiah Muralitharan c Matsikenyeri b Kamungozi 10 (273 for 7)
Clubbed down to long-off


Zimbabwe

Piet Rinke b Perera 1 (7 for 1)
Inside-edged a full-length ball that swung in

Tafadzwa Mufambisi c Jayawardene b Malinga 5 (7 for 2)
Edged a lifter, well taken high at second slip

Chibhabha c Dilshan b Malinga 4 (23 for 3)
Guided to third slip

Brendan Taylor b Fernando 30 (86 for 4) Beaten comprehensively by one which nipped back and took middle

Hamilton Masakadza c Sangakkara b Maharoof 30 (86 for 5)
Edged a delivery which lifted and left him

Elton Chigumbura run out 2 (89 for 6)
Went for a third run which was refused by the non-striker

Stuart Matsikenyeri c Jayasuriya b Fernando 2 (107 for 7)
Gloved a short ball which looped to first slip

Prosper Utseya c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 20 (126 for 8)
Edged a doosra to slip

Anthony Ireland c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 0 (134 for 9)
Nicked a doosra

Tawanda Mupariwa b Malinga 20 (141 all out)
Lashed out and missed at one that clipped off stump

RESULT - SRI LANKA WON BY 144 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - UPUL THARANGA (110)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 4

Bangladesh v West Indies, 4th qualifying match, Jaipur
October 11, 2006


Gayle seals emphatic win


West Indies 164 for 0 (Gayle 104*, Chanderpaul 52*) beat Bangladesh 161 (Aftab 59, Bravo 3-14) by 10 wickets

West Indies overwhelmed Bangladesh by ten wickets in the fourth qualifying match in Jaipur to secure a berth in the main stage of the Champions Trophy. Their bowlers set up the victory with a disciplined performance that dismissed Bangladesh for a paltry 161 on a pitch that offered precious little assistance. Chris Gayle batted assuredly for his century while Shivnarine Chanderpaul played anchor during an unbeaten opening stand of 164.

Bangladesh went into the match needing to win to stay alive in the competition but the batsmen failed their team's cause by playing indiscreet shots. Aftab Ahmed's impish 59 was the only resistance as Bangladesh imploded in dramatic fashion after being 95 for 1 in the 20th over.

To their credit West Indies bowled tightly on a pitch that was dry, devoid of grass and bounce. Even when Jerome Taylor banged it short at 90 mph, it scarcely rose above the batsmen's chest. If anything, run-scoring became harder when the pace was taken off the ball and Marlon Samuels choked the run-flow during his spell of 2 for 27. However, it was Corey Collymore's two wickets off successive deliveries that derailed the innings and Dwayne Bravo cashed in and took 3 for 14, a miserly spell that included one of the best return catches you'll ever see to dismiss Mashrafee Mortaza.

Bangladesh began confidently in spite of losing Mohammad Ashraful early to Taylor. Shahriar Nafees cut Taylor to the fence off the first ball of the innings and thereafter anchored one end. Nafees and Aftab shared a delightful 85-run stand for the second wicket, a partnership that filled Bangladesh with hopes of 250 and beyond. Aftab's innings should have ended on 15 but Samuels dropped a simple catch at long leg. He survived a couple of edges past slips too but exploited his luck by hooking and pulling with impunity.

Nafees had copped criticism for his slow approach against Sri Lanka - 5 off 22 balls while chasing 303. Today, just as he began to show aggressive intent, he fell to an ill-timed slash outside off stump. Thus began Bangladesh's slide as they lost nine wickets for 76 runs after the second-wicket partnership. Collymore induced Saqibul Hasan to play on and with his next delivery beat Bashar for pace and hit him in front of middle. It was Bashar's second duck of the tournament.

Of all the rash shots played, the worst was Aftab's. Bangladesh had just lost three wickets in as many overs in a must-win game. Aftab was the set batsmen on 59 and in good nick. However, he chose to loft Samuels down the ground and this time his luck ran out as Shivnarine Chanderpaul took the catch on the fence. After that it was a matter of time before the remaining wickets fell.

A target of 161 was never going to challenge West Indies but a ten-wicket margin was an emphatic victory, something Brian Lara aimed to achieve before the game. Gayle began his innings slowly, played out a maiden against Mashrafe Mortaza and took 11 balls to get off the mark. Chanderpaul scored the majority of the initial runs and this spurred Gayle into action.

Mortaza and Syed Rasel caused the batsmen no alarms and Habibul Bashar was forced to bring Abdur Razzak's left-arm into the attack as early as the 12th over in a bid to break the partnership. Gayle met Razzak's first ball on the full and beat him to the cover fence. Razzak and Mohammad Rafique managed to stem the run flow but they were not penetrative. The only semblance of a chance came when Gayle tickled Rafique down leg side on 33 but Khaled Mashud did not take the catch. Gayle soon outstripped Chanderpaul, who plodded for 101 balls for his 51, and struck three mighty sixes off the spinners. He reached his 13th one-day hundred moments before West Indies reached their target.


How they were out


Mohammad Ashraful lbw Taylor 2 (10 for 1)
Missed a pull, ball kept low and hit him dead centre

Shahriar Nafees c Gayle b Samuels 38 (95 for 2)
Flashed outside the off stump, taken at chest height at first slip.

Saqibul Hasan b Collymore 0 (96 for 3)
Tried to cut but dragged it back on to his stumps

Habibul Bashar lbw Collymore 0 (96 for 4)
Caught on the crease and beaten for pace, plumb in front

Aftab Ahmed c Chanderpaul b Samuels 59 (107 for 5)
Lofted straight to long-on

Aftab Ahmed c Chanderpaul b Samuels 59 (107 for 5)
Lofted straight to long-on

Farhad Reza b Bravo 7 (111 for 6)
Played a half-cut half-drive without footwork and dragged it back on to his stumps

Mohammad Rafique lbw Gayle 7 (125 for 7)
Missed a sweep, nailed on the back leg

Mashrafe Mortaza c & b Bravo 7 (132 for 8)
Superb reflex catch, swooped low and caught it near his boot during his follow through

Abdur Razzak c Baugh b Bravo 9 (151 for 9)
Tried a heave down the ground, edged behind

Syed Rasel c Samuels b Taylor 3 (161 all out)
Leading edge looped high, the cover fielder ran in and dived forward to take the catch

RESULT - WEST INDIES WON BY 10 WICKETS WITH 13.2 OWERS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - CHRIS GAYLE (104* & 1/25)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 5

Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 5th qualifying match, Jaipur
October 13, 2006

Bangladesh wins, finally!

Bangladesh 231 for 6 (Nafees 123*) beat Zimbabwe 130 (Saqibul 3-18) by 101 runs

Led by Shariar Nafees, who created history on Friday, Bangladesh finally registered a victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and ensured that they would be traveling to Khwaja Moin ud-din Chisti’s tomb in Ajmer in buoyed spirits.

In the penultimate qualifying match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here, Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe by 101 runs and ensured that wooden spoon would go to their African rivals.

Replying to Bangladesh’s total of 231 for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs, Zimbabwe were rolled over for a measly 130 runs, thanks to fine bowling efforts from Saqibul Hasan, who took three for 18 in his ten overs and Mohammed Rafique along with Abdur Razzak, who bagged two wickets each.

For Zimbabwe, only wicket-keeper Brenden Taylor stood out, scoring 52 runs which came off 74 balls with seven fours. The rest meekly folded up, giving sizeable Bangladeshis in the stands something to shout about.

Earier, southpaw Nafees, who is barely 20 years old, led a spirited Bangladesh charge while batting first. The opener hit an unbeaten 123, and as his confidence grew, so did the range of his shots. In the end, his wagon wheel gave an impressive viewing.

In all, Nafees blasted 17 fours and a six for his second one-day cricket hundred and became the first Bangladesh batsman to score two hundreds in ODIs.

Nafees is made for bigger things, and he proved on Friday night that a Test hundred against Australia at Fatullah earlier this year was no fluke. He was supported by Saqibul Hasan, who made 36 and skipper Habibul Bashar, who scored 30.

Talking about the tournament, both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe head home. Earlier, Bangladesh made two changes to the team that lost to the West Indies in the previous match, Mohammad Ashraful and Syed Rasel making way for Rajin Saleh and Mehrab Hossain Jr., the last player making his ODI debut.

Zimbabwe played Gary Brent in place of Terry Duffin who has flown back home after being unwell for the last week.



How they were out


Bangladesh

Rajin Saleh lbw b Rainsford 6 (9 for 1)
Attempted to pull and missed

Aftab Ahmed c Taylor b Ireland 3 (26 for 2)
Superb diving catch down the leg side off a glance

Saqibul Hasan c Rainsford b Kamungozi 37 (110 for 3)
Superb diving catch at backward point off a mistimed cut

Habibul Bashar b Rainsford 30 (190 for 4)
Went down the pitch to slog a straight ball and missed

Farhad Reza c Utseya b Ireland 0 (197 for 5)
Hit straight to cover

Mashrafe Mortaza c Chigumbura b Brent 6 (211 for 6)
Lofted a slower ball to deep mid-on


Zimbabwe

Chamu Chibhabha lbw b Mortaza 16 (26 for 1)
Played across a straight ball heading towards middle and leg

Hamilton Masakadza run out 2 (35 for 2)
Sacrificed his wicket after Taylor rushed out for a non-existent single

Gregory Strydom b Rafique 4 (61 for 3)
Tried to flick one which drifted in with the arm, bowled off the pads

Stuart Matsikenyeri run out 9 (78 for 4)
Refused a second run as both batsmen were stranded at the same end

Brendan Taylor st Mashud b Saqibul 52 (88 for 5)
Lunged forward, overbalanced, and couldn't make it back in time

Elton Chigumbura c & b Saqibul 27 (123 for 6)
Excellent diving catch after the batsman got a leading edge

Gary Brent c Bashar b Saqibul 10 (123 for 7)
Top-edged a sweep to midwicket

Anthony Ireland b Rafique 1 (127 for 8)
Missed a huge swipe

Prosper Utseya b Razzak 3 (130 for 9)
Another huge swipe, another miss

Tafadzwa Kamungozi b Razzak 0 (130 all out)
Late on a straight one

RESULT - BANGLADESH WON BY 101 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - SHAHARIAR NAFEES (123*)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONSTROPHY - MATCH 6

Sri Lanka v West Indies, 6th qualifying match, Mumbai
October 14, 2006

Windies Maharoofed

Sri Lanka 83 for 1 (Jayasuriya 45*, Jayawardene 34*) beat West Indies 80 (Maharoof 6-14) by 9 wickets


In the end, it was bit of a farce and if nothing else, crowds at the Brabourne stadium deserved better.

Sri Lanka scored a facile nine-wicket win over defending champions West Indies at the historic Cricket Club of India here on Saturday evening, and star of the day was lanky medium pacer Farveez Maharoof, who bagged career-best six for 14 to spell to shoot Brian Lara’s team out for just 80 runs in 30.4 overs.

Sanath Jayasuriya (not out 45) and skipper Mahela Jayawardene (not out 34) knocked off the required runs after Upul Tharanga fell for duck and the match was over well before the office crowds in Mumbai got a chance to take their seats at Brabourne Stadium.

The Windies batted first and that was the beginning of a horror story. Lara must have thought was a huge foot he has placed in his mouth, as just a few hours before, he told the media that West Indian batting looked pretty solid and his side could win the ICC Champions Trophy again!

West Indies lost in-form Chris Gayle in the first over, and a few deliveries later out of form Ramnaresh Sarwan, then Shiv Chanderpaul and by the time Lara himself was walking back to the pavilion, writing was on the wall in bold letters.

Have a look at the sorry saga of West Indies batting: Wavell Hinds top scored with 28, Lara chipped in with 13 and sundries were 17. None of the remaining batsmen reached double figures and Maharoof simply made merry.

To Maharoof’s credit, he kept it nice and simple. He bowled in the right channel, and he was getting a bit of help from the wicket. Also, his new-found best mates – the Windies batsmen – helped him immensely by playing some atrocious cricket.

The first ‘big match’ of the tournament turned out to be a no-contest after all.



How they were out

Chris Gayle c Sangakkara b Vaas 0 (1 for 1)
Superb one-handed catch diving forward off an outside edge

Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw b Vaas 0 (12 for 2)
Trapped plumb in front by which pitched on middle and off and jagged back

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Sangakkara b Malinga 8 (13 for 3)
Peach of a delivery, angled across the batsman and took a thin nick

Brian Lara lbw b Maharoof 13 (51 for 4)
Pitched on middle, straightened, and would have taken middle

Dwayne Bravo lbw b Maharoof 0 (55 for 5)
Too early on the flick; ball thudded into back pad

Marlon Samuels b Maharoof 1 (58 for 6)
Drove away from his body and got an inside edge back onto his stumps

Dwayne Smith c Muralitharan b Maharoof 0 (58 for 7)
Drove too early and straight to mid-on

Carlton Baugh lbw b Maharoof 1 (64 for 8)
Beaten by late inswing and trapped right in front

Wavell Hinds c Jayasuriya b Maharoof 28 (67 for 9)
Low catch at cover off a miscued drive

Fidel Edwards b Malinga 4 (80 all out)
Done in by an inswinging yorker

Sri Lanka

Upul Tharanga b Edwards 0 (0 for 1)
Inside-edged a full, wide ball back onto his stumps

RESULT - SRI LANKA WON BY 9 WICKETS WITH 36.4 OWERS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - FARVEEZ MAHAROOF (6/14)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 7

India v England, Jaipur
October 15, 2006

India 126 for 6 (Tendulkar 35) beat England 125 (Collingwood 38) by 4 wickets


Lage Raho Munnabhai


Theres's something which is quite compelling about Team India. One day, they would appear to be completely down in the dumps and the next day, they would beat the daylights out of any opposition.

Again on some days, they would make heavy weather of a measly target and give a few anxious moments to their supporters before huffing and puffing home.

What should have been a cakewalk for India turned out to be a 'close' match thanks to the host nation's batsmen, who are determined to provide as much drama to the whole saga as a daily soap opera.

India managed to bowl out England for a lowly 125 runs at Jaipur on Sunday in their first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2006, and ultimately won the match, but not before losing six of their own batsmen in the small run chase.

In what should have been an efficient and professional victory was almost thrown away by the batsmen. Only Sachin Tendulkar with 35 and a composed Yuvraj Singh, unbeaten on 27, played with some sense and saw the team home.

Some things don't seem to change. Virender Sehwag failed again thanks to a lousy shot, Pathan was again sent in at number three and failed but it was surprising to see normally consistent skipper Rahul Dravid struggling for runs of late.

The middle order too caved in, with Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni not contributing, and it was thanks to Yuvraj that India managed to keep their nose in front.

Earlier, the foundation for this win was laid by two young men under immense pressure -- Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan and it was further cemented by that under-rated Mumbai off-spinner Ramesh Powar. He and Munaf bagged three wickets apiece while Pathan took two.

We'll discuss Munaf and Powar a little later. First, kudos to Pathan whom the team management wanted to drop for the first game. Pathan struck early, removing dangerman and rival skipper Andrew Flintoff for a duck, and then striking again to send back in-form left-hander Andrew Strauss.

Pathan was swinging the ball appreciably today. The 21-year-old was determined to put all speculation and loose talk about him to rest, and he did it in style on Sunday. It was Pathan of old, the one who had mesmerized Pakistani batsmen, and it must have been a huge relief to Dravid and coach Greg Chappell to see their main strike man back in form.

In tandem with Pathan, Munaf got into the act and dismissed Ian Bell, the opener, Yardy and England's most dangerous batsman, Kevin Pietersen in a spell of controlled fast bowling. The hallmark of Munaf was his excellent control and length that he bowled.

Powar, the stocky Mumbaikar, polished off the tail with wickets of Paul Collingwood, Dalrymple and Sajid Mehmood even as India rolled England batting over in 37 overs.


How they were out


England

Ian Bell lbw b Munaf 4 (10 for 1)
Hit above the knee roll by an indipper and clearly going over the stumps

Andrew Flintoff lbw b Pathan 0 (11 for 2)
Played across the line and trapped plumb in front by one that nipped back

Michael Yardy lbw b Munaf 4 (17 for 3)
Pitched on middle and held its line

Andrew Strauss c Dravid b Pathan 10 (27 for 4)
Charged down to drive a short one, and edged to second slip

Kevin Pietersen c Tendulkar b Munaf 27 (55 for 5)
Steered to first slip

Paul Collingwood c Dhoni b Powar 38 (104 for 6)
Tried to flick to leg, but the ball clipped the inside edge and then the pad

Chris Read c Pathan b Harbhajan 2 (107 for 7)
Down the pitch and lofted straight to long-on

Sajid Mahmood c Harbhajan b Powar 8 (119 for 8)
Slogged high, superb catch running backward and taken very close to the ropes

Jamie Dalrymple c Dravid b Powar 24 (124 for 9)
Down the pitch and edged a drive to slip

James Anderson run out 1 (125 all out)
Smart pick up and throw by the bowler left the non-striker just short


India

Virender Sehwag c Strauss b Harmison 9 (18 for 1)
Chased a very wide one, good overhead catch at first slip

Irfan Pathan c Pietersen b Anderson 19 (68 for 2)
Superb two-handed catch at cover leaping up off a full-blooded drive

Rahul Dravid c Strauss b Anderson 4 (72 for 3)
Hung his bat out, and the edge was snaffled at slip

Sachin Tendulkar lbw b Harmison 35 (98 for 4)
Deceived by one which nipped back and kept a trifle low

Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Collingwood b Dalrymple 7 (119 for 5)
Wild swing low towards midwicket, excellent catch diving forward

Suresh Raina b Dalrymple 0 (119 for 6)
Clipped the inside edge, hit the pad and then rolled on to the stumps

RESULT - INDIA WON BY 4 WICKETS WITH 20.3 OWERS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - MUNAF PATEL (3/18)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 8

New Zealand v South Africa, Mumbai
October 16, 2006

New Zealand 195 (Fleming 89) beat South Africa 108 (Patel 3-11, Mills 3-18, Oram 3-26) by 87 runs

New Zealand bowlers script great escape

Mumbai: Normally, 195 is not a score that you would associate with victory. However, Stephen Fleming’s New Zealand successfully defending a small target against South Africa at the Brabourne Stadium here on Monday evening to win their first match of the ICC Champions Trophy by 87 runs.

While the low-scoring affairs have not endeared themselves to the Indian crowds, who are more used to watching bowlers getting flayed all over the park, those who were moaning the fact that one-day cricket is completely loaded in batters’ favour are having a chuckle.

New Zealand won the toss and skipper saved them the blushes in the afternoon. Southpaw Fleming scored 89, and the next best score was 29 from wicket-keeper Brenden McCullum. As many as seven Kiwi batsmen failed to enter double digits as South African bowlers called the shots.

Birthday boy Jacques Kallis took three for 28 and Peterson took two for 34. Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Andre Nell and even skipper Graeme Smith took a wicket each.

Amidst the ruins stood tall Fleming. He batted simply majestically, belting 11 fours in his 112-ball knock and defying the bowlers with an iron will and great skill. This knock has to be right up there for Fleming, and in the end, taste of victory was even sweeter for the skipper.

South Africa started off shakily, and never recovered. Smith scored 42 and Justin Kemp remained unbeaten on 26 but none could stop the rampaging Kiwi trio of Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram and spinner of Indian origin Jeetesh Patel, who grabbed three wickets each for measly returns to send the Proteas packing, much chastened.

None of the South African batters could come to terms with the slowness of the wicket. The low bounce did them in, and most of them were early into their shots, and thereby playing into the hands of the Kiwis.

The lack of runs, especially at Brabourne Stadium, would surely be a worrying factor for the organizers and the curator at Cricket Club of India. The wicket could not be prepared to the curator’s liking due to the weather, and with CCI to host semi-final and final of this mega event, something needs to be changed.



How they were out


New Zealand

Lou Vincent b Pollock 17 (27 for 1)
Played across the line, and ball sneaked in between bat and pad

Nathan Astle b Hall 14 (74 for 2)
Came down the pitch and yorked himself

Hamish Marshall b Nel 1 (76 for 3)
Tried to squirt one on the off side, and played on

Peter Fulton c Boucher b Kallis 2 (86 for 4)
Got a feather off a hook shot

Jacob Oram c Dippenaar b Peterson 7 (99 for 5)
Inside edge on to pad, and ballooned to short leg

Brendon McCullum c & b Peterson 21 (135 for 6)
Scooped a drive back to the bowler

Daniel Vettori c Boucher b Smith 9 (156 for 7)
Chased a wide one and got a nick

James Franklin b Kallis 9 (180 for 8)
Tried to pull but the ball found the stumps off his elbow

Stephen Fleming c Pollock b Kallis 89 (192 for 9)
Flicked to fine leg

Jeetan Patel run out (Pollock) 2 (195 all out)
Direct hit from short third man

South Africa

Boeta Dippenaar lbw b Mills 0 (1 for 1)
Shuffled across and trapped plumb in front

Herschelle Gibbs b Mills 0 (3 for 2)
Nipped back and found the gap between bat and pad

Jacques Kallis c & b Mills 8 (25 for 3)
Superb one-handed catch on the follow-through after Kallis drove too early

Mark Boucher c McCullum b Oram 8 (50 for 4)
Slashed at a short and wide one and got a feather

Graeme Smith c Vettori b Oram 42 (69 for 5)
Tried to pull one not short enough, and spooned it to mid-off

Shaun Pollock c Patel b Oram 1 (71 for 6)
Played too early at one that stopped after pitching; simple catch to cover

Andrew Hall c Vincent b Patel 13 (99 for 7)
Flicked to short midwicket

Robin Peterson c Fleming b Vettori 0 (100 for 8)
Popped a catch to short leg

Andre Nel b Patel 0 (105 for 9)
Beaten comprehensively by a fast offbreak

Makhaya Ntini b Patel 1 (107 all out)
Done in by another quick offbreak

RESULT - NEW ZEALAND WON BY 87 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - STEPHEN FLEMING (89)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 9

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Jaipur
October 17, 2006

Pakistan 255 for 6 ( Yousuf 49, Malik 46*, Razzaq 38*) beat Sri Lanka 253 (Jayasuriya 48, Sangakkara 39, Razzaq 4-50) by four wickets


Pakistan snatch thrilling win over Sri Lanka


Jaipur: Pakistan showed no signs of being ruffled by the sensational dope scandal as they kept their composure in the dying stages to snatch a thrilling four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in a Group-B encounter of the Champions Trophy here tonight.

After restricting the islanders to 253, the Pakistanis relied on Shoaib Malik (46 not out) and Abdul Razzak (38 not out) to see the team through the tense final overs for a creditable victory with 11 balls to spare at the Sawai Mansingh stadium.

The Pakistanis, playing their opening match just a day after their two pace spearheads Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were withdrawn from the tournament after testing positive for a banned drug, did not allow the unsavoury episode to unsettle them as they collected two full points.

Apart from Malik and Razzak, opener Imran Farhat (53) and Mohammad Yousuf (49) were the other notable contributors in the floodlit contest which went the whole distance unlike most of the other games in the high-profile tournament so far.

Razzak lifted Dilhara Fernando for a six straight over his head to bring the victory in style, sending the Pakistani dressing room into a frenzy.

Electing to bat, the Sri Lankans had themselves to blame for not putting up a bigger total on the board as their top five batsmen got the starts but could not make them count.

Sanath Jayasuriya (48), Upul Tharanga (38), Mahela Jayawardene (31) Kumar Sangakkara (39) and Marvan Atapattu (36) managed to get decent scores but it was not enough. The failure of the lower order batsmen compounded their misery.

Jayasuriya played a compact knock while opening partner Upul Tharanga and vice-captain Kumara Sangakkara helped maintain the tempo. The Lankan total could have been even more if only any of the top order batsmen carried on for a big score.

With the wicket proving to be a better one than that witnessed the England batting collapse against India on Sunday, Sri Lanka seemed headed for a huge score as their first 100 came in only 16.3 overs.

But the batsmen failed to apply themselves and were out playing some poor cricket.

In the event, Pakistan, without their pace spearheads Akhtar and Asif put up a commendable bowling performance.

All-rounder Razzaq rose to the occasion with four for 50, although his early overs were a bit expensive. Shoaib Malik returned with 2-34 while Shahid Afridi lent valuable support with 1-47.

Jayasuriya set the tone for the Lankan innings with his cavalier innings which contained five fours and two sixes.

The veteran left-hander, whose previous visit to India coincided with a bad form, was in rousing form right from the outset when he walked down the pitch to drive Rao Iftikhar to straight boundary.

A typically effortless hook off Rana Naved-ul Hasan over backward squarleg showed the Matara Marauder in supreme form.

Jayasuriya then clubbed Rao Iftikhar Anjum over the head for another maximum. He was looking dangerous for Pakistan when Rao got one through to knock the timber.



How they were out


Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya b Rao 48 (63 for 1)
Heave against the line, leg stump uprooted

Upul Tharanga c Akmal b Razzaq 38 (108 for 2)
Edges behind after a loose flail

Mahela Jayawardene c Farhat b Malik 31 (141 for 3)
Top-edged a paddle sweep to short fine leg

Kumar Sangakkara c Rao b Malik 39 (181 for 4)
Lofted one to long-off, well-caught moving forward

Tillakaratne Dilshan b Afridi 3 (186 for 5)
Chops one on while going for the cut

Marvan Atapattu run out (Hafeez) 36 (225 for 6)
Thought about a run, sent back, caught short by superb underarm throw

Farveez Maharoof b Razzaq 22 (236 for 7)
Clean bowled going for a wild slog

Muttiah Muralitharan lbw Hafeez 0 (239 for 8)
Trapped in front going for the sweep

Lasith Malinga b Razzaq 0 (240 for 9)
Bowled playing a nothing shot

Chaminda Vaas b Razzaq 15 (253 all out)
Bowled trying to hit across the line


Pakistan


Mohammad Hafeez c Sangakkara b Vaas 22 (39 for 1)
Angled away, a thin edge through to the keeper, who was standing up

Younis Khan c Sangakkara b Maharoof 7 (71 for 2)
Hint of away movement, steered straight to the keeper

Imran Farhat c Fernando b Muralitharan 53 (104 for 3)
Charged down the track and miscued one to long-off

Shahid Afridi c Tharanga b Jayasuriya 1 (114 for 4)
Charged down the track and skied one, caught on the run from long-off

Mohammad Yousuf run out (Malinga) 49 (161 for 5)
Sent back after going for a third run from a misfield at square leg

Kamran Akmal c Maharoof b Vaas 20 (201 for 6)
Lofted pull superbly caught on the run at deep midwicket

RESULT - PAKISTAN WON BY 4 WICKETS, WITH 11 BALLS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - ABDUL RAZZAQ (38* & 4/50)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 10

Australia v West Indies, Mumbai
October 18, 2006

Taylor hat-tricks Australia

50 overs West Indies 234 for 6 (Morton 90*, Lara 71) beat Australia 224 for 9 (Gilchrist 92, Taylor 4-49) by 10 runs


Speedster Jerome Taylor produced a match-winning hat-trick as West Indies sprung a major surprise by upsetting world champions Australia with a nerve-wracking 10-run victory in a thrilling Champions Trophy Group-A league match here on Wednesday night.

Chasing a target of 235, the Australians were cruising to victory before Taylor completely changed the complexion of the game with his late burst to trip the world champions in the fag end of a pulsating floodlit contest at the Brabourne stadium.

The 22-year-old fast bowler scalped Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Brad Hogg off three successive balls to not only become the first West Indian to claim a hattrick in one-dayers but turn the game on its head in the tense final overs.

It was a remarkable performance by the title holders who stopped the Australians at 224 for nine through a spirited bowling display after an unbeaten 90 by Runako Morton and a composed 71 by captain Brian Lara helped them post a competitive 234 for six.

With most of their recognised batsmen back in the pavilion, the Aussie tailenders found it hard to score the required runs on the slow track. Taylor's heroics offset the good work done by Adam Gilchrist who curbed his natural strokeplay to play a reponsible knock of 92 which took his team close to the winning target but his departure opened up the floodgates.

The 35-year-old Gilchrist displayed remarkable temparament as he played an unsually subdued innings which contained 11 boundaries and came off 120 balls.

The Aussies were reeling at 81 for four at one stage before the flamboyant wicket-keeper batsman began salvaging the situation without taking too many ricks.

Gilchrist found an able ally in Michael Clarke (47) as the duo put on 101 runs for the fifth wicket to very nearly take the game away from the Carribeans who seemed to run out of steam and ideas once both the batsmen had settled down.

The run out of Gilchrist turned out to be the turning point as none of the other Australian batsmen could hang around for long which resulted in the asking rate climbing steadily.

The Aussies, who have never won the ICC Champions Trophy yet, were made to work hard for the runs on a track which was not too conducive for strokeplay but was definitely better than the pitches where the first two low-scoring matches were played.

Required to score at a rate of 4.7 at the start of the innings, the world champions got off to a disastrous start as they lost Shane Watson (0) and captain Ricky Ponting (1) cheaply to be reduced to 17 for two by the fifth over.

Damien Martyn (17) looked quite comfortable in the middle but he perished to Ian Bradshaw while Andrew Symonds (18) could not last for long too. Earlier, electing to bat, the West Indies recovered from a top order collapse through a defiant partnership by Morton and captain Lara.

The 28-year-old Morton hit 7 fours and a six in his 103-ball knock and added 137 runs with Lara (94b, 7x4, 2x6) to pull their side from a precarious 63 for 4 .

Creditably for West Indies, the title holders, they scored the highest total at this venue so far in three matches, overhauling New Zealand's 195 all out against South Africa two days ago.

The Morton-Lara partnership came as a shot in the arm for the West Indies after another poor top-order batting display, this time on a pitch that had no devil in it in the first half of the match, threatened to derail their innings for the second match running.

West Indies, who were shot out for a paltry 80 by Sri Lanka at this very venue last week, were down in the dumps once again after opting to bat first against some disciplined Australian bowling display.

The pitch one of the three that had not been used so far - was not a batsman's paradise, with a few balls behaving abnormally after pitching, but was also not unplayable.

The absence of senior player Shivnarine Chanderpaul, suffering from food poisoning, gave a golden chance to Wavell Hinds to go up the order and launch the innings with his earlier regular partner Chris Gayle, but failed.

Hinds hung his bat out to dry against gangling Australian left arm pace bowler Nathan Bracken, who opened the bowling with Brett Lee, and was caught by skipper Ricky Ponting at second slip in the fourth over to make it 10 for one.

Dwayne Smith, promoted to number three ahead of Ramnaresh Sarwan, hit two attractive boundaries to the off side before trying to flick Lee off his hips and was unable to keep the ball down. Brad Hogg brought off a diving catch at backward of square leg to leave West Indies at 25 for two in the 7th over.

Gayle, after an initial slashed four to the point fence, struck three more boundaries before getting out to a silly shot. He tried to steer Shane Watson to third man and managed only to snick the ball to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist after making 24 in 26 balls to leave West Indies at 47 for three in the 12th over.

Worse was to follow when Ramnaresh Sarwan, who started in an impressive fashion by straight-driving Lee for a four off the first ball he faced, departed when he failed to pick the line of an arm ball from Michael Clarke and was trapped leg before for 21 to leave the Caribbean islanders gasping at 63 for four after 15 overs.

Another collapse similar to the one against Lanka looked imminently possible but was avoided through diligent and clever batting by Morton and Lara as they saw off the quick bowling changes rung in by Ponting to unsettle them and worked the ball nicely for runs.


How they were out


West Indies

Wavell Hinds c Ponting b Bracken 1 (10 for 1)
Poked at a full, swinging delivery outside off and edged to slip

Dwayne Smith c Hogg b Lee 8 (25 for 2)
Flicked to square leg

Chris Gayle c Gilchrist b Watson 24 (47 for 3)
Tickled one to the 'keeper

Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw b Clarke 21 (63 for 4)
Went back to one which came in with the arm

Brian Lara c Symonds b McGrath 71 (200 for 5)
Short ball slapped straight to cover

Carlton Baugh c Ponting b Bracken 13 (233 for 6)
Fine overhead catch at mid-off


Australia

Shane Watson c Sarwan b Bradshaw 0 (12 for 1)
Top-edged a pull to mid-on

Ricky Ponting b Jerome Taylor 1 (17 for 2)
Chopped one back on to his stumps

Damien Martyn c Bravo b Bradshaw 17 (44 for 3)
Drove low and straight to cover

Andrew Symonds b Gayle 18 (81 for 4)
Down the pitch to slog, missed, and found his middle stump rattled

Adam Gilchrist run out (Hinds/ Gayle) 92 (182 for 5)
Sent back attempting a sharp single

Michael Clark c & b Bravo 47 (206 for 6)
Completely deceived by a brilliant slower ball

Michael Hussey b Taylor 13 (214 for 7)
Advanced down the pitch and missed

Brett Lee lbw b Taylor 0 (214 for 8
Trapped in front by an indipper

Brad Hogg b Taylor 10 (219 for 9)
Went across towards the off side, missed and lost his leg stump

RESULT - WEST INDIES WON BY 10 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - RUNAKO MORTON (90*)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 11

Sri Lanka v New Zealand, Mumbai
October 20, 2006

Lankan Tigers' dinner: Kiwis

Sri Lanka 166 for 3 (Tharanga 56, Jayawardene 48) beat New Zealand 165 (Vettori 46, Muralitharan 4-23) by seven wickets


Mumbai: Sri Lanka relied on a combined effort to record a comfortable seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in a group-B league match and keep themselves in reckoning for a berth in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy here.

After spin ace Muttiah Muralitharan (4/23) played a key role in bundling out the Kiwis for a modest 165, opener Upul Tharanga slammed his fourth ODI half century to steer his team to victory with 14 overs to spare in a floodlit encounter at the Brabourne stadium.

The islanders, who desperately needed to win the match to keep themselves afloat in the high-profile tournament, had the game in control right from the beginning with their experienced spinners exploiting the slow track to the hilt.

While Muralitharan did the bulk of the damage, Sanath Jayasuriya (2/26) and pacer Lasith Malinga (2/22) chipped in with two wickets apiece as Daniel Vettori (46 not out) and Nathan Astle (42) were the only two batsmen who could manage to get decent scores for the New Zealanders.

The New Zealand innings could have folded up much earlier but for a defiant 49-run last wicket partnership between Vettori and Jeetan Patel which made the total look a trifle more respectable.

Their crucial stand for the last wicket fell short by one run to equal the tournament's best stand for the same wicket, held by New Zealand's Kyle Mills and Shane Bond.

Required to score at a rate of 3.32 runs per over, the Lankans got off to a flier with the dangerous Jayasuriya smashing a 15-ball 20 but his aggression was shortlived as he fell to Kyle Mills with the score on 45.

Tharanga (56) and Jayawardene (48) then mixed caution with aggression to put the Sri Lankans on the path to victory by taking the score beyond the 100-mark.

But both of them perished in quick succession with spinner Jeetan Patel plotting their dismissal.

From a comfortable 134 for one, the islanders slipped to 135 for three raising hopes of a spirited fightback by the Kiwis who had pulled off an upset win over South Africa in their opening match.

The experienced Kumar Sangakkara and former captain Marvan Atapattu ensured that there were no further setbacks as they played cautiously to guide the team to victory.

With New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan having won a match each, the battle for a berth in the semi-finals in group-b was wide open.

The Brabourne stadium track, which has been the subject of much discussion after a string of low scoring contests, again left much to be desired as it heavily favoured the bowlers, particularly the tweakers.

Electing to bat, New Zealand could never really recover from a disastrous which saw them lose their captain Stephen Fleming cheaply. From then on, wickets fell at regular intervals till the heroics of the last wicket pair. Vettori played a patient innings and took the cudgels in Chaminda Vaas's last over, the penultimate over of the innings, smashing the left arm pacer for three boundaries and pocketing 19 runs.

Fleming, who played a match winning knock of 89 against South Africa, won an important toss in his record-equalling 193rd ODI appearance as captain but could not really make it count.

After the early break through were provided by pace bowlers, Muralitharan and Jayasuriya kept the scoring down to a snail's pace and forced New Zealand to commit mistakes.

The Kiwis lost half their batsmen with only 82 on board and then inched their way past the 100 mark after having been in danger of being dismissed for their lowest score in the tournament's short history.

There was little of note in the New Zealand innings except for Astle's 74-ball knock with six fours as the Kiwis struggled on a sluggish and low-bouncing pitch which had been sprayed this morning with an adhesive in a novel attempt to bind it and make it behave better.

New Zealand suffered a big setback when captain Fleming was dismissed for a duck with just 14 on board.

The batsman was trapped in front of the wicket by Sri Lanka's pace spearhead Chaminda Vaas in his third over.

Astle quickly read the pitch and dabbed the ball on both sides of the wicket to pick up singles. Lou Vincent (13) was castled as he tried to pull Maharoof and completely missed the line.

Hamish Marshall also threw away his wicket by slashing Lasith Malinga straight to Tilekaratne Dilshan at point to make it 56 for 3 which soon became 66 for 4 when Scott Styris was dismissed caught behind for 3 off Jayasuriya.

Jacob Oram, the tall and well-built all-rounder, never looked comfortable during his short stay of 22 balls and was bowled off his pads by Muralitharan as he poked at the ball with a defensive bat.

New Zealand, tottering at 82 for five, then suffered their worst blow when Astle slog-swept Murali straight to Kumar Sangakkara at the deep mid wicket fence.

New Zealand's hundred came up in the 33rd before Brendon McCullam's reverse sweep of Muralitharan went straight to skipper Jayawardene. It was Murali's third wicket in 24 balls.

The wily Lanka off spinner then got Kyle Mills (6) leg before while Jayasuriya sent back Shane Bond to leave the Kiwis at 118 for nine in the 39th over.

The last wicket pair of Vettori who batted sensibly and fellow-spinner Patel kept the Lankan attack at bay for 66 balls.

Malinga secured 2 for 22 while Vaas and Maharoof finished with a wicket apiece. But the trio was guilty of conceding too many extras through wides and no balls.


How they were out


New Zealand


Stephen Fleming lbw Vaas 0 (14 for 1)
Trapped on the crease to one that came in instead of moving away

Lou Vincent b Maharoof 13 (37 for 2)
Ugly swipe across the line to slower ball that kept low

Hamish Marshall c Dilshan b Malinga 4 (56 for 3)
Cuts a short, wide delivery straight to point

Scott Styris c Sangakarra b Jayasuriya 3 (66 for 4)
Attempted cut to a short, wide ball edged into gloves

Jacob Oram b Muralitharan (82 for 5)
Completely fooled by the doosra, bowled round his legs

Nathan Astle c Malinga b Muralitharan 42 (87 for 6)
Top-edged attempted sweep straight to deep midwicket

Brendon McCullum c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 9 (101 for 7)
Edged an attempted reverse sweep onto pad before looping up to slip

Kyle Mills lbw Muralitharan 6 (115 for 8)
Trapped plumb in front by one that turned in sharply

Shane Bond c Sangakarra b Jayasuriya 1 (118 for 9)
Under-edged an attempted cut to keeper

Jeetan Patel c Jayawardene b Malinga 10 (165 for 10)
Guided a full ball straight to point


Sri Lanka


Sanath Jayasuriya c McCullum b Mills 20 (45 for 1)
Dubious inside edge to a nothing drive, straight to keeper

Mahela Jayawardene c Vettori b Patel 48 (132 for 2)
Holed out to long on after being beaten in flight

Upul Tharanga st McCullum b Patel 56 (135 for 3)
Dancing down the pitch unnecessarily, beaten by spin


RESULT - SRI LANKA WON BY 7 WICKETS WITH 14 OWERS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN (4/23)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 12


Australia v England, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
October 21, 2006

Pacers and Martyn ensure facile win for Australia


Australia 170 for 4 (Martyn 78, Hussey 32*) beat England 169 (Strauss 56, Watson 3-16) by six wickets

Jaipur: Damien Martyn provided the batting fireworks to guide Australia to a comfortable six-wicket win that left England all but eliminated from the ICC Champions Trophy here on Saturday.

Martyn lit up the Diwali day with an elegant 78 that helped the three-time world champions overcome an early stutter and reach the meagre target of 170 with 13.1 overs to spare at the Sawai Man Singh stadium.

Martyn's graceful innings, filled with 12 fours from 91 balls, came after an insipid batting performance by England saw them bowled out for 169.

As it turned out, the much-hyped 'prelude to the Ashes' turned out to be whimper instead of a cracker.

The result gave Australia, who have never won the biennial event, the crucial two points they needed after losing the first match to the West Indies.

England, who too lost their first match against India, now have to rely on too many permutations to go through to the semifinals.

The win also helped the Aussies maintain an all-win record against their arch-rivals on Indian soil, having won the 1987 World Cup final, the only time the two teams have met here before Saturday's match.

It was the pacers, with an immaculate bowling performance, who set up the Australian win, though.

The trio of Brett Lee, Mitchel Johnson and Shane Watson demonstrated the art of hitting the deck hard to perfection while ripping apart the England line up.

Johnson and Watson took three wickets each to bowl England out for a measly 169 on a good batting track. Opener Andrew Strauss for England scored a half century but there was very little from the others.


How they were out


England

Ian Bell c Hussey b Watson 43 (83 for 1)
Slapped long-hop to cover

Kevin Pietersen c Gilchrist b Johnson 1 (84 for 2)
Softened up by bouncer, nibbled length-ball to keeper

Andrew Flintoff c Hussey b Watson 4 (110 for 3)
Top-edged short ball to deep midwicket


Andrew Strauss c Gilchrist b Symonds 56 (115 for 4)
Extra bounce, feathered cut to keeper


Michael Yardy c Gilchrist b Watson 4 (125 for 5)
Strangled down the leg-side


Jamie Dalrymple c Ponting b Johnson 3 (135 for 6)
Clipped leg-stump delivery to short midwicket


Chris Read c Gilchrist b McGrath 0 (136 for 7)
Tight line, hint of movement, thin nick


Sajid Mahmood c & b Bracken 8 (150 for 8)
Slower ball toe-ended back to bowler


Steve Harmison c Gilchrist b Johnson 1 (151 for 9)
Short ball reared at shoulder

James Anderson b McGrath 15 (169 for 10)
Perfect length, plucked the off stump


Australia


Adam Gilchrist b Mahmood 10 (30 for 1)
Round the wicket, perfect line on off stump

Ricky Ponting c Strauss b Mahmood 1 (34 for 2)
Flat-footed drive, juggling catch at slip

Shane Watson b Anderson 21 (34 for 3)
Short ball didn't get up, under-edged pull onto stumps

Damien Martyn c Read b Harmison 78 (151 for 4)
Extra bounce, fenced to keeper

RESULT - AUSTRALIA WON BY 6 WICKETS WITH 13.1 OWERS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - DAMIEN MARTYN (78)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPONS TROPHY - MATCH 13

Sri Lanka v South Africa
October 24, 2006


Seamers bowl SA to 78-run win

South Africa 219 for 9 (de Villiers 54*, Malinga 4-53) beat Sri Lanka 141 (Jayawardene 36, Nel 3-41) by 78 runs



A superb bowling performance by South Africa gave them their first win of the Champions Trophy and kept them in the tournament as they eased to a 78-run win against Sri Lanka, who are now on the brink of elimination. South Africa's total of 219 for 9 - built around an 80-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Jacques Kallis (43) and AB de Villiers (54) - seemed too little, but their seamers hit back in style, as Sri Lanka were routed for 141 at Ahmedabad.

At the halfway stage of the match there was little to suggest that South Africa would romp to such a convincing win. The pitch, while on the slower side, was playing reasonably well and was expected to stay firm, and the prediction was for dew to make it extremely difficult for the bowling side later in the evening. Moreover, Sri Lanka had a long list of in-form batsmen used to these conditions - everything suggested a fairly comfortable Sri Lankan win.

Within the first 15 overs of their run-chase, though, the equation changed dramatically as South Africa's seamers struck blow after blow to leave the Sri Lankans reeling. Getting appreciable seam movement and, on occasions, even bounce from a pitch which seemed to have livened up, they completely exposed the technical deficiencies of the Sri Lankan batsmen. Pollock was his usual Scrooge-like self, superbly accurate and nipping it both ways off the seam; Ntini bowled a fiery first spell, while Andre Nel backed them up in style, finishing with three wickets. So effective were the seamers that the services of Robin Peterson, the only specialist spinner in the team, were not required at all.


Sanath Jayasuriya was the first to succumb, though he can justifiably claim to have been unlucky, being adjudged lbw to one which pitched outside leg. The in-form Upul Tharanga was the next to fall, done in by a Makhaya Ntini special which angled away. Kumar Sangakkara continued the left-handers' procession, and when Marvan Atapattu completely misjudged an Andre Nel indipper, Sri Lanka had slumped to 34 for 4.

Through all the mayhem at the other end, Jayawardene battled on - though not entirely convincingly - to keep Sri Lanka in the contest. He had his share of play-and-misses and miscues, but he slowly gained in confidence and was looking increasingly confident till a terrible misunderstanding with Tillakaratne Dilshan in the 25th over: Dilshan played to backward point, Herschelle Gibbs made a spectacular diving stop and threw to the bowlers' end, Jayawardene made a desperate scramble to get back, but Pollock, backing up for the throw, dived and threw down the stumps Jonty Rhodes-style. Halfway into their innings Sri Lanka were five down, and there was no coming back from that slump.

Dilshan had plenty of making up to do for first calling his captain and then refusing the run, and he seemed to make amends for a while, getting to 36 before Gibbs got in the way again, this time intercepting a screaming square-drive. With the last recognised batsman out of the way, the end didn't take much longer.

For much of the afternoon, though, it was the Sri Lankans who were doing all the celebrating. They won the toss, reduced the South Africans to 30 for 3, and then never let go of the stranglehold till late in the innings, when Peterson and Pollock hammered 32 in the last two overs.


Graeme Smith, Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar were all early casualties as Vaas, especially, turned in an exceptional performance with the new ball, landing it on target ball after ball and conceding just 16 off his ten overs. Kallis and de Villiers - who returned to the side at the expense of Andrew Hall - ensured the innings wouldn't fall away completely. de Villiers had impressed with the way he handled Muttiah Muralitharan on the recent tour to Sri Lanka, and he continued in the same vein, using his feet to get outside the line of off and then working the ball with the spin to midwicket, or waiting for the doosra to spin away before working it to the off side. Kallis, on the other hand, was typically workmanlike - he had one moment of flourish, spectacularly hoicking a six off Dilhara Fernando, but his next twenty scoring strokes were all singles, as the Sri Lankan spinners choked the boundaries.

The pair put together 80 valuable runs, and though neither continued to get to a huge score, they at least gave South Africa a few runs to play for. Peterson lifted the score even further with some lusty hitting as Maharoof leaked 22 off the 49th over, from Maharoof, including a spanking six over square leg. Despite the last-minute heroics, South Africa only had a modest total on the board, but as it turned out, it was enough and more.



How they were out


South Africa

Graeme Smith c Jayasuriya b Vaas 10 (13 for 1)
Flicked straight to short midwicket

Herschelle Gibbs c Sangakkara b Malinga 16 (30 for 2)
Tried to guide to third man but nicked to the 'keeper

Boeta Dippenaar c Sangakkara b Vaas 3 (30 for 3)
Fine catch by the 'keeper standing up off a thin edge

Jacques Kallis st Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 43 (110 for 4)
Beaten by the turn, with the back foot just out of the crease

AB de Villiers c Maharoof b Muralitharan 54 (145 for 5)
Down the pitch and lofted to long-on

Justin Kemp b Jayasuriya 7 (169 for 6)
Tried to hoick across the line and missed

Mark Boucher b Malinga 29 (176 for 7)
Inside-edged a full ball back on to his stumps

Robin Peterson b Malinga 22 (218 for 8)
Move to leg to slog and missed a yorker

Andre Nel b Malinga 0 (218 for 9)
Beaten by another yorker


Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya lbw b Pollock 3 (9 for 1)
Pitched fractionally outside leg, but given by umpire Daryll Harper

Upul Tharanga c Boucher b Ntini 11 (21 for 2)
Feathered one that bounced and angled away

Kumar Sangakkara c Boucher b Pollock 0 (23 for 3)
Nicked an away-going delivery

Marvan Atapattu b Nel 2 (34 for 4)
Shouldered arms to an indipper

Mahela Jayawardene run out (Gibbs/ Pollock) 35 (77 for 5)
Sent back attempting a sharp single; diving underarm throw from Pollock

Farveez Maharoof c Smith b Kallis 3 (91 for 6)
Drove away from his body and edged to slip

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Gibbs b Nel 36 (114 for 7)
Diving catch to his left off a square-drive

Lasith Malinga c Smith b Nel 2 (124 for 8)
Short ball gloved to slip

Muttiah Muralitharan c Pollock b Ntini 3 (127 for 9)
Lofted to long-on

Dilhara Fernando lbw b Kemp 4 (141 all out)
Missed a yorker and trapped plumb in front

RESULT - SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 78 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - SHAUN POLLOCK (21* & 2/21)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 14

New Zealand v Pakistan, PCA Stadium, Mohali
October 25, 2006


Fleming leads NZ to deserving win


New Zealand 274 for 7 (Styris 86, Fleming 80) beat Pakistan 223 (Yousuf 71, Malik 52, Bond 3-45) by 51 runs


New Zealand became the first side to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy when they eased past Pakistan by 51 runs to register their second win of the tournament. In their 500th one-day international, and in Stephen Fleming's 194th match as captain - a world record - New Zealand notched up an impressive result with a clinical allround display. Scott Styris (86) and Fleming (80) led the way with the bat, while the lower order spanked vital runs towards the end to lift them to an imposing 274 for 7. New Zealand then withstood a spirited run-chase to restrict Pakistan to 223, with Fleming fittingly taking the final catch and the Man-of-the-Match award.

Pakistan were coming off a wonderful win against Sri Lanka in a similar run-chase, but this time the target proved just a little too stiff, despite a typically classy and unhurried 71 from Mohammad Yousuf and his 94-run stand with Shoaib Malik, who contributed yet another half-century. Ultimately, though, New Zealand deserved the win for battling through unfavourable conditions - in spite of the chemical spray, there was still a generous amount of dew which made bowling difficult late in the evening.


Pakistan finally fell 51 short, but midway into their innings it seemed they might pull it off. Mohammad Hafeez's fluent 43 offered early impetus to the innings and ensured that the asking rate didn't spiral upwards from the start, but the most critical part of their innings was the Malik-Yousuf partnership.


They came together when the low-percentage move to promote Shahid Afridi backfired for the second match in a row, reducing Pakistan to 83 for 4. Immediately both resorted to common-sense cricket, knocking the ball in the gaps, eschewing the risks, and keeping the score ticking over mainly with singles. It wasn't easy, though, as Jacob Oram got plenty of bounce from a responsive pitch and Daniel Vettori varied flight and speed in an impressive spell, despite having to bowl with a damp ball as the dew slowly took effect.


Yousuf showed his class again, playing with ease in difficult conditions. Rarely hurried in his strokeplay, he drove with panache, and rode the bounce quite superbly to execute a couple of gorgeous pulls on the way to his 51st ODI half-century. Malik was troubled far more by the bounce that Oram managed, but even he hung on, and with the asking rate hovering around seven an over with Abdul Razzaq to follow, Pakistan were in good shape.


From there, though, it went pear-shaped. Bond came back for another spell to try and break the partnership, and he did just that, not only forcing Yousuf to slice a drive but also then getting rid of Razzaq. Malik fell an over later, and from there it was only a matter of trying to get close to New Zealand's total and ensure that their net run rate didn't take a huge beating.

New Zealand's innings followed a pattern too, with the only difference being the brutal charge at the end. They lost early wickets, three of them, with only 60 on the board, rebuilt quite sensibly with an 88-run stand at less than four an over, and then, with wickets in hand, exploded quite spectacularly towards the end.

So far in this tournament Fleming has played a lone hand for New Zealand with the bat, but today he received generous assistance from his mates. Styris started scratchily but grew in confidence, especially after a back spasm required the services of Lou Vincent as his runner, while Oram and Brendon McCullum played extremely vital roles as well.

The groundwork, though, was done by Fleming and Styris. In conditions not easy for batting - it jagged around significantly with the new ball, and there were plenty of plays-and-misses - Fleming, especially, batted quite expertly, playing close to the body, not bothering about the jaffas that beat him, and choosing the deliveries to attack with plenty of care. As in most of his innings, he was magnificent when he leaned into his cover-drives or flicked and pulled on the leg side, but more than those strokes, his innings was special for the manner in which he took on the responsibility of seeing the team through the early difficulties.

In that task he was ably assisted by Styris, who rode his luck early on - he should have been lbw on 10 and run out on 16 - and then had a blast towards the end. The first part of his innings consisted mainly of nudges and flicks - he had 53 from 88 balls when the runner was summoned - but his last 33 came off 25 balls as he capitalised on the hard work done earlier.

Pakistan's bowlers contributed handsomely to the carnage at the end - the last eight overs yielded 89 - as they repeatedly pitched it short or on a good length. Oram, who has been struggling against spin recently, came out of his shell, clattering 31 from 26 balls - including a quite incredible reverse-sweep off Shahid Afridi - while McCullum blasted 27 from 13, savagely clobbering the length balls all over the park. The late surge converted what seemed like a challenging total into a formidable one, and despite Pakistan's spirited effort, the runs were a few too many.

The result ensures New Zealand a place in the semi-finals, and also puts Sri Lanka out of the competition. The last match of the group - between Pakistan and South Africa at Mohali on Friday - is now a virtual quarter-final, with the winner going through to join New Zealand in the last four.



How they were out


New Zealand


Lou Vincent b Gul 3 (3 for 1)
Attempted an ambitious drive, but left a huge gap between bat and pad

Nathan Astle c Younis b Naved 15 (23 for 2)
Drove without moving his feet and edged to second slip

Peter Fulton lbw b Iftikhar 7 (60 for 3)
Marginal decision after he was hit in front of leg by an indipper

Stephen Fleming c & b Malik 80 (168 for 4)
Prepared to sweep, changed his mind, and knocked it straight back to the bowler

Jacob Oram c Gul b Razzaq 31 (220 for 5)
Top-edged a slog to third man

Scott Styris c Iftikhar b Gul 86 (254 for 6)
Moved away from the stumps and carted to long-off

Brendon McCullum c Malik b Razzaq 27 (270 for 7)
Lofted to long-off


Pakistan


Imran Farhat c Mills b Bond 6 (22 for 1)
Short and wide, skied to third man

Younis Khan c Vincent b Mills 2 (45 for 2)
Cut straight to point

Mohammad Hafeez c McCullum b Oram 43 (65 for 3)
Drove at a lifting delivery and edged to a diving keeper

Shahid Afridi c Bond b Oram 4 (83 for 4)
Top-edged a front-foot pull to short fine leg

Mohammad Yousuf c Fleming b Bond 71 (177 for 5)
Sliced a drive to cover

Abdul Razzaq c Franklin b Bond 6 (195 for 6)
Lofted to long-on

Shoaib Malik c Astle b Vettori 52 (202 for 7)
Miscued a slog to mid-off

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan c McCullum b Franklin 1 (205 for 8)
Gloved a pull to the wicketkeeper

Umar Gul run out 8 (223 for 9)
Beaten by a direct hit from point

Kamran Akmal c Fleming b Mills 16 (223 all out)
Mistimed to mid-on

RESULT - NEW ZEALAND WON BY 51 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - STEPHEN FLEMING (80)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 15


India v West Indies, October 26, 2006

Windies prevail in tense finish

West Indies 224 for 7 (Sarwan 53, Chanderpaul 51) beat India 223 for 9 (Dhoni 51, Dravid 49, Bradshaw 3-33) by three wickets


They came in large numbers to see India win, did not get that, but saw a nail-biter of a cricket match. West Indies sealed a semi-final spot by the skin of their teeth, making what should have been a walk in the park an incredibly tight finish, reaching their target of 224 with three wickets in hand and only two balls to spare.

When Brian Lara came out to bat at No. 6, with only 12 needed for victory from 13 balls, a West Indian victory seemed a formality. He further calmed the nerves, flaying Irfan Pathan through cover-point for a boundary. When he got a slightly short and wide one next up, his eyes lit up and he went for the big cut, only to drag the ball back onto his stumps. Lara left and Marlon Samuels, short on time in the middle and runs, was out there in the thick of things. When he pulled one, the ball landed tantalisingly close to Rahul Dravid at midwicket, and though he could not take the catch, he managed to send his return to the bowler in double-quick time, and Sarwan, attempting a second run for reasons known only to him, was run out, having made a composed 53.

Five needed from six balls then. Ajit Agarkar, bowling the last over, drilled a perfect yorker in first up and Dwayne Smith was cleaned up. Carlton Baugh, who wouldn't have even thought of getting his pads on half an hour before, squeezed out a single, and Samuels was on strike with four needed from three balls. Agarkar landed one short and wide, and Samuels couldn't believe his luck, and cut the ball perfectly past third-man for four and sealed the game.

When Chris Gayle began the West Indian chase, he batted as though they needed 324 to win, rather than 224, but then you could hardly blame him, for Pathan was distributing halfvolleys like mithai on Eid. Wide and full, with no elaborate swing to talk of, and just the right pace for the ball to come on to the bat, Pathan's bowling was dealt with severely by Gayle, who clouted the ball through the off side with gay abandon. It was Gayle's great strength that was his undoing - he was once dropped by Suresh Raina at cover off a full-blooded drive - as he tried to launch Munaf Patel over cover, and got more height on the ball than distance. But Gayle had made 34, and set West Indies on their way.

With Gayle gone, Shivnarine Chanderpaul took over the responsibility of scoring, and he did so in inimitable fashion, either blocking solidly or swatting and slapping with efficiency rather than grace. Few people know how to score in all different conditions, grafting and grinding as Chanderpaul, and when he was dismissed, edging Virender Sehwag to slip, he had racked up his 41st fifty, and took West Indies to 120 for 3.

Sarwan calm as anything, driving through cover with genuine style and fluency, had Runako Morton for company, and the two put on 92 for the fourth wicket, taking West Indies to the doorstep of victory. But they took their time doing so, and after a period when Harbhajan Singh and Sehwag operated together, the required run rate quietly crept up to a run-a-ball. But a couple of sweetly-timed boundaries was enough to reclaim breathing space. With only 12 to win, Morton missed a full one from Agarkar and was trapped lbw. Then came the brief period when West Indies did their best to snatch defeat not from the jaws, but the digestive tract, of victory. But really, India were always going to struggle to defend 223, and that they came as close as they did is testament to the self-belief in this team even as they're being written off.

When the day began it appeared that normal service had resumed as Sehwag breezily slashed one over slips for four and followed it up with a chopped boundary past point. But he was trapped in front by Jerome Taylor, who bowled with genuine pace, bending his back and extracting disconcerting bounce that troubled even Sachin Tendulkar.

Pathan went for a duck, dragging a wide one from Ian Bradshaw back onto his stumps, and that set a template for a more significant occurrence a bit later on. Tendulkar, who had batted with a good degree of control and authority, forging a partnership with Dravid, made 29 before dragging a ball from Bradshaw back onto his stumps.

If Tendulkar's dismissal silenced the previously raucous crowd, Dravid's fall, one short of a half-century, underscored India's plight, struggling at 131 for 5. India's batting, once the pride and joy of the nation, had played out a situation that has occurred so many times this season that it's like a recurring nightmare that just won't go away. Mahendra Singh Dhoni tapped one towards square-leg for a single that would get him off the mark, and Dravid scampered from the non-striker's end. Smith swooped in, picked the ball up one-handed and nailed the single stump he could see with a powerful throw.

Dhoni, in the company of Raina, showed that he is more than just a thrasher of the ball. He knuckled down and sealed one end up, steadfastly refusing to take even the slightest risk. At one stage he had scored only 16 from 45 balls, and when Raina struck a boundary, it was India's first in 74 balls. But, when the time came, Dhoni cut loose, unleashing a tremendous attack on the West Indians, starting with consecutive sixes off Gayle that easily cleared the ropes. Between brutalising the cricket ball, Dhoni ran like a man possessed, picking up two off virtually every ball. All of a sudden, he had given India the boost they had needed, and when he was run out on 51 off only 65 balls, India had managed 223 for 9 in their 50 overs. It gave the bowlers something to work with, and despite early mistakes, in the end, fight they did. And they'll have to pick themselves up once more, for soon they're in a shoot-out with Australia for a place in the semi-finals.



How they were out


India

Virender Sehwag lbw b Taylor 17 (22 for 1)
Beaten for pace and trapped lbw

Irfan Pathan b Bradshaw 0 (27 for 2)
Dragged a wide delivery back onto his stumps

Sachin Tendulkar b Bradshaw 29 (69 for 3)
Dragged a widish delivery back onto his stumps

Yuvraj Singh c Bravo b Bradshaw 27 (130 for 4)
Drove uppishly straight to mid-off

Rahul Dravid run out (Smith) 49 (131 for 5)
Well short of his crease as a brilliant throw from square-leg nailed the stumps

Suresh Raina st Baugh b Samuels 19 (164 for 6)
Overbalanced and was stumped

Harbhajan Singh b Taylor 15 (213 for 7)
Big heave and another person to get an inside edge onto the stumps

Mahendra Singh Dhoni run out (Chanderpaul/Baugh) 51 (223 for 8)
Short of his crease attempting a frantic second at the end of the innings

Ajit Agarkar run out (Baugh) 1 (223 for 9)
Attempted a bye off the last ball of the innings


West Indies

Chris Gayle c RP Singh b Munaf 34 (43 for 1)
Hit high rather than far when trying to clear cover

Dwayne Bravo lbw b Harbhajan 16 (100 for 2)
Trapped in front by one that turned

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Dravid b Sehwag 51 (120 for 3)
Edged to slip

Runako Morton lbw b Agarkar 45 (212 for 4)
Trapped in front by a full, swinging delivery

Brian Lara b Pathan 5 (218 for 5)
Dragged a ball back onto his stumps

Ramnaresh Sarwan run out (Dravid/Pathan) 53 (219 for 6)
Found short attempting a nonexistent second

Dwayne Smith b Agarkar 0 (219 for 7)
Cleaned up by a perfect yorker

RESULT - WEST INDIES WON BY 3 WICKETS WITH 2 BALLS TO SPARE

MAN OF THE MATCH - SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL (51)

 

[rahul_parab2006]

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY - MATCH 16

Pakistan v South Africa, October 27, 2006


Fiery Ntini bowls South Africa into semi-finals
© AFP | Friday, October 27, 2006


South Africa 213 for 8 (Boucher 69, Kemp 64, Gul 3-36) beat Pakistan 89 ( Ntini 5-21) by 125 runs


Makhaya Ntini bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 match between Pakistan and South Africa at Mohali. Ntini has grabbed 5-21 as South Africa conjured a great escape to advance into the Champions Trophy semi-finals with a dramatic 124-run win over Pakistan. © AFP
Makhaya Ntini has grabbed 5-21 as South Africa conjured a great escape to advance into the Champions Trophy semi-finals with a dramatic 124-run win over Pakistan.

The Proteas recovered from a disastrous 42-5 within the first hour to post 213-8 before Pakistan were themselves reduced to 27-6 and bowled out for 89 in the eventful day-night international on Friday.

South Africa joined New Zealand in the semi-finals from group B with two wins each, topping the group on the basis of a superior run-rate.

The South Africans will travel to Jaipur for the second semi-final against the runners-up of group A on November 2.

New Zealand will face the group A winners in the first semi-final in Mohali on November 1.

Defending champions the West Indies have already qualified from group A while Australia and hosts India will battle for the last semi-final spot here on Sunday.

South Africa made a terrible start in the key match when they lost half their side by the 13th over after captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat on a seaming wicket.

Mark Boucher (69) and Justin Kemp (64) led their team's recovery by adding 131 for the sixth wicket, South Africa's best sixth-wicket stand against Pakistan surpassing the 88 by Jonty Rhodes and Dave Richardson at Durban in 1994.

Pakistan, chasing a modest target of 4.3 runs an over, were stunned by a lightening spell from the fired-up Ntini.

The right-arm fast bowler had Mohammad Hafeez caught by Smith at first slip with his second ball and had Imran Farhat taken at third man by Shaun Pollock in his next over.


Mark Boucher (L) keeps his eyes on the ball as he and teammate Justin Kemp run between wickets during a ICC Champions Trophy 2006 match at Mohali. © AFP
Pollock celebrated his 100th one-day catch by bowling Mohammad Yousuf for five before Ntini dismissed captain Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik in his fourth over.

Pakistan slipped to 42-7 in the 13th over when Ntini trapped Kamran Akmal leg-before and Pollock claimed Shahid Afridi (14) in the same fashion.

Pakistan's lowest total against South Africa - their previous low was 109 in Johannesburg in 1995 - undid the good work done by their bowlers in the first session.

Pakistan had decimated the South African top order after Umar Gul removed Smith and Herschelle Gibbs in the first over of the match as the ball moved alarmingly in the air and off the wicket.

Fellow-seamer Rao Iftikhar enjoyed the conditions as much as Gul, conceding his first run on his 19th delivery.

Iftikhar had Boeta Dippenaar (13) and Jacques Kallis (17) caught by wicket-keeper Akmal as the Proteas slipped to 36-4.

It soon became 42-5 as Yasir Arafat, playing his first match in the tournament in place of Rana Naved, forced A.B. de Villiers to edge a catch to Akmal.

South Africa's top order had failed for the third successive time in the tournament.

They were reduced to 25-3 by New Zealand before being bowled out for 108 on a dusty track at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai. Against Sri Lanka, the Proteas tumbled to 30-3 before ending at a below-par 219-9.

But the bowlers made up for the batting lapses to earn South Africa a superb victory.


How they were out


South Africa


Graeme Smith lbw b Gul 0 (0 for 1)
Rapped on the pads while trying to turn to leg

Herschelle Gibbs c Malik b Gul 0 (1 for 2)
Pokes at a back-of-a-length ball; superb low catch at first slip

Boeta Dippenaar c Akmal b Rao 13 (27 for 3)
Tentatively pushed at a short one; edge taken brilliantly by the keeper

Jacques Kallis c Akmal b Rao 17 (36 for 4)
Edged one outside off trying to drive

AB de Villiers c Akmal b Arafat 10 (42 for 5)
Snicked a peach of an outswinger to the keeper

Mark Boucher c Hafeez b Razzaq 69 (173 for 6)
Tries to pull but edges to point

Shaun Pollock c Rao b Hafeez 2 (182 for 7)
Holed out to long-off

Justin Kemp c Malik b Gul 64 (199 for 8)
Holed out to long-on


Pakistan


Mohammad Hafeez c Smith b Ntini 3 (5 for 1)
Good legth ball that took off; edged to first slip

Imran Farhat c Pollock b Ntini 4 (9 for 3)
Slashed at a wide one and skies top-edge to third man

Mohammad Yousuf b Pollock 5 (17 for 3)
Misses a beauty of an incutter; ball deflects from pad onto stumps

Younis Khan c Langeveldt b Ntini 7 (21 for 4)
Top-edged a pull to short midwicket

Shoaib Malik c Boucher b Ntini 0 (21 for 5)
Glided down leg; incredible one-handed catch behind the stumps

Kamran Akmal lbw b Ntini 1 (27 for 6)
Couldn't keep out an incutter

Shahid Afridi lbw b Pollock 14 (42 for 7)
Missed while trying to slog across the line

Abdul Razzaq b Langeveldt 5 (47 for 8)
Castled by an incutter that kept slightly low

Umar Gul c Boucher b Langeveldt 7 (77 for 9)
To-edged a pull

Yasir Arafat c Ntini b Langaveldt 27 (89 all out)
Edged a skier to third man

RESULT - SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 124 RUNS

MAN OF THE MATCH - MAKHAYA NTINI (5/21)

 

[djdelson]

thanx 4 d updates dude...keep up d gud work...cheers...

 

[djdelson]

lets see how d india vs australia match goes....dats d decider man...india shud do it ...