2nd Test: India beat SA to level series 1-1

Durban: An inspired India made amends for the drubbing at Centurion with a sensational 87-run victory against South Africa in the low-scoring second cricket Test to level the three-match series 1-1 here on Wednesday. After setting a target of 303, the Indian bowlers put up a disciplined show to dismiss the hosts for 215 in 72.3 overs about an hour after the lunch break to record only their second Test triumph on South...

India level series with inspired victory

Durban: An inspired India made amends for the drubbing at Centurion with a sensational 87-run victory against South Africa in the low-scoring second cricket Test to level the three-match series 1-1 on Wednesday. After setting a target of 303, the Indian bowlers put up a disciplined show to dismiss the hosts for 215 in 72.3 overs about an hour after the lunch break to record only their second Test triumph on South African...

We're eyeing to seal the series in Durban

Confidence on sky high after the convincing win in the opener against India in Centurion, South Africa middle-order batsman Hashim Amla on Friday said the Proteas will be hoping to seal the three-match series in the second Test beginning on Sunday. South Africa thrashed world number one India by an innings and 25 runs in the first Test in Centurion earlier this week, which prompted Amla to say that the home team has...

Dravid, Kumble, Yuvraj in top bracket

Despite being away from any sort of competitive cricket for four years, Brian Lara finds himself in the pool of 21 players with highest base price of $400,000 for the 2011 IPL auction, to be held in Bangalore on January 8 and 9. The list also comprises Indian players, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and five members of the victorious World Twenty20 England side...

Chawla included South Africa ODI series

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was a surprise inclusion in the Indian squad that will take on South Africa in the one-off Twenty20 and five match ODI series that starts on January 9. Apart from Chawla, regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, senior-most player Sachin Tendulkar, dashing opener Virender Sehwag and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh – all of whom opted for rest during the New Zealand ODI series...

Australia set tough target against Sri Lanka

Sydney: Australia need to score 244 runs in 39 overs if they are to snap their six-match losing streak in all forms of cricket in the rain-disrupted second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Friday. Upul Tharanga survived a farcical run-out attempt to contribute an unbeaten 86 to Sri Lanka’s 213 for three, which they achieved in 41.1 overs as showers stopped play for a total of nearly three hours at the Sydney...

New Zealand fight but India retain upper hand

New Zealand 69 for 2 trail India 487 (Sehwag 173, Dravid 104, Harbhajan 69) by 418 runs It was not the one-way traffic that was expected, but India were well on top after the second day in Ahmedabad. In an hour either side of the lunch break, New Zealand's spinners ripped through the Indian middle-order, before struggling to wipe out the tail. The fans had turned up hoping to see crowd-pleasing batsmen such as Sachin...

Aus gain advantage in riveting Test

After a riveting day of cricket that saw 247 runs being scored for the fall of 14 wickets, the Mohali Test hangs in fine balance, with India needing another 161 runs to win on the final day with six wickets in hand. After restricting Australia to 192 with a superb bowling performance, India are up against a tricky target of 216 for victory with Sachin Tendulkar (10*) and Zaheer Khan (5*) at the crease. India’s chase...

1st Test: Aus dealt quick blows after tea

Mohali: Australia lost the wickets of Tim Paine and Mitchell Johnson straight after tea on day four of the first Test against India at Mohali on Monday. Harbhajan Singh got the better off Michael Hussey and Marcus North in quick succession to leave Australia in trouble at 165/6 at tea. Earlier, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma produced a hostile spell to grab three quick wickets on a dead track and reduce Australia to...

Ishant sparks fightback after Watson's fifty

Ishant Sharma picked up three wickets in his liveliest spell of the match as India halted Australia's growing lead on the fourth day in Mohali. Shane Watson's brisk half-century took Australia's advantage into triple figures before he and Ricky Ponting fell in the first over of Ishant's second spell, shortly before lunch. When Michael Clarke chipped a catch to midwicket first ball, it looked like Ishant had claimed...

Asif, Amir submit appeals against ICC suspension

Lahore: Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif, two of the three Pakistan players implicated in the spot-mixing scandal, have appealed against their provisional suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) under its anti-corruption code. The third tainted player, Salman Butt, had already filed his appeal in this regard, and the ICC Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, had confirmed receiving it, saying that his formal appeal...

Virender Sehwag surges to set up India

Virender Sehwag delivered a brutal response to stun Australia with a quick half-century as India finished the second day of a two-paced Test on a high. Sehwag raced to a 38-ball fifty but was undone by Mitchell Johnson shortly before the close for 59, walking off frustrated by his error. India finished at 110 for 2 at stumps in reply to the visitors' 428, with Rahul Dravid unbeaten on 21 and the nightwatchman Ishant...

Allround Aus take command after see-saw day

Day-two of the Mohali Test was a see-saw that eventually ended with Australia having an upper-hand, restricting India to 110 for 2 in reply to their first innings score of 428 all-out. Rahul Dravid (21), who got among runs with some fine cover-drives and on-drives is at the crease with watchman Ishant Sharma (0). Virender Sehwag (59) and Gautam Gambhir (25) went about their business as usual. Gambhir pushed and prodded...

Zaheer-Ponting spat adds spice to Test

Mohali: Tempers flared at Mohali on Friday when India locked horns with Australia in the first Test of the two-match series. Zaheer Khan allegedly poked Ricky Ponting with an off-the-cuff remark as the Australia skipper was going off the park after being run out for 71. Ponting was walking past the Indian huddle when suddenly Zaheer chose to give him a send-off, after which Ponting turned around leading to a verbal...

Zaheer summoned after Ponting clash

Mohali: Sparks flew on the opening day of the first India-Australia cricket Test with Ricky Ponting and Zaheer Khan having a on-field showdown which prompted the match referee to summon the Indian pacer after the end of day's play. The incident occurred in the 42nd over which was being bowled by Harbhajan Singh. All-rounder Shane Watson pushed the fourth ball of that over towards mid-wicket and called Ponting who was...

Watson stands in way of fighting India

India turned a bad morning into a bright afternoon despite the committed effort of Shane Watson, who collected his third century in a week. Watson, who posted twin hundreds in the tour game, survived two chances in delivering the sort of performance expected of a specialist opener, not one Australia have manufactured over the past year. Despite Watson's calm 101 on the opening day, the visitors are far from safe at 224 for 5 after a stinging late burst from Zaheer Khan, India's only fit paceman following a knee injury to Ishant...

Unadkat, Ganguly script a fine five-wicket win over Rajasthan

Kolkata captain superbly lead his young guns on the field and later scored a fine unbeaten 75 to carve out a rather comfortable eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals. Though it was a tad baffling why Ganguly and his partner Cheteshwar Pujara, who batted well for his 45, did not show any urgency to knock off the runs within 13 overs, as it would have helped the team to have more favourable net run rate. Eventually, after restricting Rajasthan to 132 for 9, Kolkata scored 133 for 2 with consummate ease and with 3.5 overs...

Must-win for Chennai in battle of Kings

Dharamsala: Chennai's fate lies as much in their own hands as in the hands of other teams. For starters, they will have to win their game against Punjab at Dharamshala on Sunday to keep their hopes alive of remaining in the competition. Punjab, on the other hand, would like keep their pride intact in what has been otherwise a disastrous IPL - III for them and sign off on a winning note. On paper, Chennai look far superior,...

Virtual semi-final as Delhi take on Deccan

New Delhi In a game supposed to decide the fourth and the final semi-finalist, Delhi Daredevils take on Deccan Chargers at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium in New Delhi. Loss for either could jeopardise their chances of reaching the semis. A win though would guarantee a place in the final four, something which has surely come at a high price this IPL. Delhi's position is a little better than Deccan's. They have a good run-rate...

Modi offered $50 mn to pull out: Kochi team owner

New Delhi/ Mumbai: Lalit Modi – Shashi Tharoor IPL row took yet another turn after one of IPL Kochi’s co-owners Shailendra Gaikwad alleged that Modi had offered Rendezvous Sports a huge sum to pull out of the bidding process that was held in March. "We were offered USD 50 million by Modi to withdraw from the Kochi team" Shailendra Gaikwad, CEO of the franchise, alleged within hours of Modi telling reporters that there was a question mark over the fate of the new team, secured by a bid of Rs 1533 crore last month. Terming as...

We wanted to finish it off quickly: Pietersen

Jaipur: After taking Royal Challengers Bangalore close to the IPL semifinals with a blistering 29-ball 62, Kevin Pietersen said they came to bat with an aim to finish the game within 15 overs. Chasing 131 to win, the visitors cruised to the win in 15.4 overs which helped them move up a place to second in the points table and get to a healthy net run-rate of +0.467. "Against Deccan Chargers we took too long to be...