Younus under pressure

Pakistan, who have not won a one-day series since beating the West Indies here last year, achieved a thumping 138-run win in the first match on Tuesday before New Zealand hit back with a 64-run win in the second on Friday.

Moreover, Younis is having a lean patch with the bat, scoring nought and 19 in the two matches - but coach Intikhab Alam backed his captain to come good when it matters.

"It can happen to any player," said Alam of Younus's wretched form which saw him scoring only two half-centuries in the last 18 matches. "I am sure that he can come good anytime, maybe in this crucial, must-win game."

Source:-http://www.timeslive.co.za

Sachin Tendulkar's brilliant century in vain as Australia pip India

A remarkable innings of 175 in 140 balls by Sachin Tendulkar proved in vain as Australia took a 3-2 lead in the series with a thrilling three-run win over India in the fifth one-day international in Hyderabad.

Chasing 351 for victory, the home team were bowled out for 347 with two balls left after the brilliant Tendulkar went past 17,000 ODI runs.

He and Suresh Raina (59) put on 137 for the fifth wicket but the debutant Clint McKay struck the all-important blow for Australia when he had Tendulkar caught by Nathan Hauritz.

Earlier, a maiden century by Shaun Marsh (112) and 93 from fellow opener Shane Watson helped the visitors compile an imposing total of 350 for four.

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Cricket Australia eyes a less hectic schedule

Cricket Australia's chairman Jack Clarke has conceded that the game could be better served with a less crowded international calendar when the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) is devised. His comments came as a stiff and sore Peter Siddle arrived home in Melbourne for the first time after more than five months on tour.

Siddle has been one of the hardest-working members of Australia's squad this year, having not been at home since April, when he enjoyed a brief spell following the Test series in South Africa. Since then he has been in England for the World Twenty20, the Ashes, and the one-day series, then went straight to South Africa for the Champions Trophy and from there dashed to India to play for Victoria in the Champions League Twenty20 and stayed on for the ODI series.

"It has been a long tour, I guess," Siddle said in the Age after touching down in Melbourne. "The guys have been away for a long time now and we've probably played a bit too much cricket, but we will see how we go and I'm sure the boys will go well in the next three matches and come home with a [series] win.

Source: http://www.cricinfo.com

Mohammad Sami confident of national comeback

Mohammad Sami is confident of staging a comeback to the Pakistan team, following his ICL stint, through his performances for Karachi Blues in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

"I feel there is still cricket left in me and that is why I am playing on the domestic circuit for Karachi Blues - to win back my place in the team," Sami told APP. "Though I bowled really well in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, I managed just 13 wickets. I am really working hard to excel and get the attention of selectors."

The 28-year-old fast bowler joined the unofficial league after 33 Test and 83 ODIs for Pakistan. He has taken 81 Tests wickets at an expensive 51.37, including eight on his debut against New Zealand. He also has 118 ODI wickets at 26.49.

"I will shortly be presenting my NOC to PCB," Sami said. "But I am waiting for my third installment of payments from ICL. Representing Pakistan had always been a great honor for me. I am fully focused on producing my best in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy."

Sami praised his new-ball partner Tanvir Ahmed for his outstanding performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so far. Tanvir leads the bowling charts with 39 wickets from four matches at 13.97, and has been key to Karachi's domination at the top of Group B. "Due to his [Tanvir's] excellent bowling we recorded three victories," Sami said.

Source: http://www.cricinfo.com/

Badshahs scamper home by 7 runs

Lance Klusener declared man of the match

Mumbai, April 03, 2008: The 2nd semi-final of the Edelweiss 20s Challenge featured the world no-3 side Lahore Badshahs (as per the Barter Card Power Rankings) take on the spirited Kolkata Tigers, at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector-3, Panchkula. The big question for everybody was - If the Tigers had it in them to derail the Badshahs juggernaut? However, in the end it turned out to be a classic encounter where the Badshahs won by a narrow margin of 7 runs. Lance Klusener declared man of the match.

Inzamam won the toss and elected to bat on a track that looked flat and full of runs. Nerves were playing a part in the big match & got the better of the inform Imran Farhat, who was sent back to the Badshahs dugout without troubling the scorers. At the end of the 5th over it was the other Imran. Nazir who got into the repair act for the Badshahs, taking the score to 35/1. Humayun & Nazir soon got into the groove playing some wonderful strokes, brining the 50 of the innings in the 6th over.

The partnership was growing in strength and by the 8th over, Badshahs were placed handsomely 70/1. Just when the partnership was taking dangerous proportions Zulu got into the act sending back Humayun in the10th over for a well made 39. At the half way mark of their innings the Badshahs were placed at 86/2. Shiv Sagar got the big break in form of Hasan Raza's wicket brining the Tigers right backing the match in the 11th over. Sagar got into the act again getting Nazir in the 13th over leaving the Badshahs in a bit of a bother at 94/4.

By the end of the 15th over, the match was turning out to be a fascinating contest with the Badshahs placed at 112/4. However, the cool composure of Inzi was what the Badshahs needed and in the company of Latif, he was working up a good partnership of over 50 runs setting the Badshahs for a big onslaught in the final overs. Azhar Mahmood came in with 2overs to spare and a lovely cameo of 24 off only 8 balls helped Badshahs set a formidable target of 183.

In reply, the Tigers came out with positive intent getting 21 for no loss at the end of the first three overs. The openers were gaining in confidence especially Dasgupta, who was taking on the formidable opening bowling attack. At the end of the 4th over, the Tigers were set on the target at 39 for no loss.

The Tigers got their 50 in style at the end of the 5th over scoring at over 10 runs per over. The wonderful opening partnership of 62 was brought to an end by Nazir who castled Dasgupta for a well made 22 in the 7th over. At the half way mark it was turning out to be a fascinating match with the Tigers needing 102 off 60 balls at 10 runs per over with 9 wickets in hand. Shahid Nazir was bowling some tight overs in the middle with the wily Mushtaq building the pressure on the Tigers. Two big hits from the bat of Zulu kept the hopes alive for the Tigers in the 14th over.

With 5 overs to go the match was fascinatingly poised with the Tigers needing 63 off 30balls at 12.6 runs per over with Zulu looking in ominous touch. Klusener was making a match out of it & in company of Gavaskar was taking the daunting target chase right down to the wire. In the last over , the Tigers were posed with the daunting task off scoring 18 runs. In the end Zulu's valiant was not enough and the Badshahs prevailed by 7 runs.

Brief Scores: Lahore Badshahs 182/7in20 overs (Nazir 42, Humayun 39, Sagar 2/19) win by 7 runs Kolkata Tigers 175/4 (Klusener 93, Gavaskar 23, Nazir2/12)

resource:www.indiancricketleague.in

Lahore Badshahs score second consecutive victory!

Azhar Mahmood & Imran Nazir jointly declared Man of the Match

The fifth match of the Edelweiss 20s Challenge featured the dominant Lahore Badshahs taking on the Hyderabad Heroes at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector-3, Panchkula. In a one sided affair the Badshahs overwhelmed the Hyderabad Heroes, defeating them by 9 wickets. Azhar Mahmood & Imran Nazir were declared as joint winners for Man of the Match.

The grounds men had worked hard on the pitch & a light shower just before the start of the match had freshened up the pitch. It was expected to produce true bounce conducive to stroke play from the rich batting line up of both the sides. Heroes captain Chris Harris, won the toss and elected to bat. The Heroes opened the batting with international Jimmy Maher & promising domestic player Anirudh Singh. Azhar Mahmood got the Badshahs their first breakthrough castling Jimmy Maher for 5 in the first over.

A horrible mix up between the promising Anirudh & Rayudu resulted in the formers run out leaving the Heroes innings reeling at 13/2 in the second over. Badshahs inform bowler Rana Naved, got into the act getting Rayudu nick one to the slip cordon into the safe hands of Inzamam. By the fifth over the Badshahs bowling was showing its might leaving the Heroes innings struggle at 21/4.

Justin Kemp & Heroes captain Harris did not trouble the scorers much & were packed back by the magnificent Badshahs bowling , leaving the Heroes innings in absolute tatters at 31/6 in the in the 7th over. The halfway mark of the Heroes innings read a dismal 44/6 with Boje & Razzaq battling it out in the middle. The end of the 15th over had the heroes at 67/6 with Boje trying hard to resurrect the innings. Razzaq unsuccessfully tried to increase the scoring rate, bowled by the quick MD Sami for only 10.

The bowling was right from the top drawer. Boundaries were far & between in the Heroes innings. Tight overs from international stalwarts like Saqlain, Sami ably supported by medium pacer Shahid Nazir kept a tight leash on the scoring rate. Azhar Mahmood was too good for the tail-enders bundling the Heroes innings for only 86.

In reply the Badshahs opened the innings with the two attacking openers Farhat & Nazir. Abdul Razzaq who opened the bowling for the Heroes got an early breakthrough sending back the dangerous Farhat for 4 in the very first over. Lady luck too was not smiling upon the Heroes with an eventful 4th over from Reddy seeing a catch of a no ball followed with a boundary and a dropped chance in the slips. The boundaries started coming fast & thick from the Badshahs bat with Nazir severe on the young Reddy taking him for 21 runs in the 6thover.

At the end of the 6th over the Badshahs were handsomely placed at 55 for the loss of only one wicket. Nazir was dealing in boundaries and his partnership with Farhat was worth 70 runs in only 46 balls taking the total to 74/1 in the 8th over. Two big sixes of spinner IS Reddy by the mercurial Imran Nazir took the Badshahs home to a comprehensive victory!

Brief Scores: (Hyderabad heroes 86 /10, N. Boje 39, A Mahmood 5/13 Rana Naved 2/19) lost by 9 wickets (Lahore Badshahs 87/1 Imran Nazir 62, H Farhat 18 , Abdul Razzaq 1/15)

resource: www.indiancricketleague.in

Kolkata Tigers clinch thriller against Champs

Andre Adams declared Man of the Match

The fourth match of the Edelweiss 20s Challenge being played at Tau Devi Lal Stadium Sector-3, Panchkula featured the Mumbai Champs taking on the spirited Kolkata Tigers from the city of joy. The pitch report had the experts declare the pitch as dry with low bounce.

Craig Mcmillan, the Tigers captain won the toss and elected to bat. The Tigers won the thriller by 2 runs handing the Mumbai Champs their second straight defeat in the Edelweiss 20s Challenge. Andre Adams was declared Man of the Match for his all round performance.

The Tigers opened the innings with Subhomoy Das & the great Lance Klusener. Das got into the act right away sending the ball to the ropes twice in the first over of Van der Wath. Tino best got the first break with a fast delivery castling Lance Klusener in the 4th over for 9. At the end of the fifth over the Tigers were placed at 35 /1. Astle brought on medium pacer Khird in the 7th over and he responded with a wicket on the first ball getting Subhomoy Das for 21.

Kasprowicz who was hit for a couple of boundaries in his previous over got right back into the game clean bowling the dangerous Tigers captain MCmillan in the 10th over. By the end of the 10th over the match was a keen contest between the bat & the ball, with the Tigers placed at 67/3.

The promising Jhunjhunwala was looking good in the company of the experienced Rohan Gavaskar, till a rush of blood saw him getting out to a smart piece of stumping by Paul of the impressive bowling of Khirid in the 14th over.

At the end of the 15th over the tigers were placed at 102/4. Rohan Gavaskar was the mainstay of the Tigers batting, but the boundaries were hard to come by. The hard hitting Andre Adams came to the party clubbing two big sixes of the final Tino Best over. The Tigers innings finally folded at 146/5 in 20 overs.

The Mumbai Champs reply started on a shaky note with Jayanta castled by Andre Adams in the first over. The newly promoted opener S Paul along with Raviraj Patil were in a positive mood displaying an array of strokes taking the score to 34/1 at the end of the 4th over . Patil especially was in an aggressive mood showing scant respect for the reputed opposition bowlers, stroking some audacious strokes all across the park.

The courageous partnership came to an end when the Tigers captain got the dangerous Patil out for a well made 52 in the 10th over. At the 11th over the Champs were well placed at 87/2 with captain Nathan Astle & Paul battling it out for the Champs at the crease. Some tight overs in the middle of the innings from the experienced Klusener & Mcmillan brought the tigers back into the game.

At the end of the 15th over the Champs were placed at 102/3, needing 45 off the last 5 overs at 9 runs per over. Astle played some big shots but a rash stroke brought an end to his promising innings of 30, which changed the fortunes for Champs.

A mini collapse with quick wickets of Van der Wath & Powar & Khanolkar reduced the Champs to 130 /6 in the 17th over taking the match right down to the wire . The Champs needed 9 runs off the last over from the quick Hayward. It proved too big a task for the lower order batsmen & finally the champs fell short of the target by 2 runs.

Brief scores: Kolkata Tigers (146/5 , R Gavaskar 41, A Jhunjhunwala 33, A Adams 21 , R Khirid 17/2 ) won by 2 runs , Mumbai Champs ( 144/9 R Patil 52, N Astle 30, A Adams 3/35 )

Resource: www.indiancricketleague.in