Rajasthan secure top spot with last-ball win

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians, IPL, Jaipur
May 26, 2008, Rajasthan Royals 146 for 5 (Niraj Patel 40*) beat Mumbai Indians 145 for 7 (Jayasuriya 38, Tanvir 4-14) by five wickets Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHow they were out

Sohail Tanvir took an impressive 4-14 to become the tournament's highest wicket-taker The Mumbai Indians lost their third successive nail-biter to leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. Rajasthan Royals needed 43 off the final three overs to protect their 100% home record and youngsters Niraj Patel and Ravindra Jadeja kept their nerve - while several more experienced Mumbai players lost theirs - to win it off the final ball.

The real winners, though, were Delhi Daredevils, who became the third team to qualify for the semi-finals. Mumbai must now hope Chennai Super Kings lose against Deccan Chargers on Tuesday to stay in contention.

When Shane Watson was dismissed with 69 runs needed off 48 balls, Mumbai were in command; Rajasthan had no big-name batsman to follow and the pitch was not conducive to stroke-making. It got better for the visitors as the bowlers maintained their tight line and length and runs came mainly in singles. With Niraj and Jadeja hardly threatening, the equation became a difficult 43 off the final three.

The 18th over, from Ashish Nehra saw a streaky inside-edge for four and a misdirected yorker deflected off the pads to the fine-leg boundary left Rajasthan needing 34 off the last two. The penultimate over, bowled by Rohan Raje, yielded 17; Jadeja clubbed the first ball over cover for six and the rest was a mix of singles, twos, threes and a no-ball. The final delivery should have gone only for a couple, but shoddy work at the bowler's end - one among Mumbai's several elementary fielding errors - gave away a crucial, extra run.

Fifteen to get off six balls. Four came off the first two balls from Dilhara Fernando and, with 11 needed off four and two rookies against a wealth of experience, you'd bet on Mumbai to edge it.

Then followed a flat, powerful six over long-on from Niraj, but, with only two scored off the next two, three were needed from the final ball. Fernando, an experienced international, then sent down a leg-side wide and Niraj mistimed the last delivery to mid-on. Only one run should have been taken but the batsmen chanced their luck and set off for the second. Sanath Jayasuriya, another veteran, fumbled the throw from the deep to fluff a simple run-out opportunity and hand Rajasthan yet another victory.

The chase of 146 began with some uncontrolled across-the-line heaves and suicidal running; Kamran Akmal punished Ashish Nehra's wide deliveries and picked off two boundaries off Shaun Pollock but was run out when he made the basic error of not dragging his bat into the crease. A couple of wickets more, a few more boundaries and another comical run-out, Mohammad Kaif stranded yards out. Then Sachin Tendulkar, running across from midwicket, pulled off a blinder to send back Watson in Raje's next over. That was when Rajasthan, as they have through the tournament, found new heroes to bail them out in Niraj and Jadeja.

After choosing to field on a pitch keeping low, Rajasthan restricted Mumbai to 145 - and even that modest total was reached thanks to Yogesh Takawale's eight-ball 24 in the final over, off Watson. Rajasthan's bowlers held sway for most of the innings, and Man-of-the-Match Sohail Tanvir reinforced his status as the tournament's best bowler with a four-wicket haul that earned him the purple cap.

Mumbai struggled to find momentum from the start, and the opening pair of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar were stifled by the new-ball bowlers to such an extent that only 29 runs, and two boundaries, came in the Powerplay. Yusuf Pathan, bowling flat and quick, and Siddharth Trivedi also kept Mumbai in check before Shane Warne came into the attack for his much-anticipated showdown with Tendulkar. Warne varied his flight well but was competently handled by Tendulkar, who kept tucking him away to the leg side.

Only 60 came off the first ten overs, and Jayasuriya, trying to provide some impetus, had a bit of luck with a couple of boundaries before pulling straight to midwicket. Things were to get worse for Mumbai as Tendulkar offered Trivedi a simple return catch and Robin Uthappa was smartly stumped by Akmal off Warne after a short, uneasy stay at the crease.

Abhishek Nayar's three off-side boundaries pushed them along but, just as the innings was gathering some momentum, Tanvir ran through the Mumbai middle-order, taking four wickets in two overs. Then came Takawale's flurry but it was inadequate as Rajasthan again dug deep to pull off an improbable win.

© Cricinfo Siddarth Ravindran is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo

Brilliant Clark gets Australia home

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Jamaica, 5th day
May 26, 2008, Australia 431 and 167 beat West Indies 312 and 191 (Clark 5-32) by 95 runs

Stuart Clark finished with 5 for 32 to set up Australia's win Stuart Clark produced arguably his best day of bowling in an already first-rate Test career to give Australia a 95-run victory, which was a flattering result after they spent most of the match locked in a tight battle with West Indies. Clark was almost unplayable on the final day and finished with a career-best 5 for 32 that masked some concerns for Australia, who were shaky in the field and struggled to find decent back-up for Clark and Brett Lee.

Fortunately for Ricky Ponting's men, West Indies, who are ranked No. 8 among Test nations, slipped back into their familiar ways as they threw away wickets and the chance to really push the No. 1 team. Only a 67-run seventh-wicket partnership from Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy sparked any real concern in the Australian camp, and after that stand was broken the tail fizzled away with little resistance.

The end came with a pair of wickets to Stuart MacGill - two of his best balls from a disappointing match - which was just as well as Lee and Clark were both tiring after a day of carrying the full weight of Australia's expectations. Clark was still required to end the stay of Sammy, who was lbw to a ball that seamed in, for 35, before the last few wickets fell.

Both teams had a genuine shot at victory when the morning began. West Indies needed another 241 runs and Australia required nine wickets to avoid losing the opening Test of a series for the first time since they visited Sri Lanka in 1999. Within an hour Clark and Lee had restored their team's confidence and by lunch West Indies were six down and the match appeared all but over.

It was inspiring stuff from Clark and Lee, who started the day sharing the ball and bowled unchanged for 110 minutes on a hot Kingtson morning, sending down ten straight overs each before Ponting finally gave them some assistance. Clark in particular was outstanding, stifling the batsmen with a remarkably consistent line while swinging and seaming the ball in both directions.

He removed West Indies' top three for the second time in the match and proved once again that raw speed is no longer the only useful weapon on Caribbean pitches. He was helped by a disappointing approach from the West Indies batsmen, who had all day to reach their goal and needed to be patient. Clark's nagging accuracy frustrated some of the batsmen - notably the captain and vice-captain - into poor shots that brought their dismissals.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was being beaten by leg cutters and couldn't find his rhythm, and he tried to force runs through the leg side when he got a straight half-volley. The ball spooned up off his leading edge and Andrew Symonds at cover jumped and knocked the ball down with his right hand - most men would not have reached it - and completed the chance on the second grab.

Dwayne Bravo also succumbed to a glaringly obvious plan as he was tied down for 11 balls without scoring before he too got a straighter one that he felt he could drive through the leg side. But Australia had stationed a man at a very short mid-on, next to the pitch, for several overs and Bravo struck it straight into the fielder Mitchell Johnson's hands.

In between those breakthroughs, Clark removed Devon Smith with a peach of an inswinger that pitched in line, straightened and struck Smith on the back pad when he inexplicably offered no shot. It was an awful piece of judgment and Smith, restored to the opening position due to injuries to Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon, will be hoping he can settle back down at No. 6 for the second Test.

At the other end Lee was quick, straight, and completed his most consistent spell of the match. He picked up Runako Morton, who was lbw to a ball that angled in and struck him in line with off stump, and the first-innings hero Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who strangely prodded a nothing shot back to Lee to be caught and bowled for 11.

But it wasn't all plain sailing for Australia. Both Simon Katich at slip and the debutant wicketkeeper Brad Haddin put down regulation chances on the final day. More of a problem was that when Clark and Lee were having a well-earned lengthy break, Johnson and MacGill posed little threat and allowed Sammy and Ramdin to build a partnership. At least Johnson sometimes beat the bat and produced a couple of venomous balls that bounced sharply.

MacGill, on the other hand, was a long way below his best. Full tosses and long hops abounded and he looked worryingly like he did during the series against Sri Lanka in November, before he had wrist surgery to deal with his carpal-tunnel syndrome. Nobody would have been more relieved than MacGill when he ended the Ramdin-Sammy resistance by collecting the ball at mid-on and with a surprisingly quick flick struck the stumps at the bowler's end to have Ramdin short.

While there were enough positives to cover Australia's weaknesses, West Indies would be deeply disappointed to have come so close to challenging the world's best team only to fall back into their old habits. Despite passages of brilliance through the Test - notably Fidel Edwards' bowling and Chanderpaul's 118 - they were unable to maintain the intensity for five days.

It will be even harder in Antigua, where they will take on a stronger Australia side that will welcome back Michael Clarke and potentially Matthew Hayden. The second Test is only four days away and West Indies must shake off their inconsistent ways to pose a genuine threat to Ponting's men.
Source: © Cricinfo Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo

West Indies set up thrilling finale

May 25, 2008, West Indies 312 and 46 for 1 need another 241 runs to beat Australia 431 and 167 (Symonds 79, Bravo 4-47, Powell 3-36, Edwards 3-40)Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentaryHow they were out.

Andrew Symonds made an invaluable 79 as Australia set West Indies a challenging target.

West Indies will need the best fourth-innings chase at Sabina Park after Andrew Symonds rescued Australia from their worst opening to a Test innings in 72 years to set the home side 287 for a final-day victory. When bad light stopped play West Indies had made a solid start in their challenging task, reaching 46 for 1 with Devon Smith on 19 and Ramnaresh Sarwan on 8.
Australia wanted more than one early breakthrough but it took all of Stuart Clark's efforts to finally remove Brenton Parchment for 15. Clark peppered the stumps and Parchment's technique of walking across and trying to work almost everything to leg had him rapped on the pads for three excruciatingly close lbw shouts. Clark had his revenge when he moved one away from Parchment, who edged behind to leave West Indies at 22 for 1.
The match was following a remarkably similar path to the memorable Barbados Test of 1999, when Australia posted 400-plus batting first, West Indies trailed by more than 100 and Australia struggled in the second innings and gave the home team a target of 308. Ricky Ponting and Stuart MacGill were members of the side that watched as Brian Lara guided his men with a brilliant century and they will be cheering the fact he is not here this time.
Lara was also one of the stars of the highest successful chase at Sabina Park, when he and Sarwan both finished in the 80s as West Indies reached their goal of 212 against Sri Lanka in 2003. Sarwan will be a key figure again, but he will wish his bowlers had capitalised further after Australia slumped to a barely believable 18 for 5 when the nightwatchman Mitchell Johnson edged behind in the first over of the day.
Without Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke it was reasonable to assume Australia's batting would be weaker, but nobody expected their worst start to a Test innings since 1936. Only three previous times had Australia been five wickets down with fewer than 20 runs on the board: in 1888 at Old Trafford, in 1896 at The Oval and in 1936 at the Gabba. On that occasion Bill Voce and Gubby Allen had Don Bradman's men at 16 for 5, and they eventually capitulated for 58 in the 13th over. This time a 52-run partnership from Symonds and Brad Hodge prevented a catastrophically low total.
Hodge appeared unfazed by the scoreline and played some confident pulls and cover-drives to reach 27 before he became the first of Dwayne Bravo's four victims by prodding at an excellent leg cutter. Still, Australia had steadied slightly and only two losses in the first session was an improvement on their four wickets within nine overs on the third afternoon.
After lunch Symonds decided the best way to keep surviving was to force West Indies into a more defensive mindset, and he launched three sixes off Amit Jaggernauth's offspin in the first three overs of the second session. Symonds' footwork was deft and he advanced nimbly to drive Jaggernauth over long-on twice and clipped him for another six to midwicket, stripping West Indies of any momentum they had retained.
It was enough of a statement from Symonds, who was then content to settle back into an easier pace and patiently waited for opportunities to drive over-pitched balls or cut when he was offered width. He built an invaluable 74-run partnership with Brad Haddin, who was scratchy but, importantly, survived for a large chunk of the session. The stand ended with a brilliant catch at short cover by Runako Morton, who plucked a violent cover-drive above his head from the bat of Haddin, who had 23.
Brett Lee faced a short-pitched barrage and discovered how Shivnarine Chanderpaul might have felt on the third day, copping a bouncer to the helmet off Fidel Edwards. Unlike Chanderpaul, Lee was immediately up and batted on, although Edwards had the final say when Lee under-edged him behind for 9.
That was the start of a late flurry of wickets as Symonds decided on all-out attack and was caught top edging an attempted pull off Bravo that was somehow caught by Darren Sammy, who crashed with Daren Powell as they converged at mid-off and each tried to claim the chance. It became three wickets in six balls when MacGill threw the bat and was caught to end Australia's innings at 167.
An imposing total it was not, but thanks to Ponting's first-day century Australia had enough of a buffer to make West Indies' task a challenging one. They might have no Lara but as Chanderpaul proved on the third day, West Indies are still capable of putting up a serious fight.

Source: © Cricinfo The Bulletin by Brydon Coverdale

Darren Gough to retire at end of season

May 26, 2008, Darren Gough in his pomp in 2001
Darren Gough, the former England fast bowler and current Yorkshire captain, will retire from first-class cricket at the end of the 2008 season.

"I think it's time now," Gough said after Yorkshire's washed out Friends Provident Trophy match against Derbyshire. "I'm 37, we've got some good youngsters coming through and I'll be 38 when I've retired. I think I've had a good innings and it's time to call it a day."

It will end a fine career by one of England's most gregarious and successful fast bowlers. In 58 Tests he took 229 wickets at 28.39 after making his debut against New Zealand in 1994, along with 235 one-day wickets. A Yorkshireman through and through, it was a surprise when he ended 15 years with the club by switching to Essex in 2004. However, he returned to Headingley as captain in 2007 and enjoyed an excellent season.

His retirement doesn't come as a surprise, however. He was "95% sure" back in January that 2008 would be his swansong and, a few weeks ago, he told the The York Press that he was keen to bow out on his own terms.
"I had a great year last year. I got 70-odd wickets and did pretty well - very well because I was the top wicket-taker," he said. "I've never been one for a big fanfare. When I quit Test cricket, I made my decision. I didn't tell anyone that I was retiring after the next Test, I didn't go around waving my bat in the air. I went home and I rang David Graveney, then chairman of selectors, and said: 'Thanks mate, that's it'. There was no send off.

That's the way that I want it to be.

"It would be nice to finish the last game with a five-for and a century with the bat, but it doesn't always work that way."

When he first arrived in international cricket, there was genuine hope he might turn into a promising allrounder with 65 on debut against New Zealand, and a crowd-pleasing 51 in Sydney during the 1994-95 Ashes. He may not have had the fleetest of footwork at the crease, but his twinkle toes were good enough for him to win the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing competition in 2005, and again in 2007.
Source: © Cricinfo

WBatsman's lawyers to file for judicial review Samuels to contest two-year ban

May 25, 2008, Marlon Samuels' lawyers are all set to challenge his two-year ban Marlon Samuels' lawyers, Churchill Neita and Delano Harrison, have indicated that they will press for a judicial review against the two-year ban imposed on the batsman by the West Indies Cricket Board. On May 9, a disciplinary committee deemed that Samuels had breached section C4 of the ICC's Code of Conduct regulations, which involves receiving money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute.

"From the outset, we wish to make it pellucidly clear that we propose to challenge the findings of the majority [3 to 1] by way of judicial enquiry, as we believe a most grave injustice has been done by their finding of our client's liability of one of the ICC's disciplinary offences," the lawyers said in a statement issued yesterday.
It was added that the disciplinary committee had found "no basis upon which to find that Mr. Samuels acted dishonestly or in a corrupt manner." They were also "amazed" at the committee's ruling, and considered the reasons given by them to be "flawed and in defiance of logics".

The lawyers raised the following points to make a case for their client:

"The evidence in the hearing was that the hotel bill paid for our client by Mr Mukesh Kochar was a loan from a friend and father-figure which was to be repaid on Marlon's return to the West Indies."

"The evidence in the hearing was that Mr Mukesh Kochar was not a bookmaker."

"The evidence in the hearing was that Marlon only came to need a loan because money which he had expected to earn from a contract to participate in a television reality show that would have earned him a sum considerably in excess of the hotel bill, did not in fact materialise. Further, his credit card which he had tendered to meet the bill, was declined."

They also pointed out that the aforementioned loan agreement came two weeks after the alleged offence and after the West Indies had completed their tour of India in January 2007, and that the disciplinary committee had "agreed unreservedly" with them that "there has not been proved against Mr Samuels, any element of corruption."

They said the judgement was not an unanimous one, with Aubrey Bishop opposing the final decision made by the four-man committee which also included Richie Richardson, Justice Adrian Saunders, and Lloyd Barnett.
Concluding their statement, the attorneys said: "It is because of the foregoing why we consider that an application for judicial review stands a realistic chance of success and we, therefore, propose to pursue it actively."
Sorce: © Cricinfo

Ganguly and Gul end Kolkata's campaign on a high

Kolkata Knight Riders 175 for 7 (Ganguly 86*, Gul 24) beat Kings XI Punjab 174 for 6 (Sangakkara 64, Marsh 40, Gul 4-23) by three wicketsScorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHow they were out Umar Gul inspired the Kolkata Knight Riders to a thrilling final-over win over Kings XI Punjab.
The Kolkata Knight Riders' final game of the season provided Sourav Ganguly and his team a chance to redeem themselves in front of their home fans. An insipid performance in the field and for three-fourths of the chase suggested the campaign would end on a low note but, after Umar Gul sparked life into the chase, Ganguly did the rest to upset Kings XI Punjab's winning momentum ahead of the knockout stages.

After 15 overs, Kolkata were stumbling at 104 for 5, needing an improbable 71 more. Two runs and three balls later they lost Aakash Chopra and in walked Umar Gul, who had taken 4 for 23. After playing the first ball from James Hopes back to the bowler, he proceeded to smash the next two for six - he connected the first in the nick of time for a pull and the ball surprisingly sailed into the stands, the second was sent over long-on.
That seemed to inspire Ganguly, who made Yuvraj Singh rue the decision to bowl Piyush Chawla. Ganguly launched a straight six, swept one for four, and sent one flying over midwicket. Twenty-eight runs had come in the space of five balls, and the chase was back on track.

Sreesanth had delivered a probing first spell but Gul took his chance, and 16 runs off the over - a six and two fours, off the bat and off the leg - brought the equation down to 23 off two.

VRV Singh bowled the penultimate over, removing Gul and giving away only eight runs, leaving 15 needed off the final six balls. The stage was set for Ganguly and he didn't disappoint the Kolkata faithful. The first ball from Irfan Pathan was whipped over the square-leg boundary, followed by a two and another six straight down the ground to tie the score before a single sealed the win.

Punjab, who had clinched two consecutive games in the final over, would have felt their total of 174 - the highest total at Eden Gardens - was enough. Their innings was dominated yet again by their top order. Kumar Sangakkara and Shaun Marsh continued from their partnership against the Deccan Chargers, and Punjab punished Kolkata's lacklustre effort in the field - barring Umar Gul's splendid effort with the ball, there was hardly any spark in Kolkata's performance.

Sangakkara showed off his silken touch and found the boundaries effortlessly. Along with deft touches, he managed to improvise as well; he moved across against Laxmi Ratan Shukla, and swatted the ball over short third man with ease. Marsh wasn't to be outscored, and hit Sri Lankan spin sensation Ajantha Mendis for fours. He then smashed two sixes, premeditating a slog-sweep over midwicket off Shukla, before depositing David Hussey over the straight boundary. But another charge against Mendis landed straight into the hands of Chopra at long-on.

Unfortunately for Sangakkara, a dodgy leg-before decision went against him. Kolkata's fielding was woeful, with several misfields going for fours and a few spilled chances. Yuvraj has been struggling for form in the tournament but he was given a reprieve. He got a top-edge, and Ganguly ran back from midwicket to get under the skier, but Chopra, coming in from deep called and was better placed to take it; the two collided, and the ball popped out of Ganguly's hands.

Yuvraj added insult to injury by smashing three fours in Ishant Sharma's final over, and the IPL's most expensive bowler, who has had a disappointing tournament, ended with 49 runs from four overs. But Gul, a steal at US$150,000 considering his World Twenty20 heroics, managed to fire in the yorkers, and after he gave just eight in his first spell, removing James Hopes, he came back to remove the set Sangakkara, who was readying to tee off. Only four came off the final over he bowled, with two scalps, and his 4 for 23 ensured Punjab's score wasn't out of Kolkata's reach.
Source: © Cricinfo Mathew Varghese is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo