Firing in Lahore, Sri Lanka cricket team members injured

LAHORE: Six members of Sri Lanka's national cricket team have been wounded after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Lahore, Pakistan, according to reports.

Pakistan Cricket Board security official Nadeem Iqbal says the team members were injured near the Gaddafi stadium where they were due to arrive to play in the second test against Pakistan.

Sri Lankan team manager, Brendon Kruppu, confirmed the incident and said the team's players, Kumar Sangakkara and Ajantha Mendis, are among the injured.

"We are assessing the situation," Pakistan cricket board chief Ejaz Butt said.

In Sri Lanka, sports minister Gamini Lokuge said two other players, Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera, had been taken to hospital in Lahore, AFP reports.

Unidentified gunmen attacked the bus taking the Sri Lankan cricket squad and its police escort to a cricket stadium in Lahore, according to witnesses and cricket officials.

Six policemen and two civilians have been killed, a police official said. The attack was likely the work of "well-trained terrorists," Lahore police chief, Habib-ur Rehman, said, according to AFP.

The police chief said 12 gunmen attacked the convoy near Lahore's Gaddafi stadium with rockets, hand grenades and automatic weapons and were involved in a 25-minute shoot-out with the security forces.

The Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan stands cancelled. Sri Lanka is to immediately pull its national cricket team out of Pakistan following the gun attack, Sri Lanka cricket chief Duleep Mendis said.

Security concerns have plagued Pakistan for years and some foreign sports teams have refused to play here.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/6-Lanka-cricketers-wounded-in-Lahore-attack/articleshow/4215872.cms

Samaraweera, Sangakkara injured in shootout

LAHORE: Six members of the Sri Lankan cricket squad were wounded when around a dozen gunmen attacked their bus as it drove under police escort on Tuesday to a stadium in the Pakistani city of Lahore, witnesses and officials said.

Lahore Police chief Habib-ur-Rehman said five people were killed in the attack by the unidentified gunmen, who fired AK 47s and rockets and hurled grenades as the team bus drove to the 60,000-seater Gaddafi stadium in the eastern city.

Sri Lankan media, quoting the sports minister, said five players, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavithana and Mahela Jayawardene, and an assistant coach were wounded.

"We are assessing the situation," Pakistan cricket board chief Ejaz Butt said.

Team captain Mahela Jayawardene's father said his son had just called his wife from Lahore to say that he too had suffered minor injuries in his leg during the attack that shocked the nation.

One explosion was also heard at the stadium. The attackers later escaped in separate groups. The liaison officer of the Pakistan team said players of the host nation have been sent back to the hotel.

"The Sri Lankan players are presently safe at the Gaddafi stadium and they are getting treatment," one PCB official said.

The Lahore second Test between Sri Lanka and hosts Pakistan has been called off, a Sri Lankan cricket board official said.

"We are trying to bring the team back as quickly as possible. The Test match has been cancelled," the official said on Tuesday.

Unidentified gunmen attacked the bus taking the Sri Lankan cricket squad and its police escort to a cricket stadium in Lahore, according to witnesses and cricket officials.

Five policemen have also been killed as the police van escorting Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore was fired upon. Confirms the police chief in Lahore.

Sources also claimed that the police had received a threat on Monday that the Sri Lankan team would be attacked so a different route was used to transport the team to the stadium.

Source:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/News/News/Samaraweera-Sangakkara-injured-in-shootout/articleshow/4215879.cms

Johnson stars as Australia take 1-0 lead

Johannesburg: Australia bounced straight back from a home series defeat when they beat South Africa by 162 runs on the fifth day of the first Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Monday. South Africa survived until after tea on the final day before being bowled out for 291.


Their resistance was worn down by accurate, disciplined Australian bowling. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson sealed the win when he bowled Dale Steyn eight balls after tea.


Man of the match Johnson finished with four for 112. He took four for 25 in the first innings and also made 96 not out with the bat.


While Johnson was the main strike bowler, he received excellent support from fellow seam bowlers Peter Siddle (three for 46), Ben Hilfenhaus (two for 68) and Andrew McDonald (one for 31), who all applied relentless pressure on the South African batsmen.


Australia were beaten 2-1 in a home series against the same opponents earlier in the season.


They need to win or draw the return three-Test series to retain their International Cricket Council Test championship.


A young and inexperienced Australian team, which included three new caps, set up the win by dominating the first three days. The tourists recovered from 38 for three and 182 for five to reach a first innings total of 466, then bowled out South Africa for 220.

Pre-match favourites South Africa fought back in the second innings but had an almost impossible mountain to climb. South Africa started the day on 178, still with an outside chance of chasing down a target of 454.


For the first hour, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis batted solidly. But then Amla clipped a ball from Siddle to midwicket to be out for 57.


First innings century-maker AB de Villiers made only three before he was trapped leg before by the persistent medium-pacer McDonald.


The key breakthrough came in the third over with the second new ball when Kallis was bowled off an inside edge by Johnson for 45.


In Johnson's previous over, Kallis was given out by umpire Billy Bowden but Kallis asked for a referral and was reprieved by television umpire Asad Rauf because the ball pitched marginally outside leg stump.


Kallis scored 40 off 85 balls before Amla's dismissal but then went into survival mode. He faced another 54 deliveries in scoring five more runs before he drove at a wide ball from Johnson, which deflected into his stumps off an inside edge and a pad.


JP Duminy and Mark Boucher survived for more than 20 overs before Duminy was caught at second slip off Siddle for 29.


Morne Morkel was caught off a weak pull shot for the second time in the match, giving Johnson his third wicket of the innings, before Boucher was bowled off an inside edge by Hilfenhaus for 24.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/johnson-stars-as-australia-take-10-lead/38717-13-1.html

India set Kiwis 274-run target in rain-hit game

Napier: Virender Sehwag got India off to a flier in the opening one-dayer after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat against New Zealand at McLean Park in Napier on Tuesday.


His partner Sachin Tendulkar, however, was out caught behind to Ian Butler for 20 just as India started to accelerate.


Sehwag began in blazing fashion but rains halted play after 4.3 overs before resumption not before the game was reduced to a 38-over contest.


Ishant Sharma, the Indian fast bowler, was unable to make it for the final eleven owing to a shoulder injury as Praveen Kumar replaced him while ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar was back in action after missing the Twenty20 series, which India lost 0-2.


Munaf Patel was also back in the eleven. Irfan Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma made way for the one-day regulars.


For New Zealand, young speedster Tim Southee was a notable omission while all-rounder Jacob Oram returned to the side.


Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.


New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Neil Broom, Jacob Oram, Ian Butler, Iain O'Brien, Kyle Mills.

Soruce:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/dhoni-leads-indian-charge-in-napier/38739-13.html

Lankan players escape with minor injuries in attack

New Delhi: Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan was cancelled on Tuesday after about 12 unidentified gunmen opened fire on Sri Lanka's team bus near the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Tuesday morning. The Lankan team was on its way to the stadium for the third day's play of the second Test.


Six Sri Lankan players are believed to have been injured in the attack. According to reports, Thilan Samaraweera was shot in the chest and was operated upon, following which it was announced that he is out of danger. Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Chaminda Vaas and Thilan Thushara were also injured in the attack. However, Sanath Jayasuriya confirrmed CNN-IBN over the phone that all the players were safe.


According to GEO TV, five policemen who were part of the security ring for the Sri Lankan players were killed on the spot, while two died in the hospital.


Apart from firing at the team, even grenades were lobbed at the Lankan team bus and rocket launchers were reportedly used.


The security in-charge of the Gaddafi stadium was also quoted as saying that some Sri Lankan players were still inside the stadium and that star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was safe.


The Lankan team media manager said the team taken to high security zone.


Cricinfo's Sri Lanka editor Charlie Austin said there was some explosion before the firing started. He also said that skipper Mahela Jayawardene had also been hit in his ankle.


The area was cordoned off and Kalashnikovs have been recovered from the spot.


Security concerns in Pakistan have troubled tours in that country before as well. As many as three tours were cancelled in the last year alone.


Australia pulled out of their scheduled visit, while the International Cricket Council (ICC) postponed the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in September.


That postponement was followed by the cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan that was scheduled to be held this Januaray and February. The decision was taken after relations between the neighbours deteriorated further following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.


The tour had always been under doubt due to the security situation in Pakistan and it was further put in jeopardy by the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/lankan-players-escape-with-minor-injuries-in-attack/38740-13.html

Contractor to visit Windies

Mumbai, March 1: Four decades after suffering a near-fatal skull injury while ducking into a bouncer in a tour game, former India captain Nari Contractor will visit the Caribbean later this month as a special invitee to witness the formation of blood banks named after the first black West Indian cricket captain, Sir Frank Worrell.“It (1962) was not a happy tour, but I’m going there for a cause and will be visiting the various islands. I have not visited them after returning in 1962,” said the former left-handed opener whose injury, sustained against Barbados and West Indian paceman Charlie Griffith, needed a surgical operation and a steel plate to be fitted into his skull. One of the men who donated blood when he was in the hospital fighting for his dear life was his rival captain Worrell who himself, ironically, died of Leukaemia (Blood cancer) five years later. (PTI)

Samaraweera, Sangakkara make merry

LAHORE, March 1: A serene 204-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera allowed Sri Lanka to soak up the pressure of three early wickets and reach a comfortable position by the end of the opening day at Lahore. It might have been a different story had Faisal Iqbal held on to a chance offered by Sangakkara when he was 55. Sangakkara fell just before the close, but Sri Lanka would be satisfied with the day’s effort after being put in to bat on a pitch with uneven grass cover. The surface was expected to assist the fast bowlers initially but there were enough dry areas to keep the spinners interested as the match progresses.

India can rise to 2nd in ICC rankings

DUBAI: The Indian cricket team has the chance to rise up a notch and replace Australia as the second-placed team in the ICC one-day rankings if it manages to whitewash New Zealand 5-0 in the series starting tomorrow.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team is currently third, four ratings points behind second-placed Australia and five behind top team South Africa.

A clean sweep will put India ahead of Ricky Ponting's men by a fraction of a point but it would remain just behind the Proteas in what would be an extraordinarily tightly packed leader-board with one ratings point separating the top three ODI teams in world cricket.

For its part, New Zealand can move up to third ahead of India if it wins the series 4-1 or better but it will drop as low as sixth if it suffers a 5-0 defeat.

The series is also an opportunity for some of the top players to make further gains in the rankings.

Dhoni is currently enjoying the top spot in the rankings for batsmen but team-mate Yuvraj Singh is hot on his heels in third position.


Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/articlelist/1715249553.cms

Hurt India aim to make amends in first ODI

NAPIER: Their pride hurt in the Twenty20 internationals, India would be aiming to rediscover their winning momentum when they take on a rampaging New Zealand in the first match of the five-ODI series starting on Tuesday.

A defeat in the first day-nighter at the McClean Park would mean India, who will miss the services of Ishant Sharma because of injury in the first match, would have to play catch-up with the Black Caps who are on a high after blanking the fancied visitors 2-0 in the Twenty20 series.

If India began their 48-day sojourn as the favourites, the tide has cruelly turned against them. They have been outdone by a set of talented all-rounders, who could be classified as batsmen-bowlers, bowler-batsmen and a swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman.

India desperately lack a match-winning all-rounder and in Ravindra Jadeja they had one in the making, but the left-hander has returned home after the T20 internationals. His alacrity in the field coupled with his all-round abilities would have been of value to the side.

Source:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/4211799.cms

Force India targets regular points in 2009

BANGKOK: Force India is targetting regular points finishes in the 2009 Formula One season, team principal Vijay Mallya said on Sunday.

The 2009 car, the VJM02, will make its testing debut in Jerez, Spain, on Sunday, with the team eager to get a first gauge on performance with a new Mercedes engine, and McLaren-supplied gearbox and hydraulics.

The team did not get a championship point in its inaugural 2008 season, but billionaire boss Mallya had high expectations for the coming campaign.

"To be brutally honest, I would not be happy if we didn't show some much improved, and much needed, performance," Mallya said.

"What we really set out to do over the winter was to put in place structures, procedures and partnerships that would give improvement, but crucially, no excuses.

"I would like to see a strong start, rising to points mid-season and a definite improvement in qualifying. Regular points finishes should be the aim."

Force India has switched from a Ferrari engine to Mercedes for the 2009 season. It has had a busy off-season adjusting the car for the new drive train, but also to the many changes in regulations for the season ahead.

Along with rule changes to aerodynamics which forced all teams to redesign their chassis, this season will see the return of slick tires and the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).

KERS converts the energy created in the action of braking, stores it, and allows it to be used intermittently to provide a power boost when required.

"Our car is fully KERS compliant, but whether we run the system will be decided jointly by Force India, McLaren and Mercedes," the team's design director Mark Smith said.

Force India has retained the same driver pairing for 2009, with experienced Italian Giancarlo Fisichella joined by German Adrian Sutil.

Fisichella, who has been in Formula One since 1996, is hoping the technical shake-up will help lift Force India up the grid.

"This year is maybe the biggest change for many years, with KERS, slick tires, downforce and new aero rules, so it's very exciting," Fisichella said.

"It would be good to see all the teams mixed up and to be able to fight for points. If the car is good, why not even for the podium?"

Sutil was hoping for greater reliability in the coming season after finishing only seven of the 18 races in 2008.

"If the car is really good, as we all hope it will be, we should hope to get into the points and make the most of it, but right now I don't want to predict results or say too much, I just want to have a season without any problems and a much higher finish rate," Sutil said.

Source:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

India win fourth Test, series with New Zealand

AUCKLAND: A double strike in the second half gave India a 2-0 win in the fourth and final men's field hockey Test against New Zealand on Sunday, giving them a series win by the same margin.

India's Dilip Tirkey and Sandeep Singh stepped up after a scoreless first half.

Tirkey nailed a penalty corner strike in the 43rd minute and Singh followed suit in the 67th minute, flicking the ball into the top left of the goal.

New Zealand felt they should have been ahead just before the interval when the ball hit an Indian body, stopping a certain goal, but India successfully appealed on the grounds that the ball first hit a New Zealand player's foot.

The Indians were then spectacular on the counter-attack in the second half, exposing the inexperience of the New Zealanders who were frequently punished for turnovers.

India won the second Test 2-1, while the first and third Tests were drawn 1-1.

Soruce:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?frm_TOIHome_top

Ogilvy dominates Casey to win Match Play title

MARANA (Arizona): Geoff Ogilvy enhanced his status in the game by clinching his sixth PGA Tour title with a commanding 4 & 3 victory over Britain's Paul Casey in Sunday's final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Three up after dominating the morning round, the Australian world number eight covered the first nine holes of the afternoon in five-under 31 before sealing the win with a birdie at the par-four 33rd.

It was Ogilvy's third World Golf Championships (WGC) title, following his successes in the 2006 Accenture Match Play Championship and last year's CA Championship in Miami, and will lift him to fourth in the world rankings on Monday.

Englishman Casey, who had not trailed in any of his five previous matches at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, lost the opening hole of the day to Ogilvy and never got back on level terms.

"It's a very satisfying week to play well," Ogilvy, 31, said after appearing in the tournament final for a third time in four years and extending his win-loss record at the event to 17-2.

"Tucson has been good to me this last week in February. For the last three or four years, it has been fantastic. I really enjoy this format and I just love playing in the desert."

The Australian, who claimed his only major victory at the 2006 US Open, won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2005 Tucson Classic.

Casey, foiled in his bid to triumph for the first time on the US circuit, paid tribute to his good friend and neighbour in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"He just played excellent golf all day," the 31-year-old said after a sweltering afternoon in the Arizona desert. "He holed the putts when he needed to. I threw a lot at him and he didn't flinch."

Ogilvy, who has already established a formidable reputation as a matchplay golfer, birdied the opening hole in the afternoon round to go four up before Casey clawed one back by sinking a six-foot birdie putt at the par-five 20th.

The Englishman appeared likely to cut the deficit to two when he coaxed in a curling 40-footer to birdie the 22nd but Ogilvy responded by holing his putt there from 15 feet.

The next two holes were halved before the Australian stretched his lead to four after confidently rolling in a seven-footer to birdie the par-four 25th.

Ogilvy struck a dagger blow at the par-five 26th, hitting his second shot to six feet and knocking in the eagle putt to trump Casey's birdie there and forge five ahead.

Although Casey bogeyed the par-four 27th to trail by six, he won the par-five 29th with a conceded eagle putt and the 31st with a birdie to extend the match.

After both players drove just short of the green at the 343-yard 33rd, Ogilvy chipped up to six feet and knocked in the birdie putt to seal victory.

Ogilvy, who beat American Davis Love III 3&2 to win the 2006 title at La Costa, had birdied three of the first nine holes in the morning to go four up and set the tone for the day.

Although Casey picked up form after the turn and spectacularly holed out with a six-iron from 204 yards to eagle the par-four 10th, Ogilvy's flawless six-under 66 put him in command at lunch.

In the consolation match played over one round, American Stewart Cink beat Britain's Ross Fisher one up to secure third place.

Soruce:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?frm_TOIHome_top

United beat Tottenham to win League Cup

LONDON: Manchester United squeezed past holders Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 on penalties to win the English League Cup on Sunday after the Wembley final finished 0-0 after extra time.

Third-choice keeper Ben Foster was the United hero, diving to his left to save Jamie O'Hara's penalty and inspire the shoot-out win.

David Bentley also dragged his effort wide for Spurs before Anderson fired the winning penalty to make it a perfect weekend for United after Liverpool's defeat by Middlesbrough on Saturday left them seven points clear in the Premier League.

After adding the League Cup to FIFA's Club World Cup in Japan, United are still chasing a clean sweep of five trophies but manager Alex Ferguson played down the quintuple chances.

"We will keep our feet on the ground," Ferguson said. "That's just a media thing. We could go to Fulham next week and a deflected shot goes in off someone's backside and we will be out of the FA Cup."

Ferguson made special mention of Foster, one of several reserves in the United team. He was the busier of the two keepers, saving well from Aaron Lennon in normal time, Darren Bent in extra time and then O'Hara's penalty.

"Without Ben Foster we would have lost today," Ferguson said. "He will be England's keeper for many seasons if he has a bit more luck with injuries."

United, with Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick not even in the squad, were the better side early on.

Cristiano Ronaldo fired a free kick over from 25 metres and Paul Scholes launched a superb long pass for Danny Welbeck but the teenaged reserve striker was closed down.

Ferguson beefed up United's midfield with Brazilian Anderson in the second half as the game meandered towards extra time.

Ronaldo was booked for diving, although replays suggested Spurs skipper Ledley King was lucky not to concede a penalty.

Tottenham improved as the half wore on and Lennon had their best chance with 20 minutes to go.

The ball was worked to him on the edge of the area and after setting himself and taking aim, he thumped a shot that Foster did well to beat away past the despairing lunge of Bent.

Ronaldo almost won it in stoppage time, his shot cannoning off the post and Carlos Tevez hitting the rebound wide.

Tottenham won the trophy last season against Chelsea in extra time and had the chance to repeat that feat when Bent found space but Foster saved his shot with his legs.

As penalties loomed Modric jinked through United's defence before a last-ditch tackle and Patrice Evra crashed a half-volley over the crossbar.

United had happy memories of their last penalty shoot-out, having clinched the Champions League against Chelsea on spot kicks, and there was an inevitability about the conclusion once O'Hara's effort was turned away by Foster.

Liverpool's latest slip-up means United are well placed to complete a hat-trick of league titles. Tottenham, on the other hand, have just a relegation fight to look forward to.

Soruce:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/United-beat-Tottenham-to-win-League-Cup/articleshow/4209657.cms

IPL chief Lalit Modi loses RCA elections

JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: Last year, he was applauded as the mastermind behind the Indian Premier League and hailed as a future chief of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But on Sunday, Lalit Modi lost Rajasthan Cricket Association's presidential election to a relatively unknown bureaucrat, Sanjay Dixit, on his home turf by 13 votes to 18.

In the high voltage election that turned into a proxy showdown between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the woman he succeeded in office, Vasundhara Raje, the wily Congressman emerged triumphant. A total of 31 votes, excluding Sriganganagar, were counted. Voting rights of Sriganganagar representatives are pending with the Supreme Court.

While a jubilant Dixit faction broke into celebration, Modi sat smoking on the stairs of RCA Academy and said, "I accept the result and all I can say is I that have paid the price for being close to Vasundhara Raje. The state government did whatever it could to defeat me."

Reacting to Modi's remarks, the new RCA chief, Dixit, retorted, "It's like the pot calling the kettle black. What Modi has done in the last few years is there for all to see." Dixit, 49, is a 1986 batch IAS officer serving as joint secretary, department of agriculture in Rajasthan.

Notwithstanding his defeat, Modi remains a BCCI vice-president until 2011 by dint of being vice-president of the Punjab Cricket Association. He will also continue as the IPL commissioner until 2013 and has the BCCI's backing.

Source:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lalit_Modi_loses_RCA_election/articleshow/4208436.cms

Double blow leaves South Africa gasping

Johannesburg: The Aussie bowlers struck twice to reduce South Africa to 211 for four on the fifth and final day of the first test match here on Monday.


Seamer Peter Siddle drew the first blood when he had overnight batsman Hasim Amla caught by Philips Hughes for 57 after he had added 76 runs for the third wicket with Jaques Kallis.


Soon after first innings centurion AB de Villiers was trapped leg before the wicket for three.


At the beginning of the final day, first Test match between South Africa and Australia is tantalizingly poised with the hosts having an outside chance of scoring an improbable 454 runs for victory while the tourists needing to take eight wickets.


Though, Australia are on target for victory, the South Africans have given themselves an outside chance of salvaging the first Test when they finished the fourth day on 178 for two.


Despite Australia collapsing to 207 all out in their second innings, they still hold an upper hand as their bowlers can exploit the uneven bounce on the fifth day though they have just three front line bowlers.


Even though South Africa fought back on their best day of the match, the Aussie dominance of the first three days left them well placed to bounce back from a home series defeat against the same opponents earlier in the season.


South Africa, who trailed by 246 runs on the first innings, started solidly in their second turn with the bat, with captain Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie putting on 76 for the first wicket on Sunday

Soruce:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/test-tantalizingly-poised-as-proteas-power-on/38717-13.html

Ramdin's maiden ton puts WI in command

Bridgetown (Barbados): England's bid for a series-levelling victory in the fourth Test against West Indies was derailed on Sunday, when Ramnaresh Sarwan hit his highest Test score and Denesh Ramdin his maiden Test hundred to give their side a 149-run lead.


Sarwan hit the top score of 291 and Ramdin supported with 166 to allow West Indies to declare on 749 for nine, replying to England's first innings total of 600 for six declared, on the fourth day at Kensington Oval.


Batting a second time, England reached six without loss in the two overs available before stumps.


For close to four hours England were powerless as Sarwan and Ramdin added a record 261 for the sixth wicket at this ground.


The visitors also found themselves staring the down the highest team total on the ground for almost six decades.


England had to wait until 10 minutes before tea to gain their first breakthrough, when they removed a tired Sarwan.


Off-spinner Graeme Swann took five wickets for 165 runs from 50.4 overs, and James Anderson finished with three for 125 from 37 overs.


Sarwan completed his second Test double-hundred to take West Indies to 483 for five at lunch after the hosts resumed from their overnight total of 398 for five.


Anderson was the bowler when Sarwan upper cut a short, rising ball outside the off-stump to the third man boundary for his 21st four to reach his double-hundred.England thought they may have had him, when Ryan Sidebottom appealed for an lbw verdict with Sarwan on 208.


Umpire Aleem Dar ruled not-out, and when it was referred, the video evidence ruled the ball clearly pitched outside leg-stump, thus England lost their last referral.


Just prior to the interval, Ramdin reached his 50 from 112 balls, when he guided Paul Collingwood to third man for his fifth four.

By tea, West Indies reached 607 for six with Sidebottom finally dismissing Sarwan just before the break with the sixth over of the third new ball.


The little right-hander drove lazily at a full-length delivery and was bowled off the inside edge.


Sarwan spent 11 hours, 39 minutes at the crease, and struck 30 fours and two sixes from 452 balls.


West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Ramdin glanced his 194th ball from Sidebottom to deep fine leg for a single to reach triple figures in Tests for the first time.


After tea, England spirits were broken when Jerome Taylor continued to assault their bowling and Ramdin inched his way to 150.


Swann paid the price for flighting outside the off-stump, when Ramdin lofted him inside-out to the long-off boundary for the 19th of his 20 boundaries to reach the landmark.


Taylor reached his 50 from 60 balls, when he cut Swann to third man for the last of his six fours, but two balls later, the off-spinner bowled him for 53.


Anderson had Sulieman Benn caught behind for 13 top-edging a hook before Swann bowled Ramdin, when he played down the wrong line to prompt the West Indies' declaration.


Ramdin occupied the crease for a little more than seven hours and faced 268 deliveries.


England trail in the five-Test series 1-0, following an innings and 23-run defeat in the opening Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica, the abandonment of the second Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and a draw in the third Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground.


The fifth and final Test of the series starts next Friday at Queen's Park Oval in the Trinidad capital of Port of Spain.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/ramdins-maiden-ton-puts-wi-in-command/38710-13-1.html

Dravid, five others leave for New Zealand

Mumbai: Middle-order mainstays Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, along with four other members of India's Test squad, left for New Zealand from here early on Monday for the three-match Test series starting March 18.


The duo, along with Amit Mishra, L Balaji, Dhawal Kulkarni and Murali Vijay, would be reaching Auckland on Tuesday morning.


The players are reaching well ahead of the commencement of the series to acclimatize with the conditions by turning out for domestic teams of New Zealand in the state championship.


The inclusion of these players into New Zealand's domestic teams has been approved by New Zealand Cricket, the New Zealand Players Association and the six Major Associations.


Dravid will play for Canterbury Wizards against the Central Stags at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora, from March 6 to 9, while leg spinner Mishra will turn out for the Stags in the same game.


Laxman would appear for Otago Volts against Wellington Firebirds at University Oval, Dunedin, in the same round while right-arm medium pacer Balaji would play for the Firebirds in that game.


In the following round, from March 13 to 16, the tie between the Stags and Firebirds at McLean Park, Napier would feature opening batsman Vijay and right-arm medium pacer Kulkarni. It is yet to be decided which sides they would be representing in this match.


The first Test will be held at Seddon Park, Hamilton from March 18-22 while the second and third Tests are scheduled at Mclean Park, Napier (March 26-30) and Basin Reserve, Wellington (April 3-7).

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/dravid-five-others-leave-for-new-zealand/38713-13.html

Samaraweera perishes after scoring double ton

Lahore: Overnight not out batsmen Thilan Samaraweera and Tilakaratne Dilshan continued to plunder runs as Sri Lanka progressed to 543 for six on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan here on Monday.


Pakistan bowlers have a job on hand to contain the free stroking Sri Lankan lower order batsmen to gain some advantage on the second day of the second Test match here on Monday.


On Sunday, Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera notched brilliant hundreds to help Sri Lanka recover from early set backs.


Talented batter Samaraweera followed his 231 in the drawn first Test in Karachi with a superb unbeaten 133 while Sangakkara scored 104 as the tourists recovered from 35 for two to reach 317 for 4 after Pakistan won the toss and put their opponents in.


The hosts had exploited the early life from a green-looking Gaddafi Stadium pitch by removing openers Malinda Warnapura (eight) and Tharanga Paranavitana (21) and then had the prized scalp of skipper Mahela Jayawardene (30).


However, vice-captain Sangakkara and Samaraweera settled down gradually and benefited from some sloppy work by Pakistan fielders, who dropped both the batsmen once each, took their team to the safty zone.


Seamer Umar Gul (3-67) provided early breakthroughs for the hosts before the left-right combination of Sangakkara and Samaraweera foiled all the home team's attempts until their 204-run stand for the fourth wicket was broken with the second new ball.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/samaraweera-dilshan-continue-to-plunder-runs/38712-13.html