Tendulkar, Dhoni in Chappell's '2010 World XI'

MELBOURNE: Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni were among the four Indian cricketers who found a place in former Australia captain Ian Chappell's '2010 World XI', which did not feature a single Aussie.

Dashing opener Virender Sehwag and pace spearhead Zaheer Khan were the other two Indians in the XI, which features five South Africans.

"Four years ago the Australian cricket team was cock-a-hoop. They'd regained the Ashes and had accentuated their superiority by smashing England at the MCG on the way to an eventual 5-0 series victory. Now the team is in tatters and it's best illustrated by a comparison of World XIs chosen at the end of the calendar year," Chappell wrote in his column for 'The Daily Telegraph'.

"In 2006, Australia had six players in the XI, with Brett Lee as 12th man. In the 2010 side, no Australian made the XI and Shane Watson is the 12th man," he pointed out.

"It's been a slippery dip for Australia since the retirement of bowlers like Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. The ride gathered pace when Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden called it a day. They have now hit the sand pit because of the struggles of the one player who kept the brake on the downhill ride, Ricky Ponting," he further explained.

Chappell described Sehwag as the most dangerous batsman in the world right now.

"A dashing opener who can win a game in the opening session of a Test. The most dangerous batsman in world cricket," he said.

Chappell lavished praise on Tendulkar, saying the 37-year-old, who recently became the first batsman to notch up 50 Test hundreds, seems to be getting better with age.

"Unlike Ponting, Tendulkar defied the advancing years and enjoyed a tremendous resurgence. He even rediscovered the art of dominating bowlers," Chappell said.

Explaining the reasons for picking Dhoni and Zaheer, Chappell said both have been consistent in their respective roles.

"Dhoni has batted consistently, scoring runs when India need them and doing an adequate job with the gloves. He's a calm leader with some flair," Chappell said.

"Zaheer is a left-armer who has developed into a dangerous bowler with both the new and old ball. He performs well against good opposition," he added.

Among others who found a place in the XI were South African captain Graeme Smith, their middle-order mainstay Hashim Amla, prolific all-rounder Jacques Kallis, the aggressive A B de Villiers and tearaway pacer Dale Steyn.

"Smith is a solid opener who has the knack of making the tough runs when they're really needed. Hashim Amla is a player who really blossomed in 2010. He mastered the knack of scoring centuries and at an improved run rate," he said.

"Kallis's churned out runs with his usual efficiency, displayed a safe pair of hands and bowled with some of his old pace and fire," he added.

"De Villiers came of age. His ability to accelerate the scoring rate stood out like a beacon in a predominantly average-conscious South African team," he added.

Chappell picked England's Graeme Swann as the spinner in the XI, the pace attack of which is spearheaded by the feisty Steyn with England's Jimmy Anderson for company.

"A most improved attacking bowler who confirmed his progress with another successful year. A probing and accurate spinner.

"Dale Steyn bowls at a good pace and swings the ball away from right-handers. A proven formula for dismissing good batsmen," he said.

"Anderson swings the ball both ways at a respectable pace and has greatly improved his accuracy. Along with Steyn, he's proved the worth of swinging the new ball," he added.

Read more: Tendulkar, Dhoni in Chappell's '2010 World XI' - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Tendulkar-Dhoni-in-Chappells-2010-World-XI/articleshow/7209000.cms#ixzz19x1xVR2t

Sydney Test could be my last: Collingwood

In the line of fire following a miserable Ashes performance so far, England middle order batsman Paul Collingwood has admitted that he faces an uncertain future and the Sydney Test, starting on Monday, could be his last.

Collingwood, who has scored just 70 runs in five innings in the four Ashes Tests so far, conceded he is standing "at the crossroads" of his Test career.

The three-time Ashes hero, who was appointed an MBE after the 2005 victory, has been struggling for runs after scoring a double-century against Australia in Adelaide in 2006-07.

Former captain Andrew Flintoff has called for dropping Collingwood if England wants to be a world-beating side.

"My form during this series and most recently my latest failure in the fourth Test in Melbourne means the subject of my Test future was bound to be raised sooner or later," said Collingwood, who led England to World Twenty20 success in the Caribbean last May and remains an integral part of their one-day side.

"If this does turn out to be my last Test match, if, after this week, the selectors come to me and say it's time to go or I felt that myself, I'd leave very proud of what I've contributed to the England cricket team," Collingwood was quoted as saying by 'Mail on Sunday'.

Collingwood, who captained England to Twenty20 World Cup triumph last year, accepted that his primary job was to score runs and if he was not doing that he does not deserve a place in the Test side.

"I'm obviously disappointed with the series I've had with the bat so far. I can't get away from the fact that scoring runs is my job in the side, so I won't hide away. This is a big week for me in Sydney. I'm at the crossroads and what happens in the final Test may well determine what direction I go in.

"I'm sure by the end of this Test I'll know more myself and be better able to judge what the general feeling is in terms of where I am as a Test player and the contribution I can still make to the England team in the future and what is the best way forward," he said.

"Yet, at the same time, I understand the arguments 100 per cent and I understand there are other batsmen after my spot. And the bottom line is that, at my age, if you're not scoring runs yourself you don't deserve a place in the side," said 34-year-old Collingwood who has scored 4246 runs from 67 Tests.

Collingwood said if he has to quit Test cricket after Sydney match, he would still be a happy man with his achievements.

"No matter what happens from this point on, though, I can safely say that, after what I went through at the start of my career, if someone had offered me three Ashes wins, a Twenty20 World Cup and 10 Test hundreds I would have snapped their hand off," he said.
© PTI

Amla, Kallis blunt Indian attack

Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis made contrasting half-centuries to blunt India's advantage after winning the toss on the first day of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands on Sunday.

South Africa were 232 for four at the end of a day which started under a heavily overcast sky, was twice interrupted by rain and bad light, and finished in bright sunshine.

With the series riding on the outcome of the match, Amla made 59 and Kallis 81 not out to leave Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wondering whether he made the right decision in sending South Africa in on what looked an unusually green Newlands pitch.

India were on top early on when they dismissed both opening batsmen cheaply, with Graeme Smith falling for six and Alviro Petersen for 21.

But Amla batted aggressively as he and Kallis put on 72 for the third wicket. Kallis then had partnerships of 58 with AB de Villiers (26) and an unbeaten 68 with Ashwell Prince (28 not out).

With the weather expected to be fine for the rest of the match after two days of unseasonal rain, India's advantage was slight at best on a pitch where it usually pays to bat first.

Amla played a sparkling innings in making 59 off 80 balls with eight fours and a pulled six off Sreesanth which raised his half-century. Fortune favoured Amla, though, and there were streaky shots among some scorching drives, cuts and pulls.

He eventually fell to a loose shot, top-edging a pull against Sreesanth to Cheteshwar Pujara at deep midwicket.

Kallis, by contrast, was at his most watchful as he passed fifty for the 15th time in 18 Tests on his home ground. He has converted six of those efforts into centuries in amassing more than 1600 Test runs at Newlands. He reached his fifty off 99 balls and by the close had faced 169 deliveries, hitting just six boundaries.

Only nine overs were bowled in the morning. A further 12 overs were sent down after lunch before the players had to leave the field for 27 minutes because of bad light. By that time, Smith and Petersen had both been dismissed.

Zaheer Khan got his reward for a probing opening spell when Smith played around a delivery which struck him on the back pad to win a leg before wicket decision from umpire Simon Taufel.

Ishant Sharma, who came on to bowl as first change, also had a tight opening spell and dismissed Petersen, caught behind by Dhoni when he lunged at a drive.

Amla took the fight to the Indian bowlers in the first over after the players returned from the second break, hitting Khan for three boundaries in four balls.

With the series locked at one-all, the only change from the teams which played in the second Test in Durban, which India won by 87 runs, was the return of Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir from injury in place of Murali Vijay.

Rain forces early tea, Australia make steady start

Debutant Usman Khawaja made a confident start to his Test career as Australia got away to a good start in the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.

Pakistan-born Khawaja, 24, the first Muslim to play Test cricket for his adopted country, dealt with everything the England bowlers could throw at him to remain unbeaten on 26 when rain forced an early tea.

At the interval, Australia were 111 for two with acting captain Michael Clarke, standing in for injured Ricky Ponting, on four.

Khawaja confidently hit a two and a boundary off his first two balls in Tests and looked secure with his parents nervously watching on from the stands.

The Australians looked assured in their batting after Clarke won the toss.

The opening pair of Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes patiently left the majority of balls and put on 55 for the first wicket before Hughes fell in the last over before lunch.

Hughes's concentration wavered in the last over before lunch when he sparred at a Chris Tremlett delivery outside offstump to edge to Paul Collingwood at third slip.

Hughes had showed great application for his 31 off 93 balls before his error with just three balls left in the session.

Watson played forward to a Tim Bresnan outswinger and edged to Andrew Strauss at first slip.

Watson toiled for three hours for his 45 and could be heard to exclaim "Oh No" as Strauss took the catch.

Australia were looking to restore confidence after their crushing innings defeat in the fourth Melbourne Test that meant England retained the Ashes.

England need to win or draw the fifth Test to become the first England team in 24 years to claim a series victory in Australia.

England outplayed Australia in heavy defeats in Adelaide and Melbourne to lead the series 2-1 while Australia won the third Perth Test and the first Brisbane Test was drawn.

England were the last team to beat Australia at the SCG in 2003 when Andy Caddick claimed 7-94 after Michael Vaughan had amassed 183 in the second innings to pull off a massive 225-run triumph.

England have a good record in Sydney, winning 21 times in 53 Tests.
© AFP