Cricket India

A desperate India will look to hit back at South Africa in the decisive second and final Test starting on Sunday after suffering a humiliating defeat in the opening tie.

India’s reputation as the number one Test side in the world took a massive blow after they lost the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and six runs to the second-ranked Proteas.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men need a series-levelling win at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to stop South Africa from snatching the coveted ranking.

India’s hopes received a timely boost when key middle-order batsman Venkatsai Laxman was cleared to play after having recovered from a finger injury.

With star batsmen Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh ruled out at the start of the series with injuries, Laxman was sorely missed in Nagpur as India crashed for 233 and 319 in reply to South Africa’s 558-6 declared.

Laxman, 35, has scored 6,993 runs in 109 Tests at an average of 45.70 with 14 centuries.

India were forced to play rookie wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha as a specialist batsman in Nagpur after Rohit Sharma, the first-choice replacement for Laxman, got injured just before the toss.

“We definitely missed some important players due to injuries,” said Dhoni after suffering his first Test defeat since taking over as captain in 2008.

“That pushed us to the back foot. Injuries can cause a bit of panic in the dressing room.

“It was a test of our bench strength. So I won’t complain, I’ll only say that we were completely outplayed by South Africa.”

India’s bowling attack also lacked firepower, with pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and frontline off-spinner Harbhajan Singh paling in comparison to their South African rivals, Dale Steyn and Paul Harris.

Steyn, with a match haul of 10-108, underlined his reputation as the leading fast bowler in the world, while left-arm spinner Harris proved effective with three vital wickets in the second innings.

During their last series in India in 2008, South Africa won the second Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 90 runs to take the lead in the three-match series after the first match was drawn.

India drew the series on an under-prepared wicket in Kanpur, raising fears that a similar ploy may be used at the Eden Gardens.

South Africa’s coach Corrie van Zyl, however, said his team will not be intimidated, whatever the nature of the wicket.

“Mentally, the South African team is better prepared than they were in 2008,” said van Zyl, who took over as interim coach from Mickey Arthur just before the start of the India tour.

“I won’t say it will be a minefield, but I do expect something that will help the Indian team. We know that if the first Test was a challenge, then the second Test is going to be a bigger challenge.”

The Kolkata Test will be followed by three one-day internationals in Jaipur (February 21), Gwalior (February 24) and Ahmedabad (February 27).

Sri Lanka lead New Zealand 1-0 as the sides head to the SSC, Colombo for the 2nd and final test match which gets under way on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka’s comprehensive 202 run in Galle has given them control of this short test series. Dilshan has been in superb touch at the top of the order as he amassed a combined total of 215 runs at Galle. Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene were other centurions in the 1st test. With the ball, Murali (7) and Thushara (6) have 13 wickets between them. For the Black Caps, captain Vettori with 5 wickets and 109 runs offer most resistance.

The weather threatened to disrupt the 1st test and at one stage the draw was trading deep in the red but the skies cleared to allow Sri Lanka to finish off the Black Caps with plenty of time remaining. The forecast for Colombo is available here and once again showers are forecast so it may be worth punters waiting for television pictures and a reliable weather report from the ground before play.

Sri Lanka have won 3 of the 4 test matches on home soil in the last couple of months and they are a pretty formidable unit. New Zealand were always going to be up against it and their task was made even harder with several key players falling foul of a stomach bug during the 1st test.

The Sinhalese Sorts Club (SSC) in Colombo is a Sri Lankan stronghold. Since losing to England in 2001, 11 of the last 15 test matches have resulted in a Sri Lanka win, Australia won in 2004 and there have been 3 draws. Murali loves it here and after taking 7 wickets in the 1st test, he will once again be dangerous.

The last test match on this ground was only 5 weeks ago. It was the final test match in Pakistan’s tour and ended in a draw with Sri Lanka 101 short of their victory target with 6 wickets remaining. Note, Sri Lanka had already clinched the series.

The last series between these sides came in 06/07 in New Zealand and ended all square 1-1. New Zealand’s last visit to Sri Lanka was back in 2003 and both matches were drawn.

Verdict:

If the weather behaves a Sri Lankan victory once again looks the most likely outcome though as stated earlier, it would be advisable to wait for the weather report from the ground.

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Sri Lanka clinched their first home series against Pakistan after the temperamental tourists suffered a spectacular collapse in the second Test on Tuesday.

Pakistan, sitting pretty at 285-1 just before lunch on the third day, crashed to 320 all out after the break to leave Sri Lanka a victory target of 171 for a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Sri Lanka cruised home by seven wickets with two days to spare, skipper Kumar Sangakkara leading the way with a fluent 46 after opener Malinda Warnapura made 54.

Of the previous five series between the two nations on Sri Lankan soil, Pakistan had won three and drawn two, but the tourists had only themselves to blame for allowing the hosts to re-write history.

Pakistan’s meek surrender against the second new ball came after debutant opener Fawad Alam hit a superb 168 and shared a record stand of 200 for the second wicket with skipper Younus Khan (82).

The partnership was Pakistan’s highest for the second wicket against Sri Lanka, surpassing the 151 by Mohsin Khan and Majid Khan at Lahore in 1982.

The 23-year-old Alam batted for more than six hours to amass the highest score by a Pakistani batsman on Sri Lankan soil, surpassing the 151 by Salim Malik at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in 1997.

But Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 35 runs, their third successive collapse in the series that highlighted their reputation as one of the most unpredictable sides in modern cricket.

Pakistan had seen eight wickets fall for 46 runs on the fourth morning of the Galle Test when just 97 more were needed to win the match.

The tourists then crumbled for a paltry 90 in 36 overs on the first day of this Test after electing to bat on a wicket that provided assistance to the seam bowlers.

Sri Lanka did not feel the absence of star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, out of action with a knee injury, as left-arm slow bowler Rangana Herath claimed 5-99 and seamer Nuwan Kulasekera took 4-37.

Skipper Younus himself triggered the collapse just before lunch when he gifted his wicket, top-edging an ambitious reverse sweep off part-time spinner Paranavitana to the wicket-keeper.

Sangakkara’s gamble to hand the new ball to spinner Herath, man of the match at Galle, paid off handsomely.

Herath trapped veteran Mohammad Yousuf leg-before with his second delivery as the batsman missed the line of a straight ball after making six.

Kulasekera had Misbah-ul Haq leg-before for three before Herath ended Alam’s long vigil at the crease by having him edging an easy catch to Warnapura at short-leg.

Kulasekera caught Kamran Akmal plumb in front of the wicket and Herath bowled Shoaib Malik after the former Pakistan captain had smashed the previous delivery for a six.

The last three batsmen were leg-before in quick succession.

The dramatic collapse undid Pakistan’s remarkable fightback in the match after they had fallen for 90 on the first day.

The bowlers, led by Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal, had hit back to dismiss Sri Lanka for 240 before Alam and Younus made light of a first innings deficit of 150 runs.

The third and final Test starts at the Sinhalese sports club on July 20.

The Ashes series moves on to Lords, London this week as the 2nd test between England and Australia gets underway on Thursday. After a tremendous rearguard action by England on day 5 in Cardiff, the sides are all square as we head to London.

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The majority of people reading this preview would not have been born when England last beat Australia in a test match at Lords.  The majority of people who saw the England tail enders Monty Panesar and Jimmy Anderson take England to a draw in the first test will still be pinching themselves. That’s what they did though and its all square with 4 to play.

England’s bowling was a major let down at Cardiff, they managed to take just 6 Australian wickets in 181 overs with the 5 front line bowlers all conceding over 100 runs. Flintoff looked dangerous at times but the Australian batsmen were successful where England’s batting failed – they turned starts into big scores and took control of the test match. With 4 centurions (Ponting, Katich, Haddin and North) and an 83 from Michael Clarke, England need to have a serious think about how, and who, can help them take 20 wickets in a test match to turn things in their favour.

The Venue, Lords:

Back in 2005, Australia were comfortable winners against England. It was a low scoring test match with Australia making just 190 after winning the toss and electing to bat. Harmison was chief destroyer with 5 wickets. England couldn’t capitalise though and they were dismissed for just 155 in 48 overs as McGrath, Lee and Warne ripped through the batting order. Australia turned up the pressure from then on; Michael Clarke made 91 in a 2nd innings total of 384 leaving England with a mountain to climb. It never looked likely and so it proved as England were all out for 180 and Australia ran out winners by 239 runs. It was the first match in the 2005 series, a series which Australia went onto lose.

Following the 2005 Ashes Test, Lords witnessed England play out 6 consecutive drawn test matches against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, India, New Zealand and South Africa. The most recent Lord’s test match took place earlier this year when England broke the sequence of drawn games with a comprehensive 10 wicket win over a rather dispirited looking West Indies side.

With the draw always starting a pretty shot price in test matches, let’s take a closer look at the circumstances which led to that series of drawn matches.

England v Sri Lanka 2006 – England declared at 551/6 and looked to be in control after dismissing Sri Lanka for just 192. Think again, Sri Lanka following on, batted out the remainder of the test to reach 537/9 before bad light ended play on the 5th day. In all, just short of 400 overs were bowled.

England v Pakistan 2006 – England 1st innings, 528/9 declared, Pakistan 1st innings 445. England 2nd innings 296/8 declared, Pakistan 2nd innings 214/4. In all 435 overs were bowled.

England v West Indies 2007 – England 1st innings 553/5 declared, West Indies 1st innings 437. England 2nd innings 284/8 declared, West Indies 89/0. In all, 346 overs were bowled as rain and bad light halted proceedings.

England v India 2007 – England 1st innings 298, India 201. England 2nd innings 282, India 2nd innings 282/9 (target 380). In all 343 overs were bowled as England were denied victory by rain.

England v New Zealand 2008 – Less than 290 overs were bowled as the weather once again spoilt the contest as play was halted midway through the 3rd innings of the match.

England v South Africa 2008 – England 1st innings 593/8 declared, SA 1st innings 247,. SA following on, 393/3. Over 400 overs were bowled but t was a tremendous 2nd innings from the Proteas which was responsible for the draw rather than the weather.

Looking at the above data, big 1st innings totals are commonplace at Lords for whoever wins the toss and it isn’t always bad weather which influences the outcome. After both England and Australia batted well in their 1st innings of the opening test match in Cardiff, we could well see another huge first innings total.

Team News:

England are likely to ditch the twin spin option which failed at Cardiff. Monty Panesar will probably make way from the starting XI. Graham Onions (who took 7 wickets here against the West Indies) or Steve Harmison would be the most likely replacement. There is also a doubt over Andrew Flintoff who a has knee problem

Squad: A Strauss (capt), J Anderson, I Bell, R Bopara, S Broad, P Collingwood, A Cook, A Flintoff, S Harmison, G Onions, M Panesar, K Pietersen, M Prior (wkt), G Swann

Australia probable line up: 

With Brett Lee already ruled out whilst at least the 3rd test, barring any further injury problems, Australia are highly likely to go into the test unchanged.

Squad: Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Marcus North, Peter Siddle.

Debutant Fawad Alam scored an unbeaten century as Pakistan produced a remarkable turnaround to claw their way back in the second Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.

The tourists, who were bowled out for 90 in their first innings, hit back to dismiss Sri Lanka for 240 and then cruised to 178-1 in their second knock by stumps on the second day.

Left-handed Alam led the way with a determined 102 not out to give Pakistan a lead of 28 runs with nine wickets in hand on a dry pitch that appeared to have eased out under the hot sun.

The fearless 23-year-old from Karachi moved to 98 by lofting left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for a six over mid-wicket and then flicked the next ball for two runs to reach the coveted century.

Alam put on 85 for the first wicket with Khurram Manzoor, who made 38 before he was caught behind by wicket-keeper Tillakaratne Dilshan off Herath.

Skipper Younus Khan, who was dismissed for zero in the first innings, was unbeaten on 35 at stumps after adding 93 for the unbroken second wicket with Alam.

Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara rotated his seam and spin attack in short bursts to gain quick breakthroughs, but Pakistan’s batsmen were not found wanting a second time.

Pakistan’s fightback was launched by seamer Umar Gul and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who took four wickets each to keep Sri Lanka’s first innings in check.

The hosts lost their last seven wickets for 63 runs after starting the day at a comfortable 164-3.

Gul extracted reverse swing with the old ball on the dry wicket to rip through the innings, including the wickets of Nuwan Kulasekera and Herath off successive deliveries.

Thilan Thushara denied Gul a hat-trick and Angelo Mathews hit a defiant 27 towards the end to boost Sri Lanka’s total from 220-8 before the innings ended 20 minutes after lunch.

The hosts lost the overnight pair of Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera within the first hour for the addition of 24 runs.

Samaraweera, who made 21 in a fourth-wicket stand of 44 with his captain, was run out by a direct throw from Mohammad Aamer at mid-off while trying to attempt a cheeky single.

Sangakkara plodded from his overnight score of 81 to 87 but was denied a 19th Test century when Gul pegged back his off-stump with a reverse-swinging delivery that came in sharply.

Ajmal, who had claimed two wickets on Sunday, earned another crucial break when umpire Daryl Harper ruled Dilshan caught at the wicket by Kamran Akmal for 20 to make Sri Lanka 203-6.

The hosts tripped to 220-8 soon after, when Gul had Kulasekera edging a wild heave to Misbah-ul Haq at first slip before taking a return catch off Herath with the next delivery.

Thushara was leg-before to Abdur Rauf in the first over after lunch before Ajmal terminated the innings by having Mathews caught in the covers by Mohammad Yousuf.

Sri Lanka won the first Test in Galle by 50 runs last week to take the lead in the three-match series.

Sri Lanka came back from the dead in the 1st test as a 2nd innings surrender by the Pakistan batsmen saw Younus Khan’s men slip to a 50 run defeat. The 2nd test in the 3 match series gets underway on Sunday at the P. Sara Oval, Colombo.

Pakistan needed 97 runs with 8 wickets remaining on day 4 of the 1st test in Galle and having worked so hard to put themselves firmly in the driving seat, they pressed the self destruct button. Sri Lanka cleaned up the remainder of the Pakistan batting for just 46 runs for an unlikely win.

Mohammed Yousuf had earlier seamlessly eased back into the Pakistan side with a century in the first innings but in the end, it was their 2nd innings flop where Sri Lankan spinner Herath took 4 wickets for just 15 runs that brought about a spectacular downfall.

Their can be few excuses for Pakistan, they enjoyed some good fortune when they had the better of some rather dubious umpiring decisions and remmber Sri Lanka were without Murali, who is recovering from injury. Murali’s spin twin Mendis was well below par in the first innings and the game should have been put to bed. At the time of writing, Murali remains a doubt for the 2nd test. 

The plus points for Pakistan came in the return of Yousuf and the bowling of Mohammad Aamer who was excellent in taking 3 wickets in each Sri Lankan innings. Salman Butt’s place must be in jeopardy and Pakistan must also be thinking seriously about bringing in any or all of Fawad Alam, Abdul Razzaq and Danish Kaneria.

As for Sri Lanka, if Murali doesn’t make it, they may well go in unchanged after a winning start for Sangakkara.

The Venue:

Sri Lanka enjoy a fine recent record at this ground, winning 5 and drawing 1 of their last 6 test matches. In August last year they hammered India by 8 wickets on this ground with Murali and Mendis taking 13 of the 20 Indian wickets to fall. Sangakkara hit 144 in the Sri Lankan 1st innings and went onto to take the man of the match award.

Sri Lanka will once again be without spin king Muttiah Muralitharan as they attempt a series-clinching win when the second Test against Pakistan starts on Sunday.

The world’s leading Test and One-day bowler missed the first Test in Galle, which Sri Lanka won by 50 runs, after hurting the patella tendon in his right knee during training last week.

Team manager Brendon Kuruppu said Muralitharan, 37, had improved considerably but will sit out the second Test on his home ground at the P Sara Oval as a precautionary measure.

“He won’t be playing the Test, but that’s more as a precaution than anything else,” Kuruppu said. “We are confident Murali will play the third Test.”

The off-spinner, who has taken a record 770 Test and 505 One-day wickets, was not missed as Sri Lanka pulled off a dramatic win in the Galle Test to take the lead in the three-match series.

Pakistan, chasing a modest target of 168 runs, collapsed from a comfortable 71-2 to 117 all out, losing their last eight wickets for 46 runs on the fourth morning.

Sri Lanka’s hero was left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who was flown in from England where he was playing league cricket two days before the Test to replace Muralitharan.

Herath, 31, who had 36 wickets in 14 previous Tests, grabbed a career-best 4-15 from 11.3 overs in the second innings to wreck Pakistan and win the man of the match award.

Pakistan, hoping to level the series, will still be delighted at Muralitharan’s absence from the P Sara Oval, the home of his long-time club, Tamil Union.

The wily bowler has taken 52 wickets in nine Tests at the ground where Sri Lanka have won their last four Tests on a firm wicket regarded as the most sporting in the island nation.

The tourists last played at the ground in 2002, losing by 41 runs to Australia during a series that was shifted to neutral venues due to security concerns in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s initial worries about their inexperienced bowling attack — three of the four specialist bowlers made their debut at Galle — proved unfounded as Sri Lanka managed totals of 292 and 217.

Left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Aamer was the star with three wickets in each innings, while fellow-rookies Abdur Rauf and Saeed Ajmal shared eight scalps between them.

But the batting let the tourists down with none of the top three, Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor and skipper Younus Khan, getting among the runs.

Veteran Mohammad Yousuf hit a century in the first innings on his return to Test cricket after an 18-month absence, but his dismissal for 12 on the fourth morning turned the tables on Pakistan.

“The younger guys in the team could not take the pressure of a Test match,” said Younus. “When I am under pressure, I go back to the basics. They should do the same.”

The seasoned duo of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and all-rounder Abdur Razzaq, who were surprisingly left out of the Galle Test, will fancy their chances of playing the second match.

Younus indicated the final composition will not be decided until Sunday morning after a good look at the wicket and weather conditions. Thundershowers are forecast during the match.

New Zealand selectors on Monday retained almost the same side for the second Test against India which suffered a humiliating 10-wicket mauling in the first Test in Hamilton.

Brent Arnel is the only one to be omitted from the squad as the fast bowler, who was released to play in the domestic competition, has been laid low by a side strain. The second Test will begin in Napier on March 26.

Iain O’Brien and Daniel Flynn, who picked up minor injuries in the Hamilton Test, would be monitored over the next two or three days.

“But there were currently no plans to bring in additional players as cover,” said selection committee chairman Glenn Turner.

Turner said Jacob Oram’s progress was being followed closely but he was not yet at full match fitness.

“He is only had a couple of days in the domestic competition. After talking with him we agree he would benefit from more game time to get up to the fitness level needed for the Test side,” Turner said.

The Squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Tim McIntosh, Brendon McCullum,Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor.

Down 0-1 in the three-match Test series against India, New Zealand are in for more trouble after it was revealed the track at McLean Park, Napier, venue for the second Test scheduled to start from March 26, has been infected by fungus.

A fungal disease has affected the grass on the pitch, causing small patches to die off.

A New Zealand Cricket spokesman admitted there were issues surrounding the state of the pitch and that the curators had been working on the block, ‘New Zealand Herald’ reported.

With the pitch not up to standard, curators have not shifted their attention on an adjacent strip.

“The Test strip was reseeded after the West Indies match, but the regrowth has been subject to a small amount of fungal disease,” the NZC spokesman was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“The impact is mainly cosmetic. The groundsman has moved the strip slightly to one side so that the affected areas are well outside the playing zone. The grass cover is consistent and NZC is confident the strip will be in top condition,” he added.

However, he said no thought was given to moving the Test from Napier.

Phil Hughes played a thrilling innings as he and fellow opener Simon Katich hit centuries for Australia on the first day of  the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Friday.

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Australia were in a strong position at 303 for four at the close although South Africa fought back after a pummeling during the first three hours of play.

Hughes (115) and Katich (108) put on 184 for the first wicket, scoring at better than four runs an over, in a partnership dominated by Hughes, who thrashed 19 fours and two sixes in a 151-ball innings. Fellow left-hander Katich was more sedate in making his runs off 190 deliveries with 16 fours

Hughes, 20, reached his century with two successive sixes off left-arm spinner Paul Harris to become Australia’s youngest Test century maker since Doug Walters, who was eight days short of his 20th birthday when he made 155 against England in Brisbane in 1965/66.

South Africa claimed to have made plans to counter Hughes after his second innings 75 in the first Test last weekend – he made a duck in the first innings – but the little left-hander unleashed a dazzling array of strokes against some wayward bowling.

South Africa, seeking to draw level in the three-match series, started the match badly. They bowled poorly on a good batting pitch, dropped two catches and used up both their referrals to the television umpire.

The hosts made a comeback later in the day before Mike Hussey, who successfully challenged a leg before wicket decision against him, and Marcus North put on an unbeaten 37 before the close, surviving the second new ball late in the day.

Katich was dropped on 55 by Hashim Amla at midwicket off Dale Steyn, while Hughes was put down by a diving Jacques Kallis at slip off Morne Morkel when he had 114. He added only one more before slashing Kallis to gully where Neil McKenzie held a sharp chance.

South Africa wasted their first referral when Harris appealed for leg before wicket against Hughes when the batsman was on 81. Not only did television umpire Steve Bucknor uphold Asad Rauf’s decision but he awarded Hughes a run because the ball had gone off a bottom edge. Rauf had signaled a leg bye.

The South Africans seemed convinced Katich had been caught behind off an inside edge off Morkel when he had 63. It was the first use of ‘hot spot’ technology, designed to show where a ball made contact, but the picture was inconclusive and Bucknor upheld Billy Bowden’s not out decision.

Ironically the ‘snickometer’, which cannot be used in making decisions, later showed Katich had edged the ball.

To add insult to South Africa’s unsuccessful use of referrals, Hussey referred a decision by Rauf to give him out lbw to Morkel when he was on four. Replays showed the ball had pitched outside the leg stump and Hussey won a reprieve.