Tuesday, May 4, 2010
England fall victim to rain rules
West Indies 60 for 2 (Gayle 25) beat England 191 for 5 (Morgan 55, Wright 45*) - D/L method
West Indies booked their place in the Super Eights with a controversial rain-assisted victory over England at Providence, as Chris Gayle justified his decision to bowl first with a fiery but shortlived 25 from 12 balls - an innings that proved sufficient, under the provisions of Duckworth-Lewis, to carry West Indies to a revised target of 60 in six overs, after England had produced arguably their finest batting display in the format's history to post an imposing 191 for 5.
West Indies booked their place in the Super Eights with a controversial rain-assisted victory over England at Providence, as Chris Gayle justified his decision to bowl first with a fiery but shortlived 25 from 12 balls - an innings that proved sufficient, under the provisions of Duckworth-Lewis, to carry West Indies to a revised target of 60 in six overs, after England had produced arguably their finest batting display in the format's history to post an imposing 191 for 5.
Jayawardene ton floors Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka 173 for 7 (Jayawardene 100) beat Zimbabwe 29 for 1 in five overs by 14 runs (D/L method)
Batting was expected to be difficult on a slow and low pitch in Providence but the touch artist Mahela Jayawardene sparkled with a delightful ton, only the fourth batsman to hit a Twenty20 hundred, to charge Sri Lanka to 173.
Batting was expected to be difficult on a slow and low pitch in Providence but the touch artist Mahela Jayawardene sparkled with a delightful ton, only the fourth batsman to hit a Twenty20 hundred, to charge Sri Lanka to 173.
Friday, April 30, 2010
NZ face S.Lanka in World T20 cricket opener
Brendon McCullum's prowess as a Twenty20 batsman is well known but older brother Nathan could also have an important role to play in the upcoming World Twenty20.
The Black Caps open the competition against Sri Lanka here on Friday and, with warm-up matches suggesting pitches will take spin, off-break bowler Nathan is set for some key overs in an attack where New Zealand captain and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been the mainstay for several years now.
McCullum was given the new ball in New Zealand's 40-run warm-up win over Ireland here on Tuesday, reviving memories of Martin Crowe's ploy of using off-spinner Dipak Patel at the start of the innings at the 1992 World Cup - a tactic that helped the Black Caps get to the last four of that event.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Spin holds key in Twenty20 WC opener
Providence: Brendon McCullum's prowess as a Twenty20 batsman is well known but older brother Nathan could also have an important role to play in the upcoming World Twenty20. The Black Caps open the competition against Sri Lanka on Friday and, with warm-up matches suggesting pitches will take spin, off-break bowler Nathan is set for some key overs in an attack where New Zealand captain and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been the mainstay for several years now.
McCullum was given the new ball in New Zealand's 40-run warm-up win over Ireland on Tuesday, reviving memories of Martin Crowe's ploy of using off-spinner Dipak Patel at the start of the innings at the 1992 World Cup - a tactic that helped the Black Caps get to the last four of that event.
Against Ireland, McCullum took three wickets for 25 runs and Vettori, who went wicketless, said: "Nathan McCullum was outstanding with the ball. On a wicket like that you've got to be inch perfect because it's so slow."
The Black Caps' pace attack is led by fast bowler Shane Bond and it won't just be Kiwi fans who will be hoping the former policeman, whose career has been blighted by injuries, can come through this tournament unscathed.
New Zealand headed to the Caribbean with fitness doubts over several senior players but batsman Jesse Ryder suggested he was over the groin strain that forced his withdrawal from the Indian Premier League with a brisk 64 against the Irish.
Together with Brendon McCullum he forms an explosive opening partnership with McCullum posting an unbeaten 116, one short of Chris Gayle's world record, when New Zealand beat Australia in a Twenty20 match in February.
India not taking Afghanistan for granted
Though India come into the third installment of the ICC World Twenty20 as heavyweights, their leader MS Doni full well that their first encounter, against Afghanistan, has the potential to be a little uncomfortable. Afghanistan, ahead of their first major tournament featuring the game's top sides, are coming off two consecutive warm-up wins and that was enough indication for Dhoni to rule out complacency on India's part. "If you ask me, I would not consider our opening match against Afghanistan as a practice game," Dhoni told reporters in St Lucia. "I don't take my opponents lightly. At the end of the day you have to win whichever team you play. I don't know much about them. It is good in a way because if we know too much about a side then you are thinking too much about them. However, our preparation will remain the same as if you are playing the best opponent in world cricket.
"We can't really relax against whichever team you are playing. At the end of the day you are representing India and you have to be at your best when you turn up on the field."
An opportunity in upheaval
Love it or hate it you can't get away from it. No sooner has a six-week IPL concluded in Mumbai - amid huge controversy - that another Twenty20 tournament begins on the other side of world in the Caribbean. The events of the last few weeks in India have swept cricket to the sidelines. The game needs a sparkling tournament in West Indies and, most importantly, a clean and controversy-free event. Although the two tournaments are very different, it is hardly ideal to have so much cricket of one format in the same period, let alone another World Twenty20 less than a year after the last one in England which Pakistan memorably won at Lord's. However, ICC are trying to get their events schedule back on track, so the trophy is up for grabs again less than a year after it was collected by the now-retired (and suspended) Younis Khan. A lot has happened in nine months.
One advantage of Twenty20 rolling into Twenty20 is that many of the players will be attuned to the format. The preparation factor, though, needs to be balanced against the fatigue factor and possible injuries. Already the tournament is missing Virender Sehwag, Wayne Parnell and Brett Lee through injury. The latter's withdrawal is not a huge surprise, but the absence of Sehwag and Parnell robs the event of two matchwinners. They could have been injured without the IPL, but the timing doesn't help.
