Good Start for Pakistan in Asian cup 2012

Pakistan built, nearly self-destructed and counterattacked with the bat. Bangladesh built, nearly self-destructed and counterattacked with the bat. Pakistan's base was strong enough to weather the near-self-destruction. Their counterattack proved sharper in the end as they stopped hosts Bangladesh short of what would have been their highest successful chase at home.

Bangladesh produced most of the unexpected passages in the game. They reduced Pakistan to 198 for 7 from 135 for 0. They recovered from 135 for 5 to become the favourites towards the closing stages of the game. But when it came to the critical moments which decided the match, Pakistan proved superior.

Umar Gul smashed his highest ODI score of 39 from 25 deliveries to convert 198 for 7 into 262 for 8. With Bangladesh requiring 39 off 40 with five wickets in hand, Gul and Saeed Ajmal took 5 for 17 between them to ensure that Shakib Al Hasan's heroic innings ended in frustration and disappointment.

Shakib had induced the Pakistan batting collapse, along with Shahadat Hossain. Like a fighter who has resolutely accepted the fact that he will always have to battle more than his fellow soldiers, he brought his side back into contention after they threatened to implode in the chase.

Young Nasir Hossain matched his former captain stroke for stroke in an 89-run sixth-wicket partnership at a run a ball. Shakib drove, Nasir pulled, Shakib slashed, Nasir pulled harder, and Bangladesh hoped.

When Nasir took consecutive fours off Gul in the 44th over, Bangladesh seemed to have moved decisively in front. Gul is made of sterner stuff, though. He found nip off the pitch and movement in the air with a 21-over old ball and bowled Nasir for 47. Ajmal, who had gone for 11 in the previous over, stepped in now.

With the asking-rate under six, Abdur Razzak decided to slog at a full delivery only to get bowled. Mashrafe Mortaza saw the flight but did not read the doosra. Bowled again. Shafiul Islam had two deliveries to keep out in the next over, the 46th. Gul hurled in the inswinging yorker first up. Gone leg-before.

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10:58 PM

India takes place against Australia - Test cricket

Indifferent batting from India and an abject response by the Australian top order left the first Test tantalisingly poised after a helter skelter third day on which 15 wickets fell at the MCG.

The visitors and the hosts traded collapses on a track still offering a modicum of help to the bowlers, India slipping from 2 for 214 to 282 all out before Australia slumped to 4 for 27 thanks to Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma. It was a hole plugged only partially by the staunch efforts of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, who was undefeated on 79 when the close arrived at 8 for 179, the lead standing at 230.

Rahul Dravid, bowled off second ball of the morning by the recalled and renewed Ben Hilfenhaus, completed his unhappy day by shelling the sort of slips catch he would expect to claim when Hussey advanced to R Ashwin on 69. Though Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon departed thereafter, it may yet prove a crucial drop.

Hussey and Ponting were both under enormous pressure for runs coming into this match, given their poor recent returns, but younger team-mates were grateful for their calming presence in a partnership of 115 after the tumult that marked the start of the second innings. Hussey's innings was particularly strong, counter-punching from the start to build some sort of lead.

India had earlier surrendered 8 for 68 to be halted 51 runs short of Australia's 333. Hilfenhaus followed up Dravid's defeat with the wickets of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and the dogged nightwatchman Ishant Sharma, while Siddle neutralised the threat of VVS Laxman and rounded things off by disposing of Ashwin for a useful 31.

The continuing flood of wickets was attributable to smart, full bowling but also poor batting, with David Warner, Ed Cowan and Shaun Marsh all guilty of vast misjudgements. Michael Clarke was less culpable, out to a corking delivery from Ishant. Ponting's dismissal was followed by another flighty innings from keeper Brad Haddin, who must be under severe scrutiny for his spot despite claiming five catches.

Starting out with a 51-run advantage, Warner and Cowan were unable to get themselves going in the manner of the first innings. Warner looked uncomfortable, tugging at the ball rather than timing it, and it was no great surprise when he dragged Yadav onto the stumps with an angled bat. Cowan had left the ball with great skill on Boxing Day, but two balls after Warner he would die by the sheathed sword, padding up to a Yadav delivery that straightened and as such having scant cause to complain about the lbw verdict.

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8:57 AM

Fourth Test: Ashes live score and latest summary - Headingley, Leeds

Australia's Michael Clarke (R) hits out watched by England's Paul Collingwood during the second day of the fourth Ashes cricket test match at Headingley Carnegie cricket ground in Leeds, England, August 8, 2009.

Live Scorecard
Australia win by an innings and 80 runs

England First Innings 102 all out
Australia First Innings 445 all out
England Second Innings 263 all out Batsman Runs Fours Sixes
Strauss lbw b Hilfenhaus 32 4 0
Cook c Haddin b M Johnson 30 4 0
Bopara lbw b Hilfenhaus 0 0 0
Bell c Ponting b M Johnson 3 0 0
Collingwood lbw b M Johnson 4 0 0
Anderson c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 4 1 0
Prior c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 22 3 0
Broad c Watson b Siddle 61 10 0
Swann c Haddin b Johnson 62 7 1
Harmison not out 19 4 0
Onions b Johnson 0 0 0

AUSTRALIA HAVE WON THE FOURTH TEST MATCH BY AN INNINGS AND 80 RUNS.

At the end of play day 2, England have almost all but lost the game. Australia were all out for 445 runs and England came to bat for their second innings with a massive first innings deficit of 343.

Strauss and Cook appeared to make a good start but both got out in their 30s and Bopara got out for a golden duck as expected. He is not a number 3 batsman and despite failing repeatedly to show the class and temperament required for a number 3 position the selectors continued to persevere with him. A solid number 3 position may have helped prevent an England collapse in both the innings.

Following the departure of Bopara, Bell and Collingwood followed suit getting out for 3 and 4 runs respectively.

England ended the day at 82/5 still 261runs behind. Australia will look to wrap up the match within couple of hours on Day 3.

Swann is the only English bowler to have an economy rate of less than 3 (2.63 to be accurate). Broad has 3.00, but partly due to bowling so wide to the off stump. England's main strike bowlers Anderson and Harmison have an economy rate in excess of 4 runs and Anderson has 4.94 runs per over. Not a pleasant reading if you are an English fan.

North creams two fours in an Onions over, both through the off side. One beyond square and another through the cover region.

Johnson gets a short delivery from Harmison and goes for the pull/hook shot but gets the edge and the ball goes high over the slips and the keeper for four runs.

Wicket with the new ball. England have struck with the second new ball of the innings. Harmison with a short delivery that was quick on Haddin who went for a pull but completely mistimed it and scoops it up and a nice and easy catch taken by Bell. Haddin goes for 14 runs

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10:56 AM

Hemang Kamal Badani

Born: 14 November 1976, Madras (now Chennai)
Major Teams: Tamil Nadu, India.
Known As: Hemang Badani
Batting Style: Left Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Slow Left Arm Orthodox


Profile:
His international career may be less than ten matches old but Hemang Badani has already made a remarkable impression. An ice-cool temperament under pressure separates him from several of his age peers as he unmistakably revealed in the one-day series against Zimbabwe. Badani's unbeaten 58 at Cuttack and bustling 77 at Rajkot were both crafted in the face of precarious circumstances, the former knock winning him a Man of the Match award in just his fourth game. Each time there was not an iota of extravagance as he stealthily accumulated his runs. Badani carves the ball around with a touch of elan, discriminating in favour of the gaps, and his front foot drive played on the rise through cover is especially pleasing.

Badani made his first class debut against Kerala in the 1996-97 season following a fine showing for India Under-19 against South Africa at home. Before long he was stepping up a gear, playing for India A in the SAARC one-day tournament in Dhaka in 1998. His selection for the Asia Cup last May was not surprising, coming just after two elegant knocks of 162 & 63 in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Mumbai. Badani looks ready to cut his teeth in the Test arena but a surfeit of quality operators in the middle order renders the likelihood slightly distant. His occasional orthodox slow left armers and fleet-footedness in the field do no harm at all to his prospects.


ODI Debut: India v Bangladesh at Dhaka, Asia Cup, 1999/00
Latest ODI: India v Australia at Margao, 5th ODI, 2000/01


Played for India U-19 against South Africa with scores of 85 n.o, 87, 59, 59, 57 & 39.
Played for India 'A' in the SAARC tournament at Dhaka

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9:05 AM