Lee struggles 2-day match against England Lions

London: Australian fast bowler Brett Lee’s chances of making it to final eleven for the Ashes Test at The Oval have probably receded with his poor show against the England Lions on Saturday.

However, all rounder Shane Watson and batsman Mike Hussey have made a case for themselves by spending some valuable time in the middle, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Making a desperate but almost certainly futile bid to surge into fifth Ashes Test calculations, Lee did not make any inroads in the Lions’ top-order as he sent down four overs late in the day.

The Lions reached 0-22 at stumps on the first day of the two-day game at Canterbury after Australia had declared at 9-340 with Watson (95) and Hussey (65) the top scorers.

Playing his first game since sustaining the injury in a tour match at Worcester six weeks ago, Lee finished with the figures of 0-9 as Lions openers Stephen Moore (19) and Joe Sayers (3) survived.

The comeback quick appeared slightly down on pace and Moore cut him for successive boundaries.

Lee also copped some sledging from the crowd with one fan yelling out ““You won’t play at The Oval if you bowl like that” while another screamed ““I thought you were good?”

It came after Australian opener Watson dished out some brutal treatment to the England Lions attack.

Watson spanked 15 boundaries and a six and showing just want he can do when the shackles are released.

Watson, coming off three half centuries in the last two Tests, spoke only last week about wanting to go on and make a big triple figure score.

Skipper Ricky Ponting (45 off 61 balls) had also been in sparkling touch before he gloved a hook shot behind off Lions quick Chris Woakes.

Hussey (65) got some important time in the middle although he wasn’t back to his best while Marcus North (18) did not get the hit-out he was looking for.

Nathan Hauritz kept the Lions in the field when he compiled a patient 34 not out.

Australia rested vice-captain Michael Clarke while axed opener Phillip Hughes were left on the sidelines last night.

Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus received a much-needed rest after being a lion-hearted performer in the first four Ashes Tests.

Earlier, spineless England showed it had lost its heart by shielding rookie Ashes batsman Jonathan Trott from Australia in the tour match.

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10:01 AM

India: 62 glorious years of Independence

On its 62nd year as an Independent nation, India has achieved many achievements. These span out into all sectors - whether in defence, space missions, life expectancy, literacy, technology, telecommunications, films or sports

ON AUGUST 15, 2009, India will become a 62-year-old independent nation, which has seen numerous troughs and crests in its recent history, but survived them all to become a major power in South Asia. For every Indian, it is important to understand what have been our achievements as a nation in the last 62 years. Often we discuss only the negative aspects of our country, belittling the countless positive achievements made by us since England left us to make our tryst with destiny on August 15, 1947.

In the last few years, India has made decent progress in several areas and produced world class scientists, engineers, bureaucrats, journalists, doctors, sports person, artists, industrialists and politicians, who have made a mark on the world stage.

First of all, we should salute our soldiers who battled for us, in 1962 Indo-China war, 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, 1999 Kargil war and saved us from the jaws of the enemy many times. They are ever ready to provide us safety, security and tension free sleep. Our scientists have done extraordinary work and India has attained the capability to send satellites and rockets into space and we are now working on a Moon mission.

We have increased life expectancy from 32 years in 1947 to 65 years in 2009. We have built about 1.25 million miles of new roads in this short span of time. In 1947 our literacy rate was 12.2 per cent and it is up to around 70 per cent now.

In the industrial sector, we are marching ahead of many developed countries. We have increased our exports from a few million dollars at the time of independence to more than $125 billion now, with about $150 billion of imports. GDP growth was around 2.3 per cent in 1951-52 and has reached to more then 9 per cent at present.

The economy of India is the twelfth largest economy in the world by market exchange rates and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. India's per capita income is $1016 and we currently account for 1.5 per cent of World trade as of 2007, according to the WTO. Our hard currency reserves have also grown from a mere $1.5 billion in 1991 to over $220 billion today.

India's information technology exports grew from a mere $150 million in 1991-92 to $31.4 billion in 2006-07, and is projected to reach $60 billion by 2010. The Indian IT industry is unique for several reasons. It focused on exports; benchmarked with the best global companies; followed the finest principles of corporate governance; created the largest number of jobs in the organised sector; and demonstrated that Indians, too, could succeed in the competitive global markets.

We are at the eighth position in the world Telecom sector. Total mobile phone users reached 362. 3 million in January 2009 in India and the total subscriber base of fixed lines are more than 50 million. Forty five million Internet user are in India and the number is increasing rapidly.

India is the world's largest producer of films, producing close to a thousand films annually. Indian cinema has found markets in over 90 countries, where our films are screened. Indian artists like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Lata Mangeskar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Amitabh Bachcahn are respected everywhere in world.

Now finally coming to sports, Indians are achieving new heights in every kind of sports. In cricket, the Indian team is one of the best teams in every format. Vishwanathan Anand is world's best chess player, Abhinav Bindra won a gold in Olympics, whereas Leander Pace and Sania Mirza gave new dimensions to tennis.

In these glorious 62 years after Independence, India has moved ahead and is still gaining in every field of life thus making every one say "I feel proud to be an Indian" and hum the lines "Honge Sabse Aage Hindustani."

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11:08 AM

Zimbabwe crush Bangladesh in third ODI

Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe defeated Bangladesh by 69 runs in the third of five one-day internationals at the Queen's Sports Club here on Friday.

After losses in the two opening games, this win put the hosts firmly back in the series, with two more matches to come here on Sunday and Tuesday.

Zimbabwe, sent into bat after Bangladesh won the toss, were sent on their way to victory by Hamilton Masakadza's maiden one-day century with the big-hitting batsman smashing 102 off 112 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

Elton Chigumbra (61 not out) and Brendan Taylor (94), back after a lengthy period playing in England, added a further 90 from 50 balls, with Chigumbra's 50 coming from just 26 balls.

Zimbabwe's total of 323 was their best here against a Bangladesh side who fell well short of matching their performance.

Bangladesh, who arrived here having swept the Test and one-day series in the West Indies, were always struggling once they had slipped to 39-4 after Tamim Iqbal was out first ball, Naeem Islam was bowled by Chigumbura, Mohammad Ashraful skied to third man and skipper Shakib al Hasan made just 17.

Raqibul Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim tried to rescue the situation with the pair adding a quickfire 68 while Mahbubul Alam lit up the innings with three successive sixes in his maiden half-century.

But Zimbabwe sealed victory in the 45th over.

"We didn't bowl well," said Shakib. "It was a tough day for us; hopefully we will come back in the next game. We didn't start well with the bat. Only 80 runs were needed in the last overs but we didn't have enough wickets."

Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya said: "The guys managed to come to the party today. Form is temporary, class is permanent. I think our batting can still improve. On that wicket, 350 is a good score."

Chigumbura, who also picked up two wickets, was named man of the match.

"It was a good innings. The guys upfront did a good job to help me come in and play my game. We have to do well on Sunday to level the series," said the all-rounder.

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10:57 AM

Champions Trophy unveilled in South Africa

MUMBAI: As the top eight-ranked ODI teams in the world prepare to descend on South Africa next month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2009 was officially launched in Johannesburg yesterday.

Apart from pushing his side closer towards ultimate glory in the event, there is an extra incentive for individuals to excel during the ICC Champions Trophy. Each man of the match will win an IWC watch worth $8,500.

As a brand in luxury timepieces, IWC Schaffhausen says that it has been setting standards in technological development and highly complicated precision watch-making since 1868.

Beyond its Haute Horlogerie timepieces, IWC says that it has often related to the inspiration exuded by sporting heroes and has launched several limited special editions of timepieces that are soaring heroes in their own right.

The company CEO Georges Ker says that IWC's values of precision, perfection and technical competence are mirrored in the man-of-the-match concept.

There will be 15 winners of the man-of-the-match award who will receive an IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Automatic. The dial of the mechanical chronograph with day and date display is reminiscent of an aircraft cockpit says the company.

The product also has a soft iron inner case for protecting against magnetic fields, a power reserve of 44 hours and water-resistance to 6 bar.

In addition each member of the winning team will win a ICC Champions Trophy winners’ jacket.

The prize-money on offer has grown four-fold since 2006 and is now worth a total of $4 million. The winner will receive $2 million, the runner-up will earn $1million with the two beaten semi-finalists taking home $400,000 each. Those teams that finish third in their groups will each win $100,000.

The action begins on 22 September with the Proteas in action against Sri Lanka in a day-night encounter at Centurion (the location for the women’s world cup final of 2005) and it will end with a day-night final at the same venue on 5 October.

ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said the event would be a showcase of the very best one-day cricket has to offer. “This ICC Champions Trophy is quite different and more exciting compared to all the ones that went before.

“Effectively, it is in one location with two world-class venues at The Wanderers and Centurion. It is a short, sharp event with just the top eight-ranked ODI teams taking part in international competition”.

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10:54 AM

West Indies coach loses job

St John's (PTI): Barely six weeks before the Champions Trophy, West Indies Cricket Board sacked coach John Dyson following the team's humiliating Test and ODI series defeat at home against Bangladesh.

"The services of John Dyson have been terminated with immediate effect. The Assistant Coach, David Williams will fill this position on a temporary basis for this tour," the WICB said in a statement after its Executive Committee meeting.

It was a strange decision by the board since Dyson did not have the frontline squad at his disposal against Bangladesh and had to field a second string side as the star players boycotted the series over a payment dispute.

WICB also named former spinner Lance Gibbs as the team manager for the ICC Champions Trophy schedule in South Africa in September-October.

Dyson took over the coaching reins in October 2007, succeeding fellow Australian Bennett King.

Under him, West Indies won their first Test outside the Caribbeans in seven years when they beat South Africa in Port Elizabeth and beat England 1-0 at home soil.

West Indies cricket soon plunged into crisis with the payment dispute becoming a bone of contention between the cricketers and the board.

West Indies is set to field another second-string in the Champions Trophy.

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10:49 AM