Sunday, December 26, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

[Score Update] Ind vs SA 2nd Test 1st Day: Indian Batsmen Tossed By SA Bowlers

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 08:38 AM PST

India, South Africa, Durban

India, South Africa, Durban

Second test match between South Africa and India in ongoing three test match series between visiting Indian team and host South African team started on 26th December at Durban. South Africa won the toss in an hour or so rain delayed match and decided to invite India to bat first.

That was probably already anticipated from South Africa had they won the toss and that is what happened.

India started strongly with Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay but not for long. Sehwag was first to go at his score of 25 before lunch and so was Vijay. Vijay joined team as opener in place of Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir had a swollen finger getting hurt during a practice session after first test match. Vijay could not hang on for long and was never seen confident against South Africa bowling as long as he stayed on crease.

Dravid and Tendulkar started driving Indian innings further facing a beautiful piece of bowling by Dale Steyn. Sehwag and Tendulkar punished bowlers for a while especially Morkel. Tendulkar too went back early with on 13 runs in his pocket.

Dravid and Laxman were playing quite confidently but it was a clever bowling by Steyn that got Dravid caught behind the stumps. Cheteshwar Pujara and Laxman further trying to consolidate Indian innings could not go long and soon Dhoni was seen on crease in place of Laxman.

Laxman was a bit unlucky to get out at Indian innings score as only 130. India with Laxman's exit had lost their top five batsmen.

At the end of day one India were 183 for six which is not at all a comfortable state. Captain Dhoni was not out at 20 with Harbhajan Singh playing at 15. Steyn was most successful bowler with four wickets.

Tsotobe was another successful bowler who took two wickets. With all recognized batsmen back to pavilion, this is the last pair that can produce some runs to take India to somewhat 250 runs target.

England vs Australian 4th Test 1st Day: English Bowlers Knock Out Australia On Boxer’s Day

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 12:26 AM PST

Boxer's day 2010 will take long to vanish from Australian team's memories for years to come not for a sweet reason but for sour moments. 26th December was the day when fourth test of the ongoing the Ashes series had to start at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The series after three test matches was at level 1-1 with both the teams winning one match each. First match played at Brisbane had gone drawn. Second test played at Oval was won by England while the third test played at Perth was won by Australia.

That was a good comeback from Australian team in Perth after having a low level showcase of their batting and bowling departments in first two test matches. At MCG, Australia doesn't have a good record of winning the matches.

England won the toss here on 26th morning and decided to invite Australia first to bat first. It would have been the wisest decision Andrew Strauss would have taken ever and on the other hand a disastrous toss loss for Australia.

It did not take long for English bowlers mainly Tremlett and Anderson to wind up Australian innings before tea session. What a comeback it has been for James Anderson. Both these bowlers took four wickets each in a disastrous breakdown of Australian batting line.

Bresnan was the third successful bowler taking two wickets. Half of Australian players could not even reach to their individual double figure score.

Australia already had four of their top batsmen back to pavilion when the team went for lunch. Probably Boxer's day lunch would not have been tasteful for the team. The tea would have had the worse taste for them when the whole team had got out in just 43 overs with 98 on board.

Michael Clarke was highest scorer for Australia with 20. A consistent fall of wickets and some non commitment lead Australia to such a low scoring total. There were rain spells before and after lunch session.

England started batting after tea with Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook opening innings. Both batsmen ensured no fall of wicket till the end of day one with a brilliant piece of batting apiece.

Cook was more aggressive and was not out at 79 with 11 fours while Strauss was not out at 57 with 5 fours. The number of fours hit by Cook equalled the number of fours of the total Australian first innings.

South Africa vs India 2nd Test Match: Zaheer In, Gambhir Out But India Hopes Not To Repeat First Test

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 12:12 AM PST

Second test match between South Africa and India is starting on Sunday, 26th December. South Africa, having an advantage of playing on home pitches, is already leading series by 1-0 after winning first test match with a huge margin.

Durban track can be treated as the greenest ever track India has ever played match on. With Gautam Gambhir's uncertainty on playing the match for India due to finger injury during the practice session, it would be Murali Vijay's acid test on speedy bouncy wicket to survive and stabilize Indian innings.

India will be more in trouble if South Africa wins the toss and invites them to bat first. Windy conditions will add enough of spice to the killing South African bowling. For India, good news is that Zaheer Khan is back in the team to support morally with his experience and to add sharpness in bowling department.

On the other hand Gambhir's absence would be a major cause of concern for India. Match is to start on 26th December at 1000 hours local time (0800 hours GMT and 1330 hours IST).

India must pray that Dhoni wins the toss and invites South Africa to bat first rather than vice versa happening and causing a disaster for Indian batting as happened in first test match.

The earlier the sun comes out of clouds will do better for batsmen to stabilize and do some consistent batting. If the weather remains cloudy and wet it would be a bonus for bowlers to provide additional swing and pace to ball.

Result NZ vs Pak 1st T20: Southee, Guptill Crack Pakistan Nerves

Posted: 25 Dec 2010 11:59 PM PST

First of the three Twenty20 matches between visiting Pakistan and host New Zealand teams had to be played on 26th December at Eden Park, Auckland. Match started at 1400 hours local time with New Zealand winning the toss and deciding to invite Pakistan to bat first.

For New Zealand DG Brownlie and AF Milne were the two debutants whereas their ace batsman Brandon McCullum could not play due to back stretch problem. An average of less than eight runs in Twenty20 match is not treated as healthy and challenging.

That is what happened when Pakistan batted first and could pile up on 143 runs in their quota of 20 overs. Openers; all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and captain Sahid Afridi gave a good start by producing over nine runs per over in first four. First to go was Afridi who was showering runs like anything.

He got out clean bowled by Mills at his score of 20 runs made in only 12 balls with 1 four and 2 huge sixes. Pakistan was 37 at that time at the end of fourth over. One down Ahmed Shehzad too started hammering the ball right from word go and made 14 runs in half the number of balls with 2 fours and 1 six before he left crease caught by McGlashan bowled by Southee.

In six overs Pakistan was 58 for loss of two wickets. At the score of 62, three important wickets fell of Pakistan. First it was Younis Khan who got caught by Brownlie bowled by Southee at his score of 2. Then opener Hafeez departed at his score of 24 made in 21 balls with 4 fours.

He got out on the consecutive ball of Southee caught by McGlashan. That was an hat-trick for Southee when on the fourth ball of eighth over of game he trapped Umar Akmal in front of wickets getting him out lbw.

Only Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz could produce some resistance and made 30 each with rest all surrendering easily against NZ bowling attack. Tim Southee was most successful bowler taking five wickets in his quota of four overs and giving only 18 runs.

Kayle Mills got three wickets giving 37 runs and Scott Styris got one wicket and gave 18 runs in his four overs.

It was not a difficult task for New Zealand probably when they started their batting with Jessy Ryder and Martin Guptill. Three quick wickets fall for New Zealand got them into troubled waters for a while. First it was Ryder who left crease at 6, then Brownlie at 5 and afterwards Styris at 7.

All the three wickets were taken by Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar one each in his first three overs. New Zealand seemed to be in trouble with 55 for three but had a very good average of almost 11 runs per over by that time at the start of sixth over of the game.

Most remarkable innings could be named that of Guptill who made 54 runs in only 29 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes. When he departed after getting run out at NZ innings' score of 91 in 10th over of game, it was more than certain that match has gone into Kiwis' pocket.

Ross Taylor and James Franklin thereby ensured to take match swiftly away from Pakistan. Taylor remained not out at 15 and Franklin at 19 in 16 balls with 2 fours and 1 six. Only successful bowler from Pakistan was Shoaib Akhtar. Most economic bowler from Pakistan was Saeed Ajmal who gave only 10 runs in his three overs.

For man of the match it would have been a tough call between Southee and Guptill but finally Southee was chosen for the honor. New Zealand is 1-0 in this three T20s series.
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