Tamim, Nasir, Jahurul, Shakib, Rahim deliver incredible win

Bangladesh 293 for 5 (Tamim 70, Nasir 54, Jahurul 53, Shakib 49, Rahim 46*) beat India 289 for 5 (Tendulkar 114, Kohli 66, Raina 51) by five wickets

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan delivered an improbable win for Bangladesh that left Sachin Tendulkar's record 100th international century in the shade and threw the Asia Cup wide open. As the focus remained on Tendulkar's achievement for most of the match, Bangladesh did what they had threatened to do in the tournament opener against Pakistan - they showed that they could chase big totals under pressure against Test opposition.

Photo Source: AFP

Bangladesh had asked India to bat knowing that chasing has been easier on the Mirpur pitch in this tournament than batting first. Though the strategy had not worked, just about, against Pakistan, India did not have an Umar Gul or a Saeed Ajmal to stop a side hungrier than they were for success.

 

Shakib and Rahim did not succumb to the gnawing tension that an asking-rate of above eight runs an over brings. Instead, India's bowlers crumbled against their aggression. Shakib blitzed 49 off 31 deliveries and were it not for a close stumping decision going against him, might have finished the game on his own.

With 66 needed off 50 deliveries, Shakib was adjudged stumped off R Ashwin with replays showing enough doubt for the benefit to have gone to the batsman. Rahim, who had said yesterday that India's thin bowling unit gave Bangladesh confidence, slammed 46 off 25 as Bangladesh won with four deliveries left.

A steady build-up from Tamim Iqbal and Jahurul Islam had left Bangladesh with a climbing asking-rate. With Nasir Hossain in control at one end, Shakib gave Banngladesh hope with hitting that was as uninhibited as it was daring. He took 18 runs off the 37th over, bowled by Ashok Dinda, with a couple of swings over midwicket and thick edge to third man. R Ashwin dropped it short, and was punched and pulled for boundaries. It was now Irfan Pathan's turn. A slash followed another pull, and the momentum had shifted in Bangladesh's favour.

India managed to sneak in some quiet overs after Shakib fell. It came down to 37 needed off 24. India's quick bowlers were having problems in controlling their deliveries and full tosses had been dished out often. The 48th over was when it fell apart for them. Irfan bowled a wide outside off stump. MS Dhoni ran upto him with some advice. Irfan bowled a length ball on Mushfiqur's pads next. Flicked over deep square leg for six. A stern-looking Dhoni had more words for Irfan. A high full toss followed from around the wicket. Swung over deep midwicket for six more.

With 16 needed off 12, Praveen began the 49th over with a waist-high no-ball. Sliced over point for four. A length delivery followed. Mushfiqur wound up and dispatched it over long-on. Game over. Mushfiqur roared on the field; Shakib did an encore in the dressing room. Bangladesh had only their third ODI win over their big neighbours.

When Tamim and Jahurul were ensuring that Bangladesh did not lose too many wickets during the middle overs, it had seemed that Bangladesh were not far away from coming short against the stiff asking-rate. Tamim again displayed his recent penchant for buckling down to play a long innings while Jahurul picked up the scoring after a slow start. The duo kept getting the odd boundary but could not really dominate. They fell after their fifties, trying to keep up with the requirement, but Shakib and Mushfiqur stunned India with their refusal to give in.

Defeat would have been the last thing on India's minds when after a year of hype and expectation, Tendulkar got his 100th international century against and in the country where he had equalled Sunil Gavaskar's then-record 34 Test centuries in 2004 on way to his highest Test score. It wasn't one of Tendulkar's better hundreds and will ultimately be remembered only for being the one that brought up the unprecedented landmark. In fact, it was his second-slowest innings of 100-plus in ODIs and ended up restricting India's progress. They ended up on 289 for 5, an underwhelming outcome considering their power-packed batting line-up had had a platform of 173 for 1 in the 36th over.

Bangladesh's attack was persevering but limited. Tendulkar duly milked them to finally go past a landmark that hardly anyone knew existed before he got close to it, but put tremendous pressure on the player himself in a frenzied build-up that lasted a year.

Tendulkar had motored to 80 off 102 deliveries but took another 36 before he took his hundredth run, off Shakib Al Hasan. The monkey off his back, he belatedly took charge, hitting consecutive boundaries off Shahadat Hossain before a slog ended up in the keeper's hands. Tendulkar's departure came immediately after Suresh Raina's brisk innings had ended after having kept India going amid his senior partner's quest for the century. Raina hit 51 off 38 and built on a 148-run second-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Kohli, who looked set to become the first India batsman to score three consecutive ODI hundreds until he played on for a breezy 66.

The hosts should have had Kohli first ball in the sixth over, when Shafiul Islam struck him on the back leg in front of middle stump, but umpire Paul Reiffel remained unmoved. Kohli's form took over after that, and with Tendulkar batting as safely as he does during some of his long Test innings, India motored along without giving Bangladesh half a chance more.

Bangladesh had themselves to blame for allowing Tendulkar to settle with a generous sprinkling of wide deliveries from their fast bowlers. His first four scoring shots were all boundaries, as he cashed in on width to drive and punch through the off side.

Shafiul did have Gautam Gambhir playing on early off a forcing flat-footed drive, but Kohli did not take long to get going after his reprieve. The field hardly moved as he flicked and cover-drove for fours in consecutive overs.

Spin was expected to be a major factor on a dry-looking pitch but Tendulkar and Kohli negotiated Bangladesh's slow army without any problems. The scoring-rate did take a slight beating as singles dominated but Tendulkar soon found the freedom to slog-sweep Shakib Al Hasan over wide long-on. With his feet moving precisely now, he made room to cart Shakib inside-out over extra cover to reach his first international fifty in 13 innings. As he passed 80, Tendulkar took his time amid some nerves. Meanwhile, after having contemptuously worked his way to another fifty, Kohli played on against Abdur Razzak.

Raina's slog-sweeps and lofted shots over extra cover kept the runs coming, though, but Tendulkar was clearly feeling the pressure at the other end. He played out a maiden to Mashrafe Mortaza on 83, and on several occasions, took off for non-existent singles before being sent back. The century arrived in the 44th over, and Tendulkar's relief was evident. With the innings in need of a final burst, Dhoni slammed 16 off the 50th over to get India to 289, but for once, Bangladesh chased with as much faith as their fans have in their team.

Source: ESPNCricinfo

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Sehwag wins series for India with record 219

India 418 for 5 (Sehwag 219, Gambhir 67, Raina 55) beat West Indies 265 (Ramdin 96, Jadeja 3-34, Rahul Sharma 3-43) by 153 runs.

Virender Sehwag slammed 219, the highest one-day score ever, to help India seal the series against West Indies in Indore © Associated Press

It took nearly four decades for a batsman to score the first double-century in one-day international cricket but less than two years for the second. Virender Sehwag, the batsman most touted to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for the highest individual ODI score, didn't merely break it - he shattered it and raised the bar so high that it's hard to imagine anyone, apart from Sehwag himself, raising it higher.

Top 20 Most individual runs in an innings in One-Day Internationals

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Unlike Tendulkar in Gwalior, Sehwag wasn't running out of time as he raced towards 200 in Indore. He got there in the 44th over and had made 219 off 149 balls by the time he was dismissed in the 47th. And in one of cricket's stranger coincidences, both ODI double-centuries were scored in the same Indian state - Madhya Pradesh - at venues less than 500 kilometres apart.

Sehwag's performance led India to 418 for 5, their highest ODI total, and sealed victory in the five-match series against West Indies. It was an innings characteristic of Sehwag's approach to batting. He hit his second ball for four and simply did not stop. He took plenty of risks too, surviving two run-out chances and two dropped catches, but thundered on, ensuring India's run-rate stayed above seven after the 15th over. Sehwag's only out-of-character moment came in the 20th over, when he dived to avoid being run out. Sehwag never dives. It was a sign that he was determined to stay the course. He went to 50 off 41 balls, to 100 off 69 balls, to 150 off 112 and past 200 off 140. The record was broken with a withering cut that sped to the backward-point boundary, and he celebrated with an aggressive fist-pump before breaking into a smile.

Before this game, and after each of the previous three, Sehwag had admitted that the top-order failures, which he contributed to, were the reason India had struggled in their chases. Sehwag had made a duck in the previous match in Ahmedabad, where India lost, but led by example today.

India did two things differently at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. They chose to bat for the first time in the series and also opened with their strongest combination, Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, pushing Parthiv Patel down the order. The upshot of those decisions was an opening partnership of 176 that began smoothly, picked up speed, and gathered the momentum of a runaway train before it was eventually ended, inevitably, by a run-out.

A strong crowd continued the trend of resurging attendances during the home ODIs and they cheered the first boundary in the second over, when Sehwag flicked Ravi Rampaul's first ball for four - a welcome he would give several other West Indian bowlers. Sehwag looked dangerous from the start. Gambhir did not. After making only 3 off 15 balls, Gambhir finally had the width he needed and cut Kemar Roach to the point boundary.

Both batsmen could have been dismissed on 20, though. Sehwag had given up hope of making his ground but Kieron Pollard missed the stumps from point, and Andre Russell dropped Gambhir on his follow through. Gambhir began to steer, cut and drive through the off side frequently, going over fielders' heads and placing wide of the boundary riders. Seven of his first nine fours were in this region. India ended the mandatory Powerplay on 63 for 0.

The field spread after that but it didn't matter. Sehwag and Gambhir scored 45 runs between overs 11 and 15. This passage began with Sehwag hoisting the offspinner Sunil Narine's first ball over the long-on boundary. He then launched Darren Sammy's first inside out over extra cover. This passage ended with Sehwag hammering Narine again, this time into the stands beyond deep midwicket.

The field came in for the bowling Powerplay and Gambhir immediately cut Roach through point, and then dabbed for a single to reach his half-century off 51 balls. The smash-and-dab combo was a feature of the partnership. Sehwag got to his hundred with a fierce cut, hit in the air, brushing the fingertips of the leaping fielder at point before speeding to the boundary. The next ball, he ran Gambhir out, to a direct hit from Samuels. Visibly upset with himself, Sehwag continued to punish West Indies.

When he was hitting fours, Sehwag preferred to go square of the wicket, flicking and glancing the numerous deliveries he received on the pads. When he wanted six, he usually went straighter, targeting the arc between midwicket and long-on. He hit 25 fours and seven sixes in all. On 170, in the 38th over, Sehwag spooned Rampaul towards cover, where Sammy dropped a dolly, leaving the bowler distraught.

The rest of the innings was a blur of boundaries and landmarks. Suresh Raina got to his half-century off 42 balls. India reached 300 in 39.1 overs. Sehwag broke his personal best - 175 against Bangladesh in the World Cup - with a flick to the square-leg boundary. He went past 8000 ODI runs with a chip over the fielder at short fine leg. That shot took him from 191 to 195, and soon he was cutting Russell to send India into rapture. When Sehwag was dismissed - lofting Pollard to the substitute Anthony Martin at long-off - most of the West Indian fielders came from far and wide to shake his hand.

Sehwag did not come out to field - the only blot on his performance - and watched from the dressing room as West Indies' top-order batsmen crashed and burned amid a flurry of shots. India's debutant legspinner Rahul Sharma struck with the last ball of each of his first three overs in international cricket, bowling Marlon Samuels, Danza Hyatt and Pollard to leave West Indies reeling at 100 for 5.

Rahul, who's been in India's squads since the home ODIs against England but stayed on the bench, bowled a variety of deliveries. He sent down legbreaks, googlies and topspinners at varying speeds, but it was the one delivered quicker that brought him success.

Samuels tried to cut a fast topspinner but bottom-edged it on to his stumps. Hyatt then stepped out of the crease, but was yorked by a fast legbreak. The ball pitched outside leg stump and spun between the batsman's pads to bowl him. Pollard was the next to go, swinging across the line and missing a topspinner that clipped off stump.

After losing more wickets, West Indies decided to bat out time instead of playing shots, and the match ended in stark contrast to how it began - tamely. Denesh Ramdin, however, made 96, his best score and the highest by a West Indies wicketkeeper in ODIs. His 64-run partnership with No. 11 Sunil Narine merely kept India on the field longer than they would have liked.

Source: Cricinfo

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Nasir Hossain contributed 100 but Pakistan clinch ODI series

Visiting Pakistan clinched the ODI series 2-0 with one match in hand beating hosts Bangladesh by 76 runs in the second ODI at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday, reports UNB.

Chasing the target of 263 runs, Bangladesh were restricted to 186 for 7 in stipulated 50 overs.

It was the 21st consecutive wins for Pakistan against Bangladesh in the limited over format.

But credit must goes to all rounder Nasir Hossain for whose maiden ODI ton helped Bangladesh to score a respectable total. The all-rounder contributed 100 runs off 134 balls with 11 fours and a six before he was dismissed by pacer Umar Gul. He was later adjudged the player of the match.

The hosts faced serious batting jolt to chase the target losing their first four quick wickets - openers Tamim Iqbal (4) and Imrul Kayes (6), Shahriar Nafees (7) and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (1) in a span of 19 runs.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (34) and Nasir Hossain offered some resistance contributing 106 runs in the 5th wicket stand. Shakib scored 34 runs off 90 balls with a four.

Mahmudullah (20) and debutant Elias Sunny (0) were remained unbeaten.

Pacer Umar Gul grabbed four wickets for 36 runs while off-break bowler Mohammad Hafeez captured two wickets conceding 15 runs.

Besides, Saeed Ajmol took one wicket for 33 runs.

Earlier, middle order Umar Akmal polished half century and Shahid Afridi's hurricane innings helped Pakistan to score 262 for 7 in stipulated 50 overs against Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi bowlers kept the Pakistani batsmen under their control maintaining good line and length in the beginning of the innings. The visitors had to wait above 25 overs to cross hundred runs after opting to bat first in the day/night affairs.

Pakistan lost early their opener Imran Farhat (4), who gave an easy catch to Nasir Hossain at point off pacer Shafiul Islam delivery.

Another opener Mohammad Hafeez then pairing with one down Younus Khan contributed 57 runs in the second wicket stand.

Hafeez, who was sent back to the dressing room by pacer Rubel Hossain delivery, scored 32 runs off 56 balls with six fours before he gave a catch to Imrul Kayes.

Dependable batsman Younus Khan who was seemed comfortable on the crease finally was trapped leg before wicket by spinner Abdur Razzak delivery. He scored 37 runs off 70 balls with three fours. As the Pakistani batsmen failed to accelerate the run rate their skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal took the responsibility to stretch the innings.

The duo contributed 83 runs in the fourth wicket stand to take the team to a comfortable position.

Akmal, who completed his 11th ODI fifty today, smashed 59 runs off 54 balls with five fours and a six while Misbah made 37 runs off 55 balls with one four with the team's total sticking at 193 for 3.

Later, number seven batsman Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan to pass above 250 runs after the departure of all rounder Shoaib Malik (17).

The hard hitting batsman cracked 47 runs off 27 balls hitting three boundaries and two over boundaries.

Sarfraz Ahmad (12) and Sohail Tanvir (0) were remained unbeaten till the end of the innings.

Pacers Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain scalped two wickets each conceding 50 and 58 runs respectively while spinners Shakib Al Hasan, debutant Elias Sunny and Abdur Razzak took one wicket apiece for 27, 46 and 58 runs.

Earlier, in the first ODI, Pakistan recorded a-five-wicket victory over Bangladesh on Thursday last.

The third and last ODI of the series between the two sides will be held on December 6 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.

Source: The News Today

Photos Source: Yahoo Sports

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Test Championship not until 2017

The ICC Test Championship will not be held before 2017, Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said. The tournament was initially scheduled for 2013, but it cannot be conducted before 2017 due to the ICC's commitments to its broadcaster and sponsors.

The prospect of switching the 2013 Champions Trophy to a Test championship
was discussed at the October 10 ICC executive board meeting © Getty Images

"I am afraid that [the Test championship] is no longer going to happen in 2013," Lorgat said in Dubai, where he was attending the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. "At the last board meeting we decided the first opportunity to play the Test championship is 2017. I am disappointed it is not going to take place sooner but it is a reality of the commitments we have already got through to 2015."

The ICC's broadcast partner is ESPN STAR Sports*, with whom they have a contract till 2015. The Champions Trophy, the ICC's second-most significant one-day tournament, is scheduled to be played in June 2013 in England, but the ICC had hoped to convince all interested parties to switch that tournament to play-offs between the top four Test teams as per the ICC Test rankings.

However, after the ICC's executive board meeting in October, it released a statement saying there would be significant commercial challenges in replacing the Champions Trophy without the support and consent of the ICC's broadcast partner since the financial implications on the Members would be significant. Changing the tournament from a one-day one to Test play-offs would have required a substantial cut in the broadcast rights fee, which would have repercussions on the Members.

Lorgat, on Monday, said the switch would not be possible. "We attempted to switch the Champions Trophy to become a Test championship but that is not going to be possible."

The MCC criticised the ICC's decision, calling it "disappointing". "MCC has been very consistent in its support for Test cricket and the need for governing bodies to give the five day game a bit of a boost," John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said. "Today's announcement is a setback for Test cricket, at a time when we need to work to find the optimum balance between all formats of the game."

The Test championship is a concept aimed at increasing the popularity of Test cricket, something the ICC has consistently pledged their commitment to. Lorgat had said ahead of the ICC's last board meeting that hosting a Test Championship in 2013 would be ideal since "player and public interest in Test match cricket is at an all-time high". Lorgat, on Monday, maintained his stance that a championship would have been a positive move for Test cricket. "We attempted to form the World Test Championship which I think would have been a very good context in ensuring the primacy of Test cricket but again we will have to wait for 2017 to see that as a reality."

Source: ESPNcricinfo

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Englands's dramatic mid-innings collapse in the fifth ODI against India

Final Score: India 271 for 8 (Dhoni 75*) beat England 176 (Jadeja 4-33, Kieswetter 63) by 95 runs 

England chose a particularly humiliating route to their second 5-0 whitewash in consecutive ODI tours of India, as they allowed their resolve to collapse twice in one match - first with the ball, as MS Dhoni walloped 75 not out from 69 balls to take his series tally to 212 runs without loss - and then with the bat, as they squandered a 20-over scoreline of 129 for 0 to lose all ten of their wickets for 47 runs in exactly 100 balls.

India's stars with the ball, as in the first match of the series in Hyderabad, were once again the spinners, Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed 4 for 33 in eight overs, and R Ashwin, 3 for 28 in nine. They joined forces with the part-timers Manoj Tiwary and Suresh Raina, to choke England's innings in a sea of slogs and dot-balls. Of England's last nine batsmen, only Samit Patel (18) and Graeme Swann (10 not out) reached double figures. The rout was sealed with 13 overs to spare when Steven Finn top-edged an Ashwin carrom ball to the keeper and triumphant captain, Dhoni.

For the first two-fifths of the innings, England's progress could hardly have been more serene. Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter saved their best performances of the series for the very last gasp. Kieswetter brought up his half-century from 49 balls - and England's 100 with it - with a savage carve through the covers off Varun Aaron, and Cook was scarcely any tardier, reaching his own milestone from 51. For the majority of their stand, England were consistently 20 runs ahead of the required rate, without having needed to take any risks whatsoever.

The innings, however, was derailed by the extra pace of Aaron, who came round the wicket to extract Cook's off stump for 60 from 61 balls - the exact same score he had managed in the first match at Hyderabad. Eight balls later, Kieswetter followed suit for a run-a-ball 63, as Jadeja pinned him lbw on the front foot, and suddenly the innings was wide open.

Bell, playing in his first match of the series after Kevin Pietersen had been ruled out with a chipped bone in his thumb, scratched around for 2 from six balls before snicking Ashwin to the keeper, and three balls later, all hope had been truly lost when Jonathan Trott, England's likeliest middle-order ballast, pushed loosely at Jadeja and edged a simple chance to slip for 5.

In Jadeja's next over, England's innings went even further off-track, as the overawed Jonny Bairstow tried to hit his way out of trouble but instead skidded a thick outside edge to Ajinkya Rahane at backward point. Ravi Bopara squandered the chance to be a hero when he was bowled round his legs for a 16-ball 4 by Ashwin, and Tim Bresnan - so often England's most combative tailender - confirmed the general air of surrender when he chipped a loose drive off Tiwary for a fourth-ball duck.

Long before the final indignity, England had already blown their best chance to salvage some pride in the series thanks to another scruffy fielding performance which undermined another superb display of fast bowling from England's only shining light of the series, Finn. From a comfortable 71 for 0 after 15 overs, India slumped to 81 for 3 in subsequent bowling Powerplay, with Finn sparking the loss of three wickets for no runs in ten balls with a brilliant double-wicket maiden.

First to go was Gautam Gambhir for 38, in near-identical fashion to his dismissal by Finn at Mumbai, as a lifting delivery outside off nipped off the inside edge and into the stumps. Then, after welcoming Virat Kohli with a series of excellent deliveries in the channel outside off, he bowled him with a final-ball beauty that zipped off the seam and crashed into off stump as the batsman offered no stroke.

Four balls and no runs later, and Tim Bresnan was into the act as well, as Kieswetter atoned for an earlier drop with a soaring leap to his right to cling on to a flying edge. A second consecutive maiden for Finn was then followed by an equally frugal first over from Bopara, and India's collapse should have been four wickets for one run in 25 balls when Swann at second slip dropped an absolute dolly off Suresh Raina.

India needed no further invitation to make England pay. Raina was eventually run out for 38 from 46 balls when his bat bounced in the crease as a direct hit came in from square leg, but it was the crunching hitting of the irrepressible Dhoni that left England's prospects in the dust. He saved his most savage assault for the new boy, Meaker, whom he battered for a massive six over wide long-on in a penultimate over that went for 21. Patel fared scarcely any better in the 50th of the innings, in which a further 18 runs were scalped.

By the end of it all, Dhoni had added 330 ODI runs since England last dismissed him at The Oval in September, and his personal dominance was a perfect reflection of a series in which the tables of the summer had been emphatically turned.

Source: Cricinfo

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Tigers stun Caribbeans to earn solace win

The Tigers cruised to easy victory after packing visiting Caribbeans for 61 in just 22 overs in the third and final game of the three-match series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong Tuesday.

The invigorated home side, which is out there with all its might to win the game, scored 62 in 20 overs losing the wickets of Imrul Kayes and Shahriar Nafees.

Imrul failed to connect properly a delivery from Kemar Roach in the fifth over and gave a catch to Kieron Pollard. Meanwhile, Samuels bowled Nafees in the first ball of eighth over.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim batted with opener Tamim Iqbal to win the third one-day game.

Spinner Shakib Al Hasan ripped through the West Indies batting line up after the pacers – Nazmul Hossain and Shafiul Islam – had initiated the havoc removing top two batsmen in 11 overs.

Kieran Powell scored 25, the highest run by any Caribbeans batsman in the match, followed by Carlos Brathwaite who is only other batsman to score a double figure.

The win would earn a kind of solace and revitalise for the upcoming Test series the hosts who lost the previous two ODIs held at Sher-e Bangla Stadium in the capital.

Pacer Nazmul Hossain began the wrecking in sixth over deceiving opener Danza Hyatt to give a catch to Imrul Kayes in the slip. In the 11th over, Shafiul Islam, another pacer, came up to remove Marlon Samuels.

Nasir Hossain joined the fold to cause havoc to the Caribbeans squad. After bowling out Kieran Powell in the second ball of the 12th over, he took the catch of Kieron Pollard in the next ball.

Shafiul sent back Darren Bravo in a superb delivery in the next over.

Darren Sammy, the Caribbeans captain, fell victim to leg before as former Bangladesh skipper Shakib delivered his first ball in the match. In his second over, Shakib bowled Denesh Ramdin.

Tattered totally, the West Indies batsmen had no clue how to stay in the crease. Suhrawadi Shuvo appeared to add to their miseries by taking catch of Andre Russell in his own ball in the 17th over.

Then it was all Shakib’s. He trapped Barthwaite leg before in the 20th over and bowled Anthony Martin in the 22nd over to post a brilliant four-for-16 figure as a Bangladeshi bowler.

Out there in gallery, Bangladesh supporters and fans were on the moon.

Earlier, winning the toss for the fourth consecutive time, Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim invited West Indies to bat.

Start of the match, which was scheduled to begin at 1:30pm, was deferred by half an hour due to a wet outfield caused by rain.

The Caribbeans won the second consecutive ODI against host Bangladesh by eight wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the capital’s Mirpur area on October 15.

On October 13, West Indies won a 40-run victory in their first ODI at the same venue.

Bangladesh, however, defeated West Indies by three wickets with just one ball to spare in the one-off Twenty20 international on October 11.

One of the two Test matches will take place in Chittagong on October 21 while the rest one in Dhaka on October 29.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Shuvagata Hom, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shafiul Islam and Nazmul Hossain

West Indies: KOA Powell, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, DP Hyatt, D Ramdin, KA Pollard, AD Russell, DJG Sammy (Captain), A Martin, CR Brathwaite and KAJ Roach

Source: The Daily Star

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Bangladesh rout West Indies for 61 runs

The threat of rain loomed over gloomy Chittagong but the weather stayed clear enough for Bangladesh to demolish West Indies for their second-lowest total in one-day internationals. From 33 for 1, Bangladesh's bowlers began to hack through the line-up as nine wickets fell for 28 runs. The strong crowd that turned up despite the wetness cheered as the home side dished out retribution for the two defeats in the series, and for the humiliation in the 2011 World Cup.

West Indies had lost only two and four wickets during their victories in Mirpur but this Chittagong pitch was different. The pace was sluggish, the bounce low and the ball did not come on to the bat. There was turn too. To add to that, rain on the eve of the match had left the outfield soggy, and shots hit along the ground lost speed quickly. Batting conditions were far from ideal, and Mushfiqur Rahim immediately chose to bowl after winning four out of four tosses on the tour.

Danza Hyatt and Kieran Powell, playing because Lendl Simmons had a back problem, struggled to score. They added only 10 runs in six overs before Hyatt lost patience and attempted to loft Nazmul Hossain, who replaced Rubel Hossain, down the ground and edged to slip.

Marlon Samuels, the scourge of Bangladesh on this tour, tried to play like he had in Mirpur. He stayed back in his crease irrespective of whether the ball was full or not and attempted to drive and steer behind point. After 14 quiet deliveries, Samuels tried to carve Shafiul Islam and holed out to Suhrawadi Shuvo at sweeper cover. West Indies were 33 for 2 in the 11th over.

Powell looked the best of the batsmen, which wasn't saying much, as he batted with an upright stance and used his top hand to drive straight and through the off side. He had hit the only boundaries (four) during the mandatory Powerplay, all of them against medium-pace. Spin in the 12th over, however, was a tougher test and Powell was bowled off the second ball he faced from Nasir Hossain. The offbreak drifted into him, pitched on leg stump, and ripped across the outside edge to hit the top of off stump. It was the delivery of the match. The very next ball, Nasir induced a return catch from Pollard. They were his first one-day wickets and Nasir had reduced West Indies to 34 for 4.

The innings went into free-fall thereafter. Darren Bravo edged a square drive to the keeper in the 13th over and Darren Sammy was lbw to Shakib's first ball off the next. Shakib went on to cut through the lower order, finishing with figures of 4 for 16 as he ended the innings in the 22nd over.

Source: ESPN EMEA Ltd.

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Kohli secure emphatic India victory

A series of double-strikes at vital junctures in England's innings helped India limit the visitors to a below-par total in good batting conditions at the Feroz Shah Kotla and secure a 2-0 lead in the five-ODI series. The first occurred at the beginning of the innings, the second at the halfway stage and the third at the start of the slog. They forced England to revert to a watchful approach, when they had been well placed to surge, leaving India's batsmen with a modest chase on a fast outfield with small boundaries.

Virat Kohli made England's 237 look like very little at the
Feroz Shah Kotla © AFP

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir made short work of it. After surviving a fiery new-ball spell from Steven Finn and helping India build after the early loss of the openers, both batsmen settled down to score with a fluency that had been visible only in patches in England's innings. Their 209-run partnership, during which Kohli raced to a century and Gambhir made a half-century, helped achieve the target of 238 with eight wickets in hand and 13.2 overs to spare.

The ease with which India chased on a dewy evening put their bowlers' effort, and that of Vinay Kumar who took a career-best 4 for 30, in perspective. India inflicted the first double-strike within the first two overs. Alastair Cook hoped to make best use of a pitch he felt would get slower as the match progressed but his duck was a setback to those plans. The fourth ball off the match, from Praveen Kumar, was short and wide and Cook cut it straight to Ravindra Jadeja at point. While Praveen was fortunate to strike with an ordinary delivery, Vinay Kumar produced a sharper ball in the second over to dismiss Craig Kieswetter - it bounced and seamed away from the right-hand batsman and took the outside edge of the tentative prod to a wide first slip.

The second brace of wickets occurred in the 25th and 26th overs. Bopara didn't pick a straighter one from R Ashwin and was lbw and Kevin Pietersen, who had found his fluency after a slow start, drove at and edged a wide ball from Umesh Yadav to give MS Dhoni a low catch.

Despite being reduced to 0 for 2 and 121 for 5, though, England hit boundaries regularly and had partnerships that helped them recover. What they didn't do well was take singles and twos - there were 172 dot balls in the innings. India would have only 108 dot balls in theirs. The first partnership, between Bopara and Pietersen, was worth 73, and the second, between Jonny Bairstow and Samit Patel, 86. All of those batsmen, in addition to Jonathan Trott, began to create problems for India but no one stayed long enough to cause significant damage.

Bairstow and Patel had led England to 207 in the 42nd over, when they also fell in successive overs - the third and decisive double-strike. Patel got a skiddy delivery from Yadav that kept low and struck him plumb in front, while Bairstow was caught on the long-off boundary. He had hit Jadeja hard and far but Kohli took the catch at head height just inside play. England had slumped to 211 for 7 and this time there was no recovery. The tail, which had caused India so many problems in England, did not contribute.

After 8.2 overs of the chase India were 35 for 2. England had been exactly the same in their innings. Tim Bresnan had dismissed Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane, but he wasn't England's most dangerous bowler. Finn was.

Finn clocked speeds of 150 kph and above consistently in his first spell. He beat Kohli with sheer pace after inducing an edge that went past slip for four. In the 10th over, Gambhir edged Finn past his stumps to the fine-leg boundary while attempting a cover drive. With three slips in place there was a huge gap between cover point and mid-off and Gambhir was aiming for it. He tried to steer once again, and Finn watched the outside edge fly wide of third slip once more. There was a third boundary in the over - Gambhir clipped a half-volley off his pads through square leg. Finn's frustration began to show and India began to pull away fast.

The other England bowlers caused no problems. Kohli pulled Jade Dernbach with a trace of arrogant dismissiveness, he drove Ravi Bopara with grace through cover, and Gambhir cut Graeme Swann behind point to bring up the 50-partnership off 42 balls.

Kohli reached his half-century off 45 balls, Gambhir got to his off 62. Both batsmen were level on 58 after 25 overs but thereafter Kohli began to race ahead with frequent boundaries and a constant turning over of the strike. He got to his century off only 89 balls with a deft glance off the pads against Jade Dernbach. He celebrated his seventh ODI hundred with a fist-pump. A few overs later, Kohli was fist-pumping again, after smashing Dernbach through midwicket to finish the game.

Source: ESPN EMEA Ltd.

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Jole Utho Bangladesh - Durbin - Bangladesh [Cricket World Cup Theme Song 2011] [Music Video]

Format: MOV

Dimensions: 720 x 540 px

Video codec: H264

Audio codec: AAC

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ICC bans Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif & Mohammad Amir

Butt, Asif and Amir can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas)

An International Cricket Council tribunal has found Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir guilty of corruption.

Former captain Butt has received a 10-year ban, five suspended, Asif seven years - two suspended - and Amir five.

The players were accused of spot-fixing in the fourth Test between Pakistan and England at Lord's last August, but have always denied any wrongdoing.

All three can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

"I am very disappointed but we are hopeful we can appeal in 20 days' time," Amir's lawyer Shahid Karim told Reuters.

The trio were provisionally suspended in September after the News of the World newspaper reported the deliveries were bowled at specific points in England's innings after a payment was made to businessman Mazhar Majeed.

The Tribunal found that the charges that [respectively] Mr Asif agreed to bowl and did bowl a deliberate no all in the Lord's Test, Mr Amir agreed to bowl and did bowl two deliberate no balls in the same Test, and Mr Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate no balls, were proved Michael Beloff QC

Information on when no balls would occur in an innings could be exploited by gamblers betting on specialist markets offered by some bookmakers.

The ICC released a statement from Michael Beloff QC, chairman of the independent tribunal which heard the case for six days in the Qatari city of Doha in January, detailing the punishments.

Beloff's statement read: "The Tribunal found that the charges that [respectively] Mr Asif agreed to bowl and did bowl a deliberate no all in the Lord's Test, Mr Amir agreed to bowl and did bowl two deliberate no balls in the same Test, and Mr Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate no balls, were proved.

"We impose the following sanctions: On Mr Butt a sanction of 10 years ineligibility, five years of which are suspended on condition that he commits no further breach of the code and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of anti-corruption education.

"On Mr Asif a sanction of seven years ineligibility, two years of which are suspended on condition that he commits no further breach of the code and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of anti-corruption education.

"On Mr Amir sanction of five years of ineligibility. No further sanctions are imposed on any player and no orders are made as to costs."

During the hearing, fast bowlers Amir and Asif gave differing explanations for Majeed's accuracy in predicting when they would overstep.

The charge that Mr Butt failed to disclose to the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit the approach by Mr Majeed that Mr Butt should bat a maiden over in the Oval Test was proved Michael Beloff QC

Eighteen-year-old Amir, who finished with figures of 6-84 and the man of the match award in England's innings victory, said he did not know why he had cleared the popping crease with his front foot.

Asif, 28, told the panel that he had made a mistake after being instructed by Butt, 26, to bowl a faster delivery.

The ICC also looked into the possibility of wrongdoing in the third Test after Majeed allegedly told the News of the World that he could affect events on the field at The Oval.

Majeed's predictions for that match - unlike at Lord's - failed to materialise and all charges relating to that Test, except one relating to Butt, were withdrawn.

"The tribunal found that the charge that Mr Butt agreed to bat out a maiden over in the Oval Test match was dismissed," added Beloff.

"The charge that Mr Butt failed to disclose to the ICC's ACSU [Anti-Corruption and Security Unit] the approach by Mr Majeed that Mr Butt should bat a maiden over in the Oval Test was proved."

In a separate development, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Friday the trio and Majeed would face criminal charges.

The players have been charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and also conspiracy to cheat but have strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Source: BBC Sports

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World Record: 50th Test Century For Sachin Tendulkar !!!

  

Sachin Tendulkar celebrated century No. 50 but India ended the day on the verge of defeat © Associated Press

When strong winds and storm clouds forced the players off SuperSport Park late on the fourth day, South Africa were on the verge of winning a Test they had dominated entirely. That they hadn't won by an innings already, and would spend the night hoping the foul weather vanishes in time to take two wickets, was because Sachin Tendulkar scored his 50th Test century in trying circumstances and, with MS Dhoni, forged a counterattacking 172-run partnership that took India to within 30 runs of wiping out the monstrous 484-run deficit.

South Africa had taken such a significant stride towards victory by scalping four wickets during the first session that it seemed as though their 1-0 series lead would be secure before tea. However, they faced resistance: first from Tendulkar, whose concentration did not waver as his middle-order mates departed meekly, and then from Dhoni, whose belligerent approach brought rewards thanks to a sparsely-populated outfield. South Africa did not take a wicket between lunch and tea. India made 117.

Tendulkar and Dhoni continued to blunt a tiring attack during the final session and whittled the deficit below 100. It needed Dale Steyn - supremely fit, aggressive, and pumped up for one last burst - to bowl a bouncer that rose steeply and seamed towards Dhoni, dismissing him for 90 - an innings that began the fightback. Steyn screamed in angry celebration as Dhoni failed to sway out of the way and Mark Boucher dived to his right to catch the edge. India were 449 for 7 and the dream of saving the Test was over. Harbhajan Singh nicked to slip soon after and Tendulkar, watching unbeaten from the other end as Jacques Kallis roared uncharacteristically after taking the catch, knew that he would need substantial help from the weather to help India escape.

There was little hope of a jailbreak when Dhoni joined Tendulkar right after lunch with India on 277 for 6, trailing by 207. The desperateness of the situation allowed Dhoni to play aggressively and he did so, driving Lonwabo Tsotsobe past mid-off and through cover in the 79th over of the innings. Seeking a quick end, Smith gave the second new ball to Steyn and Morne Morkel, urging them to take the wicket that would expose India's tail. It did not happen. Tendulkar was calmness and good judgment personified, while Dhoni attacked, sometimes merely pushing the ball with enviable timing through the off side, sometimes lashing drives and cuts with a high back-lift and fierce follow-through. Both approaches yielded boundaries, and he began to catch up with Tendulkar.

Mokel leaked 13 in his second over with the new ball. Tendulkar cut him fiercely, and Dhoni pulled and drove through cover. There were a glut of boundaries in the first hour after lunch, three of which Dhoni took off consecutive deliveries from Kallis, leaving the bowler muttering to himself at the end of the over.

Paul Harris got the odd ball to jump, turn and trouble Tendulkar, but he was largely ineffective, considering he was operating on a fourth-day surface. As the deficit decreased, Dhoni tempered his aggression while Tendulkar continued batting resolutely, his cutting and driving off the back foot being the standout features of his innings.

Tendulkar resumed after tea on 80, his fluency uninterrupted, and flicked and steered Morkel for boundaries to accelerate towards his milestone. South Africa attempted to delay the century by deploying boundary-riders. Out of the blue, Tendulkar charged Harris, lofting cleanly over mid-off to steam into the nineties. He played the paddle sweep, mis-timed another charge against Harris, and was nearly involved in a disastrous mix-up with Dhoni, before punching Steyn through cover point to become the only batsman with 50 Test centuries.

At Old Trafford in 1990, Tendulkar's first Test hundred was made in adversity and it helped India avoid defeat. His 50th, like his first and so many others, was also an attempt at saving the match. His celebrations were not extravagant because India were still struggling.

As the light grew dimmer and the clouds darker, South Africa needed inspiration to end India's resistance and Steyn provided it. During the spell in which he dismissed Dhoni, Steyn hit speeds of 145kph, smacking Tendulkar on the gloves and thudding a bouncer into his shoulder. He raised South Africa's intensity levels single-handedly.

Before India began to fight, however, they had lost four wickets in quick time, the last of which was Suresh Raina, brittle as ever, hanging his bat outside off stump in the final over before lunch to edge Kallis to slip. His dismissal was the perfect end to the session for South Africa, who had performed with patience. Dravid and the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma had played carefully and their partnership lasted 48 minutes, holding up South Africa. The frustration didn't last much longer, however, as Steyn had Ishant caught at short leg.

During his composed innings, Dravid went past 12,000 Test runs but India needed much more from him than 43. Morkel accounted for him with one that was angled in and then seamed away, and grazed the outside edge of Dravid's tentative push. Laxman wasn't comfortable against pace, either, and eventually edged a full ball to gully, giving Tsotsobe his first wicket of the match. At that point, few would have expected South Africa to face the difficulty they did.

Score:

India 136 and 454 for 8 (Tendulkar 107*, Dhoni 90, Steyn 3-103) trail 

South Africa 620 for 4 dec by 30 runs

Source: Cricinfo

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