Pakistan had a chance but blew it, and overall Australia completely dominated in all aspects in the three-Test series which ended in another whitewash for the visitors

S Rajesh19-Jan-2010Played 12, lost 12. That’s how Pakistan’s record reads against Australia over the last decade and a bit. They’ve threatened to pull off an upset more than once during this period, but Australia have won all the key moments. The trend was repeated in the most recent series, with Pakistan collapsing in astonishing fashion in Sydney. The first and third Tests were utter routs, which is why Australia are so far ahead in the overall series stats. They averaged 17 more runs per wicket, and scored five hundreds to Pakistan’s one. Five Australian batsmen averaged more than 50, while Salman Butt, Pakistan’s best, averaged 46.67. Only three other batsmen averaged more than 30, of whom two played only the last Test. (Click here for more details.) Pakistan did manage more five-fors than Australia, but that’s because the Australians mostly shared the wickets around, with all the bowlers chipping in.

Australia and Pakistan in the three-Test series

Team	Runs scored	Wkts taken	Bat average	100/ 50s	5WI/ 10WM
Australia	1925	60	41.84	5/ 7	2/ 0
Pakistan	1488	46	24.80	1/ 7	3/ 0

The difference is vast in terms of partnerships as well. Traditionally, Pakistan have struggled with their opening combination, but in this series, the first wicket stands were the most productive: in six innings Imran Farhat and Butt put together a century and a half-century stand, and averaged 43.50. The only other partnership that managed an average of 40 was the fifth wicket, the highlight of which was the 129-run stand between Butt and Shoaib Malik in the Hobart Test.For Butt, it was a second successful trip to Australia, following on the one in 2004-05. His running between the wickets gave Pakistan plenty of grief, but Butt still managed an average of 46.67, easily the highest for Pakistan. In six Tests in Australia, he averages 42.08, well above his career average of 30.96.However, the middle order was a huge disappointment, with the captain being the biggest letdown. The average partnerships for the second, third and fourth wickets were all less than 30, which means Australia usually had an opportunity to attack the lower middle order fairly early.Overall, Pakistan had only two century stands, compared to six by Australia. The home team’s top two wickets put together solid partnerships, with both averaging more than 50. Watson, combining with Simon Katich and Philip Hughes, added two century partnerships for the first wicket, while the 191-run stand between Katich and Ricky Ponting in the Hobart Test lifted the overall second-wicket average to 53.67. The fourth-wicket pair was even more prolific, with the 352-run stand between Ponting and Michael Clarke in Hobart leading the way.The return to form for Michael Hussey was perhaps the most significant gain for Australia. Hussey also played arguably the most crucial innings of the series, scoring a century and bailing Australia out when all had seemed lost in Sydney. During that innings he was also involved in a century stand for the ninth wicket, which lifted the overall partnership average for that wicket to 67.

Average partnerships for each wicket for both teams

Wicket	Aus – average	100/ 50 stands	Pak – average	100/ 50 stands
First	55.50	2/ 0	43.50	1/ 1
Second	53.67	1/ 1	27.33	0/ 1
Third	19.67	0/ 1	27.67	0/ 1
Fourth	106.83	2/ 2	28.33	0/ 1
Fifth	23.33	0/ 1	40.00	1/ 1
Sixth	18.75	0/ 0	23.83	0/ 0
Seventh	13.75	0/ 0	20.16	0/ 1
Eighth	24.00	0/ 0	8.16	0/ 0
Ninth	67.00	1/ 0	10.33	0/ 0
Tenth	5.50	0/ 0	18.67	0/ 1

Head-to-head contestsMohammad Asif was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker, but even his numbers were skewed – he was outstanding against left-handers, but couldn’t manage as much success against the right-handers. He dismissed only six right-handers at a cost of 40 each, which was more than twice his average against the left-handers.

Mohammad Asif v right- and left-handers

	Balls	Runs	Dismissals	Average
Right-handers	520	243	6	40.50
Left-handers	290	124	7	17.71

The break-up of Asif’s stats against each batsman indicates Simon Katich and Marcus North had the most trouble against him. Katich fell three times to him, while North was dismissed twice in 13 deliveries. On the other hand, Watson didn’t fall to him even once 170 balls, while Ponting averaged 86 against him.

Mohammad Asif v Australian batsmen

Batsman	Balls	Runs	Dismissals	Average
Shane Watson	170	81	0	–
Ricky Ponting	136	86	1	86.00
Michael Hussey	116	42	1	42.00
Michael Clarke	116	40	2	20.00
Simon Katich	85	55	3	18.33
Marcus North	13	2	2	1.00

Nathan Hauritz was the leading wicket-taker of the series, and he achieved plenty of success against the right-handers, averaging 19.60 against them. His 18 wickets came at 23.05 apiece, but a fair number of his wickets were those of the lower-order batsmen – he dismissed Nos 8-11 ten times. The two top-order batsmen who fared best against him were Butt and Umar Akmal, who between them scored 133 runs without being dismissed.

Nathan Hauritz against right- and left-handers

	Balls	Runs	Dismissals	Average
Right-handers	439	294	15	19.60
Left-handers	297	104	3	34.67

The England selectors named two 16-man squads for the forthcoming ODI and Test series in New Zealand and a 13-man England Lions squad to tour India

Andrew Miller at Lord's04-Jan-2008

Matt Prior: unceremoniously axed by England © Getty Images
When England’s last Test squad was announced back in October, Andrew Strauss was the man with the very justifiable grievance. Back then he was dropped without ceremony just 12 months after being overlooked as England’s captain, but today, he was back in the set-up, and absorbed into the starting line-up as if he had never been away. The big talking point was the player headed in the opposite direction, Matt Prior, whose fall from grace has been as swift and dramatic as any England player in living memory.In the summer Prior was a debut centurion against West Indies, but now he has drifted so far off the radar the selectors weren’t even able to locate him ahead of the squad announcement. Instead it was left to David Graveney – in what might be his final act as chairman of England’s selectors – to apologise live on television for the breakdown in communication. It later transpired that Prior has changed his mobile number and has been lying low in America since the end of the Sri Lanka tour, but as a commentary on his fortunes it was strangely apt.After all, Prior entered the England set-up as the golden boy – the protégé of the new coach, Peter Moores, and a beacon of the new post-Fletcher era. Now he’s out on his ear, officially labelled as suspect after missing at least nine regulation catches and two stumpings in his ten-Test career. To add insult to injury, the man who has leapfrogged him is the same man with whom he vied for opportunities under Moores’ supervision at Sussex. Maybe a squad featuring both of Moores’ men, Prior and Tim Ambrose, would have smacked too much of favouritism. Instead the overriding flavour is fudge.Not since the rookie James Foster and Warren Hegg (two Tests) travelled to India in 2001-02 has an England squad featured two such untested keepers, but to have two uncapped players in competition rather takes the biscuit. “Since Alec Stewart finished his career, wicketkeeping has been under the microscope, more so than any other position,” said Graveney. “The player involved does feel the pressure, but with Prior, there are areas of his wicketkeeping he needs to work at, and that’s the reason why we’ve made that decision.”Prior will now retreat to Loughborough for further one-on-one work with Moores, and though Graveney insisted he would have his chance to come again, it’s hard to see when and where it will come. If England’s dramatic rotation policy is taken to its logical extreme, then the older, more mature Foster must surely come into the reckoning sooner rather than later, and then there’s Phil Mustard, who has been given a free rein as a one-day opener and keeper, but – rather perversely – will not be considered for the Test role unless he produces an extraordinary run of form in February’s five-match ODI series.Maybe a squad featuring both of Moores’ men, Prior and Tim Ambrose, would have smacked too much of favouritism. Instead the overriding flavour is fudgeThe situation is all the more bizarre when you consider the weight of wicketkeeping experience in the England coaching set-up. There’s Moores himself of course, Sussex’s stalwart of the 1990s, plus Andy Flower, who would give Adam Gilchrist a run for his money as the greatest batsman-keeper of all time. Even the analyst, Mark Garaway, kept in four first-class matches for Hampshire in the late 1990s. Perhaps Prior has been the victim of too much conflicting advice – that might explain why not even his agent, none other than Alec Stewart, was able to rustle up his mobile number.Either way, one can only wish Ambrose good luck as he takes his first sup from the poisoned chalice. For all that he made a career-best 251 not out in a tough season for Warwickshire last summer, he has managed just four first-class centuries in his seven-year career, which is 11 fewer than Prior, and seven fewer even than the maligned Chris Read. Although Ryan Sidebottom applied some unforeseen rigidity to the tail in Sri Lanka, such tenacity cannot be guaranteed on New Zealand’s zippier wickets. The onus is on England’s No. 7 to provide big runs, and regardless of his errors behind the stumps, Prior’s ten-Test average of 40.14 suggests he was increasingly proficient in front of them.In fact, Prior was third in England’s batting averages in Sri Lanka, behind Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, but that said as much about the failings of the top-order as his relative successes. “The message to all the players, is this is the time to deliver,” said Graveney. “We didn’t score enough hundreds, we didn’t bowl too many people out, and we also dropped too many chances in comparison with the opposition. We go into the New Zealand series having lost two in a row. They are not going to collapse in front of us, so the challenge is there and we have to raise our performance to get back to winning ways.”Back into the side, therefore, comes Strauss, who memorably made a century on debut against New Zealand when the teams last competed in 2004. He is already in Hamilton, preparing for his domestic stint with the state team, Northern Knights, and no doubt refreshed from a rare extended break from international cricket. His recall will bolster England’s slip cordon as well as their batting line-up, although in both cases it’s not yet clear quite where he will slot into the side. Cook and Michael Vaughan were qualified successes as an opening partnership, while in the catching stakes, his safe hands would probably be best employed at first slip rather than third – if nothing else, to act as a reassuring sidekick for a nervous new keeper.In other news, Monty Panesar has been quietly dropped from the one-day squad – rightly so, for the formulae and flatter lines required in that form of the game seemed to dull his impact and impair his attacking instincts in the Tests in Sri Lanka – while Ravi Bopara slips quietly out of the Test squad after four dismissals and no runs in his last ten balls of the series. But no change has been as seismic as the shift away from Prior. There’s not been a lot of sympathy doing the rounds since his form began to fall away in the India series last summer, but no-one predicted his demise would be quite so swift or ruthless. Maybe Moores has more of an edge than he’s been given credit for this year. If this is how he treats his friends, then woe betide his enemies.England Test squad Michael Vaughan (capt), Tim Ambrose (wk), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Phil Mustard, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann.England ODI squad Paul Collingwood (capt), Tim Ambrose (wk), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Phil Mustard, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.England Lions squad Michael Yardy (capt), Kabir Ali, Michael Carberry, Steven Davies, Joe Denly, James Hildreth, Ed Joyce, Graham Onions, Monty Panesar, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Alan Richardson, Jonathan Trott.

Stats preview of the second Test between Sri Lanka and England, which starts in Colombo on Sunday

S Rajesh07-Dec-2007

Muttiah Muralitharan: 143 wickets from just 21 Tests at the SSC © AFP
Already 1-0 down in the three-Test series, England won’t be encouraged by the recent trend at the Sinhalese Sports Club, the venue for the second Test, which starts on Sunday. Sri Lanka have a 15-6 win-loss record in the 29 Tests here, but in the last six years the numbers have been downright intimidating for the opposition: in 12 matches, the home team have won ten, and lost just one – to Australia, by 121 runs in 2003-04.England have experienced victory here once – in 2000-01, when they achieved a famous series win – but the last time they played at this ground, they were drubbed by an innings and 215 runs. Only twice in their 865-Test history have they suffered a beating more severe than that. Just how dominant Sri Lanka have been in their last 12 games here is evident from this piece of statistic – during this period they’ve averaged 61.4 per wicket with the bat, and conceded just 24.7 per dismissal when bowling.As you’d expect, Sri Lankans have done exceptionally well with both and ball here. Mahela Jayawardene leads the way with seven centuries in 18 Tests and an exceptional average of 74.68, which is more than four times the average his opposite number, Michael Vaughan, has managed in four innings here. England will also be wary of Kumar Sangakkara, who has been in irresistible form this year and averages more than 66 at this ground.

Jayawardene and Sangakkara at the SSC

Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s

Mahela Jayawardene 18 1867 74.68 7/ 4 Kumar Sangakkara 13 1256 66.10 4/ 3 Together, the duo of Jayawardene and Sangakkara has feasted on bowling attacks at this venue: in just seven partnerships together, they have amassed 1052 runs at an average of 150. 28 with three century stands. The most famous of those was, of course, the world record 624 they added against South Africa last year. Jayawardene scored 374 while Sangakkara fell for 287 – both remain the highest Test scores for these batsmen.Among the bowlers, the name on top of the tree is an expected one: Muttiah Muralitharan has nabbed a staggering 143 wickets from 21 Tests here, which is an average of nearly seven per match. Chaminda Vaas has excellent numbers here as well, and is the only fast bowler to take ten wickets in a Test here. (Click here for more SSC-related stats.)

Sri Lanka’s bowlers at the SSC

Bowler Tests Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM

Muttiah Muralitharan 21 143 20.94 11/ 3 Chaminda Vaas 18 77 22.59 4/ 1 Lasith Malinga 5 17 29.76 0/ 0 Dilhara Fernando 7 16 32.31 0/ 0 That Murali has taken so many wickets here isn’t a surprise, but his spread of wickets recently at this ground isn’t what you’d normally expect from a spinner. In his last ten Tests at the SSC, Murali has been more effective – strictly in comparative terms – in the first innings, taking his 39 wickets at a measly 14.97. His second-innings numbers are impressive too, but not quite as good as the first.

Murali in 1st and 2nd innings in his last ten Tests at the SSC

Wickets Average 5WI/ 10WM

1st innings 39 14.97 4/ 3 2nd innings 40 21.55 3/ 3 Winning the toss is usually an advantage at most grounds, but at the SSC teams which have lost the toss have done much better – of the 21Tests which have ended decisively, two-thirds have gone in favour of the team which lost the toss.

In a tournament where much depended on which team held their nerve at crucial junctures, Dileep Premchandran picks out the moments to cherish

25-Sep-2007

Misbah-ul-Haq had an excellent tournament but did a Devon Loch in the two matches against India © Getty Images

The Last Scoop: Against a genuine pace bowler, Misbah-ul-Haq’s cute attempt to scoop the ball down to fine leg might have been a four. But with Joginder Sharma offering no pace to work with, it was a stroke laced with risk. As soon as he played it, millions of anxious eyes looked towards the rope, but instead of getting that far, the ball merely looped into Sreesanth’s hands at short fine leg. As the Indians basked in the enormity of their achievement, Misbah sat on his haunches in disbelief – the defiant sailor who had evaded the U-boats only to be sunk as the harbour came into view.Direct hit parade: Rohit Sharma had shown the way against South Africa, and it was Robin Uthappa’s turn in the final as Imran Nazir and Pakistan threatened to waltz away with the match. Nazir had blazed his way to 33 from just 14 balls when Younis Khan tapped one to mid-off and called for the run. Nazir, suffering from a groin strain, was slow to react, and Uthappa’s pick-up and measured throw caught him inches short at the keeper’s end. India were seldom behind the eight-ball after that.The Eccentric Returns: Matthew Hayden loves to bully the bowlers, but had looked like a novice against an inspired new-ball spell from Sreesanth. But having ridden the rough waves out, he and Andrew Symonds were threatening to see Australia home when Sreesanth was brought back for his final over. Coming round the wicket to Hayden, he produced the perfect ball for the situation, the fast yorker. Hayden missed, the off stump was uprooted, and India were on their way to a famous triumph.Ton up: When Chris Gayle drove Shaun Pollock down the ground for two in the 15th over of the tournament opener, history was made. It had taken Gayle just 51 balls to bring up the first century seen in Twenty20 at the international level, and no one that watched it will ever forget the amalgam of brute force and sweet timing. A shame that it was all downhill for West Indies thereafter.All Tied Up: In the space of less than three overs, Misbah had transformed certain defeat into likely victory at Kingsmead. With Sreesanth conceding 11 from the first four balls of the final over, Pakistan needed just one from two. But Misbah missed the penultimate delivery, and then miscued the next to cover before haring down the pitch. Yuvraj Singh swooped, threw to Sreesanth, and the World Cup had its first tie. In the bowl-out that followed, both teams were 100 percent – three Indians hit, and all three Pakistanis missed.Almost a Michelle: Mornè Morkel had magnificent figures of 4 for 14 two balls into his final over against a struggling New Zealand side. With Mark Gillespie facing, the first five-for in this format was a distinct possibility. Sure enough, his third delivery to Gillespie was a superb yorker that uprooted the off stump. Unfortunately, Billy Doctrove cut short the celebrations with a no-ball call. History would have to wait.Thrice as nice: Lee’s no stranger to hat-tricks, but the tournament hadn’t seen the best of him until the Bangladesh game. Having seen Shakib Al Hasan caught behind and Mashrafe Mortaza bowled with a lethal off-stump yorker, the Newlands crowd was buzzing as Lee walked back to the top of his run-up. As the noise grew, he ran in and pitched one on a length. Alok Kapali had shuffled across the crease, and the pace of the ball beat his attempted flick to midwicket. The moment the ball thudded into the pad and Lee went up in appeal, you knew there would only be one outcome.Maximum Man: By the time the fifth six of the over landed in the crowd at midwicket, Stuart Broad had a glazed look in his eyes, a bit like Ernie Terrell after Mohammad Ali had punched him into a stupor while asking; “What’s my name, uncle Tom, what’s my name?” The similarity ended there. Ali never administered the knockout punch in that fight, but Yuvraj did, leaning back and hitting the final delivery with pristine power over wide mid-on for another mammoth six. Sobers, Shastri and Gibbs had been there before him, but no one had ever done it against a Test-playing nation.Can’t catch, can bowl: No matter how big a total you’re defending, the last thing you want to do as a fielding side is give Sanath Jayasuriya a reprieve. But that was exactly what Sohail Tanvir did in Mohammad Asif’s opening over at the Wanderers, fluffing a simple chance at short fine leg. A weaker individual would have slunk away and searched for a corner to hide, but when Shoaib Malik tossed him the ball a minute later, Tanvir produced the perfect riposte. A yorker on off stump, a wild flail from Jayasuriya, and the stumps in a mess.Brendan the giant-killer: Zimbabwe had exceeded all expectations against Australia, getting to the final over with only 12 needed for victory. Nathan Bracken was the bowler though, one of the stars of Australian successes at the Champions Trophy and World Cup and a man with some canny variations. But Taylor had a trick up his bright-red sleeve too, and when Bracken delivered a low full toss outside off stump, Taylor adjusted his body, stuck the bat out and somehow deflected the ball past the man at short fine leg. Four balls later, four leg-byes clinched one of the great upsets in the game’s history.Fire and ice: Bangladesh had careered out of the blocks against South Africa, slamming their first 38 runs in boundaries. Aftab Ahmed was the chief instigator of the mayhem, clouting 32 from the first 12 balls he faced. When Mornè Morkel was given the ball, Aftab’s response was dismissive, a whiplash cover-drive that sped to the rope at Concorde speed. Morkel’s response was chilling, a fairly full delivery timed at 146.9 km/hr. Aftab swung and missed, and the off stump was given a long kiss goodnight.

Cricinfo picks out the best performances from the county circuit during June

Andrew McGlashan02-Jul-2008

	Record breaker: Graham Napier launches one of his 16 sixes during an extraordinary innings against Sussex © Warren Page

Team of the month – Middlesex
Crisis, what crisis? At the end of May the frustrated Middlesex members signed a petition calling for a Special General Meeting to discuss the team’s poor form. The only problem is Middlesex have since gone on one of their best winning streaks in recent years. Two Championship wins, an FP Trophy victory and five straight Twenty20 success made it an eight-match unbeaten run. A couple of hiccups followed, but they are safely into the Twenty20 quarter-finals as group winners. Their Twenty20 form was especially surprising, considering their miserable record in previous seasons. The stand-out feature has been their bowling attack, especially the unheralded Dirk Nannes from Victoria who collected a hat-trick against Essex and the ageless Shaun Udal who is enjoying an Indian summer to his career.Innings of the month – Graham Napier, 152 out, v Sussex
This was looking like a tough category to judge – until a Tuesday evening in Chelmsford. Graham Napier told his coach, Paul Grayson, that he’d felt pretty good in the nets and how about a chance at No.3. After some discussion he was moved up the order, and proceeded to blast an English Twenty20 record 152 off 58 balls. His innings included a world record 16 sixes, beating Brendon McCullum’s record from the IPL, and it made him the talk of Chelmsford. Napier’s career hasn’t developed since he was part of England’s Under-19 World Cup winning side in 1998, but given all the money now being thrown at Twenty20 it’s a good time to show you can hit a long ball.Judgement of the month – Gareth Breese
There were a fair few last-ball finishes during the qualifying stages, but none quite in the fashion of Durham’s tie against Yorkshire at Headingley. Needing eight off two balls, Ben Harmison crunched the penultimate ball down the ground and was desperate to come back for as second. However, Breese said no, leaving Durham with seven to win off one ball…or six to tie. Breese clearly had more confidence in his ability to clear the ropes than Harmison’s, and duly backed up that belief with deeds as he launched Tim Bresnan for six and secured Durham a point, which ultimately helped them top the groupBatsman of the month – Anthony McGrath
Yorkshire are keen to give Darren Gough the send-off he deserves with some silverware in the final year and are still in the race for two one-day finals. Their position in the Twenty20 is down to an impressive team effort from a side Gough has galvanised, but you still need a stand-out performer or two. That man with the bat has been McGrath, once and England international, who finished the group stage as the leading run-scorer with 392 runs at 56, more than 200 ahead of the next highest Jacques Rudolph.Bowler of the month – Ian Salisbury
It isn’t unfair to say that there have been times during his career, especially at international level, when Salisbury has struggled to land the ball. Last season, with injuries taking their toll, it appeared his professional days were numbered. But like Udal, another long-serving spinner who has found a new lease of life, Salisbury’s move to Warwickshire has worked wonders. He finished the Twenty20 as the most economical bowler, conceding just 5.03 per over, and capped the group stage with 3 for 14. He will be key figure in the quarter-finals.Youngster of the month – Dawid Malan
There must be something in water around NW8, because Middlesex keep churning out left-handers as thought they are going out of fashion. They can field a top five of southpaws with Billy Godleman and Eoin Morgan already showing they have bright futures and now there’s another name to throw in. Dawid Malan, 20, was handed his chance during the Twenty20 and responded with 197 runs at 49 and a strike rate of 124 and ended as Middlesex’s second-highest scorer behind Morgan. He carried his form into the Championship with a maiden century against Northamptonshire.

There is something a little bit different about this West Indies side, a steely quality that has been lacking for years. It was evident in the field and now it has been evident with the bat

Andrew McGlashan in Jamaica07-Feb-2009
West Indies’ strategy was to bat as long as possible, though they weren’t at their flamboyant best © Getty Images
There is something a little bit different about this West Indies side, a steely quality that has been lacking for years. It was evident in the field and now it has been evident with the bat. For the most part it wasn’t flamboyant, but when a side is rebuilding, as West Indies are, cautious steps are often the best way.Five-out, all-out has been a West Indies theme on many occasions in the recent past, in effect batting with half a team. Take last year on this ground, for example, when they slid from 260 for 4 to 312 all out against Australia. That was just one of many comparisons that could be made. Their first innings in this game was threatening to go the same way, albeit in slow motion, as they lost 4 for 34 in 29 overs with England suffocating the top order following the 202-run stand between Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan.”It’s something we have talked about and have said we need to consolidate,” Gayle said. “This first Test is very important, we didn’t want to let England back into the game easily and so we knew we would have to get our heads down and bat as long as possible.”When England toured in 2003-04 the bottoming out of the West Indies order was a feature of the series. In the first innings in Jamaica they lost 5 for 30, in both innings in Trinidad they succumbed rapidly and in Barbados they lost 7 for 47. Two further innings didn’t allow them a chance of a tail-end collapse because they ended for 47 and 94, while the final one went to the other extreme and closed on 751 for 5 thanks to Brian Lara’s 400.Gayle, with a home-town hundred to mark Bob Marley’s birthday, and Sarwan combined superbly in their stand of 202, however both failed to build on their excellent innings as England clawed their way back. It was West Indies’ first double-century partnership against England since Lara and Sarwan added 209 at Edgbaston in 2004. They lost that match as well in another example of a high-quality stand not being put to good use.This was a situation made for Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but he blocked his way to 20 off 86 balls before being extracted by Stuart Broad. The man who has batted for unbroken stints of 1000 minutes on four occasions in recent years was gone in a relative flash, and the importance of his wicket was demonstrated by the fact that he tried to save himself with a referral. The innings was at its tipping point, and a West Indies side of the not-too-distant past could have folded. Instead they did anything but.England are no doubt expecting some long confrontations with Australian batsmen this year, but they probably didn’t expect it to start at Sabina Park. However, they were now faced with Brendan Nash, the stubborn left-hander resembling a more turgid Mike Hussey, who has provided some glue to a previously brittle middle order.”You have to give him a lot of credit, he’s been in good form with two half centuries from the Test matches he has played [in New Zealand] and like I said it is good to see someone stepping up to play against quality bowlers as well,” Gayle said. “Hopefully he can go on now and get the support from [Sulieman] Benn, [Daren] Powell and [Fidel] Edwards.”Nash’s embryonic Test career has already been marked out by his ability to occupy the crease. During the two Tests in New Zealand he made scores of 72 off 164 balls and 65 from 172. Here he has already faced 146 deliveries for his 47. Chanderpaul would be proud of those numbers.He wasn’t alone in providing the middle-order with some ballast as Denesh Ramdin did a fine impression of the local rum by giving the innings a bit of a kick. “It would have been nice to get a few more runs but obviously our objective was to keep wickets in hand,” Gayle said. “Hopefully the guys can capitalise and hopefully Nashy can go and get a big one.”West Indies should take heart, too, from this statistic. In 2004, England battled tooth and nail to reach a lead of 28 and proceeded to bowl West Indies out for 47 on the fourth day. Nothing has suggested such a dramatic turn of events in this game – the pitch is too slow – but already much of the action has confounded expectation.

How thin is the line between victory and loss in an ODI game? It’s the line that separated Ishant Sharma and Thilina Kandamby on Saturday at the R Premadasa Stadium

Sriram Veera in Colombo01-Feb-2009

	Thilina Kandamby’s superb unbeaten 93 in the second ODI against India was a huge boost for the struggling Sri Lankan middle order © AFP

How thin is the line between victory and loss in an ODI game? It’s the line that separated Ishant Sharma and Thilina Kandamby on Saturday at the R Premadasa Stadium.Kandamby ultimately finished on the wrong end of the line, but his superb unbeaten 93 is a huge boost for the struggling Sri Lankan middle order. If he continues to bat the way he did today, the pressure will lift from Mahela Jayawardene’s shoulders and the captain can then ease himself back into form rather than fret over what his lack of runs is doing to the team. And when the classy Jayawardene eventually reaches there – there were enough glimpses in his 52 that his journey back to form had begun – the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara can play with more freedom, knowing that the innings won’t collapse after them.Chamara Kapugedera’s barren run with the bat remains a problem though – he averages a mere 22.30 from 56 games – but Kandamby’s presence has significantly eased the worry. Like Kapugedera, Kandamby has been struggling to make the transition to international cricket. A talented schoolboy cricketer, he was at the risk of being labelled as a boy who could never grow. His march to maturity could not have come at a better time for Sri Lanka, and Jayawardene was an understandably happy man at the end of the day.”Today he [Kandamby] showed he has the maturity in him. He did not panic and showed lot of courage in the middle,” Jayawardene said. “It was an amazing knock from him. I should have waited for a bit longer before I started trying something. It got a bit too much for Kanda in the end; if we had another batsman left in the end we could have probably done it.”Kandamby had scored only a solitary fifty in ODIs prior to this game and he walked into a pressure-cooker situation today. The top three departed early and he and Jayawardene had no choice but to consolidate, even as 88 balls flew by without a boundary.Kandamby has a backlift identical to Sangakkara’s, and he showed similar composure today. He was dropped early, a tough chance off Ishant Sharma, and dug in after that, making good use of the fact that Mahendra Singh Dhoni used irregular bowlers in the middle overs.”After Mahela left, I was trying to tell the others to try and hit a boundary; with the tail in the end I was just telling them to give me the strike, and I will try to do something,” Kandamby said. He nearly did, showing immense maturity in waiting for the batting Powerplay, which Sri Lanka took in the 42nd over. He unfurled three fours in four balls – a pull, a deft late glide and a biff over mid-off – and threatened to hunt down India. He picked 45 from the last 38 deliveries he faced, but ran out of steam and partners at the end.Kapugedera played a fine hand too, but his lack of consistency might force Sri Lanka to send Tillakaratne Dilshan, their main attacking weapon after Jayasuriya, back down the order to make better use of the middle and end overs.Sri Lanka haven’t sorted out all their problems, but their display today indicated they are ready to step it up a notch to match India. Asked whether he has begun to feel at home in international cricket, Kandamby said, “If I score more runs, then I will”. He is already getting there, and the line separating the two teams is getting thinner. Which is perfect for this series.

A fan enjoys Raina’s assault, and relishes the face-off between Warne and Dhoni, but is disappointed not to witness a close finish

John van der Westhuizen01-May-2009Team supported
I have supported the Deccan Chargers since the IPL started. I felt with Herschelle Gibbs, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Shahid Afridi in their ranks, anything under 400 was gettable! I was proven very, very wrong, and was ridiculed for 12 months. This year things are very different and despite today’s loss, I still fancy Deccan to lift the trophy.Key performer
Suresh Raina – After Chennai stuttered early on, Raina set about assuredly dismantling the Rajasthan attack. His 98 off 55 balls proved to be the backbone of the innings, and he also weighed in with a wicket and two catches, including one to finish the match. A welcome return to last year’s IPL form.One thing I’d have changed about the match
More fruitful innings, particularly from Yusuf Pathan and Graeme Smith, would have gone a long way to satisfying the Rajasthan-supporting crowd.Key face-off
For me it was Shane Warne v MS Dhoni – not just Warne bowling to Dhoni but skipper v skipper. Dhoni as last year’s losing captain in the final will have wanted revenge. Incidentally, Chennai also lost both league games against the Royals last year .Two great cricketers, two great cricketing brains. It was always going to be interesting. In the end, and not for the first time in the tournament, Rajasthan’s batting let them down badly, and this time Pathan could not save them.Star-spotting
The big screen offered a minimal amount of celeb face-time, but the glitterati were definitely out and about. The usual array of Bollywood stars and their entourages were to be seen, and a number of Titans players, past and present, turned up at their old hunting ground. Most notable of these was the former tearaway Proteas quick, Rudi Bryson, who was in great spirits and mingled with a few fans in between the two fixtures.Wow moment
The local crowd would have realised a tough game for Rajasthan was in the pipeline when Smith chased a wide one and was caught early on. Another big moment was Pathan rattling Matthew Hayden’s stumps with the first ball of the second over. Turned out it wasn’t big enough to take the wind out of Chennai’s sails though.Cheerleader factor
Both sets of cheerleaders were very easy on the eye, enjoyed their teams’ successes with passion, and were difficult to separate in terms of the overall product they offered. In the end Rajasthan get the nod, based on ever-encroaching hemlines. Also known in cheerleading competitions as “The TKO”.Crowd meter
Supersport Park is considered by many South Africans as the top ground for “cheap-seat spectators”. As always, the atmosphere was great, good play was applauded from all sides, and a lot of fun was had. It was a Rajasthan-biased crowd, though Albie Morkel turning out for the Chennai gold. The organisers will have been very happy with the large turnout.Entertainment
With the usual chart-topping commercial – and at times also Indian – music, the crowd were kept going during breaks. Pockets of students who had adopted one side or the other regularly broke out into war cries that can only be described as beer-fuelled and thoroughly entertaining. The young lady chosen for a potential career in Bollywood in the ongoing IPL reality competition can only be described as gorgeous. Despite my lack of information on other chosen participants, she will have to be among the bookies’ early favourite to win, unless the judges are blind.Banner of the Day
“Get umbrellas out, weather forecast predicts Raina”Marks out of 10
I would rate it 7.5, with points being deducted for lack of a close finish, underperformance from local favourite Smith, and the fact that Morkel only faced one ball in the Chennai innings – though in trademark fashion he did club it for four.

The deficiency in the pace stocks, especially after the injuries to Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram, has hurt Chennai’s campaign severely

Cricinfo staff25-Mar-2010During the IPL auction this year, Chennai Super Kings wanted to buy a fast bowler but failed to pursue their targets with the single-minded determination necessary to land a big catch. After losing allrounder Kieron Pollard to Mumbai Indians during the silent tiebreaker, Chennai bid aggressively for Shane Bond but dropped out of the race once the price passed $600,000. They then pursued the West Indian quick Kemar Roach, bidding higher than they had for Bond, but let Deccan Chargers have him for $720,000. They did not chase Wayne Parnell.The deficiency in the fast-bowling stocks as a result of those failed bids, especially after the injuries to Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram, has hurt Chennai’s campaign severely. The franchise reportedly rated the best in the IPL in terms of brand value doesn’t possess one of game’s best match-winners – a genuine fast bowler.Today, Chennai’s attack was led by Albie Morkel. Bangalore’s Dale Steyn spearheads the bowling for South Africa, Kolkata’s Bond opens for New Zealand, Mumbai’s Zaheer Khan leads India’s attack, Delhi’s Dirk Nannes and Rajasthan’s Shaun Tait do the job for Australia, and Deccan’s Chaminda Vaas was Sri Lanka’s new-ball expert for years. Morkel, the tall South African, is usually first or second change for his national side.Morkel has failed to make much of an impact with only four wickets in six matches. He’s been given the new ball but has often finished a first spell without denting the opposition’s batting order. His control has been good but that amounts to little without wickets, especially when there’s not much firepower to come. It would be unfair to pin it on Morkel, though, for he isn’t a natural strike bowler. Circumstances have made Chennai give him that responsibility.Most of the other franchises have a support cast of international quality fast bowlers as well. Mumbai, for example, had Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, Pollard and Ryan McLaren. Chennai possess the gentle medium-pace of L Balaji and Joginder Sharma, both easy prey for batsmen intent on attack. They have Makhaya Ntini on the bench but his form in recent months has been poor and he hasn’t got a game yet. There are no other reserves.The Indian bowlers sharing the new ball with Morkel are Balaji, Sudeep Tyagi and Manpreet Gony. Balaji has the ability to produce variations that can take batsmen by surprise but his accuracy is poor. Tyagi is still raw and, despite an encouraging performance in Bangalore, is a work in progress. Despite spending time in the Indian dressing room over the last six months, Tyagi hasn’t put those lessons into practice in the middle. Gony blows hot and cold.MS Dhoni acknowledged bowling was an area of concern, with the tournament approaching the halfway stage and Chennai having lost four out of six games. “We are lacking confidence in the bowling department,” Dhoni said after the defeat to Mumbai.But he did not agree that a tearaway quick would solve his team’s problems. “It is not just about pace. Because if that was the case, Shaun Tait would’ve been doing really well and Chaminda Vaas wouldn’t have been taking wickets.” Fair point, but he would love to have the option of a Tait to try and rattle the opposition openers.

The home team rolls over, and no Tendulkar show either. There’s disappointment for you

Nandeeshwar BK18-Apr-2010The game
I picked this match because the Mumbai Indians had so many India internationals, especially Sachin Tendulkar. I had booked my tickets nearly a month ago. With Bangalore red-hot in the initial stages, and even beating Mumbai away, I expected it to be a close game.Team supported
Bangalore. And since Tendulkar has been in great form, I was hoping to see a special innings from him and Bangalore chasing down the target.Key performer
Mumbai started off slow as Ryan McLaren struggled to get the boundaries. But then Ambati Rayudu took the game away with a 27-ball 46.One thing I’d have changed
Obviously it would have been better if there hadn’t been a blast. It took place just behind our stand, and while we heard a loud noise we didn’t realise what it was till people outside called us to find out if we were okay. I would have also preferred a closer match. It would have been nice if the game was still alive at the 16th over of the second innings, but in fact, it was over by the ninth over and even Ross Taylor and Robin Uthappa couldn’t do much about it.Wow moment
Mumbai’s run-rate rocketed after three sixes in an over by Kieron Pollard. The third one almost rose to the second tier of the stands.Player watch
Tendulkar got the loudest cheers wherever he fielded. During the first innings, R Vinay Kumar and Pankaj Singh fielded near our stand. In the second, Zaheer Khan and Pollard were by our stand. Zaheer waved at us a few times.Shot of the day
Virat Kohli used his bottom hand to hit a stylish six off a fuller delivery to wide long-on.Crowd meter
The stadium was filled with Bangalore supporters, though there were a number of Mumbai fans as well. The chants of “RCB” were frequent. Mumbai’s team song was played after each boundary and wicket by them. The crowd cheered Mumbai’s runs as well, though not as vociferously as for Bangalore. When the asking rate rose over 12 by the end of 10 overs, the spectators became subdued, and by the end of the 15th over they started leaving the stadium.Accessories
Paper horns.Fancy-dress index
A large group of fans in Bangalore jerseys was wearing and Mysore [turbans]. Traditional and stylish.Entertainment
There was a mix of Kannada and English tunes. Though the crowd roared every time a Kannada song was played, the cheerleaders struggled to dance to the Kannada songs. The DJ tried at least twice or thrice to get the spectators to attempt a Mexican wave, but the crowd’s efforts were half-hearted since the match had been decided by then.Star-spotting
Vijay Mallya looked tense while speaking to the police, but he did come by our stand and wave to the crowds before the match, for which he got a loud cheer.TV or stadium?
With no breaks, no ads, and the fact that you can scream your heart out, the stadium experience is definitely better.Marks out of 10
6, because the game was decided by the first second-innings time out. The first few overs from Bangalore were tight but their catching could have been better. Rayudu, JP Duminy and Pollard blasted Mumbai to a very good score, but then Bangalore botched up the chase in the first few overs, which turned the game into a one-sided affair.