Dhoni & Co. proved Ponting wrong.

Mr. Ponting needs to do changes in his book"Captains Diary", because of Team India.This is because when India won the ICC world twenty20 in 2007, Australia skipper wrote a comment in his book that the Dhoni and Co. team is specialist only for this version of game(i.e 20-20).They can not play well and succeed in ODI or test match.

In "Captain's Diary 2008", he also added that, the team which is best in ODI or tests need not be best in Twenty20 matches,those who perform ordinary in ODI's and tests are superpower teams for twenty20 version. Dhoni and Yuvraj are dangerous batsman in this version, because they play shots without the use of batting technique (LOL!!!).

He said that Team India won twenty20 by luck and not by their class.

However, Dhoni and Co. proved Ponting wrong after beating Australia badly 2-0 with series win after long 28 years and proving that the Twenty20 win was not won by luck.....It was team effort and team hard work!!!.

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Akram slams Hayden

Matthew Hayden's comment about India being a "third world" country came in for a scathing attack from former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram who said the Australians have a habit of bad-mouthing their opponents whenever they lose.Akram said the Aussies were "sore losers" and that Hayden should have known that India was now hundred years ahead of Australia "which is no more than a village".
"The thing about the Aussies is that they are sore losers. They get personal when they get beaten. It is all a matter of sour grapes and after going home, they've started calling India a third-world country", Akram told ESPN Mobile from Karachi.
"India is a superpower now; it is a hundred years ahead of Australia, which is no more than a village, as compared to India. You don't blame sightscreens for poor over rates. Even Allan Border was critical of Australian tactics on the pitch," Akram said.
Akram's stinging reaction came a day after the BCCI reacted strongly to Hayden's remark, saying such a comment about India was totally uncalled for from the Australian opener.
Back home after the 2-0 series defeat, Hayden spoke about, what he perceived, poor ground conditions and inordinate delays during the matches "that happen in Third World countries".

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Gambhir faces a test match ban

Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was today banned for a Test match after being found guilty of hitting Australian all-rounder Shane Watson with his elbow during the ongoing third Test. The ban rules him out of the fourth and final Test against Australia starting November 6 in Nagpur. “India opener Gautam Gambhir has received a one Test ban after being found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the third Test against Australia in New Delhi” the ICC said in a statement.


Gambhir had elbowed Watson while taking a run on the opening day of the ongoing match after a heated exchange with the Aussie all-rounder. The Indian met match referee Chris Broad this morning before the start of third day’s play where he was informed of the penalty. “The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a level 2 offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable” the Broad said. The hearing had been adjourned last evening to allow the match referee to review the evidence.

The opener pleaded guilty to a charge under Rule C1 of the Code (Level 2) which states that “players shall at all times conduct play within the spirit of the game.” Watson was found guilty of “verbally engaging” with Gambhir “in a manner that was not in keeping with the Spirit of Cricket” and fined 10 percent of his match fee on Thursday.

Broad said Gambhir could have been charged under a stronger code according to the rules, but he decided on a lighter sentence as umpires Billy Bowden and Aleem Dar had highlighted the provocation by Watson. “Had Gambhir been charged with and found guilty of a charge under 2.4, due to his previous offence, I would have been obliged to impose a minimum penalty of a two-Test match ban. In the view of the umpires, the facts of this case - the lightness of the physical conduct and the element of provocation - would not justify such a penalty” he added.

Broad said Gambhir’s punishment was decided after taking into account his past disciplinary record. “The ICC has repeatedly told the players that deliberate physical contact between players will not be tolerated. I have also taken into account the previous offences of Gambhir and therefore, I am satisfied that the penalty imposed is an appropriate outcome in the circumstances of this matter. I hope Mr Gambhir will learn from this” he said.

Present at the hearing was Gambhir himself, Broad, umpires Bowden and Dar, third umpire Suresh Shastri and fourth umpire Sameer Bandekar, India coach Gary Kirsten and captain Anil Kumble. The penalty for a Level 2 offence is a fine of between 50 and 100 percent of the player’s match fee or a maximum ban of one Test match or two ODIs. For Level 2 offences, players have the right to appeal against an adjudicator’s decision within 24 hours of notification of that decision.

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Gambhir and Laxman get double century: Day 2

Record breaking double centuries to Gautam Gambhir and V.V.S Laxman lifted India to a commanding 613 for seven and into control of the third cricket test against Australia.Gambhir and Laxman compiled a mammoth 278-run partnership that left Australia tired, frustrated and wicketless for nearly three sessions. In spite of Gambhir's achievement at his home ground, the day belonged to Laxman.

Laxman(200*) played some fantastic shots and cover drives.The talented right-hander contributed with Gambhir that reduced Australia's chances of recording the victory it needs to square the four-match series after losing the second test by 320 runs last week.When Gambhir scored 200, he was really exhausted. and its proof came when he weirdly played and his 550 minutes and 380 balls innings, finally came to an end when he inside-edged Shane Watson and was bowled in the second session.

By the time Gambhir went, India were 435 for 4. It was all rather academic after that. Laxman kept scoring, the lower order gave him impressive support and Australia kept toiling without much hope of achieving anything of real value.Anil Kumble(45) and Z.Khan (28*) gave him good support and India declared their innings at 613/7.

Australia certainly had another bad day, and the best thing was to see expression of Ponting after every boundry by Gambhir or Laxman.He was frustrated so much that he himself came for bowling.(LOL!!).

In bowling, Johnson completed 3-142 & Watson completed 2-66.Australia,in total, used 8 bowlers, and Johnson was the successful among them.

On the second successive day of complete Indian domination, Australia's greatest achievement was simply getting to stumps without losing a wicket. M.Hayden(16*) and S.Katich(29*) added 50 run partnership at the end of day2.

Stats watch:

• Gautam Gambhir is now top scorer against Australia as a left handed opener.
• Laxman is the second Indian to complete 2000 runs against Australia after Sachin Tendulkar.
• Laxman is involved in 200+ partnership for 4 times...which is highest by any cricketer.

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Gambhir guides India to 296/3 : Ind-Aus test 3 day 1

Daredevil Gautam Gambhir showed his real class after hitting 149* (his highest test score till date) against Australia on Day 1 of 3rd test match. India won the toss and choose to bat first. The decision to bat first, however, appeared to have boomeranged in the first hour itself with Virender Sehwag (1) and Rahul Dravid (11) cooling their heels in the pavilion.

India tottering at 27/2, was being stabilized by Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir. Gautam Gambhir played exceptionally well today. Though two wickets of India were fallen, he showed his temperament and tried to rotate strike with Tendulkar with ones and two's. Tendulkar, however, looked dangerous as he played some extra-ordinary shots through cover. Gambhir and Tendulkar contributed 130 runs partnership for third wicket. Tendulkar was caught in hands of Haddin just before the final over of tea.

Gambhir was involved in two century partnerships to stabilise the Indian innings after the loss of two early wickets. He added 130 runs with Sachin Tendulkar(68) for the third wicket , and then 139 with V.V.S. Laxman (batting 54) for the unfinished fourth-wicket partnership.

Talking about Australia bowling, Brett Lee got rid off Sehwag(1) and Bowling only his fourth ball of the match, first change bowler Mitchell Johnson angled it across and Matthew Hayden collected Dravid's ugly poke at ankle height in the first slip, however, they were not effective after early two wickets. Sachin and Gambhir played them comfortably.When the platform was safely constructed, Gambhir clipped balls repeatedly through the leg side. He began to cut and drive through the off-side more readily and capped off an attacking period by clubbing the six to move from 99 to 105. Stuart Clark was the only who controlled Gambhir. Gambhir got just 11 runs from 62 deliveries of Clark.he bowled exceptionally well.

In short, It was a bad day for Australia and India dominated completely at the end of first day of third test match.To view scorecard click here.

Stats watch:

1. Gautam Gambhir became the fourth player, after Michael Vaughan, Daren Ganga, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to score hundreds in successive Tests against Australia since 2001.
2. Sachin Tendulkar's 68 was his 90th score of fifty and above in Test cricket, the most for any batsman. He equals Allan Border who scored 63 fifties and 27 hundreds.
3. Sehwag is 1 run away from G.Smith to become highest scorer of the year 2008.
   

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India won second test by 320 Runs: India takes lead 1-0

It was a match that was never out of India's control. After the tremendous work done over four days, they needed less than a session on the fifth morning to defeat Australia, sealing the Test by 320 runs, their biggest margin of victory in terms of runs ever. Zaheer Khan nipped out three wickets in the space of four deliveries when play started, and though Michael Clarke resisted with 69, it was always going to be a matter of when India would take a 1-0 series lead. In terms of runs, it was Australia's biggest defeat since their 343-run loss to West Indies in Barbados in 1991.

India had reduced Australia to 58 for 5 yesterday, but had to wait 84 runs for their next strike, after which proceedings resembled a bowling alley as Zaheer knocked over the lower order like nine pins. Zaheer was simply unplayable. He struck in the first over of the day, bowling Brad Haddin for 37 with a ripper. It pitched on a length, shaped back in, and took out the middle and off stumps. In his next over, Zaheer struck with his second and third deliveries and found himself on a hat-trick. A leaden-footed Cameron White went for a drive and edged to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Next ball, Brett Lee had no clue to one pitched fractionally shorter and had his stumps splayed. Three wickets had fallen for three runs.

With nine men around the bat, Mitchell Johnson averted the hat-trick. Zaheer had slowly built up his momentum through the fourth day and struck gold on the fifth morning. He got the ball to move slightly away from the batsmen, and was very accurate. Ishant Sharma achieved movement both ways, evident when Clarke outside-edged towards slip - the ball didn't carry - and later inside-edged towards square leg.

Perhaps significant with two Tests to play, Clarke shrugged off an indifferent tour with a fluent 69. On a pitch with good movement and against bowlers who were on song, he batted with focus and determination. He and Johnson, who batted well for his 26 before popping a return catch to Amit Mishra, added 50. Clarke had been the glue that held a poor Australian innings together, but he was last out when he clipped Mishra - who finished with seven on debut - to midwicket. As the fat lady sang and Punjabi bhangra filled the Mohali air, Dhoni - India's stand-in captain who rarely made a wrong call through the Test - led the charge towards the catcher, Virender Sehwag.

Teams that have a habit of winning know how to seize the momentum and never let it go. Like Australia had done for the last decade and more, India did that very well in Mohali. They were, unquestionably, the superior side in this Test.

For Scoreboard, click here.Man of the match was awarded to M.S.Dhoni...for his brilliant captaincy & for scoring Half-century in both the innigs when it was required!!

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India close to win second test at Mohali : Day 4

Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma wrecked Australia's top order to leave India on the verge of a big win in the second test on Monday.

Australia were 141 for five at stumps on day four after India set an improbable 516-run fourth innings victory target, giving themselves four-and-a-half sessions to seize a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

At close, Michael Clarke (42no) and Brad Haddin (37no) were waging a grim battle after adding 83 runs for an unbroken sixth-wicket stand.

Off-spinner Harbhajan took three for 23 and Sharma two for 29 as half the batsmen fell before the 17th over.

Led by opener Gautam Gambhir's 104, India raced to 314-3 before stand-in skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to end the innings one hour after lunch.

India's performance contrasted with Australia's failure with both bat and ball on the slow Mohali pitch.

Harbhajan derailed Australian hopes of saving the game as the openers made a desperate bid to hit their way out of trouble.

Introduced in the last over before tea, he removed Matthew Hayden (29) leg before with his second delivery and then fellow left-hander Simon Katich (20) four balls later.

The openers had struck a flurry of boundaries until Harbhajan trapped Hayden in front with a delivery that pitched on off-stump and held its line as he tried to sweep.

Hayden, a big success in India in the past, has made scores of 0, 13, 0 and 29 so far in this series.

Katich cut a wide delivery uppishly and Sachin Tendulkar took a superb diving catch at backward point.

Australia were down to 52 for four soon after the break when Mike Hussey (1) and skipper Ricky Ponting (2), who both struck hundreds in the drawn first test, fell at the same score.

Left-hander Gambhir, who made his second test century, and fellow Delhi batsman Virender Sehwag piled on 182 runs for the opening wicket after India had resumed on their overnight 100-0.

Gambhir hit seven fours and one six facing 138 balls until he holed out leg spinner Cameron White after reaching his hundred.

Sehwag was caught behind for 90 against paceman Peter Siddle to miss out on a 16th test hundred on his 30th birthday.

The aggressive opener, who survived a caught behind appeal on 88, hit eight fours from 122 balls in three hours.

Dhoni shuffled the batting order and scored a breezy 68 not out after promoting himself to number three, having scored 92 in the first innings.

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Mishra takes 5wicket haul in his test debut.

Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir increased India's commanding lead to 301 at stumps Sunday on the third day of the second test after legspinner Amit Mishra took 5-71 on his debut to help dismiss Australia for 268.

India raced to 100-0 in its second innings after declining to bowl again when Australia finished two runs short of the total needed to automatically avoid the follow-on.

Australia's day got worse when Sehwag brought up his half-century in the second last over, scoring 53 from 71 balls. Gambhir kept pace with Sehwag and collected 45 as the hosts attempted to set up a match-winning total.

Watson, appearing in his fifth test, looked the most comfortable of Australia's batsmen with 10 fours and a six from his 156-ball knock.

His only mistake came when he played back to Mishra  who replaced the injured Anil Kumble and was struck on the pad in front. Mishra got his fifth wicket when last man Peter Siddle was stumped but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to bat again to give his bowlers a rest.

"I feel very happy actually to have taken five wickets," Mishra said. "And the wicket will help the spinners for the next two days." Mishra, who dismissed Michael Clarke and Simon Katich on day two, deserved his impressive return from 26.4 overs and became the sixth India bowler to collect five wickets in his first game.

 

Watson was unable to find a solid partner until Brett Lee arrived to help the side out of the poor position of 167-7 before lunch.Lee, who was hit on the back by a bouncer from Sharma, hit some fierce straight drives in a lively innings of 35, which ended when he edged Harbhajan to Rahul Dravid at slip.

All the runs were crucial for Australia, which resumed the morning on 102-4, in its push to get as close as possible to India's first-innings total of 469.

Hussey brought up his half-century with a hook to fine-leg, but he was dismissed two balls later when he nicked a delivery angling across him from Sharma. He spent 119 balls fighting over his 54 and his loss was a big blow for Australia.

 

 
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Ind-Aus Test 2 day 2 : Dhoni back to his natural batting

Saurav Ganguly struck a patient 102 in India's first innings before debutant spinner Amit Mishra struck to reduce Australia to 102 for four at the close of the second day of the second test on Saturday.

Skipper Dhoni was seen with his natural batting  hitting 92 valuable runs in just 124 runs.

this was the most fantastic thing to watch.

Ganguly notched his 16th test century and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni hammered 92 before he was the last man out as India were dismissed for 469 shortly before tea.

The 36-year-old left hander, playing in his farewell series, added 109 runs for the seventh wicket with Dhoni to frustrate the Australian bowlers on a good batting pitch.

Australia were in trouble at the close with both openers Matthew Hayden (0) and Simon Katich (33), skipper Ricky Ponting (5) and Michael Clarke (23) back in the pavilion.

Mike Hussey was 37 not out after leg spinner Mishra, playing instead of the injured Anil Kumble, trapped Clarke leg before off the day's final delivery after claiming Katich to finish with two for 21.

Australia were dealt a major blow when Zaheer Khan bowled opener Matthew Hayden for a third-ball duck with a delivery which nipped back, flicked the pads and hit the stumps.

Hayden fell to Zaheer for the third time in a row after he was out for 0 and 13 in the drawn first test in Bangalore.

Young new ball bowler Ishant Sharma struck soon after tea, trapping the in-form Ponting with a delivery which nipped back to make it 17 for two.

Mishra broke through Katich's dogged defence with a sharp leg-break which spun into the left-handed batsman and hit the stumps off his pad and boot.

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Sachin breaks World Record--Ind-Aus test 2

Sachin Tendulkar became the highest test-run scorer by surpassing Brian Lara's record on Friday but India were wobbling at 199-4 after tea in the second test against Australia.

Tendulkar scored three runs after tea on day one to move on to 16, giving him a career record of 11,955 runs. West Indian Lara scored 11,953 runs before he retired from international cricket in 2007.

The 35-year-old took off his helmet, raising his bat to acknowledge the cheering crowd before partner Saurav Ganguly and the entire Australian team came up to congratulate him.

Crackers were set off outside the stadium, holding up play for a few minutes.

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Elbow injury to S.Clark : Doubtful for Mohali test

It's not just Team India who are sweating over the fitness of their skipper Anil Kumble; the Australian team is sailing on the same boat in the lead-up to the second Test. Paceman Stuart Clark is suffering from an inflamed elbow joint, and according to sources, looks a doubtful starter in Mohali.

"He's not going to bowl at training tomorrow, just so we can maximise his recovery and give him the best chance to be able to play on Friday," team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris told The Age. "We will see how he pulls up and if he feels okay we will play him," he added.

Clark threw underarm from the outfield and was restricted to 17 overs in the first innings and is likely to test out the elbow at training tomorrow after a day of intensive physiotherapy.

The visitors are already gearing up to put in another debutant as replacement with Peter Siddle being the overwhelming favourite against Doug Boullinger even as Clark battles against time to be fit by Friday morning.

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Ind-Aus Test 1 ends in draw.

India have been successful in drawing the Bangalore Test. The hosts were placed at 177-4 when the officials decided to call the match off. The experienced middle-order batting line-up saved the Test with gritty, determined and a resolute show. Tendulkar (49) looked very compact today while Laxman (42*) also applied himself very well. The tourists tried everything as spinners Cameron White and Michael Clarke did bulk of the bowling. Remember it was the last time when you saw Ganguly and Kumble playing a Test match at Bangalore.

The Indian camp has plenty of thinking to do as their skipper Anil Kumble lacked fitness and looked below par with the ball. The hosts' batting line-up also looked fragile in the first innings but made it up with a fighting show in the second. Australia displayed excellent discipline and game-plan during the match. But lacking a quality spinner is still their weakness in this series.

Five days on a cracking pitch could not separate Australia and India, who will head to Mohali for Friday's second Test at 0-0 after playing out a draw in Bangalore. VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar helped grind out the result - or lack of - which was a pleasing outcome for India after Australia dominated the first couple of days.


Zaheer Khan was adjudged the Man of the Match for his excellent performance with the bat as well as the ball. Despite the draw, it was a fascinating Test match to watch. please join me back on the 17th of this month for the second Test at Mohali. Till then Bye!!!!

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Ind-Aus Test 1 Day 4: Zaheer hits half-century.

Australia's cricket on the fourth day was not pretty but the final result - a 263-run lead - was a fine outcome on a day when India harassed them intensely in all aspects of the game. Led by Zaheer Khan with the bat in the morning and Harbhajan Singh with the ball in the afternoon, India fought and thought, tested and pestered, and still somehow found themselves facing a tough final-day chase. At least they shortened the odds of a draw.

 

Ponting was targeted by Harbhajan with men crowded around the bat and despite a couple of edgy moments he survived - at least long enough to fall to his other developing nemesis, Ishant Sharma. Ishant tried to lure Ponting with the offspinning slower ball that had earned him two first-innings wickets but Australia's captain was alert to the ploy. However, with the next delivery Ishant tried a different style slower ball - he simply didn't roll his arm over as quickly - and Ponting, on 17, obligingly prodded to the short midwicket placed for that purpose.

Ishant's more conventional slower one did account for Michael Clarke, who nudged a drive to short cover just as Haddin and Cameron White had done on day two. That India's fast men succeeded might have buoyed Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, who watched on as Matthew Hayden battled extravagant swing from Zaheer and was trapped lbw for 13.

Hard as it was for Hayden and friends, the 70-run first-innings advantage Australia had secured was vital. It could have been so much greater but for terrific lower-order resistance from Zaheer and his bowling mates. After Harbhajan started the batting fightback late on the third afternoon, Zaheer continued it on the fourth morning. His unbeaten 57 was his second Test half-century - his first had come against Bangladesh - and he combined in useful partnerships of 31 with Kumble and 27 with Ishant. Following India's top-order struggles, it was a magnificent result for their final three pairs to add 128 of the team's 360.

They batted for nearly an hour and a half in the first session, grinding out 47 valuable runs that frustrated an Australia attack that had been on top for most of the previous day. Zaheer played in a more restrained fashion than on Saturday and justified his promotion ahead of Kumble, who gave him an appreciative hug when Zaheer's fifty came up with a clip behind square leg for two off Johnson.

Eventually Australia finished the job. Watson ended up with 3 for 45 when he jagged one back to trap Kumble in front and Clarke bowled Ishant to secure his second wicket. But the successes were a long way apart. Australia must significantly shorten the gap between their celebrations on the final day if they are to avoid a disappointing result.

Zaheer Khan, who took 5 for 91 and made an unbeaten 57, is the first Indian in almost ten years to capture five wickets in an innings and score a half-century in the same match against an opposition other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Thirteen Indians have accomplished this feat, with Kapil Dev having done so on four occasions.


Australia conceded 52 extras, their highest ever. This was the tenth occasion a team gave away 50 or more extras in an innings in India. India holds the record with 76 against Pakistan in Bangalore in 2007.

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Australia complete 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh

Australia beat Bangladesh by 73 runs on Saturday to complete a 3-0 sweep of their limited-overs series in Darwin.

The world champions posted a modest total of 198 for five from their 50 overs but sealed a comfortable victory by bowling out Bangladesh for 125 in the 30th over.

Mike Hussey, who was named player of the series, top scored for the Australians with an unbeaten 57 while opener Shaun Marsh made 30 after scoring half-centuries in the previous two matches.

"It was closer than the first two games but our mindset was to win this game," Australia's acting captain Michael Clarke said.
"Bangladesh batted well at the start, they were positive, but we all knew if we could just take one or two wickets it would put them on the back foot."

Bangladesh, who were thrashed in the two previous matches, produced easily their best performance of the series, briefly threatening an upset when they reached 82-3 on the back of a splendid half-century from Tamim Iqbal.

The teenage opener made 63 off 69 balls, featuring five fours and a six, but received little support from his team mates as only two other players made double figures. He threw his wicket away when he started running out of partners.
"I played a stupid shot, I shouldn't have played that shot and should have carried on the innings," he said. "The result would be different if I'd carried out the innings."

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons was pleased with the progress of his bowlers but said the batting needed drastic improvement to challenge the best teams.









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WI lose to Australia by just 1 run

Australia held its nerve to win the fouth one-day cricket international by one run over a panic-stricken West Indies on Friday at Warner Park.

The home team, cruising along at 242 /3, scored 39 runs off the last eight overs and was left short at 281/6 at the end of 50 overs.Chris Gayle(92),R.Sarwan(63) & Chandrapaul(53) set up a solid platform but Australians fought back brilliantly in the tense of final stages.Shane Watson limited West Indies to six singles in pursuit of 8 runs.Earlier, Australia totaled 282 for eight off 50 overs on the back of 87 off 78 balls from Andrew Symonds. He shared a partnership of 127 with debutant David Hussey (50).

Lee jolted the West Indies’ run chase in the first over when Xavier Marshall fell for a duck. But Gayle and Sarwan brilliantly took the match towards the West Indies in a fluent second wicket stand of 137 off 139 balls. Gayle was typically powerful and smacked six fours and four sixes off 91 deliveries.

Even when Sarwan fell at 138 for two, the home team had a chance.Gayle and Chanderpaul added 50 for before Gayle skied a Watson slower ball into the off side where James Hopes held a fine running catch.

Dwayne Bravo and Chanderpaul kept the West Indies on course in another half century partnership.But once Bravo lost his off stump to Hopes at 247 for four off 43 overs, the decline began.






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Jane McGrath dies...

The wife of former Australian cricketer Glenn McGrath has died in Sydney on Sunday after a decade-long battle with cancer, her family said in a statement.

Jane McGrath, who had battled breast and later bone cancer, had surgery earlier this year and was recovering before complications set in, the statement issued by McGrath's management said.

"With Glenn and their two children by her side, Jane's wonderful life ended peacefully after a sudden decline in her health over the past week," it said.

The 42-year-old, who had two young children with the former paceman, set up the McGrath Foundation with her husband to provide support for women with breast cancer and to raise awareness about the disease.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the sport was saddened to hear of Jane McGrath's death.

"Jane was well-known, loved and admired throughout Australian cricket and was one of the most respected and admired members of the Australian cricket team family group during Glenn McGrath's playing days," he said.

"All of us who met her were charmed by her dignity and good humour as she tackled her battle with her illness for more than 10 years.

"It was typical of her to set aside her own concerns and to offer so much energy and hope to others touched by breast cancer."

Glenn McGrath announced his retirement from Test cricket at the end of 2006 but played in the shorter form of the game until the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Courtesy: www. news24.com


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