This is an emphatic win for the home side ,They played some brilliant knock all through out the series to win the ODI cup,India played some good innings to seize the cup,Earlier the srilanka played a good game to reach to a competitive total of 315 for 6,But when the team in a tremendous form like india this score is not enough to stop the home sider to cross the line,It was a shocking opening start for india when both big opening pair where in the hut,After there it was a consolidated innings by young players kohli and Gambhir to make such a easy win to seal the series 3-1,And another interesting thing happened in the presentation was did by the young player gambhir sharing his man of the match with kohli, This shows their responsibility and team work,This team has to reach to greater heights soon..

After a fine finish to level the series 1-1,srilanka will look for a lead in this series,It is all setback for india in the form of dhoni's ommision from the team,and yuvraj injury.But india will come strongly to face the outsiders and defeat them to take a lead in this series,India Batsmen played both a game in a fascinating manner,India i really looking for a win in this match,Ground was made for a big runfeast same like in other match,Hope india will capitalise this match and show a knocking punch to the visitors. Keep finger crossed

The thriller which is not expected by everyone to happen,Earlier Victory was decided when INDIA played a blinder to reach its first highest ODI total of 414 for 7,this innings includes SEHWAG 146 from 102,M.S DHONI 72 from 53 & TENDULKAR 69 from 63 great knock...
After that the mind blowing chase started by SRI LANKAN'S,they took the revenge on indian bowlers,Earlier in sri lanka innings THARANGA was dropped by Kohli,After that they taken the score to 188 with good run rate,after that india try to get back things in contol...
frequent wicket was falling in regular intervals and some fabulous bowling by senior pro Zaheer & Nehra in the death...Thus make india to win the thriller of ODI in the history

Hence another scintillating performance from indian side in T20 History to chase down a highest total in this format with 5 ball to spare,earlier srilankan's has played a very tough innings to put india on back foot with the very good total of 206 for 7,But the man of the day & man of the match Yuvraj Singh did the trick to make india safe in the T20 Cup,he was blasting the ball all over the park to score a quick 60 form 45 balls,this Birthday baby also bowled well to take three crucial wickets in his bowling spell,inspite of all these performance of a local biy,we cant forget the man who started this attack "Sehwag" who started the knock out process,After his knock of 64 from 36 only srilanka was sent backfoot , Thus this indian team as a whole performed brilliantely to seize the T20 series..
JaiHindh..

Australia Played a good first innings to put a total of 250 in 50 overs,Indian team bowlers really performed in a convincing way,Later the chase was started in a dangerous way with sehwag & Sachin starting with a knockout punch, Australia was in a backfoot till the sehwag wicket falls,Pointing capitialised from there to get wickets in quick sucession to stop the score board ticking away, once india were in deep trouble at 180 for 7,It was again the man who showed some resistance like before in vododara ,Baaji started his shots in all sides of the park,but it was an oneman show which is not enough to stop the Australias victory ,Now the series is level with three match to be played,Hope India will bounce back ,Anyway we lost a good oppurtunity to became the world champions,Lets try in thr next game

The third ODI was played between India and Australia on 31st oct, and India played a fascinating game,The captain knock gives Indian side a way to reach to the score posted my the visitors,
It was a close game but the Dhoni and yuvi knock bring the the match to the shore of india,
India was in the upperhand in this series with 2-1 lead,lets pray for the ibdian team to win the series in the same fashion

The former umpire David Shepherd dies due to cancer on 28th October in England, He was 62 years old man who has officially umpired more than 172 ODI that includes three consecutive world cup finals match.

Shepherd entered as first class umpire in the year 1981 and made his ODI debut in 1983 world cup.He made his last appearance in test on June 2005 West Indies and Pakistan in Kingston
Shepherd had played for Gloucestershire as a batsman over a 14-year career, which included 282 first-class matches and 12 centuries.He married Jenny,

The President of ICC David Morgan called him a true gentleman of the game, As Shep would always say to every umpire he worked with him in the field, we now say to him: 'Good luck mate, and may your God go with you.'"

Indian Team who played a fascinating game today to post a highest total against the visitor team Australia,Captain of the ship M.S.Dhoni played a knock out punch to reach a quick fire 124 form 107 balls includes 3 dangerous sixes,

Earlier Gambhir played a good part with captain to make the site reach a huge total 354 for 7,But the visitors was only able to reach 255 and felt apart as a prey,

Thus this team made a comeback to reach a upper hand in this series

Score Card

Indian team showed some tough fight against the world leading team Australia,Unfortunately the match came to an end in favour of the champs,The target set by aussies was tough for the indian team to reach at one point when india lose 6 wickets.

The partnership from harbhajan singh and praveen kumar made the match more alive,
Thus australia bowled to their potential to win the first ODI by 4 runs

Score Card

Men In Blue Work On Their Fielding

Vadodara: Team India may no longer have the services of bowling and fielding coach for the India-Australia ODI series, but coach Gary Kirsten ensured that India make considerable ground before D-day tightening up one of their weakest aspect of the game. Skipper MS Dhoni had time and again in the past referred to how India lacks a lot in that department. Now, whether India's fielding takes an about turn towards improvement without a fielding coach is to be seen. But still they are trying their best to make up and even Ashish Nehra is pitching in giving catching and fielding practice to his fellow pacers once through with their bowling.

Dhoni was seen limping on the ground right after the batting session in the net.
at the Reliance Stadium on Friday Dhoni, who facing Munaf Patel, got hit on his
left leg.

He left the nets immediately and applied ice pack near the knee. He did walk to the wicket along with Atul Bedade later on but again limped back to the dressing room. The seriousness of the injury was not immediately known.

The focus seemed to be more on ground fielding and hitting the stumps on the run.
Back in the fold after his injury Virender Sehwag, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel and Ravindra Jadeja all made Kirsten smile as they hit the stumps more often than not. Ishant Sharma and Ashish Nehra missed quite a few times but that was okay

A little later pacers Munaf Patel, new comer Sudeep Tyagi, Ishant and Praveen got some catching and fielding practice from Nehra as well. Yuvraj Singh, who missed the Champions Trophy in South Africa last month, too joined them. He fielded for a while before engaging in some stretching exercises towards the end. After an hour of fielding, Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar padded up for batting as Ishant and Praveen prepared to bowl. Sehwag played few defensive shots to begin with but was soon in his elements. And who said Sehwag's footwork is suspect? On Friday he was seen jumping out of the crease and playing some fierce drives all around the nets,

While on his hitting spree, Sehwag was also hit on his chest by an Ishant delivery But luckily no damage was done and Sehwag was back in rhythm again.

Sachin, on the other hand, was seen practising the straight drive for about half an hour as Kirsten kept on throwing pitched up deliveries to him. The area on either side of the sightscreen is a very productive area in terms of runs whether it is a five day one-day or T20 game.

And if Tendulkar gets that shot right on Sunday India can look at a 350 plus total on what looks like a batting paradise.

If the batting order dup ing the net session here is any indication to go by then we should see Sachin and Sehwag coming out first. The two master blasters will then be followed by Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina.

The team practised for about three hours in the afternoon after arriving in the city in the morning. The only person who, during the long practice session, was trying to get a feel of cricket at the highest order is UP pacer Sudeep Tyagi. For most of the period Tyagi looked lost and hardly communicated with anyone.

But by what he has shown in the domestic circuit, one thing is sure that Tyagi believes in the dictum of his performance speaking for himself.

Vadodara: The Indian Tara had batted miserably at Reliance Stadium in the last ODI against Australia here in 2007. But they can now look to turn things around. The wicket for the first one-dayer here is expected to help the batsmen throughout the day.

Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) pitch curator Vasudev Patel told TOI, “it is a good batting wicket with enough bounce and carry. The ball will also come nicely to the bat and the team batting first can easily score over 300 runs. However, there will be some moisture in the pitch for one hour in the morning which might help the seamers a bit'' Patel said that the team winning toss can opt to bowl first as well and use the moisture in the wicket for getting rival batsmen out early

''The temperature is high and sun will be shining brightly throughout the day so the wicket won't change. The wicket will become harder by the day and chasing won't be a problem here's Patel added. India were bowled out for a meagre 148 runs in the last ODI they played against the Aussies here. In reply the Australians reached the target in just 26 overs by losing one wicket.

Mumbai: In a One-day matches till date, Shane Watson has batted from the opening slot to number nine for Australia, picked up 89 wickets; scored 2020 runs including nine fifties and four hundreds, taken 22 catches and won seven man of the match awards.

In his 91st match, scheduled for Sunday Watson's hoping he'll do better than any of the previous ones. When that gets over, he'll be aiming for the 92nd.

Now, 90 ODIs and the figures attached with it are quite enough to reckon a player as having been there and done that. Let's take a moment and think about names like Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina - all from India, or even Tillakaratne Dilshan from Sri Lanka or Shahid Afridi from Pakistan. Long before they had played even 50 ODIs for their respective countries, they were all celebrities in their own right.

Interestingly at 28 years of age and in his seventh year of international cricket, it seems like it is still elementory for this Watson.

“lt's a learning experience and l'm happy with it that way'' he says as a matter of fact.

Before the match, during the match, after the match, Watson's happy doing what he's told to do. Finicky decides it and my job is to follow the role assigned to me.”

Watson's career so far has been a series of ups and downs. Ups because of the natural all-round talent that he is, bound with aggression and physique that make him seem like the perfect athlete. Down because, so far it's been a carrer often riddled with injuries and set- backs as much as success.

No wonder he likes to play it down every time you try and remind him he's good. “Thank” is his modest reply. As I said, it's all a learning experienced.”Again!

Watson, in fact, fills in the slot left vacant by Andrew Symonds very well.
Well equipped to thrash attacks, decent medium pace and agility in the field all that was Symonds’ forte have Watson qualifying quite well. To endure now that he's Australia's big all-round bet is just a responsibility he has to shoulder consistently

A conversation with him about his cricket mostly revolves around today's young Australian side, one that is replete with fresh cricketers from the multi-talented domestic stable. With the exception of Panting, the other senior pro Michael Hussey and their now-eternal speed gun Brett Lee, the rest of the Australian team is comparatively a young bunch. “we keep motivating each of and the common aim is to do will Australian,” he says.

Today while that learning bit car on, and so does the excitement to his 91st ODI, Watson has it at the back of his mind he's a vital cog now in Aussie plans. “The aim is to get a feel of India in the run-up to the 2011 World Cup. I guess we've got another tour coming up next year same time,” he says.

Players' burn-out worries Nielsen: The late arrival of a few members of the Australian one-day squad, who are taking part in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20, is a bit of a worry for the visitors, accepts team coach Tim Nielsen.

“lt's difficult. We have our New South Wales (Blues) players playing the final tonight and joining the squad tomorrow afternoon. We are supposed to play on Sunday morning. That much of traveling, that much of playing,''said Nielsen ahead of the seven-match series against India starting here october tuber 25.

Mumbai: His name starts with 'James', but doesn't end with 'Bond', His role in the team, however requires him to don all roles, and excel in each. Much like the fictional secret agent with whom he shares his first name with.And many times in the recent past he has proved his worth with his multi-purpose skills. ‘Hopes’, therefore, sounds an apt surname, for till he's around, there's always hope for his side.

James Hopes, one's sure, will be a key man for Australia in the upcoming seven-ODl series against India. For, not only does he play varied roles, but also fits into each of them -be it opening the batting or playing a blinder lower down, breaking partnerships with his deceptive fast-medium stuff, or making acrobatic saves either side of the wicket- with ease.

It don't have any specific role as such, I have to adjust as the situation demands, shrugs Hopes. “In fact, I am enjoying it. I enjoy batting in any position, I am always ready to share the new ball when required, and fielding has always been my strength. That could also be one reason why I a1ways play without any pressure, and when's there's less pressure, you always give your best.”

Hopes has never found it difficult to adjust to the different formats of the game.
“I have heard people talk about it (in adjusting to the Twenty20 format), but at least I have never faced any difficulty If you are an international cricketer, that's one of the requirements. I enjoy all formats (T20, ODI, Test), each has its own charm, ODIs will always retain their own in- dependent status, so also Tests,'' the all-rounder who plays for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, opines.

How will his IPL stint help? “you can't compare Twenty20 with ODIs, But yes, IPL sure has taught me how to perform before a huge crowd. That's a very important factor, for the crowds here can be both amazing and intimidating.'' Hopes also puts playing for his country well above IPL'S riches. 'At the end of the day people will remember you by the way you played for your country Nothing can match that feelling,” he adds. For the upcoming series Hopes has developed “four-five variations” in his bowline arsenal.
l

The manner in which the New South Wales Blues have entered the finals of the Champions League should make them the favorite to lift the trophy

Of course this is being written before the second semifinals between Cape Cobras arid the Trinidad and Tobago, so it's hard to preview without knowing who would be in the foals. If the winner of the second semifinal takes the momentum of their win in the finals then it could well be one of the best T20 contests that will be played.

Realistically the T20 matches should run Close and not be one-sided affairs. That can happen if a team batting first gets carried away and tries to hit every ball into the car park and lose their day and are dismissed for nothing. The match can also be one-sided if the team batting second gives up mentally while chasing a big total.

That happened to Victoria Bushrangers who having lost two wickets without a run on the board just seemed to drop their shoulders and look at a chartable total as too much. Their approach in the middle overs was disappointing, something expected from Australian teams.

The NSW blues certainly had as good game plan and perhaps that explains why they have been top dogs in Australian cricket for so long.

They have a strong batting line-up with the explosive Warner at the top of the order and bat deep so they seem to recover from early loss of wickets and still put up a tough target for the opposition to chase. Their bowling too has variety and Simon Katich is marshalling his resources brilliantly indeed

Mumbai: There was a famous picture of little Emmy Charlotte playing on her father Ricky Ponting's lap at Headingley Leeds, in August this year The picture is rare because it is the only one that captures the Australian captain in a cheerful mood during an otherwise mind- numbing series. She's perhaps the only one he can't refuse.

Think about the other ones that usually have Ponting in the frame. An arrogant, gum-chewing, ruthless captain of a highly dominating team, not known to take the slightest of insults (Read: lack of performance) lightly That's the Panting a cricket fan would usually identify with. Why just the fan, that's the ' Ponting even his teammates more often than not identify with.

When all-rounder Shane Watson was Diked if the Australian national team is used to seeking advice from some of the game's stalwarts Down Unfelt he stopped the question short and said, why would you need anyone when you have one of the all- time greats right there with you. Ricky's someone the whole team looks up toe's

Ponting's contribution to the game doesn't need a mention. That he's right behind Sachin Tendulkar in the run-scoring department is explanation enough. In fact, he's got
something more that Tendulkar his only perhaps yearned for in 20 years - three World Cup wins, two as captain; two Champions Trophy wins, both as captain; and a cupboard full of individual awards honouring him as the world's best.

“Oh yes, he's at the forefront, right up there as far as out set-up is concernedly says present national coach Tim Nielsen, explaining at large Ponting's influence in Australian cricket at the highest level.

“Ricky's a decision-maker and his word carries a lot of weight. Whether it cioncerns selection matter the line-up, the batting order, he's got a huge say. We (Nielsen and his support staff) contribute, but he's definitely the one out there handling things.''Australia's Mr Cricket, Michael Hussey is equally in awe of the skipper.”Mr Cricket? Why just me? Most these guys (his teammates) can be called Mr Cricket. They're all as dedicated to the game. There's Ricky he's as good an example there is,'' says Hussey.
To Hussey's knowledge - and there's quite a bit bf that to his credit - Ponting's genius is not just one that usually brings him runs. Nor is it just the captain who is marshalling his men.

“He is at the core of a lot of things, deciding on strategists batting order, handing out responsibilities,'' says the southpaw.

Shane Warne famously nicknamed Ponting as 'Punter' due to name his fascination for racing grey- hounds and betting on them. He breeds them for racing anklets because he's quite sure of himself.

That's what Ponting's been doing with the Aussie team too, nurturing during them to the core to get the base out of his boys. Evaluating Ponting's contribution to the game and Australian cricket is as difficult as quantifying the joy and happiness he gets while playing with his daughter

Mumbai: Australian fast bowlers are known to talk up the team's chances just before a big series. They even smartly use the mediate to proclaim that the opposition is useless. Glenn McGrath's Ashes prediction, even after retirement, remained constant. Yes ‘5-0'. Brett Lee has taken up the mantle from McGrath and he recently predicted a 7-0 shoreline against India.

Mitchell Johnson though is an Aussie quickie with a difference. He prefers to talk more about himself than the opposition. Winner of the ICC Cricketer Of The Year
award, Johnson says he is good enough to open the batting in the One-dayers.

“I know it's a big call, but I really think I can open in One-dayers and T20s,'' the
left-arm-pacer, who has improved his batting enormously said on Thursday ; Guess one can't fault his confidence as the award he recently pocketed in Johannesburg is named after one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, West Indies' Garfield Sobers.

“I was padded up to go in early in may games in England especially when the powerplays were on, but - didn't really get a cancer's he said.


Johnson might have to wait if he wants to bat higher as the aussie top-order is in roaring form. “If there's an opportunity I want to put my hand upper he stressed.

Those words cast one's mind to India's Irfan Pathan, another talented left-arm-swing bowler who could bat and how the desire of the team-management to convert him into an all- rounder, disintegrated his bowling. Does it scare Johnson that the same could happen to him. “I have thought about it, but I'm not scared. I'm always going to work very hard on my bowling. That's going to be No.1 as that's what I'm in the team for, to hit the deck and bowl fast. But batting is something 1 take very seriously and I face all our main bowlers in the nets add not too many part-timers,'' he revealed.

It's not hard to sense that Johnson is passionate about batting, but it's hurling the red or white five-and-a-half-ounce orb that really gives him the kick. Johnson can hurl bomb- shells at over 90mph that break batsmen's hands and toes and make indelible marks on their chins. He did that to Graeme Smith (in Sydney and Durban) and Jacques Kallis (Durban) respectively

Hyderabad: The in-form team of the tournament runs into one of the organized outfits in the Champions league Twenty20 summit clash on Friday.

Trinidad & Tobago have enthralled all with their entertaining brand of cricket and will look to overcome the final hurdle that comes in the form of New South Wales in what could well be a grudge match for the latter.

The Australians suffered their only defeat in the tournament to the Caribbean charmers and NSW skipper Simon Katich was clear in his assessment of the match.“If we play Trinidad, then we have to come up with a few different plans to the last time because they had our measure. It(defeat) come at the right time and was a good learning experience. This time hopefully we can have the revenge,” said Katich ahead of the final.

In the gap between losing from a winning position to T&T, NSW walloped Somerset Sabres and got the better of Victorians in the first semifinal in New Delhi on Wednesday.

with the bat that exceeded our biggest expectations. They (openers) really set up the game for us,” said Mott.

T&T skipper Daren Ganga was also optimistic. Having come into the tournament as underdogs, thy Caribbeans have exceeded expectations in their own way

Allrounder, Ganja Show The Way As T&T March Into Final

Hyderabad: Dwayne Bravo turned on the style yet again, At the receiving end this time were Cape Cobras, who so in keeping with the South African tradition on big occasions, choked. Bravo's unbeaten 58 helped Trinidad & Tobago chase down another imposing target with four deliveries to spare and finished the second semifinal at 178 for three on Thursday to set up a Champions League Twenty20 summit clash with New South Wales.

With a frontal assault led by their openers William Perkins and Adrian Barath, which Lendl Simmons ensured did not lose momentum, skipper Daren Ganga and Bravo gave the finishing touches. The former coasted to an unbeaten 44 (31b, 1x4, 2x6) and Bravo scored 58 (34b, 2x4, 3x6). At one stage the Calypso charmers needed 90 from the last 10 overs.

The wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium was a beauty to bat on and the South Africans had taken particular interest in targeting the straight boundaries. For them, JP Duminy assumed charge with an unbeaten 61 (40b, 4x4, 3x6) to take Cobras to 175 for five; it probably would have been much more but for a brilliant last over by Ravi Ramapul that saw only two runs scored.

Mumbai: The awesome huskies are here. But catching a glimpse of the World Champions and Champions Trophy winners on Tuesday in India for a sevenfold series that begins on October 25 in Baroda, was as elusive as rain in October. Nine members of the team, led by Ricky Ponting, gave the waiting media- men an artful dodge as they slipped out of the cargo gate of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Air- port here on Tuesday afternoon.

Six members of the 15-strong squad are involved in the Champions League Twenty20 where Aussie sides Victoria Bushrangers and New South Wales are contesting the semis. Doug Bollinger Nathan Hauritz and Brett Lee are playing for the New South Wales Blues, while Petet Siddle, Jon Holland and Cameron Whlte are representing Victoria Bushrangers.

The way the Kangaroos are being guarded here, it becomes clear that last year's November 26 attacks in this city, and then the terror strike on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore has changed the rules of the game in the subcontinent forever The team, along with coach Tim Nielson, was escorted to its hotel in Bandra under tight security provided by the Mumbai Police.

The hotel itself we virtually converted into a fortress, with outside vehicles being diverted almost 200 metres away from the hotel. The hotel guests were being screened thoroughly and outsiders Were barred from entering the place.

There was a time when the Australians viewed a tour to India as one of the toughest, but that has changed. They now toe India every year end note of the players are also part of the Indian Premier League. The Australians now
embrace the Indian cricket experience unreservedly and the Indian shores no longer hold any demons for them.

The Australians will be looking forward to their seven One-day games in India with a great deal of optimism, Their 6-1 win against England followed by the successful defense of their title in the Champions Trophy means that they are back to their winning ways.

Ricky Ponting and his team have realized that they need not emulate the unbridled aggression of Adam Gilchrist or Matthew Hayden to be successful. They have learnt that they can be successful by playing a different but equal and effective brand of cricket

A lot of positives have emerged over the last few months for this team. Nathan hilarity has been in woodworm, which is an encouraging sign, as spin was an area of major concern for Australia. Shane Watson's backtrack centuries have proved that he has the technique and range of strokes required to open in the ODIs.

It is hard to predict the out- come of the series, because India, too, have been doing very well in One-day cricket over the last year. It's going to be a really riveting, hard-fought contest. The score line will read 4-3, but I am not ready to predict in whose favors!

Indian Team's Training Session
Lacked Intent And Energy

Mumbai: The Emirates flight that landed in Mumbai on a hot Tuesday afternoon, carrying the Australian team, also had two South Africans travelling. Team India coach Gary Kirsten and his assistant Paddy Upton had made their way from Johannesburg via Dubai to reach just in time for a net session at a suburban ground

It was an eventful journey considering the l0-odd hours in transit. Things got all the more interesting when the duo made its way straight to the ground, rather hurriedly instead of heading to their five-star hotel suite allocated by the BCCI.

Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Virat
Kohli, Suresh Raina, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra, Sudeep Tyagi and Ravindra Jadeja and captain MS Dhoni were ready for India's first ‘serious’ net session for a series at home after almost a year. Four players -Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma who were part of the Delhi Daredevils squad were missing.

Fifteen minutes of stretching was followed by a game of football. A light batting session took place and soon it was dark enough to pack up.

The Aussies can rejoice, considering that they already reckon their opponents aren't in supreme form. To see the coach arrive from South Africa half-an hour before the net session; to watch one of India's best middle-order batsman just back from injury having put on weight would've been a joyous sight for Ponting. If the Indian attack was deemed to be struggling and Venkatesh Prasad, according to the BCCI, wasn't capable enough of curing the ills, the situation has now gone from bad to worse. Right now, there's no bowling coach at all, which hardly makes the situation any better. Ditto in the fielding department where, as noticed On Tuesday, the players didn't even have somebody to throw balls at them.

Wellington: New Zealand and Australian Test cricketers are likely to be unavailable for the first half of next year's Indian Premier League.

The 2010 tournament is scheduled to run from March 12 to April 25, and will be returning to India Bertha year's tournament was shifted to South Africa due to security concerns.

But Australia's five-week tour of New Zealand will almost certainly result in a number of planers being unavailable to represent their IPL franchises early in next year's tournament.

The two-Test series will run until March 31, while the IPL group stage will.
go until April 19. Some of the top Australian and New Zealand stars in action
in IPL are Shane Watson, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Brett Lee.

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils played a wicked game against Cape Cobras to emerge winners by 30 runs at the FerozeshahKotla in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Cobras already in the last four of the tournament will now play their semifinal against Trinidad & Tobago in Hyderabad while NSW Blues will clash against Victorian Bushrangers in the first semifinal on Thursday

For Devils, Talismanic left-hand pacer Dirk Nannes (3-19) was the pick of the bowlers. He got the early breakthrough and made the meagre total of 114-6 appear huge for the opposition. He was ably supported by Amit Mishra (2-19), Tillakaratne Dilshan (2-16) and youngster Yogesh Nagar (2-9).

Earlier, at seemed the Daredevils had put up another disappointing performance when they could only barely go past 100.

The condition of Bengal cricketer Avik Chowdhury, who met with a serious road accident on Sunday afternoon. has improved marginally. Doctors however pointed out that he still remains critical and they can issue a more definitive verdict only after another 48 hours.

The condition of Bengal cricketer Avik Chowdhury, who met with a serious road accident on Sunday afternoon. has improved marginally. Doctors however pointed out that he still remains critical and they can issue a more definitive verdict only after another 48 hours.
“The oozing from the lungs has stopped and that is a positive sign,” informed Brig (Dr) SB Purkayastha, CEO of the private hospital where Avik is admitted. “His blond pressure too has stabilized. We can say that clinically his condition has improved marginally, lf his condition improves over the next 24 hours, an MRI of his spinal cord needs to be done.

The hospital where he is admitted doesn't have the facility so he has to be moved in an ambulance. It has been learnt that the Cricket Association of Bengal is trying to rope in specialists from Delhi and Chennai so that Avik gets thy best possible diagnosis and treatment. Chennai based spine specialist Dr Rajsekhar as well as SP
Mandal and Shankar Acharya, HODs of neurology and surgery departments of the Delhi-based Gangaram Hospital, have also been contacted.

The west Indians Complete Group Engagements In Style

Hyderabad: With their place in the last Four of the Champions League Twenty20
secure, Trinidad and Tobago threw caution to the winds and the sparse crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium got their money's worth of power hitting while the West Indian outfit cruised to an imposing 213 or four and laid low the Eagles' challenge my 24 runs. In a calculated assault that res breathtaking as it was brutal - at least one shot gnarl screamed past umpire Amish ships s head-T&T posted by far the best total of the tournament, eclipsing Cape Cobras’ 193 for four against Otago Volts at the same venue and restricted the Eagles to 189 for five.
Dillon du Preez would want to forget his last over and the 19th of the innings in a hurry with which the Trinidadians Carted him for 27 runs as Navin Stewart (33 no, 11b, 3x4, 3x6) continued the trend set by the top order.
William Perkins and Adrian Barath were like a house on tare and even when the former fell for 35 (25b, 3x4, 3x6) the latter realized 76 runs for the second wicket with Lendl Simmons in just 29 deliveries. Playing his first match of the tournament, Barath raced along to 63 (41b, 4x4, 4x6) and with Simmons (40, 25b, 6x4, 1x6) playing an equally deft hand, the stage was set for Kieron Pollard to rub it in. He cracked 23 (13b, 1x4, 2x6) and even though he succumbed in the 18th over, his team did not waste the frenetic start - they were 147 for two in 15 overs-and added 66 more runs in the last five overs.

Having started the match with a run- rate of 1.107, the Eagles needed a Vega big win if they were to pip New South Wales to the other semifinal spot from this league, which in the event was not to be.

The Eagles, though, were not the ones to go down without a fight. Riley Roussouw rocketed to 44 (19b, 5x4, 3x6) skipper Boeta Dippenaar (33, 19b, 4x4, 1x6) realized 58 for the fourth wicket along with Dillon du Preez but the task was imposing as it was impossible on the day Eagles needed 73 runs from the last five overs but with Pollard striking, crucial blows rto snuff out the Eagles. Having toppers League A, Trinidad & Tobago play the second-placed team in League B air either Cobras or Bushrangers in the second semifinal on October 22.

Hyderabad: With their place in the last Four of the Champions League Twenty20
secure, Trinidad and Tobago threw caution to the winds and the sparse crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium got their money's worth of power hitting while the West Indian outfit cruised to an imposing 213 or four and laid low the Eagles' challenge my 24 runs.

Bangalore: The darling of fans, Ross Taylor, once again lived up to the expectations with a hurricane knock laced with massive hits in RCB'S final match in the Champions League T20, as they knocked out Delhi Daredevils.

Despite his man of the match exploits against Daredevils on Saturday the Kiwi was sad that his team crashed out. “we are disappointed that we couldn't make it to the next stage. It is a funny thing that if we had two points, we would have progressed. But that's the way cricket goes. It is a bit sad that none of the IPL teams is in the semifinals,'' said the right-handed batsman.

However, the New Zealand batting mainstay was sure that the crowd enjoyed his pyrotechnics to the core.

“In New Zealand, cricket is a small game and you don't have much support from the public. But here it's amazing and you feel at home. I hope we have presented them a good Diwali gift by winning the matched Taylor said.

The middle-order batsman also praised South African spinner Roelof van der Merwe and Former India captain Anil Kumble for their deeds in the winning cause, particularly Merwe for dismissing dangerman 0 Vireder Sehwag.

Daredevils skipper Gautam Gambhir, however, felt that apart from the slowmen, Taylor too contributed in a big way in the lop-sided contest.

''He (Taylor) took the game away from us. The way Anil and van der Merwe bowled, we couldn't put up a good total. We were going good but they bowled really well to restrict us on a good pitch. I thought 138 was not even par for the course,” quipped the India opener.

Gambhir also admitted that the team badly missed the services Daniel Vettori and dazzling top-order batsman AB de Villiers

As All Three Indian Teams Tumble Out, Champions League loses 1ts Sheen

New Delhi: With the three IPL teams - Deccan Chargers, RCB and Delhi Daredevils - getting knocked out in the Champions League, the event has lost a lot of zing and popularity stakes. Critics are now also questioning the standard of the lucrative IPL which is part of the Indian domestic calendar Has the Champions League exposed IPL in some ways? One of the main reasons for the flop show of IPL teams, according to some players and officials of IPL teams, is the fact that while many foreign teams are playing like cohesive units because they spend a lot of time together, the IPL will teams didn't have the advantage of being together for sufficient time.
“In an IPLteam, players hardly get time to get used to their teammates so team bonding is difficult. For the Champions League, many key members of
the three teams were busy at- tending national duty and were not available till one or two days before the matches started,'' a Daredevils player told.

“To play as team, you have to develop an understanding of what the team exactly needs from you and how one can perform as a team. If we are not spending enough time together, then it's a problem.

“In the IPL it doesn't show because all the teams are more or less at the same level, but that's not the case in the Champions leaguers the player added.

That also explains to some ex- tent why the IPL teams were looking less than prepared for CL. Several top players did not get enough time to plan and prepare for the T20 event.

Daredevils were also undone by injuries to key men like Vettori and AB deVillers. Meanwhile, RCB'S bowling was week while Decent depended too much on a few Individuals, like skipper Adam Gilchrist and Symonds.

Another reason was that some leading lights of IPL teams opted to play for teams from their own country, thus weakening the to IPL units.

Hyderabad: New South Wales Blues packed too many guns for Somerset Sabres in the first match of the Sunday double header

At 44 for five inside 10 overs after the Blues put the opposition ins there was only one way the match was headed at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium after Stuart Clark scythed through the top order, and though the Australian outfit lost four wickets, they finished the match at 112 for four with 49 deliveries to spare

The Somerset top order-Craig Kieswetter, skipper Justin Langer, Arul Suppiah, James Hildreth and Peter Trego -came and went as they pleased and but for the 37-run partnership between Zander de Bruyn (23m 32b, 2x4) and Omari Banks for the sixth wicket, Somerset would have had a lot less than their eventual 111 for seven.

Bengal Ranji Trophy cricketer Avik Chowdhury is fighting for life in a Kolkata hospital following a road accident on Sunday afternoon. Avik and four of his friends suffered serious injuries when his car overturned after hitting a road divider on EM Bypass. Avik suffered three factures on his spinal cord, a chest injury and was left paralyzed from waist down, according to authorities at the Ruby hospitals where he was admitted in a critical condition at around quarter past four. “All five of them, including three women, have suffered injuries. But Chowdhury's injury was very serious (semi-comatose). He is undergoing treatment in the ITU along with another person,”

A much awaited match was ended in favor of bangalore,The big hitter Ross Taylor,Who found all the fences in the park,and he also take the bangalore to a emphatic victory,in early time sehwag played a good innings to help delhi to reach a good score,but it is not enough to make them a victories team

The Champions League T20 campaign was did over for RCB even before the start of the contest but the Bangalore side ended it on a high with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils hire on Saturday The results also ensured the ouster of Daredevils from the inaugural event and the 12-tournament will now have a semifinal line-up devoid of any IPL side...

Bangalore: The Champions League T20 campaign was did over for RCB even before the start of the contest but the Bangalore side ended it on a high with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils hire on Saturday The results also ensured the ouster of Daredevils from the inaugural event and the 12-tournament will now have a semifinal line-up devoid of any IPL side.
The victory of Cape Cobras over Victoria Bushrangers earlier might have badly hurt the Anil Kumble-led side but RCB went about the l39 run chase in style
as one-drop Rahul Dravid (32 not out, 29balls) and crowd favourite Ross Taylor (65,38b, 4x4, 4x6) added 93 for the second wicket in just 38 balls after Manish Pandey retired with an injury and Robin Uthappa(9) Succumbed to fiery Dirk Nannes early on.
After being sent to bat, Daredevils enjoyed a flourishing start with Virender Sehwag at his strokeful best. The righthander drove and flicked with artful ease even as the crowd shed its partisan approach to applaud the Deepavali offerings from the Delhi dasher

Sehwag started the fireworks early on, hitting four consecutive boundaries, three off an erratic Praveen Kumar's first over Skipper Gautam Gambhir was happy to play the second fiddle before the southpaw perished behind the wicket off speedster Dale Steyn for 11.

Just when it looked like Sehwag (47, 29b, 6x4, 1x6) would take the match away from RCB, left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe gave his side the massive breakthrough. A lofted shot from Sehwag ended up in Pandey’s hands at long off in the 10th over.

R.P Singh was given a chance to perform in Champions League,But the performance was not up to the mark for the selection panel,He was not able to find a place in the team for the Australia Series 09.....

Venkatesh Prasad, India's bowling coach, has exposed a word that it is too much to expect from fast bowler Ishant Sharma while he remains relatively new to the international scene....

RCB,Delhi Daredevils T0 Slug It Out In First All-lndia affair Of The Meet



Bangalore: The Champions League T20 will get an all-Indian treat for the
first time when hosts RCB take on Delhi Daredevils at the M Chinnaswamy
Stadium here on Saturday. The contest in all probability will be a cracker, adding more fervour to the Deepavalli celebrations, considering the big names involved in the second round encounter

After the morale-sapping loss to Victoria Bushrangers on Thursday, each match in their group will be crucial for RCB including those not featuring them. For the record, the Victoria-cape Cobras encounter on the
a same day preceding the all-IPL sides tie, will sea1 RCB’s fate in the 12-team tourney if the Cobras get it past the Aussie team.

RCB skipper Anil Kumble realizes that the things are not all in their
hands going into their last League Stage match. “We now need to win
against Delhi with a huge margin. It is tough in this format - we lose the first game of the tournament, then we qualify for the next round but the other team takes points. It is tough but that is how the format is. You only play two games and it is not easy when the other teams come in with points. It is a must-win against Delhi,” said Kumble after the loss against Victoria. But that task will be easier said
than done against a team boasting the likes of explosive Team India batting pair Of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, the in-form SriLankan Tilllakaratne Ditshan, the ever surprising Dinesh Karthik, et al.

In their final group encounter the Daredevils. finally gave the breaks to
one Glenn McGrath (yes, the legendary McGrath!) and the lanky pacer
quietly did the job he is so passionate about - troubling the rival batsmen. The DD coach David Saker even mentioned that the slow nature of thy wicket here might suit the
Aussie’s art perfectly.

With speedster Dirk Nannes complementing McGrath with pace, quite hot stuff at that, it would be a tough challenge for the RCB batsmen but how Team India spinner Amit Mishra pans out on a helpful track too remains crucial fir Delhi. On the other hands, RCB will be stronger with the return of abounded Jacques Kallis, who according to team sources is fit to play after pissing the last match with a side strain. His services were dearly missed during the defeated Victoria. Anyhow the team combination will depend a lot on the Victoria-Cobras tie and a victory for Cobras might see the reserves in action for RCB.

Bangalore: Just like India rooted i for Pakistan in their Champions Trophy encounter in South Africa recently Bangaloreans can be expected to lend their considerable support to an Australian team, the victorian Bushrangers, here on Saturday.

For only a victory for the Bushrangers can keep their opponents down to two points and keep RCB alive in the Champions League T20 - at least until the hosts' match against Delhi Daredevils, which follow the late afternoon tie between the Cobras and the Bushrangers.

The Bushrangers, fresh from their League Stage win over RCB on ''Thursday had an optional net session at the Chinnaswamy Stadium On Friday but opener Rob Quiney stated in very clear terms that it wasn't an indication of taking things lightly.

“We will not take the game lightly that's for sure,” he said as some of his mates had batting practice at the nets before getting in some catching drills.

With their bowling having more than held its own as also the tor-order during what could have been a tricky chase against RCB, the lack of exposure for the middle and late order could be a worry but its something Quiney chose to brush aside, saying: “They have all been practicing hard and if they get out there, they can do the required job.”

As for the Cobras what they require is some runs from Herschelle Gibbs.His humour is intact during an informal chat with the media but should he get amongst the runs, more so in the company of skipper Andrew Puttick, the man 5 who scored the CL T20s first century the Bushrangers could find themselves with too much to do. Which is not what the local crowd would want 2 on their Diwali holiday.

Magical Pollard Innings Helps T&T Down Australian Team

Hyderabad: They came as the underdogs but have packed off the more fancied teams already. Friday night was their biggest day in the Champions League T20 Championship as Trinidad & Tobago scored an astonishing four-wicket victory on the back of a blistering knock by Kieron Pollard. The youngster smashed an unbeaten 54 off 18 balls as the West Indians snatched an unlikely win.His unbeaten was studded with five fours and an equal number of huge sixes. T&T smashed at 171 for six in 18.3 overs.
The West Indian side ran into early trouble losing their top three batsmen with just 30 on the board. Skipper Daren Ganga and Darren Bravo kept the fight on but soon lost their way and at 91 for five it looked as if the Blues would romp to another handsome win.

Denesh Ramdin struck some hefty blows to keep the chase on before he was run out. But the night belonged to Pollard who produced some blistering fireworks to light up the gloom.


Earlier Philip Hughes and David Warner warmed up the cockles of the sparse crowd with some blistering stroke play to help Blues to 170 for fouls On Diwali's eve the Australians produced some crackling fireworks to run ragged the West Indian attack. This promoted skipper Gang: to turn to his brother Sherwin Ganga and the off-spinner didn't disappoint. He kept the runs in check. But the Bltles were not going to be tied down for long. Running like a pair of hounded hares, the southpaws stole runs with ease and hit the occasional boundary to keep the score moving at a more than healthy run rate. At the end of the 11th over, the Blues were 77.

In what's a pressure game for Delhi Daredevils, where a defeat will spell elimination, Gautam Gambhir won the toss and chose to give his batsmen the best use of the conditions. The pitch for the earlier game today and the ones before have played slow and kept low and therefore Gambhir's decision at the toss wasn't surprising...

Pakistan has won the T20 Cup in style beating Sri Lanka in a huge wicket margin...

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board will announce on Monday whether Younis Khan will continue as captain of the Test and ODl sides or a new skipper will take over. PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt is due to address a press conference immediately after concluding a meeting of the governing council in Lahore in which he is expected to inform the members what he plans to do.

Pakistan cricket has plunged into a crisis since last week when Younis submitted his resignation to Butt in protest against the match-fixing allegations made against him and his team for lossing to Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.

The crisis has also created a clear divide in Pakistan cricket with one side pressurizing the board to accept Younis' resignation and opt for a new captain while the other side believes the board should convince Younis to take 'back his resignation by accepting some of his demands.

The anti-Younis camp is propagating that if the board does not accept his resignation. it might lead to all open revolt by around eight to nine players in the team against his captaincy Former captains backed Younis Khan to continue as the national team skipper, saying he is the bast man to lead the side.

Govt. not to interfere:Pakistan's Sports Minister Aftab Shah Jillani on Sunday
said the government would not interfere in the Younis Khan captaincy issue and would allow the Cricket Board to take whatever concision it felt was best for the team. Jillani told reporters that he had conveyed this to the board chairman Ejaz Butt.

“The PCB knows best what to do. But we hope whatever decision is taken is
taken keeping in mind the long term in terest of Pakistan cricket,” he said.

PCB chief blames media: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt on Sunday blamed the media for making speculations cad insisted he had not taken any decision to replace Younis Khan by Shahid Afridi as national team captain.
“It is all speculation by the media that the board has decided to remove Younus as captain and appoint Shahid Afridi in his place. No such decision has been taken,”

Deccan Chargers Crash Out Losing To Trinidad & Tobago

Score Card

Deccan Chargers couldn't have timed their ninth defeat at the rajiv Gandhi International Stadium any worse. Their second defeat in Group A of the champions League Twenty20 brought curtains to their campaign while Trinidad and Tobago,who won the crucial league encounter by three runs here on Wednesday,and Somerset Sabres progress to Super Eight.

The hosts needed a win against the Caribbean champions to stay alive in the competition but the effort of turbo charged west Indian Fidel Edwards,who bowled brilliantly brilliantly at the 'death,' and skipper Adam Gilchrist(51, 36b, 64s,26s) who added 55 for the fourth wicket with Rohit Sharma (25,24b,34s) went in vain. The Chargers,who needed 38 from the last 30 deliveries, finished at 146 for nine.

Dame fortune, which the Chargers desperately hoped would smile on them, did and gilchrist did not think twice before sending the opponents in. And the 149 for seven Trinidad & Tobago scored didn't look huge,especially when the ball was regularly hitting the sweet spot of Gilchrist,s bat.

T&T and Somerset had two points each before this encounter but the latter had a poor run-rate compared to T&T and Chargers, and the home supporters had their hearts in the mouth as Gilly upper cut sailed perilously close over the third man's head off the second ball of the innings.But his partner, VVS Laxman succumbed cheaply to Dwayne Bravo at the other end. They also lost Abhinav Kumar off the last delivery of the over.

It could have been worse had Dwayne Bravo has held on to a fierce shot by Andrew Symonds off Ravi Rampaul, but the Australian all-rounder who had an excellent outing with the ball, did not capitalize and was caught short by William Perkins' throw from the deep. At 31 for three in the first five overs, the situation looked very familier for Rohit Sharma.

The Gilchrist-Rohit duo showed all it needed for them to win was some commonsense cricket something which the latter order showed complete disregard to-and meted out Kieron Pollard the same treatment he gave the Chargers' attack.