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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
