Cricket Central

Aussies pushed to force draw

Cricket Central — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:05:11 +0000

After being well beaten in the first test match at the Gabba in Brisbane, the West Indies have pushed the Aussies in the second test and the home side was forced to play for a draw. The Windies set the Aussies 330 runs to win in just under a days play but were unable to bowl the hosts out, needing five wickets in the final session.

To read the full article at The Go please click the following link:
http://www.thego.com.au/sports/cricket/452-aussies-forced-to-fight-out-draw

Aussies smash Scotland in ODI

Craig Bilski — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:23:37 +0000

Australia have smashed Scotland by 189 runs in the one off ODI at Edinburgh on Friday night. A great innings of 111 from 83 balls by David Hussey helped set up the massive total of 345 which proved too much for the home side. Shane Watson picked up three wickets to go with his quick fire 68 with the bat, as the Aussies bowled out Scotland for just 156 within 40 overs.

Click the link below to view the full article at TheGo.com.au

http://www.thego.com.au/sports/cricket/188-hussey-ton-smashes-scotts

England take first innings lead

Craig Bilski — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:22:57 +0000

After making 425 in their first innings, England has taken a first innings lead, bowling Australia out for just 215. The home side have not beaten Australia at Lords since 1934, but are now in the box seat to win for the first time in 74 years with a first innings 210 runs advantage.

Click the link below to view the full article at TheGo.com.au

http://www.thego.com.au/sports/cricket/109-the-ashes-test-two-1st-innings

Flintoff announces retirement from tests

Brendon Meynell — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:51:29 +0000

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has today announced his retirement from Test cricket following the conclusion of his involvement in the current npower Ashes Test series.Flintoff will continue to make himself available for selection for One-Day Internationals and International Twenty20 fixtures.
After making his Test debut for England against South Africa in 1998 the 31-year-old has gone on to play 75 Tests for his country.

Read the full article at Sports Force

Mendis joins South Australia for Twenty20

Cricinfo Australia — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:05:59 +0000

Australia’s state cricketers are in for a rapid lesson in handling world-class spin after Sri Lanka’s mystery tweaker Ajantha Mendis signed for South Australia in next season’s Twenty20 competition. But the Redbacks players will be equally tested on the field with the news that Victoria are close to securing Mendis’ record-holding team-mate Muttiah Muralitharan.

View Full Article on Cricinfo

Seamers hand West Indies the advantage

Cricinfo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:25:47 +0000

It was a dreamy day for the second-string West Indies team. Make no mistake, they are still just a makeshift attack but Bangladesh played poor cricket to be bowled out for 238. It could have been worse, as they were struggling at 172 for 8, but Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain swung their bat bravely post-tea - after rain robbed much of the second session’s play - to push Bangladesh towards respectability. They then dealt West Indies an early blow, Shakib Al Hasan trapping Dale Richards, who celebrated his Test debut with a stunning pulled six to get off the mark, plumb in front to ensure Bangladesh ended the day on a high.

Read Full Article at Cricinfo

Rain halts play as Aussies take lead

Craig Bilski — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:13:19 +0000

With rain delays late on day three and bad weather forecast for day four, a result in the first Ashes test is looking less and less likely. Rain over Cardiff saw players leave the field for around two hours, before play was resumed under lights. It didn’t last long however, as showers set in again ending the days play.

Australia commenced the day in a very strong position at 1 for 249 with Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting both scoring centuries late on day two. The pair added a further 50 runs to the over night total before James Anderson struck with the second new ball to dismiss Katich leg before wicket for 122. Anderson continued to look dangerous swinging the ball both ways and he claimed his second wicket with a full delivery which caught the edge of Hussey’s bat. Keeper Matthew Prior took a sharp, low catch as Hussey became just the second player dismissed for single figures so far in the match.

Ponting continued to look comfortable despite being beaten a few times by swinging deliveries from Anderson and Flintoff, before getting a top edge for six to put him close to 150. The skipper then brought up the milestone in a simliar fashion to his century with a little push into the covers. Just a few balls later he chopped one one from Panesar, giving the off spinner his first wicket for the match.

Michael Clarke and Marcus North then settled in, building a solid partnership, each picking up half centuries before rain halted play. After the two hour delay the players took to the field under lights as play was extended to 7.30 local time. The gloomy weather had the umpires chatting a lot between overs, but the mood brightened for the Poms when a short ball from Stuart Broad caught the gloves of Michael Clarke, dismissing him for 83. An over or two later the rain began to fall once again ending the days play.

At stumps on day three Australia lead by 44 runs with five wickets in hand.

England - All Out for 435
Kevin Peitersen - 69
Paul Collingwood - 64
Matthew Prior - 56
Mitchell Johnson - 3/87 (22)
Nathan Hauritz - 3/95 (23.5)

Australia - 5 for 479
Ricky Ponting - 150
Simon Katich - 122
Michael Clarke - 83
Marcus North - 54*
James Anderson - 2/80 (24)

Katich and Ponting put Aussies in control

Craig Bilski — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:12:42 +0000

Centuries to both Simon Katich and skipper Ricky Ponting have put Australia in a comfortable position at stumps on Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test Match in Cardiff.

England had the best of the morning session with their lower order bashing the Australia bowlers around the park. At 7 for 336 at the start of play the Aussies were looking to wrap up the tail quickly and it looked as though it might happen when Mitchell Johnson bowled Chris Broad around his legs. However, Graeme Swann had other ideas as he hit 47 from 40 balls helping the home side to 99 runs in just 16.5 overs to be all out for 435.

The Australian openers start well, as Phil Hughes helped himself to wide deliveries from Anderson and Broad pushing the opening stand past 50. England needed a spark and they got it from Freddie Flintoff. After coming into the attack Flintoff immediately caused Hughes trouble, before taking his wicket with a ball that cramped the opener for room as he tried another cut. The inside edge was held by Matt Prior, taking it low and to his right. The England crowd were in raptures as Flintoff stood in the middle of the pitch with his hands in the air. Hughes gone for 35.

However, this would be the only break through as Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting controlled the rest of the days play. Both took a measured approach, only giving one small chance when Katich played a low drive back to Flintoff who couldn’t hold it. With just a few overs left in the day they each notched up their centuries taking the Australian total to 249.

Australia still trail by 186 runs with 9 wickets in hand.

England - All Out for 435
Kevin Peitersen - 69
Paul Collingwood - 64
Mitchell Johnson - 3/87 (22)
Nathan Hauritz - 3/95 (23.5)

Australia - 1 for 249
Simon Katich - 104*
Ricky Ponting - 100*
Andrew Flintoff - 1/48 (15)

Aussies level series

Brendon Meynell — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 07:44:38 +0000

Australia has levelled their One Day Series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, with Andrew Symonds finally hitting some form to lead Australia’s charge to a six wicket victory.

The Australians had made a couple of changes from the side that was completly out played in the first match between the two countries, with Shaun Marsh returning to Australia due to injury, and Doug Bollinger and Queensland younster Ben Laughlin both earning call ups into the squad - the Australians were looking for a change of fortune.

Pakistan captain Younis Khan won the toss and elected to bat first, however his decision was thrown into question when opener Ahmed Shehzad was run out by Australian skipper Michael Clarke for 4 in the third over with the Pakistan team 1 for 5 early in the match.

The Pakistani skipper combined with opening batsmen Salman Butt (57) for a 53 run partnership to stabalise the Pakistan batting innings, before Khan edged a Ben Laughlin delivery for a catch to wicket keeper Brad Haddin.

Nathan Hauritz seem to put Australia in a comanding position when he picked up two quick scalps of Shoaib Malik (7), and Misbah-ul-Haq (12) to have Pakistan at 4 for 103 in the 28th Over, when Hauritz picked up his third wicket, the prized scalp of Salman Butt, and All Rounder James Hopes adding two scalps to his international career the Pakistan innings looked a shaky 7 for 176.

However it was left to the tailenders to add respectability to the score and when Umar Gul and returning speedstar Shoaib Akhtar added a valuable 30 - including 25 from 14 balls from Akhtar the Pakistani team had put together 207 by the time they were bowled out - losing the final three wickets for just one run.

Although the Australians had prevented Pakistan from scoring a highly defendable One Day International score, their fielding was left definately lacking, with numerous drop catches and missed run outs making the once powerhouse side looking mediocre at best.

James Hopes joined Brad Haddin to open the batting for the Australians, the pair putting on just 16 before Haddin was bowled by Umar Gul for 8, before Shane Watson - still recovering from stress fractures - combined with Hopes for a brilliant 77 run partnership before departing for 30.

All eyes though were on Australian All Rounder Andrew Symonds, who after picking up 2 for 12 from his two overs, finally returned to some sort of batting form blasting 58 from 62 to secure the six wicket victory for the troubled Australian team.

This article was written by Brendon Meynell from Sports-Force.net.au

http://www.sports-force.net.au/cricket/2009/04/25/aussies-level-series/

North answers call

Brendon Meynell — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:58:45 +0000

Marcus North has answered a S.O.S call from Australian Cricket Selectors, whilst playing for Hampshire in English County Cricket, after scans today revealled a recurrence of Shaun Marsh’s left hamstring injury in which has ruled the Western Australian batsmen out of the remainder of the One Day Series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

The One Day Series between the two countries, which has been four years in the making, got of to a horror start for the struggling Australian team, not only did they lose the first of five games for the series by four wickets after being completly out played by the Pakistani team, exciting opener Shaun Marsh re-injured his left hamstring and as a result has been ruled out for the remainder of the tour.

Cricket Australia today confirmed opening batsman Shaun Marsh will return to Australia after suffering a left hamstring injury during Australia’s first one-day international against Pakistan in Dubai last night. Marsh’s Western Australian captain Marcus North, currently representing Hampshire in English County Cricket, will join the Australian squad in Dubai tomorrow as a replacement player.

Australian team doctor Trefor James said:

”Shaun has undergone scans this morning in Dubai which have shown a recurrence of the left hamstring injury he suffered during the Australian summer.

”The injury means Shaun is unavailable for selection in any of the remaining games in the United Arab Emirates and therefore a decision has been made to send him home immediately in order to begin his recovery.

”Shaun’s recovery process will be monitored over the next two weeks before any decision can be made on his availability for the upcoming ICC Twenty20 World Championship in the United Kingdom”

Cricket Australia National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said:
“This is very disappointing for Shaun particularly given how hard he was worked in his recovery from the previous injury. It is however a great opportunity for Marcus North to demonstrate his talents in the one-day arena with some important series to be played in the near future.

“While Marcus has been chosen primarily as a top-order batsman, his off-spin bowling will come in particularly handy in the conditions the team will face both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Australians were beaten into submission over night in the first one day international, with Sahid Afridi taking six for 38 as the Australians were bowled out for 168. In reply a patient Pakistan team took 44.2 Overs to notch the winning runs with 4 wickets in hand.

This article was written by Brendon Meynell from Sports-Force.net.au

http://www.sports-force.net.au/cricket/2009/04/23/north-answers-call/