Friday 6 January 2012

Annoyed Virat Kohli shows middle finger to the SCG crowd

As if the bashing by Australian batsmen was not enough, the Indian team walked into more trouble with Virat Kohli, riled by an abusive group of spectators, stuck out his middle finger at his hecklers on the second day of the Sydney Test on Wednesday.

This could spiral into a controversy with an Australian newspaper The Age calling it 'Fingergate', reminding its readers of the infamous Monkeygate which happened at the same venue when the Indians last toured Down Under.

The action may invite the match referee's ire and Kohli could face disciplinary action for his gesture that came on a day when the hosts flayed the Indian bowling attack.

Kohli was on duty at the boundary-line for a long period of time and once even crashed into a television camera and the ground runners while trying to stop a Michael Clarke hit from crossing over the line.

The young player later defended himself on Twitter saying, "i agree cricketers don't have to retaliate. what when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst I've heard (sic)".

Kohli soon received some support from England's Kevin Pietersen, also his IPL teammate in Royal Challengers Bangalore, and legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.

While Pietersen tweeted, "ha ha ha ha ha!!! Welcome to Australia buddy!!", Bachchan said, "Just ignore criticism... It's there so you can prove it wrong! you are great humans... We adore you! Play well we are with you."

Pietersen added, "never heard crap like that. EVER. that's the way it is mate.. Beat them & they start abusing their own!! #fickle"

If found guilty of "using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting", Kohli can be fined up to 50 per cent of his match fee under ICC's Code of Conduct.

It was not clear whether on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Ian Gould have reported the matter to Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle.

Friday 30 December 2011

Australia won the first test match against India

Melbourne: India let Australia off the hook and allowed them to end the first day in the first Test at 277 for six in the first innings at stumps at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Monday.

Debutant opener Ed Cowan (68) and under-pressure Ricky Ponting (68) hit half-centuries in their crucial 113-run third wicket stand while Indian pacers Umesh Yadav (3-96) and Zaheer Khan (2-49) did the damage. Test vice captain Brad Haddin was on 21 along with Peter Siddle (34) at stumps.

India had the whiphand soon after tea, when Zaheer dismissed skipper Michael Clarke (61) and Mike Hussey off successive deliveries and two overs later off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (1-71) removed Cowan to leave Australia reeling at 214 for six. But Haddin and Siddle saved the day with their unfinished 63-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Clarke made a brave decision to bat first despite heavy overnight rains, and openers Cowan and David Warner (37) weathered a difficult first hour before settling down for 46-run opening stand. They batted well in tandem but had contrasting approaches. While Cowan was watchful, Warne was forceful.

A brief rain delay broke Warner's concentration and he was caught behind gloving a short ball from Yadav's first delivery after the break. Marsh survived just six balls before pushing hard at a Yadav delivery outside off for an easy catch.

At 46/2, Ponting walked in and was soon greeted with a bouncer from Yadav that struck on his helmet grille trying to pull a ball which then almost dropped onto his stumps. Ponting, who came into this match struggling to retain his place in the side, settled down soon and hit back at his detractors with a crafty half-century.

Ponting's balance and timing were superb, perhaps helped by last week's batting camp. Ponting fell for 62, caught at second slip off a Yadav delivery that moved away from him and induced a sliced bat.

Cowan was cautious in his approach in both the sessions and allowed Ponting to take charge in the second. They ran well between the wickets and their 113-run stand came off 200 balls. At a time when the partnership grew strong, Yadav got a delivery to rear up menacingly forcing Ponting to edge it to V.V.S. Laxman in the slip.

Cowan and Clarke then added a 46-run stand for the fourth wicket as Australia went past the 200-run mark. But three wickets in four overs, including two in successive deliveries, swung the game in India's favour as Australia slumped to 214/6 from 205/3.

Clarke was out first, chopping Zaheer's delivery onto his stumps and in the next delivery the veteran Hussey was dismissed for a golden duck caught behind to a ball that rose sharply on him but appeared to miss his bat and gloves.

Two overs later, Cowan's five-hours gritty knock came to an end when he was caught behind off Ashwin. Cowan's innings was the second highest for an Australian opener on debut since Wayne Phillips' 159 at the WACA in November 1983.

The pressure will now be on Hussey to retain his side in the team once Shane Watson returns to the side from injury. Both Ponting and Hussey were under tremendous pressure for the first time in their career. While Ponting might have assured his place in the side for some time the pressure will increase on Hussey.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Rohit Sharma smashes 95, but India lose third ODI against West Indies

Ahmedabad: Rohit Sharma's valiant 95 went in vain as the West Indies defeated India by 16 runs in the third One-Day International here Monday and kept the series alive.

Chasing a target of 261 runs, India again fumbled at the top before Sharma guided the innings scoring his third fifty of the series. Wickets kept falling at the other end. Sharma was run out to a sharp pick and throw by West Indies captain Darren Sammy, and it looked it was all but over for India.

But Abhimanyu Mithun (23) and Umesh Yadav (11) raised visions of a victory with some scintillating hitting. The two added 28 runs for the last wicket before Mithun was dismissed lbw to Ravi Rampaul, who took four wickets. India folded up in 46.5 overs.

It was the first victory for the West Indies team on this tour. The series is now wide open with India leading 2-1 and two more matches to go.

India had a bad start again with opener Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir falling to Rampaul in successive balls for a golden duck. Sehwag's opening partner Parthiv Patel (39) and Virat Kohli (20),however, added 25 runs for the third wicket before debutant Sunil Narine (2/34) trapped Kohli lbw.

Marlon Samuels bowled Parthiv and Rampaul dismissed Suresh Raina (2), caught behind. Ravindra Jadeja (11) did not stay for long and soon India were left reeling at 105/6.

Sharma, who got away with a life when Sammy dropped an easy catch at gully, together with Ravichandran Ashwin added 91 runs to stabilise the innings.

Sharma, who has been a revelation in the series, hit 10 well-timed fours and a six. He was out to direct throw from Sammy.

Earlier, the West Indies smashed 73 runs in the last five overs to post a competitive 260/5.

All-rounder Andre Russell and captain Darren Sammy took the Indian pacers to the cleaners in the death overs after Marlon Samuels scored a patient 58 at the top of the order.

Russell's 40 off 18 balls and Sammy's 41 off 17 turned things around for the visitors, who are looking for their maiden win of the tour.

Their brutal attack also exposed the inexperience of the likes of Umesh Yadav and Abhimanyu Mithun, who gave away 43 runs in the last 12 balls.

Mithun, playing his first match of the series and in hunt to be Praveen Kumar's replacement on the Australia tour, conceded 47 runs in seven overs. His last over went for 23 with Sammy hitting him for consecutive sixes over long on and cover. Yadav leaked 75 runs from nine overs.

The West Indies also got off to a bad start as they lost in-form opener Lendl Simmons (1) early on and found scoring tough for as long as the 40th over.

Pollard (29) once again got out after a promising start with Ravindra Jadeja taking a blinder in the deep off Vinay Kumar (2/39).

Darren Bravo (26) and Samuels had shared 55 runs for the third wicket before the stylish southpaw was forced to retire at the end of the 26th over.

Friday 22 July 2011

Pietersen piles on the runs at Lord's as England take control of first Test

A mighty double hundred from Kevin Pietersen, his first century at home for nearly three years, put England in charge on day two of the first npower Test against India at Lord's.
Having last reached three figures in this country in August 2008, Pietersen chose the occasion of the 2000th Test to score 202 not out, his fifth ton at the home of cricket, 18th Test century and third score over 200.

Pietersen's innings started doggedly, and he can consider himself fortunate to have survived a debated catch on 49, but by the declaration on 474 for eight, he was at his swaggering best.

In all Pietersen had batted for over eight hours, hitting 21 fours and a six and passing 6,000 Test runs in the process.

India, meanwhile, survived a tricky five overs at the close to reach 17 without loss.

They had toiled for large periods without their stricken spearhead Zaheer Khan, absent with a hamstring strain, though there was some joy for Praveen Kumar.

The swing bowler twice took two wickets in an over to check English momentum and closed with five for 106 to join Pietersen on the famous honours board.

England resumed this morning on 127 for two, with Jonathan Trott driving the first boundary of the day off Praveen and Pietersen immediately more assured than during his skittish 22-run cameo on Thursday.

He got going with two punchy fours through mid-on and was soon collecting regular singles.

Trott looked typically solid and it was a surprise to see Praveen beat the bat and trap him lbw on the back foot for 70.

India installed a leg slip for Praveen and it looked like a master stroke when Pietersen, one short of his half-century, turned one round his pad to the waiting Rahul Dravid.

Having dropped Trott on eight yesterday, the 38-year-old got down well this time but could not be certain of the catch and the umpires sent the decision upstairs.

As so often happens, replays gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt and Pietersen survived, though he can feel fortunate to have done so.

His 50 followed off 134 deliveries, the longest Pietersen has ever taken to reach that mark.

Harbhajan Singh was bowling to some defensive fields but was struggling to contain England, Pietersen timing a four over mid-off and Ian Bell scoring briskly on both sides of the wicket.

Pietersen then clubbed an aggressive, though not entirely impressive, stroke off Ishant Sharma for two to bring up the 200.

Wednesday 29 June 2011

M S Dhoni's cheque for Rs 645 bounced

Ranchi, Jun 25: It seems like the captain of the Indian cricket team, which is controlled by world's wealthiest cricket association BCCI, is running out of money! Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who guided India to 2011 Cricket World Cup victory, does not even have Rs 645 in his bank account!

According to media reports, a cheque for Rs 645 issued by MS Dhoni in favour of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has bounced. The bank authorities returned the checque due to "insufficient fund" in the account.

MS Dhoni, one of the biggest tax-payer in the state of Jharkhand, issued the cheque towards the annual holding tax for his house at Kunwar Singh Colony. But unfortunately, the cheque was returned by the SBI, Doranda branch.

The Times of India quoted the tax collector of ward 52, RN Jha as saying, "Dhoni had issued a cheque (number 550703) of the State Bank of India, Doranda branch, from his savings account 01190108959 amounting to Rs 645 on March 15."

However, officials said that Dhoni has been paying the holding tax "regularly" and it would be a case of human error and oversight.

Friday 10 June 2011

Match-fixing - Tillakaratne denies naming former cricketers

Colombo: Former Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne has denied reports that he had named his former teammates Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya as the players who were involved in match-fixing.

In a statement, Tillakaratne said that he hasn't named any cricketer during a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

'While my wife Apsari Tillakaratne and Rev. Uduwe Dhammaloka also took part with me in a meeting which had been summoned by His Excellency the President to find out about the earlier statement I had made to this assembly, I would like to insist to this august assembly that there was no mention of any player or person at that meeting' Tillakaratne, who is now an opposition UNP member in the Western Provincial Council, stated at a Council meeting Tuesday.

The Daily Mirror reported that Tillakaratne is co-operating with the Sri Lanka Police and International Cricket Council (ICC), who are investigating the allegations made by him.

'The Criminal Investigation Department summoned me twice and I fully co-operated on both occasions. I would like to insist that I am the plaintiff and not the accused in this case. My telephone numbers have been provided to the ICC to let them contact me at any time they want. Sri Lanka Cricket has also provided me with the telephone numbers of the relevant authorities for me to contact them,' Tillakaratne said.

Saturday 4 June 2011

Not satisfied yet with my career, says Sachin Tendulkar

India’s batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is not satisfied with his career, and said that he is still learning about his passion, cricket.

In the latest issue of Sky Sports magazine, Tendulkar said: “When you win something or score a century you say you are happy, but not satisfied. Satisfaction is like engaging the handbrake and hoping a car moves forward.”

“I am not satisfied yet with my career and what I have done, not at all. I feel the moment you start to feel satisfied, then it is only natural that you begin to cool down and lose it,” he said.

The 38-year-old Tendulkar feels he still has a lot of cricket left in him and doesn’t want to think about retirement any soon.

“I still love cricket as much as ever. It is my job, but it is also my passion. Cricket remains in my heart, I don’t need anything else to motivate me. I dreamed of playing for my country when I was young and it is still my dream, it is still fun for me,” he said.

For Tendulkar, “life without cricket is unthinkable.”

“I am still learning about the game. I figure something out about my batting all the time, you have to keep your mind open. I learn all the time, those small adjustments, with your footwork or bat swing can improve your game, I love doing that. You never know everything. Mentally that makes you feel so good. That is the best form of preparation,” Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar said India’s World Cup win after a gap of 28 years in his home ground of Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was the most defining moment of his career. He was sitting in the dressing room, praying to god during the second innings, he said.

“It was a different kind of feeling, a high, like living on a different planet, it felt as though I was flying,” he said.