Cricket Life

Scorecard and Video Highlights A magnificent innings by Richards, which he himself considered to be one of the best he had ever played, dwarfed all else. Almost single-handed he won the match for West Indies after they had been in deep trouble. Having won the toss and chosen to bat, they were 102 for seven in the 26th over, on a pitch which was of little help to the faster bowlers but allowed Miller generous turn with his offbreaks. Haynes was run out by Botham, off his own bowling, in the second over of the match, and after that only Baptiste and Holding stayed for long with Richards. In a memorable display Richards received 170 balls and hit 21 fours and five sixes, one of these, a straight drive, going out of the ground at the Warwick Road end. In 14 overs for the last wicket Richards and Holding added 106, Richards's share being 93. He batted with daring and immense power, giving only one technical chance, a leg-side stumping off Miller when he was 44. Need...

Australia 361 for 8 (Hussey 108, Watson 72, Razzak 3-58, Mortaza 3-80) beat Bangladesh 295 for 6 (Kayes 93, Mahmudullah 68*, Nafees 60, Johnson 3-67) by 66 runs Scorecard and Video Highlights Michael Clarke will fly out of Bangladesh with a clean-sweep to his name in his first series as Australia's full-time captain, but it didn't come without a few jitters in the final match. Michael Hussey's century and another Shane Watson blitz set Australia on the path to their fourth-highest ODI total of all time, and while the final margin of 66 runs may appear comfortable, Bangladesh put up a feisty chase. The hosts needed 362 for victory, which even their most ardent fans must have felt was unachievable after they managed only 210 and 229 in the first two matches. But Imrul Kayes and his top-order colleagues gave the Mirpur crowd something to cheer about, pushing the score to 179 for 1 with 20 overs remaining, and Clarke was scratching his head for an answer. ...

Australia 232 for 1 (Watson 185*, Ponting 37*) beat Bangladesh 229 for 7 (Mushfiqur 81*, Johnson 3-54) by nine wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights Shane Watson knocked Bangladesh's bowlers senseless with a world record tally of sixes as the Australians galloped to a nine-wicket victory in the second limited overs match in Mirpur to seal the series. The target of 230 had appeared a possible banana skin on a slow pitch offering some turn, but Watson made such light work of it, that his unbeaten185 from 96 balls now stands as the highest ODI score by an Australian, overtaking Matthew Hayden's 181 against New Zealand in 2007. Xavier Marshall's 2008 mark for most sixes fell when Watson swung his 13th over the rope, the second six in as many balls off the bowling of Abdur Razzak. Watson added two more for good measure, and in all scored 79.74% of the total runs scored by Australia; Viv Richards, in his momentous 189 not out against England in 1984, had sc...

Australia 270 for 7 (Clarke 101, Shuvo 3-44) beat Bangladesh 210 for 5 (Tamim 62, Shakib 51) by 60 runs Scorecard and Video Highlights Michael Clarke passed his first test as Australia's full-time captain, leading from the front with a century before his bowlers backed up the effort to complete a 60-run win over Bangladesh. Australia have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and while the results might seem inconsequential after the World Cup, the subplot of Clarke taking over the leadership from Ricky Ponting has created some interest. Clarke's 101 suggested that the responsibility could sit well with him, and he needed to anchor the innings after Australia lost three wickets in their first 14 overs having been sent in on a good batting pitch. He helped get the Australians to a strong total of 270 for 7 and Bangladesh, who only twice in their ODI history have successfully chased totals of that size, were not up to the task. They stumbled to 9 for 2 in t...

Scorecard and Video Highlights England 231 for 7 (Buttler 65*, Carberry 63, Morgan 53, McKay 4-39) beat Australia 227 (Bailey 87, Tredwell 3-53) by three wickets Jos Buttler added to his burgeoning reputation as the man to close out an innings by ensuring that the NatWest series went to the deciding match, as he guided England to a tense three-wicket victory with three balls to spare in Cardiff. On a surface where free-scoring was a rarity England struggled in their chase of 228, dented early on by Clint McKay's hat-trick, but just when the requirement was getting out of hand Buttler and Ben Stokes produced a strong argument as to why they have packed the batting order. Buttler had earlier been given out lbw on 8 but was saved by the DRS when it showed the ball sliding down the leg side. When the seventh-wicket pair joined forces England still needed 84 off 68 balls but overs 39 to 43 brought 40 runs as the equation started to favour the home side. Buttler ease...

Sri Lanka 249 for 6 (Jayawardene 71*, Sangakkara 55) beat India 245 (Raina 106, Kulasekara 4-48) by four wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights Historically, when it comes to finals of triangular tournaments, Sri Lanka have had the upper hand over India, who in the last decade succeeded in winning just four in 21 finals. A familiar tale panned out in Dhaka, where a frenetic start was followed by an enthralling finish and the result was yet another tournament win for Sri Lanka over India. Of all the individual contributions that were spread across 96.5 overs of fluctuating cricket in Dhaka, the one that towered over all others was a 71. Those were the runs scored by Mahela Jayawardene, and it undermined the importance of his surprise call-up to the squad midway through the tri-series. Building on the good work of Sri Lanka's bowlers, especially the Man of the Match Nuwan Kulasekara, Jayawardene smoothed over two spin-induced wobbles and paced the chase precisely...

India  249 for 4 (Kohli 102*, Gambhir 41, Naeem 2-35) beat Bangladesh 247 for 6 (Shakib 85, Mahmudullah 64*, Nehra 2-58) by 6 wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights With a place in the final already clinched and nothing much at stake, most of India's batsmen batted sloppily. However there was no such charity from Virat Kohli as he struck a mature unbeaten century to ensure that India went into Wednesday's game on the back of three successive wins. Shakib Al Hasan's 85 and a 106-run partnership with the lively Mahmudullah had lifted Bangladesh from a dismal 95 for 5 to 247 for 6, but on a placid track and against a line-up in form, it was nowhere near enough. India cantered home with seven overs to spare. Kohli played with commendable concentration until victory was in sight, driving and cutting beautifully even as wickets fell around him. He got his first reprieve on 83, when Mohammad Ashraful put him down at deep midwicket off Syed Rasel, and the butt...

India 214 for 2 (Kohli 71*, Gambhir 71, Karthik 48) beat Sri Lanka 213 (Sangakkara 68, Randiv 56, Zaheer 3-38, Mishra 3-40) by eight wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights India's best fielding performance in ODIs since the Champions Trophy in September last year set up their march to the final by way of a thumping win. It wasn't anything spectacular: half chances were taken and easy ones not missed, marking a big improvement on their recent fielding form. That, coupled with impressive bowling from Zaheer Khan and Amit Mishra, pulled Sri Lanka from an explosive start and restricted them to a paltry 213, which was chased down with 17.2 overs to spare. Zaheer was the pick of the bowlers, creating one half chance, and two fairly easy ones. At one stage his figures read 6-2-11-2. Sri Lanka had chosen to bat to allow their bowlers experience first-hand the wet conditions before the final, but it took resilient half-centuries from Kumar Sangakkara and Suraj Randiv...

Sri Lanka 252 for 1 (Tharanga 114*, Jayawardene 108) beat Bangladesh 249 for 9 (Shakib 47, Raqibul 43, Perera 2-32, Randiv 2-40) Scorecard and Video Highlights A succession of bowling changes within the first eight overs of the chase indicated where the match was heading. Bangladesh, under immense pressure to defend a modest - by this tournament's standards - 250, found themselves at the receiving end of an annihilation by Sri Lanka, who marched into the finals with three wins in three. Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga compiled centuries with risk-free cricket and the hosts were at the mercy of the conditions again. The decision to advance play by half an hour to protect the bowlers from the dew didn't made an iota of difference. Tharanga and Jayawardene caressed the ball around, as if the fielders didn't exist. Jayawardene, initially rested for this tournament, was rushed to Bangladesh as an injury cover and he didn't waste much time settling dow...

India 297 for 4 (Dhoni 101*, Kohli 91) beat Bangladesh 296 for 6 (Kayes 70, Mahmudullah 60*, Tamim 60) by six wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights A commendable performance with the bat, followed by an inspired opening burst wasn't enough for Bangladesh to pull off a surprise win against India at the Shere Bangla Stadium. The Indian middle order, led by Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, kept the hopes of the expectant crowd at bay with an ice-cool stand under pressure. For a while in the beginning of the chase, it seemed as if Shakib Al Hasan's decision at the toss would be vindicated, but the hard realisation hit home that even 296 wasn't enough to counter an in-form batting unit and a familiar foe called dew. It undid all the hard work by a trio of half-centuries by Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah. Bangladesh posted their highest ODI total against a major Test playing country, surpassing their 285 against Pakistan. With India in trouble at 51 for 3...

Sri Lanka 283 for 5 (Samaraweera 105*, Sangakkara 60, Harbhajan 3-47) beat India 279 for 9 (Yuvraj 74, Sehwag 47, Welegedara 5-66) by five wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights Rarely does a centurion get overshadowed in a match of middling scores. But though Thilan Samaraweera finished with an accomplished unbeaten 105, the headlines were stolen by Thissara Perera, who celebrated his third cap with a power-packed 15-ball 36. From needing 54 off 39 balls when he arrived at the crease, Sri Lanka romped home with two overs to spare, as India's quest for yorkers merely resulted in one too many no-balls and full tosses. Chanaka Welegedara's five-wicket haul had killed India's batting momentum at crucial times, and with the dew playing such a factor in the evening, 279 was not quite enough. After taking Zaheer Khan through cover to get off the mark, Perera transformed the game in Ashish Nehra's seventh over. He had been India's best bowler, but Pere...

Sri Lanka 261 for 3 (Dilshan 104, Sangakkara 74) beat Bangladesh 260 for 7 (Ashraful 75, Mahmudullah 45) by seven wickets Scorecard and Video Highlights Tillakaratne Dilshan made 2009 his own, scoring ten centuries in all forms, and he didn't start too badly in the new year either, compiling another robust ton to guide Sri Lanka to an easy win in the tri-series opener. Bangladesh gave a good account of themselves with the bat in getting to 260, but their bowlers lost the battle against Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and the dew.  Defending totals under lights will pose a challenge to all teams in this competition, with the dew factor kicking in, and tonight, Bangladesh were bitten after losing the toss. Shakib Al Hasan said this was a "minimum 250" wicket and his batsmen obliged. Early into the Sri Lankan chase, they realised that they were at least 30 short. The opening over by the debutant Shafiul Islam was a sign of things to come, as he leaked ten ru...

Scorecard and Video Highlights At Nottingham, July 20. India won by five wickets. Toss: India. The Indian batsmen revelled gloriously in ideal batting conditions; England's failed to do them, or themselves, justice. Gooch lost his off stump in the fourth over, offering no stroke to an in-swinger, and Gower and Lamb had been run out by the twentieth over. Having hit 24 of his 25 runs in boundaries, Gower was a victim of his own inattentiveness and the quick thinking of wicket-keeper More, whose throw hit the stumps at the non-striker's end. Smith gave the innings its purpose, reaching fifty from 42 balls and thumping most of the eleven fours in his 103 (105 balls). He added 111 in eighteen overs with the admirable Atherton (95 balls), and then 73 in twelve overs with Russell (50 balls); but when he was bowled in the 49th over, England's next five wickets realised just 35 runs. Small gave the Indians a flying start, conceding 12 runs in his first over...

Scorecard and Video Highlights  At Leeds, July 18. India won by six wickets. Toss: India.  The touring side won comfortably after their bowlers, under-rated in the pre-match forecasts, had dismissed England for 229 inside 55 overs. Such a total seemed unlikely as Gooch and Gower were putting on 64 untroubled runs for the second wicket. But when Gooch was beaten by cleverly disguised flight in Shastri's fifth over and Kumble bowled Gower with a ball that turned a long way, then undid Smith with bounce in his next over, England found themselves 142 for four with thirteen overs remaining. Their next six wickets managed 87, with the last four falling in fifteen deliveries. Although the pitch was on the slow side for one-day batting, all credit was due to the Indian bowlers. Kumble, a leg-spinner, did not concede a boundary in taking two for 29, and he and Shastri bowled their overs straight through. India lost Raman to the first legitimate ball of their inn...

Scorecard and Video Highlights At Rawalpindi, December 21, 2005 (day/night). England won by six runs. Toss: England. Oneday international debut: Mohammad Asif. With the series lost, England achieved a win they badly wanted: to gain ranking points to avoid pre-qualification for the 2006 Champions Trophy - and to return to England without feeling wholly embarrassed. Batting first, they were indebted to yet another tail-end rally - this time from Plunkett, who carved 15 runs from the final over, bowled by Abdul Razzaq, to lift their patchy innings past 200. Though Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar were absent, two more wickets from the consistent Naved-ul-Hasan gave him nine in the series, the most by any bowler on either side. From 122 for two in the 32nd over, Pakistan really should have cantered home. But Yasir Hameed took an age - 57 in 105 balls - and time pressure hurried the middle order into indiscretions against Blackwell, who turned the ball as much as anyone. Anderson wa...

Scorecard and Video Highlights At Rawalpindi, December 19, 2005 (day/night). Pakistan won by 13 runs. Toss: Pakistan. Pakistan's lime-green machine rolled on to their tenth win in 11 one-day internationals. Inzamamul- Haq took the match award for a masterful unbeaten 81, on an awkward pitch and against a tight-knit attack who regrouped well after Karachi. Plunkett again made an impact, dismissing the two biggest hitters in successive balls, but England found no way past Inzamam, who concentrated on playing the ball as late as possible. It was a skill none of their own specialist batsmen replicated: four of the top six missed double figures and, with eight wickets down and 97 required, the game seemed to be up. There was a twist, however. Blackwell and Kabir Ali made batting look almost serene in a ninth-wicket stand of 50. Then Blackwell ran himself out gormlessly with a single to mid-on. Even then, last man Anderson - who had replaced Bell at the very start of the match - ...

Scorecard and Video Highlights  At Karachi, December 15, 2005 (day/night). Pakistan won by 165 runs. Toss: England. Another hammering for England equalled their worst defeat batting second. Like that previous loss, under Mike Atherton at St Vincent in 1993-94, it began with a quixotic decision to insert the opposition. Trescothick felt there was enough dew to encourage the seamers but, while the ball nipped around for maybe the first ten overs, it was the batsmen who did the swinging thereafter. The early stages saw a delightful exhibition from Kamran Akmal, who notched a second successive hundred. Then the show turned X-rated: Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq treated England's seamers like mere clubbies. One scarcely believable sequence saw 81 runs in six overs. Anderson was especially guilty of serving up length balls, disappearing over the fence three times in five deliveries. By the end of this eye-popping spectacle, Pakistan had 353 - 27 more than England had ev...