Rohit Sharma dazzled the senses, Harbhajan Singh sucker-punched with three wickets in an over, and Mumbai Indians hustled on the field to go around a sublime S Badrinath and clinch a well-fought win at the Wankhede Stadium

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera22-Apr-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRohit Sharma lifted Mumbai with his 87•AFP

Rohit Sharma dazzled the senses, Harbhajan Singh sucker-punched with three wickets in an over, and Mumbai Indians hustled on the field to go around a sublime S Badrinath and clinch a well-fought win at the Wankhede Stadium.Though Badrinath batted with so much serenity under pressure that he eclipsed Rohit’s knock on the elegance scale, he was left with too much to do on his own. And in the end overs, he looked a forlorn figure in the middle, hardly getting the strike as his team-mates succumbed meekly.Badrinath tried his best, though. His first scoring shot – a gorgeous off-driven boundary against Munaf Patel of the third ball he faced, set the tone for the night but it was the late cuts that really caught the eye. In the seventh over, he caressed Harbhajan Singh to third man and in the ninth over, he glided Rohit Sharma to backward point boundary. He even lofted Rohit for a pretty six – with the high front elbow and a graceful swing of the bat – over long-off in the same over. He pulled down the shutter briefly to consolidate after the fall of Michael Hussey and MS Dhoni before he opened up again in the end overs.With 59 runs required from 37 balls, Badrinath sashayed to the leg side and laced an excellent square drive off Lasith Malinga to close the gap. The situation turned grim again as S Anirudha, who had pulled Kieron Pollard for a six, swung a full toss from Harbhajan Singh to deep midwicket to leave Chennai needing 42 from 24 deliveries.It was an over later that Harbhajan, who had earlier lured Suresh Raina into hitting a return catch, killed the contest with a triple strike. He slipped one past the attempted slog-sweep to bowl Albie Morkel, lured R Ashwin to hole out to long-on, and induced Joginder Sharma to top-edge a slog. Badrinath kept up with the fight, even getting a six in the final over, but Chennai’s fight had evaporated into the Mumbai night during that Harbhajan over.Before Badrinath’s sensuous knock, Rohit Sharma owned the evening. He collected three boundaries in his first four deliveries, never looked back from then on and charged Mumbai Indians to a competitive 164. Big hitters usually pulverise the opposition with violence but Rohit seems to caress them to submission.When Sachin Tendulkar fell in the fourth over with Mumbai on 13 for 2 and with the ball jagging around, Chennai had a great chance to strangle the hosts but they were thwarted by Rohit’s belligerence and let down by their bowlers. Rohit was involved in a 61-run partnership with the enterprising Ambati Rayudu and a brutal 87-run stand in 8.1 overs with Andrew Symonds but it was his imprints that lay all over the Wankhede.Sometimes, you just need a shot or two to get going. Rohit entered the scene after Tendulkar was done for pace and bounce by a sharp lifter but got two gift-wrapped boundary deliveries from Doug Bollinger to kick start his innings. He creamed two over-pitched deliveries to the point boundary and all of a sudden, venom evaporated out of Chennai’s bowling. Even Albie Morkel, who was menacing until then, slipped a half-volley on the legs and Rohit collected his third boundary in just four deliveries.A potentially nervy settling-in period in seamer-friendly conditions had turned into an imperious start and Rohit never looked back, unfurling an array of dazzling shots. He crashed a length delivery from Joginder Sharma over long-on before he was involved in a mini-contest with Suraj Randiv. The off breaks, the doosras, and the topspinners came swirling down and Rohit started to caress and steer his way out of trouble. He glided one to backward point boundary, late cut another to third man and nonchalantly lifted another over extra cover.He brought up his fifty and Mumbai’s 100 in the 15th over with a six over long-off against Randiv and the floodgates were well and truly open. With Mumbai on 107 for 3 in 15 overs, Dhoni turned to Joginder. Mistake. Rohit flayed a length ball to point boundary and shuffled across to pull another to square-leg boundary. That was the start for more imperious innovations.He paddle-scooped a low full toss from Bollinger for a six over fine-leg before he turned brutal against Suresh Raina in the 19th over. He smote the second delivery, a gentle length ball, over wide long-on, top-edged a slog sweep for couple, and torpedoed the next delivery over cowcorner as Raina leaked 17 runs. Rohit fell in the final over, holing out to long-on, but by then he had entertained the Mumbai crowd in some style.Rohit had one more crowd-pleasing, and game-turning, moment left in the night. When Chennai needed 64 runs from 47 balls, Dhoni top-edged a swat-flick and Rohit charged in from third man and flung himself forward to pouch a stunner. It was the beginning of the end for Chennai.

Nottinghamshire breathed life into their Clydesdale Bank 40 League campaign with a seven-wicket victory over fellow Group C strugglers Unicorns

15-May-2011
ScorecardNottinghamshire breathed life into their Clydesdale Bank 40 League campaign
with a seven-wicket victory over fellow Group C strugglers Unicorns at
Wormsley.The hosts reached 200 for 4 from their 40 overs after being put in to bat – with Michael Thornely (97) top-scoring. However, a solid all-round batting effort enabled Nottinghamshire to wrap up a comfortable success – their first in three matches – with 39 deliveries to spare.Australian Adam Voges led the way with an unbeaten 60 from 56 balls, including nine fours, sharing in a 103-run stand for the third wicket with Samit Patel.Earlier, Thornely and James Campbell put on 64 for the first wicket for Unicorns, before the latter fell leg before wicket to Paul Franks on 33. Thornely and Josh Knappett contributed 105 for the second wicket, with the stand ending when Knappett was caught and bowled by Darren Pattinson for 43, an innings which contained five fours.Robin Lett fell for 10 when he was bowled by Franks and Thornely had moved to within three runs of a century when he was bowled by
Pattinson off the final balls of the innings, ending an entertaining 95-ball knock which contained nine fours.Nottinghamshire’s reply started strongly, with Akhil Patel and Mark Wagh
putting on 72 runs for the first wicket. The stand ended when Wagh was dismissed for 31, caught by Lett off the bowling of Glen Querl.Just one run had been added when Patel departed for 35, bowled by Amar Rashid. However, that brought together Patel and Voges – and they had taken their team to the brink of victory by the time they were separated.Patel fell for 50 from 53 balls, caught by Luis Reece off the bowling of Neil Saker. But Voges and Ali Brown (16 not out) teamed up inflict a fifth defeat in as many matches on Unicorns.

Jeetan Patel took his first five-wicket haul for Warwickshire as they sealed an eight-wicket win against Sussex in the County Championship at Arundel

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Jeetan Patel took his first five-wicket haul for Warwickshire as they sealed an eight-wicket win against Sussex in the County Championship at Arundel.A hundred from Luke Wright and a half-century from Ollie Rayner had raised Sussex’s hopes of saving the game. However, Patel removed them both in quick succession to finish with figures of 5 for 96 while Boyd Rankin (4 for 60) added two wickets to the two he had taken on day three as Sussex were dismissed for 301 to leave Warwickshire needing just 72 to win.That proved a simple enough task, as Warwickshire wrapped up victory 44 minutes after lunch for the loss of just two wickets. Sussex resumed day four still requiring 29 runs just to make Warwickshire bat again, but any hopes the visitors had of wrapping up the game quickly were thwarted by Wright and Rayner.The pair extended their partnership from 87 overnight to 163 and at one point looked as if they might do enough to set Warwickshire a tricky total to chase. Wright continued to play in a positive manner and brought up his fourth Championship century off just 98 balls by lifting Patel for a four to long on. His hundred included 14 fours and a six.Rayner played a more circumspect innings, but brought up his 50 off 137 balls by pulling Rikki Clarke for successive boundaries. Patel finally made the breakthrough half an hour before lunch in controversial circumstances when Wright tried to turn one off his pads and was caught at short mid-wicket by Jim Troughton for 116.Wright stood his ground claiming it was a bump ball but after a discussion between the umpires he was given out. Rayner followed four overs later when he was lbw for 58 trying to sweep Patel to complete a five- wicket haul for the spinner.Sussex’s lead was only 62 at that stage and they immediately lost Amjad Khan lbw to Rankin’s fourth delivery with the new ball. Rankin picked up his fourth wicket when Monty Panesar tried to hook a short ball and skied a catch to Varun Chopra at short leg just before lunch.With Rana Naved-ul-Hasan unable to bat due to a shoulder injury sustained on Thursday it left Warwickshire chasing 72 to win. Chopra looked in the mood to knock them off quickly as he launched James Anyon for successive sixes before being bowled for 24 by Rayner.Panesar trapped William Porterfield lbw to leave Darren Maddy and Jim Troughton to knock off the winning runs inside 16 overs.

Will Gidman claimed a career-best five for 38 as Gloucestershire bowled out Kent for 205 on the opening day of the County Championship match at Cheltenham.

20-Jul-2011Gloucestershire 107 for 3 v Kent 205
ScorecardWill Gidman claimed a career-best five for 38 as Gloucestershire bowled out Kent for 205 on the opening day of the County Championship match at Cheltenham.It was the former Durham all-rounder’s maiden five-wicket haul and his first three scalps helped reduce the visitors to 59 for 6 before Darren Stevens (67) and James Tredwell (45) put together a seventh-wicket stand of 83.By the close, Gloucestershire had reached 107 for 3 in reply, Hamish Marshall (37) and Kane Williamson (29) having added 78 for the second wicket.It was Jon Lewis who put the skids under Kent on an overcast morning, sending back Championship debutant Chris Piesley lbw for a duck and fellow opener Joe Denly, bowled for 13, to make the score 21 for 2.Marshall produced a fine low catch off his own bowling to dismiss Martin van Jaarsveld, who was captaining Kent in the absence of Rob Key with a hand injury. Then Gidman took over, claiming a wicket in each of his first three overs. Sam Northeast was caught behind having played positively for his 34 off 33 balls.Geraint Jones departed without scoring and Alex Blake could make only two as Gidman worked up good pace from the Chapel End. By lunch Kent had struggled to 89 for 6 off 33 overs. The over after the interval saw Tredwell, on 15, dropped by Ian Cockbain at gully off Lewis and it proved an expensive miss as the sun broke through and the left-hander counter-attacked to hit seven fours and a sixth in his 90-ball innings.Stevens was more watchful as the pair dug Kent out of a deep hole. The partnership ended when Gidman returned to have Tredwell caught by wicketkeeper Richard Coughtrie. The same bowler accounted for Simon Cook, taken at second slip by Chris Dent for six and Ian Saxelby wrapped up the innings by removing David Balcombe and Stevens.The latter was last man out having been forced to go for his shots. He was caught on the extra cover boundary by Chris Taylor having faced 138 balls and hit nine fours.Gloucestershire’s reply had reached unlucky 13 when Dent got an edge to Stevens and fell to a catch behind for 12. Marshall and Williamson then produced the most attractive batting of the day before a short shower interrupted play at 5.50pm.The first ball after the resumption at 6.10pm saw Marshall bowled by Tredwell first delivery of the match. There was further success for Kent when Williamson nicked a rising ball from Balcombe to be caught by wicketkeeper Jones.

Leicestershire completed a massive 223-run win over Sri Lanka A on the fourth day at Grace Road, Jigar Naik’s offspinners bringing him four wickets as several bowlers contributed to the county’s win

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2011
ScorecardLeicestershire completed a massive 223-run win over Sri Lanka A on the fourth day at Grace Road, Jigar Naik’s offspinners bringing him four wickets as several bowlers contributed to the county’s win. Lahiru Thirimanne’s gritty 70 was the only bright point for the Sri Lankans, with most of their middle order making starts but failing to build a significant innings.Sri Lanka A had lost opener Malinda Warnapura to the first ball of their second innings on the third afternoon, but entered the fourth day in the reasonably stable position of 71 for 1. Things went downhill very quickly on day four, however, Bhanuka Rajapaksa falling to Wayne White’s first ball of the day.What followed was a regular chipping away at their line-up, rather than a dramatic collapse, but once Thirimanne fell to Nadeem Malik to reduce Sri Lanka A to 159 for 5 just after lunch, Leicestershire were very much favourites for the win. Naik bowled Roshen Silva for a 58-ball 17, and Alex Wyatt then removed Kosala Kulasekara and Seekkuge Prasanna with consecutive deliveries to reduce the Sri Lankas to 210 for 8 at tea.Naik continued his good work after the interval, trapping Shaminda Eranga lbw and then having Tharanga Lakshitha caught by White to end the match. Sri Lanka A will now face Durham at Chester-le-Street in another four-day game, starting on July 27.

West Indies Players’ Association has said two of its directors, Dave Kissoon and Michael Hall, will lead its negotiations with the West Indies Cricket Board starting on Monday

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2011West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) has said two of its directors, Dave Kissoon and Michael Hall, will lead its negotiations with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) starting on Monday in Trinidad. The two bodies have had a long-standing dispute over player rights and remuneration and are trying to agree on revisions to the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was signed in 2006 to provide a path to resolving the conflict. The current CBA, which governs the relationship between the WICB and WIPA, expires in September.Dinanath Ramnarine, the president and chief executive of WIPA, has usually been the face of the players’ body in its dealings with the WICB so far, but the board is reluctant to deal with him. The WICB accused Ramnarine of “unprofessional behaviour” during a meeting in June arranged to resolve the problem over Chris Gayle’s non-selection during the home season.”We want to aid the negotiation process and foster free discourse among the parties,” Ramnarine said. “We have appointed two independent and impartial leaders to head our team – Dave Kissoon and Michael Hall. We have done so with the hope that the WICB will also reciprocate and remove any existing barriers to successful negotiations.”Kisson is an attorney who has previously represented WIPA, and Hall is a former chief cricket operations officer of the WICB and the World Cup.

This Test series is only five days old, but already Michael Clarke’s Australians can sense victory. Their win inside four days in Galle was impressive, but even more encouraging for the country’s fans was the way Australia started the second Test in Palle

The Report by Brydon Coverdale08-Sep-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRyan Harris picked up 3 for 38•Associated Press

This Test series is only five days old, but already Michael Clarke’s Australians can sense victory. Their win inside four days in Galle was impressive, but even more encouraging for the country’s fans was the way Australia started the second Test in Pallekele, as an attack led by Ryan Harris bundled Sri Lanka out for 174 on a good batting pitch, and then the openers took the score to 60 for 0 before bad light stopped play.Shane Watson was on 36 and Phillip Hughes had made 23, and both men had played some wonderful shots, showing just how friendly the surface was. Australia know about one-sided days like these. They’ve been on the wrong side of a few over the past couple of years. This time it was Sri Lanka’s turn to wonder what more could have gone wrong.Their problems started before a ball was even bowled, as their best spinner from the previous Test, Rangana Herath, was ruled out due to a finger injury. If that wasn’t bad enough, the man they wanted to replace him, the mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, woke up with a sore back, and rather than risk him, they named the legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna for his debut.Things started to look up when Tillakaratne Dilshan won the toss and chose to bat on a pitch that, compared to last week’s Galle dustbowl, seemed like a road. It was the last thing that went right for Sri Lanka for the entire day. They stumbled to 14 for 3 and Michael Hussey at gully take a screamer to get rid of the centurion from the first Test, Mahela Jayawardene, but there was one moment that encapsulated the day.