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Half-centuries from Haris Sohail and an unexpectedly restrained Shahid Afridi revived a floundering chase as Pakistan won a thrilling first ODI by three wickets

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy08-Dec-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:06

Pakistan break six-match drought

Half-centuries from Haris Sohail and an unexpectedly restrained Shahid Afridi revived a floundering chase as Pakistan won a thrilling first ODI by three wickets. New Zealand, having hauled themselves out of a mire of their own thanks to a century from Ross Taylor, were running away with the game at the three-quarter mark, but Haris and Afridi snatched it away with breathtaking coolness. Haris finished on an unbeaten 85, to go with 10 tight overs of left-arm spin earlier in the day.When Afridi walked in to bat, Pakistan were six down, and needed 123 off 122 balls. The left-handed Haris was batting on 34, and had played a couple of lovely lofted drives against the spinners in a fighting innings that seemed destined to go down as a small positive in a big defeat. That’s all it would have been if Afridi had made a typically harebrained 15 or 20 at the other end.But Afridi knuckled down, and brought out his first slog only 21 balls into his innings. By then, he had picked up boundaries with a screaming drive over extra cover and a crafty dab behind the wicket, but had otherwise simply knocked the ball around for ones and twos. That first slog produced a thick edge to the third man boundary. The next slog came when he was on 30. He swung and missed and the ball was wide of off stump.Feeding off a senior partner who was batting like one, Haris grew in confidence and reached his half-century with a glance off his hips. The runs kept flowing, and the decades rolled away from the equation. When Pakistan needed 40 off 30, Haris smacked James Neesham over mid-off. With 27 required from 19, Afridi launched Kyle Mills over long-on. Taylor kept New Zealand in the game, running out Afridi with a direct hit when 13 were still required, but Wahab Riaz kept his cool at No. 8 to see Pakistan home with three balls remaining.Three consecutive hundreds in ODIs

Quinton de Kock (2013): 135 (v India), 106 (v India), 101 (v India)

AB de Villiers (2010): 114* (v India), 102* (v India), 102 (v West Indies)

Herschelle Gibbs (2002): 116 (v Kenya), 116* (v India), 153 (v Bangladesh)

Saeed Anwar (1993): 107 (v Sri Lanka), 131 (v West Indies), 111 (v Sri Lanka)

Zaheer Abbas (1982-83): 118 (v India), 105 (v India), 113 (v India)

Ross Taylor (2014): 112* (v India), 102 (v India), 105* (v Pakistan)

Pakistan had left out Umar Akmal, and the lack of urgency in their new-look top six – among whom Younis Khan boasted the highest strike rate, 75.33 – was shown up as they began their chase of 247. Never the most confident chasers, Pakistan lacked thrust at the top of the order, particularly with Sarfraz Ahmed batting at No. 7. The runs came at a trickle, and scoreboard pressure produced wickets. By the 18th over, they were 52 for 4.Misbah-ul-Haq and Haris then added 34 in 48 balls – which was relatively brisk going, considering the pace of the innings till then – before Vettori sent back Misbah with a blinding one-handed grab at mid-on.Sarfraz sparkled with positivity during his brief stint at the crease, his strokes finding hitherto unexplored parts of the ground and causing the team management, possibly, to wonder if his inventiveness would have been better served up the order. When he holed out to long-on in the 31st over, Pakistan were 124 for 5 and it looked like the game was up.Sent in to bat, New Zealand had been in a similar situation – 111 for 5 in the 29th over – before Taylor rallied the lower-order to steer them to 246. Taylor last played an ODI back in January against India, but showed no signs of having been away, extending his form from that series to complete his third hundred on the bounce in the format.The single that took Taylor to 100 caused him considerable pain, a lifter from Riaz in the final over catching him on his right thumb and going on to strike him on the neck. By then, though, he had ensured – via lower-order partnerships with Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum – that New Zealand would set Pakistan a challenging target. At 111 for 5 in the 29th over, they had seemed in danger of falling short of 200.With Mohammad Hafeez banned from bowling, there was serious doubt over how Pakistan would fill their fifth-bowler quota. Their five specialist batsmen apart from Hafeez had taken a combined haul of three ODI wickets.It was a hole New Zealand might have looked to target when they were sent in to bat, but by the time Haris came on to bowl his left-arm spin, they were in no position to go after him, having lost two wickets to Mohammad Irfan in their first 11 overs.Haris almost had Anton Devcich stumped with his second ball, with only a faint deflection off the pad causing the ball to elude Sarfraz’s gloves behind the wicket. Haris kept finding sharp, if slowish, turn off the dry Dubai surface, and bowled with enough control to fulfill the fifth bowler’s quota all by himself, and all in one spell, finishing with figures of 10-0-39-0.By that time, New Zealand had lost three more wickets, and Taylor was waging a lone fight. Apart from a couple of thrillingly precise cuts off Afridi, he was batting in risk-free fashion, knocking the spinners for singles down the ground and either side of sweeper cover. He needed help.He got that from Ronchi and Vettori, with whom he put on 44 and 58 for the sixth and seventh wickets. Having receded into the background during his partnership with Ronchi, Taylor’s scoring went up a gear during the last 10 overs. When Umar Gul dug one in short in the 44th over, he swatted him away over the midwicket boundary. Given width four balls later, he slapped Gul away through the covers.The 200 came up in the next over, and Vettori swung Riaz away for fours off the first two balls of the 46th, before he walked too far across his stumps to a yorker. With McCullum and Taylor adding a further 33, New Zealand ended up taking 78 from the last 10 overs.

Despite an indifferent conclusion to England’s overseas winter in New Zealand, the selectors are unlikely to see the need for significant changes

Andrew McGlashan10-May-2013Despite an indifferent conclusion to England’s overseas winter in New Zealand, the selectors are unlikely to see the need for significant changes for the start of the home summer that will be dominated by the Ashes but firstly includes the return series against Australia’s close neighbours.One major figure will be missing, but another is set to return. Kevin Pietersen’s right knee, which forced him to miss the final Test in Auckland, continues to be a problem and he will not be available for England duty until at least the start of the Ashes and even that must be shrouded in doubt with the injury proving more problematic than had been envisaged in March.In New Zealand, where a drawn series was salvaged by Matt Prior’s hundred in Auckland, England were also without Graeme Swann and his absence left a hole equal to that of Pietersen’s. Swann’s elbow surgery in the USA has, so far, proved a success and his return for Nottinghamshire has been tentatively encouraging although there must be questions over whether his workload – one Championship game and two YB40 matches – has been enough to really test the recovery.Still, his return in place of Monty Panesar – always a bowler more comfortable operating in tandem rather than solo – appears a matter of course. The summer ahead will place a huge burden on Swann, and there do not appear many obvious gaps for a rest, so in every sense it is make or break for his right elbow.Pietersen’s absence from the middle order will be filled again by Jonny Bairstow, who was drafted into the final Test at Eden Park having played one first-class innings since last September. His twin failures were predictable, and understandable, but he has impressed at the start of this season for Yorkshire and should have done enough to ward off his nearest challengers, which include England Lions team-mates James Taylor (despite him not being named in the performance squad) and Ravi Bopara who is back in favour with the selectors in one-day cricket.Bairstow will also have fond memories of Lord’s, the scene of his Test debut against West Indies last year and also his most convincing Test performance, when he made 95 and 54 against South Africa after, again, being an understudy for Pietersen. His technique has, at times, been picked apart at Test level but that is a rite of passage for young player.Perhaps the most interesting names in the squad will be the extra pace bowlers included alongside the current trio of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn. The latter, according to reports from the County Championship, has not quite hit top form for Middlesex and following on from the tour of New Zealand he has now usurped Broad as the man under most pressure for his place.In New Zealand, questions started to be asked about the true depth of England’s back-up quicks. Graham Onions’ form fell apart in Queenstown while Chris Woakes did not convince that he was ready to be a third seamer for a Test match. Onions, as he was always likely to do, has returned to wicket-taking form for Durham (he is currently the leading wicket-taker in Division One) but whether that means he remains a viable Test option is another issue. The difference in level between Championship and Test cricket is distinct, as it should be.The odds favour Onions being retained in the squad and if England name 13 in the party for Lord’s it could open the way for a return for Tim Bresnan who, like Swann, underwent elbow surgery earlier this year. He has made an encouraging start to the season with Yorkshire, taking 11 wickets at 27.63, and while there may be a clamour for the selectors to go for a younger option – such as Woakes or Toby Roland-Jones – Bresnan has retained the support of the England management. While it is clearly true there were times in the last 12 months when Bresnan should not have played, it is also wide of the mark to suggest his earlier Test form was a fluke.Possible squad Alastair Cook, Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Graham Onions/Tim Bresnan

It says much for the enduring appeal of 50-over cricket that, despite looking the second-best team for much of the day, India still left Edgbaston celebrating an exhilarating victory with six deliveries to spare

George Dobell in Birmingham01-Jun-2013
ScorecardVirat Kohli appeared completely at ease with the conditions as he dominated the Sri Lankan bowling•AFPIt says much for the enduring appeal of 50-over cricket that, despite looking the second-best team for much of the day, India still left Edgbaston celebrating an exhilarating victory with six deliveries to spare.If it was a stand of 186 in 140 balls between Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik that provided most obvious cause for Indian joy, as it helped them fight back in a match that had appeared to be sliding inexorably towards Sri Lanka, perhaps it was more subtle factors that will be of long-term relevance.Even if India had lost this game, they might have been justified in leaving Edgbaston in good spirits, for this match did provide hints that some of the pre-conceptions about this tournament may be misplaced.India, despite their No.1 ranking, are not among the favourites for the Champions Trophy. That is due, in part, to the suspicion that, in English, early-season conditions and with two new balls, they may lack the specialists to cope. Not only, it is argued, will they lack the batting techniques to negate the rising, swinging ball, but they might lack the bowling firepower – the admirable Bhuvneshwar Kumar aside – to hurt sides in reply.But, on the evidence of this game, conditions may not be so alien. Despite awful weather in Birmingham for almost as long as anyone can remember, this was an excellent batting surface. And while two new balls were used, the early indications are that the kookaburra-turf ball in operation hardly swings. Indeed, it just means that batsmen still have a hard ball to hit later in the innings. In such circumstances, India, utilising their spinners and powerful batsmen, may be far more at home than has been anticipated. There was not a single maiden all day.Certainly Kohli and Karthik, celebrating his 28th birthday in some style, looked at home as they accelerated towards victory. While few of the Sri Lankan bowlers will reflect with much pleasure on this performance – Jeevan Mendis conceded 31 in his three overs – there were times when the India pair allowed so little margin for error that it looked almost impossible to contain them.Kohli, initially at least, picked up runs with stealth and quick running – at one stage, he scored 20 singles in succession and managed an all-run four on this far from huge ground. Karthik was more aggressive, his century came in just 79 balls and included an array of boundaries flicked, driven and bludgeoned through the leg-side.It would be foolish to read too much into this result. It was not an ODI and the teams agreed to play 15 men aside. What is more, while Sri Lanka decided to retire their top two batsmen just as they might have been expected to accelerate, India allowed their two top-scorers to win the game. Sri Lanka were also without Lasith Malinga who arrived late and was suffering from jet-lag. No one will remember this match in a few weeks.And, for much of the game, Sri Lanka looked the better side. Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan batted with some class to post 160 for Sri Lanka’s first wicket in 26 overs, before Dinesh Chandimal and Kumar Sangakkara, back on the ground that he briefly made his home, also impressed.India’s bowling was loose and their fielding lethargic. While it is true they have not played ODI cricket since January, the rustiness of some of the bowling was alarming and will need to be rectified quickly if they are to progress.The top-order batting was underwhelming, too. When Kohli and Karthik came together, at 110 for 4 in the 21st over, their cause looked close to hopeless. But Kohli was calm – his century occupied 95 balls and included only seven fours and a six – and his acceleration afterwards oozed class and suggested he had simply been playing with the bowling previously.Karthik, if anything, was even more impressive, if not quite as pleasing on the eye. The pair set up a platform to help India score 208 runs from the final 24 overs and 130 from the final 14. Sri Lanka’s bowling wilted in the face of the assault.It is also worth noting the attendance at this match. While several other venues in England and Wales struggle to sell respectable numbers of tickets for games involving England – tickets are still available for the Champions Trophy match between England and New Zealand in Cardiff, and attendance for the second Test between England and New Zealand at Leeds was bitterly disappointing – more than 5,500 people paid £20 a head and watched this game at Edgbaston. If anyone needed any reminder of the financial muscle of Indian cricket – and they really shouldn’t have done – it was provided here.

Wahab Riaz has said he is desperate to bowl on the lively South African pitches, ahead of the limited-overs leg that starts on March 1

Umar Farooq28-Feb-2013Pakistani left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz has said he is desperate to bowl on the lively South African pitches, ahead of the limited-overs leg that starts on March 1. Riaz was not part of the Test side that was blanked 3-0 by South Africa and has worked hard on his fitness in this period.”I am super fit at the moment and in the best form,” Riaz said. “I have a lot to offer to my captain and coach. I am desperate to bowl on the surfaces in South Africa. I can bowl fast, and conditions are well suited for me to bowl reverse swing as well.”His last ODI appearance was against India during the Asia Cup in 2012. He was selected as part of the Pakistan squad that toured India in December last year, but didn’t make it into the playing eleven. The selectors however, have retained him for the South Africa ODIs and T20s, and he is likely to make it to the XI.Riaz admitted the time away from international cricket was frustrating, but he kept himself match fit. He recently recorded his best first-class figures of 9 for 59 in a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match.”I have managed myself very well. I have been playing hockey for the last one-and-a-half months to build up my thighs for the South African grounds, which are a bit harder. I recently took nine wickets in an innings, which shows my form,” he said. “It always feel good when the selectors tap your shoulder to give you a go, but it’s frustrating when you are not able to make it to the XI.”Riaz, 27, impressed during his debut series 2008 against Zimbabwe. He also had a good start to Test cricket, taking a five-for against England in August 2010. He picked up his maiden ODI five-wicket haul during the World Cup semi-final against India, but was not able to cement his place.”I know things weren’t right sometimes, and I wavered and leaked so many runs,” he said. “When you are representing your country, you are pumped up and trying to give your hundred per cent. Some days nothing works in your favour, but you move on and come back after working on your deficiency.”Fast bowlers are always emotional and aggressive – they need time to settle. I still have a case to prove, and I believe this South Africa tour will be an ideal opportunity for me to showcase my abilities.”

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored her seventh ODI fifty to guide the side to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first ODI in Ahmedabad

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2013
ScorecardIndia captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s seventh ODI fifty guided the side to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first of the three ODIs in Ahmedabad.Chasing 195, India had a sluggish start and Harmanpreet came in to bat when the score was 37 for 2 in the 13th over. An 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Harmanpreet and Anagha Deshpande revived the chase for India. Once Deshpande was out for a 50-ball 47, Harmanpreet and the lower middle order took India home with four balls to spare. Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 63 came off 100 balls and had only three fours.Earlier, Bangladesh chose to bat first and scored 194 for 9. They began at a fair pace but lost their openers quickly. Rumana Ahmed (38) and Lata Mondal (39) steadied the innings, but their partnership of 57 took 98 balls, slowing down the innings. After the pair was dismissed, captain Salma Khatun held one end up, bringing up her first ODI fifty. She received little support from the other end, however, as the Indian bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, dismissed the middle and lower order. Khatun was unbeaten on 75 at the end of the innings and her 82-ball knock included 11 fours. Bisht finished with 3 for 27 while Shubhlakshmi Sharma picked up two wickets.

England have been forced on to the defensive after just a few days in Sri Lanka, with Alastair Cook and Peter Moores having to explain the decision to leave Alex Hales out of Friday’s opening warm-up match

Alan Gardner20-Nov-2014England have been forced on to the defensive after just a few days in Sri Lanka, with Alastair Cook and Peter Moores having to explain the decision to leave Alex Hales out of Friday’s opening warm-up match.Ahead of seven ODIs against Sri Lanka, England appear to have taken the cautious approach once again by promoting Moeen Ali to open alongside Cook. Moeen, like Hales, is still finding his way in ODI cricket but offers a spin-bowling option that has edged him ahead. He is also a classy batsman but without the same concussive approach as Hales, the only England batsman to have scored a T20 hundred.With Cook a certainty at opener and Ian Bell seeking to establish himself at No. 3 – having been demoted to accommodate Hales during the one-day series against India – England have decided they cannot afford to have another specialist batsman in the top order. The full XI to play Sri Lanka A has not been announced but Joe Root, who bowls offspin, is likely to bat at four, with an allrounder, probably Ravi Bopara, at six or seven.”It was incredibly hard to pick a side even for this warm-up game,” Cook said. “We just wanted another bowler in top six, and Moeen gives us that option. It’s a real tough call on Alex … But we’re nowhere near making our final decision.”Hales is still likely to get his chance in Sri Lanka but, with a maximum of 12 ODIs before England begin their World Cup campaign against Australia in Melbourne, there is little room for manoeuvre. The Nottinghamshire opener made his one-day debut in August, three years after coming into the T20 side; during that period, he became the No. 1-ranked batsman in T20 internationals and earlier this year hammered an astonishing 116 from 64 balls against Sri Lanka to give England their only victory at the World T20.Moores suggested that Hales’ performances against India, when he scored 92 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 68.65, were partly behind the decision to try out Moeen.”Alex has progressed quickly. The fact he has managed to climb to number one in the world as a T20 player means there is a lot of talent there, and explosive talent at that,” Moores said. “He had some exposure in the one-day arena against India, where he would have learnt a lot. When you play international cricket and come up against the same team time and again, people will always find a kink somewhere and the key is how you adapt.”India started to bring the ball back into Alex and bowl spin at him, so he has to decide what else he is going to come back at them with.”England play two 50-over warm-up matches before the first ODI on Wednesday and the questions over selection are a precursor to the debate about their best World Cup XI. Secondary skills such as bowling and fielding will come into it but, while Moeen’s ability to play a full role with the ball will come in especially useful on the subcontinent, that may not turn out to be such an important consideration in Australia and New Zealand, where the World Cup will be played.”There are certain places for lads to fit in and that is about taking opportunities,” Moores said. “This tour is about winning, and people taking their games on. We’ve got two practice games to try and win but to also look at some options we’ve got. We’ve then got a tough decision to pick the ODI team – and it is very tight.”One issue that has contributed significantly to England’s tentative World Cup approach has been the form of Cook and a return to significant run-scoring for the captain would help ease their mental load. Cook has not scored an ODI hundred since 2012 and over the last two years he has averaged 33.24 from 30 innings, at slower than his career strike rate. His presence in the side is seen by some as a major obstacle to success but Moores is part of an equally staunch group backing Cook to produce a response.”He’s been around the block a lot,” Moores said. “He’s been under pressure before and he’s often responded to that pressure really well. We know he’s a steely character and a very good player.”

Ireland fought back to win by five runs after Shakib Al Hasan’s blistering half-century

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2012
Scorecard
Shakib Al Hasan’s 53 took up only 23 deliveries•Bangladesh Cricket BoardIreland fought hard to beat Bangladesh by five runs in their final warm-up match at Moors Sports Club in Colombo. Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien were the heroes at two ends of the game though it was Trent Johnston’s tight final over that ensured two wins out of two in the preparation phase after having crushed Zimbabwe by 54 runs. Bangladesh’s best player, Shakib Al Hasan, was outstanding with bat and ball but couldn’t prevent defeat.After an hour’s delay due to wet conditions, Stirling dominated the opening stand of 46 with captain William Porterfield before adding 64 for the second wicket with Ed Joyce. It was broken when Stirling fell to Elias Sunny for a 41-ball 71, letting Bangladesh enough room to fight back. Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe helped restrict them to 164-6 after they had rushed to the 100-mark in the 11th-over assault on Mahmudullah that went for 24.Bangladesh began in similar fashion though they lost Mohammad Ashraful in the second over. Tamim Iqbal and Shakib added 63 in 6.1 overs before Tamim was caught and bowled by Alex Cusack. Shakib kept up the rate with a 23-ball fifty but his dismissal sparked off a collapse, for the second game in a row. O’Brien did the damage picking up three important wickets – captain Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah – in the space of ten balls. All three batsmen have shown the ability to finish games in the past, but even though the asking-rate wasn’t too high, they were unable to complete the job.Ziaur Rahman and Mashrafe Mortaza steadied the chase but when Mortaza fell in the penultimate over, Sunny played four dot balls in a row and the game swung back in Ireland’s favour. The win was all but confirmed when Johnston removed the dangerous Ziaur off the third ball of the final over.When ten overs remained, all Bangladesh needed was 62, with eight wickets in hand, and victory seemed certain. Bangladesh managed to lose their way, though, much to Shakib’s disappointment. “I honestly think this should actually shake us up a little,” he said after the defeat. “I believe we lacked intensity in the last ten overs because with the batting we have there is no reason why we should lose that game from the position we were in. You always learn more from defeats.”Shakib also stressed that the team morale shouldn’t dip despite the reverse against an Associate nation. “Practice games are important but they are not that important that you should start feeling demoralised over a loss in such games. These matches allow you to assess where you are at individually and as a team and you work on the findings.”

Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan allrounder, has been ruled out of the second ODI against Australia in Abu Dhabi, but is expected to recover in time for the third ODI to be played on September 3

Umar Farooq31-Aug-2012Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan allrounder, has been ruled out of the second ODI against Australia in Abu Dhabi, but is expected to recover in time for the third ODI to be played on September 3. Left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan is likely to replace Afridi in the XI – the only change expected in the Pakistan line-up. Afridi sustained a back strain during the practice session on Thursday.”He picked up a back strain yesterday night [Thursday] during the practice session,” Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema told ESPNcricinfo. “So far, he isn’t available for today’s game as he has been advised indefinite rest by the doctor. I can’t say much about the next game but if he recovers in time, he will definitely be in the side. We have ample options to replace him but I can’t reveal the team’s plan. It will be revealed at the toss.”During the first ODI in Sharjah, Afridi bowled his 10 overs for 37 runs and picked up the wicket of Australia opener Matthew Wade. However while batting, he was out off his first ball, sparking a lower-order collapse that left them defending a moderate total of 198. Australia won that match by four wickets in the 49th over.

Virat Kohli eased some of the doubts over India’s ability to compete in South Africa with a superbly crafted century that made it at least an even first day

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran18-Dec-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
0:00

Manjrekar: India’s day

Virat Kohli hit the spinners for 50 off 44 deliveries•Associated PressIt’s been a while since India entered a series as much of an underdog as they are on this South Africa visit – even the whitewashes in England and Australia began as a clash of equals. Bereft of the batting legends that have forged India’s most successful decade in Tests, and even of proper match practice ahead of this short series, there were widespread doubts over their ability to compete.Virat Kohli, the man who occupied the fabled No. 4 spot after Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement, eased some of that anxiety with a superbly crafted century and at the end of an intriguing day of Test cricket in Johannesburg, the teams were more or less on level terms. The hallmarks of Kohli’s innings were the perfectly judged leaves outside off, even as South Africa’s pacers persistently probed away, and his punishment of the wayward spinners – caning 50 off 44 deliveries from them – to ensure he didn’t get bogged down.The one big mistake he committed on the day was the muddled calling that led to the run-out of Cheteshwar Pujara, snapping an 89-run stand that had revived India after the openers departed early. India were 24 for 2 then and memories of previous overseas collapses came rushing back.Kohli’s first runs on a track where the bounce was more of a worry than the lateral movement was an authoritative pull for four off Jacques Kallis. He was troubled early on by South Africa’s best bowler of the day, Morne Morkel, who had Kohli top-edging and then inside-edging off successive deliveries. After that, though, Kohli was completely in control.In the first hour after lunch, South Africa employed a strategy that involved keeping the ball in the channel outside off and mixing it up with the odd short delivery. Neither the attempts to play on the batsmen’s patience nor the attempts to unsettle them with the rising delivery worked as Kohli and Pujara kept their calm and wore down the pacers.While the weaker links in the South African attack came in for the most stick, Kohli also went after Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander when they strayed from their usual discipline. A majority of his runs came square of the wicket, with several eye-catching pulls and drives past point and cover.The pressure was building after tea as South Africa strung together a bunch of maidens with Kohli in the 90s. Perhaps influenced by the flagging over-rate, Graeme Smith turned to JP Duminy who, like Imran Tahir, struggled to land the ball and Kohli picked off the nine runs he needed to reach a landmark century.Pujara was the other batsman whose technique and temperament promised big runs, and after surviving a couple of close calls early, he settled in. For two hours, with Kohli for company, he kept South Africa at bay. South Africa had turned to the erratic Tahir for a breakthrough, and India finally thought they had some relief, only for the mix-up with Kohli resulting in Pujara’s run-out.The other batsmen didn’t adjust their game to the conditions as well. M Vijay and Rohit Sharma both went for over-ambitious drives away from their body, only to nick behind to undo the good work they had done in getting their eye in.The other wicket was a fast bowler’s dream. Steyn normally relies on his late and natural out swing, but sensing the surface wasn’t providing him enough, he unleashed a string of bouncers against Shikhar Dhawan in the ninth over. Dhawan, never shy of the aggressive stroke, kept going for his shots as Steyn banged it in short four times in a row; the first went for an unconvincing boundary towards backward square leg, the next flew off the handle towards gully, the third was left down the leg side before an attempted hook landed safely in the hands of fine leg. Steyn’s chainsaw celebration showed how thrilled he was at the perfectly executed plan.It wasn’t perfect planning but a loose stroke that ended Kohli’s innings midway through the final session, as he chipped Kallis to cover on 119. Had he still been in the middle at stumps, it would have definitely been India’s day.There were heartening signs for India even after his exit though, as Ajinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni played out the final hour in fading light without too many alarms. After a difficult debut in Delhi against Australia early this year, Rahane had a long wait to get another look-in, and he didn’t look out of place as he kept out everything South Africa threw at him in an extended final session.More of the same tomorrow morning and India will end on a score that will challenge South Africa’s mighty batting line-up.

A commanding century by Unmukt Chand took India Under-19s to the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
A commanding century by India Under-19s captain Unmukt Chand took them to the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur as they registered a comfortable six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Under-19s. The bedrock of India’s chase of 245 was a steady third-wicket partnership of 105 between Chand and Maharashtra batsman Vijay Zol. The win sets up a final between India and Pakistan on Sunday.Led by Tamil Nadu spinner Baba Aparajith, who bowled an economical spell (2-29), India kept a stranglehold on Sri Lanka early in the innings. Sri Lanka progressed at less than four runs per over and they regularly lost wickets. They seemed to have fallen into a hole when No. 4 batsman Angelo Jayasinghe was run out in the 34th over, but left-hand batsman Sandun Weerakkody continued his impressive run in the tournament with 73 off 75 deliveries, and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella scored a quick 66 to take Sri Lanka to a competitive total. Their partnership of 113 runs came at a run-rate of 7.29 as they recovered from 121 for 4 in the 34th over to 234 for 5 in the penultimate over. Weerakkody’s innings, which had five boundaries and two sixes, boosted his tournament average to 61.33. Left-arm seamer Rush Kalaria took the brunt of the punishment by the two batsmen, giving away 55 runs in his eight overs.India, on the other hand, did not have to depend on a late-innings flourish as their chase was shepherded by Chand’s 116. Sri Lanka seemed to have a look-in after the wickets of Punjab batsman Manan Vohra in the sixth over, and Aparajith for 23 in the 18th over, but India were soon back on track. Zol, who had gained a reputation as a big-innings player with a 451 against Assam Under-19 last year, supported his captain with a steady 54. Their stand of 105 in 124 balls took the game away from Sri Lanka before Zol was dismissed in the 39th over. Neither batsmen took many risks but scored the odd boundary to keep pace with the required run-rate. Chand fell in the 47th over, bowled by pacer Sanitha de Mel before Uttar Pradesh player Akshdeep Nath and No. 6 Sanju Samson finished the game with 17 balls to spare.