 |
|
|
Krejza, Katich lead Aussie charge |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Bhajji third Indian in 300-wicket club
Beating India in India is tough: KP
Pinegrove, Sanawar in semis
Punjab pip CISF
|
|
Krejza, Katich lead Aussie charge
Nagpur, November 7 The 25-year-old off-spinner, ignored by the visitors for the first three Tests in the series in which they trail 0-1, changed the complexion of the game after the lunch break to snap up five wickets in the space of 26 balls and finish with with figures of eight for 215. The Indians, who were cruising along comfortably at 404 for five at lunch, were polished off for 441 in their first innings to squander the advantage to some extent on a track which has started providing some turn to the spinners. The Australians then batted with a great deal of determination and application to reach 189 for two at close on an engrossing second day’s play, riding on Simon Katich’s sparkling unbeaten 92. Simon Katich and Michael Hussey played sensibly to prevent the Indians from making further inroads in the last session as they remained unseparated at stumps with the visitors still trailing by 252 runs. Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting were the two batsmen dismissed. It was the unheralded Krejza who did the star turn for the Aussies as he removed India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Zaheer Khan, Amit Mishra and last man Ishant Sharma in a dream spell, which helped his team roar back into the game. Krejza was also on a hat-trick during his mesmerising post-lunch spell of 5.5-0-20-5 after sending back Zaheer and Mishra off successive balls before Sharma prevented him from achieving an even more memorable feat. Resuming at the overnight score of 311 for five, Ganguly and Dhoni started in a steady manner with singles and twos and then got a bit more aggressive especially against Krejza. The first session of play produced 93 runs in 26 overs without India losing a wicket. The left-handed stalwart from Kolkata, who struck his first four of the morning in the ninth over with a square cut off left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson, stepped out and on-drove Krejza for a six while Dhoni used the sweep, both conventional and reverse, to good effect against the slow bowler. Ganguly was sure in his footwork and looked at ease against pace and spin in his final Test appearance for the country. Both the batsmen looked in absolute control against both pace and spin after Dhoni had survived an appeal for a caught and bowled chance off Krejza off the first ball he faced in the morning. Dhoni tried to drive the off-break bowler, but the ball ricocheted off the boot and ground for Krejza to dive to his left and catch it. After consulting with his colleague Billy Bowden at square leg, umpire Aleem Dar turned down the Aussie appeal. Ganguly drove Krejza for a couple to mid off to notch up his half century and continue his superb run in the series, which has seen him score 47, 26 not out (Bangalore), 102, 27 (Mohali), 5 and 32 not out (Delhi) prior to the series decider. The complexion of the game changed after the lunch break as the hosts suffered a dramatic collapse triggered by Krejza to lose their last five wickets in a jiffy. India, who were 404 for five at lunch with Ganguly and Dhoni looking well set, lost their remaining wickets in 58 minutes before striking one blow to the visitors by sending back danger man Matthew Hayden (16) who was run-out by a smart pick-up and throw by the home team’s debutant Murali Vijay from mid off. India’s big hope on the turning wicket, Harbhajan Singh opened the bowling with Zaheer Khan to try and exploit the roughs that were taken advantage of by Krejza. Scoreboard India first innings (311-5 overnight) Sehwag b Krejza 66 Vijay c Haddin b Watson 33 Dravid c Katich b Krejza 0 Tendulkar lbw b Johnson 109 Laxman c Haddin b Krejza 64 Ganguly c Clarke b Krejza 85 Dhoni b Krejza 56 Harbhajan not out 18 Zaheer b Krejza 1 Mishra b Krejza 0 Ishant c Katich b Krejza 0 Extras (b-4, lb-2 w-1 nb-2) 9 Total (all out, 124.5 overs) 441 FoWs: 1-98 2-99 3-116 4-262 5-303 6-422 7-423, 8-437 9-437. Bowling: Lee 16-2-62-0, Johnson 32-11-84-1, Watson 20-5-42-1, Krejza 43.5-1-215-8, White 10-1-24-0, S. Katich 3-0-8-0. Australia first innings Hayden run out 16 Katich not out 92 Ponting b Harbhajan 24 M. Hussey not out 45 Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-1, penalty 5) 12 Total (2 wickets; 49 overs) 189 FoWs: 1-32 2-74. Bowling: Zaheer 8-0-41-0, Harbhajan 16-0-57-1, Ishant 8-2-25-0, Mishra 9-1-31-0, Sehwag 6-1-11-0, Tendulkar 2-0-13-0. — PTI
|
|
Two tales of spin
Young Australian off-spinner Jason Krejza today became only the sixth bowler - third from his country - to take eight wickets in his debut Test innings when he triggered an Indian batting collapse on the second day of the fourth and final Test.
The 25-year-old bowler sent back Dhoni, Ganguly, Zaheer, Mishra and last man Ishant in the space of 26 balls and 15 runs to finish with eight wickets for 215 runs in 43.5 overs. The others in the list are his compatriots Albert Trott (8 for 43 v England at Adelaide in 1895) and Bob Massie (8 for 53 v England at Lord's in 1972), West Indian Alf Valentine (v England at Manchester in 1950), India's Narendra Hirwani (8 for 75 at Chennai in 1988) and South Africa's Lance Klusener (8 for 64 v India at Kolkata in 1996). Krejza had made his mark on the first day of the tie yesterday by getting rid off Virender Sehwag (66), Rahul Dravid (0) and VVS Laxman (64) and could have added master batsman Sachin Tendulkar (109) to that list had not the Australian fielders let him off on 85 and 96 off the same bowler.
— PTI |
|
Bhajji third Indian in 300-wicket club
Nagpur, November 7 The Punjab offie, who is playing his 72nd Test, is behind just-retired Anil Kumble (619 from 132 Tests) and Kapil Dev (434 from 131 Tests). He is only the fifth spinner to join the 300-wicket club after Muttiah Muralitharan (756), Shane Warne (708), Kumble and Lance Gibbs (309) and second Indian spinner after Kumble. By claiming the wicket of Ponting, whom he has dismissed for the 10th time so far, Harbhajan has claimed his 200th wicket on India soil. The feisty off-spinner, who made his Test debut against Australia in Bangalore in March 1998, has also 195 ODI wickets in his kitty from 175 matches. |
|
Warriors no match for Badshahs
Ahmedabad, November 7 Earlier Inzamam-ul-Haq, won the toss and elected to field. The Dhaka openers Nazimuddin and Nafees were placed at 40 for no loss at the end of the first five overs. Some tight overs by Shahid Nazir pulled back the scoring rate a bit though. Inzamam introduced his premier spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in the 8th over who delivered with immediate effect, castling the dangerous Nazimuddin with his third variation following his pioneering "doosra"; ending the 51 run partnership for the opening wicket. The Dhaka innings finally folded at 145/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Tapash Baisya struck early getting the dangerous Imran Farhat to nick one to the slips to leave the Lahore side with a shaky start at 3/1 in the second over. Farhat's wicket brought the inform Rana Naved to the crease who in company of the explosive Imran Nazir, blasted the score to 48/1 at the end of the fourth over, taking the Dhaka bowlers to the cleaners. Nazir however fell in the 5th over going for a shot too many ending his entertaining cameo of 27 off 15 balls; laced with 5 fours and 1 six. The stage was set for the legendary debutant Mohammad Yousuf who got off in grand style scoring three boundaries off the first three balls of Baisya. However, his innings was cut short off the next ball by Baisya who got the Pakistani ace to nick one to the keeper to bring back the Dhaka side into the game. Rana Naved brought about his second ICL fifty with a big six over long on in the 12th over coming off only 29 balls and studded with 4 fours and 4 sixes. Rana's powered two more sixes off consecutive balls in the same over before getting caught on long on Brief Scores: Dhaka Warriors: 145 for 7 (Nafees 35, Ahmed 20, Rana Naved 3 for 18, Saqlain 3 for 35) Lahore Badshahs: 149/5 (Rana 64, Inzamam 27, Baisya 2 for 25, Rafique 2 for 48). — Agencies
|
|
Beating India in India is tough: KP
Mumbai, November 7 “The series is going to be difficult. The Indian cricket team led by M S Dhoni is looking fantastic. It is going to be a hard game for us,” Peitersen said at a press conference here after the English team arrived for the seven-match series starting November 14. “Beating India is going to be tough....The wickets are flat, the ball swings, the ground conditions are different. We drew the Test series and got smashed in the one-dayers last time. But we are looking to improve,” he added. On Flintoff’s inspired return, Pietersen said, “He was injured and when he came he was firing. When you miss something you love for 18 months, it is very hard to come back. You want to perform and you have the newness and energy. It is not fair to say that I did anything in terms of Flintoff coming back, he is a marvelous player and did well before as a captain,” Pietersen said. “We are trying to get fast bowler Steve Harmison back in the squad,” Pietersen added. — PTI
|
|
Pinegrove, Sanawar in semis
Solan, November 7 This has created an interesting set line up for the semis where Pinegrove will clash with Daly College while Sherwood College will lock horns with Lawrence School, Sanawar. Sherwood College, Nanital, played their match against St. Soldier Divine Public School, Panchkula, and outshined them by a comfortable 2-1. For Sherwood, Sidharth scored both the goals while Akashdeep scored the lone goal for St. Soldiers. Daly College Indore won 5-1 against YPS, Mohali. Daly College later scored all 5 goals in a quick succession. Tejeshwar scored two goals while King Kling, Anwesh and Deepak chipped in with one goal each for Daly College while Aftab was the lone scorer for YPS Mohali. Hosts Pinegrove scored a significant win over PPS Nabha by a margin of 3-1. Pinegrove boys shot into the lead in the fifteenth minute and consolidated their lead with two more goals in the 22nd and 24th minute. The goal scorers being Nikhil, Nischay and Anurag. PPS fought back but were able to score only one goal through Jashan. In other matches, which were played after lunch on day two, Sherwood College defeated Dally College 3-2 in a closely fought contest while The Lawrence School, Sanawar boys outplayed YPS, Patiala by 2-0 to book their berth in the semifinals.
|
|
Punjab pip CISF
Jalandhar, November 7 Results: Basketball (semifinal): Punjab beat CISF 78-35, BSF beat CRPF 75-53; Hard-line match: CRPF beat CISF 59-57; Final match: Punjab beat BSF 86-67. Team championship: Punjab (first), BSF (Second) and CRPF (third). Kabaddi: Quarterfinal: CRPF beat TN 36-17, BSF beat Haryana 35-25, Punjab beat U’khand 53-22 and UP beat M’rashtra 32-10. Semi-final: BSF beat CRPF 38-17and Punjab beat 24-19. Handball (semifinal): BSF beat 27-26, Punjab beat AP 31-17, Hard-line: J&K beat AP 28-18, Punjab beat BSF 26-24. Team championship: Punjab (First), BSF (second) and J&K (third). Volleyball (semifinal): Punjab beat Orissa 3-0, BSF beat Karnataka 3-2, Hard-line match: Karnataka beat Orissa 3-0, Final match: Punjab beat BSF 3-0. Team championship: Punjab Police (first), BSF (second) and Karnataka (third). |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Spinner Jason Krejza became only the sixth bowler in history to scalp eight wickets on debut to plot India’s dramatic late order collapse as Australia restored the balance in the the series-deciding cricket Test with a solid batting display here today.
The Lahore Badshahs beat the Dhaka Warriors, in a virtual quarter final at ICL’s sparkling new Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad here tonight. Rana Naved was declared man of the match for a great bowing spell followed by a spanking knock of 64.
Mumbai, November 7
