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Zaheers fiver wrecks Kiwis
Zaheer Khan celebrates the wicket of Tim McIntosh during the second day of the final Test. AFP
Only Indian pacer to do it thrice in NZ
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T 20 WC probables
Azlan Shah Cup from today
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Zaheers fiver wrecks Kiwis
Wellington, April 4 Zaheer capitalised on the bounce at the Basin Reserve track to return with impressive figures of five for 65, his seventh fiver, as the hosts folded up their first innings for a paltry 197 in reply to India's 379. The Indians were 51 for 1 in their second essay at close of second day to have an overall lead of 233 runs, with Gautam Gambhir (28) and Rahul Dravid (9) at the crease. It was a disciplined bowling performance by the tourists who kept the pressure for most part of the Kiwi innings with a tidy line and length. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the other successful bowler with three for 43 while pacemen Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel chipped in with a wicket apiece. Visiting captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had also a busy day as he took six catches, the most by an Indian wicketkepeer, eclipsing Syed Kirmani's five catches. Ross Taylor (42) and Tim McIntosh (32) were the two Kiwi batsmen who got decent starts but none of the other batters could hang around for long on a day which was completely dominated by Dhoni and his men. As in the first two Tests in Hamilton and Napier, New Zealand began their first innings on a wobbly note, losing Martin Guptill and Daniel Flynn by the eleventh over. Having driven Zaheer handsomely through the off for a boundary, Guptill dragged the Indian strike bowler on to his stumps. The wiry opener, who has impressed more as a fielder, made 17. With his tail up after the early strike, Zaheer used the windy conditions to move the ball either way of the seam to have Tim McIntosh and Daniel Flynn in a spot of bother. It wasn't long before Flynn was done in by a beauty from Zaheer, the cherry tickling his willow en route to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Flynn, who had been ruled out of the second Test at the McLean Park due to a hand injury, made just two on his return. Resuming the post-lunch session at 64 for two, Tim McIntosh began the mid-afternoon exodus from the park, gobbled up by Yuvraj Singh at first slip off Zaheer. Jesse Ryder, playing his first Test in front of his home crowd, lasted barely 12 balls, slashing Zaheer to Dhoni. Harbhajan accounted for the wickets of Ross Taylor (42) and James Fraklin (15) while Ishant sharma, slammed for a four and six over backward point by Daniel Vettori, had the last laugh when he had the Kiwi captain snaffled behind by Dhoni, who thus far has taken four catches in the innings. Scoreboard New Zealand (1st Innings): India (2nd Innings):
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Only Indian pacer to do it thrice in NZ
Wellington, April 4 Zaheer today capitalised on a bouncy Basin Reserve track to come out with an impressive bowling figures on the second day of the third Test as the visitors secured a crucial 182-run first innings lead, which put them on the driver's seat. Legendary off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna was the first ever Indian bowler to take five wickets in an innings three times in New Zealand. Today's fiver also made the 30-year-old left-armer the only Indian bowler to bag five wickets in an innings twice at the Basin Reserve here. Meanwhile, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who pouched as many as six catches during the hosts' first innings, became the only Indian wicketkeeper to achieve the distinction. The flamboyant wicket-keeper batsman took as many as three catches off Zaheer's five-wicket haul. Syed Kiramani was the first Indian wicketkeeper to make six dismissals - five catches and one stumping - in an innings against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1975-76. PTI Taylor all praise for Zaheer
New Zealand were at the receiving end of fiver Zaheer Khan's devastating spell of seam bowling but their middle order batsman Ross Taylor has no qualms in praising the Indian, saying the strike bowler used his shortened run-up to lethal impact. Zaheer today bowled mostly with a shortened run-up but ran through the Kiwi top order with figures of five for 65 to help India take a 182-run first innings lead on the second day of the third Test and Taylor was all praise for the visiting strike bowler. "Zaheer had an extra yard up, but looking up at his speed it was quite normal. But he bent his back and hurried the batsmen up. He bowled extremely well and deserved this fiver," said Taylor who top-scored with a stodgy 42 in the home team's 197 all out. The right-handed middle order batsman said the home team was "shattered" with the visitors' performance today but said they have not lost hope of turning the tables against India with a strong response in the remaining days. "We are shattered. We have only batted 65 overs. It is very disappointing in not giving our bowlers enough rest. We just did not apply ourselves as well as we should have throughout the innings," he said. "It is going to be very difficult. But we have to take a positive frame of mind into tomorrow. A lot of things have to go our way to hopefully give ourselves a chance of getting back into the game.," said Taylor.
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T 20 WC probables
New Delhi, April 4 Piyush Chawla and Ajit Agarkar were the other prominent names which did not figure among the probables, otherwise comprising members of the inaugural World Cup winning Indian squad. While Sreesanth, who is nursing an ankle injury and was suppose to be fit before the T20 World Cup, no reason was known for omission of Sharma, Chawla and Agarkar. BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan refused to comment on the omission of the players who played in the last edition of the tournament. "The Board cannot comment on player selection. It is a matter concerning the selectors not us," he told PTI. Batsman Robin Uthappa return to national fold after around an eight-month lay off even as senior pros Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman continued to remain out of the Twenty20 scheme of things. The list will be pruned to half before a final squad is named.
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Azlan Shah Cup from today
Ipoh (Malaysia), April 4 India, on a redemption journey after last year's Olympic debacle, is presently on a high after a recent run of success at home and Down Under, including the runners-up finish at the Punjab Gold Cup in Chandigarh, but coach-in-charge Harendra Singh is in no mood to take Egypt lightly as he wants to use the platform as a build up to the Asia Cup. "For the Asian teams the priority is the Asia Cup in May. This is just a testing ground. The teams playing in the Azlan Shah will be eyeing to to develop a strategy for the Asia Cup," Harendra said. Three-time champions India won the title in 1985, 1991 and 1995 before losing out to Argentina last year by the golden goal. Harendra was upbeat after India defeated the title favourites and highest-ranked team in the tournament New Zealand 2-1 in a practice game yesterday, saying he expected his boys to get into their stride and strike the right rhythm from the beginning. "My boys have been in action since touring Argentina in January. We have also had the opportunity to play in Australia and New Zealand and the Punjab Gold Cup in Chandigarh against defending World and Olympic champions Germany and European powerhouse Holland in February," he said, adding that the Indians needed to be more consistent. Captain and drag-flicker Sandeep Singh will be expected to lead from the front alongside veteran Dilip Tirkey, who with 403 international caps, will be the key man in the defence. Young midfielder Ajitesh Roy is likely to be pressed as the third full back due to VR Raghunath's last minute withdrawal from the squad owing to a shoulder injury. Indian midfield, with attacking Gurbaj Singh, Sardara Singh, Tirkey brothers - Ignace and Prabodh - and Arjun Halappa, looks compact. The tournament will also provide Harendra the opportunity to test his bench strength which has received a boost with the return of winger Prabhjot Singh after his marriage. Even though Rajpal Singh has pulled out of the event due to exams, the coach has enough options in Tushar Khandker, Shivendra Singh, SV Sunil, Bharat Chikhara and Gurvinder Chandi. Interestingly, although Harendra feels that the absence of a strong field will hamper the quality of the event, he said the lone 2010 World Cup berth up for grabs will act a motivating factor for the teams. "I do not think we should expect any great performances. The absence of the top teams will surely affect the quality of the meet. But it still has its uses and we hope to do well," Harendra said. PTI
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Hauritz hands SA crushing defeat
Durban, April 4 Hauritz's career-best figures of four for 29 condemned South Africa to their heaviest one-day defeat against Australia as they were skittled out for 145 after just 33.1 overs. Scoreboard |
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Gros Islet, St Lucia, April 4 Flintoff took five for 19 in his five overs, including the hat-trick in his final over, as England claimed their first one-day series victory in the Caribbean. It was a well-deserved win on Friday as England bowled with accuracy and discipline after an earlier batting collapse meant they managed only 172 for five from their allotted 29 overs. "It has been a long hard tour and to come out at the end with something is pretty special," England captain Strauss told Sky Sports. Reuters England: West Indies:
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India
were 51 for 1 in second innings at close on Day 2, ahead by 233 runs,
after the hosts folded up their first innings at 197 in reply to India's
first innings score of 379
