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Waqas and Shahid wins heart breaker for YOUNGSTERS

Match Played Between Youngsters Cricket Club and Malik Cricket Club at Minto Park Ground..

Perfect Cricket Day, its 20/20 Match....

Match played on 7th March 2010

Youngsters ScoreCard :

1     Salman          Bowled       20
2     Moin (wk)     Bowled       35
3     Waqas           Not Out    44* 
4     Fareed           Bowled     14
5     Shoaib           Not Out    13*
6     Shahid (c)      DNB
7     Amjad           DNB
8     Hassan          DNB
9     Usman           DNB
10   Umair            DNB

Total 163/3 in 20 Overs.

Opener partnership Salman and Moin (67 Runs) give some stand, but main explosive provide by Waqas, he scored important 44* runs in the end of the inning ...and in reply YCC bowling fought opponent players, and got wickets, All bowlers do their level best, and clinch up the match.

Youngster won the match by 7 runs.

Man of  the match declared WAQAS ( 44* Runs) & SHAHID ( 3/26)

Waqas and Babar seals Victory for YOUNGSTERS Cricket Club

Match Played Between Youngsters Cricket Club and Wonder Cricket Club at Minto Park Ground..

Perfect Cricket Day, its 25 Overs match.

Match played on 28th Feb 2010

Youngsters ScoreCard :

1     Fareed          Catch       25
2     Moin (wk)     Catch       0
3     Amjad           Bowled    0 
4     Soni              Run Out    0
5     Shoaib          Run Out    26
6     Babar            Catch      17
7     Waqas           Catch      50
8     Nomaan         Catch      6
9     Zain               Run Out   10
10   Shahid (c)      Not Out    12*
11   Salman          Not Out     7*
12   Khalid

Total 185/9 in 25 Overs.

With the help of Fareed & Shoaib little bit partnership give some stand, but main explosive provide by Waqas, he scored important 50 runs in the middle of the inning ...and in reply YCC bowling backfoot opponent players, and got wickets, Babar Seals wickets 5 for 16 in 5 overs, and clinch up the match.

Youngster won the match by 28 runs.

Man of  the match declared WAQAS ( 50 Runs) & BABAR for his allround performance. 17 RUNS & 5/16

Youngsters match washout by Rain

Australia sneak another win against Pakistan

Australia 127 (Hussey 40*, Gul 3-20) beat Pakistan 9 for 125 (K Akmal 64, Tait 3-13) by 2 runs 

For Complete Scorecard:

http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvpak09/engine/current/match/406207.html

Shaun Tait proved he can still be a force at international level as he helped Australia to a tense two-run win that completed a clean-sweep across all three formats against Pakistan this summer. Tait bowled the fastest ball ever recorded in Australia and grabbed 3 for 13 including the key wicket of Kamran Akmal, who had threatened to end Australia's streak with his highest Twenty20 score.

Pakistan's trip has been notable for terrible fielding and the inability to capitalise whenever they got on top of Australia. This time their fielding was sharper than it had been at any stage over the past couple of months but their failure to keep Australia down remained a major issue. Despite dismissing Australia for 127 and being on track at 4 for 98 in the 15th over, they found a way to lose.

The problems began when Kamran chipped to mid-on for 64 from 33 balls to hand Tait his third wicket. Steven Smith then delivered two important breakthroughs on debut when he had Fawad Alam caught at slip and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan stumped, and the wickets kept tumbling. In the end, Pakistan needed 10 from the final Shane Watson over. Umar Akmal was on strike, having been the key after the loss of his brother, but when he holed out from the first ball the result was all but sealed.

It was a shame that Kamran's team-mates couldn't reward him after he led an impressive fightback when the visitors had stumbled to 2 for 10. Kamran was a one-man resistance movement and raced to a 25-ball half-century, the quickest ever by a Pakistan batsman in a Twenty20 international.

His fifty came up with a typically muscular pull for six off Dirk Nannes and at the time Pakistan were 4 for 81 and no other batsman in their line-up had reached double figures. It was an incredible turnaround for a man who was dropped from both the Test and ODI sides during the tour and had a best international score of 34 in any format on the trip.

In a match where Tait broke the 160kph barrier and his new-ball partner Nannes was fast and accurate, the first-change Mitchell Johnson was a welcome relief and Kamran helped blast 20 off Johnson's first over. Despite the support of his brother Umar (21), there wasn't enough of a spread in the runs from the rest of the Pakistanis.

The trouble began with the quick loss of both the openers. Nannes' first over was a maiden that included the run-out of Imran Nazir as the pressure built, and Tait didn't drop below 150kph in his opening spell. He hit 160.7kph, which was the fastest ball recorded in Australia, and from a 152kph offering had Imran Farhat caught at slip for 8.

That undid much of the good work from Pakistan in the field after they dismissed Australia with eight balls to spare, with David Hussey holding things together during an unbeaten 40. Only twice in a 20-over match had Australia scored less than their 127 and it was thanks to great bowling from Umar Gul and a sharp fielding effort from his team-mates. Three run-outs hurt Australia badly, including two that resulted in flat, accurate throws from the outfield from Umar Akmal.

But the most impressive was Fawad's effort to get rid of Cameron White for 4. A Gul short ball lobbed off White's body to point where Fawad took the catch, but while the umpire was turning down the appeal, White wandered out of his crease and was brilliantly snared by a smart throw.

It was the second good thing that Fawad did in the field after he held a sharp chance at point to send Michael Clarke on his way for 32 from 26 balls. Clarke's innings was useful but didn't exactly disprove the doubters who believe he is unsuited to Twenty20 cricket.

He began in promising enough fashion with a cracking cut for four from his first delivery but there was only one more boundary and most of his runs came from scrambled ones and twos. Neither of Australia's debutants had innings to remember - Travis Birt was out second ball when he missed a paddle sweep and was bowled, and Smith was bowled by Rana's slower delivery for 8.

The Twenty20 specialist David Warner made a handy 24 but his dismissal sparked a mini-collapse of 5 for 27. The last of those wickets was Brad Haddin, stumped down the leg side. It was one of several good things Kamran did for the match. He simply didn't have enough support with the bat.

Tait sets sights on Akhtar's record

Shaun Tait believes he has made the right decision to abandon first-class cricket and focus on the shorter formats after delivering the fastest ball ever recorded in Australia on Friday night. Tait's third delivery in Australia's Twenty20 win over Pakistan hit 160.7kph, a speed that has only been bettered by Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee since measurements became common.

Tait had clocked 160kph before but this was his quickest ball and he maintained a consistent pace - he didn't drop below 150kph in his opening two-over spell. The record on Australian soil was a fullish ball that Imran Farhat missed, and Tait expended such energy that he stumbled and nearly fell over in his follow-through.

He picked up Farhat with a 152kph ball that was edged to slip and for the rest of his overs hovered in the low to mid 150s. He said he would love to break Akthar's mark of 161.3kph, set during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, but Tait believes the effort required means that his speed peak can only last for a couple of balls per match.

"It's not something that I think about all the time but there's only certain moments when you're bowling, maybe even in your career, when you've probably got a chance to do it," Tait said after the win. "Today it was my third ball and I had a crack the next ball after that just to have a go and I think after that it's hard to get back up to that pace.

"I think when everything's feeling really good and your timing is right, I think you've only got two deliveries in a game to try and break a record like that. It's a pretty hard task. That's an amazing record. But anyway, I'll see how I go, keep pushing. Shoaib bowled whatever he bowled and that's amazing. I almost killed myself out there tonight."

Most importantly, Tait's pace didn't bring with it an erratic line. He was accurate, hard to get away and was named Man of the Match for his 3 for 13 from four overs. At his best, Tait can be one of the most dangerous Twenty20 bowlers in the world and he could be a valuable weapon for Australia at the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies in May.

Tait has had his problems over the years, including a series of injuries and a self-inflicted break from the game due to physical and mental exhaustion in 2008. But by giving away four-day cricket - he hasn't played a first-class match since December 2008 - and playing only Twenty20 and 50-overs games, he has allowed his body to deliver super-fast balls in short, sharp spells of severe impact.

"I think it's freshness, to be honest," Tait said. "Looking back on it now, the decision that I've made at this stage to play the shorter form of the game has been a pretty solid one. I've been fresh for the majority of the games this season, apart from a couple maybe. I'm really enjoying the shorter form, the Twenty20s."

If Tait does head to the World Twenty20, he could form a fearsome and very fast attack along with Dirk Nannes, who hovered in the low 150s on Friday, and the proven danger-man Mitchell Johnson. Until then, Australia will hope for four more Twenty20 assaults from Tait to warm-up for the global tournament.

Afridi banned for two T20s after while doing ball tampering

Shahid Afridi has been banned for two Twenty20 internationals after being found guilty of ball-tampering during Pakistan's two-wicket loss to Australia in the ODI at the WACA. Afridi, Pakistan's captain in Twenty20 cricket, was charged with an article 2.2.9 offence of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to "changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3 of the Laws of Cricket".

Afridi, leading Pakistan in the absence of Mohammad Yousuf, was caught by TV cameras apparently biting the ball on a couple of occasions. This was reported to the on-field umpires by the TV umpire and, after a chat with Afridi, the umpires changed the ball.

Afridi was called into a hearing with the match referee Ranjan Madugalle immediately after the match. Madugalle said Afridi pleaded guilty to the charge, apologised and regretted his action.

In later public comments, Afridi admitted to tampering the ball but added the practice was common among all teams. "I shouldn't have done it. It just happened. I was trying to help my bowlers and win a match, one match," he told Geo TV, a Pakistan-based news channel. "There is no team in the world that doesn't tamper with the ball. My methods were wrong. I am embarrassed, I shouldn't have done it. I just wanted to win us a game but this was the wrong way to do it."

Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan coach, said: "It's unacceptable. It shouldn't have happened but it happened and I feel sorry for him. Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately it's happened."

The punishment poses a quandary for Pakistan, who end their tour of Australia with a Twenty20 in Melbourne on Friday. Yousuf, who captained Pakistan in Tests and ODIs, is not part of the Twenty20 squad and Younis Khan, who was captain before the tour of New Zealand which preceded this one, has retired from the format. Shoaib Malik, who was captain in all three formats this time last year, might be one of those in the running to take charge. Afridi will also now miss the first Twenty20 against England in Abu Dhabi in February.

Another candidate is Kamran Akmal, the Pakistan wicketkeeper and vice-captain. However, his own form with the gloves has been poor. He was dropped for the third Test in Hobart, following a debacle in the previous Test in Sydney, where he dropped Michael Hussey thrice to give Australia a chance to sneak back into the match and eventually beat Pakistan by 36 runs.

Afridi's conduct was part of a bizarre finale to the game, which sealed a 5-0 win for Australia. Opener Khalid Latif was tackled by a fan who broke through the security cordon and ran on to the field. Police have spoken to Latif, who is not thought to be seriously injured. But action is likely to be taken against the spectator and Pakistan's management will also look at the incident in further detail.

"I thought it was disgraceful," Australian seamer Clint McKay said. "Something you don't want to see ever. For someone to go out there and to touch one of their players is not on. Hopefully it all gets put to bed and he gets a right whack. It's probably the worst thing that can happen on a cricket field, so hopefully it gets stamped out and we don't see it again."

Calm Hussey seals 5-0 whitewash

As Britain's Andy Murray faltered in his attempt to win his first Grand Slam title taking on world No.1 Roger Federer in the Australian Open final in Melbourne, a more absorbing sporting contest took place in Perth. Having bowled out Pakistan for 212, Australia were made to fight every inch for the two-wicket win that handed Pakistan their second 5-0 sweep in history. Fittingly, it was Michael Hussey, Australia's most valuable player for a scrap, who steered them home with an unbeaten 40.

After Clint McKay set the tone with 4 for 35, there was a welcome return to form for Ricky Ponting, whose 55 gave Australia the early initiative which was never entirely abandoned despite a tigerish performance from Pakistan's spinners. Australia had begun the series with a brilliant chase at the Gabba and finished off the rout with Hussey again there to oversee victory, which was achieved in the last over courtesy a no-ball. They will go into the ODIs against West Indies in buoyant mood, while Pakistan look at their calendar for the few months - which only includes Twenty20s until July - still disheveled and searching for their mojo.

After four one-sided affairs, it was good to witness a contest in the last match. Defending a low total, Pakistan's only chance was to bowl Australia out. They took two wickets inside the fielding Powerplay as the openers fell to aerial shots, but the way Ponting was playing, Australia looked on course for a comfortable win. His first ball was fended wide of the slips for four, and two strokes soon after were especially memorable - an incredible back-foot punch to a length ball and a caressed nudge past square leg. Two more controlled leg-side boundaries had Ponting off to a flier.

Mohammad Asif had been the best Pakistan bowler in this series, but today it was the spinners who scrambled Australia's intentions and turned a walk in the park into a tiptoe through a minefield. On a pitch that had showed signs of cracking after Pakistan's innings, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, recalled for the specialist spinner Saeed Ajmal, made a fist of defending a modest total.

Afridi, the captain today, made the key breakthrough as the in-form Cameron White reached way outside off stump and dragged the ball onto his stumps in the 17th over. With that Ponting stepped down a notch, allowing Afridi and Malik to slowly apply the squeeze. After crossing fifty for the first time in nearly three months, Ponting danced down to Malik and picked out long-on. Not too long after Malik struck again when he lured Adam Voges out of his crease and an easy catch was held at midwicket. James Hopes never looked in command against spin and became Afridi's second when an outer edge was well taken by Younis Khan at slip. Australia had lost three wickets for 28 runs, and at 6 for 150, their performance was in danger of freefall.

But one man was still there. Hussey's tussle with Malik was especially compelling - Malik repeatedly tried to beat Hussey in flight, and each time Hussey rose to the challenge, using the depth of his crease well. Even when he wasn't to the pitch he was willing to take some chances, reaching out to steer the ball. A superbly placed late cut in the 44th over took the equation to 39 from 38 balls, but in the second over of the batting Powerplay Mitchell Johnson chased and nicked Naved-ul-Hasan behind.

Nathan Hauritz, coming off a maiden ODI fifty, eased the pressure with a spanking four in the next over before he turned his attention to Naved, steering a deliberate shot to third man. With fine leg up, Iftikhar strayed down leg and Hussey pulled four, cuing chants from that section of the crowd. Brilliant running, some nerves from the fielders and another controlled pull from Hussey allowed Australia scamper past the finish line with four deliveries to spare.

Earlier in the day, it had been Pakistan's batsmen who pressed the self-destruct button. The Australian fast bowlers - led by Ryan Harris, who added impressive control to his pacy offerings - shackled the Pakistan top order early in the piece. Umar Akmal, and Fawad Alam subsequently injected some momentum with half-centuries - only one other batsman got to double digits - but Pakistan were restricted to a total far below what they would have liked.

After opting to bat, Pakistan had taken 17 balls to put a run on the board and 48 to strike the first four. Harris, Johnson and McKay each struck in their first overs and a score of 3 for 17 after 13 overs summed up Pakistan's predicament. The three quicks landed the ball around an off-stump line, varied the length fractionally and found the tiniest bit of movement. McKay's first three overs were run-free out of a period in which Pakistan went five overs for a single run. Umar survived a couple of close calls early on, edging outside off and missing twice, but soon tightened up and looked confident and competent. Johnson returned and effected a run-out off his own bowling, after Umar dabbed a short ball and harried off, sending Malik on his way for 36.

The acceleration was smooth for a good stretch, with Fawad playing well. Between overs 21.2 and 34.2 there were only three boundaries as Hopes and Hauritz were able to operate largely unmolested, but with each run the pair added Pakistan inched towards a respectable total. Fawad timed the ball well from the start, getting off the mark with a controlled steer off a Johnson yorker, and then found the gaps far more consistently than any of the other batsmen did.

Umar raised his fifty from 87 balls but once the stand was broken - and it took a clever slower delivery from McKay to do it - Australia tightened the screw again superbly by taking the last six wickets for 54 runs in 53 deliveries; Harris took his tally to 13 wickets in three consecutive games and McKay snared 4 for 35. Despite pushing Australia to the limit under lights, a target of 213 wasn't enough.

Youngsters easily won the match

Match Played Between Youngsters Cricket Club and Star Cricket Club at Minto Park Ground..

Full foggy day, match start delay, So match reduce to 20/20 Overs.....

Match played on 31st January 2010

Youngsters ScoreCard :

1     Hassan             Catch       21
2     Moin                Catch       0
3     Babar               Catch       25 
4     Shoaib             Bowled     53
5     Waqas (c)       Catch        57
6     Shahid            Stump        0
7     Imran             Not Out     9*
8     Khalid            Not Out     0* 
9     Amjad               DNB
10   Salman              DNB
11   Usman            DNB

Total 201/6 in 20 Overs.

Hassan and Babar set good platform on the top of the innings, then Shoaib and Waqas over 100 runs partnership stand and reach at good total...and in reply YCC bowling backfoot opponent players, and got wickets and clinch up the match easily.

Youngster won the match by 72 runs.

Man of  the match declared SHOAIB for his fine allround performance. 53 RUNS & 3/17

Youngsters won the thriller match in style

Match Played Between Youngsters Cricket Club and Lidhar Pind Cricket Club at Lidhar Ppin Ground..

Full foggy day, match start delay, but full match played of 25 Overs.....


Match played on 17th January 2010


Youngsters ScoreCard :

1     Hassan (wk)      Catch        6
2     Amjad               Stump       47
3     Babar               Catch        50
4     Fareed              Catch        84
5     Nomaan            Run Out     45
6     Hamza             Not Out      5*
7     Waqas (c)       Not Out      8*
8     Salman            DNB
9     Moin               DNB
10   Imran              DNB
11   Ahmad            DNB

Total 270/5 in 25 Overs.


Fareed, Babar, Amjad, Nomaan all set good in match but just fall before reaching target, but Waqas came into bat just Last 2 balls and required 7 runs........And finally hit huge Sixer over mid-on on last ball of the match where required 5 runs in 1 ball......

Youngster won the match by 5 wkts.

Man of  the match declared FAREED & AMJAD for his fine Batting and Amjad fine allround performance.

South Africa level the series

Morne Morkel routed England's lower-order in a spell of 3 for 0 in seven deliveries, before JP Duminy extracted the battling Paul Collingwood for a brave but futile 71, as South Africa levelled the series - and retained the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy - with a crushing innings-and-74-run victory at the Wanderers. The victory was delivered on the stroke of the lunch-break when Ryan Sidebottom missed a slog-sweep to give Duminy his second wicket in an 11-ball spell.

England had resumed the fourth day in deep trouble on 48 for 3, still trailing by 195 with two full days remaining in the contest. The situation demanded runs as well as crease occupation, and Collingwood responded with a gutsy and well-judged 71 from 88 balls, as he shed the outright obduracy that had carried England to safety at Centurion and Cape Town, and climbed into his cross-batted repertoire whenever South Africa strayed in line or length.

But he alone located the correct balance between watchfulness and aggression, as he picked 12 fours and a six in total, comprising an even mixture of cuts, pulls, drives and genuine edges. But all too few of his colleagues were capable of emulating his efforts. His overnight partner, Kevin Pietersen, hung around for 10 overs in the first hour and seemed to be finding his range once again as he contributed an improbably meagre three runs to a fourth-wicket stand of 36. But the debutant Wayne Parnell tempted him with an outswinger that drew a rash snick to the keeper, and that was the end of that.

Ian Bell, who has impressed with his more settled temperament on this tour, once again looked in control of his nerves as he held up an end for seven further overs while dodging a series of bullets from Morkel's lethal lift and tight line. But eventually he jabbed at another rising delivery outside off, and Jacques Kallis at second slip clung onto a flying edge.

That soon proved to be the end of England's rapidly fading hopes, for Matt Prior then came and went in an impressively woeful double-whammy. His first ball, from Morkel, was dropped by Hashim Amla at short leg; his second was outside off and drew a wafty pull shot. Graeme Smith at first slip backpedalled to claim a spiralling top-edge, and Prior trooped back to the dressing-room as his captain, Andrew Strauss, vacated the balcony in disgust.

Four balls later, and Morkel had his third of the morning, as Stuart Broad - who came close to being timed out after taking an eternity to arrive in the middle - was sent trudging back in the same direction with his indignation palpable, after being caught off the glove by a bouncer down the leg-side. The initial appeal was turned down by umpire Tony Hill, but this time Daryl Harper in the third umpire's hotseat had no trouble picking up the audible snick.

Graeme Swann, who last night told his Twitter followers to look out for his maiden Test century, joined Collingwood in a rollicking eighth-wicket stand of 30 in 26 balls, and briefly looked good for his promise as he cracked three fours in six balls after being dropped by Ashwell Prince in the gully. But one ball later, Steyn's full-length swing proved too much, as he drew a defensive dab for AB de Villiers to collect the thick edge at third slip.

Collingwood kept up the intensity, lacing Ryan McLaren through the slips before hoisting Steyn up and over long-off for the first and only six of England's innings. But with just two wickets still standing and a deficit of 89 still to be surmounted, he was eventually extracted by JP Duminy's first delivery of the day - a top-edged hoick off an ignominious long-hop, that flew at a comfortable height straight to Morkel at deep square leg.

And so it all came down, as it always tends to do, to England's ninth-wicket pair. With their lucky charm, Graham Onions, watching glumly from the dressing-room, Sidebottom and James Anderson played their shots for 16 deliveries, before Sidebottom sized up one slog too many, and the rattle of timbers signalled a richly deserved South African win.

For complete scorecard:

http://www.cricinfo.com/rsaveng09/engine/match/387573.html

Australia 3-0 clean-sweep Pakistan

Australia wrapped up their 12th consecutive Test victory over Pakistan on the final afternoon in Hobart, where Khurram Manzoor's fighting half-century was not enough to salvage a draw for the visitors. Nathan Hauritz added to his growing reputation as Test bowler by picking up the key wicket of Manzoor and finished with three, while Peter Siddle also grabbed a trio of victims.

Despite showers being forecast, the only sprinkling of rain came during the lunch break and it wasn't enough to delay Australia's charge to a series clean-sweep and a fifth Test win of the summer. Australia have now equalled the record for the most consecutive Test wins by any country over any other nation, matching the 12-game streak currently held by Sri Lanka over Bangladesh.

The only slight concerns for Australia came during a 66-run seventh-wicket stand between Manzoor and Mohammad Aamer. Manzoor, who came in for this Test at No. 3, enhanced his chances of keeping his place in the side with a patient 77 from 239 deliveries that gave Pakistan, for the morning at least, a tiny sniff of saving the game.

Manzoor showed impressive resolve for most of his innings but it didn't hold, and soon after an injudicious swipe against Hauritz he slashed at a cut against the spinner and was caught behind. The rest of Pakistan's resistance fell away and Hauritz had Umar Gul brilliantly caught at slip by Michael Clarke for a duck, before Mohammad Asif (0) was bowled by Mitchell Johnson.

Hauritz finished with 3 for 30 and was comfortably the leading wicket-taker for the series, with 18 at 23.05. Siddle was also happy with his 3 for 25, which was his best return of a lean summer, and he wrapped up the victory with the second new ball when Danish Kaneria played on for 1.

Pakistan's victory target of 438 was not the issue for Australia, they simply needed to grab the remaining wickets while the weather held up. Showers had been tipped on the final day but the Tasmanian local Ricky Ponting, who was confident in his knowledge of the state's weather, had his decision not to enforce the follow-on vindicated.

Australia began the day impressively wth Shoaib Malik caught behind off Siddle for 19, after adding only one to his overnight score. That was the key breakthrough for Australia as it opened the way into Pakistan's lower order, and the wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed finished his debut Test with a disappointing batting return when he was caught at slip off Hauritz for 5.

Sarfraz departed in strange circumstances, when his edge clipped the gloves of Brad Haddin, went through the hands of Clarke and onto his boot before bouncing up for Clarke to complete the catch. If Pakistan had made their catches stick throughout the series it might have been a more enjoyable tour for them. Now they must wait until the two Tests in England in July to redeem themselves.

For complete scorecard:

http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvpak09/engine/current/match/406201.html

Calm Jayawardene takes Sri Lanka Trophy

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 to steer them home with nine balls to spare on a chilly evening.

Suresh Raina's first ODI century against serious opposition - his previous two were against Hong Kong and Bangladesh - had boosted India from 60 for 5 to a respectable 245 but they were a strike bowler short after Ashish Nehra took a wicket and left the field. Harbhajan Singh produced two openings with his tidy offspin yet Jayawardene was flawless in his match-winning effort. And to think he'd initially been ruled out of the series through injury.

When India dismissed the well-set pair of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in the space of 14 deliveries on a rare dew-free evening, their total seemed around 40 runs more than it actually was. India turned in a fighting performance after Sangakkara and Dilshan fell, but fittingly it was Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's most experienced player, who anchored the chase.

After Nehra sent back Tharanga for his second consecutive duck, only to hobble off with a dodgy groin after bowling eight deliveries, Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth, especially, struggled with their bearings and Sangakkara, with very good use of the wrists, latched on readily. He was away with two expertly placed boundaries, just using the pace and putting width away through the off-side arc, and followed those up with two glorious drives past extra cover and point. With Sangakkara striking the ball sweetly, Dilshan set about erecting a platform that would see Sri Lanka through.

However, 93 for 1 soon turned into 109 for 3, with spin giving India some hope. MS Dhoni turned to Yuvraj Singh for the 17th over, and it took him one delivery to raise India's spirits. Dilshan, on 49, tried to cut but the ball stayed low and Dhoni made no mistake holding the bottom edge. In the 20th over Sangakkara, who had raised his half-century off just 48 balls, was tempted by a loopy one from Harbhajan Singh that forced him back and then drew the edge to slip.

Boundaries dried up and the tension was palpable, as was perhaps the batsmen's surprise at the minimal effect the dew had. Where cuts and glances had been abundant, suddenly hard-handed chops to backward point and inside edges off hurried drives became frequent. There was big turn for Harbhajan and Dhoni threw in a leg gully to go with a slip.

But Jayawardene is just the man you need to walk in with the asking rate under control and a batsman in good nick at the other end. He aided Sri Lanka's chase with customary effectiveness: a forward press here, a clipped single there, a deft boundary here, a cheeky two there. It was typical Jayawardene - aware of what the situation demanded and knowing which bowlers to take runs off and how.

Having eased the pressure with a lovely dab wide of backward point for four, Thilan Samaraweera failed to spot Ravindra Jadeja's arm ball and dragged it onto his stumps. That wicket snapped a 48-run partnership, but few circumstances ruffle Jayawardene and he ensured he was around till the end. Harbhajan's dismissal of Thilina Kandamby in his second spell didn't bother Jayawardene, who raised his fifty with a characteristic nudge off the pads. A drop by Harbhajan at point when Jayawardene was on 54 was as close as India came to dismissing him. Even the run out of Suraj Randiv with 18 needed from 21 balls wasn't enough. With three successive boundaries off Sreesanth, each played to different areas and with varying degrees of control, Jayawardene sealed the deal.

Jayawardene's innings overshadowed a splendid century earlier in the day. Raina's effort was the fourth-highest ODI score by an Indian at No. 6 and kept India afloat but Sri Lanka finished off well, taking the last four wickets for 32 runs in 5.2 overs. By bowling India out in 48.2 overs with some tight bowling at the end, they were always ahead in the match.

For the first 11 overs of the game on an overcast and mildly chilly Dhaka afternoon, India's innings resembled an automobile ignition on a wintry morning in Denmark. A mishmash of indiscreet shot selection, accurate new-ball bowling, efficient left-arm pace and smart catching is often a recipe for a lop-sided contest and India so nearly made it one. The top order played without purpose - completely failing to make use of the chance to bat time at the crease - and wickets fell in a heap within the first ten overs.

Gautam Gambhir's first-over dismissal - bowled off the pads while trying to glance Kulasekara - set about a brief period of chaos where India's batsmen made the slightly nippy Chanaka Welegedara look like Jeff Thomson. Though hovering in the late 120 to early 130 kmph, Welegedara drew a tentative waft from Kohli and made Yuvraj - who had not batted so early in the innings since November 8 against Australia - look like a novice with two slips licking their lips.

Overconfidence did Dhoni and Virender Sehwag in after a mini-recovery, as both fell to the accurate Kulasekara, and with India struggling at 76 for 5 after 15 overs, this was threatening to be one of the quickest finals in recent memory. Luckily for India, Raina and Jadeja proceeded to buckle down and give the innings some substance.

Raina never allowed the situation get to him. He was alert to the singles, was skillful at finding the gaps, and ran well with Jadeja. A pull through midwicket in the 20th over changed the tempo from caution to slow acceleration, and an open-faced steer between mid-off and extra cover was the shot of the innings. Forty one of Raina's runs came behind the wicket, all through dabs, steers, glances and gentle maneuvering, but it was the crisply struck drives that had spectators cheering. The cover area was regularly threaded, especially as Raina made room to dominate the bowlers.

At 166 for 5 in the 35th over, India appeared on course for 250 but Dilshan trapped Jadeja (38) plumb in front. Raina's attempt to boost the tempo after reaching his century didn't come off, with India losing wickets cheaply. Despite facing 53 dot balls, Raina's strike-rate was a swift 92.17; marvelous considering the mess he had walked out to. His excellent contribution at least gave India something to bowl at, but 245 just wasn't enough to prevent Sri Lanka from securing their first tri-series success since the 2008 Asia Cup - against the same opposition.

For complete ScoreCard:

http://www.cricinfo.com/tri-bdesh2010/engine/current/match/434264.html

Youngsters Win, Waqas Shines

Match Played Between Youngsters Cricket Club and Atari Cricket Club at Minto Park Ground..

A perfect Cricket day....Match played on 1st January 2010

Youngsters ScoreCard :

1     Hassan             Catch        29
2     Moin (wk)        Bowled     12
3     Waqas (c)        Not Out     53*
4     Babar              Catch         29
5     Shoaib             Bowled      12
6     Fareed            Run Out      22
7     Nomaan          DNB
8     Salman            DNB
9     Khalid             DNB
10   Imran              DNB
11   Ahmad            DNB

Total 194/5 in 20 Overs.


Waqas set up good total...


Youngster won the match by 97 runs.

Man of  the match declared WAQAS for his fine Batting (53* Runs)

Swann five seals innings victory

ngland's cricketers needed just 18 overs on the final morning at Durban to wrap up a thumping innings-and-98-run victory in the second Test, as South Africa's tail crumbled under the sheer weight of scoreboard pressure bearing down on them following the team's desperate performance on the fourth evening. Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad were once again the stand-out performers, as they shared nine of the ten wickets in the innings, with Swann claiming the spoils with 5 for 54 in 21 overs.

South Africa resumed their fight on 76 for 6, with Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel entrenched in a 26-run stand for the seventh wicket, and though Morkel pulled Broad with some confidence through midwicket for the first boundary of the day, he was unable to deal with the wiles of Swann, who continued once again his extraordinary penchant for striking early in a spell.

In total, Morkel faced three deliveries from Swann, and might have been dismissed by the lot. The first was tossed up from round the wicket and spun sharply past his edge. The second was snicked to slip, where Andrew Strauss - deputising in that position for the injured Paul Collingwood - couldn't get a hand on the chance. The third, however, was the perfect follow-up. Fuller, flatter, and faster, and Morkel barely moved his pad before he'd been pinned lbw for 15.

Paul Harris was the next man in, and he received a rough reception from Broad in particular, who sensed a vulnerability to the short ball, and tested it to the max with a barrage of lifters that struck him variously on the chest, ribs and armpit. But he did his best to endure as he anchored himself on the back foot, and each of his first three fours came from steers through point off Broad, only one of which was genuinely involuntary.

The real body blow for South Africa's faint hopes occurred at the other end, however. Boucher is one of the best scrappers in world cricket, but the magnitude of this particular task proved to be beyond him. On 29, Broad fizzed a lifter down the leg-side, and there was an audible snick as the ball flew through to Matt Prior behind the stumps. Umpire Aleem Dar initially turned down the appeal, but Strauss and his team-mates were convinced, and the referred decision showed a clear deflection off the glove.

Harris did his best to hang in there, edging Swann through third man before cracking him more emphatically down the ground for another boundary, at which point Strauss decided it was time for a change. James Anderson entered the attack from the Umgeni End, and he needed only four balls to make the breakthrough, as Harris was deceived by late swing from a full length, and Broad - though denied a shot at a five-wicket haul - nevertheless made good ground at mid-off to scoop a low catch.

Instead the honour of the five-for went to Swann, the man who had set the collapse in motion before tea on the fourth day. Dale Steyn propped forward in front of off and was instantly sent on his way lbw for 3, and England's fielders hurtled from the field to begin their celebrations. The final Test of the decade had finished as a remarkable innings victory for England, their first in South Africa since 1964, as they set off to Cape Town with their spirits soaring and the series seemingly theirs to lose.

Hauritz five seals Australian victory

The Australians rounded out 2009 with their most clinical final day bowling performance of the year to seal a 170 run victory over Pakistan. Nathan Hauritz, placed on notice by Australia's selectors prior to the series, claimed his first career five-wicket haul as Pakistan crumbled from 3 for 170 overnight to be all out for 251 shortly after lunch on the final day.

Hauritz's ability to exploit wearing pitches had been called into question of late, not least by Andrew Hilditch, and he proved himself worthy of the challenge on Wednesday. Unable to replicate the biting turn that accounted for Faisal Iqbal the previous day, Hauritz instead utilised flight and bounce to challenge Pakistan's lower and middle orders and was rewarded with four final-day scalps.

Australia began the day in emphatic fashion with Mitchell Johnson removing Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq with consecutive deliveries in his first over. Hauritz then repeated the dose with the back-to-back dismissals of Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Aamer shortly after the first drinks break to extinguish any hope of an improbable Pakistan fightback.

Mohammad Yousuf showed admirable determination to post 61, but support for the Pakistan captain was thin on the ground. With wickets falling in clusters, the Australians required only four overs after lunch to seal victory and claim a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three series. The result took their Test record in 2009 to an encouraging seven wins, three defeats and three draws; a substantial improvement on their 5-5-4 record from the previous year.

The younger Akmal was the first victim of the final day, pushing at a fast, swinging delivery from Johnson that was claimed millimetres above the MCG turf by a tumbling Brad Haddin. Misbah fell to an identical mode of dismissal, albeit to a straighter ball, leaving the tourists' hopes of a fightback in tatters less than an over into the day. Kamran Akmal denied Johnson his hat-trick, but almost triggered one for Hauritz when, after an hour of stern resistance, he was stumped attempting a reckless charge to a slower, bouncing delivery. Hauritz then beat Aamer for bounce with his next ball, resulting in a gloved catch to Simon Katich at short leg.

Abdur Rauf survived Hauritz's hat-trick delivery - which featured the rare sight of nine fielders around the bat - but fell soon after to Doug Bollinger. Rounding out a forgettable match, Rauf played onto his stumps to expose the Pakistan tail shortly before lunch. Hauritz completed the rout after the break by removing Yousuf to another bat-pad catch, and Saeed Ajmal to a wild swipe that was accepted by Shane Watson, who was later named Man of the Match.

The breakthroughs ensured Johnson and Hauritz a positive end to a 2009 campaign that has proved testing in the extreme. Both bowlers have been subjected to criticism - Johnson for his erratic ways during the Ashes series, Hauritz for his lack of penetration on deteriorating tracks - but have emerged better for the experience. Though not quite back to his wrecking ball ways of South Africa, Johnson is nonetheless a bowler far improved from that which struggled for much of the Ashes series. Hauritz, meanwhile, has continued his steady evolution as an international spinner, as demonstrated by his subtle changes of flight and angle on Wednesday.

For Pakistan, there is much to ponder before the Sydney Test. The selection of Rauf over the experienced and versatile Umar Gul was flawed, and the catching at the MCG largely lamentable. The likely return of Danish Kaneria and the possible reintroduction of Younis Khan could prove a significant boost for the tourists, but on the evidence of the past five days, there remains much work to do.

If nothing else, Pakistan have at least closed the chapter on the annus horribilus that was 2009. In a year that witnessed the Lahore terrorist attack, and the subsequent stripping of host venue status, the Pakistanis can look ahead to the New Years' Test with hope for healing and renewal.

New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe under cloud again

New Zealand are likely to pull out of their rescheduled tour of Zimbabwe following the collapse of public health system in the African nation. Major Western governments have advised against non-essential travel to Zimbabwe, and the foreign ministries of Australia, New Zealand and the UK have warned that public hospitals there were experiencing shortages of staff, water, power, medicines and equipment.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan and the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association boss Heath Mills expressed their concerns about the proposed trip, which has already been delayed once.

"The pragmatist in me suggests that there's still another two years to go in the current international playing programme and we could look to postpone again," Vaughan told the Sunday Star-Times. "Medical facilities are a concern. You can go to countries and protect yourself against infectious diseases and the like as long as you've got a decent standard of hygiene and healthcare services available to you.

"We're not in possession of all the facts quite yet, but it appears that [health] could be quite a significant concern. Certainly, NZC is non-negotiable on the matter of putting our team at risk at any time."

Mills said he feared for player safety if the medical situation didn't improve in Zimbabwe. "I'd be very concerned about them going in the existing circumstances," he said. "I fail to see how you can put the team into a country which is effectively third world, and when there's so little confidence in the health infrastructure.

"We need to be confident our players can get the appropriate standard of medical care. If you can't get those assurances, I'd be very uncomfortable about the team going."

New Zealand postponed the tour - originally scheduled to be held in July this year - for a year after a decision was made in February with the New Zealand government vetoing the trip on political grounds, a decision which protected NZC from being fined for breaching a touring contract.

Under the ICC rules, a team may only withdraw from a sanctioned tour for health and safety reasons, but is immune from penalty if prevented from touring by a government order.

Despite Zimbabwe's shaky political situation, Murray McCully, a spokesman for the foreign minister said no decision had yet been made about the tour. "We're keeping a watching brief on the situation in Zimbabwe as things are still relatively fluid, politically and security-wise, and the situation could easily change significantly before the tour is scheduled to begin."

Vaughan said a government decree against touring Zimbabwe would make things easier but such decisions couldn't be made lightly. "They [the New Zealand government] stepped in to cause the postponement of this year's visit ... so we pushed the tour forward 12 months," Vaughan said. "And that's what we might do again."

Kumar Sangakkara signs up with Lancashire

Lancashire have signed Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan captain, as their overseas player for the 2010 season. Subject to registration, Sangakkara will represent the club upon the conclusion of the ICC World Twenty20 in April and the proposed Asia Cup.

Sangakkara will be the third player from Sri Lanka to represent Lancashire, after Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya.

"I am thrilled to be joining Lancashire and really looking forward to representing a club and county that has such a long and distinguished cricketing history," Sangakkara said. "Murali always talks fondly of his times at Lancashire so I had no hesitation in accepting the club's kind offer to play for them in the upcoming season."

Sangakkara has an impressive international record, averaging 55.10 in 88 Tests and 35.97 in 262 ODIs. His experience in Twenty20s, too, will be an asset to the club's campaign in the Friends Provident Twenty20 competition and its pursuit of seeking a berth in the Champions League Twenty20.

"2010 will see the introduction of the new Friends Provident T20 competition with places in the lucrative Champions League on offer for the domestic finalists," a media release issued by Lancashire stated. "And with such importance now placed on Twenty 20 cricket, the addition of Kumar will not only bring added experience to the Lancashire squad but this aggressive yet elegant left-handed batsman averages 33 in crickets' shortest format."

On confirming the signing, Mike Watkinson, Lancashire's cricket director, said: "With so much international cricket being played around the world it is difficult to find world-class players who are available for extended periods during our domestic season. So I'm delighted we have secured the services of Kumar for the majority of our season and I know he is looking forward to playing for Lancashire.

"Kumar is an excellent batsman, experienced leader and is a proven match winner. He has all the attributes and qualities we look for when signing an overseas player and is someone we know can make a significant contribution in all three competitions next season."

Sangakkara is likely to miss the first six weeks of the English domestic season due to his international commitments, and Lancashire revealed they would be looking for a replacement for that duration. "The first part of the season is full of Championship cricket, so myself and Peter (Moores) are looking at our options in terms of cover for Kumar during this period," Watkinson said. "We do have some talented homegrown batsmen in our squad but it's important that we start the season off as strongly as possible and if the right overseas player is available, then that would be an ideal solution."

Lancashire coach Peter Moores added Sangakkara would bring tremendous value to the squad. "Kumar is hot property at the moment and rightly so. He is arguably the most consistent batsman in international cricket with an outstanding average in all formats, making his signing a real coup for Lancashire," he said. "Not only will he bring his qualities as a player to the squad but his experience and knowledge will be invaluable. Kumar has an excellent record in the traditional form of the game, but is also at the fore when it comes to the rapidly evolving Twenty20 format having played in the IPL since its inception.

"In Kumar we have an excellent resource for our younger squad members to tap into as they look to improve and as we continue to build a squad hungry for success."

Pakistan send out SOS for Younis Khan

Pakistan's failings with the bat in Melbourne have prompted the team management to send out an SOS for Younis Khan. The former captain, who has kept a low profile since he abruptly relinquished the leadership in November, is believed to be keen to respond and may even arrive in time for the second Test in Sydney, due to begin on January 3.

Pakistan were dismissed for 258 on an unusually docile MCG track, and only Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq batted with any authority against a disciplined and bustling Australian pace attack. That continued a run of poor performances in Younis's absence on the New Zealand tour, where Pakistan relied heavily on Umar as they drew a three-Test series 1-1.

But the team management has been keen on getting Younis over since before the Melbourne Test began. After the opening day at the MCG, they called up Iqbal Qasim, Pakistan's chief selector, and said they needed Younis. Since then it is believed there may have even been direct contact between Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan captain, and Younis.

"They have been very keen on getting Younis over and they called up Iqbal Qasim after the first day to make the request," a board official told Cricinfo. "A request needs to be made in writing and the selection committee will discuss and weigh up the pros and cons before the decision is made."

Younis gave up the post after losing an ODI series to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, claiming that he had "lost command over his players." It came after months of reported unhappiness within the team over his leadership. He went underground immediately after, only to resurface suddenly while attending a PCB coaching course in Lahore and then turning out, unimpressively, in the emerged a possibility that he may arrive in time for the ODI series, but the frailty of Pakistan's batting has apparently sped up the process.

Younis' poor form - also a factor in his decision - remains a concern, however, and the selectors are keen for him to play at least one game of the local Pentangular tournament, which is due to begin on January 1, before he comes to Australia. Since making a triple-hundred on a lifeless track in Karachi in February, he has scored 131 runs in four Tests. His ODI form has also been wobbly.

But his experience and track record at No.3 - a particularly troublesome spot for Pakistan in recent Tests where they have tried four different batsmen in four Tests - is thought to be crucial in Australia. Not only was he Pakistan's leading scorer in the last Test series here, he enjoyed a successful stint with South Australia last season.

"Younis has been contacted and there is a chance that Yousuf has also contacted him directly," said the official. "He has said that he is fit and ready to go, but will stand by whatever process the selectors put in place for his return."

That process would appear to depend on how Pakistan ultimately fare in Melbourne. A loss could mean that there is a "70-80%" chance of Younis making it in time for Sydney. If they somehow escape with a draw he could arrive in time for the final Test in Hobart, having played at least one Pentangular match in the interim. The call-up would also entail a current member of the squad returning to Pakistan, and it could possibly be one of the fast bowlers.

A final decision could also be taken as early as tomorrow, depending on the situation of the Test.

Match abandoned because of dangerous pitch

Match abandoned after 23.3 overs Sri Lanka 83 for 5 (Jayasuriya 31, Zaheer 2-31) v India

The final ODI between India and Sri Lanka on Sunday was abandoned after 23.3 overs after the match officials decided the pitch was of "extremely variable bounce and too dangerous for further play". The immediate fallout of the fiasco was the dissolution of the BCCI's Grounds and Wickets Committee but long-term repercussions could be far more serious: at stake is Delhi's status as a host of the 2011 World Cup, though the ICC has said it will follow the prescribed monitoring process before taking any decision.

The ICC's latest code of conduct regarding poor pitches states that a first such breach should be met with "a suspension of the venue's international status for a period of between 12 and 24 months together with a directive for appropriate remedial action and the need for prior ICC re-accreditation as an international venue".

On a Kotla pitch where the bounce - from similar lengths - varied from shin to shoulder in as short a spell as three deliveries, Sri Lanka had reason to be thankful that they got away with just two hits on the body that needed attention.

At around 11.20am, one length delivery from the debutant Sudeep Tyagi reared up to almost clear MS Dhoni behind the stumps. The Sri Lankan batsmen had had enough by then. Kumar Sangakkara, dismissed already, and Mahela Jayawardene, out because of a groin injury, were seen waving from outside the boundary, and lengthy discussions ensued.

Incidentally, Sunil Gavaskar didn't seem too pleased with what he saw during his pitch report. He described the uneven sprinkling of grass on the pitch as a "hair transplant" with bald patches. When the ball hit the grassy areas it seamed and bounced, from the bald patches it died along the ground. What made it difficult for the batsmen was that the lengths from where the ball behaved so drastically different were not too far apart from each other. The moisture didn't help either.

Full of action, the 23.3 overs featured a wicket first ball; a dropped catch first ball of the second over; blows on the elbow, shoulder, fingers; frenzied running; thick edges flying past third man; and wickets for Zaheer Khan, Tyagi and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni, coming back from a two-match ban, was stupendous behind the stumps, getting his legs together for the shooters and reacting well to the lifters. Not one bye was conceded.

Zaheer got just enough seam movement to crash through the gap between Upul Tharanga's bat and pad first ball of the day. Ashish Nehra could have got Tillakaratne Dilshan with the first ball he bowled, but Suresh Raina failed to hold on to a high catch at cover-point. Perhaps Dilshan would have rather that he got out then, going by the way he had to consistently drop his wrists out of the way of balls bouncing from just back of a length.

One such delivery from Nehra struck him just over the elbow guard. The way he came down, throwing his bat away immediately, it seemed a nasty blow. Dilshan got up, hit his first boundary off the 23rd ball faced, but couldn't last much longer. The ones staying low made it even tougher for him to negotiate the venomous ones.

Sanath Jayasuriya, 20 years and a day old in international cricket, fought it out despite blows on his elbow, shoulder and fingers. He played two exquisite cover-drives but was fortunate in coming back without a serious injury. In the third over of the innings, his elbow guard prevented severe damage when one lifted from just back of a length and followed him. Tyagi then showed him the vagaries of the bounce, hitting him in his shoulder in the 12th over. Four overs later, within three balls he had the batsman squatting and then nursing his finger.

Even after the players went off, it took the authorities - the umpires, the match referee, the captains, and the home association representatives - an hour and 10 minutes of debate before they officially abandoned the game. "I'd like to commend the on-field umpires and captains for continuing as long as they did in the hope that the pitch may settle down," Alan Hurst, the match referee said. "Unfortunately, this did not happen. Before abandoning the match, consideration was given to shifting the match to a secondary pitch. However, it was deemed impractical as the secondary pitch was not adequately prepared."

The recent history of the Kotla track had done little to recommend its hosting of another international fixture. The curators, both at the ground and the BCCI's head of pitches committee Daljit Singh, have on more than one occasion said that this is a freshly relaid pitch and will take time to settle in. Despite that, the ground hosted the Champions League T20 on low and slow tracks, and an ODI between India and Australia in October. The BCCI will be left ruing the decision of having hosted two international matches on a dodgy pitch, within two months of each other.

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvsl2009/engine/current/match/430890.html