Lancashire have signed Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara as their overseas player for the 2010 season. Sangakkara has played for the national side for the past decade and is one of international cricket's most consistent batsman with a Test average of 55.10. The 32-year-old will join up with his new county after the ICC World Twenty20 and the proposed Asia Cup. "Kumar is a hot property at the moment and rightly so," said Lancashire's head coach Peter Moores. "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. "Not only will he bring his qualities as a player to the squad but his experience and knowledge will be invaluable. " Sangakkara follows in the footsteps of fellow team-mates, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya in representing Lancashire. "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," said Sangakkara. "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." "Kumar is an excellent batsman and proven match winner," said Lancashire cricket director Mike Watkinson. "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 domestic season due to representative commitments, which gives an opportunity for the club to bring in someone else as cover. "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," said Watkinson. "We do have some talented home grown 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." | |
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara signs for Lancashire
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sachin Tendulkar leads India to victory over Sri Lanka
| Third one-day international, Cuttack:
Sachin Tendulkar struck a brilliant unbeaten 96 as India eased to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international in Cuttack. Tendulkar, supported by Virender Sehwag (44) and the rest of the top order, struck 13 fours off 104 balls as India made 240-3 in reply to Sri Lanka's 239. Sri Lanka's innings got off to a superb start with Upul Tharanga hitting 73 as he led them to 165-1 at one stage. But Ravindra Jadeja took 4-32 as they collapsed and India claimed a 2-1 lead. The fourth match of the five-game series takes place in Kolkata on Thursday, with a potential decider in Delhi on Sunday. India were captained by Sehwag, with regular skipper Mahendra Dhoni banned for two one-dayers because of their slow over rate in Friday's second contest.
He lost the toss and ......... For more Visit : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/8425193.stm | ||
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Injured Angelo Mathews to return home
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| Related Links News : Murali and Fernando out of ODI series Players/Officials: Angelo Mathews | Thissara Perera Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India Teams: Sri Lanka | ||
The injury crisis in the Sri Lankan camp has deepened, with the allrounder Angelo Mathews set to return home after straining his right quadricep muscle during the second ODI in Nagpur on Friday. The Sri Lanka Cricket media manager Brian Thomas has confirmed to Cricinfo that the Wayamba allrounder Thissara Perera will join the squad in India on Sunday for the three remaining ODIs.
Mathews' injury is likely to take up to four weeks to heal, thereby putting him in doubt for the tri-series in Bangladesh starting on January 4. He suffered the injury while setting off for a run during his match-winning unbeaten 37, but continued his innings with the aid of a runner (Chamara Kapugedera).
The loss of Mathews is a big blow to the Sri Lankans, given his fine form with the bat. He made 99 in the third Test in Mumbai, very nearly guided his team home in a marathon chase of 415 in the first ODI in Rajkot - scoring a 33-ball 38 - and closed out the chase in another pressure situation in Nagpur, with Sri Lanka chasing 302.
The Sri Lankans had already lost the services of two strike bowlers in Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan, who sustained finger injuries after the first ODI. Muthumudalige Pushpakumara and Suraj Randiv were flown in as replacements. In the post-match presentation in Nagpur, captain Kumar Sangakkara joked that at least 40 players were required as cover for injuries. Perera is yet to make his international debut.
Prior to Sri Lanka's arrival in India, the touring Australians too were jolted by several such pull-outs during the seven-match ODI series. However, the injury-ravaged tourists managed to win the series 4-2. The current ODI series is squared at 1-1 with the third ODI set to get underway on Monday.
MS Dhoni banned for two ODIs
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| Related Links Players/Officials: MS Dhoni Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India | ||
MS Dhoni, India's captain, has been banned for two ODIs for India's failure to maintain the over-rate during the second match against Sri Lanka in Nagpur. The ban is effective immediately, which means Dhoni will be unavailable for the games in Cuttack and Kolkata, returning only for the final ODI in Delhi. Virender Sehwag will captain the side in his absence.
The severity of the penalty - a ban instead of a fine - is because India were three overs short, which comes under the "serious over-rate offence" category. Falling short by up to two overs in an ODI, and five in a Test day, is considered a "minor offence", and merits a ban only if the offence is repeated twice in 12 months. On Friday night, though, India finished their 50 overs about 45 minutes after the scheduled finish and left match referee Jeff Crowe with no choice but to impose a ban.
If India repeat a serious over-rate offence in any form of the game within the next 12 months, Dhoni could earn himself a ban of two to eight ODIs or one to four Tests.
"The India captain, like his Sri Lanka counterpart, was reminded and warned before and during the ODI series to be mindful of the slow over-rates and the penalties under the revised code," Crowe said. "The Indian side was at par until the 42nd over but bowled only eight overs in the last hour which, is unacceptable. I accept the fact that the ultimate desire of the Indian side was to win the match but at the same time it had deadlines to meet and also fulfill the responsibilities it owed to the stakeholders."
The rest of the Indian players were fined 40% of their match fee for the offence - 10% each for the first two overs of minor offence and 20% each for every subsequent over. The BCCI has also stated that it will not appeal against the ban.
"We have received information that the match referee has put a two-ODI ban on Dhoni for slow over-rate," Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI's chief administrative officer, said. "We are waiting for a formal communication on this. We will look into details and then make further comments."
Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka's captain, came close to getting banned when his side were found to be two overs short during the second Twenty20 international in Mohali. Sangakkara was fined 40% of his match fee while the rest of the team was docked 20% each, but Crowe said Sangakkara escaped a much bigger penalty.
"Kumar was kept informed throughout the match by the on-field umpires of where his team was with its over-rate," Crowe said. "Under the revised code of conduct, Sri Lanka was very close to being three overs behind and charged for a Serious Over Rate Offence, which would have resulted in its captain being suspended in the next two ODIs." Within the next 12 months, Sri Lanka can afford to repeat this minor offence once. Third strike, and Sangakkara will be out for a game.
Meanwhile, Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has been found not guilty of showing dissent towards the umpires while batting in Nagpur. He set off for a quick single to mid-on but collided with the bowler before Angelo Mathews' direct hit caught him short of his crease. He appeared to gesticulate in frustration towards the umpire but Crowe clarified that it wasn't directed at him when the decision was referred to the third umpire.
"It was an unusual incident and while the umpires were justified in laying the charges, after studying all the evidences I found that Gambhir was actually annoyed and irritated by the actions of the bowler than at the decision of the third umpire," Crowe said. "At the same time, the umpires and I were convinced that the actions of the bowler were unintentional."
Dilshan, Mathews help Sri Lanka draw level
Sri Lanka 302 for 7 (Dilshan 123, Mathews 37*, Zaheer 3-63) beat India 301 for 7 (Dhoni 107, Raina 68, Kohli 54) by three wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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| Related Links Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India | ||
The second humdinger between these two teams this week ran the gamut from wonderful to what-the-heck as runs and wickets flowed in equal measure in good batting conditions. Sri Lanka leveled the series with a three-wicket win in a match defined by two individual innings, contrasting in style and strength, at either end of a collapse that threatened to give India the advantage and a 2-0 lead.
With another evening of thrilling batting, Tillakaratne Dilshan proved right every single reason behind Sri Lanka's decision in January to open the innings with him permanently. Dilshan's fifth one-day century, and second in a row, was the dominant force in Sri Lanka clinching this win but it so nearly ended up in another lost cause, if not for Angelo Mathews.
Dilshan contributed 63 to a 102-run opening stand, playing with the freedom and control fans have grown accustomed to; then, in the period where India followed up a double-strike with 12 boundary-less overs, he collected his century while ensuring the asking rate stayed in control. There was a massive scare as Sri Lanka lost three wickets, and a limping Mathews was called on to douse the flames. That he did, standing one on leg and coolly striking out the threat of a revved-up India. With eight needed from nine balls the match was on a knife's edge, but Nehra bowled a full toss, Mathews bunted it to mid-on, and Zaheer let it right through his legs for four.
While India's attack had been spread through the line-up, with Virat Kohli, centurion MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina playing dominant roles, Sri Lanka rode on Dilshan's shoulders. Needing to score at over a run a ball, he got the chase off to a brisk start. And as often happens, India failed to apply pressure from both ends. If Zaheer allowed just a run off his second over, Praveen Kumar leaked three consecutive fours in his, veering between too wide and too full. Ashish Nehra wasn't allowed to settle, with both openers punching aerial down the ground, and Zaheer's length was offset by a manipulative Dilshan. Sri Lanka's fifty came up in 6.3 overs, most of the runs coming down the ground.
It was enthralling batting from Dilshan. Zaheer and Nehra tried to push him back but he rode the bounce, and at times his luck - such as when he danced out to Nehra and edged for four. Whenever the ball was pitched up, Dilshan, at times batting out of his crease, plonked his front foot further forward and clunked powerful drives over mid-off and mid-on.
After Virender Sehwag Dilshan comes closest in today's era to being able to make the bowler bowl where he wants them to. Dhoni turned to Harbhajan Singh for the eighth over, slip and leg gully in place. Having come out and gone back to pick the gaps in Harbhajan's first over, Dilshan had the bowler in two minds. At one point, he twice hurried out to thump the ball down the ground, as he'd spotted the extra flight. Then Harbhajan bowled it quicker and wider, hoping Dilshan would come out to that one as well. Instead Dilshan read it perfectly, stayed in position, and cut it past point for four. The batsman had set the bowler up.
When Harbhajan purchased some turn, Dilshan used his crease to get over the ball, nudging it off his pads. A streaky but deliberate edge off Harbhajan for four raised a 31-ball fifty. Harbhajan had some success against Upul Tharanga, who was lured out and then edged a breaking ball to slip where Sehwag snapped a good catch to his left (102 for 1). Dilshan was then responsible for running his captain out, and for the next 55 deliveries India, through Nehra, Praveen and Ravindra Jadeja, pulled Sri Lanka back.
Dilshan spent 16 deliveries in the nineties, reached his century, raised his arms, and promptly clubbed Nehra for two dingers that snapped a 12-over barren run of no boundaries. He featured in a 66-run third-wicket stand with Mahela Jayawardene, which ended when Nehra bowled Dilshan with a fine yorker.
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Zaheer delivered a further twist in the tale when, with 70 needed from 66, he got Jayawardene to nick for 39. With the rate within grasp thanks to Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby cut out the risks until his first aerial shot, in the first over of the batting Powerplay, was excellently held by a leaping Kohli at mid-on. Two legal deliveries later, a perfect yorker cleaned up Chamara Kapudegera, and the game was India's to win. But Mathews controlled his eagerness to flat-bat marvelously, nudging and pushing the ball around with the occasional aggressive drive to remain unbeaten on 37. He was outstanding under pressure, and aided by a runner (Kapugedera) picked out the deliveries to put away. Zaheer's gross error sealed Sri Lanka's fate.
At the halfway mark, the visitors would have considered the target within their reach as the wicket was still good for batting. After deciding to make first use of a pitch virtually devoid of grass, a century stand between Dhoni and Raina, after a shaky start, picked up the tempo for India. Coming together at the fall of Kohli (54), Dhoni and Raina gave India their best phase.
Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn't fall away, working the ball around superbly from the outset, and immediately showing the rich vein of form he is in this year. It wasn't a pure innings though. Dhoni had edged his first ball for four, was nearly taken at third man when on 11, edged wide of Kumar Sangakkara on 24, and got two more lives in three balls from his counterpart off Ajantha Mendis. Dhoni raised his half-century off 70 balls and thumped a six to celebrate.
Dhoni picked the batting Powerplay after 40 overs, just after Raina dumped Chanaka Welegedara for six over long-on. Two more sixes, again hit down the ground with power, pushed Sri Lanka onto the back foot as the pair took on Mendis and Suraj Randiv on in a three-over burst that bled 35 runs. Raina's fifty came up off 44 balls and that five-over block yielded 50. Looking for his fourth six, Raina picked out deep midwicket, and soon after, Mendis dropped a clanger at cover when Dhoni was on 94. In the same over, Dhoni raised his century, his second in consecutive innings in Nagpur, to a rousing reception.
Those cheers were nowhere near as boisterous when Dilshan raised his, but the resonance of the game's second century was definitely louder.
Source : Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo
England scrape draw in first Test with South Africa
It shouldn't have been that close - Strauss
| By Jamie Lillywhite |
England survived a dramatic collapse to salvage a draw in a thrilling finish to the first Test against South Africa.
The tourists resumed on 11-1 needing a distant 364 but two wickets fell in the first 13 overs before Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott calmly shared 145.
But Pietersen (81) inexplicably called for a run and Trott stood his ground.
Trott made 69 before debutant Friedel de Wet struck three times as five fell for 13 but Graham Onions kept out the final over as England closed on 228-9.
Having slumped to 27-3, the fourth-wicket partnership left all results still possible at the tea interval, with 195 needed from the remaining 35 overs.
Even after Pietersen's needless dismissal, Trott's resolute fifty, to add to his century on his debut in the final Ashes Test last summer, looked to have guided England to a comfortable draw.
The South Africans took the second new ball at the start of the final hour almost as a token final gamble, but 29-year-old De Wet, regularly bowling in excess of 90mph, captured 3-2 in four overs.
Slow left-armer Paul Harris took the eighth wicket when Stuart Broad was clearly caught behind, a decision upheld after a replay borne out of sheer desperation, and there were 44 balls of the match remaining.
We played the better circket - Smith
Hero of the first innings Graeme Swann was then trapped plumb lbw by Morne Morkel, the final referral used out of even greater despair and quickly rejected, leaving three overs and one ball for last man Onions to survive with county colleague Collingwood, who made 26 from 99 balls.
The final over was given to Makhaya Ntini, in his 100th Test, but Onions defended resolutely, keeping out one that crept low and would have defeated many a top order player, and England escaped to ensure the series heads to Durban for the Boxing Day Test with the series still 0-0.