MS Dhoni banned for two ODIs

	MS Dhoni scored a century in Nagpur but was unable to ensure that India bowled their overs in time © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: MS Dhoni Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India Teams: India | Sri Lanka

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

	Tillakaratne Dilshan's aggression set the platform for Sri Lanka's successful chase © Associated Press
Related Links Players/Officials: MS Dhoni | Tillakaratne Dilshan | Virat Kohli | Angelo Mathews | Suresh Raina Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India Teams: India | Sri Lanka

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.

	MS Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn't fall away after Virat Kohli departed © Associated Press

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

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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.

Shane Bond leads New Zealand to thrilling win

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Bond has had an injury plagued career since his Test debut in 2001

Returning fast bowler Shane Bond inspired New Zealand to a thrilling 32-run victory in the first Test against Pakistan in Dunedin.

Bond, playing his first Test since 2007, followed his 5-107 in the first innings with 3-46 as Pakistan, set 251 to win, were skittled for 218.

Bond's second-innings haul included the crucial wickets of Mohammad Yousuf (41) and Umar Akmal (75).

Earlier, New Zealand, resuming on 147-8, were bundled out for 153.

It was a final day that ebbed and flowed as New Zealand added only six runs to their overnight total of 147 for the loss of their final two wickets when play resumed.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on New Zealand's first Test victory

That left Pakistan chasing 251 for victory - a target that looked well beyond them when they were reduced to 24-3 inside the first 11 overs.

But a composed half century from Umar to follow up his maiden Test hundred on debut swung the momentum back Pakistan's way.

When Yousuf departed for 41 after a 71-run partnership with Umar, Shoaib Malik joined Umar in the middle and together they steadily chipped away at the target.

But five minutes before tea Iain O'Brien forced the error from Malik, who top-edged Brendon McCullum after the pair had put on 66. That left Pakistan at 165-5 at tea, needing 86 runs to win in the final session.

Full credit goes to New Zealand for the way they played and the way they bowled in the second innings Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf

That target looked gettable with Umar and Kamran Akmal at the crease but the brothers could not reproduce their heroics of the first innings, when they scored 176 runs for the sixth wicket to rescue Pakistan.

When Umar was caught and bowled by Bond for 75, Pakistan still required another 56 runs, and the departure of Kamran five balls later for 27 saw Pakistan's hopes fade further.

Bond's career has been blighted by injury since he burst onto the scene in 2001, to the extent he has only played 18 Tests, and he was banned by his own cricket board after joining the Indian Cricket League in 2008.

"It was perfect really, it's why you want to play Test cricket because it is a true test and it has mental highs and lows," said Bond, 34.

"It was great cricket and to win in a team that's working so hard as well makes it satisfying. The boys are putting in a lot of hard work and I think we are starting to reap the rewards for it which is nice."

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf was left to rue a slew of dropped catches following the defeat, with Imran Farhat missing several chances, including one off Daniel Vettori in the first innings when he was on nought. The New Zealand skipper went on to make 99.

"The result is disappointing obviously but full credit goes to New Zealand for the way they played and the way they bowled in the second innings," said Yousuf.

"We dropped vital catches, otherwise we wouldn't be chasing 250, but I'm pleased with the way the team fought back."

India spinners seal emphatic Test win over Sri Lanka

Harbhajan Singh ended up with figures of 3-98

India earned their 100th Test victory by comprehensively beating Sri Lanka by an innings and 144 runs in Kanpur.

The margin was India's biggest over Sri Lanka, surpassing the previous best of an innings and 119 runs in 1994.

Resuming on 57-4, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 269 before tea with only Thilan Samaraweera offering any resistance, finishing unbeaten on 78.

The crushing win puts India 1-0 ahead in the series, with the third and final Test taking place in Mumbai next week.

Paceman Zaheer Khan got the hosts off to the perfect start on the fourth day, taking the wicket of all-rounder Angelo Mathews for 15 in the second over.

Prasanna Jayawardene added 61 runs for the sixth wicket with Samaraweera before off-spinner Harbhajan Singh bowled him for 29.

606: DEBATE Who is your man of the match?

Harbhajan also trapped Rangana Herath leg before wicket for 13 while Muttiah Muralitharan, who scored 29 off 11 deliveries, fell to spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Samaraweera, the only Sri Lankan batsman to score a half century in the match, then forged another partnership with Ajantha Mendis - the eighth wicket duo putting on 73 - before Yuvraj Singh bowled Mendis for 27.

Ojha then caught and bowled last man Chanaka Welegedara, the wicket sparking wild celebrations.

"It is a moment of pride for me and the whole team to be a part of this 100th win," said Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni.

Dhoni was delighted with the performance of paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, who was named man of the match after picking up 5-75 in the first innings and finishing with 6-122.

"The changes in the side brought in some fresh legs, Sreesanth was fantastic and he used the reverse swing very effectively," added Dhoni.

"The amount of runs we scored on the first day were very important, putting pressure on the Sri Lanka batting side.

"It was important to get some big momentum on our side going into the final Test match. I'm sure the wickets are going to be something different for the fast bowlers and the spinners so let's hope for some exciting cricket."

Meanwhile, Dhoni's counterpart Kumar Sangakkara insisted his side could bounce back and level the series, saying: "Every Test match offers an opportunity to come back.

"The team is hurting right now, they are disappointed with themselves, but we're mentally pretty strong and we want to come back and win the Test match."

India batsmen dominate Sri Lanka

Second Test, Kanpur, day one (close): India 417-2 v Sri Lanka Match scorecard Coverage: Regular score updates plus daily reports on BBC Sport website, plus live television coverage on Sky Sports 1 from 0400 GMT Sehwag hit 18 fours and two sixes in his 16th Test century Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag hit hundreds as India dominated day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka. Gambhir (167) and Sehwag (131), who was dropped in the opening over by Mahela Jayawardene, put on 233 after India won the toss and elected to bat in Kanpur. Muttiah Muralitharan removed both men either side of tea, but Rahul Dravid (85 not out) and Sachin Tendulkar (20 not out) led India to 417-2 at stumps. It was the first time India had made 400 in a day in a Test match. Kumar Sangakkara's depleted attack was hammered around the park as India's top order ensured there was no capitulation as in the first Test in Ahmedabad. Sehwag, 31, was uncharacteristically scratchy in the first hour and was dropped by Jayawardene at first slip before he could get off the mark, before going on to dominate the opening stand. 606: DEBATE After watching some of the second Test this morning I was left incredibly frustrated with Indian cricket, the pitch looks so unbelievably flat DPD He broke the shackles by driving Angelo Mathews for his first boundary in the 12th over and followed that with a pull to the mid-wicket fence in the same over. Sehwag then surged ahead of Gambhir and reached his 16th Test century off just 97 deliveries by turning Muralitharan for a boundary to fine leg. Sehwag hammered Muralitharan for three consecutive boundaries as India sped past the 200 mark in the afternoon session and continued to accumulate runs at breakneck pace before Muralitharan made the breakthrough. Sehwag drove at a delivery with a little more air and picked out Tillakaratne Dilshan at extra cover. "It was a good track to bat on and we capitalised on that," said Sehwag. "I knew they were playing with three spinners so I decided to play out the first few overs when the ball was seaming before hitting out against their slow bowlers. "We will now look to put up a big total and put Sri Lanka under pressure. The wicket should crack up on the third and fourth days and we are confident of taking 20 wickets." The 28-year-old Gambhir, who had provided the early momentum, slowed as he neared his century but got there in style, skipping down the track to hit Rangana Herath for a straight boundary. It was his eighth century, fourth in as many Tests and second in succession after a century in the second innings in Ahmedabad. Together with Dravid, Gambhir added 137 for the second wicket, before Muralitharan pulled off a brilliant caught and bowled for Sri Lanka's second wicket of the day. Dravid reached his half-century - his 58th in Tests - by sweeping Muralitharan for a single and he and Tendulkar played cautiously to finish the day unbeaten. Ajantha Mendis, who took injured fast bowler Dammika Prasad's place in the side, conceded 87 from 19 overs while Herath - the third specialist spinner in Sri Lanka's attack - leaked 91 from 18 overs. Muralitharan, whose form has been questioned of late, finished with figures of 2-100 from 18 overs.

India v Sri Lanka 1st Test Match: Day one

Test Match Series: India v Sri Lanka
16-11-2009 at Ahmedabad, Day 1 of 5

Close

India won the toss and decided to bat

India 1st Innings 385 for 6 (90.0 overs)

India 1st Innings

			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Gambhir		b Welegedara	1	10	0	0
Sehwag	lbw	b Welegedara	16	11	3	0
Dravid	not out		177	251	26	1
Tendulkar		b Welegedara	4	3	1	0
Laxman		b Prasad	0	4	0	0
Yuvraj	c Dilshan	b Muralitharan	68	93	13	0
Dhoni	c Jayawardene	b Prasad	110	159	10	1
Harbhajan	not out		2	11	0	0
Extras		2nb 1w 2b 2lb	7
Total		for 6	385	(90.0 ovs)

Bowler O M R W Welegedara 17.0 3 75 3 Prasad 18.0 1 90 2 Mathews 12.0 1 50 0 Muralitharan 23.0 3 90 1 Herath 19.0 1 73 0 Dilshan 1.0 0 3 0

Fall of wicket 14 Gambhir 27 Sehwag 31 Tendulkar 32 Laxman 157 Yuvraj 381 Dhoni

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Umpires: A L Hill, N J Llong, J J Crowe, A M Saheba
India: Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Yuvraj, Dhoni (C/W), Harbhajan, Mishra, Zaheer, I Sharma
Sri Lanka: Dilshan, Paranavitana, Sangakkara (C), M Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Mathews, Jayawardene (W), Prasad, Herath, Muralitharan, Welegedara