Thursday, December 30, 2010



The moment before impact: Abdul Razzaq winds up for a big hit, Pakistan v South Africa, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi, October 31, 2010


Abdul Razzaq pummeled an 11-ball 34 to propel Pakistan to 183, before returning to flatten the New Zealand top order with the new ball, as the visitors stormed to a 103-run victory in the third Twenty20 in Christchurch. Razzaq capitalised on some inexperienced death bowling from Adam Milne to hammer 31 from the last nine deliveries of the innings, and picked up three wickets for 13 as New Zealand imploded dramatically, effectively surrendering the game within the first three overs of their chase.

The chase was derailed almost before it had begun as the top four batsmen all collected ducks. Martin Guptill began the catastrophic collapse when he edged Razzaq to point, pushing away from his body with hard hands to one that nipped away a touch. Jesse Ryder turned in his third failure of the series in the following over when he top edged a pull, and Dean Brownlie's decision to sneak a quick single to get off the mark backfired when Shahid Afridi effected a rare Pakistani direct hit. Ross Taylor was unfortunate to be adjudged lbw to one that struck him slightly above the knee roll, but didn't do himself any favours by playing all around the straight delivery. Three overs into the innings, New Zealand had lost four wickets for three runs, and when James Franklin lost his head, and his middle stump, two overs later, there was only one direction the match was heading. New Zealand had made 11 runs for the loss of five wickets from their first five overs. Pakistan were 51 for no loss at the same stage.

Styris resisted bravely, throwing his bat to collect a couple of boundaries over cover in Razzaq's last over, and even swatting a six over midwicket to give the Christchurch crowd something to cheer about, but with the required run-rate tipping 15, and wickets falling regularly at the other end, there was little he could do. Peter McGlashan dragged Abdur Rehman onto the stumps attempting to reverse sweep and Nathan McCullum didn't hang around long, succumbing to Shahid Afridi's straighter one. Styris eventually fell for 45, and Afridi wasted little time cleaning up the tail - an 134 kph arm ball to dismiss Tim Southee first ball being the highlight of his spell. Styris aside, none of the other New Zealand batsmen managed double figures. They made 28 collectively.



Pakistan's impressive total was set up by an explosive opening partnership between Ahmad Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez, who blasted 81 in 8.4 overs to set pulses racing at the AMI stadium. Shehzad in particular, was quick to punish anything on a length, peppering the midwicket boundary repeatedly, while also driving through the covers when the ball was pitched up. Hafeez too got into the action scooping Mills over the shoulder for four, before unfurling a wristy swat that sent the ball sailing over deep square-leg a few overs later.

The introduction of slow bowling into the attack did the trick for New Zealand though, as both openers perished attempting to maintain the frenetic scoring rate, and three more wickets followed soon after. Younis Khan was run out, attempting a suicidal single, Asad Shafiq was caught on the boundary after having used up 15 deliveries for his 8 and Shahid Afridi departed for a quickfire 14.

Umar Akmal kept Pakistan ticking with some intelligent hitting, but it was Abdul Razzaq who boosted the visitors' total and swung the momentum decidedly Pakistan's way with a brutal display of power hitting. Razzaq swung in the V, launching Tim Southee twice over midwicket before taking on Milne in the last over. Razzaq smoked the short deliveries over cover, and sent the fuller ones racing along the ground to the boundary, and 19 runs came off the last five deliveries, despite Milne's best efforts to vary the pace and find the blockhole.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Roy Hodgson

Wolves beat Liverpool for the first time in 27 years to climb off the foot of the Premier League table and pile pressure on Reds manager Roy Hodgson.

Stephen Ward's crisp finish from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's pass 11 minutes into the second half proved enough to give Mick McCarthy's men a famous victory.

Raul Meireles wasted a dismal Liverpool's best chance early on when he shot straight at Wayne Hennessey.

And Martin Skrtel's late headed goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

That scare aside, Wolves had little trouble in holding on for their first league away win of the season and their first over the Reds since little-known striker Steve Mardenborough gave them a victory at Anfield in January 1984.

n truth McCarthy's side, so often unable to turn impressive performances into points, were fully worthy of all three on an evening when Liverpool looked totally devoid of any creative spark.

Before the match, Hodgson had expressed the hope that his players would be fresh rather than rusty after an 18-day break from league commitments because of two successive postponements.

But even the return of skipper Steven Gerrard from a six-week injury layoff could not inspire Liverpool, and Hodgson headed down the tunnel with the boos of fans ringing in his ears after an eighth league defeat of the season which leaves the Reds in 12th place going into the new year, just three points above the relegation zone.

The first half was an instantly forgettable affair, with the only chance of note falling to Meireles inside six minutes.

A quick free-kick from Fernando Torres released the Portuguese midfielder through on goal but his weak shot was comfortably saved by the advancing Hennessey.

From then on, Wolves more than held their own, enjoying plenty of possession in the Liverpool half without really creating any clear-cut openings.

Their only shot of the first period was a long-range strike from top-scorer Ebanks-Blake which trickled tamely wide.

Gerrard did his best to energise Liverpool, but with Torres once again out-of-sorts, and Dirk Kuyt looking uncomfortable in a left-sided role, there was very little fluidity to the home side's play.

The Reds carved the first opening of the second period as Glen Johnson's pull-back found David Ngog but the Frenchman hooked wide from six yards.

Wolves defender Ronald Zubar was slightly closer with his shot on the turn as he forced Pepe Reina, on his 200th Premier League appearance, into a low save.

It was an omen of things to come as in the 56th minute the visitors took the lead after a mix-up between Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos allowed Ebanks-Blake's through-ball to squeeze between them.

Ward showed good pace to beat the advancing Reina to the ball and poke a low finish into the corner.

Hodgson sent on Ryan Babel and Joe Cole in pursuit of an equaliser but it was Wolves who came closest to scoring, when only a last-gasp block by Johnson prevented Matthew Jarvis making it 2-0.

Two minutes from time, Skrtel's header from Gerrard's free-kick flew in past Hennessey but replays showed several Liverpool players had strayed offside.


Jacques Kallis gloves a brute of a bouncer, South Africa v India, 2nd Test, Durban, 4th day, December 29, 2010



India reiterated that they are no longer poor travellers by pulling off a series-levelling win in Durban, the scene of one of their worst Test defeats in 1996. Monday's victory at Kingsmead, after a humiliating loss in Centurion, joined other famous successes over the past decade on some of the world's fastest tracks - Headingley, Jamaica, Nottingham, Johannesburg and Perth.

The match was even at the start of the fourth day but India's bowlers barely sent down a bad ball in the morning session to seize control of the Test. A Sreesanth snorter to Jacques Kallis started South Africa's slide, before two lbws - one a marginal decision and the other a howler, both sure to refuel the UDRS debate - hurt them further. Ashwell Prince tried to resist but India plugged away to remove the tail an hour into the second session and set up a decider in Cape Town next week.

The ebb and flow of the match was matched by Sreesanth's bowling form. The wayward, antic-loving Sreesanth was missing in the morning as he sent down an accurate spell of sustained hostility. The highlight was in the day's seventh over - an unplayable bouncer that reared up sharply and jagged in towards Kallis, who had no way of avoiding it. He jumped and arched his back in an attempt to get out of the way but could only glove it to gully. It was the snorter needed to remove the kingpin of South Africa's batting. There was no over-the-top Sreesanth celebration either, just a fist pump before getting back to business.

That wicket put India slightly ahead, and there was no doubt who the front-runners were when AB de Villiers offered a half-hearted forward defensive against a Harbhajan Singh delivery from round the wicket. He was struck in front of middle, looked lbw and the umpire agreed, though Hawk-Eye suggested the ball would have bounced well over the stumps.

Mark Boucher has, over a decade in international cricket, built his reputation as a scrapper and, with Prince also around, it wasn't yet lights out for South Africa. Boucher, though, made only 1 before he was given lbw to a delivery that was angling across him and comfortably missing off stump .

South Africa had lost three wickets, and there was still no boundary in the morning, a testament to the scarcity of bad deliveries. When the first four did come, from Dale Steyn, it was an edge to third man. Steyn had pinged Zaheer Khan on the helmet with a quick bouncer on Tuesday, and was the target of a string of short balls. After three of those, Zaheer slipped in a fuller delivery, which Steyn duly nicked to slip.

At 155 for 7, with lunch 45 minutes away, the game looked set for a quick finish. Prince and Paul Harris, however, resisted with some dour batting and a couple of confident boundaries from Prince. They saw out the 10 overs to the break but a pumped-up Zaheer, chatting with the batsmen after almost every ball, ended the stand in his first over after the resumption with a peach that clipped Harris' off stump.

Prince and Morne Morkel then stood firm for an hour, reducing the required runs to double digits. India's wait seemed to have ended when Ishant Sharma had Morkel wafting to gully, but that turned out to be his regulation wicket off a no-ball. In his next over, though, Ishant didn't overstep when he found the edge off Morkel to Dhoni. Two balls later, an alert Cheteshwar Pujara threw down the stumps from short leg, catching the No. 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe short, and sparking celebrations. The Indians were ready to grab the stumps as souvenirs, when they realised the third umpire had been called for. The dismissal was confirmed moments later and there was no stopping the celebrations this time.

India came into this Test with their No. 1 status questioned after the clobbering in Centurion and doubts over whether they had the bowling to take 20 wickets. They provided answers to both in Durban, handing South Africa their third straight defeat at the venue.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Edoardo and Francesco Molinari

Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari are among 13 players to qualify for the 2011 Masters at Augusta courtesy of their world ranking.

The top 50 in the end-of-year world rankings are invited to the tournament.

America's defending champion Phil Mickelson is looking for a fourth win, while Tiger Woods is chasing a fifth.

British golfers, including world number one Lee Westwood and US Open champion Graeme McDowell have qualified through one of several other criteria.

The top 16 from the previous year's Masters automatically qualify meaning Westwood, who finished second, and his fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, who was 10th, will be in Georgia in April. Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez also qualifies under this criteria.

Ulsterman McDowell is in after winning the US Open at Pebble Beach, while his Northern Ireland compatriot Rory McIlroy is awarded a place for finishing third at the Open Championship.

English trio Luke Donald, Paul Casey and Justin Rose make the cut after finishing in the top 30 players on the 2010 US PGA Tour money list, while Scotland's Martin Laird also qualifies from his Tour Championship showing.

Francesco Molinari, who is 15th in the world rankings, made his Masters debut last year and finished tied for 30th at three over par, while his brother, who is 18th in the world, has played twice previously, missing the cut in 2006 and 2010.

The Masters field is currently at 91, but players can still qualify by getting into the top 50 of the world rankings in the week before the 75th Masters which takes place from 7-10 April 2011.


Chris Tremlett celebrates an early wicket in Melbourne, Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 4th day, December 29, 2010


England have retained the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years, after inflicting one of Australia's heaviest losses, with a margin of an innings and 157 runs on the fourth morning at the MCG. It took less than 90 minutes for England to collect the three wickets they needed for victory, and when Tim Bresnan picked up his fourth wicket, an edge behind from Ben Hilfenhaus, the celebrations began.

Bresnan finished with 4 for 50 and was mobbed by his team-mates when the final wicket fell, and the big collection of England fans at the MCG burst into full voice. It was a wonderful moment for England, who will now aim to turn their 2-1 lead into a series victory at the SCG next week, but as the holders of the Ashes before the tour they have done enough to retain the urn.

For the first time in history, Australia have lost two Tests in a home series by an innings, and the margin was their worst defeat in Australia in 98 years, and their eighth-worst of all time. There was some fight from Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle, who put together an 86-run partnership after the early loss of Mitchell Johnson, but it was only ever a matter of time for England.

During the Haddin-Siddle stand, both men cleared the boundary off Graeme Swann, providing something to cheer for the Australian fans who had turned up despite the certain result. Haddin's half-century came in 86 balls and Siddle posted his highest Test score, before the end came in a rush with Siddle and Hilfenhaus falling in quick succession, and the injured Ryan Harris unable to bat


Martin Guptill blasted 54 off just 29 balls, New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st Twenty20, Auckland, December 26, 2010



New Zealand performances have often been noted for being greater than the sum of their parts, and all the parts were on display at Seddon Park, where the hosts sealed the series with a dominant all-round display. Martin Guptill, James Franklin, Scott Styris and Ross Taylor all contributed with the bat, but Peter McGlashan stole the show with a 10-ball 26 that featured some scintillating stroke play. Nathan McCullum then produced a tight spell to asphyxiate the Pakistan chase, with support from Luke Woodcock, and he finished with 4 for 16. Kyle Mills, Tim Southee and Ian Butler were also among the wickets as Pakistan fell 39 runs short of New Zealand's 185.

Pakistan were in no mood to wait as Mohammad Hafeez lofted Franklin over cover for four off the first ball of the innings before hitting him over square leg two balls later - this time for six. Kyle Mills was welcomed into the attack with two sixes, but took the wicket of Shahid Afridi as the batsman made room, only to watch his middle stump cartwheel after missing a slower full toss.

Hafeez wasn't about to ease up, though, finding boundaries with regularity and scampering between the wickets with Ahmed Shehzad, as they stayed in touch with the required-rate with. They rode their luck too: Ross Taylor dropped a sitter off Hafeez on 44, and aerial mis-hits found their way into vacant areas more than once.

Shehzad was dismissed attempting an ambitious inside-out wallop, as Styris ran around the extra-cover boundary to complete a running catch, and when Hafeez and Younis Khan were dismissed soon after, Pakistan looked poised for a trademark capitulation.

But it was the choke, not the collapse, that did for Pakistan as New Zealand applied the squeeze through McCullum and Woodcock. Umar Akmal's slog over midwicket in the 13th over, an oddity in an otherwise docile period replete with singles and dot-balls as the asking-rate rose steadily. The strangle brought wickets for the hosts, as Asad Shafiq perished attempting to hit out, and the pressure was increased when Abdul Razzaq departed for 14. Umar Gul attempted to launch his first delivery off McCullum over the longest boundary of the ground, but was caught on the line. Akmal was left to perform a miracle with the tail, the required run-rate already tipping 20 and three wickets remaining.

Tim Southee almost had two hat-tricks in two games as Akmal and Riaz were dismissed off consecutive deliveries in the final over, but the game was long over by that stage.

New Zealand's strong total was set up by Guptill, who had lost none of his form and panache from his innings in the first Twenty20. He set about taking apart the Pakistan attack following the early loss of Jesse Ryder. Guptill pulled, glanced, drove and slogged for 44, building a 91-run partnership for the second wicket with James Franklin, who made 39 after being promoted to No. 3. Afridi brought on the spinners to apply the brakes and the move paid dividends momentarily, as wickets fell at regular intervals. His wayward seamers, however, could not stem the flow of runs for extended periods of time. Scott Styris exploited Gul to swipe his way to a 14-ball 34, and Taylor once again provided stability in the middle. But it was Peter McGlashan's dazzling cameo that took New Zealand from a good total to an excellent one as Gul's third over was dispatched for plenty.

Twice McGlashan swept over fine leg, dragging balls from well outside off stump and manipulating the wrists to get the desired elevation and direction, before Afridi was forced to make the field change. Putting a fine leg out meant bringing the third man in, and McGlashan was quick to adapt. A drive past cover brought up the third consecutive four, but the next two deliveries were met by two jaw-dropping reverse pulls, both of which sailed over the ropes to complete a stunning five-ball burst in which 24 runs were plundered. Taylor took control after McGlashan's departure and ensured that New Zealand finished strongly.

Monday, December 27, 2010


Peter Siddle bowled James Anderson to finish with 6 for 75, Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 3rd day, December 28, 2010


England were potentially nine wickets from retaining the Ashes at tea on the third day in Melbourne, after Australia made a steady start to their second innings but lost Phillip Hughes to a silly run-out. England established a 415-run lead when they were dismissed on the stroke of lunch, when Peter Siddle took his sixth wicket, which left Australia a huge task to bat for a couple of days to save the match.

Shane Watson made a confident start and had reached 50 at lunch, bringing up his half-century with a quick single to cover, while his captain Ricky Ponting was on 19 as the Australians reduced the deficit to 320 and worked their way to 1 for 95. However, it could have been a much more positive session for Australia had Watson not run out Hughes with a bad call, when he pushed Graeme Swann just to the left of Jonathan Trott at cover.

Trott was quickly on to the ball and his thrown found Hughes short, and it was an unnecessary risk with such a mountain of work ahead of the Australians. Hughes had made 23 and was looking good, ticking the scoreboard over without taking any serious risks, and the fast bowlers hadn't provided much threat in the initial stages.

Watson was also in good touch and drove confidently down the ground and through cover as the bowlers battled to find any swing under a clear blue sky. The under-pressure Ponting took until his 15th delivery to get off the mark, aware that there was no rush and his team must bat into Thursday if they are to prevent England taking a 2-1 series lead and retaining the Ashes before next week's Sydney Test.

Following the loss of Hughes, England's bowlers tightened things up and created a few half-chances, with balls falling short of the catching men behind the wicket or rapping the batsmen on the pads. It seemed like only a matter of time before the partnership would be broken, but Watson and Ponting made their way to tea and gave Australia some hope after Trott's unbeaten 168 created a huge advantage for England.

Trott saw five wickets fall around him before lunch, as England added 69 to their overnight total to be dismissed for 513 a few minutes before the scheduled break. Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus did the damage on the third day but Australia had one major concern, after Ryan Harris pulled up lame running in to bowl and left the field with a stress fracture of his left ankle, which will rule him out of the Sydney Test and could potentially be a career-ender for a man already battling a serious knee problem.

Siddle enjoyed a hometown six-wicket haul and he began the day by removing Matt Prior, who was caught at mid-on by Ponting for 85, and then Tim Bresnan was caught behind for 4 soon afterwards. Graeme Swann offered some support for Trott before he gave Hilfenhaus his first wicket of the match, caught behind for 22 when he toe-edged an attempted hook that was taken by a high-leaping Brad Haddin.

The job was finished rapidly a few minutes before the scheduled lunch break when Hilfenhaus bowled Chris Tremlett for 4 and Siddle bowled James Anderson for 1. Siddle finished with 6 for 75, which was his second six-wicket haul of the series following his strong opening-day efforts at the Gabba, but just like in that match, it seemed likely to be in a non-winning cause.

There is an argument to be made for Roger Federer, after a season in which he won his 16th grand slam title and was then crowded out as world No 1 by Rafael Nadal, but let us instead go for Esther Vergeer.

It was a pity that Vergeer had to pose naked in her wheelchair on the cover of an American magazine for the wider sporting world to take notice of her tennis talent. On the way to winning a tournament in Amsterdam last month, the former Dutch wheelchair basketball player took her undefeated streak to 400 singles matches. Vergeer, who lost the use of her legs when she was eight, said: “I want recognition for what I am doing as an athlete — I don’t want anyone’s pity.”

Contest of the year: Isner and Mahut

A cult has built up around John Isner’s first-round victory over Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon which ignores the reality that much of the tennis they played over 11 hours was, frankly, rather tiresome.

Premier League reports

Manchester United beat Sunderland; Newcastle United defeated at home by City and West Ham United enjoy away-day win at Fulham.

Manchester United - Premier League match reports






Jonathan Trott helped to extend England's lead with a typically stubborn innings, Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 2nd day, December 27, 2010

On a day when Ricky Ponting lost his cool with the umpires, Jonathan Trott was a picture of composure as his second century of the series kept England on target to retain the Ashes. Led by an aggressive Peter Siddle in front of his home crowd, the Australian fast men tried to drag their team back into the contest but after their first-innings 98, the hosts needed a miraculous day, not a solid one.

Trott was the anchor for England, with support from Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior, and by the close of play their advantage had grown to 346 runs, already an ample lead that will grow on day three. Trott went to stumps on 141 and Prior had 75, and Australia's inability to break through in the final session sapped any energy they might have drawn from Siddle's early strikes.

Three days of rain might be feasible in Brisbane, given the recent weather in the north, but it won't happen in Melbourne, and Australia's batsmen must find remarkable resolve in the second innings if England are to be denied victory and the urn is to remain up for grabs at the SCG. And judging byPonting's outburst, levelheadedness is not widespread in the team right now.

He was convinced the review of a not-out caught-behind decision against Kevin Pietersen showed a deflection on Hot Spot, but it was a misguided thought as the ball had passed much higher on the bat. After the third umpire correctly backed Aleem Dar's on-field decision to reprieve Pietersen on 49, Ponting heatedly argued with Dar, Pietersen and the other umpire Tony Hill.

It was an ugly incident that took the attention away from a solid 92-run partnership between Trott and Pietersen, which ended soon afterwards when Pietersen was plumb lbw to Siddle for 51. What followed was an eventful mini-session as the out-of-form Paul Collingwood (8) and Ian Bell (1) both hooked short balls from Mitchell Johnson to Siddle at fine leg, before Prior had a lucky escape on 5.

In amongst it all, Trott survived a tight run-out chance when his dive to complete a third just beat Ponting's throw from the outfield, and he brought himself serious pain when he inside-edged Ben Hilfenhaus on to his left knee. After a couple of minutes of lying flat on the pitch in agony, Trott continued to annoy the Australians with his fine, disciplined innings.

There were occasional cover-drives from Trott, but generally he showed as much leg as a burlesque dancer. Trott would walk across and expose his leg stump, dragging anything and everything through midwicket or fine leg, and by the time he brought up his hundred with an appropriate clip through square for a boundary, 87% of his runs had come through the leg side.

Not that there were many boundaries from Trott, who was content to nudge through the gaps and keep the fielders chasing. It was that kind of cool that Australia's batsmen lacked on the first day, and England's strong performance continued with Prior reaching a fifty from 81 balls as the shadows grew longer in the late afternoon.

It meant five of England's top seven had made at least a half-century in the innings, and it was all set up by the 159-run opening stand from Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook. But neither man was able to kick on during the second morning, and both fell to Siddle after adding only a few runs to their overnight scores.

Cook moved from 80 to 82 before he was caught low at first slip by Shane Watson, having edged a delivery that was tight enough in line to make him play. Strauss went from 64 to 69 when he was surprised by a well-directed shortish ball from Siddle, and it lobbed off the bat above the head of the gully Michael Hussey, who thrust his right hand up to take a good catch.

It was the best spell of the day by an Australian bowler, as Siddle collected 2 for 5 from his first six overs, before his final over of that period was dispatched for 13 as a confident Pietersen drove and pulled. Steven Smith was handled with ease and didn't look threatening, Hilfenhaus couldn't find much swing and Harris was well below his Perth form, also struggling to move the ball.


Saturday, December 25, 2010



Ricky Ponting started well but was squared up and edged behind off Chris Tremlett, Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, December 26, 2010





James Anderson and Chris Tremlett destroyed Australia's batting line-up for 98 in less than two sessions on Boxing Day, as the Australians were dismissed for their lowest Ashes total in a home Test in 74 years. The frailties in the batting order were exposed as every man but the not-out Ben Hilfenhaus was caught behind the wicket, unable to handle a little bit of movement off the pitch.

Anderson and Tremlett finished with four wickets each, and Tim Bresnan collected the remaining two, more than justifying Andrew Strauss's decision to send Australia in on a pitch with a green tinge and some moisture. The bowlers hit the right lines and found some nibble off the seam, but several of the Australians would be disappointed to have played with hard hands at deliveries they could have left.

They lost four wickets before the first break and even a long lunch couldn't help them regroup, as the rest of the order collapsed after the resumption. In one particularly ugly patch for the home side they lost 3 for 0, as Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson all edged behind or to slip, and a few late runs from the tailenders Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle could not get the side to triple-figures.

When Matt Prior pouched the final catch, his sixth of the innings, the batsman Ben Hilfenhaus raced off the field immediately, knowing that he and his bowling colleagues have a mammoth task ahead of them to save the game. Five men reached double figures in the innings but Michael Clarke's 20 was the best score, and there was no repeat of Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin saving the day as they have in previous matches this series.

After lunch, Steven Smith was the first to depart when he prodded hard away from his body and got a thick edge behind off Anderson for 6. He was followed by Clarke, with a thin edge to Prior off Anderson when he wafted outside off, before Haddin edged to slip off Bresnan and Johnson was caught behind off Anderson.

Tremlett picked up the two remaining wickets, Siddle (10) and Hilfenhaus edging behind to Prior. It had all finished rather the same way it began, with Tremlett and Anderson causing problems by teasing outside off stump and keeping the batsmen tied down.

Shane Watson was dropped twice on 0; Anderson found the edge from the fifth ball of the match and saw Paul Collingwood spill the chance at third slip, and his next over Anderson watched on as Kevin Pietersen at gully couldn't cling on to a hard cut that flew over his head. Watson's luck ran out when he couldn't get out of the way of an excellent bouncer from Tremlett, and the ball lobbed off the gloves to Pietersen at gully.

The out-of-form Phillip Hughes cut the first runs of the match with a boundary through point, but fell for 16 when his attempted cover-drive was edged to gully to give Bresnan a wicket in his second over. That was followed by Ponting (10) edging a cracking ball from Tremlett to second slip where it was snapped up by Graeme Swann, who was required to bowl only two overs.

Tremlett got the ball to rise sharply and nip away significantly off the seam, and Ponting was doing well to even get bat on such a good ball. There was more bounce in the surface than the batsmen might have expected from the usually slow and low drop-in pitches, which helped Michael Hussey survive an lbw review when Tremlett's delivery was shown to be going over the top.

But Hussey didn't survive in the last over before lunch, when he edged behind off Anderson for 8. It was a fine bowling and fielding effort from England, who will retain the Ashes if they win the match, and provided their batsmen don't fall into the same traps that Australia's did, that is looming as the most likely outcome over the next few days.

Tim Southee is ecstatic after completing his hat-trick, New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st Twenty20, Auckland, December 26, 2010




The youngsters shone for New Zealand as they defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the first Twenty20 at Eden Park. Tim Southee ripped the heart out of the Pakistan line-up with a brutal spell of five for 18 in four overs, and Martin Guptill's fearless half-century ensured the chase went smoothly for the hosts. The visitors had rocketed to 58 for 1 in 5.5 overs before Southee struck five times in nine deliveries to derail the middle order, using his height and pace to torment the batsmen on the quick, hard surface, and throwing in the odd slower ball to keep them guessing. Guptill then attacked the Pakistan bowling with style and chutzpah, to get his team off to a rapid start, and continued to attack throughout his innings, despite the fall of wickets at the other end.

Guptill began with gusto as he flayed Abdul Razzaq for 15 in his first over with two commanding strikes and a tickle down to fine leg, before hoisting Shoaib Akhtar for a giant six over square-leg. The pace of the Auckland pitch showed up three balls later as Jesse Ryder's thick edge off Shoaib flew at shoulder height to slip, almost at the edge of the circle. Guptill continued to make merry despite the loss, hitting Shoaib for another six on the leg-side before the bowler struck again, this time to remove debutant Dean Brownlie for five.

Scott Styris uppercut his second ball for six, but was undone soon after by Shoaib, attempting an ugly slog across the line to an indipper that pegged back leg stump. Shoiab had another, and the aeroplane was on show for the third time in three overs, but although there were breakthroughs, Guptill's fireworks at the other end boosted the score to 55 in five overs.

The Pakistan spinners provided some respite, but Guptill motored to his maiden Twenty20 fifty in 23 deliveries, hitting Wahab Riaz for consecutive boundaries and lofting Mohammad Hafeez over long-on. The dazzling knock came to an end when he was run out attempting an ill-advised single on 53, after having pushed the Pakistan fielders to the limit with swift singles during his stay.

Ross Taylor was content to cruise alongside James Franklin while the spinners operated, with his side well ahead of the required rate. Hafeez picked up his second wicket when he hurried one onto Franklin, but with 29 runs to get in more than five overs, the victory was all but secured. A couple of trademark slog sweeps later, New Zealand were within striking distance, and Peter McGlashan finished the job for the hosts with 2.5 overs to spare.

The Pakistan innings too was off to a rollicking start, thanks to some aggressive intent from the Pakistan openers. Shahid Afridi, having promoted himself to the top, wasted little time unfurling his signature slogs, while Hafeez also swung away with abandon to propel Pakistan to 36 in 3.5 overs, before the wickets began to tumble.

Afridi was caught at mid-on by a backpedalling Ross Taylor, after New Zealand's other debutant, Adam Milne, had shelled a chance off the previous delivery. Pakistan kept the foot on the pedal as they raced to 50 in five overs. Southee then came on to cripple the innings with pace, movement and bounce to leave Pakistan reeling at 68 for 6. Southee's barrage included a hat-trick - New Zealand's second in Twenty20 internationals, and third overall - which accounted for Younis Khan, Hafeez and Umar Akmal, who was wrongly given out lbw.

Umar Gul and Riaz were on hand for Pakistan, scoring invaluable thirties as the tail pushed Pakistan towards respectability with some sensible batting and a flurry of late boundaries. Southee's spell, however, had done the damage, and 143 proved too few to defend on a ground with a hard surface and short straight boundaries.

Arsene Wenger set for fight with FA over Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere

Arsene Wenger has put himself on a collision course with the FA after making it clear that he will oppose Jack Wilshere's inclusion in the England Under-21 team for next summer's European Championship.





Arsene Wenger set for fight with FA over Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere





Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development, has indicated that he wants Wilshere included in Stuart Pearce's under-21 squad, but Wenger believes it is counterproductive to select players who are already senior internationals.

The Arsenal manager is also adamant that Wilshere will need a proper rest next summer if, as seems certain, he plays more than 40 games this season.

"What the English FA have to decide is whether the player is in the first team or in the under-21s," said Wenger. "I don't believe a player ever performs when he has been in a top team and comes back down to the under-21s. It is always a bad decision. It's because you feel you go down. You take any player who plays at Arsenal in the Premier League, put him down to Division One, you would be disappointed by him."

Wenger also clashed with Pearce in 2009 when Theo Walcott was selected for both teams, against his wishes. Walcott then had a horribly disjointed season with injury.

With Wilshere only establishing himself in the Arsenal first team this season, Wenger is sensitive to the impact of him then playing in a two-week tournament in June.



Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni watch a ball during a training session, Ahmedabad, November 2, 2010



Those who have followed Suresh Raina's career closely will think they are caught in a time warp. It was in November 2006 that he first played in South Africa. The game was an ODI in Durban, the same venue where India now strive to keep the series alive. Back then, the whole team collapsed alright, but the way Raina got out has become instructive. Andre Nel bowled a short-of-a-length delivery, around off, angling away, and Raina with his feet stuck poked at it away from the body, and Jacques Kallis accepted the offering at second slip.

That was all Raina could manage on that tour. He was sent back home mid-tour, and was not considered for the World Cup, India's next major assignment.

Four years later, just before another World Cup, Raina has come back to South Africa, and nothing seems to have changed. In Centurion, Kallis bowled short of a length, around off, Raina anticipated bouncers, didn't get close enough to the ball, and poked. Twice in one Test: edging one, and guiding the other to slips. Things, though, were supposed to have changed. In those four years, Raina has established himself as a dangerous batsman in limited-overs cricket. He has become one of the few batsmen in the world with a century in each of the three formats, including a Test ton on debut and 62 and 41 not out in his second, in a stiff chase. He has scored loads of runs in South Africa in the IPL and in the Champions League. Overall he has grown a lot in confidence. The way he got out in Centurion, though, remains a massive worry for India.

Moreover, Raina now has scores of 32, 3, 20, 3, 1 and 5 in his last six Test innings. Neither the captain nor the coach has tried to hide concern regarding his No. 6 position, especially given they are in the middle of their biggest challenge in Tests, and in a country where top-class bowling is bound to test Raina. And in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kallis, South Africa have top-class bowling that will go all out on a track whose primary feature is thick grass. However, the team management says it is yet to decide on whether to drop Raina.

We are always at risk of reading too much into nets sessions, but symbolism was easy to get into as India practised two days before the Boxing Day Test. After the warm-up, Gary Kirsten kneeled down to give slips practice to what has now become a regular cordon of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Raina and Virender Sehwag. A few hits into that session, Raina was hit in the ankle by a half-volley. Soon Dravid went to the physio for some attention to his finger, and in came Cheteshwar Pujara, the man who should be the obvious replacement if the team management decides against Raina, to take slip catches.

By the time Raina got repair work done and came into the nets, Pujara was already batting with the regular middle order in the nets either side of him. Raina even bowled a few loopy offbreaks to Pujara, which the latter played comfortably. And when Raina did get a bat - which does suggest that that hit on the ankle didn't do much damage - he found Pujara in the net on his off side. Pujara remained in his eye-line, and there is no doubt Pujara is in the eye-line of the team-management.

However, as Pink Floyd asked Eugene to be, this team has - barring exceptions like Abhimanyu Mithun - been careful with that axe. MS Dhoni's funda has been to give a player enough chances before dropping him so that he can look beyond the said player without thinking of him. A three-Test series, though, hardly gives him that luxury, especially when his side is 0-1 down already.

It is an important decision for Dhoni, Kirsten and the senior players to make going into perhaps their most important Test match. If they do persist with Raina, it could have larger implications. For he is sure to play in the ODIs on this tour, which - going by evidence so far - is more of his game. And Raina is a confidence player. His strength is to make the most of it when the going is good for him. If the management thinks Raina might not be up for it on a green, bouncy Test track, it will make absolute sense to look beyond him for the next two games. There is a World Cup in home conditions to follow after this testing tour, where they will want Raina to be at the top of his confidence.

Before coming to South Africa, Raina said, "To succeed in Tests, your temperament is more important than your technique. How you handle pressure situations and how you work your way out of trouble through grit and courage is also important." If he plays a further part in this series, Raina will need all that grit and courage, for the technique has already been found wanting.

Friday, December 24, 2010



David Bernstein


Incoming Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce has told the BBC that he believes new FA chairman David Bernstein can help repair relations between the bodies.

Boyce, who replaces Geoff Thompson on Fifa's executive committee next year, says Bernstein's diplomacy will be key after the 2018 World Cup vote debacle.

England are a major force in world football and relationships with Fifa should be at a high level," he said.

"I'm sure Mr Bernstein will try to ensure that relationships do improve."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has expressed his shock at the decision to overlook former Gunners vice-chairman David Dein for the role.

Dein played a key role in bringing Wenger to the club and worked alongside him until 2007 when he stepped down and Wenger believes his former colleague would have been the ideal choice to take the FA forward.

I was completely surprised and disappointed [by the FA's decision]," said Wenger.

"He would have offered a competent knowledge of football and international football. It is a disappointment."

England's failure to land the 2018 World Cup, garnering just two votes, led to much criticism of Fifa and its voting processing by England bid representatives, with bid chief executive Andy Anson calling on the world's major football associations to come together and put Fifa under pressure to reform.

But Irishman Boyce is confident the former Manchester City chairman, who sits on the boards of several companies including French Connection, Ted Baker and Blacks Leisure, can bring stability to the FA and improve England's standing within Fifa.

"Mr Bernstein says he is a diplomat and diplomatic relations are important," added Boyce.




Thursday, December 23, 2010




Ricky Ponting bats at Australia's net session, December 24, 2010

Ricky Ponting is almost certain to take his place in the Boxing Day Test after batting without any obvious discomfort in the nets at the MCG. Ponting faced a bowling machine, throwdowns, and then a group of young net bowlers as he aimed to prove that he can lead Australia on Sunday, despite breaking the little finger on his left hand during the victory in Perth.

It will be a different challenge facing the likes of James Anderson and Chris Tremlett, but Ponting had little trouble against the net bowlers, pulling and driving without hindrance. Usman Khawaja, the New South Wales batsman, was at training on Thursday but is not likely to be required, although Ponting's finger has not healed enough for him to field in the cordon during the Test.

"He said it felt pretty good after facing some balls on the machines and facing the bowlers," the vice-captain Michael Clarke said. "We're all hopeful and confident. Unless they cut his finger off, it's going to be really hard to leave Punter out. He's going to have to wait until tomorrow to see how it pulls up after having a bat today. But he's pretty happy with how things went today.

"Ricky definitely won't field in slips. He'll probably field at mid-off or mid-on. As long as you're pretty close to seeing the line which the bowlers are bowling, it's probably better for the bowlers that Punt's there to be able to talk to them as well. He has fielded there plenty of times in one-day cricket so I don't think it makes much difference."

Should anything happen to exacerbate Ponting's finger problem during the match, Clarke could find himself pulling the reins out in the middle as the team's vice-captain. He also looms as a potential second spinner if the selectors decide to keep their four-man pace attack with Steven Smith as the main slow-bowling option, ahead of Michael Beer.

"The ball's coming out of my hand okay as well," Clarke said. "I've been bowling pretty well in the nets. I've been fit to bowl in every Test. Having Steve Smith in the team gives them that option as well. Conditions will play the biggest part there, they'll wait and see what the wicket is like tomorrow, I would imagine."

Ponting and Clarke are the two members of Australia's top order that most need to lift for Boxing Day, with the team having relied heavily on Michael Hussey, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin during the series. Clarke made 80 in the second innings in Adelaide, where he couldn't salvage a draw, and his other scores have been 9, 2, 4 and 20.

"It hasn't been great," Clarke said of his form. "I thought I batted pretty well in the second innings in Adelaide. I made 80-odd which is nice. I was disappointed to get out in the last over of the day there. I felt very good in the second innings in Perth as well. I feel like I'm doing all the work. I feel like I'm training hard and hopefully there's some runs coming for Christmas this year for me."