England vs Australia 4th ODI

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Teams:
Australia (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Tim Paine(w), Ricky Ponting(c), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, James Hopes, Steven Smith, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris, Shaun Tait

England (Playing XI): Andrew Strauss(c), Craig Kieswetter(w), Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Luke Wright, Tim Bresnan, Michael Yardy, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Both teams are unchanged for today's game which comes as a surprise. One would have thought England will test their bench after wrapping up the series in the previous encounter but the team management thinks otherwise.

England have won the toss and elected to field first.

After a nail biting finish in the third ODI, England have taken an unassailable lead in the 5 match ODI series and are now looking to create history with the thoughts of a whitewash hovering around the Aussie camp. A warm welcome to one and all for the coverage of the 4th ODI.

That match is webcasted live for free at iSports. 

Steyn to be investigated over spitting incident

South African paceman Dale Steyn is to be investigated by match referee Jeff Crowe for allegedly spitting in the direction of West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn during the third and final test.

The alleged incident took place as Steyn walked off after he had been dismissed in the morning session on Monday.

South Africa completed a seven-wicket victory on day four on Tuesday and clinched the series 2-0.

"We've had a discussion with the on-field umpires and the match referee and they will take this matter up to the next level if they have to," West Indies captain Chris Gayle told reporters.

Tempers also flared on Tuesday when umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis had to intervene to keep the peace after West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach struck Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis on the helmet.

Gayle said the series had been played in good spirit before the final test.

"It was brilliant leading up to this test match but things got out of hand. The series has been a wonderful one, it's just unfortunate that at the end we had a bit of a boil up, Gayle said.

© Reuters, ~ Photo courtesy: Getty Images

We have the goods to tackle Mendis: Dravid

Rahul Dravid feels that the Indians have mastered the mystery spinner and hopes for a better showing from his team-mates in the forthcoming series.

Ajantha Mendis created havoc when India toured Sri Lanka in 2008 but Rahul Dravid hopes this time around he and his colleagues are better equipped to tackle the 'mystery' spinner in the forthcoming Test series beginning in Galle next month.

Mendis demolished the famed Indian batting line up in his debut series two years back by capturing 26 wickets to help Sri Lanka beat India 2-1 in the three-Test encounter.

But Dravid feels that the Indians have mastered the mystery spinner and hoped for a better showing from his team-mates in the forthcoming series.

"He (Mendis) is still a good bowler. He was completely new to us when we toured Sri Lanka last time (in 2008). He got the measure our team last time, there is no doubt about it. He played a major role in the series. But hopefully, we have learnt our lesson," the former captain told reporters at the launch of the 2010 Limca Book of Records.

"I think we played him pretty well when he came to India."

"We learnt how to tackle him. Having said that international bowlers keep on improving, international bowlers come up with new tricks every time. But hopefully we will have the answers whatever Mendis throws at us this time," Dravid said.

Dravid also predicted a challenging three-match series against the islanders which begins with the first Test in Galle on July 18.

"Sri Lanka is a very formidable team and they play tough cricket at home. The last two times we toured them, we won a Test match but did not win the series. It is a positive sign to win a Test there but it is now important for us to keep that performance going right throughout the upcoming series," he said.

"It is going to be a challenge but we have got a good team. We have got bowlers who are capable of taking 20 wickets, which is important to win a Test. If we can put runs on the board, hopefully we will have a good series," the right-hand batsman added.

Asked about his own preparation for the series, Dravid said, "I would not need to make any particular adjustments in my batting for the series. I have been training and preparing for the last six weeks keeping in mind the series."

"I got a good gap after IPL and it has given me time to be with my family and do a bit of physical training. It was a good break for me but now it's time to get back to cricket. He, however, agreed that it would be a challenge for him to return to Test cricket after such a long gap."

"Sometimes, it is little bit of challenge to return to Test cricket after a long break but there is preparation time in Sri Lanka. I am looking forward to some match practice before the series," Dravid said.

Dravid also said that Yuvraj Singh, who makes a return to the national team, will answer his detractors in the series.

"Yuvraj would be keen to do well and prove a point. I think we will see the best of him in the series," Dravid said.

The former skipper disagreed with the notion that his shoes would be difficult to fill in once he quits international cricket.

"Without naming anyone, I would like to say that there are plenty of players ready to take my place. Abundance of young talent is coming through," Dravid said.

Meanwhile, Dravid congratulated ace shuttler Saina Nehwal, who won three consecutive international titles in a span of three weeks to jump to the third position in the world rankings.

"It is phenomenal achievement by Saina. She is a great inspiration for a lot of Indians. It is incredible to win three competitions in three weeks in a sport like badminton which is physically very tiring. She has set benchmark for a lot of youngsters," he said.

Dravid had also some thought regarding the poor standard of refereeing in the ongoing football World Cup in South Africa and said it is high time that FIFA take the help of technology to make the game better.

"It is a world class event and such a big event. When so much riding is on each of these games, I think there is room for technology. The world body (FIFA) should think about it," Dravid, a die-hard Brazil fan, said.

© PTI, ~ Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Mortaza replaces Shakib as Bangladesh captain

Bangladesh's cricket chiefs on Monday removed Shakib Al Hasan as captain and replaced him with Mashrafe Mortaza for the upcoming tour of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Shakib was dumped just a few days before the team was due to leave for England, where he will serve as Mortaza's deputy, Bangladesh Cricket Board official Enayat Hossain Siraj told AFP.

Mortaza had been appointed captain for the tour of the West Indies, but suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Shakib, who went on to lead the side to victory in both the Test and one-day series against the depleted rivals.

"Mashrafe was our captain during the West Indies series. But then he suffered injuries. So we are now bringing him back to his former position," Siraj said.

The official claimed that Shakib had voluntarily stepped down to concentrate on his cricket.

But assistant coach Khaled Mahmud, a former Bangladesh captain, admitted he was surprised by the decision to change captains a few days before the team was due to depart for England.

"Before Shakib became captain, the selectors always said that if Mashrafe could get fit, he might be able to take the job again," Mahmud told Cricinfo.

"I'm not sure if it's the right or wrong move, but it's been a tough time for Shakib, whose recent performances, particularly with the bat, have not been up to standard.

"It's important for Bangladesh that he performs well, and perhaps the pressure of the captaincy is too much. He's still young, while Mashrafe is more mature."

Under Shakib, Bangladesh lost a home Test series against India and were beaten both at home and away by England. They also fared poorly in the recent Asia Cup in Sri Lanka where they lost all three matches.

Bangladesh are due to play three one-day internationals against England and two each against Ireland and Scotland on the tour, which starts on July 3.

Bangladesh's one-day squad:

Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Faisal Hossain, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain.

Coach: Jamie Siddons (AUS)

© AFP, ~ Photo courtesy: Getty Images

South Africa wrap up series win against West Indies

West Indies succumbed to a 2-0 series defeat as South Africa won the third Test in Barbados by seven wickets.

An ugly confrontation between Jacques Kallis and Kemar Roach overshadowed a convincing seven-wicket victory for South Africa in the third and final Test against West Indies.

Chasing 47 for victory, the South Africans reached their target about 25 minutes before lunch on the fourth day at Kensington Oval, when AB de Villiers cut a short ball outside the off-stump from Roach through backward point for four.

The result meant that South Africa wrapped up a 2-0 series victory, after they also won the first Test inside four days by 163 runs at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, and the second Test was drawn at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

But drama unfolded between Kallis and Roach before the match came to a conclusion. Kallis was nearly decapitated, when a searing bouncer from Roach almost removed his helmet, and a long-distance, verbal exchanges erupted between the two players.

It took the intervention of Shivnarine Chanderpaul to pull Roach away, and a few more West Indian players got involved to cool tempers.

Next delivery, the final of the over, Kallis received another bouncer from Roach that sailed over his head, and the two glared at each other.

Kallis then walked past Roach to have a mid-pitch conference with Hashim Amla, and the confrontation heightened with arm-waving, and shouting, prompting Australian umpires Steve Davis and Simon Taufel to intervene.

Things settled down after Davis and Taufel had a long chat with West Indies captain Chris Gayle.

It was a strange turn of events for Roach. He bowled with pace and hostility to snare all three South African scalps that fell before the visitors completed victory.

Roach had Graeme Smith caught at mid-wicket for 10 after he had also struck him on the helmet, bowled Alviro Petersen off the inside edge for six, and had Amla caught at gully for the top score of 25 with two runs needed.

Afterwards, Kallis had to pursue Roach to shake his hand in the statutory end-of-the-game appreciation, and even then the two still seemed to carry on the fuming, with de Villiers this time stepping in to part them, and receiving an earful from the fast bowler.

Earlier, Morne Morkel wrapped up the West Indies innings in the first hour, when he ended with three for 33 from 14.1 overs.

Morkel bowled Sulieman Benn for nine, had Roach caught behind for eight, and Brandon Bess caught at second slip for a first-ball duck, leaving Shivnarine Chanderpaul unbeaten on 71.

Johan Botha was named Man-of-the-Match for his match figures of seven for 102, and Dale Steyn was named Man-of-the-Series for his 15 wickets at 18.13 runs apiece.

© AFP, ~ Photo courtesy: AFP

England look to continue winning run

Australia need to work very hard to overcome the fierce passion of Andrew Strauss and his boys' thirst for a white-wash.
A week ago, if anyone had predicted that the ODI series between England and Australia would be decided within the first 3 ODIs and that England would be the team that had won, he would have been laughed out of the room. However, it's the English fans (the cricket fans, not the football ones) who are doing all the laughing now.

The victories might not have all been by huge margins, but England has done precisely what Australia had turned into their own speciality - finishing matches, and finding the man for the job no matter what the situation.

England, in fact, have been on an unprecedented roll against the Aussies, getting the better of them in their most recent Twenty20 encounter (the World T20 finals), their most recent Test series (the Ashes 2009) and their most recent ODI series (the present one). While this can be attributed in part to the Australians declining, it is more due to England playing great cricket.
And even though the series is decided, there is going to be absolutely no let-up in intensity from either England or Australia in the final two matches. England will be salivating at the prospect of handing out a 5-0 hiding to Australia, having themselves been on the receiving end of too many hidings to count in the recent and not-so-recent past. Australia, for their part, still remain Australia - and in a land where players take offence at being beaten in a game of tiddly-winks with toddlers, losing one more match to England will be indigestible to them.

Australia need to tighten up their game though, if they want to get onto the score-board against a well-oiled English team. (Even writing this sentence seems strange - almost as if the names of the teams have been reversed by some error!). They did display some encouraging signs with their fightback in the third ODI, turning a walk in the park for England into a desperate scramble for victory, but whereas in the past, an Australian team would have found a pressure point and sealed off all the valves and so choked England, this time, England didn't knuckle under. Thus for the Australians to save any face, they need to lift their game even more than they did in the closing stages of the third ODI, and they need to do it for longer durations during a match.

England, on the other hand, have their basics in place, and the leadership team of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower seems to have their vision and their plans of execution well in place. In Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen, England have two game-changers in the middle order, and in Paul Collingwood one of the most reliable old hands in the game. Swann, Anderson and Broad have hunted together superbly, while the fielding has been top drawer.

For Australia, the struggles of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey with the bat have hurt them hard, and none of the bowlers apart from Bollinger, and to an extent Steven Smith, have been able to consistently contain England's batsmen.

Ricky Ponting has said his side is playing for pride - and there is certainly lots at stake here. Whether it is enough to overcome the fierce passion of Andrew Strauss and his boys' thirst for a white-wash is what will be seen in the fourth One Day International.

Teams:
England (From): Andrew Strauss(c), Craig Kieswetter(w), Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Luke Wright, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Michael Yardy, Ajmal Shahzad

Australia (From): Shane Watson, Tim Paine(w), Ricky Ponting(c), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, James Hopes, Steven Smith, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris, Shaun Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Clint McKay, Shaun Tait

The match will be webcasted for free at http://isports-tv.com

~ Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Ganguly-led MCC lost by 6 runs

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly-led Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) succumbed to a narrow six-run defeat against Pakistan in a twenty20 match at the Lord's.

Ganguly (2) failed with the bat, while West Indies legend Brain Lara, who is playing competitive cricket first time since his stint at the rebel Indian Cricket League, managed a 32-ball 37 as chasing 165, MCC were restricted to 159.

Opener Aiden Blizzard's 59-ball 73 was the only bright spot for the MCC, who needed 16 runs off the last over but could manage only eight and lost the match which is part of the MCC's sponsorship of Pakistan's series against Australia under their Spirit of Cricket banner.

Earlier, openers Salman Butt (21) and Shahzaib Hasan (34) set the tone for Pakistan, while Umar Akmal fired a 30-ball 51 as they posted a challenging 165 for five after electing to bat first.

Shoaib Akhtar (2/19) and Umar Gul (2/35) then bowled some wonderful spells to contribute to the team's win.

Chasing 166 to win, MCC lost John Simpson (4) in the third over but Blizzard shared 94-run second-wicket stand with Lara (37).

The partnership came to an end when Gul removed Lara in the 13th over and then skipper Ganguly (2) lasted just five balls before felling prey to the same bowler.

Blizzard added 37 runs with Ian Harvey but with the latter perishing in the last ball of the 19th over, MCC needed 16 runs in the last over, which they couldn't manage.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan: 165 for 5 in 20 overs (Umar Akmal 50; Chris Harris 3/26).

MCC: 159 for 5 in 20 overs (Aiden Blizzard 73; Shoaib Aktar 2/19, Umar Gul (2/35).

© PTI, Photo courtesy: Getty Images