West Indies v Australia, 1st ODI, Kingstown,Cricinfo

Australia 204 for 8 (Bailey 48, Bravo 3-58) beat West Indies 140 (Sammy 35, Samuels 35, Doherty 4-49) by 64 runs 

Xavier Doherty enjoyed his first taste of cricket in the West Indies, playing a key role in Australia's 64-run victory in the first ODI in St Vincent. After the debutant George Bailey top scored in Australia's 204 for 8, a total that was difficult to assess at the halfway point on a sluggish pitch, West Indies capitulated to be all out for 140, and their failure was all the more disappointing for the self-inflicted nature of several of the dismissals.

Batting was clearly not easy on a surface with such little pace, but too few of the West Indian batsmen showed the discipline required to stick around and chip away at the target. Darren Sammy displayed some late fight and compiled a 36-run partnership for the last wicket with Kemar Roach, but until that point they had lost their previous six wickets for seven runs.

Prior to that collapse, the chase appeared to be going well as Dwayne Bravo and Marlon Samuels built a confident 64-run stand and went after the spin of Doherty and David Hussey. The Australians hadn't managed to clear the rope at all during their innings but after Bravo pulled a Hussey long-hop for six, Samuels cleared the boundary three times in Doherty's first over.

Those sixes, all down the ground and struck with power, left Doherty scratching his head, but once Daniel Christian broke the partnership by sneaking a ball between bat and pad to bowl Bravo for 32, Doherty began his fightback. He claimed Samuels for 35, the result of both good bowling and a poor shot selection, as the batsman tried to force a ball through leg and instead edged to slip.

Carlton Baugh was lbw for a duck in the same over, attempting a slog sweep, and Andre Russell was stumped for 1, beaten by Doherty's turn and his own impatience. Kieron Pollard was one of the last remaining hopes for West Indies but he too failed to adapt to the slow pitch and chipped Christian to mid-on for 4 from 11 balls.

Doherty finished with 4 for 49 after he had Sunil Narine caught in the deep for a duck. Sammy didn't give up and struck three fours and three sixes, and showed that if someone had stuck around with him West Indies might have remained in the match. He was the last man out, caught at cover off Clint McKay for 35 from 20 balls, and it ended a limp batting display from the hosts.

The innings started encouragingly enough as the debutant opener Johnson Charles swivelled Brett Lee powerfully through midwicket for four in the first over and raced to 13 from 11 balls. But it started to go downhill when slashed at a wide delivery from McKay and was caught at third man.

Kieran Powell followed for 8 when he pulled Lee to Bailey at midwicket and West Indies were 23 for 2. That soon became 33 for 3 when Darren Bravo pushed to the leg side and took off for a quick single only to be beaten by Lee's direct hit at the bowler's end. Bravo made 4 from 15 balls and West Indies were in trouble. Australia's 204 for 8 was starting to look much better.

It was the fourth time in the past five years Australia had batted through an entire 50-over innings for so few runs, but on all four occasions they have won the game. They had Bailey to thank for getting them up to a defendable score, as the Australians also battled against the slow bowling of Samuels (2 for 29) and Narine (1 for 24).

Bailey's 48 had come from 67 balls and he struck five boundaries before he was caught at deep cover when he skied Roach in the second-last over of the innings. But by ticking the score over as he had, and by taking few risks, he ensured Australia batted out their overs after they slumped to be 99 for 4 in the 27th over.

Shane Watson had won the toss and chosen to bat and while he scored at nearly a run a ball in his 21 at the top of the order, the runs slowed when the ball lost its hardness. Watson was lbw to a Dwayne Bravo delivery that nipped back in and he injudiciously used up Australia's review, the replays showing he was plumb.

David Warner and Peter Forrest added 60 for the second wicket but it was slow going, especially for Forrest, who seemed unable to adjust to the conditions. Forrest had 26 from 64 balls when he was stumped off Samuels, advancing down the pitch and trying to force the run rate up, and it was the first of two wickets in the over as Warner followed four balls later.

Warner had made 40 from 55 deliveries and fell when he punched a catch to cover, where Pollard took a terrific diving one-handed catch. Samuels had got the rewards, but much of the credit also had to go to Narine, who had tied the batsmen down and to that stage had bowled five overs for 12 runs.

Runs came when the bowlers dropped short but when they were fuller, or when changes of pace were employed, the Australians found scoring difficult. Michael Hussey didn't score a boundary in his 32, but like many of the batsmen throughout the day, he fell when he tried to go over the top.

In the end Australia's batsmen showed more discipline than the West Indians, and that was the difference. It's a problem the hosts will need to rectify quickly, ahead of the second ODI on the same ground on Sunday.

South Africa in New Zealand 2011-12,1st ODI Cricinfo

de Villiers shows New Zealand the way

For much of South Africa's chase in the first one-dayer in Wellington, their innings mirrored New Zealand's almost exactly. Forced to rebuild following the loss of early wickets, expansive flourishes were shelved, singles were scampered and a stream of seaming deliveries left alone outside off stump. So similar were the innings, that both sides had made the same amount of runs halfway through their overs - 101 - though New Zealand had lost one less wicket.

But what was to follow after the 25-over mark was to prove the winning of the game for South Africa, and a missed opportunity for New Zealand. Unwilling to simply follow recovery with consolidation, Brendon McCullum - the hosts' most experienced batsman - lashed out in counterattack. Launching Lonwabo Tsotsobe over midwicket in the 27th over, he advanced to smack Jacques Kallis over point in the 28th. Morne Morkel got the same treatment in the following over, though this time with less control, before McCullum fell attempting the same stroke three overs in a row. South Africa had become wise to McCullum's ploys and placed the fielder squarer. In a seemingly myopic quest to spur the scoring-rate, McCullum was oblivious to the change.

Three hours later, he couldn't have been given a more fitting nor comprehensive lesson by his counterpart.

Having steadied the early wobble, AB de Villierscontinued to collect, even as the asking-rate grew. Keenly aware of the field and employing low-risk strokes - like the downward dab to third man -he'd developed for just such occasions, de Villiers nudged South Africa forward, one quiet over at a time.

JP Duminy followed his captain's lead, his first 34 runs all coming in singles and twos. His fall made way for Faf du Plessis, who lightened his captain's burden with a rapid innings. All through the middle overs, de Villiers was precise and calculating - picking out only the genuinely bad balls to dispatch, and hitting out only when the required-rate threatened to become unmanageable. Where McCullum's eagerness to attack cost his side the luxury of an ideal launching pad, de Villiers' controlled composition of his innings took his side from 35 for 3 in 10 overs, to 254 for 4 after 45.2. If South Africa's innings had come first, a total of over 300 might have been likely.

The blame for New Zealand's sub-par score cannot fall solely on McCullum's shoulders, but having become accustomed to the conditions, he should not have left so much to a middle order missing the experience of Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram. And while brazen aggression might have intimidated Zimbabwe in the previous series, smarts and mettle are required to topple a side of South Africa's pedigree.

Speaking the day after the loss, Kane Williamson, who himself had the opportunity to see the New Zealand innings to the close, spoke of how much the hosts' batsmen could learn from de Villiers' knock.

"It was just so clinical," Williamson said. "He never gave [us] a chance, finished it off and looked at ease doing it, which is what class players do.

"We spoke about it afterwards and realised that players like that, you need to dismiss. But when they put an innings like that together, you need to learn from it as well, personally and as a batting unit."

Even with Taylor in the batting order, New Zealand seemingly lack a batsman who regularly takes responsibility for the innings and completes the overs unbeaten. It is an area New Zealand have struggled in since Stephen Fleming's retirement.

Guptill, Ryder, Taylor and McCullum have the bat speed and bludgeoning power to match any batsman in the world. But unless they develop the ability to maximise that potential by building steadily for extended periods, New Zealand will continue to be, like them, occasionally brilliant, but too inconsistent to be truly formidable.

England Vs Pakistan 1st ODI,Cricinfo,Abu Dhabi

Pakistan v England, 1st ODI, Abu Dhabi

25 overs England 113 for 2 (Cook 66, Bopara 25 ) v Pakistan

Shahid Afridi wasted little time in advancing his credentials as the best one-day spinner in world cricket during the opening ODI in Abu Dhabi as England's trials continued against the turning ball. England stuttered at their first sight of him as Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott fell in successive balls in his second over. Spin will remain a centrepiece of the remaining one-day matches to come.

What had changed was the identity of the England captain. Andrew Strauss had departed and Alastair Cook was in charge, a one-day captain whose ability in the limited-overs game is hotly debated. He did his reputation no harm, reaching the mid-point unbeaten on 66 as England moved to 113 for 2. With anything above 250 appearing competitive, Cook was keeping England in the match.

Ravi Bopara brought up the fifty partnership off 72 balls just before midway with two successive off-side drives against overpitched deliveries from the left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz, an indication of the sedate nature of the surface once the spinners took a back seat.

Afridi must have watched England's distress against spin during Pakistan's 3-0 victory in the Test series and licked his lips at the fun to come in the one-day internationals. He was not to be disappointed. After bamboozling Pietersen and Trott with a legspinner and googly respectively, he should also have quickly followed up with Bopara, who had made only 2 when he tried to cut a straight one and was reprieved presumably because the umpire, Ahsan Rana, imagined in inside edge.

Afridi had warmed up with five wickets against Afghanistan while England were attempting to restore morale with victory against England Lions. A quicker, turning legspinner ended Pietersen's skittish innings on 14 and Trott groped forward to a googly and was comprehensively bowled through the gate.

Pietersen was at the top of the order for the fifth time in an ODI but there was no escape from the spinners; Pakistan had picked four of them and Mohammad Hafeez took the new ball. A characteristically risky single to get off the mark might have seen Pietersen run out if Imran Farhat had not fumbled at mid-on and even his one shot of authority, a legside whip against Umar Gul looked too manufactured for comfort, as if he had added a frill or two to disguise the poor quality of the cloth.

His troubled innings also included two let-offs from DRS when he was on 2. Hafeez drifted one away to hit his back leg but Pakistan wasted their review as the ball was shown to have struck Pietersen outside the line. Then Pietersen overturned umpire Rana's decision when he wandered across his stumps to one that Gul cut back and escaped when Hawk-Eye suggested the ball was too high. Pietersen's incredulous expression as he called for a review summed up his desperate state of mind. Never has a man formally tapped the top of his bat with such a BAFTA-winning performance.

Cook needed a reprieve himself, on 30, when Simon Taufel's decision that Hafeez had dismissed him lbw was overturned because of a big inside edge. He reviewed in a quiet, matter-of-fact manner, lacking Pietersen's penchant for the stage. His slog sweep against Afridi to reach his half-century was England's most confident moment against the spinners.

England, who chose to bat after winning the toss, brought in Bopara, Samit Patel and Steven Finn. Tim Bresnan and Jos Buttler were both ruled out on fitness grounds. Pakistan kept the same eleven that beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in Sharjah on Friday.

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 1st ODI, Dunedin,Cricinfo

New Zealand ease to win By Zimbabwe

Brendan Taylor's 58 was the only resistance the New Zealand bowlers faced, as they bowled Zimbabwe out cheaply to secure a 90-run win in the first one-dayer in Dunedin. Pace and bounce were the visiting batsmen's bane once more, with the New Zealand seamers sharing four of the top seven scalps between them. But Zimbabwe's own bowlers had enjoyed those same conditions, having dismissed New Zealand for a spluttering 248 in the 49th over.

Taylor had spent two months playing in the HRV Cup prior to his side's arrival, and the experience clearly showed, as only he mastered the hosts' steady seam on a lively, green-tinged track. With three batsmen perishing in 6.1 overs, in what seemed a continuation of Zimbabwe's rolling collapse in Napier, Taylor counter-punched with a volley of calculated straight boundaries, while Tatenda Taibu groped his way past early jitters to help erect a 52-run partnership.

The pair first averted another top-order collapse before Taylor began hauling in a rapidly rising run-rate, with boundaries to the leg side and some hurried running. Taibu perished attempting aggression, but Taylor found the rope when he looked for it, hitting debutant Andrew Ellis for two successive leg-side boundaries to close in on a 25th ODI half-century, which he completed in 59 balls.

Zimbabwe's hopes of successive one-day wins over New Zealand effectively ended with Taylor, who holed out to long-off to leave his side at 97 for 5 in the 26th over. Taylor had hit Rob Nicol out of the University Oval off the previous delivery, but the bowler's bravery in flighting the ball once more brought him his first scalp, and all but secured the result.

Malcolm Waller had struck a match-winning unbeaten 99 in the sides' last encounter, in Bulawayo. But rarely seemed comfortable here, and though the tail added late runs and entertainment after his demise, New Zealand simply stayed patient to close out the Zimbabwe innings at 158.

Zimbabwe had repeatedly threatened to derail New Zealand in their innings, but managed only to contain them. The hosts' innings never found fluency following the loss of two early wickets, with regular blows thwarting hopes of a commanding total. But Zimbabwe never closed in for the kill, with inconsistent bowling allowing New Zealand's inexperienced batting order to lurch their side to an underwhelming, but competitive total in spurts.

Martin Guptill's 66-ball 70 at the top of the order was the only notable score for the hosts, as he and Kane Williamson rescued New Zealand who threatened a familiar collapse at 4 for 2. Opener Rob Nicol was undone by a Meth's outswinger on zero, before Brendon McCullum padded up to a Kyle Jarvis indipper three deliveries later, with the ball shown to be clipping the top of off stump on review.

Zimbabwe should have had Guptill soon after too, had they been more patient. Having been stifled by early movement, Guptill lashed out at Meth with a lofted drive over mid-on and Tatenda Taibu saw enough cause in the batsman's first boundary to move up to the stumps. He regretted his decision the very next delivery, when he spilt an edge he would have comfortably pouched in his regular position. A chance that would have restricted New Zealand further and perhaps changed the match's outlook.

Placement and sharp running was the hallmark of Guptill's association with Kane Williamson, as the pair put on 88 to rebuild, then consolidate after early losses. Both men eased runs through the leg side as the Zimbabwe seamers strayed straight too often - perhaps spurred by early success to look for big swing. Guptill's fifty came from 44 deliveries as he punctuated singles and twos with regular boundary blows, particularly to the off side.

None of his team-mates though, could convert starts into innings of substance. Five of New Zealand's middle-order batsmen failed to reach fifty having made more than 15 in not unfriendly conditions. Promising partnerships were crimped just as they sought to wrest the advantage, with an occasionally lively pitch and canny limited-overs bowling from Zimbabwe hauling the hosts back at regular intervals.

Shingi Masakadza bagged 4 for 46 from his 9.3 overs, while Elton Chigumbura was also effective through the middle overs, taking 2 for 46. Both bowlers bowled a consistent off stump line and found slight movement on occasion, as well as uncomfortable bounce and carry to prevent the hosts' batsmen from settling.

Nathan McCullum and Ellis put on 57 at almost a run a ball to reverse a wicket-induced mini stagnation towards the end of New Zealand's innings. But though Zimbabwe dismissed them and the tail without much ado, their batsmen failed once more and New Zealand take the early lead in the three-match series.

Indians Get Tension Victory in 1st ODI

India 213 for 9 (Rohit 72, Roach 3-46) beat West Indies 211 for 9 (Bravo 60) by one wicket

For the second time in four days, India and West Indies showed that big hits aren't crucial ingredients in absorbing cricket. As in the Mumbai Test, the final delivery of the match was punched to long-on, but this time there were no tears for the home fans as last man Umesh Yadav's drive went for four to end a pulsating match.

It wasn't the highest quality of cricket, but there was no shortage of entertainment for a voluble Cuttack crowd watching its first international match in two years. Rohit Sharma seemed to have sealed the game with a mostly level-headed half-century after India slipped to 59 for 5, but his dismissal 11 runs short of the target provided an extra dollop of suspense to an already tumultuous match.

Watching tailenders bat ranks high among the enjoyable sidelights in cricket, and watching a panicky No. 10 Varun Aaron and Umesh, with all of 10 ODI caps between them, negotiate the final passage was a heart-warmer. The two came together after Vinay Kumar, a relatively more skilled batsman, lost his head and his wicket by charging out and holing out to mid-off, and that five deliveries after Rohit's dismissal.

Eleven runs were needed from the final pair, off 23 deliveries. It was to be expected that the predominant mood in the middle wouldn't be calm-and-collected, but it was still hard to explain the thinking behind Aaron declining a single off the fifth delivery of the 47th, so that he could take strike in the next over. A visibly stricken Rohit couldn't believe that decision, and substitute Ajinkya Rahane muttered under his breath.

A spell of 15 dot balls was finally ended by Aaron thumping the ball to long-off for a single. More headless-chicken stuff followed as Umesh nurdled the fifth ball of the 48th, with Aaron this time desperately wanting a non-existent second in another attempt to face the start of the next over.

In Aaron's defence, Umesh wasn't exactly the most confidence-inspiring of batsmen, regularly planting his front foot across the stumps and poking at the ball. Umesh managed to sneak a single towards square leg off the first delivery of the penultimate over, for which the pacy Andre Russell might have been a better choice than the innocuous Darren Sammy. An on-target yorker at Russell's pace could have been the game, but Sammy perhaps feared the edged boundary to third man or fine leg.

In any case, Sammy's second delivery was a hit-me short-and-wide delivery that was dispatched for four by Aaron, to bring India within four of victory. He guided the next ball towards point for a single, and in his enthusiasm to look for yet another unlikely second, he slipped and had to settle for one. Umesh coolly shouldered arms to the next delivery, before punching a length ball past mid-on for the boundary that extended India's winning streak in home ODIs to ten. It also ended Aaron's mad scramble for the second run, something he famously did, without delivering victory, off the final delivery in the Mumbai Test.

At the other extreme when it comes to taking the second is R Ashwin, who was mildly criticised after delaying setting off for the potentially winning-run in Mumbai. This time he will receive a lot more criticism, after staying put for too long though his senior partner Rohit was running to the danger end, and was confident of making it.

Before that run-out, India were 54 away with plenty of overs to go, with Rohit and Ashwin - fresh from a Test century - in the middle. A fairly comfortable state, which India reached due to a 83-run stand for the sixth wicket between Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja. That stand administered CPR to a chase that was fast fading at 59 for 5.

Rohit played the more expansive strokes - a stylish six over the bowler, a textbook cover drive for four off Russell, followed by a controlled pull for another boundary. Jadeja was more content playing the no-frills role, picking up several of his boundaries through glides behind point. It was crucial innings for both players - Rohit, returning after several months out due to a finger injury, is looking to secure a spot in the crowded middle order, while Jadeja is still to emphatically prove he deserves a spot as high as No. 7.

All the drama seemed unlikely when India's openers galloped to 37 four overs into the chase. The dew was expected to play a huge role in the evening, and a chock-a-block crowd was probably one of the biggest many of the West Indians had played in front of. Kemar Roach didn't let any of that affect him as he pulled West Indies back into the match by removing Parthiv Patel and Gautam Gambhir in the fifth over, and adding the scalp of Virat Kohli soon after.

When Russell snuck one past Virender Sehwag's bat, and Suresh Raina chipped a catch to mid-off, it was West Indies who were in control, particularly as India's most reliable middle-order finishers, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, were absent.

Rohit and the bowlers clinched it for India at the end, but the inexperienced attack had been hugely impressively in the afternoon as well. India had none of the regular members of their World Cup-winning line-up but that didn't prevent them from limiting the visitors to a small total. Umesh and Varun showed off the pace for which they have made a name, Vinay 's patented away-swinger was on display, and the spinners continued to give the selectors no reason to think of Harbhajan Singh.

West Indies' batting had had a reviving stand of its own between Darren Bravo and Danza Hyatt after the top-order stumbled. Bravo doled out his usual share of easy-on-the-eyes boundaries as he extended his rich form from the Tests to make 60, while Hyatt was more controlled after starting problems, due to which he has reached double-digits only twice in six ODI-innings so far.

Some amateurish running from Hyatt took away any semblance of momentum from the West Indian batting, and the dismissals of Bravo and Kieron Pollard within a short span, meant the final third of the innings was slow going.

The 211 they posted seemed far from substantial, especially as the pitch wasn't playing too many tricks - the curator had boldly predicted 300-plus ahead of the match - but they again showed an encouraging ability to fight. That may not have translated into results on this trip so far, but it has resulted in the home side being forced to dig very deep in most of the matches.

Cuttack 1st ODI IND Vs WI Live Score,Cricinfo

50 overs West Indies 211 for 9 (Bravo 60) v India

Some amateurish running from Danza Hyatt ended the only significant partnership of West Indies' innings, as they crumbled either side of that fourth-wicket stand to finish on 211 for 9 at a raucous Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Darren Bravo was once again their top scorer, but a mix of rash shot-selection and tight bowling crippled West Indies and put India on course for their 10th straight win at home.

India's inexperienced attack had none of the regular members of their World Cup-winning line-up but that didn't prevent an impressive performance. Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron showed off the pace for which they have made a name, Vinay Kumar's patented away-swinger was on display, and the spinners continued to give the selectors no reason to think of Harbhajan Singh.

Bravo and Hyatt had revived West Indies from 52 for 3 after each of India's quick bowlers nipped out a wicket in their first spell. It wasn't the most fluent of stands - R Ashwin dropped a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Bravo, and Hyatt had starting trouble - but they stuck together for more than 16 overs to add 75.

Bravo's innings was sprinkled with several easy-on-the-eye boundaries, including a predictably large chunk of runs through cover. Hyatt had more problems early on, needing 36 deliveries to get to double-digits for only the second time in his six ODI innings. Whether he was aware of that or not, he dispatched the next delivery after he reaching 10 for a six.

The runs came easier for Hyatt after that, before he casually jogged back for a second in the 27th over, though his partner Bravo was rooted at the non-striker's end screaming that he didn't want two. Hyatt was run out for 31, and any semblance of momentum was taken away from the West Indian innings.

After a glut of singles, Bravo had another reprieve in the 35th over, before Suresh Raina got one to stay low and knock over the off stump. Kieron Pollard highlighted his weak credentials against spin, holing out to long-on off Ashwin for 13. With the big names gone, the lower order hobbled during the final phase of the innings, with the clever change of pace from Umesh and Aaron, and the nagging accuracy of the slower bowlers tying them down.

The slow death in the final third was in contrast to the more dramatic crash-and-burn at the start of the innings. Adrian Barath played some typically flashy strokes early on before nicking an away-going delivery from Vinay. Lendl Simmons shrugged off his six initial scoreless overs, cracking a straight drive for four and following that up with a six over long-on. Both he and Marlon Samuels, who adopted an unusually open stance, can expect a talking to from Desmond Haynes after falling to awful strokes - Samuels looking to swipe to midwicket, and Simmons was bowled after attempting an apology of a cut shot.

Not only does West Indies' total look insufficient, they also have to contend with plenty of dew - if predictions are correct - and possibly the largest crowd they have played in front of.

1st ODI Pakistan Win 8 Wickets By Srilanka Including Highlights

Shocking SriLanka hammered in first ODI

Watch Highlights

Sri Lanka's batsmen betrayed a shocking lack of stomach in moderately helpful conditions for the bowlers, to crash to an eight-wicket humbling in the first ODI in Dubai. After losing the toss, Pakistan rolled the years back with a vintage bowling display - their fast bowlers softened the prey, before the allrounders and spinners came on to make incisions. Sri Lanka responded with indecisive prods, and a rash of strokes each uglier than the previous. They were bowled out for 131 with 57 balls to spare, and Pakistan strolled home in the 22nd over of their chase to put an early end to the weekend crowd's evening.

Sri Lanka's train-wreck of an innings featured only five fours, all of which were hit within the first 20 overs, and three sixes. The last of those - a heave against hope hopen from Lasith Malinga - broke a boundary drought that had lasted nearly 20 overs. Such was the stranglehold Pakistan wielded in the middle overs, and their spin spearhead Saeed Ajmal had almost no role to play in it.

Only one man stood between Pakistan and the paltry chase, but Lasith Malinga wasn't at his best on his return to action. He overstepped twice in his first over, and went on to send down two more no-balls - one of them for height. His lines were inconsistent, and his famed yorker did not make an appearance at all. Suranga Lakmal's dismissal of Mohammad Hafeez gave Sri Lanka some hope, but Imran Farhat's free-scoring more than made up for the loss. Younis Khan too purred along smoothly with a series of typical whips and glances as Pakistan bolted to a 1-0 lead.

The felicity with which Pakistan made their runs put the conditions, and the earlier efforts of their bowling colleagues, in perspective. The strip had a wee bit in it for every kind of quick - Umar Gul's seam, Aizaz Cheema's swing and Abdul Razzaq's legcutters - and the Pakistan trio exploited it right from the get-go. Gul lay down the marker in the first over of the game, with a big swinging wide down the leg side, and an away seamer that bounced explosively past Tillakaratne Dilshan's attempted slash. Dilshan perfected the shot in first ball of the the next over, but perished four balls later when Cheema got one to buzz in sharply onto the stumps off the inside edge.

Despite being in prime form, Kumar Sangakkara could barely lay bat on ball. A rare couple of boundaries suggested a release, but they were promptly followed by a string of 19 successive dots. The returning Razzaq put Sangakkara out of his misery in his first over, coaxing an outside edge with a ball that angled across.

Hafeez then settled into a typically asphyxiating rhythm, mixing up arm balls with darts that straightened. Dinesh Chandimal counterpunched by launching Razzaq over long-on for six, before scything him through cover for four. The aggression wore off on Upul Tharanga, who had pottered around to 21 off 52 balls before slicing Hafeez for a boundary over the off side. He perished three balls later, hoicking rashly to mid-on, and sadly for Sri Lanka, the poor shot selection set in like an epidemic.

Shahid Afridi came on, his appetite for the limelight undiminished by his brief retirement. He tossed up four balls, the fourth of which Chandimal clattered over long-on for six. Afridi removed him with the next ball - the patent quicker one catching the batsman on the crease, followed by the trademark arms-aloft celebration. He then rapped Mahela Jayawardene on the pads, and had his vociferous appeal turned down. When he was captain, Afridi would have signalled the referral immediately, almost as an extension of the appeal. This time, he turned to Misbah-ul-Haq in the covers, nodding his head vigorously to convince him, before asking for a review. The referral went Sri Lanka's way, but little else did.

Angelo Mathews spent 31 balls at the crease without adjusting to Hafeez's lack of turn before running himself out. Kosala Kulaseakara, yet to open his account in his debut innings, chose to chip a full ball straight to mid-off. Jayawardene watched aghast as he kept losing partners, before contributing his bit to the madness by lapping Ajmal from outside off stump to short fine-leg. Sri Lanka's misery was complete soon after, with Afridi and Ajmal producing enough variety to brush aside the tail. Dilshan's men will need a drastic change in approach before the second game on November 14.

Sri Lanka 131 Allout,Watch Live Score card

Shocking Sri Lanka subside to 131

50 overs Sri Lanka 131 (Afridi 3-27, ajmal 2-21) v Pakistan

It was a vintage Pakistan display in the first quarter of the first ODI in Dubai. The fast bowlers softened the prey, before the allrounders came on and made incisions. Sri Lanka's top order contributed to their woes with a diffident approach, but the quality and sheer variety of the bowling attack cut off all escape routes, leaving Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews confronted with a big repair job.

The strip had something in it for every kind of quick - Umar Gul's seam, Aizaz Cheema's swing and Abdul Razzaq's legcutters - and the Pakistan trio exploited it right from the get-go. Gul lay down the marker in the first over of the game, with a big swinging wide down the leg side, and an away seamer that bounced explosively past Tillakaratne Dilshan's attempted slash. Dilshan perfected the shot in the next over, welcoming Aizaz Cheema with a pick-up through the covers, but perished four balls later when Cheema got one to buzz in sharply onto the stumps off the inside edge.

Despite coming into the series in sublime form, Kumar Sangakkara could barely lay bat on ball as Cheema and Gul probed away with the two new balls. Upul Tharanga also remained subdued, as Cheema steadily bent deliveries across the left-handers from wide of the stumps. A rare couple of boundaries suggested a release, but they were promptly followed by a string of 19 successive dots.

The returning Razzaq put Sangakkara out of his misery in his first over, coaxing an outside edge with a ball that angled across. Mohammad Hafeez then settled into a typically asphyxiating rhythm, mixing up arm balls with darts that straightened. Dinesh Chandimal sparkled briefly, providing Sri Lanka with a welcome spurt of adrenaline. He launched Razzaq over long-on for six, before scything him through cover for four. The aggression wore off on Tharanga, who had pottered around to 21 off 52 balls before slicing Hafeez for a boundary over the off side. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, he perished three balls later, hoicking rashly to mid-on.

Shahid Afridi then came on, his appetite for the limelight undiminished by his brief retirement. He tossed up four balls, the fourth of which Chandimal clattered over long-on for six. Afridi removed him with the next ball - the patent quicker one catching the batsman on the crease, followed by the trademark arms-aloft celebration. The most revealing moment of the innings came in Afridi's fourth over. He rapped Jayawardene on the pads, and had his vociferous appeal turned down. When he was captain, Afridi would have signaled the referral immediately, almost as an extension of the appeal. This time, he turned to Misbah-ul-Haq in the covers, nodding his head vigorously to convince him, before asking for a review that went in the batsman's favour. Misbah was the man in charge, but once again, Afridi was calling the shots.

Australia Vs South Africa 1st ODI Cricinfo With Highlights

Australia 183 for 4 (Ponting 63, Clarke 44) beat South Africa 129 (Johnson 3-20, Cummins 3-28) by 93 runs (D/L method)

 

Australia were inconvenienced more by rain than South Africa as they rampaged through the hosts in a truncated first ODI in Centurion, winning by 93 runs under Duckworth-Lewis calculations.

Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey guided the tourists to 183 for 4 from 29 overs, setting a target of 223, before the debutant Pat Cummins and Mitchell Johnson shared six wickets to lead their team on a merry path in the field.

The ball swung and bounced in greasy conditions, and in a significant portent for the matches to come, Johnson gained the kind of movement through the air that had helped make him so fearsome on Australia's 2009 visit to South Africa.

Mitchell Marsh, the other teenaged debutant, claimed a wicket in his first over. The spin of Xavier Doherty was also useful as the Proteas subsided, none passing 30 in a searching captaincy introduction for the interim leader Hashim Amla.

Sent off by rain at 3.57pm local time when a promising 96 for 1 after 19 overs, Australia managed to collect another 87 runs in 10 overs when play finally resumed at 8.30pm.

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andMarshmanagedoneboundaryinhisfirstinnings.

South Africa's chase was immediately inconvenienced by the sight of Doug Bollinger and Johnson hooping the ball around. BollingerswiftlyaccountedforGraemeSmith, given lbw to one that did not swing but may have been passing over the top of the stumps, and Johnson showed the disconcerting swerve he gained two years ago could be repeated this time around.

Cummins replaced Johnson at first change, and while his first ball in ODIs was slapped impudently over cover for six by Amla, the 18-year-old was soon repeating the trick of his first two Twenty20 internationals by claiming multiple wickets in an over. Jacques Kallis dragged an expansive stroke onto his stumps, before JP Duminy was dismissed for the third time in as many innings by Cummins when he parried indeterminately to Clarke at second slip.

Marsh had Amla caught neatly by Brad Haddin from a squirted drive in his first over, and Doherty struck twice via referrals. First he had David Miller caught at point after the umpires at first adjudged a bump ball, then Mark Boucher was lbw on review to a delivery that drifted towards leg stump and straightened enough to convince Hawk-Eye's ball-tracker.

Johnson added his name to the list of wicket-takers via Faf du Plessis' desperate swing and an outfield catch, as Australia's chief concern turned from South Africa's batting to the skies above. Rain threatened to re-appear, but the final result was not in doubt from the moment the minimum 20 overs had been completed.

Australia had been unable to consider Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson due to injury, and so handed limited-overs debuts to the allrounder Mitchell Marsh, a day before his 20th birthday and Cummins who had yet to take a list A wicket for his state.

David Warner was joined at the top of the batting order by Ponting, an occasional opener down the years, and it was the younger man who swung into early action, gliding Lonwabo Tsotsobe's first ball through point, then cracking a trio of boundaries from Dale Steyn, the last two via the generous avenues of a no ball and a free-hit.

Next ball Steyn corrected, finding the ideal length and a hint of swing to beat Warner's forward prod via the inside edge. This left Clarke and Ponting to set the course of the innings against bowlers they will see plenty of throughout the next month.

Lights were employed inside 10 overs as the skies darkened, and Clarke and Ponting negotiated the odd awkward delivery by Morne Morkel while keeping the run-rate around five. Steyn swung the ball in his second spell but could not split the partnership before thunder, then rain, arrived.

Returning to the pitch more than four hours later, Ponting and Clarke fired off a series of smart strokes before Clarke's ill-luck, and Ponting went on until he sliced Steyn to backward point. Brad Haddin was sacrificed in the effort to lift the run-rate, before Hussey and Marsh pushed the total into dimensions that proved far too vast for South Africa.

Cook Say's on 1st ODI Failure

We were outplayed but will come back, says Cook

England captain Alastair Cook admitted that his side was “outplayed” by India in the first ODI here but insisted that the visitors have the self belief to come back strongly in the five-match cricket series.

After posting a challenging 300 for seven, India shot out England for 174 in 36.1 overs to register a comprehensive 126-run win at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium yesterday.

“We were outplayed in all three departments. We gave away around 180 runs in the last 20 overs and I think that was 30-40 runs more than what we had expected to restrict them to.

We were also unusually sloppy in the field,” Cook told the reporters at the post match media conference.

However, the England skipper says that one defeat can’t dent the “self belief” of his boys and they will come back stronger.

He didn’t forget to mention that losing the toss also proved to be a key factor in these conditions.

“It was an important toss to win, we saw at the end that the ball kept low. We’re going to have to learn from this, and that’s the beauty of a five-match series.”

About his team’s inability to play spin bowling, he confessed that’s an “issue.”

“We know that (playing spin) is an issue, and that’s a skill thing. We’re going to work hard on that in the next couple of days,” the skipper signed off.

England Loss 1st ODI By 126 Runs

Dhoni, Raina star in India's big win

 

The Hindu

An elusive Indian dream became a reality at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Friday night. Since the tie in a World Cup match at Bangalore in February, M.S. Dhoni's men have found in England, an impregnable rival. The ghosts of the immediate past were finally laid to rest at least for now as India defeated England by 126 runs in the opening One-Day International to go 1-0 up in the five-match series. Chasing India's 300 for seven in 50 overs, England mustered 174 in 36.1 overs.

The force-multipliers in the England top-order — Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen — were gone within the first 10 overs. Kieswetter nibbled outside the off-stump against Praveen Kumar and Pietersen, failing to get into his stride on a two-paced pitch, failed to beat R. Ashwin's throw.

Much hinged on skipper Alastair Cook (60) and Jonathan Trott (26), and the two cemented a 71-run third-wicket partnership. Cook fell while trying to force the pace against Ravindra Jadeja and the England innings lapsed into a free-fall as the last eight wickets fell for the addition of a mere 63 runs. Trott launched into an ugly cross-batted swipe against Jadeja; Ravi Bopara and Jonathan Bairstow enriched the follow-through of R. Ashwin and Jadeja respectively and stumps were repeatedly disturbed as Umesh Yadav's deliveries stayed fast and low to trigger celebrations in the stands.

LEAD ROLES

The Indian innings changed its traits of ‘slow-and-steady' to ‘quick-and-forceful' over the course of Friday evening while Man-of-the-Match M.S. Dhoni (87 n.o.) and Suresh Raina (61) played their leadroles to good effect.

The portents of change for the Indian skipper were evident when his wretched run with the toss thankfully ended in the afternoon.

Dhoni immediately opted to bat and watched openers Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane remain guarded against Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn. A quiet phase ensued while the fans slowly trickled in and the official broadcaster briefly lost connectivity and those outside the venue and in the rest of India, wondered about the plight of the match.

REPRIEVE

Rahane enjoyed a reprieve when Jonathan Trott dropped him at slip off Finn. The opener was yet to open his account but he failed to capitalise and his timing remained awry on a turgid track. Rahane inadvertently also caused Parthiv's exit shortly after his partner exuded confidence with an on-driven four off Bresnan. 

Parthiv backed up too far when Rahane drove Finn and the ball ricocheted off the seamer's palms and crashed into the non-striker's stumps. Parthiv was left stranded and a circumspect Rahane failed to get into his stride and fatally charged at Graeme Swann while Kieswetter whipped the bails.

Gautam Gambhir, who stepped in following Parthiv's dismissal, was quick to smash boundaries through a packed off-side though the step-and-slam routine led to a few leading edges that gave false hope to the fielders. The southpaw was a tad unlucky to be adjudged leg-before while Jade Dernbach's delivery seemed to be marginally missing leg-stump.

But, Billy Bowden raised the finger and at 79 for three with the bowling Power Play in progress, Virat Kohli and Raina had to consolidate rather than play their shots. Alastair Cook plugged point with two men and also beefed up the short mid-wicket cordon while Kohli failed to drill his strokes.

Yet Kohli and Raina (61, 55b, 5x4, 2x6) through their industrious ways added 44 runs for the fourth wicket before a piece of fielding brilliance snuffed out the alliance. Kohli, with his patience wearing thin, employed the inside-out lofted stroke against Samit Patel.

The ball was seemingly sailing over long-off when Kevin Pietersen timed his leap to perfection and cupped the ball.

Raina then allied with his skipper in a 72-run fifth-wicket partnership off 61 balls and India began its march towards a respectable total.

Raina picked his spots down the ground, taking the ball on the full and whacking it hard, but his best shot was the heft down fine-leg as Dernbach peddled a full-toss. Cook tried to rein in Dhoni's singles down the ground as the long-off fielder was brought to mid-off but the Indian captain found his way and during the batting Power Play (overs 36-40), he dug out Bresnan's yorkers and flat-batted the seamer as well as Finn.

Raina then plonked his front foot and hit through the line for mighty sixes against Bresnan and Finn. India was up and running as the batting Power Play yielded 59 runs, a statistic that was slightly marred by Raina's edged hoick against Finn.

Dhoni muscled ahead and egged Ravindra Jadeja on in a 65-run sixth-wicket partnership. Jadeja scattered Samit twice across the skies and India scored 91 runs in the last 10 overs to make England stare at an imposing target with Dhoni's helicopter shot against Finn being the pick of his meaty blows.

Later in the night, the Indian skipper snatched a stump as a cherished souvenir after the string of defeats finally ground to a halt.

Watch highlights

India: Parthiv (run out) 9 (10b, 1x4), A. Rahane st. Kieswetter b Swann 15 (41b), G. Gambhir lbw b Dernbach 32 (33b, 4x4), V. Kohli c Pietersen b Samit 37 (63b), S. Raina c Bairstow b Finn 61 (55b, 5x4, 2x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 87 (70b, 10x4, 1x6), R. Jadeja (run out) 27 (22b, 1x4, 2x6), R. Ashwin (run out) 8 (6b, 1x4), Praveen Kumar (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-4, nb-1, w-18): 23; Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs): 300.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 47/1; Bowling (17-21): 20/1; Batting (36-40): 59/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Parthiv), 2-52 (Rahane), 3-79 (Gambhir), 4-123 (Kohli), 5-195 (Raina), 6-260 (Jadeja), 7-282 (Ashwin).

England bowling: Bresnan 10-0-66-0, Finn 9-0-67-1, Dernbach 10-0-58-1, Swann 10-1-35-1, Samit 8-0-49-1, Bopara 3-0-21-0.

England: A. Cook c Vinay b Jadeja 60 (63b, 7x4), C. Kieswetter c Dhoni b Praveen 7 (8b, 1x4), K. Pietersen (run out) 19 (29b, 3x4), J. Trott b Jadeja 26 (42b), R. Bopara c & b Ashwin 8 (10b), J. Bairstow c & b Jadeja 3 (7b), Samit Patel b Yadav 16 (18b, 2x4), T. Bresnan st. Dhoni b Ashwin 4 (8b, 1x4), G. Swann b Yadav 8 (9b, 1x4), S. Finn (not out) 18 (18b, 1x4, 1x6), J. Dernback b Ashwin 2 (5b); Extras (w-3): 3; Total (in 36.1 overs): 174.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 48/2; Bowling (16-20): 29/0; Batting (32-36): 36/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Kieswetter), 2-40 (Pietersen), 3-111 (Cook), 4-120 (Trott), 5-124 (Bopara), 6-126 (Bairstow), 7-134 (Bresnan), 8-148 (Swann), 9-163 (Samit Patel).

India bowling: Praveen 8-1-38-1, Vinay 5-0-24-0, Kohli 3-0-11-0, Yadav 5-0-32-2, Ashwin 8.1-0-35-3, Jadeja 7-0-34-3.