Live Cricket Scores

Ajantha Mendis and Chaminda Vaas led Sri Lanka’s fightback after Indian opener Virender Sehwag missed out on a rare feat of scoring a century before lunch in the second Test on Thursday.

Sehwag was unbeaten on 91 at the lunch-break before hammering a robust 128 not out for his 15th Test hundred on a rain-hit opening day. He dominated a 167-run stand for the opening wicket with Gautam Gambhir (56).

But unorthodox spinner Mendis and veteran left-arm seamer Vaas did not allow India to capitalise on a strong start, sharing four quick wickets to reduce the tourists to 214-4 in the first innings at stumps.

Only four batsmen — Australians Victor Trumper, Charles Macartney and Don Bradman, and Pakistan’s Majid Khan — have scored a hundred before lunch on the opening day of a Test.

Click here to read the full article

Source: AFP 

Tags: India Vs Sri Lanka by admin
No Comments »

At Lunch India was 151 for 0 (Sehwag 91*, Gambhir 50*)

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put behind them not only the debacle at the SSC, but also thoughts of how they played and missed early here, and how the ball misbehaved when it hit the cracks populating one end of the pitch.

As a result India got off to a flying start, taking the first steps towards exorcising the ghosts of the first Test. Sehwag came close - for the second time in his career - to getting a hundred in the first session of a Test.

Click here to read the full article

Source: Cricnfo

Tags: India Vs Sri Lanka by admin
No Comments »

Sachin Tendulkar, India’s star batsman, will miss the second Test against South Africa after aggravating a groin injury.

Tendulkar, who needs 172 runs to overtake West Indian Brian Lara as Test cricket’s leading run-scorer, did not field for most of the final day’s play in the first Test, which ended in a draw.

“Sachin will not be playing the next Test,” Niranjan Shah, Indian cricket board secretary, said.

Tendulkar will need a week to recover and the selectors replaced him with Mohammad Kaif for the second Test starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Shah added.

Read More

Source: TimesOnline UK

Tags: India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Scores by admin
No Comments »

There was not a whole lot that one could surmise from the bore draw in Chennai, but aside from the obvious - that Virender Sehwag can bat a bit if he’s allowed to get his eye in - two things stood out amidst the tedium.

The first is straight forward: This is the best side South Africa have taken to India, and they showed that they are very much capable of matching their opposition in their own backyard.

The second requires an admission: I was wrong about Neil McKenzie… Before the second Test in Bangladesh I expressed reservations about his ability to open the batting (although not his ability on the international stage). Sure, RP Singh and Sreesanth generally bowled poorly on a placid pitch, but McKenzie showed in both innings that he has the class to compete with top bowlers in foreign conditions.

So, now that everyone’s warmed up, settled in and suitably acquainted, what comes next?

Read Further

Source: Cricket365

Tags: India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Scores by admin
No Comments »

Ahmedabad: While it looks like all is even after the draw in Chennai, a sea of injured players in the Indian dressing room can trigger a tide against the hosts when they take the field against South Africa in the second Test at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera here starting on Thursday.

Smarting under the loss of Sachin Tendulkar, India have plenty more to worry about as both captain Anil Kumble and fast bowler Ishant Sharma are uncertain of making it to the final XI, even as both bowled for a considerable duration at the nets on Wednesday.

“I’m feeling a lot better, but we will take a final call on the final eleven tomorrow morning,” a concerned Kumble told reporters.

If the injury to India’s latest bowling sensation, Ishant, wasn’t enough, RP Singh, who played the first Test, struggled for rhythm after his return from injury. S Sreesanth, who bowled well in patches, is certain to get the nod with not too many options around.

Read Further

Source: CricketNext

Tags: India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Scores by admin
No Comments »

India skipper Anil Kumble and fast bowler Ishant Sharma face fitness checks ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Kumble suffered a groin strain during the first Test, while Sharma is still recovering from injuries picked up on the recent tour to Australia.

“We will wait until Thursday morning to take a final call on who all are fit for the Test match,” said Kumble.

India will definitely be without Sachin Tendulkar because of injury.

And even though Tendulkar was dismissed for a duck during an otherwise high-scoring opening match in Chennai (Madras), which ended in a draw, the tourists believe his absence creates an opportunity for them.

Tendulkar only needs another 172 runs to become the highest scorer in Test history and South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said: “You lose a guy like that, it takes a huge chunk out of the team.

Read More

Source: BBC UK

Tags: India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Scores by admin
No Comments »

Match facts

Thursday, April 3, 2008 Start time 09:30 am local time (04:00 GMT)

Big picture

With Kanpur’s Green Park - the venue for the final Test - known to produce more draws than results, it’s up to Ahmedabad to ensure a result in this series. However, the last four games have produced only one result and it would need a lively pitch to change the trend.

The featherbed in Chennai offered very little for the bowlers and the first Test served the purpose of a practice game, one where both sets of batsmen gained plenty of confidence. Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla feasted in ideal batting conditions while Rahul Dravid ground out his 25th hundred, a knock that ended a barren phase. Overshadowing these innings, though, was the blistering triple-hundred from Virender Sehwag, an innings that sent quivers down South African spines.

Read More

Source: Cricinfo

Tags: India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Scores by admin
No Comments »