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Australia win toss and bat in 2nd India ODI

Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the second one-day international against India Tuesday in Adelaide, where temperatures around 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) are forecast for the match.

Australia can clinch the three-game series after beating Virat Kohli’s team by 34 runs in Sydney on Saturday.

“Looks like a good wicket to bat on and I don’t think it’ll change much throughout,” Australia captain Aaron Finch said.

“We played a really good game the other day. I think it’s a good chance to put some pressure on with a good score.”

Kohli said he would have batted if he had won the toss.

“It looks a great wicket to play on. The conditions are going to be a big factor for us as it’s hot and humid,” Kohli said.

“We were a bit scratchy at Sydney, just to get the one-day side together. We like to be in these situations where we get to bounce back as a team.”

The Australians are unchanged but India made one change to their team with Mohammed Siraj replacing paceman Khaleel Ahmed.

The last couple of ODIs in Adelaide have been low scoring affairs, with Australia defending 231 against South Africa earlier this season.

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Jason Behrendorff.

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (capt), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami.

Feature image courtesy: Saeed Khan/AFP

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January 15, 2019
South Africa – A team and a half in an era of individual superstars

South Africa recently completed a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan on home turf to propel themselves back to second place in the ICC Test rankings. For the Proteas, newcomer Duanne Olivier was instrumental with the ball, picking up a whopping 24 wickets in three Tests. Nevertheless, it was the collective team resilience and contribution that outlines this generation of South African cricket, who are turning out to be a team and a half in an era of individual superstars.

Many in the cricketing fraternity touted South Africa to struggle when AB De Villiers announced his sudden retirement in May of 2018. However, the likes of Faf du Plesis, Hashim Amla and others have ensured the Proteas remain in the forefront of Test cricket. Even in this recent series sweep against Pakistan, none of their batsmen set the world alight but their cumulative efforts helped propel the team over the line in all three games.

Unlike India who are heavily reliant on Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara’s batting or New Zealand whose past triumphs came majorly courtesy Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, the African side have a batting line-up complimenting each other with no real standout performer. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plesis, who are South Africa’s most experienced players, faltered in this recent series but the batting was well guided by the others like Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn and the ever reliable Temba Bavuma.

The Proteas’ batting line-up are a pair of unshakable dominoes, not falling apart on the slightest push but staying firm even to the strongest of gusts. If a few of their top order flop, the middle-order and the tail help rebuild the innings. The likes of Bavuma and de Kock have made a name for themselves by constantly rescuing the team from difficult situations. Very seldom do South Africa have complete batting capitulations where the team gets bundled out in a little more than a session.

Similarly, the bowling unit as well have performed well together to make South Africa a feared tour for any opposition. Like hyenas in the savannah, they South African pacers work in packs, wounding and wearing down the opponents until they finally succumb. While Olivier was the pick of the bowlers this time around, the disciplined bowling of Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada was instrumental to the Proteas success.

Gianluigi Guercia/AFP

Also, the ingenuity of Vernon Philander to bowl slower with a shortened run up to maintain the over rate allowed the other pacers to bowl aggressively. Underutilized in this series, spinner Keshav Maharaj has also been a prudent addition to the South African bowling unit’s successes in contemporary times.

In an era where Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith are in constant skirmishes to become their nations messiah, the South African cricket team have undertaken a different approach which sees each player contribute their little bit for a collective team win. While most teams depend on a few individuals to get them through the line, Ottis Gibson’s South Africa are building a team and a half for the years to come.

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January 15, 2019
Smith to undergo elbow surgery in ban return setback

Former Australian captain Steve Smith will undergo surgery for an elbow injury, Cricket Australia said Saturday, in a move likely to have implications for his return to the international game with less than three months left on his ball-tampering ban.

Smith is currently serving a one-year ban from international cricket, Australia’s domestic Sheffield Shield and Big Bash leagues over a ball-tampering scandal during a Test match in South Africa last March.

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He was forced to drop out of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament this week after playing only two matches due to the injury and is set to go under the knife on Tuesday to repair a ligament in his right elbow.

Following the surgery the 29-year-old right-hander is expected to spend six weeks in a brace and then undergo extensive rehabilitation.

A Cricket Australia spokesperson said Saturday that Smith’s return to playing will be made clearer once the brace is removed.

The injury is a major blow to Smith, whose 12-month ban ends on March 28.

It is also expected to affect his chances of being picked in the national side for the World Cup as well as the Ashes series in England later this year.

Test skipper Tim Paine this month urged Australia’s public to give Smith and his deputy David Warner, who is also banned, a second chance, saying he hoped “they’re welcomed back” into the national team, where their absence has left a big void.

Australia recently lost a first ever home Test series against India.

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January 14, 2019
Pakistan seek cure for batting struggles after South Africa sweep

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur said on Monday he was determined to find a solution to his team’s problems against fast, short-pitched bowling.

Speaking after South Africa completed a 3-0 series clean sweep by winning the third Test by 107 runs at the Wanderers Stadium, Arthur said he wanted to build a team able to play in all conditions by the time they started their campaign in the world Test championship in September.

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“We play Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates in September then we play Australia in Australia straight after that,” he said. “We have to have our skill sets perfect to manage the bouncing ball. I want to get our batsmen into Australia three or four weeks early, to have camps there to get them ready.”

Man of the series Duanne Olivier sparked a Pakistan collapse as the tourists lost their remaining seven wickets for 120 runs to be bowled out for 273 at lunch on the fourth day.

Olivier effectively ended Pakistan’s hopes when he took two wickets off successive balls in the third over of the morning.

Arthur singled out Babar Azam, Shan Masood and Asad Shafiq as batsmen who had played well during the series and he gave qualified support to Sarfraz Ahmed, whose captaincy was questioned by Pakistani media.

“This question always arises at the end of a series,” said Arthur. “Sarfraz goes from strength to strength. He wants to lead from the front. I thought his wicketkeeping has been outstanding. What we need is to get a good core of leaders around him. If we can do that he’ll go from strength to strength.”

Sri Lanka next up for Proteas

South African stand-in captain Dean Elgar praised the commitment of his players. “Three-nil is what we asked from the guys and we have achieved that. We are halfway to our goals for the season. We want to achieve the same feat against Sri Lanka (in February).”

Elgar stressed, though, that South Africa did not take Pakistan lightly. “We know they are a good team. We are very fortunate to have that arsenal of four fast bowlers.”

Olivier took 24 wickets in the three-Test series at an average of 14.71 and he made the crucial breakthrough early on Monday.

Azam received a fast, lifting ball angled in towards his throat, which he gloved to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. Azam (22) had helped Shafiq add 58 for the fourth wicket.

Sarfraz was then bowled first ball. Seemingly expecting another short-pitched delivery from Olivier, he was deep in his crease when he had his off stump knocked back by a fast, full delivery.

With Vernon Philander gaining unpredictable bounce from a good length just outside off stump, Shafiq advanced down the pitch and was caught at second slip off a ball which seamed away from him.

Shafiq had taken his overnight score of 48 to 65, made off 71 balls with 11 fours.

Shadab Khan batted well to make 47 not out before the match ended when Mohammad Abbas was run out after a mix-up.

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January 14, 2019
India’s Rayudu reported for suspect bowling action

India’s Ambati Rayudu has been reported for a suspect bowling action in the first one-day international against Australia, the International Cricket Council said Sunday.

The part-time spinner’s action was flagged by match officials, citing concerns about its legality, after the match in Sydney.

“Rayudu’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions,” cricket’s world governing body said in a statement.

The 33-year-old’s action must be tested within 14 days, but he is allowed to bowl until the results are out.

Rayudu bowled just two overs, giving away 13 runs, in the ODI on Saturday, which India lost by 34 runs.

Adelaide will host the second ODI on Tuesday, and the final game of the series will be played in Melbourne on Friday.

Rayudu has scored 1,447 runs in 46 ODIs, while taking three wickets.

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January 14, 2019
India call up Shankar, Gill to replace suspended pair

India Sunday called up all-rounder Vijay Shankar and batsman Shubman Gill for their Australia and New Zealand tours after KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya were ordered home in disgrace over comments made about women.

Rahul and Pandya were axed ahead of India’s opening one-day international against Australia in Sydney on Saturday, which the tourists lost, pending an investigation into the comments made on a TV celebrity show.

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“Vijay Shankar will join the team before the start of the 2nd ODI in Adelaide,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said, referring to Tuesday’s match.

“He will be a part of the squad for the ODI series in Australia and the tour to New Zealand. Shubman Gill has been picked for the ODI and Twenty20 series in New Zealand.”

Pandya had bragged about his success with women and made other sexual remarks during an Indian celebrity chat show broadcast last week just as India were celebrating their historic first Test series win in Australia.

Rahul was also on the programme and watched his teammate’s antics, which sparked outrage on social media and condemnation from skipper Virat Kohli who made clear the comments did not reflect the culture within the squad.

Both players, who have apologised, have been suspended “from playing any form of cricket” pending an enquiry for misconduct and indiscipline.

With Pandya and Rahul missing, India crashed to a 34-run defeat in Sydney on Saturday despite a explosive century from Rohit Sharma.

The next game in the three-match series is a day-night contest in Adelaide on Tuesday.

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January 14, 2019
De Villiers agrees to play in PSL, to return to Pakistan after 11 years

South African batsman AB De Villiers confirmed on Monday that he will playing in the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after signing a contract with the Lahore Qalandars. The retired batsman will become the sixth South Africa cricketer to tour Pakistan the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2008. Two years ago, the Proteas current captain Faf du Plesis led a World XI side which played three T20 games in Pakistan alongside Hashim Amla, David Miller, Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir.

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“I am delighted to confirm that I will represent Lahore Qalandars in front of our home crowds on 9 and 10 March, during the HBL PSL 2019,” said De Villierers while adding; “I look forward to revisiting the Gaddafi Stadium and aim to play my part in helping Lahore Qalandars achieve something they have been aspiring for since the inception of this tournament in 2016.”

De Villiers will be available only for the group stage matches due to some family commitments but aims to have an important contribution in cricket returning to Pakistan in the future.

The fourth edition of the PSL is set to begin in Dubai on the 14th of February with games scheduled in Lahore and Karachi from the 7th of March onwards.

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January 14, 2019
Bizarre seven-ball over dismissal in Big Bash League

Perth Scorchers opener Michael Klinger was bizarrely given out on the seventh ball of an over in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League with umpires failing to realise their mistake.

The veteran’s controversial dismissal for two came in their game against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday evening when the umpires lost count of how many balls had been bowled.

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It overshadowed the Scorchers’ seven-wicket win and a quick-fire unbeaten 87 from Cameron Bancroft as he starts to find form again on his return from a nine-month ban for ball-tampering.

Scorchers coach Adam Voges said the controversy was “not ideal”.

“Obviously it’s the umpires’ jobs to count the number of balls in an over,” he said.

Cricket Australia said the incident would be “followed up”.

“It appears there was a miscount of balls in the over, and a seventh ball was allowed by the umpires,” a spokesperson said on their website.

“As the ball was bowled it is deemed live and consequently the decision stands.

“The incident will be followed up in Cricket Australia’s general match review process and feedback will of course be taken on board.”

Bancroft’s 87 was plundered from just 61 balls, with the explosive Ashton Turner whacking 60 from 30 balls at the other end to ensure the Scorchers romped to an easy win.

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January 14, 2019
Everything you need to know about Vijay Shankar

With Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul suspended by the BCCI until further notice for comments they made on an Indian talk show, the team management announced that Tamil Nadu al-rounder Vijay Shankar and under-19 star Shubman Gill as replacements. While Gill is expected to join the squad only for the New Zealand series, Shankar will be available for selection for the 2nd ODI against Australia that takes place on the 15th of January. With the 27-year-old expected to be granted his ODI debut tomorrow, here are a list of things you should know about Vijay Shankar.

Cricket in the genes

The Tamil Nadu all-rounder’s father was an avid lover of the gentleman’s game and also played local league and club cricket. Vijay’s brother also plays league cricket. Seeing the sporting spark in his children, Vijay Shankar’s father constructed an indoor net in the house with astroturfing and a bowling machine. He was always supportive of Vijay’s cricketing ambitions and did not pressurize the children solely towards education.

Idolizes and acknowledges Rahul Dravid

Shankar was part of the 2018 India A tour to New Zealand and was a key performer in the series for India. He credits the India A coach Rahul Dravid for his good performances and believes his tutelage helped his raise his game. Dravid promoted Shankar up the order to bat at five and instilled the confidence in him to develop as a finisher. The 27-year-old scored two crucial half-centuries in successful chases in that series and believes it was Dravid’s influence that made his trust that he “belonged” in International cricket.

On the bench

Vijay Shankar was first picked in the Indian team in November 2017 for their tour to Sri Lanka when he was named as a replacement to injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the Test squad; but didn’t play a single game. He made his debut in the Nidhahas trophy against Sri Lanka a year later and scored a clinical 17 while Dinesh Karthik’s last ball six helped India over the line in the final against Bangladesh. Despite a decent showing at the Nidhahas trophy, Shankar was dropped from the T20 squad and hasn’t featured internationally after March 2018. Nevertheless, the Tamil Nadu player performed admirably in the Ranji trophy and has now earned his maiden ODI call-up due to the suspension of Hardik Pandya.

Ranji sensation

In the 2014-15 season, Tamil Nadu reached the final of the Ranji trophy thanks mainly to the brilliance of Vijay Shankar. He scored a match-winning 111 and 82 in the quarterfinal against Vidharba; and was adjudged man of the match. In the semis against Maharashtra, he scored 91 and picked up two wickets to win a second successive man of the match for his contribution in Tamil Nadu’s win. Shankar scored a century in the final against Karnataka as well, but Tamil Nadu ended up losing that match. He averages just shy of 50 in domestic Test cricket with the bat, and even has 32 wickets to his name. Shankar’s Ranji brilliance helped him get picked by Delhi Capitals in the auction for a whopping 3.2 crores.

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January 14, 2019
Sharma fireworks thwarted as Australia beat India in first ODI

Australia fended off an explosive century from Rohit Sharma to post a morale-boosting 34-run victory over India in the first one-day international in Sydney on Saturday.

The Australians made 288 for five off their 50 overs after winning the toss and restricted India to 254 for nine.

Saeed Khan / AFP

Sharma blasted 133 off 129 balls in a scintillating effort to keep India in the contest, while man-of-the-match Jhye Richardson took four for 26 for Australia.

It was a tonic for the ailing Australians, coming off their first-ever home Test series defeat to Virat Kohli’s India and after winning just three of their previous 24 ODIs.

Test discard Peter Handscomb topscored with 73 off 61 balls for Australia with Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh also registered half-centuries.

“I am very pleased with the performance,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said.

“I think the way they rebuilt, Rohit and MS Dhoni, we knew they will take it deep and we managed to pick up the wickets at the right time.

“We can always improve, our execution with the ball was at times off. It will be a good series.”

Handscomb, passed over this week by selectors for this month’s two Tests against Sri Lanka, led the way with six fours and two sixes.

Fellow Test discard Marsh knocked up 54 off 70 balls while Khawaja made 59 from 81.

India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with two for 66 and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed two for 54.

“We are not very pleased with the way we played,” Kohli said.

“I thought we were fine with the ball, score of 300-plus was par on that wicket. We thought 280 was chaseable on that wicket but losing three wickets in such a short span of time is never good.

“Rohit was outstanding and MS Dhoni supported him well but we could have done better with the tempo of the game.”

India lurched to a disastrous start, losing three wickets in the first six overs, from which they failed to recover.

Shikhar Dhawan was out on the sixth ball of the innings when he was leg before wicket for a first-ball duck to ODI debutant Jason Behrendorff.

Prodigious Sharma

It got worse for India when Kohli was caught at square leg off Richardson for three and two balls later Ambati Rayudu was trapped leg before wicket by Richardson after a review for a two-ball duck, leaving India rocking at four for three.

Former World Cup-winning captain M.S. Dhoni put on 137 runs with Sharma for the fourth wicket to stabilise India’s rocky start before he was out leg before wicket to Behrendorff for 51 and his 68th ODI half-century.

Dhoni, 37, who has captained India 332 times across the three formats, faced 96 balls and hit three fours and a six.

Sharma kept India in the contest with some prodigious hitting, blasting six sixes and 10 fours.

But his mighty knock came to an end when he skied Marcus Stoinis to Glenn Maxwell at deep mid-wicket to end India’s remaining hopes.

All-rounder Stoinis remained unbeaten on 47 off 43 balls with two fours and two sixes, while limited-over specialist Glenn Maxwell finished 11 off just five balls in Australia’s innings.

Aaron Finch fell for six in the third over when he was bowled by Kumar for the paceman’s 100th ODI wicket.

Alex Carey fell in Kuldeep’s first over when he attempted to cut the leg-spinner, only to get an outside edge to Sharma at slip for 24 off 31 balls.

Khawaja and Marsh put on 92 runs for the third wicket before Khawaja was out leg before wicket to spinner Ravindra Jadeja for 59 in the 29th over.

Khawaja was struck on the front pad while attempting to sweep and sought a review but there was no ‘hot spot’ detected off the bat.

Marsh looked well set before he holed out to Mohammed Shami off Kuldeep at long on, ending a 53-run stand with Handscomb, who later found Dhawan at extra cover off Kumar.

The second match in the three-match series takes place in Adelaide on Tuesday.

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January 12, 2019