Watson stars in thumping Rajasthan win

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Shane Watson’s all-round performance earned him his second Man-of-the-Match award of the tournament (file photo) © Getty Images
 

Rajasthan Royals continued to surge up the points table by beating Bangalore Royal Challengers comprehensively by seven wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium to draw level with the Chennai Super Kings with three wins each. The win was set up by their bowlers, after Shane Warne decided to field, who restricted Bangalore to 135, allowing the batsmen to chase at a comfortable pace.The contest wasn’t too dissimilar to the one between the Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata earlier in the day, where Chennai completed an easy win after their bowlers kept Kolkata to 147. Having been put in on a pitch with a bit of assistance for the fast bowlers, Bangalore, perhaps taking cue from Brendon McCullum’s 158, felt that being positive was the way to go but several aerial shots resulted in a flurry of wickets.Bangalore were forced to play catch up right from the start, a predicament brought about by their batsmen’s urge to attack. Rahul Dravid was the first of the top four batsmen to get caught in the deep square of the wicket. He pulled his first ball, off Shane Watson, straight to Ravindra Jadeja at long leg. Two overs later, Shivnarine Chanderpaul tried to pull too but the ball took the top edge and found Jadeja, this time at third man.Ross Taylor briefly threatened to repeat McCullum’s heroics: he hit Sohail Tanvir for two sixes in his first over – the first over the bowler’s head followed by an edge which flew over the third-man boundary – and two fours in his second. Munaf Patel came into the attack and Taylor lofted him over midwicket for four, bettered that with a six next ball and then edged to the third-man boundary to take 15 off the over. The Bangalore batsmen, ridiculed by many as a Test XI, seemed to be proving a point. However, just when they looked in command, Jacques Kallis stepped out to Siddharth Trivedi and pulled straight to Munaf on the deep square leg boundary. The crippling blow came when Taylor fell in identical fashion, pulling to Graeme Smith to reduce Bangalore to 65 for 4.The spate of wickets didn’t curb the stroke play and Virat Kohli, India’s Under-19 captain, was fortunate to survive a catch on the deep midwicket boundary. Jadeja held on splendidly to the skier that was sailing over his head but, while trying to gain control, he hit the ground and touched the advertisement hoardings, making it a six instead. However, Kohli didn’t capitalise and nicked one to the wicketkeeper Mahesh Rawat while trying to make room and cut.Warne had instant success when he brought himself in the 12th over. Mark Boucher got an inside-edge onto the pads, and Rawat dived to pouch after the ball after ballooned in the air. At 78 for 6, it was left to Praveen Kumar, the India allrounder, to salvage the situation.Praveen relied on big hits to boost the total, and he did it with success, and sometimes with luck. A thick top edge off an attempted slog off Warne cleared the short straight boundary but Praveen showed that he could hit cleanly too by depositing the next ball into the stands at midwicket. He went on to score 34, a knock that ensured Bangalore played out their overs.A target of 136 meant than Bangalore had to strike early to have any chance of a successful defense. Praveen had Rawat caught behind early and dismissed Yusuf Pathan with a bouncer, which was top-edged so high in the air that Mark Boucher had to run towards fine leg to take the catch.Two early wickets gave Bangalore a sniff but Smith emphasised how crucial his presence at the top order was for Rajasthan with a sensible innings. Against the Deccan Chargers, Smith batted aggressively because Rajasthan were chasing 200 plus but today he focused on staying at the crease.Along with Watson he stabilised the innings, and soon Dravid had to turn to Anil Kumble, who was playing his first game in the IPL. Watson, though, greeted him with two pulled fours, and when victory was almost certain, he cut loose against Praveen taking 26 runs off an over which read 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4. One was left wondering where all the fielders were for the ball raced to the boundary without a Bangalore shirt in sight.Smith fell one short of his fifty, holing out to long-on, while attempting a third consecutive four off Sunil Joshi but Watson and Mohammad Kaif completed the chase with 17 balls to spare.

Great expectations

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds: On opposing sides for a change © Getty Images
 

Match facts

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Start time 16:00 local time (10:30 GMT)

The Big Picture

The match-up between two power-packed batting line-ups has the makings of a potential classic. The Kolkata Knight Riders have started off their campaign by running roughshod over the Bangalore Royal Challengers, but will now have to contend with the Deccan Chargers, a crack outfit born from clever buys in the IPL auctions. Brendon McCullum’s astonishing assault in Bangalore brought team-owner Shah Rukh Khan to his feet, and may serve as a rallying call to Kolkata’s passionate supporters. With 100,000 plus spectators set to be at the ground, this is the showpiece event of the first week.

Watch out for …

… some exhilarating batting, especially from trans-Tasman foes turned team-mates. McCullum peppered the stands with 13 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 158, the highest score in domestic Twenty20s, and will be looking to repeat his heroics. If he fails, Kolkata have Ricky Ponting and David Hussey, as destructive as any on their day.Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds, the second-most expensive player in the tournament, are set to give Hyderabad the impetus at the top order. Scott Styris, an effortless player when he gets in the groove, is a strong presence in the Hyderabad line-up, and local flavour may be provided by the talented Rohit Sharma. Hyderabad have some allround options: Symonds and Styris can slow down the run-rate and Nuwan Zoysa is capable off big strokes to go with his left-arm medium-pace.

Team news

Hyderabad will be without the services of Herschelle Gibbs (representing the Cape Cobras in the Pro20 semi-final in South Africa) and Shahid Afridi, who is in Pakistan’s squad for the Twenty20 match against Bangladesh. Ravi Teja, the right-hand batsman who had an impressive debut in the recently concluded Ranji season, is rated by assistant coach Kanwaljeet Singh as a “brilliant prospect.” He is expected to open the batting with the explosive Gilchrist, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against Ishant Sharma. Opening the bowling with RP Singh will be either Chaminda Vaas or Zoysa. Pragyan Ojha is a specialist spinning option, while the third seamers slot could be a toss-up between Sanjay Bangar and D Kalyankrishna. Bangar may get a game if Hyderabad decide to add depth to their batting order. Hyderabad will decide on the final composition of their line-up once Vaas and Chamara Silva join the squad tonight after flying in from Sri Lanka.Hyderabad (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist, 2 Ravi Teja, 3 VVS Laxman (capt), 4 Andrew Symonds, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Venugopal Rao, 8 Nuwan Zoysa/Chaminda Vaas, 9 Sanjay Bangar/D Kalyankrishna, 10 RP Singh, 11 Pragyan Ojha.Kolkata are likely to retain the same squad that played in Bangalore, with Chris Gayle staying back in the West Indies with a groin strain picked up during the third ODI against Sri Lanka. “He [Gayle] is out for a fortnight at least,” a spokesman for the Knight Riders told the Also, Wriddhiman Saha showcased his capability behind the stumps, and Kolkata may want to continue to play McCullum purely as a batsman.Kolkata (probable) 1 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 David Hussey, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Laxmi Rattan Shukla, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Ashok Dinda, 10 Murali Kartik, 11 Ishant Sharma.

Stats and trivia

  • Symonds, at 187.05, has the best-ever strike-rate in domestic Twenty20s
  • Rohit is the only Indian to have a domestic Twenty20 hundred under his belt
  • Hussey is the fourth-highest run-getter in domestic Twenty20s, and that explains his $635,000 price tag
  • To go along with his century yesterday, McCullum now holds the record for the most number of sixes in an innings
  • RP Singh was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the World Twenty20 last year

    Quotes

    “I have a personal rapport with all the players and keep interacting with them. It should be comparatively easier for me to handle any situation on the field.”
    Laxman reveals all is well within the Hyderabad camp”Being an actor, I have always thought every thing in larger-than-life perspective. Knight Riders’ matches will also be no exception”
    Shah Rukh adds to the build-up

    • Jayasundera fifty adds to his hopes of Test debut

    by csb10.top Uncategorized

    ScorecardFile photo: Udara Jayasundera made a painstaking 63 off 153 balls for the Sri Lankans•WICB Media

    The Sri Lankans’ bowlers let the NZC President’s XI’s eighth-wicket partnership plunder 124 runs, but batted marginally better than in the first innings to secure a draw in the three-day warm up game in Queenstown. The hosts took a 206-run lead before declaring and the Sri Lankans then moved to 226 for 6 by stumps.A 153-ball 63 from opener Udara Jayasundera led the Sri Lankans’ innings, and heightened his chances of a debut in the first Test against New Zealand next Thursday. He struck up a 108-run partnership with Kithuruwan Vithanage, who hit 61 off 109 himself. Angelo Mathews made an unbeaten 54, while Dinesh Chandimal collected 29. Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis were dismissed for low scores for the second time in the match.The President’s XI bowlers shared the six wickets between them, Neil Wagner taking 1 for 31. Seamer James Baker picked up the innings’ best figures of 2 for 21.Earlier in the day, the Presidents’ XI’s resumed on 288 for 7, before hitting 111 runs in the next 15.3 overs. No. 9 batsman Tim Johnston hit 62 from 74 balls while Shawn Hicks finished with 79 not out from 85 deliveries. Sri Lanka lent their opposition a hand with 44 extras, including 21 no-balls. Dushmantha Chameera claimed his fourth wicket of the innings to end that eighth-wicket partnership and invite the declaration.

    Fielding woes afflict West Indies in draw

    by csb10.top Uncategorized


    ScorecardIt wasn’t a happy day for Jerome Taylor (file photo)•AFP

    After their heavy loss in the first Test in Hobart, West Indies needed to go back to basics in their two-day match against a second-string Victoria XI this weekend. So a rookie fielding error from Jerome Taylor will not have pleased the captain and coach as the game cruised to a predictable draw, with local opening batsman Jake Hancock finishing unbeaten on 80 when rain arrived.Hancock was on 22, in the 14th over of the Victoria innings, when he hooked captain Jason Holder towards Taylor at fine leg. However, Taylor had his back to play and was looking into the grandstands while the ball flew his way. Only after his team-mates called out to him did Taylor turn around, but by then it was too late to get into position for the catch, or even stop the boundary.West Indies coach Phil Simmons said after the match that he had not seen the incident himself but he conceded that it was not a good look for a team aiming to lift their morale ahead of Boxing Day. “It can’t be a good look,” Simmons said. “It’s a team trying to gain that sort of respect. Things like that, we have to make sure we cut them out.”It was hardly the kind of attitude West Indies needed after their embarrassing performance in Hobart, where Taylor had leaked 108 runs for no wickets from his 17 overs. In Geelong, he was tighter and bowled nine overs for 14 runs, but West Indies managed just three wickets in 58 overs against a Victoria XI boasting only two players with first-class experience.One of those men, opener Travis Dean, was caught for 3 when he fended Kemar Roach to point, and at 1 for 13 in the fourth over it was a good start for West Indies. However, Hancock and Tom Donnell put on 73 for the second wicket as West Indies struggled in the field, also missing a run-out chance when Hancock was on 36, and it was not until Devendra Bishoo bowled Donnell for 34 that the stand was broken.Bishoo finished with 2 for 60 after he also had the Victoria captain Ian Holland stumped for 29 by Shai Hope, with regular gloveman Denesh Ramdin having been rested on Sunday. The Victorians moved along to 3 for 169 when the rain arrived, with Hancock on 80 and Aaron Ayre on 17.

    Kohli's Adelaide send-off 'not on' – Smith

    by csb10.top Uncategorized

    Australia’s Steven Smith doesn’t think the send-off he got from India’s Virat Kohli, after being dismissed in the first T20 on Tuesday night, has a place on the cricket field. While it’s okay to have a bit of “banter” going around the field, Smith said, the kind of aggression Kohli showed was not needed.”I don’t think you need to do that kind of thing when someone gets out,” Smith told . “It’s fine to have a little bit of banter when you’re out in the field, but when someone’s out I don’t really think that’s on. He gets pretty emotional out there, doesn’t he?”Kohli was fielding at cover when he took the catch to dismiss Smith for 21 off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling in Adelaide and gave the batsman a long, animated send-off. Smith was connected to a microphone at the time and had been conducting an interview with Channel Nine commentators during the over, and Kohli’s gestures seemed to refer to that.India offspinner R Ashwin played down the incident, saying it was “probably a personal battle” between Kohli and Smith. He also added that Kohli’s competitive streak was beneficial for the Indian dressing room. Kohli had also earlier exchanged words with Australia’s allrounder James Faulkner during the ODI series.”It’s probably a personal battle between those two of them,” Ashwin said. “I think both of them are very good competitors. They know what they’re doing, they don’t go down without a fight. It’s good to have such competition on the field. Both of them are champion cricketers. I think it just adds to the spice of the game so I don’t mind it at all.”Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya, who made his international debut in Adelaide, received an official reprimand for his celebrations after he dismissed Chris Lynn in the 16th over of Australia’s chase. Pandya’s Level 1 breach of article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel relates to: “Using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”The charge was leveled by on-field umpires Simon Fry and John Ward, third umpire Paul Wilson and fourth umpire Gerard Abood. Pandya admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe.

    Dalglish keen to succeed Rafa

    by h79snht.top Uncategorized

    Kenny Dalglish is desperate to return as Liverpool's new manager, according to his son Paul.

    The club legend has been mentioned as a possible short-term successor to Rafael Benitez at Anfield with the Reds currently up for sale.

    Dalglish, who managed Liverpool for six years between 1985-91, is currently employed as the club's academy boss and could step up to the first team at short notice.

    That, according to Paul, is an appealing prospect for the 59-year-old Scot.

    Liverpool are on the lookout for a new manager after parting company with Benitez by mutual consent on the back of a disappointing 2009-10 season.

    "I just think that hopefully he does get it because I know how much he wants it," the former Liverpool reserves striker and now Tampa Bay Rowdies coach told the Liverpool Echo.

    "To be honest with you it would be an unbelievable story for my dad to be going back.

    "Some people say, well what happens if it doesn't work? He's been out of the game for 10 years.

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    "My question is, what if it does work? What person loves Liverpool more than my dad?

    "Who would Liverpool fans love to see have success more than my dad? Nothing could make my family more proud. I'd love to see it happen."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

    St Crisp In. The Boy Lineker.

    by h79snht.top Uncategorized

    After that humiliating hiding from the old adversary, let’s salute one of England’s finest; the crisp wielding, overly tanned ringleader of football broadcasting, Gary Lineker.

    His transition into presenting represents yet another triumph for Lineker, and he’s successfully been engrained into the British psyche in this guise. (Hence England games just aren’t quite right on ITV).

    Certainly, broadcasting and the BBC has become such a natural habitat for Gary that, when watching MOTD with my girlfriend last season, my dearly beloved turned to me and innocently asked ‘was Gary Lineker actually a good player?’. I smiled at her sweet little face, explained that he was once a fine player indeed, and then softly sighed as my love and affection swiftly drained away, drifting into the cold night sky…

    Anyway, one of England’s greatest strikers, and a Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham legend, Lineker deserves a succinct address:

    We’ll eulogise about his talents in a moment – though it’s implicitly done just by noting his goal scoring record – but firstly let’s track his career. Born in Leicester (1960), Lineker proudly began his career representing his ‘home-town’ upon leaving school in 1977. (This was, however, after he received a school report asserting that ‘he must devote less of his time to sport if he wants to be a success’; Proof, if proof be needed, that all school kids should never, EVER, listen to their teachers, and should instead smash up the class-room, pillage the building, ruthlessly assault the head-teacher and run free with reckless abandon…perhaps).

    He broke into the first-team at an early age and duly made a name for himself. During his time at Leicester he amassed a scoring ratio of nearly one goal every two games; scoring 95 goals in just under 200 appearances. His goals also helped the Foxes achieve promotion to the First Division in 1983. An all-time Leicester legend, by 1985 the big boys inevitably came knocking and Lineker eventually moved to defending League Champions Everton for £800,000.

    At Goodison he continued to prosper. His potency in front of goal led to him to bagging 38 goals in 52 games, and finishing the league’s top scorer (a feat he also achieved at the Walkers Stadium). Personal achievement was almost accompanied by club success, but the old foe from across the Park put a double dent in that; Everton finishing second in the league and losing in the FA Cup final to double-winning Liverpool, during a decade largely Merseyside dominated. Lineker has subsequently stated ‘there’s no doubt at all that Everton was the best team I ever played in’.

    After an impressive 1986 World Cup showing in Mexico, little Gary, the slender Leicester lad, was off to the glitz and the glamour of the Nou Camp. Signed for £2.2miilion by Terry Venables, Lineker predictably continued his prolific goal scoring record at Barcelona and must be commended for making the leap abroad – something very few English footballers attempt or successfully do. His first season saw him score 21goals in 41 games, including a memorable El Clásico hat-trick against the old nemesis Real Madrid, thus ensuring ‘fan-favourite’ status from the local Catalans. His time at Barca also entailed Spanish Cup and European Cup Winners Cup success, however Johan Cruyff pushed Lineker out of position and out-wide, and he was soon on a plane back to Blighty.

    Reportedly spurning an offer from Alex Ferguson, Lineker instead headed to White Hart Lane in 1989. His time at Tottenham saw him at his zenith, scoring 67 goals from 105 games. He finished the leagues’ top scorer, again, in his first season – thus remarkably doing so for three different clubs – and helped Spurs win the FA Cup in 1991; the Gazza and Gary axis.

    Finally, with the sun setting on his top-flight days, he ‘did one’ to the land of the rising sun in a surprise transfer to Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1992, before retiring in 1994. Famously he was never booked or sent off during his illustrious career; a ‘Mr Nice guy’, a gentlemen, a sportsman, a really sweetie pie.

    The old adage is that Lineker was a great goal scorer rather than a scorer of great goals. This may well be true, but should certainly not be seen as detraction; putting the ball in the net is, notoriously, the hardest thing to do in football and he made it look easy. He was a true poacher, living and breathing goals…goals, goals, GOALS! Always in the right place at the right time, Lineker’s skills may not have been flashy but they were impressive nonetheless. With immaculate timing, instinct and composure, Lineker was deadly in the penalty area and, though sometimes criticised for doing little else, one should always take into account his shrewd off the ball movement. Lineker brilliantly exploited the talents he had; finding that little bit of space, losing his marker, working the defence and finishing with instinctive aplomb. This type of player is a dying breed in the modern game. Indeed, system shifts and the evolution of the striker means ‘the poacher’ is fading fast and is often not a viable option, however Lineker will go down in the annals of history as one of the greatest.

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    These attributes, and his club form, were successfully transferred to the international scene. Indeed, he reliably delivered and represents the sort of luminary we would relish having now (though I’ve actually just said ‘system shifts and the evolution of the striker means ‘the poacher’ is fading fast and is often not a viable option’ so I’ve hideously contradicted myself in a few swift tip-taps of the keyboard). He boats a record of 48 goals from 80 England caps, putting him second behind Bobby Charlton (49 goals from 106 appearances) in the all-time top England goal scorers chart. Most memorably he hit a hat-trick past Poland to take England through to the knock-out stages at Mexico 1986, then bagged a brace against Paraguay, before notching a consolation strike in the ‘hand of god’ quarter-final defeat to Argentina. This was enough to secure Lineker the World Cup ‘Golden Boot’; the only English player ever to do so. Four years later, at Italia 90, he scored four goals as England reached the semi-final. Enter stage right, the Germans…exit stage left, England (but not before Gary pulled a strange face and did that infamous ‘keep an eye on him’ Gazza signal thingy).

    Prolific goal scorer, a legend for club(s) and country, OBE, golden boot winner, crisp wielding maniac, presenter, the face of BBC sport and actively involved in charitable causes (most notably children’s cancer charity), raise a glass to one of England’s finest gentlemen; the ‘goal hanging’ Gary Winston Lineker.

    Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/jonathanellisTT

    Wenger wants to make flying start

    by h79snht.top Uncategorized

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping his side can make an instant impact at the start of the Premier League campaign.

    With a difficult opening game away at Liverpool on August 15, the Gunners then face Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion before an away day trip to Chelsea and Wenger wants the side to get a solid start in order to keep in touch at the summit.

    "The aim is to continue to progress as we have been doing," Wenger told Arsenal's official magazine.

    "We were very close last year – closer than the previous season – so we are heading in the right way. We hope we can continue that this season.

    "It is important to start well, start strongly and get into a good position early on and to try to maintain the level."

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    Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

    Ricardo Carvalho seals Real Madrid move

    by h79snht.top Uncategorized

    Central defender Ricardo Carvalho has put the finishing touches to his move to Real Madrid from Chelsea by passing a medical at the Bernabeu.

    The 32-year-old Portugal international had already agreed a two-year contract with the Spanish giants, with the two clubs involved having already agreed a fee in excess of £6million.

    Carvalho joined Chelsea in the summer of 2004 from FC Porto and went on to make more than 200 appearances for the club in all competitions, but has now been allowed to move on to rejoin former Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Real.

    The centre-back recently spoke of his desire to head to Madrid, telling the Spanish press:"If there was a possibility to sign with Real Madrid, I would go there right now swimming or running.

    "It would be a dream to be able to play for Madrid, which I consider to be the best club in the world and follow the orders of the best coach in the history of football.

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    "With Jose Mourinho I experienced two marvellous stages at Porto and Chelsea. To have the opportunity to win another Champions League with him at Real Madrid would be tremendous."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

    Aleksandar Kolarov concern for Man City

    by h79snht.top Uncategorized

    Manchester City could be without Aleksandar Kolarov for a number of weeks after revealing the full-back has an ankle ligament injury.

    The £16million Serbian made his debut in Saturday's season opening goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur where he had to be replaced at half-time.

    The former Lazio star has been ruled out of Thursday's Europa League play-off against FC Timisoara.

    Fellow defender Jerome Boateng was also not on the flight which left Manchester for Romania on Wednesday morning.

    The Germany international is still troubled by a cut to his knee which kept him out of the first game of the new Premier League season.

    "I will make maybe two or three changes but we have the players that allow me to do that," manager Roberto Mancini told the club's official website.

    "I was pleased with the spirit and the fight at Tottenham. They are a good side that has been together for a long period of time.

    "We still need time to gel as a unit. I only had all the players for one day before the match, so I want to see more of them in this tie."

    Meanwhile, Mancini has confirmed that England goalkeeper Joe Hart will retain the number one jersey for the European tie ahead of experienced team-mate Shay Given.

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    He added:"Joe Hart will play. I had a very difficult choice to make before the Spurs game because I have two world-class goalkeepers. It is difficult for one of them to sit on the bench.

    "I respect Shay Given a lot. He is a good man and I want him to stay, but I also understand any decision he might make."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email