Friday, October 5, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Taylor ton gives Black Caps advantage
An unbeaten century by captain Ross Taylor gave New Zealand the upper hand after the first day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Napier.
At stumps on Thursday, the Black Caps were 5 for 331 in their first innings, with Taylor on 112 and BJ Watling on 15.
Taylor has hit 13 fours and two sixes, and his century is his sixth in Tests and his second at McLean Park.
He and former captain Daniel Vettori shared in an 82-run fifth-wicket partnership that helped to steady the ship after the Black Caps lost two quick wickets to be 4 for 196.
Both sides had expected the pitch to be bowler-friendly and it was no surprise when Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor elected to field when he won the toss.
But there were few apparent terrors as openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill put on a century stand against an attack that lacked penetration.
The pair reached 124, before the tourists made a double breakthrough.
Guptill, on 51, was the first to go when he was caught behind for debutant seamer Shingirai Masakadza's first Test wicket.
Kane Williamson, on four, was then run out in a mix-up with McCullum.
McCullum and Taylor consolidated to get New Zealand to 2 for 195 before Zimbabwe again struck twice in quick time.
McCullum, who had hit eight fours and two sixes, was on 83 when seamer Kyle Jarvis trapped him LBW.
Jarvis should have had new batsman Dean Brownlie in the same over as well, but Brendan Taylor spilled a chance at second slip and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu could not grab the rebound.
Brownlie's luck ran out in the next over when he edged a ball from medium-pacer Hamilton Masakadza to Taibu for a duck.
Vettori showed a willingness to play his strokes, hitting seven fours in reaching 38, but fell to a slick stumping by Taibu off leg spinner Graeme Cremer.
Hamilton Masakadza had the best figures of the Zimbabwe bowlers, with 1 for 33 off 16 overs.
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, new-zealand First posted January 26, 2012 16:57:30Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Aussies hold advantage after pace blitz
Michael Clarke and predecessor Ricky Ponting helped Australia make the most of yet another dominant performance by its rampant pace trio on the opening day of the second Test against India in Sydney.
Thirteen wickets fell in an eventful start to the SCG's 100th Test match, with India knocked over for just 191 after winning the toss before the hosts finished the day at 3 for 116.
Australia was precariously placed at 3 for 37 in the afternoon session following a Zaheer Khan-led revival, but a much-needed 79-run union between Clarke and Ponting helped steady the ship.
While Clarke and Ponting have spent very little time at the crease together of late - only three stands of more than 50 runs in their past 10 - Australia's bowling partnerships continued to shine on a bright Sydney morning.
First Test man-of-the-match James Pattinson led the way once again with figures of 4 for 43 while Ben Hilfenhaus (3 for 51) and Peter Siddle (3 for 55) also cashed in against the fragile Indian batting line-up on a pitch offering little assistance.
"Pretty early on there was more swing than seam," Pattinson told Grandstand, describing the pitch as a new-ball wicket.
"Obviously when the ball is swinging you can get the ball up there, pitch it up, and get some nicks."
The tourists failed to go over 300 runs for the 11th consecutive time away from home - a new unwanted record - and their susceptibility would have been further exposed if not for an unbeaten 57 by skipper MS Dhoni and 41 from Sachin Tendulkar.
Pattinson removed four of India's top five, including opener Gautam Gambhir for a duck with the third ball of the morning, as well as dangermen VVS Laxman (2) and Tendulkar, who both boast formidable records at the SCG.
Tendulkar averaged a mammoth 221.33 in Sydney before this match, while Laxman (481 runs at 96.20) has cracked three centuries in as many matches.
But it was the 21-year-old Victorian quick, playing his first first-class match at the iconic venue, that came out on top as Australia took regular wickets.
Tendulkar, still searching for an elusive 100th international ton, looked comfortable enough after lunch following a brisk start to his innings.
The 38-year-old played his patented uppercut for a couple of boundaries, but he dragged onto his stumps with a false cover drive to reduce the tourists to 6 for 124.
"When I was bowling to Sachin today he played some pretty unbelievable shots, and I was doubting a little if I could match it with him," Pattinson said after extending his Test record to 24 wickets at an incredible average of 14.45 in four matches.
"But it was great to get him out. That's a massive scalp for me and something I will hold really close to my heart."
Pattinson continually gnawed away at a perfect line and length, further enhancing his reputation as a complete Test paceman and showing off the intelligence of the Aussie quicks to dismantle the star-studded Indian line-up.
"My length is probably a little bit fuller from when I was stringing a few Shield games together," he said.
"With a bit of help from [bowling coach] Billy McDermott, I've probably been a bit more consistent with my lines and pitching the ball up there."
Siddle claimed the scalps of Rahul Dravid (5), Virat Kohli (23) and finally number 11 Umesh Yadav (0) for his 100th Test wicket in 29 matches.
Hilfenhaus overcame an unlucky start, when he had Virender Sehwag (30) dropped by Ponting at second slip, to clean up the tail.
In response to India's poor total, Australia started its innings shakily with David Warner (8) falling in the first over and Shaun Marsh registering his third duck in four innings.
Both were victims to the brilliant Khan (3 for 26) who then trapped Ed Cowan in front for 16 to have the hosts' nerves jangling at the prospect of yet another capitulation with the bat.
But captain Clarke and Ponting stood tall with some vintage stroke play and cracked 58 runs in the final 11 overs of the day as a defensive India dragged their feet to stumps.
Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, india First posted January 03, 2012 19:43:31Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Black Caps maintain advantage
New Zealand maintained the upper hand in its one-off Test against Zimbabwe, despite the hosts fighting back strongly throughout the second day at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe went to stumps at 1 for 82 with opener Vusi Sibanda unbeaten on 53, as it responded to New Zealand's first innings total of 426.
Fast bowler Chris Mpofu claimed career-best figures of 4 for 92 as New Zealand lost its last five wickets for just 25 runs, leaving it short of the hefty total it looked destined for when it resumed on 3 for 275 on the second morning.
Although Zimbabwe opener Tino Mawoyo was trapped lbw by Daniel Vettori in the left-arm spinner's second over, Sibanda put on an unbroken stand of 58 with Hamilton Masakadza to leave Zimbabwe 344 runs adrift at the close of play with nine wickets in hand.
AFP
Tags: cricket, sport, new-zealand, zimbabwe First posted November 03, 2011 12:38:49