Punter leads Hurricanes home

Updated December 27, 2012 00:01:46

Ricky Ponting's second successive half-century led Hobart to a seven-wicket victory over Sydney in the Big Bash League at the SCG on Boxing Day.

The former Australian captain ended up unbeaten on 63 off 52 balls, as the Hurricanes chased down the Sixers' 8 for 154 to secure their third victory of the season.

Hobart was on pace for victory throughout its chase before a six from Ponting off former team-mate Brett Lee in the 16th over led to a change of ball which the visitors found much harder to get away in the face of sudden prodigious swing.

The following three overs from Luke Feldman, Moises Henriques and Sunil Narine conceded just 13 runs meaning the Hurricanes still needed eight runs off the last over, but consecutive fours from Owais Shah (13 not out) gave them victory with a ball to spare.

Batting in his customary number three spot, having previously opened, Ponting put on 84 for the second wicket with Aiden Blizzard (48).

Feldman (2 for 21) was the pick of the Sixers bowlers rattling the stumps of both Blizzard and Travis Birt (18).

Earlier the Sixers' top five all got starts but failed to turn them into match-winning contributions.

Michael Lumb provided the perfect platform hitting 34 off 22 balls before falling leg before to Xavier Doherty.

Ben Laughlin put himself at the top of the tournaments wicket takers' list with 4 for 31 taking the crucial wickets of Henriques (18) and Steven Smith (34).

Laughlin's return to the attack at the end of the innings, in partnership with Doug Bollinger (1 for 20), led to the Sixers posting a total which always looked below par.

The Hurricanes move level on points with second-place Adelaide and the Melbourne Stars, while a top-four finish looks an uphill task for the champion Sixers who have won just one game this year.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, hobart-7000

First posted December 26, 2012 22:20:40

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Hughes leads Redbacks in run chase

Updated October 03, 2012 19:48:22

South Australia will be relying on new recruit Phil Hughes on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match against Queensland after being set a massive victory target.

Chasing an unlikely 463 to win, Hughes ended day three unbeaten on 58 to take the Redbacks to 2 for 111 in their second innings at the Gabba.

Callum Ferguson is with Hughes at the crease on 31 not out.

It was the opener's second half-century of the match after being dismissed in the first over of the day for 95.

Looking as composed as he was during his first-innings knock, the left-hander was untroubled by the Bulls pace attack to further suggest the work spent refining his technique over the off-season has borne fruit.

"There are a couple of things I have tinkered with, I'm not going to lie, but I'm not going to talk about those things," Hughes said.

"When you have been putting hours in behind the scenes to score runs in the middle where it counts is a pleasing thing."

Bulls wicketkeeper Chris Hartley, who scored an impressive unbeaten 103 earlier in the day, believes Hughes has added variety to his game.

"He's playing the pull shot a lot more which I reckon is a great idea because he's only a short fella and he's going to get a lot of balls up around the chest and neck area," Hartley said.

"If the ball is in on his body, rather than try to fend it ... the fact he is playing [the pull] gives him a way to combat that.

Earlier, Hartley's seventh first-class century saved the Bulls from a precarious position.

Coming to the wicket after lunch with the score at 5 for 64, the gloveman hit his second successive century at Shield level following his hundred in last season's final against Tasmania.

James Hopes (42) and Ben Cutting (33) also made solid contributions before the Bulls prompted an early tea by declaring on 8 for 248 when Hartley reached his milestone.

Prior to the lower middle order firing, the Redbacks' inexperienced bowling attack opened up the game.

Chadd Sayers (3 for 66) bowled opener Andrew Robinson for a duck and later took the wickets of Peter Forrest (5) and Joe Burns (0) in consecutive deliveries.

Usman Khawaja (20) nicked behind to Joe Mennie (3 for 74) after looking in good touch and the paceman dismissed Wade Townsend (21) on the stroke of lunch.

Nathan Lyon continued his disappointing performance to end with match figures of 2 for 128 from 27 overs as he looks to be selected for the first Test against South Africa in Brisbane on November 9.

After resuming on 7 for 164, the Redbacks' first innings only lasted 9.1 overs on Wednesday as they collapsed to 184 all out.

Hughes fell without adding to his overnight score, nudging the second ball of the day from Hopes to Forrest at first slip. Hopes ended the innings with figures of 5 for 27.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, adelaide-5000

First posted October 03, 2012 19:23:48

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Watson leads the way as Aussies thrash Proteas

Updated October 01, 2012 11:13:46

India crushed arch-rivals Pakistan and Australia put on another Shane Watson show as the race to the World Twenty20 semi-finals heated up on Monday (AEST).

Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten 78 off 61 balls as India, which would have been knocked out had it lost, bowled out Pakistan for 128 and then surpassed the modest target in 17 overs with eight wickets in hand.

Australia also defeated South Africa by the same margin in the first match of the double-header, after Watson claimed 2 for 29 and smashed 70 off 47 balls to win his fourth successive man-of-the match award.

Australia restricted the Proteas to 5 for 146 and won by the 18th over to record their second win in a row in group two, but will still need to beat Pakistan on Tuesday to make the semi-finals.

Australia leads the group with four points, India and Pakistan have two each, while South Africa has lost both matches so far.

India will also have to beat South Africa in Tuesday's second match to remain in the hunt.

Watson, the star player of the tournament so far, hit 10 boundaries including two sixes to cap another brilliant all-round display.

"It's nice to be able to continue playing well because I know how important my role is," Watson said.

"We are doing well but it's still hell of a long way to go in the tournament.

"Facing (Dale) Steyn and (Morne) Morkel was going to be a very big challenge. I knew if we got through the first four overs, the momentum would be with us for the rest of the innings."

South African captain AB de Villiers said he was frustrated by the second defeat after losing to Pakistan on Friday.

"We are very disappointed," he said.

"It is just so frustrating when we don't click. I just can't put my finger on one thing, because it went wrong everywhere.

"They did not allow us to get off to a flier and we lost quite a few wickets and that did not give us the momentum. Hopefully it is not all doom and gloom for us."

A sell-out crowd of 35,000 at the Premadasa stadium, including Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, also saw India continue its stranglehold on Pakistan in major world tournaments.

Pakistan has never beaten India in either the 50-over World Cup or the World Twenty20, in which the two rivals contested a thrilling final in 2007.

India lost Gautam Gambhir off the second ball of the innings, offering a tame return catch to 20-year-old left-arm spinner Raza Hasan, but Kohli and Virender Sehwag denied Pakistan another immediate break.

Kohli put on 74 for the second wicket with Sehwag and 54 for the unbroken third with cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh, who followed his two wickets and a run out in Pakistan's innings with 19 not out.

The impressive win was set up by the bowlers as seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji claimed three wickets and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took two to leave Pakistan in tatters after it elected to bat.

Shoaib Malik top-scored with 28, but only one other batsman managed to touch 20 in the face of steady bowling by the Indians.

"We did not think too far ahead," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

"I always felt that if you are desperate for a win you put more pressure on yourself.

"But I was glad to see the players were relaxed and I knew that something good will come out of it."

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez praised Kohli's match-winning innings on what he said was a difficult pitch to bat on.

"It was not easy to bat out there and we just did not get the partnerships," said Hafeez.

"Kohli was excellent. We were hoping to get him out and put pressure on the rest but we could not do that.

"We also need to improve our fielding but it is a relief that we still have a chance to qualify for the semis."

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, sri-lanka

First posted September 30, 2012 23:13:43

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Amla leads South Africa to share of England series

Updated September 06, 2012 08:19:14

Hashim Amla piled on the runs once again as he led South Africa to a series-levelling seven-wicket win in the fifth and final one-day international against England at Trent Bridge.

South Africa, chasing a modest 183 for victory, collapsed to 3 for 14 inside five overs under the floodlights in this day/night fixture.

But opener Amla responded with a superb 97 not out and, together with Proteas captain AB de Villiers (75 not out) he shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 172 that put England's meagre total of 182 in its proper context.

Victory, with more than 15 overs to spare, saw South Africa share the series at 2-2.

Amla, who made a brilliant 150 in South Africa's 80-run win in the second ODI in Southampton, was named man of the series for a total of 335 runs in four innings at an average of more than 111.

That followed on from his corresponding award in the Proteas' 2-0 Test series win over England where he scored a South Africa record 311 not out at The Oval.

Amla's combined tally for both series was a colossal 817 runs at 116.71.

"It's been a good summer for me and I'm glad we got to level the series," said Amla.

"I think the way we bowled set the tone, then me and AB were able to finish it off."

De Villiers added: "We've been a little bit inconsistent, but there's a lot of positives, especially the way we played today. We showed a lot of guts -- 2-2 away from home is a good effort."

One consolation for England was that, despite this defeat, they remained top of the 50-over world rankings having won 12 of their last 14 completed matches.

"It's been a disappointing day - 180 on that wicket was nowhere near enough," said England captain Alastair Cook, who top-scored for his side with 51.

"It's frustrating, we came into this game trying to wrap up the series but you can't do that if we bat like we did.

"However, we've had a really good year in one-day cricket and hopefully we can take that forward to India in the new year."

Cook, recently appointed England Test captain following Andrew Strauss's retirement, will now have a rest as he is is not in the national Twenty20 squad.

"Now I have some time off and I'll turn my attention to the Tests in India," Cook said ahead of a four-match series starting in November.

Amla could only watch as the Proteas slumped at the start of their reply.

Left-hander Graeme Smith fell when he edged Jade Dernbach and James Tredwell held on at the second attempt.

International novices Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar then both nicked excellent James Anderson deliveries to wicket-keeper Craig Kieswetter.

But de Villiers then pulled two successive short balls from South Africa-born seamer Dernbach for four.

Amla eased paceman Chris Woakes, in for Steven Finn who had a back problem, off the backfoot for a typically stylish four through the covers.

He then completed a 63 ball-fifty, with de Villiers taking just 54 balls to get to the landmark.

Amla drove off-spinner Tredwell over extra-cover for six and ended the match with a wristy flicked boundary off Dernbach.

In all he faced 107 balls with a six and nine fours.

Earlier, left-arm spinner Robin Peterson took 3 for 37 after enterprisingly being given the new ball by de Villiers as England, without the injured Jonathan Trott and the exiled Kevin Pietersen, failed with the bat.

Only Cook, Kieswetter (33) and recalled paceman Chris Woakes, with a career-best 33 not out, got past 30.

Peterson had in-form opener Ian Bell lbw for 10 while Ravi Bopara, promoted up the order in Trott's absence despite a run of low scores, and Eoin Morgan both exited for ducks.

Left-handed opener Cook completed a 69-ball fifty but fell meekly when he chipped a return catch to part-time spinner du Plessis.

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, onedayseries, south-africa

First posted September 06, 2012 08:19:14

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Kohli leads India fightback

Updated September 02, 2012 06:28:22

Virat Kohli cracked an impressive 93 not out to lead an Indian recovery on the second day of the second and final Test against New Zealand in Bangalore.

The 23-year-old hit one six and 12 fours in his second successive Test half-century as the hosts, struggling at 4 for 80 at one stage, reached 5 for 283 in their first innings at stumps in reply to New Zealand's 365.

Kohli, who made 58 in the last Test, added 99 for the fifth wicket with Suresh Raina (55) and 104 for the unfinished sixth-wicket stand with MS Dhoni (46 not out) to keep alive his team's hopes of gaining the lead.

India trails by 82 runs with five wickets in hand.

Dhoni, who scored 73 in the opening Test, hit offspinner Jeetan Patel for two successive sixes in his 70-ball knock which also contained five fours.

"Virat and I had a good partnership and now he and Dhoni are batting. Hopefully we can put a lot of runs on the board and the match is going to be interesting in the next three days," Raina said.

"Whenever I got the ball in my area I made sure of batting positively. I have done well in one-day internationals, so hopefully I will do better in Test cricket too. When I get a chance again I would look to score a big one."

India, which won the opening Test by an innings and 115 runs, lost experienced Virender Sehwag (43), Gautam Gambhir (two) and Sachin Tendulkar (17) before Kohli, Raina and Dhoni propped up the innings.

New Zealand's pacemen bowled well to keep pressure on India, with Tim Southee finishing the day with 3 for 35 and Doug Bracewell with 2 for 66.

"Obviously with the new ball it's nice to bowl and swing it, and we were lucky to pick up a few wickets there. India came back well after lunch as the ball got a bit older," Southee said.

"The wicket is pretty good, so I guess now it's an important time for us with the second new ball to see if we can pick up the rest of the wickets."

Raina, trying to cement his place in the middle order, was caught by wicket-keeper Kruger van Wyk down the leg-side off Southee after hitting one six and nine fours in his seventh Test half-century.

Stumped off a Patel no-ball on 48, Raina counter-attacked to ease the pressure as he hit Bracewell for three successive fours and then smashed Southee for two boundaries in an over.

Southee removed opener Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara (nine) in his sharp opening spell in the morning, while Bracewell dismissed Sehwag and Tendulkar in his successive overs after lunch.

Gambhir, dropped on one by Brendon McCullum in the slips off paceman Trent Boult, failed to make the most of the chance as he was bowled offering no stroke.

Pujara, who scored 159 in the last Test, was caught by Boult at long leg while hooking.

Opener Sehwag fell immediately after hitting Bracewell for a four in the opening over of the afternoon session, caught by Daniel Flynn at short mid-wicket. He cracked eight fours in his 60-ball knock.

Bracewell then got a big wicket in his next over when he bowled Tendulkar to put more pressure on the hosts.

India's left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha earlier finished with 5 for 99, his third haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings, as New Zealand added 37 runs in 8.4 overs to their overnight total of 6 for 328.

Fast bowler Zaheer Khan was the first to strike when he had van Wyk (71) caught by Raina in the slips.

The New Zealand wicket-keeper added just eight runs to his overnight score of 63. He cracked nine fours in his maiden Test half-century and added 99 runs for the seventh wicket with Bracewell (43).

Bracewell, who was unbeaten on 30 on Friday, was run out after scoring 13 runs in the morning.

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, india

First posted September 02, 2012 06:28:22

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Watson leads Aussies to easy T20 win

Updated March 28, 2012 11:14:15

Shane Watson starred with both bat and ball as Australia claimed an eight-wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 international against the West Indies this morning (AEDT).

Watson belted 69 off just 43 balls after conceding a mere 16 runs off his four overs with the ball as Australia cruised to a victory target of 151 with 11 balls to spare at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia.

Batting first the West Indies made a steady if unspectacular start, with Kieron Pollard providing some big-hitting in the final few overs to lift their total to 7 for 150.

Pollard smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 26 deliveries, scoring the fastest half-century by a West Indian in T20 cricket in the process.

The big all-rounder managed five sixes in his knock, including two off two balls in Xavier Doherty's third over.

But Watson (1 for 16) and Dan Christian (3 for 27) did the job with the ball to restrict the damage in a total that proved nowhere near enough.

The Windies made the perfect start with the ball, dismissing David Warner (0) in the first over before Watson and Michael Hussey (59 not out off 45) added 108 for the second wicket to put Australia in charge.

Watson emulated Pollard's innings, clobbering six sixes and five fours in his knock before falling in the 13th over.

But captain George Bailey (21 no) combined with Hussey in a well-constructed 45-run stand to close out the win with Bailey smashing a four off the first ball of the penultimate over to seal victory.

Bailey was thrilled to claim a win in his first match overseas as Australia's Twenty20 skipper.

"To lose one in the first over always puts you on edge a bit," Bailey said.

"But the class there of Shane and Huss, they suit each other perfectly I think. Watto clears the pickets and Huss just pierces the gaps so beautifully."

Disappointed Windies skipper Darren Sammy, who lost all-rounder Andre Russell for the two-game series before the match to a hamstring strain, hinted at changes for Friday's final game of the series.

Fast bowler Fidel Edwards was left out of the team on Tuesday and Sammy suggested he may feature in the second match in Barbados.

"We have one more game in Barbados and hope to change things there," he said.

"We might try to add some firepower to the bowling for the next game."

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, australia, saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines

First posted March 28, 2012 08:25:19

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Warner leads Australia to commanding total

Updated March 04, 2012 23:02:13

Considered fortunate to keep his place in the side, David Warner now looks irreplaceable after his 163 guided Australia to 6 for 321 in the opening tri-series one-day finals clash with Sri Lanka at the Gabba on Sunday.

Warner had to wait until his 19th ODI to notch his maiden ton - and he made it count by hitting the third-highest ODI score in Australia.

He became the seventh Australian to break through the 150 barrier in one-dayers and he struck the sixth biggest 50-over score by an Australian - and highest ever at the Gabba.

However, the big-hitting opener would have been forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief after being named this weekend.

Someone had to make way for returning captain Michael Clarke on Sunday - and Warner would have been nervous after a modest series return of 195 at 24.37 ahead of the finals opener.

But Peter Forrest - the only Australian batsman to have hit a ton this series ahead of the Gabba clash - was the odd man out when the XI was confirmed.

Warner may not be dropped for some time after his 157-ball, three-and-a-half-hour knock which featured 13 fours and two sixes.

Warner's remarkable hand ended on the last ball of the innings when he was bowled by Dhammika Prasad (2 for 51).

Warner did not quite match his third Test fireworks in Perth against India where he reached triple figures in 69 balls - the equal fourth fastest century ever.

But Warner appeared to have no complaints when he brought up his century in 111 balls on Sunday with yet another four.

An ecstatic Warner jumped for joy and punched the air after he bottom edged Farveez Maharoof past keeper Kumar Sangakkara to the third-man boundary.

Warner had a willing partner in crime in Matthew Wade (64) who helped light up the gloomy Gabba conditions in a 136-run opening stand.

It seemed only something special was going to break their entertaining partnership - and Rangana Herath duly delivered.

Wade stood gobsmacked when Herath pulled off a spectacular one-handed diving catch on the long-on boundary, in front of a delirious pocket of Sri Lankan fans, off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Two brief rain delays came and went before wickets began falling.

Australia lost Shane Watson (21), Dan Christian (10) and David Hussey (1) before Clarke (37) and Mike Hussey (19 not out) helped re-start the batting fireworks.

AAP

Tags: onedayseries, sport, cricket, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted March 04, 2012 18:33:39

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Starc leads Sixers to win

Updated January 08, 2012 23:13:21

Mitchell Starc led Sydney Sixers to victory over the Thunder in Sunday night's rain-affected Big Bash League cross-town derby at the Olympic stadium.

The Australian Test squad member took 3 for 17 from two-and-a-half overs before an uninterrupted rainstorm forced an end to the match and gave the Sixers a 17-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

On an evening of high drama, the Sixers recovered from 5 for 47 to post a total of 7 for 117 from 16 overs thanks to Ben Rohrer (38 from 24 balls) and Peter Nevill (24 not out).

In what was a 16-over affair, due to an initial 30-minute rain delay shortly after play started, it was a competitive total.

The Duckworth-Lewis method added another run, setting the Thunder 119 to win, and when the match was called off after just 5.3 overs that tally proved more than enough.

Brett Lee was impressive in claiming the scalp of Chris Gayle (0), but it was Starc who gave national selectors a reminder of his wares when he busted the game open with a fiery spell.

Starc trapped Daniel Smith lbw, then rattled the stumps of Ben Dunk with a stunning delivery.

The left-armer, who was dropped for the Boxing Day Test, but has been recalled to the Australian squad for the WACA ground Test, would have had three wickets from his second over if not for third umpire Gerard Abood.

Jason Floros was ajudged caught behind, only for Abood to controversially reverse the original decision when Floros was almost off the ground.

It mattered little, with Starc clean bowling Floros in his next over to reduce the Thunder to 4 for 29.

The rain returned after that wicket, and there was no more play possible.

A crowd of 31,262 went home disappointed, with Cricket Australia again given a timely reminder of the weather-related challenges facing the BBL.

Starc does not feel his man-of-the-match performance will have any bearing on whether he plays the third Test against India, which starts on Friday.

"For me to get the chance to go over to Perth and push my claims in the nets through the next few days - to try and get a spot in the final XI in Perth - is probably more important than three wickets here," he said.

"It's always important for the team, but on a personal note it's a bit different with the red ball."

The 21-year-old said he was hopeful of a Test recall.

"I'm feeling great. I haven't had the chance to play so much cricket over the past couple of weeks. There's been a lot of net sessions and that sort of thing.

"I haven't played too much there (at the WACA), but with the extra pace and bounce - especially against the Indians - I won't be turning it down if I get the chance to have a go."

Starc received a vote of confidence from Thunder skipper Smith.

"I've played cricket with Starcy for a long time and that's as good as I've seen him bowl," Smith said.

"It (his bowling) was Test-quality standard."

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 08, 2012 22:16:27

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Christian hopes Big Bash leads to baggy green

Updated December 19, 2011 18:11:04

Donning Brisbane Heat's distinctive teal in a bid to secure a baggy green has not made all-rounder Dan Christian see red.

Test quick Ryan Harris will launch his comeback from injury in the Heat's Big Bash League Twenty20 clash with Shane Warne's Melbourne Stars at the Gabba on Tuesday night.

But Christian is hoping Harris will not be the only Heat player national selectors will be monitoring ahead of the Boxing Day Test against India.

The Big Bash League's arrival ensures there will be no domestic first-class cricket for players to impress selectors in during the entire four-Test series against India.

Christian - 12th man in the second Test against New Zealand in Hobart - believes an eye-catching display for the Heat can earn a nod when the Boxing Day Test squad is announced this week.

"I don't see why not," he said on Monday.

David Warner's transformation from Twenty20 slogger to Test opener stunned some - but Christian is not surprised the "hit and giggle" format is suddenly being taken very seriously by selectors.

"It is obviously not ideal in terms of not having a four-day game, but if I am bowling well and hitting the ball well ... I don't think it matters what format of the game you are playing," he said.

"Runs are runs and form is form. I think Twenty20 is just as valuable as four-day cricket."

Christian, 28, said he was more than ready to become Australia's second indigenous Test cricketer.

"I feel like I am at the top of my game," said Christian, who has played three international T20s for Australia.

"I reckon now is (the right time) for me (to be picked). But I will just have to wait and see what the selectors come up with."

Harris is expected to slot back into the national team on Boxing Day after overcoming a hip complaint suffered on the recent tour of South Africa.

He got the nod to make his BBL debut after emerging unscathed from Heat training on Monday.

Harris and all-rounder Michael Neser, who missed last Friday night's seven-wicket loss to the Sydney Sixers, replace Chris Hartley and Matthew Gale.

Meanwhile, Christian backed Warne to bounce back after the ex-Test legspinner's underwhelming Big Bash League debut (0 for 19 off two overs) in last Saturday night's six-wicket loss to Sydney Thunder.

"I faced him in the IPL this year - he has still got it," he said.

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted December 19, 2011 18:06:42

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