Adelaide makes strong defence against the Thunder

By Andrew McGarry

Updated December 20, 2012 22:44:47

Adelaide Strikers have become the first Big Bash team to successfully defend a total, beating the Sydney Thunder by 51 runs at the Olympic stadium.

The Thunder needed nearly nine an over after the Strikers scored 6 for 177, but they were always struggling after star import Chris Gayle was out for just 8.

Veteran slinger Shaun Tait was the big destroyer, taking the key wickets of Mark Cosgrove (8) and Azhar Mahmood (1) to put added pressure on Gayle.

Chris Rogers tried to keep the score ticking along but when Gayle tried to take a toll on his countryman Kieron Pollard only to hole out to Johan Botha in the deep, the Thunder were 3 for 40 in the eighth over and the game was slipping away.

Cameron Boyce ( 2 for 24) dismissed Sean Abbott (14) and Rogers (23), then Cameron Borgas was run out for 4, leaving the Thunder innings in tatters at 6 for 64.

Scott Coyte (33 off 15) went down fighting, but Kane Richardson (3 for 7) fell just short of a hat-trick after dismissing Coyte and Chris Tremain in successive balls.

Tait finished with 3 for 22. The home side were all out for 126 with eight balls left.

Earlier the Thunder had taken the safe option, winning the toss and putting Adelaide into bat - all 11 previous games in this year's Big Bash had been won by the chasing team.

The Strikers recovered after some stifling early bowling to register 0 for 46 in the six-over powerplay, and went on to be 0 for 75 at half-way.

Adam Zampa broke through in the 12th over, when his leg-break zipped past Tim Ludeman (46 off 39 balls) for a stumping by Carters and Adelaide were 1 for 81.

The key to the innings was the 16th over when Nathan Reardon and opener Michael Klinger launched into Zampa for 23 runs including two fours and two sixes.

The Strikers were then given a life when Reardon was dropped over the boundary for six by Zampa off the first ball of the 17th over, but four balls later the Thunder took one of the catches of the competition.

Reardon (42 off 20) went long and straight against the breeze - the ball looked like a six, but Cameron Borgas at long-on got both hands to it in mid-air and palmed it back over the line for Coyte to take the catch.

Twenty20 specialist paceman Dirk Nannes (4 for 17) then took over with a wicked spell, dismissing Klinger (60 off 46), Theo Doropoulos (0), Pollard (16 off 7 balls) and Callum Ferguson (0).

The result means the Thunder are winless from three games, while the Strikers have won two out of their three games.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 20, 2012 22:42:02

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Clarke puts emphasis on strong start

Updated December 25, 2011 09:51:48

The ghosts from day one of last year's Boxing Day Test are irrelevant to Australian captain Michael Clarke

But he readily admits it is critical that his team make a strong start against India, whether they bat or bowl.

"How you start the game generally, for the Australian team anyway, that sums up or is a good indication for where the Test match is going to end up," Clarke said.

This Test a year ago proved a watershed moment for Australian cricket.

With the Ashes series tied at 1-1, Ricky Ponting lost the toss and Australia was skittled for 98.

England were 0 for 157 at stumps and the Test was effectively over.

The tourists went on to win the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 20 years.

Australian cricket was in crisis and two wide-ranging reviews followed.

There have been overhauls of the selection panel and team management.

Now Boxing Day is also the start of the four-Test series against keen rivals India.

Asked if the first session would carry any extra significance for Australia because of what happened a year ago, Clarke replied: "not to me, no.

"There's extra significance because that's the area of the game we're trying to work so hard at.

"It would make every one of us very pleased and proud if we can go out, if the ball is moving around, and play well.

"It is (significant) because of the date, because it's the Boxing Day Test match - it's built up because it is a special Test."

Clarke prefers to bat first if he wins the toss, but added he would look at the pitch and weather first.

"Hopefully I can win the toss and make that decision," he said.

Should he have his way, Clarke wants the Australian top order to play sensibly, but not too conservatively.

"It's important if we bat first that we play our natural game - that's what I think," he said.

"You have the confidence to back your own ability.

"We've done plenty of work ... our preparation has been spot-on.

"I have no concerns if we bat first on that wicket and there's a bit of movement - I'm confident we're ready for it."

The Australian top order had a batting camp at the MCG this week to prepare for the first Test.

MCG curator Cameron Hodgkins has predicted another lively first-day pitch.

"I will make no bones about it - we've had extra time as a batting unit because we know we need to get better at facing the new ball," Clarke said.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted December 25, 2011 09:51:48

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Umar puts Pakistan in strong position

Updated December 20, 2011 07:13:36

Taufeeq Umar rode his luck to crack 130 as Pakistan closed in on Bangladesh's first-innings total on the third day of the second and final Test in Dhaka.

The left-handed opener hit 16 fours in his seventh Test century, and second against Bangladesh, as Pakistan reached 3 for 292 in its first innings at stumps in reply to the hosts' 338.

Pakistan was just 46 runs behind with seven wickets in hand.

Umar put on 127 for the second wicket with Azhar Ali (57) and 95 for the next with Younis Khan, who remained unbeaten on 48.

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was 26 not out when bad light stopped play.

Bangladesh paceman Nazmul Hossain, who returned to the Test side after seven years, struck with the second new ball when he had Umar caught by Shahriar Nafees at second slip in the last session.

"Every hundred is important in Tests but I think my debut century (in 2001) against Bangladesh was the best," Umar said.

"The plan was to play normal game and wait for the bad ball. We are in a better position now

"We will try our best to win this game as we have world-class bowlers, but it depends a lot on the weather."

Pakistan lost just two wickets in the entire day, adding 205 runs to its overnight total of 1 for 87 after a delayed start due to fog.

Bangladesh went wicketless in the opening session and failed to make the most of the chances that came its way, letting off Umar three times and Younis once.

"Had we not dropped a couple of catches, we would have been in a different position by the end of the day," Nazmul said.

"There are still two days to go and it depends a lot on the weather, but we will take it session by session and try to get a positive result."

The first opportunity came when Umar was on 56, but wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim did not even try to stump him off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan while confidently appealing for a catch down the leg-side.

Umar was lucky to survive on 66 when he cut the first ball after lunch off paceman Robiul Islam, but Mohammed Nazimuddin dropped an easy catch at gully.

He was on 118 when Nafees failed to hold on to an edge at short-leg off left-arm spinner Elias Sunny, while Younis was dropped on 15 by Shahadat Hossain off Nasir Hossain.

Umar, 44 overnight, went on to complete his hundred when he cut off-spinner Mohammad Mahmudullah for a four in the second session.

Pakistan leads 1-0 in the series after winning the opening Test in Chittagong by an innings and 184 runs.

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, bangladesh, pakistan

First posted December 19, 2011 22:51:00

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