Showing posts with label verge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label verge. Show all posts

Thursday, May 31, 2012

England on verge of series victory

Updated May 28, 2012 16:09:44

England was on the verge of clinching the three-match series against West Indies after the tourists' top order failed again on the third day of the second Test at Trent Bridge.

Trailing by 58 on first innings, West Indies limped to 6 for 61, a lead of just three runs with two days left.

England captain Andrew Strauss with 141 and a useful partnership of 53 by all-rounders Tim Bresnan (39 not out) and Stuart Broad (25) had lifted England past the West Indies first-innings total of 370.

Although the final score of 428 was much less than seemed likely at the close on day one with Strauss and Kevin Pietersen at the crease, it proved too stiff a challenge for the touring side missing the experienced Chris Gayle at the top of the order.

James Anderson struck early to dismiss openers Adrian Barath (7) and Kieran Powell (1) before Broad captured the prized wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 11, top-edging a pull and caught on the boundary by Jonathan Trott.

Bresnan trapped Darren Bravo (22), Denesh Ramdin (6) and Kirk Edwards second ball for nought, all out lbw, to leave the tourists in disarray.

Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy, who both scored centuries in the first innings, were the not out batsmen at the close.

Bresnan ended with figures of 3 for 10 in six overs, cementing his talisman status for England as he has won all 12 Test matches he has played.

He told BBC Radio: "To get them six down on that wicket in that short little session was fantastic."

Critical period

Bresnan's valuable unbeaten contribution with the bat lasted 153 minutes in a critical period of the game.

"It was kind of a battling knock," he said.

"It just shows what the pitch was like really. It was quite slow, quite difficult to score off, especially when they bowled in the right areas."

Bresnan and Broad came together at 7 for 363 and comfortably steered England past West Indies' total of 370 only for Broad to top-edge a catch off the bowling of Shane Shillingford.

Graeme Swann (1) and Anderson (0) swiftly followed to wrap up the innings.

Strauss's steadfast knock, lasting 303 balls and seven hours and 12 minutes, contained 22 fours before he finally offered a catch behind off the bowling of captain Sammy.

West Indies had taken four important wickets before lunch to the disappointment of home supporters expecting a run feast.

Pietersen (80) and Ian Bell (22) fell to reviewed lbw decisions and Jonny Bairstow (4) was given a torrid timein only his second Test by pace duo Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul before top edging an easy catch to mid-on.

Just when it looked as if England was steadying the ship Sammy bowled Matt Prior for 16.

Rampaul, who captured the vital wicket of Pietersen, was the pick of the West Indies bowling with 3 for 75 off 25 overs.

Samuels, top scorer in the West Indies first innings with 117, mopped up the tail with 2 for 14.

Reuters

Tags: cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom, jamaica

First posted May 28, 2012 06:52:20


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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Ponting on verge of Test century: Clarke

Updated January 03, 2012 08:45:18

Australian captain Michael Clarke believes Ricky Ponting is on the verge of breaking a two-year century drought in the second Test against India at the SCG starting on Tuesday.

The former skipper has not reached triple figures since he smashed a double hundred against Pakistan in January of 2010.

Ponting has made some recent half-centuries which continue to prolong his famed Test career, but only a ton will properly silence his critics who say the 37-year-old has reached his expiry date.

The Tasmanian played some vintage shots in his back-to-back 62 and 60 in the first Test against India at the MCG, before falling.

Clarke says Ponting is close to breaking the shackles.

"I think the way Punter is batting at the moment, he's not far away from a big one, that's for sure," said Clarke.

"One thing I know about him is if he gets to 100 he won't be stopping there.

"He's got a very good record at the SCG. I know he loves playing here at this wicket so it wouldn't surprise me at all if he walked out and made a 100 in this Test match."

Clarke said he does not believe the toss will be important in Sydney, but indicated he would likely bowl first if he gets the chance.

The captain believes the track will take a bit of time to turn into a genuine batting wicket.

"There's a tinge of green there. It's a little bit tacky at the moment, I think it's going to be quite tough to bat on day one.

"I think it's going to be quite a similar wicket to what we faced against England last year. I think there's going to be a bit of sideways movement early and I think it's going to turn out to be a really good batting wicket."

Australia has named an unchanged line-up for Sydney from its first-up 122-run win in Melbourne's Boxing Day Test.

Ryan Harris was left out of the XI, with spinner Nathan Lyon expected to play an important role as the match wears on.

AAP

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

First posted January 03, 2012 08:20:59


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