Aussies unfazed by UAE weather

Updated August 23, 2012 08:49:21

Australia's acting coach Steve Rixon expects his players will adjust to the hot conditions in United Arab Emirates during their matches against Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Australia's squad arrived in Dubai on Wednesday with the temperature as high as 43 degrees Celsius, but Rixon hopes sleeping late and breakfast at noon will help during the series, in which one-day matches will start as late as 6:00pm.

Australia takes on Afghanistan in the first-ever one-day international between the two countries in Sharjah on Saturday, before facing Pakistan in three one-day matches and as many Twenty20 fixtures.

The pre-series hype focused on how Australia will cope up with the high temperatures but Rixon says a policy has been devised to combat the oppressive weather.

"Our guys will have to eat late in night and just start the pattern," he said.

"We need to start the patterns now so by the time the first game comes around, we'll be starting to build some sort of body clock that's going to work for us."

Rixon, a former Australia Test wicket-keeper, is standing in for head coach Mickey Arthur, who will join the tour later as he has been working on preparations for next month's World Twenty20.

Rixon says the team has prepared to combat heat.

"The weather was very warm up in Darwin where we camped but nothing as oppressive as over here," he said.

"We're well aware of how hot it's going to be. If we sit here and talk about the weather all day, we're not getting the job done."

Rixon says the matches in United Arab Emirates will help the team tune up for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

"Whatever happens here will be a very big stepping stone to us being successful in Sri Lanka," said Rixon of Australia, who slipped to fourth on the one-day rankings for the first time in three years.

Rixon says players are now accustomed to playing in heat.

"I think a lot of players in the modern day games playing a lot more in the sub-continent with IPL (Indian Premier League) and other forms of cricket played in the sub-continent in place like Chennai where it is very warm," he said.

Pakistan and Australia will play the first one-day match in Sharjah on August 28 followed by second in Abu Dhabi (August 31) and Sharjah (September 3).

All three Twenty 20 matches will be played in Dubai on September 5, 7 and 10.

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, united-arab-emirates

First posted August 23, 2012 08:39:59

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Proteas soldier on despite poor weather

Updated March 24, 2012 17:08:06

South Africa made light of the grim weather as it cruised to 2 for 246 on the second day of the weather-affected third and final Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

Alviro Peterson, who struggled for runs in the first two Tests, found the Basin Reserve pitch in Wellington to his liking as he moved to 96 not out and closed in on his third Test century, while JP Duminy was on 76.

The pair had put on 140 for the third wicket when bad light stopped play for the second consecutive day with only 79 of a possible 180 overs bowled in the first two days.

South Africa, which already has an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, was clearly intent on batting its way to an imposing total with the aim of dismissing New Zealand cheaply and enforcing the follow on.

The tourists resumed the second day at 2 for 136 and put on 110 runs without loss in the 37 overs available after rain wiped out the morning session.

The New Zealand bowlers have been unable to benefit from the favourable fierce wind, overcast skies and a green-tinged wicket and the fielders were incapable of taking the few chances on offer as the batsmen dominated.

Petersen offered two edges through the vacant third slip position but Martin Guptill, diving from second slip, was unable to grasp either one.

Otherwise Petersen looked comfortable with senior bowler Chris Martin unable to generate significant swing or garner extreme pace from the tail wind.

Duminy had little trouble finding gaps in the New Zealand field, although he brought up his fourth half-century with a wayward shot that that was intended for square leg but went behind wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk.

The only bad news for South Africa was the likelihood it has lost key batsman Hashim Amla for the rest of the match after undergoing emergency surgery on his groin area.

Amla was hit on the first day by an inside edge from a Martin delivery. He was able to bat on and progressed from 33 to 63 before he was dismissed and then rushed to hospital.

"Hashim underwent emergency exploratory surgery resulting from blunt trauma sustained to his groin region," team manager Mohammed Moosajee said in a statement.

"He spent the night in hospital and was discharged this morning. The surgeon is satisfied with the outcome and expects Hashim to make a full recovery.

"However, it is unlikely that he will be able to take further part in the current Test match at the Basin Reserve."

South Africa is without star all-rounder Jacques Kallis for this Test after he was ruled out with a stiff neck.

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, new-zealand, south-africa

First posted March 24, 2012 17:08:06

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Bad weather rains on India's parade

Published:Sunday, July 3, 2011 11:37 AEST

Indian player Suresh Raina looks at the sky after rain led to a draw, at the end of the fifth day of the second Test match between West Indies and India at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on July 2, 2011.

Tags: sport, cricket, barbados, india

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Bad weather ends India's bid for victory

Posted July 3, 2011 10:32:00

The second Test between West Indies and India ended in a draw after the fickle weather that had interrupted the match for days finally halted play.

The match was evenly poised and heading towards an unexpected and thrilling finish when play was abandoned in the last session on the fifth and final day because of bad light after rain had delayed the match at a critical time and soaked the outfield.

Set 281 to win after India made a bold declaration at the start of the day, West Indies were 7 for 202 when the teams shook hands and stumps were drawn, 79 runs from what would have been a remarkable victory but also just three wickets from losing the series.

"I'm disappointed to some extent, the last session was a well-placed game, it was evenly poised," said Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"My plan was ruined because of the rain, we got a couple of wickets that were needed but bad light spoiled the party."

India, 1-0 up in the three-match series after winning the opening Test in Jamaica, declared its second innings closed at 6 for 269 more than an hour before lunch, setting West Indies a formidable, but not impossible, target in two-and-a-half sessions.

The tourists looked the most likely winners when they picked up three early wickets, forcing West Indies to revert to survival mode, before Darren Bravo and Carlton Baugh took matters into their own hands and threatened to change the momentum of the match.

"A draw, we will take that. As long as we didn't lose today, I'm quite happy," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

"We had a plan, even down to the last 15 overs we were on course but we lost too many wickets. We have to go all out to win and level the Test series."

Bravo made 73 in more than four-and-a-half hours at the crease before he fell when the light was fading fast, leaving Baugh unbeaten on 46.

Ishant Sharma, India's impressive fast bowler who was named man of the match, took 4 for 53 to finish with 10 wickets.

"I can't forget this kind of bowling, I've never done this kind of bowling ever in my career," Sharma said.

"The wicket had uneven bounce in the first innings so you just had to put it in the right areas."

Brave declaration

India had resumed on 3 for 229 and added just 40 runs for the loss of three wickets when the normally conservative skipper called his players in on a lively Kensington Oval pitch still offering plenty of pace and bounce.

For the second time in the match VVS Laxman had fallen short of a century, departing for 87 after making 85 in the first innings.

Laxman had batted patiently to get within reach of a hundred when he got a thick edge to a short ball from Fidel Edwards outside off stump and deflected it to Sammy at second slip.

Edwards captured all three Indian wickets in the day to finish with 5 for 76, his ninth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Dhoni's declaration was vindicated when India captured three quick wickets.

Lendl Simmons departed in the fourth over after making a quickfire 14 off 12 balls, featuring three boundaries, when he edged Sharma to Rahul Dravid in the slips cordon.

Then Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has scored just 29 runs in the series, made another early exit for eight when he fended a short-pitched delivery from Praveen Kumar to Suresh Raina at third slip.

Adrian Barath struck three fours and a six before he was also caught by Raina at third slip, leaving West Indies reeling at 3 for 55.

Chanderpaul joined Bravo at the crease and helped to steady the innings with a painstakingly slow 12 off 87 balls before he was given out leg before wicket to spinner Harbhajan Singh although replays indicated the ball was clearly missing the stumps.

Marlon Samuels, who top scored in the first innings with an unbeaten 78, fell lbw to Sharma for 9, leaving West Indies in deep trouble at 5 for 132, when Bravo and Baugh came together.

With Bravo holding up an end, allowing Baugh to go after the bowlers, the pair added 69 for the sixth wicket, forcing India to spread the fielders and start saving runs when a shower forced play to be stopped.

There was another delay when the groundsmen were called to repair an area that was still wet and although West Indies lost Bravo, then Sammy for a duck, the light ultimately ruined any chance of a result.

The third and final Test starts in Dominica next week.

-Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, barbados, india

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