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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Sachin Tendulkar fell within tantalising distance of a first match-winningcentury in a run chase since July 2001, but India weren’t to be denied asthey romped to a six-wicket victory [with 21 balls remaining] that wrapped up the series with a match to spare. As in 2006, when India won 4-1 in Pakistan, there was a considerable gulf between the two sides, best exemplified by Tendulkar’s sublime batting as India set about their pursuit of 256. Pakistan’s total owed much to their own 90s man – Mohammad Yousuf finished the innings on 99 not out – but ultimately, they paid the price for their diffidence in the Powerplay, when only 79 runs were scored.On a pitch where most other batsmen were restricted in their shot-making, Tendulkar played with the fluency and confidence of old, finding gaps with effortless ease. To compound Pakistan’s problems, Shoaib Akhtar, who bowled with genuine menace for three overs, went off with what looked like a shin injury after completing his fourth. He returned only in the 25thover, by which time India were well past half-way. In his absence, Tendulkar unveiled some stunning drives, including a couple of pushes through the covers off the back foot that brought back memories of the halcyon years.Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir didn’t make much of an impression. Ganguly poked one into the slip cordon off Shoaib, and Gambhir pulled a poor delivery from Rao Iftikhar Anjum straight to Sohail Tanvir at midwicket. That brought Virender Sehwag to the crease, and though he was scratchy early on, Tendulkar’s punched drives and measured clips off the pads gave him the time to play himself into form. A chop behind point set the tone, and a withering cover drive then suggested that Redemption Road wasn’t too far away.After Shahid Afridi had stemmed the tide for a couple of overs, it was Sehwag who once again unleashed mayhem with a huge six over midwicket. Tendulkar followed suit with three magnificent drives through cover, each timed better than the previous one. By the time the second drinks break arrived, he was on 97, a deft swish away from that elusive 42nd century.Instead, the first delivery from Umar Gul on resumption was dragged back on to the stumps. Tendulkar stayed hunched over his bat in disbelief for a few moments before trudging off to muted applause from a crowd frozen with shock. It was his sixth score in the 90s in his last 21 innings, and it was evident the jinx has preyed on his mind.It didn’t matter in the larger scheme of things though. Yuvraj Singh had been magnificent all series, and his favourite drives and flicks were in evidence as the target was whittled down. Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipped in with some meaty blows of his own as Shoaib Malik looked on, bereft of answers. Shoaib had once again asked probing questions, but the rest had been powerless to stem the relentless Indian tide.

Yousuf’s splendid innings earlier in the afternoon was almost as eye-catching, with some glorious drives through the covers and a lofted six over midwicket off Harbhajan Singh. As ever, he was immensely strong off the pads, and with Misbah-ul-Haq ticking along at a run a ball, therun-rate crept towards five in the final stages of the innings.India didn’t let things drift though. The bowlers, both pace and spin, were fairly accurate, and the fielding a marked improvement on the previous games. Even Ganguly played his part, with his 100th ODI wicket being Afridi, unfortunate to be given leg-before after being struck justoutside the line of off stump.At that stage, Pakistan were in disarray at 131 for 4, with Younis having looped a return catch to Yuvraj Singh off the leading edge. He had anchored the innings, scoring 68, and adding 78 with Malik for the second wicket.Malik surely wouldn’t have bargained for Salman Butt lasting only two balls. RP Singh, taking the new ball, shaped the ball from leg to middle to trap him plumb in front, 129 short of what he had scored on Sunday. Left to consolidate, he and Younis did so mainly in singles, and eventhose didn’t come along frequently.It took 14 overs for the 50 to be raised, and there was a moment of controversy as the Indians claimed a catch behind off Younis. Amiesh Saheba made the right decision though, with the ball having bounced before nestling in Dhoni’s gloves. Pakistan were just beginning to shedthe shackles when Zaheer Khan picked up his 200th ODI wicket. Malik’s heave against the line was an ugly one, and it got what it deserved – an inside edge on to the stumps.With the run-rate still below four after the last of the Powerplays, acceleration was required and, though Yousuf signalled his intent with a loft down to long-on off Yuvraj Singh, India refused to loosen the grip. Younis was given a reprieve on 48, when Dhoni missed a tough stumpingchance off the pads, and it was left to him and Yousuf to ensure India would have a tricky target to chase under lights. That a potential ordeal became a stroll owed much to the genius of one man. That he still hasn’t figured out the answer [42] to the shouldn’t detract from the majesty of his effort.

ScorecardScotland clinched their first victory over a Test-playing country with a thrilling last-ball triumph over Bangladesh at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. Chasing Bangladesh’s total of 259 for 6, Scotland were indebted to Cedric English, who spanked a four off the last ball of the match.Ryan Watson, with a composed 83, and Fraser Watts, with 50, had set up the victory with a 109-run partnership for the third wicket, but there were late jitters that left the Scots needing 28 from the final three overs. But English, who finished on 49 not out, and Craig Wright, the captain, ensured that Bangladesh couldn’t quite escape to victory.Bangladesh’s total had been built around another fine innings from Aftab Ahmed, who eased to 80 before being stumped by Colin Smith off Gordon Goudie. For Goudie, it was a first international scalp.Scotland’s reply started poorly, with Dougie Lockhart being bowled by Nazmul Hossain, but Watson and Gregor Maiden wrested back the initiative with some punishing strokes before Maiden was castled by Mohammad Rafique. Watson and Watts then combined to set the game up for Scotland, before leaving it to English to apply the finishing touches.

New Zealand’s lack of consistency in recent years in its one-day cricket has been behind its mid-table placing on the world rankings, but increasingly there are signs of a change for the better.Apart from anything else, Sunday’s record victory over Pakistan in Sri Lanka ended the rot of seven losses in a row to Pakistan.Pakistan’s dismissal for 116, its lowest against New Zealand and 19 runs worse than their 135 scored at Napier in 2000/01, was the fifth time New Zealand has bowled out a side for less than 125 in the last five months, and in little over two years, New Zealand has 10 times dismissed sides for 135 or less.Nine of these scores have been lodged by subcontinental sides, India suffering on six occasions – four in the recent series in New Zealand. All four instances not to take place on New Zealand soil occurred in Sri Lanka.The list is:

77 Bangladesh Colombo (SSC) 2002/0389 England Wellington (WS) 2001/02108 India Auckland 2002/03108 India Christchurch 2002/03116 Pakistan Dambulla 2003122 India Queenstown 2002/03122 India Hamilton 2002/03127 India Colombo (RPS) 2001133 India Colombo (RPS) 2001135 Pakistan Napier 2000/01

Pakistan’s total was the eighth equal lowest score against New Zealand by any side.Top 10 lowest scores v New Zealand:

70 Australia Adelaide 1985/8677 Bangladesh Colombo (SSC) 2002/0389 England Wellington (WS) 2001/02108 India Auckland 2002/03108 India Christchurch 2002/03113 India Perth 1985/86115 Sri Lanka Colombo (PSS) 1983/84116 Bangladesh Chelmsford 1999116 Pakistan Dambulla 2003118/9 Sri Lanka Dunedin 1982/83

New Zealand’s latest position on the ICC One-Day International Championship is sixth, an improvement of two places since its inception in October. It has moved ahead of the West Indies and now sits behind Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.Their climb up the ladder is the best by any side in the first six months of the Championship, rising nine points and two places.The Championship standings as at the end of New Zealand’s first match in the Bank Alfalah Cup in Dambulla are:

Team Matches Points Rating Change1 Australia 46 6269 136 +8 (n/c)2 South Africa 57 6972 122 +2 (n/c)3 Pakistan 51 5675 111 -4 (up 1)4 Sri Lanka 61 6413 105 -12 (down 1)5 India 58 6047 104 -2 (n/c)6 New Zealand 46 4594 100 +9 (up 2)7 West Indies 35 3463 99 +5 (n/c)8 England 34 3337 98 +2 (down 2)9 Zimbabwe 44 2844 65 -2 (n/c)10 Kenya 25 704 28 +6 (n/c)11 Bangladesh 23 101 4 -7 (n/c)

When the New Zealanders had Pakistan reeling at 17 for five wickets, it was the fifth equal worst start by any side in an ODI (for five wickets down). New Zealand’s previous best effort with the ball was having Bangladesh 19 for five in the ICC Champions Trophy last year.The record of teams having fewer than 20 runs and being 5 wickets down:

start total12/5 71 Pakistan v West Indies Brisbane 1992/9312/5 36 Canada v Sri Lanka Paarl 2002/0314/5 81 Pakistan v West Indies Sydney 1992/9314/5 43 Pakistan v West Indies Cape Town 1992/9317/5 266/8 India v Zimbabwe Tunbridge Wells 198317/5 84 Kenya v Australia Nairobi (Gym) 2002/0317/5 84 Namibia v Pakistan Kimberley 2002/0317/5 116 Pakistan v New Zealand Dambulla 200318/5 153 Pakistan v South Africa Colombo (SSC) 2000/0118/5 115/9 New Zealand v Sri Lanka Colombo (SSC) 200119/5 167 Scotland v Pakistan Chester-le-Street 199919/5 77 Bangladesh v New Zealand Colombo (SSC) 2002/03

Note: India v Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells was a 60-over match and New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC) was reduced to 36 overs per side.Five of them have occurred in the last eight months while three have been at the same ground, the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Pakistan have proven particularly vulnerable to the spectacular collapse, having been involved in five of the nine worst collapses – three of which took place in the space of 16 matches and 71 days during the 1992/93 season.The game also resulted in Daryl Tuffey’s latest instance of a wicket in his first over, the 17th time he has achieved the feat in internationals, and the 10th time in an ODI.His record now reads:

Tests: Inn Over BallMarcus Trescothick 1 1 2 v England at Auckland, 1 Apr 2002 (W)Mark Butcher 1 1 5 v England at Auckland, 1 Apr 2002 (W)Shahid Afridi 1 1 3 v Pakistan at Lahore, 1 May 2002 (L)Virender Sehwag 1 2 6 v India at Wellington, 12 Dec 2002 (W)Sanjay Bangar 1 2 3 v India at Hamilton, 20 Dec 2002 (W)Parthiv Patel 2 2 6 v India at Hamilton, 21 Dec 2002 (W)Marvan Atapattu 1 1 4 v Sri Lanka at Colombo, 26 Apr 2003 (D)ODIs: Inn Over BallSaeed Anwar 1 1 1 v Pakistan at Napier, 20 Feb 2001 (W)Saeed Anwar 2 1 6 v Pakistan at Christchurch, 25 Feb 2001 (W)Marvan Atapattu 1 1 2 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2001 (L)Kumar Sangakkara 1 1 3 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2001 (L)Marcus Trescothick 1 1 3 v England at Auckland, 23 Feb 2002 (L)Sanath Jayasuriya 1 1 3 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 14 Apr 2002 (L)Imran Nazir 2 1 1 v Pakistan at Rawalpindi, 24 Apr 2002 (L)Sourav Ganguly 2 1 3 v India at Napier, 29 Dec 2002 (W)Sourav Ganguly 2 1 1 v India at Wellington, 8 Jan 2003 (L)Mohammad Hafeez 1 1 4 v Pakistan at Dambulla, 11 May 2003 (W)

Note: Inn = innings of opposition for Test list, innings of the match for ODI list; Over = over of the inningsAnd while Shane Bond may be out of the tournament due to a suspected stress fracture in his back, he did have time to claim his 50th wicket in his 27th ODI, the fastest first 50 wickets taken by a New Zealander and seventh equal on the world list.New Zealand:

Mat Wkts BB AveShane Bond 27 51 6/23 19.00 2001/02 to 2003Geoff Allott 28 50 4/35 21.34 1996/97 to 2000/01Chris Pringle 33 52 4/35 22.88 1990 to 1993/94Ewen Chatfield 36 50 5/34 24.10 1979 to 1983Danny Morrison 36 50 4/33 29.98 1987/88 to 1990/91Martin Snedden 41 50 3/25 30.38 1980/81 to 1984/85Lance Cairns 43 50 5/28 31.18 1973/74 to 1982/83Daryl Tuffey 43 50 4/24 29.16 2000/01 to 2002/03Richard Hadlee 46 52 5/26 26.61 1972/73 to 1982/83Willie Watson 47 50 3/15 33.70 1985/86 to 1991/92Chris Harris 48 50 3/15 30.10 1990/91 to 1994/95Scott Styris 51 51 6/25 34.01 1999/00 to 2002/03Chris Cairns 52 51 4/55 32.84 1990/91 to 1996/97Daniel Vettori 55 51 4/24 35.17 1996/97 to 2000/01Gavin Larsen 66 50 4/24 43.78 1989/90 to 1995/96Dion Nash 66 50 4/38 44.48 1992/93 to 1999Nathan Astle 74 50 4/43 33.34 1994/95 to 1998/99Jeremy Coney 84 50 4/46 38.26 1979 to 1986

All time:

Team Mat Wkts BB AveAjit Agarkar India 23 50 4/35 21.34 1997/98 to 1998/99Dennis Lillee Australia 24 50 5/34 17.30 1972 to 1980/81Shane Warne Australia 25 51 4/19 16.43 1992/93 to 1994/95Len Pascoe Australia 26 50 5/30 19.57 1977 to 1981/82Patrick Patterson West Indies 26 51 6/29 19.45 1985/86 to 1987/88Curtly Ambrose West Indies 26 51 5/17 17.03 1987/88 to 1989/90Waqar Younis Pakistan 27 53 6/26 14.96 1989/90 to 1990/91Shane Bond New Zealand 27 51 6/23 19.00 2001/02 to 2003

Note: The figures given are those at the end of the match concerned(Statistics compiled by Duane Pettet)

The 2003 season in Austria starts this weekend with the reintroduced Österreichische Meisterschaft competition (ÖMS). In order to allow all the four participating teams to play three games in a weekend, the format has been altered to 30 overs per side, which means that the format also allows younger bowlers to bowl a full spell of 6 overs, and is the format used in ECC youth cricket tournaments.Furthermore, teams are required to field seven Austrians, by birth or passport, with the opportunity of giving indigenous Austrians a starring role in the game, with the long-term goal of attracting more indigenous Austrians to the sport. Players like Tim Simpson and Erwin Grasinger, who are established National Team players, and born and bred Austrian cricketing talents, originally cut their cricketing teeth in the ÖMS tournaments in the mid 1990s.The tournament will also be the first time that a weekend tournament has been spread across three grounds, with Vienna CC’s Seebarn grounds, and Concordia CC’s Markomannenstrasse ground being used on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. The participating teams are CC Velden ’91, from Carinthia, Concordia CC, Lords CC and Vienna CC. The tournament will also be the first in Austria since it was decided to move into line with ECC tournaments over the use of helmets and bowling restrictions.

Group D
ScorecardPakistan became one of only two sides to emerge from the group stage unbeaten, completing their stay at Khulna with a thumping 163 victory over West Indies. In front of a packed crowd, Pakistan scored 251 for 9 in 50 overs after being put in. Jahangir Mirza top-scored with 92, and Usman Saeed contributed 40 against a West Indies attack that was without Ravi Rampaul, who was feeling unwell.The West Indies reply was over in 27.3 overs due mainly to a devastating opening burst from Riaz Afridi, who took 5 for 28 runs with Tariq Mehmood and Mansoor Amjad providing able support as West Indies were skittled out for 88.”We simply have to improve our batting as we have not been consistent enough,” said Denesh Ramdin, West Indies’ captain. “We have enjoyed out time in Khulna, it has been fantastic here.”Aqib Javed, Pakistan’s coach, said he thought his side were in good shape going into the Super League. “We stuck to our game plan today and performed well,” he said. “I was pleased with our batting and bowling and I am looking forward to the Super League in Dhaka.”

Holland have announced their squad for the ECC European Championships, which start on July 18. Holland is the host country, with games being played in Deventer, Utrecht and Rotterdam. The other teams in the tournament are Scotland, Denmark, Ireland and ECB.The tournament will produce rankings for the ICC Trophy to be held in Ireland next summer, and is part of the World Cup qualifying series. Denmark, Holland, Ireland and Scotland have already qualified for the ICC Trophy.Holland’s first game is against Scotland on July 19.Holland squad Daan van Bunge, Atse Buurman (wk), Sebastiaan Gokke, JJ Esmeijer, Tom de Grooth, Feiko Kloppenburg, Tim de Leede, Maurits van Nierop, Adeel Raja, Darron Reekers, Edgar Schiferli, Jeroen Smits (wk), Luuk van Troost (capt), Bas Zuiderent.
Tournament Itinerary
July 18 – Ireland v ECB at Utrecht
July 19 – Holland v Scotland, Denmark v ECB at Deventer
July 20 – Denmark v Scotland at Rotterdam, Ireland v Holland at Utrecht
July 21 – Ireland v Scotland at Deventer
July 22 – Holland v ECB at Rotterdam, Denmark v Ireland at Utrecht
July 23 – Scotland v ECB at Utrecht
July 24 – Holland v Denmark at Rotterdam

Bennett King, the West Indies coach, has blamed inherent weaknesses in the domestic structure for the team’s poor results in the international arena. West Indies, once invincible on home soil, have performed abysmally at home in recent times, thumped by England last year, and easily beaten by South Africa in two of three Tests so far this season.Addressing the media before the final Test in Antigua, King said: “I believe one of the main problems with the West Indies at the moment is the gap between regional cricket and international cricket. They are trying their best but if you go and watch regional cricket closely the lines that they bowl aren’t conducive to taking wickets at international level.”King insisted that a failure to adequately pressure opposition batsmen had been the root cause of insipid bowling displays. “We’ve talked with all the coaches and to a man they have been supportive of the approach that we are trying to put forward,” he said. “That means all our bowlers, including spinners, bowling attacking rather than defensive lines. We need to put pressure on opposing sides.”Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the captain, stressed that the West Indies would have to improve all aspects of their play to be competitive against a South African side that has played some superb cricket since escaping with a draw in Guyana. “We are going into the match in a positive frame of mind and we’re looking for a win,” said Chanderpaul. “We’ve been trying hard, we’ve had meetings where everybody has contributed. That makes my job easier, and I’m happy with that. But I’m not happy with our results.”

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has announced a 12-man squad, featuring the 2003 Bradman medalist, Ryan Harris, to compete in this week’s Cricket Australia Cup match to be played in Adelaide against the ACT.The match will take place on Adelaide No. 2 ground from today, Monday, November 10 until Thursday, November 13.Ryan Harris, who has overcome a chronic groin strain, will compete in his first four-day game since the 2002-03 season.The 24-year-old bowling all-rounder played in only his second Grade match on Saturday for his team Northern Districts, starring with the ball, taking 6 for 93 off 24.3 overs against A Grade leaders West Torrens.Harris is joined by fellow Redbacks players Ben Johnson, who will captain the side, Mark Cosgrove, Trent Kelly and Mark Higgs, along with Redbacks rookies Ben Cameron and Callum Ferguson.Andrew Staunton is making his first appearance for South Australia having moved to Adelaide from Sydney this year to further his cricket career. He played for NSW’s second XI side last season and is playing A Grade for Southern District.The team, which is coached by Redbacks assistant coach Jamie Siddons, is:

On the third day, the sun shone brightly and the mood was lifted all round. Okay, so England were still unable to practise out in the middle, but after yesterday’s misfortunes, it was a relief just to make it to the indoor arena at the BKSP – a quaint little tent of a building, set in the middle of a field of cricket and football pitches, that would fit four or five times into one of those giant complexes at Lord’s or Old Trafford.For Ashley Giles, England’s senior bowler in the absence of Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and now, Andrew Flintoff, it made a pleasant change to be able to talk cricket without having his tongue firmly embedded in his cheek. As he sat on the steps outside the building, the beads of sweat on his forehead were, for the first time, the only signs of moisture in the immediate environment.England have not enjoyed the best of luck on this tour so far, but for Gilesit is just a relief to be back in Asia, every spinner’s spiritual home. “I’ve looked forward to returning,” he said. “It’s been a year and a half since we were last on the subcontinent, and I enjoy being here. The pitches generally suit you, and you tend to get more overs and more responsibility, and so more wickets as well.”For Giles, the summer of 2003 was not one to remember – although in fairness, he let nobody down in his six Tests, and more than made up for his shortage of wickets (nine) with fruitful contributions with the bat. “I helped to create a few partnerships,” he conceded, “but I need to go on more. I’m never going to belt it like Freddie [Flintoff], but I should maybe go on to score a hundred.”The addition to the coaching staff of Mike Watkinson, a former England offspinner, is a clear bonus for Giles. While the rain has been pouring, the pair have kept busy by working on such menial tasks as rhythm and balance, and Giles’s approach to the wicket. “It’s no disrespect to the other coaches,” says Giles, “but I think Winker mentally appreciates the trauma that spinners sometimes go through. I like the way he’s thinking. He understands me.”Giles’s likely partner-in-crime, as and when the first practice match getsunderway at the Bangabandhu stadium on Sunday morning, is the Worcestershireoffspinner, Gareth Batty. The pair do not know each other too well at present, but Giles knows from experience that tours of the subcontinent are ideal places to forge a team spirit.”Those tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka were the ones that I have enjoyed themost,” he admitted. “I’m not just talking from a personal point of view, although it was nice to take wickets and contribute to victory [Giles took24 wickets in the six matches, including seven in England’s victory at Karachi, and six more as they clinched the Sri Lankan series in Colombo].”More importantly, it was the way the team bonded on that tour. There’s not a lot to do at nights out here, so we spent a lot of time eating, chatting, going into each other’s rooms and watching videos. We talked more about cricket, and more about each other as well, and when you do that, I think success comes hand-in-hand.”After a summer of doing a fill-in job when the seamers were tired, Giles is clearly relishing the chance to take centre stage once again. “Back home, it may be viewed as a build-up to Sri Lanka,” he said, “but I’ve been looking forward to this series – for my personal role in the team, and the opportunity it presents.”We dare not take these guys lightly. They had some impressive individualperformances against Australia and Pakistan, and if we underestimate them, we’ll get hammered.”

England will almost certainly have to tour Zimbabwe following the ICC’s decision to clear the Zimbabwe board (ZCU) of all allegations of racism.A delegation from the England & Wales Cricket Board arrives in Harare today to assess the security arrangements for the tour. It was over concerns with player safety that England refused to play in Zimbabwe during the 2003 World Cup.John Carr, the ECB’s director of operations, and Richard Bevan, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, will meet with ZCU officials, as well as representatives of the Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition. The pair will report their findings to the ECB next week.The ICC’s decision to allow Zimbabwe to resume Test cricket will almost certainly mean that England again come under international pressure to play them. Whereas the ECB seems to have just about got away with the one-day series, the potential problems associated with a full tour would be significantly increased. The honeymoon period for David Collier, the ECB’s new chief executive, might be brief.