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.

With the storm surrounding the chairman of selectors settling, if only for the moment, the focus shifts to the selection of the Indian squad for the four Tests against Australia. It’s tough to predict much in Indian cricket these days but the 16-member squad is expected to be chosen without too many flutters.India’s good form of late means the selectors won’t be inclined to make too many changes and are likely to go with five fast bowlers, two spinners, two wicketkeepers and seven batsmen. Barring a debate surrounding the openers and one related to the fast-bowling line-up, the team almost picks itself.What the selectors will keep in mind, though, is performance on the last tour to Australia, one on which India memorably drew 1-1. Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra, Parthiv Patel and Ajit Agarkar may under normal circumstances have had an outside chance of making the cut but their case now will be strengthened by the impression they made four years ago.The only member of the starting XI whose spot is under scrutiny is Dinesh Karthik. He was the highest run-getter in the three Tests in England earlier this year and also gives the team an extra wicketkeeper option but two poor Tests have brought him under the scanner.He’s managed just 39 runs in the last four innings but backing from the team management, as well as a section of the selection committee, could see him through. Parthiv, in fine nick of late, is the one pushing for his slot. He toured Australia last time around and close observers have pointed to his improved wicketkeeping but his selection would nonetheless go down as a big surprise.The third opener’s slot will be contested by three Delhi batsmen. Gautam Gambhir, the reserve opener on the England tour, starts as favourite. He’s made a strong case with 342 runs in two Ranji Trophy games (at an average of 114) and would consider himself very unlucky to miss out.His competition is two contrasting batsmen who opened the batting in all four Tests last time around. Sehwag, with a poor showing in two Ranji matches, remains in the reckoning because of his fine record in Australia. His buccaneering 195 on the opening day of the Melbourne Test the last time hasn’t been forgotten and there is a belief that he still has it in him to swing a Test on his own.Chopra’s 215 in Dharamshala – he reached his double-century today with a six – provided a timely reminder that there is a third option. With 493 runs at 70.42 he has enjoyed a good, consistent run but remains only an outside contender. His close-in fielding could be an asset but he might well lose out in what’s turned into a rat-race.The rest of the batsmen, including Yuvraj Singh, pick themselves and Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh are all but certain to be the only two spinners on tour.That leaves five fast bowlers, a choice largely dependent on the fitness of those involved. Sreesanth is all but ruled out, providing Irfan Pathan with an opening for a comeback. He’s turned in some good spells in the Ranji games (11 wickets in two matches) and can be viewed as a fourth seamer who can bat lower down the order.Zaheer Khan and a fit RP Singh are obvious choices. Munaf Patel, with a couple of good spells in the recent series, could make it despite his injury-prone nature and that leaves the fifth slot to be filled. Ajit Agarkar, who last played a Test nearly two years back, comes back into the reckoning and will battle with rookies Ishant Sharma, VRV Singh and Ranadeb Bose for a spot. Agarkar’s six-wicket haul in Adelaide, added to his ability to get through a tour without picking up injuries, makes him the favourite for the final slot.Probable squadWasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Anil Kumble (capt), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Ajit Agarkar.

Mumbai 208 (Anand Singh 98, Jadhav 6-74) and 283 for 8 (Chitnis 99, Chavan 53*, Dole 5-56) beat Maharashtra 277 (Joshi 88*) and 213 (Shilakar 53, Chavan 6-43) by two wicketsMumbai claimed the CK Nayudu Trophy after defeating Maharashtra by two wickets in a close final of the all-India Under-22 tournament in Visakhapatnam.The four-day final was a fight to the finish, with Mumbai reaching their target of 283 with 2.2 mandatory overs to spare on the last day. The chase was led by 99 from Siddharth Chitnis, while Ankit Chavan followed up his six-wicket haul in Maharastra’s second innings with an unbeaten 53.It was a spirited effort from the Mumbai side which was captained by Sushant Marathe, who has played in the Ranji Trophy as well. They conceded a 69-run first-innings lead, but came back to dismiss Maharashtra for 213 in the second innings.Aditya Dole, who had taken all ten wickets in an innings during an earlier match against Rajasthan, threatened to wreck Mumbai’s chances with his 5 for 56. However, the Mumbai batsmen managed to string together useful partnerships, with Chitnis adding 76 with Marathe (48), 78 with Aditya Tare (42) and 46 with Chavan, who went on to steer his team to a win.Pradeep Sunderam, the Mumbai coach, hoped that his team’s success would motivate the city’s Ranji team. “When your bench strength excels, it is bound to motivate the seniors,” he told THE. “I hope the Ranji side will also live up to the expectations.” Sunderam was also pleased that the team had managed to win despite missing a few players who were required for the Ranji Trophy.

Michael Clarke says he has cleared the air with Anil Kumble over two of the controversies that flared in the second innings of the Sydney Test. Clarke stood his ground after edging Kumble to first slip and then, as India were fighting to save the game, he claimed a catch off Sourav Ganguly while fielding in the slip cordon, although there were doubts over whether the take was clean.”I wanted to speak to Anil before I spoke to the media on both cases – the catch and my dismissal,” Clarke said. “I still, to this day, feel 100% positive that I caught the catch fairly. I told him that and said with my dismissal that it was more out of shock and disappointment more than anything else.”Anil was very supportive and said ‘mate I understand’. We’ve played a fair bit of cricket against each other and he knows I’m not the kind of person to try and harm the game; the last thing I’d want is to put the game in jeopardy.”Kumble had criticised Clarke for not walking after edging to slip and called it “unsportsmanlike” behaviour. “Huss [Michael Hussey] and Haydos [Matthew Hayden] batted fantastic in the second innings, so I sat and waited for a couple of hours dying to get out and have a bat,” Clarke said.”I was really excited to get out there and do well, with family and friends all at the game, after failing in the first innings. When I went to cut the ball and it come off my glove and went to slip it was more just the shock and disappointment of failing and getting my first first-baller in Test cricket.”In hindsight and if I had my time again, I wish I had just walked straight off the field. I hope it doesn’t happen too many times, I hope I don’t get too many ducks in Test cricket, but if it happens again, I’m certain I will react differently.”Clarke would not be drawn on the Harbhajan-Symonds controversy but said there was no room for racism in the game. “That’s why the ICC and the Indian board dealt with the stuff with spectators in India [during the ODI series in October].”He said he was not sure how Australia would have reacted if “we were in their shoes” but hoped that India would not boycott the series. “Fingers crossed I’m hoping they definitely stay for the rest of the Test series and the one-dayers because you look forward to every chance you get to play India. It’s up to BCCI and Anil and whoever is in charge.”Clarke said he was positive the Perth Test, which starts on Wednesday, would be played in the right spirit after the problems in Sydney. Australia will be pushing for their 17th consecutive Test victory, a triumph that would break the world record set by Steve Waugh’s Australians between 1999 and 2001.”The Australians are keen as mustard to get out here and win this 17th Test match in a row,” he said. “It’s a reminder about why we are the best cricket team in the world, what we do to achieve such highs in all forms of the game except Twenty20 at the moment. I think he [Ricky Ponting] will want to remind us about that and make sure that we keep playing it like that for a long time.”It might one day be Clarke who sets outs to guide an Australian side past the record again, as there has been much speculation that he is being groomed to eventually succeed Ponting as the Test captain. But Clarke said he was unsure how he would have handled the events of the past week had he been in Ponting’s shoes.”Full credit to the way he has stood tall,” Clarke said. “It’s been a hell of a ride in the last week. I don’t think many players have experienced what we’ve experienced. I think it’s opened everybody’s eyes as to how big this game of cricket is. You don’t know until you are sitting in the chair, I don’t know if I’d have handled it like Ricky; I am not sure how I would have approached it.”

Michael Vaughan is preparing to head out to New Zealand to lead England’s Test team with a huge drive to ensure he is around to captain the side in next year’s Ashes and also has ambitions to play until the 2010-11 series in Australia.After England’s 1-0 defeat against Sri Lanka, their second consecutive series loss following the 1-0 reversal against India, there have been a few murmurings that Vaughan’s captaincy spell may come under pressure, especially with the one-day side under Paul Collingwood showing promising improvement.With the bat, though, Vaughan has proved his worth since returning to the Test side last summer against West Indies. He scored two centuries last year – a memorable ton on his comeback at Headingley and a stylish 124 against India at Trent Bridge – and feels he could have had plenty more runs to his name.”I know I am good enough to be there,” Vaughan told the at an Urban Cricket event in Sheffield. “That’s never ever been in question.”In the nine games since I have come back and played, I have probably found a rhythm to bat in that I have not had for a few years, which is a really great sign. I could have even averaged 75-80 with the way I played. I had two or three opportunities to go on and get 150s, 200s, massive scores and I didn’t take them.””If I can continue to play in that rhythm and form, I believe there will be a purple patch around the corner where I get big scores on the trot,” he said. “Whether I am there in 2009 – it is still a long way off – I still have ambition to go on beyond it.”I don’t just think 2009 will be it for me, I look maybe at the Australians in Australia the time after that. I would like to still be playing in that.”However, if he is around for the next trip down under he doesn’t think it will be as captain. He first took up the role in 2003 and would like to end his career purely as a batsman.”I don’t think I will do it [captaincy] for that stretch,” said Vaughan. “I really would love to play as a non-captain towards the latter stages of my career. I love the captaincy but I also wouldn’t mind having a ‘do’ eventually at just playing.”That’s why I have enjoyed this little six-week period out of the game when I can just focus on me, if you like: get my body and form to the standard I want it to be at, arrive in New Zealand fitter, and I probably will do, than I have been for years and years.”When I get there, I have to look after all the team so, in these little periods I have, I have to make sure I look after myself and arrive in decent form.”

The pressure is growing on Norman Arendse, the Cricket South Africa (CSA) president, as leading figures in the game prepare for a set of hastily-arranged meetings in Johannesburg to discuss selection and quota issues.Logan Naidoo, the manager of the squad in Bangladesh and vice-president of CSA, has flown back to South Africa amid rumours that Arendse will face a vote of no confidence from senior figures next week.The current controversy stems from the squad selected to tour Bangladesh. Initially the 14-man party was rejected by Arendse for not conforming to CSA quota requirements which state the need for seven players of colour. The squad only included four – later five when Robin Peterson replaced Paul Harris – and it required the intervention of Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, to release the team.Majola and Arendse issued a joint statement apologising for the public nature of the disagreements but tensions below the surface are still running high.Adding to the debate are comments from Butana Komphela, chairman for the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport, who has said that the CSA president should have the right to veto a South African team that doesn’t meet the transformation policy. reported that Komphela said that while parliament will never select sporting teams, they will continue to insist they are representative of the country.

Australia 250 for 2 (Blackwell 91, Nitschke 82, Sthalekar 62*) beat New Zealand 249 for 7 (McGlashan 50, Browne 50, Devine 40) by eight wickets

Shelley Nitschke picked the right time to hit her highest ODI score to help Australia come back from a 2-1 deficit and win the Rose Bowl in the final match in Lincoln. Nitschke’s 82 was part of a 144-run opening stand with Alex Blackwell, who made 91, and laid the platform for back-to-back wins to ensure Australia remained unbeaten in any series this decade.Saturday’s fourth match was not without its alarms as they edged a tight success, but Sunday’s contest was a dominant eight-wicket thumping set up by the batsmen. They were left to chase 250 following fifties from New Zealand’s Sara McGlashan and Nicola Browne – Sophie Devine also thrashed 40 off 27 balls – and did it with 3.1 overs to spare.Nitschke and Blackwell remained undaunted during their record opening stand for Australia in New Zealand. It was Blackwell’s second fifty in two days, but the first of the series for Nitschke, which came off the back of two half-centuries against England.After Nitschke fell to Lucy Doolan, having just passed her previous high of 81, Lisa Sthalekar (61 not out) combined with Blackwell to add 80 for the second wicket. Blackwell fell just short of her second ODI hundred before Sthalekar, who reached her second half-century of the weekend, and Karen Rolton added the final six runs.Though Australia have taken every Rose Bowl since 1998-99, New Zealand have given them tight contests in the past three series, while England also tested them with a 2-2 draw in February. England then went on to beat New Zealand.Australia showed their fighting spirit with a courageous comeback but they are now world leaders by a nose only. This has been a packed calendar for three of the top four sides and the aim of the games was to see where the teams were at and gain some decent experience for next year’s World Cup and proposed Twenty20 World Cup.On the evidence of the three recent series, the verdict is an open one. There is more cricket to play before 2009 but next year is an increasingly mouth-watering prospect.

Glamorgan have pulled off a major coup after the ECB awarded Cardiff the opening Ashes Test for next summer.The announcement was made public on Friday, and the first Test is set to get underway at the newly refurbished Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on July 8, which is a Wednesday instead of the traditional Thursday.The ground has been undergoing a £9.4million refurbishment since it was announced in 2006 that it had won the right to host its maiden Test match. The capacity will have been raised from 5,500 to 15,643 in just under two years. The first Test of the famous 2005 series took place at Lord’s, but Australia will not have fond memories of Cardiff, after their shock defeat against Bangladesh in that summer’s NatWest Series.David Collier, the ECB’s chief executive, said: “Already there is great expectation surrounding the Ashes Test Series which will follow the 2009 Twenty20 World Championships in an exciting summer of cricket for cricket followers.’We have been in full consultation with the England management about the structure of the series and our summer programme in 2009 and this was ECB’s preferred programme . I think everyone is now looking forward to the summer with relish.”Cricket Australia’s CEO, James Sutherland, said: “While it’s still more than a year away, the 2009 Ashes Series is already generating significant interest both here and in the UK. The 2005 series was a remarkable contest and the catalyst for huge growth in our game Australia and the UK. I’m sure that the 2009 Ashes will be another eagerly anticipated series.”Commenting on the announcement, Kevin Pietersen said: “As a member of the victorious England team in 2005, I’m looking forward to facing the Australian team again on home soil. The 2009 series promises some great cricket, at some great venues and no doubt some tough challenges along the way.”I’m pleased that interest in cricket continues to grow and the spectators can look forward to another thrilling Ashes duel,” said Pietersen, “arguably the biggest cricket contest of them all.”In addition to Cardiff and Lord’s, next summer’s other venues will be Edgbaston, Headingley and The Oval.The Ashes itineraryWed 8 – Sun 12 July, 1st Test, Cardiff
Thu 16 – Mon 20 July, 2nd Test, Lord’s
Thu 30 July – Mon 3 Aug, 3rd Test, Edgbaston
Fri 7 – Tue 11 Aug, 4th Test, Headingley
Thu 20 – Mon 24 Aug, 5th Test, The Oval

Sreesanth gets lucky
Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma introduced the first bit of cheek to a match that has seen a lot of pluck on the first two days. Edges, half hits, catches off no-balls, all added to South Africa’s agony today in a 46-run last-wicket stand that could have decisively taken the match out of South Africa’s reach. Nothing would have frustrated them more than the edge off Sreesanth in the fourth over of the day. It flew through the six-inch space between first and second slip, where both Neil McKenzie and Jacques Kallis thought it was the other’s catch, before McKenzie dived as an afterthought. But by then the ball had already passed him for four crucial runs.New ball, what new ball?
It took a whole innings before Mahendra Singh Dhoni came up with a trademark surprise move in his first Test as captain. The South African batsmen would have expected spin pretty early on in the innings. They wouldn’t have been surprised had a spinner opened, but they wouldn’t have expected a short leg and a silly point from the first ball of the innings. Harbhajan has opened an innings four times before, but this time he was bowling the first over. To the South Africans’ credit, they handled him pretty well before he finally struck with Hashim Amla’s wicket in his seventh over.That’s all right, but where are the runs?
Graeme Smith played a determined innings, cutting down any strokes that would fall prey to a ball that bounces unevenly. So much so, he seemed to have forgotten about scoring for a while. Smith swept Piyush Chawla from outside leg in the 25th over of the innings to score his first boundary. It was 67 balls coming, which has to be one of the longest waits for his first four. Smith’s score then: 21.Sehwag rolls over dangerously
For more than 16 overs, Smith and Kallis ensured that there was no damage, scoring 38 runs and making sure no wickets fell. Given their 60-run lead, India hadn’t started feeling restless yet, but the third-wicket pairing were beginning to look comfortable. Dhoni then turned to Virender Sehwag. The first ball he bowled was a quick offbreak that kicked viciously and hurried Kallis into edging in onto his pad and then lobbing up for an easy catch for Wasim Jaffer. Sehwag was not done yet, he proceeded to bowl Smith round his legs off a fullish delivery, something he has a knack for doing.

A four-wicket haul from Andrew Ellis and a 43-ball 76 from Peter Fulton were the headlining performances in Canterbury’s six-wicket victory with 21 balls to spare against Auckland in Christchurch.Auckland had made a steady, if not rapid, start after choosing to bat. Riding on Brad Cachopa’s 49, they had progressed to 115 for 2 in 15.4 overs, with plenty of wickets in hand for the final surge. Then they collapsed to a spate of run-outs and Ellis, who finished with 4 for 17 in four overs. Auckland lost seven wickets for 18 runs and ended with 133 for 9.Fulton ensured that Canterbury did not struggle for momentum in the chase. Coming in at 18 for 2 in 2.1 overs, Fulton hit seven sixes in his innings, making more than half the runs in the chase of 134. He was unbeaten when the winning runs were scored in the 17th over. Auckland fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan took three out of the four wickets that Canterbury lost.Northern Districts chased down a target of 171 with two wickets and four balls to spare, handing Central Districts their fourth loss in their six completed games in the Georgie Pie Super Smash. Northern Districts were steered by 70 off 47 balls from opener Anton Devcich, before No. 7 Nick Kelly exploded with 36 off 16 to power the team home.Devcich had strung together handy partnerships with his top-order partners, putting Northern Districts on course at 126 for 3 in the 14th over. But three quick strikes – including that of Devcich – reduced them to 135 for 6 by the end of the 16th, and it was nervous times in their change room. Kelly hit away those nerves, though, slamming four sixes even as he lost two lower-order partners for ducks to get the side across the line.Central Districts’ innings was built around an anchoring 76 off 52 by their overseas opener, Mahela Jayawardene, after they had lost George Worker off the first ball of the match. Worker was taken out by Scott Kuggeleijn, who, with 3 for 24, ended with the best figures on either side.