Hales focused on club and country

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Hales focused on club and country

Alex Hales is content to forego any short-term Indian Premier League ambitions at the behest of his county and focus instead on his England and Nottinghamshire future.

England's Twenty20 opener signed up for the Bangladesh Premier League but will not be involved in next month's IPL auction.

The 23-year-old was informed by his agent that Nottinghamshire did not want him to join world's most lucrative domestic competition.

While the likes of Kevin Pietersen continue to be available, England commitments permitting, Hales is therefore happy to stay away.

"I'm not in the IPL auction. I wasn't allowed by my club to go into it," said Hales, set to open the batting for England against India in the second Twenty20 international at the Wankhede Stadium.

"That's fine; it means I can prepare for the county season as well, which is a big part of the game."

Hales had no direct contact with his employers on the subject of the IPL but gleaned from contract negotiations that Nottinghamshire were not keen on the idea.

"I've not spoken to (coach) Mick Newell about it; I just spoke to my agent," said Hales.

"I am not too fussed about it.

"The four-day game is important and I really want to do well for Notts this year."

One-day internationals, and even Tests, are higher on his agenda.

As for the IPL, Hales added: "I think at my age it's not something I need to think about - I still have ambitions in the longer form.

"But if it doesn't happen that way, maybe in a few years ...

"My long-term aim is still to play all three forms for England.

"Obviously I'm some way from that. But I have a lot of ambition and if that means putting in the hard yards with Twenty20 going into the one-dayers then that's it.

"Every time I put on an England shirt I want to perform and put myself in the shop window."

He is also looking forward to opening the batting in the near future with Kevin Pietersen for the first time.

He made way for Pietersen to open against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last year.

Then when Pietersen temporarily retired from all international limited-overs cricket during his contract wrangles last summer, Hales resumed his partnership with Craig Kieswetter up to and including England's failed defence of their ICC World Twenty20 crown.

Pietersen is being rested from this two-match series in India but may well be back in the sprint format squad set to be announced tomorrow to face New Zealand in February.

"It's great to see him back - he is a hugely-talented player," said Hales.

"It will be great for me to bat alongside somebody like that.

"Any time you get to pick a player's brain of that quality, it is an opportunity.

"It may be intimidating for bowlers to have two blokes of 6ft 5in opening the batting, so I hope it will gel nicely."

Black Caps crash to humiliating defeat

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Black Caps crash to humiliating defeat

An experimental South Africa team romped to an eight-wicket win over New Zealand in their opening Twenty20 game.

South Africa needed just 12.1 overs yesterday to reach 87-2 and overhaul New Zealand's 86 all out.

Left badly exposed by the absence of experienced players themselves -- including former captain Ross Taylor -- New Zealand needed 23 from debutant Colin Munro to help it past its record low in 20-over games, 80 all out against Pakistan in 2010.

Seamer Rory Kleinvedlt (3-18) and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson (2-8) did the bowling damage for the Proteas while stand-in captain Faf du Plessis led South Africa home in his first game in charge, hitting the winning runs and finishing 38 not out.

Wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock was 28 not out on his international debut.

"No complaints, it was a fantastic game for us. Very happy," Du Plessis said. "It's the standard we've set, but the standard we have to keep for the remainder of the series."

Desperate to perform well under new skipper Brendon McCullum and put aside the controversy over the exit of Taylor as captain, New Zealand's relatively experienced top order all failed and left the four debutants it fielded in the series-opener with little chance to revive the innings.

McCullum was one of the failures as he fell for six to a relentless South African seam attack. The visitors were 36-6 at one stage before the South African-born Munro and then tailender Doug Bracewell (21 not out) gave them some small respectability.
Rob Nicol (3), Peter Fulton (9), McCullum and James Franklin (0) all went cheaply at the start of the innings as South African seamers Kleinveldt, Dale Steyn (2-13), Chris Morris (2-19) and Ryan McLaren (1-27) cashed in on regular mistimed attacking shots by the Black Caps batsmen.

Peterson then helped mop up the tail with his 2-8 off four overs -- the most economical bowling from a South African in T20 internationals.

"We came here to play some aggressive cricket," New Zealand captain McCullum said, "but first things first we do have to do some fundamentals right to earn the right to be aggressive ... We got a couple of things we didn't get right."

Munro, who made his New Zealand debut back in the city of his birth, Durban, hit four fours in a brief counterattack.

Bracewell struck three boundaries in a 21-run partnership with Ronnie Hira for the ninth wicket -- the highest stand of the innings.

New Zealand was still bowled out with 10 balls remaining of its 20 overs.

Debutant fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan removed Richard Levi for a duck in the first over of South Africa's reply for a rare high spot for the tourists.

But Henry Davids -- also on debut -- hit a six and three fours in his 20 from 13 balls to kick start the Proteas' chase and new leader Du Plessis continued his belligerent form from the victorious tour of Australia to take South Africa home.

Southee out of South Africa Tests

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Southee out of South Africa Tests

New Zealand quick Tim Southee has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against South Africa after suffering a thumb injury.

The 24-year-old is set to miss up to two months of action after it was confirmed he would need surgery after diving for a ball in domestic cricket this week.

"He landed heavily on his thumb while fielding, with scans indicating the ligament has fully ruptured and retracted," said New Zealand physio Paul Close in a statement on www.blackcaps.co.nz.

"After consultation with NZC medical staff and a hand specialist it was decided the best course of action is for him to have surgery.

"He will commence rehabilitation immediately following the procedure, with a view to him returning to cricket during the home summer.

"The procedure is likely to keep him out of the game for six to eight weeks."

The news is a major blow to the Black Caps hopes' ahead of the two-Test series which begins in Cape Town on January 2.

Southee played a key role as New Zealand drew their recent Test series in Sri Lanka 1-1. The right-armer grabbed 12 wickets at an average of 13.8.

New Zealand are yet to name a replacement player, with a three-match one-day international series also to follow.

Morgan rues missed chance

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Morgan rues missed chance

England captain Eoin Morgan lamented his side's failure to capitalise on an excellent start following their five-wicket defeat to India in the first T20 international.

The tourists seemed on course for a formidable total when Alex Hales (56) and Luke Wright (34) helped them to 89 for one after 10 overs.

However, Yuvraj Singh's introduction changed the course of the match, with the slow left armer accounting for the pair in successive overs en route to figures of three for 19.

England could only reach for 157 for five, a total that was undermined by 10 wides as India cruised home with 13 balls to spare.

"We got off to a great start. Alex Hales played tremendously well along with Luke Wright but in that middle period we failed to kick on and score," Morgan said on Sky Sports 1.

"That positivity wasn't there in our batting and we lacked about 15 or 20.

"We never seemed to get going again. We continually lost wickets, which is a shame because because the start we had, we were on for a good score.

"We always thought we were in the game. We lacked a small bit of discipline in our bowling but we were always up against it with that score on the board."

It was a welcome return to winning ways for India, who have been pilloried for their recent 2-1 Test series defeat against England.

MS Dhoni has faced calls to resign as captain but led India over the line with a calm 24 not out from 21 balls.

While he admitted England's great start had left him feeling nervous, he saluted the efforts of Yuvraj, who also top scored for the hosts by plundering 38 from 21 deliveries.

"I think the pressure was on the bowlers because of the way England started," he said.

"They went after the bowlers and that was a difficult part because with the new ball it's a bit easier to score in the sub-continent, especially in India.

"It was important from the eighth over onwards we tried to bring the team back into the game because we all know the game changes after the eighth or ninth over, the ball becomes slightly old.

"Yuvraj was brilliant. I thought he bowled really well at the right pace which was crucial."

Yuvraj stars as India beat England

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Yuvraj stars as India beat England

Inspired by Yuvraj Singh's electrifying show in the field, India defeated England by five wickets at the picturesque Sahara Cricket Stadium in Pune.

Yuvraj, the last of seven bowlers used by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, took three wickets for 19 runs to rudely interrupt England's fun at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium after opener Hales (56) and Luke Wright had put them in an encouraging mid-innings position.

Eoin Morgan's team lost their last five wickets for 68 runs in 10 overs to finish on 157 for six on a good batting surface.

Yuvraj himself then did some of the early steering as India coasted home with more than two overs to spare, to gain the most minor revenge in this first of two Twenty20s for England's historic Test series victory here.

It did not help the tourists' cause when new-ball pair Jade Dernbach and Tim Bresnan both started with wides, the first of 10 England would bowl.

Dernbach was guilty of three, in fact, in his first over - before Ajinkya Rahane hoisted both him and Bresnan over long-on for sixes.

After a 42-run stand, Bresnan hit back with the wickets of both openers in the same over - his first successes in international cricket on this near two-month tour.

Gautam Gambhir pulled him high and hard but picked out Hales, the tallest man on the pitch, who held on to the catch above his head at deep square-leg.

Bresnan should then have had two in two, Rahane badly dropped at short fine-leg by Stuart Meaker. But the missed chance cost only one run, because Rahane mistimed his next ball to be well-caught at mid-on by Samit Patel.

Yuvraj dominated a partnership of 49 for the third wicket, hitting Danny Briggs for six, four, six high over the leg-side in the young spinner's only over.

But Meaker then kept his cool under another high one off Wright at deep square-leg when the left-hander fell just short of another six and had to go.

India were already on course for victory by then.

Virat Kohli was bowled off an under-edge, however, trying to pull the slippery pace of Meaker - and Morgan missed one more golden chance to pull his team back into the match.

When Dhoni fell over and was stranded mid-pitch, having set off for a single, his opposite number produced another wild aim on England's night of wides as the run-out opportunity went begging with more than 40 runs still needed. Hales had been almost single-handedly responsible for getting England's innings off to such a promising start.

He dispatched Ashok Dinda for successive pulled fours in the first over - and after Michael Lumb was then unable to stop Ravichandran Ashwin beginning with a maiden, Hales took a heavy toll of first-change debutant Parvinder Awana and then Ravindra Jadeja.

He hit Jadeja for six over long-on, and repeated the dose off Ashwin too to take the score to 51 for one after the six-over powerplay.

Hales raced to his 50 from just 26 balls, with seven fours and those two sixes - and he and Wright took the score to 89 for one at the 10-over mark, in a stand of 68.

But Wright got underneath an attempted big hit at Yuvraj and holed out at long-off, a dismissal which kick-started the loss of three wickets for 11 runs in 16 balls - all to the slow left-armer.

Yuvraj had Morgan dropped by wicketkeeper Dhoni on four, but bowled Hales who missed a drive at the very next ball - and then got the England captain for good measure in the same over, via another mistimed shot high to long-on.

Piyush Chawla's first over had cost 15 runs, but Dhoni took his chance to recall the leg-spinner - who bowled his next two for nine as Patel and Jos Buttler tried to rebuild.

They progressed exclusively in ones, between the dots, for the next 16 balls - until Buttler clubbed the returning Ashwin over midwicket for six.

Patel's attempt at a maximum, however, resulted only in a third catch in the deep for Rahane off Dinda.

England had lost telling momentum - and despite the best efforts of the innovative Buttler in a career-best 33 not out, including successive sixes in Awana's 20th over, they could not redress the balance.

Flower: England have moved on

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Flower: England have moved on

England are looking forward to a harmonious future, with Kevin Pietersen "reintegrated" for good.

The superstar batsman is set to commute his four-month England and Wales Cricket Board contract into a full annual one, having satisfied his employers that all is well again after his summer of discontent.

Pietersen agreed a four-month deal at the end of September, in order to take part after all in the Test tour of India - which ended on Monday with a historic first series victory here since 1984-85.

Team director Andy Flower was central in the peace-making process which allowed Pietersen to heal wounds with management and some senior players after he fell out with them and was then not initially picked to travel to India.

Flower anticipates no further problems, after Pietersen played a full and important part in England's success on and off the field.

He is mindful that lessons can be learned from past problems, and their solutions, but is not inclined to dwell on them.

"We did move on from it as soon as we had our meetings and everyone made a commitment to do so," he said of the beginning of the negotiations which brought Pietersen back into the fold.

"I want to continue that, moving forward.

"We want to learn from the past, but we don't want to keep on revisiting it."

As for the future, Flower is optimistic.

"The contract won't be a problem," he said.

"Kevin has been excellent in every way.

"We don't all always get on with people all of the time - any of us in any walk of life - and everyone has made an effort to make it work.

"It's been really good fun and he should be very proud of the way he's operated out here both as an individual and as a player."

Pietersen's masterful hundred in Mumbai was the man-of-the-match performance in a comeback victory which set them on the way to their unexpected series success.

"In Mumbai he showed real skill in Indian conditions on a pitch that turned on the first day," added Flower.

"For him to score as quickly as he did there and put such pressure on the opposition bowlers really helped us turn the series around.

"He also scored a 73 and, I think, a 54 in the series - important innings - and he's been excellent in the field and in the dressing room."

Flower also spoke with admiration about the man-of-the-series exploits of Alastair Cook, prolific with the bat and an impressive tactician already since replacing Andrew Strauss after the dual Ashes-winning captain's retirement.

"We all know to come back from one down in these conditions to win a series is a hell of an achievement," Flower said.

"I think there are three England captains who have won out here - (Douglas) Jardine, (Tony) Greig and (David) Gower.

"Now Cook has done it as well, and that's a great achievement for him and the side.

"He's been superb as a leader.

"He's been watching the opposition and the tactics they employ, when he's had a chance to do that, and I think he's shown more nous out here than some foreign sides that come to these shores and don't adapt quickly or decisively enough.

"I think he's going to be an excellent leader for England. We're very lucky to follow a bloke of Strauss' quality with Cook."

Flower will make an early start to the Test tour of New Zealand next year.

He and a small group of Test specialists will fly out 10 days before the first warm-up match, while the remainder of the squad are still engaged in the limited-overs leg of the trip.
+Jessica Abel 

Dhoni gets Dravid's backing

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Dhoni gets Dravid's backing

The clamour for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's removal as India's captain might be becoming shriller by the day but former skipper Rahul Dravid feels he is the man to take the team forward.

"At the moment I don't really see a viable alternative. I really think Dhoni can be the man to take India forward if he has the energy, passion and the enjoyment to do it. That's again the key," Dravid told 'ESPNCricinfo'.

"It's really going to come down to a lot of these players actually sitting back themselves, once the emotion has gone back, and calmly reassessing where they're at, and their roads to the future and the joy and enthusiasm they have to take Indian cricket forward. If Dhoni has it, I believe he is the right man to do it but that's really up to him to decide," he said.

Dhoni's captaincy in the series, which India lost 1-2, came under severe criticism from former players such as Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth, who felt the time has come to replace him.

Another player who is facing constant questions about his future after failing in this series is senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Dravid said the veteran will have to take a call after dispassionate introspection.

"He's been a huge servant of the game and been fantastic for Indian cricket. He is a great player and this period has been difficult for him. He is a proud man and this would have hurt him. The thing is, people need to have a conversation with him and see what's his state of mind, what he's thinking and what his plans are.

"After that conversation, he himself will have to think about a few things because I'm not sure there are many people who can take the decisions regarding Tendulkar," he said.

"...if he truly believes that, 'Yes, I can be around when India makes these foreign trips, if I can be around in South Africa, New Zealand, England, playing at my best,' then I think it makes sense for him to back himself and fight it out."

"If he, at any stage, doubts himself and believes that he can't then he's got to start thinking about his career, and what's the future of Indian cricket as well. So it's really going to be up to him," Dravid added.

The former middle-order mainstay said whatever the decision taken by Tendulkar, it should be respected by everyone.

"Look, it's a pretty emotional time, he should take the emotion out of it, sit back, there's time before the next Australia series, sit back calmly and reflect. And irrespective of whatever decision he takes, in the end we have to respect it," he said.

Analysing India's meek surrender in the series, Dravid said the team is in transition but should have shown more intensity.

"Any time you lose a Test series at home, because India haven't lost a lot at home, you could consider it a low point.

You've got to accept a little bit that this team is in transition as well, you have to give a bit of leeway for that.

I think India will be disappointed, they would have expected to beat England at home," he said.

"At the start of the series, and especially after Ahmedabad, you got the feeling that India felt they could have won the series. It hasn't panned out that way. From that point of view, I guess you can only go up from here.

"India have lost a couple of series away from home, against England and Australia badly. There was always a feeling that, you know, India might not necessarily have been playing well abroad but India will always do well in India, and all of us I guess believed that as well. That has shown to be slightly not so true, and it's time to introspect," he added.

Akram: Future of Indian bowling bleak

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Akram: Future of Indian bowling bleak

Former Pakistan speedster says it’s futile to blame the wickets, England bowlers were simply better than the Indians.

By Faisal Kamal
India’s inability to pick 20 wickets in a Test match was exposed as the visiting England side won a series in India after 28 years. In an exclusive chat with espnstar.com from Karachi on Wednesday, former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram believes that the future of Indian bowling is rickety.
"To be very honest, the future of Indian bowling looks bleak. Zaheer Khan looked average in the three Tests and then got dropped. Ishant Sharma was okay in patches but after five years at the international level you have to be more consistent. I am afraid he is going the Mohammad Sami way – a wasted talent. Umesh Yadav seems to be injury prone and the selectors don't pick Varun Aaron," said Akram.
Apart from Pragyan Ojha (20 wickets) and Ravichandran Ashwin (12), no Indian bowler bagged more than 5 wickets in the series. Akram feels it's time to ring in bowling changes for the future of Indian cricket.
"It's time that India look for new faces or tell the present bunch to shape up or ship out. I will suggest a certain Shami Ahmed to get a look in. The Bengal pacer is just 22 years old but has tremendous potential. Having worked with him for Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 season, I believe bowlers like him are the forward for Team India," the KKR consultant said.
A medium-pacer from Bengal, Shami made his first-class debut in 2010 against Assam, picking up three wickets. In a Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad this season, on a green top at Eden Gardens, he took 4/36 and 6/71, and scored 15 not out from 6 balls in the second innings to help his side win the match by 4 wickets, along with Wriddhiman Saha.
The MS Dhoni-led team has come under intense criticism from all quarters and even coach Duncan Fletcher is under scanner. Akram believes England's support staff was better equipped than its Indian counterpart.
"The lack of planning in the Indian team was pretty visible even on the television screens and that reflected on the bowling front as well. It seemed the bowlers were going through the motion rather than planning their wickets. England's team director Andy Flower, bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmad and batting coach Graham Gooch were all in sync unlike the Indian backroom staff," said Akram.

Australia in winning position

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Australia in winning position

Australia need another eight wickets to seal a win on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart.

SCORECARD
The tourists face a battle to force a draw as they closed on 65 for two after being set a victory target of 393 on day four, with veteran pair Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene having to keep Australia at bay in the final session.

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Tillakaratne Dilshan were dismissed fairly cheaply but Sangakkara made 18 from 88 balls while captain Jayawardene was equally watchful with just five from 37 deliveries.

Any thoughts of a Sri Lanka victory were thought to be slim when their opponents were all out for 278 midway through the day.

David Warner top-scored with 68 while opening partner Ed Cowan and captain Michael Clarke also contributed half-centuries.

They might have been able to extend that advantage had Clarke been able to come back out following the dismissal of the also-ailing Ben Hilfenhaus, but although Mike Hussey briefly hung around in the middle, he soon got the signal to follow Hilfenhaus off with Clarke unable to resume.

He had earlier retired hurt on 57 - breaking a potentially key partnership with Hussey - with an apparent hamstring injury although the 31-year-old was able to field.

Together, he and Hussey had been able to stop the rot after Sri Lanka claimed quick wickets early in the afternoon session, having made a long-awaited breakthrough before the interval.

The morning had been dominated by Australia openers Warner and Cowan, who took their overnight 27 without loss on to 132 before Warner - who had played some fine attacking shots to make 68 - toe-edged a Rangana Herath carrom ball behind.

Three overs later, and with only eight runs added to the score, Cowan went for 56, bowled by a Chanaka Welegedara delivery that cut in to sneak between bat and pad.

After lunch, Prasanna Jayawardene stumped Shane Watson off Herath (five for 96) for just five, when the batsman's back leg slid out of the crease, and soon after Phil Hughes went for 16, bowled between bat and pad by Shaminga Eranga.

Australia were 181 for five when Matthew Wade was caught at long-on off Herath for 11.

Clarke and Hussey steadied the ship with a partnership worth 57 before Clarke's injury but though Hussey immediately smashed a six, Australia's resistance would soon waver with the tail exposed.

Peter Siddle (four) was caught behind off Welegedara, and four balls later Mitchell Starc went lbw for five off the same bowler.

Nathan Lyon (11) was bowled by Herath, who claimed his five-for when Hilfenhaus, battling a side injury, was trapped in front for a duck to leave Hussey stranded on 31 not out.

Sri Lanka's decent start was undone when first-innings centurion Dilshan edged Watson's first ball behind to wicketkeeper Wade having made just 11 this time around.

Sangakkara was given a life when he was dropped by Clarke at slip off Lyon but Karunaratne was soon on his way back to the pavilion after being cleaned up by a superb yorker from Starc.

That left Sangakkara and Jayawardene, so often Sri Lanka's saviours, to dig in for the final 13 overs of the day, something the pair may have to do for a long spell tomorrow (Tuesday) to give the tourists any chance of avoiding defeat.

'Crazy to stop playing for no reason'

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'Crazy to stop playing for no reason'

Sachin Tendulkar received support from unexpected quarters with five-time world champion chess wizard, Viswanathan Anand, urging him to continue playing as long as he wanted.

"Criticism is fine, but if you still like playing it's crazy to stop for no reason. In sport there is no question that it favours young people in general. But I really want to play chess still," the 43-year-old Anand told reporters at a promotional event in Kolkata.

"I am lucky to have the chance to play and I intend to use it. I imagine the same for him (Tendulkar)," India' first Grandmaster in 1988 said.

Terming 40 as just a number, Anand said it's funny when one is questioned about age.

"The first question people ask is when are you going to retire? And if both of you want to retire, can one of you retire... It's a little bit funny. In my case, I don't think there is any fundamental change from December 10, 2009 to December 11, 2010. But it seems to affect the way people see you," Anand, who turned 43 on December 11, said.

The chess wizard clubbed Tendulkar, former India captain Sourav Ganguly, tennis veteran Leander Paes as three top icons he had seen.

"In general I have seen a lot of Leander Paes... I might have started a few years earlier but Sachin and I have been there for quite a long time. Sourav was there for quite a good part there as well. I think most of our careers we share together," he said.

Asked whether age was a factor, he said, "I don't think the number 40 has any particular significance with chess. In chess, you definitely get more time."

"There is a certain wear and tear in physical sport.

"There are sports like football and tennis, where people would be amazed if you continue beyond 32-33."
However, Anand said he did not wish to play beyond 50. "I think 50 is kind of a barrier. For me, I don't expect to be playing top chess when I am 60. But still there are a few years left. In the meantime, I want to enjoy as much as possible.

But Anand said he would like to win as many world titles as possible.

"I have not fixed any number to it. It's as many as they will let me in," he said with a smile.

But on a serious note he said he has a heavy schedule next year keeping in mind the next World Championship in 2013.

"I have a heavy schedule next year. I would want to play as many as possible. The candidates for the world championship will be selected in March and I will know who my opponent is," he said.

Recalling his match against Boris Gelfand, he said, "it was extremely draining. It was a huge workload that you put in for more than three months. But I don't think I am affected by it anymore. I was keen to play in Romania in June but it got postponed.

On to things other then chess, Anand hoped the impasse between the Indian Olympic Committee and the Indian Olympic Association would be resolved with more than three years to go before the next Olympics.

"At the moment, we still have more than a couple of years to solve the problem, so I am not too concerned. The main thing is to do well at the Games. We should not lose focus, I hope the situation with the federation is sorted out. They will remain athletes irrespective of they represent under the flag or not," he said.

Trott, Bell secure famous series win

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Trott, Bell secure famous series win

England scored a famous 2-1 Test series victory over India after centurions Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell shut the hosts out to confirm the stalemate they needed in the final Test.

Scorecard
Trott (143) and Bell (116no) barely had a moment's anxiety in a stand of 208 before England declared on 352 for four - a lead of 356 - before the players shook hands on a draw ahead of the final hour.

It is almost 28 years since England last won a Test series here, under David Gower and when current captain Alastair Cook was a babe in arms only weeks old.

Cook has been one of the foundations of this success, with centuries in his first three Tests after replacing Andrew Strauss as permanent captain to go with two more when he deputised in Bangladesh in 2010.

But it was Trott and Bell who ensured an achievement all the more notable after England's crushing nine-wicket defeat in the first Test in Ahmedabad.

There was much reason for personal satisfaction too - in Trott's second hundred of 2012 while Warwickshire team-mate Bell registered his first since making 235 against these same opponents at The Oval in 2011, and in a country where he had previously passed 50 just once in three tours.

Cook, Kevin Pietersen and spinners Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann had begun England's comeback in Mumbai; then the captain was at it again in Kolkata last week, when Steven Finn and in particular James Anderson's mastery of reverse-swing completed England's skills set.

It was heartening that Trott and Bell should be involved in the home straight, though, after their relative troubles in a year which has seen England lose seven of 15 Tests as well as their position at the top of the International Cricket Council rankings.

After Trott's ducks in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, he contributed significantly at Eden Gardens and here - completing the process with a typically cussed near five-hour hundred and also passing 1,000 runs after all in the past 12 months.

England's number three reached three figures with a trademark boundary wide of mid-on off leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, and celebrated with feeling.

All around him India, minus veteran master batsman Sachin Tendulkar who was off the field with a sore neck, wore glum faces resigned to a first home series defeat in eight years.

Bell did nothing to lighten their mood either and, having had just one escape on 75 when a fierce cut at Piyush Chawla was edged and put down by Virender Sehwag at slip, reached his painstaking six-hour hundred from 293 balls.

Along the way, there had been 13 fours and a six over long-off from the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja.

Soon after that blow to bring up the 200 stand, Trott was finally gone - India's only success of the day when he was caught at leg-slip off Ravichandran Ashwin from the 310th delivery he faced.

He and Bell had joined forces at a wobbly 94 for three when Pietersen was bowled shouldering arms at Jadeja last night, and Trott's only alarm came on 106 when he missed a Chawla top-spinner but survived the lbw appeal.

England arrived here needing only a draw, but Cook was at pains beforehand to spell out the danger of settling for limited ambition with stakes so high.

In the event, conditions dictated that the stalemate would have to do on a mesmerisingly slow surface which precluded a scoring rate much in excess of two an over throughout.

Despite its crazy-paving cracks from the outset, the VCA Stadium strip never deteriorated either.

Unwatered and unrolled for almost three weeks before the match, the intention seemed to be to provide a 'result' pitch in the hope India's four spinners could outbowl England's two.

If those were the expectations, it was soon abundantly clear the hosts were barking up the wrong tree.

Solitary seamer Ishant Sharma was by far the pick of their attack in the first innings, when low bounce from his high trajectory posed the biggest threat to England.

But after the tourists recovered from 16 for two to top 300, it was hard to see India getting far enough in front quickly enough to apply the pressure.

So it proved as, even after a near double-century fifth-wicket stand between Virat Kohli and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, they ended up declaring with a marginal deficit.

England knew then they merely needed to bat long in increasingly benign conditions to claim the prize of a historic series victory.

Thanks to their relentless fourth-wicket pair, it was never in doubt.

Cook hails landmark England success

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Cook hails landmark England success

Captain Alastair Cook savoured a "very special" series win after England triumphed in India for the first time in almost 28 years.

Centuries from Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell secured a draw in the fourth Test in Nagpur and a 2-1 win in the series.

"It's a very special day for us, it's been a special tour and we'll have great memories.

"Today was a fantastic effort by Trotty and Belly. All right, it was a flat pitch, but how calmly they batted was fantastic.

"We were slightly surprised how low and slow the pitch was, and it got better as the game went on.

"We knew when we batted in the second innings we had to make it very hard to take those wickets so credit to our batsmen for fronting up and taking on that challenge," said Cook.

The series success was all the more impressive after a heavy nine-wicket defeat in the first Test in Ahmedabad, which prompted widespread forecasts of a 4-0 series whitewash in the hosts' favour.

"We didn't handle the Ahmedabad wicket as well but the others were all very different and we adapted well," Cook added.

"The bowlers have been brilliant and our batters have contributed big runs. Everyone in the squad can be very proud, especially after Ahmedabad and that heavy defeat.

"The guys who played a couple of games all made a difference and the amount of effort the guys have put in for me, I can't ask any more.

"It's always nice when it goes well but I can't praise the team enough. And the support we've had everywhere we've gone, not just from the Barmy Army but also the Indian public, has been fantastic."
James Anderson was awarded the man of the match award after taking four for 81 in India's first innings and finished with 12 wickets in the series.

He came into his own during the third and fourth Tests by mastering reverse-swing after a relatively quiet start in India.

The 30-year-old always believed he would have a key part to play, refusing to rely on the spinners who normally prosper on the sub-continent.

"When we come over here, people think that spinners are going to get all the wickets but we knew that the seamers had a job to do over here," he said.

"We really wanted to show people we can do a job here and I really think we have.

"I've bowled better than I have before. Reverse-swing has been a key part of us doing well.

"We've really practised it in the nets and in the games we've had leading up to the series. I think we executed our plans really well in the game."

Anderson also profited from bowling shorter spells.

"You're only going to bowl three or four overs in a spell so being able to give it everything, it really helps you and you also get quite a long rest with the spinners we've got as well," he added.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted his side's poor batting at times had let them down, but was quick to hail Anderson.

"I think we struggled in the batting department but the difference between the two bowling sides was James Anderson," he said.

"He bowled really well. He was someone who was testing the batsman quite often."

The lifeless pitch in Nagpur attracted some criticism from all quarters and Dhoni acknowledged it did not suit either side.

"There was not much really for the fast bowlers or the spinners," he added.

"It was difficult to score runs but if you kept your head down it was difficult to get the batsmen out."

'I was waiting for one long innings'

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'I was waiting for one long innings'

After scoring a century under pressure to lead a remarkable Indian fightback against England, Virat Kohli said this was the innings he had been waiting for a long time.

"I was waiting for this one long innings. I was working hard for the last one month. You can't keep performing every innings and there will be ups and downs. But you need to stay positive whether you do well or not. That's what I did," said Kohli after the third day's play when he scored 103.

Kohli, along with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, put on a 198-run stand for the fifth wicket to rescue the home team from a precarious 71 for four on Saturday evening. Under-performing Kohli, who had scored a couple of 19s and 20s in the last six innings earlier in the series, said he was backing himself to do well despite the failures.
"Mentally I was feeling really good (right through the series). I got into the 20s three times, probably got a good ball in Ahmedabad. I made a few mistakes, after that I was waiting for this one.

"I was not doubting myself at all. Not thinking about what people were saying about me." The 24-year-old Delhi batsman, who hit his third Test ton, admitted that he might have put pressure on himself in his eagerness to do well against England.
"It was a very important innings. This is the one format I want to do very well in. Against New Zealand, I was in a good mindset and could get good scores straightaway. Personally, I was eager to do well in this series. Probably I got a bit too desperate to do well," said Kohli.

The key on the slow and low track at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha here was to remain patient, according to Kohli. He said the cracks on the wicket were opening up now. "We aimed to play it over by over and stretch the game as much as possible and not thinking about how many runs to score in every session or at the end of the day. Goal was to concentrate throughout," he said.
"This is the type of wicket where you need to show some patience and apply yourself the whole time. The wicket has not changed much but the cracks are opening up slowly. There might be a different wicket tomorrow and the spinners might come into play," said Kohli.

"It was a new situation for me. I love such situations as I can become a better player. Yes, it was pretty good to bat with MS the whole day. This century is very pleasing because of the way I played. I did not think about the runs or the number of balls I played but only about batting. Pretty pleased to bat for long hours. That's something you will need to know in future Test matches," he added.
Stating that he was sorry to see Dhoni depart for 99 after being run out, Kohli said, "It was disappointing to see MS get out because he worked hard the whole day and played close to 260 balls and got out for 99."

Kohli still saw a big chance for India to win the game from the current position as he felt batting in the second innings would not be easy. "I don't think second innings batting on this wicket would be easy. If we can get a few runs lead and let them play five sessions and see how the match goes. You never know, cricket is a funny game, can get 3-4 wickets quickly and put the opposition under pressure.
"(We) just probably would be looking for that one opening and then get 2-3 more wickets from there and you never know how the game goes after that," he remarked.

England move closer to series victory

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England move closer to series victory

England have lost three wickets as they battle for a series-winning draw in the fourth Test against India in Nagpur.

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Jonathan Trott was England's unshifting cornerstone as they adopted extreme measures for extreme conditions to try to close out a famous series victory in India.

Trott (66no) appeared in his element on this uniquely lifeless pitch at the VCA Stadium, England crawling to a stoic 161 for three while India's frustrations simmered on an increasingly ill-tempered fourth day of the final Test.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni had earlier declared India's first innings on 326 for nine, four runs behind after half-an-hour of curiously unadventurous batting in a match England need only draw to hang on for a 2-1 success.

By stumps, thanks mostly to Trott and latterly in an unbroken half-century stand with Ian Bell, they were surely just one more session of batting away from overturning 27 years of history.

Alastair Cook, in his first assignment as permanent Test captain on this tour, was in nappies the last time England won a series in India. With much therefore at stake, he and fellow opener Nick Compton set the tone as they concerned themselves with crease occupation, almost to the complete exclusion of runs.

It was symptomatic of the turgid lack of pace in this surface that, five minutes before lunch, Compton edged Ravichandran Ashwin for the first boundary of the day by either team. Cook needed 27 balls to register his first run - and when he pushed Ishant Sharma for that scampered single, having made just one too in his first innings, he had mustered two from 55 deliveries in the match.

The captain's strike rate got even worse before marginally better in a 93-ball innings of 13, during which he became England's highest all-time Test runscorer in India. Compton was in no hurry either, but England knew the wickets column was all-important.

After Cook went, unluckily for the second time in the match when umpire Kumar Dharmasena detected an edge and caught-behind off Ashwin where video replay suggested there was none, Trott tore up the template by sweeping his very first ball for four.

England's accumulation of breathing space remained a tense business, however, relieved just for a moment when one delivery slipped from Ravindra Jadeja's hand and barely trickled in Trott's direction before coming to a standstill two-thirds of the way down the pitch.

He was quickly out of his crease to smash the stationary ball past square-leg, for just the fourth boundary of the innings - in the 38th over.

On the stroke of tea, England lost Compton to Pragyan Ojha.

The initial scorecard entry was lbw, despite an apparent inside edge on to pad, but the ball looped for a gully catch anyway.

Kevin Pietersen escaped a sharp chance on two to Virender Sehwag at slip off Jadeja but could add only four more before the same bowler bowled him in an uncanny repeat of Trott's first-innings dismissal as the batsman again waved through a straight ball from the slow left-armer which hit off-stump.

The flashpoint which followed soon afterwards betrayed the gravity of the situation for India, in evident danger of losing a Test series at home for the first time in eight years. Trott was given not out caught behind by Dharmasena, cutting at Ishant on 43, to the animated distress of both bowler and wicketkeeper Dhoni.

Ishant did not let the disagreement lie, following through in his next delivery to make the point again to Trott - who appeared to mouth an affectionate kiss back from under his helmet grille.

When Dhoni and others persisted in making their annoyance known to the officials at the end of the over, they risked both censure - and more importantly, augmenting the cussed Trott's determination.

So it proved as England's number three ground on to complete a priceless 106-ball 50, and by stumps he had kept India at bay for almost 50 overs. Trott's partnership with Bell took England from double-figures to beyond 150 - a position of relative comfort, barring a collapse tomorrow.

Bell's arrival coincided with a minor spike in the scoring rate too, and England exceeded two-an-over for the first time - halfway through the 62nd.

It was a means to an end, of course, as has been the case for much of the series - and no one with an English yen was complaining.

Dilshan leads Lankan fightback

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Dilshan leads Lankan fightback

A century from Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan prevented Australia from taking a sizeable lead on the third day of the first Test in Hobart.

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The hosts will take a 141 run lead with 10 wickets intact into the fourth day with Michael Clarke's side ending the day 27 without loss after bowling out the visitors for 336.

That advantage would be far greater were it not for Dilshan's 147 and 75 from all rounder Angelo Matthews.

Peter Siddle was the pick of the Australian attack, taking five for 54 in 25,3 overs as he staked a claim for a regular spot in their bowling attack.

Dilshan resumed on 50 Sunday morning and made it to 103 before the morning session was curtailed by rain half an hour before the scheduled lunch break.

In a shortened afternoon session he pushed on to 132 as Sri Lanka turned a vulnerable overnight score of 87 for four into a more robust 249 for five, responding to Australia's 450 for five declared.

Mathews lasted until late in the afternoon session before going for 75, trapped lbw by Siddle.

Sri Lanka had reached 289 before Dilshan's stand finally came to an end, bowled by a yorker from Mitchell Starc after an innings that contained 21 boundaries off 273 deliveries.

Australia still had work to do as Prasanna Jayawardene was providing further resistance, but once he went lbw to Siddle for 40, progress was swift.

The last three wickets went at a cost of just 20 runs. Rangana Herath was Siddle's third lbw victim for a duck, Nuwan Kulasekara was caught at deep midwicket off Nathan Lyon for 23 and Chanaka Welegedara was caught by Mike Hussey without scoring as Siddle claimed his fifth wicket.

His outstanding performance helped Australia cover for a side injury suffered by Brad Hilfenhaus.

Rain delayed the start of the Australian second innings and only 1.4 overs were bowled before again the weather forced the players off.

Looking to end the day with all their wickets in tact, the hosts were conservative when play resumed as openers David Warner eight off 39 balls and Ed Cowan 16 off 47, saw them to the close.

Trott hails England spirit

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Trott hails England spirit

England began to worry they might take no wickets at all on day three in Nagpur on Saturday - before four came along in the last hour to make it "neck and neck" again in the final Test.

Alastair Cook's tourists drew a blank while Virat Kohli (103) and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (99) relentlessly compiled a fifth-wicket stand of 198.

Once the centurion went lbw to Graeme Swann, though, England seized their chance to redress the balance as day three ended with honours close to even.

Only the implications of a series score already 2-1 to England means the state of play - India 297 for eight in reply to 330 all out - favours Cook and Co, who need only a draw here to stay in front and wrap up the four-match contest.

They retained that consolation throughout a taxing day. But as Jonathan Trott confirmed, during the 84 overs it took to part Kohli and Dhoni, England did at times wonder if the breakthrough would ever come.

Asked whether that thought entered their minds, Trott said: "Of course. They were playing really well ... but then Graeme bowled a great ball to Virat Kohli, and it can change the day like that."

Trott, among the frontline batsmen England will be hoping can keep India at bay in return, congratulated Kohli and Dhoni on their efforts - and his own team on theirs.

"They played unbelievably well for five hours, and credit to them for that," he said.

"But we stuck to our guns, kept the pressure on them and eventually we got a breakthrough and were able to push on.

"You've just got to trust yourself and your team-mates that when you get the chance you're able to take it - which happened.

"Five hours without a wicket, then four wickets in an hour - that's what can happen, a fantastic advertisement for the game."

Trott is taking nothing for granted, but senses Cook's direct-hit run-out of Dhoni might yet tilt the series England's way once and for all.

It was reminiscent of the moment Andrew Flintoff ran out Ricky Ponting as the 2009 Ashes were clinched at The Oval - a fact not lost on Trott, on debut then and a mainstay of England success since.

"It changes things massively, obviously," he said.

"It's a credit to the guys for sticking it out for five hours, not getting a wicket, and then coming back into the game and evening it out.

"It's pretty neck and neck. It's thanks to the bowlers - and then to get a chance like Alastair did, and to be able to take it, is a game-changer and maybe a series-changer."

Trott also references Ian Bell's direct-hit run-out to kickstart India's collapse at Eden Gardens last week in England's seven-wicket win there.

Of Dhoni's dismissal, trying to scamper his 100th run, he said: "It was tight, but he is very quick between the wickets.

"So that makes that bit of fielding by Alastair even better, especially having to go to his left and hit the stumps with his momentum going the other way.

"It's a bit like Fred's run-out in 2009, maybe the catalyst for changing the game.

"We got a run-out like that in Kolkata as well, so we hope it can help to maybe win us this game."

England do not need to do that, of course, to complete a historic series victory - and they could have had no better demonstration of what is required to make the match safe than the one provided by Kohli and Dhoni, who joined forces yesterday on a perilous 71 for four.

"We saw how they batted today, for two sessions, and didn't lose a wicket," said Trott.

"Their basics were really good, methodic, and their gameplan worked out.

"It's a case of us being able to go out there and do that as well."

The key for England's batsmen will be to get in, and then stay patient.

"It can be quite tricky to get started," he continued. "It's not as if it's completely flat, and you can come in and be guaranteed runs.

"Nothing is guaranteed. We're going to have to apply ourselves, but the example of the 'Dhoni and Kohli Show' is that it is certainly very battable out there."

McGill backs Warne's Test return

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McGill backs Warne's Test return

Stuart MacGill has backed a return to the Test team for Shane Warne, saying he is good enough but needs to prove he has the stamina to cope with the five-day game.

A dearth of top-quality spinners has fuelled a campaign to bring back Warne, with the 43-year-old doing little to douse the speculation, recently saying he has "absolutely no doubt" he could bowl successfully at Test level again.

MacGill, who took 82 of his 208 Test wickets playing alongside Warne, said he would pick him.

"I'd play him," he told Sydney's Sun-Herald.

"Should he be picked? If any selector said he shouldn't be picked, that it's not in the best interests of Australian cricket, I laugh at them.

"I'm interested in Australian cricket winning. Not in 10 or 15 years, but every day.

"The best way to win in 10 or 15 years is for it to be on the tail end of a huge streak. You pick your best team on any given day and if Shane Warne is available, then he's in it."

Earlier this month, Warne said that if Australian skipper Michael Clarke suggested his services were needed for the Ashes campaign against England next year, he would give it some serious thought.

Warne, regarded as one of the game's greatest players, quit Tests in 2007 but is still playing in the domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League.

"The only question that needs to be asked is whether he can physically (perform) all day for a couple of days -- but he would know that," MacGill said.

MacGill, who retired from international cricket in 2008 with 208 Test wickets at an average of 29.02, added that he was "disappointed" with the recent performances of current Test spinner Nathan Lyon.

"Right from the start, he bowls too fast and too straight," he said.

"If I were Nathan Lyon at the moment, the number one thing I'd be looking at is getting my line right."

England fight back against India

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England fight back against India

A last hour featuring four wickets helped England avoid an unwanted shut-out on day three of a finely-balanced final Test in Nagpur.

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The tourists had toiled for 75 wicketless overs as India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and centurion Virat Kohli closed them down with some ease, but both had gone by the time stumps was called, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla, giving England a greater belief that they can now secure at least the draw they need to win the series.

That landscape switch came after Dhoni (99) and Kohli (103) had taken it upon themselves to radically alter the equation themselves.

The fifth-wicket pair resumed on a highly-vulnerable 87, yet by stumps their stand of 198 had underpinned India's 297 for eight in reply to 330 all out.

England simply got nowhere for all but the final hour of the day, on a dead pitch which has proved an aid to stagnant cricket from the outset.

Until the first ball after evening drinks, their bowlers - last previously successful nine overs before the close yesterday - appeared destined to draw a blank for the entire day, for the first time since Australia's Mark Taylor and Geoff Marsh tormented the home attack at Trent Bridge 23 years ago.

Respite came at last when Graeme Swann had Kohli lbw pushing forward in defence - and among four late wickets for only 28 runs, Dhoni was run out by a direct hit from Cook at mid-off as he tried to scamper his 100th run off Anderson (four for 68) in the penultimate over before stumps.

Dhoni and Kohli were constrained, as were England's batsmen and India's top order before them, by the extreme conditions.

A perilous situation added to their dilemma too; yet they dug in, and then branched out, faultless application giving way to increasing fluency as India battled back into contention.

Gradually, without compromising risk avoidance, they pushed the run rate above two-an-over as England tired in their thankless task to try to induce a mistake.

Dhoni, without a Test century for more than a year, raised eyebrows when he promoted himself to number six last night above debutant all-rounder Jadeja.

Frontline batsman Kohli had a top-score of 20 in six previous innings in this series.

But both excelled themselves here in critical circumstances.

Kohli completed his 289-ball hundred with his 11th four, on the back foot past cover off Swann.

Soon afterwards, the off-spinner finally got his revenge, as India nonetheless edged towards parity.

It had taken more than half an hour for their first boundary off the middle this morning, a Kohli cover-drive off Tim Bresnan to bring up three figures.

Before then, only Dhoni's edge past a vacant slip off James Anderson had counted four.

Anderson beat the bat or found the edge a handful of times in his early spell, but there was nothing else from pace or spin to raise England's hopes.

Each batsman passed his 50 with a four, Kohli's fourth driven off Monty Panesar and Dhoni's seventh square-cut off Bresnan.

They were rare shots in anger until after England took the second new ball.

The century stand arrived in 53 overs as India had to emphasise caution over adventure before they could dare to hope for more.

Runs eventually started to come more freely, however - Dhoni hoisted Swann over long-on for a six, and took toll of Bresnan in particular - and England's initial optimism turned to frowns of frustration.

The nearest they came to a breakthrough before tea were Bresnan's two lbw appeals, and a tough one-handed return chance barely off the ground - all with Dhoni on 72 - as the Yorkshireman's search continued for a first Test wicket since August at Headingley.

By stumps, he was wicketless in his last 74.4 overs at the highest level.

England's collective drought was even longer, of course, until Kohli succumbed.

Anderson then also had Jadeja lbw from round the wicket and Swann bowled Chawla when he found sharp turn with the last ball of the day.

It had seemed near inconceivable at start of play that India could somehow negotiate their way towards a series-levelling win.

Whether or not that is possible will depend on how long it takes England to take their last two wickets, and how many India can score at the same time.

Two quick wickets and a day at the crease would put England in firm charge, but an Indian slog in the morning and poor application from the tourists could see it swing the other way.

Clarke puts Australia on top

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Clarke puts Australia on top

Michael Clarke's bold declaration was looking a smart one at the close of play on day two in Hobart as Sri Lanka ended the day in a precarious position.

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Clarke has earned praise for the positive manner in which he has captained the Baggy Green since replacing Ricky Ponting last year, and calling his men back to the pavilion when on 450 for five was a move of some intent.

He was left to reflect on a good decision, though, with Sri Lanka closing the day on 87 for four - some 363 runs adrift - with Nathan Lyon picking up the wicket of Thilan Samaraweera with the last ball of the day.

Were it not for an unbeaten 50 from Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene`s men would have been in deeper trouble, were that possible, and they will resume tomorrow with a real job on their hands.

Australia shared the wickets around, with Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson all taking one each, and all after Mike Hussey had completed his third century in four matches for Australia.

On a rain-affected day at the Bellerive Oval, the Western Australian chivvied his way to 115 before Clarke beckoned him in, with Matthew Wade unbeaten at the other end on 68.

Having recently helped himself against South Africa, Hussey`s form was not in question, but he did have some fortune today, with his 19th Test hundred coming after Angelo Matthews shelled him on the boundary and the balling rolling away for four.

Having survived, he saw the funny side and cracked Shamida Eranga for six before heading off to change ahead of a session in the field.

Before that, the only Australian wicket to fall was that of Clarke, with the skipper caught in the slips by Kumar Sangakkara off the bowling of Eranga.

At that time, Australia had added just five to their overnight 299 for four, but with Wade joining Hussey for a 146-run stand, they quickly put to bed any thoughts of not setting a competitive score.

Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, though, they were unable to enjoy batting on the same wicket and ended the day in some bother.

Dimuth Karunaratne was the first to depart, getting cramped up by a Hilfenhaus away-swinger and edging one behind to Wade with the score on 25.

Elder statesman Sangakkara was the next to go, chasing a wide one from Siddle and finding the hands of Hussey, who took a smart catch in the gully.

Sri Lanka really needed Jayawardene to hang around and he suggested he might as he tucked away two successive fours off Mitchell Starc, but as the score ticked on to 70 he lost his wicket.

Watson rapped him on the knee-roll of his pad and to the naked eye it looked out and was duly given as so. Perhaps out of desperation he reviewed it, but was soon walking off.

Dilshan at least went along nicely, making 50 off 82 balls, but only when a miscued pull off Watson fell safe, although he was left without a partner at the end, Samaraweera failing to take his bat into day three as he misread a slider from Lyon and feathered one to Wade.

Richards comes out in support of Sachin

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Richards comes out in support of Sachin

West Indian legend Viv Richards has backed Sachin Tendulkar to continue despite his poor form, saying the senior Indian batsman is the best person to decide on his retirement.

"Nobody is qualified enough to tell him (Tendulkar) when they think he should go," Richards said.

There have been questions raised about the 39-year-old Tendulkar's position in the team as he is averaging just 18.66 in six innings in the ongoing Test series against England.

"When you're retired, you're retired for a very, very long time. It's like being dead to some degree, so while you're alive and still up for it and still enjoying what you're doing, to me that's what it's all about," Richards said.

There have been mixed views on Tendulkar's future with some former Indian cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath, Dilip Vengsarkar and Sourav Ganguly urging him to have a chat with the selectors on his retirement plan.

'Players became casual after WC win'

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'Players became casual after WC win'

Sunil Gavaskar feels that some of the Indian players became very casual after their success in the 2011 World Cup, which is "less than acceptable."

"After the success of 2011 World Cup, the attitude of some of the players became too casual. They started behaving as if the nation owes it to them for winning the World Cup, which is less than acceptable," Gavaskar told a leading channel when asked about the reasons for India's consistent failures in the last 18 months.

The legendary opener didn't answer in a forthright manner whether the BCCI needs to do away with Duncan Fletcher who has seen through India's worst slump in Test cricket in recent years.

"I support Dhoni when he says that the coach can't get out there and score the runs. But yes, I would look if the attitude is too lacklustre or lackadaisical. In EPL or in La Liga, if a team continues to lose then the coach or the manager gets the boot," Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar agreed that Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been pro-active on field during the last two days.

"I think so. MSD knows that they have to be pro-active. I believe that things are changing but I hope it's not too late."

The veteran agreed that with consistent failures of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, India haven't been able to put up big scores.

Asked about the manner of Tendulkar's dismissal, Gavaskar retorted, "What about Sehwag's dismissal?"

The legend feels that Indians should learn from England's debutant Joe Root who showed enormous patience.

"Look at their newcomer. He formed partnerships with Prior and Swann. If you ask me, this is not a difficult wicket to bat on but certainly difficult to score. The ball is not doing anything out of the ordinary and you can stay on this track.

"But since it's not coming onto the bat and boundaries are big, you have to score in one's and two's. The problem with India is not being able to put up too many partnerships."

Pakistan bank on pacers to tame India

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Pakistan bank on pacers to tame India

Misbah-ul-Haq and T20 skipper Mohammad Hafeez believe that Pakistan's pacers have the ability to rattle the strong Indian batting line-up.

"I believe that the pacers selected in the squads have the potential to upset the Indians in their own backyard," Hafeez said.

He said tall left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan would be used as a "surprise package" in the Twenty20 series.

"For the pace bowlers, it is a great opportunity to shine and establish themselves in the team because a series against India is always followed very closely by everyone," Misbah added.

Hafeez will lead Pakistan in the two T20 matches while Misbah will be captaining the one-day squad for the three matches in India.

The two squads feature several pace bowlers including Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Anwar Ali, Asad Ali and Sohail Tanvir.

Four of the bowlers are left-arm pacers.

"I am very confident and positive that we have the team to beat India and win both the series," Hafeez stated.

Misbah conceded that matches against India are always high-pressure games for players from both sides.

"But being professional players we are supposed to live and adjust to this unique pressure and I will be telling all the players to go and just play positively on the tour," Misbah added.

Asked about the omission of experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from both squads and that of flamboyant all-rounder, Shahid Afridi, from the ODI squad, Misbah said both had served Pakistan cricket well.

"But people must remember that any decision related to dropping a senior player is not just because of the captain, such decisions are taken collectively." Misbah said.

Hafeez also insisted that there was no conspiracy behind the axing of Razzaq.

"There is no doubt about the ability of Razzaq and his performances but the selectors selected the squads keeping in mind the conditions in India," he explained.

Shane Warne, the enigma

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Shane Warne, the enigma

Gideon Haigh’s biography of Shane Warne is an excellent addition to the growing corpus of cricket writing.

By Boria Majumdar
Shane Warne the man, the cricketer and finally the enigma that we have all tried to decode over the years has well and truly come alive in Haigh’s biography. Haigh, in his typical style, critical and free flowing at the same time, delves deep into what Warne meant for Australian cricket and in doing so talks as much about the period in question as about Warne himself. In fact, at many levels, the book is also a chronicle of Australian cricket history of almost a decade, the decade that belonged to Shane Keith Warne.

Haigh, rightly, doesn’t follow chronology. He locates Warne in the long duree of Australian cricket history and tries to understand the legacy the man has left behind. In doing so he has beautifully brought to life the player and his craft, the impact he left on the opposition and finally the imprint he has left on the game of cricket.

Haigh is best while describing the mundane. Something as simple and customary as Warne’s eight step run-up to the crease, which, in normal circumstances, may have been dismissed as routine comes alive in Haigh’s writing. Same this for taste, “These began to teem even as he walked back, starting each time with a rubbing of the right hand in the disturbed dirt of the popping crease - for grip, for feel, and for the reassurance, perhaps, of the ritual. It was a routine that hardly varied, one of those it is difficult to remember starting, and impossible to recall changing.
And somehow, as in everything Warne did, it seemed to signify something larger: as dust and grit over time transmitted itself to Warne's clothing, he appeared to acquire an earthiness, an affinity with the conditions. No cricketer is so dependent on the turf on which the game is played as the spinner; it can make, break, enfang or defang him. So although Warne bowled better in a greater variety of eco systems than almost any other comparable player, his caress of the crease always felt like an act of propitiation of the cricket gods.”

That there is still a craving for Warne to come back is according to Haigh the evidence of the man’s greatness. Warne’s ability to reinvent himself over time, his coming to terms with a spate of injuries and operations, his new-found art of getting the batsman out more in the mind and finally his innate confidence and belief in what he was about to do make him sit atop the greats the game of cricket has ever seen.

At one level, Australia, Haigh argues, had started taking Warne for granted. It was a part of ritual that Warne would come and bowl out the opposition on Day 4 and 5 of a Test match and give the Australians much to cheer about. There was hardly a deviation from this script for as long as he played- a true testament to the man’s ability and greatness. In fact, it was only after he left the scene that people were left to ponder what he meant for Australian cricket. With the victories drying up, the true legacy of Shane Warne can now be ascertained.

In an otherwise excellent biography, I’d have loved to see more on the rivalry between Sachin and Warne, one that enthralled cricket watchers from across the globe for almost a decade. Shane Warne wiping the sweat of his brow at Sharjah in disbelief when Sachin took the attack to him remains a moment that world cricket will always cherish. Performers of the highest quality, they had the greatest respect for each other and had given cricket fans a duel they can never forget. Haigh, having watched both closely, could have delved a little more into this rivalry.

Despite this, however, Warne is clearly yet another feather in Haigh’s already illustrious writing cap. With this biography he has once again staked a claim to being the best cricket writer in the business and his readers will surely be waiting for him to churn out the next addition to the Haigh oeuvre in the years to come.

Root, Anderson put hosts under pressure

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Root, Anderson put hosts under pressure

Debutant Joe Root's 73 runs and three more wickets from James Anderson combined to put India under pressure on day two of the final Test.

SCORECARD
Twenty-one-year-old Root, a surprise inclusion for this match which England must at least draw to complete a series victory, rose to the occasion with a determined 229-ball knock in an England total of 330.

Anderson (three for 24) has been reliable and often expert all tour - and after he induced an India wobble to 87 for four at stumps, the value of Root's fine effort was apparent. The young Yorkshireman's range of stroke, like everyone else's, was constrained by the limitations of a deathly slow Nagpur pitch.

But he was increasingly assured, in a century stand with Matt Prior (57) for the sixth wicket and then one of 60 for the eighth with Graeme Swann (56).

After Kevin Pietersen also made 73 on Thursday, Root could take much of the credit for ensuring England dug out a total of substance since stumbling first to 16 for two and then 139 for five.

Prior beat Root to his half-century, defying the physics of this paceless surface to bag a trademark square-cut off Pragyan Ojha for his sixth four.

There were only two boundaries in Root's 50, and four in all by the time he was done in a composed innings featuring compact defence against spin and the seam of Ishant Sharma - with the sweep his main outlet to slow bowlers.

His and Prior's first task today was to negotiate another spell from Sharma, in these extreme conditions which have made India's solitary seamer a bigger threat than any of their four spinners.

There were no scrapes against any of the bowlers, though, until Prior succumbed to Ravichandran Ashwin.

The off-spinner struck, from round the wicket, with a delivery that did not turn but snaked past Prior's defensive push on the angle to hit off stump.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni sensibly turned straight back to Sharma (three for 49), to attack the new batsman, and that obvious switch worked when Tim Bresnan missed an inswinger to go for a second-ball duck.

This was a pitch which did not appear likely to suit Swann's natural timing and clean-striking, but he confounded that premise.

It was Root, in fact, who was to go first after lunch - untypically up the wicket to drive leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and succeeding only in chipping back a return catch.

Root remonstrated with himself by banging his bat into his pad, having made his first serious mistake just when a maiden hundred was beginning to look a possibility at his first attempt.

He had little reason for self-reproach - a statement which also applied to Swann, despite the regrettable attempted reverse sweep which eventually proved his undoing lbw to Chawla.

By then, England's number nine was well in credit after hitting six fours and his team's only two sixes - over long on off Ravindra Jadeja and then again, to celebrate his 50, off Chawla.

The leg-spinner also picked up the last wicket, that of Anderson thanks to a sharp catch straight off the face of the bat by Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg, to give Chawla flattering figures of four for 69.

Anderson quickly got his own back when he bowled the dangerous Virender Sehwag for a duck in the first over of India's innings, the opener somehow managing to play defensively inside an inswinger and losing his middle stump.

Pujara and Gautam Gambhir shared a half-century stand either side of tea until the number three fell in unfortunate circumstances.

Ian Bell produced an outstanding 'catch', diving to his right to take the ball one-handed just off the turf; the snag, though, was that Swann had beaten the bat and hit Pujara only on the underside of his arm before another deflection off his pad.

Sachin Tendulkar's miserable series continued when Alastair Cook recalled Anderson to take the veteran master batsman's wicket for a record ninth time in Tests.

Tendulkar was undone by more low bounce and an inside edge on to his stumps, continuing his sequence of moderate scores which have been interrupted only by a half-century in the first innings at Eden Gardens last week.

When Anderson then saw off Gambhir as well in a spell of two for three in four overs, edging an attempted drive behind, it was evident for the first time that England were taking control.

LIVE: India vs England, 4th Test

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LIVE: India vs England, 4th Test

Debutant Joe Root was England's joint top-scorer in a hard-working 330 all out on the second afternoon of the final Test against India.

LIVE SCORECARD
Innings Report
The 21-year-old Yorkshireman, a surprise inclusion for this match which England must at least draw to complete a series victory, rose to the occasion with a determined 229-ball innings of 73.

Root's range of stroke, like everyone else's, was constrained by the limitations of a deathly slow Nagpur pitch.

But he became increasingly assured, in a century stand with Matt Prior (57) for the sixth wicket and then one of 60 for the eighth with Graeme Swann (56).

After Kevin Pietersen also made 73 yesterday, Root could therefore take much of the credit for ensuring England dug out a total of substance after stumbling first to 16 for two and then 139 for five.

Prior beat Root to his half-century, defying the physics of this paceless surface to bag a trademark square-cut off Pragyan Ojha for his sixth four.

There were only two boundaries in Root's 50, and four in all by the time he was done in a composed innings featuring compact defence against spin and the seam of Ishant Sharma - with the sweep his main outlet to slow bowlers.

His and Prior's first task today was to negotiate another spell from Sharma, in these extreme conditions which have made India's solitary seamer a bigger threat than any of their four spinners.

There were no scrapes against any of the bowlers, though, until Prior succumbed to Ravichandran Ashwin.

The off-spinner struck, from round the wicket, with a delivery that did not turn but snaked past Prior's defensive push on the angle to hit off-stump.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni sensibly turned straight back to Ishant (three for 49), to attack the new batsman, and that obvious switch worked when Tim Bresnan missed an inswinger to go for a second-ball duck.

This was a surface which did not appear likely to suit Swann's natural timing and clean-striking, but he confounded that premise.

It was Root, in fact, who was to go first after lunch - untypically up the wicket to drive leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and succeeding only in chipping back a return catch.

Root remonstrated with himself by banging his bat into his pad, having made his first serious mistake just when a maiden hundred was beginning to look a possibility at his first attempt.

He had little reason for self-reproach - a statement which also applied to Swann, despite the regrettable attempted reverse-sweep which eventually proved his undoing lbw to Chawla.

By then, England's number nine was well in credit after hitting six fours and his team's only two sixes - over long-on off Ravindra Jadeja and then again, to celebrate his 50, off Chawla.

The leg-spinner also picked up the last wicket, that of James Anderson thanks to a sharp catch straight off the face of the bat by Cheteshwar Pujara at short-leg, to give Chawla flattering figures of four for 69.