Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Review leaves Test evenly placed - Ross Taylor
When Simon Taufel gave Brendon McCullum lbw off the penultimate ball in Dunedin, Pakistan appeared to have separated New Zealand's last reliable batsmen and won the day. McCullum, however, asked for a review and Taufel changed his decision after replays showed the ball hitting pad just outside off stump. It was a vital moment; one that Ross Taylor believed left the Test "evenly placed" at stumps on the first day.
"The last decision going our way helped us immensely," Taylor said. "The partnership between Daniel [Vettori] and Brendon [McCullum] has probably put us back in the match. Being 200 for 6 at the end of the day's play would have favoured Pakistan, but 270 for 6, I think it's pretty even."
Taylor's fighting 94 propped up New Zealand after the loss of two early wickets before a mini-collapse, during which they lost three wickets for 19 runs. McCullum and Vettori then added 65 for the seventh wicket to help the hosts recover before the scare in the final over.
Earlier in the day Pakistan had also referred a close lbw shout against Taylor, which was ruled in the batsman's favour when he was on 54. After two reviews went New Zealand's way on the first day of the new system's implementation, Taylor was happy with it.
"I have seen it [the first referral] since I have been out, it was a little bit closer than I thought," he said. "When I first got hit I thought it was high and might have even hit outside the line. As it worked out, the umpire made the right decision and I suppose I am happy for that. With the referrals system, last year, we had a few that did not go in our favour and today we had a couple go our way, so it is good at the moment."
Taylor began his innings after New Zealand were reduced to 27 for 2 in the sixth over and survived a testing period against the seamers. He got hit on the body thrice by Mohammad Aamer, kept getting beaten outside off by Mohammad Asif, and scored only 6 off his first 44 balls. However, he settled in and forged a 117-run partnership with Martin Guptill. Taylor didn't make it to 100, though, edging Saeed Ajmal to first slip on 94.
"Obviously the goal as a batsman is to get to three figures. To be very close in the end, but not close enough is disappointing," Taylor said. "But I can't really complain too much. The shot I played in the end wasn't a poor shot. You are going to play and miss on that wicket occasionally, and you just hope you don't nick it.
"It has been a struggle over the last month and a half. [I have] been working hard on my game with various people over the last week or so. It is always good when you put in the hard work and get some reward."
Taylor had words for encouragement for Martin Guptill who batted well in his company to stabilise the innings. Guptill too failed to capitalise on his start, perishing for 60 by top-edging a pull off Aamer.
"Yeah, I thought he batted very well," Taylor said. "He has had a few starts over his career, so it is good for him to go on and get past 50. But I'm sure he will also be disappointed with getting out for 60, doing all the hard work. Hopefully we can both kick on in the second innings."
The pitch will play a crucial role over the course of this Test and Taylor said that the bounce would be unpredictable. "There are some bare patches and a lot of grass. So some get through and some don't. Not all balls carried through to Kamran Akmal, so obviously that's going to play a part over the next four days. Hopefully we can learn from that and hopefully maybe just bowl a little straighter for a consistent period."
"The last decision going our way helped us immensely," Taylor said. "The partnership between Daniel [Vettori] and Brendon [McCullum] has probably put us back in the match. Being 200 for 6 at the end of the day's play would have favoured Pakistan, but 270 for 6, I think it's pretty even."
Taylor's fighting 94 propped up New Zealand after the loss of two early wickets before a mini-collapse, during which they lost three wickets for 19 runs. McCullum and Vettori then added 65 for the seventh wicket to help the hosts recover before the scare in the final over.
Earlier in the day Pakistan had also referred a close lbw shout against Taylor, which was ruled in the batsman's favour when he was on 54. After two reviews went New Zealand's way on the first day of the new system's implementation, Taylor was happy with it.
"I have seen it [the first referral] since I have been out, it was a little bit closer than I thought," he said. "When I first got hit I thought it was high and might have even hit outside the line. As it worked out, the umpire made the right decision and I suppose I am happy for that. With the referrals system, last year, we had a few that did not go in our favour and today we had a couple go our way, so it is good at the moment."
Taylor began his innings after New Zealand were reduced to 27 for 2 in the sixth over and survived a testing period against the seamers. He got hit on the body thrice by Mohammad Aamer, kept getting beaten outside off by Mohammad Asif, and scored only 6 off his first 44 balls. However, he settled in and forged a 117-run partnership with Martin Guptill. Taylor didn't make it to 100, though, edging Saeed Ajmal to first slip on 94.
"Obviously the goal as a batsman is to get to three figures. To be very close in the end, but not close enough is disappointing," Taylor said. "But I can't really complain too much. The shot I played in the end wasn't a poor shot. You are going to play and miss on that wicket occasionally, and you just hope you don't nick it.
"It has been a struggle over the last month and a half. [I have] been working hard on my game with various people over the last week or so. It is always good when you put in the hard work and get some reward."
Taylor had words for encouragement for Martin Guptill who batted well in his company to stabilise the innings. Guptill too failed to capitalise on his start, perishing for 60 by top-edging a pull off Aamer.
"Yeah, I thought he batted very well," Taylor said. "He has had a few starts over his career, so it is good for him to go on and get past 50. But I'm sure he will also be disappointed with getting out for 60, doing all the hard work. Hopefully we can both kick on in the second innings."
The pitch will play a crucial role over the course of this Test and Taylor said that the bounce would be unpredictable. "There are some bare patches and a lot of grass. So some get through and some don't. Not all balls carried through to Kamran Akmal, so obviously that's going to play a part over the next four days. Hopefully we can learn from that and hopefully maybe just bowl a little straighter for a consistent period."
India plunder 417 on opening day
India 417 for 2 (Gambhir 167, Sehwag, 131, Dravid 85* and Sachin 20*) v Sri Lanka
Virender Sehwag drives off the back foot, India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Kanpur, 1st day, November 24, 2009
After being dropped on zero, Virender Sehwag scored 131 off 122 balls © AFP
Related Links
Analysis : Sri Lanka count positives in bruising draw
Players/Officials: Gautam Gambhir | Virender Sehwag
Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Kanpur
Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India
Teams: India | Sri Lanka
It was a run orgy at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur. The first session witnessed a semblance of a battle, at least in the first hour, but the rest of the day was a one-way street, with India utterly dominant. Gautam Gambhir notched up his seventh hundred in nine Tests - and his fourth on the trot - Virender Sehwag completed a feisty century, Rahul Dravid was close to his ton and the end-of-day score was the highest in a day for India.
The situation was summed up by the sight of Rangana Herath bowling over the stumps and outside leg when Dravid had just walked out to the crease. It said everything about Sri Lanka's attitude and India's total domination. With the pitch expected to assist spin later in the Test, it could get even tougher for Sri Lanka over the next few days.
It wasn't just the runs, it was the manner in which they were compiled from the second hour on that was telling. The batsmen seemed to do as they wished: Gambhir punctuated his charges down the wicket with delicate late cuts, Sehwag went either inside-out or carved across the line, and Dravid, who hit the last ball of the day for a four, pierced the off-side field at will.
Inevitably, there plenty of records to note: it was the first time India scored over 400 in a day, it was the highest opening partnership between Gambhir and Sehwag, and even Muralitharan, at one point, was leaking more than 6 runs per over.
The most telling statistic was the spinners' figures. Sri Lanka had managed to keep the scoring rate down with the new ball but things went pear-shaped for them after the spinners were introduced, with Sehwag and Gambhir looting 73 runs off nine overs before lunch and little changing after the break. They weren't allowed to settle in by the openers, who lashed out at them with a calculated assault that was breathtaking.
Gambhir went after Herath in his first over, hitting him for three fours: he whipped one through covers, cut past point and stepped out to loft to the straight boundary. When Herath returned later, Gambhir went repeatedly down the track to drive him to distraction. If Gambhir reserved the best of his aggression for Herath, Sehwag went after Mendis in the first session and took care of Muralitharan in the second. Mendis floated a full toss, offered a long-hop and slid one down the leg side in his first spell and Sehwag sent each one to the boundary. The attacking intent was best seen in the last over before lunch when Sehwag despatched an offbreak from Mendis high over long-on. That aggression continued after lunch with Sehwag collecting five boundaries against Muralitharan, including two fierce off drives, an inside-edge, and a tuck to the fine-leg boundary which brought up his hundred. He fell to Muralitharan, though, against the run of play, trying to play an inside-out drive to a but failing to clear cover.
What facilitated India's dominance was the clarity of thought in the approach by all the batsmen. Gambhir paced himself superbly, playing out the new ball, and then indulging himself against the spinners on a first-day track. There were a couple of occasions when he hung his bat out to the new ball and was seen immediately reprimanding himself. Gambhir had different approaches to the spinners: he stepped out often against Herath, used his crease well against Muralitharan, going either well back or stretching forward, and worked the angles against Mendis. There were several delightful late cuts that showcased his skill but his stand-out stroke was a gorgeous, almost nonchalant, straight drive off Muralitharan. However, he fell to the same bowler, beaten by the dip and scooping a difficult return catch, which Muralitharan accepted with a dive to his right.
Dravid was decisive in everything he did right from the start. When he defended he showed the full face of bat and deployed soft hands, and when he chose to attack, he either stretched well forward to drive or rocked right back to punch through the off side. There were many skilful punches on the back foot but his best shot was a gorgeous inside-out extra-cover drive off Muralitharan.
However, the most interesting of the three knocks was Sehwag's. Initially, It seemed he was waging a battle against himself. He chased the third ball he faced - a wide delivery from Welegedara - and edged it but was dropped when Prasanna Jayawardene dived across and distracted Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. Sehwag then tried to go hard at Angelo Mathews a couple of times and was beaten. Those near-misses could have forced Sehwag into a reckless response, but to his credit, he changed his approach, playing defensively with the full face of the bat and as close to the body as possible. That his first boundary came only off his 27th delivery said much about his mindset. There were many typical forceful hits but what stood out was a delicate late steer to third man off Welegedara, when he waited on the front foot before opening the bat face at the last minute to get it between gully and the slip cordon.
The presence of three spinners and just one frontline seamer was always going to pose problems for Sri Lanka after they lost the toss. India's emphatic opening act has set them up perfectly to put Sri Lanka under intense pressure over the next four days.
Virender Sehwag drives off the back foot, India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Kanpur, 1st day, November 24, 2009
After being dropped on zero, Virender Sehwag scored 131 off 122 balls © AFP
Related Links
Analysis : Sri Lanka count positives in bruising draw
Players/Officials: Gautam Gambhir | Virender Sehwag
Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Kanpur
Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India
Teams: India | Sri Lanka
It was a run orgy at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur. The first session witnessed a semblance of a battle, at least in the first hour, but the rest of the day was a one-way street, with India utterly dominant. Gautam Gambhir notched up his seventh hundred in nine Tests - and his fourth on the trot - Virender Sehwag completed a feisty century, Rahul Dravid was close to his ton and the end-of-day score was the highest in a day for India.
The situation was summed up by the sight of Rangana Herath bowling over the stumps and outside leg when Dravid had just walked out to the crease. It said everything about Sri Lanka's attitude and India's total domination. With the pitch expected to assist spin later in the Test, it could get even tougher for Sri Lanka over the next few days.
It wasn't just the runs, it was the manner in which they were compiled from the second hour on that was telling. The batsmen seemed to do as they wished: Gambhir punctuated his charges down the wicket with delicate late cuts, Sehwag went either inside-out or carved across the line, and Dravid, who hit the last ball of the day for a four, pierced the off-side field at will.
Inevitably, there plenty of records to note: it was the first time India scored over 400 in a day, it was the highest opening partnership between Gambhir and Sehwag, and even Muralitharan, at one point, was leaking more than 6 runs per over.
The most telling statistic was the spinners' figures. Sri Lanka had managed to keep the scoring rate down with the new ball but things went pear-shaped for them after the spinners were introduced, with Sehwag and Gambhir looting 73 runs off nine overs before lunch and little changing after the break. They weren't allowed to settle in by the openers, who lashed out at them with a calculated assault that was breathtaking.
Gambhir went after Herath in his first over, hitting him for three fours: he whipped one through covers, cut past point and stepped out to loft to the straight boundary. When Herath returned later, Gambhir went repeatedly down the track to drive him to distraction. If Gambhir reserved the best of his aggression for Herath, Sehwag went after Mendis in the first session and took care of Muralitharan in the second. Mendis floated a full toss, offered a long-hop and slid one down the leg side in his first spell and Sehwag sent each one to the boundary. The attacking intent was best seen in the last over before lunch when Sehwag despatched an offbreak from Mendis high over long-on. That aggression continued after lunch with Sehwag collecting five boundaries against Muralitharan, including two fierce off drives, an inside-edge, and a tuck to the fine-leg boundary which brought up his hundred. He fell to Muralitharan, though, against the run of play, trying to play an inside-out drive to a but failing to clear cover.
What facilitated India's dominance was the clarity of thought in the approach by all the batsmen. Gambhir paced himself superbly, playing out the new ball, and then indulging himself against the spinners on a first-day track. There were a couple of occasions when he hung his bat out to the new ball and was seen immediately reprimanding himself. Gambhir had different approaches to the spinners: he stepped out often against Herath, used his crease well against Muralitharan, going either well back or stretching forward, and worked the angles against Mendis. There were several delightful late cuts that showcased his skill but his stand-out stroke was a gorgeous, almost nonchalant, straight drive off Muralitharan. However, he fell to the same bowler, beaten by the dip and scooping a difficult return catch, which Muralitharan accepted with a dive to his right.
Dravid was decisive in everything he did right from the start. When he defended he showed the full face of bat and deployed soft hands, and when he chose to attack, he either stretched well forward to drive or rocked right back to punch through the off side. There were many skilful punches on the back foot but his best shot was a gorgeous inside-out extra-cover drive off Muralitharan.
However, the most interesting of the three knocks was Sehwag's. Initially, It seemed he was waging a battle against himself. He chased the third ball he faced - a wide delivery from Welegedara - and edged it but was dropped when Prasanna Jayawardene dived across and distracted Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. Sehwag then tried to go hard at Angelo Mathews a couple of times and was beaten. Those near-misses could have forced Sehwag into a reckless response, but to his credit, he changed his approach, playing defensively with the full face of the bat and as close to the body as possible. That his first boundary came only off his 27th delivery said much about his mindset. There were many typical forceful hits but what stood out was a delicate late steer to third man off Welegedara, when he waited on the front foot before opening the bat face at the last minute to get it between gully and the slip cordon.
The presence of three spinners and just one frontline seamer was always going to pose problems for Sri Lanka after they lost the toss. India's emphatic opening act has set them up perfectly to put Sri Lanka under intense pressure over the next four days.
source: cricinfo.com
Mendis, Sreesanth and Ojha in as India bat
India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Kanpur, 1st day
Mendis and Sreesanth in as India bat
November 24, 2009
India chose to bat v Sri Lanka
On a pitch that is likely to break up over the next couple of days, MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat in the second Test in Kanpur.
Though there was some grass cover on the pitch at Green Park, it was the obvious decision to make as the surface had a few cracks that the experts reckoned would widen and break up. The spinners are expected to come into play but the seamers too can be among the wickets on this surface with variable bounce.
India have made two changes: Sreesanth, whose last Test was here in 2008, replaced Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha came in for Amit Mishra, who took just one wicket in the Ahmedabad Test. Sri Lanka have gone in for three spinners as they have brought in Ajantha Mendis for the injured Dammika Prasad.
India: 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 VVS Laxman, 7 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Sreesanth.
Sri Lanka: 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Ajantha Mendis, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.
source: cricinfo.com
Mendis and Sreesanth in as India bat
November 24, 2009
India chose to bat v Sri Lanka
On a pitch that is likely to break up over the next couple of days, MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat in the second Test in Kanpur.
Though there was some grass cover on the pitch at Green Park, it was the obvious decision to make as the surface had a few cracks that the experts reckoned would widen and break up. The spinners are expected to come into play but the seamers too can be among the wickets on this surface with variable bounce.
India have made two changes: Sreesanth, whose last Test was here in 2008, replaced Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha came in for Amit Mishra, who took just one wicket in the Ahmedabad Test. Sri Lanka have gone in for three spinners as they have brought in Ajantha Mendis for the injured Dammika Prasad.
India: 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 VVS Laxman, 7 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Sreesanth.
Sri Lanka: 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Ajantha Mendis, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.
source: cricinfo.com
Monday, November 23, 2009
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