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Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Australia vs South Africa 1st Test Live Streaming
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Australia vs South Africa 1st Test
he last time South Africa visited Australia Graeme Smith tried to talk the series up as an action-packed thriller that might just have a surprise ending. Five losses in the six home-and-away Tests in 2005-06 turned the picture into a bloodbath for South Africa and, while many of the performers have changed, Ricky Ponting hopes the script will remain the same when the contest starts in Perth on Wednesday.
"There's no doubt a lot of those guys in the South African side have played a lot of cricket against us and would be carrying some of the scars from previous series," Ponting said. "It's up to us to make sure we start the game well enough on Wednesday to open some of those scars again."
The difficulty for Australia will be in instilling the same fear into the visitors with an attack that now features Jason Krejza and Peter Siddle where once it boasted Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. The success of the two superstars contributed to several of the South Africa batsmen having much lower averages against Australia than in their overall records.
Smith averages 22.25 in eight Tests against Australia, Jacques Kallis 38.32 from 18 games, AB de Villiers 23.25 in six Tests and Ashwell Prince 30.33 from nine matches. Ponting conceded it was Warne and McGrath who largely had the stranglehold on the batsmen but he did not believe that made the past history irrelevant.
"I know as a batsman you are always aware of what your record is like against different countries, whether it's against the guys that got you out in the past or not, or whether it's just about the team you're playing against," Ponting said. "All their batsmen will be aware that their records against us probably aren't as good as they are against some of the other countries.
"That's something that may be weighing on their minds. If we happen to bowl first hopefully we can do some damage early on and some of the batters, if we knock them over early, will start having all those doubts back in their mind again about competing against Australia in Australia."
Be it World Cup semi-finals or important Tests, Australia have had an edge over South Africa. Often it has been the South Africans who have talked up their chances only to fall when it came to performing on the field, but this time Smith has been noticeably quiet, which could be a worrying sign for Australia.
Ponting and the coach Tim Nielsen have both done their best to continue Australia's mental advantage over South Africa by putting the pressure squarely back on the visitors. Smith and his coach Mickey Arthur haven't exactly taken the bait. Smith is leading a side that has not lost a Test series since 2006 and mind games are not on his radar.
"The guys are far more settled now than they ever have been," Smith said. "Over the last year and a half, two years, the team has developed nicely and just moved forward. We're in a really good space. In terms of that [mental] stuff I don't think it's even been raised in our environment. We're all just looking forward to what's coming."
Smith's calm and composed attitude makes it hard to believe he is the same man who was at the centre of the pre-series bluster leading into the 2005-06 tour, when he felt he had to distract Australia's attention. After they drew the first Test in Perth during that trip, the rest of the season went downhill. Smith said his players were better off now.
"The lessons the guys have learnt are invaluable for our team, the experience they've gained," he said. "Even though it's not always on a positive front you learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about your team and how you've developed over the time, even to the point where you actually know how much better you are now."
Far from feeling that his own squad is under pressure, Smith believes Australia's evolving line-up will face a tough examination. Krejza and Siddle are playing their first Tests in Australia and without Stuart Clark, who Smith earlier in the week labelled Australia's most dangerous bowler, they could have a hard time containing a powerful batting order.
"That's something that may be weighing on their minds. If we happen to bowl first hopefully we can do some damage early on and some of the batters, if we knock them over early, will start having all those doubts back in their mind again about competing against Australia in Australia."
Saturday, December 13, 2008
India vs England 1st Test day 4 Live streaming
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India vs England 1st Test day 4 Live streaming
India vs England 1st Test day 4 Live streaming
India dismised from pakistan tour
India's sports minister, MS Gill, has said India should not tour Pakistan in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai. While voices on both sides of the border have lobbied for and against the tour, Gill's statement is the first direct statement on the issue by a member of the Indian government.
"Is it possible for one team to arrive in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder, and have another team go and play cricket in the winter afternoon sun at Lahore, immediately after?" Gill told PTI. Sporting contact, he said, was meant to enhance friendship, and the cricket series was not a commercial drama to go ahead under the surveillance of thousands of security personnel.
The final decision, as he pointed out, rests with the government.
Gill's Pakistan counterpart, Aftab Jilani, however, remains optimistic and said there "was a ray of hope" that the tour would go ahead. "Cricket has a huge popularity in both countries and it will help ease out the tension if the Indian cricket team tours Pakistan next month," Jilani told AP.
He, however, steered clear of Gill's statement and was hopeful that Butt's meeting with the BCCI and ICC officials would be constructive. "I can't comment on what Mr. Gill has said, it's his opinion," he said. "But I am very hopeful that something positive will come out of Ijaz Butt's meeting with officials of Indian cricket board.
"The government of Pakistan does not want tension with India and if we play cricket with each other it will be a step in the right direction," he said. "If India is not satisfied with the security situation [in Pakistan] there's a possibility of playing the series at a neutral venue. In my opinion sports should move on and we should play at whatever place it's possible."
"Is it possible for one team to arrive in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder, and have another team go and play cricket in the winter afternoon sun at Lahore, immediately after?" Gill told PTI. Sporting contact, he said, was meant to enhance friendship, and the cricket series was not a commercial drama to go ahead under the surveillance of thousands of security personnel.
The final decision, as he pointed out, rests with the government.
Gill's Pakistan counterpart, Aftab Jilani, however, remains optimistic and said there "was a ray of hope" that the tour would go ahead. "Cricket has a huge popularity in both countries and it will help ease out the tension if the Indian cricket team tours Pakistan next month," Jilani told AP.
He, however, steered clear of Gill's statement and was hopeful that Butt's meeting with the BCCI and ICC officials would be constructive. "I can't comment on what Mr. Gill has said, it's his opinion," he said. "But I am very hopeful that something positive will come out of Ijaz Butt's meeting with officials of Indian cricket board.
"The government of Pakistan does not want tension with India and if we play cricket with each other it will be a step in the right direction," he said. "If India is not satisfied with the security situation [in Pakistan] there's a possibility of playing the series at a neutral venue. In my opinion sports should move on and we should play at whatever place it's possible."
England strong postion in chennai test
England gained a vital first-innings lead of 75 as Andrew Flintoff wrapped up India for 241 in the first over after lunch on the third day in Chennai. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh provided the main resistance in a positive seven-wicket stand of 75, but Monty Panesar removed both batsmen as he began to regain some confidence. While England would have harboured hopes of an advantage over 100, their position remains very strong and now they can begin setting a tough target.
They found it hard replicate the intensity of the second evening when play resumed with Steve Harmison suffering stiffness behind his knee, although a scan cleared him of serious problems, and Flintoff having been sick overnight. Flintoff opened the bowling with Panesar, but wasn't as fearsome as he was on the second evening when he rattled Yuvraj Singh, although still had the heart and character to deliver for his captain. He also needed to leave the field to have his ankle re-strapped.
With India trailing by 161, Dhoni made a positive statement with a strong cut off Flintoff, but Harbhajan matched him shot for shot. Harbhajan has an individual style to his batting. He isn't afraid to use his feet against the fast bowlers and doesn't have much respect for opposition spinners. When Panesar went over the wicket, Harbhajan brought out the reverse sweep which brought a rather bemused smile from the bowler. He was equally confident against the quicks, slashing Harmison over the slips and through the covers during a loose spell.
The closest England came to a breakthrough during the first hour was when an inside edge from Dhoni shot low past Ian Bell at short leg and it was a surprise that Graeme Swann was kept waiting for his chance. However, the first wicket went to Panesar as Bell held on to a more routine offering from Harbhajan to break a stand of 75 in 17 overs. It was a confidence-boosting strike for Panesar, who had again seemed at odds with his game, and he was unlucky to have an lbw shout against Zaheer Khan turned down first ball.
They found it hard replicate the intensity of the second evening when play resumed with Steve Harmison suffering stiffness behind his knee, although a scan cleared him of serious problems, and Flintoff having been sick overnight. Flintoff opened the bowling with Panesar, but wasn't as fearsome as he was on the second evening when he rattled Yuvraj Singh, although still had the heart and character to deliver for his captain. He also needed to leave the field to have his ankle re-strapped.
With India trailing by 161, Dhoni made a positive statement with a strong cut off Flintoff, but Harbhajan matched him shot for shot. Harbhajan has an individual style to his batting. He isn't afraid to use his feet against the fast bowlers and doesn't have much respect for opposition spinners. When Panesar went over the wicket, Harbhajan brought out the reverse sweep which brought a rather bemused smile from the bowler. He was equally confident against the quicks, slashing Harmison over the slips and through the covers during a loose spell.
The closest England came to a breakthrough during the first hour was when an inside edge from Dhoni shot low past Ian Bell at short leg and it was a surprise that Graeme Swann was kept waiting for his chance. However, the first wicket went to Panesar as Bell held on to a more routine offering from Harbhajan to break a stand of 75 in 17 overs. It was a confidence-boosting strike for Panesar, who had again seemed at odds with his game, and he was unlucky to have an lbw shout against Zaheer Khan turned down first ball.
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