Australia cruise to win in rain-reduced match

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke added 102 for the second wicket on either side of the rain break•Getty Images

Australia were inconvenienced more by rain than South Africa as they rampaged through the hosts in a truncated first ODI in Centurion, winning by 93 runs under Duckworth-Lewis calculations.Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey guided the tourists to 183 for 4 from 29 overs, setting a target of 223, before the debutant Pat Cummins and Mitchell Johnson shared six wickets to lead their team on a merry path in the field.The ball swung and bounced in greasy conditions, and in a significant portent for the matches to come, Johnson gained the kind of movement through the air that had helped make him so fearsome on Australia’s 2009 visit to South Africa.Mitchell Marsh, the other teenaged debutant, claimed a wicket in his first over. The spin of Xavier Doherty was also useful as the Proteas subsided, none passing 30 in a searching captaincy introduction for the interim leader Hashim Amla.Sent off by rain at 3.57pm local time when a promising 96 for 1 after 19 overs, Australia managed to collect another 87 runs in 10 overs when play finally resumed at 8.30pm.Ponting and Clarke resumed at the rapid pace the equation required, before Australia’s captain was unfortunately out when Ponting’s drive rebounded off Johan Botha’s fingers as Clarke was backing up. Hussey, though, scooted along with typical late-innings speed, and Marsh managed one boundary in his first innings.South Africa’s chase was immediately inconvenienced by the sight of Doug Bollinger and Johnson hooping the ball around. Bollinger swiftly accounted for Graeme Smith, given lbw to one that did not swing but may have been passing over the top of the stumps, and Johnson showed the disconcerting swerve he gained two years ago could be repeated this time around.Cummins replaced Johnson at first change, and while his first ball in ODIs was slapped impudently over cover for six by Amla, the 18-year-old was soon repeating the trick of his first two Twenty20 internationals by claiming multiple wickets in an over. Jacques Kallis dragged an expansive stroke onto his stumps, before JP Duminy was dismissed for the third time in as many innings by Cummins when he parried indeterminately to Clarke at second slip.Marsh had Amla caught neatly by Brad Haddin from a squirted drive in his first over, and Doherty struck twice via referrals. First he had David Miller caught at point after the umpires at first adjudged a bump ball, then Mark Boucher was lbw on review to a delivery that drifted towards leg stump and straightened enough to convince Hawk-Eye’s ball-tracker.Johnson added his name to the list of wicket-takers via Faf du Plessis’ desperate swing and an outfield catch, as Australia’s chief concern turned from South Africa’s batting to the skies above. Rain threatened to re-appear, but the final result was not in doubt from the moment the minimum 20 overs had been completed.Australia had been unable to consider Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson due to injury, and so handed limited-overs debuts to the allrounder Mitchell Marsh, a day before his 20th birthday and Cummins who had yet to take a list A wicket for his state.David Warner was joined at the top of the batting order by Ponting, an occasional opener down the years, and it was the younger man who swung into early action, gliding Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s first ball through point, then cracking a trio of boundaries from Dale Steyn, the last two via the generous avenues of a no ball and a free-hit.Next ball Steyn corrected, finding the ideal length and a hint of swing to beat Warner’s forward prod via the inside edge. This left Clarke and Ponting to set the course of the innings against bowlers they will see plenty of throughout the next month.Lights were employed inside 10 overs as the skies darkened, and Clarke and Ponting negotiated the odd awkward delivery by Morne Morkel while keeping the run-rate around five. Steyn swung the ball in his second spell but could not split the partnership before thunder, then rain, arrived.Returning to the pitch more than four hours later, Ponting and Clarke fired off a series of smart strokes before Clarke’s ill-luck, and Ponting went on until he sliced Steyn to backward point. Brad Haddin was sacrificed in the effort to lift the run-rate, before Hussey and Marsh pushed the total into dimensions that proved far too vast for South Africa.

PCB issues showcause to Miandad

Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain, has been issued a showcause notice by the PCB for criticising the board’s policies in a newspaper interview.Miandad, who is currently the director-general of the PCB, apart from being a member of the governing board, had said he was “disappointed” with the functioning of the board as well as the lack of authority vested in him.”While closely watching the functioning of the PCB, I am disappointed and feel that 90% decisions [taken by the board] are wrong, and are spoiling the sport in the country,” Miandad told on Wednesday. “I am not part of the PCB planning only because I require power and freedom to work, since I have given 35 years to Pakistan cricket and earned a good name.”People around the world regard my services as a cricketer but the PCB doesn’t want to give me authority to improve [Pakistan] cricket.”I have already brought this matter to the notice of PCB patron, President Asif Ali Zardari. Soon I will meet him again to apprise him of the poor condition of cricket in Pakistan. I will request him to either take necessary steps [to improve cricketing matters] or allow me to leave the DG post.”This is not the first time Miandad has been critical of the Pakistan board. In February last year he wrote a letter to president Zardari, criticising the appointment of Ijaz Butt as the board chairman. In January 2009 Miandad had resigned as director-general of the PCB over differences concerning the exact scope of his work.A month later, Butt and Miandad had traded allegations over Miandad’s resignation at a senate hearing on the decline of Pakistan cricket. The chairman had alleged that Miandad had demanded more money, interfered with matters concerning selection, and was an incapable administrator. Miandad had said at the time that the scope of his role in the contract letter was significantly reduced from what he had initially discussed with the chairman. Though Miandad was reinstated as the director general in March that year, his relationship with Butt has been frosty since.Miandad, who has been the coach of the national team on three occasions in the past, was not included in the recently formed committee to appoint a new coach for the national team, after Waqar Younis’ decision to quit as national head coach after the ongoing Zimbabwe tour. In April, Miandad turned down the role of Pakistan’s batting coach due to personal reasons.Miandad has been asked to submit his reply within seven days.

Durham unable to force victory

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Durham were unable to tempt Nottinghamshire into chasing a target of 272 in 58overs and had to settle for a draw in their bid to succeed their visitors as County champions.With 20 overs left Nottinghamshire needed 134 with seven wickets standing, butthey lost Steven Mullaney and skipper Chris Read in quick succession and put upthe shutters.They were 172 for 5 when hands were shaken with four overs left, with thethree points for a draw taking Durham six clear at the top. On the day when he signed a new three-year contract, Paul Collingwood suffered a back spasm while making a half-century in the morning and did not resume after lunch.Ian Blackwell took over and smashed three sixes off Graeme White in making 29not out off 11 balls, allowing Durham to declare four overs after the break on181 for 3.Dale Benkenstein was unbeaten on 61 and with Nottinghamshire again sending intheir two debutants to open Durham would have fancied their chances of making upfor the loss of more than a day to rain.England Under-19 batsman Sam Kelsall fell lbw to Callum Thorp for four but KarlTurner, the triallist left-hander who is a product of the Durham Academy, lookedvery comfortable against the seamers in making 40 off 49 balls.His troubles started when Blackwell came on first change, bowling into therough outside his off stump and Turner fell lbw on the back foot. Without Alex Hales and Samit Patel because of England Lions duties, Nottinghamshire simply refused to take liberties with Blackwell and he bowled 19 overs for 30 runs.They might still have been pondering a late charge for victory until afourth-wicket stand of 69 in 21 overs was ended when Phil Mustard leapt to hisright to hold a brilliant one-handed catch. It gave Graham Onions his eighth wicket of the match and ended Mullaney’s contribution to the stand with Adam Voges, who remained unbeaten on 68.After playing superbly for his unbeaten 133 in the first innings, skipper Readwas bowled for a duck when he shaped to leave a ball from Blackwell and realisedtoo late it was coming straight on. Paul Franks then helped Voges play out the remaining overs, refusing even to be tempted by the occasional off spin of Will Smith.

Netherlands scrap past Yorkshire

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Yorkshire’s miserable Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign hit a new low in Amstelveen as they suffered an embarrassing four-wicket loss to Holland.Having won the toss and opted to bat first in the Group A clash, the Tykes were bowled out for a paltry 123 in 39.1 overs at the VRA Ground. Adil Rashid top-scored with 43 from 59 balls, including four boundaries, while Gary Ballance weighed in with 24 before he was run out.Only two other players for the White Rose county reached double figures, though, with skipper Andrew Gale facing 49 deliveries for his 16 runs. He was eventually the fourth batsman out with the total on just 46. Rashid did carry Yorkshire beyond three figures but his departure saw the innings subside in a hurry, the last four wickets going down for 10 runs.Mudassar Bukhari finished as the pick of the Dutch attack, claiming 3 for 23 from his eight overs, while Shane Mott and Peter Borren claimed two wickets apiece.The home side lost Eric Szwarczynski in the opening over of their reply, Ajmal Shahzad getting him caught behind for a first-ball duck, but Wesley Barresi (23) and Bukhari (27) put on 52 for the second wicket. There was a glimmer of hope for Yorkshire when they dismissed both batsmen in the space of six runs, while Michael Swart’s departure not long after made it 77 for 4.However Borren’s breezy 34 quickly put his team back on track, the Dutch captain hitting five boundaries in his 26-ball knock. Although he fell with the finishing line in sight, becoming Shahzad’s second victim with one run required, he had already done enough to secure victory for his country.

Guptill century sets up Derbyshire win

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Martin Guptill’s first century for Derbyshire set up a 31-run victory over Kentin the Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Derby.Guptill made 102 off 109 balls and shared a century stand for the fourth wicketwith Greg Smith (68) as the Falcons made 249 for 9 despite Azhar Mahmoodtaking three for three from his last 11 balls.The Spitfires then slipped to 121 for 6 in reply, and although Darren Stevensput them back in the contest with 65 off 52 balls, Derbyshire held their nerveto dismiss Kent for 218 in the 35th over and keep their challenge in Group Aalive.Guptill had shared an opening stand of 59 in 10 overs with Chesney Hughes butDerbyshire’s momentum was checked by the fall of three wickets in six overs. After Hughes (33) mistimed a pull, Wes Durston and Wayne Madsen made only one run between them as the Falcons slipped to 79 for 3.However, Smith played with controlled aggression from the moment he joinedGuptill as the pair put on 129 in 19 overs.Stevens was pulled for six as Smith moved to a half-century off only 43 ballsand with Guptill placing his shots with authority, the home side had theplatform to launch an assault in the closing overs.But Pakistan duo Mahmood and Wahab Riaz responded with some intelligent seambowling that saw the Falcons score only 23 runs for the loss of five wickets inthe last four overs.The pair were rewarded for bowling full and straight and hit the stumps fourtimes with Riaz capturing the big wicket of New Zealander Guptill, who missed abig drive aiming to add to his 12 fours and one six in the penultimate over.Mahmood finished with figures of 4 for 57 while Riaz took 3 for 45. Mahmood then helped Sam Billings launch Kent`s chase with some flourishing strokes before he cut Steffan Jones to point in the third over to depart for 10 and Billings (19) missed a drive after cutting Tim Groenewald for six, leaving the visitors on 55 for 2.Martin van Jaarsveld pulled Jon Clare for six and was threatening to dominatewhen he was lbw pushing forward at Groenewald for 29 in the 12th over.When Sam Northeast failed to beat Clare’s accurate return and was run out for12, Kent were stumbling and they were dealt another big blow when Clare (threefor 61) returned to the attack in the 21st over.Geraint Jones was caught behind for six and then Alex Blake went the same waythree balls later to leave the Spitfires in trouble on 121 for 6.Stevens gave them hope with some defiant blows in a 44-ball fifty and wasthreatening to turn the game when he was lbw to Jones in the 29th over.andalthough James Tredwell hit 37 off 39 balls, Kent came up short.

Lancashire sign Junaid Khan

Lanchashire have signed Pakistan left-arm seamer Junaid Khan as an overseas player for the remainder of the Friends life t20 tournament, subject to his registration.”Junaid is a hot prospect who was recommended to us by Wasim Akram,” Lancashire Cricket director Mike Watkinson said. “He is initially with us for our Friends Life t20 campaign but there may be some scope for him to feature in our County Championship squad later in the summer.”The 21-year-old fast bowler has played seven ODIs and one Twenty20 game for Pakistan and was part of their Test squad on the recent tour of West Indies. He was Pakistan’s second-highest wicket-taker in the recent two-match ODI series against Ireland.”Junaid is an extremely talented cricketer,” head coach Peter Moores added, “who will supplement our seam attack. He bowls with good pace and variation and we look forward to working with him.”Lancashire had earlier signed Sri Lankan allrounder Farveez Maharoof for the season.

Kaneria fights for national return

Danish Kaneria has resubmitted a communication from his former county Essex to the PCB’s integrity committee in the hope that it will be enough to clear him to be selected once again for Pakistan. The communication, ESPNcricinfo understands, is an email the club sent Kaneria last November, primarily explaining the decision not to offer him another contract.The legspinner, currently Pakistan’s leading Test wicket-taker has not played since last summer after becoming embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal while at Essex for which he was arrested but eventually released by police. He was selected as part of the squad to face South Africa in a series in the UAE in November, but was prevented from travelling by the PCB at the last minute, the board saying he had not been ‘cleared’ by an integrity committee, newly-formed in the wake of the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal the same summer.Since then, Kaneria has submitted various financial records and documents and appeared in front of the committee several times but hasn’t managed to satisfy members. Until recently, the committee was asking him for transcripts of his questioning by police in the case, something Kaneria and his lawyers insisted they could not provide as it was part of an ongoing investigation in the UK.Last week the board accepted the reasoning and asked instead for Kaneria to provide them with a “clearance certificate” from Essex, as his employers at the time of the scandal. A misunderstanding emerged in reports that said Essex had provided a new clearance certificate which Kaneria had sent to the PCB. In actual fact, Kaneria has simply resubmitted a document he has already presented to the board.In it, Essex explain the financial and strategic reasons behind not offering him another contract and thank him for the seven years he played for them. PCB officials have confirmed the receipt of this communication and that it was a document they had been given earlier. The board will now decide whether it qualifies as the kind of clearance they have asked for.

Rajasthan Royals surge to second win

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRahul Dravid put the chase on track with characteristic elegance•AFP

Rajasthan Royals executed a well-calibrated chase against an off-colour Delhi Daredevils attack to register their second win in two games and move atop the IPL leaderboard. The senior players soaked up the pressure – Rahul Dravid set up the chase and Johan Botha anchored it – while the youngsters, Ashok Menaria and Ajinkya Rahane, batted with freedom to keep the required-rate under control. Ross Taylor added the finishing touches with his trademark leg-side lashes.While Rajasthan’s batting flowed seamlessly, their bowling was a tale of two halves. Their fortunes were typified by Shaun Tait’s four one-over spells. He got rid of Virender Sehwag and Aaron Finch – two parts of Delhi’s powerful top-order trinity – in his first two overs. David Warner, the third part, survived Tait and saw off a sublime spell from Shane Warne before counter-punching along with Venugopal Rao. Tait was either too short or too full in his last couple of overs, and allowed Delhi to haul themselves from 43 for 4 after 10 overs, to 151. Their bowlers, however, let them down.”I am used to facing all these fast bowlers.” – Sehwag’s emphatic declaration before the game set up his confrontation with Tait. The encounter was, however, was short. Sehwag cracked his first ball through point but Tait hit back immediately with sheer pace. Taking guard after Sehwag’s sizzle and fizzle, Finch barely saw the three thunderbolts – one of them touching 157 kph – that burst through his defences. One over of high impact – one spell out of the way.Botha and Siddharth Trivedi were not so menacing with the ball, and Tait returned for the fifth over. Finch promptly succumbed to another pacy bouncer, and Tait was off the attack again. Warne struck twice in his first over, nailing Unmukt Chand with a quick dipping legbreak, and Naman Ojha with a slower, looping delivery. Thereafter, Rajasthan let the pressure ease, allowing Warner and Rao to find an escape route. Rao checked in with a couple of controlled boundaries against spin before Warner preyed upon Trivedi’s poor lines.Warner plundered Tait’s indiscretions in length for three boundaries in his third over. He reached his 50 by cutting Warne in front of square before handing over the baton to his partner. Rao launched two successive slower balls from Trivedi for sixes over the off side, before Irfan Pathan slugged boundaries off Tait’s closing over to hustle Delhi to challenging total.Dravid ignited the chase with a series of boundaries off Ashok Dinda, but Amit Paunikar missed a wild slog to gift him a wicket. Pathan had shown signs of regaining his famous inswinger in Delhi’s first game. Today, however, he resorted to listless offcutters that Dravid pounced upon. With his seamers disappointing, Sehwag resorted to Roelof van der Merwe’s spin in the sixth over, and Dravid greeted him with two elegant boundaries. Fifty-seven had come off the Powerplay, and the game was heading Rajasthan’s way.van der Merwe gave Delhi an opening by getting Dravid to edge behind, but Botha and Menaria carried on without a fuss. With a stance and swagger reminiscent of Yuvraj Singh, Menaria camped on the back foot and looked to muscle anything too short or too full over midwicket. He thumped sixes off three consecutive overs before carving Pathan straight to cover. Botha was relentless though, in his new No. 3 avatar, executing paddle sweeps at will and keeping things under control. Rahane kept the flag flying, and though Morne Morkel uprooted his stumps in the 16th over it was too little too late.

Worcestershire fall short in chase

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Vikram Solanki scored a free-flowing 61 but Worcestershire fell short in their run chase•PA Photos

Middlesex’s buoyant start in the County Championship spilled over into the limited-overs arena when they began their Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign with a 24-run victory over Worcestershire at New Road. Unbeaten leaders in Division Two in the four-day game, the Panthers made fivechanges after beating Derbyshire on Saturday but their re-jigged bowling line-up was up to the task in defending a total of 206.Despite a free-flowing 61 from 58 balls by Vikram Solanki, Worcestershire could muster only 182 as both teams had problems on a sluggish surface.Middlesex earlier reached 157 for 3 before losing seven wickets for 49 in 11.1 overs and the home side completely lost their way after Solanki and Moeen Ali had launched their challenge with a stand of 78 in 12.5 overs. Offspinner Ollie Rayner removed the openers in quick succession and the innings went into reverse gear.In a disciplined bowling performance Middlesex gave nothing away as Toby Roland-Jones took 2 for 28 and allrounder Gareth Berg cleaned up with a one-day best of 4 for 24 in seven overs. James Cameron provided the only resistance, token as it was, until he was last out for 41, having edged the previous ball from Tim Murtagh for the only boundary since the 15th over.For Worcestershire, already beaten twice on their return to Division One in the Championship, this disappointing performance was reminiscent of last year when they began this competition with seven consecutive defeats.There was an early knock-back to confidence with an unhappy return to first-team cricket for Richard Jones. The former England Under-19 seamer was unfairly heckled by some of his own supporters as he conceded 33 runs in three overs, although he got a wicket with Solanki’s head-high slip catch to dismiss Dawid Malan.The impressive Jack Shantry compensated with 2 for 25 from a full ration. Paul Stirling, the Irishman who made a World Cup century in 70 balls against the Netherlands, was caught at short third man for 21 and Scott Newman (34) crashed a loose delivery to mid-off.Middlesex got over these mishaps but then lost direction as soon as Worcestershire’s spinners had broken the biggest partnership of 72 with two wickets in the space of four deliveries. Berg, who straight-drove the only six of the day in making 31, opened the door when he was bowled off stump by Moeen and Neil Dexter (48) gave up his wicket with an ill-timed chip to long-on off Shaaiq Choudhry.Australian Tom Scollay and wicketkeeper Ben Scott were only other batsmen to reach double figures as Gareth Andrew claimed three of the last four wickets.

Woakes century propels England Lions

Chris Woakes hit a defiant, unbeaten century to guide England Lions to a competitive 340 for 9 at stumps on the first day against Jamaica at Sabina Park. England chose to bat but got off to a poor start, losing their first three wickets with just 41 runs on the board. Jimmy Adams and Andrew Gale were dismissed off successive deliveries in the 19th over. Craig Kieswetter followed soon after and when captain James Hildreth fell to leave England at 103 for 5, after an attacking 40, the visitors looked in danger of folding up cheaply. James Taylor (41) and Ben Stokes calmed the nerves with a steady 58-run partnership. Taylor’s dismissal brought Woakes to the crease, and he and Stokes combined to seize the momentum with a run-a-ball 71-run partnership. Stokes was dismissed by Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert for 63, but Woakes remained firm to reach his third first-class century. He ended the day on 104, in the company of No. 11 Nathan Buck, who survived 16 deliveries before the close of play. Lambert used seven bowlers, with six of them among the wickets.

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