It’s AUS-SA
Harare: South Africa will look to extract an advantage from their superior spin stocks when they take on a hard-hitting Australian side in the second match of a triangular series in Harare on Wednesday. Number 1 ranked Australia issued a statement of intent on Monday when they crushed Zimbabwe by 198 runs in the series opener, exhibiting a greater degree of ruthlessness than South Africa did in winning a three-match one-day series against the hosts in Bulawayo last week. Australia showed Zimbabwe no respect in hammering 147 runs in the final 10 overs to rack up 350 for six on a slow wicket, proving that their big-hitting middle order can be particularly difficult to contain. However with the dry, late winter pitches in Harare suiting the spinners more than the fast bowlers, the Proteas could have an advantage. legspinner Imran Tahir and left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso both picked up regular wickets against Zimbabwe while conceding less than four runs per over, and also have the support of JP Duminy, whose off spin has become a regular feature for the Proteas. By contrast, Australia brought just one specialist spinner in Nathan lyon, and although he picked up a couple of wickets on Monday, he was also hit for 42 runs in seven overs by a struggling Zimbabwean line-up.
‘No chance for Eng’
london: Former captain Michael Vaughan and ex-spinner Graeme Swann has called for a change in personnel and feels Alastair Cook should be removed as ODI skipper if England wish to win the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “We won’t win this World Cup,” Swann was quoted as BCC’s Test Match Special. “In four years’ time, we might have a chance if we get in all the exciting players who have none of the baggage of the old-style brand we play. “I love Cookie (Cook) dearly. But I don’t think he should be bothering playing one-day cricket anymore. He doesn’t need to. He’s proved a very good point in Test matches. He should just enjoy being England Test captain. let in the young people who just want to smash it everywhere,” said Swann, who took 104 wickets in 79 ODIs for England. Vaughan, who captained England in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, also believes Cook should be rested for the World Cup with England due to play an Ashes series, plus Tests against West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa in 2015. “By taking on the one-day job and captaining the side all winter, going into a huge year of Test match cricket… I think he (Cook) will be absolutely drained,” Vaughan said.
Ramdin-Bravo show
Basseterre: Denesh Ramdin and Darren Bravo hit centuries in a record partnership as the West Indies completed a clean sweep of the three-match one-day international series against Bangladesh with a 91-run victory on Monday. Ramdin blazed 169 and dominated a 258-run third-wicket partnership with Bravo (124) to pace the West Indies to 338 for seven batting first. It was the highest partnership for any wicket for the Caribbean side in ODIs while the total was their fifth-highest. Needing a monumental effort to even be competitive after their capitulation for just 70 in the second one-dayer in Grenada three days earlier, Bangladesh were boosted by a 99-run third-wicket stand between Tamim Iqbal (55) and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim but were never really in the hunt and could only manage 247 for eight in reply. Recognising that his team’s chances of challenging such a formidable total were effectively gone when Tamim was bowled by Sunil Narine in the 22nd over, the tourists’ captain settled on determined occupation of the crease rather than gambling on rampant aggression to top-score with 72. Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the West Indies bowlers in finishing with four for 29. Ramdin’s effort, highlighted by 11 sixes and eight fours off 121 balls, equalled batting legend Brian lara for the third-highest individual innings by a West Indian in one-dayers. Only Vivian Richards, arguably the greatest of the many batting masters from the Caribbean, has higher individual scores -- 189 not out against England in Manchester in 1984 and 181 against Sri lanka at the 1987 World Cup in Karachi.
Sri lanka beat Pak
Hambantota: A brilliant all-round performance by Thisara Perera guided Sri lanka to a 77-run victory over Pakistan in their second one-day international on Tuesday to level the three-match series. Perera’s whirlwind 65 off 36 balls took Sri lanka’s total to 310-9 after captain Angelo Mathews missed out on his maiden ODI century, scoring a career-best 93, while Mahela Jayawardene made a polished 67. Spinners Rangana Herath and Sekkuge Prasanna shared two wickets apiece and Perera polished off the late order with 3-19 to end Pakistan’s reply on 233 in 43.5 overs. Pakistan started off the run-chase confidently through Mohammad Hafeez’s brisk 62 with 11 boundaries and Ahmed Shehzad’s 56 before then losing wickets at regular intervals. The third and decisive match of the series will be played at Dambulla on Saturday.