Australia beat India in one-day thriller

World champions Australia claimed a four-run victory in the opening one-day international on Sunday after India went close to reaching a daunting target of 293.

A plucky eighth-wicket stand of 84 by Harbhajan Singh (49) and Praveen Kumar (40 not out) almost gave India victory after they had slid to 201 for seven.

India needed nine off the last over from Peter Siddle but the paceman bowled accurately, conceding just four runs and clean bowling Harbhajan.

Earlier, Australian batsmen, led by captain Ricky Ponting, fed on some listless Indian bowling on a flat Reliance Stadium track to post an imposing 292 for 8 in the first of the best-of-seven-match ODI series here today.

Electing to bat, Australia suffered an early blow before recovering superbly through a near-century stand between Ponting (74) and opener Tim Paine (50).

The sound beginning was build upon by half centuries from Cameron White (51) and Michael Hussey (73) as the Indian bowling, which has struggled of late, was put to the sword in merciless fashion in hot conditions.

In the morning, the hosts struck an early blow by sending back Australian opener Shane Watson, on a high coming into the series with back-to-back hundreds in the semifinal and final of the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The burly batsman straight-drove the first ball of the series from Praveen Kumar for a boundary but then was trapped in front by an incoming ball from Ashish Nehra in the second over to which he played back.

Watson's early dismissal left Australia at five for one after eight balls and brought in visiting team's skipper Ricky Ponting to the crease.

Ponting, on a roll in one-dayers since the best-of-seven ODI series against England with two centuries and four half centuries under his belt from his last 10 innings, and Tim Paine -playing for the first time in a ODI in India -dominated the bowlers.

The duo kept the run rate at a healthy five plus to raise the 100 of their innings in the 19th over when wicketkeeper Paine tried to slash Ishant Sharma to be caught behind for 50.

Paine, who struck nine fours in his 62-ball innings, and Ponting shared 97 runs for the second wicket in 107 balls.

Ponting looked in total command, striking the ball beautifully, and hooked left arm pacer Ashish Nehra for a six.

He looked good for a 100 when he left, trapped leg before by young left-arm slow bowler Ravindra Jadeja while trying to turn the ball to the leg.

The Australia skipper faced 85 balls and hit eight fours and two sixes, the second one off Jadeja over a leaping Nehra at long off, and his dismissal at team total of 151 in the 30th over brought down the scoring rate a bit.

But that was a brief respite for the home team as Cameron White (51) and Michael Hussey (73) again stepped up the run rate after the 35th over to help Australia reach 213 for three at the end of the 40th. They added 76 runs in 77 balls.

Australia added 54 runs in the last 10 overs to leave India with an asking rate of 5.86.

Hussey, out of form before this series and a question mark against his name for the next Test series against West Indies, departed in the last over after facing 54 balls and striking the ball cleanly to hit eight fours and a six.

Indian bowling was a mixed bag. Nehra impressed right through but Kumar was expensive though he was unlucky that twice he got the edge of Paine's bat but the ball did not carry to the slip fielders.

Kumar was hoisted over the roof of the pavilion by Hussey in the 49th over of the innings to end up with no wicket for 77 runs.

Ishant, who has struggled of late, started unimpressively but then settled down to show glimpses of what he is capable of when in rhythm in his opening spell. Coming back in the slog overs he leaked runs but picked up the wickets of Hussey and Brett Lee and ended up with figures of 3/50 from his 10 overs.

Another disappointment was spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh who bowled a poor line and was punished for 20 runs in his first three overs and 27 in his second spell of five overs. He ended up with the wicket of Adam Voges in the slog overs after conceding 57 runs.

Jadeja did reasonably well and got the prize wicket of Ponting, and ended with impressive figures of one for 39 from his nine overs.

The Indian fielding was generally below par with many slow movers in the line-up.

Earlier, India had to leave out Yuvraj Singh, who is recovering from a finger injury sustained before the start of Champions Trophy, along with Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra and Sudeep Tyagi.

Australia benched Doug Bollinger, Jon Holland, Ben Hilfenhaus and Shaun Marsh.

Thank god, I don't have to bowl to Sachin: Ishant

India paceman Ishant Sharma might have acquired the reputation of bumping off top batsmen like Ricky Ponting but he thanks his stars for not having Sachin Tendulkar as an opponent.

"Sachin Tendulkar is one batsman who is not easy to bowl to. Be it in nets or in the middle, he always bats as if he is playing a match. I am thankful to god that I play in his team. His experience is equal to my age," Ishant said.

The gangling Delhi bowler said besides Tendulkar, Ponting and Hayden were among his favourite batsman.

"Other than Sachin and Ponting, my favourite batsmen are Matthew Hayden and Rahul Dravid," he said.

Ishant said he was trying to bowl fast consistently but also focusing on maintaining the right line and length to trap the batsmen.

"I am trying to bowl at 100 mph but what is more important is which areas I hit. If you get that speed but the delivery is short- or over-pitched and ball goes across the boundary than there is no use of it.

"Instead, if I bowl at 140-145 kph and swing it, batsmen could be in trouble," he told NDTV.

"I know my limitations and try to be in my limits," he added.

The 20-year-old fast bowler also said he did not believe in experimenting in the match and relies on whatever he practised in nets.

"You should try in a match only what you have practised in the nets. You should not try new things straightaway while playing for the country.

Anil Kumble’s cameo keeps a tradition alive

Though the former Indian skipper doesn’t look at ease faking hiccups he holds his own in the closing scene

Sandeep Patil and Sayed Kirmani were pitted against each other as hero and villain in the 1985 flick Kabhi Ajnabi The. Annarth, a movie whose plot revolved around gang wars, had Vinod Kambli playing the role of Bandya. Salim Durrani acted opposite Parveen Babi in Charitra, while Ajay Jadeja wore greasepaint five years ago for Khel, where he starred along side Sunil Shetty, Sunny Deol and Celina Jaitley. Sunil Gavaskar played himself in Maalamaal in the late 80s, while Kapil Dev acted in Aryan, a story about a boxer and Mohsin Khan, the Pakistani cricketer, appeared in Saathi.

Former skipper Anil Kumble isn’t the first Indian cricketer to star in a Bollywood film. Meerabai Not Out has Mandira Bedi, the popular cricket host, playing the lead role with this story revolving around her. She plays a mathematics teacher who is passionate about cricket.

Gentleman cricketer Anil Kumble is her favourite. Kumble is affected by a bout of hiccups whenever Mandira thinks or talks about her hero. Kumble’s cameo is more of a guest appearance and though he doesn’t look at ease faking the hiccups he manages to hold his own in the closing scene where he signs an autograph for Mandira.

While Kumble wasn’t keen to talk about the film when DNA contacted him there is also talk of the former Indian skipper being upset with promotional posters of the movie that shows Mandira holding a cut out of him while in bed with her co-star Eijaz Khan.

However, while the promo may suggest some outrageous scenes, this film is one you can watch with the family. While roping in a cricket can be called a casting coup, it isn’t by any means a formula for success.

But that hasn’t deterred directors and producers from offering them roles. In the yet to be released film Victory, Harman Baweja plays a professional cricketer. The movie stars up to 30 international cricketers, including the likes of Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel and Sanath Jayasuriya to name a few.

Cricketers outside the sub-continent too have tried their luck in acting. Derek Pringle featured in the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire as the vice-captain of an athletics team. It was a role that hardly last a couple of minutes.

Former England skipper Len Hutton acted in The Last Test released in 1950s about a bunch of cricketers preparing for the Ashes. That Kumble only makes short guest appearances Meerabai Not Out means that this movie doesn’t run on his acting skills. Going by how badly movies with cricketers have done, maybe it was a good idea.

Twenty four wickets fall on Day One at Kotla

Hosts Delhi and Orissa struggle on a green-top as a dozen batsmen fail to open account

Ishant Sharma ran in with purpose and bowled with fire, just as Delhi would have liked their star bowler to do. On a pitch tailor-made for his ilk, the pace bowler grabbed a career-best seven for 24 to save Delhi the embarrassment of conceding a huge lead in their Ranji Trophy Elite Super League match against Orissa at the Feroz Shah Kotla here.

Needing a victory desperately, Delhi prepared a green-top pitch that would guarantee a result, but on being asked to bat first, they were skittled out for a mere 78. However, Sharma, supported at best by some miserly bowling from the other end, ripped through the top order to restrict the opposition to 80.

Delhi captain Virender Sehwag was battling on 27 as Delhi finished the opening day at 38 for four in their second innings, just 36 ahead with six wickets in hand. On a windy day that saw most batsmen being bowled, caught behind or leg-before wicket if not trying a desperate shot, Sharma sent the wickets cartwheeling five times.

Former Test opener Shiv Sundar Das and P Jayachandra were among those castled by huge incoming deliveries from the beanpole, the fielders anticipating the sweet sound of ball hitting the timber and enjoying scurry to fetch the dislodged bails from far off.

Sharma, who had just two first-class five-wicket hauls prior to this match including one in a Test against Pakistan at Bangalore last year, did his best after the team management decided to play aggressively after getting back the services of their star players.

Gautam Gambhir though proved to be a big let down for the home side, getting a ‘pair’, facing only two balls in each innings. Sehwag was run out in the first innings with a top score of 17 and batted with defiance in the second to keep Delhi’s hopes alive.

Brief score: Delhi 78 all out (S Khatua 3-17, B Mohanty 3-25, D Mohanty 3-26) & 38-4 (Virender Sehwag 27*, Khatua 2-10); Orissa 80 all out (BS Pati 32, I Sharma 7-24)

India invite England to bat in fifth one-dayer

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl against England in the fifth one-day international on Wednesday.

England, down 4-0 in the series, dropped opener Ian Bell and struggling paceman James Anderson for the day-nighter in search of their first win in the seven-match series.

They included left-handed opener Alastair Cook for his first game of the series and recalled fast bowler Steve Harmison after he sat out the previous two outings. India also made two changes from the previous rain-hit game which they won by 19 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in Bangalore.

They rested in-form batsman Gautam Gambhir for youngster Rohit Sharma with all rounder Irfan Pathan replacing paceman Munaf Patel.

Teams

England - Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Kevin Pietersen (captain), Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Owais Shah, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison.

India - Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma.

On course to becoming top team in world: Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Basking in the glory of India's Test triumph over Australia and one-day series victory over England, chief national selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth said MS Dhoni and his boys are now well on course to becoming the top team in the world in both formats of the game.

Srikkanth said a new face of Indian cricket has emerged with the team oozing confidence after notching up victories against top nations.

"The entire approach of the players has changed. They have been consistently aggressive and the approach has been positive. The most important thing is they are playing as a well-knit team. Everybody has done his job well and contributed for the success of the team. We are looking at building a team that will become world number one in both Test and one-day formats. That is the first goal," he said.

"The aggressive attitude reflected in the increased run rate in Test matches. There were times even in Nagpur and Mohali when things were not going our away but our boys fought their way. The fighting spirit and the adaptability is commendable. Even in the Indore one-dayer, we were 29 for three and from there to score 290 plus shows that they have adjusted to the situations well," he added.

The former India opener said what was heartening for the country's cricket was that the team was doing well collectively though there have been outstanding performers.

"If you see overall, everybody is contributing to the success of the team. It is not one individual or two. Opening batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag have found their moorings and give us solid base in Test and one-dayers. Similarly Zaheer (Khan) and Ishant Sharma have been getting us early wickets in both Test and one-dayers."

Rest & reign Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The series is in the bag, won so comprehensively that pundits can’t stop singing paeans on Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team. The scoreline reads 4-0 in India’s favour and Dhoni wants the series against England to finish at 7-0. This spells bad news for Kevin Pietersen, whose side hasn’t hit the straps since arriving in the country. India’s current position of strength presents a fine opportunity for the team think-tank to give some tired legs rest and replace them with fresher players. “You will see a few changes in the side in the next three matches,” Dhoni said.

Immediately, Virat Kohli, Irfan Pathan and Pragyan Ojha come into the picture. Kohli has played five ODIs and has opened in all of them. An attacking player, Kohli can fit into the side if either Gautam Gambhir or Virender Sehwag need a break. Kohli also plays for Delhi and he shouldn’t have any problems teaming up with the either of them.

Throwing Ojha into the ring would be a brave move. The left-arm spinner will present England with more worries in addition to Harbhajan Singh’s off-spin.

With much hullabaloo surrounding the dropping of RP Singh for Irfan, it would be silly for Dhoni not to pick the all-rounder, who has also been among the wickets in the domestic circuit. The inclusion of Irfan will give Zaheer Khan an opportunity to take some much-needed rest and come out fresh for the two-Test series that starts on December 11. Zaheer, along with Ishant Sharma, has provided India with the most potent opening attack in over a decade and the team can’t risk injury to either of these pacemen. It wouldn’t be too bad an idea to give them some more rest.

Also it waits to be seen if the selectors and Dhoni are ready to experiment further for the 6th and 7th ODIs. If fringe players, like Mohammad Kaif, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay or Pradeep Sangwan make the cut then the rotation policy would truly be in full swing. What will be interesting to see is whether Dhoni decides to take a break keeping in mind that he will have to play in the Champions League. However, it will be vital that any rotation or experimentation doesn’t come at the cost of India losing the momentum going into the two-Test series.

Lack of IPL exposure is keeping us behind:Andrew Flintoff

Andrew Flintoff has blamed England's dismal show in the ongoing one-day series squarely on their non-participation in the Indian Premier League, which he
believes has helped Indian players develop their game by leaps and bounds.

"I think through playing the shorter form of the game they (India) have developed new skills with both bat and ball, and we have been found wanting a little bit," Flintoff said.

"Their game has developed through playing Twenty20 cricket, you just have to look at the way the guys hit the ball and the positions they get into. You also look at the
bowling skills that Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have too. They are developing slower balls and yorkers."

The England all-rounder also sought to clarify that the reason for his teamamtes' keenness to play in the IPL was not just the big bucks they could earn through it.

"A few of our players are keen to go to the IPL. The thing that most people write about when they mention the IPL is the financial rewards, but it should also be looked at as
something that helps with a player's development," Flintoff told Britain's 'Independent' newspaper.

However, England players are yet to know if they would get a chance to play in the second edition of IPL due to ongoing tussle between the England and Wales Cricket Board and the IPL organisers.

IPL are keen to ensure that English cricketers to commit their presence in the event but ECB is ready to release the players only for a limited period which was not okayed by IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi.

Sachin Tendulkar at his best is better than Lara: Ricky Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting may not have much love for Team India but he was liberal in his praise of individuals like Sachin Tendulkar whom he placed ahead of West Indian batting great Brian Lara.

"I have always maintained that he (Tendulkar) at his best was fractionally ahead of Brian Lara at his best, and they are the best two batsmen I have played against," Ponting wrote in his 'captain's Diary 2008'.

"As I write this, he has scored 14 international hundreds against Australia during his career (seven in Tests, seven in ODIs), and I have been on the field for many of them, so I have plenty of opportunities to guage just how magnificent and complete a batsman he is," he said in a specially highlighted reference to the Mumbai maestro.

The Aussie captain said he tried to set up schemes and strategies to trap Tendulkar but the Indian almost always broke the code.

"We have tried a wide variety of schemes and strategies, but he's usually had the answer to all of them...

"For me, right at the start of my Test career, it was a great experience just to see such a champion player going about his business in his conditions," he said in reference to a contest in Mumbai.

Ponting also singled out the just retired Indian captain Anil Kumble and promising pacer Ishant Sharma for special appreciation and said batsmen could not relax against the two.