Another Pakistan batting collapse.........

Pakistan was dismissed for its all-time lowest twenty20 international score (89) as England wrapped up a 2-0 series whitewash.

The two Umars (Gul and Akmal) provided some entertaining litte cameos but it was not enough to stop Tim Bresnan from taking a shocking 3-10.

Gul smashed the shot of the night by tonking a Stuart Broad slower ball over long-on for a massive six.

Craig Kieswetter smashed Umar Gul's opening over for 19 runs. However, Shoaib Akhtar removed Kieswetter and Steven Davies and Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal each took a wicket to reduce England to 4/63.

it was not enough to stop Eoin Morgan (18) from hitting three fours in 14 balls, as he and Michael Yardy (6) finished the job with exactly six overs to spare

Sri Lanka triumph in one-sided final

Sri Lanka dominated the Triangular series final from the outset to defeat India by 74 runs. Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakarra was pleased he won the toss on a good batting wicket (a real rarity throughout the series.)

Tilikeratne Dilshan started with fireworks and blasted 100 from 115 balls, including 12 fours and a six to add 121 for the opening stand with Mahela Jayawardene, who made a gritty 39 in becoming the third Sri Lankan cricketer to make 9,000 runs in One Day Internationals.

When Upul Tharanga(6) and Jayawardene were both removed in quick sucession, skipper Kumar Sangakarra stepped up to the plate and stroked 71 from 62 deliveries, a knock enriched with seven fours and a six, as he helped his side pile on 80 runs from the final 10 overs and set India 300 for victory.

India needed partnerships to chase down the daunting total, and despite a 50-run stand between Virat Kohli and Sangakarra's opposite number, M.S Dhoni(67) they never looked like getting the runs.

Kohli(37), Yuvraj Singh(26) and dashing opener Virender Sehwag(28) were all unable to convert to big scores, as India were dismissed for 225. Thissara Perera was again the suprise pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking an impressive 3-36.

India takes the sword to Lankans

India bowled with fire and hostility to dismiss Sri Lanka for 170 in their second match of the triangular series before Virender Sehwag blasted his side to victory with an unbeaten 99.

Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga was first to go, dismissed for a golden duck by Praveen Kumar.
Skipper Kumar Sangakkara was removed for 2, caught by Pragyan Ohja from the bowling of Ashish Nehra. By the time Mahela Jayawardene was lbw to Praveen Kumar the score read 3/23 and the Sri Lankan dressing room was very nervy.

But things would only get worse from here. Thilan Samaraweera went for just 7, after he was caught by Ravindra Jadeja off the fiery pace of Ishant Sharma. Tilikeratne Dilshan was finally removed after an uncharacteristically fighting knock of 45 from 62 deliveries, dismissed by Pragyan Ohja. Allrounder Angelo Matthews departed from the batting crease after making 15 from 26 balls. Chamara Kapugedera made 10 (28) before being bowled by Ravindra Jadeja.

Then came the time for Suraj Randiv to stand up and be counted. The spinner was the last man to be dismissed in a gutsy 43 off 61 deliveries and enjoyed several partnerships:

39 run partnership with Nuwan Kulesekara(22)
16 run partnership with Lasith Malinga(5)
12 run partnership with Dilhara Fernando(6)

Now for the Indian bowling figures:

Praveen Kumar bowled a very economical 2/20 from 8 overs ( at a run rate of 2.50 an over)
Ashish Nehra was the most expensive of the pacemen, taking 1/39 from 9 overs( 4.33 per over)
Ishant Sharma again showed his promise, snaring 2/32 from 9 overs(3.55 an over)
Ravinda Jadeja bowled his full quota of ten overs, ending with 34/2 (at 3.40 an over)
while part timer Virender Sehwag bowled 1 over for 5 runs,
but Deccan Chargers star Pragyan Ohja was the pick of the bowlers, bagging 3/36 from 9.1 overs at a slightly expensive 3.92 an over.

Virender Sehwag then took centre stage, smashing 99 not out from 100 balls. The knock contained 11 fours, 2 sixes and........ a little bit of controversy.

India was a single away from victory and Sehwag 1 run from his ton. He then proceeded to wallop a six from Suraj Randiv, but as Randiv had clearly overstepped and the delivery was called a no-ball, only the extra sundry run was added to India's total. As a result, Sehwag remain on 99*

New Zealand is at the top of the leaderboard with 5 points, while Sri Lanka and India are on 4 points apiece

Lankans open thier campain in style

Sri Lanka bowled with incredible resolve and held New Zealand to just 192 before stuttering their way to 195-7.

Lasith Malinga (3-35) removed Martin Guptill for a first ball duck off a bizzare bottom edge which balloned into the air. Angelo Matthews also snared Kane Williamson for a duck, as well as taking the key wicket of danger man Ross Taylor (16). Spinner Rangana Herath then disposed of Scott Styris for 24. Matthews then snared his third wicket of the afteroon by dismissing opener BJ Watling (55) when he was well set and anchoring the innings.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins was on his way for 11, courtesy again of that man Malinga before "The Slinga" clean bowled Daryl Tuffey for the third duck of NZ's innings. Spinner Rangana Herath caught Nathan McCullum off the bowling of the team's other spinner, Ajantha Mendis, before taking the wicket of Kyle Mills to end the Blackcaps innings.

Sri Lankan captain Sangkarra(48) opener Upul Tharanga(70) and finisher Chamara Kapugedera(13 no out) then guided Sri Lanka to a 7 wicket win with nearly 10 overs in hand.

Pakistan crash as England take a 2-0 series lead

Pakistan were left reeling the face of an onslaught from Andrew Strauss during the second Test at Egbaston.

The England captain was dropped no fewer than five times on his way to an unbeaten 53. Strauss guided his beloved adopted country to a nine wicket victory with more than a session and a day to spare.

Debutant wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider(88) and tailender Saeed Ajmal (50) gave Pakistan a faint glimmer of hope going into the fourth day of the second Test and Mohammad Aamer certainly remained undaunted by the task, clean bowling Alistair Cook (4) after the Pakistanis had set England 118 to win.

But any aspirations of victory were soon crushed by Johnathan Trott, who made a classy 53* (his fourth 50 in Tests) and Andrew Strauss, who was uncharacteristically brutal in his 53*. Trott stuck some beautiful cover drives in the morning session, while it seemed Strauss was keen to get the job done post lunch, and he finally got an edge away to bring up the winning runs.

Lankans must count on Sangakkara again

An island nation's expectation hung on the shoulder's of captain and former wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara during the Third Test between Sri Lanka and India last night as the Sri Lankans were sent to stumps on day three at 2-45, a threadlike lead of 34, after the Indians were dismissed for 436 late in the day.

India's lower-order fought strongly after lunch, with Abhimanyu Mithun (46, 5 fours) and Amit Mishra (40) putting on 64 for the eighth wicket.

The tailenders, who made 115 for the last four wickets, provided plenty of respite the Indian captain M.S Dhoni, who was dismissed for 15 after lunch on a very tough morning. India's talisman Sachin Tendulkar added just one run to his overnight world record run tally, dismissed for 41 after he threw the blade at a delivery from Lasith Malinga in the first over. Virender Sehwag was also undone by lazy strokeplay when he was dismissed in the sixth over of the morning, for 109. Sehwag fell to spinner Suraj Radiv, skying a top edge high in the air and safely into the hands of Chanaka Welegedera.

It was Sehwag's fourth recent hundred and it came off 105 deliveries. He would have made 5 hundreds in 5 Tests were it not for 1 run- he was stumped by Sangakkara for 99 in the second Test!

V.V.S Laxman and Suresh Raina participated in a 105 run partnership before Ajantha Mendis removed them in the space of three overs after lunch. Raina was removed driving to Sangkkara at mid-wicket, while Laxman edged to the ever-reliable Jayawardene in the slips.

wicketkeeper and captain Dhoni was hit on the gloves by Malinga before being removed by him on the hook

India mount fightback going into Third Test

India fought back early into day two of the third Test against Sri Lanka. After reaching stumps on the first day at 4-293, India has come back at the Lankans like last night's pizza to have them stumbling at 8-388.

Pragyan Ohja was the star with the ball, taking 97-4. Playing in just his second Test, Ohja snared former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene for 56, danger man Angelo Matthews on 45 and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene for 9, each man falling LBW.

Randiv was caught by Rahul Dravid for 8 from the bowling of part-timer Virender Sehwag. Lasith Malinga came to the crease on the back of a Test match best of 64, but there were no heroics this time as he was caught and bowled by Amit Mishra for 4.

Earlier on day 1, Sangakkara had made his way to 75 before losing concentration and falling to Virender Sehwag at long-on off........... Pragyan Ohja! India was left to rue a misjudgement by Suresh Raina when hewas on 23. The edge from Sangakarra appeared to be comfortably travelling to VV.S Laxman at second slip before Raina lunged to his right and dropped the catch.

India were terrible at times, sending down 16 extras (including an intolerable 14 no-balls and two wides) but they were good enough to make regular breakthroughs, rather than play straight into Sri Lanka's hands.

Sangkkara won the toss, chose to bat and promptly put on 87 with Tillakaratne Dilshan after the early loss of opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who fell to young paceman Ishant Sharma for 8. But Dilshan's innings was cut short by a sad end:

Tillakaratne stepped out of his crease to defend a no-ball from Ohja when Murali Vijay gathered the ball at silly point and delivered to wicketkeeper M.S Dhoni who then duly removed the dangerous Dilshan.

Mahela Jayawardene then continued the carnage, putting on 84 with Thilan Samaraweera before he was poorly adjudged LBW by Australian umpire Rod Tucker. Yet Samaraweera continues to anchor the innings on 125 not out

Three batsmen- who rules the roost?

Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara are the most outstanding batsmen of their generation and three of the most gifted men to ever wield a willow.

Who is the greatest? Sachin Tendulkar is, to many, the clear answer to this question. But this does not mean Ponting and Lara are not without their skills.

Lara, along with Virender Sehwag, stands as one of the greatest "momentum players" in cricket history. That is to say, that once a momentum player gets going, they are unstoppable and invariably go on to record a mammoth score.

The Trinidadian still holds the world record for the highest Test match score, an unfathomable 400 during the fourth Test against Englandin 2004. Brian has made scores the likes of which Ricky and Sachin could only dream of. Sachin lacks but two milestones on an otherwise impeccable record- a coveted triple ton, and an average higher than that of Donald Bradman's 99.94, while Ponting's highest score in Tests is 257.

Ponting has a talent for carving spectacular innings for his country when they need them, as is evidenced by his enviable fourth innings record. This was an skill which, other than on one famous occasion in particular deserted Lara more often than not and particularly at crucial junctures. Tendulkar's second innings record lags significantly behind other more advanced components of his game.

But Tendulkar is poised to well and truly run away with all the records, and deservedly so. Many had already been labelling him the "new Bradman" but in 1999, when invited to Bradman's birthday, Sir Donald let Sachin know he was his modern embodiment. There could be no higher compliment.

Tendulkar is currently Test cricket's highest run scorer with 13,647 runs to his name. He also stands head and shoulder above everyone else in terms of centuries scored, in both forms of the game- he has scored 46 ODI hundreds and 48 Test hundreds. At 37, and with 94 tons in total, there is enough hope left for Sachin's fans that he has time enough to become the first man to score 100 international hundreds.

Sachin reaches 48 centuries as India fight back

"The little master" continues to impress, even 20 years into his career. It seems like an eternity ago that Sachin Tendulkar made his first Test hundred way back in 1990 at Old Trafford. It was just his second Test. His latest hundred- his 48th, has come in his 168th Test. This highest number of Test matches played by a single cricketer, a record which Tendulkar shares with the "Ice Man" Steve Waugh.

It was a special ton and it came at an ideal time for India, suddenly 3-173 after crusing at 0-165. Virender Sehwag had come within 1 run of scoring his fourth century in consecutive Tests(109 and 165 vs South Africa, February 2009, following his century in the Indian second innings of the Test prior to this one) but was stumped by Sangkkara off the wily spin of Test newcomer Suraj Randiv. Rahul "the wall" Dravid, came and went, another dismissal for Randiv, although this was a controverial LBW.

Tendulkar brought up his century on the sweep, dispatching Suraj Randiv for his 13th boundary of the innings. While some have complained that his strike rate has slowed in the past few years, this has merely showed his adapability in engeneering his batting to suit the flow of an innings. And it is not as if he is not able to score at a canter- during this year's edition of the IPL, Sachin carried the bat with an unbeaten 89 from 59 deliveries. The knock was enriched with 10 boundaries and 2 sixes. It was a wonderfully timed innings, which began slowly, lasting through an early collapse before unleashing into top gear for the final three overs of the Mumbai innings.

If hewas to reach the coveted 50 century milestone before the end of the series, it another tick off to-do list for Tendulkar- when he broke Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries against Sri Lanka, Colombo, 2005, Gavaskar spoke to Sachin and threatened to come after him for breaking the record unless he scored 50 centuries for India! Ever since Gavaskar's threats, it has been his main ambition to reach the 50 century milestone.

Sri Lanka takes the attack to India on day 1

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakarra and his loyal top-order batsmen have smashed India all over the park throughout all of day 1 and early into day 2.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana clattered the Indians for 99 runs during the opening 18 overs at a stunning run rate of 5.5.

Dilshan was finally dismissed for 54 from just 42 deliveries, but Paranavitana continued beyond the lunch break. When he was finally dismissed for an even 100 before stumps, it was too little, too late. Sangakkara was unbeaten on 130 and Jayawardene was settling on 7.

Paranavitana added 174 with Sangakkara in a boundary-light hundred.

The score is curently 3-500 wtih Jayawardene on 88 and Thilan Samaraweera.

Aamer impresses again as shaky Pakistan scrape over the line

Stunning teenage paceman Mohammad Aamer took 7-106 as Pakistan finally managed to break Australia's 13 Test match winning streak over the mercurial squad.

Young Aamer has exploded onto the world cricket scene in the year since his international debut in the WorldTwenty20- the firebrand enjoyed a fantastic tour of New Zealand before showing promise in Australia. So far the 18 year old has taken 25 wickets in a mere 8 Tests.

Aamer hit the stumps twice and generated some extreme swing in taking 3-2o in the first innings as Australia were demolished by Pakistan's attack, dismissed for a paltry 88. He then provided the necessary goods during the second innings, bowling Simon Katich before the Australian captain and his deputy took charge and fought back to have the Australians 2-136 at stumps on the second day.

Aamer then came back on the third morning of the Test match and ripped the heart out of Australia's middle order, taking 3 Australian wickets (Ponting-66 North-0 Hussey-8) in the space of 16 balls. He held his nerve on a tense fourth morning to giude his team to a three wicket triumph with Umar Gul.

800 wickets for a true champion

During his final Test match, Muttiah Muralitharan showed the world that at even at 38, he still has what it takes to bowl his country to victory.

India sat comfortably at 3-140 during the first Test in Galle after Sri Lanka scored 520-8 dec. and the second day was washed out. The match appeared to be petering out to another tame draw when Muralitharan finally began to weave his magic, snaring 5-63 as India were bowled out for an inconceivable 276 and forced to follow on.

Lasith Malinga impressed on his return to Test cricket, taking 5-50 during the Indian second innings but all eyes were on "Murali" as he strove to become the first man to take 800 wickets.

He then completed a remarable tri fecta- he became the only man in the history of Test cricket to take 800 wickets, took a wicket with his final ball and ended the Indian innings. The final wicket also held significance for his long-time captain, Mahela Jayawardene, who held a low catch at first slip. A world record 67 of Muralitharan's wickets read:
c.Jayawardene b. Muralitharan.

There could have been no better end for a truly remarkable cricketer.

Watto perfornance

Shane Watson took a superb five wicket haul on a Lord's pitch which seemed especially tailored to his own swing bowling. In doing so, he joined Glenn McGrath on the esteemed Lord's honors board for cricketers who have taken a wickets or more in an innings at the hallowed turf of the home of cricket.

Watson took the wickets of both the Akmal brothers as well as key men Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt, the latter of whom was bowled by a magnificent inswinger. Afridi was also a key wicket as he was a man on a mission having smashed 31 from a mere 15 deliveries.

As brilliant as Watson was, Pakistan fought back to have Australia 4-100 at stumps.

Who will be selected for Pakistan's clash with the Aussies?

Although the current Pakistan squad is missing the services of veterans Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, it has the bright young talents of Umar Akmal and Mohammad Aamer available well into the future.

Opening batsman Salman Butt seems to have set his place into concrete, despite causing a number of rather embarrasing run outs in the past few months. As far as the other opening slot goes, Fahwad Alam would be a fantastic foil for Butt. Alam has been played in the middle order of the ODI squad recently but originally was played as Test opener against Sri Lanka last year, where he made an impressive 168 on debut.

In terms of the middle order gap left by Younus Khan and Yousuf, the fighting Khurram Manzoor would be a excellent suggestion- the toiler having made a fighting 77 from 139 deliveries during his last Test against Australia. Despite the fact that it was a dour innings in an attempt to save the Test match for Pakistan, the knock was still enriched with 8 fours.

In terms of bowling, while Asif and Aamer are certain selections, the final pace spot will be a fight between workhorse Abdur Rauf, speedster Mohammmad Sami and the ever-economical Umar Gul.

As for spin, Danish Kaneria should be preferred over Saeead Ajmal, who has recently made his name as a limited overs bowler.

Top 10 Young Cricketers

While there is a large proportion of major international cricketers that have hit the halfway mark of their careers, there has been some extremely encouraging youth development within each Test nation.

Here are my evaluations as to the best young players from around the world that have emerged throughout the past two years:

1. Mohammad Aamer- allrounder(Pakistan)
2. Angelo Matthews- allrounder(Sri Lanka)
3. J.P Duminy- allrounder*(South Africa)
4. Umar Akmal- batsman(Pakistan)
5. Steve Smith- allrounder(Australia)
6. Tim Southee-allrounder(New Zealand)
7.Adrian Barath- batsman (West Indies)
8. Craig Kieswetter- batsman(England)
9. Kemar Roach- Fast bowler(West Indies)
10. Tamim Iqbal- batsman(Bangladesh)
*Duminy has been playing ODIs for South Africa for a couple of years now, but only made his Test debut in the 2008-09 summer against Australia on home soil.

Spitting furore "Steyns" Benn's day

South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn is facing a hearing from an ICC match referee after allegedly spitting in the direction of West Indian spinner Sulieman Benn.

In a rare role reversal, bad-boy Benn was involved in a controversy that was not his fault! Instead the blame is on the shoulders of usually jovial Steyn.

As Steyn walked off after being dismissed, Benn appeared to merely smile at Steyn, before he glared at off-spinner and unloaded a mouthful of phlem in Benn's direction.

Exciting Khawaja gains Test call-up

Thrilling New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja has gained a call-up to the Australian Test squad at just 23, a young age for an Australian batsman to be blooded into a Test squad.

If Khawaja was to be selected for the first Test against at Lords, it would be a match close to his heart, as he is of Pakistani origin and was born in the bustling city of Islamabad.

On statistics alone, he is certainly worthy of a place in the Test line-up- last season he scored 698 runs in Sheffield Shield with three hundreds at an average of 63.45. What's more, he averaged 41 in the Ford Ranger Cup (limited overs competition) this summer. He is also very prepared for the mental side of Test cricket and is a technically gifted strokemaker.

One thing's for sure: I will certainly be tuning in to see Khawaja and Mohammad Aamer battle it out. I would also like to see him try beat Umar Akmal as a high scorer for the two-Test series

Malinga bowls Lankans to emphatic last gasp win as Pakistan crumble again

A stunning century from Shahid Afridi was not enough to stop Sri Lanka's triumph in the opening match of the 2010 Asia Cup.

Afridi's hundred could not have been more timely- it was his first one day ton in five years and came while Pakistan were floundering at an improbable 4-32, thanks to some fiery pace from Lasith Malinga, who returned his best figures in ODIs.

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in fine Dambulla sunshine- until Shoaib Akhtar struck.

The Rawalpindi express, playing in his first game since May 2009 took 3-41 against the Sri Lankans in his Asia Cup comeback and had the Sri Lankans in serious trouble at 7-168 before exciting young allrounder Angelo Matthews hauled the Lions to a respectable 9-242 with his unbeaten 55.

Pakistan's gallant captain put his controversial ball-chewing behind him and scored a magnificent hundred off a mere 76 deliveries (a strike rate Afridi himself would deem rather slow.)

Yet Shahid's fireworks were not enough, as he began to struggle with muscle cramps and finally holed out after being caught behind off the bowling of Sri Lanka's talisman Muttiah Muralidaran. (who took an unlucky 1-76)

This triggered yet another dramatic collapse- needing just 38 from 9.2 overs with four wickets in hand, the Pakistanis capitulated to be all out for 226 when Malinga (5-34 ) returned to remove the tail.

Do South Africa have Spin Problems?

Do South Africa have Spin Problems?

Upon reflection, South Africa's recent Test win over the West Indies seems flawless. Fiery pace from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, and gallant batting from captain Graeme Smith makes the victory seem rather positive.

Yet there is one problem which simply cannot be ignored- Sulieman Benn took 8/194 across both innings, while debutant off-spinner Shane Shillingford provided apt support with 3/96. Not for a minute am I suggesting Sulieman Benn is a sub-par spinner- he fully deserves credit for some great bowling. Benn is a hard working toiler who is capable of upsetting giants on his day, as is proven by his 5/155 against the Australians during the 2nd Test at Adelaide earlier this year.

But when the South Africans hosted the English late last year, Graeme Swann snared 21 wickets. Graeme Swann is undoubtedly one of the up and coming spinners in world cricket, who is tipped to be high on the wicket taking list during the upcoming Ashes series down under.

However quickly these two are improving, the fact remains they are not Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan and neither of them should have done so well against a strong South African batting line-up- at one stage, Benn and his fellow ofiie had the Proteas struggling to keep afloat at 107-5 before Mark Boucher came to the rescue once again.