Warner named in inexperienced Australia test squad

Explosive opening batsman David Warner is set to earn his first test cap after he and three uncapped fast bowlers were named in an inexperienced Australia squad on Saturday to face New Zealand in Brisbane.

Limited overs specialist Warner is likely to start the first test at the Gabba on Thursday in place of all-rounder Shane Watson, who is one of five players unavailable for the team due to injuries sustained in South Africa.

Patrick Cummins, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris were all also ruled out of selection on Friday with their fitness to be assessed next week.

“The absence of these players obviously provides a great chance for David Warner, James Pattinson, Ben Cutting and Mitchell Starc to come into the squad and perform on the international stage and I know that is an opportunity they are all looking forward to,” chairman of selectors John Inverarity said in a statement.

“Although injuries to those key players are not ideal, this provides an opening for these promising young players to come into the Australian squad and further their development.

“David, James and Mitchell have been in and around the Australian limited overs squad at various times recently and showed that they have the talent and skills required to perform on the international stage.”

Fast bowler Cutting has been called into the 12-man squad for the first time while fellow quicks Starc and Pattinson have been involved in limited overs squads previously.

Pattinson took four wickets in the first innings for Australia A in their ongoing match against New Zealand in Brisbane, while Starc took three, though both were expensive conceding more than five runs an over in batsmen-friendly conditions at Allan Border Field.

Peter Siddle is likely to lead the attack when the test begins on Thursday, with two of Cutting, Starc and Pattinson likely to join him while Nathan Lyon is expected to provide the spinning option.

Fast bowler Trent Copeland, who made his test debut in Sri Lanka before missing out on the test series against South Africa failed to earn a recall after rain in Sydney on Friday disrupted a first class match he was playing in.

“Trent has had a lack of opportunities to push for selection in recent times,” Inverarity said.

“He will be disappointed but will work hard with New South Wales and I have no doubt he will again be putting his hand up for inclusion with good performances for his state.”

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will take over the vice-captain role until Watson returns to the side, Inverarity said.

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Phillip Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Ben Cutting

Windies snatch thrilling draw in final test

MUMBAI: West Indies snatched a thrilling draw with the scores level after India failed to score the three runs they needed for victory in the last over on a riveting final day of the third and final test on Saturday.

Needing two runs to win off the last ball, Ravichandran Ashwin and Varun Aaron scampered a single before Ashwin was run out while going back for an improbable second run, with India finishing on 242 for nine.

It was only the second time that a test has been drawn with the scores level. The other instance was when England failed to beat Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 1996.

Seventeen wickets fell on the Wankhede Stadium pitch, which was a batting paradise on the first four days with both teams posting huge first innings totals.

Spinners Pragyan Ojha and Ashwin forced a batting collapse in the first session as West Indies were bundled out for 134 in their second innings.

Half-centuries from Virender Sehwag (60) and Virat Kohli (63) put India on course for victory and a 3-0 series whitewash as they chased a target of 243 runs from 64 overs.

However, West Indies struck back by picking up crucial wickets during the closing stages to halt India’s progress.

Sehwag stroked a chancy 60 off 65 balls and added 82 runs for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid (33) to launch India’s charge towards the target.

Sehwag, who was dropped three times, hit eight boundaries before he was finally caught by West Indies captain Darren Sammy off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo while trying a cheeky reverse paddle sweep.

Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (3) fell soon after in similar fashion, trying to drive on the up against part-time off-spinner Marlon Samuels, and were caught at short mid-wicket.

West Indies had a sniff of victory at that stage with India at 113 for four, but Vangipurappu Laxman (31) and Kohli steadied the ship with a 52-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Kohli notched up his second fifty in the match with three boundaries and a six and took his team close to the target but his dismissal, with India still needing 19 runs to win, put the pressure back on India’s tailenders.

GENEROUS TURN

In the morning, the visiting batsmen, put under pressure by the generous turn on offer, played some atrocious shots and helped India’s spinners give life to a match that had looked like ending in a draw for the past two days.

Resuming on their overnight score of 81 for two, the tourists succumbed meekly in just 95 minutes in the morning, losing their last eight wickets in 23.2 overs as Ojha (6-47) and Ashwin (4-34) ran riot.

Left-arm spinner Ojha added four more wickets to his overnight tally of two and bowled in an uninterrupted spell on the final day, extracting good turn and bounce.

Ashwin, who notched his maiden test century on Friday, took four wickets to add to his five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Kraigg Brathwaite (35) and first-innings centurion Darren Bravo (48) added 61 for the third wicket, the only notable partnership in the innings, but Braithwaite’s dismissal in the fifth over of the morning opened the floodgates.

West Indies lost their last eight wickets for 43 runs as Bravo, Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Ravi Rampaul and Sammy all got out trying to play attacking shots against the Indian spinners.

Misbah content after Pakistan ride out controversies

“I hope my team shows more improvement and consistency on the tour of Bangladesh which like any other tour is not easy.”

ABU DHABI: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq on Saturday hoped his team continued their winning streak during the tour of Bangladesh starting next week, after whitewashing Sri Lanka in all three formats of the game.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the one-off Twenty20 international on Friday, capping a successful tour in which they also won the three-Test series 1-0 and five-match one-day serie 4-1.

Pakistan play a Twenty20 international against Bangladesh on Tuesday. They also play three one-day and two Tests on the tour.

Misbah said his team is determined to continue the good form.

“I hope my team shows more improvement and consistency on the tour of Bangladesh which like any other tour is not easy,” said 37-year-old Misbah, who has not lost a Test series since taking over in October last year.

Misbah has lost only one of ten one-day matches since replacing Shahid Afridi as limited overs captain in June this year.

Misbah said his team will not take Bangladesh lightly.

“The morale and confidence of the team is very high after beating a team like Sri Lanka, but despite that we are not going to take Bangladesh lightly as they are a tough team in their home conditions,” said Misbah.

Misbah said the team was very united in the wake of spot-fixing scandal which ended in jail sentences for Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.

“The situation under which Pakistan cricket went through in the last year has binded the team very well and as required all the players showed unity and discipline which is a very good sign,” said Misbah.

“Discipline and focus on and off the field was very important and that’s what we have shown after some problems hit us hard, but I am confident that this bunch of players will continue in that spirit,” said Misbah.

Sri Lanka had contrasting fortunes during the tour, but skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan hoped fans back home would show patience.

“I know like us every cricket fan in Sri Lanka would be disappointed,” said Dilshan, who has lost three Tests and as many one-day series since taking over in May this year.

Dilshan said all the players tried their best.

“I hope fans believe in us and give us more time because we tried our level best. There were times when we were in strong positions but we didn’t capitalise on them and lost track,” said Dilshan.

Sri Lanka tour South Africa next month where they play five one-day and three Tests — a grueling tour in Dilshan’s opinion.

“South Africa is one of the best teams in the world so we have to sit down, try to address our mistakes and I am confident that all the young players will do the job well,” said Dilshan.

Ganguly: Azhar must take a stance

"There are too many whispers going around," Sourav Ganguly said when asked about Vinod Kambli's claims that the 1996 World Cup semis between India and Sri Lanka was fixed.

Ganguly also rubbished Kambli's claim that the match at the Eden Gardens ruined his career.

"His (Kambli's) claim that his career was finished because of that game is rubbish. How can that game ruin his career, he was not out then," Ganguly told a news channel.

Ganguly said the decision to field could have been the result of Sri Lanka's earlier league match against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla, where Sri Lanka chased down 270-odd runs with ease.

"I can sympathise with Azhar. I can understand the reasons of putting Sri Lanka in. If you remember, Sri Lanka chased 270-odd runs in Delhi in an earlier match."

Ganguly further hoped that Kambli has his facts right. Meanwhile, the 1983 World Cup winning skipper, Kapil Dev, asked if Kabmli was sleeping all these 15 years.

The media should not give credence to all these statements, Kapil felt.

Kambli, a former Indian cricketer, who has often been embroiled in controversies both on and off the field, on Thursday raised suspicion on the 1996 World Cup semifinal between India and Sri Lanka and said he found "something amiss" in the game.

Pawar slams 'irresponsible' Kambli

ICC president Sharad Pawar termed Vinod Kambli as “irresponsible” and said he would rather believe in what players like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have to say on the matter.

"I honestly feel that his allegations are irresponsible statements. I would rather believe in what Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar or Ajit Wadekar say," Pawar said.

Pawar, a former BCCI chief, said if Kambli was an honest and committed cricketer, he should have made the allegations after the mega tournament in 1996, instead of raking it up now.

"If he was an honest and a committed cricketer he should have spoken about it then. But he kept quiet, so I hold him irresponsible," Pawar added.

Pawar also said that he felt Kambli did not attach much importance to cricket during his playing days.

"If he (Kambli) had give importance to cricket, he could have been like Sachin Tendulkar. But consistency was always a problem with him," Pawar told Times Now.

Kambli has created quite a flutter by claiming that something was "amiss" in India's loss in the 1996 World Cup semifinal against Sri Lanka. That led to Sports Minister Maken on Saturday asking the BCCI for a probe or else his ministry might order it.

But, senior BCCI official Rajiv Shukla said Kambli's claims were not worth investigating.

Amla, de Villiers power South Africa

Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers batted South Africa into a strong position at the close of the third day of the second Test against Australia in Johannesburg.

Amla (89 not out) and De Villiers (70no) shared in an unbroken 139-run stand for the fourth wicket as the Proteas ended the day on 229 for three in their second innings - a lead of 199 with seven wickets remaining.

The pair helped stage a recovery after three wickets had fallen in the morning session of a day which started with a minute's silence for South Africa-born former England all-rounder Basil D'Oliveira, who has died at the age of 80.

When the action started South Africa were quickly into their stride, with Jacques Rudolph hitting two fours in the second over off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

However, with an advantage of 10 runs overall, the hosts lost their first wicket in the eighth over of the innings, with the score on 40.

Rudolph had made 24 when he top-edged the 23rd delivery he faced to Brad Haddin.

Graeme Smith looked in good touch, with successive boundaries off Peter Siddle in the 14th over taking the score on to 59 for one.

However, his partnership with Amla yielded just 16 more runs and ended when Smith (36) sliced a Nathan Lyon delivery to Phil Hughes at point.

Jacques Kallis struggled to make an impact and after making just two from 17 balls, his contribution was over when he edged Cummins to Michael Clarke at first slip, giving the paceman his second wicket and leaving South Africa just 60 runs ahead with three batsmen out.

That dismissal brought De Villiers to the wicket and he and Amla averted further trouble from the remaining 10 balls of the session.

However, soon after the restart Amla survived a referral after a Cummins delivery hit him on the pad.

In the 37th over wicketkeeper Brad Haddin believed he had run out de Villiers and celebrated spectacularly - but television replays showed the batsman had comfortably made his ground.

That incident summed up the session for Australia, who were left frustrated as Amla and De Villers took control of events.

Their 50 partnership came up off 100 balls in the 44th over - and the next 50 runs took another 11 overs.

During the century stand, Amla brought up his 20th Test fifty, while De Villiers, who top-scored with 64 in South Africa's first innings, collected his 25th.

Australia, who need to win this Test to draw the two-match series, had still not managed to find a way to separate the pair when the teams went off early for bad light, with stumps being called without the teams reappearing.

Butt and Aamer appeals heard next week

LONDON: Britain’s top judge will next Wednesday hear appeals by Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer against their sentences for spot-fixing, a judicial official said.

Former Pakistan captain Butt, 27, was on November 3 sentenced to two and a half years in prison and fast bowler Aamer, 19, was sentenced to serve six months in a young offenders institute.

Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, the head of the English judiciary, will hear their appeals, a spokesman for judiciary told AFP, adding: “It has been scheduled for next Wednesday.”

Butt, Aamer and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, were all jailed for their parts in fixing elements of the August 2010 Test match against England at Lord’s. Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed was also jailed.

Asif and Butt were found guilty charges of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments after a trial, while Aamer and Majeed admitted the charges.

Under the current arrangements, the four will serve half their sentences before being released on licence.

I played in Pakistan’s best-ever side: Saeed Anwar

DUBAI: Former Pakistan captain and opener Saeed Anwar said that he was glad to have been a part of one of Pakistan’s best sides.

In an interview with ICC World Radio Show, Anwar said that he had no regrets and enjoyed his time playing for Pakistan immensely.

“I have no regrets from whatever cricket I played and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The good thing about my career was not about individual performances but collectively Pakistan won a lot which is the most satisfying part. The most memorable thing for me was that I played in an era when Pakistan had its best-ever side,” Anwar said.

Saeed, who played 55 Tests and 247 ODIs between 1989 and 2003, said:

“I don’t see any value in batsmen making big runs, establishing records but not winning matches for their sides. Pakistan and India should be praised for providing joy and entertainment to world cricket”

Anwar stated that the best teams in his era were India and Australia and he was fortunate to have scored against both sides.

“A player should play such an innings that his side should win. I really rate Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting very high because whenever they have scored runs, their teams have mostly won,” said Anwar who started his career in 1990.

Pakistan bowlers restrict Sri Lanka to 131

DUBAI: Pakistan bowled Sri Lanka out for 131 in 40.3 overs in the first day-night international at Dubai stadium here on Friday.

Dinesh Chandimal topscored with 28 as Pakistani spinners shared seven wickets between them on a slow pitch which helped the slow bowlers.

Top Cricket News: Smith, Amla send South Africa to crazy victory

Top Cricket News: Smith, Amla send South Africa to crazy victory: CAPE TOWN: Centuries by Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla sent South Africa to a crazy eight-wicket win over Australia inside two-and-a-half days...

Smith, Amla send South Africa to crazy victory

CAPE TOWN: Centuries by Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla sent South Africa to a crazy eight-wicket win over Australia inside two-and-a-half days and after trailing by 188 runs in the opening test at Newlands on Friday.

Smith made 101 not out and Amla 112, sharing a 195-run partnership as South Africa reached its victory target of 236 for just two wickets before lunch on day three for a 1-0 lead in the series.

Australia’s bowlers took just one wicket on Friday on a pitch where it was skittled out for 47 in a game-changing collapse in its second innings on Thursday, its lowest score since the 19th century.

Smith and Amla restored sanity after a chaotic second day when 23 wickets fell, batting fluently to take South Africa to an absurd victory after it trailed by a big margin in the first innings just a day ago.

Inspired by 151 from captain Michael Clarke, Australia made 284 batting first and then blasted out South Africa for 96 for their 188-run lead.

But Australia responded by slumping to its worst batting score in tests since 1896 _ and its fourth lowest total ever _ to see its dominant position in the match suddenly disintegrate in a heap of wickets on the second afternoon.

Australia also missed two crucial chances off Amla in the final stages of a traumatic test for the Baggy Greens, dropping the right-hander off the last ball of the second day and again early on Friday when he was on 30, when Shane Watson spilled a regulation catch at first slip.

Amla made the most of his two lives to go on the attack. He sent flashing drives through the covers for his 13th test century and first against the Aussies, powering the Proteas to victory with 21 fours in a 134-ball innings.

He carved three straight boundaries off Ryan Harris _ the bowler who produced the two missed chances from Amla _ to race to three figures before edging a catch to Clarke in the gully off Mitchell Johnson with South Africa 14 short of victory.

Amla’s 195-run stand with Smith was a South African record second-wicket partnership against Australia, beating another mark that had stood for over 100 years in another slice of history in a test which produced a string of records amid the madness on Thursday.

Smith saw South Africa home with his unbeaten hundred, and first test ton in a year, nudging a single through midwicket to complete a dramatic turnaround in a hectic test that lasted barely two days but is set to be remembered for years.

Top Cricket News: Australia bowled out for 47

Top Cricket News: Australia bowled out for 47: It's raining wickets at Sahara Park in Newlands as South Africa have bowled out Australia for 47 runs and set themselves a victory target of...

Australia bowled out for 47

It's raining wickets at Sahara Park in Newlands as South Africa have bowled out Australia for 47 runs and set themselves a victory target of 236 runs to win.

SCORECARD

Australia at one point looked like they would fall short of the lowest-ever Test total, held by New Zealand when they managed 26 against England in Auckland in 1954-55.

They only avoided that unenviable record with their last pair at the crease, when Peter Siddle edged Vernon Philander to the third man rope.

Last man Nathan Lyon top-scored with 14, after putting on 26 for the last wicket with Siddle, while debutant Vernon Philander took five for 15 for the Proteas.

It continued an enthralling second day's play in which 22 wickets had already fallen with 29 overs still remaining before stumps.

Remarkably, despite their capitulation Australia are still well-placed to win the Test after they dismissed South Africa for 96 earlier in the day.

The tourists therefore held a lead of 235, thanks mainly to skipper Michael Clarke's 151 - an innings that has been made to look remarkable by today's events.

With plenty of time left before stumps the 123-year-old record for the most wickets in a day was also within sight.

That mark stands at 27 in a match between Australia and England at Lord's way back in 1888.

Australia had begun their second innings looking to build a match-wining lead after Shane Watson's five-wicket haul dismissed the Proteas for their lowest score against the Antipodeans since 1932.

Their efforts immediately unravelled as they were 13 for three before tea.

Watson was trapped lbw by Dale Steyn from the third ball of the innings before Ricky Ponting went the same way despite reviewing his call to become Philander's first wicket.

Phil Hughes then departed from the final ball before tea, caught at third slip, but the Australian collapse really took hold after the break.

Michael Hussey fell first ball after the interval, slashing Morkel to gully, before Philander claimed the crucial wicket of Clarke to yet another reviewed lbw decision.

The wickets continued to tumble, with the situation clearly getting to Brad Haddin when he edged behind after advancing down the wicket, as Australia slumped to 21 for nine.

At that point the lowest-ever score looked likely but Siddle and Lyon saved some of their side's blushes before the spinner was last man out caught by AB de Villiers off Steyn.

South Africa skittled out for 96

Earlier, Shane Watson produced a devastating spell to help bowl South Africa out for their lowest Test score against Australia since 1932.

Watson claimed five wickets in a stunning 21-ball spell after lunch on the second day as South Africa collapsed to be all out for 96 in Cape Town.

The Proteas had made a solid start, reaching 49 for one at lunch, but their batting simply fell apart in the face of Watson's swing and seam movement as they lost nine for 47 after the break.

In the end they were thankful just to pass the follow-on, after Michael Clarke's superb 151 had helped Australia reach 284 this morning, as last-pair Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir got them across the line.

Watson, who was at one point on a hat-trick, finished with five for 17 while Ryan Harris claimed four for 33.

Harris had claimed the only wicket before the break when he bowled Jacques Rudolph, playing his first Test in just over five years, with a ball that seamed between bat and pad.

Skipper Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla had looked comfortable thereafter but the carnage began when Clarke brought Watson on immediately after lunch.

South Africa had not added to their interval score when Watson struck twice, both times successfully using the TV review, to have Amla lbw while the cameras showed Jacques Kallis had edged a pull to Ricky Ponting at second slip.

Watson then struck twice more in two balls when Smith unluckily dragged on, after making 37, before Ashwell Prince was caught plumb in front to a yorker.

Australia's use of the TV review was proving vital as they sent two more appeals upstairs and were rewarded when AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher - to hand Watson his five-for - were both lbw with the score on 77.

South Africa were now struggling just to avoid the follow on and Vernon Philander edged Harris to Ponting at third slip before Peter Siddle ran out Morne Morkel with a direct hit.

That left it up to last pair Steyn and Tahir to get their side across the follow-on mark - a job they did in a 13-run stand - before Harris bowled Tahir.

Earlier, Clarke's brilliant innings was finally ended for 151 as Australia's tail added vital runs this morning.

South Africa took an hour and 20 minutes to claim Australia's final two wickets, during which time the visitors added 70 runs.

Morkel claimed both wickets, although he had to wait over an hour for the initial breakthrough as Clarke and Siddle built a 59-run stand.

Their combination was eventually broken when Siddle (20) offered a leading edge to De Villiers at cover.

Clarke then hit a pair of straight boundaries off Morkel to bring up his 150, and add further gloss to one of the finest innings of his career, but later in the over he was clean bowled trying to find the ropes again.

Determined India on top in victory bid

Sachin Tendulkar became the first player to reach 15,000 Test runs as India edged closer to victory in the first Test against West Indies in Delhi.

The 38-year-old Tendulkar reached the milestone towards the end of the third day's play and he also still has an outside chance of claiming an unprecedented 100th international century after finishing on 33 not out.

Rahul Dravid was also still there on 30 not out as India closed on 152 for two, needing another 124 to win with two days remaining.

Opener Virender Sehwag had earlier clubbed a typically belligerent half-century to set India on their way after a superb bowling display from debutant Ravichandran Ashwin (six for 47) had pegged back West Indies.

The tourists had boasted a 95-run lead after first innings but they were reduced to 21 for two at the start of their second knock last night and their troubles continued this morning.

Nightwatchman Fidel Edwards was the first to go after scoring just one run, slashing loosely at Ishant Sharma and edging through to keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Namesake Kirk Edwards advanced from his overnight 15 to a patient 33 before he shouldered arms to Umesh Yadav and lost his off stump.

Then spinner Ashwin took centre-stage, trapping Darren Bravo lbw for 12 and bowling Marlon Samuels for a duck in the same over to leave the West Indies 63 for six.

It was 84 for seven when wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh edged Yadav (two for 31) to opposite number Dhoni.

First-innings centurion Shivnarine Chanderpaul (47) and captain Darren Sammy (42) led a recovery of sorts, but Ashwin struck to dismiss both players, as well as last man Ravi Rampaul for 18, as the West Indies were dismissed for 180.

That gave the tourists a lead of 275, which might have been less than they had hoped for after first innings, but was still a testing target for India.

However, the hosts wasted no time in taking a big chunk out of that target as Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put on a half-century opening stand in less than 10 overs before the West Indies made their first breakthrough, Samuels trapping Gambhir lbw for 22.

Sehwag continued to look in ominous form and he brought up his 29th Test half-century off only 52 balls, with two sixes and four other boundaries.

He did not last much longer, though, as he was bowled via an inside edge by Sammy to depart for a run-a-ball 55.

That wicket saw Tendulkar join Dravid at the crease and the veteran duo guided their side towards their victory target with an unbroken 57-run stand.

During that partnership Tendulkar reached 15,000 Test runs with single to extra cover off Devendra Bishoo, earning him the congratulations of both Dravid and opponents alike.

Dravid, who himself is approaching 13,000 Test runs, had a run-out scare just before the close but he survived and India will now fancy their chances of going on to claim victory.