Bowlers push India on back foot

Virat Kohli reacts after being given out to a low catch for 14 in the second ODI against ZimbabweThe toss was supposed to have gone against Zimbabwe in the first ODI, with the early-morning start at Harare Sports Club making the new balls dart around and the pitch flattening out for the chasing side. Zimbabwe had an opening partnership of 72 but it consumed 22 overs, and the 228 they managed ultimately wasn't enough to test Virat Kohli and Co. Two days later, Brendan Taylor's luck improved, Virat Kohli called incorrectly and India were asked to face the four Zimbabwe seamers. The way India batted, it gave Vusi Sibanda and Sikandar Raza's opening effort in the first game lots of context. The same batsmen who could have hardly been bothered in the chase on Wednesday were made to struggle to put bat to ball. And when they did they often edged them. The new balls swung, seamed, bounced, and skidded. Had the Zimbabwe quicks shown more control, and had their fielders caught better, India would have been in a bigger hole. Shikhar Dhawan played possibly the most charmed innings of his short international career. He was caught behind off a Kyle Jarvis no-ball and dropped by the wicketkeeper off the same bowler. His fortune made him India's chief hope at the halfway stage as he approached a half-century. The rest of the India top order did not have the same kind of luck. Rohit Sharma, having said just before his 100th ODI started that one needed to be careful against the new balls as an opener, chased Brian Vitori's first delivery, a widish good length ball, and edged to the slip cordon. Virat Kohli, coming off a match-winning hundred, looked largely solid before he pushed Jarvis to mid-on. He was given out by on-field umpire Bruce Oxenford, but expressed enough doubt over the decision for the third umpire to be called in. Replays were not exactly conclusive, as they often aren't in these cases, but the third umpire did not overrule Oxenford's decision. Incredibly, Kohli still stood his ground and wanted the third umpire to check once more, but all his anger was ultimately in vain. Ambati Rayudu was brought crashing down from his debut half-century in a painful 25-ball existence during which he was put down by the bowler Vitori and was beaten on numerous occasions. Rayudu ended his misery when he tried to break free and ended up spooning a drive to cover, off Vitori. For once, Suresh Raina - who has made no secret of his desire to bat up the order - had plenty of overs to get himself in, but nudged his 11th delivery down the leg side to the keeper. At 65 for 4, and no MS Dhoni to come, his team's atrocious over-rate would have been one of Taylor's biggest worries. Dhawan looked intent to make good use of his lives, though, and along with Dinesh Karthik, steered India past 100.

Cowan, Starc dropped for Lord's

Ed Cowan and Mitchell Starc have been dropped forUsman Khawaja and Ryan Harris in Australia's XI for the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

The changes were not unexpected, after Cowan struggled through arguably the poorest of his 18 Tests at Trent Bridge in the unfamiliar No. 3 position and Starc's form oscillated throughout.

Khawaja's inclusion provided him with the first chance to show his improvement as a batsman since he was left out of the Test team in late 2011, serving consistently as a reserve since.

Harris was always a likely call-up for Lord's, as his consistent line, swing and skiddy pace appear ideally suited to the ground and its idiosyncratic slope. Importantly, Harris has played twice at the venue before, and as a senior bowler his temperament will be useful for the tourists as they seek to reverse a 1-0 series deficit.

While Starc can be expected to come back into the team at a later date, Cowan may have played his last Test. He had taken part in 18 consecutive matches since his debut on Boxing Day 2011, but a record of only one century and an average of 31.28 always left him vulnerable to omission.

Pakistan sent into bat by Windies in series opener

PROVIDENCE Guyana: Pakistan were put into bat by West Indies after their captain Dwayne Bravo won the toss in the first One-day International of the five-match series here at the Providence Stadium on Sunday. Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi are both back to the Pakistan XI. Umar will keep wicket too. Ahmed Shehzad will open the innings. And there is no Junaid. Asad Ali is in. In the West Indies side, Jason Holder replaced Tino Best and Dwayne Bravo is back and took Devon Smith's place. Teams: West Indies: D.J. Bravo (captain), C. Gayle, J. Charles, D.M. Bravo, L. Simmons, M. Samuels, K. Pollard, D. Sammy, J. Holder, S. Narine, K. Roach. Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Asad Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan.

Afridi, Misbah rescue Pakistan against Windies

PROVIDENCE, Guyana: Hugely contrasting half-centuries by Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq rescued Pakistan from a perilous position as they reached 224 for nine against the West Indies in the first one-day international at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday. Returning to the team after being omitted from the Champions Trophy in England in June, the mercurial Afridi smashed a top score of 76 off 55 deliveries while Misbah redefined the role of the cautious captain, occupying 121 balls for his watchful innings of 42. The pair put on 120 for the sixth wicket, a new record in one-day internationals for the ground and the best for Pakistan against the West Indies. Their effort was essential after Jason Holder wrecked Pakistan's top-order batting in finishing with the outstanding figures of four for 13 off 10 overs. The beanpole pacer, in just his fourth one-dayer, proved almost unplayable in overcast, seamer-friendly conditions with an exhibition of pace and accuracy that belied his relative inexperience. Holder wasted little time in getting among the wickets after light morning delayed the start by 15 minutes. Ahmed Shehzad played-on in the Barbadian's second over while the experienced Mohammad Hafeez was a prized scalp, his off-stump sent cartwheeling when he opted not to offer a shot. Holder was then fortunate to have an lbw appeal against the other opener, Nasir Jamshed, upheld and then removed Asad Shafiq first ball to a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Johnson Charles. He should have claimed a fifth wicket but what looked like an obvious edge to Charles off Umar Akmal was ruled not out by umpire Joel Wilson, the same official who ruled Jamshed leg-before. Afridi wasted no time setting about the bowling, hoisting six fours and five sixes in a typically entertaining innings while at the other end, Misbah was content to support the rampant all-rounder by feeding him the strike at every opportunity. Afridi eventually fell to a catch at deep midwicket off Kieron Pollard in the 39th over. West Indies did not help their cause with a repetition of the bowling indiscretions which surfaced during the Tri-Nations series last week where visiting India and Sri Lanka beat them to the final. They delivered some 23 wides and gifted a total of 28 extras to the Pakistani total. Given the potential potency of the Pakistani bowling attack, it may prove to be a carelessness they could ill afford. (AFP)

Pakistani total. Given the potential potency of the Pakistani bowling attack, it may prove to be a carelessness they could ill afford. (AFP)

Moin Khan made chief selector by PCB

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed former test wicketkeeper and captain Moin Khan as the chief selector. According to Geo Tv sports anchor Yahya Hussaini the span of his tenure is still unclear. However his first responsibility would be to announce the Pakistan U-23 team for the Sri Lankan tour. The other members of the selection committee would remain the same. Talking to media from Lahore Moin said that he has been appointed the chief selector of Pakistan and not Karachi and does not believe in Quota system.

Cricket: Moller won't return as chairman

Chris Moller will not be seeking re-election as chairman of New Zealand Cricket. It comes as New Zealand Cricket adopts a new constitution, with eight spaces on the board to be advertised. Moller and three other board members, Bill Francis, Sir John Hansen and Therese Walsh, have opted not to re-apply for their roles. Moller has been in role for the past three years. Existing board members Stuart Heal, Don Mackinnon and Greg Barclay intend to seek reappointment. Applications for a place on the board are open to anybody, with an independent panel, headed by President Stephen Boock, to make the appointments. The current board will stay in place until New Zealand Cricket's special general meeting in September.

Ajmal triggers Pakistanis win

Shehzad then put up a 30-run partnership with the captain Misbah-ul-Haq, with Shehzad reaching his 50 from 58 balls with six fours. He eventually made a 79-ball 68 which included nine fours, before getting stumped by Anthony Bramble off Devendra Bishoo.

Misbah was the next to go, lbw to Steven Jacobs for 22, and when Umar Akmal and Asad Shafiq were both sent back by Bishoo, the Pakistanis were struggling at 160 for 6, with Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz at the crease.

But the pair delivered a counterpunch, with Afridi hitting both Jacobs and Keon Joseph for sixes. They put on 31 runs for the seventh wicket, before Afridi was caught by Paul Wintz at long-off, when he looked to clear the boundary off Permaul.

A late surge from Umar Amin, who hit two fours during his unbeaten 17, took the Pakistanis to a final score of 246 for 9. Permaul was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts, finishing with figures of 10-3-27-3.

Guyana began their run chase in poor fashion, as Mohammad Irfan dismissed the openers Trevon Griffith and Bramble within the first five overs. Ramnaresh Sarwan and Johnson revived the innings, putting on 54 runs for the third wicket before Sarwan edged a delivery from Abdur Rehman to Akmal. The hosts began to grow in confidence as Johnson struck Afridi for two fours in one over and then pulled Rehman over wide midwicket for six, taking the team to 138.

But Ajmal turned the game around for the Pakistanis, dismissing Johnson for lbw and later removed Assad Fudadin for 11. Deonarine, who hit five fours and two sixes, put up a fight but was eventually bowled by Ajmal for 55.

With Guyana needing 77 from their final 10 overs, Jacobs and Bishoo took the fight to the Pakistanis, as they added 41 for the ninth wicket. Ajmal trapped Jacobs lbw for 27 and Ali completed the victory for the Pakistanis, bowling Bishoo for 28.

Pakistan will next play the first ODI against West Indies

Agar's world records create extraordinary da

He dominated a transformational stand of 163 in 33 overs for the last wicket - another world record - with Phillip Hughes, a specialist batsman who drew strength from his example. He even gave Australia a first-innings lead of 65 and nobody expected that. The Agar family, who had travelled halfway around the world to watch him make his debut, were in jetlag heaven.

Iceman Dhoni breaks SL hearts

Leave it to me, he says. I want to take this to the last over. Me against one man. One on one. I know I am better than the last man the other team can put up against me. Once again, MS Dhoni reduced a lost match into a one-on-one contest with an opposition bowler, and knocked off the 15 required in just three hits. You could see the bowler - Shaminda Eranga, 9-2-34-2 until then, wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli to his name - was intimidated the moment he saw the first one fly into the top of the top tier.

Bear in mind that this was a treacherous pitch with seam, spin and uneven bounce. Dhoni was injured, and had come back only for this match. He wasn't running as hard as he does, and wickets were falling at the other end. When Dhoni came in, the asking-rate was 3.35, but with falling wickets and turned-down singles, it hit the improbable towards the end. Dhoni, though, kept refusing singles, kept admonishing the last man Ishant Sharma for taking off for panic-stricken singles.

Ishant couldn't be blamed. The game had unravelled fast for India. They were cruising when Rohit Sharma had braved for yet another fifty despite another painful blow to his body (which makes it atleast four in two innings against Sri Lanka), despite many balls that seamed past his edge, despite the slow start. When India were 139 for 3 in the 32nd over, though, Rangana Herath delivered a grubber, and it squeezed under Rohit's bat. Things were about to change.

The pitch was still difficult to bat on as Suresh Raina soon found out. He thought he had a half-volley from Suranga Lakmal when he went for the drive, but even after pitching that full the ball seamed away appreciably and took his edge. The accurate and wily Herath saw an opening now. And burst through it. In the 38th over, his last, Herath trapped Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin - whose combined figures had been 17.5-1-65-6 - in successive deliveries. India 152 for 7.

The drama had begun. Only a few minutes earlier, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had gone on and on - for overs it seemed - about an obstructing-the-field appeal against Dhoni. He had taken two steps down the wicket, and then realised he would have hit the other batsman if he ran straight. So he ran, nay hared on a bad hamstring, at an angle, but didn't change his direction for the remaining 20 yards. The throw hit him, and the two senior Sri Lankans would not leave the umpire's side. They knew they needed this man out as soon as possible.

For the next half hour, though, Sri Lanka would have thought they didn't need to get Dhoni out. Dhoni tried to intimidate Lakmal once during the Powerplay, but after that he began playing the percentage game. Sri Lanka knew Dhoni couldn't manipulate the strike with that hamstring, and controlled the game well. Lasith Malinga - seven overs for 54 runs until then - finally got his radar right, and got Bhuvneshwar Kumar toe before wicket with his dipping slower yorker. In the tense overs that followed, R Vinay Kumar lost his cool, and slogged and got out. India 182 for 9 after 46.2 overs.

With any other batsman than Dhoni, you would expect panic. Dhoni, though, wanted to corner just one man. He wanted to bring it down to that one man. He was also daring Sri Lanka to keep back Malinga, who had one over left, for the last. Sri Lanka didn't. Malinga bowled the 48th. Dhoni faced the whole over, looking unhurried, for just a scrambled couple.

The only man hurried was Ishant, who tried a suicidal single off the last ball of Malinga's over to keep Dhoni on strike. The ball, though, had gone straight to the fielder, and Dhoni was miffed Ishant tried such desperation. It was not becoming of someone batting with the coolest and the best batsman in ODI cricket. Ishant would do that again off the first ball of the next over. Twice Dhoni let Ishant know what he did was not right. Ishant faced another dot. Then another dot. Seventeen off nine. Dhoni was cool at the other end. He had marked out his man. He knew it wouldn't be an experienced bowler in the last over.

Two runs came off the last three balls of the 49th over, but Ishant was made to feel under no pressure. He had been told to leave it to the man who knew his way around these lanes. Then began the great show. As soon as Ishant left alone - yes, left alone - the last ball of the 49th over, Dhoni signalled to the dressing room for a new, heavier bat.

As Angelo Mathews psyched Shaminda Eranga up for the last over, Dhoni practised a few swings with two bats held together. Calculatedly he picked out one. Eranga went to his mark. This match should not have been on, but in Dhoni's book this was even odds. Eranga bowled a nervous first ball: a wide length ball, which Dhoni swung hard at. That was a nervous ball, and would have been out of the ground had Dhoni connected. Dhoni didn't.

The second ball, though, was closer to Dhoni - swing, and met that hunk on the up. And up it went. And far. And kept going. Over the top of the stands. You could see it in Eranga's eyes now. It was now going to be nigh impossible for Eranga to execute his skill. In one hit, Dhoni had brought it down to just luck for Sri Lanka. The luck was not with them. Eranga bowled length again, Dhoni went hard again, and the ball flew off the outside half of the bat, and over point.

It was over already. Eranga just ran up for the formalities, delivered another length ball, and was dispatched over extra cover. The iceman had done it again, but he hadn't had a great first half of the day as a keeper and a captain. Apart from not having been at his best with the gloves, Dhoni had also let Sri Lanka off the hook with his choice of part-time bowlers ahead of the specialist spinners, who would eventually go on to cut Sri Lanka's effort short.

Bhuvneshwar had given India his customary breakthroughs in the first spell, the scoring was difficult, but Virat Kohli and Raina provided Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne relief with their odd long hop or big wides. Their partnership took Sri Lanka to 171 for 2, but then Thirimanne made a mistake, and almost every batsman that followed. In over-aiming during that Powerplay, Sri Lanka had lost their last eight wickets for 30 runs, letting Dhoni off the hook now.

You will be justified to think of Dhoni's choice of bowlers as odd. As you would have been with his persistence against all logic with Ishant in the Champions Trophy final. Just that the results were drastically different.