Fielding was a team decision: Wadekar

By punemsexesena: Former Team India manager Ajit Wadekar has categorically refuted former cricketer Vinod Kambli’s startling contention that the 1996 Team India semifinal may have been fixed. 
Kambli had alleged that in the 1996 semifinal Ajit Wadekar was a witness to the team’s decision that India would bat in the event of winning the toss. However, the opposite happened when the match finally took place.

Wadekar termed Kambli’s accusation as incorrect and said the team had decided to field first. When STAR News asked him for his version, Wadekar said, “In the team meeting before the match it was decided that India would field in the event of winning the toss. The decision was taken after consultation with the entire team.”

According to Wadekar, “The entire team felt that the Sri Lankan players are good chasers. Hence, the team felt that if India fielded first, the Lankans could be easily defeated. Wadekar added that even though he and Sandeep Patil were of the opinion that the wicket would turn, still the team decided to field keeping in mind the chasing prowess of the Sri Lankans. 

When asked why the batting order collapsed like a pack of cards, Wadekar said the team lost the match due to nervousness. According to him, overconfidence, after defeating the Pakistan team proved to be our undoing. Moreover, the moment Tendulkar got out, the other players panicked.  Wadekar was stunned when he heard Kambli’s claim that the team had decided to bat first. He said, “This is incorrect. The decision to field was taken in the meeting itself. Kambli was quite close to me and if had any doubt about the decision to field, he should have consulted me.”

He added that the Sri Lankan team had exhibited good form during the World Cup and had defeated all good teams including India and Australia. Moreover, he said that it was wrong for Kambli to say that he had been made a scapegoat after the team’s defeat because no-one ever said that India had lost the semifinal because of him.

Pune Warriors stutters to win

Tweet

By punemsexesena-MUMBAI: Kochi Tuskers Kerala used slow bowlers to throttle free-stroking Pune Warriors batsmen. Yuvraj Singh fell for the cut against Brad Hodge, Robin Uthappa taunted Muttiah Muralitharan with a reverse hit and perished. Chasing 149 to win, it was left to little-known Mohnish Mishra (37 not out, 21b) to deal the killer blows as Pune Warriors sneaked home to a four-wicket win.




Wayne Parnell is congratulated by teammates after the fall of Parthiv Patel. Parnell took three wickets to restrict Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Man-of-the-Match Mishra lashed two sixes and one four in Muralitharan's final over to emerge top-scorer as the home team overcame anxious moments to amass 151 for six in 18.5 overs.
Smith, injured while fielding, came out to open with a runner and swung at every ball around the off-stump. Jesse Ryder also flexed his arms, forcing Jayawardene to turn to Muralitharan.
Sreesanth made way for Vinay Kumar, a lucky move as Ryder smashed a wide delivery straight back for the latter to juggle the ball five times in follow-through before completing the catch.
Pune stayed on course in the run chase, racing to 50 off 41 balls and Smith's dismissal by Jadeja appeared a momentary hiccup, Mithun Manhas holed out to Hodge three overs later.
Hodge got the vital breakthrough, forcing Yuvraj to play against the turn and snick behind. Uthappa took on the task of guiding the chase, then walked back frustrated at himself for a moment of over-confidence.
Kochi had earlier slipped into trouble off the first ball with opener Brendon McCullum lured into a drive by an Alfonso Thomas teaser delivery which pitched outside the off-stump and moved away.
Yuvraj's choice of Parnell in place of Thomas produced instant results, this time Laxman edged one onto the stumps off an inside edge. The madness seemed to effect Jayawardene too, the Kochi captain launched into a drive and was unable to account for movement.
At 24 for four in fine overs, Kochi's decision to bat seemed to have misfired, when Parthiv flashed at a Parnell teaser outside the off-stump and perished at slip.
The South African fast bowler made away for spin after a stunning 2-0-4-3 first spell. Jadeja walked into a crisis and got cracking straightaway against a double dose of spin.
Kochi had moved out of the danger zone at 100 off 86 balls, the fifth-wicket stand between Jadeja and Hodge rattling up runs against the slow bowlers.
The momentum swung Pune Warriors' way following the dismissals of Hodge (39, 36b, 2x4, 2x6) and Jadeja (47, 33b, 3x4, 3x6).

Kochi Tuskers Kerala: B. McCullum c Uthappa b Thomas 0 (1b), V.V.S. Laxman b Parnell 0 (3b), Parthiv Patel c Smith b Parnell 21 (19b, 4x4), M. Jayawardene c Uthappa b Parnell 2 (3b), B. Hodge c Kartik b Sharma 39 (36b ,2x4, 2x6), R. Jadeja c Parnell b Ryder 47 (33b, 3x4, 3x6), R. Gomez (not out) 26 (18b, 3x4), R. Vinay Kumar (run out) 1 (1b), S. Sreesanth (run out) 1 (6b), R.P. Singh (not out) 0 (1b); Extras (b-1, lb-3, w-6, nb-1): 11; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs) 148.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-11, 3-13, 4-24, 5-112, 6-113, 7-117, 8-147.
Pune Warriors bowling: Thomas 3-0-31-1, Wagh 2-0-10-0, Parnell 4-0-35-3, Kartik 4-0-30-0, Sharma 4-0-18-1, Yuvraj 1-0-12-0, Ryder 2-0-8-1.
Pune Warriors: J. Ryder c & b Vinay 17 (10b, 3x4), G. Smith c R.P. Singh b Jadeja 24 (24b, 3x4), M. Manhas c Jadeja b Hodge 12 (19b, 1x4), Yuvraj c Parthiv b Hodge 8 (12b), R. Uthappa b Muralitharan 31 (13b, 3x4, 2x6), M. Mishra (not out) 37 (21b, 2x4, 2x6), W. Parnell (run out) 1 (5b), R. Sharma (not out) 10 (9b, 1x6); Extras (lb-1, w-10): 11; Total (for six wkts. in 18.5 overs) 151.
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-54, 3-61, 4-73, 5-115, 6-118.
Kochi Tuskers bowling: R.P. Singh 3-0-30-0, Sreesanth 3-0-21-0, Muralitharan 3.5-0-42-1, Vinay Kumar 3-0-15-1, Jadeja 4-0-28-1, Hodge 2-0-14-2.
Man-of-the-match: Monish Mishra
punemsexesena@gmail.com
— Photo: AFP

ICC confirms giving India original World Cup trophy

Tweet
By Punem Sexesena-Mumbai, April 4 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday rubbished some erroneous and mischievous media reports that the ICC had presented India with a duplicate World Cup trophy at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
In a statement, the ICC confirmed that the trophy was original and the one that was always intended to be presented to the winner of the event.
It said: "There is no question that this was a replica. The trophy presented to India indeed carries the specific event logo of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and has always been the cup that the 14 teams were playing for."
"The trophy seized by Mumbai customs is the promotional, perpetual trophy which remains in the keeping of ICC at its headquarters in Dubai. It carries the generic ICC corporate logo rather than the logo specific to the 2011 event. That trophy will be reclaimed today and will travel back to Dubai with ICC staff as was always intended," a media release said.
punemsexesena@gmail.com

Winning off 2011 Team India

Tweet

By Punem sexesena-MUMBAI: When Mahendra Singh Dhoni lofted Nuwan Kulasekara for the winning six against Sri Lanka, he stood gazing at the ball as it flew through the Mumbai night sky, soaking up the sweet moment and the reward for four years of hard work and the introduction of a work ethic and team bonding not seen in previous Indian teams.

Four years ago, the team was in ruins after crashing out in the first round of the World Cup in the Caribbean, with fans baying for the cricketers' blood.

But the transition in the next four-year cycle has been outstanding, the picture completed with the six-wicket victory at the Wankhede Stadium, when Dhoni anchored the run chase with his knock of 91.

The three characters who stand out for India in the transformation of the team's approach are Dhoni, low-profile coach Gary Kirsten and the indefatigable Sachin Tendulkar.

If Dhoni has marshaled his resources well, Kirsten has been the facilitator of systems and Tendulkar the biggest inspiration for younger players.

These three have transformed the team into a powerful unit that has done well in different conditions around the world and also come back from the brink to achieve impressive victories.

Tendulkar, who has played with many top players in his 21 years of international cricket, said Saturday he was enjoying playing like never before.

"This team shows a lot of self belief and is extremely consistent," Tendulkar said after the victory. "It is a great honor to be part of this team."

The Indian team, already enjoying top ranking in Test cricket, is now also atop the one-day table.

In the past few years, India has come back undefeated from Test tours of Australia and South Africa, won a Test series in New Zealand as well as one-day series in Australia and Sri Lanka, all considered difficult feats for any team.

But the one event that triggered the cycle was the Twenty20 World Championship victory in South Africa four years ago, which offset the despair of the 2007 World Cup and refreshed the side.

Dhoni gave the first glimpse of his charismatic qualities as a leader of a young team and slowly took over as captain of one-dayers and test matches too.

Dhoni conceded the other day that he does not believe in too much planning and likes to give players freedom as well as responsibilities.

"I don't even attend the bowlers' meeting. I'm happy to let them come up with strategies and keep that out of my mind," he said about the Zaheer Khan-led attack.

But Dhoni, like most others, accepts that South African Kirsten's contribution has been immense, specially in removing the insecurities that have dogged players in the past.

"Everyone knows what he has done for the team. He knows our players very well and is probably the best thing to happen to Indian cricket," Dhoni said of him.

Supporting Kirsten has been South African Paddy Upton, credited with the players' better mental conditioning.

The team management has also thought out of the box and been inspired by the likes of high altitude climber and Arctic explorer Mike Horn.

"Mike is an adventurer and the stories that he tells of his experiences are simply outstanding. He has given us insight into what the human mind can do for us," Dhoni said of him.

India opener Virender Sehwag, like many of his teammates, said the team had been wanting to win the World Cup for Tendulkar and revealed that the team had been aiming for the win for over a year.

"For more than one year, we have been aiming to do this. It has been a team effort with even a 38-yer-old Tendulkar diving on the boundary line today," Sehwag said after the victory.
punemsexesena@gmail.com

India beat Sri Lanka to win ICC World Cup 2011

Tweet
NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni (91 not out) and Gautam Gambhir (97) helped India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to win the ICC World Cup 2011 at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Dhoni joined legendary Kapil Dev to lift the coveted trophy for India.
Dhoni played captain's innings in the summit clash as he hit two sixes and eight fours in his 79-ball innings and raced to fifty in just 52 balls.

The skipper added a record 109-run partnership with Gambhir for the fourth wicket, which was highest for India in World Cup finals, to chase the challenging 275-run target.

Gambhir missed to score a hundred in the World Cup final as Lankan all-rounder Thisara Parera clean bowled him in the 42nd over.

After losing two quick wickets, Virat Kohli (35) added a valuable 83-run stand with Gambhir to resurrect the Indian innings.

Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga dismissed Sachin Tendulkar (18) and Virender Sehwag (0) early to jolt the India run-chase. Tendulkar was going smoothly as he hit two fours in his 14-ball 18 innings before Malinga struck in the seventh over.

India started the run-chase on terrible note as they lost Virender Sehwag (0) on the second ball of the match as Malinga trapped dashing opener LBW in his opening over.

Earlier, Mahela Jayawardene slammed 14th one-day hundred, second of the mega-event, to help Sri Lanka post 274/6 against 1983 champions.

Jayawardene used all his experience to score unbeaten 88-ball 103 as he hit 13 fours and raced to his hundred in just 84 balls.

With this Jayawardene joined the elite group of batsmen who scored a century in the World Cup finals - Clive Lloyd ('75), Viv Richards ('79), Arvinda de Silva ('96), Ricky Ponting ('03) and Adam Gilchrist ('07).

Thisara Perera joined the party in their batting powerplay as he slammed a six and three fours in his 9-ball 22 blitzkrieg. Sri Lanka piled agony for India in the period as they scored 63 runs and lost only a wicket.

For India, Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh took two wickets apiece to halt Sri Lanka innings before Jayawardene started dominating the proceedings with Nuwan Kulasekara (32).

In between, Zaheer equalled Shahid Afridi as leading wicket-taker when Chamara Kapugedera became his 21st victim of the World Cup.

Ind vs Aus: India beat Australia by 5 wickets to enter World Cup semifinal

Tweet
By punem sexesena-NEW DELHI: Yuvraj Singh (57 not out) and Suresh Raina (34 not out) helped India register five-wicket victory over Australia and booked a dream World Cup semifinal against arch-rival Pakistan in Mohali.

Yuvraj slammed eight fours, including the winning boundary, in his 65-ball innings whereas Raina hit a six and couple of fours in his 28-ball blitzkrieg.

After losing Dhoni and Gambhir in quick succession, Yuvraj revived the run-chase with Raina as they added unbeaten 74-run for the sixth wicket.

Brett Lee scalped Indian skipper Dhoni soon after Gambhir ran himself out in the 34th over.

Gambhir played a cautious innings as he hit just two fours in his 64-ball fifty. A miscommunication with Yuvraj Singh led to his departure after surviving similar mishap in the previous ball.

India lost Virat Kohli (24) after he added a valuable 49-run with Gambhir for the third wicket against Australia.

Kohli hit only one four in his patient 33-ball innings as he resurrected India's run-chase with Gambhir after Sachin's wicket. David Hussey dismissed Kohli in the 29th over.

Shaun Tait gave Australia a crucial and much-needed breakthrough when he got rid of Sachin Tendulkar after the little master edged out Kumar Sangakkara as leading run-scorer of the tournament.

Sachin, who hit seven fours in his steady 68-ball 53, scored his 94th fifty in the one-dayers and added 50-run with Gautam Gambhir for the second wicket.

The master blaster also reached landmark 18,000 runs in one-day internationals. Sachin has already scored two hundreds in this edition and is awaiting his 100th international ton.

Chasing 261-run target, India lost Virender Sehwag (15) in the ninth over after a good start. Sehwag and Tendulkar started Indian run-chase aggressively and added 44 runs for the first wicket.

Sehwag hit two fours in his rare slow innings of 15 off 22 balls before Shane Watson gave Aussies the crucial breakthrough.

Earlier, Ricky Ponting slammed fifth World Cup hundred to help Australia set 261-run target for India in the second quarterfinal.

Ponting hit seven fours and a six in his 118-ball 104 innings as he scored his 30th ODI hundred.

R Ashwin took the prize-wicket of Ponting in the penultimate over of the match. Ashwin finished the innings with 2 wickets for 52 in 10 overs.

David Hussey remained unbeaten for the champions on 38 off 26 balls. David hit three boundaries and a huge 85 metres six during his late charge against the Indian bowlers.

Zaheer Khan dismissed Cameron White (12) and Mike Hussey (3) to halt the Australian innings in the middle overs. Zaheer scalped White after the batsman added 40-run with his skipper Ponting for the fifth wicket.

Yuvraj Singh was the pick of Indian bowlers with two wickets for 44 runs in his ten overs.

Yuvraj dismissed Michael Clarke (8) in the 31st over to check the Aussie innings.

Brad Haddin (53) scored a patient half-century and added a valuable 70-run stand with his skipper for the second wicket and slammed six fours and a six in his 62-ball innings before Yuvraj struck in the 23rd over.

Off-spinner R Ashwin provided India crucial breakthrough as he dismissed Australia's Shane Watson in the tenth over.

Openers Shane Watson and Brad Haddin started off well as they gave Australia a steady start against India. The duo added 40 runs for the first wicket.

Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the crucial toss and decided to bat first.

In what is Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 100th ODI as India captain, there is one change to the side with Virender Sehwag coming in for Yusuf Pathan.

Australia have brought David Hussey in place of spinner Steven Smith.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel

Australia: Ricky Ponting (c), Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait.

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) and Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

Pitch conditions: Usually proves an excellent batting surface so bowlers on both sides are set to have to be at their best to enjoy success.

Scorecard....

 Reed More - ClickHere

Cricket World Cup 2011 colorful start

Tweet

by- punem sexena-Dhaka .. ICC Cricket World Cup on Thursday's historic Bangabandhu -2011
The stadium was fantastic debut. Decorated like a bride in the stadium
In addition to all 14 teams, players and officials of Bangladesh PM
Sheikh Hasina, ICC President Sharad Pawar and many dignitaries of world cricket
Opening Ceremony attended.

India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are going to be joint host cricket's
Mahaayojan security in the capital of Bangladesh has been ready. 43
Day-long event during the three countries at 13 venues
Total 51 matches will be played.

135 minutes during the colorful opening ceremony will be performed.
Beginning of the program of Bangladesh national 'Amar Sonar Bangla ... " Resulted from.
After this song, music, dance and fascinating series of laser show began.
Different countries come to the venue team captains sitting in a rickshaw. Colorful
Stadium to watch the opening ceremony was attended by over 40,000 people. punumsexesena@gmail.com

Wozniacki secures No. 1 spot by beating Schiavone

More

by punem sexsena
DOHA: Caroline Wozniacki secured the year-end number one spot in the world ranking on Thursday, becoming the first ever Dane to do so, but only after suffering an early fright at the WTA Tour Championships on Thursday.

For an hour, the 20-year-old top seed seemed in danger of going out of the event, until she worked out the clever tactical patterns of Francesca Schiavone, the French Open champion from Italy, and triumphed 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Not until midway through the second set did that happen as Wozniacki swapped containment for going on the offensive against Schiavone, who mixed topspin with slice, slow-balling with pace, and net attacks with base-lining, all with equal facility.

Twice Wozniacki's father-coach Piotr came to the courtside, where he knelt before his daughter to offer unusually animated advice.

It seemed to help, although the fourth and the fifth games of the third set were also fiercely contested and pivotal in preventing a Schiavone comeback.

"This is something I have dreamed about since I was a little girl," said Wozniacki, who will become the youngest year-end number one since Martina Hingis in 2000.

"I am really happy and proud about what I have achieved this year."

Wozniacki joined Australia's Samantha Stosur as a semifinals qualifier from the maroon group at the expense of Elena Dementieva, the Olympic champion from Russia, who will be out even if she beats Schiavone on Friday.

Asked what she might splash out on to celebrate her new status, Wozniacki said: "When I do well I like to buy a small present for myself. I usually like handbags or sunglasses - they make good accessories - but I might buy presents for all the people around me."

With her round robin wins, the Dane has done enough to prevent Vera Zvonareva, the Russian world number two, from overtaking her in the ranking.

Schiavone chiselled a break of serve in the fourth game and, Wozniacki, who unexpectedly lost the night before to Stosur, suddenly began to look anxious.

But a turning point came with a controversy in the fourth game of the second set, when Wozniacki appealed to the Hawkeye computerised replay system.

To the surprise of many she got an 'out' call on her backhand cross-court reversed - only for Schiavone to make her own, very animated appeal.

The Italian complained that the line judge's call had denied her a chance of trying to return the ball, but the umpire disagreed.

That annoyed Schiavone, firing her up to cling on to her service game for 1-3 after a long tussle. There immediately followed another lengthy struggle in which Wozniacki was made to survive two deuces before holding serve and reaching 4-1 for a stranglehold on the second set.

In the third, the Dane saved a break back point for 2-2 and followed it by winning the rally of the match, sprinting three times behind the baseline to retrieve the ball and then wowing the crowd with a counter-attacking cross-court angled drive.

"It was really difficult," admitted Wozniacki. "I just had to hang on and keep my focus, and then be a little bit more aggressive."

Kim Clijsters, playing her first tournament since the successful defence of her US Open title six weeks ago, made sure of qualifying for the semifinals with victory over Victoria Azarenka.

Clijsters overcame the world number ten from Belarus 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, guaranteeing that both she and Zvonareva, who she plays on Friday, will go through.