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Asian Voice | 8th October 2016
India h s a r h t New Zealand zoom to top in ICC rankings India pulled off a brilliant all-round performance to trounce New Zealand by 178 runs in the second Test to clinch the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead which also propelled them to the top of the ICC rankings dethroning arch-rivals Pakistan, in Kolkata on Monday. Virat Kohli’s men wrapped up the series-deciding victory on the fourth day of the match after setting the Black Caps a mammoth target of 376 runs to chase. The visitors showed some spark in the beginning but their chase floundered in the post-tea session and the side was bowled out for 197 in 81.1 overs in what was India’s 250th home Test. The home team had earlier finished its second innings at 263 in 76.5 overs. Following Rohit Sharma’s 82-run knock on Sunday, Wriddhiman Saha also picked up his second successive half-century of the match by scoring a 120ball 58, laced with half a dozen fours. Faced with an improbable chase, New Zealand were off to a confi-
dent start before things went downhill in the final session of the day. Opener Tom Latham top-scored for them with a 148-ball 74, which included eight hits to the fence. His innings gave New Zealand some hope of springing a surprise but off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin put paid to any such eventuality in just the second over after tea, inducing an edge off his bat which was comfortably taken by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Besides Latham, Luke Ronchi was the only one to play an innings of significance,
accounting for 32 runs (60 balls, 4x4). However, rest of the Black Caps’ line-up failed to apply itself on the tricky track, exploited well by both the pacers and spinners. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the top Indian wicket-takers with hauls of 3/82 and 3/41 respectively. Among the pacers, Mohammed Shami grabbed 3/46 in a fine concerted bowling performance. The two teams will now move to Indore for the third Test starting October 8 which would be followed by a five-match ODI series.
Having extracted reverse swing with the old ball, Shami cleaned the tail after new ball was taken in the 80th over. Trent Boult was the last wicket to fall when he tried to pull a bouncer but instead top-edged to Murali Vijay, who completed a clean catch. New Zealand desperately missed skipper and batting talisman Kane Williamson, who was ruled out of the match owing to illness. Latham, however, stood out with a stellar knock but the left-hander lacked support at the other end, and the writing was on
400 wickets, and Ashwin moves on
Ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday bagged his 400th wicket in all forms of cricket, by claiming the wicket of Ross Taylor. He has played 185 international matches so far. For the record, he has played 38 Tests, scalping 206 wickets at an average of 25.06. His best in Tests is 7 for 66. He has taken 19 fivewicket hauls and 5 10wicket hauls in Tests. In the 102 ODIs, he has taken 142 wickets at an average of 31.73. His economy in ODIs is very impressive at 4.85. His best being 4 for 25. In the 45 T20 internationals, he has taken 52 wickets at an average of 22.19. His economy rate is 6.91 and his best being 4 for 8.
the wall after he was dismissed in the second over after tea. Having starred in Kanpur with a 10-wicket match haul, Ashwin, bowling with a corn in his middle finger, was once again the key on an eased-out track that looked slow, aiding little turn. Ashwin struck in the fifth ball after lunch to give India the first breakthrough by dismissing senior opener Martin Guptill (24), snapping the 55-run opening partnership. Jadeja joined in before Ashwin took his second but Latham stayed on completing his second successive half-century and ninth overall. Latham looked in firm control of the proceedings till he took a leading edge on 66 but survived owing to confusion between
Azam anchors Pakistan's series win over Windies Fast-rising Babar Azam cracked a second successive hundred to guide Pakistan to a 59-run win over the West Indies in the second one-day international in Sharjah, gaining an unbeatable 2-0 lead in three-match series. Azam's 126-ball 123 formed the cornerstone of Pakistan's imposing 337-5 which also featured half-centuries from Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed. West Indies finished on 278-7 from their 50 overs with Darren Bravo hitting 61 and Marlon Samuels scoring 57. The final match will be in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. "It was a wonderful team effort," said Pakistan captain Azhar Ali. "We needed a good partnership after losing two early wickets and Azam and Malik
gave that to us with pace and wisdom." West Indian captain
Jason Holder rued his team's bad bowling. "I think we didn't bowl as well as we would have wanted and in the end 330-plus was too much for us," said Holder. West Indies needed to improve on their best chase of 285 against Pakistan which came in 1993 at this same venue, but Pakistan's varied attack kept them at bay. Bravo added 89 for the second wicket with Kraigg Brathwaite (39) after Johnson Charles was removed for two in the second over by Mohammad Amir. Bravo hit three sixes and five boundaries off 74 balls before he was smartly run out by paceman Hasan Ali who knocked over the stumps at the non-striker's end after the batsman aimed for a quick single.
Babar Azam
Samuels also tried his best during his 52-ball 57, spiced with four boundaries and two sixes, and added 67 for the fourth wicket with Denesh Ramdin (34) before fiery pace bowler Wahab Riaz (2-48) removed both in successive overs. Kieron Pollard, playing his 100th one-day international, made 22 and Holder, who scored 31 not out, found the going tough as West Indies needed 121 in the last 10 overs and 87 in last five. Earlier Azam anchored Pakistan's highest one-day total against the West Indies, beating the 307-8 they made at Perth nine years ago. Azam added 169 for the third wicket with Malik who missed his ninth one-day hundred by 10 runs, scoring an attractive 84-ball 90 with six hits over the fence and three boundaries. It was another dominating batting display by Pakistan, with Azam and
Malik shredding the West Indian bowling at will, and Sarfraz Ahmed finishing it with 47-ball 60 not out. Azam reached his second one-day international hundred with a single off Carlos Brathwaite. He was finally caught off paceman Alzarri Joseph at long-on in the 46th over. Malik was also ruthless as he reached his 38th half-century off 55 balls before hitting three successive sixes off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, one went out of the Sharjah stadium. Azam and Malik steadied the innings after openers Ali (nine) and Sharjeel Khan (24) fell in the space of three deliveries with the total at 40. Ahmed, who hit seven fours, helped Azam add another 73 for the fourth wicket as Pakistan added 97 in the last ten overs and 55 in the last five. Joseph and Holder took two wickets apiece.
Kohli and Ashwin. Kohli dived for the catch from short cover but it was a halfhearted attempt after realising that Ashwin too was going for it. But neither of them could hold onto to it and Latham did not mind it. Latham, however, could not extend his vigil as Ashwin once again gave a crucial breakthrough in the second over after tea by ending the left-hander’s elegant innings. Bowling around the wicket to lefthanders, Shami got reverse swing from the wicket and took two in successive overs dismissing Mitchell Santner (9) and BJ Watling (1) to dent New Zealand’s chase. Having trapped Saunter LBW, Shami got a second one after Watling got out to a ripper, a lovely delivery that came back in to uproot the off-stump. Earlier resuming on 227 for eight, India were bundled out for 263 in 76.5 overs setting New Zealand an improbable target. The highlight of the day’s play in India’s second innings was man of the match Saha, who remained unbeaten on 58. For the Kiwis, Trent Boult (3/38), Matt Henry (3/59) and Mitchell Santner (3/60) returned three each. Saha had also remained not out in the first innings with a stellar 54 and he followed it up with yet another impressive knock, his fourth fifty in Test cricket. Resuming the day on 39, Saha was watchful to start with getting himself adjusted to the condition which seemed better but the ball kept slow and sometimes low. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, at the other end, looked to go for his strokes and hit the first boundary in the seventh over.
India win U-18 Asia Cup hockey
Indian colts defeated host Bangladesh 5-4 to win the Under-18 Asia Cup hockey tournament last week at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium, Dhaka. India thus revenged their 4-5 loss to the host in the opening match of the fourth edition of the tournament. According to Hockey India, the winning goal came in the final 20 seconds of the match. Earlier, the Nilam Sanjeep Xess-led side defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to make the final. Hosts Bangladesh, competing in the tournament after 15 years, beat Chinese Taipei 6-1 to reach their maiden final. Indian Vice captain Hardik Singh was adjudged Man of the Match.