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Sehwag shines after Amla ensures massive total

2008-03-27

Chennai: India's strength lies in their batting. After the bowlers had been hammered around for 680 minuites, as the South Africans were finally dismissed for 540, it was imperative that the batting came to the party. Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer did just that, playing out 21 overs as India ended day two of the first Test at the MA Chambaram Stadium here at 82-0.

FITTING REPLY: Virender Sehwag's half-century got India off to a quick start on the second day in Chennai.

Sehwag found that time enough to rustle up his 14th Test half-century, remaining unbeaten on 52, while Jaffer was 25 not out.

 

Jaffer has a lot to prove. He scored heavily against Pakistan, and failed with equal regularity on Australia. His retention in this Test squad was not taken to too kindly, so he had to go out there and prove that he can deliver. While it never was going to be a challenge like Australia, runs under the belt, even in a home series, are always welcome.

 

The visiting bowlers were not quite as accurate as skipper Graeme Smith would have liked, and for most parts, they bowled short and wide. Makhaya Ntini's very first over saw a square-driven boundary from Sehwag, followed by a slashed six over third-man. That was not out of the Sehwag batting manual, but to see him repeat the stroke a while later was really something.

 

By the time the South African bowlers began to pitch it up, both batsmen were set, and the drives came out, some absolutely straight. Sehwag scored with gay abandon like he always does but Jaffer too was more active than he normally is. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris also got a bowl, but he had pretty much the same sort of impact that the Indian players did.

South Africa however, somehow did not manage the acceleration they were looking for, as the attacking batsmen perished pretty early on in their efforts to pump up the scoring rate. Mark Boucher's attempted slog-sweep off Sehwag went up as a skier while Morne Morkel patted one straight back to Harbhajan. Dale Steyn improvised, but the tail batted like it should.

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Deadline given for Black Caps to return from IPL

2008-03-27

Deadline given for Black Caps to return from IPL

1:53PM Thursday March 27, 2008


New Zealand's IPL contingent will be able to play four games in the Twenty20 competition.

Which is more important - the Indian league or English tour?

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New Zealand's Indian Premier League (IPL) contracted cricket players have been given a deadline of May 1 to join their teammates for the tour of England.

Skipper Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor will be expected to arrive in England a fortnight before the first test at Lord's which begins on May 15.

It means the five will be able to slot in four games each in the IPL while missing the New Zealand team's festival match against the MCC in Arundel, Sussex, on April 27 and first county match against Kent from April 28-30.

They will play two warm-up matches - against Essex from May 2 and England A from May 8.

Cricket New Zealand chief executive Justin Vaughan said the decision had been reached after he had met with individual players, coach John Bracewell, the team as a whole and the Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) to discuss the arrival options for the IPL players.

"We have reached a decision which I believe is fair and is also consistent with the best cricketing outcome," Vaughan said.

 

"When the itinerary for the England tour was put in place, it was not envisaged that a number of our players would be playing quality cricket in India.

"For players that are playing a high standard of international cricket, two weeks is a good level of preparation.

"The May 1 deadline date will give the players time to acclimatise to playing in English conditions as they will be available for two first class matches, prior to the test series beginning.

"The England and Wales Cricket Board has also been consulted and is happy with the decision."

Vaughan said the IPL Twenty20 tournament had the ability to retain players in the international game and therefore had New Zealand's full support.

"The global cricket landscape is changing rapidly and we must be flexible enough to change with it, while protecting the integrity of the international game."

He said the five players had agreed to abide by whatever decision NZC reached.

NZCPA executive manager Heath Mills described today's decision as "a good pragmatic" one and had full support from the association.

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Test Cricket Matches India Vs South Africa

2008-03-27

Current Cricket Matches

SL 476/8 | WI 280/10 | SL 240/7 | WI 315/10 (Sri lanka won by 121 runs)
DB Powell* 14, Chris Gayle 51 -
RSA 540/10 | Ind 82/0 (Match is currently at Stumps, Day 2)
V Sehwag* 52, W Jaffer 25 -

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India VS South Africa Cricket match in march 2008

2008-03-27

South Africa 540
India 82/0 (21.0 ov)
India trail by 458 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Stumps - Day 2 		India RR 3.90
Last 10 ovs 35/0 RR 3.50
Full scorecard
India VS South Africa Cricket match in march 2008
Hours of play: 09.30 start, Lunch 11.30-12.10, Tea 14.10-14.30, Close 16.30
Current time: 20:32 local, 15:02 GMT
Refresh scorecard
 Test career
BatsmenRunsB4s6sSRThis bowlerLast 10 ovs  MatRunsAve  
 *V Sehwag (rhb)52616185.24 14 (14b)28 (29b)  55449351.05  
 W Jaffer (rhb)25652138.46 13 (22b)6 (31b)  29184335.44  
    
BowlersOMRWEcon  Current spell  MatWktsAve  
 *DW Steyn (rf)6.012704.50 (0nb, 0w)1-0-5-0  2110522.05  
 PL Harris (sla)3.01903.00 (0nb, 0w)3-1-9-0  113025.66  
 
Recent overs   . . 1 . . . | . . . . . . | 2 . . 2 . 1
 
Current partnership  82 runs, 21.0 overs, RR: 3.90 (Jaffer 25, Sehwag 52)
 

End of over 21 (5 runs) - India 82/0

V Sehwag  52* (61b 6x4 1x6)    DW Steyn  6-1-27-0
W Jaffer  25* (65b 2x4 1x6)    PL Harris  3-1-9-0
Stumps, 5.12 pm local time: The run feast has continued on the second day. Amla scored 159 to lead South Africa to 540 before Harbhajan wrapped up the tail to pick up a five-wicket haul.

India's openers, Jaffer and Sehwag, have made a strong reply, scoring 82 for no loss in 21 overs. I'll be back around 9.00 am - 9.15 am tomorrow for the third day's play. Until then, this is George Binoy signing off. Cheers.
20.6Steyn to Sehwag, 1 run, short of a length outside off stump, Sehwag gets on top of the bounce and plays the ball behind point for a single, umpire Tony Hill walks over to the stumps and lifts off the bails so that's it for today
20.5Steyn to Sehwag, no run, Sehwg tries to work the ball off his hips once again but can't make contact
20.4Steyn to Sehwag, 2 runs, that's his fifty, Sehwag moves back and punches the ball through the gap at cover for two, he's scored his runs quickly too, this innings follows the superb hundred he scored to save the Test in Adelaide
20.3Steyn to Sehwag, no run, Steyn bangs the ball in short, Steyn ducks under it
20.2Steyn to Sehwag, no run, Sehwag works the ball off his hips towards the fielder at short leg, Amla is the man under the helmet
20.1Steyn to Sehwag, 2 runs, short of a length on middle stump, Sehwag moves back and across and works the ball off his hips for two towards square leg, Sehwag's on 49
Steyn comes back for one more over before the end of play.

End of over 20 (maiden) - India 77/0

W Jaffer  25* (65b 2x4 1x6)    PL Harris  3-1-9-0
V Sehwag  47* (55b 6x4 1x6)    M Morkel  5-1-15-0
19.6Harris to Jaffer, no run, bowled slowly through the air on middle stump, Jaffer gets on to the front foot to defend
19.5Harris to Jaffer, no run, defended on the front foot towards the leg side
19.4Harris to Jaffer, no run, tossed up slowly on middle stump, Jaffer moves forward and defends
19.3Harris to Jaffer, no run, Jaffer leans on to the front foot and blocks
19.2Harris to Jaffer, no run, Jaffer leans forward and plays a ball which angles into him to short leg
19.1Harris to Jaffer, no run, defended on the front foot by Jaffer
RP Singh is padded up as the nightwatchman if India need one.

End of over 19 (1 run) - India 77/0

V Sehwag  47* (55b 6x4 1x6)    M Morkel  5-1-15-0
W Jaffer  25* (59b 2x4 1x6)    PL Harris  2-0-9-0
18.6Morkel to Sehwag, no run, Sehwag waits on the back foot and pushes a short of a length delivery towards point
18.5Morkel to Sehwag, no run, banged in short but strays down leg side, there's a leg gully in place as well, Sehwag misses the leg glance
18.4Morkel to Sehwag, no run, short of a length delivery on off and middle stump, defended off the back foot
18.3Morkel to Jaffer, 1 run, short of a length delivery angles into Jaffer who stands tall on the back foot and nudges it behind square
18.2Morkel to Jaffer, no run, a good length ball strays down leg side, Jaffer can't connect with the flick off his pads and Boucher dives to his left to collect it
18.1Morkel to Jaffer, no run, good length ball outside off stump, left alone by Jaffer

End of over 18 (7 runs) - India 76/0

V Sehwag  47* (52b 6x4 1x6)    PL Harris  2-0-9-0
W Jaffer  24* (56b 2x4 1x6)    M Morkel  4-1-14-0
"Seems to me that the pitch has nothing to offer to the bowlers - fast or spin. Wonder why such a pitch was prepared? Especially when the bowlers did so well in Australia," says Sandeep.
17.6Harris to Sehwag, 2 runs, Harris drifts down leg side and Sehwag leans across and plays the paddle sweep towards fine leg for two more
17.5Harris to Sehwag, FOUR, smashed! Sehwag gets his front foot out of the way and drives a flighted delivery powerfully through cover, that was hit inside out
17.4Harris to Sehwag, no run, a flighted delivery angles into middle stump, Sehwag leans forward and blocks
17.3Harris to Sehwag, no run, defended off the front foot back towards the bowler
17.2Harris to Jaffer, 1 run, bowled flatter through the air on middle stump, Jaffer nudges the ball towards square leg for a quick single, Prince tries to cut it off but doesn't pick up cleanly
17.1Harris to Jaffer, no run, tossed up outside off stump, driven off the front foot towards the bowler

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