Saturday 2 February 2013

Australia v West Indies


The only way is up for West Indies

Match facts

Chris Gayle sets the tone for West Indies and his poor recent form is a concern © Getty Images 
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Matches: Australia v West Indies at Perth
Series/Tournaments: West Indies tour of Australia
Teams: Australia | West Indies
February 3, WACA Ground
Start time 1120 (0320 GMT)
Big Picture
It feels as though the series hasn't really started, yet Australia find themselves 1-0 up. The first match at the WACA on Friday was so short that it was over well before the time that should have been the change of innings. In fact, the teams could have played a Twenty20 afterwards and still been finished early. Having been bowled out for 70, the only way is up for West Indies. Hopefully, at least. The Perth fans would certainly like to see more of a contest in the second game.

Prior to the series, the captain Darren Sammy spoke of his desire for West Indies to begin 2013 in the right way, to set the tone for the coming year. He can only hope the players forget Friday's match ever happened, just like they have tried to erase from their minds the ODI series loss to Bangladesh late last year. There is much improvement required from West Indies in the 50-over format, and if they can't turn things around on Sunday in Perth this series could be almost out of their grasp by the time Australia send their first batch of players off to India to prepare for the upcoming Test series.

Form guide
(Most recent first)
Australia WWLLW
West Indies LLWWL
In the spotlight
Glenn Maxwell has scored two half-centuries from his eight one-day international innings, including an unbeaten 51 in Australia's tiny chase on Friday. But it is bowling that needs to continue developing and he is yet to take a wicket in ODI cricket. If Xavier Doherty is again left out, Maxwell will be the only spinner in Australia's line-up and it will be a good test of his bowling - that is, if the fast men leave any work for him this time.

West Indies rely heavily on Chris Gayle at the top of the order and they cannot afford for his lean patch to continue too much longer. He has not scored a half-century in his past nine ODI innings and his BBL form was also disappointing. There is plenty of batting talent in the West Indies line-up but Gayle sets the tone, and they need that tone to be positive.

Team news
After Australia's clinical performance on Friday, there is little reason for them to alter their team. The success of the fast men means it is unlikely Xavier Doherty will be needed until the series moves away from Perth.

Australia (possible) 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Michael Clarke (capt), 4 Usman Khawaja, 5 George Bailey, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Clint McKay.

West Indies will be hoping Andre Russell can prove his fitness after missing the first match due to a knee problem. He would add some depth to their batting while also providing another pace option. After the success of the fast men on Friday, West Indies might consider whether Sunil Narine is required at the WACA or whether they can use Chris Gayle for their spin requirements.

West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Kieron Powell, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Devon Thomas (wk), 9 Darren Sammy 10 Sunil Narine/Jason Holder, 11 Kemar Roach.

Pitch and conditions
Perth's forecast is for another hot day with a top temperature of 37C. There should again be assistance for the fast men.

Stats and trivia
Australia have now won their past five ODIs at the WACA. The last team to beat them in Perth were New Zealand, who did so on February 1, 2009
Friday's game lasted only 199 deliveries, making it the shortest completed ODI ever played in Australia
Quotes
"We were talking about it straight after the game, that any day Gayle can turn it on and score 200 in a one-dayer and, all of a sudden, we are chasing 370 or 380. They can flick it on and off like a switch." 
Glenn Maxwell

Australia v West Indies



South Africa v Pakistan

South Africa Stroll After Pakistan Slump To 49

*, Amla 50*) lead Pakistan 49 (Steyn 6-8, Kallis 2-11) by 411 runs

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

South Africa's bowlers, in particular Dale Steyn, made life near to impossible for Pakistan © Getty Images 
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Players/Officials: Dale Steyn
Matches: South Africa v Pakistan at Johannesburg
Series/Tournaments: Pakistan tour of South Africa
Teams: Pakistan | South Africa
South Africa took their opponents by the throat and shook them into submission on the second day at the Wanderers, as Pakistan collapsed to their lowest-ever total in Tests before watching helplessly as a 411-run gulf opened between the sides. Dale Steyn took 6 for 8 in an extraordinary, lethal display before half-centuries from Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers pressed home South Africa's dominance.

If Pakistan were under the impression that South Africa would be obliging hosts after a profitable first day at the Wanderers, they were quickly disabused of that notion. Mauled by Steyn, with Vernon Philander and Jacques Kallis picking the carcass clean, they were saved from the potential ignominy of being bowled out twice in a day by Smith's decision not to enforce the follow-on, despite a 204-run lead. Although there is a possibility of rain, with three days left in the game Pakistan look to be on course for a hiding on the Highveld.

Earlier, Steyn recorded his 20th five-wicket haul in Tests either side of lunch, as Pakistan were confounded by pace, swing and bounce. Nine batsmen fell caught behind the wicket, with six victims for de Villiers equalling the record for a South Africa wicketkeeper; Steyn, in particular, bowled a line of beauty and Pakistan quivered along at less than two runs an over. Remarkably, this was the third time in 15 months that South Africa have bowled out a side for less than 50, after the routs of New Zealand and Australia in Cape Town.

As South Africa ascended to the No. 1 Test ranking over the last year, the sight of their dominance has become increasingly familiar. They dispatched England and Australia in their own backyards and Smith's team are now relishing the chance to display their talents in front of home crowds. The only disappointment for the Johannesburg locals may be that this contest - like the two Tests against New Zealand last month - is unlikely to go anywhere near the distance.

The Pakistan innings could not have resembled a horror show any more had Freddy Krueger been spotted in the stands. As ever, Steyn was a batsman's nightmare incarnate, his opening spell decapitating the Pakistan top-order in a manner worthy of any slasher flick to leave them 12 for 3. After lunch, with Pakistan listing on 40 for 7, he returned with eyes still blazing. If the batsmen were luckless sailors, Steyn was a glimpse of St Elmo's fire, forecasting their doom. His relentless display produced six wickets and 39 dot balls - and only allowed three scoring shots - in 8.1 overs of mesmeric bowling. He now has 19 wickets at 8.31 from two-and-a-half Tests in 2013. Perhaps, with South Africa's light Test programme this year, he has decided to stockpile them early.

A partnership of 24 in almost 14 overs between Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq for the fourth wicket was the wafer-thin mint of comfort for Pakistan, before the darkness swallowed them up again. Their last seven wickets fell for 13 runs and the roar of the crowd became a blanket of white noise.

Mohammad Hafeez was the first to go, set up by a back-of-a-length delivery that seared past the edge and over the top of off stump. The next ball, the 11th of the morning, was fuller and wider, pulling Hafeez across and into a fateful flirt. His opening partner, Nasir Jamshed, did not last much longer, pinned in front of leg stump by an inswinger two balls after surviving a review to a similar delivery from Vernon Philander that was judged to have been passing over the top.

Jamshed's debut was ended on 2, but experience was no defence against Steyn's weapons and he amassed further destruction with the final ball of the sixth over, as a full delivery left Younis Khan to take the outside edge.

Pakistan had been billed as the main event during the South African Test summer, after New Zealand were packed up and dispatched with indecent haste. That theory had been bolstered on the first day, as Pakistan's bowlers showed why they are so highly regarded, but the real test was to be of the batsmen. A spell of seven consecutive maidens - and 47 balls without a run from the bat - showed just how difficult the South African syllabus can be.

Azhar and Misbah have both played dogged innings in the past but the former was surprised by a brute of a lifter from Kallis - even when Steyn and Philander were removed from the attack, there was no release. Misbah, having been hit on the forearm, the stomach and the hands, was channelling all his qualities of resistance but he was dislodged after a successful South Africa review. The ball was slightly short and wide but there was a feather of an edge, detectable only by Hot Spot. Pakistan may have felt that even technology was conspiring against them: Faf du Plessis had survived a similar review on the first day and de Villiers was reprieved on 49 against Saeed Ajmal in the second innings, despite inconclusive replays.

In the dressing room, Pakistan's coach, Dav Whatmore, sprang from his seat in surprise; he would quickly have slumped back down, however, as Philander took wickets six and seven in the next over. Junaid Khan hit Philander for consecutive fours in an attempt to get Pakistan past 53 - the follow-on target and their previous lowest Test score - but Steyn was irresistible.

Although his bowlers had been exerted for less than 30 overs between them, Smith chose to stay the execution. The strategy drew some flak but South Africa could afford to bludgeon home their advantage and Smith was doubtless wary of having to bat last against Ajmal. The openers duly added 82 on a pitch that was still assisting the seamers, Smith reaching fifty in his 100th Test as captain, and although three wickets fell for 17, the innings progressed comfortably enough at around four runs an over as Amla and de Villiers combined for an unbroken 108. Pakistan may have spoiled Smith's birthday on Friday but, by now, they had been well and truly Biffed.
South Africa v Pakistan 

South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 

South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 
South Africa v Pakistan 

Cricket Records

Cricket Records One Day International
One Day International (ODI) cricket is played between international cricket teams who are Full Members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) as well as the top six Associate and Affiliate members.[1] Unlike Test matches, ODIs consist of one innings per team, having a limit in the number of overs. The limit of overs is currently 50 overs per innings, although in the past this has been 55 or 60 overs.[2] ODI cricket is List-A cricket, so statistics and records set in ODI matches also count toward List-A records. The earliest match now recognised as an ODI was played between England and Australia in January 1971;[3] since then there have been over 3,000 ODIs played by 25 teams. The frequency of matches has steadily increased, partly because of the increase in the number of ODI-playing countries, and partly as the cricket boards of those nations seek to maximise their revenue.[4]
The most successful team in ODI cricket, in terms of win percentage, barring the Asia XI cricket team[5], is South Africa, having won 296 of their 475 ODIs (64.61%). In contrast, four teams have failed to win a single ODI: East Africa, Hong Kong, Namibia, and the USA. [6] Notable ODI records include longest winning streak (Australia, 21), longest losing streak (Bangladesh, 23), highest individual score (Virender Sehwag, 219), best bowling figures (Chaminda Vaas, 8–19), most runs in an over (Herschelle Gibbs, 36) and fastest century (Shahid Afridi, 37 deliveries).
The trend of countries to increase the number of ODI matches they play means that the aggregate lists are dominated by modern players. Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs in ODIs with a total of 18,426. Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is the highest ODI wicket-taker with a total of 534 wickets. The record for most dismissals by a wicket-keeper is held by Adam Gilchrist of Australia while the record for most catches by a fielder is held by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene.A
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