Sachin and such outs; After Tendulkar's brilliance, India crumbles to 296 against SA

Electing to bat, India were all out for 296 against South Africa in their group B cricket World Cup match at VCA stadium here today.

Brief Scores:

India: 296 all out in 48.4 overs. (Sachin Tendulkar 111, Virender Sehwag 73, Gautam Gambhir 69; Dale Steyn 5/50).

India's preparation remains the same: Dhoni

Complacency will be kept at bay when India takes on Ireland at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

At a press conference laced with humour here on Saturday, M.S. Dhoni said: “We have ‘very fond' memories of getting beaten by Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and we won't make that mistake again. There are individuals in every team who can score at an amazing strike-rate of 150 or 200 and that can change the game. Our preparation level remains the same and the intensity should remain the same.”

The Indian captain also took note of Kevin O'Brien's blazing hundred that stumped England on Wednesday night but refused to divulge strategies against the Irish big-hitter.

“It was an unbelievable innings and it was impressive to see him change gears. He got run out (against England) so we will try to get him run out,” Dhoni said.

Trend of high scores

Dhoni pointed out that the pitch for Sunday's game might continue the trend of high scores. “Close to 1400 runs were scored in the last two matches and it says what kind of a wicket it is.

“Probably it won't change much and it could still be a high-scoring game. In both the games, batting under lights has been quite easy compared to the afternoon session where the ball stops a bit and the spinners get a little bit of turn. In the second half it gets quite a bit placid,” Dhoni said but he remained non-committal on whether R. Ashwin would figure in the eleven. “Wait for tomorrow,” he quipped.

Dhoni's counterpart William Porterfield refused to be overawed by the challenge of playing the host. “We played Bangladesh in Bangladesh and it would be similar. There were some fanatical supporters and there will be a few more on Sunday. We have put Wednesday behind us, we have got bigger challenges ahead,” Porterfield said.

The Irish captain said all-rounder Andre Botha was likely to be fit though he might be tempted to field an extra batsman. “We have got so many options with the ball. Even Kevin O'Brien did not bowl an over (against England) but he gave us a 50-ball 100. We have to plan our options with the ball. If we want to chase a 300 plus total as was the case in the last game, we need depth in our batting,” Porterfield said.

Irish flair and dare could test India

Ireland's rousing display against England betokens danger for India. This Irish side has grown in belief. William Porterfield's team's palpitating three-wicket win, the side rode on archetypal big-hitter Kevin O' Brien's smashing hundred, over England has opened up Group ‘B'.

Ireland dishes out a bold and a rather direct form of the game. It relies on courage than chicanery. This is a side with flair, dare and gravitas.

India has to be on guard in the ICC World Cup day/night duel versus Ireland at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. After its giant-killing act against England, defeating India is no longer a mere chimera for Ireland.

The Indian batting has tongues of fire. Yet, will the bowling, amidst insistent pounding of the drums by the fans, rediscover rhythm?

The Indian fielding in the competition has been torpid and the team-management is chafed. It's a combination of fielding and bowling that creates stress.

SAME SURFACE

India, with good reasons, would want the surface to assist spin. The contest will be played on the pitch used for last Sunday's India versus England game that produced over 670 runs.

For the surface to change its character within seven days, the curator will have to stop watering the pitch completely to make it dry; such a surface could crumble. But then, the wicket here, even on Saturday, was watered.

The Irish batsmen are not quite the most accomplished players of spin. Bangladesh employed its four spinners, Abdur Razzak, Naeem Islam, Shakib-Al Hasan and Mohammed Ashraful for 34 overs against Ireland at Dhaka. The spinners conceded 136 runs while scalping six. Pursuing 206 on a surface that offered turn, Ireland stumbled to 178 all out.

And when Ireland astounded the cricketing world by chasing down 328 against a dumbstruck England, off-spinner Graeme Swann sent down 10 immaculate overs for 47 while scalping three batsmen. That was a night when England desperately lacked quality spin support.

Coming to its own spin attack, Ireland's left-arm-spinner George Dockrell and Paul Stirling, who can send down off-spin, are no more than steady.

A spinning surface would suit India, but the host might have to be content with a pitch that might only assist the famished spinners a tad more.

DHONI'S PREFERENCE

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has indicated that the side would continue with the seven-batsmen theory. This strategy is not without risk, particularly against the big guns.

Left-arm paceman Aashish Nehra is fit for the fray but the think-tank is likely to opt for a two plus two combination (two pacemen and two spinners). Zaheer and Munaf should team up again and spearhead Harbhajan Singh might have either Piyush Chawla or off-spinner R. Ashwin for company.

Chawla, despite going for runs, did achieve both fizz off the pitch and turn against England. He deserves another outing.

However, the team-management could also consider Ashwin's sense of equanimity during the Power Play overs and his subtle variations.

POWERHOUSE BATTING

The Indian batting is a powerhouse in these conditions. Yet, looking back at the game against England, the late collapse cost the side at lest 25 runs. And the two maiden overs India conceded during the innings did not help its cause either. The strike needs to be rotated during all times.

Apart from the destructive Kevin O' Brien, Ireland has the smooth-stroking Ed Joyce and exciting shot-maker Stirling in its ranks. The side bats deep and the likes of Alex Cussack and John Mooney can alter scripts.

The lanky Boyd Rankin, the quickest bowler in the Irish ranks, will have to provide the early breakthroughs. The Irish attack, though, has to ascend steep steps.

Chasing represents a better option for both sides.

The teams (from):

India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), S. Tendulkar, V. Sehwag, G. Gambhir, V. Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, R. Ashwin, Munaf Patel, P. Chawla, A. Nehra, S. Raina, S. Sreesanth.

Ireland: W. Porterfield (captain), P.R. Stirling, E. Joyce, N. O' Brien, G. Wilson, K. O'Brien, A. Cussack, J. Mooney, T. Johnson, G. Dockrell, B. Rankin, A. Botha, A. White, A. Van der Merwe, N. Jones.

Match starts at 2.30 p.m (IST).

South Africa steamrolls Netherlands in Mohali

As the venue basked in sunshine, the South Africans chose the platform to make a strong statement. The thin attendance at the Punjab Cricket Stadium was in keeping with the spectator response to non-India matches at this 2011 ICC World Cup, but not A.B. de Villiers and his batting. It has been exceptionally refreshing and entertaining.

South Africa's 231-run victory against The Netherlands was never to be doubted. Some cricket lovers may have anticipated an Ireland-like motivational show but then the South Africans are made of sterner stuff than the English.

They gladly accepted the Dutch invitation to bat first and shut the opposition out through centuries by Hasim Amla and de Villiers. The Netherlands, for all its claims of learning and improving, proved nothing but a minnow.

The knocks by Amla and Man-of-the-Match de Villiers had little in common. Amla was willing to wait; de Villiers looked to grab. Amla used the book to play his shots. de Villiers relished setting his own benchmarks.

It was rocking all the way and the result was a 221-run stand for the third wicket, which, incidentally was South Africa's highest for that wicket.

Lured by conditions

Overcast conditions and overnight rains lured the Dutch into bowling first but the South Africans were prepared. The runs did not come at a canter as expected. The Dutch bowled wicket-to-wicket and the South Africans chose to eschew their desire to play shots. The initial circumspection was misleading and the Dutch came to realise it once de Villiers and Amla took charge.

Amla's eighth century in ODIs and de Villiers's 11th suited the occasion. The bowlers had no control and containment too became a challenge for the fielding side as Amla and de Villiers systematically decimated the attack and the Dutch seemed to give up quickly.

The fluency with which de Villiers moves into top gear makes him the batsman to watch at this tournament. Hitting on the rise comes so naturally that de Villiers toys with the bowling; like he did on Thursday. Even when he played across the line, he connected well and hard.

The bowlers struggled to pitch in the right areas as de Villiers explored and experimented with style with ample to spare. His three sixes off Bernard Loots gave glimpses of his awesome potential to force the pace at will.

Grinding the attack

Amla is a champion at grinding the attack in Tests. He is no different in the shorter version. Five dot balls in a row don't worry him for he can pick the sixth and collect a boundary with a delightful display of skill.

A deft flick or a controlled glide can always scatter the field and Amla revels in it. His century was the strong base on which the South African innings progressed. The two perished in succession but the Dutch had been shut out of the game by then.

The Netherlands batting lacked the character that marked its performance against England at Nagpur. Ryan ten Doeschate, the hero against England, shone with the ball here. Opener Wesley Barresi was an exception to the Dutch capitulation with a sedate 44. The rest were an embarrassment.

Scoreboard

South Africa: H. Amla c Cooper b ten Doeschate 113 (130b, 8x4), G. Smith b Loots 20 (32b, 1x4), J. Kallis c Barresi b ten Doeschate 2 (12b), A.B. de Villiers (run out) 134 (98b, 13x4, 4x6), F du Plesis (not out) 18 (14b, 1x4), J.P. Duminy c Borren b ten Doeschate 40 (2x4, 4x6), M. van Wyk (not out) 0 (0b); Extras(b-2, lb-5, nb-1, w-16): 24; Total (for five wkts. in 50 overs): 351.

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-58, 3-279, 4-283, 5-349.

The Netherlands bowling: Bukhari 10-0-44-0, Westdijk 9-0-76-0, ten Doeschate 10-0-72-3, Loots 9-0-60-1, Seelaar 10-0-74-0, Cooper 2-0-18-0.

The Netherlands: A. Kervezee c & b Kallis 10 (18b, 1x4), W. Barresi st. van Wyk b Duminy 44 (6bb, 5x4), T. Cooper c Steyn b Kallis 9 (21b, 1x4), B. Zuiderent lbw b Peterson 15 (26b,1x4, 1x6), R. ten Doeschate lbw b Steyn 11 (21b), T. de Grooth (run out) 12 (26b), P. Borren lbw b Peterson 3 (13b), M. Bukhari b Tahir 0 (4b), P. Seelar (not out) 2 (5b), B. Loots lbw b Tahir 6 (7b, 1x6), B. Westdijk lbw b Tahir 0; Extras (w-8): 8; Total (in 34.5 overs): 120.

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-46, 3-81, 4-83, 5-100, 6-109, 7-109, 8-110, 9-120.

South Africa bowling: Steyn 6-1-26-1, Morkel 5-0-18-0, Kallis 6-0-19-2, Tahir 6.5-0-19-3, Peterson 5-0-22-2, Duminy 6-0-16-1.

New Zealand ready for Zimbabwe spin test

By any yardstick, New Zealand has the look of a more powerful outfit than its rival Zimbabwe.

Led by the bespectacled, stubble-faced, artful practitioner of left-arm orthodox spin and able stroke player Daniel Vettori, New Zealand is equipped to put up a strong performance here on Friday at the Sardar Patel Stadium and thereby get a whiff of a quarterfinal berth in the World Cup competition.

Apart from Vettori, who brings in a 268-match experience, Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor and Scott Styris can be relied upon to impose themselves in pursuit of a timely second victory and bring cheer to the team and the tragedy-struck people at home.

In addition, New Zealand has a competent and skilful bowling department to bring down a motivated and determined opponent that flaunted its spin tricks against a listless Canada and regained its poise.

It's not that the less dominant of the Antipodean sides has been in control of every aspect of its game in the sub-continent's heat, dry surfaces and the turning ball.

Only the second cricketer of Samoan heritage to play for New Zealand, Ross Taylor has often been regarded as a match-winner. Very soon, he will take over the baton from Vettori.

An elegant stroke player and powerful hitter, Taylor admitted on Thursday that his form has been poor in terms of scoring only three centuries in 101 ODIs and he hopes to rectify it in the remaining part of the World Cup.

On Friday, Taylor and the batsmen who will precede him — Martin Guptill, McCullum and Ryder — will strive to succeed against the probing spin bowling of left-arm spinner Raymond Price, off-spinners Prosper Utseya and Greg Lamb and leg-spinner Graeme Cremer.

Taylor has his task cut out. His tally of 138 runs in five ODI innings and 136 runs in three Tests on Indian soil is far from impressive. “Yes, it's disappointing. On the slower wickets, I have probably struggled. I am not sure why,” he said.

Plan of action

Coach John Wright has outlined a plan of action. “He talked to the team and emphasised the need to be more consistent and clinical. As a batting unit we need to step up and score about 300-330 which is the par score in this tournament. Our whole batting order has struggled over the last 12 months or so. We need a couple of players to stand up.”

While Taylor and his fellow New Zealanders are geared up to face the spin challenge, Zimbabwe is desperate to improve its run-getting ways. Coming a cropper against Australia's pace attack, it posted a sizeable score against Canada at Nagpur.

“New Zealand is a big team. We have to get our basics right and play our best cricket. Taibu and Irvine got the runs in the last match. Hopefully, we will get better in the batting department. Cricket is a funny game. The game is not over until the last ball is bowled, just like the Ireland game yesterday,” said skipper Elton Chigumbura.

The teams (from):

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Hamish Bennett, Kane Williamson and Luke Woodcock.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Brendon Taylor, Charles Coventry, Tatenda Taibu, Greg Lamb, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Regis Chakabva, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Shingirai Masakadza, Chris Mpofu, Raymond Price, Terry Duffin and Tinashe Payangara.

Umpires: Aleem Dar and Marais Erasmus; Third Umpire: Rod Tucker; Fourth Umpire: Billy Bowden; Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Match starts at 9.30 a.m.

Afridi scripts Pakistan's great escape

The tournament's highest wicket-taker Shahid Afridi scripted a great escape to pull back Pakistan from ignominy with a five-wicket haul, as the team beat Canada in a surprisingly close match here.

Refusing to be intimidated by the opponent's reputation and forgetting its current indifferent showing in this edition of the ICC World Cup, the Canadians set out to rewrite history at the R. Premadasa grounds. They nearly did.

Afridi, who broke the best partnership of the Canadian innings (60 runs) between Surkari and Hansra, and removed the dangerous Rizwan Cheema, made sure that Canada's well-begun innings stayed a half-done job.

Under the Premadasa lights, Afridi could do no wrong — he even gave the team its first direct hit at the stumps in this World Cup and sent back a lower order batsman (Balaji Rao).

Good display

In the last two matches, Canada made 122 and 123. The team which took the field on this day had no recollection of those scores; some kind of collective amnesia had gripped the team. Its members fielded like a top team, bowled well with some help from the pitch, and batted for most part with their heads down.

The Canadian 100 runs came in 201 balls, but no one was complaining. It needed a mere 85 from the remaining. But six wickets fell for 24 runs and the fairy tale came to an end.

On Wednesday Canada captain had stated that his team would win if it played well and if Pakistan played badly. Pakistan, the most unpredictable team in the tournament, nearly did it again.

Lack of application

Earlier, because of horrible lack of application and a generally indifferent performance from the top order, Pakistan set Canada a target of 185.

At 67 for four, Canada fancied its chances.

The Canadian bowlers kept a tidy line, inviting a few unorthodox strokes from the patient Pakistanis.

Pakistan had crawled to 150 for five in 35 overs. The team folded up at 184.

Canada captain, Ashish Bagai, like most sub-continent players, believes in ‘luck,' and providence. Well, it nearly was with the generous Pakistanis gifting him and Chennai boy, Balaji Rao, almost anything they asked for. Rao, who got two wickets, will celebrate his birthday in style on Friday.

The sky was overcast from the start and the ball was coming in a shade slower than the last time at the R. Premadasa. Strokemaking was a little difficult; it did not help that no one in Pakistani line-up wanted to stay long enough to put the team's total out of reach for Canada.

Shehzad fails again

Ahmed Shehzad, who has been given more chances to perform than he deserves, got off shakily yet again. He heaved Khurram Chohan, and the ball took the edge and ballooned towards third man. The catch was taken but it turned out to be a no-ball.

Even as Shehzad pushed his luck at one end, it was the consistent opener Hafeez who went first, missing the line of a Henri Osinde delivery that pitched on the off stump and moved in.

Trapped in front, he asked for a review and was unsuccessful. Shehzad disappointed again. He tried hitting over the in-field and, this time, offered a low catch to mid-on.

The loss of Hafeez meant that Pakistan progressed to a meagre 20 in 5 overs; its slowest in three matches. In 10 overs, a cautious Pakistan made 44 for two, and 50 runs came in 12 overs.

Soon after this, Younus Khan went, trapped in front of middle stump. Younis asked for a review of the decision.

Umpire Daryl Harper raised his index finger a second time inside a minute after the UDRS concurred with the umpire. Kamran Akmal then cut Cheema straight to the hands of backward point.

Steady partnership

The second Akmal, Umar, in the company of Misbah-ul-Haq built a partnership slowly and steadily, despite some uncertain running between the wickets. Umar was frustrated time and again by Misbah's slow-motion running between the wickets in their 73-run stand.

Canada got a chance to send Misbah back when Pakistan was on 76 but the bowler, Baidwan, missed picking up a ball at a very short mid-on position with Misbah nowhere in the picture.

Then on 77, a leaping Hansra, at forward of square leg, could not reach a mistimed Misbah pull. It was tantalisingly close to the outstretched palms of the fielder. Misbah stayed and Pakistan meandered to 79 for four off 20 overs.

The first six of the innings came after Balaji Rao's variety of leg-spin was introduced. Umar Akmal hoisted him over the mid-wicket fence, easing the pressure on Pakistan a bit. Afridi came in and went in quick time as he guided a low, wide full toss to the hands of backward point.

Batting power play

The bankruptcy of ideas in the Pakistan team touched a new low after the inexplicable delay in availing of the batting power play.

The Pakistani team has traditionally resorted to taking the power play in the final ten overs and this time too, even as wickets kept falling at one end, there was no move to take it earlier.

It took the power play with the score reading 181 for nine, at over number 42. And the innings promptly folded up.

Scoreboard

Pakistan: M. Hafeez lbw b Osinde 11 (12b, 2x4), A. Shehzad c Gordon b Baidwan 12 (23b, 2x4), K. Akmal c Kumar b Cheema 16 (38b, 2x4), Younis lbw b Baidwan 6 (30b, 1x4), Misbah c Bagai b Balaji Rao 37 (68b, 1x4), U. Akmal lbw b Balaji Rao 48 (68b, 4x4, 1x6), S. Afridi c Kumar b Cheema 20 (17b, 2x4), A. Razzaq lbw b Hansra 8 (8b, 1x4), U. Gul (not out) 2 (4b), W. Riaz c Balaji Rao b Hansra 0 (3b), S. Ajmal b Baidwan 0 (5b); Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-16, nb-1): 24;Total (in 43 overs): 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-42, 3-55, 4-67, 5-140, 6-165, 7-181, 8-181, 9-181.

Canada bowling: Chohan 3.3-0-10-0, Osinde 7-1-25-1, Gordon 0.3-0-1-0, Baidwan 8-1-35-3, Cheema 8-0-33-2, Balaji Rao 10-0-50-2, Hansra 6-1-23-2.

Canada: R. Gunasekera lbw Gul 8 (16b), Nitish Kumar b Razzaq 2 (13b), Z. Surkari lbw Ajmal 27 (67b, 2x4), A. Bagai lbw b Afridi 16 (35 b, 2x4), J. Hansra b Afridi 43 (75, 4x4, 1x6), R. Cheema b Afridi 4 (8b, 1x4), T. Gordon c Riaz b Afridi 9 (12b, 1x4), H. Baidwan b Afridi 0 (1b), K. Chohan (not out) 5 (20b), Balaji Rao (run out) 1 (7b), H. Osinde b Riaz 0 (3b); Extras: (w-19, lb-4) 23;Total (in 42.5 overs) 138.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-16, 3-44, 4-104, 5-111, 6-114, 7-114, 8-130, 9-134.

Pakistan bowling: Razzaq 7-2-16-1, Gul 7-1-20-1, Afridi 10-0-23-5, Riaz 5.5-0-23-1, Ajmal 8-0-31-1, Hafeez 5-0-21-0.

Man of the match: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan).