Champions Trophy postponed until October 2009

Champions Trophy

Champions Trophy postponed until October 2009

August 24, 2008

	The Champions Trophy has been set back after the ICC task force's visit to Pakistan failed to ease security concerns © Getty Images

The ICC has postponed the Champions Trophy, which was due to begin in Pakistan in 19 days' time, to October 2009, after five of the eight participating nations confirmed during a teleconference on Sunday that they would not send their teams for the event due to security concerns.

South Africa had on Saturday pulled out of the tournament, which was originally scheduled to be held from Sept 12-28 in Karachi and Lahore, and the ICC was informed on Sunday that Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies, too, would not be participating.

The ICC will now meet in September to finalise a window for the tournament in 2009 and, while Pakistan will be given "first preference" to host it, a decision on the venue may be taken only after a security assessment of the country is done around February, after the India tour.

Sources who attended the ICC's teleconference said there was the option of the tournament being relocated to Sri Lanka, the official alternate venue, but India and Pakistan remained adamant against a change.

Timeline May 1, 2006 - The ICC awards the 2008 Champions Trophy to Pakistan March 11, 2008 - Australia postpone their tour to Pakistan over security fears March 19 - ICC says Sri Lanka will be the alternate venue June 18 - Official launch of Champions Trophy June 19 - Ricky Ponting says Australian players are uneasy with touring Pakistan July 6 - Pakistan successfully stages six-nation Asia Cup July 24 - ICC keeps Champions Trophy in Pakistan after board meeting, high-level task force appointed July 24 to 26 - Players lobbies step up pressure to pull out; Kevin Pietersen urges ECB to make Champions Trophy decision; Graeme Smith has 'major concerns' Aug 10 - ICC task team travels to Pakistan to assess security Aug 12 - ICC drops Rawalpindi as one of the venues Aug 14 to 17 - Geoff Lawson deployed by ICC to convince Australia and New Zealand; the task force, along with Lawson, meet Australian officials; New Zealand and Australian players' associations remain unconvinced; ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat briefs England team Aug 19 - Top ICC officials meet in Dubai, announce teleconference for August 24 Aug 22 - South Africa withdraw from tournament Aug 24 - ICC postpones trophy until next year, Pakistan keep hosting rights

India, the sources said, were not willing to sacrifice Pakistan. The Sri Lankans too didn't press their case, as they supported the Pakistan view that a venue change could not be made on security grounds. The meeting was held in an amicable atmosphere because most of the issues had been thrashed out among the members beforehand, rendering the final discussions a mere formality.

"There was unanimity in the decision to postpone the event until October next year," David Morgan, the ICC president, told Sky Sports. "India is very influential but so is Giles Clarke (ECB chief executive), Australia, New Zealand - they all bring their influence to bear.

"The vote was totally in favour of the postponement until October next year. And India were quite influential in persuading some other nations that that was the right course of action."

The ICC have appeased Pakistan, at least for the time being, in choosing not to cancel the competition entirely but postponing it until October next year. Morgan, though, was insistent that "appeasement was not part of the meeting at all".

"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been extremely reasonable about the whole subject, (it has been very clear) they have worked jolly hard to try to give comfort to the member boards, and the eight teams that are touring, that it would be safe and secure," Morgan said. "Unfortunately, five of the participating nations found it impossible to send their team to Pakistan because of safety concerns."

Though the postponement means there will be a rare 33 days without international cricket this year, the schedule for 2009 promises to be every bit as packed - besides, the next edition of the Champions Trophy is coming up in 2010. "Every cricketing year is a busy one," Morgan said. "We're more aware of it in the UK because of the Ashes, the World Twenty20 and the one-day series against Australia, but it is no busier a year than any other.

"There will certainly be more security assessments. We're going to meet around the table in 3 or 4 weeks in Dubai to discuss the mechanisms of the postponement. There are numerous things to be discussed and we're planning on meeting in the middle of September to discuss the consequences of the decision."

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, added: "Every one of our members wishes to ensure the ICC Champions Trophy is a world-class event and the prospect of relocating it at short notice in order to make sure it was played this year would not allow that criterion to be fulfilled."

Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer, said that postponing the tournament was the only option in light of boycott threats. "Cricket is not going to die here, it's just that we are going through a difficult phase," Naghmi said. "We would have lost the hosting rights had the Champions Trophy been relocated [to Sri Lanka].

"With four of the eight teams threatening to pull out, "it made little sense to organize a four-team competition," he said.

Giles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said his board supported the ICC decision and had last week "explained their reservations and security concerns about staging the tournament in the aftermath of the resignation of the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf last Monday."

Seamers and Dhoni script 33-run win

Sri Lanka v India, 3rd ODI, Colombo

Seamers and Dhoni script 33-run win

August 24, 2008

India 237 (Dhoni 76*, Raina 53, Mendis 3-56) beat Sri Lanka 204 (Jayawardene 94, Zaheer 3-23, Munaf 3-42) by 33 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Zaheer Khan, who claimed figures of 3 for 23, was the driving force behind India's win © AFP

For the second game in succession, an inspired opening spell by India's seam attack of Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar brought a powerful batting line-up to its knees. A middle-of-the-road target of 238 was always going to be competitive under lights but a flurry of early wickets before effectively sealed the match before the first Powerplay ended. Both captains arrested top-order slides with fighting half-centuries, but his bowlers made Mahendra Singh Dhoni's effort count in the end.

For Sri Lanka, only Mahela Jayawardene displayed the technique and temperament to craft a lengthy innings and though he had Thilan Thushara for company to give his side a glimmer of hope, their partnership came a little too late. Jayawardene fell six short of a deserved century when a paddle scoop ended his knock and with it, Sri Lanka's last chance of snatching a miracle.

The pre-match talk centered around the better batting conditions at the Premadasa Stadium when compared to the two-paced surface in Dambulla. Though the conditions were a shade easier to bat on in the afternoon, it got considerably challenging under lights as the seamers managed swing and nip off the pitch while the spinners got turn and bounce.

While the swing was hard enough for the batsmen to negotiate under lights, the nagging stump-to-stump line was largely responsible for the spurt of lbw decisions early on. Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Kapugedera and Chamara Silva were all trapped as the trigger-happy umpires wasted no time in pondering over the appeals.

Sanath Jayasuriya whiplashed Praveen for boundaries over his favoured off side region but perished after edging an away swinger off the same bowler. Zaheer relied more on hitting the deck hard and like in Dambulla, squared up Sangakkara with one that nipped back in and struck him high on the pad.

Kapugedera began confidently with a clipped six over square leg off Praveen but paid the price for shuffling too far across his stumps. Silva became the third lbw victim of the evening, this time to Zaheer, trapped in front of middle stump to one that straightened. Tillakaratne Dilshan, tied down by the seamers' nagging accuracy, feathered an edge to Dhoni off Munaf Patel.

All the while, Jayawardene cut a lonely figure. The revival began when Thushara joined him in the middle. Runs were hard to come by initially but Jayawardene was probably mindful of India's weak link - the fifth bowler. With the field spread out and the ball getting softer, Jayawardene placed faith in his partner by rotating the strike.

Yuvraj and Rohit Sharma conceded 46 off nine combined overs as Sri Lanka added 50 runs between overs 37 and 43. Thushara regularly made room to loft the ball over vacant spaces and the anxiety began to tell on the Indian fielders as they dropped catches off Thushara and Jayawardene. Zaheer returned to york Thushara to end the 81-run eighth-wicket stand, and when Munaf sent back Jayawardene, the contest was all but over.

	Mahendra Singh Dhoni top scored for India with 76 © AFP

Sri Lanka will no doubt look back at where they let the initiative slip. After reducing India to 97 for 4 at the halfway stage, two fifty partnerships - with Dhoni the central figure in both - resurrected the innings after another jerky start. The significant factor in India's recovery in the middle overs was that the threat of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis was negated fairly comfortably. Though Mendis ended with three wickets, two of those came at the fag end of the innings. Murali, on the other hand, had a forgettable wicketless outing.

Once again, Dhoni walked in to bat with the Indian innings wobbling. Often he has played a lone hand, but this time Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma offered excellent support. Raina needed runs, and with his captain for company, accumulated steadily with the spinners operating from both ends, and never at any stage did the Indians get bogged down. Dhoni was comfortable against Mendis, committing himself forward to smother the spin of the full-length deliveries, but when the length was short, he rocked back and cut and pulled for runs.

Raina, too, was fleet-footed against the spinners, nudging, flicking and driving Muralitharan for singles in his workmanlike knock. Using his feet, he drove the same bowler to the extra-cover boundary before edging towards his sixth ODI fifty, which came off 75 balls. The running between wickets was excellent throughout, but ironically, it was a run-out that ended the 54-run partnership.

Dhoni was fortunate to find an equally able partner in Rohit, who calmly rotated the strike. Short of runs over the last few innings, Rohit grafted initially before taking his chances against the spinners. The partnership came at a quicker rate than the Dhoni-Raina stand, with the pair bringing up their fifty stand in 55 balls. Dhoni brought up his own half-century off 64 balls and celebrated it with successive boundaries off Murali, using his feet well on both occasions. Just when a score in excess of 250 seemed likely, Sri Lanka struck. Rohit fell while attempting a slog off Thushara, after which the wickets continued to fall. Dhoni was dismissed in the 49th over, scooping to cover for a 80-ball 76 and in the end his efforts didn't got to waste.

India level series with hard-fought win

Sri Lanka v India, 2nd ODI, Dambulla

India level series with hard-fought win

August 20, 2008

India 143 for 7 (Dhoni 39, Kohli 37) beat Sri Lanka 142 (Thushara 44, Zaheer 4-21, Praveen 3-34) by three wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Zaheer Khan's opening burst set up India's victory © AFP

India fought back to level the series 1-1 with a three-wicket win but the victory was far from convincing as they made heavy weather of a modest target of 143. Zaheer Khan's dramatic opening spell, which sent Sri Lanka's top order reeling, was the highlight of the day as India restricted Sri Lanka to a score four less than what India made on Monday.

The contrast, however, was the manner in which victory was achieved. While Sri Lanka coasted home in the first ODI, India lost early wickets, grafted, lost few more, recovered, and later limped to the target. Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept a cool head and debutant S Badrinath showed maturity in supporting his captain when he came in with 68 needed.

India's batting in the first match forced a change of strategy, but the paucity of specialist openers and the fact that India were playing four medium-pacers forced Dhoni to "bowl out of compulsion" despite a pitch that appeared good for batting by his assessment. His decision in the end proved a masterstroke.

Zaheer's deliveries moved, sliced the batsmen in half, made run-scoring an arduous task and India's body language perked up with each wicket, reflecting their hunger to turn the tables after an embarrassing drubbing.

In his first over, Zaheer produced an inswinger to Kumar Sangakkara which clipped the top of off stump after the batsman played around the line of the ball. Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Kapugedera both fell to edges behind the wicket off deliveries that landed on off stump and seamed away. Praveen proved a good foil for Zaheer maintaining pressure with the new ball, moving it in the air and cramping Sanath Jayasuriya. He dismissed Chamara Silva off a leading edge, before Zaheer sent back Jayasuriya lbw with a delivery that cut into the left-hander. The decision was shrouded in doubt as it appeared as if he was struck high on the pads.

Tillakaratne Dilshan joined Jayasuriya with the score on 11 for 4 but looked scratchy early on, failing to make contact with his pulls. His frustration showed as he swished the air with his bat. He eventually connected against a short ball from Irfan Pathan but was caught by Badrinath who ran in from deep midwicket and dived forward to take a low catch, leaving Sri Lanka in an even bigger mess at 44 for 6.

An unlikely revival came courtesy the pair of Thilan Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekara. Once the ball had gotten softer, run-scoring became easier. Thushara was the more adventurous of the pair, freeing his arms when offered width and brought up the fifty stand with a slash down to third man off Harbhajan Singh.

Just when it looked like India were letting them off the hook, Praveen returned for a new spell and broke the 74-run stand. Thushara tried to heave him across the line but didn't get the elevation to clear Kohli at deep midwicket and three balls later, Kulasekara chipped the same bowler to Badrinath at midwicket. Harbhajan mopped up the tail to with 11 overs to spare, giving India the ideal opportunity to stay alive in the series.

India were left to bat out a nervous five overs before lunch but the experimental opening pair of Pathan and Virat Kohli - India's 12th combination since January 2007 - failed to click. Sangakkara snaffled a sharp catch to his left to dismiss Pathan off Kulasekara and Raina followed soon after, trapped lbw to the same bowler.

Kohli was solid in defence and safely negotiated the several bouncers dished out to him, before fetching boundaries through the off side off Kulasekara. Yuvraj Singh found his groove with crisply-driven fours off Thushara, but not surprisingly, continued to be a sitting duck against Mendis, falling prey to the carrom ball. Kohli took his chances against Mendis, heaving him over midwicket but eventually fell to Thushara, punching one straight to short extra cover. Rohit Sharma was sent packing two balls later and Sri Lanka were back in the match.

It was an opportunity for Badrinath to impress after being on the fringes of national selection for a while and he didn't disappoint, negating the spinners by coming forward and smothering the turn while rotating the strike. The singles and twos never dried up - Dhoni in fact started scoring at over a run-a-ball - as India steadily edged ahead. Muralitharan bowled round the wicket, but the pair used their wrists well to work the ball in the vacant areas on the leg side.

India suffered a late hiccup with eight needed as Dhoni played all over a full delivery from Dilhara Fernando, before Mendis returned for one final scalp. Though India registered a comeback win, it did nothing to allay the blaring frailties in the batting line-up devoid of senior players.

Mendis remains a mystery

Sri Lanka v India, 1st ODI, Dambulla

Mendis remains a mystery

August 18, 2008

	Mahendra Singh Dhoni said after the Asia Cup that Ajantha Mendis couldn't be read. Nothing's changed since then © AFP

The crisp, cream clothing made way for dazzling blue, but the script read much the same. Watching India clearly weighed down by the finger freak waiting in the wings, unsure about how to tackle tidy medium-pace, anxious about what could be unleashed at any moment, it was hard not to get a sense of déjà vu. The Test specialists were gone, but the one-day recruits suffered a similar fate.

India's latest defeat against Sri Lanka wasn't all about Ajantha Mendis, though at the rate he is picking up awards and cheques, he's certain to be a richer man and teach Arun Lal, the post-match emcee all tour, a fair amount of Sinhalese. Mendis played a key role, but India were severely dented after Sri Lanka's new-ball duo nipped out three early wickets.

That pair took much of the pressure off Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan. Chaminda Vaas breached Gautam Gambhir's defence with the second ball of the match and Nuwan Kulasekera bowled very well, complementing his partner, to take two wickets. After five overs India were 9 for 1; after ten 29 for 2; after 15, 42 for 3; after the Powerplays they were reeling at 73 for 4. Therein lies the command that Sri Lanka took over the opposition. Vaas and Kulasekera choked the top order and Thilan Thushara, bowling tidy left-arm seam, maintained the pressure. It was a clinical example of attacking through partnerships.

More importantly, it was the perfect setting for Mendis to come in for the last over of the Powerplays. India were unsettled by their early losses and apprehensive about Mendis' arrival. They were unsure about how to handle the situation, and it proved detrimental.

When Mendis did arrive, India's batsmen looked no closer to deciphering him. His first strike hurt so deep that India failed to recover. Yuvraj Singh was beaten first ball by a slider, survived an extremely tight lbw shout, tried to dictate terms with a six over long-on, and was then utterly befuddled by a quicker one that skidded on. Too far forward, Yuvraj was left looking silly. India's most experienced player had fallen for the dangling carrot, and the reverberations were loud.

Thereon it was much the same as in the Tests. Mendis left the rest to fumble about in the dark. Mahendra Singh Dhoni fidgeted and fussed about his crease, playing and missing until he was put out of his misery by an outside-edge that flew to slip. Runs dried up. The heat turned up. After the Asia Cup, Dhoni said Mendis just couldn't be read at all; nothing has changed.

	India's players have bounced between analysing footage, hoping that his aura may wear off and stressing on reading him off the pitch. What they need to understand is that for the time being Mendis is beyond understanding. Hard as it may sound, they need to take him out of the equation, stop worrying about him

Again bowling accurately and lethally, Mendis finished with 3 for 21 off nine overs, helping reduce India to 87 for 7 after which he was taken out of the attack. All Murali had to do was twirl his wrist and gobble up the lower order, even if his last over went for 14. The problem with India's approach against Mendis was that everyone wanted to build, nobody wanted to do maintenance.

"Creativity is not like a freight train going down the tracks," wrote Bob Dylan in his autobiography, Chronicles. "It's something that has to be caressed and treated with a great deal of respect. If your mind is intellectually in the way, it will stop you. You've got to programme your brain not to think too much."

Flip that around and you understand India's predicament against Mendis. They've been bamboozled, nay awed, by Mendis' bag of tricks since he destroyed them in Karachi. Mendis is special, no doubt about it. India's players have bounced between analysing footage, hoping that his aura may wear off and stressing on reading him off the pitch. What they need to understand is that for the time being Mendis is beyond understanding. Hard as it may sound, they need to take him out of the equation, stop worrying about him.

Virender Sehwag didn't think too much about Mendis in Galle and finished the match with 251 runs. There's a possibility he may be out of the whole series, and that's a massive worry, for in a sense India lost this match before Dhoni went out for the toss. They lost this match some time during training yesterday when Sehwag injured himself. Sehwag was India's highest scorer in the Test series, handling Mendis with aplomb during his double hundred in Galle, and their best bet at providing a solid start.

Dhoni spoke of the added responsibility on Sehwag to pass on advice to India's one-day recruits. In terms of his experience against Sri Lanka's spinners and his ability to provide starts, an integral asset in cricket, Sehwag's loss was brutal. In his last ODI he hammered an exhilarating 60 from just 35 balls, helping India storm to 76 from just nine overs.

Without their best player, India's indecision crept in from the onset. The openers may have thought attacking Sri Lanka's medium-pacers was the best option given their inefficiency in the Tests. That didn't work, and they had no answer to Mendis.

Even if they do a half-baked job of something, India's batsmen will find themselves one-eyed men in the kingdom of the blind. But at the moment they remain indecisive about picking one approach; it's a toss-up between throwing in the towel or trying to force the pace against spin. India need to find a way to rotate singles, as well as score runs.

"Its important to learn," said Dhoni, "because everyone makes mistakes. Unless you learn from those your own, your team's graph won't go up."

There's only a day's gap for the second match. India's time starts now.

Sehwag ruled out of ODI series

India in Sri Lanka 2008

Sehwag ruled out of ODI series

August 18, 2008

Virender Sehwag has been ruled out of the remaining four one-day internationals against Sri Lanka due to an ankle injury. He had twisted his left ankle during practice on Sunday and played no part in the first ODI at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Monday which India lost by eight wickets.

One of India's in-form batsmen, he scored 344 runs in the Test series earlier, the highest by any batsman on either side. Along with Gautam Gambhir, he was one of the few Indian batsmen who looked assured against Sri Lanka's spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, said the team would miss Sehwag. "He was a batsman in top form. But that's the way it goes in cricket. You can't really stop and think about the guys you will be missing in the series. Rather than that you will have to fill in that space. Because that is the only way your team can win.

"We may look at a different combination of openers for the next game but it's at a very initial stage. We have just gone through the first game so whatever fits the team best we'll decide on that," he said.

Team manager Sanjay Desai, however, did not confirm whether a replacement would be flown to Sri Lanka.

India are already without Sachin Tendulkar, who withdrew from the ODI series after sustaining an elbow injury during the final Test in Colombo.

Mendis not a permanent threat - Dhoni

Sri Lanka v India, 1st ODI, Dambulla

Mendis not a permanent threat - Dhoni

August 18, 2008

	Mahendra Singh Dhoni was among Ajantha Mendis' three victims © AFP

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, has said that Ajantha Mendis was an unusual bowler in comparison to Muttiah Muralitharan, but it's only a matter of time before batsmen are able to pick his variations easily. Mendis continued to trouble the Indians after picking up 3 for 21 off nine overs in Sri Lanka's easy eight-wicket win in the first one-dayer in Dambulla. Muralitharan too chipped in with three wickets to skittle India out for a paltry 146.

"With time batsmen will get used to playing him. Even Murali some seven-eight years back was really difficult," Dhoni said. "Everybody was talking about him. With time I think it will get a bit easier. Mendis is a bit more unusual than Murali. I have not seen any bowler like this.

"Mendis is difficult to pick because he is a very different bowler. Even if you pick him up, by the time you realise what the ball is it gets very late to play a big shot. But it is not only about playing. You have to rotate the strike because you don't want a bowler to end up ten overs for 20 runs.

"But if you see the way he has played the two games against us, even in the Asia Cup, he gave away just ten runs in six or eight overs. You need to take a few from him and a few from Murali and look to attack the others. You've got to have something on the board."

Dhoni emphasised that a good start was essential for his side to get to a substantial total. "We were off to a good start in the Asia Cup but then we lost quick wickets," Dhoni said. "After that when you are playing Mendis it's difficult. It gets a bit tough when you have to rotate the strike and also save the wicket if the bowler is as unusual as Mendis.

"Once you get used to the variations then it gets easy for the batsmen. The only option right now is to play more and more of him and that's the only way of getting better. You can see a thousand videos but it doesn't matter until you go out there and play him off the track from 20 yards."

Dhoni's counterpart Mahela Jayawardene, however warned his side of a backlash similar to that of India's victory in the second Test in Galle after a heavy innings defeat in Colombo.

"Definitely, they will come back strongly. They have a very good side and they have a lot of talented individual players who can change the match for them," Jayawardene said. "So we will make sure we will play the same brand of cricket that we played today."

Jayawardene said the absence of Virender Sehwag for the remainder of the series with a twisted ankle will hurt India. Sehwag was India's leading run-scorer in the Tests with 344 runs and his double-hundred shaped the victory in Galle.

"Virender is a big-game player. It's important for them to have him. But we are playing against India and not against individuals. That's what we did in the Test matches as well. He can come and do his job but our task is to make sure it won't happen."

Jayawardene, who scored an unbeaten 61 off 82 balls, said it was important he was able to finish the game off. "We knew it was going to be tough, the Indian fast bowlers came strongly and bowled at the good areas. When I was batting with Kumar [Sangakkara], I said 'let's bat the 15-20 overs, that's crucial.' Unfortunately, Kumar got out but I thought Chamara Kapugedera batted really well. So we need to keep this momentum going. It's important that we consistently put partnerships and score runs. That's where the difference would be."

Remorseless Sri Lanka thrash India

Sri Lanka v India, 1st ODI, Dambulla

Remorseless Sri Lanka thrash India

August 18, 2008

Sri Lanka 147 for 2 (Mahela 61*, Kapugedera 45) beat India 146 (Mendis 3-21, Murali 3-37) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Yuvraj Singh was one of Ajantha Mendis' three victims as the Indians yet again failed to counter him © AFP

The actors were different from the Test series but the script remained the same. India were injected with fresh blood but couldn't escape the slow poison of M&M. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Kulasekara did the initial work before Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan blew away the rest to bowl out India for 146. Without having to contend with the pressure of a high asking rate, a serene Mahela Jayawardene weathered the minor hiccup of the loss of the openers and steered his side home in the company of Chamara Kapugedera.

You couldn't escape the sense of deja-vu. Having lost the toss, Jayawardene delayed the introduction of the spinners till the 20th over, but when Mendis finally appeared, it was evident his spell over the batsmen remained unbroken.

India's plight was best exemplified by the dismissal of Yuvraj Singh. He had struggled against the seamers, surviving a dropped chance at five against Kulasekara, before Mendis swallowed him in a spectacular first over. It was quite a sight. The first ball hastened past a mystified Yuvraj, the second-ball skidder fetched a plausible appeal for lbw, and the third saw a desperate counterattack clear the field and the boundary. The fourth was the carrom ball; thinking it would spin away, Yuvraj pushed his bat well outside the line but the ball straightened to sound the death knell.

And Mendis dealt the killer blow almost immediately when he drew Mahendra Singh Dhoni into edging his legbreak to slip. The tailenders resisted briefly but India folded up for a measly score. It was the culmination of the good start provided by the seamers. Aided by the seam movement on a two-paced track - grassy areas punctuated by patches of dry areas - both new-ball bowlers kept it simple: Vaas interspersed his angling full-length deliveries with ones that straightened while Kulasekara troubled the batsmen with his incutters to the right-hand batsmen.

Vaas, overshadowed by Mendis and Murali during the Test series, reminded India just why he is the highest wicket-taker in India-Sri Lanka ODI encounters by breaching the defences of the in-form Gautam Gambhir with the second ball of the match. Kumar Sangakkara stood up to the stumps right away to prevent Gambhir's usual walk down the track and Gambhir drove completely outside the line.

Smart Stats Sri Lanka's eight-wicket win is their fourth in succession in Dambulla against India, who have never beaten the home team here. India's 146 is their lowest ODI score in a 50-over game against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. In 24 ODIs in Dambulla, the team batting first has on 12 occasions failed to get to 200. Gautam Gambhir's wicket was Chaminda Vaas' 399th in ODIs, putting him just one short of joining Wasim Akram, Muralitharan and Waqar Younis in the 400-wicket club. Murali's 3 for 37 improves his record in Dambulla to 32 wickets in 13 ODIs at an average of 13.25 and an economy rate of 3.32. The extent of Sri Lanka's dominance can be gauged from the fact that in the first 15 overs of India's innings, they were forced to play out 69 dot balls, which is 11.5 overs. Over the entire innings India couldn't score from 204 out of 276 deliveries.

One by one, they stumbled. Suresh Raina never looked in, constantly flirting outside off, eventually succumbing to his urge to drive on the up. The debutant Virat Kohli, replacing Virender Sehwag who'd twisted his ankle in practice, was no better. He was unsure of whether to go forward or back during his stay and was caught dead in front by an incutter from Kulasekara.

Kulasekara should have got the next man, Yuvraj but Jayawardene fluffed a regulation chance at second slip. Yuvraj's start was typical: the bat was tentatively pushed away from the body a few times before he broke free with a well-timed clip through the on side. Emboldened, he went for the on-the-up flash and the resultant edge should have terminated his stay. After that, though he never looked completely at ease, he started to play close to the body. That was until Mendis arrived.

Rohit started cautiously, opening the bat face to pinch singles, before he suddenly, and against the run of play, walked down the wicket and swung a short-of-a-length delivery from Vaas over deep midwicket in the 16th over. However, immediately after Mendis sent Yuvraj packing, Rohit steered a delivery slanted across him straight to the solitary wide slip and India continued to free fall.

Sri Lanka, too, wobbled initially in the run chase against some disciplined bowling from Munaf Patel - who prised out the openers - and Zaheer Khan. On a day when the Indian batsmen were shamed, their bowlers provided brief moments of consolation. After six overs of stalemate, Sanath Jayasuriya lost his patience. He skipped down the track but skied the lofted carve to mid-on. Sangakkara, too, fell to the urge to dominate, getting a leading edge from an attempted whip across the line.

However, Jayawardene took charge, looking good from the go. He creamed the seamers through the covers, a gorgeous on-the-up off drive off Munaf in the 17th over being the highlight. Dhoni introduced spin in the 23rd over but even he would have known that neither Harbhajan Singh nor Pragyan Ojha could have produced any miracles. The target was simply not enough on this track.

Munaf was the best Indian bowler on the view. He repeatedly whipped the ball down from a loose-limbed action and got the ball to either cut back in or shape away from the off stump. He might have even bowled the best ball of the day by a medium-pacer when he got one to seam away late past Jayawardene's bat but, as in the Tests, the Indian batsmen hardly gave the bowlers any cover to fire. The Sri Lankan summer of mystery continues to taunt and tease the Indians.

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Fleming steps into Olympic push for Twenty20

	Stephen Fleming says a move towards the Olympics is logical © Getty Images

Stephen Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, has joined Adam Gilchrist in promoting Twenty20 for the 2020 Olympics in a bid to spread the game throughout the world. Gilchrist raised the idea on Monday and says he has already received support from players in New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

While Fleming and Gilchrist have retired from internationals, they are both involved in the Indian Premier League and see huge potential in the Twenty20 format. "The Olympics would be the greatest vehicle to spread the game worldwide and it would be a logical fit," Fleming said in the Australian.

Gilchrist said his proposal was a "call to arms for the game's administrators" and James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, is excited by it. "When you think of the Olympics, you also think of the big nations like the US, Russia and now China," Sutherland told the paper. "Those regions are clearly potential growth opportunities for cricket and we see Twenty20 at the Olympics as a superb vehicle."

For cricket to be included in 2020 it would need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2013. The game received Olympic "recognition status" last year, but it faces a battle with other sports, such as golf, karate and baseball, to become part of the programme.

Waugh joins Olympic Twenty20 push

Ganguly and Fleming support global proposal for 2020 Games

Waugh joins Olympic Twenty20 push

	Steve Waugh said the 1998 Commonwealth Games was the "time of my life" © Getty Images

Steve Waugh, who led Australia to a Commonwealth Games silver medal, is part of a growing group of current and former players who have supported Adam Gilchrist's push for Twenty20 to be part of the 2020 Olympics. Gilchrist raised the idea on Monday and since then a series of big names, including Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly and Stephen Fleming, have climbed on board.

Waugh, a mentor of the Australian Olympic team in Beijing, said the idea was "definitely worth pursuing". "If you want to globalise the game then you have to look at including countries like China and the United States, and getting cricket into the Olympics will fast-track that move," Waugh told the Press Association.

In 1998 Waugh captained Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and said it was the "time of my life". "Winning the silver medal was one of the highlights of my career," he said. And he believes Twenty20 will become a "worldwide phenomenon" over the next few years.

"The Olympic Games would provide the perfect platform to showcase the game to a larger audience, drawing in new fans and helping drive cricket development in emerging cricket countries," Sangakkara wrote in the Times of India. "The snowball effect this could be enormous. 2020 may seem like a long way away but we need to start the process now.

"From a player's perspective, the privilege of competing at an Olympic Games would undoubtedly be a highlight of your career."

The proposal has also received backing from Fleming, Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. While Fleming and Gilchrist have retired from internationals, they are both involved in the Indian Premier League and see huge potential in the Twenty20 format.

"The Olympics would be the greatest vehicle to spread the game worldwide and it would be a logical fit," Fleming said in the Australian. Ganguly also took a global view of the possible development.

"It will help the players to be part of a worldwide movement," he said in the Deccan Chronicle. "Cricket is an exciting sport and should definitely be part of the Olympics."

Laxman said representing India at an Olympics would be a "great honour" while Yuvraj felt it was an excellent initiative. "Should cricket make it to the Olympics," he said, "it would be significant, especially to our country where the game is most loved."

Gilchrist said his proposal was a "call to arms for the game's administrators" and James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, is excited by it. "When you think of the Olympics, you also think of the big nations like the US, Russia and now China," Sutherland told the paper. "Those regions are clearly potential growth opportunities for cricket and we see Twenty20 at the Olympics as a superb vehicle."

For cricket to be included in 2020 it would need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2013. The game received Olympic "recognition status" last year, but it faces a battle with other sports, such as golf, karate and baseball, to become part of the programme.

ICC re-thinking its rules on Twenty20 leagues

The rise of Twenty20 cricket

ICC re-thinking its rules on Twenty20 leagues - Lorgat

	Haroon Lorgat: "We are now exploring whether we should have the championship in two venues - Karachi and Lahore" © AFP

The ICC has set up a committee to look at increasing its relevance in the proliferation of Twenty20 leagues and its role in managing such tournaments, Haroon Lorgat, its chief executive, told Cricinfo. It may even change existing rules to prevent its marginalisation, as national boards plan their own tournaments and collaborative ventures.

"The landscape has changed very quickly and we now need to re-look the regulations that were developed some years back," Lorgat said in an exclusive interview in Mumbai. "The Twenty20 concept really blossomed after the World Twenty20 in South Africa last year with other high-profile events following. The ICC has recognised that and put together this group to have a re-look at our regulations."

Lorgat agreed with Mahela Jayawardene's views that the number of Twenty20 tournaments needs to be controlled as it may adversely affect the Future Tours Program (FTP). "He (Jayawardene) is asking us as administrators to manage the amount of Twenty20 tournaments we put together. Everybody has recognised that it is such an attraction at the moment and we are beginning to say let's just be careful how much of a dosage we send out.

"Because it would impact on the FTP: there are only 12 months in the year or 52 weeks in the year... We have to be responsible in the way that we manage and allocate the number of Twenty20 games in relation to the amount of FTP and we've got to find the right balance."

The other immediate issue the ICC faces is the staging of next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan; several teams have expressed security concerns and Lorgat said one way of tackling that could be to strike off Rawalpindi as a venue for the tournament. "One of the points we are mindful of that came out of previous visits by the security consultants was that there were no Asia Cup games held at Rawalpindi. As a result they were not able to assess or monitor any of the security requirements. Bearing that in mind we are now exploring whether it would enhance security and whether it would remove perceptions being created around security for the whole tournament because Rawalpindi was not part of the Asia Cup.

"We are now exploring whether we should have the championship in two venues - Karachi and Lahore - and we might make a decision to go in that direction," he said. "Our objective is to remove the discomfort or perceptions that any of the member countries or players may have." Players from Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa had earlier expressed reservations over the security situation in Pakistan.

An ICC-appointed task force is overseeing the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy and will carry out its inspection on August 10 and 11. The tournament, featuring the top eight ODI teams, will be held from September 11-28.

ICC re-thinking its rules on Twenty20 leagues

The rise of Twenty20 cricket

ICC re-thinking its rules on Twenty20 leagues - Lorgat

	Haroon Lorgat: "We are now exploring whether we should have the championship in two venues - Karachi and Lahore" © AFP

The ICC has set up a committee to look at increasing its relevance in the proliferation of Twenty20 leagues and its role in managing such tournaments, Haroon Lorgat, its chief executive, told Cricinfo. It may even change existing rules to prevent its marginalisation, as national boards plan their own tournaments and collaborative ventures.

"The landscape has changed very quickly and we now need to re-look the regulations that were developed some years back," Lorgat said in an exclusive interview in Mumbai. "The Twenty20 concept really blossomed after the World Twenty20 in South Africa last year with other high-profile events following. The ICC has recognised that and put together this group to have a re-look at our regulations."

Lorgat agreed with Mahela Jayawardene's views that the number of Twenty20 tournaments needs to be controlled as it may adversely affect the Future Tours Program (FTP). "He (Jayawardene) is asking us as administrators to manage the amount of Twenty20 tournaments we put together. Everybody has recognised that it is such an attraction at the moment and we are beginning to say let's just be careful how much of a dosage we send out.

"Because it would impact on the FTP: there are only 12 months in the year or 52 weeks in the year... We have to be responsible in the way that we manage and allocate the number of Twenty20 games in relation to the amount of FTP and we've got to find the right balance."

The other immediate issue the ICC faces is the staging of next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan; several teams have expressed security concerns and Lorgat said one way of tackling that could be to strike off Rawalpindi as a venue for the tournament. "One of the points we are mindful of that came out of previous visits by the security consultants was that there were no Asia Cup games held at Rawalpindi. As a result they were not able to assess or monitor any of the security requirements. Bearing that in mind we are now exploring whether it would enhance security and whether it would remove perceptions being created around security for the whole tournament because Rawalpindi was not part of the Asia Cup.

"We are now exploring whether we should have the championship in two venues - Karachi and Lahore - and we might make a decision to go in that direction," he said. "Our objective is to remove the discomfort or perceptions that any of the member countries or players may have." Players from Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa had earlier expressed reservations over the security situation in Pakistan.

An ICC-appointed task force is overseeing the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy and will carry out its inspection on August 10 and 11. The tournament, featuring the top eight ODI teams, will be held from September 11-28.

Gilchrist dreams of Twenty20 at the Olympics

Cricket should bid for spot at 2020 Games

Gilchrist dreams of Twenty20 at the Olympics

	Adam Gilchrist has high hopes for the game over the next 12 years © Getty Images

Adam Gilchrist is leading a player push for Twenty20 to be included in the 2020 Olympics, believing it is an essential step in securing the game's global future. With the start of the Beijing event less than a week away, Gilchrist says the cricket "pipedream" is a "potential reality" following the success of the new format and the Indian Premier League.

"It doesn't matter where the 2020 Olympic Games are held, but many of us who've experienced international Twenty20 cricket and the IPL are convinced that cricket should bid to become an Olympic sport in time for the Games," Gilchrist wrote in the Deccan Chronicle. Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics before being cut, but last year it gained "recognition status" from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for two years.

"We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world," Gilchrist wrote. "I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use to aggressively sell the message of our sport to all 202 competing Olympic nations, so our sport is strong and robust in countries where it is currently played, and exciting and ground-breaking in countries who haven't yet caught the 'cricket-bug'."

To receive "programme status" at the 2020 Olympics, cricket would need to be approved by the IOC at a meeting seven years before the event. Twenty-six sports are part of the Beijing schedule and there are currently two vacancies for future Games. Golf, karate, baseball, softball, rugby sevens and roller sports are among the disciplines currently competing for the right to be involved in 2016.

Gilchrist believes it is time to start serious lobbying. "Between 2009 and 2013 cricket would promote itself to the IOC as a prospective sport and, if we get it right, cricket will be invited to the Olympic party in 2020," he said.

Each Full Member cricket board has been asked by the ICC to have two national men and women players complete Olympic questionnaires. The responses in Australia have been favourable and Gilchrist, a key performer in the IPL, has also sounded out excited colleagues from Australia, South Africa and England.

Gilchrist experienced the surge of interest in Twenty20 during his time with the Deccan Chargers earlier this year and is convinced the IPL revolution has "changed cricket forever". Now he wants the BCCI's officials to work with the ICC to help take it to the Olympics.

"They would be investing in the future of the sport because by having a men's and women's competition at the Olympic Games many more countries would be drawn to cricket," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if countries like the USA, China, Italy, France and Japan become competitive very quickly in Twenty20, especially in women's Twenty20. I believe that in time the success of cricket at the Olympic Games will lead to more Test-playing nations, something that the sport will need in the coming century."

Gilchrist feels the aim is realistic. "The Olympic movement knows it needs to increase its presence in the Asian subcontinent as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute nearly 22% of the world's population. In theory, this is a win-win for the Olympic movement and the ICC and its members."

India collected only a silver medal in Athens in 2004 while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh failed to finish in the top three of any event. Cricket would dramatically increase each of the nations' chances of reaching the podium while lifting interest in the subcontinent.

Next year's Twenty20 World Championship in England will be held over 16 days, one day shorter than the Olympic programme. Supporters of cricket's push believe the length of the tournament - and its high-energy matches - is another valid reason for its inclusion.

India's cracks were everywhere

Sri Lanka v India, 3rd Test, PSS, Colombo, 4th day

August 11, 2008

	Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were among the few bright spots for India in the series © AFP

India are regularly talked up as the team most likely to knock Australia off their perch but, on a day South Africa formally completed their seventh Test series win in eight, India's claim became that much more tenuous as they hurtled to their fifth defeat in their last 10 Tests against the strongest sides in the world [Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka]. The factors for losing this match, and the series, cover almost every aspect of India's cricket.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" said Benjamin Franklin a couple of centuries ago, sage advice that the Indian cricket board blithely ignores time after time. Prior to the Boxing Day Test last year, India had just one warm-up game and barely a week of acclimatisation. It was little surprise, then, when Australia romped home by nine wickets at the MCG.

On arriving in Sri Lanka last month, the Indians again played just one practice match, and left the SSC after an innings-and-239-run thrashing. Why do they never learn? Why is the itinerary always adjusted to shoehorn in meaningless one-day series? The lack of preparation becomes especially acute when the stalwarts of your batting order are no longer part of the one-day side. As long as the priority is quantity [and revenue], the team will continue to have all the substance of a plank of plywood.

The batsmen started in wretched fashion at the SSC, and with the exception of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, there were few silver linings as the series progressed. India's batsmen made one hundred [Sehwag's monumental 201 in Galle] and seven half-centuries [four from the openers] in the series, and didn't cross 330 even once. Sri Lanka had four centuries at the SSC alone, and they comfortably outbatted India in the series decider.

Australia conceded first-innings leads in every Test back in 2004, but still prevailed because their batsmen stockpiled seven centuries and four 50s. Without someone to dig deep and bat like Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn did on that tour, India simply didn't have a chance. First-day scores of 249 don't win you Test matches on placid pitches, as Anil Kumble was to admit later.

The bowlers were just as culpable though. Barring Harbhajan Singh, who took 16 wickets, no Indian bowler averaged less than 30. Harbhajan and Kumble took 24 wickets between them, two less than the remarkable Ajantha Mendis, whose off breaks, peculiar googlies and carrom balls dismissed VVS Laxman on five occasions, and Rahul Dravid four times. After his exertions against Pakistan and Australia, Kumble appears to be running on empty, and the series against Australia could well be a watershed as far as Indian spin is concerned.

The pace bowlers had their moments, but couldn't summon up the consistency or the venom to break open the series. While it's true that slow bowlers tend to be the game-breakers in Sri Lanka, two of the sides to win here this millennium have shown the value of pace and seam movement. When England triumphed in 2000-01, Darren Gough took 14 wickets at 19.57 and Andy Caddick nine at 25. Three seasons later, Australia were indebted to Shane Warne's 26 wickets, but just as crucial was the contribution from Michael Kasprowicz [12 wickets at 25.16] and Jason Gillespie [10 at 31.6].

Enough has been said about the fielding shambles. Having given his all during one-day tournaments of paramount importance in Bangladesh and Pakistan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to give this trivial Test series a miss. His replacements were shocking, both with gloves and bat. Prasanna Jayawardene, the most under-rated wicketkeeper in the world, was immaculate with the gloves and also contributed 107 runs with the bat, including a priceless 49 at the P Sara. Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel aggregated 50 over six innings, and seemed to fluff more chances than they took.

Muttiah Muralitharan finished with 21 wickets at 22.23, par for the course in a home series, and India tackled him as well as could have been expected. What will really rankle, though, was the abject surrender - Sehwag and Gambhir apart - against Mendis, the only other bowler of substance in a wafer-thin attack. Chaminda Vaas wasn't the force of old, while Dammika Prasad will bowl a lot better and go wicketless.

Mendis and Murali wheeled away for an astonishing 324 overs and, aside from the openers, no one managed to collar them even once. When it mattered, they would either come up with an unplayable delivery or one of the fielders would pull off a stunning catch. The half-chances that invariably slipped through Indian fingers inevitably stuck in Sri Lankan palms.

Ultimately though, it came down to a batting line-up that couldn't pull its weight. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly finished with fewer runs than Prasanna, and when two of your biggest wheels fall off in such fashion, even the mightiest juggernaut will only end up in a wayside ditch. Beaten, broken, and ambushed by a man who likes to flick the ball with his middle finger.

Tendulkar ruled out of ODI series

India in Sri Lanka 2008

August 11, 2008

	An elbow injury has forced Sachin Tendulkar out of the ODI series in Sri Lanka © AFP

Sachin Tendulkar will not play the five-ODI series in Sri Lanka after sustaining an injury to his left elbow during the third Test in Colombo. S Badrinath, the Tamil Nadu batsman, will be his replacement.

"I spoke to Sachin and the team physio [Nitin Patel] this morning and I can confirm that Tendulkar has been ruled out of action for two to three weeks," Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, told Cricinfo.

Tendulkar had jarred his elbow while attempting a catch in the 47th over of Sri Lanka's first innings on Saturday, and was quickly taken off. An MRI scan revealed a swelling, and Tendulkar didn't take the field for the rest of the innings. However, he did bat in India's second innings on Sunday, though two places below his customary No. 4 position. Tendulkar was out for 14, which still leaves him 77 short of surpassing Brian Lara as the leading run-getter in Tests.

After missing the Asia Cup in Pakistan due to a groin injury, Tendulkar had been named in the ODI squad for Sri Lanka as well as the Champions Trophy in Pakistan which takes place in September. His last one-day match was the second final of the Commonwealth Bank Series against Australia in Brisbane in March 2008.

Badrinath confirmed his call-up to the national team, and will leave for Sri Lanka on Wednesday. "Yes, I got a call to join the team for the Sri Lanka series and I'm leaving day after," he told Cricinfo.

The five-match series will be played from August 18-29.

'We did not play quality cricket' - Kumble

Sri Lanka v India, 3rd Test, PSS, Colombo, 4th day

August 11, 2008

	Anil Kumble: "I do not think there was enough contribution throughout the series from the middle order" © AFP

After surrendering the series to a clinical Sri Lankan outfit, India have to face up to and deal with the harsh truth that they only won one session of this game. Left to rummage through the remains of yet another overseas series squandered after a memorable comeback, Anil Kumble, India's captain, had few positives to pick out.

"We missed out on a good opportunity to beat Sri Lanka," Kumble said. "We did really well in Galle to come back and we did not capitalise on the winning of the toss here. You cannot lose five wickets in the first 40 overs of a Test. That happened to us quite regularly in this series, which is something we need to think about."

With a hundred more runs in the first innings, India could have changed the outcome of this match. However, their famed middle order failed again - twice. Dammika Prasad and Ajantha Mendis bowled with guile and accuracy to spell the death knell for India. Kumar Sangakkara's match-winning hundred boarded up the coffin, and Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan returned to hammer in the nails.

"For a new batsman to go in straight away and face two spinners is never easy," Kumble said. "People got starts, if they had converted it would have been a different story. I do not want to give excuses. Overall we did not play quality cricket to win the series."

This was also arguably the worst series for India's famed middle order. Sachin Tendulkar looked a shadow of himself in scratching 95 runs at 15.83 and Sourav Ganguly, who batted so brilliantly against South Africa at Ahmedabad and Kanpur in his last series, was a phantom in Sri Lanka, making 96 runs. Rahul Dravid's tentativeness at the crease this series has betrayed a tinge of insecurity, and VVS Laxman managed just two fifties, out five times to Mendis.

"It is not just one or two players [who we should blame]," Kumble said. "It is important that everyone contributes. I do not think there was enough contribution throughout the series from the middle order consistently. Even the lower order did not contribute consistently except one game here. That is obviously something that let us down."

Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma turned in match-winning performances in Galle but otherwise there was little to speak of in the bowling department. Except for Harbhajan, who took 16 wickets, no bowler averaged less than 30. Kumble, India's highest wicket-taker ever, had a series to forget. His eight wickets at 50.00 was his worst three-match series since India played Pakistan in 2006. "I take responsibility," he said, before quickly opting to take the clichéd route, "but the bowlers put their hearts in."

The saving grace of defeat is that it invariably brings lessons. As Kumble pointed out, India have a month and a half to think about what needs to be done before a four-Test series against Australia. "That's still a lot of time for us to reflect on what went wrong," Kumble said. India's time starts now.

Clinical Sri Lanka clinch series

Sri Lanka v India, 3rd Test, PSS, Colombo, 4th day

August 11, 2008

Sri Lanka 396 (Sangakkara 144) and 123 for 2 (Warnapura 54*, Jayawardene 50*) beat India 249 (Gambhir 72, Mendis 5-56) and 268 (Dravid 68, Laxman 61*) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Mahela Jayawardene steered Sri Lanka to their second consecutive home series win against India © AFP

Drip by drip, Sri Lanka made their way to a comprehensive series win, their first over India since 2001. On what turned out to be the final day of the series, Sri Lanka did not attack overtly, and kept their composure at crucial junctures - when Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had a long partnership, and also when India struck with two early wickets after Sri Lanka came out in pursuit of 122.

A bowler short, a batsman limping, the No. 11 in no shape to bat, and only 14 runs ahead with half the team gone, India started the day as no-hopers, but they managed to give Sri Lanka a few nervous moments. Dravid and Laxman - who was nursing an ankle injury - provided resistance for about 90 minutes. Harbhajan Singh played a cameo to take the lead beyond 100, and then took a wicket in his first over.

Sri Lanka seemed in no hurry. They waited patiently, bowled in the right areas, and got the last five Indian wickets without much damage. It was Ajantha Mendis who broke the resistance, dismissing Dravid half an hour before lunch. And when Harbhajan, who hit five boundaries in his 26, looked to take India towards a sizeable lead, Chaminda Vaas, that epitome of discipline, struck in the first over he bowled after his three with the first new ball.

When India struck early, reducing them to 22 for 2, Sri Lanka didn't look to hit out, and waited instead for Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan to tire. Harbhajan, who opened the bowling in Ishant Sharma's absence, bowled Michael Vandort with an arm-ball; and Zaheer got Kumar Sangakkara soon after on the check-drive. Malinda Warnapura and Mahela Jayawardene weathered the storm, survived lbw shouts, and were content to add only 23 in 10.3 overs before tea.

The two went on to frustrate the Indian bowlers after tea, too. They never looked harried, kept rotating the strike, and by the time the Indians had frustrated themselves into exhausting their reviews, started to have some fun with sweeps - both orthodox and reverse. Soon the only point of interest was whether Jayawardene would get to a half-century as Warnapura had done earlier. Jayawardene was 46 and Sri Lanka three short of the win when he square-cut Sourav Ganguly for a four to end the match.

That India had a semblance of a chance when they began bowling was thanks to the partnership between Laxman and Dravid. Coming out of their bad patches, they took the first steps towards what briefly seemed to be an incredible comeback, before they were stopped. Nonetheless it was the best partnership between two of the Fab Four in this series. The two looked comfortable reading the spinners, nudging and flicking for singles at ease, and rotating the strike, capitalising on the fields set. Laxman, who had Gautam Gambhir running for him, was visibly in pain, limping away to square leg when he got singles.

	VVS Laxman scored a fighting 61 not out despite an injured ankle, but finally ran out of partners © AFP

Dravid and Laxman lasted as long as they did thanks in no small measure to Sri Lanka's strategy: for much of the time, they didn't employ conspicuously attacking fields, and gave away singles for free as they tried to prevent boundaries. As a result, despite the time consumed, India's lead never reached threatening proportions.

The day started with Dravid closing in on his first half-century of the series, which he brought up with a punched boundary off Mendis. He then settled down again, looking determined as he played the most confident innings by an Indian middle-order batsman in the series. Laxman at the other end received plenty of favours from Sri Lanka. When he was on 35, he edged Muttiah Muralitharan, but there was no slip. The field at that time had no slip and no silly point, and had a short mid-on, a short midwicket, a short square leg, and a backward square leg. In Murali's next over, Laxman was dropped by Thilan Samaraweera at short mid-on. After he got to his second half-century of the series, he was dropped by Malinda Warnapura at forward short leg.

In between those drops and missed chances, he hit Dammika Prasad for two delightful boundaries, but those were about the only quick runs India got from Sri Lanka, who stuck to their plan of not letting India run away with the game, testing their patience and resolve, knowing the wicket-taking delivery would come.

Come it did, courtesy Mendis, who, bowling from round the stumps, drew Dravid forward and got the ball to move enough to take the edge. Then Murali, who had started from over the stumps, came back round, and got Kumble lbw with an accurate offbreak. Mendis ended with 26 wickets, the best for a debutant in a three-match series, and Murali with 21.

Sri Lanka have now won 13 of their last 16 series at home, and have not lost to India at home since 1993. The way Mendis and Murali bowled through the series bodes well for the continuation of Sri Lanka's near-invincibility at home. It could signal the beginning of the end for the most feared middle order in world cricket.

England secure consolation victory

England v South Africa, 4th npower Test, The Oval, 5th day

August 11, 2008

England 316 and 198 for 4 (Cook 67, Strauss 58) beat South Africa 194 and 318 by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

	Andrew Flintoff completes the consolation win with a towering straight six © Getty Images

As fresh starts go this wasn't too shabby from England as they wrapped up a consolation six-wicket victory on the final day at The Oval. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook broke the back of the run chase with a positive opening stand of 123, before Makhaya Ntini and Paul Harris claimed two wickets apiece to take away a little of the gloss. But a week after England were plunged into uncertainty, Andrew Flintoff signed off the victory with a six to give Kevin Pietersen a winning start.

Given the week he has had, the stage appeared set for Pietersen to hit the winning runs until he edged a catch to short leg with 15 required. As captain of England, Pietersen will have to get used to his side giving him some stressful times, but the opening stand meant that, here at least, the late wobble didn't do any more than make victory appear less empathic. Tough challenges lie ahead for him, not least the forthcoming one-day series and tour of India, but he couldn't have done much more at the start of his reign.

Claiming victories after a series has gone was a speciality of England during the 1990s. While this success won't soften the blow of losing the series, it has boosted spirits after a trying couple of weeks when two captains resigned and the questions were being asked about the set-up. With a new leader to impress England were motivated - while South Africa couldn't quite summon one last push - and they produced some periods of vibrant cricket.

Whatever South Africa say, they weren't really up for this contest. They expended such huge amounts of physical and emotional energy at Edgbaston that they couldn't rouse themselves. Makhaya Ntini and, especially, Morne Morkel wasted the new ball and the openers had very little to play at. Strauss after a successful run against New Zealand was back under pressure and was given a life on 4, when he clipped Morkel firmly to Ashwell Prince at leg gully, only for the umpire to call a no-ball. It summed up Morkel's session.

The increase in momentum came from Cook who latched onto a couple of short balls from Ntini and also drove nicely down the ground, a sign that hours with Andy Flower in the nets are paying off. Cook made the most of attacking fields set by Graeme Smith with controlled edges down to third man, and both he and Strauss countered Paul Harris with intent. Despite some spin out of the footmarks they used their feet to disrupt his line and length, taking him through the leg side with confident whips.

Cook reached his fourth half-century of the series with a crunching back-foot drive off Jacques Kallis. After the sleepy opening 45 minutes 98 runs were added in the next 18 overs of the morning and they continued a similar vein after the break before South Africa made a breakthrough, Cook driving at wide ball from Ntini and edging to first slip. It was another opportunity to go begging for Cook and although he ends with a series average of 47 there is a sense of unfulfilment. However, without ever looking in top form he has continued to score runs, which is a testament to his strength of character.

Strauss slowly found more fluency, bring out a perfect on-drive, and went to his first half-century of the series from 95 balls. Ian Bell never settled during his short stay and he paid the price for moving across his stumps when Ntini bowled him behind his legs. An inconvenience became a wobble when, in the next over from Harris, Strauss got an inside edge to Smith at leg slip. Three wickets had gone for 24 and two new batsmen were at the crease.

However, any momentary concerns were settled as Paul Collingwood found the boundary and Pietersen's late departure for 12 was about the only thing that hasn't fitted with his script in the last week. South Africa have deservedly taken the series honours, but Pietersen's England have regained some pride.

Resurgent India level series

Sri Lanka v India, 2nd Test, Galle, 4th day

August 3, 2008

India 329 (Sehwag 201*, Gambhir 56, Mendis 6-117) and 269 (Gambhir 74, Sehwag 50, Mendis 4-92) beat Sri Lanka 292 (Jayawardene 86, Sangakkara 68, Warnapura 66, Harbhajan 6-102) and 136 (Samaraweera 67*, Ishant 3-20, Harbhajan 4-51) by 170 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Ishant Sharma started Sri Lanka's slide with early wickets, including that of the in-form Mahela Jayawardene © AFP

On a pitch and in a series where the fast bowlers have only been making up the numbers, a hostile and quick Ishant Sharma helped India seal an incredible comeback after they had slumped to their third-worst defeat ever in the first Test.

In the first session of the day, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis had made sure India didn't take their lead into the realms of the impregnable, but with Ishant bowling the way he did, the target of 307 stayed secure. Ishant got good support from Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh; the latter finished with his fifth ten-wicket haul.

Sri Lanka were attacked from a quarter they would have least expected hostilities from, and after having done well playing catch-up throughout the match, they finally fell short. The match was much closer than the 170-run margin indicated.

Ishant was accurate, he hit the bat hard, gave Dinesh Karthik some more difficulties behind the wicket, and most importantly, kept producing his special delivery repeatedly: the one that holds its line after having pitched on a length.

Ishant began with a wicket with the third ball he bowled, sending down a perfect right-armer's ball to a left-hander, pitching it around leg and moving it away, making Malinda Warnapura play and edge. Zaheer, in the next over, produced a legcutter for Sangakkara similar to the one he did in the first Test, with similar results. And in his next over, Ishant got the biggest wicket of them all for India - Mahela Jayawardene, who looked to counterattack and cut straight to gully, where Rahul Dravid held on to a sharp chance. Dravid was exuberant at having taken the catch - he had dropped Michael Vandort in the first over, and had also been pushed out of the cordon.

Ishant and Zaheer then tightened the screws. Ishant, in particular, seemed to be bowling on a different pitch from the one that had been on display on the four previous days. At one point, the preceding 12.3 overs had cost India 11 runs and featured two huge lbw shouts, one catch off a no-ball, and most importantly, robust fast bowling. Harbhajan took advantage of that period, and trapped Vandort with an arm-ball in his first over.

But there was one final twist left in the match, and Ishant it was who pulled India out of a threatening situation. Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan had put together a swift 76-run stand, pulling Sri Lanka out of the shell they had played themselves into. Dilshan, in particular, hustled the bowling, briefly changing the texture of the game.

Ishant came up with a special over after tea, bowling at high pace, extracting extra bounce, and getting the ball to hold its line. After having beaten Dilshan twice, he finally got him to edge one, and it was all downhill for Sri Lanka after that.

Harbhajan took control of the situation then; both lower orders have, on this pitch, been hard pressed against quality spin bowling. Samaraweera, who scored a resolute half-century, could not do much about what happened at the other end. The last five wickets fell for 23 runs, Harbhajan taking three of them. When he got Mendis, he completed his ten-for, and a successful redemption after his recent misadventures.

Mendis, incidentally, had finished his first ten-wicket haul by taking Harbhajan's wicket earlier in the day. That was the end of a collapse in which India lost their last five for 17 runs. India had started the day tentatively, but the overnight batsmen - VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly - kept the runs coming. They hadn't yet played themselves in when Mendis nailed Laxman with another one of his special carrom balls - pitching within the stumps, breaking rapidly, and heading for off stump. Laxman's pad intervened, but the umpire had no hesitation in sending him on his way.

Karthik came out aggressive, stepping out and hitting both Mendis and Murali for sixes, and also pulling out a reverse-sweep. He might even have had a hand in suggesting to Ganguly that he ask for a review when Ganguly was given lbw to one that seemed to be missing off stump. But just when it looked like the two might get too many, too fast, Murali pulled them back. Karthik, going for a third six, was beaten in the flight and caught in the deep. Ganguly was suckered out of the crease by a flighted, fiercely dipping delivery, and Prasanna Jayawardene's quickness with the stumping made the dismissal look more even more comprehensive.

The rest contributed enough only for the so-called psychological advantage: when Karthik got out, India's lead was 292; they finished on 306. Ishant, though, rendered the tussle in the first session superfluous.

That India came into the fourth day still alive had all to do with a near-solo effort by Virender Sehwag, who reached his fifth double-century in the first innings, and for the first time in his career scored a fifty in a match in which he had also scored a century. India, out of habit perhaps, managed to waste a fiery start from Sehwag, but he had done enough, as was proved when India went on to win only the third Test in which he had scored a century.

M.Vaughan steps down as captain

South Africa in England 2008

August 3, 2008

	Michael Vaughan has resigned as captain following defeat against South Africa © Getty Images

Michael Vaughan has resigned as England captain following the series defeat against South Africa, which was sealed by the five-wicket loss at Edgbaston on Saturday.

The decision was announced during a hastily arranged press conference at Loughborough even though yesterday evening Vaughan said he "would let the dust" settle on the defeat.

Paul Collingwood has also stood down as one-day captain, meaning that England will announce a new captain for both forms of the game on Monday. The frontrunner is Kevin Pietersen, who is a fixture in both teams. Collingwood is currently serving a four-match suspension for a slow over-rate.

An emotional Vaughan said he felt the time was right to go and will take some time out of the game and won't play in the final Test at The Oval, though he remains available for selection for future England contests.

"It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but also the easiest," said Vaughan. "I put my heart and soul into the job but if I kept on going my career could have come to an abrupt end. I think this decision will prolong my career.

"I thought it might be time to go in New Zealand, where my body was working well but my mind was not working well. I will always cherish the support I've had, but this is a weight off my shoulders.

"I had every ambition to lead the England team to the next Ashes Series but as England captain I feel I've run out of steam," he added. "I believe that the best thing for the team is to embark on a new direction under a new captain.

"I also believe the best thing for me is to try and get back to being best batsmen I can be. I'll still have all the experience and knowledge to pass on and I hope to be a valuable player for both my county and the England team.

Vaughan's captaincy timeline July 2003 - Named England captain for the second Test against South Africa at Lord's after Nasser Hussain steps down August 2003 - Secures first Test win as captain, by 70 runs at Trent Bridge August 2003 - England level the series against South Africa with a nine-wicket win at The Oval March 2004 - Leads England to their first series win in West Indies since 1967-68 May-August 2004 - England win all seven Tests in the summer against New Zealand and West Indies January 2005 - A draw at The Oval February 2006 - Breaks down with a knee injury at the start of tour of India. Doesn't play again for nearly a year May 2007 - Makes Test comeback with a century at Headingley against West Indies June 2007 - Resigns one-day captaincy August 2007 - Loses his first home series as captain, going down 1-0 to India March 2008 - Drops Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison after Hamilton defeat against New Zealand August 2008 - Resigns as Test captain following five-wicket loss against South Africa at Edgbaston

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the fans who have always been so supportive and have provided a huge inspiration to me as captain. A captain is only as good as his teams and I've been fortunate enough to captain some terrific players and great blokes."

It brings an end to Vaughan's 51-match run as captain, four games short of becoming England's long-serving leader, although his 26 victories makes him, statistically, the most successful captain.

"He's led from the front and always led with integrity and honesty. He's been the best possible ambassador for the England cricket team," said managing director Hugh Morris.

However, the pressure on Vaughan has been growing in recent months despite back-to-back series victories against New Zealand. The series loss to South Africa is England's third in five series, dating back to the 1-0 reversal against India last summer. They then lost by the same margin in Sri Lanka before losing the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. Vaughan led a shake-up of the team by dropping Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison and England hit back to take the series, but the performances were not convincing.

Adding to the stress on Vaughan has been his own lack of runs. He has made 40 in five innings against South Africa, consistently being troubled by the pace bowlers, and his last ten Test have produced just one century and an average of 22.

He took on the role against South Africa in 2003, following Nasser Hussain's resignation which also came after an Edgbaston Test. His first Test in charge, at Lord's, was a thumping innings defeat, but he subsequently secured victories at Trent Bridge and The Oval as England shared the series.

The defeats in the past two weeks at Headingley and Edgbaston were the first time he has lost back-to-back Tests and a hallmark of his reign as captain was how England could bounce back from defeats. His finest moment was the 2005 Ashes victory, although he was also at the helm for historic away successes against West Indies in 2004 and South Africa in 2005.