2015 Cricket World Cup about to commence

[coldstream]

I'm going to learn what these scores mean at some point. I've watched a bit of a total of 2 games of Cricket. I think there are 10 wickets per side, a wicket corresponding to an 'out' in baseball, but all played in one 'inning' per side.

The object is to hit the ball hurled at you on the first bounce into the outfield. or into the stands, without it getting caught on the fly.. and run back and forth between two wickets to score runs. I'm sure there is a lot more to it, but that's what i've gotten so far. Oh.. and games last 10 hours.. and they take tea breaks during.

 

[Blackleaf]

I'm going to learn what these scores mean at some point. I've watched a bit of a total of 2 games of Cricket. I think there are 10 wickets per side, a wicket corresponding to an 'out' in baseball, but all played in one 'inning' per side.

The object is to hit the ball hurled at you on the first bounce into the outfield. or into the stands, without it getting caught on the fly.. and run back and forth between two wickets to score runs. I'm sure there is a lot more to it, but that's what i've gotten so far. Oh.. and games last 10 hours.. and they take tea breaks during.

That's about true for ODI cricket. But in Test cricket you get two innings each and games last up to five days. But Test cricket wouldn't be practical for the World Cup.

What are probably the two best teams in the tournament, and the two co-hosts, met at Eden Park (which hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final, which New Zealand won) in Auckland, with New Zealand beating Australia by one wicket.

It wouldn't surprise many if these two sides meet again in the World Cup Final in front of 100,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 29th March.

Cricket World Cup: New Zealand beat Australia by one wicket

By Justin Goulding
BBC Sport
28 February 2015

World Cup Pool A, Auckland

Australia 151 (32.2 overs): Haddin 43, Boult 5-27
New Zealand 152-9 (23.1 overs): McCullum 50, Williamson 45*, Starc 6-28

New Zealand won by one wicket

Scorecard. Tables

New Zealand survived a late collapse to beat Australia by one wicket in a thrilling World Cup Pool A game.

Chasing a meagre 152 to win, the Kiwis slipped from 131-4 to 146-9 as Mitchell Starc claimed 6-28.

However, Kane Williamson (45no) hit Pat Cummins for six to seal victory with 26.5 overs to spare in a wonderfully tense climax at Eden Park in Auckland.

Earlier, Australia lost eight wickets for 26 runs as they were bowled out for 151, with Trent Boult claiming 5-27.

"I was always going to try and hit a boundary at the end as I didn't want to leave it too long," Williamson told Test Match Special.

New Zealand, who have won all four of their group matches, need only one victory from their remaining two games - against Afghanistan and Bangladesh - to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Vic Marks, ex-England spinner on Test Match Special

"What it does mean is that if the Kiwis meet the Aussies in the semi-finals, it will be at home. It's a very strange scorecard - look at those bowling figures with Mitchell Johnson 6-1-68-0, and Mitchell Starc 9-0-28-6. But the Aussies have got a lot out of that game, despite the batting collapse."

Tournament favourites Australia, meanwhile, have three points from their first three games, heading into Wednesday's clash with Afghanistan in Perth.

Australia captain Michael Clarke, playing his first competitive international since December following hamstring surgery, said: "Our batting was horrendous, to put it mildly, but Mitchell Starc was a genius."

This was only the sixth one-wicket win in World Cup history, although such a slender margin of victory appeared unlikely in the extreme as Brendon McCullum flayed a 21-ball fifty to lead the Kiwi pursuit.

Even after he fell in the eighth over to spark a collapse of three wickets in five balls - Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott were bowled by Starc either side of the interval - few doubted the outcome.

Williamson and Corey Anderson took New Zealand to within 21 runs of victory before Glenn Maxwell induced an ugly swipe from the left-hander that found only mid-on.

Starc, combining fast, full deliveries with well-directed bouncers, had an evasive Luke Ronchi caught behind off his glove, then Cummins accounted for a needlessly reckless Daniel Vettori.

New Zealand nerves were evident as Starc cleaned up Adam Milne and Tim Southee with successive deliveries, but Boult kept out the last two balls of the over and Williamson drove the first ball of the next over long-on to cap a remarkable game.

How's stat?!

Left-armers shared 14 of the 19 wickets to fall at Eden Park. Only once before have left-armers taken more: 16 in India's two-wicket win over Australia in Mumbai in 2007.

"My heart was racing at a million miles an hour when I went out there to bat. I've never been so nervous in my career," Boult told Test Match Special.

Even Starc's career-best return could not mask an inept Australia batting display that featured a precipitous collapse from 80-1 to 106-9.

While fellow left-arm Boult was the chief beneficiary en route to his best ODI figures, Vettori's impact was crucial.

Introduced only six overs into an innings which began with a barrage of boundaries, the veteran left-arm spinner accounted for Shane Watson and Steve Smith either side of Tim Southee's removal of David Warner for 34.

Vettori finished with 2-41, while Boult claimed five wickets for one run in 17 balls in front of a boisterous home crowd en route to his best ODI figures.

Even Brad Haddin's pugnacious 43 in a last-wicket stand of 45 with Cummins - an Australia World Cup record - could not prevent Australia posting their lowest World Cup total batting first.

Trent Boult bettered his previous ODI best of 4-44

Michael Clarke made 12 in his first competitive international since December

Brendon McCullum fell for 50 shortly after being hit on the elbow by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer

Mitchell Starc struck three times in five balls to give Australia late hope


BBC Sport - Cricket World Cup: New Zealand beat Australia by one wicket


Rampant India, the defending champions, thrashed UAE in their Pool B match.

Rohit hit an unbeaten 57 and Kohli an unbeaten 33 to win by a massive 9 wickets at the WACA in Perth.

Cricket World Cup: Rampant India too strong for UAE in Pool B

By Steve Canavan BBC Sport

World Cup, Pool B, Perth (the WACA):

UAE 102 (31.3 overs): Anwar 35, Ashwin 4-25
India 104-1 (18.5 overs): Rohit 57*, Kohli 33*, Naveed 1-35

India won by nine wickets

Scorecard. Tables

Defending champions India maintained their perfect start at the World Cup as they outclassed United Arab Emirates in a one-sided contest in Perth.

India were on top throughout and dismissed UAE for 102 - the lowest total at the World Cup so far, behind England's 123 against New Zealand.

Only a spirited 35 from Shaiman Anwar spared UAE from real embarrassment.

India lost just one wicket as they raced to their target in 18.5 overs, Rohit Sharma hitting a half-century.

Former Australia seamer Terry Alderman

"If India had been put in to bat first it would have been carnage. Against that UAE attack they would have scored upward of 400 I reckon."

"The bowlers have really stepped up and that has led to improvements in other parts of the side," said a satisfied India captain MS Dhoni.

"We are getting wickets with the new ball and as a bowling unit they are doing well and showing they can do it game after game."

The part-timers of the UAE won the toss and opted to bat, but lost wickets on a regular basis as a confident-looking India quickly took control.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets and registering his best one-day-international figures as the underdogs were reduced to 71-9.

Only a fighting last-wicket stand of 31 between Shaiman Anwar (35) and Manjula Guruge (10 not out) - the highest partnership of the innings - took UAE past three figures.

But the total was never going to be enough to trouble an Indian side who, after a run of poor form coming into the tournament, now look a force to be reckoned with.

Former Australia all-rounder Brad Hogg

"India look like a team on fire and the thing I liked about them today was that they chased everything in the field really hard. Their fielding has really improved over the last couple of months, and they were so professional in this match."

UAE did have one magical moment in the field - Rohan Mustafa taking a superb one-handed catch off the bowling off Mohammad Naveed to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan for 14.

But otherwise it was a routine victory for the Indians, with Sharma (57 not out) and Virat Kohli (33 not out) guiding the team home without alarm.

"We were outplayed by the Indian bowling, because what we got was not a par score on this wicket," said UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir.

"We should have scored 200 plus but Ashwin bowled brilliantly and we couldn't cope."

India, who beat Pakistan and South Africa in their opening Pool B games, face West Indies next in Perth on Friday.

UAE are still waiting for a first World Cup win for 19 years, since beating Netherlands in 1996.

Rohit Sharma, run out for a duck in India's last Pool B match, against South Africa, hit an untroubled half-century

India's Ravichandran Ashwin took four wickets, following on from his figures of 3-41 against South Africa

India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 1-19 off five overs, celebrates after dismissing Amjad Javed

UAE's Shaiman Anwar hit a maiden ODI century in the defeat by Ireland last time out, and top-scored again against India


BBC Sport - Cricket World Cup: Rampant India too strong for UAE in Pool B


Cricket World Cup: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe to keep hopes alive

By Steve Canavan BBC Sport

World Cup Pool B, Brisbane:

Pakistan 235-7 (50 overs): Misbah-ul-Haq 73, Riaz 54*, Chatara 3-35
Zimbabwe 215-9 (49.5 overs): Taylor 50, Irfan 4-30, Riaz 4-45

Pakistan won by 20 runs

Scorecard. Tables

Former champions Pakistan survived a scare to pull off a dramatic 20-run victory over Zimbabwe and record their first win at the 2015 World Cup.

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq's stubborn 73 and a fiery half-century from pace bowler Wahab Riaz helped the 1992 winners recover from 4-2 to reach 235-7.

Brendan Taylor's 50 looked to have put Zimbabwe on course for a famous win.

But Mohammad Irfan, with career-best one-day international figures of 4-30, and Riaz (4-45) won it for Pakistan.

Riaz became the first Pakistani to score a fifty and take four wickets in the same World Cup match - and only the eighth cricketer to achieve the feat.

And victory was important for Misbah's men, who, after heavy defeats by India and the West Indies, would have faced an uphill battle to progress to the quarter-finals had they lost again.

"It was really tough because it was a make or break game for us," said the Pakistan captain. "You can't believe how happy we are because we were out of the tournament if we'd lost this game."

Despite a backdrop of fierce criticism from the public and former players back home - and with chief selector Moin Khan forced to return from the World Cup after visiting a casino - Pakistan posted their highest score of the tournament so far, though their innings got off to a wretched start.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Pakistan were rocking at 1-1 and 4-2 as Tendai Chatara claimed the wickets of openers Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad.

But skipper Misbah played a vital innings, steadying the ship as wickets regularly fell around him - including two in one over when Williams dismissed Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi in the space of three balls. Afridi, celebrating his 35th birthday, went for a duck.

Only a late flurry from Riaz - his 54 coming from 55 balls - injected some urgency into the Pakistan innings and gave them a meaningful total to defend.

Former England spinner Graeme Swann on Test Match Special

"This was a very impressive effort from Pakistan. When chasing a small total, heads can go down and it would have been very easy to think about going home. But they have bowled well and shown some good fight, which will stand them in good stead going into their next few games."

Zimbabwe lost Sikander Raza and Chamu Chibhabha cheaply - Irfan taking both - but Taylor's half-century and Sean Williams' 33 from 32 balls took them to 128-3 and appeared to put them on course for victory.

However, Riaz repeated his batting heroics with the ball, sharing eight wickets with fellow left-arm paceman Irfan as Zimbabwe crumbled.

Injured captain Elton Chigumbura, who was helped off the field with a suspected quadricep tear while fielding, tried valiantly to steer Zimbabwe to victory but was last man out for a run-a-ball 35.

"It is always disappointing to lose a game like this when you feel you have a chance to win," said Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura.
"Our weakness has been that we have not had one guy scoring a hundred or batting through the innings."

While Zimbabwe will be frustrated not to have registered only a fourth ODI win over Pakistan, Misbah's team now head into their next Pool B game against the United Arab Emirates on 4 March with renewed hope of making the last eight.

Zimbabwe wicket-keeper Brendan Taylor's 50 leaves him one run short of becoming the fourth player to score 5,000 ODI runs for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe had been aiming for only a 12th win in 55 World Cup matches

Wahab Riaz gets friendly with Zimbabwe bowler Tendai Chatara during his half-century

Mohammad Irfan had taken only a single wicket at the World Cup prior to his career-best 4-30 against Zimbabwe


BBC Sport - Cricket World Cup: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe to keep hopes alive

 

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Debutants Afghanistan beat Scotland by one wicket in the clash of the part-timers:

Cricket World Cup: Afghanistan shock Scotland in final over

By Stephan Shemilt BBC Sport in Dunedin

World Cup, Pool A, Dunedin

Scotland 210 (50 overs): Machan 31, Haq 31, S Zadran 4-38
Afghanistan 211-9 (49.3 overs): Shenwari 96, Ahmadi 51, Berrington 4-40

Afghanistan won by one wicket

Scorecard.Tables

Afghanistan beat Scotland by one wicket with three balls to spare to claim their first World Cup win.

Chasing 211 in Dunedin, Afghanistan were reduced to 97-7 but Samiullah Shenwari's 96 gave them hope.

He was caught on the boundary with 19 still required, but last man Shapoor Zadran hit the third ball of the final over for four to seal victory.

Scotland had earlier rallied from 144-8 to make 210, but their search for a first World Cup win goes on.

They have now lost all 11 matches they have played in three World Cups, surpassing the Netherlands' previous record of 10 successive defeats from debut.

Ex-England spinner Vic Marks on Test Match Special

"That was an amazing game of cricket. Not the highest quality but as dramatic as I have seen in a long time. Afghanistan, against all the odds, have triumphed. Scotland are disconsolate."

It was the second thrilling match between two non-Test playing sides in as many days following Ireland's two-wicket win over the UAE on Wednesday.

Scotland will reflect on a missed opportunity to record their first World Cup win but, in a match of regularly fluctuating fortunes, both teams surrendered positions of strength.

Ultimately, it was the efforts of Shenwari and the nerve of last-wicket pair Shapoor and Hamid Hassan that earned a historic win for Afghanistan, a nation that was still competing in the bottom tier of the International Cricket Council's world league in 2008.

After the Afghans suffered a middle-order collapse of five wickets for 12 runs, Shenwari painstakingly rebuilt, before opening his shoulders to make an unlikely run-chase seem possible.

How's stat?!

No team winning a World Cup match batting second has had a collapse where they lost five wickets for 12 or fewer runs before Afghanistan here (85-2 to 97-7).

The worst previous five-wicket collapse by a team batting second and going on to win a World Cup game was 14 by Bangladesh v England at Chittagong in 2011. They lost 5-14 (155-3 to 169-8 ) before reaching 227 to win.

With 38 required from the final four overs, Shenwari three times heaved Majid Haq for six over the leg side, only to be caught on the boundary looking for the fourth that would have taken him to a century.

That left Afghanistan still 19 short, but Shapoor and Hassan inched nearer and, when Richie Berrington's final ball of the 49th over was clipped for four, only five were needed from Iain Wardlaw's six deliveries.

Shapoor could have been run out had Matt Machan's throw hit the stumps but, from the next delivery, the left-hander clipped to the square-leg boundary to seal victory.

It was a cruel defeat for Scotland, who will rue missed chances, not least Haq's drop of Shenwari at slip when the right-hander was on 20.

Haq, though, had already played his part in ensuring that Scotland were not on the end of a heavy defeat, sharing a Scottish record ninth-wicket stand of 62 with Alasdair Evans.

The Scotland top order had earlier been run through by the impressive Afghan pace trio of Shapoor, Hassan and Dawlat Zadran, who showed consistency of length to exploit the assistance offered in the pitch.

Scotland played a part in their own downfall, Machan's horrible swipe at Mohammad Nabi beginning a regular fall of wickets that left them in a seemingly hopeless position.

However, that was to discount Haq and Evans, who rebuilt first through patient accumulation, then accelerated to take Scotland to their highest World Cup total.

It looked like being enough when Evans and Berrington got to work on the Afgan middle-order, but there was to be another bout of late resistance.

Shenwari found batting support from all three of Afghanistan's pacers and, ultimately, it was Shapoor who had the final say.

The victory for Afghanistan, England's final group opponents, keeps their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive, while Scotland, who next play Bangladesh on 4 March, are on the brink of elimination.

Afghanistan's Hamid Hassan again impressed with the ball, taking 1-32 off 10 overs

Majid Haq put on 62 with Alasdair Evans for the ninth wicket - a record for Scotland

Afghanistan were well supported inside the University Oval

Scotland bowler Richie Berrington took four wickets but his efforts proved in vain

Samiullah Shenwari hit three sixes in the 47th over to put Afghanistan on the brink of victory


BBC Sport - Cricket World Cup: Afghanistan shock Scotland in final over


And England have been thrased by nine wickets by Sri Lanka despite putting up a decent total, to become only the second team to lose an ODI by that margin after posting 300 in the first innings.

England thrashed by Sri Lanka in World Cup in Wellington

By Stephan Shemilt BBC Sport in Wellington

World Cup Pool A, Wellington (Regional Stadium)

England 309-6 (50 overs): Root 121, Bell 49
Sri Lanka 312-1 (47.2 overs): Thirimanne 139*, Sangakkara 117*

Sri Lanka won by nine wickets

Scorecard. Tables

England slipped to a third crushing defeat in four World Cup games as Sri Lanka comfortably chased 310 to win by nine wickets in Wellington.

Lahiru Thirimanne hit an unbeaten 139 and Kumar Sangakkara 117 not out to seal victory with 16 balls to spare.

Earlier, Joe Root made 121 as England accelerated late on to post 309-6.

But Sri Lanka showed that to be nowhere near enough and England will almost certainly be eliminated if they lose either of their final two games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott on Test Match Special

"Even if England do make it to the quarter-finals, it won't matter because they're not playing well enough to win. There are too many things that aren't right. If you are a captain, coach, bowler, batsman and you can't cut it you have to go. If you can't cut it somebody has to pay the price."

If opening defeats by Australia and New Zealand and victory over Scotland were expected, then this fixture was supposed to be the best indicator of England's chances of progressing far into the World Cup.

As it turned out, a third one-sided reverse at the hands of Test opposition leaves England clinging to their hopes of reaching the last eight.

Indeed, if Bangladesh beat Scotland on Thursday, then England will go out if they lose either of their remaining group games.

While their previous game in Wellington, an eight-wicket thrashing by New Zealand, was humiliating for its rapid nature, this latest loss was perhaps more dispiriting.

England put in their best batting display of the tournament thanks to Root's accumulation and creativity and Jos Buttler's late power.

But Thirimanne and Sangakkara made a mockery of the chase as England's pace-dominated attack struggled to make chances on a sluggish wicket.

When they did create opportunities, they were not taken. Thirimanne was dropped on three by Root at slip, although the edge off Stuart Broad should have been claimed by wicketkeeper Buttler.

The left-hander also had a let-off on 98, Moeen Ali failing to take a low chance in the covers off James Anderson.

After that, Thirimanne, whose innings was laced with classy cover drives, became the fourth Sri Lanka batsman to score a hundred in this World Cup.

He shared an unbroken stand of 212 with Sangakkara, who moved third on the list of World Cup run scorers with a 70-ball century, scoring through 360 degrees.

Lakmal fined for bowling beamer

Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal was fined 30% of his match fee by ICC match referee David Boon for bowling two beamers - high full tosses - at England's Jos Buttler in the 50th over of England's innings. Lakmal was taken out of the attack by the on-field umpire

On the completion of the chase, Sri Lanka - 10-wicket winners against England in the quarter-finals of the last World Cup - became only the second team to overhaul a score of 300 or more with nine wickets in hand.

It also cemented England's unwanted record of being the least successful of all the Test nations when defending a target in excess of 300.

That Eoin Morgan's side posted their highest total of the tournament came as a result of 24-year-old Root becoming the youngest England batsman to score a World Cup century.

How's stat?!

England are only the second team to lose an ODI by nine wickets after posting 300 in the first innings

England have lost nine ODIs after making at least 300 batting first, the most by any team

Sri Lanka are the first team in World Cup history to chase down a target of 300-plus for the loss of one wicket

Sri Lanka are effectively 644-2 in their past two ODIs (332-1 & 312-1) and 543-1 in their last two World Cup matches against England (231-0 & 312-1)

Sangakkara's 70-ball century was the joint fifth fastest in World Cup history


Given a good start by Ian Bell's 49, England were pegged back as Sri Lanka's attack improved by taking pace off the ball, Tillakaratne Dilshan having Gary Ballance caught and bowled to extend the left-hander's poor sequence to only 36 runs in four innings.

At 101-3 in the 21st over, Root arrived to stabilise the innings with Morgan, with the Yorkshire batsman - dropped on two at slip - then dominating a stand of 98 with James Taylor.

Strong square of the wicket, Root reached a fourth ODI hundred at a run a ball, then accelerated by inventively reverse-sweeping the seamers.

After Root fell, England were pushed past 300 by Buttler. Their total seemed competitive, Thirimanne and Sangakkara proved that it was not.

Tillakaratne Dilshan catches Gary Ballance off his own bowling, his 100th ODI wicket

Joe Root has scored four ODI centuries batting at number four

Lahiru Thirimanne added 100 for the first wicket with Dilshan and an unbroken 212 with Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara reached his hundred in 70 balls - the fastest of his 23 ODI centuries


BBC Sport - England thrashed by Sri Lanka in World Cup in Wellington

 

[Blackleaf]

In a match delayed for two hours due to rain in Auckland, co-hosts New Zealand have reached the Cricket World Cup Final for the first time after they beat South Africa by four wickets on the Duckworth/Lewis method in the first of the Semi-Finals.

South Africa batted first and scored 281-5, but New Zealand needed 298 to win according to the D/L Method after the two-hour delay. New Zealand's 299-6 was the highest total ever scored in a World Cup Semi-Final.

They will play ether the other co-hosts Australia or the holders India, who play each other in the other Semi-Final tomorrow, in the Final.

New Zealand beat South Africa in thriller to reach World Cup final

By Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Auckland
24 March 2015

World Cup semi-final, Auckland

South Africa 281-5 (43 overs): Du Plessis 82, De Villiers 65*; Anderson 3-72, Boult 2-53
New Zealand 299-6 (42.5 overs): Elliott 84*, McCullum 59, Anderson 58; Morkel 3-59

New Zealand won by four wickets (Duckworth/Lewis method)

Scorecard

New Zealand beat South Africa with a six off the penultimate ball to reach the World Cup final for the first time.

With five needed from two balls, Grant Elliott hit Dale Steyn into the stands to finish unbeaten on 84 and seal a four-wicket win in Auckland.

Elliott and Corey Anderson's 58 had lifted the Black Caps from 149-4 in their chase of a rain-adjusted 298.

South Africa had earlier posted 281-5, with Faf du Plessis making 82, in a match reduced to 43 overs per side.

Test Match Special commentary on the finale

"That will go for six! Grant Elliott takes New Zealand to their first World Cup final!"

Captain AB de Villiers weighed in with an unbeaten 65 for South Africa and David Miller an 18-ball 49 in a target that was escalated by Duckworth-Lewis, but just within New Zealand's reach.

It was a fourth unsuccessful World Cup semi-final for the Proteas to add to two defeats and the famous 1999 tie with Australia.

For New Zealand, a seventh last-four tie finally yielded a place in the final after six previous losses.

It was earned in a thrilling, fluctuating contest played out in front of a raucous and partisan crowd at Eden Park.

In scarcely believable drama that had echoes of Kane Williamson's six to defeat Australia by one-wicket earlier in the tournament, South Africa-born Elliott smashed Steyn for six over long-on two balls after Daniel Vettori steered a four to the third-man boundary.

Elliott should have been caught from the final ball of the previous over, but his top-edged hook fell to the ground after a boundary collision by JP Duminy and sub fielder Farhaan Behardien.

That South Africa came so close was down to their third comeback of a game that both teams controlled at various points.

The Black Caps were in the early ascendancy thanks to some dangerous swing bowling and electric fielding that reduced South Africa to 114-3 in the 27th over.

Later, they looked to be sprinting through the run-chase when captain Brendon McCullum destroyed the South Africa attack with a 22-ball half-century that included taking 24 runs from a single Steyn over.

South Africa, though, resisted, just as they had earlier through Du Plessis' patience, De Villiers' invention and Miller's explosive power.

Twitter reaction

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen: "South Africa DID NOT CHOKE. They got beaten by a better team today. AB led the team wonderfully well. But, well done NZ. See you in Sydney."
Australia head coach Darren Lehmann: Congrats @NZcricket1 and congrats @BrendanMcCullum and team, loved the ANZAC spirit, well done to Grant Elliott!
Former Australia spinner Shane Warne: "Please hold your heads high South Africa, you've done everyone proud as you gave it absolutely everything. Congratulations to the NZ team who were outstanding in their run chase."

Their defiance in the field came with some help from the home side, as McCullum slapped Morne Morkel to mid-on, Williamson pulled the same bowler on to his own stumps and Martin Guptill was run out in a mix-up with Ross Taylor.

And, when Taylor was caught down the leg side from the off-spin of Duminy, New Zealand still needed 139 from 22 overs.

They were pulled back into contention thanks to the watchful Elliott, who was strong through the covers, and the force of Anderson in a partnership of 103.

De Villiers missed the chance to run out Anderson on 33, failing to gather the ball at the non-striker's end with the left-hander well short of his ground.

The reprieve was the start of New Zealand's acceleration towards their target, but after Anderson skied Morkel to square leg with 46 still to get, South Africa clawed their way back once more.

The requirement got down to 23 from the final 12 balls, with 11 runs taken from a Morkel over that included the Elliott reprieve.

A tie would have taken the Black Caps to the final because of their superior group record, but

How's stat?

New Zealand have won their last 10 one-day internationals - the first time they have done so - including eight World Cup matches
The highest successful run chase in any World Cup knockout game before this match was Australia's 289-4 v New Zealand in Madras in the 1996 quarter-finals
Brendon McCullum has hit 17 sixes in the first 10 overs of this World Cup. Chris Gayle has struck six but no-one else has more than three
Trent Boult now has 21 wickets in this World Cup, passing Geoff Allott's 20 as the most in a tournament for New Zealand. He is the top wicket-taker in the 2015 version with three more than Australia's Mitchell Starc
The previous highest total in a World Cup semi-final was West Indies' 293-6 v Pakistan at The Oval in 1979

South Africa were reduced to 31-2 with openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla out cheaply

South Africa's David Miller made 49 runs off only 18 balls. His innings included six fours and three sixes

A two-hour rain delay scuppered South Africa when they were well placed on 216-3 after 38 overs

Du Plessis was out only two balls after the resumption, caught down the leg side from a Corey Anderson bouncer that had originally been called a wide

McCullum lost his shoe at one point but his stunning innings gave New Zealand a superb start

AB de Villiers missed the chance to run out Grant Elliott when he dislodged the bails with his hands and fell over

Farhaan Behardien (right) dropped Elliott in the penultimate over after colliding with JP Duminy

Man of the match Elliott steered his side home with 84 from 73 balls, including three sixes

South Africa's despair was clear to see as they faced up to a fourth semi-final defeat


BBC Sport - New Zealand beat South Africa in thriller to reach World Cup final

 

[Blackleaf]

Brilliant Australia have won the Cricket World Cup for a record fifth time after beating fellow co-hosts New Zealand in front of over 93,000 spectators - a new record for a cricket match in Australia - at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

The Baggy Greens not only beat the Black Caps, but they destroyed them by seven wickets.

New Zealand batted first, scoring 183 all out after 45 overs - the lowest total ever scored in a Cricket World Cup Final.

Australia rarely looked troubled, sealing the crushing victory over their ANZAC neighbours - who are more of a rugby union, rather than a cricket, nation - in just 33.1 overs, with captain Michael Clarke scoring 74 and Steve Smith 56 not out.

Bowled by Matt Henry with eight required, Clarke, in his final one-day international, was given a standing ovation by the record crowd and welcomed by his team-mates on the boundary edge.

He was part of the Australia team that last lifted the trophy in 2007, with this success extending their record for most World Cups won.

No other team has more than two. In fact, Australia have now won this tournament almost twice as many times as everyone else combined.

Australia's victory provided a joyous end to an emotional Australian summer which saw Aussie batsman Phillip Hughes die after being struck on the neck by a ball in Sydney in November.


Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia crush New Zealand in final

By Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport

World Cup final, Melbourne Cricket Ground (Att: 93,013)

New Zealand 183 (45 overs): Elliott 83, Taylor 40; Johnson 3-30, Faulkner 3-36
Australia 186-3 (33.1 overs): Clarke 74, Smith 56*; Henry 2-46, Boult 1-40

Australia win by 7 wickets

Scorecard

The Aussies celebrate winning the tournament for a record fifth time


Australia overwhelmed New Zealand to win the World Cup for a fifth time at an ecstatic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

New Zealand lost influential captain Brendon McCullum to the fifth ball of the match and were bowled out for 183.

Grant Elliott resisted with 83, while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner shared eight wickets.

Australia rarely looked troubled, sealing a seven-wicket win in 33.1 overs, with captain Michael Clarke scoring 74 and Steve Smith 56 not out.

Bowled by Matt Henry with eight required, Clarke, in his final one-day international, was given a standing ovation by the record 93,000 crowd and welcomed by his team-mates on the boundary edge.

He was part of the Australia team that last lifted the trophy in 2007, with this success extending their record for most World Cups won.

No other team has more than two.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan

"It was a brilliant performance. Australia were the best team in the tournament, fantastically led by Michael Clarke. Today they were just too powerful and strong for New Zealand, who have been great throughout the tournament. They've had everything you'd need in a one-day side, with the left-arm pace of Johnson and Starc. They've got everything covered."

Australia's win was the second in as many tournaments by a host nation after India's win four years ago.

It provided a joyous end to an emotional Australian summer which saw batsman Phillip Hughes die after being struck on the neck by a ball in Sydney in November.

In their first final, after six previous semi-final defeats, New Zealand were blown away.

Their path to Melbourne came with eight successive wins, all on home soil, and most of the pre-match speculation was of how McCullum's men would deal with the change in conditions.

They won what was thought to be a crucial toss, but the life was sucked from their innings almost as soon as it began.

The talismanic McCullum, so often a slayer of new-ball attacks throughout the tournament, aimed two wild swings at Starc, missed with both, then was bowled by a brilliant yorker.

Far from the batting paradise predicted, the pitch was slightly two-paced and offered both turn and some uneven bounce.

But that is to take nothing away from the Australia pace attack, Starc in particular, who bowled with hostility and found movement both in the air and off the seam.

Cricket World Cup roll of honour

World Cup wins .....Team ................... Years
5............................Australia................1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015
2............................West Indies............1975, 1979
2..............................India.......................1983, 2011
1...........................Pakistan....................1992
1.........................Sri Lanka.....................1996

New Zealand clung on without progressing, but when Glenn Maxwell's off-spin got through a lazy Martin Guptill stroke and Kane Williamson patted back to Johnson, they seemed in disarray.

However, from 39-3, they painstakingly rebuilt through semi-final hero Elliott and Ross Taylor.

Elliott, who successfully overturned a Maxwell lbw decision on 15, scored almost exclusively through the off-side to become only the fifth man to register a half-century in the semi and final of the same World Cup.

Taylor made 40 to support in a stand of 111 provided a platform for the batting powerplay.

Yet it was the powerplay that began New Zealand's slide, as Faulkner returned to have Taylor athletically caught behind by Brad Haddin and bowled Corey Anderson two balls later.

When Luke Ronchi played an awful waft to be caught at slip off Starc, three wickets had been lost for one run in eight balls.

There was no support for Elliott, who was caught behind attempting to heave Faulkner and, when Maxwell superbly ran out non-striker Tim Southee with a direct hit for the final wicket, it was the perfect demonstration of Australia's dominance. In all, New Zealand lost seven wickets for 33 runs.

Though Aaron Finch inside-edged on to his pad to be caught and bowled by Trent Boult, David Warner's brisk 45 gave Australia's chase early momentum.

After he was caught hooking Matt Henry, there began a period of pressure that Clarke and Steve Smith battled to absorb, even if Smith needed the fortune of seeing the bails stay unmoved as a Henry delivery trickled on to the base of the stumps.

It would be New Zealand's last chance, as Clarke's cuts and drives down the ground accelerated Australia towards victory.

He could not see the job through, but Smith became the first man to score five successive World Cup half-centuries then pulled Henry for the winning runs.

Brendon McCullum was bowled for a duck in the first over of the game

Mitchell Starc ended the tournament with the best ever World Cup bowling average (min 15 wkts): 22 wickets at 10.18

Grant Elliott and Brad Haddin exchanged words in the New Zealand innings

Trent Boult finished the tournament with 22 wickets

Steve Smith & Michael Clarke both scored fifties in Australia's successful run chase

Shane Watson (left) and Steve Smith celebrate after securing victory in the World Cup final against New Zealand

Australia captain Michael Clarke lifts the World Cup after his country's seven-wicket victory against New Zealand

Australia's players spray champagne as they celebrate their convincing win at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday

The World Cup trophy is held aloft as Australia's players stand triumphant in front of an Australian record crowd of 93,013

Australian captain Clarke holds aloft the World Cup after his side's victory over New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground


BBC Sport - Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia crush New Zealand in final

 

[Blackleaf]

These stunning 2014 cricket images reveal the truly global reach of the world's second-most-popular sport.

How's that for a shot? Stunning images of cricket being played across the globe unveiled by MCC in photography competition


Images of cricket both on the pitch and in a rubbish dump in Dhaka, Bangladesh, among short-listed pictures
Winner of Wisden-MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year was Matthew Lewis' shot of Dwayne Bravo taking a catch

By James White for MailOnline
11 April 2015
Daily Mail

It's a sport with a truly global reach as these images of children, amateurs and professional stars playing cricket show.

The stunning shots make up the short-list for the Wisden–MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year 2014, which was won by Getty Images photographer Matthew Lewis.

His image of Dwayne Bravo shows the player taking a breathtaking full-length catch for the West Indies to dismiss Australia’s James Faulkner during last year’s ICC World Twenty20 competition in Bangladesh.

But portraits of ordinary players also make the list, from children on a Bangladesh rubbish tip to a club player attempting a catch in Kent.

Children enjoy a game of cricket while their parents forage nearby on a rubbish tip in Dhaka, Bangladesh in an image by Abu Taher Khokon

The sun sets behind Mount Wellington in Hobart, Australia, as England's Danny Briggs bowls during a Twenty20 International match

Intrepid players take part in the 'world's highest game of cricket' in the icy summit crater of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

The competition's winning image was taken by Matthew Lewis and captures an outrageous pouch by West Indies player Dwayne Bravo

England bowler Stuart Broad is hit in the face by the ball which breaks his nose after squeezing through the grille of his helmet during a Test match

Bangladesh A's Nurul Hasan sees his stumps rearranged by South African fast bowler Dale Steyn during a limited overs game

Sri Lanka celebrate victory over England after devastated bowler Jimmy Anderson is dismissed by Shaminda Eranga

Joe Russell of Bexley Cricket Club in Kent makes an athletic but unsuccessful attempt at a catch on a boundary but the ball goes for six

England batsman Michael Carberry's defensive stroke sees his bat snap cleanly in two during a spell from Australia's Ryan Harris

Players leave the field at the end of the day's play amid long shadows during a test between South Africa and Australia

Philip Hughes, the Australian batsman who died after being struck by a ball, walks to the changing rooms during a game against Pakistan


How's that for a shot? Stunning images of cricket being played across the globe unveiled by MCC in photography competition | Daily Mail Online

 

[Spade]

Love the sound of crickets, except, of course, when they are singing in the sugar bowl.

 

[Blackleaf]

Now that the World Cup and its One Day cricket is over, it's now back to REAL cricket.

Both England and West Indies had a poor World Cup and now they are playing each other in a three-match Test Series in West Indies.

Yesterday was the First Day of the First Test between the two sides in Antigua.

England are batting first and at lunch yesterday they were looking precarious on 49-3.

But they recovered to post 341-5 by the end of the day's play, with Bell (143) scoring his 22nd Test century.

So England have been on 341-5 overnight and will be hoping to add another 150 to 200 or so runs at least today at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

This is to be a packed year for the England and Wales cricket team. After this Test Series they have another Test Series against New Zealand in England followed by an ODI Series against them and then the Ashes gets underway in Cardiff on 8th July.

West Indies v England: Ian Bell hits century as tourists dominate

By James Gheerbrant
BBC Sport
13 April 2015

West Indies vs England

Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua

Day One (of a maximum of five) of the First Test

1st Innings

England 341-5 (90 overs): (Bell 143, Root 83, Stokes 71*; Taylor 2-79)

Scorecard

England dominated the opening day's play of the First Test in Antigua

Ian Bell hit his 22nd Test century to help England to 341-5 at stumps on day one of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua.

Bell made 143, while Joe Root hit 83 and Ben Stokes 71 not out as England rallied after being reduced to 34-3.

Jonathan Trott was out third ball in his first Test since leaving the 2013-14 Ashes tour.

Alastair Cook (11) and Gary Ballance (10) also fell cheaply after England were put in at the toss.

Ballance hit by curse of 10

Gary Ballance was dismissed for 10 for the fourth time in his last five international innings, having made that score three times at the World Cup.

England were precariously positioned at 49-3 at lunch, but their fortunes were transformed after the interval by a superb counter-attacking partnership of 171 by Bell and Root.

Root was eventually dismissed after tea by fast bowler Jerome Taylor (2-79), the pick of the West Indies attack, but Bell continued to punish some wayward bowling, bringing up his century off 194 balls, before he fell to Kemar Roach in the penultimate over of the day.

"In 2009 I was dropped here in Antigua, so it was nice to come back here and put things right from my own perspective," Bell told BBC Test Match Special.

Stokes, who had recorded three ducks in his last three Test innings, injected added impetus into the innings with a rapid half-century.

Stokes returns to form

Ben Stokes's unbeaten 71 was his first half-century in his last eight Test innings. It is currently his second-highest Test score, behind his 120 against Australia at Perth in 2013.

His impressive return to the side was in stark contrast to the early misfortune of Trott, making his first appearance after 15 months out following stress-related problems.

The Warwickshire man, opening the batting for only the third time in his 50th Test match, edged Taylor to slip before scoring.

Roach extended Cook's two-year wait for a Test century with an inswinger that shattered his stumps, before Jason Holder removed the out-of-form Ballance.

At that stage, West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin's unexpected decision to bowl appeared vindicated and it seemed that the pressure might increase on England and their coach Peter Moores after a dismal World Cup in the 50-over format.

But after lunch West Indies' bowlers tired badly as England began to dominate in sunny conditions on a flat pitch.

Sulieman Benn (0-85) was particularly culpable as Bell and Root raced to 167-3 at tea.

Though that pair fell before the close, the impressive Stokes remains at the crease as England look well placed to target 500 when play resumes on day two at 15:00 BST.

"Ben Stokes came in and showed everyone what he can do - he can destroy bowlers," added Bell. "Hopefully we can have a bit more of that tomorrow."

Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua

Jonathan Trott recorded his third duck in his last 12 Test innings

Alastair Cook has not made a Test century since May 2013 - a run stretching back 32 innings

Kemar Roach is the leading West Indian in the ICC Test bowling rankings, in ninth place

Joe Root passed 50 for the seventh time in eight Test matches


BBC Sport - West Indies v England: Ian Bell hits century as tourists dominate

 

[Blackleaf]

England have an overnight, First Innings lead of 244 runs against the Windies.

Yesterday, on Day Two of the First Test between the two teams in Antigua, England were hoping to add another 150 to 200 more runs onto the 341 runs they had scored on Day One and get the 500 up.

But the tourists lost their remaining five wickets for just 42 runs as they were eventually bowled out for 399.

Although West Indies slipped to 99-4 in reply, they recovered to reach 155 without further loss by the close.

James Anderson claimed his 381st Test wicket to move to within two of Ian Botham's record for England.

England's immediate objective on the third day will be to remove the obdurate Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made an unbeaten 29 off 98 balls in his 162nd Test.

He and Jermaine Blackwood spent almost 29 overs adding 56 in the evening session, a partnership typical of a game which has been attritional rather than enthralling.

The third day's play gets underway in around an hour's time (15.00 BST).

West Indies v England: Hosts' fightback limits England advantage


By Justin Goulding
BBC Sport
14 April 2015

The Windies fought back on Day Two yesterday and trail by 244 runs in the First Innings going into today's play

Second Day of the First Test (at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua)


1st Innings

England: 399 (110.4 overs) Bell 143, Root 83, Stokes 79; Roach 4-94
West Indies: 155-4 (66 overs): Brathwaite 39, Samuels 33; Tredwell 1-22

England lead by 244 runs

Scorecard

West Indies fought back to limit England's advantage on the second day of the first Test in Antigua.

The tourists lost their last five wickets for 42 runs as they were bowled out for 399, with Ben Stokes falling for 79 and Kemar Roach taking 4-94.

Although West Indies slipped to 99-4 in reply, they recovered to reach 155 without further loss by the close.

James Anderson claimed his 381st Test wicket to move to within two of Ian Botham's record for England.

England's immediate objective on the third day will be to remove the obdurate Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made an unbeaten 29 off 98 balls in his 162nd Test.

He and Jermaine Blackwood spent almost 29 overs adding 56 in the evening session, a partnership typical of a game which has been attritional rather than enthralling.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew

"West Indies bowled well, but England's lack of resistance was poor. Ben Stokes will be hugely frustrated he didn't go on to get his second Test hundred, while Jos Buttler, who made an uncharacteristic 22-ball duck, never got to grips with the conditions. It suggests a lack of confidence within the team, and that's hardly surprising."

England can still claim to hold the upper hand in their first game since their dismal World Cup campaign, and captain Alastair Cook will be pleased by the discipline shown by his bowlers under clear skies and on a largely placid surface.

But they were left to reflect on the no-ball that cost Ben Stokes the wicket of Blackwood, who edged to Cook at slip on 21. It would have reduced West Indies to 133-5.

"It's not a wicket that you can run through a team on," said Chris Jordan. "You just have to hang in and be patient."

Stokes was the only member of England's five-strong attack who failed to take a wicket, off-spinner James Tredwell the most economical of them with 1-22 off 15 overs.

Anderson, playing his 100th Test, looked the most penetrative, angling one across the left-handed Devon Smith in the ninth over of West Indies' reply to provide Jos Buttler with the first of three catches.

Darren Bravo failed to withdraw his bat in time to Jordan, while Stuart Broad located Marlon Samuels's edge with a fuller delivery that held its line.

Ex-England spinner Graeme Swann on Test Match Special

"West Indies have looked to blunt the England attack rather than take it to them. The dismissal of Marlon Samuels was a fine bit of bowling from Broad, as was the catch from Jordan to get rid of Brathwaite, but other than that it's been dull as dishwater."

It took a splendid one-handed catch low down at slip by Jordan off Tredwell to remove opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who batted 37 overs for his 39.

But Blackwood, having hit Tredwell for six off his second ball, calmed down somewhat in alliance with Chanderpaul to keep England at bay for the remainder of another day extended by the slow over-rate.

Earlier, England's hopes of pressing on well beyond 400 were ended by the loss of four wickets for four runs after they resumed on 341-5.

Stokes had added only eight to his overnight 81 when he guided Jerome Taylor straight to gully, before Tredwell was caught behind off Jason Holder.

Roach accounted for a flat-footed Buttler, whose duck spanned 22 balls, and Broad sliced the same bowler to backward point in his next over.

From 361-9, England were thankful for a last-wicket partnership of 38 between Jordan and Anderson which was ended when the latter chipped Samuels tamely to short cover.

Listen to Geoffrey Boycott and Jonathan Agnew review the second day's play on the Test Match Special podcast.

Kemar Roach's haul of 4-94 took his wicket tally to 117 in 30 Tests

Dancers enjoy England's collapse from 357-5 to 399 all out on the second morning

James Anderson removes Devon Smith to move to within two wickets of Ian Botham's England record of 383 Test wickets

James Tredwell, playing his second Test, has Kraigg Brathwaite superbly held by Chris Jordan

Ben Stokes had Jermaine Blackwood caught at slip off a no-ball, which would have left West Indies 133-5

 

[Blackleaf]

I never reported on the third day's play of this match, so here is what happened yesterday, the fourth day.

Gary Ballance's century and a stunning Chris Jordan catch set up England's victory push in the first Test against West Indies in Antigua.

Ballance hit 122, Joe Root 59 and Jos Buttler a rapid unbeaten 59 to help the tourists declare on 333-7 in their second innings.

Chasing a notional 438 to win, West Indies lost Darren Bravo for 32 late on as they closed day four on 98-2.

But with England requiring just another eight wickets to win today, the fifth and final day of the match, either an England victory or a draw is the most likely outcome.

The obdurate Devon Smith, who added 83 with Bravo for the second wicket, will resume on 59 when plays gets underway again in around 40 minutes' time.

West Indies v England: Gary Ballance ton sets up victory push

By Justin Goulding
BBC Sport
16 April 2015

Gary Ballance's 122 has given England sight of victory in the First Test

Fourth Day of the First Test

Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

First Innings

England 399
West Indies 295

Second Innings

England 333-7 dec: Ballance 122, Root 59, Buttler 59*
West Indies 98-2: Smith 59*

West Indies need another 340 runs to win

England need another 8 wickets to win

Scorecard

Gary Ballance's century and a stunning Chris Jordan catch set up England's victory push in the first Test against West Indies in Antigua.

Ballance hit 122, Joe Root 59 and Jos Buttler a rapid unbeaten 59 to help the tourists declare on 333-7.

Chasing a notional 438 to win, West Indies lost Darren Bravo for 32 late on as they closed day four on 98-2.

The obdurate Devon Smith, who added 83 with Bravo for the second wicket, will resume on 59.

Ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott on Test Match Special

"The bowlers have to do it collectively. You need to swap the bowlers around, try some funny field placings, and not too many boundary fielders unless you're going to bowl for the hook. They'll need to make the West Indian batsmen play shots because, if they keep blocking, it's very difficult to prise them out."

James Anderson did not take a wicket in seven overs and remains one short of equalling Sir Ian Botham's England record of 383 in Tests.

Ballance said England were "pretty happy" with their position as they chase a first win in 10 Tests away from home.

But Smith demonstrated enough application in conditions that continue to favour the batsmen to suggest England can expect a challenging final day.

There was minimal lateral movement for the seamers in the 40 overs possible after they declared shortly before tea.

The first wicket owed much to extra bounce from Stuart Broad as Kraigg Brathwaite fended to short leg in the second over, and England were thankful for Jordan's reactions and athleticism to end Bravo's resistance six overs from the close.

Driving at the part-time off-spin of Root, Bravo edged to slip, where Jordan dived to his right to cling on almost after the ball had passed him.

Ballance's hundred - the 25-year-old's fourth in nine Tests and his first overseas - was central to England adding 217 in 48 overs after they resumed on 116-3.

Compact and organised, he drove purposefully through the off side and rotated the strike well with Root as they extended their fourth-wicket partnership, worth 64 overnight, to 114.

Root, whose 83 was central to England's recovery in the first innings, had made 59 when he played on for the second time in the match as he defended Jason Holder off the back foot.

Ex-England batsman Michael Vaughan on Test Match Special

"I don't know how you judge the best catch of all time, but I do know that catch from Chris Jordan was right up there."

Ben Stokes's brisk 35 added impetus, although he perished in the first over after lunch giving the otherwise ineffective Sulieman Benn the charge.

Ballance, who went to three figures with a meaty drive down the ground, lifted Benn for six over long-on to take England's lead beyond 400, only to swing the same bowler to Jermaine Blackwood at deep mid-wicket.

The free-scoring Buttler continued to prosper as West Indies' motivation faded, adding 52 in 28 balls with Jordan before the latter's departure prompted the declaration.

Listen to Geoffrey Boycott and Jonathan Agnew review the fourth day's play on the Test Match Special podcast.

Joe Root converted his overnight 32 into a second half-century of the match

Gary Ballance, 44 not out overnight, hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 122 off 250 balls

Jos Buttler's unbeaten 59 contained five fours and two sixes

Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 39 in 37 overs in the first innings, survived only six balls in the second

Chris Jordan has taken two one-handed catches at slip off spinners in the match


BBC Sport - West Indies v England: Gary Ballance ton sets up victory push

 

[Blackleaf]

On the fifth and final day of the First Test yesterday, the Windies managed to hold on for a draw.

The Windies resumed the final day needing another 340 runs to win, and England needed another eight wickets to win.

But neither team were able to achieve their target, with the Windies managing to hold on and keep batting until the day's play ended.

However, England's bowling great James Anderson took two wickets yesterday taking his total tally of England wickets to 384, surpassing Sir Ian Botham's record of most wickets taken for England.

The three-match Series remains 0-0.

West Indies v England: Hosts draw first Test after Anderson record

By Justin Goulding
BBC Sport
BBC News

First Test, day five, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua


Result

First Innings

England 399
West Indies 295

Second Innings

England 333-7 dec
West Indies 350-7 (Holder 103*, Smith 65, Ramdin 57; Root 2-22)

Match drawn
Three match Series remains 0-0

Scorecard

West Indies held on to draw the first Test on the day James Anderson became England's leading wicket-taker in Test history.

Anderson's two wickets on the final day in Antigua took his tally to 384, breaking Sir Ian Botham's record.

But Jason Holder's unbeaten 103, his maiden Test century, helped West Indies - set 438 to win - to 350-7.

He added 105 with captain Denesh Ramdin, who scored 57, while Devon Smith made 65.

England's celebrations at Anderson's historic achievement were tempered by their failure to prise out more than five wickets in almost 90 overs on the final day.

While the tourists can take heart from dominating much of the game, they have not won a Test away from home in 10 attempts stretching back to 2012.

Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan on Test Match Special

"England missed a trick by not playing Adil Rashid in this match. The leg-spinner could have been a real threat on the fifth day. But in terms of tactics, England were excellent all day. They just didn't have enough variation in the attack."

They were denied by a combination of a lifeless pitch and the defiance shown by Holder, Ramdin and, late in the day, Kemar Roach, who batted for an hour and a quarter for an unbeaten 15.

A couple of rash dismissals aside, West Indies batted with commendable application, and can head to Grenada for Tuesday's second Test with justified optimism.

Ramdin played a central role, leading the recovery from 155-5 after three wickets fell in a morning session which began with West Indies 98-2.

Devon Smith drove James Tredwell to mid-on to end an otherwise patient 175-ball innings, Anderson had Marlon Samuels taken at gully to take him level with Botham's record, and Joe Root trapped Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw as he pushed forward.

Jermaine Blackwell threatened to undermine Ramdin's efforts when he charged at Chris Jordan and inside-edged to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to depart for 31.

Ex-West Indies captain Sir Viv Richards on Test Match Special

"I like this Jason Holder fellow; he's going to be a magnificent cricketer. It was a marvellous effort from the West Indies. A lot of folks would have come here today expecting them to crumble."

But Holder, whose previous highest first-class score was 52, accompanied his skipper in a largely untroubled seventh-wicket stand spanning 32 overs.

Standing tall and driving straight off front and back foot, Holder struck 15 fours as England captain Alastair Cook rotated his bowlers to little effect either side of tea.

Although he lost Ramdin to a wonderful outswinger which Cook held at first slip to give Anderson the record, Holder and Roach repelled England for the remaining 18 overs of the day.

Holder, on 87, survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Tredwell when a drive ricocheted off Gary Ballance's shin at silly point.

But few in the ground could begrudge him his moment of glory as successive fours down the ground took him to a richly deserved century.

Listen to Geoffrey Boycott and Jonathan Agnew review the final day's play on the Test Match Special podcast.

James Tredwell, who took 4-47 in the first innings, claimed the first wicket on the final day

Denesh Ramdin made an unbeaten 107 in his previous Test against England, at Edgbaston in 2012

Jason Holder's previous highest first-class score was the 52 he made on Test debut

James Anderson becomes England's highest Test wicket-taker, overtaking Sir Ian Botham with 384, by removing Denesh Ramdin

Alastair Cook holds his head in his hands after the chance to take a crucial wicket goes begging in Antigua

Cook stands next to West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin as both sides settled for a draw in the first Test

Devon Smith drives a shot past Cook on his way to 65 runs in a patient 175-ball second innings

The England players leave the field frustrated after day five ends with West Indies having forced the draw

​

BBC Sport - West Indies v England: Hosts draw first Test after Anderson record

 

[Blackleaf]

West Indies have been on 188-5 against England overnight on what is the landmark 150th Test between the two sides.

It was the First Day of the Second Test of the Series yesterday at the National Cricket Stadium in St George's, Grenada, which saw a blast of traditional cricketing sledging.

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has mocked England all-rounder Ben Stokes and his attempts at sledging.

Samuels made an unbeaten 94 as his side finished Day One on 188-5.

In 2012 he derided James Anderson's attempts to talk him out while scoring a century at Trent Bridge.

"It's obvious the English boys don't learn because whenever they talk to me I continue scoring runs," said Samuels. "But they keep on talking."

He added: "I guess they can't help it. I kept on telling him that but I probably have to tell him something different because he's not listening.

"He keeps talking to me but it keeps me motivated and keeps me batting."

Asked if he felt the sledging had been counter-productive, Samuels replied: "It all depends on how the morning goes... Marlon Samuels 150, Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand. It will be very interesting."

The Second Day's play gets underway later.

West Indies v England: Marlon Samuels blast frustrates tourists

By Sam Sheringham
BBC Sport
22 April 2015

First Day of the Second Test (at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada)

First Innings

West Indies 188-5: Samuels 94*, Bravo 35; Jordan 2-40; Anderson 1-18; 70.0 overs

Scorecard

Marlon Samuels flashes a drives through the covers which Alastair Cook has no interest in collecting as he jumps out of the way

England were frustrated by a counter-attacking unbeaten 94 by Marlon Samuels on a scrappy opening day of the second Test in Grenada.

After rain delayed the start of play, James Anderson bowled Kraigg Brathwaite in the third over.

And England's seamers turned the screw on a lifeless pitch to reduce their hosts to 129-5.

But Samuels dug deep to reach fifty before firing a flurry of boundaries to take the Windies to 188-5.

On the type of pitch that does Test cricket no favours as it battles for relevance in a Twenty20-dominated landscape, neither team will be entirely satisfied with their efforts.

England, seeking a first Test win away from home since December 2012, dropped three catches and failed to fully exploit helpful overhead conditions, while the Windies' batting lacked any impetus until Samuels opened his shoulders in the final session.

In truth, England were probably grateful for the fading light that brought play to a premature end at a point when Samuels was motoring towards three figures.

And captain Alastair Cook, who dropped Samuels at slip on 32, will be hoping a new day sees England's seamers rediscover their dominance of the first half of day one.

"The good thing is that we didn't let them get away too far," Chris Jordan, who took 2-40, told BBC Sport. "We bowled reasonably well in patches but we maybe could have made the batsmen play a little bit more with the ball swinging as it did. All in all, a reasonable day."

Samuels, meanwhile, said he was spurred on by goading from England bowler Ben Stokes.

"He keeps talking to me but it keeps me motivated and keeps me batting," said Samuels.

Anderson, fresh from surpassing Sir Ian Botham as England's leading wicket-taker, took just seven balls to notch up victim number 385.

After an over of outswingers, he sent down an inswinger that looped violently from left to right, through Brathwaite's defences and cannoned into his leg stump.

Landmark Test

This match is the 150th Test between England & West Indies
It is the second most played fixture in Test cricket after England v Australia (336 Tests)
West Indies have won 53 and England 45, with 51 draws


Devon Smith's dismissal for 15 was nothing short of baffling. Wafting outside off stump at Jordan, he was given out caught behind only for replays to show a clear gap between bat and ball. Smith seemed to forget he had the option to review as he trudged off shaking his head.

Darren Bravo played with an elegance reminiscent of his cousin and fellow left-hander Brian Lara. But on reaching 35, he threw his wicket away with a careless swing at Stuart Broad that carried through to Jos Buttler.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, needing 79 runs to surpass Lara as the Windies' leading Test run-scorer, managed only one before pushing Stokes - who moments earlier had required treatment for a hip problem suffered taking a tumble in the field - straight to Moeen Ali at point.

And when Jordan had Antigua centurion Jermaine Blackwood lbw via a successful review, England were well on top.

Samuels, however, turned the tide. After labouring for 142 balls to reach his fifty, he needed only 44 further deliveries to move within one blow of a century.

His partnership of 59 with Denesh Ramdin, in which the Windies captain contributed just six, left the contest in the balance at stumps.

"If we group enough balls, keep being aggressive, those wickets will come," added Jordan. "We have to be patient and hopefully we can get our rewards."

The National Cricket Stadium, St George's, Grenada

Stokes athletically fields a shot from Samuels off his own bowling at the Grenada National Stadium in Saint George's

Australian umpire Steve Davis reprimands England's Ben Stokes after he exchanged words with Marlon Samuels

Kraigg Brathwaite is first to fall as James Anderson bowls the West Indies opener with a massive in-swinger

Ben Stokes races in to celebrate with Anderson after the opening bowler makes the breakthrough with a sensational delivery

Anderson's 84mph huge in-swinger bamboozled Brathwaite (top) and the batsman falls over having played a line way outside off stump

Replays show Devon Smith clearly misses the ball before being dismissed caught behind off Chris Jordan

Smith declines his option to review the decision which would have likely been reversed with HotSpot not available in this Test series

Smith is given out as England players celebrate their second wicket of a rain-shortened first session

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BBC Sport - West Indies v England: Marlon Samuels blast frustrates tourists

 

[Blackleaf]

Joe Root's century has put England in charge in the Second Test against the West Indies.

Root hit 118 not out, his sixth Test century, as the tourists reached 373-6 in their first innings, leading West Indies by 74 with two days to go.

He's also joined Patsy Hendren, Ted Dexter, Ken Barrington and Alastair Cook as the only England batsmen to score six consecutive fifties

The Yorkshireman was well supported by Gary Ballance (77), who passed 50 for the eighth time in 10 Tests.

Captain Alastair Cook (76) was denied a first Test hundred since May 2013 while fellow opener Jonathan Trott made 59.

New Zealand-born Ben Stokes' rivalry with Marlon Samuels continues. The 23-year-old all-rounder was sarcastically saluted off the field by Samuels when he was dismissed by a Bishoo delivery.

West Indies v England: Joe Root century puts tourists in charge

By James Gheerbrant
BBC Sport
23 April 2015

Third Day of the Second Test

St George's, Grenada

First Innings

West Indies 299: Samuels 103, Ramdin 31; Broad 4-61
England 373-6: Root 118*, Ballance 77, Cook 76; Gabriel 2-60

England lead by 74 runs

Scorecard

A sparkling hundred from Joe Root put England in position to push for victory in the second Test against West Indies.

Root hit 118 not out, his sixth Test century, as the tourists reached 373-6 in their first innings, leading West Indies by 74 with two days to go.

The Yorkshireman was well supported by Gary Ballance (77), who passed 50 for the eighth time in 10 Tests.

Captain Alastair Cook (76) was denied a first Test hundred since May 2013 while fellow opener Jonathan Trott made 59.

Long time coming

The 125-run stand between Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott was England's first century partnership for the first wicket in 40 innings. The last one came at Dunedin in March 2013, between Cook and Nick Compton.

But the day belonged to Root, who continued his extraordinary run since he was dropped for the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney in January 2014.

The 24-year-old is now averaging 103.7 since his recall to the side and has passed 50 in each of his last six innings - equalling the England record.

On a slowish pitch, he batted with a fluency that proved beyond any of the other England batsmen, reaching his ton off just 125 balls.

"Joe was probably a bit frustrated watching Alastair and I cloth it everywhere and not hit boundaries," said Trott. "He came in and showed the guys how.

"I don't think cricket is ever easy but he certainly makes it look relatively easy. He's mature beyond his years and a fine player to have in the dressing room."

Earlier in the day, the under-pressure Cook and Trott put on 125 for the first wicket, with 34-year-old Trott reaching his first half-century since his international recall before edging spinner Devendra Bishoo to slip.

Cook looked set for his 26th Test century but dragged the ball on to his stumps off pace bowler Shannon Gabriel. However, the captain has now passed 50 in four of his last seven innings.

Most innings without a century by an England opener

Mike Brearley: 41 (Jun 1976 - Jul 1981)
Alastair Cook: 34 (Jul 2013 - Apr 2015)
Tom Hayward: 33 (Dec 1901 - Jun 1909)
Mark Butcher: 30 (Nov 1998 - Oct 2003)

"Alastair and I were really pleased to put on a good start but I'm sure both of us are disappointed we couldn't go on and make a bigger score," added Trott.

"You don't spend all those hours in the nets to get fifties, you go there to get match defining hundreds.

"But we get on pretty well, we've got a good understanding in the middle and it was nice to get back in the groove."

Ian Bell departed in almost identical fashion to Cook, but Ballance continued his outstanding start to his Test career with a patient innings that saw him take advantage of the flagging West Indies bowlers.

The hosts fought back well in the evening session, claiming three quick wickets - with Ballance missing a loopy delivery, Moeen Ali farcically run out without scoring and Ben Stokes caught at deep mid-wicket for eight.

Stokes' ongoing battle with Marlon Samuels again reared its head, the Jamaican standing and saluting Stokes as he stalked towards the pavilion.

But England hold the upper hand and will look to build a sizeable lead when they bat tomorrow, before attempting to do what they could not in the first Test in Antigua, and bowl West Indies out for a second time.

Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott brought up England's first hundred partnership for the first wicket since March 2013

Devendra Bishoo had Jonathan Trott caught at slip to claim his first Test wicket since Michael Clarke in April 2012

Joe Root joined Patsy Hendren, Ted Dexter, Ken Barrington and Alastair Cook as the only England batsmen to score six consecutive fifties

In 10 Tests, Gary Ballance has four hundreds and four 50s at an average of 62.53

Samuels (right) lined up to give Stokes an unusual send-off from the field

 

[Blackleaf]

England, inspired by a brilliant James Anderson, have thrashed West Indies by nine wickets in the Second Test of the Series.

On the final day's play, the bowler, playing in his 101st Test, took three wickets, two catches and ran out Jason Holder with a direct hit as the home side slipped from an overnight 202-2 to 307 all out.

That left England 143 to win, reached with an unbeaten 81 from Gary Ballance and Alastair Cook's 59 not out.

Victory in Grenada, a first Test win overseas since 2012, gives England a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Anderson took six wickets overall in this Second Test and has moved up to a career-high second in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings.

The Burnley Express climbed three places and sits alongside Australia's Ryan Harris, behind only South Africa's Dale Steyn.

Anderson last week surpassed Sir Ian Botham as England's highest Test wicket-taker with his 384th dismissal.

Team-mates Joe Root and Gary Ballance also moved up the ICC rankings.

West Indies v England: James Anderson inspires victory

By Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport
25 April 2015

Day Five of the Second Test, St George's, Grenada

Result

First Innings

West Indies: 299
England: 464

Second Innings

West Indies: 307 Brathwaite 116, Bravo 69; Anderson 4-43; 112.0 overs
England: 144-1 Ballance 81*, Cook 59*; Gabriel 1-20; 41.1 overs

England won by nine wickets

England lead the Series 1-0

Scorecard

James Anderson inspired England to a nine-wicket win over West Indies on the final day of the second Test.

Anderson took three wickets, two catches and ran out Jason Holder with a direct hit as the home side slipped from an overnight 202-2 to 307 all out.

That left England 143 to win, reached with an unbeaten 81 from Gary Ballance and Alastair Cook's 59 not out.

Victory in Grenada, a first Test win overseas since 2012, gives England a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The unlikely circumstances of the victory - England needed to take eight wickets on a docile pitch quickly enough for a run chase to be possible - are not the only reason for Cook's side to be delighted.

It comes on the back of a disastrous World Cup campaign, the threat of "enquiries" from incoming England and Wales Cricket chairman Colin Graves if they do not succeed in the Caribbean, and after the make-up of their attack for this match came under fire.

But there are still issues to be addressed for the final Test in Barbados, not least the position of Jonathan Trott at the top of the order.

After making a first-innings half-century, Trott fell for his second duck since returning to the side in the first Test. In a three-ball stay, he survived an lbw review before chopping Shannon Gabriel on to his stumps.

Ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott on Test Match Special

"Some of these players played in the World Cup and got panned for their performances. They know they are the better Test side, but it still hurts you if you play badly. Whether it's one-day cricket or Tests, you're an England player and England cricket is under the cosh.

There's that relief and hopefully they can go to Barbados on top of the world and, in the nicest sporting way, crush the West Indies."

That was the only low point of an England day that was dominated by Anderson's brilliance with the ball and in the field.

As the home side resumed 37 ahead, the tourists were relying on the second new ball to create opportunities and Anderson, a week on from becoming England's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, provided the catalyst through an exhibition of aggressive swing bowling.

Fourth-day centurion Kraigg Brathwaite could only fend a vicious short ball to gully before Shivnarine Chanderpaul was superbly caught by a diving Cook at first slip after Ian Bell parried the initial chance.

And, when Marlon Samuels failed to withdraw his bat from an away-swinger, Anderson had 3-1 with the new ball in overall figures of 4-43.

As pressure on West Indies increased, Anderson was barely out of the game, first holding a loose drive from Jermaine Blackwood at mid-off from the bowling of Chris Jordan, then doing the same at mid-on to dismiss Kemar Roach off Moeen Ali.

In between was perhaps the most spectacular of the lot, a direct hit at the non-striker's end from mid-off to defeat Holder's lazy attempt to return to his ground.

Home captain Denesh Ramdin briefly halted England's charge, but missed a Moeen full toss to be lbw, with Gabriel pinned in front two balls later to complete a much-improved display by the England off-spinner.

Fewest innings to reach 1,000 England Test runs

12: Herbert Sutcliffe
16: Len Hutton
17: Gary Ballance
18: Wally Hammond

Though Trott went in the second over, England's chase was never in doubt as Cook and Ballance shared an unbroken stand of 142.

Cook scored almost exclusively square of the wicket to notch his fifth half-century in eight Test knocks, looking much more fluent than his first-innings 76.

Ballance accelerated towards victory, finding the boundary through 360 degrees and becoming the third-fastest England batsman to 1,000 Test runs.

He was dropped on 15 at slip from Samuels' off-spin, but, even by then, West Indies were beaten.

Kraigg Brathwaite, who scored a century on day four, was the first wicket to fall

Alastair Cook caught Shivnarine Chanderpaul after Ian Bell parried an edge

Moeen Ali's off-spin improved to claim three wickets

West Indies' all-rounder Jason Holder was stretchered off with an ankle injury

England's previous win overseas came against India in December 2012


BBC Sport - West Indies v England: James Anderson inspires victory

 

[Ludlow]

I'm so excited been on pins and needles waiting for this sporting event.

 

[Blackleaf]

England captain Alastair Cook scored his first Test century since May 2013 but his team struggled on day one of the final Test against West Indies.

The 30-year-old, who survived an appeal for a catch on 22, ended a run of 35 innings without a Test century and reached his 26th hundred off 259 balls.

He was caught behind in the final over to signal stumps, leaving England on 240-7 after they chose to bat.

Earlier, opening partner Jonathan Trott fell for his third duck of the series.

West Indies v England: Alastair Cook hits century in Barbados

By Jamie Lillywhite
BBC Sport
2 May 2015

First Day of the Third Test (at Kensington Oval, Barbados)

1st innings

England: 240-7 (89.2 overs) Cook 105, Moeen 58; Holder 2-34

Scorecard

England are leading the three-match Series 1-0

England captain Alastair Cook scored his first Test century since May 2013 but his team struggled on day one of the final Test against West Indies.

The 30-year-old, who survived an appeal for a catch on 22, ended a run of 35 innings without a Test century and reached his 26th hundred off 259 balls.

He was caught behind in the final over to signal stumps, leaving England on 240-7 after they chose to bat.

Earlier, opening partner Jonathan Trott fell for his third duck of the series.

Former England opening batsman Geoffrey Boycott on BBC Test Match Special

"Cook has played splendidly. I watched his feet, he was going back and forward and above all he played straight. He fully deserved his hundred. In Tests, he's not been in that bad form, we've got confused because he was struggling in one-day cricket. With concentration, patience and footwork like that he will always make runs in Test cricket."

Cook salutes England's Barmy Army after ending his run of 35 innings without a Test century

Moeen Ali admitted that it was a shame when Cook, who scored 105, finally got out to the last ball of the day on Friday

Ali looked in good touch before he was run out, Cook calling him through for a non-existent single

Cook - deposed as one-day captain last December - had made two half-centuries in England's nine-wicket win in Grenada last week but had not made a Test hundred since facing New Zealand at Headingley two years ago.

As wickets fell regularly around him on a flat surface, he showed admirable patience, equalling his slowest Test century in terms of balls faced to end his long wait.

The century was warmly appreciated by a large gathering of England supporters, thought to number around 10,000, at Barbados' Kensington Oval.

"You saw what it meant to the players and the crowd," Moeen told BBC Sport. "Everybody wants the captain to do well, especially with some big series coming up.

"He got us out of a bit of a hole - I think he'll be more satisfied with that than the actual hundred.

"I think it was coming, he's been batting well all trip so it was well deserved, but we've got a lot of work to do in this game."

However, problems continued for Trott in his new role at the top of the innings.

Since returning to the side for this series after stress-related problems that forced him to return early from the Ashes tour of Australia in November 2013, Trott has made one fifty, but only four runs in the four other innings.

His movement across the crease left him in an awkward, crouching position facing fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and he flicked a rapid short delivery tamely to square-leg.

Cook's England century landmarks

Alastair Cook made his first England century on his Test debut in March 2006 when he made 104 against India in Nagpur
His most prolific year for England Test centuries was in 2010 when he made five hundreds, including 235 against Australia
He became England's top century maker in 2012 when he overtook Wally Hammond, Geoffrey Boycott and Colin Cowdrey's total of 22

His highest Test score remains the 294 he made against India at Edgbaston in 2011

"He's been playing really well in the nets," added Moeen. "I honestly think that he's going to get a score for us, hopefully in the second innings."
Jason Holder soon struck in consecutive overs, first beating Gary Ballance (18 ) for pace and uprooting his middle stump and then deceiving Ian Bell to offer a simple return catch for a duck.

It might have been 51-4 before lunch when Cook turned Veerasammy Permaul to short-leg in the slow left-armer's opening over, but although replays indicated otherwise, television umpire Steve Davis decided the catch had not been taken cleanly.

Joe Root (33) appeared on course to equal the world record of seven successive scores in excess of 50 but having added a calm half-century partnership with his captain, he feathered a catch behind off the spinner.

There was appreciable turn in the pitch but Permaul, in his first Test since 2013, was guilty of numerous full tosses, one of several West Indian bowlers to offer too many loose deliveries, and he conceded 12 boundaries.

The Windies were offered an unlikely reprieve when Cook cut straight to backward point but called Moeen Ali for an injudicious single and the Worcestershire batsman's stylish 58 ended in a run-out without the need for a replay.

Ben Stokes departed for 22 but Cook reached three figures in the 88th over with a four clipped through midwicket.


BBC Sport - West Indies v England: Alastair Cook hits century in Barbados