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/ 11 April 2008

Proteas stumble after comfortable start

Teenage paceman Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh shared six wickets as India restricted South Africa to 265 in the third and final Test in Kanpur on Friday. South Africa were comfortably placed at 152-1 before losing their way on a spin-friendly pitch. Skipper Graeme Smith (69) and Hashim Amla (51) led the way with solid half-centuries.

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/ 10 April 2008

India, SA square off against terror backdrop

India and South Africa enter the third and final Test on Friday with the series on the line, and having to deal with the threat of a reported terrorist plot against the match, which is being played in Kanpur. Security was bolstered after police sources said that they had intelligence of a planned attack in the northern Indian city by Islamic terrorists.

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/ 9 April 2008

South Africa eye subcontinent hat-trick

A buoyant South Africa will be keen to capitalise on India’s form and fitness worries ahead of Friday’s third and final Test in Kanpur to complete a hat-trick in the subcontinent. The visitors lead 1-0 in the series following their crushing win by an innings and 90 runs in the second Test in Ahmedabad last Saturday after the opening match ended in a draw in Chennai.

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/ 6 April 2008

Smith hails teamwork after big win

South Africa captain Graeme Smith hailed his team’s all-round performance after they beat India within three days in the second Test on Saturday. The tourists won by an innings and 90 runs to hand India their fourth heaviest defeat on home soil to go 1-0 up in the three-Test series.

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/ 5 April 2008

SA crush India in second Test

South Africa relied on their bowlers’ disciplined performances to thrash India by an innings and 90 runs on the third day of the second Test on Saturday. Trailing by 418, India were bowled out for 328 in their second innings despite fighting half-centuries from former captain Sourav Ganguly (87) and wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52).

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/ 4 April 2008

De Villiers, Kallis put SA on top

AB de Villiers scored a maiden unbeaten double hundred and Jacques Kallis struck his 30th century to put South Africa in the driver’s seat against India in the second Test on Friday. The fifth-wicket pair took their overnight stand to 256 — a South Africa record for any wicket against India, who were out for 76 in the opening session of the match.

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/ 3 April 2008

Steyn helps SA dismiss India for 76

South Africa’s pace attack made optimum use of bowler-friendly conditions to dismiss India for just 76 runs before lunch on the opening day of the second Test on Thursday. Spearhead Dale Steyn finished with five wickets after Makhaya Ntini claimed three victims in 12 deliveries to rip through India’s top order after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat.

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/ 2 April 2008

Proteas upbeat ahead of second Test

South Africa are confident of burying India’s spin threat yet again with a determined batting performance in the second Test starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The visitors kept the spin duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh at bay in the drawn opening Test in Chennai as they posted 540 in the first innings and 331-5 in the second.

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/ 1 April 2008

SA hold psychological edge over India

South Africa hold the psychological edge going into the second Test on Thursday against an India team weighed down by major fitness issues. The visitors will look to drive home their confidence of tackling the hosts’ experienced spin bowlers after rallying to draw the first match of the three-Test series, which ended on Sunday.

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/ 30 March 2008

Tendulkar to miss second SA Test

India’s star batsman Sachin Tendulkar will miss the second Test against South Africa after aggravating a groin injury, officials said on Sunday. Tendulkar, who needs 172 runs to overtake West Indian Brian Lara as Test cricket’s leading run-getter, did not field for most of the final day’s play in the first Test which was drawn earlier in the day.

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/ 30 March 2008

India, SA Test heads for a draw

Opener Neil McKenzie hit an unbeaten 88 for South Africa against a sloppy India as the first Test headed towards a draw on the final day on Sunday. South Africa reached 212 for two in their second innings at lunch, a lead of 125 runs, with the loss of only Hashim Amla’s wicket for a chancy 81 in the session on a flat pitch.

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/ 27 March 2008

India unfazed by huge SA challenge

India made a confident reply to South Africa’s record 540 in the first cricket Test, reaching 82 without loss by stumps on the second day on Thursday. Virender Sehwag smashed a typically aggressive 52 and Wasim Jaffer chipped in with 25 as the Indian openers emerged unscathed from the 21 overs they faced before close.

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/ 27 March 2008

Amla elated after first overseas century

South African Hashim Amla was elated after scoring his first overseas century in the first Test against India on Thursday. Amla’s 159 led the visitors to 540 all out before India reached 82 without loss by the close of the second day. The number three batsman handled the home spinners and the heat for almost seven hours to register his fourth Test century.

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/ 27 March 2008

Amla hits 159 to put SA on top

South Africa’s Hashim Amla stroked his second-highest Test score of 159 to put his team in command on day two of the first Test against India on Thursday. Amla, who reached his fourth hundred before lunch, was run out following a mix-up with Mark Boucher but the tourists piled on the runs to reach 501-6 at tea.

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/ 27 March 2008

Amla century powers Proteas

Hashim Amla stroked his fourth century to power South Africa to 404-5 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against India on Thursday. The 24-year-old lashed three fours in a row against paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth to reach triple figures and was unbeaten on 124 at the interval as the tourists built on a good start. Mark Boucher was 26 not out.

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/ 26 March 2008

Proteas flay India’s bowlers in first Test

South Africa revelled in good batting conditions to pile up 304-4 on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India on Wednesday. Neil McKenzie (94), skipper Graeme Smith (73) and Hashim Amla (85 not out) laid the foundation for a big total as the Indian bowlers toiled in oppressive weather and an unresponsive wicket at the Chidambaram Stadium.

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/ 26 March 2008

Smith, McKenzie give SA solid start

Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie continued their brilliant form to hand South Africa an impressive start in the first cricket Test against India on Wednesday. The openers batted through the morning session of the first day to put on 109 by lunch at the Chidambaram stadium after Smith won the toss and took first strike on a placid wicket.

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/ 27 February 2008

India’s aggression pleases Kirsten

India’s new cricket coach Gary Kirsten said on Wednesday he was impressed with the team’s aggressive attitude despite controversies on their ongoing tour of Australia. ”What I like about Indian cricket as a whole now, and especially about the young players, is that they are ready to accept the battle,” said the former South African batsman, who officially takes over as coach next month.

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/ 28 January 2008

Australia seal series win

Australia earned a 2-1 series victory over India on Monday after the fourth and final Test ended in a draw at Adelaide Oval. With neither side in any position to push for a result, India opted to bat out the last day before their captains agreed to an early finish.

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/ 25 January 2008

India’s tail wags to post imposing score

Captain Anil Kumble fell short of a second Test century as India’s tail wagged strongly to help the tourists post a big score in the fourth Test against Australia on Friday. After winning the toss and electing to bat, India were dismissed for an imposing 526 just after tea on the second day, Sachin Tendulkar top-scoring with a majestic 153.

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/ 25 January 2008

Tailenders take India past 500 runs

Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh completed half-centuries as India’s tailenders piled on the runs in the fourth and final against Australia on Friday. Kumble crafted an unbeaten 86 over more than four hours while Harbhajan blasted a quick 63 as India reached 525 for nine in their first innings when tea was taken.

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/ 24 January 2008

Tendulkar ton lifts Indians

Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar posted a fairy-tale century to lift his side towards a challenging total on the first day of the fourth and final Test against Australia on Thursday. In what seems certain to be his last Test on Australian soil, Tendulkar shook off a personal hoodoo at Adelaide Oval to score his 39th Test hundred.

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/ 23 January 2008

Ponting tries to break Harbhajan jinx

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has done some extra homework on Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh ahead of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, starting on Thursday. Harbhajan was dropped by India for their third Test win, but expectations of a spin-friendly wicket are likely to see him return to resume his duel with Ponting.

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/ 17 January 2008

India turn up the heat on dramatic day

Australia’s bid to break their own world record for consecutive Test wins was on shaky ground on Thursday after their batting collapsed on a dramatic second day of the third Test against India in Perth. India bowled the Australians out for 212 in 50 overs and then added 52 runs for the loss of one wicket, reaching stumps with an overall lead of 170.

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/ 15 January 2008

India set to recall Sehwag for third Test

India are poised to recall Virender Sehwag for the third Test against Australia starting at the Waca on Wednesday as the tourists look to keep the series alive. The dashing opener pushed his claim with a century in the tour match in Canberra at the weekend and captain Anil Kumble said he was almost certain to be picked.