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/ 29 December 2007

Aussies thrash India in first Test

Australia thrashed India by 337 runs to win the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series on the fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. The Australians claimed their 15th consecutive Test victory and will look to equal their world record of 16 wins set from October 1999 to February 2001 in next week’s second Test.

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/ 28 December 2007

Proteas fight back against Windies

South Africa salvaged some pride by taking six wickets for 26 runs in the last session on the third day of the first Test against the West Indies on Friday. At close of play, the West Indies were 146-8 for an overall lead of 359 runs. South Africa resumed play on 122-6, with all hopes of achieving some respectability resting on veteran wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and the young AB de Villiers.

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/ 27 December 2007

SA crumble against Windies attack

Fast bowlers Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor struck hard at the South African top order as the tourists took control on the second day of the first Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Thursday. South Africa crashed to 122-5 at close of play in reply to a West Indian total of 408 in which Shivnarine Chanderpaul made a patient century.

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/ 27 December 2007

SA ‘caught on the back foot’

A century partnership between Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and a whirlwind 66 by Chris Gayle, put the West Indies in a commanding position on 281 for four at the end of the first day of the first Castle Lager Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

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/ 26 December 2007

West Indies put up a fight

A century partnership between Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and a whirlwind 66 by Chris Gayle, put the West Indies in a commanding position on 281 for four at the end of the first day of the first Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

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/ 14 December 2007

A homegrown talisman

She had wings, but that was her only claim to angelhood. They peeled out from under her bra straps in juicy flaps of humanity and wobbled ominously as she bellowed her invective into the already hot air. Quite what she said was hopelessly entangled in an accent that reeked of rum and considerable experience of too many bad men.

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/ 2 December 2007

Majestic Gibbs seals series for SA

Herschelle Gibbs hit a majestic century as South Africa cruised to a series-clinching five-wicket win in the third and final one-day international against New Zealand at Newlands on Sunday. Gibbs made 119 off 101 balls as South Africa chased down New Zealand’s 238-8 with 28 balls to spare.

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/ 1 December 2007

NZ crush SA to set up series decider

Brendon McCullum and Jamie How pounded the South African bowlers as New Zealand ended a losing streak with an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Friday. McCullum (81) and How (76) put on 154 for the second wicket as New Zealand cruised in with 11.2 overs to spare to level the three-match series.

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/ 30 November 2007

Muralitharan stands on the brink of history

With Sri Lanka taking on England in a Test match starting this weekend, Muttiah Muralitharan stands on the brink of overhauling Australia’s Shane Warne to become Test cricket’s all-time leading wicket-taker. Murali needs just five victims to overhaul Warne’s total of 708 wickets. Some of those dismissed most by Muralitharan shed more light on the legend.

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/ 25 November 2007

SA win as New Zealand drop catches

South Africa celebrated Graeme Smith’s 100th one-day international as captain by squeaking home by two wickets in the first MTN one-day international at Kingsmead on Sunday, with Andre Nel snatching the winning run off the last ball of the match. Man-of-the-match AB de Villiers made 91 for South Africa.

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/ 24 November 2007

SA snatch win from New Zealand

An undefeated 52 by AB de Villiers helped South Africa to a three-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Standard Bank Pro20 at the Wanderers on Friday night. Needing 130 to win, South Africa made 131 for seven, with a ball to spare. New Zealand will rue their dropped catches, especially a De Villiers drop.

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/ 20 November 2007

In-form Dale Steyn included in SA ODI squad

Nashua Titans fast bowler Dale Steyn has been included in the Proteas squad for the Standard Bank International Pro20 as well as the three-match MTN one-day international (ODI) series against New Zealand. The Phalaborwa express replaces Justin Kemp in the only change to the squad that won the ODI series in Pakistan.

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/ 18 November 2007

SA secure invaluable lead

Mark Gillespie became the fifth New Zealand to take five wickets on debut as South Africa were bowled out for 383 in their first innings ten minutes before lunch on the third day of the second Castle Lager Test. South Africa resumed play on their overnight score of 272 for three, but Ashwell Prince was caught by substitute Jeetan Petel in the third over of the morning.

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/ 11 November 2007

SA trounce New Zealand

A five-wicket haul by Dale Steyn helped South Africa beat New Zealand by a mammoth 358 runs 42 minutes after lunch on the fourth day of the first Castle Lager Test at the Wanderers on Sunday. Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum resumed play on the overnight score of 57 for three.

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/ 7 November 2007

Pollock left out of Test team again

South Africa have omitted leading wicket-taker Shaun Pollock from their starting XI for the first Test against New Zealand starting in Johannesburg on Thursday. The absence of Pollock, who also averages 32,31 with the bat, leaves South Africa with a telling lack of batting depth.

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/ 2 November 2007

Kiwis to face a team with balls

White is the colour of almost all Springbok rugby players, as well as most of those who fill stadiums to watch them play. White is the surname of a coach who makes some see red. But that’s not all. White is what the South African cricket team will wear when they begin a Test series against New Zealand in Johannesburg next week.

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/ 29 October 2007

SA beat Pakistan to take one-day series

South Africa spoiled Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar’s comeback match on Monday with a stunning 14-run victory in the fifth and final limited-overs game to clinch the series 3-2. Akhtar took 4-43 to restrict South Africa to 233-9 off 50 overs with Jacques Kallis scoring a fighting 86 and Herschelle Gibbs making a fine 54.

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/ 20 October 2007

Yousuf leads Pakistan to victory

Mohammad Yousuf hit a brilliant century to lead Pakistan to a 25-run victory over South Africa in a day-night international in Lahore on Saturday and level the series 1-1. Yousuf’s 143-ball 117 ensured Pakistan posted a fighting 265-9 before the home team overcame poor fielding to restrict the SA to 240 in 49.3 overs.

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/ 16 October 2007

Proteas enjoy crushing warm-up win

Mark Boucher and AB de Villiers hit quick-fire hundreds as South Africa tuned up for the one-day international series with a crushing 176-run win against Pakistan’s Patron’s XI on Tuesday. Boucher scored a 106-ball 103 while de Villiers raced to an unbeaten 113 off 95 balls as the tourists compiled 328-4 in just 45 overs at Bagh-e-Jinnah Stadium.

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/ 12 October 2007

Proteas seal series win in Pakistan

South Africa sealed their first Test series on the subcontinent since 2000 on Friday after being held to a draw by Pakistan in the second and final match. Pakistan, set a mammoth 457 to win, finished the final day on 316-4 with Younis Khan scoring a brilliant 130 while Mohammad Yousuf marked his return to the team with a stylish 63.

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/ 10 October 2007

SA tighten the screws on Pakistan

South Africa marched towards setting a stiff target for Pakistan in the second Test on Wednesday. The visitors were 154-2 at stumps on day three — enjoying an overall lead of 305 runs with captain Graeme Smith batting on 75 and in-form Jacques Kallis not out on 37.

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/ 9 October 2007

Late wickets put SA in command

Pakistan struggled to 140 for four in reply to South Africa’s 357 all out at the close on day two of the second Test at the Gadaffi stadium on Tuesday. Inzamam-ul-Haq (37) appearing in his 120th and final Test, was unbeaten on 10 alongside Misbah-ul-Haq (10) after Pakistan lost four wickets in the final session.

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/ 8 October 2007

Kallis, Prince shine for Proteas

Ashwell Prince and Jacques Kallis hit fighting half centuries for South Africa on Monday against a disciplined Pakistan bowling attack on the first day of the second Test. South Africa prodded to 259-6 with Mark Boucher not out on 9 and Andre Nel yet to score as stumps were drawn for the day seven overs before scheduled close due to bad light.

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/ 4 October 2007

Two-ton Kallis puts SA on top

Pakistan’s Younis Khan and Faisal Iqbal shared a big stand to hold up South Africa’s push for victory in the first Test after Jacques Kallis hit his second century of the match on the fourth day on Thursday. Younis (93 not out) and Faisal (44) put on 114 for the third wicket after Pakistan lost their openers quickly.

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/ 3 October 2007

Boucher honoured to break Healy’s record

South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher on Wednesday said he was honoured to break Ian Healy’s Test record for dismissals behind the stumps with 396 victims. The 30-year-old stumped Pakistani batsman Umar Gul for 12 on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi to reach the milestone.

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/ 2 October 2007

Pakistan struggle after Kallis brilliance

Pakistan will have to fight hard to save the first Test against South Africa after a masterly knock of 155 by Jacques Kallis put the tourists in command at the National Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday. At the close on the second day, Pakistan were 127-5 in reply to South Africa’s first innings total of 450, still needing a further 124 to avoid the follow-on.

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/ 1 October 2007

SA win toss and bat in Karachi

South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test against Pakistan on Monday after Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf pulled out at the last minute. The 33-year-old Yousuf last week cancelled his contract with a rebel Indian league and made himself available for Pakistan.