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/ 19 May 2008

Oram century saves New Zealand

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram chose the right occasion and the perfect venue to score his first Test century against England on Monday with a match-saving innings in the first Test at Lord’s. New Zealand held an overall lead of only 78 with four wickets down when wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum retired hurt and was taken to hospital after a blow to his left forearm.

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/ 16 May 2008

McCullum sparks New Zealand revival

Brendon McCullum led a New Zealand fightback against England with a run-a-ball 97 to help his side to 208-6 when bad light ended the first day’s play of the first Test at Lord’s on Thursday. But three runs short of what would have been the wicket-keeper’s third Test hundred, McCullum was bowled by a quicker delivery from left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.

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/ 9 April 2008

Kallis scoops prestigious award

South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis was on Wednesday named as the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2007 by the 2008 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, cricket’s major annual reference work. He became the fifth recipient of the award, introduced in 2004.

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/ 26 March 2008

England beat New Zealand by 121 runs

Monty Panesar returned Test-best figures of six for 126 as England beat New Zealand by 121 runs in the third cricket Test on Wednesday and clinched the three-match series 2-1. Off-spinner Panesar completed his seventh five-wicket haul in Tests, claiming three of the five wickets to fall on the final day, hastening New Zealand’s dismissal for 431 as it chased 553 for victory.

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/ 25 March 2008

England on brink of series win over NZ

Monty Panesar took England to the brink of a series victory as New Zealand slumped to 222-5, 330 runs in arrears at stumps on the fourth day of the third cricket Test on Tuesday. With New Zealand set a record target of 553 to win, Stephen Fleming and Matthew Bell provided stout resistance for the second wicket before Panesar removed both batsmen.

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/ 17 March 2008

Momentum swings to England for series decider

New Zealand’s momentum, picked up from a convincing one-day series victory and first Test win in Hamilton, came to a screeching halt on Monday with a crushing 126-run defeat to England in the second Test. Chasing 438 to win the match, New Zealand flirted with pulling off the impossible when they reached 242 for five late on the fourth day.

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/ 9 March 2008

Mills bowls NZ to comfortable win

New Zealand thrashed England by 189 runs in the first cricket Test on Sunday when England’s second innings disintegrated after Kyle Mills ripped through the top order. Set a tempting target of 300 to win in 81 overs, England were all out for 110 with 26 overs and a full session of play remaining.

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/ 8 March 2008

Sidebottom hat-trick shatters Kiwis

A sensational hat-trick by Ryan Sidebottom shattered New Zealand’s run charge and ignited an England fightback on day four of the first cricket Test on Saturday. New Zealand, who had been in control and rapidly building a challenging target, lost five wickets in 29 balls to be left struggling at 147-8 in their second innings.

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/ 5 March 2008

McCullum knock lifts New Zealand

The prized wicket of New Zealand’s big-hitting Brendon McCullum just before stumps gave England a slight edge on the opening day of the first cricket Test on Wednesday. New Zealand ended the day at 282-6 after an 86-run partnership between McCullum and Ross Taylor had lifted them out of a middle-order hole.

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/ 5 February 2008

England too strong for Kiwis in Twenty20 clash

England continued their perfect start to their tour of New Zealand by beating the Kiwis by 32 runs in their first Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland on Tuesday. England, who opened their two-month tour with back-to-back wins over Canterbury last weekend, compiled an impressive total of 184-8 from their 20 overs.

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/ 5 December 2007

Murali magic downs valiant England in first Test

Muttiah Muralitharan bowled two magical deliveries when it mattered most to hand Sri Lanka an 88-run win over a fighting England in the first Test on Wednesday. The off-spinner, who became Test cricket’s most successful bowler in the first innings, got out Matt Prior and Ian Bell in the space of three deliveries with the second new ball to end England’s spirited challenge.

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/ 4 December 2007

Prolific Sangakkara leaves England uphill task

Kumar Sangakkara became the first batsman to hit 150-plus scores in four consecutive Tests as Sri Lanka pressed for victory in the first Test against England on Tuesday. The left-hander made 152 as Sri Lanka piled up 442-8 in their second innings when they declared 30 minutes before stumps on the fourth day to leave England an imposing victory target of 350.

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/ 3 December 2007

Ageing stars put Sri Lanka on top

Muttiah Muralitharan shattered the world Test-bowling mark and Sanath Jayasuriya excelled with the bat as Sri Lanka took charge of the first Test against England on Monday. Sri Lanka, trailing by 93 runs on the first innings, easily cleared the deficit and ended the third day’s play on 167-2 in their second knock, a lead of 74 runs with eight wickets in hand.

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/ 2 December 2007

England stumble as Murali equals Warne’s record

Muttiah Muralitharan equalled Shane Warne’s world-record tally of 708 wickets as Sri Lanka sent England crashing in the first cricket Test on Sunday. The off-spinner grabbed 4-30 in 23 overs as England, replying to Sri Lanka’s modest 188, slumped to 186-6 by tea before heavy rain washed out the rest of the day’s play.

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/ 1 December 2007

Hoggard and Panesar help skittle Sri Lanka for 188

England’s pace-spin duo of Matthew Hoggard and Monty Panesar combined to destroy Sri Lanka for 188 on the opening day of the first cricket Test on Saturday. England replied with 49-1 by stumps after losing opener Alastair Cook to the third ball of the innings when he was trapped leg-before by 100-Test veteran Chaminda Vaas.

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/ 11 October 2007

England bag historic series win against Sri Lanka

Alastair Cook hit a masterly 80 as England thrashed Sri Lanka by five wickets in the fourth one-day international on Wednesday to clinch their first series win on the subcontinent for 20 years. The 22-year-old left-hander shared a 110-run stand for the third wicket with Kevin Pietersen (63 not out) to give England a memorable win in the day-night game.

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/ 7 October 2007

Swann leads England to victory over Sri Lanka

Little-known Graeme Swann put in a superb all-round performance to help England pull off a tense two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday. The off-spinner grabbed four wickets in a disciplined spell and then made a crucial 25 as England achieved the revised target of 164 in a game reduced to 48 overs a side due to rain.