Ajmal bowls Pakistan back into contention

Saturday, May 14, 2011 22:48

PROVIDENCE, Guyana: Saeed Ajmal continued to torment the West Indies as he bowled Pakistan back into the opening Test on Saturday when the hosts were reduced to 96 for seven in their second innings for an overall lead of 162. The off-spinner has collected four for 23 from 14 overs for match figures of nine for 92 to leave the West Indies tottering at the interval on the third day at the Guyana National Stadium, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul not out on 12 and Darren Sammy not out on seven. Ajmal struck with the fifth ball of the day, after West Indies continued from their overnight total of 34 for two. He removed night-watchman Kemar Roach lbw for three, following the West Indies fast bowler's unsuccessful review of New Zealand umpire Tony Hill's decision. It was the 13th lbw decision awarded in the match. Ajmal continued to mesmerise the West Indies batsmen, many of whom have failed to pick his doosra, removing Ramnaresh Sarwan for 11 and Carlton Baugh for seven. Ajmal was unfortunate that he did not count Lendl Simmons among his scalps, when the West Indies opener, on 20, charged down the pitch, and slogged at a flighted delivery. The ball ricocheted from the batsman's front pad, eluded wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman, and raced to the third man boundary for four leg byes. Next over, Wahab Riaz made sure the lost chance was not too costly for Pakistan when Simmons fended a short delivery and was caught at silly mid-off for 21, leaving West Indies 47 for four. With Ajmal tying the batsmen down, and Wahab and Umar Gul bowling steadily from the other end, there were few scoring opportunities for West Indies, but Sarwan eased the tension with a typically smooth cover drive off Wahab for his first boundary. Ajmal, however, remained a constant threat and this brought Sarwan's downfall, caught at forward short leg fending an awkwardly bouncing delivery. Pakistan were gifted another wicket when Brendan Nash was run out for three, looking for a second run, and being sent back by Chanderpaul. Ajmal then struck in the last 15 minutes before the interval when Baugh was caught at mid-wicket, swinging a shortish delivery low to the fielder. Pakistan are seeking their maiden Test series victory in the Caribbean.

Karthik powers Punjab to 6-wkt win over Kochi

Saturday, May 14, 2011 22:08

INDORE: Dinesh Karthik smashed five sixes in his 33-ball 69 to power Kings XI Punjab to a six-wicket victory over Kochi Tuskers Kerala in an Indian Premier League match on Friday. He put on 111 for the third wicket with Australian Shaun Marsh (42) as Punjab surpassed Kochi's total of 178-7 with seven balls to spare for their fifth win in 11 games of the Twenty20 tournament. Punjab were struggling at 31-2 after paceman Rudra Pratap Singh dismissed skipper Adam Gilchrist (nine) and Paul Valthaty (17), but Karthik and Marsh shattered Kochi's hopes with their big-hitting. Karthik, who reached his half-century with a six over mid-wicket off spinner Ravindra Jadeja, also hit seven fours while Marsh cracked two sixes and five fours in his 30-ball knock. Singh got his third wicket when he removed Karthik, superbly caught by skipper Mahela Jayawardene in the covers, before holding a return catch to dismiss Marsh in the space of three runs. Australian David Hussey (21 not out) finished the match with a straight six off paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. Chennai and Mumbai have already made sure of the semi-finals with 16 points each. They are followed by Bangalore (15), Kolkata (14), Rajasthan (11), Punjab (10), Kochi (10), Pune (eight), Delhi (eight) and Deccan (six). Sri Lankan Jayawardene earlier hit two sixes and eight fours in his 52-ball 76 to help Kochi post a challenging total. He added 93 for the opening wicket with New Zealander Brendon McCullum, who hit a 27-ball 32. Jayawardene, who reached his half-century with a six off leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, was run out in the last over. Owais Shah was the other main scorer with a 12-ball 23. Brief scores: Kochi Tuskers Kerala 178-7 in 20 overs (M. Jayawardene 76, B. McCullum 32, O. Shah 23; B. Sharma 2-32) lost to Kings XI Punjab 181-4 in 18.5 overs (D. Karthik 69, S. Marsh 42, D. Hussey 21 not out; RP Singh 4-25) by six wickets.

Pak qualify for SAS Hockey final by beating Malaysia 3-2

Saturday, May 14, 2011 16:46

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakistan has qualified for final by beating Malaysia 3-2 in Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament on Saturday, Geo News reported. Pakistan will face formidable Australia in final on Sunday (tomorrow).

Three crucial matches today in SAS Hockey

Saturday, May 14, 2011 11:36

KUALA LUMPUR: Three teams would be playing their crucial matches in the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament today, while the outcome of these matches would decide which one to face Australia in the final. Britain would be facing Korea today at 1.00 P.M and Pakistan team would enter the ground at 3.00 P.M against the host country Malaysia. Australia, the five-time champion, already on the top as qualified for the final would play against New Zealand in the third match of the SAS Cup Hockey Tournament underway in the city Ipoh of Malaysia. Any one of the three teams-- Britain, Pakistan and New Zealand depending on their performance today would move to final facing the formidable Australia. Pakistan must win by a big margin, while number two in the tournament, Britain loses today’s match, only then it could make up to the final.

Pakistan spinners strike but Windies on top

Saturday, May 14, 2011 03:26

GEORGETOWN: Pakistan's spinners fought to regain control of the first Test on Friday after their batting collapsed dramatically against the West Indies who finished the second day with a 100-run lead. Mohammad Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal both struck early blows as West Indies reached 34 for two in their second innings when bad light stopped played 13 balls early at the Guyana National Stadium. Pakistan had been dismissed for 160 in reply to West Indies first innings total of 226, about 40 minutes before the scheduled close with leg spinner Devendra Bishoo finishing with four for 68 from 25 overs on his Test debut. Seamer Ravi Rampaul took three for 27 from 17 overs for his best figures in a Test. "I felt the pressure to perform after seeing Saeed and the other Pakistan spinners bowling so well and getting so much help from the pitch," said Bishoo. "I felt it was my duty to go and get wickets for the team. I tried to vary my pace a lot because the pitch was playing a bit slow and tried to bowl the balls in the right areas." Abdur Rehman topped the scoring for the visitors with 40 not out while Azhar Ali made 34 and Umar Akmal hit 33. Hafeez then gave Pakistan a bright start when the West Indies batted again, grabbing the scalp of Devon Smith lbw for one playing down the wrong line. It was the sixth straight innings the part-time Pakistani off-spinner had dismissed the left-handed West Indies opener in the last month, stretching back to the quarter-finals of the recent World Cup. Ajmal, who took five wickets in the West Indies first innings, also trapped Darren Bravo lbw for eight, when the left-hander played back and across to a well-pitched delivery. Pakistan's fortunes in the match shifted spectacularly after they continued from their lunchtime total of 45 for one. Before lunch, the Pakistanis looked to have firm control, after Hafeez, Pakistan's most prolific batsman in the one-day series, was bowled for four, dragging a delivery from Rampaul into his stumps in the second over of their innings. Azhar and Taufeeq made steady progress either side of the interval in between a couple alarming moments. Taufeeq was fortunate on one when he edged a rising ball from Rampaul between second slip and gully for his first boundary. His heart rate was raised again when he was on five, West Indies appealing unsuccessfully for a caught behind off the same bowler. After lunch, the visitors lost five wickets for 23 runs in the space of 78 deliveries, and were wobbling on 80 for six. Taufeeq was lbw to West Indies captain Darren Sammy for 19 playing forward and across a delivery angled in to the left-hander from around the wicket in the fifth over after lunch. Three overs later, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was trapped lbw plumb in front for two on the backfoot to a flatter, faster delivery from Bishoo. Azhar was bowled in the next over, offering no stroke to a delivery moving back to give Sammy his second wicket in 12 overs that cost 16. Asad Shafiq was lbw for two playing down the wrong line to a leg-break from Bishoo, following a successful West Indies review of New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden's not-out verdict, and Mohammad Salman was lbw for four, suffering a similar fate. Pakistan reached 113 for six at tea, as Akmal added an even 50 for the seventh wicket either side of the break with Rehman. Akmal then had a rush of blood, and was caught behind off Bishoo, when he top-edged a pull to trigger a collapse that saw Pakistan lose their last four wickets for 30 runs in the space of 65 balls. Umar Gul was also caught behind, top-edging a pull at a short delivery from Rampaul, who also trapped Ajmal lbw for one, following a review of New Zealand umpire Tony Hill's not-out verdict. The visitors' innings came to a close, when Wahab Riaz was caught behind, groping at a delivery outside the off-stump to give Kemar Roach his only wicket. (AFP