Oram boost for New Zealand in must-win game

South Africa will look to continue their successful run against New Zealand with a win in the second ODI in Port Elizabeth. The hosts almost faltered during their run-chase in the first ODI in Durban but a win on Friday will give them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Going by current form, South Africa are clear favourites and this is even without considering their record in day-night encounters at St. George's Park - eights win out of ten ODIs, with one no result.

The hosts will be boosted by the return of Herschelle Gibbs, who had missed the Twenty20 international and the first ODI with a knee injury. Gibbs' standby Morne van Wyk has been released from the squad to play for the Eagles in the SuperSport series.

The other dilemma facing the South African selectors surrounds their pace attack. New Zealand's batsmen were blown away by Dale Steyn during the two-Test series, and his inclusion in the playing XI could dent the tourists' confidence ahead of a must-win game.

Smith's opposition counterpart Daniel Vettori must be wondering what his team needs to do to beat this South African side. New Zealand's main worry through the Tests was the form of their batsmen, but after the Durban ODI, the team would be concerned over its bowling options as well, besides their poor catching, which Vettori highlighted as the main reason for the last-ball loss at Kingsmead.

Kyle Mills' 5 for 25 in Durban would have done Shane Bond proud but New Zealand could have done with some firepower at the other end - Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin, Scott Styris and Vettori conceded 220 runs and picked up three wickets.

Allrounder Jacob Oram will be a handy addition to the bowling department. Oram suffered a hamstring strain in the first Test, and Vettori indicated the team would play six bowlers.

"Jacob's probably the most important member of our team purely from the roles he fills, batting at number six and able to bowl 10 overs," Vettori told SuperCricket. "It's a luxury not many teams have and having him back means I can take six bowlers and we get a nice balance when he's playing."

Delhi Jets field in ICL opener

About 15 years ago Kiran Powar was a bigger name in Mumbai cricket than his brother Ramesh. A left-hand batsman with a wide array of strokes, Kiran struggled to break into a powerful Mumbai batting order and switched allegiance to other states. He spent a number of seasons in Assam and Goa, during which time he made many long journeys by bus, and often, considering hotels were too much of a luxury, even spent nights in one. Frequently, with reimbursement hard to come by, he paid his own travel expenses. He even wasn't compensated when he was hospitalised once.

Today Powar enjoys the comfort of the Taj hotel in Chandigarh. He shares the same dressing room as Brian Lara and Nathan Astle. When I speak to him, he's having lunch with Vikram Solanki, Johan van der Wath and Danny Redrup, a South African physio who is "showing me the sort of fitness a cricketer needs". For the first time in Powar's life he has a sense of security. "Tell me one reason why I shouldn't join the ICL" he challenges.

Powar's isn't an isolated case. The general mood among the Indian domestic players who have joined the ICL is one of disgruntlement. "Until today none of us had an option," says a player who was picked for India a couple of years ago. "Now we have someone to take care of us. Wait for some time and players will just rush in."

The BCCI's apathy is a sore point. A domestic veteran talks about a prominent state association. "They made a big din about introducing central contracts for players," he says. "Finally, we said, we've got some security. And they give us an annual contract of Rs 25,000 [US$ 500 approximately]. Is that any sort of money for a year?"

Even more frustrating has been the handling of injuries. Shalabh Srivatsava, an Under-19 star who went on to do well consistently for Uttar Pradesh, travelled to South Africa for an expensive surgery. He is still waiting to be reimbursed. Rakesh Patel, the Baroda fast bowler who was selected for the Indian one-day side recently, underwent a similar fate. "The biggest problem is we can't play when we're injured," says Powar. "It means no reimbursement and no match fees. How do you survive?"

Redrup chips in: "This is exactly how rugby used to be conducted in South Africa during the amateur days. But things changed with professionalism."

The situation with the coaching staff who have signed up with the ICL isn't too different. Erapalli Prasanna, the former India offspinner, who was with the BCCI's ill-fated spin wing had had enough of being ignored. "By sending me to Nagpur and to Kolkata for short periods, the NCA [National Cricket Academy] sent a clear message that I was not required. The other signal I got was that the BCCI wanted to get rid of me. The spin wing is finished."

Sandeep Patil, who is currently coaching the Mumbai Champs, echoes those views. ""I waited for the BCCI to give me a suitable job to serve Indian cricket. Twice I had written to the BCCI president, Sharad Pawar, expressing my interest to be a coach of the India A side. I was assured a two-year contract, but after waiting for almost one and a half years, nothing came of it."

Mohammad Yousuf to face arbitration hearing

Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman who recently pulled out of the Indian Cricket League (ICL), is set to face an arbitration hearing in Mumbai on December 15. Yousuf had signed with the ICL in the wake of his omission from Pakistan's squad for the ICC World Twenty20 before cancelling his contract after talks with the Pakistan board.

Yousuf then signed a national contract as well as signing up to play in the India Premier League (IPL), a recognised league that is run by four different national boards and is approved by the ICC.

The organisers of the ICL insist he can't join the rival league (IPL). "It's an open and shut case as far as we're concerned," said Ashish Kaul, the executive vice-president of the Essel Group who are organisng the tournament, told Cricinfo. "The contract clearly says he can't play in any other professional league."

Meanwhile the Pakistan board, who convinced Yousuf to cancel his contract, have assured their full support. "We will fully defend Yousuf, if he is taken to court using all legal means," said Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB.

Besides Yousuf, all of the ICL's other Pakistani recruits have decided to honour their commitments with the league. The most prominent among them is the now retired Inzamam-ul-Haq, who despite having signed on with the ICL, was given an opportunity to make his exit from international cricket in the second Test against South Africa. The others in the ICL mix are Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, and Shabbir Ahmed.

Vaughan keeps his cards close

England's team selection remains a closely guarded secret ahead of the first Test at Kandy, as Michael Vaughan weighs up his options on a wicket that, with 24 hours to go until the start of the match, already looks barer and drier than either of the captains had envisaged. Although Vaughan said that he was pretty clear in his own mind as to what the final composition would be, he refused to rule out any options, not even the inclusion of a second spinner in Graeme Swann.

"It's been a difficult decision," said Vaughan. "We came to the ground yesterday to see a wicket that's very green, and we've come to the ground today and found it's changed a fair bit. We've had a couple of long meetings about the final eleven, which proves we've got players in the squad who are pushing for places. It's been a hard decision but we're clearer about it now."

Kandy has long been earmarked as England's best opportunity for a victory in this series, given the cooler hilly conditions and the propensity for swing and seam, and Vaughan insisted that England were committed to selecting a side that would give them the best chance of taking 20 wickets in the match. On the subject of Swann's inclusion, he offered an enigmatic "maybe", and made light of the fact that he barely featured in England's two warm-ups.

"I think you can make too much of the warm-ups," said Vaughan. "A lot of the guys have just been on the one-day [tour], and so we all feel mentally ready and in good touch. It's just a matter of trying to groove those skills and make sure our mentality is right for Test match cricket. We need to work on our plans and strategies against all their unorthodox players."

The one man who does seem likely to sit out, despite another whole-hearted net session, is Steve Harmison, whose prospects have been in jeopardy ever since he suffered a back spasm during England's warm-up in Colombo last week. "He's available, and he bowled a hell of a lot yesterday," said Vaughan. "But it would be a slight risk as we saw him walk off having bowled ten or eleven overs in the last game.

"I think the pitch offered a bit more for the quicks yesterday," said Vaughan, as he added a further reason for Harmison's probable omission. "If you bowl well on any wicket, as a good seam bowler you can get something out of it. But I think looking at that pitch you're going to have to have all your skills available, and be very controlled. I guess that's one of the reasons why we've come to the eleven we have."

James Anderson, who was again lively in practice, has pushed his way up the pecking order since recovering from a bruised left ankle, and is the favourite to join Matthew Hoggard, Ryan Sidebottom and Monty Panesar in a four-man attack. There is a chance of a fifth bowling option if Ravi Bopara is handed a chance to make his debut at No. 6, but England seem wary of his inexperience in a top-order that - given the weakness of the lower order - simply has to fire first-time.

Zimbabwe strike after scoring 274

Fluent half-centuries by Chamu Chibhabha and Stuart Matsikenyeri, coupled with plenty of useful contributions down the order, lifted Zimbabwe to a challenging 274 for 8 in the first ODI of the five-match series at the Harare Sports Club.

Chris Gayle won the toss and put Zimbabwe in to bat in conditions that should have been favourable for fast bowling - the pitch had some moisture and offered seam movement and bounce. However, most of the bowlers struggled with their direction, spraying it wide of the stumps and often erring in length as well. Brendan Taylor started the onslaught with a 30-ball 27 and Matsikenyeri took charge at the death, smashing the bowlers to all parts as 81 runs came off the last nine overs.

The platform for that late charge was laid by a 90-run fourth-wicket partnership between Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza. Taylor's early blows ensured Zimbabwe had early runs on the board but his run-out, courtesy a direct hit from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and the cheap dismissals of Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu saw Zimbabwe slump to 78 for 3.

Chibhabha rescued the innings with some sensible batting, knocking the ball into the gaps and crashing fours through cover and point whenever offered the width. Masakadza was a fine support act till he played across the line off Gayle and was trapped in front. Chibhabha had fallen attempting the sweep in Gayle's previous over but the presence of two new batsmen towards the end of the innings did little to halt the momentum, as Matsikenyeri and Chigumbura turned it on in style.

Both started by placing the ball away from fielders and running hard between the wickets. Gayle had conceded only 17 in his first four overs, but his last two went for 19, as each batsman clouted a six on the leg side.

There was no respite from the fast bowlers either, as Taylor repeatedly strayed down the leg side, allowing Matsikenyeri to strike successive fours in the 47th over. A stunning hit between his legs to the fine-leg boundary brought him his seventh ODI half-century, and though he fell soon after, he had done enough to ensure Zimbabwe had a challenging total on the board.

Majestic Jaffer puts India in command

Wasim Jaffer's bat sparkled brightest on a day of total dominance for India's batsmen, as they ground Pakistan into the Kolkata dust on the opening day of the second Test at Eden Gardens. Jaffer was undefeated on 192 when bad light ended play six overs early, but his fifth hundred was his most joyous yet. With support from Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, he took India to 352 for 3.

For an ailing Pakistan, without their injured captain Shoaib Malik and hampered by a seriously unwell Shoaib Akhtar, it was, by some distance, one of their most dispiriting days in recent memory. Kamran Akmal led the way in the field with an untidy, fumble-ridden performance that included another dropped catch as their chances of winning this series ebbed away under a barrage of boundaries.

But their woes should not take away from a day that was lit up by the beauty of Jaffer. He is compact even on his worse days, and has real grace in his shots, but rarely has he put it all together at such pace. His back-foot punches through covers, the pulls and clips are well-appreciated, but rarely have they come in such quick succession, in such sustained bursts of boundary-hitting. If ever a batsman was in the zone, it was Jaffer at Eden Gardens on Friday.

He was gold from the very start, the early loss of his opening partner as much an inconvenience as a fly is to an elephant. No particular area of the ground was favoured over others and no particular shot over another: pulls, drives, punches, cut and clips were all played with that seductive upright elegance, elbows high, bat straight.

But if he favoured one bowler over another, it was probably Sohail Tanvir, to whom he showed no mercy. Having driven him arrow-straight early in the piece, he struck him for four fours in an over a little before lunch. Later in the afternoon, as India raced to their 200, he hit him for a hat-trick of fours. As the day neared its end, Jaffer continued doing so, mostly through the leg side as Tanvir's inexperience came out of the closet.

He was no less imposing, or elegant, against the legspin of Danish Kaneria, never more so than in the day's 49th over. In it, he reached his hundred with a push through the covers, before celebrating by clipping him twice in a row through midwicket for four.

So commanding did the shy-looking Jaffer become that his support - Dravid and Tendulkar - were mostly overshadowed in stands of 134 and 175 respectively. Dravid was more than willing to go unnoticed, putting together a studied fifty. He was brisk enough to begin, particularly against Kaneria, as he got caught in Jaffer's slipstream. But just as he was bedding himself in post-lunch, Billy Doctrove sent him back for a phantom edge: replays couldn't tell whether Akmal's take was worse or Doctrove's decision.

England secure warm-up win

Kevin Pietersen produced his first half-century of the tour and Alastair Cook continued his recent good form, as England wrapped up a morale-boosting victory over the Sri Lanka Board President's XI at Colombo. The pair combined in a third-wicket stand of 55, making 59 and 58 respectively, before Owais Shah and Matt Prior sealed the victory with a flurry of boundaries shortly after tea.

After their first-innings aberration, in which they lost three top-order wickets in six overs, England's batsmen seemed keen to make amends. Michael Vaughan, who fell for a duck first time around, made a brisk and stylish start, cracking four fours in his 32-ball 28, as England added 50 for the first wicket in only ten overs.

But Vaughan then suffered a lapse in concentration when the part-time medium-pacer Jehan Mubarak entered the attack - he steered his first delivery to Tillakaratne Dilshan in the gully. Ian Bell followed soon afterwards, completing a poor match by scooping Dilshan to deep mid-on for 6, and at 74 for 2 England were in danger of squandering a good start.

Cook, however, remained composed and was joined in the middle by Pietersen, who was unbeaten on 10 from 22 balls at lunch. After the interval, he began to find his timing and moments after Cook had brought up his half-century from 96 balls, Pietersen went down on one knee to reverse-sweep Dilshan for six.

Cook fell lbw to Mubarak as he missed a sweep for the second time in the match, and Pietersen didn't last much longer. He reached for a cut off Chamara Kapugedera and snicked a thin under-edge through to the keeper. That left Bopara and Shah in tandem, and each man produced some polished strokeplay - including a straight six for Bopara off Mubarak - as they attempted to force their way into the Test reckoning.

BCCI zeroes in on Gary Kirsten for coach

Gary Kirsten, the former South African opener, is the surprise front-runner to be India's next coach. While the Indian board said Kirsten was interviewed by the coach selection committee on Monday and a formal announcement on the new coach would be made in a week's time, senior officials were saying off the record that the appointment was a formality.

"It has been finalised," a senior board official told Cricinfo. "We just need some time to complete the formalities."

Kirsten told Cricinfo the matter was still at the discussion phase and he was yet to receive a formal contract. "But things should get sorted out relatively quickly either way."

One of the issues to be resolved, he said, was when he would be able to take charge. "Probably early next year. We are actually negotiating if I can join sometime during the Australia series."

There was some speculation that he would join the team for the Bangalore Test against Pakistan next week but he ruled that out. "That won't be possible," he said. "I have some long-standing commitments in South Africa that I need to honour. So, it's the question of when I'm going to begin at the moment"

Another key issue, Kirsten said, was his family's opinion. "The most important thing is family. As we are aware in international cricketing world you spend a lot of time away from home; I've got two young kids and it's a question of seeing them enough and to do the job the properly. That'll be the biggest issue and if we can get around that we can certainly move forward in the discussions. I've had a chat with with my wife already and we will take stock when I get back tomorrow, look at it from all avenues."

He said he was encouraged by the fact that the board took the initiative to approach him. "The most important thing was they approached me," Kirsten said. "I didn't approach them, so I suppose from that point of view one can be encouraged that they felt that there's something I could offer this team. And that gives me a tremendous sense of confidence to know that I've been backed to that amount or level."

All-round India seal six-wicket win

It was fitting that Shoaib Akhtar caused one final dent in India's run down the home stretch but it was equally apt that VVS Laxman was at the crease when the winning runs were knocked off and India took a 1-0 lead in this three-Test series. Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on a half-century and India chased down a target they had never managed before at the Feroz Shah Kotla with six wickets to spare.

When Akhtar bounced Sourav Ganguly and the ball got big on the pull shot, resulting in a swirling top-edge to fine leg, Pakistan supporters would have got a whiff of the unlikely. A wicket had fallen, Ganguly on 48, with 22 still needed for victory. But there would be no more heroics as Tendulkar took the lead and knocked off the required runs with a minimum of fuss.

In some ways it was ironic that Laxman was at crease when victory was sealed, for the lead-up to this Test match was full of questions over what the composition of the Indian team, especially the middle order, should be. Amid overwhelming calls to include the in-form Yuvraj Singh, Laxman came under pressure for his spot, as he often does. But he delivered in the first innings with a classy unbeaten 76, when it mattered the most, setting up an India win.

Equally, it was fitting that Anil Kumble, who picked up seven wickets in his first match as captain, walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award. When he was named Test captain, ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who already had the job for the one-dayers, there was some concern about the Indian selectors looking back rather than forward. But Kumble proved that captaincy would rest lightly on his broad shoulders and did not let it affect his performance.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have a Test full of missed opportunities to look back at before the second Test begins in Kolkata on November 30. At crucial points in the match they failed to drive their advantage home, and paid the price. The bowling attack, when the chips were down, lacked penetration, barring Shoaib, who bowled with customary pace and hostility. The absence of Mohammad Asif definitely hurt Pakistan, for even chasing 203 on a less-than-perfect batting strip would have been a task had he been around.

Nel clinches thriller

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Not even New Zealand's best performance of their arduous tour of South Africa could earn them their first win against the national team. After dominating periods of the first one-dayer at Durban, and with 27 needed from the last three overs, their nerves and lack of confidence came back to haunt them as Andre Nel creamed two fours in the last over to take South Africa home off the final ball.

With three overs to go, the match was New Zealand's for the taking, and on came Mark Gillespie - who until then had showed reasonable control. Whether it was his choice or that of his captain, Daniel Vettori, the decision to bowl around the wicket to Mark Boucher, then on 24, was flawed and spoke volumes of New Zealand's lack of belief. A clip through midwicket for two; a nudge for a single and a full toss on his legs was dispatched to fine leg for four. New Zealand's slim advantage was lost, and the match was slipping away.

Johan Botha came and went in a hurry leaving South Africa to score 11 from the last over. With players turning greener by the over, it was somewhat uncomfortable to see the grinning, beaming beanpole of Nel march to the crease at such a pivotal moment. He whooshed at thin air for the first ball of the final over before scything the second over backward point's head, putting Boucher back on strike. But he could only pick up an inside edge leaving the fate of South Africa in Nel's large paws.

The pressure didn't show. An attempted yorker from Gillespie was fizzed through extra cover with such force that no one, bar the dancing fans, moved a muscle. It was admittedly a poor ball, but the placement and power - not to mention audacity - were in absolute synchrony. Five needed from two balls, then, but Gillespie offered him a full toss which Nel, with even less elegance but equal amounts of gusto, hammered through the same extra-cover region. A frantic run off the final delivery avoided the tie, and South Africa were home by two wickets.

On the face of things, New Zealand had stolen defeat from the snapping jaws of victory, but there were plenty of encouraging signs in both innings to give hope that, in the remaining two one-dayers, they might break their duck. Kyle Mills bowled quite superbly, picking up 5 for 25 from 10 accurate overs. With overhead conditions worsening, it was tailor-made for Mills - on a pitch offering the taller bowlers plenty of bounce too - and in the first 10 overs he was close to being unplayable. Even Jacques Kallis struggled to fend off his booming lifters, though only he - in his current form - could have edged the cracking delivery Mills dismissed him with.

Mills apart, the rest were a mishmash of hopefuls as Chris Martin had another off-day and Gillespie struggled with nerves. They were taken apart by two fine knocks: one by JP Duminy, South Africa's emerging No. 5 and the other by AB de Villiers, who made 87. The one area of concern for South Africa is that both players fell when nicely settled - a matter of less relevance against a fading New Zealand side, but certainly one they need to address if they're to challenge Australia regularly.

The positive for the visitors was their top order finally fired, with Jamie How, Brendon McCullum and Scott Styris making significant contributions. New Zealand's batsmen haven't managed a century on the tour - Vettori coming closest with 99 in a tour game - but How's 124-ball 90, though a tad slow by ODI standards, was the innings they needed to reach a respectable score.

Ganguly and Laxman silence the doubters

An hour after Sachin Tendulkar slapped one past point to sew up the Kotla Test, Yuvraj Singh walked out to the middle. Hardly anyone was left in the stands and only a few cameramen and officials watched his stint. Facing a group of net bowlers, one of whom tried his best to imitate Shoaib Akhtar, he went about pounding the netting. The fury in some of those shots was indicative of how hard he's knocking on the doors of selection.

By just being around, he's keeping an entire batting line-up, a selection committee, and a media contingent on its toes. His name has come up in four of the six press conferences here. Before the game he was being talked about as a replacement for VVS Laxman, now he's being linked to Dinesh Karthik. Often he's also giving Sourav Ganguly a run. At the danger of giving him too much credit, he's obliquely contributing towards a consistent batting effort, match after match.

Ganguly and Laxman, though, must be a bit confused. One has reinvented himself over the last year and the other played his part in a quiet, efficient manner. Both have come through high-pressure situations, dealing with it in an assured manner. Ganguly has silenced those who doubted his ability against pace and Laxman has done the same against swing. Both have eked out runs with the tail, both have kept out the second new ball and both have, crucially, played out important final sessions. Ganguly has four fifties and a hundred in his last eight Tests; Laxman five fifties and a hundred in his last ten.

The Kotla Test was a case in point. If Laxman blunted the Shoaib threat in the first innings, Ganguly did the same in the second. If Laxman appeared far more comfortable than any batsman in the first dig, Ganguly occupied that slot in the second. Both walked in amid a collapse and, in contrasting styles, calmed the nerves. Both didn't hesitate to play their shots. They made some important contributions on the field too: Laxman plucking a sensational catch to break Pakistan's dangerous opening partnership and Ganguly having one of his best Tests with the ball.

Before the game, Kumble made it clear that Laxman would play. At the end of it, having seen his decision justified, he didn't understand the fuss. "I think Laxman's knock was very crucial considering the circumstances. He's a fantastic player and his partnership with Dhoni was very critical for us. I don't know why there is always a sword hanging over his head. It's only a perception from those not within the dressing room. We [the team] know what quality he brings in and his role in the team is very crucial."

South Africa primed for more success

Although New Zealand put up more of a fight in the Twenty20 on Friday night at the Wanderers, they are still trying to find their first victory of the tour against a strong South African side. The final chance for some success begins on Sunday with the first of three one-day internationals in Durban.

In their first ODI since the World Cup semi-final in April they are going to have to find some backbone to test South Africa, who recently registered a 3-2 series win in Pakistan. Despite pushing South Africa until the penultimate ball in Johannesburg - a significant improvement from the two hopeless drubbings in the Tests - for a large part of the match New Zealand were still a distant second best. The batting once again struggled to hold its own even though the home side rested Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel.

It would help New Zealand's cause to have the services of Jacob Oram, who missed the second Test and Twenty20 with a hamstring problem. His presence in the middle order would increase the scoring potential and offer Daniel Vettori an important option with the ball. Sources from inside New Zealand's camp said Oram was still not fully fit and may not be ready.

Chris Martin, however, is expected to return after a stomach virus - his energy is returning - and along with Kyle Mills, who made a useful start in the Twenty20, the bowling stocks aren't shaping up too badly.

Jeetan Patel's impressive spell on Friday will make it tempting for New Zealand to play two spinners even though Kingsmead often favours the quick bowlers. But the match is a day game so conditions should remain similar throughout with neither side having to contend with batting under the floodlights.

If Ntini and Nel return for South Africa it will be a challenge fitting in all the in-form bowlers. Shaun Pollock showed he can still bring plenty to the side with three wickets in the Twenty20 while Dale Steyn is due a one-day run and Albie Morkel is a useful all-round option. However, Mickey Arthur would rest a little easier if the top-order batting showed more consistency and captain Graeme Smith's form improved.

However, for Smith the match is a notable landmark as he reaches 100 matches as South Africa captain, with 56 victories during his tenure. "It is something I am very proud of when I look back at it," he said. "I guess when most guys get to these landmarks, they say that they have withstood the test of time but I am only 26 and I am very proud of what I have achieved.

"When you look at that number of games, you realise how inexperienced I was as a player when I took over as captain. When I think of the responsibility I had to take on, the way I have developed and where I have got to, I am very happy with what I have achieved."

But he won't be dwelling on the landmark for too long as he aims to continue South Africa's impressive season with another piece of silverware before the second half of their summer begins and the visit of West Indies.

Karthik falls early as India chase 203

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

India got off to a nervy start in pursuit of 203, reaching 3 for 1 at lunch on the fourth day after Pakistan's batting obligingly collapsed to leave the first Test tantalisingly poised. India's best run-chase at the Ferozshah Kotla was 190, against Zimbabwe in 2000, and this pitch while appearing benign was nevertheless posing problems for batsmen.

Dinesh Karthik found this out early enough, driving away from his body to a Shoaib Akhtar delivery that moved away just enough after being pitched on a good length. The thin edge was comfortably pouched by Kamran Akmal and Rahul Dravid was out in the middle with just 2 on the board, in the second over of the innings.

Dravid was up against the awkward angle of Sohail Tanvir and the raw pace of Shoaib earlier than he'd have liked, but he was up to seeing off the tricky passage of play that ushered in the lunch break. Wasim Jaffer too ensured that he was unbeaten, and India had put the smallest of dents in the target, still needing 200 to win.

Pakistan's batsmen had every chance of putting themselves in a genuinely strong position, but beginning with Akmal, they wasted the opportunity. Akmal chose to chase a wide one from Zaheer Khan, hitting it straight to Yuvraj Singh, temporarily fielding at point, at perfect catching height.

Tanvir, who is regarded to be something of a handy lower-order batsman, was cagey at the crease from the first ball he faced, playing and missing and even edging between the slip cordon and gully. Zaheer kept up a probing line and when he dropped one short, wide outside the off, Tanvir went for a pull shot that should never have been attempted and ballooned a catch to Harbhajan Singh at square leg.

Misbah-ul-Haq was entirely assured at the crease, playing Anil Kumble with confidence, but he just didn't get the support he needed at the other end. He too fell to recklessness once the new ball was taken, giving Sourav Ganguly the charge. Ganguly was good enough to shorten his length and the attempted heave over long-on was miscued and Karthik took a well-judged catch. With Misbah gone for 45, the end was near and Ganguly winkled out another wicket. Mohammad Sami, who had blocked so determinedly in the first innings, tried to slap Ganguly over midwicket and only managed a top-edge that Jaffer settled under.

Danish Kaneria was never going to pose a massive threat but he ran himself out in circumstances that summed up the Pakistan innings. He played the ball to point and set off down the pitch without much purpose. Sachin Tendulkar returned the ball to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who, facing away from the stumps, bent over and flicked the ball onto the wickets, dislodging the bails and ending the Pakistan innings on 247. Pakistan's batsmen had played with no application whatsoever, and literally thrown away their wickets on the final morning, adding only 35 runs for the fall of the last five wickets.

England enjoy valuable work-out

Scorecard

England's batsmen enjoyed a serene afternoon of batting practice as their opening warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI meandered to a predictable draw. Of the eight batsmen who made it to the crease, only Kevin Pietersen missed out on some valuable time in the middle. Nuwan Kulasekara surprised him with some unexpected bounce, and Chamara Kapugedera claimed a simple catch in the gully.

With just one more game to come before the first Test at Kandy, England's innings contained four retirements and just one other wicket, that of Michael Vaughan, who played across the line to a quicker delivery from the legspinner Malinga Bandara, and was given out lbw for 38. Up until that point, Vaughan had looked in fine touch, as he and Alastair Cook launched their new opening partnership with a 77-run stand for the first wicket.

In a possible sign of things to come, it was the younger man Cook who faced the first over from Nuwan Kulasekara - a significant development because, remarkably, neither he nor Vaughan, who was Marcus Trescothick's regular opening partner from 2002 to 2004, have ever taken first strike in a Test match.

Vaughan's last stint as an England opener came in a one-off scenario in Lahore in 2005-06, when Andrew Strauss flew home for paternity leave, and Cook made his debut in England's next Test at Nagpur three months later. The new circumstances didn't faze either player, however, and Vaughan looked especially fluent with seven fours coming from his favoured pulls and cover drives.

Cook eased to his fifty from 80 deliveries in a measured innings that included seven fours - the pick of which was a firm cover drive off Kulasekara. England went to lunch on 130 for 1, whereupon Cook became the first of England's retirees. Pietersen replaced him after the break, but had time to face just 14 deliveries before Kulasekara squared him up with the ball of the day.

Ian Bell, in his customary manner, took his time to assess the conditions, but once set he started to unfurl his full range of strokes including a sweetly struck six over long-off, off the bowling of the slow left-armer Rangana Herath. He made 49 from 98 balls before making way for Owais Shah, and 12 overs later, Paul Collingwood - who was dropped at gully on 26 - retired on 52 from 69 balls, having signalled his satisfaction by heaving Bandara for consecutive sixes over midwicket.

Shah and Ravi Bopara, two batsmen who are effectively competing for the same No. 6 position, then carried England to tea, although Shah was lucky not to be caught at deep midwicket as he clipped loosely at Herath. Thereafter the pair became somewhat entrenched as each strived not to be outdone by the other, and England's run-rate - though inconsequential - slowed appreciably.

Shah was eventually called back to the marquee having made 38 from 75 balls with three fours, and though the rains threatened after tea they held off for the first time in the match, which allowed Matt Prior to join Bopara and see England through to the close. All in all there was little to guage from the batting performance, but England will be all the better prepared after an arduous three days' work.

MacGill running out of time - physio

Stuart MacGill does not have time to significantly improve his fitness ahead of the Boxing Day Test and playing Pura Cup matches in the lead-up could make his knee injury worse, according to Australia's physio Alex Kountouris. The physio's advice came after Tim Nielsen, the coach, told MacGill his fitness would continue to be monitored, especially given Australia's hectic upcoming Test schedule.

Playing two Tests within two weeks hampered MacGill's recovery from knee surgery and he was also struggling with numbness in his hand against Sri Lanka in Hobart. Kountouris said MacGill was free to play for New South Wales in two Pura Cup matches before the India Test series but he would have trouble regaining his fitness in the next month.

"There's not enough time, really," Kountouris told the Herald Sun. "I have made him available to play in the Pura Cup, if he wants to, but that could actually be a limiting factor. It will be hard to improve his fitness during games."

MacGill, 36, had a lot of trouble landing his deliveries where he intended at Hobart, especially in the second innings, and he served up plenty of full tosses and short balls. On Wednesday he said he was undecided about how to approach the next month.

Pakistan fold up after Misbah run-out

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Pakistan's lower-order defiance lasted nearly an hour into the second morning, before a truly bizarre dismissal triggered the slide to 231 all out. Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Sami added 87 - a record ninth-wicket stand for Pakistan against India - before some alert fielding gave India the wicket that had eluded them on the first evening.

The pair had frustrated India right through the final session on the opening day, and their vigil on the second morning wasn't only about dour defence either. Misbah guided a delivery from Munaf Patel down to the third-man boundary, and Sami followed suit in the next over bowled by Zaheer Khan.

With no breakthrough forthcoming after 40 minutes, Anil Kumble took the ball himself, and then opted for Sourav Ganguly at the other end. And it was off Ganguly's bowling that the partnership was finally broken. Misbah played one to point and set off. He seemed to have made his ground when Dinesh Karthik's throw came in. But rather than get his body in the way, Misbah chose airborne evasive action. When the third umpire handed down his decision, the crowd erupted.

It took Kumble just two balls to clean up Danish Kaneria, leaving India's vaunted batting line-up to chart their own course on a pitch that should be at its best for batting on the second day.

India may be tougher - Ponting

Ricky Ponting believes India will provide a stronger contest than Sri Lanka and has warned the new captain Anil Kumble to expect extra heat during the four-Test series. Due to a change in the traditional itinerary, Australia now have a five-week break before Boxing Day and Ponting hopes it won't disrupt the team's momentum.

"It's up to us to start the Melbourne Test the same way we started in Brisbane," Ponting said after the 96-run win over Sri Lanka in Hobart. "Hopefully we can get on top of them early and stay there for the rest of the summer. At the moment India are probably a slightly stronger side than Sri Lanka and last time India were here they played very well against us."

India start their three-match series against Pakistan on Thursday and Australia will be watching Kumble in his new role. "Kumble will be under pressure coming to Australia," Ponting said. "Anyone who captains India is always under a lot of pressure. A lot of very, very good players in the past haven't been able to cope with that.

"Sachin Tendulkar probably didn't ever really want to do it, I don't think. Rahul Dravid did it for a short period of time. When he resigned he said he just wasn't enjoying the role."

Ponting is already aiming for a strong opening when the teams meet in Melbourne. "If we play well and start the series well," he said, "generally we can put the captain under pressure."

Jayawardene: 'We had more to offer than this'

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene expressed disappointment after his team lost both matches of the two-Test series against Australia.

"We had a bit more to offer than this as a team. We had a lot of talented guys in the group and unfortunately we couldn't get all that talent together in a couple of games. That was the most disappointing factor for us," Jayawardene said at the end of the second Test, which his team lost by 96 runs.

"I felt that we had a very good bowling attack but the way we played wasn't very consistent. We could not penetrate through the Australian top order which was very disappointing. The way we batted in the first innings of the two Test matches was also disappointing. That alone gave us a lot of problems in the whole series because we put ourselves under pressure.

"Especially against a side like Australia, you want to challenge yourself and see how far you've come and need to improve. But looking back at the series there are a lot of areas where we definitely need to improve. We have to sit down and talk about where we need to improve and show a lot of character to get back as a group.

"What we have to realise is that we played against the best team in the world right now and they were in form - all their top-order batsmen. We came across a very good side. We challenged ourselves and we tried a lot of things but the way we lost was the most disappointing factor. We just need to refocus and get ready for the three Tests against England."

Questioned whether there would be major changes in the team for the series against England, Jayawardene said: "You just can't chop and change players because they fail in a couple of games. That won't help us in the long run. We just have to make some sensible decisions when we go back home.

Indian board seeks to squeeze the selectors

The shadow-boxing between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the national selectors has escalated with the Indian board issuing a seven-point diktat that seeks to curtail the jurisdiction of the selectors. While the move is widely seen to be aimed at reining in Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of the selectors, there are provisions, particularly the one banning selectors from accompanying the team on foreign tours, that have caused dismay among his colleagues.

The prime target of the directive, emailed to the national selectors last evening, is Vengsarkar, who had recently been asked to show cause after flouting an oral directive not to write in newspapers. A piece carrying his byline appeared in Sakal, a Marathi daily controlled, interestingly, by the brother of Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, a couple of days after the gag order.

The written communication is unequivocal: "Selectors shall have no association with agents of players nor shall they participate in events organised by the players' agents or contribute articles etc. where such agents are involved. They shall also have no contact with organisations that have interest in the business of cricket in any form whatsoever." Vengsarkar is the only one of the five who has a syndicated column that appears in English through an agency.

Atapattu announces his retirement

Marvan Atapattu, one of Sri Lanka's finest batsmen, has finished his eventful tour of Australia by ending his international career. Atapattu announced his retirement in a letter to Duleep Mendis, the Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive, before lunch on the final day of the second Test in Hobart.

He was due to face a hearing on his return to Sri Lanka for his outburst during the opening match in Brisbane when he said the Sri Lankan selectors were "muppets headed by a joker". Despite the complaints about the administration, he retained the support of his team-mates and signed off with a satisfying 80 as he gave Sri Lanka a chance of saving the second Test.

The decision is not a surprise as there have been reports he will lead Delhi Jets in the Indian Cricket League and he is also considering playing for the St George club in Sydney grade cricket. He has had a difficult relationship with the selectors since coming back from a serious back injury and was picked for the World Cup but did not play a game. He then refused to join the squad when chosen for the Bangladesh Test series and joined the touring party to Australia only after government intervention.

Atapattu, who was Sri Lanka's most determined batsman during the series, praised his former national captains for their support and also recognised the help of his players during his time as captain. "Last but not least I thank the cricket-loving public of Sri Lanka and overseas for their continuous support during the best and worst times," he wrote to Mendis.

Australia win despite Sangakkara's 192

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Kumar Sangakkara's 192 was the big difference between the scripts in Brisbane and Hobart but Sri Lanka were denied a fairytale ending as Brett Lee grabbed four wickets and Australia secured a 2-0 series victory with their 14th consecutive Test win. Despite a collapse early in the morning when Sri Lanka lost 5 for 25, Sangakkara gave Australia a few nervous moments with an audacious assault that only ended with an unfortunate umpiring call shortly before lunch.

It is hard to predict how close Sri Lanka would have come to the record 507 they needed to win had Sangakkara stayed at the crease, but the way he was playing he just might have got them home. He could have given up once Lee and Mitchell Johnson sparked the early crashes but instead Sangakkara simply altered his game plan and formed a 74-run stand with Lasith Malinga.

Sadly for the visitors Sangakkara was denied his third double-century for 2007 when he tried to hook Stuart Clark and the ball flew off his shoulder to Ricky Ponting at slip. Rudi Koertzen agreed with the Australians that there was some bat involved but Sangakkara, and the replays, knew that was not the case. It was a disappointing finish to a superb display from Sangakkara, who blasted 27 fours and one six in his remarkable innings.

Once he found himself with the tail, Sangakkara refused singles off the first few balls of overs and then when the field came in, he reverted to one-day mode with some clean strikes over the off side. There were a few streaky shots too - thick edges flew to vacant spaces and not everything came off the middle - but it was a courageous fightback from a Sri Lanka outfit that desperately needed some spark.

In the end his assault did not affect the outcome but it let him register the highest score by a Sri Lankan in Test in Australia, beating Aravanda de Silva's 167 in 1989-90, and the highest score in a Test at Bellerive, passing Michael Slater's 168 in 1993-94. It also gave Sangakkara 677 runs for the 2007 calendar year at a phenomenal average of 225.66.

Vettori lambasts 'inept' performance

The New Zealand captain, Daniel Vettori, branded his side's performance against South Africa "inept" after they lost the second Test at Centurion inside three days by an innings and 59 runs.

Prior to this brief two-Test series New Zealand had played eight Tests in two years (to South Africa's 19) and just two in over 12 months. It was, as Vettori admitted, a tough beginning to his tenure as captain.

"It doubles up after the performance we put up at the Wanderers. We thought we could come back and fight a little bit harder here but unfortunately we delivered a similarly inept performance," he said.

"We need to play more Test cricket. It's also got to come down to individuals, to increase skill levels and desire. We need to put performances together against quality opposition. We've got Bangladesh coming up next.

"If we go ahead and win those games it doesn't necessarily mean we've become a good Test team. We've got to put performances together against teams like Australia and South Africa, and England back home in our summer."

The 2-0 series loss relegates New Zealand to seventh in the Test rankings, while South Africa leapfrog India and Pakistan to third spot and close in on England. Though it was undoubtedly a team effort from South Africa, Dale Steyn had the biggest impact on the series with consequtive ten-wicket match hauls. A career-best 6 for 49 today routed New Zealand for a paltry 136.

"I'm just doing what I have to do," he said, "getting the ball in the right places and communicating well with my captain. The guys off the field prepare these things so we can see the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. We have bowled to a plan."

Graeme Smith, his captain, was full of praise for the young colt but insisted that Steyn's success was due in no small part to Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Jacques Kallis.

"He's [Steyn] bowled at pace with good control and he's got the ball to swing," he said. "But the other guys have worked around him pretty well which has allowed him to come back at different times and strike. I like to know that he's hungry for more success."

© Cricinfo

Sangakkara digs in for big climb

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Kumar Sangakkara's century gave Sri Lanka reason to cheer but they still faced a huge challenge to avoid defeat after Brett Lee grabbed two wickets in two balls to bring Australia's 14th consecutive win closer. Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu had guided Sri Lanka towards base camp in their Everest-like chase of 507 before Lee's strikes pushed them off course.

At stumps there was still a massive mountain to climb for Sri Lanka, who required a further 260 to win on the final day, having reached 3 for 247 with Sangakkara on 109 and Sanath Jayasuriya on 33. They need Sangakkara to lead the expedition into uncharted territory as they attempt to stop Australia securing a 2-0 series win.

Sangakkara appears well equipped for the job, having registered his first Test hundred against Australia in his sixth match. He was helped by some poor bowling from Stuart MacGill, who served up a rank full toss that allowed Sangakkara to take a baseball-like swipe down the ground for four to bring up his century from 178 deliveries.

It was his seventh boundary off MacGill, but Sangakkara also looked composed against the fast men. His cover drives were typically elegant and he did not appear too rusty after missing the opening Test with a hamstring injury. The only times he seemed to be in danger were with a couple of inside edges that shot past the stumps off the fast bowlers.

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Steyn routs New Zealand with ten-wicket haul

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

A magnificent spell of 6 for 49 from Dale Steyn decimated a feeble New Zealand and led to South Africa winning the second and final Test at Centurion inside three days by an innings and 59 runs. It was Steyn's second ten-wicket haul in consecutive Tests, and New Zealand now limp towards a three-match one-day series.

This was a rout of frightening speed. It took South Africa just 34.3 overs to steamroll New Zealand for 136, a total that included Stephen Fleming's 54. Scott Styris scraped together 29; Brendon McCullum 21, while extras stole 11. The rest aren't worth talking about.

Steyn, however, is. For the second time in consecutive Tests he baffled - even occasionally frightened - New Zealand's wary top-order with pace, movement and aggression. As was the case in Johannesburg, he received fine support from Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Jacques Kallis - all of whom were good, if not as exemplary as their young colt. Today, however, Steyn had one other helping hand: the finger of Mark Benson.

Lou Vincent was the first unlucky recipient when Benson adjudged that a leg-side slider would somehow have hit the stumps. It was a dreadful decision, but such is the way of the world when all is against you. Steyn, roaring up to the crease and in excellent rhythm, removed Michael Papps leg-before (plumb, this time) while Kallis ended Styris' staunch support of Fleming when he induced a thick outside edge.

Fleming batted angrily, petulantly and excellently - as he has in both these Tests - taking the aggressive route and seizing upon another short and wide. Of course, 105 Tests have taught him the value of patience and experience - both attributes which New Zealand lack in spades, as exemplified by Ross Taylor.

After thumping two fours, Nel roared a typically raucous and unlikely appeal for lbw which Taylor, and the umpire, dismissed out of hand. Noticing he had wandered from his crease, Hashim Amla at short-leg grabbed the ball and flicked it onto the stumps to run him out. Clever of Amla; careless and plain daft from Taylor. It rather sums up New Zealand cricket at the moment

Malik and Tanvir earn Pakistan consolation win

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Shoaib Malik excelled with both bat and ball as Pakistan notched up the consolation win that reduced India's margin of victory in the one-day series to 3-2. A 168-run partnership with Mohammad Yousuf revived Pakistan's stuttering innings, and he then picked up the key wickets of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as an under-strength team outlasted an Indian side that had also rested four regulars.

By the time Malik arrived in the middle, Sreesanth had struck in each over of his second spell to transform a promising start (65 for 0) into a decidedly rocky one (77 for 3). But with Yousuf in the sort of form that fetched him an unbeaten 99 in the previous game, the innings was steadily rebuilt, first with singles, and then with big hits over midwicket and through the covers.

Malik's innings was laced with some good fortune too, with top-edged pulls off Sreesanth and Praveen Kumar, the debutant, falling safe, but the manner in which he and Yousuf took on India's slow bowlers completely changed the complexion of the innings.

Yousuf was again at his unhurried, classy best. He picked the gaps on the leg side cleverly and cut the ball behind point fluently when the bowlers erred. He was well on track for the century that he had missed both in Guwahati and Gwalior, but was flummoxed when the previously expensive Yuvraj Singh spun one past the bat as he lunged forward.

Malik's 82-ball 89 had ended in similar fashion just minutes earlier, with Murali Kartik deceiving him in the flight. But Misbah-ul-Haq and the impressive Fawad Alam finished with a flourish to ensure that the exit of the two established batsmen didn't really affect the final total.

Atapattu and Sangakkara frustrate Australia

Sri Lanka saved their most promising partnership of the tour until their final innings as Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara frustrated Australia and guided Sri Lanka to 1 for 139 at tea. Their unbeaten 124-run stand came as Sri Lanka faced a gigantic task in chasing 507 for an unlikely victory.

Ricky Ponting was left searching for ideas during a rare wicketless session for Australia after Mitchell Johnson had removed Michael Vandort just before lunch. Stuart MacGill struggled to find his length and Australia's fast men could not extract much assistance from a pitch that remained good for batting late on the fourth day.

The quality pairing of Atapattu and Sangakkara did not allow Australia any room for error and at tea Sri Lanka needed a further 368 runs from four sessions with nine wickets in hand. Before this series Atapattu had not played a Test for nearly two years but he proved that his class had not deserted him with a composed half-century from 94 balls.

Atapattu's timing was outstanding and he managed nine fours on a ground whose outfield had been slow all day. He reached 74 at tea and was especially effective against MacGill, who sent down few deliveries that seriously threatened the batsmen. Too often he dropped short or overpitched and the batsmen rarely let him get away with it. Atapattu took 12 from one MacGill over, striking a trio of boundaries with an excellent cover drive, a well-timed cut that brought up his half-century, and a textbook pull in front of midwicket.

It helped him enormously to have such a good partner - Sangakkara was on 51 at tea and demonstrated how much Sri Lanka had missed him in Brisbane. He too picked a couple of boundaries off MacGill full tosses with a cover drive and a sweep but also worked runs comfortably against the fast bowlers.

Ponting no doubt wished he could call on Andrew Symonds, whose medium-pacers ended two promising partnerships in the first Test, however Symonds hurt his ankle while batting in the first innings and has not fielded in this match. Michael Clarke's part-time spin was employed but Atapattu and Sangakkara did not succumb.

Kallis flays hapless New Zealand

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

A masterful 131 from Jacques Kallis, his 29th Test hundred, put South Africa well in charge of the second Test against a demoralised and embattled New Zealand. Kallis and Hashim Amla, who was unbeaten on 89, shared in a 220-run stand for the third wicket - their second huge partnership in a week.

What made it all the more depressing for New Zealand was the speed at which Kallis and stole the momentum. Chris Martin had bowled impressively in the morning session, removed an out-of-form Graeme Smith in addition to Herschelle Gibbs. New Zealand's fielding, so shabby in the first Test at Johannesburg, was a vast improvement today too - led by Lou Vincent, who ought to have run out Amla in the fifth over of the day.

But from a rare position of relative strength, New Zealand's bowlers utterly lost the plot after lunch. Whereas in the morning Martin and Iain O'Brien were pitching it up, their strategy in the afternoon revolved around bumpers and bouncers. Kallis pounced, creaming fours through (and over) extra cover and pulling leg-side strays through midwicket with quite ominous power. Right from the off, it was clear this wasn't to be one of his stodgy days.

This was Kallis at his cavalier best, a near-flawless innings of technical perfection - and pleasing to the eye, too. The strategy, if they had one, of dropping the ball short was so flawed as to be laughable. Kallis flayed them over point; backward of square; over and through midwicket, not to mention crunching drives through his favoured cover region. He sped to a hundred, his 29th and fifth in seven innings, from 143 balls, while passing 1000 runs for the calendar year. Never has he been in such imperious form.

Amla was less commanding but wonderfully effective, and is clearly benefiting from batting so often with a man of Kallis's experience. The slightest err in line from New Zealand's bowlers was seized upon, timing the ball beautifully off the back foot - particularly off Martin who, after his long morning spell, was now tiring. Without Jacob Oram (hamstring) and their spearhead, Shane Bond, the onus fell on the gangling O'Brien and Mark Gillespie, the debutant.

Gillespie resembles an All Black No. 8 rather than a Black Cap No.10, and was deceptively quick with a heavy ball that bounces off a length. After tea, New Zealand finally ended their baffling bouncer strategy and Gillespie was rewarded for an excellent over to Kallis when he found one to jag back on him, trapping him in front.

Sri Lanka staring at the follow-on

Sri Lanka are staring at their second follow-on of this short series after two lethal sessions from Australia's hungry bowlers. As in Brisbane, they continued to apply to the squeeze, leaving Mahela Jayawardene and the tail the task of adding another 135 with only two wickets left to avoid batting again should Ricky Ponting so wish them to.

Jayawardene headed to the break unbeaten on 69, but barring his third-wicket stand of 73 with the returning Kumar Sangakkara who made a fifty of his own, Sri Lanka have so far failed to put together a meaningful partnership and they only have three wickets left. Then again, in the face of some excellent bowling, they just haven't been allowed to.

Unsurprisingly for an attack which has been hunting as a pack, the bowlers shared the wickets around, with Brett Lee taking three, including the first two Stuart MacGill grabbed a pair and there was one each for Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark. A calamitous mix-up with the runner to run out Farveez Maharoof added to Sri Lanka's woes.

Lee continued to grow into his new role as pack leader, his aggressive offerings setting the tone. He set up the morning by knocking over Michael Vandort's middle stump with a perfectly pitched yorker and then finding Marvan Atapattu's edge where Michael Clarke clung on to a hard chance at gully on a twirling second attempt.

He could have also had Sangakkara twice, with Michael Hussey just not getting his hands under it at gully on 4 and Adam Gilchrist dropping a thick edge on 13. The batsman rode his luck before finally falling for to Johnson, who he had already inside-edged off, Hussey making no mistake this time at backward point.

Sangakkara's return was what Sri Lanka were clinging to. He had faced only three balls in the middle all tour before being parachuted into Hobart and he found he had landed on a rollercoaster, with plenty of false strokes first up before becoming more comfortable. While the ride was smoothing out and he was doing well with Jayawardene, Sri Lanka had some hope. But Australia were unrepentant.

Mohammad Sami recalled to Pakistan squad

Mohammad Sami has been recalled to Pakistan's 15-man Test squad against India following an impressive start to the domestic season, while Mohammad Asif's elbow injury has all but ruled him out of the Test series as well.

Danish Kaneria and Faisal Iqbal will also be flying out to India, while Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam and Rao Iftikhar Anjum will head back following the conclusion of the ODI series.

Sami was not included in Pakistan's last Test squad against South Africa, but has been impressive this season in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy for Karachi Whites. Coupled with Asif's unavailability, it makes him "the best option to partner Shoaib Akhtar," according to Salahuddin Ahmed, the chief selector.

Sami played the last of his 30, largely unfulfilling Tests, in January against South Africa since when he drifted to the sidelines of Pakistan's Test attack. But he has picked up 21 wickets so far this season while captaining the Whites, and a career-best 8-39 last week that sealed his spot.

Pakistan batsmen need a plan

There may be little for Pakistan to play for in Jaipur, apart from the clichéd pride and a morale-boosting win going into the first Test, but the touring batsmen will have to rally together to match a confident Indian line-up and avoid a 4-1 defeat in the one-day series.

Though Shoaib Malik blamed defeat in Gwalior on his opening bowlers failing to rein in a vintage Sachin Tendulkar, the initiative had been lost earlier in the day, when their batsmen failed to bat around Mohammad Yousuf, who was left stranded on 99.

Yousuf had a strike-rate of around 90 throughout his innings and formed substantial partnerships of 51 for the third wicket with Younis Khan, and 94 for the fifth wicket with Misbah-ul-Haq. Pakistan had another steady partnership when Malik added 78 for the second wicket with Younis but they didn't score 300 because the set batsmen got out precisely when it was time to accelerate.

Malik tried to up the ante and was bowled by Zaheer Khan. Yousuf joined Younis and began to efficiently anchor the innings. The ideal blueprint would have been for the batsmen at the other end to play the aggressor while Yousuf built his innings at a run-a-ball. However, both Younis and Misbah lost their wickets when the partnership was just lifting off the ground. Shahid Afridi's failure to fire also left Yousuf in a familiar dilemma; whether to risk his wicket trying to accelerate, or continue the anchor role and see Pakistan through to a reasonable total. As it turned out, Pakistan finished with 255, a difficult total to defend under normal, dewy conditions and impossible with Tendulkar on a rampage.

South Africa batter New Zealand with pace

New Zealand wilted in the face of aggressive fast bowling from South Africa, as Dale Steyn continued his fine form with 4 for 42. From 84 for 1, they collapsed - literally, in the case of Craig Cumming - to 187 for 8.

It was another depressing day for New Zealand on a tour that has swung from one calamity to another. Without Jacob Oram, the towering allrounder and lacking the spearheading pace of Shane Bond, Daniel Vettori had little option other than to bat first, even on a pitch which had South Africa's bowlers salivating with glee. With a greenish tinge and crazy-paving cracks, it was made for Steyn and Makhaya Ntini.

They fell into the trap of bowling too short, however, and after the early wicket of Michael Papps, Cumming and Lou Vincent - who was drafted in to replace Oram - began to rebuild the team's confidence with a solid stand of 62. Vincent's counter-attack appeared rather reckless - fours slashed over point rather than creamed through the covers - but in the face of adversity, it was precisely what New Zealand needed. As can happen with South Africa, their shoulders dropped quickly and they went to lunch kicking their heels.

Whatever the Centurion chef served agreed with Steyn and Andre Nel in particular. After lunch, they mixed up their lengths impressively and, if anything, the pitch was quicker too. A ferociously quick bouncer from Steyn unsettled Vincent in the second over after lunch; Vincent attempted to hook him the very next delivery but found Paul Harris circling at square leg.

Cumming appeared to have the measure of the pitch and the length of the bowlers, too, thumping Ntini on the up over the covers and teaching his fallen team-mates the benefits of patience. But he had to leave the field after being struck a horrible, bloodying blow on the face while trying to pull Steyn. It was a terrific bouncer - fast, aggressive and straight - and simply too quick for Cumming, the ball jarring against the grill and flooring him.

Gilchrist,Clarke, and Symonds pile on the pain

Once upon a time there were some Australian batsmen who ... It's becoming a familiar fairytale of big hitting against Sri Lanka - or a recurring nightmare depending on your view - and the second day in Hobart was no different, as Australia racked up 5 for 542 before declaring.

Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey pushed them past 400 before Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds weighed in with half-centuries, Symonds' second in a row. Gilchrist was in imperious form, cracking 67 from 77 balls, including three sixes which made him the only player to hit 100 Test sixes.

Two of his aerial on-side sixes against Muttiah Muralitharan were reminiscent of his destruction against another slow bowler, Monty Panesar, in last year's Ashes in Perth, but once Symonds brought up his fifty, Ricky Ponting called in his troops before Gilchrist could do further damage.

Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson were then immediately on the money, troubling Marvan Atapattu and Michael Vandort, who had been boosted to opener ahead of Sanath Jayasuriya, with their movement. Vandort survived on nought when Ponting couldn't clutch a hard chance off Johnson above his head at second slip. But the pair weathered a stormy 12 overs before bad light brought an early close.

As on the first day, the Test had been mirroring Brisbane, with Hussey and Clarke reaching their 100 partnership before lunch, before Hussey fell to Dilhara Fernando in the afternoon. Symonds then joined Clarke as they pressed the accelerator.

Then came an adjustment to the script, with Lasith Malinga finally striking to remove Clarke short of his hundred. At 5 for 447, however, Australia were hardly troubled and just to prove the point, Gilchrist stroked two fours from his first two Test deliveries since January.

Sublime Tendulkar powers India to victory

Sachin Tendulkar fell within tantalising distance of a first match-winning century in a run chase since July 2001, but India weren't to be denied as they romped to a six-wicket victory [with 21 balls remaining] that wrapped up the series with a match to spare. As in 2006, when India won 4-1 in Pakistan, there was a considerable gulf between the two sides, best exemplified by Tendulkar's sublime batting as India set about their pursuit of 256. Pakistan's total owed much to their own 90s man - Mohammad Yousuf finished the innings on 99 not out - but ultimately, they paid the price for their diffidence in the Powerplay, when only 79 runs were scored.

On a pitch where most other batsmen were restricted in their shot-making, Tendulkar played with the fluency and confidence of old, finding gaps with effortless ease. To compound Pakistan's problems, Shoaib Akhtar, who bowled with genuine menace for three overs, went off with what looked like a shin injury after completing his fourth. He returned only in the 25th over, by which time India were well past half-way. In his absence, Tendulkar unveiled some stunning drives, including a couple of pushes through the covers off the back foot that brought back memories of the halcyon years.

Sri Lanka suffer Jaques rerun

The first day in Hobart gave Sri Lanka flashbacks of Brisbane as Phil Jaques and Michael Hussey each scored their second consecutive century and Australia went to stumps at 3 for 329. Hussey was in danger of spending a night in the 90s but he relieved the pressure in the final over by pulling Farveez Maharoof expertly through midwicket for four to bring up his hundred from 169 balls.

Sri Lanka had changed their attack by including Lasith Malinga but the results were largely the same as the first Test and at the close Hussey was on 101 with Michael Clarke on 8. Hussey's century was just another way the opening day at Bellerive Oval copied the start of the Gabba game - Australia batted first, Matthew Hayden fell to pace, Muttiah Muralitharan removed Ponting, and Jaques reached triple-figures with Hussey by his side.

But while repeats did not bother Australia, Sri Lanka were frustrated by the Jaques and Hussey rerun. The pair combined for a 152-run partnership that justified Ponting's decision to bat on a pitch that offered some early seam movement but was essentially ideal for batting.

Jaques lost his cool for 100 at the Gabba and this time skied a catch for 150 - Sri Lanka will be glad there is no third Test for him to continue the pattern with 200. While his Brisbane hundred was an uncharacteristic, prolonged effort, his follow-up in Hobart was much more typical of his style.

Cumming and Vincent defy South Africa

Lou Vincent and Craig Cumming steadied New Zealand in difficult conditions on the first day of the second and final Test against South Africa at Centurion and, for only the second time in the series, walked in at lunch on top.

With Jacob Oram and Shane Bond absent through injury, Daniel Vettori - in his second Test as captain - chose to bat on a pitch with a decided number of cracks and with a green tinge. It's been a torrid two weeks for New Zealand given their hammering in the first Test and, almost immediately, their decision to bat appeared to be questionable at best as Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini found prodigious bounce off a good length.

Michael Papps lacked any conviction and, like Cumming, was wary to come onto the front foot. When he did, Ntini found his outside edge and Herschelle Gibbs plucked a fine, low catch to his right at gully to immediately put New Zealand on the defensive at 26 for 1. There was a horrible sense of inevitability and South Africa were buzzing.

Atapattu to stay on Australia tour

The Sri Lanka selectors have kept Marvan Atapattu on the tour of Australia to minimise disruption for the team, but will take "the necessary disciplinary action" when they return home. SLC issued the statement on Tuesday, following a committee meeting, which said they felt "distressed and disappointed".

Atapattu, then, will be considered for the second and final Test which begins this Friday in Hobart. His tour was in jeopardy when he called the selectors "muppets headed by a joker" in a press conference during his first Test since 2005, in Brisbane this week. Whether he will now be considered for the home Test series against England which follows remains to be seen.

SLC said in their statement: "Sri Lanka Cricket does not wish to disrupt the ongoing tour of Australia, especially as the second Test in Hobart will commence on November 16. However, Sri Lanka Cricket is very distressed and disappointed about the statements made by Marvan Atapattu on the selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket - and will take necessary disciplinary action on his return to Sri Lanka."

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Johnson asks Hobart locals for advice

The local knowledge of the Australia squad's two Tasmanians will be tapped by Mitchell Johnson as he looks to build on his impressive debut. Johnson has risen swiftly to international honours - the Brisbane Test was his 23rd first-class game - and his experience at Bellerive Oval is limited to a handful of domestic contests for Queensland.

Fortunately Ricky Ponting will be on hand to offer advice in the lead-up to Friday's second Test and Ben Hilfenhaus, the swing bowler, is also in the squad. "He's a good one to speak too, playing there all the time, so I'll have a chat with him," Johnson said as he prepared to leave Brisbane. "The bowling group will also probably get together and ask him a few questions."

The ball did not swing when Ponting played a Pura Cup match there two weeks ago, but there is hope from the fast men of obtaining some reverse late in the innings. Johnson remembers getting early movement in the air and off the surface, which will be analysed closely over the next couple of days.

Bellerive Oval has regularly been referred to as a "road" over the past decade, but the production of the pitch has changed since the curator Cameron Hodgkins took over. Following discussions with the Tasmania team management, Hodgkins began cultivating surfaces that did not result in regular bowling mutilation and they helped the Tigers record enough outright victories to host - and win - the 2006-07 Pura Cup final.

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