Preview: There were two tales of familiarity in India’s defeat to Australia in the first One Day International. After Australia had posted their sizeable – but chasable – total, the Indian top-order capitulated in the face of a daunting asking rate, and we resigned ourselves to losing by a big margin. Then came the spirited fightback, where hope...

Ground Reality and Pitch: Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd Sports Complex Ground, also known as the IPCL Sports Complex, is located in Vadodara and is home to the Baroda cricket team. This stadium has played host to 8 ODI matches since 1994 but is yet to stage a Test match. The ground boasts a true wicket which has favoured the batsmen throughout the match although...

Vadodara, Oct 24(ANI): Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh is a doubtful starter for the opening game of the seven-match ODI series against Australia on Sunday after failing to recover from a finger injury. Yuvraj had injured a finger during the Champions Trophy held in South Africa last month. Selectors anticipated that he would recover soon following which he was been named...

Lahore, Oct.24 (ANI) Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan and his deputy Shahid Afridi have reportedly resolved their differences during a close-door meeting arranged by the officials of a local team which both the players represent. According to sources privy to the development, the truce meeting between the players was organized by Sports Division Head of Habib Bank...

Islamabad, Oct.24 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) unprofessionalism was once again highlighted when it failed to convince the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to allow tainted fast bowler Mohammad Asif to take part in the one-day series against New Zealand starting November 3 in Abu Dhabi. According to sources, the PCB officials did virtually nothing...

London, Oct.24 (ANI): Off-spinner Graeme Swann has said that he will lead England’’s tweet nothings in South Africa this winter. According to The Mirror, England bosses briefly considered banning tweets, but Swann, whose Twitter duel with team-mate Jimmy Anderson has become the stuff of legend in the dressing room, last night revealed the censors had spared...

London, Oct. 24 (ANI): England’s emerging all-rounder Luke Wright has said that he is ready to take Andrew Flintoff’s place in the Test squad, but believes it’s not right to make comparisons with Freddie. The Sussex star has been a regular in England’’s Twenty20 and one-day sides for two years now, without previously being considered for the longest form...

Islamabad, Oct.24 (ANI): Flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has made it clear that he has no intention of playing Test cricket until the 2011 World Cup and would be concentrating solely on the shorter versions of the game. Afridi told PakPassion.net that since the selectors did not consider him good enough for the five-day game, he decided to focus only on T20...

Lahore, Oct.24 (ANI): Upset over being axed from all the three national squads, Pakistan middle order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq has vowed to make a comeback in the national team through his performance. The 37-year-old right hand batsman said age was not a factor for him as there are players more senior to him who are playing competitive international cricket...

Sydney, Oct.24 (ANI): The Australian cricketers selected for the seven one-day matches against India will stretch every sinew of their bodies in putting up performances before their selectors in the hope to make it or be recalled to the Test squad this summer. According to a report appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, every run from all-rounder Shane Watson will act...