New Zealand media shower praise on McCullum

February 19, 2014

McCullum_copyWellington, Feb 19: New Zealand media on Wednesday showered praise on triple centurion Brendon McCullum, describing him as "Captain Fantastic" and his epic 302-run innings as their "greatest innings".

McCullum yesterday became the first New Zealand batsman to score a triple century as the skipper helped his team to force a draw in the second Test and complete a 1-0 series win against India in the two-match rubber.

"Innings of a lifetime" and "History maker" was how Dominion Post hailed McCullum. "Our greatest innings," announced the New Zealand Herald`s front page, which also had a picture of McCullum with his arms reaching to the sky after his mamoth 302-run innings in the second innings at Basin Reserve.

"No wonder he looked so shattered," the Dominion Post said, adding that the tattooed 32-year-old had earned a place alongside the legends of New Zealand cricket. Describing the euphoria around McCullum`s epic innings, the paper read: "The queues snaked on to Kent Terrace with fans buying half-price tickets and awaiting history with expectant eyes like children on Christmas morning. Not since Richard Hadlee`s 300th test wicket in 1986 had there been scenes like it."

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson was also in awe of the `exceptional` innings of McCullum.

The New Zealand media also heaped praise on debutante allrounder Jimmy Neesham, who scored an unbeaten 137, the highest score by a No 8 batsman in his first test, with headlines reading "Jimmy Neesham in dreamland" and "Neesham makes own history on debut".

Besides individual praises, New Zealand cricket team also received accolades for their dominating performances throughout the bilateral series, where they won 4-0 in the five ODIs before beating India in the two-test series 1-0.

"Yesterday stopped a nation to a degree. A lot of people took great deal of satisfaction out of it. As a New Zealander, not only as coach, it was a pretty special moment," Hesson said.

"It defined the way we want to play our cricket."

"It`s been a heck of a summer," Hesson told commercial radio. "We`ve got some nice players around New Zealand at the moment and it`s a matter of picking the right time to introduce them." Hesson said the kiwi fans are supporting the team because of their positive attitude and fighting spirit.

"(I said) the New Zealand public are behind you guys because of the way you`re playing your cricket -- you`re showing the fighting characteristics that, as New Zealanders, we love to see," he said.

"But we know as a group that we`ve just turned a corner and we have to get better and better."

New Zealand will be co-hosting next year`s 50 over World Cup along with Australia and their Cricket board member Martin Snedden said their performance will provide a huge boost to the game ahead of the sporting extravaganza.

"We needed the home team to be firing to make sure people`s enthusiasm was at the right levels and the team has responded brilliantly," said Snedden. "So it`s all good news for cricket in New Zealand at the moment."

Related: McCullum hits historic triple ton

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Agencies
February 7,2020

New Delhi, Feb 7: It was on February 7, 1999, that Anil Kumble became just the second bowler in the history of cricket to take all ten wickets in an innings of a Test match.

He achieved the feat against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, now known as Arun Jaitley cricket stadium in Delhi during the second Test of the two-match series.

India had set Pakistan a target of 420 runs in the match and the visitors got off to a steady start as openers Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar put on 101 runs for the first wicket.

It was then Kumble who came into the attack and wreaked havoc on the Pakistani batting line-up.

The spinner, also known as 'Jumbo' first dismissed Afridi (41) in the 25th over. After the right-handed batter's dismissal, India kept on taking wickets through Kumble and Pakistan was reduced to 128/6 in no time.

Kumble then kept on taking wickets at regular intervals and he got his tenth scalp in the 61st over after dismissing Wasim Akram.

This effort enabled India to register a win by 212 runs, and Kumble became the second bowler after England's Jim Laker to take all ten wickets in a single Test inning.

Kumble finished with the bowling figures of 10-74 from 26.3 overs.

Kumble announced his retirement from international cricket in 2008 and finished with 619 wickets in the longest format of the game.

He has the third-highest number of wickets in Tests, only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia's Shane Warne (708).

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News Network
July 18,2020

Johannesburg, Jul 18: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Saturday mourned the demise of former spinner Ismail 'Baboo' Ebrahim who died in Durban at the age of 73.

"Baboo was one of the outstanding South African spin bowlers of the 1960s and 1970s who would undoubtedly have played as many Test matches for his country as the 48 first-class games to which he was limited," CSA said in a statement.

In those matches, he took 179 wickets at an average of 21.33 with an economy rate of 2.12 including 8 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls.

The left-arm spinner only had one opportunity on the international stage when he played for a SA Invitation XI against the International Wanderers at Kingsmead in 1976.

"At the age of 29, he was in his prime and took a match-winning 6/66 in the second innings, his victims including international captains, Greg Chappell of Australia and Mike Denness of England. It was a clear indication of what he could have achieved on grounds around the world at the highest level had he been given the opportunity. He was a master of flight and spin and had a good arm ball to back it up," the statement read.

His ability to perform at this level had become apparent much earlier when he went to watch the Australians at practice before their Test match against South Africa in 1970.

He persuaded the Australians to let him bowl to them and made an immediate impression, bowling experienced Test batsman Ian Redpath and impressing the likes of Ian Chappell and Ashley Mallett, the latter being Australia's leading spinner of the 1970s.

He had one season for Radcliffe in the Lancashire Central League when he took 62 wickets at 14.62 apiece.

Baboo finally got his chance to represent his country in Masters events in one of which he dismissed both Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge.

"Baboo Ebrahim was one of the countless number of outstanding cricketers who was denied the opportunity to display his talents to the world and live his cricketing dreams," said CSA Acting Chief Executive, Dr Jacques Faul.

"On behalf of the CSA Family I extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends and cricketing colleagues," he added. 

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News Network
February 29,2020

Feb 29: India were all out for 242 in their first innings following a stunning battling collapse, triggered by paceman Kyle Jamieson on the opening day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, here on Saturday.

India were steady at 194 for five at tea but lost wickets in quick succession after the play resumed. Jamieson returned figures of 14-3-45-5.

Hanuma Vihari top-scored for India with his combative 55 while Prithvi Shaw (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (54) hit contrasting half-centuries.

Virat Kohli's (3) poor run continued while his deputy Ajikya Rahane (7) also fell cheaply.

India lost last five wickets for 48 runs, of which 26 were contributed by last-wicket pair of Mohammed Shami (16) and Jasprit Bumrah (10).

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 242 all out in 63 overs. (H Vihari 55, P Shaw 54, C Pujara 54 batting; Kyle Jamieson 5/45, Tim Southee 2/38, ).

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