Samson wrestles down RCB

April 30, 2013

SamsonJaipur, Apr 30: Royal Challengers Bangalore came close to breaking their away-match jinx of this season at the Sawai Man Singh stadium. But Rajasthan Royals, riding on an excellent fifty by Sanju Samson, won the battle of nerves in the last over to clinch the thrilling encounter by four wickets on Monday.

Needing seven runs from the last over while chasing a competitive 172 to win, Royals were in command with Brad Hodge (32) and Stuart Binny (6 n.o.) at the crease.

But R Vinay Kumar bowled the dangerous Hodge and captain Virat Kohli showed presence of mind in attacking the bowler’s end with an excellent throw from the deep to get rid of Owais Shah in successive deliveries. That held a ray of hope for RCB to sneak in a victory. The equation came down to four runs off three balls. But Binny slammed a boundary to deep mid-wicket to reach the target with a ball to spare.

On the other hand, Royals maintained their perfect record at home in what turned out to be the second highest run chase here.

The 18-year-old Samson, in only the second game of his debut IPL season and promoted up the order, made the difference with a blistering half-century (63 off 41 balls). Shane Watson played the role of anchor with a useful 41 while Hodge stepped up at the death, hitting two sixes during his 18-ball 32. In the end, it turned out to be a well-executed chase by the home team. Royals had preferred to chase as skipper Rahul Dravid again put the opposition into bat. Samson, who had a good domestic season for Kerala, had shown glimpses of his talent against Kings XI Punjab and lived up to the faith shown by his captain on the day. He played freely and excelled in stroke-making.

Solid Watson

Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed early and Dravid misjudged a slower one to have his stumps knocked off by Moises Henriques. In the company of Watson, Samson cut loose. His two effortless sixes, over cover and extra-cover off Murali Kartik, were a treat. He had the crowd standing on its feet when he sent a RP Singh full toss to cover for his half-century. Watson and Samson added 48 runs before Ravi Rampaul cut short Samson’s innings. Hodge immediately launched himself into attack, and though Watson departed towards the end, the job had done by then.

Earlier, RCB had rustled up a good total. Chris Gayle gave them a blistering start and bombarded the boundaries consistently. Off-spinner Ajit Chandila, opening the bowling for Royals, was creamed for 13 runs and S Sreesanth, who was making a return after missing out on three matches, conceded 17. RCB had raced to 44 in four overs before Gayle edged a Watson delivery behind the wicket. His departure stifled the scoring and with Siddharth Trivedi crashing the stumps of Abhinav Mukund, RCB were staring at a crisis.

The reliable middle-order pair of Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers milked 30 runs for the third wicket to keep RCB?innings steady. De Villiers was threatening to open up with his characteristic hits to the fence. When on 16, he whacked Binny to deep point but Sreesanth misjudged the catch as he over-ran the ball.

Sreesanth, however, atoned for it when de Villiers chased his full and wide delivery in the next over and James Faulkner took the catch at deep. Watson then did the damage, taking out Kohli and Royals looked in control. But Rajasthan let it slip when Vinay hammered birthday boy Faulkner for three sixes in the final over to lift his side to a formidable total. But in good batting conditions, Royals stood up to the challenge and left RCB with a lot to ponder.

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News Network
March 31,2020

New Delhi, Mar 31: Australia batsman David Warner on Tuesday decided to shave off his head to show support towards all those people who are working relentlessly on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

After shaving off his head, Warner also challenged his Australian team-mate Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli to do the same.

Warner, shared a time-lapse video on Instagram, of him shaving his head, and captioned the post as: "Been nominated to shave my head in support of those working on the frontline #Covid-19 here is a time-lapse. I think my debut was the last time I recall I've done this. Like it or not".

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australia's death toll stands at 19, as per the Sydney Morning Herald.

As of 8 am today, 4460 people across Australia have tested positive for COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a 'pandemic' on March 11.

Earlier in the day, Australia Test skipper Tim Paine also confirmed that the side's tour of Bangladesh is unlikely due to the virus spread.
"You don't have to be Einstein to realise (the Bangladesh tour) is probably unlikely to go ahead, particularly in June. Whether it's cancelled or pushed back, we're not quite sure at the moment," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying.

Currently, Australia has 296 points in the WTC from 10 matches, while India has 360 points from nine matches.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Karachi, Jun 23: Pakistan cricketers Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and rookie Haider Ali on Monday tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed three players - Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan - have tested positive for Covid-19," said the PCB in a statement.

"The players had shown no symptoms until they were tested in Rawalpindi on Sunday ahead of the Pakistan men's national cricket team's tour to England."

The infected players will go into self-isolation.

"The PCB medical panel is in contact with the three who have been advised to immediately go into self-isolation," the statement said.

Earlier this month, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was tested positive for the deadly virus.

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News Network
January 6,2020

Sydney, Jan 6: Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series.

The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and Melbourne.

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all five Tests at home -- two against Pakistan and three against New Zealand -- after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England.

"It's been a great summer for the Australian Test side," Lyon said.

"It's pretty special to be part of it, we have been impressive, pretty clinical, the batters have done well and given us bowlers plenty of time."

Australia declared their second innings at 217 for two with David Warner scoring an unbeaten century, leaving the Black Caps with a revised 416-run target in the fourth innings on a wearing Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

But the Kiwis buckled under the pressure of Australia's superior bowling attack with Mitchell Starc taking three for 25 to support the wiles of spinner Lyon.

"They were clinical in all areas and after the first match they put us under pressure session after session," said skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the Test with a virus.

New Zealand were reeling early at 27-4 and never recovered after Starc and Lyon took two wickets each in the middle session to put the skids under the tourists.

Starc removed both openers, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, in the first five overs. Blundell fell to a stunning catch by a diving Lyon at point for two and stand-in skipper Latham lost a review for leg before wicket.

Jeet Raval was out in a review to the faintest of edges on 'Snicko' in Lyon's first over for 12.

First-innings top-scorer Glenn Phillips went for a duck after technology detected a faint outside edge to wicketkeeper Paine off Lyon.

Taylor's Kiwi record

Ross Taylor became the leading all-time Kiwi batsman, going past Stephen Fleming (7,172) before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 22 to take his Test aggregate to 7,174.

Big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme smacked Lyon for six to bring up his fifty but went next ball hoicking to Joe Burns at deep mid-wicket for 52.

Todd Astle was out to a superb diving catch by James Pattinson in the outfield for 17.

Starc yorked William Somerville's middle stump for seven and BJ Watling was the last to fall, caught at backward square leg by Pat Cummins for 19.

Earlier, Warner completed his 24th Test century and remained unbeaten when skipper Paine declared upon the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne.

"You know you're capable of doing so," Warner said, when asked about how he had bounced back from his disastrous Ashes campaign in England last year.

"I was in the nets hitting the ball well and had the skipper backing me. To be able to play with freedom helped me. It's all paying off."

Labuschagne, who was dropped on four in a regulation caught-and-bowled chance by leg-spinner Astle, was caught at long on off Matt Henry for 59 -- his seventh score over 50 in eight innings this domestic summer.

Labuschagne finished the home five-Test season with a stunning aggregate of 896 runs, made up of his 215 in the first innings, three other centuries and three half-centuries in eight innings.

There was drama late in the Australian innings when Warner was given an official warning by umpire Aleem Dar for running down the middle of the pitch in scampering a single.

It resulted in five penalty runs being added to New Zealand's first innings total meaning their target was revised down from 421 to 416.

The Test was played against the backdrop of one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons with at least 24 people losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, including on the outskirts of Sydney.

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