Already assured of a playoffs berth, Kolkata Knight Riders would aim to sign off their IPL league engagements on a high when they take on laggards Pune Warriors in Pune on Saturday.
Across five fiercely contested Tests, more than 7,000 runs were scored, including a record-equalling 21 individual centuries. Every match stretched into a gripping fifth day. The sun shone, the stands were full, and the cricket -- emotional, enthralling, and endlessly unpredictable -- captured imaginations around the world.
Lucknow Super Giants' opening pair smashed several records as they remained unbeaten at the end of 20 overs with over 200 runs on board.
After leading his side to the top with a facile win over Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir said he, along with senior batsman Jacques Kallis, will have to shoulder the responsibility of steering the team to play-off stage.
Statistical highlights of the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Eden Gardens.
Fielding lapses, including a first-ball dropped catch off Brendon McCullum who smashed his way to 81, cost Mumbai Indians the match against IPL debutants Kochi Tuskers Kerala on Friday, said home team captain Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar's maiden Twenty20 century went in vain as Kochi Tuskers Kerela opened their account in the Indian Premier League with an eight-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on Friday.
Martin Guptill and Daniel Flynn battled hostile pace bowling to guide New Zealand to 65 for no loss at the close of play on the third day of the final Test against South Africa at the Basin Reserve on Sunday.
New Zealand thrashed Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the one-off Twenty20 match in Hamilton on Wednesday. After dismissing the visitors for a paltry 78, the Black Caps, romped home in eight overs.
Ahead of the Ashes, England fast bowler Ollie Robinson was confident that the hosts could clinch a comfortable win against the visitng Australian side.
New Zealand's captain Ross Taylor's 111 not out has put the hosts in a commanding position against Zimbabwe. New Zealand are five for 331 on the first day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Napier on Thursday.
Already under severe pressure to retain his place in the Test squad, VVS Laxman's IPL career may just come to a halt as none of the nine franchises are keen on roping in the senior batsman as a full-time player.
Royal Challengers Bangalore pacers blew away the Mumbai Indians' top order before shining in the death overs to set up a much-needed 14-run win, which kept them alive in the Indian Premier League Play-offs race, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
'If all the pitches are like that I'm done in the Ashes series.'
Captain Michael Clarke rode his luck to score 139 and help steer Australia to a 132-run first innings lead over New Zealand with a total of 427 on the third day of the first Test on Saturday.
Already burdened by back injuries to captain Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum, New Zealand on Tuesday suffered yet another setback when fast bowler Daryl Tuffey was ruled out of the ongoing five-match One-Day International series against India due to a bicep strain.
Images from the Champions Trophy final between Australia and New Zealand in Centurion on Monday.
New Zealand's stand-in skipper Ross Taylor was disappointed after the Black Caps crashed to their seventh consecutive One-day International defeats in Guwahati, but hoped to get their act together before the forthcoming World Cup in February.
England captain Andrew Strauss praised New Zealand counterpart Daniel Vettori for recalling Paul Collingwood after he had been given run out during their Champions Trophy clash on Tuesday.
Bharat Arun was the bowling coach of the Indian team under Ravi Shastri.
Five foreign players, including West Indies opener Chris Gayle figure in the 14-member Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the Indian Premier League lung-opener against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 18. The squad announced on Wednesday has New Zealander Brendon McCullum, Australian captain Ricky Ponting, David Hussey and Pakistani Mohammed Hafiz.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has succeeded in signing its six Indian Premier League-contracted players, avoiding a possible rift caused by a scheduling clash with Australia's tour of the country next March.
Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist (85 off 35 balls) registered the fastest IPL fifty. With his 17-ball half-century, Gilchrist surpassed the 21-ball 50s registered by Yusuf Pathan (2008) and Brendon McCullum (2009). Gilchrist's 17-ball half-century is the fifth fastest in Twenty20.
Among top players from different countries playing in the IPL second season, it turns out that English players cost the most, but contributed the least.
Let's see how much you remember of that amazing innings by Brendon McCullum's amazing innings of 77 from 25 balls against England.
Smith said England's batters may not fare so well against the Australian bowling attack
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in the Twenty20 World Cup first semi-final in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday.
Having been out of the longest format of the game, Chris Woakes is hoping to return to the England line-up for the Ashes.
Fast bowler Adam Milne won the battle for the final pace bowling spot in New Zealand's cricket World Cup squad named on Thursday.
Statistics emerging from the Indian Premier League (IPL) reveals that for the New Zealand cricketers, the tournament has been the most lucrative.
# Brendon McCullum, with 240 runs (avg. 30.00) in eight matches, is the top run-scorer for Kochi in the IPL 4.
Brendon McCullum struck a quickfire fifty before Ravindra Jadeja produced a brilliant spell of 4-11 as Chennai Super avenged its defeat over Rajasthan Royals with a 12-run win to virtually secure its place in the play-offs of the Indian Premier League in Chennai on Sunday.
Australia dismissed New Zealand for 302 in the second innings to win the second Test by 176 runs. Man of the match Mitchell Johnson claimed 6-73 for a total of 10 in the Test.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on Tuesday said he has bowlers at his disposal to take 20 Indian wickets after the Kiwis rode on the skipper's unbeaten double century to take an upperhand in the ongoing first cricket Test, in Auckland on Tuesday.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will select their third wicket-keeper within a couple of days, KKR coach Dav Whatmore said in Kolkata on Monday.
Images from the World Cup match between in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
New Zealand were nine without loss at the close of play on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan on Monday, after the visitors had been bowled out shortly before stumps at the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand's top six batsmen have been given a short, sharp reminder as to what is expected from them when they face Pakistan in the second Test that starts in Wellington on Sunday. 'Bat time,' coach John Wright told reporters when asked what he had told his team after New Zealand were bowled out in a session in their second innings in the first Test.
Stokes said the victory 'blows away' his other memorable moments in an England shirt
Moeen Ali said Chennai Super Kings will always have an edge over their opponents because of the unpredictable strategies of their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
