Former South African cricket supremo Ali Bacher has lauded the 2003 Omar Henry-led selection committee for appointing Graeme Smith as national captain when was just 22 and in the initial phrase of his international career.
Pankaj Advani on Wednesday created history by becoming the first Indian cueist ever to reach the pre-quarterfinals of the BetVictor Welsh Open Pro Snooker Series, defeating former world champion, England's Shaun Murphy, 4-3 at Newport, Wales.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed five wickets as Sri Lanka took control of the second and final test against Zimbabwe on day three on Tuesday. The touring side reached the close on 102 for four in their second innings, a lead of 334 runs, after Herath, who opened the bowling, bagged his 27th test five-wicket haul with figures of 5-89. Dimuth Karunaratne (54 not out) and Asela Gunaratne (six not out), who scored a maiden test century in the first innings, will resume on Wednesday as Sri Lanka seek to set a massive target after bowling Zimbabwe out for 272. Seamer Carl Mumba (3-31) was the pick of the home bowlers supported by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer (1-21).
Zimbabwe lost two early wickets but recovered to finish 126 for two at the close on the second day of the second Test on Monday in reply to Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 504. Brian Chari and Craig Ervine were both 60 not out as Zimbabwe fought back after a poor start when they slumped to 17 for two but the hosts still trail by 378 runs. Sri Lanka, who won a closely contested first Test last week, went from 290 for five overnight to being dismissed just before tea with Asela Gunaratne completing a maiden test century.
Virat Kohli made history with his first double century to become the first captain from India to compile a Test double century overseas when he pulled a single to deep mid-wicket just before the lunch break, on Day 2 of the 1st Test, in North Sound in Antigua.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, South Africa captain Graeme Smith and hard-hitting New Zealander Jesse Ryder returned to the auction pool, as Pune Warriors decided to retain only six foreign players who were with the franchise during the last edition.
England off-spinner Graeme Swann has had successful surgery on his troublesome right elbow and will now start a rehabilitation programme, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Thursday.
Images from Day 2 in the second Test between England and Australia, at Lord's, in London, on Friday.
Insisting that he is not conducting a witch-hunt against the England skipper, Graeme Swann today said One-day captaincy is a "poisoned chalice" for Alastair Cook.
Prolific batsman Kevin Pietersen has been left out of England's limited-overs squad for next year's New Zealand tour as part of a policy to better manage the workload of players.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis lauded his "relentless" bowlers for their match-winning performance against Australia in Hobart on Tuesday and dedicated the series win to absent Proteas Dale Steyn and AB De Villiers.
Alastair Cook, named man of the series, amassed over 500 runs in the four Tests, while Graeme Swann and Pragyan Ojha took 20 wickets each. Check out who were the archietects of the tourists' triumph, and those responsible for India's poor showing in Rajneesh Gupta's statistical analysis below.
Former Australian cricketer Ashley Mallet has called teenaged Australian Test debutant Ashton Agar a 'natural born predator', saying his attitude comes from his Sri Lankan heritage.
Images from Day 3 in the fourth Test between India and England, at the VCA stadium, in Nagpur, on Saturday.
Jason Day found it nerve-racking at the end but he could not keep the smile off his face after beating the Masters champion and a former US Open winner on Saturday at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla produced knocks in the 90s after South Africa had been in early trouble on the first day of the third Test against Pakistan on Friday.
The 38-year-old batsman, the second-highest run scorer in Test cricket who retired from the international game at the end of last year after a glittering career, will be available for selection in all formats.
Graeme Smith described South Africa's four-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Test as one of the most rewarding wins in his 100 matches as captain of the side.
Statistical highlights of the third day's play of the third cricket Test between India and England at the Eden Gardens.
Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq made fine centuries as Pakistan recovered from a poor start to reach 253 for five on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.
Skipper Graeme Smith believes South Africa have possibly the best top-six among contemporary batting line-ups as they prepare to face Pakistan in the second Test at Newlands starting on Thursday.
Former India cricketers Robin Singh and Sriram Sridharan will be coaching Bloem City Blazers and Johannesburg Giants respectively in the upcoming T20 Global League to be held in South Africa.
South Africa head into the third and final Test against Australia believing that if all else fails their deep reservoir of grit and determination can still be counted on to confront the most daunting of challenges.
Discuss the second Test in Mumbai with India Abroad's Harish Kotian on Rediff ZaraBol at 1330 hours IST.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith has said it will be a challenge for his team to keep up its high standards of cricket.
England's bowlers must have heaved a huge sigh of relief when they saw the back of Indian run machine Cheteshwar Pujara.
England off-spinner Graeme Swann reckons, if India's new No 3 batsman is the new 'Wall' then England captain Alastair Cook is the new Bradman.
Graeme Swann completed 200 wickets in Test cricket on Saturday when he trapped Harbhajan Singh LBW. Swann became the 14th Englishman and 60th bowler overall to accomplish this feat. Rajneesh Gupta presents a list of the highest wicket-taking off-spinners in Test cricket and lists bowlers who took the least time to get to the 200-wicket mark.
Actions speak louder than words for South Africa's World No 1 test team and the players needed little encouragement to turn around their fortunes on day two of the second test against Australia, according to paceman Morne Morkel.
Graeme Smith struck a defiant century in the face of Australia's massive first innings total of 550, but the hosts grabbed a pair of wickets after tea to restrict South Africa to 217 for two at the close of the second day of the second Test.
The 44-year-old Ponting will work with Australia's batsmen for the May 30-July 14 tournament, with current batting coach Graeme Hick preparing the side for the Ashes tour in England, starting in August.
South Africa held a 411-run lead over Pakistan at the close of the second day of the first test at the Wanderers on Saturday with seven second innings wickets still in hand after dismissing the visitors for their lowest test score of 49.
The disappointment at home generated by South Africa's failure to win the first Test against Australia showed how much "respect" the team had won since attaining the top ranking, according to Proteas captain Graeme Smith.
Pakistan claimed six wickets in the final session to bowl South Africa out for 253 on the opening day of the first Test at the Wanderers on Friday.
Graeme Smith will become the first cricketer to captain 100 Tests when he leads South Africa out against Pakistan on Friday, his 32nd birthday.
South African skipper Graeme Smith is all set to become the first cricket player to captain a team in 100 Tests when he will lead the side out against Pakistan on Friday at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg.
England would have been happier with five or six wickets by stumps, said off-spinner Graeme Swann, adding destructive opener Virender Sehwag took the game away from his side with his blistering run-a-ball 117 on the opening day of the first Test.
A six from Ryan McLaren off the final delivery and a rapid 116 by Graeme Smith helped South Africa to a thrilling one-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third one-day international on Friday.
South Africa completed a 2-0 series win over New Zealand on Monday after thumping the visitors by an innings and 193 runs on the fourth day of the second Test.
Former India captain Rahul Dravid is expecting next month's cricket World Cup to be an aggressive affair as he feels the revamped ODI rules will push teams into selecting attacking bowlers.
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