Captain Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers shared a record unbroken double-century stand as South Africa took control of the first Test against West Indies on the opening day at Centurion on Wednesday.
Under fire from all quarters after an abysmal start to their tour, West Indies have pledged to be more competitive at the traditional Boxing Day Test but will struggle to prevent hosts Australia from taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli said he was forced to keep an attacking field against the West Indies in Sunday's tri-series match as he needed wickets to defend a modest score of 230 at Sabina Park.
West Indies captain believes his team can take on India
Jermaine Blackwood completed a half-century on debut to put West Indies in control of the second test against New Zealand in Trinidad on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Jamaican celebrated his call up to the test team with a well-crafted 63 at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain.
Stokes was eventually dismissed for exactly 100 -- his sixth Test century -- with Kemar Roach (4-71) and Shannon Gabriel (4-51) the main wicket-takers as West Indies put their first-Test rout behind them.
Jasprit Bumrah, the fastest Indian pacer to 50 wickets, is now seventh in the bowlers' list after a leap of nine places owing to his five-wicket haul against the West Indies.
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane hit unbeaten half-centuries to put India in firm control, on Day 3 of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua, on Saturday.
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Opener Dimuth Karunaratne frustrated West Indies with a patient unbeaten century to help Sri Lanka reach 250-2 on the opening day and stay on course for a big first innings total in the first Test at Galle on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe also maintained their unbeaten run in Group B and progressed to the next stage with an 89 runs victory over Hong Kong.
One shudders to think what could happen if India lose both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli early with such a brittle middle order to follow?
India will look to ensure a smooth passage into the semi-finals with yet another victory.
Pooran was last seen in action for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the IPL, scoring 353 runs from 14 matches.
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Till the 35th over we were pretty good, yes we gave a little bit of runs in the end, so may be that could be the difference, reckons Jasprit Bumrah.
West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor, revelling in his return to the Test arena after a nearly five-year absence, made up for lost time with a devastating spell in the second Test against New Zealand on Monday.
Maverick batsman Chris Gayle opted out of the ODI and T20 series against India citing personal reasons as the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) named three fresh faces for the assignment.
A dominant India posted a massive 649 for nine before their bowlers chipped away at the wickets to leave West Indies reeling on 94 for six at stumps on Day 2 of the first Test in Rajkot.
West Indies have said they are embracing their underdog status for the three-Test series against Australia, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, but the reality is they have very little choice in the matter.
Sarfraz Ahmed will continue as Pakistan captain at the World Cup in May despite serving a suspension for breaching the anti-racism code, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani said on Tuesday.
Rain is expected to play role in 5th ODI in Thiruvananthapuram even as the wicket-keeper batsmen will look to complete 10,000 ODI runs.
Carlos Brathwaite shone briefly for West Indies but the rain was the only real winner on Monday as wet weather washed away all but 11.2 overs of play on the second day of the third Test against Australia.
West Indies were bowled out for 271 in their first innings after Australia pacer James Pattison ended Darren Bravo's stubborn resistance at tea on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.
Rangana Herath picked up four wickets while spin partner Milinda Siriwardana took three as Sri Lanka defeated West Indies by 72 runs on the fifth day of the second and final Test on Monday to win the series 2-0.
A 25-member West Indies contingent, including support staff, checked in at Kolkata on Monday to play a three-day practice match and the opening Test of the two-match series that will be the swansong for batting great Sachin Tendulkar.
Sunil Narine and Kemar Roach took three wickets each as Bangladesh were bowled out for 70 to give West Indies victory in the second one-day international by 177 runs on Friday.
Star all-rounder Kieron Pollard will lead the Trinidad side whereas Darren Sammy will lead the Caribbean Select XI.
England captain Alastair Cook scored his first Test century in almost two years but lost his wicket in the final over of the day as the tourists ended the first day of the third Test against the West Indies on 240 for seven.
Hashim Amla's third double-ton for South Africa and Stiaan van Zyl's unbeaten century on debut against West Indies helped the hosts declare on 552 for five before rain brought an early end to day two of the first Test on Thursday.
His back-foot play off the pacers was a treat to the eyes and when the spinners were deployed, he was not afraid to use the long handle.
India will seek to reaffirm their supremacy in the shorter version of the game as they go into a five-match ODI series against an under-strength West Indies in Kochi with the prime focus of preparing for the upcoming cricket World Cup.
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh combined for 449 runs and the sixth highest partnership in Test cricket history to put Australia firmly in control after the second day of the first Test against West Indies on Friday.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the West Indies team from the World Cups.
West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican celebrated his test debut by capturing four wickets on the opening day of the second test against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval on Thursday.
India will look to find the 'perfect' balance in their playing eleven when they take on a resurgent West Indies in the fourth One-day International in Mumbai on Monday. The decision to play with five specialist bowlers in Saturday's third ODI in Pune did not work for India and they ended up as the losing side for the first time in the home series against the West Indies.
He has always admired Virat Kohli's batting qualities and Sir Vivian Richards feels that one should not be too critical of the Indian Test captain's on-field aggression as he possesses the "quality" to match his attitude.
The West Indies bowling could have been taken to the cleaners, but the skipper hit only 10 fours in his knock -- significantly less than Shaw's 19 boundaries and Pujara's 14 hits.
Jason Holder struck his maiden first-class century to lead the West Indies to a draw in the first Test in Antigua on Friday after James Anderson had become England's leading Test wicket-taker.
Dale Steyn ripped through the West Indies top order to claim his 25th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and give South Africa an innings and 220-run victory on the fourth morning of the first Test on Saturday.
