Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir fail again in Ranji Trophy

Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir fail again in Ranji Trophy

New Delhi:  Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag couldn't stand up and be counted when it mattered the most as Punjab recorded one of the most inspiring victories in recent times beating Delhi by 98 runs in a Ranji Trophy group league game to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.

Chasing a target of 327, Delhi were all out for 228 on the final day with Rajat Bhatia scoring a gutsy hundred on a difficult track.

Jacques Kallis to quit Tests after India series

Jacques Kallis to quit Tests after India series

South Africa's workhorse and one of the best all-rounders to have graced the game, has decided to call it quits from Tests after the ongoing series against India. The Boxing Day Test at Durban will be his last for South Africa.
The broad shouldered, mentally strong Kallis has been one of the most crucial figures in South Africa's rise in Test cricket over the last few years. He has played alongside some of the former greats like Allan Donald, Gary Kirsten and S2haun Pollock to name a few.

With runs in excess of 13,000 and close to 300 wickets, Kallis has been one of the most influential characters in the longest format of the game, with credentials solid enough to find him a place in any world-class side.

According to the Cricket South Africa press release, Kallis spoke about his decision and said, "It's been an honour and a privilege to have been part of the South African Test team since making my debut 18 years ago. I have enjoyed every moment out in the middle but I just feel that the time is right to hang up my Test whites.

"It wasn't an easy decision to come to, especially with Australia around the corner and the success this team is enjoying, but I feel that I have made my contribution in this format."

Kallis, who made his international debut at the age of 20 in 1995, will finish with 166 Tests to his name. Talking about South Africa's ascent in the last couple of years, Kallis said, "The last two years specifically have been a memorable journey with an exceptional group of cricketers. I am fortunate enough to have ended my Test career amongst a group of talented cricketers but more importantly, friends whom I will cherish for years to come."

Fans all over the world will be deeply saddened by the news but Kallis assured that this wasn't the end of his playing days.

"I don't see it as goodbye because I still have a lot of hunger to push South Africa to that World Cup in 2015 if I am fit and performing."

One can also not rule out the high level of hunger for success that has often been associated with the veteran as he said, "Winning an IPL title with the Kolkata Knight Riders was a special achievement, and I am still determined to taste that success with South Africa at an ICC event."

South African coach Russell Domingo shared his view on Kallis' big decision and said that the team will miss the big South African's impact and said that it will be tough to find another player of his stature.

"The impact Jacques has made on South African cricket has been immense, not just as a player but as a human being. I am not sure we will ever see another player of that stature very soon. "


Talking about Kallis' traits that will be badly missed in the dressing room, Domingo said," Jacques calmness, maturity and presence in the change room will sorely be missed and hopefully he will still be able to play a role in this team's success in the near future.

Domingo was also optimistic of seeing Kallis in prime form in coloured kit for the World Cup 2015.

"He has ambitions of playing in the 2015 World Cup and it will be important for us to manage him accordingly so that he is in prime form leading into the tournament," he said.

Kallis is currently placed fourth in the list of cricketers with most runs in Test cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid. The Durban Test will give him an opportunity to usurp the last two of the three names and go second behind Tendulkar. He needs 115 runs to go past Dravid and 205 to go past Ponting. Kallis also has 292 wickets and 199 catches to his name.

 

 

Sunil Gavaskar says, on india vs south africa test series

Sunil Gavaskar says, on india vs south africa test series 

Former India skipper and  cricket expert Sunil Gavaskar says that India have the upper hand ahead of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Durban.

"India will be more confident than South Africa ahead of the Durban Test. India have done well at Durban, so South Africa will be a little nervous," said Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar also felt that there was no need for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to tinker around with his team composition."India must go in with six batsmen and one wicketkeeper. There is no need to make any changes in the bowling," he said.

Talking about Jacques Kallis' decision to retire after the India series, Gavaskar said he was very much surprised by Kallis' call.

"To be very honest, his decision to retire has surprised me," he said.

When a veteran like Kallis decides to quit, comparisons with legends of different eras are bound to crop up. Gavaskar, however, has said that he would not do that, while reacting to the parallels being drawn between the South African veteran and West Indian legend Sir Garfield Sobers.

"I would not compare Jacques Kallis with Sir Garfield Sobers or any other players from different eras," Gavaskar said.

Jaques Kallis greatest all-rounder of the game cricket

Jaques Kallis greatest all-rounder of the game cricket

DURBAN: Jaques Kallis, one of the greatest all rounders of the game, on Wednesday announced his retirement from Test cricket.

The 38-year-old Kallis had made his debut against England in December 1995 and is third big player to quit Test cricket this season after Australian Ricky Ponting and Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar.

Going through a lean patch of late, Kallis has featured in 165 Tests for South Africa, scoring 13174 runs at a stunning average of 55.12. He also took 292 wickets and 199 Test catches, proving what a quality cricketer he has been for his team in the last 18 years.

With 44 hundreds under his belt, Kallis was closest to Tendulkar's record of 51 Test centuries and the possibility of surpassing incredible figure by any batsman has diminished further.

He is the greatest all-rounder the game has seen, atleast in terms of statistics, leaving behind Sir Garfield Sobers (8032 runs, 235 wickets, 109 catches in 93 Tests) and Sir Ian Botham (5200 runs, 383 wickets, 120 catches in 102 Tests.)

Kallis is currently fourth on the list of leading run-getters in Test cricket, behind Tendulkar (15921 runs in 200 Tests), Ricky Ponting (13378 runs in 168 Tests) and Rahul Dravid (13288 runs in 164 Tests).

"It wasn't an easy decision, with Australia around the corner and the success this team is enjoying, but I feel the time is right. I don't see it as goodbye, I still have a lot of hunger to push South Africa to that World Cup in 2015 if I am fit and performing," Kallis said in a statement.

Following Kallis' retirement, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene will remain the only active players, who feature in the top-10 century scorers in the Test cricket.

Tendulkar leads the list with 51 centuries and is followed by Kallis (44), Ponting (41), Dravid (36), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Brian Lara (34), Sangakkara (33), Steve Waugh (32), Jayawardene (31) and Matthew Hayden (30).

Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene are already 36 years of age and their chances to surpass Tendulkar in the list look remote.

Kevin Pietersen will not stop attacking ,ashes 13-14

Kevin Pietersen will not stop attacking ,ashes 13-14

Kevin Pietersen insists he will not change his risk-taking batting style, despite a run of failures resulting in Geoffrey Boycott branding him a "mug".

England's leading batsman by Test average and reputation, 33-year-old Pietersen has struggled badly on this disastrous tour so far, scoring only 165 runs in his six innings.

On five occasions he has been caught on the leg side playing attacking shots, but with the Ashes already lost he says he will play the same way in Melbourne's Boxing Day Test.

Pietersen said: "I don't think I've helped myself. But that's the way I play. I don't know how many articles have been written about the fact that I've got myself out, but I'm there to dominate, I'm there to take risks.
"If I see a ball to hit for six or a ball to hit for four, there's something in my body that tells me to hit it. I'm not the kind of guy who can think about knocking the ball down the ground."
As England were beaten by 150 runs in the third Test in Perth to go 3-0 down in the five Test series, Pietersen was caught on the long-on boundary trying to clear Ryan Harris, who had just been placed there for precisely that shot.
With England fighting to save the Test and Ashes it led many to bemoan the attitude of their star batsman, who had earlier passed 8,000 Test runs in his 102nd Test.
Pietersen told BBC Sport: "The other day was a mistake. Clearly I've made a few mistakes - and that's been highlighted - but I won't change the way I play for anybody because I think I've been pretty successful.

"It's not a case of can't, it's just there's something in me that says if there's a ball to hit then you've got to hit it. And it works.

"On the good days, at Adelaide on the last trip down here, I scored 227. On nought, the first ball I hit from Doherty landed just over point's hands, yet everyone says it's one of the greatest innings I've ever played. You take the rough with the smooth. That is what happens.
Pietersen insisted he did not view the shot he got out to in Perth as a risk.
"I should have hit it for six," he said. "As long as I play, I'm going to try to hit sixes."
Pietersen also brushed off the controversy over Graeme Swann's comments following the spinner's retirement, which some misinterpreted as a criticism of the South African-born batsman.
He also insisted that, at just a year younger than the departed Swann, he had no plans of his own to end his international career.
Swann has denied that he was referring to any of his team-mates when he claimed that some cricketers had their heads up their own backsides.

“I'm fully committed to do my best to help us win in Melbourne and help us win in Sydney”Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen said: "I have heard bits and pieces, but my family arrived on Monday and I haven't seen my little boy for two months, so my interest levels in what the media were talking about were less than zero.

"It's fairly weird. In every press conference I do, people ask how long I'm going to play for. I'm fully committed to do my best to help us win in Melbourne and help us win in Sydney.
"The dressing room isn't happy about the results at all. We set higher standards than we have produced on this trip so far.
"With the Ashes now gone, we can hopefully sort ourselves out, reinvent ourselves, do something positive and finish the tour off positively.
"I know a lot of fans come over for the Melbourne and Sydney Test matches. We owe it to everyone and those guys who spend a lot of money coming to watch us to produce something."

Liverpool face Man City title test on on Boxing Day

Liverpool face Man City title test on on Boxing Day  

 Liverpool may be top of the table at Christmas but they face a test of their title credentials when they travel to Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Third-placed City are a point behind the Reds and have a 100% league record at Etihad Stadium so far this season.
Only two points separate the top five.
Second-placed Arsenal are at West Ham, while Chelsea, who are fourth, host Swansea. Everton, in fifth, entertain Sunderland, while Manchester United travel to Hull.
Reigning champions United are eighth, six points off the top four and eight points adrift of Liverpool.

Striker Robin van Persie and midfielder Michael Carrick have respective thigh and Achilles injuries but the Old Trafford club's boss David Moyes hinted the pair could be back soon.

"This is the time when miracles happen," said the Scot. "Let us hope there is one for Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick."
All 20 Premier League teams will be playing on Boxing Day. The game at Hull gets proceedings under way at 12:45 GMT, while the match between City and Liverpool at 17:30 GMT concludes the action.
City have won all eight league games at home and scored 35 goals in the process, including six against both Tottenham and Arsenal and four in the Manchester derby.
But the Reds have the Premier League's top scorer, Luis Suarez, in their ranks. The Uruguayan, who missed the start of the season because of suspension, has 19 goals from 12 games so far.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers played down his side's title chances after a win over Cardiff and thinks Manchester City are the favourites.
Arsenal, who make a trip across London to Upton Park, drew 0-0 with Chelsea on Monday have now gone three league games without a win as they go for a first title since 2004.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, says this season's title race is "unbelievable" as he prepares to pit his wits against Swansea counterpart Michael Laudrup.

Tottenham appoint Tim Sherwood as head coach

Tottenham appoint Tim Sherwood as head coach

 LONDON: Tim Sherwood was on Monday appointed head coach of Tottenham with a contract to the end of the 2014-2015 season, the Premier League club announced. 

Sherwood had been named as interim coach after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked earlier in December following a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool.

The 44-year-old Sherwood had overseen a 3-2 over Southampton on Sunday. Chris Ramsey, Les Ferdinand and Steffen Freund will work alongside the former England international midfielder.

"We were extremely reluctant to make a change mid-season, but felt we had to do so in the club's best interests," said Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

"We have a great squad and we owe them a head coach who will bring out the best in them and allow them to flourish and enjoy a strong, exciting finish to the season.

"We are in the fortunate position of having within our club a talented coach in Tim Sherwood.

"We believe Tim has both the knowledge and the drive to take the squad forward."

Sherwood played 93 matches for Spurs between 1999 and 2003 and also turned out for Blackburn, Norwich, Portsmouth, Watford and Coventry before hanging up his boots in 2005.

He made his mark on Sunday when recalled striker Emmanuel Adebayor, left out in the cold by Villas-Boas, scored twice.

The win left Tottenham in seventh place, four points off the Champions League places. Sherwood had said after Sunday's game that he wanted his future sorted out as soon as possible.

"What would be ideal for me would be to have a chat with the chairman and see what's best for the football club moving forward," he said.

"I need to know what they're thinking. I don't want this job for five minutes. That's no interest to me. Are we going to move it forward or not?

"It's a massive club with history and tradition. But whatever happens needs to be right for me, too.

"Andre has left the club in a good state. There's nothing wrong with the job he's done. Top of the league in the European competition (Europa League)."