Story Living with India

[Karachi Xpress]

Nice game! Very good bowling by sreesanth!

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Good win for India and great bowling by SreeSanth....

I cant see the scorecard??????

 

[SciD]

Virender Sehwag has been the player of the series thus far. I still dont think Ojhas good choice. Zak will offer variety and experience.

 

[Skater]

Its always India which goes first to take the lead and leave it easy after that? India in SA is one typical example. Lets see.. I believe, with current form, India can win the series.

There will be no complacency under my coaching!

A good match,but what surprises me the most is the number of overs bowled by Sreesanth and Ishant.
29 in the first innings on the trot &
22 in the second.

Man,My Payne,it seems like you'll have to look for other bowlers now.

I get the best out of my players. I will bowl the same bowlers until their arms fall off.

Nice game! Very good bowling by sreesanth!

Good win for India and great bowling by SreeSanth....

I cant see the scorecard??????

You have to click on the word Scorecard.

Virender Sehwag has been the player of the series thus far. I still dont think Ojhas good choice. Zak will offer variety and experience.

I gave him a chance in the tour match, let's see how he did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gambhir stakes claim for a Test place

Northamptonshire v India, 3 day match, County Ground

Gautam Gambhir scored 247 as India beat Northamptonshire by an innings and 117 runs.

Team

1. V. Sehwag
2. G. Gambhir
3. R. Dravid
4. R. Uthappa
5. S. Tendulkar
6. V. Laxman
7. M. Dhoni (captain, wicket keeper)
8. A. Kumble
9. S. Sreesanth
10. Z. Khan
11. H. Singh​

Virender Sehwag scored 95 and VVS Laxman made 172 but the other senior batsmen in the side failed in the game, Rahul Dravid, Robin Uthappa and Sachin Tendulkar only managed 46 between them.

Gambhir showed class in his innings, spending a mature 550 minutes at the crease and facing 483 balls. He scored his runs all over the park, with 58 of them down the ground on the off side.

A few batsmen made starts, but only South Africans Johan van der Wath, with 52, and Lance Klusener with an unbeaten 111 provided a threat to the tourists.

Sreesanth continued with his good form from the first Test against England to take 4/90. Zaheer Khan, playing his first match on the tour, took 2/108 after bowling the same number of overs as Sreesanth. Harbhajan Singh took 1/51 off 13 overs. By bowling out the home team for 317, captain Mahendra Dhoni enforced the follow on.

In the second innings only three batsmen made double figures, and there were no half centuries.

Zaheer Khan did a better job with 5/72. Sreesanth made himself irreplaceable once again with 5/82.

Northamptonshire were all out for 154 in 50 overs. India have won all of their matches on the tour so far by an innings.

The management will now have some tough decisions to make ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston, on whether or not Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan deserve places in the eleven.

Scorecard

Readers - who should play for India in the second Test? Do Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan deserve places? Leave your opinions now!​

​

 

[manee]

Not happy with Sreesanth in any sort of team in England. Munaf Patel would use the conditions far better. But he's not even in the squad!

Good story, keep up the good work, Lee.

 

[Karachi Xpress]

Very good win for India! Northamptonshire don't deserve this.

 

[Roofrom50]

A huge knock from Gambhir in the 1st Innings, good stuff mate keep up the good work

 

[Skater]

Not happy with Sreesanth in any sort of team in England. Munaf Patel would use the conditions far better. But he's not even in the squad!

Good story, keep up the good work, Lee.

I have never rated Munaf Patel.

Very good win for India! Northamptonshire don't deserve this.

Northamptonshire were just there to make up the numbers!

A huge knock from Gambhir in the 1st Innings, good stuff mate keep up the good work

Gambhir got his Test place after that innings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kumble and Khan enter the record books

England v India, 2nd Test, Edgbaston

India came back from 177/5 to beat England by an innings and 82 runs and take a 2-0 lead in the 4 match Test series.

Team

1. V. Sehwag
2. G. Gambhir
3. R. Dravid
4. Y. Singh
5. S. Tendulkar
6. V. Laxman
7. M. Dhoni (captain, wicket keeper)
8. A. Kumble
9. S. Sreesanth
10. Z. Khan
11. P. Ojha​

England bowled well on the first day, forcing India to a position of 51/4 but under pressure batsman Yuvraj Singh scored 117 and VVS Laxman made 71. Despite their efforts, their team were still in trouble when they were both out.

It was one of the most incredible rearguard innings from the tail end that put India firmly on top.

An amazing partnership of 205 for the 9th wicket between spinner Anil Kumble and fast bowler Zaheer Khan took India's score up to 518/9 before they declared. It was the record stand for the 9th wicket in Test cricket.

Kumble showed stunning resilience in his 139, facing 403 balls in the process. Khan provided tremendous support with 81 not out off 255 balls.

Khan then went on to take 4/44, alongside newcomer Pragyan Ojha who took 4/96, as England were bowled out for 197 and forced to follow on again.

Michael Vaughan's 87 was the only bright spot in England's second innings. They were all out for 239 and can now only draw the series at best.

Ojha took his first Test 5fer in this innings, 5/92. 9/136 for the match earned him the man of the match award.

Scorecard​

Readers - Was the record partnership between Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan just a flash in the pan or a sign of things to come from the tail end? Leave your opinions now!​

 

[Roofrom50]

Well Kumble was very slow to make his 139. Took him over 400 balls. That's a really slow rate. He must of been out in the middle for a long long time, atleast all day, that would of been hard work for him. Notherless. A good century from Kumble and some good help from Khan to back him up

 

[freddiw]

good batting partnership

but 9 in the match for Ojha for me is the highlight what a prospect

 

[SciD]

Your faith in Ojha has been backed up by the kid.

Kumble is becoming allrounder now. But Zak is way better than Sreesanth. Whys he at number 10?

Yuvi finally made runs somewhere.

 

[treva]

All your 4 victories have been by an innings and something, not a tad but unrealistic do you not think? What level you playing on Lee?

Apart from the scores I like the way you've set out the story. Keep it up!

 

[surendar]

lol, this(Kumble's ton) reminds me Agarkar's 100. Well, I knew that Kumble have great patience which was obvious from the great knocks in recent times. Also, his 88 against SA in SA (which had similar above partnership with Azhar ) prevented the follow-on.

But on Zaheer's batting skills, I don't think that he have so much patience to stay with Kumble for that 200+ partnership. Just a miracle

 

[Skater]

Well Kumble was very slow to make his 139. Took him over 400 balls. That's a really slow rate. He must of been out in the middle for a long long time, atleast all day, that would of been hard work for him. Notherless. A good century from Kumble and some good help from Khan to back him up

You can't expect a rearguard innings like that to be scored at a run a ball!

good batting partnership

but 9 in the match for Ojha for me is the highlight what a prospect

Your faith in Ojha has been backed up by the kid.

Kumble is becoming allrounder now. But Zak is way better than Sreesanth. Whys he at number 10?

Yuvi finally made runs somewhere.

Ojha has done really well so far. His current Test bowling average is 18.13 after the third Test!

All your 4 victories have been by an innings and something, not a tad but unrealistic do you not think? What level you playing on Lee?

Apart from the scores I like the way you've set out the story. Keep it up!

I honestly don't know what level I am playing on and I don't know how to change it.

lol, this(Kumble's ton) reminds me Agarkar's 100. Well, I knew that Kumble have great patience which was obvious from the great knocks in recent times. Also, his 88 against SA in SA (which had similar above partnership with Azhar ) prevented the follow-on.

But on Zaheer's batting skills, I don't think that he have so much patience to stay with Kumble for that 200+ partnership. Just a miracle

India are in good shape at the moment. A long bowling attack, match winners all over the place, it reminds me of Australia!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

India win the series

England v India, 3rd Test, The Oval

India have won the Test series against England with a match to spare after winning the third game by 83 runs.

Team

1. V. Sehwag
2. G. Gambhir
3. R. Dravid
4. Y. Singh
5. S. Tendulkar
6. V. Laxman
7. M. Dhoni (captain, wicket keeper)
8. A. Kumble
9. S. Sreesanth
10. Z. Khan
11. P. Ojha​

Unchanged from the last Test, India's senior batsmen did a better job. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir shared an opening partnership of 236, Sehwag went on to score 165 while Gambhir made 103.

Yuvraj Singh's 84 was the only other stand out of the innings however. Indeed, only three other batsmen got into double figures. Pragyan Ojha amazingly batted in Indian colours for the first time in his career, despite playing his fifth match. He was out for 9 off 40 balls.

India were all out for 456, Monty Panesar took 5/91.

Alastair Cook's 54, Michael Vaughan's 59 and Andrew Flintoff's 105 helped England to a total of 334 all out. Although, they were still 122 runs behind.

Ohja claimed 3/56 from 19 overs. Veteran Anil Kumble bowled one more over and took 3/103, proving that the young man from Hyderabad is an economical spinner.

Sehwag knocked 94 in India's second innings as they declared on 186/3, setting the hosts 309 to win.

England made a good fist of it, Cook with 60 and wicket keeper Chris Read with 51, but the other 9 batsman only managed 107 between them, 40 of those to Kevin Pietersen.

England were all out for 225, 83 runs short of the target.

Ohja was the stand out again with 4/46. Sehwag was the man of the match for his two overpowering innings in the game.

Scorecard

Readers - Does Pragyan Ojha have what it takes to become one of India's greatest spin bowlers? How important is this series win for India? Leave your opinions now!​

 

[gamerkid22]

Congrats to India on winning the test series . Great batting by Gambhir and Sehwag . Ojha was outstanding with the ball :hpraise.

Ojha is really turning out to be a good spinner for the Indian side but i personally feel that they should also go with Piyush Chawla who is the other option when Kumble retires. This series win was much needed for the Indian side and from now on i can see that they can reach the top of the rankings if they play their best cricket in the next few months.

Great story mate KUTGW