Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

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Post 2nd TVS Test Press Conference​

With the Australia being victorious in the second test against the bookies odds its now time to go down to the media room to see what the teams have to say on the outcome of the match.

The local media will first talk to Australian captain Ricky Ponting

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What a great result for our guys. We have proven so many times that you can never write us off in a test match and we did that again today. We had our backs against the wall coming into the final day and there weren?t to many people that were picking us to win. Some great individual performances from blokes like Shane Warne and Stuart Clark got us over the line and we are defiantly going to enjoy the win tonight with a few brews.

A good response there from the Australian skipper after his declaration that people struggled to understand. His bowlers backed him up and Australia walked home comfortably in the end after India collapsed in a heap from the middle order onwards.

A depressed Rahul Dravid will have to explain why his team wasn?t good enough over the 5 days in Chennai.

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Yes obviously very disappointed to have lost today. We probably should have won needing 300 runs in a day but our batsman were not up to the task. We have to take the positives away with us and come back stronger in the final test.

A short and sharp reply from Rahul there as he is not happy about being so close to victory. Now steps in Shane Warne it will be interesting to see what he has to say.

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To take 13 wickets in a test match is a dream. We really weren?t in a good way but we proved just how good this team is and in the end we were a better side then India. It is very satisfying to take a 10-wicket haul on a pitch prepared for India?s spinners. The curators make pitches that will bring Harbhajan and Kumble into the game and I think it benefited me more then them so I think I will be shouting the curator a beer.

Old Warne there never short of a word and why shouldn?t he be because Australia has just pulled off one of there best test wins. We?ll see you in Mumbai for the 3rd and final TVS test match.

 

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Indian Curators Slammed By The ICC For Pitch Doctoring​

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The ICC has gone public about the matter of pitch doctoring that they think is getting out of hand. For years the home team has prepared wickets to suit there style of play and it happens all over the world. The WACA back home in Australia greats the visitors with bounce found nowhere else in the world where as Indian pitches are made for the spinners.

ICC president Ehsan Mani spoke publicly about the state of the pitches dished up in the ongoing India vs Australia series.

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The members of the board and myself have growing concern over the pitches used for test cricket in India. They are generally centered on run scoring and are flat and hard without much in them. The ICC does not find these pitches beneficial to test cricket and would like to see change in the final test match. We do not recommend such flat pitches as it is not good for the image of the game and the spectators as they favour the side batting first.

The ICC is not keen on batsman?s paradise it seems and we can expect a change of pace in the final test in the series.

 

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Final Test Selection​

It is that time of the series again. Time for the selectors to have a chinwag over just who fits the balance in the international team. Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns has been criticized for the Australian teams he has put out on the park but if they keep winning then there doesn?t seem to be a problem.

Hohns has hinted that Brad Hodge may be close to over staying his welcome and that the Australian pace attack are by no means set in stone.

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We are yet to come up with the final team but some players have defiantly not got a free ride through to the 3rd test. There are places under review. We feel that the depth in the touring squad is enough to win the final test and keep our top spot in the ICC Best Of The Rest Rankings.

So will it be Michael Kasprowicz or Stuart Magill to come into the team or will the selectors show faith in the bowling attack only time will tell.

 

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Mumbai The Victim Of Vandals​

You wouldn?t believe it but when the Australians and the Indians arrived on the morning of the 3rd TVS test they were greeted with an unwelcome surprise. The pitch and outfield has been vandalized overnight and is not fit for test cricket. Questions over the security have now been raised. How anyone could get into the ground at late hours is a bad mistake made by ground staff.

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officals inspect the damage done to the pitch​

ICC officials had flown immediately to investigate and after a few hours of observation have ruled the game out of the question.

A very disappointing end to the series that had given so much to the cricketing world. The final match of the series had been built up to be one of the most thrilling in the tournament but now the Australian team will fly home after a 1-0 series win and a top of the table position.

The ICC has decided that with a delay of the match not possible both teams will be awarded 2 points and the match will be counted as a draw. Maybe a disadvantage to the teams but there is nothing we can do now.

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Dissapointed Australians on the feild at Mumbai will pack there bags for home​

After such talk over the past few days the pitch preparation is now not an issue as there isn?t even a pitch to talk about.

DD Sports caught up with Ricky Ponting while he was inspecting conditions out on the ground.

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To show up and see this is not good for cricket. You wouldn?t expect this anywhere in the world and you wouldn?t think that someone would do this to a sporting arena but there?s nothing we can do now. We were all looking forward to a competitive final test on our tour but we have to return home now and get ready for our next series against Sri Lanka.

Ricky Ponting obviously not happy about the damage to the game of cricket but who knows we may be seeing these two teams squaring off again later on down the track in the final to decide the best team in test cricket.

Rahul Dravid also spoke to the broadcasting network.

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It is very disappointing to hear about the news but we cantr do anything about it. Ground security shouldn?t have been an issue here no one should do this to a ground. We have our next series in England shortly so we must move on from what is now a series defeat.

Well not much more to say here this series is officially over and Australia will be on a plane back home in the afternoon. Apologies to all for the loss of the final test but we?ll see you in Australia for the series between Australia and Sri Lanka.

 

[Cricket_60]

Disappointing end to the series but good to hear news of a new one

 

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Murali Cracks The Sads​

The time has come around again. Another Sri Lnakan tour to Australia and yes Murali has brought up the Australian crowd matter again. With the home team due to arrive back home shortly they are not a where of Murali?s statement.

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Due to the reception I received in Australia last time I toured I am unsure about traveling to the country again. I have been constantly ?no balled? by the crowd whilst I am bowling which I don?t mind but it has dragged on for so long that it is tiring. I don?t feel at home in that country and with a young family at home there are far more important things in life then being abused by an Australian crowd. I find them incredibly disrespectful.

We may not be seeing the man with the world?s most flexible wrists on this tour. How will the Australians react to Murali if he does tour after all they probably wont like being criticized by a bloke they love to hate. Also what will the Australian cricket team think of Murali?s comments about there land down under.

 

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Australia Arrive Back Home​

The Australian cricket team has arrived at Sydney airport and were greeted by swarms of people and the local press. Ricky Ponting was informed of what Murali had said about Australians and the fact that he may not be touring.

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We have just arrived so obviously I haven?t heard his comments. That would be very disappointing if he has said those things. You expect to cop it in another country no matter who you are so for him to stay home just for that reason isn?t good for cricket.

Ponting in a rush to get to the team bus but it is clear that he is not happy about Murali's comments. Test opening batsman Matthew Hayden also said a few words.

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I reckon that would be the soft option. That?s part of the game and if you cant take the heat get out of the kitchen. I know that an Australian wouldn?t be playing cricket for his country if he wanted to pick and choose his tours.

It?s probably a good thing for Murali?s sake that Shane Warne wasn?t able to be located for a brief chat. The ODI series is due to start in not to long so Murali will have to make up his mind quickly whether he tours or not. The Sri Lankan team will arrive for a 20Twenty match followed by 3 ODI?s and 2 Tests.

Ajuna Ranatunga who is known for his disliking of anything Australian was reported in a local Sri Lankan newspaper calling Australian crowds a ?disgrace to themselves? he also went on to say that if he were still playing he would boycott every tour to Australia. We haven?t heard what the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has to say yet but we should be finding out shortly.

 

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Sri Lanka Sit On The Fence​

After the recent statement from Muttiah Muralitharan the Sri Lankan tour of Australia has been thrown amounts the pigeons. The sh1t hit the fan when the Sri Lankan Cricket Board announced that they are standing by Murali (the baseballer) and they will not travel to Australia.

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The Sri Lankan Cricket Team will not be traveling to Australia due to a lack of respect the players fell they have received over a number of years. The staff and players agree that Australia is not on our list of touring places and we will be boycotting that tour. There crowds do not meet the team members standards of play.

So with Sri Lanka staying in their nice coisy beds back home the ICC is left with the decision on what to do next. The tight schedule of the ICC Best Of The Rest Championship suggests that Australia will need to play a different tour instead as there is no time to waste.

The ICC will be meeting in Mumbai shortly to discuss as a unit what step to take.

 

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ICC Announces New Plans​

With the Sri Lankan cricket team refusing to travel to Australia the ICC has decided to postpone there series until the heat dies down. A meeting between ICC representatives lasted an hour before Malcolm Speed announced what the course of action would be.

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The ICC has made the decision as a committee. The best course of action for the championships sake is to postpone this tour until a later date when there hopefully wont be any controversy. As for the touring calendar, Australia will travel to South Africa and complete there tour.

So Australia will pack their bags again this time for South Africa where they will do battle with the Proteas here is the calendar for the series.

Pro20 Big Bash ? Cape Town

1st ODI ? Cape Town
2nd ODI ? Johannesburg
3rd ODI ? Johannesburg

1st Test ? Cape Town
2nd Test ? Johannesburg
3rd Test ? Cape Town

We'll see you in Cape Town when the Australians touch down for the first fixture that being the traditional Pro20 match to start off the season in good spirit.

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Australia board another Quantas this time for South Africa​

 

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Around The Grounds In The Touring World​

Lets have a look at the results from the recently completed tours around the world

New Zealnad Vs Bangladesh

1st ODI
New Zealand ? 314
Bangladesh ? 242

New Zealand win by 72 runs

1ST Test
New Zealand ? 297 and 9/268 dec
Zimbabwe 113 and 57

New Zealand win by 395 runs

The Kiwis easy beating Bangladesh who look to be the wooden spooners of the tournament.

Zimbabwe Vs Pakistan

1st ODI
Zimbabwe - 267
Pakistan - 7/251

Zimbabwe win by 16 runs

1st Test
Zimbabwe ? 200 and 181
Pakistan ? 157 and 221

Zimbabwe win by 3 runs

A big upset in the series with Zimbabwe winning both matches including a 3 run win that will really hurt the Pakistanis chances in this championship they are in real trouble.

England Vs India

1st ODIIndia ? 248
England - 8/240

India win by 8 runs

2nd ODI
England - 253
India - 7/256

India win by 3 wickets

1st Test
England - 274 and 195
India - 284 and 4/187

India win by 6 wickets

2nd Test
India ? 244 and 258
England ? 301 and 8/204

England win by 2 wickets

3rd Test
India ? 388 and 217
England ? 190 and 108

India win by 307 runs

A disappointing home tour for the prisoners of mother England. They battled all series and India was just to good in the end.

The ICC has realesed the new ICC Best Of The Rest Championship Rankings they are as follows.

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Australia Touchdown In Cape Town​

The Australian cricket team has arrived in Cape Town and went straight to the hotel followed by a training session on the oval they will play there first match of the tour on.

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We look set for a good tour here with these two evenly matched teams although you would pick Australia to win the test series due to there position in the Rankings. However the One Day series winner is a topic for debate. We will expect flat tracks and fast outfields for the shortened version and word is that we can expect just that in Cape Town for the Pro20 match.

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South Africa is just about on par with the South Africans on the Rankings that have just been released so anything is possible. It may even come down to who gets a start will win on the day.

Australian opening batsman and Vice captain Adam Gilchrist said a few words after Australia?s run around at Cape Town.

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Despite all the confusion with the Sri Lankans this is shaping up to be a good series and one that could go either way. The emphasis in the championship is being the best Test team but we are also keen to win the ODI?s aswell. If you can win games away from home that usually means you are one of the powerhouses of the championship and this side is defiantly one of those.

All is set for the kick off of the tour and that will be the Pro20 game due to start shortly. Big scores are predicted in this one so don?t miss a ball thrashing moment.

 

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Standard Bank Pro20 Match ? Newlands, Cape Town​

Welcome to the first match of the series live from the Newlands. A packed house here for this Pro20 clash between these two close rivals. It?s just starting to get dark now and the atmosphere is great for cricket so lets go down to Ian Bishop for the pitch report

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Ian Bishop Pitch Report
Good Afternoon everyone. Well this pitch is an bowlers graveyard as it has no grass coverage and is rock hard. We could be seeing some huge scores and damaging figures tonight. I cant give any guess on what scores we?ll see out here but they could be record breaking with this small ground and fast outfield. The leather will fly tonigh

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Coin Toss
Graeme Smith calls tails and wins the toss

We?ll have a bat. It wont matter to much because of this flat track but we are looking to have some fun tonight and come up with a win to start off the series.

Yeah it looks like a great night this match doesn?t mean much to us but hopefully a few guys get going and we see a few good shots

Well there you have it this match doesn?t count for much except a few laughs and a lot of runs lets have a look at the teams for tonight?s match.

South Africa Line-up

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A few old faces along with the new ones that include Van Der Wath and Roger Telemachus. South Africa will be looking to explode out of the blocks with there top order hitting power.

Australia Line-up

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Australia bost a long batting lineup with a few spinners they will be chasing so they will probably need every last batsman they have.

Lets go down to the centre for the kick off of the Pro20 match.

 

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Standard Band Pro20
Newlands, Cape Town
Australia in South Africa

The pitch lived up to the hype as Graeme Smith and Boeta Dippenaar plundered the Aust5ralian attack all over the Newlands in the opening overs. The opening stand was a massive 79 runs until Dippenaar picked out Katich on the boundary. Smith was in majestic form as he smashed his way to a 21 ball 50 including 11 boundaries and one that went for half a dozen.

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After Smith suffered the same fait of Dippenaar Gibbs took charge and blasted away. In these 20 over matches all you need is a quick start and then the rest will follow. It just got easier for Gibbs as the runs scored themselves. Half way through the overs and South Africa had a score of 1/95.

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After Gibbs launched 50 in just 19 balls all hell broke loose in the final overs with South Africa going at 12 an over. 2/180 with 5 overs remaining meant Australia really needed a few wickets. Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken and Brett Lee finished it off for Australia with a few Yorkers and some loose deliveries that allowed South Africa to get a record breaking score of 244 off there 20 overs.

The spinners might not have been the best move as Brad Hogg had a few overs that went for 20 but Australia are not out of this one. Both teams get to bat on this pitch and I reckon that Australia is anything but out of this one.

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Standard Bank Pro20
Newlands, Cape Town
Australia in South Africa

Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich came onto the Newlands needing 12.25 an over to claim what would be a memorable win but could they do it?

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Gilchrist blasted away early hitting the first ball of the innings for a straight 6. He pushed his luck to far trying to charge and hit over cover and only managed to hit point on the chest. Katich went soon after he was run out coming back for the second and Australia were 2/50 after 5 needing a further 195 at 13 an over.

In stepped Ricky Ponting in electric form. He dispatched South Africa all over Cape Town and was particularly good on the pull shot as useal picking up anything fractionally shot. A 28 ball 50 for Ponting included 8 boundaries in the 3rd milestone of the match and brought the score to 2/109 at the halfway stage.

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A tribute to Ricky Ponting​

Australia was on top when Martyn managed his half-century off 26 balls and cruising. Eventually Ponting made a misjudgment on the pull shot and was caught by Ntini for a rapid fire 68 which made the score 3/153 and Australia now favorites to win.

Andrew Symonds didn?t last longer after being caught at deep cover for 5 to a cracking Gibbs catch. Symonds backed away but hit the ball to flat and made the score 4/158.

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Gibbs claims a beauty to get rid of danger man Symonds​

Australia had 78 runs to win off the last 5 overs with 6 wickets in hand and Clarke and Martyn at the crease.

After losing Hussey off the last ball of the 19th over Australia needed 24 runs. Hussey would have gotten 4 if Hall hadn?t of claimed an absolute blinder inside the circle.

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Hall saves 4 and gets rid of Hussey with an over to go​

The task was just to much in the end after Hogg had hit boundaries in the final over but they came up 6 runs shot in the end.

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Smith Hits Out And Australia Relax​

After South Africas win in the Pro20 games we knew it wouldn?t be long before Graeme Smith said something and here he is.

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I think we gave them a fright in the Pro20 match for sure. They didn?t expect us to fight as hard as we did and we beat them comfortably in the end. All the boys are looking forward to this tour because we are playing Australia at the right time. Watching their series in India we realize that they have a weakness against swing bowling especially in there middle order. Were all ready to go in Cape Town for the One Day series.

Meanwhile Australia did a bit of site seeing around the place at Cape Town.

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It?s a welcome change of pace from the intense culture that was in India. Not to mention looking a curry 24 hours a day. Were all ready to go for the ODI series it should be a really closely contested series.

Mike Hussey also welcomed the change of pace and took on a different attack this time from the local sharks.

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It looks like another flat track will await us at the Newlands for the first ODI so we can expect big scores and damaging bowling figures. See you there.