India in Command

Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid both helped themselves to half-centuries on Thursday as India closed in on New Zealand’s first innings total on the second day of the opening test in Hamilton.

Gambhir struck a patient 72 while a composed Dravid made 66 to guide the tourists to 197 for three at tea in reply to New Zealand’s first day total of 279.

When the second session ended, India were just 82 runs behind with Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 25 and Vangipurappu Laxman not out four.

Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand had made a bright start to the day when they dismissed dangerous opener Virender Sehwag at the start of the morning session, which was delayed by 15 minutes because of overnight rain.

Sehwag had added just two runs to his overnight score of 22 when he was run out at the non-striker’s end by a direct hit from James Franklin.

But India, who had resumed on 29-0, dominated the rest of the morning on a placid Seddon Park pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers.

For complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2218/India-in-Command-at-Seddon-Park.htm

Ryder shines to avoid whitewash

Jesse Ryder shone with both bat and ball in New Zealand’s eight wicket win over India in their fifth and final one-day international at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Ryder captured three wickets then blasted a quick half-century to set up his team for their first win of the series as the hosts avoided a whitewash.

Jesse Ryder

Martin Guptill also chipped in with an unbeaten 57 as New Zealand cruised past India’s modest total of 149 with a reply of 151-2 in 23.2 overs.

India’s chances of winning the match were in ruins after they were bowled out cheaply with 25-year-old Ryder picking up the wickets of Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan with his medium pacers.

For complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2097/Ryder-shines-to-avoid-whitewash.htm

Sehwag-Yuvraj on song

Yuvraj singh and Opener V Sehwag Completed their half centuries to help India recover after the the two early wickets pushed team India on the back foot.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first in the third one-dayer against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.Sri Lanka, 2-0 down and needing victory to stay in the five-game series, replaced Thilina Thushara with paceman Dilhara Fernando while India retained the same eleven which won the previous game by 15 runs.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Pragyan Ojha.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chamara Kapugedera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilhara Fernando.