Mumbai all but through to quarters after Jaffer 171

Mumbai 323 for 5 (Jaffer 171, Shah 82) lead Gujarat 244 (Parthiv 101, Chavan 3-54) by 79 runs
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Wasim Jaffer has been Mumbai's go-to man for the better part of his 17 seasons with the domestic giants. As a result, it was unusual for the prolific batsman to go into the last game of the league stage of a Ranji Trophy season without a century under his belt. But when Mumbai required Jaffer to deliver, the opening batsman came good with a big hundred to help the hosts attain the first-innings lead against Gujarat in a Group A match at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Thanks to Jaffer's 171 and his 213-run partnership with Hiken Shah for the third wicket, Mumbai ended day two at 323 for five, 79 runs ahead of Gujarat's first-innings total of 244. And the three points that they have in all likelihood ensured for the first-innings lead mean that the 39-times champions are all but assured of a place in the quarter-finals.

Gujarat, on the other hand, will hope for Madhya Pradesh to register a come-from-behind victory against Saurashtra in Rajkot in order to progress to the last eight.

The day belonged to one man, who is reputed for his stylish batting. With Mumbai starting the day at 24 for 1, they had to avoid early damage. And the manner in which Jaffer started the day would have rung alarm bells for Gujarat's bowlers. In the second over of the day, Jaffer first flicked left-arm seamer Rush Kalaria through midwicket and then drove him on the on-side for boundaries. In the next over, he dispatched Ishwar Choudhary's short ball to the midwicket fence with an elegant pull. And then drove Kalaria straight down the ground for his fourth boundary of the morning.

Jaffer, who had missed the first three games of the season since he was on pilgrimage, and then missed the Punjab tie due to a close relative's death, continued his onslaught, despite Kushang Patel getting rid of Aditya Tare. And after completing his fifty off left-arm spinner Rakesh Dhurv, the most successful spinner this season, Jaffer cut loose.

Jaffer plundered 15 runs in a Dhurv over, hitting a six and a boundary over mid-on and then pulling the bowler through midwicket. This gave ample time to left-hand Shah to get into his groove. As a result, with Jaffer scoring at will, Shah could afford to play out a lot of dot balls before starting to rotate the strike regularly.

Jaffer ended the century drought by steering Kushang Patel to the third-man boundary after lunch. His 30th Ranji hundred came after a year, the first since his twin hundreds against Saurashtra while batting in the middle order last year. The century also brought him within one ton of Ajay Sharma's record of 31 Ranji centuries.

Jaffer was all set to carry on into the third day's play. But soon after Shah fell short of his fourth century of the season, Jaffer had a lapse in concentration. With Gujarat opting for the second new ball after Mumbai had gained the lead, Jaffer first played an uppish drive off Kalaria straight to Chirag Gandhi, who made a mess of it. The next ball, another lazy drive took the edge of his willow and flew into the slips, where Samit Gohel took an excellent diving catch. It ended Jaffer's commendable effort, which included 21 boundaries and a six.

But by then, Jaffer, who termed the knock as "satisfying, especially since it was important for me to be around till we ensured the lead", had taken Mumbai to a virtual safety. And the former Mumbai captain had also relieved his team-mates of being under pressure over New Year's Eve and the New Year's Day, since the last two days' play is largely going to be an inconsequential for them.

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Four-wicket over not enough for South Zone

South Zone 343 (Rahman 152*, Mosharraf 5-52) and 216 (Imran 65, Mosharraf 4-68) drew with Central Zone 433 for 9 dec (Ayub 125, Gazi 4-162) and 93 for 6 (Mahmudullah 50*, Islam 5-17)
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The match that began with Ziaur Rahman hammering an unbeaten 152 in South Zone's first innings ended with Robiul Islam's four wickets in one over. But the two slow days in the middle, which were also hampered by fog, took too much time out of the game. The match ended in a draw but Central Zone earned two points more than South zone on account of their first innings lead.

Islam removed Asif Ahmed off the second ball of Central Zone's first over, before he clean bowled Mohammad Ashraful, Marshall Ayub and Mehrab Hossain jnr off consecutive deliveries, though he bowled a no-ball before taking the last wicket in the over, depriving him of the hat-trick.

Shamsur Rahman also fell to Islam and immediately Central Zone's chase of 127 runs looked too big. Captain Mahmudullah and Mosharraf Hossain battled for an hour to secure their position. The final day had begun with South Zone's second innings moving towards safety before they collapsed from 71 for 2 to 112 for 7. Tushar Imran and Rubel Hossain added 87 for the eighth wicket to give Central Zone a modest target.

South Zone's first innings was also rescued by their lower-order as they recovered from 192 for 8 to end up on 343 runs. Ziaur's 15 sixes helped him reach a career-best unbeaten 152, with tailenders Rubel and Murad Khan supporting him in valuable partnerships. Central Zone replied well as they took a 90-run lead. Marshall Ayub struck a patient 125, his third first-class century of the season.

North Zone 499 for 6 dec (N Hossain 93, N Islam 82, Baisya 3-63) drew with East Zone 419 for 8 (Ghosh 107*, F Hossain 91)
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While there was a lot of excitement in Mirpur, the Bogra game between East Zone and North Zone stuttered all along due to heavy fog in the country's northern parts. Only 244 overs were played after delayed starts on three of the four days. North Zone batted first to make 499 for 6 in two days. They batted only 44.5 overs on the second day before declaring overnight.

Jahurul Islam, Farhad Hossain, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain and Farhad Reza all made half-centuries with Nasir getting out in the 90s for the third time this season.

East Zone made 419 for 8 with Dhiman Ghosh scoring an unbeaten hundred. Faisal Hossain, Mominul Haque and captain Alok Kapali also made half-centuries, but it was a game that never had any pace to it and ended in a tame draw due to the weather conditions.

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Misbah keen on a more clinical showing

While captain Misbah-ul-Haq was happy Pakistan managed to get off to a winning start in the three-match ODI series against India, he believes the team still has a lot to work on, especially in the field. Pakistan, he said, were fortunate to walk away with the six-wicket win in Chennai.

"Today we were lucky, India gave us a tough time in this situation. They lost five wickets early but still went on to make 227," Misbah was quoted as saying by PTI. "To win the next match, we will have to work hard and improve a fair bit. We have to really improve our fielding, and our death-over and Powerplay bowling. After these [changes to the] ODI rules especially, we have to improve the bowling.

"Also, we have to improve our batting performances; we couldn't chase the target down easily."

While Pakistan's victory-margin was ultimately comfortable, they lost a wicket off the first ball of their innings when Mohammad Hafeez shouldered arms to a Bhuvneshwar Kumar inswinger. From there on, it was slow and edgy progress for Pakistan, who were 21 for 2 in the 11th over when Azhar Ali lobbed a catch to midwicket. Opener Nasir Jamshed was firm though, batting through the innings for 101 not out, and Younis Khan was relatively positive for his 58, ensuring victory.

The hosts' top order too had struggled in this, one of the rare day ODIs in India. Junaid Khan had India reeling with a remarkable spell of swing bowling, in which he bowled Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh in the space of eight balls.

Both Misbah and India captain MS Dhoni said that while it was outstanding bowling, the toss too was important. "It was a good toss to win, but it was an excellent spell by Junaid. There was something for the bowlers but of you don't bowl in the right areas when the ball is seaming, you don't get results," Misbah said. Dhoni agreed: "I think it was the toss to start with. After that they bowled well. When the ball is seaming or swinging, if you pitch it in the right areas it works.

"If you see their bowlers, they bowled up which was good. Generally on these kind of wickets there will be temptation to bowl short because there will be bounce and carry, but they made sure they bowled up and left the batsmen in trouble."

With India tottering at 29 for 5 in the 10th, Suresh Raina and Dhoni began the rebuilding, adding 73 runs. Raina was out short of a half-century but Dhoni, in extremely humid conditions, paced his innings and finished unbeaten. He was 34 off 78 balls without a boundary, got to 50 off 86 and was battling dehydration when he launched, finishing with 113 off 125. The innings won him the Man of the Match award ahead of Jamshed.

Misbah had high praise for Dhoni: "At one stage, it looked as if India would be getting out for 125 but Dhoni's was a brilliant innings. It was more difficult to play in the first half. There was lot of moisture but very well played by Dhoni. He single-handedly took the game away from us, but in the end Nasir too played an extremely good knock."

Dhoni said he would have preferred to have India's top order clicking: "Overall quite happy that I got a century. But going down the order, batting at six or seven, and if you get a 100 ... actually you don't want an opportunity like that because you want your top order to perform."

One of the big concerns for India was the fitness of Kohli, whose ankle gave way under him while he was bowling, resulting in him over-extending his knee. Dhoni said the team would know the details of the injury in "some time". Later, a BCCI release confirmed that while an MRI scan revealed no serious damage, whether Kohli will play the next ODI - on January 3 in Kolkata - is yet to be determined. "All his major ligaments are fine. There is minimal injury fluid in his knee," the release said. "His condition will be monitored, and a decision on whether he will play the second ODI will be taken over the next couple of days."

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Cheema leads Shalimar to big win

Lahore Shalimar 254 (Salahuddin 63, Sami 5-77) and 59 for 0 beat Karachi Whites 170 (Alam 53, Cheema 6-62) and 142 (Saad Ali 58, Cheema 4-36) by 10 wickets
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Aizaz Cheema's ten-wicket match haul set up a crushing win for Lahore Shalimar against Karachi Whites. Shalimar bowled out Whites for well under 200 twice in the game, ensuring the comfortable win.

Whites had chosen to bat, but could manage only 170 in their first innings, with only Fawad Alam making any contribution of note. He made 53, as Cheema ran through the middle and lower order to claim 6 for 62. Then, Shalimar's top order all got into double digits to make sure they took charge. They finished with a lead of 84, which was amplified when their bowlers knocked over both Whites' openers for ducks in their second gig.

Whites were still trailing by 30 runs when they started the third day, with four wickets already lost. As soon as they took a lead, wickets started tumbling again and they lost their last six wickets for 47 runs, finishing all out for 142. Zia-ul-Haq got rid of both the set batsmen - Saad Ali and Saeed Bin Nasir - and only three of them reached double figures.

Lahore Shalimar achieved their target of 59 without losing a wicket and took nine points from the match.

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Bowlers give Mumbai fine start

Mumbai 24 for 1 trail Gujarat 244 (Parthiv 101, Chavan 3-54) by 220 runs
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Zaheer Khan had a fruitful first day as captain of a first-class side, as Mumbai bowled out Gujarat for 244 in what is a virtual pre-quarter-final. Had hosts Mumbai not lost opener Kaustubh Pawar in the last over of the day, the smile on Zaheer's face at stumps would have been even wider.

It didn't come as a surprise when Zaheer, leading the team in the absence of regular captain Ajit Agarkar who was ruled out with a groin injury, opted to bowl on a sporting track with a sprinkling of live grass at the Dr DY Patil Sports Stadium. And when Zaheer trapped Smit Patel, one of the stars of India's victorious Under-19 World Cup campaign, in front of wickets, Mumbai would have hoped to run through the Gujarat top order.

However, rookies Samit Gohel and Bhargav Merai frustrated them for more than an hour. Not only did both the right-hand batsmen scored freely at the start of their innings, but they defended well, leaving balls outside off stump with relative ease. As a result, by the time Dhawal Kulkarni forced Gohel into a false shot, Mumbai had used as five bowlers.

At 89 for 2, captain Parthiv Patel took guard. And by the time he was dismissed as the penultimate Gujarat wicket, the seasoned batsman had scored 101 off the 154 runs that Gujarat added since his arrival at the crease. Had Merai not attempted a risky single and fallen short of the crease at the non-striker's end when Kulkarni's direct hit shattered the woodwork in the last over before lunch, Gujarat would have had the advantage going into the break.

However, once Mumbai had got an opening, they lived up to their tag of domestic powerhouse by breaking through at regular intervals. As a result, the 64-run association for the second wicket between Gohel and Merai turned out to be the only noteworthy partnership of the innings.

While wickets were tumbling at the other end, Parthiv appeared to be playing a completely different match. En route his third century of the season, and the top of this season's run charts, the left-hand batsman displayed his cutting and driving abilities in abundance. His standout stroke was a straight driven boundary off Kulkarni soon after his arrival at the crease.

Once Mumbai had broken into the longish tail of Gujarat batting, Parthiv switched gears and targeted left-arm spinner Ankeet Chavan, who was flighting the ball on the opening day for the first time in the season. He first charged down the pitch to hit him for a boundary over mid-off, and in his next over, drove him through the covers for the same result.

The only blemish during Parthiv's knock came when he was on 64. Having surpassed Ravindra Jadeja's tally of 794 runs to emerge as the leading run-getter, Parthiv nicked Kulkarni but Hiken Shah dropped a regulation catch at first slip. Nevertheless, with little support from the other end, it was a commendable effort from the Gujarat captain.

"Obviously the additional motivation is to return to the Indian team, so I try and score big. Thankfully, it has been paying off all through the season," Parthiv said after stumps. "It is a challenging wicket but I think we were about 100 runs short of what would have been an ideal first-innings score here."

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Young batsmen make New Zealanders work hard

South African Invitation XI 274 for 6 (Petersen 47*, Liebisch 4*, Boult 2-46) trail New Zealanders 311 for 6 declared (McCullum 65, Ackermann 3-46) by 37 runs
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Two potential future stars announced themselves in Paarl as the South African Invitational XI made the New Zealanders work hard on the second day of their warm-up match. Rassie van der Dussen and Matthew Kleinveldt scored seventies before Trent Boult ensured the day was not a complete waste with two wickets in an aggressive spell in the final session.

The New Zealanders declared overnight to give their bowlers a decent run but soon found the going tough on a pitch that only got flatter under sunny skies. Van der Dussen, who has played for the North West amateur team and Kleinveldt, cousin of Rory, were untroubled by all three seamers who bowled within themselves and in short spells throughout the morning.

Both batsmen were strong off the front foot with Kleinveldt showing slightly more intent. They wore down the New Zealanders, who eventually had the spinners, Jeetan Patel and Bruce Martin operating from either end. The hosts went to lunch at 81 without loss before Kleinveldt brought out his more flamboyant side in the afternoon session.

He half-century came in the second over after lunch while van der Dussen continued to play conservatively, although he also reached his milestone. With both set to record hundreds the New Zealanders appeared to be on a futile mission but Martin tempted Kleinveldt with flight, drew him forward and BJ Watling completed the stumping.

The tourists' most profitable period came after tea. Colin Ackermann was caught by Martin Guptill at slip off Neil Wagner. The umpires had to confer about the legitimacy of the catch after Shaun George, who was at the bowler's end, thought it was taken off a bump ball.

Boult got his first wicket when van der Dussen played an aerial shot into the covers and Dean Brownlie took the catch. Brownlie was on the field substituting for Peter Fulton, who will take no part in the Tests after injuring tendons in his knee while batting.

Having suffered a severe stomach bug, Brownlie appeared to have returned to health and may even ask for special permission for bat on the third day. He was not named in the original 12 because of his illness but has progressed well since then and because the match does not have first-class status his request may be granted.

In his next over, Boult produced a beauty that swung into Pite van Biljoen and upset the stumps. The New Zealanders caused a mini-collapse when Uwe Birkenstock was given what could have been seen as a harsh lbw dismissal against Martin. The ball looked to be missing leg but Birkenstock left without complaint.

All the New Zealanders' quick men returned for a final burst in the last hour and Chris Martin was the only one to have some reward. He picked up the scalp of promising wicketkeeper-batsman Bradley Barnes to an lbw that few could have argued with.

The inability to bowl out an inexperienced, composite side made up of players from the amateur and under-19 competitions may see the New Zealanders cop some criticism but they should not be vilified just yet. The attack on display is unlikely to be their Test arsenal with Doug Bracewell sitting out and the pitch at Newlands should offer a little more bounce and carry than the unresponsive Boland Park strip.

Luckily, it was the only lifeless part of the ground. A healthy crowd sat under the oaks to watch the match and a sponsored event, which involved some cricket and much music, took place on the lawns at the back of the stadium. In attendance were acting CSA chief executive Jacques Faul, former national assistance coach Vincent Barnes, who now works on the High Performance Programme, current bowling coach Allan Donald and many former players from the area including Henry Williams and Johnny Kleinveldt, Matthew's father.

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Madhya Pradesh's Rajput called for suspect action

After a day on which they dominated beyond expectations, the mood in the Madhya Pradesh camp was quite sombre and centred around one issue: the no-balling of debutant offspinner Ajay Rajput for a suspect action, once each by the on-field umpires K Srinath and R Subramanium. The no-balls came in the 56th and 69th overs of the Saurashtra innings. Rajput did not bowl after completing the latter over, his 12th, and ended with 1 for 21.

Starting with the previous three seasons, the BCCI has been very strict about this matter in domestic cricket and has instructed umpires to no-ball bowlers, who in their opinion have suspect actions, and report them to the board. The BCCI then sends such bowlers for rehabilitation to the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

In Rajput's case, the umpires had a problem with his quicker delivery, according to MP coach Mukesh Sahni. Rajput, who has a front-on action, used the delivery liberally during the earlier part of his spell. He then cut down its frequency, and started tossing the ball up more. Sahni also said that Rajput has a natural bend in his arm - a medical certificate to this effect will have to be submitted to the board.

According to the match referee Sanjay Raul, Rajput cannot bowl any more in the innings if he is called once more by the umpires but, till then, it is up to MP captain Devendra Bundela whether to use him or not. Bundela, Rajput and Sahni had a meeting with the umpires and the match referee after the day's play.

The ICC's approach in international cricket to suspect actions differs from that of the BCCI in Indian domestic cricket; international umpires can report a bowler for a dodgy action but, even though they have not been barred from doing so, do not no-ball him on the field. The tolerance limit is 15 degrees of flex, and whether a bowler is transgressing that limit requires sophisticated tests and is extremely difficult to be accurately assessed by the naked eye.

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Pitch makes life hard for Saurashtra, MP

Saurashtra 212 for 9 (Vasavada 54, Jackson 53, Pandey 3-37) v Madhya Pradesh
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Going by day one, the Rajkot pitch confounded both sides, who were expecting it to turn early, and turn big. In the end, the innate slow nature of the pitch didn't allow that. The lack of watering and rolling of the pitch over the last two days, in the presence of a BCCI curator, somehow added variable, largely low, bounce to the mix. Slow and mostly low made batting difficult for Saurashtra, who conceded whatever advantage winning the toss had given them by losing nine wickets.

Devendra Bundela, the MP captain, had walked back after the toss with a wry smile on, fearing the worst, especially given the presence of Cheteshwar Pujara in the Saurashtra line-up. At that time, MP would have grabbed an opposition scoreline of 212 for 9 with both hands. Ultimately, despite abandoning their favoured three-quicks policy for another specialist spinner - a debutant who was to be called twice for a suspect action - it was the crack fast-bowling pair of Ishwar Pandey and Anand Rajan who delivered the early blows for MP. Saurashtra never quite made up for that initial damage of 37 for 3, and despite fifties from Sheldon Jackson and Aarpit Vasavada, the day easily belonged to the visitors.

Rajan struck as early as the last ball of his first over, the day's second, when he had the veteran Shitanshu Kotak lbw on the forward defensive. Kotak had already been put down by the wicketkeeper Naman Ojha, diving in front of first slip, in Pandey's opening over.

Pujara batted with the supreme confidence an in-form Test batsman takes into first-class cricket, but he was a bit too positive, and in trying to on-drive Pandey, he gave a tame catch to midwicket when on 10. The ball had stopped on Pujara; the stroke was not on given the nature of the pitch. Pandey earned the next wicket through sheer pace, zipping a good length delivery through the captain Jaydev Shah's defences. Both Pujara and Jaydev departed with quizzical glances at the pitch.

Spin had already been introduced in the seventh over, and was to account for 65 of the day's 90 overs. However, it was to play largely a holding role, though the spinners did take five wickets. The turn was slow, and even if batsmen were beaten in the flight, they could play off the back foot. Pitched-up deliveries were patted away from the crease. Bundela attacked throughout with two to three close-in fielders, but the one takeable chance that came their way was put down at short leg off Jackson, Jalaj Saxena the bowler to suffer.

Jackson went for his shots, and rode his luck to make 53. Consecutive thick edges flew to gully off Ankit Sharma, but could not be held on. He steered Rajan dangerously through the slip cordon. But he probably also showed the way to score on this pitch, hitting several boundaries behind point. He chose to cut the part-time left-arm spinner Rameez Khan's second delivery in the last over before lunch, and was bowled. Saurashtra ended the first session on 94 for 5, and from that position to go past 200 was in itself an achievement.

Vasavada, and later Kamlesh Makvana, were responsible for that, with sensible, defensive knocks that were in stark contrast to the way Chirag Jani lost his head, charging out to Ankit, and getting stumped. Despite Saurashtra's resistance, MP were never far away from striking, as seven partnerships worth between 22 and 38 showed. Vasavada eventually went on his 181st ball, bowled by an Ankit delivery that spun in sharply from outside off, one of the very few that did.

The second new ball did nothing for MP, but before that Pandey displayed his versatility by trapping Vishal Joshi in front with a full delivery. Saurashtra ended a disappointing day on a disappointing note as No. 11 as debutant Dharmendra Jadeja stepped out and holed out to mid-off, the second time in the day Saurashra had given a wicket to the part-timer Rameez, off what turned out to be the last deliveries of the respective sessions.

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League president protests against USACA AGM

Leighton Greenidge, the president of the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association and regional director of the currently suspended North East Region, has spoken out against the USA Cricket Association (USACA) for the way the Annual General Meeting was handled on December 15 in New York. According to sources, only two league presidents belonging to member leagues in good standing attended the meeting, which took place inside the Hilton Hotel at JFK Airport.

Despite the small crowd, several people including Greenidge were denied access at the conference room door to prevent participation at the AGM. USACA has not issued any meeting minutes regarding the AGM and attempts to contact USACA president Gladstone Dainty by phone to discuss the meeting were unsuccessful.

According to sources, one of the documents presented at the AGM by Dainty was titled, "A Vision For USACA" and dated September 9, 2008. In the document, Dainty blamed USACA's lack of a business office as the singular fact that "has stymied the development of the organisation."

USACA had originally announced that the AGM was to take place at the April 14 board meeting in Florida, when general elections were held. Just days ahead of that meeting, the ICC had confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that USACA's funding grants were temporarily suspended because of its failure to hold an AGM in 2011, one of the core administrative requirements for all Associate members. Dainty was re-elected in a landslide after 32 of the 47 USACA member leagues were barred from voting.

Sources claim that internal doubts were raised recently as to whether or not the April meeting constituted an AGM. As a result, USACA announced that the AGM would be held in New York on December 15. However, it is unclear if the meeting can be considered a legitimate AGM if only two presidents from member leagues in good standing were present. Consequently, the Associate funding grants that USACA receives from the ICC could once again be in danger of being suspended.

"It is public knowledge that I am not a supporter of Gladstone Dainty's failed policies and initiatives as it relates to management of cricket in the United States," Greenidge told ESPNcricinfo. "Having said that, I still have a fiduciary obligation and responsibility to my constituents as president of my league, the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association, and as a Regional Director of the North East Region to represent them and report to them what transpired at that and every AGM."

According to Greenidge, he arrived shortly before the 10 am start time and approached the entrance to the meeting room with USACA board member Krish Prasad. In a scene reminiscent of two previous board meetings from 2011 and 2010, when board members were prevented from entering USACA meetings by off duty policemen or security guards, Greenidge had his name on a list held by a security guard stationed outside the door with instructions to refuse him entry. Prasad was allowed to enter.

"On approaching the door to the meeting room, we were approached by a gentleman who asked both of us to sign in on the sign-in sheet provided and to produce some form of photo ID for verification," Greenidge said. "Upon examination of my credentials, the gentleman, who identified himself as chief of security of that Hilton Hotel, informed me that he had a list of individuals in hand who were not allowed in the meeting and that furthermore my name was on that list. He insisted that I leave the establishment immediately or he would take further action."

Greenidge's league is currently a member league that was declared one of the 32 member leagues not in good standing after the results of a USACA compliance audit were announced at the start of the year. As a result, his league was ineligible to vote in April's general elections. However, Greenidge said he didn't think that attending the AGM in New York would cause any problems because of statements made by Dainty and USACA treasurer John Thickett to ESPNcricinfo on November 22 regarding April's elections and that all members would be welcome at the AGM.

"I would like to state it's not true the board targeted certain regions," Dainty told ESPNcricinfo. "The constitution is quite clear about the compliance procedures and the rules are there in the constitution and in the laws of the United States."

"No league was sanctioned in any way and USACA has provided a large amount of material to non-compliant leagues to help them to become compliant and offered the services of its staff to also assist them," Thickett said. "All USACA members are welcome to attend the AGM. On voting matters, all members in good standing are eligible to vote."

While USACA had 47 member leagues under its umbrella in 2011, Dainty stated in a December 13 affidavit that there are currently only 12 member leagues in good standing with USACA. The affidavit was filed in response to a lawsuit filed by former USACA executive secretary Kenwyn Williams.

"The cricketing world needs to have a full understanding of the state of cricket in the USA under the current administration," Greenidge said. "This administration has reduced its membership to 12 leagues while still expecting to receive the same level of ICC funding that they enjoyed when there were 45+ leagues in the association."

"This administration claims to be transparent and honest, but the actions of this group are anything but honest. One has to wonder if USACA is really about cricket or something else. No real tournaments, no cricket development or anything that even approaches the mission statement of the organisation. If an organisation is unable to develop simple local and national tournaments, it is unreasonable to expect it to run a tournament with international implications that approaches the standard of the IPL and what would amount to be a $1 billion venture."

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Williamson, McCullum make it NZ's day

New Zealanders 311 for 6 (McCullum 65, Ackermann 3-46) v South African Invitation XI
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The New Zealanders could not have asked for a more hospitable welcome as the one they got in the Winelands to begin their Test preparation. Temperatures hovered around the upper 20 degrees at Boland Park and the South African Invitation XI provided a tame attack to help the tourists get their eyes in ahead of the two-Test series starting next week.

Their top four batsman all had time at the crease, with the pair of whom most is expected of - Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum - cashing in. They put on 108 for the third wicket with both making half-centuries.

Peter Fulton, who was testing out his knee injury as much as his batting, and Martin Guptill started well against the unusual action of Gino Vries. The 25-year-old from the Free State has a double hop and jump at the start of his run-up but that did not distract the opening pair, who also enjoyed the pace of under-19 bowler Travis Muller. Guptill's drives to long-on and Fulton's controlled pull shots were the highlights of their pairing.

They looked to be having a productive morning, having reached drinks on 78 without loss. But Fulton appeared to lose concentration when he lobbed the ball to the cover fielder to depart for 39. Guptill was joined by Kane Williamson, fresh from the century he scored against South Africa in Wellington. His got off the mark with an authoritative pull.

Instead of building a stand, Guptill looked in a hurry to bring up his half-century and carelessly played the ball to short midwicket off local lad Petrus Jeftha. Colin Ackermann split the chance. In Jeftha's next over, Guptill tried the same thing and Ackermann held on.

Williamson and McCullum played like men taking part in a practice match. They gave themselves time to get used to conditions before showing off some of their trademark shots. Williamson's high-elbowed drive was the treat of the middle session while McCullum scored the only six of the innings, a slog sweep off Siya Simetu.

The invitation side's bowlers lacked impetus as the tea break approached and runs were freely available. But after the interval, offspinner Colin Ackermann claimed New Zealand's marquee pair to ignite the contest. Williamson offered a catch off the bottom of his glove, which Bradley Barnes accepted.

Flynn's 34 balls were the least faced by any of the visiting batsmen. He was fairly aggressive in approach and caught at midwicket. In Ackermann's next over, McCullum was given lbw, hit in front of middle and leg.

BJ Watling and James Franklin batted untroubled as the shadows grew longer. Both seemed certain to bring up half-centuries but it is a milestone only Watling could celebrate up on the second day. Franklin was bowled by a full delivery from occasional bowler Matthew Kleinveldt (cousin of Rory, and primarily a batsman). It is also possible that the New Zealanders will declare overnight as Franklin and Watling were their last recognised batting pair -- they would want to give their bowlers a first run on a South African strip rather than have the tail spend too much time in the middle.

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Kirsten sees broader landscape from NZ series

Gary Kirsten's first away tour in charge of South Africa was to New Zealand earlier this year. It was an opportunity to claim the world No. 1 ranking - which would have required a 3-0 series sweep - but Kirsten had other things to think about. For him, it was the time to entrench his philosophy away from the pressures of a prying home media and parochial fans.

The trip was the first of three major blocks of time on the road in 2012. The two to come, against England and Australia, would require a certain robustness. Kirsten used New Zealand to toughen the team up by being softer than anyone would have expected.

While they prepared for the Test series, he ran a marathon. After they won in Hamilton with days to spare, he encouraged them to enjoy New Zealand's natural wonders. The South African squad went to Lake Taupo and the Waitomo Caves. Previously they spent free time holed up in soulless hotel rooms playing video games - ask Mark Boucher and Herschelle Gibbs who once boasted that they spent 13 hours doing exactly that. Kirsten opened doors other South African management ignored.

Allan Donald was sent home before the final match, to allow him time off in what was dubbed "a heavy year of travel". It was in that same fixture that South Africa were troubled - by an injury to Jacques Kallis, the resilience of Kane Williamson and Kruger van Wyk and the weather - but it was also one where they came out strongest, not in result terms but in character.

Kirsten said so himself. He was pleased with the way the then-fringe player JP Duminy who had to step in to Kallis' place scored a century. He was equally satisfied with the coming of age of Morne Morkel who took all six New Zealand wickets by relying on control as much as aggression. "There's a real sense of team-ness," Kirsten said. "We've taken the steps we needed to be able to confront England."

New Zealand was the blank canvas. Once South Africa got to England they had intricate plans drawn and when they reached Australia those plans were coloured in. So far, that exercise has paid off despite the changes that have been made to the Test XI because the broad approach has remained the same: prepare meticulously, don't work harder than is necessary and be ready to make big plays.

Having got all of that right, they face New Zealand again; and again the opposition will be used to plan for the year ahead. "We will play 10 Test matches in 2013 and New Zealand is an important stepping stone," Kirsten said. Although a much lighter year, especially in terms of travel, South Africa have home and away (most probably in the UAE) series against Pakistan and then host India.

The No. 1 ranking will probably not be at risk of being snatched away but both teams from the sub-continent will pose a different challenge to what South Africa have handled over the last 12 months. Technically and tactically, New Zealand are not the right guinea pigs to prepare them but in terms of match practice and habit-forming, they will do as well as anyone else.

Kirsten believes those two factors are the basis for South Africa's string of victories and hopes to continue developing them in the upcoming series. "The success of our team in 2012 was that we remained humble in our play," he said. "We didn't take any situation or any team for granted. We made sure that our preparation was spot on and that when we got into Test match time, we set up solid foundations to give ourselves the best chance of success."

They view the upcoming series against New Zealand as part of a broader landscape. Being complacent will not be an option, neither will being arrogant, even though South Africa are the clear favourites. "We take every match we play representing the badge very seriously," Kirsten said. Evidence of that is in the training schedule: South Africa have five practices lined up before the match starts on January 2, many more than usual.

It may be because a series against New Zealand gives South Africa the opportunity to improve their record at home. South Africa last lost an away Test five series ago in February 2010 in Kolkata but they have lost a match at home in every one of the last five series they've played there. The previous time they went unscathed was against Bangladesh in 2008/09.

But Kirsten does not see it that way. "The guys look proudly at their away record. The success of this team is based what we do every day so whether we are home or away, doesn't matter." It's a cold, clinical explanation and one New Zealand may bear the brunt of.

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Zaheer set to lead Mumbai

Zaheer Khan is set to become Mumbai's 41st captain because a groin strain is likely to rule out regular captain Ajit Agarkar from their Group A Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat, beginning on Saturday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Both Zaheer, who bowled 40 overs to help Mumbai win their first game of the season, and Agarkar, who pulled his groin on the last day of that game, were doubtful starters at the beginning of Mumbai's practice on the eve of the Gujarat game. However, with Mumbai needing to secure at least three points to progress to the next stage of the Ranji Trophy, it was a relief that Zaheer didn't feel any pain during his spell in the nets.

Agarkar, on the other hand, preferred not to bowl, like he has been doing on most pre-match days. Taking into consideration the importance of the game, the Mumbai team management decided it wasn't worth risking a player in a big match. "There's no point in taking a risk of going in with a half-fit bowler," a source told ESPNcricinfo. "If he breaks down in the middle of the match, it could cost the team dearly."

In Agarkar's absence earlier in the season, middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma had captained Mumbai. However, with Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane playing for India's Twenty20 team, Zaheer was the obvious choice to lead.

When Zaheer walks out for the toss on Saturday morning, it may come as a shock to his Gujarat counterpart Parthiv Patel, because Agarkar had attended the captains' meeting on Friday. It will be a proud moment for Zaheer, though. He had shifted to Mumbai from Shrirampur, a village in Maharashtra, as a teenager, and was a part of the squad for the 1995-96 Ranji Trophy knockouts.

However, a lack of opportunities forced him to break away from Mumbai and join Baroda. His exploits with Baroda not only helped the team lift the Ranji title in 2000-01 but also led to him making his international debut. Since returning to Mumbai in 2006-07, Zaheer has taken 43 wickets in nine games.

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Stars secure fourth straight win

Melbourne Stars 8 for 175 (Hodge 88) beat Adelaide Strikers 4 for 167 (Pollard 65*) by eight runs
Scorecard

They speak of Twenty20 as a young man's game, but the evergreen Brad Hodge, like Ricky Ponting, continues to dispel popular opinion. Two days shy of his 38th birthday Hodge put on a batting master-class, at one of his favourite and most prolific venues, the Adelaide Oval, to help the Melbourne Stars to a crucial win over the Adelaide Strikers.

Hodge's 88 from 58 balls featured ten fours and three sixes, but it was the purity of his timing, the stillness of his head, and the artistry of his placement which made it so much more. He spoke in a pre-game interview of the importance of a 360-degree range of stroke-play for modern batsmen in T20 cricket, and sure enough, like the old pro he is, he walked out and delivered what he spoke about.

First he swept Johan Botha to the boundary. Then he uppercut Shaun Tait fine of third man before glancing him wide of fine-leg for consecutive fours in the third over. He drove elegantly through cover and lofted powerfully over long-on. He hit Botha miles into the stands to bring up 50 from just 39 balls.

The following over he cut Tait twice, once through backward point, the other through cover, both hitting the fence before the bowler had completed his short follow-through.

Hodge eventually fell to a full toss from Matt Johnston, which he drilled straight to deep midwicket, but he had already taken ten from the over with a delicate steer past short third man and a third six crushed into the construction site at long-on.

Hodge was supported by small cameos all the way down the star-studded order, to set an imposing total of 8 for 175 after stand-in captain Cameron White chose to bat first.

The Strikers were always just out of arms reach in the run chase. Tim Ludeman continued his exceptional form and Callum Ferguson played well but neither could convert their starts, both undone by clever slower-balls from James Faulkner. Clint McKay, Lasith Malinga, and Faulkner bowled tightly through the middle overs to strangle the Strikers. The use of slower-balls was the most damaging tactic. Faulkner's fourth over, the 16th of the chase, cost just five runs and claimed the vital scalp of Ferguson. McKay followed that with an over comprised of three dot balls, two singles, and a leg bye to leave the Strikers needing 58 from the last 18 deliveries.

The only danger was Kieron Pollard. He had scored just 27 runs, from 30 balls faced, when the 18th over began. He took 13 from John Hastings first four balls, before Johnston added two twos, making it 41 required from 12.

Malinga then delivered one of his most expensive overs of the tournament. Fourteen runs were scored from seven balls, the extra ball cost three wides, as Pollard shelved his power-hitting for a delicate paddle sweep to find the rope.

White had gambled by bowling out his big guns to ensure the Strikers had too many score off the last over. Unfortunately Pollard had put it within reach, with 27 runs required from six balls.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Clive Rose, on T20 debut in the absence of Shane Warne, was asked by his stand-in captain to close it out. Pollard and Johnston managed singles from each of the first two balls to mean only a tie was possible. Pollard miscued short of the point rope to ensure the game was beyond his reach. Never has a man been more furious when hitting two sixes in excess of 100 metres off the last three balls of a match than Pollard was, when his team fell eight runs short despite his 65 not out.

The Stars recorded their fourth consecutive win. The Strikers' next assignment is against the only unbeaten team of the tournament - the Melbourne Renegades.

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Break from captaincy will benefit Dhoni - Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes it would do MS Dhoni good to take "a break" from the India captaincy. Dhoni, Gavaskar said, could keep his place in the team as a player, and use the time away from the responsibilities and pressures of leading India to "reflect on his game".

"It's still early days as far as 2015 World Cup is concerned, and I believe that a break in captaincy will do wonders for Dhoni," Gavaskar told Indian news channel NDTV. "I am not saying that it has to happen during the middle of a series but maybe after the Australia series [in February] or later part of 2013."

Gavaskar's comments came after a difficult 18 months for Indian cricket, during which Dhoni's team was whitewashed in Test series in England and Australia and lost a home Test series for the first time in eight years. Following the high of the 2011 World Cup triumph, they have also not enjoyed any significant success in limited-overs cricket, failing to make the finals of the CB tri-series in Australia and the Asia Cup, and exiting in the second round of the World Twenty20.

While Dhoni's calm under duress is a positive according to Gavaskar, he said that Dhoni needed to rethink his game: "He needs time to reflect on his game and come back in a better way. I am very impressed with the manner [in which] he remains cool and unlike other captains doesn't clap and all, but a little break won't be bad.

"Captaining India is a privilege but the demands and pressures that come with it are incredible ... He can be part of the team [without being captain] for the next couple of years as he is a match-winner."

Following India's Test defeat at home against England earlier this month, Gavaskar had said batsman Virat Kohli looked ready to take over the Test captaincy. Now, he reiterated that Kohli had the qualities required to lead India. "I could be wrong but Virat Kohli might bring the flair of Tiger Pataudi in his captaincy. If he knows that he will be appointed for the long term, he has the dynamism, the aggression, panache and class.

"I like everything about him apart from his mouthing abuses when he reaches a milestone. I don't want him to change anything else, as he can bring in a lot of dynamism."

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Sri Lanka in tatters after early blows

Sri Lanka 156 and 4 for 43 trail Australia 460 (Clarke 106, Johnson 92*, Watson 83, Warner 62, Prasad 3-106, Eranga 3-109) by 261 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Sri Lanka reeled from the decapitation of their second innings as Australia rumbled closer to victory on the third morning of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. After Mitchell Johnson guided the hosts to a first innings advantage of 304 with an unbeaten 92, he and Jackson Bird combined to reduce Sri Lanka to 4 for 13, leaving Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews in forlorn occupation at lunch.

The destruction of Sri Lanka's innings began in the first over. Dimuth Karunaratne was farcically run out after taking his team's first run, and next ball Tillakaratne Dilshan squeezed a Johnson short ball to short leg. Bird again made a striking impression, deceiving Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera with his immaculate line and a little movement in either direction

Bird and Nathan Lyon had failed to keep Johnson company for long enough to allow the left-hander his second Test hundred after a rasping effort in Cape Town in 2009, but this was to seem of little consequence once the Sri Lankans began batting..

Lyon's intention when play resumed had to be to hang around while Johnson pushed towards his second Test century. However his actions did not match the goal, as after taking a single to get off a duck he was late on a pull shot at Angelo Mathews and lobbed the simplest of catches to midwicket.

That left Johnson with the company of only the last man Jackson Bird, who with a first-class batting average of 8.22 was certainly entitled to his station beneath Lyon in the order. Needing another 17 runs when Bird walked tot he middle, Johnson set about the task with good sense, pinching singles here and there while also driving Mathews sweetly down the ground.

He had made it as far as 92 when Bird faced up to Eranga, who delivered a ball that was fast, full and more or less wasted on the batsman, who was comically late as the ball crashed into middle and off stumps. Johnson accepted a gesture of consolation from Bird before jogging off the field, assuming his next task of taking the new ball in the second innings.

Johnson did not have long to wait for a celebration, Karaunaratne pushing into the offside third ball of the innings and setting off fatally for a second run as David Warner fielded and threw sharply back to the bowler, whose dive to break the stumps beat Karunaratne comfortably. Dilshan's first ball was short, fast and at the batsman's armpit, forcing a self-preervative stroke that lopped off glove and thigh for Ed Cowan to run back and catch - 2 for 1.

Jayawardene's decline as an international batsman on foreign shores has been dispiriting for those who have witnessed his best, and here he was defeated by Bird's line, unsure whether to play or leave and withdrawing his bat too late to avoid a wretched inside edge onto the stumps.

Samaraweera played Bird uncertainly from the crease, and when the bowler seamed one back at him was pinned in front for a clear LBW, the batsman's DRS referral made more out of desperation than calculation. Replays duly showed the ball striking leg stump, leaving Sangakkara and Mathews to limp to the interval.

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Lee stands by Gilbert criticism despite report

Brett Lee is standing by his stinging criticism of Cricket New South Wales and its chief executive David Gilbert despite being ordered to face a Cricket Australia disciplinary hearing after being reported for allegedly breaching the Code of Behaviour during an interview. Lee has been reported by Cricket New South Wales following the interview he gave Fairfax Media last weekend, in which he said Gilbert should be sacked.

Lee was critical of Gilbert's handling of the termination of coach Anthony Stuart's contract and also of the way Lee himself had been treated during the final stages of his state career. Although Lee is no longer contracted as a New South Wales player he is playing in the Big Bash League and thus remains bound by Cricket Australia's Code of Behaviour.

Speaking after the charge and hearing were announced, Lee said he was not backing down from his comments, stating he had taken the decision to say what many in NSW were thinking about the recent travails of cricket in the state.

"What I said I meant," Lee told Channel Nine. "I did it in the best interests of NSW cricket. I've loved playing every moment for NSW and I feel in the last five or six years it's gone off the boil. Losing all these players, there's a lot of people that thought it but didn't want to say it so I took the leadership to stand up and I believe it should start right from the top and that's why I mentioned David Gilbert.

"There's a lot of changes that need to happen to improve NSW cricket and I'll stand by what I said. I'm going next week for a hearing from NSW cricket because I can then express my views and the reasons why I said this.

"I'll be looking forward to getting there and having a chat to the guys, whether it's the commissioner or whoever it might be just to give my thoughts on how NSW cricket can improve. I said it out of the kindness of my own heart, I want to see NSW cricket strong again, I believe it's fallen off the pace a bit."

Lee is alleged to have breached Rule 6, regarding unbecoming behaviour, as well as Rule 9, which deals with detrimental public comment. Rule 6 states that players and officials "must not at any time engage in behaviour unbecoming to a representative player or official that could (a) bring them or the game of game into disrepute or (b) be harmful to the interests of cricket".

Rule 9 states that players and officials "must not make public or media comment which is detrimental to the interest of the game".

A date and time for the hearing is yet to be confirmed.

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Welegedara sent for scans on hamstring

Sri Lanka may be forced to play out the majority of the Boxing Day Test with two key players injured after Chanaka Welegedara left the field early on day two with a suspected hamstring injury. He will undergo scans to assess the extent of the damage, and is not expected to take further part in the morning's play.

Wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene was also off the field on day two, having fractured his right thumb while batting the previous day. Kumar Sangakkara has taken the gloves in his stead.

Welegedara opened the bowling for Sri Lanka on the second morning and was halfway through his fourth over of the day when he pulled up during his approach to the crease. He bent down to stretch his right hamstring, and appeared to be in discomfort as he left the field. Shaminda Eranga completed his over.

Welegedara has had an injury-plagued year, having missed eight months of Test cricket with two separate injuries. He strained his groin in March during the home series against England and though he had recovered from that by June, he tore a shoulder muscle as Sri Lanka prepared to play Pakistan later in the month. The Hobart Test against Australia was his first competitive cricket since March, as his recovery period did not coincide with Sri Lanka's domestic season.

Welegedara is regarded as the leader of Sri Lanka's pace attack, and a bowling unit already under considerable strain as they attempt to restrict Australia's lead on a good batting pitch will be stretched even further if Welegedara cannot bowl again in the match.

The loss of Jayawardene may already have hurt Sri Lanka, with Sangakkara having spilled a difficult chance to retrieve Shane Watson late on day one.

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Warne skips Big Bash in hope of a UK White Christmas

The Big Bash League's marquee player Shane Warne will miss the Melbourne Stars clash with the Adelaide Strikers after travelling to the UK for Christmas.

The Stars sent a press release late on Christmas Eve saying that their captain had "pre-existing commitments in the United Kingdom" and would miss the match scheduled for Thursday December 27.

Warne made no secret of his location announcing on twitter: "Am spending my first Christmas away from Melbourne in 43 years I was hoping for a white Christmas in the UK & build snowmen too - sob !!! X".

It has been widely reported that part of Warne's contract to play in the Big Bash League has been funded directly by Cricket Australia. Neither CA nor the South Australian Cricket Association has commented on Warne missing the match in Adelaide where a large crowd is expected.

Former Stars captain Cameron White will take the reigns for the important clash with the Strikers, in which either side could all but sure up a semi-final berth.

"It was something that was pre-arranged I think," White said about Warne's absence.

"It is something that the team always knew was going to happen. He's actually bowling quite well at the moment. But the team is very comfortable with the situation."

The two teams enter the match in fantastic form. The Strikers thumped the Sixers by nine wickets in Adelaide last Sunday to notch their third win of the tournament. Their attack featured three spinners in Johan Botha, Cameron Boyce and Brad Young, as well as the express pace of Shaun Tait.

The Stars have their own firebrand, the form bowler of the tournament Lasith Malinga. But in Warne's absence the spin duties will be left to the part-timers of White, David Hussey, and Glenn Maxwell, unless they select the inexperienced left-arm orthodox bowler Clive Rose. The Stars will get Luke Wright back from international duties with England.

Shane Warne is scheduled to return for the Stars match with the Brisbane Heat on January 3.

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Progression of the team encouraging - McCullum

Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, has said that although they lost the Twenty20 series to South Africa 2-1, he was pleased with the way his young team responded after the drubbing in Durban. McCullum pointed out to the progression of the young players in the squad as one of the big positives from the series.

"The introduction of the new guys, playing in front of big crowds, is a positive," McCullum said. "We have seen some good performances from the new guys, especially Mitchell McClenaghan, and it is encouraging.

"Although, we didn't get the results, we took significant strides in the series. The key thing is to continue to build the team inside out. We saw some guys step up, and they would now know what's required in international cricket. Progression of where we were a couple of weeks ago and where we are now, it's good."

New Zealand started the tour in a disastrous manner when they collapsed to 86 batting first in Durban and lost by eight wickets. But they turned the tables on South Africa in East London, mainly due to an unbeaten century by Martin Guptill. The deciding match in Port Elizabeth was expected to be an even contest, but it didn't turn out that way.

"We came into this game with high hopes," McCullum said. "We built up some good momentum after the East London game. For few moments today, we competed well, but South Africa grabbed the bigger moments and we were found wanting."

New Zealand, after being asked to field, kept a tight leash on the South African scoring till the 14th over, but gave away 80 runs in the last six overs to cede the advantage. Chasing a big total, they lost Rob Nicol early and though Guptill and McCullum shone for a while, their wickets ended New Zealand's challenge.

Some of the members of the T20 team are headed back to New Zealand and McCullum said that for the rest, the focus quickly needs to change to Test cricket now. "The Test guys that have joined us two days ago, we need to channel our focus towards Tests, to the challenge of taking on the No. 1 Test side in the world."

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Clarke passes record against wounded tourists

Lunch Australia 3 for 238 (Warner 62, Watson 60*, Clarke 56*) lead Sri Lanka 156 by 82 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Michael Clarke surpassed Ricky Ponting's record for the most runs in a calendar year by an Australian batsman as the captain and his deputy Shane Watson sapped the spirit of a wounded Sri Lanka on the second morning of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

Losing the left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara to an apparent hamstring strain, the visitors did their cause further harm by spurning a stumping chance from Clarke and a slips catch from Watson as the session ticked towards lunch. Both misses arrived as Clarke edged close to the record, which he reached with an unobtrusive single in the penultimate over of the session.

Both Watson and Clarke played with restraint, and the innings shapes as a significant one for the vice-captain as he seeks to prove his worth as a genuine top order batsman after years of scores more handy than hefty. Having beaten a hasmtring strain of his own to play in Melbourne, Clarke will be after further runs to bolster his team's position, and his standing as the supreme batsman of 2012.

Resuming at 3 for 150, Clarke and Watson began cautiously, respecting the early spells of a Sri Lankan attack desperate to capitalise on the modest gains they made late on the second evening. A mere 11 runs were nudged and nodded from the day's first six overs, before the match took another turn away from the visitors.

Having already lost the wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene to a thumb fracture, Sri Lanka now winced at the sight of Chanaka Welegedara clutching his right hamstring and limping from the field. He was sent to hospital for scans while Mehela Jayawardene summoned Shaminda Eranga to complete the over.

Eranga briefly threatened to add further insult to the injury tally when he used his ankle to stop Watson's stinging straight drive, but he recovered sufficiently to keep bowling. Eranga drew nervy moments from both batsmen - Watson jamming down on a yorker that squeezed close to the stumps and Clarke showing his discomfort when trying to duck under a bouncer. But he also gifted four overthrows to Clarke when he threw wildly in the general direction of the stumps following a push down the wicket from Australia's captain.

Helped by the injury and the charity, Clarke and Watson accelerated, and a trio of milestones duly followed. First came Clarke's 50, which has been a common sight in 2012. Next came Watson's half-century, which has not. It was in fact Watson's first score of better than 50 on home soil since the 2010 Boxing Day Ashes Test, a match best forgotten by Australians. Watson then was a makeshift opening batsman; now he is a No. 4 of considerable destructive potential.

Finally, as the clock ticked towards lunch, Clarke passed Ponting's runs record. It was not a mark reached without some palpitations offering Sri Lanka their best chances of the morning. Still needing two runs, he advanced somewhat hazily down the wicket to Rangana Herath, misread the line and the lack of turn, and was fortunate that Kumar Sangakkara was unsighted as the ball passed between Clarke's legs, precluding a clean take and a stumping.

Later in the same over Watson offered a simpler opportunity to Jayawardene at slip, his cut eluding the hands of the Sri Lankan captain. Clarke calmed down sufficiently to push the single that took him past Ponting, acknowledging the warm applause of the day two crowd with a wave of his bat. He will be looking for more after lunch.

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McClenaghan added to New Zealand Test squad

New Zealand and Auckland left-arm seamer Mitchell McClenaghan will stay back in South Africa for the two-match Test series starting January 2. McClenaghan replaces Tim Southee, who was ruled out last week due to a thumb injury.

McClenaghan, 26, played the two Twenty20 internationals on the current tour, picking up a wicket in each game. "With Tim Southee's injury and Mark Gillespie being unavailable due to injury we have taken the opportunity to add Mitchell McClenaghan to the Test squad for the two match series against South Africa," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. "Mitchell has been an impressive performer over the past couple of domestic seasons and deserves this opportunity following a promising start to International Cricket during the T20 series in South Africa.

"Mitchell is a talented and exciting young fast bowler who has the ability to unsettle batsmen with his pace and bounce. We are confident if the opportunity arises during the tour he will perform well during the Test series."

McClenaghan has played 26 first-class matches, collecting 76 wickets at 39.03. This Plunket Shield season, he's played four matches and taken 14 wickets at 34.85. He said his raw pace was an asset. "I can definitely feel like I can bowl a good spell of heat and hopefully put them on the back foot."

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We were 10-15 runs short - Dhoni

India were 10 to 15 runs short of a "safe" total against Pakistan in the first Twenty20 international, according to their captain MS Dhoni. India's openers put on 77 runs inside 11 overs to give the hosts a solid base but Pakistan struck regularly after that, as India collapsed to finish on 133 for 9.

"We should have got more runs," Dhoni said. "We got a fantastic start from the openers but we couldn't capitalise. We lost regular wickets and that hurt us. We should have got 10-15 runs more, 145 would have been a safe score."

India began superbly with the ball as the debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up three wickets but fifties from the Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik set the platform for the visitors' five-wicket win. India's quick bowlers picked up all five Pakistan wickets to fall, but the part-time bowlers conceded 75 runs in 7.4 overs as Malik's six off Ravindra Jadeja in the final over ended the game. Dhoni used up his fast bowlers by the 19th over, and had to bring on Jadeja for the 20th.

"It was a gamble to finish the pacers early," Dhoni said. "Malik and Hafeez were going well so we needed wickets. They were also going at a very fast pace so we had to take a gamble. The pacers did well, they left 10 runs for the last over which I thought was good."

Malik said Pakistan were struggling when Bhuvneshwar struck early but credited Hafeez for playing a "brilliant innings." Hafeez said once the India spinners came on, Pakistan knew they had a chance. He also praised his bowlers for bringing Pakistan back into the game.

"We wanted to do well at the start of the series," Hafeez said. "[Mohammad] Irfan was the surprise package for us and everybody. We knew we had a good attack. We knew that [Umar] Gul is always good with the old ball. They restricted India where we wanted them to. Once the [India] spinners came on after the new ball, we knew we had a chance, we took a risk at the right time and it worked. It is a gift for the whole nation. It is Quaid day back home."

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Malik and Hafeez guide Pakistan to victory

Pakistan 134 for 5 (Hafeez 61, Malik 57*) beat India 133 for 9 (Gambhir 43, Rahane 42, Gul 3-21) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Two of Pakistan's experienced hands guided them to victory in their first game in almost three months, and their first bilateral tour of India in five years. An early burst from debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who began his international career with a fabulous display of swing bowling, rattled the Pakistan top order but the calm presence of Mohammad Hafeez and some enterprising batting from Shoaib Malik put a chase of 134 back on track.

Pakistan had another scare at the death, losing two in quick time when victory appeared secure, but Malik ultimately saw them through in the final over, sealing the game with a six. The hosts were a specialist bowler short, as the Pakistan pair targeted the non-regulars, but a more significant factor in India's loss was their implosion with the bat, when they lost nine wickets for 47 runs in 46 balls.

A 36,000-strong crowd had been silenced during an impressive display of bowling backed up by some excellent ground fielding that had helped Pakistan fight back after India's openers had laid a strong foundation in an attractive stand of 77 in under 11 overs. The decibel levels at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, hit their peak when Bhuvneshwar swung it this way and that, setting up two of this three victims with outswingers before nipping one back in to dismantle the stumps. At 12 for 3, Pakistan were reeling; their rebuilding was steady, and resulted in 24 boundary-less deliveries, but Hafeez and Malik pounced in at the right time.

Virat Kohli was one of the part-timers used by India, and Hafeez slogged him for two boundaries in the 11th over, at the start of which the required-rate had hit almost nine an over. Yuvraj Singh dragged the ball too short on occasion and was heaved for two sixes by the pair and they each stepped out to Ravindra Jadeja to dispatch him for maximums over his head.

The return of India's seamers didn't immediately check Pakistan, as the equation was brought down to 16 off the last three overs, but Ishant Sharma dismissed Hafeez and conceded just two in an over in which he had Malik caught off a no-ball for height. Ashok Dinda was given the penultimate over and he left Pakistan needing 10 off the last, which Malik helped achieve with a straight six off a Jadeja length delivery to win with two balls to spare.

Ajinkya Rahane's supreme timing was the feature of India's opening partnership, as he lofted Pakistan's bowlers over extra cover effortlessly, though they hit back after he fell upper-cutting to third man. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal were the architects of that comeback, after being struck for sixes in their respective opening overs. Gul was smashed over midwicket by Gambhir, but had Yuvraj Singh caught in the deep off a slower ball in his new spell before removing two in two towards the death. Ajmal was carted over extra cover by Rahane, but returned to dismiss MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina with quicker deliveries at a time when India would have backed themselves to reach a score of around or above 150.

Gambhir had started picking up the pace but was caught short of the crease when attempting a second run in the 13th over. Sohail Tanvir returned a throw on the half-volley to Kamran Akmal, who collected well and dislodged the stumps. Kohli and Yuvraj began well but fell trying to heave the seamers over square leg - left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan got rid of Kohli to bag his first international wicket.

Ajmal's tricks against Dhoni and Raina, and the early run-out of Rohit Sharma, sent back by a direct hit from the deep, transformed India's game from one aimed at an aggressive charge to mere survival. India scored just one boundary in the last six overs, their early advantage was squandered and not even a dream debut that produced a spell of 4-0-9-3 could restore it completely.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides India 48 9 3 37-0 18-5 0/3 Pakistan 57 10 5 22-3 24-2 (19.4) 1/3

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Sangakkara hits 10,000 but Sri Lanka wobble

Lunch Sri Lanka 3 for 79 (Sangakkara 43*, Samaraweera 10*) v Australia
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Kumar Sangakkara became the second Sri Lankan to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Tests but there was little else for Sri Lanka to celebrate in the first session on Boxing Day at the MCG as Australia's fast bowlers all made breakthroughs. Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat and at lunch Sri Lanka were 3 for 79, and were relying heavily on Sangakkara, who was unbeaten on 40, while Thilan Samaraweera was on 10.

Sangakkara brought up his 10,000th run in the final over before lunch with a square drive for four off Mitchell Johnson and a hug from Samaraweera and a round of applause from the Australian players followed. Sangakkara was the equal fastest to the milestone, reaching it in his 195th Test innings, the same as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, and one innings quicker than Ricky Ponting.

Sangakkara began cautiously and had 12 from 36 balls when he decided to take on Johnson's fuller deliveries, driving him for three consecutive boundaries. It was an encouraging counter-attack from Sangakkara after Sri Lanka struggled to 3 for 37 in the 13th over.

Australia's debutant Jackson Bird struck in his second over with the new ball when he angled a ball across the left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne (5) and nipped it away off the seam, and the thick edge was snapped up by the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Bird was very impressive in his initial Test spells, hitting a nagging line and length and offering few scoring opportunities for the batsmen.

More runs came off Johnson, but he also picked up an important wicket when Tillakaratne Dilshan stood flat-footed and tried to heave a delivery from just outside off stump through the leg side. Dilshan, on 11 at the time, succeeded only in inside-edging the ball back onto his stumps and it was a particularly ugly dismissal for a man who was fresh from a century in the first Test in Hobart.

Peter Siddle also broke through when Jayawardene, who had been tied down, drove at a ball that moved away slightly and edged behind for 3 from 26 balls. It was a fine start for the Australians, who were led by Michael Clarke after he was passed fit having suffered a hamstring injury while batting in the first Test in Hobart.

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Punjab take lead, need 231 to win

Punjab 268 (Uday Kaul 93, Mandeep 66, Sidhana 50) need 231 runs to beat Gujarat 266 and 232 (Juneja 79, Ladda 4-112)
Scorecard

Punjab gave themselves a chance of winning their fifth game of the season - no side has won more than two - but before that, Uday Kaul gave them the first-innings lead as he added 31 with the last man Sarabjit Ladda. Punjab began the day on 227 for 7, still well behind Gujarat's 266. They were 237 for 9 when Ladda, playing his first first-class game in two years, joined Kaul, who pushed Punjab to 268 before falling to Rush Kalaria on 93. Ladda then picked up four wickets as Gujarat, on the lookout for quick runs to try and force a result, were dismissed for 232. Manprit Juneja led the way with 79, but he had little support. It was left to Kalaria's unbeaten 33 to drag Gujarat from 148 for 7 to set Punjab a chase of 231 on the final day.

Mumbai 304 and 192 for 5 (Jaffer 67) lead Madhya Pradesh 244 (Choudhary 76, Harpreet 50) by 252 runs
Scorecard

Mumbai took the first-innings lead in Indore against Madhya Pradesh but slowed down considerably in their second innings despite desperately needing to push for an outright win. Ajit Agarkar struck early in the morning to remove Satyam Choudhary when MP resumed on 191 for 5 but Harpreet Singh and Ankit Sharma resisted. Abhishek Nayar, as he has done through the season, delivered the crucial wicket of Harpreet, bowling him with an inswinger which the batsman left alone. A couple of poor decisions brought the end of the MP innings on 244, giving Mumbai a lead of 60. With Kaustubh Pawar steady at one end, Aditya Tare and then Wasim Jaffer made quick runs, but Mumbai got stuck after the duo fell. Hiken Shah took 75 balls to make 18 and Suryakumar Yadav 28 to make 5. Ishwar Pandey was again among the wickets after his six-for in the first innings.

Hyderabad 337 and 130 for 6 (Karan 3-59) lead Railways 213 (Shinde 5-78) by 254 runs
Scorecard

Fourteen wickets went down in Hyderabad as Railways collapsed from a strong position and Hyderabad limped past 100 in their second innings. Railways, on 145 for 2 at the start of the day, were dealt twin blows by Ashish Reddy, who dismissed the captain Sanjay Bangar and Nitin Bhille. Offspinner Amol Shinde took over after that, taking five of the remaining six wickets as Railways crumbled to 213. Hyderabad had a big lead in the bag, but it was now the turn of the Railways spinners. Karan Sharma and Murali Kartik took five wickets between them after Anureet Singh struck with the second ball of the Hyderabad innings. Hyderabad closed on 130 for 6, but their overall lead was a healthy 254.

Saurashtra 228 (Makvana 54, Jackson 54, Pankaj 5-61) and 11 for 0 need another 295 runs to beat Rajasthan 299 and 234 for 9 dec (Chouhan 76, Saxena 65)
Scorecard

Pankaj Singh's 17th five-wicket haul in 67 first-class games helped Rajasthan take a decent lead against Suarashtra and fifties from Sourabh Chouhan and Vineet Saxena gave the visitors a target of 306 in Jaipur. Saurashtra began on 213 for 7 in reply to Rajasthan's 299 and Pankaj needed less than four overs to dismiss the remaining three batsmen. He bowled Kamlesh Makvana for his overnight score of 54, and did the same to Sandip Maniar. Chouhan retired on 6, and Rajasthan lost the captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar for a duck when he was bowled by Maniar. First-innings centurion Ashok Menaria came in and made a breezy 46. Chouhan returned to join Saxena after Menaria fell and was seventh man out with the score on 220. Rajasthan declared on 234 for 9, and Saurashtra reached 11 for no loss at stumps.

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Famous rivalry resumes after five-year break

Match facts

December 25, 2012
Start time 1900 (1330 GMT)

	Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez speaks to the media ahead of the first T20 in Bangalore

Big Picture

Just the plain fact that this tour is actually happening is a gargantuan achievement for the Pakistan Cricket Board and its chairman Zaka Ashraf. How many diplomatic and political channels must have been traversed, how many meetings arranged and attended, how many people cajoled and persuaded, and how many prayers said in the hope that nothing goes wrong at the last moment. Well, Pakistan are finally here, on Indian soil, for their first bilateral tour in five years. It does not matter that it is apologetically short, it does not matter that it is barely squeezed between the two legs of England's India visit. Thank heavens to Christmas then, for ensuring a gap existed in the first place for the two Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs to be sneaked in.

The rivalry needs no introduction. In the earlier part of the previous decade, the historic Indian tour of Pakistan in 2003-04 - after another five-year break in ties - heralded a surfeit of bilateral series to the extent the rivalry began to feel a bit jaded. Since 2007, or more pertinently, since the Mumbai attacks of 2008, fans have had to rely on crumbs - a Champions Trophy game in 2009, a couple of Asia Cup matches, a World Cup semi-final in 2011, and a World Twenty20 clash in 2012.

MS Dhoni might say it is just another series but it isn't. Privately for the players, and openly for the fans, India v Pakistan will always be a coming together of shared history, culture, language, fear, hopes, love, hatred. India v Pakistan will always convert a neutral venue into a sea of flags of the two countries. India v Pakistan will always do strange things to players; it will drain flair out of those who have it, and it will inject flair into those who haven't had it till then, and won't have it thereafter. India v Pakistan will always make temporary fans out of people who run away from cricket otherwise.

Too much cricket? Underperforming Indian team? No Sachin Tendulkar? All valid concerns and worries. But come the first ball in Bangalore on Tuesday evening, few will be able to resist watching.

Form guide (Completed games, most recent first)

India LWWWL
Pakistan LWLWW

In the spotlight

The last time these sides met, in the World Twenty20 in Colombo, a hesitant Mohammad Hafeez set the stage for a dull performance from Pakistan. The captain, having chosen to bat, made a 28-ball 15, defending and defending without intent. Hafeez's approach continued when Pakistan fielded, diffidence replacing his usual pro-active, snappy self. It had to be the pressure of an India-Pakistan game, for in their next match against Australia, Pakistan were back to playing aggressive, stirring cricket. How will Hafeez cope this time?

Virat Kohli is one young Indian batsman many Pakistani fans admire and despise in equal measure. The man is brash, but he gets the runs. He swears, but he is dependable. He's played a couple of match-winning innings against them already, including the outstanding 183 in the Asia Cup earlier this year in Dhaka.

Stats and Trivia

• This will be the first T20 to be played between the two sides in India.
• Pakistan have played four bilateral limited-overs series in India, and have won two.

Quotes

"We want him to stay at the peak. We don't want to put too much pressure on him. At the same time, other bowlers also have to take wickets to give confidence to him."
Mohammad Hafeez on Saeed Ajmal

"T20 is slightly different. You have to be a bit unorthodox and try a few different things. It is different from the longer format. So I think a few games will give us time to get into the groove."
MS Dhoni

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Revamped tournament aims to generate interest

Pakistan cricket history is as old as the country itself. The Quaid-e-Azam trophy - the country's premier first-class competition - has been a testing ground for cricketers in the domestic circuit since 1953. This year, 14 teams including Bahawalpur will compete in a newly revamped structure and is a chance for players to impress ahead of Pakistan's South Africa tour in January 2013.

The new structure promises improved competition among evenly-matched teams. The new regional teams are allowed to recruit five players from the old department sides, of whom four can be part of the playing XI. The 14 regional teams have been divided into two groups of seven, with top four teams from each group progressing to the super-eights while the remaining six would be playing in the plate league. The league toppers will contest in their respective league finals. Either way, each team will at least play eight matches apart from the final

In a bid to give bowlers exposure to internationally-recognised cricket balls, the board has also made the use of Kookaburra balls mandatory for the tournament.

Such measures have been taken by the board to revive national interest in the first-class game. Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan, but that interest seldom trickles beyond international matches - a far cry from the eighties and nineties when fans used to regularly flock the venues to watch players like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, etc. practice in the nets.

Team previews

Karachi Whites and Karachi Blues

Karachi is Pakistan's biggest and the most successful regional cricket association having won the trophy 19 times. The city has two teams in the competition - Whites and Blues. The Whites are led by fast bowler Mohammad Sami and boast of prolific batsmen like Fawad Alam, Asad Shafiq, Khalid Latif and Saeed Bin Nasir. The Blues, captained by former Test batsman Faisal Iqbal, have a promising fast-bowling line-up with Tanvir Ahmed, Tabish Khan and Anwar Ali.

The Whites, more successful of the two teams with a hat-trick of titles between 1990 and 1992-93, won their last title in 2002 and last year, finished third in Division 2, while the Blues were led to their eighth title by Sami in 2009.

Bahawalpur

After a successful debut in this season's Faysal Bank T20 Cup, Bahawalpur are all set to make a return to first-class cricket after nearly a decade. Bahawalpur were the winners of the inaugural Quaid-e-Azam trophy in 1953 when they beat Punjab in the final. They won their second title in 1958. During the 200304 overhaul of domestic cricket, Bahawalpur were merged with the Multan region.

Rehan Rafiq, an opening batsman who has played for WAPDA and Habib Bank in the absence of his native regional team, will lead the Bahawalpur side this season. The squad is relatively inexperienced and the team mainly relies on veteran allrounder Bilal Khilji, seamers Kamran Hussain and Mohamamd Talha.

Sialkot

A renowned Twenty20 side, Sialkot won the 2005-06 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Golden League. Though they failed to defend their title the following year, they came hard to clinch it again in 2009.

The combination of 20 players is centered on left-arm batsman Haris Sohail, who made 673 runs at 134.60 with four hundreds in the President Trophy for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited. He was rewarded with a national call-up when the selectors chose him in the ODI squad for the India tour. Left-arm fast bowler Naved Arif, who immigrated to England last year, has returned to play for his native domestic side as an overseas player.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who has been serving a 12-week ban after testing positive for cannabis during his stint with Somerset, is back in action. Another promising left-arm spinner Raza Hasan was left out due to his career-threatening spine injury, which had also ruled out him from the ongoing tour of India.

Rawalpindi

It is always difficult to see a Rawalpindi side without Mohammad Amir and the dashing Mohammad Wasim but life goes on. A hugely talented side, Awais Zia, Umar Amin and Mohammad Nawaz are the spirit of the team now. Rawalpindi perhaps never were the favorites and have never won the title but the region is always busy in producing quality players for the national level.

Umar Waheed, a promising middle-order batsman from the Under-19 circuit will kick off his first-class career this year while all-rounder Nawaz will have to shift gears after his showing for Pakistan U-19s last year. Zia, who has been desperately waiting for the trophy to start, is ready to take flight. Amin has already asserted his case in the President Trophy. He was the leading run-scorer, with 767 in nine matches at 45.11 and will be put through another test ahead of the South Africa tour.

Lahore Shalimar

It has been more than ten years now since Lahore -believed to be the biggest nursery for national cricketers in the country - won a national title. The last time was in 2001. Like Karachi, Lahore also have two teams. They had a poor season last year, finishing second-last in Division Two, and managed to win only one match against Multan, who were glued tightly to the bottom with zero points. Shalimar suffered seven defeats with one drawn game against a depleted Quetta side.

This year, they start their campaign after losing key players to the national side for the India tour, leaving Shalimar with the inexperienced lot. In the absence of Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz, Shalimar will have to rely on the veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf. Along with fast bowler Aizaz Cheema, Zia-ul-Haq and Mohammad Irfan will be the core of the bowling attack.

Peshawar

Peshawar have retained the core of the side that beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division Two last year. They were the underdogs but finished unbeaten in the division and were supposed to be promoted to Division One if the same structure had been followed this year.

Peshawar are mainly centered on their batsmen Akbar Badshah and Mohammad Fayyaz, who were the second and third-leading run-getters in their division. Adding Israrullah to the mix makes it a formidable batting line-up. Their bowling attack is dominated by fast bowlers such as Imran Khan, the President Trophy's third-leading wicket-taker, and Waqar Ahmed, who picked up 60 wickets last year for Peshawar.

This year, they are entering the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with a reputation to carry on. They are certainly the favorites on paper and look good to finish among the top teams before going into the super-eight. They have earlier won the national championship in 1998-99 and 2004-05.

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Showpiece for hosts, last chance for tourists

Match facts

December 26-30, MCG
Start time 1030 (2330 GMT)

Big Picture

Australian cricket's biggest day conjures up plenty of memories for the hosts, but only one painful recollection for the visitors. The MCG on Boxing Day was the scene of Darrell Hair's fateful decision to call Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing, in a match that finished in a comfortable 10-wicket victory for Mark Taylor's Australians. Back then, the result was entirely overshadowed by anger surrounding Hair's decision, and the bitterness it engendered was to infect the rest of the tour. This time around there is no such issue burning away, though the ball tampering allegations that marked the latter stages of the Bellerive Oval match provided a reminder that Australia and Sri Lanka seldom oppose one another without something rancorous cropping up.

Pushed into the final hour by Mahela Jayawardene's tourists before claiming victory in Hobart, Australia seek a series win to conclude a year that has been moderately successful if not overwhelmingly so. They remain a team in development, and will take on an even more transitional look on Boxing Day should Michael Clarke not recover from a hamstring strain in time. His absence would hand the captaincy to Shane Watson, while opening the way for Usman Khawaja's recall. The bowling attack has already been re-shaped, Mitchell Johnson and the debutant Jackson Bird shuffling into the spaces left by Ben Hilfenhaus (injured) and Mitchell Starc (unhappily rested).

The Sri Lankans must defy a history of Test match underachievement in Australia if they are to keep the series alive. They have never won a five-day encounter down under, though in Hobart they came close to securing a stalemate. Melbourne and Sydney will afford the visitors pitches more useful to their cause than Hobart proved to be, with Rangana Herath a considerable threat on surfaces offering even a modicum of turn. The greater question for Sri Lanka will be which pacemen can step up to provide wicket-taking support - the lack of an effective pace spearhead has been the overwhelming reason behind their lack of a victory on these shores.

Form guide

(Most recent first)
Australia WLDDW
Sri Lanka LLWDD

In the spotlight

Even if Shane Watson does not walk out to toss the coin on the first morning, he will be expected to contribute more substantially in this Test than either of the previous two. So far since his return from injury, Watson has looked a little out of sorts as a batsman, yet to go past 30 in four innings and struggling notably with Herath at Bellerive. Nonetheless, there were signs in Hobart that Watson is growing into more of a leader - his longer-than-usual bowling stints after Hilfenhaus was injured were critical to Australia's ultimate success, even if the wickets column did not suggest it. Having played an undersung role in that result, Watson will now want his name in lights. A Boxing Day century, his first in Tests since 2010, would do that nicely.

In his final series as captain, Mahela Jayawardene dearly wants to leave a Test match mark in Australia. The current outfit is doughty and persistent, but require an influential score by their leader in Melbourne to put Australia under the requisite pressure to push for victory. There are suggestions Jayawardene may have been distracted by a board dispute in recent days, while the ball tampering episode in Hobart indicated that this is a touring team that does not wish to go quietly. Having overcome all manner of squabbles and snares over his career, Jayawardene's capacity to cope is well known. He has the Melbourne Test, and its expected influx of Sri Lankan supporters, to give Australia some headaches.

Team news

Clarke's fitness remains the major question for Australia, and it appears more likely he will be saved for future contests rather than carrying a tender hamstring into the Test. Bird is set to debut as the owner of handsome records for Tasmania in Sheffield Shield cricket in general and at the MCG in particular.

Australia 1 Ed Cowan, 2 David Warner, 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 Shane Watson, 5 Michael Clarke/Usman Khawaja, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jackson Bird.

The tourists appear likely to enter the match unchanged from their Hobart combination, though Dhammika Prasad is on standby for Nuwan Kulasekara, who is still sore after a blow to the ribs in Hobart.

Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Shaminda Eranga, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.

Pitch and conditions

Melbourne's weather is forecast to be pleasantly temperate for the week, while the pitch is also on course to be even tempered, if a little lively early on. The ground's new head curator David Sandurski has likened the Test strip to that played on by Victoria and South Australia in a November Shield fixture, in which the left-arm paceman Gary Putland plucked 12 wickets but Phillip Hughes cracked 158 on his way back to the national team.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka's one previous Boxing Day visit to the MCG resulted in a 10-wicket defeat in 1995 - infamous as the match in which Muttiah Muralitharan was called for throwing by the umpire Darrell Hair
• If passed fit, Michael Clarke needs another 55 runs to better Ricky Ponting's Australian record for most runs in a calendar year
• Kumar Sangakkara enters the match 40 short or passing 10,000 Test runs

Quotes

"It's improving every day. I did a fair bit of running today in the indoor nets. A decision can't be made today. I really need to wait and see how I pull up tomorrow morning."
Michael Clarke on his problematic hamstring

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All-round Murtaza puts UP in control

Tamil Nadu 149 for 6 (Vijay 42, Murtaza 4-65) trail Uttar Pradesh 392 (Murtaza 106, Prashant Gupta 57) by 243 runs
Scorecard

Ali Murtaza scored a century at No.8 and took four wickets to put Uttar Pradesh in a strong position against Tamil Nadu at the Chemplast Ground in Chennai. Tamil Nadu were struggling at 149 for 6 in the face of UP's 392. Resuming on 279 for 6, the UP lower order resisted thanks to Murtaza, who added 120 with Prashant Gupta. Murtaza hit ten fours and three sixes in his 106, before he was dismissed by the offspinner Malolan Rangarajan, who took four wickets. The Tamil Nadu top order made starts but couldn't carry on, and the hosts had lost half their side for 128.

Maharashtra 131 for 3 (Khadiwale 69*) trail Baroda 362 (Waghmode 113, Devdhar 104, Mundhe 4-72) by 231 runs
Scorecard

Centuries by Aditya Waghmode and Kedar Devdhar helped Baroda to 362 and in reply Maharashtra lost three wickets but ended the day on a steady note. Devdhar, unbeaten on 104 overnight, didn't add to his score when he was run-out by Akshay Darekar. Waghmode went on to score 113 before he was caught behind off Samad Fallah. Shrikant Mundhe wrapped up the innings to finish with 4 for 72. Maharashtra lost three wickets by the 25th over, but the opener Harshad Khadiwale ensured some stability with an unbeaten 69, with Ankit Bawne for company.

Vidarbha 206 and 64 for 2 (Ubharhande 38*) lead Odisha 121 (Niranjan Behera 28, Sandeep 4-39) by 149 runs
Scorecard

Fourteen wickets fell on the second day in Cuttack, as Odisha were sent crashing to 121 after keeping Vidarbha to 206. Vidarbha ended the opening day at 188 for 8 and could add only 18 more before being bowled out. Odisha got off to a poor start, losing their openers for ducks to the seamer Sandeep Singh. All six bowlers claimed wickets, with Sandeep finishing with 4 for 39. The highest partnership for the innings was the 35 for the fifth wicket between Natraj Behera and Govind Podder. Vidarbha gained an 85-run first-innings lead and they extended it to 149, but lost their openers, including Shiv Sunder Das, towards the end of the day.

Karnataka 11 for 0 trail Haryana 587 for 9 dec (Yadav 211, Mishra 202*, Sunny 56) by 576 runs
Scorecard

Read the report here.

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Van der Wath helps Knights to first win

A career-best 154 and a match tally of five wickets by Johan van der Wath helped Knights secure an eight-wicket win in Bloemfontein, their first in the competition. The Dolphins put on a better batting performance in their second innings, but could only manage to set a target of 115, which the Knights chased easily.

The Knights did a good job keeping the Dolphins to 221 on the opening day after winning the toss. The seamers, Van der wath, Dillon du Preez and Malusi Siboto shared the wickets, with Siboto taking 4 for 37. The main batsmen failed, and it was up to the lower-order duo of Kyle Abbott and Calvin Savage to add 65 to take the score past 200. The Knights were in a spot of bother on the second day at 108 for 6, before Werner Coetsee and van der Wath compiled the highest partnership of the match. Their stand of 161 was the turning point, as it set up a healthy first-innings lead for the Knights. After Coetsee departed for 69, van der Wath got useful support from the lower order. Shadley van Schalwyk frustrated Dolphins with 80 at No.10 and there was no respite either from the No.11 Siboto, who scored 41 to stretch the lead to 277. Van der Wath smashed 19 fours and three sixes in his 154.

The Dolphins showed better resistance in the second innings, with half-centuries by Imraan Khan, Khayelihle Zondo, Daryn Smit and Abbott. The Dolphins were under pressure to save the game when they ended the penultimate day 25 behind with five wickets in hand. The lower order put on three successive fifty partnerships to keep Knights at bay, but were bowled out for 391. The Knights knocked off the required runs in under 30 overs and remained in third place.

A seven-wicket haul by the seamer Ayabulela Gqamane sent Lions crashing to 59, helping the Warriors come back from an 80-run first-innings deficit, setting up a ten-wicket win at the Wanderers. Gqamane's career-best 7 for 24 swung the game Warriors' way and the game was over after lunch on day three.

The Lions chose to bat and ended the opening day at 275 for 7, with the captain Stephen Cook scoring 95, Neil McKenzie 50 and Thami Tsolekile unbeaten on 64. Gqamane took 4 for 46, while Andrew Birch took 4 for 68 to bowl out the Lions for 315. Tsolekile remained unbeaten on 88.

The Lions spinners, Imran Tahir and Edie Leie, jolted the Warriors top order to reduce them to 118 for 5. Christiaan Jonker and Simon Harmer added 81 for the sixth wicket before Zander de Bruyn wrapped up the innings for 235, giving the Lions a lead of 80. What followed was a stunning turnaround as Gqamane ran through the line-up in 10.4 overs to finish with his maiden ten-wicket haul. Only two batsmen passed double figures in the second innings.

It left Warriors chasing 140, and they sailed home thanks to the opening pair of Davy Jacobs (84*) and Michael Price (49*).

Cape Cobras retained their position at the top of the table with a ten-wicket win over Titans at Newlands in a three-day finish. Put in to bat, the Titans were rolled over for 192 on the opening day with Justin Kemp taking 5 for 45. The Titans were struggling at 47 for 5 before David Wiese and Roelof van der Merwe scored half-centuries. The Cobras openers, Andrew Puttick and Alistair Gray nearly matched the Titans' first-innings score on their own. Their stand of 169 set the platform for a big score, and the second-wicket pair of Puttick and Stiaan van Zyl took the game further away from the Titans with a stand of 120. Puttick managed a century, but van Zyl and Gray fell short, scoring 91 and 84 respectively. Qaasim Adams and the lower order then took the score to 476 for 8 before the declaration, giving the Cobras a healthy lead of 284.

There was more trouble for the Titans at the end of the second day, losing two early wickets in the face of a huge deficit. In the third morning, things got worse when Pieter Malan edged Johann Louw to third slip. Heino Kuhn and Jacques Rudolph resisted with fifties. Louw broke their stand of 88 and dismissed the pair to finish with 5 for 89. Beuran Hendricks took 4 for 73 as the Titans finished on 301 leaving the Cobras just 18 to chase.

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