Gazi's ten help South to tight win

South Zone 248(Anamul 74, Yasin 4-50) and 248(Anamul 73, Nabil 6-81) beat East Zone 236 (Nafees 83, Gazi 6-66) and 227(Nafees 63, Gazi 5-73) by 37 runs
Scorecard

Sohag Gazi's maiden first-class ten-wicket haul ended up being the difference in South Zone's tight win against East Zone in Mirpur. Needing 137 runs to win on the final day with eight wickets in hand, East Zone were in a comfortable position. But their day started disastrously as from 154 for 2, they slipped to 171 for 8 in a matter of six overs, with Gazi picking up four of the six wickets to complete his second five-for of the match. There was a brief resistance before East Zone collapsed to hand over the win to the South.

East Zone, after putting South into bat, had struck regularly to reduce them to 196 for 9 with only Anamul Haque getting past 50. But a last-wicket stand 52 runs helped South pull ahead. In response, East made a solid start with Nafees Iqbal and Mominul Haque scoring half-centuries, but a lower-order collapse triggered by Gazi and Abdur Razzak meant that East ended 12 runs behind South.

South responded with a century stand for the second wicket between Soumya Sarkar and Anamul and although Nabil Samad picked up six wickets, South again managed 248 in the second innings, setting up a tough fourth-innings chase.

North Zone 361 (Junaid 78, Mushfiqur 76*, Farhad Hossain 74, Sunny 3-80) and 397 for 6 (Nasir 131, Farhad Reza 77, Maisuqur 73) drew with Central Zone 436 for 9 dec. (Ashraful 133, Mehrab 131)
Scorecard

A rapid century by Nasir Hossain lit up the last day of the match between North Zone and Central Zone before it ended in a draw. North had already wiped off the 75-run deficit and with a result unlikely, Nasir played attacking cricket to bring up his century of 89 balls with six fours and three sixes. Farhad Reza and Maisuqur Rahman also scored half-centuries in an innings where all eleven of Central's players were used for bowling.

Nasir's ton overcame his failure in the first innings in which only North's top-order had contributed to help the team to 361 with Mushfiqur Rahim unbeaten on 76. In response, Central had stumbled to 88 for 4 at one stage, but a 228-run stand between Mohammad Ashraful, who scored 133, and Mehrab Hossain jnr, who scored 131, set the platform for the team to take a first innings lead and take three points from the match.

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Buchanan 'frosty' with New Zealand CEO

Perhaps unsurprisingly after the side has been rolled for 45 in a Test match, tensions remain apparent at the top of the New Zealand management structure with John Buchanan, the director of cricket, admitting to a difficult relationship with chief executive David White which stemmed from the controversial demotion from the captaincy of Ross Taylor.

Buchanan, who joined New Zealand Cricket in April 2011, had not spoken to the media since Taylor was dumped as captain following the Sri Lanka tour and is not in South Africa. He has been monitoring events from Australia before heading back across the Tasman to resume his duties watching domestic cricket and scouting for talent.

A host of former New Zealand players, led by the vocal Martin Crowe, have been severely critical of the change of captaincy and the way Taylor, who opted out of the South Africa tour, has been treated. Neither has Buchanan agreed with everything but is hopeful of improving the situation with White.

"It can be frosty at times, but he's got a job to do, as I have," Buchanan told the Star Times. "We certainly don't always meet eye-to-eye, there's no doubt about that. But I am very confident he gives me every possible support he can and takes my views and represents them quite candidly to the board."

He also said his relationship with the coach Mike Hesson had "received a bit of a road bump" due to events in Sri Lanka but he has spoken to Hesson since the defeat in Newlands to offer his support

"I've always let it be know to Mike that I'm available," he said. "I'm not one that really wants to spend every moment ringing or intruding into the coach's domain. Having been a coach myself, I know there are good times, and there are times when you need to talk to people."

Buchanan retains the belief that there are players available to turn New Zealand's fortunes around and that he does not have any second thoughts about his job.

"It's a a fantastic role," he said. "That's why I took on the job and I still say that. I still maintain the opportunities in New Zealand Cricket are immense, in terms of what could be achieved in a short period of time - provided we all get on the same page."

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Hughes, Khawaja tip out Hussey

Michael Hussey will not get his desired ODI farewell at least partly to keep Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes away from the Twenty20 Big Bash League ahead of the India tour, the national selector John Inverarity has admitted.

Inverarity unveiled a curious squad for the first two matches of the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka on Sunday, captained by George Bailey while Brad Haddin resumes as the ODI gloveman in order to allow rest for Michael Clarke and Matthew Wade. David Warner has also been given time off after playing all formats for the past year.

Aaron Finch was rewarded for a compelling limited-overs summer so far while Ben Cutting has returned to the national squad for the first time since he was 12th man for the first Test match of last summer. Hussey's omission despite indicating a desire to play a final round of limited-overs games before he exited the international stage was notable, and Inverarity said the the call was made with an eye on the 2015 World Cup but also the India Test tour that begins in February.

"Our intention before two weeks ago was to give Michael a break during the Sri Lankan series and then have him refreshed and ready to come back into the ODIs against the West Indies and then off to India," Inverarity said. "Of course things changed a bit last week. We've talked it over with Mike but the overriding fact is what's best for Australian cricket and we move forward.

"We're very mindful of the 2015 World Cup and we think these ODIs are very important in terms of players like Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes and others having the opportunity being within the team and being in the ODI side rather than playing Big Bash League cricket partly as an opportunity for India for those who are selected. So I think we need to use those places for the future of Australian cricket.

"I think we have picked a particularly exciting side. Aaron Finch, and a lot of you have seen him play, there are not many more exciting players than Aaron. When he gets runs he gets them in quite spectacular fashion. Ben Cutting too. I think this is a very very attractive side. How will we know about the best players of the future if opportunity is not invested in them?"

Australia's coach Mickey Arthur had used the term quarantine after the Hobart match when explaining why members of the national squad were not being handed over to their BBL teams in between Tests. There is real concern among the coaches and selectors that a lack of first-class cricket through such a large chunk of the season is harming the development and preparation of both current and potential international players.

Haddin's return to the team ahead of the younger Tim Paine meanwhile provided a reminder that the selectors still valued the New South Welshman's experience. Inverarity said that Haddin remained the back-up Test wicketkeeper also, and that he would tour should the panel choose two glovemen for India or the Ashes tour of England.

"We're of the view that the two best wicketkeeper-batsmen are Matthew Wade and Brad Haddin. If something happened to Matthew than Brad Haddin would come into the side," Inverarity said. "We may or may not take two keepers to India and/or England. At this stage, our firm intention is if we take two it'll be Matthew Wade and Brad Haddin.

"Matthew's a very talented cricketer, very talented keeper and batsman, he's young and we think he'll get better and better and this has been the history of Australian cricket, we go back to Rod Marsh starting in 1970-71 and he and Ian Healy and others improved remarkably over the first couple of years. So we are certainly looking towards Matthew to improve, I think he's keeping well, he's got good skills and he'll get better as time goes on."

Another on something of a Test trial over the next month will be the allrounder Glenn Maxwell, who was 12th man for the Sydney Test. Inverarity said he was hopeful that Maxwell's progress as a cricketer and a spin bowler would gain in momentum.

"We're certainly hoping Glenn Maxwell develops as a batting all-rounder who bowls decent off-spin," Inverarity said. "He's a very talented played who we think is likely to improve on a fairly steep incline. We were close to playing him [in Sydney] - It was a close decision - but we thought the best side for this game was the side we put out."

ODI squad George Bailey (capt), Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Cutting, Mitchell Starc, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty.

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Warner falls early in chase of 141

Lunch Australia 1 for 13 (Hughes 12*, Cowan 1*) need another 128 runs to beat Sri Lanka 294 and 278 (Karunaratne 85, Chandimal 62*, Jayawardene 60, Johnson 3-34, Bird 3-76)
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

The wicket of David Warner for a duck gave Sri Lanka hope as Australia betrayed some early nerves in their small chase of 141 on the fourth day in Sydney. Dinesh Chandimal finished unbeaten on 62 and the 41-run stand he put on with Nuwan Pradeep for the final wicket was critical in giving Sri Lanka's bowlers something to defend. Pradeep was dismissed nearly half an hour before lunch, leaving Australia's openers a short period to bat before the break.

Sri Lanka opened with the offspin of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Australia began shakily as Ed Cowan was almost run out in the first over, having been sent back by Warner while attempting a single that wasn't there. Had the throw from the leg gully area hit the stumps at the striker's end Cowan would have been out, but he survived, avoiding the ignominy of two embarrassing run-outs for the Test after his first-innings brain-fade.

But from the first ball of the second over Sri Lanka did strike as Warner edged Suranga Lakmal to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip. Phillip Hughes was nearly bowled first ball when he failed to get the bat down in time to a Lakmal ball that just missed off stump and at lunch the Australians were grateful not to have lost any further wickets, with Hughes on 12 and Cowan on 1. The total was 1 for 13 and they required a further 128 runs for victory.

Every run was important for Sri Lanka as they resumed the morning at 7 for 225. Only ten runs had been added when Rangana Herath played on to Jackson Bird while attempting to leave the ball alone, and when Lakmal was bowled for a duck trying a hefty swipe off Mitchell Johnson it appeared that the innings could be over quickly. But Pradeep offered impressive support for Chandimal, who farmed the strike effectively.

Chandimal immediately lifted his tempo and struck three boundaries off a Bird over and soon had his half-century from 75 balls with another boundary whipped through midwicket off Bird. Pradeep got in on the act with four down the ground but next ball was caught behind off Bird as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274.

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Maqbool hands Abbottabad innings defeat

Karachi Whites 459 for 3 dec (Latif 155, Mohtashim Ali 103, Saeed Nasir 80*) beat Abbottabad 146 (Maqbool 6-60) and 168 (Maqbool 7-59) by an innings and 145 runs
Scorecard

With Atif Maqbool's 13-wicket haul, Karachi Whites handed Abbottabad a crushing defeat by an innings and 145 runs in Karachi. Trailing by 313 in the first innings, Abbottabad lost all their wickets for 168 in the second innings, out of which seven were scalped by Maqbool.

When Whites started the third day, they already led by 218 runs and Saeed Bin Nasir and Fawad Alam scored another 95 runs together before declaring the innings. Abbottabad openers put on 41 together, but once the opening partnership was broken, they lost their last eight wickets for 98 runs as Khalid Usman was reported absent hurt.

Karachi Whites picked up nine points from the win which takes them to top of the table in Group II.

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South Africa have matured as a team - Smith

The differences between South Africa and New Zealand were far greater than the ability of one attack to take 20 wickets and the struggle of the other to do half of that or that one batting line-up could score over 300 and the other just over that in both innings combined. According to Graeme Smith what really separates top sides from those in the tier below is whether they can know their game and play it.

"The biggest thing is an understanding of what needs to be done and then going and doing it," Smith said. And for that, it takes experience. South Africa, although not to the same depths as New Zealand, have been through years of what was considered underachievement when they could not reach the top ranking and hovered below.

What they learnt in those years was the ability to withstand, what they learnt after that was how to push on. "There is resilience in the squad. We've been under big pressure. We've fought back from tough positions and we've worked our backsides off to get back into games. Then, when we've had that opportunity, we've driven a bus through the door," Smith said.

At the moment, New Zealand are still on level one but only barely. Sometimes, like in the first innings, they cannot withstand. On other occasions, such as the second, they can for a little while. On every instance over the last 12 months when South Africa have been under that kind of pressure, they have survived.

The Oval, where they came back after a sorry day one; Headingley, where Kevin Pietersen's innings could have blown them away; Lord's, where Matt Prior may have derailed them; Adelaide, where Faf du Plessis rearguard action was epic; and Perth, where Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn played Australia out of the match, all stand out as examples of that. Those performances have shaped the character of the South African squad that exists now.

"There is a good degree of confidence within the squad, which enables you to play that way going forward. If guys have got good performances behind them and come off with some good wins … it's a lot easier to play that way when you haven't got that kind of confidence," Smith said.

New Zealand are side that does not have it. Hobart and Colombo aside they have not had a good last year. It's obvious even to their opposition where their faults lie. "They are struggling to find who fits in where and how can perform in certain role," Smith said. "It's more than who bats at No. 4, it's about behind the scenes and the environment. They are growing there."

South Africa have leaders other than Smith in the dressing-room, a solid top six and a bowling attack that is the envy of the cricketing world. They look a perfectly balanced unit whose only worry is to drive home their No. 1 ranking as hard as they can. "It's just about winning really, that is what you are defined by in modern-day sport," Smith said. "If you play games like this and you are dominant and you take the game forward, it's very nice."

They have been in control before but rarely as much as they were against New Zealand at Newlands, when Smith looked at the scoreboard and saw New Zealand were 26 for 9. "I couldn't quite believe we were in that situation," he said. "We bowled superbly in our new spells. We didn't start sluggish and we asked questions early on."

What was as important as the emphatic nature of the bowling for Smith was the calmness of the batting that followed. "After bowling them out for 45, the attitude we had as a batting unit was so important. It would be easy to go out there and think: 'What's happening out here?'" he said. "It was great to see Alviro push through those little sessions where he has found it tough in the past, because his potential is huge."

Petersen's hundred could end up as the least talked about but most telling act in the match. That would not matter to Smith, even if he doesn't get his due, because it's not as much about the individual as it is about the collective. "There's honesty in the group. I see us as mature team. We've grown up now." New Zealand will hope they can do the same.

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Chilly welcome for Giles in India

Ashley Giles knows he will be in for a few surprises as he takes over the coaching of England's one-day sides, but he could have been forgiven if he was caught cold in his opening practice in Delhi.

India's capital is experiencing some of its most-bone chilling temperatures on record and it was 5C at best when he supervised his first session in light fog ahead of a warm-up match against India A in Delhi on Sunday. Back home in Birmingham on Friday, there were prospects of a positively warming 10C with even the promise of a sunny interval or two.

Giles faces quite a challenge if England are to win his first series in charge. They have won only one ODI series in India, in 1984-5, and their last two visits have ended in 5-0 whitewashes for the home side.

As for the weather, England might not have experienced their coldest day. Two more of their matches are in the northern outposts of Mohali, which they know well, and Dharmasala, in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is a stunning spot, but maximum and minimum temperatures are predicted to vary between -6C and 6C in the next four days - and the match is less than three weeks away.

Even in England, an international is not thought to have taken place in temperatures quite as low as that. Kevin Pietersen, who was not always enamoured with the weather in northern England after returning from IPL, could be just one player in for a treat.

Tim Bresnan donned a beanie to peer through the fog and predict that all would be well at the start of the Giles era. "He floated in and out during the Test series in his role as a selector, talked to some of the lads and it was good," he said.

"Most of the plans we use for one-day cricket are already in place and I think it will be pretty seamless for him to come in and pick up the reins. He's quite chilled out but we'll see what happens. He might fire a few rockets and surprise people. That's what you get from a new coach and we're looking forward to it."

One India A name familiar to England will be Sreesanth, the fast bowler, who returned to competitive cricket last month after an absence of a year with a career-threatening injury. Sreesanth spent two months in a wheelchair after two operations on his toes and has called the experience "the darkest phase of my life."

The side will be led by Tamil Nadu's opening batsman Abhinav Mukund who Bresnan also know from the Test series in England during 2011.

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Wade ton gives Australia control

Lunch Sri Lanka 294 and 18 for 0 (Karunaratne 17*, Dilshan 0*) trail Australia 432 for 9 dec (Wade 102, Hughes 87, Herath 4-95) by 120 runs
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

The third day of the SCG Test was a memorable one for Matthew Wade, who struck his second Test century in front of a raucous crowd that engulfed the venue in a sea of pink on Jane McGrath day. Wade built a solid stand with Peter Siddle and found a worthy ally in last man Jackson Bird as he stretched Australia's lead to 138 and brought up his first home Test ton in the process before his team declared 30 minutes prior to lunch.

The hundred was still a distant landmark for Wade when the day began, as the priority appeared to be improving Australia's position from one of a slight advantage to greater control. Barring a couple of close shaves while running between the wickets, Siddle and Wade were largely comfortable in good batting conditions. Siddle set the tone for Australia today, driving and cutting Suranga Lakmal for boundaries and collecting five runs thanks to an overthrow inside the first three overs of the morning.

Wade was busier, running hard and occasionally attempting the aggressive shot but also timed the ball superbly, his first four being just a punch past point off Lakmal. Siddle fell when he edged Nuwan Pradeep to the keeper and Rangana Herath hit back with two wickets in quick succession. Herath pushed the ball through quicker to trap Mitchell Starc in front and bowl Nathan Lyon, prompting Wade to lift his attacking game further.

Three men in the deep on the off side were not enough to prevent him from slicing Pradeep over point; as he watched the field move back in, he picked up a boundary past gully by opening the face. Wade's power-play was on display as well as smashed Pradeep over extra cover, then neatly clipped him past midwicket for two more fours. Bird, at the other end, not only survived but scored during his short stay, long enough for Wade to reach his landmark. In what was to be the last over of the innings, Wade pierced a packed off-side field in the deep to cream Lakmal for two fours, the second of which brought up his century.

There was no success for Australia with the ball before lunch; in that short phase, Dimuth Karunaratne batted with composure, driving Starc and Bird for a couple of fours when they pitched up.

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Bowlers set up big win for Karachi Blues

Karachi Blues 252 (Akbar 95, Waqar 5-56) and 10 for 0 beat Peshawar 166 (Tariq 4-43, Tanvir 3-83) and 95 (Tanvir 5-47, Tabish 5-48) by 10 wickets
Scorecard

Karachi Blues skittled Peshawar in the second innings within 22 overs to complete a 10-wicket win and take the top position in Group I with 12 points. After taking an 86-run lead in the first innings, Karachi fast bowlers Tanvir Ahmed and Tabish Khan ran through the Peshawar batting on the second day to bowl them out for 95. The batsmen took less than two overs to overhaul the target and pick up nine points for the win.

Tanvir triggered the collapse when he picked up Peshawar opener Mohammad Fayaz off the first ball of the innings. There wasn't much resitance after that, as the two bowlers shared five wickets each. The five wickets took Tanvir's tally to eight for the match.

Karachi, after choosing to field on the first day, had run through Peshawar in the first innings too. The batsmen weren't allowed to settle as regular wickets tumbled. Only two Peshawar batsmen - Sajjad Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan - scored more than 30 and the team folded for 166. In response, Karachi collapsed to 119 for 7 and were in danger of conceding a first-innings lead. But an unbeaten 96 by Akbar-ur-Rehman helped them take a decisive lead. Waqar Ahmed, who took 5 for 56, and Riaz Afridi, 3 for 99, were the successful bowlers.

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Dhoni rues top-order failure

	Entire team to be blamed: Dhoni

India had their second successive top-order batting collapse but unlike the first ODI in Chennai, where their lower order came to the rescue, Pakistan's bowlers didn't give the hosts a second chance and completed a big win to take the series.

MS Dhoni rued the failure of his batsmen after the bowlers had brought India back into the match. Pakistan had appeared set for a huge total after a 141-run opening stand, but India's bowlers struck regularly in the second half of the innings to limit their target to 251.

India's openers made an edgy start, but were still in the middle by the 10th over and had put up 42 on the board. However, just like the previous game, a wicket opened the floodgates and the team was reduced to 95 for 5 in 26 overs. There were no lower-order stands of note this time and while Dhoni stayed unbeaten, the team was all out for 165.

"Last 30 overs we needed 180, so if you put 100 off 20, then you can get 80-90 off last 10 with five fielders inside the circle," Dhoni said. "But the key is to have wickets in hand and we never were in a position.

"Virat [Kohli] has scored runs for us, but one of the top three needs to play with the middle order, that will make it easy, not that they aren't trying, but it happens."

The batting failures in the two matches have meant that India have neither been able to put up a competitive total nor be in a position to chase one down. Dhoni said there was experience in the batting but all have struggled to find form on tracks that have helped bowlers but also rewarded batsmen who showed patience.

"The bowlers brought us back into the game," Dhoni said. "The spinners in the second half of the first innings bowled well and the faster bowlers made most of the bounce available off the pitch. But when we went into bat, we lost too many wickets."

"Initially there was something for fast bowlers, then it became flat, but there was something for the spinners. There was turn in the first as well as second innings, but after 25th over the ball started doing a bit for the faster bowlers, even with the old ball. So there was everything for everyone. There were runs for batsmen too. It was a good ODI wicket."

Dhoni also conceded that the team was finding it difficult to win matches with part-time bowlers in view of the amended ODI rules which stipulate five fielders inside the circle for full 50 overs.

"We are used to play with part-timers. Now it's difficult for part-timers to bowl with five players inside the circle. If there's dew, then you don't get turn as well. With the new rules, you've to assess whether six batsmen are enough or seven."

"What we're looking at is somebody who can fill in the gap -- a genuine allrounder to bring in the balance in the side. Lower-order contribution is also very important especially when you're chasing."

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, said a total of 300 was on the cards after the platform Pakistan openers had set but the pitch was not an easy one to score on, especially for new batsmen. He, however, praised the bowling attack for another efficient performance.

"The bowlers are really doing a great job, especially Junaid who is moving it both ways and asking questions of the batsmen," Misbah said. "Irfan has his height, Gul also bowled well today, and Ajmal and Hafeez always deliver for us.

"We have the edge in the quality of our bowling. Indian batsmen are struggling for quite a long time. But I think our bowlers exploited the conditions better. Normally we get flat pitches here in India. But both the pitches - in Chennai and Kolkata - were challenging for batsmen," he said.

Misbah also singled out Nasir Jamshed for special praise and said the batsman has matured well during the tour.

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