Sri Lanka New Zealand Match Got Abandoned Again

After getting the match postponed for one day because of excessive rains, the ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand have been abandoned and the two teams have to get satisfied by sharing equal points. Sri Lanka was 203 for 3 in 43.4 overs, when the match got stopped due to rain.

Meanwhile, Srilankan Captain Kumar Sangakkara has been founded a level 2 accused of breaching ICC Code of Conduct when he get collided by New Zealand off-spinner Nathan McCullum, The incident occurred in the 27th over of the Sri Lankan innings. Sangakkara guided a McCullum delivery to fine leg and set off for a run. He was turning for the second when he bumped into the bowler, who had his back to Sangakkara. McCullum complained to the umpire and Sangakkara also had words with him.

This has been rather an unfortunate series for Sri Lanka.First some players got injured and some of them were down with Dengue fever; then the Suraj Randiv - Virender Sehwag 'no-ball' controversy & defeat against India (and that too without achieving a single point) and now the captain Kumar Sangakkara has ran into trouble. We think that Sri Lanka has to overcome their fortune also, apart from India and New Zealand.

Pakistan Loses Third ODI

Pakistan lost the third ODI to Australia by 40 runs in Adelaide Oval. With this victory, Australia won yet another ODI series win, as the hosts win the first two ODIs comfortably. Also, Pakistan was defeated in all the Test matches by the mighty Australians.

Australians, after batting first, put a decent total of 286 on the board, thanks mainly to a patient 83 by Shaun Marsh off 113 balls and a brilliant inning of 80 by Michael Clarke and a late onslaught by Michael Hussey. These two added 80 runs off just 33 balls.

Pakistan was soon reduced to 60/4, before Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam and then Shahid Afridi and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan scored briskly, but could not avoid defeat. For Australia, Ryan Harris took 5-43 and Mckay took 3.

Australia pins India by 4 runs

Harbhajan Singh's and Praveen Kumar's heroics took India agonizingly close to an enthralling win before the hosts slumped to a four run defeat against Australia in the first match of the seven One Day Internationals series on Sunday.

At 201-7 in their chase of a 293-run victory target, India seemed heading for a comprehensive defeat before Praveen (40 not out) and Harbhajan (49) came up with a defiant 84-run stand off just 57 balls for the eighth wicket (an Indian record) that took them to the doors of victory.

Earlier, Australia set up a victory target of 292 runs. Tim Paine, Michael Hussey and captain Ricky Ponting played splendidly to set up this huge score. Ashish Nehra took 2 Aussie wickets, whereas Ishant Sharma looked in good form after a long time and he ended up taking 3 Aussie wickets.

For India, top order batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag failed badly, however, Gautam Gambhir showed what a gutsy cricketer he is. He hanged on for 85 deliveries and scored an important half century. He scored 68 with 6 fours and 1 six. There were useful contributions from Virat Kohli and the skipper MS Dhoni, but with the wicket of Ravinder Jadeja, India were reduced to 201-7 in 40 overs. It looked like as if the match will have a one sided end. But Praveen Kumar and Harbhajan Singh have other plans. They played smart cricket and Bhajji showed his 'liking' for Aussie bowling once again with a brilliant innings of 49 runs off just 31 balls with 4 fours and 3 big sixes, whereas Praveen Kumar justified his batting talent and he remained unbeaten on 40 off just 32 balls with 5 fours and 1 six.

If India would have won the game, the Man of the Match would certainly had been Harbhajan Singh, but with the Aussies winning it, Michael Hussey was adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant 74 off 54 balls with 8 fours and 1 six.

What a series opener it was? I can't wait for the second match which is scheduled to held at Nagpur's Vidharbh Cricket Association ground on Wednesday, Oct 28.