Tendulkar Hits First 200 In ODIs

Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman to score a double century in One-Day Internationals, accomplishing the feat in the second one-dayer against South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday.

The master batsman, who holds the record for most runs and centuries in Test (13,447) and one-day (17,398) cricket, scored 200 not out off 147 balls as India amassed 401-3 in 50 overs.

His previous best was an unbeaten 186 against New Zealand, at Hyderabad, in 1999.

Tendulkar, who registered his 46th ODI century in the process, got to 200 with a single off Charl Langeveldt in the final over of the game, having earlier broken the World record for the highest individual innings, of 194, jointly held by Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry.

Anwar rattled up that total against India in May 1997 while Coventry hit 194 not out against Bangladesh last year.

Join us in congratulating the Indian ace on becoming the first man to breach the 200-run mark in 39 years of One-Day Internationals, since its inception in 1971.

Nasser Hussain: Tendulkar Better Than Even Bradman

Former England captain Nasser Hussain is convinced that Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman the game has ever seen, better than even the iconic Don Bradman.

“I have never liked comparisons between great players, but after Wednesday’s incredible game it must be said – Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman of all time,” Hussain wrote in his column for ‘The Daily Mail’.

Tendulkar became the first batsman to crack a double century in the four-decade-long history of one day cricket against South Africa on Wednesday and Hussain felt that should settle the debate on who is the greatest batsman ever.

“Better than Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, the other two great players of my era. Better than Sir Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. And I would even say better than Sir Don Bradman himself,” wrote the Chennai-born English cricketer of Indian origin.

Hussain said Tendulkar has somehow managed to retain his early enthusiasm even after two decades of international cricket which he found incredible.

“I played against Tendulkar on my first England tour, the Nehru Cup in India in 1989, and I could still see that excited boy in big pads in Gwalior,” said Hussain, who once resorted to negative tactics and asked spinner Ashley Giles to bowl way outside off-stumps to curb the Indian,” he said.

“That extraordinary drive and enthusiasm are what make Tendulkar so special. He has been playing international cricket for 20 years under the intense scrutiny being an Indian superstar brings, so it is remarkable he still loves holding a bat as much as ever,” Hussain said.

Looking at Tendulkar’s illustrious career, Hussain said guiding the Indian team to 2011 World Cup victory with his broad bat would perhaps give a sense of fulfilment.

“What else is left for Tendulkar now? Well, it is sometimes said that he has not played enough match-winning innings on the really big occasion for India.

“What better, then, than to score a hundred in the World Cup final against Australia ¿ or maybe even England – on home soil this time next year,” he said.

“That would be the full stop that would enable Tendulkar to ride off into the sunset with everything achieved in his career,” said the Englishman.

Doffing his hat to Tendulkar and referring to maverick soccer coach Jose Maurinho’s famous moniker, Hussain said, “My admiration for him is total. To steal the nickname of a certain football coach who led Inter Milan against Chelsea on Wednesday, Sachin Tendulkar truly is The Special One.”

Fleming Not Interested In Black Caps Job

Former captain Stephen Fleming has ruled himself out of contention to replace Andy Moles as New Zealand cricket coach.

Fleming today made it clear he harboured no ambition to succeed Englishman Moles, who last week resigned one year into the job after it emerged the players held reservations about his technical and tactical abilities.

The New Zealand team left yesterday without a coach for Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, where they are to play three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches against Pakistan.

Captain Daniel Vettori will undertake many of the coaching responsibilities until New Zealand Cricket (NZC) names a replacement for Moles.

Officials have said that might not happen until the New Year, meaning Vettori will also have extra responsibilities when Pakistan visit New Zealand for three tests starting on November 24.

Fleming captained New Zealand for a decade and played 111 tests and 247 one-day internationals before retiring last year.

Ponting: We Played Well Enough To Win

For Australia captain Ricky Ponting , it was more relief than delight after winning the first One-Day International against India in Vadodara, on Sunday.

Australia looked heading for a comfortable victory after reducing India to 201 for seven in the 40th over.

Many from the crowd started making their way out but suddenly hurried back to the stands as Harbhajan Singh  (49 from 31 deliveries) and Praveen Kumar (40 from 32) attempted the impossible. But, in the end, Australia proved why they are the undisputed champions in the 50-over format.

Ponting was clearly annoyed with his bowlers for letting India get so close. Only Peter Siddle was spared his wrath. That’s because he gave away just four runs in the final over, with India needing nine for victory.

“I was happy with the fact that we won. We played well enough to win the game. I would have been disappointed if we hadn’t crossed the line after having largely played well through the course of the game. I think it will be a good learning curve for a few of the guys,” Ponting said after Sunday’s match in Vadodara.

It was he who set up Australia’s mammoth 292 for eight with a fluent innings of 74 from 85 deliveries, while Michael Hussey  smashed 73 from 54 at the end. He believes India were lucky that Australia finished inside the 300-run mark after looking good for nearly 320 runs at one stage.

“At one stage we thought we might score more than 292, but a few wickets slowed us down. Michael Hussey played an outstanding innings and the others too did well. Tim Paine and Cameron White played well. Of course, there is room for improvement before game two,” he added.

Ponting said despite Harbhajan and Kumar’s dazzling strokeplay towards the end he was always confident that his team would emerge triumphant.

“Harbhajan didn’t take the game away from us though he did come close. I think our bowling in the last ten overs, I mean I don’t think that we can get that bad again. Yeah, it was bad!”

He went on to shower rich praise on fast bowler and ICC  Emerging Player of the Year Siddle for coming up with an excellent last over.

“I knew it will be an entertaining [last] over. Of course, things were in their [India's] favour in that last over after they scored 20 in the earlier over, but a couple of good balls helped us and Siddle was calm and composed and it will help him in the long run.”

Ponting said preparation for the game was not hundred per cent with some of the guys joining the team late after being involved in the Champions League  Twenty20. He warned that now that the team is together it would come up with more improved performances.

“The fact that some of our players joined us last night and the day before after the Champions League did hinder our preparations and team tactics. Three of the guys got in last night after half past eight and we took the team bus to the ground at seven in the morning; that hardly gave us any time to discuss, and that makes this victory all the more special,” he said.

Dhoni: Top-order Batsmen Would Have To Improve

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his top-order batsmen would have to improve following their narrow four-run defeat to Australia in the first match of the one-day series in Vadodara.

Captain Ricky Ponting top-scored with a knock of 74, while opener Tim Paine made a steady half-century, Cameron White chipped in with 51 and Michael Hussey scored 73 off just 54 deliveries as Australia amassed a commanding 292 for eight.

India replied with a half-century from Gautam Gambhir (68) and useful knocks from Virat Kohli (30) and Dhoni (34), but their dismissals in quick succession left the home side needing 92 from the last 10 overs.

Harbhajan Singh (49) and Praveen Kumar (40 not out) revived the chase with a thrilling stand worth 83 for the seventh wicket and, under their charge, India were left needing only nine from the last over.

Peter Siddle, who had leaked 13 runs in the 48th over, bowled Harbhajan with the second delivery of the final over and conceded only four runs as India’s response fell just short.

Despite the defeat, Dhoni believed India would bounce back.

“You would expect matches to be this close when the two top teams play at this level,” Dhoni said.

“There will be ups and downs through the series.

“But our bowling at the death has to improve and we need the top batsmen to contribute.

“If you look at it, only Gambhir got a half-century and when you are chasing 290-odd you need the top order to fire.

“We are learning and we have the experience in the side for us to bounce back.

“We would have been happier chasing around 270, especially on a track like this.

“It got a bit slower and lower towards the end and they bowled really well in the middle overs with the old ball.

“We lost four wickets in the powerplay and after that we were really out of the game until Harbhajan and Praveen brought us back.

“It was the contribution from the lower order which really got us that close.”

Ponting was relieved with the victory.

“It was a terrific game of cricket in the end and we would have been disappointed had we lost,” he said.

“They kept fighting until the last ball and Harbhajan got them really close, but we are obviously happy we are 1-0 up.

“Our performance was pretty good until the last six or seven overs of the game.

“We did a good job batting first to get to that sort of total, but we knew that they could chase it down because the outfield was so fast and the wicket held up pretty well right through the course of the game.

“The ball swung around a bit in the morning, but we expected that and perhaps it was a good toss to win.

“We started well with the ball and had them under pressure earlier on, but I think we were just good enough to get across the line.”

The seventh-wicket pair had clobbered Shane Watson for 20 runs in the penultimate over, setting the stage for a tense final over.

Ponting said he had instructed Siddle to stay focused.

“I told him to be really calm and to have just one single thought and not to get confused with what he’s trying to do.

Ricky Ponting: India A Formidable Opponent

They have some excellent wins behind them while coming into the one-day series against India but Australian captain Ricky Ponting is not willing to underestimate the hosts and expects the seven-match contest to be an entertaining and tough affair.

“India is a very good and strong one-day team and were not underestimating them. We are the number one and two teams in the world and all points to an entertaining and good contest over the next few weeks,” Ponting said at his first media conference after arriving on Tuesday.

“We have always enjoyed playing in India and against India. Our rivalry over the last few years has been growing and its good for the world game,” he said.

Pointing out Australia’s splendid run in the 50-over game over the last few months, that included a 6-1 thrashing of hosts England and a successful defence of their ICC Champions Trophy crown, Ponting was optimistic of carrying forward good form in India as well.

“We have played some excellent one-day cricket over the last few months beginning from the England tour and in the Champions Trophy. We need to keep improving and need to be at our best right through the series,” he said.

The 34-year-old Australian captain, who has quit T20 internationals, felt that a lot of responsibility lies on his shoulders as the team’s most experienced batsman.

“I have a good record in one-day cricket in India as compared to Tests. I have played some of my best one-day cricket over the last few months. A lot of responsibility is on my shoulders as the number three batsman in the team. It’s really a big challenge to play against India,” he said.

Ponting, who has scored over 12,000 runs in ODIs with 28 centuries to boot, said that the retirement of stalwarts like Mathew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, who were part of the squad that thrashed India 4-2 in the last series in this country, has given a good chance for some new players to step up the ladder.

“We have got a lot of young players, young as far as experience goes, who are finding their feet in international cricket. We have played some good one-day cricket over the last few months and they have grown in confidence from that. This series offers them different set of challenges,” he said.

Ponting did not read too much into the fact that the Indian team would be without a specialised bowling and fielding coach following the unceremonious sacking of Ventatesh Prasad and Robin Singh by the Cricket Board just before the series.

“A lot of coaching can be done among the players themselves. The younger players can learn a lot from the experienced guys,” he retorted.

Younus Offers Resignation As Pakistan Cricket Captain

Pakistan cricket captain Younus Khan offered his resignation Tuesday during a meeting called to investigate the team’s defeats against Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy this month.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt, however, rejected the resignation, saying Khan’s decision was an emotional one.

“I tender my resignation and if captains are summoned like this, no one will be eager to lead the Pakistan team,” Younus said at the start of the meeting.

The Pakistan National Assembly’s committee on sports summoned Younus, coach Intikhab Alam and Butt to explain the team’s defeat in the Champions Trophy held in September and October in South Africa.

Pakistan’s close one-wicket loss to Australia in a group match and their defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the semi-final sparked allegations from a lawmaker that the team threw the matches.

Jamshed Dasti, chairman of the committee, has alleged that Pakistan deliberately lost the match against Australia to throw arch rivals India out of the Champions Trophy.

Australia’s win sent them and Pakistan into the semi-finals, while India was eliminated in the first round.

Although Dasti later backed down from his accusations, the PCB rubbished the allegations.

Younus said he led the team with an injured finger and felt disappointed at being summoned for investigation.

“I set an example and led the team from the front despite having my finger injured,” said Younus, who fractured his finger during a warm-up match and had to miss the Champions Trophy’s opening match against the West Indies.

He then played in Pakistan’s 58-run win against arch-rivals India and also featured in the match against Australia and New Zealand.

“I reject this because it’s emotional and we will look at this matter later,” said Butt in reaction to Khan’s resignation.

Beware Sachin Tendulkar Ricky Ponting Is Snapping At Your Heels

Beware Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting is snapping at your heels. The prolific Australian skipper, who has been in tremendous form,

went past 12,000 ODI runs during the match-winning 28th ton in the Champions Trophy semi-final against England.

He followed it up by hinting he remained the only one to pose a serious threat to Sachin’s records. “He (Sachin) has set a benchmark for guys like me to chase him and get as close as we can,” said Ponting.

Top batsmen are fiercely possessive about personal milestones and Tendulkar, who will compete 20 years of international cricket next month, currently sits atop the Test and One-day International batting charts. Can Punter, who is already 34 and made his debut nearly six years after Sachin, shave off even one of these benchmarks?

In the ODI stakes, it looks impossible. Ponting is currently third in the list of all-time run-getters list and edging closer to No.2 spot.

Tendulkar, though, has left others far behind with 16,903 runs and 44 hundreds. Behind him lies Sanath Jayasuriya, with 13,377 runs and 28 tons.

Ponting can surely catch up with the maverick Sri Lankan opener: the Aussie skipper now has 28 tons, with 12,043 runs. Punter might go past Jayasuriya but is unlikely to give Sachin sleepless nights. Interestingly, Ponting has played the least number of matches among all three, and is unlikely to play till 40 like Jayasuriya has.

It is in Test matches that Ponting could, theoretically, challenge Tendulkar. Here too he is third, behind Brian Lara. But Ponting has the highest average of the three: 55.88 compared to Sachin’s 54.58 and Lara’s 52.88. Sachin has 42 tons and 12,773 runs and Ponting is likely to go past Lara’s 11,953. He already has more centuries, 38 to Lara’s 34. Sachin has given himself two more years, till the 2011 World Cup, and if Ponting outlasts him on the international stage he could easily breach the 42-ton barrier.

How Ponting will be wishing he could play on as long as Sachin has. Paying rich tribute to Tendulkar for completing 20 years as an India batsman, Ponting said: “If I had to last 20 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair. The number of innings of his I have been able to sit back and watch, I think he is an amazing player. Look at his stats and his records and it’s quite incredible for someone to have stayed in the game for 20 years.”

Currently, the odds seem stacked against Ponting. Though both batsmen have had their share of injuries, Ponting’s additional burden of captaining a team in transition has resulted in his Test average dropping sharply in the last two years. However, both he and Sachin have scored five tons in the same period.

Ponting knows if he sticks around longer than Tendulkar, he could edge past his Test runs or centuries record. Ironically, the biggest hindrance is not the fear of injury but Australia’s selection policy. Unlike Indians, Aussies don’t lay too much stress on personal milestones. Captains lose their place in the team if they lose the top job and chances are, like Steve Waugh, Ponting will be asked to step down in the limited-overs version first.

In Tests, will be allowed to bat on till he is, say, 37 or 38? If he isn’t, the debate will shift gears to who was the more effective big-match player. Any bets on that one?