Proteas seal series against Pakistan

South Africa completed a 2-0 sweep in the T20 internationals against Pakistan, by cruising to a six-wicket victory in the second game.

The hosts, who turned in a poor batting display in the opening game when they set 120, were equally poor on Wednesday in managing to set 121 for victory with Juan Theron grabbing four wickets for 27.

The Proteas cruised for most of the response with Graeme Smith (38) and Colin Ingram (32) helping their side cross the line with 10 balls to spare.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Pakistan's innings bore several similarities from 24 hours earlier.

They lost wickets in clusters, there was poor decision making and they had to again rely on newly appointed Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq (33) to see them to a respectable total.

Shahzaib Hasan (six) was first to go when he mistimed a Lonwabo Tsotsobe delivery straight to Johan Botha, running back from midwicket.

Mohammad Hafeez (14) managed two fours during his brief stay but was then in two minds to Morne Morkel's second delivery and was bowled.

Imran Farhat (nine) suffered the same fate - misjudging a slower Tsotsobe ball with the consequences being a lost leg stump.

A silly run out accounted for Umar Akmal (five), who was looking for a second run but sent back by Misbah, and skipper Shahid Afridi (three) again played an irresponsible shot that flew in the wrong direction with Smith taking a good catch at deep cover.

That left Pakistan at 39 for five and with plenty to do in order to stay in the game.

Misbah and Abdul Razzaq (25) tried their best in a 45-run stand which took the better part of eight overs, but after the latter smashed Albie Morkel for a six, he fell next ball.

His partner tried to fight a lone battle with his side crossing 100 in the 18th over - the longest it has ever taken them in T20 cricket surpassing the mark set on Tuesday.

He was eventually out in the last over when Theron claimed three wickets from the final four balls to leave the hosts at 120 for nine.

Pakistan needed early wickets, but got none as Smith and Loots Bosman (11) put on 38 for the first wicket, before Afridi came in and struck immediately.

The skipper should have then had the wicket of Smith in the ninth over, but Akmal spilt a regulation chance at long-off.

AB de Villiers also fell for 11, before Afridi ended his miserly spell with one for 13.

There was a little more pressure when Smith was stumped with 53 still needed from 40.

But JP Duminy (22 not out) along with rookie Ingram took them to their sixth consecutive T20 win.

Virat Kohli proves to be the difference

The feet that moved fluently suddenly refused to do his bidding. Yet Virat Kohli tapped into hidden reserves of strength to brave past pain and pressure and helped India continue its winning streak against Australia.

Kohli's scintillating 118 (121b, 11x4, 1x6) coupled with Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina's adept supporting roles, set up India's five-wicket victory over Australia in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Wednesday. After rains washed out the first game at Kochi, India now has an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series that will conclude at Margao on Sunday.

Good recovery

Chasing Australia's 289 for three in 50 overs, India needed a steady start but debutant Shikhar Dhawan froze against Clint McKay, who later scalped Murali Vijay. At 35 for two, Kohli and Yuvraj lent hope to the Indian dressing room where captain M.S. Dhoni paced nervously. The duo shared 137 runs for the third wicket off 152 balls and that laid the foundation for a productive pursuit.

Man-of-the-Match Kohli's early impetus was gleaned from a pull off debutant seamer Mitchell Starc and Yuvraj (58) strode into his element while flicking another debutant John Hastings over mid-wicket. The southpaw's confidence rubbed onto Kohli, who soon pulled and drove with élan and the two fashioned a partnership that was the right mix of industriousness and flair.

Yuvraj leant into his drive off debutant Starc and when Nathan Hauritz stepped in, the southpaw slog-swept the off-spinner. Kohli, meanwhile, moved back and forth at the crease, judging length to a nicety as his shots sped on the carpet. Kohli, who in the past had the propensity to fritter away starts, played his percentages well and watched Yuvraj lose his timber to McKay's slower delivery.

The 21-year old surged ahead despite cramps in his legs that forced him, at 81, to requisition a runner in Dhawan. The moment Kohli noticed that Raina (71 n.o.) was busy carving up James Hopes all over the park, the centurion opted to play second fiddle.

He came into his own again after notching up his third ODI hundred with a brace off Hastings and while the adrenaline throbbed, he clattered McKay past cover, down fine-leg and over mid-wicket. Kohli eventually perished with a tired shot but he had done his job and Raina lent the final touch with verve. India finished with 292 for five in 48.5 overs.

Leading from the front

Earlier, Australian skipper Michael Clarke put a fortnight of poor form firmly behind him after his unbeaten 111 (139b, 7x4, 1x6) helped his team post a challenging total. Clarke found allies in Michael Hussey (69) and Cameron White (89 n.o., 49b, 6x4, 6x6) and the trio helped Australia tide past the twin-blow of losing openers Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine after Dhoni opted to field.

Australia failed to breathe easy in the beginning as Ashish Nehra's first spell of 4-1-3-2 prised out Marsh and Paine. Clarke and Hussey then etched a third-wicket partnership that yielded 144 runs off 172 balls. Clarke remained alert to the single while Hussey punctured the inner ring before succumbing to economical off-spinner R. Ashwin.

White then walked in and spread mayhem through an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 129 runs off 81 deliveries with his skipper. White carted Nehra for four and inflicted agony on the seamers, especially Vinay Kumar.

Clarke too acquired an aggressive sheen and raced to his fifth ODI hundred, striking clean fours off Vinay.

The skipper then watched White dent Praveen Kumar with two sixes and wade into the innings' final over bowled by Vinay with three sixes and a four.

The damage proved minimal for the Indians on a night when Kohli prospered.

India bids goodbye to best ever Commonwealth Games

New Delhi: Fireworks sparkled the cool evening air of Delhi, embarking on a new promise of sporting excellence as the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony kept its promise to the world.

The Commonwealth Games 2010 closing ceremony had started with a showcase of the various martial arts of India in a routine that had Sanskrit shlokas resonating in the air.

The next piece was in the form of a tribute to our nation with the military martial music section. It left the entire conglomeration awestruck as the crescendo reverberated its magic on the crowd. The melodious evening air was testimony to the fact that India had delivered the best Commonwealth Games ever.

Following this, AR Rahman presented his self composed revival of Vande Matram that was performed by a group of 2010 school students. The colourful and cretive presentation spread India’s feeling of harmony to the world.

Followed-up with a ‘Railgadi’ run by the volunteers of the event and smiles all around the packed Jawaharlal Stadium, the only sentiment that could have been connected to any Indian was that of pride and pride only.

The fun and frolic continued with the athletes taking centre stage and a joyous, eclectic parade was the result. It was a great sight to see the athletes from all over the world break free. They let their hair-down to an equally responsive crowd and India’s major contribution to the mega-event since 1949 was highlighted in the act.

It is the first time such a parade with the athletes at the centre of the show happened in the world.

The event took a futuristic turn as the Scotts invited everyone to the 2014 CWG event to be held in Glasgow.

The final part of the show had music booms that featured an array of famous singers and Shaan’s tribute to the CWG mascot ‘Shera’ was an instant hit with the kids and gave one last glimpse of the Delhi Games’ symbol.

CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi gave a closing speech that highlighted the events’ achievements and thanked all for their support for the event.

On this day, the CWG flag was taken off to begin a new journey towards Glasgow where the 2014 CWG events will take place. The Glasgow contingent also gave a flavour of things to expect from 2014 CWG with a routine that was amalgamated with tunes of their famed pipers.

Mike Fennel, the chief of the Commonwealth Games Federation summed it up quite aptly when he said, “Delhi, you have delivered a truly exceptional Games, and above all, a wonderful experience for all!”

An array of famous singers like Usha Uthup, Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Kailash Kher gave a musical performance to hit the right crescendo, ending the ceremony with dance and gaiety.

The David Dixon award that recognises the outstanding athlete of the Commonwealth Games went to Trisha Smith of Jamaica who won the women`s triple jump gold.

Pyrotechnics and a never before tally of 101 medals drew the curtains on the Commonwealth Games 2010, bringing India’s journey from a single bronze in 1934 to a great platform, showcasing the world its potential and promise.

Over and out: Andrew Flintoff calls time on cricket career

Andrew Flintoff has pulled down the curtain on his illustrious cricketing career, his body no longer capable of handling the rigours of the sport.

The 32-year-old allrounder is enormously popular in England, his starring role in the home side regaining the Ashes in the 2005 series cementing his place in the nation's pysche.

"It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today (Thursday) announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket," Flintoff said .

"The decision to end my career came yesterday (Wednesday) after consultation with medical advisers," added the 32-year-old, who quit the Test format after helping England regain the Ashes last year.

"Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire."

He was told he would need a third operation on his troublesome right knee.

At the height of his career between 2002 and 2005, Flintoff was a towering figure in the sport with both bat and ball.

His statistics have never done justice to his influence on the field but the reality is his powers have diminished considerably during the past three years.

Outside of his stirring spell in last year's Ashes Test at Lord's and a run out at The Oval, he was more of an inspirational figure than a pivotal one.

Some members of the English brains trust might privately be pleased in some respects that Flintoff has called it a day only a fortnight out from the naming of the Ashes squad.

Flintoff retired from Test cricket last year but his presence even in one-day and Twenty20 cricket could have been a major distraction for the national team.

So often portrayed as the nation's saviour, the truth is the England team have moved on without Flintoff.

The Test and one-day sides have gone from strength to strength since coach Andy Flower took over the reins at the beginning of last year.

Flintoff recently admitted he had not been in contact with either Flower or captain Andrew Strauss since last year's final Ashes Test, more than a year ago.

He has clearly not been in their plans and his exit from the game is well timed for the national team.

The England side hardly need the possibity of him floating around in case things go wrong early on in this year's Ashes series.

While Flintoff tasted Ashes success in 2005 and 2009, his captaincy of the 2006/07 tour in Australia was shambolic. The fun-loving character had the stuffing knocked out of him as England were belted 5-0.

It was England's worst Ashes series loss since a war-weary outfit succumbed to the same scoreline in 1920/21.

Flintoff has had plenty of problems with the drink, his after hours activities landing him headlines of the wrong kind during the 2007 World Cup.

His departure ends Queensland's chances of playing him in the summer's Twenty20 domestic competition.

Chennai Super Kings thrash Wayamba Elevens in CLT20

A second-wicket partnership of 137 between Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina helped Chennai Super Kings reach the 200-run mark for the first time in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament and crush Wayamba Elevens by 97 runs here on Wednesday. Chasing 201, Wayamba was bowled out for 103. 

With the ball coming onto his bat with minimal deviation and short boundaries all around him, Murali Vijay earned full value for the crisp timing he displayed from the start of the Chennai innings. The opener struck a six and three fours in the fifth over, bowled by left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara, and was seeing the ball so well by then that he drilled a perfectly pitched middle-stump yorker to the square-leg fence. 

His partner Matthew Hayden was lbw attempting to sweep Ajantha Mendis in the next over, but Vijay carried on attacking the Wayamba bowling in the company of Suresh Raina. The score read 92 for one after ten overs, and 135 for one at the end of 15. 

Murderous strokes 

By this time, both had crossed 50, and Raina was beginning to show off the most murderous strokes in his southpaw repertoire, chief among them the heave over midwicket. Four monster sixes in one Mendis over, the 17th of the innings, and two doubles in between, sent him hurtling from 59 to 87. 

Raina fell at that score, finding the leaping Jehan Mubarak at cover with an underhit lofted drive off Welegedara. Vijay holed out off the next delivery, but the left-handed Albie Morkel averted the hat-trick with a powerful drive that beat long off running frantically to his right. 

Morkel and skipper M.S. Dhoni only managed 14 off the last two overs, but the Vijay-Raina partnership had done enough before them to leave Wayamba staring at a target of 201. 

Wayamba never looked in contention, and at one stage looked in danger of falling short of 50. 

Early blow

 

Jeevantha Kulatunga went first ball, mistiming a pull off medium pacer Albie Morkel straight to square leg. Skipper Jehan Mubarak followed him in Morkel's next over, edging one to the keeper. 

Mahela Jayawardene was next to go, looking to harness Doug Bollinger's pace and left-arm-over angle with an uppercut but succeeding only in finding Muttiah Muralitharan at third man. 

The next over saw Murali taking another catch, at mid off this time to send back the left-handed Kushal Perera, fending Morkel hesitantly and managing only a leading edge. All four wickets came from short balls, and all, apart from Jayawardene, were the result of discomfort against the bounce afforded by the Centurion wicket. 

Off-spinner R. Ashwin then came on and bowled Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Thisara Perera in his first over, both batsmen attempting ugly, across-the-line heaves. Shalika Karunanayake and Isuru Udana put on 27 for the seventh wicket before the latter fell to another short ball, gloving a pull off Balaji to Dhoni behind the stumps. 

The end was delayed just long enough for Wayamba to cross 100. Morkel ended with figures of three for 22, and Ashwin, displaying all his variety – off break, drifter, carrom ball, picked up two more wickets to finish with four. 

The scores: Chennai Super Kings: M. Vijay c Perera b Welegedara 68 (46b, 9x4, 1x6), M. Hayden lbw b Mendis 10 (18b, 1x4), S. Raina c Mubarak b Welegedara 87 (44b, 6x4, 6x6), A. Morkel (not out) 9 (5b, 1x4), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 10 (9b, 1x4); Extras (b-2, lb-6, w-6, nb-2) 16. Total (for three wickets in 20 overs) 200. 

Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-180, 3-180. 

Wayamba bowling: Udana 4-0-30-0, Mendis 4-0-45-1, Welegedara 4-0-47-2, Karunanayake 3-0-24-0, T. Perera 2-0-25-0, Herath 3-0-21-0. 

Wayamba Elevens: M. Jayawardene c Muralitharan b Bollinger 10 (7b, 2x4), J. Kulatunga c Anirudha b Morkel 0 (1b), J. Mubarak c Dhoni b Morkel 7 (8b, 1x4), K. Perera c Muralitharan b Morkel 7 (10b, 1x4), K. Lokuarachchi b Ashwin 6 (4b, 1x4), S. Karunanayake (not out) 25 (30b, 1x4, 1x6), T. Perera b Ashwin 4 (5b, 1x4), I. Udana c Dhoni b Balaji 13 (16b, 2x4), R. Herath c Muralitharan b Ashwin 4 (6b), A. Mendis st Dhoni b Ashwin 15 (13b, 2x4, 1x6), C. Welegedara (not out) 0 (3b); Extras (b-4, w-7, nb-1) 12. Total (in 17.1 overs) 103. 

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-18, 3-18, 4-31, 5-31, 6-35, 7-62, 8-76, 9-102. 

Chennai bowling: Morkel 3-0-22-3, Bollinger 4-0-15-1, Ashwin 4-0-18-4, Balaji 3-0-17-1, Muralitharan 3.1-0-27-1.

Mumbai Indians lose to Redbacks, Virtually out of CLT20

Tom Cooper hit 19 off five balls to see South Australia to a five-wicket win over IPL giants Mumbai Indians in the Champions League Twenty20 cricket match here today.

The defeat, Mumbai's second in two games in group B, puts Sachin Tendulkar's team on the brink of elimination.

Cooper smashed two sixes and a four at the death as South Australia overhauled Mumbai's 180-7 with three balls to spare. The Redbacks finished on 182-5.

Openers Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris both made half-centuries in a 112-run opening partnership, but the Redbacks needed big hitting from Cooper and Cameron Borgas (14 off five) to see them to victory.

Saurabh Tiwary topscored for Mumbai with 44 off 36 balls.

Nadal wins US Open for career Grand Slam

The Spanish left-hander became the seventh man to complete the Grand Slam, joining Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Don Budge and Fred Perry in having won the US Open defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic on Monday

Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 on Monday to complete his collection of Grand Slam titles with the US Open crown.

World number one Nadal, 24, won the rain-delayed final after almost three-and-a-half hours of play against the third-seeded Serb Djokovic, who had to settle for the runner-up spot as in 2007 against Roger Federer.

Nadal is the seventh player in tennis history to win all four majors. Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi and Federer have also won the Australian Open, French Open, US Open and Wimbledon.

The men’s final was delayed by weather for the third year in a row.