SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

SCOREBOARD

AUCKLAND: Scoreboard in the World Cup Pool B match between and India at Eden Park in Auckland yesterday. Zimbabwe (1w); Jadeja 10-0-71-0. C. Chibhabha c Dhawan b Shami 7 H. Masakadza c Dhoni b Yadav 2 India S. Mire c Dhoni b M Sharma 9 R. Sharma c Raza b Panyangara 16 B. Taylor c Dhawan b Shami 138 S. Dhawan b Panyangara 4 S. Williams c and b Ashwin 50 V. Kohli b Raza 38 C. Ervine c and b M Sharma 27 A. Rahane run out (/Taylor) 19 Sikander Raza b M Sharma 28 S. Raina 110 R. Chakabva c Rohit b Yadav 10 M. Dhoni not out 85 T. Panyangara c Yadav b Shami 6 Extras: (b1, lb2, nb1, w12) 16 T. Mupariwa not out 1 Total (4 wkts, 48.4 overs) 288 T. Chatara b Yadav 0 Did not bat: A. Jadeja, R. Ashwin, M. Sharma, M. Extras: (lb2, w7) 9 Shami, U. Yadav Total (all out, 48.5 overs) 287 Fall of : 1-21 (Rohit), 2-21 (Dhawan), 3-71 Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Masakadza), 2-13 (Rahane), 4-92 (Kohli) AUCKLAND: India’s Suresh Raina plays a pull shot while against Zimbabwe during their World Cup Pool B match yesterday. —AP (Chibhabha), 3-33 (Mire), 4-126 (Williams), 5-235 : Panyangara 8.4-1-53-2 (2w); Chatara 10- (Taylor), 6-241 (Ervine), 7-276 (Raza), 8-285 1-59-0 (1nb, 6w); Mupariwa 10-0-61-0 (2w); Mire (Panyangara), 9-286 (Chakbva), 10-287 (Chatara) 5-0-29-0 (1w); Williams 5-0-31-0; Raza 8-0-37-1 Bowling: Shami 9-2-48-3 (3w); Yadav 9.5-1-43-3 (1w); Masakadza 2-0-15-0 (1w); Result: India won Raina ton helps India beat (2w); M Sharma 10-1-48-3 (1w); Ashwin 10-0-75-1 by six wickets. World Cup braced Taylor-inspired Zimbabwe AUCKLAND: Suresh Raina hit a century as India With India in a spot of bother at 92-4, when Zimbabwe batsman to hit back-to-back hun- for final countdown spoiled ’s farewell party with a Raza bowled for 38, Raina found an dreds at the World Cup, with this innings follow- hard-fought six- win in the World Cup able partner in skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni ing his 121 against Ireland. Pool B match in Auckland yesterday. as the experienced duo added 196 for an unbro- Taylor then smashed left-arm spinner SYDNEY: The World Cup enters its final Australia made sure of their spot in the Raina survived two dropped catches during ken fifth wicket stand. Dhoni finished with 85 Ravindra Jadeja for three boundaries and two weekend of group games with former next stage after last weekend’s 64-run win his unbeaten 104-ball 110 as India chased down not out off 76 balls, hitting the winning six off sixes in one over to complete his 400 runs in the champions and West Indies facing over Sri Lanka where they piled up 376-9. a stiff 288-run target in 48.4 overs for their sixth , his second in addition to tournament-another Zimbabwe first at a World either early flights home or a last-gasp That followed their World Cup record win in as many matches. eight boundaries. Cup. places in the quarter-finals. score of 417-6 to rout Afghanistan by 275 Departing Zimbabwe batsman Taylor had India had lost opener Rohit Sharma (16), in- He was eventually out off paceman Mohit Six of the eight quarter-finalists are runs. Australia will have little to fear from a anchored Zimbabwe’s 287 all out with a punish- form Shikhar Dhawan (four) and Ajinkya Rahane Sharma, who also ended Ervine’s knock to finish already known-New Zealand, Australia, Sri Scotland side who have still to win a World ing 110-ball 138 in what was his last internation- (19), with two of the wickets going to with three for 48. Shami and Umesh Yadav also Lanka and Bangladesh from Pool A and Cup match in three appearances-a run of al after signing a deal with English county Panyangara. took three wickets apiece. defending champions India and South 13 games. The two sides have met four Nottinghamshire. Earlier Taylor smashed 15 boundaries and five Before Taylor came into his own, Zimbabwe Africa in Pool B. times with Australia winning by six wickets With India on 158-4, and Raina on 47, towering sixes in his brilliant knock. His ton had lost Masakadza (two), That leaves 1992 champions Pakistan, in 1999, 203 runs in 2007, 189 runs in 2005 Zimbabwe spurned a good chance of pressing anchored his team, unable to qualify for the (seven) and (nine) by the 11th 1975 and 1979 winners West Indies and and 200 runs in 2013. for a win when dropped a quarter-finals, after they were sent into bat by over. non-Test side Ireland battling for the Today’s group stage conclusion sees sitter at short fine-leg off Sikander Raza. the defending champions. He added an invalu- Pakistan-born Raza chipped in with a 15-ball remaining two places. Pakistan, having won three games in suc- It was Masakadza who was at the receiving able 93 for the fourth wicket with Sean Williams 28, including three sixes and a four, to give the Their fates will be decided on Sunday cession-including over South Africa earlier end of the second chance when wicket-keeper (50) and another 109 for the next with Craig innings some much-needed impetus. with Pakistan facing Ireland in Adelaide this week-after two opening losses, take on Taylor dropped Raina off his bowling with his Ervine (27) to help Zimbabwe recover from a For the first time in the tournament, India’s almost eight years to the day that they Ireland in Adelaide. score on 71. The left-hander punished struggling 33 for three. Taylor guided paceman bowling was tested as spinners Ravichandran were knocked out of the 2007 World Cup Veteran batsman Younis Khan, who Zimbabwe by completing his fifth one-day hun- Mohammad Shami’s short-pitched ball over the Ashwin went for 75 and Jadeja for 71 respective- by the Irish. played in the 2007 World Cup, wants victo- dred his first in World Cups-reaching the three- third man boundary for a six to reach his succes- ly in their ten overs apiece. India will face It will be an emotional occasion for ry over Ireland in honour of Woolmer. figure mark off 94 balls. In all he hit nine bound- sive hundred in this World Cup off 99 balls. Bangladesh in thee quarter-finals in Melbourne Misbah-ul-Haq’s team as that defeat in “This is surely a very emotional game for aries and four sixes. In the process Taylor became the only on March 19.—AFP Jamaica was followed the day after by the me and all of us,” Khan said, remembering death of their coach Bob Woolmer. the man who coached Pakistan from 2004 Earlier Sunday, in Napier, the West Indies till his death. “I remember Bob a lot, he should roll over the United Arab Emirates contributed so much to Pakistan cricket. Porterfield: Pakistan ‘just another game’ to grab fourth spot in Pool B and a quarter- Hope we can win this game and some final against New Zealand in Wellington. more in the World Cup. There would be ADELAIDE: Ireland is done for each individual game, then we’ll be fine.” par score but emphasised it was vital to assess the Before all that yesterday, India look for a nothing better to dedicate to Bob’s memo- confident his side has prepared well for today’s Debutants Ireland scored a memorable three- conditions that have assisted seam bowling in the sixth win in six games against already-elim- ry.” must-win World Cup match against Pakistan at wicket win over Pakistan when the teams last met second session under lights. inated Zimbabwe in Auckland. India have In Napier, the West Indies will have one the Adelaide Oval, but insisted it was just another in the World Cup in 2007, but Porterfield said “If you pick up a couple of early wickets, what- been impressive at the tournament, bowl- eye on the skies and the other on the game. The final Pool B match in the month-long another victory this time will not be considered a ever score you get on the board will not be easy ing out the opposition in all five games scoreboard as they seek to keep their cam- group stage will lift the winner into the quarter- surprise. “That was our first taste of a World Cup to chase down,” he said. “I think it all comes down they have played. paign alive in a must-win clash with the finals and leave the loser facing a tricky run-rate and it was our second game in the competition,” to how well you play on the day.” Zimbabwe, meanwhile, have just one United Arab Emirates. countback against the West Indies. said the skipper who was part of that match at If Ireland qualify, they will be the only non-Test Both teams go into the winner-take-all game the Sabina Park in Jamaica. “Not many countries nation to get past the first round at this World win and their game against India will be The two-time champions, who have lost at par with three wins from five matches, but that were there would have known much about Cup, but Porterfield insisted the associate nations the last international for Brendan Taylor, to Ireland, South Africa and India so far, cur- Porterfield said it did not help to take it as a spe- us. But over the last eight years we’ve obviously had already proved that the 10-team format the rock-solid batsman who will take up a rently lie fifth in Pool B. But a cyclone thou- cial day out in the field. grown massively as a cricket-playing nation. planned for the 2019 edition-instead of the 14 at county contract with Nottinghamshire. sands of kilometres away in the South “It’s just another game of the group in terms of “So I don’t think it will be as big surprise if we present-needed to be revised. India will face Asian neighbours Pacific could blow away their chances if it preparation,” he told reporters yesterday. do go out there and win tomorrow as it would “I think all the teams in the competition have Bangladesh in the quarter-finals in front of brings heavy rainfall to New Zealand’s “Obviously result-wise it’s a key match, but you have been back in 2007. “We now have confi- provided enough evidence to justify a change in 90,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket North Island by today. A washout would are still going to prepare like you do for each dence going into every game that if we bring our the 2019 competition regardless of what happens Ground on March 19. send Jason Holder’s men tumbling out of match. “The opposition is what’s in front of you, A-game and play the way we can play, then we tomorrow,” he said. “If we do qualify it’s going to Yesterday’s other game sees four-time the tournament-they need two points from and you have to prepare to beat them. I don’t can win each game.” do even more for Irish cricket because the sup- champions Australia seeking to take sec- a victory, the solitary point awarded for a think you can think about the outcome and put Ireland’s batting has shone brightly ever since port we’ve already had back home has been fan- ond spot in Pool A behind New Zealand by no-result will not be enough. Further com- pressure on yourself. they chased down the West Indies’ 304 for seven tastic. “Once you get to the quarter-final, who defeating Scotland in Hobart and set-up a plicating matters, the West Indies must “Some lads may think about it more than oth- which should make them feel comfortable on knows where to from there. It’s a straight knock- quarter-final in Adelaide on March 20 soundly beat the UAE by 70 runs to ensure ers and that may be an extra motivation factor for what is expected to be a run-laden pitch. out stage and you’re three games away from lift- against either Pakistan or Ireland. a place in the last-eight. —AFP them. But as long as we prepare how we have Porterfield said any total over 280 would be a ing the Cup.” —AFP Pakistan, Ireland set for do-or-die duel

ADELAIDE: Plucky Ireland take on buoyant world. A long investigation proved inconclu- they bowled the Proteas out for 202 after Pakistan in a winner-takes-all World Cup clash sive as police overturned their initial assess- making 222. at the Adelaide Oval today that promises an ment of murder or suicide to declare that Ireland began by chasing down the West enthralling encounter between two highly Woolmer, 58, died of natural causes. Indies’ 304 for seven in a rousing batting dis- combustible teams. The last league match in Since then, the two sides have played four play and also beat UAE and Zimbabwe, but the month-long group stage will steer the one-day matches, all hosted by Ireland, with were no match for Test nations India and winner into the quarter-finals and leave the Pakistan winning three and the fourth game South Africa. loser facing a tricky run-rate countback ending in a tie. The Irish batsmen have outscored the against the West Indies. Pakistan and Ireland have endured a inconsistent Pakistanis so far, which should A likely win for the West Indies over the bumpy ride at this World Cup, but now find make them feel comfortable on what is United Arab Emirates earlier on Sunday will themselves at par going into their must-win expected to be a run-laden pitch, despite the bring them level with Pakistan and Ireland on match with three wins each from five games. rivals’ potent bowling attack. six points to set up a keen finish for the knock- “It will be the biggest game in Ireland’s Pakistan’s batsmen have crossed 250 just out rounds. cricket history,” seasoned batsman Niall once in the tournament when they ham- Defending champions India and South O’Brien declared in the Dublin-based mered 339 for six against the inexperienced Africa have already taken two of the four Independent newspaper. UAE at Napier. quarter-final spots from Pool B, while co-hosts “We still have it in our own hands and In contrast, Ireland have surpassed 300 Australia and New Zealand have already quali- know that several teams would love to be in twice against the West Indies and Zimbabwe, fied from Pool A along with Sri Lanka and the position we find ourselves in. Pakistan will thrashed UAE for 279-8, scored 259 against Bangladesh. be an extremely difficult test but it’s still up to India and managed 210 versus the South It’s been eight years almost to the day us.” Africans. Pakistan’s batting coach Grant when Ireland celebrated St Patrick’s Day on Pakistan lost their opening two matches Flower said his team can’t afford to slip up March 17 in 2007 by knocking out Pakistan against old foes India and the West Indies, but any more. “I do expect the batsmen to deliv- KINGSTON: In this March 17, 2007 file photo Ireland’s cricket captain Trent Johnston from the World Cup with a three-wicket win at bounced back to win the next three to prove er,” the former Zimbabwean star said. “That is (left) celebrates with teammate Kevin O’Brien (right) as Pakistan bowler Umar Gul Kingston’s Sabina Park in Jamaica. A day later once again they are one of the most unpre- what they are there for. They can bat a lot (center) looks on, after hitting a six to beat Pakistan in the Group D match of the Pakistan’s disappointment turned into grief dictable sides in world cricket. Victories better than they have. “I would like to believe at Sabina Park. The Cricket World Cup match today between when their English coach Bob Woolmer was against Zimbabwe and the United Arab our best is yet to come. If we don’t, I don’t Ireland and Pakistan will bring back memories both good and bad for some of the found dead in the bathroom of his hotel Emirates were followed by a stunning success think we will go much further in the tourna- participants.—AP room, causing disbelief in the entire cricket over mighty South Africa in Auckland where ment.”—AFP