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Home , Gautam Gambhir

Tuesday 21st December, 2010

CENTURION, South Africa (AP) - over India early on day five of the first ing victory as Morkel dismissed “The batsmen were incredible, to with India still seeking a first-ever Test Fast bowlers Morne Morkel and Dale Test at Centurion on Monday. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (3) and take the game to India and play with series win in South Africa in its fifth Steyn took their combined match total The Proteas’ leading quicks needed Steyn removed Jaidev Unadkat (1) to such positivity was incredible.” attempt. to 14 as South Africa closed out just six overs of the first session at have India all out for 459 in its second After winning a crucial toss on a “Over the next two days it’s going a dominant innings and 25-run win SuperSport Park to seal a series-open- innings, still short of South Africa’s fast bowler-friendly pitch, South Africa to be important to rest, and take time first-innings 620-4 declared. was dominant for much of a milestone- off from ,” Dhoni said, “and resisted with a filled match, with second-innings part- then get back in the groove.” sublime 111 from 241 balls in nerships of 137 between openers Smith said: “We will take some his record 50th Test century and cap- and Gautam Gambhir time off then knuckle down for Durban tain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a and a 172-run stand between Tendulkar and hope to make it 2-0.” rapid 90 on Sunday, but top-ranked and Dhoni - and Tendulkar’s India’s fate was virtually sealed when record century - India’s only it was blasted out for 136 batting first - highlights. and South Africa responded with its The test also saw Morkel huge total. return a career-best 5-20 in “The deficit was just too much to India’s first innings and AB De handle,” Dhoni said. “The way South Villiers hit the fastest test centu- Africa batted, they got too many. It was ry by a South African to power inevitable.” the Proteas to 620-4 - also its Three of South Africa’s five bats- highest Test total vs. India. men used made centuries, with The series continues with recording a first career the second Test in Durban on double century, to send the home team Dec. 26, ahead of a final match to a series lead in the first of three in Cape Town beginning Jan. 2, matches between ’s top two teams. India’s Sachin Tendulkar looks up as “I’m obviously very happy,” South he celebrates his century during the Africa Graeme Smith said. “It’s fourth day of the first cricket Test a big series which has had a massive match against South Africa at the build up and it was nice to come out SuperSport Park in Centurion, South and perform and get a good victory. Africa, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) SCOREBOARD India 1st Innings: 136 Overs: 128.1 South Africa 1st Innings: 620-4 declared Fall of wickets: 1-137, 2-170, 3-214, 4- India 2nd Innings 242, 5-256, 6-277, 7-449, 8-450, 9-456, 10- (Overnight: 454-8) 459. Gautam Gambhir lbw b Steyn 80 Bowling: 30.1-6-105-4 (1w), Virender Sehwag c Smith b Harris 63 Morne Morkel 31-6-94-2 (2nb, 3w), c Boucher b Morkel 43 Lonwabo Tsotsobe 24-3-98-1 (1nb), Paul c Amla b Steyn 23 Harris 30-5-88-2, Jacques Kallis 13-3-56-1 Sachin Tendulkar not out 111 (2nb). VVS Laxman c Prince b Tsotsobe 8 Toss: won by South Africa. c Harris b Kallis 5 M. S. Dhoni c Boucher b Steyn 90 Series: South Africa leads three-match c Kallis b Harris 1 series 1-0. S. Sreesanth c de Villiers b Morkel 3 Umpires: Steve Davis, Australia, and Ian Jaidev Unadkat c Prince b Steyn 1 Gould, England. South Africa’s Dale Steyn, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the last Extras: (13b, 5lb, 8w, 5nb) 31 TV Umpire: Shaun George, South Africa. of India’s batsman Jaidev Unadkat, unseen, to win the first cricket Test TOTAL: (all out) 459 Match Referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe. match at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa, Monday, Dec. 20, 2010. South Africa won by an innings and 25 runs. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Australia accused of changing pitch Japan national Hunger for runs drives Australia have made a dramat- MCG square. The MCG has drop- advantage. Whether the ploy 37-year-old Tendulkar on become the most capped player ic late switch to a new pitch at in pitches — wickets that can be works remains to be seen. team threatens BY GERALD IMRAY ever. And he won the Melbourne for the all-important brought in for matches — because The WACA is the fastest pitch CENTURION, South Africa International Cricket Council’s fourth Test in an attempt to catch Australian rules football is played in the world and, with Melbourne boycott (AP) - He made his Test debut as player of the year award. Now England on the hop again. at the 100,000 capacity ground, but enduring a wet summer, it will be a 16-year-old in 1989, so Sachin he’s scored Test century No. 50. Buoyed by their thrashing of the authorities believe one previ- difficult for the curator to inject TOKYO (AP) - Japanese Tendulkar has 21 years in inter- The appetite for runs - and England on a fast, bouncy surface ously overlooked now fits the bill pace and bounce on demand. But media is reporting that play- national cricket to reflect on. success - hasn’t been sated. to level the series in Perth, for Australia. the pitch switch is a revealing ers on the national football This year has been one of his “Every innings I want to go Australia are desperately trying The hosts are still smarting at statement of intent from team are threatening to boy- best. out and score runs,” Tendulkar to replicate the same conditions what they saw as the deliberate Australia, who do not want to play cott international friendlies if Tendulkar, now 37, capped said after Sunday’s century. for their pace attack at the MCG. doctoring of the Brit Oval pitch on a surface that suits Graeme they aren’t given more money. 2010 with an unprecedented 50th “There has never been a match That means the ground’s cura- by Surrey groundsman Bill Swann’s spin. The Japan Pro-Footballers career Test century for India on when I’ve said, ‘If I get out early, it’s OK.’ I’ve never thought like tor, in conjunction with the selec- Gordon last year to suit England, When England played a warm- Association said the players day four of the first Test against South Africa on Sunday.He now that. So it’s extremely important tors, has agreed to abandon the although traditionally their cura- up match at the MCG ahead of the are not satisfied with the has 11 more centuries and over to have that hunger and it’s the surface he was preparing for the tors do not take kindly to selector- third Test, the pitch was low, slow amount they receive for play- 2,000 more runs than his nearest hunger that keeps one going. Boxing Day Test because it is too ial interference. and turgid, but Australia will be ing in friendlies. rival. “I’m glad that it’s still dry and could have played into But the MCG’s Cameron desperate that the surface on Japan’s players receive With a record 175 Tests and there.” England’s hands. Hodgkins is said to be happy to Boxing Day is far spicier. A draw between $2,000 and $2,500 for more than two decades at the So is India. Instead he has switched to a switch to the greenest pitch on his would do little for their hopes of every match they win, but are crease, he should be slowing Tendulkar has been a key potentially more lively one on the block if it will give Australia an reclaiming the Ashes. asking the Japan Football down or winding up. Not the lit- part of its recent rise to the top Association for a minimum of tle master. of the Test rankings. He is the $12,000. Tendulkar began this year world’s most worshipped crick- Tetsuro Kiyooka, executive by making 200 in a one-day eter, the biggest sporting star in officer of the JPFA, was quot- international - also against India, and the game’s most suc- cessful batsman. ed by Kyodo News agency as South Africa - the only time a batsman has achieved the feat. His post-match news confer- saying “we have no intention He became the first man to ence on Sunday was carried live of backing down.” 13,000 and then 14,000 test runs. on TV back in India. Indian JPFA lawyers will hold He already has over 3,000 more reporters said the 50th hundred meetings with lawyers from ODI runs than anyone else. was what the entire nation was the JFA on Tuesday to try to In 2010, he passed Steve waiting for, what all Indians resolve the conflict. Waugh’s 168 Test appearances to were hoping for.

Australian state bowler guilty of ball tampering Preparations for the Boxing Day Test ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) - Monday in Adelaide. Finch told the Saturday. On Monday, the initial continued yester- Victoria batsman Aaron Finch has commissioner, Judge David Smith, charge against the Victorian team day with MCG been found guilty of ball tampering he was “most likely responsible for was withdrawn. ground staff prepar- during his state’s domestic Sheffield the damage to the ball,” Cricket The penalty runs didn’t matter - ing a new pitch. Shield win over South Australia. Australia said in a statement. Victoria needed just 81 runs for vic- Finch was fined half of his Umpires penalized Victoria five tory Sunday, a target achieved in its match fee at a Cricket Australia runs and initially charged the entire second innings in 12 overs. code of behavior commission on Victorian team with ball tampering

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Tuesday 21st December, 2010