Dhoni: No Rushed Decisions
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Monday 30th January, 2012 13 Strauss: England batsmen still bad Vs spinners top-ranked team’s ability to bat on turn- horns,” Strauss said. ing pitches: Kevin Pietersen, Eoin “We just didn’t play well enough, Morgan and Ian Bell have put up four individually and collectively. below-par batting performances in the Individually we haven’t been clear two tests. enough with our game plans against “Test cricket is hard and it exposes the spin. vulnerabilities or weaknesses that you “We’ve allowed pressure to build, have,” Strauss said. “The good thing is and each time a wicket falls it makes it you can overcome those ... but we harder for the guy coming in. weren’t able to do it in this game.” “As a batting unit we have to hold England bowlers gave hope to our hands up and say ‘we haven’t been England’s Andrew Strauss, right, Stuart Broad, center, and Monty Panesar, react at Strauss’ batting unit when left-arm spin- good enough.’ It’s been pretty apparent, the end of the fourth day of the second cricket Test match of a three match series ner Monty Panesar claimed six wickets it’s clear, no excuses, we need to be bet- between England and Pakistan at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United and bowled out Pakistan for 214 after ter than that. Arab Emirates, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) lunch. “There will be regrets because these That meant England required 145 to are the games that hurt the most.” BY RIZWAN ALI Both teams travel back to Dubai for win with more than four sessions left. Strauss applauded Pakistan, which the last match, starting on Friday. But England’s run-chase folded half ranks 5th in test cricket, and has a ABU DHABI, United Arab England has flopped on the spinner- an hour before stumps on the fourth day chance to record its first clean sweep Emirates (AP) — Captain Andrew friendly pitches in the Gulf, and hasn’t in only 36.1 overs with only Strauss (32) against England. Strauss admits England has yet to over- won a test series in either India, and Matt Prior (18) reaching double fig- “Pakistan thoroughly deserved come its weakness of batting in subcon- Pakistan or Sri Lanka in a decade. ures. their victory ... we’ve been below where tinent-like conditions after Pakistan “I said at the start of this tour this is Instead of showing some aggression we want to be and we need to come spinners rolled his side for just 72 in the the final frontier in a lot of ways — the against spinners, England was caught by back and bounce back strongly from second test on Saturday. subcontinent,” Strauss said. surprise when offspinner Mohammad this. The incredible 72-run victory inside “But, I think the fact we got rolled Hafeez bowled with the new ball. “I thought in both games they’ve four days won Pakistan the series with a over twice in Dubai meant that there “I suppose it’s easy to get caught played really well, they’ve been a good, test to spare. Pakistan won the first test was some baggage there going into this between two schools, whether to be close-knit unit and they’ve got some by 10 wickets with two days to spare at final innings.” patient and wait for scoring opportuni- very good spin bowlers and ultimately Dubai last week. Pakistan spinners have exposed the ties to appear or to take the bull by the they played better cricket than we did.” Dhoni: No rushed decisions Indian captain Mahendra Singh difficult for bowlers. That is when Dhoni insists there will be no flurry you have to be consistent with line of retirements following the humili- and length. They (Australia) never ating 4-0 Test series whitewash in gave us boundaries easily.” Australia. India now have the chance to The visitors suffered a 298-run redeem themselves in the shorter defeat to the Baggy Green in the form of the game as they take on the fourth Test in Adelaide on Saturday Australians in two T20s before Sri with veteran batsmen Rahul Dravid Lanka join them for a tri-series ODI and VVS Laxman experiencing dis- tournament. mal tours in the twilight of their “We have the ODI series coming careers. up and there will be a completely dif- Despite the struggle, Dhoni says ferent side. It (the tour) is a learning there is no need to make snap deci- experience for the youngsters. Once sions right away. you play 100-odd ODIs, it is always “We will have to wait and watch good to have that experience when (if there are changes). Our next Test you make your Test debut,” he said. series is only in September, there is Stand-in skipper for the fourth plenty of time, we don’t want to take Test, Virender Sehwag, also added decisions quickly,” he said. that India would now be turning The World Cup-winning captain their attention to the ODI tourna- added that his team were completely ment to exact their revenge over the outclassed by the opposition over the hosts. series and Australia came out “We are still the World deserved winners. Champions. Tests are different from “They have played consistent ODIs. Australians were better and so cricket. Whenever a partnership was they won the series but we care needed, their batsmen stepped up about our performance as well,” said and put par-plus runs on the board. Sehwag. Their bowlers were also consistent. “Everyone has been working They always stepped up when need- hard but players themselves have to ed,” Dhoni said. go out and execute the plans. The “There comes a phase in defeat is disappointing but we need Australia when once you are set it is the support of fans.” eander Paes of India, right, and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic celebrate after defeating the USA’s Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill) Bryan brothers lose final, denied record 12th slam BY JUSTIN BERGMAN bles players but were teaming up for just the fourth time. Before partnering for a MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — tuneup event at Sydney earlier this Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek denied month, where they lost to the Bryan Bob and Mike Bryan their record 12th brothers, the Indian and Czech duo had- Grand Slam doubles title, beating the n’t played together for nearly six years. American twins 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the final of After Mike Bryan double-faulted on India’s captain MS Dhoni, left, together with his team-mates stand in the field the Australian Open. The Woodies could match point, Paes leaped into Stepanek’s after they were defeated by Australia in the cricket Test match at the probably sleep a little easier Saturday arms and the pair swung around at mid- Adelaide, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/David Mariuz) night. court. They both then reached up to The 33-year-old Bryans were attempt- stands to give high-fives to Martina ing to secure their place as the most deco- Navratilova, with whom Paes won the rated doubles team since the Open Era mixed doubles trophy at the Australian began in 1968. The brothers remain level Open in 2003. Sydney Sixers win Aussie Big Bash T-20 title on 11 major titles with the Australian duo The Bryans have captured each major of Mark Woodforde and Todd at least once, but they’ve been most domi- PERTH, Australia (AP) — Moises over before Mitch Marsh’s 77 from 57 Woodbridge, also known by their nick- nant at Melbourne Park, where they’ve Henriques scored 70 runs and Brett Lee balls helped Perth to 156-5. name the Woodies. won three straight Australian titles and returned 2-21 after dismissing Henriques struck six boundaries “Obviously, it’s disappointing,” Bob five overall. They hadn’t lost here since Herschelle Gibbs with the first ball of and four sixes and Stephen O’Keefe Bryan said. “But you know, I thought we the quarterfinals in 2008. the match as the Sydney Sixers beat contributed 48 to the 110-run opening have had a great Australian swing, and Bob Bryan has a special prize waiting Perth Scorchers by seven wickets stand to lead the Sixers to 158-3 to claim we’re playing, at least I’m playing a lot for him at home. His wife was due to give Saturday to win the first edition of victory with seven balls to spare. better than I did last year already. It birth to the couple’s first child on Australia’s expanded Twenty20 Big The Sixers and Scorchers both qual- bodes well for the rest of the year.” Saturday and he was planning to catch a Bash League. ified for the Twenty20 Champions Paes and Stepanek are veteran dou- Sunday morning flight back home to Lee took two wickets in the first League in October. Miami to try to be there in time..