14 Tuesday 27th December, 2011

his Test debut with a watch- ful 68 from 177 balls, became SCOREBOARD the third to fall in Australia 1st Innings just 19 deliveries when David Warner c Dhoni b Yadav 37 caught behind off Ravichandran Ashwin Ed Cowan c Dhoni b Ashwin 68 as Australia slid from S. Marsh c Kolhi, b Yadav 0 205-3 to 214-6. R. Ponting c Laxman b Yadav 62 carried all M. Clarke b Khan 31 the momentum and it M. Hussey c Dhoni b Khan 0 looked like Australia B. Haddin 21 was about to suffer P. Siddle not out 34 another of the giant Extras: (21lb, 2w, 1nb) 24 batting collapses that TOTAL: (for six ) 277 had plagued the team Overs: 89 in recent series, but Fall of wickets: 46-1, 46-2, 159-3, 205- Haddin (21 not out) 4, 205-5, 214-6. and Siddle (34 not Still to bat: James Pattinson, Ben out) put on a disci- Hilfenhaus, Nathan Lyon. plined performance Bowling: Zaheer Khan 23-5-49-2 (1nb, to put the game 1w), Ishant Sharma 20-6-40-0, Umesh back on an even Yadav 20-4-96-3 (1w), Ravichandran keel, having seen Ashwin 26-2-71-1. off the second new Toss: Australia ball. Umpires: Marias Erasmus (SA), Ian Hussey, strug- Gould (Eng) gling for runs of TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (Aus) Umesh Yadav from India bowls a on the first day of the late and with his Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL) Rickey Ponting, right, of Australia is congratulated by team-mate Ed Cowan after scoring 50 first Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Ground place in the team runs against India on the first day of their first Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground under threat, walked in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011. The 37-year-old Ponting, a veteran of disgustedly from the in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011. Ponting brought up his 58th half-century (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill) 158 Tests, has weathered persistent calls field after being for his retirement this year and was when he lofted an Ashwin ball to mid-wicket for three runs and raised his bat to a standing BY NEIL FRANKLAND given out by umpire selected for the Boxing Day Test despite ovation from 70,000-plus fans. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill) Marias Erasmus. Television replays managing scores of just 5 and 16 in his after a brief rain delay when attempting damp conditions and heavy skies. The MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — indicated the ball hit Hussey’s shoulder, previous match against New Zealand. to hook Yadav. players left the field briefly due to a Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle shared an but could not challenge the decision He brought up his 58th half-century Shaun Marsh faced just six balls shower midway through the first ses- innings-steadying 63-run partnership to under the Umpire Decision Reviews when he lofted an Ashwin ball to mid- before becoming Yadav’s second victim sion but returned after just a few min- steer Australia to 277-6 at stumps on the System because it is not being used in wicket for three runs and raised his bat when he was caught for a duck by Virat utes, and the start of the second session opening day of the first Test after India this series after the Indian cricket board to a standing ovation from 70,000-plus Kohli at gully, celebrated by a sizable was delayed by 40 minutes due to driz- had claimed three quick wickets after raised concerns over its accuracy. fans. and vocal crowd of Indian supporters. zle. tea. Cowan combined for a 113-run stand Up-and-coming India pacemen Yadav Cowan started his first Test in cau- Sachin Tendulkar will renew his India paceman Zaheer Khan (2-49) with former Ricky Ponting (62) gave Australia a scare by dismissing two tious fashion, in contrast to Warner’s quest to become the first cricketer to bowled Australia captain Michael after lunch, putting Australia temporar- of the side’s most potent batsman. dashing approach after Clarke won the score a 100th international century Clarke for 31 and had Mike Hussey con- ily in control after the loss of David Warner, who carried his bat for an toss and elected to bat on a green MCG when India opens its first innings. troversially caught behind for a duck Warner and Shaun Marsh to Umesh unbeaten 123 in just his second Test ear- wicket. Tendulkar has been stuck on 99 cen- with the next ball to take the initiative Yadav (3-96) in the morning session. lier this month against New Zealand, Melbourne was battered by storms turies since March. from the home side at the Melbourne Ponting became Yadav’s third victim smashed 37 off 49 deliveries before and torrential rain Sunday night, but India has not won a Test series in 64 Cricket Ground on Monday. when he was caught in slips by V.V.S. being caught by wicketkeeper play began on time Monday despite the years of touring Australia. Opener Ed Cowan, who top-scored in Laxman for 62 shortly before tea. Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the first ball

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq believes team period,” said Worcestershire chief executive David can beat England, the world’s No1 Test team, when Leatherdale. Heat too good for they meet next year. “We had hoped that he might be able to play a returned home on Friday after win- full season for us when we first started talking to ning all their matches in Bangladesh, including him about six weeks ago.” two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Worcestershire are also hoping to re-sign Mavericks as NBA begins Twenty20, to end a successful year. Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal as their second They now take on England over three Tests, overseas player for the Twenty20 campaign after a DALLAS (AP) — The Miami Heat took a small ahead jump shot with 4.8 seconds to play as the four one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches in the successful spell with the county last season. measure of revenge for losing last season’s NBA Bulls rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final United Arab Emirates in a series starting next A US federal judge has ruled Texan financier finals series to Dallas by beating the Mavericks 105- four minutes to edge Los Angeles. month. Allen Stanford is mentally fit to stand trial for 94 on Christmas Day as the new campaign got off to Luol Deng scored 21 points and blocked Kobe Since taking over as Test captain in 2010 follow- allegedly operating a $7billion (£4.5 billion) Ponzi its belated start. Bryant’s short shot right before the buzzer as the ing the spot-fixing scandal, Misbah has led scheme. After months of labour and legal disputes, the Bulls hung on for a thrilling finish to both clubs’ Pakistan in 13 Tests, winning six, drawing six and Stanford, 61, is accused of one of the biggest 2011-12 season finally began and Miami laid down a first-ever Christmas meeting. losing just one. However, Misbah knows that white-collar fraud cases since Bernard Madoff. marker of its championship credentials. Bryant scored 28 points and committed eight England will be a real test for his side, who are The former cricket mogul’s lawyers unsuccess- LeBron James had 37 points, 10 rebounds and six turnovers while playing with a torn wrist ligament ranked fifth. fully argued that he suffers from an impaired assists in a game that was hardly ever as close as for the Lakers, who nearly shook off their tumul- “The series against England is very tough,” memory following a prison attack in September the final score might suggest. tuous preseason for a surprising win. Instead, Los Misbah said. “England are the world’s best Test 2009. The newly minted champs were down by 15 after Angeles was outscored 17-5 in the final 3:36. team but we can beat any team if we keep the good He has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, one quarter, 21 at halftime, and 35 a few minutes form and co-ordination which we showed this conspiracy and money laundering. into the second half. Miami scored at least 30 points KNICKS 106, CELTICS 104 year.” “I see no brain injury that stands in the way of in each of the first three quarters. In New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points, Pakistan also beat the higher-ranked Sri Lanka his standing trial,” said Dr Robert Cochrane, a Dwyane Wade had 26 points, eight rebounds and including a pair of free throws with the game tied 1-0 in Tests and 4-1 in one-days in the UAE in psychological evaluator at the prison. six assists as the Heat cemented their status as the and 16 seconds left, to lift New York to a seesawing October and November. Stanford has spent more than eight months at a preseason favorite to win it all. victory over Boston. Pakistan will have to again rely on interim North Carolina prison hospital undergoing psy- Jason Terry led Dallas Amare Stoudemire added 21 points for the chological tests and being weaned off with 23 points. Knicks, who led by 17 in the first half, trailed by 10 anti-anxiety medication. in the fourth quarter, then pulled out a thrilling © The Telegraph Group, BULLS 88, LAK- Christmas victory. London, 2011 ERS 87 Rajon Rondo had 31 points and 13 assists, nearly Misbah-ul-Haq: In Los leading the Celtics back without an injured Paul Angeles, Pierce. But Kevin Garnett missed a jumper just Derrick before the buzzer. Rose scored we will beat 22 points THUNDER 97, MAGIC 89 and hit In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant the go- scored 30 points to help Oklahoma City England win its season opener with a victory over Orlando. Durant led the league in scoring coach after failing to find the past two seasons, including aver- a permanent replacement for Waqar aging 27.7 last season. On Sunday, he was 11-of-19 from the field and added Younis, who stepped down in September five rebounds and six assists. citing health problems. James Harden added 19 points and The first Test between Pakistan the Thunder held Orlando star Dwight and England starts in Dubai on Howard to just 11 points. Jan 17. The Thunder, who lost to Dallas Worcestershire are hopeful last year in the Western Conference of having Phil Hughes avail- finals, are expected to again be title able as their overseas play contenders this season. for the whole of next sea- Ryan Anderson scored 25 son after the opening points for the Magic. batsman was dropped by Australia for the Boxing CLIPPERS 105, WARRIORS 86 Day Test against India in In Oakland, new prize Melbourne. acquisition Chris Paul had 20 Hughes was due to points and nine assists in his join Worcestershire in much-anticipated debut, help- June as he expected to ing Los Angeles comfortably be on tour in the West beat Golden State. Indies during the first Blake Griffin added 22 two month of the points and seven rebounds as English season but has the Clippers spoiled Mark now opened talks about Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) Jackson’s debut as Warriors extending his stay in dribbles during the second half of an coach. county cricket in an NBA basketball game against the David Lee had 21 points attempt to reclaim his Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Sunday, and 12 rebounds for the Test place. Warriors, who cut the “We are in talks with Dec. 25, 2011. James scored 37 points Clippers’ lead to 78-77 with Phil about him joining us in the 105-94 season-opener win. 9:35 left before Los Angeles from the start of the sea- Misbah-ul-Haq (AP Photo/LM Otero) pulled away. son and those will contin- (AP/File photo) ue over the Christmas