If Sachin Tendulkar retires, Test cricket will die, says Arjuna Ranatunga

"If players like him (Sachin Tendulkar) don't play the longer version of the game, Test cricket will die. I pray to God he continues to play Test cricket. I was very happy to know he has retried from ODIs. For me Test is education and the shorter versions are entertainment," Ranatunga said.


Ranatunga, who guided Sri Lanka to their first and only World Cup title in 1996, said Tendulkar still has a lot of cricket left in him.


Asked whether Sachin was on a comeback trail after scoring two centuries in domestic matches, Ranatunga said the Mumbaikar, despite being 39, is a much better player than some of the younger Indians.

"If Sachin Tendulkar plays one good knock, I am sure he will play two-three years more without a problem," he said.

On to issues facing international cricket and Ranatunga came down heavily on the ICC, calling the sport's world governing body "toothless".

Instead of blaming the BCCI for the non-implementation of the controversial Decision Review System to avoid umpiring mistakes, Ranatunga turned his ire on the ICC.

"I am not blaming BCCI, but blaming ICC for not making DRS compulsory. They should not allow home countries to take decisions on the matter," he said on the sidelines of Sri Lanka Tourism promotion event here.
"They (the ICC) shout, but hardly bite. I have always said that they haven't changed. ICC should protect the game not individual countries

Mumbai humble Saurashtra in Ranji Trophy final

A terrifying display of fast bowling handed Mumbai their 40th Ranji Trophy in great haste as Saurashtra crumpled under pressure at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. It was a premature end to a heavily lop-sided match. The visitors, beginning their second innings 207 behind, were shot out for 82 in just 36.3 overs, leaving Mumbai massive winners by an innings and 125 runs well within the third day itself.
 

Medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni (5/32) and skipper Ajit Agarkar (4/15) and were the principal wreckers. Agarkar removed both the openers – Shitanshu Kotak and Sagar Jogiyani – and first innings half-centurion Aarpit Vasavada for a blob apiece. Kulkarni accounted for Rahul Dave (5), captain Jaydev Shah (6) and the dangerous Sheldon Jackson (9) to ensure there was no fightback whatsoever.
 

Even Mumbai would have been surprised at the degree of Saurashtra’s capitulation and for a while, at 20/6, it appeared that the lowest-ever total in the Ranji Trophy was in danger of being underwhelmed. That dishonor avoided, Saurashtra did little else to vindicate their presence in the final of India’s biggest domestic competition, their dependence on a flat home track at Rajkot surfacing fatally at the Wankhede.
Centurion opener Wasim Jaffer was named Man of the Match, beating Dhawal Kulkarni, who took nine wickets for 56 runs in the match.
"(It's) A great moment to get a hundred in the finals. Once we got them out for 148, it was important to bat well, and that's what we did. The bowlers did the job really well. Probably this wicket had much more help for the bowlers, so it was a good decision to bowl first. Kulkarni has been bowling well. He was unlucky in the league stages, but in this match he got the wickets too," he said once the victorious huddle in the middle had broken.

ICC T20 World Cup 2012: India hasn't lived up to the expectations, feels Sunil Gavaskar

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar feels the Indian team hasn’t lived upto its expectations after winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.

Gavaskar said, “India hasn’t lived up to the expectations after belying expectations and winning the inaugural event way back in 2007.

“They have a good team too, but could find that they concede that extra run in the field that can make the difference between winning and losing as was seen in Chennai a few days back.”

On T20 format, he said, “It is a format that brings in the crowds as they get to see plenty of action and if the weather holds, this tournament will be no different.”

Gavaskar feels no team can be called clear favourites in this format.

He wrote in a column for Sify Sports,” This is a very even tournament. Nobody can be called favourites and it is form on the day that matters and not reputation.

“Pakistan has beaten Australia recently, but the Aussies came back dismissing Pakistan for one of the lowest totals in the format.

“South Africa and England played out a drawn series and New Zealand beat India in a thriller in Chennai. “

The former Indian captain wrote that it was heartening to see Yuvraj Singh making a comeback into the Indian team after a yearlong absence due to cancer ailment.

 

Australia vs West Indies, cricket, T20 World Cup cricket

Colombo: Having registered a comprehensive win in their World Twenty20 opener, Australia would aim to seal a Super Eight berth when they take on the flamboyant West Indies in a Group B encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.

However, it won`t be an easy task for George Bailey`s boys as they are up against a formidable Caribbean side which boasts of big-hitting Chris Gayle and mystery spinner Sunil Narine in their ranks.

Led by Shane Watson`s heroics, with both bat and ball, Australia made easy work of an unpredictable Irish side as they cruised to an easy win in the campaign-opener. But come Saturday, the contest is definitely going to be more intense.

 

Raina-Kohli stand revives India

 

A rollicking half-century from Suresh Raina and an 88-run fifth wicket stand with Virat Kohli helped restore India's equilibrium after the loss of Sehwag and Tendulkar soon after lunch. At tea, India were 168 for 4, with Raina on 51 and Kohli on 33.

Raina's was an innings of determination and aggression, and would have given him more breathing space and confidence around his No. 6 spot. What is more, it came at a time India needed their Nos. 5 & 6 to steady the ship as New Zealand's bowlers, who ran in hard all day, threatened to get closer to the Indian lower order. With two quick wickets after lunch, New Zealand had made the most of their first innings total of 365. But it was the Kohli-Raina partnership that buoyed India's hopes.

At the start of his innings, Raina enjoyed most of the strike as he got enough opportunities to go onto his front foot. He struck three attractive boundaries in the second over he faced from Bracewell, including a cracking pull shot off a short ball. When Jeetan Patel tossed up one, Raina struck a sweet six over extra cover, taking 20 runs off the 33 balls he faced from Patel. On 48, he was to receive a reprieve when he was stumped off a no-ball from Patel. It took him 14 more balls to go from 49 to 50, before he dabbed a double past the slip cordon for two.

Ind vs NZ: Dhoni, Kohli lead India's fightback against New Zealand

 Virat Kohli scored a patient half-century against New Zealand after India lost Suresh Raina on the second day of the second Test at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Saturday. 

This was Kohli's successive fifty against New Zealand. Kohli held the one end for India as he hit 50 of 100 balls with the help of six boundaries and a lone six. New Zealand pacer Tim Southee struck again to give India another jolt by dismissing Suresh Raina.

Raina added 99 runs with Virat Kohli for the fifth wicket to lead Indian fightback after the loss of top order early on in the innings. Raina and Kohli took India to 168/4 at tea.

Raina and Kohli were batting brilliantly to defy Kiwis attack in the second session of the day. Raina slammed his seventh Test fifty, smashing eight fours and a six to give India a momentum after the early collapse.

Strauss announces retirement

England Test captain Andrew Strauss has announced his retirement from professional cricket with immediate effect.

The 35-year-old Middlesex and England opening batsman - who led England to two Ashes victories and to the top of the Test rankings - is retiring after 14 years in the professional game.
Strauss will be replaced as Test captain by Alastair Cook who will also continue to lead the one day side.
Strauss made his England debut in a one day international against Sri Lanka in 2003 and was awarded his Test cap a year later in 2004 against New Zealand scoring a century on debut. The England opener has gone on to win 100 Test caps captaining the side in 50 of those Tests, 124 ODI caps and four T20 caps in an international career that has spanned eleven years. He has scored 21 Test centuries and six ODI centuries.
Andrew Strauss said: "After much thought over the last few weeks, I have decided to step down as England Test Captain and announce my retirement from all forms of cricket. It has clearly been a tough decision to make, but I believe that it is both in the best interests of the England cricket team and myself to step down at this stage.
"There are too many people who have helped me on this incredible journey to mention them all by name, but I would like to thank all the Middlesex and England players I have played alongside, as well as the phenomenal coaches and support staff with whom I have been fortunate enough to work. Particular mention has to go to Andy Flower and Duncan Fletcher in that regard. It would also be remiss of me not to thank Middlesex County Cricket Club, the ECB and the PCA for their support and guidance over the years.
"No one can play international cricket for any length of time without having an incredibly strong support network around them, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for going through it all alongside me over the course of my England career.