Rain, No Play

I always enjoy the commentators' reactions. Ian Bishop kinda loses it at the end, but so did all of us who watched it live! Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. The story was almost the reverse though as the Windies had Sri Lanka at 49/5 in their innings and the Windies were at one time 109/1 in chase of Sri Lanka's 235.  read more »

Video courtesy of powen001.  read more »

After taking 5 wickets in the first innings, Murali will be the dangerman for the Windies on a fourth innings Trinidad pitch.

253 or bust. Those are the options facing the Windies at the end of day 3 of the second and final Test between the Windies and Sri Lanka at Port of Spain. After losing the first Test in Guyana, the West Indies batsmen will have to make 253 runs or face the prospect of being swept in the Caribbean for the first time ever.  read more »

In today's first semi final of Cricket World Cup 2007, Sri Lanka stamped their class on New Zealand. Urged on by strong crowd support, Sri Lanka crushed the Kiwis by 81 runs. Winning the toss, the Sri Lankans, showing the bravado that has won them many fans, elected to bat first on a wicket that promised to assist New Zealand's pacers.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene's decision seemed to backfire in the third over, when star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya's stumps were clattered by a James Franklin delivery. Franklin bowled well at the star of the innings, but the same couldn't be said for Shane Bond, who picked the worst time to have a bad performance. His first over went for 9 runs as he strayed down leg side, allowing Upul Tharanga to glance the ball for a boundary down to fine leg. The day would get much worse for Bond.  read more »

Video: The telling stumping of Brian Lara that effectively ended West Indies' hopes.

West Indies' hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of Cricket World Cup 2007 took a severe hit today as the team turned in yet another uninspired performance in a convincing defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. The Windies will now have to win all three remaining matches and hope for the likes of South Africa or Sri Lanka to struggle mightily in the remaining matches of the Super Eights stage.

After being sent in by Brian Lara, Sri Lanka started slowly and by the ninth over, had fallen to 35-2. Daren Powell once more proved to be the most penetrative of the Windies bowlers taking two wickets at a cost of only 38 runs. Having seen off Powell, Sanath Jayasuriya then proceeded to take hold of the match, scoring his second century of the tournament and 25th of his career. He was ably supported by Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene who scored 82 in a third wicket partnership of 183. When Daren Powell had Jayasuriya bowled for 115, Sri Lanka had already progressed to 218 with 11 overs remaining, leaving the West Indies with their backs against the wall. Dwayne Bravo and Ian Bradshaw proved to be most ineffective, both going for in excess of 6.5 runs per over.  read more »

Sri Lanka and the West Indies will battle on Sunday at the brand new Providence Stadium in Guyana. While both teams are coming off a loss, Sri Lanka will be coming off a near miracle win against South Africa, while the Windies will be coming off two thumping defeats.

When Sri Lanka Bats.

The Sri Lankan batting line up is a deep one that will want to prove itself after being bowled out for 209 against South Africa. With Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have a settled and established opening pair that can destroy any bowling attack. The middle order comprises captain Mahela Jayawardene, the exciting wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara, the consistent Chamara Silva, who already has three fifties in this tournament and veterans Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold. Bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Farveez Maharoof are both capable with the bat and add to the depth of the line up.  read more »

Video of Malinga's four wickets in four balls.

Four wickets in four balls. Just as Herschelle Gibbs accomplished a feat that had never been done before in international cricket by hitting 6 sixes in an over, so did Lasith Malinga by taking four wickets in four balls. "Slinga" Malinga (so called because of his slinging bowling action) almost induced one of the greatest chokes of all time from South Africa. After Malinga's damage had been done, South Africa had slumped from 206/5 to 207/9. Faces that were once confident of victory agonised as thoughts of South Africa's previous World Cup gaffes in 1999 and 2003 must have been somewhere in their minds. A mere four runs for victory that turned out to be the hardest four runs to get.  read more »

Shiv Chanderpaul made his first World Cup century today.

In Jamaica, a maiden World Cup century by opener Shivnarine Chanderpaul guided the West Indies to a commanding 8 wicket win over Ireland today. While in Trinidad, another stunningly poor batting performance by the Indians have left them all but out of this World Cup.  read more »

In Jamiaca, Irish cricket came of age on the world stage today as Ireland snatched a thrilling tie from Test nation Zimbabwe. In front of rowdy supporters, some of whom dressed as Leprechauns and danced in a congo line as Zimbabwean wickets fell, the Irish lived up to their billing as a "minnow" to watch.  read more »