Commonwealth Bank Series 2008

Commonwealth Bank Series 2008

CB Series 2008 in Australia: India, Australia and Sri Lanka

IND vs AUS, Second Final, Brisbane: India win CB series (2:0)

India wrapped up the triangular one-day international cricket competition when they beat Australia by nine runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three finals series at Brisbane Tuesday.
The Indians made 258-9 in their 50 overs then restricted the home side to 249 to claim a thrilling win and take the final ever triangular series to be played in Australia. Veteran Sachin Tendulkar led the Indian batting with a fine 91 before newcomer Praveen Kumar tore through the Australian top order, claiming Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke with just 32 runs on the board.
Kumar came back at the death to bowl Brett Lee and finish the match with 4-46 from 10 overs to signal his arrival on the international scene. Australian allrounder James Hopes led a rearguard action, scoring a career-high 63, but he kept losing batting partners and was last man out when caught at mid-off trying to blast 13 runs off the final over.
After Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat, India were 205-3 at one stage and heading for a score of more than 300. But when an injury-hampered Tendulkar was dismissed for 91, the scoring rate slowed and Australia's bowlers began to gain control.
Tendulkar was well supported by Yuvraj Singh (38), M.S. Dhoni (36) and Robin Uthappa (30), but the Indians were at least 50 runs short of where they should have been.

IND vs AUS, Second Final, Brisbane: India 258-9 (50 overs) beat Australia 249 (49.4 overs) by nine runs

IND vs AUS, Second Final, Brisbane: India eye history in second final against Australia

After winning the first of the best-of-three Commonwealth Bank Series finals in Sydney, India are all keyed up to clinch the tri-series and create history by winning Tuesday’s second match at the Gabba. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s enthusiastic lot defeated Australia by six wickets in the first final in Sydney Sunday and would be eager to finish the job without having to go to Adelaide for the decider.
India are playing the finals of the tri-series for the third time on their sixth visit Down Under, but have never won it since they first played in 1980-81, a year after it was launched following a truce between the Australian cricket board and media mogul Kerry Packer. Australia, on the other hand, have won the series 18 times and were runners-up seven times. They have set this imposing record as they have played in every series as hosts.
Playing in the finals for the fourth time and having won a match in the finals for the first time Sunday, India would like to break the 27-year-old jinx. For the first time in the series, the Australians will be under pressure, having to stay in the contest and the Indians are in a position to dictate terms. India will only be too keen prove that they got the short end of the stick in off-field controversies in the long Test and One-Day series despite playing tough, competitive cricket.
India lost the Test series 1-2 and in the inaugural section of the tri-series, they won two matches and Australia two while one was abandoned due to rain. Australia would be wary of India as they are performing as a team, especially Sachin Tendulkar, who hit a masterly 42nd century on Sunday, his first in the ODIs against Australia Down Under and also the first at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
India, especially Tendulkar, will be keen to finish off the acrimonious tour with another win that would give the team the title and wipe out the defeat in the Test series. Tendulkar is relieved to get the monkey off his shoulder, but he expressed his wish to win Tuesday’s match. India team (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wicketkeeper), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth
Australia team (from): Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain/wicket-keeper), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds

IND vs AUS, First Final, Sydney: Tendulkar’s ton guides India to win over Australia (1:0)

Sachin Tendulkar scored a brilliant century, his first in Australia and 42 nd in ODIs, as India defeated Australia by six wickets in the first final of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Master-blaster, who paced his knock to perfection, completed his priceless ton in just 106 balls sprinkled with eight sweetly timed boundaries. Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 117 and kept Indian run-chase on track. An opening partnership of 50 was the ideal launching pad, and even three wickets fell fairly quickly thereafter, Tendulkar’s unbeaten 117 took India to victory. Chasing a 240-run target, India were off to a confident start in the first final against Australia.
A sturdy innings from Matthew Hayden, an equally good show by the Indian bowlers, set up the first final of the CB Series on Sunday. Australia scored 239 for 8 in 50 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat. Andrew Symonds and Mathew Hayden struck a 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket in just 17.2 overs, but Symonds’ dismissal gave the much-needed respite to the Indians. Adam Gilchrist (7), Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (4) - all fell cheaply as Australia struggled at 29 for 3 from seven overs.
Initially, Hayden was at his aggressive best and raced past the 6,000-run mark in one-day internationals as he got off the mark with a boundary straight down the ground. Harbhajan Singh dismissed Symonds, who steadied the ship with Hayden, for 31 at midwicket. Harbhajan had been struggling to get his line and pace right before that dismissal, but his confidence surged once he had a wicket and the rest of his spell was impressive as he finished with 2 for 38. Praveen Kumar bagged the second wicket in his opening spell when Australia captain Ricky Ponting played on for one.
Ishant Sharma dismissed Michael Clarke for four, caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Replays suggested that the batsmen had missed the ball. Ishant Sharma had 1 for 32 from eight overs, but was forced from the field by an apparent hand injury. India sprung a selection surprise, naming leg-spinner Chawla for his first match of the series at the expense of pace bowler Munaf Patel.
Australia recalled Hayden after he was rested in Friday’s match against Sri Lanka, with Brad Haddin and the unlucky Stuart Clark missing out again for the home side. Never in the 30-year-old history of the triangular series have Indians managed even a solitary win in the finals against the hosts.

IND vs AUS, First Final, Sydney: India 242 for 4 (45.5 overs) beat Australia 239 for 8 (50.0 overs) by 6 wickets

IND vs AUS, First Final, Sydney: India face Australia in first tri-series final

Off-field controversies will finally take a backseat as India will rely on their young guns in an attempt to wrest the advantage in the first of the best-of-three finals against Australia in the Commonwealth Bank cricket tri-series at the Sydney Cricket ground on Sunday.
The summer Down Under has been marred by ugly spats between the two teams and Indians will be keen to fire themselves up after Matthew Hayden’s “obnoxious little weed” comment on Harbhajan Singh hogged the limelight in the last few days. The war-of-words has set up a thrilling contest, though beating world champions Australia in their own den would be a tough ask for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s young outfit.
Australia will not make the mistake of taking the Indian team lightly as the visitors have shown intent in the league encounters. Ausralia have beaten India twice, lost once while the first match ended in a washout. But with the hosts beaten by Sri Lanka in the last league match, their confidence is certainly not sky-high going into the first final and India will be looking to cash on it.
The problem for both teams has been their fragile batting order that has cracked under pressure time and again in the series. India’s main concern will be the opening combination as Sachin Tendulkar has partnered three different batsmen in the series so far. Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa have all opened with Tendulkar and it will be interesting to see who skipper Dhoni prefers in the crucial match.
Australia’s top-order has not displayed the consistency that they are known for and has lost wickets in heaps. India will certainly want their fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Irfan Pathan to rattle the Australian top-order Sunday.
But despite Australian batsmen not being at their peak, they have managed convincing victories in the series, which reflects the strength of the side. Brett Lee has truly been Australia’s bowling spearhead in the summer and together with Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken and James Hopes, their bowling has done the dominant force in the league matches. India team (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma and S. Sreesanth
Australia team (from): Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds

AUS vs SL, match 12, Melbourne: Sri Lanka score consolation win

Australia suffered a jolt ahead of their cricket tri-series finals against India when they lost an inconsequential cricket tri-series game against Sri Lanka by a narrow margin of 13 runs in Melbourne on Friday.
Chasing Sri Lanka's competitive total of 221, the world champions got off to a flying start with Adam Gilchrist (83 off 50 balls) launching a blistering assault but completely lost the plot after his dismisal to be bundled out for 208 in 48.1 overs. It was dramatic collapse by the Australians who were cruising comfortably at 113 for one at one stage before losing their remaining nine wickets for just 95 runs in a thrilling floodlit encounter at the MCG, allowing the islanders to salvage some pride.
The Sri Lankans, who have already been eliminated from the title race, fought back brilliantly after an early collapse to not only end the series on a winning note but also dent Australia's confidence a little bit ahead of the best-of-three finals against India beginning in Sydney on Sunday.
The two Aussie tailenders Brett Lee (37) and Nathan Bracken (14 not out) raised hopes of a stunning victory by putting on 35 runs for the last wicket leaving the Sri Lankans a little worried. With the home team needing 14 runs in the last two overs, the Sri Lankan captain gambled by bringing in Sanath Jayasuriya and the wily veteran struck in his first ball by castling Lee.
The victory was the perfect gift the Lankans could give to their two senior teammates -- Sanath Jayasuriya and spin wizard Muthiah Muralitharan -- who played their last match on Australian soil.

AUS vs SL, match 12, Melbourne: Sri Lanka 221 all out (50.0 overs) beat Australia 208 all out (48.1 overs) by 13 runs

IND vs SL, match 11, Hobart: India beat Sri Lanka, sail into final of CB series

A 102-run partnership between Sachin Tendulkar and an unbeaten Gautam Gambhir secured India's place in the Commonwealth Bank Series final after completing a comfortable seven wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday.
Set 180 to win after Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar claimed four wickets each to dismiss Sri Lanka, who needed to win to keep alive their hopes of facing Australia in the best-of-three final, for 179, Tendulkar (63) and Gambhir (64) guided India home with just over 17 overs to spare. After being dropped by Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene off the third ball of the innings from Chaminda Vaas, opener Robin Uthappa (11) departed seven balls later after being caught by Ishara Amerasinghe at mid-on off Lasith Malinga to bring Tendulkar to the crease alongside Gambhir. The pair brought up India's 50 off 60 balls before Tendulkar dominated a 50 run second wicket partnership off 63 balls.
Tendulkar was the first to bring up his half century from 44 balls, which included nine fours, and after the pair brought up India's 100 in the 17th over and their 100 partnership in 108 balls, Gambhir brought up his 50 off 72 balls. The partnership was finally broken as Tendulkar was caught at long-off by Chamara Silva off Muttiah Muralitharan at the start of the 21st over to leave India 120 for two.
Yuvraj Singh contributed a quickfire 36 off 35 balls before being caught in the covers by Tillakaratne Dilshan off Dilruwan Perera at the end of the 30th over with India at 171 for three. Rohit Sharma (three) and Gambhir rounded off the empathic victory as India reached their target with a run rate of just over 5.5 an over compared to Sri Lanka's 3.79.
Earlier, after losing the wicket of opener Perera in just the third over, Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara shared a 50-run partnership before Sri Lanka lost six wickets for only 21 runs in just over 10 overs. But after slumping to 93 for seven, Chamara Kapugedera's 57 helped Mahela Jayawardene's side at least give the bowlers a total to defend.

IND vs SL, match 11, Hobart: India 180-3 (32.2 overs) beat Sri Lanka 179 (47.1 overs) by 7 wickets

IND vs AUS, match 10, Sydney: Australia beat India by 18 runs

Century-maker Ricky Ponting led Australia's batting revival before his bowlers just managed to thwart India's bold reply in a thrilling 18-run win at the SCG.
Chasing 318 to win, India's Gautam Gambhir (113 off 119 balls) scored his second hundred of the tri-series before Robin Uthappa (51 off 46 balls) handed Australia some nervous moments with his exhilarating late-hitting. The result means that Sri Lanka can still make the best of three final against Australia but must beat India on Tuesday in Hobart and the hosts on Friday at the MCG to progress. The Australian snapped his head back to have some words with Sharma after being brought undone by his slower ball in the dying overs as Australia reached 7-317.
The controversies overshadowed the return to form of Ponting (124), Symonds (59 off 49 balls) and Matthew Hayden (54 off 62 balls) as the home side's batting clicked for the first time in the tri-series. Ponting, 33, celebrated his 26th international one-day century by raising his bat and exuberantly punching his air in the direction of the Australian change rooms. Only Sachin Tendulkar (41) has registered more one-day international hundreds than him.
Symonds was earlier booed heavily as he walked out to the crease, but then showed why he was the most expensive overseas signing at last week's Indian Premier League auction, with a thumping knock. But controversy seems to shadow Symonds these days and his exchange with Sharma showed there is still more than a little tension between the sides.
The umpires intervened to try to cool down Sharma as Symonds trudged off the ground. A refreshed Brett Lee (5-58 off 9.1 overs) then put the Indians immediately on the backfoot in their innings by trapping Sachin Tendulkar (2) in front.
The tourists then slipped from 1-45 to 4-51 as Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken peeled open the Indian top order with Virender Sehwag (17), Rohit Sharma (1) and Yuvraj Singh (5) all caught behind. Gambhir launched a valiant fightback, putting on 98 with Dhoni (36) for the fifth wicket before Lee returned to remove the dangerous right-hander. Gilchrist stumped Gambhir off Brad Hogg's bowling for one of his record-equalling six scalps with the score on 216 in the 40th over.
And that should have been the game but Uthappa had other ideas with 18 runs coming off Clark in the 46th over before Lee cleaned him and Harbhajan Singh up in consecutive balls in the 48th over. The paceman then finished the innings with his third wicket in four balls by bowling tailender Ishant Sharma (2).

IND vs AUS, match 10, Sydney: Australia 317-7 in 50 overs beat India 299 in 49.1 overs by 18 runs

AUS vs SL, match 9, Melbourne: Australia confirm final berth

Sri Lanka's survival in the cricket tri-series hung by a slender thread after they lost to world champions Australia by 24 runs in a rain-curtailed encounter at Melbourne today.
Chasing Australia's modest score of 184 for seven, the islanders were 77 for four in 29.3 overs when rain forced a premature end to the proceedings with Sri Lanka well behind under the Duckworth-Lewis method. The two on-field umpires, Simon Taufel and Rudi Koertzen, waited for the rain to stop till the cut-off of 10.20 pm local time before calling off play. Since a minimum of 20 overs are required to constitute a game, Australia were declared winners and also got a bonus point.
The result of the rain-affected game dealt a huge blow to Sri Lanka's quest for a berth in the best-of-three finals as they now need to win their remaining two matches to have a chance. They would also need India to lose to Australia in Sydney on Sunday. With this victory, Australia confirmed their place in the finals and maintained their position atop the points table with 22 points from six games. India are second with 12 points from the same number of matches while Sri Lanka are at the bottom with six points from as many matches.
Sri Lanka did well to restrict the powerful Australian line-up to a moderate total but their batsmen once again let them down.

AUS vs SL, match 9, Melbourne: Australia 184-7 (50 overs) beat Sri Lanka 77-4 (29.3 overs) by 24 runs (D/L)

IND vs SL, match 8, Adelaide: India beat Sri Lanka by 2 wickets

India beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in their one-day cricket tri-series match at Adelaide on Tuesday.
Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara rescued Sri Lanka's innings from a precarious start, scoring 128 and sharing a 153-run stand with Mahela Jayawardene on Tuesday to set India 239 to win the tri-series limited-overs cricket international. Sri Lanka, needing a win to boost its chances of reaching the final of the series that also involves Australia, recovered to post 238 for six after a horrendous start.
Sangakkara went in with the total at 4 for 1 in the first over when Tillakaratne Dilshan (4) was caught behind off Munaf Patel on the fourth ball. He was joined by his skipper in the third over when veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya was run out by Patel to make the total 6-2.
Together, the third-wicket pair combined for 153 runs in an innings-salvaging stand that ended when Jayawardene was run out for 71 in the 38th over after facing 99 balls.
Sangakkara's seventh one-day international century lasted 155 balls and finally came to end on the last ball of the penultimate over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Pathan's bowling for a resilient 128 that contained 12 boundaries. Silva was out for 21 in the last over as the Sri Lankans chased quick runs.

IND vs SL, match 8, Adelaide: India 239-8 (49.1 overs) beat Sri Lanka 238-6 (50.0 overs) by 2 wickets

IND vs SL, match 8, Adelaide: India, Sri Lanka fight for final slot

While Australia has secured a place in the final, India and Sri Lanka will confront each other for the second place in a Commonwealth Bank Limited over series match at the Adelaide Oval today in a day/night match.
Both teams have fared in similar fashion as the bowlers having the final say, and the batsmen unable to make much of an impact so far in the series besides some sporadic individual performances by some players.
The Sri Lanka team had a practice session last morning at the adjoining nets at the stadium, but skipper Mahela Jayawardena was not in a position to disclose the final composition of the team anticipating the fitness of Ishara Amarasinghe who was unable to play in two games due to a hamstring injury. Like Ishant Sharma who was impressive for India, Amarasinghe could strengthen the Lankans if bowling selected to play. Sri Lanka team (from): Mahela Jayawardena (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, T.M. Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedera and Dilruwan Perera.
India team (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautham Ghambir, Rohith Sharma, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel and R.P. Singh.

IND vs AUS, match 7, Adelaide: Australia beat India by 50 runs

Australia's under-fire top-order batting line-up was once again rescued by a brilliant bowling display, as India crumbled to a 50-run defeat in the one-day international at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening.
Another disappointing display with the bat sore Australia reach a meagre total of 9-203 from their 50 overs but marshalled by the in-form Mitchell Johnson, Australia were able to knock over the Indians for 153 with 8.4 overs remaining and picking up another bonus point. Johnson took the important wickets of Gautam Gambhir early in the innings as well as Robin Uthappa and Harbhajan Singh to put the Australians on the brink of victory with figures of 3 for 42 off 10 overs.
James Hopes and Brad Hogg also chipped in at crucial stages, Hopes (2 for 16) starting the Indian capitulation with the wicket of the promoted Irfan Pathan and Hogg (2 for 30) removing the dangerous Yuvraj Singh.

IND vs AUS, match 7, Adelaide: Australia 203-9 (50 overs) beat India 153 (41.2 overs) by 50 runs

IND vs AUS, match 7, Adelaide: Lee absence gives India edge

India will look to take advantage of Brett Lee’s absence as they face Australia for the third time in the league phase of the tri-series at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Lee, who has turned out to be the most lethal weapon for the home side this summer, will be rested as part of the player management policy and to refresh him for the later stages of the tournament. The news could not have come at a better time for the Indians. This game assumes great importance for them as a victory would open up the gap with Sri Lanka both in terms of points and net run rate.
Australia lead the table with 12 points from four matches (run rate +1.179). India are second with eight points and have a net run rate of +0.147. Sri Lanka have 6 points (run rate -1.507). Three of India’s four games have been rain-affected but no such trouble is anticipated for Sunday’s match. It was pretty hot on Saturday and Australia will have to live up to the reality of Lee’s absence. India team (from): Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth/Munaf Patel.
Australia team (from): Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, James Hopes, Brad Hogg, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken.

AUS vs SL, match 6, Perth: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 63 runs

Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist hit a century on his final appearance at the WACA, his home ground, to help Australia beat Sri Lanka by 63 runs in the CB one-day series.
The match will be remembered for Adam Gilchrist’s sparkling 118 on his home farewell. Just as well, because Gilchrist accounted for exactly half his team’s total. Just three other batsmen reached double figures in an innings that threatened to explode, instead limping to a splutter.
Sri Lanka started their pursuit of 237 wildly, scorching 35 off the first 4.2 overs, while losing both openers. Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene took the visitors to 2 for 71 in the 11th, until Mitchell Johnson extracted an edge from the skipper. The Sri Lankans fell away quickly, as Sangakkara played the familiar role of lone ranger. The two Australian left-armers bowled superbly, Johnson taking 3 for 29 off his 10, while Bracken claimed 3 for 21 off 8. Once the final wicket was collected on 173 - Sangakkara was cleaned bowled by Brett Lee for 80 - the crowd chanted ‘Gilly’ in honour of the retiring West Australian.
Australia also collects a bonus point, having bowled Sri Lanka out for less than 188.

AUS vs SL, match 6, Perth: Australia 236 (49.3 overs) beat Sri Lanka 173 (45.3 overs) by 63 runs

AUS vs SL, match 6, Perth: Sri Lankans focus on Australian frailties

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene vowed here Thursday to target Australian frailties as the tourists bid for top spot in the tri-series table.
A win for Sri Lanka on Friday would see them top of the standings, relegating the world champions to bottom place. His own side's confidence boosted by a much-needed win over India in Canberra on Tuesday, Jayawardene said the Australians were not as daunting as they had been over the past 10 years.
Jayawardene said the Sri Lankans would try to continue Ricky Ponting's form slump, with the Australian captain yet to reach double figures in the tournament. The Sri Lankans are hopeful seamer Ishara Amerasinghe will be fit to return from a hamstring strain, with a final decision to be made on the morning of the match.
Ponting said his side would make two changes for the match. All-rounder James Hopes returns after missing Sunday's loss to India with hamstring tightness and spinner Brad Hogg has been recalled, at the expense of Brad Haddin and unlucky quick Stuart Clark. Ponting said the Australians were determined to win the series to give a good send-off to retiring wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, who plays his last game on his home ground on Friday. Sri Lanka team (from): Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Ferveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Tharanga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedara, Ishara Amarsinghe.
Australia team (from): Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist (Wicket Keeper), Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, James Hopes, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken.

IND vs SL, match 5, Canberra: Sri Lanka crush India at Canberra

Sri Lanka hammered India by eight wickets on Tuesday to revive their hopes in the rain-hit tri-series.
Set a revised 154 to win from 21 overs, Sri Lanka reached the rain-adjusted target with two overs to spare for their first win of the series. India made 195 for five from 29 overs after an early downpour delayed the start of play, but the game was shortened again when further rain arrived during the break between innings.
Rain has played havoc with the series, with the first two matches washed out. After veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya gave Sri Lanka, thrashed by Australia by 128 runs in their previous match, a flying start with 27 from 13 balls they were always comfortably placed to reach the Indian total. Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said his side showed great character in a match they needed to win.

IND vs SL, match 5, Canberra: Sri Lanka 154-2 (19/21 overs) beat India 195-5 (29/29 overs) by eight wickets (D/L method)

IND vs AUS, match 4, Melbourne: India beats Australia by five wickets

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma took four wickets and Australia was bowled out for 159 runs Sunday as India scored a five-wicket win in a tri-series limited-overs match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
India overcame a mid-innings slump at 102-5 to reach the winning target with 25 balls to spare, beating Australia for only the fifth time in one-day games since the 2003 World Cup final. The win moved India to the top of the tri-series standings. India now has nine points and Australia eight from three games, with Sri Lanka on two points from two matches. Sri Lanka will play India on Tuesday in Canberra.
India looked strong when Sachin Tendulkar was at the crease, but the veteran was out for 44, caught by a diving Brett Lee at mid-off in the 26th over. And when Yuvraj Singh was out in the 29th over, India's seemingly easy run chase began to look challenging. But Rohit Sharma, 39 not out, and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, unbeaten on 17, steered India home.
Earlier Sharma took 4-38 after removing Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting in successive overs to peg down the home side, which had scored quickly at 37-1 after five overs. Shantha Sreesanth took 3-31, benefiting from umpire Rudi Koertzen's dubious decision to give Adam Gilchrist (0) out lbw to a delivery that appeared to get an inside edge in the first over.
Mike Hussey was the leading Australian batsman with 65 not out from 88 balls until he ran out of partners. He gained support from Lee, who made 10 in a stand of 53 which rescued the side from 92-6.

IND vs AUS, match 4, Melbourne: India 160-5 beat Australia 159 by five wickets

AUS vs SL, match 3, Sydney: Australia thrashes Sri Lanka

Australia thrashed Sri Lanka by 128 runs in their World Cup final rematch in the tri-series competition at Sydney.
The home side made 253 for six after winning the toss and electing to bat and the Sri Lankans were never in the hunt after losing two early wickets, making a paltry 125. It was the first time the sides had met in a one-day international since Australia's win in last year's World Cup final and although Kumar Sangakkara offered some brief hope in the run chase with a sparkling 42 from 41 balls, once he fell the tourists collapsed dramatically.
Sangakkara was in peak form, taking 16 runs off one Brett Lee over, but was trapped LBW by a delivery that jagged back off the pitch and into his pads from swing bowler Nathan Bracken. The Sri Lankans were then 74 for four and when Chamara Silva (7) and Chamara Kapugedera (0) went quickly, they had lost three wickets for 10 runs in just 14 balls and never recovered. On a slow pitch that suited his clever changes of pace, Bracken was the destroyer, claiming five wickets in 8.3 overs.
Earlier, half-centuries to Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist had provided the foundation for the Australian total. Clarke held the innings together with an unbeaten 77, including a towering six off Muralitharan, while Gilchrist was more cautious than usual in making 61, with opener Matthew Hayden chipping in with a brisk 42 at the top of the order in his first game back from a hamstring strain.
Australia had looked set for an even bigger score when the openers put on 65 in quick time, but Chaminda Vaas stemmed the flow of runs with 2-34 from 10 overs. Muralitharan was forced from the field late in the Australian innings after being hit in the face by the ball in the field.
It was the first of three matches in the series to produce a result, with the first two games both washed out, and the win propelled Australia to the top of the table, with India second and Sri Lanka third.

AUS vs SL, match 3, Sydney: Australia 253-6 (50 overs) beat Sri Lanka 125 (31.3 overs) by 128 runs

AUS vs SL, match 3, Sydney: Sri Lanka have their tasks cut out against Australia

Sri Lanka will have to do some rethinking on how to bowl in the slog overs when they take on world champions Australia in the cricket tri-series at Sydney on Friday.
The islanders had India on the mat at 83 for four at one stage in their previous rain-abandoned game but conceded 105 runs in the last 10 overs to allow the opposition to put a competitive total on the board. Lankan vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara admitted after the match that his side needed to do a bit of rethinking on how to bowl in the slog overs. The team will no doubt tighten up things in the slog overs against the hosts, who have a very strong batting line up, as any slip-ups could prove costly on a Sydney Cricket Ground track which was expected to favour the batsmen.
The tri-series has still not seen a single match being completed as both the day-night encounters at Brisbane were abandoned because of rain and the forecast for tomorrow is also not too encouraging. The met office has predicted partly cloudy conditions with chances of rain during the day. If rain again plays spoilsport, it will come as a huge disappointment for the fans. After two washed out games, India find themselves on top of the points table with four points from two matches while Australia and Sri Lanka have two points each from one match.
The Australians have also indicated that Brett Lee, who has bowled brilliantly right through the Test series against India, will be given a break at some stage and it remains to be seen whether the pace spearhead takes the field on Friday. The Lankan batting will largely depend on the swashbuckling Sanath Jayassuriya and the veteran batsman is capable of destroying any attack on his day.
Apart from Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Silva, Tillakratne Dilshan and all-rounder Chamara Kapugedera make it a formidable batting for the island team. The bowling is vastly experienced too with spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas getting support from the young Lasith Malinga and Ferveez Maharoof. The spin of Dilshan and Jayasuriya gives them the variety. Sri Lanka team (from): Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Ferveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Tharanga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedara, Ishara Amarsinghe.
Australia team (from): Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist (Wicket Keeper), Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, James Hopes, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Bracken.

IND vs SL, match 2, Brisbane: Match called off due to rain

The second one-day international (ODI) of the Commonwealth Bank series between India and Sri Lanka was called off on Tuesday due to rain with both teams getting two points each.
Earlier in the day, 184-run partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Team India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped Indians in scoring 267 after its top-order batting collapsed. Gambir made unbeaten 102, while Dhoni finished on 88 not out after the pair guided India to an impressive total at the Gabba in Brisbane. Openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag made 68 runs in the first 14 overs.
Lasith Malinga bowled Tendulkar for 35 and Sehwags wicket was taken by Ishara Amerasinghe. Muttiah Muralitharan took two wickets of Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma. On Sunday too, the opening ODI between India and Australia was washed out.

IND vs SL, match 2, Brisbane: India 267-4 (50 overs) v Sri Lanka - No result, rain

IND vs SL, match 2, Brisbane: Sri Lanka looking to win first game

After a lapse of 16 years India will meet Sri Lanka on Australian soil in a limited over match when they confront in the Commonwealth Bank ODI series in a D/N game at the Woolloongaba Stadium in Brisbane today.
Since the 1992 world cup match against India scheduled to be played in February 1992 in Mckay, North Queensland washed out without a ball being bowled. The match against India to be played today will be the first time the Sri Lankans take on India on Aussie soil. Given the strength of the Australian team and the home advantage, Sri Lanka will be exploiting their chances in eliminating India to qualify for the best of three finals. The first match against India therefore will be crucial for both teams. India and Australia have shared two points each in the opening match, which was hampered by rain and was abandoned.
With such stroke makers like Sanath Jayasuriya who has recovered from his jaw injury, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Chaminda Vaas and Muralitharan in the team the Lankans should fancy their chances in coming first with the encounter against India . Sri Lanka has named a twelve-man squad while India will not risk playing their all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. There is one change in the Indian line up Suresh Raina coming in for Manoj Tiwari who failed to impress in the first game against Australia. Sri Lanka has so far played 95 ODIs against India, with India winning 49, Sri Lanka 37, and 9 matches with no results. Since winning the world cup in 1996, the two nations have met 57 times, with Sri Lanka winning 26 encounters and India 25 with 6 matches ending with no result. Sri Lanka team (from): Mahela Jayawardena (Captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, T.M. Dilshan, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ishara Amarasinghe.
India team (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautham Gambhir, Rohith Sharma, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Dinesh Karthik, Praveen Kumar, Piyush Chawla.

IND vs AUS, match 1, Brisbane: First ODI washed out

Australia's opening tri-series one-day cricket international against India at the Gabba has been abandoned due to rain.
Australia were three for 51 chasing 141 for victory off a rain reduced 26 overs when the game was finally called off. Australia were in trouble after losing Ricky Ponting for a duck, James Hopes for 17 and Adam Gilchrist for 14.
Earlier Brett Lee's five wicket haul helped Australia bowl India out for 194 in 45 overs. India's innings was reduced to 45 overs due to showers. Gautam Gambhir top scored for India with 39.

IND vs AUS, CB Series, match 1, Brisbane: Australia 51-3 (7.2 overs) v India 194 - No result (rain)

IND vs AUS, match 1, Brisbane: India launch ODI tri-series with tie against Australia

Flannels make way for coloured pyjamas as India will try to win, for the first time, the annual triangular one-day series in Australia that gets underway with a day-night game against the hosts at Brisbane.
The triangular series was launched 29 seasons ago by the Australia cricket board. India first took part in 1980-81, failing to reach the finals against Australia and New Zealand. India has never won the title. But the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India are perhaps best equipped Indian team to clinch the Commonwealth Bank tri-series in which Sri Lanka is the third team. Each team plays four matches against the other and the best two qualify for the best-of-three finals to be played March 2, 4 and 7 in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Australia, the reigning one-day champions, are on a roll after winning 2-1 the four-Test series against India and steamrolling India in the one-off Twenty20 International in Melbourne Friday. But India are confident too, after their 3-2 win over Pakistan at home in November. Sri Lanka have had mixed results lately in this 50-overs-per-side format. Although the Mahela Jayawardene-Sri Lankans defeated a weak Bangladesh at home, they lost 2-3 to England on home turf in December. But none of the three teams can be discounted in one-day cricket. Each one is capable of winning the trophy either March 4, when the second final is played at the Gabba here, or, if the third final is required, March 7 in Adelaide.
India may not have Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in the squad but young, energetic and talented players have the potential to put up a challenge to their rivals. In-form Virender Sehwag and the comeback man Gautam Gambhir are expected to lend solidity to wherever they are played, as openers or in the middle order. India team (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wicket-keeper), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth
Australia team (from): Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds

Clark replaces Tait in CB Series

Paceman Staurt Clark will replace Shaun Tait, who is on an indefinite break from cricket, in a 13-member Australian squad announced on Thursday for the upcoming one-day triseries against India and Sri Lanka.
Clarke, nursing an ankle injury, was not included in the squad for Friday's Twenty20 match, but is expected to be fully fit for the triangular tournament beginning Sunday. "Stuart Clark was unfortunately ruled out of the KFC Twenty20 International squad with a slight ankle injury but is expected to be fully fit to take his place in the Commonwealth Banks Series squad," said Andrew Hilditch, the Chairman of Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel.
Except the one change, selectors retained the same squad which emerged victorious against New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. "The Commonwealth Bank Series squad, with the exception of Shaun Tait, is the same squad that played against New Zealand for the Commonwealth Bank Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. "The National Selection Panel saw no reason to change that particular squad since it won the Trophy so convincingly," Hilditch said in a statement issued by CA.
Australia team will play its first match of the Commonwealth Bank Series against India in Brisbane on Sunday. Australia Team: Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds.

India drops Dravid and Ganguly for CB Series

India's cricket selectors ignored Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid for next month's triangular series in Australia, raising doubts over the veteran batsmen's one-day careers.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead a 16-man squad in the tri-series, also featuring World Cup runners-up Sri Lanka, and a Twenty20 match against the hosts. Former captains Ganguly and Dravid, both 35, are among seven batsmen in the world to have completed 10,000 runs in the shorter version of the game.
Left-handed Ganguly, with 11,363 runs in 311 matches, played his last one-dayer against Pakistan at home two months ago. Middle-order batsman Dravid was axed for a second successive one-day series. He played his last match against Australia at home in October before being dropped against Pakistan. He has so far scored 10,585 runs in 333 matches.
Batsman Suresh Raina, 21, returned to the one-day side after nearly a year, while 19-year-old paceman Ishant Sharma regained his berth after an excellent display in the ongoing Test series in Australia. Sharma, who dismissed Australia captain Ricky Ponting twice during his team's impressive 72-run win in the third Test at Perth on Saturday, has so far figured in just one one-day international.
Fast bowler Pravin Kumar won a place after grabbing eight wickets in one innings in the final of India's premier first-class Ranji Trophy tournament, which ended here on Saturday. Paceman S Sreesanth was also named in the squad after missing the current Test series in Australia due to a shoulder injury.
Indian team: MS Dhoni (Captain), Yuvraj Singh, S Tendulkar, V Sehwag, P Kumar, R Uthappa, I Pathan, S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, RP Singh, I Sharma, R Sharma, S Raina, D Karthik, P Chawla.

India ODI squad to be chosen on January 20

The Indian squad for the one-day tri-series in Australia commencing on February 3 as well as for the one-off Twenty20 International against the hosts scheduled on February 1 will be picked in Mumbai on January 20.
"The squad is to be picked on January 20 in Mumbai," BCCI's chief Administrative Officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty said. The date conincides with the last day of the third India-Australia Test at Perth's WACA ground as well as the final day of the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium here between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Only three out of five selectors, including chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, would be physically present in Mumbai to pick the squad while two other members of the committee Venkatapathy Raju and Ranjib Biswal - would be in Australia and are expected to interact with their colleagues via a teleconference.
Meanwhile, BCCI's Joint Secretary Mahendra Pandove is also set to leave for Australia tomorrow for a two-week stay Down Under. Pandove is going there as a senior office bearer of the BCCI Shetty said. Pandove's visit to Australia assumes significance with the board trying to overturn a verdict of ICC Match Referee Mike Procter who has handed out a three-match ban to off spinner Harbhajan Singh for allegedly racially abusing Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds during the second Test in Sydney. The BCCI has declared the ban as uncalled for, unjustified, patently illegal and totally unaccetable.
ICC, on its part, has appointed New Zealand High Court Judge Justice John Hansen to hear the appeal against the ban but has said that till pending the hearing and its decision Harbhajan is entitled to play in Tests.

India to play four Tests during tour of Australia

A four-match Test series, a triangular One-day tournament and a Twenty20 figure is on the schedule of the Indian cricket team's long tour of Australia beginning December this year.
The first of four Tests against India starts on Boxing Day in Melbourne with the other matches in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide in January. Sri Lanka and India join Australia in the Tri-Series, which is scheduled to run from February 3-March 7. Australia will also host two Twenty20 matches, against New Zealand in Perth and India in Melbourne.