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Australia’s triumph against India, coming as it did by a big margin of 51runs, did not actually depict the true picture of the way the game went on.India did put up a good fight but in patches they let the pressure they hadput on the Aussies ease away. This, in the final analysis, cost the matchfor India.The absence of Mithali Raj, down with viral fever, dented India’s chanceseven before the game commenced. Raj has had a string of good scores in theCricInfo Women’s World Cup with scores of 69 not out, 51 and 32 and herabsence in the key match against Australia was acutely felt.Australian captain Belinda Clark’s failure, by her standards, was more thanadequately covered up by the other opener Lisa Keightley who has been veryimpressive thus far in this competition with her consistency. She, alongwith the left handed Karen Rolton, took the Australian score to a positionfrom where they could take off for some big hitting towards the end.The measure of success of the Indian bowlers can be gauged only when theyare up against some top performers like the Australian batswomen. TheIndian bowling was hit but to the credit of the bowlers, they alwaysbounced back with some inspired spells. The 110-run partnership for thesecond wicket notwithstanding, India at one stage had the Australiansrestricted to 181 for 5.It was at this stage that the Indian fielding wilted under pressure and thesixth wicket pair enjoyed a charmed life with both Olivia Magno and JuliaPrice both getting reprieves with the fielders dropping easy catches in thedeep. They added 42 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket, which in theultimate analysis took the match away from India’s grasp. The Indianfielding just caved in with no backing up for throws to the bowler’s end.While Purnima Rau did bowl well for her 2 for 35, India’s concern is thelack of form of left arm spinner Neetu David who once again went for runs.Set a target of 224 runs, India got off to a good start with skipper AnjuJain setting the trend with some confident batting. When things looked likegoing well for India came about the needless run out of Jain with theIndian score reading 59. One couldn’t but admire Anjum Chopra’sdetermination in staying at the wicket though she consumed a lot ofdeliveries in the process. Her 47 off 105 balls and her partnership withPurnima Rau (25 off 44 balls) virtually made the game drift away from Indiawith the asking rate crossing seven.As a consequence of this, the Indian middle order had very few overs toscore from and eventually ended at 172 for 8, thanks to a fast pacedinnings from Chanderkanta Kaul who goes about the business of getting runswith minimal fuss. Therese McGregor was again the pick of the bowlers withfigures of 3 for 38 from her stipulated 10 overs.India were defeated by a convincing margin but there were moments in themiddle when the latter felt the pressure and even their famed fieldingwilted. It was not as smooth sailing as the score would suggest as therewere tense moments in the Australian camp though their better experienceand preparation helped them to register a victory. Only Australia hasremained unbeaten so far in this competition with both India and NewZealand having lost to them.The next match between India and New Zealand will decide who will be placedsecond and third. But this match scheduled for Saturday may well be arehearsal of the semi-final as these two teams are likely to meet again andonly one can proceed to the final for a date with Australia who are likelyto ward off the South African challenge in the other semi-final. SoSaturday’s match between New Zealand and India assumes great significance,as a victory here will be a big morale booster. The last time these twoteams met was in the 1997 World Cup in India when the match ended in a tieand pitched India against Australia in the semi-finals at which stage thehome team bowed out of the competition.

He may only have been deputising, and it may be a while before there’s another opportunity to do it, but Marcus Trescothick’s debut as England captain could hardly have gone better. The toss won, a typically positive half century to give England a flying start, and a comprehensive, 70-run win.If anyone had put put it to the Somerset left-hander, 18 months or so ago, that he would spend today captaining England, he might well have doubted their sanity. But such has been the impression Trescothick has made on the team, that he was being touted for the role after the first Ashes Test last summer, less than a year after his first England appearance.In those daunting circumstances (England were already one down against the best side in the world) the selectors were right to opt for the experience of Michael Atherton. Here, though, the situation could hardly have been more different. A series won, weakened opponents, and seniority among the squad’s fully fit members. It was the right time to give it a go, and it worked out handsomely. So after such an encouraging start, does Trescothick want to do it again?”Somewhere down the line I may possibly be interested,” he said. “People have been tipping me for a while that I might take over when Nasser’s gone, but this was just an opportunity to gain experience.”If Nasser is going to carry on for a few years then someone behind him hasto come along and fill the job — but who knows who that is going to be?”It was pretty tough and I didn’t get much sleep last night because I wasgoing over things in my head about how I was going to operate.”But it was good to get the first toss out of the way because we’ve had anightmare with tosses.”Trescothick was also enthusiastic about the performances of some of the younger mebers of the team.”It’s a good time for a few of the younger guys to express themselves,” he said.”That was the whole point of this tour, to give experience to the guys whohave been playing for a bit and also for the young guys who haven’t reallyplayed to get that experience in.”There are pressures in international cricket and you never quite know what’sgoing to come around the corner and we were tested at various points, but therewere some key performances in that.”To win 5-0 is important. We set our stall out to win the series when we camehere but now we’re 4-0 up we’re gunning to win 5-0.”They’re obviously quite down at the moment after losing 11 on the bounce andwe’re on a winning streak and that’s when you have to nail it.”It will be a great encouragement to the England camp that should anyone need to deputise for Nasser Hussain again, they now have someone in the ranks with an emphatic win under his belt.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first at the Karnail Singhstadium in Delhi, Punjab were in some manner of strife at the end ofthe day against Railways.Captain Vikram Rathour was the first to go after the scored just 3runs. Caught by Goud off the bowling of opening bowler Rawat, Rathourgave way to young sensation Yuvraj Singh. Coming off a successfultournament in Sri Lanka, Yuvraj joined another youngster who is makingwaves in Indian cricket – Ravneet Ricky.Between them the two youngsters put together what was to be the onlyuseful partnership of the day. Ricky batted slowly, not hurryinghimself in any manner. At the other end, Yuvraj, a natural strokemaker went about things in a much quicker manner. As is often thecase, the faster scoring batsman perished first. Yuvraj was dismissedsoon after he made his fifty, being cleaned bowled by Devendra Singhwhen he was 54.After that, it was very much a one-man show as Ricky attempted tobring some semblence of decency to the Punjab innings. Pankaj Dharmanimade a first ball duck and the rest of the Punjab batsmen did not showmuch initiative. Dinesh Mongia and (31) and wicketkeeper Jagnu (30)got starts but could not go on top play innings of substance. WhenRicky was dismissed just three runs short of what would have been awell deserved century, Punjab were in trouble at 216/6.At the end of the first day’s play, Punjab were badly off at246/7. From here on it will be a fight to stay alive in the game.

An offer for Test teams to continue playing under floodlights, in order to avoid the farcical scenes at the end of Abu Dhabi Test on Saturday, was made by the ICC in the wake of a similar finish at The Oval in 2013 but rejected across the board by the Test match captains, including those of England and Pakistan.England were 25 runs short of victory in the opening Test against Pakistan as they chased 99 in 19 overs, of which only 11 could be bowled before the umpires took the players off despite the floodlights being in use. Two years ago, in the final Ashes Test at The Oval, England were also close to victory when play was aborted despite the presence of lights.Neither England captain Alastair Cook or coach Trevor Bayliss were especially critical of the umpires’ decision, although Cook did question whether there was the element of danger that is required for umpires to suspend play. However, it was a far-from-ideal image for a format that is struggling to retain relevance.David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said: “We have attempted in the past to say to the players that if we have floodlights and they are good enough to use for Test cricket that we should just bite the bullet, and, even if conditions are not as good as they might be, that we should play, finish the day or finish the match. However, that approach wasn’t accepted by any of the teams as they felt it could lead to unjust finishes.”One of the major sticking points remains the red ball used for Test cricket and how it becomes difficult to pick up under floodlights, which is why the current regulations state that once artificial light takes over from natural that play should stop.The inaugural day/night Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide next month will feature the use of a pink ball. Reservations remain among the players but they have reluctantly accepted that they will be used as guinea pigs as part of the bigger picture.Richardson was reported in the on Monday saying that there was consideration being given to developing a “greeny yellow” ball in Test cricket that would be suitable for normal and day/night hours of play. During an ICC event in Dubai, he confirmed that an alternative Test ball was being considered but said “too much” had been made of his initial comments.Joe Root walks from the field after bad light had left England 25 runs short in the first Test•Getty Images

“It just came to mind, I was thinking of the tennis ball which they changed to a green-yellow colour. I think too much has been made of the comment [that] we should think of a green-yellow ball. We have trialled pink and orange, and I think green-yellow has also been trialled but has been found wanting.”We are pinning some hope on developing a different coloured ball which we can use for day/night Test cricket and, if it’s good enough quality, long term, that we can use that for all matches which will help solve the problem.”On the broader subject of maintaining the relevance, and primacy, of Test cricket, Richardson said that there remained a chance of a Test Championship being created in the future. However, it would likely be using a league structure based over a period of years and series rather than the semi-final and final concept – based on the current Test rankings – that had been due to be held in 2017. For commercial reasons, that plan was shelved in favour of the rebirth of the Champions Trophy.The revamping of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) – which was taken out of the hands of the ICC during the Big Three carve up – is due to take place, and the context of bilateral series will be high on the agenda.”We are optimistic we can develop something for Test cricket more along the lines of a proper Test Championship, more than just random Test series,” Richardson said. “A Test league, at the end of which you can crown a champion, is something we’d like to consider quite seriously but there’s a long way to go and we need to consult widely.”Currently, the ICC Test mace is presented on a rolling basis to whichever country is top of the rankings on the April 1 cut-off, along with a relatively modest US$500,000 prize.

Derbyshire have signed the New Zealand batsman Neil Broom on a two-year deal from next season.Broom, 31, holds a British passport, will play in all formats and will feature alongside his fellow countryman Hamish Rutherford.He has played 22 ODIs and 10 T20s for New Zealand – his most recent international appearance coming in a T20 against Sri Lanka in 2013. The last of his one-day appearances came back in 2010 and he has a top score of 71 from his ODI career.In the 2014-15 Plunket Shield season – New Zealand’s first-class competition – he scored 820 runs at 45.55.”We’re delighted to have Neil with us for the next two seasons,” Graeme Welch, the Derbyshire head coach, said. “We know we need to strengthen our batting and adding a player of Neil’s experience and calibre will certainly do that.”He has competed at the highest level and played with Hamish Rutherford before so we know he’ll bring us something extra both on and off the field. Our youngsters will also benefit massively from playing alongside experienced international batsmen who can play all formats as they continue their development.”Broom said: “It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to play all forms in England over the next two summers. I have heard great things about the progress being made at Derbyshire and I am very much looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates next year.”

BCCI president Shashank Manohar has sought a report from the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) over the crowd disturbance incident that marred the second Twenty20 between India and South Africa. Manohar sought an explanation after match referee Chris Broad’s report was made available to the BCCI, and received a reply from the OCA on the same day – as it had done with ESPNcricinfo earlier, the association cited the harsh weather conditions for allowing plastic water bottles to be taken into the stands.*The T20 was disrupted twice due to a section of crowd pelting water bottles onto the field on three occasions following India’s batting collapse. Allowing water bottles into the stands is not the norm in Indian stadiums.”The board had given us two days to reply but we have sent our reply in just two hours,” OCA secretary Asirbad Behara told ESPNcricinfo. “We have written to the board that considering the comfort of the spectators who were sitting in sultry heat for the match, we decided to allow water bottles to be carried in the stands.”Since a handful of spectators turned nasty and caused disturbance to the match, we have regretted the decision and have assured the BCCI that we will never repeat such an act.”It will be interesting to see if the BCCI acts against one of its full members based on this report.The ICC has no role to play in the matter and has no powers to take any action against the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The onus instead is on the host board, the BCCI, to conduct its own investigation and determine if the venue should be penalised. With respect to the safety and security of the teams in a bilateral series, it is agreed that it will be the responsibility of the host board.Although the ICC has its own guidelines as to what can be permitted inside the ground for fans, they only apply to ICC tournaments. During bilateral series, the host board has its own sets of rules and regulations that the venues need to adhere to, so it is for the BCCI to determine whether there was any violation on part of the OCA for allowing the spectators to carry plastic bottles into the ground. However, the ICC match officials – referee and umpires – are always encouraged to make sure the match is completed.In the event of an incident like the crowd trouble witnessed during the Cuttack T20, the protocol demands that the match referee include a blow-by-blow account of the same in his report. It is then passed on to the ICC, which then forwards it to the BCCI. The BCCI will then submit a report based on its findings and the action it took along with the learnings from the incident to the ICC. This report will then be discussed at the chief executives’ meeting. Considering the next CEC meeting is scheduled to be held later this week in Dubai, the Cuttack incident would come up for discussion only at the next round of meetings.Sachin Tendulkar has already expressed disappointment over the incident, calling for “more responsible behaviour”. “What happened during the game is definitely not good for the game. It has happened earlier also,” Tendulkar told . “We need learn from these mistakes.”We are all passionate about the game. We all love the game so we get disappointed and frustrated at times. There are ways to express that but what happened in Cuttack is certainly not the to way show your emotions. I would request all the fans to think about it [the incident], show some maturity.”*16.00GMT, October 7: This article was updated after the OCA replied to the BCCI.

Ranchi will host IPL’s second qualifier on May 22 for logistical reasons. Once it was finalised as a Playoff venue, Ranchi’s proximity to Kolkata, where the final will be played on May 24, went in its favour.It is a minor change from the original schedule proposed for the final week of the tournament. Wankhede stadium in Mumbai had been allotted the second qualifier. “We have [now] been informed that we will now host the first qualifier on May 19,” Dr PV Shetty, Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary, said.Pune will host the eliminator on May 20.

SYDNEY – Australia may have strolled through the first two Tests of theAshes series, but demand for tickets remains higher than ever with theWACA Ground set to break attendance records during the third Test.The Perth stadium has undergone a $12 million facelift and officialsthis evening confirmed Friday’s first day to be a complete sell-out of21,500.Perth’s biggest previous first day crowd was 16,849 recorded on December1, 2000 when Australia played the West Indies.Western Australia Cricket Association president Brian Rakich said: “TheWACA is absolutely delighted with the manner in which the public hasembraced this Test and the occasion of launching our redevelopedground.”Perth’s highest aggregate Test attendance is 84,142 for the game againstEngland in December 1970.For the WACA to break that record, this match could have to last intoits fifth day – something England has not managed thus far.