All Cricket News

Paul Harris

South Africa completed a comprehensive innings and six-run victory over India with a full day to spare in the first Test in Nagpur to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

Following on after conceding a massive first-innings lead of 325, India were bowled out for 319 in their second knock despite a determined 100 from Sachin Tendulkar.

Spinner Paul Harris set up the victory with a three-wicket haul, including the wickets of Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while Dale Steyn claimed two tail-end scalps to complete a match tally of 10 wickets.

Ricky Ponting

Australia cruised to another comfortable one-day international win over a West Indies side looking increasingly out of their depth.

The hosts now lead 2-0 following an eight-wicket win in Adelaide with three matches remaining.

Set a paltry 171 for victory, Australia cantered to victory in the 27th over with captain Ricky Ponting (57 not out off 55 balls) and his deputy Michael Clarke (27 not out off 28) leading the side home.

Dinesh Karthik

India's selectors have rung the changes for the second Test against South Africa after the team suffered a heavy defeat in the first Test against Nagpur.

Fast bowlers Sudeep Tyagi and Abhimanyu Mithun and wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha and Rohit Sharma were dropped, while Dinesh Karthik and the uncapped Suresh Raina were called up to the team.

VVS Laxman, who missed the first Test due to injury, was retained in a 15-member squad, while paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth was called up to the team.

Peter Siddle

Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle has denied that his five-month lay-off with a serious back injury is because of the heavy workload he has carried this season.

Siddle was last week ruled out of this month's tour of New Zealand and the World Twenty20 in the West Indies in April and May with a stress fracture in his back.

"It's definitely not the workload. I hadn't played a lot of cricket for Victoria and I got the call-up and it's been busy, but in that time I have had a lot of rest," said Siddle.

Nathan Bracken

One-day specialist Nathan Bracken has taken a veiled swipe at Test cricket, suggesting only blockbuster series such as the upcoming Ashes battle against England will continue to capture public interest.

Bracken, a veteran of 116 one-day appearances for Australia, is on the comeback trail after undergoing knee surgery in October.

Bracken, who has made five Test appearances, added: "A lot of people are sort of looking at the Ashes and looking at the big Test series now as important, and anything else is in the same boat (as ODIs)."

South Africa badge

South Africa will play an additional Twenty20 international against West Indies during their tour to the region later this year.

The original schedule saw just one 20-over game scheduled for the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on May 19, but a second game has been added at the same ground a day later.

The Proteas arrive in the Caribbean on May 17 for a near seven-week tour that also includes five one-day internationals and three Test matches in Jamaica, St Kitts and Barbados.

Kyle Coetzer

Scotland fell to a six-wicket defeat to the United States in Tuesday's ICC World Twenty20 qualifier.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Scotland lost opener Kyle Coetzer just five balls in for a duck before captain Gavin Hamilton himself steadied matters.

The captain was the only Scot to register a notable score with 41, with only three other team-mates managing double figures en route to a total of 120 for seven.

Andrew Strauss

Australia legend Shane Warne has accused Andrew Strauss of disrespecting Test cricket by resting for the tour of Bangladesh - and he has tipped Michael Carberry to take full advantage.

Warne believes appointing Alastair Cook as skipper for the Test matches in Chittagong and Mirpur next month could pose problems for England in terms of getting used to a new captaincy style from Strauss.

"I hope they are not taking Bangladesh too easy because they can be quite strong," said the leg-spinner. "What if they win the first Test? Does Strauss fly out for the second? I hope it's not the start of a trend. It's a lack of respect for Test cricket."

Steve Harmison

Steve Harmison believes England captain Andrew Strauss will benefit from missing the forthcoming tours of the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh.

With a huge year of cricket about to start in May, including an away Ashes series and a World Cup early in 2011, Strauss will miss the imminent trips overseas. And Harmison, who admitted international cricket can be a "treadmill" understands the Middlesex player's decision.

The 31-year-old Durham pace bowler signed a new four-year contract with the county after being omitted from the England squad which toured South Africa. He told Sky Sports News: "I think the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) are looking at the future, which is the right move as I think he'll captain England for many years."

Neil McKenzie has been released from his duties as captain of the Highveld Lions, a little more than a week after announcing he had signed a Kolpak contract with Hampshire.

The South African franchise confirmed that the opening batsman will no longer lead the side, with management citing the need "for new leadership" as the reason for the decision.

"The franchise and team management feel that it is time for new leadership and a different direction after having had Neil McKenzie lead the team since 2004," a statement read.