New Zealand-England Second Test Draw

Persistent rain and a pitch that offered the seam bowlers little assistance ensured the second Test between New Zealand and England at the Basin Reserve ended in a damp draw when the final day's play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Monday.
Much of Sunday's fourth day was also washed out after lunch as intermittent rain showers swept across the Wellington region resulting in a near farcical situation as the umpires cleared the ground for play three times, only for the rain to return and force further delays.
New Zealand were 162 for two when match officials abandoned the day's play at 1405 local (0105 GMT) with Kane Williamson 55 not out while Ross Taylor was on 41 after the pair combined for an 81-run partnership to thwart England's bowlers on Sunday.
The hosts were still 49 runs away from making England bat again after Alastair Cook had enforced the follow on when New Zealand were bowled out for 254.
The visitors, who had been asked to bat by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum as he tried to exploit whatever advantage the pitch would provide, batted the hosts out of the match on the first day with Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott scoring centuries.
Despite Stuart Broad's six for 51 in New Zealand's first innings, none of the pace bowlers got much assistance from the pitch throughout the match, which frustrated England bowling coach David Saker.

Brief scores
England 465 (Trott 121, Compton 100, Prior 82)
New Zealand 254 (McCullum 69, Broad 6-51) and 162 for 2 (Williamson 55*)
Result Drawn

Australia Take on West Indies in Final

After a fortnight of matches spread across Mumbai and Cuttack, the ICC Women's World Cup 2013 prepares for a finale between five-time champion Australia and the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. It would have taken a brave man to predict that the West Indies would be one of the finalists, especially after the drubbing it received at the hands of India in the tournament opener. After barely managing to squeeze into the Super Sixes on the back of a superior net run-rate, the West Indies - which could not afford a single defeat in its three Super Six matches -- won all its matches to secure a berth in the final for the first time ever. However, the X factor has been Dottin. With nine wickets to go with 204 runs, she will clearly be the one to watch out for. Dottin's contributions have come at vital stages, her knock of 60 setting up an eight-run win over Australia in its final Super Six clash. Apart from the allrounders, the side has an able seamer in Tremayne Smartt, capable of moving the ball both ways. Add to it the spin of Anisa Mohammed, the team's leading wicket-taker in ODIs, and the side is clearly well equipped to pull off another surprise.Australia will have the added pressure of being the favourite. Although the side has managed to win five out of its six games in the tournament so far, there have been signs of inconsistency in the batting department. The team management would not have taken the manner in which the West Indian slow bowlers stifled Australia in the last Super Six clash. Despite getting off to starts, no Australian batter has managed to get totals of substance. There have been just three fifties and one century in six matches so far, and Australia will be hoping for a good platform from Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning. The middle-order's patchy form has been a cause of concern with Jess Cameron and Lisa Sthalekar looking extremely vulnerable early on. The bowling unit, however, has been in tremendous form. The team management will be faced with a tough decision of leaving out one of its promising pacers, with Ellyse Perry, who missed the last three games due to an ankle injury, all set to return. 

Teams from: 

West Indies: Merissa Aguilleira (capt & wk), Stafanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Kyshona Knight, Kycia Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, June Ogle, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremanyne Smartt. 

Australia: Jodie Fields (capt & wk), Meg Lanning, Rachael Haynes, Jess Cameron, Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar, Erion Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Julie Hunter, Holly Ferling, Megan Schutt, Renee Chappell, Sarah Coyte, Alyssa Healy, Elyse Villani.

Match facts
Sunday February 17, 2013 (day/night)

New Zealand to Bowl Against England

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl against England in their opening one-day international at Seddon Park on Sunday.
"Chasing on this ground can be beneficial," said New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum.
New Zealand's last ODI victory at Seddon Park was five years ago when they beat England by 10 wickets as McCullum and Jesse Ryder took just over 18 overs to pass the target of 165.
England, who beat New Zealand 2-1 in the just completed Twenty20 series, have bolstered their side with the arrival of Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Graeme Swann and James Anderson.
New Zealand, whose only success in the Twenty20 series was on the same Seddon Park ground, have spruced up their squad with the addition of batsmen BJ Watling and Kane Williamson as well as medium-fast bowler Kyle Mills.

Teams

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, BJ Watling (wk), Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (captain), Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Andrew Ellis, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Mitchell McClenaghan
England: Alastair Cook (captain), Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn.

Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla completed his 19th Test ton and along with Faf du Plessis took SA to 293/4 on Day 1 of the 2nd Test at St. George's Park on Friday.
Faf du Plessis and Graeme Smith also compiled half-centuries.
du Plessis (69 not out) and Amla combined for an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 102.
Amla reached the at stump unbeaten on 106 while Smith notched his 36th Test half-century shortly after lunch before being dismissed eight balls later for 54 with seven fours.
Paceman Doug Bracewell, with figures of two for 70, was the pick of New Zealand's attack.
The elegant Amla brought a slice of luck when, on 48, he was dropped in the gully by Kane Williamson off the bowling of left-arm quick Trent Boult.
Amla and Smith combined for a second-wicket stand of 92 off 20.4 overs before Smith was caught down the legside by keeper BJ Watling off the bowling of left-arm seamer Neil Wagner to leave South Africa on 121 for two.
The hosts lost their third wicket 16 runs later when Jacques Kallis (8) edged a Bracewell delivery through to Watling.
But any hopes New Zealand might have harboured of making further quick inroads into a powerful batting line-up were dashed when AB de Villiers (51) and Amla added 86 for fourth-wicket partnership.
South Africa had won the toss and elected to bat on a slowish pitch which offered up just a touch of movement for the seam bowlers.
Smith and Alviro Peterson (21) put on a 29-run opening stand but the right-handed Peterson departed when he top-edged an attempted hook shot off the bowling of Bracewell and was caught by Jeetan Patel at fine leg before the hosts took lunch on 99 for one.
New Zealand included debutant all-rounder Colin Munro in their line up.

Brief scores
South Africa 325 for 4 (Amla 106*, du Plessis 69*, Smith 54)

India vs Pakistan 2012-13 Schedule

Date and Time	Match Details and Series
Tue Dec 25  19:00 local | 13:30 GMT	1st T20 - India vs Pakistan  M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Thu Dec 27  19:00 local | 13:30 GMT	2nd T20 - India vs Pakistan  Sardar Patel Stadium Motera, Ahmedabad
Sun Dec 30  14:30 local | 09:00 GMT	1st ODI - India vs Pakistan  MA Chidambaram Stadium - Chepauk, Chennai
Thu Jan 3  14:30 local | 09:00 GMT	2nd ODI - India vs Pakistan  Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Sun Jan 6  14:30 local | 09:00 GMT	3rd ODI - India vs Pakistan  Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

South Africa Win Series

South Africa ruined Ricky Ponting's farewell with an emphatic 309-run victory over Australia in the third Test on Monday to clinch the three-match series 1-0 and cement their position at the top of the ICC Test rankings.
Australia, 40-0 overnight, were bowled out for 322 in their second innings and never looked getting anywhere near the victory target of 632 which would have allowed them to leapfrog the Proteas to return to the summit of the game.
Ponting made a modest eight in his 287th and final Test innings but the day belonged to the Proteas, who inflicted a first Test defeat on Australia in 2012.
The hosts had the better of the drawn Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide but the tourists struck back with some brilliant cricket in Perth to become the first team since West Indies in the 1980s and 1990s to win consecutive series Down Under.
Hashim Amla is the Man of the Match. Michael Clarke is the Man of the Series.

Brief scores
South Africa 225 (du Plessis 78*) and 569 (Amla 196, de Villiers 169, Smith 84, Starc 6-154)
Australia 163 (Wade 68, Steyn 4-40) and 322 (Starc 68*, Cowan 53, Steyn 3-72, Peterson 3-127)
Result South Africa won by 309 runs
MOM Hashim Amla (South Africa)
Man of the series Michael Clarke (Australia)

Australia Favorite Against West Indies

A determined last year runner-up Australian outfit will be aiming to eliminate the 'Chris Gayle factor' when they meet a rejuvenated West Indies in the semifinal of the ICC World Twenty20 on Friday.
For Australia, it will be a chance to get into the final for the second time in succession after the 2010 edition and once again stamp their class as world's premier cricketing outfit.
For West Indies, it's more about the identity and trying to fight the inner demons which have affected their cricket since late 80's.
A berth in the final of a global event can be a big boost for the Caribbean nation where basketball, athletics and soccer have captured the imagination of the masses.
On Friday when the two teams lock horns, it will also be a battle between Shane Watson and Chris Gayle.
If Watson, who has won four man-of-the-match awards in five matches will play a key role in Australian set-up, Gayle can change the complexion of the match at any point of time with his ferocious power-hitting.
By sheer statistics, Watson is miles ahead of Gayle having scored 242 runs in five matches along with 11 wickets which makes him the favourite to win the 'Player of the Tournament' award.
However, Gayle who has so far hit 10 sixes in five matches, has scored two 50's and on his day can tear apart any bowling attack in the world.
The law of averages did catch up with Watson in the last match against Pakistan but that means that he will be hungrier than ever to take Aussies to the summit clash.
While Gayle and Watson will hold fort as the main protagonists for their respective sides, there will still be a few competent cricketers who will try to play the supporting roles to the best of their abilities.
Marlon Samuels has beautifully complemented Gayle. He might not look as destructive as Gayle from the onset but once set, can be as devastating as anybody.
For Australia, the main supporting role has been played by Mike Hussey whose responsible innings ensured smooth passage into the semi-finals.
Fidel Edwards has the pace and Ravi Rampaul can be skiddy but Watson has more variations up his sleeve while Mitchell Starc has always been incisive in his first spells.

Teams from

Australia: George Bailey (captain), David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc.

West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Johnson Charles, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith.

Match facts
Friday October 5, 2012 (day/night)
Start time 19:00 local (13:30 GMT)