Razzaq's incredible 109 outclassed SA

Star all rounder Abdur Razzaq's match-winning century brought a thrilling win to Pakistan against South Africa in 2nd ODI. Abu Dhabi stadium, on 31st October, witnessed the rampant and fierce innings of Abdur Razzaq where he stunned the SA team with 109 runs off 72 balls. Pakistan won by just one wicket with one ball remaining.

The target of 276 by SA seemed unachievable when Pakistan lost early wickets of Asad Shaif, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez on just 70. This is where Fawad Alam (48) and Shahid Afridi (49) supported the team with a sensible partnership. Abdur Razzaq inherited a lost game when Fawad Alam was his only hope and after Alam's dismissal, he had the lower-order batsmen.

Razzaq started off patiently and strengthened Pakistan's position. His aggressive batting brought Pakistan back to the game. in 47th over, Razzaq launched 3 sixes and after that a series of boundaries brought Pakistan closer to the win. In last over, Pakistan required 15 runs where Razzaq stunned SA with 2 sixes and a four on the second last ball of the over. What a memorable innings by him!

The outrageous performance of Razzaq witnessed 10 sixes and 7 fours (strike rate 151.38)

Smart Stats:

* Abdul Razzaq's ten sixes in the innings moved him into joint third position among batsmen to hit the most sixes in an ODI innings behind Xavier Marshall (12), and Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi (both 11).

* Razzaq finished with a strike rate of 151.38, which is the highest among 100-plus scores in ODIs against South Africa. The previous best was Matthew Hayden's 101 off 68 (strike rate 148.52).

* The 12 sixes in Pakistan's innings were the second highest number in an innings while chasing.

* This was the fifth occasion that Pakistan have won a match by one wicket. All five wins have come against a different opposition.

* This was the fourth highest total chased successfully against South Africa in ODIs and the tenth highest by Pakistan

* This was Razzaq's first 50-plus ODI score in more than four years, and his first century since September 2004.

Salute to the match-winner!

ICC probes Suresh Raina's links with bookie

The ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit is probing why the Indian Board kept quiet about a report of its player Suresh Raina being seen in the company of a woman linked to an associate of an illegal bookmaker, a media report said in London.

Making it clear that Raina was not suspected of any wrongdoing, 'The Sunday Times', quoting a senior ICC source, said the incident related to India's tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year.

With the heightened security concerns following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan, the Sri Lankans deputed a former general to look after the Indian team.

CCTV Cameras installed at the Indian team hotel showed that on more than one night Raina was in the company of a woman known to be an associate of a man allegedly linked to a bookmaker.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/icc-probes-suresh-rainas-links-with-bookie/701734/


A report, including the CCTV footage, was submitted by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board to their Indian counterparts.

Umpire of the year - Aleem Dar wins it again!

PCB Umpire Aleem Dar has been honored again by ICC. He has consecutively won the ICC award for best umpire. The ICC Awards 2010 ceremony was held at Bangalore, India, where Dar had strong competitors in this category like Steve Davis, Tony Hill and five-time winner Simon Taufel.

Dar, 42, was voted by the captains of the ten full members of the ICC and the eight-man elite panel of ICC's match referees for the period August 24, 2009 to August 10, 2010. Their choice was based on his decision statistics and officiating skills over the past 12 months.

A quick view on his umpiring career:

Tests: 60 matches
ODIs: 133 matches
T20Is: 18 matches

Fast bowler Mohammad Aamir was also a strong nomination and was expected to win, but unfortunately, the controversy has deprived him of that award.

Collecting the award, Dar said: "I think the fact that I'm still playing cricket in Pakistan makes me a good umpire. In the last four times I've played cricket I've scored centuries so I definitely think that has helped."

Anyway, atleast one award won by a Pakistani. Thank you Dar for making us proud once again!

- Jibran T.

ICC awards nominations

Cricketer of the year: Hashim Amla, Doug Bollinger, Michael Clarke, MS Dhoni, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Virender Sehwag, Dale Steyn, Graeme Swann, Sachin Tendulkar, Daniel Vettori, AB de Villiers and Shane Watson

Test player of the year: Hashim Amla, James Anderson, Mohammad Asif, Doug Bollinger, MS Dhoni, Tamim Iqbal, Mahela Jayawardena, Jacques Kallis, Simon Katich, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Virender Sehwag, Dale Steyn, Graeme Swann, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Watson

ODI player of the year: Hashim Amla, Doug Bollinger, MS Dhoni, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Ryan Harris, Michael Hussey, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori, Shane Watson and Cameron White

Emerging player of the year: Mohammad Amir, Umar Akmal, Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn, Shafiul Islam, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Angelo Mathews, Eoin Morgan, Pragyan Ojha, Tim Paine, Wayne Parnell, Kemar Roac, Steven Smith, Paul Stirling and David Warner

Associate and Affiliate player of the year: Ashish Bagai, Richie Berrington, Muddassar Bukhari, Tom Cooper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Trent Johnston, Kevin O'Brien, Mohammad Shahzad, Samiullah Shenwari and Paul Stirling

Twenty20 international performance of the year: Suleiman Benn 4 for 6 v Zimbabwe, Deandra Dottin 112*v South Africa Women, Chris Gayle 98 v India, Michael Hussey 60*v Pakistan, Mahela Jayawardena 100 v Zimbabwe, Mahela Jayawardena 98* v West Indies, Nuwan Kulasekera 3 for 4 v New Zealand, Ryan McLaren 5 for 19 v West Indies, Brendon McMcllum 116* v Australia, Eoin Morgan 85* v South Africa, Nehemiah Odhiambo 5 for 20 v Scotland, Ellyse Perry 3 for 18 v New Zealand Women, Suresh Raina 101 v South Africa and Darren Sammy 5 for 26 v Zimbabwe

Women's Cricketer of the Year: Suzie Bates, Nicola Browne, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Devine, Jhulan Goswami, Lydia Greenway, Sarah McGlashan, Shelley Nitschke, Ellyse Perry, Laura Poulton, Mithali Raj, Gouher Sultana and Stafanie Taylor

Umpire of the Year: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Asoke de Silva, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Daryl Harper, Rudi Koertzen, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel and Rod Tucker

source: Cricinfo

Fielding positions

'Gaind Balla' brings for you, the fielding guide :) enjoy...

Picture of the day: This is how you ball a 'Doosra'

Veteran off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq shares bowling tips with Saeed Ajmal.

The smiling assassin: Murali's name engraved forever

The day of 22 July 10’ will be etched in every cricketing mind. Sri Lanka brilliantly trapped the Indian team in follow-on and in the second innings. India was 338 for 9 wickets but that wasn’t the focus anyhow. The spotlight was at Muttiah Muralitharan, the legendary off-spinner, who was left with just one wicket to complete his 800 wickets, more importantly in his last match. And he did it, India’s last batsman was dismissed by the ‘smiling assassin’ Muralitharan where the team celebrated Indian team’s collapse as well as Murali’s 800 wickets. The legend was carried on shoulders, what a farewell!!!

Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the greatest bowlers of all time, made his debut against Australia in 1992. With his best of 9 for 51, Murali has caught 800 victims in just 133 test matches maintaining the average of 22.72. Next to him are Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Anil Kumble (619 wickets).

Murali’s cut-throat ‘doosra’ and magical spin troubled any batsman who dared to face him. Former Pakistani wicket-keeper Moen Khan calls him a ‘dangerous’ bowler that he never liked to face. The living legend, the deadly swinger and former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram said that it’s difficult to surpass Murali’s record. 'Despite being a fierce competitor, he is a great human being and a happy person. His greatest contribution to Sri Lankan cricket has been the fact that he brought crowds to the ground because of his persona. I have never seen a bowler like him before and don't think I will ever see another in the future as well,' he said.

Before that, Muralitharan announced retirement from Test cricket when he was short of 8 wickets to reach the milestone. The humble and smiling Murali proved himself a furious hunter to achieve the target. He will be remembered.

The spin-machine will remain as a great inspiration for the forthcoming spinners, his retirement is a big loss not only for the Lankans but for everyone who believed in watching quality cricket and thrilling spin. Jibran