RAIN RUINS THE 2ND ODI BETWEEN INDIA-NEW ZEALAND

Rain continued to disturb New Zealand's cricket season on Friday with another one-day international against India spoilt by the weather.A persistent rain forces match official to call off the play in 2nd ODI between India and New Zealand.

Indians are well on course of setting another huge target for New Zealand in rain reduced game of 34 over. However rain started to fall heavily during 29th over and afterwards it doesn’t seem to stop.any chance of a result ended when the players were called off for the final time at 7.04pm local time. The match was finally abandoned at 8.22pm.

At that stage India were 188/4 in 28.4 overs with S.Raina batting on 13 runs of 8 balls and M.S.Dhoni batting on 23 runs of 19 balls.

Earlier Indian captain M.S.Dhoni once again manages to won the toss and elected to bat first on a flat run-feast wicket.
Indian opener V.Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar gave India a perfect start. V.Sehwag started his inning in same fashion from where he left in Napier. Virender Sehwag was striking the ball beautifully, despite being hampered by a leg injury and calling for a runner during his knock.He reached his second fifty of series in just 32 balls.He was caught behind the wicket after scoring blistering 54 runs of 36 balls.He was given out by umpire's wrong decision.

Sachin Tendulkar who started his inning slowly but soon after Sehwag dismissal,he started to smash the New Zealand bowlers all over the park.Sachin Tendulkar showed his class with a bat. Sachin reached his fifty of 57 balls. Indian team was in a comfortable position,as they scored 130/1 in 19 overs when the rain started to fall heavily.

After resumption, Sachin Tendulkar (61 runs of 69 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (0 runs of 4 balls) got out in a quick succession. Again the rain stopped the play.Indians looks to loss their momentum in the possible four overs of play between first and second resumption.

However Indians once again walked on to bat with 141/3 in 23 over.But Gambhir got out after scoring 30. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Raina struck a few meaty blows to ensure that New Zealand would have a stiff Duckworth-Lewis target to chase down. Unfortunately, the rain didn't stay away.So the match officials called off the play.

India leads the five-match series by 1-0,as India won a weather-affected 1st one day match by 53 runs in Napier on Tuesday.
Next game of the ODI series will be played in AMI Stadium, Christchurch on Sunday 8th of March.
　
Match Summary
India – 188/4 in 28.4 Overs
S.Tendulkar- 61 V.Sehwag –54
I.Butler– 7-0-38-1 D.Vettori– 3-0-14-1
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

TERROR ATTACK ON SRI LANKAN TEAM IN PAKISTAN

A military chopper on the cricket field, carrying players away to safety.
That one disturbing visual shouts out that this was a sad day – for humanity, for sports, and for cricket. This was undoubtedly the saddest morning that international cricket, and millions that love the game, has ever seen. A terrible, terrible day.

A terrorist attack on the touring Sri Lanka team while their going to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore ahead of the third day of the second Test left several Sri Lanka players – Chaminda Vaas, Ajantha Mendis, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Kumar Sangakkara, Tharanga Paranavitana, and Suranga Lakmal injured. Samaraweera and Paranavitana had to be taken to the hospital. The vehicle carrying match officials was also hit, and the fourth umpire Ehsan Raza is in a critical condition in an intensive care unit in Lahore. Six security personnel and two civilians were killed in the attack.

The Test match was called off and the tour was immediately cancelled. Sri Lanka’s cricketers were evacuated from Gaddafi stadium in a military chopper and taken to a nearby airbase from where they were flown back to Colombo.

The second Test was the last match of Sri Lanka’s tour to Pakistan, which was arranged after Team India was ordered by the government authorities to cancel the tour Pakistan following the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008. Sri Lanka, who does not has any history of troubled relations with Pakistan, was gracious enough to tour Pakistan, and help Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to recover financial loss due to cancellation of India’s tour, and also as a show of solidarity. Pakistan had not played Test cricket since 2007 as several international teams cancelled tours due to security fears.

The incident is perhaps the first terrorist attack against an international sporting team since Palestinian militants attacked Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics and eleven members of the Israel contingent were killed – a black day in international sports. In Pakistan, it was for long argued by cricket officials and fans that irrespective of internal security issues, terrorists would never dare to target home or visiting cricketers. It was often feared that cricketers might be caught up in random terrorist attacks in the places they tour, but it was the first time that a cricket team was deliberately targeted.

The gentlemen’s game didn’t deserve it and cricket has lost its innocence. A military chopper on the cricket field was just not right.

INDIA THRASHED NEW ZEALAND BY 53 RUNS IN THE RAIN-HIT FIRST ONE DAY

Quickfire half-centuries from Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina helped India to register the victory by 53 runs (D/L) in the rain-affected 1st one day match against New Zealand in Napier.

Earlier Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first.
Sachin Tendulkar and V.Sehwag started well and put on 22 runs in 4.1 overs when rain arrives. However after a long wait of 2 hours weather cleared and finally fans present at the ground able to see some power hitting by Sehwag.

Due to bad weather match is reduce to 38 overs a side, with three bowlers can bowl eight overs, and two bowlers can bowl maximum of seven overs. Powerplay one will be for eight overs, Powerplay two will be for four overs and Batting Powerplay can be taken for three overs.

The explosive Sehwag reached his 50 in 37 balls.Sachin Tendulkar (20 runs of 23 balls) after making good start and putting 69 runs in 9.4 overs for the first wicket, got out on the bowling of Iain O'Brien , when he tried to play a chicky shot.

M.S.Dhoni who promoted himself at number three played a patience inning at start and put on 52 runs for the second wicket. On the other end Virendra Sehwag looking in superb nick but New Zealnd got him out at the right time with spectacular catch by R.Taylor on the bowling of New Zealand skipper D.Vettori.Sehwag smashed 77 from 56 balls.

Yuvraj singh also got run out and India lost two wickets in quick succession.

But Suresh Raina and M.S.Dhoni partnership of 110 runs in just 74 balls to helped India to post a massive total of 273/4 in just 38 overs. Suresh Raina looks in prime form and was in full flow right from ball one. In his valuable inning of 66 runs of 39 balls he hit four huge sixes and five fours.

M.S.Dhoni on the other hand played a role of holding one end and made unbeaten 84 runs of 89 balls with six fours. Suresh Raina got out in the 35th over of Indian inning.He was caught by O'Brien off medium pacer Grant Elliot , but it was too late for kiwis.

Yusuf Pathan also played some excellant shots and scored 20 runs of 10 balls with one huge six and two fours.

Finally,India could manage to reach the mammoth total of 273-4 from their revised 38-over allocation.

Vettori and Ian Butler, who both finished with 1-42 from their maximum of eight overs ,were the pick of the Kiwi bowlers.

Chasing the massive total of 273-4,New Zealand started their inning badly.
Aggressive opener Brendon McCullum got out without scoring of five balls in Praveen kumar's 1st over.

Praveen Kumar made Jesse Ryder (11) his second victim soon after.
After the promising 58-run stand for the third wicket between Guptill and Taylor,Taylor was caught by Tendulkar for 31 off the spin of Yusuf.

The impressive Guptill, a real find for New Zealand in the summer, continued to provide New Zealand hopes to win the match.

however the hosts suffered another setback in the final ball before another rain delay when all-rounder Elliott was run out for 11.

When rain interrupted the game during New Zealand chase, New Zealand was 111/4 in 20.5 overs.
When the players returned to the field New Zealand were set a revised winning target of 216 from 28 overs.They got a huge task of chasing 105 runs in 43 balls.

They lost J.Oram for a golden duck on the very first ball bowled by Yuvraj Singh.
Two over later,the star off-spinner Harbhajan quickly took three wickets in just four balls to dismiss Guptill, Neil Broom and Kyle Mills. First he removed dangerous looking new talent of New Zeland M.Guptill (64 runs of 70 balls), then N.Broom (2 runs of 7 balls) and finally K.Mills out for a duck.

Vettori 's unbeaten 26 hepled New Zealand to reach a respectable total.
New Zealand fell short by 53 runs to hand over India their first win of the tour.

M.S.Dhoni was declared Man of the Match for his inning of 84 runs of 89 balls.

Match Summary:
India – 273/4 in 38 Overs
M.S.Dhoni- 84* V.Sehwag –77
I.Butler– 8-1-42-1 D.Vettori– 8-0-42-1
New Zeland – 162/9 in 28 Overs (Revised target 216 in 28 overs)
M.Guptill- 64 R.Taylor –31
H.Singh– 4-0-27-3 P.Kumar– 6-1-28-2

Results:
India won the 1st one day international against New Zealand by 53 runs
India leads the series by 1-0
　
　
India Vs New Zealand 1st ODI Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k3PTsP-Lzw
　
　
　
　
　

INDIA-NEW ZEALAND ONE DAY SERIES:PREVIEW

Indian team may be boosted by the returns of their run feast machine Sachin who started his career as an opener in New Zealand pitches scoring 82 of 49 balls. It's important for Dhoni and his men to learn the lesson from the mistakes they made during two twenty20 Internationals that cost them 2-0 loss. All Indian batsman looks in prime form during twenty20 but no one apllied themselves in the middle to play big innings and guide India to reach to a commanding total.

On the other hand New Zealand will be boosted by the return of Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram in the ODI squad. Both are match winning player and New Zealand will be happy by the return of these two in the squad. New Zealand bowlers will be keen to continue their performance in ODI too against well famed Indian batting lineup.

The main worry for the Indians are their top order because both batsman got starts but didn't converted the starts into big score and that causes the loss in both twenty20. However with the return of Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir likely to bat at number three with Yuvraj, Raina and Dhoni will hold the key for middle orders. Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan and H.Singh will hold the lower batting order. No doubt India have better team than the home side but they have to somehow deal with New Zealand disciplined bowling attack with proper planning and execution.

What the loss in twenty20 has done that now Dhoni and his team have realise why previous visiting Indian team failed to perform well in New Zealand. Records are also against Indians since they had lost six out of last eight ODI's they have played in New Zealand.



Likely Playing XI for both teams (Match is schedule to begin at 06:30 AM India Time on 3rd Of March)
India Squad: Sachin Tendulkar, V.Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Y.Singh, S.Raina, M.S.Dhoni (Captain & WK), Yusuf Pathan, I.Pathan, H.singh, Z.Khan, P.Kumar.

New Zealand Squad: Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum (WK), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jacob Oram, Neil Broom, Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori (Captain), Kyle Mills, Ian Bulter, Iain O'Brien.