South Africa Historical Win Test series

South Africa have sealed a historic Test series victory in Australia, winning the second Test after reaching 183 for the loss of just one wicket.

It is Australia’s first defeat in a home series for 16 years.

Graeme Smith’s side hugged on the team balcony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Hashim Amla stroked the winning runs shortly after lunch on the fifth day.

The emphatic victory came after the captain thumped an impressive 75 before losing his wicket shortly before lunch.

His fellow opener Neil McKenzie carried on to score 59 not out, as the Proteas notched up an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of the final Test in Sydney.

With Australian cricket’s iconic MCG awash with empty seats for the stunning victory, an emotional Smith said he was grateful for an incredible team effort.

He singled out for praise newcomer Jean-Paul Duminy, who scored a magnificent 166 in the first innings to put South Africa into a commanding position on the third day.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn, who took 10 wickets in the game and scored 76 in the first innings, was named man of the match.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said his side had been outplayed by South Africa in “all the big moments” of the two matches, and congratulated the Proteas on a victory that was “very well deserved”.

The baggy greens had not lost at home since 1992-93, when they were defeated by the West Indies.

They had seemed in a commanding position during the opening match of the current series, in Perth, before a stunning fight-back by South Africa saw the visitors chase down an unlikely second-inning target of 414.

Smith’s side came from behind equally strongly at the MCG, where they ended the second day at 198 for seven – nearly 200 runs behind their hosts.

But a ninth-wicket partnership of 180 between Duminy and Steyn helped turn the game around, and Steyn’s five-wicket haul in the second innings reduced Australia to just 247, leaving the visitors needing just 183 for victory.

 

Mumbai chill catches sports, India calls off Pakistan cricket tour

The chill in their ties deepened Thursday with India calling off the Indian cricket team’s tour to Pakistan – the first major step signalling New Delhi’s growing impatience with Islamabad’s inaction against terror outfits suspected of masterminding the Mumbai carnage.

According to government sources, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs M.S. Gill spoke to the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar to convey the government decision.

The Indian team was scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 beginning next month.

It’s a clear message to Pakistan that normal ties, that include sporting links, will not be possible unless Pakistan stops denying the existence of terror outfits in that country and takes action against them, reliable sources told IANS.

The cancellation of the cricket tour – a big draw between the two cricket-crazy countries – is also the first step impinging people-to-people ties which has remained a bulwark of India-Pakistan relations despite diplomatic ups and downs.

However, the government has not officially linked the cancellation of the tour to the Mumbai terror attacks.

Instead, the BCCI officials cited security conditions in Pakistan as a reason for calling off the tour.

‘The government informed us it will not be possible to go in the prevailing circumstances,’ BCCI spokesman Rajeev Shukla told reporters here while announcing that the tour is off.

‘It is for the government to make an assessment of the security situation,’ he said.

The security of the cricket team was a real concern in view of the spate of terrorist incidents in Pakistan much before the 26/11 three-day terror siege of Mumbai.

However, chances brightened when Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi assured his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee Nov 26 that Pakistan will do all it can to ensure the security of the Indian cricket team.

In fact, minutes before terrorists struck in Mumbai Nov 26 night, Mukherjee had indicated that India may send the cricket team after a security review.

The Mumbai attacks, however, changed the tone and tenor of India-Pakistan relations.

With Pakistan resorting to denial and diversionary tactics, as New Delhi sees it, and refusing to hand over 40 fugitives wanted in India for various terrorist attacks and crimes, India decided to suspend the composite dialogue process.

Trade talks between the two countries were called off early this month and a decision was taken to put the dialogue process on hold till Pakistan takes ‘visible and verifiable’ action against terror outfits.

Sources said that the cancellation of the cricket tour was a pointed message to Pakistan that normalisation of ties between the two countries will not be possible unless Pakistan addresses India’s concerns over cross-border terror.

The Mumbai attacks left killed more than 170 people, including 26 foreigners, and nearly 300 injured.

 

Sehwag says India can win the first Test

India opener Virender Sehwag is confident of the team’s chances to win the first cricket Test on the fifth and last day against England here Monday.

Sehwag’s quickfire 83 off 68 balls gave India a realistic chance to chase 387-run target set by England. India were 131 for one wicket at the close of the fourth day’s play Sunday and now need 256 runs to win the first Test.

‘I think, getting another 250-odd runs in 90 overs is very much possible,’ he said.

On his innings, Sehwag felt there was an element of luck but was disappointed that he could not carry on. ‘I was a bit lucky today and was dropped a couple of times. But I was disappointed to get out. The ball pitched on the spot and turned. I did not expect umpires to give me out as a couple of close decisions had gone in our favour!’

Looking ahead to the final day’s play, Sehwag said India are very much in the hunt. ‘The ball is coming on nicely and if we back ourselves tomorrow, we should win the game.’