IND v SA: South Africa broken like a stump in thumping series defeat

Indian skipper Virat Kohli celebrates the win during day five of the 4th Paytm Freedom Trophy Series Test match between India and South Africa held at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi.
Photo by Ron Gaunt / BCCI / SPORTZPICS

An utterly enthralling yet inevitable 337-run defeat for South Africa at the hands of the India unfolded at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Monday, giving the hosts a 3-0 series win and the Proteas a serious dignity dent.

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The Women’s Ashes are stronger than ever

Meg Lanning during the 3rd ODI (Getty Images)

A revitalised format may just be the kicker of one of the most important women’s series outside of the World Cup.

The Women’s Ashes are well underway over in England, with Australia’s two point lead after the one-day internationals a crucial advantage heading into the only test match that starts on August the 11^th.

Critically, that test match was once the first match in the series, and whoever took the win from that almost guaranteed themselves a series win with the shorter form to play.  Having watched the likes of Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry make the England women stand up and take notice, putting the ODIs first does two good things:

CWC 2015: Chris Gayle absolutely destroys a Zimbabwe outfit with no answer to the onslaught

Chris Gayle goes down the track (photo: ICC)

Here’s some stats about THAT Chris Gayle innings:
-He scored a six off every Zimbabwe bowler
-First 50 took 51 balls, he reached his ton in 105
-100-200 took just 33 balls
-He equalled AB de Villiers record of 16 sixes in an ODI game
-Chris Gayle is the ONLY player to score a T20I century, ODI double century and test triple century
-This is his second ODI ton or better in his last 21 innings

CWC 2015: Kiwis are very hard to crack. Cricketers are even harder

Trent Boult screams for an appeal (photo: ICC)

After just two matches, it is abundantly clear why everyone’s talking New Zealand in this World Cup.

They’re consistent, they’re like glue that doesn’t pull apart, and it’s extremely hard for most opposing teams to breakthrough the top six. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Scratchy and patchy might best describe the Kiwis road back to confidence. Household names now were just little specs in 2013. The biggest winning margin was 86 runs, whereas in 2014, they had four wins bigger than 50 runs or five wickets – a testament to the hard work the squad made to get back to an ultra-competitive level.

DRS is here, India; don’t complain to anyone

Umpire refers upstairs for the DRS (photo: Google Images)

Such is the controversy over cricket’s Decision Review System (DRS), the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) has completely banned it from any series involving their national side.

Just how much longer remains a big question, however, with the Cricket World Cup literally on our front doorstep. 

You cannot switch out new for old; cricket is no different

Steven Smith celebrates a century against India (photo: Getty Images)

After his first test in charge of the Australian test cricket team, Steven Smith showed poise, humour, tenacity, grit, and positivity.

Michael Clarke watched on from his home in Sydney, live tweeting his thoughts about the game.  The crowd and audience were glued to the action in earnest and suspense; more so after India were able to post a competitive total with the bat.

Cricket: Rohit’s Record Rampage three months from World Cup

Rohit Sharma celebrates 200 runs (photo: Getty Images)

Here’s a table of those that have scored double centuries in ODI cricket:

Name	Team	Score	Against
Rohit Sharma	India	264	Sri Lanka
Virender Sehwag	India	219	West Indies
Rohit Sharma	India	209	Australia
Sachin Tendulkar	India	200*	South Africa
Belinda Clark*	Australia	229	Denmark

*denotes women’s ODI

Cricket: Cameron White is a no-brainer for the World Cup

Cameron White in action at ANZ Stadium (photo: Getty Images)

The resurgence of the former Victorian skipper – first at state, and now at national level – over the last two years has been nothing short of sensational.

His last two domestic one-day competitions (accumulated) have seen him pile on 741 runs at an average above 67.  In the Big Bash League (past two seasons), he has 385 runs at an average above 25.

Cricket: Why Australia v Pakistan is nothing more than a “warm-up”

Australia celebrate over Pakistan in the 3rd ODI (photo: Getty Images)

The entire series feels as though it is squeezed somewhere in between the start of the Australian season and the wrapping up of the Champions League Twenty20, just to keep the fans engaged.

Of course, this is not the case, and it is proving to be beneficial for a few of the Australian players.  Steve Smith registered his first one-day international century with some superb shots in the first of three matches in the series.

Cricket: Precedents or just another ban: the Ajmal saga

Saeed Ajmal in training (photo: Reuters/SMH website)

Was he a target? Is he another in a long line that will be banned? How will Pakistan go without him now?

These are all good questions that surround off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.  Banned by the International Cricket Council this week for throwing, after having been once cleared in 2009 of any illegal action, this ban is an eyebrow-raiser.  Yet, it could well set a precedent of future punishment.