Resolute Taufeeq builds Pakistan's lead Pakistan v Sri Lanka, newz 2011

Lunch Pakistan 336 for 2 (Taufeeq 144*, Younis 27*, Hafeez 75, Azhar 70) lead Sri Lanka 197 by 139 runs

Pakistan's batsmen continued to favour growth by continuous additions on the third morning, having set their sights on earning a substantial lead regardless of how much time it took. A lively spell of left-arm swing bowling by Chanaka Welegedara accounted for Azhar Ali, who, for the tenth time, failed to convert a half-century into a Test hundred. 

That was the only bit of joy that came Sri Lanka's way as Taufeeq Umar's seventh successive session on the field did not bring any change in the patient approach that has now brought him two centuries in three Tests. He pushed Pakistan's lead towards 150 without taking any risks along with Younis Khan, who, when on 16, benefited from a dropped catch by Prasanna Jayawardene off Tillakaratne Dilshan. 

Apart from that, and a couple of edges and mishits that didn't carry to the fielders, it was another session that belonged to Pakistan, though they were once again did not really dominating when they should have. 

Welegedara gave Sri Lanka some relief with a ripping inswinger to uproot Azhar's off stump in the seventh over of the day. Taufeeq and Younis ensured that the relief was only temporary with a resolute half-century stand that had a sense of inevitability to it, both in the manner it came, and with the promise it carried. 

Taibu back, Oram ill, Zimbabwe bat...Zimbabwe v New Zealand 2011 newz

New Zealand's :

in-form opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill were left waiting for their chance at the crease after Zimbabwe decided to take first strike in the first ODI in Harare. Jacob Oram picked up an illness in the lead-up to the game, which meant allrounder Doug Bracewell got his first ODI cap. Rob Nicol also made his ODI debut in the middle order. 

 Brendan Taylor:

Believed the dry and grassless pitch would aid batsmen early and spinners later in the day. Zimbabwe were bolstered by the return of opener Vusi Sibanda and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, both of whom were unavailable for the Twenty20 series. Chris Mpofu, who was off-colour in the second Twenty20, retained his spot in the XI ahead of Keegan Meth. 

 New Zealand:

  1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Jesse Ryder 4, Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Kane Williamson, 6 Rob Nicol, 7 James Franklin, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay 

Zimbabwe:  

1 Chamu Chibhabha , 2 Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Forster Mutizwa, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Ray Price, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris Mpofu

England struggling to stay afloat in series 2011 India v England, newz

The contemptuous dominance that England enjoyed in their home Test series against India is now being reprised in reverse in their one-day tour against the same opponents. 

England's opening two ODIs in Hyderabad and Delhi resulted in two crushing defeats, and unless they can stop the rot at the third time of asking in Mohali, they will have squandered the series with two games to play. It's hard to envisage any such transformation taking place, however. With one victory in their last 15 ODIs in India - and none since April 2006 - England have been in this position before, and have yet to work out an escape route. 

 

India are a much-changed team from the outfit that won the World Cup back in April, but in their first home campaign since that momentous achievement, they have tapped into the same well of confidence. England faced trial by spin in the first game, and trial by seam in the second, and while their batsmen faltered on each occasion, India's have gone from strength to strength. 

From MS Dhoni's blistering assault in the final 16 overs of the first match, to Virat Kohli's crushing double-century partnership with Gautam Gambhir in the second, the defining feature of India's performances to date has been the fluidity of their run-scoring. Whereas England's innings have been staccato at best, with occasional boundary shots punctuated by long periods of failed strike rotation, India's ability to create gaps in the field has been nigh on impossible to match, and even harder to stop. 

In that regard, the absence of Eoin Morgan has been critical for England. His nominal replacement, Jonny Bairstow, hits a long ball given half a chance, as demonstrated on debut at Cardiff last month, but he has yet to learn the versatility required to dominate on Indian pitches. He's not alone in that regard. Craig Kieswetter has managed one boundary and seven runs in 13 balls so far, and while Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott have looked at ease in the conditions when they've got in, neither man has been able to put pedal to metal in the manner of their India counterparts. 

England's problems :

Extend to their bowling attack as well. Steven Finn and Tim Bresnan have impressed in an individual capacity, even though their figures hardly reflect their efforts, but Jade Dernbach's variations have been collared, while Samit Patel has struggled as a spin-bowling allrounder. Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and even Kohli's leg-rollers have all proven more effective. It will take a considerable swing in fortunes for England to prove greater than the sum of India's parts in the coming contests...