Chennai ODI: Rain threatens India's dream 5-0 scoreline

If rains do not play spoilsport in Chennai, cricket fans across India might see India completing a clean sweep in the five-match one-day series against New Zealand at the M Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. It will be India’s first clean sweep in a five- match ODI series. However, all depends on the weather conditions with the Met department saying there is possibility of rain and thunderstorm in the city in the next 24 hours.

India is leading the series 4-0 and has dominated the visitors in all aspects of the game. Though the Kiwis found some of their lost confidence and scored big in the last encounter, Yusuf Pathan’s all-round show dashed all their hopes of avoiding their 10th consecutive defeat. If the Indian players continue their devastating show in the final encounter on Friday, it will be New Zealand’s worst series defeat against India since the two sides played each other in 1975-76. And the hosts will look forward thrashing the men in black in the last ODI before leaving for South Africa.

The young Indian side has done remarkably well in the series in the absence of senior players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh who have been rested ahead of the tough tour to South Africa. A rampaging India has tested its bench strength in the last encounter and there is not much left to experiment in the final match. They just need to control their bowling which allowed J Franklin power the visitors to a mammoth total.

However, for the Kiwis, it’s their last opportunity for redemption. They need to deal with the top order which had crumbled in pressure throughout the series. The Kiwis have failed to capitalize on a good start. Williamson’s dismal show at number 3 might see Ross Taylor being promoted up the order. The Men in Black need to give their best before returning home to face Pakistan ahead of the World Cup.


New Zealand (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum (wk), 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Jamie How/Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Scott Styris, 6 James Franklin, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay

India (probable): 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Saurabh Tiwary, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Munaf Patel, 11 Ashish Nehra.

Bangalore ODI: Pathan plunders Kiwis into submission

Bangalore: A super show by Yusuf Pathan on Tuesday gave India a 4-0 lead against New Zealand as the hosts romped home with five wickets to spare at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Chasing a massive 316, Yusuf Pathan powered the Indian chase with an unbeaten 123 off just 96 balls. The Vadodara all-rounder plundered seven towering sixes and stitched a match-winning 133-run stand with Saurabh Tiwary (37 not out).
After James Franklin's 98 guided the Kiwis to 315-7, the Indian chase slipped off track with regular setbacks. But after a rain interruption, Pathan unleashed a brutal attack that snatched the game away from Daniel Vettori's men.
Pathan reached his century in style, hitting a huge six to bring the required run-rate down to six. His brilliant knock included seven sixes including the one that sailed out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, a feat first achieved by former wicket-keeper Sadanand Vishwanath.
The only nail-biting match of the series so far kept spectators on the edge of their seats when India began their chase of 316 runs. Indian openers gave a strong reply to New Zealand’s mammoth total before Andy McKay’s double strike dented their run chase.
McKay struck after openers Gautam Gambhir and Parthiv Patel put the Indian chase on track. Gambhir fell for 27 and soon man-in-form Virat Kohli, skied one from McKay to Mills at the fine-leg boundary for a duck.
Yuvraj Singh and Patel consolidated for a while before Nathan McCullm dented the chase by dismissing both the batsmen in quick succession. Parthiv made an impressive 53 before giving an easy catch to Williamson.
Yusuf Pathan and Rohit Sharma kept India’s hopes alive with a lively stand under pressure. But the visitors struck back, sending back Rohit (44) in the 34th over. Rain then gave India the scare as India were behind the required score. In the 36th over, they were 203/5 against the required 220, according to the D/L method.
However, after the game resumed Pathan came out with all guns blazing. The dasher in the stable company of Saurabh Tiwary ripped through the Kiwi bowling with complete disdain as the ball disappeared into the distant corners of the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
In the end, what looked like an improbable victory was achieved easily by Pathan with seven balls to spare.
Earlier, it was once again a ‘James Franklin show’ that guided New Zealand to a challenging total. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Franklin’s swashbuckling 98 in 69 balls guided Kiwis to 315. Franklin’s 98 was studded with 12 boundaries and three dazzling sixes.
A super start by openers set the base for a huge target for the Kiwis. Asked to bat first, Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum hammered Indian bowlers in the initial overs to add 62 runs on board for the first wicket.
However, Ashish Nehra’s double strike followed by R Ashwin’s magic spell left the Kiwis in despair at 91/3. This was followed by cameos from Scott Styris (46) and Ross Taylor (44) as they consolidated the innings and added valuable 79 for the fourth wicket.
But, Yusuf struck soon dismissing Styris. Taylor aslo joined Styris in the pavilion after being trapped leg-before by Ashwin. The loss of wickets didn’t deter scoring pace of the Kiwis as they kept the scorecard moving at an average close to 6 eyeing a mammoth total. Though Pathan’s twin strike, dismissing Vettori and Mills, reduced the Kiwis to 251/7 in 44 overs, Nathan McCullum played a supportive role, similar to Vadodara ODI and helped Franklin in ensuring New Zealand posted a huge total.

India v New Zealand 4th ODI

New Zealand in India ODI Series - 4th ODI
India v New Zealand
India won by 5 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)
ODI no. 3076 2010/11 season
Played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
7 December 2010 - day/night (50-over match)


New Zealand innings (50 overs maximum)
R
M
B
4s
6s
SR
MJ Guptill
c Yuvraj Singh b Nehra
30
42
25
5
0
120.00
8.4 124.8 kph, Gone! Too adventurous? Third aerial shot in the over. two of those were wide enough of mid-on, but this delivery was even wider, making him go into the crowded off side. Guptill went with the drive, and found Yuvraj Singh at cover 62/1



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BB McCullum†
c Sharma b Ashwin
42
67
42
8
1
100.00
13.2 83.7 kph, big, big wicket! McCullum was looking very good here. He tried to go over short midwicket here, but got too close to this full delivery, thus not getting enough elevation. Ashwin is jubilant 91/3



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JM How
c Pathan b Nehra
4
9
6
0
0
66.66
10.1 126.5 kph, No. 2 for Nehra in his second over. How, who looked loose outside off during the short stay, succumbs. It is a regulation delivery angled across him, but How hangs his bat out, away from the body. The edge is taken, and snapped low by Yusuf Pathan at a wide first slip 70/2



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LRPL Taylor
lbw b Ashwin
44
112
73
3
0
60.27
37.1 82.3 kph, plumb lbw first ball! A nothing shot really! Moves too far across, and also seems to have told himself to not play the forceful shot first ball. And the bat face closes too early, missing the ball, and he is caught dead in plumb. Tame end to what was shaping up to be an important innings of struggle followed by flourish 210/5



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SB Styris
c Tiwary b Pathan
46
64
48
3
1
95.83
29.4 66.9 kph, he is gone! Goes for the same chip over midwicket, but the ball is a bit too straight, and is also turning in, which makes him drag it a bit squarer than he wants and he finds Tiwary on the boundary 170/4



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JEC Franklin
not out
98
88
69
12
3
142.02



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DL Vettori*
b Pathan
17
24
19
2
0
89.47
42.6 77.9 kph, bowled him! Pathan is ecstatic. Vettori looks to pull this one from the leg-and-middle line, but it is not short enough. DV misses, YKP hits 249/6



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KD Mills
b Pathan
1
6
6
0
0
16.66
44.3 81.5 kph, No. 3 for YKP. He is over the moon. Mills goes for the big shot this time, the slog sweep, and Yusuf keeps firing them in. Mills misses, the ball hits the thigh pad outside the leg line, and then ricochets onto the stumps 251/7



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NL McCullum
not out
13
26
12
1
0
108.33



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Extras
(lb 8, w 12)
20
Total
(7 wickets; 50 overs; 219 mins)
315
(6.30 runs per over)
Did not bat TG Southee, AJ McKay
Fall of wickets1-62 (Guptill, 8.4 ov), 2-70 (How, 10.1 ov), 3-91 (BB McCullum, 13.2 ov), 4-170 (Styris, 29.4 ov), 5-210 (Taylor, 37.1 ov), 6-249 (Vettori, 42.6 ov), 7-251 (Mills, 44.3 ov)
Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ
Z Khan-->
Z Khan
8
0
40
0
5.00
(3w)



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P Kumar-->
P Kumar
7
0
42
0
6.00
(1w)



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R Ashwin-->
R Ashwin
10
0
66
2
6.60
(1w)
13.2 to BB McCullum, 83.7 kph, big, big wicket! McCullum was looking very good here. He tried to go over short midwicket here, but got too close to this full delivery, thus not getting enough elevation. Ashwin is jubilant 91/3
37.1 to Taylor, 82.3 kph, plumb lbw first ball! A nothing shot really! Moves too far across, and also seems to have told himself to not play the forceful shot first ball. And the bat face closes too early, missing the ball, and he is caught dead in plumb. Tame end to what was shaping up to be an important innings of struggle followed by flourish 210/5



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A Nehra-->
A Nehra
9
1
70
2
7.77
(2w)
8.4 to Guptill, 124.8 kph, Gone! Too adventurous? Third aerial shot in the over. two of those were wide enough of mid-on, but this delivery was even wider, making him go into the crowded off side. Guptill went with the drive, and found Yuvraj Singh at cover 62/1
10.1 to How, 126.5 kph, No. 2 for Nehra in his second over. How, who looked loose outside off during the short stay, succumbs. It is a regulation delivery angled across him, but How hangs his bat out, away from the body. The edge is taken, and snapped low by Yusuf Pathan at a wide first slip 70/2



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Yuvraj Singh-->
Yuvraj Singh
3
0
21
0
7.00



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YK Pathan-->
YK Pathan
9
0
49
3
5.44
29.4 to Styris, 66.9 kph, he is gone! Goes for the same chip over midwicket, but the ball is a bit too straight, and is also turning in, which makes him drag it a bit squarer than he wants and he finds Tiwary on the boundary 170/4
42.6 to Vettori, 77.9 kph, bowled him! Pathan is ecstatic. Vettori looks to pull this one from the leg-and-middle line, but it is not short enough. DV misses, YKP hits 249/6
44.3 to Mills, 81.5 kph, No. 3 for YKP. He is over the moon. Mills goes for the big shot this time, the slog sweep, and Yusuf keeps firing them in. Mills misses, the ball hits the thigh pad outside the leg line, and then ricochets onto the stumps 251/7



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RG Sharma-->
RG Sharma
4
0
19
0
4.75



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India innings (target: 316 runs from 50 overs)
R
M
B
4s
6s
SR
G Gambhir*
c Guptill b McKay
27
41
24
4
0
112.50
9.4 125.2 kph, and what a way to get out after a missed run-out, an edge through slips! It was short, wide, juicy, and Gambhir has cut it straight to Guptill at point. Throat high. taken. Gambhir can't believe it 67/1



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PA Patel†
c sub (KS Williamson) b NL McCullum
53
87
57
8
0
92.98
19.3 78.4 kph, NMac is on fire here. Slows this one up, Patel comes down the track and goes for the big straight hit. Not quite close enough to the pitch of the ball and ends up skying it to long-on where substitute Williamson completes a tumbling catch 108/4



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V Kohli
c Mills b McKay
0
3
2
0
0
0.00
9.6 125.4 kph, McKay has two! Kohli is gone for a duck after having scored 50 or more in his four previous innings. McKay's energy shows as he bowls another bouncer, angled across Kohli, who goes for the hook, gets a chunky top edge to Mills at long leg. New Zealand are right back 68/2



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Yuvraj Singh
c How b NL McCullum
20
38
28
1
1
71.42
17.4 90.5 kph, and just when he started looking good, Yuvraj is gone! Goes for the pull again to a ball that is not quite short, gets zero elevation and finds short midwicket 103/3



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RG Sharma
c Vettori b Southee
44
56
48
4
1
91.66
33.2 112.2 kph, the crowd is stunned into silence! Slower ball, Sharma saw it early, and looked to go over mid-off, but ended up smashing it straight down his throat. Vettori did well to hold onto it because it was hit very hard at it. Just couldn't get the elevation there 188/5



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YK Pathan
not out
123
128
96
7
7
128.12



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SS Tiwary
not out
37
77
39
3
1
94.87



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Extras
(b 4, lb 3, w 8, nb 2)
17
Total
(5 wickets; 48.5 overs; 215 mins)
321
(6.57 runs per over)
Did not bat R Ashwin, P Kumar, Z Khan, A Nehra
Fall of wickets1-67 (Gambhir, 9.4 ov), 2-68 (Kohli, 9.6 ov), 3-103 (Yuvraj Singh, 17.4 ov), 4-108 (Patel, 19.3 ov), 5-188 (Sharma, 33.2 ov)
Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ
KD Mills-->
KD Mills
10
1
65
0
6.50
(2w)



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TG Southee-->
TG Southee
10
0
64
1
6.40
(1w)
33.2 to Sharma, 112.2 kph, the crowd is stunned into silence! Slower ball, Sharma saw it early, and looked to go over mid-off, but ended up smashing it straight down his throat. Vettori did well to hold onto it because it was hit very hard at it. Just couldn't get the elevation there 188/5



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AJ McKay-->
AJ McKay
7
0
63
2
9.00
(1nb, 4w)
9.4 to Gambhir, 125.2 kph, and what a way to get out after a missed run-out, an edge through slips! It was short, wide, juicy, and Gambhir has cut it straight to Guptill at point. Throat high. taken. Gambhir can't believe it 67/1
9.6 to Kohli, 125.4 kph, McKay has two! Kohli is gone for a duck after having scored 50 or more in his four previous innings. McKay's energy shows as he bowls another bouncer, angled across Kohli, who goes for the hook, gets a chunky top edge to Mills at long leg. New Zealand are right back 68/2



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NL McCullum-->
NL McCullum
7.5
0
38
2
4.85
17.4 to Yuvraj Singh, 90.5 kph, and just when he started looking good, Yuvraj is gone! Goes for the pull again to a ball that is not quite short, gets zero elevation and finds short midwicket 103/3
19.3 to Patel, 78.4 kph, NMac is on fire here. Slows this one up, Patel comes down the track and goes for the big straight hit. Not quite close enough to the pitch of the ball and ends up skying it to long-on where substitute Williamson completes a tumbling catch 108/4



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SB Styris-->
SB Styris
4
1
27
0
6.75
(1w)



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DL Vettori-->
DL Vettori
10
0
57
0
5.70



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Match details
Toss India, who chose to fieldSeries India led the 5-match series 4-0
Player of the match YK Pathan (India)
Umpires RA Kettleborough (England) and AM SahebaTV umpire S AsnaniMatch referee RS Mahanama (Sri Lanka)Reserve umpire UV Gandhe
Match notes
New Zealand innings
Powerplay 1: Overs 0.1 - 10.0 (Mandatory - 70 runs, 1 wicket)
New Zealand: 50 runs in 7.4 overs (46 balls), Extras 10
1st Wicket: 50 runs in 46 balls (MJ Guptill 22, BB McCullum 18, Ex 10)
Powerplay 2: Overs 10.1 - 15.0 (Bowling side - 27 runs, 2 wickets)
Drinks: New Zealand - 91/3 in 13.2 overs (LRPL Taylor 4)
New Zealand: 100 runs in 15.5 overs (95 balls), Extras 12
4th Wicket: 50 runs in 75 balls (LRPL Taylor 19, SB Styris 27, Ex 4)
New Zealand: 150 runs in 26.6 overs (162 balls), Extras 15
Drinks: New Zealand - 184/4 in 32.0 overs (LRPL Taylor 38, JEC Franklin 7)
New Zealand: 200 runs in 35.5 overs (215 balls), Extras 17
Powerplay 3: Overs 37.1 - 42.0 (Batting side - 36 runs, 1 wicket)
New Zealand: 250 runs in 43.2 overs (260 balls), Extras 18
JEC Franklin: 50 off 51 balls (7 x 4)
New Zealand: 300 runs in 49.2 overs (296 balls), Extras 20
8th Wicket: 50 runs in 30 balls (JEC Franklin 40, NL McCullum 13, Ex 2)
Innings Break: New Zealand - 315/7 in 50.0 overs (JEC Franklin 98, NL McCullum 13)
India innings
Powerplay 1: Overs 0.1 - 10.0 (Mandatory - 68 runs, 2 wickets)
India: 50 runs in 7.4 overs (46 balls), Extras 1
1st Wicket: 50 runs in 46 balls (G Gambhir 21, PA Patel 28, Ex 1)
Powerplay 2: Overs 10.1 - 15.0 (Bowling side - 18 runs, 0 wicket)
PA Patel: 50 off 50 balls (8 x 4)
India: 100 runs in 16.6 overs (102 balls), Extras 4
Drinks: India - 100/2 in 17.0 overs (PA Patel 51, Yuvraj Singh 18)
India: 150 runs in 27.5 overs (167 balls), Extras 5
5th Wicket: 50 runs in 59 balls (RG Sharma 30, YK Pathan 20, Ex 1)
Drinks: India - 188/5 in 33.2 overs (YK Pathan 38)
India: 200 runs in 35.1 overs (211 balls), Extras 6
Rain: India - 203/5 in 36.0 overs (YK Pathan 48, SS Tiwary 4)
YK Pathan: 50 off 50 balls (3 x 4, 3 x 6)
Powerplay 3: Overs 38.1 - 43.0 (Batting side - 44 runs, 0 wicket)
6th Wicket: 50 runs in 44 balls (YK Pathan 34, SS Tiwary 12, Ex 4)
India: 250 runs in 42.2 overs (254 balls), Extras 10
YK Pathan: 100 off 79 balls (7 x 4, 6 x 6)
6th Wicket: 100 runs in 76 balls (YK Pathan 73, SS Tiwary 16, Ex 11)
India: 300 runs in 47.2 overs (285 balls), Extras 17

Injured Stuart Broad out of Ashes series

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes Test series and the one-day internationals against Australia with a stomach injury, team officials said on Tuesday.

Broad has torn abdominal stomach muscles from Monday's fourth day and will not take any further part in the second Adelaide Test, officials said.

The tall Nottinghamshire paceman left the field with the injury after his second bowling spell but returned after tea on Monday.

A team spokesman said Broad would return home shortly to begin rehabilitation and recovery ahead of England's ICC World Cup campaign in South Asia in February.

"Stuart has a torn abdominal muscle and as such will take no further part in the current Ashes tour of Australia," England team doctor Nick Peirce said in a statement.

"Given the nature of the injury Stuart has been ruled out of the forthcoming ODI series (in January) against Australia as well.

"Stuart will return to England shortly to commence a rehabilitation programme and we expect him to make a full recovery in time for the World Cup next year."

Broad, 24, said he was devastated by his injury setback.

"Playing for England in an Ashes series in Australia has been something I've dreamed of for a long time so to have that cut short by injury is devastating," Broad said.

"So far the series has been everything I had anticipated and knowing I'll play no further part is quite hard to take.

"Given the way we had started the series I was looking forward to playing a leading role in England retaining the Ashes but that's not to be.

"Injuries happen and there's nothing I can do about it other than make sure I get stuck into rehabilitation and come back stronger in time for the World Cup next year.

"This (northern) winter is a big one for the England team so my focus will have to shift to preparing for the World Cup."

Chris Tremlett and Ajmal Shahzad are in line to replace Broad for the third Test, starting in Perth on December 16.

England win 2nd Ashes Test by an innings

Graeme Swann took three of the last six wickets to tumble on Tuesday as England dismissed Australia for 304 to complete a comprehensive innings and 71-run victory in the second Ashes Test.

England wrapped up the Test and a 1-0 series lead before lunch on the final day, with Swann, Jimmy Anderson and Steven Finn combining to claim the last six wickets for 66 runs after Australia had resumed at 238-4 with high hopes of salvaging a draw or being saved by forecast rain.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but if we keep these standards we have a good chance of winning the series," England captain Andrew Strauss said.

The third Test starts Dec. 16 in Perth and England, which holds the Ashes after winning at home last year, could conceivably retain the old urn by taking a 2-0 lead ahead of the fourth and fifth Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

"We've been totally outplayed this game, there's no hiding that," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said. "Now we have to find a way to get better for Perth.

"No doubt it's a bad loss for us, there's no hiding that fact, an innings and 70 runs having won the toss on a good Adelaide wicket, probably just about says it all."

Australia rallied for a stunning comeback win at Adelaide in the previous Ashes series at home, and went on to complete a 5-0 series sweep to avenge losing the previous series in England.

But after a draw to open this series in Brisbane and the loss in Adelaide, Ponting's squad looks vulnerable to slumping to its first Ashes series loss on Australian soil in more than two decades.

After Michael Clarke was out on the last ball on Monday evening to part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen, Australia's hopes rested on Mike Hussey working with the middle order and tailenders.

But Finn made the crucial breakthrough when Hussey mistimed a pull to Anderson at mid-on to depart for 52.

Three wickets in four balls effectively ended Australia's chances of a draw. Anderson had Brad Haddin caught behind for 12 and trapped Ryan Harris lbw with consecutive deliveries.

Harris' exit gave him two first-ball dismissals, known as a "king pair." He is only the second Australian batsman after Adam Gilchrist in 2001 who has had that dubious milestone in Test cricket.

Two balls later, Swann had Marcus North trapped lbw for 22. England's appeal was initially turned down but the video umpire ruled that the ball had struck the Australian batsman in front of the stumps and would have gone on to dislodge the bails.

Swann then bowled Xavier Doherty and Peter Siddle to finish with a five-wicket haul and complete England's 100th Test victory over Australia.

Before the wickets fell, North had a reprieve on 3 when Swann struck his pad but he was adjudged not out by the video umpire.

A chance from Hussey was dropped in the same over. But England took the new ball and three overs later, the breakthroughs followed.

The only setback for England was the abdominal injury for Stuart Broad which will rule the paceman out for the serious.

Australia's woes continued with veteran opener Simon Katich injuring his Achilles and likely to miss the remainder of the series.

Kevin Pietersen was voted player-of-the-match after scoring a career-best 227 in England's 620-5 declared — helping the visitors to a 375-run first-innings lead — and taking the crucial wicket of Clarke to end the fourth day.

"It's pretty incredible, (England) having been so bad four years ago to be 1-0 up in the Ashes," Pietersen said. "If we keep doing the right things, we'll win the Ashes."

Unexpected reversals leave IPL preparations in disarray

The BCCI has convened a special general body meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the reappointment of the board's disciplinary committee. The tenure of the committee, which is investigating the conduct of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, expired at September's annual general body meeting. The board, however, failed to reappoint or reconstitute it, technically stripping it of its existence. The BCCI secretary N Srinivasan told PTI news agency that the reappointment of the committee was "a minor thing" which had been pointed out by Modi's lawyer, Mehmood Abdi last month.

The SGM, ostensibly to tackle a "minor" issue, will be held in the backdrop of several major, unexpected reversals for a board that is usually used to getting its own way. One of the BCCI's more serious challenges is the stuttering preparation for IPL 2011.

The past six months have been dogged by the controversial termination of two franchises (Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab), and a protracted ownership-pattern dispute over a third, (the new Kochi franchise). As a result of the controversies, the player auction has been delayed by several months and going by the BCCI's legal battles, could well be held in the middle of the 2011 World Cup.

The confusion over the eventual number of teams that will be involved next season affects every component of the world's most lucrative domestic league: its teams/ franchises, its players and its very structure. IPL 2011 now faces several scenarios:

• If both expelled teams take part in the player auction, it will become much harder to prevent them at a later date from playing in the IPL, as any players who sign with them would then be left without a team.

• The league is currently slated to have eight teams playing each other home and away, just like in the first three seasons. A ninth team would naturally result in an unbalanced schedule, while 10 teams could increase the overall number of fixtures and once again rake up the issue of player burnout.

• The board is considering delaying the player auction until March, by which time its legal issues are expected to be resolved, and it will know how many teams will be playing. That would, however, result in the player auction clashing with the World Cup and will prevent teams from being able to use their players in promotions and advertising campaigns, potentially causing them to breach their obligations to their sponsors.

Rajasthan are already back in the league less than two months after being 'terminated' due to an interim stay order from Justice Srikrishna, the arbitor in the case. While the board has appealed against Srikrishna's ruling to the Bombay High Court, legal opinion suggests it will be difficult to overturn his order. There is also believed to be a sentiment within the IPL governing council that the cases of Rajasthan and Punjab are "reasonably strong", and that the BCCI's leadership is going after too many people at the same time.

Srikrishna has restored Rajasthan's rights under the franchise agreement, including the right to take part in the player auction. Srikrishna also stated that the BCCI could not make any rules that would adversely affect Rajasthan, for example changing any of the league's rules, hampering the board's ability to alter its plans as the legal cases unfold. Srikrishna may have stepped down from the Punjab hearing, but it is believed that the stay in favour of Rajasthan could have a bearing on their case when it comes up for hearing.

Punjab accused the board of "deliberately" delaying its proceedings so that the December 6 deadline for the retention of select players in each team would expire, leaving Punjab looking in from the outside. The Bombay High Court ruled in Punjab's favour, and extended the deadline to December 8, handing the BCCI yet another setback, and suggesting Punjab has a case against the board.

The longer the cases drag on, the harder it becomes for the board, and the franchises, to plan for the 2011 tournament.

New Zealand need to kick the losing habit

Match Facts

Tuesday, December 7
Start time 14.30 (0900 GMT)

	Virat Kohli has tormented the New Zealand bowlers, scoring a century and two half-centuries in the three ODIs in the series so far © Associated Press

The Big Picture

August 10, 2010. The day New Zealand last won an international match. As much as winning, losing is a habit too, and New Zealand desperately need to get out of that rut. Dead rubber? Not for them.

What is worse than having lost the series in the first three matches is that they have never looked like winning any of the games. The only positive is, they know why they are not winning, and where they need to improve. Their bowlers haven't looked like getting past the Delhi duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, who have scored 534 runs off 518 balls between them in three ODIs. The batsmen have been directionless: openers fail, middle order goes nowhere, and Scott Styris is left with too much to do. It hasn't helped that they have been without their regular opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder.

Somehow, though, New Zealand need to find a way to get that winning feeling back against an India side that, on current form and confidence, will be backing itself to go unbeaten through the home season of 2010-11. It will be interesting if New Zealand can get Gambhir and Kohli out cheaply, and test the largely untroubled middle order so far. Daniel Vettori will tell his bowlers that's not asking for a lot.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWWWL
New Zealand: LLLLL

Watch out for...

Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson Williamson, batting at No.3, has aggregated 75 runs off 147 deliveries, getting off to a slow start each time, and with not too many big hits to count on, has put the rest of the batting under pressure every time. Surely Taylor, who has succumbed to the resultant pressure twice, has to move up to No.3 and take responsibility for the batting?

M Vijay has twice been the silent partner in opening stands with Gambhir, and has somehow failed to find the fluency he has in Tests and Twenty20s. A career strike-rate of 65 doesn't quite do justice to the way he can play. He will want to make the mental adjustment, and get past his personal best of 33.

Teams

New Zealand's fitness problems haven't made their job any easy. However, they will be hoping that Brendon McCullum can keep wicket, allowing them to add an extra batsman or an extra bowler to the XI.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum (wk), 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Ross Taylor, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Scott Styris, 6 James Franklin, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee/Grant Elliott/Gareth Hopkins, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay

It was strange to see India replace Suresh Raina with Ravindra Jadeja - who has been used as a specialist bowler by MS Dhoni - in the third ODI. Ideally, one out of Saurabh Tiwary and Rohit Sharma should get that slot. With Wriddhiman Saha having already left for South Africa so he can acclimatise himself to the conditions ahead of India's tour there, Parthiv Patel is all set to play his first international in two years and four months.

India (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Saurabh Tiwary/Rohit Sharma, 7 Parthiv Patel (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9, 10 and 11 three out of Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have faced 502 dot balls to India's 417, which sums up New Zealand's approach - or lack of it - in the middle overs.

• Virat Kohli has now scored 50 or more in four consecutive innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are the only Indians who have managed more - five. The overall record, a whopping nine, belongs to one of the finest one-day batsmen ever, Javed Miandad.

Quotes

"I've got to ask Ross Taylor [about the wicket] as he knows a lot more than I do. It has got a lot more grass on it and is probably not damp but a little sticky."

Daniel Vettori looks to use Taylor's experience of playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore

"I may just ensure that Yusuf gets to bat with the top-order so he can play enough deliveries and use his destructive batting to good effect."

Gautam Gambhir hints at a change in India's batting order