The Investec Ashes 2013

Smith misses training with sore back

Steven Smith gave Australia an injury concern ahead of the Old Trafford Test, failing to train on Tuesday due to a sore back. Smith was Australia's only centurion from the tour match in Sussex, where he finished unbeaten on 102 in the first innings, and his efforts there meant he was unlikely to be in any real danger of losing his place for the third Investec Test in Manchester.

However, he will now have only one training session, on Wednesday, to prove his fitness ahead of the must-win Test, which begins on Thursday. Although Australia were confident that Smith would be fit, the unpredictable nature of back problems meant that it was too early to make a decision on his fitness.

"I think he's doing okay," opening batsman Chris Rogers said. "He might have tweaked it a little bit yesterday but talking to him he said he's improved a bit so hopefully he'll be right to train tomorrow and good to go on the first day. I think it's just a bit restrictive, so hopefully it's not a big issue."

The uncertainty around Smith added to the issues the selectors will face in the lead-up to the third Test, although if he were to miss out, it would give them an easy decision on how to squeeze David Warner back into the side. On Monday, Warner rejoined the squad for the first time since the Ashes began, after he was sent to Zimbabwe and South Africa to gain some match practice with Australia A.

His 193 against South Africa A in Pretoria in his final match of that tour built the pressure on the rest of the batsmen, although the coach Darren Lehmann said after the Sussex game that Warner was no certainty to be part of the XI in Manchester. Warner batted in the Old Trafford nets on Tuesday and would be the natural replacement if Smith were to miss out.

However, if Smith is fit to play and the selectors want the newly in-form Warner to slot in to the middle order, Phillip Hughes could be the man to miss out after scoring only two runs from his past three Test innings. Warner would be likely to bat in the middle order if recalled for his first Test of the tour, and Rogers said he was the kind of batsman who could make all the difference if things went his way.

"Davey brings a lot of energy to the group always," Rogers said. "He's just one of those guys. He goes a hundred miles an hour. It's fantastic to see him get runs. He's such a destructive player that if he bats for a while he could put some real pressure on England. If he plays hopefully he can do well and have one of those games out and help us win this next Test.

"He's one of those ones opposition know that they have to get out quickly. If he bats for a while he can take the game away like Gilchrist used to do. Hopefully he can do that if he does play."

ICC World Cup 2015

World Cup final returns to Melbourne

Twenty-three years after Imran Khan led Pakistan to victory over England, Melbourne will again host the World Cup final in 2015, while Sydney and Auckland will host semi-finals just as they did in 1992.

A wide range of alternative options for the major matches of a tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand had been discussed in the lead-up to the formal announcement of the official fixtures in Melbourne on Tuesday, including the prospect of a semi or final at Sydney's Olympic Stadium and even Adelaide Oval.

But the organisers ultimately retained the same formula as 1992, handing matches to the SCG and Eden Park before the event's show-piece takes place on March 29 at the MCG, where a crowd of more than 87,000 had watched Imran's team triumph.

Among other key fixtures, the previously earthquake-stricken Christchurch will host the tournament's opening match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on February 14 at Hagley Oval, while later that same day Australia will play England at the MCG. The cup holders India will commence their tournament by facing Pakistan in Adelaide the following day.

Having been drawn together in Pool A, Australia will travel to Auckland to meet New Zealand on February 28. Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Wellington will each host a quarter-final.

Many luminaries were on hand in Melbourne's Docklands for the announcement, including the ICC chief executive Dave Richardson who kept wicket for South Africa at the 1992 event, alongside Dennis Lillee, Ian Chappell, Kapil Dev, Sanath Jayasuriya, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Hussey.

"The ICC Cricket World Cup is the flagship tournament of the 50-over game. The 2015 tournament will mark 40 years since the first World Cup in 1975 and that history of great contests and heroes helps make the tournament what it is - the most sought after prize in our increasingly global game," Richardson said.

"The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will be returning to Australia and New Zealand after 23 years and will be staged at the back of two outstanding 50-over ICC events - the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013. I'm absolutely confident that the success of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will further strengthen the status of 50-over cricket as a successful and viable format alongside Tests and Twenty20 Internationals."

Several tournament venues have undergone major redevelopments with 2015 in mind, not least the SCG with a projected capacity of 48,000, and Adelaide Oval's expansion to accommodate 50,000. Eden Park has also undergone a considerable facelift to also be capable of hosting 50,000 spectators.

The tournament will feature 49 matches across 44 days in 14 cities throughout February and March of 2015. Australia's 2014-15 Test summer has been shortened to a mere four matches against India in order to leave room for the cup's lengthy schedule. A 14-team format has the competitors pitted in two groups of seven, each to play six pool matches before the top four in each group advance to the quarter-finals, semis and final.

Pool A: England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Qualifier 2 and Qualifier 3

Pool B: South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Qualifier 4

Venue cities: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Nelson, Hamilton, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Wellington

Corruption in the IPL

Sreesanth among three Royals players in police chargesheet

The Delhi police has named Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan among 39 people - including Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted criminal - as accused in its chargesheet in the IPL spot-fixing case. While Chandila is still in jail, the other two cricketers are out on bail, which the police has formally moved the court to cancel.

The 6,000-page charge sheet names 39 persons as accused for offences under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). "The players and others have been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and dishonesty," special public prosecutor Rajesh Mohan told AFP.

The prosecution witnesses include Rahul Dravid, the Rajasthan Royals captain, Royals bowlers Siddharth Trivedi and Harmeet Singh, and franchise officials.

Police told the trial court that the accused were "part of a larger betting syndicate" controlled by Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel, according to Mohan, and "knowingly abetted the operation of this international organised crime syndicate."

Sreesanth and Chavan had been granted bail by a Delhi trial court on June 10 along with 17 others, also arrested in relation to the case. They had, however, been asked to surrender their passports. Chandila has not applied for bail yet.

While granting bail, the judge had said the Delhi police had not produced enough evidence to charge the players under the MCOCA, a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism which contains far stricter provisions relating to bail and admissibility of confessions compared to the Indian Penal Code.

Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were arrested on May 16, following which they were suspended by the BCCI pending an inquiry. They were charged under the Indian Penal Code sections 420 and 120B, which deal with fraud, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. Royals also suspended the contracts of all three players, who were allegedly promised money ranging from US$36,000 to 109,000 by bookies for under-performing.

India news

BCCI's probe panel 'illegal', says Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has said that the BCCI's two-member committee that investigated andsubsequently cleared the owners of the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings IPL franchises was constituted illegally. The BCCI, it said, will have to investigate the matter afresh.

"The entire incident needs to be reinvestigated," the High Court said, according to PTI. "There was disparity in the evidence collected by the probe panel."

One of the petitioners, Naresh Mahtani, said the court's focus was on the formation of the inquiry committee and it clearly found that it was not set up according to the BCCI's constitution. "So whatever report has been passed over the last two days is technically null and void," Mahtani said.

His lawyer, Ameet Naik, said the petition - filed on June 21 by the Cricket Association of Bihar and its secretary, Aditya Verma - raised several issues of conflict of interest and the manner in which the probe panel was constituted. He said the BCCI's reply to the court was not able to explain how and whether the probe panel was set up in accordance with its own constitution. "The formation of the panel is not according to the [BCCI] constitution and therefore everything must follow from there," Naik said.

He said the petition had sought a fresh panel to be set up but clarified that the court had not granted that plea.

The court's findings - delivered by a bench comprising justices SJ Vazifdar and MS Sonak - come two days after the committee submitted its report, which essentially cleared Super Kings owner India Cements, Royals co-owner Raj Kundra and Royals parent company Jaipur IPL Pvt Ltd of "wrongdoing". "There is no evidence of any wrongdoing found by the judges against Raj Kundra, India Cements and Rajasthan Royals," Niranjan Shah, a BCCI vice-president, had said after the BCCI's working committee meeting in Kolkata. The final decision on the matter was supposed to have been taken at the IPL's governing council meeting on August 2.

Concerns about the panel were raised soon after its constitution on May 28, and have remained since given the BCCI's inconsistent explanations and statements. On May 26, at a press conference in Kolkata hours before the IPL final, Srinivasan had said that the probe panel would look into allegations against his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, a top Super Kings official, as well as the Rajasthan Royals players accused of spot-fixing, and would comprise an independent member and two out of a group of five people: the then-BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale, the then-treasurer Ajay Shirke, the then-IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, BCCI vice-president and IPL governing council member Arun Jaitley, and IPL governing council member Ravi Shastri.

On May 28, the BCCI issued a press release which stated that the IPL governing council had appointed the panel consisting of two retired judges from Tamil Nadu, T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian, and Jagdale. It was learnt that that of the eight-man IPL governing council, two members had no idea about when and how the panel had been constituted while two other members had given their consent over the phone. Former BCCI chief IS Bindra had then claimed that the panel had been appointed by an "operations" committee which did not consist of a single governing council member, but two members of the IPL's logistics team, an official of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association who was the lawyer that accompanied Gurunath to Mumbai when he was summoned by the police, and a BCCI official.

When Jagdale resigned his post he was not replaced on the panel, the three members being reduced to two.

Zimbabwe v India, 3rd ODI, Harare

India saunter to series victory

India 187 for 3 (Kohli 68*) beat Zimbabwe 183 (Williams 45, Mishra 4-47) by seven wickets

India's current tour of Zimbabwe has parallels with the visit to the southern African country for a tri-series in 2010 - a squad filled with newcomers led by a stand-in captain. Three years ago, that young India team had found the tri-series to be a taxing trek, losing three of four matches to crash out before the finals. This time around, though, it has been a casual stroll to a series victory, confirmed by an utterly one-sided third ODI which Zimbabwe lost by seven wickets.

Teams winning the toss have enjoyed a huge advantage in this series, and today was no different as Virat Kohli called correctly and watched his bowlers wipe out Zimbabwe for 183. Even reaching that meagre score reflected a recovery for Zimbabwe, who had been at 89 for 6 in the 23rd over, and had three tail-enders, who had shown little aptitude for batting, to come. Amit Mishra's variations fetched him four wickets, and the chase was orchestrated by Kohli, who continues to find ODI cricket exceedingly easy.

The winter pitch at the Harare Sports Club has followed the same pattern in every match this series: assisting the seamers appreciably in the first hour before gradually easing up. Vusi Sibanda clearly hadn't learnt that, though, charging out and attempting a wild heave in the first over itself, predictably edging a catch towards extra cover. After that Vinay Kumar strike, it was Mohammed Shami's turn to break through, on his first ball, when he got Sikandar Raza to nick to the wicketkeeper.

With the ball hooping around, Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza survived a bunch of lbw calls and were routinely beaten but hung on. Taylor could have been run-out a couple of times but he didn't attempt any risky shots, the first sign of enterprise being a controlled pull for four off Vinay in the ninth over. Masakadza was content driving through the off side, didn't play across the line much, and the pair shepherded Zimbabwe to the relative security of 67 for 2 in the 16th over.

The first hour had been seen off, and Zimbabwe were looking forward to more comfortable batting conditions. However, Jaydev Unadkat, India's best seamer in the previous game, ended the stand, getting Taylor to chip a catch to mid-off.

Then, the India spinners took over. Zimbabwe have poked and prodded against them, regularly beset by doubts over how much the ball will spin and in which direction. Mishra's mix of legspinners, googlies, sliders and seam-up deliveries have proved too much for Zimbabwe and he has prospered in his first stint in the ODI team in two years. He continued to enjoy himself today as in his first over, he had Masakadza caught-behind and trapped Malcolm Waller lbw to be on a hat-trick. He didn't get one but the double-blow wrecked Zimbabwe's chances of making a big score.

Sean Williams and Prosper Utseya arrested the slide with a 36-run stand but Williams seemed to lose his composure once Utseya fell in the 33rd over. He looked to take as much of the strike as he could, given that Tendai Chatara, Brian Vitori and Michael Chinouya are not known for their batting skills. In a gamble to retain the strike, he took on a throw from Ravindra Jadeja at midwicket, but the powerful and accurate return caught him short.

A quick end to the Zimbabwe innings seemed imminent but the bottom three weren't about to throw their wickets away. Chatara's hook for six off Vinay was the highlight as the tail extended Zimbabwe's innings by more than 11 overs before Mishra returned to polish them off.

Faced with a small target and a placid pitch, India weren't too troubled during the chase, and there were never any doubts over which side was heading for victory. Rohit Sharma played a few eye-catching strokes before falling cheaply for the third time in the series. His opening partner Shikhar Dhawan looked set to extend his recent golden run as he feasted on the loose deliveries on offer, but after racing to 35 off 31, he crashed a length ball straight to cover. Ambati Rayudu was slow to start but just as he got going, he chipped a return catch on 33.

Unlike the others, Kohli didn't throw it away. He was edgy to begin with, but calmly worked the singles early on and with the asking-rate never too far from three an over, he was content to coast along. It was only towards the end, with the result almost guaranteed, that he opened out and hurried India past the finish line, completing their sixth successive ODI victory.

Zimbabwe v India, 2nd ODI, Harare

Dhawan, Karthik set up comfortable win

India 294 for 8 (Dhawan 116, Karthik 69) beat Zimbabwe 236 for 9 (Sibanda 55, Utseya 52*, Unadkat 4-41)
by 58 runs

Zimbabwe were expected to provide stiffer opposition to India if the toss went in their favour. It did, and twice, once each with ball and bat, Zimbabwe were in dominating positions. Holding on to them was something different, though, and both times, they fell apart, first against Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik, and then, via a batting collapse.

Zimbabwe's bowlers had a clear opportunity to embarrass India, who realised how difficult it was to bat first at Harare Sports Club with the 9am start. Four of their top five batsmen had fallen cheaply, but the one who hadn't, Dhawan, made Zimbabwe pay for letting him get away three times. Dhawan made his third century in 17 ODIs, and revived India in a 167-run fifth-wicket partnership with Karthik, who made only his second fifty after comeback.

Had the Zimbabwe quicks shown more control, and had their fielders caught better, India would have been in a bigger hole. Dhawan played possibly the most charmed innings of his short international career. He was caught behind off a Kyle Jarvis no-ball when on 3, dropped by the wicketkeeper off the same bowler when on 14 and handed a third life on 70 when deep square leg misjudged what should have been a straightforward catch. To his credit, Dhawan did not let anything loose go waste despite all the wickets and all the chances.

Apart from sending down numerous wides and no-balls, Zimbabwe often bowled on the pads to Dhawan, who picked up several boundaries through the leg side - pulling, whipping, nudging and lofting. Just after the costly no-ball to Dhawan, Jarvis conceded four leg-byes, and also gave the batsman overpitched deliveries outside off stump, which were driven for fours.

Dhawan was losing partners quickly, though. The same batsmen who could have hardly been bothered in the chase on Wednesday were made to struggle. The new balls swung, seamed, bounced, and skidded. Brian Vitori struck with his first ball, after having been left out in the first game. Rohit Sharma, having said just before his 100th ODI started that one needed to be careful against the new balls as an opener, chased a widish good length ball, and edged to slip.

Virat Kohli, coming off a match-winning hundred, looked largely solid before he pushed Jarvis to mid-on, departing in anger after twice asking for the third umpire to check whether the ball had carried. Ambati Rayudu was brought crashing down from his debut half-century in a painful 25-ball existence during which he was put down by the bowler Vitori and was beaten on numerous occasions. For once, Suresh Raina - who has made no secret of his desire to bat up the order - had plenty of overs, but nudged his 11th delivery down the leg side to the keeper.

At 65 for 4, Dhawan looked intent to make good use of his lives and Karthik was in superb touch. Unlike the top order, Karthik left deliveries for a while outside off and waited for the bad balls. Both Dhawan and Karthik ensured the lone spinner, Prosper Utseya, was taken for runs.

India's charge was arrested suddenly when Karthik was run out after a mix-up in the 43rd over, and Dhawan dragged an attempted sweep onto his stumps in the 44th. Zimbabwe were to pay for their slow over-rate, though. Taylor used Sean Williams' part-time spin for the last over, which was taken for 23 by Vinay Kumar and Mohammed Shami.

Zimbabwe pushed India with the bat as well early, but again, could not hold onto a strong position. And once more, it was Vusi Sibanda who threw away another start after dominating the bowlers with powerful hits. Four balls later, Brendan Taylor ran himself out. Soon, it became a flood. Williams, Hamilton Masakadza and Malcolm Waller fell to the spinners to make it 133 for 6.

Only a few overs ago, Sibanda was pulling boundaries at will as India's quick bowlers overdid the short ball on a pitch which had eased out considerably. Vinay Kumar, in particular, was targetted. Sibanda's second-wicket partnership with Masakadza was worth 64 at close to seven an over and the India bowlers were looking flat.

The situation quickly changed when Unadkat was brought back in the 21st over. Sibanda, who had reached his fifty off 57, immediately went after him, but mishit to midwicket. Panic set in with Taylor's run-out, and Zimbabwe had only themselves to blame for a big defeat, though Prosper Utseya and Elton Chigumbura reduced the margin.

Zimbabwe v India, 1st ODI, Harare

Another Kohli ton in a chase, another India win

India 230 for 4 (Kohli 115, Rayudu 63*) beat Zimbabwe 228 for 7 (Raza 82, Mishra 3-43) by six wickets

Usually, Indian cricketers ply their trade in packed and raucous concrete bowls and have to deal with a large media contingent. The Harare Sports Club, in contrast, features vast grass banks, rudimentary stands and is ringed by trees. Only a couple of Indian journalists have made the trip to Zimbabwe to cover the series.

If that wasn't enough to ease the pressure on an Indian squad filled with understudies, the cool weather on a sunny day, the toothless Zimbabwe bowling and a benign pitch made them feel all the more comfortable. With the schooldkids dancing in the stands and plenty of fans having a leisurely lunch near the pavilion, the match seemed more like a casual afternoon game in the park, rather than an international encounter.

The intensity of the contest particularly dimmed once Virat Kohli took charge of yet another chase. Over the past three years, Kohli has developed into one of the leading batsmen in one-dayers, a reputation forged on the back of several big centuries when hunting down targets, but today's hundred - his 15th in ODIs, drawing him level with Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Yousuf - could well have been his easiest in international cricket.

The chase revolved around a 159-run stand for the third wicket between debutant Ambati Rayudu and Kohli. Rayudu first came to national attention a decade ago, when picked as a 17-year-old for an A tour of the Caribbean and was touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket. However, a tussle with his state association and a dalliance with the unofficial Indian Cricket League combined to keep him out of the India team for years. The friendly conditions were the perfect setting for Rayudu to make his debut, and he helped himself to an unbeaten half-century.

Rayudu and Kohli came together after India's opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma departed fairly early - Dhawan after failing to control a hook, and Rohit after nicking a wide, amiable delivery to the keeper. Kohli was fluent right from the start, highlighted by a controlled drive through extra cover and a superbly timed flick to the midwicket boundary. With the asking-rate well in hand, Rayudu took his time early on to settle any nerves, mainly dealing in singles - he hit just two fours till he reached his half-century.

With the pitch having dried out, and Zimbabwe's spinners not getting much purchase, Prosper Utseya's late double-strike wasn't much more than an opportunity for the crowd to cheer.

The gulf between the two sides was clearly in evidence, though it was widened considerably by India winning the toss. The only time the pitch encouraged the bowlers was soon after the 9am start, and India's new-ball bowlers, Vinay Kumar and Shami Ahmed, had the ball swerving around though they couldn't separate the dogged Zimbabwe opening pair of Sikandar Raza and Vusi Sibanda. The openers, well aware of the early danger, concentrated on keeping wickets in hand, not bothering about the scoring rate which remained below three in the first hour.

Raza, the Sialkot-born batsman, shrugged off an indifferent start to his international career with a watchful 82 that held the innings together. The camera frequently panned to a man wearing a 'Team Raza' t-shirt, and Raza didn't disappoint his fans. The run-rate may have been wanting, and it wasn't until the 32nd over that he reached his half-century, but he then showcased his repertoire of strokes, highlighted by two sixes in the Powerplay - one a stunning straight hit over Vinay's head and the other a muscular swat over midwicket for six more.

India's spinners kept the pressure on Zimbabwe's top order. Jadeja continued to be in top form, with his steady spin fetching him 10-3-33-0 while legspinner Amit Mishra, playing his first ODI in more than two years, got three wickets. His googly was going to be a big weapon against a team that hasn't faced him too often, and it provided India the first breakthrough, as Sibanda was lbw in the 22nd over.

The disciplined bowling meant that Zimbabwe struggled to lift the scoring rate. It was only around the batting Powerplay, when Raza and Brendan Taylor - Zimbabwe's best batsman, who walked out as late as the 34th over - piled on 43 runs in five overs, that the home side finally got a move on. After Taylor departed, Raza followed, falling for 82 as he missed a short ball from Mishra. He walked off dejected, and though Elton Chigumbura reeled off a series of boundaries in an unbeaten 43 off 34 balls to lift the target to 229, it didn't prove much of a challenge for India.

Sri Lanka v South Africa, 4th ODI, Pallekele

Dilshan, Sangakkara secure series

Sri Lanka 239 for 2 (Dilshan 115*, Sangakkara 91) beat South Africa 238 (Duminy 97, Mendis 4-51)

An unbeaten century from Tillakaratne Dilshan and 91 from Kumar Sangakkara carried Sri Lanka to a series win over South Africa with one match to play. The pair ensured the hosts achieved the highest successful run chase at Pallekele with six overs to spare to underline some of South Africa's most pressing issues as they attempt to rebuild their one-day side.

At first glance, it would seem the bowlers are to blame but South Africa's middle-order are the real culprits in their defeat. Hashim Amla and JP Duminy shared a second-wicket stand of 101 to set a strong base for the team but the batsmen who followed squandered the advantage.

From 118 for 1, South Africa were 238 all out, losing nine wickets for 120 runs. By contrast, Dilshan and Sangakkara shared a partnership of 184 - Sri Lanka's highest against South Africa - to maintain their strong record at home against South Africa.

South Africa have only won two ODIs in Sri Lanka and their inability to adapt to conditions was exposed again. The absence of quality spinners and senior players to take responsibility in the batting line-up cost them dearly and they will now return to Colombo with only pride to play for.

South Africa began to make some amends for their failings with the bat and Hashim Amla's return was central to that. Amla, who missed the first and third match with injury and could not bat in the second, recovered in time to form one half of South Africa's fourth opening pair in as many matches.

While Quinton de Kock's inexperience was exposed against Lasith Malinga, when he was yorked for 8, Amla had the Sri Lankan attack erring. The seamers continually offered him too much width and he pulled and cut at will.

Amla and JP Duminy, who has looked good without producing results in the series so far, settled in and took the batting powerplay after 15 overs. That proved a tactical mistake. Sri Lanka's slew of spinners limited run-scoring opportunities and only 22 were scored in the five-over period.

The pair succeeded in planting a platform but Amla did not stick around to help the launch from it. He was lbw to Dilshan, who went around the wicket to trap him on the back foot, and even a review could not save him.

AB de Villiers' lean run continued as he was caught behind trying to paddle-sweep. Faf du Plessis also did not contribute, offering a chance to Angelo Mathews in his follow-through and eventually being stumped.

Ajantha Mendis foxed the less-experienced players, who have not learnt to pick him. David Miller was bowled by the legbreak and Farhaan Behardien clipped him straight to short leg.

The fall of wickets forced Duminy to continue a quiet vigil and his strike rate remained in the 60s, until the last four overs, when he finally decided to launch against Malinga. Duminy managed to improvise, turning would-be yorkers into low full-tosses, but Malinga's change of pace accounted for the tail.

Still, South Africa would have thought they had enough with 198 the previous-best successful chase in Pallekele. Their bowlers started well against a changed Sri Lankan top order - with Mahela Jayawardene replacing Upula Tharanga - as Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe extracted extra bounce and got movement, but ill-discipline infected them again. South Africa sent down 17 wides, taking their series total to 58, and indicating an obvious problem with line.

Jayawardene was frustrated by the early squeeze and when he tried to steer Tsotsobe to third man, he was caught by a diving Amla at gully. That was the last success South Africa saw until it was too late. Dilshan showed a willingness to ride out the pressure and looked for singles with Sangakkara instead of going for big shots to thwart the bowlers.

But South Africa still had their chances. Sangakkara was on three when he edged Kleinveldt but Amla could not pull off the half chance, and on 33, when Duminy appealed for an lbw against him. South Africa had a review in hand but de Villiers chose not to use it. Afterwards, he said neither Duminy nor de Kock, who was keeping, were convinced, Replays, though, showed Sangakkara was out.

His flirtation with fortune over, Sangakkara matches Dilshan blow for blow thereafter. Dilshan was strong square of the wicket and on the pull and brought out his trademark scoop off Tsotsobe. His century came off 119 balls with a swivel down to fine leg.

Sangakkara peppered the on-side, with 52 of his runs coming in that area. After Dilshan crossed the century mark, Sangakkara was racing against the remaining runs to get there. He smacked Morkel for two fours to get into the nineties, but fell on his sword when he top-edged to mid-off.

Dilshan finished things off to leave South Africa with plenty to think about. Foremost in their minds will be their poor effort in the field, and their decision-making under pressure, both of which need work before Wednesday.

Sri Lanka v South Africa, 3rd ODI, Pallekele

Miller, Tsotsobe keep series alive

South Africa 223 for 7 (Miller 85*, Mendis 3-35) beat Sri Lanka 167 (Thisara 65, Tsotsobe 4-22) by 56 runs

What a difference two overs can make. That was all it took for South Africa to stay alive in the series, have their confidence restored and beat Sri Lanka at home for the first time in close to 20 years.

The 49th and 50th over of their innings produced 38 runs and took their total from middling to challenging. David Miller scored 35 of them himself - prior to this match no South African batsman had managed a score greater than 29 in the series - hitting Thisara Perera and Lasith Malinga straight down the ground. He proved South Africa could be competitive and could come back after being under pressure in the first two matches, and even large sections of the third.

And what a difference an over can almost make. Perera hit Robin Peterson for the second-most expensive over in ODI cricket to throw Sri Lanka back into contention after they slumped to 93 for 7. The 35 runs included five sixes and a four, Perera displaying his prowess, especially over the leg-side.

Like Miller, he showed the temperament required to succeed in conditions where the surfaces are sluggish - survive first, thrive later. Unlike the South African, Perera was asked to do too much at the end.

Because Miller did not have a target to chase, he had less pressure on him. His strike rate hovered between 70 and 80 for most of his stay at the crease as he settled in. He needed AB de Villiers to usher him through the period where even singles were hard to come by and soon realised patience would pay off.

Only at the very end, when Perera and Malinga seemed to have dinner rather than death bowling on their minds, did Miller pounce on anything too full and one which was too short. Miller registered the first South African half-century on the tour after their top order failed - Hashim Amla's absence is growing glaring as each match goes by.

South Africa tried a third opening pair in as many matches with Lions' team-mates Alviro Petersen and Quinton de Kock fronting up first. Both were watchful but de Kock was unable to contain his attacking instincts and was vulnerable outside the offstump.

He offered a chance in the fourth over when he swung at a wide one without any foot movement but Tillakaratne Dilshan at slip could not hold on. Sri Lanka hit back two balls later when Malinga bowled his first short ball and Petersen tried to hook too early, only to glove it to Kumar Sangakkara.

Sri Lanka's attack continued to find the edge of de Kock's bat and the youngster fell on his sword to open South Africa's middle up to a familiar state of panic. Both JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis posted insubstantial scores, with Duminy looking good again but unable to kick on and du Plessis uneasy at the crease and almost run out twice before actually being found short of his ground.

De Villiers looked closer to breaking the lean run but Sri Lanka's spinners and Ajanthan Mendis in particular did not let him get away. Mendis was difficult to pick while Rangana Herath and Dilshan kept things tight. It was only when Miller decided to hit out that the complexion of South Africa's tour became a little rosier.

Things got better for them from there as the fit-again Lonwabo Tsotsobe did the bulk of the damage upfront. He plucked three wickets in a six-over spell in which he extracted bounce, produced seam movement and partnered Morne Morkel to perfection.

Morkel created pressure at his end with pace and steep lift, while Tsotsobe's accuracy ensured eight dot balls were produced before the first run was scored. Sri Lanka's were troubled by anything back of a length and Dilshan was the first to succumb. He spooned a catch to de Villiers at cover before Kumar Sangakkara went in the same over, chasing one that moved away.

Upul Tharanga was also undone by bounce and edged Tsotsobe to Petersen at slip. With Sri Lanka at 16 for 3, South Africa were in control for the first time in the series.

They held the match in their grip even as Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimal combined for a 55-run stand. Robin Peterson reviewed an lbw shout against Jayawardene, which was going down leg and Jayawardene survived a stumping chance when Peterson was bowling but the left-arm spinner had the last laugh. Peterson bowled Jayawardene with one that skidded on, but that was the end of his involvement in the night.

Peterson's figures were ruined by Perera, who hit his first four sixes over the mid-wicket boundary. Then, he sent Peterson back over his head for four and he finished with the biggest hit of the night, over square leg.

That over brought Sri Lanka's required run-rate below six but, it would take more than one over to change the course of the match. Perera had a few more meaty hits, but he didn't have a second over to match his first and when he was dismissed, Sri Lanka's hopes went with him.

Sri Lanka v South Africa, 2nd ODI, Colombo

Sri Lanka 2-0 up after rainy day

Sri Lanka 223 for 9 (Dilshan 43, Chandimal 43, Morkel 3-34) beat South Africa 104 for 5 (Herath 2-16) by 17 runs (D/L method)

A second, successive sub-standard performance with the bat saw South Africa undo their significantly improved showing with the ball to go 2-0 down in the series. On a slow surface, batting was laboured, and Sri Lanka's attack was able to defend with ease, the spinners getting the opposition batsmen into a tangle, again.

South Africa's challenge was dealt a serious blow before it even began. Hashim Amla, who missed the first match with a neck niggle but recovered in time for this one, was injured in the field and could not open the batting. Amla slipped in the 43rd over while trying to field a ball at fine leg. He fell on his knee and was immediately taken to hospital for a scan.

Having dropped Colin Ingram to make way for Amla, South Africa needed another makeshift opener and pushed Robin Peterson up the order. He became the first spinner to open both the batting and the bowling for the country, having been given the first new ball earlier, but it was not an occasion for celebration.

Peterson watched as his partner, Alviro Petersen was dropped off the fourth ball of the innings but he had no such reprieve. He kept out one Lasith Malinga yorker but was comprehensively beaten by the next, which crashed into the stumps to see South Africa's opening stand broken in the first over.

Petersen and JP Duminy seemed to settle, with both hitting boundaries that showed their class, but they only had a 32-run stand to show for it. Thisara Perera managed some superb movement and got Duminy to feather an edge to Kumar Sangakkara.

Rangana Herath struck in his first over again, getting Petersen lbw playing for turn to one that went straight on. Tillakaratne Dilshan removed AB de Villiers on review when the South Africa captain missed a sweep. When Faf du Plessis was caught behind in the next over to become Herath's 50th ODI wicket, South Africa were 69 for 5 and defeat was imminent.

With rain looming, David Miller and Ryan McLaren tried to keep up with the Duckworth-Lewis target but they had fallen too far behind. Form in the top order has been exposed as severely lacking by Sri Lanka's wily attack. With none of Duminy, de Villiers or du Plessis posting a half-century in their last five innings, South Africa's batting will have to improve even more than their bowling did in this match.

Although the South Africa attack sent down 14 wides, they found their lines quicker than they had on Saturday. Morne Morkel struck the first blow when he had Upul Tharanga caught by Peterson at mid-wicket but South Africa would have shuddered to see the in-form Sangakkara stride out.

He immediately added stability with the first boundary of the innings, a well-timed flick through the leg side off a wayward Chris Morris delivery. Sangakkara continued to place the ball well even as Dilshan grew frustrated but he was dismissed against the run of play, to a spinner. Sangakkara was tempted by Aaron Phangiso's persistent flight and could not clear extra cover.

Dilshan had to take on the role of anchor and played an uncharacteristically watchful knock. For 36 deliveries after Sangakkara departed, Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene could not find the boundary and had to content themselves with nudging for singles.

In their 40-run stand, Jayawardene had one shot in anger, a back-foot punch through point, before missing a reverse-sweep and being cleaned up by Peterson.

Dilshan's vigil ended soon after. He got a thick edge off Morkel and de Villiers took a sharp, one-handed catch to his right to send the last of Sri Lanka's senior batsmen on his way. It was up to the young captain, Dinesh Chandimal, to steady Sri Lanka.

He survived a rain interval and the loss of both Jehan Mubarak and Perera but not du Plessis' instincts. Chandimal was out to a superb catch but his 43 proved crucial to helping Sri Lanka post a competitive score on a surface where batting became more difficult, and he can now look forward to sealing the series on Friday.

Sri Lanka v South Africa, 1st ODI, Colombo

Sri Lanka thrash South Africa by 180 runs

Sri Lanka 320 for 5 (Sangakkara 169, Morkel 2-34) beat South Africa 140 (Herath 3-25, Perera 3-31) by 180 runs

It was not exactly 624 but Kumar Sangakkara's career-best had a similar effect as the 2006 record stand he put on with Mahela Jawaywardene against the same opposition seven years ago. Sangakkara's 169 was his 16th ODI century, the highest score by a Sri Lankan batsman at home, which sent him past Ian Bell as the second highest run-scorer in ODIs this year and took his 2013 average to 75.55. It was also the difference between the two sides at the Premadasa Stadium.

Sangakkara dominated the South African attack with unusual aggression. He built his innings to a crescendo, scoring 66 runs off the first 91 balls and 103 from the next 46 and bulleted the leg side with boundaries. Almost 78% of his runs - 131 - came on the on side.

He made all South African bowlers - from their seamers who persisted with the short ball to their sitting duck trio of spinners - appear ineffectual and set their batsmen a target that would require them to complete the highest successful chase at the ground. That set Sri Lanka up to subject South Africa to their second-biggest loss and begin Russell Domingo's tenure on a difficult note.

South Africa went into the fixture understaffed, with Lonwabo Tsotsobe unfit for selection and Hashim Amla missing out because of an overnight neck problem. But they also seemed underprepared despite a week of training on the island.

Morne Morkel and Chris Morris bowled 19 deliveries between them in the first two overs because of the seven wides they sent down. To add insult to that ill-discipline, Morkel had Upul Tharanga dropped on nought by Alviro Petersen in the first over after the quick changed angles to round the wicket as he tried to find his line.

Morris discovered his soon after and bowled Tillakaratne Dilshan for 10 but Tharanga was there to remind South Africa what an error can cost. He took advantage of any width and put on 70 with Sangakkara before inside edging onto his stumps off Morkel.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene evoked even more memories of 2006 in their stint at the crease together. In their 74-run stand, Jayawardene dispatched the short ball at will while Sangakkara dealt with the spinners. Jayawardene succumbed to the pull but left Sangakkara to inflict the bulk of the damage.

Sangakkara imposed his authority in the latter third of the innings. Lahiru Thirimanne scored just 17 runs in a 123-run stand with Sangakkara, who hit audacious shots like the scoop and had some fortune with his edges. Already on a magical run this year, Sangakkara took that to new heights against an attack that ran out of ideas.

Thisara Perera's cameo at the end allowed Sri Lanka to take 103 runs off the last 10 overs and saw Sri Lanka post a total South Africa were never in with a chance of chasing.

Colin Ingram, opening in place of Amla, was out for a golden duck as his defences were absent against a perfect, inswinging Lasith Malinga yorker. Duminy, who was in a new role at No. 3 and playing his 100th ODI, dealt with Malinga better and hit him for two fours in the fifth over. Just as he looked good, he outside edged off Shaminda Eranga and Sangakkara reacted outstandingly to take a one-handed catch, low down.

Petersen showed why he should be considered in the openers' role more permanently with a watchful knock. Along with AB de Villiers, who was dropped by Eranga off his own bowling on 4, he made a South African challenge seem possible. De Villiers drove well and looked comfortable until Rangana Herath was brought on.

Sri Lanka's go-to man produced a delivery that angled into de VIlliers and bowled him as he played inside the line. Petersen, who was joint top-scorer on 29, was caught behind in the next over and at 75 for 4, it was only a matter of time.

South Africa's last six wickets fell for 58 runs as the middle order lacked temperament and application. That only served to worsen their record: South Africa have not won an ODI against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka since 1993 and have won only one of the 11 completed matches against the hosts they have played there. They will question their flawed strategy, especially in the spin department as they played two left-arm spinners against a top five with three left-handed batsmen and two sublime players of spin, who made them pay today.

West Indies v Pakistan, 2nd T20, St Vincent

Akmal, bowlers give Pakistan T20 series

Pakistan 135 for 7 (Akmal 46*, Narine 3-26) beat West Indies 124 for 9 (Tanvir 2-20) by 11 runs

Umar Akmal's 46 off 36 gave Pakistan the final surge to take them to 135, which their bowlers made look like 185 on a slow, dry and used pitch to give them the Twenty20 series to go with the ODI spoils. Pakistan threatened to leave Ahmed Shehzad's platform of 44 off 46 to waste, but Akmal did just enough - with 38 in the last four overs - for the bowlers, who were soon all over the West Indies batting.

Sohail Tanvir's extra bounce accounted for Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels, Mohammad Hafeez got Chris Gayle for the second time in two afternoons, and before you knew West Indies were 17 for 4. A strategic promotion for Sunil Narine injected some life into the chase as he scored 28 off 16, Kieron Pollard gave them late hope with 23 off 10, but they were fighting too much quality.

After Charles edged Tanvir to Akmal, Gayle's horror home season continued as he fell to a leading edge; since his century in the first ODI of the tri-series earlier in the season, Gayle has not crossed 30 in 10 international innings, and has averaged 10.2. Samuels got a bit of a brute that kicked at him just outside off, and took the gove. Lendl Simmons soon played for a Shahid Afridi legbreak, but it didn't turn and took the middle stumps.

As Dwayne Bravo fought hard, Narine swung merrily, and enjoyed some good timing and some good luck. The two added 47 in 5.3 overs, and brought the target down 72 off 39. Pollard took time to get going, and by the time he decided everything needed to go as West Indies needed 62 in four overs. Over the next four balls, he brought out some savage hits against the 34-year-old rookie Zulfiqar Babar, losing two balls and scoring 20 runs. Babar, though, went over the wicket, and managed to get the outer edge, which still carried to deep cover. Immediately, he got rid of Bravo, who also wanted to go over the off side but found long-off.

In those two balls, the brief life in the chase had frizzled out. Not even a shambolic no-ball call - for the front foot cutting the side crease - could make any difference. In contrast, Pakistan might not have had any such spells of brilliant hitting, but they stayed around the six-an-over mark before going for the big runs in the end.

West Indies seemed to have learned their lesson from having failed to defend 152 in the first game. They didn't give Pakistan any pace to hit. When the visitors ended the Powerplay at 39 for 1, it was the last time their run rate would reach 6.5 before Akmal's hitting in the 19th over. They had to fight a controlled West Indies effort throughout.

Shehzad, who scored 44 off 46, found little support from the other end. Hafeez, opening in the absence of the dropped Nasir Jamshed, was caught on the late cut again. Umar Amin was done in trying to drive on the up. Haris Sohail swung before he got used to the pace of the pitch. Shahid Afridi hit Narine into the strong wind and in the air. Shehzad perished trying to pull Pollard, who had dug the ball in and provided no pace to go with.

At 96 for 5 in the 16th over, it seemed Pakistan would struggle to get to a defendable total, but Akmal kept them in the game. Most of his good work came in the 19th over when Bravo went round the stumps and angled the ball across Akmal with little cover on the cover boundary. He was taken for a four and a six in the 16-run over, but Narine ended his good spell with just six runs in the 20th. As it turned out, Akmal had done enough damage by then.

West Indies v Pakistan, 1st T20, St Vincent

Babar takes Pakistan home off last ball

Pakistan 158 for 8 (Amin 47, Afridi 46) beat West Indies 152 for 7 (Pollard 49*, Babar 3-23, Hafeez 2-4)

by two wickets

You get a chance to play international cricket at 34, becoming the second-oldest debutant for your country. You are hit for six second ball. What do you do? You dismiss three key batsmen for just 23 runs. You are then called on to finish the game. With the bat. Understandably, you are tied down. But with six needed off six, you loft over extra cover for four. You think you have more than pulled your weight as a debutant. You have, but it is not over yet. It comes down to the last ball. One run needed. Everyone is in the circle. No sweat. You go big over mid-off, so big that you clear the rope. Zulfiqar Babar, welcome to international cricket.

It should not have come down to the last ball the wayShahid Afridi sensibly steered the chase from 86 for 5. After that became 116 for 6, he did it with the tail for company. He made 46 off 27, but barring the 27th delivery, he hardly hit a desperate, reckless stroke. With eight needed off 11 though, he tried to seal it with a straight six, and mishit to long-on.

West Indies sensed a chance. Babar played out a few dots. Despite that early boundary in the last over, Saeed Ajmal was run out off the fifth with the scores tied, before Babar roared one final time.

The way they bowled and fielded, West Indies were lucky to have taken it down to the last ball. Shannon Gabriel took three wickets, but he crumbled under pressure each time he was called upon to deliver.Umar Amin, who played a blinder on T20 debut, took three fours off Gabriel's first over, with a flick and two pulls.

Amin then took Samuel Badree apart on a turning pitch. Never giving the ball a chance to spin, he repeatedly stepped out to loft Badree down the ground. When the bowler dropped it short, Amin pulled. When he overpitched, Amin drove. Even as Amin was toying with West Indies, the hosts were striking at the other end.

The Pakistan top order fell to miscalculated hits, but Amin's brilliance meant the asking-rate was always under control. That still didn't stop Amin from walking out to Samuels and getting stumped to make it 86 for 5.

Afridi took over now, striking Samuels first ball for six over long-off and drilling the third to the extra cover rope. Thereafter, he settled down into cruise mode, rotating the strike, picking the odd boundary and also lofting Sunil Narine to become the first man to reach 400 international sixes. He did everything right except the stroke on the ball he got out to, but then, it was to be the debutant's day in the end.

Babar, and the other Pakistan spinners, had shocked West Indies initially on the turner but the hosts recovered and then took apart the fast bowlers to post a challenging total. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollardcame together at 42 for 4 and put on 56 before Darren Sammy cracked 30 off 14. Pakistan's slow bowlers did their job, taking 5 for 74 in 14 overs but the fast bowlers, missing the yorkers too often, disappeared for 1 for 73 in six. Mohammad Hafeez, who opened the bowling and dismissed the openers, gave himself just two overs.

Babar squared up and bowled Lendl Simmons with his fourth delivery and in his next over, found himself in the way of a powerful hit from Samuels, but managed to hold on. Samuels had been cutting Mohammad Irfan for boundaries amid all the wickets.

Bravo and Pollard, although not always in control, rotated the strike, a refreshing thing coming from a West Indies pair. Bravo was quick to hit with the turn through the off side, and Pollard made sure he put away the rare half-volleys for boundaries. Sammy went after the fast bowlers as he and Pollard looted 53 in four overs. As Sammy said after the game, 152 should have been defended on that pitch, but Babar was to have the perfect debut.

West Indies v Pakistan, 5th ODI, St Lucia

Steady Misbah steers 3-1 triumph

Pakistan 243 for 6 (Shehzad 64, Misbah 63, Best 3-48) beat West Indies 242 for 7 (Dwayne Bravo 48, Samuels 45, Charles 43, Junaid 3-48) by four wickets

With his fourth half-century in five games this series, the world's leading ODI run-getter of 2013 shepherded his volatile band of batsmen home in another tricky chase. Misbah-ul-Haq battled falling wickets at the other end, a charged up Tino Best, and a rain interruption as late as the 98th over of the game to take Pakistan to their third successive away bilateral series win over West Indies. Yet again this series, Umar Akmal was called upon to overcome the asking-rate towards the end, and once more, he did not disappoint, delivering the series to Pakistan with a 3-1 margin.

Misbah formed partnerships with Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail and Akmal before falling in the last over trying to slog the winning hit, with the scores tied. He had already ensured Pakistan had won the series; a tie would have meant the margin would have been 2-1.

When Sohail became the latest profligate Pakistan batsman to fall, chasing a wide Best delivery, Pakistan needed 83 from 12 overs. Best, having conceded 25 off his first three overs, was in the mood for a furious comeback. Pinging down bouncers in the mid-140s, he smacked one into Misbah's fingers. While the storm was being weathered by the captain, Akmal did his act at the other end.

The inexperienced Jason Holder was taken for three successive fours in the next over, the 41st, the second of those coming off a poor effort at fine leg from Marlon Samuels. It wasn't the first time West Indies had messed up in the field today, and it wasn't to be the last. Akmal steered a short ball to the fine third man rope next ball. Holder cracked further under pressure, four leg-byes resulting off Misbah's pad down the leg side off the last ball of the over.

Misbah managed a four off an inside edge to Sunil Narine next over and held his nerve to reverse-sweep the offspinner for four more. Then arrived the moment which once again highlighted what a farce a watered-down DRS has been in this series, in the absence of HotSpot. West Indies were sure Misbah had gloved a Best bouncer to the keeper down leg, the on-field umpire did not agree, and the third umpire had too much guesswork to do with only replays and sound as tools. Misbah was on 49 then, and Pakistan would have needed 53 of 46 had he been given. Darren Bravo had been given caught-behind on referral on the basis of sound earlier and West Indies had a right to expect consistency.

Though Best predictably lost his temper, West Indies were not giving in. Dwayne Bravo, who often disappears for plenty at the death, delivered two tight overs. But Akmal found the big stroke when Pakistan sorely needed it. Narine was cut for four, Best was carted over mid-off for six. A top-edge flew over the keeper for four more, but even as clouds swept in over the stadium, Akmal holed out to mid-off for 37 off 28.

A 20-minute break followed but Pakistan were ahead on D/L by five runs, and safe in the knowledge that the series was theirs, in case no further play was possible. Sunshine followed soon, though, and Shahid Afridi weighed in at the hit end of the hit-or-miss scale. Bravo was pulled for six over deep midwicket and punched past point for four. Game over? Not yet.

Misbah hit Holder to short midwicket second ball of the final over, and Saeed Ajmal took three deliveries to get bat on ball. Had the throw from mid-on hit, it would have gone down to the final ball. It didn't, and Afridi and Ajmal hugged, as did their team-mates in the Pakistan dressing room.

Credit for the win also went to Shehzad, who made his first substantial score of the series, and guided Pakistan's chase amid tight bowling from Narine and Darren Sammy. The pitch eased out further in the second innings. Cutting and pulling without trouble, Nasir Jamshed and Shehzad brought up Pakistan's first 50-run opening stand in 17 innings, excluding a game against Scotland.

Trust Pakistan to blow such a rare promising start. Jamshed was stranded for the second game running, Shehzad taking a few steps and stopping this time, after Mohammad Hafeez in the previous game. Hafeez himself got a start and then had a heave at Sammy. However, Shehzad had Misbah to steady things.

The opposing captain's cameo had earlier taken his side to to 242 for 7 from 170 for 6. Dwayne Bravo, with 48 off 27, was assisted by his predecessor, Darren Sammy, who made an unbeaten 29 off 18.

The West Indies top six never managed any sort of sustained partnership. Two of them, Johnson Charles and Samuels, got forties, but were also the ones who struggled to score the most. Devon Smith fell early yet again. Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons were unable to convert starts.

Junaid Khan was outstanding, barring the last over when Sammy went after him, making a case for him to have played through the series. Mohammad Irfan was unlucky not to break through in his opening spell, but came back even stronger to remove Charles and Samuels. West Indies took 64 from the last five overs, but Misbah's calm and Akmal's aggression were enough to overhaul that.a