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SA secure series win in Australia

BBC Online

South Africa won a first Test series in Australia with a nine-wicket win at the MCG, becoming the first team in 16 years to beat the Aussies on home soil.

Resuming on 30-0 in search of 183, they needed 42 more overs, Graeme Smith firing 10 fours in a commanding 75.

Neil McKenzie made an unbeaten 59 and Hashim Amla (30) hit the winning runs.

If South Africa win the final Test in Sydney on 3 January they would seal Australia's first whitewash since 1984 and replace them as world number one.

Australian cricket's iconic Melbourne ground was full of empty seats on the final day of the second Test, but there was a sprinkling of South Africans in attendance to see their team take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series 15 overs into the afternoon session.

Inspirational skipper Smith, who became South Africa's youngest captain at the age of 22 in 2003, looked set to be there at the finish, but after recording his 24th Test fifty he succumbed to a quicker ball from spinner Nathan Hauritz.

There was a hint of rain in the air when play resumed after lunch, with the Proteas requiring just 51 further runs for victory, but it did not materialise.

McKenzie had struggled for form earlier in the series with 12 runs in three previous innings and was bowled off a no-ball when on just two by Brett Lee late on day four.

But he stepped down the pitch to launch Hauritz back over his head for six, and having surviving some confident lbw appeals from Lee and Mitchell Johnson, he recorded his 16th Test fifty.

There was a stroke of good fortune about the boundary off Johnson that did it, however, Matthew Hayden fumbling a difficult low chance to his right at first slip.

By that stage only 31 were needed in any case, and less than 10 overs later it was all over, Amla clipping slow left-armer Michael Clarke through mid-wicket for two.

An emotional Smith praised his team's collective effort, but gave special mention to JP Duminy, who scored a magnificent 166 in the first innings to put South Africa into a commanding position on the third day.

"Everyone has contributed and made it count," he enthused. "Who could have said we would have batted so well at eight, nine and ten the other day, and JP's knock was an incredible achievement for such a young guy to be so composed and play the way he has.

"The belief though the team is really flowing.

"It's important to say Australia are still a quality unit and it's a real honour for us to come here and beat them. To be 2-0 up after two games is something we only dreamt of."

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

The 25-year-old has taken 74 Test wickets this year said: "It's happened so quickly, the team has done fantastically, led by a fantastic captain."

Stalwart wicketkeeper Mark Boucher said: "We have had a lot of heartbreak in this part of the world and to even think about winning a series in Australia was always going to be tough but I believe this team will go from strength to strength now."

All-rounder Jacques Kallis was delighted to finally win in Australia on his fourth tour. "It's an unbelievable feeling," he said. "We knew to beat Australia here you need a bit of luck to go your way and play the big moments well.

"For the senior players we realised how tough a task it was and this rates with winning a World Cup, if not better. South African cricket is healthy and hopefully we can keep the side together and stay on top for a while."

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

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

Smith's side came from behind equally strongly at the MCG, where they ended the second day at 198-7 - nearly 200 runs behind their hosts.

But a ninth-wicket partnership of 180 between Duminy and Steyn helped turn the game around, and Steyn's five-wicket haul in the second innings reduced Australia to 247, leaving the tourists a modest victory target.

Citycell B. League resumes tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

After a six-day break, the second phase of the 13th round of Citycell 2nd B. League resumes Thursday (January 1) with a lone match between Farashganj SC and Rahmatganj MFS at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS).

On the following day (Friday), Arambagh KS will play against Muktijoddha Sangsad KC at BNS while Chittagong Mohammedan SC faces Dhaka Abahani at the Chittagong Stadium.

The matches in Dhaka will kick-off at 4 pm and outside Dhaka at 2:30 pm.

Dhaka Abahani Limited with 23 points maintains solo lead in the league table, followed by Dhaka Mohammedan SC (22), Brothers Union Club (22) Sheikh Russell KC (21), Chittagong Mohammedan SC (11), Rahmatganj MFS (14), Chittagong Abahani (11), Farashganj SC (11), Arambagh KS (11), Muktijoddha SKC (07), and Khulna Abahani (03).

Vaughan ready to regain England place

AFP, London

Former England captain Michael Vaughan still believes he has an international future and is readying himself to take on Australia despite being left out of the squad for the tour of the West Indies.

Windies' Gayle key to New Zealand series

AFP, Queenstown

West Indies captain Chris Gayle looms as the most influential figure in the one-day cricket series against New Zealand which opens here Wednesday.

New Zealand view the tall left-hander as the one player they must dismiss cheaply if they are to be in with a chance, while the West Indies see their skipper as laying the foundation of their performance.

Depending on how the series pans out, New Zealand can either rise to fourth or tumble to eight in the world rankings.

The five matches should also deliver an overall series winner after the first half of the West Indies tour resulted in two drawn Tests and a win apiece in the two Twenty20 fixtures.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said Gayle's influence could not be overstated.

"We view Gayle like they probably view Brendon (McCullum). If they can get him early or we can get him early, that changes the momentum of the game," Vettori said.

Gayle was instrumental in dictating the outcome of two of the four internationals played on tour so far.

In the second Test, his 197 runs in eight-and-a-half hours at the crease stymied New Zealand's second innings run chase, and he belted 25 off Vettori in the match-winning over of the first Twenty20 clash.

But when he was out in just the second over of the second Twenty20, the West Indies fell 36 runs short of their target.

"When you come across sides with a guy playing so well, if you can get him out early it sort of deflates the rest of the guys in the team," said New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills.

"He's a big player for them, he's probably the most in- form batsman going around at the moment. He's a big wicket, so is (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan."

Gayle averages 40.06 in one-day cricket, although that drops to a less than spectacular 26.07 against New Zealand.

Least chance for Bangladesh: Dilshan

UNB, Dhaka

Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan thinks Bangladesh has the least chance to win the 1st Test of Grameenphone Series on the 5th day when the hosts will try to score the required 267 runs with five wickets in hand.

"(There is) very less chance for Bangladesh. Still 267 runs to get for them (Bangladesh) but we need only two wickets (of Ashraful and Shakib). There will be another option for us to take a new ball after two overs as well. So, I think very less chance for them (Bangladesh)," he said at a post match briefing after the 4th day's play of the 1st Test.

Dilshan, who seemed quite confident about their chances in the match, said Bangladesh still have a long way to go. They will be under pressure, because they need to get 267 runs "but we need only two wickets to expose their tail."

He added: "Tomorrow (Wednesday) after two overs, the new ball will be available. So, we have a very good chance to win this Test match."

Although a Test win against Sri Lanka remains a mere dream for the Tigers who lost all their previous 10 matches with huge margins, the unbeaten 6th wicket stand of 74 runs by skipper Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan may inspire them to dream of a thrilling win.

About the batting performance of Bangladesh in the 2nd innings, Dilshan said Bangladesh have batted very well. "Especially the last pair of Ashraful and Shakib batted very well. That happens in test cricket."

The right-arm off break bowler said the wicket in Mirpur is "very good" for Test cricket."

He, however, stressed the need for grabbing every opportunity to win a test match mentioning that the run out of Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes in the last over before lunch was "unnecessary."

Asked why he was not seen bowling today, Dilshan said: "We've got two spinners. I am a part time bowler and I never bowled in Test cricket for a longer period. Hopefully, I will bowl today (Wednesday) morning."

I think there will be a very good test match ahead: Tamim Iqbal

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is quite optimistic about having a very good test match ahead if the pair of Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan could bat through the first session of the 5th day of the 1st Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

"We didn't lose wickets in the later stages of the day (Tuesday) and it's a positive sign. If this pair can bat through the first session, I think there will be a very good test match ahead," he said at a post- match press conference at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) here Tuesday.

About his own departure after getting a start, the southpaw from Chittagong said: "To be honest, I was a bit tense today and also feeling the pressure of nerve. Because, in the last few innings, I got out after scoring 20-30 runs.

"And when I reached such range of scores, I started to feel pressure. So, I wanted to complete my fifty in a hurry today. I might not play such a shot if I were not in this kind of situation."

Chasing a huge target of 521, Tamim became the 2nd Bangladesh batsman to fall for 47 off 53 balls that included eight scorching fours before being caught behind off the bowling of pacer Dammika Prasad leaving the team total at 72.

About their tendency to play too many shots, the 19-year old said: "This is much better to do against their bowling attacks. Muralitharan is a world class bowler, the more you will defend him, the chance of his getting wickets will increase further.

"I think it is better to attack him (Muralitharan) that Ashraful Bhai did. As far as I have seen, Ashraful Bhai does play Murali better. So, I think our approach was right."

About the run out of opener Imrul Kayes just two balls before lunch, Tamim admitted that he felt more guilt than Imrul, saying it was a "silly run under the circumstances."

He also termed the wicket of Mirpur as one of the best in the country, saying "the number of international matches I played in Bangladesh, I think this is the best wicket. It is better for both batting and bowling… it seems to me that the wicket is getting much better as the day progresses."

Tamim told a questioner that they had no specific plan while facing Muralitharan. "Bowlers bowled according to their plan and we batted according to our plan," he said.

Four dead, 400 injured on roads on night of football celebrations

AFP, Hanoi

Four people died and more than 400 were injured on the roads amid frenzied celebrations over Vietnam's victory in a regional football competition, state media reports said Tuesday.

The streets of Vietnam's cities filled with tens of thousands of cheering revellers late Sunday, many waving national flags as they rode motorcycles and jammed into cars and trucks, after Vietnam won the AFF Suzuki Cup.

The night-long party was mostly a raucous but good natured demonstration of national pride in the football-crazed nation but it also led to scores of traffic accidents, reported the Tien Phong and Thanh Nien newspapers.

Motorcycle drag-racers hit and killed one person in the southern coastal resort of Ba Ria, while three men died in two traffic accidents in the business hub of Ho Chi Minh City, said the Thanh Nien daily.

Hospitals in the capital Hanoi reported at least 100 emergency cases, including three skull fractures, while more than 300 people were treated in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities nationwide, media reports said.

"Many of the patients suffered brain injuries, bone fractures and abrasions. Several of them had drunk beer or spirits," said the Tien Phong daily.

Hanoi police detained 14 people, aged between 16 and 20, for speed-racing after midnight and fined 100 more for riding without helmets, said the Vietnam News Agency, adding that one police officer was injured by fireworks.