India vs Bangladesh Day 3 Highlights 1st Test | Chittagong

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Watch cricket highlights: India vs Bangladesh Day 3 of the 1st Test from Chittagong played on Jan 19, 2010.

Bangladesh vs India Day 2 Highlights 1st Test | Chittagong

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Watch cricket highlights: Bangladesh vs India Day 2 of the 1st Test at Chittagong played on Jan 18, 2010

Scoreline: India 243 all out: Sachin Tendulkar 105 no

Bangladesh 59/3 | Tamim Iqbal 31 |

Most of the day lost to fog and poor light as Bangladesh do what all those not carried away by the anger of yesterday thought they’d do. The good news for Bangladesh however is that Shakib’s yet to come and Ashraful looked quite calm the short while he was around (considering his current transition phase that doesn’t necessarily indicate much – but definitely worth tuning in for tomorrow).

Australia vs Pakistan Day 5 Highlights 3rd Test | Hobart

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Watch cricket highlights from the 5th and final day of the 3rd Test – Australia vs Pakistan played at Hobart on Jan 18, 2010

Scoreline: Pakistan 206 all out (2nd Inn) – lose by 232 | Siddle 3, Hauritz 3, Watson 2

One of the things noticeable is the subdued celebrations yet again from the Aussies after a series win – is it because their core players have seen the lows of the highs or is it a case of players following the captain’s cue who himself has sobered down a fair bit in the last couple of years. Must be the latter.

South Africa vs England 4th Test Day 4 Highlights | Johannesburg

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Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England 4th Test Day 4 from Johannesburg played on Jan 17, 2010.

Scoreline: England (2nd Inn) 169 all out – lose by an innings and 74 – Paul Collingwood 71 | Morkel 4, Steyn, Parnell, Duminy 2 each

India vs Bangladesh Day 1 Highlights 1st Test | Chittagong

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Watch cricket highlights: India vs Bangladesh Day 1 of the 1st Test at Chittagong played on Jan 17, 2010.

Scoreline: India 213/8 Sachin Tendulkar 76 not out, Sehwag 52 (51) | Shakib and Shahadat 4 each

So Sehwag is to blame for all this? If you’ve heard him speak, it sometimes even seems like he’s belittling his own teammates, but that’s only because he’s one of the few cricketers who truly speaks their mind. There are probably many other captains (Dhoni included) who probably mirror his opinion but wouldn’t say it out aloud. If you take away the annoying feeling of someone talking you down, what did he say. That Bangladesh are an ordinary team – rather than getting pissed off about it, the team probably needs to think about why they’ve gotten into a situation where someone would believe and think this. Consider Sri Lanka – for years many believed they were an ordinary side. A World Cup win and Murali, De Silva, Sanath, Vaas and all later, everyone pretty much learned to shut their effin mouths.

To the Bangladesh team’s credit, they for the most part used the Sehwag comment to fire themselves up rather than lose it. Shahadat had a spectacular day and also mouthed what looked like motherf***er towards the Indian dressing room (Sehwag) after bowling Dravid. I don’t think any bowler has called Sehwag a motherf***er over the last couple of years and given that Shahadat is a pumped-up type of guy, the well-aimed kick too means that the next time he comes up against Sehwag will be an absolutely drool-worthy event.

Looks like a good series looms ahead if Bangladesh can keep the feelings going rather than indulgently focusing on this day alone. From what was on show in the ODIs and today, of the pacers, Shafiul looks like he might be the most successful for Bangladesh.

As for Sachin and Shakib – they do what they do.

Australia vs Pakistan Day 4 Highlights 3rd Test | Hobart

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Watch cricket highlights: Australia vs Pakistan Day 4 of the 3rd Test at Hobart played on Jan 17, 2010.

Scoreline: Aus 219/5 declared Simon Katich 100, Ponting 89

Pakistan 103/4 in pursuit of 438

England vs South Africa Day 3 Highlights 4th Test | Johannesburg

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Watch cricket highlights: England vs South Africa Day 3 from the 4th Test at Johannesburg played on Jan 16, 2010.

Scoreline: SA 423/7 declared (1st Inn) Mark Boucher 95, de Villiers 58, McLaren 33 no | Braod 3, Sidebottom and Swann 2 each

Eng 48/3 (2nd Inn)

Maybe because the crowd’s getting right into it, climactic levels building up going into Day 4. C’mon KP, make this one tight

Pakistan vs Australia Day 3 Highlights 3rd Test | Hobart

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Watch cricket highlights: Pakistan vs Australia Day 3 from the 3rd Test at Hobart played on Jan 16, 2010

Scoreline: Pakistan (1st Inn) 301 all out Salman Butt 102, Shoaib Malik 58, Umar Gul 38, Asif 29 | Katich and Hauritz 3 apiece, Siddle 2

Aus (2nd Inn) 59/1 katich 33 no, Ponting 25 no – Lead by 277

Given the near-ultimatum handed out to him yesterday by his captain post-match, quite a super effort by Salman to get among the runs. Maybe it was because I was quite sleepy through the morning session, but there was something quite wistful about watching the forlorn-looking opener seemingly finding solace in Malik while in the middle.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been emitting all his typical predatory scents ahead of the Pakistan 2nd innings by appearing near-invisible today.

South Africa vs England Day 2 4th Test Highlights | Johannesburg

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Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England Day 2 from the 4th Test played at Johannesburg on Jan 15, 2010.

Scoreline: South Africa 215/2 Graeme Smith 105, Hashim Amla 73 no

Lucky or not, Graeme Smith seemed to realize that if Steyn-Morkel of Day 1 were not to be wasted, he’d have to yell out that Day 2 was meant to be taken. His latter half acceleration alongside Amla also reduces the impact of the weather on a result – he’s done his bit; it’s now upto Amla and Kallis to not delay a declaration too much even if SA intend batting just once. Wouldn’t have been a bad idea to send in AB when Smith went.

Australia vs Pakistan Day 2 Highlights 3rd Test | Hobart

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Watch cricket highlights: Australia vs Pakistan Day 2 from the 3rd Test at Hobart played on Jan 15, 2010.

Scoreline: Aus 519/8 declared Ricky Ponting 209, Clarke 166, Haddin 41

Pakistan 94/4 Farhat 38, Salman Butt 34 no

Unless you’re a hardcore Pakistan supporter it’s hard to imagine any sympathy for the situation they’ve got themselves into. And this was a thought even before they went out to bat. It all comes down to the post-tea tactics yesterday. Ponting anyhow might have got a double given his post-50 touch, but at least they’d know they’d tried. When you have bowlers repeatedly coming close to taking a wicket, re-adopting the tactics today was almost like Pakistan not having a choice but to continue with it given the ongoing partnership.

Personally I never particularly liked Salman Butt early in his career, but given the openers that have been selected over the last couple of years, he seems the most stable among them. And Farhat and he have begun to provide some semblance of an opening partnership in recent times. You’d have had to follow a team (India) for years to know the value of seeing 50/0 in a test to even begin to appreciate the importance of having a relatively settled opening combo. So sincerely hope Butt doesn’t go the Kamran way after today. But things aren’t looking great. Saw this news flash by on television a while back and looked it up on the net – Yousuf’s statements after play included:

“We are not playing for self, we are playing for country”

“If I’m 35 years old and I can get three runs, he’s 25 years old, why can’t he take the runs?.

“He is a little lazy, everybody knows.

“He’s just 25 years old and he can’t run. That is why I was just standing there.

“It was an easy three runs.

“Me and him the same in 140 overs fielding. We play for country here, not for self.

“I just stopped there, I didn’t say anything, I was just very sad with the whole thing.” – Source: news.com.au

On a happier note, glad Ponting piddled on my nagging feeling yesterday that he’d probably be out early today.

Now he can pull and do whatnot without anyone bothering him