England sacked Alastair Cook while West Indies replaced Dwayne Bravo from their ODI leadership in another exciting week around the cricketing world. At home Sri Lanka witnessed with nostalgia and heavy hearts two of their premier batsmen, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena play their final ODI at home.
Sri Lanka cruise to 5-2 series win in a perfect farewell to Sanga & Mahela
TM Dilshan’s first ton in 2014 and a 3-wicket haul led Sri Lanka to a memorable 87-run win over England in the 7th ODI played at R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday to send off their two great servants, Mahela and Sangakkara with a glorious 5-2 series win at home.
TM Dilshan struck a magnificent ton and Thisara Perera smashed the 2nd fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan as the hosts posted a terrific 302 before the Lankan bowlers choked down the visitors to 21. Fittingly Mahela Jayawardene taking the final wicket with the help of his best mate Sangakkara behind the stumps made news headlines caught Sangakkara bowled Jayawardena in one final hurrah. Seekuge Prasanna and TM Dilshan shared 6 wickets equally while lone-warrior Joe Root top-scored for the visitors with 80 runs.
Johnson leads Australia to 2-0 lead
Mitchell Johnson’s brilliance with both bat and ball inspired Australia to a 4-wicket victory over India in the 2nd Test as the hosts took an unassailable 2-0 series lead at the Gabba.
Murali Vijay’s 144 steered India to 408 in their 1st innings and Australia were 247/6 chasing India’s first innings score when Johnson came out and smashed 88 runs from 93 balls in a Gabba record seventh-wicket stand of 148 with skipper Steve Smith, that turned the match on its head as Australia took a 97-run lead. India in their 2nd attempt was bowled out for 224 with Johnson taking 4 wickets in the middle to tear apart the visitors and the hosts reached the target of 128 with 6 wickets down.
England name their world cup touring party
Eoin Morgan replaced Alastair Cook as England ODI captain for the World Cup and Tri-Series against Australia and India in January. England selectors announced a 15-man squad for the world cup with three changes to the one-day squad that lost 5-2 to Sri Lanka.
England’s World Cup squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.
Jason Holder named as new West Indies ODI skipper
Fast-bowler Jason Holder was named as the new captain of the West Indies ODI team last week week taking over from Dwayne Bravo who has been axed after his high-profile role in October´s India tour fiasco. 23-year old Holder will lead the West Indies into their five-match series against South Africa in January before heading the squad at the World Cup in February and March. Holder has appeared in 21 ODIs and has taken 29 wickets while he has also appeared in one Test and a T20 international.
South Africa humiliate West Indies by an innings and 220 runs
Fast bowler Dale Steyn ripped through the West Indian batting to send the tourists crashing to a humiliating defeat by an innings and 220 runs in the first Test at Centurion.
South Africa posted a mammoth 552/5 declared in their 1st innings with Hashim Amla (208), AB De Villiers (152) and Stiaan Van Zyl (101*) scoring the bulk of the runs. Windies bowled out for 201 with Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel sharing 7 wickets amongst them. Steyn’s brilliant 6/34 broke the visitors for only 131 in their 2nd innings.
New Zealand win the ODI series over Pakistan
Skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor hit half-centuries while fast-bowler Matt Henry recorded career best bowling figures as New Zealand thumped Pakistan by 68 runs in the fifth and final ODI in Abu Dhabi to take the ODI series 3-2.
Pakistan won the first match in Dubai by three wickets and the third in Sharjah by 147 runs while New Zealand took the second by four wickets and the fourth game by seven runs.
Shahid Afridi to quit ODIs after World cup
Dashing Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi announced last week that he would retire from one-day cricket after next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup but continue to play Twenty20 cricket until 2016.
“I will retire from one-day cricket after the World Cup. I wanted to leave on the peak. I think it’s the right time to leave so that my place goes to a youngster and there are very talented players in Pakistan.” Afridi told a press conference.
Zimbabwe fire Stephen Mangongo as their head coach
Zimbabwe sack head coach Stephen Mangongo just eight weeks before World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Mangongo replaced Andy Waller in July and he coached his country to a famous one-day international win over Australia in August, that was the only time they tasted victory under him and a recent 5-0 ODI series whitewash against Bangladesh, coupled with a 3-0 Test beating, proved to be the final straw.
New Zealand name their squad for the Sri Lanka series
The Black Caps named their 13-man squad for the first of two home tests this summer, beginning on 26th December at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.
Test squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Mark Craig, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
Batsman Joe Burns called up for the third India Test
Joe Burns has been picked to make his Test debut on Boxing Day after being called in to replace injured Mitchell Marsh. Burns has beaten a long list of contenders, including Ed Cowan, Callum Ferguson and Adam Voges for the vacant berth in Australia’s top six. Burns, who has opened this summer for Queensland, has been rewarded for a strong summer in the Sheffield Shield, scoring 439 runs at 55.
