Wimbledon: Third Round (Day 5)

Murray and Robson both victorious

On a rain affected day at Wimbledon, the home crowd at least had something to cheer as both Andy Murray and Laura Robson progressed into the fourth and third round respectively. Murray overcame Tommy Robredo in three comfortable sets as the Olympic champion had too much power from the ground strokes for the Spaniard. Laura Robson handled the pressure brilliantly on her way to victory over Duque-Marino. The gutsy young Brit prevailed in two sets after smashing her opponent out 6-1 in the second set. David Ferrer and Tommy Haas both completed their matches during the rain hit day whilst Jerzy Janowicz played the match of his life to knock out Nicolas Almagro. The big pole continuously hit serves at around 140mph on his way to claiming a straight sets win over the shell shocked 15th seed. Marion Bartoli progressed into the fourth round with a straight sets win over Giorgi but the real surprise of the day came when Kai Kanepi brilliantly came from behind to defeat seventh seed Angelique Kerber. The German looked certain to win the match in the second set tie-break but Kanepi found some inspired tennis to come back and eventually claim the third set 6-3.

My Opinion: A great day for British tennis as we have a Man and Woman in the third round for the first time in years. Very solid performance from Andy Murray against a wily player in Robredo. Laura Robson handled the pressure of people expecting her to win very well and cruised to victory in the second set. Amazing tennis from Janowicz who literally blew Almagro off the court. Almagro just didn't know what to do as Janowicz fired serve after serve at 140mph down at him. Kerber must be reeling after losing her match to Kanepi. She really should have won that tie-break but Kanepi deserves credit for that comeback.



Men's Third Round Selected Results:

(2) Murray beat (32) Robredo 6-2, 6-4, 7-5.
(4) Ferrer beat Agut 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-5.
(13) Haas beat Wang 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.
(24) Janowicz beat (15) Almagro 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Women's Second and Third Round Selected Results:

Kanepi beat (7) Kerber 3-6, 7-6, 6-3.
(15) Bartoli beat Giorgi 6-4, 7-5.
(19) Suarez-Navarro beat Bouchard 7-5, 6-2.
(20) Flipkens beat Dolonc 6-4, 6-2.
Robson beat Duque-Marino 6-4, 6-1.

Men's Performance of the Day: Jerzy Janowicz for an inspired show of tennis to defeat Almagro.

Women's Performance of the Day: Kai Kanepi for a brilliant comeback against seventh seed Kerber.

Wimbledon: Second Round (Day 4)

Djokovic and Williams power into the third round

Novak Djokovic eased into the third round of Wimbledon with a straight sets victory over Bobby Reynolds. The first set was competitive but Djokovic held the edge in the tie-break. From then on it was comfortable for the world number one, taking the next two sets in quick succession. Del Potro and Berdych both proved too powerful for their respective opponents as they sealed second round wins in straight sets. Richard Gasquet looked in dominant form as the Frenchman took the opening set agaisnt Soeda 6-0. Soeda managed to secure one set before Gasquet prevailed in the fourth set. Sijsling caused the only shock in the me's draw, taking out the promising Milos Raonic in three sets.

Serena Williams played strongly against Garcia which was more than enough to make the third round. It was a similar story for Radwanska who prevailed in straight sets over Johansson. Nai Li looked in line for an upset as Halep levelled the match at one set apiece but the sixth seed found her game to bagel Halep in the deciding set. Roberta Vinci overcame a tough encounter with Cepelova, taking the final set 9-7.

My Opinion: A straightforward day for the big guns. Novak is playing extremely well whilst Del Potro and Berdych look in fine form too. A little surprised that Raonic lost to Sijsling. Sijsling possesses a big serve but I did not think he had the game to beat Raonic. Garcia played well to secure as many games as she did against Serena because the American played well. Na Li showed determination and willpower to win the final set in her match whilst Vinci deserves credit for winning 9-7 in the third set against Cepelova.



Men's Second Round Selected Results:

(1) Djokovic beat Reynolds 7-6, 6-3, 6-1.
(7) Berdych beat Brands 7-6, 6-4, 6-2.
(8) Del Potro beat Levine 6-2, 7-6, 6-3.
(9) Gasquet beat Soeda 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
(12) Nishikori beat Mayer 7-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Sijsling beat (17) Raonic 7-5, 6-4, 7-6.

Women's Second Round Selected Results:

(1) Williams beat Garcia 6-3, 6-2.
(4) Radwanska beat Johansson 6-1, 6-3.
(6) Na Li beat Halep 6-2, 1-6, 6-0.
(14) Stosur beat Puchkova 6-2, 6-2.
(11) Vinci beat Cepelova 6-1, 4-6, 9-7.
(18) Cibulkova beat Torro-Flor 6-0, 6-1.

Men's Doubles First Round Selected Results:

Delgado/Ebden beat Hewitt/Knowles 6-3, 7-5, 7-6.

Women's Doubles First Round Selected Results:

Cornet/Parmentier beat Slater/Whybourn 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Soler-Espinosa/Suarez-Navarro beat Moore/South 6-4, 7-6.
Pennetta/Petkovic beat Murray/Windley 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.

Men's Performance of the Day: Sijsling for outserving Milos Raonic.

Women's Performance of the Day: Vinci for overcoming a really tough encounter with Cepelova.

Wimbledon: Second Round (Day 3)

Big Names fall on crazy day at Wimbledon

Federer, Tsonga, Cilic, Isner, Azarenka, Ivanovic, Jankovic, Wozniacki and Sharapova are all OUT. Nobody could have predicted today's casualties and shocks. Sadly, Tsonga and Isner had to retire from their matches due to injury whilst Cilic and Azarenka didn't even make it to the court before withdrawing with injuries. There were two huge upsets in both the mens and womens draws as Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova both crashed out in the second round. Federer took a close first set on a tie-break before Stakhovsky continued to play the match of his life and take the next three sets against a nervous Federer. Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova had plenty to say about the court conditions after her shock defeat to Larcher De Brito as the Russian fell over on multiple occasions. Andy Murray managed to avoid all the drama and defeat Lu in straight sets after three dominant sets. Caroline Wozniacki's year still hasn't improved after bowing out to Cetkovska in straight sets whilst both Jankovic and Ivanovic crashed out.

My Opinion: It was unfortunate so many players have had to withdraw due to injury. The pressures and pains of playing on grass after a long clay court season has taken its toll and caught up on certain players. However, some of the big names going out really shocked me. Roger Federer losing on centre court to Stakhovsky really was incredible although the guy made no mistakes. It does showcase that a good serve and volley game can still beat the best. Maria Sharapova crashing out was another shocker. The two loudest ladies in the game was amusing/horrible to listen to throughout but Sharapova just didn't play well enough - most probably to her lack of confidence in the court and being able to stand up. A shame to see Wozniacki unable to build upon her first round whilst Ivanovic lost to a very promising young lady in Bouchard, who won the girl's wimbledon junior title last year. Good too see Murray through after amidst the chaos and the draw has really opened up for him now. Nadal, Federer, Tsonga and Cilic are all out which means the highest ranked player on his side of the draw is 15th seed Nicolas Almagro. A similar story for Serena Williams who now becomes the even more favourite to win after Sharapova and Azarenka both departed.



Men's Second Round Selected Results:

(2) Murray beat Lu 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
Stakhovsky beat (3) Federer 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.
Gulbis beat (6) Tsonga 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, ret.
De Schepper walkover (10) Cilic
(15) Almagro beat Rufin 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Mannarino beat (18) Isner 1-0 ret.
(20) Youzhny beat Pospisil 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4.

Women's Second Round Selected Results:

Larcher De Brito beat (2) Sharapova 6-3, 6-4
Pennetta walkover (3) Azarenka
(8) Kvitova walkover Shevdova
Cetkovska beat (9) Wozniacki 6-2, 6-2.
Bouchard beat (12) Ivanovic 6-3, 6-3.
(15) Bartoli beat Mchale 7-5, 6-4.
Dolonc beat (16) Jankovic 7-5, 6-2.
(17) Stephens beat Petkovic 7-6, 2-6, 8-6.
(19) Suarez-Navarro beat Lucic-Baroni 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
(20) Flipkens beat Jovanovski 6-4, 6-4.

Men's Doubles First Round Selected Results:

(9) Fleming/Marray beat Klizan/Zelenay 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
(16) Huey/Inglot beat Agut/Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Marrero/Seppi beat Edmund/Baker 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.
Matosevic/Moser beat Rice/Thornley 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-4.

Women's First Round Selected Results:

(1) Vinci/Errani beat Keothavong/Konta 6-3, 6-1.
(11) Black/Erakovic beat Jugic-Salkic/Watson 6-2, 6-0.
Raymond/Robson beat Schiavone/Stosur 6-3, 6-1.

Men's Performance of the Day: Stakhovsky for bringing back serve and volleying and sending Federer packing.

Women's Performance of the Day: Larcher De Brito for shrieking even louder than Sharapova and thus claiming vocal and tennis victory.

Wimbledon: First Round (Day 2)

Laura Robson shocks 10th seed Maria Kirilenko 

A spectacular performance from Britain's Laura Robson proved too much for Maria Kirilenko - the tenth seed at this year's championships. Powerful groundstrokes and accurate serving from Robson was enough to blast past a shocked Kirilenko in straight sets. Unfortunately, it was bad news for Heather Watson. Returning from injury to play at Wimbledon, Watson could not find her best tennis as she was ousted in two sets by the big Amercian Madison Keys. Serena Willams strolled into the second round, losing only four games in the process to Minella. Fourth seed Radwanska and sixth seed Na Li both eased into round two with easy wins over their respective opponents.

There was only one upset in the men's draw as Feliciano Lopez defeated Gilles Simon in straight sets. Lopez holds a huge serve and is a real danger to seeds in this tournament whereas Simon doesn't posses a strong enough game on a grass court. Dodig came back from two sets down to level the match at two sets apiece against Kohlschrieber. Amazingly, the German had to retire at 1-2 down which gifted Dodig a passage into the next round. Djokovic played some devastating tennis to overcome Mayer in straight sets. Del Potro and Berdych both progressed with straight sets victories whilst Ferrer and Gasquet both dropped a set before progressing into round two.

My Opinion:  Brilliant to see Robson come through a tough match. Robson is known to defeat the star seeds in major tournaments but she played extremely well today. Not surprised that Serena won comfortably with the game she possesses. A shame for Heather Watson to go out so early. I can understand the defeat though as it was one of her first matches back since her glandular fever illness. No doubt that she will be back better than ever soon. Other matches went in favour of the seeds today which is no surprise in women's tennis. Dominating show from Novak today. A strong contender to win the tournament and he looks in form to do it. I would have been more shocked if Simon had beaten Lopez, even though the seedings suggest otherwise. Lopez has a huge serve and the game to play well on grass whereas Simon doesn't. Ferrer, Berdych and Del Potro all safely through is a good thing as they could all pose a threat for the Final.



Men's First Round Selected Results:

(1) Djokovic beat Mayer 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
(4) Ferrer beat Alund 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
(7) Berdych beat Klizan 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
(8) Del Potro beat Ramos 6-2, 7-5, 6-1.
(9) Gasquet beat Granollers 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.
(12) Nishikori beat Ebden 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.
(13) Haas beat Tursonov 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.
Dodig beat (16) Kohlshreiber 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 2-1.
(17) Raonic beat Berlocq 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Lopez beat (19) Simon 6-2, 6-4, 7-6.

Ladies First Round Selected Results:

(1) Williams beat Minella 6-1, 6-3.
(4) Radwanska beat Meusburger 6-1, 6-1.
(6) Na Li beat Krajicek 6-1, 6-1.
(7) Kerber beat Mattek-Sands 6-3, 6-4.
Robson beat (10) Kirilenko 6-3, 6-4.
(11) Vinci beat Scheepers 6-2, 6-1.
Pliskova beat (13) Petrova 6-3, 6-2.
(14) Stosur beat Schmiedlova 6-1, 6-3.
(18) Cibulkova beat Camerin 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Keys beat Watson 6-3, 7-5.
Kanepi beat Moore 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.

Men's Doubles First Round Selected Results:

Skupski/Malisse beat Donskoy/Kuznetsov 7-6, 6-7, 6-0, 6-1.

Men's Performance of the Day: Novak Djokovic for defeating Mayer in stylish fashion.

Women's Performance of the Day: Laura Robson for knocking out tenth seed Maria Kirilenko in classy style.

Wimbledon: First Round (Day 1)

Steve Darcis shocks Rafael Nadal on opening day of Wimbledon

Steve Darcis caused one of the biggest upsets in tennis history on the first day at the All England Championships to beat French Open winner Rafael Nadal. The Belgium played the match of his life as he knocked out Nadal in straight sets, much to the shock of everyone. Lleyton Hewitt rolled back the years to upset 11th seed Stanislas Wawrinka in three sets whilst Marin Cilic was beaten by Marcos Baghdatis. Amongst all the top seeds dropping out, some managed to remain calm and progress. Andy Murray began his campaign well with victory over Benjamin Becker. Roger Federer strolled past Victor Hanescu, conceding only five games whilst Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated David Goffin.

There was only one major shock on the opening day's play in the women's draw as Sara Errani was trumped by Puig in straight sets. It was an easier day for Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova who both prevailed over their opponents. Caroline Wozniacki looked to have found some much needed form by only conceding two games to Candela. It was a tough start for Petra Kvitova who scraped past Vandeweghe in three competitive sets.

My Opinion: Very surprised that Nadal lost in the opening round after looking in such good form in the French Open. It must be noted that Nadal looked to be struggling with his knee throughout the match but Steve Darcis pulled out the match of his life to win. Not as shocked to see Hewitt beat Wawrinka. Hewitt is a wily fox on grass and that was a tough first round draw for Wawrinka. Similar things can be said of Cilic's defeat to Baghdatis as the Cypriot is a worthy opponent at Wimbledon. Great to see Murray progress nicely into round two with a solid win over Becker. Federer really cruised through his match. He should be a real threat again this year. I was not that surprised to see Errani go out so early. She has the game for the slower clay courts but not the fast grass ones. Azarenka and Sharapova wasted no time in progressing to round two whilst Kvitova played horribly but managed to win. Good to see Wozniacki win a match after some poor form this year.



Men's First Round Selected Results:

(2) Murray beat Becker 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
(3) Federer beat Hanescu 6-3, 6-2, 6-0.
Darcis beat (5) Nadal 7-6, 7-6, 6-4.
(6) Tsonga beat Goffin 7-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Baghdatis beat (10) Cilic 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Hewitt beat (11) Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
(14) Tipsarevic beat Troicki 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.
(15) Almagro beat Zopp 6-4, 7-6, 7-5.
(18) Isner beat Donskoy 6-1, 7-6, 7-6.
(20) Youzhny beat Haase 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.
(24) Janowicz beat Edmund 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Lu beat Ward 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6.

Women's First Round Selected Results:

(2) Azarenka beat Koehler 6-1, 6-2.
(3) Sharapova beat Mladenovic 7-6, 6-3.
Puig beat (5) Errani 6-3, 6-2.
(8) Kvitova beat Vandeweghe 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
(9) Wozniacki beat Candela 6-0, 6-2.
(12) Ivanovic beat Razzano 7-6, 6-0.
(15) Bartoli beat Svitlolina 6-3, 7-5.
(16) Jankovic beat Konta 6-2, 7-5.
(17) Stephens beat Hampton 6-3, 6-3.
(19) Suarez Navarro beat Dominguez Lino 6-2, 6-2.
(20) Flipkens beat Putintseva 7-5, 6-4.
Pennetta beat Baltacha 6-4, 6-1.
Giorgi beat Murray 6-3, 6-4.
Muguruz beat Keothavong 6-4, 6-0.

Men's Performance of the Day: Steve Darcis deserves this. Sheer brilliance from Darcis who outplayed Rafael Nadal on Centre Court.

Women's Performance of the Day: Maria Sharapova for fighting her way to victory over a stubborn Mladenovic.

NatWest International Twenty20 Series: England v New Zealand (The Oval)

New Zealand beat England in T20 thriller

New Zealand 201-4 (20 overs) beat England 196-5 (20 overs) by 5 five runs.

England came close to pulling off an almighty comeback in the T20 series against New Zealand but fell just five runs short. Rutherford (62) and Brendon McCullum (68) smashed their way to fifties which gave the Kiwis a brilliant start, leaving them 115-2. Ross Taylor came in at the end to push New Zealand over the 200 run mark with a knock of 32 runs off 19 balls. England were left with the daunting task of chasing down 202 runs to win. Incredibly, England nearly managed to pull off a spectacular victory as Luke Wright smashed 52 runs off 34 balls. With the in form Bopara at the crease, England found themselves with a chance to achieve the required runs with two overs left. It was not to be though as New Zealand held on for an incredible win.

My Opinion: Irrespective of the result, it was an incredible game of cricket. This is what makes cricket entertaining for the spectators who are not into the slow five day Test matches. Fantastic hitting from the Kiwis gave them a high run rate throughout their innings and justifiably deserve to have achieved the 200 run mark. England were extremely close to victory but it was not to be. They managed to keep up with the required run rate all the way until the final over. Great to see Luke Wright smash some sixes and although England lost, I really enjoyed the match as a spectacle.



Match Guide: Key Moments:

England won the toss and elected to field first.

NZ: 1-1 (0.4), Franklin 0 (1), caught Buttler, Rankin.
49-1 (5).
115-2 (11.5), Rutherford 62 (35), 6 x fours, 4 x sixes, caught Haled, Wright.
116-2 (12), B. McCullum hits 50* off 36 balls.
156-2 (15).
161-3 (15.5), B. McCullum 68 (48), 7 x fours, 2 x sixes, bowled by Wright.
200-4 (19.5), Latham 22 (17), 1 x four, 1 x six, caught Bopara, Dernbach.
201-4 (20), Taylor 32* (19), 2 x fours, 1 x six. Munro 0* (0).

ENG: 50-1 (3.4), Lumb 29 (15), 3 x fours, 2 x sixes, bowled by N. McCullum.
60-1 (5), need 142 runs off 90 balls.
103-1 (10), need 99 runs off 60 balls.
105-2 (10.3), Hales 39 (29), 5 x fours, 1 x six, caught Franklin, Hira.
134-3 (13.5), Morgan 7 (10), caught Taylor, Butler.
136-3 (14), Wright hits 50* off 29 balls.
139-4 (15), Wright 52 (34), 6 x fours, 1 x six, caught Latham, McClenaghan.
184-5 (18.4), Buttler 17 (10), 1 x four, 1 x six, run out by Latham.
196-5 (20), New Zealand win by 5 runs. Bopara 30* (18), 2 x fours, 1 x six. Stokes 9* (5), 1 x six.

Best Bowler: Wright for figures of 2-31-0-(4).
Best Batsman: B. McCullum for hitting 68 runs off 48 balls.
Man of the Match: Rutherford for scoring 62 runs off 35 balls including four sixes.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Final: England v India

India beat England to retain ICC Champions Trophy

India 129-7 (20 overs) beat England 124-8 (20 overs), by 5 runs. 

England looked certain to go one step further this time and claim the title but crumbled at the end of the match as India held their nerve to close out victory. The game was reduced to a 20 over match due to persistent rain earlier in the day but eventually the game got under way. Bopara starred with the ball, taking three wickets as India were reduced to 66-5. Kohli (43) and Jadeja (33*) saved the Indian innings to at least salvage something to protect. England seemed to have one hand on the trophy with only 20 runs needed from 16 balls whilst Morgan and Bopara remained at the crease. However, the next eight balls saw India take four wickets for just 3 runs which swung the match in their favour. Tredwell failed to hit a six on the last ball of the innings as India claimed a tense 5 run victory. 

My Opinion: Absolutely gutted to see England crumble under the pressure for a second Champions Trophy Final in a row to India. Victory looked in their grasp. Some great bowling put England on top as India struggled to 129-7. Ashwin and Kohli deserve credit for scoring those vital runs but it should not have made any difference to the outcome of the game. England batted very conservatively but with only 20 runs to score from 16 balls, you simply have to convert. Very disappointed by that collapse but India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and fully deserve the accolades. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

England won the toss and elected to field first.

IND: 19-1 (3.5), R. Sharma 9 (14), 1 x four, bowled by Broad.

50-2 (8.2), Dhawan 31 (24), 2 x fours, 1 x six, caught Tredwell, Bopara.

64-3 (11.1), Karthik 6 (11), caught Morgan, Tredwell.

66-4 (12.2), Raina 1 (6), caught Cook, Bopara.

66-5 (13), Dhoni 0 (4), caught Tredwell, Bopara.

113-6 (18.3), Kohli 43 (34), 4 x fours, 1 x six, caught Bopara, Anderson.

119-7 (19.2), Ashwin 1 (1), run out by Bell.

129-7 (20), Jadeja 33* (25), 2 x fours, 2 x sixes. Kumar 1* (1).

ENG: 3-1 (1.5), Cook 2 (9), caught Ashwin, Yadav.

28-2 (5.1), Trott 20 (17), 2 x fours, stumped by Dhoni, Jadeja.

40-3 (7.4), 7 (9), caught I. Sharma, Ashwin.

46-4 (8.3), Bell 13 (16), 1 x four, stumped by Dhoni, Jadeja.

110-5 (17.3), Morgan 33 (30), 3 x fours, 1 x six, caught Ashwin, I. Sharma.

110-6 (17.4), Bopara 30 (25), 2 x sixes, caught Ashwin, I. Sharma.

112-7 (18.2), Buttler 0 (1), bowled by Jadeja.

113-8 (18.4), Bresnan 2 (4), run out by Rohit Sharma.

124-8 (20), India win by 5 runs. Broad 7* (5), 1 x four. Tredwell 5* (4).

Best Bowler: Bopara with figures of 3-20-1-(4).

Best Batsman: Kohli for hitting 43 runs off 34 balls.

Man of the Match: Jadeja for scoring 33 not out off 25 balls and taking 2 wickets for 15 runs. 

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Semi-Final: India v Sri Lanka (Cardiff)

Dominant India thrash Sri Lanka to reach Final

India 182-2 (35 overs) beat Sri Lanka 181-8 (50 overs) by eight wickets.

India strolled to an eight wicket victory over Sri Lanka and will now meet England in the Final. Ishant Sharma and Ashwin starred in the Indian bowling attack as they reduced Sri Lanka to only 181-8 after 50 overs. Some quality batting from Dhawan (68) and Kohli (58*) saw India cross the winning line in only the 35th over as they punished the Sri Lankan bowlers. India, who are the current champions, are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament and will be favourites to beat England in the Final.

My Opinion: India simply outclassed Sri Lanka in this match in every department. Brilliant bowling from Ishant and Ashwin really contained the star Sri Lankan batsmen. Only Angelo Mathews, who made it past 50 runs, was able to score any significant runs for Sri Lanka. The Indian batting top order was quite magnificent. They strolled through the run chase in rapid time with Dhawan and Kohli smashing the ball to the boundary on multiple occasions. It looks like India will be strong favourites for the Final but hopefully England can find some magic.



Match Guide: Key Moments

India won the toss and elected to field first.

SL: 6-1 (2.4),K. Perera 4 (8), 1 x four, caught Raina, Kumar.
18-1 (5), Dilshan retires hurt on 12*.
36-2 (15.2), Thirimanne 7 (31), 1 x four, caught Raina, I. Sharma.
41-3 (18), Sangakkara 17 (44), 1 x four, caught Raina, I. Sharma.
119-4 (36.1), Jayawardene 38 (63), 3 x fours, bowled by Jadeja.
154-4 (45), Mathews makes 50* off 75 balls.
158-5 (45.5), Mathews 51 (89), 1 x four, 1 x six, caught Kumar, Ashwin.
160-6 (46.5), T. Perera 0 (4), caught Dhawan, I. Sharma.
164-7 (47.4), Kulasekara 1 (3), bowled by Ashwin.
171-8 (49.1), Mendis 25 (35), 1 x four, stumped by Dhoni, Ashwin.
181-8 (50), Dilshan 18* (21), 2 x fours. Malinga 7* (8), 1 x four.

IND: 77-1 (17), R. Sharma 33 (50), 4 x fours, bowled by Mathews.
110-1 (26), Dhawan hits 50* off 73 balls.
142-2 (31.5), Dhawan 68 (92), 6 x fours, 1 x six, stumped by Sangakkara, Mendis.
(34) Kohli hits 50* off 58 balls.
182-2 (35), India win by 8 wickets. Kohli 58* (64), 4 x fours, 1 x six. Raina 7* (4), 1 x four.

Best Bowler: Ishant Sharma with figures of 3-33-1-(9).
Best Batsman: Dhawan for hitting 68 runs off 92 balls.
Man of the Match: Ishant Sharma for some spectacular bowling.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Semi-Final: England v South Africa (The Oval)

England power past South Africa into the Final

England 179-3 (37.3) beat South Africa 175 all out (38.4) by seven wickets.

South Africa crumbled again in a major Semi-Final as a batting collapse left them at 80-8 with the England bowlers in full flow. Miller (56*) and Kleinveldt (43) put on a 10th wicket partnership of 95 runs to at least restore some pride but it was just simply not enough. Jonathan Trott was in imperious form, hitting an unbeaten 82* off 84 balls whilst Joe Root scored 48 runs to help guide England comfortably to victory and a place in the Final.

My Opinion: A brilliant performance by England but an even worse effort by South Africa. Anderson, Broad and Tredwell all bowled tremendously whilst the majority of the Proteas batsmen didn't turn up at all. A lot of credit must go to Trott for keeping a cool head and scoring runs at a quick rate which kept South Africa on the back foot throughout the match. If England can match this performance in the Final then they will have a great chance of going one step further than before.



Match Guide: Key Moments

England won the toss and elected to field first.

SA: 1-1 (0.5), Ingram 0 (5), lbw, Anderson.
4-2 (1.4), Amla 1 (3), caught Buttler, Finn.
45-3 (10.5), Peterson 30 (41), 4 x fours, lbw, Anderson.
50-4 (13.4), De Villiers 0 (9), caught Buttler, Broad.
63-5 (16.5), Duminy 3 (11), bowled Tredwell.
70-6 (18.4), Du Plessis 26 (39), 3 x fours, caught Buttler, Tredwell.
76-7 (20.2), Mclaren 1 (5), run out by Trott.
80-8 (22.3), Morris 3 (6), caught Buttler, Tredwell.
168-8 (37), Miller hits 50* off 48 balls.
175-9 (38.3), Kleinveldt 43 (61), 4 x fours, 1 x six, caught Buttler, Broad.
175 all out (38.4), Tsotsobe 0 (1), caught Buttler, Broad. Miller 56* (51), 5 x fours, 2 x sixes.

ENG: 22-1 (6.2), Cook 6 (21), caught AB De Villiers, Morris.
41-2 (11), Bell 20 (30), 2 x fours, caught AB De Villiers, Kleinveldt.
114-2 (26), Trott hits 50* off 64 balls.
146-3 (32), Root 48 (71), 7 x fours, bowled by Duminy.
179-3 (37.3), England win by seven wickets. Trott 82* (84), 11 x fours. Morgan 15* (19), 2 x fours.

Best Bowler: Tredwell with figures of 3-19-1-(7).
Best Batsman: Trott for hitting 82* off 84 balls.
Man of the Match: Trott for a brilliant batting performance.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 12: Sri Lanka v Australia (The Oval)

Sri Lanka through to face India in Semi-Finals

Sri Lanka 253-8 (50 overs) beat Australia 233 all out (42.3) by 20 runs.

Sri Lanka claimed a 20 run victory to set up a Semi-Final with India whilst the result knock both Australia and New Zealand out of the competition. Jayawardene's (84*) sensational knock proved too much for the Australian bowlers to handle as Sri Lanka posted 253-8 after their 50 overs. Australia got off to a poor start as they stumbled to 80-5. Voges (49) and Wade (31) put Australia back on the winning trail but were both dismissed. McKay's attempt to save the game was not enough as the Australian was caught and bowled by Dilshan which wrapped up a Sri Lankan victory.

My Opinion: Jayawardene was simply the difference in this match. The Sri Lankan's batted more impressively than the Aussies overall but to be unbeaten on 84 was a spectacular feat. Australia, who needed a miracle run rate to go through, lost too many early wickets from which they could not recover from. Sri Lanka deserve to progress from the group as New Zealand and Australia showed a lack of quality throughout the tournament.



Match Guide: Key Moments

Australia won the toss and elected to field first.

SL: 8-1 (0.3), Perera 8 (3), 2 x fours, lbw Johnson.
20-2 (3.2), Sangakkara 3 (11), caught Maxwell, Mckay.
91-3 (22.2), Dilshan 34 (58), 1 x four, caught Watson, Doherty.
(27), Thirmanne hits 50* off 72 balls.
128-4 (31.3), Thirimanne 57 (86), 4 x fours, caught Watson, Johnson.
159-5 (37), Mathews 12 (20), 1 x four, bowled by Faulkner.
(42), Jayawardene hits 50* off 57 balls.
224-6 (46.2), Chandimal 31 (32), 1 x four, 1 x six, caught Hughes, Johnson.
234-7 (47.4), Kulasekara 6 (5), run out by Maxwell.
244-8 (49.1), Herath 2 (5), run out by Marsh.
253-8 (50), Jayawardene 84* (81), 11 x fours, Malinga 2* (1).

AUS: 9-1 (1.2), Watson 5 (7), 1 x four, bowled by Kulasekara.
45-2 (5.2), Hughes 13 (10), 3 x fours, caught Sangakkara, Kulasekara.
59-3 (6.3), Maxwell 32 (20), 5 x fours, 1 x six, bowled by Malinga.
69-4 (8.3), Bailey 4 (7), run out by Kulasekara.
80-5 (13), Marsh 4 (14), bowled by Mathews.
127-6 (19.1), Wade 31 (23), 4 x fours, 1 x six, caught Dilshan, Kulasekara.
163-6 (23.5), Faulkner 17 (14), 3 x fours, caught Sangakkara, Herath.
168-8 (25), Johnson 4 (4), 1 x four, caught Kulasekara, Eranga.
189-8 (29.1), Australia are OUT of tournament with a lower run rate than Sri Lanka.
192-9 (30.2), Voges 49 (62), 2 x fours, caught Eranga, Herath.
233 all out (42.3), Mckay 30 (58), 2 x fours, caught and bowled by Dilshan. Sri Lanka win by 20 runs.

Best Bowler: Kulasekara with figures of 3-42-0-9
Best Batsman: Jayawardene for hitting 84 not out off 81 balls.
Man of the Match: Jayawardene for a match winning performance with the bat.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 11: England v New Zealand (Cardiff)

England through to the Semi-Finals

England 169 all out (23.3 overs) beat New Zealand 159-8 (24 overs) by 10 runs.

England beat New Zealand by 10 runs to progress into the Semi-Finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. Due to rain falling in the morning, the game was reduced to a 24 over match. Cook (64) and Root (38) helped England to a total of 169 runs but Kyle Mills took four wickets as New Zealand bowled England out in the 24th over. Williamson (67) and Corey Anderson (30) looked in dangerous form but a good bowling effort from England held New Zealand, who in the end fell 10 runs short of the required total. New Zealand now need Australia to beat Sri Lanka in order to progress.

My Opinion: England batted poorly, apart from Cook and Root who saved the innings. The bowlers offered no runs to the cause which meant the game was up for grabs for the Kiwis. Thankfully, the England bowlers kept taking wickets to break up any partnerships throughout the innings. This gave New Zealand no momentum which ultimately left them 10 runs short.  

Match Guide: Key Moments

New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first.

Eng: 16-1 (2.1), Bell 10 (8), 1 x four, caught B. McCullum, McClenaghan. 

25-2 (3.2), Trott 8 (6), 1 x four, caught N. McCullum, Mills.

100-3 (14.2), Root 38 (40), 2 x fours, 1 x six, caught Ronchi, McClenaghan.

119-3 (17), Cook hits 50* off 30 balls.

141-4 (18.4) Cook 64 (47), 2 x fours, 2 x sixes, caught and bowled by N. McClenghan.

143-5 (19.4) Morgan 15 (15), 1 x six, lbw, Vettori.

159-6 (21.3), Buttler 14 (9), 2 x fours, caught N. McClenaghan, Mills.

166-7 (22.4), Bopara 9 (11), 1 x four, caught Williamson, McClenaghan.

169-8 (23), Bresnan 4 (3), run out by Franklin.

169-9 (23.2) Broad 0 (2), caught N. McCullum, Mills.

169 all out (23.3), Tredwell 0 (1), caught McClenaghan, Mills. Anderson 0* (0).

NZ: 14-1 (3.4), Ronchi 2 (12), caught Trott, Anderson.

14-2 (4), Guptill 9 (12), 1 x four, bowled by Anderson.

27-3 (6), Taylor 3 (6), lbw, Bresnan.

48-4 (11.4), B. McCullum 8 (17), caught Root, Bopara.

62-5 (13.5), Franklin 6 (6), 1 x four, caught Morgan, Bopara.

115-5 (20), Franklin hits 50* off 48 balls.

135-6 (21.2), Williamson 67 (54), 8 x fours, 1 x six, caught Anderson, Broad.

140-7 (22.2), C. Anderson 30 (24), 2 x fours, 1 x six, caught Anderson, Bresnan.

159-8 (24), N. McCullum 13 (11), 1 x four, 1 x six, caught Buttler, Anderson.

Mills 5* (2), 1 x four. England win by 10 runs. 

Best Bowler: Mills for taking 4-30-0-4.3.

Best Batsman: Williamson for scoring 67 runs off 54 balls.

Man of the Match: Cook for scoring an important 64 runs off 47 balls and making key fielding decisions. 

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 10: India v Pakistan (Egbaston)

India dominate Pakistan to remain unbeaten

India 102-2 (19.1) beat Pakistan 165 (39.4) by 8 wickets (D/L method).

India cruised to an 8 wicket victory over a poor Pakistan effort. The Indian bowling attack proved too much for Pakistan to handle as they were bowled out for a woeful 165 runs in only 40 overs. India raced away to 102-2 after 19.1 overs before the rain stopped play for the day. There was no doubt to who was going to win this encounter and with the help of the Duckworth-Lewis method, India were vastly ahead of the required run rate. It was a poor showing from Pakistan, who are already knocked out, whilst India look strong going into the semi-finals and are the only team unbeaten so far.

My Opinion: India really thrashed Pakistan here. It was a slow start from the Pakistan batsmen but losing five wickets for only 34 runs at the end of the innings shows a real weakness in their team. On the other hand, India look to be getting stronger as the tournament progresses. A great bowling display which was backed up by some strong batting showed why they are favourites to retain their title.



Match Guide: Key Moments

India won the toss and elected to field.

PAK: 4-1 (2.3) Jamshed 2 (9), caught Raina, Kumar.
50-2 (12.1) Hafeez 27 (31), 5 x fours, caught Dhoni, Kumar.
56-3 (15.1) Akmal 21 (38), 2 x fours, caught Kohli, Ashwin.
110-4 (26.4) Misbah 22 (33), 1 x four, bowled by Jadeja.
131-5 (31.1) Shafiq 41 (57), 3 x fours, caught Dhoni, I. Sharma.
139-6 (33) Malik 17 (23), 2 x fours, lbw Jadeja.
140-7 (33.3) Riaz 0 (2), bowled by Ashwin.
159-8 (38.1) Ajmal 5 (16), caught R. Sharma, I. Sharma.
159-9 (38.2) Junaid Khan 0 (1), run out by Kohli.
165 all out (39.4) Irfan 0 (2), run out by Yadav. Amin 27* (26), 3 x fours.

IND: 58-1 (10.4) R. Sharma 18 (32), 2 x fours, caught Misbah, Ajmal.
78-2 (14.3) Dhawan 48 (41), 5 x fours, caught Jamshed, Riaz.
102-2 (19.1) India win by 8 wickets on D/L method. Kohli 22* (27), 3 x fours. Karthik 11* (15), 1 x four.

Best Bowler: Kumar with figures of 2-19-2-(8).
Best Batsman: Dhawan for scoring 48 runs off 41 balls.
Man of the Match: Kumar for a brilliant bowling display which helped limit Pakistan's total.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 9: South Africa v West Indies (Cardiff)

West Indies are eliminated as rain forces a draw with South Africa

South Africa 230-6 (31 overs) drew with West Indies 190-6 (26.1)

The rain thwarted any chance of the West Indies progressing further in the tournament after their draw with South Africa. The match looked set to be completed after a reduced 31 over tie was in motion. Frustratingly for the West Indies, the rain came with only five overs left to play in a situation where they needed 41 runs from 29 balls. It was good news for South Africa who now advance from the group stage into the semi-finals.

My Opinion: Terribly bad luck for the West Indies who looked to be in a winning position before the rain poured down. It was a decent game with South Africa posting a competitive total from 31 overs. With Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy at the crease, who knows what could have happened in those last five overs. South Africa have played well so far in the tournament and will be looking forward to a semi-final spot.



Match Guide: Key Moments

West Indies won the toss and elected to field.

SA: 80-1 Amla 23 (27), 2 x fours, caught Gayle, Samuels.
124-2 Ingram 73 (63), 6 x fours, 2 x sixes, caught Darren Bravo, Pollard.
128-3 Duminy 2 (5), caught Charles, Dwayne Bravo.
153-4 AB De Villiers 37 (26), 2 x fours, 1 x six, caught Darren Bravo, Rampaul.
221-5 Du Plessis 35 (32), 3 x fours, 1 x six, run out by Dwayne Bravo.
229-6 Miller 38 (29), 1 x four, 3 x sixes, caught Sammy, Dwayne Bravo.
230-6 (31 overs), Mclaren 7* (4), 1 x six. Peterson 0* (0).

WI: 35-1 Charles 16 (26), 2 x fours, caught De Villiers, Steyn.
75-2 Gayle 36 (27), 5 x fours, 1 x six, caught Du Plessis, Morris.
87-3 Smith 30 (29), 4 x fours, lbw Peterson.
104-4 Darren Bravo 12 (7), 2 x fours, run out by Amla.
162-5 Samuels 48 (38), 6 x fours, 2 x sixes, bowled Steyn.
190-6 Pollard 28 (23), 5 x fours, caught Steyn, Mclaren. Dwayne Bravo 8* (7), 1 x four.

Best Bowler: Steyn with figures of 2-33 off six overs.
Best Batsman: Ingram with 73 runs off 63 balls.
Man of the Match: N/A

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 8: England v Sri Lanka (The Oval)

Sangakkara hits 134* to help Sri Lanka to victory over England

Sri Lanka 297-3 (47.1 overs) beat England 293-7 (50 overs) by seven wickets.

Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara was just too good for England as they claimed a much needed win in their bid to qualify from group A. England's hopes of qualification took a hit from this defeat but they can still progress if they beat New Zealand. It was a good start for England as Cook (59), Trott (76) and Root (68) all provided decent knocks to provide a dominant position at 249-4 after 45 overs. However, a middle order batting collapse saw England only score five runs for the loss of three quick wickets in a mad two over spell. A quite brilliant performance from Bopara salvaged England after scoring an unbeaten 33 runs off 13 balls to take the hosts to 293-7 after 50 overs. Disappointingly, it was not enough as the Sri Lankan batsmen dominated England's bowling attack. Dilshan (44), Jayawardene (42) and Kulasekara (58*) all scored heavily and quickly but it was Sangakkara who quite simply stole the show with his unbeaten 134* to guide Sri Lanka home in the 48th over to finish on 297-3.

My Opinion: England batted well and got off to a good start. The middle order fell apart at around the 250 run mark but some brilliance from Bopara saved the team to post a solid total. England's inability to stop runs off every ball cost them in this match. Sri Lanka batted extremely well and all credit must go to them but poor fielding and bowling from England enabled the likes of Sangakkara to score so heavily.



Match Guide: Key Moments:

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.

ENG: 48-1 (24) Bell 20 (37), 3 x fours, caught K. Perera, Eranga.
109-1 (24) Cook makes 50* off 72 balls.
131-2 (28.3) Cook 59 (85), 3 x fours, lbw Herath.
160-2 (34) Trott makes 50* off 63 balls.
218-3 (42) Trott 76 (87), 5 x fours, lbw Herath.
249-4 (45.3) Root 68 (55), 5 x fours, caught Jayawardene, Malinga.
249-5 (45.4) Morgan 13 (10), 1 x four, lbw Malinga.
249-6 (46.2) Buttler 0 (2), caught Sangakkara, Kulasekara.
254-7 (47.5) Bresnan 4 (7), bowled Eranga.
293-7 (50) Bopara 33* (13), 2 x fours, 3 x sixes. Broad 7* (4), 1 x four.

SL: 10-1 (2.2) K. Perera 6 (11), 1 x four, caught Bopara, Anderson.
102-2 (20.5) Dilshan 44 (56), 3 x fours, 1 x six, caught Root, Swann.
103-2 (22) Sangakkara makes 50* off 59 balls.
187-3 (35.2) Jayawardene 42 (43), 3 x fours, 1 x six, caught Sub, Anderson.
210-3 (39) Sangakkara makes 100* off 111 balls.
269-3 (44) Kulasekara makes 50* off 30 balls.
297-3 (47.1) Sri Lanka win by seven wickets. Sangakkara 134* (135), 12 x fours. Kulasekara 58* (38), 5 x fours, 3 x sixes.

Best Bowler: Herath with 2 wickets for 46 runs.
Best Batsman: Sangakkara with 134* off 135 balls.
Man of the Match: Sangakkara for a match winning knock with the bat and even managed to take a catch.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 7: Australia v New Zealand (Edgbaston)

Points shared after match abandoned due to continuous rain

Australia 243-8 (50 overs) drew with New Zealand 51-2 (15 overs).

Despite Australia posting a score after 50 overs, they were denied a chance to win as the rain kept falling during the New Zealand innings. The result favours New Zealand as they are now two points clear of Australia. It is good news for England as a win against Sri Lanka will see them qualify to the next stage. Australia started poorly with the bat, losing two early wickets before Adam Voges (71) shined to help guide the Aussies to 243-8 after 50 overs. It would have been an intriguing conclusion to the match if the rain had kept away as McKay took two wickets, to leave the Kiwis on 51-2 after 15 overs. Frustratingly, the rain came and stayed for the remainder of the day which meant a result was not possible.



Match Guide: Key Moments:

Australia won the toss and chose to bat.
AUS: 5-1 (1.3) Watson 5 (7), 1 x four, caught Ronchi, McClenaghan.
10-2 (3.1) Hughes 0 (4), Run out by Guptill.
74-3 (19) Wade 29 (57), lbw N. McCullum.
121-3 (29) Bailey makes 50* off 71 balls.
151-4 (35) Bailey 55 (91), 5 x fours, bowled by N.McCullum. Voges makes 50*.
193-5 (42) Marsh 22 (24), 3 x fours, caught Ronchi, McClenaghan.
196-6 (43.1) Voges 71 (76), 7 x fours, caught B. McCullum, McClenaghan.
210-7 (46.3) Faulkner 6 (12), caught McClenaghan, Williamson.
219-8 (47.4) Johnson 8 (6), 2 x fours, caught B.McCullum, McClenaghan.
243-8 (50) Maxwell 29* (22), 1 x four, 2 x six. McKay 2* (4).

NZ: 18-1 (4) Guptill 8 (13), 1 x four, caught Maxwell, McKay.
26-2 (7.1) Ronchi 14 (17), 2 x fours, caught Watson, McKay.
51-2 (15) Rain Stops Play. Williamson 18* (37), 1 x four. Taylor 9* (23).
Match Abandoned.

Best Batsman: Voges, for hitting a quality 71 off 76 balls.
Best Bowler: McClenaghan for taking four wickets for 65 runs.
Man of the Match: N/A

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Day 6: India v West Indies (The Oval)

Dhawan hits an unbeaten century as Pakistan are knocked out

India 236-2 (39.1 overs) beat West Indies 233-9 (50 overs) by 8 wickets.

India defeated the West Indies by 8 wickets which means that Pakistan are now out of the competition. It was a strong performance from the Indian batsmen who quickly chased down a target of 234 runs. Charles (60) and Sammy (56) were the only two West Indian batsmen to contribute decent runs for their team as a brilliant bowling display from Jadeja, who took a fifer, limited the West Indies to 233-9 after 50 overs. Rohit Sharma (52) and Dhawan (102) put on a first wicket century partnership which gave India a strong platform from which to chase the remaining runs. Karthik (51) made his fifty before India easily chased down their target to clinch victory at the Oval.



Match Guide: Key Moments:

India win the toss and choose to field first.
WI: 25-1 (5) Gayle 21 (18), 4 x fours, caught Ashwin, Kumar.
92-1, Charles makes his fifty.
103-2 (9.5) Charles 60 (55), 7 x fours, 2 x sixes, lbw Jadeja.
105-3 (22) Samuels 1 (8), lbw Jadeja.
109-4 (24) Sarwan 1 (6), caught Dhoni, Jadeja.
140-5 (33.1) Darren Bravo 35 (83), 2 x fours, stumped Dhoni, Ashwin.
163-6 (37.5) Dwayne Bravo 25 (40), 3 x fours, caught Jadeja, Yadav.
171-7 (42.1) Pollard 22 (32), 2 x sixes, caught Kumar, Ishant Sharma.
179-8 (43.4) Narine 2 (8), caught Karthik, Jadeja.
182-9 (45.3) Rampaul 2 (7), bowled Jadeja.
233-9 (50) Sammy 56* (35), 5 x fours, 4 x sixes. Roach 0* (8).

IND: 98-0 (15) Rohit Sharma 50* and Dhawan 50*.
101-1 (15.3) Rohit Sharma 52 (56), 7 x fours, caught Charles, Narine.
127-2 (20) Kohli 22 (18), 4 x fours, bowled Narine.
204-2 (35.1) Rain stops play.
232-2 (38.1) Dhawan scores 100* off 102 balls.
236-2 (39.1) India win by 8 wickets. Karthik 51* (54), 8 x fours. Dhawan 102* (107), 10 x fours, 1 x six.

Best Batsman: Dhawan for his unbeaten century.
Best Bowler: Jadeja for taking five wickets for 36 runs with two maidens and one catch.
Man of the Match: Jadeja for a brilliant performance with the ball which limited the West Indies total.