London: South Africa will look to shed their big tournament 'chokers' tag that has haunted them for long as they go into the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy against strong contenders England here on Wednesday in what promises to be a thrilling showdown.
England topped Group A and will play South Africa in the last-four stage after Sri Lanka knocked holders Australia out of the tournament with a 20-run win at The Oval last night. Sri Lanka, who finished second in Group A, will take on reigning world champions and Group B toppers India in the second semi-final at Cardiff on Thursday.
South Africa advanced to the semi-finals on superior net run-rate after their rain-marred last Group B match against the West Indies in Cardiff ended in a tie. For South Africa -- often dubbed 'chokers' for losing from promising positions -- their only ICC trophy came way back in 1998 when they won the inaugural edition of the Champions Trophy, then known as ICC Knock-Out Trophy, in Bangladesh.
Thereafter, the Proteas failed to advance beyond the semi-final stages of major tournaments despite having strong outfits. But come Wednesday, the AB de Villiers-led side would be hoping to turn the tide. South Africa witnessed a mixed outing in the group stage of the tournament. They lost their opening game to India before getting the better of Pakistan, while their last game against the West Indies ended in a tie....
12:53 PM, Jun 18, 2013
Sydney: Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland on Friday slammed the role of the Australian team in the damaging David Warner punch-up incident in England and demanded they crack down on bad behaviour. Warner was on Thursday fined Aus$11,500 ($11,000) and suspended until the start of the Ashes series next month for punching England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar during the ongoing Champions Trophy. The 26-year-old told a London...
10:04 AM, Jun 14, 2013
London: Australia batsman David Warner on Thursday apologised to Joe Root after punching the England batsman in a Birmingham bar during the ongoing Champions Trophy. "I am here today to put my hand up and apologise to Joe. I've let my team-mates, family and everyone down," the 26-year-old told a news conference. Warner said he had exchanged text messages with Root and that his apology had been accepted. Earlier Thursday,...
11:28 PM, Jun 13, 2013
London: Shane Warne, the former Australia legspinner, has termed David Warner's bar-room bust-up and subsequent suspension as an unfortunate indecent for touring Australian cricket team while criticising the batsman for his lack of sense and responsibility. According to Warne, however, suspending the player was unhelpful and that it was the duty of senior players and management to guide younger players, especially in times of difficulty. Cricket Australia on Thursday suspended...
10:25 PM, Jun 13, 2013
David Warner has been fined 11,500 Australian dollars and suspended till the first Ashes Test for punching England's Joe Root in a bar brawl on Sunday. The decision was made after a hearing by cricket Australia's behaviour commissioner. ...
08:29 PM, Jun 13, 2013
Birmingham: Describing David Warner as "generous and giving", Australia's stand-in cricket captain George Bailey downplayed the opener's bar-room brawl with England batsman Joe Root, calling it a "minor" incident but "disappointing" nonetheless. After the ICC Champions Trophy Australia versus New Zealand group A match here was abandoned due to rain, the post-match media conference of Bailey centred around Warner. "It's been dealt with from my point of view. It's disappointing,...
09:57 AM, Jun 13, 2013
Leeds: With over a month to prepare for an eagerly awaited Ashes series against Australia, captain Alastair Cook believes England are in "a good place" after asserting their class against New Zealand. "It's great we've won two games first and foremost. For us its a good place to be," Cook said after England completed a 247-run victory in the second Test at Headingley on Tuesday for a 2-0 series success....
08:15 AM, May 29, 2013
Leeds: Geoffrey Boycott said Joe Root had "played beautifully" after the England batsman scored his maiden Test hundred, against New Zealand, at his Headingley home ground on Saturday. Root's 104, his first century in his sixth Test match, also saw him become the first Yorkshireman to score an inaugural Test ton at the club's Headingley headquarters in Leeds, northern England. There was further local pride in the 22-year-old Root's fifth-wicket...
09:56 AM, May 26, 2013
Leeds: Spinner and former skipper Daniel Vettori ruled himself out of the second Test at Headingley, ensuring New Zealand will take on England with an all-pace attack from Friday. Vettori's decision to put the team first rather than play a 112th Test and become the sole New Zealand record-holder for caps, means fast bowler Doug Bracewell will complement a seam attack with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. "It's...
08:35 AM, May 24, 2013
Leeds: Joe Root said on Wednesday that England would look to carry on from where they left off against New Zealand at Lord's during the second and final Test at his Headingley home ground. England skittled out New Zealand for just 68 at Lord's on Sunday to secure a 170-run win that left them 1-0 up in a two-match series heading into the second Test, which starts on Friday. "The...
09:31 PM, May 22, 2013
London: England named an unchanged squad for the second Test against New Zealand starting on Friday after batsman Ian Bell was declared fit following a bout of tonsillitis. Bell climbed out of his sick bed to take his place at the crease in the first Test won in stunning fashion by England on Sunday but had been a doubt for Headingley. Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root will get...
03:06 PM, May 21, 2013
CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day four of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 3 Round-up: James Anderson and Steven Finn continued the good work from the previous day and bowled out New Zealand for 207. England's second innings did not get the start it needed as both openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton departed in quick successions. Joe...
02:48 PM, May 19, 2013
London: After two days of being oppressed by New Zealand, England broke the stranglehold in impressive style to take charge halfway through the first Test at Lord's on Saturday. First, New Zealand was dismissed for 207 to give England a first-innings lead of 25, a significant amount on a tricky, soft pitch. That lead was then boosted from 25 to 205, as Joe Root and Jonathan Trott found runs easy...
11:36 PM, May 18, 2013
CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 2 Round-up: James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead...
03:06 PM, May 18, 2013
London: James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead gloom of Friday's second day which ended with New Zealand 153 for four in reply to England's first innings 232, a deficit of 79 runs. Anderson...
11:50 PM, May 17, 2013
James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead gloom of Friday's second day which ended with New Zealand 153 for four in reply to England's first innings 232, a deficit of 79 runs. CLICK HERE...
03:10 PM, May 17, 2013
London: Joe Root maintained his case for inclusion in the England team to play New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's next week by scoring 179 for the second-string England Lions in a draw against the tourists at Grace Road on Sunday. Root, the Lions captain, was named Saturday in a 12-man squad for the first of a two-Test series which culminates later this month at the Yorkshire batsman's...
09:11 AM, May 13, 2013
