Dharamsala: India scored 19/0 and needed another 87 runs to win the final Test and the four-match series against Australia at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium here on Monday, the third day of the ongoing encounter.

Openers Murali Vijay (6) and Lokesh Rahul (13) were at the crease when the day’s play was called off.

Earlier, India bundled out Australia for 137 runs in their second innings to set a 106-run target for clinching the final cricket Test match.

The Indian bowlers rampaged through the Australian batting lineup with pacer Umesh Yadav and the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja scalpng three wickets each while medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar took one wicket.

Earlier, India ended their first innings at 332 — taking a 32-run lead — in reply to the visitors’ first innings outing score of 300.

(IANS)

India’s Kuldeep Yadav (L) celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Glenn Maxwell with teammate Umesh Yadav during the fourth and last Test cricket match between India and Australia at The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on March 25, 2017. —-IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE—– / GETTYOUT—- / AFP PHOTO / PRAKASH SINGH /

Dharamsala: Debutant left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s four wickets helped India skittle out Australia for 300 in their first innings on the opening day of the fourth and final cricket Test here on Saturday.

India batted for an over and are still to open their scoring with both the openers Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay intact.

Electing to bat after winning the toss at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium here, skipper Steve Smith (111) and David Warner (56) set the tone for a massive Australian total, before chinaman Kuldeep triggered a batting collapse to bring India back into the game, with figures of 4/68.

Pacer Umesh Yadav complimented the rookie spinner well to pick 2/69 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket apiece.

(IANS)

New Delhi: Bachendri Pal, India’s first woman to climb Mount Everest, is leading a women’s expedition to the mountain’s base camp at a height of 17,500 feet, Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) announced here on Tuesday.

The team of six women will trek to Gokyo Everest base camp via the Jiri route in Nepal in about 20 days.

The journey will cover the Gokyo ridge touching 17,500 feet and two mountain passes, including Lobuche Base. Thereafter, they will arrive at the Everest base camp,” a statement by TSAF, headed by Pal, said.

Two other mountaineers — Hemant Gupta and Payo Murmu — will continue their journey to the Everest peak — highest in the world at 29,029 feet — after reaching the base camp where the women contingent will conclude their campaign.

Gupta, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay and employee of Tata Steel, aborted his earlier attempt at reaching the highest peak in 2015 when Nepal earthquake wreaked havoc in the region.

Murmu had successfully completed the ‘Snowman Trek’ in Bhutan in 2011 and also climbed Bhagirathi ll (21,400 ft) in 2014.

The expedition will commence on March 26.

(IANS)

Ranchi: Australia were 83-4 in their second innings at lunch on the fifth day of the third cricket Test against India here Monday.

Peter Handscomb (4) and Shaun Marsh (15) were at the crease at the break with Australia still trailing by 69 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Brief Score:

Australia 1st innings: 451

India 1st innings: 603/9d

Australia 2nd innings: 83/4 in 36 overs (Shaun Marsh 15 batting; R Jadeja 3/22).

(Agencies)

Ranchi: Captain Steven Smith struck a plucky half century to guide Australia to 194 for four at tea on day one of third Test against India here Thursday.

Smith (80*) was in the middle alongside comeback man Glenn Maxwell (19*) in a session where Australia scored 85 runs in 30 overs at the loss of Peter Handscomb (19).

It was a less productive session for the hosts, who had taken three crucial wickets in the first two hours of play, reducing the visitors to 109 for three.

Ajinkya Rahane was the stand-in captain in the middle as Virat Kohli missed majority of the second session after hurting his shoulder with an awkward dive in the morning.

Trying to save a boundary at deep midwicket in the 40th over, Kohli landed heavily on the fast and hard outfield of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association International Stadium Complex.

Such was the impact that he had difficulty in standing up and was seen grimacing in pain, clutching his right shoulder to be rushed out of the field immediately.

However, it was a memorable outing for rival skipper Smith, who became the third fastest batsman in terms of matches played to complete 5000 Test runs in his 53rd Test.

Sir Don Bradman had reached the milestone in his 36th Test, while Sunil Gavaskar took 52 matches to get past 5000.

Smith went about his job as usual on way to his 21st half-century and shared undefeated 54-run partnership with Maxwell.

Umesh looked the most impressive Indian bowler and gave the the only breakthrough of the session when he trapped Handscomb LBW with a brilliant inswinging yorker.

After Handscomb’s departure, Smith found a fine ally in Maxwell.

Earlier, Smith won a fine toss as their openers Matt Renshaw and David Warner played with a positive intent and cruised to 50 for no loss in 9.3 overs.

But after spin was introduced at both ends in the 10th over, Ravindra Jadeja (1/49) struck in his first over with Warner (19) offering a simple return catch to the left-arm spinner.

Renshaw’s first 24 runs came only in boundaries as once he cleared a fielder the ball would race past the rope.

Seventh over and Ashwin came in with his ‘bunny’ Warner at the opposite end.

At the other end, Warner took his time and hit his first boundary after 22 balls with an elegant cover drive off Yadav.

With Warner looking to break free, Kohli employed spin attack at both ends and Jadeja was welcomed by the Aussie vice-captain with another crunching drive.

The next ball, a juicy full-toss and Warner offered Jadeja a return catch for the first breakthrough for India.

(Agencies)

Hashim Amla counterattacked towards the days end to take a slender lead at stumps © Getty

Dunedin: South Africa took a slender five-run second innings lead to end the third day’s play at 38/1 after bowling New Zealand out for 341 in their first essay in the opening cricket Test at the University Oval here on Friday.

At stumps, opener Dean Elgar, the centurion in the first innings, was unbeaten on 12 runs with Hashim Amla giving him company on 23.

Earlier, resuming the third day at 177/3, the Kiwis rode on skipper Kane Williamson (130)’s 16th Test ton and wicketkeeper-batsman Bradley-John Watling’s patient half century to post 341 and get a meagre 33-run lead.

Williamson’s ton brought him level with Ross Taylor and one behind the New Zealand record of 17 held by the Martin Crowe.

After the departure of Williamson, New Zealand saw a batting collapse as they lost their middle order batsmen in 27 runs after lower order batsman Neil Wagner (32) steadied the fort for the hosts.

Apart from Watling and Wagner, no other lower-middle order batsmen stood up to the occasion as the tailenders — Mitchell Santner (4), Trent Boult (2) — only managed to add six runs in the end.

For South Africa, Keshav Maharaj scalped five wickets while pacer Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander took two wickets each.

(IANS)

Getty.

Dunedin: Skipper Kane Williamson led New Zealand’s fightback with a defiant half century as the hosts reached 177/3 in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 308, at stumps on the second day of the opening cricket Test at the University Oval here on Thursday.

Williamson was not out on 78 with Jeetan Patel, the nightwatchman, on nine as the Kiwis found themselves in a comfortable position despite losing veteran batsman Ross Taylor with a calf injury.

Taylor was on eight when he had to go off the field. He had earlier been pinged on the helmet by Morne Morkel, who looked in good fettle in conceding 26 runs from 10 overs in what is his comeback Test after a serious back injury.

Earlier, New Zealand wrapped up the South African first innings five overs after lunch, with the last six wickets falling for just 56 runs. It was a rapid end to an innings after Dean Elgar, with a Test-best 140, had his team well placed at 252/4 at one stage.

Resuming at the overnight score of 229/4, Neil Wagner sent back Elgar to end a 104-run stand with Temba Bavuma (64) as the visitors started losing wickets in a heap.

In response, South Africa removed opener Tom Latham early, caught behind off Philander for 10 before Williamson and Jeet Raval lifted the innings with a 102-run stand, before Raval went for 52.

Brief Scores: South Africa: 1st innings 308 (Dean Elgar 140, Temba Bavuma 64, Faf du Plessis 52, Trent Boult 4/64, Neil Wagner 3/88) vs New Zealand: 1st innings 177/3 (Kane Williamson 78 not out, Jeet Raval 52, Keshav Maharaj 2/57)

(IANS)