New Zealand Survive Late Charge To Seal Series

New Zealand (211) beat Pakistan (207) by seven runs

New Zealand pulled off a seven-run win in the third One-Day International over Pakistan to seal a come-from-behind series win in Abu Dhabi but they were pushed exceptionally hard by Pakistan's lower-order batsmen.

With the series level at 1-1 going into the match, New Zealand were bowled out for 211 but they hit back to eventually dismiss Pakistan for 204 after last-wicket pair Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal put on 103 before Ajmal holed out in the deep.

Spinners Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik shared six wickets as Pakistan appeared to be in pole position at the halfway stage but they were undone by another committed effort in the field from the Black Caps.

Just as they had in the second game, Salman Butt (25) and Khalid Latif (19) made an assured start, putting on 47 for the first wicket before they lost eight wickets for just 39 runs to slip to 86 for eight, and out of the reckoning.

Umar Akmal (11) and Shahid Afridi (12) were the only other frontline batsmen to reach double figures as Kyle Mills, Shane Bond, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee and Daniel Vettori shared the wickets around.

Vettori bowled a fine spell of two for 41, his figures bruised when Mohammad Aamer hit him for three sixes in the 35th over but if New Zealand thought that would be a final flourish, they were wrong, Aamer and Ajmal growing in confidence and they frustrated the Black Caps with a mix of excellent strokes, outrageous luck and clever cricket.

Aamer was unbeaten on 73 in 81 balls while Ajmal's 33 was a career-best while 73 set a new record high score for a number ten batsman in ODI cricket.

Earlier, off-spinner Ajmal picked up three leg-before decisions on his way to figures of four for 33 as New Zealand were unable to build on a good start having won the toss and elected to bat first.

Brendon McCullum, who hit 131 in the second game, made 76 in 78 balls before he was caught and bowled by Malik and Ross Taylor hit 44 before becoming the first batsman to be struck on the pad in front of the stumps by Ajmal, who bowled a wonderful spell.

Leg-spinner Afridi had Neil Broom dismissed, also leg before wicket and left-arm quick Aamer finished with two for 41 by removing tail-enders Mills (4) and Southee (4).

Umar Gul picked up his 100th ODI wicket when he had Aaron Redmond caught by Aamer for 21 early on in the day.

The two sides now play two Twenty20 Internationals on 12th and 13th November.

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Taibu Ton In Vain As South Africa Overpower Zimbabwe

South Africa 295-5 beat Zimbabwe 250-6 by 45 runs

Tatenda Taibu scored a valiant century but it was not enough for Zimbabwe, who were overpowered by South Africa as they began their preparations for series against England with a 45-run victory in Taibu.

Debutant Ryan McLaren played a big part in South Africa asserting themselves on the match when, asked to chase 296 to win, Zimbabwe were reduced to 48 for five, the all-rounder having Justice Chibhaba trapped in front for 21 and Brendan Taylor (2) brilliantly caught by Mark Boucher.

Mark Vermeulen (8) was caught by Hashim Amla as left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe struck before Dale Steyn's express pace proved too much for Hamilton Masakadza (11) and Elton Chigumbura (4).

On the way to his second ODI century, Taibu put on 188 for the sixth wicket with Stuart Matsikenyeri and although the pair batted well, they were under too much pressure to push on and score quickly, Matsikenyeri's 86 going a long way to ensuring that at least Zimbabwe were not going to be embarrassed.

He became McLaren's third wicket when he was bowled, leaving Taibu unbeaten on 103 from 112 balls having hit six fours and three maximums with Graeme Cremer not out on one, McLaren claiming three for 51, Steyn two for 51 and Tsotsobe one for 41.

Half-centuries from Amla, AB de Villiers and Albie Morkel had earlier propelled South Africa to a winning score of 295 for five on a pitch that had plenty of bounce if not great pace in it.

Amla made 80 in 97 balls before the innings was given a lift by de Villiers, who made 51 in as many balls and Morkel, who thumped three sixes and three fours on his way to an unbeaten 50 in 37 deliveries.

Graeme Smith (35), Boucher (18) and Alviro Petersen (39) all made quick contributions to put the Zimbabweans on the back foot, despite three wickets from spinner Ray Price and one apiece for Chibhaba and Cremer.

The second and final match is on 10th November.

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Djokovic whitewashes Hernych to reach quarter-finals

BASEL, Nov 5 (Reuters) - World number three Novak Djokovic whitewashed hapless Czech Jan Hernych 6-0 6-0 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors.

Djokovic, attempting to win his fourth ATP tournament of the season, was almost apologetic after needing only 52 minutes to dispatch the world number 59.

“It's hard to talk about a 6-0 6-0 result,” said Djokovic. “The win is what counts. He didn't play very well today, actually, he made a lot of unforced errors and didn't put any pressure on me so I just kind of cruised through the match.

“I think I'm in quite good shape. I feel physically and mentally quite good on the court. I didn't play perfect tennis today; I needed his unforced errors as well. I think his level of performance was very low today.”

Djokovic's quarter-final opponent will be Switzerland's number two Stanislas Wawrinka who had a much tougher time to beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 7-5 2-6 6-1.

In the day's most dramatic match, fourth seed Marin Cilic saved three match points in the third set tiebreak before defeating Viktor Troicki 7-6 6-7 7-6 in just over three hours.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet also saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak before rallying to edge American John Isner 4-6 7-6 6-2.

Swiss wildcard Marco Chiudinelli reached the second ATP quarter-final of his career as he defeated compatriot and qualifier Michael Lammer 2-6 6-3 6-3.

World number one Roger Federer is firm favourite to win his hometown tournament for the fourth year in a row. He faces Russia's Evgeny Korolev in Friday's quarter-final.

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Peter Siddle will be fit for the first Test against WI

MELBOURNE - Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle has declared he will be fit for the first Test against the West Indies, but admitted that the team's relentless program had taken its toll as he arrived home in Melbourne after more than five months on the road.

Siddle is one of five players who have returned from Australia's tour of India with injuries or niggles, following the decision to send young allrounder Moises Henriques (hamstring) home before the fifth game in the series.

“It's very pleasing to be home, back to see family and friends and sleep in my own bed,” said Siddle upon arrival at Melbourne airport on Thursday morning.

He left home on May 27 and has been on tour ever since for the World Twenty20, the Ashes, a seven-game ODI series in England, the Champions Trophy, Victoria's Champions League Twenty20 campaign and the seven-match series in India.

He said his side soreness was not serious, and is certain he will be fit for the first of six Tests during a busy Australian summer, starting with the series-opener against the West Indies at the ‘Gabba from November 26.

“It's nothing bad. I just pulled up a little bit tight, with a bit of soreness, from the last match and they decided the best thing with the first Test coming up was just to come home and rest up and make sure I am 100 per cent fit and ready to go for that,” Siddle said.

“It has been a long tour, I guess, and the guys have been away for a long time now and we've probably played a bit too much cricket but we will see how we go and I am sure the boys will go well in the next three matches and come home with a [series] win,” The Sydney Morning herald quoted Siddle, as saying.

Australia has 13 fit players to choose from for game five in Hyderabad, after levelling the series in Mohali. (ANI)

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Murray returns, wins first match in Valencia

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - Andy Murray came back from a long-term wrist injury Tuesday by beating wild card Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Valencia Open.

The fourth-ranked Murray, who had not played since the U.S. Open, won 22 of 26 first-serve points and broke Gimeno-Traver five times.

The top-seeded Scot next plays Leonardo Mayer, who defeated Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-3.

Defending champion David Ferrer broke Nicolas Almagro six times on the hard court in a 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-2 win. Almagro twice won the tournament in Valencia when it was played on clay.

Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils also advanced. The fifth-seeded Simon beat Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-2, and sixth seed Monfils defeated Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-2.

Pablo Cuevas rallied from 5-2 down in the second set to beat 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Also, Juan Monaco beat Martin Vassallo Arguello 6-3, 6-2.

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Rout Of Zimbabwe Hands Bangladesh Series Win

Bangladesh 49-4 beat Zimbabwe 44 by six wickets : Bangladesh dismissed Zimbabwe for 44, the fifth-lowest score in ODI history on their way to a series-clinching six-wicket win in the fourth One-Day International in Chittagong.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan led the way by taking three for eight, while fellow left-arm spinners Enamul Haque picked up three for 16 and Abdur Razzak took two for ten.

Fast bowler Nazmul Hossain was given the man of the match award for his spell of two for ten which included the wickets of Hamilton Masakadza (2) and Charles Coventry (1) as Zimbabwe, who elected to bat first, collapsed to eight for four and then 32 for six.

Innings of 13 from Malcolm Waller and 11 from Stuart Matsikenyeri saved some face, but not enough to keep them in the match.

Tamim Iqbal hit 22 to get Bangladesh's run chase off to a decent start but they had a wobble of their own, losing Junaid Siddique (8), Mohammad Ashraful (0), Naeem Islam (0) as well as Tamim before Roqibul Hasan, unbeaten on nine, and Mushfiqur Rahim, on two, steered the home side to victory.

Bangladesh now lead the five-match series 3-1 leading up to the final match in Chittagong on 5th November.

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Four-Wicket Win Puts Bangladesh 2-1 Up On Zimbabwe

Bangladesh eased to a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the third One-Day International in Mirpur to take a 2-1 lead in the three-match series.

Nazmul Hossain and Enamul Haque took three wickets apiece as Bangladesh bowled Zimbabwe out for 196 and half-centuries from Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Ashraful ensured that Bangladesh's spin-heavy line-up prevailed.

The series was locked at 1-1 and despite Hamilton Masakadza's boundary-filled 84, Zimbabwe were again unable to post a competitive score, spun out by the Bangladeshi bowlers, of whom Nazmul was the only paceman picked.

He picked up figures of three for 13 with left-arm spinner Haque returning three for 45 with the other four wickets shared between Abdur Razzak (2-41), Naeem Islam (1-13) and Mahmudullah (1-35) and the rest of the 41.1 overs bowled by Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Ashraful.

Masakadza hit 12 fours and a six in just 79 balls but the next best score for Zimbabwe was Charles Coventry's 27.

At the interval, Bangladesh raced to 54 for one, losing the wicket of opener Junaid Siddique, caught by Justice Chibhaba off of Kyle Jarvis for five.

Tamim (80) and Ashraful (63) then put on 98 for the second wicket to virtually put Zimbabwe out of the game and although both fell to spin, Zimbabwe did not have enough runs to play with and three for 38 from Kyle Jarvis was an impressive effort, but it merely delayed the inevitable, the Tigers roaring home in the 41st over.

The series now moves on to Chittagong for the final two matches on 3rd and 5th November.

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