NZ vs ENG First ODI-2013

NZ vs ENG

NZ won the toss, elected to field.

ENG: 227/9 overs: 50 R:R : 4.54

J.Trott 37(53) C Woakes 34(53) T Southee 37/3

NZ: 231/5 overs: 46.5 R:R : 4.93

M Guptill 103(123)*

R.Taylor 54(77) J Anderson 31/3 Man of the Match M.Guptill NZ lead the seeries 1-0

Cricket: Gayle urges ICC to follow IPL publicity example

West Indies star Chris Gayle believes the International Cricket Council have something to learn from the Indian Premier League (IPL) when it comes to publicising events such as the Champions Trophy.

Once described as the "unwanted child" of world cricket by Australian former ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, the seventh and final edition of the Champions Trophy will start in Cardiff on June 6.

Although rocked by recent spot-fixing allegations, the lucrative IPL has captivated crowds in India, where the enthusiasm for cricket in the world's second most-populous nation provides the bulk of the finance that fuels the global game.

"I think it is down to how they actually promote it to be honest," the star batsman said at the launch of the Chris Gayle Academy in Wallington, south of London.

The 33-year-old left-hander played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the latest IPL and caused worldwide headlines with the fastest-ever Twenty20 century, taking just 30 balls to reach three figures against Pune Warriors.

Gayle struck an astonishing 17 sixes and 13 fours on his way to an unbeaten 175 from 66 balls - the highest individual IPL score.

"There is no doubt that the IPL is huge but I think what is higher than the IPL is any World Cup-style event," Gayle said.

"This is the Champions Trophy but it is not so well highlighted (in the media) when compared to the IPL. I think once they can start making people gravitate back to the 50-over game it will be a good thing.

"This is the last Champions Trophy and I don't know what the ICC will do and whether they will replace it, we will have to wait and see, the promotion will have to be good."

The West Indies have won the Champions Trophy once, in 2004 when it was last played in England.

"We can still take a lot from it, regardless of the fact that nine years is a long time ago," said Gayle, who last year helped the West Indies win the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

"We can still see it as a positive as a West Indies team came here and won the competition in the cold conditions. You also have to take into consideration that we have won the T20 World Cup and are a team of champions. We play good cricket."

Drawn in Group B alongside India, Pakistan and South Africa, the West Indies will have their work cut out to reach the semi-finals.

Gayle said it was vital they made a good start in their tournament opener against Pakistan at The Oval on June 7.

source: cricket.yahoo.com

Ponting rules out Ashes return

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has back-tracked on his own suggestion he'd return to Test cricket as an emergency Ashes call-up by ruling himself out of the upcoming series against England.

The 38-year-old, one of the best batsmen of his generation, retired from Test cricket in December with 13,378 runs, including 41 hundreds, in 168 matches at an average of 51.85 to his name.

Ponting is in England, where Australia will hope to regain the Ashes in a series starting in July, to play county cricket for London-based side Surrey.

He told Wednesday's Daily Mail the possibility of an Ashes recall was "extremely unlikely", but that "you wouldn't say no, would you, if that call came and I would never say never," seemingly leaving the door ever so slightly ajar to a dramatic return to Test cricket.

However, Ponting insisted Wednesday he was a "happily retired international cricketer", telling satellite broadcaster Sky Sports: "I did an interview with the Mail yesterday (Tuesday) and probably didn't answer this question exactly the way I would have liked.

"I'm a happily retired international cricketer. There'll be a squad of 17, 18 players and there'll be reserve batsmen on standby, ready to go if anyone in the starting XI loses a bit of form.

"I won't be playing Ashes cricket this time, there's no doubt about that.

"I'm pleased everyone out there thinks that there's still an opportunity, that I might be good enough to play, but I'm happily retired and it's time for the young guys now to make the most of their opportunities."

In his Mail interview, Ponting said he would have loved another crack at arch-rivals England.

However, a poor series at home to South Africa convinced him he was no longer reaching the required standard and, with fellow senior batsman Mike Hussey retiring as well, Australia have some big shoes to fill in their top order.

"This was the series I was playing on for without a doubt," Ponting told the Mail. "I felt Australia would have been a stronger side in this Ashes with both me and Mike Hussey in the side.

"The Ashes are the pinnacle and England is the greatest tour to be on. But the bottom line is I just wasn't good enough any more to be a part of this team. I knew that."

IPL news: Rauf denies fixing allegation

"I am ready to face any inquiry if the ICC's anti-corruption unit wants to conduct any."

Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf Wednesday denied spot-fixing allegations levelled against him during the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition, saying he was ready to face any inquiry.
Rauf, a serving elite-level international umpire, was withdrawn by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from next month's Champions Trophy in England after media reports that he was under police investigation.
"I vehemently deny allegations of match-fixing, spot-fixing, taking gifts (from bookmakers) and any illegal money," Rauf, 57, said in his first public statement since returning from India after the story broke last week.
"I am ready to face any inquiry if the ICC's anti-corruption unit wants to conduct any."
The investigations started on May 16 when Delhi police arrested three cricketers, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the lucrative IPL tournament in India.

Indian media alleged Rauf was in contact with Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh, arrested on charges of acting as middleman between bookies, players and officials.

source: http://cricket.yahoo.com

NZ vs Eng 2nd Test Result 2013

NZ vs ENG

ENG won the toss, elected to bat.

To win NZ needs 310 and ENG needs 4 wickets

ENG 1 st  innings: 354/10 overs: 99 R:R : 3.57

J.Root 104 J.Bairstow 64   T.Boult 57/5

NZ 1 st  innings: 174/10 overs: 43.4 R:R : 3.98

P.Fulton 28

N.Wagner 27 G.Swann 42/4   ENG 2nd  innings: 287/5 dec. overs: 76 R:R : 3.77 A.Cook 130 J.Trott 76 K.Williamson 68/3   NZ 2nd  innings: 220/10 overs: 76.3 R:R : 2.87 R.Taylor 70 H.Rutherford 42 G.Swann 90/6 Man of the Match G.Swann Player of the Match J.Root & T.Southee