Samuels in Trouble, charged with Misconduct

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels found himself in deep trouble, as he has been charged with misconduct after an internal investigation carried out by the WICB into bribery and match-fixing allegations against him. Samuel's matter was referred to the disciplinary committee.

Samuels was first suspected of involved in match fixing during the first ODI against India in Nagpur on January 21, 2007. The ICC had then asked the WICB to conduct the investigation. Excerpts of a telephonic conversation between Samuels and bookie Mukesh Kochchar , revealed that Samuels had provided vital match information to Kochchar.

After Tait and Higg, Gillespie announces retirement

This summer brought more bad news for Australian cricket fans, as Australian cricketers one after another have announced their retirement from International cricket. After Shaun Tait and Brad Hogg, Jason Gillespie announced his retirement from International cricket. Gillespie will play in the Indian Cricket League, with which he has signed a three-year contract.

Graeme Smith, McKenzie set to break Vinoo Mankad, Pankaj Roy's record

The 52-year old record of Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy is set to be broken, as South Africans Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie are on the verge of creating a history in the Chittagong test against Bangladesh. The duo have added an unbeaten 405 runs for the first wicket on a day when nothing went well for Bangladesh bowlers. They now need only 9 runs to break the world record hold by the Indians for 52 years.

It could be recalled that Vinoo and Pankaj had created an opening partnership of 413 runs against New Zealand in Chennai in 1955-56. It would be interesting to see if the South Africans hold on to their nerves and create history. Smith is batting on 222, while McKenzie remained unbeaten on 169.

Lankan Tigers roar at Kangaroos, but it was too late

Sri Lankan players at last regained the momentum and produced a brilliant all-round display to steal a thrilling 13-run victory over Australia, but it was too late, as their victory meant nothing. Both India and Australia have already reached the finals of the CB tri-series that begin on Sunday.

Chasing a victory target of 222 to win, Australia were on target with 107/0, thanks to Adam Gilchrist's 83 off 50 balls. But a dramatic batting collapse forced the Kangaroos to back foot. At one stage, the Aussies were 115/5 and then 123/6. Finally, the team bowled out for 208 in 48.1 overs. Besides Gilchrist, Brett Lee scored a fighting 37. Amerasinghe took 3 wickets.

Sri Lanka posts fighting total, Dramatic batting order collapse for Australia

Sri Lankan batsmen recovered well to post a fighting total on board in the last group encounter against Australia in Melbourne. Jayawardene scored 50, while Dilshan contributed 62. Silva too made 35. Sri Lanka bowled out for 221 in 50 overs. For Australia, Bracken took 4 wickets.

Chasing a victory target of 221, Australia started well and reached 107 without the loss of any wicket. However, there was a dramatic batting order collapse and Australia slumped to 115/5 in 20 overs. Gilchrist was the top scorer with 83 off 50 balls. Australia were 117/5 in 22.2 overs when reports last came in.

Sri Lanka in back foot in the inconsequential tie against Australia

Sri Lanka, already out of the CB tri-series, takes on Australia in the last group encounter, which is more or less inconsequential. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. However, they began their innings on a disastrous note. With only 46 runs on board in 15 overs, Perera, Jayasuriya and Sangakkara all returned to pavilion. Sri Lanka were 47/3 in 16 overs when reports last came in.

Indian Colts reach the U-19 World Cup Final

Indian junior cricket team reached the the final of Under-19 World Cup after beating New Zealand by 3 wickets in the semi-final in Kulala Lumpur. They will now take on the winner of the second semifinal between Pakistan and South Africa.

Indian bowlers did well to restrict New Zealand to 205-8. The target was reduced to 191 from 43 overs. India were 150-3 at one stage, but sufferer a middle order collapse to slump to 183-7. However, the lower order batsmen held on their nerves to win the match for the team.

Aussies go 'Obnoxious', Hayden let off with a Mild Warning

Matthew Hayden, who called Harbhajan Singh, an "Obnoxious Little Weed" on Brisbane Radio and declared war against him, was let off by the Cricket Australia with a mild warning. No fine or ban was imposed on Hayden. Although the CA found Hayden guilty of violating the code of conduct, it just issued a warning to him.

Not to drag into further controversy, the BCCI and Indian Team Management have decided not to rake up Hayden issue, but they will be tempted to take some drastic action, as Indian TV channels kept playing the recorded version of that interview, in which Hayden ridiculed Indians, Harbhajan and Ishant Sharma.

It is almost certain that Hayden and Symonds will have to pay a price, when they visit India next. Indian crowd may not take these jibes lightly. It is necessary to remove such obnoxious elements like Hayden and Symonds from world cricket. Or else, the day is not too far when we will witness bloodbath on cricket field.

Perturbed over Hayden's Outburst against Harbhajan, Cricket Australia calls Emergency Meeting

The Cricket Australia has taken a strong exception to Matthew Hayden's recent outburst against Harbhajan Singh on an Australian radio. Recently, during the Sydney ODI, Hayden had called Harbhajan 'A Mad Boy", but Harbahajn kept his cool. The Australian Board has called an emergency meeting to discuss this issue. The CA does not want bad blood between both team yet again. So, it is expected to send a strong message to abusive Matthew Hayden.

Controversy Down Under: Hayden called Harbhajan "An Obnoxious Little Weed"

Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who has been struggling with form in the current series, has decided to take on Harbhajan to distract Indian bowlers ahead of the tri-series finals. In a radio interview, Hayden called Harbhajan an "Obnoxious Little Weed" who never wanted to reform. He also revived his long rivalry with Harbhajan and used offensive language against him. He declared a war against the spinner, by saying he will continue to target him in future too.

Hayden even did not spare Ishant Sharma and said the young bowler need to be taught a lesson. In a shocking statement, Hayden declared he would appear in the boxing ring, if required to bring Ishant under control. The latest controversial statement made by Hayden is bound to escalate the tensions between both teams. People and board officials in India and Australia have expressed shock and surprise over Hayden's outburst.

Commonwealth Bank Tri-series: Latest Points Tally

Australia leads the point table with 26 points from 7 matches. After a great victory over Sri Lanka, India is on 17 points from 7 matches. Sri Lanka, which is out of the reckoning now, is placed at the bottom with 6 points from 7 matches. It has been disastrous performance by the Sri Lankan players throughout the series, as their main batsmen and bowlers failed to deliver. India will meet Australia in the "Best of Three" finals starting from March 02, 2008.

Sachin shines, India humbles Sri Lanka to reach the Finals

When Sachin is in aggressive mood, nobody can take India for granted. It was proved again at Hobart. Chasing a victory target of 180, India made a mockery of Sri Lankan bowling attack, they won the match with a bonus point. The master blaster regained his form and blasted 63 off 54 balls with 10 boundaries. Gautam Gambhir remained unbeaten on 63. It has been a great series for Gambhir. Yuvraj too scored 36 off 35 balls with four boundaries and one six.

India scored 180/3 in 32.2 overs. India won the match with a bonus point and reached the finals in style. They will now take on Australia in the "Best of Three" finals. Pacer Praveen Kumar was declared "Man of the Match".

Sri Lankan batsmen fall flat at Hobart, India in Command

Indian bowlers produced superb bowling display to bowl out Sri Lanka for 179 in 47.1 overs. At one stage, Sri Lanka were 93/7. But Kapugedera's fighting 57 helped Sri Lanka recover and cross the 150 mark. Jayasuriya scored 34, while Sangakkara contributed 33. For India, Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar took 4 wickets each. India had dropped Sehwag and Sressanth and brought in Munaf and Praveen Kumar.

Chasing a victory target of 180 runs to win, India opened the innings with Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Utthappa. Yet another experiment by skipper Dhoni, but it failed, as Utthapa was out for 11. Sachin Tendulkar looks solid and is batting on 40. India were 70/1 in 12 overs when reports last came in. Gambhir was batting on 16.

Dhoni in trouble over Gloves, gets support from Healy

Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy received support from former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy over the gloves controversy. It could be recalled that Dhoni's gloves were confiscated by match referee Jeff Crowe after television footage showed the webbing was illegal. TV images of Dhoni's gloves showed an unnatural cupping in the webbing. The law requires that webbing shouldn't go beyond the length of the thumb and the index finger.

The International Cricket Council last night endorsed match referee's stance, but Dhoni escaped a fine or ban, as he promised not to wear those gloves again. Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy defended Dhoni, saying the glove manufacturer was to blame for the unfortunate incident. He also said that Dhoni had been interchanging his gloves throughout the test summer, but nobody noticed it. Even Dhoni was unaware of any such rules. The players always use the accessories provided by the manufacturers. They should be held responsible for manufacturers' goof-up.

Samuels suspended by the ICC for suspect bowling action

West Indies' all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been suspended from bowling by the ICC because of a suspect bowling action. An Independent analysis of Samuels' bowling was performed by Dr Mark King at the National Cricket Academy at Loughborough University. According to King's reports, Samuel's arm straightens by more than the permitted 15 degrees when he bowls both his regular off-breaks and faster deliveries.

Although Samuels has been banned from bowling, he can still play as a batsman and can appeal against the verdict. Samuels was reported by umpires Simon Tauefel and Aleem Dar after the third test match against South Africa in January. Samuels can appeal for reconsideration, if he changes his bowling actions to suit the law.

India reaches Semifinals of the U-19 World Cup

The invincible Indian U-19 cricket team, produced yet another power-puff performance to humble England by seven wickets in a quarterfinal match of the U-19 Cricket World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. India will now meet the winner of the Sri Lanka - New Zealand match in the semis. It could be yet another Indo-Pak final like the previous two editions. India hasn't lost a single match in this world cup.

Ishant fined, Symonds let off, Team India protests

The Match Referee Jeff Crowe found Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma guilty of Level 1.6, as he showed a send-off finger to Andrew Symonds after claiming his wicket in the Sydney ODI. Ishant will be fined 15 percent of his match fee. However, surprisingly, the New Zeland Match Referee did not penalize Andrew Symonds, though he was involved in a verbal duel with the bowler and in fact, provoked him to make that gesture.

The Indian team management has lodged a strong complaint on this issue. The team, in a written letter to Jeff Crowe, wanted to know why Symonds was let off despite provoking Ishant. In addition, the team wanted a curb on the sledging strategy adopted by the Aussies. Certainly, the Indian team management has taken the matter very seriously, as the ICC umpires and match referees always go soft on the Australians.

Commonwealth Bank Tri-series: Latest Point Tally

After the win over India in Sydney, Australia leads the point table with 26 points from 7 matches, while India is on the second spot with 12 points from 7 matches. Sri Lanka is struggling at the bottom with 6 points from 6 matches. Australia has already reached the finals. Now the tussle is between India and Sri Lanka to grab the other spot in the finals.

Symonds did it again, Match Referee summons Ishant, Symonds

Andrew Symonds found himself in the centre of controversy, yet again. This time he was involved in a verbal spat with young bowler Ishant Sharma. Symonds made a quick fire 59 before being clean bowled by Ishant Sharma. He was so infuriated that he yelled at Ishant, which forced the young bowler to show him the way to pavilion. The on-field umpires stepped in and calmed down the situation. Daryl Harper was seen having a word with Dhoni and his men.

The controversy later took an interesting turn, as match referee JJ Crowe has summoned both Ishant Sharma and Andrew Symonds for a hearing on Monday. He would inquire into the alleged misbehaviour of the cricketers. According to sources, Ishant Sharma is likely to be handed over a fine, as he showed Symonds the door to pavilion.

Dhoni takes a swipe at Sachin, Sehwag

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni wasn't a happy man after the narrow 18-run loss to Australia in the CB series match in Sydney. He gently reminder the senior players Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh that they "need to fire" if India is to win the matches.

Dhoni did not mince words in admitting the failure of Indian top order batting in the ongoing series. He said that if top batsmen score well, then things become much easier for the lower order batsmen. Dhoni's disappointment is full justified, as Sachin Tendulkar has scored only 128 runs from 7 matches with the highest score being 44. Sehwag has scored 81 from 5 matches, while Yuvraj scored only 116 runs from 7 matches, thanks for his innings of 76 played in the last match.

Gambhir's Century in vain, India loses by 18 runs

A valiant century by Gautam Gambhir and timely half century by Robin Uthappa went in vain, as India lost to Australia by 18 runs in Sydney ODI. Chasing a victory target of 318 to win, India lost its top order batsmen Sachin, Sehwag, Yuvraj and Rohit Sharma cheaply. India were 51/4 at one stage. However, India fought back, thanks to great efforts from Gambhir, Dhoni and Uthappa. Even the lower order batsmen Pathan and Harbhajan contributed well, but finally India fell short of 18 runs.

The team bowled out for 299 in 49.1 overs. Gambhir scored 113, while Uthappa made 51. Dhoni contributed 36. For Australia, Brett Lee took 5 wickets. Ricky Ponting was declared "Man of the Match".

Australia piles up 317 against India in Sydney

Australia took advantage of a good batting wicket, wayward Indian bowling attack and sloppy fielding to pile up 317/7 from their quota of 50 overs. Ricky Ponting scored 124, while Hayden made 54. Symonds scored a quickfire 59 off 50 balls five boundaries and two sixes. For India, Sressanth took 2 wickets. India now faces an 318 to win the match.

Ponting scored Century, Australia on Top

A timely century by Australian skipper Ricky Ponting put Australia in great command in the Sydney ODI. Ponting was batting on 100 when reports last came in. Australia were 246/3 in 42 overs. Australia is all set to score above 320 if they bat for full 50 overs. India is clearly in the receiving end and might lose the match by a big margin.

CB Series, Live from Sydney: Australia on Fire

Never in this series, Australia looked aggressive while batting. But Sydney is a different ground and Australia's batsmen are on fire. They have devastated the Indian bowlers in the first 10 overs. Australia won the toss, elected to bat and then the celebrations began. Australia were 100/1 in 12 overs when reports last came in. Hayden is batting on 39 and Ponting is batting on 37. Gilchrist was the only batsman dismissed. He fell to Sreesanth.

While India seeks full points from this match to reach the finals. Australia wants to strengthen their hold on India and Sri Lanka further. Sehwag returned to the Indian team in place of Praveen Kumar.

BCCI reins in Dhoni, orders to play Sehwag in next ODI

The BCCI finally put a halt on Dhoni's dictatorship. The board has ordered the arrogant Indian skipper to play Virender Sehwag in the next ODI against Australia. It has become official that Dhoni dropped Sehwag from the team, as he failed to turn up in the practice session because of waist pain. Dhoni was so agitated that he kept Sehwag out of the playing XI for last two matches.

When the board came to know about the shabby treatment meted out to a senior cricketer like Virender Sehwag by junior Dhoni, it stepped in and asked Dhoni to include Sehwag in the playing XI with immediate effect. Now it's certain that Sehwag will play in Sunday's game, may be at the cost of out-of-form Robin Uthappa.

INDIA TV: Sourav Ganguly to get Rs. 6.9 Crore in IPL

The IPL auction held in Mumbai, made Mahendra Singh Dhoni the highest paid player in the IPL. Even Sachin Tendulkar and Ganguly received less money than him. Dhoni got the highest bid of Rs. 6 crore. But Shahrukh Khan, the sponsor of Kolkata team know what Sourav Gaguly actually deserves. He has decided to pay Rs. 6.9 crore to Ganguly.

That means, Ganguly will become the highest paid player in the IPL, but not officially, as it goes against the rules. SRK will have to explore other means to pay Ganguly more. It was reported by INDIA TV.

It is expected that Mumbai team's sponsor Anil Ambani would do justice to Sachin Tendulkar, who would get only Rs. 4.5 crore, 15% more than Sanat Jayasuriya, the highest paid player in the team.

Australia beat Sri Lanka by D/L Method

It was a weird end to an interesting encounter between the bat and ball throughout the game. Chasing a victory target of 185, Sri Lanka were 77/4 in 29.3 overs. However, rain and bad weather prevented the resumption of the game and Australia won the match by 24 runs under the D/L method. For Sri Lanka, Jayawardene scored 27, while Sangakkara made 22. Mike Hussey was declared "Man of the Match".

Sri Lanka chases 185 to win, loses 2 quick wickets

Chasing a victory target of 185 to win the match against Australia, Sri Lanka began on a disastrous note by losing both openers Jayasuriya and Perera with just 3 runs on board. Jayasuriya was out for a duck off the first ball he faced. Stuart Clark claimed both wickets. Sri Lanka were 14/2 in 8.1 overs when reports last received.

Earlier, Australia managed to score 184/7 on a slow wicket. Michael Clarke scored 50, while Hussey remained unbeaten on 64. For Sri Lanka, Maharoof and Muralitharan took 2 wickets each.

CB Tri-series: Maharoof strikes, Australia in trouble

Seeking full points from this match, Sri Lanka did well by winning the toss and asking Australia to bat first. Maharoof struck twice to rattle the Australian top order. At one stage, Australia were 63/4. However, Michael Clarke and Hussey are consolidating the Australian inning with an unbeaten 50+ partnership. Australia were 107/4 in 36.3 overs when reports last came in. Both batsmen were batting on 30.

IPL Auction over, Final list announced

The much-hyped IPL Auction, that made the headlines yesterday, is finally over. Out of the 79 players available for auction, only two were withdrawn - Mohammad Yousuf and Ashley Prince. Some key players like Mike Hussey, McGrath and Justin Langer were retained at their reserve price, after they found no takers in the initial bid.

Five players were not auctioned, as they got the "iconic status". Read more here to know about these cricket "icons". The icons will get 15 percent more than the highest auctioned player of the team. Mahendra Singh Dhoni topped the chart with Rs. 6 crore, while Symonds would get Rs. 5.4 crore. Among the bowlers, Ishant Sharma topped the list with a whopping Rs. 3.8 crore. Here's the final list of players for respective teams:

Chennai

MS Dhoni (US$1.5 million), Albie Morkel (US$675,000), Jacob Oram (US$675,000), Suresh Raina (US$650,000), Muttiah Muralitharan (US$600,000), Matthew Hayden (US$375,000), Stephen Fleming (US$350,000), Michael Hussey (US$350,000), Parthiv Patel (US$325,000), Joginder Sharma (US$225,000), Makhaya Ntini (US$200,000).

Mumbai

Sachin Tendulkar (icon), Sanath Jayasuriya (US$975,000), Harbhajan Singh (US$850,000), Robin Uthappa (US$800,000), Shaun Pollock (US$550,000), Lasith Malinga (US$350,000), Loots Bosman (US$175,000), Dilhara Fernando (US$150,000).

Hyderabad

Andrew Symonds (US$1.35 million), RP Singh (US$875,000), Adam Gilchrist (US$700,000), Rohit Sharma (US$750,000), Shahid Afridi (US$675,000), Herschelle Gibbs (US$575,000), VVS Laxman (US$375,000), Chaminda Vaas (US$200,000), Scott Styris (US$175,000), Nuwan Zoysa (US$110,000), Chamara Silva (US$100,000).

Jaipur

Mohammad Kaif (US$675,000), Yusuf Pathan (US$475,000), Graeme Smith (US$475,000), Shane Warne (US$450,000), Munaf Patel (US$275,000), Younis Khan (US$225,000), Kamran Akmal (US$150,000), Justin Langer (US$200,000).

Mohali

Yuvraj Singh (icon), Irfan Pathan (US$925,000), Brett Lee (US$900,000), Kumar Sangakkara (US$700,000), Sreesanth (US$625,000), Mahela Jayawardene (US$475,000), Piyush Chawla (US$400,000), Ramnaresh Sarwan (US$225,000), Simon Katich (US$200,000), Ramesh Powar (US$170,000).

Kolkata

Sourav Ganguly (icon), Ishant Sharma (US$950,000), Chris Gayle (US$800,000), Brendon McCullum (US$700,000), David Hussey (US$675,000), Shoaib Akhtar (US$425,000), Murali Kartik (US$425,000), Ricky Ponting (US$400,000), Ajit Agarkar (US$330,000), Umar Gul (US$150,000), Tatenda Taibu (US$125,000).

Delhi

Virender Sehwag (icon), Gautam Gambhir (US$725,000), Manoj Tiwary (US$675,000), Mohammad Asif (US$650,000), Daniel Vettori (US$625,000), Dinesh Karthik (US$525,000), Shoaib Malik (US$500,000), Glenn McGrath (US$350,000), AB de Villiers (US$300,000), Tillakaratne Dilshan (US$250,000), Farveez Maharoof (US$225,000).

It's a Tie: England, New Zealand play the most Exciting Match of Cricket History

Remember the 400-plus run chase made by South Africa against mighty Austrralia? That match has been considered as the most exciting match of the cricket history. But today's match between England and New Zealand, provided far more excitement and anxious moments to the millions of cricket viewers in the world.

Nobody emerged victorious. Yes, it was a tie! But, both teams scored 340 runs each. Just imagine the excitement and fun! England, trailed 1-2 in the series, batted first and posted 6 wickets in 50 overs. Cook scored 69, while Mustard made a brilliant 83. Bell contributed 43, while Pieterson made 50. Collingwood remained unbeaten on 54. For New Zealand, Vettori and Ryder took 2 wickets each.

Chasing a victory target of 340, New Zealand looked certain to win the match, thanks to How's 139 and McCullum's 58. Taylor too contributed 48. However, the team lost their way after 43rd over. At one stage, New Zealand were 301/3 in 43.1 overs. But they lost quick wickets and their batsmen failed to play big shots. The team managed to score only 6 runs in the final over. In the end, New Zealand finished at 340/7. For England, Broad took 2 wickets. Match tied and New Zealand leads the five match series 2-1.

Players who get "iconic" status in the IPL

The IPL auction has been making headlines today. Although 77 cricketers across the globe are being auctioned for the IPL, there are a few players who were spared from being sold off. These players are Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag. They have been given "iconic" status, which means they won't be auctioned off. They will get 15 percent more than the highest player of their team.

More Players auctioned off in the IPL Bid Process

The last three rounds of IPL Auction had some other players auctioned for respective teams. Here you go:

S Sreesanth - Mohali - Rs. 2.6 crore
Zaheer Khan - Bangalore - Rs. 1.8 crore
Graeme Smith - Jaipur - Rs. 1.9 crore
Tilkratne Dilshan - Delhi - Rs. 1 crore
Harshelle Gibbs - Hyderaband - Rs. 2.3 crore
Chris Gayle - Kolkata - Rs. 3.2 crore
Shaoib Malik - Delhi - Rs. 2 crore
Shahid Afridi - Hyderabad - Rs. 2.7 crore
Stephen Fleming - Chennai - Rs. 1.4 crore
Parthiv Patel - Chennai - Rs. 1.3 crore
Joginder Sharma - Chennai - Rs. 0.9 crore

Albie Morkel - Chennai - Rs. 2.7 crore
Younis Khan - Jaipur - Rs. 0.9 crore
Mohammad Asif - Delhi - Rs. 2.6 crore
Suresh Raina - Chennai - Rs. 2.6 crore
Jacques Kalis - Bangalore - Rs. 3.6 crore
Mark Boucher - Bangalore - Rs. 1.8 crore
Rohit Sharma - Hyderabad - Rs. 3 crore
AB De Villiers -Delhi - Rs. 1.2 crore
Maharaoof - Delhi - Rs. 0.9 crore

Irfan Pathan - Mohali - Rs. 3.7 crore
Yusuf Pathan - Jaipur - Rs. 2 crore
Kamran Akmal - Jaipur - Rs. 0.6 crore

Dinesh Karthik - Delhi - Rs. 2.1 crore
VVS Laxman - Hyderabad - Rs. 1.5 crore
Wasim Jaffer - Bangalore - Rs. 0.6 crore

Robin Uthappa - Mumbai - Rs. 3.2 crore
Manoj Tiwary - Delhi- Rs. 2.7 crore
Chamara Silva - Hyderabad - Rs. 0.4 crore

Scott Styris - Hyderabad - Rs. 0.7 crore

Gautam Gambhir - Delhi - Rs. 2.9 crore
M. Kaif - Jaipur - Rs. 2.7 cr

Shaun Pollock - Mumbai - Rs. 2.2 crore

Ajit Agarkar - Kolkata- Rs. 1.4 crore
David Hussey - Kolkata - Rs. 2.5 crore

Murali Karthik - Kolkata - Rs. 1.7 crore

Ishant Sharma - Kolkata - Rs. 3.8 crore

R P Singh - Hyderabad - Rs. 3.5 crore

Lasith Malinga - Mumbai - Rs. 1.4 crore

Chaminda Vaas - Hyderabad - Rs. 0.8 crore

Nathan Bracken -Bangalore - Rs. 1.3 crore

Makhya Ntini -Chennai- Rs. 0.8 crore

Umar Gul - Kolkata - Rs. 0.6 crore

Dale Steyn - Bangalore - Rs. 1.3 crore

Romesh Powar - Mohali - Rs. 0.7 crore

Piyush Chawla - Mohali - Rs. 1.6 crore

Cameroon White - Bangalore - Rs. 2 crore

Glenn McGrath - Delhi - Rs. 1.4 crore

Michael Hussey - Chennai - Rs. 1.4 crore

Ramnaresh Sarwan - Mohali - Rs. 0.9 crore

Justin Langer - Jaipur - Rs. 0.8 crore

Shivnariane Chanderpaul - Bangalore - Rs. 0.8 crore

Simon Katich - Mohali - Rs. 0.8 crore

Tatenda Taibu - Kolkata - Rs. 0.5 crore

IPL Auction: Symonds costly, Ponting, Hayden cheap

The third round of IPL Auction threw huge surprise, as Andrew Symonds turned out to be the most sought-after cricketer after Dhoni. Symonds was bought by Hyderabad for Rs. 5.4 crore. It could be recalled that Dhoni was bought by Chennai for Rs. 6 crore. Matthew Hayden and Ponting did not get much attenion in the bidding process. While Ponting was bought by SRK's Kolkata for Rs. 1.6 crore, Hayden was bought by Chennai for only Rs. 1.5 crore.

Brett Lee was relatively better, as he was bought by Mohali for Rs. 3.6 crore. Chennai bought Jacob Oram for Rs. 2.7 crore. While Daniel Vettori was bought by Delhi for Rs. 2.5 crore, Brendon McCullum went to Kolkata for Rs. 2.8 crore. Michael Hussey, Glen McGrath and Mohammed Yusuf were retained as reserve players, as they did not recieve any bid.

The Great IPL Auction: Cricketers sold out

The much-hyped IPL (Indian Premier League) auction for cricketers, began on a high note. Some promient players from India and abroad have been sold out to respective teams for a high amount. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads the pack, as he was bought by Chennai for $1.5 million (Rs. 6 crore). Here's the list of players who have been auctioned so far:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni - Chennai - $1.5 million (Rs. 6 crore)
Sanat Jayasuriya - Mumbai - $975,000 (Rs 3.9 crore)
Kumara Sangakara - Mohali - $700,000 (Rs. 2.8 crore)
Harbhajan Singh - Mumbai - $850,000 (Rs. 3.4 crore)
Anil Kumble - Bangalore - $500,000 (Rs. 2 crore)
Mahela Jayawardene - Mohali - $4,75,000 (Rs. 1.9 crore)
Shaoib Akhtar - Kolkata - $425,000 (Rs. 1.7 crore)
Muttiah Muralaithatan - Chennai - $600,000 (Rs. 2.4 crore)
Adam Gilchrist - Hyderabad - $700,000 (Rs. 2.8 crore)
Shane Warne - Jaipur - $450,000 (Rs. 1.8 crore)

Yuvraj, Dhoni power India to a famous victory over Sri Lanka

Yuvraj Singh regained his form, when it mattered the most. The entire nation was baying for his blood, but skipper Dhoni stick with Yuvraj. And, Yuvraj justified his inclusion. It was a hard fought victory, as India almost lost the match at one stage. But thanks to Yuvraj and Dhoni, India fought till the end, and secured a famous victory.

Chasing a victory target of 239, India lost Sachin Tendulkar for a duck. Gambhir and Uthappa too did not last long. But Dhoni and Yuvraj produced great innings to steer India to a victory. India won the match by 2 wickets with 5 balls to spare. Yes, they lost 8 wickets on the way to victory. Yuvraj scored 76, while Dhoni remained unbeaten on 50. Pathan contributed 31. Yuvraj Singh was declared "Man of the Match".

Sangakkara's Century puts Sri Lanka in Command

Kumara Sangakkara scored a timely century to put Sri Lanka in command in Adelaide ODI against India. At one stage, Sri Lanka were 6/2 with both Dilshan and Jayasuriya returning to the pavilion cheaply. But, skipper Sangakkara and vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene added 153 runs for the third wicket do the rescue act.

Jayawardene scored 71, while Sangakkara made a fine 128. Sri Lanka scored 238/6 in 50 overs. India needs 239 to win the match and qualify for the final, which seems to be a daunting task.

Knockout match for India, Sri Lanka at Adelaide

Both India desperately want to win the Commonwealth Bank tri-series match at Adelaide, in order to reach the finals. If India loses the match, they will have to board the return flight, whereas Sri Lanka will still depend on hypothetical calculations if they lose. It's a do-or-die battle for Team India. Indian rested Sreesanth and brought in Praveen Kumar.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. They got the shocker in the very first over, as Munaf clained Dilshan's wicket. And, a few overs later, India got the much needed wicket of Jayasuriya. Jayasuriya was run out for a duck. Sri Lanka were 27/2 in 11 overs when reports last came in.

Dhoni sticks with Yuvraj Singh.....India fails

Dhoni's love for Yuvraj Singh continues.....Even as Yuvraj continues with his poor form in the current Australian tour, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in no mood to drop him. Even after the shameful defeat at Adelaide, Dhoni declared that Yuvraj Singh will play every match of the series. Is it a sign of defiance or arrogance???

If Dhoni continues to show such arrogance, he would be out of Team India sooner or later. Remember what happened to players like Azharuddin and Saurav Gangy! Dhoni is still a kid in cricket and he must learn from it, rather than dictating his terms.

It's shocking that Dhoni dropped Sehwag from the playing XI to accomodate an out-of-form Yuvraj Singh. He also asked Yuvraj to bowl for four overs when the momentum was with the Indians. Yuvraj conceded 26 from 4 overs, which helped Clarke and Hogg to take Australia to a respectable total. Ironically, firebrand Ishant Sharma could not continue his bowling quota and finished at 2/32 from 9 overs.

There is no doubt that Yuvraj Singh is a match winner and he has played anchor role in India's victories on many occasions. But the current situation demands that he must be rested to get a chance to rectify his errors and come back with a bang. But Dhoni can't imagine an Indian ODI team without Yuvraj Singh. He does not want Ganguly, he does not want Sehwag. He wants only one man - Yuvraj Singh whose highest score in this tour is 26..........

Australia humbles India at Adelaide, wins with Bonus Point

Indian batsmen failed when the team needed them the most. The bowlers did a tremendous job by restricting Australia at 203/9. But none of the Indian batsmen could live up to the expectations and the entire team bowled out for 153 in 41.3 overs. Dhoni scored 37, while Gambhir made 34. Yuvraj contributed 26. India lost the match by 50 runs.

For Australia, Johnson took 3 wickets, while Hopes, Bracken and Hopes took 2 wickets each. It's a humiliating defeat for team India. Australia avenged the Melbourne defeat, where they were all out for 165 against India. Michael Clarke was declared "Man of the Match".

Pepsi drops Ganguly, Dravid, signs Ishant and Rohit

The misfortune of senior cricketers Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly continues. After the unceremonious exit from the Indian ODI squad, they got another shocker, as Soft Drinks major Pepsi dropped them as Brand Ambassadors. The company has roped in youngsters Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma. Pepsi is tightlipped on Sachin Tendulkar's association with the company. Sachin has been Pepsi's brand ambassador for many years.

According to Pepsi sources, Ganguly and Dravid no longer fit into their scheme. Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma have been chosen because of their attitude and aggression. Both youngsters are now part of Pepsi's new campaign for 2008, 'Yeh hai Youngistaan Meri Jaan'.

Clarke, Hogg rescue Australia, India needs 204 runs to Win

Australian batsmen failed yet again against the sharp Indian bowling attack. At one stage, Australia were tottering at 112/6. However, Michael Clarke and Brad Hogg rescued the team. In the end, Australia managed to score 203/9 from 50 overs. Clarke made 79, while Hogg contributed 32. For India, Pathan took 4 wickets, while Ishant Sharma bagged two important wickets. India needs only 204 runs to win the match.

Adelaide ODI (India vs Australia): Munaf replaces Sehwag, Yuvraj retained

Indian team management has sprung a surprise on Sunday, when they included Munaf Patel in place of Virender Sehwag, but retained out-of-form Yuvraj Singh. India, seeking to take advantage of Brett Lee's absence, included an extra bowler Munaf Patel, while dropping opener Sehwag out of playing XI. For Australia, Sturart Clark replaced injured Brett Lee.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Adam Gilchrist started agressively against S Sreesanth, but soon fell to Ishant Sharma. Munaf justified his inclusion in the team, by picking Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's wicket. If that was not enough, Matthew Hayden fell to Irfan Pathan in the next over. Australia were 45/3 in 12 overs, when reports last came in.

Brett Lee rested for Adelaide ODI against India, Clarke doubtful

Finally, here's a good news for Team India. India's nemesis Brett Lee won't be playing in the CB tri-series match against India at Adelaide tomorrow. He has been rested because of injury. Vice Captain Michael Clarke is also doubtful for the match. The inconsistent performances of Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting worry Australia a lot.

Since the Australian batting line-up has failed to provide a power show in the series, they heavily relied on their strong bowling attack to break the opposition. Lee's absence could weaken Australia's bowling attack against India. Australia is way ahead on the points table. So, the competition between India and Sri Lanka has become very intense. If India wins against Australia tomorrow, they can virtually assure themselves a place in the final.

Commonwealth Bank Series: Latest Point Table (February 15, 2008)

Here is the points table of Commonwealth Bank Triangular series that features India, Australia and Sri Lanka. All teams have played 4 matches each so far. Australia is the only team that received a bonus point after beating Sri Lanka at Perth on February 15, 2008.

Australia (Played: 4, Win: 2, Loss: 1, No Result: 1, Point: 11)

India (Played: 4, Win: 1, Loss: 1, No Result: 2, Point: 8)

Sri Lanka (Played: 4, Win: 1, Loss: 2, No Result: 1, Point: 6)

Australia registers easy win over Sri Lanka, Gilchrist scores century

Adam Gilchrist powered Australia to a 63-run win over Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Bank tri-series. Gilchrist scored his 16th ODI hundred in his last match on the home ground (Perth). Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The World Chamipons posted 236 in 49.4 overs. Adama Gilchrist scored 118, while Clarke contributed 43. For Sri Lanka, Malinga took 3 wickets.

Sri Lanka began the run chase on a disastrous note. They lost Jayasuriya and Dilshan cheaply. Barring Sangakara, no other Sri Lankan batsman could offer any resistance. He scored 80. Sri Lanka bowled out for 173 in 45.3 overs. For Australia, Bracken and Johnson took 3 wickets each. Adam Gilchrist was declared "Man of the Match".

Kapil Dev sues BCCI on Pension issue

Former Indian skipper and legendary cricketer Kapil Dev filed a case against the BCCI on his pension issue. It could be recalled that BCCI had stopped Kapil Dev's pension and other benefits, after he joined BCCI's rival ICL.

Kapil Dev was upset the way BCCI treated him, even as he served Indian cricket for 30 years. The BCCI "deliberately" amended the rules to stop pension and other benefits given to former cricketers who joined ICL. Kapil Dev has played 131 Test matches and 225 ODIs for India. Under his captaincy, India won the World Cup in 1983.

Sri Lanka outplayed India in "21 - 21" at Canberra

Yes, it was a "21 - 21" match, thanks to rain god. The victory target was reduced from 196 in 29 overs to 154 in 21 overs. And, Sri Lanka won the encounter in style. They hardly received any resistance while chasing the target. Sri Lanka scored 154/2 in 19 overs, thus winning the match by 8 wickets. Indian bowling and fielding looked very sloppy. Sreesanth conceded 48 runs in 3 overs.

For Sri Lanka, Dishan scored an unbeaten 63, while Jayawardhane remained not out on 36. Jayasuriya contributed 27. Dishan was declared "Man of the Match". India still leads the point table with 8 points, followed by Australia (7) and Sri Lanka (6). The Commonwealth Bank tri-series now reached an interesting stage.

Rohit Sharma shines, Sri Lanka needs 154 in 21 overs to win

Riding on Rohit Sharma's fine half century, India scored 195/5 in 29 overs. For India, Tendulkar scored 32, while Gambhir made 35. Dhoni contributed 31. Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten on 70. The match was again reduced to 21 overs because of rain and bad weather. Sri Lanka now needs 154 runs from 21 overs to win the match. Sri Lanka were 109/2 in 14 overs when reports last came in.

Live Update from Canberra: Match reduced to 29 overs, Sri Lanka wins toss, put India into bat

Rain delayed the CB tri-series match between India and Sri Lanka at Canberra. The match was finally reduced to 29 overs. Sri Lanka won the toss and put India into bat. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag opened the innings for India. India were 21/0 in 5 overs when reports last came in.

India humbles Australia in Melbourne, leads the Point Tally

The Indian young guns roared like lions and packed the Kangaroos off. India won the CB tri-series match in Melbourne by 5 wickets with 25 balls to spare. Chasing a victory target of 160, India looked vulnerable at one stage with 102/5 on board. However, young Rohit Sharma and skipper Dhoni denied the Australians any more wicket and saw India home.

For India Sachin scored 44, while Gambhir contributed 21. Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten on 39. Ishant Sharma was declared "Man of the Match". India now leads the table with 8 points followed by Australia (6) and Sri Lanka (2). India registered a win at MCG, Melbourne after 22 years.

Live from Melbourne: Ishant, Sreesanth pack Australia for 159, India needs 160 to win

A spirited bowling attack by Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan helped India dismiss World Champion Australia for a paltry 159 in 43.1 overs. Hussey was the top scorer for Australia. He remained unbeaten on 65. Ishant took 4 wickets. Sreesanth and Pathan took 3 and 2 wickets respectively.

India needs only 160 to win the match. India will create history if they win the match today. India hasn't won a match at Melbourne in the past 22 years.

CB Tri-series: Live Update - India vs Australia, India bags 3 quick wickets

It is another epic battle at Melbourne that both teams are desperate to win. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Gilchrist was unlucky to be given out on this good batting track. Sreesanth took the wicket. Despite losing Gilchrist in the very first over, Australia continued to fire and batter Indian bowlers.

Ishant Sharma, in particular was punished. But Sharma had the last laugh, as he quickly removed Hayden and Ponting. Hayden scored 25 off 18 balls with 5 boundaries. Australia were 53/3 in 10 overs when reports last came in.

Aussies inflict humiliating defeat on Sri Lanka

Nathan Bracken rattled the Sri Lankan batting order with his pace, as Sri Lanka slumped to a 128-run defeat against Australia in the Commonwealth Bank tri-series match in Sydney. Chasing a victory target of 254 to win, Sri Lanka bowled out for 125 in 31.3 overs. Only Sangakara showed some resistance with a fighting 42. Bracken took 5 wickets.

Australia is now placed at the top of the point table with 7 points, followed by India 4 and Sri Lanka 2. Next match of the series will be played between India and Australia on Sunday.

Australia sets a victory target of 254 for Sri Lanka

Australia set a victory target of 254 for Sri Lanka in the CB tri-series match in Sydney. On a slow batting track, Australia managed to score 253/6 in 50 overs. Michael Clarke remained unbeaten on 77, while Hopes remained not out on 34. Gilchrist and Hayden scored 61 and 42 respectively. For Sri Lanka, Vaas and Amerasinghe took 2 wickets each. Sri Lanka were 8 for no loss in 3.3 overs when reports last came in.

Commonwealth Bank Tri-series: Australia makes a good start against Sri Lanka

Australia up to a good start against Sri Lanka in the third match of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series in Sydney. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on Gilchrist's half century, the hosts have so far scored 143/3 in 33 overs. Gilchrist was out for 61. Matthew Hayden scored 42. Michael Clarke was batting on 28 when reports last came in.

ICC to analyze Samuels' Bowling Action

West Indies bowler Marlon Samuels will undergo an in independent analysis of his bowling action at the National Cricket Academy, at Loughborough University in England on February 11. Dr Mark King, member of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists, will examine Samuels' bowling action and submit his report.

Samuels was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action by umpires Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar during the third test match between South Africa and West Indies in Durban last month.

Rain plays spoilsport again, ODI between India and Sri Lanka abandoned

The much-awaited Commonwealth Bank tri-series began on a disappointment note, as the first two matches of the series were abandoned due to rain. And, venue was same on both occasions. Heavy downpour started as soon as India finished their 50 overs at 267/4. Not a single ball could be bowled in Sri Lanka's innings and umpires had to call of the play. Both India and Sri Lanka shared two points each.

India's Rohit Sharma had a bad day, as he was fined 10 percent of his match fee for showing dissent. Sharma could not believe his eyes and expressed disappointment when he was wrongly adjudged caught behind. However, that was enough for the match referre to charge him under ICC Code of Conduct 1.3.

Gambhir scores Century, India set a target of 268 for Sri Lanka to win

Gautam Gambhir produced yet another majestic peformance by scoring an unbeaten century against Sri Lanka in the Brisbane ODI. Gambhir and Dhoni added an unbeaten 184 runs for the fifth wicket to put India on top. India finished at 267/4 in 50 overs and set a target of 268 for Sri Lanka to win the match.

Sachin Tendulkar scored 35, while Sehwag fell on 33. Gautam Gambhir remained unbeaten on 102. It was Gambhir's 3rd ODI hundred. Skipper Dhoni played a captain's innings and remained not out on 88. For Sri Lanka, Muralitharan took 2 wickets.

Update from Brisbane: India fights back

The Indian batsmen fought back to stay in the game. A solid fifth wicket partnership between Gautam Gambhir and M S Dhoni helped India to recover from a precarious 83/4. Gambhir scored his half century in style. He hit a boundary and a six in a Muralitharan over.

Dhoni too scored his half century with a brilliant six off Jayasuriya. India were 215/4 in 45 overs when reports last came in. Gambhir was batting on 77, while Dhoni was batting on 62.

Live Cricket from Brisbane: Murali strikes, India in deep trouble

Ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took two wickets in his first over to leave Indian batsmen at the mercy of Sri Lankans. Sehwag and Tendulkar added 68 runs for the first wicket. But once Sachin departed, Sehwag did not last long. Yuvraj Singh failed yet again and Rohit Sharma got our for a duck.

Rohit Sharma was a victim of bad umpiring, as TV replays clearly showed that he was not out. Even the fielders were not convinced, but umpire raised his finger. India were 84/4 in 21.4 over when reports last came in. Dhoni and Gambhir were at the crease.

Sachin Tendulkar completed 16,000 runs in ODI

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar achieved yet another milestone in his long cricket career. Sachin completed 16,000 runs in ODI while batting against Sri Lanka in Brisbane one-dayer. Sachin finally got out at 35. Sachin now has 16,007 runs in 409 matches with an average of 44.22.

Pollock retires, hits winning run in Final Match

Herschelle Gibbs' blazing century helped South Africa win the rain-curtailed match against West Indies at Johannesberg and win the series 5-0. However, it was Shaun Pollock who stole the show. It was Pollock's last ODI and he got a fitting farewell, as he hit the winning run. He remained unbeaten on 10. Gibbs made 102, while Kallis remained unbeaten on 74, as South Africa chased 211 in 31 overs with eight wickets and 13 balls to spare.

Pollock got a standing ovation from his teammates and the crowd. During his 13-year career, he played 108 Tests and 303 ODIs. He took 393 wickets in ODI and 421 wickets in Tests. He also scored 3519 runs in one-day internationals and 3781 runs in Tests.

Live Cricket (India vs Sri Lanka): Yuvraj and Jayasuriya return, India wins the Toss

Both India and Sri Lanka got a moral booster ahead of their ODI clash at Brisbane on Tuesday. While Yuvraj Singh made a comeback to the Indian squad after a knee injury, Sanath Jayasuriya too returned to the Sri Lankan squad after recovering from the injury. India left out Manoj Tiwary from the playing XI to accomodate Yuvraj.

India was lucky to share points with Australia in the opening match of the tri-series after rain abandoned the play. Sri Lanka is looking forward to start their campaign with a win, while Indian youngsters led by Dhoni want to prove a point. India won the toss and elected to bat first. Let the excitement begins.....

Harbhajan did it again, But Symonds did not notice

India's ace spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has been in the center of controversies during the past few weeks, yet again repeated his funny act during the tri-series match in Brisbane. When rain stopped play for the last time, he patted on Michael Clarke's back while returning to pavilion. Clarke, who was joking with Indian players, just shrugged it off. But fortunately for Singh, Andrew Symonds who was walking at a short distance, did not notice it. Or else, it would have been a big issue again.

It could be recalled that when Harbhajan did the same thing with Brett Lee in the Sydney test, Symonds confronted him and the entire issue snowballed into a major controversy that shocked the cricket world. The Australian crowd continued to boo Harbhajan during the match. However, Harbhajan was not in a mood to spare them. He gestured again and again as if he did not hear anything because of noise and wanted them to say it again. It was a funny incident, as Harbhajan paid back to the crowd in his own style.

Sachin's dismissals in ODI Cricket

Sachin got out hit wicket for the first time in his career, when he dragged his boot to the stumps while playing a shot off Brett Lee during the 1st tri-series match in Brisbane. Here's a complete list of types of dismissals Sachin Tendulkar had to face in his ODI career so far:

Hit Wicket - 1

Caught and Bowled - 13

Caught Behind - 65

Regular Catch - 153

Clean Bowled - 68

LBW - 29

Run Out - 30

Stumping - 10

Sad end to Excitement: Brisbane ODI abandoned

First it was Australia that dominated most part of the match. But India matched the Aussies ball by ball, thanks to rain god. The target was revised twice and finally australia needed 141 runs from 26 overs. Poor Aussies! It was a shocker for them, as they restricted India to 194 in 45 overs. But it's weird D/L system mate!

Australia started from 33/1 in 4 overs and lost two wickets in their depserate run chase. Hopes out for 17 and Ponting out for a duck! Australia 51/3 in 7.2 overs. Sreesanth took 2 wickets and Ishant took 1 wicket. So, predict the winner now! No, hold on! It's rain again. Rain continues to play spoilsport and play could not be resumed. Finally, the high-voltage ODI between India and Australia at Brisbane was called off. Both teams shared 2 points each. India will play Sri Lanka in the next match at the same venue on Tuesday.

Gilchrist - The Walker, did it again

Adam Gilchrist, known as "The Walker" in the cricketing circle, did it again at Brisbane. No cricket player other than Gilchrist can take high moral grounds for upholding the sportsmanship in the game. Gilchrist edged a Sreesanth delivery to Dhoni, fielders appealed, umpire shook his head in negative.

But guess what happened? Gilchrist had already began walking. He knew he was out and he did not even bother to look at the umpire. The entire Indian team celebrated, but with due respect to the man who just raised the level of cricket to the highest level. Australia were 33/1 in 4 overs when rain stopped play again.

Australia needs 195 to win Brisbane ODI

India finally bowled out for 194 in 45 overs. Harbhajan Singh played a brilliant knock of 27 off 19 balls to help India get past 170 runs. India looked comfortable to get 200 runs on board. But Dhoni let India down again by throwing his wicket to Brett Lee.

Dhoni scored 37, while Pathan made 21. Other contributors for India were Gambhir (39) and Rohit Sharma (29). For Australia, Brett Lee took 5 wickets. The target for Australia was revised to 192 from 43 overs, as rain interrupted the play for some time. Australia were 29/0 in 3 overs when reports last came in.

Brisbane ODI reduced to 45 overs

The opening match of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series between India and Australia has been reduced to 45 overs after heavy rain stopped play for more than an hour. India were 132/6 in 37 overs when reports last came in. Dhoni was batting on 18, while Pathan was batting on 13.

Live Cricket: Rain halts play in Brisbane

The Australian bowlers showed no mercy to a reckless Indian batting line-up, but rain god relented. When India was struggling to reach a respectable total, heavy rain halted play at Brisbane. India were 128/6 in 36 overs when play stopped. MS Dhoni was batting on 14, while Pathan was batting on 11. For India, Gambhir made 39, while Rohit Sharma scored 29. For Australia, Brett Lee has taken three wickets so far.

Live Cricket from Australia: Sachin Tedulkar - out Hit Wicket

For the first time in his cricket career, Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed hit wicket. The unfortunate incident occurred during the Commonwealth Bank tri-series match between India and Australia. While playing the shot, Sachin's boot hit the stumps and bails were dislodged.

Sachin went on to take the single. But Australian players noticed it and appealed. It was referred to third umpire, who ruled Sachin out. Brett Lee was fortunate to get the prize scalp of Sachin Tendulkar.

Live Cricket from Australia: The High Voltage Commonwealth Bank Tri-series kicks off

The much awaited high voltage Commonwealth Bank tri-series finally kicked off. In the first one-dayer at Brisbane, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Ricky Ponting has been cleared to play the first match - a huge relief for the Australians. However, there will be no Yuvraj for India. Raina too was excluded from the playing XI, while "all-rounder" Manoj Tiwary makes his ODI debut. Let's catch the excitement live........

Commonwealth Bank ODI Tri-series Schedule

The Commonwealth Bank Tri-series commences on February 03, 2008. There will be 12 league matches. The winner will be decided through "Best of Three" finals. The first match of the tournament will be held between India and Australia at Brisbane. Sri Lanka is the other team in the fray. Here's the schedule for the tri-series:

Sunday, Feb 3 - 08:40 IST

Australia v India (D/N) at Brisbane

Tuesday, Feb 5 - 08:45 IST

India v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Brisbane

Friday, Feb 8 - 9:45 IST

Australia v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Sydney

Sunday, Feb 10 - 09:45 IST

Australia v India (D/N) at Melbourne

Tuesday, Feb 12 - 04:30 IST

India v Sri Lanka at Canberra

Friday, Feb 15 - 06:00 IST

Australia v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Perth

Sunday, Feb 17 - 09:15 IST

Australia v India (D/N) at Adelaide

Tuesday, Feb 19 - 09:15 IST

India v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Adelaide

Friday, Feb 22 - 09:45 IST

Australia v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Melbourne

Sunday, Feb 24 - 09:45 IST

Australia v India (D/N) at Sydney

Tuesday, Feb 26 - 04:30 IST

India v Sri Lanka at Hobart

Friday, Feb 29 - 09:45 IST

Australia v Sri Lanka (D/N) at Melbourne

Sunday, Mar 2 - 09:45 IST

First final at Sydney

Tuesday, Mar 4 - 08:45 IST

Second final at Brisbane

Friday, Mar 7 - 09:15 IST

Third final (if required) at Adelaide

Yuvraj says, Youth is the Future

India's vice captain Yuvraj Singh created a flutter by saying "Youth is the future of cricket". He said Dravid and Ganguly will be missed, but India has the best ever ODI squad. He also bolstered about the Twenty20 World Cup triumph.

It's unfortunate that Yuvraj, who has been struggling with both form and fitness, has made such a controversial statment. If youth is the future, can Team India do without the experience of Sachin Tendulkar??? A question both Yuvraj and Dhoni must answer.

India, Australia gear up for the 1st match of Commonwealth Tri-series

After the massacre of Twenty20 World Champion India at Melbourne, Australia is looking forward to show same power and aggression when they meet the visitors at Brisbane in the opening match (D/N) of the Commonwealth tri-series. Sri Lanka is the other team in the fray.

While Sachin Tendulkar makes a comeback to the Indian playing XI, it's not clear whether Yuvraj will play the match or not. On the other hand, Ricky Ponting and Mathew Hayden are doubtful for the first match. Stuart Clark will miss the first match due to family problems.

Muralitharan abused in Australia, Kangaroo fans throw eggs at him

In a shocking development, world's leading wicket taker and Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was abused by hostile cricket fans in Australia. The incident occured at Hobart, where Sri Lankan team is currently based to play in the tri-series against Australia and India. Some Australian fans threw eggs at Muralitharan and others hurled abuse at him. The Sri Lankan team immediately returned to the hotel amid heavy security arrangements.

Sri Lanka team's media manager has confirmed the news. After the Harbhajan controversy, the latest reports proves how hostile the Australian crowd have become towards the subcontinent players. During the Twenty20 match at Melbourne, Harbhajan was booed and abused whenever he bowled, fielded and batted. If the Australian authorities don't rein in their fans, the Australian players would be in deep trouble when they visit India and Sri Lanka next time.

Australian players to lodge protest over Harbhajan Verdict

The controversies involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh are far from over. The latest reports suggest that Australian players are feeling completely let down by Cricket Australia over this issue and are planning to lodge an official protest with the board.

The players were forced to back down on the charges against Harbhajan. They were assured by the board officials that there would be more scope to prosecute Harbhajan if the charges against him were downgraded. However, the Indian walked away with a minor penalty. That infuriated the Australians including skipper Ricky Ponting. It could be recalled that even CA chief James Sutherland had expressed disappointment over the verdict.

Australia inflicts humiliating defeat on Twenty20 Champs

World champion India suffered their worst over Twenty20 defeat in the hands of a rejuvenated, agile and aggressive Australian team. The Kangaroos beat the Indian champs by 9 wickets in the Twenty20 match in Melbourne.

Chasing a victory target of 75, Australia romped home in 11.2 overs. Gilchrist made 27, while Clarke remained unbeaten on 37. Bracken was declared "Player of the Match".

Twenty20 Challenge in Australia: Kangaroos destroy Dhoni's Team

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, riding on a Twenty20 World Cup triumph, displayed aggression and arrogance before the mighty Australians. But he forgot that playing skills are required to match the aggression. He won the toss and elected to bat in the one-off Twenty20 tie against Australia in Melbourne. Rest is history.

Indian batsmen could hardly match the sharp Australian bowling attack and fell like a pack of crards. Sehwag, Karthik, Utthappa, Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Dhoni all returned to pavillion cheaply. India bowled out for 74 in 17.3 overs. Irfan Pathan was the top scorer for India with 26. No other batsmen could reach the double figure. For Australia, Bracken took 3 wickets.