3rd ODI: Maxwell guides Australia to series win

Sharjah: Michael Hussey and Glenn Maxwell hit fighting half-centuries to help Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in the third and final one-day international, taking the three-match series 2-1 on Monday.

Hussey scored 65 for his 39th fifty and Maxwell hit a 38-ball 56 not out to round off a challenging chase of a target of 245 in 47 overs spoiling Pakistan's chances of beating Australia for the first time since 2002.

Opener Mohammad Hafeez topscored with 78 in Pakistan's fighting total of 244 for 7 after they were put into bat. Hussey added an invaluable 51 for the fifth wicket with Matthew Wade (22) after Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal (3 for 37) had threatened to wreck their rival's batting as Australia were struggling at 108 for 4.

Australia won the first match by four wickets here last week before Pakistan levelled the series with a seven wicket win in the second match in Abu Dhabi on Friday. But the 37-year-old Hussey, regarded as one of the best finishers in limited overs cricket, kept his cool during a 72-ball knock. He hit seven fours and a six.

Even when Wade was bowled by Abdur Rehman, Hussey fought hard, adding 67 with Maxwell. When Hussey was bowled by Khan, Australia still needed 19 but Maxwell ensured the chase was successful, hitting four fours and three sixes.

Australia got off to a rapid start with David Hussey putting on 44 by the ninth over with David Warner (21), both taking the attack to the Pakistanis from the outset. David Hussey hit three sixes during his 45-ball knock of 43. But once Ajmal came on the Australian innings faltered as the offspinner dismissed David (Hussey), Michael Clarke (32) and George Bailey in his first five-over spell but Hussey then foiled Ajmal in his second spell.

Pakistan were also sloppy in the field as they dropped four catches and their wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal spurned one stumping. Earlier Hafeez's 97-ball knock -- his first fifty against Australia in eight matches -- helped Pakistan post a challenging total.

Hafeez put on 129 for the opening wicket with Nasir Jamshed (48) and it looked as if Pakistan would post a big total but they were once again derailed by some sustained pace bowling by Mitchell Starc who finished with 4 for 51.

Jamshed, who hit 97 at Abu Dhabi, was again at his fluent best as he hit six boundaries during his 75-ball knock. Once Hafeez fell, trapped leg-before by Clarke in the 33rd over Pakistan were hard pressed for runs. Hafeez hit four boundaries and two sixes.

Starc, who took a career best 5 for 42 in the first match, then came into his own. The lanky left-arm paceman had Asad Shafiq (27) and Umar Akmal (0) in the same over before ending skipper Misbah-ul Haq's short 25 runs innings in the 47th over.

Azhar Ali made 27 not out to give fillip to Pakistan's total. Surprisingly, Australia -- considered weak against spin on the Asian pitches -- have lost only one bilateral limited overs series in the sub-continent and Middle East in 20 years. They lost to India in a three-match series in 2010.

Pakistan and Australia now play three Twenty20 internationals -- all in Dubai -- on September 5, 7 and 10.

Kohli, Dhoni star in India Test series win

India survived a mini collapse to sweep the series against a fighting New Zealand with a five-wicket victory on the penultimate day of the second and final Test in Bangalore on Monday.

The hosts slipped from 152-2 to 166-5 before achieving their 261-run target in the final session, thanks to a 96-run stand between man-of-the-match Virat Kohli (51 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) under pressure.

India won the opening Test by an innings and 115 runs in Hyderabad.

New Zealand fought well as they twice neutralised India's advantage to storm back into the match on a good pitch before Dhoni and Kohli steered their team home, much to the delight of the nearly 15,000 spectators.

The Indian captain finished the match with a six over mid-wicket off off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who took three wickets. Dhoni hit two sixes and three fours, while Kohli cracked nine fours.

India were 77 without loss after brisk knocks from Virender Sehwag (38) and Gautam Gambhir (34) and then 152-2 following a 69-run stand between Cheteshwar Pujara (48) and Sachin Tendulkar (27) before New Zealand struck back.

The tourists came back strongly after tea, which was taken early due to rain, as they dismissed well-set Pujara, Tendulkar and Suresh Raina (0) in the space of 14 runs.

The 39-year-old Tendulkar was bowled for a third successive innings in the series, this time by fast bowler Tim Southee, after hitting five fours in his 34-ball knock.

The world's leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket with an unprecedented 100 international centuries, Tendulkar finished the series without a half-century in three innings.

Patel had Pujara caught by Daniel Flynn, who ran backwards from forward short-leg to take a superb diving catch, and then bowled Raina.

Tendulkar and Pujara steadied the innings after Sehwag and Gambhir had fallen in the morning in the space of six runs.

Pujara, who scored a solid 159 in the first Test, was on 37 when he survived a stumping chance off Patel as wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum failed to collect the ball.

McCullum kept wicket in place of Kruger van Wyk, who was injured after being struck on the arm by a delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav while batting on Sunday.

New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor pressed Patel into the attack in the 12th over after pacemen Trent Boult, Southee and Doug Bracewell had failed to provide the breakthrough in overcast conditions.

Sehwag lofted Patel over long-off, the first six of the innings, and then cut him for a four before falling in the same over. He stepped out to try another big shot, but missed the line and was bowled.

He smashed one six and seven fours in his 33-ball knock.

Gambhir went for his shots early in the innings, hitting Boult and Bracewell each for two successive fours before falling to a loose shot.

He was caught by Taylor at first slip off Boult after hitting seven fours in his 58-ball knock.

New Zealand were earlier bowled out for 248 in their second innings, adding 16 runs to their overnight total of 232-9.

Patel (22), the last man out, looked unhappy with the decision when given caught behind off left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan, as the TV replays suggested he had missed the ball.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 5-69, his third five-wicket haul in four innings against New Zealand. He was named man of the series.

Bell tolls for South Africa as England win 4th ODI

Ian Bell made 88 as England beat South Africa by six wickets in the fourth one-day international at Lord's on Sunday to go 2-1 up with one match to play in the series.

Man-of-the-match Bell's innings was the cornerstone of England's 224 for four as they won with 20 balls to spare after good work by their bowlers restricted South Africa to 220 for eight.

Together with Warwickshire colleague Jonathan Trott (48), Bell shared a second-wicket stand of 141 after England lost captain Alastair Cook in the first over of their innings when he was lbw to a superb late inswinger from fast bowler Dale Steyn.

However, the Proteas -- without rested paceman Morne Morkel -- couldn't make further early inroads despite Steyn hitting Trott, a former South Africa youth international, on the finger.

As the floodlights took full effect on a gloomy day where the overcast conditions had prompted Cook to field first, Bell cover-drove left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell for four and advanced down the pitch to flat bat him over cover-point for another boundary.

Bell later drove left-arm spinner Robin Peterson high over long-off for six.

He was reprieved though on 65 when dropped by Peterson at mid-on off Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Next ball Bell pulled the left-arm seamer for four.

"I've been working at Warwickshire at hitting over the top, that's what you need to do opening the batting in one-day internationals," explained Bell.

Trott's patient innings ended when he was lbw on the sweep to slow left-armer Dean Elgar after South Africa reviewed Australian umpire Simon Taufel's original not out decision.

After Ravi Bopara fell cheaply following a brief rain break, Bell tried to slap a short ball from Steyn on the offside and was caught behind one-handed by leaping South Africa captain and wicket-keeper AB de Villiers to end a 137-ball innings featuring a six and eight fours.

England still needed a further 35 runs for victory but the innings ended in a blizzard of boundaries, with left-hander Eoin Morgan a run-a-ball 36 not out and Craig Kieswetter, who ended the match with a superb off-driven six off Steyn, unbeaten on 21.

Earlier, James Tredwell atoned for dropping two catches with three wickets as England restricted South Africa to 220 for eight.

The off-spinner took three for 35 in eight overs, with all his wickets stumpings completed by Kieswetter -- the first England wicket-keeper to have three stumpings in a one-day international.

"We've got a lot to look at now; our middle order failed again," said a disappointed de Villiers.

"We keep getting in and fail to go on to big runs. We just didn't have enough runs on the board today."

Cook added: "We made the most of the early conditions. Finny (Steven Finn) and Jimmy (Anderson) up front asked plenty of questions."

But the new-ball duo were denied an early wicket.

Tredwell, who took two for 49 in England's four-wicket series-levelling win across London at The Oval on Friday, got his chance this campaign when England rested number one spinner Graeme Swann because of a longstanding elbow injury.

And it seemed England might miss Swann as much for his slip catching as his bowling on Sunday when Tredwell dropped openers Hashim Amla, on four, and Graeme Smith, on 26, both off fast bowler Finn.

Dropped catches had helped Amla become the first South African to a Test triple century, at The Oval last month, and make 150 in an 80-run win in the second one-dayer in Southampton.

As it was, missing Amla on Sunday 'only' cost England 41 runs when he was bowled by medium-pacer Bopara for an innings top score of 45.

Amla's exit was the start of a South Africa collapse from 100 for one to 115 for four with JP Duminy stumped off a well-flighted Tredwell delivery.

De Villiers (29) and Parnell (five) were also both stumped by Kieswetter as Tredwell took two wickets for no runs in five balls.

The series concludes at Nottingham's Trent Bridge ground on Wednesday.

2nd Test: NZ 232/9 at stumps, lead by 244

Bangalore: New Zealand were 232 for 9 at stumps on day three of the second Test at here against India with a lead of 244 runs.

India resumed from overnight score of 283 for 5 and Virat Kohli, who was unbeaten on 93 at stumps on day two, soon notched up his second Test century by flicking Trent Boult for a boundary through mid-wicket. But the euphoria was short-lived as Southee trapped him plumb in front of the wickets for 103. Kohli padded the ball which was angling in after pitching and was adjudged lbw. Southee nipped out Dhoni in his next over to complete his five-wicket haul. The ball swung in and hit Dhoni's pad before brushing his bat. Dhoni made 62.

Zaheer Khan caned a six off the first ball he played but didn't last long. Southee dug in a short ball which Zaheer edged to the wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk. In the same over, Southee also removed Pragyan Ojha, who edged an outswinger to van Wyk.

From 303 for 5, India were reduced to 320 for 9. The last-wicket stand between R Ashwin and Umesh Yadav frustrated the New Zealand bowlers for some time. Ashwin played an important innings of unbeaten 32. He shielded Yadav well by striking boundaries and taking singles on the last or second last ball of overs.

Yadav's resistance was ended by Boult who cleaned him up for 4. Ashwin and Yadav added 33 runs for the last wicket as India finished their first innings for 353, conceding a 12-run lead to New Zealand. Southee was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand taking seven wickets for 64, which was the best spell by a New Zealander in India.

Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill started off the visitors' second innings on a good note as New Zealand went to lunch at 29 for no loss.

Yadav removed openers Guptill and McCullum in quick succession after lunch. Guptill (7) was cleaned up by a yorker while MuCullum (23) edged the ball straight into Dhoni's gloves.

Kane Williamson could only muster 13 runs before a straight-ball from Ashwin took an edge of his bat and Virender Sehwag at first slip grabbed another neat catch.

Ross Taylor played some fine shots but a premeditated sweep shot off Ojha ended his stay at the crease. He made 35 runs.

Daniel Flynn and James Franklin didn't let India make further inroads and took their team to 123 for 4 at tea.

New Zealand kept losing wickets at regular intervals after tea though Franklin and van Wyk added 55 runs for sixth wicket to steer their team close to 200. Ashwin broke van Wyk's defiance by trapping him lbw.

Franklin played a rash shot soon after, charging down the track to Ashwin but didn't reach the length of the ball as it turned away from him and Dhoni did the rest. He made 41, the highest score of New Zealand innings.

Southee and Bracewell didn't last long. Ashwin castled Southee to complete the five-wicket haul.

Jeetan Patel and Boult were at the crease when the day was called.

2nd Test: Kohli, Dhoni propel India to 283/5

Bangalore: Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni compiled an unbeaten 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket as India reached 283 for 5 at the end of day two of the second Test against New Zealand, just 82 behind the visitors' first innings score.

Kohli and Dhoni were batting on 93 and 46 respectively when stumps were drawn on Saturday. Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell chalked up three and two wickets respectively for New Zealand.

Kohli came to the crease when India were tottering at 67 for 3 and then lost Sachin Tendulkar when the score was 80. But Suresh Raina and Kohli forged a fine partnership of 99 runs to pull India out of the woods.

Raina was more aggressive in his approach as he smashed a flurry of boundaries and a six over extra cover. He launched a stunning assault on Bracewell and hit three boundaries in his over.

Kohli played responsibly and steadied the shaky Indian innings along with Raina. At tea, Raina and Kohli were unbeaten on 51 and 32 respectively.

Raina (55) fell soon after tea, edging a ball to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk. Dhoni was in imperious touch from the word go as he bludgeoned a couple of sixes off consecutive balls from Jeetan Patel and later cracked a couple of boundaries in the offspinner's one over.

Dhoni didn't throw away the good start and became watchful later in the innings to remain not out, along with Kohli, at stumps.

Earlier, New Zealand could add just 37 runs to their overnight score of 328 for 6 before India wrapped up the innings 45 minutes into the morning session.

The first wicket came when Suresh Raina took a diving catch at second slip off Zaheer Khan to put an end to a breezy 71-run knock from Van Wyk.

Van Wyk added 99 for the seventh wicket with Bracewell, who was unlucky to be run out for 43 when the ball burst through Zaheer's hand to hit the stumps at the non-striker's end with the batsman short of his crease. Pragyan Ojha then snared Southee to finish the New Zealand innings and complete his five-wicket haul.

India's chase of New Zealand first innings' score of 365 started on the wrong foot, with the hosts losing the wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara early. Southee took both the wickets. Gambhir was cleaned up shouldering arms to a straight ball while Pujara miscued a pull and was caught out at long leg by Trent Boult.

Sehwag unfurled a string of boundaries after an anxious start while Tendulkar dug in to make scratchy 4 off 41 balls at lunch. Boult troubled Tendulkar on a couple of occasions and bowled exceptionally well.

After lunch, Bracewell prised out Sehwag and Tendulkar in consecutive overs to leave India reeling at 80 for 4. Sehwag flicked the ball in the air and Daniel Flynn grabbed a fine catch at square leg. He made 43 runs. Tendulkar cracked a spectacular straight drive off Bracewell but the bowler roared back and rattled Tendulkar's stumps on the next ball as the master batsman played across the line. He mustered 17 runs off 50 balls.

Andrew Strauss quits from all forms of cricket

London: Andrew Strauss has retired from all forms of competitive cricket following England’s 2-0 loss against South Africa, which led to the team losing the No. 1 Test ranking. Strauss made the announcement at Lord’s on Wednesday, where it was announced that Alastair Cook would take over the leadership of the team.

"After much thought over the last few weeks, I have decided to step down as England Test captain and announce my retirement from all forms of cricket," said Strauss. "It has clearly been a tough decision to make, but I believe that it is both in the best interests of the England cricket team and myself to step down at this stage."

Following the loss to South Africa, in which his highest score was 37, Strauss had said he wanted time to ponder his career and talk with England's team director Andy Flower. Strauss struggled against South Africa’s battery of quick men, managing just 107 runs in six innings, and had to contend with the situation surrounding Kevin Pietersen and his omission from the final Test at Lord’s.

This brought to a close a 100-Test career in which Strauss, 35, scored 7037 runs at 40.91, inclusive of 21 Test centuries – one shy of the all-time England record. In a 15-year first-class career which started at Durham MCC University in 1998, Strauss scored 17046 runs. He played all his county cricket for his home side, Middlesex.

"No one can play international cricket for any length of time without having an incredibly strong support network around them, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for going through it all alongside me over the course of my England career," said Strauss at the ECB office at Lord's.

"I am extremely proud of everything I have achieved as a cricketer, and I have found myself very fortunate to play in an era when some of English cricket's greatest moments have occurred. I have loved every minute of it. All that remains is for me to wish Andy, Alastair and the rest of the team the very best for the coming months. I will be an interested spectator."

Strauss took over the England captaincy at the age of 31 in in February 2009 after the Pietersen-Peter Moores saga and led England in 50 Tests, including 24 wins, 11 losses and 15 draws. He oversaw two Ashes victories, home and away, as well as Test series wins over India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies (twice) and Bangladesh as well as a series draw in South Africa.