GOODBYE WEST INDIES

YOU GAVE US GREAT MEMORIES LARA

30.5 over. Broad to Samuels, OUT, what a desperate way to bring down the curtain on Lara's career. Samuels pushed the ball to mid-on, called for the run, Lara answered and almost immediately Samuels changed his mind, leaving Lara stranded.

Lara walks through a guard of honour by the English team to start his final innings

Michael Vaughan shakes hands with Brian Lara at the toss, in his final match for West Indies

Caption and photo courtesy: Cricinfo.com

SUPER EIGHTS ROUNDUP

SA captain Graeme Smith tosses the coin as Jayawardhane looks on, South Africa won this super eight match by 1 wicket

Pietersen edges one to take South Africa home

MALINGA INSPIRES AT THE DEATH WITH FOUR WICKETS IN FOUR BALLS, THOUGH SOUTH AFRICA SCRAP HOME BY ONE WICKET
Match 2: Sri Lanka vs. South Africa.
March 28.

Lanka batted first.

Sri Lanka 209 all out in 49.3overs (T Dilshan 58, R Arnold 50, C Langeveldt: 10-39-5;Ntini: 8-26-2;Hall:9-33-1) lost to South Africa 212/9 in 48.2 overs (G Smith 59,J Kallis 86,Malinga: 9.2-54- 4;Murali: 10-31-3)

Even as West Indies was surrendering to Australia’s mammoth total, South Africa restricted Sri Lanka to 209, with some diligent medium-pace bowling by Charles Langeveldt and Andrew Hall. South Africa was 206/5 with four runs to win in the 45th over.

Malinga, disappointing the whole day, yorked Shaun Pollock in the fifth ball of the over, the score: 206/6.

Next ball, he makes Andrew Hall offer a catch to cover fielder Tharanga.

206/7

The 46th over, Vass bowls five dot balls to Kallis, who takes a single off the last ball only to be caught behind off Malinga in the first ball of the 47th.

207/8.

A hat trick, but more is to come. Ntini is bowled through the gates next ball, a stunned SA dressing room – scenes from the 1999 semi-final against Australia.

207/9.

A determined Langeveldt, who earlier took five for 39, plays the rest of the over; almost gets bowled. A tense next over is played without a run.
The 49th over, it is Malinga to Langeveldt again, who takes a single. Left handed R Peterson edges the next past slip to a lucky boundary, in part celebration and hysteria he almost falls over the non-strikers stumps as the team celebrate. But in the end, it seems Sri Lanka go stronger to the next match, because they went down fighting. In courageous defeat is victory? We will know soon in case of Sri Lanka.

West Indian Captian Brain Lara looks dejected after his team lost to New Zealand on Thursday, after losing to Australia a day early

LARA FIGHTS LONE BATTLE AGAISNT GAINT AUSSIE TOTAL
Match 1:

March 27: Australia vs। West Indies. West Indies won the toss and elected to field.

Australia 322(M Hayden 158,Powell: 10-53-2; Bravo: 7-49-2) beat West Indies 219 (B Lara 77, D Ramdin 52, McGrath: 10-31-3; Hogg: 10-56-3; Tait7।3-43-2) all-out in 45.3 overs.

West Indies would have wanted to restrict the defending champions below 300, and it was the ground fielding that failed them at crucial moments. Australia was placed at 76/1, when Ramnaresh Sarwan ran out Ricky Pointing by a direct hit at the non-strikers end. Micheal Clarke came in and gave at least half-a-dozen run out chances to the host team who failed to capitalise.

Before Clarke got out for 41, hundred runs had been added and even Symonds’ and Hussey’s cheap dismissals didn’t stop Matthew Hayden from getting runs after scoring the fastest world cup century ever.

Sarwan had a chance to hold a Hayden hit after he reached his century at deep long off but misjudged it. The rain came down and the West Indians began their chase the next .In no time, they were 20/3 with Chanderpaul, Gayle and Samuels .

Again Lara came to the rescue with Sarwan holing out to Hogg for 29. 90/4. Lara plays beautifully, but it is an unequal battle, him against eleven Australians and a mounting run rate. He is out trying to sweep Hogg and getting LBW after a beautiful 77. Ramdin makes 52, but the asking rate calls for risk and batsmen perish.

TheWest Indies have no respite, they have another big match against New Zealand the next day. Lara complains of the scheduling, but there is nothing he can change. Australia are almost through to the semi-finals, looking more ominous, this was their sixth consecutive above 300 score in one day matches.

SUBDUED WEST INDIES LOSE TO NEW ZEALAND
Match 3: West Indies vs. New Zealand. March 29. The effect of a third day on the field shows on the host nation to lose by seven wickets.
West Indies -177 all out in 44.4 overs (B Lara 37, Gayle 44, Bond: 8.4-31-3; Oram: 8-23-3; Vettori: 9.1-39-3) lost to New Zealand 179/3 in 39.2 overs (S Styris 80 not out, S Fleming 45, C McMillan 33 not out, Powell: 10-39-2)

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THE SUPER EIGHT BERTHS

West Indies

Australia

New Zealand
South Africa

England

Ireland

Sri Lanka

Bangladesh

Red font colored teams most likely to make it to the semi-finals.
What is your pick?

All qualifying teams will play each other once in the super eight, except their own group team. 6 games each for each team. The top four teams then make it to the semi-finals.

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WOOLMER INVESTIGATION CRAWLS

Jamiacan police have looked from more than 24 hours of CCTV footage of people entering Woolmer's room and leaving it on the night of the murder. The police say this will help them narrow down the suspects. The videos clearly show faces and can be used as evidence. Meanwhile, Woolmer's family is still waiting for taking his body to Cape Town.

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APPLICATION FOR LEAVE : MY CRICKET TEAM'S UNEXPECTED WIN

Ireland off-spinner Kyle McCallan admitted that he will have to ask his school headmistress to get more time if his team extend their World Cup run.

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