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Steve Waugh surprised Brad Haddin omitted from one-day squad
Summer of Cricket
Steve Waugh surprised Brad Haddin omitted from one-day squad
Brad Haddin

Brad Haddin has been left playing first grade cricket in Sydney while Matthew Wade and the rest of the Australian one-day team travel around the country. Picture: Damian Shaw

BRAD Haddin’s rest from the Australian team has become a solid sleep after the selectors completely ignored him yesterday.

Not only was Haddin left out of the revised one-day squad for the next two matches, he received no contact from any of the selectors on how long his “rest” would last.

It appears that Haddin, 34, has now lost the job of Australia’s one-day wicket-keeper to explosive Victorian Matthew Wade, 24.

Wade has made an outstanding start to his international career for Australia, winning man-of-the-match awards in Twenty20 and one-day internationals during the same week when used as an opening batsman.

However he has been shunted up and down the order, to his and Australia’s detriment.

Despite being overlooked again Haddin has not been sent into complete hibernation, with assurances he remains the Test keeper.

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Coach and selector Mickey Arthur says Australia will take two wicket-keepers to the West Indies in March and April, presumably Haddin and Wade.

And the last time Summer of Cricket spoke to chairman of selectors John Inverarity, he insisted that Haddin was still the Test incumbent.

Inverarity also said that Haddin’s role would be “reassessed” after the first three one-day matches, which were completed in Adelaide on Sunday.

Steve Waugh seemed as confused as Haddin about his status.

“I was surprised when they said he was rested, he basically said he was dropped,” Waugh said.

“There’s mixed messages there. If he’s rested, why doesn’t he come back in and be the captain?”

Ricky Ponting has been appointed captain for Friday night’s match against Sri Lanka at the SCG in the absence of an injured Michael Clarke.

“He’s the vice-captain of the Test side, so there was the opportunity for maybe Brad to captain the one-day team,” Waugh said.

“But obviously, he’s having an enforced rest. I’m not sure what it is but it’s a bit confusing and it would be good for someone to clear it up.”

Haddin will fly to Perth today with the NSW Sheffield Shield team to play Western Australia in a match beginning on Friday.

He will be joined by all-rounder Shane Watson, who is making his comeback to first-class cricket after missing the entire Australian summer with hamstring and calf strains.

Watson played his first match in more than two months last Saturday when he turned out for Sydney grade club Sutherland against Brad Haddin’s Easts, scoring 30 opening the batting and taking an uneventful 0-17 from six overs.

If he comes through the shield match unscathed Watson hopes to be available for the remainder of the one-day series.

Fast bowler Ryan Harris has been rested with Ben Hilfenhaus and Brett Lee called up.

Lee will have to prove his fitness ahead of Friday’s match after missing the first three one-day games with a broken toe suffered when he was hit by the ball while bowling in the second Twenty20 international against India in Melbourne.

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Ricky Ponting (captain on Friday), David Warner (vc), Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade.

Recap Sri Lanka and India’s first-ever tie in one-day cricket
10.20pm (AEDT) – INDIA has finished at 9/236 and TIED with Sri Lanka!

What an incredible finish to this evening’s one-day match at the Adelaide Oval.

Here’s how the 50th over played out, with India needing 9 from the final 6 balls.

Ball 1 – Malinga to Dhoni – 2 runs to long on (equation – 7 runs off 5 balls)
Ball 2 – Malinga to Dhoni – edges into his pad and scampers a single (6 needed off 4 balls)
Ball 3 – Malinga to Kumar – slower ball, tapped to point for a single (5 off 3 balls)
Ball 4 – Malinga to Dhoni – slogged straight to fielder inside circle, Malinga misses run-out chance (4 off 2 balls)
Ball 5 – Malinga to Kumar – RUN OUT – The batsmen ran and Kumar was short. But Dhoni back on strike. (4 from 1) Umesh Yadav comes to the crease to perform his role as a runner.

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Ball 6 – Malinga to Dhoni – Good-length ball slashed over extra cover. Fielder did well to stop before irt crossed the rope, palmed it back in but the two batsmen easily made three runs.

The two teams seemed a little shell-shocked, not quite knowing what to do – perhaps thinking there may be a ’super over’ as is the case in tied T20s.

10.10pm (AEDT): INDIA is 8/228 – needing 9 to win off the final over.

The 49th over was hugely eventful. Irfan Pathan departed (run out) but he also hit a huge SIX – off a no-ball – to swing the momentum India’s way.

Dhoni chalked up his half-century with a FOUR and then kept the strike with a single off the final ball. Vinay Kumar is the new batsman.

Lasith Malinga will bowl the final over.

10pm (AEDT): ASHWIN is out – two balls after one of the worst drops you’ll ever see at international level.

India is 7/212 (47.4 overs), so they need 25 off 14 balls to win.

Two balls before Ashwin spooned one to short cover, he was dropped inside the circle after keeper Sangakkara ran in to try to catch a high ball but, despite having the gloves on, he spilled it.

This is anyone’s game.

9.50pm (AEDT): MS Dhoni and Ravi Ashwin have taken to Perera in the 46th over, taking 13 from it to make things really tight at the Adelaide Oval.

India is 6/204 after 46, now needing 33 runs from 24 balls.

Dhoni is 43, Ashwin 9.

Dhoni lifted a SIX straight down the ground that last over, while Ashwin also played a lovely lifted FOUR over extra cover.

Sri lanka must remove Dhoni if they’re to win.

9.38pm (AEDT): JADEJA is out!

The left-hander’s firmly-hit cover drive went to Jayawardene’s right and the skipper took it beautifully.

He goes for three and now India has slumped to 6/184.

Ravi Ashwin has joined Dhoni.

9.35pm (AEDT): RUNS not flowing now for India, with the Sri Lankans having done a terrific job in recent overs. The fielders inside the ring have pounced on everything.

It’s 5/182 after 43 overs and suddenly the equation is 55 runs from 42 balls.

Dhoni (31) is still there, however, and Jadeja is on 2.

9.23pm (AEDT): SRI Lanka has got rid of the mainstay of the Indian innings, opener Gautam Gambhir for 91.

The opener was eager to take a single but was sent back by skipper MS Dhoni, and he was not desperate enough to return to his ground at the non-striker’s end.

Sri Lankan fielder Nuwan Kulasekara swooped and his direct hit found Gambhir half a foot short.

India is now 5/178 off 41 overs – still needing 59 runs for victory.

Ravindra Jadeja (the $2 million man) has joined Dhoni, who’s on 29.

9.10pm (AEDT): GAMBHIR and Dhoni have put on 50 from 10 overs.

It’s now 4/168 from 38 overs. Gambhir is 86 and steadily moving towards his 10th ODI century. Dhoni is on 24 and looking good.

Sri Lanka desperately needs a breakthrough. India needs 68 runs from the final 12 overs (72 balls).

8.47pm (AEDT): INDIA is 4/143 after 33 overs (Gambhir 73, Dhoni 13).

India needs 94 runs from 102 balls, so the equation isn’t too bad at the moment, but a couple of quick wickets would swing the momentum Sri Lanka’s way.

Gambhir continues to be the rock of the innings, while Dhoni can just play steadily for now. How long until he gets some itchy fingers and wants to throw the bat?

India still has a batting powerplay up its sleeve.

8.23pm (AEDT): RAINA is out (for 8), falling to a superb leg-side catch from Sri lankan keeper Sangakkara,

The left-handed batsman only got a tickle on it but Sangakkara moved wonderfully to take a low-down catch.

India is now 4/118, and MS Dhoni – his side’s hero against Australia on this ground just two nights ago – has joined Gambhir (61).

8.10pm (AEDT): INDIA passes its 100 and Gambhir reaches his 50.

It’s 3/103 (Gambhir 50 from 62 balls, Raina 4).

8.01pm (AEDT): SHARMA is run out!

A direct hit from Mahela Jayawardene found Sharma just a couple of inches short of his ground, but that could be just the spark Sri Lanka needs. Superb fielding from the captain.

India is now 3/94 (Gambhir 45) and he’s been joined by Suresh Raina.

7.56pm (AEDT): INDIA is 2/83 after 20 overs. At the same stage Sri Lanka was 3/79.

Gambhir is on 41, Sharma is on 8.

Sri Lanka has the slow bowlers on at the moment (Herath and Senanayake) and they’ve slowed things down a bit in the last couple of overs.

7.33pm (AEDT): PERERA strikes! Kohli (15) plays across the line to a straight ball and is hit plum in front – lbw.

India is now 2/61 (Gambhir 28) is joined by Rohit Sharma, and India now needs a good partnership after losing their two best-performed batsmen of the summer.

Gambhir has been in super nick during the one-day series, however.

7.20pm (AEDT): INDIA has moved to 1/47 from 11 overs (Gambhir 20, Kohli 9).

Gambhir was lucky to survive last over after taking off for a very risky single, but the attempted throw-down of the stumps missed.

Kulasekara and Perera are bowling for Sri Lanka – certainly not express pace and it doesn’t look too threatening out there. One feels the Sri Lankans were maybe 30-40 short with their total.

7pm (AEDT): KULASEKARA has got Tendulkar!

The Little Master was just starting to look dangerous when the Sri lankan seamer just got one to move away slightly off the seam, and Tendulkar edged it through to Sangakkara.

India is 1/24 (Gambhir 6) is joined by Virat Kohli in the seventh over.

6.39pm (AEDT): INDIA are safely away and are 0/2 (Gambhir 0, Tendulkar 0) after one over.

Lasith Malinga bowled the first over, and sent down a wide which the batsmen also scurried through for a single.

Will tonight be the night that The Little master breaks through for his 100th international century?

Nuwan Kulasekara is taking the new ball from the other end for Sri Lanka.

*******

5.48pm: HERATH swings a pull shot down the ground and it’s kept to one.

Sri Lanka finishes on 9/236 (Senanayake 22, Herath 1). India will require 237 for victory.

5.46pm: MALINGA runs himself out with one ball left – attempting to get Senanayake back on strike.

It’s 9/235.

5.44pm: KULASEKARA swings and is caught at point. He skied it and Gambhir took an easy catch.

It’s 8/232 from 49.3 overs.

Lasith Malinga comes to the wicket but there’s only three balls remaining in the innings.

Senanayake has the strike.

5.28pm: BRILLIANT work from MS Dhoni runs out Mathews (17).

Mathews edged a full toss behind, and Dhoni gathered and threw down the stumps – underarm. Mathews thought his snick was past Dhoni and was one-third of the way down the pitch. he could only look on as the ball cannoned into middle stump.

Sri Lanka is now 7/210 (Kulasekara 10) is joined by Sachithra Senanayake.

5.25pm: ANGELO Mathews has decided it’s time to put the foot down for Sri Lanka, throwing the bat at one or two that over.

After 46 overs Sri Lanka is 6/207 (Mathews 16, Kulasekara 9).

Sri Lanka have just 24 balls to try to get this total up towards 240-250.

5.03pm: PERERA tries to loft Ashwin down the ground but is OUT!

Sri Lanka suddenly slumps to 6/184 (Mathews 1) and Nuwan Kulasekara comes to the crease.

India’s slow bowlers have done a great job so far today.

4.52pm: DINESH Chandimal is run out for 81!

A little push to short cover from Mathews was swooped on by Rohit Sharma, and Dhoni whipped the bails off.

It was tight but the third umpire took a surprisingly small amount of time to decide that Chandimal was short of his ground. The non-striker (Chandimal) made the decision to go – and it was a bad one.

He probably deserved a hundred.

After 38 overs Sri lanka is 5/181 (Thisara Perera 3, Mathews 1).

4.45pm: VINAY Kumar traps Jayawardene (43) on the crease plum in front!

Sri Lanka is 4/173 (Chandimal 78), with Angelo Mathews the new batsman at the wicket.

Jayawardene shuffled across his stumps and there was no doubt.

4.38pm: CHANDIMAL lofts Ravindra Jadeja over the mid-wicket fence for SIX and Sri Lanka is really starting to hum along now.

The score has moved on to 3/169 (Chandimal 75, Jayawardene 42).

Sri Lanka still has 15 overs up their sleeves.

4.12pm: SRI Lanka goes past three figures and now Chandimal also brings up his 50 – he looks a really neat player.

After 26 overs Sri Lanka is 3/105 (Chandimal 51, Jayawardene 15).

India had just pegged back the run-rate a little in the last few overs but it looks like Sri Lanka might now be starting to accelerate again.

3.48pm: SANGAKKARA is out!

After getting tied down, the left-hander used his feet to Ashwin and tried to hit him for quick runs but only succeeded in edging to Gautam Gambhir at point.

Sri Lanka is now 3/79, with skipper Mahela Jayawardene joining Chandimal (29).

3.32pm: THAT’S drinks and we’re also one over into the bowling powerplay.

Sri Lanka is 2/64 (Sangakkara 23, Chandimal 22). India brought on Ravi Ashwin that over – perhaps looking to buy a wicket as Sri Lanka looks to up the run-rate – and the spinner only conceded one run in his first six balls.

3.20pm: SRI Lanka is 2/55 from 13 overs (Sangakkara 18, Chandimal 18).

This pair are looking pretty good now, with Chadimal looking pretty comfortable.

Umesh Yadav just bowled his first over but went for seven.

The pitch has kept low occasionally but again. like most Adelaide Oval wickets, it looks good for batting.

2.54pm: Dilshan slashes and is caught behind! Sri Lanka is 2/28.

The opener had hoicked a short ball to square leg for SIX the previous over, but Irfan Pathan enticed him to slash at a wideish ball and this time he was only able to get an inside edge. Dhoni takes his second catch of the innings.

The impressive young Dinesh Chandimal joins Sangakkara (10) at the crease.

2.44pm: SRI Lanka is starting to repair its innings after the disastrous start.

The score is 1-17 after five overs.

Kumar and Irfan Pathan – included in the Indian side for the first time this summer – are keeping things tight.

Sangakkara is 8, Dilshan 7.

2.22pm: UPUL Tharanga is OUT second ball!

Vinay Kumar got the left hander pushing at one wide of the off stump and he edged it through to MS Dhoni.

Sri Lanka is 1-0 after just two balls! Kumar Sangakkara joins Tillakaratne Dilshan at the crease.

2.05pm (AEDT): SRI Lanka takes on India in the fifth One-Day International at Adelaide Oval from 2.30pm today.

TEAMS:

Sri Lanka – TM Dilshan, WU Tharanga, KC Sangakkara†, LD Chandimal, DPMD Jayawardene*, AD Mathews, NLTC Perera, KMDN Kulasekara, HMRKB Herath, SL Malinga, SMSM Senanayake

India – SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, SK Raina, RG Sharma, MS Dhoni*†, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, U Yadav, IK Pathan

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Yuvraj Singh is the latest in a long list of cricketers afflicted with cancery

When the news broke out on Sunday morning that Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with lung cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy in the Cancer Research Institute in Boston, US, it rattled millions of cricket fans around the world, judging by the outpour of emotions on the social media. Yuvraj is one of the most popular cricketers in India, and has been the bulwark of India’s batting in ODIs for the last 12 years. His consistent performances with both bat and ball masterminded India 2011 World Cup triumph, after a hiatus of 28 years. Yuvraj chalked up 362 runs and claimed 15 wickets to bag four man of the match four awards and, most importantly, the Player of the 2011 World Cup award.
In November 2011, his mother revealed that Yuvraj had been suffering non-malignant tumour. She said, even during the World Cup, Yuvraj used to cough and vomit, but they ignored and thought it was due to excessive stress. Only later, they realised, after few tests, that there’s a golf-size tumour over his left lung. But, they said that it’s non-malignant, and Yuvraj would be fit to play for India in a month or two.
The revelation on Sunday that the tumour is malignant was numbing. That the cancer was detected at the first stage and is entirely curable left his fans to hope for the best. Yuvraj is feeling a lot better than before, according to his physiotherapist Dr Jatin Chaudhary, and will be back to play cricket in May 2012.
Yuvraj is the latest in a long list of cricketers who have suffered the most dreaded disease. Some cricketers were lucky that the disease was detected in the earlier stage or was mild, as in case with Yuvraj, and were cured. Sadly, quite a few succumbed to disease.
Cricketers who suffered from cancer during their cricketing career are current Australian skipper Michael Clarke (skin cancer), Ken Wadsworth, Dave Callaghan, Tufty Mann and Simon O’ Donnell. Out of these cricketers, Clarke, Callaghan and O’ Donnell overcame the deadly disease and resumed their cricketing career while Wadsworth and Mann battled cancer with creditable courage but tragically, their life came to a poignant end.
Wadsworth was the first wicket-keeper to score an ODI century, and his cricket career looked set to go places, when the tragedy struck. He was diagnosed with skin cancer and died at a young age of 29.
Clarke was diagnosed with a low-grade spot on his nose in early 2006. It was mild and Clarke soon recovered to play cricket for Australia. He later became the brand ambassador for the skin cancer awareness programme.
O’Donnell was a regular member of Australian squad in 1980s and excelled with both bat and ball. It was following Australia’s 1987 World Cup triumph that he discovered he had cancer. He took treatment for a year and won his place back in the formidable Australian team. In 1990, he scored the then fastest fifty in ODI cricket – off 18 balls -against Sri Lanka.
Cancer robbed cricket of many big players at an early age. Most notable were Sir Frank Worrell, one of the most revered and inspirational captains, and Malcolm Marshall, one of the greatest-ever fast bowler in the history of the game. Worrell died at age 42 from leukemia while Marshall was 41 when he succumbed to cancer of the colon.
Worrell’s influence went beyond the cricket field and he left an indelible impact on the social atmosphere of Caribbean islands. Marshall was the most complete fast bowler of his time. Bowlers like Shaun Pollock and Wasim Akram credit him highly for their success. Just two months before he passed away, Marshall tied the knot with his long-time girl-friend Connie.
The lives of Fred Trueman and Brian Statham, England’s legendary fast bowling duo in the 1950s, were extinguished by the savage affliction. Trueman died of lung cancer at 75 while Statham died of leukemia at 69. Trueman was the first bowler in history to take 300 wickets. Statham’s forte was precision and accuracy which fetched him 252 wickets.
Other renowned cricketers who were diagnosed with cancer in their later years were Roy Fredericks, Budhi Kunderan, Graham Dilley, Brian Luckhurst, and Inshan Ali.
Fredericks was an explosive West Indian batsman, remembered for his whirlwind 169 against Australia at WACA, Perth, in 1975-79. He died of throat cancer at the age of 57.
Kunderan was a swashbuckling Indian wicket-keeper batsman who was the first wicket-keeper to score over 500 runs in a Test series – a feat he attained against England in 1963-64. He died of lung cancer when he was 66.
Dilley was a former England fast bowler who was instrumental in orchestrating one of the most famous victories in the annals of Test cricket. He added 118 runs with Ian Botham for the eight wicket against Australia at Headingly in 1981 Ashes series which turned the tide in England’s favour and won them the Test after following-on. He was later diagnosed for esophageal cancer and died at the age of 52.
Luckhurst played 21 Tests for England, and later became the president of the Kent County. He passed away at 66 after the long battle with cancer.
David Shepherd, one of the finest umpires in the history of cricket who officiated in three World Cup finals, passed away due to lung cancer at the age of 68.
Former England opener, Geoff Boycott, developed cancer tissues over his neck in 2002 but, thankfully, they were detected in the nascent stage and were nipped in the bud. Boycott revealed that he used to cry in exasperation due to pain, quite unusual for a man who never winced against the most ferocious bowlers of his time.
Former England Test batsman, John Edrich and former West Indian all-rounder Bernard Julian are battling leukemia and throat cancer respectively.
One of the most astonishing examples of indomitable spirit and undying fortitude in the history of sports is exemplified by Lance Armstrong, who was diagnosed as having testicular cancer, with a tumour that had metastasized to his brain and lungs in October 1996. The chances of his survival were as minuscule as 40%. He went through the extensive chemotherapy and rehabilitation. But his never-say-die attitude defied all the medical norms. He started training the following year and went on to win the Tour de France, the most competitive championship in sports, for an unprecedented seven times in a row. He is the shining example of the fact that human spirit and self-belief are more potent than the prescribed and conventional mores.

His autobiography, ‘It’s Not About The Bike: My Journey Back to Life’ ranks prominently among the most motivational books of all-time. It explores his travails after he was diagnosed, and how he thwarted the inevitable to emerge as one of the greatest sportsmen of all-time. Yuvraj is reading this very book and seeking inspiration from Armstrong’s life.
Yuvraj is no stranger to tough times. His career has seen dizzying height and extreme lows. He had been dropped from the team many times but always made remarkable comebacks as an improved performer. He transformed into one of the finest finishers in ODI cricket helping India win heaps of matches. Even before the World Cup last year, questions were raised about his from and fitness, and some critics even questioned his place in the team, but he responded in the best way possible and silenced his detractors by his superlative show in the tournament.
Yuvraj is known as a fighter to the core and it should come as no surprise if he emerges from the biggest crisis of his life a stronger man and an improved cricketer. Yuvraj is just 30 and has lots of good cricket to offer Indian cricket.
Complete coverage of “Yuvraj Singh’s battle with cancer”

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Cook – New format, clean slate
England bid to bounce back from Test humiliation in one-dayers
England captain Alastair Cook has urged his side to prove they have learned from their 5-0 series whitewash in India four months ago, as they prepare for their next ODI series against Pakistan.

In fact England have lost nine of their last 10 one-dayers heading into Monday’s opener against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

Cook said: “One of the things we said at the time was we tried as hard as we could and we came up quite a long way short again against India.
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“There’s no shame in that, but there will be a shame if we don’t learn individually from that and where we need to take our game. I hope people have done that.”

England began their Indian tour in October in a near-euphoric state, having just added an ODI series victory over the world champions to the 4-0 Test success which took them to the top of the International Cricket Council rankings last summer.

Current circumstances are very different, as England try to put behind them not only that 5-0 ODI drubbing in India, but also a shock 3-0 Test whitewash here against Pakistan over the past month.

“The Tests didn’t go to plan, and we didn’t play very well,” said Cook. “But it’s a new format, and the squad has introduced six new faces. It’s brought a freshness and enthusiasm to the squad.”

Another area of optimism for Cook is his new opening partnership with Kevin Pietersen, following the latter’s return to the top of the order.

Pietersen first tried his luck opening at last year’s World Cup, and the signs were encouraging but far from conclusive until he had to fly home with a hernia injury.

It is more than three years since Pietersen made the last of his seven ODI hundreds, but Cook was impressed by his latest attempt at opening in Friday’s victory over England Lions at the Zayed Stadium.
Challenge

“It’s a new challenge for KP – he did it a little bit in India, for a couple of games at the World Cup before he got injured, and he showed signs of promise.

“He’s excited about it; I’m excited about it – and when he’s in full flow in the powerplay it’s going to be hard to stop him.

“KP is unique in his own way and he’s certainly got the class – he averages 50 in Test cricket and 40 in ODIs.

“He’s a world-class player, and to make the most of those first 10 overs with two new balls you need a world-class player with a world-class technique – and he’s got the power.”

Cook can only hope too that England will collectively fare much better against Pakistan in 50 overs than they did over five days.

“The Tests didn’t go to plan, and we didn’t play very well. But it’s a new format, and the squad has introduced six new faces. It’s brought a freshness and enthusiasm to the squad.”
Alastair Cook Quotes of the week

“Certainly the one-day game dictates you have to be more positive, and we’re not going to have men around the bat all the time, so it changes your mentality as a batter. It frees you up, and we’ve got a good record against Pakistan.

“We’ve had success against these bowlers before in one-day cricket, so I hope we won’t banish memories of what happened in the Test matches but free up a little bit and attack.”

Cook’s opposite number Misbah-ul-Haq remains respectful of England’s potential, despite the Test whitewash and the fact his own team have won their last six ODI series and 13 of their last 14 50-over matches.

“It’s a different ball game … in one-dayers, you have flat pitches – but I still hope that my spinners do well,” he said.

“England are a good side. Having lost their last series 5-0 doesn’t mean that they are a bad side.”