England take title after late drama

England lift World Cup after late drama

England woke up on Sunday morning to find their women crowned world champions for the third time following a final in which they had the edge throughout against New Zealand in Sydney on Sunday. As Jonny Wilkinson had kicked his rugby side to glory in 2003 in the same city, so England's Nicky Shaw sealed success for her team to see them home, having taken a career-best 4 for 34.

This match was not quite as nail-biting as the rugby final but certainly had its moments. Though at one stage England were coasting in their chase of 167, they eventually made it home by four wickets.

And while Shaw earned the player of the match - unlike Wilkinson - she wasn't even supposed to play. Although vice-captain, it was only an injury to premier allrounder Jenny Gunn that meant her last-minute inclusion. It proved a stroke of fortune for England.

The final had promised to be a much tight affair with the best two sides in the competition contesting the ultimate honours, but Shaw's wicket burst helped keep New Zealand to a modest total and then England's big batting guns had just too much firepower when it counted.

Their all-round game was a credit, the bowlers taking wickets when it mattered, the fielders the catches and then their batsmen took advantage of bowling that was both too short and too full at times. And the most important thing was that, even though they went on to lose a few wickets, they held their nerve at the crucial point.

The key passage of the game came in the New Zealand innings, kickstarted by Shaw who removed the dangerous Suzie Bates, then Amy Satterthwaite off successive balls. New Zealand went on to lose 6 for 92, Shaw dismissing form batsman Haidee Tiffen and Nicola Browne, becoming the first woman to take four wickets in a World Cup final.

The wicket of Browne was an important one - she had offered New Zealand some hope, along with Lucy Doolan in an eighth-wicket stand of 62. Together they boosted their side from 7 for 101. Partnerships were badly lacking for New Zealand, in initial contrast to England who found themselves on 1 for 74 in their reply.

The hard-working Caroline Atkins and Sarah Taylor seized the advantage quickly and entertained with some pure cricket shots. Having pleased the crowd with her typically strong shots, Taylor then perished to a soft one, such has been her wont this tournament.

No matter, it simply brought the world's No. 1 batsman to the crease. Claire Taylor had arrived in the final averaging 75.75 for the tournament. She began by sparing no mercy on the New Zealand attack before Aimee Mason bowled her on 21, giving her opposition some hope (2 for 109).

Atkins departed soon afterwards for 40, brilliantly caught by the tumbling Sophie Devine in gully off Doolan and New Zealand had a hint of a chance. Their determined bowlers continued to try their best but with Doolan again striking, with Edwards adjudged caught behind when she hadn't touched it.

Lydia Greenway then fell top-edging to midwicket, before Beth Morgan ran herself out failing to push back into her crease. With 15 runs required and four wickets in hand, Tiffen then dropped a hard chance off Holly Colvin, but Shaw stood defiant, with some classy drives that belied the pressure of the final.

Both sides had started nervously - the usually solid Tiffen consistently poking away from her body under Katherine Brunt's pace and swing, while the bowler and her fellow opener Isa Guha delivered some wides. But it was all about who held their nerve and, while England's bowlers struck golden rhythm and crucial wickets, New Zealand's batsmen were prone to losing their heads.

It could have been the same story for England at one point, but with a vast bank of experience from which to draw, they stood firm.

England played the more complete cricket and deserved the trophy. They will now enjoy the benefit of the world No. 1 ranking for the foreseeable future - perhaps even until the World Cup in 2013. And with the World Twenty20 coming up, England are already looking a fair bet. For now, though, they will enjoy their first World Cup title since 1993.

India end drought with thumping win

This is India's first Test win in New Zealand since the Auckland Test of 1976. They take a 1-0 lead in the series and have lived up to their billing at least in this game. The match headed in their direction at lunch on the opening day with NZ at 61 for 6. New Zealand mounted a fightback but their bowlers failed to back the efforts of Vettori and Ryder. India piled on the half-centuries, Tendulkar scored an exquisite 160 and there was no looking back. The adjudicators for the Man of the Match will have a tough choice between Tendulkar and Harbhajan, whose 6 for 63 happens to be his best Test figures away from home. MS Dhoni is yet to experience defeat in a Test as well.

Ryder, Vettori revive New Zealand

A maiden Test century from Jesse Ryder and a third by captain Daniel Vettori rescued New Zealand, enabling them to post 279 on day one of the first Test against India in Hamilton.

Having fallen to 60 for six after India won the toss and bowled, the pair shared 186 for the seventh wicket to get their side back on track before India closed on 29 without loss.

Ryder was the last man to fall for 102, while Vettori's 118 was the only other score greater than Ross Taylor's 18.

Martin Guptill was handed a Test debut by New Zealand and he opened the innings alongside Tim McIntosh but he only lasted 20 balls, scoring 14 runs before giving Rahul Dravid a record-equalling 181st catch when he edged a seaming delivery from Zaheer Khan.

In Khan's next over he had Daniel Flynn well caught by wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a duck and after the first hour of play, the home side had crawled to 40 for two.

Tim McIntosh was the next to depart and it was another good catch, this time Virender Sehwag taking one low down in the gulley off Ishant Sharma, who was to finish as India's most successful bowler with four for 73.

Sharma struck again soon after when Ross Taylor was dismissed, the first man to go having not been caught behind the wicket. He was instead bowled via his pads and two balls later, James Franklin was given out caught behind by Dhoni off the same bowler for the second duck of the innings.

When Munaf Patel had Brendon McCullum (3) caught by VVS Laxman at second slip, New Zealand were 60 for six and in danger of being bowled out before lunch before Ryder and Vettori's superb rearguard.

The pair batted through until tea, adding 101 runs together, Ryder reaching his half-century just one ball before the interval.

Their stand was finally ended when Vettori, who faced 164 balls and hit 14 fours and two sixes, edged Munaf Patel to Dhoni Patel was on a hat-trick when Kyle Mills was bowled first ball but Iain O'Brien (8) survived and went on to edge a four through the slips as everybody waited in earnest to see whether Ryder could reach a maiden century.

He was into the 90s and past his previous best when he pulled Patel to the boundary but when O'Brien was stumped by Dhoni off of Harbhajan Singh, Ryder looked in trouble, marooned at the wrong end with 98 to his name and Chris Martin making his way to the crease.

Somehow, Martin kept his wicket intact for the rest of Harbhajan's over, allowing Ryder to pull Sharma for four at the next opportunity to reach his century in 161 balls with 14 fours. One ball later and it was all over, Ryder trying to hit Sharma over the top but only succeeding in picking out Laxman at mid-on.

India then had time to play out seven overs, Sehwag climbing into both Mills and Martin, scoring five boundaries in all. Sehwag was unbeaten on 22, Gautam Gambhir had six.

India in New Zealand 2008-09

After a breathtaking ODI series, if the two teams needed any motivation before the start of the Tests, it has arrived through reinforcements to the Test squad. One each in particular for the two sides. Men who lost years in their prime to injuries. Men who came back transformed: one with a changed bowling action, the other with a different role. They will both be looking to fulfil primarily the third pace bowler's responsibility for their teams. For inspiration, look no further than L Balaji and James Franklin.

Two years ago, Franklin was struggling to get through the 2007 World Cup. In the game against Bangladesh, he had to go off the field because of what seemed like a migraine attack but was actually much worse. "I get tunnel vision and a headache that spikes me in the head," Franklin said then. "In the drinks break I was fine, but when I tried to focus on something it was all blurred. I bowled an over after that. It was a blur and in the later part it was all blue vision."

Franklin has had such attacks since he was 12, three times on the field. But what really laid him low was a crippling knee injury. Six months later he learned he required surgery.

Around the same time Balaji, already out of international action because of his back injuries, was not sure which way his rehabilitation was heading. That was when he was told he needed to undergo back surgery. Before he went in for the operation, he needed a reassurance from mentor and friend WV Raman that he would be able to bowl again.

Franklin has been ahead of Balaji in terms of rehabilitation and comeback. After the knee surgery, Franklin said he wanted to make a comeback as an allrounder, not as the same left-arm swing bowler who could bat. He worked hard on his batting, trying to become the "50-50" allrounder. Sure enough, he scored 219 against Auckland in the initial part of this season to back up his claims. The reward came in the form of two Tests against West Indies at the end of last year.

"[I bring in] just a little bit of variation," Franklin said. "Left-armer, I can swing the ball so it'll be a different angle of attack for the batsmen to come up against. I'd like to think I can do the job both with the ball and the bat."

Franklin has taken only 14 wickets in seven matches in his comeback season but has averaged 69 with the bat, scoring two hundreds and two fifties. "My focus this season hasn't changed so much," he said. "It's just been a case of being able to get myself in and the runs have been forthcoming, so it's just a continuation."

Unlike Franklin, who is almost a sure starter in the New Zealand XI, Balaji will most likely be competing against Munaf Patel for a final place. But it's no less a credit to him that he is in the squad. Back injuries and surgeries do not leave even the strongest of men unaffected. Balaji has come back with a modified action, running in a unique fashion, tiptoeing for the first few steps and then slowly easing through. The big challenge was to get through the season and repeat the restructured action over and over again. The back injury has not affected Balaji's wrists and his release, which produces the swing that got him 36 wickets at 17.5 on unresponsive wickets in the Ranji Trophy. As a reward he was selected for the ODIs in Sri Lanka, and now finds himself in New Zealand.

"[I am] feeling good [to be back]," Balaji said. "I have worked very hard in the last two years, and I am looking forward to the big series. It's good to be coming back to the side and I am enjoying the team atmosphere."

Balaji realises the scale of his comeback, the hard work that has gone in to just come level with his team-mates and opponents. "I haven't set any expectations," he said. "I am just enjoying my bowling so far, given whatever I have come through in the last two years."

The last two years, both Franklin and Balaji will know, are history. Test cricket is a tough place. Come Wednesday, if both play, the Seddon Park pitch will make no allowances for their past troubles. After having been through so much, ironically the Test is just starting.

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