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Sunday March 22, 2009

England win as Windies get sums wrong

GEORGETOWN: England claimed their first international win since August in farcical circumstances when West Indies miscalculated the Duckworth-Lewis target at the end of the opening one-dayer in Guyana on Friday.

West Indies, chasing England’s 50-over total of 270 for seven, were offered the chance to go off due to rain and bad light and their Australian coach John Dyson beckoned the batsmen off the field.

However, the hosts were one run short of the Duckworth-Lewis target, the method used to calculate results when the full overs are unused, and with no opportunity to return to the field England were declared winners with West Indies on 244 for seven from 46.2 overs.

Dyson left his seat in the pavilion to consult match referee Javagal Srinath and England were soon celebrating their first win since a one-day victory over South Africa at Lord’s.

”I was on the wrong column (on the sheet) ... I thought we were ahead of Duckworth-Lewis but in fact we were behind by one run,” Dyson told Sky Sports television.

”There was a lot of noise going on and it was my responsibility so that was it.

“I accept responsibility for it and I’ve apologised to the team and that’s all I can do. It was my mistake.

“It was getting dark and it would have been nice to have been ahead by one run,” added Dyson.

England captain Andrew Strauss appeared confident as his side walked off the field.

”We looked at the sheet and it seemed to suggest we were one run ahead,” said Strauss.

“When the batsmen walked off we were pretty confident we had won. Everyone in our support staff was 100 per cent certain we had won and there were some pretty good celebrations in the changing room,” added a grinning Strauss.

n HAMILTON: Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid safely guided India to a comfortable 10-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fourth day of the first Test at Seddon Park on yesterday.

Gambhir finished on 30 not out, while Dravid was on eight after Harbhajan Singh had ripped through New Zealand’s second innings with figures of six for 63 to set up the win — their first in New Zealand since 1976.

Inda had scored 520 in their first innings, anchored by man of the match Sachin Tendulkar’s 160, and New Zealand needed to make at least 241 to force the Indians to bat a second time.

However, they collapsed to 216 for eight at tea on the fourth day, and it was only a stubborn 76-run ninth wicket partnership between Brendon McCullum (84) and Iain O’Brien (14) that allowed the hosts to give India a small target to chase.

CAPE TOWN: Ashwell Prince and Jacques Kallis scored centuries to help South Africa move into a strong position on the second day of the third test against Australia on Friday.

The hosts ended the day on 404 for three, stretching their first innings lead to 195 runs over the frustrated Australians.

Australia, who have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, were bowled out for 209 on the first day.

The South Africans took advantage of a flat pitch under clear blue skies, with Prince scoring 150 and Kallis unbeaten on 102. — Reuters

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