Clarke and North push Australia ahead

Australia 479 for 5 (North 54*, Haddin 4*) lead England 435 by 44 runs

Michael Clarke is destined to follow Ricky Ponting as captain of Australia and he took the lead of the current skipper on the third day in Cardiff to guide the visitors ahead by 44 runs. Clarke and Marcus North added 143 for the fifth wicket after England had threatened a fightback during the morning session, but any hope the home side had of remaining on level terms was remorselessly pounded into the Welsh dust.

Clarke appeared set to become the third century-maker of the innings before gloving a pull off Stuart Broad, during the first period of Test cricket in England and Wales played under floodlights, after the players returned following a two-hour rain break. More wet weather is forecast for Saturday and could yet have a major say in the route and outcome of this match. However, the more time that is lost means makes Australia the only side that can take a positive result from this opening encounter.

Ponting and Katich carried their second-wicket partnership to 239 before Katich fell for 122 and when Ponting dragged Monty Panesar into his stumps for 150 Australia were still more than 100 behind. England harboured hopes of first-innings parity, but they couldn't break through during the afternoon session as the attack laboured on a surface that made the five-man unit appear unthreatening.

Clarke is Ponting's heir apparent in so many ways and his innings bore many similarities with that of his captain. There was a swiftness of footwork against the spinners and conviction of strokeplay especially with his driving. He lofted Panesar straight over long-off for six and brought up his half century from 100 balls when he drove the Graeme Swann past mid-off before repeating the dose from the next delivery.

North settled into his first Ashes innings and the talk of his uncertain early-tour form now seems a long time ago. Buoyed by the 191 he made against England Lions last week he watchfully negotiated the early part of his stay before expanding his range. He slog-swept the spinners through and over the leg side and when they tried to go wider outside off he cut through the covers.

Clarke took Australia into the lead with a meaty pull off Flintoff and North reached his half-century from 107 balls. Apart from when the ball was new England's attack posed little threat with Broad leaking runs at more than four-an-over and the spinners unable to build sustained pressure. At least Broad's mood brighten in the evening gloom when he enticed Clarke into a pull that brushed the glove, two overs before the players were off again, but it was another concerning day of hard toil for the home attack.

There were nine overs until the second new ball when play began and if Andrew Strauss was in any doubt whether to take it his mind was soon made up as Panesar and Swann leaked boundaries. Ponting's swift footwork created scoring opportunities against Panesar who had a tendency to bowl too short, while Swann continued to pitch too full with two full tosses racing to the boundary.

The harder ball immediately provided more of a threat although it also raced off the bat as Ponting drove supremely through cover. Finally, after 70 overs, England found a way through as Anderson speared in a yorker at Katich and most importantly for the bowler the ball swung late to end a superb display of concentration and application.

The intensity lifted as Flintoff steamed in and struck Michael Hussey on the helmet, while Anderson was now moving the ball in both directions. Anderson's second scalp came with another full delivery which lured Hussey into a flat-footed drive and Matt Prior took a low catch. England now had the advantage of bowling at two right-handers and Anderson gave Clarke's technique an early probing, but unlike the 2005 version he withstood the test impressively.

Ponting was continuing along his classy path, only occasionally being discomforted by Anderson's late swing and a beauty from Flintoff that beat the outside edge, although he did top-edge a six over Panesar at long-leg as went to 150 from 221 deliveries.

With the ball still hard Panesar was recalled for another spell and the move paid off handsomely when Ponting got a bottom edge into the stumps. He had played so solidly that it was almost a shock to see him walking back, but it was far from the end of England's problems.

Skipper came into touch with a great knot

Australia 249 for 1 (Katich 104*, Ponting 100*) trail England 435 (Pietersen 69, Collingwood 64, Prior 56, Johnson 3-87, Hauritz 3-95) by 186 runs

Australia's bowling has lost its aura in recent times, but the batting order remains a powerful line-up led by one of the greatest to play the game. Ricky Ponting continued his prolific Ashes record with his 38th Test century, passing 11,000 runs in the process, while Simon Katich continued his rebirth as an opener with his first ton against England to lead Australia to an impressive 249 for 1 in reply to the home side's 435 on the second day in Cardiff.

If it was honours even at the end of the opening exchanges, it is now Australia who hold the advantage and will have designs on batting well past England's total to remove the danger of batting last. It was quite a turnaround for the tourists, who were given the run-around during the first session with England adding 99 in 16.5 overs of sparkling batting from the lower order, in particular Graeme Swann.

However, Australia's progress from the moment Ponting and Katich joined forces was methodical, attritional and thoroughly professional as they added 189. It was a lesson to England's batsmen who, despite collectively managing a very respectable total, individually wasted numerous starts. The pitch held few demons for batsmen who were set, which highlighted the value of Australia's two top-order players building on their foundations.

Katich could have departed for 10 when Andrew Flintoff, in the middle of a hostile spell that accounted for Phillip Hughes, couldn't hold a low return chance but Ponting didn't offer a chance in his 155-ball hundred that arrived off the penultimate ball of the day. Katich had brought up his own century moments earlier from 214 balls when he pulled Flintoff to fine leg. He is far removed from the batsman who was bemused by reverse swing in 2005 and it's one of cricket's great comeback stories.

Ponting already has a record that stands up with the legends and became the fourth batsman to pass 11,000 Test runs when he moved to 41, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Allan Border with enough time in his career to finish top of the pile. His hundred also gave him centuries in four Ashes series in England, alongside Don Bradman and Steve Waugh.

And he'll have his mind set on doubling this innings before he's finished on a surface that may yet make the fourth innings a testing proposition. There was turn for Swann and Monty Panesar, especially from the footmarks, but it was slow and the batsmen had time to adjust. Katich often waited on the back foot to clip Panesar with the spin through the leg side, while Ponting cashed in whenever Swann over pitched. Swann sent down six maidens in his first 11 overs, ripped a couple past Katich's outside edge and could have had him leg before on 56, but when he started to force the issue there were more loose deliveries to be picked off.

Andrew Strauss tried various combinations, but found it difficult to build pressure as the batsmen found release through well-run singles and deft placement. James Anderson wasn't at his best while Stuart Broad was forced to leave the field for some treatment on his calf during the final session. As Ravi Bopara found yesterday success against a poor West Indies team needs to be put into context.

It was no surprise that the most hostile pace force was Flintoff, playing his first Test since Antigua in February, and as with his brief innings his first spell rekindled memories of Ashes contests past. He'd been held back from the attack during the half hour Australia batted before lunch and Hughes raced into his innings with a series of crisp off-side boundaries.

There was a plan to target Hughes with the short ball, but both Anderson and Broad offered too much width and allowed Hughes to free his arms. After the interval, though, the challenge went up a few levels as Flintoff was immediately thrown the ball. He began with three rapid bouncers to Hughes from around the wicket, probing the middle-and-leg line that Steve Harmison utilised for England Lions, throwing in a few verbals for good measure, then beat the left-hander with one that cut away off the seam.

It was a marvellous duel between a seasoned campaigner and a young, cocky batsman with Flintoff coming out on top. Switching to over the wicket he cramped Hughes for room as he tried another cut and Matt Prior held a sharp, low chance to his right as Flintoff stood in the middle of the pitch, arms aloft in celebration but it proved England's only moment of joy.

Australia began the day hoping to restrict England to well below 400 and that looked on the cards when Mitchell Johnson removed Broad with the aid of some thigh pad. However, Swann was immediately at his busy, cheeky best and the fifty stand with Anderson came up off 38 balls.

The introduction of Nathan Hauritz brought even greater acceleration as Swann immediately made a statement against his fellow offspinner. He lofted him over wide mid-on then slammed him straight down the ground for another boundary as Peter Siddle lost sight of the ball on the rope. The best of the lot, however, was his impish reverse sweep to complete an over that left the crowd in raptures. By the close, though, the English fans were more subdued and it was the Australians waving their flags.

Ashes Begins with a smash

England 336 for 7 (Pietersen 69, Collingwood 64, Prior 56) v Australia

There was little to choose between these two teams in the lead-up to this eagerly anticipated Ashes series and hardly anything to split them at the end of an engrossing opening day at Cardiff. England were twice pulling away from Australia, but a hard-working attack grabbed wickets at crucial times. Kevin Pietersen gave his innings away for 69 and Peter Siddle took a vital brace with the second new ball, after Matt Prior and Andrew Flintoff had launched a stirring sixth-wicket partnership, as the hosts ended on 336 for 7.

That final scoreline gives a fair reflection of the entertainment on offer. The early exchanges had the sense of two slightly uncertain sides sizing each other up, but soon the blows were being traded. It was the Australian quicks who settled first with Mitchell Johnson striking twice before lunch, however as Pietersen - who passed 1000 runs against Australia - and Paul Collingwood added 138 in 41 overs there was a window in Ricky Ponting's new world minus the great bowlers of the past.

However, the final session showed that this current Australian team will fight for everything when firstly Ben Hilfenhaus and Nathan Hauritz made their mark before Siddle's late intervention after Prior and Flintoff added 86. In 31 overs 144 runs flowed and four wickets fell during a spell of Test cricket near its best.

Most frustrating from the England batting perspective was that the top order had done the hard work. Three thirties, a fifty and two in the sixties smacked of a wasted opportunity to make a strong statement. Especially galling was Pietersen's x-rated sweep against Hauritz which looped to short leg, five runs after Michael Clarke dropped a stinging catch at short cover, and it continued the trait of him falling to spinners who are not perceived a major threat.

His departure left England on 241 for 5, yet 16 overs later the momentum was back with the home side as Flintoff revived memories of his 2005 alliance with Geraint Jones alongside England's latest wicketkeeper. It was a thrilling stand, but Siddle had kept pounding in all day and was rewarded with Flintoff's inside edge and a fine inswinger to castle Prior.

Still, the sight of Hauritz turning a couple off straight during the second session won't have gone unnoticed in the England dressing room and if the lower order can edge the total towards 400 the spinners will have something to work with. The management clearly rate the batting skills of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann because they sent in James Anderson as a nightwatchman at No. 8.

Australia sprang something of a surprise when they named Hilfenhaus and Hauritz in their eleven ahead of Stuart Clark. Hilfenhaus justified his inclusion with the first wicket of the series when he drew Alastair Cook into a loose prod outside off and Mike Hussey held a blinding catch at gully. Andrew Strauss played compactly for 30 but got into a tangle against a sharp bouncer from Johnson and gloved in the slips, unsure whether to attack to leave the short ball.

Ravi Bopara was given a working over at No. 3 - reminding him this is a significant step up from helping himself against West Indies earlier in the summer - and was twice hit, firstly in the throat by Siddle, and later on the shoulder by Johnson. He also kept the slips interested with a few flashy drives and, although he also pulled out a few elegant shots, there was no sense of permanency. He fell to a clever piece of deception by Johnson who used the slower ball to good effect and Bopara spooned a catch to cover. Johnson, as against England Lions, didn't find much swing but showed he had more tricks up his sleeve

England lunched on an uneasy 97 for 3 but a steady afternoon of accumulation ensured Ponting had plenty to ponder as he tried to juggle his bowling options. Pietersen made a nervy start, and moved with a limp that was blamed on his calf rather than achilles, but after the interval he twice drove full out-swingers from Hilfenhaus through the covers. When Haurtiz was introduced early in the session the temptation will have been huge to dominate the under-pressure offspinner, but instead Pietersen opted for dabbed sweeps and gentle nudges during a 20-over period where there wasn't a boundary off the bat.

The shackles were cast off when Collingwood twice cut Hauritz to the cover boundary before Pietersen danced down the pitch and drove Clarke sweetly wide of mid-off. Australia came hard at the start of the final session and Collingwood edged behind where Brad Haddin took a fine catch to his right, an important moment for the keeper who had dropped two similar chances against England Lions. Then, with Pietersen set for something substantial, he went to sweep a delivery from Hauritz wide outside off to leave the innings in the balance.

England have picked Prior on the strength of his batting and he showed his class through the off side, while Flintoff looked as comfortable in the middle than at any time in recent memory. Both were helped by some overs from Hauritz and Simon Katich which meant their eye was in before the second new ball. Runs came quickly - some off the middle and some the edge - as Prior went to a 54-ball half-century, but back came Australia again. If the rest of the series can match the opening this will be a fascinating contest.

Sri Lanka bowlers pull off improbable win

Sri Lanka 292 (Paranavitana 72, Aamer 3-74, Younis 2-23) and 217 (Ajmal 3-34, Aamer 3-38, Younis 2-27) beat Pakistan 342 (Yousuf 112, Misbah 56, Kulasekara 4-71) and 117 (Herath 4-15, Thushara 2-21, Mendis 2-27) by 50 runs

During a collapse of Pakistani proportions, the incredible Galle Test took a complete U-turn and decisively went Sri Lanka's way. Pakistan started the day needing 97 with eight wickets in hand after Salman Butt and first-innings centurion Mohammad Yousuf had looked good negotiating the last half hour yesterday. But Thilan Thushara and Rangana Herath bowled exceptional spells of varied left-arm bowling to help Sri Lanka take the last eight wickets for just 46.

Pakistan's trouble against left-arm spinners are well documented - even Herath's previous best bowling in Tests had come against Pakistan - and he started the slide with his first ball of the day. Yousuf pretended to play a shot, but the bowl went straight on to get the lbw. A brain freeze from Butt followed, and he holed out to long leg. No run added, two wickets taken, game on.

Though he got just two wickets today, Thushara did the main job. Not a single loose delivery was offered in an eight-over spell during which he beat the batsmen so often that a ball hitting the middle of the bat could make it to a highlights package. Thushara got the ball to move both ways, seaming it away and swinging it in. Kumar Sangakkara read the situation perfectly, employing in-and-out fields, not giving easy release through boundaries, nor singles without an element of maneuvering. With Thushara bowling as he was, maneuvering was not going to come easy.

Thushara got Shoaib Malik with one that moved away, bringing in the last capable batsman, Kamran Akmal. Akmal is quite capable of running away with small chases with fluent doubt-free batting, but nothing loose was on offer. Even when Akmal got a square-cut going the result was just a single because of the field. Nervously Misbah-ul-Haq and Akmal survived 21 deliveries, adding just eight, that too thanks to a misfield that went for four.

Thushara struck again at that time, getting the ball to tail in and trap Akmal lbw. Misbah didn't feel too comfortable either and fell trying to steal a leg-bye off a big lbw appeal. It was the fifth ball of the Thushara over, and he could have been trying to retain the strike, but there was never a run in it.

By the time Thushara and Herath were done with their first spells, Pakistan had lost five wickets for 20 runs in 15 overs. There was no conceivable way then for the tail to get the remaining 77. Especially with Ajantha Mendis yet to bowl, who ended with his first ball a 10-run stand between Abdur Rauf and Umar Gul. The accurate carrom ball was just too good for Gul.

Mohammad Aamer hung around for a bit but Herath came back to finish the match minutes before lunch, ensuring Galle's reputation of being a tough venue to bat last at remained intact.

Rain ensures series win for India

West Indies 27 for 1 v India Match abandoned
India won the series 2-1 after torrential downpour terminated the fourth ODI. With this victory, India have won their fifth straight ODI series.

The game got off to a delayed start and Dhoni made the obvious decision to bowl on a damp pitch that offered some help to the seamers. Ishant Sharma, bowling a fuller length here, removed Chris Gayle and along with Ashish Nehra, didn't allow West Indies to get off to a breezy start. Ishant hit the good length and pinged the off-stump line and Nehra got some seam movement into the right-handed batsmen. Sarwan hit a gorgeous on-the-up square drive against Ishant in the sixth over to break free but just as he started to find his rhythm, the rains came down again to kill the contest.

India snatch lead with last-over win

India 159 for 4 (Karthik 47, Dhoni 46*, Gambhir 44) beat West Indies 185 for 7 (Sarwan 62, Nehra 3-21) by six wickets (D/L method)

Dhoni and India kept their nerve on a frustrating day of rain delays to take a 2-1 series lead in St Lucia. It was still anybody's game when India needed 11 off the final over, but Dhoni slammed the second ball over deep midwicket to put the visitors on course for victory.

India threatened to lose their way in the chase after a solid start provided by Dinesh Karthik before Dhoni hauled them past the line. The rain-breaks initially readjusted their target to 195 in 27 overs before a further shower reduced it to 159 in 22 overs.

When Karthik fell after a fine 47 India needed a relatively comfortable 111 from 89 balls, and at the next rain-break they needed 64 from 51 balls with nine wickets in hand, but a succession of wickets left India requiring 34 in four overs. It came down to the last over. Curiously, Chris Gayle turned to Jerome Taylor, who had a poor game, instead of Ravi Rampaul, who had bowled a pretty decent 20th over. Dhoni killed the contest in the second ball with a six over deep midwicket. He picked the slower one and used his bottom-hand to swipe it with the wind over midwicket boundary. Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan got the remaining four runs with a ball to spare.

Dhoni had shepherded the tail end of the chase calmly, taking care to preserve his wicket even as his partners deserted him. Yuvraj Singh holed out to long-on and Rohit Sharma swung to deep midwicket but Dhoni hung around, hitting the occasional four to make sure the game didn't get away from India. And he effectively finished the game with that six in the last over. However, it was Karthik who set the platform with a fine knock, with a little bit of help from West Indies.

On this soft track, West Indies erred by bowling short to Karthik, who, unlike a few of his team-mates, likes playing the pull shot. It was slightly surprising that Jerome Taylor didn't repeat his first delivery - a gem that was full and shaped away late past the outside edge - to Karthik again during his opening spell. It was that delivery that had got Karthik in the previous game too but that length was rarely seen today.

Karthik looked in fine touch, unfurling several spanking pulls and cuts. He started with a pull, followed it with a caressed extra-cover drive before playing a fierce upper cut over backward point for three consecutive boundaries against Taylor. Karthik never let the momentum slip after that. Even Dwayne Bravo bowled short at him and Karthik pulled him for a four and a stunning six. In between, he kept the singles and twos coming. It was a polished performance which was cut short by an unnecessary scramble for a single after Gambhir had cut straight to Rampaul at backward point.

Gambhir played a sedate hand today. He didn't look too comfortable at the start, almost ran himself out on three occasions, and hit his first boundary only in the 12th over. However, unlike in the recent past, he didn't try to hit his way out of trouble; he was willing to look ugly. He eventually fell, edging behind an attempted cut Sulieman Benn but Dhoni made sure India won the game.

Just as they tried gamely in the end of the chase to create a flutter, West Indies had earlier batted well to post a competitive total despite the frequent rain breaks. Dhoni won a crucial toss and made the obvious decision to bowl as no one knew how many overs the team batting first will get to play on a rainy day at St Lucia. West Indies rallied through a frenetic start provided by Gayle and a composed knock by Ramnaresh Sarwan to reach 185 for 7 at the end of their allotted 27 overs.

Gayle started like a runaway train, putting immense pressure on Ishant Sharma and Ashish Nehra. Time and again, Gayle thrust his back foot back and across, opened his stance and depending on the line, hit to the on or off side. The stand-out shot, though, was when he disregarded the line and swat-pulled an Ishant delivery from well outside off to deep midwicket. Gayle didn't spare Nehra too, lashing him through covers before unfurling a delicate flick shot. However, Gayle fell to Nehra first ball after a break for rain, edging a cut against a short and wide delivery.

Sarwan, though, kept the scorecard moving along by maneuvering the ball into the gaps for singles and twos. In between, he whipped and pulled Yuvraj to boundaries but ran himself out, turning back for the second run after tapping to square leg. He kept his cool and tried gamely to adjust to the new scenario provided by the frequent interruptions.

Sarwan was helped by a lovely cameo by Darren Bravo. His innings was filled with several delicious strokes that had a touch of Brian Lara. There were two fine sashays down the track against Yusuf Pathan for lofted boundaries but his best shot, and the shot of the day that evoked memories of that great left-hander, was a fabulous cover drive off RP Singh. Up went the bat as he crouched on his knees before swinging through the line of the length delivery up and over covers. Denesh Ramdin swung his bat in the end to finish the innings with a flourish but it was to prove insufficient in the end.

West Indies seamers seal comprehensive win

West Indies 192 for 2 (Morton 85*, Gayle 64) beat India 188 (Dhoni 95, Rampaul 4-37, Taylor 3-35, Bravo 3-26) by eight wickets

The West Indies fast bowlers - even without Fidel Edwards - embarrassed the Indian batting line-up for the second time in three weeks, setting the foundation for a series-levelling win. They bowled aggressively and smartly, reducing India to 82 for 8 before a 101-run ninth-wicket stand between MS Dhoni and RP Singh kept the match alive. Chris Gayle and Runako Morton replied with a 101-run partnership of their own, ensuring there was no late drama in a game that was mostly dominated by West Indies.

Two days ago 658 runs were scored on the same Sabina Park pitch by the same set of batsmen, but the early swing exposed some technical flaws with the Indian line-up. There were personal milestones for Ravi Rampaul and Denesh Ramdin along the way, Rampaul taking career-best figures of 4 for 37 and Ramdin five catches.

Gayle's captaincy stood out early on. He employed two slips as soon as he saw some swing. Jerome Taylor didn't need any of the slips in the first over, when he bowled the perfect outswinger to Dinesh Karthik, shaping in, pitching off, moving away, making the batsman play, and getting the edge through to the keeper.

If Karthik had no option but to play at Taylor, Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma played unnecessary shots to Rampaul in the next over. Bowling to Rohit, Rampaul wanted the second slip out, but Gayle persisted. And how it worked. Rohit chased a wide outswinger, Ramdin went too hard at the catch, but the second slip took the rebound. Seven for 3 in 1.4 overs, and there was still a long queue outside the Sabina Park.

By the time the crowd finally settled, Yuvraj Singh was promising another treat. By the end of 12 overs India seemed to have weathered the storm, only momentarily. Yuvraj had reached 35 off 32, quite a contrast to Dhoni's 11 off 31. It was all fine until then, because the partnership read 47 off 62.

But neither Gayle nor Taylor was done yet. Taylor was asked to bowl his seventh over on the trot, and he got Yuvraj with the first ball. Gayle was not going to wait for mistakes now. Back came Rampaul, in came a leg gully and a slip, and out came the open secret: the bouncers. After an edgy nine-ball stay, Yusuf Pathan edged an accurate bouncer from Dwayne Bravo. Ravindra Jadeja repeated his dismissal from the first match, pushing at a delivery away from his body. After the second slump of the innings, India stood at 70 for 6, and Dhoni looking for some support from the other end.

Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar didn't show any appreciation of the fact that there were close to 30 overs still to go, getting out to flashy shots, and soon India were 82 for 8. But Rampaul's fourth wicket came in his tenth over, a maiden, and Taylor and Bravo were nearing the completion of their quotas as well.

Dhoni took the batting Powerplay in the 23rd over, and farmed strike, even refusing singles to RP. Gayle got through the Powerplay overs without much damage, but had to opt against an all-out attack because Bravo and Taylor had only two overs each to go. He also seemed to have sensed that the pitch had eased out, and was happy to contain. Dhoni and RP, meanwhile, batted sensibly.

Dhoni wasn't in the cleanest of touches, but took charge of the rescue work. RP hung around him, and between them they brought up only the fifth 100-run stand for the ninth wicket in ODI history. RP's 23 was his personal best, and Dhoni looked set for what would have been a fifth century. But Bravo and Taylor came back well, making sure India didn't play their full quota. Dhoni was the last to go, for a responsible 95, to a perfect slower ball from Taylor in the 49th over.

If India thought they were carrying some momentum into the defence, they had another think coming. The maiden bowled at the top of the innings, by Praveen Kumar to Gayle, was a false start too. When Morton stood tall and slapped the first ball he faced for four, it confirmed that the pitch held no horrors, at least not after the first few overs in the morning.

That being the case, Gayle took a liking to the medium-pace of Ashish Nehra, RP and Praveen. In the over after that maiden, Praveen's quick reflexes saved his life: the straight pull from Gayle reached the boundary even before one could say "thank god". Gayle immediately put his hand up to apologise.

There was no sense of apology in the way he took the left-arm medium-pacers for 37 runs in their first five overs, killing the contest right there. When Gayle finally fell for a 46-ball 62, Morton had scored just 30. Morton stayed solid after his captain's fall, getting to his tenth fifty and taking West Indies home with 15.5 overs to spare.

India snatch high-scoring thriller

India 339 for 6 (Yuvraj 131, Karthik 67) beat West Indies 319 (Chanderpaul 63) by 20 runs

It ended dramatically at Sabina Park, with tension contorting the faces of anxious fans, both Indian and West Indian, as the hosts pursued India's massive total of 339 with tenacity. West Indies chased valiantly and stayed in the game throughout despite the regular fall of wickets but, in the end, their challenge lacked an innings combining aggression with longevity, two qualities that Yuvraj Singh blended perfectly during his match-winning 131 off 102 balls.

India were succumbing to their bugbear, having lost early wickets to the short ball, when Yuvraj joined Dinesh Karthik to rebuild the innings from 32 for 2. His approach made up for the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina and allayed fears of weakness in the batting order. Yuvraj revived the Indian innings by adding 135 with Karthik for the third wicket, a partnership that laid the platform for only the second ODI total in excess of 300 in Jamaica.

That two out of the three 300-plus scores at Sabina Park were made in this match despite a slow pitch and outfield spoke volumes about the mediocrity of the bowling attacks. West Indies' bowling disintegrated after Jerome Taylor's opening spell, losing discipline in line and length as they fed the Indian batsmen a diet of short or full balls. They conceded 22 runs in extras, and bowled three front-foot no-balls resulting in free hits, largesse they could ill afford. India's bowlers were worse, conceding 19 runs through wides, and bowling two no-balls: Chris Gayle deposited one of the free-hits over the long-on boundary. That they defended the target by 20 runs, was more due to the size of the total they were protecting and the West Indies' batsmen's ill-timed dismissals each time they got on a roll.

India seemed unlikely, however, to reach such a large total on evidence of how they batted at the start. Taylor hurried the batsmen with pace and beat them with seam movement during his first spell. He unsettled Gautam Gambhir with a 92mph delivery from round the wicket that hurried the left-hander, whose feeble attempt to hook landed in Dwayne Bravo's hands at midwicket. Unfortunately for West Indies, the pressure Taylor created dissipated because there was none forthcoming from the other end with Lionel Baker, Dwayne Bravo and David Bernard unable to bowl economically for a sustained period.

Even the batsmen who revived India survived nervous starts: Karthik was cut in half by Baker while Yuvraj was constantly beaten by short-of-length deliveries which seamed across him. The moment the length was full, though, the batsmen took advantage: Karthik drove Dwayne Bravo to the extra-cover boundary and Yuvraj was able to put away Baker's full offering to the point fence.

After growing in confidence, Karthik added Twenty20 flavour to the sedate pace of 50-over cricket, reaching his half-century with a scoop that carried for six over fine leg against Bernard. He tried it again, on 67, but this time he was undone by Bernard's slower ball and scooped a catch to the wicketkeeper.

Yuvraj, however, stayed firm and the momentum swung towards India in two phases, the first of which was when the spinners came on after the 20th over. He attacked Suleimann Benn and Gayle, pulling and slog-sweeping thrice over the midwicket boundary and India, largely through Yuvraj scored 70 runs between overs 20 and 27.

The second period of acceleration was during the batting Powerplay, taken in the 34th over. India began the five-over spell on 191 for 3 and Yuvraj set the tone by carving Baker to the cover boundary off the second ball before launching sixes over cover and midwicket to take 16 runs off the over.

Gayle turned to his best bowler but Yuvraj tore into Taylor's second spell, flicking him twice off the pads for four, and hitting him for sixes over cover, midwicket and long-on. MS Dhoni also went after him, shoveling a six down the ground. Taylor's two-over spell cost 37 runs and India scored 62 off the Powerplay. Taylor never recovered from the onslaught and finished with 1 for 74 after conceding only 16 off his first five overs.

West Indies appeared hapless against Yuvraj until Dwayne Bravo found the edge of his bat as he tried to glance towards fine leg. Bravo raised hopes of a fightback by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja first ball but useful innings from Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan steered India past 300, and a six from Harbhajan Singh off the last ball took them to 339.

Chasing 340 needed something special from Gayle and he began to deliver, muscling his way to 37 before top-edging a pull off Ashish Nehra to mid-on. Morton attempted to fill the void left by his opening partner and stepped up after his departure, steering West Indies to 70 for 1 after ten overs before he was unlucky to be given out caught down the leg side for 42. Despite the loss of both set batsmen, Ramnaresh Sarwan ensured West Indies kept abreast with the asking-rate, using his feet nimbly against the spinners to clear the boundary. In fact, Sarwan had just lofted Yuvraj for the most languid of straight sixes when he was run out for 45 the next ball while attempting an unnecessary second run.

It was now down to Shivnarine Chanderpaul and he too stepped up to ensure the equation didn't get out of hand, carting Yuvraj for consecutive sixes and reaching his half-century with two whips to the fine-leg boundary off Ishant Sharma. However, Chanderpaul also fell immediately after hitting a six: he had smacked Yusuf Pathan over the square-leg boundary and was caught repeating the shot the very next ball. Chanderpaul's dismissal for 63 was a crippling blow and appeared to be the end of West Indies chances but they fought on determinedly. Denesh Ramdin threw his bat around, so did Jerome Taylor and David Bernard, fraying India's nerves to the limit. They couldn't quite complete what would have been an astonishing win, though, for they needed one of their more accomplished top-order batsmen to stay to stay a little longer.

Afridi fifty seals title for Pakistan

Pakistan 139 for 2 (Afridi 54*, Akmal 37) beat Sri Lanka 138 for 6 (Sangakkara 64*, Mathews 35*, Razzaq 3-20) by eight wickets

It wasn't the edge-of-the-seat final that would have signed off the ICC World Twenty20 in style, but that won't matter to Pakistan who gave their nation a something to savour amid troubled times. From the moment Tillakaratne Dilshan, the tournament's top-scorer, fell in the opening over Pakistan had a grip on the match. Shahid Afridi, who emerged as their trump card, guided his team home in the 19th over with an unbeaten 54, and it was left to Younis Khan to raise the trophy in what he later announced would be his final Twenty20 international, in front of a sea of delirious Pakistan supporters.

Pakistan won't be playing at home for the foreseeable future, but the following they have had at this event has reinforced the notion that England can be a surrogate home. The masses were cheering from early on as Abdul Razzaq - a great individual comeback-story among the team's resurgence - claimed three key wickets in his opening burst to leave Sri Lanka on 32 for 4. They never looked back despite the best efforts of Kumar Sangakkara.

Occasionally the tension rose as the required rate climbed, but each time Afridi was on hand with one of his most mature innings. He hit consecutive balls from Muttiah Muralitharan for six and four in the 14th over, a calculated assault against a key bowler. The destination of the trophy was sealed when he swung a huge six over midwicket off Isuru Udana in the 18th over - the moment when Sangakkara gambled on one of his weaker bowling links - and followed that with another boundary off a high full toss.

Shoaib Malik played his part with 24 off 22 balls in a match-winning stand of 76 after Kamran Akmal had given early impetus to the top-order. The batsmen knew they didn't have to take many risks and played Ajantha Mendis better than any other team as he went for his most expensive spell of the tournament.

Pakistan's rise from rank outsiders to champions is an extraordinary display for a team that had to beat Netherlands by a significant margin to even stay in the event during the group stages. However, they have peaked at the right time and couldn't have produced a more complete performance for a final. They fell five runs short two years ago at Johannesburg, but this time there was no mistake.

Sri Lanka, who have been the model of consistency, were caught off guard by aggressive tactics. In a stirring atmosphere, Pakistan were on top of their game from the start as 17-year-old Mohammad Aamer belied his inexperience with a tone-setting opening over. In a clear plan he bowled short at Dilshan who was distinctly discomforted by the approach. Against the fifth ball Dilshan tried to take the initiative with a scoop over short fine-leg, but only managed to pick out the man on the edge of the circle. He had middled virtually all his attempts at the shot during the tournament and what a time for it to go wrong.

With the tournament's leading run-scorer heading off Pakistan were buoyed and Sri Lanka shaken. Jehan Mubarak was promoted to No. 3, but he couldn't survive the second over when he came down the pitch and got a leading edge into the covers to give Razzaq his first.

Sri Lanka briefly rallied as Sanath Jaysuriya suggested he could marshal a turnaround. Favouring the leg side he swung Razzaq for six with a forceful short-arm pull and collected four more next ball, but it was a short-lived response when an inside edge crashed into the stumps. Razzaq was flat on his face at the moment of dismissal after slipping in his follow-through but it was Sri Lanka who were feeling unsteady.

Younis Khan went on the attack and his decision to post a wide slip paid rich dividends when Mahela Jayawardene steered the ball straight to Misbah-ul-Haq at ankle height. Razzaq was playing his cricket with a new lease of life after being giving another crack at international level. He wasn't part of the original squad, but Yasir Arafat's injury that prompted the switch now looked like a stroke of fortune.

Four wickets inside the Powerplay meant Sri Lanka had little choice but to play it safe as Younis turned to his spinners. Sangakkara was calmness personified amid Sri Lanka's problems aware that the hopes of a decent total rested on his shoulders. He paced his innings expertly, reaching fifty off 44 balls despite the problems that surrounded him, but only found support when joined by Angelo Mathews.

The final five overs brought 59 runs and if any attack could make a game out of 138 it was Sri Lanka's. However, early wickets were key and they didn't materialise as Akmal and Shahzaid Hasan played sensibly. The wizardry of Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan and the accuracy of Lasith Malinga have provided wonderful entertainment over the last weeks, but on this occasion couldn't conjure the magic spell that was needed.

As Afridi and Malik embraced mid-pitch after the winning moment the emotion showed what this victory means for Pakistan. They needed this success most and perhaps that drive was the deciding factor. The country faces a difficult few years of rebuilding, but this victory will have brought great joy and, hopefully, belief of a brighter future.

Dilshan powers Sri Lanka to final

Sri Lanka 158 for 5 (Dilshan 96*) beat West Indies 101 (Gayle 63*, Mathews 3-16, Muralitharan 3-29) by 57 runs

It will be an all-Asia final at the ICC World Twenty20 after Sri Lanka maintained their unbeaten record by crushing West Indies by 57 runs at The Oval. Tillakaratne Dilshan added another installment to his breathtaking tournament with an unbeaten 96, the highest score of the event, as his team-mates struggled for momentum. Angelo Mathews then stunned West Indies with three wickets in the opening over before the spinners strangled the middle order, leaving Chris Gayle forlornly unbeaten on 63, carrying his bat as no one else reached double figures.

After everything the two countries have been through, it is fitting that Sri Lanka will meet Pakistan in the final. However, unlike Pakistan's campaign which has burst into life after a slow start, there has been a sense of destiny about Kumar Sangakkara's team reaching the Lord's showdown. Sri Lanka's run has been a triumph of mental strength and character and they now have the chance to mark their return to the international scene following the Lahore terror attack with a trophy.

They have played as a team throughout, but their position in the final was down to Dilshan's outstanding individual effort. His innings was the highest for Sri Lanka in Twenty20 and, in a quirky statistic, the innings briefly gave him the highest percentage of a completed innings before Gayle's lone hand nipped ahead. Dilshan looked set for the tournament's first century until losing the strike towards the end. However, with Dilshan set for the closing stages, 60 runs came from the final five overs with Mathews playing a valuable four-ball cameo with two final-over boundaries.

However, that was only the start of Mathews' role in the game. It was a surprise when he was handed the new-ball at the start of the tournament, but has been a constant presence upfront. Nothing, though, had come close to matching this effort. With his second ball he removed Xavier Marshall - who had replaced Andre Fletcher following three consecutive ducks - via an inside edge. It would become a common form of dismissal.

Two balls later, Lendl Simmons was slightly unlucky when he went across his stumps and the ball ricocheted from his thigh pad onto leg stump. That wasn't the end, though, and Mathews' third was the vital wicket of Dwayne Bravo as he too got an inside edge into middle stump. A stunned West Indies were 1 for 3.

Gayle, too his credit, played the situation and even opted to leave a couple of deliveries as he collected his thoughts. Normal service resumed with three boundaries when Lasith Malinga came on early to bowl the fourth over and Isuru Udana was swung for six over long-on. Then came the spinners and, coupled with some brainless shot selection, the game was over.

Ajantha Mendis trapped Shivnarine Chanderpaul on the sweep as he and Muttiah Muralitharan made the middle order prod and poke as though playing with their eyes closed. Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was dropped on 2 by Mendis running round from long-on, was soon held by the omnipresent Mathews and Kieron Pollard was made to look a novice when he was stumped off a wide. Mendis' 2 for 9 were Sri Lanka's most economical Twenty20 figures, but Murali's 3 for 29 reminded everyone of where the mystery began.

Sri Lanka's innings was a curious affair, none more so than when Sanath Jayasuriya was labouring over a 37-ball 24. He never looked comfortable, changing his bat four times, before top-edging to short fine-leg. That the opening stand was still worth a profitable 73 in 10.3 overs was down to how well Dilshan played. He drove, flicked and swept (but never quite scooped, although he tried) his way to a 30-ball half century while partners came and went.

Sangakkara was superbly caught at backward point and Mahela Jayawardene clipped straight to short-fine leg as three wickets fell for four runs. It was down to Dilshan to give Sri Lanka's strong attack something to defend and he cashed in on two full tosses by Pollard. Placement was key to Dilshan's display and each time the bowlers strayed he managed to make the most of it.

The innings found some important momentum in the 17th over when Bravo was taken for 18 as he struggled to find his length. Dilshan cracked three boundaries and Chamara Silva then joined in when he swung the final delivery one bounce to the square-leg boundary. Silva's contribution to a stand of 50 in six overs was just 11, before he fell trying to reverse hit Sulieman Benn, but it put Sri Lanka on track for the type of score they have regularly defended and from there they never looked like losers. One more victory on Sunday would complete one of cricket's greatest stories.

Afridi on song as Pakistan enter final

Pakistan 149 for 4 (Afridi 51, Malik 34) beat South Africa 142 for 5 (Kallis 64, Duminy 44*, Afridi 2-16) by seven runs

The South African juggernaut was brought to a screeching halt by Shahid Afridi who, with a little help from his team-mates, dumped the tournament favourites out of the World Twenty20 and secured Pakistan's place in the final. Afridi put in an all-round performance of tremendous intensity, lifting Pakistan to a defendable total with an aggressive yet methodical half-century, before bowling a spell that left the South Africans struggling at Trent Bridge.

The clinical South African side, unbeaten in the competition, were favourites going in to the semi-final and their bowlers fought admirably to restrict Pakistan to 149 when, at one stage a total of 170 seemed on the cards. With the exception of Jacques Kallis, though, their batsmen failed to give the chase any sort of direction. They were suffocated by Afridi and the offspinner Saeed Ajmal and their inability to score enough runs during the middle overs left them with too much to do against the pinpoint accuracy of Umar Gul's yorkers.

South Africa had reached 40 for 0 in the sixth over when Mohammad Aamer gave Pakistan an opening, holding a skier of Graeme Smith off his own bowling, minutes after the South African captain had been dropped by Gul.

Afridi, high on confidence after his innings, came into the attack in the seventh over but was immediately driven by Herschelle Gibbs to the cover boundary. That was as bad as his evening would get. He bounced back, bowling Herschelle Gibbs with a straight and quick delivery and, an over later, he got AB de Villiers the same way. South Africa were 50 for 3 and struggling.

Kallis and JP Duminy prevented the fall of any more wickets but they were unable to raise the run-rate. Afridi got the ball to turn, bounce and hurry on the batsmen and finished with 2 for 16 while Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, was also difficult to score off because of his variations.

The situation was perfect for Umar Gul to do what he does best, hit the blockhole. After an indifferent first over from the Radcliffe Road end, he ran in from the pavilion and fired in yorker after yorker. It didn't matter who was batting, those deliveries were impossible to hit. Duminy and Kallis could not get the ball off the square. It was Ajmal who struck the decisive blow when he had Kallis caught on the long-on boundary, realistically ending South Africa's chances. They needed 23 off the last over, a responsibility Younis Khan handed to the 17-year-old Aamer, who had bowled three overs for 15. He gave only 15 more, and sent Trent Bridge into raptures.

Pakistan coach's Intikhab Alam had said on the eve of the game that his team would be looking to set a target of around 150. Pakistan got exactly that after an innings which followed a strangely symmetrical pattern. They dominated the first five overs, scoring 43, while South Africa fought back between overs five and ten to keep Pakistan to 68 for 2. Pakistan once again controlled the game between overs 11 and 15, reaching 120 for 3, but South Africa conceded only 29 off the last five overs.

Pakistan's early dominance was due to Akmal, who was intent on smashing the ball from the start. He cut Dale Steyn twice for four in the first over and lofted him cleanly over long-off in the third. In between, he crashed Wayne Parnell to the midwicket boundary and raced to 23 off 11 balls before top-edging a pull off Steyn to mid-on.

Pakistan had raced to 47 for 2 after six overs, with Afridi pulling Jacques Kallis twice through midwicket but South Africa then cut off the boundary supply. Afridi and Shoaib Malik didn't hit a boundary for 24 balls before Afridi slogged Roelof van der Merwe through midwicket. He cut loose against Johan Botha, making room to loft the offspinner thrice in a row to the cover boundary before unveiling a delectable late-cut to snatch 18 off the over. The 50-partnership had come up off 49 balls but Pakistan had begun to accelerate, with Afridi placing the ball into gaps consistently, plucking twos.

South Africa desperately needed Afridi's wicket and it was duly picked up by JP Duminy, who struck with his first ball. Afridi tried to slog sweep and skied the ball straight to AB de Villiers at midwicket who took a vital catch with ease. South Africa celebrated the wicket with more relief than joy.

Malik had played a more subdued, anchoring role until then, but began to step up, scoring his first boundary - a sweep off van der Merwe - off his 30th ball. He soon added another, hitting Duminy over extra cover, but eventually holed out to long-off. Younis and Abdul Razzaq were the two new batsmen at the crease and Parnell and Steyn bowled with extreme accuracy to deny them loose deliveries at the death.

A target of 150 appeared less than what Pakistan were on course to get when Afridi was at the crease. But Afridi the bowler ensured that it would be enough.

De Villiers helps South Africa stay unbeaten

South Africa 130 for 5 (de Villiers 63) beat India 118 for 8 (Rohit 29, Botha 3-16, Steyn 2-25) by 12 runs

On a spin-friendly Trent Bridge surface, South Africa's slow bowlers rubbed salt and some spices into India's gaping World Twenty20 wounds, defending a modest total of 130 with consummate ease. The real difference between the sides though was AB de Villiers, who batted quite magnificently for a 51-ball 63 on a pitch where no other batsman excelled. With the ball, Johan Botha took 3 for 16, and was superbly supported by Roelof van der Merwe (1 for 13) as India stumbled from 47 for 0 at the end of the Powerplay overs to 69 for 5.

The two Punjabis, Yuvraj and Harbhajan Singh, briefly floated some hope, but Botha and Dale Steyn snuffed out the challenge to send South Africa through to the semi-final undefeated. They will face Pakistan at the same venue on Thursday. In conditions that could have been anywhere in the subcontinent, India will wonder just how they were so well beaten.

They had started with some panache, as Gautam Gambhir creamed both Steyn and Wayne Parnell through the covers. Soon after, Rohit Sharma took over, clipping both Parnell and Albie Morkel through midwicket to keep well ahead of the asking rate. But as soon as spin was introduced, India fell apart.

Gambhir spooned Botha to deep cover, and Suresh Raina clubbed one straight to long-on. Rohit then miscued a big heave off JP Duminy to point as South Africa restricted the Indians to just 17 from six overs. But the calamity didn't end there. MS Dhoni scratched around for 5 before deciding on a headless-chicken charge down the pitch with Yuvraj not remotely interested. Morne Morkel gathered Mark Boucher's throw and removed the bails.

Yusuf Pathan may have been the scourge of spin in the IPL but he made no impression on this match, popping a van der Merwe delivery to short cover. Yuvraj pulled Steyn for four and went down on bended knee to swipe van der Merwe for six, while Harbhajan wound up and thumped Morne Morkel straight down the ground, but it was all a little too late.

South Africa's innings had followed a similar sort of pattern. None of the other batsmen looked remotely at ease once the pace was taken off the ball, and India's pace bowlers were left to watch from the outfield until Zaheer Khan was called on to complete the innings.
Top Curve
Prime Numbers

*

5.3
Economy rate of van der Merwe in the tournament, best for anybody bowling more than 10 overs
*

8
Number of consecutive overs in which India failed to score five or more runs
*

34
Difference between the top scorers of both the teams. de Villiers scored 63 and Rohit scored 29
*

56
Total number of dot-balls played by India in the match
*

2
Number of sixes in the match, both in the Indian innings

Bottom Curve

Despite losing Herschelle Gibbs to a inside-edged mow off RP Singh, South Africa had made a dominant start, racing to 44 from the first five overs. Both Graeme Smith and de Villiers cut powerfully, and there was one magnificent straight drive from de Villiers when Ishant Sharma pitched too full. That was enough for Dhoni to decide that his pacemen weren't the answer. Ravindra Jadeja came on and conceded only three in the last of the Powerplay overs, and thereafter Dhoni rotated his slow bowlers rapidly. Rohit, a bit of a bowling star in the IPL, came on, as did Yuvraj, but the breakthrough came courtesy the specialist as Smith top-edged a heave off Harbhajan to square leg. After that, it was a struggle.

De Villiers scored with pushes and nudges, but only 36 runs came in the eight overs after the pace bowlers were taken off. Something had to give, and the push inevitably came from de Villiers, who lofted Yuvraj over cover before swiping one down to the midwicket rope. That stroke also took him to his half-century from 41 deliveries.

When he then clipped Raina neatly for four more, a charge seemed imminent. But it wasn't to be. Duminy was stumped of Raina and the extremely accurate Jadeja shone again, taking a steepling return catch after a big miscue from de Villiers. Zaheer snaffled Mark Boucher in an 11-run final over, but with the resources in hand, India were favourites to chase down the 131 needed for a consolation victory. But in keeping with the rest of their Super Eights displays, they just weren't good enough. On this evidence, South Africa most certainly are.

Resurgent England bounce India out

England 153 for 7 (Pietersen 46, Harbhajan 3-30, Jadeja 2-26) beat India 150 for 5 (Pathan 33*, Sidebottom 2-31, Swann 2-28) by three runs

'You're not Singh-ing anymore,' chanted some English fans, and India certainly weren't as they were dumped out of the competition that they won two years ago, with one Super-Eight game still to be played. With Lord's bathed in brilliant sunshine, a capacity crowd watched as England held their nerve for a three-run victory which ensured that new champions would be crowned on June 21. Around half of them would have gone home happy. Kevin Pietersen shared a 71-run partnership with Ravi Bopara, before Ryan Sidebottom and Graeme Swann picked up two wickets apiece to derail India's chase. MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan added 63 from six overs at the end as the game wound to a frenetic finish, but India had simply left themselves with too much to do.

The turning point was the dismissal of Yuvraj Singh, superbly stumped by James Foster as he reached out to drive Swann. Yuvraj had smashed 17 - including two sixes - from eight balls prior to that, but Foster's quicksilver glovework ensured that India were left a Snowdon-sized peak to climb without their most explosive batsman. They whittled it down to 19 from Sidebottom's final over, but though Yusuf clubbed the fourth ball for a straight six to induce palpitations amongst the English support, a single off the next ball sealed India's fate.

Much of the credit needs to go to Pietersen, who came to the crease after Luke Wright had ballooned a pull to short fine leg. With Bopara rotating the strike, the runs didn't come in a torrent but they came steadily enough. There were some eye-catching strokes too. Bopara played a stunning pull for four off RP Singh, while Pietersen said hello to Ishant Sharma with a contemptuous flick for four over midwicket. When Ishant followed up with a short delivery, Bopara deposited him into the stands behind square leg.

With Pietersen then smearing RP down the ground for four, 40 came from the six overs of Powerplay. The entry of Yuvraj, who made a habit of dismissing Pietersen in India last winter, gave India no respite, as 20 came from his two overs. The cause wasn't helped by some poor fielding on the rope from Zaheer and a general air of listlessness. Harbhajan Singh managed to rein in the scoring rate, but by halfway, England had 71 on the board and nine wickets in hand.

The complexion of the game changed with the introduction of Jadeja right after. Bopara was bowled going for the cut after a run-a-ball 37. Pietersen continued to scamper between the wickets with real energy, and when he hit a massive six over midwicket off Jadeja in his next over, England seemed poised for a late onslaught.

It proved a bit of a false dawn though. The next ball arrowed into his pads, ending a 27-ball knock of 46, and Dimitri Mascarenhas and Owais Shah weren't quite Pietersen's match in the big-hitting stakes. Though Ishant proved expensive, Jadeja went through his spell for 26, and Harbhajan chipped in with the wicket of Shah to further stymie progress.

The final flourish never came. Paul Collingwood clipped Zaheer Khan for one four, but was then leg before trying to be too cute. And with Harbhajan picking up both Foster and Swann in the final over, it took five wides to take England beyond 150.

It was one of those in-between totals, and India's hopes took a hit early when Rohit Sharma played on while attempting a pull. By then, the English method was obvious, with nearly half the deliveries dropped short and directed at the body. And when Suresh Raina miscued a hook of Sidebottom minutes later, the tactics were further vindicated.

What followed effectively basted the Indian goose and put it in the tandoor. Neither Gautam Gambhir nor Jadeja could seize the initiative, and by the time Gambhir paddled Mascarenhas to short fine leg, the 38-run partnership had taken seven overs. Yuvraj tried to inject some life into the innings, and there was a late flurry from the impressive Yusuf, but it was all a bit too late.

Two years ago, Indian fans taunted Misbah-ul-Haq with chants of "Miss-ba five runs". On Sunday, it was their team that fell three short. No Singh-ing, no glory. Just time to go home, after playing the next game - against South Africa - for formalities' sake.

All-round Bravo floors defending champions

West Indies 156 for 3 (Bravo 66*, Simmons 44) beat India 153 for 7 (Yuvraj 67, Yusuf 31, Bravo 4-38, Edwards 3-24) by seven wickets

An under-tested India ran into a red-hot West Indies, who didn't even need a significant contribution from Chris Gayle during a tense chase. Dwayne Bravo was his usual top-dawg self today, taking four wickets to keep India down and then resurrecting the chase after a subdued Gayle had got out early, with an innings that was both aesthetic and cruel.

By the time Bravo came out to bat, India had made a smart start to their defence of a fighting 151. After Zaheer Khan went for two boundaries in the first over, MS Dhoni chose to give Gayle no pace. Three of the Powerplay overs were bowled by spinners, and two by Irfan Pathan who didn't come on to the bat either. Harbhajan Singh, especially, fast-tracked Gayle's downfall, bowling a maiden to him to finish the Powerplays. Gayle had reached 20 off 23, after which frustration got the better of him, and he top-edged Yusuf Pathan, who had done well to keep him quiet in his first two overs.

Quietly, though, No. 3 Lendl Simmons, who had earlier taken a blinder, had quietly played himself in. And just when it seemed West Indies were out of it, having got off to a slow start, Bravo changed the pace of the game. With Bravo came more intent in the running and odd boundaries that kept West Indies with the rate. His batting was a treat for the eye. He often went inside-out to the spinners, stepping out and clearing extra cover in one fluid motion.

Pragyan Ojha, who was kept back until Gayle got out, got the treatment in the ninth over, and Yusuf was late-cut just as effectively in the 10th. There was nothing frenetic about this partnership, no undue risks or big hitting, even as the required run-rate stayed around nine and 10. It was almost as if they knew something that others didn't. When Bravo drove Harbhajan over extra cover in the 12th over, followed by more good running, West Indies had reached 80, and the target looked within reach.

When Dhoni brought back his fast bowlers, it was Simmons' turn to pick up the pace, as boundaries in the next two overs kept West Indies abreast. With the second four, a vicious pull off Ishant Sharma, Simmons moved into the 40s, almost unnoticed. When Ojha got Simmons for 43 in the next over, West Indies still needed 54 off 33. But it was also the time Bravo found another gear. The next ball he lofted for a six down the ground, ensuring there was no break in the momentum. Harbhajan bowled a tight next over, after which West Indies were left needing 39 off 24.

Even that couldn't get anything rash out of Bravo, who kept hitting straight, or over extra cover. With Shivnarine Chanderpaul joining in and hitting unorthodox shots like only he can, it became a stroll towards the end. Quite fittingly, Bravo ended it with a six off Zaheer Khan, over extra cover, elbow high for the pose.

West Indies shouldn't have been chasing 154 in the first place. Like the one against Australia, even this win was originally set up by fast bowlers relishing the lively conditions. But unlike then, their bowling was backed up by solid fielding today, but for just one lapse. It was that dropped chance off Yuvraj Singh, when he was 32 off 27, that made the game close.

This time it was Jerome Taylor's opening partner, Edwards, who put West Indies ahead. The tone, though, was set by Taylor in the first over, troubling Gautam Gambhir with the bouncers. Edwards took the cue, and removed his Deccan Chargers team-mate, Rohit Sharma, with a bouncer. He troubled Suresh Raina too with the short-pitched stuff until the latter played back to a full delivery and edged it to Denesh Ramdin.

It was now time for the fielders to stand up, as Simmons took a superb running-back-and-diving catch to send Gambhir back. It was a short delivery again, the first Gambhir faced from Bravo - 29 for 3 in the fifth over.

Yuvraj and Dhoni had no choice but to consolidate. Gayle and Kieron Pollard slipped in five overs for just 20 runs. Under pressure to get going, Dhoni cut Bravo straight to sweeper-cover. Two balls later, Yuvraj picked the same fielder out, but was dropped by Andre Fletcher. India would have been 71 for 5, but for the drop. Whereupon, Yuvraj played a little gem to pull India out of all sorts of trouble, but it would stay the second-best effort of the night.

His hitting was clean, there was no need to be cute as he and Yusuf threatened to run away with the game. But Edwards finished off what he started, taking Yuvraj with a bouncer in the 18th over, after which India got only 23 off the last 14 balls.

Zaheer, Rohit hand India clinical win

India 113 for 2 (Rohit 52*, Gambhir 37) beat Ireland 112 for 8 (Zaheer 4-19, Ojha 2-18) by eight wickets


India's bowlers were clinical in their demolition of the Ireland batting, the batsmen were equally solid in chasing down the moderate total, thus consigning Ireland to their first defeat in Twenty20 internationals. Zaheer Khan ran through the top order full of left-hand batsmen, Pragyan Ojha took a first-ball wicket in his second Twenty20 international too, and the new opening combination of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma got India off to another solid start.

Zaheer, who made his comeback from his shoulder game only in the last game, was fast and accurate today, getting the ball to shape away from the left-hand batsmen. He didn't swing it as much as his opening partner Irfan Pathan did, but his pace and accuracy did the trick. Jeremy Bray was the first one to go, on the last ball of the second over, playing all around a yorker. Soon Zaheer was on a hat-trick when William Porterfield chased the first ball of the fourth. Andre Botha survived the hat-trick, but guided one to slip in the same over.

Something strange happens when the batsmen sight Ojha. On Ojha's debut, Shakib Al Hasan tried to pull a delivery too full for the shot and paid the price. Today Kevin O'Brien, Ireland's saviour against Bangladesh, walked across and went to pull, and dragged it from way outside off onto his leg stump. There must be something.

Just into the seventh over, Ireland were four down for 28, with the small matter of Harbhajan Singh's topspinners and Ishant Sharma's sharp seam movement to negotiate. Gary Wilson got a doosra in Harbhajan's second over, which took the off stump, and from 48 for 5 it seemed they could only go up.

John Mooney and Andrew White went about rebuilding sensibly, but it was extremely difficult for them to accelerate even though they managed to kept their wickets. The 24-run partnership ended when Mooney tried to reverse-sweep Ojha in the 15th over. In a way the stroke gave credit to the tight bowling that didn't allow runs with orthodox cricket.

A 15-run 16th over from Irfan Pathan took Ireland close to 100, but Zaheer came back to remove White for a 25-ball 29. Alex Cusack and Kyle McCallan got two more boundaries as Ireland got 39 in the last three overs to reach 112.

In the chase India didn't set Trent Bridge alight. Although Gambhir cut the first ball of the innings for four, they didn't look in any undue hurry. Only one six and six fours were hit in the 77-run first-wicket partnership. In the five overs of Powerplay - five because the rain had cut the match short to 18 overs a side - India got to 38 without taking any unwise risks.

Rohit looked solid, Gambhir still not at his best. But Ireland never looked like getting a wicket. The highlight of Gambhir's innings was an inside-out drive off offspinner Regan West in the ninth over. In West's next, though, Gambhir sliced to short third man and missed out on consecutive half-centuries. Quite inconspicuously Rohit had moved to 35 by then.

MS Dhoni walked out at No. 3 again, but Rohit picked up the pace. A trademark slog, which incredibly doesn't look unwieldy, off Boyd Rankin took him into the 40s. Ireland, to their credit, stuck to their task in the field. Case in point being sliding saves to delay India's win, and a good diving catch by Bray at deep square leg to send Dhoni back.

Rohit got to his fifty with another trademark shot, which is at the other end of the spectrum when in terms of aesthetics. He took a step outside the line of a McCallan offbreak, and nonchalantly drove it over extra cover. With a late-cut single, he took India to the win. It was a fitting final shot, because India had hardly taken any chances on the night.

Yuvraj and Ojha fashion strong win

India 180 for 5 (Gambhir 50, Yuvraj 41) beat Bangladesh 155 for 8 (Siddique 41, Ojha 4-21) by 25 runs

It took Yuvraj Singh 18 balls to undo 10 overs' hard work by Bangladesh that had pulled India back after another solid start from Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. It took Pragyan Ojha five balls to undo their eight overs of keeping pace with a stiff total and eventually India became the first side in this tournament to successfully defend.

The crisp sound from Yuvraj's bat resonated regularly at Trent Bridge, with sixes flying here and there as India managed 59 runs in their last four overs. Ojha came on and removed Junaid Siddique and Shakib Al Hasan in his first over, after which a promising chase stumbled.

If the defining moments of this Group A match were easy to identify, it was hard to not recognise the hard work Bangladesh put in to stay in the match and force India to come up with something special. The match started with Gambhir and Rohit continuing to ensure that India didn't miss the injured Virender Sehwag.

Rohit batted like a seasoned Twenty20 opener and took charge after Gambhir had got off to a quick start with a square-cut boundary off the second ball of the match. The first ball he faced today, he leant into a good-length and creamed Mashrafe Mortaza through extra cover. Bangladesh were apprehensive about using their spinners in the Powerplays, and Rohit capitalised on the medium-pace coming on to his bat. He drove well off either foot, clipped off his pads, and played only one slog shot.

Although Gambhir slowed down, India reached 54 in the first six overs, with Rohit scoring 32 off 18. Mohammad Ashraful immediately introduced spin, and Rohit got out trying to dominate them.

MS Dhoni came out first drop, but at the same time Shakib slowed things down, giving the batsmen no pace to work with. Shakib was exceptional with his control, making sure India stayed in that consolidation mode for a considerable period.

Shakib's three-over spell went for 17 and included Rohit's wicket, and India managed only 44 - with one seix and one four - between the seventh and 13th over. Mortaza came back to bowl one more tight over, and the pressure resulted in Dhoni's wicket in the next over. With Shakib finishing off strongly, India had got only 62 runs in the middle 10 overs. Gambhir managed a laboured 50 off 46 balls.

But Yuvraj carried out an assault that broke Bangladeshi hearts - and resistance. Just like lightning he struck after seven quiet deliveries. He took an impressive Naeem Islam for back-to-back sixes, and one more two balls later. He welcomed Rubel Hossain back with a six and consecutive boundaries before being dismissed for 41 off 18.

Bangladesh then clawed their way back, keeping Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan quiet. Rubel had bowled a superb first half of the 20th over, giving away only two and cleaning up Raina. But in walked Irfan Pathan and smote a six and a four to post a challenging total.

That final assault wasn't enough to deflate Bangladesh's confidence. Tamim Iqbal and Siddique came out swinging, tasting some success against the left-arm opening bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. Both the bowlers bowled length, and that's where most Bangladeshi batsmen love it. Especially spectacular was Siddique's approach - he pulled the first ball he played for six.

In the first two overs Bangladesh got 20, and although Tamim fell to Yusuf in the third, Siddique didn't slow down. He hit Zaheer for back-to-back boundaries, and then Yusuf for a six before Ashraful got out in an unfortunate manner in the sixth over. He played a crunching cover-drive off Ishant Sharma, backing away, but found Gambhir at cover.

Out came Bangladesh's best player, Shakib, but it was Siddique who kept the pace up even as Shakib looked to rebuild. He set the agenda by stepping out and hitting Harbhajan Singh for a six in his first over. Once again, just when it seemed Bangladesh had done well to stay with India, the defending champions produced another game-breaker: Ojha, making his Twenty20 international debut.

Shakib looked to pull the first ball he bowled, but it skidded on, and took the top edge. Siddique chose an inopportune time to hit Ojha out of the ground, and holed out to wide long-on four balls later.

India could sense from there on that the chase had died, and so it turned with the inexperienced lower-middle order. Ojha took two more wickets and Yuvraj took two diving catches. Bangladesh managed only 81 runs from the time that Ojha came on to bowl, and India closed the game out professionally.