Wonderful start for Captain Cook

Alastair Cook was pleased to mark the start of his one-day captaincy with a victory but warn his England side there was more hard work to come.

In his first match as Andrew Strauss' heir in ODIs, Cook oversaw a pleasing 110-run win over Sri Lanka, built around innings from Craig Kieswetter (61) and Eoin Morgan (45) and a dramatic four for 18 from James Anderson.

But although Cook admit things could hardly have gone better at The Oval, he remains cautious of a side who hammer England in Saturday's Twenty20 at Bristol.

"It doesn't get much better than that," said Cook after Sri Lanka was bowled out for 121 in chase of a rain-revised target of 232 in 32 overs.

"It's a really good start, but let's not gets too carried away about how I did or the team did.

"It's just a good start and we have to keep our foot on the floor. We're not in it for personal plaudit; we're in it to win games of cricket.

"But I consideration it was an outstanding presentation from all our bowlers. For Jimmy up front to get those 15 for four and get their danger men out got us ahead of the game."

The only disfigurement on Cook's day was his own innings, which was ended after three balls when Lasith Malinga had him strangle down the leg-side for just five.

It was not the responses Cook was looking for to those who have question his appropriateness for limited-overs batting, but he react sensibly.

"That's the game, isn't it?" he said.

"There's not anything you can do about it. It's almost certainly the most trying way to get out but I shouldn't have nicked it so fine I suppose."

Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was sorry to see the back of the magnificent weather that his side enjoy in the nets, but approved they were simply second best in the first outing of the five-match series.

"They batted well, put in a huge score to pursue and it was not easy batting second to get 230," he said.

"We had to take probability and it didn't work. The thing is for the last two days has been sun but when it comes to the match it is rainy and overcast which is usually a help to the English bowlers.

"But that is not a reason, we didn't bat well and we didn't bowl well, that is why we lost the match."

The match was 41-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya's 445th and last before departure, ending a 22-year career at the highest level.

He made just two in his final knock but was awarded a rank prolonged applause by the crowd and was able to add a final wicket to his tally when he attentive Ian Bell lbw.

Read more »

Deutrom triumphant after ICC U-turn

Cricket Ireland chief managerial Warren Deutrom hailed a "great day" for cricket after the ICC perform a u-turn to allow Associate countries to play in the next ICC CWC.

The ICC announces on Tuesday that it would comprise four Associate nations, as well as its 10 full members, at the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The move came just over two months after the governing body had exposed it no longer wanted to have a 14-team World Cup and that the event would be restricted to only its full members.

However, after that ruling was met with extensive censure, the ICC agreed to review the decision at this week's annual meeting in Hong Kong, culminate in today's u-turn.

"It is a great day for Associate cricket," Deuteron told Sky Sports News.

"The fact is the ICC board should make decisions which should endorse the sport globally. The directors have a fiduciary duty to do that.

"I think they understand that following the outcry after the decision - they needed to revisit it. That's exactly what they have done.

"I would certainly praise the ICC board for their choice today. It takes bravery to do that."

Cricket Ireland's public displeasure of their oversight had been back by large sections of the cricket community, after the Irish had proved their ability to vie on the highest stage at this year's World Cup - most particularly when they beat England.

Deutrom admit that support had full him with self-assurance ahead of today's meeting.

"What happened since the decision was made was that a large number of people came out and expressed their own sense of righteous anger - it wasn't just in the Associate world," he said.

"There were more than 90% of ICC members, 95 out of 105, who felt disenfranchised by the decision.

"Ninety per cent of players in FICA's survey, the alliance of International Cricketers, also disagreed - and these are guys from Test-playing nations who felt the decision was wrong.

"There was a huge heaviness of opinion, of believable specialist opinion that felt the decision wanted to be revisited.

"Today's choice is a justification of all the hard work we've done at the back the scenes."

Ireland batsman Kevin O'Brien, who annoying the fastest-ever World Cup century in his side's stunning win over England, was also at ease to be given the chance to return to cricket's top table.

"I think it's the right choice from the ICC, not just for Ireland, but all the other 95 countries who seek to play in World Cups," he said.

"There's no hesitation that it will help increase the game even further, and that's got to be good for the future of the sport."

Ireland will now be a lot favoured to play at their third successive World Cup, after establish themselves as the best-performing Associate nation in recent years.

The fact they may be connected by another three Associate nations in the Antipodes was the slightly astonishing part of today's decision after the ICC had seem reserved to retain a 14-team tournament.

This year's centerpiece was derided for being too long, while the likes of Kenya and Canada provide little competition to add to an early malaise which damaged the six-week tournament.
The decision to keep 14 teams was made all the more inquisitive after it was announced that there would only be 10 teams at the 2019 World Cup.

The top-eight teams in the ICC rankings will qualify for that event with the remaining two places to be decided in a qualification event that many reflection would be introduced in time for the upcoming World Cup.

The ICC also exposed today that the next two World Twenty20 tournaments would be abridged back to 12 teams.

The ICC had greater than before the number to 16, to feather the blow of the Associate nations being left out of the 50-over World Cup; however, they have also upturned that decision.

Read more »

Honours still after 13 wickets on first day

West Indies 30 for 3 (Ishant 1-8, Praveen 1-15, Mithun 1-7) trail India 201 (Laxman 85, Raina 53, Rampaul 3-38, Bishoo 3-46, Edwards 3-56) by 171 runs.

Thirteen wickets fell on an exciting first day of the second Test at the Kensington Oval, with the final three look to have given India a small edge against West Indies.

The hosts misplaced Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo to finish the day on 30 for three in reply to the tourists' total of 201.

Ravi Rampaul, Devendra Bishoo and Fidel Edwards took three wickets apiece for the Windies, with the only noteworthy batting aid for India coming from VVS Laxman (85) and Suresh Raina (53).

Rampaul ripped from side to side the tourists' top order in the first session, claim three wickets for four runs to leave India 44 for four at lunch.

Laxman (85) and Raina (53) steady the vessel in a wicket less second session, but the hosts came loud back after tea to turn 147 for four into 201 all out.

Windies captain Darren Sammy won the toss on a cloudy morning in Barbados, and his choice to bowl first soon paid dividends.

Abhinav Mukund (one) late in the second over, lob a simple catch to Marlon Samuels at gully off the bowling of Rampaul.

Rahul Dravid did not fare much better, contributing five before edging a superb delivery from Sammy to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh who took it in front of first slip.

Rampaul was re-introduced to the home team's attack in the 26th over and had the desired impact straight away, snare two wickets in his first three balls.

First he astonished Murali Vijay with some extra bounce and had the opener wedged behind for 11, then Virat Kohli - shuffle crossways his crease and offering a nothing shot - was gobble up at second slip by Sammy before he could problem the scorers.

That bring Laxman and Raina together in the middle just before have lunch with the score on 38 for four, and they joint a 117-run stand for the fifth wicket to get the tourists back on track.

Laxman finished his 50th Test half-century off 75 balls counting eight fours and was 69 not out at tea, with Raina winning on 52.

Raina additional just one run after tea before unwillingly heading back to the pavilion after failing to control a delivery from Bishoo that bounce awkwardly approximately leg stump. The ball lobbed up off his pad and, though replays did not seem to show any contact with the bat, Barath took the catch at forward short leg and Raina was given out.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (two) soon follow suit, offering a simple catch to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-on off the bowling of Edwards.

The same mixture connected up again to see off Harbhajan Singh for five, Barath speeding up in to take a fine low catch.

Veteran Laxman finally fell to Bishoo when 15 run short of his century, wedged by Barath at backward point.

Abhimanyu Mithun became Edwards' third victim when he was bowled for a duck and then Praveen Kumar (12) was confused by Baugh off the bowling of Bishoo as India's innings reached a swift end.

West Indies' answer got off to a wobbly start with openers Barath and Simmons gone within five overs.

Barath (three) was the first to fall, guide a weak shot into the hands of Kohli at gully in Ishant Sharma's second over.

Simmons rotten in the following over, Kumar suggests an outside edge which was snap up by Dhoni.

The hosts suffered a further hinder in the final over of the day when Mithun claimed his first Test wicket, having Bravo caught at the back for nine to leave the hosts 30 for three and trailing by 171. Ramnaresh Sarwan was 10 not out with Bishoo unbeaten on naught.

Read more »