NZ seal series with hard-fought win

Trent Bolt and Tim Southee shepherded New Zealand to their first series win away from home against a top-eight nation in 12 years.

 New Zealand's declaration with an overnight lead of 307 had lazily been dubbed brave. The fact that they were away from home would have been discussed. The criticism they would invite if West Indies overhauled the target and claim the series had the potential to frighten. But Brendon McCullum does not appear a captain who prefers the safe route. Moreover, in Boult and Southee, he had two exceptional new-ball bowlers, who would be operating against a depleted batting line-up. It wasn't a punt. McCullum was simply giving his bowlers the time they would need to dismiss the opposition, especially with showers predicted. Two of them did interrupt play, but in the end they contributed to a stunning finish as the Test went down to the final hour.

It took Jason Holder, a debutant at No. 7, to provide the hosts' strongest source of resistance. He sustained a painful blow to the thumb while tackling a short-ball barrage but shook it off. After some time at the crease, he even took them on and when the ball ventured closer to his half, he played some sweet drives to fuel the innings' only half-century. Shane Shillingford provided dogged support as the eighth wicket contributed 77 runs. He weaved under bouncers, took body blows when the fifth-day pitch misbehaved and hit out with impressive power but their efforts could not resurrect a poor top-order performance.

Boult's skill in swinging the ball both ways left the batsmen noticeably unsure. Kraigg Brathwaite shouldered arms to a rousing indipper that slid off his pad to cannon into off stump. Kirk Edwards followed the same method but had managed to protect his stumps with his pads. Boult flew into an appeal and the umpire obliged, but DRS surprisingly indicated that the ball would have bounced over off stump. Edwards survived but he was clearly shaken. Another lovely delivery - this one eased across the right-hander - took the outside edge and found Ross Taylor at second slip.

A sedate Chris Gayle was hoping to occupy the crease until New Zealand's momentum eased off. However, Southee enticed him with a fuller delivery and a booming drive ended up deflecting the ball back onto his stumps. West Indies had crumbled to 31 for 3 and were eyeing another collapse in the face. Shivnarine Chanderpaul abated those concerns for a brief period but traipsed down the track against offspinner Mark Craig to be stumped for the first time in 266 innings to leave his side reeling again.

Southee pierced through the middle order with an intelligent exhibition of seam bowling. He had a battle of patience with Darren Bravo, who had seemed intent on making up for a loose shot in the first innings. He was tight around his off stump and held his drives in check for 97 balls. Then came the teaser outside off and Bravo just couldn't help himself - he perished at gully for the second time in the match. Denesh Ramdin succumbed soon after and a lengthy tail was exposed.

Craig did his bit to assist the seamers and with ample assistance from a worn pitch, he was able to generate good flight and dip to ensure the batsmen were being strangled from both ends. His heroics with the bat have overshadowed his primary responsibility but today he was key in quelling the lower order's defiance. New Zealand have looked an impressive outfit over their home summer but success on the road would rank all the more sweeter - it was only their fifth away Test win in five years.

Mohammad Amir hopes for early return

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir could play in domestic competitions before his five-year ban ends in September 2015 if the Pakistan Cricket Board gets its way.

The International Cricket Council review committee inserted a draft clause in its anti-corruption code "permitting a banned player to be involved in domestic matches prior to the end of his ban period," according to a PCB statement.
It added, the amended code will be up for approval before the ICC board, after which the PCB will be in a position to apply for Amir's early comeback.
Amir was banned for five years in 2011 for bowling deliberate no-balls during a Test against England at Lord's in 2010. He did not appeal, and was involved in the ICC rehabilitation program.
He pleaded guilty in court and served jail time.
PCB chairman Najam Sethi, who attended the ICC annual conference in Melbourne, said the proposed amendment in the anti-corruption code was "very encouraging and yet another step closer to the early entry of Mohammad Amir in cricket."
Two other Pakistan players, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, were banned for at least five years for similar spot-fixing offences in the same Test, but their appeals were rejected in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Sethi has been supporting Amir's return since he was appointed chairman last year.
The PCB even sought legal opinion on Amir's early return from Queen's Counsel in the United Kingdom, before the ICC agreed to review its anti-corruption code.
During the annual conference, Sethi was also named in the five-member executive committee with India, England, Australia and the West Indies.
"Our representation on the executive committee will ensure Pakistan remains involved in the important decision-making," Sethi said.

Najam Sethi elected to ICC's ExCo

According to a media release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi has been elected to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Executive Committee (ExCo), which was formed on Friday, 27th June 2014. 

The PCB release also stated that Pakistan and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will be part of the five-member committee, in which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are permanent members.

The formation of the ExCo, which would decide most of the key issues in cricket, was part of the proposed changes to the ICC recommended by the 'Big 3' - BCCI, CA and ECB.

"Chairman PCB Mr. Najam Sethi was today elected on the newly-formed, all powerful ICC Executive Committee (ExCo). The ExCo comprises of five (5) members with representations from India, England and Australia besides two others with Pakistan being elected as the fourth and the West Indies as the fifth member of the committee," the PCB said in a statement.

"The ExCo will have a number of committees reporting to it and will deal with important matters like constitution, anti-corruption, ethics, integrity, development and H.R. This will be the core committee of ICC which will meet with as much frequency as required to assist and advise the ICC Board on operational, management and administrative activities of ICC," the statement added.

The PCB also mentioned in its release that it will approach the ICC to review the ban imposed on Mohammad Amir. 

"Last year, on request from Mr. Sethi and subsequent advice from a Queen's Counsel in the United Kingdom sought by the PCB on Mohammad Amir's ban, the ICC had agreed to form a committee to review its Anti-Corruption Code as under the existing code there were no provisions for early entry into cricket of a banned player."

"The work on the drafting of the new ICC Anti-Corruption Code has substantially progressed with a draft clause inserted into the Code permitting a banned player to be involved in domestic matches prior to the end of his ban period. The Anti-Corruption Code will now be placed before the Board for approval soon after which the PCB will be in a position to make an application for Mohammad Amir," it added.

In a media release, PCB chief Sethi said: "Our representation on the ExCo would ensure that Pakistan remains involved in the important decision-making concerning the game of cricket. It also reflects that Pakistan now holds an important and undisputed position within the top echelon of the cricketing fraternity." 

Regarding the review on the ban on Amir, Sethi said: "The progress on ICC amendments in ICC's Anti-Corruption Code is also very encouraging and is yet another step closer to the early entry of Mohammad Amir in cricket."

Alastair Cook's form regaining Trick ;)

The Indestructible Shivnarine Chanderpaul

This coming August, West Indies batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, will be 40. The Guyanese left-hander has been plying his trade as an international batsman since 1994, and though 40 is not normally a good age for someone in his line of work, he has shown no sign of wear, and is as crabby and as skillful and as difficult to dislodge as ever.

His scoring rate this current series, by his standards, has been rather nimble. His unconquered 84 in the first test of the current New Zealand visit to the West Indies was made at a strike rate of 60.86, while his innings in Trinidad, ended by a poor decision to allow a delivery turning from off to hit his pad when 47 was made at 50.53. His career strike rate is 43.45.

In 155 tests, Chanderpaul has accumulated 11374 runs having faced 26172 balls. If the other great West Indian batsman of his time, Brian Lara, had faced as many deliveries and maintained his 60.51 rate of scoring, his total would have stood at a staggering 15836 runs. Chanderpaul once batted 25 hours and 13 minutes over four innings, scoring 362 runs without losing his wicket. How India must have hated the sight of him coming to the middle that series.

In the recent Jamaica test against New Zealand, as everyone struggled around him, Chanderpaul seemed a class above his colleagues. For some time now he has occupied the top reaches of the ICCs test batting rankings, and if you are not overly put-off by his highly unusual stance, then it is easy to see why.

He seems in total control at the crease, has loads of time to play, and is undisturbed by the upheavals that often occur around him. For a while now, the West Indies has made the batting collapse something of a habit, but the obdurate Guyanese has often stood by himself, like a defiant, solitary structure left standing after a particularly devastating storm.

You will not often get the full-throated cover-drive from Chanderpaul; he is more a fan of the nudge and the nurdle and the glance and the deflection. Not that he is incapable of compelling stroke-play; when the mood moves him he can be as forceful as anyone. He is the maker of the fourth fastest hundred in tests; a rapid-fire innings at his home ground in Guyana off the touring Australians in 2003 when his century came off just 69 balls. One stroke-filled assault on Shane Warne in Sydney in 1996, as his comrades struggled to negotiate the leg-spinner, was only curtailed when the magician dug deep to find what he has mentioned as probably the best delivery of his career one that spun a mile.

Having considered and evaluated the risks involved in batting, however, Chanderpaul has wisely come to the conclusion, especially in his later years, that a long time at the crease is the most sure-fire way of scoring big runs. And scoring runs aplenty is what he sets out to do every time he hammers a bail into the pitch to mark his guard.

The rock-solid Guyanese is fifth on the list of batsmen facing the most deliveries in test cricket, but only Rahul Dravid (190.59) and Geoffrey Boycott (189) has faced more deliveries per test than Chanderpaul (181 65). It is worth considering also that of the three Chanderpaul has been undefeated 46 times compared to 32 times for Dravid and 23 for Boycott. This tells a story of a batsman whose steadfastness and skill often earned him a long life at the crease, a batsman who mastered the art of delaying his dismissal longer than almost every batsman in history.

The West Indies captaincy has bounced around more than most in recent times, and in early 2005 it fell on the shoulders of the West Indies most tenacious batsman. Introverted and lacking in tactical acumen, however, it was a job for which Chanderpaul was unsuited. Additionally, West Indies had long been in decline and would have tested the skills of even the most astute leader.

Chanderpaul was a good man caught up in the wrong line of work. Unsurprisingly, he gave up the captaincy after a year, citing a need to focus on his batting. In fourteen tests at the helm he had only a single victory to show, and signs were beginning to emerge that his batting was being affected.

Relinquishing the position was a good if unavoidable decision. There is a scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, where Spock tells Kirk that it was a mistake for him to have accepted a promotion that took him away from commanding The Enterprise, his beloved star ship. Commanding a star ship, Spock told him, is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material. Being a batsman, pure and simple, is Chanderpauls first, best destiny. His promotion to the captaincy took him too far outside of his comfort zone. It was an uncomfortable existence; it was a mistake.

Although he seems indestructible, Chanderpaul is now at an age where one question will be regularly asked: How much longer can he go on? In a way, the enquiry is unfair -- he is still the Caribbeans best batsman by a mile but inevitable, one that every batsman in his late 30s will have to consider. And while sport is a fickle business and any dip in form could prove terminal, West Indies will be hoping that its best batsman, one of the games most dependable ever, will be sticking around for some time.

India on top despite Dhawan injury scare

Tour Match - The visitors cruised to 333 for four at stumps on the first day of the opening match of their tour of England against Leicestershire.

 Shikhar Dhawan was hit on the arm but did not suffer major damage as India cruised to 333 for four at stumps on the first day of the opening match of their tour of England against Leicestershire at Grace Road on Thursday.

Test opener Dhawan retired hurt for 60 after being struck by a short ball from left-arm seamer Atif Sheikh. However, team management subsequently confirmed it was not a serious injury.

Dhawan was one of several batsmen who cut short their innings to give team-mates a chance of time in the middle with Gautam Gambhir (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (57) also making fifties.

The match lost its first-class status after Leicestershire agreed to India's request to play as many of their 18-man squad as they wished.

However, the tourists -- coached by former England boss Duncan Fletcher -- will only bat 11.

Leicestershire, right at the bottom of the two-division County Championship table and without a win in nine matches this season, fielded a second-string team.

Nevertheless they still nearly dismissed Dhawan for a duck when, after India won the toss on a green-tinged pitch, the first over of the match saw Dan Redfern unable to hold a head-high chance at third slip off the bowling of Anthony Ireland.

Dhawan went on to complete a 79-ball fifty, including 10 fours.

India lost their first wicket on 46 when Murali Vijay edged a swinging Ireland delivery to gully.

Dhawan got to fifty shortly before lunch but went off early in the second session when a Sheikh bouncer that didn't climb as much as he expected hit him near the elbow.

Gambhir got to his half-century in 95 balls before retiring to allow fellow top-order batsman Virat Kohli some time in the middle.

Kohli fell when he drove loosely at Shiv Thakor and was bowled for 29.

Pujara then called time on his own innings, with Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma seeing India through to stumps.

After this match, India make the short journey to Derby for another three-day warm-up fixture before remaining in the Midlands for the first of a five-Test series against England at Nottingham's Trent Bridge starting on July 9.

200 Years Celebration Match - MCC V REST OF THE WORLD - 5 JULY

Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne will lead international, star-studded MCC and Rest of the World line-ups for the Bicentenary Celebration match at Lord's on Saturday 5 July.

Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and Brett Lee are among the legends who'll play at the Home of Cricket in the 50-over match.

TV & Radio coverage

The match will be broadcast live on SkySports in the UK and on Star Sports in India. Further details of broadcast stations in other countries will be available closer to the match.

Lords.org will host exclusive radio coverage of the match, available to stream online around the world.

Full teams

MCC		Rest of the World
Name	Country	Name	Country
Sachin Tendulkar (captain)	India	Shane Warne (captain)	Australia
Saeed Ajmal	Pakistan	Shahid Afridi	Pakistan
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	West Indies	Tino Best	West Indies
Rahul Dravid	India	Paul Collingwood	England
Aaron Finch	Australia	Adam Gilchrist	Australia
Umar Gul	Pakistan	Tamim Iqbal	Bangladesh
Brian Lara	West Indies	Muttiah Muralitharan	Sri Lanka
Brett Lee	Australia	Kevin Pietersen	England
Chris Read	England	Virender Sehwag	India
Shaun Tait	Australia	Peter Siddle	Australia
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	Yuvraj Singh	India

N Srinivasan confirmed as ICC chairman

N Srinivasan has been confirmed as the ICC's first chairman after constitutional changes to the governing body were passed at the annual conference in Melbourne on Thursday.

Smooth passage of the changes devised by the "Big Three" of India, England and Australia had been expected after a set of broad resolutions were approved by Full Member nations earlier this year.

Srinivasan had been barred from his role as BCCI president due to an India Supreme court investigation into IPL corruption but had spent the preceding two days, with Australia's Wally Edwards and England's Giles Clarke, explaining the new landscape to delegates, including Associate and Affiliate members.

"It is an honour to be confirmed as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council," said Mr Srinivasan, adding: "I will leave no stone unturned in trying to strengthen the pillars and foundations of our sport, both on and off the field. I want to ensure that cricket retains and grows its popularity, and that the ICC plays a leading role in this global growth.

"I want to see more strong teams in international cricket. For this to be achieved, we all need to work hard to develop local talent in our countries. Naturally, there will be more support to those who first show they can help themselves.

"The ICC is a Members' organisation and the pathway is now there for any Member to play Test cricket or in the major ICC events if it performs well enough over a sustained period of time."

The BCCI termed Srinivasan's appointment "a proud and historic moment for Indian cricket". "As India takes the leadership position in world cricket, the responsibility of guiding the game in these challenging times could not have found a better leader than Mr Srinivasan," Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary, said in a statement. "This establishes the important role that the BCCI will essay, as we take this responsibility to work with other members during these days of growth."

 ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Sri Lanka secure historic series win

Sri Lanka beat England by 100 runs, with just one ball to spare, to win the second Test at Headingley on Tuesday and so take the two-match series 1-0.

Sri Lanka explode in celebration as the wicket of James Anderson falls

There were more than 20 overs remaining when last man James Anderson came into bat.

But he survived for 55 balls until, with only one delivery left in the match, he gloved a catch off paceman Shaminda Eranga to Rangana Herath at leg gully.

Defeat was tough on England's Moeen Ali who batted for six-and-a-half hours while making 108 not out -- his maiden Test century.

England, set 350 for victory, were bowled out for 249 on the fifth and final day as Sri Lanka won a Test in England for only the third time in their history following victories at The Oval in 1998 and Trent Bridge in 2006.

England had been in charge of this match at 311 for for three after tea on the second day of this Test, thanks to Australia-born opener Sam Robson's maiden Test century, and again when they reduced Sri Lanka to 277 for seven on Monday -- a lead of just 169.

But Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, who earlier in this match took a Test-best four for 44 with the ball, went on to make a superb Test-best 160, having shared an eighth-wicket stand of 149 with Herath (48) that gave the tourists the advantage.

England then suffered a spectacular collapse late Monday as they slumped to 57 for five in the face of paceman Dhammika Prasad's four-wicket burst.

From then on England, who were denied victory in the first Test at Lord's when Sri Lanka No 11 Nuwan Pradeep saw out the last five balls of the match to secure a draw, were fighting a rearguard action.

Arrest warrant issued against Dhoni

A local court in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, has issued an arrest warrant against Mahendra Singh Dhoni after a complaint was lodged against the Indian skipper for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

The arrest warrant was issued after Dhoni failed to appear before the court despite three summons. The court directed the police to present Dhoni before it on July 16th. The case refers to a picture on the cover of 'Business Today' in its April 2013 edition.

Dhoni was portrayed as the Hindu God 'Vishnu' with a sub-title named 'God of Big Deals' and holding products of several companies including a shoe in his hand.

A local Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member, Y Shyam Sundar, had filed the petition at a court in Ananthpur in February this year saying Dhoni had hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus by denigrating a god revered by them. The court took up the matter on Tuesday, and ordered the arrest warrant against the Indian captain as he had failed to reply to the summons. Similar petitions have been filed against Dhoni in Delhi, Pune and other cities.

Alastair Cook should resign as captain: Geoffrey Boycott

Alastair Cook passed Geoffrey Boycott on England's all-time leading run-scorers list on Monday, but the former Test opener believes the current captain is presiding over a "recipe for resignation". England's fresh start after their Ashes misery looks set to be dramatically doused by Sri Lanka, who on Tuesday will likely seal a first-ever series win in the country.

Angelo Mathews' 160 helped Sri Lanka set England a winning target of 350 at Headingley and their response was an awful one, closing the fourth day on 57 for five. Cook chopped on to his own stumps for 17 as part of that collapse and little continues to go right for the captain, whose wet winter has turned into a shocking spring.

Questions had already been raised about his ability to captain the side - chiefly from Shane Warne - and Boycott can see why. "Cook is in that sort of form where he'll get out in ways he couldn't dream up. That was a short long hop which he pulls well, it's one of his favourite shots, and he got an under-side edge onto the stumps," he told the Test Match Special podcast.

"It's like when you're playing well and you can plunder runs from anywhere. He cannot get a run, he'll get tenser, it'll get harder for him and I don't know how he's going to get out of it. We've had a very, very bad day. We thought the nightmare of Australia was over, but it's still here. This is a side... I don't know where we go. From a winning position we will lose, the captain is in terrible form and it's a recipe for resignation. I don't know if he will but it is."

Boycott was keen to add he has no problem with Cook as an individual or even as a player, but raised issues relating to how Sri Lanka were able to get into a winning position as Mathews manipulated the field at will. He added: "I want to be fair to him because I love him, he's a lovely boy. My daughter has a boyfriend but if she didn't and went out with him, I mean when he was single, he's a lovely lad, one of the nicest people you could wish (to meet).

"He's a top batsman just in bad form, but he's a smashing lad. I have no problem with him setting that field, none at all. When it doesn't work, that's when I have a problem with it. Where's the innovation, the invention, the try-something-different?" 

Boycott also laid blame at the door of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The duo were unable to make an impact on the Sri Lankan middle and lower orders, leaving Mathews free to do as he pleased. "I won't say we've played rubbish but there have been moments when we have been rubbish," he said.

"I'm trying to be honest and sensible and not have any histrionics because we've had a bad day but this was pathetic. The bowling of Anderson, one of the best bowlers in the world, swing and seam... We've had two new balls this second innings and he's bowled some tripe at times. He's swung it, cut it, made it bounce, but it's either been too full, too wide and short, down leg side, there's no wonder he doesn't get wickets at Headingley.

"I'm only telling the truth, I don't take any pleasure talking about a great bowler like Jimmy, and he's a wonderful swing and seam bowler, his record is fabulous, and Stuart Broad hasn't been that much better. You have to use words like rubbish and pathetic at times. Two of the finest bowlers in the world, they are not young kids in their first Test matches. Stuart Broad, (Graeme Swann) Swanny says, says he believes he bowls as fast as Michael Holding, I wish he did he might have won the match for us," Boycott said.

England facing first home series defeat against Sri Lanka

 England is facing a first home series defeat to Sri Lanka after a dismal fourth day's play during the second Test at the Headingley.

Chasing 350 to win, the hosts' top order was destroyed by fast bowler Dhammika Prasad's 4-15 as they slipped to 57-5 in their second innings.

Sri Lanka had earlier amassed 457 at Headingley, led by a masterful 160 from captain Angelo Mathews, who was supported by Rangana Herath's 48.

They added 149 for the eighth wicket, Mahela Jayawardene having made 79.

Mathews and Herath spent all but one ball of the afternoon session together and were parted only when Herath was run out in a mix-up off the final delivery before tea.

During his innings, Mathews gave one chance on 87, a relatively straightforward caught and bowled off Plunkett, who had earlier taken two wickets in two balls to give him nine in the match.

When it came to England's turn to bat, Prasad struck quick blows by bowling a full length.

Skipper Cook continued his year-long run of poor form by dragging a pull on to his stumps. One drop Gary Ballance was plumb lbw to the next ball, which shaped back in. Fellow opener Sam Robson chased a wide one to edge the same bowler to second slip and Ian Bell was bowled by a beauty that nipped back to take off stump.

A miserable day was completed by nightwatchman Plunkett chipping Herath to cover from what proved to be the final ball of the day

Last Over : Pakistan v India - Asia Cup 2014

This day, last year: Dhoni wins all ICC trophies

The 2013 Champions Trophy staged in England saw MS Dhoni and India create history. Before the start of the tournament, no one had given this team a chance. They had lost eight consecutive overseas Tests and had just lost a Test series at home against England for the first time in 28 years. Moreover, they were coming back to a country where they failed to win a single international match in 2011.

However, heading into the tournament, India displayed a new vigour. They shot out Australia for 65 in a warm-up match in Cardiff while they chased down a 300-plus score against Sri Lanka in another warm-up match. With their confidence sky high, India headed into the first group game against South Africa and new opening duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma put on a 127-run stand. Dhawan notched up his century and India finished on 331/7. The Indian bowlers, backed up their fielders, backed the effort of the batsmen as they won the match by 26 runs. They displayed the same tenacity in the match against the West Indies and they finally achieved their first victory in the Champions Trophy against Pakistan in a rain-truncated match.

Heading into the semi-final undefeated, they squared off against Sri Lanka in wet conditions in Cardiff. The Indian bowlers put in a disciplined show in overcast conditions and the duo ofVirat Kohli and Dhawan chased the small target of 181 in a canter. In the final against England at Edgbaston, there was drama from the start till the end.

With rain pounding Edgbaston at regular intervals, the match was in danger of been washed out and it seemed India would share the Champions Trophy with another team for the second time. The ICC extended the cut-off time by one hour and in a literal sense, it was touch and go. The weather relented and the match was a 20-over shootout.

India were buoyed by an aggressive 43 from Kohli but Ravindra Jadeja boosted the team at the end with an unbeaten 33 off 25 balls as India reached 129/7. England needed 28 off 18 balls and Ishant Sharma, who had gone for a few runs, started off with a six and two wides and it seemed all was lost. However, he snapped up Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan in the same over to get India back in the game. Jadeja and R Ashwin held their nerve as India sealed a tense five-run win to give India their first Champions Trophy.

History was created in the process. Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC trophies while India became the second team after the West Indies to win all ICC tournaments. Dhawan was given the golden bat for scoring the most runs in the tournament while Jadeja won the golden ball and the Man of the Match award for taking the most wickets. Amidst the gloom, India had achieved something spectacular.