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.

Australia announce summer schedule.

Cricket Australia has announced a packed summer schedule with India, England and South Africa, all arriving at their shores.

Schedule

South Africa in Australia

Nov 5: 1st T20, Adelaide Oval

Nov 7: 2nd T20, MCG, Melbourne

Nov 9: 3rd T20, Stadium Australia, Sydney

Nov 14: 1st ODI, WACA, Perth

Nov 16: 2nd ODI, WACA, Perth

Nov 19: 3rd ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Nov 21: 4th ODI, MCG, Melbourne

Nov 23: 5th ODI, SCG, Sydney

India in Australia (Tests & practise matches)

Nov 24-25: 2-day tour match, Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg

Nov 28-29: 2-day tour match, Adelaide Oval

Dec 4-8: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane

Dec 12-16: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, MCG, Melbourne

Jan 3-7: 4th Test, SCG, Sydney

Australia, India and England tri-series

Jan 16: Australia v India, MCG, Melbourne

Jan 18: Australia v England, SCG, Sydney

Jan 20: England v India, Gabba, Brisbane

Jan 23: Australia v England, Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Jan 26: Australia v India, SCG, Sydney

Jan 30: England v India, WACA, Perth

Feb 1: Final, WACA, Perth

Kumar Sangkkara becomes 4th player in Test cricket history to slam 50+ score in 7 consecutive innings.

Kumar Sangkkara becomes the 4th player in Test cricket history to slam 50+ score in 7 consecutive innings.

Kumar Sangkkara became the 4th player in Test cricket history to slam 50+ scores in 7 consecutive innings

Kumar Sangakkara continued his rich vein of form as he slammed a half-century in his 7th consecutive innings in the 2nd Test between England and Sri Lanka at Leeds today.

The Sri Lankan southpaw became the 4th batsman in the history of Test cricket to slam seven 50+ scores in consecutive innings, matching the feats of Everton Weeks, Andy Flower and Shivnarine Chanderpaul before him. Nobody has hit an 8th 50+ score in consecutive innings.

Cricketers who have hit most 50+ scores in consecutive innings:

Player	50+ scores	Span
Sir Everton Weekes (WI)	141, 128, 194, 162, 101, 90, 56	Mar 1948 – Feb 1949
Andy Flower (Zim)	65, 183*, 70, 55, 232*, 79, 73	Sep 2000 – Apr 2001
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)	69, 74, 50, 116*, 136*, 70, 104	Nov 2006 – Dec 2007
Kumar Sangakkara (SL)	75, 319, 105, 147, 61, 79, 55	Jan 2014 – Jun 2014

Steyn can't take the Wicket of Hafeez in 3rd ODI

Steyn can't take the Wicket of Hafeez in 3rd ODI.

Dale Steyn, South Africa's premier fast bowler, and veteran allrounder Jacques Kallis have been ruled out of South Africa's third ODI against Pakistan with injury niggles.

Steyn has a mild left side strain while Kallis, who made his comeback to the 50-over format at the start of the series, has a badly sprained joint on the little finger of his right hand.

The pair were released from the squad for the final match against Pakistan, who are aiming for a 3-0 sweep, as a precautionary measure so they could be in "prime condition," for the upcoming series against India, according to team manager Mohammad Moosajee.

Steyn played in all four T20s but in only four of the seven ODIs. He was seen in some discomfort during first ODI in Cape Town on Sunday, where he was holding his left side but played in the second match of the series in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday. This is not his first side strain this year - the condition also plagued him during the Champions Trophy.

Afghanistan qualify for 2015 World Cup

Afghanistan qualified for its maiden ICC Cricket World Cup when it defeated Kenya by seven wickets, to finish second in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Deciding to field first after winning the toss, Afghanistan dismissed Kenya for 93 in 43.3 overs and then achieved the target in 20.5 overs with seven wickets to spare. The victory meant Afghanistan finished on 19 points - five behind champion Ireland, which qualified for ICC's flagship event in July.

The architects of Afghanistan's victory were left-arm spinner Hamza Hotak, captain Mohammad Nabi and Hashmatullah Shaidi. Hotak finished as the pick of bowlers with figures of 10-1-19-3, while Nabi scored 46 not out and Shaidi 13 not out. The pair of Nabi and Shaidi put on 62 for the fourth wicket, after Shem Ngoche had taken two wickets in five balls to reduce Afghanistan to 34 for three.

By virtue of finishing second in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship, Afghanistan has earned a place in Pool A that includes co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, as well as Bangladesh, England, Sri Lanka and Qualifier 3.

Afghanistan will play its opening match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 against Bangladesh at Manuka Oval, Canberra, on 18 February while its other matches will be against Sri Lanka (22 February, Dunedin), Qualifier 3 (26 February, Dunedin), Australia (4 March, Perth), New Zealand (8 March, Napier) and England (13 March, Sydney).

It has been a remarkable journey for Afghanistan which was playing in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in 2008. In 2010, it qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 by winning the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2010. It then finished second to Ireland in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2012, to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012.

Afghanistan also played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 in New Zealand and the 2012 edition in Australia.