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Hyderabad, Nov 16: India spinner Harbhajan Singh might have struck back-to-back hundred in the last two Tests against New Zealand but captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said he doesn't want to put pressure on the spinner by calling him an all-rounder. "Bhajji is still a specialist bowler, who can bat. I don't want to give him a tag of an all-rounder and put pressure on him," said Dhoni at the post-match presentation after the second Test ended in a draw here at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. "But his batting surely gives us a cushion of having five bowlers in the team. It is good sign for our batting department," he added. Harbhajan Singh, who saved the first Test at Ahmedabad against New Zealand by scoring a crucial hundred in the second innings, besides a half-century in the first essay, continued his fabulous run with the bat in the second Test as well. During the Hyderabad Test here, Harbhajan came up with a fine 111 not out in the first innings...

Hyderabad, Nov 14 (PTI) Ross Taylor credited Harbhajan Singh for turning the match in India's favour and said that the last hour, during which the off spinner went hammer and tongs with the bat, foiled New Zealand's plans on the third day of the second Test here. "The last hour was disappointing but full credit to Harbhajan. (It) would have been better if we were 20 or 30 runs behind by the end," said Taylor, after New Zealand let India score 113 runs in the final session of play at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. "Plans didn't go as we have liked them to," the Kiwi added. Harbhajan smashed the Kiwi bowlers to smithereens during his swashbuckling unbeaten knock of 85 off just 82 deliveries, and his unbroken 69-run last-wicket partnership with S Sreesanth helped India finish the day at a commanding 436 for nine, thereby enjoying a lead of 86 runs. Asked about the team's chances in the last two days, Taylor said, "We will try and keep the ...

Ahmedabad, Nov 8 (PTI) India found an unlikely batting hero in tailender Harbhajan Singh who produced a match-saving maiden Test century to steer his team to safety alongwith VVS Laxman as the first cricket Test against New Zealand ended in a draw here today. The gutsy Harbhajan (115) notched up his only first class century and combined with veteran Laxman (91) as the duo dented New Zealand's push for victory with a solid 163-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Resuming their second innings at a precarious 82 for six, Laxman and Harbhajan saved India the blushes by batting cautiously before the innings folded up for 266 shortly after the tea break for an overall lead of 294. The Kiwis were 22 for one in their second innings before both captains decided to call off play. Zaheer Khan removed opener Tim McIntosh for a duck but Brendon McCummum (11) and Bradley-John Watling (2) ensured there were no further setbacks for the visitors who will take a great deal of confidence from the...

Johannesburg : Disclosures in Herschelle Gibbs' no-holds-barred autobiography titled 'To the Point', have brought the curtains down on the out-of-favour South Africa opener's career, feels former skipper Kepler Wessels. "This surely puts an end to any hopes he had of playing for South Africa again," Wessels said. "These are some serious allegations and making them doesn't help anybody. One can only wonder what his reasons are," Wessels, who is now South Africa 's batting consultant, was quoted as saying by 'The Times'. Wessels said Gibbs could now expect some serious action from Cricket South Africa (CSA), with whom he is contracted until April next year. CSA president Mtutulezi Nyoka was, however, guarded in his comments about Gibbs' book. "I have only read what I have seen in the paper and, because I have not read the book, I cannot comment. I would prefer to read books that nurture the development of the youth, not books t...

Johannesburg : Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini has announced his retirement from international cricket but will play for South Africa one final time in a Twenty20 international against India early next year. Ntini said on Tuesday he was retiring from all formats in internationals, but would continue playing for his provincial team. The 33-year-old Ntini, who last represented his country in December 2009, said "Today is the day that nobody wants to happen in their careers and say goodbye to cricket." Cricket South Africa insisted Ntini "will say goodbye in Proteas colors" in a sendoff game on Jan. 9. Ntini played 101 Tests and 173 ODIs in an 11-year international career. He leaves as South Africa 's second highest wicket-taker in Tests with 390. AP

Ahmedabad, Nov 1: He is regarded as the best left-arm spinner in contemporary cricket, but New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori still yearns to improve and has set himself a target of 4000 runs and 400 wickets in Test matches. "I think at times I have been a Test bowler but that is one part of my game which I would like to improve the most. I think that my batting in both forms of the game has come on well and also one-day bowling," Vettori told reporters during an interactive session here today. "It is Test match bowling that I want to get better at. It is one of the goals that I want to achieve," he said when asked to comment on him being tagged as an ODI bowler rather than a Test material. Vettori said his game has developed in the last few years and he has concentrated more on improving on his all-round skills. Asked how does he viewed Sir Richard Hadlee's record of 413 wickets in Test cricket, Vettori said, "4000 runs and 400 wickets is something that I ...