Knight Riders to push them to the brink of elimination, but an ice-cool Ryan ten Doeschate hauled them alongside their opponents into the main draw of the Champions League. Kolkata needed 153 to qualify after Somerset had waltzed to an imposing 166 for 6 on a track that kept slowing down through the day. At 57 for 4 in the 10th over, they seemed to have lost the final spot to Ruhunu, but ten Doeschate pulled off a special heist to ensure there will be four IPL teams in the main draw.
Ruhunu ended up the biggest losers of the day, and Kolkata celebrated jubilantly despite falling 11 short of victory, but Somerset deserved the most praise. They arrived for the qualifiers bleary-eyed and dispirited, two days after losing their fifth domestic final in two years, and without five of their first-choice players. If they were knackered, they didn't show it: Peter Trego batted with freedom despite not playing an ugly shot, Roelof van der Merwe was typically tigerish with bat and on the field, and the three-pronged spin attack was ruthless to the end.
Kolkata were at the other end of the spectrum, and their struggles were epitomised by the inability of Manoj Tiwary and Shreevats Goswami - batsmen bred on slow tracks - to force the pace against spin. That Kolkata had lost the in-form Manvinder Bisla and captain Jacques Kallis did not help matters, and things became worse when the legspinner Max Waller disloged both Tiwary and Goswami. Thereafter, ten Doeschate owned the night.
He announced himself with a lofted drive that Nick Compton palmed over the ropes at long-off, but that was the closest ten Doeschate came to being dismissed. With the asking-rate hovering out of reach, he dabbed Trego through point before whipping Arul Suppiah over midwicket. Yusuf Pathan was surprisingly subdued in his brief stay, but by the time he exited it was clear that the wicket that mattered was at the other end.
Shakib Al Hasan's stay was ended by a blinder in the outfield from van der Merwe, who single-handedly underlined the difference in fielding standards between the sides. Bhatia then held his nerve in a 30-run stand that took Kolkata close, while ten Doeschate continued to produce the fireworks with an audacious whip over midwicket for his third six. Van der Merwe dismissed both batsmen in the final over, but it wasn't enough to end Kolkata's campaign.
Earlier, Somerset showed they had better methods against spin than their county rivals Leicestershire had displayed earlier in the day. Trego went after Iqbal Abdulla despite not always managing to reach the flight, and his enterprise forced Kallis to rely on seamers more than he would have liked, a move that played into Somerset's hands.
Hyderabad: Somerset out-fielded and out-bowled Kolkata
Somerset were 56 for 1 after eight overs, at which point Trego shifted gears against Bhatia's mind-numbingly predictable lack of pace. Trego lost his balance while pulling him for four before cutting late for another boundary. The next over went for 17 as van der Merwe exploded against a raft of long-hops from Yusuf. Jaidev Unadkat gave Kolkata some respite when he got van der Merwe pulling to midwicket, and James Hildredt with a slower ball, but Trego bustled along unfettered, scoring his boundaries with a series of correct strokes. Unadkat was drilled through the covers, Kallis pulled through midwicket, and the Kolkata shoulders began to droop in a hurry.
Trego was starved of strike a touch in the end overs, but it did not seem to matter as Compton ramped Lee for six and stole a couple of inventive boundaries. More importantly for Somerset, Kolkata stayed generous right to the last over, with Unadkat making a hash of a regulation save at midwicket, and Lee getting a wicket of a no-ball. Kolkata's fielders had done themselves no favours, but the itinerary that gave them the chance to play the last innings of the qualifier stage was about to.
Libya's new leaders pledged 'moderate' Islamic rule even as their fighters were accused by Amnesty International on Tuesday of committing possible war crimes.
A defiant Muammar Gaddafi, meanwhile, vowed from hiding to battle on until victory as his forces launched surprise fightbacks on three fronts.
Interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil received a hero's welcome when he made a public speech in Tripoli's main square late on Monday.
Thousands celebrated last month's fall of the Gaddafi regime in Martyrs' Square, two days after Abdel Jalil, the head of the National Transitional Council (NTC), arrived in Tripoli from Benghazi in the east.
Moderate Islam would be the main source of legislation in post-Gaddafi Libya, he told the crowd.
"We will not accept any extremist ideology, on the right or the left. We are a Muslim people, for a moderate Islam, and we will stay on this road," he said.
In a new report released on Tuesday, Amnesty International accused Gaddafi's regime of crimes against humanity but also said NTC fighters had committed possible war crimes.
While the London-based rights group's report consisted mainly of damning examples of violations by Gaddafi's regime, it said the NTC appeared unwilling to hold its fighters accountable for human rights violations.
Amnesty said in the first days of the uprising against Gaddafi's rule groups of protesters killed a number of captured soldiers and suspected mercenaries.
"Some were beaten to death, at least three were hanged, and others were shot dead after they had been captured or had surrendered, the report, 'The Battle for Libya - Killings, Disappearances and Torture', said.
"The NTC is facing a difficult task of reigning in opposition fighters and vigilante groups responsible for serious human rights abuses, including possible war crimes but has shown unwillingness to hold them accountable," the report said.
But Amnesty acknowledged that the war crimes allegedly committed by the now governing opposition were of a "smaller scale" than those carried out by Kadhafi's regime, which it says may be responsible for crimes against humanity.
Resolute Sri Lankan batting and bad weather frustrated Australia's bid for a series-clinching win as the second Test ended in a draw in Pallekele on Monday.
Just 35.3 overs were bowled on the final day, in which Sri Lanka moved from their overnight score of 223-2 to 317-6 in the second innings, an overall lead of 80 with four wickets in hand.
Three half-centuries led a determined batting display by the hosts, who had faced defeat after being shot out for 174 in their first knock.
Seamer Ryan Harris finished with 3-54 as the tourists chipped away at the Sri Lankan middle order, but rain did not leave enough time for Michael Clarke's men to force the result that would have given them the series.
Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 11 and Suraj Randiv was on four when play was halted midway through the post-lunch session. The match was finally called off two hours before the scheduled close.
Australia lead the three-match series 1-0 after their 125-run win in the first Test in Galle, with the final Test starting at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo on Friday.
"It was a disappointing end," said Clarke, who is leading Australia for the first time in a full Test series. "We lost almost 100 overs in the match and that was frustrating for both teams.
"If we had a full day's play, we had a very good chance to win. I was really happy with the way we bowled today.
"I am told it is raining in Colombo too. It will be a shame if the weather affects the game because this series has been played really well."
Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said he was delighted at his team's batting in the second knock.
"We finally batted well after three bad innings in the series and that gives us a lot of confidence going into the final Test," Dilshan said, adding that he did not believe that Australia were guaranteed a win before the rain hit.
Sri Lanka, who trailed by 14 runs at the start of the day, lost both their overnight batsmen, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, within the first hour.
Australia removed the two star batsmen with the second new ball, which was taken as soon as it was due after one over from Trent Copeland with the old ball.
Sangakkara failed to add to his overnight score of 69 when he was squared up by a lifting delivery from Harris and edged a waist-high catch to Clarke at second slip.
The dismissal broke a threatening 101-run stand for the third wicket between Sri Lanka's main batting hopes.
Clarke then dived to his left to snap a stunning low catch in the slips and send back Jayawardene for 51 off the bowling off Copeland.
Jayawardene stood his ground as the umpires debated whether the ball had touched the ground before landing in Clarke's hand, but replays confirmed it was a clean catch.
Sri Lanka were 288-4, a lead of 51 runs, when a sharp shower drove the players back to the pavilion and the umpires ordered lunch 30 minutes early.
When play resumed, Australia grabbed two wickets in the space of six runs to reduce Sri Lanka to 307-6.
Harris picked up his third wicket of the innings when he forced Prasanna Jayawardene (21) to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Brad Haddin.
Thilan Samaraweera made a dogged 43 when he was dismissed in similar fashion by Shane Watson in the post-lunch session.
Mohammad Azharuddin's son hospitalized after motorcycle accident
Hyderabad, Sep 10(ANI): Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin's son, Ayazuddin, has reportedly been hospitalized after suffering serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in Hyderabad today.
According to CNN-IBN, Ayazuddin has been admitted to the city's Apollo Hospital.
The 18-year-old has received head injuries in the mishap which occurred at around 6.30 a.m.
Azharuddin, who is a Congress leader and a member of the Lok Sabha, is reportedly on his way back to Hyderabad from London. (ANI)
Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels it was ''best'' for India that Sachin Tendulkar missed out on his 100th hundred in international cricket at The Oval as it would have diverted attention from the team's ''abysmal'' show in the four-match series against England.Hussain, who commentated during the series, says had the master blaster reached the magical figure, it would have also taken the gloss off the Rahul Dravid's performance in the series in which he scored three hundreds.
"As someone who has played against him, knows him a bit and respects him so much, I thought this would be a fitting stage and the perfect occasion for him to get there," wrote Hussain in the Daily Mail Tuesday.
"There was a sell-out crowd here with a large Indian support and it also seemed right that the piece of history should come in a big Test match rather than a one-day game.
"I was also hoping I would be able to commentate on the big moment. But now I think it is best for India that he got out when he did.
"If the piece of history had come now, the whole of India would have been celebrating and the partying could have gone on for days. And that would have papered over the cracks in Indian cricket and overshadowed all that Rahul Dravid has achieved this last month."
"Nothing should be allowed to obscure how bad India, with the exception of Dravid, have been. Nothing should get in the way of the fact they have been absolutely abysmal."
Hussain reckons that India were one of the poorest team to have toured England since he retired and sees the hosts winning the five-match One-day series starting Sep 3.
"They are without doubt one of the poorest teams I can remember touring England, either as a player or since I retired. The gulf between India and Andrew Strauss's team has been massive.
"Sachin will get to that 100th hundred, don't worry about that. Maybe even in the
One-day series next week. How India could do with a lift because, looking at their squad for those five matches, I think England will be more than capable of being stronger than them again, particularly in the field."
Malik thanks "great life partner" Sania for "brilliant support" during dark days
Sialkot, August 21(ANI): Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has said that his wife and Indian tennis player, Sania Mirza, helped him get through the difficult phase of his life when he was awaiting clearance by the PakistanCricket Board (PCB) Integrity Committee for selection in the national team.
Malik said he believes that his mental toughness helped him through such a difficult time in his life, adding that Sania's advice was invaluable.
"Ups and downs are part of life. You have to be mentally strong enough to handle all the things and situations that come your way. My wife Sania has helped me a lot," PakPassion.net quoted Malik, as saying.
"She's been playing international tennis for the past 10 to 12 years and the advice she gave me from her experiences in the highs and lows of her tennis career, was invaluable. She's a great life partner and her support has been brilliant," he added.
Whilst the past 12 months will be difficult to forget, Malik feels that the bad times are in the past and that he has plenty to look forward to, as he has now been cleared by the PCB to play for his country.
"I feel that I can play cricket for another 6 to 8 years. I just want to play good cricket, and despite not being selected for Pakistan, I have been training hard practising with intensity and playing cricket anywhere in the world where I possibly could, for example in Bangladesh. I want to show the world that I am still a good cricketer and that I have what it takes to play and do well at the highest level," he said.
