ICC acknowledges Eng-Aus WC game ended incorrectly
Melbourne: ICC on Saturday acknowledged that the cricket World Cup match between Australia and England ended “incorrectly” after English pacer James Anderson was given run out controversially. Following Australia’s 111-run win over England in the Group A World Cup clash at Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, the Playing Control Team (PCT) reviewed the final ball of the game which resulted in Anderson being given run out controversially. Article 3.6a of Appendix 6 of the Decision Review System (DRS) Playing Conditions states that the ball should have been deemed dead when the batsman (James Taylor) was given out leg before wicket (lbw). No further runs or dismissals were possible,” the ICC said in a statement. “The PCT spoke to the England team management and acknowledges that the game ended incorrectly and an error was made,” it added. There was a bit of a controversy towards the end of the match as Anderson was was run out after umpire Aleem Dar adjudged Taylor lbw off Josh Hazlewood. The decision was later reviewed and Taylor was given not out by the third umpire but Anderson at the non-striker’s end was found short of his crease. (PTI)
Sangakkara passes Ponting on ODI run list
Christchurch: Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara on Saturday became the second highest run-maker in one-day international history during the World Cup clash against New Zealand in Christchurch. Sangakkara started the day on 13,693 runs and needing just 12 more to pass Australia’s Ricky Ponting who made 13,704 runs before he retired. The Sri Lankan left-hander reached the milestone when he flicked Adam Milne down the leg side for a four in the 16th over of his team’s reply to New Zealand’s imposing 331 for six. India legend Sachin Tendulkar tops the list for most ODI runs with a mammoth 18,426. (AFP)
Finn is seventh bowler to claim World Cup hat-trick
Melbourne: England pacer Steven Finn Saturday took the first hat-trick of the 2015 cricket World Cup to become the seventh bowler to do so in the history of the event. The 6′ 7″ Finn clinched the hat-trick on the last three deliveries of the Australian innings as they posted a mammoth 342/9 in 50 overs in their World Cup opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). First, the Englishman got rid of wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin with the fourth ball of the 50th over. The latter swung his bat which got a thick outside edge and was caught by Stuart Broad at deep third man. All-rounder Glen Maxwell was the next man to go when Joe Root took an absolute blinder. Finn’s delivery was darted into Maxwell who hit it with power but Root ran right from long-off, dived to his right and pulled off a stunner. The 25-year-old claimed his hat-trick when tail-ender Mitchell Johnson slapped the ball straight to James Anderson at mid-off. Finn became the seventh bowler to take a hat-trick during the mega event while it was the eighth instance. (IANS)