Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Cricket Highlights at Dhaka(SBNS)
Tillakaratne Dilshan cracked a solid century to power Sri Lanka to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a triangular One-day series on Monday.

The in-form opener hit 104 for his sixth One-day hundred as Sri Lanka surpassed Bangladesh’s 260/7 with more than five overs to spare in the day-night match.

Bangladesh were earlier well-served by Mohammad Ashraful, who made an impressive 75 to help his side post a competitive total.

Bangladesh were earlier struggling at 74/4 after being put in to bat when Ashraful added 58 for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim (35) and 95 for the next with Mohammad Mahmudullah (45).

Ashraful reached his 20th half-century in One-Day Internationals with an aggressive shot, pulling paceman Suranga Lakmal for a four. He hit six boundaries in his 94-ball knock before being run out in the penultimate over.

Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England 3rd Test Day 1 from Cape Town played on January 3, 2010.

Scoreline: SA 279/6 Jacques Kallis 108 no, Mark Boucher 51, AB 36 | Anderson Swann 2 each

The England bowlers continued their post-Flintoff-revival (If they were an alternative/metal band, the genre-obsessed would be frantic, slotting them into the appropriate genre)

Kallis walked out almost gleefully – the situation meant that he could make up for that leave last innings. I’m not sure if there is anyone who dislikes Kallis as much as I do, but the initial part of his knock was quite fantastic to watch (whenever masochistic enough to turn the eyes televisionwards, that is). He left and left outside off and played only straight-defence to the point that the English bowlers eventually started bowling at him and where he wanted – once the sun came out and he got used to the pitch, the square shots began to appear and that part of his knock was really good to watch even for the haters.

Boucher was at his recent best and deserved to be around a while longer. SA have got themselves into a decent position today – all it takes is a Steyn/Morkel cameo tomorrow for them to gain the upperhand, so the England bowling early on tomorrow will be intriguing – Onions has been luckless this series, perhaps he might get some polish-off-the-lower-order luck tomorrow.

Watch cricket highlights: Pakistan vs Australia 2nd Test Day 1 at Sydney played on January 3, 2010.

Scoreline: Australia 127 all out Mitchell Johnson 38 | Mohammad Asif 6, Sami 3
Pakistan 14/0

Maybe it’s a good thing I don’t read the papers of late or hang about cricinfo much because you get the odd welcome surprise like turning on the television today and seeing an old favourite (Sami) back in international cricket. The last time was a test match I watched live in which Yuvraj creamed him and he looked finished by the end of play that day.

Pakistan now are en-route to assembling a pace bowling attack that would be unparalleled when set. Whenever Aamer returns from injury, Sami or Gul could be picked depending on the conditions alongside Asif, with Tanvir in the background. During the Abu Dhabi ODI series Waqar talked about Gul’s bowling action taking away his swing at times – now that he’s around the team, maybe that too could be sorted out.

Much as Asif and Sami were brilliant you’d have to fault the Aussie batsmen for not being able to cope given the delayed start, conditions and all. As an aside, it seems ludicrous to think that Ponting’s pull shot is being mentioned on air of late – for over a decade no one has played the shot better – reminds me of the days when each time Tendulkar got out, there’d be articles in the papers about how that particular shot needed to be tucked away. For every time a batsmen gets out to a shot he fancies, he’s scored hundreds, maybe thousands of runs off the very shot. Besides, Ponting’s arm is probably still sore.

Watch cricket highlights: Victoria vs New South Wales from the 2009/2010 Big Bash tournament played on January 2, 2010.

Scoreline: NSW 178/6 David Warner 40 (20), Steven Smith 35 (26), Phil Jaques (26) | Bravo 4-32-3, Hussey 3-16-2
Victoria win with a couple of balls to go: David Hussey 38 (16), Matthew Wade 41 (24), Bravo 18 (8), Hodge 40 (36)

Easily the game of the tournament. Stunning retribution for the stomping Victoria received from NSW in the Champions League Semis. The difference probably lay in the players missing for NSW in comparison to that game – Lee, Hughes, Katich (?), Hauritz (?) while Victoria had Bravo this time around and David Hussey having his day. Would it have mattered? Who knows and who really cares if a game’s super.

Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England Day 5 of the 2nd Test from Durban played on December 30, 2009.

Scoreline: SA 133 all out – Lose by an innings and 98 runs. Paul Harris 36 | Swann 5 Broad 4

Loved the exit-smile exchanged by Smith and Bishop regarding the unsaid fact that this could well be Makhaya Ntini’s last test. Like Bishop approved of the diplomatic way in which Smith had conveyed it.

Watch cricket highlights: Australia vs Pakistan Day 5 of the 1st Test from the MCG played on December 30, 2009.

Scoreline: Pakistan in pursuit of 422 fall short at 251 all out – Yousuf 61 | Johnson 3, Hauritz 5

Having a pair of double-blows more often than not derails any run-chase – good thing it was Johnson who had the ripping spell and not Bollinger – who knows what viewers would have been subjected to this time around.

Watch cricket highlights: England vs South Africa Day 4 of the 2nd Test at Durban played on December 29, 2009.

Scoreline: Eng 575/9 dec Ian Bell 141, Matt Prior 60 | Morkel Duminy 3 apiece
SA 76/6 | Graeme Swann Stuart Broad 3 each

Thank you Stuart Broad for giving me a 2nd viewing opportunity of seeing that which has tormented for years being given its due – The Great Jacques Kalllis Leave. First time was in an RCB game in the IPL and now today. Much obliged.

Watch cricket highlights: Pakistan vs Australia Day 4, 1st Test at the MCG played on December 29, 2009.

Scoreline: Aus 225/8 declared Shane Watson 120 no, Clarke 37 | Mohammad Aamer 5
Pakistan in pursuit of 422 are 170/3: Faisal Iqbal 48, Mohammad Yousuf 45 no, Butt 33

Two super declarations by Ponting – it must be said however that Watson got to repay Ponting’s manly love towards him by saving any possible embarrassment regarding the fantastic 1st innings declaration. With Aamer wowing the crowd into generous applause, it was Watson all alone aloft his tractor.

Given the Akmal brothers’ game, Australia could either win this midway tomorrow or we could see a sensational finish to the test. It all seems to boil down to Yousuf tomorrow. Misbah looked imperious at times in the 1st innings like he can often do, however, Yousuf seems more likely to control things if indeed Pakistan are to chase it down tomorrow. For Aus, will it be a ripping spell from Johnson to seal the match?

Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England Day 3 of the 2nd Test at Durban played on December 28, 2009.

It can be a painful experience watching someone get into run-scoring form especially if you strongly dislike them. But you’ve got to hand it to Cook, leaving all those deliveries outside off, over and over and over again knowing that Harris was around the corner.

Good to watch Bell back in the lineup – one of those few players who are very watchable even if they’re not scoring.

Watch cricket highlights: Pakistan vs Australia Day 3 of the 1st Test played at the MCG on December 28, 2009.

Pakistan 258 all out: Umar Akmal 51, Misbah 65 no | Bollinger Johnson 3 each, Siddle 2
Aus 111/3 Shane Watson 64 no

There are plenty of touring players who’ve got bigger scores and hundreds in Australia, but the Umar Akmal knock will dwarf several of them for its sheer entertainment value, something that was evenly matched by the other young sensation of the year, Aamer, while truly entering this series only today.

What’s wrong with Watson – doesn’t he think people need a breather from an exhibition of batting aesthetics that he unendingly keeps pulling out?