Yuvraj Singh in MVP race with Virender Sehwag

Yuvraj Singh was the most valuable player (MVP) in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka - India ODI series, but Virender Sehwag continues to be India's most valuable ODI player so far in the 2008-09 season.

The MVP index (MVPI) is calculated based on the assumption that, in ODI cricket, batsmen offer the best value if they score a lot of runs with good strike rates; bowlers if they take a lot of wickets at good (low) economy rates and fielders if they take the most catches or make the most run outs. The MVPI collapses the player's all-round performance into a single 'run equivalent'.

Kumar Sangakkara (MVPI = 318) is the only Sri Lankan to figure in the top five, in a series that saw dominating performances from Yuvraj, Dhoni , Sehwag and Gambhir.

It is especially interesting to note that Ishant Sharma took the most wickets (10) in the ODI series; one tends to think of Ishant more as a top Test match bowler.

Sachin Tendulkar , who was India's most valuable ODI player last season, is at the bottom of the list after being a victim of three poor umpiring decisions. It's unlikely that something like this will ever happen again. For more info please click here

Sri Lanka clinch consolation win

Sri Lanka clinched a consolation 68-run victory against India in the fifth and final one-day international in Colombo on Sunday to avoid a series whitewash.

Sri Lanka piled up 320 for eight with opener Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scoring with 97, then bowled out India for 252. India won the series 4-1.

Sri Lanka's bowlers, led by Nuwan Kulasekara and Muttiah Muralitharan , produced their best display of the series.

In-form Yuvraj Singh provided some resistance with a powerful 73 but the Indian innings eventually ran out of steam.

Thilina Thushara struck first as Virender Sehwag mishit a straight drive.

Kulasekara then followed up with the wicket of Suresh Raina, who was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara standing up to the stumps.

Sangakkara also caught Gautam Gambhir off Kulasekara to leave India in early trouble on 52 for three.

Yuvraj still attacked and the run rate remained high, but he was unable to build partnerships. Muralitharan swung the game decisively Sri Lanka's way as Yuvraj top-edged a sweep to be caught and bowled.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept India's hopes alive for a while with his run-a-ball 53 and all rounder Ravindra Jadeja impressed with 60 not out on debut, but Sri Lanka's slow bowlers squeezed the run rate to maintain the upper-hand.

Earlier, Dilshan top-scored with 97 from 117 balls with Sangakkara adding 84 as the pair provided the foundation for Sri Lanka's largest total of the series with a 143-run second-wicket partnership.

Home skipper Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and opted to bat, a decision that was justified as his line-up responded by dominating the India attack for the only time this series.

Dilshan's opening partner Sanath Jayasuriya helped give the innings a solid start with a rapid 37 in a 66-run first-wicket stand.

After Jayasuriya's cameo was ended by Irfan Pathan , Sangakkara maintained the momentum with a positive innings, using up just 70 balls for his 84 and hitting eight fours and a six.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tried all his bowling options to make breakthroughs, using nine bowlers during the course of the innings.

He was able to engineer a late collapse with Ishant Sharma making a quick double-strike, bowling Thilina Kandamby for 26 and having Chamara Kapugedera caught behind for a duck.

Dilshan was run out just short of a deserved century and Jayawardene was caught at short cover for one.

During a frenzied passage of play in which India stormed back into the game, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for one run to teeter on 256-6 but all rounder Farveez Maharoof steered the hosts past 300 with a swashbuckling 32, hitting a six and three boundaries.

Sharma was the most successful of the Indian bowlers, finishing with three for 60 from his 10 overs.

Both teams made two changes in the final game, Sri Lanka recalling spinner Ajantha Mendis and fast bowler Thilina Thushara.

India gave a debut to promising all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and a first game in the series to pace bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji.
Source: www.rediff.com

India eye series whitewash

Having achieved their best-ever ODI ranking by displacing world champions Australia as the number two team, a confident India would be eyeing a series whitewash when they take on Sri Lanka in the final cricket one-dayer in Colombo on Sunday.

It has already turned out to be a dream series for Mahendra Singh Dhoni , who made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian captain to win nine ODIs on the trot and the flamboyant wicket-keeper batsman would like to keep the winning momentum going in the last game.

The other thing which will be in Dhoni's mind when he takes the field is that every win from here on will bring his side one step closer to the world number one position, which is being currently occupied by South Africa (125) with a lead of just three points.

And coach Gary Kirstein had no hesitation in admitting that his main aim this year is to take India to the top position.

"Getting to number one is the obvious goal this year, but You just can't think you have won the series 4-0 and be complacent in the next game.

"It doesn't happen with us. When you go onto the field you go to win and not just compete. Great teams are those that carry the momentum forward into every game," Kirsten said.

The Indians have been phenomenal in all departments of the game in the series as compared to the hosts who were rather disappointing.

While Sachin Tendulkar , Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag provide aggression at the top of the order, the likes of Yuvraj Singh , Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan and Dhoni have been rock steady at the middle.

The bowlers, on the other hand, have been disciplined all through the series.

Interestingly, the most heartening thing to see was the success of young spinner Pragyan Ojha and part-time bowlers in Yuvraj, Raina, Sehwag and Yousuf.

Zaheer Khan , Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar have been outstanding upfront. Irfan Pathan , who made a comeback in the last match, too joined the party, picking up three wickets.

Faced with the prospect of an embarassing a 0-5 whitewash, a demoralised Sri Lanka will look to salvage some pride before the home crowd in the last match of the series.

The hosts, who are playing non-stop cricket for five months, seemed to have forgotten their basics against the mighty Indians.

The Lankans have floundered in every department of the game. If their batting and bowling has been below par, their fielding has been dreadful.

Without veteran Chaminda Vaas , the Lankan pace attack looked clueless. Nuwan Kulasekera, Thilan Thushara and Dilhara Fernando lacked sting in their bowling.

The biggest disappointment, however, has been the performance of spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and mystery man Ajantha Mendis .

Although Murali created history in the last match by becoming the highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket, he had to toil hard to achieve the feat which gives a clear idea of his bad patch.

He never looked threatening as Indian batsmen negotiated the spin wizard with ease.

Mendis, on the other hand, seemed to have run out of ideas and looked predictable before the rampaging Indians that forced Mahela Jayawardena to drop the Armyman from the last encounter.

For Dhoni and Co, there are no major worries and it remains to be seen whether some more senior players are rested or not for Sunday's match to make way for reserve players like Ravindra Jadeja who will make his debut if selected.

After taking a break in the last match, Sachin Tendulkar is expected to return to make amends for the dubious umpiring decisions which he received in the first three matches of the series.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt and wk), Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, Munaf Patel , Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma , Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jaywardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya , Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera , Jehan Mubarak, Tillakaratne Dilshan , Thilina Kandamby, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thilina Thushara and Angelo Mathews.
Source: www.rediff.com