Australia Beat Pakistan Cricket World Cup Quarter Final

Pakistan bowled out for 213 in the final over of their 50
Australia stumble to 59-3 when Michael Clarke is caught at short leg
But Steve Smith (65) and Shane Watson calm the nerves as hosts progress
Australia will face India in the last four

Australia reached the semi-final’s of the World Cup as they defeated Pakistan by six wickets on Friday.
Under the lights at the Adelaide Oval a drop by Rahat Ali proved to be the turning point as Australia chased down the below-par 213 set by Pakistan.
The recalled Josh Hazlewood took 4-35 to restrict the 1992 World Cup winners to such a low total before Shane Watson hit an unbeaten 64 to give the hosts victory in a fiercely contested tie.
Aggressive, brave, attacking captaincy choices have been the building blocks for the best sides in the World Cup so far.
Brendon McCullum, AB de Villiers and today Michael Clarke are proving that despite the wickets by-and-large being a paradise for batsmen, their ingenuity can and does lead to success.
Yet Misbah brings his own unique style of captaincy to the table with a calm demeanour, even in the face of collapse and struggle, that breeds belief within his side and almost earned them a shock win.
Pakistan came into the match in a confident mood, on the back of four successive victories, following heavy defeats in the first two matches of the World Cup group stage.
Batting first, after winning the toss, seemed the sub-continental side’s best chance of defeating Australia.
Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan’s centurion in their previous match against Ireland, couldn’t replicate his heroics as he edged Mitchell Starc to a diving Watson at slip for 10.
And Hazlewood, brought back at the expense of Pat Cummins, justified his selection as he sent down a wide ball that moved away from Ahmed Shehzad and was edged to Clarke at second slip.

14:04 - By Big E 0

Wahab Riaz Deadly Bowling spell against Aus in world cup 2015 Quarter Final

Wahab Riaz Deadly Bowling spell against Aus in world cup 2015 Quarter Final

Wahab Did A Great Job Today in World Cup Quarter Final Against Austrailia, Shane Watson Got Surprized By Wahab Riaz Bowling, Wahab Riaz Deadly Bowling spell against Aus in world cup 2015 Quarter Final

13:08 - By Big E 1

Europa League: Dynamo Kiev must close part of stadium for Everton tie

Dynamo Kiev have been told to close part of their stadium for their Europa League match against Everton.

Uefa has punished the Ukrainian club after crowd trouble at the Olympic Stadium in the previous round against Guingamp.

Dynamo were also fined £50,761 after the match had to be halted for 15 minutes.

Everton host the last-16 first leg on 12 March before travelling to conflict-hit Ukraine the following week.

10:43 - By Big E 0

Cricket World Cup 2015: Pakistan cruise past UAE in Napier

Pakistan kept up their push for a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a routine 129-run victory over the United Arab Emirates in Napier.

Ahmed Shehzad hit 93 and both Haris Sohail (70) and captain Misbah-ul-Haq (65) weighed in with half-centuries as Pakistan ran up 339-6.

UAE were reduced to 25-3 early in their reply and though in-form Shaiman Anwar made 62, they fell well short on 210-8.

Pakistan join Ireland and West Indies on four points in a congested Pool B.

Ireland meet Pakistan on 15 March, the final day of the group stage, in a match that is looking increasingly likely to decide qualification for the last eight.

For Pakistan, a second win in four days represents a build of momentum after heavy defeats by India and West Indies in their opening two matches.

The 1992 champions will almost certainly earn a place in the next round if they win their final two games against South Africa and the Irish.

"That was a much needed win for us," said Misbah.

"We won by a margin so we can relax now, the next game is really important and we need to focus on that. We have a good net run rate now also."

Pakistan were rarely troubled in this comfortable win against a UAE side who did not disgrace themselves, particularly by sticking to their task with the ball on a good wicket with one very short square boundary.

In-form Anwar
Shaiman Anwar, with 270 runs from four innings, is the top run-scorer at this World Cup (ahead of Kumar Sangakkara on 268)
His tally is the second highest by an Associate player at any World Cup -Ryan ten Doeschate hit 307 in six innings for the Netherlands in 2011

Indeed, the Associate side will rue two missed opportunities off Shehzad, the opener put down on two and nine.

Reprieved, he compiled a 160-run stand with Haris, missing out on a century when his dive to complete a second run was not enough to prevent a run-out.

With Haris then caught at mid-on off Mohammad Naveed, Pakistan were in danger of wasting a good platform, but Misbah steadied with Sohaib Maqsood (45).

When the time came, they opened their shoulders, beginning a blitz that would see 124 runs added in the final 10 overs. In that time, Shahid Afridi's 21 from seven balls made him only the second man, after Sanath Jayasuriya, to score 8,000 runs and take 300 wickets in one-day internationals.

If they were to pull off an unlikely chase and a great World Cup shock, the UAE needed a solid start with the bat, but their top order could not handle the Pakistan pacemen.

Rahat Ali bowled Amjad Ali before Sohail Khan had both Andri Berenger and Krishna Karate caught behind to effectively end the contest.

Anwar and Khurram Khan shared a defiant partnership of 83 until Khurram flicked Maqsood to square leg for 43.

The match meandered to its inevitable conclusion, but for Anwar, an innings that ended when caught at long-off off Afridi took him to a total of 270 runs, the highest of the tournament so far.

UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir said of Anwar: "He's a brilliant batsman and I'm very happy for him. He's such a confident individual that we call him 'Sir Viv'.

"He missed out on a hundred, but if he'd stayed to the end of the innings he would have got it. It was an excellent performance."

Listen to highlights from Test Match Special's and 5 live Sport's 2015 World Cup coverage.

Pool B
	Team	Played	Won	Lost	N/R	R/R	Points
1	India	3	3	0	0	+2.63	6
2	South Africa	4	3	1	0	+1.95	6
3	West Indies	4	2	2	0	-0.31	4
4	Pakistan	4	2	2	0	-0.38	4
5	Ireland	3	2	1	0	-1.14	4
6	Zimbabwe	4	1	3	0	-0.72	2
7	UAE	4	0	4	0	-1.69	0

Shahid Afridi's late cameo made him the second man to reach 8,000 ODI runs and 300 wickets

Mohammad Naveed took 1-24 from his first eight overs, and 0-26 from his last two

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Irfan went off injured after only bowling three overs

Shaiman Anwar's tournament total of 270 took him above previous leader Kumar Sangakkara (268)

10:40 - By Big E 0

Australia post World Cup record score in win over Afghanistan

Australia posted a World Cup record total of 417-6 as they beat Afghanistan by 275 runs - the biggest winning margin in the tournament's history.

David Warner hit 178 off 133 balls, Steve Smith scored 95 while Glenn Maxwell struck 88 in 39 deliveries in the Pool A encounter in Perth.

Afghanistan were then dismissed for 142, with Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc taking six wickets between them.

Australia's score surpassed the 413-5 India made against Bermuda in 2007.

It continues the pattern of bat dominating ball in this tournament as the third 400 plus score achieved in the pool stages, following South Africa's 408-5 and 411-4 against West Indies and Ireland respectively.

The winning margin beats the 257-run amount by which India beat Bermuda in Port of Spain in 2007, which was equalled five days ago by South Africa in their victory over West Indies in Sydney.

BBC Test Match Special statistician Andrew Samson
Up until 11 March 2006 there were no ODI totals over 400 (2,348 matches). In nine years (1,275 matches) since then there have now been 15.
Australia's is the 17th total of 300 or more in this World Cup, which equals the most for one World Cup tournament. There were 17 in 2011 and 16 in 2007. No other World Cup has featured more than nine.
Afghanistan's Dawlat Zadran (10-1-101-2) is the third bowler to concede 100 runs in a World Cup innings, after New Zealand's Martin Snedden in 1983 and West Indies' Jason Holder earlier in this tournament.

Australia's total is their second-highest score in a one-day international, after their 434-4 against South Africa in 2006.

The ODI record score remains the 443-9 made by Sri Lanka against Netherlands in 2006.

Afghanistan elected to bowl having won the toss, and removed opener Aaron Finch in the third over, but they were dominated thereafter.

Highest World Cup totals
417-6: Australia v Afghanistan at Perth (4 March 2015)
413-5: India v Bermuda at Port of Spain (19 March 2007)
411-4: South Africa v Ireland at Canberra (3 March 2015)
408-5: South Africa v West Indies at Sydney (27 February 2015)
398-5: Sri Lanka v Kenya at Kandy (6 March 1996)

Warner played the aggressor, ably assisted by the more conservative Smith, with the pair adding 260 - a record Australian partnership for any wicket in ODIs - before the former was caught at mid-on by Mohammad Nabi off the bowling of Shapoor Zadran in the 38th over, just seven runs short of Shane Watson's record Australian ODI score of 185.

If Afghanistan thought this would bring them some respite they were wrong as Maxwell took over, hitting six fours and seven sixes in a brutal 39-ball innings, during which he scored 88, as Smith increased his own scoring rate to reach 95 before driving one straight to Najibullah Zadran off Shapoor with seven overs remaining.

Despite the fall of three further wickets, returning captain Michael Clarke did not come out to bat, allowing James Faulkner (7), Mitchell Marsh (8) and Brad Haddin (20 not out) to help Australia to their record total.

As expected, Afghanistan were unable to cope with the Australian bowling attack, with their top order removed before they could reach three figures.

Johnson played a major role, having Usman Ghani, Nawroz Mangal, Asghar Stanikzai and Hamid Hassan all caught and Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets, while Clarke unexpectedly got in on the act with a five-over spell of off-spin, during which he had Samiullah Shenwari caught by Johnson at short fine leg.

Starc - who almost salvaged a win against New Zealand in a dramatic encounter in Auckland four days ago - came to the fore later in the innings with two wickets to help seal the record win.

Listen to highlights from Test Match Special's and 5 live Sport's 2015 World Cup coverage.

Captain's view

Australia captain Michael Clarke: "It was a very good win. The boys were outstanding with the bat. David Warner was excellent and the way the others played around him - Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell - was unbelievable.

"The way we bowled set a good standard for ourselves. Overall, it was much improved from our display against New Zealand.

"I decided to send Max in ahead of me as we had a chance to break the World Cup record. I was thinking of coming in at four. I would liked to have batted for my own form but it was best for the team to make the decisions I did. I think it proved it was the right thing."

Afghanistan captain Mohammed Nabi: "It's a good experience and Australia played very well, especially Warner and Smith. You know Australia's bowlers are the world's fastest and they bowled very well. The last three games we have played very well, and we take the experience into the next matches."

Pool A
	Team	Played	Won	Lost	N/R	R/R	Points
Q	New Zealand	4	4	0	0	+3.59	8
2	Sri Lanka	4	3	1	0	+0.13	6
3	Australia	4	2	1	1	+1.80	5
4	Bangladesh	3	1	1	1	+0.13	3
5	England	4	1	3	0	-1.20	2
6	Afghanistan	4	1	3	0	-1.95	2
7	Scotland	3	0	3	0	-1.73	0

Warner's score was his biggest in ODIs, beating the 163 he scored against Sri Lanka in 2012

Maxwell's innings was occasionally unconventional but highly effective

Michael Clarke did not bat but he did bowl and took 1-14 from five overs

Nawroz Mangal top-scored for Afghanistan with 33 from 35 balls

10:38 - By Big E 0

Kobe Bryant talks about rejecting a trade to the Pistons

Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest Lakers of all time, right there with Magic Johnson for the most beloved in the most famous franchise's history. But there was a time when Bryant was nearly no longer a Laker. In 2007, frustrated by three agonizingly brutal years after the trade of Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant demanded a trade.

But the particulars haven't really been discussed by Bryant much. Detroit was rumored to have been a target, but that Bryant wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to accommodate it. But in a BS Report appearance to promote the Showtime documentary, "MUSE," Bryant admitted that he vetoed a trade to the Pistons. (Bryant's comments come in at the 44 minute mark.)

"I said, 'I gave you a list of teams that I'm comfortable being traded to. That wasn't one of them, so no."

Bryant also said he wanted to go to Chicago. "Chicago was my No.1 choice for a destination."

A deal for Bryant was reportedly very much on the table, but there was a hangup over the availability of Luol Deng in the trade. Bryant's desire was mostly derived from his love and pursuit historically of Michael Jordan. Seeing Bryant on that Bulls team, which was, no joke, an Eastern Conference Contender going into their ill-fated 2007-2008 season, would have been jarring but fascinating.

Bryant admitted that part of the reason he declined the trade to Detroit stemmed from what the Pistons would have given up (Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton included). What's fun to think about, however, is how dramatically everything changes if that trade goes through. The Lakers are unlikely to then seek to add a star in Pau Gasol, which means that Gasol very well could have gone from Memphis to Phoenix for Shawn Marion, who instead traded Matrix to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal, which ended the Seven Seconds or Less Era. The Pistons might have extended their run, and had they gotten past the Celtics, there's no telling how the Boston era ends.

If Bryant had gone to Chicago, then Derrick Rose never goes to Chicago, and Tom Thibodeau might not have been hired. Basically, if Bryant were traded, everything changes.

It wound up not mattering, though. The Lakers decided to stay patient, and instead they discovered Andrew Bynum (!!) making the leap, which made the Lakers a different beast. Then the Pau Gasol trade, and the rest is history.

Bryant, oddly, did say that going to another team, at least now, isn't "who he is."

"For me to ask for a trade or go play somewhere else to chase a championship, that's not me," Bryant said. "That's not what my career has been about. That's not who I am. I stay with it... You're the captain of the ship. If the ship goes down, you go down with the ship!"

"That's never going to happen," Bryant said when asked about the possibility of joining the Knicks and Phil Jackson.

But that's... the exact opposite... of demanding a trade... which he admitted to...

Anyway, Bryant was awfully candid about his beliefs and the process in the interview. It's worth checking out.

14:13 - By Big E 0