Injured Stuart Broad out of Ashes series

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes Test series and the one-day internationals against Australia with a stomach injury, team officials said on Tuesday.

Broad has torn abdominal stomach muscles from Monday's fourth day and will not take any further part in the second Adelaide Test, officials said.

The tall Nottinghamshire paceman left the field with the injury after his second bowling spell but returned after tea on Monday.

A team spokesman said Broad would return home shortly to begin rehabilitation and recovery ahead of England's ICC World Cup campaign in South Asia in February.

"Stuart has a torn abdominal muscle and as such will take no further part in the current Ashes tour of Australia," England team doctor Nick Peirce said in a statement.

"Given the nature of the injury Stuart has been ruled out of the forthcoming ODI series (in January) against Australia as well.

"Stuart will return to England shortly to commence a rehabilitation programme and we expect him to make a full recovery in time for the World Cup next year."

Broad, 24, said he was devastated by his injury setback.

"Playing for England in an Ashes series in Australia has been something I've dreamed of for a long time so to have that cut short by injury is devastating," Broad said.

"So far the series has been everything I had anticipated and knowing I'll play no further part is quite hard to take.

"Given the way we had started the series I was looking forward to playing a leading role in England retaining the Ashes but that's not to be.

"Injuries happen and there's nothing I can do about it other than make sure I get stuck into rehabilitation and come back stronger in time for the World Cup next year.

"This (northern) winter is a big one for the England team so my focus will have to shift to preparing for the World Cup."

Chris Tremlett and Ajmal Shahzad are in line to replace Broad for the third Test, starting in Perth on December 16.

England win 2nd Ashes Test by an innings

Graeme Swann took three of the last six wickets to tumble on Tuesday as England dismissed Australia for 304 to complete a comprehensive innings and 71-run victory in the second Ashes Test.

England wrapped up the Test and a 1-0 series lead before lunch on the final day, with Swann, Jimmy Anderson and Steven Finn combining to claim the last six wickets for 66 runs after Australia had resumed at 238-4 with high hopes of salvaging a draw or being saved by forecast rain.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but if we keep these standards we have a good chance of winning the series," England captain Andrew Strauss said.

The third Test starts Dec. 16 in Perth and England, which holds the Ashes after winning at home last year, could conceivably retain the old urn by taking a 2-0 lead ahead of the fourth and fifth Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

"We've been totally outplayed this game, there's no hiding that," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said. "Now we have to find a way to get better for Perth.

"No doubt it's a bad loss for us, there's no hiding that fact, an innings and 70 runs having won the toss on a good Adelaide wicket, probably just about says it all."

Australia rallied for a stunning comeback win at Adelaide in the previous Ashes series at home, and went on to complete a 5-0 series sweep to avenge losing the previous series in England.

But after a draw to open this series in Brisbane and the loss in Adelaide, Ponting's squad looks vulnerable to slumping to its first Ashes series loss on Australian soil in more than two decades.

After Michael Clarke was out on the last ball on Monday evening to part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen, Australia's hopes rested on Mike Hussey working with the middle order and tailenders.

But Finn made the crucial breakthrough when Hussey mistimed a pull to Anderson at mid-on to depart for 52.

Three wickets in four balls effectively ended Australia's chances of a draw. Anderson had Brad Haddin caught behind for 12 and trapped Ryan Harris lbw with consecutive deliveries.

Harris' exit gave him two first-ball dismissals, known as a "king pair." He is only the second Australian batsman after Adam Gilchrist in 2001 who has had that dubious milestone in Test cricket.

Two balls later, Swann had Marcus North trapped lbw for 22. England's appeal was initially turned down but the video umpire ruled that the ball had struck the Australian batsman in front of the stumps and would have gone on to dislodge the bails.

Swann then bowled Xavier Doherty and Peter Siddle to finish with a five-wicket haul and complete England's 100th Test victory over Australia.

Before the wickets fell, North had a reprieve on 3 when Swann struck his pad but he was adjudged not out by the video umpire.

A chance from Hussey was dropped in the same over. But England took the new ball and three overs later, the breakthroughs followed.

The only setback for England was the abdominal injury for Stuart Broad which will rule the paceman out for the serious.

Australia's woes continued with veteran opener Simon Katich injuring his Achilles and likely to miss the remainder of the series.

Kevin Pietersen was voted player-of-the-match after scoring a career-best 227 in England's 620-5 declared — helping the visitors to a 375-run first-innings lead — and taking the crucial wicket of Clarke to end the fourth day.

"It's pretty incredible, (England) having been so bad four years ago to be 1-0 up in the Ashes," Pietersen said. "If we keep doing the right things, we'll win the Ashes."

Unexpected reversals leave IPL preparations in disarray

The BCCI has convened a special general body meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the reappointment of the board's disciplinary committee. The tenure of the committee, which is investigating the conduct of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, expired at September's annual general body meeting. The board, however, failed to reappoint or reconstitute it, technically stripping it of its existence. The BCCI secretary N Srinivasan told PTI news agency that the reappointment of the committee was "a minor thing" which had been pointed out by Modi's lawyer, Mehmood Abdi last month.

The SGM, ostensibly to tackle a "minor" issue, will be held in the backdrop of several major, unexpected reversals for a board that is usually used to getting its own way. One of the BCCI's more serious challenges is the stuttering preparation for IPL 2011.

The past six months have been dogged by the controversial termination of two franchises (Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab), and a protracted ownership-pattern dispute over a third, (the new Kochi franchise). As a result of the controversies, the player auction has been delayed by several months and going by the BCCI's legal battles, could well be held in the middle of the 2011 World Cup.

The confusion over the eventual number of teams that will be involved next season affects every component of the world's most lucrative domestic league: its teams/ franchises, its players and its very structure. IPL 2011 now faces several scenarios:

• If both expelled teams take part in the player auction, it will become much harder to prevent them at a later date from playing in the IPL, as any players who sign with them would then be left without a team.

• The league is currently slated to have eight teams playing each other home and away, just like in the first three seasons. A ninth team would naturally result in an unbalanced schedule, while 10 teams could increase the overall number of fixtures and once again rake up the issue of player burnout.

• The board is considering delaying the player auction until March, by which time its legal issues are expected to be resolved, and it will know how many teams will be playing. That would, however, result in the player auction clashing with the World Cup and will prevent teams from being able to use their players in promotions and advertising campaigns, potentially causing them to breach their obligations to their sponsors.

Rajasthan are already back in the league less than two months after being 'terminated' due to an interim stay order from Justice Srikrishna, the arbitor in the case. While the board has appealed against Srikrishna's ruling to the Bombay High Court, legal opinion suggests it will be difficult to overturn his order. There is also believed to be a sentiment within the IPL governing council that the cases of Rajasthan and Punjab are "reasonably strong", and that the BCCI's leadership is going after too many people at the same time.

Srikrishna has restored Rajasthan's rights under the franchise agreement, including the right to take part in the player auction. Srikrishna also stated that the BCCI could not make any rules that would adversely affect Rajasthan, for example changing any of the league's rules, hampering the board's ability to alter its plans as the legal cases unfold. Srikrishna may have stepped down from the Punjab hearing, but it is believed that the stay in favour of Rajasthan could have a bearing on their case when it comes up for hearing.

Punjab accused the board of "deliberately" delaying its proceedings so that the December 6 deadline for the retention of select players in each team would expire, leaving Punjab looking in from the outside. The Bombay High Court ruled in Punjab's favour, and extended the deadline to December 8, handing the BCCI yet another setback, and suggesting Punjab has a case against the board.

The longer the cases drag on, the harder it becomes for the board, and the franchises, to plan for the 2011 tournament.

New Zealand need to kick the losing habit

Match Facts

Tuesday, December 7
Start time 14.30 (0900 GMT)

	Virat Kohli has tormented the New Zealand bowlers, scoring a century and two half-centuries in the three ODIs in the series so far © Associated Press

The Big Picture

August 10, 2010. The day New Zealand last won an international match. As much as winning, losing is a habit too, and New Zealand desperately need to get out of that rut. Dead rubber? Not for them.

What is worse than having lost the series in the first three matches is that they have never looked like winning any of the games. The only positive is, they know why they are not winning, and where they need to improve. Their bowlers haven't looked like getting past the Delhi duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, who have scored 534 runs off 518 balls between them in three ODIs. The batsmen have been directionless: openers fail, middle order goes nowhere, and Scott Styris is left with too much to do. It hasn't helped that they have been without their regular opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder.

Somehow, though, New Zealand need to find a way to get that winning feeling back against an India side that, on current form and confidence, will be backing itself to go unbeaten through the home season of 2010-11. It will be interesting if New Zealand can get Gambhir and Kohli out cheaply, and test the largely untroubled middle order so far. Daniel Vettori will tell his bowlers that's not asking for a lot.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWWWL
New Zealand: LLLLL

Watch out for...

Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson Williamson, batting at No.3, has aggregated 75 runs off 147 deliveries, getting off to a slow start each time, and with not too many big hits to count on, has put the rest of the batting under pressure every time. Surely Taylor, who has succumbed to the resultant pressure twice, has to move up to No.3 and take responsibility for the batting?

M Vijay has twice been the silent partner in opening stands with Gambhir, and has somehow failed to find the fluency he has in Tests and Twenty20s. A career strike-rate of 65 doesn't quite do justice to the way he can play. He will want to make the mental adjustment, and get past his personal best of 33.

Teams

New Zealand's fitness problems haven't made their job any easy. However, they will be hoping that Brendon McCullum can keep wicket, allowing them to add an extra batsman or an extra bowler to the XI.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum (wk), 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Ross Taylor, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Scott Styris, 6 James Franklin, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee/Grant Elliott/Gareth Hopkins, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay

It was strange to see India replace Suresh Raina with Ravindra Jadeja - who has been used as a specialist bowler by MS Dhoni - in the third ODI. Ideally, one out of Saurabh Tiwary and Rohit Sharma should get that slot. With Wriddhiman Saha having already left for South Africa so he can acclimatise himself to the conditions ahead of India's tour there, Parthiv Patel is all set to play his first international in two years and four months.

India (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Saurabh Tiwary/Rohit Sharma, 7 Parthiv Patel (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9, 10 and 11 three out of Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have faced 502 dot balls to India's 417, which sums up New Zealand's approach - or lack of it - in the middle overs.

• Virat Kohli has now scored 50 or more in four consecutive innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are the only Indians who have managed more - five. The overall record, a whopping nine, belongs to one of the finest one-day batsmen ever, Javed Miandad.

Quotes

"I've got to ask Ross Taylor [about the wicket] as he knows a lot more than I do. It has got a lot more grass on it and is probably not damp but a little sticky."

Daniel Vettori looks to use Taylor's experience of playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore

"I may just ensure that Yusuf gets to bat with the top-order so he can play enough deliveries and use his destructive batting to good effect."

Gautam Gambhir hints at a change in India's batting order

Swann bowls England to innings victory

England 5 for 620 dec beat Australia 245 and 304 (Clarke 80, Watson 57, Hussey 52, Swann 5-91) by an innings and 71 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	James Anderson and Steven Finn combined for the first breakthrough, the big wicket of Michael Hussey © Getty Images

England have one hand on the Ashes after Graeme Swann bowled them to victory with a five-wicket haul in Adelaide, where neither rain nor the lower order could save Australia on the fifth morning. The significance of the win cannot be underestimated, as it gives England a 1-0 advantage heading in to the third Test in Perth, which starts in a week and a half.

The triumph came when Swann turned a ball through the gate to bowl Peter Siddle, completing his five-for and confirming the margin of an innings and 71 runs. It was a devastating morning for Australia, who began the day hopeful that they could survive for a draw with six wickets in hand, but it took England less than 90 minutes to skittle the remaining Australians.

Last time England took a series lead in Australia, it was 1986-87, and they did not give it away. And as the holders of the urn, Andrew Strauss and his men will retain the Ashes unless Australia can win at least two of the remaining three Tests, a monumental task given that they have now gone five Tests without tasting victory, stretching back to the series against Pakistan in England.

There will be changes for both teams at the WACA, with England forced to look to Chris Tremlett or Tim Bresnan, due to a series-ending abdominal injury to Stuart Broad. Australia will have to find a new opener as Simon Katich's Achilles tendon problem has ruled him out of the rest of the series, while Xavier Doherty and Marcus North will also face a nervous wait to see if they keep their places.

North could have saved his position by salvaging a draw for Australia on the final day, but he was one of the wickets to fall cheaply as England wrapped up the contest before lunch. The visitors knew a thunderstorm was expected later in the afternoon, and after they made the initial breakthrough by getting rid of the established Michael Hussey for 52, they tightened the noose on Australia's lower order.

Hussey and North resumed at 4 for 238 after the loss of Michael Clarke from the last ball of play on Monday, and it took only six overs for England to get a sniff of victory. Hussey was dropped by Matt Prior off the bowling of Swann but didn't survive a second chance when he top-edged a pull off Steven Finn and was comfortably taken at midwicket by James Anderson.

There was a roar from Anderson as soon as he had the ball safely in his hands, knowing that the in-form Hussey was the big breakthrough England required. Brad Haddin followed soon afterwards for 12 when he edged behind off Anderson, and England were in to Australia's long tail, with North carrying the home team's slim hopes at the other end.

Anderson quickly found himself on a hat-trick when Ryan Harris made unwanted history by completing a king pair, leaving a ball that swung back in and struck him in line with the stumps. Out of desperation more than belief, Harris asked for a review, but there was no way he was going to be saved, and neither were Australia.

There was no hat-trick for Anderson when he began his next over but he didn't really mind, as in the meantime Swann had removed North, the last of Australia's specialist batsmen, for 22. This time the review system did overturn a decision; Tony Hill gave North not out as he came forward with bat and pad close together, Swann wanted a referral, and the replays showed it was pad first, hitting the stumps, and a potentially career-busting blow for North.

Swann bowled outstandingly on the final day, and deserved his 5 for 91. In the absence of Broad for much of the innings, he sent down 41.1 overs, and collected the final two wickets when he sneaked the ball under the bat of Doherty for 5 and then finished off Siddle.

And it all happened under the most perfect, sunny skies. If Australia were hoping for storms, their prayers were not answered. In truth, they never recovered from the hurricane that struck on the first morning when they were 3 for 2. And now, England need only one more victory to retain the Ashes.