Sri Lanka win series by getting 2-0 lead against Pakistan in 3 match series

	Rangana Herath picked up his first five-for in Tests © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: Fawad Alam | Rangana Herath | Nuwan Kulasekara | Younis Khan Matches: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Colombo (PSS) Series/Tournaments: Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka Teams: Pakistan | Sri Lanka

A match in which fortunes swung wildly finally ended in an emphatic seven-wicket win for Sri Lanka, as they sealed their first home series win against Pakistan with a convincing performance at the P Sara Oval. Pakistan were left to rue another batting collapse of monumental proportions, one in which they lost nine wickets for 35 to go from a commanding 285 for 1 to 320 all out. That left Sri Lanka with a target of just 171, which they knocked off in a mere 32 overs to ensure a three-day result.

That had seemed a remote possibility when play started this morning, and seemed even less likely when Fawad Alam and Younis Khan were motoring along during their 200-run second-wicket partnership in the morning. Pakistan had wiped off the 150-run deficit with aplomb, and were building a substantial lead of their own; the pitch was flat, offering little assistance for pace or spin, and the Sri Lankans appeared completely deflated. Sri Lanka got a very small glimmer when Younis gifted his wicket away, attempting a reverse sweep against the part-time offspin of Tharanga Paranavitana with the second new ball just two overs away, and from there it went horribly wrong for Pakistan.

Surprisingly, it was Rangana Herath who took the new ball, and equally surprisingly, he struck immediately, removing Mohammad Yousuf with his second ball. That triggered a spectacular collapse, as seven more wickets fell in the next 92 deliveries. Pakistan had recovered brilliantly from their first-innings debacle, but there was no escape route this time around.

Nuwan Kulasekara had struggled for seam and swing in the first 80 overs, but armed with the new ball in overcast conditions, he suddenly found exaggerated inswing, trapping four batsmen lbw. Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Abdur Rauf and Saeed Ajmal all got their front foot too far across, though Misbah was unlucky as the ball seemed to be missing leg stump.

Herath, meanwhile, was as effective with the straighter one as he was with the one which turned. The lack of turn accounted for Yousuf, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul, while turn and bounce ended Fawad's outstanding innings of 168, the second-highest by a Pakistan debutant. His four wickets with the new ball gave him figures of 5 for 99, his first five-for in Tests, and a series which had already seen several twists had another monumental, and decisive, one.

At lunch, though, no one could have seen the end coming, as Fawad and Younis reduced Sri Lanka's bowlers and fielders to a completely dispirited lot, adding 116 in 28 overs for the loss of just one wicket. More than the runs themselves, it was the ease with which Fawad and Younis batted that would have worried Kumar Sangakkara. Fawad, especially, showed excellent concentration, knocking the ball in the gaps, driving fluently through the covers, and cutting and pulling whenever the bowlers pitched it marginally short.

Sangakkara's tactics were perplexing - the second over of the day was bowled by Paranavitana - and when he did turn to his main bowlers, the results weren't much better. Ajantha Mendis had a shocker, either dragging the balls too short or serving half-volleys, and leaked 38 in six overs, including five fours.

As the runs piled up, so did the records: Fawad became only the fourth Pakistan batsman to score 150 on debut, while the partnership was the highest for the second wicket at this ground, and for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Tests.

It was all going exactly as Pakistan would have wanted it to, till Sangakkara gave the second new ball to Herath. The collapse that followed seemed to completely take the fight out of Pakistan, for when they took the field to defend 170, they were flat and uninspired. Gul and Mohammad Aamer bowled on both sides of the wicket and got none of the movement that Kulasekara had managed earlier in the afternoon. The aggressive Malinda Warnapura cashed in, getting a flurry of boundaries with pulls and flicks to ensure that Sri Lanka never felt the pressure of chasing an uncomfortable target against an attack known to trigger collapses.

The opening partnership added 60 in a mere ten overs, and even when that pair was separated, with Paranavitana playing a careless sweep, Pakistan were never in the contest as Sangakkara carried on from where he had left off in the first innings. Younis brought back Gul for a late spell, hoping for some reverse swing and inspiration, but Gul managed neither. A lofted six by Sangakkara off Malik brought down the target to just 11, but he wasn't in the middle to celebrate his first series win as captain, falling off the next delivery. With Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera around, though, that hardly mattered.

Tollywood Big films line up for August release

Around 150 Crores of rupees are going to be stake at Box-office in August. For the first time this year, Tollywood is to witness big flow of biggies within short gap next month. Starting with Magadheera, all the biggies Vikram’s Mallanna, Naga Chaitanya’s debut flick Josh, Ravi Teja’s Anjaneyulu and Gopichands’sShankam are going to hit the market in the next 40 days.

Ram Charan Teja and Rajamouli’s magnum opus Magadheera is all set to release either on July 22nd or July 29th. After this big release, the much-awaited Vikram’s film, Mallanna is going to hit the marquee. The movie is planning for August 7th release. A week later, Naga Chaitanya’s Josh (tentative release date is on August 12th but has chances of postponement too) is planning for grand release. Then comes Ravi Teja and Nayanatara’s Anjaneyulu which is due for August 3rd week.

On the other hand, Ram Gopal Varma’s Adavi is also hitting on August 7th.

Although it is unlikely that Gopichand’s Shankam make it to the theatres in August itself, the film is readying up for late August or early September release. All in all, it is going to be film festival for Telugu film lovers in the next few days.

Collingwood and tailenders make the tense match to a draw.

	James Anderson and Monty Panesar steal a single to guide England to safety at Cardiff © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: James Anderson | Paul Collingwood |Nathan Hauritz | Monty Panesar | Graeme Swann Matches: England v Australia at Cardiff Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of England and Scotland Teams: Australia | England

James Anderson and Monty Panesar produced the most important innings of their lives as England's final pair survived 11.3 overs to pull off a thrilling escape at Cardiff. When Paul Collingwood fell for a monumental 245-ball 74 England still trailed by six, but once Australia had to bat again, valuable time was taken out of the game leaving Andrew Strauss and a packed Cardiff nervously clock-watching. The Australians threw everything into the final hour in an electric atmosphere with the crowd cheering the two unlikely batting heroes as though the Ashes had been won.

A vital moment came when Anderson collected consecutive boundaries off Peter Siddle to finally erase the deficit. It meant that two further overs would be lost from the remaining allocation, but there was yet another twist. Australia had bowled their overs quickly during the final hour, which meant it came down to a clock-watch situation for the batsmen. The crucial mark was 6.40pm: at that point it meant there was no time for Australia to start a run chase.

The closing overs were in the hands of Nathan Hauritz - who rose above all the pre-match concern over his quality to claim three final-day wickets and six in the match - and Marcus North. Anderson, outwardly calm while inside he must have been churning, blocked confidently but also picked up vital runs to just edge the lead ahead further. Meanwhile, Panesar, the most unlikely of batting saviours, watched the ball like a hawk. Having left expertly against the quicks he played with soft hands against the spinners, and one of the biggest cheers of the day came when he square cut North for a boundary.

However, while Anderson and Panesar were there at the end to soak up the acclaim the escape wouldn't have been possible without one of Collingwood's most determined innings for his country. He came in early after Kevin Pietersen lost his off stump, shouldering arms to Ben Hilfenhaus, and soon faced an England card that read 70 for 5. He found vital support from Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad and particularly Graeme Swann, who overcame a peppering from Siddle, to share a 20-over stand.

Collingwood fought with very ounce of the grit that makes him such a valuable player. He survived some early scares against Hauritz when an inside edge fell just short of Simon Katich at short leg and another delivery almost rolled back onto the stumps until Collingwood stepped on it. He went 31 deliveries after lunch without scoring, but unlike some of England's other batsman he isn't someone who gets overly twitchy when his own score his moving along.

Collingwood's fifty came off 167 balls, the slowest by an England batsman since Nasser Hussain against West Indies in Port of Spain during the 2004 tour, but the pace of his innings mattered not a jot. His only mistake proved his downfall as he chased some width from Siddle and Mike Hussey took a juggling catch in the gully. He could hardly believe what he had done and couldn't even bring himself to remove his pads as he watched the two tailenders defy Australia. Collingwood isn't a superstar; he doesn't fit into the hero mould, but here he was both.

Ponting admitted it was a tough result to take and Australia were ahead of the game virtually throughout the final day. Pietersen, who had an early-morning confrontation with Mitchell Johnson during the warm-ups, never settled against the swinging ball as the quicks probed away on the full length that causes him problems. His troubles ended when he completely misjudged the line from Hilfenhaus and didn't offer a shot. It was excellent bowling from Hilfenhaus, who had been shaping the ball away and made one hold its line, but Pietersen's back lift and footwork are currently not in sync.

	Matt Prior chose a forgettable shot to fall to Nathan Hauritz© Getty Images

In the eighth over of the session it was time for Hauritz and he was in the wonderful position of being able to bowl with men around the bat. He immediately found more turn, and posed a greater threat than England's spinner managed over two days, and made one bounce a touch more against Andrew Strauss as he tried to cut.

While the England captain can perhaps be partly excused his shot as the cut is a legitimate option against the offspinner, the same can't be said for Matt Prior. He had already flirted with danger by dabbing Hauritz through short third man and had also been beaten twice outside off stump by clever changes of pace and flight. Trying to go through the off side again he was undone by extra bounce and gloved a chance to slip.

Flintoff fought against his natural inclination to attack, playing watchfully against Hauritz as he accompanied Collingwood for 23 overs. The out-of-sorts Johnson, who was later horribly wayward with the second new ball, broke through when Flintoff pushed at one going across him and before tea Broad had also gone, trapped leg before playing back at Hauritz.

For Hauritz it appeared he would provide the ultimate response to his critics by securing a Test victory until he tired slightly in the tension-filled closing stages. Collingwood and Swann took a large chunk out of the evening session, with Swann completing an impressive match with the bat. Shortly before tea he was given a peppering from Siddle who sent down a violent over that struck three painful blows - two on the glove and one on the elbow - which required the physio to come out twice in three deliveries.

His runs were also crucial as England ate away into Australia's lead before he went for a pull against the impressive Hilfenhaus and was palpably leg before. Collingwood now had just two bowlers for company and when he departed an Australian victory looked assured. England, though, dug deep, deeper perhaps than many thought Anderson and Panesar could.

However, despite the scoreline still reading nil-nil the reality is that England were a distance second-best for much of the match. Australia have shown that, despite the loss of many greats, they are a unit of huge desire who will take some beating. At least this time, though, it won't be a whitewash.

Naga ChaITANYA'S Josh Gallery

Naga Chaitanya's Josh

All is set for Nagarjuna’s son Naga Chaitanya’s debut. His maiden film has been titled as Josh. Producer Dil Raju announced the title today (July 11, 2009) at a press meet.

“Although the title has been in the circulation through media, it is recently that we have decided to announce it officially. Except for couple of scenes and two songs, entire film has been wrapped up. We are releasing the audio albums on July 18th. Sandeep Chowta has given great numbers. Everyone who has heard the songs on the sets liked it very much. We are hoping the same response from the audience. Josh is going to be sure shot winner at box-office,” Dil Raju said.

He said he would be releasing the movie in the second week of August. “We are aware that the film is carrying huge expectations as this is Naga Chaitanya’s maiden film. Not only Nagarjuna’s fans, everyone in Andhra Pradesh is eager to watch him. And I am sure he and the film won’t let down. Even the heroine, Radha’s daughter, is going to be hot star after the release,” he said.

Anjaneyulu Audio on July 24

Ravi Teja and Nayanatara starrer Anjaneyulu is all set to launch its music on July 24th in a grand manner. The film is in the last leg of shooting. Says producer Ganesh Babu: “Aditya Music has grabbed our movie’s music rights and we are holding a grand ceremony for the launch on July 24th. Manisharma has given us good music.”

The film is directed by Parusharam of Yuvata fame and it may release on August 12th.

Namo Venkatesa in Europe

The unit of Venkatesh starrer Namo Venkatesa is going to shoot for 25 days from July 27 in Europe.Seenu Vytla directs the movie and Suresh babu produces it.Trisha is paired up with Venkatesh in the film.

Magadheera on July 24

Ram Charan Tej's latest flick Magadheera is shooting for the song "Pichi Pichi ga Nachav" in Europe from July 7. The film is likely to be relasedin July 24 the day in which Megastar Chiranjeevi's Indra released. S.S.Rajmouli directs the movie,Allu Arvind produces it.

Magadheera Gallery