India hits back after huge loss

OPENING batsman Shikhar Dhawan smashed a brilliant 96 off 90 balls last night as India fought hard to level the oneday international series with Australia in Rajokot.

And skipper Virat Kohli was in ominous touch as well, unbeaten on 67, as India reached 3-249 off 40 of its 50 overs.

Australia won the toss and decided to send India into bat in the second ODI.

The visitors had a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after a 10-wicket win in the first match at Mumbai. They needed just one more win to seal a second consecutive ODI series win in India after the 3-2 victory in March last year.

India made two changes in a bid to bounce back from the big loss in the previous game. Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the match with a concussion. He was hit on the head while batting in the previous game and didn’t take further part in Mumbai.

Manish Pandey came in to bolster the Indian batting in Pant’s absence. Navdeep Saini was the second change, coming in for pacer Shardul Thakur. Australia fielded an unchanged line-up.

BEN Stokes scored his ninth

Test century on the second morning of the third Test against South Africa, as he and Ollie Pope swung the match firmly in England’s favour.

Having bowled his side to victory on the final day in Cape Town, Stokes was back at his punishing best with the bat in Port Elizabeth as the tourists reached 4-335 at lunch.

After a rain delay England resumed at 4-224, Stokes and Pope on 38 and 39 respectively. When Stokes reached three figures half an hour before lunch, that had stretched to 326 without further loss.