International cricket in 2006

International cricket played in the 2006 cricket season is defined as matches scheduled between May and August 2006 in all cricketing countries, as well as all international matches scheduled for the 2006 English cricket season. Matches between January and April are defined as belonging to the 2005–06 season, while matches between September and December are defined as the 2006–07 season. The main matches in this period were played in England, as this was in the middle of the English cricket season, but the third edition of the ICC Intercontinental Cup is defined as a part of the 2006 season, even though the tournament will stretch into February 2007, and three A teams are also scheduled to tour the northwestern part of Australia in June and July 2006.

ICC Championship Tables in May 2006

March 2006

ICC Intercontinental Cup

The format has been revamped for the 2006 edition of the Intercontinental Cup, with the number of teams being cut back from 12 to 8, but each team now plays three group stage matches, compared to two in the first two editions.

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May 2006

ri Lanka in England

England return home on the back of a disastrous Winter tour of the sub-continent, having not won any of the series before or after Christmas; while Sri Lanka look to compound their win against Bangladesh.

Sri Lankans in England 2006: Test Series drawn 1-1. Sri Lanka win Twenty20 International. Sri Lanka win ODI series 5-0.

Bangladesh A in Zimbabwe

Bangladesh A toured Zimbabwe for three first class and five one-day matches against the A team of the hosting nation. The first-class series ended in a draw after Bangladesh A fell to defeat in the third match after giving Zimbabwe A a first-innings lead of 203 to eventually lose the match by seven wickets. However, Bangladesh A secured the one-day series by winning the first three games.

"Zimbabwe A v Bangladesh A. First-class series: Drawn 1–1. One-day series: Bangladesh A won 4–1."

Pakistan in England

After a draw in the first Test, Andrew Strauss led his team to back-to-back Test victories and secured the series before the fourth and final Test. That Test was marred by a ball-tampering controversy, which culminated in Pakistan refusing to take the field after the tea interval in protest to a decision by umpire Darrell Hair to penalise the Pakistani team for ball-tampering. This led the umpires eventually to award the game to England, who thus won the Test series 3–0. However, this result was later changed to a draw, meaning that England now win the series 2-0.

"Pakistani cricket team in England in 2006. Test series result: England won 2–0. Twenty20 International: Pakistan won one-off match. One-day International Series: Drawn 2–2."

Bangladeshis in Zimbabwe

The tour included only five One Day International, as Zimbabwe have voluntarily withdrawn from Test cricket.

"Bangladeshis in Zimbabwe in 2006. ODI series: Zimbabwe won 3–2."

Indians in Sri Lanka

As in 2005, Sri Lanka were set to start their international home season with a triangular series at home following a 2-Test series. India came to visit, in addition to the already touring South Africans, and the three teams were set to contest 2006 Unitech Cup. The first four matches was scheduled to be held in Dambulla, and the last three, two group matches and a final, will be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. However, the venue of the series became an issue in the elections for presidency of Sri Lanka Cricket, with the sitting presidents wishing to move the series to Colombo, [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/3-nat-srilanka/content/story/252780.html Colombo confirmed as venue for tri-series] , from Cricinfo, published 9 July 2006] as they feared sabotage from the opposition group if the opposition lost the elections. [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/3-nat-srilanka/content/story/253078.html Opposition says Dambulla will remain venue for tri-series] , from Cricinfo, published 11 July 2006] The opposition, however, wanted to host the matches in Dambulla. On 13 July, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said that their team would play all matches in Colombo, [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/253248.html Colombo to host all tri-series matches] , from Cricinfo, published 13 July 2006] and a few days later a group of former cricketers were nominated to run Sri Lanka Cricket after the elections were cancelled after advice from the country's president, Mahinda Rajapakse. [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/current/story/253534.html Ranatunga nominated to run SLC] , from Cricinfo, published 15 July 2006]

The tournament was postponed by two days following rain and a bomb blast near the South African team hotel. [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/unitechcup/engine/match/249196.html Postponed Match: Sri Lanka v South Africa at Colombo (RPS), Aug 14-15, 2006] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 16 August 2006] After receiving an independent security report, the United Cricket Board of South Africa announced that they were pulling out of the tournament, leaving India and Sri Lanka to play a three-match series. The first of these games was rained off.

The series is later cancelled due to rain and bad weather during the three ODIs, the series will be played as a tri-series in 2007, after the World Cup.

"Indians in Sri Lanka in 2006."

ICC Championship Tables in September 2006

Test statistics

Results

Bowling statistics

Batting statistics

References

Further references

* [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2006/ The CricInfo Archives - 2006]