All posts by csb10.top

Nuclear Fuel Complex Ground, Hyderabad, was the venue for the VijayMerchant Trophy South Zone League, Under-16s. Nalini Reddy who bowledamazingly to pick 8/48 gave Hyderabad a winning position but theysettled for a draw due to some strange reasons on Friday.Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat and were all out for 390 in132.3 overs. Thanks to a patient knock of 135 in 321 balls whichincluded 18 fours by captain Abhinav Kumar. SA Pai gave admirablesupport by making 84 including 13 boundaries. Tamil Nadu got off to agood start but were bowled out for 140 in 63.4 overs, with Reddyrunning through their batting line up. Even with a massive lead of 250and better part of the last day to go for outright victory, Hyderabadchose to get some batting practice and scored 274/4 at the end ofplay. AT Rayadu scored a hard hitting 143 in 158 balls smashing 19fours and 2 sixes. Tamil Nadu must have been more than thankful to gohome with the three points as Hyderabad were happy with five points.

Channel4 have sparked controversy by suggesting that Pakistan may have tampered with the ball during the dramatic English batting collapse on the last day at Old Trafford.”If the match referee had been watching on television, one wonders what he would have made of those pictures,” presenter Mark Nicholas commented, after showing inconclusive pictures of Pakistan captain Waqar Younis with the ball.The Pakistan camp have strenuously denied the allegations and have pointed out that neither the umpires or match-referee have spoken to them on the matter. “No one spoke to me about the ball,” Waqar Younis said.”If there was any ball tampering I would have known about it,” Yawar Saeed, the tour manager said. “There was absolutely nothing wrong. We won the match fair and square and people should be happy with that.”Most people in the game will be saddened to hear that such allegations have been levelled again. The last series between these sides in England was marred by accusations of ball tampering, but the relationship between the England and Pakistan teams has improved greatly in recent months. Attention should really be on the wonderful game the two sides have just contested, and some great last day bowling. No doubt such comments will be derided as further evidence of “whinging poms” from the Australian tourists. They may have a point.But not about the England team, who have had no complaints after falling victim to the mercurial talents of this Pakistan team.England captain Alec Stewart has been keen to play down the controversy over no-balls too. Several wickets went down to deliveries that television replays suggest should have been called as the bowler over stepped, but Stewart insisted that it made no difference to the result.”The fact is Pakistan beat us,” he admitted. “With people like Wasim, Waqar and Saqlain they are capable of knocking over sides in a session. Credit to Pakistan.””I’m not going to start moaning, saying umpires’ decisions cost us the game,” he continued. “They are there to do a job to the best of their ability. Like batsmen, bowlers, fielders, everyone makes mistakes. As players we take it on the chin and carry on.”Twenty years ago when the BBC had only two cameras, things like that weren’t picked up. Now there’s 10, 12, 15 cameras anything and everything can be seen.”

An unbroken stand of 99 for the sixth wicket between Robin Weston and David Nash revived a faltering Middlesex first innings, taking it to 263 for five by the end of the second day of their CricInfo Championship match against Sussex at Lord’s.They were in need of a big partnership after losing the fifth wicket on 164, and Weston along with Nash provided the discipline to bring the innings back in line. He finished the day unbeaten on 70 from 174 balls with nine boundaries and it was his application in three-and-a-half-hours batting that was much needed by his side.Nash gave excellent support for two hours in scoring 44 not out as they took their side to within sixty runs of the Sussex first innings total and with half of their wickets still standing.Middlesex had been given a fine start with a two-and-a-half-hour an opening stand which fell just four short of a century. Andy Strauss and Michael Roseberry were both unlucky to narrowly miss their half-centuries, by two and six runs respectively.But their good work was wasted later with Middlesex losing four wickets in a space of 49 runs. The two openers fell in the hour after lunch, both to pull shots. Roseberry, top-edging to wide mid-on and Strauss, hitting firmly but straight to Michael Yardy at mid-wicket with the total on 115.Four runs later, Owais Shah, 11, playing his first first-class innings in a month, having been on England duty with the limited-overs series, was trapped leg before wicket as was Ben Hutton for six, on 150.Jason Lewry and Mark Robinson had shared the four wickets while off-spinner Mark Davis accounted for Paul Weekes having him snapped up at silly mid-off from a forward prod shortly before tea which was taken on 183 for five.At the start of the day’s play, a big hitting spree by the last remaining Sussex wicket had added 22 runs in ten minutes to take the total to 323 before a ball from Angus Fraser uprooted the middle and off stump of Jason Lewry.Lewry had added 21 with the help of four boundaries, to his overnight score to reach 40, his highest number of runs in first-class cricket. Most of those came off Jamie Hewitt whose one over went for thirteen.Starting their innings just under two hours before lunch, Middlesex’s openers, Strauss and Roseberry slowly put on 71 from 28 overs. They had brought the 50 up in the 23rd over with cautious batting rather than free strokeplay at first though some fluency came as their stand progressed.

DURBAN – South Africa cricket coach Graham Ford hopes fast bowler AllanDonald and batsman Jonty Rhodes will return from retirement for the two,three-Test series against world champions Australia at the end of the2001-02 season.”I’d love to have both available, of course. They are players of proveninternational ability and they are both match winners,” Ford toldReuters here on Friday.”It is also obvious how much respect they command from the opposition.”The problem for Ford and South African cricket is that both men haveretired from the Test arena to play exclusively in one-dayinternationals.Donald and Rhodes are determined to stay fit for the 2003 World Cup,after which both plan to retire from the game.However, because the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) doesnot have separate contracts for one-day and Test players, both men wereasked to be “technically” available for the two versions of the gamewhen they signed new contracts in April.”I’m not accepting finality either way,” Ford said.”There is a lot of time before the two series against Australia and alot of cricket to be played between now and then.”If we have to play Australia without either of them, then we’ll supporttheir replacements and still back ourselves to win.”Ford’s caution about their respective return to the Test arena was,however, not matched by his predecessor as South Africa coach, formerEngland and Kent all-rounder Bob Woolmer.Woolmer believed Donald would almost certainly return to Test cricket,particularly with the lure of the home-and-away series against worldchampions Australia.”His decision to play one-day internationals was based, I believe, onfrustration at not being able to finish a Test without injury and not ona burning desire to give up the five-day game,” Woolmer told Reuters.”When the going gets tough against Australia, which it inevitably willdo, and a place opens up in the bowling line-up, and Allan is fit, Iexpect he’ll be desperate to help beat the Aussies in a Test series,”Woolmer said.South Africa play three Tests in Australia over the Christmas and NewYear period before both teams fly to South Africa for three more Testsnext February and March.

Surrey appear to be heading for an early return to the Second Division in the Norwich Union League after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat in their Edgbaston meeting with Warwickshire.Last year’s promotion winners endured another batting slump and an injury scare for England batsman Mark Butcher in struggling to 136 despite an unbeaten 52 by Ben Hollioake.Warwickshire also had problems at 55 for 4 but all-rounder Dougie Brown set up a three-wicket win with more than seven overs to spare by scoring 63 after a bowling stint of 3 for 14.The only good news for Surrey – and for England – was that a hospital scan revealed no serious damage to Butcher when he was struck on the left earguard by a short ball from Neil Carter.The left-hander retired after making three and his Test team-mates, Ian Ward and Alec Stewart, were quickly cleaned up in three deliveries from South African-born Carter.Mark Ramprakash did a little better by making 20 until edging Vasbert Drakes (3 for 35) high to Keith Piper’s right for the best of the wicket-keeper’s four catches in his benefit match.Saqlain Mushtaq held up Warwickshire in a stand of 49 with top scorer Hollioake, but Brown then applied a swift closure by taking the last two wickets.Recalled England paceman Alex Tudor landed an early blow for Surrey and Ed Giddins dismissed David Hemp and Michael Powell to quell the jeers from the crowd on his return to a former county.Brown negotiated these setbacks with a rapid 50 in 59 balls and Surrey were out of contention when the Scot was caught at mid-on after a partnership of 73 with Trevor Penney. The consolation wicket went to Adam Hollioake but the Surrey captain joined the injury list after bowling only one ball in his second over.Cricket manager Keith Medlycott came on as substitute and promptly held a slip catch from Penney as Ben Hollioake took two wickets in successive balls.

The Oval will be host to another Asia versus the Rest of the World one-day game at the conclusion of the England season.Following the success of a similar venture in July last year, Surrey CountyCricket Club will be staging the fixture on Tuesday September 18, with proceedsgoing towards the continuing major redevelopment of The Oval.Sachin Tendulkar has been invited to captain the Asian side, but it will be atight squeeze into the schedule of all of the Indian players invited to takepart. India are pencilled in to play Pakistan in Lahore in the Asian TestChampionships from September 12 to 17.Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Javagal Srinath andAnil Kumble have all agreed to play, according to a press release issued bySurrey CCC yesterday.Wasim Akram, Aamer Sohail and Moin Khan, none of whom are in the currentPakistani train-on squad, have been named as invitees for the Asian team. AdamGilchrist, Jimmy Adams, Graham Thorpe, Courtney Walsh, Reon King and AndrewCaddick are reported to have already accepted invitations to join the Rest ofthe World eleven, which will be led by Alec Stewart.

Adam Gilchrist has no regrets after earning an unfortunate place in Australian cricket history.In only his second Test as captain, Gilchrist became the first Australian skipper ever to lose a Test match after declaring and setting the opposition a target.It’s a surprising statistic – confirmed by Australian Cricket Board statistician Ross Dundas – and it took the innings of a lifetime from Mark Butcher to bring it about.Butcher stroked a chanceless 173 not out – the same score Sir Donald Bradman made at Headingley in 1948 when Australia made 3-404 to beat England.Rain had robbed the match of 117 overs, forcing Gilchrist to end the Australian innings ahead of schedule in pursuit of its goal of a clean sweep in the five-match series.He set England 315 to win off 110 overs, and England duly achieved it with six wickets in hand to revive memories of the famous Botham Test success at the same ground 20 years ago.Gilchrist’s declaration was in keeping with regular skipper Steve Waugh’s philosophy of backing his bowlers and he said he would make the same decision again.”We were a bit shy but we didn’t know the wicket was going to play that well and that someone was going to play the innings of his life,” Gilchrist said.”It was a really enjoyable experience, I’ve got to say, to captain the team in a Test that was fairly close, getting into the last hour of the last day.”It meant a lot to me to be captain and it hurt a great deal to lose but I have no regrets.”England made its second biggest final innings chase in history – trailing only the 7-332 from Percy Chapman’s side which beat Australia at the MCG in 1928-29.And Gilchrist likened Butcher’s innings off 227 balls to the 281-run knock from VVS Laxman in Calcutta which turned the second Test and the series for India earlier this year.Butcher struck 23 fours and a six and belted the last 12 balls he faced from Jason Gillespie for 29 runs – five fours, a six, a two and a one.The Australian bowlers, so potent all summer, showed signs of wilting under the final-day onslaught as Brett Lee returned 0-65 off 16 overs, Gillespie 2-94, Glenn McGrath 1-61 and Shane Warne 1-58.”Seeing that innings, the Laxman innings comes to mind,” said Gilchrist.”When he got his hundred I’ve never seen so many of our guys go in and congratulate a guy at once.”It was a tremendous innings. This guy was really taking it up to us and good on him – everyone felt that.”It’s probably one of the great Ashes knocks … given that he wasn’t meant to be playing at the start of the series and he got in by injury.”Gilchrist was roundly criticised after a tour game against Essex last month when he told his batsmen to play out the final day in order to get match practice before the first Test.The Australians were booed at the end of that game and Gilchrist was visibly unsettled.”I won’t be going into my shell and be bitten by the declaration bug,” he said.”I’ll look at today and think of Essex where I didn’t declare for whatever reasons and was told I showed contempt for the spectators and members of the press and cricket in general.”You’ve got to weigh up all these points of view but I’m comfortable with what I did.”The bowlers tried their all – they’ve been outstanding all tour and today they weren’t far off the mark and one guy (Butcher) was so far ahead of the mark.”I’m pretty happy with it all.”Gilchrist, who said injured captain Steve Waugh told him to go with his gut instincts throughout the game, was pleased that his tactics had helped provide such an entertaining spectacle.”There were 15,000 people out there soaking the game up,” he said.”That’s a very positive thing for the game.”I’m proud of my team, that we were all prepared to take that on … no-one complained when I declared.”We knew there was a risk of defeat and that’s the risk we take.”Hussain admitted England had been outplayed through most of the match and only Gilchrist’s willingness to pursue victory gave his side a chance.”I’ve got the utmost respect for this team,” he said.”Steve Waugh, I think he went out there and clapped Mark Butcher.”They give you a hard time and they get stuck into you but as I’ve always said, if you show them you can play, they come up to you at the end of the day and shake your hand and say ‘well done, son, we’ll be back at you at The Oval.'”Hussain was relieved that England had finally shown some heart.”Obviously Australia had their own motives, they wanted to beat us five-nil and get their winning streak back going again,” he said.”All credit to them, they’re playing cricket the right way and in exactly the right manner – positive batting, positive bowling, positive declarations.”But today we played cricket like we should. That was a special day’s cricket.”Today was the day we’ve been waiting for all summer … if you don’t dream, you don’t believe.”Now it’s on to The Oval for the fifth Test at The Oval starting on Thursday.England has its tail up and Australia hasn’t won at The Oval since 1972.

Saturday was a big day for Somerset County Cricket Club Membership Secretary Joanne Betsworth.Not only did Jo see her beloved Somerset win their first trophy since 1983, her boyfriend John Arnold proposed to her and she said “yes”.Talking at The County Ground where she has been the face and voice of the club to callers for 8 years she told me that her boyfriend proposing just about made her day complete. “We plan to get married later on next summer,” she said, but added, “we wont be finalising the date until next years fixture list is published!”

The first semi-final of the Red Stripe Bowl competition, between Guyana and Jamaica, produced a thrilling tie. Batting first, Jamaica made 191 for 9 in their 50 overs. Guyana replied with 191 for 9 but go through to the final by virtue of having more wins in the qualifying stages of the tournament.Guyana won the toss and, not surprisingly on a moist pitch, bowled first. Jamaica lost two early wickets to Reon King. Captain Robert Samuels steadied the collapse with a half-century and he found a valuable partner in Gareth Breese to pull the innings round from 75 for 5.Breese had to retire hurt when on 15, struck a painful blow in the box when facing fast bowler Colin Stuart, returned to blast King for 14 in the final over of the innings before being run out for 42. That assault damaged King’s figures and he ended with 3 for 51 from 9 overs.In reply, Guyana lost opener Andrew Gonsalves for 3 in the second over and slipped to 58 for 3 when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was stumped for 12 after consultation with the third umpire.Guyana’s captain Carl Hooper with 31 and Ramnaresh Sarwan (35) pulled the innings round so that at 114 for 3 Guyana appeared to be coasting to victory. They looked to be coasting to defeat when both batsmen were out by the 35th over, but Neil McGarrell, batting at number 8, revived things with 24 not out from just 15 balls.The final over, bowled by Marlon Samuels, was a classic of the genre. 11 runs were needed for victory and, with the aid of some indifferent fielding and a missed stumping opportunity, the batsmen managed to level the scores with one ball remaining. Stuart was on 14 and went for the run that would have given his side the win but, for once, the fielders were up to their task and Stuart was run out leaving the match as a tie.The place in the final had to be decided by a count-back to wins in the preliminary stages of the competition – a calculation that came out in Guyana’s favour by 3 matches to 2. They will play the winners of today’s clash between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.