After a first day that somehow delivered rather less than it suggested, South Africa were handily placed to take a firm grip on the second Test and the three-match Castle Lager/MTN series.The St George’s Park pitch, the subject of a good deal of speculation before the match, offered South Africa’s bowlers something, but perhaps not much as Shaun Pollock might have expected when he sent New Zealand in to bat.The touring side, meanwhile, are quite clearly in trouble at 206 for seven with a ratty tail to come, yet in making an unbeaten 88 Mathew Sinclair demonstrated that by watching and waiting for the right ball runs were available.New Zealand seemed to keep on doing the hard work and then undoing as South Africa plugged away during the day. It was always hard going – "A difficult day," according to New Zealand coach David Trist – and it was not always easy to watch, but after an untidy morning the home side slipped into their established patterns and they were nicely positioned to take charge of the game at stumps on Thursday evening.The New Zealand batsmen, though, will keep looking at Sinclair and wondering how they got it wrong. Before this match almost exactly half of Sinclair’s 430 Test runs had come in a single innings – in his maiden Test match when he made 214 against the West Indies.He is by nature an attacking player with good hands and a fine eye, but he might well be batting a few places too high. He drives beautifully through the off off both the front and back foot, but there is not a great deal of foot movement in either shot. Nevertheless, he picked the right balls to hit and the right ones to leave and if he goes on to a century on Friday morning, it will be thoroughly deserved.And there was a fair bit to leave, especially in the morning from Allan Donald. He has a bruised heel and generally lacked rhythm. Even so, apart from his opening spell, when he was asked, he delivered. He came back for a second spell before lunch and had Craig Spearman caught at short leg and then had Adam Parore caught at the wicket in the first over with the second new ball.Mostly, though, South Africa looked to Pollock and Makhaya Ntini to plug away at New Zealand. Pollock, typically, gave very little away as he picked up four wickets (although he might have been a trifle lucky to have Nathan Astle leg before as he padded up), but the day’s two best moments were reserved for Ntini.He bowled Mark Richardson with a wonderful ball that had the batsman wondering how it had squeezed between bat and pad and produced a quite sensational catch, running in from fine leg and diving forward, to hold onto a top-edged hook from Craig McMillan.Ntini’s figures were spoiled in his last over of the day when Sinclair helped himself to four boundaries (three drives and an edge), but the Border quick is now making a full contribution to the team effort. You couldn’t honestly say that of him during his first few Test matches two years ago.There has been the occasional uneven bounce, but not the lateral movement that might have been expected. The pitch should probably be at its best to bat on during the second and third days. New Zealand could have a long haul ahead of them.

Orissa capped a memorable campaign by defeating Assam by nine wicketsto finish on top in the East Zone Ranji Trophy table on Saturday. Onthe penultimate day of the four day match at the Tinsuria DistrictSports Association stadium in Assam, Orissa after gaining a firstinnings lead of 174 runs, dismissed Assam for 188 in their secondknock. They then scored the required 18 runs for the loss of onewicket and the eight points they garnered from this match saw them endwith 29 points from their four games. They won three games – includinga victory over Bengal for the first time in 43 years – and took firstinnings points in the other.In the morning, Orissa with Gautam Gopal finishing on 85 not out,stretched their first innings lead. Gopal faced 77 balls and hit 12fours and three sixes. Ganesh Kumar picked up two of the three wicketsto fall on Saturday and finished with five for 67.In the Assam second innings, Debasish Mohanty was again in splendidform and took five wickets for 39 runs. Assam failed to capitalise ona good start. First openers Parag Das (45) and Subhrajit Saikia (13)put on 59 runs off 17.5 overs. Then Zakaria Zuffri (46) and SubhadeepGhose (36) added 64 runs for the third wicket off 22.4 overs. Assam atone stage were 126 for two but Mohanty got going and the remainingbatsmen offered little resistance. He was supported by Sanjay Roul (3for 48) while Jaganath Das (2 for 21) removed both the openingbatsmen. Orissa reached their token target in only three overs.

The Pakistan A team is soon to arrive in Colombo where they will play threeunofficial Test Matches and three One-Day matches. The Sri Lankan coach,Hemantha Devapriya, who played first class cricket for Colts Cricket Club asa wicket keeper batsman and joined the rebel tour of South Africa in 1983,is looking forward to the three-week tour despite the inclement weatherwhich has marred preparations.Devapriya believes that members of the final A team squad, which is topicked from a 27-man training pool shortly, have a chance to push for placesin the senior team. “It’s a good opportunity for these youngsters to putpressure on the national side. The players are very keen to perform and thenational players will have to be on their toes. With a triangular and Testseries so soon after they have a great opportunity to further theircareers.””There is plenty of talent in the side including many players who haverepresented Sri Lanka in the national level before like Tilan Samaraweera,Avishka Gunawardene, T.M. Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Lanka de Silva, AkalankaGanegama, Indika Gallage, Dilhara Fernando, and Prasanna Jayawardene.”The selectors are keen to unearth a partner for Muralitharan and a middleorder batsman,” he revealed. “It is up to the players to prove themselves.”Pakistan too has named a strong 15-man squad. Ten members have representedPakistan at international level and some played in Sri Lanka last yearduring the Under 19 World Cup.”We are looking forward to win, but you know, the “A” team concept is notonly about winning,” he said. “We want to give the players a chance toimprove their skills. The main idea of the A team is to give exposure tothese youngsters and provide them a chance to prove themselves.”The players have had some match practice in Mercantile Cricket Tournament,but team practice has been restricted because of the poor weather in SriLanka recently. Most of the training has taken place indoors. Indeed, theconditions have been so bad that the first Test Match on June 13th will nowbe played in Dambulla, which is situated in a dry zone.”During the last few weeks we haven’t been able to train outdoors as muchas we would have liked to. We have been restricted to practicing indoors andhave been having very short practice sessions. It’s been verydisappointing.”Interestingly, the tour represents a significant turnaround in policy, asSri Lanka’s cricket authorities have decided to move away from thetraditional preference for preparing slow spinning tracks, surfaces whichhave discouraged the faster men from really bending their backs.”The selectors, the board and everyone is keen that we play on goodwickets,” revealed Devpriya. ” We want a little bit of grass and some bouncein the wicket to give some encouragement to the faster bowlers. In fact, wehave been preparing on some grassy surfaces as well. I am sure that thecurators can provide the fair wickets that we need.Pakistan arrive in Sri Lanka on June 10th and the First Test Match inDambulla will be played June 13th.

Steve Waugh, laughing off an English newspaper that depicted him as a prawnon a barbecue, has begun his fourth Ashes tour by revealing it might not behis last.Waugh and his twin, Mark, turn 36 on Saturday but the Australian captainadmitted his previously nominated retirement date of the 2003 World Cup wasnot set in stone.”I’m not absolutely sure this is my last,” he said before the Australianone-day squad’s fitness and net sessions on the picturesque Worcestershireground ahead of Friday’s tour opener.”Look, I’d like to go to another World Cup and try and retain our trophy andI may go beyond that – or I may go before that.”I love playing cricket and playing cricket for Australia. Wearing thatbaggy green is something special, so I want to soak that up as long as Ican.”The Mirror newspaper superimposed the heads of Waugh, Glenn McGrath andShane Warne atop three sizzling prawns on a barbecue beneath the back pageheadline: “Let’s throw a few prawns on the barbie … and watch Englandclean up the Ashes.”Waugh would not be baited.”They don’t look like Aussie prawns, they’re not big enough,” he told apacked press conference.”It’s a nice look, thanks very much – something to show the kids when I getback home.”With Test regulars Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Michael Slater, Justin Langerand the Waugh twins all over the age of 30, a changing of the guard inAustralian cricket is only a few years away.More than half the current one-day and Test players will not be back inEngland in four years, so an extension to Waugh’s career would have obviousbenefits to an evolving squad.He claimed his sights on tour were set no farther than next month’s one-daytournament against England and Pakistan, but his eyes lit up when talkturned to the Tests, which begin on July 5.”I’ve got a gut feeling this series is going to be very competitive, veryclose, it will be exciting and we’re here to play aggressive and positivecricket and win every Test match,” he said.”Getting that urn at the end of the series is very important to allAustralians.”Asked the highlight of his Ashes career, Waugh said: “It hasn’t come yet.”Meanwhile, the ACB is yet to decide whether Australia will wear coloured orwhite clothing in the three-day fixture against Worcestershire.

• It was the 1725th ODI in cricket history.
• It was the 200th match on English soil. England became third countryafter Australia (385) and India (219) to host 200 or more matches.
• Neil Mallender and George Sharp were officiating in their second and23rd match respectively.
• The two wickets in this match has taken Shane Warne’s wicket tally to28 in 17 matches on English soil – most by an Australian. Warnesurpassed Dennis Lillee’s tally of 27 wickets from 17 matches.
• Damien Martyn’s figures of 5-0-45-1 (RpO 9.00) are the worst by anAustralian in a five over spell against Pakistan. The previous recordwas held by Terry Alderman who conceded 39 runs in five overs whilecapturing one wicket at Brisbane on 11-02-1990.
• Waqar Younis (6-59) was capturing six wickets for the second time insuccession. He had returned the figures of seven for 36 againstEngland at Leeds just two days back. Waqar became first bowler in ODIhistory to capture six wickets in two successive matches. Waqar hasnow taken six wickets in a match on five occasions. No other bowlerhas performed this feat more than once.
• Waqar’s aggregate of 13 wickets in two successive matches is a new ODIrecord. The previous record was of 11 wickets which was held by threebowlers – by Waqar himself (in 1990) ,Australia’s Garry Gilmour (in1975) and Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood (in 2000).
• The catch of Matthew Hayden was 100th for Rashid Latif as wicketkeeperin his 101st match. He became second Pakistani after Moin Khan (191)and 13th keeper in all to reach this landmark.
• Adam Gilchrist’s 29 ball fifty was the fifth fastest for Australia inODIs. This was the second occasion Gilchrist was racing to his fiftyoff less than 30 balls. The other occasion being against India atMargao on 06-04-2001. The following table lists the fastest fiftiesfor Australia :

Balls    Batsman (Score)    Opposition  Venue             Date18       SP O’Donnell (74)  v SL        Sharjah           02-05-199026       WB Philips (53)    v NZ        Wellington        26-03-198628       TM Moody (56*)     v BD        Chester-le-Street 23-05-199928       AC Gilchrist (76)  v Ind       Margao            06-04-200129       AC Gilchrist (70)  v Pak       Nottingham        19-06-2001

• Steve Waugh now has aggregated 812 runs (ave. 54.13) in 23 matches onEnglish soil – most by an Australian. He surpassed brother Mark’s runaggregate of 782 (ave. 43.44) from 19 matches.
• The tenth wicket partnership of 31 runs between Damien Fleming andJason Gillespie was Australia’s best for this wicket against Pakistan.This obliterated the previous highest of 13 between Simon O’Donnelland Terry Alderman at Melbourne on 1984-85.
• Wasim Akram by conceding 68 runs in his 10 overs recorded his secondworst figures in his career spanning 16 years and 318 matches. Akram’sworst performance also came against Australia when he conceded 70 runsoff his 8.5 overs at Brisbane on 08-01-1989.
• Waqar Younis won his 15th Man of the Match award – second insuccessive matches.

Most teams would feel fairly comfortable after posting 298-3 in 50 overs – but not if you are Hursley Park and the opposition is Hook & Newnham Basics !Hursley were optimistic their worrying Premier Division 3 standing – they have only won twice in six attempts – might be boosted after John Harris carried his bat for 124 to lead them to 298.And, when Basics promptly dropped to 10-2, Hursley Park skipper Rob Lowe thought he’d cracked it.But, when burly South African Janusz Kaminski joined Hook heavyweight Keith Lovelock – Basics reckon there’s 35 stone of batting muscle at the crease when the pair are together ! – the game changed dramatically.While left-arm spinner Chris Westbrook waited impatiently for a bowl, Hursley’s hopes disappeared in a crescendo of boundaries.Cape Town-based Kaminski smashed 11 sixes in his 147 out of a third-wicket stand of 220 with Lovelock, who went on to make 105 and carry Hook home at 301-3 – with eight overs to spare !Apart from Bashley (Rydal), who beat Waterlooville by 81 runs, it wasn’t a terribly successful day for the eight sides languishing in the lower echelons.Seemingly doomed United Services, without a win in seven tries, were blasted to defeat by Gosport’s Australian import Nathan Collins (6-30), while Winchester KS proved predictably too strong for Leckford.The Stockbridge club notched a season’s best 173 – Scotsman Mike Howard (61) top scoring – but Paul Marks (54) and Dave Parsons (43) swept WKS to the verge of a sixth straight win.Flamingos captain Gary Fenigan felt like jumping off the nearby South Parade Pier after Portsmouth II rallied from 57-7 to reach a winning 202-8 on a poor St Helen’s surface."I honestly didn’t sleep all night, agonising on what went wrong," said Fengian, whose 30th birthday co-incides with today’s visit of high-rising Alton to the Holt.Aussie teacher Shane Merkel (84) propped up Flamingos uncertain batting, but when Crestwood old boy Nick McMurray (5-35) reduced Portsmouth to 57-7, Fenigan thought his birthday had come a week early.But, as Flamingos ‘switched off’ in the field, so local university student Steve Mitchell (94 not out) and Gary Rogers (42 not out) turned the match on its head.Their unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 108 swept Portsmouth to an unexpected two-wicket win – and dumped worried Flamingos further into the mire.It wasn’t the first time Portsmouth’s lower order had sparkled this season – Rogers having featured in a last-gasp 161-run stand against Winchester KS earlier in the month.Equally beleaguered Lymington II copped an ill-timed run blast from Tony Richman, who smacked 103 off just 53 balls (32 scoring shots) – he hit six sixes and 11 fours – as Paultons piled up 329-8 (Duncan Park 51).A five-wicket spell from Peter Lamb and a 3-56 return by Paul Wilde sent Lymington sliding to 177 all out.After finishing fifth last season, Purbrook expected to feature in the promotion hunt.Instead, two wins – and four defeats – out of six has left them precariously placed.They did, though, show commendable spirit against St Cross Symondians after Brian Lipscombe (3-52), Jimmy Adams (2-40) and Matt Perry-Lewis (2-36) had Purbrook tottering at 137-8St Cross thought they were on an easy thing after posting 229-9 (Mark Parker 41), but Purbrook hit back to finish only two runs short at 227-8 after a 90-run stand between Graham McCoy (65) and Mark Stanley (36).But at least Bashley (Rydal) had something to celebrate – their 81-run victory pushed one-win Ville deep in trouble, just above United Services.Joe Hall’s unbeaten 82 and a typically flamboyant half-century by Iain Britton (52) sent Bashley to the home comforts of 265-6 (Matt Slater 5-62) before Martin Shephard (75) stiffened Ville’s resistance after four new-ball breakthroughs by John Marsh (4-50). Ville reached 184.It’s unusual for any of the Yates family to feature in a Rowledge victory – and sure enough Chris and cousin Ricky were to the fore in the 44-run defeat of New Milton.Ricky hit 74 (his best score for several years) as Rowledge reached 227-5 and Chris christened his return from Cardiff University with figures of 5-53.Hampshire YCs prospect David Wheeler hit a splendid 94 for New Milton, but with Aussie Tim Bott injured, the visitors fell 44 short at 183 all out.

Australian cricket great Greg Chappell is to sell his personal collection ofcricket memorabilia on 31 July.The clothing, equipment and documents on offer are estimated to fetch$A150,000 to $A250,000, said Christies spokesman Michael Ludgrove.”The most significant collection of an Australian Test captain to appear atpublic auction” will be sold in Melbourne, as Ashes fever reaches a peak inthe UK.Chappell, 52, currently coaches South Australia. He retired in 1984 with 7,110Test runs in 87 Tests (average 53.86) including 24 centuries.Ludgrove added that Chappell had recently moved house and found thecollection of baggy green caps, blazers, bats and cricket contracts (amongalmost 100 lots) “too large for one person to maintain”.The sale will also feature a cricket bat signed by Don Bradman, which heused in the Bodyline series and again in 1963, when he played in a PrimeMinister’s team against England.Australian Formula One legend Alan Jones also has items in the auction.Meanwhile, at Sotheby’s in London, a sale on 18 July brought prices of£6,000 (estimate £2,500) for Fred Trueman’s 300th Test wicket-taking ball(against Australia in 1964).Walter Hammond’s 1938/9 South Africa touring blazer fetched £5,040 and anear complete run of Wisdens 1879-1984, lacking 1916 and others, made£7,970.

Occasional off-spinner Mark Wagh became the surprise match-winner by taking wickets with his third, sixth and eighth balls as Warwickshire pulled off an unexpected victory over Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston.Kevin Pietersen and Richard Logan were bat-pad victims in the former Oxford University student’s first over, and Andrew Harris was bowled as the visitors were dismissed for 141 to give Warwickshire their first win in six games.The margin was 139 runs with 11.2 overs to spare after a disappointing Nottinghamshire challenge for a target of 281 on a last day shortened by 105 minutes because of overnight rain.Warwickshire then batted on for 10 minutes against lightweight bowling and Nick Knight was left unbeaten with 98 when skipper Michael Powell declared at 257 for 3.Nottinghamshire immediately hit problems in trying to set off at a brisk tempo against Vasbert Drakes. John Morris departed at 23, pulling the West Indian paceman to square leg, and Greg Blewett failed to control a cover drive which flew to Powell at mid-off.Neil Smith (3 for 42) quickly had Usman Afzaal caught behind and Notts could not afford the loss of Darren Bicknell for 45 on the stroke of tea. Not content with one six off Dougie Brown, he lifted the next ball straight to Alan Richardson at deep square leg.Chris Read went in the first over after the break, pushing Smith to Brown at silly point, but Pietersen caused a major hold-up while making 35 and sharing in a stand of 52 with Richard Lucas.Wagh broke up the resistance and, with the injured Jason Gallian unable to bat, the result was settled when Lucas was lbw to Smith for 16. Notts not only lost the match but were deducted 0.25 of a point for a slow over-rate.

Yorkshire have Michael Vaughan, Craig White and new pace sensation Steve Kirby in their side to play Leicestershire at Grace Road. But the champions-elect are not taking anything for granted as their challenge for their first championship title since 1968 continues.”Obviously there is a lot of talk about the championship but my aim is to make sure everyone concentrates on the next game,” Yorkshire coach Wayne Clarke said.”At the moment we are going well and there is a lot of confidence and ability in the squad but we’ll just concentrate on one session at a time.Essex travel to Glamorgan at the other end of Division One.Essex appear to be doomed to life in the lower division next season, but Glamorgan still have realistic hopes of staying up. They beat Surrey in the last round of games, but remain in the bottom three.Their coach, Jeff Hammond, admits they have a tough month in front of them if they are to stay up.”We’ve got Essex, Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Surrey to come and that’s a hard road home,” Hammond warned. “But if we can play well in all those games and don’t drop a game we will have a good chance of avoiding relegation.”We have been working on a few disciplines and it has taken a while for them to hit home but I think we are starting to play well now. We are still a game behind the top sides and another thing is that we have lost over 1,100 overs of playing time to the weather this season.”Hammond is waiting on news of Robert Croft. The off-spinner is currently with the England squad but will make up a spin duo with Cosker if released.Lancashire and Northampton battle it out elsewhere in another match that could have a crucial bearing on the final relegation places.Meanwhile, it’s top against bottom as Sussex travel to bottom placed Derbyshire in Division Two. Captain Dominic Cork and overseas player and vice-captain Michael Di Venuto miss out for the hosts in a game that Sussex are strong favourites to win.Gloucestershire entertain Nottinghamshire at Bristol. Both teams retain slim promotion hopes, though Gloucestershire have a 16-point lead over Notts. Worryingly for both sides, three of the four teams above them have a game in hand.Elsewhere Worcestershire travel to Warwickshire, the fourth placed club, desperate for the win that would help them into a promotion position.

A dogged opening partnership of 152 between Zimbabwe’s openers AlistairCampbell and Dion Ebrahim gave Zimbabwe an excellent start in a shortenedfirst-day’s play in the Second Test match against South Africa at QueensSports Club in Bulawayo.Just before bad light stopped play, though, theyfell for 77 and 71 respectively, leaving Zimbabwe on 154 for two wickets.The weather in Bulawayo was most uncharacteristic for September: cold,overcast and with a strong blustery wind. Noel Peck’s Queens pitch was muchmore characteristic, looking a beauty for batting, and he did not expect itto give undue assistance to the spinners. Heath Streak won the toss forZimbabwe this time and was delighted to be able to bat.Indeed there were no early problems for openers Alistair Campbell and DionEbrahim, who quickly broke Zimbabwe’s previous record opening partnershipagainst South Africa – of 13. Campbell got off the mark by driving ShaunPollock wide of mid-on for four, and practically the only appeal of thefirst hour came when Ebrahim tried to emulate his second-innings dismissalin Harare by padding up to Pollock.The 50 partnership was raised in 87 minutes, but runs then came moreslowly as South Africa put back their field and adopted a less attackingapproach. They were still together at lunch, Campbell with 40 and Ebrahim28, having done all their team could have asked of them.After lunch, left-arm spinner Claude Henderson tied down the batsmen,especially Ebrahim, but Campbell finally cut him backward of point to reachhis 50. It took another 50 minutes after lunch before the hundredpartnership came up; in this the fifth Test match between the two countries,it was the first time at any point that Zimbabwe could claim any advantage.This, one would expect, would be the time for the batsmen to open upsomewhat, but they were unable or unwilling to do so, preferring to continueto graft in traditional Test-match fashion. With the total on 116, theyplayed out four maiden overs in succession before Ebrahim finally reachedhis 50 in just under four hours. Realistically, though, it could well bethe best game plan for their side, as it is hard to imagine Zimbabwe’sbowlers, massacred in Harare, bowling South Africa out twice on this pitch;once would be a major achievement.Campbell had not added to his 67 at tea when South Africa believed they hadhim caught at the wicket off Makhaya Ntini, between bat and pad; replays appeared toshow that umpire Kevan Barbour had made an excellent decision in declaringit not out as it had apparently touched only pad. Minutes later Ebrahim on59 clipped a ball straight at Herschelle Gibbs at square leg and the chance went down.Campbell (77) finally fell to a half-hearted drive, Gibbs making up for hisdropped catch by holding this one off Lance Klusener’s off-cutters at backwardpoint. The opening partnership of 152, off 80 overs, was Zimbabwe’sthird-best. Then Ebrahim, stuck on his hoodoo score, fell for 71 for thethird time in his Test career, as a ball from Henderson turned sharply andhad him caught at slip.As Stuart Carlisle arrived at the wicket, the umpires offered the batsmenthe light, ending play 40 minutes early. The weather had remained gloomyall day, and more of the same unpleasant conditions are forecast for themorrow.Leg-spinning all-rounder Paul Strang returned to the Zimbabwe team; he lastplayed in India in November last year, when he suffered a recurrence of anarm injury during the First Test at Delhi. He replaced pace bowler DouglasHondo, whose performance in Harare seemed to indicate that he is not yetready for Test cricket.In another change, Craig Wishart had the predictability of the selectorsconfirmed when he found that, yet again, one bad Test has cost him hisplace. Carlisle, injured against West Indies, replaced him in theZimbabwean team. South Africa have kept their winning side.