All posts by csb10.top

The return of Shaun Pollock to Warwickshire after the Morocco Cup saw the South African captain demolish Somerset with both bat and ball. After taking 4-36 in his nine overs Pollock went on to score an undefeated 43 to see his team home by eight wickets in this 45-over match.Earlier in the week Warwickshire drew with Somerset in the 4-day version with Neil Carter putting on an undefeated 42 run partnership for the last wicket denying Somerset the win. Carter scored 17 not out in the first innings and then took 4/46 before his 27 not out in the second innings.Kevin Pietersen has had a two week period in England that most cricketers can only dream of. Three hundreds in as many matches was added to when he scored 116 in a win against Gloucestershire. In the same match Greg Smith took 1/31 and 3/45.Pietersen, at an invitation from Nottinghamshire and Clive Rice, left South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal in 2001 after becoming disillusioned with the South African system. By way of his mother, Pietersen qualifies to play for England in 2004. He has committed himself fully to England only visiting South Africa on holiday.Hampshire was on the losing end with Nic Pothas scoring 58 and 24 and Neil Johnson scoring 15 and 32. The win sees Surrey move closer to winning the championship.For Andrew Gait (3 and 8), Sven Koenig (1 and 0) and Mark Davis (8 and 5*) it was not a good week.Across in the Lancashire League Martin van Jaarsveld scored 84 and 47 for Enfield who will have to settle for second place in the league after Bacup clinched the title.Andrew Hall continued his form with a 58 not out and a 32 with the bat and a 2/68 and 1/61 with the ball.Jacque Rudolph scored 30 while Andre Seymore’s run of fifties came to an end with a 14.Claude Henderson made a major impact on his debut taking 7/42 but only scoring two.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped a bombshell Saturday when former captains Saeed Anwar and Moin Khan were not considered worthy of a place in the two squads named for next week’s tour of Zimbabwe.PCB’s stance to ignore claims of world record-holders Moin and Saeed tantamount to great injustice to the two senior players who had given yeoman services to Pakistan. Why then, were these two asked to prove themselves in the farcical trial match 24 hours ago?PCB’s decisions to overlook these two great players is nothing short of disparaging as far as Moin and Saeed are concern.Wasim Bari, the chairman of dummy selection committee, gave unsatisfactory reasons at the press briefing in Lahore without caring so much for what Saeed had gone through over past 14 months with personal bereavement when his baby daughter died. “He lacked confidence and his fielding has also deteriorated.”In a match on Friday on his home turf, he batted t No 4 which also confirms our apprehensions,” Bari told the newsmen. “However, the curtain has not fallen on his career and he’ll be considered for selection in future.”Bari also clarified that Moin’s career is not over as yet. “We attached a youngster (Kamran Akmal) who could be groomed for future. We have maintained that policy this time also when Rashid Latif is the first choice wicket-keeper. The impression that Moin’s career is over is totally incorrect.”At the same time, the decision to pick Saleem Elahi and Shahid Afridi in both Test and one-day teams alongwith uncapped Kamran Akmal comes as a major surprise as are the inclusions of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Azhar Mahmood despite big question marks over their fitness.The selection of Kamran means the claims of a better wicket-keeper like Atiq-uz-Zaman were ignored.Waqar Younis, in a way, has succeeded in ensuring that he would not stand the presence of more than two senior players as long as he is captain.What was the wisdom of staging Friday’s trial match in Lahore and what was the criteria of team selection?Afridi, about whom Waqar himself has gone on record to say that he was not Test material, now finds a place in both squads. He was out for a duck in the trial game.The 22-year-old was flown out to Sharjah after Abdul Razzaq was sidelined by a fractured left wrist but then reported on the eve of final Test against Australia that he was unfit and overweight.One thought Saleem Elahi’s international career was over after a disappointing tour of England last year. But now, for the umpteenth time, he is back in favour inspite of the fact that he crawled to nine off 34 balls in the so-called trial fixture. It seems somebody up there likes him.Saleem went through a lean period last season where in 14 first-class matches accumulated 753 runs in 25 innings. PCB owes an explanation as to why Imran Farhat has been now cast aside.The left-hander, at 20 is six years younger than Saleem, played in the final Test in Sharjah where he enjoyed some success and should have been persisted on the less demanding trip to Zimbabwe.Bari defended recall of Saleem. “An extended run was given to all the youngsters. But after their failure to perform at the highest level, we reverted to the best opener available in domestic circuit.”Saleem Elahi happened to be that player. Besides, the skipper and the coach (Richard Pybus) also had confidence in his abilities. “As regards Imran Farhat the boy showed flashes of brilliance in the third Test against Australia but at the same time he showed that he needs sometime to mature,” the former Test wicket-keeper added.Bari failed to justify the omission of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who took three wickets in that trial game, from the Test squad. As things stand, Saqlain Mushtaq, the off-spinner, is the sole slow bowler retained.Inzamam’s return as vice-captain could back fire since he is handicapped by a heel injury which requires surgery. PCB has taken a huge gamble with the burly batsman by naming him in both one-day and Test teams.Inzamam has not featured in a Test since he made that colossal 329 against New Zealand at Lahore six months ago. On the one-day front, Inzamam had been something of a failure this year, scoring only 250 in 22 innings with two fifties.Azhar Mahmood is another diabolical selection. He pulled out of the trial game Thursday with a shoulder problem. He must have had made a remarkable recovery overnight to make the squad.Azhar’s gain is poor Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan’s loss. Naveed, an upcoming all-rounder, served as a drinks carrier against Australia. It’s a pity that an ideal opportunity to blood a young player has gone abegging.Taufiq Umar and Faisal Iqbal, who were certainties for Tests, are welcome addition in the one-day party. But Mohammad Sami’s exclusion from the limited-overs squad is rather harsh for the young fast bowler.Wasim Akram, the former skipper, as widely tipped, is considered only for the one-dayers and is now almost certain to end his illustrious career at the World Cup next year.Immediately after Zimbabwe’s tour, Pakistan are scheduled to play two more Tests and five further One-day Internationals in South Africa. Squads for that tour will be finalised during the Zimbabwe series.Squads:For Tests: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq, Taufiq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Saleem Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Hasan Raza, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Zahid and Saqlain Mushtaq.For One-day Internationals: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamamul-Haq (vice-captain), Taufiq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Saleem Elahi, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Rashid Latif, Kamran Akmal, Wasim Akram, Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Zahid, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq.Team officials: Brig Khawaja Mohammad Nasir (manager), Richard Pybus (coach), Sikander Bakht (team analyst), Dennis Waight (physiotherapist) and Riaz Ahmed (doctor).Itinerary:Nov 1: Leave for Harare via Johannesburg.Nov 4-6: v Zimbabwe ‘A’ (Harare).Nov 9-13: First Test (Harare).Nov 16-20: Second Test (Bulawayo).Nov 23: First One-day International (Bulawayo).Nov 24: Second One-day International (Bulawayo).Nov 27: Third One-day International (Harare).Nov 30: Fourth One-day International (Harare).Dec 1: Fifth One-day International (Harare).Dec 2: Leave for Johannesburg.

Pakistan have stuck largely with the tried and tested in a 16-man squad for what will effectively be their toughest assignment of the year so far, the tri-series in Bangladesh involving India as the third side.Disappointingly perhaps, of the many new faces trialled against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh earlier this year, only opener Nasir Jamshed and left-arm bowler Wahab Riaz find space on the plane to Dhaka.Promising youngsters, such as openers Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif, fast bowler Sohail Khan and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed have been left behind. The last three are on the reserves list and will instead form part of a camp in Lahore for a pool of players to be considered for the Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy later in the year. The trio, in particular Sohail, remain in contention for the Asia Cup, say the selectors..”It is the best available team and a well-balanced squad,” Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, told Cricinfo. “We are aiming for some continuity in selection and that shows with the selection of players such as Nasir Jamshed and Wahab Riaz.”The team was chosen after extensive discussions between the selection committee and Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain. The coach Geoff Lawson, however, wasn’t present, having not arrived in time from Sydney. Lawson has had, at times, a testy relationship with the selection committee and his absence, it is believed, has not gone down particularly well with the PCB.Though the squad was largely agreed upon, certain positions and players will be under the scanner during the tri-series, with the selectors keen to plan ahead for the Asia Cup and ICC Champions Trophy later in the year.It is learnt that Kamran Akmal will open the innings with Salman Butt, a combination that Malik has publicly backed. But it has also been made clear, according to one of the selectors, that this is the last chance for Akmal to make an impact as an opener and failure could mean ouster from the team.Shahid Afridi’s form with the bat will also come under scrutiny during the tournament, one source close to the meeting suggesting that the captain was keen on Mansoor Amjad replacing the veteran all-rounder.Bazid Khan, who made a fifty in his last ODI against Bangladesh is retained in the squad, as is Naumanullah, the middle-order batsman who made his debut against Bangladesh in the last ODI of the series in Karachi. Naumanullah has been among Pakistan’s leading domestic run-scorers in the last five seasons, though at 32, an international debut appeared to have passed him by. It was felt he deserved another chance, having batted lower down the order on his debut.Pakistan will be pleased that they can at least call on the services of their three premier fast bowlers in Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Asif, who has seemingly recovered from an injury to his bowling hand, sustained during the IPL.Pakistan squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam, Bazid Khan, Naumanullah

Anniversaries and important dates are always fondly remembered.Can anyone even remotely associated with Indian cricket forgetJune 25, for example? That was not just the day India made herdebut in Test cricket in 1932 but by happy coincidence also thedate of the greatest moment in Indian cricket ­ the World Cuptriumph – 51 years later and at the same ground to boot.

March 10 may not be as easily remembered as June 25, but that wasthe day two very significant triumphs were notched up. First, in1971, India registered her first ever victory against the WestIndies at Port of Spain. Fourteen years later to the day came theunexpected triumph in the World Championship of Cricket final atMelbourne.Indian cricket fans will also vividly recall August 24. Afterall, that was the day in 1971 when India registered her firstTest victory in England and with it claimed the rubber. Doesanyone remember the significance of March 7, 15 years ago? Afterjogging one’s memory for some time, perhaps cricket fans willrecall that was the day in 1987 when Sunil Gavaskar became thefirst batsman in Test cricket to cross the 10,000-run barrier.Old-timers will probably have an easier time recalling thesignificance of February 10, 1952, for that day saw Indiaregister her first victory in Test cricket, against England atMadras.Those over the age of 50 will perhaps remember with a glint intheir eye Christmas Eve in 1959, the day India registered one ofher most significant victories ­ the miracle at Kanpur againstthe redoubtable Australians led by Richie Benaud. More middleaged cricket-lovers on the other hand will probably never forgetthe significance of April 12, the date in 1976 that India scoredarguably their greatest ever Test victory, making 406 for fouragainst West Indies at Port of Spain.Also of considerable importance are January 15, 1962 ­ the dayIndia registered her first rubber victory over England at Madras­ and February 20, 1968 ­ the day India notched up her first winabroad, against New Zealand at Dunedin. There are some for whomMarch 6, 1971, is also a special date, being the date ofGavaskar’s Test debut; after all, many of the subsequent upswingsin the country’s cricketing fortunes can be traced back to thatdate. The newer generation of Indian cricket followers, Isuppose, will rate November 15, 1989, as significant, beingSachin Tendulkar’s first day in Test cricket. Not very far behindfor them will be February 8, 1994 ­ the day Kapil Dev took his432nd wicket and stood on the pinnacle all by himself.Unfortunately, in Indian cricket, not all anniversaries and datesare associated with memorable deeds or notable triumphs. Thesetbacks and reverses, the defeats and disasters associated withthe game in India are innumerable, and though one may not care toremember these, they cannot be ignored. For example, does anyoneremember the significance of June 24, 1974? Offhand, maybe not,but mention ‘Summer of 42’ and it will jog unhappy memories. Thatwas the day India were shot out for 42 at Lord’s to lose thesecond Test at Old Trafford by an innings and 285 runs, thesecond-heaviest margin of defeat in Indian cricket history. Longmay it remain India’s lowest total in Tests!And what about the significance of June 7, 1952? That was the daywhen, in a batting collapse of the first magnitude, India losttheir first four wickets without a run on the board. Playingagainst England at Leeds, India had started their second inningsmidway through the third day of the first Test only 41 runs inarrears. But in just 14 balls, Freddie Trueman and Alec Bedserhad swung the match irrevocably England’s way. Such was theimpact of the collapse that when a reporter of an evening dailyrang up the desk to give the latest score as a stop-press item,the story goes that the sub-editor, refusing to believe thescore, gave it as, “India in their second innings were four forno loss when reports last came in.”When the seamier aspects of Indian cricket are recalled, July 19,1952, will rank very high, but few will care to recall it, andmost certainly not the survivors of the Indian team that facedEngland at Old Trafford in the third Test of that one-sidedseries. For a Test side to be bowled out once in 58 overs orinside four hours is bad enough. But what can one say when a sideis bowled out TWICE in that time? And yet that was the sickeningexperience of the Indian team on that fateful day.It was the third morning of the match, and England over the firsttwo days had scored 292 for seven in between interruptions forrain and bad light. Resuming, England carried on till Len Huttonapplied closure at 347 for nine. What happened thereafter wasbeyond the belief of even the most cynical Indian cricketfollower. In just 21.4 overs, India were bundled out for 58,equalling their record lowest total registered against Australiaat Brisbane in November 1947. Trueman, striking terror in theIndian ranks, finished with eight for 31. Ten minutes later,India were following on, 289 runs behind.And in just 36.3 overs, they were dismissed in the course of thathideously unforgettable day for a second time for 82. This timethe damage was done by Bedser (5 for 27) and Tony Lock (4 for36), with Trueman being restricted to eight overs and one wicket.It remains the only time that a Test side has been bowled outtwice in a single day ­ an unwanted record that has unfortunatelystood for half a century.

Michael Slater’s much-touted return from the wilderness gave way to Tasmania’s much-touted tilt at a finals berth as the Tigers assumed early command of the Pura Cup match against New South Wales here in Hobart today.Slater inspired the visitors into producing a strong opening session, but things unravelled badly in the following two as paceman Shane Jurgensen (5/38) and rival captain Jamie Cox (58*) swung into action.By stumps, the Tasmanians – seeking an outright win that would all but guarantee them a finals berth – were powerfully placed at 1/126 in reply to their opponents’ 164.On a sunny day at the Bellerive Oval, the in-form home team was forced to wait longer than expected for its turn in the limelight as the bravado of Slater (50) and the rigour of opener Matthew Phelps (53) posed considerable annoyance.Slater’s first ball on his return, after axings from both his national and his state team, was helped to the fine leg boundary and his third was smeared to the rope at square leg. He had earlier shown a commendable sense of adventure in deciding that New South Wales would bat first upon winning the toss; now he constructed the innings of a player who looked at ease with the world.He played and missed at times, survived a big lbw appeal as he padded up at 13, and looped another ball over the head of gully from the shoulder of his bat. Yet his cover driving was as powerful as ever and he was never afraid to launch himself into extravagant strokes.Significantly, it was almost as soon as a quintessential Slater mixture of cracking attacking strokes and occasionally cracking miscues reached its end nine minutes after lunch that the game tilted dramatically Tasmania’s way.To the accompaniment of the strains of the jackhammers, drills and rivet guns helping to complete the last stages of their home ground’s redevelopment, the Tasmanians concluded Slater’s comeback innings with a crucial lbw decision. They then unglued the remainder of the New South Wales order with equally violent effect.Slater wasn’t pleased with the decision that terminated his 81-minute stay, backing a pace or two away to the leg side, crossing his legs and placing a hand defiantly on his hip as he stared back in the direction of umpire Gus Jones.Upon his downfall, his charges looked equally unhappy.Michael Clarke (7) promptly ballooned a catch into the leg side as he miscued a hook at Gerard Denton (2/41); Phil Jaques (0) was trapped in front of his stumps as David Saker (2/56) cut one back to beat a late-moving defensive stab; and debutant Vaughan Williams (4) edged a Jurgensen delivery to wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer as the remains of the Blues’ middle order were swept away.Nine wickets fell as only 67 runs were added in all in a dramatic collapse.To a ground still categorised by some as the home of run feasts, the Tasmanians had returned with an illustration of what has served as the bread and butter of their recent resurgence.Jurgensen claimed 4/14 in a defining six-over spell, snaring his first-ever five wicket haul in a first-class innings in the process. Denton was also impressive, working up consistent pace in his comeback to first-class cricket after 16 months out of the arena with a back injury. Saker and Damien Wright (1/22) also chipped in with important wickets, though the latter bowled within himself because of the lingering effects of a thigh injury.Cox later professed that it was far from the side’s best bowling performance of the season, especially on a pitch that offered variable bounce at each end all day.But, in contextual terms, it looked more than good enough as Tasmania began its reply. New ball bowlers Stuart Clark (1/38) and Don Nash (0/36) were unable to make an early break for the Blues and one of the Tigers’ few sizeable opening stands of the season ensued.Patient defence complemented strong cover driving and cutting from Cox himself in the midst of an invaluable unbeaten half-century.Though opening partner Scott Mason (41) endured an early struggle and played and missed on more than a fleeting basis at the Blues’ pace attack, his career-best score was a tribute to determination.It was a metaphor for Tasmania’s day.

The Norwich Union League season opened with what will quite possibly be regarded as the match of the season even when September 22nd is reached. The bare statistic says that Yorkshire Phoenix won by one run against Somerset Sabres. What that conceals is that the home side were chasing a target of 308. Centuries for Darren Lehmann and Matthew Wood for the Yorkshiremen looked to be enough, but a brave reply from the home batsmen featuring 99 from Jamie Cox and 79 from Ian Blackwell so nearly got them to the target. Elsewhere, there were wins for Warwickshire Bears, Leicestershire Foxes, Derbyshire Scorpions, Hampshire Hawks and Surrey Lions.Ian Bell might not have lived up to expectations since returning from the National Academy, hence his name was rubbed out from the Test side into which it had earlier been pencilled. Nevertheless, he reminded the selectors that he can still bat with an innings of 72 for Warwickshire Bears against Durham Dynamos at Chester-le-Street. The Bears reached 207 for 7 in their 45 overs, more than enough to secure victory as the Dynamos lacked the power to reach more than 163 for nine to lose by 44 runs.Trevor Ward and Darren Stevens both scored 91 as Leicestershire Foxes posted 283 for five against Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Grace Road. They put on 185 for the second wicket, and did not take long about it. Stevens took just 74 balls with ten fours and a six. Ward took a little longer, but hit 13 fours and a six in his 95 ball innings before Michael Bevan weighed in with a swift 42 not out. Usman Afzaal managed 63 to top score for the Outlaws, but there was not enough support to prevent the Foxes getting home by 32 runs.In Division Two, the Sussex Sharks batsmen never got going against the Derbyshire Scorpions at Derby. As the Sharks sunk to 166 for eight in their 45 overs, there were some pretty tidy bowling figures, with the pick of them being Graeme Welch’s 9-2-45-3, although Dominic Cork conceded just 20 runs from his nine overs and took a wicket. Michael Di Venuto led the Scorpions’ reply with 84 as his side reached the target with four wickets and three overs in hand.Nic Pothas was brought into the Hampshire Hawks side to add some international experience to the wicket-keeper/batsman role, and obliged with 53 not out against Gloucestershire Gladiators. Derek Kenway reached 50 as well. In reply, Dimitri Mascarenhas took five for 27 as the Hawks won by 46 runs, despite Craig Spearman’s innings of 82.They say lightening never strikes twice in the same place, but having lost in the championship on Saturday, Lancashire Lightening were devoured at The Oval 24 hours later by Surrey Lions. Martin Bicknell took five for 26 in his nine overs and there were five catches for Alec Stewart as the northerners were skittled for just 68. The Londoners managed to lose four wickets in reaching the target inside 12 overs.

For the first time in India an intriguing contest between left andright-handers gets underway in the Timex Challenge at the WankhedeStadium on Sunday. The teams appear to be closely matched but theleft-handers are a trifle top-heavy with batsmen. With just threebowlers and no specialist keeper there are definite chinks in theirarmour. One wonders why Delhi tearaway Ashish Nehra wasn’t invited toshare the new ball with Zaheer Khan. But then again one-day cricket,and especially a festival game of this nature, is unabashedly abatsman’s game.Left-handers are a hopeless minority, albeit a rather distinguishedone, in the game but in recent years their numbers have been creepingup steadily. There is something to be said for the grace and eleganceof left-handers, especially when they play the drive, and JackFingleton once floated the theory that many left-handers are actuallystronger in their right hand which is the top or guiding hand, andhence the rudder, when it comes to the drive. The classing of lefthanders is a difficult proposition since many of them do only certainskills with their left hand and others with the right. In Indiancricket left-handed bowlers are fairly common (both spinners and to alesser extent medium pacers) but left-handed batsmen have been at apremium. It is only lately that this historical imbalance is beingrighted.The first Indian lefthander was PE Palia who played in the country’sinaugural Test against England at Lord’s in 1932. Palia was primarilya middle order batsman who was also a left arm orthodox spinner, aftera fashion. But the honour of being India’s first specialist left armbowler went to Palia’s fellow Parsi, RJD Jamshedji at Bombay in1933/34. Indeed Jamshedji was India’s first specialist slow bowler,right or left. The bowlers poured forth steadily since, from VinooMankad downwards, but the batsmen dried up to a trickle. The longesthiatus was from 1978/79, when Surinder Amarnath played his last Testagainst Pakistan in Karachi, until 1987/88 when Woorkheri Ramandebuted against West Indies.If one could go back into time and pick an all time Indian eleven oflefthanders, what would it look like? It’s not easy to find eleven menwho both batted and bowled left handed, so the rules will be amendedto seek players who performed their core skill with the left hand.Here again, a difficulty arises about Vinoo Mankad who bowled lefthanded and batted right: which did he do better? Rather than debatethat ticklish point, the simpler option is to disqualify him.Saurav Ganguly who already lays claim, at 28 years of age, to beingIndia’s greatest lefthander ever, can be pencilled in right away atNo.1. Finding his partner is also not too complicated. Indeed,incredible as it may seem, just three lefthanders have opened thebatting for India in Test cricket: Nari Contractor, Woorkheri Ramanand Sadagopan Ramesh. Contractor made his debut at No.7 butleapfrogged to the opener’s spot in his very next game. An obduratebatsman who offered a reassuring presence upfront, he will lend acalming influence to the host of strokemakers to follow.Vinod Kambli follows at No.3. The dream start to his Test career (hebecame the fastest Indian to reach 1000 runs) soured as he wrestledwith the twin foibles of suspect technique and temperament. Droppedfor the England tour of 1996 on patently non-cricketing grounds,Kambli never seemed to recover from the resulting dent to hisconfidence. After several failed comebacks, he remains one of thebiggest enigmas in Indian cricket.Next in line is Ajit Wadekar. Leader of sides that won back-to-backseries in West Indies and England in 1971, his claim to being skipperis unrivalled. He had the frustrating inability to convert his fiftiesinto three figures, making just a solitary Test century in Wellington.Salim Durani, that ‘wayward genius’, is a cinch as the first allrounder in the team at No.5. As a crowd puller, he was perhapsunsurpassed and his uncanny knack of offering the spectators a six ondemand was legendary. His slow left arm stuff was perhaps underratedbut it was Durrani who delivered the crucial break for India in thePort of Spain Test of 1971 by dismissing Lloyd and Sobers in one over.Another surprising statistic is India’s inability to produce a singleleft-handed wicket keeper in its Test history. The shortage of such aspecies necessitates the selection of a nonspecialist keeper. GulMahomed who kept wickets in three tour games on the 1946 tour ofEngland deputising for DD Hindlekar is probably best suited to fit thebill. Besides being a pugnacious batsman – he had a half share in theworld partnership record of 577 with Vijay Hazare – Gul also displayedquicksilver reflexes in the field, which would doubtless serve in goodstead behind the wickets too.Following in his footsteps, I propose AG Ram Singh, perhaps the finestplayer never to don the flannels for India in an official Test. Itstill remains a mystery how he missed out on the 1936 tour of Englandafter a stellar role in the first two editions in the Ranji Trophy. Adangerous customer with both bat and ball, Ram Singh is succeeded by athird spinning all-rounder in Bapu Nadkarni. The meanest bowler of histime and perhaps of all time – Gary Sobers said he was the only bowlerhe ever saw who sprinted down the wicket to prevent a single after hisdelivery stride – Nadkarni was also good enough to strike one Testcentury.As for left arm seamers, India have had a fair share of them beginningwith Mumbai policeman Ghulam Mustafa Guard in 1958/59, down to ZaheerKhan. The two best were inarguably Rusi Surti and Karsan Ghavri, bothhandy batsmen to boot, the latter having the additional asset ofbowling left arm spin when required. With three left arm spinnersalready in the basket, the team is completed by a fourth, Bishen Bedithe only member of the XI to bat right handed; also the only playerwith minimal batting pretensions. The twelfth man could be EknathSolkar, one of the finest close-in catchers who played for India. Hisprehensile hands grabbed 53 catches in 27 Tests, averaging almost twoper match, one of the highest proportions in Test history.That then is the XI: Saurav Ganguly, Nari Contractor, Vinod Kambli,Ajit Wadekar (captain), Salim Durrani, Gul Mahomed (wicket keeper), AGRam Singh, Bapu Nadkarni, Rusi Surti, Karsan Ghavri and Bishen Bedi.12th man: Eknath Solkar.

As warmer temperatures returned to Brisbane, Queensland applied a blowtorch to Tasmania and decisively took controlof the 2001-02 Pura Cup Final between the teams here at the ‘Gabba today.Early ambitions of a second day recovery from the visitors proved short-lived as paceman Michael Kasprowicz (5/60)ripped through fragile batting to leave the Tasmanians in fearful trouble. They now lie a distant 186 runs behind overall withQueensland at 0/25 at stumps in its second innings.Tempers boiled back in the Tasmanian dressing room as at least one umpiring decision again proved a source of ire. Intruth, though, fiery pace bowling from Kasprowicz and a combustible middle order proved by far the biggest causes ofthe Tigers’ undoing.The former Test fast bowler was at his destructive best in the closing session of the day, orchestrating Tasmania’sdownfall in a whirlwind burst that saw the visitors’ last nine wickets come crashing down while just 78 runs were added.He made life difficult for almost all of the batsmen, teaming with Ashley Noffke (3/15) and Andrew Symonds (2/20) to stifle theinnings of most of the Tigers’ players in their infancy.It was a performance made all the more impressive by the fact that fellow new ball bowler Scott Brant joined thematch’s growing list of injury casualties when a side strain forced him from the field – and probably from the bowlingcrease for the remainder of the contest – after only four overs.Jamie Cox (14) was caught expertly, low down, as he cut to the head of two gullies; Michael Dighton (29) edged to slip;Scott Kremerskothen (10) flashed another catch to gully; and Gerard Denton (0) fanned at a leg cutter to be caughtbehind the wicket. Also among Kasprowicz’s victims was Michael Di Venuto (11) whose exit to a caught behinddecision delivered by umpire Simon Taufel left the Tasmanians more than mildly annoyed.”I’m exceptionally happy with that,” said Kasprowicz of his team’s performance.”For us to bowl Tasmania out (for such a low score) in a Final is just a great effort.”The ball swung around a little bit during most of the innings but essentially it’s a good, even-paced wicket.”We knew we just had to bowl good line, good length and keep all of the pressure on Tasmania.”In the end, Tasmania’s first innings total of 141 was not a notable improvement on its scores of 100 and 82 in themuch-discussed game between the teams on a much more capricious pitch earlier in the season.According to Cox, it was a surrender.”To lose eight wickets in a session is just unforgivable,” he remarked of his team’s capitulation during a disastrous80-minute burst after tea.”We didn’t cope at all. We just surrendered our wickets.”We’ve now got to be really good early tomorrow or the game’s over. We can’t afford to let them to get too far ahead;we’ve got one crack left.”Paceman Shane Jurgensen (5/68) had earlier bowled with great heart and discipline of his own to ignite a Queenslandslide that saw six wickets tumble for 49 in the morning session. The tall right armer quickly removed dangermanSymonds (91) to cut short his 155-run, fifth wicket union with Queensland captain Stuart Law (69), offering the visitors awindow of opportunity as they attempted to fight their way back into the match.But the walls quickly came crashing in again around the Tigers.In the end, their early revival was no more than a prelude to a demonstration of the reasons that Queensland is so hardto beat at this time of year and why it is now within a whisker of a fifth title in eight years.Kasprowicz and company had turned the teams’ denouement into something akin to a demolition.

Scorecard
Manoj Tiwary’s occasional legbreaks got the crucial wicket of Parthiv Patel just before stumps•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bengal closed in on their first outright win of the season through a nine-over burst between their declaration and stumps to remove all three Patels. Both their opening bowlers struck once each, their captain Manoj Tiwary celebrated his 191 earlier in the day with the scalp of his opposite number, and Gujarat’s last six were left to erase the deficit of 248 runs to avoid an innings defeat.Tiwary began the day at 102 not out, and Bengal were 40 runs behind Gujarat’s 260. With Anustup Majumdar, Tiwary took Bengal into lead, and with Laxmi Shukla he piled on the misery for Gujarat. Shukla scored 113 off 117 to give Bengal a total they would feel safe with.Given nine overs to survive before stumps, Gujarat faltered. Priyank Panchal was run out in the second over, Niraj Patel fell to Ashok Dinda in the third, and Smit Patel was bowled by Sourav Sarkar in the fourth. Just before stumps, Tiwary accounted for the most important Patel, Parthiv, getting him to edge to Wriddhiman Saha.
Scorecard
The highlight of a shortened day in Bhubaneswar was that Railways managed to get Uday Kaul out for the first time this season. Otherwise, Punjab, who had taken a lead on day two, couldn’t find a way through Railways’ batting a second time around, and the match headed towards a draw.Uday added four to his overnight 96 before he fell to Sanjay Bangar, but Punjab managed a lead of 109. Amit Paunikar responded with an unbeaten century, but that only took the match towards a draw. However, if Railways manage the draw, they will take away one point from the game.The concern for Punjab was that Manpreet Gony bowled only 3.5 overs.
Scorecard
Saurashtra, who had taken a lead on day two, surprised observers by not asking Hyderabad to bat for what could have been a tricky period before stumps. Saurashtra already had a lead of 344, and Hyderabad, a fragile line-up, are missing VVS Laxman in this match.Their approach on the third day, though, was surprising. They batted out the whole 90 overs for just 270 runs. Sagar Jogiyani scored 69 off 195. While wanting to secure the match might have been behind their go-slow in the morning, it was hard to find reasons for not declaring, especially after Jaydev Shah’s 55 off 67 balls had provided them momentum.
Scorecard
In another match headed towards a draw, Madhya Pradesh’s Naman Ojha struck a century after Ishwar Pandey finished his second five-for. However, Rajasthan all but ensured three points despite a solid second-innings response from MP.Rajasthan began the day at 306 for 6, and batted 26.4 overs for just 73 runs. When they were eventually bowled out for a lead of 123 runs, the only possibility of a result was if Rajasthan could bowl MP out. That didn’t happen, and the teams were headed towards a drab final day.

If Border claim a place in the final of the Supersport Series, then Friday in Bloemfontein might just be the day they gave themselves the chance.By stumps they had moved into a sizeable 162-run lead with eight secondinnings wickets in hand, after bowling their opponents Free State out forjust 225.The Free State total was dominated by the efforts of Andrew Gait, theopener’s 112 his highest score in first-class cricket and just his secondhundred. It could have ended so much earlier though, as the young batsmanappeared to be the recipient of a healthy dose of good fortune when on just24.It was then that he aimed a pull shot at Tyron Henderson and he – andjust about everyone else – turned to see the ball climbing high into thesky. It was only when the ball landed safely that ‘keeper Ian Mitchellindicated that the wicket had been broken. Surely Gait had to go, hitwicket?But doubt there was, and instead of Gait lengthening his stride back tothe pavilion, he took up guard once more with the blessing of the umpires.Quite what Border made of it all was less clear. Certainly in the days oftelevision replays, Gait might not have been so lucky.What would have improved the Border spirits was the clatter of FreeState wickets, eight of them for just 13 runs, as the home side stumbledfrom 109-2 to 122-6 shortly after lunch. Despite the efforts of Gait andRashied Lewis, 225 still represented a serious deficit.That much was rammed home by some fine batting from Craig Sugden as hehelped the Bears into what should be an impregnable position by the close.