All posts by csb10.top

It’s D-Day for Calmore Sports in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League, Division 1 survival battle.They must beat Andover in their last 50-over match of the season at London Road tomorrow (1 o’clock) if they are to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.But, if survival is to be achieved, they need last year’s champions, Havant to beat Portsmouth at St Helen’s, Southsea."It’s what we do that counts," Calmore skipper Tom Pegler will remind his players before the start of play."We’ve got to build on last week’s top performance against Portsmouth (which Calmore won by a massive 162-run margin) and go out and win at Andover."No other result will do," he emphasised.But Pegler, who admits to being "very nervous" about tomorrow’s match, believes Calmore can do it."The lads showed last week what they can do. Andover are a useful side, but they’ve nothing to play for. We have – our future in Premier League cricket," Pegler said.Hampshire 2nd XI all-rounder James Hibberd, Paul Cass, seamer Charlie Freeston and Pegler himself will be the key players for Calmore, who have availability doubts over John Wall and left-arm spinner Mark Boston.Andover, seventh in the overall table, plan to field the side beaten by five runs by the Hampshire Academy last week.Calmore’s neighbours, BAT Sports will be formally presented with the Premier League championship trophy before the match with South Wilts at Southern Gardens.But left-hand opener Damian Shirazi will probably be on MCC Groundstaff duty at the C & G Trophy final at Lord’s.It’s a big day for his batting partner Neal Parlane, who needs another 52 runs to beat Robin Smith’s all-time Southern League 1,015 record, set in 1982.Parlane will receive his Premier League Batsman of the Year award prior to tomorrow’s match.But, even if BAT win, there’s no guarantee they will finish top of the 50-over Pennant as Bournemouth currently boast the best record after eight (of the nine) limited-over matches.Victory for Bournemouth over Liphook & Ripsley at Chapel Gate will give Richard Scott’s side the prize.Scott captains Bournemouth instead of Farnham-bound Matt Swarbrick and will have Dorset skipper Stuart Rintoul at his side.It’s a crucial day for Bournemouth, whose 2nd XI will clinch promotion to Premier Division 3 if they win – and take a decent point haul – from their final Hampshire League game with mid-table Eastleigh & Otterbourne at Wellow & Plaitford.Bashley (Rydal) must beat the Hampshire Academy at the BCG to finish third in Premier Division 1.They might have edged ahead of the county youngsters but for a 203-runs each tie against South Wilts last week.Second XI captain Graham Pardey, who has scored almost 500 Division 3 runs this summer, is set to replace Chris Sketchley.

Division OneLeicestershire v Essex, Leicester
ScorecardOnly 23.1 overs were possible on the second day at Grace Road, by the end ofwhich Leicestershire had crept to within three runs of Essex’s first-innings188 for the loss of seven wickets. Darren Stevens top-scored with 65, whichincluded 11 fours. The main man with the ball was big Jon Dakin, a formerLeicestershire player himself, who took 4 for 54.Surrey v Warwickshire, The Oval
ScorecardAn hour and a half before the close at The Oval, last year’s championsSurrey were up against it, struggling at 121 for 4 in reply toWarwickshire’s imposing 413. But then came Adam Hollioake, fresh fromreceiving a leatherbound Wisden on Tuesday night as one of the famous FiveCricketers of the Year. While Alec Stewart nurdled his way to 27 not out,Hollioake blasted 88 in 87 balls, with 13 fours and a six. Unsurprisingly,he lived rather dangerously – Tony Frost missed a stumping when he had 49,and he was also dropped at 62. Surrey finished the second day at 237 for 4 -still 176 behind but breathing a lot more easily. Earlier Mark Wagh took hisovernight 91 to a fluent 136, which included a last-wicket stand of 70 withAlan Richardson (20*).Sussex v Kent, Hove
ScorecardSussex took the upper hand as wickets continued to tumble at Hove. Therewere 13 yesterday, and 16 more today, as Sussex moved to what should prove adecisive lead of 274 (mind you, we thought that in Sussex’s last match,which they ended up losing by three wickets to Middlesex). There was a lateflurry at the end of the second day, as Sussex declined from 166 for 4 to174 for 9, with top-scorer Murray Goodwin falling for 96 to the last ball ofthe day, one of three victims for the young offspinner James Tredwell.Earlier Kent stumbled to 185 all out – five men passed 20, but the top scorewas Greg Blewett’s 41 – conceding a lead of 94. James Kirtley and MushtaqAhmed grabbed three wickets apiece.Division TwoDerbyshire v Somerset, Derby
ScorecardSomerset took control at Derby, powering to a first-innings lead of 207after amassing 397. Jamie Cox, their former captain, weighed in with 126,with 15 fours, while Marcus Trescothick hinted at a return to form with 69.There were also 58 extras. Dominic Cork worked his way through the middleorder, ending up with 5 for 74 from 37 overs, but received precious littlesupport at the other end. Derbyshire started their second-innings brightly,ending the day at 38 for 0 from only six overs.Durham v Gloucestershire, Chester-le-Street
ScorecardDurham were struggling to avoid the follow-on by the end of the second dayat the Riverside, finishing on 128 for 7 in response to Gloucestershire’s341, which included 65 from Jack Russell, who put on 65 for the last wicketwith Mike Smith (17*). Durham were soon in trouble, slumping to 5 for 3 asGary Pratt and Vince Wells (first ball) both collected ducks. The captainJon Lewis, with a three-hour 54, and Nicky Peng (37) steadied the ship byadding 75, but two wickets from Mark Alleyne and two more for Smith, whofinished with 3 for 32, made it Gloucestershire’s day.Hampshire v Yorkshire, Southampton
ScorecardYorkshire took charge at the Rose Bowl, ending up 141 runs ahead after bowling Hampshire out for 175 … and even that was something of a recovery from 64 for 6. The wickets were shared around, with Steve Kirby returning the best figures of 3 for 19, including the important scalp of Robin Smith for 30. Nic Pothas, who has started the season well, top-scored with 44 not out. Earlier Yorkshire extended their overnight 174 for 7 to 293, mainly thanks to an eighth-wicket partnership of 126 between Michael Lumb, who ended up with an unbeaten 115, and Darren Gough, who spanked 72 from only 97 balls, with eight fours and three sixes.Worcestershire v Northants, Worcester
ScorecardOnly 32 overs were possible at New Road, during which Northants added 88 forthe loss of two wickets to finish up only 40 behind Worcestershire’sdisappointing 236. Mike Hussey was out for 45, and Jeff Cook made only 2,but Phil Jaques – a left-hander from Brett Lee’s home town of Wollongong inNew South Wales – romped to 86 not out by the close, with 14 fours and asix, and seems set for a maiden first-class century tomorrow.

ANDY BLIGNAUT: RECORD IN ALL FIRST-CLASS CRICKETArnoldus Mauritius Blignaut – born Harare, 1 August 1978
Right-handed batsman, right-arm fast-medium bowler<br<Career: 1997/98-2001/02

Abbreviations: Capital letters for team namesdenotes a Test match.Man – ManicalandMash – Mashonaland * indicates not out inningsMat – Matabeleland + indicates wicket-keeperMCD – Mashonaland Country Districts *+ retired hurt/illMid – Midlands # batted firstZim – Zimbabwe/ZimbabweansGrounds:Alex – Alexandra Sports Club OG – Old Georgians Sports ClubBAC – Bulawayo Athletic Club OH – Old Hararians Sports ClubHSC – Harare Sports ClubNo. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total1 Mashonaland A v Mashonaland (7) 5 #181 – (1) 32 4 140 3 485/8d(Harare South, 28 Aug – lost) (7) 0 1582 Mashonaland v New Zealanders (10) 3* 351 – (2) 10 1 30 1 #174(Alex, 13 Sept – drawn) 1 (6) 9 0 40 1 336/53 Mashonaland A v Matabeleland (10) 10 #312 1 (4) 16 4 39 1 300/7d(BAC, 23 Oct – drawn) — 279/5d – (2) 12 2 56 3 277/91997/98 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 4 1 18 10 6.00 – – 2 79 10 305 9 33.88 3/56 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1998/99 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total4 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (9) 8 #243 1 (2) 18 3 69 2 232(BAC, 5 Jan – D) — 333/2d 1 (1) 16 1 60 0 278/65 Zimbabwe A v England A (7) 6 #160 – (3) 9 4 30 2 192(Alex, 2 Feb – D) — 20/16 Zimbabwe A v England A (7) 58 223 1 (1) 20 4 62 0 #383(Queens, 9 Feb – L) (7) 0 277 – (2) 5 2 31 0 310/6dM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 4 0 72 58 18.00 – 1 3 68 14 252 4 63.00 2/30 – -Career 6 8 1 90 58 12.85 – 1 5 147 24 557 13 42.84 3/56 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (West Indies) bat Score Total bowl TotalAndy missed most of the Zimbabwe domestic season through injury, but wasselected for the country’s first tour of West Indies. He played in one ODI.7 Zimbabweans v President’s XI (8) 9 394 – (3) 12 2 42 1 #349(Pointe-a-P, 10 March – D) – (3) 14 0 83 0 4178 Zimbabweans v West Indies XI — 170/4 1 (2) 25 7 46 4 $257(St George’s, 8 April – D)1999/2000 (WEST INDIES) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 1 0 9 9 9.00 – – 1 51 9 171 5 34.20 4/46 – -Career 8 9 1 99 58 12.37 – 1 6 198 33 728 18 40.44 4/46 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (Sri Lanka) bat Score Total bowl TotalAndy was dogged by a minor injury that prevented him from bowling much.9 Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A (7) 93 #306 2 (1) 5 0 18 0 474(Kurunegala, 24 April – D) (8) 1 174/810 Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A (6) 34 221 – (1) 12 1 54 0 #431/8d(Galle, 5 May – L) (8) 7 7611 Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A (8) 27 #126 – — 244(Matara, 11 May – L) (6) 13 972000 (SRI LANKA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 6 0 175 93 29.16 – 1 2 17 1 72 0 –Career 11 15 1 274 93 19.57 – 2 8 215 34 800 18 44.44 4/46 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2000/01 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total12 Mashonaland A v Matabeleland — — – (3) 10 3 13 1 #128/8d(Alex, 16 Feb – D)13 Mashonaland A v Mashonaland — forfeit – (3) 11.5 0 44 4 #171(HSC, 2 March – L) 15 122 – (3) 4 0 19 1 66/5d14 Mashonaland A v CFX Academy (7) 22 359 1 (3) 12 3 26 3 #207(Alex, 9 March – W) – (2) 7 2 13 1 13715 Mashonaland A v Midlands (6) 17 #248 1 (3) 9 4 21 0 175(Kwekwe, 23 March – D) (6) 39 263/5d 1 (3) 18 8 44 1 274/916 Mashonaland A v Manicaland (6) 24 #325 – (2) 11 6 12 1 244(Mutare, 30 March – W) (6) 18 225/9d – (1) 5 0 21 0 23217 ZIMBABWE v BANGLADESH (1st) (8) 0 457 1 (2) 23.3 5 73 5 #257(Queens, 19 April – W) 1 (2) 13.3 4 37 3 16818 ZIMBABWE v BANGLADESH (2nd) (8) 15 421/9d 1 (1) 27 6 67 – #254(HSC, 26 April – W) — 100/2 1 (3) 15 6 27 0 26619 ZIMBABWE v INDIA (1st) (8) 0 #173 – (3) 16 2 68 2 318(Queens, 7 June – L) (9) 32* 328 – (2) 12 3 25 1 184/220 ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd) (8) 35 315 3 (4) 20 1 84 1 #237(HSC, 15 June – W) (7) 16 157/6 – (2) 31.5 14 74 5 23421 ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES (1st) (8) 21 #155 1 (2) 30 6 116 0 559/6d(Queens, 19 July – L) (8) 9 228 -22 ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES (2nd) (8) 0 #131 – (3) 16 2 92 2 347(HSC, 27 July – D) (8) 92 563/9d – (2) 8 3 24 0 98/1M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM11 16 1 355 92 23.66 – 1 11 300.4 78 900 31 29.03 5/73 2 -Career 22 31 2 629 93 21.68 – 3 19 515.4 112 1700 49 34.69 5/73 2 -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2001/02 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl TotalDue partly to injury but mainly through disputes with the administrators,Andy did not appear during the 2001/02 season.RECORD SEASON BY SEASONM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1997/98(Z) 3 4 1 18 10 6.00 – – 2 79 10 305 9 33.88 3/56 – -1998/99(Z) 3 4 0 72 58 18.00 – 1 3 68 14 252 4 63.00 2/30 – -1999/00(Z) -1999/00(WI) 2 1 0 9 9 9.00 – – 1 51 9 171 5 34.20 4/46 – -1999/00(SL) 3 6 0 175 93 29.16 – 1 2 17 1 72 0 –2000/01(Z) 11 16 1 355 92 23.66 – 1 11 300.4 78 900 31 29.03 5/73 2 -2001/02(Z) -22 31 2 629 93 21.68 – 3 19 515.4 112 1700 49 34.69 5/73 2 -RECORD IN EACH COUNTRYM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMZimbabwe 17 24 2 445 92 20.22 – 2 16 447.4 102 1457 44 33.11 5/73 2 -England -Australia -South Africa -West Indies 2 1 0 9 9 9.00 – – 1 51 9 171 5 34.20 4/46 – -New Zealand -India -Pakistan -Sri Lanka 3 6 0 175 93 29.16 – 1 2 17 1 72 0 –Bangladesh -Kenya -22 31 2 629 93 21.68 – 3 19 515.4 112 1700 49 34.69 5/73 2 -RECORD ON ZIMBABWEAN GROUNDSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMAlexandra 4 3 1 31 22 15.50 – – 2 57 13 152 9 16.88 3/26 – -Bulawayo AC 2 2 0 18 10 9.00 – – 3 62 9 224 6 37.33 3/56 – -Harare South 1 2 0 5 5 2.50 – – – 32 4 140 3 46.66 3/140 – -Harare SC 4 6 0 173 92 28.83 – 1 5 133 32 431 13 33.15 5/74 1 -Kwekwe 1 2 0 56 39 28.00 – – 2 27 12 65 1 65.00 1/44 – -Mutare 1 2 0 42 24 21.00 – – – 16 6 33 1 33.00 1/12 – -Queens SC 4 7 1 120 58 20.00 – 1 4 120 26 412 11 37.45 5/73 1 -17 24 2 445 92 20.22 – 2 16 447.4 102 1457 44 33.11 5/73 2 -LOGAN CUP RECORDM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMFor Mashonaland A:1997/98 2 3 0 15 10 5.00 – – 1 60 9 235 7 33.57 3/56 – -For Mashonaland:1998/99 1 1 0 8 8 8.00 – – 2 34 4 129 2 64.00 2/69 – -1999/2000 -For Mashonaland A (continued)2000/01 5 6 0 135 39 22.50 – – 3 87.5 26 213 12 17.75 4/44 – -2001/02 -Total: 7 9 0 150 39 16.66 – – 4 147.5 35 448 19 23.57 4/44 – -TOTAL: 8 10 0 158 39 15.80 – – 6 181.5 39 577 21 27.47 4/44 – -RECORD AGAINST OTHER LOGAN CUP TEAMSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMFor Mashonaland A:CFX Academy 1 1 0 22 22 22.00 – – 1 19 5 39 4 9.75 3/26 – -Manicaland 1 2 0 42 24 21.00 – – – 16 6 33 1 33.00 1/12 – -Mashonaland 2 3 0 20 15 6.66 – – – 47.5 4 203 8 25.37 4/44 – -Matabeleland 2 1 0 10 10 10.00 – – 1 38 8 108 5 21.60 3/56 – -Midlands 1 2 0 56 39 28.00 – – 2 27 12 65 1 65.00 1/44 – -Total: 7 9 0 150 39 16.66 – – 4 147.5 35 448 19 23.57 4/44 – -For Mashonaland:Matabeleland 1 1 0 8 8 8.00 – – 2 34 4 129 2 64.00 2/69 – -HIGHEST SCORE93 Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A Kurunegala 1999/2000Highest in Zimbabwe:92 ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01TWO FIFTIES IN A MATCHNo instances.MOST RUNS IN A MATCH94 (3 and 1) Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A Kurunegala 1999/2000`PAIRS’No instances.FIVE WICKETS IN AN INNINGS1 5/73 (23.3-5-73-5) ZIMBABWE v BANGLADESH (1st Test) Queens Sports Club 2000/012 5/74 (31.5-14-74-5) ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01BEST MATCH FIGURES8/110 (37-9-110-8) ZIMBABWE v BANGLADESH (1st Test) Queens Sports Club 2000/01MATCH DOUBLE OF 100 RUNS AND FIVE WICKETSNo instances. Best:51 runs (35 & 16) and 6 wkts (1/84 & 5/74), ZIMBABWE v INDIA, at Harare Sports Club, 2000/01MOST OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS32 (32-4-140-3) Mashonaland A v Mashonaland Harare South CC 1997/9831.5 (31.5-14-74-5) ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01MOST OVERS BOWLED IN A MATCH51.5 (51.5-15-158-6) ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN AN INNINGS140 (32-4-140-3) Mashonaland A v Mashonaland Harare South CC 1997/98116 (30-6-116-0) ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES (1st Test) Queens Sports Club 2000/01MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN A MATCH158 (51.5-15-158-6) ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01MOST MAIDEN OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS14 (31.5-14-74-5) ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BATSMANbowled 4 13.79lbw 4 13.79caught 11 37.94caught by wicketkeeper 3 10.34caught and bowled 3 10.34stumped 2 6.90run out 2 6.90TOTAL 29 100.00%DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BOWLERbowled 9 18.37lbw 1 2.04caught 23 46.94caught by wicket-keeper 14 28.57caught and bowled 2 4.08TOTAL 49 100.00%THREE OR MORE CATCHES IN AN INNINGS3 ZIMBABWE v INDIA (2nd Test) Harare Sports Club 2000/01FOUR OR MORE CATCHES IN A MATCHNo instances. Best 3, as above.

The national one-day tournament will be played between March 8 and April 7 with 28 teams to compete for top honours.The teams will be equally divided into four groups with top two teams from each group qualifying for the final rounds. The semifinals and the final will be played under lights.Only three matches have been slated as day/night fixtures despite the fact that three stadia are equipped with floodlight facilities. Furthermore, the stadia have hosted private day/night matches as well as musical concerts. But when it has come to hosting domestic one-day matches, the officials claim they don’t have the funds.It is an irony that since floodlights were installed at Karachi and Rawalpindi in 2000, only two one-day matches involving Pakistan and England have been played.The lights at Gaddafi Stadium have also not been properly utilized.Officials said smaller cities, preferably the participating association, will host preliminary round matches. “To curtail expenses of the associations, preliminary round matches have been awarded to competing association.”The officials argued that the change has been made after Pakistan Railways lifted their 50 percent waiver for sportsmen. That’s besides the point that the associations are so cash strapped that they can not afford their players travelling. It may also be pointed out here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gives a Rs 6,000 daily allowance to each team during its organized tournaments.Officials said the format and draws of the competition have been sent to the PCB chairman for approval.It will be after a long time that 18 associations and 10 departmental teams will compete in the one-day tournament.Invited teams are:Associations: Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Karachi Blues, Karachi Whites, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Bahawalpur, Gujran-wala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Rest of Sindh, Rest of Punjab, Rest of NWFP, Rest of Balochistan.Departments: PIA, HBL, NBP, ABL, KRL, Customs, Wapda, Sui Gas and Pak PWD.

LAHORE – As expected, the fresh set of national selectors along with Rashid Latif and Yousuf Youhana, the newly-appointed captain and vice-captain, have gone for a 16-member squad for the Sharjah Cup, so distinctly different from the one that only recently crashed out of the World Cup without a whimper.Despite the outbreak of war in the region, the tournament, which also involves Sri Lanka and South Africa other than Pakistan, was still on, according to latest reports available to the PCB.Though anticipated that some of the seniors would not be called for national duty, when chief selector Aamer Sohail announced the squad, eight out of the 15 that went to South Africa stood dropped. Though Abdul Razzaq and Saleem Elahi managed to survive, but only just and, as Sohail divulged, that too because of the intervention of skipper Latif.Those who have hit the sack are: Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar and Azhar Mahmood. Some of these, though, have merely been rested, insisted Sohail.They are likely to make a comeback once their hunger for the game is renewed after a spell away from the game, said Sohail. “I think there is a good three years of cricket left in Inzamam; he is an asset and should not be written off”.Desperate times, as the saying goes, require desperate measures. And, these certainly are desperate times for Pakistan cricket, but in naming this hugely green outfit, have the selectors gone for overkill?Aamer insisted that they had not, and that it was not reckless changing and chopping just for the heck of it. “Our brief is well defined. The team needs to be rebuilt. Hence, we have given an opportunity to those who deserved to fill slots vacated by some of the seniors. The captain has been part of the process of selection, as he would always be from now on. His recommendations have been catered for, and he would be provided total support,” said the chief selector about the first set of selections made by his five-member committee.Rashid for his part insisted that the sacking was a bitter pill, which had to be swallowed because of the necessity to rebuild the national team. “Some of these boys replacing the likes of Akram and Younis are unknown figures. But maybe soon they too would be household names. They certainly have the potential to strike it big”, said Rashid.Sohail echoed similar sentiments when he said, that given a proper opportunity and guidance this young but talented side had the potential to deliver the goods.Captaining Pakistan at this critical juncture was something that he had accepted as a challenge, said Rashid, adding that he had to shelve post-World Cup retirement plans because the team needed him. “That is why for the moment, I’ve extended my career for a year”, said he, mentioning that he was physically fit at the moment, though still undecided whether he wanted to play Test cricket as well (he had already announced his retirement from the longer version of the game even before he embarked on the plane for the World Cup).”I take it upon myself as a responsibility to groom a wicket-keeper for the future”, said he, suggesting that he may either sit out some or induct himself only as a batsman in Tests. At one point, gesturing towards Youhana sitting on his right, Rashid said that maybe the former would be captaining the Pakistan team in not too distant a future.Though masked with considerable degree of success, more than a hint of desperation was quite visible on the brows of the chief selector and captain. Patience was the buzz word with the duo, as a nervous-looking Youhana sat there in silence.When asked whether they would revert back to the seniors after another setback or two – the fate of all previous attempts at rebuilding in recent years – Sohail said that people would have to be patient and allow this young brigade time to settle down in the international arena.On the part of the selection committee, Aamer assured that there would be no backtracking. “We are looking ahead, towards tomorrow and not yesterday. The emphasis of this committee would be on continuity, and I assure you that we would not insult our own intelligence by selecting a player and then dropping him without a proper outing”, said Sohail.Quite unprompted, Sohail made an interesting comment. When talking about the virtues of this young outfit, he repeatedly stressed on Latif being the only captain in the side. This ‘not-so-vague’ hint gave away the fact that the previous squad had more than what could only be called jostling for power by various factions because it had a surfeit of former captains who wanted another turn at the saddle.To reinforce the argument, Aamer quoted the Aussie example. “The Australians have been the most successful side of the 1990s, and they have had only one captain in their elevens”.The 16-member squad: Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Naved Latif, Saleem Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Rashid Latif, Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Zahid, Umar Gul, Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq.

Taking advantage of a fine first-innings batting effort, Baroda wontheir Ranji Trophy league match against Saurashtra at Rajkot by aninnings and 184 runs inside three days.Skipper Tushar Arothe’s century was superseded by a patient 164 fromNayan Mongia. Batting for 453 minutes and 281 balls, Mongia struck 15fours in his knock and was the ninth wicket to fall, with the score onexactly 500. He received good support from the lower order, with AjitBhoite making 51 and Rakesh Patel a quickfire 41.In the face of a total of 509, Saurashtra’s batting wilted in theirfirst innings. Zaheer Khan, bowling to catch the national selectors’eye again, returned figures of 20-11-25-5. Saurashtra could only make115 in their first innings, with the top score being skipper ShitanshuKotak’s 28 off 141 balls.Following on, Saurashtra did only marginally better in their secondessay, making 210. Opener Sujith Somasunder top-scored with 57, butnone of the other batsmen could even get to 50. Bhoite took 4-31 inthe second innings, and Baroda went on to collect eight points byvirtue of their comprehensive outright win.

Former captain Moin Khan was held back hours after being told to rushto Bangladesh as cover-up for wicketkeeper Rashid Latif.The chairman of selectors Wasim Bari admitted Tuesday that the tourmanagement had sent out an SOS. “But after we chose Moin, the teammanagement called from Chittagong and said Rashid was fit to completethe tour,” he told reporters.Moin, whose last appearance was as captain in March, was booked on5.30am flight to Dhaka Wednesday so that he could make himselfavailable for back-to-back matches.Earlier in the day, director of the PCB Brig Munawwar Rana said Moinwould replace Rashid whose exact nature of injury was unknown. “We arenot sure what his injury is. We received an SOS from Dhaka Tuesdaymorning.”Rashid is returning on the first available flight. We also want togive him proper rest before the series against the West Indies,” hesaid.The chairman of the PCB Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said: “The tour managementwanted a replacement. But after we saw Rashid Latif keeping wickets,we inquired what the injury was, as he looked fit. We haven’t heardfrom them as yet.” However, the General denied that a group of seniorplayers were against Moin’s inclusion. “That’s not true. In fact, theplayers like Moin and want him in the team.”Pakistan team returns from Dhaka on Jan 26 and leave for Sharjah on 28where the first Test begins Jan 31. The series ends on Feb 17 with thethird one-day international.Moin has appeared in 190 one-day internationals, 34 as captain,scoring 2,853 runs with nine half centuries. He has played in 65Tests, 13 as captain, aggregating 2,493 runs with three centuries and15 half centuries besides accounting for 138 batsmen behind thewickets.

All Today’s Yesterdays – July 5 down the years1929
Birth of a left-arm spinner whose career makes Phil Tufnell’s look boring. With Tony Lock you got a bit of everything, and he belonged on the front page. There was a chucking rumpus – he was no-balled in the Jamaica Test in 1953-54 – a fiery nature which would have better suited the quickest of bowlers, some spectacular and fearless work at short leg, and, later on, a charge of indecent assault of young girls he was coaching in Australia. Most of all, though, there was a famous partnership for Surrey and England with Jim Laker. Lock is often remembered for taking only one wicket at Old Trafford in 1956, while Laker took 19. Lock’s finest Ashes moment came three years earlier, when he took 5 for 45 in the second innings of England’s Ashes-regaining victory at The Oval. Lock’s action continued to court controversy – Doug Insole once asked if he’d been run out after being bowled by Lock’s quicker ball – but he eventually remodelled his action successfully, after being astounded when he saw himself on film. He is one of only five men to be stuck tantalisingly on 49 Test caps. Lock settled in Perth, and captained Western Australia with panache for a while. He died in 1995.1954
A genial Kiwi is born. John Wright’s style of batting – he had most of the shots; he just often chose not to use them – is pretty archaic nowadays, but he was a key part of New Zealand’s coming-of-age as a Test nation in the 1970s and ’80S. In his first Test innings, at Wellington in 1977-78, he batted six hours for 55 – a vital innings in the Kiwis’ first victory over England at the 48th attempt. Nine of his 12 Test hundreds came in draws. That should have been 10 in 13, but having been stuck on 99 for 23 minutes, Wright charged Phil Tufnell at Christchurch in 1991-92 and was stumped to spark a massive collapse. Wright averaged 61 against India, who he now coaches and led to one of the more famous Test series victories, over Australia in 2000-01.2001
A delirious start to an Ashes series. Once upon a time, the first day of the first Test between England and Australia would be a cagey affair – Australia closed on 207 for 3 in 1989 – but times have changed, and here there were 427 runs and 12 wickets in 90 extraordinary overs. Pick of the day was Alec Stewart and Andy Caddick’s feverish slog. They added 103 for the tenth wicket in the blink of an eye, and the initiative was England’s … for all of 15 minutes. Enter Michael Slater, who if he did nothing else all summer gave Australia the whip hand in the series by lashing 18 runs off Darren Gough’s first over. Normal service was resumed on the second day, with Steve Waugh grinding England down, and with Adam Gilchrist later belting an incredible 152, England were trounced within four days.1957
At Trent Bridge, Tom Graveney carved a famous 258 in the third Test against West Indies. England stormed to 619 for 6, but were denied victory by two wonderful innings: Frank Worrell carried his bat for 191 in the first innings, and after West Indies followed on, Collie Smith denied England with a Test-best 168 in the second. Just over two years later, Smith was dead, after a car crash in Staffordshire.1905
A South African captain is born. The popular wicketkeeper-batsman Jock Cameron was only 30 when he died of enteric fever in Johannesburg in 1935. Shortly before he had excelled on South Africa’s tour of England, famously hammering 30 off one Hedley Verity over in a tour match against Yorkshire. He was a superb, unobtrusive keeper, and a flashing batsman who made ten fifties but no Test hundred.1988
Humiliation for England at Old Trafford. Their innings defeat to West Indies went into a fifth day, but in reality there were less than three days of playing time. England were bulldozed for 135 and then 93, with Malcolm Marshall taking 7 for 22 in an imperious second-innings display, the greatest figures of a great career. It all added up to a depressing five days for England’s oldest debutant for 41 years. Essex’s John Childs was 36 years 320 days, and bowled well for figures of 40-12-91-1. Shame about the rest. England started this final day on 60 for 3, rain their main hope of salvation. But Marshall washed them away in just over an hour – and within five minutes it started pouring down.1991
Only 12 men have ever taken a wicket with their first ball in Test cricket, and Richard Illingworth became the first Englishman to do so for 44 years against West Indies at Trent Bridge on this day. The forward defensive played by Phil Simmons could have come straight from the textbook, but to his horror the ball spun back and bowled him, hitting the stumps almost apologetically. The last Englishman to achieve the feat was another Worcestershire left-arm spinner, Dick Howorth. This one didn’t affect the match, though: West Indies won by nine wickets to square the series at 1-1.1973
Harold “Dickie” Bird made his Test debut at Headingley, umpiring the third Test between England and New Zealand. Twenty-three years later, Bird retired, having stood in a record 66 Tests. Anecdotes have poured forth ever since.Other birthdays
1959 Tim Shaw (South Africa)
1964 Saleem Raza (UAE)
1968 Shahid Anwar (Pakistan)

Heavyweight showdown, lightweight battle.It has been more than three years since South Africa last lost two Tests in succession. Prior to this one, the Proteas also hadn’t been defeated in aseries since August 1998. But they have surrendered each of those proud records today, crushed in less than four days by Australia in the SecondTest in Melbourne.It was suffocating; it was intimidating; and it was pressure by sheer presence as Australia used the platform of a 210-run first innings lead to sweepto a nine wicket triumph that guaranteed an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.As in his team’s 246-run loss in Adelaide eleven days ago, Jacques Kallis (99) was typically stout of heart and stout of mind as he defied thenear-inevitable today. Yet he again found few teammates willing to aid him and was tragically even drawn into running himself out one short of acentury in a bid to farm the strike. In plunging to a second innings total of 219, the South Africans were duly a demoralised unit long beforeAustralia’s win was completed.There were wickets for all four of Australia’s bowlers, and two run outs, as the home team again combined brilliantly all the while in the field.Visions of a South African fightback from a near-impossible position overnight – and the dream of staving off an early end to the series – wereimmediately encouraged as Shaun Pollock (3/84) trapped Glenn McGrath (0) lbw to wrap up the Australian first innings just six balls into the day.But such hopes quickly proved illusory.Herschelle Gibbs (21) and Gary Kirsten (10) opened the batting in a positive mindset, unafraid to play shots on a true pitch. Yet Kirsten quicklyedged a Brett Lee (2/52) outswinger to third slip; Gibbs underedged a cut and was wonderfully caught low and to Adam Gilchrist’s left; and theluckless Boeta Dippenaar (23) was out to another stunning catch – this time a reflex effort by Matthew Hayden at short leg as a shot was slammedat his midriff.Kallis reaffirmed his credentials as one of the world’s foremost batsmen with another sophisticated display of defiance and received fleeting helpafter lunch from Pollock (18) and Neil McKenzie (12).But, as soon as any kind of protracted fight looked like developing, the Australians struck. McKenzie, neither forward nor back, followed a ShaneWarne (3/68) leg break off the pitch; Lance Klusener (7) avoided a king pair but not a straight delivery from McGrath (2/43); Mark Boucher (0)drove a Warne delivery off the edge to slip; and Pollock was needlessly run out from a Kallis push to cover.Ultimately, no partnership spilled to so much as the half-century mark.If they had held on until stumps, then the South Africans might have been able to profit from a forecast which shows that grey may replace sunny blueacross Melbourne’s skyline tomorrow. But not even that could be managed.Claude Henderson (16) stamped a defiant imprint over the lower order batting again but couldn’t avoid being drawn into edging a McGrath legcutter to second slip. Allan Donald (7) survived a brace of short balls, only to be conquered by a wickedly deceptive yorker from Andy Bichel(1/52). And, then, Kallis – not only running out of time but also doubtlessly patience with his teammates too – elected unwisely to take a second runto deep point that was probably never on offer.Justin Langer (7) holed out with a cut, but it took Australia’s upper order a mere 14 minutes to tidy up the rout.If this all represented a battle between cricket’s two best teams, then it bodes ill about the current state of the game.It’s hard to imagine that the South Africans won’t better showcase their considerable skill and talent as a side when another three-match seriesbegins in the Republic in early 2002. But if this is any kind of pointer to the balance of world power at the moment, then the scales are dreadfullylopsided.For their part, the only sour note at all for the world champion Australians arrived early in the day as their captain, Steve Waugh, was relieved ofhalf of his match payment for a show of dissent yesterday.In the eyes of others in the world, the Australians’ approach and their attitude might not always be politic. But their power remains absolute.

Australian left-hander Jimmy Maher is looking to return to Glamorgan nextyear after a successful summer as the club’s overseas player. Maher hopes that his consistency and attitude may have secured a further spell with the Welsh county.Maher told the BBC: “The people at Glamorgan know I want to come back. I have made a lot of friends here and I have cricket to thank for that.”Maher has just totalled 1,000 first-class runs this summer at an average of55. With three centuries in the CricInfo Championship, and a further 600runs in the one-day game, Maher has had the success typical of the majorityof Australians playing county cricket this season.”I think you can make more of an impact here if you are here for longer.Hopefully they’ll ask me to return, but if they don’t then there will not beany grudges held,” he added.”All I can do is do my job, and do it well, and hope they want me back.”The 27-year-old expects to hear from the club within the next fortnight, butplans to holiday in the UK anyway to catch up with team mates.