Category Uncategorized

Zimbabweans 166 for 3 (Chibhabha 55) beat Highveld Lions Academy 165 (Utseya 4-25) by seven wicketsThe touring Zimbabweans thrashed Highveld Lions Academy by seven wickets at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria, two days after being drubbed by nine wickets by the South African National Academy.The Zimbabweans bounced back well, and led from the front by skipper and offspinner Prosper Utseya with 4 for 25 from 10 overs, they bowled out the Academy for 165 runs. Spinners shared eight wickets, with Friday Kasteni chipping in with three and offspinner Stuart Matsikenyeri taking one.Chamu Chibhabha and Vusi Sibanda got the Zimbabweans off to a good start with an opening stand of 85 before Sibanda was caught by Nicolson at short extra cover. Chibhabha completed his half-century before chipping a return catch for 55, but Piet Rikne (32) and Brendan Taylor (25) held their nerves and scored steadily. Rinke was bowled by Craig Knox with Zimbabwe needing 12 to win.

Sourav Ganguly is expected to rest himself for India’s next league match against Bangladesh, on April 16, so as not to aggravate his back injury. Zaheer Khan, who suffered a hamstring strain in the last match against South Africa, is expected to be rested until the finals.Virender Sehwag will lead the Indian team in Ganguly’s absence. Sehwag has never been in the captaincy stakes before this, but has got his chance now due to a number of senior players missing this series – including Rahul Dravid, the vice-captain.The Indian team management are considering promoting Parthiv Patel to the opener’s slot, with Sehwag coming in at No. 3. Ganguly’s absence will also give an opportunity to either Sanjay Bangar or Abhijit Kale.Ganguly had said before the series started that he wanted to give all the newcomers in the team a chance to play. But his willingness to rest surely also comes from India’s secure position in this series, with a place in the final virtually assured.Zaheer’s absence will not be felt either. In conditions ideal for spin, India is likely to continue playing two spinners, and both Ajit Agarkar and Avishkar Salvi have been impressive with the new ball in this series so far.

Waqar Younis has expressed his confidence in Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s new coach, saying Woolmer comes with “a very good reputation.””He did well with Warwickshire and South Africa,” Waqar told BBC Sport. “The PCB is relying on him – I think he can do it. The PCB is trying out different things to raise the standard. We have a new cricket academy in Lahore and I hope it will provide a good base.”Woolmer’s first test as coach will be the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka next month, and he will join the pre-tournament team training camp on July 2. There is some expectation on Pakistan’s shoulders, as they are the current holders of the cup, having won it in 2000.Commenting on the current Pakistan team, Waqar said: “We have a fairly good batting line-up, but the bowling needs to be a lot more consistent. If Shoaib and Mohammad Sami come together, the attack will click.”However, Waqar had little else to say about Shoaib, who has been involved in a dispute with the PCB over his fitness, adding only “If he gets going it is OK, but he has to do that more often.”

Legendary cricketers can perform the role of sporting ambassadors between Pakistan and India, according to Asif Iqbal, former captain of Pakistan.”I think there should be tours of sporting ambassadors to Pakistan and India which can pave the way for a revival of cricket between the two neighbours who have so many things in common,” he said. “The likes of Hanif Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas and Imran Khan should tour India and take feedback from people, and India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Bishen Bedi and Kapil Dev should come to Pakistan…”Iqbal himself was born in India, and made his first-class debut for Hyderabad in 1959 before migrating to Pakistan in 1962.India’s Minister for Sports, Vikram Verma, had recently announced that two one-day games on a home-and-away basis could be played in September.It’s now 13 years since India made a full Test tour of Pakistan, which has prompted many old-timers to recall the 17-year freeze that existed from 1961 to 1978.

Taking advantage of the absence of South African stars, two Province young guns Rashaad Magiet(115 not out) and Andrew Puttick(85) gave their side a solid start on the opening day of the 3-day friendly against North West in Potchestroom on Thursday.WP were asked to bat after captain HD Ackerman lost the toss in cold and grey conditions. When bad light ended play some 13 overs before the scheduled close close WP reached 270 for the loss of Graeme Smith(55) and Puttick who made a well struck 85. Considering that this was WP’s first outdoor session of the season credit must go to the Province batters who seemed on form from the start.The match continues on Friday and Saturday.

Full scorecard;R.Magiet not out 115G.Smith ct Bula b Mazibuko 55A.Puttick ct Bula b Dreyer 85J.Mclean not out 7Extras 8Total 270/2

ScorecardJames Vince helped Hampshire rattle of the required runs for victory (file photo)•Getty Images

Hampshire climbed off the foot of the Division One table and now face a crucial match at Taunton starting on Wednesday. A seven-wicket win against Durham at Chester-le-Street left them only five points behind Somerset in the battle to avoid the second relegation spot.Captain James Vince knuckled down to survive a testing start and waited for the right ball to put away in guiding Hampshire to their target of 163 with an unbeaten 76. He was helped by Liam Dawson, who contributed 34 to the unbroken stand of 82 as the last 64 runs came off 6.3 overs.Hampshire might have to seek their third successive win without Fidel Edwards, however, after he retired with a hamstring injury after taking 4 for 43.Rain prevented play before lunch and Durham didn’t hang around when they resumed their second innings on 126 for 6, 88 ahead, adding 74 in 15.3 overs before they were all out for 200.Gareth Berg took two wickets in two balls in the fourth over, having Ryan Pringle caught behind for 13 and John Hastings lbw. Umpire Jeremy Lloyds took several seconds to give the second decision.Left-hander James Weighell hit two fours off Ryan McLaren in reaching 20 before Edwards came on and yorked him with his first ball. The West Indian retired after bowling eight balls, although his exit did allow Ryan Stevenson to claim his maiden first-class wicket. He had Graham Onions caught at point by Jimmy Adams, ending a last-wicket stand of 36 in 28 balls.Chris Rushworth made an unbeaten 33 off 34 balls, hooking and driving Berg for two sixes prior to trying to add to his 85 first-class wickets this season.He had to wait until the 12th over, when Michael Carberry was on 21 and there had been 11 extras, before Adams shouldered arms and was bowled for 3.Rushworth also troubled Vince but the total advanced to 75 before Carberry fell for 39 when he skied a pull off Onions and Michael Richardson ran 25 yards to hold a tumbling catch at square leg. The wicketkeeper then held a regulation catch off Onions to send back Will Smith for 1, but the new-ball pair had bowled 11 overs each by that stage.Onions kept going for two more overs but was clearly flagging in his 13th, and the double change took the pressure off. After conceding only one run in his first two overs, Hastings’ next two cost 19. Weighell opened up with a maiden and was hit for three fours in his second over, one off a thick edge, as Vince passed 50 off 54 balls with 11 boundaries.Weighell wasn’t helped by four overthrows in his next over, which cost nine, and when Rushworth returned Dawson pulled him for six as Durham slumped meekly to their fourth successive home defeat.

If England is to create a viable Twenty20 competition to rival the Indian Premier League, then the 18 first-class counties are going to have to bite the bullet and merge into six regional sides. That is the message from Sean Morris, the new chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, who believes that without adaptation, English cricket faces being second-best to India for evermore.”This is a great opportunity for English cricket, an unbelievable chance for England to reassert itself,” Morris told The Guardian. “I just hope we take it. India, a big competitor, has got first to the market. Considering that we invented Twenty20, they should not have got there first. It is important that we act quickly.”Morris’s proposal is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the England & Wales Cricket Board on May 26, but plans are already in full swing following a week of talks with Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire whose patronage has given English cricket renewed confidence as it seeks to respond to the threat of the IPL. Stanford told the BBC on Thursday that he believed that England was not only better placed to take the lead in Twenty20 cricket, but that the game could eventually overtake football as the world’s most popular sport.Should the regional plan come to fruition, there could be some enticing amalgamations on the cards. Lancashire and Yorkshire could be thrown in together with Durham as a Northern region, with Surrey, Middlesex and Essex all uniting under the London banner. Such a proposal may be anathema to the die-hard fans of the counties involved, but Morris cited the example of South African rugby, where traditional Currie Cup rivals have combined to form potent Super 14 franchises.”This is the biggest opportunity we will ever get to restructure,” said Morris. His argument is that, without reducing the number of competing sides, the talent on display would be spread too thinly, and the prospect of attracting the big-name players would diminish. “When you look at the broadcasting deal that will drive it and for sponsorship partners and for fans, does playing 18 teams really stack up? We need to have a product that is exportable back to India, because that is where the money is.”Stanford is willing to invest heavily in the scheme, but has effectively set the ECB a deadline of 2010 to get the competition up and running. “If I was to make a more aggressive bet I would say 2009. But no later than 2010 or they’ve missed the boat,” he told BBC Sport. “We all know that and I don’t think the British are going to miss the boat.”Potential regional sides

North Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham
London Surrey, Middlesex, Essex
South Hampshire, Kent, Sussex
Wales and West Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Somerset
West Midlands Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Northants
East Midlands Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire

Nepal have announced an 18-member squad for a preparatory camp ahead of the the ACC women’s tournament in Malaysia starting July 11. Nepal had organised their first-ever national championship in June in a bid to pick a team for the tournament. Four teams – Baitadi, Nepalganj, Bhairahawa and Kathmandu – competed in the championship.Eight players from Nepalganj, the strongest side in the domestic circuit, four from Bhairahawa and three each from Baitadi and Kathmandu made it to the camp. What is unique about these sides is that many of their players are national-level athletes in other sports.Nary Thapa, the Nepalganj captain, is also the national badminton captain. Keshari Chaudhary, who has broken national records in high jump and triple jump, is also part of the Nepalganj side while Madhu Thapa, a Bhairahawa player, has played football for Nepal at the U-19 Asian Championship Qualifying Round.Last year Nepal, along with Singapore, won the ICC Global Development Award and Nepalganj received recognition for its initiative for women’s cricket. According to the ACC website, currently 1000 schoolgirls are registered to play cricket in the region.Arun Aryal, the Nepal chief coach, is optimistic about his team’s chances at the ACC tournament. “All the nations have just started women’s cricket, so I think all are at the same level,” Aryal told . “It won’t be surprising if we win the event.”Hong Kong, China, UAE, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Singapore and Thailand are also part of the tournament. Nepal’s first game – 30-over per side – is against Thailand on July 12.Preparatory squad Nary Thapa Magar, Manisha Rawal, Mamata Thapa, Samjhana Sharma, Binu Buda Magar, Keshari Chaudhary, Trishna Singh, Sita Rana, Nira Rajopadhyay, Radhika Thapa, Samikchhya Aryal, Madhu Thapa, Saraswoti Lamgade, Susmita Chaudhary, Nitu Thapa, Janaki Bhatta, Maya Rawal, Ritu Kanaujiya

Points TablesCarl Hopkinson led Sussex to a place in the final of the C&G Trophy on August 26 with a five wicket victory over holders Hampshire at Hove. His unbeaten 69 helped Sussex seal their first appearance in a major final for 13 years.Hopkinson and Mike Yardy (41) shared a crucial fifth-wicket stand of 95 in 19 overs as Sussex, set 255 to win, got home with seven balls to spare at Hove.Sussex skipper Chris Adams paid tribute to his team. “I can’t give enough credit to the youngsters in the side. It’s going to be a great day out for us so bring on whoever.”Sussex, who qualify for the final without having to win their last Southern Conference game against Gloucestershire, started strongly with Matt Prior (54) sharing an opening stand of 95 with Richard Montgomerie (44) in 16 overs. But the hosts later slipped to 120 for 4 with Adams, Murray Goodwin and Montgomerie all falling in the space of five overs.Hampshire, who chose to bat, were bowled out for 254 with three balls of their innings remaining. Michael Carberry and Sean Ervine had given them a solid start by sharing in a second-wicket stand of 106 in only a dozen overs.Hampshire, who needed to win to have any chance of reaching the final, lost Dominic Thornely and Greg Lamb cheaply before Dimitri Mascarenhas (42) and Nic Pothas (43*) took them past the 250 mark by sharing a sixth-wicket stand of 73 in 12 overs. But the innings ended tamely with Kirtley bowling Shane Warne, Shaun Udal and James Tomlinson for ducks in his final over.In the Northern Conference, Leicestershire eased to a four-wicket victory against Yorkshire at Grace Road, with a comfortable 8.2 overs to spare. After being sent into the field, Leicestershire’s bowlers hunted in a pack, each of them snaring a wicket to dismiss Yorkshire for 185.Alamgir Sheriyar continued to impress for his new/old county, trapping Craig White lbw with the very first ball of the innings. Matthew Wood followed quickly after and wickets continued to tumble regularly.David Masters was the pick of the bowlers, scalping 2 for a measly 22 from ten overs. Only Andrew Gale offered any resistance, stirring a minor storm with 63.There was no urgency in Leicestershire’s innings, but neither was there any need for them to hurry and they knocked off the runs in inevitable fashion, Tim New leading the charge with 51.

Titans 353 (de Villiers 124, Cullinan 99, Peterson 5-118, Kops 4-74) lead Warriors 165 (Steyn 5-30, Mbhalati 3-37) and 0 for 0 by 188 runs
ScorecardWicketkeeper-batsman AB de Villiers scored his second hundred of the season as the Titans pushed towards a lead over the Warriors at Buffalo Park. With his name already being bandied about for higher honours, this innings will do him no harm at all.After an early start to the second day, the Titans needed only four overs to take the final Warrior wickets, with Dale Steyn taking the first five-wicket haul of his career to reduce Warriors to 165.De Villiers opened the Titans innings, and showed scant regard for the likes of Makhaya Ntini and Mornantau Hayward, scoring a chanceless 124 as wickets fell around him. At 91 for 3, Daryll Cullinan came to the crease and together the pair added 123 before de Villiers gave Brent Kops his third wicket. Cullinan showed that he is still the fluent strokemaker of old, while Albie Morkel once again slapped the ball to all parts of the ground.Morkel tried once too often to clear the field, holing out for64, and Cullinan chipped a catch to midwicket for an excellent 99. Robin Peterson cashed in with 5 for 118 as the Titans looked for extra bonus points, while Brent Kops walked off with a tidy 4 for 74 as the Titans ended on 353, a lead of 188.The Warriors managed to face one over, without scoring, when lightintervened.Western Province Boland 206 (Kruis 5-57) v Eagles 202 for 5 (Willoughby3-50)
ScorecardCon de Lange top scored for Western Province Boland with 43, asthey nursed their score along to 206 at Newlands. DeonKruis, the Eagles seamer, took his second five-wicket haul of theseason as he picked up three of the last five wickets to fall.On a difficult pitch, the Eagles made a good start through a stand of 52 between Davey Jacobs and Gerhardus Liebenberg, but they then collapsed to 102 for 5 before Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje got things back on track. They took the score to 202 for 5 with Dippenaar on 66 and Boje on 48 when stumps was called.Lions 361 for 8 (McKenzie 100, Hall 51*, Benkenstein 3-27) v Dolphins
ScorecardAndrew Hall put some spark into a rain-dampened match between the Dolphins and the Lions at Durban. After a morning where runs had been at a premium, Hall came out and showed that the pitch was conducive to scoring runs, stroking his way to 64 off 100 balls. HD Ackerman had scored a painfully slow 48 in 287 minutes while Neil McKenzie laboured his way to 100 in 387 minutes. Together they added 144 in 63.2 overs.It was Dale Benkenstein who engineered the breakthrough as he took three wickets before rain mercifully forced the players off the field for 65 minutes. On resumption Hall and David Terbrugge put on 113 for the ninth wicket with Terbrugge passing his previous best of 35 before bad light ended play with the Lions on a tedious 361 for 8.