John Polack

It wasn't so long ago that Tasmania was reputed to possess the best fourth day batting side in the country

With a superbly crafted maiden first-class century, opening batsman Greg Mail has left the door open for an outright victory for New South Wales after three days of the Pura Cup match against Tasmania here at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Twenty-four hours after Tasmania's trump card with the bat steered his team into a strong position, New South Wales' star strokemaker reversed matters almost completely with a superb innings of his own

After today slamming a fourth century in the space of five innings against this opponent (and an eleventh against it overall), Tasmanian captain Jamie Cox was at a loss to explain what accounts for his great personal form against New South Wales

The new blueprint for the future timetabling of international matches that the International Cricket Council unveiled today after two days of Executive Board meetings in Melbourne can not make its entrance at a better time

Anniversaries are generally supposed to be joyous occasions

Mark Waugh blasted a record-breaking century

If finals are deigned to be more exciting, more tense and more competitive affairs than most of the games which precede them, then today's opening bout of the Carlton Series deciders between Australia and West Indies didn't necessarily fail the test

Brett Lee's rollercoaster ride of the last twelve months has arguably struck its lowest point today with news that the New South Wales and Australian speedster will need to undergo surgery to correct ligament and tendon damage in his right elbow

After high noon, there came a false dawn

Just when you thought Australia couldn't become any stronger, it duly appeared to emerge from today's Carlton Series encounter against Zimbabwe in Sydney in even more formidable shape

Australia's Brett Lee, Damien Fleming, Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann donned the party hats at the Adelaide Oval today

Catches win matches, the old adage says

The Tasmanian Cricket Association turned back the clock today by taking state cricket to a regional centre

It says something about the state of West Indies' ill fortune on this tour that, after a series of crushing defeats at Australian hands, now the country's weather is conspiring against it too

The law of averages suggests that West Indies' cricketers are due for a win over Australia in the near future

Say what you like about all of the on-field errors that West Indies' cricketers have committed on this tour of Australia

It was the first match of the 2000-01 Carlton Series of one-day internationals

Steve Waugh and his all-conquering Australian team have their eyes firmly fixed on the upcoming tour of India after completing a 5-0 series whitewash over West Indies with a six wicket win in the Fifth Test here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today

It took until the penultimate day of the series, and relied on the inspiration of two players who have barely figured through its duration