Report
Kasprowicz and Bichel guide Bulls to three-day win
Michael Kasprowicz produced a timely performance as Queensland jumped to a four-point Pura Cup lead
Cricinfo staff
21-Feb-2006
Queensland 252 and 6 for 365 dec (Perren 168*, Love 58, Tait 3-90) beat South Australia 114 and 209 (Lehmann 74, Kasprowicz 4-63, Bichel 4-77) by 294 runs
Scorecard
Pura Cup table
Scorecard
Pura Cup table
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Michael Kasprowicz produced a timely performance ahead of the South Africa tour as Queensland jumped to a four-point Pura Cup lead with a 294-run victory over South Australia. With Glenn McGrath expected to be ruled out of next month's Test series, Kasprowicz went head-to-head with Jason Gillespie in the match and today he combined with Andy Bichel for eight wickets as the Redbacks were dismissed for 209.
Clinton Perren's brilliant 168 from 202 balls allowed Jimmy Maher to declare from the comfort of 6 for 365, setting South Australia a massive target of 504. The chase began poorly when both openers departed by the time they reached 2, Kasprowicz collecting Ben Cameron and Bichel taking caring of Greg Blewett. Mark Cosgrove and Cameron Borgas fell with the score on 72 before Kasprowicz struck twice in three balls to end a 97-run partnership between Darren Lehmann and Callum Ferguson.
Full postKhaled Mahmud signs off in style
Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh's veteran allrounder and former captain, finally bowed out after the first ODI against Sri Lanka at Bogra
Cricinfo staff
20-Feb-2006
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Mahmud's announcements of his impending retirement had become as frequent as his Test wickets, but his decision to hang on for one last day in the sun worked out well. It could have gone horribly wrong, but he saved one of his better performances with the bat until the end. It was a far cry from when he was booed off by home supporters after an abject performance - both personally and by his team - against England at Chittagong in 2003-04.
His stats do not make pretty reading. In 77 ODIs he scored 991 runs at 14.36 and took 67 wickets at 42.76 with an economy rate of 5.07. He also played 12 Tests, scoring 266 runs at 12.09 and capturing 13 wickets at 64.00. But against that, it should be remembered that he was part of a team that was being beaten regularly, and for some of that time had the added burden of the captaincy. His first-class record, however, is far more impressive.
While those statistics were often ridiculed on the international stage - never more so than when he briefly had a Test bowling average of over 400 - he stuck to the task in hand, and was a valued contributor in a young squad off the field. At 35, he was a positive geriatric in such a youthful side.
Full postBulls ride on commanding Perren century
Clinton Perren's forceful century gave Queensland a huge lead of 426 as they controlled the second day against South Australia
Cricinfo staff
20-Feb-2006
Queensland 252 and 3 for 288 (Perren 123*, Love 58) lead South Australia 114 (Bichel 4-37) by 426 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Clinton Perren's forceful century gave Queensland a huge lead of 426 as they controlled the second day against South Australia and attempted to jump into the outright lead in the Pura Cup table. The Bulls, who are now level with Victoria on 24, collected the two first-innings points before lunch and then set their sights on another four while reaching 3 for 288 at stumps.
In a match where the ball has dominated on a cracking pitch, Perren, who was Queensland's best batsman in the first innings with 74, controlled the opposition bowlers with an unbeaten 123 from 160 balls. Perren's eighth first-class century included some punishing strokeplay, including 18 from one over of Cullen Bailey's legspin, and he finished with 15 fours and a six.
Full postSthalekar pushes Australia to innings victory
Australia crushed India by an innings and four runs on the third day of the one-off Test at the Adelaide Oval
Cricinfo staff
20-Feb-2006
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Australia crushed India by an innings and four runs on the third day of the one-off Test at the Adelaide Oval. Lisa Sthalekar, the offspinner, set up the win with career-best figures of 5 for 30 as India folded for 153 to follow their first-innings 93.
Australia bowled a suffocating line and delivered a total of 60 maidens as India scored at one-and-a-half runs an over. Resuming on 3 for 51, the visitors lost Devika Palshikar to Cathryn Fitzpatrick after adding only two runs before Rumeli Dhar and Sunetra Paranjpe offered some resistance in a stand of 51.
Full postSri Lanka canter to five-wicket win
Sri Lanka cantered to a five-wicket win after they had bundled out Bangladesh for a meagre total in the first ODI
The Bulletin by Sriram Veera
20-Feb-2006
Sri Lanka 119 for 5 (Sangakkara 50) beat Bangladesh 118 (Maharoof 3-30, Perera 3-23) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Sri Lanka cantered to a five-wicket win after they had bundled out Bangladesh for a meagre total in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Bogra District Stadium. Despite the drama at the end created by a flurry of Sri Lankan wickets the contest was utterly one-sided. The damage was done right at the start as the Bangladesh batsmen were undone by the new ball.
The Sri Lankan bowlers were helped along by some rash batting as the batsmen flashed at swinging balls, ran down the track, swished, and slogged their way to disaster. With Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan rested for the series, the onus was on the new-ball operators - Ruchira Perera and Farveez Maharoof - to strike. And strike they did, in style. The tall Maharoof, settled into a nice off-stump line, hit the good length repeatedly, and kept the batsmen guessing by cutting the ball both ways. Perera created a stranglehold by swinging the ball back into the right-hand batsmen and at times making it go with the angle.
Full postRyder's 141 powers Wellington
State Championship roundup
Dylan Cleaver
20-Feb-2006
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Jesse Ryder lit up the first day
of the State Championship match between Wellington and Northern Districts at the Basin Reserve with his second first-class century of the summer and his fourth overall. Ryder's 141 off 205 balls was the highlight of a strong Wellington batting display that saw it reach 344 for 6 at stumps. Ryder was well supported by Neal Parlane (57) and Chris Nevin (56). Graeme Aldridge, Bruce Martin and Joseph Yovich each took two wickets.
Auckland's season of disappointment continued at home as it collapsed to 272 all out
against Otago at the Eden Park outer oval. Otago's Gareth Shaw did most of the damage ripping through the middle and lower order to take 5 for 49. Warren McSkimming was a handful too, taking 3 for 55. Earlier Auckland looked set to post a competitive total when captain Richard Jones (79) and Auckland's anchor this season Rob Nicol (73) put on 98 for the third wicket. However, only Tama Canning (40) added anything of substance to the scoreboard. Otago reached 12 for the loss of Jordan Sheed's wicket at stumps, Kyle Mills having the opener caught and bowled for 11.
Canterbury will feel it missed out on a big chance
to post a massive first innings score after winning the toss against Central Districts on a placid Village Green pitch. All the top-order batsmen got starts but only opener Gary Stead (67) and Shanan Stewart (83), the No.3, moved past 50 as Canterbury ended the day at 308 for 9 with Andrew Ellis not out on 30. Ewen Thompson (3 for 63) and Brendon Diamanti (3 for 80) were the pick of a tidy Central attack.
Full postEngland storm to victory in tour opener
England turned an impending draw into a 238-run victory by routing CCI President's XI for 75
The Bulletin by George Binoy
20-Feb-2006
England 299 and 265 (Trescothick 88, Blackwell 59)
beat CCI President's XI 251 and 75 (Jones 2-9, Harmison 2-3) by 238 runs
Scorecard
How they were out
Scorecard
How they were out
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England's bowlers, Simon Jones in particular, cranked up the pace and
spectacularly turned an impending draw into a 238-run victory by routing
CCI President's XI in only 26.2 overs on the final day at the Brabourne
Stadium in Mumbai. Their effort came after Marcus Trescothick and Ian
Blackwell notched up fifties to boost England's second-innings score to
265.
After playing most of the game with a practice-match attitude, England
were confident that 36 overs were enough to wrap up a win and bowled with
definite intent. Jones, who in the first innings bowled with a Mark
Ealham-esque run up and pace, shared the new ball with Matthew Hoggard,
bowled at a much faster clip and extracted appreciable bounce. He struck
in his first over, trapping Robin Uthappa on the crease and snared Vinit
Indulkar with one that rose, to finish with 2 for 9 from five overs.
Full postPonting tips 'worst' crowd behaviour
Australia's players have been told to prepare for the most unpleasant crowd behaviour of their careers during the tour to South Africa
Cricinfo staff
20-Feb-2006
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Australia's players have been told to prepare for the most unpleasant crowd behaviour of their careers during the tour to South Africa. As the squad left for the six-week trip today, Ricky Ponting expected the conditions to be more hostile than on previous eventful visits.
The South African reaction following the three-Test series in Australia either side of Christmas, which Australia won 2-0, will add to the tension after incidents of racist crowd taunts throughout the tour. "I think it will be," Ponting said in The Australian when asked if the crowds would make it the most unpleasant overseas tour. "It certainly has been in the past when we have been there. At the Wanderers [in Johannesburg] when we were there for a previous tour we had to get a tunnel erected over the players' walkway to stop people spitting at us and pouring drinks over us."
Ponting said this trip would carry an extra element after the home series, which included constant big statements from Graeme Smith and a competitive contest despite the end result. "There will certainly be a bit more of an edge to this one," he said. "We are aware that our arrival will be eagerly awaited and we understand that it's going to be a very tough tour, both on and off the ground. But having said that, it's always an enjoyable tour because of the spirit between the two teams and the fact that South Africa are always incredibly competitive."
Full postEagles soar to Pro20 triumph
The Eagles confirmed their one-day dominance in South African domestic cricket by adding the Standard Bank PRO20 Trophy to their collection
Keith Lane
19-Feb-2006
Eagles 113 for 4 (Dippenaar 26) beat Cobras 112 for 7 (Deacon 2-11) by six wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
The Eagles confirmed their one-day dominance in South African domestic cricket by adding the Standard Bank PRO20 Trophy to their collection, after winning the Standard Bank Cup just over a month ago.
Having been set a generous target of 113, the Eagles made light work of the total and passed it in the 16th over. The Eagles, who were initially hesitant, lost Jacques Rudolph in the first over and Loots Bosman four overs later. Boeta Dippenaar steadied the innings while Morne van Wyk (26) played the attacking role until he was strangled down the leg side - although it still required a good catch from Thami Tsolekile.
Dippenaar (26) was just getting into his stride when he was well caught and bowled by Kleinveldt but, at 80 for 4 and 43 balls remaining, all the hard work had been done. Davey Jacobs (25 off 18) and Johan van der Wath (9 off 8) took the Eagles home with 26
balls to spare.
Full postPakistan bowlers devastate India to retain trophy
After being bowled out for 109 - seemingly handing their opposition a simple win - Pakistan defied the odds to dismiss India for just 71 and retain the Under-19 World Cup trophy
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
19-Feb-2006
Pakistan 109 (Chawla 4-8) beat India 71 (Ali 5-35) by
38 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Pakistan retained the Under-19 World Cup in extraordinary fashion at the Premadasa Stadium as they successfully defended 109 with a thrilling display of pace and swing bowling. Anwar Ali, who took 5 for 35, the best figures in a final - a record held for about an hour by Piyush Chawla -
along with Jamshed Ahmed devastated the Indian batting in a breathtaking display.
Throughout the tournament Pakistan have been living on the edge, following
their loss against Bangladesh and being 80 for 5 against Australia. Being
skittled for little over 100 appeared to be one final slip too many.
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