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Record win for New Zealand is worst loss for Pakistan
New Zealand cricket just got a whole lot tougher to take a record win, and inflict a record loss, over Pakistan after a stunning fourth and final day in Hamilton today
Lynn McConnell
30-Mar-2001
New Zealand cricket just got a whole lot tougher to take a record win, and inflict a record loss, over Pakistan after a stunning fourth and final day in Hamilton today.
New Zealand's win of the third National Bank Test by an innings and 185 runs was the greatest in its history and the margin was the worst suffered by Pakistan, beating their previous worst of an innings and 174 runs at Kingston, Jamaica against the West Indies in 1957/58.
It was a remarkable win for a New Zealand team which has been decimated by injury all summer, and which two Test matches ago suffered the most embarrassing loss of its modern history with a last day collapse of nine wickets for 26 runs and eight for 10.
The win, achieved on a pitch with bounce and carry - the new and preferred pitch of the modern generation of players, was made all the more memorable by the fact it was achieved in little over two days, 189 overs, of playing time, and incorporated some outstanding batting feats.
Full postBlack Caps thrash Pakistan to square the Test Series
New Zealand achieved a commendable victory over Pakistan in the 3rd and final Test of the National Bank Series, which finished at Hamilton on Friday
Col (Retd) Rafi Nasim
30-Mar-2001
New Zealand achieved a commendable victory over Pakistan in the 3rd and final Test of the National Bank Series, which finished at Hamilton on Friday. The two teams will remember the encounter for all times to come, the Black Caps for a glorious victory and some of the records they achieved and Pakistan for a concentrated dose of humiliation they suffered during an unexpectedly short span of time. Pakistan's unpredictable batting line crumbled twice in the game that ended well before closing time on the 4th day. Taking out the time consumed by rain, the actual play did not extend more than two and a half days, something unusual for a test match, especially one producing a result on the 4th day!
New Zealand squared up the series with a glorious victory over Pakistan by an innings and 185 runs. It was their highest winning margin of victory achieved in a test, the previous being an innings and 132 runs against England in
1983-84. With a thrilling and highly stimulating performance, they very gracefully took sweet revenge for a similar defeat they suffered in the 1st Test at Auckland, with the difference, the game there lasted the full length. With the One-day series already clinched and the Test series drawn, the Black Caps emerged as the proud winners. It was a result that Pakistan could not have imagined.
This was perhaps the encounter that `cricket' chose to prove its glorious uncertainties. Pakistan's batting line up blended with youth and experience flopped in the first innings on a pitch that had no demons in it. It had a little extra pace and bounce that all cricketers playing at international level are expected to negotiate. Getting out for a meagre 104 runs was enough to indicate a disaster in the offing.
This was followed by the second failure, the ineffectiveness of Pakistan's much heralded bowling that virtually made no impact on the New Zealand batsmen. What magic? The pitch that helped New Zealand bowlers to destroy Pakistan seemed to lose its grit and energy and provide similar support to the Pakistani's. Was this perhaps the reason the curator was showered with all the praise at the end of the match?
Full postRogers and Duffin boost Academy against Matabeleland
Teatime: CFX Academy 246/6 (Butterworth 47*, Macmillan 4*) v Matabeleland
John Ward
30-Mar-2001
Teatime: CFX Academy 246/6 (Butterworth 47*, Macmillan 4*) v Matabeleland.
Under unusually sunny skies and in warm conditions, the Academy faced
Matabeleland at the immaculate Queens Sports Club ground in Bulawayo. The
only bugbear was the lack of first-class treatment accorded the match, just
as in Harare.
The Academy won the toss and decided to bat on what was expected to be one
of curator Noel Peck's usual masterpieces. Two weak batting sides both
needed an ideal pitch to build their confidence and make the match go the
distance.
Heath Streak and Pommie Mbangwa obviously intended to give themselves a full
workout in preparation for the series against Bangladesh. They bowled with
accuracy, determination and swing, and two very confident appeals were
rejected in the first two overs. After that Terry Duffin and Wisdom Siziba
handled the bowling competently until the ninth over when the latter (1) was
deceived and trapped lbw by Mbangwa's slower ball.
Full postGloucestershire beat Hampshire by 85 runs in the Winelands Tournament
There are some glum faces around the Hampshire camp here at Boland Park, Paarl as another abject batting performance has led to another ignominous defeat
Vic Isaacs
30-Mar-2001
There are some glum faces around the Hampshire camp here at Boland Park, Paarl as another abject batting performance has led to another ignominous defeat. Gloucestershire chosing to bat first took advantage of a good dry wicket, and good light to post the highest score of the tourney.
Hancock and veteran Kim Barnett posted 66 runs against a seam attack laking penatration on the slow wicket, and it was not until spinners Udal and Shah came on that inroads were made.
Irfin Shah impressed with his spin taking two wickets, and Udal bowled a tidy spell.
Robin Smith out for a second ball duck yesterday, followed up with another zero, as he scratched around for 15 minutes before being bowled. Aymes pushed up the order in another experiment also failed.
Full postWestern Province get the Good Hope Challenge off to a winning start
Western Province got the Good Hope Challenge off to a winning start with a comfortable victory over Yorkshire
Peter le Grange
30-Mar-2001
Western Province got the Good Hope Challenge off to a winning start with a
comfortable victory over Yorkshire. The difference between the home side at the end of their season and the pre-season Yorkshiremen was painfully evident as the home team outplayed their visitors in all aspects of the game.
The home side had an ideal start as Neil Johnson and Rashaad Magiet put on 140 for the first wicket off just 135 balls. Magiet scored an aggressive 50, but Johnson was superlative. He reached his 50 off just 38 balls, 40 runs coming from boundaries. Once they were separated, the innings lost its momentum and even Jonty Rhodes, playing by special invitation as preparation for the forthcoming ODI series in the West Indies, could not regain the earlier urgency. Scottish World Cup player Gavin Hamilton, after some heavy punishment in his first spell, picked up four wickets to keep the target manageable.
Yorkshire were never in the frame and fell behind the required rate from the
start. Early wickets harldy helped their cause although McGrath may have been unlucky to be adjudged to have gloved a bouncer first ball up. Captain David Byas and ex-South African Under 19 player Micheal Lumb provided some resistance with a partnership of 81 off 89 balls, but, once parted, the required scoring rate was way beyond the remaining batsmen who perished in a desperate chase. Allan Dawson had an excellent return of 9-1-14-3 and even Ashwell Prince claimed his first wicket at senior level. The only consolation for the visitors was the fact that they managed to survive their 45 overs ... just.
Full postKiwi odd couple cash in as opportunity knocks
New Zealand cricket's odd couple, youthful Matthew Bell and born-again, and again, Mark Richardson scored maiden Test centuries and helped their side to a 156-run lead over Pakistan with two days of the third Test remaining
Lynn McConnell
29-Mar-2001
New Zealand cricket's odd couple, youthful Matthew Bell and born-again, and again, Mark Richardson scored maiden Test centuries and helped their side to a 156-run lead over Pakistan with two days of the third Test remaining.
With rain eliminating the second day of the National Bank Test, and all but 43.1 overs today, the New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming faces a tricky choice for his declaration some time today.
Richardson is still at the crease, unbeaten on 106 while there with him is Craig McMillan on seven not out elevated above Fleming in the order, presumably to give the scoring rate a nudge tomorrow morning.
New Zealand are 260/2 after the century makers, Bell and Richardson, struggled through several false starts to the day, and then had the prospect of their milestones in the backs of their minds as they worked their way through some accurate Pakistan bowling.
Full postCullinan century equals things out in Barbados Test
Daryll Cullinan extended his South African record for test centuries to 14 as South Africa closed on 244-5 at stumps on day one of the third Test against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval on Thursday
Marcus Prior
29-Mar-2001
Daryll Cullinan extended his South African record for test centuries to
14 as South Africa closed on 244-5 at stumps on day one of the third
Test against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval on Thursday.
Cullinan finished unbeaten on 108, while nightwatchman Nicky Boje (3 not out) had done his job too.
After a topsy-turvy day, which started and ended with the West Indies on
the attack but featured a 149-run stand between Cullinan and Neil McKenzie
(72) in the middle, neither side could genuinely claim to hold the upper
hand going into the second day. Significantly, however, Cullinan is still
there for the tourists and how long he lasts on Friday could well determine
whether the South Africans push on past 300.
Cullinan's hundred was chanceless, coming off 189 balls in a little
under four hours and including 11 boundaries.
Full postHampshire start tour of South Africa with a loss
The players were met with thick fog for the start of the Winelands Tournament at Boland Park, Paarl today
Vic Isaacs
29-Mar-2001
The players were met with thick fog for the start of the Winelands Tournament at Boland Park, Paarl today. The mist decended over the Klein Blekenstein mountain range. Players practised in damp and misty conditions, and the game scheduled for 9:30am was put off for half an hour.
When the fog went, Hampshire were invited to bat on a dampish wicket and outfield. Having got off the flight from London the previous day, all the odds were stacked against them as they were playing their first outside match of the 2001 season, whereas Boland had just approached their end of season.
Hampshire got off to the worst start when captain Robin Smith having attempted a square cut off du Toit's first ball, edh=ged the second ball into the juggling hands of the second slip. Two more wickets fell in sharp succession as White and Sexton fell at 17. Jason Laney and new vice-captain Will Kendall put together the best partnership of the innings, but on their departure wickets fell at a steady pace. Alex Morris was very unlucky to have been run out, when his brother Zac, drove the ball back to bowler Henderson who eflected that ball on the stumps at the other end with Alex stranded.
Their final total of 97, in normal circumstances would have been abject, but with only two boundaries on the wet outfield and some excellednt tight bowling especially from du Toit and the South African 'A' player Ontong.
Full postLancashire wrap up a convincing 191 run win over Boland Academy
Lancashire wrapped up a convincing 191 run win over Boland Academy with an hour to spare to maintain their 100 percent record on the tour
David Dawson
29-Mar-2001
Lancashire wrapped up a convincing 191 run win over Boland Academy with an hour to spare to maintain their 100 percent record on the tour.
Resuming on their over night total of 151 for one, Lancashire batted for just over an hour in the morning session with Mark Chilton making 111, before declaring on 242 for 4, leaving Boland a nearly impossible 379 to reach in two and a bit sessions for victory.
Boland never looked like getting close to scoring the runs but did prove stuburn in their defence of the draw.
Chapple made an early break through straight after lunch, then wickets fell at regular intervals to leave them six wickets down at tea, thanks to Gary Keedy with three wickets for 52 runs.
Full postPatron's Trophy Grade II: Bazid hammers magnificent ton as PWD takes first innings lead in the Final
The second-day honours in the final of the Patron's Trophy Grade II went to PWD's middle order batsman, Bazid Khan
Mahmood Ahmad
29-Mar-2001
The second-day honours in the final of the Patron's Trophy Grade II went to PWD's middle order batsman, Bazid Khan. He hit a magnificent hundred to help his side earn a vital 33-run first innings lead. With rain and hailstorm starting to play havoc in Lahore in the closing moments of second day's play, it is much likely that the cool headed right-hander has already won the final for his team.
Bazid, however, was not alone in his efforts. First, it was Shahzad Malik, at the opener's slot, who led his side out of danger after Zahid Ghouri had lost his wicket with only two on the board. Shahzad added 47 for the second wicket with Imran Khan Jnr (31 off 29 balls) and then 81 for the third wicket with Bazid before being out at the individual score of 60, which contained 6 fours.
After losing five wickets for 186, PWD looked in earnest danger of going down the drain before overhauling the first innings' target of 285 runs.
However, Bazid had some other ideas. He joined hands with his captain, Saad Wasim, to carry the score close to 285. Bazid completed his century in the process with the help of five fours. The highlight of his innings, however, were the ground strokes that the played with fluency and ease to all parts of the ground.
Full post