Report
Easterns crash out of semis contention by one run
Easterns, needing a victory to edge Eastern Province out of semi-final qualification, provided the disgruntled fans who braved a chilly Willowmoore Park until the midnight finish with a masterclass on the art of throwing a game away, as they
Grant Shimmin
24-Jan-2001
Easterns, needing a victory to edge Eastern Province out of semi-final
qualification, provided the disgruntled fans who braved a chilly Willowmoore
Park until the midnight finish with a masterclass on the art of throwing a
game away, as they eventually lost out by one run.
Chasing a target revised via the Duckworth/Lewis method to 206 off 39 overs
after a lengthy rain interruption during Free State's innings of 190 for
four, Easterns were in cruise control, reaching 73 without loss off their
first 10 overs. Even when the scoring rate was slowed markedly by the
introduction to the attack of debutant Rasheed Lewis and Johan van der Wath,
the home side looked untroubled, with Derek Brand and Mike Rindel advancing
the total to 98 in the 18th over, before Rindel was caught and bowled by Van
der Wath for 37 off 40 balls.
Brand, who had reached his half-century off 60 balls, hitting eight sweetly
struck fours, added 44 for the second wicket with Andre Seymore, with the
asking rate, which had been 5,3 to the over at the start of the innings,
being kept comfortably below five.
When Brand drove occasional left-arm spinner Morne van Wyk to Lewis at
mid-on to fall for 75, though, the wobbles started. Skipper Deon Jordaan was
bowled for a duck four balls later by Van Wyk, but Seymore and Derek Crookes
added 31 and it seemed the Easterns carriage was back on the rails.
Full postSouth African under-19s get tour off to entertaining start
The visiting South African under-19 cricketers showed they were well prepared in foreign conditions, when they lined up for their opening New Zealand tour match against an Otago under-19 side at Centennial Park in Oamaru
Warwick Larkins
24-Jan-2001
The visiting South African under-19 cricketers showed they were well prepared in foreign conditions, when they lined up for their opening New Zealand tour match against an Otago under-19 side at Centennial Park in Oamaru.
After the start was delayed by an hour due to overnight rain, the South Africans provided a most enjoyable day's cricket by hitting the loose ball hard and, sometimes, even the good ball in the same manner.
Sent in by the Otago captain Jordan Sheed, the South Africans found conditions difficult in the early stages. The bowling side benefited from a greenish pitch which produced quite a few awkward balls to negotiate.
However the South Africans, in spite of losing opener Michael Price when the score was 25, battled hard and eventually his partner James Schorn scored a fine 94. He deserved a century but surely will manage that goal before the tour is over, given the talent evident within him.
Full postMumbai lads content with a draw
Mumbai were held to a draw by Gujarat in the West Zone Under-14 match at the Elf Vengsarkar ground in Mumbai on Wednesday
Staff Reporter
24-Jan-2001
Mumbai were held to a draw by Gujarat in the West Zone Under-14 match at
the Elf Vengsarkar ground in Mumbai on Wednesday. The hosts bagged five
points for the first innings lead while the visitors went home with three
points in the kitty.
On Monday, Gujarat skipper Rajdeep Darbar won the toss and decided to
parade his side's batting skills. They did well to score 308 all out in
102.4 overs. Healthy contributions from the lower order helped Gujarat
reach the 300 run mark. Wicketkeeper Kuldeep Gadhavi topscored with 61 off
82 balls with 12 hits to the fence. Vinay Panchal returned unbeaten on 53
off 90 balls with seven hits to the fence. The skipper chipped in with 49
off 77 balls with 11 hits to the fence. Skipper Shoeb Shaikh bagged five
for 63 with his medium pacers.
In reply, the hosts rattled up 430 in 106 overs before being dismissed.
Prashant Naik made a fluent century as the innings revolved around him. He was dismissed for 103 off 204 balls with 13 hits to the fence. Shoeb Shaikh chipped in with a breezy 78 off 81 balls with seven hits to the fence. The highlight of the innings was a 139-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 34 overs between Naik and Shaikh. The Mumbai innings had as many as four run outs.
The visitors batted to their hearts content in their second essay. Opener
Sunny Patel scored 109 off 124 balls with 17 boundaries. Mrunal Patel remained unbeaten on 71 off 156 balls with 12 hits to the fence. Gujarat ended the day on 225 for three off 67 overs, thus earning a honourable draw.
Full postJadav saves Saurashtra against Maharashtra
Alkesh Jadav's unbeaten half-century saved Saurashtra the blushes as they managed to earn a draw against Maharashtra in the West Zone Under-14 tournament at the Rajkot Municipal Corporation Cricket Ground on Wednesday
Staff Reporter
24-Jan-2001
Alkesh Jadav's unbeaten half-century saved Saurashtra the blushes as
they managed to earn a draw against Maharashtra in the West Zone
Under-14 tournament at the Rajkot Municipal Corporation Cricket Ground
on Wednesday. The hosts were lucky to gain three points while
Maharashtra went home with five.
Saurashtra skipper Ashish Amarkhotiya won the toss and invited the
visitors to bat. But his decision backfired. Maharashtra skipper
Rohit Kakade was more than happy to bat on the Rajkot pitch as he
notched up 187 off 248 balls. His innings was laced with a series of
25 hits to the fence, making a hundred runs in boundaries. Kakade and
Nikhil Paradkar added a huge 272-run partnership off 64 overs for the
third wicket. Paradkar scored 108 off 186 balls with twelve well timed
hits to the fence. Paradkar was the first to be dismissed when he
mistimed a delivery from Sandeep Chavda to Pratik Patel. The
partnership ended with the score at 312. Two quick wickets fell at the
score of 330 and one run later the prolific Kakade was back in the
pavilion. The visitors were bowled out for 432 in 119.2 overs. Ajinkya
Joshi was unbeaten with 58 off 106 balls with seven boundaries.
Sandeep Chavda was the most successful bowler bagging five for 87.
In reply, the hosts began on a happy note with both openers Karan
Makwana (53) and Cheteshwar Pujara (34) giving them a steady start.
The middle order failed to capitalise on the decent start as they slid
to 231 all out in 123.5 overs giving Maharashtra a 201-run lead.
The hosts followed on and their second essay was similar to the first.
The Maharashtra bowlers had the top order back in the pavilion in the
30th over as the hosts collapsed to 51 for six. Only a gritty innings
by Alkesh Jadav helped them to salvage a draw. Jadav returned unbeaten
on 57 off 160 balls with nine boundaries. Ruben Dahad, Ajinkya Joshi
and Nikhil Munde all chipped in with two wickets each. Saurashtra
ended the day on 123 for nine off 70 overs earning a draw.
Full postNortherns lose top position after loss to Griquas
Griqualand West outplayed Northerns in all departments to win by 63 runs with 5.1 overs remaining
MWP
24-Jan-2001
Griqualand West outplayed Northerns in all departments to win by 63 runs with 5.1 overs remaining. The result meant Northerns finished third and earned a semi-final against second-placed Border. Northerns led the standings going into the final round but on the night there was no stopping the home side, who totalled 253 for eight before dismissing the visitors for 190.
Griquas' innings turned on a pair of rollicking half-centuries by Pieter Koortzen and Johan Louw. They shared a stand of 100 off 91 balls for the third wicket, the most substantial partnership the home side were able to put together, and departed eight overs apart.
Koortzen went first, for a 69 struck off 73 balls with eight fours. Louw's 72 was the product of 74 deliveries faced of which he hit four for four and two for six. Martyn Gidley's 20 and Brett Tucker's 23 represented the most solid support. Man-of-the-match Koortzen's effort put him on 563 runs for the season, a record for a Griquas batsman.
Steve Elworthy, who took three for 54, and Greg Smith did the business for Northerns with the new ball, but the visitors were let down by the rest of their attack. Dirkie de Vos' nine overs cost all of 62 runs.
Full postSuicidal Mumbai scramble to a draw
Hosts Mumbai were in a suicidal mood as they managed to salvage a draw against Baroda in the Under-22 West Zone tournament match played at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday
Staff Reporter
24-Jan-2001
Hosts Mumbai were in a suicidal mood as they managed to salvage a draw
against Baroda in the Under-22 West Zone tournament match played at the
Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. Mumbai earned five points banking
on their first innings lead and the visitors went home smiling with three
points.
Mumbai were set a target of 44 runs off three overs in the second innings
to win the match. The hosts went after the runs and in the process, lost
six wickets for nine runs in three overs. Two of the wickets were needless
run outs. Shekhar Joshi scalped three wickets. Joshi was on a hat-trick on
the last ball of the day. He foxed Sachin Sawant with the fourth ball of
his second over and skipper Hrishekesh Shinde was back in the pavilion on
the fifth. The last ball was bowled with a rare field placement, with all
nine fielders in the slip cordon. Amol Bhalekar played out the last ball.
Joshi returned with the magical figures of three for six runs off two overs.
On the opening day on Monday, Mumbai skipper Hrishikesh Shinde won the toss
and invited the visitors to bat first. His medium pacers did not disappoint
him as they reduced the Baroda top order to 79 for three in 30 overs.
Opener Rohan Salvi (42) and Jitendra Singh (44) put up a brave fightback.
Rohit Chandorkar top scored with a quickfire 49 off 55 balls with seven
boundaries and two sixes. Baroda were all out for 195 off 67.2 overs.
Sachin Sawant scalped five for 36 and Sriran Kannan supported him with
three for 38.
The hosts lost their first two wickets in quick succession. Pinkesh
Gurbaxani sent back Amol Patil and Shekhar Joshi scalped Sachin Sawant for
nought. The middle order fought back. Kunal More and Saket Adhikari added
230 runs for the fifth wicket off 52 overs. More top scored with an
unbeaten 173 off 208 balls with 24 hits to the fence and one over it.
Adhikari scored 77 off 188 balls with eight boundaries. Mumbai declared on
336 for five off 110 overs, taking a 141-run lead.
Full postSouth Zone reduce West to 194
South Zone took the bowling honours on the opening day of their CK Nayudu Trophy Semifinal amtch against West Zone at the Sunshine ground in Cuttack on Wednesday
Staff Reporter
24-Jan-2001
South Zone took the bowling honours on the opening day of their CK Nayudu
Trophy Semifinal amtch against West Zone at the Sunshine ground in Cuttack
on Wednesday. After bundling out West for just 194, South Zone proceeded to
lose three quick wickets to end the day at 53 for 3.
Electing to bat, West made a solid start with openers JN Saha (41) and B
Joshi (37) adding 72 runs in 19.1 overs. But the fall of Joshi triggered a
collapse and the innings folded up in the 70th over of the innings. Only Y
Takowle (43) made any significant contribution. The wickets were shared by
all around with Tamil Nadu medium pacer L Balaji (3 for 51) and Mohd Faiq
(3 for 29) being the pick.
South Zone in response made a shaky start losing TS Suman (4) off the third
ball of the innings, bowled by Kulkarni. Deepak Chougule (1) was the next
to be dismissed in the third over of the innings. Chougule was bowled by
Uday Kulkarni. Then Tahir Hussain and Arjun Yadav (29 batting) took the
score on to 46 when Tahir was caught by Kulkarni off S Yadav. Therafter,
Arjun and ASK Varma (1 batting) took the team to stumps.
Full postNatal defeat North West to finish top of the table
Natal claimed a consummate seven-wicket win to finish on top of the final standings and earn a semi-final against the fourth-place finishers
Telford Vice
24-Jan-2001
Natal claimed a consummate seven-wicket win to finish on top of the final standings and earn a semi-final against the fourth-place finishers. An inept North West were dismissed for 141 and Natal cantered to 142 for three to win by seven wickets with all of 12.5 overs to spare.
Not for nothing do North West turn out in maroon, because on the night - and for much of this seaon - they performed as mournfully as the bedraggled West Indies themselves. Played 10, lost eight was Potch plodders' lot in this competition this summer, and it wasn't difficult to see why. They batted as if they knew something Natal didn't, namely that the home side would not have many runs to chase, and their bowling and fielding fairly creaked with the resignation of impending defeat.
All that was left to Natal was to get the basics right, and this they managed without undue fuss. First they kept it tight to scythe through North West's batting, before building their reply around the composed Wade Wingfield's 73 not out.
Shaun Pollock was a late inclusion in the Natal squad following the early finish to the third Test against Sri Lanka and the South African captain plainly revelled in the relatively stress free conditions to take two for 10 off 8.2 immaculate overs against batsmen who didn't even try and forget who he was.
Full postRaja Ali holds the fort as Central make 284
Though they lost a few wickets at the fag end of the first day's play, Central Zone ended at 284 for 5 in their CK Nayudu Trophy semifinal encounter against North Zone at the Engineering School ground in Cuttack on Wednesday
Staff Reporter
24-Jan-2001
Though they lost a few wickets at the fag end of the first day's play,
Central Zone ended at 284 for 5 in their CK Nayudu Trophy semifinal
encounter against North Zone at the Engineering School ground in
Cuttack on Wednesday.
Put into bat, Central Zone were pegged on the back foot early on with
opener Surender Singh (13) retiring hurt after facing just 19 balls.
Then Anshul Kapoor (10) joined him soon in the pavilion. In the 13th
over of the innings, Anshul was caught by Paras Dogra off Joginder
Singh. Sachin Dholpure joined the other opener Amit Deshpande (40) and
took the score to 83. Amit Deshpande was the next to depart stumped by
M Vishal off J Sachdeva.
Raja Ali now came to the crease and with Sachin forged a 114 run stand
for the fourth wicket. But in the last session of play, Sachin (71)
departed caught by Sumit Sharma off Sandeep Sanwal off the last ball
of the 62nd over. Three balls later new batsman Manoj Sriwastava (0)
was bowled by Joginder Singh. Joginder came back in his next over to
dismiss Vashal Shitoot (0). Though being caught in a spot of bother,
Raja Ali (85 not out) and Afroj Khan (32 not out) forged a unbeaten 80
run partnership for the sixth wicket taking the team to stumps with
out further hiccups.
Full postPakistan Domestic: Lahore Blues hold nerves to lift Quaid Trophy
Lahore Blues pulled off a sensational one-wicket victory over Karachi Whites to clinch the 43rd Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket Championship on the third day of the five-day final at the National Stadium on Monday
Khalid H. Khan
23-Jan-2001
Lahore Blues pulled off a sensational one-wicket victory over Karachi Whites to clinch the 43rd Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket Championship on the third day of the five-day final at the National Stadium on Monday.
The visitors held their nerves on a day of high drama to win only Lahore's fourth title. On the last occasion Lahore City won a low-scoring final, also by one wicket, inside three days was at Thatta in 1996-97 because debutant Abdur Razzaq claimed a career-best seven for 51 and then struck the winning runs.
On this occasion, it was another tailender, Waqas Ahmed, who had the satisfaction of striking the winning hit when he top-edged a pull just beneath the sightscreen for a boundary that brought the proceedings to an end at 5.40 p.m.
Karachi Whites had all but sealed the match when they had their opponents on the ropes at 66 for six. The target of 184 seemed a long way off at that point for Lahore Blues. However, from then onwards everything started to go wrong for the home side.
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