Report
Sri Lanka end South Africa's winning streak with last ball victory
If Shaun Pollock couldn't quite work out how South Africa contrived to lose the sixth and final Standard Bank one-day international at the Wanderers on Wednesday, then neither could Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya fathom how the side batting
Peter Robinson
17-Jan-2001
If Shaun Pollock couldn't quite work out how South Africa contrived to lose the sixth and final Standard Bank one-day international at the Wanderers on Wednesday, then neither could Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya fathom how the side batting second in a rain-interrupted game were required to score fewer runs than their opponents in the same number of overs.
The Sri Lankan victory, coming after Pollock tried and failed to win the match with a six off the last ball from, fittingly, Jayasuriya ended a sequence of 10 straight wins for South Africa. If this was a disappointment, then at least Pollock could take comfort from his side's 5-1 win in the series and the naming of Jacques Kallis as the man of the series.
It was a match which, in all honesty should have been won at a canter. With eight overs remaining, South Africa needed 40 to win with six wickets standing. Then Jonty Rhodes got himself bowled trying to reverse sweep Muttiah Muralitharan to precipitate a collapse which ended with Pollock needing to hit 11 off the last two balls of the game.
He hit the penultimate delivery back over Jayasuriya's head for six, but scuffed the last one back to the bowler for Allan Donald to be run out and that was that.
Full postPakistan Domestic: Shahid Afridi blasts 108 for Karachi
Test all-rounder Shahid Afridi hammered 108 to give Karachi Whites an invaluable first innings lead of 53 over Peshawar on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship match at the Shahi Bagh Stadium, Peshawar, on
16-Jan-2001
Test all-rounder Shahid Afridi hammered 108 to give Karachi Whites an invaluable first innings lead of 53 over Peshawar on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship match at the Shahi Bagh Stadium, Peshawar, on Monday.
Peshawar wiped off the deficit to reach 90 for three in their second innings, according to a message received here. They lead by 37 runs with seven wickets standing.
Afridi, who hit 10 fours in his 142-ball knock, batted for 172 minutes. He and Mohammad Masroor (46) put on 97 for the fifth wicket.
Full postRawalpindi strongly placed against Karachi Blues
Rawalpindi were strongly placed despite a valiant fight back by Karachi Blues on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship match at the UBL Sports Complex here on Monday
16-Jan-2001
Rawalpindi were strongly placed despite a valiant fight back by Karachi Blues on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship match at the UBL Sports Complex here on Monday.
The home side ended the day on 106 for three in their first innings in reply to Rawalpindi's 360. Opener Maisam Hasnain batted responsibly for an unbeaten 27 in almost three hours. Giving him company at the crease was skipper Farhan Adil with 15.
Karachi Blues, however, dominated the first half of the day when they claimed Rawalpindi's remaining seven wickets for 94 runs after the visitors had resumed at 259 for three.
Test reject Mohammad Wasim was undone by a fine outswinger from Tanvir Ahmed, who had the upright right-hander caught at the wicket with the second new ball. Wasim added only four to his overnight score of 38.
Full postEngland under-19 sent for a tail spin by South Zone colts
Another lovely day at the Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai
Santhosh S
16-Jan-2001
Another lovely day at the Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai. Clear
blue skies and brilliant sunshine awaited the players and a handful of
spectators. For the second day in succession the visiting team let
themselves down. If it was their fielding and bowling on day one, it
was their dismal batting on day two, Tuesday.
South Zone declared at their overnight score of 275/8, allowing them
the opportunity to have a go at the England Under-19 batting first
thing in the morning. John Sadler and Nicky Peng were up against the
left arm seam bowling of Steve Lazarus and the right arm bowler
Lakshmipathy Balaji. They held the innings together for the first 12
overs to take the score to 32. Off the first ball of the 13th over,
Peng was bowled as he tried to push at a full-length ball from Balaji.
Sadler was dismissed in the first ball off the 25th over, caught
behind by Taher Hussain off the bowling of Shankara Rao for 32. He was
at the crease for 104 minutes facing 73 balls and hitting four
boundaries. The double spin attack of Rao and Mohd Faiq dried up the
scoring to a trickle. The pressure was showing and it was Kadeer Ali
who wilted to it, playing a false shot for the ball to balloon back to
the bowler, Faiq. Kadeer made just 11 runs in the total of 64/3.
England went in for lunch with the score of 83/3 in 40 overs.
Balaji dominated the post-lunch session. The last ball of the first
over after lunch saw the last of Gordon Muchall, leg before for 14.
Ian Pattison and Mark Wallace tried to steady the innings. Wallace was
in such a defensive mood that he missed out on too many scoring
opportunities, pushing half volleys for nothing. Pattison was the next
to go in the 45th over bowled by Balaji for 19.
Full postWA takes second spot as bonus point bunnies fail again
New South Wales was the first to do it
Nabila Ahmed
16-Jan-2001
New South Wales was the first to do it. Then it was South Australia's turn. Even Tasmania had done it. So naturally, today was Western Australia's day. And didn't the Warriors do it in style!
Yes, Western Australia today became the fourth team this summer to grab a bonus point against Victoria when it won the Mercantile Mutual Cup clash here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with more than eleven overs to spare.
The win pushes the Warriors up to second spot on the competition ladder and at the same time ensures the Victorians languish at the bottom a little while longer.
Today, it all began with the all-important toss. The Bushrangers were losers even before a ball had been bowled. The MCG wicket has tended to contain a fair bit of moisture through the early stages of matches this summer and this was a toss captain Paul Reiffel could ill-afford to lose. Only last month, Reiffel lost the toss here to Tasmania and watched as his batsmen made a meal of the match. He lost again today and, within half an hour, his two openers were back in the pavilion.
Full postAstle century spearheads Canterbury semi-final bid
Nathan Astle, with a fine 121, saw Canterbury through a potentially tricky South Island derby at Jade Stadium today
Matthew Appleby
16-Jan-2001
Nathan Astle, with a fine 121, saw Canterbury through a potentially tricky South Island derby at Jade Stadium today.
Two run-outs in three balls strangled a promising Otago total as they lost this important ninth round Shell Cup match at Christchurch's Jade Stadium.
The all-round fielding and bowling performance was the key for a rejuvenated Canterbury side who are now set for the semi-finals at least.
But it was Astle who starred with the bat, scoring his sixth Shell Cup century to bring the red and blacks home for their third succesive Cup triumph. He was dropped behind the stumps by a diving Martyn Croy when on 93, but otherwise his innings was chanceless. The experienced right hander also bowled 10 overs for just 29, helping to kill off an Otago team that always looked stronger as one-day batsmen than bowlers in theory.
Full postWellington's Firebird becomes a phoenix
Wellington completed its metamorphosis from mediocre to outstanding to give themselves a semi-final chance when beating Northern Districts by six wickets at the Basin Reserve today
Steve McMorran
16-Jan-2001
Wellington completed its metamorphosis from mediocre to outstanding to give themselves a semi-final chance when beating Northern Districts by six wickets at the Basin Reserve today.
It was arguable which underwent the largest transformation: the weather which overcame its morning petulance to allow the Shell Cup match to be played to a conclusion in Wellington's favour or Wellington's form.
Wellington beat the Cup leaders Northern by seven wickets in a match reduced by splenetic morning wind and rain from 50 to 38 overs, surpassing Northern's total of 173/9 with 2.4 overs remaining. In so doing, they completed a run of three emphatic home wins in six days and placed themselves in all likelihood a single win away from a place in the competition semi-finals.
If Wellington beat Canterbury in Christchurch on Thursday they have a very real chance of entering the Cup playoffs - an achievement which seemed entirely lost to them less then a week ago as they suffered at the bottom of the Shell Cup table.
Full postTeamwork beats big names again
Auckland may have the big cricketing names, but Central Districts had the spirit - and three heroic new chums - to bring them their astounding Shell Cup eight-wicket win over Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon
Don Cameron
16-Jan-2001
Auckland may have the big cricketing names, but Central Districts had the spirit - and three heroic new chums - to bring them their astounding Shell Cup eight-wicket win over Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon.
In their most inefficient and humbling effort of the season Auckland lost their 10 wickets in 25.5 overs for only 73 runs, only three runs short of their lowest score, against Northern Districts 13 years ago.
After what appears to be a mix-up which extended the lunch break to 82 minutes, CD lost an early wicket, had a fright when misty rain appeared, but then cruised to their win at 75 for two wickets in 14.4 overs.
Veteran Auckland cricket-watchers maintained at lunch they had never seen a weaker Auckland performance, but that did not give credit to the whole-hearted CD performance, headed by the deeds of Ewen Thompson and Andrew Schwass, the bowlers, and Bevan Griggs, the wicket-keeper.
Full postWI Domestic: Barbados buffeted by Breese and Gayle
The battle lines were drawn in mid-afternoon
Haydn Gill
15-Jan-2001
The battle lines were drawn in mid-afternoon. By late evening, however, Jamaica were winning the war against Barbados.
Chris Gayle, heartbeats away from his third regional hundred, was the general in command, assisted by an able lieutenant in Wayne Cuff.
Their fighting third-wicket stand of 126 that frustrated Barbados for half of the day's play has given the defending champions a comfortable lead of 243 ahead of today's final day.
Even if Jamaica went on the defensive in the final 45 minutes, they will still feel they can press for victory on a Kensington Oval pitch that remains a paradise for batsmen.
Full postImran Farhat slams unbeaten 151 for Lahore Blues
Opener Imran Farhat scored his second consecutive century to help Lahore Blues reach 258 for three against Bahawalpur on the first day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket match at the LCCA Ground on Sunday
15-Jan-2001
Opener Imran Farhat scored his second consecutive century to help Lahore Blues reach 258 for three against Bahawalpur on the first day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket match at the LCCA Ground on Sunday.
Imran, who hit 170 against Sheikhupura in the last match, played with great authority and confidence to remain unbeaten with 151 off 167 deliveries. His 225-minute knock was laced with 30 fours and one six.
Test star Saeed Anwar was batting alongside Imran with four when stumps were drawn for the day.
Another Test batsman Yousuf Youhana fell cheaply for eight to Kamran Hussain.
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