Report
Bell pushes further with Trophy ton against Central
Matthew Bell might do well over the next few days to stay within earshot of a telephone
Steve McMorran
02-Jan-2001
Matthew Bell might do well over the next few days to stay within earshot of a telephone.
When Bell posted his third century in four Shell Trophy games today for Wellington against Central Districts at McLean Park, Napier - as he helped Wellington to 269-5 after they had been asked to bat - he made an application for the attention of the national selectors they might soon be forced to acknowledge.
Bell batted 292 minutes today for 117, adding that score to innings of 109 against Central Districts and 134 against Canterbury, both compiled at the Basin Reserve before Christmas, and to his 82 runs (70 and 12) from two knocks against Otago. He now has 442 runs from five Trophy innings this season at an average of 88.4 and he has compiled six first-class centuries, including two double hundreds.
The only thing that went wrong today for Matthew Bell - he lost the toss - also ended up favouring the Wellington captain. He would have batted had he won the toss and he was secretly delighted when his opposite Jacob Oram called correctly then invited to do so anyway.
Full postPollock sets the pace as South Africa take grip on second Test
For much of the festive season the South African have been wondering out loud what it might be like to be play on an authentic home pitch
Peter Robinson
02-Jan-2001
For much of the festive season the South African have been wondering out loud what it might be like to be play on an authentic home pitch. They found out on the first day of the second Castle Lager/MTN Test match against Sri Lanka at Newlands on Tuesday.
On a pitch that offered more pace and bounce than any South African Test wicket this summer, Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 95 with South Africa fashioning 130 for two in reply before stumps.
Shaun Pollock took six for 30. He had very good reason to be pleased with the way things went.
"The best thing I did was lose the toss," he said afterwards. "We always thought there would be a bit of bounce and that was what assisted us. All we did was use the swing up front and there was a bit of away movement and a bit of bounce and carry and I think, not having played on too many of those wickets this season, from our batting point of view the guys came in and said they'd had a workout. They hadn't had balls coming on to them like that for some time."
Full postWest Indies openers earn some Respect
There was one overwhelming irony, one that brought smiles to many faces, especially those of West Indies supporters, as the West Indies opening batsmen Sherwin Campbell and Wavell Hinds came to the crease after the luncheon interval on day one
Colin Croft
02-Jan-2001
There was one overwhelming irony, one that brought smiles to many faces, especially those of West Indies supporters, as the West Indies opening batsmen Sherwin Campbell and Wavell Hinds came to the crease after the luncheon interval on day one. They had managed to fend off the best of Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller, for two hours, to be 71-0, at lunch.
As the batsmen started to make their way back to the crease after the break, the public address system struck up the 1970s hit song, "Respect", by American soul singer Aretha Franklin. Considering the way things have gone for the West Indies during this tour, the choice of music was absolutely apt, perhaps sending a message from the West Indies that things would be somewhat different this Test, the first one of the new year.
This was an important situation for both batsmen. Before this start, the West Indies first-wicket contributions had been horrendous in the previous four Tests. Scores of 21, 0, 1, 7, 45, 26, 5 and 1 tell their own story. The West Indian openers have had a very bad time indeed.
Jimmy Adams, as recently as the end of the fourth Test, lamented the fact that his later batsmen had been exposed much too quickly to the Australian fast bowlers, and hence found it difficult to prosper. His prayers were answered, courtesy of an injury to Darren Ganga, which allowed Hinds to open the batting. Ironically, Hinds has opened the batting for Jamaica, hitting a century in that position, but bats at No. 3 for the West Indies.
Full postMacGill strikes as West Indians suffer death in the afternoon
As they have crashed headlong from one disaster to the next in this Test series against Australia, West Indies' batsmen have been spectacularly undone by a different bowler every time
John Polack
02-Jan-2001
As they have crashed headlong from one disaster to the next in this Test series against Australia, West Indies' batsmen have been spectacularly undone by a different
bowler every time. Only fair on his home ground, then, that it should be the turn of leg spinner Stuart MacGill to loom large in the disappointing slide that saw the
tourists finish at 9/256 on a fascinating opening day of the Fifth Test here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.
Following a lacklustre start, MacGill (7/92) went within a whisker of returning best ever figures in a career that has produced a fine bowling average but been
accompanied by a general lack of opportunity too. In fifteen Tests prior to this one, he had taken sixty-eight wickets at less than twenty-five runs apiece. Yet the
strength of the Australian attack and, more specifically, the presence of Shane Warne has made his appearances at the elite level fleeting. He was far from a certainty
even to play here; paceman Andy Bichel, in the end, unluckily omitted because of the suspicion that the pitch at the remodelled SCG will increasingly yield to spin in
this game. This despite the fact that the Queenslander had produced a five wicket haul of his own in the Test that preceded this one.
The decision to re-include MacGill in the eleven proved a heady one. In a devastating burst on either side of tea, he struck seven times. And in so doing, he reduced
the tourists from a position of command at 0/147 to one resembling a far more familiar complexion at 8/240.
With the exception of the scalp of Jimmy Adams (10) - who fell palpably lbw to Glenn McGrath (1/43) - he took each of the first eight West Indian wickets to fall.
Admittedly, he was helped by a freakish catch by Mark Waugh at slip to remove Brian Lara (35) and by two highly dubious decisions from Umpire Darrell Hair
which accounted for Marlon Samuels (28) and Nixon McLean (0). But he plied his trade well. On an occasion which represented a curious mixture of past and
present - this match helps mark the one hundred year anniversary of Federation in Australia - he turned back the clock too. Reminders were provided of both the
SCG Test against England two years ago (the match in which he produced that current Test best of 7/50) and to Sydney Tests of the 1980s, when West Indian
torment against the spinning ball was a regular sight.
Full postWest Indies paradise regained... then lost again
It was a terrific day for the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, the start of the Fifth and Final Test against Australia
Rick Eyre
02-Jan-2001
It was a terrific day for the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, the start of the Fifth and Final Test against Australia. Until tea time.
After the highest opening partnership by West Indian batsmen in a Test in Australia - 147 - and a comfortable score at tea of 3/180, the West Indies fell back into the bad habits to which we have become accustomed in this series.
At stumps, after Jimmy Adams had won the toss and elected to bat on a good track, the West Indies were 9/256. The last five wickets fell within the space of 42 runs.
The prime architect of the West Indian disassembly was leg-spinner Stuart MacGill. Omitted from the Australian eleven that won in Melbourne last week, MacGill finished the day with 7/92 from 35 overs. It was SCG MacGill's third five-wicket haul in three Test innings at the ground which bears his initials, encompassing a total of nineteen wickets.
Full postEngland Under-19 taste victory in first game
England Under-19 defeated West Zone Under-19 by 58 runs in a practice one-dayer at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Pune on Tuesday
Waleed Hussain
02-Jan-2001
England Under-19 defeated West Zone Under-19 by 58 runs in a practice one-dayer
at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Pune on Tuesday. England Under-19 scored 223
all out in 50 overs in reply to which West Zone Under-19 were bowled out for 165
runs in 39.3 overs.
After the first two days of the scheduled three day warm-up game were washed out
by rain, both teams decided to play a 50 overs a side game on the last and final
day.
The Jawaharlal Nehru stadium ground was still wet in patches but overall the
conditions were fruitful for play. Skippers Parthiv Patel and Ian Bell met for
the toss, the former winning it and inviting the tourists to bat first.
The tourists were cautious in their appoach early in the innings, both openers
John Sadler and Gary Pratt batted defensively. They struggled early on but still
managed to put on a 76 run partnership for the first wicket in 17.1 overs. Gary
Pratt scored the first fifty of the tour, his 59 coming off 102 balls with ten
hits to the fence. Pratt was the highest scorer of the innings. The other
contributor was Ian Bell who scored a decent 40 off 68 with one six and three
hits to the fence. John Sadler was run out by Vinit Indulkar for 33 off 55 balls
with one six and four hits to the fence.
Full postEngland Under-19 taste victory in first game
England Under-19 defeated West Zone Under-19 by 58 runs in a practice one-dayer at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Pune on Tuesday
Waleed Hussain
02-Jan-2001
England Under-19 defeated West Zone Under-19 by 58 runs in a practice one-dayer
at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Pune on Tuesday. England Under-19 scored 223
all out in 50 overs in reply to which West Zone Under-19 were bowled out for 165
runs in 39.3 overs.
After the first two days of the scheduled three day warm-up game were washed out
by rain, both teams decided to play a 50 overs a side game on the last and final
day.
The Jawaharlal Nehru stadium ground was still wet in patches but overall the
conditions were fruitful for play. Skippers Parthiv Patel and Ian Bell met for
the toss, the former winning it and inviting the tourists to bat first.
The tourists were cautious in their appoach early in the innings, both openers
John Sadler and Gary Pratt batted defensively. They struggled early on but still
managed to put on a 76 run partnership for the first wicket in 17.1 overs. Gary
Pratt scored the first fifty of the tour, his 59 coming off 102 balls with ten
hits to the fence. Pratt was the highest scorer of the innings. The other
contributor was Ian Bell who scored a decent 40 off 68 with one six and three
hits to the fence. John Sadler was run out by Vinit Indulkar for 33 off 55 balls
with one six and four hits to the fence.
Full postBaroda enter Ranji Trophy knockout
Baroda qualified for the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy after drawing their final West Zone league match against Gujarat at the Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium in Motera on January 1
Sankhya Krishnan
02-Jan-2001
Baroda qualified for the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy after drawing their
final West Zone league match against Gujarat at the Sardar Patel (Gujarat)
Stadium in Motera on January 1. The five points that accrued from the first
innings lead took Baroda's tally to 19, close on the heels of Mumbai (21) and
Maharashtra (20).
Resuming on the last day at 343/6 in reply to Gujarat's 298, Baroda lost two
more wickets before skipper Nayan Mongia closed shutters after lunch at 488.
Rakesh Patel was the first to depart, falling to his namesake and fellow seamer,
L Patel for 27. He was replaced by another Patel, the offspinner Umang, who
added 66 for the eighth wicket with Mongia. After Mongia was dismissed for 80
(132 balls, eight fours), Patel and Zaheer Khan proceeded to put together an
enterprising stand of 48 in just over nine overs before the declaration came.
Gujarat limped to 114/4 from 54 overs in their second knock. Zaheer Khan trapped
both openers leg before in a six over spell to take his match haul to six and
Umang Patel chipped in with the other two scalps. The hosts, having needed an
outright victory from this game to qualify, collected three points from the draw
to take fourth spot in the group with 14 points, ahead of Saurashtra who
finished at the bottom with six points.
Full postDhawan's century helps Delhi take first innings lead
A fine 135 by opener S Dhawan helped Delhi take a 56-run first innings lead over Orissa on the second day of their Vijay Merchant Trophy Under-16 pre-quarter final match at the East Calcutta Sports Council Ground in Calcutta on Tuesday
Natarajan Sriram
02-Jan-2001
A fine 135 by opener S Dhawan helped Delhi take a 56-run first innings lead over
Orissa on the second day of their Vijay Merchant Trophy Under-16 pre-quarter
final match at the East Calcutta Sports Council Ground in Calcutta on Tuesday.
In reply to Orissa's 231, Delhi made a circumspect start with openers PP Singh
(11) and S Dhawan putting on 46 runs in 14.5 overs. PP Singh was the first to be
dismissed bowled by B Mohanty. His replacement at the crease, Raman Chowdhury
returned to the confines of the pavilion without opening his account. Raman was
caught by A Patra off R Mohanty. Aditya Jain joined Dhawan to take the score to
74 when Jain was run out for 17.
H Mehta (71) and Dhawan then forged a 138-run fourth wicket stand in 42.3 overs.
Mehta during a stay of 2-1/2 hours, faced 135 balls and hit 12 fours and two
sixes. After ensuring the lead, Dhawan himself departed with the score board
reading 267. Dhawan was at the middle for 17 minutes over five hours. He faced
249 balls and found the boundary ropes 20 times. A Nag (19) and A Bali (12) were
unbeaten at stumps with Delhi 287 for six.
On the opening day, Orissa, opting to bat first, scored 231. Orissa were helped
by skipper SP Priyadarshan (74) who shared a 53-run sixth wicket stand with
Agasti (42). Then D Das (36) helped the score along with the help of the
tailenders. Abhishek Sharma (3 for 72) and PP Singh (3 for 51) were the most
successful bowlers.
Full postMumbai finishes top in West Zone Ranji league
Hosts Maharashtra held off Mumbai to take first innings honours in their final West Zone Ranji Trophy clash which ended at the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium in Kolhapur on New Year's Day
Sankhya Krishnan
02-Jan-2001
Hosts Maharashtra held off Mumbai to take first innings honours in their final
West Zone Ranji Trophy clash which ended at the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium
in Kolhapur on New Year's Day. Mumbai had the satisfaction of finishing top of
the group with 21 points. They thus claimed the Talim Trophy for supremacy in
the zone. Maharashtra which was beaten into second place with 20 points are
qualifying for the next stage of the competition after a year's break.
Mumbai began the final day at 371/6, needing another 75 to overhaul
Maharashtra's first innings tally of 445. They suffered a blow in the day's
third over, skipper Samir Dighe falling to legspinner Mandar Sane for 98 (200
balls, 15 fours). His replacement, Ramesh Powar blasted 22 in just 13 balls,
inclusive of five boundaries, before succumbing at 404. The other overnight
batsman Paras Mhambrey, in the company of Nilesh Kulkarni, moved the score to
429 when both fell in successive overs within four runs of each other. Mumbai
thus finished twelve runs short, Iqbal Siddiqui being the most successful bowler
for the hosts, claiming 4/124.
With 72 overs still scheduled for the day, spinners Nilesh Kulkarni (4/54) and
Sairaj Bahutule (3/40) combined to dismiss Maharashtra for 213 in their second
knock. Maharashtra were down to 138/8 in the 42nd over at one stage, leaving
them in danger of an unlikely defeat but a tailend rally led by wicketkeeper SM
Kondhalkar, who topscored with an unbeaten 30, got them out of harm's way.
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