Report
Mumbai held to a draw by Maharashtra
Mumbai were held to a draw by Maharashtra on Thursday at Nehru Stadium, Pune, in the Vijay Merchant Trophy West Zone League for the Under 16s
Santhosh S
28-Dec-2000
Mumbai were held to a draw by Maharashtra on Thursday at Nehru Stadium, Pune, in
the Vijay Merchant Trophy West Zone League for the Under 16s.
Electing to bat after winning the toss Mumbai made 300 all out in their first
innings. Opening batsman SO Kukreja scored a stroke filled 113 that included 13
boundaries to hold the Mumbai innings together. Mumbai innings was propped up by
HN Shah who made 45 coming low in the order. PP More and A Sondkar picked up
three wickets each. Arif Sansara with 6/48 helped Mumbai shoot out Maharashtra
for 170 in 86.2 overs. Yogesh Takwale was the best of the batsmen with 62 (8
fours). At close of play Mumbai were 133/4 in their second innings. Swapnoj
Thankur made 46 with the help of 9 boundaries. Mumbai took home five points to
Maharashtra's three, thanks to their first innings lead.
Full postAustralians box on with tradition
Traditions, by their very nature, live on
John Polack
27-Dec-2000
Traditions, by their very nature, live on. As sure as there is a turkey on many Australian tables on 25 December, it's a fact of modern Test life that national captain
Steve Waugh is often the man for a crisis, always the big-occasion player. Even in this rapidly changing world, and no matter how radically cricket's boundaries have
changed through this long and turbulent year, Australia's ability to ward off trouble is a constant too. In front of 73,233 people, its ascent to a score of 7/295 by
stumps on the opening day of the Fourth Test against West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground emphatically underlined the point.
On Boxing Day, the day laden with more history and tradition than any other in Australian cricket, Waugh (98*) was naturally the figure to whom the exercise of
extricating his team from difficulty fell. Following West Indian captain Jimmy Adams' important victory at the toss, the task of building long individual innings had
initially proven futile. On the MCG's new drop-in pitch - one that helped the bowlers to trouble the batsmen with both pace and bounce - opener Michael Slater
(30) narrowly escaped dragging the fourth delivery of the match into his stumps and, for as long as they were there, he and the remainder of the upper order
struggled to attain anything like their best touch. Slater and fellow opener Matthew Hayden (13) were each provided with a particularly stern examination of their
talents outside the line of off stump, albeit that the West Indians failed to maintain the pressure as consistently as they might have done. One particularly bad moment
for the tourists arrived when Slater (with his score at 9) edged a Mervyn Dillon (2/68) delivery but was dropped by Sherwin Campbell at chest height, and slightly to
his left, at second slip.
Once Hayden was dismissed - ten minutes after drinks as he pushed forward hesitantly at a Courtney Walsh (1/38) delivery - a more appropriate reflection of the
events of the opening half of the day did begin to appear on the scoreboard. Fourteen minutes after his partner's demise, further evidence of the difficulty of
overcoming the attack came when Slater played an injudicious pull shot at Nixon McLean (2/60) and top edged a catch onto which wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs
was able to run twenty metres behind the wicket on the leg side.
Adam Gilchrist (37), Justin Langer (31), Mark Waugh (25) and Ricky Ponting (23) all promised brighter things. But, after weathering early scares, none could truly
consolidate. Gilchrist chased an innocuous-looking, wide delivery from Test debutant Colin Stuart (2/50) and was brilliantly caught in the gully; Langer swiped wildly
at Stuart and bottom-edged a catch to Jacobs; Waugh failed to successfully fend a rearing delivery and continued to prolong Dillon's pronounced run of personal
success against him; and Ponting, after playing the shot in commanding fashion several times, failed to middle a hook at McLean and watched as the stroke was
brilliantly intercepted only inches above the turf at deep backward square leg. It combined to reduce Australia to 5/149 and 7/225 at different stages and had them in
danger of being dismissed for a total of less than 250 for the first time in more than nine months.
Full postLong haul ahead for Sri Lanka at Kingsmead
Just two days into the Castle Lager/MTN Test series and Sri Lanka's strengths and weaknesses in South African conditions have been sharply illuminated
Peter Robinson
27-Dec-2000
Just two days into the Castle Lager/MTN Test series and Sri Lanka's strengths and weaknesses in South African conditions have been sharply illuminated.
The tourists ended the second day of the first Test on 62 for two in reply to South Africa's 420 all out and while Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara batted bravely into the evening to put on 60 in an unbroken stand for the third wicket, the Sri Lankans still have some way to go to reach the follow-on target of 221.
It will not be easy on a Kingsmead pitch that has offered uneven bounce and which is likely to become even more two-paced as the match wears on. The South African seamers are well-equipped to exploit the conditions while Sri Lanka have struggled all through their tour to come to terms with the bounce.
They were in terrible trouble just four overs into their innings after Makahaya Ntini had run out Marvan Atapattu for nought and Sanath Jayasuriya had also gone without scoring, brilliantly caught by Neil McKenzie at point off Mfuneko Ngam.
Full postA new low for West Indies cricket
A few weeks ago, after their first innings of 82 in the First Test at Brisbane, I remember suggesting that the West Indies should have been sent home
Colin Croft
27-Dec-2000
A few weeks ago, after their first innings of 82 in the First Test at Brisbane, I remember suggesting that the West Indies should have been sent home.
There were two distinct replies to my suggestion, from either side of the world. I will say this in my defence. Had the team gone home then, the embarrassments that we saw on the second day of this Test would have been avoided: the cricket shown by the West Indies on day two was putrid, at best.
The Australian supporters, who wanted to see their team surpass the then West Indian consecutive winning record, rebuked me for such a suggestion. They knew that the West Indians were on to a terrible hiding. One did not have to be a soothsayer to know that the writing was already on the wall. The Australian supporters knew their team would never have this kind of chance again.
From across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the Caribbean Sea, came the retort that perhaps "Colin Croft should emigrate to Australia, since he does not know what he was saying. Our boys will bounce back."
That sort of blind faith has allowed many people to lose much in the past.
Full postSkipper Kumar leads from the front as Bihar settle for draw
Unbeaten centuries by Skipper N Kumar and DK Singh on the final day saw Bihar force a draw against Orissa in their East Zone Under-22 match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Wednesday
Natarajan Sriram
27-Dec-2000
Unbeaten centuries by Skipper N Kumar and DK Singh on the final day saw Bihar
force a draw against Orissa in their East Zone Under-22 match at the Barabati
Stadium in Cuttack on Wednesday. Bihar got five points while Orissa had to be
content with three.
Opting to bat first, Bihar put up 285 on the board with N Kumar leading from the
front with a fine 63. Kumar shared a 83-run fifth wicket stand with DK Singh
(52). Then with the help of the tailenders, K Abhimanyu (50 not out) took the
score past the 250 run mark. Saurav Sahgal (4 for 61) and Barman (3 for 39) were
the pick of the Orissa bowlers.
In response, the Orissa batsmen struggled to face up to the Bihar attack and
were shot out for 150. RR Das (100) was the topscorer in an innings which saw
only one other batsman getting into the double figures. During a 183-minute stay
at the crease, Das faced 157 balls while finding the boundary ropes eight times.
Bihar in their second innings were cruising along and reached 183 for six when N
Kumar and DK Singh took firm control of proceedings. The duo put on an unbeaten
203-run partnership in 44.4 overs. They batted for nearly three hours before the
stumps were drawn on the final day. Kumar remained unbeaten with 100 (151 balls,
10 fours) while Singh was on 102 (134 balls, 15 fours).
Full postNortherns hand out comprehensive defeat to Eastern Province
After a storming start to their campaign, with five straight victories, Eastern Province suffered a second comprehensive defeat in succession when the Northerns Titans got home by six wickets with 15 deliveries in hand
MWP
27-Dec-2000
After a storming start to their campaign, with five straight victories,
Eastern Province suffered a second comprehensive defeat in succession when
the Northerns Titans got home by six wickets with 15 deliveries in hand.
It was a superb unbroken partnership for the fifth wicket of 107 off just
101 balls between Northerns captain Gerald Dros (71) and young wicketkeeper
Kruger van Wyk (44), which got them home after they'd looked a trifle shaky
on 89 for four in the 27th over following the dismissal of Martin van
Jaarsveld for 36.
The asking rate had looked none too taxing after EP had posted just 196/8 in
their 45 overs - even that wouldn't have been possible but for a stand of 92
for the sixth wicket between Mark Benfield and Murray Creed - but the
visitors allowed it to climb above six to the over at one point, before the
pair who were there at the end started getting stuck in. Dros, who faced 93
balls during his match-winning knock, hit three sixes, one less than
Benfield had managed for EP.
After a nailbiting victory over the Highveld Strikers in a make-or-break
match last week, the visitors built on the momentum established at home to
cruise in at St George's Park and put themselves within striking distance of
a semi-final spot. For EP, the semi-finals are also still in their thoughts,
though they'll have to halt the recent slide to be certain of qualifying.
Full postNew Plymouth washout for Districts' Cup match
Rain forced the abandonment of the fourth round Shell Cup match between Central Districts and Northern Districts at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth today before a ball had been bowled
Steve McMorran
27-Dec-2000
Rain forced the abandonment of the fourth round Shell Cup match between Central Districts and Northern Districts at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth today before a ball had been bowled.
The start of play was first delayed by morning rain, particularly by a heavy shower around 9am which lasted almost an hour and left pitches adjoining the match strip sodden and unplayable.
The umpires called for lunch to be taken at 12.45, made a further ground inspection while the players enjoyed their meal then ruled just after 1pm, as fresh rain began to fall, that no play would be possible. The match is abandoned and the teams take one point each.
Pukekura Park provided a picturesque setting for today's match but New Plymouth never seemed likely to provide the weather which would allow play to take place. The city lay blanketed by heavy cloud and swept by warm summer rain and even the Auckland umpire Doug Cowie was hampered in reaching New Plymouth because the airport was closed.
Full postWestern Province edge closer to final
CAPE TOWN, Dec 27 - Western Province's newfound ability to defend a total saw them edge ever closer to a Standard Bank Cup semi-final place with a 50-run victory over Free State although their ultimate fate rests in the hands of others
MWP
27-Dec-2000
CAPE TOWN, Dec 27 - Western Province's newfound ability to defend a total
saw them edge ever closer to a Standard Bank Cup semi-final place with a
50-run victory over Free State although their ultimate fate rests in the
hands of others.
Their 244 for five was too much for Free State and once opener Kosie Venter
was fourth out for a well made 80, the visitors' Christmas goose was well
and truly cooked.
Province's success in claiming the last Free State wicket with two balls to
spare also gave them the bonus point that may yet prove crucial.
Mind you, Province were prepared to give Free State a life or two to make it
more entertaining for a 5 000-strong crowd which was quite as healthy as
that for the Durban Test match.
Full postWellington win a slow affair
Wellington and Auckland put in a performance for most of this fourth-round Shell Cup match that can give one-day cricket a bad name - and then found something in the last 10 overs to return some semblance of respectability to the match
Chris Rosie
27-Dec-2000
Wellington and Auckland put in a performance for most of this fourth-round Shell Cup match that can give one-day cricket a bad name - and then found something in the last 10 overs to return some semblance of respectability to the match.
The records will show that Wellington scored 218 for eight off their 50 overs and Auckland were bowled out off the last ball of their 50 for 213, Wellington recording their first win in four matches by five runs.
The match started promisingly enough after Wellington got over their worries about being put in first on a green pitch and losing Chris Nevin in the second over. They went along comfortably enough at a little over fours courtesy of Matthew Bell, Auckland transplant Richard Jones and a regular supply of four balls from the bowlers.
Bell contributed 61 and Jones 42 as they put on 81 for the second wicket. But that was the end of the substatntial partnerships as only Jason Wells with an unbeaten 50 contributed anything more of substance. The innings meandered along as the Auckland bowling, particularly that of Kyle Mills (10-2-37-1) and Mark Haslam (10-0-37-2), did not provide any leeway to batsmen who did not seem interested in looking for it.
Full postOtago break horror historical run with powerful win at Alexandra
With rain sweeping the ground at Molyneux Park, Alexandra early this morning a huge doubt existed as to whether the Shell Cup game between State Otago Volts and Canterbury would see a completion
Warwick Larkins
27-Dec-2000
With rain sweeping the ground at Molyneux Park, Alexandra early this morning a huge doubt existed as to whether the Shell Cup game between State Otago Volts and Canterbury would see a completion.
Play started almost an hour late and the game was reduced to a 47 over contest with Otago winning the toss and putting Canterbury into bat.
The Red and Blacks started slowly and were initially on the back foot until Chris Cairns and Gareth Hopkins came together in a partnership of 65 for the fifth wicket. Cairns innings was a mixture of some aggression but mainly some calculated twos and singles. He scored 44 from 50 balls with three four's and one six.
Hopkins got 60 (from 68 balls with five fours and one six) in a similar type of innings to Cairns). At the end of the Canterbury innings Warren Wisneski and Shane Bond put on 37 for the ninth wicket and this took Canterbury through to 224-8 from their 47 overs.
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