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Pakistan in West Indies: Boys to men
It was the turn of three more young batsmen to enjoy the bounty provided by a placid, run-filled pitch on the third day of the second Test at Kensington Oval yesterday
21-May-2000
It was the turn of three more young batsmen to enjoy the bounty provided by a placid, run-filled pitch on the third day of the second
Test at Kensington Oval yesterday.
Yousuf Youhana, the 25-year-old right-hander, pulled Pakistan out of a hole with his 115 on the first day and Wavell Hinds, the 23-year-old Jamaican left-hander, responded with his stirring 165 on Friday.
They were joined yesterday by a couple of stylish, precocious teenagers, Ramnaresh Sarwan of the West Indies and Imran Nazir of Pakistan.
The 19-year-old Sarwan, polished and correct, was denied the rare chance of a hundred on debut when he ran out of partners to be left unbeaten 84, an innings begun on the previous afternoon that lasted five hours and 20 minutes all told.
Full postDay 4: Test 2: Pakistan v West Indies
Pakistan have moved on to 298-5, an overall lead of 153; the not-out batsmen being captain Moin Khan on 02, while injured all rounder, Abdur Razzaq, is 01 not out
Colin E. Croft
21-May-2000
Tea Interval:
Pakistan have moved on to 298-5, an overall lead of 153; the not-out batsmen being captain Moin Khan on 02, while injured all rounder, Abdur Razzaq, is 01 not out.
Today, Pakistan continued to 219 before Mohammad Wasim was out LBW to Reon King for a well made 82.
18 year old Inram Nazir, after becoming the third youngest player to make a Test century, behind Mustaq Mohammad and Sachin Tendulkar, was eventually out for 131, made in over 4 hours, and including 20 blistering fours.
Full postYorkshire gain revenge over Gloucestershire
Yorkshire gained revenge over Gloucestershire for their three one-day defeats last season as the Phoenix beat the Gladiators by 35 runs under Duckworth Lewis
Neil Whitaker
21-May-2000
Yorkshire gained revenge over Gloucestershire for their three one-day defeats last season as the Phoenix beat the Gladiators by 35 runs under Duckworth Lewis.
This rain affected match started 45 minutes late and after seven overs the rain drove the players off the field. When they returned the match was reduced to 33 overs each.
The first ball after restart from Cawdron bounced up at Fellows and hit the shoulder of his bat. The ball looped out of the reach of Alleyne at slip. After that the openers tried to attack the Gladiators bowlers, but the tight bowling was backed up by some keen fielding. The sight of Fellows dancing down the wicket to Cawdron prompted Russell to stand up to him.
Byas' eagerness to keep the scoreboard moving nearly resulted in the loss of the first wicket. He was halfway down the pitch before Fellows sent him back, luckily for Byas, Windows had thrown to wrong end.
The pair put on 77 before the partnership was broken when Fellows was leg before to Alleyne for 30. Byas and Blakey added 31 before Byas was stumped by Russell when he slipped out of his ground. Blakey together with Lehmann kept the scoreboard moving but like the openers they were unable to find the boundaries. But Lehmann did manage to hit a full toss from Averies for a six over square leg. After hitting Averies for four over long-on Lehmann was caught by Alleyne at short fine leg the next ball.
Full postSomerset beat Nottinghamshire by 4 wickets
The National League First Division campaign may still be in its infancy, but already it looks set to hold contrasting fortunes for newly-promoted Somerset and Northants
21-May-2000
The National League First Division campaign may still be in its infancy, but already it looks set to hold contrasting fortunes for newly-promoted Somerset and Northants.
A four-wicket victory with 17-balls to spare at Taunton made it maximum points from their first two fixtures for the Sabres and had vice-captain Marcus Trescothick enthusing: "We don't fear anyone in this format."
That sort of confidence can only be envied by Steelbacks skipper Matthew Hayden, who promised a close review of strategy and personnel after his side's third defeat in as many games.
"I don't think we're playing that badly, but the results speak for themselves and we need to take a good look at what is going wrong," admitted the Australian. "We have a strong squad of players and it may be that we have to make one or two changes."
Full postHip! Hip! Hinds!
For six uplifting hours at Kensington Oval yesterday, Wavell Hinds transformed the West Indian pessimism of the recent past into real hope for the future, immediate and long-term
20-May-2000
For six uplifting hours at Kensington Oval yesterday, Wavell Hinds transformed the West Indian pessimism of the recent past into real hope for the future, immediate and long-term.
The tall, slim, 23-year-old left-hander's commanding 165, his first hundred in his fourth Test, was the backbone of a total of 283 for five that carried the West Indies to a lead of 30 when fading light brought an end to the second day of the second Test 3.2 overs before the scheduled, extended close.
Ever eager to take on Pakistan's varied, high-class bowling on a batsman-friendly pitch, Hinds used his bat with such effect that his chanceless innings was embellished with 24 resounding boundaries in almost every direction.
He disdained the modern practice of applying the pad as first, not second, line of defence and was only troubled by the late left-arm inswing of Wasim Akram, one of the game's most successful bowlers in his 94th Test.
Full postDay 3: Test 2: Pakistan v West Indies
The latter stages of Day 3 belonged fully to Pakistan and their opening batsmen
Colin E. Croft
20-May-2000
Close of Play:
The latter stages of Day 3 belonged fully to Pakistan and their opening batsmen. At the close, they had raced to 152-0, a credit of 7 runs, after erasing that 1st innings deficit of 145 without losing a 2nd innings wicket.
Mohammed Wasim looks comfortable on 53, including five 4's, his 2nd Test half century, while 18 year old Inram Nazir, perhaps Pakistan's answer to West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan, has played even more enterprisingly for his 94, including fourteen superlative 4's. This is Inram Nazir's highest Test score; his 2nd Test half century in only his 2nd Test.
Earlier the West Indies managed a very accomplished 398, delighting the largest crowd of the game so far, thanks mainly to Wavell Hinds's hard-hitting 165, his first Test hundred in his 4th Test; and to a classy 84 not out from Test debutante Ramnarace Sarwan on the 3rd day.
Full postEngland v Zimbabwe - First Test, Day 3
Although England have dominated this Test from the outset, they have gone on to firmly establish their overwhelming superiority as the match has progressed
Andy Jalil
20-May-2000
Although England have dominated this Test from the outset, they have gone on
to firmly establish their overwhelming superiority as the match has progressed.
The innocuous bowling that Zimbabwe have had at their disposal has had no
effect on England as their batsmen, led by an imperious Alec Stewart and an
equally authoritative Graeme Hick have piled on the runs.
The opposition does not possess any strength of note and if that means
competitiveness is missing in this Test and in every likelihood from the
series; for England it has been a most welcome opportunity of getting into a
winning mode. That is a luxury that they have not been particularly familiar
with in recent times.
Even though Zimbabwe managed to claim all England wickets, the last six in a
space of 39 runs, it mattered little. The feature of the third day's play has
been England's batting. Both Hick and Stewart took full advantage of the lack
of penetration in the tourists' attack and scored freely in the manner that
can only have given them confidence for the rest of their task in this summer
of extended Tests and One-Day Internationals.
Full postDay two: Roof please
Strange isn't it, that so many of the games invented in England are totally unsuited to our soggy island climate
Neal Collins
20-May-2000
Strange isn't it, that so many of the games invented in England are totally unsuited to our soggy island climate.
Yesterday's play at Lord's (England ended 175-3 in the gloom, replying to Zimbabwe's gloomy 83 all out) was a perfect advertisement for the clever chap who came up with the idea of building a stadium with a retractable roof. Pity England's cricketing authorities, not famous for their forward thinking, haven't taken him up on it.
Only the man who can come up with the choreography for a non-rain dance is likely to make more money in this increasingly sports-mad nation over the next twenty years.
Between the intervals of rain, hail and bad light yesterday, we were treated to a terrible injustice, some glorious batting and another day of one-sided cricket.
Full postSangakkara destroys Zimbabweans with blazing century
With the senior side currently in such dire straights , the Zimbabwean selectors are sure to watching carefully the progress of the `A' team in Sri Lanka
Charlie Austin
20-May-2000
With the senior side currently in such dire straights , the Zimbabwean selectors are sure to watching carefully the progress of the `A' team in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately there continues to be little good news to report after yet another loss on this disappointing tour. Zimbabwe `A' losing the second unofficial one-day international by 110 runs at De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa.
There certainly don't appear to be any short-term solutions available to Zimbabwe's chronic lack of penetrative bowlers. Zimbabwe were forced to use eight bowlers in this match. With the exception of Angus Mackay and Andy Blignaut, in his early overs, they were woefully ineffective on a pitch that was low in bounce and variable in pace and conceded 297 from their 50 overs.
In reply the batsmen never looked capable of reaching such a tough target. Losing regular wickets they quickly fell behind the run-rate and were eventually bowled out for 187 in 46.4 overs. The only batsmen to establish himself, and indeed the only Zimbabwean batsmen capable of threatening such a large total, was Craig Wishart (67).Unfortunately, with the brief exception of Andy Blignaut (30), who threw his wicket away with a ghastly reverse pull/sweep, no-one was able to accompany him.
Whilst the Zimbabwean's will rightly be disappointed they can take consolation from the fact they were on the receiving end of a quite astonishing innings from Kumar Sangakkara (156*). Sri Lanka `A's left handed wicket keeper smashed the Zimbabwean bowlers to all corners of this stadium, scoring 56 runs from his last 26 deliveries.
Full postZim the grim
RICHIE Benaud was on the telly talking about match fixing at lunch during Zimbabwe's awful Lord's debut yesterday
Neal Collins
19-May-2000
RICHIE Benaud was on the telly talking about match fixing at lunch during
Zimbabwe's awful Lord's debut yesterday.
As always, the great Aussie leg spinner was spot on: "From the age of ten to the
age of 38 when I retired, I spent every minute of the day trying to work out how
to win a game of cricket.
"Now it seems to me there are all these people out there trying to work out how
to lose!"
Sadly, it appears that Zimbabwe have been doing just that for the past 11
months, ever since those shocking World Cup successes which seem centuries ago
but took place just.... well, last century.
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