Report
Kerala take Coca Cola Trophy
A keen duel for the all important first innings lead was on the cards and this did come about on the concluding day of the Coca Cola Trophy (under-25) tournament final between Kerala and Tamil Nadu at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports
Partab Ramchand
02-May-2000
A keen duel for the all important first innings lead was on the cards and this did come about on the concluding day of the Coca Cola Trophy (under-25) tournament final between Kerala and Tamil Nadu at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore on Monday. Ultimately Kerala emerged triumphant by snatching a 15-run lead.
Tamil Nadu resumed at 122 for three in reply to Kerala's 323. They suffered an early reverse when Lokesh was out without adding to his overnight score of 50. But their hopes were revived with Subash Raj and skipper Ganesh Kumar (17) adding 48 runs off 21.3 overs. By now it had become a battle of attrition. Dhandapani (17) left at 195 but Subash Raj continued to solider on and with MR Shrinivas (42) added 72 runs for the seventh wicket off 29 overs. At 267 for six, Tamil Nadu were back in the hunt. However at this stage, Shrinivas was run out, dealing a severe blow to Tamil Nadu's hopes. Shrinivas faced 80 balls
and hit four of them to the ropes. When Raghuram (0) was out at 268, Tamil Nadu's goose seemed as good as cooked.
But Subash Raj was still around and he made a valiant last ditch attempt with the help of the tailenders. With No 10 Vasudevan (11) he added 21 runs for the ninth wicket off eight overs. And he continued to battle it out in the company of last man Velmurugan (9 not out) with whom he added 19 runs off four overs. The score went past the 300 mark until amidst much tension and excitement, Subash Raj was leg before to Rajesh with the Tamil Nadu total at 308. Subash Raj had batted in gallant fashion for 84 which took him 418 minutes to compile. He faced 293 balls and hit seven fours. Opening bowler R Menon was the most successful bowler with three for 81 while P Manoj and PV Rajesh took two wickets each. The match was called off after 3.1 mandatory overs when Tamil Nadu were all out. Kerala were richer by Rs 50,000 while Tamil Nadu had to remain content with Rs 30,000. SK Nair chairman, finance comittee, BCCI was the chief guest at the prize distribution function.
Full postWhite Lightning strikes, but injury cloud looms
Grave fears swept around Hampshire's County Ground when South African pace ace Allan Donald was stretched from the field and taken to hospital after crashing into advertising hoardings late in Warwickshire's comfortable win on Monday
Fred McKie
02-May-2000
Grave fears swept around Hampshire's County Ground when South African pace ace Allan Donald was stretched from the field and taken to hospital after crashing into advertising hoardings late in Warwickshire's comfortable win on Monday.
Donald earlier captured three wickets in his first three overs, including the vital scalp of Hampshire captain Robin Smith, who he beat for sheer pace in a devastating display of fast bowling.
But when he attempted a catch at long-on, in the 31st over of Hampshire's innings, he fell heavily into the boundary boards. Play was delayed for four minutes as he slumped in pain in front of a stunned members' stand, players and officials rushed to his aid, paramedics were called to assist the 33-year-old from the ground and an ambulance conveyed him to a local hospital.
Warwickshire fans at the ground were devestated. Their team was in complete control of the match, but the pending victory was marred by thoughts that their star paceman might have injured himself badly enough to miss the lengthy remainder of the season.
Full postHampshire v Zimbabweans - Day 4 report
After, finally, a full day's play, Hampshire managed to force a draw without undue difficulty against the touring Zimbabwean team, the match finishing 20 minutes early in bright sunshine
John Ward
01-May-2000
After, finally, a full day's play, Hampshire managed to force a draw without undue difficulty against the touring Zimbabwean team, the match finishing 20 minutes early in bright sunshine.
Zimbabwe began the day 150 runs ahead of the county side, with four first-innings wickets in hand. Alistair Campbell, on 108 overnight, found it difficult to find his fluency, and his partner Tatenda Taibu made most of the early runs, but the inexperienced Taibu (17 next month) played some of the most impressive strokes - cover drives (off front and back foot) a flick to long leg and a square cut all reaching the boundary.
Hampshire were not impressive, with some loose bowling and one or two half chances and three possible run-outs were missed. Taibu (36) was finally adjudged lbw to Francis and now has a first-class average of 47, after scoring 11 not out in his debut match in the West Indies.
Campbell drove Charlie van der Gucht for a straight six, and then took a single to reach an unbeaten 150, whereupon he declared with a lead of 233. Hampshire made a steady start to their second innings, reaching 17 without loss at lunch (Jason Laney 8, Giles White 9).
Full postZimbabwe facing tough fight for survival
For the second consecutive game the Zimbabweans will go into the last day of the match with their backs to the wall and a draw their only realistic goal
Charlie Austin
01-May-2000
For the second consecutive game the Zimbabweans will go into the last day of the match with their backs to the wall and a draw their only realistic goal. Having gained the upper-hand in this match after bowling out the Sri Lankans for just 212 and then progressing to 142-4 in reply, they collapsed to 173 all out. Grateful for the lead, the Sri Lankan's then extended it to 117 with an unbroken opening stand of 78.
Spurred on by a May Day crowd of at least 38 locals, the Sri Lankan opening bowlers struck immediately in the morning. Suresh Perera, who is making his comeback to first class cricket after a layoff of 5 months due to a stress fracture, trapped Neil Ferreira (0) with the forth delivery of the day. Four balls later Gavin Rennie (1) chipped an easy return catch back to Dinusha Fernando and Zimbabwe were precariously placed on 2-2.
The early wickets gave Aleser Maragwede (7) and Douglas Marillier (81) their first chance of a bat on this tour and an opportunity to push for their inclusion in the test side. With Andy Blignaut still suffering from a back injury and Mark Vermeulen having a wrist injury there could well be some changes for the match in Galle.
It was an opportunity that Douglas Marillier didn't waste. His presence on this tour a remarkable triumph in itself after a horrific car accident a few years ago, he compiled a fluent and entertaining half century. Unfortunately for his team only Craig Wishart (26) was able to give him support.
Full postFinal poised for interesting finish
The final of the Coca Cola Trophy South Zone (under-25) tournament between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is poised for an interesting finish
Partab Ramchand
01-May-2000
The final of the Coca Cola Trophy South Zone (under-25) tournament between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is poised for an interesting finish. At stumps on the second day of their match at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore on Sunday, Tamil Nadu were 122 for three in reply to Kerala's first innings total of 323. The first innings is almost certain to decide the winners of the trophy and Tamil Nadu still need 202 runs but have
seven wickets to pursue glory.
Actually, Tamil Nadu's closing score represents a recovery. For they were in a shaky position at 25 for two. Opener Ravindra John (2) was dismissed at 12 and then one drop S Lakshmi Kumar was out for five at 25.
The other opener KN Riaz and N Lokesh initiated the recovery process by adding 61 runs for the third wicket off 17.2 overs. After Riaz was out for 31, compiled off 72 balls with four hits to the ropes, Lokesh and Subash Raj (20) continued the good work by increasing the score by 36 runs off 18.2 overs during an unbroken fourth wicket partnership. Just before close, Lokesh reached a well compiled 50. He has so far faced 113 balls and hit seven fours.
Earlier, resuming at 208 for six, Kerala did well to add another 115 runs. Chiefly this was because of a seventh wicket partnership of 77 runs off 23 overs between CM Shyam and R Menon. While the former scored 44 off 156 balls and hit five fours, the more aggressive Menon faced only 74 balls for his 41, hitting six fours in the process. Menon was seventh out at 285 but Shyam played the anchor role and kept the innings going till he was ninth out at 312.
He came in to bat midway through the 84th over and was out after batting a trifle over three hours in the 134th over.
Full postSomerset Sabres rattle Gladiators
Somerset gained a measure of revenge for their recent run of defeats at the hands of their local rivals with a tense eight-run victory
Andrew Hall
01-May-2000
Somerset gained a measure of revenge for their recent run of defeats at the
hands of their local rivals with a tense eight-run victory. Recovering from
20-4, the Sabres battled to record a morale-boosting eight-run victory in
front of a Bank Holiday crowd approaching 3,000 at the County Ground.
The intense rivalry between the two sides was never far from boiling point,
with Jack Russell's excellent contribution behind the stumps proving the
catalyst for much of the heightened tension. Two late order stumpings
restricted the home side after the middle order rally led by Keith Parsons
(66), Rob Turner and Ian Blackwell.
Roundly booed to the wicket by the Somerset faithful, it was Russell's
departure to a miscued sweep that exposed the Gloucestershire tail to an
inspired spell from Steffan Jones. The Welshman, benefiting from a winter spent in the Somerset gym, eclipsed all other bowlers on show in terms of pace, ensuring the visitors lost vital wickets as their required run-rate rose.
The holiday crowd was slow to find its voice, only coming to life in the latter stages as an unlikely hero entered the fray. A greylag goose arrived to patrol the outfield with some aggression as the game was slipping away - but Somerset await his return with great anticipation - as soon as the bird appeared, the wickets began to fall. The bird even saved a couple of vital runs - being hit on the wing during its spell at short fine leg.
Full postHampshire v Zimbabweans at Southampton - Day 3
After a rainy second day when no play was possible, the third day of the match was cool but sunny throughout
John Ward
30-Apr-2000
After a rainy second day when no play was possible, the third day of the match was cool but sunny throughout. The rain had left the bowler's run-ups sodden through and any pressure on the grass sent water spurting up like an artesian well, so no play was possible until after lunch. By the close, Zimbabwe had scored 281 for six, a lead of 150, and were still in with a fair chance of victory on the fourth and final day, given uninterrupted play.
Murray Goodwin opened the day's scoring after lunch, clipping Simon Francis neatly through midwicket for four. His partner Trevor Gripper, enjoyed a life when on 6, snicking a shoulder high catch to third slip, the guilty fielder getting his hands to the ball but still allowing it to burst through them to the boundary.
While Gripper concentrated on perfecting his forward defence, Goodwin took Francis apart and when he changed ends, with five fours in an over, a pull, two cuts and two drives. He slowed down as he approached his fifty, though, eventually reaching it off 75 balls. Then Gripper, attempting a rare attacking strike, sliced a catch to gully, off left arm spinner Charlie van der Gucht for 24. Lee Savident held the catch, this made up for a very poor over he has just delivered. The pair had added 103 for the second wicket.
Alistair Campbell soon announced his presence with two successive off side fours off van der Gucht, but Goodwin 70 pulled the same bowler to midwicket for Alex Morris to hold a sharp chance. Carlisle scored one this afternoon whether one was talking cricket or soccer, cricketer Stuart laboured to move the ball off the square until skying an attempted drive to mid-off, where Simon Renshaw held the catch. The out-of-form Neil Johnson 0 was dropped low down at mid-off, off Renshaw; but next ball snicked a catch to Jason Laney at second slip.
Full postZimbabwean bowlers make BCCSL XI struggle
Following their great escape in the first unofficial test match the Zimbabwean bowlers have continued where they left off in Kurunegala
Charlie Austin
30-Apr-2000
Following their great escape in the first unofficial test match the Zimbabwean bowlers have continued where they left off in Kurunegala. Sri Lanka, who won the toss and elected to bat, struggled against the miserly bowling of the visitors on a turning pitch at De Zoysa Stadium and were bowled out for just 212.
The Zimbabwean players have immediately responded to the coach's request for greater discipline in the bowling after the Kurunegala test match. Even the opening bowlers, who have been extremely expensive in the tour so far, acquiesced by bowling a tighter line and shorter length. The spinners - Peacock, Rennie and Price - continued the good work, although initially they bowled a little too flat and fast for this dry, turning wicket.
Kumar Sangakkara held the innings together for the Sri Lankans with a fine 90 off 195 balls. The left handed wicket-keeper played a businesslike innings for his team. Unlike the present Sri Lankan wicketkeeper, Romesh Kaluwitharana, he appears a watchful and patient batsmen. Nevertheless he was prepared to attack the bowlers when given the opportunity and hit a total of 12 boundaries. He was though lucky to survive two chances: a catch down the leg-side in the
50th over and a run-out chance after he slipped in the middle of the wicket.
Apart from Sangakkara and Upeka Fernando (46), who shared a third wicket partnership of 99, the Sri Lankan batsmen failed to apply themselves nor show the kind of intensity and commitment that one has come to expect from Sri Lankan sides during the last few months.
Full postGloucestershire beat Sussex by 10 runs at Bristol
An amazing fight-back from Gloucestershire gave them a miraculous ten run victory over the Sussex Sharks on Sunday
Sean Beynon
30-Apr-2000
An amazing fight-back from Gloucestershire gave them a miraculous ten run
victory over the Sussex Sharks on Sunday. Cruising at 125-4, needing 20 runs
to win, with all the time in the world, Sussex looked virtually impregnable.
Four wickets from Averis ripped away the Sharks' backbone, as one of the
unlikeliest victories in years came into fruition.
Sussex, playing in their first season in Division 1, won the toss and sent the Gladiators in. The home side were soon in trouble, losing pinch-hitter Jeremy Snape and opener Tim Hancock caught in the slips, and Matt Windows, unlucky to be given lbw, as the score crept to 16. Kim Barnett and Mark Alleyne set about the recovery mission, Alleyne cutting and driving with power. The innings never gained impetus, flickering to life only with Jack Russell's breezy knock of 23. Rob Kirtley was the pick of the bowlers, with 3-18 from his allocation. In spite of Barnett's patient 55, 145 never looked enough.
The pitch kept low, offering some help to the seamers. After two early losses, Chris Adams and Michael Bevan eased out a 48 partnership before the former was run out for 12. At 83-3, the hard work appeared to have been done. Jeremy Snape struck with his first ball, but Jamie Carpenter and the invisible Bevan steadied the ship.
A Harvey yorker was too good for Carpenter, and with a lengthy Sussex tail,
perhaps the Gladiators had a chance. James Averis got rid of Robin Martin-Jenkins for a duck, and a direct-hit from Hancock saw the end of Rashid, also for one. Wilton popped an Averis slower ball to mid-wicket, out for one. From holding an iron grip, the Sharks were suddenly 133-8. If there is to be any criticism of Bevan it is that he did not look for the boundaries - appearing content to leave the strike with the tail enders. With two overs left, and Harvey finished with 2-5, (9 overs) Sussex needed a run a ball. Rob Kirtley couldn't get the ball of the square, so resorted to try and loft Averis. The ball skied to mid off, swerving in the wind. It appeared that Harvey had misjudged the take, but he somehow managed a grab, diving backwards, the ball over his head. It was an amazing catch - and is clear why his nickname is the `freak.'
Full postBangladesh crushed by imports
An almost full strength Bangladesh national team playing as Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan XI were crushed by the Overseas XI, comprising foreign players currently participating in the country's Premier League
Syedur Rahman
30-Apr-2000
An almost full strength Bangladesh national team playing as Cricket
Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan XI were crushed by the Overseas XI,
comprising foreign players currently participating in the country's Premier
League. The match held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium was organized by
one of the country's oldest clubs, Wari Club as part of their Centneary
celebrations. It was curtailed to a 38-over a side encounter due to heavy
rain on the previous night. Akram Khan led the Bangladesh side while Tareq
Mehmood was in charge of the guests' side which had ten Pakistanis out of
the eleven.
Electing to bat first, CCDM lost Naimur Rahman early for 12, before
Shahriar Hussain and Habibul Bashar added 91 runs for the second wicket.
Bashar left for 37 with the score on 112 and his partner Shahriar was the
next to go, top scoring with 66, an innings which inlcuded three boundaries
and two sixes.Shahriar was Pakistani left armer Mohammad Hossain's first
victim and more soon followed. The rest of the batsman were unable to put
up any resistance against the Overseas attack, as Hossain ripped through
the ordertaking 5/19. CCDM ended at up with a disappointing score of 182/9
in their allotted 38 overs.
Overseas XI started disastrously losing Mohammad Hossain, who failed to
score. But after that another good second wicket partnership, this time
between Salim Elahi (69 off 19 balls, 10 fours and a six) and Imran Farhet
(39) worth 92 put the imports in a very comfortable position. After the
departure of both the anchoring batsman, Sarfaraz followed cheaply with
just 2. With the score on 157 and just 23 runs required, Abid Hanif (19)
and Manzoor Elahi (18) played it safe and Overseas XI sailed to victory
with 3 overs to spare.
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