Report
Evans and Viljoen record stand in Mashonaland victory
After putting up a good fight for the first day and a half of the Logan Cup match at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Matabeleland then subsided weakly to lose to Mashonaland by the huge margin of 276 runs in a most unimpressive performance
John Ward
26-Mar-2000
LOGAN CUP REPORT: MATABELELAND v MASHONALAND, Day 3
By
After putting up a good fight for the first day and a half of the
Logan Cup match at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Matabeleland then
subsided weakly to lose to Mashonaland by the huge margin of 276
runs in a most unimpressive performance. The highlight of the day
was a record partnership for any wicket in Zimbabwean cricket
history, as Craig Evans and Dirk Viljoen put on 330 together for
the third wicket. The previous best by a Zimbabwean team was
300, also for the fourth wicket, by Robin Brown and Peter Allan
for Rhodesia B against Eastern Province B in 1978/79, and by
opponents 317 for the second wicket between Roger Twose and Asif
Din for Warwickshire against a Mashonaland XI in 1993/94.
Mashonaland began the day 261 runs ahead, with seven wickets in
hand, and it was clear from the start that the policy was to
build on this lead with all possible speed. Dirk Viljoen drove
the first ball he faced on the third day through the covers for
four; Craig Evans pulled his second over the leg boundary for
six. Both batsmen hit at everything against a toothless attack,
and added 100 runs to the score in just eight overs. Evans,
after passing his century, began to look for his usual massive
sixes, one over long-off and the rest pulled over midwicket,
while Viljoen slashed and cut his way past 150.
Full postTour diary: Not part of the plan
As I stated in my last report, we needed to let what happened in Trinidad go, and focus all our attention and energies on to the next Test match
Alistair Campbell
26-Mar-2000
As I stated in my last report, we needed to let what happened in
Trinidad go, and focus all our attention and energies on to the
next Test match. We had our team meeting and made peace with the
first Test and refocused!
The pitch here in Jamaica is renowned for being a good batting
wicket, and so it looked -- not a blade of grass to be seen and
the surface was rock hard. We were in no doubt that if we won the
toss we would bat, which Andy Flower duly did. There was a little
moisture in the wicket -- left there to stop the pitch from
cracking up too early in the match so initially the going was
very tough as Ambrose and Walsh got the ball to seam and bounce.
Grant Flower weathered the initial storm, but then edged Walsh to
Jacobs and we were one down.
Gripper and Goodwin then played very sensibly and we were moving
along very nicely at 40 for 1 a few minutes before lunch, when we
lost two wickets and suddenly we were in some trouble. Gripper
mistimed an attempted pull shot off King to Walsh at mid-wicket,
and Johnson edged the same bowler to first slip. Suddenly we were
40 for 3, and we needed to do some seriously hard work.
What proceeded hereafter was a classic example of superlative
Test match batting on a good wicket against good bowling. Flower
and Goodwin began the rebuilding exercise with a mixture of
watchful defence and punches and pushes into the gaps. Goodwin
was the more expansive of the two and played some exquisite cuts
and clips off his legs. The mental discipline needed to bat this
way and for this period is immense, and we moved from 40 for 3 to
216 for 3 just before the close when a mini-disaster struck.
Full postZimbabwe in West Indies: Uphill battle
After the euphoria of last Monday's Great Escape at the Queen's Park Oval, stark reality returned to West Indies cricket after two days of the second Test against Zimbabwe
Tony Cozier
26-Mar-2000
After the euphoria of last Monday's Great Escape at the Queen's Park
Oval, stark reality returned to West Indies cricket after two days of
the second Test against Zimbabwe.
Twice they have held the initiative against their plucky, but limited,
opponents. Twice, they have lacked the resources and the self-belief
to retain it.
This time, two of the heroes of Port-of-Spain and so many Tests
besides, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, suddenly looked their age
and the batting looked as lacking in technique and confidence as
usual.
Likely to have to chase a target on the last day on a hard, bare pitch
that will progressively wear, they face a potentially difficult fight
over the remaining three days.
Full postCricInfo Trophy: Railways take big first innings lead
Veteran left arm spinner and skipper Diana Edulji and opening bowler Sunita Kanojia put Railways on course to retaining the National women's cricket championship for the CricInfo Trophy at the Jorhat stadium in Jorhat on Sunday
26-Mar-2000
Veteran left arm spinner and skipper Diana Edulji and opening bowler
Sunita Kanojia put Railways on course to retaining the National
women's cricket championship for the CricInfo Trophy at the Jorhat
stadium in Jorhat on Sunday. Replying to Railways' first innings total
of 353, Air India, last year's runners-up, were all out for
208. Railways then extended their 145-run first innings lead to 158 by
scoring 13 for two in their second innings by close.
In the face of an imposing total, a good start was imperative but Air
India did not get it. They lost openers Anju Jain (9) and Anjum Chopra
(0) with only ten runs on the board. Mithali Raj (30 off 84 balls with
four boundaries) and skipper Poornima Rau (65) then initiated a
recovery process by adding 57 runs off 22.3 overs. Mamatha Maben (4)
did not last long but Poornima and Smitha Harikrishna (31 off 68 balls
with three fours) kept Air India's hopes alive with a fifth wicket
partnership of 56 runs off 20 overs.
At 138 for four, Air India were still in the game. But then Diana who
has been in women's cricket for nearly quarter of a century showed
that she still retained much of her skill. She broke the stand by
having Smitha caught behind by the wicketkeeper. And a little later,
in three successive overs, she broke the back of the innings by taking
the wickets of Poornima (65), Manju Nadgoda (4) and V Kusumlatha
(2). The experienced Poornima batted 193 minutes, faced 154 balls and
hit ten of them to the ropes. But suddenly Air India were now 153 for
eight and facing a follow on.
Sunaina Mehan (33 off 86 balls with four boundaries) and Seema Pujare
(11) however added 40 runs for the ninth wicket off 17.2 overs. Then
Sunaina and Usha Bogade (8 not out) averted the follow on by adding 15
runs for the last wicket. Diana finished with four for 45 off 22 overs
while Sunita had three for 46.
Full postInzamam, Waqar lead Pakistan's triumphant charge
Pakistan scored an overwhelming 98 run victory over India at Sharjah today to stay in the running for a place in the final of the three nation Coca Cola Cup
Sankhya Krishnan
26-Mar-2000
Pakistan scored an overwhelming 98 run victory over India at Sharjah today to stay in the running for a place in the final of the three nation Coca Cola Cup. Two standout individual performances from Inzamam ul Haq and Waqar Younis were the cornerstones of a well chiseled out team effort and with the Pakistanis also having suitably improved upon their net run rate at India's expense, suddenly it is India which is now in the most precarious position. Inzamam led the Pakistani run riot that produced 121 runs in the last 13 overs to take his side to the commanding heights of 272. And the canny Waqar Younis, who showed that he had lost none of his old cunning as he took his ODI tally to 299, snuffed out the Indian challenge with a controlled spell of fast bowling that scattered the Indian top order. Both of them appropriately shared the man of the match award.
India were staring down the barrel as they went in to bat and an inspired burst by Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram swept away Ganguly and Tendulkar in the space of five overs to leave India tottering at 20/2. The pressure had clearly got to both men and they were nowhere near as self assured as their normal selves. Both Waqar and Wasim were fired up by the certainty of having plenty of runs to play with and never gave the batsmen any breathing space as Ganguly patted a slower one back to Waqar and Tendulkar was bowled through the gate by Akram. For a batsman of his ability, Tendulkar has been castled with astonishing frequency. As has been pointed out he doesn't put his left leg out far enough to close the gap between bat and pad. And by playing forward, the chances of being given leg before are also minimal.
After that it was all downhill as Sunil Joshi was quickly given the marching orders by Younis and the rash of wickets forced Dravid and Azharuddin to close the shutters for a while. Dravid tried to get a move on as he punished Abdur Razzaq for three boundaries but after the spell of inactivity earlier, he was compelled to have a go at balls he would normally have left well alone and chased a wide one from Shoaib through to Moin. Younis was not through yet and returning for his second spell, he dispatched Azharuddin and Jadeja, the latter with a vicious in-cutter that produced a rattle of timber, in the space of three overs to douse the last smoulders of the Indian challenge. He finished with 5-31 in 10 overs and took his ODI wickets tally to 299.
All the pundits agreed that the Sharjah wicket was a good batting track and they must have been shaking their heads in bafflement when the highest score in six innings over the first three days was a modest 199. Well today the Pakistanis showed that there was no devil in the wicket and it was just inept batting that had been found out in the earlier matches. Inzamam ul Haq was in supreme touch as he blazed away to his seventh ODI hundred off just 98 balls and took the Indian attack to the cleaners in the course of an unbroken 151 run association for the fourth wicket with Yousuf Youhana.
Full postYoung gun Graeme Swann put the old Masters to sword
YOUNG gun Graeme Swann put the old Masters to the sword as cricket calypso style thrilled the crowd at the Grenada National Stadium
Nick Hoult
26-Mar-2000
YOUNG gun Graeme Swann put the old Masters to the sword as cricket calypso
style thrilled the crowd at the Grenada National Stadium.
Loud speakers belted out reggae tunes as the County beat the Masters XI by
seven wickets against the backdrop of thousands of dancing schoolchildren,
who were given the day off by their teachers.
Swann thrilled the sizeable crowd hitting 11 fours and three sixes in his
73-ball 89, and brought up his 50 with an audacious six off Joel Garner.
And the Towcester twirler even showed off his dancing skills, delighting the
crowd with his reggae jiving.
The Swann brothers opened the batting for the County as they chased 156 for
victory, after Paul Taylor and Devon Malcolm had decimated a top order which
once struck fear into every Englishman.
Full postRennie gives Matabeleland 1st innings lead on entertaining day
A pitch giving a little help to bowlers resulted in another Logan Cup match in which the first-innings advantage was settled on the first day, and when the lack of quality of much of the cricket was compensated for by a goodly portion of interest and
John Ward
25-Mar-2000
A pitch giving a little help to bowlers resulted in another Logan
Cup match in which the first-innings advantage was settled on the
first day, and when the lack of quality of much of the cricket
was compensated for by a goodly portion of interest and
excitement. Mashonaland batted poorly to total 170, while
Matabeleland looked to be matching them error for error until a
lusty ninth-wicket partnership took them into a 27-run lead by
the close, with two wickets still in hand.
The pitch, according to the players, had more bounce than a
normal BAC pitch, but as usual it had a bit of movement for the
seamers early on, playing easier as the match went on.
Matabeleland captain Mark Abrams therefore put Mashonaland in to
bat on winning the toss and had instant reward, as Matabeleland
took wickets with the fifth balls of the first two overs. John
Rennie swung the first ball in and only just missed Darlington
Matambanadzo's off stump as he shouldered arms. Off the fifth
ball Matambanadzo, who had already flicked and missed outside off
stump, nudged a catch to keeper Warren Gilmour without a run on
the board. At the other end, after a leg-bye, his replacement
Brad Robinson drove a four through the covers but then presented
Gilmour with another catch off a loose stroke outside off stump.
Both batsmen revealed their lack of three-day experience and
technique.
Gavin Rennie looked in fine form, though, taking advantage of
some loose bowling to play some fine strokes, especially off the
back foot through the covers. After ten overs Mashonaland were
42 for two, Rennie having 25 of them. Dirk Viljoen played
himself in slowly, and the fifty partnership had just come up
when John Rennie won a most unbrotherly lbw appeal against Gavin
(32). Craig Evans flattered briefly but only to deceive, hitting
his first three Logan Cup fours of the tournament before
obligingly hooking Mark Abrams down the throat of long-leg Jason
Hitz, making Mashonaland 87 for four.
Viljoen was looking in good form, but as so often he failed to go
on to a big score, caught at the wicket fishing outside off stump
for 36 to Rennie, who persuaded his captain to keep him on for
over after over. This was on the stroke of lunch, when
Mashonaland were on 111 for five (Don Campbell 13).
Full postWest Indies late charge evens game up
The West Indies pulled themselves back into the game late in the evening after a very composed 4th wicket partnership of 176 between Murray Goodwin, who made 113; before he was run out going for a non-existent single; and captain, Andy Flower, who
Colin Croft
25-Mar-2000
End of Play Summary: Day 1; Test 2
The West Indies pulled themselves back into the game late in the
evening after a very composed 4th wicket partnership of 176
between Murray Goodwin, who made 113; before he was run out going
for a non-existent single; and captain, Andy Flower, who was
sensationally bowled, padding up, by Franklyn Rose for 66.
Both batsmen were dismissed from consecutive deliveries on
Zimbabwe's eventual close of play score of 220-5. Not out are
Alistair Campbell and Stuart Carlisle, both yet to score.
Goodwin's innings, his 2nd century at this level, contained a
chance, but was one of great concentration, containing only ten
4's, but lasting over 5 hours. Andy Flower's innings was
chance-less and had five boundaries.
Full postGoodwin spoils plan
Kingston - Things didn't go strictly according to plan for West Indians on the field or beyond the Sabina Park boundary yesterday
Tonu Cozier
25-Mar-2000
Kingston - Things didn't go strictly according to plan for West Indians on the field or beyond the Sabina Park boundary yesterday.
Zimbabwe's two most accomplished batsmen, Murray Goodwin and captain Andy Flower, combined with a lifeless pitch to spoil the opening day of the second Test for their 11 opponents and the 7 000 or so hopeful Jamaicans in the stands.
They had flocked in from early morning in the confident expectation of seeing their beloved Courtney Walsh overhaul Kapil Dev's record number of Test wickets and he and his fast bowling colleagues once more scatter the hapless Zimbabweans as they had done in the famous first Test victory at the Queen's Park Oval on Monday.
Instead, on a hard, bare, beige pitch without the grass covering of Queen's Park's, Goodwin and the left-handed Flower led a recovery from 40 for three at lunch with an untroubled partnership of 166.
Full postGoodwin century helps Zimbabwe recover
The West Indies pulled themselves back into the game late in the evening after a very composed fourth wicket partnership of 176 between Murray Goodwin, who made 113 before he was run out going for a non-existent single and captain, Andy Flower, who
Colin Croft
25-Mar-2000
The West Indies pulled themselves back into the game late in the evening after a very composed fourth wicket partnership of 176 between Murray Goodwin, who made 113 before he was run out going for a non-existent single and captain, Andy Flower, who was sensationally bowled, padding up, by Franklyn Rose for 66.
Both batsmen were dismissed from consecutive deliveries on Zimbabwe's eventual close of play score of 220-5. Not out are Alistair Campbell and Stuart Carlisle, both yet to score.
Goodwin's innings, his second century at this level, did have a chance, but was one of great concentration, containing only ten fours but lasting over five hours. Flower's innings was chanceless and had five boundaries.
Earlier, the morning session was dominated by the West Indian fast bowlers, as Zimbabwe slipped badly to be 40 for three with Grant Flower, Trevor Gripper and Neil Johnson all dismissed before lunch.
Full post