Report

Port-Of-Spain - The West Indies all but let the first Test slip from their grasp yesterday

19-Mar-2000

Port-Of-Spain - The West Indies all but let the first Test slip from their grasp yesterday.

Once more obliged to defend an inadequate first innings total, they had dropped the opposition's captain and best batsman twice on the second day and proceded to put him down twice more.

The left-handed Andy Flower duly made the most of the let-offs - and a lucky umpiring break before he had scored on Friday - to accumulate a determined, unbeaten 113 and lead Zimbabwe to a total of 236 and a lead of 49.

It threatened to be substantially more until Chris Gayle, an unlikely destroyer with his steady off-breaksanddrifters, despatched three of the last four wickets that fell for four runs to round off another entralling, if rain-shortened, day reduced to 52 overs by two early interruptions.

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South Africa hold their nerves to win another close finish

South Africa reduced the final margin to 3-2 after beating India by 10 runs with 1.1 overs to spare in the fifth one day international at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur today

Sankhya Krishnan

19-Mar-2000

South Africa reduced the final margin to 3-2 after beating India by 10 runs with 1.1 overs to spare in the fifth one day international at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur today. It brought the curtain down on a highly entertaining series in which four out of five matches went down to the wire with both sides remaining in the hunt until the final moments. Lance Klusener was named man of the match after unveiling his potent striking power for the first time in the series and taking 3-59 in the bargain to pull the rug from under India's lower order.

It was always going to be an uphill struggle for India after they allowed the visitors to plunder 320 runs in 50 overs. But a roaring second wicket association between Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had the South Africans press the panic buttons as the bowling and fielding went to pieces in the closing stages. Although both Tendulkar and Dravid fell at 193 in the space of three balls, the lower order manfully strove to match a soaring asking rate that touched a high of 7.83 at the end of the 44th over.

Saba Karim and Robin Singh led a counter rally, putting on 31 runs for the seventh wicket, with the former showing icy cool nerves under pressure to make a sweet 22 in 17 balls with four boundaries. After Karim was out, a poor 47th over from Hansie Cronje that cost 13 runs gave India the edge with a couple of misfields by the visitors seemingly indicating that they were losing control of the situation. With 18 needed in as many balls, India lost Robin but a boundary by Kumble restored their hopes by keeping the asking rate at six. However India had already reached the limits of their endurance and ran out of steam in the penultimate over quite literally as Kumble and Chopra were thrown out to leave the visitors worthy victors.

Earlier Saurav Ganguly, the South African bete noire during the series, had fallen in the third over, pulling a widish delivery outside leg stump into the hands of short fine leg. But Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid then produced a magical 180 run stand in a little under 24 overs.

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Draw on cards in Mutare match

The match between Logan Cup leaders Manicaland and favourites Mashonaland appears to be heading for a draw at the Mutare Sports Club, with the visitors 116 runs behind on first innings with six wickets in hand at the close of the second day's play

John Ward

18-Mar-2000

Contrary to local fears, the day dawned fine in Mutare, with play starting half an hour earlier in an effort to make up for lost time. The pitch continued to give no help to the bowlers and the outfield none to the batsmen. Neil Ferreira and Gary Brent took the total to 139 with some steady batting before Brent (19) was yorked by left-arm spinner Dirk Viljoen.

Guy Whittall, in his one Logan Cup match for Manicaland before travelling to the West Indies next weekend, provided his knee continues to hold up, was soon batting fluently. Even he found it difficult to reach the boundary, although he did pull a low six over deep square leg. Ferreira continued to accumulate as some of the Mashonaland players got rather frustrated, and if he became concerned at being bogged down at times he didn't show it. At lunch Manicaland were on 218 for three (Ferreira 89, Whittall 46) and seeming set for a dominant score.

The score passed 250 without any trouble, Whittall opening up once he had reached his fifty with a drive for four and pulls for six and four off successive balls from du Plessis. He was rapidly catching up Neil Ferreira, creeping up through the nineties, when he on-drove a catch off Viljoen straight to Everton Matambanadzo to be out for 80. The score was now 256 for four, and this was the turning point of the innings.

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Little pluck, less luck

Port-Of-Spain - After two days of the first Test they have ever played against the only opponents they can justifiably claim to rank below them at present in the world game, the West Indies are in familiar strife

Tony Cozier

18-Mar-2000

Their always unreliable batting, minus its only proven world-class member, once more let them down, falling to spirited Zimbabwe bowling for 187 half-hour after lunch on the second day of the inaugural match at the Queen's Park Oval.

As they have done countless times over the years, the indomitable veterans, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, then energised the 11 West Indians on the field and the couple of thousand in the stands with three quick wickets.

But an unlucky umpiring break and an obdurate, unbroken partnership of 82 between the left-handed captain, Andy Flower, and the right-handed Trevor Gripper defied them for the remaining 3-1/4 hours of the day and carried Zimbabwe through to 109 without further loss at the close.

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Innes leads Northants to second victory over Grenada

Northamptonshire all-rounder Kevin Innes put in a dogged performance as Northamptonshire made it back-to-back wins over Grenada as their tour to the island continued to hit the winning note

Nick Hoult

18-Mar-2000

Northamptonshire all-rounder Kevin Innes put in a dogged performance as Northamptonshire made it back-to-back wins over Grenada as their tour to the island continued to hit the winning note.

On the downside wicketkeeper Toby Bailey tore a hamstring and faces a week on the sidelines curtailing his opportunities on the tour.

But Innes gave the team something to cheer about when he guided them to a four wicket win with a watchful 46 from 73 balls which included five fours.

At 85 for five the County were in a little trouble chasing the 152 target set by the home side but Innes steadied the ship and hit the winning runs with more than three overs remaining.

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First-class cricket comes to Mutare Sports Club

Mutare Sports Club celebrated its inaugural first-class match rather wetly, and less than half of the first day's play was possible, only that due to superb work on the part of the local authorities

John Ward

17-Mar-2000

Mutare Sports Club celebrated its inaugural first-class match rather wetly, and less than half of the first day's play was possible, only that due to superb work on the part of the local authorities. Manicaland, put in to bat, finished the day on 102 for two.

Despite some wet days during the week, the ground had remained fairly dry, thanks largely to the new extensive covers bought by the club. However, on the eve of the match there was steady rain for most of the night which left a fair portion of the lower end of the ground in standing water. Play looked quite unlikely on the first day, but Manicaland player Steve Lawson runs a swimming pool business and got his pumps to work, while the ground staff and local officials worked hard, the boundary was brought in on one side and the sun shone intermittently. Conditions were still not good, but since the sides are predominantly amateur they were keen to play if at all possible! Play was scheduled to start at 2.15, but more rain seemed to be approaching and the start was delayed in anticipation of it, which would have been disastrous. Fortunately it blew away, and the players eventually took the field at three o'clock.

Gus Mackay, replacing Trevor Penney who had returned to Warwickshire in the team and taking over as captain, won the toss and decided to field, despite the likelihood of a wet ball. Also new to the Mashonaland team were Darlington Matambanadzo and Gary du Plessis, replacing Brad Robinson and Brighton Watambwa. Manicaland were strengthened by the return of the Whittall cousins, although Guy cannot yet bowl, in place of James Sparrow and Brian James, who became twelfth man.

Everton Matambanadzo bowled Mutare Sports Club's inaugural first-class delivery, and Neil Ferreira turned it to long leg for two. Runs came slowly after that, even though the bowling sometimes lacked accuracy. The outfield was naturally slow after all the rain, and also due to the fuel crisis it had not been properly cut, so the grass was thick. One fielder early on slipped on a wet patch at midwicket and took a nasty tumble.

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West Indies make heavy weather

Port-of-Spain - From the moment Heath Streak earned himself an early 26th birthday present with the wicket of Adrian Griffith, off the third ball of the match, to the time rain set in 13 balls after lunch, the first day of the inaugural Test against

17-Mar-2000

It was a little less of a struggle when the weather relented and play restarted four hours, 25 minutes later in soft evening light at 57 for two.

But another wicket in the remaining 11.5 overs, that of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, left the Lara-less West Indies having to revert to Curtly Ambrose as nightwatchman.

They finished at 79 for three, the kind of bind that has become all too familiar.

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India take series honours after dramatic finish in Vadodara

India clinched the five match Pepsi one-day series against South Africa in a palpitating finish at the IPCL Sports Stadium in Vadodara today, winning by four wickets with just one ball to spare

Sankhya Krishnan

17-Mar-2000

India clinched the five match Pepsi one-day series against South Africa in a palpitating finish at the IPCL Sports Stadium in Vadodara today, winning by four wickets with just one ball to spare. Sachin Tendulkar's 25th one-day hundred and Saurav Ganguly's now predictable display of pyrotechnics at the beginning of the innings had taken India to the verge of a comfortable victory but the middle order messed it up so thoroughly that South Africa were in the hunt right until the last few balls.

It took a dropped catch by Lance Klusener in the last over to deny the visitors an improbable tilt at levelling the series. Hansie Cronje was left to rue the decision to bat first after winning the toss for the fourth time in a row. The time tested strategem of putting runs on the board to pressure the opposition would not have cowed an Indian team on a placid wicket and inspired by the memory of successfully chasing 302 in the series opener.

Ganguly is the man with the Midas touch at the moment and dominated a 153 run opening stand with Tendulkar in exactly 25 overs which gave the Indians a fantastic launch pad. Ganguly treated the South African attack with regal scorn as he rattled up a quickfire 87 in 84 balls that included 12 fours and two sixes. His favoured destination for depositing the ball was to go over the heads of the infield to the cover boundary. And when Cronje responded by putting the cover fielder back and bringing square leg up, Ganguly just slotted it coolly in the position made vacant by the fielder. He was the king of all he surveyed and became a victim only of his own impatience, holing out to long off.

Tendulkar carried on the baton as he notched up a priceless 122, lifting India to 256/2 in the 45th over before knocking a Kallis full toss into the hands of Elworthy at mid on. Putting behind him an indifferent run in the series, Tendulkar came good when it was most needed. Although he was not at his best, Tendulkar gamely inched India closer to victory with a patient innings but when he fell with 27 still needed in 29 balls, the panic buttons were pressed. Having added 80 for the third wicket with Tendulkar, Mohd. Azharuddin (39) fell soon after, also to a full toss, and the situation boiled down to 15 needed from the last 12 balls.

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Karnataka complete emphatic win, qualify

Karnataka completed an emphatic eight wicket win over Delhi in the Ranji Trophy Super League Group A match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore on Thursday

16-Mar-2000

Karnataka completed an emphatic eight wicket win over Delhi in the Ranji Trophy Super League Group A match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore on Thursday. Karnataka finished their fixtures with 19 points and are placed second to Mumbai in this group. Mumbai with outright victories in all their four games, ended with 32 points. Karnataka being the reigning champions, have qualified for the knock-out stage of the national competition, along with Mumbai.

Resuming at 182 for seven, Delhi were all out for 191 in 63.3 overs. Venkatesh Prasad mopped up the tail and ended with figures of five for 36 giving him match figures of 11 for 96.

Set to score 175 for victory, Karnataka were home in 40 overs. They were given a heady start with openers J Arun Kumar (32 runs of 47 balls) and Mithun Beerala (101 not out of 122 balls) putting on 66 runs in 14.3 overs. Roland Barrington was out for five in the 22nd over. But from 98 for 2, Vijay Bharadwaj (28 runs of 61 balls) helped Beerala in an unbeaten third wicket stand worth 77 runs in 18 overs to see Karnataka through.

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Haryana-Orissa tie fizzles to a tame draw

The Haryana-Orissa tie at Cuttack ended in a draw at the end of the last day

16-Mar-2000

The Haryana-Orissa tie at Cuttack ended in a draw at the end of the last day. The low scoring game finished just before the scheduled close. Having secured a first innings lead, Haryana were in a strong position. At the end of the third day, Haryana were 279/8. They added just 9 runs to their overnight score and took the field on the morning of the last day.

Orissa were set a stiff target of 340 off 82 overs. They did not attempt to go after the score at any point. Losing wickets at regular intervals, Orissa somehow managed to stave off the Haryana bowlers. The fact that the top score was 49 from RR Parida shows clearly that none of the batsmen could get going.

Sonu Sharma who picked up seven wickets in the first innings could not repeat his performance. Sharma, Jain and Dalal picked up two wickets each as Orissa slumped to 210 for 6.

Both Orissa and Haryana had no chance of qualifying for the next phase of the tournament. At the end of the match, Haryana had 8 points and Orissa finished on 14, well short of the leaders in the their group.