Report

Lancashire openers runs riot Flintoff proves fitness

Mike Atherton (70) and Saurav Ganguly (97) laid the basis of Lancashire's victory by 68 runs over Essex in their NatWest Trophy fourth-round match by putting on 163 runs in 39 overs for the first wicket

Staff and agencies

05-Jul-2000

Atherton (above) and Ganguly plunder unhappy Essex
Photo © CricInfo

Atherton, as if inspired by his innings in the Test Match at Lord's, was the more aggressive early on and reached his third consecutive half-century in the competition. When his partner was bowled by Mark Ilott, Ganguly, who hit four sixes and fell just three runs short of what would have been his second successive NatWest hundred in an innings of 119 balls, led the way to Lancashire reaching a seemingly impregnable 251-5.

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Middlesex/ Somerset - honours even

Middlesex appeared to have got a strong grip on their NatWest trophy fourth-round match against Somerset at Southgate by scoring 223-4 at the end of a day shortened by rain

Staff and agencies

05-Jul-2000

Paul Weekes - Middlesex mainstay
Photo © Paul McGregor

Now for tomorrow

Middlesex appeared to have got a strong grip on their NatWest trophy fourth-round match against Somerset at Southgate by scoring 223-4 at the end of a day shortened by rain. Yet they did not score as quickly as they had hoped to do and the weather could still tilt the balance.

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South Africa off to a winning start

For the fishing folk of Moratuwa and the touring South African's, todays warm-up match at De Soysa Stadium was a relaxed and enjoyable affair

Charlie Austin

04-Jul-2000

For the fishing folk of Moratuwa and the touring South African's, todays warm-up match at De Soysa Stadium was a relaxed and enjoyable affair. After two months of cricket scandal it was back to business and a welcome return to the cricket.

What's more, South Africa started the tour on a winning note with a 6 run victory over a young, but nevertheless talented BCCSL XI. Whilst the margin of victory may look small the win was actually quite comfortable, and they would have won by a far greater margin if it had not been for a highly entertaining fifty from Eric Upashantha (63).

As the sun sets here, the South Africans are still busily practicing. Eager to catch every minute in the middle that they can. Times have changed and teams no longer have the luxury of a few weeks practice before their first international match. On this tour South Africa has only two practice matches scheduled, after nearly two months with their feet up.

Not that they looked particularly rusty. Most of the players play so much cricket that they could mark out their run in their sleep. The bowlers bowled well without being spectacular and the batsmen were their usual professional self.

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Worcester's sharp start in NatWest Trophy replay

The war of words behind them Worcestershire settled quickly to the task of proving themselves to be the better team when their replayed NatWest Trophy third-round match began at New Road

Staff and agencies

04-Jul-2000

Glenn McGrath
Photo © Action Photographics

The war of words behind them Worcestershire settled quickly to the task of proving themselves to be the better team when their replayed NatWest Trophy third-round match began at New Road. Within 16 overs the visitors had stumbled to 43-3 with Rob Cunliffe, Jack Russell and Kim Barnett out.

In his opening over Glenn McGrath, given his International Cricketer of the Year award in London the previous evening, trapped Cunliffe in front before the scorers had been troubled. He was supported well by some tidy bowling from Duncan Catterall. For Gloucestershire much now depended on the experience Barnett and his did disappoint Worcestershire had won the initial contest by three wickets but the England as he took boundaries from both bowlers.

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Rain frustrates Zimbabweans as Goodwin shines

The Zimbabweans were in good batting form in what play there was against New Zealand A at Bristol, but were frustrated by rain from pressing home their advantage

Staff and agencies

04-Jul-2000

Murray Goodwin - good form continues
Photo © CricInfo

The Zimbabweans were in good batting form in what play there was against New Zealand A at Bristol, but were frustrated by rain from pressing home their advantage. The New Zealanders started well with Marshall (76) and Papps (40) putting on 122 for the first wicket and reached 173-3 in 41 overs.

Under the Duckworth-Lewis system the Zimbabweans had to score 194 to win in 41 overs. With Murray Goodwin, who hit 61 n.o. from 65 balls, in the good form he has enjoyed almost all summer that target seemed to be well within reach. However a further shower put an end to play with the score at 128-2 after just 22 overs - and as the minimum 25 overs had not been completed the match was abandoned withouit result.

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West Indies washed out

The scheduled friendly floodlit limited-overs game between the West Indians and the New Zealand A team at Bristol was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy continuous rain

Staff and agencies

04-Jul-2000

The scheduled friendly floodlit limited-overs game between the West Indians and the New Zealand A team at Bristol was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy continuous rain.

The previous day similar wet weather had caused the friendly game between the New Zealanders and Zimbabweans on the same ground to be abandoned without a decision being reached on a minimum 25 overs. The opening match of the NatWest Series limited-overs triangular tournament is due to be played between West Indies and Zimbabwe at Bristol on Thursday, by which time, it is hoped, the rain would have moved on.

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India continue winning streak, enter final

Winning the toss at the Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Sri Lankan captain Kanchana Gunawardana put India in to bat

Anand Vasu

04-Jul-2000

Winning the toss at the Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Sri Lankan captain Kanchana Gunawardana put India in to bat. Having won the first three matches they have played in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Under-15 tournament, India must have been confident. A thumping 90 run victory saw India continue its winning streak and make sure of a place in the final.

This confidence came through clearly in the batting of Palash Jothi Das. The middle order bat made an unbeaten 108 off 101 balls that took India to an imposing total of 237 for five in 40 overs. His century included six boundaries and five hits that cleared the ropes.

Das was well supported by Sushil Kumar who made a useful 53. Sharing a 148-run partnership for the third wicket, Sushil Kumar and Das pushed the score past the 200 mark before the former was dismissed by Mohammed Maharoof.

Ambati Tirupati Rayadu who has had a good run so far, continued to chip in, scoring 37 off 41 balls on this occasion.

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Gloucs get through at second attempt

Gloucestershire showed that the victory was worth waiting for as they beat Worcestershire by five runs at New Road in the NatWest Trophy third round match which had to be replayed because Worcestershire had included an ineligible player - 19 year-old

Staff and agencies

04-Jul-2000

For a time it seemed that the home county would prosper again. Glenn McGrath (4-23), who struck first in his opening over, spearheaded the attack which dismissed Gloucestershire for 163 in 49.3 overs, an apparently inadequate score. McGrath, who had been presented with his International Cricketer of the Year award the previous evening, trapped Bob Cunliffe right at the start of the innings. Experienced campaigner Kim Barnett (26) prospered for a time untilhe cut a ball from Leatherdale into the hands of Hick at slip.

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India thrash Malaysia, make it three consecutive wins

India had their third breeze of a match when hosts Malaysia put up a totally unsatisfactory performance in the Asian Cricket Council under-15 tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday

Anand Vasu

03-Jul-2000

India had their third breeze of a match when hosts Malaysia put up a totally unsatisfactory performance in the Asian Cricket Council under-15 tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. On winning the toss India put Malaysia in to bat and skittled them out for 76. Even this total was made possible due mainly to some indisciplined bowling from the Indians, who gave away 33 extras in as many overs.

For the hosts, no one managed to make it to double figures. India used seven bowlers, with all but Subhash Dixit picking up at least one wicket.

When India came out to bat, the result was never in doubt. The margin of victory however could not have been larger. Openers Swapnej Thakur (27) and Ambati Tirupati Rayudu (47) steered India to a comprehensive ten wicket victory in just 8.5 overs.

This makes it three wins out of three for India. However, all these victories have come against sides that are well out of their depth. When India takes on Sri Lanka (on July 4) and Pakistan (July 5), the truth about the strength of the team will be known.

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Surrey mop up Hampshire

Surrey finished off Hampshire within nine minutes of the last day's play starting at Southampton

Staff and agencies

02-Jul-2000