Report
Pakistan crush Bangladesh before vital clash
After the run feast that happened in the early part of the day, there was nothing much to look forward to as Pakistan took the field
Anand Vasu
02-Jun-2000
After the run feast that happened in the early part of the day, there
was nothing much to look forward to as Pakistan took the field. Maybe
Wasim Akram would charge in and make the ball talk. Even that did not
happen. At the end of the day, it made absolutely no difference to the
result. Pakistan go through to their next encounter in the Asia Cup
against India tomorrow, having beaten Bangladesh by 233 runs at the
Bangabhandu stadium on Friday.
The crowd went silent as wicket after wicket fell on what was as
docile a wicket as you would see. Habibul Basher who made a half
century against India provided the lone resistance. Even that was only
a token resistance. His 23 provided the crowd with some relief from a
seemingly unending list of soft dismissals.
For Pakistan, the wickets were shared around. Abdur Razzaq bowled the
straightest of the lot and was the most successful, bagging three
wickets. Bangladesh ended on 87 all out. Shariar Hossain could not bat
after as he was seriously dehydrated earlier in the day and left the
field. This was Bangldesh's lowest total in limited overs cricket. To
add insult to injury, this was also the largest margin of victory in a
limited overs match beating the 232 run thrashing that Australia
handed out to Sri Lanka in 1987.
When cats run around among pigeons, mayhem is the only result. Imran
Nazir was licking the cream off his whiskers as bowler after bowler
tried his luck at stemming the rot. Fortunately for the hosts Saeed
Anwar was motoring sedately along at a run a ball. Driving the ball
with more elegance than the rampaging Nazir, Anwar found the gaps with
consummate ease.
Full postEngland v Zimbabwe, Second Test, Day 1
With wet conditions continuing to prevail in this series, the playing hours were slightly restricted on the first day
Andy Jalil
01-Jun-2000
With wet conditions continuing to prevail in this series, the playing hours
were slightly restricted on the first day. It provided the opportunity for
CricInfo to talk to Clive Rice, Nottinghamshire's Cricket Manager.
While his team is making good progress this season, Rice is particularly
happy with the long-awaited arrival of Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
"You can see what Shoaib has done with coming into the club, the membership
has increased by 20% already, before the season has properly started. So
that's the interest shown by the people. He is probably the most exciting
young player in world cricker today and the fastest bowler. When you get
someone bowling at that sort of pace it is really exciting and most
spectacular.
"The anticipation of what he might do this season is certainly evident in
terms of enquiries as to when he will start playing and also when you see
within the side the excitement about the fact that a missile is about to be
delivered, there is a lot of confidence created in the team.
Full postComplete metamorphosis in Bangladesh batting
Bangladesh's batting seemed to have taken a U-turn after their dismal performance against Sri Lanka in the previous match
Syedur Rahman
01-Jun-2000
Bangladesh's batting seemed to have taken a U-turn after their dismal
performance against Sri Lanka in the previous match. For once, the recovery
in the batting department was identical to that of the ground after the
heavy rain. Although India did not have a strong bowling attack, the 249
made by Bangladesh was a more than respectable score put up by the rookies.
When last match's saviour Javed Omar was bowled and Shahriar Hossain once
again went early, it seemed Bangladesh would crawl in to a shell and never
come out, as they did against Sri Lanka. That was not the case this time.
Habibul Bashar with captain Aminul Islam, started off cautiously, but then
began to free their arms and make their strokes. They no longer had
problems with the short delivery, as they played it quite late, often
guiding it to third man or square leg. Anything pitched up to the
Bangladeshi batsman was quickly dispatched to the boundary.
It was all
going along fine for them until Sachin Tendulkar was brought on and he
claimed both of their wickets. It was obvious that the Bangladeshis
underestimated Tendulkar's bowling talents, and thought it would be a good
idea to really go after him. Akram Khan and Naimur Rahman then slowly led
another recovery taking the score 158/4 after 40 overs, with a score of 200
seeming most likely. That was the time that the Bangladeshis came out of
their shells and simply took the Indian bowling apart. Akram simply
exploded on each bad delivery, and the Indians were not short of those.
After Kumble and Joshi had been smashed all over, Ganguly brought himself
on, and that was a very regrettable mistake. He was brutally punished by
Akram, in an over that cost the Indians twenty runs. When Ganguly went back
to his regular bowlers, Agarkar, the best in the Indian side, had Akram
caught trying to go for another lusty blow over the top. The ever
aggressive Rafique who came in join the part only lasted just five
deliveries but he made his impression by hitting Kumaran for a huge six,
straight into the side screen. Naimur Rahman, who played a fantastic
innings although lurking in Akram's shadow, along with Enamul Haq made the
finishing touches taking six runs off the last four balls, after Rafique's
dismissal.
Full postMinor Counties Championship Round Up
The sun finally shone on Lincolnshire as half-centuries from Jason Harrison and Steve Plumb earned a first-day points advantage of 4-1 against Minor Counties visitors Northumberland at Sleaford
Mike Berry
01-Jun-2000
The sun finally shone on Lincolnshire as half-centuries from Jason Harrison
and Steve Plumb earned a first-day points advantage of 4-1 against Minor
Counties visitors Northumberland at Sleaford.
After the total wash-out of the Bank Holiday fixture with Bedfordshire at the
same venue, the weather at last relented, but damp conditions were still a
feature of a day that saw the batters forced to graft for each and every run.
Northumberland made particularly hard work of reaching 176 for six off 67
overs, crawling along at below three an over in reaching 124 for five off 50.
The Lincolnshire reply of 178 for four off 49 overs was built around an
opening partnership of 118 in 37 overs between Jason Harrison and Steve
Plumb. Both hit six fours and a six before debutant teenage leg-spinner Chris
Beever split them by bowling Harrison for 57 made off 117 balls.
Plumb was caught behind off Graeme Angus for 55 off 125 balls, having nibbled
further towards becoming the all-time leading runscorer in the Minor Counties
game. The former Norfolk stalwart, caught behind off a no-ball just before
tea when he was on 10, has now scored 11,790 career runs, and is 923 runs
away from equalling Mike Nurton's Oxfordshire record of 12,713.
Full postIndians will have to bowl far better
The encounter between the hosts Bangladesh and India in the Asia Cup produced no surprises but for the weather threatening to abandon the match
Woorkheri Raman
01-Jun-2000
The encounter between the hosts Bangladesh and India in the Asia Cup produced no surprises but for the weather threatening to abandon the match. Sourav Ganguly, the skipper helped himself to another one day hundred with some authoritative batting. The game was played over a couple of days with the rains interrupting proceedings on the first day and the fact that the game was completed would have brought smiles on the Indians as well as the organisers.
The hosts started off losing a couple of early wickets but the middle order exposed the limitations of the Indian attack. Despite the pitch being conducive to batting, there is no way the Indians should have given as much as they did to the inexperienced opponents. Akram Khan turned out to the hero for Bangladesh smashing the ball all over the ballpark. It was a creditable effort for one who hardly gets to play against international bowlers. He made light of his bulk as he dealt some lusty blows all round the wicket. Rahman who played his second fiddle role to perfection ably supported him.
The partnership between Bashar and Islam provided the belief to the hosts that runs could be had if one were to bat sensibly. They kept the scoreboard ticking and were ready to attack anything loose. Tendulkar has made it a habit to break partnerships and once again he got into the act when he had Bashar. The Indian spinners were unable to make an impact on the Bangladeshis what with even Kumble more runs than he does normally. The fact that as many as eight bowlers was used tells the entire story, which does not augur well for the future
matches.
The Indians knew they had to really hustle in their chase, as there was an outside chance of the Duckworth-Lewis equation coming into effect. Tendulkar and Ganguly proved to be too formidable for the inexperienced Bangladesh attack and the hosts were left to admire the ability of the most productive opening pair in the game at the moment. Ganguly got stuck into the left arm spinner Rafique straight away carting him for huge sixes and with Tendulkar opening out in tandem, the result was inevitable.
Full postIndia find Jayasuriya too hot to handle
Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh
Anand Vasu
01-Jun-2000
Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Azharuddin,
Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh. On paper that's a truly formidable line
up. But 277 to win off 50 overs is a formidable challenge. A challenge
that India were not up to on this occasion, succumbing to 205 all out
in the Asia Cup encounter against Sri Lanka at the Bangabandhu stadium
on Thursday.
An almost run a ball 93 from Tendulkar kept India in the running till
that 36th over but when he pulled a ball from Weeraratne to the square
leg fence. Jayawardane took a well judged catch on the ropes and that
was the end of the road for India. When Sachin's wicket fell there was
still a lot of work to be done. Needing over hundred runs off less
than 90 balls, the load fell squarely on the broad shoulders of Robin
Singh. One again the restrictive bowling of the Lankans kicked in and
Singh nicked one through to Kaluwitharana.
A Mumbai 'all rounder' in the shape of Ajit Agarkar did what he is
most famous for and departed without scoring a run. At 174/8 the
Indian challenge was truly over. Having lost three wickets in the
space of seven balls without scoring a run, India had succumbed
meekly. From being in the race, India were staring at a humiliating
defeat.
Another 'all rounder', this time from Delhi, Nikhil Chopra followed
and he too could do precious little as India slumped to a 71 run
defeat.
Full postMinor Counties Championship Round Up
Lincolnshire were again frustrated by the weather when day two of their Minor Counties championship match with Northumberland at Sleaford was called off following heavy overnight rain
Mike Berry
01-Jun-2000
Lincolnshire were again frustrated by the weather when day two of their Minor
Counties championship match with Northumberland at Sleaford was called off
following heavy overnight rain.
Conditions at the London Road venue were already sodden following the weekend
deluge that accounted for both days of the scheduled Bank Holiday fixture
with Bedfordshire.
It means that Lincolnshire have now lost four of their opening six days in
the championship this season, and skipper Mark Fell admitted: "It going to be
very hard for us to now challenge for the title."
Sleaford: Northumberland 176-6 Lincs 178-4. Abandoned as a draw. Lincs 4, Northumberland 1
Full postPrince of Calcutta takes Dhaka by storm
After pouring rain stopped play in the India-Bangladesh encounter there were fears that rain might strike on the second day of the match as well and ruin things for the organisers
Anand Vasu
31-May-2000
After pouring rain stopped play in the India-Bangladesh encounter
there were fears that rain might strike on the second day of
the match as well and ruin things for the organisers. Fortunately,
the rain stayed away and cricket lovers at the Bangabandhu Stadium
were treated to generous doses of good batting. To start the
day's proceedings, Akram Khan blasted an invaluable half century
and took the hosts to 249 off their allotted 50 overs. Not to
be left out of the action, Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly slammed
an unbeaten 135 and took India to an easy eight wicket win
in the Asia Cup at Dhaka on Tuesday.
Though they used eight bowlers in all, the Indians could not
better yesterday's performance. Spinners and pacemen alike dished
out a series of less than inspiring overs. Former captain Akram
Khan who has promised much but not really made good his promise
so far, used the long handle to good effect. The powerfully built
middle order batsman clouted the ball all around the park. No
bowler was spared.
After Agarkar and company were hit out of the attack,
Ganguly brought himself on and did worse than the rest. He was
welcomed into the attack by a firm thump over mid wicket and
that was just the beginning. Striking the ball cleanly, Akram
Khan took 20 runs off Ganguly in one over.
Kumaran was too short. Joshi too straight. Kumble too predictable.
There wasn't a single thing for India to be proud of. After slamming
66 off just 52 balls, Akram Khan played one shot too many and
was caught by debutant Hemang Badani off the bowling of Ajit
Agarkar.
Full postAdams at his best
St
Tony Cozier
30-May-2000
St. John's - It was as close, tense and topsy-turvy as they come and
it took a captain's innings of nerveless, single-minded determination,
combined with a helping of necessary luck, to resolve it. Jimmy Adams,
in his fifth Test at the helm of a team his leadership has
revitalised, kept his head and his wicket through three-and-a-quarter
hours of unrelenting pressure yesterday to guide the West Indies to
victory over Pakistan by one wicket in the third and final Test.
Last man Courtney Walsh, unabashed holder of the record number of
ducks in Test cricket but an old hand in such situations, stayed with
Adams for an hour-and-a-quarter, surviving 24 balls to the delight of
the cheering, flag-waving stands as the final 19 runs were eeked out
in a match that remained in the balance throughout.
When they scampered the decisive run on Adams' bat-pad push into the
covers off Wasim Akram half-an-hour after lunch, the captain raised
his hands to the heavens, broke into a smile for the first time in the
five-and-a-half hours he had been in the middle and, physically and
emotionally drained by the effort, lay flat out on the grass.
Almost immediately he was smothered under a heap of his jubilant
players, celebrating a triumph that clinched the threematch series
1-0 and kept intact the record of never losing a series in the
Caribbean to Pakistan.
Full postRain splits India-Bangladesh encounter
Exactly after half the Bangladesh innings was completed, torrential downpour stopped play in the Asia Cup match in Dhaka on Tuesday
Anand Vasu
30-May-2000
Exactly after half the Bangladesh innings was completed, torrential
downpour stopped play in the Asia Cup match in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Sheets and sheets of rain belted down at the Bangabandhu stadium,
leaving the hosts stranded on 98/2. In no time it was obvious that
there was no chance of play resuming. However for the sake of
formalcy, the umpires inspected the conditions at 18.30 hours local
time and called of play for the day. Although there was no mention of
rain interrupted games being later continued in the rules of the
tournament, that is what the Bangladesh Cricket Board has resorted to.
Tomorrow, the players will take the field and attempt to complete this
match. However, the severity of the rains will make it nigh on
impossible for play to start on time.
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first on a belter of a
wicket. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was not particularly worried.
Going into the match with Ajit Agarkar, Thirunavukarasu Kumaran, Anil
Kumble and Sunil Joshi at his disposal in the bowling department,
Ganguly was in an attacking frame of mind. After the drubbing they
received at the hands of the Lankans in the opening match of the
tournament, the morale of the hosts cannot be very high.
Hemang Badani got his first break in international cricket because
Ajay Jadeja was a bit under the weather. The youngster made a good 162
against Mumbai in the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy and has been
rewarded sooner than anyone expected.
Agarkar opened the bowling with Kumaran and bowled with good pace.
Kumaran too stretched himself and struck the first blow for India
bowling the in form Javed Omar in just the fourth over of the day.
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