Karachi, Feb 8: Sri Lanka recorded a cakewalk eight-wicket victory over a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI in a practice match at the National Stadium here on Tuesday, indicating that it would not be their fireworks but calculated game that would be

Samiul Hasan

09-Feb-2000

Chasing a competitive total of 250 on a good batting track, Sri Lankan stroke-makers didn't repeat the 1996 World Cup heroics but still managed to overhaul the score with 9.3 overs to spare.

Marvan Atapattu stroked a sweet unconquered 122 while Mahela Jayawardena scored an elegant unbeaten 62. Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya hit a 53-ball 37 before he holed out to Aamir Sohail at extra-cover off Yasir Arafat.

Atapattu and Jayawardena were associated in an unbroken 144 runs third wicket stand off as many deliveries after Atapattu had featured in a 104-run second wicket stand with Jayasuriya off 99 balls.

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Dirk Viljoen on the UCB Bowl final

On Saturday 5 February the Zimbabwe Board XI met Free State B in the final of the UCBSA Bowl competition at Harare Sports Club

John Ward

09-Feb-2000

On Saturday 5 February the Zimbabwe Board XI met Free State B in the final of the UCBSA Bowl competition at Harare Sports Club. The nerve of the home side's top order batsmen failed them, but thanks to a fine 51 by Dirk Viljoen they came close before eventually going down by 5 runs. Here Dirk talks to John Ward about the match, and also contributes some interesting ideas on future developments in cricket in Zimbabwe.

Match scores: Free State B 195/9 (45 overs); Zimbabwe Board XI 190 all out (43.1 overs). Full scores and match report LINKS

JW: Dirk, first of all could you review how the Board XI have done so far this season, please.

DV: We did have a good season, but our three-day cricket was a bit disappointing. I think the main reason was that other provinces knew we had international players in our side, and I think their game plan when they played us was to look for a draw. We had a good side, but we never got the results to prove it. But in a lot of the games we played, the other teams killed the game. They never gave us a target to chase, and unless we actually bowled them out there was no chance we could make a game of it.

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Australia make it seven out of seven

The Australian Southern Stars completed a flawless twelve days of cricket, winning all seven of their one-day internationals

Rick Eyre

09-Feb-2000

The Australian Southern Stars completed a flawless twelve days of cricket, winning all seven of their one-day internationals. After taking four out of four against England they completed a 3-0 clean sweep of New Zealand in the Rose Bowl today, victors in the final match at the Junction Oval, St Kilda, by seven wickets.

Debbie Hockley, playing possibly her last innings in Australia, was dismissed early for 22 as New Zealand made 8/179 in their fifty overs. Nicola Payne was top score with 36, while captain Emily Drumm (28) and Haidee Tiffen (27) boosted the Kiwi middle order.

Chasing 180, Australia lost their first wicket when Lisa Keightley (7) was run out in a mixup with her Australian captain opening partner. Belinda Clark went on to score her third consecutive half-century in this year's Rose Bowl, and her fifth in a row beginning on February 1 against England at Bowral. Her 103-ball innings of 61 came to end when she lofted Catherine Campbell to Kate Pulford at long-off. Her 90-run partnership with Jo Broadbent (45) set up an entertaining conclusion by Karen Rolton (45 not out from 53 balls) and Martha Winch (15 not out from 20 balls). Australia won the match with 7.5 overs to spare.

The three-match series was expected to determine who, between Australia and New Zealand, is the number one team in women's cricket at the moment. A well-drilled Australian unit has put that beyond doubt for the time being.

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Haryana-UP game ends in tame draw

The Group C Ranji Trophy Super League match between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, badly affected by rain, limped to a tame draw at the Vishwarkarma college stadium in Rohtak on Tuesday

08-Feb-2000

The Group C Ranji Trophy Super League match between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, badly affected by rain, limped to a tame draw at the Vishwarkarma college stadium in Rohtak on Tuesday.

There was never a chance of a decisive result after rain had prevented play till after lunch on the third day. Haryana, who were 189 for six at stumps on Monday, were all out for 198 in their first innings. Even on the final day, play was affected by fog and a soggy outfield and did not start till 2.10 pm. Medium pacer Sriwastava (6 for 82) and left arm spinner and skipper Gyanendrey Pandey (4 for 24) shared the wickets.

Batting through the final session, UP lost wickets at regular intervals and were 93 for five when stumps were finally drawn. Opening bowler Feroze Ghyas picked up three wickets for 32 off eight overs. Both teams got three points each.

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West Indies Domestic: Semi finals - here we come!

The Leeward Islands cricket team made it up to their fans this weekend as they romped to a innings victory over a strong Jamaican team at the Antigua Recreation Ground

Zach Kenworthy

08-Feb-2000

The Leeward Islands cricket team made it up to their fans this weekend as they romped to a innings victory over a strong Jamaican team at the Antigua Recreation Ground. The Jamaicans fielded nine players who had played for the West Indies at some point in their career and a wicket keeper who had already played for the West Indies `A' team. To say that this was a tremendous victory for the Leewards would be an understatement.

Upon winning the toss, Leewards captain, Ridley Jacobs placed his opponents in to bat on a wicket that was sure to aid his pacers early on. The decision proved to be decisive as the mighty jamaicans were skittled out for just 153. Only Robert Samuels (45) and Ricardo Powell (38) managed to put together substantial scores as star West Indian pacer Curtley Ambrose reeked havoc on his home ground. Ambrose's figures of 22 overs, 16 maidens, 4 for 15 proved that he is still one of the greatest class acts around. Fellow pacer Carl Tuckett also chipped in with 3 for 32.

In reply, the Leewards displayed their immense natural ability that has been so rarely seen by their fans recently. After opener, Anguillian Alex Adams was caught, driving off the bowling of Franklyn Rose for just 17, Wilden Cornwall (70) and young Sylvester `Bouncin' Joseph (32) put together a 94 run partnership that stabalised the top order. However, the performer performed again. Courtney Walsh was able to get the breakthrough as he had Joseph playing on to his stumps. A flurry of quick wickets brought together 21 year -old Runako Morton (110) and Ambrose (33) who shared in a 105 run partnership. It proved to be the highlight of the match as young Morton scored his maiden first class hundred. He mixed aggression with patience and displayed a fine array of strokes around the ground. His only scare was when he was missed stumped by Sinclair when he was on 99. A mistake that Morton will not want to repeat. Ambrose alerted his fans that he was still more then useful with the bat as the Leewards amassed 338 all out. Both Walsh and Laurie Williams claimed three scalps.

Facing a deficit of 185 was not going to be easy against a fired up Leeward Islands side that was hungry for a birth in the semi finals. The all pace attack of the Leewards proved too much for the Jamaicans to handle as they were bowled out, yet again, under 200 for just 139. Antiguan Kerry Jeremy celebrated his 20th birthday with fine figures of 5 for 40. It was his first five-wicket hall in first class cricket and will definitely not be his last. Only Laurie Williams batted valiantly as he put together 50 before he was caught and bowled by Tuckett. Ambrose again ended with miserly figures of 13 overs, 2 for 7.

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Hyderabad earn honourable draw

08-Feb-2000

Hyderabad comfortably held Punjab to a draw on the final day of their Group B Ranji Trophy Super league match at the PCA stadium in Mohali on Tuesday, thanks in no small measure to `birthday boy' Md Azharuddin. The former Indian captain, who turned 37 today, hit an unbeaten 63 as Hyderabad, 246 runs in arrears on the first innings, finished with 244 for three off 93 overs in their second innings. Punjab got five points and Hyderabad three.

There was some pressure on Hyderabad as they resumed on the final morning at 15 for no loss, given the fact that they had been shot out for 117 in their first innings. But Hyderabad proved that the debacle was only a minor aberration. Openers P Satwalkar (53) and A Nandakishore (35) gave them a sound start putting on 89 runs off 31.5 overs. Satwalkar, the more aggressive of the two, batted 2-1/2 hours, faced 103 balls and hit eight fours. The more obdurate Nandakishore was second out at 115 after batting 194 minutes, facing 120 balls and hitting five fours.

Building upon this good start, Md Azharuddin and Vinay Kumar added 104 runs for the third wicket off 34.3 overs. Vinay Kumar matched his more accomplished partner in run production and by the time he was out for 67, compiled off 141 balls and inclusive of ten hits to the ropes, the match was virtually saved. Azharuddin batted right through to the end and for his unbeaten 63, he faced 153 balls and hit eight fours. MV Sridhar who kept him company in the closing stages, faced 49 balls and batted 50 minutes without opening his account. The Punjab captain Vikram Rathour tried eight bowlers to no avail.

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Delhi gain first innings points

Not unexpectedly, the Group A Ranji Trophy Super League match between Delhi and Rajasthan ended in a tame draw at the Ferozshah Kotla grounds in New Delhi on Tuesday

08-Feb-2000

Not unexpectedly, the Group A Ranji Trophy Super League match between Delhi and Rajasthan ended in a tame draw at the Ferozshah Kotla grounds in New Delhi on Tuesday. A draw was the only possible result after the first day's play had been washed out but Delhi managed to take first innings points as Rajasthan were bowled out for 311 in reply to the home team's 453 for nine declared. Delhi got five points and Rajasthan three.

Play on the final day started at 11.15 due to fog and bad light. Rajasthan resumed at 134 for one and their hopes were sustained by valuable knocks by Rahul Kanwat (52) and P.Krishnakumar (39). In fact at 306 for five, the teams seemed set to share three points each. But in form medium pacer Amit Bhandari came up with a destructive spell in the last session and Rajasthan lost their last five wickets for five runs in 6.1 overs. Kanwat faced 106 balls and hit six fours while Krishnakumar faced 112 balls and hit five of them to the ropes. Bhandari finished with four wickets for 87 runs.

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Australia regain the Rose Bowl

The Australian women's team asserted their place alongside their male counterparts as the number one team in their sport, following their sixwicket victory over New Zealand at the Albert Cricket Ground in Melbourne today

Rick Eyre

08-Feb-2000

The win ensured that Australia claimed an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the threematch series over the only team who could be considered a serious rival to their quest for the World Cup this coming December. The win, Australia's sixth in six one-day internationals in the past eleven days, means that the Rose Bowl - women's cricket's answer to rugby union's Bledisloe Cup - returns to Australian soil.

New Zealand squandered a good opening stand of 81 in 21.2 overs to finish on 8/166. Australia scored the required 167 for the loss of just four wickets and 22 balls to spare.

Debbie Hockley, who today became the first woman to appear in 100 one-day internationals, picked up from where she left off on Sunday, dominating the batting and taking the attack to the Australian bowlers. She blasted Therese McGregor out of the attack after taking four boundaries off her third over. The first wicket fell when Kate Pulford (27) was run out, the third run out of the series in which Hockley was involved.

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Overwhelming victory for Baroda

Baroda translated their overwhelming superiority over Bihar into victory by an innings and 114 runs with a day to spare in their Group B match of the Ranji Trophy Super League at the IPCL sports complex ground in Baroda on Monday

07-Feb-2000

An innings victory for the home team was always on the cards after Bihar had had a bad day at the office on the second day. After following on 380 runs behind, Bihar who resumed at 74 for three were all out for 266 on Monday.

There was never much chance of Bihar saving the game but some of their batsmen did make an attempt. Opener Nikhilesh Ranjan hit a gallant 72. He faced 172 balls and hit nine fours. He and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (45) added 84 runs for the fourth wicket off 22 overs. Then Mihir Diwakar, coming in at No 7, hit a breezy 67. He faced just 53 balls and hit four fours and six sixes. But the rest of the batsmen were no match for Zaheer Khan who took five for 67 to finish with match figures of ten for 110.

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West Indies Domestic: Bajans pull it off

Barbados (196 & 249) beat Trinidad and Tobago (283 & 161) by one run

Haydn Gill

07-Feb-2000

Barbados (196 & 249) beat Trinidad and Tobago (283 & 161) by one run.

Port-Of-Spain - The heart-beats were as rapid as the rhythms of the Carnival 2000 road march contenders.

The sweat was running down the arm-pits profusely; the fingernails were being bitten by the second.

Such was the intensity of the moment yesterday.