Port-of-Spain - While Christians around the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, nearly 20 000 at the Queen's Park Oval and many more around the region mourned the West Indies' death in the Caribbean's first-ever triangular

24-Apr-2000

Unpredictable Pakistan, beaten twice by the same opponents in the preliminary phase of the competition, were the ones who rose to the occasion to complete a hard-fought victory by four wickets in the third and decisive final.

It was complete misery for West Indians watching their side capitulate to their lowest total in 33 One-Day Internationals at the ground, an inadequate 114 which the Pakistanis overhauled for the loss of six wickets.

'I think we were about 60 runs short of having a competitive total. We tried our best to defend it, but in the final analysis, we didn't get enough runs,' captain Jimmy Adams admitted.

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Pakistan clinch tri-series

Karachi, April 23: Pakistan beat the West Indies by four wickets in a low scoring thriller to clinch the tri-nation one-day series in Port-of-Spain

24-Apr-2000

Karachi, April 23: Pakistan beat the West Indies by four wickets in a low scoring thriller to clinch the tri-nation one-day series in Port-of-Spain.

Pakistan made heavy weather of a modest victory target of 115 and lost six wickets before winning the decisive match of the best-of-three finals with 29 balls to spare.

Pakistan lost half the side at 73 and plunged into further trouble when Moin Khan departed with 22 runs still needed.

But Wasim Akram gave a good helping hand to Inzamam-ul-Haq who finished the match with an exquisite cover-drive for his fifth boundary in his unbeaten 39.

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Mumbai lift Ranji Trophy in style

Easter Sunday, retirement from first class cricket and a Ranji Trophy triumph

Anand Vasu

23-Apr-2000

Easter Sunday, retirement from first class cricket and a Ranji Trophy triumph. Abey Kuruvilla was a picture of contentment as he led the side off the field after they beat Hyderabad by the thumping margin of 297 runs. The scenes out in the middle that followed the fall of the last wicket were made especially emotional by the events that led up to this victory. Mumbai had a very bad season last time around and did not even qualify for the Ranji Super League. Sachin Tendulkar handed the captaincy of the Mumbai team to stumper Sameer Dighe and still pulled off a spectacular win against Tamil Nadu in the semifinal.

Mumbai needed just 33 minutes on the final day to knock off the last three Hyderabad wickets. Rajesh Pawar helped himself to career best figures of 7/103 on what was supposed to be a green top. Mumbai went into the match with four seamers and ironically it was the slow left arm spinner who had the best returns.

A disappointed Mohammed Azharuddin admitted that they were outplayed in all departments. "We batted badly, fielded badly and bowled badly. On the first day we really should have bowled Mumbai out for about 350." When he was asked if travelling by train all the way to Mumbai from Hyderabad made a difference he said "The boys were very tired after that journey. It was almost 12 hours long and at the end of a season it would have made sense to fly. The team has been working very hard all season and has been doing well. It would have been a good gesture on the part of the board to fly the players for the final. That's the kind of support we expect from the board."

The contrast was obvious for all to see when an overjoyed Dighe met the press. "We've played very well all season and I'm very happy that we won." He was full of praise for all his teammates but reserved the best for Tendulkar, "Sachin was a great motivating factor. What can I say about his commitment, dedication and approach to the game?"

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Kenya in India: Batsmen dominate drawn match

Far from being overawed by the huge total put up by the visiting Kenyan team, Maharashtra CA XI replied in kind and with batsmen calling the tune, it was no surprise that the two day match at the Poona Club ended in a tame draw on Saturday

Partab Ramchand

23-Apr-2000

Kenya led off with 432 for eight declared off 90 overs at the end of the opening day. Maharashtra batted the whole of the second day and were 374 for seven in 90 overs when stumps were drawn.

Consistent batting down the order saw Maharashtra come up with a fitting reply. The Kenyans did get an early wicket with NA Godbole being out for 18 at 29. But after that, they found success hard to come by. The other opener JS Narse (60) and skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar (56) added 117 runs for the second wicket. While Narse faced 109 balls and hit nine of them to the ropes, the left handed Kanitkar played 100 balls and hit eight fours. Medium pacer Odoyo dismissed both in successive overs but the recovery process was maintained with veteran Santhanu Sugwekar (50) and KD Aphale (54) figuring in a fourth wicket partnership of 91 runs off 21.4 overs. While Aphale faced 93 balls and hit eight fours, the more aggressive Sugwekar faced only 60 balls, while also hitting eight of them to the ropes.

Tikolo finally dismissed both of them but the innings was kept going by a sedate unbeaten 32 by S Shah who batted two hours, faced 76 balls and had four boundary hits and a breezy 60 off 63 balls by wicketkeeper SM Komdhalkar. He hit ten fours and two sixes. The two batsmen added 102 runs for the seventh wicket off 20 overs. Odoyo finished with three for 35 while Tikolo had two for 90.

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Sorab hits unbeaten century in Kerala's fitting reply

Partab Ramchand

23-Apr-2000

Kerala opening batsman MP Sorab was in his elements on Saturday as he guided his team to make a fitting reply to Andhra's 355 at close of play on the second day of their three day match in the Coca Cola Trophy South Zone (under-25) tournament at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports complex in Bangalore. Unnerved by the challenging Andhra total, Kerala piled up 311 for five wickets at stumps with Sorab still going strong on 157.

Kerala were given an excellent start in the morning with Sorab and Varun Girilal putting on 188 runs for the first wicket off 56.3 overs. Girilal who batted a shade over four hours, faced 174 balls and hit nine fours and six. C Sanju (3) and skipper NA Kudua (5) did not last long and Kerala slid to 218 for three. But Sorab and KPK Nambiar (50) then added 89 runs for the fourth wicket off 21.2 overs. Nambiar, who dominated the partnership faced only 69 balls and hit six fours and a six. Nearing stumps, off spinner Vatekar who was the only Andhra bowler to be effective, bowled Nambiar and CM Shyam (0) in successive overs. But Sorab carried on till close of play and at the end he had batted 396 minutes, faced 296 balls and hit 22 fours. Vatekar finished with the impressive figures of four for 64 off 30 overs.

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West Indies beat Pakistan to level final

Karachi, April 22: Pakistan's fragile batting was exposed yet again when the West Indies carved out a 60-run victory at Barbados to draw the best-of-three finals at one-all

23-Apr-2000

Karachi, April 22: Pakistan's fragile batting was exposed yet again when the West Indies carved out a 60-run victory at Barbados to draw the best-of-three finals at one-all.

Chasing 209 for victory, Pakistan capsized from 72 for one to 148 in 45 overs with part-time spinners Jimmy Adams and Chris Gayle sharing five wickets between them.

But it was Reon King who picked up scalps of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana in front of the wickets off successive deliveries to start the collapse.

The departure of Younis Khan (31), who was one of the four batsmen to be adjudged leg before, was final nail in Pakistan's coffin. Waqar Younis's 21 at No 9 gave some respectability to Pakistan's innings. Both the teams meet again at the same venue on Sunday in the triangular series decider.

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Cable and Wireless ODIs: West Indies make it alright

Port-Of-Spain - Bob Marley's One Love echoed through the speakers in the Trini Posse Stand just before 4 p.m

23-Apr-2000

Port-Of-Spain - Bob Marley's One Love echoed through the speakers in the Trini Posse Stand just before 4 p.m. yesterday.

And the Posse, in the company of their Bajan counterparts, joined in with the song's most catchy line: 'Everything's gonna be alright.'

Within an hour, their prediction was realised as the West Indies completed a sterling fightback with a victory by 60 runs.

It sets the stage for a fitting climax today to the Caribbean's first triangular limited-overs competition.

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Inspired bowling by Mushtaq enables Pakistan to clinch the C&W series

Excellent, inspired leg-spin bowling from the obvious "Man of the Match", Mushtaq Ahmed, who finished with 4-22, including three wickets in one over, enabled Pakistan to beat the West Indies in the third and deciding one-day international final by 4

Colin Croft

23-Apr-2000

Having won the toss, the West Indies progressed cautiously but steadily to 61-0, with openers Sherwin Campbell and Philo Wallace in control. Once Campbell was dismissed by medium pacer Abdur Razzaq for 26, and Philo Wallace was dismissed by Mushtaq for 30, the West Indies middle order crumbled.

In the 23rd over, with the score on 71, Mushtaq removed Wavell Hinds for 7, Chris Gayle and Ricardo Powell, both without scoring. He had considerable help later from off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and speedster Shoaib Akhtar, who had two wickets each. The West Indies never recovered and succumbed for a dismal 114 all out in 33.2 overs.

When they batted, Pakistan did have some very anxious moments as fast bowler Reon King, with 4-25, and captain Jimmy Adams, with two wickets, tried to keep their team in the game. In the end, the task was just too much for the West Indies and with the injured Inzamam-ul-Haq, the "Man of the Series", surviving well to be 39 not out at the end, Pakistan got to their target with 4.5 overs to spare.

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Mumbai all set to lift Ranji Trophy

The day was simply divided into two parts

Anand Vasu

22-Apr-2000

The day was simply divided into two parts. Everything that happened up to tea, and the post tea session. In another light, the period during which Hyderabad harboured hopes of a miraculous victory and the period after they decided it was a lost cause. Whichever way one looks at it, Mumbai were moving in for the kill at the end of the day in the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday. Hyderabad have nothing to play for from their position of 251/7.

Hyderabad batted with determination. That's the bottom line. Though there has been ample talk about how they have absolutely no hope whatsoever in this game and that they don't have the big guns in their batting line up. That might very well be true. However, what must be granted is that they went through to lunch losing just one wicket.