I got an e-mail of warning from a friend associated with aviation after the first day's play in this first Test match between the West Indies and New Zealand

Colin Croft

17-Dec-1999

I got an e-mail of warning from a friend associated with aviation after the first day's play in this first Test match between the West Indies and New Zealand. This guy, an avid cricket and West Indies supporter, but also a manager at one of the bigger aviation entities in the Caribbean, warned me that "one swallow does not the summer make", referring to the excellent first day performance of the West Indian batsmen. Perhaps that is why this guy is a Manager. He probably sees things far into the future.

Most of us who have followed West Indian cricket over the last several years have become accustomed to the sort of batting collapse which occurred on the second day of the Test match at Hamilton. We have seen it in South Africa, Pakistan, Australia and even in the Caribbean. Strangely, believe it or not, I was one of the many who actually believed, for once, that the West Indies would have overcome that attitude and normal result, the immediate past, to be on to better things on this tour generally, and this match, particularly. After the hype of them being comfortable, organized, positive and the show-case cohesion of the West Indies team here in New Zealand, many thought that the West Indies would have overcome the collapse jitters also. Maybe, they are too comfortable, as this was one of their worse batting collapses in recent times.

Yet, extremely ironically, the collapse itself could actually help the West Indies cricket team in the long run to come close to winning, if not actually winning, the game. Before that happens, though, perhaps an analysis of this collapse would reveal many familiar things.

When Sherwin Campbell was first out, with the score on 276, the 89th over of the innings was being bowled. By the time the last West Indian wicket was taken, Courtney Walsh being bowled by orthodox leg-spinner Daniel Vettori for no score, the score being 365, the 136th over was being bowled. Easy mathematics would reveal that the West Indies actually added 89 runs for the loss of nine wickets in a very labored 47 overs. Having ended the first day at 282-1, the West Indies made 83 additional runs on the second day for the loss of those nine wickets. In a word, they were "strangled" out.

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Keen duel for first innings lead likely

The stage is set for a keen battle for the all important first innings lead in the Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) final

Partab Ramchand

17-Dec-1999

The stage is set for a keen battle for the all important first innings lead in the Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) final. At stumps on the second day of the three day match at the Keenan stadium in Jamshedpur, Punjab were 108 for one in reply to Bihar's first innings total of 357.

Resuming at 254 for five overnight, Bihar did well to add another 103 runs. The overnight batsmen, opener Ratan Kumar and MS Dhoni carried on till the total was 274. The retreiving sixth wicket partnership had added 115 runs from 41 overs when Dhoni was caught by Sodhi off Uniyal for 84. Dhoni batted 2-1/2 hours, faced 137 balls and hit 14 fours and two sixes.

Vikash Kumar joined Ratan Kumar who proceeded cautiously towards the three figure mark. But when one short of it, he gave Sanwal a return catch. It was a sad end to an innings which lasted 473 minutes. The opener, who was seventh out at 314, had faced 361 balls and hit only 12 of them to the ropes. The partnership had put on 40 runs off 16 overs.

Vikash Kumar, along with the tail kept the score moving until he was last out for 52. He batted 160 minutes, faced 120 balls and hit six boundaries. Last man A Yadav, with whom Vikash added 29 runs off 16.3 overs batted 55 minutes and faced 53 balls without opening his account. Sanwal sent down 40.3 overs and was rewarded with four wickets for 115 runs.

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What a start for the West Indies!

On the first day of this first Test match against New Zealand, Adrian Griffith, in his fourth Test, and his more seasoned partner, Sherwin Campbell, in his 35th Test, did a few things and even set some new records along the way

Colin Croft

16-Dec-1999

Firstly, they managed to break a 20 year old West Indian record for opening batsmen playing in New Zealand. Not a small feat at all, really, since that record, 225 at Christ Church on that ill-tempered tour of 1980, was put on by the best pair of openers ever to play for the West Indies, that venerable opening pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Strangely, perhaps not incidentally, they too were another pair of opening batsmen from Barbados.

In stretching that opening partnership to 276, Griffith and Campbell also broke a West Indian all-wicket partnership record of 269, against New Zealand. This particular record had belonged to Roy Fredericks and Lawrence Rowe, scored at Sabina Park, Jamaica in 1972. That was Rowe's first Test and he went on to make 214 (plus another 100 in the second innings) and Fredericks 163.

Further still, this was the second highest opening partnership in New Zealand for all Test teams. However, Griffith and Campbell were somewhat away from that particular record; 413 were scored by Pankhag Roy and Vinoo Mankad, the Indian batsmen, in 1955.

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West Indies openers in command on day one

The first scoring shot said virtually everything about the opening day of the first New Zealand test at Hamilton: a loosener from Dion Nash wide outside West Indies opener Sherwin Campbell's off stump casually flicked high over point for four

Chris Rosie

16-Dec-1999

When Campbell departed just 15 minutes short of stumps, his score was 170, the West Indies had 282 and he was New Zealand's only success of the day. Campbell and Adrian Griffith between them had set a new opening stand against New Zealand of 276, Griffith had completed his maiden test century and was not out on 103 and things generally look bleak for the New Zealanders going into the second day.

Campbell had much to thank his captain for. Brian Lara made only one appearance on the field but it was long enough to win the toss and ensure his batsmen first use of a pitch that offered little invitation to the pace men. So it proved. New Zealand went into the match with Chris Cairns and Dion Nash as its opening pair but what bounce was available was generally slow, neither West Indian looking in any trouble. The result was the unusual sight of spin, in the form of Daniel Vettori's orthodox left arm, in action in the 10th over.

While neither batsman was in any difficulty, it did appear the gentle grass surrounds of Hamilton's WestpacTrust Park had created a gentle Sunday atmosphere instead of the tension of a test match. Only 23 runs came off the 14 overs in the first hour. The scoring rate picked up in the second hour but even then West Indies went to lunch at just 57.

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Six wicket win for Himachal

Himachal Pradesh beat Jammu and Kashmir by six wickets in a North Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy match at Bilaspur on Wednesday to collect 8 points

16-Dec-1999

Himachal Pradesh beat Jammu and Kashmir by six wickets in a North Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy match at Bilaspur on Wednesday to collect 8 points. After Vimash Kawd's 122 (255 balls, 10 fours) had taken J&K to 233 all out, Anubhav Dutt bagged 5-48 to restrict Himachal to a lead of 34. Captain Munish Gupta's 87 was the cornerstone of Himachal's innings. But a disastrous collapse in their second innings spelt the end of J&K's challenge as they faded away to 118 with Kawd's 54 once more being the only spark. Set just 85 to win, Himachal breezed to 88-4 in the 24th over.

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Ratan Kumar, Dhoni help Bihar recover

16-Dec-1999

An unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 99 off 33.3 overs between opener Ratan Kumar and MS Dhoni rescued Bihar from a shaky position on the opening day of their Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) final against Punjab at the Keenan stadium in Jamshedpur on Thursday. After being 159 for five, Bihar recovered to 258 without further loss from 95 overs at stumps.

Winning the toss, Bihar made a poor start when Gagandeep Singh bowled S Vig for one with his first delivery with the total at two in the second over. F Khan (22) and Ratan Kumar steadied the innings by adding 48 runs for the second wicket off 9.2 overs. The recovery process was maintained by Ratan Kumar and A Hashmi (43) putting on 75 runs for the third wicket from 40.3 overs. Hashmi batted 162 minutes, faced 123 balls and hit seven of them to the ropes. Sanwal who dismissed Hashmi then bowled Manish Kumar for six. Shortly afterwards T Pratap was leg before wicket to Yuvraj Singh for 15 and Punjab had wrested the initiative.

However Ratan Kumar was playing the sheet anchor role and he now found an able partner in wicketkeeper Dhoni. While Ratan Kumar stood firm, Dhoni made some bold strokes and dominated the partnership. While Ratan Kumar took 235 minutes and 193 balls to reach his half century, Dhoni brought up his 50 off 83 balls and in 74 minutes. By stumps Dhoni was unbeaten with 70. He faced 116 balls and hit eleven fours and two sixes. Ratan Kumar by close had faced 285 balls and hit nine fours. For Punjab, Sanwal's two wickets cost him 90 runs from 27 overs while Yuvraj, Gagandeep and HK Kali took one wicket each.

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First Test Preview: New Zealand v West Indies

As if to emulate each other, both teams to contest this 1st Test have some injury worries

Colin Croft

15-Dec-1999

As if to emulate each other, both teams to contest this 1st Test have some injury worries.

The West Indies have a leg problem with Merve Dillon, almost a certainty to play in the Test, if fully fit. He was hit while batting in the nets on the penultimate day before the Test, during the last practice session.

Dion Nash, the bowling all-rounder from New Zealand, is also having some problems with his continuing injury foot from India.

Both will be very late starters, at best.

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Punjab to meet Bihar in final

15-Dec-1999

Not unexpectedly, Punjab made it to the title round of the Cooch Behar Trophy in Jamshedpur on Tuesday, by virtue of their first innings lead of 249 runs against Madhya Pradesh at the Telco club ground. Resuming at 296 for two in reply to MP's first innings total of 268, Punjab batted almost the full day and went on to get 517 off 166 overs. Skipper Yuvraj Singh, who was 103 overnight, went on to get 122. Then there were valuable contributions from the other overnight batsman V Mahajan (35), M Dhuper (31) and SP Singh (58). There were several notable partnerships - 77 for the third wicket between Yuvraj and Mahajan; 52 for the fourth wicket between Mahajan and Dhuper; and 55 runs for the sixth wicket between SP Singh and AS Sodhi (17). Even the tail wagged and No 9 Gagandeep Singh (21) and No 10 SK Sanwal (26) added 39 runs for the ninth wicket.

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Bihar enter Cooch Behar final

Bihar, on the basis of their first innings lead of 140 runs, entered the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) tournament at the Keenan stadium in Jamshedpur on Tuesday

15-Dec-1999

Bihar, on the basis of their first innings lead of 140 runs, entered the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) tournament at the Keenan stadium in Jamshedpur on Tuesday. Delhi, who were 115 for two in reply to Bihar's first innings total of 398, were all out for 258. In the remaining time, Bihar scored 56 for the loss of two wickets.

Delhi were in the running when they were 226 for five but they lost their last five wickets for 32 runs. The overnight batsmen G Gambhir and P Chawla continued to bat confidently and took their third wicket association to 116 runs off 35.2 overs. Chawla was then out for 56 for which he faced 111 balls and hit nine fours. Gambhir was fourth out at 159 for 81. He faced 18 balls and hit 13 fours. A fifth wicket fell at 163 but then Delhi's hopes were raised by a sixth wicket partnership of 63 runs from 33 overs between skipper R Gupta and V Razdan (35). However, once Razdan fell, the tail offered little resistance. But Gupta however stood firm and was unbeaten with 57 when the innings came to an end. He faced 175 balls and had four hits to the ropes. Diwakar and Vikash Kumar took four wickets each. The rest of the match was a formality.

Bihar will now meet Punjab in the three day final commencing on December 16.

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Hyderabad post comfortable win

Hyderabad beat Kerala by six wickets in their South Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy match at Calicut yesterday

15-Dec-1999

Hyderabad beat Kerala by six wickets in their South Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy match at Calicut yesterday. Set 111 to win Hyderabad coasted to 114-4 in the 28th over. However Hyderabad had to undergo some anxious moments over the preceding two days. They allowed the home team to recover from 53-7 to total 146 in their first innings. Hyderabad then struggled to overhaul them and it was left to No.4 Abhinav Kumar (76) in the company of last man Nalin Reddy to take the visitors past Kerala's total to 161. Reddy took 6-44 to demolish Kerala in their second knock for 125 and set up Hyderabad's victory for which they collected 8 points.

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