Karachi, Jan 12: Pakistan sent an early warning to the Youth World Cup contenders when they routed Kenya for 66 to win their Group C opener by eight wickets at the Dimbula Cricket Club ground, Radella, in Colombo on Wednesday

13-Jan-2000

Kenya's innings lasted just 25 overs. Pakistan raced to victory in 15.5 overs losing two wickets. All the Pakistan bowlers had a good work out. Paceman Zahid Saeed, however, was the pick of bowlers with three for 15. His new ball partner Irfan Fazil bagged two for 17. Yasir Arafat snapped up two for 11.

Right-arm wrist spinner Danish Kaneria, who will have a big role to play in future games, claimed two wickets for 11 runs. Despite a good performance, Pakistan conceded 32 extras which must be a concern for the team management. The extras included 13 no-balls and seven wides. Despite giving away so many extras, Pakistan didn't concede a single boundary.

After extras, Kenya skipper Mohammad Sheikh was the second major contributor with 25 not out. His 59-ball innings was void was any boundary.

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Lanka recover from early shocks to beat Namibia

Sri Lanka recovered from a shaky beginning to register their second win from Group 'D' in the under 19 World Cup, beating Namibia by seven wickets at the Saravanamuttu Stadium on Thursday

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

13-Jan-2000

Sri Lanka recovered from a shaky beginning to register their second win from Group 'D' in the under 19 World Cup, beating Namibia by seven wickets at the Saravanamuttu Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing Namibia's paltry total of 94, Sri Lanka lost their first three wickets for 15 runs in four overs before the in-form Ian Daniels and skipper Malintha Gajanayake steered them to victory by sharing an unfinished fourth wicket stand of 81.

Daniels who hit a superb 73 not out in the first game against Ireland made an undefeated 25 and Gajanayake, batting fluently, scored 43 not out. Namibian opening bowlers Stefan Ludick and Burton van Rooi extracted some life out of the pitch to remove Jehan Mubarak (0) and Kaushal Lokuarachchi (1) with only four on the board. Both fell lbw victims. Left-hander Thilina Kandambi made 10 before van Rooi produced a superb delivery that saw the batsman play on.

Further success was denied to Namibia by the fourth wicket pair. Namibia, choosing to bat first on winning the toss, lost their first six wickets for 39 runs before contributions from the tail saw them reach their final total of 94.

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Bhatt's 158 boosts Saurashtra

A splendid 158 by PJ Bhatt saw Saurashtra run up a total of 437 on the second day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Baroda at the Municipal stadium in Rajkot on Tuesday

12-Jan-2000

A splendid 158 by PJ Bhatt saw Saurashtra run up a total of 437 on the second day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Baroda at the Municipal stadium in Rajkot on Tuesday. At close, Baroda were 59 for no loss.

Bhatt, who was on 66 overnight, sustained Saurashtra, who had resumed at 245 for three. The middle order did not make any substantial contribution and Saurashtra were 327 for seven at one stage. However Bhatt stayed firm and then with N Odedra (24) he put on 72 runs for the eighth wicket off 29.4 overs. Bhatt who had come in at 149 for two was ninth out at 408. He batted 345 minutes, faced 261 balls and hit 22 fours and a six.

The benign nature of the wicket was proved when Baroda openers CC Williams (29) and RA Swaroop (27) batted comfortably for 24 overs to score 59 without being separated.

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Another double century by Kale

Skipper Abhijit Kale scored his second successive double century as Maharashtra hit up 501 for seven declared on the second day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Gujarat at the Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday

12-Jan-2000

Kale, who had scored 248 not out in steering Maharashtra to a draw against Baroda last week, hit 219 and with another veteran Shantanu Sugwekar (137) added 286 runs for the third wicket off 90.4 overs. Sugwekar who batted 346 minutes, faced 259 balls and hit 15 of them to the ropes. Kale then put on 102 runs for the fourth wicket off 26.3 overs with KD Aphale (43). Kale who had come in at 25 for one in the tenth over was fifth out at 464 in the 137th over after batting 509 minutes. He faced 406 balls and hit 23 fours and a six.

By close, Gujarat had made a fitting reply with openers AS Kotecha (30) and MN Sheth (32) putting on 64 runs in 32 overs in an unbroken stand.

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India opens campaign with fluent win

The Indian coach, Roger Binny, was satisfied on Wednesday night after a thoroughly professional and disciplined all-round performance by his young Indian side

Charlie Austin

12-Jan-2000

The Indian coach, Roger Binny, was satisfied on Wednesday night after a thoroughly professional and disciplined all-round performance by his young Indian side. The team took control of the match right from the start with an opening partnership of 131 and never relinquished control, eventually dismissing the disappointing Bangladesh side for 113 off 34.5 overs, to win the match by 122 runs.

When Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first in damp and overcast conditions, the omens were not good for the Indians. Fortunately for them the Bangaladesh bowlers didn't bowl particularly well and found it difficult to control the swing in the early overs. When they did create two chances, the fielders failed to take the catches. Both catches, the first in the covers and the second by the wicket keeper, were relatively easy and should have been taken.

With the new ball wasted and the pitch quickly drying, the Indian openers worked hard to capitalise on their good fortune and build a solid foundation. Responding to their coach's call for some hard graft and application the batsmen patiently accumulated runs all round the wicket. Boundaries were few and far between, as both openers preferred to push the ball into the gaps for singles and twos.

To the credit of this Bangladesh side they didn't panic after their poor start and gradually pulled themselves back into the match. The off-spinners, R. Alam and M. Kabir, in particular bowled well and didn't let the Indian batsmen accelerate. The pressure created was eventually rewarded when B. R. Das brilliantly caught Manish Sharma (55) on the deep mid-wicket boundary off the bowling of R. Alam. Ravneet Ricky (61) was soon to follow his partner as he popped up the ball to mid-wicket.

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Rudolph slams unbeaten 156, takes RSA to 295

Having won the toss, the South African captain TL Tsolekile decided to have a bat in South Africa's first match of the Youth World Cup

Anand Vasu

12-Jan-2000

Having won the toss, the South African captain TL Tsolekile decided to have a bat in South Africa's first match of the Youth World Cup. A Puttick and G Smith took strike. When Puttick played all over a straight delivery and was clean bowled by medium pacer S Das, the joy on the faces of the Nepal team was obvious for all to see. Unfortunately for them, there was very little to celebrate as Smith and Jacques Rudolph clinically destroyed the Nepali bowling attack.

Rudolph was unstoppable as he cut and drove with power. His unbeaten essay of156 off 140 balls was studded with shots that signaled that the lad will go far in cricket. Though the Nepal bowling was hardly threatening to a superbly conditioned and fit South African side, the fact that Rudolph cashed in on the opportunity stood apart.

At the other end, Smith was batting well till he nicked one through to the 'keeper on 74. At that point, South Africa were motoring along at 188/2 and there was very little the Nepal captain could hope for. J Trott (39 not out) played a few lusty blows towards the end of the innings and saw the South Africans through to 295/5.

In response, the Nepal top order struggled to score against the tight medium pace of Morkel and Senekal. Though they did not pick up any wickets themselves, they forced the Nepali openers to run risky singles. As is the case with the senior South African team, the fielding was absolutely spectacular, and two run outs ensued. With both openers, Kiran Agarwal (1) and U Shreshta (11) dismissed cheaply, the South African captain brought on the spinners.

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West Indies fast bowlers too good for Zimbabwe

The West Indian fast bowler, Jermaine Lawson, claimed the first hat trick in the history of the U19 World Cup in his teams win over Zimbabwe

Simon Williams

12-Jan-2000

The West Indian fast bowler, Jermaine Lawson, claimed the first hat trick in the history of the U19 World Cup in his teams win over Zimbabwe. Replying to the West Indian total of 234 for 6, Zimbabwe were reduced to 92-9 when bad light stopped play in the 32nd over. No further play was possible and the West Indies were declared winners, 57 runs ahead according to the Duckworth Lewis system.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat on an excellent cricketing wicket at the NCC ground in Colombo. Zimbabwe opening bowlers, Mluleki Nkala and Travis Friend, contained well early on. Nkala with a smooth and simple action, got good movement of the seam, both into and away from the batsmen.

Barbadian, Kirk Wilkinson, batting at number 3, was the pick of the top order. He kept the total moving along, using his feet well to the spinners and running excellently between the wickets, eventually perishing, caught and bowled by Ewing for 31. Deonarine followed cheaply, bringing together the experienced Ryan Hinds and Marlow Samuels, Captain and Vice Captain respectively, with the score on 102-4.

Samuels was positive from the start, driving his first delivery back past Nkala for four. Patiently supported by Hinds the pair went on to share in a fifth wicket partnership of 125 in 19 overs. Of these runs Samuels contributed 82, hitting nine boundaries that included three towering sixes. It was a commanding innings, a blend of sound technique and belligerent strokeplay. The Zimbabwean bowlers did well to contain the runs at the end of the innings by the end of their allocated 50 overs, the West Indian total of 234 for 6 looked a very competitive score on a large ground.

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Unruly fans mar Australian triumph

The emotion and drama of the first two matches of this Carlton and United Series had provided spectators and commentators alike with plenty about which to eulogise

John Polack

12-Jan-2000

The emotion and drama of the first two matches of this Carlton and United Series had provided spectators and commentators alike with plenty about which to eulogise. Through the course of today's third game - between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - some more terrific cricket was conceived, particularly in the form of the batting of two players. For intensity and excitement, however, this encounter clearly suffered significantly by comparison. Unfortunately, it was also blighted by an act of brazen stupidity from a contingent of fans seated in the lower reaches of the Southern Stand at this magnificent stadium.

Before a huge crowd (which, on a very hot day in the Victorian capital, may ultimately have been too big for its own good), the game started in entertaining enough fashion after Australia had won the toss and elected to bat on a hard, bouncy pitch and in the middle of a lightning fast field. Openers Adam Gilchrist (3) and the still completely out of sorts Mark Waugh (7) were gone inside the first four overs and aspirations of a first Indian success over the Australians this summer were imminent. But it was in between those dismissals that Ricky Ponting (115) walked to the crease and it was essentially over the course of the next three hours that he spent at the crease that the fate of the game was decided.

Relishing an appointment to the Australian vice captaincy in the wake of the absence (through injury) of Shane Warne, the Tasmanian played a superb innings. Initially, he favoured horizontal bat strokes - several pulls, hooks and cuts evident early when bounce and pace in the pitch was rife. But, as the variability of bounce diminished and the pace in the track slowed, so he transformed his game, driving with delicious authority forward of the wicket. Until he cramped late in his stay and then bunted a slow Javagal Srinath full toss to mid wicket, he scored at virtually a run a ball throughout a hand that occupied just under three hours.

So effective was his effort that he made life substantially easier for those around him too. Indeed, he forced the constant rotation of the Indian attack, prompted considerable revisions to the field, and unnerved the bowlers into losing their line and length. Consequently, the likes of Michael Bevan (41), Damien Martyn (30) and even, at the end, Shane Lee (22*) and Damien Fleming (14*) all cashed in on a handsome opportunity to make runs and to ensure that their team continued to score in excess of five runs an over on its way to a total of 7/269.

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Pakistan defeat Australian Country XI

The crowd at Manuka Oval numbered 500 at most

Mick Lange

12-Jan-2000

The crowd at Manuka Oval numbered 500 at most. The majority belonged to the Pakistan High Commission and the local cricket-starved expat community, most of whom had taken the day off to get out to the ground and see their heroes. By late afternoon, when temporary captain Moin Khan brought himself on to bowl five overs, most of the crowd must have been wondering why they bothered.