The Headlines for Dec 96

NOV96 news items moved to ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/NOV96

31st December

Sir Alec Bedser becomes the 16th cricketing knight

30th December

The final day of play bewteen England and Zimbabwe is washed out, leaving the series tied 0-0.

India lose to a Natal Invitation XI.

29 December

A century from Stewart puts England in a strong postion, and makes him the leading run scorer in test cricket for 1996.

28th December

40 wickets fall in an astonishing day of Test cricket in Melbourne, Durban and Harare.

Australia are humbled in West Indies Test victory.

England fight back on a rain affected 3rd day

India have no answer to South Africa's bowling as they lose in 3 days.

27th December

Zimbabwe crawl towards a first innings lead, McGrath takes five for Australia, and india has no answer to Donald on the second day of the tests.

26th December

Tests get underway in Melbourne, Harare, and Durban; bowlers dominate in all, with Australia faltering in the face of Ambrose, England collapsing against Whittall, and Prasad starring for India.

Pakistan lose another tour game, this time to Queensland, as they are bowled out for 123.

23 December

Batsmen dominate as India's first tour game against Eastern Province is drawn

Hayden, M Waugh, Lander in; Elliot, Ponting, Kasprowicz out of the Australian team for the 3rd Test.

22nd December

The 1st Test between England and Zimbabwe ends in the closest draw in Test history, as Knight is run out with the scores tied.

Justin Langer is stranded on 274* as his captain declares Western Australia's innings closed

21st December

England fight back after Crawley's century gives them a first innings lead.

India's tour of South Africa gets underway with a 3 day game against Eastern Province

20th December

Hussain's hundred highlights England's reply

19th December

Andy Flower completes a fine century, but England's spinners fight back to limit Zimbabwe to 376.

18th December

Flower and Campbell lead Zimbabwe to a strong first innings total as the inaugural test against England gets underway.

17th December

Adams stars with the ball, as the West Indies record their first win in the CO one-day series.

16th December

Wellington are dismissed for a paltry 66 in the Shell Cup, with 24 extras.

15th December

Zimbabwe maintain their dominance over England in ODIs in a close win.

Saqlain Mushtaq leads Pakistan to victory over Australia in the CU one day series.

14th December South Africa finish their Indian tour on a losing note as Tendulkar and Prasad lead India to victory

13th December

England win their match against Matabaleland as Gough takes 11 wickets.

England-A conclude a succesful tour by drawing their final game against Queensland

12th December

India defeat South Africa and hand them their first series defeat since returning to international cricket

Matabaleland save the follow-on but face a stiff task to save the game, with one day remaining.

11th December

South Africa face defeat, after Azharduddin leads India to an unassailable poistion.

Gough rips the heart out of the Matabaleland batting, as they face the follow-on

10th December

Steady batting by India builds an apparently unassailable position in the 3rd Test.

The Indian squad to tour South Africa is announced.

Knight makes a hundred as England make a respectable start against Matabeleland

9th December

In the 3rd Test, Adams takes 6 wickets but India's bowlers strike back.

8th December

West Indies woes deepen with another loss, as Warne rips through their batting

New Zealand finish their Pakistan tour with a win

Raman gives India a good start, but Adams pulls South Africa back into the 3rd Test.

7th December

Aamir Sohail is recalled to the Pakistan squad for the Carlton and United one day tournament in Australia

6th December

Nineties from Saeed Anwar and Fleming, and 5 wickets for Harris, as Pakistan take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series against New Zealand

Meanwhile their opponents in the Carlton and United One Day Series play in the first match of the tournament, with Australia beating the West Indies in a low scoring contest.

5th December

England lose to Mashonaland in their initial 1st class tour game.

Gibbs makes another century as the South Africa - India A game ends in farce (in the opinion of some).

4th December

New Zealand's run chase falls short in the 1st ODI v Pakistan

Adams and Kambli feature in the second day of the South African's tour game against India-A, following Gibbs' double hundred.

Mashonaland comfortably take a 1st innings lead against England.

3rd December

Australia take a 2-0 series lead v West Indies

Gibbs makes an unbeaten double hundred for South Africa v India A

England perform poorly again in their first three day game v Mashonaland

2nd December

Taylor declares leaving the West Indies a stiff target in the 2nd Test.

1st December

Klusener exploded as Indians fell, Zahid strikes in a fiery spell, things remain even in the Sydney test. Cricket as we love it, at it's best. All the three could be tied at one, the plot, friends, has really thickened.

Stewart scores England's first century of the tour against the President's XI