The Zimbabweans were in good batting form in what play there was against NewZealand A at Bristol, but were frustrated by rain from pressing home theiradvantage. The New Zealanders started well with Marshall (76) and Papps (40)putting on 122 for the first wicket and reached 173-3 in 41 overs.Under the Duckworth-Lewis system the Zimbabweans had to score 194 to win in41 overs. With Murray Goodwin, who hit 61 n.o. from 65 balls, in the goodform he has enjoyed almost all summer that target seemed to be well withinreach. However a further shower put an end to play with the score at 128-2after just 22 overs – and as the minimum 25 overs had not been completed thematch was abandoned withouit result.

A sparkling 108 from young opener Jonathan Trott helped defending Standard Bank Cup champions Boland to their first win in the competition this season at Boland Park on Friday night. After posting a score in excess of 200 – always a good effort in Paarl – they eventually ran out winners by 28 runs over North West.The nineteen year-old Trott emphasised exactly why he is rated so highly by those who have seen him at the crease over the past twelve months, overcoming a stodgy start before finding his timing and dominating the North West attack. The Stellenbosch student was a revelation last year and is looking to build on a good start to what promises to be a long professional career.North West do a laudable job, making the best of limited resources, but they never looked likely to threaten the Boland total. After being tied down by the left arm spin of Con de Lange, who opened the bowling for Boland, the visitors failed to give their innings any real momentum and faded to finish a clear second. Although Arno Jacobs batted beautifully for his 79, when he was seventh out with the score on 148, Boland knew they had the points.Boland had never looked likely to reach 200 after a lethargic start which saw them pass the 50 mark as late as the 19th over. At that stage, Trott’s opening partner James Henderson was already back in the pavilion after offering a chance to Jacobs at point when he had made just five.Trott meanwhile was struggling to find his rhythm, trying to force the ball away on a pitch which was playing extremely slowly. He was lucky his frustration did not get the better of him as twice he was let off by North West, first on 13 when Corrie Jordaan failed to hold a tough chance atmid-on, and then just an over later offering another difficult chance which Mark Lavine failed to pouch.While Trott battled, Louis Koen, Justin Ontong and Pieter Barnard were all offering reassuring support at the other end, scoring more freely and helping Boland accelerate away from their sluggish opening. But while they wasted good starts, Trott was building on his more shaky foundations, finding his timing and the boundary ropes more and more frequently. His 100 came in the final over and was followed by a cracking six over midwicket. The coup de grace was then supplied by Steve Palframan who smashed the most unorthodox of sixes over the square-leg ropes off the final ball of the innings.

Gloucestershire coach John Bracewell has expressed his anger over theannouncement of the latest England one-day international squad.Not one Gloucestershire player has been selected, even though they are theundisputed kings of domestic limited overs cricket with five trophies in thelast two seasons.Bracewell is so incensed by what he considers the latest snub that he hasasked the club statistician to draw up figures supporting the case forinternational selection of the likes of Mark Alleyne, Jon Lewis and MattWindows.And he says Gloucestershire will issue a club statement, based on thosefigures, tomorrow morning.Today Bracewell said: “I’m furious. I expected Mark and Jon to be in theEngland squad and thought Matt had a good chance of selection too.”The fact that none of them got in is a disgrace. They took it in a verymature and philosophical way when I broke the news to them, but of coursethey are disappointed.”Players from other counties seem to walk into the England set-up, yet weare consistently ignored. A growing myth is being perpetuated that we areonly successful at home because of the pitches we prepare at Bristol, whichis absolute nonsense.”Before I say any more I want the figures, which I know will back me up. Weencourage all our players to have the ambition to play for England and whenthey are continually knocked back in reflects poorly on our club.”

England are optimistic that Michael Vaughan’s innings against Pakistan has finally ended their search for a No 3 batsman.His Test-best 84 not out saw him put on an unbroken stand of 189 with Graham Thorpe and rescue England from a perilous 15-2. His was an innings of character and of confidence.And if it means that he has made the No 3 spot his own, it will ease the burden on skipper Nasser Hussain who can drop down the order.Coach Duncan Fletcher said: “Michael has shown us the talent for some time now and we’ve been waiting to give him an opportunity there. We didn’t want to rush him; we wanted to start him at No six and when an opportunity has arisen injuries have stopped him.”He has waited, we’ve been patient with him and he’s shown us that he’s got alot of class.”Your technique has got to be good to play there; you’ve got to go in whenthe ball’s moving around which is like an opening batsman, but you’ve also gotto have some sort of mental strength."Now both Fletcher and Vaughan are hoping the Yorkshireman can go on to get his first Test century.Fletcher said: “Once you have got a century you know you can make it inTest cricket. It is every batsman’s dream – it’s what you first set out to doand once you’ve done that you then move on from there and hope to score a lotmore.”There is no doubt that Vaughan benefited from batting with Thorpe who, in his current form, must rank among the best batsmen in the world.”He seems to have taken a liking to quite a lot of bowling,” said Fletcher.”He’s very consistent, he’s batted well for us under different circumstances,he’s shown he’s got a lot of character and fight and it’s nice to see him batwith the youngsters like Michael Vaughan.”Graham’s a really good role model. He runs between the wickets well, he’salert and he shows a lot of cricket awareness – he’s a world-class cricketer.”

As sponsorship arrangements go, the connection between Shell and cricket has been one of the more enduring relationships in New Zealand sport.But the connection that first began, in a small way with the sponsorship of the New Zealand Cricket Almanack in 1965, and was extended significantly in 1975/76 with the support for the Shell Series, is over.At the time the sponsorship for New Zealand’s domestic competition was in its infancy, limited overs cricket was a new phenomenon, and two rounds of first-class games were unheard of.The introduction of the new competition format was timely.New Zealand was in the middle of the advance from second-rate cricket nation to genuine international force. It was only a few years away from starting the run that saw it go unbeaten in Test series at home in the 1980s.Glenn Turner had become a significant force on the county scene in England and players like Geoff Howarth, John Wright and Richard Hadlee were soon plying their trade in that environment.Earlier, in the late 1960s and early 1970s the New Zealand team had regularly taken part in the Australian domestic one-day competition, several times winning the knockout competition.One-day cricket was still a novelty, and certainly nothing compared with the force it has become on the world scene now. New Zealand had made the semi-finals of the first World Cup in 1975, being beaten by the eventual winners, the West Indies.Since 1974 the country was also receiving an international team every year.The time was ripe for the greatest increase in New Zealand’s domestic programme in its history.The adoption of the Shell Series in 1975/76, which involved the abolition of the Plunket Shield – the prize for the first-class cricket champions since it was first awarded in 1921/22, involved a full round of games between teams for the Shell Cup, then a second round of knockout games which ended with a final.This programme continued until the 1979/80 season when the Shell Cup became the sole preserve of the one-day competition.In the meantime the Packer Revolution occurred in Australia and changed forever the shape of the domestic game around the world.Intense television coverage made the limited overs game much more appealing and one-day games became part of the staple diet of teams all around the world.For New Zealanders though, the increase in domestic cricket opportunities improved standards immeasurably.This carried through to the international scene where New Zealand enjoyed the greatest period of its history until that time. Much of that was bolstered by the increasing exposure of New Zealand players to English conditions during the winter. Martin Crowe joined the more established players on the county scene while countless others have played league cricket.It has all decreased the education time required for New Zealand players to be best equipped for international play.While alterations have occurred in the domestic programme, depending on whatever the motivation is for the time, it cannot be argued that the Shell involvement has gone hand in hand with the greatest advancement of the New Zealand game.The second great era of the game is underway with a group of players who have now become regular internationals on the basis of their upbringing in the Shell environment.The record books are now full of players who have made significant marks during this time and the best of these are listed in the statistical details listed below.There were many highlights to savour:

• Martin Crowe’s golden summer for Central Districts in 1986/87 when he scored 1348 runs at an average of 103.69 has never been matched. He hit six centuries in the season for CD and did the ground work for an amazing year in 1987 during which he hit more than 4000 runs.
• Canterbury’s outstanding consistency in the 1990s when the side won three Shell Trophies and seven Shell Cups. They started out with older hands like Paul McEwan and Rod Latham providing the leadership and performance as newcomers like Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris and Craig McMillan complemented the arrival of Chris Cairns in the region and set up the latest dynasty in New Zealand’s first-class game.
• Chris Harris’ outstanding summer of 1996/97 when he did everything possible to decry the accepted view of the time that he couldn’t be considered as a batsman. He scored two double centuries, including a 251 not out, the highest score for Canterbury, a 206, a 198 and a 93 to end the Trophy season with an average of 139.16.
• The phenomenal post-Test retirement run scoring of Wellington’s Bruce Edgar in the late 1980s. Claiming he was more relaxed in his batting, Edgar “loosened up” to the point where in successive seasons he scored: 676 (1987/88), 762 (1988/89) and 720 (1989/90) while in the 1988/89 season he shared in two 300-run opening partnerships. The highest was 333 with Andrew Jones against Auckland, and the second 310 with Robert Vance against Northern Districts, also at Wellington.
• The two golden Northern Districts summers of 1987/88 and 1988/89 when Graeme Hick paid an outstanding dividend for the association. He may have played only two seasons but in 17 matches he scored 2055 runs at 79.03, including 10 centuries, the most by an ND player, and his 211 not out against Auckland in 1988/89 was one of the great innings of Shell Trophy history.
• Then there was the amazing Canterbury-Wellington game of 1994/95 when 1945 runs were scored for the loss of only 18 wickets as Wellington won the game by six wickets. The aggregate was a world record for a four-day match, and it was the fourth highest in world first-class cricket history. The seven centuries scored equalled a record set in 1923/24. Wellington’s successful chase for 475 to win the game was a New Zealand record.
• The same two teams also played what still ranks as the greatest domestic one-day game in the final of the 1991/92 Shell Cup.
• The extended season when introduced proved a boon for New Zealand’s slow bowlers. Otago off spinner Peter Petherick was the first to show out in the first summer in 1975/76 with 42 wickets at 20.16. In the third summer of the new format in 1977/78 the slow bowlers were showing the benefits of their longer exposure at the bowling crease. Stephen Boock (then playing for Canterbury) 56 wickets at 15.66, David O’Sullivan (Central Districts) 44 at 20.22, Peter Petherick (Otago) 45 at 17.15. In 1978/79 Boock took 54 at 18.51 and in 1979/80 Cliff Dickeson 39 at 19.35.

Shell Series Statistics, 1975/76-2000/01Most runs

6202 Robert Vance (W) 1976/77-1990/916197 Bruce Edgar (W) 1975/76-1989/905870 Rod Latham (C) 1980/81-1994/955854 Paul McEwan (C) 1977/78-1990/915559 John Wright (ND/C/A) 1975/76-1992/935377 Martin Crowe (A/CD/W) 1980/81-1994/955235 Bruce Blair (O/ND) 1977/78-1989/905161 Mark Greatbatch (A/CD) 1982/83-1997/984789 Ken Rutherford (O) 1982/83-1993/94

Most wickets

482 Stephen Boock (C/O) 1975/76-1989/90345 Evan Gray (W) 1975/76-1990/91333 David O’Sullivan (CD) 1975/76-1984/85325 Ewen Chatfield (W) 1975/76-1989/90287 Mark Priest (C) 1987/88-1998/99262 Neil Mallender (O) 1983/84-1992/93249 John Bracewell (O/A) 1978/79-1989/90240 Cliff Dickeson (ND) 1975/76-1985/86234 Richard Hadlee (C) 1975/76-1989/90223 Gary Robertson (CD) 1979/80-1989/90

Highest scores

254* Robert Vance W v ND Wellington 1988/89251* Chris Harris C v CD Rangiora 1996/97242 Martin Crowe CD v O New Plymouth 1989/90241 Matt Horne O v A Auckland 1997/98237* Rod Latham C v ND Rotorua 1990/91222 Ian Rutherford O v CD New Plymouth 1978/79219 Matthew Bell W v ND Hamilton 1998/99216 Matthew Bell W v A Auckland 1997/98212* David Kelly CD v C Blenheim 2000/01211* Graeme Hick ND v A Auckland 1988/89

Best bowling

9-48 Alex Tait ND v A Hamilton 1996/979-93 Peter Petherick O v ND Dunedin 1975/769-95 Mark Priest C v O Dunedin 1989/908-24 Ewen Chatfield W v ND Lower Hutt 1979/808-27 Justin Vaughan A v O Alexandra 1996/978-31 David Sewell O v CD Invercargill 1996/978-37 Evan Gray W v C Lower Hutt 1985/868-46 Lance Cairns O v W Invercargill 1978/798-57 Stephen Boock O v A Dunedin 1989/908-59 Stephen Boock O v W Invercargill 1978/79

Partnership records

1st 333 Bruce Edgar & Andrew Jones W v A Wellington2nd 317 Ron Hart & Scott Briasco CD v C New Plymouth3rd 394* Peter Kennedy & Rod Latham C v ND Rotorua4th 280 Jeff Crowe & Dipak Patel A v ND Auckland5th 341 Gavin Larsen & Ervin McSweeney W v CD Levin6th 226 Evan Gray & Ross Ormiston W v CD Wellington7th 241 Nathan Astle & Mark Priest C v W Christchurch8th 180 Roger Twose & Matthew Goodson W v O Dunedin9th 188 Neal Parlane & Daryl Tuffey ND v W Wellington10th 160 Lee Germon & Warren Wisneski C v ND Rangiora

Seasonal individual centuries and top scorers

100s HS1975/76 16 177* Glenn Turner O v W1976/77 15 177* Glenn Turner ND v CD1977/78 14 133 Ian Rutherford CD v C1978/79 13 222 Ian Rutherford O v CD1979/80 13 152* Bruce Edgar W v CD1980/81 21 193* David Stead C v CD1981/82 11 150 Martin Crowe A v CD1982/83 21 179 Ross Ormiston W v CD1983/84 21 167* Ron Hart CD v C1984/85 18 181 Trevor Franklin A v ND1985/86 25 209* David White ND v CD1986/87 33 192 John Wright C v CD1987/88 32 205* Ervin McSweeney W v CD1988/89 37 254* Robert Vance W v ND1989/90 29 242 Martin Crowe CD v O1990/91 33 237* Rod Latham C v ND1991/92 39 204 Dipak Patel A v ND1992/93 18 167 Shane Thomson ND v CD1993/94 13 202 Michael Austen W v CD1994/95 28 193* Martin Crowe W v C1995/96 23 202 Mark Greatbatch CD v ND1996/97 24 251* Chris Harris C v CD1997/98 15 241 Matt Horne O v A1998/99 19 219 Matthew Bell W v ND1999/00 18 167 Blair Pocock A v W2000/01 39 212* David Kelly CD v C

Season five wicket innings hauls and best bowling

5wi BB1975/76 25 9-93 Peter Petherick O v ND1976/77 16 7-62 Dennis Kay CD v C1977/78 24 7-46 Peter Petherick O v C1978/79 29 8-46 Lance Cairns O v W1979/80 22 8-24 Ewen Chatfield W v ND1980/81 22 7-79 Cliff Dickeson ND v CD1981/82 22 7-9 John Bracewell O v C1982/83 19 7-28 Vaughan Brown C v W1983/84 18 7-40 Peter Visser CD v A1984/85 24 7-17 Steve Maguiness W v C1985/86 18 8-37 Evan Gray W v C1986/87 32 8-83 Ewen Chatfield W v O1987/88 18 7-52 Michael Holding C v O1988/89 17 7-97 Grant Cederwall W v ND1989/90 26 9-95 Mark Priest C v O1990/91 29 7-39 Chris Cairns C v CD1991/92 27 7-34 Chris Cairns C v CD1992/93 17 7-50 Richard de Groen ND v O1993/94 24 7-56 Chris Pringle A v O1994/95 19 7-34 Justin Vaughan A v CD1995/96 14 7-50 Paul Wiseman O v W1996/97 37 9-48 Alex Tait ND v A1997/98 16 8-107 Brooke Walker A v C1998/99 15 6-49 Chris Drum A v C1999/00 20 7-33 Bruce Martin ND v A2000/01 28 7-12 Daryl Tuffey ND v W

Seasonal century partnerships and highest stands

100s Best1975/76 17 165 Glenn Turner & Warren Lees O v W1976/77 20 173 Ian Rutherford & Warren Lees O v A1977/78 12 178 John Parker & John Wright ND v CD1978/79 24 179 Barry Hadlee & Murray Parker C v A1979/80 15 176 Robert Vance & Richard Reid W v CD1980/81 15 237 Grant Gibson & Chris Kuggeleijn ND v C1981/82 27 226 Evan Gray & Ross Ormiston W v CD1982/83 19 220 Matthew Toynbee & Ian Smith CD v A1983/84 24 317 Ron Hart & Scott Briasco CD v C1984/85 22 211* Kevin Burns & Andrew Jones O v W1985/86 40 278 Trevor Franklin & Dipak Patel A v C1986/87 38 276* Martin Crowe & Scott Briasco CD v C1987/88 31 341 Gavin Larsen & Ervin McSweeney W v CD1988/89 47 333 Bruce Edgar & Andrew Jones W v A1989/90 43 199 Martin Crowe & Mark Douglas CD v ND1990/91 44 394* Peter Kennedy & Rod Latham C v ND1991/92 40 346 Graham Burnett & Ross Verry W v ND1992/93 23 211 David White & Bryan Young ND v A1993/94 23 316 Michael Austen & Ron Hart W v CD1994/95 31 287 Blair Hartland & Gary Stead C v W1995/96 30 305 Robbie Lawson & Martyn Croy O v CD1996/97 35 290 Chris Harris & Gary Stead C v CD1997/98 27 287 Matthew Bell & Jason Wells W v A1998/99 18 244 Craig Spearman & Mathew Sinclair CD v ND1999/00 26 188 Neal Parlane & Daryl Tuffey ND v W2000/01 56 274 Richard Jones & Stephen Mather W v O

Shell Trophy winners

1975/76 Canterbury (Shell Cup for first round: Canterbury)1976/77 Otago (Northern Districts)1977/78 Auckland (Canterbury)1978/79 Otago (Otago)1979/80 Northern Districts1980/81 Auckland1981/82 Wellington1982/83 Wellington1983/84 Canterbury1984/85 Wellington1985/86 Otago1986/87 Central Districts1987/88 Otago1988/89 Auckland1989/90 Wellington1990/91 Auckland1991/92 Central Districts and Northern Districts1992/93 Northern Districts1993/94 Canterbury1994/95 Auckland1995/96 Auckland1996/97 Canterbury1997/98 Canterbury1998/99 Central Districts1999/00 Northern Districts2000/01 Wellington

Shell Cup winners

1980/81 Auckland1981/82 Wellington1982/83 Auckland1983/84 Auckland1984/85 Central Districts1985/86 Canterbury1986/87 Auckland1987/88 Otago1988/89 Wellington1989/90 Auckland1990/91 Wellington1991/92 Canterbury1992/93 Canterbury1993/94 Canterbury1994/95 Northern Districts1995/96 Canterbury1996/97 Canterbury1997/98 Northern Districts1998/99 Canterbury1999/00 Canterbury2000/01 Central Districts

When Emmerson Trotman first played professional cricket in Holland 25years ago, there was hardly any attention to the sport in the Dutchcountry.I couldn’t understand why they were getting mixed up between cricketand soccer, the former Barbados batsman said.Fifteen years later, however, cricket has developed to the extent thatHolland are on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup for thesecond time.And Trotman, who played 21 first-class matches for Barbados between1975 and 1982, is there to guide them as coach.When I first went to Holland no one really showed any interest incricket. There were a lot of foreign players in Holland because thelocals were not good at that time, he said.But now it has changed. It’s the other way around. We’ve got 95 percent of Dutch players now. The interest has picked up a lot.The heavy presence of Holland-born players is emphasised in thecomposition of the national team’s 14-man squad which is climaxing itspreparations for the forthcoming International Cricket Council (ICC)Trophy with two practice matches against a Barbados Select XI atKensington Oval today and tomorrow.The Dutch squad includes two Pakistan-born players and a NewZealander, but the other 11 were born in Holland, and a few of themhave been exposed to English cricket at one level or another.The most notable one is their captain Roland Lefebvre, a 38-year-oldall-rounder who had played county cricket for Somerset and Glamorgan.I always believe the way to go is to play your own home players asmuch as possible, said Trotman, who has been Holland’s coach for thelast four years.You have to rely on one or two foreign players no disrespect to them,but you’ve got to build your own team.Holland, however, have been set back by the late withdrawal of one oftheir most promising batsmen for the ICC Trophy which is slated forToronto from June 29 to July 17.Bastiaan Zuiderent, a 24-year-old right-hander, is currently playingfor Sussex in the English County championship. The club is willing torelease him for the tournament, but he prefers not to disrupt a seasonin which he has made his debut first-class hundred.Even without Zuiderent, Trotman believes the Holland team is more thangood enough to finish among the top three among the 24 ICC associatemembers seeking to qualify for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.We are classified as the favourites, which I don’t really like toomuch, the 46-year-old Trotman said. I prefer to be underdogs, butwe’ve got a good side and we’ve got a fantastic chance.Holland had their only previous taste of the World Cup in 1996, butsome of the experienced players believe the current side is better.Trotman, who has also coached South African province Border, hasrecognised the rising standard of the game in the Dutch country.It’s grown tremendously and a lot of it has to do with the foreigncoaches out of Australia and West Indies, he said. The foreign coacheshave helped improve the Dutch standard of cricket. It’s up to a goodstandard now.In recent years, some of the ICC Associate members have made strides.Bangladesh have become the tenth Test-playing nation and Kenya areseeking to join them.Is Test status also a big priority for Holland?It’s not an immediate goal, Trotman said.We don’t have the population of cricketers to accommodate thatsituation right now. But we’ve got the number that we can be veryhappy with One-Day International status.The response is not surprising when you consider that the Dutchcompetitions are mainly in the shorter version of the game.But the fact that they have as many as four divisions, along with aveterans league, two women’s divisions and four Under-18 competitionssuggest cricket is really taking off in Holland.

Unbeaten Kent Spitfires held their nerve to land a 31-run win over last season’s undisputed one-day kings Gloucestershire in a rain-affected clash in Canterbury.The odds seemed stacked against a Kent victory after they were unceremoniously dismissed for 114 inside 30 overs in an innings reduced to 33 overs because of rain.The hosts were struggling at 45 for two when the heavens opened, but worse followed the resumption as veteran Kim Barnett ripped out their late order with his medium-paced swingers to finish with four for 12 – the best return of his 23-year, 313-match career and figures that included his 100th one-day wicket.Only David Fulton (23) and Rob Key (21) made it into the 20s on a difficult, green-tinged pitch that also helped Mark Alleyne and Michael Ball to claim two wickets apiece.Chasing a revised total of 118, Gladiators lost Dominic Hewson to Ben Trott and then Matthew Windows and Chris Taylor from successive deliveries from Martin Saggers, who then trapped visiting skipper Mark Alleyne leg before in his next over.Trott removed Jeremy Snape to a catch at the wicket and Mark Ealham replaced Saggers to have the experienced Barnett caught in the slips after becoming Gloucestershire’s first player to reach double figures.At 32 for six much rested on the shoulders of Australian Ian Harvey, who teamed up with Jack Russell to double the Gladiators score before Ealham struck again by having the former England wicketkeeper taken at second slip.Harvey hit two fours and three sixes, one of which flew straight into a hospitality box at long off, on his way to a top score of 39 but once he holed out to deep mid-wicket off Saggers Kent began to scent victory.It was left to Saggers to finish the game in style, uprooting the off stump of James Averis to end the innings on 86 and secure career-best limited overs’ figures of five for 22 and help Kent maintain their unbeaten record as well as the joint-leadership with Leicestershire.

Mike Burns and Peter Bowler batted Somerset into firm control on the openingday against Glamorgan at Taunton.After the visitors had capitulated to 169 all out against Andy Caddick(5-84) and Richard Johnson (4-33), Somerset raced to 246-3 off 54 overs inreply.Burns led the way with a blistering 81 off just 66 balls, with 12 fours anda straight six off Robert Croft. Bowler was 63 not out at the close, havingreached his fifty off 71 balls, with seven boundaries.Their stand of 135 in 20 overs took the game away from Glamorgan after thefall in quick succession of Jamie Cox and Marcus Trescothick had leftSomerset 58-2.Mark Lathwell also looked in good touch, making an undefeated 34, and thehome side will now be hopeful of maximum batting points to boost their titlechallenge.Earlier, Caddick had boosted his confidence, recovering from a poor openingspell at the River End to take 5-61 from 14 overs either side of lunch. Hemade the ball rise steeply from short of a length at the Old Pavilion End.Glamorgan looked well placed when opening pair Steve James and Jimmy Maherput together a stand of 59, but the rest of their batsmen struggled.Maher reached a half-century off 56 balls and went on to score 62 beforefalling victim to a legside catch from wicket-keeper Rob Turner off Caddick.Johnson cleaned up the tail after removing James for impressive figures of4-33.

Lahore, August 18 – The Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board, Lt. General Tauqir Zia on Saturday granted the Lahore Country Club Muridke the status of the first class centre and desired the venue an ideal place for such ventures.He visited the club where a 17-member Qatar junior team is under training to prepare for future ICC Trophy tournaments. “I am delighted to see such suitable place equipped with all the necessary facilities including a lovely ground”, he said.General Tauqir Zia said a due share of first class matches will be allocated to the LCC in the coming domestic season. “I will hold a meeting with the members of the Management Committee to discuss this issue and to advise them to allocate first class matches to this centre”, he observed. Chairman PCB said, the board will extend all the necessary help in the departments of coaching, technical support and laying of pitches to help LCC become more attractive venue.”It is the responsibility of the Board to help such centres which are capable to stage first class matches to make them further improve”, he said.Tauqir Zia who was accompanied by Director Marketing Zahid Bashir and former acc leg spinner, Abdul Qadir demonstrated his skill in the role of a batsman playing some delightful strokes off the bowling of googly bowler.He said the PCB was endeavouring to motivate players from overseas to come Pakistan and to prove their talent for getting a place in the national junior and senior sides. “Such institution like LCC can help in sharpening the skills of overseas players and we must encourage them by extending all out help”, he said.Chief Executive of the LCC, Chaudhary Shujat in his address of welcome highlighted the facilities available in the club and said a modern cricket academy under the same roof was functioning very successfully. “A team from Qatar and a few player from UAE and America are ample proof to our struggle and hard work for giving the LCC a status in cricket coaching”, he said.He said the LCC offers all the necessary facilities and have the services of former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam for imparting finer points of the game to the aspiring cricketers. “It is just beginning of our journey and we hope to put in more efforts with the untired zeal to make this institutions a well known name in the game of cricket”, he said. Director Coaching, Intikhab Alam in his brief address requested the Chairman PCB to grant LCC the status of a first class centre. “Establishing a cricket academy was my long awaiting dream which has now turned into the reality and I hope that PCB will extend its help for making this institution a success”, he said.Later the Chairman, PCB, went around the different parts of the LCC and was also introduced to the young foreign players.

England’s fighting spirit was frayed by another class performance from theAustralians, spearheaded by Glenn McGrath who captured his 350th Test wicket.By the close of an entertaining third day, cut short by rain and bad light,the tourists were 207 runs ahead with nine wickets still in tact.Michael Slater was England’s only second innings success, after Darren Goughforced him to play on having reached 16 and Ricky Ponting had anotherescape, for the second time in the match, when he was dropped by MikeAtherton on four.A capacity Headingley crowd were kept spellbound by the action and drama provided throughout the day, with Alec Stewart playing a whirlwind innings down the order and McGrath reaching his milestone to become the third Australian in history to take 350 wickets.A sense of theatre was created with the dismissal of England captain NasserHussain, just 11 minutes into play. After his valiant effort on the secondday’s play, he was cornered by a ball from McGrath that kept low and nippedback to hit him on the pad.He had added a single to his overnight total but his departure came as amajor blow for England after he and Mark Butcher had raised hopes with astand of 91 that promised a serious and hefty response to Australia’s firstinnings total of 447.Butcher went nine balls later, calling for an impossible single and fallingfour feet short when Brett Lee broke the wicket. He made 47 but the prospectof another England collapse looked likely with the score 158 for four, twonew batsmen at the crease and the follow-on target still 90 runs off.Mark Ramprakash produced one of the highlights of the day by reacting to apainful blow on the wrist from Jason Gillespie with a powerful punch throughthe covers for four, to the great delight of a supportive crowd.When Australia took the new ball, he had reached 40 and looked settled andconfident but his innings was brought to a premature end when he edgedMcGrath to the wicket-keeper, Gilchrist taking it in front of his nose.Meanwhile, Stewart was starting to gain momentum, showing his habitual likingfor the new ball despite his demotion to number seven. He exploited awayward spell from Lee, hitting him for three fours in one over.He saw Alex Tudor come and go then watched as Andrew Caddick was pummelledby Lee, who had clearly singled him out for some special hostility. For thecrowd, it provided some of the best entertainment of the day as Caddickretaliated to a knock on the elbow by square cutting him for four.Lee was bowling as fast as he has ever bowled, his fastest ball reaching aremarkable 92.6mph and his next ball careered straight into Caddick’s stumpsbut as the bails went flying, up went the umpire’s hand to signal a no-ball,to huge cheers all round.With the score on 299 for nine, the players left the field for bad light andreturned to add another ten to the total before Alan Mullally becameMcGrath’s seventh victim of the match and the 350th of his career.It left Stewart unbeaten on 76, having faced 83 balls, and after a difficultseries it marked a welcome return to form.