Northern Districts beat Canterbury by three wickets with a ball to spare in a thrilling State Shield finish at Taupo today.A magnificent innings of 91 not out by Scott Styris sealed the victory.With 14 needed from the last over it seemed that ND’s chance had gone. The return of opening bowlers Chris Martin and Stephen Cunis had strangled the revival of the ND innings brought about by Styris and skipper Robbie Hart in a seventh wicket partnership of 76, an ND one-day record against Canterbury.Styris was in strike at the start of the final over. He sent the first two balls soaring onto the embankment for six, over wide long-on and the sightscreen respectively. A single levelled the scores with three balls to spare, leaving Graeme Aldridge to face.The field came in, forming a tight circle. Aldridge blocked his first ball. The second was hit straight to Paul Wiseman at mid-off. The batsman set off for a single, expecting a run out, but ensuring that Styris would face the final ball.But an aghast Wiseman let the ball through his legs to give victory to ND. The fielder walked off the park rehearsing the throw that should have kept his team in the match.On a day when the impending selection of the TelstraClear Black Caps World Cup squad was on everybody’s minds, Styris has done his chances nothing but good. He displayed immaculate technique, he can keep the scoreboard ticking over by working the ball around the field and his judgment of which delivery to hit out at is utterly reliable.Most important of all, he keeps an ice-cool head in a crisis, a quality that a side needs in World Cup matches. He also took two for 32 from eight overs.If Styris is selected it could be at the expense of Craig McMillan, who must have deeply regretted making the short journey from the Black Caps’ hotel in Napier to play in this game in a quest for some sort of form.He scratched around with uncharacteristic diffidence for a 16-ball two before falling leg before wicket to Joseph Yovich.Of the other contenders, Chris Harris also had a good day. He top scored for Canterbury with 45 from 75 balls, an innings the quality of which was evident only when it became clear how difficult scoring was for the batsmen of both sides.Harris also showed that he is still the king of change of pace, capturing two more caught and bowleds off batsman bamboozled into thinking that the ball was somewhere that it was not. He took two for 29 from his 10 overs.Canterbury chose to bat first on the pitch that did not deliver what it promised in terms of batting quality.Their scoring rate in the first few overs was as high as at any point of the innings, largely due to problems with Yovich’s bowling radar. His first over consisted of 11 deliveries and there were 23 wides in a total of 31 extras, the third-highest score in the Canterbury total of 196.At the halfway stage the visitors seemed set for a score well in excess of 200, but the left-arm spin combination of Matthew Hart and Bruce Martin imposed a stranglehold from which Canterbury never recovered. They conceded only 66 runs from their combined 18 overs, all bowled in the second half of the innings.The ND innings failed to get momentum as first the opening attack of Cunis and Martin, and then the slow combination of Wiseman and Harris, bowled with accuracy and intelligence.At 107 for six it seemed all over for ND, but it was then that Robbie Hart and Styris began to work the ball around, scampering singles, turning ones into twos and mixing in the odd boundary hit. Styris faced 105 balls and hit four fours and four sixes.Northern Districts coach Bruce Blair told CricInfo that Styris had played a fantastic one-day innings.”It had tempo and pace. For a long time we were behind the asking rate, but he kept things ticking over and hung in there,” he said. “It was important that one of the top four stayed there, which is what Scotty did.”Blair suggested that the vital role played by Robbie Hart in supporting Styris could be repeated at international level.”Robbie plays so well under pressure. People dismiss his one-day ability, but he has a lot of skills with the bat. He can work the ball around, he can pick up singles and he can hit the ball, he said.Blair praised the role of spinners Bruce Martin and Matthew Hart in containing the Canterbury batsmen.”They both bowled really well. Matthew Hart also bowled exceptionally well in the last game in Auckland with good change of pace on a slow pitch. In tandem they really put the brakes on today,” he said.The win puts ND level on points with CD on top of the State Shield table. Canterbury are on the bottom, with two defeats from two games.ND play Wellington at the Basin Reserve on January 2 while Canterbury play Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval.

NATIONAL LEAGUE AVERAGES (after Round 7, 12 January)Note: these averages are not accurate due to numerous discrepancies in the scoresheets submitted.

BATTING AND FIELDINGM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct/St R/OAdam, A (U) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Adam, H (U) 4 2 1 9 8 9.00 – – -Adam, S (U) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Ali, W (HSC) 4 4 0 10 9 2.50 – – 1Anticevich, C M (Alex) 5 3 1 30 17 15.00 – – 1Austin, I (Q) 3 3 0 8 8 2.66 – – 1Bala, S (HSC) 7 4 0 52 23 13.00 – – 2Barrett, G F (OG) 3 3 0 84 51 28.00 – 1 2Barry, S (Alex) 2 1 1 2 2* — – – -Bartlett, T G (Alex) 1 1 0 2 2 2.00 – – -Bath, B (Alex) 4 4 2 21 9 10.50 – – 1Benade, T (OH) 7 7 0 248 63 35.42 – 1 2Benhura, B Z (Alex) 5 4 0 79 37 19.75 – – 1Bennett, R J (OG) 7 5 2 46 18* 15.33 – – 1 1Biggs, J (OG) 2 1 1 1 1* — – – -Blignaut, A M (Alex) 6 5 1 78 25 19.50 – – -Brent, G B (Mut) 5 3 0 12 12 4.00 – – 1Brewer, C H (OH) 7 7 0 151 54 21.57 – 1 4 1Broadbent, S (Q) 1 1 1 3 3* — – – -Brooks, A A (HSC) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Brous, P (HSC) 1 1 0 1 1 1.00 – – -Brundle, M R D (HSC) 3 3 0 56 39 18.66 – – 2Burki, A (OH) 5 2 1 2 2* 2.00 – – 3Burmester, M G (Mut) 3 3 0 239 133 79.66 1 1 -Butterworth, R E (OH) 6 6 0 130 92 21.66 – 1 2Cameron, J (Alex) 2 1 0 11 11 11.00 – – -Campbell, A D R (Mut) 4 4 2 324 100* 162.00 1 2 1Campbell, D J R (K) 6 5 2 75 26 25.00 – – 5/1Carlisle, S V (HSC) 5 5 3 376 129* 183.00 2 1 3Chari, N (OH) 7 6 2 53 15* 13.25 – – 1Chauluka, E (T) 3 3 0 80 38 26.66 – – 1Chawaguta, W R (T) 3 3 1 28 14* 14.00 – – -Chengetere, R (OG) 5 4 0 18 10 4.50 – – -Chibhabha, C (T) 2 2 0 41 40 20.50 – – 3Chigumbura, E (T) 6 6 0 192 70 32.00 – 1 1 1Chinyoka, I M (K) 5 4 1 60 45 20.00 – – 4Chiradza, R (U) 2 1 0 22 22 22.00 – – -Chirwa, T (Q) 4 4 2 22 11 11.00 – – -Chitare, N (T) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Chiwara, D (OH) 2 2 1 19 19 19.00 – – 1Chouhan, N (U) 5 3 1 57 31 28.50 – – 1 2Cloete, S (OG) 2 2 0 59 38 29.50 – – -Connelly, K M (K) 1 1 0 21 21 21.00 – – -Cornford, J M (K) 4 4 1 73 38 24.33 – – 3Coulson, I M (OG) 7 4 1 12 9* 4.00 – – 4Coventry, C K (BAC) 4 4 0 199 124 49.75 1 – 2Cremer, G (HSC) 3 2 0 8 7 4.00 – – -Crouch, D (Q) 1 1 1 30 30* — – – 1Croxford, G M (U) 6 6 2 192 48* 48.00 – – 1Croxford, R (HSC) 2 2 1 14 12 14.00 – – -Dabengwa, K M (BAC) 6 5 0 22 9 4.40 – – 1de Beer, D (Alex) 3 3 0 47 36 15.66 – – 1de Grandhomme, C (Alex) 2 2 1 36 36* 36.00 – – 1de Grandhomme, I (Alex) 4 4 1 53 24* 17.66 – – 3de Sousa, M (OG) 4 4 0 24 13 6.00 – – -Delport, C (K) 1 1 0 8 8 8.00 – – 2du Plessis, G (Alex) 4 3 2 17 15* 17.00 – – 1Dube, F (Q) 1 1 0 3 3 3.00 – – -Duffin, T (K) 7 7 0 159 71 22.71 – 1 1Durham, A M (HSC) 3 2 0 2 2 1.00 – – 2Ebrahim, D D (U) 3 2 0 94 92 47.00 – 1 2Engelbrecht, P N (Q) 1 1 0 6 6 6.00 – – -Ervine, C (OH) 7 7 0 72 61 10.28 – – 3 1Ervine, R (K) 1 1 0 1 1 1.00 – – -Ervine, R (OH) 2 2 1 4 4 4.00 – – 1Ervine, S M (K) 4 4 0 252 96 63.00 – 3 3Evans, C N (OG) 7 7 1 214 88 35.66 – 2 6Ewing, G M (BAC) 5 4 1 195 85* 65.00 – – -Ewing, K (Q) 1 1 0 1 1 0.50 – – -Ferreira, N R (Mut) 5 5 1 294 125 73.50 1 1 10/2Flower, A (Mut) 2 1 0 1 1 1.00 – – -Flower, G W (OG) 4 4 1 117 67* 39.00 – – 3Fourie, H (K) 1 – – — — — – – 1Fraser, A (OG) 1 – – — — — – – -Friend, T J (K) 4 4 0 143 109 35.75 1 – 3Gilmour, A R G (Alex) 2 2 0 19 15 9.90 – – 2Goodwin, M (BAC) 1 1 1 0 0* — – – -Goosen, G C (Alex) 7 6 0 68 51 11.33 – 1 8/0 3Gripper, T R (HSC) 6 6 0 227 102 37.83 1 1 3 1Hamid, A (OH) 1 1 1 4 4* — – – -Hitz, J H (BAC) 3 3 0 73 51 24.33 – 1 5Hoffman, A P (BAC) 6 6 1 76 27 15.20 – – 2Hondo, D T (U) 4 3 1 35 21 17.50 – – 1Hundermark, B (K) 3 2 1 1 1* 1.00 – – -Irvine, E (HSC) 1 1 0 7 7 7.00 – – -Island, R (K) 1 – – — — — – – 1Johnston-Robertson, G (HSC) 4 1 1 0 0* — – – -Jones, S (OG) 3 3 1 1 1* 0.50 – – 4Kalas, W (OG) 1 1 1 4 4* — – – -Karamba, T (K) 1 – – — — — – – -Kasawaya, R (BAC) 5 4 0 92 75 23.00 – 1 2/1Kaschula, R (OH) 6 6 1 54 28 10.80 – – 1Khalid, S (OH) 1 1 0 3 3 3.00 – – 1Khan, S (OH) 7 5 1 25 12 6.25 – – 7/2King, R J (Q) 5 5 0 59 21 11.80 – – -Koen, B (HSC) 2 – – — — — – – -Kugotsi, A (Mut) 4 3 0 32 14 10.66 – – 1Lamb, G A (K) 1 1 0 77 77 77.00 – 1 -Lewis, J M (Mut) 4 2 1 4 4 4.00 – – – 1Lewis, M (HSC) 2 1 0 1 1 1.00 – – – 1Lombard, R (Q) 3 3 1 27 20 13.50 – – 1Lurie, A (HSC) 1 1 1 10 10* — – – -Mabuza, M (Q) 2 2 0 33 26 16.50 – – 1Mackay, A J (OG) 6 6 0 121 39 20.16 – – 2Macmillan, C (K) 6 5 1 46 23 11.50 – – 3Mahachi, C (BAC) 5 5 2 40 27* 13.33 – – 1 1Mahwire, N B (U) 5 2 0 25 24 12.50 – – 1Makoni, G (T) 5 5 0 60 29 12.00 – – 2Makovah, B (T) 1 1 1 1 1* — – – -Makunura, S T (T) 3 3 0 9 4 3.00 – – 1Malloch-Brown, L S (OG) 5 4 0 65 43 16.25 – – 5Manyande, R N (T) 6 5 0 72 44 14.40 – – -Maregwede, A (T) 7 7 1 178 52* 29.66 – 1 5/0Marillier, D A (Alex) 5 5 1 111 51 27.75 – 1 3Marillier, S J (Alex) 6 5 0 130 70 26.00 – 1 2Marisa, S (Q) 1 1 1 5 5* — – – -Marodze, A (K) 1 1 0 12 12 12.00 – – 1Masakadza, H (T) 3 3 0 159 69 53.00 – 2 3Mashanganyika, T (OH) 4 3 1 8 5 4.00 – – 2Matambanadzo, D R (U) 5 4 1 59 39* 19.66 – – -Matsikenyeri, S (T) 5 5 0 136 83 27.20 – 1 2Maungwa, A (T) 3 2 2 2 1* — – – -Mawoyo, T K (Mut) 5 3 0 36 24 12.00 – – 4Mbangwa, M (Q) 3 3 0 58 29 19.33 – – -Mboyi, T (Q) 2 2 2 10 7* — – – 1Mbwembwe, A (T) 4 3 0 3 2 1.00 – – 1McCormick, C (Alex) 2 1 0 15 15 15.00 – – 1McKean, M (HSC) 1 1 0 2 2 2.00 – – -McKillop, M G (BAC) 3 3 0 83 40 27.66 – – -McTaggart, A (Q) 2 2 0 4 3 2.00 – – -Meman, I (U) 6 4 1 43 29* 14.33 – – 1 1Meth, K (Q) 3 3 1 63 62* 31.50 – 1 -Mhandu, A (HSC) 7 4 1 13 7* 4.33 – – 2 1Moyo, V (BAC) 1 1 0 1 1 1.00 – – -Mufambisi, T (T) 2 2 0 42 35 21.00 – – 1Mukondiwa, B (BAC) 1 1 0 18 18 18.00 – – -Mukondiwa, N (BAC) 4 3 0 36 22 12.00 – – 1Mupariwa, T (BAC) 4 2 1 32 29 32.00 – – 1 1Murphy, B A (U) 5 5 0 295 174 59.00 1 1 2Musundire, O (Q) 3 3 0 21 8 7.00 – – -Mutendera, D T (U/T) 3 2 0 27 14 13.50 – – -Mutendera, L (HSC) 3 1 1 1 1* — – – -Mutyambizi, L K (K) 2 2 0 4 3 2.00 – – -Muzah, G (T) 1 1 0 5 5 5.00 – – -Mwayenga, A (HSC) 5 3 1 7 4 3.50 – – 4Mwayenga, W (OG) 5 3 1 18 7* 9.00 – – 1Neethling, A J C (OG) 6 5 0 45 17 9.00 – – 2Nicolle, J S (BAC) 5 3 0 8 7 2.66 – – 3Nicolle, M (BAC) 1 1 0 3 3 3.00 – – -Nkala, M L (Q) 4 4 1 165 74 55.00 – 2 2Nkala, Q (Alex) 4 2 0 11 11 5.50 – – 1Nyumbu, J (Q) 6 4 0 1 1 0.25 – – -Obank, P (Mut) 2 2 1 22 22* 22.00 – – 1Oberholzer, D (Mut) 1 – – — — — – – -Olonga, H K (T) 4 4 0 28 11 6.00 – – 3 1Panyangara, T (T) 3 3 3 11 7* — – – 1Penney, A (HSC) 2 1 1 4 4* — – – 1Preston, C (HSC) 1 1 0 2 2 2.00 – – -Price, R W (K) 5 4 0 50 35 12.50 – – 4Rainsford, E C (K) 4 3 0 7 4 2.33 – – 1Rennie, G J (Alex) 5 5 0 49 31 9.80 – – 4Rinke, H P (OH) 6 5 0 41 19 8.20 – – 1Robb, D (OG) 2 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – 1 1Robbie, J (HSC) 1 1 0 23 23 23.00 – – -Rogers, B G (U) 5 5 1 234 126 58.50 1 1 3 3Ruswa, T P (T) 1 – – — — — – – 1Sanders, C J (K) 1 1 1 2 2* — – – -Sanyika, B (U) 5 2 2 8 4* — – – 1Saunders, N V (K) 1 1 1 1 1* — – – -Scroobie, D (K) 1 – – — — — – – -Seager, M S L (OG) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Shah, S (U) 4 1 0 15 15 15.00 – – -Shambare, A (HSC) 1 – – — — — – – -Shamuyarira, A (OG) 2 2 0 4 4 2.00 – – 1Sibanda, T (BAC) 2 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Sibanda, V (K) 4 4 0 104 39 26.00 – – -Sibanda, V (T) 2 2 0 21 20 10.50 – – 1Sims, R W (Mut) 5 3 0 53 40 17.66 – – 2Siziba, W T (Q) 5 5 0 92 67 18.40 – 1 2/0Smith, A (OH) 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – -Smith, H (OH) 1 1 1 0 0* — – – 1Soma, A D (Mut) 6 4 1 49 17 16.33 – – 2Soma, L J (Mut) 5 3 0 31 20 10.33 – – -Staddon, B (BAC) 4 4 0 42 26 10.50 – – -Stannard, D D (Alex) 7 4 2 31 31* 15.50 – – 1 1Strang, P A (OH) 4 4 1 136 77* 45.33 – 1 5Streak, H H (Q) 1 1 0 75 75 75.00 – 1 -Strydom, G M (Q) 2 2 0 43 43 21.50 – – -Swanepoel, G (Q) 2 1 0 22 22 22.00 – – 1Taibu, K J (U) 4 1 0 19 19 19.00 – – -Taibu, T (T) 4 4 2 164 66* 82.00 – 2 4/3Taylor, A L (Mut) 1 1 1 3 3* — – -Taylor, B R M (HSC) 5 5 0 185 134 37.00 1 – 2/2 1Taylor, K J (Mut) 6 3 2 23 11* 12.00 – – -Townshend, M W (Q) 5 5 0 35 14 7.00 – – -Utseya, P (T) 6 6 2 75 39* 18.75 – – 3van Rensburg, N R (Q) 5 5 0 114 67 22.80 – 1 3Vaughan-Davies, M J (K) 5 5 1 117 67 29.25 – 1 2Vaughan-Davies, W J (Alex) 1 1 0 8 8 8.00 – – 1Veheremi, E (K) 1 1 1 0 0* — – – -Vermeulen, M A (HSC) 5 5 1 320 143 80.00 1 2 6 1Vermeulen, R (HSC) 1 – – — — — – – -Viljoen, D P (K) 6 6 0 157 55 26.16 – 1 5Waller, A C (OG) 1 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – -Went, K R P (Mut) 5 4 0 101 45 25.25 – – 3Whittall, G J (Mut) 3 1 1 16 16* — – – – 2Williams, C R (BAC) 3 3 1 22 15 11.00 – – -Williams, S (BAC) 3 3 1 30 20 15.00 – – 2 1Wishart, C B (OG) 3 3 1 177 112* 88.50 1 1 3Ziegler, C (OH) 2 2 0 24 19 12.00 – – 1250 OR MORE RUNSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50Carlisle, S V (HSC) 5 5 3 376 129* 183.00 2 1Campbell, A D R (Mut) 4 4 2 324 100* 162.00 1 2Vermeulen, M A (HSC) 5 5 1 320 143 80.00 1 2Murphy, B A (U) 5 5 0 295 174 59.00 1 1Ferreira, N R (Mut) 5 5 1 294 125 73.50 1 1Ervine, S M (K) 4 4 0 252 96 63.00 – 3HIGHEST AVERAGES (100 or more runs)M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50Carlisle, S V (HSC) 5 5 3 376 129* 183.00 2 1 3Campbell, A D R (Mut) 4 4 2 324 100* 162.00 1 2Wishart, C B (OG) 3 3 1 177 112* 88.50 1 1Taibu, T (T) 4 4 2 164 66* 82.00 – 2Vermeulen, M A (HSC) 5 5 1 320 143 80.00 1 2Burmester, M G (Mut) 3 3 0 239 133 79.66 1 1Ferreira, N R (Mut) 5 5 1 294 125 73.50 1 1Ewing, G M (BAC) 5 4 1 195 85* 65.00 – -Ervine, S M (K) 4 4 0 252 96 63.00 – 3Murphy, B A (U) 5 5 0 295 174 59.00 1 1Rogers, B G (U) 5 5 1 234 126 58.50 1 1Nkala, M L (Q) 4 4 1 165 74 55.00 – 2Masakadza, H (T) 3 3 0 159 69 53.00 – 2Coventry, C K (BAC) 4 4 0 199 124 49.75 1 -Croxford, G M (U) 6 6 2 192 48* 48.00 – -Strang, P A (OH) 4 4 1 136 77* 45.33 – 1BOWLING AVERAGESO M R W Av. Best RateAdam, H (U) 14.5 2 64 2 32.00 1/12 4.31Adam, S (U) 3 0 8 1 8.00 1/8 2.66Ali, W (HSC) 2 1 8 1 8.00 1/8 4.00Anticevich, C (Alex) 13 4 35 3 11.66 2/14 2.69Austin, I (Q) 10 0 58 0 — — 5.80Bala, S (HSC) 58 11 162 9 18.00 3/22 2.79Barrett, G F (OG) 1 0 17 0 — — 17.00Barry, S (Alex) 14 1 54 3 18.00 2/14 3.85Benade, T (OH) 42.1 1 242 6 40.33 2/49 5.73Benhura, B (Alex) 29 0 140 4 35.00 1/21 4.82Bennett, R J (OG) 50.3 4 268 11 24.36 3/34 5.56Biggs, J (OG) 3 0 19 0 — — 6.33Blignaut, A M (Alex) 55.4 6 241 13 18.53 6/18 4.32Brent, G B (Mut) 34 2 162 6 27.00 2/15 4.76Brewer, C H (OH) 27 2 170 4 42.50 3/33 6.29Broadbent, S (Q) 3.5 0 35 0 — — 9.13Brooks, A (HSC) 10 1 38 1 38.00 1/38 3.80Brundle, M R D (HSC) 12 2 45 0 — — 3.75Burki, A (OH) 37.2 4 173 8 21.62 3/12 4.63Burmester, M H (Mut) 18 4 43 3 14.33 2/26 2.38Butterworth, R E (OH) 41 2 234 5 46.80 3/36 5.70Campbell, A D R (Mut) 20 0 96 3 32.00 2/38 4.80Campbell, D J R (K) 2 0 21 0 — — 10.50Carlisle, S V (HSC) 7 0 44 0 — — 6.28Chari, N (OH) 41 1 220 6 36.66 2/33 5.36Chawaguta, W R (T) 9 0 33 1 33.00 1/33 3.67Chigumbura, E (T) 33 3 154 5 30.80 2/24 4.66Chinyoka, I M (K) 25.1 1 118 5 23.60 2/41 4.68Chirwa, T (Q) 26 1 197 2 98.50 1/44 7.57Chitare, M (T) 2 0 18 0 — — 9.00Chiwara, D (OH) 9 0 53 5 10.60 5/53 5.89Chouhan, N (U) 13 0 62 0 — — 4.76Coulson, I M (OG) 35 5 136 6 22.66 2/17 3.88Coventry, C K (BAC) 7 0 49 2 24.50 2/49 7.00Cremer, G (HSC) 11 0 46 2 23.00 2/23 4.18Croxford, G M (U) 42 2 184 10 18.40 4/29 4.38Dabengwa, K M (BAC) 53 8 236 8 29.50 3/45 4.45de Grandhomme, C (Alex) 11 1 37 1 37.00 1/15 3.36Delport, C (K) 2 0 6 0 — — 3.00du Plessis, G (Alex) 28 4 75 4 18.75 2/21 2.67Duffin, T (K) 2.4 0 12 0 — — 4.50Durham, A M (HSC) 27 2 107 8 13.37 3/19 3.96Ervine, C (OH) 16 0 104 3 34.66 3/43 6.50Ervine, S M (K) 31.4 1 180 11 16.36 4/47 5.68Evans, C N (OG) 39.3 3 172 5 34.40 2/24 4.35Ewing, G M (BAC) 36.3 2 169 2 84.50 2/45 4.63Ewing, K (Q) 5 0 21 0 — — 4.20Flower, A (Mut) 17 1 49 3 16.33 2/37 2.88Flower, G W (OG) 32 3 66 8 8.25 4/14 2.06Fraser, A (OG) 3 0 21 2 10.50 2/21 7.00Friend, T J (K) 20 2 93 7 13.28 5/33 4.65Gilmour, A R G (Alex) 0.4 0 12 0 — — 18.00Gripper, T R (HSC) 45 6 145 4 36.25 2/20 3.22Hitz, J H (BAC) 3 0 31 0 — — 10.33Hoffman, A P (BAC) 50.2 6 248 11 22.54 4/29 4.92Hondo, D T (U) 10 3 27 2 13.50 2/27 2.70Johnston-Robertson, G (HSC) 14 2 46 4 11.50 3/18 3.28Karamba, T (K) 1 0 4 0 — — 4.00Koen, B (HSC) 6.1 0 29 2 14.50 2/29 4.70Kugotsi, A (Mut) 7 0 55 1 55.00 1/34 7.85Lamb, G A (K) 9 1 40 2 20.00 2/20 4.44Lewis, J M (Mut) 31 8 119 6 19.83 5/25 3.83Lombard, R (Q) 14 0 96 1 96.00 1/21 6.85Lurie, A (HSC) 3 0 22 0 — — 7.33Mackay, A J (OG) 53.2 7 165 14 11.78 3/21 3.09Macmillan, C (K) 43 2 197 9 21.88 3/38 4.58Mahwire, N B (U) 15.2 1 97 1 97.00 1/27 6.32Makoni, G (T) 2 0 18 2 9.00 2/18 9.00Makunura, S T (T) 12.3 0 52 4 13.00 4/14 4.23Manyande, R N (T) 21 1 113 2 56.50 2/53 5.38Marillier, D A (Alex) 47.5 1 206 5 41.20 2/33 4.30Marillier, S J (Alex) 29.1 1 159 5 31.80 2/22 5.45Marisa, S (Q) 7.3 0 46 0 — — 6.13Masakadza, H (T) 11.4 0 52 7 7.42 6/43 4.45Matambanadzo, D R (U) 31 0 138 3 46.00 3/60 4.45Matsikenyeri, S (T) 25 3 100 7 14.28 3/43 4.00Maungwa, A (T) 14 1 54 4 13.50 3/17 3.85Mbangwa, M (Q) 21.4 3 61 2 30.50 1/35 2.81Mboyi, T (Q) 14 0 103 1 103.00 1/34 7.35Mbwembwe, A (T) 20 2 91 2 45.50 1/17 4.55McKillop, M G (BAC) 1 0 5 0 — — 5.00Meth, K (Q) 15 0 68 2 34.00 1/24 4.53Mhandu, A (HSC) 28 1 187 3 62.33 2/44 6.67Mukondiwa, N (BAC) 24 2 130 2 65.00 1/19 5.41Mupariwa, T (BAC) 34.2 3 157 6 26.16 3/49 4.57Murphy, B A (U) 50 6 183 8 22.87 4/26 3.66Mutendera, D T (U/T) 14 1 68 1 68.00 1/18 4.85Mutendera, L (HSC) 1 0 8 0 — — 8.00Mutendera, L (HSC) 3.1 0 20 0 — — 6.31Muzah, G (T) 1 0 9 0 — — 9.00Mwayenga, A (HSC) 30 2 151 10 15.10 5/34 5.03Mwayenga, W (OG) 45 6 163 11 14.81 4/35 3.62Neethling, A J C (OG) 4 0 33 0 — — 8.25Nicolle, J S (BAC) 36 1 201 7 28.71 3/32 5.58Nicolle, M (BAC) 5 0 54 0 — — 10.80Nkala, M L (Q) 30 1 155 3 51.66 2/31 5.16Nyumbu, J (Q) 30 1 145 6 24.16 3/55 4.83Olonga, H K (T) 37 7 119 6 19.83 2/22 3.21Panyangara, T (T) 19 2 85 4 21.25 3/29 4.47Penney, A (HSC) 11 0 46 0 — — 4.18Price, R W (K) 42.4 12 99 6 16.50 2/21 2.32Rainsford, E C (K) 10 0 45 1 45.00 1/45 4.50Rennie, G J (Alex) 35 7 115 3 38.33 2/6 3.28Rinke, H P (OH) 58 5 263 6 43.83 3/43 4.53Rogers, B G (U) 37 2 148 5 29.60 2/25 4.00Ruswa, T (T) 2 0 23 0 — — 11.50Sanders, C J (K) 8 0 62 0 — — 7.75Sanyika, B (U) 15 0 104 3 34.66 3/39 6.93Scrooby, D (K) 3 0 18 0 — — 6.00Shah, S (U) 14 0 78 2 39.00 2/34 5.57Sibanda, V (K) 8 0 41 1 41.00 1/41 5.12Sims, R W (Mut) 36.2 6 121 6 20.16 2/5 3.33Smith, H (OH) 3 0 10 0 — — 3.33Soma, A D (Mut) 8 0 64 2 32.00 2/52 8.00Soma, L J (Mut) 35.1 2 128 10 12.80 5/32 3.63Staddon, B (BAC) 6 1 52 0 — — 8.67Stannard, D D (Alex) 50.4 2 196 5 39.20 1/17 3.86Strang, P A (OH) 25.2 7 78 4 19.50 3/13 3.07Streak, H H (Q) 7 4 10 0 — — 1.42Strydom, G M (Q) 7 1 36 1 36.00 1/36 5.14Swanepoel, G (Q) 2 0 11 0 — — 5.50Taylor, A L (Mut) 2 0 23 0 — — 11.50Taylor, K J (Mut) 8.5 2 36 4 9.00 4/19 4.07Townshend, M W (Q) 9 0 66 0 — — 7.33Utseya, P (T) 52.4 14 150 6 25.00 3/25 2.84van Rensburg, N R (Q) 18 0 74 2 37.00 2/36 4.11Vaughan-Davies, M J (K) 39 5 159 8 19.87 3/35 4.07Vermeulen, M A (HSC) 10.4 0 70 2 35.00 1/32 6.56Viljoen, D P (K) 42.2 3 149 8 18.62 2/23 3.51Went, K P R (Mut) 1 0 20 0 — — 20.00Whittall, G J (Mut) 22 5 73 4 18.25 2/28 3.31Williams, S (BAC) 15 1 76 3 25.33 3/44 5.0610 OR MORE WICKETSO M R W Av. Best RateMackay, A J (OG) 53.2 7 165 14 11.78 3/21 3.09Blignaut, A M (Alex) 55.4 6 241 13 18.53 6/18 4.32Mwayenga, W (OG) 45 6 163 11 14.81 4/35 3.62Ervine, S M (K) 31.4 1 180 11 16.36 4/47 5.68Hoffman, A P (BAC) 50.2 6 248 11 22.54 4/29 4.92Bennett, R J (OG) 50.3 4 268 11 24.36 3/34 5.56Soma, L J (Mut) 35.1 2 128 10 12.80 5/32 3.63Croxford, G M (U) 42 2 184 10 18.40 4/29 4.38Mwayenga, A (HSC) 30 2 151 10 15.10 5/34 5.03BEST AVERAGES (25 overs)O M R W Av. Best RateFlower, G W (OG) 32 3 66 8 8.25 4/14 2.06Mackay, A J (OG) 53.2 7 165 14 11.78 3/21 3.09Soma, L J (Mut) 35.1 2 128 10 12.80 5/32 3.63Durham, A M (HSC) 27 2 107 8 13.37 3/19 3.96Matsikenyeri, S (T) 25 3 100 7 14.28 3/43 4.00Mwayenga, W (OG) 45 6 163 11 14.81 4/35 3.62Mwayenga, A (HSC) 30 2 151 10 15.10 5/34 5.03Ervine, S M (K) 31.4 1 180 11 16.36 4/47 5.68Price, R W (K) 42.4 12 99 6 16.50 2/21 2.32Bala, S (HSC) 58 11 162 9 18.00 3/22 2.79Croxford, G M (U) 42 2 184 10 18.40 4/29 4.38Blignaut, A M (Alex) 55.4 6 241 13 18.53 6/18 4.32Viljoen, D P (K) 42.2 3 149 8 18.62 2/23 3.51du Plessis, G (Alex) 28 4 75 4 18.75 2/21 2.67Strang, P A (OH) 25.2 7 78 4 19.50 3/13 3.07Olonga, H K (T) 37 7 119 6 19.83 2/22 3.21Lewis, J M (Mut) 31 8 119 6 19.83 5/25 3.83Vaughan-Davies, M J (K) 39 5 159 8 19.87 3/35 4.07BEST RUN RATES (25 or more overs)O M R W Av. Best RateFlower, G W (OG) 32 3 66 8 8.25 4/14 2.06Price, R W (K) 42.4 12 99 6 16.50 2/21 2.32du Plessis, G (Alex) 28 4 75 4 18.75 2/21 2.67Bala, S (HSC) 58 11 162 9 18.00 3/22 2.79Utseya, P (T) 52.4 14 150 6 25.00 3/25 2.84

ICC President Malcolm Gray presented South African cricket captain Shaun Pollock with the ICC Test Championship Mace today to mark South Africa’s rise to the top of the ICC Test Championship table.”On behalf of the ICC I would like to congratulate Shaun and his team for the excellent standard of Test match cricket they have played over recent years, which has now earned them top position on the ICC Test Championship table,” said Gray. “Test cricket is hard work, and no side has worked harder than South Africa in terms of the series it has played against all other countries. One of the main aims of the ICC’s 10 year Test calendar is to encourage teams to play each other home and away on a regular basis, and South Africa has been prominent in achieving that. Their record proves that they are an extremely good side, consistently winning series in the toughest of conditions. For example, they are one of the very few teams to have won a series in India, and have also done well in other countries where Test match wins are never easy to come by, such as Sri Lanka and the Caribbean,” Gray added.On receiving the trophy, Pollock said he was proud to have been part of a squad which had deservedly taken its place at the top of Test cricket. “We have had a really good record away from home, which shows our cohesion as a unit,” Pollock said. “I would like to thank the players, team management and sponsors who have played such a vital role in getting us into this position over the years. It has been hard work, but I am sure I speak for all the guys when I say it has been worth it.”UCB President Percy Sonn and CEO Gerald Majola warmly congratulated the team on their effort and on the high standard of cricket they had maintained. “This Championship is about performing consistently well against all the Test-playing nations in all conditions. Shaun and the boys have done that,” said Sonn. Majola added: “This is the realization of all the effort and planning that has gone into South African cricket. It is part of our Strategic Plan to develop winners and to be the top nation in the world. By performing so well, Shaun and his team have laid a platform for our other strategic intention of making cricket a sport for all South Africans.”Castle Lager sponsorship manager Rob Fleming said: “Castle Lager congratulates the SA Test team on being top of the ICC Test log and bringing the prestigious trophy to our shores for the first time. We would like to take this opportunity to wish the Test champions the best of luck on the eve of the World Cup.””We are extremely proud of the Castle Lager/MTN Test cricket team and their recent series win over Pakistan which took them to the top of the ICC Test Championship table. The trophy hand-over must be a great confidence booster for the team with two days to go until the start of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup,” said MTN sponsorship manager Andrew Sherwood.The ICC Mace is awarded to the country at the head of the ICC Test Championship table, which was introduced at the start of the England v Pakistan series in May 2001.The Crown Jeweller Asprey & Garrard was commissioned to produce a distinctive trophy designed to stand out from other cricket trophies. They produced a silver and gold-plated trophy based on a cricket stump as its shank topped by an orb that represents the cricket world – both geographically and through the inclusion of the emblems of the 10 Test-playing nations. The stump and the orb combine to portray a mace, regarded as a symbol of authority and prestige. This is an appropriate combination given the rich history of Test Match cricket and its image as the most traditional and purest form of the game. The Mace is valued at $US 45 000 and automatically passes from one country to another as results confirm a change of Championship leader. Apart from South Africa, Australia is the only other side to have held the Mace.

Suspended leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has apologised to his New South Wales teammates for the two-match ban which could cost the Blues dearly in the battle for a Pura Cup final spot.MacGill was last night suspended for crude and abusive behaviour in Sunday’s ING Cup one-day match against Tasmania.The ban has ruled MacGill – the Blues’ leading wicket-taker this season – out of NSW’s crucial Pura Cup game against Victoria at the MCG starting tomorrow.NSW skipper Steve Waugh says MacGill apologised to him and teammates last night.But Waugh says MacGill must now learn from his mistake and make sure he doesn’t do it again.MacGill has a poor disciplinary record, with several fines for crude and abusive behaviour prior to the weekend’s misdemeanour.If third-placed NSW is beaten by the second-placed Bushrangers, it would virtually rule the Blues out of a spot in this year’s Pura Cup final.

Carl Hooper, the current West Indies cricket captain should do the right thing and step down as captain for both the One Day and Test teams…. and immediately.This, following the West Indies’ dismal performance during the preliminary round of the 2003 Cricket World Cup (CWC), in South Africa. Failure by Hooper to voluntarily leave office, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), should insist that he does so.In other professional sports, when teams perform as poorly as the West Indies did during their recent campaign at the 2003 CWC, heads are expected to roll. There should be no deviation from this practice in professional sports. It simply cannot be business as usual. The West Indian public deserve much better than the lackluster performances that the team seem capable of producing while on overseas tours.The management team, all of whose contracts with the WICB have come to an end during the course of this month also should go. This is the absolute minimum that should be expected as a result of the team’s poor showing.The early exit from the 2003 CWC is especially hurtful, since the West Indies will play host to the next CWC in 2007. Many of the countries vying to host matches during the 2007 CWC were hoping to use the opportunity to start sensitizing the rest of the cricketing world of the facilities and amenities that can be expected for the next CWC. But, all these plans have to be either shelved or scaled down since the West Indies team has made an early exit from the sports biggest tournament.It is also apparent that the West Indian players have no sense or appreciation of what it means to represent nearly 10 million people – both at home and abroad. Their lack of commitment and understanding even of their roles as ambassadors of the Caribbean is also evident.One calypsonian summed up the significance of cricket to the West Indian peoples this way: "It [cricket] is like a tattoo on the heart of every West Indian." The fact that our players seemingly lack understanding as to their roles as ambassadors is also a reflection on their preparation by the Board might explain the team’s sustained poor performances abroad.The WICB is not without blame in this situation either. It was the same Carl Hooper who previously `resigned’ from the West Indies team just days prior to the team’s departure for the 1999 CWC in England. It was the same Carl Hooper, who, along with Brian Lara was also at the center of controversy prior to the West Indies’ tour to South Africa in 1998.After all, Jimmy Adams was `relieved’ of his position as captain of the West Indies team following a series of poor performances by the West Indies especially abroad. The same standard must therefore be applied to Hooper and nothing less would be acceptable.Also, with the player revolt taking place just days before the team’s departure for the 2003 CWC, it begs the question: what was the state of mind of the team going into the most prestigious competition of the sport? Where is their commitment to the 10 million people of the Caribbean who pay their salaries? They should be made to show more resolve and purpose whenever they put on the West Indies colours and take the field.It is therefore time that the WICB start looking towards a more youthful player who can (a) command a place in the team, and (b) inspire the team to many successes in the future. The West Indian public has been hearing since 1991 that the West Indies team is in a "rebuilding phase". Certainly, it does not take 12 years for an all-conquering team to revamp and retool. The patience of the West Indian public is beginning to wear out, and the team needs to start performing much better – both at home and abroad. The first step in this though, is for the current captain to step aside and take a few of his worn soldiers with him. The young players now playing in the Carib Beer Cricket Series can therefore look forward to the 2003 Cable & Wireless home series against Australia, then Sri Lanka with much hope and expectation. The West Indian selectors cannot afford to keep faith with these `tried and proven’ failures. This simply cannot be business as usual.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Mar.31, WICB: The directors of the West Indies Cricket Board met in Barbados on Sunday to consider among other things appointments for the posts of coach, manager, captain and vice-captain for the senior West Indies team.After deliberations, the WICB is pleased to announced the following:1. TEAM COACHBennett King has been appointed the new team coach of the senior West Indies team, subject to completion of contractual negotiations.In the interim, the WICB have asked Gus Logie to coach the side for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.King is currently the Head Coach at the Australian Cricket Board Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy and guided the Queensland Cricket Bulls to three national titles in the Pura Cup four-day competition and two limited-overs finals from.In the inaugural year of the West Indies’ Shell Cricket Academy of the St. George’s University in Grenada, he did a four-week coaching stint.King was also the Australian A-Team coach to South Africa last year and has played a key role in the development of a number of the Queensland players, who are currently members of the senior Australia team.A nationally accredited Level III coach King has a wide range of coaching knowledge not just in cricket, but as a professional rugby league player.2. TEAM MANAGERRicky Skerritt has been re-appointed the team manager of the senior West Indies team, subject to completion of contractual negotiations.3. TEAM CAPTAINThe WICB accepted the recommendation of the Selection Committee that Brian Lara be named the new team captain of the senior West Indies team for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.4. TEAM VICE-CAPTAINOn the advice of the Selection Committee, the WICB has named Ramnaresh Sarwan to the post of the new vice-captain of the senior West Indies team for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.Sarwan’s performances on and off the field should ensure him a long future in West Indies cricket and this appointment is viewed as developmental with an eye to the future. The WICB feels very confident about this appointment and Sarwan will be exposed to a leadership training to assist him in his new role.5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERThe WICB agreed to appoint Roger Brathwaite, the Chief Marketing Executive, to the post of Chief Executive Officer.Brathwaite has been acting as CEO over the last six months and the Board is extremely pleased with his performance particularly in terms of his success in building relationships regionally and internationally. He has already earned the respect of many in the international cricketing arena.The WICB will be moving to fill the now vacant post of Chief Marketing Executive shortly.

Whilst the First XI were struggling against their Somerset opponents, Hampshire 2nd XI were recording their second successive ECB 2nd XI Championship victory against the same second side. In a run chase on the third and last day, the last five wickets fell for just 6 runs to give the visitors victory.The first day did not start until 4pm following heavy rain, but the Hampshire batsmen made up for lost time with Alex Morris, Lawrence Prittipaul and Iain Brunnschweiler all posting half centuries.When Somerset batted Piren Holloway played superbly, hitting 21 fours and 4 sixes in his run-a-ball 143, James Hibberd the young Calmore all-rounder took 2 wickets, as Somerset declared 52 runs behind.Again with rain threatening, Hampshire pushed their second innings score along. Dominic Clapp who made his first team debut for Hampshire in the match against Oxford UCCE scored 55, whilst Iain Brunnschweiler’s 49 allowed Hampshire to set Somerset a target of 5 an over (281 in a minimum of 49 overs).Somerset set about their task with vigour, Holloway and Keith Parsons both plastered the boundary boards, and skipper Wesley Durston kept up with the run rate, however with 51 still needed Parsons was run out on 88, Renato Almeida was well caught by Charlie van der Gucht off Chaka Hodge, Rowe was bowled by the impressive Mark Thorburn, who then had Reynold McLean (brother of Nixon) lbw next ball, to give Hampshire victory.Mark Thorburn dinished with 4 wickets, with van der Gucht and the Anguillan, West Indies ‘B’ player Chaka Hodge taking 2 a piece.

England 231 for 6 (Trescothick 108*) beat Pakistan 229 for 7 (Razzaq 64, Younis 63, Flintoff 4-32) by four wickets

Marcus Trescothick completed a memorable weekend with a magnificent unbeaten 108, and Chris Read chipped in with a resourceful and impish 25, as England recovered from a seemingly hopeless position to win the deciding match of the NatWest Challenge in the most thrilling manner imaginable.Chasing 230 for victory at Lord’s, England had at one stage been cruising at 129 for 2, but lost four wickets for 25 runs as Pakistan stormed back into contention. Trescothick and Read, however, withstood a ferocious onslaught from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami, adding 77 for the seventh wicket. Such was the potency of Pakistan’s fightback, the result was never truly settled until Trescothick deposited Azhar Mahmood into the Grand Stand to seal the match with nine balls to spare.Trescothick’s innings of 86 at The Oval had been an eye-popping onslaught, but in terms of sheer gumption, it was not a patch on this performance. He rode his luck, outrageously at times, but with the memories of his past failures at Lord’s – two centuries and an 86 in his last three visits, all in a losing cause – he was not about to let it slip for a fourth match in succession.England were 154 for 6, 86 runs from victory, when Read joined Trescothick in the middle of a disturbing wobble. For Read, it was a first return to Lord’s since his famous dismissal by Chris Cairns’s slower ball in 1999, but together they kept the run rate ticking at six an over. Trescothick swept a brace of welcome boundaries off the spinners, while Read tickled Mohammad Hafeez for four to third man, before picking up four byes as Hafeez beat everyone with a skiddy doosra.A steady drizzle sent the England balcony scurrying for their Duckworth/Lewis calculations, as Shoaib returned for his final burst of the match. He could – and should – have made the breakthrough, when Trescothick, on 93, edged a searing off-stump delivery to the left of Rashid Latif, who spilled the chance. Trescothick doubled the agony by cutting Shoaib to third man to bring up his fifth ODI century, and Shoaib finally accepted it wouldn’t be his day when a Waqar-esque late-swinging yorker exploded across Read’s stumps and away for four byes.When – if – they can bear to conduct a post-mortem, Pakistan will accept that they lost this match in the first 15 overs of England’s innings. Sami and Shoaib, still smarting from their rough treatment on Friday, had strained every sinew to make the breakthrough, and it defied logic that England were able to grind their way to an extremely healthy 71 for 1.England’s confusions began in the second over, when Trescothick survived a point-blank run-out attempt from Sami, and then sparred a Shoaib short ball over the heads of the slip cordon. Vikram Solanki didn’t last long, blown out of the water by Sami’s 95mph off-stump lifter (24 for 1), but Michael Vaughan lived a charmed life – dropped on 0 at second slip by Hafeez, then bowled by a Sami no-ball.Trescothick might have been run out – again – after jabbing down late on a Sami yorker, and on 35 he was dropped at midwicket again by Hafeez. But the relative calm of Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq enabled him to grow in confidence, alongside Jim Troughton, who cracked four eye-catching boundaries in a 40-run partnership for the fourth wicket. But with the introduction of the spinners, Shoaib Malik and Hafeez, came four wickets in nine overs as the pendulum swung Pakistan’s way at last. Trescothick and Read, however, could not be halted.After winning a good toss, England had been ahead on points – just – at the halfway mark. Razzaq, with 64 from 53 balls, and Mahmood had stolen 91 runs from the last ten overs to ensure a competitive total, but England owed their position to another command performance from that unlikeliest of misers, Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff returned figures of 4 for 32, his best in a home international, picking up 3 for 13 in his first eight overs to restrict Pakistan to 118 for 5 after 35 overs. For Pakistan, Younis Khan gritted his teeth to score 63, his first runs of the series.England were deserving winners of an astonishingly close and uplifting series. Pakistan, for their part, did not deserve to lose.Click here for today’s Wisden Verdict

England v Zimbabwe, 2nd Test, Chester-le-Street, Day 3

And so ends one of the more pointless Test series of recent times. Zimbabwe lived down to most expectations, give or take Doug Hondo’s three-wicket burst and some welcome defiance from Dion Ebrahim and Travis Friend, while England’s bowlers did precisely what was asked of them. On a more positive note, Chester-le-Street proved itself a worthy Test venue, even if a three-day finish was not quite what the treasurer would have had in mind.To be fair, Zimbabwe have given England about as many problems in this series as England themselves gave Australia in the first two Tests of last winter, although faint praise has rarely been so damning. The discipline shown by Zimbabwe’s seamers – both here and at Lord’s – has taken several of England’s finest by surprise (not least Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain), and if they had taken some crucial catches on the first afternoon, England might have faced a minor embarrassment. Zimbabwe’s batting, sadly, has been another story entirely.In two days, Zimbabwe lost 18 wickets to a seam attack boasting seven caps between them (never have the three suffixes “-son” been so appropriate). As was the case with James Anderson at Lord’s, Richard Johnson struggled to repeat his magic of the first innings, but Anderson himself has demonstrated he has the stamina to perform throughout a Test – not that Zimbabwe’s first innings was especially draining. Steve Harmison, meanwhile, continued his happy knack of random wickets at random moments. His scattergun style has yet to run through a side, but only once in 12 innings has he failed to take a wicket.There is little point in criticising Zimbabwe for their lack of competitiveness – any side that is forced to push the admirable Tatenda Taibu up to No. 5 deserves sympathy rather than condemnation. Politics and protests have dogged the team throughout, and Grant Flower, Zimbabwe’s most-capped player and the only man in the team with a Test century, has cut a mournful figure. It would surprise no-one if he calls it quits at the end of the one-day series.England now shelve their whites to begin a six-week spree of one-day matches, and by the time they reconvene at Edgbaston for the first Test against South Africa, this blip of a series will have been forgotten. In the circumstances, therefore, a touch of altruism would not have gone amiss from the tour organisers. If the ECB erred in allowing this tour to go ahead in the first place, then they compounded that mistake by affording Zimbabwe such inadequate preparation for the Tests.Zimbabwe have been overawed in three consecutive Test innings, before more-or-less knuckling down at the final attempt. It is not a coincidence. This team, a pair of old sweats apart, are on the steepest of learning curves, and three warm-up matches against half-cocked county opposition is cruelly misleading. After a ten-wicket victory over British Universities, Zimbabwe faced Worcestershire, Sussex and Middlesex, all of whom were shorn of a glut of their finest players.Old lags such as Graeme Hick, Steve Rhodes and Chris Adams all opted out of the warm-up games. The only players of Test experience who chose to face Zimbabwe were Andrew Hall of South Africa and, ironically, their very own Murray Goodwin, who scored a Test century on Zimbabwe’s last tour in 2000, but has since retired because of the political situation.Bangladesh are due in England in 2005, and a similarly pointless series beckons. It is in England’s best interests to provide worthy opposition – England A teams, U19 teams, county select XIs – both for the future of the game, and for the coffers of the counties.Click here for the Bulletin

Bangladesh were given another taste of the harsh realities of playing cricket in Australia when the Commonwealth Bank Academy side proved a model of batting concentration at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane today.Playing their second match of their Australian tour, the Bangladeshis ended the first of three days trailing by 205 runs, with nine wickets in hand, after the home side declared at 258 for 3.A third-wicket stand of 180 between opener Matthew Innes and Rhett Lockyear lifted the Academy side after two early setbacks. The partnership lasted 195 minutes and just over 53 overs, putting the hosts in control and demonstrating the virtue of application to the tourists.Innes, from Victoria, looked especially good, batting through the innings for his 128, scored off 200 balls in 293 minutes. Lockyear, from New South Wales, scored 90 before he was stumped by Khaled Mashud off Mohammad Rafique.The Australians capitalised on their decision to bat first, but there was some early excitement as Scott Meuleman was bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza off the second ball of the second over. Aaron Nye then attempted to dig in but fell to a catch by Khaled Mashud for 10, leaving the home team tottering at 20 for 2.But Innes and Lockyear settled down well, and while none of the bowlers were really taken to the cleaners, steady accumulation kept the momentum going right through the innings. Innes’ half-century came off 107 balls and Lockyear’s off 123.Once Lockyear departed, Callum Ferguson joined Innes to add 58 in 46 minutes before the declaration was made.Bangladesh opener Javed Omar struggled to score, and after battling for 36 minutes, he had reached 8 when he was trapped in front by Chris Duval. But Hannan Sarker and Habibul Bashar consolidated to take Bangladesh to stumps at 53 for 1 off 19 overs, with Sarkar 32 not out and Bashar on 13.