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ScorecardZimbabwe A romped to a 2-1 series lead, after comfortably overhauling Bangladesh A’s mediocre total with more than 16 overs to spare, at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. An opening stand of 141 between Terrance Duffin and Chamunorwa Chibhabha saw them most of the way towards their target before Duffin was stumped off Enamul Haque jnr, the highly promising left-arm spinner.Bangladesh A never recovered from 10 for three early in their innings, after choosing to bat first. Bryan Strang, the left-arm seamer, bowled a very tight spell and also removed the top-score, Mahmudullah (30), to finish with 2 for 21. Innocent Chinyoka ensured there was no recovery with four wickets and only a last-wicket stand of 46 gave the score any semblance of respectability.

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Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan pulled their weight with the bat as Guyana sealed a semi-final spot in the KFC Cup, beating Windward Islands by a handy 55-run margin at the Carlton Club Ground in Black Rock. Chanderpaul made 65 while Sarwan scored 62, helping Guyana amass 252 for 7 in 43 overs. In reply, Windwards could only manage 197, with Darren Sammy (50) making the only significant contribution.Chanderpaul smashed two fours and four sixes in his knock, which came off just 58 balls. He was involved in a couple of handy partnerships, adding 59 for the second wicket with Krishna Arjune (47), and then putting together 84 for the fourth with Sarwan. Rawl Lewis, the Windwards spinner, was the most successful bowler, taking 3 for 57 from eight overs.Windwards’ run-chase got off to a poor start when Junior Murray got out for a duck, and wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter as thet slumped to 88 for 5. A 63-run stand between Sammy and Lewis (29) gave them some hope, but Guyana continued to chip away at the wickets and ended up with with a comfortable win.

ScorecardCentral Districts qualified to host the final of the State shield after beating Wellington by 72 runs at the Basin Reserve.However, CD had a mixed day. They were all out for 244 after reaching 228 for 3. Seven wickets fell for 16 and seven balls still remained when the innings came to a close. The collapse undid the good work of Craig Spearman, who hit 63 off 82, Jarrod Englefield (54 off 70) and Mathew Sinclair, who set the field ablaze with 78 in 59 balls. But, in only his sixth match, Iain O’Brien grabbed 5 for 35 to start the demolition.Wellington started poorly, teetering at 46 for 4 before a stand worth 95 between James Franklin and Michael Parlene kept them in the running. Franklin scored 63, while Parlene had 31. However, with Andrew Schwass prising out 4 for 27, Wellington could manage only 172 and slipped to defeat by 72 runs.
ScorecardNorthern Districts continued Auckland’s one-day humiliation by scoring a crushing 112-run victory at Eden Park’s Outer Oval today. The win ensured that ND would play Canterbury in Wednesday’s semi-final.Daniel Vettori opened the batting for ND after a period off with injury and celebrated his return with a fine century – his first. He scored his hundred off 119 balls, with nine boundaries. Eventually dismissed for 109 off 124 balls, he added 106 for the third wicket with Hamish Marshall, who scored 69. The momentum was maintained through the innings and ND reached one of the biggest scores of the summer with their 290 for 6.Auckland were not helped by the loss of Kyle Mills, suffering an Achilles injury. He bowled only five overs, and at a cost of 35 runs. Paul Hitchcock took three wickets, but gave away 67. The batsmen were just as unspectacular. Only Aaron Barnes with 48 was able to break the bowling deadlock. The side managed to reach 178. The bowling effort was led by Graeme Aldridge, easily the most dominant bowler in the competition, who took 4 for 34.

In the concluding day of the latest round of Championship matches, there were wins for Surrey, Notts and Glamorgan. Mark Ramprakash scored an unbeaten 91 as Surrey recorded their first Championship win of the season, against Kent by seven wickets. Martin Bicknell also took his 1000th first-class wicket of his career. Chris Read smashed an unbeaten 108 to calm Notts’ nerves to a three-wicket win against Durham, while all the Glamorgan bowlers chipped in to ease past Derbyshire by 128 runs. Elsewhere, Middlesex’s match against Lancashire petered out to a draw after rain brought an early finish, and Somerset’s Peter Bowler scored an unbeaten 138 to deny Essex victory at Taunton.

Frizzell County Championship Division One

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Day 1 report – Kent hit by bout of vertigo The Guardian
Day 2 report – Key manages to survive Kent collapse The Telegraph
Day 3 report – Key can still steal Batty’s thunder The Guardian
Day 4 report – Bicknell turns hundreds into a thousand The Guardian
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Day 1 report – Koenig seizes his chance in the absence of Strauss The Times
Day 2 report – No spin can turn Peploe into the new Tufnell The Guardian
Day 3 report – Hayward blights red rose hopes The Guardian
Day 4 report – Strauss and Flintoff make their return The Times
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Day 1 report – Sussex made to suffer as Sales soars The Independent
Day 2 report – Brophy brings out the hostility in Sussex The Times
Day 3 report – Adams rides his luck The Daily Telegraph
Day 4 report – All-day Ward sees Sussex safe The Guardian
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Day 1 report – Hick turns back the clock to punish Warwickshire The Guardian
Day 2 report – Carter defies devils in pitch The Independent
Day 3 report – Moody anger at state of pitch The Daily Telegraph, London
Day 4 report – Warwickshire escape unscathed The Times

Frizzell County Championship Division Two

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Day 1 report – MacGill reins in Durham after Lewis enjoys easy morning The Times
Day 2 report – Hussey savages Durham The Times
Day 3 report – Late Collingwood burst gives Durham hope of reprieve The Times
Day 4 report – Read lets his bat do the talking The Telegraph
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Day 1 report – Depleted Derbyshire made to struggle The Times
Day 2 report – Derbyshire fight back The Telegraph
Day 3 report – Derbyshire kept in the hunt by Welch The Times
Day 4 report – Hemp’s hundred paves way for Glamorgan The Times
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Day 1 report – Middlebrook stands tall as Caddick takes six Wisden Cricinfo
Day 2 report – Understudies enjoy their day in the sun Wisden Cricinfo
Day 3 report – Essex declare their intent Wisden Cricinfo
Day 4 report – Bowler denies Essex victory Wisden Cricinfo

On the tournament being wide open with different teams beating each other
Yes, it’s reflective of what I said at the start of the tournament. Any one of the eight teams are capable of winning this tournament. The results and performances have been reflective of that. There have never been any real favourites. That’s how it will be leading into the World Cup – seven or eight teams have a chance. Tomorrow’s game is an important one for us; we’ve got the chance to take things in our own hands. If we put in a good performance tomorrow then we have a chance of progressing further in this tournament.On the dew factor and whether India had an edge because they were used to playing these conditions
I don’t think you can say any team can be used to playing under dew. I don’t think anyone has cracked it, but we are as used to it. I’ve played five or six games in these conditions. It does play a part and you have to look at ways to counter it. You have to look at your strategy, at your combination. Irrespective of it we need to play as best as we can. It will play a part in the game, whether it affects the outcome, I don’ know.On the conditions during South Africa’s win against Sri Lanka
Pitch didn’t play any different from what we expected it to play. As evening wears on there’s a bit of movement for the seam bowlers with the hard new ball but as the ball gets older, softer, you lose the ability to utilise the ball. I think the South Africans bowled very well upfront, knocked over four of the Lankan top order very early and that made the difference.On whether there was a danger in premeditating conditions and picking a team based on that instead of just putting the best eleven on the park
That could be a danger but I think you got to have a balance of both. You can’t keep a blindfold to conditions as well; you can’t just say the conditions don’t exist. We’re trying to keep a balance. Irrespective of dew we’ve got to play good cricket. South Africa showed yesterday that whether you bat first or bowl first it doesn’t matter, you’ve got to play good cricket.On dealing with different things, like failure, as captain and as a batsman
I try not to confuse the two things. I’m there as a batsman and try and do the job as a batsman and I’m there as a captain and have a job to do as captain. I have certain responsibilities and roles as a captain and I try not to get them muddled up. Irrespective of whether I score runs or not, I have a responsibility as a batsman and try and fulfil that to the best of my ability. I mean obviously it does help if I score runs in the sense that it helps the team in terms of the batting. If all the batsmen contribute, it helps the batting but I personally try not to confuse the two.On Sachin Tendulkar returning to bowling fitness
He’s coming along well, bowling a few balls in the net. We’re trying to get him into it slowly. No point rushing him into something and risking it. We’ll take it slowly, monitoring it carefully. We’d like him to be able to bowl as we know how effective he can be and we’ve got some very important cricket coming up. So we might see him bowl a few overs in the games. He’s been bowling about 30 balls in practice but obviously it’s a bit different in practice and nets. The pressure and intensity is a bit different. You can’t always replicate that. But it’s an ongoing process to getting him back to bowling consistently, but hopefully he’ll be back to bowling 10 overs when the big tournament comes up.On what specifically the team had been working on in the last four days
We’ve been working at staying at the wicket, ensuring that we build partnerships. The tournament has not been very easy on batsmen. If guys who’ve got set have gone on and got a big score, it’s made a big impact on the game. These are the things we’ve been working on.On whether India’s recent inconsistent record against West Indies was a concern
Not really, it’s a new game, a new tournament. I don’t see the past as having too much of a bearing. Yes, we haven’t had a great run but I don’t think the past can have a bearing on what we do tomorrow. Tomorrow’s really about us focusing on playing good cricket. That’s the nature of the one-day game.On whether the team has thought about being knocked out of the tournament
Not really. We’re not thinking about defeat or leaving the tournament early. We have won the first game in the tournament and have put ourselves in a position where we control our destiny and I’m not thinking of losing.On the West Indian pace attack hitting their straps
I saw a fair bit of the Australia-West Indies game and I think they’re bowling well and like I said before, I think Windies are going through a period where they’re playing very good cricket. They seem to have found some of their key players in form. I think we were not very far from that. Our performance in the last game, and with some of our key players performing, it gives us back that depth and balance. There are a couple of areas we can get better. We can get back to that kind of consistency and performance we showed a little while back. It’s just a question of a few more players getting back into the kind of groove they can. The pieces are falling into place.

ScorecardUganda claimed their first points of the tournament with a five-wicket victory over Canada at the M.A. Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.Canada chose to bat, and put together a respectable total of 231. The main contributions came from the middle order, with Trevin Bastiampillai (40), Karun Jethi (43) and Shaheed Keshvani (65) all contributing.The Uganda reply was lead by Martin Ondeko and Hamza Saleh, who put on 121 for the third wicket. Saleh was run out for 50, but Ondeko remained at the crease to steer his side home with five wickets in hand and three overs to spare.Ondeko, who was left stranded on 99, was named Man of the Match and insisted he was not disappointed to miss out on a century. "I was playing for the team not for myself, and it was just great to win the match," he said. "Playing cricket is my destiny and I’m really happy that we’ve won a game. I will savor this match and our experience in the tournament."Franklyn Dennis, Canada’s coach, congratulated Uganda on their triumph. "Uganda played well today and we weren’t at our best," he said. "We have learnt a lot during this tournament and the experience will help us to do better in future tournaments."

Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal against a ban for one Test and two one-day internationals has been rejected by Richie Benaud, in his role as ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner.Shoaib was handed the ban by Clive Lloyd, the match referee of the first Test at Lahore, during which Shoaib was alleged to have used abusive language to Paul Adams, thus breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct. He will now be ineligible to play in the second Test against South Africa at Faisalabad, but he was doubtful for that game anyway after straining his hamstring. Shoaib’s next game, fitness permitting, will now probably come in the third ODI of the forthcoming home series against New Zealand.Benaud, the former Australian captain who is now a respected TV commentator, said in his judgment: “In my view, the reason for the implementing of the ICC Code is so captains in particular and players in general will embrace the Preamble to the Laws of Cricket, which makes quite clear what is required of them on the field.”He went on: “The appeal I am asked to determine relates to the sentence imposed by Mr Lloyd, not to the actual offence. It seems to me that Mr Lloyd correctly followed the Code of Conduct rules in every way after Shoaib Akhtar accepted, and said, he was guilty.”This was Shoaib’s second breach of the clause involving abusive language in the last 12 months, so the penalty imposed was “upgraded to that of a Level 3 offence in line with the provisions of the Code”, according to the ICC.

Murray Goodwin and Mike Hussey made a challenging run-chase seem easy as they guided Western Australia to a three-wicket ING Cup cricket victory over SA at Adelaide Oval today.The pair, who have been in glittering form so far this season, guided the Warriors to 3-265 in 47.1 overs, after SA had set what looked to be a competitive target of 7-262 from its 50 overs.Goodwin and Hussey came together with WA at 3-112 in the 28th over and needing to score at a rate nearing seven runs per over to win.They managed it with ease, with an unbroken 153-run stand in just 121 balls.Hussey top-scored with 84 from 74 balls, although he benefited from a dropped chance in the outfield by Paul Rofe, when he was on 30.But Goodwin was the more impressive, notching 80 runs from 63 balls, with seven boundaries, in seemingly effortless fashion.It continued the form he showed in scoring an unbeaten double-century in a Pura Cup match against NSW last week.”Batting’s going well, I keep telling the guys you’re only as good as your next innings, but they say you’re only as good as your last,” Goodwin said”Some days it comes off for you and other days it doesn’t.”It was really nice to bat with Mike and we usually bat pretty well together and fortunately we came up with the goods.”On the way, he notched the season’s fastest 50 so far, from 38 balls, putting himself in pole position to win the $5,000 prize to be awarded to the scorer of the season’s fastest 50.Another former Zimbabwean batsman, South Australia’s Andy Flower, claimed a $50,000 prize today when he hit an ING sign with a stylish swept six off WA part-timer Marcus North late in SA’s innings.Flower, in his first home match since joining the Redbacks this season, was impressive in his innings of 74 from 73 balls which helped rescue the Redbacks after a mid-innings slump.Flower and youngster Mark Cosgrove (50 from 75 balls) put on a 107-run fifth-wicket stand from 121 balls to help SA to a solid total.Flower said Hussey and Goodwin had been nearly unstoppable.”We’ve played a few games against them now and Goodwin’s come in each time as if he’s on 70, he’s hit the ball in the middle of the bat straight away, so it’s good on them, I suppose and disappointing for us,” he said.

New Zealand’s selectors have named a full-strength WhiteFerns side to play the first three matches in the six-matchRosebowl Series against Australia in February. Emily Drumm, a batsman, and Rebecca Rolls, a wicketkeeper-batsman,return to the side after being unavailable for the tour toIndia late last year. Their return has intensified thepressure on all positions in the team.The only new cap is the 21-year-old all-rounder, Beth McNeill,who has performed consistently for the State CanterburyMagicians in this season’s State League competition, taking16 wickets to date.Her fellow State Canterbury Magician, Maria Fahey, will open thebatting with Rolls. She had an outstanding tour of India,averaging 52.25 in the one-day internationals. Faheyclaims the opening slot ahead of former White Fern, Kate Pulford.Also returning to the side is pace bowler, Sarah Burke (StateCanterbury Magicians), who previously played one match forthe White Ferns – as a replacement player in last season’sWorld Series quadrangular tournament. Burke has so farclaimed 15 State League wickets.Drumm and Rolls return to the side bolstered by impressivebatting performances for the State Auckland Hearts in theState League. Rolls was top scorer in the League round-robin,with 439 runs, and Drumm was third, with 299 runs.Other players missing from the White Ferns team to India areAnna Corbin, Natalie Scripps, Katey Martin and SaraMcGlashan. All four, plus Pulford, have been named in the NewZealand A side.Another Indian tourist, Michelle Lynch, was unavailable foreither side.Mike Shrimpton, the coach and convenor of selectors, said that thepressure on all players to hold their positions was anencouraging sign for the women’s game. “With top-line playersall working to consolidate their places, and those in the Aside all pushing hard to make the step up, the intensity hasgone up a notch. It should make for an exciting season ofwomen’s cricket.”This season’s Rosebowl Series comprises three home games and three games in Australia. All three matches in the New Zealand leg of the series will be played at North Island venues.The selectors will re-name the side following the home leg ofthe Rosebowl and the completion of the New Zealand A series, a seven-match series for which the selectors named 13 players. In addition to the former White Ferns, the A side featuresthree New Zealand Cricket Academy graduates from 2003 – KateyMartin, Ros Kember and Sarah Tsukigawa.The side has a mix of youth and experience, with three formerinternationals – Helen Daly (State Canterbury Magicians),Paula Flannery (State Otago Sparks) and Helen Watson (StateAuckland Hearts) – all pushing to make a comeback at the toplevel. Watson will be remembered for her matchwinningfielding during the 2000 women’s world cup tournament, won byNew Zealand.Squads
White Ferns Maia Lewis (capt), Haidee Tiffen, Nicola Browne, Sarah Burke, Emily Drumm, Maria Fahey, Amanda Green, Beth McNeill, Aimee Mason, Louise Milliken, Rebecca Rolls (wk), Rebecca Steele.New Zealand A Anna Corbin (capt), Paula Flannery, Amanda Cooper, Helen Daly, Sarah Hill, Ros Kember, Amber Little, Sara McGlashan, Katey Martin, Kate Pulford, Natalee Scripps, Sarah Tsukigawa, Helen Watson.

The Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF), which is already an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been awarded Associate Membership of the Asian Cricket Council during the ACC’s June 14 meeting in London.In a message Venu Ramadass of the ACC said: “Firstly, we would like to congratulate Afghanistan Cricket Board [Federation] for being granted Associate membership of the Asian Cricket Council. We hope both parties will work together for the betterment of cricket in Afghanistan."The ACF is active in building up cricket in Afghanistan after the recent war, and has already sent teams to play in two of Pakistan’s domestic competitions. They had applied for the ACC membership and also requested permission to send a team to the 2003 Youth Asia Cup, which starts on July 15 in Karachi, Pakistan.The ACC has regretted ACF’s participation in the U19 tournament due to time constraints saying, “We are sorry to say that approval is not being given due to a number of reasons. Approval could only be given after the ACC AGM in London and the time frame is too short for the team’s preparation. The allocation, tournament arrangements and the match schedules are being done to accommodate 10 teams and by having an additional team at this time nearer to the tournament, will not be feasible.”All is not lost for the keen Afghan cricketers as there is a U17 tournament coming up later this year and the ACC has allowed the Afghan team to play, “Asian Cricket Council has welcomed Afghanistan’s participation in the U17 Junior Asia Cup 2003 in India, which will be held at the end of the year.”This tournament will add to ACF’s plans for more international cricket as they are already scheduling a visit to India to play 10 matches in August with a tour to UAE in October to play during the UAE national cricket season.The Afghan team has also been invited to tour Pakistan again for the Quaid-e-Azam Grade-II domestic tournament. They have already played in Pakistan’s Grade-II tournaments in 2001 and 2002.Some more help for the ACF is on the way with ACC’s development officer, Pakistan ex-Test cricketer Iqbal Sikander promising to visit Afghanistan soon to help set up a proper cricket infrastructure.On Monday, while announcing that the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) will help ACC set up regional cricket academies in Dubai, Malaysia and Nepal he had some encouraging words for Afghan cricket.”Since Afghanistan has now been given membership by the ACC, the idea is to move quickly and provide them timely assistance in the development of the game.”Cricket was first taken up by Afghani refugee youth who had fled to Pakistan after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the early 1980’s and carried on playing till they could return home 10 years later – more than sufficient time to inculcate cricket culture. The ACF was founded in 1995 and in 2001 they were made an Affiliate Member by the ICC.