All posts by csb10.top

Summer may not have arrived in New Zealand but the Christmas turkey did and, as New Zealanders pile into their cars and head for the holiday spots, television becomes all-important for cricket fans to keep in touch with the international season cricket. As Boxing Day dawned for the first ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Auckland, the featured a column outlining what Sky Television had to offer this season. The opinion piece was the work of New Zealand’s greatest ever batsman, Martin Crowe, who also happens to be the head of Sky’s cricket coverage.Of note was Crowe’s admonishing of Hawk-Eye, the visual technology commonly used to demonstrate whether or not a delivery will hit the stumps. In his column, Crowe said Sky would only use technology that could assist the umpire. In his view, Hawk-Eye was a hindrance that could never be used by umpires as it could only guess where the ball would have travelled. Not only is his logic flawed – umpires and commentators alike are themselves guessing – he failed to paint the full picture for readers on the merits of Hawk-Eye and instead promoted a new Sky-designed gimmick. As Cricinfo’s S Rajesh demonstrated earlier, this year Hawk-Eye is in fact correct 99% of the time, a figure umpires are unable to achieve.Also of interest on the opening day of the season was Crowe’s announcement of Sky’s commentary team. Along with the regulars, all of whom were ex-New Zealand players, Crowe recruited the recently-retired Mark Richardson as well as the injured duo of Shane Bond and Chris Harris. The decision to not include a Sri Lankan commentator was both curious and potentially dangerous. While Crowe is no doubt correct when he said entertainment was the overriding consideration for television, accuracy on player information can never be compromised. This is particularly so when Sri Lanka has not featured regularly on New Zealand television for over 18 months. When a commentary team lacks someone with intimate knowledge of a touring side,the risk of misinformation increases.And so it happened before a ball was bowled at Eden Park. As the Sri Lankan openers, Sanath Jayasuriya and Saman Jayantha, made their way out to the middle Crowe, opening up on Sky Television, said that Jayantha had been promoted ahead of Marvan Atapattu. The obvious surprise in Crowe’s voice was misplaced since Atapattu had not opened in an ODI since the tour of Zimbabwe in April while Jayantha had partnered Jayasuriya regularly since then.Having an expert on Sri Lankan cricket would not only have seen such errors rectified quickly but would help the New Zealand commentators to really get to know the Sri Lankan players. It would also add another perspective to the comments such as “Cairnsy” and “we’re looking good” – something we heard from Adam Parore today.

The Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) has postponed a three-match one-day international series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, that had been scheduled to be played in Kuala Lampur at the end of May. The postponement has come about because of the MCA’s inability to find a sponsor for the series.Tunku Imran, the MCA’s president, said: "After consultation with Pakistan and Sri Lankan officials, the Malaysian Challenge Cup has been postponed but we hope to reschedule it in early November this year. I am appreciative of the fact that both boards continue to be committed to playing each other in Malaysia later this year."Imran said that he hoped that the ICC, the Asia Cricket Council and the top cricket-playing nations of the world would continue to support the game in Malaysia.

ScorecardSussex followed up their C&G Trophy success with an impressive seven-wicket victory against Durham in the Pro40 to keep their hopes of a treble alive. Richard Montgomerie carried them most of the way towards their target after James Kirtley, riding high after his match-winning effort on Saturday, bagged three wickets.Kirtley and Yasir Arafat knocked the stuffing out of Durham’s innings as they slumped to 10 for 3. That became 40 for 4 when Ben Harmison fell to Luke Wright and, although Gareth Breese’s 50 led a recovery, Durham could only muster a modest total. Robin Martin-Jenkins produced a miserly spell with the ball, as his eight overs cost just 10 runs with four maidens.Matt Prior fell early in the chase, but Chris Nash added 66 for the second wicket with Montgomerie. Chris Adams was at the crease to complete the formalities and Sussex had a massive 82 balls to spare.

Zimbabwe 185 for 7 (Flower 59, Rogers 54, Mahmud 4-19) beat Bangladesh 183 (Manjural 63, Sarkar 59, Flower 3-36) by three wickets, and won the series 2-1
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A captain’s innings from Heath Streak – and a nervousness from Bangladesh which comes from not being used to winning – enabled Zimbabwe to scrape a three-wicket victory which had seemed highly unlikely when they slumped to 124 for 6 chasing 183 in the fifth and deciding one-day international at Harare. Zimbabwe thus sneaked the series 2-1.Twice in this match Bangladesh had the upper hand, and both times they let the advantage slip away. When they batted, Hannan Sarkar (59) and Manjural Islam Rana (63) laid a solid foundation with a 105-run opening stand only for the middle order to blow it; then when Bangladesh fielded they had Zimbabwe on the ropes and let them off.Khaled Mahmud, in recent months usually the villain and never the hero, was almost Bangladesh’s unlikely matchwinner. His career-best 4 for 19 in 10 overs ripped through Zimbabwe’s innings after Barney Rogers (54) and Grant Flower (54) had taken them to 112 for 0. Mahmud’s gentle medium-pace wobblers were ideal for the overcast conditions, and in the space of 31 balls Zimbabwe had been reduced to 124 for 6, with Mahmud taking 4 for 0 in ten balls.Streak needed someone to stay with him, and Dion Ebrahim rose to the challenge. They stopped the rot, saw off Mahmud, and then took on Bangladesh’s other bowlers, who wilted under the counterattack. A moment of madness from Ebrahim, who looked for a second run which was never there and was run out for 11 (154 for 7), briefly gave Bangladesh hope, but the next over from Tapash Baisya went for ten runs and the pressure was off the batsmen again. Streak and Gary Brent had overs in hand, so didn’t need to take any undue risks to ease their side home.But Bangladesh’s batsmen should have ensured that they posted a total which would have removed the pressure from their bowlers. Sarkar and Manjural batted with confidence – aided by some loose bowling and a dropped catch or two – and even though Zimbabwe’s spinners slowed the run-rate, there was no excuse for the collapse that followed.Rather strangely, Sarkar decided to try to sweep everything, and there was an inevitability in his dismissal, top-edging Ray Price to Rogers at fine leg. But then the middle order self-destructed in an orgy of inappropriate shots, and from 153 for 3 Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 30 runs. Barring the openers, only Rajin Saleh (21) reached double figures, while the two spinners, Price (2 for 38) and Flower (3 for 36), did the damage.So Zimbabwe came from behind to edge the series 2-1 – the first two matches in Bulawayo were washed out – but they were thoroughly unconvincing against one-day cricket’s whipping boys. If Bangladesh had shown more self-belief then they could have won all three games. As it is, they go home beaten, but having made some progress against the side they have to target as the one to which they have the best chance of passing the unwanted title of the world’s worst.

Frizzell County Championship Division OneDay 1 ReportEssex v Leicestershire 471 for 5 at Southend
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It’s not often a side racks up over 400 in a day, but bottom-placed Leicestershire took advantage of an inexperienced Essex attack and a flat pitch to race to a whopping 471 for 5 – the most runs scored in a day this season. Darren Stevens smashed 24 fours in his 149, and he put on 108 with John Maunders (44) for the first wicket. Darren Maddy continued the assault with 41 followed by a rasping 74 from Brad Hodge, and that was just a taste of things to come for the hapless bowlers. Trevor Ward joined in the fun with a crucifying 103 not out from only 89 balls and Paul Nixon rubbed things in with an easy 30. Essex’s Zoheb Sharif, on his Championship debut, had a sobering day, as did all the bowlers. While James Middlebrook finished with 2 for 99, Sharif went for 80 from 14 overs, but he at least collected three hard-earned wickets.Lancashire 384 for 5 v Warwickshire at Old Trafford
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Stuart Law hit his 59th first-class century as Lancashire ended the day in a strong position against Warwickshire. Law scored a commanding 150 not out including 20 fours and two sixes, as Lancashire closed on a comfortable 384 for 5. Ian Sutcliffe set things up at the top of the order with 86 before he was bowled by Dougie Brown (2 for 70). And after Mark Chilton (30) and Carl Hooper (35) chipped in, Glen Chapple cashed in with 37 not out. Waqar Younis returned to the Championship side after a break, and although he only picked up one wicket, he was the most economical of the Warwickshire bowlers, conceding 58 from 19 overs.Surrey 375 for 9 v Middlesex at Guildford
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An unbeaten fifty-partnership from last pair Saqlain Mushtaq (40*) and Jimmy Ormond (32*), coupled with a rescuing 85 from Rikki Clarke overshadowed a bright start from Middlesex, who will be kicking themselves after having Surrey on the rack at 131 for 5. Simon Cook, who was overlooked for Middlesex’s last two Championship games, took three early wickets to put Surrey – who were without the injured Adam Hollioake and Azhar Mahmood – on the back foot. But Clarke showed his international class when he hit back with a classy knock featuring 13 fours. Graham Thorpe, who many expected to be warming up with England at Edgbaston today, had earlier notched up another first-class fifty before he was one of Cook’s victims. Cook finished with 3 for 60, and Chad Keegan and Ashley Noffke picked up three wickets each, but they let Surrey off the hook and suffered the prolonged frustration of Ian Salisbury’s quickfire 40 from 48 balls, not to mention Saqlain’s and Ormond’s last stand. Frizzell County Championship Division TwoGloucestershire 271 v Worcestershire 48 for 1 at Cheltenham
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Worcestershire’s Nantie Hayward and Matthew Mason took three wickets each as Gloucestershire were bundled out for a spluttering 271, and that thanks mainly to a enterprising knock from last man Jonathan Lewis, who top-scored with 47. It was a valuable effort from Lewis, as even though all the batsmen bar one reached double figures, none could go on to the big score needed. Mason (3 for 48) was the pick of the bowlers, and he eventually got Lewis, as well as Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan all-rounder making his debut. Worcestershire, who are boosted by the return of Graeme Hick, then finished off a good day’s work as they reached 48 for 1 at the close.Northamptonshire 325 v Somerset 26 for 2 at Northampton
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Two late wickets from Ben Phillips gave Northants the edge against Somerset at Wantage Road. Northants scored a sprightly 325 in which Ian Blackwell took 5 for 96 and removed the top four Northants batsmen, who all made contributions. Tim Roberts, in his Championship debut, hit an impressive 83, including 11 fours and a six, while Phil Jacques (41) and David Sales (38) kept the momentum going. And the lower-order put in their bit too. Graeme Swann scored 44, Adam Shantry, another debutant, hit 38 not out and Andre Nel chipped in with 22 on his return from the South African squad. In their reply, Northants were quickly shot down to 15 for 2 as Phillips removed Peter Bowler for 14 and James Bryant first ball.Yorkshire 326 for 5 v Hampshire at Scarborough
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Matthew Wood led from the front for Yorkshire with a dominating 155 against Hampshire, who made a late fightback inspired by Dimitri Mascarenhas. Captain and top of the order, Wood led by example with 19 fours in his five-hour innings, and with contributions from Victor Craven (47) and Michael Lumb (64), Yorkshire were riding high. However, when Wood was trapped lbw to Mascarenhas with the score on 303 for 3, Mascarenhas then removed Lumb and Craig White first ball with no score added to haul Hampshire back in the game.

One of the best-known cricket administrators from Northern Districts, Basil McBurney died on Monday. A life member of the ND association, he was a long-serving and highly-respected selector and manager.While he never played for ND, he played 30 matches for Waikato in minor association cricket, from his debut in March 1954 until his last match against Thames Valley in January 1962. He captained the side in 17 matches. He scored his only century for the side in his third match, 100 not out off 116 balls against Northland, who included in their ranks, Brian Child, Brian Presland and Max Joass, who all would become good friends once their playing careers were completed.Another of his future selection partners for ND, Ian Leggat also managed to bowl McBurney for a duck in a Hawke Cup match. Once his playing days were completed he maintained his connection with Waikato cricket and, after a boundary change was instituted, with Thames Valley. From there he moved into ND duty and was a selector from 1975 until 1987, serving as convener in five of those years.John Turkington, the chief executive of Northern Districts, said: “This is a very sad day for the Northern Districts family losing a man who had given so much to the association and to cricket. His contribution will not be forgotten”

Mohammad Kaif will miss the forthcoming VB Series against Australia and Zimbabwe.Kaif damaged a thumb while playing for the India A team and will not recover in time to take any part in the triangular competition. A replacement will be named by the selectors within a couple of days.Kaif visited orthopaedic surgeon Dr Anant Joshi, and was immediately declared unfit. He was only named in the one-day squad because India’s physio had said that he would recover by the start of the series.

New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond has the chance to smash a national record by becoming the bowler to assemble the fastest 50 Test wickets.While he has not been able to land a big haul of wickets in the first Test against Sri Lanka, in what was his ninth Test match, he ended the match sitting on 41 wickets.That has him on target still, with one more Test in this series, and two, or possibly three, more in India in October-November and two home Tests against Pakistan, to achieve 50 Test wickets ahead of the 14 Tests and 25 innings in which it took Frank Cameron, Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori to do it. Hedley Howarth took the same number of Tests but one more innings to reach the milestone.The first Sri Lankan Test has seen him complete his 15th innings.Cameron, probably the longest serving New Zealand selector spanning the period from 1968/69 until 1985/86, had a late start to his Test career on the tour to South Africa in 1961/62. He had made his first-class debut in 1952/53. A medium-pace swing bowler, he became an integral part of New Zealand’s side during the early 1960s.Hadlee is the current chairman of selectors and took 431 Test wickets in a career which lasted from 1972/73 to the 1990 tour of England where he was knighted mid-series. His tally of wickets stood as a world record until being overtaken by India’s Kapil Dev in 1994.Vettori was the youngest New Zealander to play Test cricket when making his debut in both first-class and Test matches against England in the summer of 1996/97. A left-arm spinner he has now taken 142 wickets.The list of New Zealand bowlers to take 50 Test wickets and the number of matches and innings taken is:

Tests InningsFrank Cameron 14 25Daniel Vettori 14 25Richard Hadlee 14 25Hedley Howarth 14 26Simon Doull 15 21Chris Cairns 16 24Dion Nash 16 26Richard Collinge 16 28Shayne O’Connor 16 29Danny Morrison 17 26Dayle Hadlee 17 27Bruce Taylor 17 28John Bracewell 17 32Dick Motz 18 30Ewen Chatfield 18 31Lance Cairns 19 28Stephen Boock 20 32Bob Cunis 20 37Tony MacGibbon 21 30Martin Snedden 21 34Dipak Patel 27 36John Reid 38 45Bevan Congdon 49 50

Bond is even more closely poised to take his 50th wicket in One-Day Internationals. He has taken 49 wickets at 19.63 in 26 matches.The best New Zealander is former left-arm pace bowler Geoff Allott, who took 50 wickets in 28 matches.Should Bond take a wicket in his next match, he would join Pakistan’s Waqar Younis in seventh-equal fastest position.The world record is held by India’s Ajit Agarkar who took 23 matches. Dennis Lillee (Australia) took 24 matches and countryman Shane Warne 25 matches. Australian Len Pascoe and West Indians Patrick Patterson and Curtly Ambrose each took 26 matches.Ian Bishop (West Indies), Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) and Allott all share 28 matches for the feat.Meanwhile, Daryl Tuffey has extended his already outstanding record for first over dismissals in internationals as the result of having Marvan Atapattu out leg before wicket in the opening over of the Sri Lankan innings.He has now performed the feat seven times in Tests and nine times in One-Day Internationals.His record is:Tests:Marcus Trescothick (England at Auckland, 2001/02 – second ball), Mark Butcher (England at Auckland 2001/02 – fifth ball), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan at Lahore, 2002 – third ball), Virender Sehwag (India at Wellington, 2002/03 – sixth ball), Sanjay Bangar (India at Hamilton, 2002/03 – third ball), Parthiv Patel (India at Hamilton, 2002/03 – sixth ball, second innings), Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka at Colombo, 2003 – fourth ball).ODIs:Saeed Anwar (Pakistan at Napier 2000/01 – first ball), Saeed Anwar (Pakistan at Christchurch, 2000/01 – sixth ball), Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 2000/01 – second ball), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka at Sharjah 2000/01 – third ball), Marcus Trescothick (England at Auckland, 2001/02 – third ball), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 2001/02 – third ball), Imran Nazir (Pakistan at Rawalpindi, 2002 – first ball), Sourav Ganguly (India at Napier, 2002/03 – third ball), Sourav Ganguly (India at Wellington 2002/03 – first ball).