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Otago Blue player Claire Thompson was the star of the day at the Southern Zone’s secondary schoolgirls’ cricket tournament in Oamaru today.Thompson returned the amazing figures of 6 for none off four overs, bowling against South Canterbury.She took four wickets in one over, and captured all of her scalps single-handed – bowling five and having the other trapped leg before wicket.Otago Blue scored 137 and Thompson’s efforts ensured South Canterbury fell well short being dismissed for 87.In today’s other matches Otago Gold scored 78/5 in reply to Canterbury Country’s 77, and Christchurch Red made no race of its game with Mid Canterbury scoring 126/1 chasing 125.

ScorecardFile photo: Robin Peterson’s nine wickets nearly scripted a win for Cape Cobras•Getty Images

Career-best scores from Test discards JP Duminy (260*) and Dane Vilas (216*) were not enough for Cape Cobras to secure their first win of the Sunfoil Series, after Lions hung on for a draw on what seemed a flat Paarl pitch. Made to follow-on after Cobras’ 570, Lions were in trouble at 134 for 5 on the last day, but a century from Dwaine Pretorius helped them finish the day on 287 for 9.Cobras suffered two early losses when their openers were dismissed by the 11th over but piled on runs over the first day and a half, during which Duminy and Vilas sent stern messages to the national selectors. While Duminy remains part of the Test squad, he lost his place in the XI after a loss of form and showed he has found his touch again. Vilas has not been part of the squad since the India tour but showed good intent with a strike rate of over 85 and Cobras seemed to put the match beyond their opposition, with a declaration on the second day.Lions had a ready response. Stephen Cook, who continues to be overlooked for the Test opening spot, scored his second century – 118 – in as many games and Lions were comfortable on 148 without loss before their first wobble. Two wickets fell on that score before Cook and Dominic Hendricks (46) rebuilt, but then came the collapse. Lions lost eight wickets for 17 runs as Robin Peterson (5 for 62) and pacer Lizaad Williams (3 for 35) ran through them. They had five batsmen dismissed for ducks and three others in single figures, and were forced to follow-on after finishing 318 runs behind.Cook was the first wicket to fall in their second innings but his opening partner Rassie van der Dussen held on with a patient knock of 72. Lions went into the final day with seven wickets in hand and still 235 runs behind, which would have made Cobras eye an innings win. When Lions slipped to 134 for 5, Cobras would have felt they were closing in but Pretorius defied them.He scored a century batting at No. 7 and found support from the middle order and the tail. He was eventually removed by Peterson, who finished the match with nine scalps, and was the eighth wicket to fall. Three balls later, Lions lost their ninth at the same score. But Cobras were left frustrated when Aaron Phangiso and Eddie Leie stonewalled for the next 14 overs, faced 85 and 39 balls respectively and kept an attack with four international bowlers out.Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg, the fixture between Dolphins and Warriors was abandoned on the fourth morning after days of persistent rain prevented even the toss from taking place. Warriors remain rooted to the bottom of the points table with Dolphins sitting in fourth place.

Scorecard

Nepal eased into the final with a nine-wicket victory against China at the Johor Cricket Academy.China’s one chance of victory was to hope to put up a score big enough to force Nepal to go for their strokes for the first time in the tournament and thus create wicket-taking chances. Nepal however, were never remotely in danger and – but for two dropped chances – played a close to faultless game in the field.Only one four was struck by China after they batted, that a heave over midwicket by Sun Meng Yao, who made 18 of their 40. China’s batsmen were not allowed to play any strokes as delivery after delivery pinned them to the crease in defence.China were all out in the 29th over and Nepal’s batsmen, not overly capable of attack themselves, took their own sweet time in chasing down the target. Extras did the work; 21 of them, surpassing by one the runs off the bat.Nepal now play Bangladesh in the final for which Bangladesh – in spite of all the application shown by Nepal – are the overwhelming favourites.

Jason Gillespie believes he has “no chance” of starting the first Ashes Test despite a double-century and Man-of-the-Series return in Bangladesh in April. Today signals the 100-day countdown to the series, but Gillespie said he has “not been getting a great vibe” and ranked himself as the country’s seventh bowler in line.”I know my one-day career is over,” Gillespie said in . “I still feel as if my Test career has something to offer but I am down in the queue. Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee are ahead of me. You’ve got Kasper [Michael Kasprowicz] who has been injured, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson. I see myself as below those guys.”Gillespie said the selectors were “dying to introduce” new life into the attack and admitted his international future was not bright. “I’ll be honest with you, I think I am no chance for the first Test,” he said. “I got Man of the Match and the Series with eight wickets at 11 and a double-hundred and won’t play the next Test … it will be a good trivia question.”In 71 matches Gillespie moved into fifth place on Australia’s wicket list with 259 at 26.13, but it seems he will be remembered more for his 201 not out as a nightwatchman against Bangladesh in his previous Test. “My only regret was I never got home for a week after it,” he said. “The amount of text messages and calls I got were amazing. I have my gear I scored my 200 with. The shirt, gloves and shoes are locked away in the cupboard and I am going to take them home and keep them in a nice safe place. The bat will never be used again.”Gillespie, who is playing in the County Championship for Yorkshire, said England would be worried about their injured bowlers, but their batting and wicketkeeping was looking strong. “They have finally made the change and picked the best gloveman in the country [Chris Read] so they are moving in the right direction there,” he said. “They are also playing a spinner who is actually trying to take wickets [Monty Panesar]. He is a spinner who gives it some flight and shape and is trying to take wickets. They are looking OK.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

An extraordinary day, which began with Glenn McGrath being stretchered off the field during the pre-match warm-up, ended with England bowled out for 407, scored at over five an over amid a blaze of boundaries. To add to the frenzied atmosphere, each time England threatened to run (or sprint) away with the match Australia surged back in typical fashion.Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss set the tone by adding 112 before lunch but it was Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen who combined for the most electric passage of play, adding 103 in thrilling fashion as counterattack was followed by counterattack. All summer the thought of these two powerhouse strokemakers combining had whetted the appetite of the public and finally they had a chance to revel in it as Australia missed the controlling and calming effect of McGrath.Pietersen was more assured at the outset of the partnership, showing all the good judgment and technique that he had displayed at Lord’s. One shot, a whip past mid-on from a ball a foot wide of off-stump would have left Sachin Tendulkar drooling. Flintoff has been overshadowed by Pietersen so far this summer but stepped back into the limelight with a stunning array of shots – some well-executed, others full of luck. He hit two sixes over cow corner off Shane Warne but the contest to savour was with Brett Lee.Lee steamed in and sent down a barrage of bouncers to Flintoff, who opted to play them rather than duck. He cleared deep square-leg three times – once without even looking at the ball – and when Lee decided to pitch the ball up he punched them through the covers with superb timing.The fireworks were ended in the first over after tea as Jason Gillespie, who showed his best rhythm of the tour, enticed Flintoff to play a flat-footed waft at a wide ball and edge a catch through to Adam Gilchrist for his 250th Test wicket. Geraint Jones couldn’t produce any fireworks of his own has he received one of the few balls that rose sharply off the surface and Gilchrist snaffled another of his four catches for the innings.At 293 for 6, Australia would have fancied their chances of rolling England over for less than 350 given the way the tail folded in the second innings at Lord’s – when none of the last four batsmen managed a run. Here, admittedly on an easier surface, they exhibited much more backbone. Ashley Giles took on Lee’s short ball – adding 49 with Pietersen – before he swept once too often at Warne.Once Giles fell, Pietersen opted to open his shoulders but perhaps too early given that England had two batsmen still to come. After another six over midwicket off Lee that defied the laws of physics he picked out Simon Katich attempting a repeat but, as at Lord’s, his innings had oozed class.

Even Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison and Simon Jones unfurled their shots as the sky-high boundary count rocketed to 55 fours and 10 sixes. Warne ended with 4 for 116, as all the Australian bowlers received fierce punishment, especially Lee who conceded his runs at six-and-a-half an over.The bat-wielding was not just left in the hands of England’s middle-order though and they were grateful to at last have had some sort of platform to build from. Lee and Gillespie struggled to maintain the ‘McGrath line’ and Trescothick located his cover-drive from the outset. Strauss was less convincing but slowly began to find his feet – and his footwork – and the introduction of Warne into the attack freed him up.Strauss biffed him back over his head, then slog-swept to the midwicket boundary. Trescothick joined the fray and straight-drove a maximum. But as is so often the case Warne produced a bit of magic as a ripping leg-break beat Strauss’s attempted cut shot just before lunch.However, that didn’t slow the scoring as Trescothick and Vaughan brought up their fifty partnership in only 5.3 overs. But then wickets began to fall at a pace to match the runs with Australia grabbing three in 27 balls.Kasprowicz, the pick of the pacemen on his last-minute return to the Test team, induced Trescothick to fish outside the off stump, 10 short of his first century against Australia and then, three balls later, removed Bell with a perfect outswinger. Bell cut a forlorn figure as he trudged back to the dressing-room on his home ground, after completing his third single-figure score of the series.Vaughan joined the post-lunch procession as, with consolidation required, he sent a spiralling top-edge to Brett Lee at fine leg, giving Gillespie his first wicket of the series. England were 193 for 4 and the half-way point of the opening day had not been reached but that was nothing compared to the spine-tingling assault by Flintoff and Pietersen – in an afternoon session that brought 157 runs in 27 overs. England couldn’t bat that well in the one-day series.Ricky Ponting will be scratching his head in the pavilion – as most of his bowlers were on the pitch – as to what to make of bowling England out in under a day for 407, but the pitch does not contain any demons and Australia will be aiming to pile on the runs. As first days go this will take some beating, but that was said about the last Test. It’s certainly been a case of anything Lord’s can do, Edgbaston can do better.

EnglandAndrew Strauss b Warne 48 (112 for 1)
Marcus Trescothick c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 90 (164 for 2)
Ian Bell c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 6 (170 for 3)
Michael Vaughan c Lee b Gillespie 24 (187 for 4)
Andrew Flintoff c Gilchrist b Gillespie 68 (290 for 5)
Geraint Jones c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 1 (293 for 6)
Edged one that lifted and seamed awayAshley Giles lbw b Warne 23 (342 for 7)
Missed a sweep, hit on the bootKevin Pietersen c Katich b Lee 71 (348 for 8)
Hoisted to cow corner, looking for another maximumSteve Harmison b Warne 17 (375 for 9)
Bamboozled by sliderMatthew Hoggard lbw b Warne 16 (407 all out)
Missed an attempted sweep

Clive Field, the representative of the sacked Zimbabwe rebel players, has reacted angrily to claims that the Zimbabwe Cricket Union is doing a good job in promoting the game in the country.In a letter to the government-controlled Herald newspaper, Field was responding to an earlier article which argued that the ZCU should be praised for their efforts.”[The writer’s opinion] is based on the fact he has seen cricket stumps standing alongside goalposts in Harare, and has watched kids playing cricket with a makeshift bat and ball in Highfield,” Field wrote. “With respect, if this constitutes evidence of progress in developing cricket at grass-roots level, then we have a long way to go. And what does this have to do with the ZCU anyway? Kids using a plastic tray to play cricket is surely not a feather in the ZCU’s cap, if anything it is a sad indictment of the Union’s failure.”Many of the Zimbabweans I have spoken to involved in the administration of cricket vehemently maintain the ZCU are not doing enough to direct the considerable funds they have at their disposal into the right areas.”Overseas travel by members of the ZCU board to Australia appears to rank far higher on their priority list than paying for much-needed cricket equipment. I attended the AGM of a leading Harare club on Tuesday night and the message I got was clear: cricket is collapsing fast in Zimbabwe at school, club, provincial and national level. The ZCU presides over this collapse.”Field went on to accuse the ZCU of being at fault for its handling of the player dispute. “It must shoulder at least half of any blame for failing to resolve this dispute. Since it began, many opportunities have been given, but none have been taken.”He was angered by suggestions in the newspaper that the rebels had taken their action in support of attempts to cause England’s forthcoming tour to be scrapped. “It demonstrates both an unhealthy over-preoccupation with Britain, and also suggests these players were prepared to be used as pawns sacrificing their careers and jobs for political considerations.”And he was equally incensed at suggestions that the players had been bought out of Zimbabwe cricket by overseas financiers who were trying to sabotage Zimbabwe cricket. “This is offensive,” he stated, pointing out that only four of the sacked players are in the UK, and – with the probable exception of Heath Streak – will earn less playing club cricket than they would had they remained as centrally contracted players. “The rest are currently unemployed, although two have secured temporary jobs. Not only has this dispute cost them their jobs but it has cost them legal fees. They have also been prejudiced by loss of income, as a result of not earning match fees for the Australian and Sri Lankan series. Gratuities which were due from the ZCU have not been paid. If lucrative offers are being made to them, this is certainly news to me.”Field concluded by dismissing the accusations as no more than the continuing “peddling of a species of opinion which I have heard before, along the lines of some sinister and invisible white force meeting in clandestine forums like Royal Harare Golf Club to bring about the end of Zimbabwean cricket.”These types of opinions are smokescreens which will appeal to the lesser informed and to seek to deflect attention away from the facts. There is no ulterior motive on the part of the players. Their position is clear and has been made known. Politicising this dispute simply detracts from the merits.”The only point on which I can agree with is that cricket has overtaken rugby and athletics as the second most popular sport in Zimbabwe. But that has less to do with any good work on the part of the ZCU than the fact both rugby and athletics have followed hockey down the road to the intensive-care unit, as a result of maladministration and political interference. Cricket will surely follow them, and soon only football will be left.”

As an inflammable mixture of naked ambition, aggression, determination and a never-say-die attitude, the Australian way is the mosttalked-about approach in recent cricketing history – yet you can’t quite define it or confine it in descriptive terms. "It really hasmore to do with the persona of an Australian rather than his approach to sports," says Bennett King, head coach at theCommonwealth Bank Cricket Academy, as he watches his side beat an XI comprising promising Indian cricketers under ablazing Chennai sun at the MRF Grounds in Pachaiyappas College."There’s much more to the Australian way than just an approach to sport. It’s got a lot to do with the things we’ve grown upwith – the two major wars, the ANZAC tradition, things like that," says King.And you have to believe him; the Academy side did not lose a single game during their stint in Chennai, a sojourn that wasdesigned to prepare players for the challenges of playing on the subcontinent comes to a close and one that lets several playerswalk away much wiser. Mike Hussey, who routinely takes tons of runs off English county bowlers in his spare time, led theside, having a good time with the bat by taking the time to play himself in. Damien Wright, who made the Australia A sideearlier this year, also made runs and picked up wickets, but the player to catch most eyes was young Tasmanian left-armspinner Xavier Doherty.Picking wickets in every game, admittedly on tracks helpful to spin, the man they call “X” is slowly but surely climbing thepecking order in Australian cricket. Although he’s played only five first-class matches and eight List-A one-dayers, Dohertycan be sure that plenty of cricket lies ahead. "This is the third time I’ve been to India, and each time I’ve tried to improve a bit.On previous trips I wasn’t nearly as successful because I was bowling the same way I would have back home," he explained."This time around, I’ve tried to find a way that works for me, and that’s helped a great deal,” says Doherty. “Instead of tryingtoo hard to go after wickets, I’ve concentrated on putting the ball in the right place, and this has paid off.” Doherty can takeheart from the fact that Bishan Singh Bedi, arguably the greatest left-arm spinner India has produced, has stated time and againthat a spinner is tested most on wickets that turn considerably, for that is when control and an ability to bowl within oneselfcome to the fore.Whether he does that or not, Doherty is the kind of cricketer Australia will need in the years to come. His friends say he’s thechirpy sort, and he certainly enjoys his time out in the middle, whether batting or bowling. "With the wickets much harder backhome, you tend to get a few balls dug in short by the quick men. It’s obviously different here," says Doherty, who smacked aperfect straight drive for four to end the last game that the Academy XI played on this trip to India.With Shane Warne out of cricket for a year and Stuart MacGill at 32 not getting any younger, Doherty is one of the spinoptions that the Australian selectors will look at closely sooner rather than later. "I’m still establishing myself in the Tasmanianside, but there are plenty of opportunities coming up for spinners in Australia," he says.Those opportunities, for Doherty and for others, have only gotten brighter with their experience in India. "I really don’t thinkthere’s a way to completely replicate the experience of coming to India while still in Australia," said King, visibly pleased withthe way the short tour had gone. "While we can make wickets that are dry and break up, it’s very hard to get wickets that areslow, dusty and turn a lot back home in Australia. Also, the way spinners approach bowling here is completely different. Theylike to give it a big rip and bowl attacking spells with fields that support them. Importantly, the captains use their spinners toattack all the time here, and you don’t see much of that in Australia."While he has not played cricket at the first-class level himself, King is not unique in this. "People who haven’t played at thehighest level watch the game at a different level. They tend to be deeper in their approach and work much harder on theprocesses that go into the game. Personally, I’ve paid a lot of attention to integrating sport with science and technology," saidKing.Having played rugby league at the national level for the erstwhile Gold Coast Seagulls, King is in a position to bring a widerrange of tools into his coaching. "Playing other sports certainly gives you a broader sense of the skills you use. In Australia,youth are encouraged to play as many different games as possible, and this can only help. For example, in sports like football,you’re far more likely to use your left and right sides equally. A background in other sports may also give you an edge when itcomes to anticipation and anything that involves peripheral vision," says King.That is all, of course, logical, you begin to think, but King pre-empts you, revealing a more intuitive understanding of sport. "Ifyou watch other games like basketball and football, players have a very good relationship with the equipment they use. Twirlinga ball on a finger and tricks like that tell you how close players are to their equipment. Imagine how much better cricketerswould be if the bat or ball was just a natural extension of themselves," he says, with eyes that you’re sure are gleaming behindthe dark glasses.No, thank you, Mr King. Most of the world does not want to imagine Australian cricketers being any better than they are atthe moment.

Please note that if matches need to be cancelled (for weather or similar reason) on Saturdays 11th and 18th August, information should be passed to David Kirk (023 8061 9920) and NOT Roy Harrison, who will not be available to take calls. If you are unable to contact David, only then please advise the umpires direct. A number of changes have been made to the appointments originally advised to Captains.Umpires for the matches are as follows:18th August (1pm start)Division One
Andover v Calmore Sports – Buckle and Emery
Bournemouth v South Wilts – Pardey and Clegg
Havant v BAT Sports – Bundy and Hann R
Hungerford v Bashley (Rydal) – Forder and Green
Liphook & Ripsley v Burridge – Hardy and ReesDivision Two
Cove v Portsmouth – Simmonds and Barnes
Hambledon v United Services – Martin and Kirk
Lymington v Easton & Martyr W – Baker and Woolley
Old Basing v Trojans – Bennett and Davies
Sparsholt v OTs & Romsey – Knapp and BannisterDivision Three
Alton v Paultons – Marriott and Challis
Bashley (Rydal) II v Havant II – Colato and Turner
Gosport Borough v Flamingo – Gough and Eardley
Hook & N Basics v Lymington II – Harwood and Coffin
New Milton v Hursley Park – Burt and Hall
Portsmouth II v Leckford – Turnham and Rowe
Purbrook v Rowledge – Lambert and Stainton
United Services II v Waterlooville – Parry and Kinsey
Winchester KS v St Cross Syms – Eyres and PeckTelephone numbers in handbook except:
Colin Burt 01425 654288
John Coffin 01256 358 126
Nick Rowe 01980 863437
Peter Turnham 01202 823440
John Kinsey 01425 623761

Chances are running out for fringe players to make a decisive impact on the National Selectors before the final 15 names are announced that will represent South Africa at the World Cup in February 2003. There are only a few matches left in the Standard Bank Cup and a South Africa A three day match against Pakistan in Pietermaritzburg before the announcement deadline on 31 December.Gary Kirsten took his chance against Pakistan in Paarl with open hands and his hundred and match winning innings must now have him firmly etched into the squad.Daryll Cullinan, included in the team for Pietermaritzburg, must now do the same if he is to make the final 15. One of the most experienced and technically correct batsmen in South Africa he will have to do something extra ordinary to show that he is up to the pressure that will be placed on him during the World Cup.The National Selection panel has named the following team to represent South Africa A in the three-day match against Pakistan in Pietermaritzburg from the 21st to 23rd of December.Daryll Cullinan (captain), Justin Ontong (vice-captain), Jacques Rudolph, Alviro Petersen, Martin van Jaarsveld, Ashwell Prince, Robin Peterson, Thami Tsolekile, Charl Langevelt, David Terbrugge, Monde Zondeki, Enoch Nkwe (12th man), Coach : Vincent Barnes.Of these players only Ashwell Prince did duty in the last Test played against Sri Lanka, while Robin Peterson the only player involved in the current one-day squad.Jacques Rudolph had an impressive display during the Discovery Health Knock-out Challenge at SuperSport Park and will also do his chances a lot of good with another polished performance.The Test squad for the two match series against Pakistan will be announced during the Pietermaritzburg match.

Joe Burns might be glad that in Adelaide he is not playing for his place in the team. Nobody knows quite what to expect from the inaugural day-night Test with a pink ball, but few players involved in the match have played more pink-ball games than Burns. And while he is entering the Test with an open mind, his record in the format does not make for happy reading.In four day-night pink-ball games over the past two years, at the Gabba, the WACA, the MCG and Manuka Oval, Burns has scored 15, 1, 0, 7, 25, 6 and 5. These encounters for both Queensland and the Prime Minister’s XI have given Burns a good grounding in what to expect from the pink ball, and he knows that batsmen should not expect it to behave exactly like the red Kookaburra.”I’ve played a few games now and it’s different to a red ball,” Burns told reporters in Adelaide upon the team’s arrival on Sunday. “I think you have to accept it’s not going to play the same way as your red ball. So you can’t kid yourself and go into it thinking that you can play the same way or prepare the same way.”There are differences in the way the ball reacts, and at times visibility of the ball, but you have to have an open mind as a player and just accept there will be challenges along the way you have to make sure you can stand up to. When you’re out in the middle you can’t look for excuses with the ball, you get on and play the game and whatever is coming down at you, you have to make sure you’re playing it as best you can.”One thing Burns has not experienced is a day-night match with the pink ball at Adelaide Oval, and he knows from his previous matches that not all venues handle the day-night format in quite the same way. The pink ball scuffed up significantly during New Zealand’s match against the PM’s XI in Canberra last month, but it is expected to hold its colour better at Adelaide Oval.”For me it was different on where you played,” Burns said. “I’ve never played [with the pink ball] in Adelaide. I know under lights in Brisbane and Perth it was very difficult. It seemed to swing a lot more and a lot harder to see. But it could be the stands at the Gabba maybe, and at the MCG it seemed like it was fairly consistent all the way through.”In Canberra, it seemed like visibility-wise it was better at night but just swung a little bit more. I guess you have to wait and see what the wicket plays like in Adelaide as well. I’m sure we’ll discuss it this week. Luckily, the New South Wales boys played here a few weeks ago in a pink-ball game.”Australia’s players have Monday off from training before they begin to tackle the pink ball in the Adelaide Oval nets on Tuesday, and they will train later in the afternoon and towards night time to prepare for the new challenges. Burns, who scored his maiden Test century while opening in the first Test at the Gabba, has been training with the pink ball himself to get used to it ahead of this week’s Test.”For me personally I’ve been training by myself with the pink ball just to feel a little bit more comfortable,” he said. “You start to realise that it’s just a cricket ball and you kind of play the same way.”It’s more so just understanding when the ball may react differently and having that mind-frame that in the space of half an hour might go from not swinging to swinging or vice-versa. I think the key is to just have that open mind and be ready for whatever challenge comes along.”