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A century from Nick Haydar and a fine performance from their bowlers helped Australia beat Sri Lanka by 49 runs in the second match of 2002 World Cup for the Blind, which was played at the SPIC-YMCA Ground, Chennai on Tuesday.In the morning, after being sent in, the Australians made a slow start and things seemed to have taken a turn for the worse when they lost two quick wickets, including that of captain Michael Zannis for duck, with the score at 29 in the ninth over.But fortunately for Australia, the recovery process got quickly underway with the arrival of the 32-year-old Turkish-born Haydar. The Australian No 4 first strung together a 28-run partnership with opener Robert Raiteri (24) before the latter was dismissed.Then came the defining partnership of the match – Haydar and wicketkeeper/batsman Christopher Backstrom putting on 164 runs for the fifth wicket, before Haydar was run out for a well-made 103 off 89 balls.Backstrom, for his part, went on to to make 67 off 77 balls before also being run out. With extras contributing 31 runs, Australia posted 249 by the time they were dismissed off the last ball of their alloted 40 overs.When Sri Lanka replied, none of their batsmen were able to make a significant contribution. Samantha Raja Paksha (35), Wasantha Jayawardene (20), Kalubadanage Jayaratne (20) and Lakshan Devappriya (18) were the only batsmen to get into a double-figures – a fact that led to their side being dismissed for 200 in 33 overs depite extras contributing a hefty 91. Nick Carozza (3-36) and Terry Eagers (2-43) were the most successful bowlers for Australia, who were awarded four points for the win.

MELBOURNE, Oct 29 AAP – Key Australian players Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting showed differing approaches today to the punishing schedule of international cricket which awaits them.While Warne’s unprecedented fitness and his outstanding form meant there was no way he would miss the Pura Cup match against Tasmania from tomorrow, Ponting will rest.Warne was super-keen to play because his friend and team-mate Darren Berry will become Victoria’s most-capped player.New Tasmanian coach Brian McFadyen said he had been hopeful Ponting would play, but the Australian Cricket Board asked for the national one-day captain to have some time off.”It’s disappointing, we’d love for Ricky to play,” McFadyen said.”We’re hopeful he’ll be available when we play Queensland between the first and second Tests.”Ponting needed surgery in June to help fix a stress fracture in his left foot.Warne, on the other hand, has regenerated his career after losing weight through a dedicated fitness regime.Australia’s top cricketers will soon start seven months of Tests and one-dayers, including the Ashes series and the World Cup.Warne was man of the series in Sri Lanka and Sharjah against Pakistan, with 27 wickets in three Tests.When asked if he had second thoughts about playing in this match, Warne replied: “Obviously when it was 53 degrees in Sharjah.”For me, I know it’s important just to keep bowling.”I think it’s up to the individual – if they want to play that’s good, if they don’t then that’s cool as well.”I don’t think it should be held against anyone.”Warne would also be anticipating a spin-friendly wicket towards the end of this match.The MCG pitch is unusually dry for this time of year and it should be a good batting track early in the match.Another obvious change will be the arena, with some of the Ponsford Stand missing.This will be the first event at the ground since redevelopment work started late last month.”You can actually see the Melbourne skyline, it’s a good little feel, a few of the boys said there should be a hill there,” Warne said.Warne will captain Victoria for the first time in three years, having regained the spot under new coach David Hookes.While delighted to be in the side when Berry sets the all-time Victorian record with 125 caps, he regrets their never having been together at Test level.”Darren Berry can pick what I bowl in my run-up – anything new, he knows exactly what I’m doing,” Warne said.”It’s probably a bit of a tragedy he’s never had the opportunity to play at higher honours.”If we didn’t have great keepers such as Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist, he probably would have played 100 Tests by now for Australia.”Teams (12th men to be named):VICTORIA: Shane Warne (capt), Jason Arnberger, Darren Berry, Will Carr, Matthew Elliott, Ian Harvey, Shane Harwood, Brad Hodge, Mathew Inness, Nick Jewell, Jon Moss, Graeme Rummans.TASMANIA: Jamie Cox (Capt), Sean Clingeleffer, Graeme Cunningham, Gerard Denton, Michael DiVenuto, Michael Dighton, Shane Jurgensen, Daniel Marsh, David Saker, Shannon Tubb, Shane Watson, Damien Wright.

Stand-in skipper Rahul Dravid was relieved India managed to hold on for a three-wicket win after making heavy weather of their 202-run target in the sixth one-day international against West Indies on Thursday.India recovered after a top-order collapse early on and a middle-order slump before the 35th over to level the seven-match series 3-3.”We lost a few wickets early, then we had a good partnership and lost three more crucial wickets,” Dravid told reporters. “We certainly made it more difficult than we should have. But we got through, that’s what is important in the end.”Dravid top-scored with 58 to rescue the team from 48 for three in a 99-run stand with Yuvraj Singh, who chipped in with 54. But they fell in quick succession with the total on 147 as the West Indies got back into the game.”I would have liked us to play more professionally. Yuvraj and I should have carried on for 25-30 more runs and really sealed the game,” Dravid said. “But Bangar came through again and showed tremendous grit.”All-rounder Sanjay Bangar finished on 32, off 38 balls, to see his team through. He had scored a similar match-winning 57 to help India chase a mammoth 325 at Ahmedabad last week.Dravid, captain because Saurav Ganguly is out for the rest of the series with a back injury, heaped praise on his bowlers.”We had to bowl well after we chose to put them in and I think we did a great job to restrict them to 201,” he said.This was the first time this series, which had so far showcased exceptionally high scores, that bowlers were lauded.”It was a terrific performance by the bowlers, they really delivered the goods,” Dravid said. “The seamers put us up early and then Kartik and Bangar bowled good restrictive spells. We were having some problems in the first 15 overs in the series, but there were no signs today.”Seamer Ajit Agarkar took three for 24 and off-spinner Murali Kartik grabbed a career-best three for 36 in only his fourth one-dayer.”Murali has bowled really well in this series. Today he came good in a pressure situation and delivered the goods,” Dravid said. “He really put us on our way.”Dravid is now gunning to carry the Jodhpur momentum into the decider in the southern city of Vijaywada on Sunday.”We have a chance to win the series now,” he said. “It’s a one-off game and we’re looking forward to cash in on the confidence this win has given us.”India clinched the recent three-Test series against West Indies 2-0.

On a day truncated by heavy isolated showers, Hampshire made good progress in an attempt to gain revenge for the innings defeat at the Rose Bowl at the beginning of the season.Replying to Hampshire’s overnight 311 all out, Leicestershire dawdled to 44 for 4 in 37 pre-lunch overs. The first of the four to fall, Trevor Ward, edged a delivery from Alan Mullally to keeper Nic Pothas without scoring – his dismissal coming with the home side 0-1 from six overs.Stand-in skipper Iain Sutcliffe and former England batsman Darren Maddy slowly added 26 as Dimitri Mascarenhas proved virtually impossible to hit, so to Mullally.Maddy was Pothas’ second dismissal, when he snicked Chris Tremlett and Sutcliffe’s 94-ball 18, including four fours came to an end when Neil Johnson superbly snapped him up at third slip off Mascarenhas.Darren Stevens, on course to travel with the England Academy this winter, lasted just five balls before Shaun Udal ensured he joined the one-wicket each party before rain during the lunch interval brought the first of five stoppages in the day.It stunted Hampshire’s progress somewhat as Aussie import Michael Bevan and winter signing from Gloucestershire, Rob Cunliffe added 45 when play resumed at 3.20pm.Bevan was uncharastically stoic for his undefeated 29 (127 balls, four fours) as Mascarenhas, who bowled 20 overs and took 2-17 in a miserly spell of bowling that also included 13 maidens, eight of which came in succession, broke Cunliffe’s middle stump with the total at 81.The medium-fast bowler in fact conceded just seven scoring strokes from his 120 ball analysis.Neil Burns joined Bevan to see out play, via two short ten minute and a longer 45 minute stoppage to see out the day, ironically in glorious sunshine – but Leicestershire’s run-rate, which did not exceed 1½ runs per over all day, was the overriding factor of the stop-start second innings at Leicester – closing on 98 for 5 from 63 overs.They still require 64 to avoid the follow-on, and it is still possible with better weather forecast.

Hampshire’s second XI lost their third one-day Trophy final in four years against Kent yesterday – by five wickets with just two balls remaining, writes Simon Walter.Jimmy Adams and John Francis made 58 and 49 respectively after resuming their partnership when rain forced the 50 overs clash into the reserve day at The Rose Bowl.Alex Morris had smashed a 31-ball 38 before the rains came on Monday but yesterday James Hamblin provided the impetus to Hampshire’s middle order, belting 40 off 26 deliveries, including two sixes and a four.That was after Adams and Francis had put on 72 for the fourth wicket but Hampshire’s last four wickets fell for 26 runs and they were bowled out for 238 with five balls left of their allocation.Off spinner Irfan Shah took 3-45 in his ten overs but Kent skipper James Tredwell won the match for his side with 111 at the top of the order before he was stumped by Iain Brunnschweiler off the medium pace of Lawrie Prittipaul.James Schofield was Hampshire’s only other wicket taker while first teamer James Tomlinson was the most economical, going for 34 off his ten overs.Adams, Francis, Prittipaul and Hamblin were also in the second XI side that lost the first of the three recent one-day trophy finals, also against Kent, at Canterbury in 1999.

Five wickets for Shane Bond, a first Test victory in the West Indies – only the fourth time they have lost in Barbados in 39 Tests – and all with a day to spare. What a day for New Zealand cricket.The manner of the triumph makes the moment all the more satisfying, especially when remembering some of the trials previous New Zealand teams have had in trying to win in the West Indies.Players like Glenn Turner, Bevan Congdon, Bruce Taylor, Geoff Howarth, Ken Rutherford, Jeremy Coney and many others will all appreciate what a triumph this has been.The 51st Test victory by the side caps what has been a remarkable season for New Zealand.It has been a time of innovation but it has also been a demonstration of the worth of a genuine fast bowler in Bond.What a triumph also for New Zealand Cricket and their policy of taking Bond to Darwin to help him prepare in good conditions for this trip. Add in also wicket-keeper batsman Robbie Hart who played such a key hand with his first innings half-century and also Mark Richardson who scored key runs at the top of the first innings.Surely this result has allowed New Zealand cricket to shrug off some of the perceptions of their own doubting public.The criticism of New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming’s decision not to enforce the follow-on in this country defied belief.For a start, he was in Barbados, his critics were not.But it is doubtful Fleming had ever been in a more powerful position in a match. He had three days to play with and was able to call all the shots.His bowlers did exceptionally well to knock the West Indies over so cheaply in the first innings. And certainly the requirement of the bowlers had not been exceptional.However, it is worth remembering that his main strike weapon Bond was still making his first tentative steps back from a broken foot while his spinner Daniel Vettori was still on a managed work load.Surely keeping them fresher for later in the match and, more importantly, for the second Test to follow, was a far greater requirement for Fleming.For anyone to claim that if the players were not capable of bowling with a normal work load then they should not have been playing was to have ignored the last decade of Test history for New Zealand.Such criticism lives in the realm of fairyland. It is not worth pondering the thought of what might have happened had a West Indian batsman or two got settled in and worked the New Zealand bowling around. Fleming never allowed that eventuality to occur and his position was the stronger for it.And if the West Indians were as exhausted as many of them claim, then why not put them back out in the field for another day while you build a position of utmost ascendancy. Every run you score leaves them with the knowledge that they face the devil of a job to save the match.This has been a clinical and outstanding display of thinking.It is about time some of the critics of the New Zealand captain gave him his due for having become the most successful leader in the game in this country’s history and while there may be times when his field placings upset traditionalists, he has nevertheless achieved a record of significance when so often he has been denied the full strength in his attack that he would like.He isn’t the first captain not to have asked the opposition to follow-on. When New Zealand won their second Test, at Cape Town in 1961/62, John Reid decided not to ask South Africa to follow on. His position wasn’t as powerful as that of Fleming, but he knew the situation best and how his attack could best cope.This is a significant achievement in New Zealand cricket history. The first Test victory in the West Indies has been a long time coming but it completes the set of victories against every country overseas now, apart from Bangladesh where New Zealand has still to tour.

Half-century hero Mario Mohammed shelved his normal flamboyant Caribbean style of batting for the day to haul Trojans out of the mire and set up a four-wicket win over arch Southern Electric Premier League rivals Old Tauntonians & Romsey at Stoneham Lane.Defending a modest 100-run total, OTs eyed an improbable victory with Trojans reeling at 43-6.But Mohammed, with a splendidly crafted 50 not out, and seventh-wicket partner Jamie Donaldson (22 not out) got their heads down to graft Trojans towards their second win in three Division 2 matches.A low scoring affair was always likely on a Stoneham ground which, through neglect and lack of investment, has failed to keep pace with the general overall improved club ground standards in the Premier League.The square, traditionally low in bounce, is in poor condition – inconsistent bounce was the order of the day – and the outfield unkempt and bumpy after use by winter sportsmen.Batsmen had to battle for every run and 16 wickets had fallen for an aggregate 143 runs before Trojans’ seventh-wicket pair got to grips with the situation.That said, few batsmen could blame the poor surface for their various dismissals, though few ever really got themselves in to play with any degree of confidence.Past encounters between the sides have often been fraught and Simon Williams and Stuart Tulk, the respective captains, certainly don’t appear on each other’s Christmas card list.It set the tone for a `derby’ full of niggles, over-excessive appealing and noise from the fielders which often drowned the M27 traffic hum.Pumped up by Williams’s aggressive and vociferous leadership methods, Trojans were buzzing after Giles Lancaster had taken a spectacular catch at second slip to remove the dangerous Charles Forward for seven.When West Indian all-rounder Tim Subnaik, who had jetted in from Trinidad the previous day, had Max Smith caught behind in the next over, OTs faced problems.Ian Tulk (20) played several handsome cover drives to lift OTs spirits, but the introduction of Pat Douglas, coming down the Stoneham slope, had a far reaching effect.Douglas (4-24) produced an unplayable ball which caught Richard Rapley’s top edge, and then clean bowled injured Australian Cameron Sterling, whose first knock on English soil lasted barely two minutes.The Tulk brothers were beginning to redress the balance when, at 53-4, Stuart was run out (attempting a third run) after unwisely challenging Subnaik’s strong arm from the deep.Liverpudlian Stuart Caldicott (15) and Mike Trodd helped the score on to 98-8, but the last two wickets fell for two runs to leave OTs 100 all out in the 46th over.But the contest was far from over as Mike Trodd’s left-arm medium-pace and Jeremy Ord’s nagging accuracy planted Trojans deep in trouble.Trodd (4-35) removed Williams and Le Bas, and Ord (1-13) had Subnaik caught behind as Trojans lurched to 18-3 and later 31-5, with Lancaster and Mike Durand following their team-mates back to the pavilion.But two factors were to turn the match – Mario Mohammed’s resolute batting and the absence by OTs of a third recognised seamer, caused by an injury to Sterling which the Western Australian had apparently taken into the match.Tulk juggled his bowlers and winkled out a sixth Trojans wicket … only to see by far the best and most responsible batting of the day by Mohammed and Donaldson turn the match on its head.The seventh-wicket pair knuckled down to the task and run by run turned the game in Trojans favour.Mohammed, selective with his shots, played with extreme care, while Donaldson, missed by Nick Wood off a fierce return catch late on, punished anything pitched up but generally produced a timely supportive innings.Aided by a spate of wides, the pair added 60 to guide Trojans to a victory which, an hour or so after tea, had looked improbable.

The Sport Relief Kwik Cricket Tournament 2002 and a Pay to Play cricket weekend are among the exciting events being organised by ECB in support of Sport Relief.A joint Comic Relief and BBC concept, Sport Relief is aimed at uniting theworld of sport to raise money for vulnerable children and young people, both in the UK and across the world.The campaign will culminate in a entertaining night on Saturday 13 July on BBC1 featuring sport, celebrities, entertainment, and fundraising – hosted by BBC cricket presenter Jamie Theakston alongside Gary Lineker, Ulrika Jonsson and Clare Balding.Alongside the Football Association, the Lawn Tennis Association, the RugbyFootball Union and other sports bodies, the ECB hope to raise considerable funds for the Sport Relief pot.One of the big ideas across several sports is Pay to Play, with sports men and women at every level being encouraged to pay to play their own sport.Cricketers all over the country – from England captains Nasser Hussain andClare Connor and the rest of national squads to local village players – will be asked to ‘pay to play’ the game on a nominated weekend during the summer. This is looking like being the weekend of 15/16 June, but has still to be confirmed.As a grassroots initiative the involvement of children is key to the campaign, and the Sport Relief Kwik Cricket Tournament 2002 will provide the younger cricketers with their chance to drive the funds total in the right direction.Fundraising takes place during the second round of the competition when theKwik Cricketers taking part can be sponsored for every run their team scores. As an extra incentive, the winning team will earn a 30-minute coaching session with England coach Duncan Fletcher as well as skipper Hussain.The involvement of the game’s top stars doesn’t end there, as members of both the England men’s and women’s teams will be taking part in a Celebrity Cricket Challenge in the studio on 13 July.Other events with cricket involvement include the Sport Relief MemorabiliaAuction, and the Sport Relief Competition – which offers the winner the chance to attend every major sporting event in Britain and selected events around the world in 2003.Sport Relief is encouraging the public to get active in a variety of waysranging from the very simple to the highly physical. This could be as simple as walking to work to snowboarding. The campaign is not only targeted at sport enthusiasts but also people in offices, who could organise their own sports days, stage an office Olympics or simply ‘pay to play’ to do anything active.All schools will be mailed with a Sport Relief schools pack and video, supported by Sport England, that will show how schools can fundraise, forexample by adding a fundraising dimension to their existing sports days.Children and young people around the world will benefit from every penny raised through Sport Relief. Half of it will stay here in the UK, and the other half will reach the most vulnerable children and young people in some of the poorest countries in the world. The Government’s Commonwealth Education Fund, launched in Jubilee Year, will match the international efforts of Sport Relief to improve educational opportunities in the Commonwealth.

Pace men Mohammad Sami and Fazl-e-Akbar exploited the conditions at Peshawar’s Shahi Bagh Stadium to their maximum advantage as they shared seven wickets between them restricting Khyber Lions to 146 in 37 overs, after Pakistan Probables, playing first, had scored 205 in their allotted overs.Fazl-e-Akbar, the right-handed medium pacer, took three wickets in his opening spell to leave the home side reeling at 21 for 4 by the eighth over, until a valiant effort led by Hasan Raza and Younis Khan in the middle of the innings took them past 100-run mark by the 25th over.After finding their side deep in trouble at 21/4, these two shared a partnership of 95 runs for the fifth wicket and brought their side within sight of victory. Had these two carried on for some more time, the result of the match might have been altogether different.However, after the fall of Younis Khan’s wicket at 116 and Hasan Raza’s at 129, the writing looked very much on the wall for the home side. The inevitable was delayed only due to some grit shown by Atiq-uz-Zaman and the skipper Arshad. They had taken the score past 145, when Sami came with his little gem of an over.In fact, the process which was started by Fazl-e-Akbar was brought to a climax and then finished in a befitting manner by Mohammad Sami. Bowling from the Pavilion End, young Karachi pace man first induced Atiq to hoist a catch to Mushtaq at square leg. He followed this up by bowling out the remaining two batsmen – Sajid Shah and Kashif Raza – without any addition to the total. He finished with excellent figures of four for 29.Fazl-e-Akbar, who set the pace for Probables’ victory, finished the match with three wickets for 30 runs. Abdur Razzaq, overshadowed by the performances of these youngsters, also bowled well taking one wicket for 44 in 9 overs.Earlier, it was up to the efforts of Inzamam-ul-Haq (56), the skipper of Pakistan Probables, and Misbah-ul-Haq (45) who shared an 87-run fourth wicket partnership to lay the foundation for a respectable score for their team.Coming to the crease after finding their side in trouble at 60 for three by the 15th over, they drafted their innings with caution, taking the score close to 150-run mark. However, after the dismissal of these two in quick succession, the remaining Probables’ batsmen could not take up the challenge of score few runs in final overs.They were restricted in their efforts by some fine bowling by Sajid Shah (3 for 54) and Kamran Hussain (3 for 39). The late order of Pakistan Probables, despite the presence of experienced campaigners like Afridi and Moin Khan in their ranks, could only muster 50 runs in the last ten overs, losing four wickets in the process.In a brief ceremony following the match, Hasan Raza, the highest scorer of the game, was awarded the man of the match award, whereas Yasir Hameed was adjudged the best fielder.

Adrian Dale cracked the first double-century of the CricInfo Championship season as Glamorgan turned the screw against their fellow first division newcomers Northamptonshire.The Welsh county had dominated proceedings on the opening day, and continued in the same vein as their overnight 339-4 became 548-6 declared. Dale hit 204 in six hours, featuring 31 boundaries, and posted a record-breaking 248 for the fifth wicket with Keith Newell (103).Northants’ reply then ran into trouble and they struggled to 181-5 from 50 overs at the close, still needing a further 218 to avoid the follow-on with two days remaining.Dale joined Maurice Turnbull, Roy Fredericks and Steve James in the ranks of Glamorgan’s double-centurions against Northants, and also passed 10,000 first-class runs in the course of his 276-ball knock.Newell proved an admirable foil for his acting-captain and completed his first Championship hundred since joining the Welsh county from Sussex two years ago. He and Dale eclipsed Glamorgan’s previous fifth-wicket best against the Midlanders – 206 by Bernard Hedges and Jim Pressdee at Northampton in 1961 – before Jason Brown broke through, yorking Dale.Mike Hussey’s throw from backward point ran out Newell to end his stay of four hours 40 minutes, including 16 fours, and the declaration came soon afterwards.Northants then lost the wickets of Hussey, Mal Loye and Jeff Cook for 53 before tea, and with Robert Croft removing the Swann brothers in the final session it was left to Russell Warren (72 not out) to keep the home side afloat.