Australia won a match they seemed to have lost. And Pakistan lost agame which they should have won. That just about sums up the Carltonand United Series game between the two countries which ended in a15-run victory for Australia at Melbourne on Sunday.With Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan in full control, Pakistan seemed headedfor victory when there was a rain stoppage. On resumption, Pakistanlost their cool and composure even as the Australians kept theirs.At 201 for four after 40 overs, Pakistan needed only 60 runs from tenovers. But Ijaz Ahmed was out in the 41st over and Moin Khan followedin the next over. Still with the big hitting in form Abdul Razzaq atthe crease, Pakistan were not without hope. But his run out through abrilliant direct throw by Ricky Ponting saw Australia back in thedriver’s seat and ultimately they bowled out Pakistan for 245 in 48.5overs.In pursuit of a challenging target of 261, Pakistan lost Saeed Anwarearly but a second wicket stand of 61 runs off 10.4 overs betweenShahid Afridi and Ijaz Ahmed steadied the innings. But when Inzamamand Youhana failed to make substantial contributions, Pakistan at 140for four in the 30th over were in some trouble. However Ijaz and Moinadded 61 runs off 11 overs to put Pakistan in the favourities’circle. But the fall of Ijaz was a vital blow from which Pakistannever really recovered. The experienced right hander was bowled byShane Lee for 85 off 104 balls. He hit six fours and a six. Moin Khanmade a typical 33 off 36 balls with a six and a four. But in the endresult, credit must be given to the Australian bowlers who did justwhat was required in the crunch overs. Shane Lee was outstanding ashis figures of four for 37 off 8.5 overs will testify.Earlier, Australia with solid contributions from most of their toporder batsmen were able to post a challenging total of 260 for nine in50 overs. After the fall of Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist for 56 runsby the 12th over, Ponting and Michael Bevan put Australia on the roadto a good total by adding 66 runs for the third wicket off 12.5overs. After Ponting fell for 53 off 64 balls, inclusive of fivefours, Bevan and Andrew Symonds maintained the momentum with a fourthwicket partnership of 66 runs off 11.4 overs. The hard hittingSymonds’ 35 off 36 balls with two sixes and a four was just what theAustralians needed at this stage. Bevan played the sheet anchor roleto perfection before he fell in the 46th over for 83. The left handerfaced 101 balls and hit only one four besides a six. Saqlain Mushtaqpicked up two late wickets to restrict the Australians when theyseemed to be racing for a bigger total. Ultimately the total proved tobe just beyond the reach of the Pakistanis.The win took Australia’s tally to ten points from six games. Pakistanare stuck on six from the same number of matches.

Hampshire’s first century of the season was a long time coming – but Will Kendall ensured it will be long remembered. His superb 161 against Somerset at Taunton transformed a County Championship match that had been heavily one-sided for most of the first two days.And it restored some pride to the Hampshire batting ranks, for whom the summer had previously been one to forget.When the rain relented to allow the third day’s play to start at 3.15pm, the visitors resumed on 140-2 in their second innings, 86 runs behind.An innings defeat still appeared a possibility, particularly when skipper Robin Smith fell to the opening ball of the second over, having added only a single to his overnight 35.Smith pushed forward defensively in textbook fashion to Steffan Jones, but left a chink of light between bat and pad, which the ball located to clean bowl him.The scoreboard read 144-3 when Derek Kenway came out to join Kendall, who was unbeaten on 77. By the time the pair were parted 160 runs had been added in rapid time and Hampshire were right back in the game.Two late wickets restored Somerset’s advantage. But at the close Hampshire were 319-5 and had a lead of 93 to take into the final day.Despite the early breakthrough, Somerset’s bowling was wayward and lacked penetration. Kendall and Kenway allowed virtually nothing loose to go unpunished and were soon scoring at five an over.Teenaged seamer Peter Trego came in for especially fierce treatment as his three overs cost 29 runs. But the more experienced seamers also suffered as they failed to maintain line and length.Kenway was given a life on 11 when edging Jones to second slip. Keith Parsons normally fields there, but he was bowling at the other end and given a break from slip duty so it was Piran Holloway who failed to accept the sharp chanceto his left.It proved an expensive mistake as Kenway went on to offer solid support for Kendall, who blossomed after reaching his century off 199 balls, with 15 fours.His next 50 runs took only 61 deliveries as he added seven more boundaries, dealing particularly severely with anything short as he square cut with great power and timing.It was a magnificent effort, which ended after Kendall had faced 273 balls and collected his 23rd four. Holloway atoned for his earlier miss by holding a fine catch diving forward at cover off the bowling of medium-pacer Mike Burns.Kenway reached his half century off 88 deliveries, with 7 fours, but he also fell to Burns in the closing overs, lbw on the front foot for 54 to a full length ball he appeared to think he had hit.Adrian Aymes and Peter Hartley added a further ten runs before the close as Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shane Warne were held back to try and boost Hampshire’s advantage in the morning.Warne will also fancy his chances of doing some damage with the ball in the final innings as the visitors bid to complete a determined fightback.

Predictably enough, Tamil Nadu emerged triumphant in the South Zone (under-25) tournament for the Coca Cola Trophy at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday. Their first innings lead of 91 runs over Karnataka sufficed for them to lay their hands on the trophy.Resuming at 245 for five in reply to Karnataka’s first innings total of 209, Tamil Nadu were all out for 300 in 89.5 overs. J Harish (51) and D Dhandapani (17) added 50 runs for the seventh wicket off 17 overs. Harish faced 97 balls and hit four boundaries. But GV Ravi brought the innings to a swift end by taking four quick wickets and Tamil Nadu slid from 295 for six to 300 all out in the space of eight overs. Ravi finished with six wickets for 69 runs off 24.5 overs.In the remaining time, which was affected by rain, Karnataka scored 106 for five wickets. They lost three wickets for 20 runs but then some steady batting by R Shanbal (21), Sudhindra Shinde (28) and Amith Kumar (33 not out) saw Karnataka move to safety. Dhandapani who took six wickets in the first innings, captured two for 24 off 13 overs this time around. Because of rain, play was stopped at 3 pm. The match was finally called off at 3.30 pm.

Delhi completed their second victory in three games, trouncing HimachalPradesh by an innings and 54 runs in a North Zone Ranji Trophy clash at thecapital’s Harbax Singh Stadium. Ashish Nehra took his second five wickethaul of the match to hasten the end which came seventeen overs into theday’s play. Delhi’s points tally climbed to 21 from three games, placingthem second in the zonal table. HP are fourth with five points.After HP resumed their second innings at 83/5, Amit Bhandari drew firstblood. Nehra then struck thrice before leg spinner Sandeep Angurala closedout the match by having the stubborn Virender Sharma stumped. Sharma topscored with 42 in a total of 138. Nehra finished with match figures of10/118, taking his season’s tally to 22 wickets from three games at lessthan 13 apiece.

Himachal Pradesh shocked Haryana by two wickets in a thrilling contestat the Luhnu Cricket Ground, Bilaspur, in the North Zone Under-22Tournament on Monday. In a low scoring match wickets kept tumbling andas many as 38 wickets fell in 3 days.Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Haryana made a poorstart and continued in the same order to be bowled out for 168 in 66.4overs. Opening batsman Parveen Sharma with 35 (5 fours) top scored forHaryana. SP Singh with 3/55 was the most successful of the bowlers. HPin their first innings made 210 all out in 60 overs. Opening batsman HAngrish played brilliantly to make 64 before he was run out. Angrishhit six boundaries in his innings. Parveen with 35 gave Angrish goodsupport for the fourth wicket adding 63 runs. Deepak Sain with 6/85led the Haryana bowling admirably.Haryana did not do any better in their second innings as they foundthemselves bowled out for 152 in 57.4 overs. Manoj Yadav with 68including 7 fours tried to put up a fight against some potent HPbowling. Shavinder Pal Singh 4/40 was easily the best of the bowlers.Requiring 111 runs to win HP made heavy weather of their task. DeepakSen 5/43 and Anuj Sharma 3/50 carried the burden of bowling out HP fora low score. They came so close by picking up eight wickets as HPreached their goal with certain amount of difficulty. HP had allreasons to clebrate an almost impossible victory. Captain YashvinderSingh top scored with 20 for HP. There were some useful contributionsby Parveen (19) and Hemant dogra (18). HP took all eight points toHaryana’s none.

Australia’s forgotten man Damien Martyn was the tourists’ hero at Worcester as he hammered a superb century to rescue his country from a tight spot.In partnership with Shane Warne (so often the scourge of English cricketers with the ball), the pair put on a fun-filled 148 for the seventh wicket in 30 overs to help the Aussies recover from the minor embarrassment of being 178 for six. They were eventually dismissed for 351.Having asked for this fixture to be a one-day game to practise for the NatWest Series with Pakistan and England later this month, the Aussies had seemed to be treating it just like that when they raced to 55 off the first 11 overs – a run rate that was to entertain the sell-out crowd all the way through as it remained above four an over.But they were also rapidly losing wickets to Worcester’s fledgling attack.Kabir Ali, who proudly removed Brian Lara in this corresponding Vodafone Challenge fixture last year, was first to strike, getting Matthew Hayden caught behind.And, after Alamgir Sheriyar had captured Mark Waugh, driving to mid-off, Chris Liptrot (the pick of the home attack with 3-37) then nipped in to trap a disappointed Ricky Ponting in front for 24 before getting the big one, responding to 30 quick runs from Steve Waugh before removing the Aussie skipper’s middle stump.When Kabir had Michael Bevan (33) caught at gully with the first ball after lunch and Adam Gilchrist (21) followed, to deep point, giving Liptrot a deserved third wicket, things did not look as bright for the Aussies as the sun-kissed June weather.But supposed one-day specialist Martyn – who has played just 11 Tests in nine years – and Warne rallied, hammering it to all parts, only to both become victims of a surge from slow left-arm spinner Matt Rawnsley (three for 90) of three wickets in four overs.England Under-19 seamer Kabir (3-43) rounded things off by getting that adopted son of Worcester Glenn McGrath to end the innings.And there was still time for Worcester to face 13 overs themselves, Anurag Singh and Graeme Hick shrugging off the early loss of Phil Weston to take the attack back to the Aussies and finish on 50-1.Worcester might struggle to repeat their two-day win of 1989 but, with Hick unbeaten on 19 overnight, and needing runs to remind the selectors of his presence, it’s all set up nicely for day two.

In an awe-inspiring performance, Australia inflicted a crushing defeat on England by an enviable margin of 8 wickets. Chasing an easy target of 177 runs the professional Aussie outfit achieved it in only 30 overs. England bowlers proved no match to the enterprising Australian pair of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting who dictated terms throughout the game.

Hitting a glorious 80, Gilchrist made the England bowlers look like pygmies while Ricky Ponting with an unbeaten 70 in 71 balls set the Oval alight. With such a dominating performance, Australia proved its superiority over England, especially in the context of the forthcoming Ashes series.Though of little import for the NatWest series, this match was equally important for the two sides. Australia not only wanted to maintain its unbeaten streak in ODI’s against England but also wanted to get an edge over England looking forward to the Ashes. Equally, the hosts desperately required a win to break the humiliating string of 10 continuous defeats and to get some solace ahead of the Ashes.Right from the start, Steve Waugh attacked and set a field with 4 slips and a gully to keep England under pressure. The strategy paid off when Glen McGrath bowled Marcus Trescothick with no runs on the board.

Alec Stewart and Nick Knight brought some stability by playing some thrilling shots raising the score to 51. Then Brett Lee struck, getting Stewart (22) caught by Bevan.Owais Shah (1) and Ally Brown (1) found their way back to the pavilion in quick succession with England tottering at 59 for 4. While Nick Knight was defending one end against the Aussie onslaught, the other end remained vulnerable. Paul Collingwood (9) was the next to go reducing England to 81 for 5.Just as Nick Knight departed after playing a defiant innings of 48, a procession started with Ben Hollioake (22) and Darren Gough (0) following on his heels and England was down to 119 for 8. The Australian bowlers had maintained a remarkable line to keep the batsmen under check.

In order to salvage whatever they possibly could, tail enders Robert Croft and Andy Caddick raised the score to a better looking 156 when Croft was out after scoring a valuable 20.Facing Australia with courage, the last pair of Caddick and Mullally showed up their top order by adding runs gently raising the total to 176 when Andy Caddick trying a big hit was caught by Mathew Hayden for an entertaining 36.England was all out for 176 in 43.2 overs, Brett Lee clinched 3 wickets while Glen McGrath and Neil Harvey shared 2 each. Playing under the shadow of constant defeats, the England batsmen gave a lacklustre performance.Chasing an easy target of 177 runs, the Aussies were in a punishing mood from the word go. Scoring at an exciting rate of 8 runs per over they were 39 in only 5 overs when they lost Hayden (8).Ricky Ponting joined Adam Gilchrist and went on a run spree, plundering quick runs and delighted the crowd by lifting Caddick over square leg for a mighty six in the 8th over. In the 15th, Ponting repeated the feat by hitting Caddick again for a six and hoisting Australia’s 100.

These two, driving Australia relentlessly to the goal, completed their respective half centuries one after the other. Gilchrist in 52 balls with the help of 10 fours while Ponting did the same in only 45 balls, hitting 2 fabulous sixes and 6 fours. A little later came the 100 run partnership off 95 balls. With such enterprising cricket, the pair provided the spectators entertainment well worth their money.Rushing fast to the 177 run target with a flurry of shots all round the wicket, they made England’s bowling look absolutely ordinary. With 155 reached in the 24th over, Australia needed to score at the rate of less than one run per over. An awfully disappointing defeat stared England in the face.Trying to hit along to victory a little too aggressively Adam Gilchrist gave away his wicket, caught and bowled Robert Croft after playing a splendid innings of 80 that included 14 fours. Australia had lost the 2nd wicket at 163, requiring only 14 runs to win.The inevitable happened when Ricky Ponting drove Collingwood to long on for a single to achieve the victory in 30 overs with 8 wickets to spare.Certainly, a moment of joy for Australia but an occasion for a depressed England team to conduct some soul searching for the future. Firstly, they could not prevent the 11th ODI defeat in a row and secondly, demoralising for them to enter the Ashes series with shattered morale, questionable prowess and a disappointing performance. One can expect the England think-tank will be working overtime to set things right for them.

Graham Thorpe resumed training yesterday and hopes to be fit enough to play in the Second Test at Lord’s.But the Surrey batsman will be desperately short of match practice, and is unlikely to play in his county side’s Benson and Hedges Cup final clash with Gloucestershire tomorrow.So it will be up to the selectors to decide whether it’s worth gambling on Thorpe who had been in such prime form before suffering his calf injury five weeks ago.Thorpe said: “I had 30 minutes on the bowling machine and it felt fine. Now I have to build it up by batting on it and running between the wickets. I’m hopeful it will be okay for next week but I have to test it out properly.”Once I’ve done that the decision whether to take a risk on me comes down to someone else. They’ll have to decide if they think it’s worth taking a gamble on playing me without any match practice,” he told Channel 4’s cricket website.”I have had a lack of match practice but there is nothing we can do about that. I wanted to play in the Lord’s final but I can’t go into a game like that having only had one or two nets. That wouldn’t be fair on Surrey or England.”I have to get in as much practice between now and next Thursday. I could play in a second team game of a club match but they will not recreate the situation I’ll be going into next week. With match practice it’s as much about getting your mind right as the body.”A fit Thorpe is vital to bolstering England’s middle order which collapsed so disastrously at Edgbaston in the First Test.He said: “I want to play next week. The Lord’s Test against Australia is the big one but I’ve got to put the calf under as much stress as possible because if I suffer another setback then further investigations on the calf will have to take place.”It is thought that Thorpe will be named in the England squad to be announced on Sunday to give him as much time to recover as possible. England are already without skipper Nasser Hussain and batsman Michael Vaughan though both hope to be fit for the Third Test.

Expectations of a keen final were belied as East Zone romped to aneight wicket victory over West Zone to win the Col. Hemu AdhikariTrophy for the Inter-Academy title at the RSI grounds in Bangalore onMonday.Electing to bat, West Zone were shot out for 101 in 35 overs. Theywere given a good start with openers S Kukreja (21) and P Valthaty(47) putting on 65 runs off only 10.3 overs. The in-form Valthatydominated the stand and before he was first out, he had faced just 36balls and hit nine fours.After Valthaty’s fall, little went right for West Zone who actuallylost ten wickets for 36 runs off 24.4 overs. Apart from the openers,only R Solanki (11) reached double figures. Four batsmen failed toscore and N Behera brought the innings to a swift end by taking fourwickets for 15 off eight overs. T Saha gave a helping hand with twofor 10 off seven overs. Three run outs compounded West Zone’s misery.East Zone did not experience any difficulty in reaching their modesttarget. Openers A Garai (14) and R Jaiswal put on 58 runs off 11.5overs and the objective was achieved in just 21.5 overs. Jaiswalremained unbeaten with 60, compiled off 74 balls with seven hits tothe ropes. Both wickets to fall were taken by skipper Uday Karavadra.

A pathetic batting display by Zimbabwe, all out for 155 in 59 overs on anideal batting pitch, has almost certainly condemned them to heavy defeat atQueens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The manner of their demise, against goodbut not lethal bowling, will elicit no sympathy from their long-sufferingsupporters, as one soft dismissal followed another and fighting spiritseemed an altogether foreign quality. At the close West Indies had run upexactly 100 without loss and could anticipate rich pickings on day two.It was another sunny winter’s morning as play began in the First Test of the two-match series. It looked a beautiful pitch for batting, unlikely to give the bowlers too much early assistance, and Heath Streak was eager to bat on winning the toss.Zimbabwe gave Craig Wishart one of his irregular Test caps as a battingreplacement for Andy Flower, deciding to risk a four-man bowling attack.Wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu made his Test debut at the age of 18. WestIndies included Pedro Collins, who has not played on tour since his arrivala few days ago, in preference to Corey Collymore, after assessing the two inpractice.The match started late for perhaps a unique reason: bowler Reon King complained about difficulty in starting his run-up from the sponsor’s logo on the outfield. About five minutes were lost until it was decided that nothing could be done about it and he would have to make do. He took it out on Dion Ebrahim, who survived a hostile opening over.Zimbabwe had moved Alistair Campbell up to open for the first time in Tests,restoring Guy Whittall to the middle order, a commendable gamble as neitherhad scored runs in their former positions against India. Collins, arare West Indian left-arm-over paceman who has not played first-classcricket for a year, had the hapless Ebrahim, who has rarely been happy as anopener, trapped lbw playing round a ball of full length without scoring.Both Campbell and Stuart Carlisle came close to giving catches early on asthe bowlers looked impressive when they pitched the ball up. Slowly,though, they found their confidence, until Carlisle (10), as so oftenhappens once he has appeared to settle in, lost his wicket, driving atCollins to edge a catch to second slip.Campbell (21) has the same problem, as he demonstrated in the next over, as he went after a very wide ball from King and gave the ‘keeper a presentation catch. Zimbabwe were once again throwing away their chances in fine batting conditions at 31 for three. One technically incorrect stroke was followed by two gifted wickets.Craig Wishart and Guy Whittall now had to repair the damage, with Wishartdominating and occasionally breaking through with a superb boundary,including a straight six off Neil McGarrell, in a manner perhaps reminiscentof Robin Smith. But he also fell to a soft dismissal on 36, driving Colin Stuart uppishly to backward point. At 85 for four at lunch, Zimbabwe had quite squandered their advantage, and would have done even worse had Whittall succeeded in his effort to run himself out off the last ball before the interval.Grant Flower (6) fell soon after lunch, caught at the wicket pushingdefensively at an excellent leg-cutter from King. Whittall, batting withdiscrimination against good bowling, gradually found his fluency, but Streakscored only five before cutting left-arm spinner McGarrell to backwardpoint, where Shivnarine Chanderpaul took a sharp low catch. Zimbabwe werenow 119 for six.Whittall and, uncharacteristically, Andy Blignaut dug in defensively, whileCollins added to the West Indian injury worries by limping off with a hurtleg. He was replaced by Stuart, who dismissed Whittall (42), flashingoutside the off stump to be caught by first slip off the rebound fromsecond.Taibu’s first Test runs came from a one-bounce four, a hook off Stuart, justbefore tea, but was out shortly afterwards, easily caught in the covers offa leading edge for six, trying to turn Stuart to leg.Following this, Blignaut (21) became the third batsman to hit an offering to backward point, King being the lucky bowler, and Raymond Price fell lbw second ball.Zimbabwe were dismissed for 155 in one of their most spineless displays on abeautiful batting pitch. One can only assume that their morale has beenshattered by the political shenanigans off the field and they lack theprofessional qualities to play above that.Chris Gayle was soon timing the ball with exquisite sweetness, determined todominate from the start, as West Indies began their innings. The threat ofthe world-class Streak or the accuracy of Bryan Strang had no effect on himas he treated both roughly, but left-arm spinner Price put a brake on thescoring. Daren Ganga, although overshadowed, batted soundly on the whole,as usual at about half the scoring rate of Gayle, with the odd miscue fromthe batsmen not going to hand.Gayle reached his fifty off 68 balls, and at the close was 52 not out, withGanga, who hit freely in the dying overs of the day, 44.