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Versatile performances from Manjural Islam and Al-Sahariar pulled off with full points for Victoria Club as they thrashed Brothers Union by 6 wickets in GrameenPhone Premier League today held in BNS today. The match turned out to be a totally one-sided affair when Brothers ended up their innings with a meager 156.Manjural Islam, the left-arm national fast bowler, turned up with a devastating spell soon after his skipper Khaled Masud won the toss and sent his opponents to bat first. Manjural capitalized the early moisture on the track and sent down some vicious deliveries that got him two wickets early. Brothers Union batsmen were never looking comfortable in dealing with the tough Victoria bowling department.Only Athar Ali (29), Salim (30) and Mostadir Ahmed (36) put some feeble resistance against them, but those weren’t enough. Brothers scored off with a very slow rate and only managed 156 after 50 overs. Manjural Islam gave only 18 runs in his spells and plundered 4 wickets to be rightly declared as the man-of-the-match. Brother’s hired Pakistani, the very prominent Moin Khan, disappointed everyone as he made only 6 before Manjural clean bowled him.The chase was pretty easy and Victoria started off without hurry. They lost Parvej Ahmed (7) on 27 and Jahangir Alam (9) on 54, but Al-Sahariar was firing at the other end and bashed the Brothers bowlers ruthlessly. He and Sajjad Ahmed piled up 64 runs in the 3rd wicket with most of them coming off Sahariar’s bat. Though left-arm spinner Imran Rahim finally managed to dispatch both Sajjad Ahmed (17) and Al-Sahariar (87), the rest of the order didn’t find it difficult to reach the target.Al-Sahariar slammed 14 swashbuckling boundaries and 1 six to score off his 87. He was particularly cruel on Mostadir and hammered several dazzling boundaries in his overs. Al-Sahariar lost the concentration at the end and gifted his wicket to the bowler himself while attempting to reach his hundred quickly. Left-handed Rashed Hanif (23 n.o.) and Khaled Masud passed the Brother total from 33.3 overs.

Events in other sports over the past week have highlighted a phenomenon in cricket that is surprisingly accepted, seemingly without complaint.It is to do with the ball.Soccer teams in the World Cup have been complaining about changes to the ball which has been used in the Cup, with problems in flight and accuracy resulting from the lighter nature of the ball.Similarly, a change of ball for the New Zealand v Ireland rugby series, has resulted in a torrent of complaints, from both teams, over the changed qualities of the new ball being used.Irish rugby coach Eddie O’Sullivan made a pertinent comment when saying if it was good enough for soccer and basketball to have a standardised ball for use around the world, then why couldn’t rugby? Other sports also play to similar requirements.Why should cricket be any different?It was only the last World Cup in 1999 when controversy broke out over the nature of the ball to be used for the event.You could beg the question: If equipment used, read the ball in this instance, is not the same the world over, why should records be taken seriously?If one make of ball swings more prodigiously than another, does that make one batsman’s effort against one ball, much more significant than for the batsmen who didn’t have to deal with swing? And is one bowler more advantaged because his feats have been achieved by a ball that swung more than one used by his rivals.Similarly, for batsmen who were required to face spin from the ninth or 10th over of the innings as opposed to a batsman who scored runs against an all-pace attack.Admittedly conditions do vary from country to country, and for many reasons this is why different balls have been developed in different countries.But part of the challenge of succeeding in cricket is about being able to play in all conditions, whether batting, bowling or fielding.The sight of Sachin Tendulkar batting in full flight in Australia, England, India or the West Indies is one of the marvels of the game, just as watching Richard Hadlee achieve his feats on all kinds of surfaces was another. Both they, and all the other stars of the game, have managed their feats using different balls in different conditions.So does it really matter whether a uniform ball is used around the world?There is no doubt it would result in quite a different mindset from players and administrators.Having the preferred choice of balls for home conditions has long been regarded as an advantage for playing at home. But why should it be?That advantage could be said to be immediately countered by the wildly risky notion of tossing a coin to allow one side to bat or bowl, depending on their preference.There would be immediate consequences for the ball-making industry, although some of the ball makers could well become local makers for the successful tenderer for the ball contract, working to that company’s specifications.It could also be that the preferred maker of balls for Test matches, is not the preferred maker for the one-day variety of ball with its different colour and less lasting characteristics.Given the requirement to use the same type of ball around the world, there would be less chance of one team manipulating the make of balls available between one Test and the next. And this has happened in the past.The International Cricket Council has been working hard in recent years to regulate in some previously shady areas of the game, is it time for them to consider the use of a standardised ball?With the requirement that lights now be used where they are available when conditions are regarded as too dark to continue, is it time to entertain thoughts of a revolutionary new-coloured ball so that more Test cricket can be played in day-night situations?The ball is central to the game, yet it can have remarkably different qualities around the world. Does it have to be that way, or is one of those features that make cricket different?

After restricting Haryana to 242 on the opening day with a fine five wickethaul, the Rest of India skipper Kashinath Khadkikar lead from the front asthey took the vital first innings lead on the second day of their MAChidambaram Trophy (Under-19) match played at the Maharaja Aggarsain Stadium in Rohtak on Thursday.Rest of India started their reply on a disastrous note losing openerGaganinder Singh (0) in the second over of the innings. Then Naman Oza (32)and Deepak Chougule (66) added 48 runs for the second wicket. Oza was thenext to be dismissed bowled by Gaurav Vashishta in the 19th over. Then YGnaneshwara Rao (43) joined Chougule and forged a 99-run third wicketpartnership. Both Gneshwara Rao and Chougule were dismissed in the space ofthree balls with Amit Mishra accounting for both in the 43rd over.Haryana then had Rest of India in a spot of bother as Mohanish Mishra andASK Verma were dismissed with out opening their accounts. Kadkikar andMohd Faiq steadied the innings with an unbeaten 98-run seventh wicketpartnership. Rest of India ended the day at 264 for 6 with Kadkikar on 74and Mohd Faiq on 38.

West End and the South Australian Cricket Association today strengthened their decades-old association by announcing a formal sponsorship deal for the next five years.And on the eve of the 2002 Pura Cup, the State team has now been officially named the West End Redbacks in celebration of the sponsorship deal.West End’s association with cricket in South Australia goes back more than three decades. In that time, West End’s support has been far-reaching. From top state level down to local clubs, West End has assisted countless cricket teams with financial and promotional support.SA Brewing Managing Director Bill Wareham said West End looked forward to this support growing over the next five years."Now is a very exciting time to be involved with cricket in South Australia, especially with the fantastic redevelopment of Adelaide Oval set to begin," Mr Wareham said."We’re proud to play an important part in the further development of cricket in South Australia and look forward to supporting our up and coming cricketers in every way we can."The new deal is expected to turn into a multi-million dollar support package over the five years. It will involve widespread support, including pourage rights, marketing campaigns and naming rights for not only the West End Redbacks, but the grade competitions.SACA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mike Deare, said the West End sponsorship was of enormous significance to cricket at all levels in South Australia."The partnership with SA Brewing extends more than 30 years, which is an extraordinary achievement," said Mr Deare. "From district cricket through to the State competition, West End’s support will enable the SACA to continue to develop the game of cricket to the highest standard."We are very pleased that our State team will be known from today forward as the West End Redbacks."

Whatever the personnel when the sides are announced prior to the start ofthe second Ashes Test in Adelaide, Australia will start the match as firmfavourites to go two-nil up in the series. England’s plans have been throwninto disarray by a succession of injuries, while Australia could put theirsecond eleven on to the field and still be favourites to win. Australia Acould not force a win in Hobart in the tourists’ last match, but theycertainly did nothing to restore England’s confidence.Before dwelling on England’s misfortunes, it should be said that Australiathemselves are not completely free of injury doubts. Jason Gillespie isstill feeling the effects of his calf strain and is being given as long aspossible to recover. If he cannot do so, Brett Lee will come back into theside.Lee has taken 21 wickets for New South Wales since being dropped from theside for the first Test in Brisbane and has recaptured the speed that madehim such a fearsome proposition until his recent dip in form. If Gillespieis fit, Lee might have to wait until Perth before regaining his place as hehas said himself that his replacement, Andy Bichel, has done a perfectlygood job for the side.England would dearly love to have a problem like that of the Australians. Atthe start of the tour, captain Nasser Hussain said that his side stood achance of regaining the Ashes provided fortune smiled and he could call on afull complement of fit players. The decimation of the party and their dreambegan before they left England. That was when Graham Thorpe dropped out ofthe original selection to be replaced by Robert Key.A damaging blow, but at least Key was fit and raring to go. The same couldnot be said for the rest of the party. Darren Gough (knee), Michael Vaughan(knee), Mark Butcher (knee), Andrew Flintoff (hernia), and Simon Jones (rib)were all travelling with injuries of varying degrees of seriousness toovercome.Vaughan and Butcher came through without further mishap. Gough never tookthe field before returning home to seek further career-saving medical help.Flintoff has simply failed to get over his hernia operation as expected andis now said to be out until the fourth Test. There was no problem aboutJones’ rib, but then he suffered that horrendous knee injury on day one atBrisbane and is out for the rest of the tour and into the foreseeablefuture.Add to that casualty list the shoulder scare concerning Marcus Trescothick,the shin splints suffered by Steve Harmison, and a bout of concussion, thebruised hip that makes John Crawley doubtful for Adelaide, and the fracturedwrist sustained by Ashley Giles, and it is no wonder that the Englanddressing room resembles a casualty clearing station. Of the 16 namesannounced by the selectors on 10th September, only six have not featured inmedical bulletins.Hussain has criticised some of the medical advice that was furnished beforethe tour started, but coach Duncan Fletcher has been philosophical about it."Medical advice isn’t a perfect science so it’s difficult," he admitted."Some of the advice we’ve been given has been pretty close but everybody’sgot to get involved in this and the players have to make sure they carry outthe procedures given to them."In any team you have certain people who look after their own fitnessproblems and there are other people who need just a little bit moreguidance."Vaughan was spot on and we realised that Gough was a risk and Flintoffwould be ready about a week before the Test, but it’s not a perfect scienceand suddenly he was probably about a week too late."Talking about the situation at the end of the first Test, Fletcher pointedto the appointment of a specialised medical officer for English cricket asbeing a step in the right direction."Once he is appointed that will centralise everything which is veryimportant. At the moment I believe our physiotherapists are being treatedlike doctors and they’re not medical people at all."It will be a huge advantage once that Academy is set up at Loughboroughbecause we’ll be able to send guys along there while we’re away on tour andwe’ll have one central place where people can take control of thesituation."However, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, former England captain MichaelAtherton was rather more scathing about the current medical back-up."For some time I have felt that the medical side of England’s cricket ismore amateurish than it might be, lagging behind the increasinglyprofessional set-up as a whole,” Atherton wrote. “Flintoff’s case clearlyillustrates thepoint."Atherton then pointed out that Flintoff should not only have missed theHeadingley Test against India to have the operation as soon as possible, butthat he was not given proper rehabilitation advice."After the Headingley Test, Ian MacLennan, a highly regarded groin andhernia specialist in Manchester, operated on Flintoff. For the first fewdays after that he was given some gentle rehabilitation exercises, but therewas little communication between the England and Wales Cricket Board and theplayer, who, after the initial exercises, had no idea of the more strict,day-to-day rehabilitation he should have been undertaking. In the followingfortnight Flintoff saw the ECB medical staff only once, during the last Testat The Oval, to have his stitches removed."Atherton continues: "At the end of the season, with England off to theChampions’Trophy in Sri Lanka, Dean Conway, the England physiotherapist, rangLancashire to ask them to take charge of Flintoff’s rehabilitation.Lancashire were playing at Canterbury and Taunton and Flintoff remained inManchester, when his rehabilitation finally got under way. After six daysFlintoff was taken out of Lancashire’s care and instructed to go toLilleshall for two-and-a-half weeks. Initially he was told that he was notto be booked in and he would be expected to drive there and back each day,although eventually common sense prevailed and a room was found. From thispoint until arriving in Perth, Flintoff did not see anybody from the ECB."It is not suggested for a minute that any individual is to blame for thissorry state of affairs. All concerned have strained every sinew of theirbeing to do a good job for England, but somewhere along the way the systemhas failed and needs attention. Perhaps the appointment of the medicalofficer will achieve that, as Fletcher has suggested.That is all history. What matters now is that England manage to restore somepride and make the most of what they have available. Whatever the result, abattling performance in which team and individuals do themselves justicewouldgo a long way towards bolstering credibility. And a little bit of luck wouldnot go amiss.As for the Australians, they must be really worried. Consider the dilemmathat is occupying them even once they get the Gillespie situation sortedout. How do they resolve the problem of getting Martin Love – the man whoaverages 451 in two innings against the tourists – into the Test side. Nowonder their selectors have furrowed brows.

Confirmation has been received today that Courtney Walsh will be included in the Lashings All Star XI playing against a Gloucestershire Invitation XI at the County Ground, Bristol on Sunday 11 August.Gloucestershire are absolutely delighted that Courtney has agreed to turn out for this fixture and hope that members and supporters past and present will come along to welcome him.Amongst other stars playing for Lashings, Shoaib Akhtar is reported to be bowling even faster than ever and should add even further to the excitement of this fast moving new cricketing concept.Two 20 over games will be played, the first commencing at 12 noon.

South Africa women won the third one-day international against India at Centurion by three wickets, and in so doing won the first-ever Women’s Series in South Africa. A rain-interrupted match was in the balance until the penultimate ball when the winning runs were scored.After a rain-delayed 20 minute start, South Africa won the toss, and on a greenish pitch Cindy Eksteen decided to send the visitors in to bat – a decision that paid off early when both openers were back in the pavilion within four overs.Some quality front-foot play from Mithali Raj (39) and a solid undefeated innings from captain Anjum Chopra (41*) recovered the innings with an 83-run partnership. Rain after 12.5, 20 and 23.3 overs did not help the Indian cause. Breaks in concentration were evident as timing left both players during the three breaks in play.The South African bowlers did well to restrict the Indians to 111/3 in the reduced 30-over match. Far too many wides were bowled and in the end nearly caused the downfall of the South African team.Set to score 137 in 30 overs (D/L Method) the South Africans set about the bowling, staying ahead of the calculator until the last over when there were eight runs required. Some good running between Yulandi Van der Merwe and Cri-Zelda Brits saw the team home with one ball to spare.Mention must be made of the batting of Eksteen (36) and the bowling of the young left-arm orthodox spinner Neetu David. The latter always kept the pressure on the batsman, taking 2/17, and with the batsmen looking to score off her must take credit for the run out of Kerri Laign.The last internation before the one off test takes place in Cape Town on Saturday.

On Thursday 30 May 2002, the 1st day of the nPower Test Match between England and Sri Lanka, the stand will be re-opened by Jackie Rawlinson, the daughter of the late Eric Hollies. At around 10.20 am, before the start of play at 11.00 am, Mrs Rawlinson will be invited by Club Chairman, MJK Smith, to unveil a plaque and declare the stand officially open.The redeveloped stand has a dramatic new roof and an extra 1300 seats in what is the most popular spectator area of the ground. This increases the capacity at the ground to 21000 and further enhances Edgbaston’s position as the premier test venue outside of London.The innovative design by architects Bryant Priest Newman and engineers Price & Myers, both firms were part of the team that designed the award winning new indoor cricket centre, provides spectators with a variety of new facilities. These include new stair access, increased concourse space, new toilets including provision for the disabled, a new covered area for food, drink and merchandise, increased seating under cover, much improved disabled access and new tip-up seating.The work has been carried out by locally based Interserve Building and the contract administered by Birmingham company, Francis Graves Limited. Financial. Financial support has been received from Sport England in the form of a £200,000 `Safer Sports Ground Programme’ grant towards a total cost of £2.1 million. "This refurbishment is part of a programme of major improvements at Edgbaston which will ensure that we can provide the very best facilities for our members and cricket followers to watch domestic and international cricket in Birmingham." " With interest in international cricket increasing all the time this development will enable us to cater for greater crowds in increased comfort and safety. The additional capacity will give a wider audience the opportunity to experience the thrill of international cricket here at Edgbaston."

It was here at Colombo, at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground just down the road, that a youngster shyly accepted the Under-19 World Cup winners’ trophy two years ago.He’s still young, not as shy, but once again he claimed the limelight after a brilliant match-winning 111 that led India to a 14-run win against Zimbabwe in the ICC Champions’ Trophy today. For Mohammad Kaif, Sri Lanka really is paradise.Zimbabwe on the other hand, have little to thank this country for. The last time they were here, the marauding Sri Lankans used them as whipping boys. Today there was frustration too, despite a heroic hundred from Andy Flower that carried the Africans to the brink of a famous victory.Zimbabwe had grabbed the initiative in the morning, as Douglas Hondo, a loping medium-pacer who knocked the stuffing out of India’s top-order not long ago in a clash in Kochi, blew a hole in the Indian innings, removing four Indian batsmen in his first spell.After electing to bat, Sourav Ganguly (13) guided Hondo into the waiting hands of Alistair Campbell at slip, who then pouched similar chances off Dinesh Mongia (0) and Yuvraj Singh (3). Sachin Tendulkar, strangely reticent, knocked his way to seven before playing a wild slash against the first ball of the medium-pacer Shaun Ervine.As only he can, Virender Sehwag continued to plunder runs. For fans it’s a treat to watch. No matter what the situation is, what the ball is doing, or, indeed, what is best for the team, Sehwag attempts to hit the cover off every ball bowled at him. On the day, his attitude was a godsend to India. Despite having lost Ganguly, Mongia and Tendulkar in just 9.5 overs, the run rate was a healthy 6.7.This helped the in-form Rahul Dravid. Fluent from the first ball he faced, Dravid punched the ball through the off-side both off the back and front foot, to keep the scoreboard ticking over. It bears repeating, that Dravid is in the best form of his life. His machine-like efficiency has bored many, but as Dravid himself would tell you, it’s better to be boring and win than to be a flash talent and end up on the losing side.Fans, however, sometimes do not subscribe to this opinion. The trickle of Indian fans who came to the cricket on this cloudless summer’s day threatened to go quiet, or worse leave, as the boundaries dried up and India were forced to consolidate. Dravid and Kaif added 117 before the former was needlessly run out. Dismissed for 71, Dravid showed his disappointment at himself when he walked off the field, even before the third umpire could make up his mind.Kaif then showed how you can combine a cool head with the cheekiness of a brat, taking apart the Zimbabwean bowling. It was not pretty, it was not classical, but it was enough to take India to the mountainous total of 288/6.When he drove on the up, Kaif teased the man at cover, sending the ball just inches over outstretched hands. The heaves over mid-wicket were attempted only when it was possible to place the ball well away from the fielder. When neither was possible, Kaif cottoned on to the fact that fine leg was up in the circle to Ervine and scoop-swatted the ball away to the fine leg fence.No wonder then, that Kaif, unbeaten on 111 (112 balls, eight fours, one six), was the Indian hero on the day, totally justifying his inclusion as the seventh batsman in the side. Even sceptics of the Indians’ tactic of using Dravid as stumper to play an extra batsman would have to grudgingly grant the think-tank its due.The Zimbabwean response to this mammoth total was a handsome if not successful one. No team has ever successfully chased such a tall score at this ground. Andy Flower gave the impression he didn’t care two hoots about this particular product of the statistician’s computer.And despite the venue being Sri Lanka, where Andy Flower averages less than 25, he drove the Indian bowlers to despair. Knocking up his fourth ODI ton – apparently oblivious to the disappointing batting at the other end – he kept the Indians worried, and punters interested till the 49th over of the Zimbabwean chase. The southpaw, who has taken more than 1000 ODI runs off India in his career, brought up his first century against the team, adding to the three he has in the longer version of the game.There was, however, nothing forthcoming at the other end. A steady stream of wickets, with no one making as many as 35 runs, made the task at hand too hard for the lone ranger.The innings Andy Flower played though was worth more than the 145 (164 balls, 13 fours) he eventually ended up with. Thanks to this innings Zimbabwe reached 274/8 in 50 overs.Shirt drenched in sweat, beady eyes popping out in the strain of concentrating for so long and so hard, legs not responding as they had earlier in the day, Andy Flower dared to go where no other Zimbabwean could. His innings, an epic, almost makes you wish he was playing for a stronger team, where his efforts would reap more just returns.Just three days ago, however, this man said, with a steely look in his eye: “Before Zimbabwe got Test status, when I was starting off as a cricketer, I seriously considered moving elsewhere. But I wouldn’t go elsewhere just to play first class cricket because the money was better. That can never match playing for your country.”That’s enough to tell you why this man is so successful, so feared by opponents, and so respected by his peers.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming’s good start to the CricInfo Championship continued at the weekend and he is sitting third on the county run aggregate list for both divisions at the moment.He followed his back-to-back centuries for Middlesex in Division Two of the championship by being unbeaten on 31 when the declaration was applied in the second innings against Durham on Saturday. The game ended in a draw.Fleming took his run total for the season to 363 in six innings, two of them not out.His average is now 90.75 which is sixth on the list for all first-class cricket to date in England this summer but he has played most innings of those with better averages.But his one-day record has not been as impressive and he was out in a fourth-ball duck in yesterday’s one-day league game with Durham. In six one-day games this summer he has batted five times for 121 runs at 24.20.It wasn’t such good news for Mathew Sinclair however.His batting run which included a double century, a 199 and two centuries, ended when he was bowled for 14 in Cleethorpes’ chase for Castleford’s 173/8.The Cleethorpes side were smarting after Castleford labelled their opponents as a “one-man side” after their defeat the previous weekend by Cleethorpe when Sinclair was not able to play.Cleethorpe fell well short in the chase to be all out for 96. They now face a double header with Harrogate and Yorkshire Academy at home next weekend.