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The first Test at Mohali ended in a predictable manner with the visitors caving meekly. The middle-order batsmen were incapable of countering the guile of the spin twins, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. There was not even an iota of resistance and, considering that the pitch still played well, the visitors would not be pleased with their performance. Nasser Hussain appeared courageous in his comments after the game, but if his side can fight back in the remaining two Tests, it would be a bigger surprise for him rather than for the Indian cricketers.

Anil Kumble © AFP

The openers, Mark Butcher and Marcus Trescothick, triggered the collapse with some very poor shot selection against debutant Tinu Yohannan. The Indians have gained a promising medium-pacer in Yohannan and, though he is short on experience, he showed good temperament for a rookie. He was wayward at times, but he came back well in both innings to account for the openers. The fact that he dismissed the openers means that he has the ability to bowl well with the new ball. He can only get better, especially if he bowls in tandem with Javagal Srinath once the latter returns to the side. Iqbal Siddiqui may be enthusiastic and jovial, but it does seem that he has been given a break rather late in the day. He is not quick enough to surprise batsmen at the top level, and his control over line and length is nothing spectacular.England were looking to Graham Thorpe to rewrite the script in this match, but his stroke-filled innings proved inadequate under the circumstances. He has shown that he is capable of tackling spinners and will be a thorn in the Indian flesh. Thorpe and Hussain apart, the current English batting line-up looks too inexperienced to handle the pressures of playing under Indian conditions. They have a couple of all-rounders in the side, but they will realize soon that the Tests are a different ball game altogether from the first-class matches. Matthew Hoggard looks to be a hard-working medium-pacer, and he must be pleased with the way he bowled in this Test.The Indian spinners have ample reasons to be pleased too. Harbhajan Singh has once again got into the wicket-taking act after a very ordinary tour of South Africa. He bowls better with the ball used in Tests at home, although he believes otherwise. Kumble, the Man of the Match, is back to his tormenting best, and the Englishmen must be dreading the proposition of facing him on more helpful tracks. Kumble must have enjoyed this haul, for this spell would have gotten rid of any doubts that he had in his mind. There was talk of him being dropped in Port Elizabeth, which upset him visibly, but he is too hardened a professional to let circumstances get the better of him. He seemed a bit emotional after the match, which is very unlike him, and Sourav Ganguly can be sure of Kumble delivering in the remainder of the series.Deep Dasgupta has done a good job in this Test, and it is imperative that he keeps his fitness levels up because of his dual role. The think-tank must give a lot of thought when they decide the combination for the next match and seriously consider sending Dasgupta in to bat lower down the order. Agreed that he has a ton at the top of the order, but if at all he has to be on the field for a day and a half, it will only compound his problems. Of course, the other way of looking at it is that the performance of the English batsmen does not encourage this line of thought.

Gujranwala, Feb 16: Sri Lanka took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in thethree-match one-day international cricket series against Pakistanafter winning the second game by 34 runs at the Jinnah Stadium here onWednesday in front of a capacity crowd.Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya led from the front with a superb all-roundperformance which earned the Man-of-the-Match award. He struck asplendid 65 to lay foundation of Sri Lanka’s impressive score of 263for six in 50 overs, and then took two wickets for 30 as Pakistan werebowled out for 229 in 45.1 overs.The last match of the one-day series, at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahoreon Saturday (Feb 19), will now only be of academic interest.Benefiting from the first use of the wicket when Pakistan captainSaeed Anwar won the toss and opted to field for the second timerunning, the Sri Lankan batsmen prospered against some waywardbowling.Besides Jayasuriya, the in-form Marvan Atapattu also scored a fineknock of 57, followed by useful contributions from wicket-keeperRomesh Kaluwitharana (32), Chaminda Vaas (34) and Russel Arnold (36not out).Pakistan, who were docked one over because of a slow over-rate, onceagain failed to cope against the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling, whichwas backed up by brilliant fielding.A gallant knock of 68, the day’s top score, by Yousuf Youhana was notenough to pull the Pakistan team out of trouble. Even a late charge byWasim Akram, who hit four glorious sixes to electrify the crowd,proved a futile attempt by Pakistan to level the series.Wasim Akram hammered 34 off 29 balls and twice in succession hoistedoff-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan out of the ground. Arnold andPramodya Wickremasinghe were the other bowlers to suffer at Akram’shands.The rest of Pakistan batting was disappointing as only Aamir Sohail(23 off 32 balls), Saeed Anwar (17 off 13 balls), Younis Khan (28 off44 balls), Moin Khan (15) and Abdul Razzaq (14) managed to reachdouble figures.Saeed Anwar failed again when he tried to flick Vaas and was caught byUpul Chandana on the long-leg boundary. Imran Abbas was beaten by adirect throw from Muralitharan at the bowler’s end.After being well set, Aamir Sohail fell to a catch at square-leg byTillekeratne Dilshan off Wickremasinghe. That left the home team inall sorts of trouble at 50 for three.Youhana and Younis repaired the innings to some extent by adding 68runs for the fourth-wicket. However, at the total of 118, Younisplayed across to a sharply turning Muralitharan delivery and wasbowled through the gate.Jayasuriya, who bowls brisk left-arm spin, clean bowled Moin Khan witha full-length ball that hit the base of the off-stump as Pakistancrashed to 143 for five.Thereafter, the wickets kept falling atregular intervals.With the total on 176, Abdul Razzaq drove at a widish delivery fromVaas and but only succeeded in getting an outside edge. Azhar Mahmood,who was playing in his game of the series, fell cheaply when hespooned an easy catch to Dilshan at short mid-wicket off the bowlingof leg-spinner Chandana.Pakistan’s hopes were finally shattered when Youhana’s steady knockcame to an end when Wickremasinghe, who was brought on for a new spellby Jayasuriya, induced an uppish stroke with the first ball. Chandana,fielding at mid-off, held a simple catch just above his head. Youhanafaced 87 deliveries and hit only two fours.Saqlain was bowled by Jayasuriya for three.Wasim Akram’s dazzling knock proved a final flicker of hope but he wasbowled by Muralitharan at the start of the 46th over.Earlier, Sri Lanka owed their formidable total to brillianthalf-centuries by opener Jayasuriya and Atapattu. The Pakistan teamcaptain Saeed Anwar made the mistake of putting in the opposition intobat although the pitch looked tailor-made for batting.Pakistan’s pace bowlers failed to extract any life from the pitch orbenefit from the early morning moisture.Shoaib Akhtar, who was also making a comeback, was forced to leave thefield with a groin problem after sending down five expensive overs.A large crowd enjoyed the stroke-play of the visiting batsmen,especially Jayasuriya, Vaas and Kaluwitharana. All the four Pakistanipacemen, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood,and the spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Aamir Sohail failed to make anyimpression on the Sri Lankans.Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana laid the foundation of the innings byputting on 84 runs for the first-wicket off 93 balls. The Pakistanteam’s fielding also left much to be desired, although youngsters likeImran Nazir (substituting for Shoaib Akhtar) and Imran Abbas thrilledthe spectators with some neat work.Abdur Razzaq finally broke the partnership when Kaluwitharana wasbrilliantly held by wicket-keeper Moin Khan, who dived to his right.In fact, Moin excelled behind the stumps by holding two catches andbrought off a stumping.Jayasuriya departed after adding 37 runs for the second wicket standwith Atapattu, who has been batting consistently during thistour. Jayasuriya tried a cross-bat shot off Saqlain Mushtaq but onlygot a top edge to give Moin a simple catch. The second wicket fell atthe total of 121. Jayasuriya hit nine elegant boundaries in his115-minute stay at the crease in which he faced 78 balls.At the total of 147, Mahela Jayawardena (9) was smartly stumped byMoin as the batsman charged at Aamir Sohail but missed the line.Vaas, promoted in the order to bolster the scoring rate, hit 34 off 33deliveries which included two sixes over long-on in consecutive oversof Aamir Sohail. The left-hander tried a similar shot on the fifthball of Wasim Akram’s seventh over but mistimed it and the bowler helda brilliant two-handed catch over his head on his follow-through.Atapattu’s composed innings, which followed his unconquered 199 atKarachi, was terminated by a fine catch on near the deep mid-wicketboundary by Youhana off Saqlain.Indika de Saram struck 12, including a six off Saqlain, in his briefstay at the wicket before he was run out while backing up at thebowler’s end. A firm drive from Arnold was half stopped by Akram onhis follow through but the ball crashed into the stumps with thenon-striker de Saram out of his ground.Left-handed Arnold also played his part well in the later stages ofthe innings by lashing an unbeaten 36 off 29 balls.

A Rangers insider has delivered a big behind-the-scenes claim regarding Aaron Ramsey…

What’s the talk?

The former Gers player and current Rangers TV pundit, Alan Hutton, has provided an insight into the impact the Welsh international has had since arriving at the club on loan from Italian giants Juventus in January.

He told Football Insider: “I’ve heard little bits.

“Obviously his whole mentality, the way he is a player, he’s played at big clubs that are going to win things.

“I think the bar for yourself, you raise it when these players walk into the building. They expect a certain amount of talent to be out there on the pitch.

“You have to show it. I think he’s raised that bar. Everybody knows how much of a talented player he is and they want to get to that level. It’s things like that, just little things, that make the squad better.”

Rangers fans will be delighted

This claim from Hutton will surely delight fans as it shows that the midfielder is still making a difference for the side despite his limited involvement on the pitch so far.

It has been a frustrating start to his spell at Ibrox as he is yet to start a Premiership or Europa League match for Gio van Bronckhorst. His only start so far has come in the Scottish Cup in a 3-0 win over Annan Athletic, with the former Arsenal man picking up an assist for Filip Helander’s goal in the match.

He has only played two matches in the Premiership and has accrued 30 minutes of football in the competition, which highlights how much of a struggle it has been for him throughout February. The midfielder missed the second leg of the win over Borussia Dortmund in Europe through injury, but he still has plenty of time left to come in and be a difference-maker on the pitch.

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For now, though, fans will be delighted to read that Ramsey has been a positive influence off the pitch. His arrival has seemingly given everyone at the club a boost and his experience could prove vital as the Gers go deeper into a title race with Celtic and the latter stages of the Europa League.

Therefore, the supporters will be pleased that he is having an impact at the club in spite of his struggles to get on the pitch. Whilst it is not ideal that he has been dealing with injury issues, at least he is not simply taking his payslip and making no contribution to the side.

AND in other news, Forget Tavernier: £6.4k-p/w Rangers tank with 75% duels won was real star of the show…

	“He’s a little bit different in the fact that he probably brings the ball back into right-handers more than most right-arm bowlers we have faced.” – Ricky Ponting explains why Ishant is dangerous © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting is still working out how to tackle Ishant Sharma. You could say he is a bit puzzled. The Australian captain admitted as much as Ishant waited to talk about his spoils at the post-match media briefing.”He’s been a big improver for India through this tour”, Ponting said of Ishant, who has already got him thrice this summer. Memories of the WACA Test, where he twice edged Ishant to the slips, during the Test series, seem to still haunt Ponting and he had no answer to Ishant’s poser on Sunday.Not surprising, then, that Ishant knows the value of having the number of the one of the best batsmen of this decade. “Ponting is one my favourite batsmen and if you get the batsman complimenting you, it feels good,” Sharma explained modestly.Even if he was taking the new ball for the first time in the ODIs Ishant had fast-tracked his growth as a bowler on the first leg of the tour to a position where he was able to handle the pressures of sharing the new ball. He stuttered a touch initially; his first ball was a no-ball, the fifth was a wide and in between Hayden edged one just above the outstretched hands of Rohit Sharma at the third slip. He was clearly still settling in the next over and went for 18 runs, including three fours from Hayden’s bat.Ishant wasn’t beaten, though, and recovered sufficiently to pick up three top-order wickets in Hayden, Ponting and Andrew Symonds to effectively turn the match in India’s favour. Later, he explained his turnaround. “After that over [when he went for 18] Dhoni told me to stick to my plans. He felt I was trying to do something else and instead I should do what I had to. I calmed down from that point.”It wasn’t just calmness, of course; it also involved execution of a plan. “We had our plans for each batsman and I just worked on that. For Ponting, it was to bowl to him on the fourth stump.”Ponting reckons Ishant is one of the few right-arm fast bowlers who can bring the ball in and that makes him a difficult proposition. “He’s a little bit different in the fact that he probably brings the ball back into right-handers more than most right-arm bowlers we have faced. Normally as a right-handed batsman you usually only get the ball coming back in from left-armers. He’s tall, he hits the deck pretty hard and he gets a little bit of inconsistent bounce off the wicket.”Ponting said Ishant has the variety that can also trouble the left-handers and compared him to the Makhaya Ntini in that respect. “He’s looked dangerous. With the angles he creates he can be pretty dangerous against the left-handers as well and he swings the ball away from them, a bit like Ntini does.”When asked if the workload has been an issue, Ishant said he was fine even if he felt a “little tired” at the end of today’s encounter. “I was a bit tired and I had stomach aches but I have bowled long spells and my stamina is improving.”

Geoff Barnett’s 41 was the only positive John Davison could draw from Canada’s loss © Getty Images

John Davison, the Canada captain, conceded his side resembled a village cricket team in their seven-wicket loss to Kenya. Davison was equally concerned with Canada’s bowling as their batting after Steve Tikolo guided Kenya past their target of 200 with 40 balls to spare.”There weren’t too many positives there for us,” Davison told . “Geoff Barnett got us off to a pretty good start but once he was out I don’t think we competed for the rest of the game. That pretty much sums it up.”Barnett departed for 41 and Kenya’s spinners troubled the Canada middle-order before the innings finished with what Davison called a series of “village and embarrassing” run-outs. In the field, Canada gave away 18 wides and two no-balls.”It didn’t click,” Davison said. “It was really disappointing. We haven’t bowled that many extras in a game for a long time. Maybe the pressure of the occasion got to us.”Davison said the efforts of the Kenya spinners, especially Hiren Varaiya (1 for 19 off ten) and Jimmy Kamande (2 for 25 from ten) were good but Canada could have handled them better. “(Varaiya) is a good spinner but I don’t think there is a world-class spinner in that team,” he said. “It’s an opportunity missed for us.”Tikolo, who made 72 not out and took 2 for 34 in a Man-of-the-Match performance, said Kenya were a chance to progress past the group stage with a win over England or New Zealand. “I believe in my players, I do have confidence in them,” Tikolo said.”They know this is the World Cup and this is the big stage. How they carried themselves today goes to show they were up for it. All in all it was a good game. Up front we gave away too many runs but the spinners pulled it back in the middle.”

Shoaib Malik hopes to be fit for the Indian series © Getty Images

Shoaib Malik, Pakistan’s young allrounder, has had surgery on his heels in order to be fit and available for next month’s home series against India. Malik, a regular member of Pakistan’s Test and one-day teams against England in the recent home series, underwent the operation after complaining of acute pain due to corns.”Doctors advised him to go for the surgery as he would not have been able to carry on against India in the same condition,” said a Pakistan Cricket Board official, speaking to Reuters. “He will now be fit before the first Test against India from January 13.”Malik said: “I was facing a lot of pain batting and bowling because I had to put weight on my heels. Doctors say I can now resume playing after a week’s rest. The series against India is very important for me and after a satisfactory series win against England I am looking forward to cementing my place in the side.”The 23-year-old was cleared earlier this month of a suspect bowling action after undergoing tests at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Malik, who opened the batting in the 2-0 Test series win over England, has played in 12 Tests and 107 one-day internationals. Pakistan won the one-day series 3-2. The Indian team is scheduled to reach Pakistan on January 6 to play three Tests and five one-dayers.

Experience and youthful exuberance combined to swamp Bangladesh© Getty Images

There’s a macabre inevitability to the Bangladeshi batting that reminds you of the trashy tomato-ketchup-and-spray-paint Friday the 13th movies. Just as you knew that Jason’s knife would strike soft tissue a couple of times every reel, so you know that Bangladesh’s top order will manage convincing sitting-duck impersonations against the new ball.In their 32 Tests before this one, Bangladesh had survived long enough to sight the second new ball only on 22 occasions, and six of those were against fellow strugglers Zimbabwe. Their utter ineptitude when confronted by Irfan Pathan this afternoon was yet another indication that Dav Whatmore’s wards suffer from some sort of learning disability. For all his talent, Pathan is no Wasim Akram just yet, and most international batsmen cotton on to the fact that his most dangerous delivery is the one that swings back into the right-hander.Having lost their wickets to those inswingers in the first innings, it defied belief that the same mistakes were made at the second time of asking, with three men taking the caught-on-the-crease-lemming route back to the pavilion. The fourth, Habibul Bashar, should have trudged back thanking the good Lord that he doesn’t play for Ray Jennings, who would surely have made him crawl across the floor for a sip of water.The way Bashar allowed himself to be suckered made you scratch your head and wonder whether it was he or Pathan that was the inexperienced 20-year-old. From a novice, such a shot could have been written off as youthful indiscretion, but from the team captain and veteran of 30 Tests, it was a stroke that deserved a spell in solitary. Not since Andrew Hilditch – the happy hooker who Ian Botham used to set up for fun – has international cricket seen such low resistance to pull-and-hook temptations.The technical frailties that the Bangladeshi batsmen continue to exhibit are a symptom of a far greater malaise. On the eve of attaining Test status in 2000, this writer spoke to Minhajul Abedin, one of the stars of the pre-Test era. In that climate of euphoria, his was one of the few dissenting voices. He suggested that Bangladesh were not ready for the challenge because there was no culture of three-day cricket across the country. Almost all the players had been raised in the slap-happy climate of the Dhaka league, and while such a cavalier approach could pass muster in the one-day game, it would undoubtedly be found out in the longer version.As in Pakistan – several of their top order were also clueless against Pathan in the Tests played last April – quality coaching has yet to permeate to the grass-roots level. If India and Sri Lanka continue to produce technically sound batsmen, part of the reason is the coaching at the maidans and schools, which goes hand-in-hand with a culture of playing and watching three and four-day cricket. Pakistan’s batting titans – Inzamam-ul-Haq is a prime example – have thrived despite the system, and not because of it, helped by reservoirs of talent that no amount of coaching can instil.The crowd’s agony over the batsmen’s meek capitulation was exacerbated by a marvellous display from Zaheer Khan, who rode his luck to belt the cover off the ball in the morning session. The record books will say that his 75 is the highest score by a number 11, but most observers know that he should be batting higher up the order, being well capable of a noteworthy contribution when in the mood. Today, he was clearly energised by the presence of Tendulkar, and that inspiration was given expression through some dazzling hits down the ground.For all his mighty-oak status in Indian cricket, Tendulkar shares a wonderful rapport with the younger bunch. Besides being a senior whom they respect immensely, he’s someone that they can share a laugh, and a chocolate éclair – don’t tell the dietician – with. Greatness, when aloof, can inhibit others, but when it embraces, the ripple effect created can lead to unparalleled feats. For hapless Bangladesh, that morning ripple alone had the force of a tsunami.

Scorecard

Man of the Match Andrew Hall appeals successfully against Lancashire’s Andrew Flintoff

Andrew Hall held his nerve to bowl Worcestershire through to the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy final in a nail-biting and topsy-turvey semi-final against Lancashire at New Road. Mal Loye ended unbeaten on 116, but his brave effort was not enough as the Lancashire tail-enders lost their way.After being up against it for the majority if the match, Lancashire had the game in the bag needing only seven runs from the last over. But Hall (4 for 36) stayed calm and fired in the yorkers to great effect. He picked up two wickets and gave away only one run to take Worcestershire through to the final against Gloucestershire.Lancashire made a slow start to their chase of 255 and Nantie Hayward soon trapped Mark Chilton lbw with an inswinging yorker (15 for 1). Matthew Mayson then kept the pressure on with a superb spell of seam bowling (1 for 23 from 10 overs) and got his reward with the big wicket of Stuart Law, caught by Hall at second slip (70 for 2). Hall then got in the act with the two wickets of Carl Hooper and Andrew Flintoff, both lbw, and Lancashire had spluttered to 108 for 4.Meanwhile, Mal Loye stayed firm and gave Lancashire hope with his mixture of aggressive leg-side thwacks and sensible accumulation. He and Chris Schofield hauled Lancashire back in the game with a rollicking 63 stand in which Schofield savaged all before him in a cameo 32 from 31 balls. Gareth Batty may soon be an international, but Schofield – who is an international, in case you’ve forgotten – showed him no respect and crashed him for four boundaries in the 37th over to tilt the game in the balance.But Schofield soon found out that all good things come to an end when he slapped David Leatherdale to Hayward at mid-on (171 for 5). Glen Chapple, another new England call-up, kept Loye support and his enterprising 44 from 43 balls all but secured the tie for Lancashire. But when he was bowled by Kabir Ali going for another big hit, the game was thrown wide open. Warren Hegg and Peter Martin were bowled in the final over and John Wood run out as Lancashire self-destructed to a six-run loss.Hegg, the Lancashire captain, said before the game that Graeme Hick was Worcestershire’s dangerman, and his prediction was spot on, unlike his decision to bowl first. Hick belted 97 from 112 balls in a rollicking start. He got in to the groove straight away and he and the impressive Anurag Singh added 155 for the second wicket. The pair made the most of the good batting track and baking hot conditions as they cashed in on anything wide and short.Singh hit 63 from 104 when Lancashire made a much-needed breakthrough as Singh was caught by Schofield at point off Flintoff (159 for 2). Hick, who was dropped by Hegg in the thirties, continued to give it some humpty and clobbered 16 fours and was on course for another limited-overs century when Chapple struck to dislodge Hick when a leading edge flew to Carl Hooper at cover (191 for 3).Ben Smith (36) and Hall (26) kept up the momentum, and even though Hick’s wicket slightly took the wind out of their sails, their 254 for 5 was enough – just.

Auckland sprinted away to an eight-wicket win over Central Districts before lunch on the fourth day of the State Championship match on the Eden Park Outer Oval – a performance which should produce a couple of interesting echoes amid the New Zealanders as they prepared for tomorrow’s third Test against Australia at the WACA.The first was that Auckland’s comfortable win – after three days of uncomfortable or restricted batting from both sides – should be built round an almost faultless century by Matt Horne, the discarded New Zealand Test opening batsman.Horne’s 18th first-class century was carefully built over 272 minutes, and apart from two rather hairy strokes, did not offer the frustrated Central Districts bowlers a chance.Horne, who had earned top marks from the selector Ross Dykes during the earlier New Zealand A tour of India, looked every inch a first-rate, technically correct opening batsman – assets which seem to have slipped out of Matthew Bell’s gear-bag in Australia.The second echo was more or less caused by Stephen Fleming, scathing criticism of his bowlers, ability to bowl the right line and length in the second Test at Hobart, and his subsequent plea that Dennis Lillee should be asked for starting-from-scratch coaching advice in Perth.A very senior bowler, who shall be nameless, remarked during the first three days of the Auckland-Central Districts match that the indifferent form of the New Zealand seamers in the two Tests in Australia was merely a case of chickens come home to roost in New Zealand.He was referring to the green Eden Park pitch which for at least the first two-and-half days gave the medium-fast seam and swing bowlers extraordinary help, and which left the batsmen resigned to being inevitably undone by some mischief from the pitch.This, said the senior bowler, was the precise fault with the production of the recent crop of New Zealand team medium-fast bowlers. On pitches even half as helpful as this mettlesome Eden Park pitch, New Zealand bowlers were given extraordinary help in the matter of whipping the ball into the pads for lbw, or nicking the outside edge for the fatal catch.The early Auckland and Central seamers had only to land one or two balls an over on the right line and length and they had a fair chance of taking a wicket.As the senior bowler pointed out, in Australia two balls on target would have left four balls for the home batsmen to murder.Five or six balls was the required rate of accuracy at Test level, especially on pitches in Australia which generally favoured Australian batsmen gifted both in the arts of driving and cross-batted strokes.Last evening and this morning Horne and his undefeated partner Aaron Barnes batted with more than a hint of Australian efficiency.In contrast, the Central Districts bowlers, who had looked like demons in the first third of the match, were as nasty as new-born lambs as the Aucklanders marched away to the win with their record-breaking and unbroken stand of 151.Central Districts were hampered slightly by the loss through injury of Ewen Thompson, with his broken forearm, which left them only three seamers and Campbell Furlong’s genial off-spin.Faced by poised and patient batsmen, the Central Districts bowlers were reduced to hopeful trundlers, for the pitch had lost almost all its earlier spite.Horne nearly gave a catching chance when he was 97, and once almost had a ball from Furlong trickle into his stumps.Otherwise, he and Barnes gave the Central Districts bowlers not the slightest bit of charity, and in a game that had already had 12 lbw decisions (and sufficient roared lbw appeals to satisfy a Cossack choir), there was never even one lbw appeal from the hamstrung Central bowlers this morning.There may be problems with with the quality of New Zealand Test bowlers and batsmen on the evidence available from Australia. The solution will not be found there, even from Lillee the grand master of fast bowling. If there are answers to the puzzles they are found in the quality, or lack of it, of the pitches on which New Zealanders play their cricket.

Pacer Cuthbert Musoko’s maiden List A five-for bowled Matabeleland Tuskers for 130, setting up a 31-run win for Mountaineers in their first match of the Pro50 Championship. Musoko’s 5 for 19 off 8.4 overs helped Mountaineers defend a total of 161 with ease, after they had been left reeling by Tawanda Mupariwa’s 6 for 52.Tuskers began their chase of 162 solidly as the openers, Bonaparte Mujuru and Nkosana Mpofu, added 52. They collapsed quickly, however, going from 52 for 0 to 91 for 8, with Musoko, Tatenda Mupunga (2-33) and Shingi Masakadza (2-23) contributing to the slide. Mbekezeli Mabuza shepherded the score past 100 – a 34-run, ninth-wicket stand contributing to the team’s cause – but the chase was too much for the tail-enders.Mountaineers had had their own batting collapse, after being put in to bat, as Mupariwa cut through the line-up, taking five wickets to reduce the side to 57 for 5. They were lifted to 161 only through knocks from Hamilton Masakadza (46) and Roy Kaia. The batsmen added 41 for the sixth wicket, before Kaia shared in a 49-run stand for the ninth wicket en route to his 59 off 90 deliveries. Roy Kaia was the ninth wicket to fall and became Mupariwa’s sixth wicket.Fifties from Joylord Gumbie and Gary Chirimuuta, and a four-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Bright Mugochi set up a 67-run win for Mashonaland Eagles in their opening match of the Pro50 Championship against Mid West Rhinos.Gumbi’s 94-ball 80 powered the Eagles to a strong start as he shared partnerships worth 62 and 75 runs for the first and second wicket with Kudzai Maunze and Simbarashe Gupo respectively. After Gumbi fell, Chirimuuta consolidated, striking 68 off 60 balls with 10 fours, and contributed to a 72-run stand with Gupo to guide the side towards a strong total. Eagles lost quick wickets towards the end but were still able to post a competitive 265 for 7.Despite the early loss of Tendai Maruma, Rhinos rebuilt through a 74-run partnership for the second wicket between Bothwell Chapungu and Tarisai Musakanda. Mugochi, however, got both batsmen and then effected a run-out to leave Rhinos at a wobbly 92 for 4. A fifth-wicket partnership of 53 between Nyasha Mayavo and captain Remembrance Nyathi provided some resistance but once the stand was broken, Eagles quickly wrapped up proceedings.