Cricket, both at the Test and street level, owes its charm to thesense of camaraderie and respect you share with your opponent.But with the continued media focus and the commercialisation ofthe international game over the years, things have indeed changedand for worse.The image of the game owes a lot to all the past players who hadset the right kind of example for the youngsters to emulate. Inthose days, one could see more families in the stadium, most ofthem arriving with their lunch hampers or packets for the daylong entertainment. The ones who couldn’t make it to the ground,always stayed home listening to the radio broadcast. Mind you,the contributions of the radio commentators like John Arlott,Alan McGilvray and Brian Johnston in spreading the spirit of thegame cannot be underestimated.Now, though, it seems that the spirit of the game they sozealously propagated is taking a serious beating. The fieldingside and the bowlers seem to be appealing for almost everythingand the batsmen refuse to walk even if they are know that theyare out.

All this despite the relentless scrutiny by the ubiquitous TVcamera, which, incidentally, I think is one of the reasonsbehind the change of the character of the game as a whole. Thanksto this all-seeing device, the pressures on the umpires hasincreased manifold these days and sadly quite a few umpires inthe ICC elite panel seem to have fallen prey to it.To tackle this disturbing trend, one of the steps that the ICCcould take is to formulate a policy by which the Match Refereereviews all controversial moments of the day’s play and then actson it. Punishments that are handed out in this manner could serveto caution players who have been trying to put pressure on theumpire by appealing when there is clearly no need for it.I for one feel the whole process of appealing needs conviction.For instance, in a recent game, Bangladesh skipper andwicket-keeper Khaled Mashud was seen appealing for a leg-beforedecision despite it being clear to everybody concerned that theball was missing the leg stump by quite a margin. Then there arethe batsmen who stay put like innocent lambs after getting athick edge. It is ridiculous to see such instances of the playersleaving all the decision-making to the umpires. Probably theyhave forgotten that the umpires’ role lies only in helping themplay the game in a fair manner.All this has meant that umpires, despite being well-paid andtaken care of, have been constantly erring while applying thesimplest of the rules. An example could be that of the largenumber of poor lbw decisions, which seemed to be handed out evenwhen the ball is pitching down the legside. ICC should keep alogbook on such poor umpiring decisions, and eventually show thedoor to the umpires, who seem to be erring repeatedly.The golden rule accepted by all is that the benefit of doubtshould go to the batsman. TV replays can always expose whether aplayer – either a batsman or a fielder – was trying to cheat theumpire. The match referee should be empowered to caution suchplayers, and repeated offenders must be punished severely. Ithink it will be far better for the game to get rid of suchspiritless blokes than entrust bulk of the decision-making to theTV umpires.

In my playing days, there was a lot of goodwill between teams andplayers; batsmen used to walk while the fielding side used torecall a batsman if they thought the decision was not justified.Let us try to put that spirit back into this game.Before I end, I must congratulate the ICC for having dealt withthe Darren Lehmann incident in a firm manner. It was shockingthat someone as experienced as Lehmann – a cricketer who hasplayed around the world and rubbed shoulders with so many players- actually made such outrageous racial remarks. The Australianshould count himself very lucky to have got away with a lightpunishment. Lehmann’s outburst is not only a slap on the face ofhumanity but also a cruel reminder that the spirit of the game ison the wane.

After the dazzling display of the 2003 ICC World Cup opening ceremony, the genius of Brian Lara managed to surpass the spectacle and enthrall a capacity crowd of 24,200 in the opening match of the tournament the West Indies and South Africa.Set a target of 279, South Africa spluttered along before Lance Klusener injected some belated life into the match with 57 from 48 balls, taking the hosts agonisingly close to victory.Fined an over for a slow over rate, South Africa ended on 275/9, three runs short. For West Indies it was a deserved and brilliant win, notching them four points on the log.Lara came to the crease with West Indies seven for two in the seventh over,and immediately gave a difficult chance to Jacques Kallis, diving away to his left at second slip, off Makhaya Ntini. Thereafter he never looked back. In anear-perfect display of batting he defended when required, drove with graceand pulled with timed aggression. The longer he stayed, the more menacing the little man with the high back lift became.His 50 came up off 78 balls, and included five fours and a straight six offthe bowling of Allan Donald. His next fifty came up in just 43 balls with thesame number of boundaries and another six, this time off Lance Klusener, neatly and cleanly flicked off the legs over square leg.The brilliance of Lara could only have been ended by brilliance. On 116 he tried to force Ntini to leg, only to get the leading edge and sky the ball into the gap between mid on and mid wicket. Shaun Pollock, running round from mid wicket and diving at the last moment managed to get two hands to the ball and held on as he heavily landed on the turf.A standing ovation from the Newlands faithful greeted a player who deservedevery accolade as he left the field, bat held aloft.Partnerships of 102 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (34), incisive in getting the innings back on track, and 89 with Carl Hooper (40) brought respectability to the West Indies total, after they had been on just 215/5 with four overs left.But a 63-run onslaught in the final four overs from Ricardo Powell and RamnareshSarwan saw the sparkle disappear from the South African eyes. A 23-run overfrom Pollock, twice dispatched for maximum, allowed the West Indies to reachan excellent total of 278/5.Apart for the one expensive over, Pollock was again on line and length, claiming the first two wickets in a six-over spell costing only nine runs. Ntini followed his captain’s example, finishing with 2/37 in his ten overs.For the rest, there is a lot of hard work before the next match against Kenya. Donald was wayward and never settled. Klusener was ineffective, while Kallis was left to bowl the final overs. Hooper never gave Nicky Boje a chance to settle.Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten got the South African innings off to agood start, adding 46 before Gibbs, on 24, pushed lazily forward to Mervyn Dillon to edge to keeper Ridley Jacobs moving to his right.Boeta Dippenaar got bogged down before clearing the ropes at cover for maximum, and then immediately shuffling past a Hooper delivery to be stumped for 20.Kallis edged to Jacobs for 13, and Jonty Rhodes (2) dragged one on from Hooper for South Africa to sit precariously on 117/4. Kirsten and Boucher moved the score to 155 before Kirsten popped a return catch to Dillon for 69 hard-earned runs.Boucher had made a good quick 49, at a run a ball, when he played over the top of a Gayle yorker after seeing Pollock fall to an excellent catch by Hooper at cover.Klusener, man of the series in the 1999 tournament in England, had been in a poor run of form. He could not have chosen a better time to regain his confidence. Five sixes and a four helped him to 50 off 43 balls.He should have been out on 31, but Collins, taking a catch on the boundary,inexplicably took two steps back, and trod on the rope.A good penultimate over, bowled by Collins, resulted in only five runs, leaving South Africa requiring nine off the last over, bowled by Vasbert Drakes. Klusener mistimed the third ball, lofting it into the deep for Hooper to take a low catch inside the boundary. South Africa were 271/8.Klusener, not bothering to run, left Ntini instead of Boje to face. Ntini hoisted the fifth ball into the deep for Ramnaresh Sarwan to speed around the cover boundary, taking a comfortable catch with the score still on 271.With eight runs needed off only one ball, Boje tickled it around the corner for four and West Indies had won by three runs. There were two wickets apiece for Dillon, Collins, Drakes, Hooper and Gayle, but centurion Brian Lara was made man-of-the match.The game had fluctuated continually and as far as entertainment value goes,was a fitting opener to the 2003 ICC World Cup. May the remainder of the games be as exciting as this one.

JOHANNESBURG, March 14 AFP – Disgraced Australian cricket legend Shane Warne is set to return to South Africa just after the World Cup final for a series of lucrative speaking engagements.Warne, who was suspended from all cricket for twelve months after failing a drugs test for a banned diuretic, has been signed up to speak at functions in Durban on March 26 and in Johannesburg on March 28.”Although Shane has been banned from the game, the dates were fixed before that time and I have no problems with him coming here,” Ross Fraser, the head of organising body CorporateSport, told AFP today.Warne left South Africa for home on February 11, the day of Australia’s opening World Cup match against Pakistan at the Wanderers, when news of his positive test broke.”He will be involved in three functions – the two in Durban and Johannesburg as well as a golf day which has yet to be finalised,” added Fraser.”Originally, he was going to stay on after the tournament, but of course those plans changed. He will probably now come on the Monday after the final as he has no desire to interfere with the Australian team.”Tickets for the two morning functions, entitled the ‘What Now Warnie?’ breakfasts, cost 342 rand ($A70).”I think Shane has been very brave in agreeing to talk about what has happened,” said Fraser.”He could easily have decided to hide away but there will be a question and answer session where people can ask him about what has gone on.”The 33-year-old Warne returned the positive test on January 22, which forced him home from what would have been his last World Cup.After earlier denials that he had taken more than one diuretic pill, Warne eventually admitted that he had first taken the banned diuretic on December 12 – to get rid of an alcohol-induced double chin.Warne also said that he took a diuretic given to him by his mother to look good for a press conference to announce his retirement from international one-day cricket.He also admitted to being silly for not checking what tablets he was taking, and said he should have listened more to Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) briefings on banned substances.Warne estimated the ban from all cricket could cost him around $A3 million.The Australian star has enjoyed a hugely successful career with 491 Test wickets helping him to be named as one of Wisden’s top five cricketers of all time.

Injury-plagued paceman Jason Gillespie has declared himself fit for Australia’s tour of the West Indies after bowling for the first time since returning injured from the World Cup.Gillespie bowled just 18 deliveries at the Adelaide Oval nets, but it was enough to convince the fast bowler he had overcome a torn tendon in his right foot which ended his World Cup campaign.”Everything seemed to go well, it felt good and really positive,” Gillespie said.”Clinically my leg is fine now, the strength is getting back and just to have a bowl felt really good and I was more than happy with the result.”Gillespie said today’s brief net session, his first bowl for almost four weeks, assured he would join the Australian squad on Monday for departure to the West Indies and the four-Test series starting April 10 in Guyana.The South Australian has missed as much international cricket as he has played because of injury.”Injuries are part and parcel of being a fast bowler,” he said.”You try to avoid them anyway you can by your preparation and getting yourself ready as best you can for games.”If you do all that and you get injured there’s not really much that you can do.”I have changed a bit of my training methods to just try and adapt and put a bit less strain on the body and just try and get that strength there to get me through series and games.”A few years back when I broke my leg (in Sri Lanka in 1999) I certainly changed my whole training regime and it seemed to have worked.”I have had the odd injury here and there but nothing overly significant, sprains and strains.”They are disappointing but you have just got to get back and get yourself ready again.”Gillespie said his goals for the West Indies tour were simple: return to the Australian side and make an impact.”It’s a great tour and a great place to play cricket,” he said.”The sun is on your back all the time and in your downtime you can head down to the beach and just relax.”The conditions are quite tough for both batting and bowling and it’s a real test of your cricket nous.”The West Indies at home are a very tough side and you know you have to play very good cricket to win.”

Craig Neil Evans – born Harare, 29 November 1969
Right-handed batsman, right-arm medium-pace bowler
Career: 1990/91-2001/02

Abbreviations: Capital letters for team namesdenotes a Test match.Man – ManicalandMash – Mashonaland * indicates not out inningsMat – Matabeleland + indicates wicket-keeperMCD – Mashonaland Country Districts *+ retired hurt/illMid – Midlands # batted firstZim – Zimbabwe/ZimbabweansGrounds:Alex – Alexandra Sports Club OG – Old Georgians Sports ClubBAC – Bulawayo Athletic Club OH – Old Hararians Sports ClubHSC – Harare Sports ClubNo. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1990/91 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total1 Zimbabwe B v Pakistan B (6) 39 #145 – (7) 1 0 7 0 375/4d(Harare South, 3 Oct – lost) (5) 2 262 – — 36/02 Young Zimbabwe v Pakistan B (4) 6 187 – — #469(Alex, 16 Oct – drawn) – — 86/33 Zimbabwe v Pakistan B (7) 27 #252 1 (6) 9 0 34 1 421(HSC, 22 Oct – lost) (8) 3 1441990/91 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 5 0 77 39 15.40 – – 1 10 0 41 1 41.00 1/34 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1992/93 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total4 Zimbabwe B v New Zealanders (3) 66 #246/8d 1 — 234/7d(OG, 26 Oct – L) (3) 56 194 – — 208/25 Zimbabwe B v Kent (5) 0 194 – — #323/5d(OH, 30 March – D) (2) 2 101/5 2 — 151/8dM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 4 0 124 66 31.00 – 2 3 –Career 5 9 0 201 66 22.33 – 2 4 10 0 41 1 41.00 1/34 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1993/94 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total6 Mash Under-24 v Mashonaland (7) 7 #284 – (5) 3 0 16 1 75(HSC, 11 Feb – W) — 45/0 1 (6) 5 0 25 1 2537 Mash Under-24 v MCD (6) 4 #283 – (6) 4 1 8 1 249(Alex, 4 March – D) (6) 0 292 1 (5) 3 0 18 0 296/8M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 15 1 67 3 22.33 1/8 – -Career 7 12 0 212 66 17.66 – 2 6 25 1 108 4 27.00 1/8 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1994/95 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total8 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (5) 5 #344/7d – — 178(BAC, 16 Sept – W) — 76/1 – (7) 3 1 2 0 2419 Mat Select XI v South Africa A (6) 14 #379 – — 471/9d(BAC, 27 Sept – L) (6) 14 308 1 (4) 19 1 75 0 219/410 Zimbabwe A v South Africa A (6) 4 #87 1 (6) 3.3 0 17 1 409(Alex, 4 Oct – L) (6) 34 14311 Mashonaland v MCD (6) 3 #188 – (3) 14 4 29 2 182(HSC, 10 March – W) (2) 112 421 – (3) 9 2 29 1 16112 Mashonaland v Mash Under-24 (1) 11 #258 – (4) 11 2 29 2 157(HSC, 24 March – W) (1) 0 347/6d – (4) 9 2 25 0 28313 Mash XI v Northamptonshire (4) 6* 83 – (3) 12 1 39 1 #276/7d(HSC, 4 April – W) (4) 102 417/4 – (5) 6 1 10 0 223M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM6 11 1 305 112 30.50 2 – 2 86.3 14 255 7 36.42 2/29 – -Career 13 23 1 517 112 23.50 2 2 8 111.3 15 363 11 33.00 2/29 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1995/96 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total14 MCD v Young Mashonaland (4) 26 #309 – — 182(Alex, 15 Sept – W) (4) 66* 264/2d – (4) 4.4 2 7 1 168M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMCareer 14 25 2 609 112 26.47 2 3 8 116.1 17 370 12 30.83 2/29 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1995/96 (South Africa) bat Score Total bowl Total15 Zimbabwe A v Transvaal (5) 6 #264 1 (7) 5 2 18 0 509(Johannesburg, 21 Sept – L) (5) 9 312 – (5) 1 0 1 0 70/116 Zimbabwe v Eastern Province (5) 14 #112 – (7) 12 3 31 1 313(Port Elizabeth, 28 Sept – L) (5) 31 14417 Zimbabwe A v South Africa A (6) 0 #221 – — 310(Durban, 6 Oct – D) (6) 74 256/81995/96 (NEW ZEALAND) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 6 0 134 74 22.33 – 1 1 18 5 50 1 50.00 1/31 – -Career 17 31 2 743 112 25.62 2 4 9 134.1 22 420 13 32.30 2/29 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1995/96 (Zimbabwe, cont.) bat Score Total bowl Total18 MCD v Matabeleland (3) 0 209 – (5) 3 1 13 0 #152(BAC, 17 Nov – L) (3) 73 283 3 — 34419 MCD v Mashonaland (3) 4 279 – (4) 5 2 13 1 #133(Harare South, 8 Dec – W) (3) 15 207/8 – (4) 10 2 16 0 35220 Zim Board XI v Griqualand West (5) 22 153 – (4) 8 1 16 0 #290/9d(Harare South, 15 Dec – D) (5) 2 258/9 – (4) 2 0 12 0 183/9d21 Mash Invitation XI v Yorkshire (4) 13 273/9d – (3) 15 4 43 1 #267/6d(HSC, 1 April – L) (4) 35 156 – (7) 9 0 37 0 215/7d22 MCD v Matabeleland (6) 7 #265 – (3) 10 0 28 2 220(BAC, 19 April – L) (6) 26 128 – (6) 5 0 20 0 176/41995/96 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM6 12 1 289 73 26.27 – 2 3 71.4 12 205 5 41.00 2/28 – -Career 22 41 2 940 112 24.10 2 5 12 201.1 32 618 17 36.35 2/28 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1996/97 (Sri Lanka) bat Score Total bowl Total23 ZIMBABWE v SRI LANKA (1st) (8) 9 145 1 (6) 6 0 27 0 #349(Colombo Pre, 11 Sept – L) (7) 1 1271996/97 (SRI LANKA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 2 0 10 9 5.00 – – 1 6 0 27 0 –Career 23 43 2 950 112 23.17 2 5 13 207.1 32 645 17 37.94 2/28 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1996/97 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total24 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (6) 4 #477/6d – — 69/4d(BAC, 22 Nov – W) — forfeit – (3) 8 2 15 1 1951996/97 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – – 8 2 15 1 15.00 1/15 – -Career 24 44 2 954 112 22.71 2 5 13 215.1 34 660 18 36.66 2/28 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total25 Mashonaland v Mashonaland A (5) 24 485/8d – — #181(Harare South, 28 Aug – W) — — 2 (5) 7 1 15 0 15826 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (5) 0 #307 – (6) 9 2 30 1 129(OH, 4 Sept – W) — — – (8) 2 0 8 0 14227 Mashonaland v New Zealanders (7) 63 351 2 (4) 5 2 14 1 #174(Alex, 13-15 Sept – D) — — – (4) 19 8 29 0 336/51997/98 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 3 0 87 63 29.00 – 1 4 42 13 96 2 48.00 1/14 – -Career 27 47 2 1041 112 23.13 2 6 17 257.1 47 756 20 37.80 2/28 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1998/99 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total28 ZIMBABWE v INDIA (Only) (7) 11 #221 – (6) 3 0 8 0 280(HSC, 7 Oct – W) (8) 4 293 – — 1731998/99 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 2 0 15 11 7.50 – – – 3 0 8 0 –Career 28 49 2 1056 112 22.46 2 6 17 260.1 47 764 20 38.20 2/28 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total29 Mashonaland v CFX Academy (5) 2 272 – (4) 15 3 34 0 #245(Country Club, 3 March – D) — — – (7) 14 5 19 1 221/7d30 Mashonaland v Manicaland (5) 3 383/9d – (6) 6 2 11 0 #287(Mutare, 17 March – D) — — – (4) 3 2 2 0 77/231 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (5) 13 #170 1 (7) 4 2 4 1 256(BAC, 24 March – W) (5) 153 448/4d – (5) 6 5 5 4 8632 Mashonaland v Midlands (5) 18 #165 1 — 31(HSC, 31 March – W) (5) 36 173/8d 1 (5) 1 1 0 0 5633 Mashonaland v Manicaland (final) (5) 27 #345 – — 123(HSC, 7 April – W) (4) 10 275/5d 1 (4) 2 1 2 0 2401999/2000 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM5 8 0 262 153 32.75 1 – 4 51 21 77 6 12.83 4/5 – -Career 33 57 2 1318 153 23.96 3 6 21 311.1 68 841 26 32.34 4/5 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2000/01 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total34 Mashonaland v CFX Academy (5) 33* #253/3d – — forfeit(HSC, 16 Feb – W) — forfeit 2 (4) 14 2 36 1 18835 Mashonaland v Mashonaland A (5) 3 #171 – — forfeit(HSC, 2 March – W) (3) 11 66/5d 1 (4) 4 1 7 0 12236 Mashonaland v Manicaland (6) 78 205 2 (4) 8 1 27 2 #205(HSC, 9 March – W) (6) 15 115/8 – (7) 5 2 7 0 11437 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (6) 2 #194 1 — 115(HSC, 23 March – W) (5) 2 225/5d 1 — 1938 Mashonaland v Midlands (6) 73* #357/7d 1 — 92(Kwekwe, 30 March – W) — — 1 (4) 1 0 6 0 22239 Zimbabwe v Indians (5) 0 175 – (4) 2 0 9 0 #336/9d(Mutare, 28 May – D) — — – (5) 3 0 8 0 150/72000/01 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM6 9 2 217 78 31.00 – 2 9 37 6 100 3 33.33 2/27 – -Career 39 66 4 1535 153 24.75 3 8 30 348.1 74 941 29 32.44 4/5 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2001/02 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total40 Mashonaland v Matabeleland (5) 118 #644/9d – (5) 14 8 25 1 392(BAC, 15 Feb – W) — 82/2 – (6) 10 0 45 0 33341 Mashonaland v Manicaland (5) 11 226 – (7) 8 1 23 0 #513/9d(Mutare, 1 March – W) (6) 210 506 1 (3) 16 5 37 6 14642 Mashonaland v Midlands (5) 163 #329 – — 211(HSC, 22 March – W) (5) 35 263/8d – — 13343 Mashonaland v CFX Academy (5) 147 413 1 (4) 5 1 8 1 #122(Country Club, 19 April – W) — — 1 — 1282001/02 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM4 6 0 684 210 114.00 4 – 3 53 15 138 8 17.25 6/37 1 -Career 43 72 4 2219 210 32.63 7 8 33 401.1 89 1079 37 29.16 6/37 1 -RECORD SEASON BY SEASONM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1990/91(Z) 3 5 0 77 39 15.40 – – 1 10 0 41 1 41.00 1/34 – -1991/92(Z) -1992/93(Z) 2 4 0 124 66 31.00 – 2 3 –1993/94(Z) 2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 15 1 67 3 22.33 1/8 – -1994/95(Z) 6 11 1 305 112 30.50 2 – 2 86.3 14 255 7 36.42 2/29 – -1995/96(SA) 3 6 0 134 74 22.33 – 1 1 18 5 50 1 50.00 1/31 – -1995/96(Z) 6 12 1 289 73 26.27 – 2 3 71.4 12 205 5 41.00 2/28 – -1996/97(SL) 1 2 0 10 9 5.00 – – 1 6 0 27 0 –1996/97(Z) 1 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – – 8 2 15 1 15.00 1/15 – -1997/98(Z) 3 3 0 87 63 29.00 – 1 4 42 13 96 2 48.00 1/14 – -1998/99(Z) 1 2 0 15 11 7.50 – – – 3 0 8 0 –1999/00(Z) 5 8 0 262 153 32.75 1 – 4 51 21 77 6 12.83 4/5 – -2000/01(Z) 6 9 2 217 78 31.00 – 2 9 37 6 100 3 33.33 2/27 – -2001/02(Z) 4 6 0 684 210 114.00 4 – 3 53 15 138 8 17.25 6/37 1 -43 72 4 2219 210 32.63 7 8 33 401.1 89 1079 37 29.16 6/37 1 -RECORD IN EACH COUNTRYM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMZimbabwe 39 64 4 2075 210 34.58 7 7 31 377.1 84 1002 36 27.83 6/37 1 -England -Australia -South Africa 3 6 0 134 74 22.33 – 1 1 18 5 50 1 50.00 1/31 – -West Indies -New Zealand -India -Pakistan -Sri Lanka 1 2 0 10 9 5.00 – – 1 6 0 27 0 –Bangladesh -Kenya -43 72 4 2219 210 32.63 7 8 33 401.1 89 1079 37 29.16 6/37 1 -RECORD ON ZIMBABWEAN GROUNDSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMAlexandra 5 8 1 203 66* 29.00 – 2 4 39.1 13 93 4 23.25 1/7 – -Bulawayo AC 7 11 0 427 153 38.81 2 1 5 82 20 232 9 25.77 4/5 – -Country Club 2 2 0 149 147 74.50 1 – 2 34 9 61 2 30.50 1/8 – -Harare South 4 7 0 108 39 15.42 – – 2 33 6 79 1 79.00 1/13 – -Harare SC 14 26 2 767 163 31.95 3 1 12 139 24 403 13 31.00 2/27 – -Kwekwe 1 1 1 73 73* — – 1 2 1 0 6 0 — — – -Mutare 3 4 0 224 210 56.00 1 – 1 38 10 90 6 15.00 6/37 1 -Old Georgians 1 2 0 122 66 61.00 – 2 1 –Old Hararians 2 3 0 2 2 0.66 – – 2 11 2 38 1 38.00 1/30 – -Queens SC -39 64 4 2075 210 34.58 7 7 31 377.1 84 1002 36 27.83 6/37 1 -LOGAN CUP RECORDM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMFor Mashonaland Under-24:1993/94 2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 15 1 67 3 22.33 1/8 – -For Mashonaland:1994/95 3 5 0 131 112 26.20 1 – – 46 11 114 5 22.80 2/29 – -For Mashonaland Country Districts:1995/96 2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 37.4 7 97 4 22.33 1/8 – -For Mashonaland (continued):1996/97 1 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – – 8 2 15 1 15.00 1/15 – -1997/98 2 2 0 24 24 12.00 – – 2 18 3 53 1 53.00 1/30 – -1998/99 -1999/2000 5 8 0 262 153 32.75 1 – 4 51 21 77 6 12.83 4/5 – -2000/01 5 8 2 217 78 36.16 – 2 9 32 6 83 3 27.66 2/27 – -2001/02 4 6 0 684 210 114.00 4 – 3 53 15 138 8 17.25 6/37 1 -Total: 20 30 2 1322 210 47.21 6 2 18 208 58 480 24 20.00 6/37 1 -TOTAL: 26 41 3 1550 210 40.78 6 4 23 260.4 66 644 31 20.77 6/37 1 -RECORD AGAINST OTHER LOGAN CUP TEAMSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMFor Mashonaland Under-24:v Mashonaland 1 1 0 7 7 7.00 – – 1 8 0 41 2 20.50 1/16 – -v MCD 1 2 0 4 4 2.00 – – 1 7 1 26 1 26.00 1/8 – -Total: 2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 15 1 67 3 22.33 1/8 – -For Mashonaland Country Districts:v Mashonaland 1 2 0 19 15 9.50 – – – 15 4 29 1 29.00 1/13 – -v Matabeleland 2 4 0 106 73 26.50 – 1 3 18 1 61 2 30.50 2/28 – -v Young Mashonaland 1 2 1 92 66 92.00 – 1 – 4.4 2 7 1 7.00 1/7 – -Total: 2 3 0 11 7 3.66 – – 2 37.4 7 97 4 22.33 1/8 – -For Mashonaland:v CFX Academy 3 3 1 182 147 91.00 1 – 4 48 11 97 3 32.33 1/8 – -v Manicaland 4 7 0 354 210 50.57 1 1 4 48 14 109 8 13.62 6/37 1 -v Mashonaland A 2 3 0 38 24 12.66 – – 3 11 2 22 0 –v MCD 1 2 0 115 112 57.50 1 – – 23 6 58 3 19.33 2/29 – -v Mash Under-24 1 2 0 11 11 5.50 – – – 20 4 54 2 27.00 2/29 – -v Matabeleland 6 8 0 297 153 37.12 2 – 3 56 20 134 8 16.75 4/5 – -v Midlands 3 5 1 325 163 81.25 1 1 4 2 1 6 0 –Total: 20 30 2 1322 210 47.21 6 2 18 208 58 480 24 20.00 6/37 1 -For all teams:v CFX Academy 3 3 1 182 147 91.00 1 – 4 48 11 97 3 32.33 1/8 – -v Manicaland 4 7 0 354 210 50.57 1 1 4 48 14 109 8 13.62 6/37 1 -v Mashonaland 2 3 0 26 15 8.66 – – 1 23 4 70 3 23.33 1/13 – -v Mashonaland A 2 3 0 38 24 12.66 – – 3 11 2 22 0 –v MCD 2 4 0 119 112 29.75 1 – 1 30 7 84 4 21.00 2/29 – -v Matabeleland 8 12 0 403 153 33.58 2 1 6 74 21 195 10 19.50 4/5 – -v Midlands 3 5 1 325 163 81.25 1 1 4 2 1 6 0 –v Young Mash/U-24 2 4 1 103 66 34.33 – 1 – 24.4 6 61 3 20.33 2/29 – -TOTAL: 26 41 3 1550 210 40.78 6 4 23 260.4 66 644 31 20.77 6/37 1 -CENTURIES1 112 Mashonaland v Mash Country Districts Harare Sports Club 1994/952 102 Mashonaland XI v Northamptonshire Harare Sports Club 1994/953 153 Mashonaland v Matabeleland Bulawayo Athletic Club 1999/20004 118 Mashonaland v Matabeleland Bulawayo Athletic Club 2001/025 210 Mashonaland v Manicaland Mutare Sports Club 2001/026 163 Mashonaland v Midlands Harare Sports Club 2001/027 147 Mashonaland v CFX Academy Country Club 2001/02TWO CENTURIES IN A MATCHNo instancesCENTURY AND FIFTY IN THE SAME MATCHNo instancesTWO FIFTIES IN A MATCH66 and 56 Zimbabwe B v New Zealanders Old Georgians Sports Club 1992/93200 RUNS IN A MATCH221 (11 & 210) Mashonaland v Manicaland Mutare Sports Club 2001/02`PAIRS’No instancesFIVE WICKETS IN AN INNINGS6/37 (16-5-37-6) Mashonaland v Manicaland Mutare Sports Club 2001/02BEST MATCH FIGURES6/60 (24-6-60-6) Mashonaland v Manicaland Mutare Sports Club 2001/02MATCH DOUBLE OF 200 RUNS AND FIVE WICKETS11 & 210; 0/23 & 6/37 Mashonaland v Manicaland Mutare Sports Club 2001/02100 RUNS AND FIVE WICKETS13 & 153; 1/4 and 4/5 Mashonaland v Matabeleland Bulawayo Athletic Club 1999/2000MOST OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS19 – 1 – 75 – 0 Matabeleland XI v South Africa A Bulawayo Athletic Club 1994/9519 – 8 – 29 – 0 Mashonaland v New Zealanders Alexandra Sports Club 1997/98MOST OVERS BOWLED IN A MATCH29 – 8 – 53 – 1 Mashonaland v CFX Academy Country Club 1999/2000MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN AN INNINGS75 (19-1-75-0) Matabeleland XI v South Africa A Bulawayo Athletic Club 1994/95MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN A MATCH80 (24-4-80-1) Mash Invitation XI v Yorkshire Harare Sports Club 1995/96MOST MAIDEN OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS8 (19-8-29-0) Mashonaland v New Zealanders Alexandra Sports Club 1997/988 (14-8-25-1) Mashonaland v Matabeleland Bulawayo Athletic Club 2001/02DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BATSMANbowled 11 16.18lbw 9 13.23caught 32 47.06caught by wicketkeeper 10 14.71caught and bowled 2 2.94stumped 1 1.47run out 3 4.41TOTAL 68 100.00%DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BOWLERbowled 2 5.41lbw 6 16.21caught 19 51.35caught by wicket-keeper 7 18.92caught and bowled 1 2.70stumped 2 5.41TOTAL 37 100.00%THREE OR MORE CATCHES IN AN INNINGS3 Mash Country Districts v Matabeleland Bulawayo Athletic Club 1995/96FOUR OR MORE CATCHES IN A MATCHNo instances. Best 3, as above

Eldine Baptiste, the former West Indian allrounder, is considering legal action against customs officials after being held on false drug charges. Baptiste was accused of smuggling cocaine in a golf ball by officers at London’s Gatwick Airport, and held at the Wandsworth Prison for three days. Detailed forensic tests on the ball revealed no trace of cocaine, and Baptiste was released and the charges dropped.Though glad that the matter was cleared, Baptiste was shocked at the treatment meted out to him. “I know mistakes can be made, but the way I was treated was inhuman,” Baptiste told AFP. “I don’t mean I was knocked about by customs officers, but to be thrown into a prison cell and given a prison number was shocking.”We are all human and we should be treated that way. I love England. I have lived here for 20 years and I still love the place but these people must not treat people in this way. The apology is nice, but the way I was treated is very poor. I had not been found guilty of anything but I was treated like a criminal.”It is in the hands of my solicitor now and I will be guided by him but legal action is a possibility.”Baptiste was travelling with his five-year-old son from Antigua, where he had been watching the fourth Test between West Indies Australia, to South Africa. Baptiste’s arrest meant that his son had to complete the journey on his own.

Cricket’s two big events, the World Cup in South Africa and the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, made the past 12 months the most challenging for the Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) since 2000.In making his comments in the International Cricket Council’s annual report, Lord Condon, the chairman of the (ACU), said that had it not been for preventative measures put in place, both tournaments could have been corrupted by gamblers.”Intelligence was gathered and acted upon by the ACU in both Sri Lanka and South Africa, which revealed intentions to access players and potentially to influence events in matches. This should surprise no-one, because the threat of malpractice will never disappear as long as cricket maintains its appeal to gamblers. Fortunately preventative action was taken in these cases.”He was confident that no matches in either tournament were fixed but there were still nagging doubts about events in a small number of matches.They might well have innocent explanations, he said, but similar events in the past had been symptomatic of individuals underperforming for betting purposes.”Inevitably, and quite properly, any statistically significant underperformance by a team or an individual is monitored by my team and tested against expert opinion, intelligence and informants around the world.”Growth in the world-wide market of illegal gaming has grown as cricket’s popularity has risen.”More wagers, more money and more bookmakers add up to greater pressure on the game and those who play it. Turf wars between rival bookmakers have resulted in gangland killings. As vast sums changed hands on the India v Pakistan match in the ICC World Cup 2003 the continued potential for corruption and malpractice is startlingly clear.”Condon believed the implementation of his 24 recommendations two years ago had set cricket up for its future in warding off corruption.A name change for the unit, agreed by the ICC executive board in March, will see it called the ICC Anti Corruption and Security Unit, and would allow for a broader mandate. It would be responsible for longer-term prevention of malpractice as well as investigation of alleged or suspected corruption.Condon is to become chairman of the unit with responsibility for performance and strategy while his deputy Jeff Rees will become general manager and chief investigator.Condon warned that cricket could never relax or become complacent on the corruption issue.”If it does, the problem will inevitably return. No-one at the ICC is prepared to allow that to happen and the newly-defined role and remit of the ICC Anti Corruption and Security Unit is proof of that long-term commitment.”

Despite losing 28 overs to rain on the first day of their Frizzell County Championship match against Gloucestershire at The Rose Bowl, Hampshire made up for lost time by dismissing their visitors for 185.In overcast conditions Gloucestershire’s makeshift captain Craig Spearman chose to bat first in winning the toss and despite losing Spearman early on to an inswinger from Wasim Akram, they prospered before lunch.Rain held up progress shortly after lunch, and it started Gloucestershire’s downfall. Hampshire’s four seam bowlers, Wasim Akram, Ed Giddins, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Alan Mullally shared the spoils as they took advantage of the conditions as wickets fell at steady intervals.Despite an old fashioned tail end flurry, Hampshire would have been well satisfied with their bowlers.The sun came out as the day drew to a close, as Derek Kenway and John Crawley negotiated the final 12 overs without scare.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, who has been out of favour with the selectors since the World Cup, is back in the reckoning for Pakistan’s home season. He has been included in the list of 20 probables for the forthcoming series against Bangladesh. Aamer Sohail, the former Test opener who is now the chairman of Pakistan’s selectors, said: “We never dropped Inzamam but gave him rest, and hope that this rest will do a world of good to him in the coming home season.”Inzamam was one of eight players dumped after Pakistan’s disappointing first-round exit from the World Cup in March. But there is no place for Pakistan’s then-captain Waqar Younis, who recently said he still wants to play for the country. Sohail explained: “We are focusing on players who we have used in the last four months in our transition phase.”Inzamam said he was delighted to be back in the reckoning: “I was a bit disappointed on being out of the team, but now I am ready for the home season.” Inzamam has scored 6214 runs in 85 Tests, plus 8957 in 290 one-dayers. His last Test innings on home soil produced Pakistan’s second-highest score – 329, made against New Zealand at Lahore in May 2002. But Inzamam managed only 19 runs in six World Cup games – a phase he described as the worst of his career. But he explained: “Never in this phase I thought of leaving cricket, I have a lot of it left in me.”Pakistan take on Bangladesh, who have lost 20 of their 21 Tests so far, in a three-match series which starts at Karachi on August 20. The Test series will be followed by five one-day internationals, before Pakistan host South Africa in three Tests and three ODIs in September and October. New Zealand also visit for five one-dayers in November.Pakistan had faced a shortage of players for the Bangladesh series after their fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, allrounder Azhar Mahmood and batsman Younis Khan were allowed to skip the series. Then Mohammad Sami, another fast bowler, was ruled out with an ankle injury he picked up playing county cricket for Kent, which forced the selectors to reverse their earlier decision about Shoaib. Sohail explained: “We had to call Shoaib from England where he was playing county cricket [for Durham] to cover Sami’s injury – but we are not taking Bangladesh lightly.”Farhan Adil, an uncapped batsman from Karachi, is tipped to make his debut in the first Test – the squad for which will be named on August 12 – while two other uncapped players called up are Mohammad Khalil, a left-arm fast bowler, and the left-arm spinner Abdul Sattar.Pakistan preliminary squad Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Farhan Adil, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Hasan Raza, Rashid Latif (capt and wk), Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Khalil, Najaf Shah, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Sattar, Jaffer Nazir.

Scorecard

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.