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Tushar Imran, the middle-order batsman, will lead Bangladesh A in the first four-day “Test” against the touring Zimbabwe A side. Bangladesh’s 13 was whittled down from an original 25-man training squad.The first representative match starts tomorrow (March 17) at Rajshahi, and will be followed by another at Bogra (March 23-26). The two A teams will then play a five-match one-day series.Zimbabwe A won their first match of the tour, a three-day game against a Bangladesh Under-23 XI, at Fatullah yesterday.Bangladesh A (from):
1 Nafees Iqbal, 2 Rashedul Haque, 3 Ehsanul Haq, 4 Mazharul Haque, 5 Tushar Imran (capt), 6 Nasir Uddin Faruque, 7 Mohammed Selim (wk), 8 Jamal Uddin, 9 Alamgir Kabir, 10 Enamul Haq junior, 11 Shahdat Hossain, 12 Faisal Hossain, 13 Gazi Alamgir.

	It has been a waiting game for Stuart MacGill since his surgery in December but he believes he will be ready for first-class action soon © Getty Images

Stuart MacGill says he will definitely be available for Australia’s Test tour of Pakistan but he is not ready for a first-class return in New South Wales’ next Pura Cup match. On Sunday MacGill played his first game, a club outing, since having surgery for carpal-tunnel syndrome on his bowling hand in December.He sent down 12 overs and finished with 1 for 39 and although the results satisfied him, he said lining up for the Blues against Victoria in a match starting this Friday would be a stretch. “I’d love to play against the Vics,” MacGill told the , “but I think bowling ten overs is a whole lot different to bowling 30 and maybe 30 again the next day.”I don’t think I’m ready for that and I don’t want to be fooled by an encouraging day. The most important thing for me is not to let anybody down when I do get back on the field.”MacGill said he was extremely tense before taking the ball for Sydney University, as he had only bowled about 15 balls in the nets since his operation. “The nerves were 100 times worse than my first Test,” he said. “I was very, very nervous to the point of considering not bowling.”However, he believes he will have no fitness concerns by the time of the Pakistan visit, which is scheduled for late March. There is still doubt over the future of the trip but if it goes ahead MacGill is likely to be picked along with Brad Hogg and perhaps a younger spinner.”After today I’ll definitely be fit for the tour of Pakistan, definitely,” MacGill said. “I bowled all of my variations and I bowled at least one good one of all of them. So they’re all there and there were no side-effects. Everything I had before my surgery I have now, it’s just I’ve got to make sure I bowl a few more goodies in a row.”

Many uses of a bat: Acknowledging team-mates, as above, and also to suggest an inside edge, as Manoj Tiwary tried to do in vain when given out lbw in Kolkata © Cricinfo Ltd

No more Plate finals
The Ranji Trophy Plate League will have semi-finals and a final for the last time this season. Under the new system, ratified by the BCCI Working Committee last week, the leaders of the two groups in the Plate League will qualify for the Super League quarterfinals along with the three top teams from each Super League group.This means a team from the Plate League could end up winning the Ranji Trophy if it is on the favourable side of three draws. The positive of the move, though, is that the teams get rewarded immediately for a good performance in the Plate League, as opposed to a promotion to the Super League the following season. But it’s open to debate if the best team in the Plate League group is better than the fourth-placed team in a Super League group.This year’s points standing provides an immediate case study. If rain severely affects the match between Delhi and Tamil Nadu in Chennai, Delhi could finish fourth in Group A of the Super League, even though they are a strong team and have done well. If the ruling were to be enforced this year, they could have lost a quarter-final spot to Railways, who are leading Group B in the Plate League.This move doesn’t really remove the original problem of too many teams diluting the competition in the Super League.Long arm of the law
When given out lbw off Praveen Kumar at Kolkata, Manoj Tiwary stood aghast – bat slightly pointing towards umpire, words on his lips, and anger in his eyes – and walked off reluctantly. PTI reported he had words with both umpires on his way back and more when the umpires were headed in for lunch.Chhota dada lost 50% of his match fee for his antics but there seems to be some previous between him and Ranade. cricketnext.com reports that it was the latest in a string of contentious decisions by Ranade involving Tiwary. Earlier this season, when India A played South Africa A in a one-day match at Rajkot, Tiwary was given out caught – though apparently off the helmet – by Ranade. Last year in Hyderabad, Ranade declared Tiwary out lbw while there seemed to be a deflection, the website reported.Elsewhere
Aakash Chopra was sawn off for the second time in two matches, adding to his woes a week after Delhi team-mate Virender Sehwag made it to the squad ahead of him for the Test series in Australia. While Chopra sought to be philosophical and saw it as just another occupational hazard, Pravin Amre, Mumbai’s coach, lashed out at the umpires. After Mumbai failed to bowl Himachal Pradesh out in their second innings, Amre was quoted as saying in the Times of India: “[Abhishek] Nayar and Ramesh Powar had both got [Ashok] Thakur early on – lbw and caught behind respectively — but they were denied. Earlier, Rohit Sharma, Amol Muzumdar and Ajit Agarkar were incorrectly given out. This is the sixth match and I have not spoken against the standard of umpiring so far. But it has hurt us badly in every game. We are having to take 15 wickets in every innings.”While the umpiring standards are not surprising, it is surprising that only Tiwary has been fined for showing dissent. It could have to do with that being the only match being shown live on TV.What’s in a name
Over the last week or two, Ranadeb Bose has been compared to Sourav Ganguly in terms of pace by a national selector, omitted from the invitees’ list for the BCCI awards night where he was an winner, and his second name was changed on the team list in the match against Uttar Pradesh.He was called Ranadeb Mondal on the official list given by Bengal, which could have resulted in a protest by the UP team. On the first afternoon, the Bengal officials desperately went about trying to get the mistake corrected by the match referee Inderjit Singh Sachdeva, the Indian Express reported. In case of a factual error on the team list, the team at fault has to play without that particular player. In an earlier game, against Punjab at Siliguri, Bengal had failed to mention Bose’s name in the team-list, the paper reported. The mistake was rectified during the match.Hat-trick season
VRV Singh became the third bowler to take a hat-trick in two rounds of Ranji Trophy matches. And like the previous two – by Sony Cheruvathur and Parvinder Awana – this one too set up a win and also helped Punjab avoid relegation. VRV dismissed Niranjan Behera off the last ball of his fifth over and Rashmi Parida and Rashmi Das with the first two of his sixth, as Orissa collapsed from 24 for 0 to 76 all out in the second innings.Quotehanger
“To be honest, it wouldn’t have been as bad had Gautam [Gambhir] made it ahead of me.”: Aakash Chopra told Mid-Day about his exclusion from the squad for the Tests in Australia. “But Viru [Sehwag] – although he is a very good friend of mine – being picked ahead of both of us is a bit shocking. He was not even named in the provisional squad. In that sense, I have every right to be disappointed.”

Otago took the opening honours in the first match of this year’s shield on Saturday, beating Canterbury by a mere three runs at Alexandra.Derek de Boorder topscored for the home side with 52 not out as they reached 225 for 8. Canterbury got off to a slow start but were given hope through half-centuries from Kruger Van Wyk, Andrew Ellis and Chris Harris but ultimately came up short.Sunday saw a record-breaking match at Eden Park. Rob Nicol and Richard Jones both struck centuries in an Auckland record stand of 242 to take the state to its highest one-day score of 342 for 5. Jones and Nicol came together in the 12th over to boost the total Northern Districts were gutsy in reply, reaching their second highest score of 306 for 8. BJ Watling and Mark Orchard both made fifties, but were ultimately unsuccessful.Stephen Fleming and Neal Parlane put on a century stand to register a comfortable six-wicket win forWellington against Central Districts in Wellington.Fleming reached 88, while Parlane was 94 not out as Wellington went past the visitors’ 256 with ten overs to spare. Geoff Barnett topscored for CD with 75.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Wellington	1	1	0	0	0	5	+1.409	259/39.4	256/50.0
Auckland	1	1	0	0	0	4	+0.700	341/50.0	306/50.0
Otago	1	1	0	0	0	4	+0.060	225/50.0	222/50.0
Canterbury	1	0	1	0	0	0	-0.060	222/50.0	225/50.0
Northern Dis	1	0	1	0	0	0	-0.700	306/50.0	341/50.0
Central Dist	1	0	1	0	0	0	-1.409	256/50.0	259/39.4

Daniel Vettori: rewarded for carrying the New Zealand bowling attack© Getty Images

Daniel Vettori has been named New Zealand’s player of the year at their annual awards ceremony. He has been fighting a lone battle over the winter, as New Zealand’s bowling attack has fallen to pieces, but has managed to emerge from the wreckage with 42 wickets at 27 apiece in Tests, and 22 at 20 apiece in ODI’s.During the recent carnage caused by Adam Gilchrist, Vettori has been the only bowler Stephen Fleming has shown any confidence in. It was the same situation in the two Tests played in Australia during November. Martin Sneddon, chief executive of New Zealand cricket said: “His bowling has been superb and he has also continued to show real ability with the bat and has emerged as a leader both on and off the field."Vettori’s successful year comes despite a poor Test series in England, when he only managed four wickets in two matches, before missing the third Test with injury. His figures where boosted by 20 wickets against Bangladesh, including his best haul for the period, 6 for 28 at Dhaka. But it is not just the wickets he brings to Fleming, but the control. He rarely concedes more than 2.5 runs per over in Tests and is also miserly in ODI’s. In the Natwest Series final against West Indies he took five for 30, as New Zealand registered their high point of the year.His batting continues to grow in stature, to the extent that he often proves more troublesome to remove than the top-order, and he proved an able captain when he stood in for Fleming during the one-day series in Bangladesh – if Fleming’s trials and tribulations continue a permanent elevation may not be far away.The other bright spot for New Zealand has been the rise of Hamish Marshall, and his batting success, cumulating in a maiden Test century against Australia at Christchurch, has been recognised with the batting award, while Craig Cumming was named State player of the year.Awards
Daniel Vettori
Hamish Marshall
Craig Cumming
Nic Browne
Haidee Tiffen
Rebecca Steele
Merv Wallace

DURBAN, South Africa, March 20 AFP – India’s cricket supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya called today for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be even-handed in the way it enforced financial penalties.India were told before the World Cup they would be having a portion of their proceeds witheld following the players’ decision to alter the terms of their tournament contracts.But Dalmiya, speaking to reporters during India’s day-night World Cup semi-final against Kenya at Kingsmead, said the ICC would also have to be equally firm with England and New Zealand who forfeited World Cup matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively and so risked potential financial penalties.”This has got to be sorted out. We can’t go on like this,” said Dalmiya ahead of a two-day ICC executive board meeting in Johannesburg starting on Friday.”But what applies to one must apply to all,” added Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and formerly president of the ICC.However, Dalmiya did not appear too concerned by the prospect of any action being taken by the world governing body against India. “The money is in the reserve bank of cricket.”I’ve had a little experience of the ICC. The ICC can’t claim for money against us if no one claims against the ICC.”

Mpumelelo Mbangwa – born Plumtree, 26 June 1976
Right-handed batsman, right-arm medium-pace bowler
Career: 1995/96-2001/02

Abbreviations: Capital letters for teamnames denotes 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.1995/96 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl TotalAlthough not taking more than two wickets in an innings, Pommie’s bowlingquickly impressed the selectors and he played seven representative gamesduring the season for the Zimbabwe Board XI and other teams.1 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 0 #305 – (2) 15 5 42 2 219(HSC, 15 Sept – Won) — 300/7d 1 (2) 18 3 66 1 2272 ZCU President’s XI v Tasmania (10) 0 403/9d – (3) 11 1 35 1 #196(BAC, 9 Oct – Drawn) – (2) 23 6 52 2 309/43 Zimbabwe Board XI v Boland B (11) 0* 229/9d 2 (4) 5 0 16 0 #238(Paarl, 27 Oct – D) — 176/7 – (6) 6 0 26 1 226/6d4 Matabeleland v Young Mashonaland (11) 0 #221 – (2) 19 5 62 0 203(BAC, 3 Nov – D) — 370/5d – (2) 6 2 23 0 202/25 Matabeleland v MCD (11) 14* #152 – (3) 3 0 21 0 209(BAC, 17 Nov – W) (11) 0* 344 – (3) 3 0 31 0 2836 Zim Board XI v Northern Tvl B — 334/9d 1 (3) 17 4 42 1 #339(Centurion, 24 Nov – D) — 131/7 – (4) 8 2 19 0 244/8d7 Zim Board XI v Eastern Province B — — – (2) 15 5 43 2 297/6d(Alex, 25 Jan – D)8 Zim Board XI v Transvaal B — 0/0d – (3) 7 1 26 2 #119/4d(BAC, 8 Feb – D) — — 1 (3) 5 1 19 0 87/29 Mash Invitation XI v Yorkshire — 273/9d – (1) 17 4 43 2 #267/6d(HSC, 1 April – L) (11) 0* 156 1 (1) 17 5 52 2 215/7d10 Matabeleland Select v Yorkshire (11) 10 #84 – (2) 22 7 53 2 #329/5d(BAC, 11 April – L) (11) 5 2341995/96 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM10 9 4 29 14* 5.80 – – 6 217 51 671 18 37.27 2/26 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1996/97 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total11 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 0 #118 – (2) 23 5 66 2 279(BAC, 4 Oct – L) (11) 0 279 – (2) 8 2 27 1 85/2M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMCareer 11 11 4 29 14* 4.14 – – 6 248 58 764 21 36.38 2/26 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1996/97 (Pakistan) bat Score Total bowl TotalWith Heath Streak and Henry Olonga injured, Pommie was called in as anemergency replacement for the national side, and made a surprise Test debut,with some success.12 ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN (2nd) (10) 0 #133 – (2) 17 1 67 2 267(Faisalabad, 24 Oct – L) (11) 2 200 – (2) 7 3 14 0 69/01996/97 (PAKISTAN) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 2 0 2 2 1.00 – – – 24 4 81 2 40.50 2/67 – -Career 12 13 4 31 14* 3.44 – – 6 272 62 845 23 36.73 2/26 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1996/97 (Zimbabwe, cont.) bat Score Total bowl Total13 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 4 448 – (1) 11 0 38 0 #503/4d(Alex, 15 Nov – D)14 Matabeleland v Mashonaland — 69/4d 1 (1) 16 2 67 0 #477/6d(BAC, 22 Nov – L) (11) 0 195 – — forfeit15 Matabeleland v England XI (11) 7* 188 – (4) 19 3 60 1 #334(BAC, 10 Dec – L) (11) 8 261 – (2) 11 2 35 0 230/5d16 Mat Inv XI v Worcestershire — 168/9d – (4) 12 3 16 2 #145(BAC, 28 March – L) (11) 2 222 – (4) 7 1 30 1 263/8d1996/97 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM5 7 1 21 8 3.50 – – 1 107 18 339 7 48.42 2/16 – -Career 16 18 5 52 14* 4.00 – – 7 348 73 1091 27 40.40 2/16 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total17 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 6 129 – (3) 8 3 20 0 #307(OH, 4 Sept – L) (11) 3* 14218 Matabeleland v Mashonaland A — 300/7d – (2) 13 4 27 0 #312(BAC, 23 Oct – D) — 227/9 – — 279/5dM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMCareer 18 20 6 61 14* 4.35 – – 7 369 80 1138 27 42.14 2/16 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (Sri Lanka) bat Score Total bowl Total19 Zimbabweans v SL Board XI — #311/6d – (2) 14 5 24 2 313/8d(Matara, 2 Jan – D)20 ZIMBABWE v SRI LANKA (2nd) (11) 0 #251 – (2) 16 4 61 2 225(Colombo SSC – L) (11) 4 299 – (2) 14 4 34 1 326/51997/98 (SRI LANKA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 2 0 4 4 2.00 – – – 44 13 119 5 23.80 2/24 – -Career 20 22 6 65 14* 4.06 – – 7 413 93 1257 32 39.28 2/16 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (New Zealand) bat Score Total bowl Total21 Zimbabweans v New Zealand A (10) 0 #67 – (2) 31 11 49 4 271/8d(Dunedin, 13 Feb – L) (10) 11 19522 ZIMBABWE v NEW ZEALAND (1st) (11) 0* #180 – (2) 17 4 42 1 411(Wellington, 19 Feb – L) (11) 0 250 – — 20/023 ZIMBABWE v NEW ZEALAND (2nd) (11) 0 #170 – (2) 27 10 78 3 460(Auckland, 26 Feb – L) (11) 0 2771997/98 (NEW ZEALAND) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 6 1 11 11 2.20 – – – 75 25 169 8 21.25 4/49 – -Career 23 28 7 76 14* 3.61 – – 7 488 118 1426 40 35.65 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1997/98 (Zimbabwe, cont.) bat Score Total bowl Total24 ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN (1st) (11) 0 #321 – (2) 23 15 25 2 256(Queens, 14 March – D) — 302/4d – (2) 22 13 29 1 258/625 ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN (2nd) (11) 2* #277 1 (2) 33 12 56 3 354(HSC, 21 March – L) (11) 3 268 – (3) 2 0 11 0 192/71997/98 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM4 5 2 14 6 4.66 – – 1 101 47 168 6 28.00 3/56 – -Career 25 31 8 81 14* 3.52 – – 8 568 158 1547 46 33.63 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1998/99 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl TotalPommie played a vital but largely unrecognized part as back-up to the pace ofHeath Streak and Henry Olonga in Zimbabwe’s Test victories over India at homeand Pakistan away.26 ZIMBABWE v INDIA (Only) (11) 2 #221 – (5) 14.2 4 28 1 280(HSC, 7 Oct – W) (11) 0 293 – (4) 12 6 16 2 173M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMCareer 26 33 8 83 14* 3.32 – – 8 594.2 168 1591 49 32.46 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1998/99 (Pakistan) bat Score Total bowl Total27 ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN (1st) (11) 1* 238 1 (4) 23 9 40 3 #296(Peshawar, 27 Nov – W) — #296 – (3) 7 2 23 3 10328 Zimbabweans v Lahore City (10) 21 #394 – (2) 7 2 21 0 287/9d(Lahore, 4 Dec – L) — 239/6d – — 350/929 ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN (2nd) (11) 2 #183 – (3) 24 4 66 0 325/9d(Lahore, 10 Dec – D) — 48/01998/99 (PAKISTAN) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM3 3 1 24 21 12.00 – – 1 61 17 150 6 25.00 3/23 – -Career 29 36 9 107 21 3.96 – – 9 655.2 185 1741 55 31.65 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1998/99 (Zimbabwe, cont.) bat Score Total bowl Total30 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 3* 232 2 (3) 8 5 13 0 #243(BAC, 5 Jan – D) — 278/6 – (3) 9 1 29 1 333/2d31 Matabeleland v Mashonaland A (11) 11* 403/9d – (3) 12 5 22 3 #102(BAC, 19 Jan – W) — 50/3 – (4) 12 4 29 2 35032 ZCU President’s XI v England A (10) 4 493 – (3) 9 4 23 0 #267(Kwekwe, 26 Jan – D) – (3) 20 8 31 0 327/71998/99 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM4 5 2 20 11* 6.66 – – 2 96.2 37 191 9 21.22 3/22 – -Career 32 39 11 125 21 4.46 – – 11 725.2 212 1888 61 30.95 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total33 President’s XI v Australians (11) 2* 219 – (3) 19 3 64 2 #335/7d(Queens, 9 Oct – L) (11) 16* 176 – (3) 16 2 60 1 304/5dM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMCareer 33 41 13 143 21 5.10 – – 11 760.2 217 2012 64 31.43 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (South Africa) bat Score Total bowl Total34 ZIMBABWE v SOUTH AFRICA (Only) (11) 0* #192 – (5) 35 9 75 2 417(Bloemfontein, 29 Oct – L) (11) 0* 2121999/2000 (SOUTH AFRICA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 2 2 0 0* — – – – 35 9 75 2 37.50 2/75 – -Career 34 43 15 143 21 5.10 – – 11 795.2 226 2087 66 31.62 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (Zimbabwe, cont.) bat Score Total bowl Total35 ZIMBABWE v SOUTH AFRICA (Only) (11) 1* #102 – (3) 28 6 91 2 462(HSC, 11 Nov – L) (11) 3 1411999/2000 (ZIMBABWE) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 4 3 22 16* 22.00 – – – 63 11 215 5 43.00 2/64 – -Career 35 45 16 147 21 5.06 – – 11 823.2 232 2178 68 32.02 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.1999/2000 (West Indies) bat Score Total bowl TotalPommie again played a vital part as back-up for Heath Streak, although takingno wickets, in what should have been a victory over West Indies, but for apathetic Zimbabwean batting display.36 Zim Board XI v WI Board XI (11) 0 #428 – (2) 14 4 25 1 198(St George’s, 4 March – D) — 24/037 ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES (1st) (11) 0 236 – (3) 10 3 21 0 #187(Port-of-Spain, 16 March – L) (11) 0 63 – (3) 15 10 15 0 631999/2000 (WEST INDIES) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 3 0 0 0 0.00 – – – 39 17 61 1 61.00 1/25 – -Career 37 48 16 147 21 4.59 – – 11 862.2 249 2239 69 32.44 4/49 – -No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2000 (England) bat Score Total bowl TotalPommie found English conditions to his liking and finished fourth in the entirebowling averages for the season. He also took his first career five-wickethaul, and then made it ten in the match, in the victory over a weakenedYorkshire team on a green pitch.38 Zimbabweans v Hampshire — 364/7d – (3) 16 9 19 4 #131(Southampton, 27 April – D) – (5) 7 2 18 1 234/439 Zimbabweans v Kent (11) 0 #159 – (2) 9 3 14 1 487/8d(Canterbury, 3 May – L) (10) 3* 16540 Zimbabweans v Essex (11) 9* #315 – (2) 30 13 47 2 249(Chelmsford, 11 May – D) — 75/041 ZIMBABWE v ENGLAND (1st) (11) 1* #83 – (3) 21 5 69 0 415(Lord’s, 18 May – L) (11) 8 123 -42 Zimbabweans v Yorkshire (11) 9 #235 – (2) 18 10 14 6 124(Leeds, 24 May – W) (11) 0* 68 – (2) 14 2 39 4 14743 ZIMBABWE v ENGLAND (2nd) — 285/4d – (4) 18 6 40 2 #374(Nottingham, 1 June – D) — 25/1 – (4) 15 8 25 0 14744 Zimbabweans v West Indians — 275/8d – (4) 21 4 73 1 #407(Arundel, 10 June – D) — 108/1 – (2) 15 7 36 3 200/5d45 Zimbabweans v Gloucestershire (11) 0* #568 – (4) 12 7 11 1 167(Gloucester, 16 June – W) — 258/2d – (4) 15.5 10 23 5 1352000 (ENGLAND) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM8 8 5 30 9* 10.00 – – – 211.5 86 428 30 14.26 6/14 2 1Career 45 56 21 177 21 5.05 – – 11 1074.1 335 2667 99 26.93 6/14 2 1No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2000/01 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl TotalDespite his good tour of England and continued steady performances at home,Pommie fell out of favour with the national selectors, who were lookingfor `shock’ bowlers. On a happier note, he was appointed captain ofMatabeleland.46 President’s XI v New Zealanders (11) 0* 205 – (4) 16 4 46 1 #339(Mutare, 1 Sept – D) — 96/3 – (4) 11 5 25 1 263/3d47 ZIMBABWE v NEW ZEALAND (2nd) (11) 0* 166 – (4) 28 10 58 2 #465(HSC, 19 Sept – L) (11) 5 370 – (3) 4.2 0 22 0 74/248 Matabeleland v Mashonaland A — 128/8d – — –(Alex, 16 Feb – D)49 Matabeleland v Manicaland — 122/5d – (1) 12 6 20 1 #201/9d(BAC, 2 March – D) — 124/5 1 (1) 7 3 14 1 141/9d50 Matabeleland v Midlands (10) 5 384 1 (1) 21 7 44 1 #380/6d(BAC, 9 March – W) — 117/6 1 (1) 9 7 2 2 12051 Matabeleland v Mashonaland (11) 3* 115 1 (1) 15 2 39 1 #194(HSC, 23 March – L) (11) 0 19 – (1) 18 6 27 1 225/5d52 Matabeleland v CFX Academy — 508/9d 1 (2) 16.2 4 45 2 #320(Queens, 30 March – W) – (2) 4 2 2 0 126M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM7 6 3 13 5 4.33 – – 5 161.4 56 344 13 26.46 2/2 – -Career 52 62 24 190 21 5.00 – – 16 1235.5 391 3011 112 26.88 6/14 2 1No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2001/02 (Kenya) bat Score Total bowl TotalPommie was appointed captain of the Zimbabwe A team to tour Kenya.53 Zimbabwe A v Kenya (1st) (10) 30* #240 – (2) 10 3 35 1 411(Nairobi Gym, 30 Nov – L (10) 0 14854 Zimbabwe A v Kenya (2nd) (9) 0* 278/7d – (3) 13 2 50 1 #424(Nairobi Simba, 4 Dec – D) — 199/1 – — 314/4d2001/02 (KENYA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 3 2 30 30* 30.00 – – – 23 5 85 2 42.50 1/35 – -Career 54 65 26 220 30* 5.64 – – 16 1258.5 396 3096 114 27.15 6/14 2 1No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2001/02 (India) bat Score Total bowl Total55 Zimbabweans v Ind President’s XI (10) 3* 340 – (5) 19 8 41 1 #361/3d(Vijayawada, 15 Feb – D) — – (4) 6 1 16 0 154/12001/02 (INDIA) SEASON TOTALM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1 1 1 3 3* — – – – 25 9 57 1 57.00 1/41 – -Career 55 66 27 223 30* 5.71 – – 16 1283.5 405 3153 115 27.41 6/14 2 1No. Own Team Ct No. O M R W Opp.2001/02 (Zimbabwe) bat Score Total bowl Total56 Matabeleland v Manicaland (9) 0 244 – (1) 19 6 75 1 #574(Mutare, 12 Aust – D) — 206/357 Matabeleland v Mashonaland A (11) 20 319 2 (1) 17 6 28 1 #270(Queens, 19 April – D) (11) 2* 268/9 – (1) 16 7 35 2 332M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM2 3 1 22 20 11.00 – – 2 52 19 138 3 46.00 2/35 – -Career 57 69 28 245 30* 5.97 – – 18 1335.5 424 3291 118 27.88 6/14 2 1RECORD SEASON BY SEASONM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1995/96(Z) 10* 9 4 29 14* 5.80 – – 6 217 51 671 18 37.27 2/26 – -1996/97(P) 1 2 0 2 2 1.00 – – – 24 4 81 2 40.50 2/67 – -1996/97(Z) 5 7 1 21 8 3.50 – – 1 107 18 339 7 48.42 2/16 – -1997/98(SL) 2 2 0 4 4 2.00 – – – 44 13 119 5 23.80 2/24 – -1997/98(NZ) 3 6 1 11 11 2.20 – – – 75 25 169 8 21.25 4/49 – -1997/98(Z) 4 5 2 14 6 4.66 – – 1 101 47 168 6 28.00 3/56 – -1998/99(P) 3 3 1 24 21 12.00 – – 1 61 17 150 6 25.00 3/23 – -1998/99(Z) 4 5 2 20 11* 6.66 – – 2 96.2 37 191 9 21.22 3/22 – -1999/00(SA) 1 2 2 0 0* — – – – 35 9 75 2 37.50 2/75 – -1999/00(Z) 2 4 3 22 16* 22.00 – – – 63 11 215 5 43.00 2/64 – -1999/00(WI) 2 3 0 0 0 0.00 – – – 39 17 61 1 61.00 1/25 – -2000 (E) 8 8 5 30 9* 10.00 – – – 211.5 86 428 30 14.26 6/14 2 12000/01(Z) 7 6 3 13 5 4.33 – – 5 161.4 56 344 13 26.46 2/2 – -2001/02(K) 2 3 2 30 30* 30.00 – – – 23 5 85 2 42.50 1/35 – -2001/02(I) 1 1 1 3 3* — – – – 25 9 57 1 57.00 1/41 – -2001/02(Z) 2 3 1 22 20 11.00 – – 2 52 19 138 3 46.00 2/35 – -57 69 28 245 30* 5.97 – – 18 1335.5 424 3291 118 27.88 6/14 2 1*including 2 UCB Bowl matches played in South AfricaRECORD IN EACH COUNTRYM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMZimbabwe 32 38 15 141 20 6.13 – – 14 762 233 1963 59 33.27 3/22 – -England 8 8 5 30 9* 10.00 – – – 211.5 86 428 30 14.26 6/14 2 1Australia -South Africa 3 3 3 0 0* — – – 3 71 15 178 4 44.50 2/75 – -West Indies 2 3 0 0 0 0.00 – – – 39 17 61 1 61.00 1/25 – -New Zealand 3 6 1 11 11 2.20 – – – 75 25 169 8 21.25 4/49 – -India 1 1 1 3 3* — – – – 25 9 57 1 57.00 1/41 – -Pakistan 4 5 1 26 21 6.50 – – 1 85 21 231 8 28.87 3/23 – -Sri Lanka 2 2 0 4 4 2.00 – – – 44 13 119 5 23.80 2/24 – -Bangladesh -Kenya 2 3 2 30 30* 30.00 – – – 23 5 85 2 42.50 1/35 – -57 69 28 245 30* 5.97 – – 18 1335.5 424 3291 118 27.88 6/14 2 1RECORD ON ZIMBABWEAN GROUNDSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMAlexandra 3 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – – 26 5 81 2 40.50 2/43 – -Bulawayo AC 14 15 5 65 14* 6.50 – – 7 298 83 823 25 32.92 3/22 – -Harare SC 7 12 5 19 5 2.71 – – 4 221.4 63 551 19 29.00 3/56 – -Kwekwe 1 1 0 4 4 4.00 – – – 29 12 54 0 –Mutare 2 2 1 0 0* 0.00 – – – 46 15 146 2 73.00 1/25 – -Old Hararians 1 2 1 9 6 9.00 – – – 8 3 20 0 –Queens SC 4 5 3 40 20 20.00 – – 3 133.2 52 288 11 26.18 2/25 – -32 38 15 141 20 6.13 – – 14 762 233 1963 59 33.27 3/22 – -LOGAN CUP RECORD (FOR MATABELELAND)M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wM1995/96 3 4 2 14 14* 7.00 – – 1 64 15 245 3 81.66 2/42 – -1996/97 3 4 0 4 4 1.00 – – 1 58 9 198 3 66.00 2/66 – -1997/98 2 2 1 9 6 9.00 – – – 21 7 47 0 –1998/99 2 2 2 14 11* — – – 2 41 15 93 6 15.50 3/32 – -1999/2000 -2000/01 5 3 1 8 5 4.00 – – 5 102.2 37 193 9 21.44 2/2 – -2001/02 2 3 1 22 20 11.00 – – 2 52 19 138 3 46.00 2/35 – -17 18 7 71 20 6.45 – – 11 338.2 102 914 24 38.08 3/22 – -RECORD AGAINST OTHER LOGAN CUP TEAMSM I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50 Ct O M R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMFor Matabeleland:CFX Academy 1 – – — — — – – 1 20.2 6 47 2 23.50 2/45 – -Manicaland 2 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – 1 38 15 109 2 54.50 1/14 – -Mashonaland 7 10 3 19 6 2.71 – – 5 149 34 434 9 48.22 2/42 – -Mashonaland A 4 3 2 33 20 33.00 – – 2 70 26 141 8 17.62 3/22 – -Mash Country Dist 1 2 2 14 14* — – – – 6 0 52 0 –Midlands 1 1 0 5 5 5.00 – – 2 30 14 46 3 15.33 2/2 – -Young Mashonaland 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 – – – 25 7 85 0 –17 18 7 71 20 6.45 – – 11 338.2 102 914 24 38.08 3/22 – -HIGHEST SCORE30* Zimbabwe A v Kenya Nairobi Gymkhana 2001/02Highest in Zimbabwe:20 Matabeleland v Mashonaland A Queens Sports Club 2001/02`PAIRS’0 and 0 Matabeleland v Mashonaland Bulawayo Athletic Club 1996/970 and 0 ZIMBABWE v NEW ZEALAND Auckland 1997/980 and 0 ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES Port-of-Spain 1999/2000FIVE WICKETS IN AN INNINGS1 6/14 Zimbabweans v Yorkshire Leeds 20002 5/23 Zimbabweans v Gloucestershire Gloucester 2000MOST OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS35 (35-9-75-2) ZIMBABWE v SOUTH AFRICA Bloemfontein 1999/2000MOST OVERS BOWLED IN A MATCH45 (45-18-54-3) ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN Queens Sports Club 1997/98MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN AN INNINGS91 (28-6-91-2) ZIMBABWE v SOUTH AFRICA Harare Sports Club 1999/2000MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN A MATCH124 (35-5-124-3) President’s XI v Australians Queens Sports Club 1999/2000MOST MAIDEN OVERS BOWLED IN AN INNINGS15 (23-15-25-2) ZIMBABWE v PAKISTAN Queens Sports Club 1997/98DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BATSMANbowled 11 26.83lbw 15 36.58caught 11 26.83caught by wicketkeeper – 0.00caught and bowled – 0.00stumped 3 7.32run out 1 2.44TOTAL 41 100.00%DETAILS OF DISMISSALS AS A BOWLERbowled 11 9.32lbw 26 22.03caught 53 44.92caught by wicket-keeper 28 23.73caught and bowled – 0.00stumped – 0.00TOTAL 118 100.00%MOST CATCHES IN AN INNINGS2, on 3 occasionsMOST CATCHES IN A MATCH2, on 4 occasions

The Tasmanian selectors have today named an unchanged Cascade Tasmanian Tigers team to play the Redbacks in the ING Cup match to be played at Bellerive Oval on Saturday 1st November 2003.

CASCADE TASMANIAN TIGERS
Daniel MARSH (Captain)
Shane WATSON
Jamie COX
Michael DiVENUTO
Michael DIGHTON
Scott KREMERSKOTHEN
Sean CLINGELEFFER
Damien WRIGHT
Xavier DOHERTY
Brett GEEVES
Adam GRIFFITH
Andrew DOWNTON

The 12th man will be named on the morning of the match.Play will start at 10.00am with gates opening at 9.00am. Patrons are reminded this is their first chance to win a set of keys to the Ford Focus by supporting the Tigers and bringing their entry form from the Mercury to the ground on Saturday.

Ricky Ponting at the nets before Australia’s first match of the VB Series © Getty Images

Just two days. That’s all the time we have to get over one of the greatest Test series in recent memory. The emotion over such a keenly contested rubber and the retirement of an Australian icon have to be set aside very soon. Australia take on India in the opening match of the VB tri-series and despite all their frailties which were exposed in the Tests, Ricky Ponting’s team wear the favourites tag.There wasn’t even time for a warm-up game for India and Australia. With the batsmen indulging in some run-revelry in the Tests, shifting gears will not be a problem. But what of the bowling? Anil Kumble will be India’s best bet again but he can’t bowl all day, and the support cast will need to strike rhythm early. India will also rely heavily on part-timers: Sanjay Bangar’s medium pace will need to be as military in its discipline as in its description while Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar will provide restricting options.Nathan Bracken finds himself in the elite indisposed company of Glenn Mcgrath and Shane Warne, which means that Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee will be the vanguards for Australians. Brad Williams’s pace and pumped-up vigour will add some zip while Andy Bichel’s heroics are never too far away. And then there is a small matter of Ian Harvey’s slower balls and yorkers at the death – something that tormented the Indians in the TVS Cup.The batting stocks could not have been more bullish. Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid are batting as if in a trance. Sachin Tendulkar, irrespective of whether he plays the cover-drive or not, has stood on ODI Olympus in the past year and Virender Sehwag will be given far more license to swat it around. Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds need no invitation to brutalise, and Michael Clarke has shown composure when confronted with pressure. And then there’s Bevan …Lets not forget, though, that a third team is involved in the tournament as well. Heath Streak insists that Zimbabwe aren’t around to just make up the numbers, but their form in Australia so far has hardly been inspiring. In fact, they have been mauled in two of their three matches. Yet, they fought tooth and nail with West Indies in a five-match home series. Heath Streak and Tatenda Taibu scripted many a rescue act and Andy Blignaut finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker.With Craig Wishart and Stuart Carlisle suffering injuries and the top order failing time and again, the picture looks far from rosy. But it was a similar story before the Test series in October, and they fought quite magnificently. Ray Price was their hero then and Zimbabwe will look for similar performances to prevent the tri-series from being an abject misnomer.

John Dyson: on the last lap as the Sri Lankan coach?© Getty Images

John Dyson will be back on March 1 to continue his role as the coach of the Sri Lankan team before their Test tour to New Zealand in April. Mohan de Silva, the president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), said that Dyson had agreed to return to Sri Lanka and complete his contract which ends on March 31 and prepare the team for the two Tests against New Zealand.Dyson angered a section of the SLC top brass when he back to Sydney straight after the cancellation of the New Zealand tour, following the tsunami disaster, without informing them. The SLC’s ExCo was divided on whether they should retain Dyson and give him a fresh contract or look for someone else to replace him.However the issue appears to have thinned out following Dyson’s talks with de Silva and Duleep Mendis in Australia recently. de Silva said that SLC have offered new terms in the contract which Dyson hopes to discuss with SLC officials when he is here. Depending on the outcome of the discussions Dyson’s contract could be extended to anything from one year to until the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.Dyson, the former Australian opener, had succeeded Dav Whatmore after signing a 19-month contract in September 1, 2003. Within that period of time Sri Lanka improved their rankings in both forms of the game, moving from seventh to fifth in Tests and leaped from seventh to second place in the one-dayers.Sri Lanka are due to play New Zealand in two Tests at Napier and Wellington, apart from a three-day warm-up game from March 26. The national cricket selectors named a pool of 24 players for training from which the final squad will be selected. These players will be involved in SLC’s provincial tournament which gets underway tomorrow and ends with the final at Dambulla on March 6.