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If Rahul Dravid’s partnership with VVS Laxman bailed India out of a tricky situation, then his 182-run stand with Sourav Ganguly shut New Zealand out of the contest, and ensured that the best result they could hope for was a draw. Ganguly’s innings was played out in three different parts: in the first session, he scarcely played a convincing stroke, scoring 19 from 73 balls. For much of that period, he made generous use of his pads.

The fluency started to come into his batting towards the later part of the afternoon session, when he scored 56 from 101 balls. As the table indicates, his footwork became more assured too. The 55 minutes after tea was when Ganguly was at his best, hitting 25 off 37 balls. Overall, Ganguly’s not-in-control percentage was 20 – that is, once every five balls he played-and-missed, edged, or was struck on the pads. For Dravid, that figure was only 12%, a figure which suggests the mastery which he displayed for more than a day and a half.

The Southern Electric Premier League have launched their “get tough” crackdown on bad on-the-field behaviour by banning Hungerford bowler Jason Williams.The Berkshire-based paceman has been suspended for 2 matches, for abusing a match official at the New Milton-Hungerford Premier Division 3 game on May 24.An additional two week ban has been suspended until August 2004.Williams, who has also been reprimanded by his own club, was withdrawn from the Hungerford attack after conceding 47 runs in eight overs at Fernhill.The immediate action taken by the Club was endorsed by the discilinary committee and as a consequence the ban of 3 weeks plus I week suspended was reduced to a 2 weeks ban plus 2 weeks suspendedNew Milton went on to pile up 279-8 before heavy rain saved the day with Hungerford reeling at 59-6.The three-match ban slapped on Williams comes hard on the heels of a stern behaviour warning sent out to clubs by the Premier League at the start of the season.”Everyone has been told that we will not tolerate bad behaviour, particularly verbal abuse directed at umpires,” emphasised SPL chairman Alan Bundy.”Umpires are there to enjoy the game as much as the players and one of the reasons for the present shortage of officials is because of the excessive appealing and questioning of decisions that goes on.”Williams missed Hungerford’s win over South Wilts II last week and will sit out today’s game at Ventnor and that against Havant II next week before being eligible to play against Winchester KS.Hungerford, who lie second in Premier 3, subsequently suffered a second severe blow when skipper Owen Dawkins broke his wrist while bowling for Wales MC in last weekend’s Minor Counties Championship innings defeat against Wiltshire at Pontypridd.Dawkins, who was on the Lord’s Groundstaff several seasons ago, was unable to get out of the way of a blistering return drive, which broke his wrist.The gallant Hungerford captain, who has recruited Wales MC colleague Dai Lloyd to the Berkshire club, came out to bat with his wrist plastered but was unable to save the Welshmen from defeat.Russell Rowe, out of touch with the bat so far for South Wilts this season, hit 128 of Wiltshire’s massive 434-7.

Western Australian Cricket’s high performance general manager Rob Langer has been appointed to the Association’s position of general manager cricket operations.Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) chief executive Kath White announced his changed role today. The appointment will have immediate effect and he will assist White in the restructure of the WACA cricket department.White said she was delighted to have a former state batsman in such an important position.An uncle of Australian Test batsman Justin Langer, Rob Langer, 54, played 44 first-class matches and scored 2756 runs at 43.06 in a career spanning 1973/74-1981/82.Langer, who has held positions as chief executive officer for the Western Australian Speedway Commission and the Associated and Catholic Colleges of Western Australia, joined the WACA in July last year in the high performance role. A former Australian serviceman, he reached the rank of Second-Lieutenant in the Army.

Northern Districts ended the first day of their sixth-round State Championship match with the advantage over the hosts, having elected to bat on an even green Eden Park Outer Oval pitch and finishing with a satisfying 301 for six.The Northern score was built on the back of, first, a controlled 85-run partnership by James Marshall (55) and Michael Parlane (31) after the first-over departure of Matthew Hart and, second, a superbly constructed 73 from the all-rounder Scott Styris batting at number four.Styris applied a judicious leave, a solid defence and a brutal demolition of anything loose, in the process hitting the leg spinner Brooke Walker out of the attack after just two overs.On a pitch that was offering a little movement off the seam, his departure at 225/5 might have signalled difficulties. Instead the Auckland bowlers – Chris Drum excepted – failed to apply pressure and first Grant Bradburn (44) and then Robbie Hart (27 not out) and Joseph Yovich (18 not out) ensured Northern ended the day in a position from which they could dictate proceedings.Drum ended with two for 61 from 21 overs. Richard Morgan, his opening partner, failed to find a consistent line. He ended with one for 52 from 23, figures that flattered through the number of balls the batsmen did not need to play.Sanjeewa Silva, the Sri Lankan medium pacer playing his first first-class match in New Zealand, ended with two for 55 from 19 – more consistent in line than Morgan but also consistently too far outside off to trouble the batsmen. He also contributed eight no-balls to the total.In fact the total of 16 no-balls and three wides added to Auckland’s bowling woes, not least because they went 25 minutes past the scheduled close.Northern will start the second day intending to build on a solid base; Auckland will be seeking to find a tighter line to cut short their oppositions’ progress.

Dr Ali Bacher, executive director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, addressed the media today at a scheduled press conference between the conclusion of the preliminary round of CWC 2003 and the start on Friday of the Super Sixes.Dr Bacher addressed the following issues:The competing teams:I wish to congratulate the six teams who have qualified, and wish them every success in the matches ahead. I would also like to pay tribute to the Associate Member Countries teams that competed with such commitment and a sense of fun. They have been like a breath of fresh air.The exit of the South African team: We are all very disappointed, and we share the disappointment of the nation and the players. But what we have been able to do is to show the world that we have the capacity to manage a global sporting event of this nature. What we need is the people of South Africa to continue to buy into the importance of this tournament, and to continue supporting it the way they have done. The South African team might be out of the World Cup, but South Africa is still in it.Crowd attendance and gate receipts:For the 34 preliminary round games in South Africa some 400 000 people have attended, representing some 70% of capacity. It is estimated that a further 200 000-250 000 will attend the 12 remaining games of the tournament giving a grand total (including the Opening Ceremony) of 675 000 out of the 825 000 total capacity.I am very heartened by these figures. We have now banked R80 million from ticket sales and our initial budget was R25 million.Attendances have shown how the South African public have embraced the tournament as a great cricketing occasion. For example, attendance for the Kenya-Bangladesh match at the Wanderers on 1 March was 17 897, Bangladesh-Canada at Kingsmead on 11 February was 10 482, and Canada-Kenya at Newlands on 15 February was 12 590. In addition, for the six matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya, total attendance was 29 549.Security at the grounds in South Africa:I would like to thank the South African and international supporters for their exemplary behaviour and good spirit.The worst crowd incidents reported were three minor scuffles, each lasting about 30 seconds, at the India-Pakistan game at Supersport Park. They were quickly stifled and 6 people were ejected from the ground. I am pleased to say that no one has been injured at any game, there have been no pitch invasions and no attacks on players.It is clear to me that the policies of our Security Directorate have worked.I wish also to make special mention of the SA Police Service for its unstinting commitment and support for CWC 2003.The ‘look’ of the CWC 2003 stadiums:The clean consistency of the blue, gold, black and white ‘look’ of the stadiums has been remarked upon very favourably by many knowledgeable people. I would like to think that we have now launched an ICC Cricket World Cup brand that will be used again and again, not necessarily in the same colours but with the same consistency. I would be bold enough to suggest that, having attended two Olympic Games, the CWC branding is as good, if not better, than the Olympics.The pitches and playing areas:These have truly done credit to an event of this magnitude. Our pitch consultants, groundsmen and curators must be congratulated on producing playing surfaces of the highest standard.In addition, the upgrades at all the stadiums are truly fantastic and I have been very impressed with the new scoreboards and replay screens.The CWC 2003 Ticketing System:This is one of the unsung success stories of the tournament, a fully computerized system that provides absolute security and crowd control. It is interesting to note that, through the security built into the turnstiles and tickets, 12 870 people have tried unsuccessfully to gain access to grounds without valid tickets. Without this ticketing system, they would have gained entry undetected.Volunteers 2003:This has been another success story of the tournament. Wherever I go, volunteers are friendly and helpful. I get so many good reports about them and the country is truly proud of them. This is a legacy that we will leave South African sport.Marketing, PR and Communications:One of our main objectives at the outset was to rally the country behind this event. I believe that this has been achieved and that these campaigns have resulted in South Africans embracing the event.We have always said that, even if South Africa doesn’t win the World Cup, we want this to be a very special event for South Africa, Africa and the International Cricket Council. It’s time … now for the country to continue to show its support for the important matches that lie ahead.Availability of tickets for the Super Sixes:The public are reminded that, in keeping with an assurance made earlier this year, a limited number of tickets will become available in the ticketing system for the nine upcoming Super Six matches. People wishing to attend these matches should keep a check on the CWC ticket sales channels by either visiting their local CWC stadium ticket office, calling the ticket hotline on 083 123 2003 or logging onto the website www.cricketworldcup .Tickets now on sale will be limited to four per person.

The Victorian Bushrangers today included Damien Fleming in a squad of 13 for Sunday’s ING Cup clash with the Western Warriors at the MCG. The match will be Fleming’s first since straining a hamstring during Tasmania’s first innings of the Pura Cup match at Bellerive Oval two weeks ago.BUSHRANGERSMatthew Elliott (c), Brad Hodge (vc), Rob Bartlett, Darren Berry, Simon Dart, Damien Fleming, Ian Harvey, Shane Harwood, Ian Hewett, Michael Klinger, Michael Lewis, Jon Moss, Cameron White

A defiant NSW put a dent in Western Australia’s ambition of making the Pura Cup final by digging in for a thrilling draw at the WACA Ground today.The Blues were outplayed for the entire match but the pesky duo of Mark Higgs and Nathan Bracken (8) survived 56 minutes to help foil the Warriors’ plans.Bracken fell in the third last over leg before to Brad Hogg (1-49) but Higgs (18no) and Stuart Clark (0no) were able to negotiate the final 14 balls.Hogg thought he had Higgs with the third last ball which just scraped over the off stump.The result left the Warriors in third place on the Pura Cup table on 18 points. Queensland leads with 28 then South Australia has 20 with fourth-placed Tasmania(16) and Victoria (12) currently battling it out at the MCG.NSW finished 9-311, some 95 runs short of its victory target, but remained anchored to the bottom of the standings, and winless in the four-day game sinceNovember.A three-hour plus stand between Michael Bevan (72) and Michael Clarke (81) earlier looked like leading the Blues to safety but three wickets in eight balls around tea turned the game WA’s way.Part-time bowler Marcus North (1-30) had Bevan caught on the long on boundary by Hogg after the left-hander strained his hamstring running a second in theprevious over.And Clarke fell lbw to Kade Harvey (2-36) in the next over but not before he’d reinforced his position as one of the hottest prospects in Australian cricket with an effortless display.Team officials didn’t expect Bevan’s hamstring strain to be a problem ahead of Sunday’s ING Cup final against Queensland at the Gabba.Brett Van Deinsen (0), who is carrying a back injury, lasted just four balls after the interval before Harvey trapped him in front for his second wicket.Shane Lee (28) and Graeme Rummans (12) both fell chasing quick runs after it became a tempting option with 151 needed off 23 overs and five wickets in hand.Don Nash made an entertaining 24 before Brad Williams (3-78) had him caught behind for his third scalp of the innings.But after losing the eighth wicket the Blues dug in for the draw.The Warriors earlier looked like running through the Blues line-up with openers Grant Lambert (11) and wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin (41) back in thepavilion within the opening hour.Haddin threw away an enterprising start by continuing to sky the ball through cover and was caught by Chris Rogers to hand Jo Angel (2-74) his 400th first-class wicket for Western Australia.

In 1983, the Old County Ground at Northlands Road hosted its first One-Day International, a World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe. The official scorers for that match were Victor Isaacs and Tony Weld.Since then Victor Isaacs has become the longest serving scorer in Hampshire’s history, and Tony Weld has remained the 2nd XI’s scribe, that is, when he was not away scoring with visiting International teams.This Thursday the 10th July, the Rose Bowl hosts the Nat West series One Day International when South Africa meet Zimbabwe. The official scorers for that match will be Victor Isaacs and Tony Weld. 20 years on, Vic will be scoring his 13th International (1 test and 12 ODIs) and Tony his 100th.Tony Weld who keeps his age a secret for fear of being retired prematurely, is one of the countries leading scorers. Treasurer of the Association of County Cricket Scorers, he puts his life and soul into the task which he still enjoys to the full.Tony is also a useful replacement when Vic, recently troubled by diabetic foot problems is absent, not only does he perform the computer duties, he scores in the main scorebook and also performs Vic’s Public Address announcements.It is Tony’s International duties that has been his forte over the years. He has joined the Australians, The West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand to name but a few, and has been highly respected figure with all he has toured with.Tony is a man that does not push himself forward in the public eye, slightly shy but very friendly and a delight to share a scorers box with.He is to be congratulated on the 100th Milestone a magnificent achievement, but we have not seen the last of him for some time yet, whatever his age!

The last time a Queensland team played a one-day match in Hobart, it suffered a crushing loss that effectively ended the state’s limited-overs season. Today, circumstances were reversed as the Bulls’ 76-run walloping of Tasmania served as the springboard for a likely appearance in the ING Cup Final this summer.The Bulls lost the toss, suffered a middle order collapse, and were under-strength – with their captain unavailable and three other top-line players missing.They also registered no more than a moderate-looking total of 8/203 upon being invited to bat first here at the Bellerive Oval.Yet they never seemed under threat once new ball bowlers Joe Dawes (3/26) and James Hopes (1/16) had each made incisions at the start of a flimsy Tasmanian reply. Ashley Noffke (4/32), backing up a valuable unbeaten 21 with the bat, then guaranteed the home team’s demise by wrecking its middle order with skilful pace bowling.Impressively, the visitors didn’t seem perturbed by the absence of national representatives Andy Bichel, Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden and captain Stuart Law – at home for the birth of his son. The loss of paceman Michael Kasprowicz, who left the field after feeling slight soreness in a hamstring, was easily overcome as well.Young all-rounder – and former Queensland junior – Shane Watson (53) offered the illusion of a Tasmanian revival with an accomplished innings amid crisis. With errors being committed all around him, though, there was little he could do to help avert a slide that saw seven wickets fall for the addition of just 65 runs.”It probably wasn’t the sort of total we were after with the bat but ‘Joey’ (Dawes) and ‘Hopesey’ started us off brilliantly and the rest of us were lucky to get a few wickets in the middle,” said Noffke in the wake of a win that gave the Bulls maximum points and a vital five-point buffer at the head of the Cup standings.”We came down here (wanting) to concentrate on the basics of the one-day game. We did that well and it was great to come out of it with a bonus point.”No matter what position we’re in, we believe that we can win. That we’ll get ourselves out of a bad position. It’s all about belief and trusting our ability.”It’s a superb position for us to be in (on the table) now but we still want to win every game we go into obviously.”With only one win from 11 previous outings this summer, the odds were arguably stacked against Tasmania from the start. They lengthened when Brendan Nash (63) and Jimmy Maher (31) joined in a composed opening stand of 62 after the latter, in his temporary role as skipper, had experienced defeat at the toss.The match tightened as the Tasmanian bowlers lured a succession of middle order batsmen into over-ambitious strokes. Only an intelligent unbroken liaison of 40 for the ninth wicket between Noffke and Nathan Hauritz (18*) quelled the Tasmanians’ determined fightback.But the gulf in the two teams’ confidence and self-belief was re-defined almost as soon as the Tasmanians began the chase.On a pitch that captain Jamie Cox later described as being over-generous to the bowlers, eight of the Tigers’ top nine batsmen added further complexity to the task by falling to the strokes of millionaires.”We’re playing terribly; simple errors are turning into catastrophes,” lamented Cox after the match.”We’re embarrassed, disappointed and upset.”My head’s a bit of a muddle (after that) but we’ve just got to figure out a way forward.”Openers Michael Di Venuto (6) and Michael Dighton (1) offered catching practice to Maher at second slip. Cox (15) drove a catch straight to mid off; Sean Clingeleffer (0) spooned another to cover; Shaun Young (4) heaved across the line; and Daniel Marsh (8), Scott Kremerskothen (4) and Graeme Cunningham (2) all chased deliveries they would have been well advised to leave alone.It was a tame display – to add to a rapidly swelling collection of them this season for the last-placed Tigers.They continued to prove that the limited-overs game is not easy when confidence is low and when the next win seems a mile away.Though they only had to look across a passage way, to the opposite dressing room, to note that reversals can sometimes come in a hurry.

As the West Indies start their current tour of Sri Lanka,Tony Cozier, who will cover the Tests and One-DayInternationals for THE NATION newspapers, provides a playerby-player assessment of the team.Carl Hooper: As he has immediately shown, he, morethan anyone, is the key to success. Already a quality, butenigmatic, all-round cricketer, his promotion to thecaptaincy has revealed a changed character, a leader lookedup to by the young brigade. A master against spin, he cangive the lead in countering the menace of Muralitheran.Ridley Jacobs: A damaged finger might have kept someother keepers at home but Jacobs has repeatedly proved he’smade of much sterner stuff. There is no more valuable memberof the team, on the field or in the dressing room, and, ifhe’ll find Murali’s spin more of a puzzle than some of theothers, he won’t be intimidated by it.Chris Gayle: No recent young batsman has scored asheavily or consistently or punched the ball harder. Hisappetite for runs and will to improve were evidenced in asuccession of hundreds in Zimbabwe and Kenya and then on hisreturn home. Now comes a different challenge in newconditions against one of the finest off-spinners of alltime on his own patch.Daren Ganga: Yet another overseas assignment tofollow previous tours of South Africa, New Zealand,Australia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. On the latter trips, therewas a growing confidence, more purpose to his strokes and adeveloping opening partnership with Gayle.Leon Garrick: Small, right-handed and compact, he andGayle formed an effective, right-handed/left-handed, Muttand-Jeff opening combination for Jamaica last season. Adebut Test against South Africa (with a first-balldismissal) and limited opportunities in Zimbabwe and Kenyahave left him with still a lot to prove.Wavell Hinds: Once his broken nose is mended in timeand he manages to make it on to the field, there is plentyof lost ground to make up. A promising start that includedan innings of 165 against the powerful Pakistanis in hisfifth Test has been followed by inconsistent returns. InChanderpaul’s absence, the No.3 spot is vacant but the onlyway back is by regular scores.Brian Lara: As always, there are more questions thananswers to the game’s most mercurial personality. Is he fitenough? Is he eager enough? Does he still care? Is he pastit? Not all will be answered in the coming six weeks but, inthe mood, the incomparable left-hander remains a potentialmatch-winner.Ramnaresh Sarwan: Still only 21, he is at the startof what could be a long and prosperous career. In his shorttime, he’s had Tests against five opponents in fourdifferent countries and now comes another. His nimblefootwork, quick eye and flexible wrists are marks of aspecial batsman, yet not more so than runs. But is No.3 hisideal position?Marlon Samuels: It’s less than a year since, aged 19,he was pitchforked into the tough Test series in Australiaand handled it with the aplomb of a seasoned campaigner.Things come easily to an obviously talented cricketer but heshould appreciate by now that Test cricket is not an easygame, not least in Sri Lanka. The time is now for a maidenfirst-class hundred and a few more besides.Neil McGarrell: A captain’s pick during last season’sseries against South Africa, he has delivered his left-armspin capably in his three Tests, with four wickets in aninnings three times out of six. A streetwise cricketer, heis always competitive and his attitude is clearly valued byHooper.Dinanath Ramnarine: Just when he seemed to havesecured a settled place in the team, with 20 wickets in thehome series against South Africa, a back strain sent himhome from Zimbabwe. If pitches encourage turn, as they oncedid, his leg-breaks and googlies should be a significantpart of the West Indies’ strategy.Merv Dillon: Out of the Test XI for more than a yearand-ahalf, Dillon’s 39 wickets (at 27.72) in his last nineTests on return, against the might of Australia and SouthAfrica, seemed to mark him as the one to lead the attack onCourtney Walsh’s retirement. A knee injury sidelined him forthe Tests in Zimbabwe in July but he remains the frontrunner in the fast bowling stakes.Pedro Collins: Since first coming into the Test teamover three years ago against Australia as a sharp leftarmer, he’s had a patchy time of it. Mainly through a backproblem, there was a break of more than three years betweenTests before he played against Zimbabwe in July. Fit again,his form has been good, his enthusiasm obvious. He could bea surprise packet.Colin Stuart: Aged 28 and around for some time, hestepped in to fill the breach left by Walsh’s retirement andinjuries to Dillon and Cameron Cuffy in Zimbabwe. He bowledfast and straight and never stopped trying. They areattributes he will need against batsmen of higher qualitynow.Reon King: A couple of years back, he looked thegenuine article, distinctly quick with good control and theability to move the ball. He hasn’t been the same sincedamaging his foot on the tour of England last year but, onhis day, is the likeliest wicket-taker.Marlon Black: Fast with a nice outswinger, he hadfour good Australian wickets in his first bowl in Testcricket last season. By the fourth Test, he was out of theteam and later so badly mugged in a Melbourne street he wassidelined for over two months. His future in West Indiescricket probably depends on how he goes here.