Trinidad and Tobago handed Jamaica a 93-run home defeat in a raincurtailed match at Sabina Park, going on to top Zone A of the RedStripe Bowl.Opting to bat, the visitors scored 194 in 35 overs, Andy Jackson topscoring with 59 off 56 balls. He received fine support from LincolnRoberts, who scored 48 in the second-wicket collaboration of 74 runs.Ricardo Powell picked up three wickets for Jamaica, but the rest ofthe bowlers failed to make any impression. Self-destruction played alarge part of the Trinidadian innings, with five batsmen being runout.Jamaica, in reply, could muster only 101 for 5, reined insignificantly by Trinidad left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed’s figures of7-2-8-2 and captain Dinanath Ramnarine’s performance of 6-1-10-1.Eight bowlers, including star batsman Brian Lara, turned their armover against Jamaica as Ramnarine rang in the changes to effect acomprehensive victory.

Big-hitting Andrew Symonds helped Queensland beat the clock when it roared to an ominous win over Western Australia in the Pura Cup match at the Gabba today.Symonds delivered an unbeaten 75 runs from just 43 balls as the Bulls grafted a six-wicket victory with just 33 balls to spare, getting their title defence off to a perfect start.Symonds was his typically ruthless self, clubbing six fours and three sixes, including one sweep shot which cleared the first tier of the eastern stand and a drive which almost smashed into the Brisbane Lions social club.With captain Stuart Law (27 not out from 28 balls) lending vital support, Queensland cruised to 4-166 from 27.3 overs as the lights took over at the Gabba.But it was the Bulls bowlers and fielders who brought to life a match which seemed dead until they zipped through the Warriors’ talented batting line-up for 207 midway through the final day.Man-of-the-match Matthew Hayden took three sharp catches including those of Test teammates Damien Martyn (12) and Justin Langer (27), who was taken to hospital after being struck on the head for the third time in six weeks.Langer was felled by a bouncer from Andrew Bichel after just four balls, but scans later cleared him of injury, enabling the plucky opener to return to the crease as the Warriors struggled for breath.With Michael Kasprowicz (3-38) and Adam Dale (3-51) finding their marks, the Warriors lost their last eight wickets for 87 runs to surrender a match whichseemed certain to limp to a draw.”I knew if we could get two or three quick wickets the game would change and it would also change the way they were thinking,” Law said.”Our bowlers were a different class today than during the first innings and we basically knocked them over with some high-quality fast bowling.”Warriors captain Adam Gilchrist also praised the Bulls bowlers after he fell during a crucial second session.The match turned when Ashes tourist Ashley Noffke (2-47) unhinged Gilchrist (seven) with a regulation catch behind to Wade Seccombe before Noffke clung to an excellent return catch from dangerman Mike Hussey (66).With Simon Katich (one) enduring an unusually poor return at the Gabba, and Martyn failing in both innings, the platform was laid for a Symonds’ onslaught.”Last year we felt we were in contention in all 10 games until midway through the third day but we had one bad session or a bad half-day and we were in trouble,” Gilchrist said.”This one is over now so it’s like saying we’ve now got nine game to make an impression but we’re not at the stage where we have to do something like review our game plan.”I said after the first day that their bowlers were very un-Queensland-like but today they turned it around and got back to that ruthless line and length.”The teams return to the Gabba tomorrow for a one-day match with watches over Langer and Dale (shoulder), but both players are expected to play.

An autumn Test match in Hobart between, say, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is an unlikely prospect.But it’s the sort of possibility that Tasmanian cricket authorities are thinking about as they look for ways to minimise the weather lottery of Tests in spring and ensure the handsome new facilities at Bellerive Oval get decent use.The thinking started before the rain-ruined second Test between Australia and New Zealand ended in a draw today.Hobart gets a Test every second year and it’s usually in late spring, with a mixture of money and tradition making it the pauper when the seasonal cricketing spoils are divided among the capitals.Apart from anything else, it simply doesn’t get the crowds the mainland cities attract.Australian captain Steve Waugh, who loves coming to Hobart and playing at Bellerive, believes this is largely a matter of culture and more people would come if more Tests were played.The Tasmanian Cricket Association would also love more Tests, but realises this is unlikely on current thinking.However TCA chief executive David Johnston said it would prefer its next – in 2003-04 when India and Pakistan are scheduled to tour – in December rather thanNovember.Hobart, contrary to popular belief, is Australia’s second driest capital, after Adelaide.But a lot of its rain tends to fall in spring.It’s always a lottery. The previous Hobart Test, when Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer produced their famous last day run chase to beat Pakistan, didn’t lose aminute. The one before that, also against New Zealand, suffered badly.As the TCA appreciates, delaying the Test a few weeks would only provide a statistically slightly better chance of rain-free days.However the TCA thinks there are other possibilities.It’s possible, for example, that if serious civil unrest occurred in another Test-playing country – Pakistan is the most obvious immediate example, followed by Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe – Hobart could be used as a neutral venue for Tests involving two non-Australian sides.Tests have only previously been played in neutral countries when rare multi-nation tournaments are held.Johnston said April would be a good month. It may be a little cool, but it’s usually dry and the light is still good.Spring, however, may turn out to be a good time after all. The latest long-range climate change predictions expect Tasmania to have wetter winters, with the rest of the year drier.

A combined team of girls from Wellington and Hutt Valley flew out from New Zealand yesterday to begin a four-match tour of the Argentine.The tour is the result of an invitation from the Argentine Cricket Association which has previously sent three youth teams to New Zealand on tours.Thirteen girls aged 13-16, all of whom have achieved representative cricket level, have taken up the invitation. The girls have raised $85,000 to make the trip from stocktaking and raffles while the New Zealand Community Trust, the Lion Foundation, Pub Charities and the Norwood Trust in Wellington have been very supportive of the tour.A cocktail evening was held in Wellington on October 29 to draw the name of the team sponsor, which went to McLaren Associates Management Consultants.The Minister of Sport and Recreation, and also Education, Trevor Mallard attended the evening along with the Argentine Ambassador and members of the boards for Cricket Wellington and New Zealand Cricket.Three of the team’s games will be played in Buenos Aires and one in Rosario.The girls will also take part in cricketing clinics and share their cricketing experiences with their hosts.Former New Zealand opening batsman Bruce Edgar is the coach of the team which is managed by Thelma Colquhoun.The team is being taken on a sightseeing tour of Buenos Aires today and this evening travels to Lomas de Zamora where they will play a hockey game tomorrow morning and a cricket game in the afternoon against Southern Districts at St Albans College grounds in Buenos Aires.On Monday the players will visit the Tigre Valley and on Tuesday they will play the Argentine Girls’ XI at St Georges College-Quilmes, Buenos Aires.Wednesday involves a bus trip to Rosario with sightseeing on the way and a cricket clinic on arrival before meeting their billets.On Thursday afternoon they will play a Rosario combined boys’ and girls’ team.That will be followed on Friday morning by a hockey game and in the afternoon a game of cricket against a combined Buenos Aires/Rosario side.The last game of the tour is next Sunday, against a North XI in Buenos Aires.The team leaves on the night after that game at 12.10am and arrives back in Auckland on December 18.Team members are: Chamindi Abeyratne, Melissa Burgess, Victoria Colquhoun, Lucy Doolan, Holly Edgar, Rosemary Froggatt, Lucy Goddard, Gaya Gnanalingam, Philippa Gueorgieff, Phillippa Gunn, Rachel Harris, Danella Pike, Gina Ropiana, Bruce Edgar (coach), Thelma Colquhoun (manager).

Tony Lewis, the 63 year old former Glamorgan and England captain, is to become a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2002 New Year Honours List.Tony, who this year led the successful bid to bring golf’s Ryder Cup to Wales in 2010, receives his CBE for services to sport, broadcasting and Wales.He has had a lifetime in sport and the media – the first Welshman to captainEngland in Tests, he also led Glamorgan to the County Championship in 1969. He has remained actively involved with the club, as Chairman, and currently President, in addition to serving as President of the M.C.C,, and during his term of office, Lord`s hosted the 1999 Cricket World Cup final.A founder member of the Sports Council for Wales, Tony has also worked as acricket commentator and presenter, and from 1992 until 2000, he served as chair of the Wales Tourist Board. In 2000, Tony took on the chairmanship of Wales’s Ryder Cup bid, funded by Sir Terry Matthews, the wealthy owner of the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, and he was rewarded with confirmation a couple of months ago that the Newport course will stage the 2010 Ryder Cup.Naturally, Tony was extremely pleased with the news of his honour, and said it was a great honour for his whole family. “It’s a very warm feeling, and a lovely surprise. My family are basking in it, which is only right I suppose. It is an honour which is very well accepted, but often you depend on so many people. I have been very lucky.”Although he does not know who nominated him, or why, he said he felt his work in promoting Wales, and Welsh sporting organisations was instrumental, especially the success of the Ryder Cup campaign. “I’m sure it’s been a major contribution, especially as it was such a terrific success for Wales and I enjoyed it immensely. It was a team effort, everything has knitted together well and it had a very happy conclusion at the end of the day when Wales won the Ryder Cup bid.”

The fluctuating fortunes in the India-­England one-day series have notonly covered up for some mediocre cricket but have also brought backmemories of the limited overs contest between the two countries held onthe previous tour nine years ago. That too was a six-match series, andat the halfway mark England led 2-1. They went on to increase the leadby winning the fourth game before India fought back to win the last twogames and level the series 3-3.

At the halfway mark this time, the situation is reversed with Indialeading 2-1 but if the three games have proved anything, it is thatthere is not much to choose between the teams and one cannot discount aclose series this time too.The contestants have had both moments to savour and disappointments.India have stuck to their plan of playing six batsmen and four bowlers.Actually, in the absence of a genuine all rounder, they have few otheroptions. But it is good to see Ajit Agarkar finally come good. The slimutility player from Bombay has had his critics who feel that he has hadmore than his faire share of opportunities. That he is talented, no onewill deny. But he has not done his admirable gifts much justice. He hasall the qualities to make him a genuine all rounder in one day cricket ­he certainly cannot command a place in the Test side ­ and his formparticularly with the ball but also to some extent with the bat has seento it that India stays ahead at the halfway mark in the series.Another plus point from India’s viewpoint is the encouraging showing ofAjay Ratra. The young wicketkeeper is a bundle of energy and has alwaysbeen in the thick of action. His work behind the stumps has beenexemplary and he is always goading the bowlers and other teammatesalong. He is no rabbit with the bat too and has verily proved to be afind. He has certainly lived up to the promise he held out while keepingfor the victorious under-19 team in Sri Lanka two years ago and it is tobe hoped that the selectors will persist with him. Certainly the unhappyscenario of the last couple of years when the selectors tried out half adozen stumpers should not be repeated. India has found an able youngkeeper and Ratra should be encouraged.Sourav Ganguly’s injury was a blessing in disguise. His withdrawalproved two things ­ that there is a readymade opening pair in Tendulkarand Sehwag should Ganguly the batsman be unavailable. and also thatthere is excellent leadership material in Anil Kumble should Ganguly thecaptain have to drop out for any reason. Ganguly has been woefully outof touch and even though he would have been disappointed at missing outon a vital encounter, perhaps the enforced rest will do him a world ofgood and he could even recover his form. In the meantime, Sehwag showed,not for the first time, that he can be a match for Ganguly in strokeplay and run production. And Kumble proved that he has the qualities tolead the country ­ perhaps even on a long-term basis. He has probablynot been given enough credit for Karnataka’s excellent record in theRanji Trophy under his captaincy. There was something refreshinglydifferent about his approach at Chennai on Friday.If there have been disappointments from the Indian viewpoint, it is thatthe batting and bowling lacks consistency. England has wasted no time inexploiting the chinks in the Indian armour and they may well do so againbefore the series is over. But then India can take heart from the factthat consistency has not been England’s forte too. There are certaininherent weakness in their batting and bowling and this probably costthem victory in the first game. Batting without a sense of purpose anddirection saw them lose the third match rather tamely but it was areally fine performance that saw them clinch the Cuttack tie. However,they are over dependent on two or three batsmen and a couple of bowlersand that is not the kind of situation an international team should findthemselves in.

This week I wanted to look at England’s chances in India and give an early appraisal on their progress but being on holiday made it difficult to keep up to speed with the `goings on’ on the sub-continent. However, there is plenty time to reflect later.This has given me an appropriate time to talk a bit about our senior players at Gloucestershire CCC, the tremendous impact that they have made and why they are so invaluable to me. We often focus on the youth and the future stars and as I have mentioned in previous columns, I think we have this in abundance but for these guys to blossom and flourish, the quality of the senior structure needs to be spot on.I can enthuse about Jack Russell and Kim Barnett for ever because these two players are very special in their own right but, most importantly, they are special to me and to the ongoing progress of the club. You cannot separate Jack and Kim when it comes to playing standards. It is something we try to engender into our playing philosophy and two examples like Jack and Kim shows this off in practice. If you are cynical and are thinking that I love these guys because they make my job easier, I will forgive you because they do, but they also contribute a lot to the dynamics of the team.Jack is still `keeping’ as well as ever and when I watch international cricket, it confirms my suspicions that Jack is still rated in the top three in the world. He dominates most of our impressive fielding displays and there never is a moment that I can say `Jack is not quite with it today’. He represents the state that I want all Gloucestershire CCC players to be in and his presence on the field will help me achieve this.Equally, Kim’s presence is very reassuring. There are not many situations that Kim has not come across. His unique style works very well for him and although it might not work for other batsmen, it does encourage guys to explore and find a method that will suit them. There is nothing worse than trying to mould everyone into the same and I wholeheartedly support individual flair. I believe honed together with the right balance it will make us the most exciting team to watch. Winning is ultimately what you want to achieve but I think equally as important is entertaining. If we cannot win everything all the time, the next best thing is people walking away saying that they had a thoroughly enjoyable day.Although Jack and Kim are two glowing examples, I cannot ignore the role of Mike Smith and myself. Mike is very clinical when it comes to bowling and he leaves no stone unturned in his preparation for the season and, of course, for each match. Once again it may sound basic but a senior player showing that there are no short cuts is crucial. As for me, it is difficult for me to emphasize my role in glowing terms but my method is simply to lead from the front and being an all-rounder does help me to relate to all the disciplines required to perform at this level.Forgive me for repeating myself but we have a fantastic balance at the club with players of differing maturity coming together to form our strongest squad yet.

Sri Lanka A captain Upul Chandana dominated the second day of the unofficialTest at Matara on Friday when he launched a blistering assault on Kenya’shapless bowlers.Chandana, a leg-spinning all-rounder who has played six Tests and 81 ODIs,ran amok, smashing his highest first-class score, 194 off 193 balls, hitting23 fours and five straight sixes.It was a timely show of class by the Southern Province leggie, watched as hewas by national selector Mahesh Goonatillake, who will have been ponderingthe ideal make-up for the Sharjah tri-series in April.For Kenya it was a humiliating reminder that their bowling attack is stillwoefully short of an acceptable standard in Test match cricket.Leg-spinner Collins Obuya ended up with the best figures, three for 123 from34.4 overs, but even he was treated severely on the second day.Sri Lanka, starting the day on 298 for five, added a further 276 runs in42.4 overs for the loss of a solitary wicket, eventually declaring on 574for six midway through the afternoon session.At least, Kenya’s batsmen, needing 424 to save the follow on, rallied in theevening, finishing the day on 124 for two.But the loss of Steve Tikolo – their master batsman – shortly before theclose, as he mistimed a cut and was caught at point, was a serious blow.They will now be hoping that opener Ravindu Shah continues his steadfastresistance. The right-hander was 59 not out at the close with Hitesh Modi onnine.Chandana’s impressive knock was well supported by Tillakaratne Dilshan, whoscored a chanceless ton, eventually finishing unbeaten on 165 off 266 balls.The stylish Dilshan, scorer of 82 in Colombo and another pushing hard for aplace in the national squad, played second fiddle to Chandana, who scoredmost of his runs with booming off-drives and well executed cuts.The pair added a massive 302 for the sixth wicket before Chandana clipped acatch to mid-wicket. Sri Lanka immediately declared.Kenya started well enough, surviving new ball bursts from left-arm RuchiraPerera and Prabath Nissanka.However, the introduction of spin proved their undoing. In Rangana Herath’ssecond over Kennedy Otienio attempted a drive, edged and was safely pouchedat slip by Chandana.

Wellington completed a less than convincing, but comfortable State Shield victory over Auckland by four wickets at the Basin Reserve today.In seemingly benign pitch conditions, on a fine and sunny day, the batsmen from both teams struggled more than they should have throughout.With the exception of Lou Vincent (66) for Auckland and Stephen Fleming (57) for Wellington, which was a rare case of good news for the national selectors from performances by their World Cup players today, the bowlers dominated more than the conditions suggested they would.After Wellington captain Matthew Bell had won the toss and put Auckland in, openers Mark Richardson and Llorne Howell batted their team into a good position. They put on 64 for the first wicket in confident, albeit cautious fashion, but then the wheels fell off. They went from being 64 for one in the 19th over to 77 for six in the 27th over.Matthew Walker took three for 41 from his 10 overs and Paul Hitchcock (three for 45 from 9.4 overs) were the chief destroyers. But a needless run out of Aaron Barnes also didn’t help.That Auckland batted their full 50 overs and put on another 104 runs from that position can be mainly attributed to Vincent, who showed his class, as well as a cool head to post a total to defend.Wellington’s run chase started the worst possible way when both openers, Chris Nevin and Bell, were dismissed for ducks with six runs on the board.But then Fleming and Richard Jones put on a century partnership that made batting look easy. Fleming was excellent. His innings of 57 included eight fours and two sixes.Then Wellington proceeded to make hard work of the chase, in the face of some tight, stifling bowling.This was led by Brooke Walker whose 10 overs produced one for 23 and Craig Pryor who took one for 32 from 8.2 overs. Lively contributions from Tama Canning and Heath Davis helped, but in the end their total was at least 30-40 runs short, a point Walker was quick to acknowledge at the end of the game.Wellington have now shot to the top of the table and host Canterbury on Sunday for round eight, while Auckland travel to New Plymouth for a crucial clash with Central Districts.

Sitting in an office with a blizzard howling outside, Durban seemed a million miles from snowy Canada rather than a few thousand.Yet as Bangladesh wickets continued to tumble, the desire was to be somehow instantly transported across the Atlantic to witness perhaps Canada’s finest cricketing hour.Bangladesh are not a powerhouse in world cricket, and Canada have beaten them before, in the ICC Trophy.But few gave Canada a chance of winning a single match at this World Cup.The last competitive cricket Canada had played as a team was in August.Most of the team has not seen grass for some months, instead they’ve practising indoors in Toronto.Theirlong-time coach Jeff Thomas was replaced by Gus Logie just six weeks before the World Cup, and lack of money prevented a pre-World Cup tour.This was a day-night match, and the first opportunity the team had to play under lights was last week. Excuses were ready for what seemed likely to be a disappointing trip to South Africa after the excitement of qualifying in Toronto in 2001.The main hopes might have been John Davidson and Ian Billcliff, both of whom are Canadian by birth, but ply their cricketing skills in the Southern Hemisphere, Davidson for South Australia, and Billcliff in club cricket in Auckland, after a varied first-class career.But on the day this was truly a team effort.Davison and Billcliffcertainly played their part, Billcliff with the top score, a much-needed steady innings in the middle-order after wickets had tumbled, and Davison with two crucial wickets.However, the hero was Austin Codrington – he had only managed two wickets in the 2001 ICC Trophy, and his best bowling in the Toronto leagues last summer was three for 33. His five wickets were taken with accurate pace bowling, of good line and lengthwith a little movement.Then there was Ashish Bagai, the young ‘keeper who learned his cricket in Toronto – three catches, one of which was as good as any you’ll see, behind the stumps in this World Cup, and not a single bye. Fazil Samad took two good catches at slip and his brother two more as substitute, including a stunner to dismiss Khaled Mashud.Sanjay Thuraisingam had hardly bowled since August, with work commitments preventing him taking part in the Red Stripe Bowl, and back problems keeping him out of the lead-up matches, yet he bowled six aggressive overs, taking a crucial wicket.The veteran Davis Joseph at 39, made the first breakthrough and took a second wicket to break an important partnership. Desmond Chumney had adismal run in the warm up matches and some would be surprised to see him in the team today.He and Ishwar Maraj together got Canada off to a solid start and, if not for an unfortunate run-out, he might well have made a more substantial contribution. The fielding as a whole was magnificent – certainly world-class, with some great catches.Joe Harris failed with the bat today, but was triumphant as a captain. He never let up in the field, realising that wickets were critical, and deserved full credit for bringing this disparate group of players together as a team.”It’s the best day of our lives” hesaid.It’s also perhaps the greatest day in Canada’s long cricket history, and one that has brought a little bit of warm South African sunshine to the cold Canadian winter.