All posts by csb10.top

The number of participants in Botswana’s youth development programme has swelled dramatically from 300 children to almost 1300 in under six months, and shows no signs of abating.Seven more schools have joined the initiative which has been sponsored by the ICC and the African Cricket Council (ACC) to promote the game to a wider, younger audience. Such is the enthusiasm that a league has been set-up for government primary schools.”We are about to commence the league Oct 3,” Girish Ramakrishna, Botswana’s development manager, told Cricinfo. “There are five schools participating in a contest lasting the entire month. This is the first time in the history of Botswana cricket that a separate league has been [set-up] for government-educated kids.”The kids are quite enthusiastic and we expect a good response from the sports council and the media. To make it more interesting we are giving prizes for every game, for the best batsman, bowler and fielder. With 20 schools already in the development phase encompassing 1300 kids, the future looks quite encouraging.”Botswana have been an Associate member of the ICC since 2005.

Michael Vaughan’s first-class comeback for Yorkshire lasted just 13 balls, as he was dismissed for 1 by Hampshire’s Billy Taylor in their County Championship fixture at Headingley.Opening the innings, Vaughan was caught behind by Nic Pothas, as Yorkshire slumped to 13 for 3 on the opening morning of the match. He had tested his knee during his 67 against Scotland on Monday in a limited-overs match, his first game since undergoing surgery just before Christmas last year. But while he was happy with that innings he wouldn’t make any big statements about when he aims to come back for England.”I’ve been quiet because I was very confident and I didn’t want to come out with any rash statements,” he told reporters. “And I won’t now because I know the knee is still a bit of a problem and I have a lot of hurdles to overcome before I’m available for England.”This is the beginning. I need to get through a few games and test it out over two or three weeks. I’ll try to play all the games I can for Yorkshire and see how it reacts to some four-day cricket.”

After strolling to a five-wicket win in the first one-dayer at Bulawayo, South Africa are expected to go in with a full strength side as Herschelle Gibbs is set to return from injury and bolster the batting. The action in the short three-match series shifts to the Harare Sports Club for the weekend double-header.Gibbs missed the first match due to a lower leg injury and is expected to bat in the middle order. JP Duminy, who missed out after scoring 3 in South Africa’s chase at Bulawayo, is likely to make way for Gibbs. Gulam Bodi, who impressed with a debut half century, will retain his place, as will opener Loots Bosman, despite falling for his fifth consecutive score under five. The plan would be to try out all the players set to take an active part in the Twenty20 World Championship next month.The bowling attack is likely to be retained, despite letting Zimbabwe off the hook at Bulawayo. Zimbabwe, in a hole at 72 for 7 by the 25th over, looked in danger of being wrapped up under 100 before the lower order stepped up and set a fine example for the rest. A 115-run stand between Elton Chigumbura and Gary Brent lifted them to 206, giving the visitors a little to think about. Allrounder Johan van der Wath is likely to keep his place despite leaking 59 off nine overs in his one-day comeback. Dale Steyn, not in the squad for the Twenty20 championship, may have to sit out another game, depending on how the team management decides to rotate the bowlers over the weekend.The Zimbabweans on the other hand are contemplating a few changes in the bowling attack, going in with just one specialist spinner. Legspinner Timycen Maruma, who went wicketless in his debut ODI, is likely to be dropped, leaving the lone spin duties to Prosper Utseya. Tawanda Mupariwa is set to join Brent and Christopher Mpofu in the seam attack.The top order will continue to worry the home side, with players like Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu failing to convert their starts. Chamu Chibhabha, after a poor run in the World Cup, is expected to return in place of either Hamilton Masakadza or Stuart Matsikenyeri. The running between the wickets too left a lot to be desired at Bulawayo, with five dismissals coming by way of run-outs.

Scorecard

Clinton Perren smashed 82 from 37 deliveries to set up a Queensland victory in the first Twenty20 match of the season. Despite the extraordinary bowling of Tasmania’s Michael Dighton, who claimed 6 for 25, the Bulls’ 202 was enough as a Nathan Rimmington hat-trick ended Tasmania’s hopes.Perren blasted seven sixes and six fours and together with Nathan Reardon, whose 54 came from 31 balls, did the damage before Dighton kept the Tigers in the game. Dighton, a batsman who has not taken a wicket in 49 first-class matches, kept the scoring down in the late overs after the front-line spinners Daniel Marsh and Xavier Doherty proved expensive.But the visitors could not match Queensland’s run-rate and were dismissed for 164 in the 19th over. Rimmington, who finished with 5 for 27, picked up four wickets in five balls to end the fight. George Bailey made 41 from 26 balls and Michael Di Venuto scored 36 from 19 but tight bowling from Rimmington and Ashley Noffke made the chase difficult.

While England’s one-day cricketers were being tonked all around the subcontinent in the ICC Champions Trophy, one key member of the Ashes squad that departs for Australia tonight was enjoying a well-earned break from the grind. In three weeks’ time, Matthew Hoggard will be leading England’s attack in the first Test at Brisbane, but for the past month he has been quite content to enjoy his home comforts.Walks across the moors with his dogs, Billy and Molly, home-cooked breakfasts, and best-man duties at Chris Silverwood’s wedding have been some of the pleasures he has had to pass his time. “I’ve actually had quite a few weddings to go to over the past couple of weeks,” he told Cricinfo in the hours before his departure. “It’s that one time of the season when cricketers can get married, so they always seem to ram them in on top of each other.”It’s been an enviably chilled-out time, as his toiling team-mates will doubtless point out as they reconvene this evening. But come Sunday afternoon, when the squad touches down in Sydney, Hoggard knows that he’ll need to warm up quickly. “It’s going to be a massive challenge,” he admitted. “Going over to Australia to take on the best side in the world on their home soil, it’s one of the biggest challenges in any cricketer’s career.”It’s definitely the biggest thing for me,” he added. “The last series [in 2005] was the most exciting series that any of the players on either side had ever played in, and many people say it’s the greatest Test series ever played. It could be very hard to live up to the exciting finishes and the tension of those last five games, but I’m sure it’s going to be a close-run thing.”Test cricket is a test of skill, you’ve got to play well over five days to beat the opposition,” added Hoggard, reiterating his stated preference for the longer version of the game. “In one-day cricket you can have an off-day, the other side can have a good day and get a couple of freak dismissals, and you’ve got yourself an upset. In Test cricket you can pull yourself back into games, even if you can’t go on to win them. In one-day cricket there’s no way of holding on for the draw.”

There was a time, not so long ago, when Hoggard would have been classified as a typical toiling Yorkshire and England seamer; at home at Headingley but at sea when the conditions weren’t in his favour. But some of his greatest personal triumphs, from Christchurch to Nagpur via Johannesburg, have come in overseas Tests, using the same Kookaburra balls that will be used in the forthcoming series.”Everywhere in the world uses Kookaburra balls, every winter we’ve used a Kookaburra, and I’ve spent four seasons in South Africa using Kookaburras. I know what to do and know what to expect. At the end of the day, it’s just a red thing that you wang down the field and hope to land in the right areas.”For Hoggard, there will be mixed emotions as he arrives back in Australia. On the last tour in 2002-03, uncertain of his role in the side, he toiled on the true Australian wickets and failed to take a wicket in the series opener at Brisbane, where Matthew Hayden in particular took a liking to his offerings. “I find it hard to remember what happened last time,” he shrugged. “This time, I’ll be going over there a different bowler and hopefully with different expectations.”Those expectations are certainly different where Hayden is concerned. After his successes in 2002-03, Hayden was a walking wicket for the sharp end of the 2005 campaign, falling cheaply to Hoggard in three of the first four Tests, before grinding his way back to form with a gutsy 138 at The Oval. “He’s a quality batsman, and he’s phenomenal when he’s in form,” said Hoggard with relish. “It’ll be an interesting battle up-front and one I’m quite looking forward to.”Another battle that is eagerly awaited is that between Glenn McGrath and the England top-order. Last summer, Hoggard suggested that McGrath, at 35, was “over the hill” – a comment that came back to haunt him when McGrath sent five wickets scattering in the space of 28 balls at Lord’s. “He’s not a spring chicken, but he’s still a quality bowler,” Hoggard conceded this time around. “But whatever happens, Shane Warne is going have a big influence on the series. He took 40 wickets at 19 [last time], so he must be doing something right.”England’s last visit to Brisbane is remembered mainly for Nasser Hussain’s decision to bowl first on winning the toss, and Hoggard was adamant that the same mistake would not be made again. “I think the grass will have to be three foot high before Andrew [Flintoff] tosses up and wins the toss and elects to bowl,” he laughed. “A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then, but I don’t think it matters who’s captain, when you have 15-16 people on tour all pushing for the same outcome.”I’ll be older and wiser, and you can’t replace experience,” he added. “But I think other teams that have gone over to Australia in the past have had had mental scars from being beaten before. They didn’t believe they could come over and win a Test match over there. We’ve got a relatively young squad, everyone has the knowledge that we can beat Australia, and we’ll be going out there to give them a run for their money.”

Henry Olonga, the former Zimbawe fast bowler, has arrived in New Zealand to try and prevent their cricket team from touring his home country. Olonga left Zimbabwe in 2003 after wearing a black armband at the World Cup to mourn the “death of democracy” in the country.Olonga is in New Zealand at the behest of the Green Party, who are proposing legislation to prevent the cricket team from touring Zimbabwe. The New Zealand government has in recent times said that they will not prevent the team from going to Zimbabwe. The ICC rules state that New Zealand will be fined at least US$2million if the tour does not take place.Speaking to Radio New Zealand, Olonga said that the situation in his native country was no different that the apartheid regime in South Africa, and needed to be treated in a similar fashion. “This is a government that has consistently abused its own people,” he said. “I’m disappointed the ICC hasn’t shown more compassion with regard to what’s happening in Zimbabwe.”Olonga urged ICC to change its hitherto inflexible stance with regard to teams touring Zimbabwe, keeping apartheid-era South Africa in mind. He said that when rebel tours took place, it felt like “that they were showing no concern for the people who were suffering under that oppressive regime.” Olonga said that the situation was “immoral and the world somehow has to take a stance.”

Division One

Mark Ealham struck a typically bullish 92 for Nottinghamshire on the second day against Kent at Trent Bridge, as the home side were dismissed for 496. After losing David Hussey, who added just eight to his overnight 156, Ealham took command of proceedings, crunching eight fours and lofting two over the boundary. In reply, Ryan Sidebottom nipped out Rob Key, the Kent captain, and Martin van Jaarsveld as the visitors trail Nottinghamshire by 381 runs.Despite being bowled out 30 runs adrift of Warwickshire first innings, Durham’s bowlers hit back before the close reducing the visitors to 65 for 4 on the second day at Chester-le-Street. Durham’s day began poorly when Gary Scott fell for 34, but Dale Benkenstein (79) and Ben Harmison (65) – the younger brother of Steve – starred in a fifth wicket partnership worth 118. Durham’s tail soon folded, largely due to Paul Harris who ended with impressive figures of 6 for 94 as Warwickshire gained a slender first-innings lead. However, Mick Lewis grabbed three quick wickets to leave Warwickshire struggling albeit with a lead of 95.

Division Two

The gloomy skies and interruptions in play couldn’t stop HD Ackerman notching his second double-hundred of the season as Leicestershire took command of the second day at Leicester against Northamptonshire. Ackerman, who made a brilliant 309 earlier in the summer, was finally dismissed for 216 ending a superb 211-run partnership with Paul Nixon who remained unbeaten on risk-laden 144. When play was cut short for the day, Leicestershire finished on 525 for 8.A mere 29 overs were possible at a very wet and gloomy Taunton between Somerset and Gloucestershire, but it allowed enough time for Wes Durston to bring up his sixth Championship fifty of the season. Torrential rain forced the players back into the pavilion at 11.50, and they didn’t return until well into the afternoon. Somerset’s tail soon folded – they lost their last four wickets for 18 runs – before bad light forced the players off the field for the final time.

Dennis Lillee says Shane Warne deserves his record for the most wickets in a calendar year and won’t be sad if it gets passed during the first Test. Warne enters Friday’s South Africa match with 84 victims for 2005 and needs only two to pass Lillee’s 1981 collection.”It’s all his. He deserves it,” Lillee said in . “He can come and get it. There isn’t a bit of sadness there for me in passing on the record to the greatest bowler we have seen. I have always really enjoyed Shane’s career and what he has brought to the game.”Lillee, the Western Australia Cricket Association president, will be at the WACA and should get a first-hand look if Warne can make some breakthroughs on his least successful Australian ground. Warne’s role in Perth is as a support bowler to the fast men and he has taken only 26 wickets in ten Tests.”We have always got along well and he has had to overcome a lot of setbacks to get where he is,” Lillee told the paper. “He has had an amazing career and I am really looking forward to being at the WACA when he breaks the record.”Lillee’s incredible 1981 included 85 wickets at 20.95 in 13 matches with Test series against India, England, Pakistan and West Indies. In the first Test against West Indies he broke Lance Gibbs’ world record of 309 wickets with first-innings figures of 7 for 83.

Black clouds scudding over New Road put another dampener on Worcestershire’s slender hopes of escaping to victory over Second Division champions Northamptonshire.Needing a win to have any chance of promotion, the home side could ill afford a complete wash-out for the second day in succession following downpours overnight and again this morning.Already facing an uphill task at 50 for five in reply to Northants’ 260, they were close to accepting their promotion challenge is over when the umpires abandoned the third day after lunch.Coach Bill Athey said: “It’s looking less and less likely because we really needed a couple of batting bonus points as well as a win.”The bad weather also knocked Glenn McGrath’s prospects of becoming the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship.Tied on 68 with Shane Warne after the first innings here, he lost ground when his Australian team-mate struck twice in Yorkshire’s second innings at Southampton on Thursday.

Bangladesh have stepped up preparations for their inaugural tour of England in May and June, by naming a preliminary 20-man training squad that will assemble in Dhaka over the coming weeks. One notable omission is Alok Kapali, Bangladesh’s underachieving allrounder, although there are two new additions in the left-handed batsman, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed and the Under-19 paceman, Shahadat Hossain.Shahadat, reputed to be the fastest bowler in the country, was first spotted during the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, and his 12 wickets in the first two Tests against Zimbabwe A were instrumental in their eventual clean sweep. Shahriar, meanwhile, made 218 runs against Zimbabwe A in the three Tests as a specialist opener, and given that both teenagers toured England with the Under 19s last year, they have a degree of experience despite their tender years.The squad has been selected with England’s early-season conditions in mind, and for that reason there are six pacemen in the 20-man squad, and four left-arm spinners. "We had considered two things before selecting the preliminary squad," Faruque Ahmed, the chief selector, told The Daily Star. "We thought that there was no need to make any changes from the last series against Zimbabwe. But we also felt the need to add a couple of new faces who have real potential."Kapali aside, there are few surprises in the squad. The batsman, Tushar Imran and the seam bowler, Anwar Hossain Munir, have been recalled after consistent performances for the Bangladesh A team and the BCB XI respectively, as has the former captain and allrounder, Khaled Mahmud, whose form in Bangladesh’s domestic competitions has been irresistible.Preliminary squad Habibul Bashar (capt), Khaled Mashud (wk), Khaled Mahmud, Mohammad Ashraful, Javed Omar, Rajin Saleh, Nafees Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Tushar Imran, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Mohammad Rafique, Manzarul Islam Rana, Enamul Haque, Mashrafee Bin Mortuza, Tapash Baisya, Nazmul Hossain, Anwar Hossain Munir, Talha Jubair, Shahadat Hossain Rajib, Abdur Razzak Raj.