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South Australia 0 for 13 trail Western Australia 335 (North 130*) by 322 runs
ScorecardMarcus North scored a unbeaten 130 to carry Western Australia to a handy first-innings total on a scorching opening day of their Pura Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide. After winning the toss, WA racked up 335 in its first innings, with SA closing on 0 for 13 in reply.It was an important toss to win as Mike Hussey sent South Australia out to bat in near-40 degree heat, with strong winds, dust storms and a cruelly flat batting track to contend with. But WA failed to capitalise early on, with Scott Meuleman suicidally run out for 5, before Mark Cleary picked up the wickets of Hussey (28) and Chris Rogers (17). At 3 for 75, SA had taken the early honours.But that brought North to the crease, and with Murray Goodwin continuing his superb form, the pair added 81 for the fourth wicket, before Goodwin was caught behind, slashing at a short wide ball off Shaun Tait, for 55. It prompted a mid-innings slump from WA that was only halted by a defiant 76-run stand for the ninth wicket with Aaron Heal (33).”Up until tea we were a little bit disappointed with the way we’ve played,” admitted North. “We obviously won the toss and batted first on a pretty good batting wicket, so it was important that we got a score over 300. From the position we were in we’ll be happy to take 330 and we’ve just got to bowl well tomorrow.”North brought up his century with an edge past the slips off Paul Rofe, as SA took the new ball to bring about a swift end to the innings. But the move backfired as North embarked on a scoring spree. His last 30 runs came off 24 balls, including four fours, as well as a six over midwicket off the allrounder Mick Miller.The pick of SA’s bowlers was Cleary who took 3 for 43, and afterwards he was content with his side’s efforts. “We could have closed them down 70 or 80 runs short of what they got,” he admitted, “but then again 335 wasn’t too bad a day for us, it was a good batting wicket, so we’ll take that.”

Newly-appointed chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) cricket committee Aravinda de Silva said that one of his prime concerns was to restructure school cricket.”We have to develop our coaching sector. Like medical science, the coaching system keeps changing with new methods and we’ve got to keep pace with it. We have school cricket coaches but only some of them are knowledgeable,” said de Silva. “What is important is that you need more specialised coaches at the lower level than at the top level. You don’t need much coaching once you reach the top if you have received proper coaching at the start.”De Silva was appointed to the post last week by the SLC interim committee headed by Arjuna Ranatunga. The rest of the cricket committee comprises past Sri Lankan cricketers Sidath Wettimuny, Hashan Tillakaratne, Ranjan Madugalle, Guy de Alwis, Michael Tissera, Roshan Mahanama and Graeme Labrooy.Another important aspect de Silva said that he wants to improve is the pitches prepared for junior cricket. “The pitches prepared for school matches don’t give the batsmen much confidence to play shots.”De Silva, who is consultant coach to the Sri Lanka Under-19s side preparing for next month’s junior World Cup in Malaysia, stated that while he did not see any dearth of talent in the squad, half the side was prone to injuries due to lack of proper conditioning, training and fitness levels.”I cannot perform miracles within such a short time. But the boys are keen to learn. Their basics are good and I don’t want to make any drastic changes and complicate things at this stage. The problem with the batsmen is that they think of too many things (rather) than go out there and hit the ball,” De Silva said. “If we are to prepare properly for a World Cup we must start concentrating on our present Under-17s squad and prepare them for the next junior World Cup in two years.”De Silva said that SLC interim committee chairman Arjuna Ranatunga had been very supportive of U-19 cricket and had come to witness the matches played by Sri Lanka in the on-going U-19s tri-nation series against Pakistan and England. “Arjuna is keen to improve the standard of junior cricket,” said de Silva, who played most of his cricket for Sri Lanka as deputy to Ranatunga.

Warwickshire have released Vaughn van Jaarsveld, five months after he signed a two-year deal and pledged his allegiance to England.His relationship with Warwickshire became increasingly difficult when, earlier this month, it was reported that van Jaarsveld decided to return to South Africa and his club, Gauteng. According to the county, not only did he breach his contract but he also failed to speak to his superiors directly and Warwickshire’s directors were left to discuss the situation with their opposite numbers at Gauteng.”We are disappointed by the way Vaughn has conducted himself but once he returned to South Africa for the winter he clearly had a change of heart over his long term plans,” Colin Povey, Warwickshire’s chief executive said.”He will be missing out on a fantastic opportunity here with Warwickshire but we only want players who are fully committed to the [club’s] cause. Having agreed the appropriate compensation with Vaughn and Gauteng Cricket we will now move on.”Van Jaarsveld, one of South Africa’s brightest batting hopes, denied he was using English cricket to further his career when he signed with Warwickshire in June. “I’m here to qualify as an Englishman,” he said. “I’m going to be spending at least 210 days a year here and the aim is to play for England. I just want to play cricket at the highest level possible and there are more opportunities here.”This development is the latest to fuel the argument that there are too many Kolpak players in county cricket.

Northern Districts‘ 313 was, astonishingly, not enough to stave off a charge by a rampant Canterbury, who hunted down the total with four balls to spare and five wickets in hand. Canterbury faced the huge total courtesy of Daniel Flynn’s 149 from 141 balls, but were handed a strong platform by Michael Papps’ 90. With eight balls to spare in Christchurch they brought up the 300, and four balls later the job was done. The bowling figures were nothing to write home about, only Shane Bond recording an economy of under five while Andrew Strauss missed out on the runfest with a duck.Centuries for Aaron Redmond and Alex Gidman in Dunedin, helped Otago leapfrog Central Districts into second as their 321 proved insurmountable. Warren McSkimming helped restrict the visitors with two wickets including that of topscorer Greg Hay.Auckland overhauled Wellington‘s 247 in Wellington in the final over to stay top. Lou Vincent set the platform with 72 and Rob Nicol added a fifty while Graham Napier’s four wickets were in vain.

As if West Indies cricket is not beset by enough sponsorship problems already, there is now growing concern for the future of the Grenada-based West Indies Cricket Academy, which has been instrumental in developing the careers of such players as Ryan Hinds, Carlton Baugh, and Fidel Edwards, but now faces closure because of a funding shortfall.Last year the multinational oil giants, Shell, decided to terminate their sponsorship of the academy, which is based at the St George’s University in South-West Grenada. The academy had been regarded as one of the few remaining success stories in West Indian cricket, with an annual three-month programme that was designed to produce a more rounded cricketer in terms of technique, fitness, personal development (including literacy, media and money management) and mental skills.Now, however, the programme is in strife, and the Academy co-ordinator, Rudi Webster, is at a loss as to whether it has a future at all. "We have got a contract with the [West Indies] board until the end of 2005,” Webster said in an interview with CMC Sport, "but … we haven’t had anything in writing from them whether the Academy is going to continue or not."Webster, a former team manager and psychologist with the senior squad, told the Trinidad Express that his team was ready to take the next batch of students. "I hope some time soon, somebody will take up a pen and paper or send us some correspondence saying that the Academy is on or the Academy is off. We are prepared to start if they want to continue, if they don’t want to continue we are happy with that too."

Yorkshire’s Australian first-team coach Wayne Clark has left the club by mutual consent after two years.Clark took over at Headingley after Martyn Moxon’s surprise decision to move to Durham in January 2001, and met with immediate success as the club won the County Championship.However, riches turned to rags for Clark last season when Yorkshire finished bottom of the First Division. Clark is understood to have turned down the position of bowling coach.Clark still had a year of his contract to run, and club president Robin Smith told the Yorkshire Post that he was in touch with Clark’s lawyers to work out the terms of his departure.Kevin Sharp is expected to be appointed full-time batting coach, while Arnie Sidebottom is likely to be become bowling coach.

If you are travelling to the Cricket World Cup think carefully about what you’re bringing back to the UK. There are strict controls on bringing meat, milk, fish, shellfish, plants, and their products into EU countries because they can carry animal and plant pests and diseases.Diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease are endemic in parts of southern Africa, and you should bear in mind the disastrous effects of FMD on Great Britain in 2001.You MAY NOT bring back any meat, dried meat, milk, or their products for your personal consumption.You may bring back up to 2kg of fruit and raw vegetables (but not potatoes), a bouquet of flowers and five retail packets of seeds (but not potato seeds).There are penalties for breaking the rules that include an unlimited fine and/ or up to two years imprisonment.If you are in any doubt about what you can, or cannot bring in to the UK, please contact the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Helpline on:From the UK 08459 335577From outside the UK: +44 20 7270 8961 between 9-5 Mon-Friwww.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegaliPlease stop, think and check the import rules carefully – IF IN DOUBT LEAVE IT OUT!

THE Western Australian Cricket Association selectors today added wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi to a squad of players for this week’s Pura Cup match against the Southern Redbacks in Adelaide.The Warriors squad is:Justin LANGER (Capt), Mike HUSSEY (VC), Jo ANGEL, Ryan CAMPBELL, Beau CASSON, Michael CLARK, Murray GOODWIN, Brad HOGG, Chris ROGERS, Luke Ronchi, Adam VOGES, Brad WILLIAMS and Paul WILSON.Ronchi, 21, celebrated his first-class debut against Tasmania with 90 and 33 last week.

England’s cricketers will be glad that for once the rugby players are hogging all the limelight ahead of their World Cup final against Australia on Saturday. While they are in touching distance of being crowned world champions, the cricketers can only dream of such scenarios after their catastrophic start to the one-day international series in Sri Lanka yesterday.As expected, the English newpapers didn’t spare the rod on Michael Vaughan and his bedraggled lot, or his “Load of Lankers”, as called them. “Michael Vaughan and his England players were shockingly transformed from playground bullies to quivering wimps,” John Etheridge fumed. “They did not so much get a reality check here yesterday as a full-scale assault on their pride and credibility. England suddenly discovered opponents with the skill and courage to stand up to them.”Marcus Trescothick was on the end of most of the rants after he gave away his wicket and started the landslide. Etheridge continued: “Several batsmen self-destructed with rash shots – Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff were probably the most culpable – and the rest simply could not knuckle down against the deviating ball.” were a touch more subtle. “England go down in flames” roared their headline, but David Hopps was just as scathing, pointing out that English collapses are becoming a regular feature in one-dayers. “Occasional batting disasters are a fact of one-day life, but for England they are becoming a habit. Their three lowest scores have all come in the past two years, during Duncan Fletcher’s time as coach. Seven of their worst ten totals have occurred in the past five years.”Hopps added: “So now we can confirm the true value of five weeks in Bangladesh: precisely zero. England did not overstress the importance of their clean sweep in Tests and one-day internationals, but in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle their preparations here were exposed as inadequate.””The kings of Bangladesh were quickly exposed as the paupers of Sri Lanka,” pronounced Simon Briggs in the . “England’s seamers, though they faced an impossible task, were arguably too ready to stick to the same intimidatory lengths they have been using for the last month in Bangladesh. Against batsmen of this quality, the ball simply sat up to be hit.” But Briggs was able to salvage one bright spot from a dark day: “If nothing else, this match should serve as a useful reality check for the remainder of the tour.”Reality check? Richard Hobson in , said it was more like an awakening “as rude as a seaside postcard”, and added that “Sri Lanka inflicted a beating that was more severe than anything England dealt to Bangladesh during the first leg of the tour.”Lawrence Booth, in , agreed. “It was a massacre to rank with any England have suffered over the years. In the steamy jungle of Dambulla, the two one-day trophies of the English summer feel a long way away. Suddenly, Vaughan is seeing a side of the job so familiar to many of his predecessors – the overseas post-mortem. This time county cricket was definitely not to blame.”Angus Fraser was on the same wavelength in The Independent: Following England’s horrendous batting performance here against Sri Lanka … it could be described as a day-evening encounter, but calling it a match may be pushing things a bit far.” He did however, point out that nothing at all went England’s way: “At the end, and in the privacy of their dressing-room after the game, the England captain will have attempted to convince his side that this was one of those days when nothing went right for them. This to some extent was true.” Then came the but, though: “But England’s downfall had as much to do with their own shortcomings as the excellent form of their opponents.”As Booth said: “Things can surely only get better.”

David Terbrugge, the South African Test fast bowler, has been suspended for one Standard Bank Cup match for conduct which could bring the game itself into disrepute. No details about the breach, however, have been released.Terbrugge, 27, appeared before Michael Kuper, the disciplinary commissioner of the South African board, in Johannesburg on Tuesday, after an incident that occurred in the match between Terbrugge’s Lions team and Western Province-Boland at The Wanderers, on Sunday.The suspension will take place with immediate effect, although Terbrugge does have a right to appeal.