Western Province beat Border by 77-runs in their Supersport Series match at Buffalo Park in East London on Monday. The win moves Western Province to the top of the log in pool B with the 17 points they earned for victory.After batting first in the match, the visitors were able to declare on Sunday and left the hosts needing 321 to win the match off 106 overs. It was a game declaration by HD Ackerman, but Border were unable to seriously give chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals.Starting the day on three for one, Border progressed slowly to 31 in the first hour of play. Nightwatchman Geoff Love was the first scalp of the morning when he was caught by Herschelle Gibbs at cover point for 24, off the tiring left-arm seamer Charl Willoughby, who had given great effort in hot conditions in the morning.The wicket appeared to lift his spirits and in his next over he had opener Craig Sugden caught by Alan Dawson for 11 tooth-achingly dull runs. It reduced the home side to 36 for three.Steven Pope and Wayne Wiblin negotiated the next stage comfortably, but when Dawson returned to the attack with his aggressive right-arm seam he achieved a timely breakthrough. Pope mistimed a drive and was caught by Ashwell Prince in the covers for 22.Wiblin was then clean bowled for 22 by South African international wrist-spinner Paul Adams, and Border were once again in the quagmire.They survived without further loss until tea, but when Ian Mitchell and Vasbert Drakes resumed after the interval Western Province made the decisive move with the wickets of Drakes and Tyron Henderson in short succession.Border, however, still had some fight left in them. Mitchell and number 11 Liam Graham embarrassed the top order with their application as they frustrated the visitors bowling with a 53-run stand.With eight overs left in the day a draw that had seemed impossible after lunch looked like a possibility. Dawson had the final say however, when Graham eventually edged a ball to Ackerman at slip for a well played 19 that took over an hour.Mitchell was not out on 46 to add to his first innings score of 61 while Willoughby was the pick of the bowlers with three for 57 in 20 overs.

Adelaide-Australia met their first genuine challenge of the series withtypical, bloody-minded efficiency on the third day of the third Test yesterdaybut West Indian perseverance prevented them making the most of severalfavourable positions.Ricky Ponting shared successive, untroubled partnerships of 123 with Mark Waughand 59 with Damien Martyn that carried Australia to within 22 of the Larainspired West Indies total of 391 with five wickets in tact.A match-winning lead loomed but once the venerable Courtney Walsh produced oneof his specials to remove Ponting to a keeper’s catch for 92, his lesseraccomplices, Merv Dillon and Nixon McLean, followed the lead with the next threewickets for 12 runs.When the first rain in Adelaide for 38 days brought the day to a gloomy andpremature end, under the floodlights that had been switched on the ball beforePonting’s dismissal, the contest was dead even.As another 12 overs remained, it was welcome reprieve for the West Indies fromthe probablity of a few difficult overs in artificial light. As it stood,Australia held a marginal lead at 403 for nine with the prospect of dealing nexttime round with a dry, last day pitch already zig-zagged with widening cracks.The result would be determined by which team coped with the pressure and theconditions better from here on.On both counts, that would be Australia as the contrasting records of the twoclearly confirm. But Brian Lara’s sudden and spectacular return to form, withhis 231 against Australia “A” and 182 in the first innings in the past week, isthe critical variable in the equation.The evidence of the first three days indicated a renewed spirit in the WestIndies team, clearly inspired by Lara’s brilliance.It was in danger of dsintegrating on the previous afternoon when Michael Slaterand Matthew Hayden collared rubbish bowling in an opening partnership of 159before a fortunate run out and two late wickets to the speculative off-spin ofthe 19-year-old debutant Marlon Samuels restored confidence.Until the last hour yesterday, the West Indies pegged away to defensive fieldsfor the reward of only two wickets as Australia built their total. They neverlost their focus, inspite of the growing total and three incidents in the firstsession that might have distracted them.Ponting was 10 when McLean’s authentic lbw claim was negated by a no-ball. Theubiquitous television “snickometer” hinted that Waugh had touched a catch to thekeeper off Samuels at 39 but umpire Steve Davis seemed to have been put off byJacobs’ simultaneous claim to square-leg for a stumping.The clearest chance came two overs before lunch when Ponting, 41, edged a driveat the persistent Dillon.It flew to Lara’s left at solitary slip and the batting champion let the twohanded catch go to grass that would have made Australia 260 for five.By then, their only success was the nightwatchman Jason Gillespie, lbw to Walshafter 20 minutes. It was two-and-a-half hours before they gained another, justwhen Australia had laid the foundations of a massive score.Waugh, playing tentatively from the crease, was lbw for a laboured 63 (threehours, 20 minutes, 142 balls) in the eighth over with the second new ball duringan outstanding spell of stamina and accuracy by Merv Dillon.Severely punished for his waywardness by Slater on the previous afternoon,Dillon improved to the extent that he sent down 17 consecutive overs, brokenonly by lunch and a break for 10 minutes to rain. They cost him only 46 and hadthe satisfying return of Waugh’s wicket.Damien Martyn appeared next, where Steve Waugh normally would, and played withas much aplomb as the absent, injured captain to consolidate Australia’spowerful position.But the West Indies would not yield, as they had done so frequently in the firsttwo Tests. Only Marlon Black of the four fast bowlers did not exert control,stymied by his inexperience and the lack of pace in the pitch.It took a quality delivery from Walsh to dislodge Ponting eight short of hiseighth Test hundred 25 minutes after tea. He had been in three hours, 52 minutesand 156 balls when he got one that straightened and lifted to find the edge onits way to Jacobs.It was the last of Walsh for the day. McLean replaced him and promptly accountedfor stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist and Colin Miller to cut shots, the former tothe keeper, the latter to point.Dillon completed a satisfying personal day by persuading umpire Davis that hisbouncer had taken Stuart MacGill’s glove, rather than helmet, on the way throughto the keeper.

A tremendous fightback by Essex after they were forced to follow-on, 177 runs behind, has set up the prospect of an absorbing final day with the home side leading by 321 runs with four second innings wickets still intact at the close of play.A magnificent career-best innings of 189 by Paul Grayson acted as the catalyst for his side’s mammoth total of 498-6 with the opening bat featuring in two century partnerships. He resumed with Darren Robinson in the morning session and the latter had reached 80 when he was caught behind to end a stand worth 158 for the second wicket that ensured that the visitors would be forced to bat again.Stuart Law joined Grayson and the pair added 147 runs with Law striking a nonchalant 67 that included nine boundaries and the sixth occasion that he has reached fifty in the competition this season. His innings featured some impressive driving on either side of the wicket before the formidable Australian clipped Owen Parkin to mid-wicket to end another imperious performance.Grayson continued his defiant, chanceless crusade, easing past his previous highest score of 159 but after batting for almost six hours and displaying superb timing, he was caught at point having struck 34 boundaries and seen his side to a position that offered some hope of providing an interesting finale.Ronnie Irani and Stephen Peters then combined to record the third century stand of the day against the tiring Welsh attack with Irani reaching his half-century but both lost their wickets in successive overs late in the day to give their opponents some small consolation for their long hours of unrewarded toil.

The Gabba will showcase a bumper season of international cricket this summer with confirmation today that Brisbane will host a One Day International between Australia and India in September.The Australian Cricket Board today announced the three-match Super Challenge Series between Australia and India would be held in September, with two matches indoors at Melbourne’s Colonial Stadium and the third at the Gabba.The two matches in Melbourne will be played on September 21 and 23 while the Gabba match, a day/night game, will be held on Wednesday, September 26.Negotiations between Queensland Cricket and the Brisbane Lions have provided the Lions with the opportunity to train at the Gabba prior to any possible AFL Grand Final appearance.Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Graham Dixon today expressed gratitude to the Lions for their support in ensuring the match was played at the Gabba.”We have met on several occasions with the Lions and the Brisbane Cricket Ground Trust about the feasibility of playing this match and have established a great deal of common ground on this and other issues regarding the use of the Gabba," he said.”This level of co-operation has also allowed Queensland Cricket to recommend dates to the Australian Cricket Board that will enable the Lions to play Ansett Cup matches at the Gabba in February and March as well as provide for any cricket Finals at the ground."”Thanks to the efficiency of the curator Kevin Mitchell Junior, we are very confident in the ground’s ability to deal with these scenarios," Dixon said.Australia’s tour of India earlier this year generated record levels of interest and with the world champion Australian team fresh from its Ashes campaign, the return match-up of the two teams is set to create similar attention.The announcement means that the Gabba will host the Australian limited overs team twice during the 2001-2002 season, with the traditional January one day weekend pitting Australia against arch-rivals South Africa as part of the VB tri series which will also feature New Zealand.Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and record-breaking VVS Laxman are expected to form part of the Indian contingent while Australian captain Steve Waugh said today that Australia would field the strongest team available.

LAHORE: Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, the PCB Chairman, is said to be contemplating changes in the Board. These changes, revealed a reliable source, are likely to encompass the entire set-up of the Board, and take place sooner than later, as it is said the PCB Chairman wants the new set-up in place well before the 2001-02 home season. Keeping that in view, sources exceptionally close to the chairman have confided in this correspondent, he might start ringing in these changes soon after he arrives back from England, on June 24.The high and powerful Advisory Council, with Rameez Raja, Javed Miandad, Waqar Hasan and marketing expert Wasim Azhar its members, would apparently hit the sack, revealed the source. In the Chairman’s view, one is told, they all remain accused of inefficiency.Of these, only Rameez may still continue to hold an office in the PCB, but of much diminished importance than his current position. Currently, he is the next most important person in the Board after the Chairman. In the new set-up, he is likely to land the portfolio of supervising restructuring of domestic cricket.On the way out too, the selection committee would closely follow the Advisory Council, with new members already being vetted behind the scenes by Chairman’s confidants outside the Board. There would be just one selection committee, instead of one for the senior string and another for the juniors, and it is proposed to be a paid one.Close on the heels of sacking the Advisory Council and re-forming the selection committee, each department in the permanent establishment of the Board would be made independent and given targets which would be reviewed every quarter.Now that he is no longer so busy with the heavy duties in army, probably the Chairman feels he has enough time on his hands to be even more actively involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Board. That is perhaps why, instead of a supra body like the Advisory Council involved in each and every thing, the heads of these departments – such as marketing, administration, operations, media management etc. – would be reporting to the Chairman directly.This is how the thinking goes, and the fact that minute details have been already worked out, shows that quite a bit of planning has been done. Reportedly, all this with Advisory Council members, not yet in the know. But since the Chairman, despite his background, is said to be a sentimental softy and generous to a fault, given to mostly not following the edicts of his better judgement when faced with sob stories, this plan may yet see changing and chopping at the last moment.

Warwickshire had to dig themselves out of a hole to achieve a victory targetof only 159 after Northants’ seamer Mike Strong scattered their upper battingwith a spell of three wickets without cost in only eight balls.Warwickshire, bidding to close in on the top three, were in urgent need ofretrenchment at 18-3 after five overs and it took 20 overs of restraint andselectivity from Nick Knight and Dominic Ostler, who shared a stand worth 76,to keep them on track against persevering Northants’ bowling.The dismissal of Knight, caught on the long-off boundary after scoring 47 off87 balls, with seven fours, raised Northants’ hopes again but Ostler foundanother resourceful partner in skipper Mike Powell in a fifth-wicket standwhich yielded 52 in 10 overs.Both men perished with only 13 runs needed for victory, Ostler hitting sixfours in his 49 off 83 balls, but Warwickshire still had 5.4 overs to sparein claiming the points needed to keep them in touch with the top three inDivision One.Northants, who won the toss and batted first on an awkward pitch which madestrokeplay difficult, were heavily reliant on a painstaking innings of 80 notout off 106 balls from Richard Warren and even he needed a fair bit of luck,three of his eight boundaries coming off mishits.Left-arm-seamer Neil Carter broke through with two early wickets and pacemanCharlie Dagnall tightened the screw by conceding only 19 runs in hisnine-over allocation but Warren held things together as Dougie Brown and MoSheikh kept wickets tumbling at the other end.The importance of Warren’s contribution could be judged by the fact that noother batsman scored more than 16 and there were only ten boundaries in thewhole innings.

Tight security will be in place when the Indian cricket team travel toPakistan for an ice breaking Test match in September, Pakistan CricketBoard (PCB) chief Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia said in Karachi onSunday.”We have planned special tight security during the Lahore Test inSeptember this year,” Zia told reporters, adding that he hoped theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would be given the allclear by the Indian government for the visit.India is scheduled to play their first Test in Pakistan for 12 yearswhen they feature in an Asian Test Championship match from September12-16.When India played their last Test series in Pakistan in 1989-90, areligious party activist attacked then-Indian captain KrishnamachariSrikanth during the Karachi Test. Srikkanth though was unscathed assecurity personnel arrested the attacker.”We know the needs of security and will not slack in our duties,” Ziasaid.After last week’s inconclusive Agra summit between Pakistan and India,there were fears the Test may come under threats from extremists. ButZia said he was hopeful the match was still on.”As far as we know, they will come to Pakistan in the second week ofSeptember and we are gearing up for that.” The BCCI is intent onimproving cricketing relations with PCB, he said.”Both the boards are keen on improving relations and as a gesture wewill send a Pakistan A team to India in October,” he added. “We alsowant to invite India and Sri Lanka to Pakistan for an under-19tournament to prepare for the under-19 World Cup.”New Zealand hosts the biennial under-19 World Cup in January andFebruary next year.Zia said a four-member selection committee will meet next week toselect Pakistan probables for a training camp for the Asian TestChampionship.Defending champions Pakistan will play Bangladesh in the championshipopener in Multan from August 29.

Tickets for the Cheltenham and Gloucester Final at Lord’s on September 1st will go on sale to the general public at The County Ground in Taunton from 9am on Monday.The initial allocation of 4,500 was all sold by the middle of last week, but the club has been successful in obtaining a further 1500 from Lord’s.In addition a large number of Somerset fans have obtained their tickets direct from the ticket office which means that when the Cidermen walk out on to the pitch at Lord’s they will be greeted by as many as 9,000 of their supporters.Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me: “I have been amazed by the demand for tickets, it’s even more than last time, which is very pleasing.”

As early as day two of the CricInfo Championship, Division Two clash between Middlesex and Warwickshire at Lord’s, a stalemate has been achieved.History suggests a draw: as Middlesex haven’t won at Lord’s against The Bears since 1983. Warwickshire last beat Middlesex in 1992. Last year’s game was a typical high scoring draw.Middlesex reached an epic 502-7 declared at tea, with Paul Weekes (107) and David Nash (103*) completing centuries today.Warwickshire replied with 158-2. Mark Wagh, in his 50th championship appearance stroking an unbeaten 82 and Ian Bell, in his ninth championship game, making an unbeaten 65.With depleted attacks and a flat pitch, early breakthroughs were essential. Warwickshire didn’t take a wicket until mid afternoon, after Weekes and Nash had added a record between the counties of 189 for the sixth wicket. This surpassed the record of Mark Ramprakash and Keith Brown, who added 184 at Lord’s in 1996.Today was just the second time that four players had made centuries in an innings at HQ following Middlesex’s 1920 quartet of P.F Warner, H.W Lee, J.W Hearne and N.E Haig.Stephen Fleming and Ed Joyce made tons during another record Middlesex v Warwickshire stand yesterday.Warwickshire’s debutant, Jamie Spires, 21, who wasn’t required to bowl today, commented: “If you didn’t bowl off stump, any error in length is punished.”This partly explains why just five wickets fell for 322 runs in 88 overs today.Middlesex’s declaration brought relief for Warwickshire. But just as the home team had been 33-3 early yesterday, Warwickshire began badly to be 6-2 after just nine balls.Fraser straightened one to trap Mike Powell lbw, then Tim Bloomfield bowled Nick Knight for a duck, on the back foot as the ball came in down the slope.But the contrasting styles of Wagh and Bell were then illustrated, particularly in two overs from Middlesex medium pacer Simon Cook. In the first, Wagh’s graceful straight drive brought up as 45-ball 50 containing nine fours. In the next the more compact Bell pulled two sixes into the nearby Grandstand to bring up the team’s 100 in just 132 balls.Yet another 1920’s stand between the counties was threatened as 19-year-old Bell, and 24-year-old Wagh passed 150 for the third wicket, three overs from the close.

* A good year for the BCCIThe Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a netprofit of 37.99 crore during the financial year 2000-2001.This despite the cancellation of tournaments in Sharjah andToronto and the heavy investments made to get the services ofGeoff Marsh and John Wright. Marsh was reportedly paid Rs 25lakh for the three brief visits he made to India during theperiod.The Press Trust of India which carries the report says thatthe huge profits were courtesy sale of television rights, teamsponsorship deals and also “professional marketing of the homeseries against Australia and Zimbabwe”. Strangely, despite the”professional marketing”, the Zimbabwean tour yielded morerevenue (Rs 6.1 crore) than the Australian tour (Rs 3.77crore).The BCCI’s income also tripled in the period from Rs 30.23 inthe last financial year to Rs 91 crore this year. The balancesheet as on March 31, 2001 shows total assets of Rs 201.84crore as against Rs 144.92 crore last year.The major expenses include the allocation of Rs 6 crore forinfrastructure development and Rs 1.92 crore to set up theNational Cricket Academy in Bangalore.Meanwhile, Rs 2.06 crore was spent on coaching camps of whichRs 83 lakh went to the foreign coach (name not mentioned) andRs 29 lakh to the physio.Ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble was given Rs 6,23,182 fortreatment of his shoulder injury while former wicket-keeperSaba Karim received Rs 1,69,261 for his eye operation, PTIadded.* Hey guys, we did a great jobThe BCCI feels that it has saved Indian cricket from beingdragged into the mire of match-fixing.”Far from descending into a slough of despair, the game hasemerged stronger from the crisis brought about by match-fixingand related malpractices. The alacrity with which the boardacted during the year may have helped save a crumbling image.It took great moral strength to condemn our very own,” saysthe BCCI’s annual report prepared by secretary Jaywant Leleand joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai.”But all of us know that welfare of the game and thepreservation of its fair name is greater than individuals.Suffice it to say, cricket in India is on a good wicket now,”says the report which will be tabled during the 72nd AnnualGeneral Body Meeting in Chennai on September 29.”To say the game is back on the rails after going through avery severe crisis of confidence would be most appropriate.Justice is truth in action, is a homily no one will disagreewith. Yet it is a secure future that we look to as we leavethe great scandal behind.”That will be a future free of the kind of disruptiveinfluence that bookmakers brought to bear on the game as theytoyed with the integrity of some of the players of the game.”The board had to take several difficult decisions during theyear. The hardest of all had to do with those of our playerswho may have at some time or the other compromised theintegrity of the game."”The board hopes that by virtue of the decisions of thedisciplinary committee and the punishment it meted out to someplayers, all cricketers will have received a stern warning ofwhat fate awaits them if they indulge in influencing thecourse of matches for a consideration. As Mark Twain said`truth is the most valuable thing we have’.”All this eloquence is followed by a a few words on currentBCCI president AC Muthiah, who is seeking a third term inoffice. “While he faced challenges in his first year that werenot quite cricket, in his second year, Muthiah had to takefirm action and tough decisions to save the fair name of thegame, when cricket was gripped by an unprecedented crisis.”The duo then point out the achievements of the BCCI – “theappointment of national and international consultants, theplacing of orders for video aided analysis for the nationalteam, the setting up of regional and national cricketacademies to give thrust to Indian cricket on par withinternational standards, were the success stories, besidesmany other matters like eradicating the overage problems ofcricketers in age group tournaments, improvement of pitchesand strict financial governance.”Did you say the BCCI can’t make the right pitch?