Doug Watson’s highest limited overs score proved in vain as Northerns beat Natal by four wickets with 10 balls to spare.Natal totalled 230 for six, to which Northerns replied with 231 for six in 43.2 overs to end the home side’s winning streak at four matches.Man-of-the-match Watson scored 116 off 144 balls with eight fours and a six, surpassing the 102 not out he made against Free State in Bloemfontein in 1998-99.He was given a life in the 20th over when, on 46 with the total 82 for one, Gerald Dros at extra cover somehow managed to drop the gentlest of catches off the bowling of Pierre Joubert.However, that was the only charity Watson showed the visitors and the rest of his 116-ball innings was without blemish. It wasn’t strewn with big hits but at no stage was Watson bogged down – he always seemed to know where his next run was coming from.Would that some of his partners showed similar composure. Instead, Natal spiralled from 151 for two to 170 for five in the space of three overs to snuff out a genuine chance of posting a total in the region of 250. That undid the good work of the Natal top order, the best of which was a second-wicket stand of 64 between Watson and Wade Wingfield.The home side recovered somewehat by way of a sixth-wicket effort of 55 shared by Watson and Errol Stewart, whose industrious unbeaten 31 came off 23 balls. The partnership was ended with the first ball of the 45th over, when Watson was spectacularly caught by a diving Dros at extra cover.However, Natal promptly relinquished their recovered ground when Gary Gilder and Kent sent down opening spells of nought for 33 off five overs and nought for 35 off seven respectively.Jon Bastow and Eldine Baptiste kept it admirably tight at the other end, but every other over there was no pressure on Northerns’ top order and they were able to score freely as one short and wide delivery – interspersed with the odd friendly full toss or leg-side four-ball – followed another.The pattern was repeated throughout the innings, with Bastow bowling a ragged second spell of four overs in which he took one for 29, as Natal found out the hard way that teams do not win when they bowl muck.Johan Myburgh and Jacques Rudolph got Northerns off to a fine start with an opening stand that grew to 71 before Rudolph slapped his favourite cut shot straight at Jonty Rhodes at backward point in the 14th over.Myburgh and Martin van Jaarsveld then took Northerns 52 runs closer to their target with enterprising batting. But Natal struck back by snapping up five wickets for 69 runs in 12 overs, several of them with considerable help from the batsmen.Wingfield caused much excitement by bowling Van Jaarsveld off the bottom edge with his first ball of the match, and then dismissing Van Wyk and Allahudein Paleker with consecutive deliveries.However, with Dirkie de Vos cool, calm and completely collected at number four for his unbeaten 36 – and Steve Elworthy bashing 27 not out off 15 balls – Northerns were not about to let this one go.

Unbeaten centuries by Skipper N Kumar and DK Singh on the final day saw Biharforce a draw against Orissa in their East Zone Under-22 match at the BarabatiStadium in Cuttack on Wednesday. Bihar got five points while Orissa had to becontent with three.Opting to bat first, Bihar put up 285 on the board with N Kumar leading from thefront with a fine 63. Kumar shared a 83-run fifth wicket stand with DK Singh(52). Then with the help of the tailenders, K Abhimanyu (50 not out) took thescore past the 250 run mark. Saurav Sahgal (4 for 61) and Barman (3 for 39) werethe pick of the Orissa bowlers.In response, the Orissa batsmen struggled to face up to the Bihar attack andwere shot out for 150. RR Das (100) was the topscorer in an innings which sawonly one other batsman getting into the double figures. During a 183-minute stayat the crease, Das faced 157 balls while finding the boundary ropes eight times.Bihar in their second innings were cruising along and reached 183 for six when NKumar and DK Singh took firm control of proceedings. The duo put on an unbeaten203-run partnership in 44.4 overs. They batted for nearly three hours before thestumps were drawn on the final day. Kumar remained unbeaten with 100 (151 balls,10 fours) while Singh was on 102 (134 balls, 15 fours).

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced the internationalmatch programme for the 2002 season. The season begins with a three-matchnpower Test Series between England and Sri Lanka. This will be followed bythe NatWest Series, contested by England, Sri Lanka and India. FinallyEngland and India will play a four-match npower Test Series.The NatWest Series will be preceded by a warm-up match for England againstWales in Cardiff on Monday 24 June. Durham will also stage a floodlitOne-Day International for the first time.England v Sri Lanka npower Test Match Series:Thu 16 – Mon 20 May 1st Test v Sri LankaLord’s;Thu 30 May – Mon 3 June 2nd Test v Sri LankaEdgbaston;Thu 13 – Mon 17 June 3rd Test v Sri LankaOld Trafford.NatWest Series warm-up game:Mon 24 June England v Wales Cardiff.NatWest Series:Thu 27 June England v Sri Lanka Trent Bridge(Floodlit);Sat 29 June England v IndiaLord’s;Sun 30 June India v Sri Lanka Oval;Tue 2 July England v Sri Lanka Headingley;Thu 4 July England v IndiaDurham (Floodlit);Sat 6 July India v Sri LankaEdgbaston;Sun 7 July England v Sri Lanka Old Trafford;Tue 9 July England v India Oval;Thu 11 July India v Sri LankaBristol (Floodlit);Sat 13 July FinalLord’s.England v India npower Test Match Series:Thu 25 – Mon 29 July 1st Test v IndiaLord’s;Thu 8 – Mon 12 August 2nd Test v IndiaTrent Bridge;Thu 22 – Mon 26 August 3rd Test v IndiaHeadingley;Thu 5 – Mon 9 September 4th Test v IndiaOval.

India had a slight scare ahead of their triangular one-day seriesmatch against West Indies tomorrow with captain Saurav Ganguly runningmild temperature today.Ganguly, who ended his run-drought with a 85-run knock in the previousgame against Zimbabwe, did not come out for practice today but teammanager Chetan Chauhan was confident that the captain would be fit fortomorrow’s game. “He should be alright tomorrow,” Chauhan said.However, VVS Laxman, who sat out in the previous game with a fingerinjury in the first match against Zimbabwe, has been ruled out fortomorrow’s game as well. “He is not 100 per cent fit. He can stillfeel the pain in his finger and we would give him rest,” Chauhan said.”He should be fit for the remaining two games of the competition, onJuly 4 and the final on July 7,” he said.Chauhan confirmed that pacemen Ashish Nehra and Ajit Agarkar wouldskip tomorrow’s match.”All the others who have not played so far will get a game tomorrow.Debasish Mohanty, Reetinder Singh Sodhi and Harvinder Singh are all inthe starting line-up,” he said.West Indies captain Carl Hooper said his side was looking forward totake on India who appear a very strong team at the moment.”Obviously, the way the competition has gone, Zimbabwe is down at themoment and we want to do well against India,” Hooper said.”We expect India to be a strong opposition, certainly better thanZimbabwe – without meaning disrespect to the latter – and we willfight all the way,” he said.Hooper said it has been apparent in the tournament that the teamwinning the toss puts the opposition in to bat.”It is because it is winter here. There is heavy dew in the night andthe wicket has early moisture. The ball certainly does a bit in thefirst hour and that’s why the opposition choose to insert the otherside in to bat,” the skipper said.But West Indies won their first match against Zimbabwe by a convincing27-run margin after being put into bat.”We have gained confidence from that win and I feel these are goodtracks to bat provided you can see off the first 8-10 overs,” he said.Hooper said he would not mind playing two spinners against theIndians, even though the latter have the reputation of havingoutstanding players against spin bowling. “Spin or seam, we got tobowl well on these tracks. We have got two spinners to be thrown atthe opposition should the need arise,” Hooper, who himself is aneffective off-spinner, said.Hooper said even though two of his fast bowlers, Reon King and MervynDillon, did not bowl well in the opening match, he did not want to beharsh on them. “I do not want to be harsh on them. They are stillfinding their feet. Reon has come after a long gap into the side whileDillon has had problems with his line and length in one-dayinternationals,” he said.

India’s batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar suffered a foot injury duringthe final of the tri-nation series against the West Indies on Saturdaywhen his right foot spiked his left foot while fielding, forcing himto withdraw from the first part of the coming Sri Lankan tour.”Though an X-ray has ruled out any fracture, the injury is extremelypainful and the foot has to be rested for at least two to three weeksas there is an aggravation of muscles”, the Indian Cricket Board(BCCI) sources said in Mumbai today.His right foot, with spikes, landed between toe and heel of the leftfoot, resulting in a sesamoid bruise, sources added.However, the BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele or any of the selectors whomet here yesterday to finalise the team for Sri Lankan tour were notable to describe the nature of injury to Tendulkar’s foot butannounced that the Mumbai star would be joining the team for the lastleague tie against New Zealand on 2 August.

Phil Tufnell shrugged off any disappointment he might have felt and not gaining a place in the England squad for the Third Test to capture his 1,000th first-class wicket today at Lord’s.He brought up the milestone with the scalp of Martin Love, bowling him for 19 as Durham followed on against Middlesex. Tufnell finished with 5-46 and match figures of 8-87.Phil DeFreitas, Wasim Akram and Allan Donald are the only other currentplayers to have taken 1,000 first-class wickets, though Devon Malcolm is notfar away.The left-arm spinner made his first-class debut in 1986 as deputy to Phil Edmonds and John Emburey and soon became a regular on the county scene.1991 is his best season to date, when he took 88 first-class wickets, butwith 52 so far this season, 2001 could yet be a year to remember. Hehasn’t given up hope of adding to his 120 Test victims either.”I would love to get back into the England team,” he confided in his latestCricInfo diary.And there could be another milestone on the horizon. Although never notedfor his batting prowess, Tufnell is approaching the 2,000th first-class run ofhis career too. As he joked in his CricInfo diary: “I should easily reachthe magic 2,000 mark before the end of the 2003 season!”

An unhappy and acrimonious week for South African cricket ended on Saturday when Percy Sonn was re-elected president of the United Cricket Board, beating off a challenge from Dr Mtutulezi Nyoka by what is thought to be a comfortable majority.There was, however, a change to the vice-presidency where KwaZulu-Natal’s Robbie Kurz was elected ahead of the incumbent Richard Harrison. Nyoka had been nominated for the vice-presidency as well, but withdrew his nomination after his defeat by Sonn.Afterwards Nyoka tried to suggest that the leaking of a letter last weekend in which he listed a number of complaints concerning the UCB as well as a claim that he was being investigated by the elite Scorpions investigative unit, of which Sonn is the head, did not form part of a campaign for the presidency. His arguments were unconvincing, however. Few observers believe that the release of the letter and Nyoka’s election bid were unconnected and most are of the view that the letter was part of a strategy that backfired against the newly-elected Gauteng chairman.Nyoka offered no apologies for what Sonn, in his president’s report, described as a “presidential campaign with a difference” and the “unpleasantness of the past few weeks”. The challenger also said that that he still intended to clear his name of “rumours” that he had used his position on the World Cup policy committee to enrich himself and insisted that these “rumours” had reached “high places” in the Scorpions unit.Sonn was reluctant to add to his comments in his president’s report, but he did say upon election that he did not regard the presidency as “something that one can own” and he pledged to “behave like a servant which I am”.Sonn said afterwards that his position as head of the Scorpions unit and the work of the unit itself were governed by statute.Following the election, Kurz’s first duty was to speak to both Sonn and Nyoka after which the General Council issued the following statement: “The Council congratulates the president on his election, expresses its disappointment at the unfortunate public of the contest and is convinced that claims about corruption relating to both candidates have no substance.”The Council considers the matter closed and both parties have committed themselves to ensuring that South African is united and looking forward to the next season against India and Australia. Furthermore, the UCB intends to deliver the best World Cup yet.”John Blair was re-elected treasurer and the three black African representatives elected were Tim Khumalo of Free State, Peter Bacela of Border and North West’s Gabriel “Oupa” Nkagisang.In his treasurer’s report, Blair noted that income from incoming tours and television rights had dropped during the past financial year. This could be attributed to the tours by Sri Lanka and New Zealand and TV revenue would be “substantially higher in the new year due to India and Australia touring in the new season”.Blair also criticised the R14,4-million loaned to affiliates, noting that “this amount has shown a steady increase over the years and can be attributed to poor financial management/disciplines at certain of the affiliates. This matter will be addressed as a matter of priority in the new year”.

BAT Sports, Portsmouth and Winchester KS can begin to put the celebratory champagne on ice as a wet Saturday gave their respective Southern Electric Premier League championship prospects a significant boost.All three clubs, whose matches were abandoned after early afternoon rain, are within striking distance of claiming the divisional titles.BAT, 17 points clear at the top of ECB Premier 1 with two matches remaining, had made 68-2 after 25 overs at second-placed Havant when the rains came down.Portsmouth, with a 12-point advantage in Division 2, restricted their nearest rivals Cove to 173-9 at Grasmere Road before the rain set in.But Winchester, whose key promotion clash with city neighbours St Cross Symondians was similarly washed out, still need eight points from this Saturday’s awkward visit to Paultons to secure the Premier 3 crown.Anything less could let in Rowledge, who will need a maximum 22-point haul against Bashley (Rydal) II next weekend, if they are to stand any chance ofpipping WKS at the post.Havant, with South Wilts and Bashley (Rydal) left to play, had to beat BAT in order to wipe out the Totton club’s significant advantage.They dismissed Dave Carson (35) and Richard Kenway after BAT had been put into bat – but heavy rain forced the players off after just over an hour’s play.”We probably had the edge when play was called off,” said Havant skipper Paul Gover.”Now all we can hope for is that BAT slip against either Andover or Calmore Sports, and we win both our games. But it’s a tall order.”Allan Hurst (2-17) pronounced his comeback after a long-term shoulder injury with a brace of wickets for Calmore Sports, whose visit to Andover was abandoned with the London Road club at 121-4.Mark Miller (35), Stuart Summers (28) and Roger Miller (21) made their mark for Andover, with left-arm spinner Mark Boston (2-16) taking the other two wickets.Liphook & Ripsley, still not mathematically certain of avoiding the drop, reached 120-5 against Burridge, for whom Gosport bound Paul Jenkins took 3-32.Basement club Hungerford, who visit Liphook on Saturday, had made 85-2 against Bashley when play stopped.Left-hander Neil Randall, who has been producing some useful performances for Hampshire 2nd XI recently, scored an undefeated century for Cove against title chasing Portsmouth.Randall, whose 100 not out included ten fours, held Cove together after some accurate bowling by Lee Savident (2-30) and Raj Maru (2-36) had reduced the prospective Thames Valley Leaguers to 76-6.Peter Hayward (3-38) whipped through the tail as Cove slipped to 173-9.But there was no time for Portsmouth to start their reply as rain washed out play at tea.Trojans skipper Simon Williams cracked a league-best 118 as the Old Basing attack came under fire once again.Williams, with a six and 18 fours in his century, shared a century opening partnership with Mario Mohammed (49) as Trojans notched 234-5 in 42 overs before the rains came down.The only two matches to be completed in the Premier League were at Bashley, where Joe Hall’s unbeaten 103 set up an eight-wicket win over Havant II – and ensured Division 3 safety for the New Forest club.Bob Paul (4-45) and Neil Sexton (4-65) shared the spoils as Havant were restricted to 195-9 – a total Hall and evergreen Iain Britton(54) saw off with three balls of a reduced 33-over match left.Hursley Park notched their sixth winin seven matches, trimming New Milton by 12 runs in a rain-reduced encounter.Rory Miller (28) top scored in Hursley’s 142-7 (Lee Beck 3-39), which was reduced to 131 off 34 overs.Ross Cambray’s spell of 4-42 left New Milton 119 all out.All the other Premier 3 matches were abandoned.

Playing some top flight cricket that included aggressive batting sustained over a period of time and quick bowling that put the batsmen on the back foot, New Zealand ‘A’ enjoyed the sweet taste of success in their semi-final match of the MRF Buchi Babu Tournament, when they, to use a cliché, derailed Indian Railways, beating them by 23 runs.The Kiwi’s now face the Cricket Association of Bengal XI in the final of the MRF Buchi Babu Tournament.The wicket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is one that cricket experts over the years have found to read. Typically it is a track that has a bit in it for the fast bowlers early on, but slows down quickly and takes turn fairly early. New Zealand ‘A’ showed today that the role a wicket plays can be overcome with positive cricket. Lou Vincent creamed the Railways bowling to all parts in his run a ball 102, and gave his bowlers something to play with. One must remember that Vincent made a century in the last match he played too. Playing the spinners and pacemen with ease, Vincent spread the field in a hurry.Beginning the day on 216/6, with an overall lead of just 66, New Zealand ‘A’ had but a small chance of forcing a result in the match. Vincent, overnight on 57 struck nine boundaries in his century and in the company of Kyle Mills (37) took New Zealand ‘A’ to 318/8 declared off just 62 overs. This left Indian Railways with a target of 169.For New Zealand ‘A’ to win, they needed at least one stunning performance. In the event there were two! If Vincent’s ton won praise, then Shane Bond’s sensational bowling analysis of 14.3-2-45-7 deserves a lot more. Bowling in temperatures over thirty five degrees centigrade, Bond produced a spell of genuinely hostile bowling. More than anything, it was the sheer pace of Bond that knocked the wind out of Indian Railways. Constantly pitching the ball just short of a length and outside the off, the Canterbury mediumpacer scythed through the Railways batting line-up.After removing the Railway openers with just 9 on the board, Bond cooled off for a while, as the Railways middle order batsmen offered some resistance. When Brooke Walker ran out Murli Kartik (30) with the score on 49, the beginning of the end was signaled. Soon after, Bond ran thorough the innings, picking the last five wickets to fall. Bond’s 7/45 skittled Railways out for 145, handing the visiting side victory by 23 runs.

Although more than two years have passed since he last donned a baggy green cap, it would be grossly wide of the mark to describe Matthew Elliott as a forgotten man of Australian cricket. Nor as one of its lost talents.Because, even if the national selectors might have been unmoved by an appetite for runs that continues to be voracious, the Victorian opener clearly remains one of the country’s most accomplished batsmen.Only a matter of days away from captaining his state for the first time, Elliott is happy. Relaxed too. And optimistic as he plots the important new chapter in his career that is about to begin.”This is a very exciting time for me,” says the 30-year old, whose appearance in 20 Tests between 1996 and 1999 gave the world a glimpse of his considerable talents as a left handed upper order batsman.”Having a bit of a break over the winter months before starting the pre-season has meant that I’m enjoying being around cricket again. I’ve really fallen in love with the game again.”It’s not that there has been much evidence that Elliott’s passion for the game has ever wavered. But the chance to fully overcome a persistent knee injury, to enjoy a leave of absence from playing, and to acquaint himself with his responsibilities as Paul Reiffel’s replacement as Victoria’s one-day leader has clearly been rejuvenating nonetheless.As he gears up to play a central role in Sunday’s opening match of the 2001-02 domestic season against New South Wales in Sydney, he airs few anxieties about the summer. He hasn’t been a captain since his days in charge of the Kyabram under-16s so can barely wait to tackle the learning curve that lies ahead of him.”Hopefully, I’d like to take a few of the good points away from every captain I’ve played under and then try and mould them all together. But that’s obviously a pretty difficult task.”I really enjoyed my time under Mark Taylor; I thought he was an exceptional captain. And Shane Warne, tactically, is right there in the very upper echelon of all the people who I’ve played with. He is very astute and very sharp.”There are a few different people from whom I’m ideally going to take little bits and pieces.”With Reiffel now scaling back some of his responsibilities as he nears the end of a fabulous career, Elliott was elevated to the Bushrangers’ one-day captaincy position three months ago. That move has left the state with different leaders in the two forms of the game, and it’s a strategy which the man known affectionately as ‘Herb’ believes might redress the balance after two seasons of limited-overs disappointment.”I’m really looking forward to the summer. We’ve got some clear ideas about the way we want to play our one-day cricket and we have some real direction,” he says.”We’re looking to be a lot more proactive and we’re going to be very open to trying some different things this year.”New South Wales is a really good measuring stick for us first up too. We’ve knocked them over a couple of times in the one-day competition over the last couple of summers, so we’ll be keen to do that again.”The team’s supporters have been burnt too often in one-day cricket over the last decade to be completely confident about its prospects. Records show that the Bushrangers have finished in the top half of the competition only once in the last six years. But it might just be that Elliott’s twin skills as a beautifully stylish batsman and positive skipper prove the difference on this occasion.Even at a time when cracks are appearing at the top of the Australian order, he’s just as undeterred in his response to the question that he must, by now, have become sick of answering. The berth in the national team that was once akin to an obsession now occupies very little focus for a player who gives the impression of being at ease with himself.”At the end of the day, you’ve just got to be true to yourself and be your own person. Not try to be something that you’re not.”What concerns me now is playing well for Victoria, and just being happy playing my cricket. Enjoying my cricket. If you can do all that as a player, then everything else takes care of itself.”And there surely can’t be too many better ways of looking after things than igniting Victoria’s revival as a one-day force.