Division One

Third day

Lancashire continued to battle against Warwickshire at Blackpool, forcing the follow-on after bowling them out for 231. All the Lancashire bowlers had performed impressively with Murali Kartik producing a probing spell of left-arm spin in his first Championship match of the season. Ian Westwood offered the major resistance with a 198-ball 67 but the pressure created by the bowlers was too much for the rest. Earlier, Lancashire declared on 456 for 9, after Naqaash Tahir had bagged 7 for 107. For the second time in the match play was halted when a water bomb landed on the pitch and Mal Loye, the Lancashire batsman, even climbed a wall to try and find the culprit. It had earlier happened on the first day.Middlesex totally unraveled at the hands of Yorkshire‘s spinners at Scarborough, leaving Yorkshire with a target of 274. In heartening sight, two young legspinners took all 10 wickets. Mark Lawson took 6 for 88 and Adil Rashid, on the ground where he burst onto the scene a few weeks ago against Warwickshire, had 4 for 96 as the visitors fell away for 224. The bulk of those runs came from Ben Hutton, who stuck 105 from 166 balls, with ten fours and two sixes. Yorkshire had started grafting their way towards a win, and were 39 without loss by stumps.Second day
Murray Goodwin fired a century for table-topping Sussex in their crucial match against Hampshire at Hove. David Nash joined him in a third-wicket partnership of 132 to boost the home side to 416 for 8, a first-innings lead of 69. Sean Ervine removed both openers early, but firstly Nash, then Chris Adams, steadied the innings. Adams passed 1000 runs for the season before Shane Warne managed to stem the runs with late wickets. However, Sussex have already notched up maximum bonus points.

Division Two

Third day

Surrey clinched promotion against Glamorgan at The Oval. Chris Taylor’s century provided some much-needed stability for Derbyshire, as he shared a second-wicket stand of 191 in the second innings at Derby. Northamptonshire were finally all out 424, a first-innings lead of 267, but Taylor and Stubbings (64) had gone some way to stubbing out that lead after the early loss of Hassan Adnan. Still, Northants will be confident of pushing for victory tomorrow.The indomitable Graeme Hick another century to give Worcestershire a boost in their clash for the second promotion with Essex at New Road. Earlier, Essex successfully avoid the follow-on reaching 330 in reply to the home side’s 473 for 6. But Worcestershire continued to build on their lead, mainly through Hick, and went on to make 331. Essex reached 19 for 1 by the close, still 455 behind. Worcestershire will be confident of sealing the deal tomorrow if the rain holds off.First day
Leicestershire crumbled at the hands of Somerset, falling away for 170 at Grace Road. Andrew Caddick took the 73rd five-wicket haul of his career, bagging 5 for 46. HD Ackerman (53) and David Masters (43) played the only innings of note for the home side as they were blown to pieces, Charl Willoughby and Richard Johnson helping themselves to two wickets apiece, and Keith Parsons grabbed the other. But Somerset’s batsmen found the going tricky, too, Nicholas Walker snapping up the openers to leave them in some trouble at 32 for 2.

Epyllion Group, a leading textile manufacturer, will sponsor the Bangladesh team for the Champions Trophy in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially announced yesterday.The company confirmed that it would pay Tk 15 lakh (approx. US$ 22,388) for the first three qualifying matches. The BCB stated that the amount would be increased if Bangladesh make it to the group stages of the tournament. The logo of Epyllion Group would be carried on the players’ jersey and practice kits.Mahbub Anam, BCB general secretary, welcomed the new sponsors, given that the board had struggled to find a suitable sponsor who wouldn’t clash with the official sponsors of the tournament.”Here these companies are the largest sponsors and it was a daunting task to find a sponsor,” Anam was quoted in , a Dhaka-based daily.Anam added that the BCB will invite open tenders for television rights for the next five years within a week and an agent would be appointed to handle the deal.”The deadline to submit tenders would be October 31,” he said. “It would be a two-folder tender with technical evaluation and financial offer. The tenders would be opened in front of the BCB officials and the media.”

Ajit Agarkar has passed a fitness test on his left thumb and been cleared for India’s forthcoming tour of South Africa, starting in a week’s time.Agarkar, who injured himself while fielding during India’s Champions Trophy game against West Indies at Ahmedabad, was tested in Mumbai under the supervision of Dr Anant Joshi, the Indian board’s doctor, and John Gloster, the Indian team physio.”Agarkar has been declared fit. He has been practising with the Mumbai team for the last two days,” Ratnakar Shetty, the board’s Chief Administrative Officer, told , after Gloster submitted the fitness report.Agarkar’s injury forced him out of India’s virtual quarter-final against Australia at Mohali. The selectors had named VRV Singh, the Punjab fast bowler, as a standby in case Agarkar was unfit to travel.Agarkar said that he felt “perfectly alright” and that the pain had reduced considerably. “It was a bit painful in the first week and then it subsided,” he said. “I was doing some fitness work and bowling was not a problem. Fortunately it [the injury] was not in my bowling arm. It did not stop me from bowling but it was painful to grip the bat or even take catches.”Agarkar has been one of India’s most consistent bowlers in one-dayers in the last year, leading the inexperienced pace attack. In 28 matches since November 2005, he has taken 40 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.67, an improvement from his career rate of 5.03. Following an impressive showing in the five one-dayers in the West Indies earlier this year, his omission from the Test squad was questioned, especially with Irfan Pathan struggling for form, and the likes of Sreesanth, Singh and Munaf Patel with barely any experience at Test level.

A comfortable 199-run win in the third and final Test at Karachi allowedPakistan to wrap up a fourth series win out of five in the last 12 months.Given the turbulence of the last three months, it will matter little thatit came against an improving West Indies side that still struggles awayfrom home: a win, and a comprehensive one ultimately, was needed.At the heart of the triumph was Mohammad Yousuf, multiple record-breakerand serial run-accumulator. With four hundreds and 665 runs from theseries, Yousuf’s batting was critical for Pakistan, especially withInzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan not in particularly prolific mood. ButInzamam, in commendable socialist spirit, was keen to spread the plaudits.”Mohammad Yousuf was exceptional throughout the series and he rightly isbeing praised by everyone for doing so well. But I also want to point outthat the entire team should get credit for the victory. There is always alot of pressure in a home series especially after we didn’t play well inEngland so this was a good win,” Inzamam told reporters after the day’splay.First among equals was Umar Gul, who ended the series with 16 wickets.Three of those were the especially crucial ones of Brian Lara, and mosttimes Pakistan needed a wicket, Gul delivered. Denied the services ofShoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, Gul’s continued progress could not havebeen better timed for Pakistan.”Gul really bowled superbly for us,” admitted Inzamam. “To get 16 wicketson such tracks is a major achievement especially considering that we werewithout our main bowlers. He was also well supported by Shahid Nazir andDanish Kaneria too.”In a series replete with records, one achievement stands out. Pakistanwent through the entire series with an unchanged playing XI for only thesecond time in their 54-year history, the first being the 1964-65 homeseries against New Zealand. Not that there weren’t any calls for change.Before the final Test, calls for another specialist in place of anallrounder had been aired but Inzamam held firm in the name of stability.”You can’t play with four fast bowlers on such low and slow wickets. Youneed one bowler who can also contribute with the bat. And anyway there hasbeen enough criticism heaped on me in the past for changing the team allthe time.”Changing the side in each of the three Tests didn’t help his counterpartLara. Though this defeat was the West Indies’s 17th in the last 25 Testsaway from home, Lara insisted some positives could be drawn.”Pakistan is a tough place to play cricket and playing a Test series couldonly be a positive and improve us. A couple of younger players came out ofthis series well, including Denesh Ramdin and Jerome Taylor. We have stillsome young players coming out like Ramdin. We are not down in the dumpsabout it.”Of course it’s disappointing to lose a series, but you have to givecredit toward the end to the Pakistanis for playing tough cricketthroughout. I’m still proud of my team, they worked very hard after theLahore Test match and played pretty good cricket in Multan.”The good cricket would have paid more dividends had catches been taken.Mohammad Yousuf was dropped six times through the series and in total, atleast a dozen were spilled. “Yeah, we dropped a few important but we stillmanaged to play some tough cricket. At the end of the day, ourperformances in Tests still need to be improved.”With the ODI series due to begin from December 5, fortunes may swiftlyturn around. West Indies have been a much-improved limited-overs sideunder Lara’s captaincy, and the focus, said Lara, will switch seamlesslyto the longer-term now.”In the one-day arena, we have played some very good cricket in the lasttwo to three months, reaching the finals of the DLF Cup and the ChampionsTrophy. Our main focus is now to the final at Barbados in the World Cup.Ramnaresh Sarwan will be missed in the series but we have some goodplayers coming in.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Australia surfed a tide of emotion in front of a packed fourth-and-final day crowd, sealing their first Ashes whitewash in 86 years with a ruthless demolition job at Sydney. They had a full two days available to do the necessary, but in the end they needed just under two hours, as England’s battered and bruised cricketers surrendered by ten wickets in an abject and embarrassing fashion.Fittingly, it was Glenn McGrath who took centre stage in his final appearance at his home ground, the SCG. After Shane Warne’s heroics with the bat, McGrath took over with the ball, grabbing 3 for 38 in 21 typically metronomic overs, before Justin Langer – in partnership with his best mate, Matthew Hayden – rattled off the necessary 46 runs in just 11 overs.It was Hayden who sealed the win, clubbing Sajid Mahmood for six then, after a consultation with Langer, slapping the next for four past point, but McGrath, Langer and Shane Warne were the inevitable stars of the show. McGrath, ever one to rise above the emotion, started the festivities with his third ball of the day. He scalped Kevin Pietersen, England’s last hope, before instigating the run-out of the nightwatchman, Monty Panesar.In his desperation to score England’s first runs of the morning, Chris Read took off for a suicidal single to Australia’s best fielder, Andrew Symonds, who pinged the top of middle stump from ten yards, with Panesar still a foot short. Read was himself then blasted from the crease by a Brett Lee lifter deflected to second slip, before McGrath bowled Sajid Mahmood off the pads for 4.Warne, to a raucous ovation, then entered at the Paddington End for his final spell in Test cricket, and the last rites of England’s innings developed into a mini-tussle between Australia’s two champions, as McGrath and Warne fought for the honour of claiming the last wicket of the innings, and of their Test careers.Warne so nearly won the race via a stumping, as Adam Gilchrist whipped off the bails with Steve Harmison’s back foot shuffling back towards the crease, and the drama was intensified by a five-minute wait for the not-out verdict, as umpire Peter Parker studied the replay from all angles. And in the next over, the dream conclusion was narrowly missed, as James Anderson edged McGrath inches short of Warne at first slip.Harmison did at least club a clutch of defiant boundaries to carry England to the drinks break, but upon the resumption, McGrath could be denied no longer. Anderson swished at the sixth ball of his next over, and Michael Hussey at midwicket pocketed the simplest of catches. McGrath had signed off with three wickets in the innings, six for the match, 21 for the series, and 563 for a magnificent 124-Test career. And Australia needed just 46 to win.They started watchfully, adding just ten runs in the first five overs, but there were no alarms as a dispirited England team went through the motions to the strains of “The Last Post” from the Barmy Army bugler. The scenes at the end were euphoric and poignant, with Warne, McGrath and Langer leading the lap of honour, as a mighty era of Australia cricket ended in the most immensely fitting manner imaginable.Short CutsDismissal of the day
Kevin Pietersen was England’s only hope for a miracle, but Glenn McGrathsnuffed that dream by catching his edge with the third ball of the morning.It was vintage McGrath and a fitting farewell.Man of the Match
Stuart Clark’s five wickets for the game earned the prize, which was a finereward for a series in which he chipped in with at least a victim in everyinnings. He finished with 26 at 17.03, a total he achieved without afive-wicket haul.Speech of the day
There was a fair bit of competition, but Clark wins easily for telling hiswife and young son how much he loved them in front an almost-full SCG.Tunes of the day
The trumpeter showed his full repertoire today, mixing pop, rock andpatriotism. The Way We Were was on the song sheet along with Oasis’Don’t Look Back in Anger, Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer, RuleBrittania and The Last Post.What England didn’t need to hear
“It was the best Harmy’s bowled all series,” Justin Langer said afterAustralia had knocked off the 46 for the series whitewash. England had beenwaiting for Steve Harmison to turn up since they arrived in November.

The retirement of Nathan Astle will create mixed emotions among New Zealand cricket fans. New Zealand are undeniably a weaker team without his experience, but at the same time it is also undeniable that Astle was a batsman on the wane.Less than two months out from the World Cup the timing is hardly ideal, but you have to admire a man who goes with the courage of his convictions. And there was plenty to admire about Astle the cricketer, too.Statistically he retires as New Zealand’s greatest one-day batsman. His 7090 runs are second only to Stephen Fleming, but his 16 centuries are ten better than Fleming and 12 better than the likes of Chris Cairns and Martin Crowe. Added to his 11 Test centuries (third on the list behind Martin Crowe and John Wright), Astle has 27 international hundreds, six better than Crowe.But statistics are cold, they tell nothing of the excitement Astle brought to the crease when he was in his pomp. He could take good length balls with a minimum of width and dispatch them through the covers for four in the blink of an eye. There was nothing flamboyant or affected about his manner at the crease but he was, particularly in one-day cricket, a brutally effective run gatherer.He was a sound bowling option too, as his 99 wickets and economy rate of 4.71 demonstrate. His Test career was never quite as impressive but he will be fondly remembered for two of the more remarkable innings.In 1997, in a test against England at Eden Park, New Zealand began their second innings 131 runs behind England, effectively having to bat out the final day on a deteriorating pitch to save the match. At 105 for 8 and then 142 for 9 New Zealand’s chances were gone, but rabbit Danny Morrison joined Astle in a remarkable unbroken 106-run stand. Astle hit the last ball before stumps were drawn for four to bring up a richly deserved century.Five years later, against the same opposition but this time on his home ground at Jade Stadium, Astle was presented with another lost cause. Chasing 550 to win, New Zealand were 119 for 3 when Astle strode to the crease. When he was last man out with the total at 451, Astle had smashed a scarcely believable 222 off 168 balls – the fastest double-century in Test history – with 28 fours and 11 sixes.

Those who were lucky enough to be at the ground that day testify to the incredibly ‘clean’ sound the ball made every time it found its way into the middle of Astle’s bat. Despite his one-day prowess that innings, in a losing cause, will stand as Astle’s legacy.Off the field Astle could often appear a dry personality. The truth was he was a pretty simple sort of bloke who could have happily gone through life without ever giving an interview. He liked playing cricket but not necessarily the peripheral stuff that came with it. As it is, anecdotes involving Astle are hardly thick on the ground.Instead he left it to his bat to do the talking. At his best Astle was an uncomplicated combination of power and timing. Unfortunately, as Astle’s reflexes dulled with age he didn’t have the bedrock of a sound technique to fall back on. He still had enough experience and savvy to knock out decent innings, but they were fewer and further between.Bowlers and captains had his number, stacking the cover-point region and refusing to give him the width he had made a living off. The sight of the ball angling in and thudding into Astle’s pads became more common.But that’s not what we will remember Astle for. Instead we will remember his blazing bat that often kick-started New Zealand’s success. We will remember some spectacular outfield catches, most notably the one-handed grab which robbed Dwayne Smith of a six at Jade Stadium last year.And most of all we will remember double-century.

Bradley Scott, the Otago allrounder, has been added to New Zealand’s 30-man squad for the World Cup.Scott’s inclusion in the expanded squad was confirmed today. He replaces Nathan Astle, who retired from all international cricket last month.The 15-man squad for the World Cup, starting next month in the West Indies, will be named on February 13.Scott, 27, is a left-arm fast-medium bowler and left-handed batsman who has helped Otago earn a home final in the State Shield one-day competition in Dunedin on Saturday.He has taken 11 shield wickets this summer at an average of 32.81, with an economy rate of 3.99 runs per over.In a provincial career spanning 40 one-dayers, Scott has taken 51 wickets at 31.90, with an economy rate of 4.58, and scored 302 runs at 21.57.

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, has been ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury suffered just prior to the team’s scheduled departure for the West Indies. Razzaq sustained the injury during a practice session on Monday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and doctors have said that he might be out for up to three weeks.”I am simply devastated. One moment we are practicing and planning for the big tournament and next moment doctors tell me I am out of it,” Razzaq told agencies. “It is hugely disappointing for me to go out this way,” said Razzaq, who would have been playing in his third World Cup, had it not been for the last-minute injury. Razzaq, who has played 229 ODIs for Pakistan, recently missed the Test series in South Africa because of an elbow injury.”Razzaq suffered the injury during practice and we suspect it may be ligament damage or even a fracture. He is out for three weeks,” PJ Mir, the media manager of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told . “Azhar Mahmood will be his replacement.”Mahmood, who was already kept on standby given the injury worries in the fast bowling line-up. Pakistan were already in a state of confusion as Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, the fastbowling spearheads, were in doubt to be fit in time for the World Cup.Shoaib and Asif are currently in England for medical check-ups and were not present for the dope tests conducted by the board on the players in the World Cup squad. Shoaib had pulled out of Pakistan’s tour to South Africa after he picked up a hamstring injury during the second Test at Port Elizabeth. Asif, who played the entire tour, is carrying an elbow injury.The two had tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone in October when the board tested players before the Champions Trophy. They were both handed bans from international cricket but in an unexpected turn of events a drugs tribunal, appointed by the board, reversed the judgement in December on account of the fact that the players were able to prove “exceptional circumstances” for taking the drug.”It is a big blow. We were celebrating Umar Gul’s fitness boost when this sad news came,” Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, was quoted as saying by AFP. Gul had just been cleared to play after an ankle injury threatened his chances of making it to the Caribbean for one-day cricket’s premier tournament.”It is a major blow for us because Razzaq is one of our main players,” Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain said, in reaction to the news of Razzaq’s injury.

Day 3

The Trinidad and Tobago second innings was over and the ground staff were preparing to go and re-mark the crease for the Barbados victory chase. But the Barbadians were still on the field, all in a huddle.Set a total of 276 to win the Carib Beer Challenge Final at Guaracara Park, it was as if they were trying to reassure themselves of the real possibility of victory and dedicate themselves to the task.And in that same spirit of determination, Barbados, the new Carib Beer Cup champions, were soldiering on at 99 for one (Wayne Blackman 54, Shamarh Brooks 36) as day three drew to a close.T&T skipper Daren Ganga needed wickets bad. He called back strike bowler Ravi Rampaul. It was ole mas time.When play had ended, heart and soul Ravi had capsized the Bajan mango cart with three wickets for five runs in 12 balls.Second ball: Brooks was flummoxed and lbw to a ball which cut back so sharply, it caught the teenager playing no shot.Next over: Floyd Reifer went down to one of the catches of the season, steering a ball around off-stump to Kieron Pollard in the gully who flung his big frame to his right, stuck out his right hand and held onto a stunning snare.Two balls later: A full inswinger won a plumb lbw verdict against Dwayne Smith.Rampaul was giving people cold sweat. He had answered the call of the crew at the southern end: “We want ah wicket, right now!”Onto the field some of them swarmed, delirious at the way T&T had rallied and put themselves in place to retain the Shield. The scene prompted a stern warning from the umpires.It had been a hectic day for messrs Billy Doctrove and Norman Malcolm, who, between them, made several debatable calls against both sides. At the end of it, Barbados were in the bamboo at 118 for five, captain Ryan Hinds and night watchman Tino Best holding on. Another 158 are still needed.A gripping contest had ebbed and flowed as the bowlers held sway. But Rampaul (10-3-18-4 overall), irresistible with his combination of swing and seam, claimed the day’s honours for T&T.He was assisted, too, by Rayad Emrit, the other half of Ganga’s late double change, who accounted for Blackman to a low catch to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. It was a fine end to what had largely been a tense day for the teeming Guaracara crowd.T&T had already lost Lendl Simmons when they resumed yesterday morning on six for one. But with a first innings lead of 75, they had the chance to seize decisive control of the match by batting and batting and batting on an accommodating pitch. They didn’t.The application required for a lead of more than 300 was just not there. Opener Adrian Barath’s early removal by left-arm seamer Pedro Collins, via a Smith slip catch with the scoreboard reading 15 for two, really demanded that his teammates buckle down against a determined Bajan attack.But in all, T&T managed to bat just 62.4 overs for an even 200.The third wicket pair of plucky night watchman Amit Jaggernauth (30-four fours) and innings top-scorer Ganga (44) had the right idea in producing the second highest stand of the innings-45.Jaggernauth, dropped in successive overs to the massive dismay of Best, nevertheless made a success of his promotion, staying at the crease for 77 minutes before Corey Collymore, who troubled him repeatedly in his excellent spell of 10-3-26-1, eventually had him caught in the gully by Hinds.Jaggernauth’s was the kind of concentrated work which the Guaracara posse would have demanded of Dwayne Bravo who replaced him. But he stayed just 22 minutes for four before he cavalierly helped Hinds into the hands of Collymore at short midwicket.In came Kieron Pollard, one of the heroes of T&T’s season, but a youngster with a recent string of low scores behind him. Perhaps that knowledge made him stand his ground when, first ball, he seemed to edge a delivery which turned across him from left-arm spinner Hinds, into the hands of Reifer at slip. The jubilant Bajans were sure they had their man. But Doctrove evidently did not see the deviation.Hinds could not believe it. And his subsequent tantrum ended with him sitting on the ground in disbelief.It was an unbecoming moment all round. And the fielding side seemed to lose their focus somewhat from then until the lunch break in an extended first session which ended with T&T on 120 for four.Pollard got there on a subdued 22, Ganga, playing with the same great assurance as in his first innings century, 43. They had put on 48 by then and seemed to have weathered the storm.But back after the break came Collins, the trouble man from the first innings. In his first over, the second after lunch, he got Ganga to make his first real mistake of the match, driving at a wide delivery which he snicked to Reifer at first slip.That was the beginning of a slide which saw the remaining five T&T wickets go down for 77 runs. Having removed Ganga (44, 145 minutes, six fours) who during the innings crossed 600 runs for the season, Collins returned next over to also snare Pollard. Struggling of late to play with the freedom which brought him so many runs earlier this season, he succumbed on 24, edging an attempted booming drive to wicketkeeper Patrick Browne.Ramdin (29), Richard Kelly (10), Emrit (19) and Dave Mohammed (15) all got starts. But they had not the carry through their team so desperately needed-the quartet all falling to the slow seamers of Smith (7.4-2-22-4).The large crowd, eager to make some noise, had been put on mute. They were not so sure T&T could defend 275, especially with two days and a session to go. But relentless Ravi made them all believe.

The Bob Woolmer murder investigation in Jamaica may get assistance from Pakistan, with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz clearing a three-member team to leave for the Caribbean. This was disclosed to Cricinfo by Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, though he added that it depended on the response from the Jamaican authorities.”The Prime Minister has agreed to our request to send a three-member team to Jamaica to assist in investigations,” Ashraf said on Friday. “One diplomat, one PCB official and one senior investigative officer will go. No names have been decided yet.”The move follows reports of dissatisfaction within Pakistan over how the investigation was being handled. PCB officials have been quoted, anonymously, as saying that they believe Woolmer died a natural death. A senior legislator also pulled up the PCB for allowing the players and other officials to be questioned without the presence of lawyers from Pakistan.On Thursday, Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum, who led the probe into match-fixing in the 1990s, urged the Pakistan government to send investigators to Jamaica to help with the probe there. “Woolmer was our man. He was our coach and the government must send its own investigation team,” Qayyum told AFP.