March 20, 2001
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Harbhajan Singh and Mathew Hayden stole the show on day two in the deciding Test match at Chennai as India after bundling out Australia for 391 in the first innings just before lunch were 211-1 at close with Das on 84 and Laxman on a strokeful 59. Harbhajan Singh took 7-133 as he shot out one Aussie after another in quick succession. Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds, who injured his shoulder while packing his bags to come to India for the one-day series, passed the initial fitness test, although Queensland's team doctor who watched him bat, bowl and field at the nets is yet to confirm him as fit. But Symonds faces another test in a few days to make sure that the injury does not flare up again and only then his trip to India will be confirmed The Australian media (mostly television commentators) have stated in unison that Mathew Hayden be retained in India for the one-day series. Hayden who has been the most successful batsman on the tour with 514 runs, which included two centuries in 3 matches and two other scores of over 50 including one score of 97. Former skipper Ian Chappell was very vociferous in his appeal to selectors to keep Hayden back in India, while David Hookes feels that the Australian selectors should resign if Hayden is not allowed to stay back for the one-day series.  After having not informed the team management of an injury he was carrying, Andrew Flintoff passed his first fitness Test to ensure that he can continue on England's tour of Sri Lanka. Flintoff was put through three days of hard training and came through the grind well. The England team that pulled of an improbable series win in the Emerald isle will be relieved that the dashing all-rounder will be fit enough to play in the one-dayers, which begins at Dumbulla on Friday.
Pakistan skipper Moin Khan pointed his finger at the rather dull and lifeless pitch at Christchurch that resulted in a boring draw in which one batsman from each side scored a double hundred - Mathew Sinclair (204 not out) for New Zealand and Yousuf Youhana (203) for Pakistan. Interestingly, The rather long and tedious Test match finally came to an end an hour early when the captains decided to call of the game with New Zealand 196-1. Pakistan lead the series 1-0 with the third Test to be played at Hamilton next Tuesday. Moin had also complained about the "portable" pitch that was provided in the first Test at Auckland, which Pakistan won by 299 runs.
Courtney Walsh re-wrote history to become the first bowler in Test history to take 500 wickets. He achieved this historic milestone at Port of Spain when he had Kallis trapped "lbw" just two balls after taking Gary Kisten's wicket - his 499th. A career that began in 1984-85 has seen Walsh achieve success all over the world. His Test career bowling summary: vs Australia 38 135 vs England 36 145 vs India 15 65 vs New Zealand 10 43 vs South Africa 7* 32 vs Pakistan 18 63 vs Sri Lanka 3 8 vs Zimbabwe 2 9 Total 129* 500 * in progress A quick fire 93 not out by wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs helped West Indies reach 342 in their first innings for a decent lead of 56 runs. Jacobs' last minute launch on the South African bowlers came to an end just seven short of a hundred when he was left stranded without any batsmen at the other end. The Test stands tantalisingly poised as South Africa rode cautiously to score 130-2 in the second innings at close on the third day.
The English Cricket Board's chairman of selectors David Graveney and member of the selection committee former England off-spinner and all-rounder Geoff Miller have been given extended contracts by the ECB until the end of 2003. The others who have extended their contracts until 2003 include Duncan Fletcher (Head Coach), Phil Neale (Team Operations Manager), Dean Conway (Physiotherapist) and Nigel Stockill (Physiologist). The ECB felt that in order to build on the recent rewarding performances of the England team, continuity of the team management that has been combining well with coach Fletcher and skipper Nasser Hussain is necessary. Pakistan will be sending its fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to Australia to examine his suspect bowling action. The department of human resource, University of Western Australia will examine Shoaib and will suggest corrective measures. Sri Lankan off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, too was aided by the same university. Earlier the three members (Moshin Kamal, Ijaz Faqih & Iqbal Sikander) of the Pakistani review committee examined the footage of Shoaib's bowling during the fourth one-day international in New Zealand where concern were expressed for the second time by the New Zealand umpires over his suspect action. Sourav Ganguly will lead the Indian team against Australia for the Siyaram Cup to be played at Chennai on March 23. The match is being organised by the BCCI in aid of the Gujarat earthquake fund. The Indian team for the match is as follows Sourav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Hemang Badani, Dinesh Mongia, Vijay Dahiya, Sunil Joshi, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Robin Singh, Virendra Shewag, S Ramesh. The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced the 15-member team that will undertake its first full-fledged tour to Zimbabwe next month. The tour will consist of 2 Tests and 3 one-day internationals. Coach Trevor Chappell, Physio John Gloster and will also accompany the team Chappell who arrived in Dhaka last week said he hoped to develop the side in time for the 2003 world cup. The team is as follows: The squad: Naimur Rahman (Capt), Khaled Masud (V Capt/wicket-keeper), Javed Omar Belim, Mehrab Hossain, Mohammad Ashraful, Habibul Bashar, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Al-Shahriar, Mohammad Rafique, Enamul Hoque, Hasibul Hossain, Monjurul Islam, Mohammad Sharif and Mushfiqur Rahman. In an attempt to kindle the feelings of national integration in a country torn by civil war the Zimbabwe Cricket Union conducted a workshop in order to examine the avenues for strengthening integration with the help of sport. An individual consultant hired for this purpose will study ways by which the ZCU can produce a comprehensive plan to ensure full and equitable integration of Zimbabwean cricket in the shortest possible time with the least possible reduction in individual and team performance. Ranji Trophy champions, Mumbai begin their campaign when they take on Punjab in the quarter-final of the Ranji Trophy 2000-01 competition today at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This tie has been advanced by two days, since the Mumbai team will be participating in a one-day tournament at Perth next week. Meanwhile, Mumbai will be without star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, their captain and wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe, left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni and leg-spinner and all-rounder Sairaj Bahutule, as all of them are playing the ongoing Chennai Test match. Pace bowler Ajit Agarkar will also not be playing due to injury. Meanwhile, offie Sarandeep Singh has been allowed by the BCCI to appear in this match for Punjab.
Australia in India 3rd Test at Chennai (2nd day) Australia: 391 (M Hayden 203, J Langer 35, M Waugh 70, S Waugh 47; Harbhajan Singh 7-133) India: 211-1 (SS Das 84 not out, S Ramesh 61, VVS Laxman 59 not out) Pakistan vs New Zealand 2nd Test at Christchrurch (5th & final day) New Zealand: 476 (M Richardson 46, M Bell 75, M Sinclair 204 not out, S Fleming 32, A Parore 46; Waqar Younis 3-114, Fazl-e-Akbar 3-87, Saqlain Mushtaq 3-134) 196-1 (M Bell 40, M Richardson 73 not out, M Sinclair 50 not out) Pakistan: 571-8 d (Inzamam ul Haq 130, Yousuf Youhana 203, Saqlain Mushtaq 101 not out) Result: Match Drawn Man of the match: Mathew Sinclair (NZ) South Africa in West Indies 2nd Test at Port of Spain (3rd day) South Africa: 286 (HH Gibbs 34, JH Kallis 53, D Cullinan 103; N MacLean 3-60). 130-2 (HH Gibbs 57 not out, D Cullinan 41*) West Indies: 342 (WW Hinds 56, M Samuels 35, R Sarwan 34, C Hooper 53 RD Jacobs 93 not out; A Donald 4-91, Pollock 3-55). Yesterday's News
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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