G Shankara Rao, with a bag of five wickets for 39 runs, was instrumental in Andhra gaining five points as their three day South Zone Cooch Behar Trophy match against Karnataka at Visakhapatnam ended in a draw on Friday.Resuming at 83 for three in reply to Andhra’s first innings score of 394, Karnataka were all out for 202. About the only resistance was provided by C Raghu (36) and Stuart Binny (67) who added 60 runs for the fifth wicket off 20.3 overs. But once the obdurate Raghu was run out for 36 after having batted for 218 minutes, facing 177 balls and hitting just one boundary, there was precious little substance left in the batting. Binny kept one end going till he too was run out at 193, the seventh batsman to be dismissed. He faced 130 balls and hit eight fours. But most of the other batsmen came to grief against Shankara Rao who finished with the excellent figures of 32.2-17-39-5.Following on 192 runs behind, Karnataka were 64 for two when the match ended. Karnataka salvaged three points from the game.

Kosie Venter scored an undefeated 112, his fourth first-class century, for Free State before the Highveld Strikers reached the close of the third day of their SuperSport Series match at Goodyear Park on Sunday on 23 without loss in their second innings. The Strikers are still 134 in arrears.Venter was at the wicket for more than five-and-a-half hours during which he faced 179 balls and hit nine fours and a six.Free State declared their second innings, scored in reply to the visitors’ 368, at 525 for seven.The visitors faced 8.3 of the 16 overs they were scheduled to before bad light ended play.The home side resumed on 177 for two, and Louis Wilkinson and Wiaan Smit took their third-wicket partnership to 184 before Wilkinson, on 99 and itching to reach what would have been his eighth century, drove directly at Walter Masimula at mid-on and set off on an ill-fated run.Masimula’s aim at the bowler’s end stumps was true and Wilkinson was run out. Adam Bacher dropped Smit at point off the next ball, but it did not prove a costly error as he was caught behind off Ottis Gibson nine runs later for 88.Venter and Morne van Wyk then embarked on a fifth-wicket stand that was to stretch to 86 runs before Van Wyk was trapped in front by Masimula for 49.Sturdy batting by Gerard Brophy, Herman Bakkes and Rasjeed Lewis, who all advanced well into double figures, only added to the visitors’ frustration.To Strikers captain Clive Eksteen went the cold comfort of being the only bowler in his side to claim more than one wicket, with his return of two for 123 off 44 overs.

Karnataka emerged winners of the P Ramachandra Rao Trophy for theSouth Zone under-22 title on Thursday. The three points they got fromtheir rain affected match against Tamil Nadu at Pondicherry was enoughfor them to edge out Hyderabad on run quotient. Both Karnataka andHyderabad finished on 24 points. But Karnataka on a better runquotient took the trophy.The Pondicherry game ended in a tame draw as play was called off at1.30 pm on the third and final day.Put in to bat, Karnataka in their first innings scored 271 thanks to afine 105 by opener KS Ponnappa. He shared a 98-run second wicket standwith Barrington Rowland (45). Thereafter a 61-run fourth wicketpartnership ensued between Ponnappa and AR Mahesh (37). VasanthSaravanan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 5 for 59.The second day witnessed only 25 overs. After Karnataka were all outin the morning, Tamil Nadu mustered 49 for no loss at the end of play.On the final day, only 16 overs were bowled. Tamil Nadu had scored 116with the openers S Badrinath (67) and Rajat Bhatia (39) remainedunbeaten till the end.

After winning the toss in the First Test and deciding to bat, we needed to bat well as it was a very good wicket, and a poor start would put us on the back foot straight away. In fact, we put up a very feeble batting display and 173 on a good pitch put us right behind the 8 ball. The bowlers responded well and at one stage it looked as though they might only get 50 or so ahead of us but Harbhajan Singh with bat in hand this time made a very important 66 to give India a lead of 145.We batted a little better second time around – Andrew Flower aided by brother Grant to the fore again. India needed 184 at the conclusion of our second innings, but injuries to Heath Streak (knee problem) and Henry Olanga (hamstring ) put paid to any realistic chance of us winning the game. In the end a comprehensive eight-wicket win for India was just reward.However, as the saying goes, it’s no use crying over spilt milk; we cannot dwell on the poor performance of our batsmen in the First Test, but make sure we get it right for the second one which starts on Friday. As happens very often when an innings goes wrong, there is over-analysis of technique and opposition. In this case there was none of that as we realised that we were dismissed by innocuous deliveries playing very poor shots, commonly referred to as soft dismissals.The Indians must feel very confident at this stage. They played some good cricket in patches and one thing I have noticed is that their fielding and intensity in the field has improved dramatically.It is common knowledge worldwide that when the Indians get on a roll it is very hard to stop them. It is getting to that stage now and we have to do something to combat this – watch this space.On a serious note, though this is a very important Test Match for us and probably more important for the Indians to collect their first away series win in something like 15 years. They are not going to get it without a fight and we are ready for battle!

The recommendations made by the probe committee, which looked into the alleged mismanagement of funds at the BCCSL.The probe committee appointed by the minister of sports Lakshman Kireiella, handed over it’s initial report last Friday. The committee headed by Hemantha Warnakulasuriya and comprised of Priyantha Algama, Maxi Wijetilake, M. Sivaratnam, and Sunil Abeyratne started the investigations on the 1st of this month and ended the findings on the 15th.In a media release published yesterday the committee had recommended six recommendations in it’s report.

Recommendations.

• 1. Every single member of the dissolved Executive Committee be made responsible for the gigantic sums of money spent in constructing the stadium from the funds of the BCCSL, for having spent such a colossal sum without any right, title or interest in the land.
• 2. Therefore, we recommend that the land be acquired by the Government after paying compensation which will be deposited with the Public Trustee.
• 3. The constitution of the BCCSL be amended so as to prevent any one power group, being elected to power, with unfettered power.
• 4. The Minister of Sports to have power, if deemed necessary to appoint any person to look into the property and legality of the decisions of the Executive Committee and a representative of the Treasury to prevent gross abuse of financial irregularities and mismanagement.
• 5. As provided by the Sports Law, the accounts to be audited by the Auditor General.
• 6. Sports Law to be amended to include the property, and the funds of the BCCSL and all sports bodies be deemed to be public property.

Hampshire Hawks continue with their youth policy in the National League, selecting 13 for the clash with Middlesex Crusaders at Southgate on Sunday.From the side that played out the rain-affected draw on the same ground today (Saturday), Jason Laney, Zac Morris, James Hamblin and Irfan Shah are all drafted in, with Alex Morris and Adrian Aymes sitting out.The younger Morris, who retired hurt during the recent successful 2nd XI Championship game with Kent after being hit in the face whilst batting has recovered sufficiently to take his place.Off-spinner Irfan Shah is included for the first time, with Director of Cricket explaining, “We will leave the decision on whether to play two spinners until the morning, depending on how dry the pitch at Southgate is.”Squad: NC Johnson, +DA Kenway, *RA Smith, WS Kendall, JS Laney, GW White, LR Prittipaul, AD Mascarenhas, SD Udal, ZC Morris, JRC Hamblin, CT Tremlett, IH Shah.

Hampshire recorded their fifth win in seven National League matches with a 16-run victory over Derbyshire in a low-scoring match at the Rose Bowl.Chasing Hampshire’s modest 155 all out, Derbyshire lost in the last over with theirlast five wickets falling for 11 runs in a belated attempt to accelerate.At one stage with Rob Bailey and Mathew Dowman in a full-cry stand of 65 for thefifth wicket, Derbyshire needed only another 58 and with 12 overs inhand.But from the moment Dowman was out for 35, mistiming a drive againstAlan Mullally, Derbyshire fell away in spectacular style.Dominic Cork and James Pyemont kept Bailey company for a time and at 128 for 5, there was still plenty of time for the Scorpions.But the return of Mullally to theHampshire attack and some determined fielding led to a loss of nerve whicheven affected the previously obdurate Bailey who had faced 97 balls in making 40. Bailey went down the wicket to Shaun Udal and was caught in the deep looking for what would have been only his third boundary.Derbyshire’s last three wickets fell in four balls to leave them to contemplate their sixth defeat of the season. Mullally took three for 19 and Chris Tremlett three for 15 to confirm his growing value to Robin Smith’s side.Smith might have regretted choosing to bat first when Jason Laney was out to thefirst ball of the match and Neil Johnson followed soon afterwards both toDominic Cork.Cork also ended Hampshire’s best stand of the innings, a paltry 40 for the fifth wicket between Will Kendall and Lawrence Prittipaul.Cork celebrated his Test squad selection with three for 38 while Paul Aldred neverallowed Hampshire to gain the upper hand in taking three for 17 from his ninetight overs.

Nottinghamshire kept alive their faint hopes of a late push towards the promotion places when they bowled out Worcestershire for 259 on the final afternoon to claim their second CricInfo Championship victory of the season.Set a victory target of 321 the visitors began the day at 9-0 but in a morning session interrupted by a sweeping storm they lost their opener Phillip Weston and their talisman, captain Graeme Hick.Hick fell just before lunch, to give Nadeem Malik, Notts’ young pace bowler, his first wicket in senior cricket.Hopes of a home success looked bleak as Anurag Singh and Vikram Solanki each compiled 43 in good time as Worcs entered the spirit of a final day run chase.Malik nipped out Singh but Andy Bichel and Steve Rhodes kept up the run-rate batting around the solid presence of Paul Pollard, who steadfastly refused to throw his wicket away against his former county.Tea was taken with the score on 193-5 with both sides still capable of forcing a result. Pollard’s run out half-an-hour after the resumption gave Notts the opportunity of attacking the lower order.Kevin Pietersen picked up a couple of wickets with his off-spin and victory was confirmed for Notts when Alamgir Sheriyar pushed forward at Greg Smith, who took a comfortable return catch to complete a 61-run win.After being bowled out for just 149 on the first day Notts second innings performance with the bat brought about the transformation and led to an eventual second win of the season against the same opposition.

Trevor Chappell is no stranger to Sri Lanka after two six-month stints asthe fielding coach and he hopes that his inexperienced players will not justlearn from the cricket that commences on Thursday, but also from Sri Lanka’sexperience as an emerging cricket nation.Sri Lanka were given Test status in 1981, but only won their first Test whenDuleep Mendis’s side defeated India in 1985/6. They had to wait even longerfor their first overseas victory, which did not come until 1994/5 againstNew Zealand.”The players can learn from the example of Sri Lanka and I would like some of the recently retired cricketers here, like Arjuna Ranatunga and Roy Dias, to talk to the players about their early day experiences,” said Chappell”Aravinda de Silva was in Dhaka just before we left for Zimbabwe and hechatted to the players, telling them that they may have problems to startwith but must just preserver because, although this generation may not breakthrough, the combined knowledge gets passed on.”At the moment there is no Bangladesh Test player for them to turn to foradvice, so talking some of the old Sri Lankan players may help to short cutthe learning curve or, at least, give them more background, which helps themrealise that they are not the first ones to have gone through this toughprocess.”Chappell remains optimistic, however, that despite lacking a first classcricket structure and proper development programme until recently Bangladeshcan break through quickly into the big time.”The talent is there,” he says.”There are 140 million people who are fanatical about their cricket, so itsmatter of putting the right development programmes in place to identify theplayers and then coach them in the correct manner.”I am very confident that sometime along the line, in 5 or 10 years,Bangladesh will be a pretty strong Test side.”I am looking for the guys to learn how to play at this level.”They haven’t played a lot of first class cricket in Bangladesh, let aloneTest cricket, so it’s a big jump to come and play countries like Pakistanand Sri Lanka in Test matches.”We played Zimbabwe earlier in the year and learnt a bit from playing them,but we weren’t able to put it into practice against Pakistan.”There was no reason for it, as the wicket was ideal and batting isgenerally recognised as one of our strengths.”We need to learn how to play session cricket and then how to play for fivedays, where we play consistently well throughout and don’t have bad hourswhen we get thoroughly beaten.”We regularly lose wickets just before the end of the session or drinks, butwe need the guys to bat throughout a session, even if they don’t score manyruns.”With the bowling we have just tried to keep to a simple plan of bowlingline and length.”There is no point in anything too fancy at the moment. We can look a morecomplex plans of attack in the future.”

Government says it will not rest until Barbados’ cricket has beenrestored to the pinnacle of West Indies cricket.And in an effort to speed up the process, Prime Minister Owen Arthurhas accepted a Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) development plan,which sets out a programme designed to make Barbados’ cricket strongagain.A task force of Government and BCA officials has been constituted sothat a plan of action can be implemented at the earliest opportunity.The disclosure was made by Arthur in an address during a celebrationdinner to honour former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler, CharlieGriffith, at the Sherbourne Conference Centre on Saturday night.It [the plan] has nothing to do with the development of the stands atKensington Oval although that is important too but it has to do with aprogramme to put back Barbados’ cricket at the pinnacle of West Indiescricket, where it properly belongs, Arthur said.The psyche of every Barbadian has been badly bruised by every horribledescent of our cricket. As a nation we have been reduced and we shallnot rest until the fortunes of our cricket have been restored.The plan, which was presented to Government last week by BCA presidentStephen Alleyne, identified nine development priorities which wouldfacilitate the articulation of specific, measurable, achievable,relevant and time-specific goals against which the implementation ofthe plan can be evaluated and controlled.