Leicestershire Foxes slipped to a 10 run defeat by Somerset Sabres in the Norwich Union League clash at Grace Road after squandering a blistering opening partnership between Shahid Afridi and Trevor Ward.They smashed 96 runs in the first nine overs as the Foxes chased a target of 251. Shahid hit a brilliant 58 off 25 balls with six sixes and four fours and Ward made 43 before being needlessly run out.And that began a Leicestershire collapse which must have worried manager Jack Birkenshaw and encouraged Somerset ahead of Saturday’s C&G Trophy final match between the two sides at Lords.The Sabres have now completed a Norwich Union League double over the Foxes and the title is once again hanging in the balance with Kent closing the gap on Leicestershire to six points after their win over Gloucester. It means Leicestershire now need to win two of their last three matches to guarantee the title.But they were far below their best in this game with some loose bowling and untidy fielding helping Somerset to a challenging total of 250 for six.The foundations were laid with an opening stand of 138 between Peter Bowler and Ian Blackwell. Both punished some wayward bowling from the home attack with Blackwell making 75 off 64 balls and Bowler 77 of 110 deliveries.Once they were out the rate slowed as Darren Maddy (3-40) and Shahid (3-45) finally gained some control to put Leicestershire back in the game. The thrilling stand between Shahid and Ward looked to have put them in winning position – until the middle order collapse.Only a half-century from Neil Burns kept the Foxes in the hunt against some tight bowling from the Sabres with Jamie Grove taking three for 24 as Leicestershire finished on 240 for nine.

It could be said New Zealand Cricket got itself into quite a ‘State’ today.The worst-kept secret in New Zealand sport is out today, State Insurance has become the sponsor of domestic cricket.It will have naming rights for four competitions, State Max, the State Championship which is the men’s four-day competition, the State Shield which is the men’s one-day competition and the State League which is the women’s one-day competition.All of New Zealand’s major associations are also under the State banner now that Canterbury has joined.Teams will be known as: (Men’s) State Auckland Aces, State Northern Knights, State Central Stags, State Wellington Firebirds, State Canterbury Wizards, State Otago Volts; (Women’s) State Auckland Hearts, State Northern Spirit, State Central Hinds, State Wellington Blaze, State Canterbury Magicians, State Otago Sparks.New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said the sponsorship would give a much-needed fillip to the domestic game at its top level.”For the past five years New Zealand Cricket has concentrated much of its effort on strengthening the elite level of the game and appropriately resourcing the CLEAR Black Caps and CLEAR White Ferns.”This investment has paid off with the winning of the ICC KnockOut and CricInfo Women’s World Cup respectively.”However, it is now time to focus on revitalising the domestic game,” he said.The sponsorship would allow NZC to provide a comprehensive domestic programme which was the key to producing strong international teams.”It is interesting to note that there has been significant improvement in the standard of the women’s game since the sponsorship of State allowed the introduction of a national league three summers ago,” Snedden said.”Strengthening our senior men’s domestic cricket competitions is an immediate priority for NZC.”State’s chief executive David Smith said domestic cricket helped New Zealand’s largest insurer to reinforce its presence in communities nationwide through a direct association with the premier sport for both men and women.”It gives us the opportunity to support and develop up and coming young talent throughout the regions where we’ve always had a strong presence and loyal customer base,” he said.

It says much for cricket’s resurgence in the West Country that England’s selectors have picked both their tour replacements for India from the same patch. Somerset, whose supporters must at times have tired of reminiscing about the glory days of Richards, Botham and Garner, have the first Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy in their Taunton cabinet. One of the primary architects of that success, fast bowler Richard Johnson, will be on the plane to Mumbai next week.For Johnson’s international aspirations, fate’s summer frown has mellowed into an autumnal smile. Three times he was called into the England squad during the Ashes series; three times he was rebuffed at the last minute. But he bore such rejection stoically.”Really it was my friends and family who were frustrated with the situation,” Johnson said. “I was just happy to be involved, and gaining experience of Test match grounds during the summer against the Aussies. It was great.”It is ironic that Johnson is going to India as a result of the withdrawal of his county team-mate Andrew Caddick. “I understand Caddy’s decision 100 per cent. I’m in a different situation. I’m 26 years old, and opportunities like this don’t always come round. I’m going to grab this one with both hands.”Johnson generates sharp pace off a relatively short run, with a vigorous delivery action. He can also swing the ball and move it off the seam, a key factor in winning him the selectors’ vote ahead of Chris Silverwood and Martin Bicknell. “In India as a seamer you’ve got to try and keep it tight, but if you can swing the ball you’ve got a chance of taking wickets, so hopefully if the ball swings out there I’ve got a chance.”With a haul of 62 first-class wickets in 2001, Johnson’s move from Middlesex to Somerset is plainly bearing fruit. “It was a very difficult decision to leave Middlesex. I’d been there since I was nine years old. In my heart of hearts Middlesex is my club, but I knew that Kevin Shine could help me at Somerset. My gut feeling was to move, and I knew it could help my career, and so far it’s proved right.”If the momentum continues over the rest of this year, at least three players from England’s westernmost county – Trescothick, Caddick and Johnson – will be vying for international honours in 2002.

England have good reasons to smile and feel happy – their star batsman Mark Ramprakash has run into tremendous form on this tour. He made a crisp unbeaten half-century in Mumbai and on Thursday at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, the stylish Surrey batsman continued the good work while holding the England innings together with a well-compiled century.Ramprakash made 105 runs off 182 balls, with the help of nine boundaries and two sixes against an attack that included Sarandeep Singh and Murali Kartik. Nasser Hussain must have been mighty pleased with Ramprakash’s efforts though the latter’s dismissal, which saw him bowled when he tried to slog Kartik out of the ground, was not exactly copybook stuff.A happy and visibly relieved Ramprakash spoke to the media after the day’s play, “In these conditions you need a lot of patience with the spinners bowling long spells. It was a very slow and low wicket. You have to be patient and score runs whenever possible, score off the bad balls.””I thought they (the spinners) bowled very well and it was indeed a hard day for all our batsmen. I think it was a very good team performance, but it was a struggle, to be on 149/5 at one stage. We had to work hard, the lower order came in and did a good job. Nasser Hussain and Mark Butcher had time at the crease, which are good positives for the side. 297/9 is a competitive score.”About the positive and robust approach he has shown on this tour, Ramprakash said, “We saw England in 1993, they struggled a lot. Hick and Lewis scored the only two hundreds on that tour and both of them hit down the ground. Obviously you have to strike a balance; there is always the risk in trying to hit the bowlers over the top, so it is a good learning process for us. We still have one match to go in Jaipur and we are quite happy with the way things are going.”On the high-risk shots that have been played so far, he said, “It is really difficult; if you stay at the crease and poke, people will say you got to use your feet. If you use your feet and try to take the attack to the bowlers and if it doesn’t come off, people will then criticise, so there is a risk in any shot you play, each batsman has to have their own game plan and try to stick to that. We just work on the game plan, this has been a great match practice against a good competitive opposition.”England batsmen got to play 53 overs of high class spin attack and Ramprakash was quick to observe the obvious benefits. “That’s what we need, we are going to be up against class spinners in Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. I think he (Sarandeep Singh) bowled very well, some balls turned very sharply.”Ramprakash showered praises on the two spinners, Sarandeep Singh and Kartik, “They both seem to be consistent bowlers. They don’t go to pieces if you hit one or two over the top, they just keep coming back at you, perhaps a little slower, a trifle higher. The duo impressed me today.”When asked about his success while playing abroad, the stylish batsman said, “I have enjoyed playing abroad, I had been to Sri Lanka at a very young age on an ‘A’ tour. I have enjoyed the tours to West Indies and I suppose, when the sun is out it is very nice to play cricket.”Ramprakash admitted that all the media attention back home along with the pressure of expectation has had its negative effect in the past. He was quick to add, “I am pretty much happy with the way I have approached cricket during this summer.”Visiting India has already left a positive impression on Ramprakash. It was quite a pleasing experience for him to visit the Birla Temple on Wednesday. Ramprakash’s focus, meanwhile, is clearly on cricket for he will have to deliver a lot of runs in the Test series. That did not prevent the soft-spoken cricketer though from adding, “You come to India not only to play cricket but to experience a bit of life also.”

Natal got off to a flying start on the first day of their three-day game against Zimbabwe at the Bulawayo Athletic Club. After losing the toss and being sent in to bat by the home side, the visitors scored 416 for three wickets declared. Captain Hashim Amla led his team from the front, scoring an unbeaten 178 off just 168 balls.Their opening pair of Victor Xuxu and Wayne Madsen struggled in the early overs owing to the wet conditions and the pressure applied by the home bowlers. They finally settled in when the pitch dried and started to chase the runs. Their partnership was finally broken when Madsen was dismissed by Stewart Marisa, caught at mid-on by Conan Brewer to depart for 46 in the 27th over.Marisa struck again when he trapped Xuxu leg before wicket to send him back to the pavilion for 41 in the 29th over. Natal went to lunch at 121 for two off 38 overs. Afterwards they lost one further wicket, that of Imran Khan who also played an outstanding innings, scoring 120 runs before he was caught by Seager off the bowling of Shah. That ended an outstanding display that saw him share a third-wicket partnership with Amla that produced 299 runs.The visitors finally declared their first innings closed at 416 for three at 15.45 with the captain still unbeaten, together with East Springer on 19. The home side in reply was 94 without loss at the close of play with Charles Coventry on 73.

By the time the last ball was bowled in this Third Test between Australia and New Zealand, the scoreboard at the WACA Ground in Perth wasindicating a draw. But it revealed only an infinitesimal part of the story.After four days of pulsating cricket, this was a fifth and final day to rate with some of the more unthinkable and incredible in Test history.There was undeviating defiance from Mark Waugh (86), Steve Waugh (67) and Matthew Hayden (57) as New Zealand initially struggled to adaptto the task of snaring eight Australian wickets from a total of 93 gripping overs.And an extraordinary late blitzkrieg from Adam Gilchrist (83*) as he clouted 32 runs from nine deliveries at one stage to improbably accept the challenge of carrying Australia toward a victory target of 440. An Australian win which would, no less, have rendered the innings the most productive among all successful fourth innings Test run chases.Only a pair of run outs at the other end, one of them involving a freakish Daniel Vettori deflection of a straight drive into the stumps of the hometeam’s captain, foiled the brilliant wicketkeeper-batsman’s plans.Yet a plucky Black Caps outfit was never far from snatching the Trans-Tasman Trophy from Australia’s clutches either, bravely keeping itsambitions of victory burning until the very last over of the match by continuing to collect wickets at crucial times and limiting the score to 7/381.In the end, the effect of two controversial rulings from Zimbabwean umpire Ian Robinson on caught behind decisions against Steve Waugh andJason Gillespie (1*) was inestimable. Waugh was on just 13, and the total at 4/203, when he moved back, tried to drive forcefully at Vettori(2/142), and appeared to top edge a catch to wicketkeeper Adam Parore.The Black Caps also seemed justifiably convinced of the merits of their shout against Gillespie. The number nine batsman hadn’t scored, and thematch was still six overs from its conclusion, when he was adjudged not to have brushed a Chris Cairns (1/72) delivery with his gloves down the legside.The ever-threatening Vettori had already made two crucial inroads by that time, luring Hayden to guide a catch to slip shortly before lunch andbeating a drive from Damien Martyn (30) in the shadows of tea. There had been an important contribution from part-time medium pacer CraigMcMillan (1/15) too when just his fourth delivery of the match seamed sharply back in to Mark Waugh, mowing down his stumps as he backedaway to cut.As each of those wickets tumbled, acquisition of the Trans-Tasman Trophy and the ending of Australia’s reign as the official world Test championstill seemed far from impossible. In practice, though, the difficulty of the task was always about akin to the prospect of snowboarding with safetydown the length of Mount Cook.Accordingly, joy probably would have known few bounds for the New Zealand players if a first victory on Australian soil in 16 years had beensnared.And it still remained a fascinating end to a series that continued to defy almost all expectations in any case.Even around the near-serial interference of poor weather – there were two brief showers again today – both teams continued to play theircricket with flair and an imaginative and attacking ethos that reflected great credit on the combatants.Today’s finish itself – particularly when set within the context of a series that somehow ended at 0-0 – must also rate somewhere among the veryfinest in Test cricket. As a former Prime Minister of the home country was once prone to say, this is about as good as it gets.

South African Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour has expressed concern over the axing of bowler Makhaya Ntini from the national cricket team playing the second Test in Melbourne against Australia.Ntini, who has taken four wickets in his previous five Tests and failed to take any in the first Test loss, was replaced by Allan Donald.Balfour has questioned why, if selection is based on form, Lance Klusener managed to escape the selectors’ axe.United Cricket Board chief executive Gerald Majola says he’s not prepared to comment on the merits of the issue other than to say he respects the minister’s opinion.South Africa has an obligation to pick “one player of colour” in the Test side, a requirement satisfied by the inclusion of Herschelle Gibbs.

India have beaten England by four wickets at Chennai to take a two-one lead in the six-match series. Although India were ultimately made to work for their win, England’s total of 217 on a pitch that was good for batting never really looked adequate. India eventually reached the target with three overs to spare.With Anil Kumble captaining India for the first time in the absence of the injured Sourav Ganguly, Nasser Hussain won the toss and chose to bat. Marcus Trescothick immediately showed early signs of his current form with boundaries off both Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar. But Nick Knight perished in the seventh over, playing an ungainly heave at a slower ball from Srinath to be caught by Dinesh Mongia at mid-wicket. Trescothick, after promising something magical, tried to guide a short ball from Agarkar down to third man and gloved it to Ajay Ratra behind the stumps.The introduction of Sanjay Bangar spelt more trouble for England, as Hussain tried to pull a ball which wasn’t short enough for the shot. The result was a straightforward catch for Harbhajan Singh at mid-on, and England’s rollercoaster was lurching dangerously. Paul Collingwood and Michael Vaughan initially proceeded with due caution, but after striking Bangar for two boundaries in an over, Collingwood was undone by Harbhajan, who found the edge with a ball that held its own and was caught at slip by VVS Laxman via Ratra’s gloves.Andrew Flintoff hoisted England’s hundred in the 20th over with a well-timed boundary to long-off, but perished driving in the same over, returning a simple catch to Kumble. Joined by Ben Hollioake, Vaughan collected four more off Harbhajan with another trademark off-drive before cutting Kumble with the same result. However Kumble took the key wicket in his next over, when Vaughan tried and failed to pull out of a cut for Sachin Tendulkar to take a fine, sprawling catch at backward point.Hollioake gave England something to cheer about with a magnificent six wide of mid-on off Kumble. Jeremy Snape took a much-needed boundary down the ground as Srinath overpitched, and the two exchanged ones and twos, posting the 50 partnership in the 39th over. Snape’s valuable contribution came to an end when, having cut Agarkar to the third man boundary, he heaved across the line to lose his middle stump. Snape had made 38 and added 70 with Hollioake, who went on to bring up up England’s 200 in the 45th over.Hollioake’s commendable effort came to an untimely end when he pulled cross-batted at Agarkar to be caught off the leading edge by Kumble at extra cover. Darren Gough lost his middle and off stumps heaving at Agarkar, and the England innings ended two overs short of the 50-over mark with a needless run out as Matthew Hoggard attempted an unlikely second.With India requiring 218 for victory on a blameless pitch, Tendulkar’s start against Gough and Hoggard was explosive, with an array of pulled boundaries. When Gough overpitched, Tendulkar drove him high over Hussain at cover for another. As he pitched up, the Indian superstar whipped him to the mid-wicket boundary to leave Gough glazed with admiration. Virender Sehwag joined the party with two off-side boundaries as 17 runs came off Gough’s third over.Flintoff applied the brakes as he replaced Gough, but Sehwag had a let-off when he cut Hoggard and Snape, after parrying a difficult catch at backward point, couldn’t quite hold on to the rebound. Flintoff continued to keep India in check, although Sehwag cut a timely boundary off Hoggard, and then watched Tendulkar play two almost identical strokes in the Yorkshireman’s next over before lifting a slower ball, one-handed, over midwicket for four more. Tendulkar’s 50 came up off 44 balls in the 14th over.The hundred came up in Hollioake’s second over (the 18th of the innings) as Sehwag pulled another boundary and India posted their best partnership of the series. Sehwag’s fifty quickly followed as he pulled Snape through mid-wicket, but he holed out to Trescothick playing a similar stroke next ball.Laxman joined Tendulkar to keep the scoreboard ticking until the little master finally succumbed, plumb lbw to Snape hitting across the line at a straight ball. But although England stuck to their task well in hot, humid conditions, Mongia and Laxman kept the scoreboard ticking with no real need to hurry.Laxman, having just driven Flintoff delightfully through extra cover, played over a slower ball from Hoggard and lost his off stump. Mongia responded with a huge six over mid-wicket, but immediately got an outside edge driving which was safely pouched by Foster. When Bangar edged Hoggard to Trescothick at first slip, England were nurturing faint hopes of an unlikely victory.After a lengthy delay while the ball was changed, Hemang Badani was missed as Foster couldn’t quite scoop up an edge as he dived to his left. A misfield by substitute Owais Shah allowed four to third man off Hoggard. Gough came back only to be driven to the long-off boundary by Ratra.With just 16 runs needed for victory, Badani was caught at the wicket by Foster after Gough’s slower ball had flicked his glove. With Hollioake off the field with an upset stomach, Hussain had to call on Collingwood and Vaughan to bowl the closing overs as Ratra and Agarkar saw India home.

Lymington are the new champions of the New Forest Indoor Cricket League following their six wicket triumph over Burley. Requiring a maximum 12 point return from their final match to pip North Baddesley to the title, Lymington scraped their vital extra bowling point with just one ball of the Burley innings to spare.That it took so long to bowl out Burley was, in the main, down to Paul Yates who struck a magnificent 74 before being athletically caught by Matt Molloy. Yates’ innings – the highest individual score ever recorded in Division One – helped Burley to 118 all out, with John McGuirk’s fiery late burst earning him two wickets.Peter Tapper (27no) and Matt Molloy (25no) gave Lymington a solid start. This was continued by Trevor Phillips (25no) and it was left to McGuirk (18no) and Ed Molloy to guide Lymington to only their third title in the 25 year history of indoor cricket in the New Forest.Lymington’s triumph was desperately hard on North Baddesley. The two teams finished level on points, but Baddesley ended as runners-up courtesy of the fact that they had conceded 33 more runs than Lymington over the course of the season.But, crucially, Baddesley had one match cancelled due to their opposition being unable to raise a side, and under the league rules Baddesley were awarded the match but received no bonus points – and those potential bonus points ultimately may have cost them the title.Lymington captain Wayne Smith admitted that North Baddesley, who hammered his team just a fortnight ago, probably deserved to win the League and added that perhaps the organisers should review the rules regarding this situation in future seasons.For the record, North Baddesley cantered to victory in their final match against New Milton. Jon Bance, who was aiming to break his own record for the most runs scored in a season, once again shone with an unbeaten 50 as Baddesley totalled an unassailable 147 for 3.But on this occasion even Bance’s efforts were eclipsed by Milton’s Dean Miller who stroked his way to a brilliant 73, which, until Paul Yates’ mammoth innings just two hours later, was at the time the League’s highest individual total. Alas, Miller’s efforts were all to no avail as his side slumped to 104 all out in the tenth over.Godshill confirmed their swift return to the top flight with a 3 wicket win over Pylewell Park. They finish as runners-up to Cadnam thanks principally to John Holderness (25no) who steered them home in the eleventh over as they successfully chased Pylewell’s 121 all out.Struggling Lymington Seconds threw themselves a lifeline in their battle to avoid relegation from Division Two as they beat fellow strugglers Brockenhurst by 3 wickets.Dick Wickison (29) and Tony Dias (19) were the mainstays of Brock’s modest 101 for 5. Tony Thorp then smashed a rapid 29 to set Lymington’s reply on its way, but some good fielding and tight Brockenhurst bowling pegged them back. However, Jerry Holt (25no) finally found his form after a hesitant start, and it was left to the Reverend Simon Hayes (26no) to steer his team to victory with four balls to spare.A win from their final match with Milford this Sunday will be enough to lift Lymington out of the relegation zone and condemn Milford and Brock to the dreaded drop to Division Three.Going the other way will be the second teams of Pylewell Park and Bashley. With both sides already assured of promotion, they met to decide the destination of the Division Three trophy. And it was Pylewell who came out on top, winning the match by 54 runs.Colin Kitcher flayed his massive willow to good effect, smashing an unbeaten 33 as Pylewell reached 120 for 3. Bashley were then restricted to just 76 for 4 with Andy McGregor remaining unbeaten on 27.The other Division Three match saw Esso Thirds record a three wicket win over Pennington.

During the press conference at the close of play of the first day of the Sydney Test, it emerged that England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart went into this match with suspected chicken-pox. He underwent tests before the start of play and it was then confirmed that he had contracted the infection.Surrey team-mate Mark Butcher said: "We heard just before we got on the coach this morning that he thinks he’s got chicken pox and he actually has got chicken pox.”Stewart was 20 not out at stumps and is expected to continue his innings when play resumes on the second day of what is widely expected to be his last Test. He missed out on the Melbourne match because of a bursa on his finger and his deputy, James Foster, put on a very competent display behind the stumps.Stewart will be 40 in April and, despite being in possession of a 12-month central contact, he could bid farewell to international cricket in the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.On the 1994/95 tour of Australia, Stewart missed three Tests with a broken finger, while his county colleague Joey Benjamin contracted chicken pox and played in only four first-class matches on the entire tour. The same illness also struck the England A tour of New Zealand in 1999 when Ronnie Irani – now in the one-day squad in Australia – and Durham’s Michael Gough were confined to bed in Christchurch when the touring party moved on to the North Island.