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Daniel Vettori hopes a change of format can bring a change of fortune for New Zealand as the teams switch from Test to one-day mode. The visitors were comprehensively beaten by England in the final Test at Trent Bridge, to lose the series 2-0, but have a much better record in the limited-overs game.Their first chance for revenge comes in the one-off Twenty20 international at Old Trafford on Friday, which is followed by five ODIs. England won both Twenty20s in New Zealand, but the home side took the ODI series in February 3-1 and are currently ranked third in the world. Four years ago, on their previous tour, New Zealand won the NatWest Series which also involved West Indies.”It’s a higher playing field for us, the way we’ve played one-dayers for a long time and with our world ranking, we’re a lot more confident in that form of the game because it’s shorter and we don’t have to perform for prolonged periods,” Vettori said. “We know we have to pick it up though, because England do have the momentum, and their squad doesn’t change much and neither does ours. We beat them convincingly back home and we have to make sure we do that again over here to get anything out of this tour at all.”There will a couple of changes to the New Zealand squad with Scott Styris bolstering the middle order and Mark Gillespie adding back-up to the bowling department. The absence of Jesse Ryder is a huge blow after the impact he had on the series in New Zealand, but in Brendon McCullum there is still plenty of destructive potential at the top of the order.Despite the back-to-back Test series defeats to England, Vettori is still relishing the challenge of being captain. “I am enjoying it thoroughly,” he said. “It is very hard but it is also very rewarding. I wouldn’t want to be in the background, I would much rather be in front trying to lead with performances.”New Zealand’s next outing is a one-day warm-up match against Worcestershire, at New Road, on Wednesday when they could get the chance to face an in-form Simon Jones, who has taken 13 wickets in his last two Championship matches.

With the seven-match series tied at 3-3, West Indies are playing an unchanged 11 for the last and deciding limited-overs international against India on Sunday.West Indies won the first international by four wickets at Jamshedpur and followed up with a seven-wicket triumph at Nagpur in the second match.India then captured the next two matches. They won the third match at Rajkot by 81 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method after crowd trouble brought a premature end, and then won the only day/night fixture of the series at Ahmedabad by five wickets in the fourth match.The two teams then shared the next two matches of the series, with West Indies winning by five wickets at Baroda and India bouncing back by taking the sixth and penultimate contest by three wickets.West Indies are presently ranked sixth on the International Cricket Council’s limited-overs championship table and a win will move them a little closer to overtaking fifth ranked India.Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore.

March:
Staffordshire 224 & 77-2
Cambridgeshire 278-8d (SA Kellett 110, A Freear 55, Mutucumarana 50).Falmouth:
Wales Minor Counties 123 & 179
Cornwall 273 (A Sharp 76, J Sylvester 5-91) 31-1
Cornwall 22pts beat Wales 4pts by 9 wickets.Sidmouth:
Cheshire 251-8 and 80-6
Devon 159 all out (C Lamb 5-65)Bournemouth:
Dorset 178 all out & 141 all out
Oxford 125 & 2-1Jesmond:
Northumberland 426-8 and 80-1
Lincolnshire 298 (J Trower 86, RWJ Howitt 75)Shifnal:
Shropshire 284-9d & 138-4 (MJ Marvell 55*)
Herefordshire 245-8d (CW Burroughs 66)Barrow:
Buckinghamshire 250-9d (PD Atkins 112*)
Cumberland 58-2

When Sachin Tendulkar takes the field at the Oval in the fourthTest against England he will join an elite club – that made upby Indians who have played a 100 Tests. There are currently threeother members – Kapil Dev, the greatest all-rounder India hasproduced, and two batsmen who dominated the bowling completely attheir peak, the stylish Dilip Vengsarkar (116 Tests) and thepeerless Sunil Gavaskar (125 Tests).And yet, it is already amply clear that Tendulkar will go pastthese greats, not just in terms of Test matches for India butalso in achievements on the field. Perhaps statistics are not thebest way to judge a cricketer of Tendulkar’s prodigious talent.However, a quick look at the numbers is revealing.Kapil Dev being an all-rounder, it’s difficult to make a head-tohead analysis, but the other two Mumbai batsmen can certainly beviewed through the same prism. After 99 Tests, Vengsarkar hadscored 6356 runs at an average of 45.72 with 17 centuries.Gavaskar did better with 8479 runs at 52.33 with 30 tons.And now have a look at Tendulkar at the end of 99 Tests – 8351runs have flowed off his broad bat at an average of 57.99 and SirDon Bradman’s tally of 29 tons has been surpassed. On reachingthe mark at Headingley, Tendulkar was humble enough to say,”Statistically, I have passed Don Bradman, but I can’t becompared with him. He’s not a normal person. You can only dreamof scoring a hundred every three innings.” Quite a characteristicstatement from the man; modest to the core, he still strives hardto attain perfection despite his many achievements down theyears.Being Tendulkar is no walk in the park. Make no mistake aboutthat. While fans hear mostly of the millions he makes insponsorship and the adulation he sparks off, few understand howstressful life can be for India’s favourite son. Unable to go outanywhere in public without being mobbed, Tendulkar has in thepast resorted to wearing disguises when going out for a drive. Ifhe wants to take his son Arjun to a movie or meet at his daughterSara’s teacher at school it would be nigh impossible.It is the kind of adulation that could have destroyed lesser men.The list of minor geniuses who have fallen prey to such heroworship would be too long to enumerate. Tendulkar, though, likethe Don before him has taken it all in his stride – he remainscricket’s finest ambassador both on and off the field.This ability to absorb pressure stood Tendulkar in good steadthis year. After the West Indies series and during the early partof the England series, Tendulkar was under the microscope forwhat according to some experts was a perceived lack of form. EvenSunil Gavaskar, one of Tendulkar’s greatest supporters, began towonder whether Tendulkar was had fallen prey to under-performingabroad.A fallacious argument from the beginning, it fell apart at theseams after Tendulkar’s second innings 92 at Nottingham and thebig hundred at Headingley. In fact in the calendar year,Tendulkar has rattled off 932 runs at an average of 58.25 in the10 Tests that he has played ahead of the Oval Test – thisincludes three hundreds and as many fifties. Now, exactly howdoes that constitute a lean patch? Most batsmen don’t do as wellat the peak of their powers.With another Test against England, two more against West Indiesand New Zealand later this year, 2002 might, ironically, work outto be a bumper year for Tendulkar. A look at the list of mostruns scored in a year by Indians tells a tale. In 1979, whenIndia played a record 17 Tests, Gavaskar made 1407 runs andGundappa Viswanath added 1388 runs to their tally whileVengsarkar managed 1044 runs in the same year. Another Indian toscore 1000 Test runs in a calendar year was Mohinder Amarnath,who in fact remains the fastest to the landmark. Tendulkar, mightnot have emulated Amarnath yet , but he has managed the feat morethan once.And he will again this year. It might be too early to predictit, but this might even be Tendulkar’s most productive year andhe could go past Gavaskar’s record of 1407 runs, despite playingtwo Tests less.It is interesting, however, that experts, mediamen and fans fromall over the have expended so much time and energy wondering whyTendulkar is doing so badly off late. Bishan Bedi, outspoken asever, said, “It must be hoped that this lean patch will makeTendulkar pick himself up, brush away a few cobwebs in histechnique and concentrate on playing like Tendulkar. No oneelse.”Why, even the great Sir Viv Richards joined the debate andopined, “I have seen this problem with Sachin these days, andespecially in Antigua; he doesn’t look as relaxed as he used toat the crease. That I feel, in my mind, is because, maybe, he isgetting close to some milestones. The freedom he used to playwith is not there anymore.”Perhaps, then, it is just a matter of how Tendulkar is playingrather than how well he is playing that has caused this alarm.It’s no secret that the little man has worked hard on tighteningup his technique and scoring runs, rather than dazzling everyonewith his formidable array of strokes. Take note though, thatthese strokes have merely been shelved for the moment notforever.In the course for his 193 at Leeds, Tendulkar began slowly yetfirmly, lifted his pitch to a more frenetic yet no less solidmiddle essay, and ended in an explosive crescendo that left youbreathless. Offering almost no chances until India were firmly inthe driver’s seat, he straight-drove with pedigree, pulled withthe power normally associated with four-wheel drives, and ranbetween the wickets like a hare with its tail on fire. Amatchwinning innings abroad, just when the team needed it most.Isn’t that what the critics said Tendulkar never did?

SYDNEY, Dec 13 AAP – It was Friday the 13th but Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight rode their luck as England set Australia 252 runs for victory in the limited overs tri-series match at a sold-out SCG tonight.In the process England did allrounder Shane Watson’s World Cup chances a whole lot of damage, ensuring calls are renewed for Australian Test skipper Steve Waugh to come under consideration for the 15-man squad that travels to Africa in February.England reached 8-251 from 50 overs as Australia dropped four catches, with Knight hitting 111 not out and opening partner Trescothick 60 from 57 balls. Brett Lee was on a hat-trick in the final over when he rattled the stumps of Craig White (15) and Gareth Batty (nought).Watson was pulled from the attack after a costly opening spell of three overs for 25 runs as Trescothick and Knight skipped away in a run-a-ball opening stand of 101.Part-timers Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn (0-26) were preferred by captain Ricky Ponting ahead of Watson for the remainder of England’s innings.Lehmann took 3-1 off six balls to finish his ten-over stint with 3-32, giving further reason to believe Australia could do without Watson – or any specialist allrounder – at the World Cup.Lehmann, Martyn, Michael Bevan, Ponting and even Matthew Hayden could cobble together the final ten overs in support of Australia’s main four bowlers, allowing the luxury of an extra batsman.Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist denied Lehmann a fourth wicket when he missed a stumping chance off Knight on 91.The tourists needed a dramatic change of fortune to be competitive against a highly confident Australian side and they received it first ball when an edge from Trescothick off the bowling of Glenn McGrath flew between Ponting and Martyn at second and third slips.It went for four.Trescothick and Knight adopted a plan to attack the Australian fast bowlers, giving themselves room outside off stump, regularly advancing down the crease and slashing wildly at any balls with a bit of width.The fourth ball of McGrath’s first over flew from the top edge of Trescothick’s blade over Martyn’s head, while any number of other edges evaded diving Australians.McGrath’s new ball partner Jason Gillespie didn’t get a hand to a hot caught-and-bowled chance when Trescothick was nine. Lehmann spilled a similar chance off Hussain on 26, then Ponting let Hussain off the hook again on 36.Trescothick finally fell to Brett Lee, caught at first slip by Shane Warne for 60 off 57 balls. He hit eight fours and a six.England lost 2-2 in five balls when Ronnie Irani was trapped lbw for a duck by Warne’s second ball but Knight and captain Nasser Hussain (52 off 81 balls) regained the momentum.Another late hiccup of 4-18 in five overs prevented England from amassing an even bigger total.Knight grinned broadly after an ambitions reverse-sweep off Warne made it all the way to the third-man fence. Warne was far less impressed, scowling. Knight played a similar stroke for three runs a few overs later as he and Hussain guided England to 205.Warne (1-42 off ten) and Lehmann succeeded in bogging down Hussain, whose reverse smacked of desperation. The Poms hit 31 straight singles from the 25th over to the 36th over but shortly afterwards Hussain broke the shackles with a six off Martyn over mid-wicket.Shortly after that he was gone, caught in the deep.Lee finished with 4-47 from eight overs.

Kabir Ali’s excellent form has earned the talented all rounder a double boost with him securing his second Hewett Recruitment Player of the Month Award and a place in the initial 20 strong ECB Academy shortlist.The 21-year-old has maintained his fine form throughout June after scooping the first award of the season. Last month he bagged another 20 wickets at an average of 19.35 and played a major part in the County’s quest for honours.Overall this season he has claimed 43 first class wickets at an average of 20.16 and is averaging 28 with the bat. His limited overs form has been just as impressive with 13 victims in the Norwich Union League Division One at just 16.07 with a strike rate of a wicket every 19 balls.This form has brought him to the attention of the ECB’s Academy Director and former Australian wicket-keeper Rod Marsh. Kabir and County colleague Gareth Batty have been selected for the provisional shortlist for this winter’s Academy programme.The Hewett Recruitment Player of the Month Award’s are judged by members of the media who cover both the County’s four day and one day matches. The leading player in the match receives five points, second three and third one point with the monthly winner being the player with the highest total.There will be five monthly awards for April/May, June, July, August and September with the overall winner being presented with the Hewett Recruitment Player of the Year Award at the end of the season.Kabir took the June award just ahead of David Leatherdale, Ben Smith and Vikram Solanki who are all pushing him for the overall player of the year award.

Despite the best efforts of Subhomoy Das, who was tragically dismissed for 97, North Zone went on to take the first-innings lead at Delhi on Friday, picking five points from the drawn Duleep Trophy encounter against East Zone.Das and Laxmi Rattan Shukla were really East Zone’s crucial pair, and starting play on the last day, they must both have been looking to knock off the 200-odd runs they still trailed by. But they could only add 19 more runs together before Shukla, looking to play more sedately than on the previous evening, fell to Sarandeep Singh for 58 off 57 balls.Utpal Chatterjee fell to the same bowler just 12 runs later, and North Zone looked like they would skittle out the remainder of the batting. But Sourashish Lahiri gave Das stout support, making 40 off 64 balls with seven fours and a six. Lahiri’s was the final wicket to fall.Das himself played impressively, keeping a cool head and a tight focus on the situation. His 97 came off 217 balls and included 14 fours. He fell finally with the score on 447 as the ninth wicket, just when he looked, along with Lahiri, to be taking East to an improbable first-innings lead.With East Zone bowled out for 459, the 40.4 overs that North played out were purely academic. Shafiq Khan made 48 off 78 balls, and North reached 186 for four before the close of play.

The Bourda Oval at Guyana, possibly the most picturesque groundin the West Indies, is looking as pretty as it usually does aheadof the first Test between India and the West Indies due to starton Thursday. The outfield, which resembles a billiard top,assures value for money to any shot-maker.But it is as you walk further down the ground to gaze at thevital 22 yards of strip that doubts begin to surface. The pitch,which was one of the best batting surfaces in the Caribbean, hasnow degenerated into an unpredictable surface. If knowledgeableobservers are to believed, variable bounce will come increasinglyinto play as the match progresses.It could, however, prove a boon in disguise for Sourav Gangulyand his side, who are hoping to win a series in the Caribbean foronly the second time in their country’s cricketing history. For, Anil Kumble, who has proved to be their biggest match-winner inrecent times, is at his most destructive in such conditions.Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, if he recovers in time, will beexpected to play a vital role in ensuring that the Indiancampaign gets off to a happy start. The duo have already struckform, claiming 12 wickets in their team’s victorious tour openeragainst the Guyana Board President’s XI. If they bowl at anywherenear their best, they might succeed in running through a WestIndies line-up that has very few established players in itsranks.India, though, are not wholly dependent on their spin twins. WithJavagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra and Tinu Yohannanalso in the squad, they have the enough firepower in their fastbowling arsenal too. With the bowling looking relatively healthy,it is the batting that is suddenly looking suspect.The batsmen, despite their much-touted abilities, have failed topull their collective weight during away tours. Even the lowlyZimbabwe, led by unheralded medium-pacer Andy Blignaut, managedto drive holes in the much-feted line-up at Harare in one ofIndia’s recent away tours.Disturbingly, then, most of the willow-wielders struggled againsta weak Guyana Board President’s XI attack in the tour opener.Coach John Wright has probably taken the first step in addressingthe problem by voicing it.”We have the potential to beat any side in the world. What werequire is self-belief that we are capable of winning away fromhome. It’s a very important factor,” he said, adding, “We havequite a few brilliant players but have yet to click as a team.What we need is a collective effort.”Evidence of new-found self-belief was found recently when ShivSunder Das, the stocky Indian opener, professed the desire toscore big hundreds in the Caribbean, thereby following in thefootsteps of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. If Das and the middle-order, consisting of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Gangulyamong others, manage to support the ever-consistent SachinTendulkar, the tourists might manage to draw first blood inGuyana itself, fair weather permitting.Usually the rain almost unfailingly makes an appearance, and thepossibility of it doing so again cannot be ruled out. Anotheradversary as far as the Indians would be concerned will be afully fit Brian Lara.The West Indian master, who seemed to have regained his best formin the recent series against Sri Lanka, has recovered from hiselbow injury and would, for his part, be hoping to lead his teamto an upset win over the Indians. Carl Hooper and ShivnarineChanderpaul, who scored tons of runs against the Indians in theprevious series between the two sides, are also capable ofleading the home team’s batting.As for the West Indies bowling, Hooper has decided to place hisreliance on his pace bowlers. “Since we don’t have world-classspinners like India have in Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh,we’ll go for pace. India have very good batsmen in Tendulkar,Dravid and Ganguly, but most of their guys are making their firsttrip to the West Indies. We’d like to take advantage of that,”the West Indies captain said in a recent interview to a privatetelevision channel.Talking to ahead of newspersons of the match, he showed everysign of sticking to his plan, saying, “It’s not easy to replaceCourtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, but we will be relying (on)Merv Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Marlon Black and Adam Sanford todeliver the goods.” The last named is rated highly by fastbowling great Colin Croft, who feels that Sanford may be thesurprise packet.All said, the stage is set for a battle of attrition between thetwo sides. Both teams will be eager to gain the early advantage -West Indies to revive the flagging morale of their side, andIndia to assert the supremacy that is already theirs on paper.With fans of both sides expected, for 42 percent of Guyana’spopulation is of Indian descent, to troop out to the ground, theleast that can be promised is a carnival start to the series.Squads: India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar,Wasim Jaffer, Deep Dasgupta, Shiv Sundar Das, VVS Laxman, DineshMongia, Ajay Ratra, Sanjay Bangar, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble,Harbhajan Singh, Sarandeep Singh, Tinu Yohannan, Zaheer Khan,Ashish Nehra.West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Stuart Williams,Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds,Junior Murray, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Marlon Black, AdamStanford, Mahendra Nagamootoo

After making a mammoth 451 in their first innings, Australia managed to skittle out Board President’s XI for a mere 221 runs on the second day of their three day game at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground on Wednesday. The visitors continued to dominate in all departments. For the Aussies, the wickets were shared all around with Michael Kasprowicz with 3/68 being the pick of the bowlers.

The Australians began their day on 413/8 and managed to add 38 runs for the last two wickets. Pushing the score to 451, the Australians set the Board President’s a mammoth target. The first figure the Board President’s XI looked to overhaul was 301 – the follow on mark.The Board President’s XI had their task cut out. After they put on an uninspired display in the field, they had to come up with a spirited batting performance to avoid defeat. Unfortunately for the hosts, no such thing happened.Up against a mammoth score, the Board President’s XI skipper, Sourav Ganguly, decided to open the innings with the pairing of Sridharan Sriram and Vijay Dahiya. Although Dahiya may not have the tightest of techniques, he opens the innings for Delhi, his state side, and has met with reasonable success. Against the bowling of Kasprowicz and Damien Fleming however, the stumper did not last long. Trapped plumb in front by a ball from Fleming that held its line, Dahiya was back in the pavilion before he could trouble the scorers. With no runs on the board and the first wicket down off just the fifth ball of the innings, the Board President’s XI got off to the worst possible start.After that it was downhill all the way.A brief partnership between Mohammed Kaif (33) and Sriram (27) made it look like there was some chance of a fight back. However, both of them perished after making good starts and that set the tone for things that followed. Ganguly (40) looked nervous and edged more than one delivery through the slips before playing a wild heave at Mark Waugh and getting bowled.The only innings of character came from Dinesh Mongia. When the spinners gave the ball a bit of air, Mongia was quick to come down the wicket and play inside out through the off side. When Colin Miller dropped the ball short, Mongia was on the back foot in a flash. The pull he played over midwicket for six was as good a shot as any seen in this game. Moving quickly into top gear, Mongia clouted the ball to the fence nine times and cleared the ropes on three occasions before being dismissed for 66. His score, the highest of the BoardPresident’s XI team, helped boost the side’s total but was not enough to give the visitors a run for their money.After Mongia departed the Board President’s XI innings quickly folded up. None of the remaining batsmen put up any sort of fight. Hrishikesh Kanitkar batting at number seven made just two even as Jacob Martin (10), Rakesh Patel (13), Surendra Singh (7) and Sarandeep Singh (0) were dismissed cheaply. Board President’s XI were all out for 221, well short of the follow on mark.However, the Australians being the thorough professionals they are, did not enforce the follow on. Opting to gain some more batting practice in Indian conditions, Steve Waugh sent out Matthew Hayden and Michael Slater to bat. The righthanded New South Welshman was his usual flashy self, having a go at everything that was on offer. His counterpart Hayden was a bit more circumspect, but not luckier by any measure.After seeing off the mediumpacers Hayden flashed hard at a well-flighted delivery out side the off stump from Narendra Hirwani. The ball gripped the wicket and stopped a bit on the southpaw. The bat made contact with the ground and appeared to miss the bat. A loud shout for caught behind ensued and the umpire agreed with the fielders. Hayden (26) was the only casualty of the day for the Aussies.When stumps were drawn Slater had 24 to his name and Justin Langer was yet to open his account. Australia managed 53/1 off 13 overs for an overall lead of 283.

* South Zone women retain titleSouth Zone retained the Chandra Tripathi Trophy junior inter-zonalwomen’s cricket championship when they defeated North Zone by ninewickets in the last match of the four team league at the KD Singh Babastadium in Lucknow on Sunday.Karnataka off spinner Deepika Babu (4 for 21) did the most to restrictNorth Zone to 93 for nine in 35 overs. South Zone for whom Mithali Raj(39) and Savita Nirale (33) put on 83 runs in 16 overs for theunbroken second wicket, cantered home for the loss of only one wicketin 19.3 overs.In another match at the Chowk stadium, Central Zone beat East Zone by13 runs to take second spot. Central Zone scored 147 for eight in 35overs with Rajeshwari top scoring with 44 including four boundaries.Then off spinner Tanuja Chopra got among the wickets as East Zone werebowled out for 134 in 30.3 overs. Tanuja finished with four for 35.* Prabhakar goes ‘underground’ to avoid policeManoj Prabhakar, the Indian former Test player who was bannedfollowing his country’s investigation into match-fixing, is now wantedby police for alleged fraud in relation to a finance company.Police from the town of Naini Tal have been in Delhi attempting toarrest him, but he is said to have gone ‘underground’. He cannot befound at his Delhi home. If the police fail to find him, their nextmove would be to seize his property. A warrant has been issued on acharge relating to a company called Apace, one of many financecompanies in India who take monthly deposits from people.Prabhakar’s problems have arisen because Apace has collapsed and thedirectors appear to have gone missing. He has denied that he is adirector of the company or in any way connected with it. But theIndian magazine `Outlook’, which led the press investigation intomatch-fixing, has produced documents which show that Prabhakar islisted as a company director in Apace’s annual report.