Despite the stunning comeback into the Coca-Cola Cup triangular oneday series in Colombo, the big question facing India is whether theycan break their losing streak in the last four final appearances whenthey take on Sri Lanka on Sunday.India booked their place in the final from the brink of elimination.Having won three pressure games, India look to be better placed thanever to put a stop to their habit of faltering at the last hurdle.They have lost the last four finals they have played in – the slidestarting with the defeat against New Zealand in the ICC Knock-outtournament in October last year – but Sourav Ganguly and his men aredetermined to halt the trend.The confidence stems from the way they have played in the last threematches and also from the brilliant individual performances ofVirendra Shewag and Yuvraj Singh, who almost single-handedly won thelast two games for India.Shewag and Yuvraj must be giving headaches to the Sri Lankan camp butIndia would need contributions from all the players in order to winthe cup tomorrow, considering the hosts would be all charged up toavenge two successive losses to India in the league phase.Sri Lanka had started as favourites to win the tournament and they hadproved their top billing by winning their first three matches,including one against India, with relative ease. But they lost theirnext two matches to India comprehensively.The 2-1 advantage in the series does give a psychological edge to theIndians but they must be wary of the Sri Lankans who are capable ofbouncing back especially since they are playing on home soil.After their sterling performances, Shewag and Yuvraj will featureprominently in the Indian scheme of things. Shewag, whose 69-ball 100against New Zealand in the last league encounter was the seventhfastest century in one-day history, will most probably open theinnings again with Ganguly who is slowly coming back to play hisnatural innings.In fact, a lot will depend on the opening partnership. India had lostearly wickets in each of their league matches except the last oneagainst New Zealand where Shewag and Ganguly shared a 143-run stand.The opening pair will once again be required to put up a good scoreeven if it is not in the hurricane manner it was compiled against NewZealand.Rahul Dravid has been the most consistent of Indian batsmen in thisseries and he can be expected to build upon the solid foundation. TheIndian vice-captain has looked as solid as ever and his performancewill be vital for the team’s fortunes.As will be that of Yuvraj Singh who is beaming with confidence afterhis career-best unbeaten knock of 98 against Sri Lanka. The bowlerswill be on the backfoot against him and the Punjab youngster mustcapitalise on the situation. He has shown his tremendous potential onnumerous occasions but has perished while trying to be too flashy. Itis time Yuvraj realises that he needs to play more responsible knockslike the one against Sri Lanka.VVS Laxman is another batsman who can turn the match around. Thestylish right-hander from Hyderabad has had a mixed series with hisunbeaten match-winning 87 against Sri Lanka standing out for its sheerbrilliance. Laxman has been undone on many a occasion due to his habitof playing away from his body and he needs to restrain suchtendencies.Another Punjab youngster Reetinder Singh Sodhi has also shown a lot ofpromise especially under pressure situations. Coming at number six, hedoesn’t get much opportunity but he has been chipping in with quicktwenties and thirties.Hemang Badani has struggled in this tournament though he looked goodin his 35-ball unbeaten 37 in the last match. The team has reposed alot of faith in him and Badani will be looking to start from where heleft off on Thursday.The Indian batting line-up is suddenly having a lot of depth after thethree victories but it will be put to the real test only tomorrow.The Indian bowling has been pretty consistent and with the exceptionof Thursday’s match against New Zealand, the bowlers have done theirjob admirably. Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan have developed into apotent force and a lot will depend on their performance in the final.Harbhajan Singh has also been among the wickets and his role in themiddle overs has been crucial for India’s fortunes. The part-timerslike Ganguly, Sehwag, Yuvraj and Badani have also done a fine job andcan be expected to come up with a similar good performance.Sri Lanka had inflicted one-day cricket’s worst-ever defeat on Indiain Sharjah in the two teams’ previous meeting in a final last October.And the hosts are aiming for a similar result this time in the wake oftheir two successive losses.They have a very balanced side with Sanath Jayasuriya leading anexplosive batting line-up that includes the likes of RomeshKaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold.All of them have been in fine form in this tournament – withJayawardene too getting runs in the previous two matches – and arecapable of producing match-winning innings. They have come outsuccessful from sticky situations, amply exemplified in their fivewicket win over New Zealand after reeling at 27 for four at one stage.With a partisan home crowd expected to fully occupy the PremadasaStadium on a Sunday, Sri Lanka could make things difficult for theIndians. Muthiah Muralitharan, who claimed a world record 7-30 in thatSharjah final, will once again be at the helm of the Sri Lankanbowling to haunt the Indians. He will have able company in ChamindaVaas, Dilhara Fernando and Kumar Dharmasena who have been troublingthe opposition batsman a lot in this series.Both teams will announce their final eleven tomorrow.The teams (from):India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, VirenderShewag, Hemang Badani, Yuvraj Singh, Amay Khurasia, Reetinder SinghSodhi, Sameer Dighe, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, AjitAgarkar and Rahul Sanghvi.Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, MahelaJayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold,Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Dharmasena, Chaminda Vaas, Dulip Liyanage,Avishka Gunawardene, Suresh Perera, Dilhara Fernando and DinushaFernando.

Skipper Matthew Fleming had a day to remember as Kent pipped Gloucestershire by one run at Bristol to keep alive their hopes of winning the Norwich Union League.First Fleming won the toss and top scored with 58, off 75 balls, with six fours, as his side posted 200 all out in glorious sunshine.Then he returned a competition-best 5-40 to help restrict last season’s champions to 199-9 in reply, with Martyn Ball run-out off the final delivery attempting a second run that would have meant a tie.Min Patel was another Kent hero, bowling his nine overs for just 19 runs and taking the crucial wicket of Ian Harvey when Gloucestershire looked to be cruising towards victory.Harvey’s 45 off just 25 balls had his side 97-1 in brisk time at one stage. But Patel and Andrew Symonds applied the brake and some poor shots in the closing stages saw the home side slump from 170-4 with five overs remaining.James Averis had earlier taken 5-40 as Gloucestershire fought back hard to restrict Kent to what looked a modest total.The visitors got away to a bright start as, after the early loss of David Fulton, James Hockley (39) helped Fleming take the score to 110 at nearly five an over.But the introduction of off-spinner Ball, bowling in tandem with captain Mark Alleyne, foiled efforts to accelerate.Alleyne and Mark Hardinges were economical in conceding 36 runs each from their nine overs, Alleyne picking up the wicket of Hockley and Hardinges sending back Matthew Walker, both clean bowled.It was Averis who profited from the tight bowling of mid-innings as he returned to add four late order wickets to the early scalp of Fulton. Robert Key, Martin McCague, Min Patel and Martin Saggers managed just 23 runs between them as Kent plunged from 187-5 to be dismissed in 43.5 overs, their last five wickets adding only 13.

England prepare for the first match of their one-day series in Zimbabwe tomorrowbuoyed up by the impressive return of Graham Thorpe after he was out of action for most of the summer.Added late to the 16-man squad after the withdrawal of Craig White with a knee injury, Thorpe was expected gently to ease his way back into cricket on this tour, in preparation for the sterner Test series in India next month.But in his first competitive innings since July, Thorpe responded to another England batting collapse with a superb 95 in yesterday’s 138-run victory over Zimbabwe A.After England’s depressing run of 11 successive one-day defeats, Thorpe’s innings was exactly what they needed as they begin their build-up for the World Cup in South Africa in 2003.Tomorrow they meet a Zimbabwe side which has suffered seven successive defeats, and not won a game since last February.”I really enjoyed it out there,” Thorpe said.”It was just what I needed. It was a really hard work-out for me and I’m gladI’ve come through it. I’ve got a few aches and pains, but nothing you wouldn’texpect from my first game of cricket in quite a few months.”Thorpe rescued England from a parlous 61 for five, in a 158-run stand with Ben Hollioake which lasted 29 overs, enabling them reach 262 for eight before Zimbabwe A slumped to 124 all out in reply.Hollioake’s knock will also have pleased England’s management, after he impressed during England’s wretched triangular series against Pakistan and Australia. He contributed 61, along with a tidy bowling performance.”Ben played very well and without that contribution we’d have really struggled to put a competitive score on the board, so all in all it’s been a pretty good work-out for us,” said Thorpe.”We had a bit of a fright early on and then Ben and myself were able to rebuild it. To bat for 45 overs in a competitive nature has been really pleasing.”It was pleasing more than anything that I didn’t try and do anything tooextravagant and my normal one-day game plans were all there.”The mind was working well and it was good to see Ben playing so well in thepartnership because he’s a big part of our one-day plans.”

Ricky Ponting provided the highlights, but it was a host of lesser lights who steered Tasmania safely to stumps and first day honours in the Pura Cup cricket match at the WACA today.After stumbling to 5-108 just after lunch, the Tigers lost just three more wickets for 208 and will resume tomorrow at 8-316.Pace duo Damien Wright (41no) and David Saker (17no) frustrated the Warriors attack for the final 45 minutes in a valuable 40-run partnership.Veteran all-rounder Shaun Young led the resistance with a gritty 169-ball 67 that included 11 boundaries.But he was ably supported by former Queenslander Shane Watson, who dug in for 56 before edging Gavin Swan (2-60) to Damien Martyn at first slip to take thescore to 6-147.Wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer contributed 47 runs in a 98-run partnership with Young, before he presented Martyn with his fourth catch and Jo Angel (3-52) histhird wicket.After winning the toss and sending the visitors into bat, Warriors captain Adam Gilchrist would have been pleased with the state of play before lunch when Ponting was sent back to the pavilion with the score at 3-90.Ponting made a blistering start, but failed to capitalise and was out for 58 after giving Martyn his second catch at first slip off Angel.The Australian first drop batsman came in with the score at 1-9 and immediately began to plunder the WA attack, clubbing nine fours and two sixes off just 48 balls.He arrived at the wicket in the seventh over when Dene Hills was caught by Martyn at first slip off Brad Williams for four.Williams (3-84) bowled with good pace but too often strayed short, especially to the damaging Ponting.Hills’ opening partner Jamie Cox batted patiently for 57 minutes for seven before he edged Swan to Gilchrist behind the stumps.Swan claimed the scalp off just his second ball and his economical bowling helped slow the Tigers’ run rate.Cox’s dismissal brought Watson to the crease to partner Ponting and the pair put on 40 runs before the captain departed.Former Warrior Michael Dighton then strode to the middle for his debut for Tasmania.The elegant right hander batted cautiously for 25 minutes but was out for two off the last ball of the morning session when Gilchrist took a freakish leg side catch off an inside edge off Williams.Tasmanian coach Greg Shipperd admitted he would also have opted to bowl had he won the toss and said he was pleased with the way his batsmen handled adifficult WACA deck.”I thought it was a great fightback, especially after the way the ball was darting around early,” he said.”To end up with 316 was excellent, after where we were at lunch I thought anything in excess of 200 would have been a good result.”To get above 300 showed a lot of character from some of our younger players.”He paid particular tribute to second year players Clingeleffer and Watson.”They’re becoming very important middle order batsmen for us,” he said.”It’s not a surprise to see them leading a fightback, we’re beginning to expect solid contributions with the bat from them.”

Somerset County Cricket Club held its annual presentation evening for the A.C. Moles Womens Cricket League on Friday November 9th.The Women’s Cricket League has now been running with considerable success for five years.The League title was won for the first time outright by Weston-super-Mare CC, with Brompton Ralph CC coming runners-up.The batting award for 2001 was won by Sam Evans of Weston-super-Mare CC, and the bowling award was won by Carol Matravers of Roadwater CC.Jackie Summers, the Womens Development Officer for the South West was also at the presentations and she outlined the plans for the future development of the game for the region, specifically focussing on Somerset.Those present were also reminded that Somerset CCC will be hosting a Women’s Test Match between England and India next summer at The County Ground between August 14th and 17th.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb believes India are”committed” to playing four Tests in England next summer, and that the matteris not negotiable.The Board of Control for Cricket in India has threatened to boycott one Test match because England refused to play at least one further one-day international when they return to the sub-continent after Christmas.The BCCI have said they will now only play three Tests and five one-dayinternationals in England next summer.Lamb said: “As far as we’re concerned there will be four Tests – and I have aletter on file from India which confirms their agreement to the programme asproposed.”We have correspondence dating back to 1998 saying there would be more thanthree Tests.”The first time we heard of any issue was last month when the new Indian Board president (Jagmohan Dalmiya) and secretary (Niranjan Shah) raised the matter with us.”They are committed to four Tests as far as we’re concerned, and the matter is not negotiable. I hope we can resolves this amicably. I’m going out to India to watch the first Test and I’m looking to have further discussions on the matter.”But I would hope that if you agree to do something then people would abide by those commitments.”As to the prospect of losing a Test from next summer’s, Lamb continued: “The commercial and financial ramifications would be unthinkable.””Something between 80 and 85% of revenue generated by English cricket is on the back of Tests. We’ve already sold broadcasting and sponsorship rights and we’ve even started selling tickets.”

Resuming from their overnight position of 277 for 6, England made steady if unspectacular progress toward the very satisfactory total of 407 all out on the second day of the second Test against India at Ahmedabad. It was a memorable day for Craig White who recorded his maiden century at this level, and with two Indian wickets in the bag before the close of play, England certainly enjoyed the better of an interesting day’s play.Bearing in mind the abysmal collapse in the first Test at Mohali, England could not have been sure of reaching 300 at the start of play. However, despite the continued excellence of Anil Kumble, the seventh wicket partnership of White and James Foster went on to set up the chance of going through the 400 barrier.Harbhajan Singh was not far behind Kumble in terms of quality, even if he was a street behind in wicket-taking. Not that he enjoyed any luck. Early in the day he drew White down the pitch, beat him in the air, only to see the ball bounce and hit Deep Dasgupta high on the arm rather than nestling in his gloves to effect the stumping that the bowler deserved.Not content with that, White hoisted Harbhajan over long-on for a six that brought up his own fifty and the fifty partnership with Foster. Foster was playing his part in the stand and when Sourav Ganguly took the new ball, the young wicket-keeper picked up a two and four off Javagal Srinath to bring up the England 300.White continued to lead a charmed life. He played a ball from Srinath down onto his stumps, but the bails remained in place. He offered a simple chance off the same bowler that the wicket-keeper only needed to grasp to complete the dismissal. He dropped it and White, on 63 at the time, survived.White smote the next ball for four, before hooking Srinath towards Kumble at deep backward square leg. Kumble did not quite get to the ball and in dropping the chance damaged himself to the extent that he needed treatment off the field. The booing he suffered from the crowd was hardly justified.Having brought up the hundred partnership, it looked as if the pair could go through to lunch. That was when Kumble induced Foster to play in the air to his favourite mid-wicket region where Sachin Tendulkar dived to his left to hold a spectacular catch. Foster was obviously annoyed with himself for falling ten short of his fifty, but he had played a staunch role by doing more than simply survive for 119 balls.Giles fell soon after lunch when the admirable Kumble got a googly past his defensive prod, leaving White with just Richard Dawson and Matthew Hoggard to accompany him if he was to go to three figures. He began by protecting Dawson, but gained in confidence in his partner as Dawson gained in confidence himself and went through the nineties in singles.His maiden Test century could not be described as chanceless but, however many he might go on to score, this will surely be one of his most valuable. Batting at seven with an average of just over 17 after 23 Tests spread over seven years, he justified the faith Ray Illingworth had shown in him when he first selected him for the national side.Srinath got his reward for earlier misfortune when Dawson eventually offered a sharp chance to Dasgupta after facing 61 balls in a ninth wicket partnership worth 31 good runs, before White was last out.Deciding to go after Harbhajan Singh when he came back into the attack, he thumped him off one knee over mid-wicket for six having advanced down the pitch. He then did the same but missed and was bowled for 121. His innings had lasted for 265 balls and included 12 fours and two sixes. Kumble finished with 7 for 115 from 51 quality overs.These had been five ultimately frustrating sessions in the field for India, but their openers set about the task with a purpose and no sign of tiredness. Flintoff was wayward in his first spell, staying down leg side while striving for the pace that he achieved. Hoggard was steady as usual, but it was Giles who made the breakthrough.Mark Ramprakash had put down a reflex chance at silly point off the bowling of Dawson when Shiv Sunder Das got a leading edge trying to turn the ball to leg. Dasgupta swept and cut Dawson out of the attack, but Giles was in much steadier mode.With a century under his belt at Mohali, Dasgupta went to sweep a ball from the left-arm spinner pitching in the rough and top edged a catch to Nasser Hussain fielding on the forty-five for that very eventuality.Flintoff returned to the attack bowling with less pace but more control and somehow persuaded Das to chase a ball very nearly a foot outside the off stump. Das, on 42 and six overs from the close, should have left it but edged to Mark Butcher who gobbled up the chance at second slip.Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid prevented any further mishap before the close of play, leaving India with plenty to do but undeniably the personnel to do it.

A year to the day since his career-best performance, Andy Bichel again rose to the challenge of a rare Test cricket appearance.But it took an umpiring blunder for him to make the vital breakthrough this morning.On this day last year Bichel took Test-best figures of 5-60 to put Australia on the path to victory over the West Indies.Today, he found himself on a hat-trick, took a catch and effected a run-out as South Africa found itself on the ropes in the second Test at the MCG.Bichel finished with 3-44 as South Africa was bowled out for 277 at tea.In reply Australia was 0-126 at stumps after Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer continued their amazing run-making relationship.When rain forced an early close, Langer was on 67 and Hayden 55.Neither looked in danger against a South African attack which gets blunter by the day as this series approaches its halfway point.Bichel, after an unlucky first day, had a reversal of fortune in the 60th over when umpire Eddie Nicholls was somehow lured into giving out Jacques Kallis for 38.A Bichel bouncer, one of dozens Kallis faced in his innings, appeared to slide past the gloves of the South African No.4.Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist didn’t even appeal, Shane Warne waved his arms at first slip and Bichel’s plea was half-hearted at best.But Kallis was sent packing with a sad face – with some justification.”Everyone’s seen the replay … I was lucky,” Bichel confessed later.”From front on it looked pretty good but from behind it looks not as good – but it was Eddie’s decision.”As far as I’m concerned Eddie made the right decision.”It’s not the first time bad luck has gone against the visitors in this series and this time it ruined a good partnership.”Kallis and (Neil) McKenzie were batting really well in the first hour,(to break) their partnership was crucial,” Bichel said.From his next ball Bichel took a sharp return catch from the sadly out of form Lance Klusener as South Africa slipped to 5-131 from its resumption on 3-89.Mark Boucher (43) survived the hat-trick and put on a good partnership of 67 with McKenzie before Bichel ended his stay with a simple catch at mid-off from the bowling of Mark Waugh.After McKenzie (67) fell lbw to Brett Lee, Bichel popped up again, throwing down the wicket to run-out Claude Henderson (5).Lee again opted to bounce the tailenders, blasting short balls at Allan Donald, who did his best to remain cool while looking decidedly wobbly before edging toRicky Ponting at third slip.Australia’s only blemish on a day of accurate and aggressive bowling came when Steve Waugh opted to play cat and mouse with the last pair.He continually offered Shaun Pollock a single to try to get batting bunny Nantie Hayward on strike but Pollock played the game a little too shrewdly, doing enough to protect his No.11 while also gathering runs.As a result, the pair grew in confidence and added 44 for the last wicket – South Africa’s sixth-best effort against Australia.Pollock’s 42 not out was his highest score against Australia and Hayward reached his Test-best before he edged Bichel to Mark Waugh at second slip.Unfortunately neither was able to reproduce the effort with the ball, Pollock conceding 41 runs off 10 overs while Hayward was smashed for 33 off five overs.

Lancashire are refusing to confirm media reports that their former captain, John Crawley, has told them he does not intend to play for them again.Crawley was replaced as captain after a disappointing 2001 season, and his request to be released from his contract was turned down by the club last year.Crawley, 30, is reported to have said: “Due to irreconcilable differences between myself and the club, I have informed the chief executive that I have resigned from my contract.”As far as I am concerned I am no longer a Lancashire player, and in fact Mike Watkinson has told me not to attend any training sessions involving the playing staff.”But this morning Lancashire’s Chief Executive, Jim Cumbes, said reports of a parting of the ways were premature.Cumbes told CricInfo: “There is a conflict between John and the club which we are still trying to iron out.”As to the reports that he has been banned from the training ground, they are simply not true.”Crawley has won 29 Test caps for England, the the most recent of them in Sydneyjust over three years ago.He became Lancashire captain in 1999, and led the county to the National League title and the County Championship runners-up spot twice. He has scored over 15,000 runs in 11 seasons at Old Trafford.Last season the club narrowly avoided relegation from the First Division of the CricInfo Championship, and failed to secure promotion in the NationalLeague. He was then replaced as captain by wicketkeeper Warren Hegg.Crawley is less than half-way through a four-year contract at Old Trafford.

Once he had posted his 50 last night New Zealand’s Man of the Match in the five-wicket National Bank Series One-Day International win over England, Nathan Astle said he had only wanted to make sure he batted through.He did that all right in scoring his best ODI score of 122 not out, his 12th century and with his final shot, a six into the street outside, he brought up 5000 ODI runs.”It was a good one, it was just good to go right the way through.”That’s what I try and do every time I bat. The percentages say that if I manage to do that, or someone manages to do that, then we usually come out on top at the end. It would be one of the most satisfactory ones I have had.”I wanted to be a little more positive, the first four games I wasn’t really playing my game, I thought I probably got a couple of roughies and the confidence went a little bit and I would just go out and play my game. I always try and get 50 in the first 15 and then bat through the rest.”I think we did it harder than we should’ve. We lost Macca (Craig McMillan) and then Cairnsey (Chris Cairns) straight away so and once Goughie (Darren Gough) gets his tail up he bowls very well, when Mac and I were out there we were looking at probably finishing in the 46th or 47th over. It went a couple of overs longer than we really wanted,” he said.