When play commenced on day three of the Shell Trophy match at Molyneux Park, it was quite uncertain who held the advantage.True, Otago held a first innings lead of 78 and that Canterbury one wicket lost in their second innings for 41 had a little to make before getting into credit but that should not have extended them too much and both sides seemed to have an equal chance of victory.Canterbury started slowly but lost the nightwatchman Stephen Cunis early on and from that point never really got on top of a controlled Otago attack.Jarrod Englefield batted well for a professional like 66 and looks a player of the future. He with wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins was the only Canterbury batsman to score over 50. Hopkins carried his bat for 51 and while he was at the crease Canterbury had a chance of giving Otago a larger total to chase.But, he ran out of partners and that, as they say, is that. Captain Gary Stead with 28 and Robbie Frew with 38 fought hard but both would have liked to have carried on. The Canterbury innings finished at 224.The Otago attack bowled in a heat of 34 degrees and looked weary towards the end of the Canterbury innings and it would have to be said they impressed with their resolve. O’Connor (3-51), McSkimming (2-56), McCullum (2-10) and Cumming (2-11) were the main wicket-takers. Acknowledgement should however be given to Pryor (1-48) and Sewell (0-32) who improved his line and length from his first innings stint.Horne handled his attack well and the fielding was steady. Martyn Croy behind the Otago stumps looked very competent with an outstanding catch to dismiss Robbie Frew.Otago commenced its second innings needing 147 for victory and a faint chance that this total may be reached today but reasonably accurate bowling by Canterbury and the early loss of Mark Richardson put paid to that situation.Matthew Horne and Craig Cumming batted through to stumps with the Otago total at 39-1, and still requiring 108 for its 55th victory over Canterbury in a first-class game.As long as the weather remains dry this should be achieved tomorrow.

Marcus Trescothick has issued a call for tougher penalties for spectators who run onto the pitch.”I would advocate the Australian system whereby any spectator running on the pitch during the game should be hit with a heavy fine and then banged up for a night in the cells,” the England and Somerset opener told the Mail on Sunday.Trescothick was voicing his fears after the Edgbaston pitch invasion of Thursday night, when team-mate Nick Knight was assaulted on the pitch. Trescothick was keen to distinguish between over enthusiasm and deliberate intimidation, and believes that some spectators crossed the line between the two on Thursday night.”I feel it is important to stress the serious risk the players felt under on Thursday,” Trescothick explained. “No one minds enthusiasm or exuberance and I totally accept that there was no malice in the premature celebrations which forced the interruption. But some of the behaviour of the crowd prior to that flashpoint made the atmosphere the ugliest and most hostile I have ever experienced.”We all accept that people are entitled to voice their opinions and you expect a bit of good-natured banter. But this was different. This was full-on, foul-mouthed personal abuse and there was nothing remotely amusing about it.”Meanwhile David Graveney, Chairman of the Selectors and Chief Executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, has echoed calls for harsher penalties for miscreants and warned that action should be taken before a serious incident occurs.”We agree with Alec Stewart that in terms of security, it wasn’t adequate,” Graveney said, referring to Edgbaston. “Everything must be done to give that an uplift. The England Cricket Board have issued a series of measures and let’s see how they work.”Areas have got to be looked at because sooner or later, a player or an umpire, is going to have a serious injury. We’re obviously trying to avoid that scenario happening.Graveney also lent his support to Australian captain, Steve Waugh, who has publicly voiced his concern over the levels of security at English grounds.”Australia have voiced their concern with some justification. You look at the way Australia have treated security; there are considerable penalties for even putting one foot on the pitch. I think the ECB have to speak to the Australians to see how it’s worked. They have life bans from grounds; it’s pretty Draconian, but it does work.”

Fast bowler Andy Blignaut, the star of Zimbabwe’s victory in thesecond Test against India at Harare on Monday, is not overawed byreputations and feels the right line and length yield results againstany batsman.Blignaut took six wickets in the Test to bag the man-of-the-matchaward. Having accounted for Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman twice in theTest series and Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly once, he was worthmore than the nine wickets he picked up from the two games.”I don’t get overawed by reputations,” Blignaut said. “I just wantedto bowl in the channel, on or outside the off-stump.”The 22-year-old seamer has ambitions of becoming the Lance Klusener ofZimbabwe – a powerful hitter in the lower order and a more than usefulfast-medium bowler. But he didn’t have the right approach – until now.”He was a spoilt rich kid. He had that air about him where he couldn’tcare any less about anything or anyone else,” says former Zimbabwecaptain Dave Houghton who coached Blignaut at the CFX Academy.”Having said that, one must appreciate how quickly he realised he mustwork hard to get back into the international arena. Also, he is one ofthe cleanest strikers of a cricket ball I have seen. He once hitDamien Fleming of Australia for three successive sixes in a one-dayinternational in Bulawayo, all whistling clean hits,” Houghton said.After a couple of such powerful innings against Australia, Blignautwas let down by his back and he was out of international cricket forseveral months.”I’ve been struggling with a stress fracture. One of the vertebrae ofmy back was cracked,” Blignaut said. “That’s put me out for six orseven months.”Andy, as he is called though his given name is Arnoldus, was out ofcricket between December 1999 and February 2000, missing the hometours by South Africa and Sri Lanka, and the triangular tournament inSouth Africa also involving England.”I have tried to become a bit more of a front-on bowler instead of aside-on bowler to conserve my back,” Blignaut said.When he was growing up, Blignaut was advised to bowl leg-spin so thathis body could avoid the strain of fast bowling. But his heart was inpace bowling and he soon returned to his old style.Bowling for him has always come naturally and he received littlecoaching in his early years. He did spend some time at the MRF PaceFoundation at Chennai, along with Brighton Watambwa, where DennisLillee assured him that he had the right action for a bowler ofgenuine pace.Blignaut still does not have a contract with the Zimbabwe CricketUnion and is paid roughly $150 per game.”I hope to have a contract with the ZCU soon. I had a chronic backinjury and they probably felt I wasn’t worth the risk,” he said.

Yorkshire Phoenix ended a run of three consecutive defeats in Division One of the Norwich Union League by gaining a 16-run victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks who are still searching for their first win after five outings.Craig White gave England hope that he will be fully fit again for the battle for the Ashes by working up his fastest pace since suffering his back injury and he weighed in with three for 30 off nine hostile overs in which he was unfortunate not to pick up more wickets.The England all-rounder was well supported by Chris Silverwood who returned to the Yorkshire side after a groin strain and snatched three for 28 and it was his two wickets in one over that put Yorkshire in command after Northants had needed 40 from the last five overs with six wickets still standing.Northants were well served by Russell Warren and Alec Swann who both knocked up 54 before being dismissed by Matthew Hoggard but the strike bowler was nowhere near his best form and had earlier been removed from the attack when his opening two overs cost 17 runs.Warren’s runs were made from 86 balls with four fours while Swann required only 65 deliveries, striking three fours and a six.Put in to bat, Yorkshire made a rapid start with 44 coming off the first seven overs before spinner Jason Brown grabbed three wickets in nine consecutive overs which cost him only 23 runs.Skipper David Byas held firm, however, and went on to make 52 off 93 balls with seven boundaries before having his off-stump uprooted by Tony Penberthy.Yorkshire continued to be put under severe pressure until Richard Blakey and Silverwood broke free while dashing up 49 together off the last five overs.They hammered 16 runs – Yorkshire’s winning margin – in the final over from Darren Cousins, Silverwood ending unbeaten on 27 from 20 balls with two sixes and two fours, and Blakey having three boundaries in his 26 not out from 27 deliveries.

The first two sessions were a re-enactment of yesterday. The last was as extraordinary and sensational as the first day of this npower Ashes series with Adam Gilchrist playing the starring role and England’s Mark Butcher taking an unlikely leading part.Gilchrist made a Test best 152, gaining momentum as his total built. He set a new record for the number of runs scored by one player in an Ashes Test over, making 22 runs off Butcher, who saw the first, third and final ball go for six, the fourth for four and the second reflect off his hands in a difficult caught and bowled chance.Until then Butcher was England’s hero. He bowled the first maiden of the day just before tea, then with his unspectacular medium pace, made a remarkable breakthrough by having Damien Martyn caught at gully by Marcus Trescothick, just two balls after the Western Australian had made his maiden Test century.Like yesterday, England had waited more than 40 overs for their second wicket, after Steve Waugh was lbw to Darren Gough’s seventh ball of the morning. In that time, Gilchrist and Martyn put on 160 for the sixth wicket, having both been dropped on 14 and 64 respectively, in the space of five balls shortly after lunch.Butcher struck again two overs later having Shane Warne caught at first slip for eight off the last ball of an over and then he snapped up another two wickets in one over when Brett Lee was also caught by Mike Atherton at first slip, to leave Butcher on a hat-trick, and Jason Gillespie was leg before for a duck three balls later.By then, Butcher had taken four wickets in 14 balls for just five runs. But the prized wicket of Gilchrist proved elusive and on reaching his century, his first against England, the Australian vice-captain launched a brutal assault on the bowling.He had completed his century in 118 balls. The next half-century came in just 25 as Gilchrist, who made two ducks and two ones in his last two Tests in India, hit four sixes and six fours in a superb swashbuckling exhibition of big-hit batting at its best.He and Glenn McGrath added 63 for the final wicket though McGrath contributed just a single and with the score on 576, Gilchrist was finally caught in the deep off Gough going for yet another boundary. Not since the Fourth Test at Headingley in 1993 had a side recorded three individual centuries against England in one innings.Australia’s lead had grown to 282 and when England batted again, having spent two days in the field, it was almost inevitable that the drama would continueAtherton and Marcus Trescothick survived two overs and two balls in the murky light before they accepted the umpire’s offer of a recess but on their return, Atherton perished with the very first delivery, edging the ball to Mark Waugh at second slip for four.Predictably it was McGrath, who for the 14th time in the history of their riveting confrontations, sent him on his way after he had made a disappointing four runs.But Butcher and Trescothick played out the remainder of the day safely taking England’s second innings total to 48 for one when bad light caused another interruption. This time it was terminal and England shut up shop trailing Australia by 234 runs with Trescothick not out 21 and Butcher unbeaten on 15.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe has just been notified that Sony will not be screeninglive coverage of the Zimbabwe v West Indies Test Cricket being played in Bulawayo from 19th to 23rd July and from the 26th to 30th July.Sony was not reachable for comment.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday rejected Pakistan’sobjection and retained controversial New Zealander John Reid as matchreferee for the first half of the Asian Test Championship.Pakistan host Bangladesh between Aug 29 and Sept 2 at Multan and thenplay against India at Lahore between Sept 12 and 16, pending New Delhiclearance. The remaining matches are between Sri Lanka and Bangladeshat Colombo and India and Bangladesh at Bangalore.In a press statement, the ICC said its policies don’t permit anymember country to veto the appointment of independent referees orumpires.The ICC statement added that the policy was reconfirmed at the ICCexecutive board meeting at Nairobi in October 2000. However, thetoothless and ineffective ICC forgot that it had removed Darrell Hairfrom the 1999 World Cup matches involving Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka hadrefused to play the games if supervized by Hair. The Australian hadcalled Muttiah Muralitharan seven times in an over during the 1995-96Melbourne Test.The statement, quoting ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, said: “Ihave spoken personally to the PCB and John Reid about this matter andexplained the ICC’s position.”The PCB has assured me that John Reid will receive the samecourtesies that are extended to all ICC officials visiting thecountry, and for his part Mr Reid remains keen to fulfil hisappointment covering the (four) Test matches.”Pakistan, last week, had registered its protest against theappointment of Reid after the former New Zealand captain madecontroversial decisions which left cricket in a spin.Reid, in 1999, forwarded Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar’s case to theICC after he was reported for throwing during the Perth Test byumpires Darrell Hair and Peter Willey. Ironically, Reid had not raisedany eye-brows against the pacer despite being the match referee in atleast two World Cup games involving Pakistan. However, the mostdebatable Reid’s decision was against current Pakistan captain WaqarYounis whom he handed a 50 per cent fine and one-match suspension onthe charges of ball tampering. Azhar Mahmood was also fined on thesame offence in the tri-nation one-day series in Sri Lanka last year.Reid’s cruel decision, which left a black spot on Waqar’s glitteringcareer, was an unilateral one as none of the umpires had reported theincident to the New Zealand.The ICC further said if India crossed borders for the icebreakingTest, South African Rudi Koertzen will be the third country umpire.

Stubborn batting by Steve Rhodes and Chris Liptrot denied Durham a championship double at Chester-le-Street.Worcestershire’s heroes came together on 63 for seven but were scarcely troubled as the accuracy of Durham’s young seamers deserted them and the eighth wicket pair survived for 28 overs.For most of his innings left-hander Liptrot faced the left-arm spin of Graeme Bridge, who had to bowl into the stiff wind.Liptrot took his only single when Steve Harmison briefly replaced Bridge, while Rhodes batted for 34 overs for 21 to take the total to 85 for seven at the close.Worcestershire’s top order crumbled after being set a victory target of 251 in 54 overs. Steep bounce from Harmison and Nicky Hatch accounted for both openers, then Graeme Hick followed his 200 not out yesterday by cutting and pulling successive balls from Harmison for four. But in going for another cut in the same over he found himself cramped for room and edged to wicketkeeper Andrew Pratt.David Leatherdale also went for a cut and edged to Pratt off Ian Hunter then Danny Law then gained lbw verdicts in successive overs. That made it 45 for six at tea, but despite the phalanx of slips Rhodes was able to leave a lot of short, wayward bowling, particularly from Harmison.Durham, resuming on 99 for two in the morning, added 96 in 32 overs to reach lunch on 195 for four with Paul Collingwood making an excellent 68 and Martin Love 62. It was Love’s 14th championship half-century, but he completed Durham’s campaign with only one hundred.When Durham went for the slog after lunch Matt Rawnsley picked up two of the three wickets to fall as 42 were added in eight overs before the declaration came on 237 for seven.

Glamorgan Dragons all but gained promotion to Division One of the Norwich Union League when they defeated Hampshire Hawks by a convincing 51 run margin.After Newell and Thomas had given the home side a quick start, their innings stumbled to 55 for 4 as Mascarenhas and Mullally put out the stops.Former England star Matthew Maynard, however, restored the impetus of the innings putting on 68 with Michael Powell and 92 with stand-in skipper Adrian Dale.Maynard’s sparkling 116 not out from only 103 balls included 12 fours and two huge sixes to delight the home crowd and the Sky TV viewers.With the sun setting and moisture on the outfield, the target of 245 to win batting second was always going to be a tough ask.Hampshire pulled off a surprise start by promoting James Hamblin, whose previous best score in the NUL was just 5 to open the innings with Neil Johnson. Hamblin struck the ball well, hitting 18 runs off one over from Owen Parkin and contributing a quickfire 37 off 22 balls.Johnson was more circumspect, but his run-a-ball innings of 66 was the only decent contribution to a disappointing collapse.The innings turned in Glamorgan’s favour when their twin spin pair of Dean Cosker and Robert Croft came together and by the time they had completed their 18 over stint, the Hampshire innings was in disarray.Taking advantage of the damp conditions and the poor floodlighting, Croft dismissed four of the middle order, including Johnson and Cosker bowled a tidy spell of nine overs for 25.Glamorgan’s victory was celebrated by the large crowd with the team running around the pitch in thanks to their fans. Hampshire, although not totally out of the promotion stakes must now win their last two matches against Middlesex at West End and Sussex at Hove, and hope that other results elsewhere go their way if they are to be in the final shake-up at the end of the season.

Wasim Akram upstaged his long time bowling partner Waqar Younis as PIAtook a vital 42-run first innings lead over National Bank on thesecond day of the four-day Patron’s Trophy match at SheikhupuraStadium Friday.A day after Waqar Younis picked up three for 38 to skittle out PIA for267, Wasim Akram captured four wickets for 39 runs in 14 overs todismiss the bankers for 225 after they had resumed this morning atthree for no loss.The national carriers had stretched their lead to 123 when theyfinished the day at 81 for the loss of Sohail Jaffar who was adjudgedleg before to Waqar Younis.Ghulam Ali was batting on 44 and with him was Faisal Iqbal on 36.Wasim accounted for both the National Bank openers – Imran Nazir andKamran Akmal – by trapping them in front of the wickets. His two othervictims included Test reject Qaisar Abbas and Mushtaq Ahmad who werepicked behind the wickets by Moin Khan.Abdur Razzaq, who will represent Middlesex in the English countychampionships next year, snapped up three wickets fro 68 runs whileoff-spinner Shoaib Malik chipped in with two for 21.For the bankers, Naumanullah top scored with 67 as wickets continuedto fall around him at regular intervals. NBP were saved fromembarrassment by Waqar Younis who stroked a 56-ball 43.Inzamam-ul-Haq, playing his debut match for the bankers, contributedjust two before falling to Razzaq.