Andrew Hall lost out on a place for South Africa’s tour to Sri Lanka, but he has vowed to show the selectors that he still has what it takes to play international cricket, and force his way back into the side for the ICC Champions Trophy in September.”I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again,” he said. “I struggled in early June for a bit of form but now I am fit, playing well and feel comfortable and confident.”Hall, 28, had surgery on his back earlier this year but insists the problem is now in the past. He was overlooked in the squads for Test and one-day series for Lance Klusener, 32, who last played a Test for South Africa against Australia in December 2001.”I asked the South African selectors whether my injury was a factor in myself not being selected,” said Hall. “I asked whether they knew that I was now fit again – bowling, taking wickets and getting runs for Worcestershire. They assured me that they had all the relevant statistics.”So, if that is the case, I’m just going to have to improve those statistics to get back into the South African team. At least it clears my mind knowing that I can concentrate totally on Worcestershire for the next three months.”Hall, in his second season for Worcestershire, said that he would like to return to the side again next season. “I’ve really had a good time with the county and I would love to come back and play another season or maybe two if I could. I’m comfortable in the role I’m playing for the side.”

Cricket Australia has announced a 13-man squad to represent the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE) and Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on the tour of India where they will pit their skills against an India Academy side and two state teams.The 13 have been selected from the 26 who just completed a 13-week programme at the Centre in Brisbane. Craig Simmons and Adam Voges, both from Western Australia, and Doug Bollinger, a New South Welshman, have already made their domestic first-class debuts in the Pura Cup competition, whilst Travis Birt, a Tasmanian, and Brad Knowles, from Victoria, have played in the ING Cup one-day competition.Voges and Bollinger have secured state contracts for the 2004-05 domestic season, whilst Knowles, Tim Paine of Tasmania and Jason Krezja, from New South Wales, have been signed to rookie contracts.Bennett King, who will coach the side to India, said that the CBCE forms part of the cricket pathway to help talented players refine their skills and prepare for the next step in their career. “Travelling and learning to handle the conditions of the sub-continent is an important element for anyone who wants to play at the highest level,” he said. “The experience this trip will provide will be invaluable to the players’ development.”The squad
Tom Plant, Craig Simmons, Travis Birt, Ryan Broad, Adam Voges (capt), Jason Krezja, Matthew Harrison, Tim Paine (wk), Daniel Cullen, Brad Knowles, Darren McNees, Doug Bollinger, Brendan Drew.Schedule
July 28 – 29 2-day match v Indian National Cricket Academy (NCA) U/19, BangaloreJuly 31 – August 1 2-day match v Karnataka State CA XI, BangaloreAugust 3-4 2-day match v KSCA XI, BangaloreAugust 6-7 2-day match v KSCA XI, BangaloreAugust 10 1-day match v Tamil Nadu State CA XI, ChennaiAugust 11 1-day match v TNSCA XI, ChennaiAugust 13 1-day match v TNSCA XI, Chennai

Figures alone cannot describe the impact that Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis made on the game of cricket … although they go a long way towards that aim. In 191 Tests and 618 one-day internationals, the pair claimed 1705 wickets to establish themselves at the very pinnacle of the sport’s pantheon. And yet, to see the statistics is one thing, to witness the pair in full cry is quite another.Wasim and Waqar complemented each other perfectly – Wasim with the whippiest left arm ever to have graced the game; Waqar with a full-tilt hurtle towards the crease and an immense full-bodied catapulting action. Together they brought about a sea-change in the mentality of the fast bowler; in the 1980s, it had all been about naked aggression, short-pitched bowling, and the clatter of leather on helmet. In the 1990s, by contrast, the stumps – not the body – became the thinking bowler’s target.Waqar, with the most fearsome yorker the game has ever known, and Wasim, with the ability to move the ball in every conceivable direction through the air, used their mastery of reverse-swing to turn the old ball into the deadliest – and unlikeliest – of weapons. Bowling in excess of 90mph, they retained the fear associated with fast bowling, but did away with thuggery, to establish themselves as two of the noblest champions of the game.

Kenya 231 for 8 (Modi 67) beat India A 211 (Powar 80*, Sriram 50, Aga 4-18) by 20 runs
ScorecardKenya continued their impressive run, beating India A by 20 runs to register their second win in the triangular tournament in Nairobi – they had earlier beaten Pakistan A by two runs.After being put in to bat, Kenya managed a competitive 231 for 8, largely thanks to Hitesh Modi’s 67, and useful contributions from the lower order. When the Indians slumped to 110 for 6, a huge defeat was on the cards, but Ramesh Powar almost pulled off an improbable win, smashing an unbeaten 80 off just 58 balls. There was little support for him from the rest of the tail, though, allowing Kenya to sail through to a well-deserved win.As in their previous match, Kenya got off to a poor start, losing both openers with only 21 on the board. Modi and Steve Tikolo (38) then put together 70 to resurrect the innings. However, the Indian spinners choked the runs in the middle overs, and Sridharan Sriram finished with 3 for 43 as Kenya only managed a modest total.India A would have fancied their chances at the halfway stage, but things went awry early in their run-chase, as Martin Suji and Thomas Odoyo nailed the first four wickets with only 52 on the board. Sriram stitched together a half-century, but the Indians were sinking towards a humiliating defeat when Powar came. He added 62 for the seventh wicket with Sairaj Bahutule, whose contribution was only 11.Bahutule was dismissed by Ragheb Aga, but Powar continued the big hitting, tonking Maurice Odumbe for a huge six which landed on top of the clubhouse. With wickets falling at the other end, though, Powar was ultimately left without a partner. Aga cleaned up the tail to finish with 4 for 18, leaving Sandeep Patil, the India A coach, to reflect on defeat by a side he had coached till the 2003 World Cup.With two wins in as many games, Kenya are the early front-runners in the tournament. However, given the format of the competition – each team plays the other two twice, with the top two then reaching the finals – both India A and Pakistan A still have a chance to upstage the Kenyans.

New Zealand have chosen the same 14-man squad that convincingly beat Bangladesh as they prepare for a considerable step up in class for the two-Test series against Australia, which starts on November 18.Richard Hadlee, the manager of New Zealand’s selection panel, said that the players would be aware of the extra intensity needed to face the world’s best side. “It is one of the biggest challenges in cricket to play Australia on their home soil and the Black Caps are very much looking forward to the challenge.”Hamish Marshall had again been named ahead of the more experienced Craig McMillan. “Marshall has done the job asked of him, even though he has had just one Test innings in Bangladesh,” Hadlee said. “With Michael Papps injured, we have confidence in Mathew Sinclair and it makes sense for him to open the innings. It is good for Sinclair to have the opportunity to continue on from where he left off in the Tests against Bangladesh.”New Zealand play Australia at the Gabba from November 18-22 and at the Adelaide Oval from November 26-30.New Zealand squad Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Stephen Fleming (capt), Scott Styris, Nathan Astle, Hamish Marshall, Jacob Oram, Brendan McCullum (wk), Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Paul Wiseman, Ian Butler, Chris Martin.

South Africa 227 for 5 (Kallis 103*, Rudolph 61, Pathan 3-61) v India
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

After the unresponsive track at Kanpur, this pitch, at the Eden Gardens, had something for everybody, and the difference was clear immediately. Jacques Kallis reached his sixth century in a year as wickets fell around him to aggressive quick bowling, and he handled the spinners competently, if not always comfortably. South Africa recovered due to his and Jacques Rudolph’s efforts, and finished on 227 for 5 by close of play.Kallis has had an exemplary year, beginning with the series against a powerless West Indian team. Often he arrived at the crease after the attack had been savaged, and he proceeded to further their pain. Today, however, he came in when South Africa were reeling at 21 for 2, with both openers gone. With him was Rudolph, who was gritty but lucky. Moreover, Zaheer Khan was letting fly deliveries aimed at the stumps. It was tough going, but Kallis constructed his innings patiently with mostly risk-free strokeplay. Sometimes he attempted premeditated sweeps against Harbhajan Singh, but realised the futility of it all and reverted to a more natural game.Before the series began, he had spoken of his new role as an adviser, a senior member, in this new-look side. When Hashim Amla, a cool customer with quick hands and feet, arrived at the centre, Kallis initiated him into international cricket with an extensive chat. Kallis’s presence at the wicket gave his team-mates confidence. When he reached his first hundred against India with a powerful square-cut, the team leaped up in unison and applauded, no doubt appreciating how vital the innings was.India’s bowlers, led by Zaheer, were stingy. Irfan Pathan, who had a wayward opening spell, returned strongly and conceded 61 runs in 22 overs. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan barely gave anything away, and were unlucky with wickets.

The opening bowlers gave India the upper hand early. Graeme Smith chased the second ball of the day, by Pathan, and edged it to Dinesh Karthik, who took everything that came his way. Not long after, Zaheer subjected Andrew Hall to a searching examination for five balls and took his wicket with the sixth, a straight one that Hall edged behind (21 for 2).After sustaining an injury in Australia last year, Zaheer showed signs last month that he was returning to the sort of form that India needed sorely from him. Here he probed every batsman who faced him, swinging or angling the ball away.Rudolph was troubled by Zaheer’s approach, but hung on and overcame the doubts caused by near-edges and calls of ‘ooh’ from behind. He chose to play the ball late for much of his innings. At times this was advantageous, for he countered the late swing successfully. But to the spinners, this allowed the ball to turn and bounce, which cramped him. He was ultimately bowled by Zaheer, pushing at a straight ball. His dismissal brought Amla to the crease.Amla, on first account, plays with nimble feet and quick hands. He played the bowlers with an open stance, which caused him trouble when the ball turned into him, but otherwise he seemed comfortable. He cut Kumble for an exquisite four for his first runs, and later flicked Zaheer to midwicket. He then took to Harbhajan, hoisted him to midwicket and cutting him savagely for another boundary off the next ball.Pathan then removed Amla in the middle of a searing spell. The ball pitched on middle, cut away, and hit off stump. Boeta Dippenaar then edged one to Karthik to give Pathan his third wicket (182 for 5). Pathan improved as the day went on, and bowled at his best with the old ball. His stamina, a boon for India, flagged towards the end. He taken off the attack, brought on again when the new ball was taken.With Zander de Bruyn’s help, Kallis ensured there were no more setbacks till the end, though de Bruyn survived a caught-behind appeal off Harbhajan, who was unlucky there. It would have exposed South Africa’s lower order. India continued to probe away thereafter, for on this pitch, there was always a chance.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

An innings of 77 off 92 balls from Stephen Fleming carried New Zealand to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first one-dayer at Eden Park in Auckland. Having only 141 to defend, their fourth lowest total in one-day internationals against New Zealand, Sri Lanka found themselves well short of the required bowling firepower. New Zealand surpassed the modest target in only 34 overs.Fleming registered his 38th half-century in ODIs but it was the manner of his innings which suggested that he was coming into his own again. Two sixes, one each off Sanath Jayasuriya and Farveez Maharoof, were superb straight shots of characteristic elegance but contained more power than usual. While he anchored the innings, the winning runs were hit by Hamish Marshall, who swept one to the boundary to finish unbeaten on 14.New Zealand’s recent hard stint in Australia stood them in good stead. In comparision, Sri Lanka appeared short of match readiness. There was solidity in New Zealand’s bowling, enhanced by the return of Daryl Tuffey, while the batting was composed.Conditions were not excessively bad when the Sri Lankans were asked to bat first on the portable pitch. It was a hard surface, with some swing and cut off the pitch. The difficulty for the Sri Lankans was that they batted for much of their innings without the benefit of the warm sun that came out during stages of New Zealand’s innings.After they were dismissed in the 42nd over, Sri Lanka bowled five overs, in which time Chaminda Vaas prised out Nathan Astle. Any hopes that they could get among the New Zealand top order were extinguished in a careful stand of 57 between Stephen Fleming and Mathew Sinclair. Sinclair had made 31 (53 balls) when he tapped back a return catch to Upul Chandana.Fleming, who had been cautious and even looked a little out of sorts, began to find his rhythm in partnership with an aggressive Scott Styris. He greeted the introduction of Sanath Jayasuriya by going down the track to drive him for four, and then repeated the placement, but with more force, to take six runs. That followed a six blasted over long-on by Styris off Chandana. But his innings of 12 was cut short when Fleming turned down a quick single (101 for 3).

Sri Lanka earlier had little chance to unleash their strokeplay. Jayasuriya was forced into a much more restrained role after four batsmen departed. The first of them, Saman Jayantha, was trapped in front by Tuffey in the first over of the day, and Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were also dismissed cheaply.Jayasuriya scored 43, with one four and a six – a glorious straight drive for six off Chris Cairns. But Cairns had the final say when Jayasuriya looked to hook a bouncer and clipped the ball onto his helmet for it to rebound to Marshall at point.Tillakaratne Dilshan performed a useful salvage job in the middle order where he added 44 runs with Chandana, but fell to a fine one-handed catch from Fleming at slip, off the bowling of Cairns, after he had scored 48 off 79 balls.Cairns was able to put his experience to good use to ensure there was no prospect of a Sri Lankan batting revival on the day. His variations complemented the good line he slipped into right from his introduction at the bowling crease. He finished with 4 for 33 from eight overs, while Tuffey marked his return to internationals with 2 for 17 off his eight overs.New Zealand’s facile victory sent out a clear message to an under-par Sri Lankan side, who will have to improve in all departments to make a contest of the five-match series.

Defending champions Barbados take on Windward Islands on the opening day of the West Indian cricket season, which gets underway on January 7. In the two other matches on the first day of the Carib Beer League Cup, Guyana visit Trinidad & Tobago while Jamaica host Leeward Islands at home.This year the tournament will be played on a home and away basis and the Carib Beer League is scheduled to be completed on March 14. The two top teams in the League will meet in the Carib Beer Challenge over five days beginning on March 18. The runner-up must defeat the League champions outright to win the Challenge Trophy.The League winner will receive the Carib Beer Cup and US$12,500 with the Man of the Match for each game receiving US$150 and a medallion. The winner of the Challenge will earn the Carib Beer Challenge Champion Trophy and US$5,000.There are also individual prizes – named after West Indian legends – to be won with the top batsman, bowler, fielder, allrounder and wicketkeeper each collecting US$1500.

Brian Luckhurst, the former England batsman who died earlier this month after a 51-year association with Kent County Cricket Club, has been laid to rest in the village of Alkham near Dover. Nearly 500 mourners crammed into the Church of St Anthony of Parmiers to pay their respects to Luckhurst, 66, who was buried on the final day of his term of office as club president.The local pub closed as a mark of respect, and after readings from Mr Luckhurst’s sons, the eulogy was read by his former Kent and England team-mate, Derek Underwood. “To be president of Kent County Cricket Club was without doubt the greatest honour and tribute that Brian could ever have achieved," said Underwood, "so it was tragic that he should be stricken with illness in his presidential year."Despite all the odds he fulfilled his duties and at times he went far beyond the call of duty and despite his pain and tiredness he was determined to enjoy and relish every moment of his year.” The congregation included a host of former Kent stars, including Mike Denness, Alan Ealham, David Constant, Chris Tavare and Richard Ellison.

Daniel Vettori might sit out the forthcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka after increasing soreness in his back made it evident that he was in need of a rest.Vettori was below his best with the ball in Auckland Test against Australia, and Stephen Fleming, New Zealand’s captain, admitted that he was worried with the first Test at Napier due to start on Monday. “Daniel’s very sore and we’ll just have to measure it up,” Fleming told reporters. “He’s done incredibly well to get this far – a stand-out figure. I just appreciate how much pain he’s played under and what he’s done.”Vettori agreed that he was in need of break. “We’ve got a few days off before the Sri Lankan series, he told the Otago Daily Times. “I’m going to use that as much as I can to rest and try and get ready. “It [the back] has been sore since the start of the Test series and I’ve got through it as much as I can.”I just want to give it the next few days and get a better feel for it. Sometimes, after a couple of days’ rest, it does pick up quite quickly.”If Vettori can struggle through the Sri Lanka Tests, then he will have almost four months to recharge his batteries as New Zealand are not in action again until August, when they tour Zimbabwe.New Zealand have felt the pressure of the endless cycle of international cricket more than most, with a string of players sidelined through injury. Scott Styris is recovering from knee surgery while Jacob Oram and Ian Butler are battling back from long-standing back problems. Chris Harris underwent shoulder surgery after injuring himself in the VB Series in February, Daryl Tuffey has a bicep strain and Michael Papps has undergone an operation on his finger.