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Some belated fighting spirit from Matabeleland, mainly in the form of Mark Vermeulen, enabled them to take the match into midafternoon on the third day and force Matabeleland to bat again, however briefly. The Logan Cup holders finally completed their 15th successive Cup and first-class victory by ten wickets.The overnight batsmen, Vermeulen and Mluleki Nkala, held firm with defiance for well over an hour while they added 97 together. Then the dismissal of Nkala, walking after giving a catch to short leg on 42, began a brief collapse. Wisdom Siziba, more used to opening the batting rather than coming in late to face spin, made just a single before being caught at the wicket. In the same over from Grant Flower Gavin Ewing, softened up perhaps by his first ball that spat at him like a cobra from the pitch, top-edged a sweep, and Matabeleland were 217 for seven. Captain Pommie Mbangwa, off the field since Friday evening with flu, was not expected to bat.The diminutive left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa was not about to surrender, though, and hung on for almost half an hour until lunch. During this time Vermeulen, having reached his century, was happy to take the offered single off the first ball of each over and appeared to be concerned only with ensuring that he carried his bat through the innings. Perhaps somebody spoke to him during the interval, because afterwards he successfully farmed the strike with Dabengwa and Jordane Nicolle until he was finally caught at the wicket off Andy Blignaut for 153. It was his sixth career century: five of them have been over 150 and the other was not out.Mbangwa gallantly came in to bat, only to be dismissed first ball. This meant that Mashonaland had to score six runs for victory, which they achieved in the second over after the keeper conceded four byes. During the morning Tatenda Taibu for Mashonaland appeared to be uncharacteristically sloppy, giving away 20 byes to the spinners. Keeping wicket to spin was not easy on this pitch, but he should have done better.

Cricket Wellington exceeded their budgetary expectations for the 2001/02 year and achieved a surplus of $59,000 which was $50,000 more than expected, and representative of a $123,000 turnaround.Cricket Wellington (CW) chairman John Hunn said in Wellington’s annual report that revenues from New Zealand Cricket-funded programmes increased by $150,000, indoor training centre revenues increased by $50,000 and Pub Charities revenues increased by $100,000. However, these were offset by a decrease in membership income of $56,000.Hunn said that membership decline was attributable to competition from memberships at the WestpacTrust Stadium and other inroads into revenue generation were coming from other events on the Wellington entertainment market.”We have identified as a short-term priority the need to improve our outcomes in profiling of CW and our main brands, and in communications in general,” he said.In its business development, Hunn said business income had increased by about 25% in each of the last two years and this was despite the lack of continuity in the position of business development manager.”The organisation has embraced the latest data and web technologies and staff are rapidly gaining proficiency at information management via these mediums.”Our academy facilities are building a strong income base and it is planned to reshape the Wellington Cricket Trust to provide another link in our revenue generation chain,” he said.The work of CW’s operations committee had been successful in achieving a number of goals.”Delivery of services to club cricketers has improved markedly in the last 12 months and is subject to continued review and refinement. There appears to be growing levels of satisfaction with progress in this area among our stakeholders,” he said.A significant area of improvement is anticipated in women’s cricket while there was a much closer working relationship with local ground authorities in the region.In coaching and elite player development, Hunn said there had been a drive to increase the base level of elite players and this had resulted in a zonal trial system which concludes with the selection of representative and development squads from Standard Four to Form Three age groups.”This effectively doubles the platform on which our elite programme is built,” he said.”Improved use of technology is allowing tracking of player performances and development. Synergies between our Academy and the High Performance Centre and Otago University Sports Medicine Centre at the Stadium are being explored and utilised.”CW teams are experiencing great success in domestic competition from Under-17 level to first-class and there is a real drive in this area to expand the boundaries of what can be delivered in the Elite Player area.”Coaching systems and structures have been developed from a small informal base with the aim of providing 30 new coaches per year. We are on target to exceed this measure in 2002,” he said.Hunn expressed some frustration in the inability to achieve medium-term financial planning support from NZC.”John Hood in his second report to NZC in December 1998, ‘A Path to Superior Performance Revisited’ highlighted the priority which Associations must give to 3-5 year strategic planning as the basis of their operations.”CW is now strongly committed to this approach as the base for its operational planning but is still pressing for a similar level of commitment from NZC. In last year’s annual report we noted that ‘the Board has sought a review of its funding arrangements with NZC as the present business model forces CW to share in the trading risks of NZC each season to a degree which inhibits sound long-term planning and prudent financial management.'”Regrettably we cannot yet report success in these discussions although we are pleased to report that NZC substantially increased their annual funding to Associations this year.”Recent indications are that NZC is becoming supportive to the concept of a medium-term financial commitment to Associations to provide some in their planning,” he said.Wellington’s chief executive Ervin McSweeney said the year’s performance had been rewarding in many areas.”However, as we look ahead we cannot afford to ‘rest on our laurels'”We may not win major competitions every year but we are determined to set new benchmarks in delivery of cricket services, and to show initiative and leadership in all aspects of the game.”From a financial perspective the next period is going to be very challenging, but we are fortunate to have high quality facilities, an inspirational working environment and hopefully continued support and goodwill from many quarters,” he said.

One of Durham’s longest serving players, Jimmy Daley is leaving the Club.Jimmy made his first class debut for Durham as an 18-year-old back in 1992 when the Club joined the first class circuit. Since then Jimmy has played over 90 first class matches, scored over 4,000 runs with a highest score of 159 not out.Club Chairman, Bill Midgley said “Jimmy has been a great servant of the Clubwho has unfortunately suffered his fair share of injuries over the years. We are grateful of the contribution he has made to Durham and wish him well and will follow with interest his future career.”

The Cheltenham and Gloucester semi final tie between Somerset and Kent at the County Ground on Thursday is a sell out, and that’s official.The last few remaining tickets went on sale this morning and by earlyafternoon they had all gone.Some of the supporters today had travelled a substantial distance to buy their tickets. One told me that he had read about the remining tickets on Saturday, and had left Brnstaple in North Devon at 8am to be at the ground by 9am to buy his tickets.Another couple from Penzance had telephoned the office at 9am in the hope that there were still tickets available, and arrived three hours later releived to have got their tickets.Outside on the ground the first team squad, including Andy Caddick, Richard Johnson and Simon Francis , were all busy training and having net practice, whilst on the boundary edge in front of the cricket shop the temporary stand was being erected.Chief executive Peter Anderson told me: “Of course this is a vital game for the club, after all we are the holders of the trophy and want to win it again this year.”He continued: “The game will be a sell out, and my advice to all those who are attending is to arrive in plenty of time.There will be no parking on the ground, but 1500 additional spaces are being made available by Taunton Deane Borough Council to whom we are very grateful.1000 of these will be in Victoria Park and the other 500 are in the Cattle Market.”Regarding the fitness of strike bowlers Andy Caddick and Richard Johnson he told me: “Andy and Richard are both training and will bowl today, as they will tomorrow and Wednesday, but we won’t be making a final decision as to whether they play until the morning of the match.”

Sydney Thunder have further strengthened their pace stocks with the signing of Pakistan quick Mohammad Hasnain.The addition of Hasnain, the 21-year-old who once bowled a 155kph delivery in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), comes on the back of English quick Saqib Mahmood starring in his BBL debut on Sunday with 4 for 22 in Thunder’s 53-run win over Brisbane Heat.Related

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Since debuting as a teenager in early 2019, Hasnain has played 18 T20Is and eight ODIs for Pakistan and was part of their squad for this month’s limited-overs series against West Indies.He struggled in his sole T20I match of the series on December 16 with figures of 0 for 49 from four overs in Pakistan’s seven-wicket victory. But the ODI leg of that tour was postponed due to Covid-19 cases among West Indies’ squad, freeing up Hasnain to play for Thunder.Hasnain has the distinction of being the youngest bowler ever to take a hat-trick in a T20I match, when he achieved the feat as a 19-year-old against Sri Lanka in Lahore.”He bowls fast, easily at 150 km/h,” Thunder allrounder Ben Cutting said, having played alongside Hasnain for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). “He’s a lovely young kid, and his team back home is keen for him to learn about the game and to also come out here and bowl fast.”[Mohammad] is going to love bowling in Australia. We have faster pitches and bigger boundaries – conditions that are far more conducive to bowling fast than they are in Pakistan.”Hasnain will add extra firepower for Thunder, whose pace bowling struggled to contain Melbourne Stars’ high-octane batting line-up in two losses this season. Emerging spinner Tanveer Sangha has held the attack together during Thunder’s inconsistent start but the inclusion of Mahmood lit a fuse in Thunder’s much-needed victory at the Gabba.Thunder’s next match is against crosstown rival Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day. He is the fourth overseas player they have registered this year after England’s Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Saqib Mahmood, with a maximum of three permitted in a single playing XI.

Will Sutherland has been confirmed as having tested positive for Covid-19 but the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria will begin on Saturday at the SCG providing all the other results come back negative.Sutherland, who is experiencing mild symptoms, will be required to isolate for 10 days at the team hotel. However, other Victoria players have only been deemed casual contacts with the remaining test results due overnight. Ten have already come back negative and if the final six follow the game has been ticked off to begin. The game will remain a four-day fixture extending to Tuesday.”Will Sutherland is currently self-isolating and experiencing minor symptoms after testing positive. He is in good spirits and in regular contact with Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia staff,” Dr John Orchard, Cricket Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, said. “We are satisfied the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria can begin safely tomorrow.”While it is impossible to remove all risk from this situation, Will was relatively non-infectious during his periods of interaction with members of the Victorian team. As such, and due to their compliance with biosecurity protocols, all members of the Victorian squad have been deemed casual contacts. They will be able to take the field at the SCG tomorrow subject to receiving negative results.”The match was postponed less than an hour before the toss was due to take place on Friday following the emergence of Sutherland’s initial result which required further analysis. A second PCR test confirmed it was positive.It is the first positive Covid case within the professional game in Australia and comes as the country moves towards living with the virus with vaccination rates increasing.Both squads are fully vaccinated with cricket having become the first sport to complete full dosage at domestic level.Earlier this season the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and Tasmania in Brisbane was called off on the morning of the game after community cases in the city promoted Tasmania to return home in case the border was closed.This was to be the third meeting between the sides this season with the states restricted to playing themselves due to border restrictions.The previous two matches have been played under various biosecure conditions in order to protect the Test players who were part of those games.

Ravi Shastri, the former India allrounder and team director, has been appointed head coach of the national side until the 2019 World Cup. Zaheer Khan has been named bowling consultant for the same tenure, while Rahul Dravid will be India’s batting consultant for overseas Test series.The confirmation came late on Tuesday night after the CoA impressed upon the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendullkar and VVS Laxman, the urgent need to end the uncertainty over the next India coach.The vacancy arose because Anil Kumble resigned after the Champions Trophy in June, stating that his partnership with India captain Virat Kohli had become “untenable”. India went to the West Indies to play a limited-overs series without a head coach.Shastri was one of five candidates the CAC interviewed for the role, along with Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput. He had not applied when the BCCI invited applications for the first time, but did so after Kumble was no longer in the fray.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shastri had applied for the role in 2016 as well, and was disappointed to lose out to Kumble, because India had done well during his tenure as director.He had been appointed team director in August 2014 and under him, India made it to semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20 – and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until February 2016. During that time, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, whitewashing the hosts 3-0 in a T20I series. While he worked alongside Duncan Fletcher in the early part of his tenure, Shastri had sole responsibility of the team after the 2015 World Cup.Zaheer, a former India fast bowler, has no formal coaching experience but he has been part of the Delhi Daredevils thinktank in recent IPL seasons. He was offered the role of bowling consultant last year by the BCCI, but both parties could not come to an agreement over remuneration.Dravid recently gave up his position as the Daredevils mentor, after accepting a two-year contract to coach the India A and Under-19 teams.The appointments bring to an end a period of uncertainty over the India coaching job that began at the end of May, when Kohli told BCCI officials that some players were uncomfortable with Kumble’s approach to man management. Following Kohli’s feedback, the BCCI advertised for the position and Kumble was one of several candidates to apply. While Kohli maintained in public that there were no problems with Kumble, the issue came to a head soon after the Champions Trophy when, with no new coach in place, Kumble was offered an extension to cover the tour of the West Indies but decided to step down instead.Shastri’s first assignment as head coach is the Test series in Sri Lanka, which begins on July 26.

ScorecardA devastating spell of bowling from Mark Footitt – or perhaps that should be Mark F00000itt – powered Surrey into an overwhelmingly dominant position at The Kia Oval.Footitt claimed 6 for 14 as Warwickshire were bowled out for just 91, the lowest first-class total by a visiting team to The Oval since 1999 and their fourth lowest total this century, to give Surrey a first innings lead of 363 runs.At one stage Footitt, generating sharp pace on an easy-paced wicket, claimed six wickets for three runs in 32 deliveries as Warwickshire collapsed from 30 without loss to 48 for 8. It was a passage of play that saw five Warwickshire batsmen – including Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell – dismissed for ducks and gave Footitt a five-wicket haul for the fourth Championship match in succession.No other bowler in this match – and there are several who have been in international reckoning in recent times – has come close to replicating the bounce and pace achieved by Footitt as he charged in from The Vauxhall End. In one over before tea he accounted for Trott, set-up by some back of a length deliveries and then pinned by a lovely full inswinger as he fell over to the off side, and Bell, edging a peach of a ball that bounced and left him, while Sam Hain, drawn into a poke outside off stump, fell in his next over.William Porterfield was beaten by another beauty that bounced and took his outside edge, Rikki Clarke played across another that swung in and Keith Barker was bowled by one that may well have kept a bit low.While a couple of Warwickshire batsmen – not least Bell, who received one that scuttled along the pitch two balls before he was dismissed, and Barker, who was struck by a bouncer the ball before he was bowled – may point to some variable bounce as mitigation for their dismissals, the fact that their tenth-wicket pair posted the equal highest stand of the innings underlined the failings of the top-order and they may reflect that it was their choice to bowl first. Chris Wright, coming in at No. 10, finished as their highest scorer with an unbeaten 28 as reward for some application and a straight bat.It may well be that Footitt’s England chance has passed him by. He made it into the squad during the 2015 Ashes and then went on the tour to South Africa but, after an understandably nervous performance during the warm-up games, was overlooked for the start of the series. He came tantalisingly close to selection for the final Test in Pretoria but, in the end, the England management went for Chris Woakes instead. There is every chance that was as close as Footitt will get to a Test cap.But in form like this, he really does present a compelling case for a recall. Offering left-arm pace and swing, all delivered amid an awkward flurry of arms and legs, he challenges batsmen in a variety of ways and has the ability to unlock strong line-ups in good batting conditions. Certainly he looked a far more dangerous bowler than the relatively sedate Sam Curran, another left-arm swing bowler who has been tipped for selection, and he might yet – aged 31 – add some bite and variety to the England attack.It might be that he did not help himself at the start of last season. Having come back from what was, ultimately, a bit of a disappointing tour of South Africa from a personal perspective, he went into his first season with Surrey a little short of match fitness. He subsequently suffered a side strain in the opening weeks of the season after coming up against better batsmen on flatter tracks and finding it took more out of his body than had been the case at Derbyshire. It has taken time to recover his confidence, rhythm and pace.It would be a risk to take him to Australia. He is, despite his age, relatively inexperienced and might well find the aggression and pressure of an Ashes series a huge culture shock. He would have to learn to swing the Kookaburra ball, too. But if he can bowl like this, he will enjoy the pace of Australia pitches and no batsman will fancy facing him. It would be a stretch to compare him to Mitchell Johnson – he’s not that quick or awkward – but the challenges he offers are not so different.”I still have the ambition to play for England,” he said afterwards. “If it’s too late, it’s too late. But Gareth Batty went on the last tour and we was 38, so I’ve not given up and I don’t think you’re ever too old.”Would I like to go to Australia this winter for the Ashes? I’ve never even been there, so it would be nice just to go. Perhaps I wasn’t quite there fitness-wise this time last year but I feel strong now and I have my pace back.””I’ve seen a few spells over the years,” Jim Troughton, Warwickshire’s first team coach said, “but that’s right up with the best of them. He got pace and shape and bounce. I wouldn’t say any of our batsmen threw it away but we weren’t up to it and we’re going to have to front up in a big way over the next couple of days. I still think it’s a pretty decent track.”At least Warwickshire showed a little more resolve having been asked to follow-on. But any doubts Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s new director of sport, had about the enormity of the task facing him upon his return to Edgbaston should now have been dispelled. An ageing side lacked the pace to extract life from the surface and the batting line-up looks overly reliant upon two men in their mid-30s. There are few obvious reserves pushing for selection, either. These are early days, but it could well be the start of a painful transition for Warwickshire.They had actually enjoyed the best of the first half of the day. Bowling with excellent discipline, they slowed the Surrey rate of scoring to a crawl and then picked up wickets as the batsmen’s frustration mounted. From a platform of 314 for 2 in the 86th over, Surrey lost their last eight wickets for 140 runs in a further 55 overs – and the last five for 49- with Wright recovering from an expensive start to finish with a five-wicket haul for the first time since July 2015. It was nothing compared to what followed from Footitt, though.

The PCB has provisionally suspended Mohammad Irfan from all forms of the game for allegedly failing to report an approach. The 34-year-old fast bowler was sanctioned on Monday as the board’s investigation into alleged corruption in the Pakistan Super League gathered steam.ESPNcricinfo understands that Irfan broke the PCB’s anti-corruption code twice and that the latest incident happened at the PSL in February. He had been pulled up for questioning during the tournament but was allowed to keep playing for his team Islamabad United. Last week, however, the PCB summoned Irfan to appear before the anti-corruption committee again. He was one of two players called before the committee, the other being Karachi Kings batsman Shahzaib Hasan.”The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in furtherance to its investigation issued a Notice of Charge and provisionally suspended Irfan under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code,” a press release from the board said. “Irfan has been charged with two violations of Code Article 2.4.4 and now has 14 days to respond to the Notice of Charge. He has also been provisionally suspended with immediate effect from participating in all forms of cricket.”The article that Irfan was found in breach of dealt with “failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code”.Irfan is the fourth player to be suspended in relation to this case. Batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were charged in February but since they were contesting some of the charges an independent tribunal has been set up to look into their case. The former Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed was suspended and arrested in the UK as part of the same investigation, later being let out on bail.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said that the board is in talks with former India spinner Sunil Joshi for a role as the Bangladesh team’s spin consultant for their series against Sri Lanka next month. On Sunday, BCB’s operations committee chairman, said Joshi would join the team for the Sri Lanka series, and former South Africa batsman Jonty Rhodes is also in the mix for the series as fielding consultant.*”At least for now, we are getting Joshi for the Sri Lanka series,” Akram said. “We have held talks with him. We will decide whether to keep him for a longer period after seeing his work. Jonty [Rhodes] is also nearly confirmed.”Joshi, who played 15 Tests and 69 ODIs for India between 1996 and 2001, is currently coach of the Assam side in India’s domestic circuit and also had a stint as Oman’s spin-bowling coach during the 2016 World T20.*09.25GMT, February 12: This article was updated after Akram Khan spoke.