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India 675 for 5 dec (Sehwag 309, Tendulkar 194*, Yuvraj 59) beat Pakistan 407 (Hameed 91, Inzamam 77, Pathan 4-100) and 216 (Youhana 112, Kumble 6-72) by an innings and 52 runs
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It took India just 12 balls on the final morning to put the lid on their historicmaiden Test win in Pakistan. If Rahul Dravid, leading the side in Sourav Ganguly’s absence, had sat down and written a script for his dream Test match, it would have been exactly as this one played out. Pakistan were bowled out for 216 after following on, and India won by an innings and 52 runs. After 52 years of India-Pakistan encounters, 49 years after India first toured Pakistan, they could finally savour the sweet taste of victory here.And it was sweet. For the team had come together spectacularly over four days and a bit. When the final wicket fell, every member of the team rushed towards the stumps at both ends. Within minutes only the two stumps that housed cameras were left standing. Instinctively the team gathered in a huddle and began to jump up and down, unable to contain their joy. The huddle, which has become a feature of Indian cricket in recent times, was on display again. Some consider it to be an ostentatious display of team spirit and unity, but at the moment it’s working for India.But, winning a Test is not merely about huddles. It’s about sticking to a plan over a period of time and delivering the goods. For India Anil Kumble and Irfan Pathan did just that over two innings on a wicket that had nothing in it for the bowlers. And it was fitting that this pair bowled the last two overs of the match.Kumble began the proceedings on the final day, and bowled from around the wicket in an attempt to exploit the rough created by the fast bowlers’ follow-throughs. Yousuf Youhana played out the over safely, and stole a single off the last ball to retain the strike. Pathan was given the ball to send down the second over and he continued to bend his back and put in maximum effort. Youhana struck one gorgeous boundary back down the pitch, and just for a moment it appeared as though he was prepared to go after the bowling.Pathan then banged the fifth ball in short and Youhana swayed out of the way. Pathan repeated the exercise with the last ball and this time Youhana (112) had to play a shot in order to try for a single to keep the strike. He miscued his pull shot, and Dravid called early to get under the catch that sealed India’s win .This win is all the more significant as it comes in the first Test of a series. India have won solitary Tests in Dhaka, Bulawayo, Kandy, Port of Spain, Leeds and Adelaide before this one in Multan, but none of those wins, barring the one-off Test against Bangladesh, have resulted in series victories. This triumph gives India an excellent chance of winning a series overseas.

Canterbury 215 (Fulton 90, Wiseman 65, Orchard 5-10) and 136 for 3 (Stewart 78) trail Northern Districts 434 by 83 runs
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The weather may turn out to be be Canterbury’s ally in the race for a place in the State Championship final. While nearly a full day was possible at Gisborne, Wellington and New Plymouth were subjected to the heavy rain that hit most of the North Island. If no further play is possible in the other two games, Canterbury will hang on by their finger nails, with the knowledge that they will have to beat Wellington outright to claim the title.Canterbury will also need to put up a better show than they produced after being asked to follow on. Peter Fulton’s innings ended on 90, soon after the resumption, while Paul Wiseman scored 65 after 231 minutes of graft. But he became the first of the victims who were involved in a hat-trick by Mark Orchard. It was only the fourth occasion in ND’s 51-year history that a hat-trick had been achieved, as Orchard finished with superb figures of 5 for 10.In their second innings, Canterbury lost two early wickets, including Fulton for a duck, but then recovered to reach 136 for 3 at stumps. Shanan Stewart (78) fell towards the end of the day after a 111-run partnership with Gary Stead (39 not out). However, Canterbury were still 83 runs behind ND’s first innings total.Otago 154 for 2 (Gaffaney 69) trail Wellington 482 for 9 dec (Walker 126, Nevin 124*) by 328 runs
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Central Districts 268 trail Auckland 316 by 48 runs
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Wellington resolved the issue of Northern Districts fighting their way back into this game by making a breakthrough in the second over of the day. James Franklin, who took his second five-wicket bag to end with match figures of 10 for 72, trapped Peter McGlashan lbw for 25. Daryl Tuffey went one run later, and the last pair added 48 runs before Graham Aldridge was dismissed by Jayesh Patel, the offspinner, for 22.Joseph Yovich, who was left not out on 57, gave his team-mates a clear demonstration of the value of application, by spending 201 minutes at the crease. No-one else managed to bat more than McGlashan’s 81 minutes. Franklin took 5 for 48 and Mark Gillespie 2 for 36.Wellington were left with a target of 159 and were never troubled, despite losing the wickets of Matthew Bell for 18 and Luke Woodcock for 27. With Stephen Fleming coming at No. 3, and in such good form at the moment, the result merely rested on how long it would take. Fleming scored 80 off 66 balls to ensure it was a merciful release for ND. Neal Parlane was with him at the end on 20.
ScorecardPut in to bat at Eden Park’s Outer Oval, Central Districts had cause for concern when they could manage only 146 runs from their top-order, with Ross Taylor’s 42 the only sizeable contribution. Fortunately, they found Jarrod Englefield ready to continue his good run of form with an unlikely partner in Ewen Thompson, the left-arm fast-medium bowler.Before this match Thompson’s best first-class score was 55 not out. However, he had his batting mojo with him on the day, and scored a sparkling 102 off 89 balls with four sixes and 14 fours. Englefield played his support, batting for 268 minutes for his own 95 in a seventh-wicket stand that netted 159 runs, six short of the record for CD against Auckland for the wicket. Englefield hit 17 boundaries in his innings.Some lower-order support from Andrew Schwass who was 25 not out at the end saw CD reach the sound position of 350. Kyle Mills took 3 for 74 and Tama Canning 3 for 84. Auckland lost Richard Jones when the score was two but got through to 20 by stumps without further loss.Otago 308 (Todd 123*, Redmond 55, Cumming 43; Cunis 5 for 78, McMillan 3 for 37) lead Canterbury 8 for 1 by 300 runs
ScorecardAnother recovery act was completed at Dunedin’s University Oval where Otago were asked to bat first after Craig McMillan, the Canterbury captain, won the toss. Craig Cumming scored 43 and Aaron Redmond hit 55 during a 135-minute stay at the crease, but they couldn’t avoid Otago sitting in the uncomfortable position of 171 for 8.One man who refused to yield was Greg Todd, who had moved to Otago from Central Districts in a bid to get more match play. He made the most of this opportunity and scored his maiden first-class century. There were some anxious moments as defensive field setting restricted him to singles as he approached three figures.The loss of his partner during a 110-run ninth-wicket stand with Warren McSkimming, who scored 30 in 127 minutes, when Todd was still two runs short of the century-mark added to the tension. James McMillan, the No. 11 batsman, had no fears however, and he turned the strike over enough for Todd to achieve his century with a straight-driven boundary.Having achieved the mark, he lifted the assault level and got to 123 before Craig McMillan, who ended with 3 for 37, broke the partnership. Todd’s 123 came off 157 balls and included two sixes and 18 fours. The best of the Canterbury bowlers was Stephen Cunis, who took 5 for 78.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suggested that Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of India be split into two parts to accommodate both the Super Series, as well as South Africa’s scheduled five-match one-day series in the country. Tryphon Mirando, a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official told AFP that the proposal was “being considered.”The Sri Lankan team was originally slated to visit India for three Tests and seven ODIs in October and November, for their first full tour of the country since 1997. However, with the Super Series having been scheduled for October, and the South Africans making plans to play their matches between November 17 and November 29, the BCCI was forced to propose a split tour.According to the BCCI proposal, Sri Lanka will play seven ODIs in November after the Super Series, and return again in December to play three Test matches. This would result in India playing a total of 12 ODIs at home, against Sri Lanka and South Africa.India are due to tour Sri Lanka for a triangular series from July 30 to August 9, and will tour Zimbabwe from the end of August.

England 319 and 284 for 6 beat New Zealand 384 and 218 by four wickets
ScorecardDay 1
Bulletin – Fleming’s century lifts New Zealand
Roving Reporter – The boys behind the blimp
Verdict – A polylingual prince charming
Day 2
Bulletin – New Zealand fall for 384
Roving Reporter – Sports replica v Sports casual
Verdict – New Zealand’s lucky streakDay 3
Bulletin – New Zealand keep their noses in front
Verdict – Trojan horseplay
Day 4
Bulletin – Thorpe leads England to victory
Verdict – A powerful cat among pigeons
Paper Round – Thorpe takes the plaudits
Paper Round – Cairns calls time on his Test career
New Zealand Verdict – The perils of underachievement

An MCC squad will leave London today for a seven-match tour of Italy. The team, which will be captained by Nick Archer, includes Rob Turner, Somerset’s wicketkeeper, and Jim Love, the ex-Yorkshire and England batsman, who played three one-day internationals against Australia in 1981. Nick Denning, a former MCC Young Cricketer, is also in the squad.The tour includes two games against Italy’s Under-23 team, and will culminate in two matches against the full national side at Capannelle. The trip was planned in conjunction with the International Cricket Council to promote the development of the game, and increase its popularity, in Italy – which is an ICC Associate Member.The tour is part of MCC’s ambitious international playing programme which, so far this year, has already taken the Club’s teams to countries including Ghana, The Gambia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. MCC’s next overseas tour, to Gibraltar and Morocco, is in early October.MCC team for Italy tour
Keith Dennis (manager), Nick Archer (capt), Matt Cousen, Nick Denning, Alan Duncan, Matthew Eyles, Chinmay Gupte, William Hodson, Tim Kirk, Jim Love, Clive Offer, Andrew Steward, Rob Turner (wk), Matt Weller, John Holder (umpire).Fixtures
Sept 23 v Maremma (Maremma Falsetti), Sept 25 v Italy U-23 (Grosseto), Sept 26 v Italy U-23 (Grosseto), Sept 28 v Gallicano (Capannelle), Sept 30 v Capannelle (Capannelle), Oct 2 v Italy (Capannelle), Oct 3 v Italy (Capannelle).

Nicky Boje has flown home from South Africa’s tour of the Caribbean and will miss the five-match one-day series, which starts in Jamaica on May 7, after suffering from irregular breathing during the fourth day of the final Test in Antigua.Boje, 32, did not take the field for the final four sessions of the match after being examined by a cardiologist. A media statement issued by Cricket South Africa said he had suffered a recurrence of the breathing problems he developed on the first day of the Test.South Africa’s convenor of selectors, Haroon Lorgat, who is in Antigua, confirmed that Boje would be flying home as a precaution. Boje himself was philosophical. “I wanted to be part of a winning team,” he said, “but health problems have to be sorted out.”It is the second health scare that Boje has suffered in the past six months. In December, he missed the first Test against England to undergo treatment, after a cancerous growth was discovered in his thyroid gland.Lorgat added that no replacement would be called for Boje.

Trevor Hohns, Australia’s selection chairman through the team’s most successful period, has resigned to pursue increasing business interests. Hohns was appointed to the panel of Lawrie Sawle in 1993 and three years later was promoted to its leader as the Test and one-day teams embarked on a trip to No. 1 in the world.The retirement of Hohns’s business partner sparked the move and he said he could not combine the job with the almost-full-time selection duties. “Despite its obvious challenges, I have certainly enjoyed the role and can only hope that my contribution has in some small way assisted Australian cricket,” Hohns said. “I have been fortunate to play a part in the panel for so long and am very grateful for the opportunity.”A former legspinner who appeared in seven Tests in the late 1980s, Hohns was prepared to make – and carry out – the tough decisions and was often a target from dumped players and disappointed supporters. Responsible for ending the careers of Ian Healy and Mark Waugh before the long-term representatives felt they were ready, Hohns also delivered Steve Waugh the news his one-day captaincy was over in 2001-02. Waugh beat the selectors by setting his own Test retirement date, but most of his team-mates suffered either in consultation with Hohns or by his axe.Criticisms of Queensland bias in the selection panel, which until last year also included Allan Border, were also regular and Mark Waugh called for Hohns to walk out after the current squad to South Africa was selected. Hohns was in charge when Australia won 16 Tests in a row from 1999 to 2001 and picked the outfits that won the 1999 and 2003 World Cups. During his time on the panel Australia’s record was 35 series wins, six losses and five draws.Andrew Hilditch, David Boon and Merv Hughes are the other members on the selection panel and a Cricket Australia spokesman said a replacement was expected to be named “shortly”. Creagh O’Connor, the Cricket Australia chairman, said Hohns fulfilled one of Australian cricket’s most important roles.”The chairman draws a lot of public and media scrutiny and seldom receives the recognition it deserves,” he said. “In Trevor’s case, he has made an outstanding contribution to the role and has played a pivotal part in helping Australia remain the No. 1 Test and one-day international team in world cricket over a sustained period.”

South Africa have stuck with the 15-man squad which secured a 3-1 series victory over Pakistan for their World Cup campaign.”We are sending a strong, well-balanced and well-prepared squad to meet the challenges of Caribbean conditions against the best in the world,” said Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa. “No stone was left unturned in ensuring that the players have had the very best preparation on offer.Makhaya Ntini will not travel with the rest of the squad to the Caribbean on February 28, instead staying behind for the birth of his second child. Ntini will join up with the squad in Trinidad ahead of the second warm-up match against Pakistan on March 9.Graeme Smith said: “”It is a huge honour to know I’m captaining this team to the World Cup, but to know I have full confidence in all 15 players just makes me prouder. This team has come a long way since 2003. It is much calmer and more confident. Everyone fits in really well, it is a happy team. Now we just need to adapt to conditions and deal with the pressures in the Caribbean.”Mickey Arthur, the coach, said: “The squad selected gives us all comfort in the belief that the goals set in preparation for the World Cup have been achieved.”The squad going to the Caribbean have proven their ability to take on the best and our performance at the Champions Trophy and our recent victories against India and Pakistan are an indication of the work put in by everyone.”Arthur expressed satisfaction with the bowling combination. “This is our best possible bowling combination and every option is covered in the squad. We have a containing new-ball bowler in Shaun and a strike bowler in Makhaya. Andre Nel’s job is to strike behind Makhaya and Shaun, while Andrew Hall and Charl Langeveldt provide variation, reverse-swing and bowl at the death.”Jacques Kallis is our fifth bowler and can swing it, Graeme Smith has been working hard on his off-spin and Justin Kemp has been working really hard on his cutters.”West Indies pitches are expected to be flat but Arthur is confident the team has the necessary skill to overcome the tracks. “We’ve recognised that we did look a bit one-dimensional when pitches were flat at the Champions Trophy, but we have worked hard on getting variation and reverse-swing. We hope we have all the bases covered and have enough variation to cover whatever comes up,” Arthur said.”The closer the tournament gets, the more the nervous excitement will grow. But no-one is scared, there is just the excitement of the hard work that will get us to number one,” Smith said.South Africa squad Graeme Smith (capt), Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Roger Telemachus

His dislike for travelling tucked away and an emotional Ashes series behind him, Steve Harmison is ready, once again, to take on the Australians, this time in the six-day Super Test due to begin in Sydney from Friday.Harmison was quoted by www.supercricket.co.za insisting he was looking forward, if picked, to the challenge. “The Ashes was a good series but it’s gone now and this is a new challenge. The lads got beaten three-nil in the one-dayers and, although I don’t think anyone in a World XI needs to prove themselves, I do think there’ll be a bit more pride and professionalism and I do think we’ll see a different World XI.”Australia have been a fantastic team for a long time, and they still are. Some of the criticism we’ve been reading about them has been unjust – most of it has been, actually. England won a test series two-one and we won the matches by three wickets and three runs. It was a very, very close series and it could have gone either way.”The only match that was a one-sided game was the first one which Australia won. I’m here to take them on again and, hopefully, win the game like we did in England.”Harmison added that, despite being away from his wife and young family – the source of much of his dislike for travelling – he never had any doubts about participating in the Super Series.”There was no doubt in my mind once I was picked to play with these guys. I don’t like travelling full stop – that’s just me and I’ll never change, but I haven’t had a problem going on tour and I’ve performed well on most tours I’ve been on. There’s never been a problem and I’ve come here to perform with, arguably, the eleven best players in the world. So once I got that invitation I was never going to turn it down.”The problem of being 12,000 kilometres and ten hours time difference away from home, Harmison said, had to be managed. “It’s the job I’ve got and there’s nothing I can do about it. But having said that, I’m enjoying being with these guys and I’m really looking forward to Friday and, hopefully, a winning game.”I’m playing with eleven blokes who want to beat Australia. I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t going to be serious or was a joke game. I would have stayed in England. I’ve come here to play and play in a serious game. Hopefully I’ll prove that on Friday.”