Rajasthan, thanks in the main to centuries from opener N Doru and PKKrishnakumar, took a first innings lead of 188 runs on the third dayof their Central Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Railways atJaipur on Friday. Resuming at 197 for two in reply to Railways’ 271,Rajasthan rattled up 459 for nine declared. Railways, in their secondinnings, were four for no loss at close of play.Overnight not out batsmen Doru and skipper Gagan Khoda added 92 runsfor the third wicket off 36 overs before the latter was out for 50.Doru and Krishnakumar then continued the good work by putting on 115runs for the fourth wicket off 41.4 overs before Doru was finally runout for 121. His marathon innings lasted 7-1/2 hours. He faced 309balls and hit 15 fours. Harwinder Singh then took two quick wicketsand Rajasthan were 344 for six. But Krishnakumar and wicketkeeper RBJhalani (41) added 79 runs for the seventh wicket. FinallyKrishnakumar was eighth out at 431. For his 104, Krishnakumar batted319 minutes, faced 227 balls and hit 12 fours. The declaration cameshortly afterwards.

Worcestershire will start the final day of the Championship match at Bristolwith fingers crossed for some fine Bank Holiday weather.Only some unseasonal rain can surely stand between them and victory over aGloucestershire side again failing miserably to match their one-day form infour-day cricket.The home side were 35-3, chasing an unlikely target of 408, when bad lightended a third day’s play that was as grey as the weather six overs early.Andy Bichel had figures of 2-7, having sent back Tim Hancock and MattWindows, while Alamgir Sheriyar accounted for Dominic Hewson, with none ofthe top three batsmen managing double figures.Kim Barnett and Chris Taylor were only too glad to go off when offered thelight. The pitch is wearing and Graeme Hick’s decision not to enforce thefollow-on on will prove sound enough – given good weather.It may, however, have prolonged the game, as Gloucestershire’s frail battingsuggested they might have been blown away had they been put straight inagain on Saturday evening.As it was, Worcestershire resumed their second innings on 21-2 and steadilybatted their opponents out of the game.Philip Weston scored his second fifty of the game, another painstakingeffort off 132 balls, while David Leatherdale (41), Bichel (37) and SteveRhodes (32 not out) all made valuable contributions.It was slow going most of the time as the visitors batted on until fourovers after tea before declaring on 256-8.But that won’t worry Hick if his bowlers do the business on the final day.

Groundstaff at Sabina Park in Jamaica and Kensington Oval in Barbados have won the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) prizes for preparing the best pitch and grounds in the Cable & Wireless Test and One-Day International series respectively.For their outstanding efforts in preparing the best pitch and grounds for the Test series between the West Indies and South Africa, the groundstaff at Sabina Park will receive US$10,000 while their Kensington Oval counterparts will receive US$5,000 as the One-Day International prize.In the Test series, Sabina Park was adjudged as having the best pitch and grounds with 76 points. Kensington Oval was second (73 points); the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG), third (71); Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, fourth (64) and Bourda in Guyana, fifth (60).Kensington Oval topped the One-Day International pitches and grounds with 97 points while the Saturday pitch and grounds at Queen’s Park in Grenada took second place with 92 points. Third was the ARG and Queen’s Park in Grenada (Sunday) on 87 points, fifth was Sabina Park on 79 points, sixth was Queen’s Park Oval on 73 points and seventh was Arnos Vale in St Vincent on 66 points.”It was an extremely keen competition throughout the series. There was a lot of enthusiasm by groundstaff and we are pleased with the overall response from groundstaff at all the venues.”We wish to congratulate all those persons who worked hard to producehigh-standard conditions at Sabina Park and Kensington Oval,” said theWICB’s Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Shillingford.Both West Indies captain, Carl Hooper, and South African captain, ShaunPollock, as well as the Match Referee (Mike Denness in the Test series and John Reid in the One-Day International series) were asked to judge this competition – a new incentive by the WICB to encourage groundstaff to produce their best for the 2001 home series.Each venue was judged in the following categories: pitch bounce, pitchcompetitiveness, pitch appearance, pitch management, outfield evenness,outfield appearance and outfield management.

Darren Bicknell’s second Championship century of the season wasn’t enough to save Notts from losing to Sussex by 161 runs. Bicknell made 123 out of an all out total of 285 but when he was ninth man out the visitors quickly wrapped up their fourth win of the campaign.During the early part of the final day Notts had been reduced to 37–4 after just eleven overs with nightwatchman Gareth Clough, Australian Greg Blewett and Usman Afzaal all dismissed cheaply, Guy Welton having been run out on the third evening.Bicknell was joined by Paul Johnson who helped him add 44 for the fifth wicket but once he’d fallen to a catch at slip off Mark Robinson — and John Morris had followed cheaply — it looked all over for Notts.Chris Read though had other ideas and launched a terrific counter–attack which sped him to a half-century in just 61 balls. At tea Notts’ hopes of salvation looked good but shortly afterwards James Kirtley trapped Read lbw for an excellent 78.By now Bicknell had progressed to the 36th first-class century of his career (257 mins 183 balls 16x4s), although he’d had two lives, both on 72, when Matthew Prior and Murray Goodwin spilled routine efforts.Following the dismissal of Read, Sussex pressed for victory and three times were frustrated in their attempts to have AJ Harris given out — twice for lbw verdicts and also with a claimed catch at the wicket.Runs dried up alarmingly — Bicknell made just nine in 75 minutes after tea before he lost another partner. A fine nick by Harris was smartly taken by Prior who was standing up to Mark Robinson.Just under 14 overs remained when Sussex picked up the wicket they most cherished. Bicknell had gone on to 123 when he too fell to a smart piece of `keeping by Prior, again off Robinson. The Notts captain thoroughly deserved his standing ovation but his walk from the ground was accompanied by the almost certain knowledge that his efforts had been in vain.As in the first innings Richard Stemp lasted only a couple of balls before his off stump was knocked back, this time by Jason Lewry.As Sussex celebrated the home supporters were left to reflect on another poor performance by Notts, just two days away from their B & H semi-final.

It hasn’t been often of late that an opposing captain has acknowledgedhis team was beaten batting, bowling and fielding by the West Indies.They was how Zimbabwe’s Grant Flower put it after the Lara-less WestIndies had overcome their shocking build-up form and the suddenabsence of their unpredictable superstar to comfortably win the firstmatch in the triangular Coca-Cola Cup on a day of bright, cloudlesssunshine here yesterday.Announcing his withdrawal from the tour on Friday, Lara charged theyoung batsmen to use the chance to establish themselves. They took himat his word.Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga overcame some anxious early moments topost an opening stand of 113 in the first half of the innings that wasthe platform for an eventual total of 266 off the set 50 overs.Wavell Hinds, who would not have played at all had Lara not pulledout, provided the necessary momentum with urgent running between thewickets and several thumping strokes in 37 from 44 balls at No.3.When the two remaining stalwarts of the batting came together, theWest Indies were already 180 for three with 18-and-a-half overs left.Captain Carl Hooper and especially Shivnarine Chanderpaul applied thefinishing touches with a partnership of 62 from nine overs.Chanderpaul’s 51 from 46 balls, with a six and three fours and severalimprovised strokes, was just the finale required, leaving the hometeam a demanding target.They never had it in sight.They lost opener Dion Ebrahim and Stuart Carlisle by the 12th over for44 to two stunning catches and could make little headway againstCameron Cuffy who smothered them with another opening burst of tenimpeccable overs that cost 20.He later added a smart run-out from the outfield and earned the Man ofthe Match award, as he had done against South Africa in front of hishome crowd at Arnos Vale, St Vincent, last month Wicket-keeper RidleyJacobs flew high to his right to snare a spectacular right-handed taketo remove Ebrahim off Reon King’s bouncing outswinger.Hooper matched it six overs later with a tumbling, two-handed catch atshort extra-cover from the dangerous Stuart Carlisle off Merv Dillon.When Andy Blignaut, a belligerent left-hander promoted in an effort tolift the flagging scoring rate, was run out by Cuffy’s swooping,right-handed pickup and laser-point return to Jacobs for 25 from 26balls, the result was all but decided.Any victory these days is welcome for the West Indies and this waseven more so in view of Lara’s departure last night and the heavy lossto the aging Country Districts team on Wednesday.As satisfying as it was, it needs to be put into proper perspective.The loss of Andy Flower, after an incredible, unbroken sequence of 72Tests and 172 One-Day Internationals, weakened Zimbabwe every bit asmuch as Lara’s did the West Indies. To compound matters, Heath Streak,who had led them since last September, gave up the captaincy justbefore play, reportedly over the selection of the XI in which he hadno say.Grant Flower, Andy’s brother, found himself thrust into the positionbut admitted afterwards there were problems within the team. His firstact as skipper was to win the toss and bowl. He would have expected atleast an early wicket or three for his decision but had to wait untilthe 25th over for his first.Gayle, the tall, 21-year-old left-hander, and right-handed Ganga, 22,got through a testing period against the swing of Streak and AndyBlignaut to raise the highest West Indies opening stand since SherwinCampbell and Ridley Jacobs put on 111 against New Zealand in Aucklandin January, 2000.Gayle, inclined to the backfoot as always, escaped a chance to secondslip off Blignaut when 14 but still thumped seven boundaries, mostlythrough the off-side, in 53 off 76 balls before he chipped the legspinner Brian Murphy to long-on.Ganga was even less secure than Gayle early on but became increasinglyconfident. He had 66 to his name, from 98 balls with five fours, whenhe inexplicably charged down the pitch at Murphy and was swiftlystumped by Tatenda Taibu, Andy Flower’s diminutive, 18-year-oldreplacement who looks a natural.By then, Hinds had helped him add 58 from 10 overs and had shaken upthe Zimbabweans with his rapid running between the wickets.It eventually cost Hinds his hand.

Somerset skipper Jamie Cox, who has been missing from the team since sustaining a chipped thumb whilst fielding at Bath against Yorkshire, may well be fit to return to the side to face Essex in the four-day CricInfo Championship match that starts at Taunton on Wednesday.Coach Kevin Shine told me on Sunday: "Jamie is coming in for some tests tomorrow and will have a full net on Tuesday. If he comes through all of this then he will play on Wednesday."

Cove could return to their old Thames Valley League haunts next season with the Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 championship under their belts.Relegated at the end of last season, the Farnborough club are suddenly in the thick of the title race, although their decision to quit the SPL in September means they will not be promoted back into the ECB accredited competition.Surprise defeats for Portsmouth and Lymington – by Old Tauntonians & Romsey and Lymington, respectively – has thrown the Division 2 race wide open.And Cove, with both their rivals still to play at Grasmere Road, could easily win it !Portsmouth sank to a two-wicket defeat after a topsey-turvey affair at St Helen’s, where Matt Scott’s unbeaten 51 spared the team’s blushes after Mukesh Morjaria (4-35) and latterly Stuart Tulk (4-19) had reduced the overnight leaders to 126-8.Scott’s undefeated half-century took Portsmouth to 174 all out – a total which appeared way out of OTs reach when the visitors reply dipped to 79-7 (Richard Rapley 32).But Mike Trodd (40) and Australian Cameron Sterling, with a match-wining 45 not out, turned the match on its head and carried Old Tauntonians to an astonishing two-wicket win at 175-8.A blistering half-century by West Indian Tim Subnaik, which included two huge sixes over the Stoneham Lane fir trees, swept Trojans to a five-wicket win over Lymington.The New Forest club were quite satisfied after Brian Clemow (57) and Ben Craft (47) had posted 191 (Paul Douglas 5-39).But Trojans, uncertain at 74-3 (Christian Pain 2-26), went into overdrive with Subnaik crashing 59 and Simon Williams (29 not out) and Jamie Donaldson (21 not out) taking the winning reply to 194-5.Cove, meanwhile, enhanced Hambledon’s relegation fears with a comfortable six-wicket win at Ridge Meadow.In-form United Services notched a sixth win in seven matches, overhauling Sparsholt’s 204 all out to win by six wickets.Sparsholt’s total was built around Rob Savage (60) and Carl Nichols (43), but US were always on course for victory once Mark Toogood (69) and John Geoghegan (47) had established themselves.But still nothing goes right for Old Basing, whose relegation fate is virtually assured following a 12th successive defeat by Easton & Martyr Worthy.Mark Stone (4-17), Steve Green (3-19) and Andy Birch (2-9) struck as Old Basing tumbled to 103 all out – a total Easton polished off, with Dave Birch hitting 57 not out.

There’s no stopping BAT Sports and Havant as the Southern Electric ECB Premier League Division 1 championship race heads for a photo-finish.A thumping nine-wicket win at Liphook & Ripsley keeps BAT in the box seat – a slender 2.67 points ahead of Havant, the defending champions, who won by five wickets at Andover.The top two clash at Havant Park on Saturday week, August 18.An unbroken second-wicket stand between Damian Shirazi (79) and Dave Carson (65) swept BAT home as the rain clouds threatened at Ripsley Park.The pair spurted BAT home in 41.4 overs with the Liphook spin attack coming under fearful fire from Carson in the gathering gloom – teenage left-arm spinner Toby Martin having 40 runs hit off his four overs.Hampshire YCs all-rounder Chris Wright (57) top scored for Liphook, with Jeremy Bulled (39) and latterly Duncan Berry (28 not out) in support.Dan Goldstraw (3-53) took his season’s wicket haul to 30 as Liphook reached 197-8 (Richard Dibden 3-63).Havant collected 20 points – one less than BAT – from a comfortable five-wicket win over Andover, still smarting from their midweek SEC Cup final mauling from Lymington.Andover progressed steadily after winning the toss, with Jerry Hayward (43), Stuart Summers (35), Martin Miller (34) and Roger Miller (25) the principal scorers in their 185-9 total.Havant maintained a steady rate, with Andy Perry (41) and Richard Hindley (28) establishing a platform for Paul Gover (44 not out) and Shawn Gillies (31) to set up a five-wicket win.Matt Godwin celebrated a career-best spell of 7-49 as Burridge ripped Bashley (Rydal) out for 116 before romping to an eight-wicket win.But for the run out of Richard Knowles, Godwin could have been on for a unique “all ten” as he clean bowled three of Bashley’s top four, including new signing Chris Sketchley, and then bagged the next three.Bashley’s innings, in ruins at 101-8 at lunch, was wound up for 116 soon afterwards.Burridge swept to victory on the strength of an unbroken third-wicket partnership between Paul Hawkins (49) and Dave Jackson (46).Frustration appears to be the name of the game for Bournemouth in all-day cricket.For the fourth time this season they dictated the proceedings – only for Calmore Sports’ to deny them victory with their last pair at the crease.Third-placed Calmore closed at 150-9 after Bournemouth had offered a generous declaration, ending their innings at 218-6 off 62 overs.Bournemouth batted consistently down the order, with Dorset teenager Chris Park (56) able to build on a half-century opening partnership between Andy Bell (24) and Tom Webley (24).Martin Miller (35) shared an 85 stand with Park before Geoff Warrington (22), Julian Cassell (22) and Jim Denning (18) moved the total on to 218-6.Park made a further impact, catching Calmore pair Tom Pegler and Paul Cass off the bowling of Peter Waite (2-45).From 7-2 and subsequently 38-4, Calmore were always battling to save the game and it needed a gutsy performance from James Hibberd to deny Bournemouth victory after Jo Wilson (4-41) had cut through the middle-order.Dave Kidner (2-24) did his bit, but it was Hibberd’s sensibly constructed 67 which enabled Calmore to hold out at 150-9.Hungerford’s prospects of improving their relegation-threatened position at the bottom dipped when the visit of South Wilts to the War Memorial Ground was abandoned at tea.Brendan Pauwells (57) had top scored in South Wilts’ score of 220-8 (Owen Dawkins 3-68). Hungerford did not start their innings.

Celebrations ran long into the night after BAT Sports clinched the Southern Electric ECB Premier League championship with a 15-run victory over near neighbours Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park.It was BAT’s 11th successive win – their victorious sequence began in early June – and one that ensured they finished 16 points ahead of Havant, last year’s winners, who were runners-up.”It’s a marvellous feeling to win the league,” enthused BAT skipper Dave Banks, desperately dodging a champagne soaking on the clubhouse patio.”What is so impressive about our success is that we lost two of the opening five games – and then put together 11 wins in a row, seven of them in the all-day cricket, where it can be much harder to win.”We’ve played some pretty good cricket throughout the side for the past three months and, quite honestly, we’ve so well we’ve not really been pushed that hard.”BAT, needing four points at the start of play to be certain of edging Havant out of the contest, had the title neatly buttoned up by the tea break.Conscious that Havant had rattled up a mammoth 288-3 – they eventually beat Burridge by 138 runs – BAT got the batting bonus points they needed by scoring 222-5 in the afternoon session.They subsequently pegged a gallant Calmore response to 207-8 to complete their 15-run win.BAT’s victory owed much to Richard Kenway (99) and Banks (78) himself – the pair sharing a second-wicket stand of 134 – and some quite unbelievable Calmore fielding howlers.The game might have taken a different course had Australian Glen Motchall not dropped a ‘dolly’ return catch off Damian Shirazi.And Banks not survived two almost equally astonishing dropped catches by Clive Surry and the South Wilts bound Paul Draper.Motchall’s gaff – he allowed a simple fifth-over playground catch to slip through his fingers – was relatively inexpensive, with Shirazi (21) bowled at 60-1.But, by then, BAT had got a start and though Dave Carson (3) was neatly stumped by Stu Bailey trying to charge John Shepherd’s left-arm spin, Calmore looked set for a long afternoon in the sun.Watched by an admiring younger brother Derek, the Hampshire opening batsman, Kenway batted beautifully, punishing anything loose but being equally respectful to the good delivery.He got to 50 as BAT reached 100-2, but then allowed Banks to take centre stage.The BAT skipper rode his luck but struck some glorious shots, burying Shepherd into the foliage overhanging Cooks Lane and thumping Motchall for a crisp straight six.Banks eventually departed at 203-3, leaving Kenway the task of scoring 11 runs off James Hibberd’s final over to bring up a richly deserved century.An exhausted Kenway got to 99, but drove Hibberd’s penultimate ball to extra-cover and was run out at 222-5 by Tom Pegler.”My century was immaterial. I was looking to get 225 on the board and get us another batting point,” confessed the unselfish Kenway.It took Calmore a while before they got any realistic challenge underway – Mark Page (2-43) removing the openersLeft-hander Jez Goode (54) piloted the reply to 104-2, but when Pegler (31) departed at 135-5, it appeared as though the Calmore challnge might peter out.Not so – Motchall, eager to redeem himself, applied the long handle, striking four sixes in a free-scoring 38 which, with the support of Hibberd (32 not out) lifted Calmore’s spirits.But the ultimate challenge of scoring 40 runs off the last four overs and 27 from the final two disappeared when Motchall holed out in the deep.Calmore closed 15 runs adrift at a commendable 207-8 … leaving themselves to rue those dropped catches earlier in the day.Those slips possibly cost Calmore third place in the final table – a position taken by Bashley (Rydal), who won by six wickets at Liphook & Ripsley.Former Ventnor off-spinner Chris Sketchley (4-24) bowled well and Andy Neal (2-30) produced tidy figures as Liphook reached 192-9 – youngster Michael Smyth (51) scoring a well-constructed half-century.But with only one wicket, Matt King missed out on beating BAT’s 38-victim Dan Goldstraw to the Premier League bowling award.Bashley lost four wickets in securing third spot – Neil Thurgood (57) and Richard Knowles (46 not out) producing the key partnership before Neal completed a six-wicket win with an unbeaten 28.Western Australian import Shawn Gillies hit a maiden century for Havant, who ran up a massive 281-3 before dismissing dogged Burridge for 143.Gillies, who hopes to return to Havant next summer, hit an unbeaten 102 after Andy Perry (52) and Richard Hindley had put on 83 for the second wicket.Hindley went on to make 96 – he was caught trying to bring up his century with a straight boundary – and share a third-wicket stand of 138 with Gillies, the Melville man reaching his hundred after a frantic run burst leading up to tea.Havant experienced some difficulty in digging Burridge out – skipper Paul Ancell (38), in particular – but eventually did so for 143 (Phil Loat 3-20) after the ex-champions had used eight bowlers.Bournemouth recovered from an uncertain 31-3 to reach a winning 276-8 against relegated Hungerford at Chapel Gate.When Michael Spence (3-52) hurried Tom Webley, Matt Swarbrick and Martin Miller back to the pavilion in quick succession, Bournemouth were in some disarray.But Northants hopeful Chris Park (46) added a crucial 89 with Julian Cassell (77) before Geoff Warrington (54) and Peter Waite (25) hit out to send the Bournemouth total rocketing to 276-8.Hungerford, who expect some ex-players to return for next year’s 50-over tussles in Premier Division 2, lurched to 8-2 and later 60-5 against Joe Wilson (3-22) and David Kidner (2-24).Spence (37) gave their reply some substance before the left-arm spin of Webley (3-43) closed the Hungerford innings at 128.South Wilts beat Andover by five wickets after pegging the North Hampshire side to 175-9.

Tickets for the VB Series One Day Internationals matches at the Gabba will go on sale tomorrow.The One Day International weekend in January is one of Queensland’s big ticket sporting events, with sell-out crowds at the past two day/night matches involving Australia at the Gabba.The world champion Australian team will meet South Africa on Sunday January 20, with New Zealand taking on South Africa in the other day/night VB Series match on Saturday January 19.Australia ‘A’ will also be in action again, playing New Zealand in a day/night tour match on January 8 at the Gabba.Ticket holders for all international matches at the Gabba this season will be eligible for free public transport to and from the venue on match days this season as part of an agreement between Queensland Cricket and CityTrans.Tickets are available through all Ticketmaster7 outlets in Queensland from 9am tomorrow, or by calling the Ticketmaster7 sportscharge line on 13 61 22. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster7’s website on www.ticketmaster.com.au.The first 1500 tickets purchased online through Ticketmaster7 will also attract a bonus of a free double pass to the XXXX Queensland Bulls opening ING Cup match against the Western Warriors at the Gabba on October 21. This offer is only available for online purchases.