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Andrew Symonds posted his third century in as many County Championship games since joining Lancashire, but his sustained brilliance could not grab a Division Two victory over Yorkshire. While the sides contested the 253rd Roses match, Symonds made some history of his own at Old Trafford by adding 146 to his earlier scores of 134, 45 and 121.Lancashire, the red roses, had lost 3 for 10 when Symonds arrived at 243, and with Stuart Law (0) and Marcus North (2) also falling quickly he sensibly dug in for his half-century, which came in 106 deliveries. However, he upped the pace soon after and his remaining runs came at around a run a ball in an innings including 19 fours and one six.After Lancashire reached 537 the high-scoring encounter continued as Yorkshire, the white roses, added 6 declared for 323 to their first-innings 417, with Phil Jaques contributing a pair of 14s and bowling his first three overs of the season. The draw means Yorkshire are third with a 2.5-point lead over their rivals in the race for promotion.At Derby, the home side’s win-less season was added to by Essex, who scooted to their target of 337 late on the final day. Michael Di Venuto made small contributions of 27 and 4 in Derbyshire’s 426 and 216, but Jon Moss improved on his first-innings 21 with 74 off 91 balls as his side struggled to set a total. The gap between Derbyshire and Leicestershire at the bottom of the table is 34.5 points.Stuart Clark, who was called into the Australia Test squad before Old Trafford, returned to Middlesex and must have wished he had stayed with the national team. As Sussex rattled to 522, including a century from the Pakistan bowler Naved-ul-Hasan, Clark picked up an unflattering 1 for 109 in 22.4 overs before Middlesex crashed for 128 and 162 to lose in two days. Sussex lead the Division One while their opponents are trying to avoid relegation.Hampshire cruised into the final of the C&G Trophy with an eight-wicket thrashing of Yorkshire at Southampton on Saturday, but it was a quiet match for the three Australians on show. Jaques collected 31 to start the day as Yorkshire made 9 for 197 in 50 overs, Andrew Bichel picked up a wicket and Shane Watson was 11 not out when the winning runs were hit.In the other semi-final Law made 47 as Lancashire folded for 137 chasing Warwickshire’s 236 at Edgbaston on Saturday. Symonds took 1 for 43 off his ten overs but scored only 8 in their disappointing reply.

Alec Stewart, who represented England for over a decade before retiring at the age of 40 last year, has said that the proposed tour of Zimbabwe in October is both unsafe and morally wrong. England are expected to honour their commitment and tour Zimbabwe, unless security fears or a an unlikely veto from the British government force them to do otherwise. The International Cricket Council had warned them of serious repercussions and a massive fine if they failed to meet their obligations.Speaking at a fundraiser, Stewart said: “What’s happening in Zimbabwe isn’t right. Morally, and for safety and security issues, it’s probably not right to go. In fact, it isn’t right to go.” Stewart was part of the World Cup squad that refused to play in Zimbabwe last year, citing security concerns.”The ECB have been backed into a corner,” said Stewart. “The ICC have put the ECB under huge pressure with financial penalties on the tour … that’s harsh.”Stuart MacGill has already pulled out of Australia’s tour of Zimbabwe later this month, but few other Australian players seem likely to follow his example.

THE TRIUMPHS and tribulations of the region’s most-loved game are captured by renowned photographer Gordon Brooks in his book Caught In The Act – 20 Years Of West Indies Cricket Photography.The 144-page hard-bound edition was launched last Saturday evening in the boardroom at Kensington Oval and adds to the growing vein of work on regional cricket.The book has three well-written articles, by Harold Hoyte, editor-in-chief of The NATION, former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and president of the West Indies Cricket Board Reverend Wes Hall.Dedicated to Brooks’ former business partner, the late Cyprian LaTouche, it also features more than 150 black and white photographs spanning the Clive Lloyd years (1981-84), the Vivian Richards years (1985-91) as well as the turbulent period 1992-95 and 1996-2000 with its moderate gains."It feels great," was how Brooks summed up the achievement. "I must confess I am really humbled by the outpouring of good wishes and so forth."The thought-provoking and emotive pictures capture scenes like the triumph over England in 1984; it provides a montage of the greats like Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Sir Vivian Richards, Joel Garner and Michael Holding, as well as Sir Garry Sobers with Brian Lara after his 375 in Antigua.The abandonment of the Test at Sabina Park in 1998; Jimmy Adams with his hands strapped during the 1999 South Africa tour when he severed the tendons; Walsh passing 376 Test scalps and the whitewash against South Africa, losing the Frank Worrell Trophy to Australia and the knighting of Sir Vivian in 2000 are just some of the memorable moments captured on film.Minister of Sport Rudolph Greenidge delivered the feature address, filling in for Prime Minister Owen Arthur. The speech he read captures the essence of the book, comments on its social and historical significance and also lauds the author."He must be applauded for taking this innovative approach for recording and preserving West Indian cricket," Greenidge said. "And indeed through Brooks’ lens and the absorbing accompanying text of Tony Cozier, our history is kept alive. He showcased the waxing and waning of West Indies cricket, the highs and the lows, the truthful and, no doubt at times, painful record of our game surely speaks to the calibre of the man."Brooks thanked his family, office staff, Carl Moore, who did "the donkey work" at the beginning, Miller Publishing, 809 Design and Dynamic Imaging for helping with the birth of his baby and its professional finish.

There has been a lot of activity in recent weeks with regard to the players, the terms and conditions of their employment, selection, the Task Force report and the future of cricket in general. Zimbabwe’s professional cricketers have now come out in the open on a number of issues.Colin Blythe-Wood, on behalf of the Zimbabwe Professional CricketersAssociation, this week made public a letter the association sent to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka. Six copies of the letter were also sent to the Integration Task Force.The letter summarized the matters that have been addressed in the immediate past and set out the framework for better liaison between the players and administration in the future. It also set out the ZPCA response to the Task Force report on the integration of cricket.The players have been unhappy with several issues for some time, with the main problems being the terms and conditions of their employment and the poor liaison between the players and cricket administrators. According to ZPCA, the discontent has resulted in fixtures and tours being jeopardized, as well as anger and frustration for both players and executives. The players believe that the below-par performances on the field of play have been a result of such discontent.When ZPCA was put in place, a representative was appointed to act as a liaison officer between the association and ZCU. A remuneration committee has been revived to review and discuss present terms and conditions, especially where problems have arisen. It will motivate the payment of the share of profits for the six months to February 2001. It will also ensure that the calculations and payment of the share of profits for the six months from March to August 2001 are carried out as quickly as possible after August 31. The committee comprises a chairman and a representative each from the players and the ZCU.On the issue of team selection, the players said that the resignation of captain Heath Streak on the first day of the Coca-Cola Cup last month was a result of the inability of the coach and captain to influence selection. They state that they have never insisted that the coach and captain be on the full-time selection panel.”All we ask for is that the two of them are involved in the process in an open, frank and constructive way,” read the letter. “After all, they are the two people responsible for the performance on the field and so they should be involved in the procedure to determine who they are coaching and captaining.”On the issue of integration, the players say that they are fully behind the Task Force recommendations, except for the issue of having a quota system in the team. “The first point that must be made by us is that we believe that the future success of cricket in this country depends on the extent to which we are able to involve the black community in the game. We have to take cricket to the population at large and popularise the sport.”It will grow and prosper as a sport only if it becomes a game that has the support and active involvement of the black majority. Here, and in other larger cricket-playing nations, it is a minority sport. For the growing success of the game we must widen its appeal and popularity. There is only one area in which we disagree with the Task Force report, and that may be one of interpretation. While we accept and support the report, we do not believe in a system that is not based on merit, i.e., a quota system. This has not worked anywhere in the world.”What we believe will not help is forcing players into the teams to fulfil quotas and make up numbers. This will create stress and problems for both the players who are left out even though they have more ability, and for the players who are included but cannot perform at the required level. This is what will lead to personal and racial tension, and it will be because of a misguided policy based on racial practice. We do not believe you correct a wrong by perpetuating a wrong – that simply exacerbates the problem.”What we will not support is a racially motivated quota system, not based on merit. We will support a system where, in the case of players of equal ability, the selection goes to the black player as opposed to the white or Asian one. We do not support a selection process where a player of clearly inferior quality or form is chosen ahead of an alternative player of clearly superior quality or form, whatever the racial group of the first player.”This is patently unfair and unconstitutional, and will lead to the demise of cricket and the reversal of all the admirable goals of the past ten years or more. If the next World Cup side is made up of 11 black players, and they are the best players in the country, we will support the team wholeheartedly. The better solution is to correct the wrong by giving help and assistance to the person or group that has been wronged, by means of support, advice, financial security and incentives, coaching and opportunity. The ZCU now has the resources to do this, and should use its resources generously.”The players say that they do not need political agendas and selfish aims of a few people to prevail over the sensible good work and steady progress that has been achieved by the many people who have been involved in the past. We do not pretend that everything has been done properly. We know that mistakes have been made, and we acknowledge that the players have contributed their share of errors. We have to be less selfish about our own needs.”We have to be more nurturing and sensitive to the needs of the younger players, especially the black players who are under pressure, both financially and in terms of performance. The senior players have already resolved to be more caring and considerate to the junior players. They are the future of the game and we know we have to pass on, to them, a proud heritage.”The players also note with regret the big gap between club cricket and national cricket. “We understand the ZCU is already dealing with this. What is needed are more Board XI games and A-team games. This will give the second and third-ranked groupings of players much-needed experience at a higher level and will bridge the gap between club and national cricket.”

Australian players have dominated the English county scene in recent years, in both their number and with their figures. But the IPL, the new one-overseas player limit, and, ultimately, the rain all had their part to play in limiting Australians’ appearances and their chances to contribute to the opening round of seven first-class matches last week.Chris Rogers, however, made the most of his opportunity to give a nod to the selectors who had dumped him off the contracts list, with a second-innings ton for Derbyshire in their Division Two draw with Gloucestershire in Bristol. He had made an inauspicious 3 in the first dig as the visitors collapsed.His former Western Australian team-mate Marcus North topscored in the home side’s first innings with 87 and did not bat second time out as rain put paid to proceedings after Derbyshire’s Rogers-led rally. Only three wins were registered, the four draws all victims of the weather.Lancashire captain, the English-qualified Stuart Law, made 38 as Lancashire, last year’s runners-up, drew with the champions Surrey at The Oval. His team-mate Brad Hodge made an unbeaten 43 before the rain came. Surrey were without Matt Nicholson, who had a virus.In the second division, Western Australia’s Steve Magoffin took one wicket in each innings as Worcestershire drew with Warwickshire.

Uncapped left-arm spinning allrounders Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana have been called up to Sri Lanka’s squad for the five-match ODI series against Pakistan. Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal have been left out, as have seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad.In addition to the new allrounders, Sachithra Senanayake and legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna serve as the squad’s frontline spin options. Nuwan Pradeep, who has played two ODIs, most recently in 2012, joins Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal to form the quick bowling line-up. Seam bowling allrounder Thisara Perera has also been named.The batting contained few surprises. Kusal Perera is in the squad following his stellar performances against Pakistan A. Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal and Ashan Priyanjan have also been named while captain Angelo Mathews and opener TM Dilshan are almost certain to play. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who had been in Sri Lanka’s original World Cup squad, has been left out.Siriwardena, 29, had an outstanding domestic season this year, hitting 1144 runs at an average of 67.29 across 19 first-class innings. He has also been a dependable bowler in domestic cricket. Pathirana, 26, is more of a bowler, and has been chosen on the back of several solid domestic seasons. He has taken 86 List A wickets at 22.58.This series will be Sri Lanka’s first ODI foray since the World Cup. It is also their first series without Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Other players who featured in the World Cup campaign but have not been chosen include Jeevan Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera. The first match begins on July 11, in Dambulla.Squad: Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekuge Prasanna, Sachith Pathirana

For England, it was a day of long, hard and fruitless toil; for India, a day of consolidation rather than conquest. By the end of it, however, there was no question where the momentum of the series was headed. Aside from a hard-earned victory over West Indies last June, and the obligatory dismissal of Zimbabwe in 2005, India have not won a Test series outside the subcontinent since their tour of England in 1986. Now, however, they are three good days away from the most improbable of series leads, and with just the Oval Test to come next week, England’s failure to close down the Lord’s Test grows more acute by the minute.As Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid used what now amounts to almost 20,000 runs-worth of Test knowhow to inch their side ever further into the ascendancy, it almost felt that the clock had been turned back by half a decade. On this very ground in 2002, the seeds of India’s last recovery on English soil were sown. Defeat in the Lord’s Test was followed by consolidation at Trent Bridge, and then by glory at Headingley, where Dravid, Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly each made hundreds in what remains, arguably, the finest collective batting performance by an Indian team overseas.Dravid won’t match that effort (at least, not now in this innings) but for Tendulkar and Ganguly, who knows? Both remained in situ at the close, their competitive juices whetted by the scent of probable victory. For Tendulkar in particular this was – for the English fans who have not tracked his recent travails – an uncharacteristically dour performance. It was far removed from the twinkle-toed majesty of his earlier appearances on English soil, not least his glorious 177 on this very ground in 1996, when he was at the absolute peak of his powers.”In my era, I think he’s the best player I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing against,” said Allan Donald, who was on the receiving end of two of Tendulkar’s greatest performances – his 111 at Johannesburg in 1992-93, and his wonderous 169 at Cape Town (in partnership with Mohammad Azharuddin) five years later. “He’s something special, very freakish, and I think that what he’s done for the game and his country has been absolutely phenomenal. He’s a credit to cricket and today he looked quite his old self out there.”That latter statement was something of a moot point. Tendulkar eventually looked his old self. He brought up his 11,000th Test run with a sumptuous cover-drive off Monty Panesar, and rifled Ryan Sidebottom in the same direction two balls later. Before that, however, he seemed listless at the crease – like the Mohammad Ali of the late-1970s, punch-drunk from years and years of fighting, and surviving through reputation and determination in equal measures.Panesar, who so gleefully scalped him for 16 at Lord’s, seemed almost apologetic when he served up a help-yourself leg-stump full-toss to get his hero off the mark first-ball, but after another single in the same over, Tendulkar managed just one more run from his next 28 deliveries, a torrid spell that included a clanging blow to the visor when James Anderson, the “bowling captain” as Donald later described him, dug one in short. In the first half-hour of his innings he changed his bat and gloves so many times that the 12th man eventually decided to wait by the edge of the pitch in case of a further change of mind.

But eventually the confidence was coaxed out of his performance, and England’s bowlers began to flag through their lack of rewards. “They showed a hell of a lot of courage and responsibility, and they were patient,” said Donald. “I think the stage is set for these three youngsters – with all the senior bowlers injured around them – to grab this opportunity and show what they are about.”Tendulkar’s efforts notwithstanding, it’s been that sort of a series, one in which the young bucks have shown up their more experienced peers. None did so more effectively than Dinesh Karthik, whose splendidly forthright 77 came to an end through a loss of concentration straight after tea. The importance of his innings will doubtless be forgotten if Tendulkar and Anil Kumble secure the win that is there for India’s taking, but even at this early stage of proceedings, Karthik was content to pass the praise directly to his idol.”I’m so happy to be part of this team and I’m honoured that a person like Sachin even knows my name,” said Karthik. “It’s such a fantastic feeling for me. For me he’s the greatest player I’ve ever seen, and I’m 100% sure he’s going to beat the record. There’s no doubt about that. It’s just a matter of time.”It should be just a matter of time before India take the lead in this series as well. After India’s depressing denouement at the World Cup, there may yet be a glorious finale in prospect for an extraordinary generation.

A fluent half-century from Yuvraj Singh, and defiant batting from the lower order spared Indian blushes as they eked out a three-wicket victory over a strong Sri Lankan A side at the Colts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. A fair gathering peered through the railings at the tree-fringed venue in Havelock Town as the Indians were given just the sort of test that they needed ahead of the tri-nation tournament that starts on Monday.Chasing 203 for victory, they slipped from the relative comfort of 128 for 3 to the crisis scoreline of 153 for 7, before Ajit Agarkar’s resolute 32, and a doughty knock from Ramesh Powar saw them home with 33 balls to spare. After Nuwan Zoysa had triggered an early slump with the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, both caught clipping the ball to midwicket, the slow bowlers came to the fore, with Malinga Bandara’s legspin and Mohamed Suraj’s offbreaks causing hesitancy in the middle of the innings.Yuvraj, though, carried on as he had for much of last season, stroking the ball sweetly off his pads and crunching some lovely drives through the covers in his 57-ball 61. His 65-run partnership with Rahul Dravid, who made 47 after opening with Tendulkar, set the game up for the Indians after Sehwag’s penetrating spell of 3 for 16 restricted the Lankan A side to 202 for 9.Upul Tharanga continued to mine a rich vein of form with a classy 88, but with the exception of a sedate 31 from Jeevan Mendis, there was little support from the top order. The Indian bowlers – apart from Ajit Agarkar who went for 45 in his seven overs – gave little away and only a late charge from Akalanka Ganegama, who thumped 29 off 27 balls, took the run-rate past four an over.After all the scrutiny of his recent form, Irfan Pathan could feel satisfied over a 10-over spell that cost just 31, though he would have been less than thrilled with his 13-ball stay in the middle after being sent in at the fall of the first wicket. Several outside the gates had also congregated to watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni – a familiar face on Reebok advertising hoardings here – but despite a trademark loft for six, he could make only 10 as the Indian chase went from cruise to crisis. Rahul Dravid said afterwards that he was reasonably happy with the outing, and with another game pencilled in for tomorrow, the Indians had every reason to be optimistic that it would be all right on the [Wednesday] night.

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At the Wanderers, Western Province Boland only needed to bat once as they beat the Lions by an innings and 26 runs. A first innings of only 241 cost the Lions dearly as they were bowled out for 219 in the follow-on. Vaughn van Jaarsveld saved the Lions from further embarrassment at the hands of their arch-rivals by scoring 80, the only player to convert a good start into a solid innings. Charl Willoughby was again in the wickets, with Alan Dawson also picking up three in the second innings.
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In Bloemfontein, the Warriors and the Eagles drew their SuperSport Series match after both captains decided that there was no chance of a result. The Warriors were rescued by an undefeated 120-run fourth-wicket partnership between Arno Jacobs and Mark Boucher, after they had lost three quick wickets in pursuit of 304.The Eagles started the day at 238 for 6, and had added 79 more runs when Nicky was the last man out, eight runs short of his sixth first-class hundred. Together with Johannes van der Wath (48), he had made the game safe for the Eagles with a 107-run partnership and left the Warriors a realistic target in 78 overs. Makhaya Ntini again was the destroyer-in-chief, snaring 4 for 71 to take nine in the match for the Warriors.By losing three quick wickets for 31, the Warriors lost all momentum as they looked to re-establish their innings. Jacobs added 51 to his first-innings 129 to end the match without being dismissed, while Boucher, recently axed by the South African selectors, guided his side through the last 15 overs to finish on 64 not out. The Man-of-the-Match award went to Boje for his efforts with both the bat and the ball.
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After coming up short once before this season, the Titans took no chances on a placid SuperSport Park pitch, as they set the Dolphins a target of 266 in 44 overs. By delaying the declaration to allow Zander de Bruyn to get to his hundred, the Titans ensured that they would not suffer a similar defeat again.Losing three wickets in the morning session gave the Dolphins some hope, but an undefeated 116-run partnership between de Bruyn and Albie Morkel almost ensured that the outcome would end in a draw. Declaring at 376 for 5, they set the Dolphins a target of 266.The Dolphins showed some aggression, but to maintain the required rate proved to be beyond them. Imraan Khan, awarded Man of the Match, added a quick 60 but it was never enough to make a game of it. At the close, they had reached 119 for 2 when the game was called off.

Chris Adams, Sussex’s Championship-winning captain, has signed a two-year extension to his contract, which will keep him with the county until the end of the 2006 season.”There has been a lot of speculation about Chris’s future over the last few months," admitted Peter Moores, Sussex’s director of cricket, "and the agreement of the new contract couldn’t have come at a better time as a boost to all at the club.”Chris’ role as both captain and player have been crucial in Sussex’s recent successes and this new contract ensures continuity for the foreseeable future," added Moores. "The key now is for us to focus on the cricket and get ready for what promises to be another exciting journey.”