Owing to recent events and increased security precautions in London,Routine searches will be made throughout the 5th npower Test at the AMP Oval, 23rd – 27th August, when England play Australia.Surrey County Cricket Club requests that spectators arrive well before 11.00 am to allow time for searching to take place, and also that belongings brought to the ground are kept to a necessary minimum.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announcedthe itinerary for the Zimbabwean tour of India in 2002.The 36-day tour which will immediately follow the India-England serieswill see India and Zimbabwe clashing in two Tests and five one-dayers.Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla will host the first Test from February 20 to24 while Nagpur would host the second Test from February 28 to March4. Interestingly, the two venues had played hosts for the two Teststhat were played when the Zimbabweans last toured India in 2000.India won that two Test series 1-0, after registering a sevenwicketwin in the Delhi Test. That was the series that saw Andy Flower employhis now famous reverse sweep while scoring runs by the ton against theIndians. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, meanwhile, were thebatting heroes for India in a series dominated by batsmen.Faridabad, Mohali, Guwahati, Cochin and Hyderabad in that order willhost the five one-dayers between the two sides.The proposed itinerary:Feb 12, 2002: Arrival
Feb 15-17: Three-day match (venue yet to be fixed)
Tests:Feb 20-24: First Test at Delhi
Feb 28-Mar 4: Second Test at Nagpur
One-dayers:March 7: First one-day International at Faridabad
March 10: Second one-day International at Mohali
March 13: Third one-day International at Guwahati
March 16: Fourth one-day International at Cochin
March 19: Fifth and final one-dayer at Hyderabad
March 20: Departure
From Somerset’s first match in the 2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester campaign played against Cambridgeshire in June, to a stunning victory in the Final at Lord’s in September – the fight for the first ever Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy was a hard and very exciting one. With the Somerset team all the way has been leading Westcountry Stockbroker Rowan Dartington, Shirt sponsors for this season and also for the following two seasons.This important sponsorship by Rowan Dartington originally covered the County Championship and the Benson & Hedges Cup. However, Rowan Dartington quickly got caught up in the excitement of the C & G Trophy run, and readily agreed to further their sponsorship to also include the Trophy matches. Our sincere thanks go to Barrie Newton at Rowan Dartington Head Office in Bristol and to all his team throughout branches in the South West. Heres’ to the next one!For further information please contact:
Bath Office – John Downey 01225 424666Rowan Dartington with its strong West Country heritage is proud to sponsor Somerset County Cricket Club and in the first year of a major three year partnership congratulates the team on their outstanding performance to win the 2001 C&G Trophy. Most of the senior management and employees are very sports orientated with Rob Turner, Somerset’s wicket keeper having worked his last five winters with the company – indeed it was no doubt batting of an exceptional standard that led during that marvellous partnership between Rob Turner and Keith Dutch during the semi-final against Warwickshire to numerous boundaries thudding into a Rowan Dartington sponsorship sign! Rob continued this promotional activity at Lords whil keeping wicket and during that stirring partnership with Keith Parsons.Graham Rose the Somerset all-rounder has also worked for the Company and Somerset County Cricket Club is proving an ideal vehicle for Rowan Dartington to enhance its corporate profile.Rowan Dartington is the West Country stockbroker with offices across the South-West but has a particularly strong presence within Somerset, with teams of private client executives based in Bath, Taunton and Weston -Super-Mare. Wc offer a complete range of quality, traditional stockbroking services for private clients from dealing, ISAs and PEPs (transfers) through to advisory and discretionary portfolic management while our Corporate Finance team offer financia advice to businesses and their owners.If you would like to know more about the services that weoffer, please visit our web site www.rowan-dartington.co.uk, 01call one of our Somerset branch offices: John Downey (Bath) 01225 424666, Charlie Bracher (Taunton)-01823 257752, or John Scott (W-S-M) 01934 413355.Rowan Dartington & Company – Member of the London Stock Exchange and Regulated by The Securities and Futures Authority.
A gritty unbeaten century by Brad Hodge put Victoria in a comfortable position after day one of the Pura Cup cricket match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval today.Hodge battled tough conditions to be not out 100 at stumps as the Bushrangers reached 4-228.He was joined by Ian Harvey, who remained not out 29.Play was extended for an hour after three rain interruptions during the day and even when the lights were switched on, the atmosphere was dim.But the pair faced up well to the new ball late in the day, putting on a 53-run partnership with Hodge reaching his 13th first-class ton off 209 deliveries, including 12 fours.”It wasn’t my most glorious innings in the world,” Hodge said.”It’s good to get off to a good start. Last season I started off with an 85 not out against a full-strength New South Wales and that kicked me on my way, now this, it’s good for the team.”I struggled a bit because I’m a bit colour-blind. It got really dark.”With key strike bowlers Paul Wilson and Brett Swain out injured, SA youngster Paul Rofe (2-38) stepped up in only his fourth first-class match to make thebreakthrough for the Redbacks on the last ball before lunch.Jason Arnberger had reached 17 before he slashed at a delivery from the 20-year-old paceman, hitting the ball straight to Ben Higgins, who took a comfortable catch low to his left at cover point.The visitors added just two runs to their lunchtime total before Rofe struck again when Matthew Mott edged a catch to wicketkeeper Graham Manou to put Victoria at 2-47.Victorian opener Matthew Elliott looked dangerous, facing 119 balls and hitting five fours on his way to 42.But when Hodge hit a Mark Harrity delivery and the pair set off for a run, SA skipper Darren Lehmann pounced on the ball and returned it underarm to the ‘keepers end, catching Elliott out of his ground.Hodge then combined with Michael Klinger for 83 runs.After batting for more than an hour and facing 67 deliveries for just 13, Klinger picked up the pace after tea, adding another 22 from 44 balls, including four fours.But Klinger’s innings ended on 35 when he edged Harrity to the ‘keeper.Test paceman Jason Gillespie bowled well without reward, finishing on no wicket for 45 from 23 overs while Harrity finished with 1-65 from 21 overs.
Services toiled for 40 overs to reach 62 for two, replying to Delhi’simposing 467 for five declared, a total mainly powered by captainMithun Manhas’ cracking 140.Resuming on Day Two at their overnight score of 242 for two, Manhaswas on the offensive right from the beginning and was instrumental inhis team scoring 151 runs off the 36 overs bowled in the firstsession.Services tasted some success in the 14th over of the day when they hadyesterday’s centurion, Akash Chopra (123), caught at silly point by PMadhusudhan Reddy off Arun Sharma, bringing Pradeep Chawla to thewicket. Manhas, who exploited Services’ erratic bowling and shoddyfielding to the full, dispatched glorious shots all over the ground,cracking 20 boundaries and two sixes, sending his rivals scurrying forcover.His 16th boundary, a captivating pull towards the midwicket, fetchedhim his century. Manhas and Chawla (66) added 140 runs in 34 overs,piercing the field at will, before the latter fell, brilliantlystumped by keeper Sarabjeet Singh off Reddy in the 135th over.Delhi plundered 72 runs in 11 overs after lunch before a mistimedManhas shot off Sudhakar Ghag landed straight in the hands of SanjayVerma at cover; the innings was promptly declared.Services began their innings on a sedate note, the runs eluding themas Delhi’s opening bowlers Amit Bandhari and Arun Singh were ontarget, striking line and length straight away. Delhi drew first bloodin the seventh over when keeper Pradeep Chawla lunged to his right tolatch on to an edge from Narendra Pal Singh, who never lookedcomfortable and managed just two off 30 balls.With the Delhi bowlers and agile fielders giving them no room to playshots, Services went into a shell, getting into a defensive mode toensure that did not lose any more wickets. But the hosts struckanother blow in the 25th over when Delhi trump card off-spinnerSarandeep Singh scalped his first wicket, dismissing Jasvir Singh (7).However, Reddy (16*) and Yashpal Singh (30*) joined together and triedto shrug off the impact of the early dismissals, playing some positiveshots. Their unbeaten partnership of 41 imparted a modicum ofstability to the Services innings, and they hold the key to theirteam’s fate in the match, given the huge total amassed by Delhi.
Former Somerset cricketer Ray Robinson has died at the age of sixty one after a long illness.Ray who was right handed batsman was on the staff at The County Ground for several seasons in the 1960’s, and scored runs regularly at both club and second eleven level.He was a regular member of the side that won the Minor County Championship in 1965 but appeared only once for the first team against Nottinghamshire at Taunton in 1964.Ray Robinson was also a considerable rugby player and appeared for Taunton RFC and Somerset. After leaving Somerset he followed a career in the police force.One of Ray’s three sons Andy played cricket for Somerset at Under-19 level, and played rugby for Bath and England.
Two more West Indies players are returning from Sri Lanka to the Caribbean because of ill health.Leon Garrick, who had been due to remain for the one-day international series instead of Wavell Hinds, has a potentially serious heart ailment, sick sinus syndrome. It was diagnosed when Garrick underwent cardiac tests after complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath.Spinner Dinanath Ramnarine has partially torn a muscle in his left side. It is a recurrence of the injury that meant an early end to his part in the summer tour to Zimbabwe.Garrick and Ramnarine will return to the Caribbean tomorrow. Ramnarine has been told to keep out of cricket for four weeks, while Garrick will undergo further tests in Jamaica. A replacement player is expected to be announced soon.
A Lack of funds and foresight will leave the West Indiesunderprepared for their forthcoming series in Pakistan,wherever it is staged.A late start to the Busta Cup tournament on January 25, theday the team is scheduled to leave, means the selectors haveto name the squad of 15 and judge form and fitness withoutany first-class cricket since the end of the series in SriLanka on December 21.The itinerary gives the West Indies only one three-day warmup match against a President’s XI, scheduled for January28-30, prior to the three back-to-back Tests and three One-Day internationals.It compounds the uncertainty over where the tour will takeplace following the stated position of the West IndiesCricket Board (WICB) that it be moved to a neutral venuebecause of uncertainty over the military action across theborders in Afghanistan to the west and India to the east.The usual week-long pre-tour camp has been planned forTrinidad prior to the team’s departure, but a moremeaningful alternative would have been two four-day trialmatches over the next two weekends after which the squadwould be chosen.In the event, such matches merited first-class status tofurther ensure their competitiveness. The seven omitted fromthe original 22 would have been stand-bys, a crucialconsideration in light of the several withdrawals fromrecent tours.Both WICB president Reverend Wes Hall and chairman ofselectors Mike Findlay have acknowledged that this scenariohad not been considered and, even if it had been, it wouldhave been too costly at a time when the WICB’s finances werestretched.Although most of those under consideration have beeninvolved in Busta trials for their individual territories,these lack the intensity necessary to properly guide theWest Indies selectors or to prepare the players for thechallenge of a series against strong opposition.The Pakistanis have not played Test cricket since last Junein England as a result of New Zealand’s cancellation oftheir series there in September in the aftermath of theterrorists attacks in the United States.They have been engaged in their domestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophyfirst-class tournament and will have two Tests against lowlyBangladesh in Bangladesh over the next two weeks to sharpenup for the West Indies.
Molyneux Park in Alexandra will host a second State Championship match this summer.Already scheduled to host the round eight match between the Otago Volts and Canterbury Wizards in mid-March, Molyneux Park will also now be the venue for the fifth round game between the Volts and Central Stags in mid-February.The match has been moved from Carisbrook because of a heavy workload at headquarters.With three State Championship games played at Carisbrook before New Year and Group D of the ICC Under-19 World Cup this week, groundsman Mark Perham will now be able to concentrate on preparing a pitch for the One-Day International between New Zealand and England on February 26.Perham’s mastery was to the fore again yesterday with Australia posting a world Under-19 record in amassing 480/6 against a hapless Kenyan side. Australia’s tally beat its own record of 398/6 registered against Papua New Guinea at the 1998 tournament.
Wet weather in Christchurch, the host venue for the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup, has claimed its first victims.Practice games scheduled for tomorrow have had to be cancelled.New Zealand Under-19 were to have played their England opposites on the Lincoln University No 3 ground while Sri Lanka were to have played a Canterbury Country team in Rangiora, a country town just outside Christchurch.But with incessant rain over the weekend pitches have not be able to be prepared. And rain, after a brief absence in Christchurch during today, returned again this evening.An extensive programme of games has been arranged for all sides at all three locations for matches on Wednesday and Thursday.The tournament’s opening game is on Saturday at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, the centrepiece ground of the New Zealand Cricket High Performance Centre at Lincoln University, between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.