South Africa 340 for 3 dec (Smith 131, de Villiers 98) beat Zimbabwe 54 (Kallis 4-13) and 265 (Ebrahim 72, Blignaut 61, Boje 4-106) by an innings and 21 runs
ScorecardDay 2
Bulletin – Zimbabwe slide to an embarrassing two-day defeat
Stats – Shortest Test matches
Day 1
Bulletin – Outclassed Zimbabwe blown away for 54
Verdict – Give them a break
Records – A day to remember (unless you’re Zimbabwean
Quotes – Houghton calls for Zimbabwe to suspend Tests
Stats – Lowest Test totals
Stats – Fastest Test fifties
Preview
Preview – Smith won’t underestimate Zimbabwe

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

James Franklin persevered through a third Adam Gilchrist explosion to claim a career-best six wickets, but Australia were thundering through the final Test. Gilchrist catapulted his side to a 91-run lead before Glenn McGrath, who finished on 497 Test wickets, stomped in to reduce New Zealand to 11 for 2 when bad light finally ended a disjointed day.New Zealand’s bowlers deserve to be terrified of Gilchrist after this series. He pounded 121 at Christchurch, 162 at Wellington and another crushing innings today as he slashed Australia to 383. Australia were in trouble at 315 for 8, an advantage of 23 on a tricky wicket, after the second of six interruptions, but Gilchrist breezed out to swing an unbeaten 60 from 62 balls with 10 fours and a six over midwicket off Paul Wiseman.Opening with a couple of streaky edges for fours, Gilchrist launched into Franklin with three boundaries in an over of clean hitting and then pulled Chris Martin to take the lead past 50. The partnership with Michael Kasprowicz, a record for the ninth wicket for Australia against New Zealand, was worth 74 and the runs were crucial as they maintained pressure on opponents who can draw the series with a victory.Franklin contained further damage by leaving Gilchrist, who came in at No. 8 after Jason Gillespie was used as a nightwatchman, without partners and finished with 6 for 119 from 29.1 overs. Exploiting the seaming and swinging conditions, Franklin swept the final four wickets in with his two yesterday as he highlighted Stephen Fleming’s mistake to delay taking the second new ball for 14 overs. The performance was an athletic one and he satisfyingly returned from a couple of poor patches.New Zealand’s bid to set a reasonable target suffered an immediate setback when McGrath, who was angry after an unlucky duck, trapped Craig Cumming lbw. His first delivery nipped back into Cumming’s box and the next followed a similar angle into the top pad-flap. Hamish Marshall, who received the same short-ball treatment in McGrath’s next over, joined his twin brother and got a single before James Marshall ducked into a bouncer that crashed into his helmet.The day was full of disruptions and restricted to 57.5 overs as rain, heavy showers and bad light descended on the ground. Sunny patches usually followed in a strange and frustrating experience. Play was delayed for 20 minutes after lunch, but New Zealand were the ones refreshed by the early shower and they captured 3 for 6 before Eden Park’s second splashing. Gillespie was extracted after 145 balls, the most faced by an Australian in the innings, when he sparred at Martin and Simon Katich, his partner in a 71-run stand that pushed Australia ahead, followed in the next over.Katich, who brought up his 1000th run with an inside edge to fine-leg, had wrestled for 35 when his shot selection let him down as he skewed a pull off Franklin to Wiseman at mid-on. After seeking a lead of at least 100, Australia were in trouble with an 11-run buffer when Shane Warne’s nick gave Franklin his fourth.Australia began on 219 for 4 with Ricky Ponting requesting a big total to avoid a large fourth-innings target. Gillespie fulfilled his nightwatchman’s job by making it to day three, but he wasn’t ready to clock off until after lunch. Three cover-drives displayed the shots he can play when he follows through on his mastered defensive prod.The morning started badly for Australia with Michael Clarke’s horrible run out. Pushing to cover, Gillespie called wait twice as he stepped down the pitch, but Clarke, struggling through a rough patch, kept moving as if he wasn’t convinced by the decision. James Marshall, wearing a red ribbon around his wrist to distinguish him from his brother, swooped and the direct hit sent Clarke off before the third umpire had seen his first replay. New Zealand threatened like the clouds, but Australia were storming thanks to Gilchrist and McGrath.How they were out
Clarke run out 22 (226 for 5)
Looking for a single while Gillespie called wait, he turned too late and was beaten by James Marshall’s throw.Gillespie c McCullum b Martin 35 (297 for 6)
Offered an angled bat to a rising ball outside off.Katich c Wiseman b Franklin 35 (297 for 7)
Awful mistimed pull that lobbed to mid-on.Warne c Fleming b Franklin 1 (303 for 8)
Defensive push to lifting delivery caught the edge on the way to first slip.Kasprowicz b Franklin 23 (377 for 9)
Shuffled across his stumps to glance, but the ball brushed leg stump to give Franklin his fifth wicket.McGrath c McCullum b Franklin 0 (383)
Was grumpy when given out caught behind when the ball flicked his back pad.New Zealand
Cumming lbw McGrath 0 (0 for 1)
Second-ball off-cutter rapped back pad to leave Jeremy Lloyds in no doubt.J Marshall c Langer b McGrath 3 (9 for 2)
The lights were on when he was pushed back and nibbled straight to third slip’s stomach.

Greg Chappell

There are few minds in cricket today as lucid and as inquisitive as that of Chappell, the former Australia batsman, selector, and coach of South Australia. Like all the best modern-day coaches, Chappell understands cricket not just as a specific set of pure skills to be learned and applied but as part of a larger totality, requiring knowledge of matters like body structure, different kinds of learning methods and motivational practices, and issues of diet and nutrition.Author of a recent book called , in which he expounds upon such concepts as unstructured learning environments, and the unweighting and coiling of the body while playing, Chappell has a deep insight into the fundamentals of the game. There is no doubting his considerable technical understanding and tactical awareness, which comes, as he says on his website, from a lifetime spent in trying to understand cricket’s complexities.Chappell and the Indian team potentially make a good fit. He already shares a good rapport with Sourav Ganguly, having helped him out with his batting before India’s last tour of Australia. Chappell also has some experience working in the subcontinent, having spent some time last year as a consultant with the National Cricket Academy in Pakistan. He is hugely respected everywhere, and the younger players will value his ability to break down a problem helpfully. But Chappell will be understandably wary of embarking on negotiations with the BCCI, having done it all once before in 2000, when he and Wright were in contention for the job and he was pipped to the post by Wright.Tom Moody

A veteran of two World Cup-winning campaigns as far apart as 1987 and 1999, Moody has considerable first-hand experience of top-flight cricket.His coaching CV is admittedly rather light, being limited to one long stint at Worcestershire, where he holds the grand title ‘Director of Cricket’. But Moody’s record has been impressive, and he has publicly expressed his desire to coach either England or Australia after his county stint. “You strive for the top and the England job – like any other international coaching job – is the top,” he was quoted as saying early this year. Skeptics might say that very little about Moody’s record suggests that, even if he were offered and were to accept the post of India coach, he would have the requisite experience for the challenge. After all, he spent most of his career playing in Australia and England, and when he retired he chose to take up a position in what might be called his home away from home, Worcestershire. One could say that so far Moody has chosen to work within his comfort zone rather than expand it.However Wright, too, came to India straight out of county cricket, and there is reason to think that Moody’s comparative lack of experience may in some aspects be an advantage. While men like John Buchanan and Dav Whatmore have, in a sense, seen and done it all, Moody would arrive with a first-timer’s enthusiasm and commitment. Hunger to succeed is just as important for coaches as it is for players.The youngest of those featured here – he’s not yet 40 – Moody has a long coaching career in front of him, and India would offer the kind of high-profile assignment he may want at this stage. Worcestershire have already expressed their readiness to release him from his contract if he is offered an international assignment.Sandeep Patil

Speak to Sandeep Patil about Kenya’s dream campaign in the 2003 World Cup, when they reached the semi-finals, and he will constantly repeat that it was “no fluke”. With astute motivational methods, Patil galvanized the Kenyan side with limited talent and helped them stun Test-playing teams like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.Patil’s first experience with coaching India was a disaster, with the team losing in England on the 1996 tour, but he himself admits that he was growing on the job at that point. After his successful stint with Kenya, he returned to take charge of the India A team, guided them to a very satisfactory tour of England – where they didn’t lose a match – before winning the tri-series in Kenya, in a tournament also involving Pakistan A.Not a man to bow to authority, Patil quit as India A coach since he thought he was being treated shabbily. “The BCCI don’t inform me in advance about my assignments,” he told Cricinfo last year,” so that hampers my own programme. That is unfair.” He went on to coach the Oman side in the Intercontinental Cup and helped them qualify for the ICC Trophy after some strong performances in the ACC Trophy.Patil might have been all flamboyance when he played his cricket, but his more tempered approach and ability to extract maximum performance from less talented players make him a possible candidate for the Indian coaching role.Mohinder Amarnath

An outside contender for the post, Mohinder Amarnath has been out of the coaching loop for nearly five years. Amarnath guided a fledgling Bangladesh side in the mid-90s but was dumped after they failed to qualify for the 1996 World Cup. He then had a short stint coaching Rajasthan in the Indian domestic competitions. He turned down the India A job a few years ago and kept himself occupied with a few commentary assignments.As a player, Mohinder Amarnath was the perennial comeback man with outstanding mental toughness. He is most remembered for countering the devastating West Indian pace battery with a string of courageous knocks in 1982-83. He carried on his fine form to the World Cup and starred in both the semi-final and final as India’s unheralded bunch triumphed in stunning style.Amarnath recently claimed that he was confident he could take India to “the next level” and felt that players at the highest level just needed a bit of fine-tuning mentally and technically to sort out most of their problems.

Sachin Tendulkar could be ruled out of international cricket for 16 weeks after undergoing surgery in his left elbow. According to , Tendulkar was operated upon in London on Monday.Speaking about the surgery, Dr Andrew Wallace, the orthopaedic surgeon who examined Tendulkar, told the daily: “Sachin Tendulkar was admitted on Monday to the St John and St Elizabeth Hospital for treatment to his left elbow. He underwent a surgical procedure under local anaesthetic for a condition affecting the extensor tendons. The procedure was successful and there were no complications. He is expected to be discharged tomorrow and make a full recovery. He should be fit to play top-level cricket in approximately 16 weeks.”SK Nair, the BCCI secretary, added that the board was waiting for an update on the situation from John Gloster, the Indian team’s physiotherapist. Talking to AFP, Nair said: “We are waiting for a medical report as Gloster is also with Tendulkar in England.”Tendulkar has been bothered by a tennis elbow and missed plenty of cricket last year. If the recovery period does take as long as indicated, then Tendulkar will definitely miss the triangular one-day tournament in Sri Lanka which starts on August 1, and could also be ruled out of the tour to Zimbabwe in September. He should, however, be fit to take on the Australians in the Super Series, which will be held in October.

Mohammad Akram and Azhar Mahmood have signed three and one-year contracts respectively to play for Surrey, following the retirement of Adam Hollioake and the departure of Alex Tudor. Surrey are still looking for a spinner to replace Saqlain Mushtaq, who has not been re-engaged after he missed most of the 2004 campaign with a knee injury.

Akram, who last represented Pakistan in March 2001, has previously turned out for Northamptonshire and Essex, but had one year still left on his contract at his last club, Sussex. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sussex and wish them every success in the future.” Akram said. “It was a great dressing-room atmosphere.” On his move to Surrey, he added “I’m delighted to have signed for what I regard as the biggest club in England. I already know a few of the players, such as Azhar [Mahmood] and I’m looking forward to working hard in the off-season so that we can bring trophies to The Oval next summer.”Azhar himself, who has been an overseas player for Surrey since 2002, took 58 wickets in the Championship this year and was voted Team Player for 2004. He said, “The Oval has become my home over the last few years and I’m very happy to have committed to the club for next year.”Steve Rixon, Surrey’s cricket manager enthused: “To have the talents of Mohammad on the field for us next season will be a real bonus. He is a top-quality performer who will relish the sort of pitches produced here at the Brit Oval. We know what we are getting with Azhar, someone who gives 100% and is very popular in the dressing room. To have the both of them playing here at the Brit Oval next summer is very exciting and demonstrates our intention to strengthen the squad.”Two-year contracts were given to Richard Clinton, a opening batsman and son of Surrey’s former coach Grahame, and left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi, son of former Indian Test player Dillip, while two brisk right-arm bowlers, Danny Miller and Jade Dembrach, who is a product of their Academy, have agreed to terms.

Pakistan XI 260 for 8 (Misbah 77, Hameed 52) beat World XI 216 for 7 (Robin 58*) by 44 runs
Scorecard

Wasim Akram got a rousing send-off in his farewell match as a Pakistan XI team, of which he was the captain, beat a World XI line-up by 44 runs in a charity game at Lahore. In a 40-over day-night match, Pakistan XI made 260, and then restricted the World XI to just 216. Akram contributed a 11-ball 18, and then took one wicket in three overs, but the statistics were only of academic interest as 15,000 fans at the Gaddafi Stadium cheered his every move.The Pakistan XI innings was dominated by Misbah-ul-Haq (77) and Yasir Hameed (52), who continued the good form he has shown all season. Akram batted at No. 6 and blitzed four fours in his innings, before Steve Tikolo ended the fun, having him stumped by Romesh Kaluwitharana.Akram then derailed the World XI reply early, trapping Sanath Jayasuriya in front for a fourth-ball duck. Robin Singh (58 not out) and Tikolo (43) propped up the run-chase for a while, but the World team were never in the hunt.Akram was visibly moved by the opportunity to have a last fling on the cricket field. “When I retired I received a lot of telephone calls and e-mails from fans that I should have done so in a match on home soil and I have fulfilled their demands,” he said. “I owe it all to my fans, whether they live in Pakistan, England or anywhere in the world – no cricketer can become a great player until he is motivated by fans. It’s a great feeling, I led my country with distinction and this one last chance brought it all back.”

A report in the Nairobi-based Daily Nation says that several Kenyan players have made themselves unavailable for this Friday’s Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia, as a result of a contractual dispute with the board (KCA).The squad, together with a new captain, is to be named shortly, but some players are likely to be omitted after clashing with the board over a decision by the KCA to extend their contracts only until the end of November.A source informed Wisden Cricinfo that he had been told that a number of mainly African players have made themselves unavailable for the game, allegedly including senior figures and youngsters, although most of the Asian cricketers have agreed to play. He added: “I hear the selectors are desperately trying to find adequate replacements who are willing to play.”There are separate reports that the selectors are scambling around to try to fill the side. Some people who have not previously come close to international selection are thought to have been approached, including a couple who live overseas.Steve Tikolo, who resigned as captain after Kenya’s exit from the Champions Trophy, said he would personally not sign a two-month contract. He was quoted as saying: “Giving us a contract until the end of November means that after that date, when Kenya has no international fixtures, we are discarded.”Sharad Ghai, the KCA’s chairman, said this position had been forced on the board due to lack of funds. “I had said before that unless we find a sponsor, it is going to be difficult to keep the players on contract and nothing has changed so far,” he explained. “The seniors said they want at least a year’s contract but we say no because we do not have the resources, they need to give us more time to get a sponsor.”If they do not play, too bad but I have faith in the younger players to do well against Namibia, I believe they have a point to prove and are more hungry,” he added. “I don’t mind losing, we must have the courage to lose today so we can win tomorrow.”

New Zealand become the first team to undertake four Test tours of Zimbabwe and Stephen Fleming, the captain, Nathan Astle and Daniel Vettori have been on three of them. They will be only too aware of the country’s decline as well as the similar progression, or regression, of its cricket.At least this Zimbabwe team will be stronger than the one playing for the last 18 months as a few rebel players have returned to the side after pressure on Zimbabwe cricket from the international cricket community. Still missing are three players of genuine Test quality in Grant Flower, Sean Ervine and Raymond Price, not to mention all those who retired prematurely in despair.The Zimbabwe selection has also been handicapped by the absence of Andy Blignaut, Douglas Hondo, Tinashe Panyangara and Ed Rainsford, all still suffering from stress fractures. But at least the presence of Heath Streak will ensure that the New Zealand batsmen do not have it all their way.The batting is strengthened by the return of Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart, who supply much-needed experience in addition to skill. But with the ill-concealed hostility between many of the players and the administrators still very strong, can one expect morale to be high and the team to match their opponents?Zimbabwe are taking a gamble by playing only four bowlers, three of who still have everything to prove. The promising but disappointing allrounder, Elton Chigumbura, has been dropped, while Trevor Gripper was omitted due to poor form. Neil Ferreira, a gritty player with a great heart but rather limited ability, will open the batting in his first Test with Brendan Taylor, whose six-month suspension has been mysteriously cut short.For New Zealand, the main interest will be in the performance of paceman Shane Bond, who has looked most impressive and very quick in practice. He will probably not get too much help from the flat Zimbabwean pitches in the dry spring weather, but Zimbabwe’s batsmen will do well to reach 300 in an innings. With last season’s team it would have been 200 and the match would probably have been over in three days. This season it should last four.New Zealand, sound rather than spectacular in both batting and bowling, will expect to win both Tests handsomely, with fine weather almost assured at this time of year. Zimbabwe should improve on the disasters of the last season, but will have to do very well to convince the world that they still deserve to play Test cricket. Until or unless cricket in the country is restored to the hands of those who genuinely know and love the game, this is unlikely to change.Probable teams:
Zimbabwe Brendan Taylor, Neil Ferreira, Dion Ebrahim, Stuart Carlisle, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Wishart, Tatenda Taibu (capt, wk), Heath Streak, Blessing Mahwire, Graeme Cremer, Chris Mpofu.New Zealand Stephen Fleming (capt), James Marshall, Hamish Marshall, Lou Vincent, Nathan Astle, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum (wk), Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Shane Bond, Chris Martin.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has rejected Cricket Australia’s (CA) request to reschedule the proposed Australian tour due to take place in February 2008 to August 2007. Australia are due to play three Tests and five one-day Internationals in Pakistan.”CA had sent us a request that they would like to undertake their scheduled tour,” a senior PCB official told . “But we’ve declined because the weather in August – specially in Punjab – is not conducive for international cricket.”Citing security reasons, the Australian team refused to play in Pakistan in 2002 and the series was shifted to two neutral venues – Colombo and Sharjah – with a subsequent tri-series in Nairobi.The PCB official also informed the board is currently chalking out the programme for the next four years. “We are presently sitting down and chalking out a schedule for the next four years so that itineraries can be finalised well in advance unlike the past when these things happened too late.”Pakistan recently finalised the itinerary for the England series, which gets underway on October 26 and includes three Tests and five one-dayers. Pakistan are also scheduled to host India – the itinerary for which is yet to be agreed – besides staging the Asia Cup from mid-February next year.Asked about India’s agreement to play a Test and a one-dayer in Karachi, the PCB official said: “India are certain to play a Test in Karachi but they’ve to get the itinerary formally approved from some of their ministries before making a final announcement.”

Marvan Atapattu, the Sri Lankan captain, has no plans to experiment with his team against Bangladesh in their two-Test series starting at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday.Atapattu said, “I am not fond of throwing away Test caps. They are meant to be earned.””It’s true that you have got to groom younger players, but just because it’s Bangladesh you don’t throw away 15 Test caps,” added Atapattu, who hopes to use the series to improve his team’s game ahead of a packed calendar. “We respect the opponents. They are just coming up and we’ll try and improve our game in these matches.”Bangladesh are hoping to overcome their 3-0 drubbing in the preceding one-day series and a struggle in other side games.But their chances of putting up much resistance suffered a setback because of injuries to pace bowlers Mashrafe Mortaza and Tapash Baisya, who were sent home on Friday.Dav Whatmore, the Bangladesh coach, said, “The worrying factor for me is that we couldn’t fight a bit harder to get out of situations. Then there have been injuries and things like that about which you can’t do much.””We have got to do the basic things right and put up a reasonable total on the board and fight hard. We have studied the opposition and are well prepared.”The opening Test will be the first at the R. Premadasa Stadium in eight years and the home side have some happy memories of the venue. It was where Sri Lanka piled up a massive 952, a world record in Test cricket, against India in 1997.Sanath Jayasuriya hammered 340 in that match and added 576 for the second wicket with Roshan Mahanama (225), the highest partnership for any wicket in Tests.The second Test will be played at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, also in Colombo.