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Tasmanian opener Jamie Cox again served the national selectors with a reminder of his very considerable talents by registering twin centuries in a match for the fourth time in his first-class career today. Cox’s unbeaten 128 was the clear highlight of an otherwise largely forgettable final day of the tame Pura Cup draw between his team and New South Wales at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.Before the almost-inevitable result was delivered a little earlier than expected by virtue of a late afternoon thunderstorm, Cox’s batting carried an injury-depleted Tasmania to safety. The Tigers had gone into the final day needing to hold their nerve against a New South Wales attack in search of early wickets, and did so admirably. Assisted in no small measure by Michael DiVenuto (86) and Daniel Marsh (60*), it was Cox who offered the largest share of defiance in scoring the first pair of centuries in a match for Tasmania since he achieved the feat against the Blues in Sydney four years ago. This was the third time, in fact, that he has plundered two centuries in a match against New South Wales – the first having come in Hobart in 1989-90. He has also complemented this list with a similar performance for Somerset against Hampshire during the 1999 English county season. As is the Tasmanian captain’s trademark, this one was a correct and elegant innings, littered with a range of sparkling drives on both sides of the wicket and flashing cuts through and behind point.For all of their opener’s domination, though, the Tasmanians were well tested throughout the day by the leg spin of Stuart MacGill. MacGill (2/85) was by far the best of the Blues’ bowlers today, and was unlucky not to finish with better figures. Indeed, if Don Nash had not dropped the simplest of catches at mid on in the second over of the day as DiVenuto (then on 46) took a wild swipe at a well flighted ball, the situation could have been vastly different.Nash (1/54) eventually exacted a small measure of revenge when he had DiVenuto caught down the leg side to bring a 195-run partnership to its conclusion four minutes before lunch. The New South Welshmen also enjoyed another great moment when MacGill forced Ricky Ponting (3) to edge the very first delivery after the break back into his stumps. Following those dismissals, though, the Tasmanians were rarely in trouble on their way to a score of 3/315 by the time that the heavens opened at 3:26pm.Following their first innings victory yesterday, the Blues finish the match in second position on the Pura Cup table with eight points from their two matches. The Tasmanians assume third spot with two points. The teams will resume hostilities when they meet, weather permitting, in a Mercantile Mutual Cup encounter tomorrow.

In his first year as editor of the 145th , Scyld Berry warns of the ever-increasing likelihood of on-field physical incident, while attacking the exorbitant and rising costs of watching an England Test.”I fear the day is approaching when a high-profile, televised cricket match will see an outbreak of physical violence on the field – and nothing could be more injurious to all concerned,” said Berry, who has replaced Matthew Engel as the Almanack’s editor for this year and 2009. “Preventing physical violence on the pitch – as more and more matches are played for more and more money – will require vision and leadership.”The worst example came in the Kanpur international when Gautam Gambhir ran straight down the pitch and straight into Shahid Afridi. As the bowler, Afridi was allowed to stay where he was at the end of his follow-through; it was up to the batsman to swerve and avoid him.”It is the ICC’s responsibility to police international cricket, Berry says, and he calls for an exact clarification on the rights of way between fielders and batsmen on the cut strip.Elsewhere in the wide-ranging Notes by the Editor – Wisden’s annual sermon on the state of the game – Berry laments the performances of England’s one-day side and takes aim at the ECB’s responsibility to publicise the game to as wide an audience as possible. “A family day out at an England cricket match is now for millionaires only,” he says. “Watching the England team, whether at a ground or on subscription television, is becoming an elite pastime for the affluent, like opera. To watch the whole Test match at Lord’s against South Africa this summer will cost a member of the public at least £300. Even a day of the New Zealand Test at Lord’s will cost £60, while the best ticket for a one-day international at The Oval has exceeded £100.”Jacques Kallis, the South Africa allrounder, was named the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2007 for his 1210 Test runs at 86.42 last year and 20 wickets at 25.75, labelled by Peter Roebuck as “the first indisputably great African cricketer of the post-apartheid era”. The five Cricketers of the Year were Ian Bell and Ryan Sidebottom for their England performances last year, Ottis Gibson for his outstanding season with Durham, Zaheer Khan – who enjoyed such a prolific tour of England – and Shivnarine Chanderpaul who defied England so resolutely.Berry also questions why the batsmen of today cannot hit the ball as far as their Victorian counterparts, in spite of their apparently brawnier bodies and bats. The biggest ever hit of 175 yards, or 160 metres, was recorded at Oxford in 1856 “from hit to pitch” by Walter Fellows; the Australian George Bonnor struck a ball 160 yards a few years later. Yet the biggest strike in last year’s inaugural World Twenty20 championship, by India’s Yuvraj Singh, was only 119 metres. Berry offers a possible explanation in a piece entitled “Hail Fellows, well hit”. also look at five great cricketers who were never selected as Cricketers of the Year – which include Abdul Qadir, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wes Hall – and they introduce a new award, the Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year.

The West Indian camp sounded confident of a win ahead of the final day ofthe Test at Old Trafford, needing 154 runs with five wickets remaining tocomplete the highest fourth innings run-chase in the history of Testcricket.”I think we’re in it,” said David Moore, the West Indies coach. “They [England] have only taken two wickets in the last two sessions [on day four]. We batted very well and we’ve got twoquality batsmen in at the moment.” Moore hoped that Denesh Ramdin and Shivnarine Chanderpaul could keep batting for as long as possible to get West Indies as close to the target and then leave it up to Darren Sammy and the tail.Daren Ganga, captain of the West Indies, also sounded pleased with the day’sproceedings. “This has been a very good day,” he said. “The mere fact that we onlylost our wickets today was definitely a positive for us.” Ganga felt hisbatsmen had stuck to the task in the uphill battle to chase a score ofover 400. “Shivnarine Chanderpaul led the way with his knock and all theother guys supported. Runako Morton laid that foundation, Dwayne Bravo andDenesh Ramdin all contributed.”Looking ahead to the final day’s play, an optimistic Ganga said, “The gamewould be over probably in two sessions. If we can bat for two sessions Iam sure we will win the Test match.”Shivnarine Chanderpaul, unbeaten on 81, is the man on whom West Indianhopes will be pinned on to finish the job. Talking about the approach ofthe batsmen on day four, Chanderpaul said, “We were looking forpartnerships and to take it session by session and that was how webasically approached it.” When asked about the approach for the final day,he added, “We will go out and continue doing the same thing and look tobat out the first two sessions. If we do that we will be close to winningthe game.”Moore justified the confidence in Chanderpaul by saying he was a classic Test batsman as he loved batting with his back against the wall. “He is underrated and underestimated and people do that at their own peril, Chanderpaul is a world-class cricketer.”Moore felt the West Indian lower-order could provide able support toChanderpaul. “Sammy is very gutsy as you can see with theball, he’s very passionate and certainly he has the ability to supportShiv. We’re looking forward for 9, 10 and 11 to contribute if they have tobut we’re looking forward to knock it off before that.”Expressing his view about chasing the record, Moore said, “It would befantastic if we can do it. In retrospect if we had scored more runs in thefirst innings and batted a little longer we would have been a lot closerthan we are already so we’ve got those things to contemplate later on butat the moment we certainly looking to chase down the target.”Incidentally, West Indies hold the current record for the highestfourth-innings total to win a Test, having scored 418 for 7 against Australiain 2003 at St John’s, Antigua. Chanderpaul had scored a century in that match as well.

A little over a decade ago, a one-day series between West Indies and Zimbabwe would have been an intriguing prospect. International cricket’s newcomers, boasting players such as the Flowers, Heath Streak and Dave Houghton, against the world champions, with Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Brian Lara.In the intervening period both countries have fallen on hard times, and now the bloated seven-match one-day series has all the appeal of a late-season meeting between Torquay and Stockport. Both are in decline – West Indies a gradual long-term one, Zimbabwe’s politically-motivated – and this is a series few outside the Caribbean, and that includes in Zimbabwe, really care about. Since West Indies’ victory in the Champions Trophy in 2004, they have won three out of 23 ODIs they have played. In the same period, Zimbabwe have won four out of 21 (all against either Bangladesh or Kenya).Only one player survives from what we can now look back on as something of a golden era, and that is Lara. It is no coincidence that he is the only real class act on show this time round, with all due respect to Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Not that the gulf between West Indies and the almost totally anonymous Zimbabwe side needs underlining, but consider this. Lara has played 259 ODIs and scored 9359 runs. The entire 16-man Zimbabwe squad boasts a combined total of 166 one-day caps and 2371 runs – and 831 of those come from the bat of Brendan Taylor, their most experienced player. And between them, they cannot even muster 100 ODI wickets,On paper, this series should be grotesquely one-sided. West Indies might have been disrupted by recent contractual upheavals, but they are now settled and Lara has returned for a third tilt at the captaincy. He is realistic enough to know that India in June and July will be a tough nut, so this is his and his team’s best chance to get some capital in the bank as the build-up to the World Cup begins.

West Indies might be a shadow of what they were but they still have more than enough in stock to rout Zimbabwe. The tourists’ batting is fragile, as they showed in the recent series against Kenya. Then, they faced little more than dobblers. Against genuine pace, as was the case in South Africa 13 months ago, almost none of them have the technique to survive. With only four ODIs (all against the Kenyans) in the last eight months, it is inconceivable that they have improved enough to cope with the West Indies attack. The man in form, opener Piet Rinke, is explosive but has yet to be tested against anything half decent.Zimbabwe’s bowling is barely above club standard. Edward Rainsford has the makings of being a decent opening bowler, but he struggled in the warm-ups and , remarkably, is being released halfway through the tour to go and play club cricket in England. Blessing Mahwire, his new-ball partner, looked ordinary against Kenya. The change bowlers hold few concerns and it should be a chance for West Indies’ batsmen to fill their boots.It is, therefore, slightly puzzling that throughout the West Indies the talk has been of not underestimating Zimbabwe, almost as if they are preparing for a setback or two. Perhaps the ghost of Kenya in 1996 still lingers, but a defeat in at least one match seems to be a real concern. It shouldn’t be. While West Indies have slid to a new low, there remains a massive gulf between them and Zimbabwe, and anything other than a comprehensive whitewash will be unsatisfactory.If only Zimbabwe had not driven so much talent abroad then this series could have been a cracker. Imagine a Zimbabwe side containing the likes of Streak, Andy Flower, Murray Goodwin and Tatenda Taibu. As it is, what amounts to a third-string Zimbabwe team are set for three weeks in which their real goal must be to show the world that they have enough potential to prevent the ICC calling time on their participation at cricket’s top table.

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.

Maurice Tate has been named as Sussex’s All-Time Greatest Cricketer, as voted for by the public. Following closely were Imran Khan and Ted Dexter respectively.Tate was a Sussex man – he was born in Brighton in 1895 – and first represented the county in 1912. He became one of England’s finest bowlers and in recognition of his service to Sussex County Cricket Club the gates at the front of the ground were named after him.His Test career lasted from 1924 to 1935 when he represented England 39 times. He took 155 wickets at an average of 26.16 including one with his first ball at Edgbaston against South Africa. It was in this match that Tate and Arthur Gilligan shared in one of the most famous Test analyses. South Africa was bowled out for 30 in 75 balls. Gilligan 6 for 7, and Tate 4 for 12.Sir Jack Hobbs, who faced Tate on countless occasions, summed him in Wisden: “Maurice was one of the greatest bowlers of all time. It is difficult to find words to praise him sufficiently. I know from experience how difficult it was to play against him.”Tate died on May 18, 1956 and the Sussex and Middlesex teams, as well as a very large crowd at Lord’s, observed a minute’s silence the following day.Christopher Tate received the award on his grandfather’s behalf and brought with him the golden key to the Tate Gates presented to his grandfather’s widow in 1958.

ADELAIDE, March 7 AAP – Three last-session wickets from young South Australian paceman Shaun Tait left Tasmania facing a huge challenge to remain competitive after day two of their Pura Cup cricket match at Adelaide Oval today.At stumps, the Tigers were 5-155 in their first innings, still needing another 196 runs to avoid the follow-on after SA declared its first innings at 6-500 at tea today.Tasmania’s chances of staying in the match rested mainly with Michael Di Venuto, who had played aggressively to be unbeaten on 80 from 114 balls at stumps, with Sean Clingeleffer with him at the crease on one.SA started today at 1-266, and again dominated with Mark Higgs the star with the bat today, scoring an unbeaten 112 from 94 balls, with 16 boundaries and one six, ahead of the declaration.The last 100 runs of the South Australian innings came in 100 balls.Opener David Fitzgerald, who batted throughout the opening day, top-scored with 147 and skipper Greg Blewett made 88, with both dismissed in today’s first session.Tait then ensured SA finished the day in complete control when he dismissed Tigers opener Scott Mason for one in the second over of Tasmania’s innings, and then came back to take two wickets in two balls with the opening over of a new spell, six overs before stumps.He dismissed Chris Bassano, LBW for two with a yorker, and Daniel Marsh, caught on the leg side for a golden duck, to cause the Tigers to slump from 3-143 to 5-143.”It started to reverse when I came back on … I thought if I keep it up on the toes it’s likely one will hit them on the toes and be a chance,” Tait said.”The Marsh (wicket) was a bit of luck, it was just an ordinary ball outside leg stump, he hit it pretty well, and (Ben Johnson) was just there.”Tait said the pitch had given the bowlers much more assistance in the final session today than during SA’s innings, and he predicted it would be even harder for Tasmania’s batsmen to survive and save the game on the third and fourth days.”It was a lot better to bowl on today rather than yesterday … tomorrow it will be even better to bowl on, the deck’s probably going to crumble up and keep a bit lower again,” he said.

Indian spin ace Anil Kumble, who is returning to full-fledgedcompetitive cricket after a nine-month injury layoff, will be the starattraction in the Karnataka State Cricket Association Diamond JubileeAll India Invitation Tournament for the Coromandel Trophy to be heldin Bangalore and Mysore from tomorrow.Kumble, who is hoping to return for India’s tour of South Africa inOctober, is leading the KSCA XI in the tournament, which would go ontill August 15 with 14 teams taking part.Besides KSCA XI, which also has in its ranks Test discards VenkateshPrasad and Sunil Joshi, the other teams to be seen in action are:India Pistons, MRF, Hyderabad, Roofit (Mumbai), India Cements, Kerala,KSCA Colts, Andhra, Indian Airlines, ONGC, NCA, BPL and Chemplast.KSCA officials told reporters last night the winner would take home Rsone lakh and the runner-up Rs 50,000.The tournament is expected to give Kumble a clear idea on the currentstatus of his fitness. He had appeared for his alma mater club, YoungCricketers, earlier this month in a third division league tie inBangalore, taking three for 49. It was his first game afterwithdrawing midway through a one-day series in Sharjah in October lastand after undergoing shoulder surgery in Johannesburg in January.The 30-year-old leg-spinner has taken 276 wickets from 61 Tests.

Stuart Law overshadowed another dismal batting display by Nasser Hussain as Essex took control of their County Championship Division One match at Kidderminster against Worcestershire.The Australian right-hander struck a superb 189 after the England captain, struggling for form this season, made just 10.Essex finished the day on 461 for 9 from 114 overs in reply to Worcestershire’s 302.Hussain, nine not out overnight, added just a single to fine leg before he pushed forward to a Kabir Ali delivery which he edged to wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes.With Hussain’s departure came the arrival of the rampant Law. He and Paul Prichard, who was 10 not out overnight, added a solid partnership of 166 in 37 overs.The partnership was ended when 19 year-old paceman Kabir tempted Prichard into playing a loose drive, the batsman being caught at backward point by David Leatherdale.Prichard, who dislocated his left thumb while fielding a shot from Worcestershire centurion Paul Pollard, made 74 from 171 balls (nine fours, two sixes).Despite the departure of Prichard and Ronnie Irani, who was removed by paceman Stuart Lampitt for 14, Law continued in to his fourth championship hundred of the season, the 100 coming from 136 deliveries with 17 fours.It was his 25th first-class hundred for Essex and the 47th of his career. It was also his second ton of the season against Worcestershire, having smashed 133 not out against them at Chelmsford last month.Law did inject a few scares into the Essex camp before reaching his ton. A couple of shots wentclose to Graeme Hick in the slips.Nevertheless, once into three figures he continued to hog centre stage.In tandem with Stephen Peters (67), Law added 185 in 41 overs – an Essex fifth-wicket record against Worcestershire. Peters eventually played on to left-armer seamer Alamgir Sheriyar after having made his best score of the season.Sheriyar made it two in the over by bringing Law’s magnificent innings to an end, with the assistance of an excellent one-handed catch by Vikram Solanki low down at cover. Law’s 189 included 30 fours off 243 deliveries in 338 minutes.After that Essex steadily began to subside, but 76 extras helped their account nicely.Kabir Ali, with 4/114, was Worcestershire’s best bowler.

Straight up
Straight boundaries come easy to Sachin Tendulkar, with drives that look so simple and neat. But it was surprising to see him go for the slog. Stuart Clark pitched it short outside off, the ball was about 132kph, but Tendulkar, instead of pulling it square, swatted it straight over the umpire’s head.Bhajji cools down
After the tirade of hostilities he’s faced on this tour, Harbhajan Singh’s had enough. While Tendulkar made the Australians sweat in the Brisbane heat, Harbhajan cooled himself down by sitting on an ice box. That must have surely helped him walk sedately to the crease amid the boos at the Gabba, home to Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds.Tackling Tendulkar
Australians love bodily contact, and among their favorite sports are Australian rules football and rugby. Michael Clarke might be slim but he made use of his rugby skills to pin down the unstoppable Tendulkar. Gambhir pushed the ball towards mid-on and Clarke tried to stop it in his followthrough. One hurdle: Tendulkar was standing to his left . Clarke ended ramming straight into Tendulkar, who was turning back, and pinned him to the ground. Good ‘n you mate, the Aussies might have said; however, it didn’t stop Tendulkar from making runs.What might have been
Ricky Ponting ordered his men into an onfield huddle before the match to outline his plans for the do-or-die encounter. The inspiration might have passed on to his players, but it wasn’t grabbed by the captain when Tendulkar fired a square drive on 7. Ponting had placed himself at a catching position in front of point and the ball sped to his right at a comfortable height, but it was going too quickly and didn’t stick. An amazing catch would have lifted the team; Ponting’s men had to look elsewhere for the spark.Paying the price
Irfan Pathan was turning out to be ineffective against the Queenslanders Hayden and Symonds, who were steadily repairing the early damage done by Praveen Kumar. As Australia neared the 100-run mark, Pathan offered room and Hayden drove it hard towards cover. The batsmen ran for a tight single. Suresh Raina at short cover tried to intercept but it was Yuvraj who picked the ball at mid-off; he had a aim at the stumps but missed, and the throw beat Dhoni and headed to the boundary.