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Sri Lanka’s star fast bowler Chaminda Vaas has been forced out of theongoing Sharjah Cup quadrangular with an injured right ankle.The left-armer, the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup with 23 scalps,will return home to Colombo to receive treatment before a two-Test serieswith New Zealand.”Chaminda (Vaas) will be returning tonight,” confirmed Ajit Jayasekera, theSri Lanka team manager.”With some rest and treatment we are hopeful that he will be ok for the NewZealand series, we just don’t to take any risks with him here,” addedJayasekera.Sri Lanka have called up uncapped paceman Dharshana Gamage as a replacement.The 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler, also known as Dharshana Nayanakantha,who plays his club cricket for Bloomfield, joins his first internationaltour after impressing against the ECB Academy.

Australia coach John Buchanan believes Adam Gilchrist’s declaration has left the Headingley Test open for either side to win.Gilchrist declared to leave England with 315 to win the Fourth Test, though bad light forced them off the field after facing only 2.3 overs with the score on 4-0.Buchanan said: “Where the game is poised at the moment both sides have an opportunity to win.”In the context of this game and the way the weather has been, both sideshaving that opportunity to win is a good scenario going into the last day onthat wicket.”We will continue to attack as long as we can. That will give themopportunities to score and us opportunities to take wickets, so it is a goodcontest and it should be an exciting last day.”But he did add: “We feel there will be sufficient chances tomorrow – at least ten – in which to take those wickets we need.”England batsman Mark Butcher emphasised the need for the home side to be positive in pursuit of victory, rather than try to bat out 90 overs.”It is very important that you go out there with a positive attitude and lookto try and win the game,” said the England number three.”If we do not manage that then of course we have to look to hang on, but ifyou go out there looking to draw a game at the outset you put yourself indifficulty which is not necessary.”England were criticised for their last-day defeat against Pakistan at OldTrafford this summer when many felt they played for a draw too early, having been set 370 for victory.”These are a slightly different set of circumstances,” said Butcher.”But if you go out there basically looking to survive for 90 overs againstthat sort of bowling attack on a pitch offering a little bit of assistance youwill get yourself into a little bit of trouble.”

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union held a press conference in Harare this afternoon to brief the media on last week’s talks with the ICC in Dubai and insisted that Zimbabwe’s Test status had not been suspended.Peter Chingoka, the chairman of the ZCU, told reporters that the board had agreed to "revision" of the four Tests scheduled for later this year until 2005. He explained that Zimbabwe’s Test status had never been up for review at the Dubai meeting and that it had "its Test status and enjoys all the benefits and obligations that come with it, just like the other nine full member countries."And Chingoka tersely dismissed accusations that the ZCU was guilty of discrimination. "Nothing could be further from the truth than the unjustified accusation of racism mischievously levelled against the ZCU," he said. "Our integration process is not just all-embracing in intention but also in implementation. We have continued to promote, develop and administer the game of cricket for the benefit of all Zimbabweans without discrimination of any kind."We remain committed to the full implementation of this document, whose contents have stood the test of time."He went on to explain that India, Australia and South Africa had all offered their support to try and help Zimbabwe gain much-needed experience. The three countries have offered places within their high-performance programmes to Zimbabwe’s promising players, as well as making available facilities for the development of coaches and umpires.Chingoka defended the constitutional process for the appointment of the ZCU board which, he insisted, "involves an independent panel made up of senior and respectable citizens."The meeting was impressed and satisfied with our presentation and requested that we make a similar presentation to the ICC executive board which meets in London on the 30th of this month."And he concluded by repeating that he hoped that the dispute with the rebel cricketers could be resolved but reiterated the board’s line that the matter was not one which needed the involvement of the ICC disputes committee.

First Division

Darren Pattinson bowled his first over on the opening day at Trent Bridge at around 11.05 am and also bowled the final over at around 6.30 pm. During that time 20 wickets tumbled as Pattinson ripped Lancashire apart with a career-best 6 for 30 before Nottinghamshire were removed for 202. It was the second time in two matches that Lancashire had been involved in such a day, following their game against Durham last week. Pattinson took a five-wicket haul on his county debut in the opening match of the season against Kent, but had to move aside while Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad were available. With those two on England duty, Pattinson had another chance and responded in destructive fashion. Lancashire’s top order – missing Mohammad Yousuf who has had some minor visa issues – slumped to 16 for 4, and later the last six wickets went for 12. In between Stuart Law (55) and Steven Croft began a recovery but Mark Ealham started the second collapse by having Croft caught by Graeme Swann. Wickets continued to fall as Nottinghamshire slipped to 43 for 3. Samit Patel produced the best innings of the day, adding 93 with Mark Wagh (55), and Patel’s 74 off 71 balls took his team into the lead before Gary Keedy – the first spiner of the match – grabbed two quick wickets. Croft then swiftly wrapped up the innings with his medium-pace, although the lead of 89 is useful on a lively surface. The pitch inspectors are on their way for the start of the second day.Chris Tremlett continued the promising form he showed for England Lions last week with five wickets as Hampshire had a productive first day against Surrey at The Rose Bowl. He removed Jon Batty for a duck and returned to have Scott Newman bowled via an inside edge when he appeared set. Mark Ramprakash, searching for his 100th hundred, was caught behind for 17 as plenty of Surrey batsmen made starts without capitalising. Mark Butcher, well caught by Sean Ervine at midwicket, and Usman Afzaal fell in the forties despite being dropped three times between them. Matthew Nicholson’s 40 gave the total some respectability and the day ended on a positive note for Surrey when Jimmy Ormond removed Michael Carberry in his first over.The Somerset top order enjoyed the conditions at Taunton and Sussex endured a tough day in the field. James Hildreth scored his first Championship century of the season as the visitors were made to toil in typically batsman-friendly conditions. Chris Adams put Somerset in, perhaps swayed by last week’s match when Somerset were 23 for 6 against Hampshire. Neil Edwards was within touching distance of his own century but, having advanced out of the crease against Ollie Rayner, was run out for 99 by some swift work from Chris Adams at slip. Marcus Trescothick hit 74 with 11 boundaries before becoming Corey Collymore’s first Championship wicket.Click here for John Ward’s report of the first day’s play between Durham and Yorkshireat Chester-le-Street where Michael Di Venuto dominated with an unbeaten 184.

Second Division

Chris Taylor and Steven Snell hit centuries to haul Gloucestershire out of a hole against Worcestershire at New Road. The pair added 222 in 53 overs for the sixth wicket after the top order had fallen against the new ball to leave them struggling on 85 for 5. Simon Jones struck twice in his first spell, but Taylor and Snell carried the game away from Worcestershire. Snell began his cricketing life on the Isle of Wright and has now been preferred ahead of Stephen Adshead in the Championship. He reached his first century off 179 balls while Taylor hit four sixes in his 137 before being caught behind off Gareth Batty. But the momentum was now with Gloucestershire, a point emphatically hammered home by Mark Hardinges’ 43-ball half-century during the final session.Jonathan Clare continued the impressive form, which has earned him a contract extension, and his unbeaten 70 boosted a mediocre batting performance by Derbyshire at Sophia Gardens. The Glamorgan attack made early inroads as James Harris helped reduce Derbyshire to 66 for 3. Chris Rogers made 69 before being caught behind off David Harrison, but Clare and Graham Wagg (32) started the fightback with a stand of 50. Robert Croft worked his way through the tail to end with four wickets, including his 900th for Glamorgan. Matthew Wood fell early to Wagg, but Gareth Rees gave Glamorgan a solid platform to their reply.2nd dayJacques du Toit hit his maiden first-class century as Leicestershire piled up 527, their highest total for nearly two years, against Northamptonshire at Grace Road. He built on the solid work from the top order on the opening day, adding 129 with Paul Nixon (79) for the seventh wicket. Even when Nicky Boje removed them both the problems didn’t stop for Northamptonshire as Jermaine Lawson clubbed 35 off 29 balls at No. 11. Niall O’Brien built a solid response after Lawson removed Stephen Peters with a leg-stump yorker, finishing the day unbeaten on 76.

Click here for final tablesThe final group-stage matches in the Friends Provident resulted in Durham, already confirmed as semi-finalists after winning on Sunday, finishing top of the North Conference to be at home to Essex while Hampshire secured home advantage against Warwickshire by winning the South Conference.

South Conference

A sixth-wicket stand of 122 between Rikki Clarke and Chris Schofield rescued Surrey from embarrassment against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl after they crashed to 32 for 6, Stuart Clark doing the damage in an opening burst of 5 for 16. Surrey eventually posted 181, a total Hampshire passed with three wickets in hand despite a late wobble which saw them lose four within sight of victory. The win confirmed Hampshire as conference winners and ended Surrey’s slim chance of making the semi-finals.That result meant that Gloucestershire missed out on run-rate despite beating Kent by 40 runs at Tunbridge Wells. A fourth-wicket stand of 105 between Hamish Marshall and Alex Gidman steered Gloucestershire to 275 for 6, and Kent were in touch until two quick wickets from Ian Fisher put the brakes on the innings and thereafter they were always second best.Essex booked their place in the last four with a convincing seven-wicket win over Somerset at Chelmsford. Martin Saggers removed Marcus Trescothick and Peter Trego early on, but it was the introduction of Danish Kaneria which put Somerset on the back foot, taking 5 for 32. Only Justin Langer, with 82, showed any semblance of taking the attack as Somerset were bowled out for a disappointing 193. Essex’s chase got off to a rollicking start with Mark Pettini and Varun Chopra putting on 74 for the opening stand. And though Pettini fell to Ian Blackwell for a barnstorming 87 – from 79 balls and including 12 fours – Ravi Bopara’s slick 51 ensured Essex were home and dry in the 35th over.An excellent 110 from Nick Compton wasn’t enough for Middlesex who imploded against Sussex, losing by nine runs at Lord’s. Chasing 272, Compton and Owais Shah – who was in bristling form in his 97-ball 88 – put on 163 for the third wicket to put Middlesex well on course for victory. But when Shah holed out to James Kirtley, Middlesex crumbled to lose 5 for 52. Sussex’s 271 for 9 was set up by a magical 111 from Murray Goodwin – as inventive as he was orthodox – and a dogged 82 from Richard Montgomerie.Ireland’s disappointing campaign ended with a washout against Glamorgan at Belfast, leaving them without a win.

North Conference

Warwickshire beat Durham by 39 runs at Edgbaston to enter the semi-finals. The match was as good as meaningless for Durham who had already qualified for the last four, but today they struggled as Warwickshire piled up 314 for 5. Jonathan Trott (105*) and Tim Ambrose (132 off 82) put on 174 quick runs for the fifth wicket. Durham got off to a reasonable start, but on 77 for 3 the rain fell heavily and, with Durham behind the Duckworth-Lewis rate, the match was abandoned in Warwickshire’s favour.Nottinghamshire beat Lancashire by 37 runs in another rain affected match at Trent Bridge but it wasn’t enough for the hosts to qualify for the semi-finals. Lancashire’s 219 for 9 was led by Steve Croft’s 63 and a bristling 30 from Tom Smith – but the hosts began strongly in their chase, with David Hussey smacking 51 from 48 balls. When the rain fell, Nottinghamshire were comfortably ahead under the Duckworth-Lewis regulations, but owing to Warwickshire’s win over Durham, Notts missed out.There was nothing at stake in the match between Leicestershire and Derbyshire at Leicester, and the home side cruised to a nine-wicket win thanks to an unbeaten stand of 229 between John Mauders and John Sadler, both of whom hit their maiden one-day hundreds. Derbyshire had a sixth-wicket stand of 133 between Ant Botha and James Pipe to thank for giving helping them to 236 for 7 after Jim Allenby’s career-best 5 for 46 had reduced them to 88 for 5.Scotland were spared a drubbing at New Road when rain intervened as they tottered on 20 for 3 in reply to Worcestershire’s365 for 7. Vikram Solanki led the charge with 132 from 94 deliveries and Phil Jaques and Ben Smith chipped in with fifties. Scotland lost three wickets inside the first three overs.Yorkshire were awarded an unlikely victory over Northamptonshire at Headingley after the visitors notched 314 for 5. Usman Afzaal and Stephen Peters both hit fine hundreds, putting on 214 for the opening wicket. But after losing their openers, Yorkshire sneaked ahead on Duckworth-Lewis with Gerard Brophy unbeaten on 45 and Anthony McGrath making 62.

Division One

A superb 172 from Darren Lehmann took Yorkshire to the heights of 302 on the opening day of their encounter against Kent at Headingley. The next highest score was from Anthony McGrath (41) as Simon Cook (5 for 38) ran through the lower order to dismiss Yorkshire for 310. Lehmann was last man out when he fell to Min Patel; in 189 balls he hit 19 fours, clearing the boundary four times, and it was his fifth hundred of the season, taking his haul to 1272 runs in 12 matches. Yorkshire ended the day on top when Deon Kruis removed David Fulton shortly before the close.Hampshire’s Chris Tremlett served up a timely reminder of his abilities, grabbing a six-wicket haul including two in the first over of the match – Ian Westwood and Jonathan Trott, both clean bowled. That left Warwickshire reeling at the Rose Bowl. But Mark Wagh came to their rescue with a superb 128, his second and highest century of the season. He added 173 for the third wicket with Nick Knight, who made 78, as Hampshire struggled for further inspiration in the absence of their captain, Shane Warne. Tremlett, however, was not to be denied, and returned with more wickets in his second spell, as Knight fell lbw and Alex Loudon was caught behind for 10.Andrew Caddick top scored for Somerset with a typically boisterous 68 to frustrate Glamorgan on the opening day at Taunton. After Huw Waters continued his impressive form, picking up five Somerset batsmen to leave them reeling on 227 for 8, Caddick set about the recovery to take his side to 330. He cracked nine fours and two sixes in a 10th-wicket partnership spanning 44 minutes with Charl Willoughby worth 67. In reply, Glamorgan set off in a hurry with Gareth Rees and, in particular Mark Cosgrove, belting the Somerset bowling with an opening stand of 101. Willoughby and Caddick hit back, though, to remove both openers before stumps.Sussex are on course for a big total on the first day against Durham at Hove after four of their batsmen made confident half-centuries. None has yet gone on to make a hundred, although Chris Adams remains unbeaten on 92. Richard Montgomerie and Carl Hopkinson stroked the ball around during their 140-run opening partnership before Mick Lewis removed Montgomerie and Michael Yardy in quick succession. Matt Prior batted with his customary forcefulness and pugnacity, crunching several fours as he and Adams went on the attack.

Division Two

Surrey’s batting struggled in the absence of Mark Ramprakash, who was forced to sit out of their trip to Chelmsford for personal reasons and so missed the chance to go for an incredible sixth score of 150-plus in consecutive innings. With Andy Bichel leading the charge, Essex’s bowlers tore through the top order, leaving Surrey reeling at 147 for 6, before Ian Salisbury steadied the innings from No. 7 with 74, his best score of the Championship season. He was ably supported by Neil Saker, whose 58 more than doubled his fledgling career tally. Azhar Mahmood ripped out Varun Chopra and Mervyn Westfield shortly before stumps as Essex limped to 32 for 2.Fresh from their triumph in the Twenty20 Cup, Leicestershire found their return to four-day cricket to be an arduous one, as Worcestershire’s Stephen Moore and Steven Davies made them work hard for their wickets at Grace Road. Moore made 97, and was unlucky to miss out on his first century of the season when he was bowled by Claude Henderson. Following the dismissal of Graeme Hick, Worcestershire were 121 for 4, with Stuart Broad having accounted for a possible future England team-mate, Vikram Solanki, for a seventh-ball duck. But Moore and Davies, and later Davies and Gareth Batty turned the innings around with singular resolve.

When New Zealand travelled to Bangladesh last year, just two home journalists made the trip to cover the tour. Despite Zimbabwe being just one place higher than Bangladesh in the ICC Test Championship and it being a considerably more expensive place to tour, the number of New Zealand journalists in Zimbabwe is, prima facie, quite remarkable.According to www.stuff.co.nz, the journalists sent to Zimbabwe by New Zealand media organisations include a “Pacific correspondent” and a “seasoned war journalist”. While it may seem a bit extravagant when the only person firing bullets will be the New Zealand paceman Shane Bond, the media contingent on the ground reflects the manner in which the politicians in New Zealand have built up the tour.The non-cricketing media brigade did not take long to dangle the political bait but the players’ uniform response – “we are only here to play cricket” – was as emphatic as the question irresponsible. This is, after all, a cricket tour.The Test series starts tomorrow at the Harare Sports Club, which is expected to provide an excellent surface for batting. With the firepower it has in its line-up, New Zealand should win the series without too much trouble and, although it is winter in Zimbabwe, the sun and mid-twenties temperatures forecast for the opening days of the first Test mean the weather is unlikely be a concern.Zimbabwe has a lot to prove both to themselves and the cricketing world but it hard to see that happening quickly when you consider India are their next opponents. Eight of the side that played the two Tests in South Africa in March return; those missing being opening batsmen Stuart Matsikenyeri and Barney Rogers and the promising allrounder Elton Chigumbura.Despite the players and administrators’ row ending, including the significant appointment of Heath Streak as the vice-captain for this series, the only additional players of significant experience Zimbabwe have been able to call on are the batsmen Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart.Carlisle is coming off an unbeaten 103 in his last Test but that innings was way back on March 1, 2004. The other four players joining the squad have just six caps between them and they all belong to Blessing Mahwire who has an uninspiring bowling record of six wickets at 82 in his previous Test appearances. In contrast, New Zealand has the luxury of recalling Bond, Scott Styris and Daniel Vettori and denying Jacob Oram even the drinks-carrying job!If Zimbabwe is to taste success in the next month it may be more likely to come during the one-day tournament with New Zealand and India where Streak and Andy Blignaut should flex some muscle. Streak has a soft spot for New Zealand as his batting average of 198 is his last four one-day digs against New Zealand indicate while Blignaut is a power hitter who could further expose New Zealand’s death-bowling frailties.As expected, Bond has been recalled to start his first Test since May 2003 although John Bracewell, the coach, told The New Zealand Herald that an allrounder was needed to ensure Bond was not over bowled and that there was “even more need to make sure that we have all the options covered,”.The upshot is that Styris – with 30 wickets at 23.80 for Middlesex in the County Championship this year- has been included at the expense of Oram, who is not yet fit enough to bowl.As New Zealand will have a bowling quintet of Bond, two other pacemen to be chosen from James Franklin, Chris Martin and Kyle Mills, the left-arm spin of Vettori and Nathan Astle’s medium-pacers, it is hard to see why further bowling cover is needed for this match.With an batting average of 54.60 under Bracewell and a brilliant century against Australia at the Gabba two Tests back, Oram’s omission as a batsman is a major surprise and begs the question how many other countries could leave such a performer out of its top six?The other curious selection is the choice of Lou Vincent at opener in the place of Craig Cumming. Vincent was dropped after opening the innings in Bracewell’s first two Tests as coach against Pakistan in 2003 and recalled to the side last season as a middle-order batsman. Such has been Vincent’s chequered run at the top of the order and his recent success further down, it is mind boggling to think that he has now gone the full circle.What it does show is influence of the captain Stephen Fleming, who wants to bat at No 4, and the uncertainty of the New Zealand selectors around who the opening pair will be in the future. James Marshall and Vincent will be the third partnership tried in the last five Tests.

Close New Zealand 384 (Fleming 117) and 190 for 5 (McMillan 28*, Franklin 2*) lead England 319 (Trescothick 63, Cairns 5-79) by 255 runs
Scorecard

New Zealand started the third day at Trent Bridge with a timely morale boost from Down Under. In their Rugby Union international against England, the All Blacks romped to a crushing 36-3 victory. It was the sort of news that couldn’t help but inspire their black-capped cousins to greater deeds.Sure enough, James Franklin and Chris Cairns shared nine wickets between them to secure a highly improbable 65-run lead, before Mark Richardson and Stephen Fleming more than doubled the advantage with a coolly-compiled 94-run opening stand. By the close, New Zealand led by 255 runs with five wickets remaining. All it will take is defeat by France tomorrow evening, and England’s sporting bubble will have been well and truly pricked.New Zealand’s position would have been even better, had it not been for a couple of howlers from umpire Simon Taufel, who sent Stephen Fleming on his way, lbw for 45, before adjudging Scott Styris to have been caught behind for 39, as he swiped at a wide delivery from Steve Harmison with three overs of the day remaining.There was clear daylight between Styris’s bat and the ball (and, at that stage, between New Zealand’s prospects and those of England) but the error allowed England to regroup before the close. New Zealand still remain in charge, but with two bowlers missing from their attack, they need to set England something nearer 350 if they are to have any realistic hopes of avoiding the whitewash.Mind you, the absence of Chris Martin and Kyle Mills had made no difference in morning session, when Cairns’s wily assortment of slower balls, and Franklin’s zippy left-arm swingers were too much for England’s remaining five batsmen, who were rattled out on the stroke of lunch, for the addition of 94 runs.In reply, England’s seamers made a lethargic start. For the most part they were accurate but unthreatening, and Richardson and Fleming settled in for the long haul. Fleming struggled to get the ball off the square at first, but Richardson was in an uncharacteristic hurry to capitalise on his scoring opportunities. Every time England bowled too straight, he would clip them through midwicket; too much width and they disappeared through the covers.

It was left to Ashley Giles to make the breakthrough. On 41, Giles had got his palm to an uppercut off Harmison, but he made amends in the second over of his spell, as Richardson played across the line and was pinned plumb lbw by a sharply turning delivery. He was gone for 49, one short of his fourth half-century of the series, and he was rightly applauded from the field by the Trent Bridge crowd. New Zealand may have lost the series, but in batting nearly 22 hours for his 369 runs, Richardson has remained unbowed throughout.After tea, New Zealand’s middle-order stumbled in that now-characteristic manner. Brendon McCullum was utterly deceived by a fine piece of bowling from Giles, beaten in the flight as he came down the track and well held by Flintoff at slip as the ball skewed off a leading edge (106 for 2).Flintoff then took the big wicket of Fleming, who had been troubled by his tight off-stump line from around the wicket, and was sent on his way by Taufel as he padded up to one that would have been slipping over the top of off stump (126 for 3). When Nathan Astle followed for a fourth-ball duck, Flintoff was on a roll and England were in the ascendancy. But Styris and Craig McMillan brought down the shutters, at least until Taufel’s late aberration.It was not one of Taufel’s best days as an umpire. Earlier, he had scuppered England’s prospects of a first-innings lead when he gave Graham Thorpe out for 45 to a leg-side delivery that flicked his thigh pad. At that stage England had been reduced to 255 for 7, with the nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard the other early wicket, caught fending to slip off Franklin.Giles and Geraint Jones showed what might have been on another day. Jones got off the mark in style, cutting Franklin to the point boundary off the fourth ball he faced, then square-driving the last ball of the over for four more. But just as he appeared to be settling in for another of his calculated assaults, he aimed a woolly swish over midwicket, and Scott Styris had the wicket, lbw for 22. At 295 for 8, England were in the doldrums.Giles demonstrated his worth with an important 45, full of sound judgment and impressive improvisation, but Cairns at the other end was too clever for England’s tailenders. Martin Saggers had no answer to another beautifully conceived slower ball, which rolled inexorably back onto his stumps, and Harmison was comprehensively beaten by a second-ball yorker. His dismissal completed Cairns’s 13th five-wicket haul, and given New Zealand’s injury crisis, it was one of his most timely interventions as well.

Never shy of throwing down a verbal gauntlet to the opposition, Shoaib Akhtar has warned that he would be at his fastest and most furious in the crucial Centurion game against arch-rivals India on Saturday.With Pakistan having lost two matches, the fixture against India is too important for them, and winning more or less essential in order to qualify for the Super Sixes. Pakistan would still retain a slight chance of making the next round even if they lose, but that is a little far-fetched and dependent on other’s largesse.And despite their rather woeful batting form, Waqar Younis said here after a training session that he was confident that his side has what it takes to turn things around.This is a promise that has remained unfulfilled on previous occasions in recent times. But against India it is different. The adrenalin runs high, and it is likely to ensure that the so far missing intensity is there.”These last two matches are very crucial for us. And it has been a long time since we have played against India. When you play India, the hype is always there. We are all motivated to go into the match with the best we have got, and try the hardest we can. Insh’allah, we are going to achieve victory,” said Shoaib.On whether he would be targeting certain batsmen, Shoaib said: “Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are important wickets, but I’m targeting the whole Indian team and not any individual batsmen”.With the Centurion wicket hard and dry, and affording him more bounce and swing, would he be even more difficult than usual to counter?”While the bounce would definitely be a help, and if there is movement one is likely to get snicks. But because I’m quick through the air, and home in on the stumps, and that is why a very high percentage of my wickets are either bowled or leg before, to me the surface really doesn’t matter. But it surely looks like a good track.”On whether he would try to clock more than 100 mph again, he said that he had never aimed to bowl quick just to break records.”I know I can bowl quicker than this [100 mph], something in the vicinity of above 165 kph. But I want to get five wickets and win the match for my team instead of bowling at 100 mph,” he said, adding that after he went for so many runs against England “I was so unhappy with myself, I couldn’t sleep that night.”But against India, he says he would love to bowl with a lot of fire.”I’m again bowling quick with the old ball. That has come back to me, and that adds to my lethalness. Against India, I’m going to go after the bigger names, I’m not going to make it easy for them.”On whether he would like to exploit India’s traditional vulnerability against pace, he conceded that it was easier to bowl against India than Australia, who are more used to batting against fast bowling on bouncy wickets. But he says that it is irrelevant who is against him if he bowls up to the standard that he sets for himself.”If I run in well, if I’ve the rhythm, and I’m bowling quick and landing the ball in the right areas, that is my day, mate. Then I don’t care who is at the other end, whether it is Ponting or Sachin.”He believes that he could have done better in the 2003 World Cup than his 10 wickets.”I’ve struggled because I came from a seven-week break. But I’m getting it right now.”But he has succeeded in another, improbable area. He is leading the batting averages for Pakistan.”Well, these days whenever I wake up in the morning, I look for my bat (laughs). But seriously, I’m very keen to bat well these days. I know I’ve the potential. And it is quite handy for the team if I contribute 20s or 30s.”

The last ten or twelve years have seen major improvements in playing standards, in coaching, and in umpiring.The one area of development which was perhaps tackled last – and in which many miles have still to be travelled – is groundsmanship and excellence in pitch standards.No one championed these areas of development with greater diligence than George Winkles, whose sudden death last weekend stunned the local cricket fraternity.From the quiet but firm example which he set at Burridge, through the painstaking work he put in to Hampshire Cricket Board and Southern Premier League accreditation, to his final and well deserved position as Regional ECB advisor, George simply stuck to straightforward and honest views.What you saw and heard was what you got.Self effacing as many groundsmen are, George always received the brickbats of players and critics of his judgements with the same whimsical good humour.Good characters like good pitches aren’t made in a day. They develop through experience and reflection.Mr Winkles, 66, who lived in Locks Heath, near Fareham, played for many seasons for Alverstoke as a leg-spinning all-rounder.When Alverstoke disbanded, George joined Burridge, where he shared in the club’s record opening partnership of 238 against Paultons with Peter Tugwell.He was hugely involved in the development of the club’s superbly appointed ground at Botley Road and cherished enormously the recognition bestowed upon him two years ago, when he won the Southern League’s Groundsman of the Award.George, from all of us who benefitted from your wisdom and your friendship, thank you for a job well done.*** The funeral service is at St John’s Church, Locks Heath, on Tuesday 7 August 2001 at 11.30am. It will be followed by a private family cremation.