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The one remaining semi-final place in the World Cricket League Division Five went to Afghanistan after Singapore failed to beat Japan by a convincing enough margin to pip them into second place in Group B on net run-rate.Singapore have every right to feel hard done by. Although they finished level on points with the Afghans, their one game which was washed out was against Bahamas, who failed to win any of their matches, while Afghanistan’s was against the unbeaten Jersey side.Singapore started today needing an overwhelming victory against Japan to leapfrog into second place. Their hopes were as good as extinguished before the halfway stage as they struggled to 201 in 35.4 overs. In gathering gloom Japan limped to 67 for 5 before rain brought an early finish with Singapore winning by 52 runs (D/L).In the three Group A matches carried over from yesterday, the two teams already qualified for the semi-finals, Nepal and USA took one point each after their game was washed out. Nepal made 182 but the heavens opened before USA could start their chase.The Nepal captain Binod Das said his team was confident ahead of its semi-final against Afghanistan. “We are upbeat as we have been playing good cricket,” he said. “As a team we are very confident of doing well in the semi-final. One thing we know about Afghanistan is they are inconsistent. They can be world beaters one day and inconsistent other days, so we hope we can have a good day against them.”We are not very aware of these things right now as our focus is on the cricket but we heard yesterday that the country was declared a republic so we are proud of that. The people of Nepal wanted that to happen and if we win this tournament and come back home with the trophy we are going to dedicate the win to the people.”The Afghanistan captain Nowroz Mangal hoped his team would learn from their mistakes and put up an improved performance on Friday. “We are not short of any confidence,” he said. “The biggest motivation for us ahead of tomorrow’s match is if we win it, we will take a big step forward in our quest to play in the World Cup. Every team needs time to adjust to new conditions and after playing four matches here, we know what we need to do tomorrow to swing the match in our favour. If experience is on Nepal’s side, then talent and potential is on our side and tomorrow we just need to pull together a good team effort.”In the other semi-final, USA will meet hosts Jersey. “It’s something to look forward to as if we want to move forward from this tournament into the other league and get to the World Cup then we have look to tomorrow’s game with great anticipation,” Steve Massiah, the USA’s captain, said. “It will be a tough test as Jersey were unbeaten in the preliminary rounds. As both the teams are in good form, I am sure we will have a good game.”Massiah said he was pleased with the performance of his team so far but warned his side of complacency. “It would be unfair to the guys not to be pleased after getting a perfect four from four,” he said. “We don’t fear any opposition and we just try to concentrate on our strengths and realise if we play to our full potential then we will be a hard team to beat. But we have to guard against complacency.”The Jersey captain Matt Hague said: “It should be a really good game as the USA has been in good form and so have we. There is a lot to play for and to get into the final and go to Tanzania would be something really special so we’ll all look forward to it and it should be great.”Hague acknowledged home advantage would be useful, but played down the fact that it would be a big bonus. “I suppose it helps a little bit but all the teams have played over here for a few games now so they should know the conditions,” he said. “FB Fields should be a good batting wicket, so as long as the rain stays away it should be good.”The two finalists will automatically qualify for the World Cricket League Division Four which takes place in Dar Es Salaam in October. The top two there will be promoted to Division Three, with that event held in Argentina in January 2009, and from there the top two will be invited to take part in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in April.In the other Group A matches, Germany beat Norway by six wickets with more than 12 overs to spare after bowling them out for 147, while Vanautu had Mozambique at 88 for 4 when the match was abandoned because of rain.

Hampshire Hawks’ dismal season ended on a high note with an exciting 6 wicket victory over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks to bring the curtain down on The Rose Bowl Season. John Francis hit his first NUL century to guide his team home.Robin Smith captaining Hampshire for the last time, after the decision to hand over the reigns to Shane Warne in 2003, lost the toss, and on a sunny afternoon in front of a sizable crowd, the Steelbacks chose to bat first.Mark Powell and David Sales gave the innings a bright start with a century partnership, after Rob White had been dismissed sky-ing James Tomlinson to Alan Mullally at long leg.Powell played across a ball from Lawrence Prittipaul to be trapped lbw after hitting four boundaries in his 64, and Sales attempted an extravagant drive to be well caught by Will Kendall over his head. His 93 included a hugh six over long on and 13 fours.Jeff Cook and Tony Penberthy upped the tempo to post a stiff target of 286 for victory at 6.3 per over.Robin Smith went early when he drove a widish ball from Carl Greenidge to the wicket-keeper, the Neil Johnson who is still not sure whether he will be with Hampshire next season and John Crawley preparing for the Ashes tour put together 98 well worked runs. On Crawley’s dismissal Johnson was joined by John Francis for another useful stand.When Johnson finally fell to the Steelbacks skipper, the home side were still looking at 8 runs per over. This seemed to hold no fears as Will Kendall joined Francis in an entertaining stand that saw the two youngsters running between the wickets like gazelles, making easy singles into twos and putting the fielders under pressure. Kendall finally lost his wicket for a run-a-ball 31, but his inning was worth far more in terms of partnership of 99.

John Francis completed a maiden century to the delight of the crowd who had enjoyed an innings despite the turn of the weather which meant spectators scurrying for coats as the September evening turned cold. He struck 103* in just 83 balls with eight fours and two sixes.Hampshire retained the 7th spot in Division II, thus guaranteeing a home tie in the 2003 Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Trophy 3rd Round against Sussex.

ADELAIDE, Oct 24 AAP – Australia’s Test selectors are expected to fix their attention on the Pura Cup cricket game between South Australia and New South Wales starting here tomorrow as they weigh up their Ashes batting options.Should selectors decide it is time to end the career of Mark Waugh, SA captain and Pura Cup run-machine Darren Lehmann and 21-year-old NSW batting prodigy Michael Clarke are two names likely to come under strong consideration.Coaches from both states today pushed the claims of their respective charges, with Redbacks’ coach Greg Chappell saying he hoped this would be the only match his skipper played with SA this season.”He’s one of the better players in the country, so to have him back and his leadership as well is terrific,” Chappell told reporters.”But I hope he’s not around for very long, as much as we love having him around, we’d rather he go off somewhere else.”I think serious consideration will be given to Darren playing in the first Test and I would be disappointed and surprised if he wasn’t given serious consideration.”NSW coach Steve Rixon said Clarke, a former Australian under 19 captain, was a Test player-in-waiting.Rixon said that while Clarke would probably have to wait for his chance, if selectors decided it was time to build for the future by introducing a youngster to the Test side, Clarke would be well-suited to the task.”I’d like to see him a little further down the track, but there’s no way in the world he would let the side down,” Rixon said.”He’s a guy that, against the Englishmen in particular, batting in that middle order, he’d be well catered for.”If there has to be a change, and I’m not saying there should be, he would certainly not let the side down and he would blend into what is an outstanding cricket team.”Lehmann said he planned to ignore the speculation about his Test prospects, and just concentrate on trying to lead SA to its second outright win in two matches.”That’s all I’m worried about over the next four days, whatever outcomes happen with the Test match, if I play or if I get picked, I can’t worry about that,” he said.”It’s the next four days with South Australia that are the utmost importance in my mind at the moment.”

St Lucia’s new ultra-modern Beausejour Stadium has been labelled as the benchmark for future construction and development of international cricket grounds in the Caribbean.Additionally, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive officer Gregory Shillingford feels the spanking facility will be extensively utilised when the region hosts the 2007 World Cup.His comments came in an official opening ceremony ahead of this weekend’s back-to-back One-Day Internationals between West Indies and New Zealand.The ground was first used for a first-class match between India and a Busta XI from April 26-28 when International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Ranjan Madugalle was sent in to undertake an inspection to see if it would meet ICC’s minimum standards.I can report that the ground not only met the standards, but has become the standard-bearer for all present and future grounds in the Caribbean, Shillingford said to loud, continuous applause.Over the weekend, it will be the venue for the first double-header in St Lucia.It will not be the last.I am sure that in subsequent years, we shall witness not only regional one-day and four-day tournaments staged here under the auspices of the WICB, but also Tests and One-Day Internationals that form part of the ICC future tours programmes.Set in 22 acres beneath the hills, the 13 000-capacity stadium is highlighted by modern infrastructure, including four stands with bucket-type seating, 18 hospitality suites and a fashionable pavilion that contains large dressing-rooms and lounges for both teams.Its outfield, a perfect oval, is predictably lush green.Located close to the lively tourist resort of Rodney Bay on the island’s north-east coast, the stadium, when completed, should also have two turf and two artificial practice pitches behind the pavilion, along with catering facilities and public conveniences that can be used outside of match days.The price tag of the stadium is EC$40 million (about BDS$32 million) and is funded by the Government-run St Lucia National Lotteries.With leading officials having expressed a need for the upgrade of grounds around the region in time for the 2007 World Cup, Beausejour and the Queen’s Park Stadium in St George’s, which was opened in 1999, appear to have a head-start on the more established regional venues like Barbados’ Kensington Oval, Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval, Jamaica’s Sabina Park and Guyana’s Bourda.The ICC World Cup will represent the single biggest entertainment and sporting event that the Caribbean will ever undertake, Shillingford said.Without pre-empting the work of the Windies World Cup 2007, which is a subsidiary of the WICB, I am certain that St Lucia, with its 8 000 hotel rooms, cruise ship berthing facilities, international airports and a state-of-the-art cricket stadium, will feature prominently in the World Cup.

South African captain Shaun Pollock said Australian selectors were right to have dropped Steve and Mark Waugh and gamble on a new-look squad for the World Cup defence next year.Pollock said veteran Darren Lehmann had been an ideal choice to help Australia through the uncertain period following the demise of two of the country’s greatest players.Australia has not lost a match since new captain Ricky Ponting took over last month, and take a 5-0 lead into Tuesday’s final clash with South Africa in Cape Town.”It takes a brave team to drop the Waugh brothers but if you look it’s probably the right decision,” Pollock said after Australia posted a world record run chase in Port Elizabeth yesterday.”It’s always difficult to replace experience but with the set-up in Australia it produces good cricket and tough cricketers.”When you replace someone like the Waugh brothers you’ve got to do it with a person like Lehmann, who has played 70-odd one-dayers.”With his experience, he’s a good foil to replace the experience of the Waughs.”Lehmann has been among the shining lights in an Australian team which was supposed to be rebuilding in South Africa after selectors moved on from the successful Waugh era.The departure of the Waughs left Australia without the experience of 579 matches but Ponting’s team reached new heights yesterday when it posted the winningscore of 7-330 with five balls to spare.The win featured 91 runs from Lehmann, whose years of experience in Australian and English domestic cricket have clearly helped Ponting and vice-captain AdamGilchrist.”We’ve lost nearly 600 games in experience but we’ve still got a lot of experienced blokes around us,” Ponting said.”I’ve played nearly 140 games now and Gilly has played 130-odd and then you have Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath so there is a lot of experience around.”The first few games here we did enough to win, just hanging around. We’ve all grown a bit from those games and we didn’t expect too much from that.”But Pollock won’t concede that South Africa has a huge mental problem against Australia as he tries to convince supporters that the Proteas are simply enduring a bad run.”They have a good side and they’re going to win a lot of games but I don’t believe they’re unbeatable,” Pollock said.”In the World Cup, if we did get to play them it would be a one-off game and anything can happen then.”Pollock has lamented the lack of experience in his team compared to Australia, which will start short-priced favourite to complete a 6-0 drubbing in the final match in Cape Town on Tuesday.

When Wellington began their last gallant charge towards first innings points in their match against Northern Districts at the Basin Reserve today, with the further and larger objective in sight of overall victory in the Shell Trophy, it was both notable and memorable that riding in the vanguard were Richard Jones and Matthew Bell.Wellington’s surge towards those twin objectives – they were 229/1 at stumps tonight in reply to Northern’s first innings of 315 – had carried them over the outermost ramparts and left the prized field at their feet with their rivals dispersed but regrouping.Jones, in colourful, intrepid fashion, and Bell with equal gallantry had been the standard bearers in this last charge, recalling their side to the colours when they had been upset at the outset of the fray today by a rearguard action from Northern which was as dogged as it was unexpected.Finally Jones, who was 147 not out at stumps and Bell who, at 64, was among the fallen – an unfortunate casualty on this momentous day, had fully turned the tide of the battle. Jones, who hadn’t been mentioned in dispatches before this season when he transferred his first allegiance from Auckland to Wellington, had his third century in four matches but Bell had fallen not far short of his sixth in this year’s Trophy competition.Jones’ innings will continue tomorrow but his partnership with Bell, the most recent of their many substantial opening stands this season, ended today at 154 when Bell was caught and bowled by Grant Bradburn.The anger of the Wellington captain as he left the field was obvious – he had given himself neither the century he had spoken of at the very outset of the season nor the opportunity to participate tomorrow in the final affirmation of victory.Still, he had done more than his part. He had batted with great skill, patience and vigour for 200 minutes – the duration of the partnership – and he had peppered the Basin’s outer boundaries with 10 fours.By stumps Jones had batted for 278 minutes – a feat of concentration unrivalled in this match to date but far more indicative of his new and dominating personality, his discovered authority and his maturity. Jones had faced 201 balls and he had a century – his third this season and of his career, to follow his 145 against Canterbury and 188 against Otago.But the key achievement of Jones and Bell was that they had taken Wellington within sight of a first innings win which will confirm them as champions of this Shell Trophy season. It is a victory long waited for in Wellington but one typically more flavoursome for the duration of its making.And if it comes in the first or even the second sessions tomorrow – there are 87 more runs to get because Wellington were 229/1 at stumps – it will be clamorously celebrated and it will be because of Jones and Bell.It would not be unfair to paint the Wellington opening pair as ugly ducklings in first-class cricket who have grown, matured into something far more pleasing this season. Both bat from guards which defy orthodoxy and the aesthetic spirt of the game. Jones bats like a misaligned golfer with his shoulders angled between third man and midwicket and in a intense and crouching stance.Bell has learnt to bat this season in a more upright stance but with his back foot dragged outside offstump in a sprinter’s crouch.They make an odd pair but it can almost be said that in finding each other they have found themselves this season because it is through the success of their partnership that they have blossomed indivudually.Bell had his 50 today in 133 minutes as slightly the slower of the pair. Jones’ came in 117 minutes but his century arose far more spectacularly with a hooked six over backward square off Joseph Yovich in the 52nd over. He had then batted 212 minutes and faced only 145 balls.Jones played fluently, diving the ball beyond cover and extra cover, mid off and, occasionally, mid on. Bell cut and pulled – pulled mostly – and built his runs through the leg side, most notably with a stroked drive through midwicket when a bowler dared pitch on his pads.All of this activity restored the advantage in the match to Wellington though they had briefly seen that advantage lost in the final skirmishes of the morning. Northern had taken their overnight total of 247/8 on to 315, principally through a determined ninth wicket stand of 60 in 97 minutes between Robbie Hart and Graeme Aldridge.Wellington took a painfully long time to break that partnership and when they finally did so it was in a manner loudly disputed. Aldridge was adjudged, by the umpires in conference, caught and bowled by Jeetan Patel in the 122nd over when Northern was 307. But Aldridge was certain the ball had not fully carried to the bowler and he held his ground defiantly before leaving the field at a snail’s pace and with a perfect imitation of affronted sensibility.Hart was finally out for 26 – Aldridge had made 37 from 75 balls – but the target for thos vital first innings points that Northern had set before Wellington seemed formidable. Wellington’s purchase on the Trophy seemed briefly weakened.Till Jones and Bell came together and then, with the sublime confidence of two players in form and with more of the determination with which Wellington have set about all of their tasks this season, the advantage was regained.

Tasmanian cricket today consummated its smash and grab raid on boom allrounder Shane Watson by signing the 19-year-old Queenslander to a three-year contract.Watson’s signing completes a sequence of events unique in Australian cricket – though almost certain to be repeated under aliberalised structure which aims to spread talent more evenly around the country.The key to the capture of Watson – widely regarded as Australia’s brightest teenage talent and who aims to be an internationalallrounder in the mould of South African Jacques Kallis – was a rule change before the start of last season which the TasmaniaCricket Association was the first to exploit.While previously Australian Cricket Academy players had to return to their home state for a year, the change left them freeagents.Watson first came to Tasmanian attention when state coach Greg Shipperd saw him at a bowling clinic in Adelaide last spring.Shipperd’s interest deepened when Tasmania played the Academy in a pre-season game in Adelaide and was confirmed whenWatson came to Hobart to play against the Tasmanian seconds.TCA chief executive David Johnston then put a proposition to Watson: Come to Hobart and you’ll go straight into theTasmanian team – though how long you stay will depend on performance.It was sealed with a handshake, with no commitment from either side beyond the end of the season.Watson came and, by coincidence, made his debut against his home state which, has been less than gracious about the matter,although it has made no serious effort to lure its wayward son home.”It was really a ring of fire,” Watson said.”But it was the best thing I’ve ever done, playing good cricket against my home state, the best state in Australia.”Tasmania got walloped but Watson, batting at No.7, was undefeated in both innings.From there he went from strength to strength.By the last game, against South Australia, the TCA knew it wanted him long-term.It flew his parents to Hobart and Watson, now batting at No.4, hit his maiden first class century.He finished his abbreviated first class season with 309 runs from eight innings at 51.50 and, though used sparingly, took 11wickets at 26.27.With his considerable help, Tasmania enjoyed a late season renaissance, jumping from last to third on the Pura Cup table.Watson said coming to Tasmania, where he could bat at four or five and be a first or second change bowler, was the bestmove for his career.”And Tasmania has been so good to me,” he said.Johnston said he knew of no other state recruiting an Academy player from another state.But he had no doubt it would happen more.Johnston said it was part of a developing structure, which also involved transfer lists and greater freedom for players and statesto negotiate contracts.While it had none of the compulsions of the football draft, its effect was likely to be similar in spreading talent more evenlyaround the country.”There probably will be more player movement,” Johnston said.”For Australian cricket, it’s important to have the best 66 players playing first class cricket.”That’s an aim of the ACB, having the best players playing as much as possible.”Of course, greater freedom cuts both ways.The TCA, while rejoicing over Watson, is battling to keep its talented but inconsistent batsman Michael Di Venuto, who isbeing wooed by South Australia.Johnston said Di Venuto, who is playing for Derbyshire, has promised a decision tomorrow.

The CCA Senior Selection Committee will shortly be annoucing a squad of players who will be asked to train for and to participate in events this year in preparation for the World Cup 2003 in South Africa. This is still a long list and the selectors reserve the right to make changes as needed in due course.The CCA is working through the ICC Americas office to further discuss with the WICB the prospect of increased assistance from the ICC and WICB this year. Included in those discussions will bethe upcoming West Indies ‘A’ team visit to Canada and the 2002 Red Stripe competition.

Match facts

October 20, 2012
Start time 1730 (1530 GMT)Dwayne Smith has provided the boost to Mumbai Indians’ batting upfront•Getty Images

Big Picture

Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are not yet out of the tournament, but by the end of Saturday’s round of Group B matches, at least one team will join Kolkata Knight Riders on the list of knocked-out teams. The match between the two IPL giants is preceded by a game between Lions, who are playing at their home ground, and Yorkshire. If Lions win, they will join Sydney Sixers as the second team from the group in the semis. However, if Yorkshire sneak out their first win, the winner of the match between Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will get a two-day lifeline, while the loser will be knocked out.Both teams are evenly matched, having put 150-plus totals every time they have batted and having given away 150-plus runs every time they have bowled. The batting and bowling for both teams have been patchy and the thrust has mainly come from their overseas players. Big Indian names – such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh – are yet to produce a performance of note. Playing against each other, which they have done quite often, gives both teams an even (perhaps their best) chance to get the valuable four points to avoid the bottom finish.However, irrespective of the permutations within the table, on Saturday, weather permitting, an IPL team will win. It has been that kind of a tournament for Twenty20 cricket’s high flyers. A short format means that the teams’ fates are decided even before they have got a chance to adjust to the markedly different conditions from what they are used to. That also means their best cricket could be round the corner now that they have spent more than a week in South Africa.

Watch out for…

Faf du Plessis has scored 43 and 25 in two innings at the top of the order. His familiarity with the South African conditions has allowed the other batsmen to play around him in the first six overs when the pitches are at their most responsive. If he can provide a strong start, the middle-order is likely to find the rest of the familiar Mumbai Indians’ attack fairly comfortable to negotiate.While Sachin Tendulkar has struggled as an opener, Dwayne Smith has teed off from the word go. He opened the match against Yorkshire with a couple of huge hits and like du Plessis for Super Kings, he will have the responsibility of neutralizing the threat from Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Stats and trivia

• Suresh Raina is the only batsman in the two teams to score a half-century in the tournament. He made 57 against Sydney Sixers
• Mumbai Indians have won seven of their 12 matches against Super Kings. In their only meeting in the Champions League, they beat Super Kings by three wickets.

Quotes

“We’ll be sending our masseurs and physios to the Yorkshire team to help them sort out all the hamstring problems of their fast bowlers. We want Yorkshire to get on the park fit for their game against the Lions and surprise them.”

Cape Town, Jan 19 – Western Province had to work hard for a narrowfive-run win over their less glamourous neighbours, Boland, and in theprocess keep alive their faint hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals ofthe Standard Bank Cup.It couldn’t have come much closer for Province, who bowled and fieldedextremely well to defend a total which had always looked vulnerable. Thesides were playing on the same strip on which South African rattled upnearly 300 just over a week ago, and the home side’s failure evern to pass200 looked to have signalled the end of their Cup hopes.Defending champions Boland will rue a missed opportunity in the lion’sden of Newlands, but their biggest disappointment will be the fact that thedefence of their title ended with so much of the season still remaining.With the exception of Justin Ontong with 66, their batsmen struggled asProvince’s spin atack of Paul Adams and Claude Henderson took a grip on thematch.Even so, a belligerent career-best 27 from Neil Carter took Boland towithin a couple of lusty blows of victory, but when he was brilliantlycaught by vice-captain Alan Dawson at the second attempt, the equation hadbecome too great an ask.Earlier Province had made a miserable start as they looked to capitaliseon winning the toss – always a helping hand in a day/night game at Newlands.Indeed if it were not for a fifth wicket partnership of 43 between AshwellPrince and Lloyd Ferreira, the target could have been so much less for thevisitors. Prince, who averages close to 70 in domestic limited overs cricketthis year, earned the man-of-the-match award for his crucial 61.