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In a press briefing held at BCB auditorium, the skipper and the cricketing officials fresh from Zimbabwe were present to run a discussion over Bangladesh’s attainment from their first overseas tourthe meeting was chaired by Ashraful Hoque, the general secretary of BCB. Addressing the journalists the coach, manager and captain first delivered their speech concerning the experience they gathered in abroad which they wished they would capitalize in future. The manager Mr. Mahbubul Anam seemed to be sheer hopeful about the matches between the same sides in Bangladesh in November. He aspiration to turn over the calculations in the home ground appeared to be taken to heart by the media-men present there, because he had been hopeful to reverse the result they got from the latest tour. He got himself unnerved by the hostile question from the journalists and defended he and his team tactfully with smile always hanging on his face.Some questions concerned the inclusion of Al-Sahariar as an opening batsman as his experience did not talk in his favor much in earlier days, therefore, playing him as an opener is sort of a risky experiment the coach carried out in such a vital tour. Trevor joined the argument saying all specialist batsmen should be acumen to play at any order. He thought Al-Sahariar would click-but he could not and that is cricket where expectations sometimes had to stumble.The late incusion of Akram Khan in the third one-day raised another dispute. The journalists contrived to confirm it was a stronger influence from the board that played it’s knack to get this ace batsman, though struggling a bit, hold the grip in that match. The officials refuted it saying it as a media-hype; none could play any role except the team management to decide upon who was playing and who was not.The skipper admitted his confined performance in the tour where he was seen most of the time taking his stride with runs between twenty and thirtya wretched feat for a batsman like him; he took shelter to lack of concentration to hide up his failure that sounded unconvincing to others.At one point all gave the impression to be unanimous that the pitch was exotic and quiet alien to BD players and they were not apt to see themselves in such bouncy tracks often, if we keep that thing along with the inexperience in test match in our head, we could find that Bangladesh had not played that bad. The progress would be empirical and the plight of BD cricket would develop accordingly.The disagreement went on as Mushfiqur Rahman replaced Hasibul Hasan in the second test who is one of the leading new-ball operators of the country. The members of the press termed it as a foolish act as Mushfiq failed utterly in both versions of the game, specially when his batting was an added advantage that helped his way into the squad but miserably that botched too.By the way, Mr. Ashraful Hoque gave the November schedule when Zimbabwe is going to travel around Bangladesh to take part in three one days and two tests. Most of the matches will be played at BNS and BKSP though the venues are not confirmed yet.

ScorecardNondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) gave their coach, Samath Perera, a fitting farewell by winning the Under-23 Youth Tournament Division 1. NCC beat defending champions Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in the three-day final played at the SSC in Colombo.The match ended in a draw, but NCC won as they had gained a first-innings lead. SSC scored 290 in reply to NCC’s 420. They finished the match at 82 for 3 from nine overs in the second innings chasing 378.Put in to bat, NCC had the game all but sewn up when they finished at 368 for 7 by the end of the first day. The innings was dominated by Hashan Gunathilleke, who scored 104 off 204 balls. Opener Demintha Dahanayake made 82, and strong batting from the late order pushed the total from 278 for 6 to 420. SSC lost their openers with only six runs on the board, but never recovered despite a 111 from Shalika Karunanayake. At the end of the third day, they could total only 290 and the final day was only of academic interest as NCC batted a second time without enforcing the follow-on. Left-arm spinner Milan Fernando took 11 wickets for SSC.Coach Perera, a former NCC player, ended his four-year stint with NCC on a winning note. “We lost eight of our top players from last year as they were overage and I had to handle a totally inexperienced side,” Perera said. “We lost our first match to Air Force and the game against Kurunegala YCC was washed out. Despite all these shortcomings the boys worked hard to achieve this success.” Perera leaves NCC to undertake a new post as coach of one of Kandy’s leading schools Trinity College on a two-year contract.

Two two-day matches for Wellington, firstly against Central Districts on Wednesday and Thursday, then in an internal trial between Wellington and Hutt Valley next week, will be vital preparation for last year’s State Championship runners-up.Badly hit by the weather, Wellington’s players have had only two-and-a-half weeks of club play, although poor starts to the summer are not unusual for Capital dwellers.The loss of time in October due to the players’ strike is also another factor.Coach Vaughn Johnson regards November as the most important month of the season, a time when the transition is made between winter and the forthcoming season.”Pitches for club play have been very bowler-friendly but it will be the same for all teams, except Northern Districts who seem to have had half their team playing in Australia,” he said.The start to the season would be a difficult one because Wellington were not yet in control of their own destiny due to the political strife caused by the strike.”We want to start the season competitively and we want to hit the ground running but there are a few obstacles in achieving that.”With Chris Nevin, Paul Hitchcock and Stephen Fleming required to be in Christchurch for the TelstraClear Black Caps camp this week, they were not considered for the Central Districts game.That has given Johnson the chance to look at some of the contenders for positions.His squad is: Matthew Bell, Luke Woodcock, Richard Jones, Leighton Morgan, Grant Donaldson, James Franklin, Matthew Walker, Andrew Penn, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Glynn Howell, Jonathan McNamee.

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

India showed how the hectic pace of Twenty20 cricket could be replicated in ODIs, pounding 330 on a sluggish pitch before their bowlers rounded off a thumping win in their opening match of the tournament. Pakistan, coming off 12 successive wins against weak opposition, crashed to their worst defeat against India and their coach Geoff Lawson, who had hoped for a 150-run win, would have been embarrassed to see the shoe on the other foot.India’s domination was complete. Their mammoth total was made possible not by one but three batsmen: Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir made the most of some sloppy catching, getting within four runs of India’s highest opening stand against Pakistan, before Yuvraj Singh raised visions of a 375-plus total. They settled for 330 but that didn’t matter in the final analysis. Once Pakistan crumbled to 26 for 3, it was only a case of picking up the pieces.A run-rate of 6.6 is impressive in all conditions but the fact that India kept it up on a sluggish pitch that offered some assistance to the medium-pacers added more gloss to the effort. Their fifty came up as early as the seventh over but Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack didn’t start as badly as the run-rate suggested. They troubled the batsmen with swing and seam and even managed the edge on a few occasions but they were let down by poor fielding. Younis Khan allowed Gambhir two lives – on 4 and 29 – with identical edges flying past him at second slip and Kamran Akmal let off Sehwag on 43 when he lost control of the ball after appearing to have snared an edge to his right.Sehwag, who walked all the way back to the boundary before returning, made the most of his good fortune, racing to his first fifty in a year. He was dropped for the final stages of India’s CB Series but an injury to Sachin Tendulkar allowed him another chance. He wasn’t his customary buccaneering self, and that was probably because of the nature of the surface, but he continuously peppered the region behind square. Preferring to use the pace of the bowlers, he walked across and whipped a few off his pads while settling for the judicious glide on other occasions.The area behind square was productive for Gambhir as well but it was the occasional skip down the ground that unsettled the bowlers. He didn’t hesitate charging the quicker men and actually cut one over the infield, off left-armer Wahab Riaz, with both his feet in mid-air.Riaz dismissed both openers in the space of a couple of overs but went on to have a forgettable day. It was the first time he was up against top-class opposition and the wheels began to come off once Yuvraj went after him. He even let slip two beamers – the second was probably because of the slippery ball – and wasn’t allowed to complete his final over. It meant he earned the dubious distinction of bowling the most expensive spell against India, conceding one more than what Ata-ur-Rahman did in Sharjah back in 1996.

Incidentally it was in that game where India passed 300 for the first time in an ODI. Here, more than 12 years later, they were in sight of much more as Yuvraj began striking it clean. He gauged the slow nature of the track and ensured he played late. A couple of half-trackers were swatted away over midwicket and his neat clips towards square leg suggested a batsman preparing to explode, but he fell to Umar Gul in the quest for quick runs.It was always going to be an uphill task for Pakistan and the contest was all but over once Praveen Kumar struck four big blows, including a two-in-two. Swinging the new ball either way, he showed how dangerous he could be in congenial conditions. Praveen had Rohit Sharma to thank for the opening breakthrough: a sensational reflex catch at short cover got rid of Salman Butt.A slightly wide ball was lashed hard but Rohit, throwing himself to the left and ensuring his hands got around a low chance, hung on superbly. There was no need of any such acrobatics for the next one: Younis Khan snicked to the wicketkeeper and walked back for his second successive duck.Akmal and Misbah ensured Praveen didn’t have a perfect day – taking 17 off his fifth over, including four cracking fours – but Akmal was livid after falling to a full toss, lobbing a leading edge to mid-on. Misbah too couldn’t carry on, falling to an injudicious waft, and it was left to Shoaib Malik to pick up the pieces. He soldiered on to a fifty but his meaty blows were largely inconsequential in the face of a steep mountain. Chawla finished with four wickets, tormenting the tail and giving the finishing touches to a near-perfect day for India.

ScorecardKhurram Manzoor played a captain’s role with a 127-ball 115 to guide Pakistan Cricket Academy to a series-clinching six-wicket victory over the Zimbabwe Board XI in Harare.Zimbabwe went in to the final day leading by 172 in the second innings with seven wickets in hand and a realistic chance of at least avoiding defeat. But poor bowling allowed the tourists to stroll home quite easily at the end.Resuming overnight on 210 for 3, Zimbabwe added 94 as they struggled against the new ball, especially the pace and swing of right-armer Anwar Ali, whom the top-order had handled quite comfortably on day three. Timycen Maruma, who looked good when the Zimbabweans were offered the light yesterday afternoon, added just four before he was bowled by Ali for 60.The only batsman on the day to face up to the Pakistanis was Graeme Cremer (35).The pick of the bowlers, whom Manzoor rotated cleverly, was the offspinner Raheel Maheed, who dismissed Sam Mwakayeni, Regis Chakabva and Prince Masvaure to end with a four-wicket haul.Pakistan Academy cleaned up the Zimbabwe tail 20 minutes after lunch, facing a target of 267. They did that with aggression, their opening batsmen Raheel Majeed and Manzoor putting on 91. Majeed was particularly belligerent with 63 from 43, smashing six fours and two sixes. Fawad Alam, fresh from his first innings century, scored nine before he was caught behind by Regis Chakabva off right-arm seamer Mike Chinouya. But from there it was smooth sailing for the tourists, runs coming too softly against a weak attack.Manzoor stepped up a gear up as the bowling deteriorated; the line and length was atrocious and there was no genuine pace ball from the seamers. He found the boundary eight times in his innings, falling to left-arm seamer Prince Masvaure, drawing a reflex catch from Tafadzwa Ngulube. But he had done enough for his side.Masvaure also removed Ali Asad for 39, but Naeem Anjum (28) and Anwar Ali (2) saw the tourists home.

Andrew Moulding the Somerset Cricket Board Development Officer was busy at his desk in the Centre of Excellence at the County Ground this afternoon putting the finishing touches to a newsletter for the Somerset Young Cricketer’s Patron Scheme.The Young Cricketer’s Patron Scheme was launched earlier this season in an effort to provide additional funding for youth cricket across the county and has received good support from all areas of the cricketing spectrum.The Development Officer told me earlier: "We are absolutely delighted with the response so far to the scheme, and we have just received our first consignment of the specially designed Somerset Young Cricketer’s Patrons ties which will dispatched to each patron along with the newsletter in the near future."During the next few months Mr Moulding is hoping to recruit many more patrons for the scheme, and anyone who would like to sign up to help this very worthwhile cause should send a cheque for a minimum of £15 made out to the Somerset Cricket Board to Mr Moulding at The Centre of Excellence, The County Ground, Taunton, Somerset TA1 1JT.

County ChampionshipAdults £9.00OAP £7.00Under 16 £2.00Car Parking £5.00NUL (except Floodlit)In Advance On the DayAdults £10.00 £12.00OAP £10.00 £12.00Under 16 £5.00 £6.00Car Parking N/A £5.00NUL (Floodlit)In Advance On the DayAdults £10.00 £15.00OAP £10.00 £15.00Under 16 £5.00 £7.00Car Parking N/A £5.00B & H Quarter FinalAdults £12.00OAP £9.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00C & G Trophy Round 4 & Quarter FinalAdults £12.00OAP £9.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00Tourist MatchesAdults £13.00OAP £13.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00

Hampshire return to Frizzell County Championship action for the first time in two weeks, when they take on neighbours Sussex starting at The Rose Bowl on Wednesday 3rd July.Third placed Hampshire take on fifth placed Sussex, with virtually a full strenghth side, but are leaving their options open by selecting a squad of 13.John Francis, who played last week for Loughborough UCCE against Hampshire is included despite a knee injury sustained during that match, and James Tomlinson the 20 year old left-arm seamer who has been performing well for Hampshire against the same Louighborough team, and for the seconds is also included.Robin Smith has recovered from the back injury that had troubled him recently, and John Crawley returns to championship cricket for Hampshire in place of Jason Laney, after missing the Bath match due to England call up.The thirteen are: Derek Kenway, Will Kendall, John Crawley, Robin Smith (captain), Neil Johnson, Giles White, Nic Pothas (wicket-keeper), Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shaun Udal, Chris Tremlett, Alan Mullally, John Francis and James Tomlinson.

Cricketers across Victoria will this weekend observe a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bali bombing attack.Cricket Victoria CEO, Mr Ken Jacobs issued the appeal this morning. “The events of last Saturday evening in Bali were of tragic consequences for all Australians, particularly those families directly involved. The thoughts of the wider cricket community in this state go out to them at this sad time. As a mark of respect, I would ask that all cricket matches being played across Victoria this coming Saturday, observe a minute’s silence prior to their commencement”.

Hampshire Under-19 batsman/wicketkeeper Steve Snell has confirmed that he is joining Southern Electric Premier League club Havant this summer.Snell, 19, will play for the 2000 Premier 1 champions when his duties as an MCC Young Professional at Lord’s permit. Leading run scorer for Hampshire YCs for the past three seasons, Snell joins the Lord’s groundstaff next month.He is currently playing for the MCC YCs in Cape Town, where he has spent the winter playing for Hermanus, scoring over 500 runs.He hit two centuries – including a career-best 179 against Correctional Services – and four scores of 50-plus for the Boland Super League club.Snell played for Ventnor for the past three seasons, helping the Steephill club to successive Hampshire League championships and, ultimately, a place in Premier League Division 3.”I’ve had three superb seasons at Ventnor. Everyone at the club has been magnificent in helping me in my career, but now I have to look to the future and move on.”Havant are a very professionally run club and, having direct road and rail links with London, will be an easy venue for me to reach each week,” he said. Snell confirmed, however, he had no intention of severing his links with Ventnor.”Rest assured, I will go back there and play midweek and Sunday games whenever I can. Some of my best mates play at Steephill and I want to continue my association with the club for a long time yet,” he stressed.Snell is expected to make his Havant debut in the Southern Electric Premier Division opener against Portsmouth on May 4.