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Sri Lanka will have to contend with turn in addition to variable bounce on the final day of the first Test in Hobart, after Rangana Herath credited a surface that was becoming increasingly conducive to spin for his five-wicket haul on day four. Herath’s 5 for 96 helped restrict Australia to 278 in the second innings, and was aided by a wearing, cracked surface that offered much more lateral movement for him than in the first innings.Australia’s offspinner Nathan Lyon had already exploited the bowler’s footmarks when he bowled earlier in the Test, and dismissed Thilan Samaraweera with a topspinner that leapt off the turf. Lyon is set to have a high workload on day five, with Ben Hilfenhaus’ injury leaving Australia a bowler short, and Michael Clarke also unlikely to bowl his left-arm orthodox spin due to a hamstring strain.Herath will now likely finish as the top wicket-taker in 2012, with 60 wickets and a Test to go. His five-wicket haul in Hobart was his seventh of the year in nine matches.”I didn’t get a wicket in the first innings, but on a fourth day pitch I thought that there would be some assistance for the spinner, and there was some turn and bounce,” Herath said. “The ball does not spin as much as Sri Lanka, but if you maintain a good line and length, you can take wickets.”Lyon will get turn and bounce as well – he always gets bounce because he is tall, and he will have the assistance of the surface as well.”Several seasons of county cricket before he became a mainstay in Sri Lanka’s Test side also contributed to his performance in Hobart, he said.”I used my experience of playing in England. When you get wickets on a pitch like this it’s always pleasing. The main thing is that it helped me to adapt to the situation and the pitch, and I managed to do that. That’s why I was successful.”Herath said Sri Lanka had not ruled out victory, and backed Sri Lanka’s batsmen to see out the final day if a draw seemed the better option. Sri Lanka were set 393 for victory, but lost both openers in the 37 overs before stumps. They will begin at 65 for 2 on day five, with Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara at the crease, and 328 runs required for victory.”Draw is possible if we can bat the first session without losing wickets, it’s going to be an interesting day,” he said. “The pitch is a bit up and down, but apart from that it looks a good track so far.”David Warner set out to dominate Herath in the first session of the day, venturing a switch-hit sweep off his bowling after already having struck him for six, but Herath said he did not want a rule change disallowing batsmen from changing their grip, mid-shot.”Batsmen have done it against my bowling before as well. I don’t mind Warner playing that shot because he is creating more chances for me to get him out. In the end I took his wicket.”

ScorecardSandeep Sharma and Siddarth Kaul shared nine second-innings wickets between them•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

A solid all-round showing from Punjab on Monday helped them ease past Saurashtra by eight wickets in Mohali with over a day to spare, and record their third win in four games in the Ranji Trophy this season. While medium pacer Siddarth Kaul closed out the Saurashtra innings quickly in the morning to ensure Punjab were chasing just 119, Karan Goel anchored the chase with 75 not out.Saurashtra had begun the day on 212 for 7, 97 ahead, and it took Punjab less than eight overs to claim the remaining wickets. Kaul took two of those wickets to finish with a career-best 6 for 63. Like in Saurashtra’s first innings, it was the seamers who did all the damage, claiming all 10 wickets among them. Kaul’s six-for puts him at joint-third on the wickets chart, tied for the moment with his team-mate Sandeep Sharma (who took three in the innings to finish with a 10-for) and Assam offspinner Arlen Konwar.In the chase, opener Jiwanjot Singh had his first real failure of the tournament, but Goel held firm at his end. Mayank Sidhana made a contribution too with a rapid 21, before Mandeep Singh and Goel took Punjab home. The win helps them extend their already sizeable lead on the Group A points table.
Scorecard
Akshath Reddy and Hanuma Vihari put on the largest partnership in Hyderabad’s history to pummel Mumbai at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. Twenty-one-year-old Reddy, who is the stand-in captain, and 19-year-old Vihari, who was part of India Under-19s World Cup-winning squad, batted almost the entire day as they added 386 for the second wicket to put Hyderabad comfortably on course for taking the first-innings lead. Mumbai were weakened by the absence of their captain Ajit Agarkar and fast bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, and experienced bowlers like Aavishkar Salvi and Ramesh Powar could make little impact against the young Hyderabad pair. Both batsmen made career-best scores, but both missed out on double-centuries, dismissed a handful of overs before stumps. Still, this was a dramatic turnaround in the match after Mumbai were at a dominant 325 for 2 at stumps on the first day.
Scorecard
A slew of half-centuries from Gujarat’s batsmen helped them stay in the game against Railways, and though they still have work ahead, Gujarat finished the day in a relatively more comfortable position than they have been in all match. After the openers Smit Patel and Samit Gohel hit half-centuries, Parthiv Patel made his sixth 50-plus score in seven first-class innings to keep Gujarat’s hopes of salvaging a draw alive. After his dismissal, Manprit Juneja took over, ending the day unbeaten on 57 to put Gujarat 97 ahead with four wickets still remaining. Taking the game to the fourth day itself is an achievement for Gujarat, after imploding for 117 on the first day and then letting Railways take an almost 200-run lead.
ScorecardMadhya Pradesh secured a first-innings lead, bowling Bengal out for 299 despite some stiff resistance from Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and No. 10 Veer Pratap Singh. Jhunjhunwala, playing his first game of the Ranji season, kicked on from an overnight 41 to his fourth first-class century. Bengal began the day disastrously, losing Laxmi Shukla and hat-trick man Shami Ahmed for ducks, before Jhunjhunwala put on a fighting tenth-wicket stand of 83 with Veer. That was still not enough to lift them past MP’s 342 – they fell 43 short. In their second innings, MP suffered a wobble, falling to 37 for 3, before an unbroken 98-run stand between Ankit Sharma and Udit Birla put them firmly on top.

Peter McGlashan, the New Zealand and Northern Districts wicketkeeper, has retired from all cricket. McGlashan was named in New Zealand’s 30-man preliminary squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in September, but he has chosen a career outside of cricket with the Glenn Family Foundation, an initiative geared towards eliminating domestic violence.”It’s an incredible chance to make a difference to people’s lives, through Owen’s [Owen Glenn, the foundation’s founder] remarkable vision,” McGlashan said. “I’m going to be assisting in the community in an area in which I know I would love to be working for the next 35 to 40 years.”Having seen how excited people in Otara [a South Auckland suburb] are about this project, and knowing the difference it will make, I realised I would not feel comfortable standing out there catching balls while that work waited. I wish the Black Caps well and I will miss being part of the Northern Knights, something that I’m sure will really hit me in summer. But I’m already comfortable that it’s the right decision to retire at this point and I feel very fortunate to be exiting the game for an exciting role about which I am truly passionate.”McGlashan, 33, played four ODIs, scoring one half-century, and 11 T20 internationals for New Zealand. He made his first-class debut in 2000-01, and went on to lay 71 games, averaging 29.57 with the bat and finishing with 195 catches and 13 stumpings. In 2009, he set a New Zealand first-class wicketkeeping record for the most dismissals in a match – 12. He took six catches in each innings of that Plunket Shield game against Central Districts and, incidentally, it was also a world record for the most catches taken by an individual in a first-class match.Northern Districts coach Grant Bradburn said McGlashan’s innovative ability stood out. “Pete is a hugely experienced and skilful player, particularly in the shorter forms of the game – and that calibre of skills you just don’t develop overnight,” he said. “His amazing ability to innovate and look at things from a different angle, whether it’s been through introducing new gear and equipment or using fresh approaches in the middle, have helped the game in New Zealand.”An example is a one-day match we played against the Otago Volts two seasons ago in which he changed bats between overs, depending on which bowler he would be facing plus the direction of the wind. He’d use the shorter Mongoose bat for the downwind bowling and the long-handle into the wind.”I’d never seen an innovation like that before, but he was the master of putting pressure on bowlers at the death in one-dayers or Twenty20s, as well as being the master of the reverse-sweep. And, of course, one of our most accomplished wicketkeepers, to boot. We will miss him, but I’m stoked for Pete as we’re losing him to a very fine cause.”Northern Districts CEO David Cooper added: “The New Zealand Cricket Players Association takes a lead role in ensuring players have the skills and networks to manage their post-cricket future and I think Pete is a shining example to all players of someone who has taken those opportunities and developed his personal and professional abilities whilst still a player.”There is no question Pete would have featured in our plans for the coming season, however he now has another tremendous opportunity with the Glenn Family Foundation and, knowing the man he is, we are certain that Pete will add real value there and continue making a significant and positive difference to our society. He leaves with our very best wishes.”Prior to joining Northern Districts in 2004, McGlashan represented Central Districts in 2000-01 and 2000-02 and Otago in 2002-03.

Match facts

July 25-29
Start time 1000 (1400 GMT)After dominating the domestic scene in New Zealand in recent years, Neil Wagner is set to turn out at the highest level•Getty Images

Big Picture

Midway through the limited-overs leg of the tour, you felt sorry for New Zealand as, bereft of several seniors, they slid from defeat to defeat. Their stand-in captain Kane Williamson, all of 21 years old and looking even younger, earnestly defended his inexperienced team after Chris Gayle effortlessly dished out half-century after half-century.Two senior batsmen, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, were available in the final two ODIs, and New Zealand will be further boosted by the arrival of two old hands, their man-for-all occasions Daniel Vettori and their pace spearhead Chris Martin. Their presence lifts a bowling line-up that looked pretty fragile during large parts of the one-day series, as does the inclusion of Neil Wagner, a man in whom New Zealand fans have placed an almost inordinate amount of faith.New Zealand pulled off one of their greatest Test victories last year against Australia, and competed against South Africa in a home defeat. It’s been more than a decade since they won a Test series away from home (excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe), and while they enter these contests as underdogs, it still presents them with their best opportunity for an overseas victory.For that they need to find answers to the same players who gave them plenty of headaches in the limited-overs matches: Gayle and Sunil Narine. Gayle returns for his first Test in more than 19 months, and West Indies will hope that solves their top-order troubles; in recent series, West Indies have typically been three for almost nothing, leaving the middle-order facing a salvage job. Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been their rescuer-in-chief for years now, and his presence solidifies a batting line-up that was explosive but inconsistent in the one-dayers.The focus will also be on Narine, who continued to be a match-winner in limited-overs matches, but is yet to show whether he can be similarly effective in the five-day game. His Test debut in England was a disaster, but on more familiar surfaces and in more comfortable temperatures, Narine should prove more dangerous. If he clicks, West Indies’ chances of only their second series win in more than nine years (excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh) will be considerably bright.

Form guide

(Completed games, most recent first)
West Indies DLLLD
New Zealand DLDWW

Watch out for…

Neil Wagner, the South Africa-born left-arm seamer, has dominated the domestic scene in New Zealand in recent years. The days remaining till he qualified to represent New Zealand were eagerly counted down, and he was picked as soon as he was available. He impressed in the practice match, and with fast bowlers Trent Boult and Mark Gillespie injured, he is expected to make his Test debut.Kemar Roach was on-song against Australia in the home series earlier this year, and troubled England’s batsmen as well before pulling out of the tour with an ankle injury. The warm-up game against the New Zealanders was his first match since then, and he showed he was ready to go with a four-wicket burst in the first innings. With his raw pace, Roach provides West Indies with a genuinely threatening spearhead.

Pitch and conditions

There were runs available in the warm-up match on the same ground if batsmen had the required patience, but there should be plenty of opportunity for the bowlers on this surface. Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, said: “The warm-up game showed us that if we’re in the right areas for long enough the up-and-down nature of the pitch is probably going to get us results.”

Team news

Gayle’s return and the form of Marlon Samuels, who scored plenty of runs in the recent England Tests, means the batting burden on Chanderpaul is reduced. One of the harder decisions West Indies will have to take is who between Ravi Rampaul and Tino Best to pick.West Indies: (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Adrian Barath, 3 Kieran Powell, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Marlon Samuels, 6 Narsingh Deonarine, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Ravi Rampaul/Tino Best, 11 Kemar RoachWith Trent Boult injured, Wagner is expected to start, possibly the only change from the XI that lined up for the final Test against South Africa.New Zealand: (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Daniel Flynn, 3 Brendon McCullum, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Kane Williamson, 6 Dean Brownlie, 7 Daniel Vettori, 8 Kruger van Wyk (wk), 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Chris Martin

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand last lost a Test against West Indies in Barbados in 1996. Since then, they have won five and drawn five.
• Chris Gayle is just 63 runs away from surpassing Gordon Greenidge as the highest run-getter for West Indies against New Zealand. Gayle has scored 820 runs in seven Tests at 74.54.

Quotes

“A warm-up game is a warm-up game. We got what we wanted out of it. We were lucky to come away with the draw but most of the batsmen had a decent bat out there and the bowlers got a good trundle for one innings.”

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland has said Australia will ‘need to adjust to’ the conditions in the UAE for their upcoming series against Pakistan, but the required adjustment will not be ‘that significant’.Australia are set to play three Twenty20s and three ODIs in the UAE in in August and September, with the matches beginning in the late evening to avoid the worst of the daytime heat. The heat and the decision to start the one-dayers at 6pm – meaning the scheduled finish is 1.45am – continue to be an issue with the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) though.”It’ll be hot, but the sun’s not going to be shining and that’s probably the really important factor there,” Sutherland told . “In terms of the hours, it’s not ideal but at the same time it’s just an adjustment that the players will need to [make]. It’s the same for both teams.”There are many people in the world who work different hours and these will be different hours for our players, unconventional hours for cricket perhaps. But the game’s only going a couple of hours later than it would ordinarily, so I’m not sure that adjustment is really that significant.”CA officials will visit the UAE next week, to assess the conditions. There had been much debate over the actual make-up of the series, which is a ‘home’ series for Pakistan. The ACA had expressed its concerns about playing ODIs in such hot weather, prompting the series to be changed to a six-match Twenty20 affair, which was approved by the ICC in June. However, the PCB then approached the Australian board, putting forward a request to review the composition of the series once again. ESPNcricinfo understands that the series’ broadcaster had objected to six Twenty20s for commercial reasons. The new schedule was announced by the PCB earlier this month.The venue of the series had also been an issue. It was initially scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka but Pakistan were forced to search for an alternate venue after Sri Lanka backed out in May, citing the clash in the dates with the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentaryAndrew Strauss celebrates his first Test hundred since December 2010•Getty Images

One innings into England’s Test summer, Andrew Strauss’ authority has been emphatically re-established. That it should take place at Lord’s was entirely appropriate because there is something about Lord’s that encourages the best in him. He is attuned to its trim and orderly air and after an unrewarding winter that brought his right to the England captaincy into focus he has never valued it more.Strauss has struggled to establish an air of superiority at the crease over the past two years, and his delight at his fifth Test hundred at Lord’s suggested that beneath his placid exterior he had felt the tension. An undemonstrative man, he greeted his rasping square cut against Darren Sammy with a roar of satisfaction. It has never become a debate about his fitness to lead, more a growing concern about his batting state of health. That is no longer up for debate and England are better for it. Whatever else will we talk about?Lord’s is never happier than when imagining that it has sustained an England captain, especially a captain as courteous as Strauss, and the crowd’s fondness for him was apparent in their cheers. “Commendable stuff,” one could imagine the members muttering as he crashed a cut or stroked a straight drive, a greater than average number for him, proof enough that he was on his mettle.West Indies, diminished by IPL, were persistent but no better than that and none of their pace bowlers swung the ball despite the same overcast skies under which James Anderson, initially, and later Stuart Broad had been so impressive on the first day. Strauss’ edgiest time came as his century neared and Fidel Edwards and Darren Sammy baited him with a succession of wide deliveries. He flirted with a few and was dropped off a no-ball on 95 when Edwards overstepped and the ball went through the hands of Shivnarine Chanderpaul at first slip.Jonathan Trott, at his most unobtrusive, was a perfect ally for much of the day in a stand of 147 in 52 overs, but Trott departed for 58, surprised by one that seamed from Darren Sammy, when Strauss was 96. That left Kevin Pietersen to introduce a brief celebratory mood, once the hundred was achieved, until he was out cutting at Marlon Samuels. Two deliveries with the second new ball were enough for the umpires – and probably enough for Edwards who had a calf strain – and even though the floodlights were on they called a halt ten minutes early.Alastair Cook was the only other batsman to fall, dragging Kemar Roach on to his leg stump before lunch as he cut at a ball that was close to him. Roach is West Indies’ primary source of top-order wickets and was initially all jingle-jangle as he dashed in with earrings shining and heavy gold necklace swaying, touching 88mph at times, but for much of the day he lacked the dash that had brought him 19 wickets in three Tests against Australia.England also had to contend with a Test debutant, Shannon Gabriel, an athletic Trinidadian with a strong action. Rarely for England these days, they had no footage of him, leaving Strauss to learn on the hoof. It was a bit like playing for England in days of yore – or sometimes like playing for the West Indies even now. Technically bereft, England coped rather well, which is a relief to know at a time when the financial markets are in such turmoil that everybody in the country might soon have to trade in their iPads and return to subsistence farming.When he plays at Lord’s, Strauss does not just dominate an attack; it is as if he outranks them. He strolls jauntily down the steps with the Lord’s pavilion behind him as if leaving an office in the City for a morning meeting. He was beginning an England summer in the customary manner, with a Test at Lord’s and it felt fitting. It was strange to recall that had Glamorgan not hit financial difficulties this Test would have taken place in Cardiff.He is so comfortable in his surroundings that he began his innings as if embarking upon a series of pleasantries. “Good morning, Mr Roach, my name is Strauss. How do you do?” He got off the mark with a thick edge against Fidel Edwards through gully, but an orderly cover drive in Edwards’ next over was the first boundary of 19 filed in the out tray. He likes the ball coming on to him and, even though this Lord’s pitch was a slow one, the West Indies attack suited him. He was in his element again and, with no spin bowler other than Samuels’ occasionals in the West Indies ranks, he knew that the rhythms of the day were not about to change.Time to reflect upon his unbeaten 31 over lunch was probably not what Strauss needed, given his habit of getting out when set over his fallow two-year period. He made only a single in the first 35 minutes after lunch as the hum of Lord’s provided a soundtrack to a somnolent afternoon. Then suddenly his half-century was secured with three boundaries off Sammy: a clip off his pads, a straight drive that left two fielders sprawling and finally a present outside leg stump which he flicked to the long-leg boundary.Trott was also not about to be rushed. He might have been out twice on 17. West Indies were confident enough about Sammy’s lbw appeal to engage in a bout of hand-slapping only for umpire Aleem Dar’s decision to be upheld on review. Then, in Sammy’s next over, Trott feathered one. Hot Spot and Snicko both showed contact but West Indies’ appeal was half-hearted and Trott got away with it.Stuart Broad, England’s darling of the first day, had needed only one ball on the second morning to round up the West Indies innings, so finishing with Test-best figures of 7 for 72. Gabriel had received his first Test cap in a little ceremony before start of play and pushed respectfully forward to his first ball only to nick it to Graeme Swann at second slip.That left Shivnarine Chanderpaul unbeaten on 87, 13 runs short of what would have been his 26th Test century. Once again he was the stalwart of West Indies innings, batting in a middle-order position where statistics insist he is most productive. He did not face another ball after taking a single from the first ball of the last over on the first day and watched West Indies’ last two wickets fall from the non-striker’s end. He is unlikely to learn from the experience; he plays in his bubble and at his time of life, if any new thoughts strayed into it, it would burst at the shock.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShivnarine Chanderpaul made 69 but was out from the last ball of the day•AFP

For 16 years Australian bowlers have been trying to chisel Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the crease. It was fitting, therefore, that on the day when he squirreled away his 10,000th Test run, Chanderpaul spent the afternoon doing what comes naturally: obstructing, counter-attacking and above all frustrating Australia’s Test cricketers as they sought a way into the West Indies lower order in their push for victory.But as has so often been the case, Chanderpaul’s fight appeared insufficient to save West Indies. His departure to a successful Australian review in the final over of the fourth day in Dominica gave Australia an enormous chance of finishing the match early on the fifth day, with West Indies still requiring 197 runs for a highly unlikely victory with five wickets in hand and only one specialist batsman – Narsingh Deonarine on 11 not out – still in play.It was a depressing conclusion for West Indies, who started the day by celebrating Shane Shillingford’s ten-wicket match haul and spent much of the afternoon dreaming of an upset as Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo compiled a century stand in their chase of 370. Michael Clarke tried all sorts of things to break that partnership and the success eventually came through Shane Watson, though it was Clarke’s part-time spin that proved Australia’s best weapon.Clarke was the man who got rid of Chanderpaul for 69 from the first ball of the day’s last over. Clarke had extracted some significant turn from the Windsor Park pitch earlier in the innings and again his spin troubled the batsman, who played and missed a ball ripping in from outside off stump. The umpire’s decision of not out was reviewed by Clarke and replays showed Chanderpaul had been struck in line and the ball would have hit the stumps.It was the perfect end for Australia, who had started with three early wickets before the Chanderpaul-Bravo partnership took hold. Ben Hilfenhaus struck before a run had been scored when Adrian Barath clipped a ball off his pads and was snapped up brilliantly by a diving Ed Cowan at square leg. There was some resistance to come from Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell, but Clarke’s decision to bowl himself proved an inspired move.Brathwaite was on 14 when he tried to work Clarke from off stump through leg side and it was an ill-advised choice of stroke. The umpire Tony Hill gave him out lbw and Brathwaite’s review did not save him, replays showing umpire’s call for both impact on off stump and whether the ball would have clipped the bails. A few overs later Powell, on 24, drove loosely and simply missed a ball that turned in between bat and pad and was bowled by Clarke.But that brought Chanderpaul to the crease and he was keen to keep the scoreboard ticking at a healthy rate, ensuring the ones and twos piled up without taking unnecessary risks. One such single, tucked through the leg-side off Clarke, brought Chanderpaul to the milestone of 10,000 Test runs, a feat he acknowledged by removing his helmet and raising his bat modestly, aware that his job had only just begun.Chanderpaul waited on the bad balls – a David Warner long hop was pulled over the infield for four and there were occasional cuts and drives that reached the boundary – and otherwise acquired his runs through familiar methods. His half-century came from his 90th ball and he was congratulated by Bravo, who unusually for any stand involving Chanderpaul was the quieter partner.Bravo was happy when Nathan Lyon dropped short and he was able to cut with ferocity, and he showed his deftness by running Shane Watson behind point neatly for another boundary. But it was Watson who eventually had the better of the battle when he enticed an edge behind and Bravo, on 47, was disconsolate as he walked from the field. The 110-run stand was over, and with it went a large chunk of West Indies’ hopes.Not that they had ever been favourites, despite finishing the Australians off in the morning for the addition of 59 runs. Shillingford finished with 4 for 100 to give him match figures of 10 for 219 in his first Test at his home ground of Windsor Park, and he was the first West Indian spinner to take ten wickets in a Test since Lance Gibbs in 1966, and only the second to do it in the Caribbean, after Wilf Ferguson achieved the feat in Trinidad in 1948.Shillingford gave West Indies a good start to the day by removing Michael Hussey, the last of Australia’s recognised batsmen, for 32 when he found a thin edge that was snapped up by Darren Sammy at slip. Ryan Harris soon followed when he top-edged a slog sweep off Deonarine and was caught by the wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh for 9.Hilfenhaus gave Shillingford his tenth when he pushed forward and was brilliantly caught at silly point by Brathwaite, who thrust his right hand out as the ball seemed destined to pass him. Mitchell Starc and Lyon added a few late runs in a 22-run partnership for the final wicket before Kemar Roach finished the job by bowling Starc for 21.That left West Indies needing 370, and only once before had they chased down such a high target to win a Test, in their world-record pursuit of 418 in Antigua in 2003. They had reached 370 in the fourth innings of a Test three times in the past five years, but the challenge was always going to be significant on a tricky Windsor Park pitch.