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Five Continents took a step closer to reaching the semi-finals of the Open League at the weekend with a seven wicket win against Ljubljana CC at Markommannenstrasse on Saturday, their win putting them ahead 14 points ahead of United Nations CC, who have a game in hand over them, and whom they must play in August, which looks like being the crunch fixture in deciding who will take the fourth qualifying spot. An FCCC victory in the fixture would also close the door on United Nations’ bid for a semi-final berth. Five Continents are currently in good form, with Sunil Kauschal also scoring a century in a friendly match, and the team having knocked Vienna CC out of the ACA Trophy.Lords CC recovered from their shock defeat at the hands of Ljubljana CC in Valburga to register a commanding 140 run win over Pakistan CC, with half centuries by Ashwani Sharma and Deepak Sharma, as well as 40s from Wasif Mohammed and Ajay Grover and a massive 69 extras seeing them post 319 for 9 – believed to be an Open League record for matches at Markommannenstrasse. Pakistan in reply fell well short of the required target, with Ali Zulfiqar, 47, the highest scorer, with Wasif Mohammed taking four wickets.The thriller of the weekend was between Ljubljana CC and Pakistan Falken CC, on Sunday at Seebarn. Ljubljana batted first and reached 293-7 thanks to a century by Mark Oman (105*) – the first for Ljubljana CC, ably supported by Dan Ryan (40) and Tom Furness (32). With Sameer Chopra (Bobby) on great form, and with a glorious innings of 129, for a while things looked as though Pakistan Falken CC might have been on target for a stunning victory, although once Bobby fell, Ljubljana were able to clean up the PFCC tail, to record a victory by 68 runs, with Mark Oman taking three wickets to become the second Ljubljana CC player to take 100 wickets for the club and to claim 13 points lifting them up the league table.Pakistan CC has already cancelled its trip to Velden for a fixture against Ljubljana CC and a friendly against Salzburg CC, the latter replacing league opponents Zagreb CC, who had in turn announced that they would not be able to field a team against Pakistan CC. The big match of the forthcoming weekend will be Lords CC against Vienna CC, with a win for either side essential if they want to have any hope of overtaking Concordia CC in the league table.

Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya officially tendered his resignation on Friday morning, handing over a letter to cricket board chief executive Anura Tennekoon.Jayasuriya had resigned immediately after the World Cup but was persuaded to stay on for the Sharjah Cup so the selectors could identify a successor."He handed over a letter to me this morning and I have informed the chairman of selectors," said Tennekoon.With two selectors currently out of the country, the five-man panel are expected to discuss the captaincy after the Sinhalese New Year next week.The committee, headed by former Sri Lanka leg-spinner Lalith Kaluperuma, will have to decide first whether to accept Jayasuriya’s resignation and then who should take over."The selectors will have to make the decision as to whether to accept his resignation," confirmed Tennekoon.However, Jayasuriya made it abundantly clear during the recent Sharjah Cup that he now wants to continue only as a player.”I was asked to continue for Sharjah but after this they will have to find someone else to do the job," he said. "I have made my decision and I will continue as a player.”Explaining his decision, he said: “After the World Cup I thought the time had come to groom someone for the 2007 World Cup.”The 33-year-old all-rounder believes Marvan Atapattu, the current vice-captain, is his natural successor: “My personal thinking is that Marvan should take over – he has a lot of experience and has been vice-captain for some time now.”

In the entire World Cup history to date never has Pakistan been in such a tight corner as they are in the current tournament. Even when they had not qualified for the semi-finals (inaugural World Cup in 1975 and 21 years later in 1996), their reputation as one of the leading teams in the world had not been impaired to the extent as it has now.The lack of commitment, poor form/fitness and the mediocre performance so far exhibited by the team in World Cup 2003 has reduced their rating just above the `B’ Class teams participating in the mega event.Alas! A team whose rich potential and capability is never in any doubt is suffering heavily for poor leadership, mismanagement and absence of strategic planning.At last and finally the crunch moment has arrived.Pakistan must enter Centurion Park on 1st March with a `do-or-die’ spirit. Obviously the morale of Indian team is soaring having already earned 16 points and on recording a thumping 82 runs victory over England.Not withstanding this situation and for the fact that Pakistan has lost all the three previous World Cup matches played against India the overall statistics hang heavily in Pakistan’s favour with 52 victories against India’s 29 in 85 encounters.On analysis, Pakistan’s major weakness in the recent matches had been their inept batting, too many wides and noballs, scratchy fielding and on top of all that, a lack of application and concentration.However, supporters of the team believe that Pakistan will make amends and stage a comeback and one can hope they will keep their nerves in this crucial match.Yet any forecast on the result of the match may prove erroneous except it suffices to say, the key of success for the two teams in this match is largely held by Sachin Tendulkar for India and Wasim Akram for Pakistan.Here under is a brief review of the previous World Cup matches played between Pakistan and India:1. 1992-Sydney:
Man of the Match Sachin Tendulkar scored 54 the highest in the Indian innings of 216-7 in 49 overs. KapilDev and Vinod Kambli contributed 35 and 24 respectively. Legspineer Mushtaq Ahmad claimed 3 for 59. Pakistan team, well known as poor chasers, collapsed and fell 43 runs short of the target despite Aamer Sohail’s knocks of 62 and Javed Miandad’s 40. Kapil Dev, Manhoj Parbhakar and Javagal Srinath all took two wickets each.2. 1996-Bangalore:
Prior this match Pakistan had done reasonably well to win four of the five league matches but in their crunch match against India – the quarterfinals in Bangalore – they failed. Psychological pressure, indifferent batting and crowd behaviour accounted for the downfall of the potentially stronger team. Responding to a total of 287, Pakistan openers gave a flying start of 84 and they were chasing well at 231 for 5 when 4 wickets tumbled in quick succession, which sealed the fate of the match. Pakistani was without the services of skipper Wasim Akram, because of injury. The legend Javed Miandad bowed out of International cricket after this match.3. 1999-Old Trafford
Pakistan bowling attack, in particular skipper Wasim Akram (2/27) and Azhar Mahmood (2/34), succeeded in containing India. Still Rahul Dravid (61), Mohammad Azharuddin (59) and Sachin Tendulkar (45) enabled them to reach 227-6. Pakistan batting once again flopped against their traditional opponents and were bowled out for (180) in 45.3 overs. Saeed Anwar on (36), Inzmam-ul-Haq (41) and Moin Khan (34) only some offered resistance to the magnificent bowling of Man of the Match Venkatesh Parsad – 5 for 27 in 9.3 overs. Javagal Srinath 3 for 37 and Anil Kumble 2 for 43 ably assisted the Indian hero. Pakistan lost the match by 47 runs.

The England Women’s Cricket team made a winning start to their tour of India today, beating a Women’s Cricket Association of India XI (WCAI) by 6 wickets in a warm-up match at the Guru Nanak College Ground, Chennai.England’s bowlers shared the wickets as the Association fielded the India international opening batting partnership, Gulshan Sharma (0) and Jaya Sharma (30). 21-year-old Nottinghamshire off-spinner Dawn Holden, who travelled to India from Australia having played for Western Australia State this winter, took two wickets as did England’s most experienced player, Clare Taylor, touring India for the fourth time.Surrey’s Sarah Clarke, making her full England debut, took the wicket of Reema Malhotra for 4 runs. Gulshan, Sudharani and Patel were all out for 0.In reply, England’s young openers Caroline Atkins (Sussex) and Arran Thompson (Lancashire) reached 21 without loss, with Thompson finally finishing on 65* in the 46th over, beating her previous highest England score of 44*. England Captain Clare Connor finished on 13* having also taken the wicket of Sharma.The England team are staying in Chennai, and play the first one-day international match against India on Sunday 6th January at the Gurunanak College Ground.WCAI XI won toss and elected to bat.Women’s Cricket Association of India XI : 137 for 9 from 50 oversEngland: 138 for 4 from 46 oversENGLAND WON BY 6 WICKETS

Replica West Indies kits are not on sale at the Cricket World Cup 2003 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya because of the licensing arrangements in place for the event.Acting chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Roger Brathwaite, said that Admiral, the British manufacturers of the West Indies’ kit for the tournament, had an agreement through the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) licensing agent to supply replica West Indies kits to the British market, but could not export to South Africa."The WICB, through Admiral, submitted and received approval on the kit design from the ICC, but if the South African licensee has decided not to market a replica of the West Indies kit then there is very little we can do," remarked Brathwaite."A South African company, Picto Busby, has the exclusive replica kit licence for the territory of South Africa for all participating teams at the tournament, but the licence our manufacturers hold from the ICC does not permit them to sell replica West Indies kit in South Africa."Brathwaite was glad to hear that the West Indies replica kit was the most sought after next to the hosts’, but greatly disappointed that cricket fans attending the tournament have had no luck purchasing the gear."We have spoken to our manufacturers about the challenge and they will contact their South African licensee, who also kits out the South African team, to see if there is anything that could be done," said Brathwaite, whose substantive post is chief marketing executive."Unfortunately, they have told us that it is too late for any fresh manufacturing and the decision concerning any stock risk for the territory of South Africa is down to Picto Busby and beyond their and, possibly, our control."Brathwaite noted the WICB was investigating the possibility of providing the 2003 replica kit through its website, www.windiescricket.com , and for the Cable & Wireless 2003 Series between West Indies and Australia.

It was a day that began well yet ended in jitters for the touring England team. With fans keenly watching the performance of an England side whose batting is its greater strength, the tourists won themselves no admirers by ending on 163/9. The Test series is just around the corner and the familiar murmurs of a 3-0 India result are doing the rounds once more. That might be a bit harsh on the visitors, and yet, one can’t help but wonder what they would do in the face of the superior Indian bowling attack.It was a day however, that began with England on the field. Powered by a workmanlike 149 from Tamil Nadu opener Sridharan Sriram, the Indian Board President’s XI team made it to 339/7 declared at lunch on the third and final day of this warm-up match at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad. Jacob Martin (89) added just six runs to his overnight score before being bowled by Matthew Hoggard. When the partnership for the third wicket was finally broken, it was worth a massive 202 runs.Rohan Gavaskar (24) played an attractive cameo, as he has done so many times in the past, but could not go on to make a significant score.Trailing by 19 runs, England got off to a bad start, with more than 50 overs to be played out. Michael Vaughan, who has had a lacklustre start to the tour of India, failed to get going once more, being cleaned up by a quick delivery from Tinu Yohannan that slipped past the bat and uprooted the stumps. Vaughan added to his first innings 22, a second innings 18.Mark Butcher, taking his time over getting his eye in, faced 32 balls for his 12, before nicking a ball from left-arm seamer Surendra Singh through to the ‘keeper. The other big hope for England in this tour of the subcontinent, Graham Thorpe failed with the bat. The usually compact middle-order batsman played at a ball well away from his body and ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps. Sanjay Bangar picked up his third wicket of the match when Thorpe departed on 13.Nasser Hussain, who has looked the most comfortable and yet is not the most prolific of the England batsmen, got his eye in for 38 before he spooned a sharp catch to Murali Kartik at deep gully off the bowling of Sanjay Bangar.Mark Ramprakash (32) with a steady hand kept one side going, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and England were 163/9 off 51 overs when the match was called off after tea. With the eight mandatory overs bowled, the game was declared a draw when the two teams agreed they’d had enough.The revelation of the day however, was Sanjay Bangar’s medium-pace. Bowling with great control, the Railways medium-pacer consistently got the ball to move both ways in the air. Although a trifle lucky to trap Richard Dawson in front, there was no doubting the fact that Bangar richly deserved his haul of 5/34.Traveling to Jaipur to play their final warm-up match before the Test series begins, England face an uphill task. Of their batsmen, none other that Ramprakash has spent significant time out in the middle. The bowlers have struggled, and although Ball picked up 3 wickets, the skipper must know that is going to be an entirely different ball game bowling to the batting rich Indian team.Hussain will have to be positive and put up a brave face for his team. However, there is already enough evidence to show that this England team will struggle against an energised India at home.

Wellington tried to contain the ebullient Chris Harris as their key to beating Canterbury and their failure to do so almost cost them the game.They held out for a draw with only three wickets left but Harris, with the bat especially, was the dominant performer in the match.Wellington captain Richard Jones, who scored a century today – his fourth in the calendar year – said: “Canterbury dominated throughout the game and Harry was the dominant figure. He was the key wicket we had to get because they feed off him.”Harris’ first innings 70 and his second innings 117 not out proved how futile Wellington’s efforts were.But despite that, there was still a chance of a Wellington win today.”It needed Grant Donaldson or myself to get through to tea and losing only one of us. That would have meant we had six wickets under our belt but we steadily lost our wickets,” he said.Going into the day he hadn’t been looking too far ahead because that created its own pressure and they were just concentrating on biding their time, knowing the runs would come as long as they were there.Jones was confident that despite the loss of wickets Wellington could hold on because the nature of the pitch was that once in, it was possible to stay in.Canterbury captain Gary Stead said it was disappointing not to win but there were some encouraging signs from the game.”We were in a position of maybe winning the match and there were a couple of half chances that we didn’t hang onto,” he said.But compared to the performances over the last few years the side had set a benchmark now and had shown it was level, if not ahead, of last year’s champions at the moment.The Cantabrians had created enough chances through pressure bowling, had the benefits of Aaron Redmond and Harris’ record partnership and Wade Cornelius’ first innings seven-wicket bag.”Warren Wisneski bowled well throughout and our spinners bowled reasonably well,” he said.Redmond, the leg-spinner, was in an unusual position of being able to attack through longer periods than having to bowl defensively as has often been the case previously.If the side could learn from the situation it found itself in, it would win more games than it draws in the future.Stead hadn’t been concerned about the morning session when Jones and Donaldson looked like getting Wellington into a position to launch an assault.”We kept attacking fields and we knew if we could get Jones that would put the brakes on the scoring,” he said.And so it proved.It was just the lack of normal wear on a pitch four days out, but in reality still about three days old, that had reduced the chances of bowling Wellington out.

India is set to “forget” the Mike Denness affair, on “humanitarian grounds,” according to an International Cricket Council(ICC) spokesman, reports the Press Trust of India. Denness was the match referee who handed severe punishmentsto six Indian cricketers during India’s last tour of South Africa. According to reports, India has agreed to let bygones bebygones as Denness has undergone a heart surgery and is ailing.At a meeting with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya, the new ICC chief Ehsan Maniis thought to have proposed this course of action. Dalmiya, it is reported, readily agreed to the suggestion.Denness had caused a storm by holding Sachin Tendulkar guilty of ball-tampering while finding five other cricketers, includingVirender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly, guilty of excessive appealing. Sehwag was the worst affected, being suspended forone Test and thereby missing the first Test against England at home soon after.At the same time, the ICC is looking to resolve the contracts issue amicably, reported The Times. “Legal solution arethe last resort. If all else fails we can go to arbitration, but I hope we can sort out the problem,” Mani was quoted as saying.The ICC chief added, “India has to have contracts with its players in future, like the other nine Test countries. They are thebiggest cricket country in the world, with the greatest potential in all aspects.”

BRISBANE – Australia’s cricket selectors have been given extra time tosolve a spinning problem for the series opener against South Africa nextweek, but they won’t hand out a Test cap for the sake of it.The Adelaide Oval, which hosts the first Test from next Friday, hastraditionally been a base for two spinners, leaving a question mark overwho could partner Shane Warne.Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller are the most experienced contenders butcases can be made against both, leaving almost a lottery amongAustralia’s otherwise thin spinning ranks.National selector Allan Border said publicly that two spinners would benamed in a 12 or 13-man squad for Adelaide, leaving the door open for asurprise selection.But chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said the squad, which wassupposed to be named tomorrow, had not yet been discussed.The selectors will pick the squad on Saturday night after Hohns watchesSouth Africa open its first-class tour during a four-day match againstWestern Australia at the WACA Ground.Hohns was adamant selectors would not throw in another spinner for thesake of tradition at the Adelaide Oval, even though MacGill and Millerbowled half of Australia’s overs against the West Indies last summer.”It’s an option, and there is no doubt about that, but we have to decidewhich is the right way to go,” Hohns said.”We have to first decide whether another spinner warrants selection.”We’ve got a few young fellows coming through and we’ve got the triedand true performers so it’s something to be discussed.”Spinners across the country haven’t been banging down Hohns’ door thissummer, after struggling for impact on sometimes unco-operative wickets.Even Australian coach John Buchanan admitted that selectors faced atough decision.”You could go around the whole country and, if you look at thestatistics this season, there isn’t one person who has put up their handand said ‘pick me’,” Buchanan said.”It will be an interesting choice if selectors decide to go that way.”Selectors must first settle on the style of any second spinner -MacGill’s leg spin, Miller’s off spin or a left-arm spinner.Miller would have an advantage because his offies complement Warne’s legspin but the 38-year-old is struggling for opportunities with Victoria.His Test career would almost certainly be over if selectors plucked arookie off-spinner, perhaps even Queenslander Nathan Hauritz, for aglimpse of the Test scene.The off-spinners would be the frontrunners with South Africa set to playthree key left-handed batsmen – Gary Kirsten, Lance Klusener and JacquesRudolph.”That makes a difference,” Buchanan said.”Leg spin is one of the spinning options that we need to have. It wouldbe, in a sense, nice for the ball to go the other way but that’s adecision for selectors.”That would leave MacGill out of the running, continuing a frustratingseason during which his on-field behaviour has been questioned.Other spinners around the country include Tasmania’s Daniel Marsh, NSWoff-spinner Anthony Clark, young Victorian leggie Cameron White, SouthAustralians Brad Young and Peter McIntyre and West Australian Brad Hogg.

Full marks to the Pakistanis and to the authorities. Pakistanis – for keeping the mighty Australians at bay and the authorities – for keeping the even mightier Pakistani fans under better control.However, I can’t help but admire the Australians, whose sheer tenacity saw them coming back at Pakistan again and again. Such was their determination that Pakistan, despite scoring a mammoth 290, could not sit back and relax even for a moment.

Equally, though not laudable, was the Pakistani fans’ determination, which didn’t allow the security people to sit back and watch the thrilling events taking place out in the middle. They probed and probed, succeeding once during the Pakistan innings to have their presence felt, yet that was all they were going to get. For the security people at last realised they needed to handle the fans firmly.For me, that part of the match was really crucial – the one during which the mob tried to dictate terms. Pakistan were cruising along at 250 for 5 in the 45th over and could’ve gone on, but they lost their concentration after that unwarranted break after a firecracker was thrown on.Had it not been for Wasim Akram, with his little cameo, I am sure the score would have been much less, and with the Aussies always as determined as they are, the outcome of the match might have been what these very Pakistani fans surely would not have wanted.

Quite amazingly, Saleem Elahi, despite all his past failings with moving balls, top scored for Pakistan. Although not the best in terms of style and elegance, his was an innings of concentration and focus and one that may have thrown the team management into a dilemma. I wonder what Pakistan’s playing XI for the final will be, with Inzamam fully fit and Afridi also around?I think, after today’s knock, it would be unfair to leave Elahi out, and, with Inzamam coming in for Faisal Iqbal, we might have to swallow the bitter pill of not playing Afridi. However, the final decision lies with the management, while I sort out my problems here in Sri Lanka.Back to the game: I think everyone contributed in this excellent victory. The only worry I have is Saeed Anwar’s form. I wonder, how many more times he’ll throw his wicket away after getting good starts. Instead of learning from his mistakes, he seems to be repeating them. He really needs to consider how the team’s going to be affected by his recklessness. Come on Saeed, its time to wake up!I had always an inkling these Australians would fight till the very end, and that’s exactly what they did. Despite losing wickets, at more or less regular intervals, they kept coming back and it wasn’t over till the ‘fat lady sang’.Waqar Younis proved yet again how tough he is. Three wickets in his first 4-over spell and if that wasn’t enough, three more in the second, six in all and 13 in two back-to-back matches is amazing stuff. I don’t find words to describe his devotion to the cause of the team. He was just brilliant. Well done Waqar, keep it up!

The Australians, on their part, proved more than worthy opponents. Gilchrist played one of the greatest of knocks I have seen for some time and that too despite the fact that wickets were tumbling at the other end. I do believe, had he stayed there for five or six more overs, the match would have been over within 40 and in Australia’s favour. Believe me, I let out a great sigh of relief when Saqlain cut him short at 70.Now for the final, it will be an entirely new game. Toss would yet again be crucial but we must not lose heart in case luck deserts Waqar after a series of consecutive toss wins. For batting first at Lord’s is not always as rewarding as one might think. The example of WC’99 is there to ponder over. What did Wasim Akram gain after winning the toss and batting first?The key thing is, we must make an all out team effort at Lord’s and especially field well. And, at least I wouldn’t mind if our team prays for an England win in the last league match at the Oval, so that the Aussie morale takes one more dip. I don’t think it’s a bad idea or is it?

Ed:Mudassar Nazar is a veteran of 76 tests and 122 ODIs. He is currently the chief coach of Pakistan’s National and Regional Cricket Academies. In view of the overwhelming interest of users in CricInfo’s articles, we have invited him to write for us.