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The venue for Glamorgan`s Second XI Trophy fixture against Gloucestershire on 30th June has changed. The match will now be played at Bristol West Indies Cricket Club, and not Bristol University as previously advertised.Glamorgan`s U-21 fixture scheduled for July 3rd against Lambeth Academy at Maesteg has also been cancelled because the visitors have been unable to raise a team.

Australia inflicted a World Cup record lowest score of 112 on New Zealand when fast bowler Brett Lee ripped out five batsmen for three runs to give the defending world champions a 96-run win in their Super Six match at Port Elizabeth today.Lee was outstanding when feasting on New Zealand’s under-employed middle and lower-order at the tournament.He took five wickets for 42 in his 9.1 over spell which proved far more decisive than the New Zealand record-breaking effort of six for 23 by Shane Bond earlier in Australia’s innings of 208 for nine wickets.Brought back for a second spell, Lee achieved the desired goal in removing New Zealand’s best batsman at this World Cup Stephen Fleming when Fleming gloved a rising ball going down the leg side to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.Fleming scored 48, the only innings of substance in a disappointing effort that the New Zealanders will reflect on as a match they could have won.That might seem strange given the margin of victory.But at 84 for seven wickets, as Australia were when batting first, New Zealand looked to have given themselves a great chance.Fleming said the side was feeling pretty good at that stage but had been there before against Australia.”We just ran out of juice,” he said.”When we batted we knew we needed a partnership but it didn’t happen for us.”Lee, who hit two big sixes off the last two balls of the Australian innings earlier in the game, said that when they had been in so much trouble the plan had been to hang in for as long as they could and hopefully the runs would come.That demand suited Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel who played out a tradesman-like, and Australian record, eighth-wicket partnership against New Zealand worth 97-runs before Jacob Oram picked both of them up at the end of the innings.Bichel scored his maiden half century on the same ground as his previous highest score, 34 not out against England last week. He finished on 64 scored off 83 balls while Bevan scored his 41st One-Day International half-century with 56 off 94 balls.Australian captain Ricky Ponting said the side’s bowling had been outstanding, not only because of Lee’s great display of yorker bowling, but also due to Glenn McGrath who made the early breakthrough by picking up Daniel Vettori, who was used as an opener, Nathan Astle and Scott Styris.Ponting said on the slow Port Elizabeth wicket it was always going to be tough for any side trying to chase runs.In the meantime the Australians would need to identify the best way to play in the first 15 overs at the ground where they have twice been hard hit in the early overs in matches. They will now play their semi-final at Port Elizabeth next week.Asked what his instruction had been when Bichel went out to join Bevan he said it was: “Try and bat out the 50 overs to give ourselves a chance to stay in the game.”And so they did.Bond had been devastating while taking six of the first seven wickets to fall. He removed both openers early which was just what the side needed as he further revealed his appetite for Australian wickets.Of the 47 ODI wickets he has taken in his 25 matches, 22 have come against Australia at an average of 10.45 with an economy rate of 4.04 and a strike rate of 15.5. These are opposed to his career average of 19.97, economy of 4.36 and strike rate of 27.4.They represent an impressive ability to perform against quality players.Matthew Hayden’s wicket was the first, as he edged a ball behind to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum, while Gilchrist was given out leg before wicket, to a ball which barely landed on leg stump, although it was full.With both back in the pavilion with 24 runs on the board, New Zealand had made significant inroads which went even deeper after Ponting joined them when trying to drive a rising ball which he edged to Fleming at first slip.Bond took a break after six overs and three wickets.But when Fleming brought him back for the 23rd over, not even the skipper could have expected the results that were achieved.In his last four overs, Bond took three more wickets for three runs, adding Damien Martyn, Brad Hogg and Ian Harvey to his list of victims.His haul surpassed the six for 25 Styris took against the West Indies at Port of Spain last year.However, his completion of his overs by the 29th over, meant the pressure went on the rest of the attack.Chris Harris bowled tightly again in conditions he has utilised so often in New Zealand and took none for 24 by the time he was finished in the 40th over while Vettori bowled out his 10, for 40 runs, by the 35th over.Oram took two for 48 from his seven overs, his figures suffering as a result of the successive sixes hit by Lee off the penultimate and last balls of the innings.While Lee enjoyed his hit out, McGrath had more satisfaction by scoring his first World Cup runs in his third tournament.But in 25 World Cup games he has only batted four times, testimony to the outstanding record the Australians have achieved in recent times.A record that was extended in outstanding fashion today.

Barbados’ cricket selectors faced their sternest test of the season last night.They met at Kensington Oval to pick a squad for the final preliminary match of the Carib Beer Series against West Indies "B" starting Friday at Kensington Oval.The selectors’ dilemma stemmed from finding places for three West Indies players – Vasbert Drakes, Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore – following their return to the Caribbean after World Cup duties in South Africa.The cream of the national team – especially the bowlers – which just won the Cup segment of the competition, have performed commendably for six matches and it would be a tough blow if some of them were omitted.It is unthinkable to play as many as five specialist fast bowlers, and once the West Indies trio is available, it means that either Ian Bradshaw or Tino Best will have to watch from the sidelines this weekend.Both have impressive credentials this season.The 21-year-old Best, arguably the fastest bowler on show this season, is the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 28 scalps at 16.17 apiece and must be considered a genuine contender for an international call-up.Left-armer Bradshaw, 28, has bowled well all season, and his 25 wickets (ave. 20.08) place him joint fourth in the competition. His solid left-handed batting that has brought him a half-century in the lower order adds to his value.It is a difficult call for the selectors.The one player certain to be dropped from the eleven that played in the last match against the Leeward Islands is Randy Thomas, the BCL captain who made 17 and one on his debut at No. 3.Dwayne Smith, the promising 20-year-old, could also give way. For all his potential, Smith failed to score a half-century in any of his nine innings for an aggregate of 201 runs (ave. 28.71).If both Thomas and Smith are omitted, it means that captain Courtney Browne might have to move up to No. 5, an indication that the balance of the line-up will have a bias slightly towards bowling.If Smith is retained in the eleven, then one of the slow bowlers will miss out.Tall left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn is level with Bradshaw on 25 wickets and surely deserves another chance.So does Ryan Hurley. On his return to the Barbados team for the first time since 2000, the under-bowled Hurley has not done much with the ball, but has played two vital innings – one that produced a century in the opening match and the other a half-century last weekend.There has been some talk about resting a few of the leading players for the match against bottom-of-the-table West Indies "B" before fielding the strongest possible team for the semifinals of the International Challenge. That seems unlikely, however.The likely 13: Courtney Browne (captain), Philo Wallace, Sherwin Campbell, Ryan Hinds, Floyd Reifer, Dwayne Smith, Ryan Hurley, Vasbert Drakes, Ian Bradshaw, Sulieman Benn, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Tino Best

When play finally began at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, the delay due to the wet conditions allowed enough time for only a 23-over-a-side game. But whether it was 50 overs or less than half as many, the story was much the same, with England struggling to come to terms batting on Indian conditions. Asked to bat first, they managed just 70/7 in 23 overs, a total the Indians overhauled with two overs to spare and for the loss of just one wicket. With this win, India go 2-0 up in the five-match series.Things began badly for the English, with the new opening pair of debutante Laura Spragg and Kate Lowe being separated before they could get the scoreboard moving. Spragg’s mighty heave over the on-side only resulted in her losing her middle stump. Lowe (1) and Newton (10) followed in quick time, giving seamer Jhulan Goswami three wickets in her quota of five overs. Jhulan’s lively spell earned her 3/8.After the fall of the third wicket, England’s innings fell apart in dramatic fashion. A series of batsmen attempting to heave the ball around the park resulted in little more than confusion. Instead of playing genuine cricketing shots and keeping the scoreboard ticking over, the English batsmen panicked and succumbed to steady if unspectacular bowling from the Indians.Slowing things right down, Anjum Chopra employed three spinners, with Neetu David (1/14), Deepa Kulkarni (0/22) and Nooshin al Khader (1/13) sending down 15 overs between them.Changing things around, skipper Chopra came out to open the innings with Anju Jain. The pair began slowly in the knowledge that the target was eminently attainable. Lucy Pearson, bowling a good line, was unlucky to have a close shout for lbw turned down when Chopra walked into a delivery that appeared to be headed straight for off-stump.A needless run-out saw Jain (10) depart, replaced by Mithali Raj. After the fall of the first wicket, Chopra accelerated the scoring rate, opening the face of the bat and playing the ball into the gaps on the off-side. Taking a few chances, the Indian skipper flashed hard at anything that was even slightly wide and consistently got away with it.Mithali’s (11) calming influence in the middle helped Chopra (37, 57 balls, three fours) steer India to a nine-wicket win. For her match figures of 5-1-8-3 earlier in the day, Jhulan was named the Hero Honda Woman of the Match.At the end of the match, Indian skipper Chopra said, “It was an important win for us. We were not too happy when we learned that the game would be truncated, but it turned out well in the end. I am glad we are 2-0 up in the series.” Her opposite number Clare Connor was visibly crestfallen. “It was a disappointing toss to lose, but we do not really want to make too much of that. There is no excuse really. We were outplayed once more,” she said.Connor went on to add, “I know we needed to put more runs on the board and take early wickets, but again today, that did not happen. Maybe we were a bit too frantic early on.” Putting up a brave face, the Sussex left-arm spinner ended, “There are things we did better today than in the first game at Chennai, so there are a few positives to take away from this game.”For the sake of the England team and the series, one hopes that the visitors can make the necessary changes to their game in a hurry and give India a better run for their money.

During the ICC Board of Directors’ teleconference this morning, David Morgan, the ECB Chairman, did not put forward a formal resolution to the ICC Board to move England’s match against Zimbabwe from Harare. He did, however, make strong remarks to the Board about the broader issue of safety and security at all matches:”I want to put the broader issue of the possibility of civil unrest and thethreat of terrorism into very stark perspective.”If there are demonstrations and rioting in Harare during the England versusZimbabwe match this is not just an issue for the two countries directlyconcerned it is an issue for all the countries taking part in the World Cup.”We should all be concerned about this matter, just as we should all beconcerned about any safety and security concerns in Kenya affecting New Zealand, Kenya and Sri Lanka.”The security risk at all matches will, of course, vary according to where the match is being played and which countries are taking part in the match. In that sense, the risk factor at each match must be individually assessed and evaluated.If there are significant security and safety problems, it will blight the whole 2003 World Cup with an indelible stain. It will reflect very badly on cricket and, indeed, everyone associated with the World Cup. No one will escape blame. We will all have to bear collective responsibility.”If, in the next few days/weeks, there is a discernible deterioration in safety and security surrounding particular matches then decisions must be urgently reviewed and, if necessary, matches moved. We must all reserve our right for this to happen.”The Kroll Report, which was discussed at length, was categorical in itsultimate assessment that it is safe and secure for all six matches in Zimbabwe to proceed as planned. It was clear from the mood of the teleconference that there was an implacable and overwhelming feeling that the recommendations of the Report should be accepted.David Morgan had, only last night, fully briefed Nasser Hussain about theposition ECB would be taking at today’s ICC Teleconference. David is fullyaware and understanding of the England Team’s concerns about the match inHarare on February 13th, and will continue vigorously to ensure ICC reviews all safety and security aspects relating to this, and other, matches.

A second-innings collapse from Maharashtra saw Mumbai pull off aseven-wicket victory in their Ranji Trophy league match at Mumbai onSunday.Reaching a first-innings total of 250 thanks mainly to some late-orderheroics, Mumbai must have felt that they did not have nearly enoughruns in the bank. Iqbal Siddiqui was the most impressive Maharashtrabowler, returning figures of 7-91.Ramesh Powar, however, returned his own impressive figures for Mumbai,taking 6-30 off 19.5 overs. The Maharashtra innings collapseddramatically; with only the openers getting to double figures, theside was dismissed for 98.Set a target of 65 for victory, Mumbai brushed off minor hiccups tonotch up a seven-wicket victory. They now garner eight points fromthis match, their first of the Ranji season.

Railways cantered to victory over Vidarbha, chasing a small total and winning their Ranji one-day match by five wickets at Udaipur.Winning the toss, Railways put Vidarbha in to bat, and their bowlers did not let them down. Barring a good opening partnership, none of the batsmen could put on stands until the very end, when Samir Khare and Harshal Shitoot added 66 runs for the sixth wicket.Chasing 225, Railways made light work of the total, achieving it in only 36.3 overs. Syed Raza Ali made an unbeaten 72 off just 62 balls, and he was well supported by skipper Abhay Sharma’s 49 off 32 balls.

All day two of fourCounty Championship Division OneMiddlesex v Lancashire, Lord’s
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Andrew Flintoff smashed a run-a-ball 111 in Lancashire’s imposing total of 565 for 7 declared against Middlesex at Lord’s. The overnight centurions Mark Chilton and Stuart Law also piled on more runs, Chilton made 119 and Law fell an agonising two runs short of 200. Jimmy Anderson then warmed up for England’s first Test by taking two wickets as Middlesex finished on 163 for 4, still 402 behind.Nottinghamshire v Surrey, Trent Bridge
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Azhar Mahmood’s blistering 98 put Surrey on course for a comfortable win over Notts at Trent Bridge. Taking a leaf out of Alec Stewart’s book, Mahmood hit 12 fours and four sixes, to help Surrey to a first-innings lead of 182. Martin Bicknell trapped his brother, Darren, lbw for 0 in the second ball of Nottinghamshire’s second innings, and soon added the scalp of Jason Gallian. Then James Ormond followed up his five first-innings wickets with three more – including Usman Afzaal for a second-ball duck – as Notts ended on 94 for 6.Warwickshire v Sussex, Edgbaston
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Mo Sheikh (57*) had a day to remember against Sussex at Edgbaston. With the help of No. 11 Alan Richardson (47), Sheikh added a valuable 74 runs for the last wicket as Warwickshire were all out for 422. Richard Montgomerie and Murray Goodwin made a steady start to Sussex’s reply, but both they, and Chris Adams, fell to Sheikh’s medium pace as he finished with the sparkling figures of 3 for 16 off 17 overs, including 10 maidens. Sussex trail by 306 runs with seven wickets remaining.Division TwoGlamorgan v Gloucestershire, Cardiff
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Heavy showers meant that only five overs and one ball were possible at Cardiff. Gloucestershire advanced their total by 15 runs, but lost Jonty Rhodes, lbw to David Harrison for 47.Yorkshire v Derbyshire, Headingley
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Dominic Cork played a captain’s innings of 92 as Derbyshire finished the day in a strong position. Luke Sutton top-scored for Derbyshire with 127, as he and Cork shared a sixth-wicket stand of 159. Worryingly for the England selectors, Matthew Hoggard, Chris Silverwood and Richard Dawson failed to take any wickets, but Ryan Sidebottom took 7 for 97. Better news was Michael Vaughan’s return to runs with his 47, as Yorkshire ended on 203 for 4.Worcestershire v Zimbabweans, Worcester
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England’s assistant coach, Graham Dilley is expected to rejoin the squad in Hyderabad during the next 24 hours after an illness scare.Dilley, 42, was taken to a Mumbai hospital last night suffering from theeffects of the sun. The former England fast bowler did not travel to Hyderabad early this morning, but has since confirmed that he is feeling better.Dilley expects to rejoin the touring party tomorrow ahead of the next warm-up game against a Board President’s XI. He felt unwell during a coaching session with the five players omitted from the tour opener in Mumbai.

• It was the 1736th ODI in cricket history.
• It was India’s 470th and New Zealand’s 381st match – 59th betweenthese two sides. The record now reads : New Zealand 26, India 30,abandoned 3.
• Umpires DN Pathirana and G Silva were officiating in their 11th andeighth match respectively.
• Rahul Dravid was playing his 150th match. He became 56th playeroverall and tenth Indian to do so.
• Zaheer Khan became second Indian after Debabis Mohanty to claim awicket off the first ball of the match when he trapped MatthewSinclair LBW. Mohanty had West Indian makeshift opener Ridley Jacobscaught by Nikhil Chopra at Singapore (Kallang) on September 5,1999. Inaddition there have been four instances of an Indian bowler capturinga wicket off the first ball of the opponent’s innings (second inningsof the match).
• Nathan Astle (117) scored his tenth hundred in ODIs in his 135thmatch. The hundred was Astle’s third against India which equals thetally of Chris Cairns for New Zealand.
• The hundred was fifth for Astle in his 51st floodlit matchonly oneless than all other Kiwi batsmen have scored in floodlit matches.Others with hundred in floodlit matches for New Zealand are StephenFleming (2), Matthew Sinclair (2), Chris Harris (1) and Chris Cairns(1).
• Astle, on 26,completed his 2000 runs in `away’ matches for NewZealand. At the end of this match Astle has a tally of 2091 runs from77 matches. He became 62nd batsman in all and fifth New Zealanderafter Martin Crowe (2820 runs in 86 matches), John Wright (2752 in106),Stephen Fleming (2323 in 89) and Adam Parore (2032 in 90) to doso. Incidentally India’s Sachin Tendulkar with 6712 runs from 183appearances holds the record of aggregating most runs in a career in`away’ matches.
• India’s total (127) was its second lowest in all matches against NewZealand after the 113 (in 44.2 overs) at Perth on January 18,1986.

• India’s total was the joint sixth lowest total to include anindividual fifty (Laxman- 60). It was also the second lowest suchtotal for India. The accompanying table has the details :

• Laxman’s 60 represented 47.24% of India’s total – the fourth maximum byany Indian batsman in a completed innings.The details :

• Chris Harris by holding four catches equalled the record of mostcatches by a fielder in a match for New Zealand. Ken Rutherford hadtaken four catches also against India at Napier on February 16,1995.Harris also became 14th fielder in ODIs to take four catches in amatch as a fielder with South African Jonty Rhodes being alone inholding as many as five.
• India suffered its third worst defeat against New Zealand in terms ofmargin of runs. New Zealand had beaten India by 108 runs at Dunedin onMarch 1,1990 and by 99 runs at Nagpur on November 26,1995.
• Nathan Astle was winning his 17th Man of the Match award. He is nowonly three away of Martin Crowe’s New Zealand record of 20 MoM awards.