All posts by csb10.top

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Salman Butt’s mature half-century almost took Pakistan past the finish line•Getty Images

In a tournament of largely one-sided matches, New Zealand pulled off their second nail-biting victory and their first Twenty20 win over defending champions Pakistan, who are now on the brink of elimination. After rescuer-in-chief Daniel Vettori revived his side following the failure of big names, New Zealand survived an Abdul Razzaq onslaught and Salman Butt’s level-headed batting to come through by one run and boost their chances of making the semi-finals.Pakistan’s army of spinners was outstanding in Barbados to keep New Zealand down to what seemed a below-par total, but once captain Shahid Afridi was dismissed in the 10th over following a middle-order collapse, the score was 58 for 5 and New Zealand looked in charge.Butt and Razzaq were the last recognised batting pair, and they played calm cricket, picking 19 off four overs, during which New Zealand’s advantage increased. Razzaq had patiently made 5 of 16 deliveries when he gave yet another exhibition of his ability to transform Twenty20 matches, blitzing two mammoth sixes and a four off Vettori in four balls. He had trouble against Shane Bond’s short and slow deliveries, missing four in a row, before finishing off the over with a humongous hit that just about stayed in the stadium.With 26 needed off 18, and two dangerous batsmen at the crease, the Pakistan dug-out was a happier place. Time for the match to swing again: Nathan McCullum, who has been New Zealand’s best player this tournament, got one to bounce extra and Razzaq’s attempt to again clear long-on ended up as a catch to deep midwicket.Butt reached his half-century off the next delivery, and caressed the first ball of the penultimate over beyond deep extra cover for six to keep the game on edge. A series of singles rounded off the over, and made it 11 needed off the final six balls.Ian Butler, preferred over Jacob Oram, stepped up to bowl. The first four deliveries reflected the game’s fluctuating pattern: dot, four, dot, four, as Butt swung-and-missed twice and connected twice. To continue the pattern, Butt missed the next delivery, a yorker just beyond leg stump, but the batsmen sneaked a bye, though Gareth Hopkins hit direct at the keeper’s end.Two required off the final ball, with Abdur Rehman on strike. After lengthy discussions about the field, Butler charged in and served up a length ball on the pads – ripe for the hitting, but it was only struck as far as Martin Guptill at deep square leg. That confirmed Pakistan’s defeat and ruined Rehman’s first international match in nearly three years, one in which he had been terrific with the ball earlier on.Rehman had put the skids on New Zealand’s top-order after Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder provided New Zealand their first substantial start of the tournament. Guptill was one of several batsmen who were unable to come to terms with the spinners, being beaten several times by Rehman before falling to a diving one-handed catch at long-on by Umar Akmal.The biggest blows for New Zealand came soon after, in the space of seven deliveries. McCullum, quieter after a series of early fours, top-edged a sweep to deep square leg, following which Ross Taylor, still to make an impact in the World Twenty20, nicked Mohammad Sami to the keeper. New Zealand slid to 58 for 4 in the tenth over, bringing in Vettori to do his familiar firefighting.Against Shahid Afridi, who was varying his pace cleverly, and Saeed Ajmal, called on to play the Umar Gul-role of bowling four overs straight towards the end of the innings, Vettori was happy to play a series of sweeps and flat-batted hits down the ground to make more than twice his previous Twenty20 high. Vettori chalked up his first two sixes in international Twenty20, and Nathan McCullum finished off the innings with a swipe over midwicket which proved vital in a match so close that the difference between the two team’s scores was never more than three at the end of each of the final five overs.Still, on a pitch that didn’t have much sideways movement, and with plenty of true bounce, 133 should have been easily overhauled. But Pakistan’s main batsmen, with the exception of Butt, had a tough time against New Zealand’s quick bowlers. Kamran Akmal inside-edged a slower ball from Kyle Mills, Mohammad Hafeez was undone by a kicker from Bond, and a short ball from Mills took out Umar for a golden duck. Misbah-ul-Haq’s misery ended when he was lbw on his 13th ball for 3, and Afridi fell to a forward-diving blinder from Nathan McCullum at midwicket . Pakistan’s top-order matched the limpness of their New Zealand counterparts and set up a low-scoring thriller for the Barbados crowd which has witnessed four one-side matches in two days.

Can Steve Harmison spearhead another Durham title push?•Getty Images

Derbyshire

Captain Chris Rogers Coach John Morris Overseas Chris Rogers (Aus), Loots Bosman (SA – T20)
There was precious little for Derbyshire fans to cheer about last season and they will struggle again this year to make a real impact in any of the formats. Yet the strength and depth in batting, led by Chris Rogers, should make them tough to beat in the Championship. Winning games will be more of a problem given the slim bowling resources. Charl Langeveldt has departed but another South African import, Robin Peterson, will bring experience and nous to the attack and they will need another big season from Graham Wagg. SD
Key man Chris Rogers – 1461 runs at 73.05 last season was miles ahead of the rest of his team and the captain will have to score equally big to give his side a sniff.
Keep an eye on Tim Groenewald – A South African-raised allrounder, his bustling medium pace was a revelation last year with 34 wickets in nine first-class games.
Winter surprise The players will have to remember to stand in the right place after the pitch was turned to avoid the setting sun.
Silverware? The bowlers probably lack the quality to secure silverware in any of the formats.

Durham

Captain Will Smith Coach Geoff Cook Overseas Albie Morkel (SA), Ross Taylor (NZ, TBC – T20 only)
Can they do the hat-trick? No county since Yorkshire between 1966-1968 has claimed three Championship titles on the bounce, but it would be a brave person to bet against Durham. They were so far ahead of the pack last season that their nearest challenges are going to have make significant strides to catch them. International calls will mean seeing little of Paul Collingwood and Graham Onions, but the squad has depth to cover their absence. In a sign of confidence they haven’t signed an overseas player for the Championship and instead will show faith in the likes of Gordon Muchall and Ben Stokes. Once again, though, it’s the pace attack that makes them favourites with Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett leading the pack. Don’t rule out one-day success, either, from a squad that has that winning habit. AM
Key man Steve Harmison – The man himself wants another Ashes chance, but selectors are likely to think differently. However, he remains hungry for domestic success and county line-ups will pay the price.
Keep an eye on Ben Stokes – A young allrounder who impressed with England Under-19s. Gives the ball a hefty thump and bowls useful medium-pace
Winter surprise Have decided not to recruit from overseas for four-day cricket. Will that prove costly?
Silverware? Will take some stopping in the Championship and a one-day trophy for the taking as well if they can stand the pace.

Essex

Captain Mark Pettini Coach Paul Grayson Overseas Danish Kaneria (Pak)
Promoted on the final day of last season after Ryan ten Doeschate slammed a 59-ball 108 against Derbyshire, Essex’s first challenge is to ensure they don’t become a yo-yo team that goes straight back down. It will be a tough ask for a side that looks a little thin in a few areas – especially the bowling. With Ravi Bopara back in England favour they will also need to cover for his runs, although Alastair Cook will be available while the World Twenty20 is on. They need a big season from Tom Westley and regular contributions from the likes of James Foster, Graham Napier and ten Doeschate. The one-day route appears to be their best chance of success with the clutch of allrounders capable of winning Twenty20 matches.
Key man Matt Walker – Needs to produce a consistent output in a line-up than is missing a big name if Cook and Bopara are absent. AM
Keep an eye on Tom Westley – Time for him to kick on after showing glimpses of his potential
Winter surprise Grant Flower was named Zimbabwe’s batting coach, but will play this season before taking up his role.
Silverware? Championship survival will be a success, but don’t be surprised to see them compete for 40 and 20-over trophies.Gloucestershire will need a big haul from the fiery Steve Kirby to challenge for promotion•PA Photos

Glamorgan

Captain Jamie Dalrymple Coach Matthew Maynard Overseas Mark Cosgrove (Aus), Shaun Tait (Aus – T20)
Glamorgan’s search for trophy success has them looking again to Australia. Jason Gillespie, their overseas player in 2008, has helped persuade the express Twenty20 specialist Shaun Tait to go to Cardiff, fresh from his pursuits in the IPL. Glamorgan’s intentions are clear – they are searching T20 silverware and an opportunity to collect Champions League riches after disappointing in all formats last year. Two wise-heads at the helm in Jamie Dalrymple and Matthew Maynard, alongside the evergreen Robert Croft, who turns 40 in May, means there is plenty of guidance for the younger members of the squad. If Mark Cosgrove can continue his good form from last year a shot at promotion may not be out the question. SD
Key man Michael Powell – They will need plenty of runs from an experienced batsman to help along the younger players.
Keep an eye on James Harris – The 19-year-old played for the England Lions against Australia last year and has the responsibility of leading Glamorgan’s pace attack
Winter surprise That Maynard has kept his job after rumours of a behind-the-scenes problems
Silverware? Their best chances lies with Tait and the Twenty20.

Gloucestershire

Captain Alex Gidman Coach John Bracewell Overseas James Franklin (NZ)
Gloucestershire have nurtured a lively attack led by the ever-fiery Steve Kirby, but to improve on last year’s ‘almost’ season they need some backbone to their batting. Jonathan Batty’s arrival from Surrey will add to an impressive think-tank led by former New Zealand coach John Bracewell. James Franklin, a fellow Kiwi, will strengthen both the lower order and the bowling attack but there may still be a touch of class missing from both. They remain a competitive one-day unit, but have lost that unbeatable quality from the beginning of the last decade. SD
Key man Steve Kirby – Surely destined to be a nearly-man for England now, if can stay fit and find some support could lead the push for promotion.
Keep an eye on Vikram Banerjee – A left-arm spinner rated highly enough to be part of the Performance Squad.
Winter surprise Ian Saxelby’s dislocated shoulder when appealing during a practice session.
Silverware? Having reached the semi-final of the FP Trophy last year Gloucestershire could push for one-day honours this season.

Hampshire

Captain Dimitri Mascarenhas Coach Giles White Overseas Ajantha Mendis (SL), Rangana Herath (SL), Shahid Afridi (Pak – T20), Abdul Razzaq (Pak – T20)
For the sake of a competitive Championship race Durham need some close challengers and Hampshire may just provide that. They flirted with relegation last season, but have the core of a strong side especially after the signing of Kabir Ali. If Ajantha Mendis appears for his spell bowling sides out shouldn’t be a problem. Runs have often been harder to come by, but with Michael Carberry unlikely to feature regularly for England he can anchor the top order alongside Michael Lumb, while James Vince and Liam Dawson can cover for John Crawley’s retirement. Dimitri Mascarenhas will miss the start of the season, but when he returns his one-day skills will also make Hampshire a force in the shorter formats. With their new ties with Rajasthan Royals, Twenty20 success is likely to be high on the agenda. SD
Key man Michael Carberry – If he can churn out the regular runs again it will keep in the selectors’ thoughts and also help Hampshire to commanding totals.
Keep an eye on James Vince – Some of his strokeplay in the Pro40 last season took the breath away and he’s another of the new generation of fearless, young batsmen.
Winter surprise Becoming part of the world ‘global’ sporting franchise after linking with Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals as Twenty20 shows no sign of slowing down.
Silverware? They should compete on all fronts and it may all depend on the club’s priorities. Four-day or Twenty20?On the outside: Joe Denly has been dropped by England so needs a profitable season for Kent•Getty Images

Kent

Captain Rob Key Coach Paul Farbrace Overseas Malinga Bandara (SL)
One of most financially strapped counties on the circuit they continue to have a small playing staff which hasn’t left Paul Farbrace, back at Kent after his time with Sri Lanka, much room to manoeuvre. Their promotion was a fairly comfortable affair and with a following wind they could mount a challenge in the top division, but there is also the potential for things to unravel quite quickly. At least the batting order led by Rob Key, Joe Denly and Martin van Jaarsveld – not to mention a revitalised Geraint Jones – should mean decent totals and all are destructive one-day players as well. It’s easy to forget that Amjad Khan played for England a year ago and he should form a potent new-ball attack with Robbie Joseph. The problems will come if they are injured, but Malinga Bandara will help cover for James Tredwell. AM
Key man Joe Denly – Has failed to establish his England place during the winter and motivation to impress the selectors could benefit Kent.
Keep an eye on Sam Northeast – Earmarked as a rare talent since a schoolboy he started to score consistently last season but may have to wait his chance.
Winter surprise Not so much a surprise, as many saw it coming, but the losses of £800,000 hurt.
Silverware? Injuries will test the bench-strength, but if they hold it together through the middle part of the season another dip at the Twenty20 title is in the offing.

Lancashire

Captain Glen Chapple Coach Peter Moores Overseas Ashwell Prince (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL)
The best news for Lancashire during the off season came in early March when Trafford Council approved their development plans for Old Trafford. Barring any late problems, the club can now start the desperately needed work to secure their Test future. There have been subtle touches to the team itself rather than major work and, by and large, it is a familiar group of players who will try to end Lancashire’s trophy drought. Each season begins with the same expectation and Peter Moores’ honeymoon period is now over. The loss of Mal Loye and Faf du Plessis will put pressure on import Stephen Moore to find his feet quickly, but Ashwell Price and Kumar Sangakkara (if he remains available) should fill their boots. Wickets are a bigger issue and Gary Keedy will hope for a dry summer. Meanwhile, the wait for Andrew Flintoff’s return goes on. AM
Key man Sajid Mahmood – Seemingly been discarded by England again, he needs to lead the attack in all forms. Has the pace to trouble county sides and needs to aim for 60-wicket season.
Keep an eye on Steven Croft – A developing allrounder who pushed for England Lions honours last year. Outstanding in the field.
Winter surprise Daren Powell – The former West Indies quick was a shock acquisition to join the pace attack.
Silverware? If Mahmood and Keedy fire they can push Durham and should challenge on the one-day front. But that’s said every year.

Leicestershire

Captain Matthew Hoggard Coach Tim Boon Overseas Andrew McDonald (Aus), Brad Hodge (Aus – T20)
After enduring a torrid bottom-of-the-table finish last season, their first since 1962, Leicestershire decided on a winter spending spree. In came Matthew Hoggard to captain the side, Will Jefferson to bolster the batting and the Australian duo of Andrew McDonald, for the whole season, and Brad Hodge for the Twenty20. They add experience to a talented young side which, under Hoggard’s quirky leadership, could bring a turn-around in fortunes at Grace Road. Hodge was key to the club’s previous Twenty20 success and they could surprise a few teams once again. SD
Key man Matthew Hoggard – May have lost his ‘nip’ but he remains as canny as ever, his wickets and leadership will be crucial.
Keep an eye on James Taylor – As the ‘one-to-watch’ last year he duly delivered a barnstorming county season, making 1184 runs at 65.77. How he copes with ‘second season syndrome’ will be critical.
Winter surprise That they saw captaincy material in Hoggard – it will be nothing if not interesting.
Silverware? Silverware could be beyond them but a sneaky charge at promotion is not out of the question.

Match facts

Rajasthan Royals v Deccan Chargers, Ahmedabad
Friday, March 26
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Adam Voges has played a crucial role in Rajasthan’s turnaround•Indian Premier League

Big picture

Rajasthan have a habit of belying their critics’ gloomy predictions, and it seems they are on their way to do so again. After three consecutive defeats culminating in the embarrassing capitulation to Royal Challengers Bangalore, their skeptics had written them off. However, Shane Warne’s boys have lifted themselves off the bottom of the table on the back of two straight wins. Also, they are finally getting the performances out of their foreign players: Shaun Tait and Michael Lumb had their best match of the tournament against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday, and Adam Voges is proving to be a canny pick.
Their victories, though, have come against two of the strugglers in the tournament – Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders. The match against an in-form Deccan Chargers should be a stiffer test, and if they pass that they will only be two points off the top spot. One of their big challenges will be to keep a well-oiled Deccan batting unit, which has piled on at least 170 in each of their past three games, quiet. One of Deccan’s worries is that the leading wicket-taker in the second season of the IPL, RP Singh, is having a rough time in this tournament, though his troubles have been masked by the form of Chaminda Vaas.

Team talk

It is possible that Rajasthan will want to stick with the side that beat Punjab; the Indian batsmen, for the most part, have done well enough to retain their place. Munaf Patel had a poor game against Punjab, but he is seen as a senior bowler in the Rajasthan camp, so he is likely to be given more matches.
Deccan have yet to unleash the pace of Kemar Roach, but with Chaminda Vaas having an excellent tournament so far, the West Indian may not get a look-in. One question for Gilchrist to ponder about is who to pick as his opening partner; Monish Mishra failed in the previous game, and the other option is VVS Laxman.

Form guide (most recent first)

Rajasthan: WWLLL
Deccan: WWWL

Previously…

Rajasthan 3 Deccan 1
In 2008, Graeme Smith and Yusuf Pathan helped Rajasthan overcome a brutal century from Andrew Symonds to chase 214 off the penultimate ball in Hyderabad. The second game in Jaipur was a mauling, as the same duo scripted an eight-wicket win.
Last year, the teams split the matches, Rajasthan winning by three wickets in Port Elizabeth and Deccan cruising to a 53-run victory in Kimberley.

In the spotlight

The inclusion of Adam Voges has added spark to the Rajasthan batting; two electric innings from him have boosted their totals from middling to challenging ones, and also have reduced the dependence on Yusuf for the quick runs.
Deccan may have sunk in a massive amount for Andrew Symonds’ services, but it is proving to be a sound investment – Symonds has been Man-of-the-Match in the past two matches, and made a brisk half-century and snagged two wickets, including that of MS Dhoni, in the win against Chennai.

Prime numbers

• Adam Gilchrist has provided Deccan with his usual blistering starts this season, he leads the strike-rates chart (minimum 50 runs), blasting away at 191.02
• Amit Uniyal’s economy rate of 11.00 is the highest in the tournament for anyone who has bowled more than five overs.

Chatter

“We have learnt a lot from our last few matches and we showed a lot of character. We have to keep this intensity going.”
Shane Warne on Rajasthan’s resurgence.

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, blamed his side’s poor batting performance for the defeat in the third ODI at Hamilton, which gave Australia 2-1 lead in the five-match series.”We put a bit too much pressure on ourselves with losing wickets and I suppose, put too much pressure on Scott [Styris] and Gareth [Hopkins] to pick up the slack then be aggressive near the end,” Vettori said. “It was a total that was 40 or 50 runs short and we couldn’t put any pressure on Australia because of it.”New Zealand reached 146 for the loss of five wickets, in the 30th over, before Styris and Hopkins recovered partially through a 67-run stand, but the hosts could not last the full duration and were bowled out for 245 in the 47th over. Four of their top five batsmen got off to starts but did not take on the responsibility to bat long, a trait that concerned Vettori.”I suppose it’s just taking ownership of your innings and realising that 20s and 30s and even 50s and 60s aren’t good enough against Australia. You need guys to kick on. You need those big partnerships and you can’t consistently lose wickets,” Vettori said.New Zealand struggled on the field, with two first-choice seamers, Daryl Tuffey and James Franklin, missing in action. Shane Bond had to leave the field later in the day, after picking a sore thumb while trying to take a tough return catch from centurion Brad Haddin. Vettori admitted that his side was a bowler short, and struggled as a result.”It was one bowler too few but you still need guys to step up and bowl well. At times we did a really good job with the ball and at times we were poor,” Vettori said.The injuries forced a recall for Michael Mason, after nearly two years in the international wilderness. He was attacked early by Haddin, but was better in his second spell where he dismissed Ricky Ponting.”I was pleased with the way Michael Mason came back because it was a pretty tough start but he finished pretty well,” Vettori said.Ponting, the Australia captain, hailed his side’s clinical six-wicket win as their best performance yet in the series. “It was a very convincing win tonight. To take our Powerplay as late as we did and we really cantered across the line from about 30 overs onwards. We did it pretty easy.”We’ve been looking for this performance the entire series and we’ve played our best game to date. The momentum, if there is any to be taken out of this game, is obviously with us. If we start strongly on Thursday hopefully the momentum continues for us there,” Ponting said.Brad Haddin’s attacking ton played a major part in Australia’s easy win and Ponting acknowledged that there was a conscious effort among the top-order batsmen to score big.”It’s what we’ve been asking our top order to deliver. I said to the boys this morning I know that if someone in our top order gets 80 plus or 100 that we’re going to get well over 300 every time we bat with the nature of these grounds over here,” Ponting said.”Luckily we were chasing 240. Our bowlers did a great job there taking wickets consistently through the New Zealand batting innings. It was a more commanding performance and Brad’s obviously played a massive role in us winning tonight.”

Andrew Symonds feels more comfortable with the security situation in India than he did whenever he toured South Africa and the recent terrorist threats against the IPL have not changed his travel plans. Symonds, who was part of Deccan Charger’s Twenty20 win last year, intends to join his team-mates in Hyderabad for the tournament next month despite the safety fears.”India is one of those countries I have never felt intimidated in,” he said. “Even when the crowd starts getting a little bit uppity. I have always felt like I could get shot or stabbed more in South Africa. I have never felt that in India.”While many of the Australians involved in the IPL are waiting on the security assessment of Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Symonds’ participation is not currently in doubt. “At this stage I will be going as planned,” he said.Symonds, who gets US$1.35m for each IPL season, was racially targeted by Indian fans in a couple of ODIs there in 2007, but his time in the Twenty20 competition has led him to call the country a “home away from home”. He remembered fondly the reception Deccan received on the streets of Hyderabad after they won the second version of the IPL. That tournament was held in South Africa due to security fears and Symonds was a happy participant.Greg Chappell, the former India coach, said he also never felt threatened in the country and was concerned that terrorist organisations were targeting sports events. “I think it would be a shame if we were pushed into a position where we were cowed by these sorts of people,” he said. “By and large they [the players] are going to be okay.”Symonds, 34, confirmed he would not be seeking another contract in first-class cricket but wants to continue playing Twenty20 for Queensland. After battling for runs in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 tournament this summer, he has linked up with Ashleigh Byron, his mentor as a teenager. He was targeted by the short-ball in the Big Bash and was dismissed in ugly fashion a couple of times, showing he was missing the regular, high-level training he had previously received while registering 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 Twenty20 internationals.Less than a year after his sacking from the Australian side for another drinking misdemeanour, Symonds had only one regret about his dramatic slide. “I’m not bitter about it all,” he said. “It was just a tough environment for me to live in – the way that I liked to enjoy myself.”If I had my time again, I had to sign an agreement to go back into that side and play in that side [after being suspended in 2008-09]. I would never have signed that. It’s probably the one regret I do have. The times I played I did enjoy it. It just got to that point where at some point it was going to boil over and it did. I’m happy with that now, it’s been dealt with and life goes on.”Symonds was speaking after becoming the 13th Queensland player to be inducted into the state’s 100 first-class game club and his parents Ken and Barbara were in the audience. “I never broke the law, Mum, or did anything real bad,” he said after telling them he loved them. “I’m not proud of some of the things I did but I’m very proud of some of the things I have done.”

Another young spinner could be given a taste of first-class cricket in Australia after Queensland named the legspinner Cameron Boyce in their Sheffield Shield squad to take on New South Wales at the SCG this week. Boyce, 20, has replaced Ryan Harris in the squad after Harris was named as a shadow player for Peter Siddle in Australia’s ODI side.A rookie-contracted player for the past two seasons, Boyce is yet to play first-class or one-day cricket for Queensland but has won a spot ahead of Daniel Doran, who has been the Bulls’ first-choice slow bowler for several seasons. Queensland’s squad also includes the fast bowler Luke Feldman and the wicketkeeper Chris Hartley, who missed the recent Twenty20 Big Bash with a broken thumb.Queensland take on the Blues in their four-day match starting on Friday but first New South Wales host South Australia in a one-day game in Wollongong on Tuesday. The Redbacks will be without Mark Cosgrove, who has a wrist injury, allowing the rookie batsman Michael Cranmer to join the 12-man squad in search of a state debut.Meanwhile, Tasmania will host Victoria in an FR Cup game on Wednesday followed by a Sheffield Shield clash beginning on Friday. Tasmania have named their one-day squad with the only change the inclusion of the batsman Rhett Lockyear at the expense of the allrounder James Faulkner.Victoria have decided to take a 17-man squad to Tasmania ahead of the limited-overs match. The players not required for the four-day encounter will return home following Wednesday’s game.Queensland Sheffield Shield squad Ryan Broad, Nick Kruger, Wade Townsend, Lee Carseldine, Glen Batticciotto, Chris Simpson (capt), Chris Hartley (wk), Chris Swan, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Cameron Boyce, Scott Walter.South Australia FR Cup squad Graham Manou (capt, wk), Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Tom Cooper, Cameron Borgas, Michael Cranmer, Aaron O’Brien, Daniel Christian, Matthew Weeks, Chris Duval, Jake Haberfield, Shaun Tait.Tasmania FR Cup squad Michael Dighton, Ed Cowan, Rhett Lockyear, George Bailey (capt), Travis Birt, Tim Paine (wk), Luke Butterworth, Brett Geeves, Jason Krejza, Xavier Doherty, Brendan Drew, Gerard Denton.Victoria squad Nick Jewell, Chris Rogers, David Hussey (capt), Rob Quiney, Brad Hodge, Aaron Finch, Aiden Blizzard, Lloyd Mash, Michael Hill, Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, James Pattinson, Damien Wright, Jon Holland, Bryce McGain, Dirk Nannes.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Daryl Tuffey’s maiden Test fifty led New Zealand to 471•Getty Images

If Pakistan’s batsmen had applied themselves in the first innings the way they did in the second, a draw would have been the most likely result of the Napier Test. As it stands now, Pakistan are still trailing by 120 runs with two days remaining, though a determined performance from their openers cut the first-innings deficit by more than half.And don’t shake your head in disbelief when you look at the scorecard. Daryl Tuffey, whose previous best was 35, nearly reached his maiden Test hundred as New Zealand gained control of the decider. However, their vice-like grip on the contest – they led by 248 runs when the innings ended after lunch – had loosened at stumps with Salman Butt and Imran Farhat reaching half-centuries during a 128-run association.The second and third sessions made for fascinating watching. New Zealand’s rudimentary plan A appeared to be heavily influenced by Pakistan’s terrible first-innings effort. They bowled outside off stump to the left-hand openers, who normally are crease-bound, hoping they would reach out and commit mistakes. To Butt, who tends to fall over on his front foot, they occasionally brought the ball back in to try force an lbw, and for Farhat they had a short mid-off in place and waited for the airy drive.Plan A didn’t work, though, for the openers were determined not to chase anything they didn’t have to and also because there was not much help from the pitch. Slowly, the batsmen began to play square and cover drives and New Zealand started to bowl with more imagination in the second session. The seamers attacked the stumps more, slipped in the odd delivery outside off and Vettori as usual was on target. However, Butt and Farhat continued to be patient and reaped the benefits.Both batsmen stayed adjacent to the line of the ball and generally favoured the off side more with their drives, bottom-hand punches and cuts. The disciplined effort was in stark contrast to the extravagance in the first innings but they might have learnt hard lessons from watching Vettori and Tuffey thrive when New Zealand batted.Imran Farhat followed up his first-innings century with a fifty in the second•Getty Images

Tuffey’s innings showed how good the Napier pitch was for batting. It also said much about Pakistan’s listless bowling display and highlighted the mess they dragged themselves into due to a poor first-innings performance. As you would expect from a third-day track, Danish Kaneria found some spin and completed his five-for but the morning belonged to Vettori and Tuffey.Vettori cruised along, using his bottom hand to flash length deliveries through cover and carve short-of-a-length balls through cover point, and continued to improvise without much risk. Like he did so effectively last evening, Vettori teased Pakistan with his calculated shuffles. He moved towards off to flick to square-leg and would create more room for his cuts by arching back. Pakistan didn’t have anyone with pace to hurry Vettori into making mistakes and it took a stunning fielding effort to dismiss him. Vettori drove one well to the left of short extra cover where Umar Akmal flung himself to hold on to the catch.Tuffey had a few problems against Kaneria – he was dropped, on 32, by Umar Gul at long-leg off an attempted sweep and survived couple of appeals for lbw – but he was solid against the fast bowlers. He handled the short ball without problems and cut at every opportunity. He brought up the fifty partnership with Vettori and his half-century with cut shots, and dispatched Kaneria over long-on. Tuffey’s best, though, was an on drive that bisected long-on and long-off. He leaned forward to a flighted legbreak, took his front leg out of the way and drove through the line, past the startled bowler.It was a shot that a top-order batsman would have been proud of, and it not only reflected his confidence but also said much about Pakistan’s state of mind. By the day’s close, however, Pakistan’s openers had redressed the imbalance and left it open to several results.

As England’s one-day team triumphed 2-1 over South Africa, Owais Shah was left marooned in London. He had been dropped two games after a sensational 98 from 89 balls against South Africa in the Champions Trophy, and on the back of two years in which he has scored more one-day runs, hit more fifties and struck more sixes than anyone else in the country.Shah thinks it’s an injustice that can’t be explained by the reasons given to him by the selectors. “I was told I’m not consistent enough,” he said during an npower event at Lord’s. “But I’ve scored more runs than anyone else so that can’t be right. There’s got to be more which I haven’t been told about.”Given England’s recent success and the fact that Shah, now 31, has played 71 times for his country in 50-over cricket over the best part of a decade, it will surely be difficult for him to force his way back into the side.Since the Champions Trophy, Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook have come into the squad while Kevin Pietersen has returned from injury as well. Though Trott has started solidly, opening with Andrew Strauss, Shah thinks the top order lacks match-winning quality, and is adamant that his ability to clear the ropes brings a dynamism missing from the current set-up. In that Centurion tour de force, he struck five sixes in the space of 13 balls.”I’m a lot more destructive than the guys who have come in at my expense,” he said. “I’m a six-hitter, as you saw in the Champions Trophy. And sure, there are players in England who can get runs but it’s all about how you get runs. I don’t believe there are enough players in that line-up who can change the game. They can get runs, but it’s all about changing the game, scoring against tough opposition. I believe I can offer that compared to the other players.”The lack of decisiveness is something Shah says hampers England’s Test team as well, compared with sides such as India. “If you look at the best teams in the world, they have players who score really big runs, destructive runs and really nail the opposition.”Pietersen apart, we don’t have those sorts of players. If you look at India, you have players like Yuvraj [Singh] batting at six, he’s one of the most destructive players in the world. It’s a question of how we want to play our cricket. It’s how those guys play their cricket and they’re the No.1 team in the world.”Shah has been asked to play in a variety of positions during his career for England – batting as low as seven and as high as three. He cites this lack of stability as a reason why he has not scored as many runs as people might have expected.”Every player just wants some consistency and I just find if it’s constantly changing you don’t have a role. I flirted with No. 3 but it was never set in stone – one series I was batting here and another there. It’s just like, leave me in one position and let me deliver a role.”It’s something Shah hopes his Middlesex team-mate Eoin Morgan can avoid as he tries to establish himself in England’s team. “I just hope they don’t mess him around like other players have been messed around, saying go there, go here. I hope he gets left alone at six to deliver his role.”While Shah has been a victim of England’s muddled approach to one-day cricket, he has not helped himself by being involved in a series of run outs. His critics suggest it points to a wider problem with his temperament.Yet Shah has no qualms with his running and feels the issue has been blown out of proportion. “I am comfortable with my running, but saying that, I am human, I do make mistakes and I will get run out,” he said. “There are nine ways to get out; one of them is run out.”One of the most striking aspects of England’s recent revival has been their fielding, and by leaving out Shah, alongside cumbersome movers like Ryan Sidebottom, the management have sent a clear message that poor fielders will not feature in England’s one-day outfits.While Shah accepts he is not the sharpest mover, he does not see his fielding as a big problem. “Of course I am not the quickest, I’m no Paul Collingwood, but there are places you can field where it’s not difficult. I’ll happily hold my own in the field. And let me tell you, Virender Sehwag is not the best fielder in the world.”

Shahid Afridi has said Pakistan’s players were expecting a favourable response from the IPL organisers with respect to their participation in next year’s tournament but their exclusion from the tournament will help their prepartions for the ICC World Twenty20. Pakistan’s cricketers were ruled out of the competition, due to begin on March 12, after a delay over their visas.”I think Pakistan have always been supportive of Indian cricket in the past, which is why I was expecting them (India) to be more positive towards us,” Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, told the . “But it seems that’s not the case. I personally believe that sport promotes harmony and it would have been good for both Pakistan and India had our players been allowed in the IPL.”I think the absence of our cricketers will not be good for cricket or the IPL.”Pakistan’s players were barred from participating in last year’s IPL, held in South Africa, following strained relations between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in November. When asked if he was disappointed on missing out again, Afridi said: “Not really. I mean it would have been good to make our IPL comeback next year but it is now clear that we won’t be able to do that. It’s like we can’t do anything about it.”Pakistan’s cricketers had received clearances from their sports, foreign affairs and interior ministries, an NOC from the PCB and letters of invitation from IPL franchises for taking part in next year’s competition, but fell short of getting the visas in time. Five Pakistan players were trying to clear a path to IPL 2010. Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq all played in the first season – six others who also played had their contracts cancelled after the Mumbai attacks – and Kolkata Knight Riders had expressed an interest in signing up Abdul Razzaq.The IPL’s third edition runs from March 12 to April 25, after which players join their respective international squads in West Indies for the World Twenty20 beginning five days later. The time gained from their absence in the IPL, Afridi said, would be utilised for their preparation for the World Twenty20. “Now that it has been decided that we are not playing (in the IPL) we will have a perfect window to hold a proper camp and get ready for the Twenty20 World Cup.”

Matthew Hoggard has ended speculation about his future by signing a three-year deal to become Leicestershire’s new captain.Hoggard, who was part of England’s 2005 Ashes-winning side, lost his Test place during the tour of New Zealand in March 2008, as well as his ECB central contract at the end of the same summer. He was surprisingly released by his native Yorkshire this year, despite finishing as the club’s top wicket-taker in 2009.It was a decision that left Hoggard furious, having claimed 43 wickets to spearhead the county’s successful battle against relegation from the top flight of the County Championship. He will now drop down to the second tier himself, to lead a young side that can only hope to improve on their bottom-placed finish in the 2009 campaign.”I’m genuinely excited about the prospect of joining Leicestershire and taking charge of a young and talented squad,” said Hoggard. “I was flattered by the amount of interest and support shown towards me from all quarters, but Leicestershire really stood out in terms of offering something different and at this stage of my career it will provide the new challenge I want.”I’ve always wanted to test myself and I feel I still have a huge amount to offer the game. Working with Tim Boon I hope we can take Leicestershire onwards and upwards.””I am delighted that Matthew had chosen Leicestershire over a number of other interested counties,” said Leicestershire’s chief executive, David Smith. “Matthew brings with him a wealth of experience having played for England on 67 occasions, taking 248 Test match wickets. He will also take over the club captaincy and will be an ideal role model for all our young cricketers at the club.”Hoggard is the fourth recent Leicestershire signing, alongside Will Jefferson, James Benning and the Australian allrounder Andrew McDonald. Smith believed the squad had been significantly strengthened by the recent additions, and that they would help the club compete in all three competitions.”The club is still totally committed to producing players through its development system, but it is important we have the right balance between senior and younger players,” added Smith. “It was always our intention to bring new players into the club, but we also had to wait for players to finish contracts and move on, before being able to add to the squad.”Sussex were the other county to express an interest in Hoggard, and they also offered him a three-year contract. But the deal with Leicestershire was clinched after a visit to the club’s facilities last week.Leicestershire have not ruled out an additional overseas signing for next summer’s Twenty20 competition and a possible shortlist of targets is currently being compiled by the head coach, Tim Boon.