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ScorecardNew South Wales began their KFC Twenty20 campaign with an emphatic eight-wicket victory as Brad Haddin’s electric half-century led the successful run chase against South Australia. The Blues cruised home with three overs to spare after Haddin helped himself to 54 off 44 balls to follow a disciplined performance from the bowlers.After deciding to bat, South Australia struggled from the start when Matthew Elliott fell in the first over. The Redbacks couldn’t form any partnerships of note and by the half-way mark they were already six wickets down and unable to increase the tempo.Allrounder Moises Henriques continued to apply pressure with two wickets, while Nathan Hauritz produced a tight spell with his offspin, dismissing Nathan Adcock and Graham Manou. Ryan Harris’ 31 off 38 balls prevented an embarrassing scoreline but South Australia failed to break the shackles and the Blues were left needing a little over a run a ball.This proved an easy task for Haddin and Simon Katich and they added 67 in less than ten overs, with Haddin clearing the boundary twice against Dan Cullen. Dominic Thornely added the finishing touches with a brisk 37 off 22 deliveries, completing the win with a six over long-on off Adcock.

Northern Districts swept to the top of the State Championship table with their third win out of five, beating Otago by four wickets at the University Oval in Dunedin. The win, though, wouldn’t have been possible without a sporting declaration by Craig Cumming, the Otago captain. Resuming at 21 without loss – an overall lead of 88 – Otago moved along to 179 for 4, thanks to half-centuries from Cumming and Jordan Sheed, before declaring their innings. That left Northern Districts with an eminently gettable target of 247, and solid contributions from their top order ensured they got the runs. Hamish Marshall led the way with an aggressive 98-ball 86 – with 12 fours and two sixes – while Alun Evans, the opener, played a fine supporting act with a patient 55. Bradley Scott’s left-arm medium pace fetched him three wickets, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Northern Districts from easing to victory.Iain O’Brien and Luke Woodcock turned in excellent performances with the ball to help Wellington to a 123-run win against Canterbury at Basin Reserve. Wellington declared their second innings at 248 for 8 early on the final day, leaving Canterbury a stiff target of 322 for victory. They started promisingly, with an opening-wicket stand of 101 between Todd Astle and Michael Papps, but once Woodcock, a left-arm spinner, broke through, the rest of the batting crumbled. Eight of the nine remaining batsmen fell for single-digit scores, and though Papps continued the fight, he too fell to Woodcock for 93. O’Brien wrapped up the last two wickets to finish with 4 for 67, while Woodcock had 4 for 55. The win was Wellington’s second of the championship, and puts them level with Canterbury on 18 points, just two behind leaders Northern Districts.The third game in this round of matches had finished on Wednesday, with Auckland completing a comprehensive eight-wicket victory against Central Districts at McLean Park in Napier.

Mark Cosgrove shows his range for South Australia © Getty Images

Mark Cosgrove, the South Australia left-hander, can win the World Cup for his country, according to Darren Lehmann. Cosgrove, nicknamed `Baby Boof’ for his size and batting resemblance to Lehmann, is only 21, but this summer he has already collected 574 Pura Cup runs at 82.00 and 452 at 90.94 in the ING Cup.”He has really improved this year and he is the guy they need to really look after and play in the next couple of one-day series to get him to the World Cup,” Lehmann, who watched Cosgrove take 121 from Western Australia on Wednesday, said in . “They need to get him to the World Cup really quickly. He is a bloke who can win a World Cup for Australia – he is that good.”Cosgrove was suspended by South Australia earlier in the season because he was overweight, but Lehmann said if he was promoted to the national squads he would be helped with his size and fitness as well as his bowling and fielding. “He is that good a player,” Lehmann said. “He hits the ball as clean as I have ever seen anyone hit them. We have got to make sure we get him in there and look after him.”

Virender Sehwag was India’s shining light on the third day too© Getty Images

On his innings
Our aim was to play out time, and I’m glad we did that. It was in theteam’s interest to just stay at the crease, and so we did.On his dismissal
It was disappointing, but it’s part of the game. If you go out and play your natural game, you’re bound to get a ball at some point that gets you out. All it takes is a ball.On why India batted slowly
Well, firstly, we were careful at the end because we did not want tolose all our top-order batsmen, we wanted someone to be there whocould accelerate tomorrow. Secondly, they took the new ball late, after 120 overs. The old ball is softer, the shine goes, and it become difficult to score with it.India’s strategy now
I think we are in a good position. We will now aim to raise the run-rate in the morning session tomorrow. A lead of 250 or 300 will be enough to put Pakistan under pressure.On the pitch
It’s still a good pitch, the ball is coming on well to the bat. Our bowlers won’t get as much help from it in the second innings as they had in the first. They will need to bowl a good line and length, and be patient. It will be difficult for Pakistan to play two days.On Sachin Tendulkar missing his century
We were all waiting for him to get his century. We were unhappy when he got out, and so was he.

Australia 288 (Symonds 88, Clarke 63, Agarkar 6-42) beat India 270 (Ganguly 82, Tendulkar 63) by 18 runs
Scorecard

Andrew Symonds: pummelled his way to a fantastic 88 © Getty Images

The opening match of the VB Series didn’t quite produce the enthralling cricket which was on view during the Tests, but it was another close contest which, in the end, Australia nailed by 18 runs at Melbourne. After Andrew Symonds (88) and Michael Clarke (63) – both players who had missed out on the fun in the Tests – revived the Australian innings to take them up to 288, their bowlers just about managed to keep the in-form Indian batsmen in check.The Indians had a couple of heroes in the match: Ajit Agarkar kept the Indians in the hunt with a career-best haul of 6 for 42 to restrict Australia to a sub-300 total, while Sourav Ganguly led the run-chase with a superbly paced 82, but his run-out proved to be the turning point, as the Indian lower order fell away and handed Australia with the first points of the VB Series.The Indian run-chase got off to a splendid, if chancy, start. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar put together 103 for the first wicket, but the partnership could easily have ended in a single-digit score, as both Sehwag and Tendulkar played and missed on numerous occasions. With Sehwag, a regular dose of play-and-miss was only par for the course, but more surprising was the way Tendulkar struggled to come to grips with the pitch and the bowlers.Gillespie was especially superb, homing in around the corridor and shaping the ball away from the right-handers. On more than one occasion, Tendulkar groped for the ball, which shaped away just enough to beat the outside edge. As if those near-misses weren’t enough to ruin the day for Gillespie, Tendulkar added to his misery, top-edging a pull over the wicketkeeper’s head for six, and then clipping one off his legs for four.Sehwag was rather subdued throughout his 59-ball 35, which finally ended when he dragged a drive off Ian Harvey back onto his stumps. The next three pairs all put together useful stands, but each time a pair seemed to have the measure of the bowling, a wicket fell. Tendulkar fell to a miscued pull off Symonds, which Ricky Ponting, at short midwicket, hauled down with a perfectly timed leap to bring off a one-handed catch (134 for 2). Tendulkar’s 63 came off just 69 balls, but he was nowhere near his best.VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid made 16 apiece, and fell attempting to force the pace, bringing Yuvraj Singh out in a familiar scenario – 94 required at over a run a ball. He immediately got to work, working the ball into gaps and running hard. In the process, he forced Ganguly, normally fairly slack between the wickets, to sprint the twos and threes as well.Ganguly struck the big blows well too, giving himself room to club the ball on the off side and over the bowlers’ heads. The pair had added 62 in just more than nine overs, when Australia dealt the fatal blow to the innings, dismissing both batsmen in successive balls. First, Clarke at short midwicket held on to a scorching drive from Yuvraj, whose 24-ball 25 included just one boundary, and next ball, Ganguly failed to regain his crease after being sent back by Sanjay Bangar (257 for 6). The lower order was ill equipped to deal with an asking rate which had climbed to well over eight.Earlier, Symonds and Clarke revived an Australian innings that was in danger of being bowled out well within 50 overs. After Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden had got the innings off to the customary frenetic start, four wickets fell in the space of 39 balls, as Australia slumped from 59 without loss to 89 for 4. Agarkar caused most of the damage, taking three of those wickets. He wasn’t particularly impressive in his first spell – in fact, Irfan Pathan, with his ability to swing the ball late, troubled both batsmen far more.However, Agarkar was the chosen one for the day, as Gilchrist flicked a leg stump half-volley to Pathan at fine leg (59 for 1), and Hayden slashed one to Yuvraj at point (70 for 2). Agarkar then nailed Damien Martyn first ball with a superbly directed shot ball, which Martyn pulled despite being cramped for room, and top-edged to Lakshmipathy Balaji at fine leg. When Ponting spooned a return catch to Balaji, a dream start for Australia was suddenly going sour, but Symonds and Clarke turned it around.Both were unhurried in their approach, putting the bad balls away in style, but without taking undue risks. Whenever given the opportunity, Symonds freed his arms to awesome effect – Balaji and Ganguly, especially, felt the heat. Balaji was slammed for six over extra cover and then square cut for four off consecutive balls, while Ganguly was tonked for consecutive sixes over midwicket when he pitched short.Clarke, on the other hand, was altogether more polished, essaying some superb flicks and cover-drives, and showing some twinkle-toed footwork against Anil Kumble, whom he pulled with exquisite timing for his only six. Kumble did finally nail him, when Clarke miscued a lofted shot to VVS Laxman at midwicket (232 for 5), but by then, the Australian innings was back on track.Even a rare failure by Michael Bevan, chipping a flick to Ganguly at midwicket for 1 (233 for 6), didn’t affect the momentum, as Ian Harvey chipped in with a vital cameo of 28 from 24 balls. Agarkar came back with a much-improved second spell, though, ensuring that Australia failed to bat out their 50 overs, and ended up with a score which was about 25 short of what seemed likely at the 35-over mark. As it turned out, the total proved enough to win the match for Australia.

Waqar Younis, the Pakistan captain, is likely to lose not only the leadership of his country’s team in the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa next February, but also his place in the side.Waqar for his lack of form and support within the team on the South African leg of the tour could be replaced by his old foe and new-ball partner Wasim Akram to take over the reins of captaincy for the important event.The enigmatic Pakistan cricket outfit is already in motion to implement the change. The only hiccup of course is the recommendation and the ban slapped on Wasim by Justice Mohammad Qayyum in his report on match-fixing and bribery stating that Wasim should not be given the captaincy of Pakistan in future.The recommendation of course will have no feet to stand on if challenged in a court of law because no substantial evidence of Wasim’s involvement in match-fixing has ever been presented nor allegations against him ever proved, and since he has been playing for his country ever since that report, that in itself qualifies him to lead his country as well.Wasim, a veteran of 104 Tests and 350 one-dayers, is hoping that the restrictions recommended in the report for him not being appointed captain of Pakistan could be lifted as soon as he arrives back in Pakistan after the culmination of the five-match one-day series in South Africa which Pakistan has already lost.”I hear from various quarters that the PCB is considering a change in captaincy and that I could be asked to lead the side. I shall of course consider it and love to lead Pakistan again. I also know about Justice Qayyum’s recommendations about me. But nothing has ever been proven and I think it is unfair that I can play for Pakistan but can’t lead it,” the former captain said.”I will however feel sorry for Waqar if he loses his place in the team,” he sympathised.Wasim, who was picked to play in both one-day and Test for this leg of the tour, however says that there was a misunderstanding about his availability for the Test.”I had it made very clear that I will play in only one-day matches, the reason being that I shall be going back to Pakistan after the end of the fifth one-day game in Cape Town. There is no confusion about it,” he said.Wasim is likely to leave for Pakistan along with Shoaib Akhtar who has also declared his unavailability for the two Tests against South Africa citing niggling pain in his right knee. Rashid Latif and Misbah-ul-Haq will accompany them also.Only last September both the coach of the team Mudassar Nazar and the manager Yawar Saeed were unceremoniously replaced by Richard Pybus and Brig Khawaja Mohammad Nasir.

India clinched the five match India Zimbabwe oneday series with a fine nine wicket win at theGreen Park stadium in Kanpur on Monday. it was theallround display by their skipper Sourav Ganguly,who played the lead role to perfection, whichensured a thumping win for the hosts. It wasGanguly’s day. With a five wicket haul and aunbeaten 71 off 68 balls, there was no question asto who the man of the day was.Ganguly always tends to set an example on thefield. And today was no exception. Bowling a fullquota of ten overs, he tormented the Zimbabweanbatsmen to no end. With the pitch having lowbounce, any bowler would prove to be a handful.Deciding on bringing himself on, Ganguly struck agood line and before long sent back Andy Flower(20). Trying to force the pace the southpaw heavedGanguly only to be caught by Agarkar at midwicket.This gave Ganguly added confidence since it hasbeen quite some time since he bowled his fullquota of overs. Bringing himself back for anotherspell on the other side of the first drinks break,he packed off Grant Flower (6) and Stuart Carlisle(20). The Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak (3) alsodid not last long. At 141 for 6, the Zimbabweaninnings was going nowhere. It was just a matter oftime before the innings folded up. Ganguly thentrapped Travis Friend (6) giving him his secondfive wicket haul in international cricket. Thevisitors’ innings folded up in the 45th over whenAgarkar picked up the final wicket, that ofOlonga, who gave a return catch.Having reduced the visitors to 164, Ganguly andTendulkar went about their work with clinicalprecision. The way Ganguly dismissed Friend fromthe attack gave a glimpse of what was in store forthe 45,000 odd crowd. The two displayed utmostaggression while driving and pulling at will. Butthe most striking aspect is that the two batsmenforced the visitors into submission. They put upthe 100-run partnership on the board in the 15thover. The same over witnessed Tendulkar crossinghis fifty – incidentally his 50th half century ininternational career. The chase entered the lastphase with Ganguly also reaching his half centuryin the 20th over. Three overs later the Indiantotal crossed 150 as Ganguly launched into astraight drive over Nkala’s head.The stand came to a rather tame end, when withonly the formalities needed to be completed,Friend trapped Tendulkar leg before in the 25thover of the innings. Tendulkar faced 86 balls forhis 56. Ganguly needed just two scoring shotsafter his partner’s dismissal to clinch the seriesin favour of India.Earlier the Zimbabwean batsmen displayed abjectinability to face up to the Indian attack. Butcredit should be given to the openers AlisterCampbell and T Modondo, for battling it out in themiddle against some inspired bowling by ZaheerKhan. The Zimbabwean innings was pegged on theback foot early. On a pitch that offered littlebounce and with the ball not coming on to the bat,the Zimbabweans kept losing wickets in the middleovers. The innings folded up with the last batsmanOlonga offering a simple return catch to Agarkarin the 45th over.

Hampshire 0 for 1 trail Nottinghamshire 340 (Wessels 104, Edwards 6-88) by 340 runs
ScorecardFidel Edwards claimed six wickets but Nottinghamshire’s tail thwarted Hampshire•PA Photos

Two West Indian pace bowlers are in situ for the final throes of the Championship. Like Fidel Edwards, cutting a dash for Hampshire at Trent Bridge, Shannon Gabriel was in the wickets at Worcester. But while Worcestershire are already down, and Gabriel’s two-match contract no longer has much point, Edwards clings to the belief, as he has all season, that he can keep Hampshire in the First Division.It must be like clinging to Norway’s Storseisundet Bridge, known by the locals as the drunk bridge, for its tendency to sway in strong winds. For Hampshire, the wind began at force 7, and rose to force 8 once Riki Wessels registered his second Championship century of the season, a sweetly-timed affair.Edwards took 6 for 88, his season’s best figures as Nottinghamshire fell late in the day for 340. He has surely never bowled more intelligently in England than this season. At 33, he has done himself proud: always watchable, and occasionally destructive. Over at Worcester, Gabriel bowls with serious intent; Edwards assembles passion from the air itself. Two very different Caribbean quicks, both good for the game. County cricket desperately needs characters, standards, stories. It will not survive in the public consciousness merely as a glorified England academy.Edwards has been this season’s “stuff you” signing, the quick bowler brought in on a Kolpak contract to widespread doubts that he could do the job, but who has responded with verve and skill to become Hampshire’s leading wicket-taker, his 41 wickets coming at 21.53 each. Without Edwards, Hampshire would have been doomed long ago: at least he has helped them drag it out to the final days.He is likely to fail. On this evidence at least, Hampshire, once the overseas new-ball pair of Edwards and Ryan McLaren are repelled, have little to commend them. The third seamer, Gareth Berg, is doing as much as can be expected in a late flowering; Ryan Stevenson, introduced into a relegation scrap in September, so far has nods of respect and two wickets at 100 each. Perhaps his time will come. It will be a surprise if it comes this week.Hampshire could have done without Nottinghamshire’s recovery from 247 for 7, a recovery fashioned largely by Stuart Broad and Brett Hutton, as the final three wickets added 93. Having won the toss and inserted on a sunny day, but with dampness underfoot, they would have hoped to complete the job far sooner than that.Dale Benkenstein, Hampshire’s coach, said: “If you are looking at what we were aiming to do, then we’ve managed to get full bowling points, so that’s a positive. But it wasn’t our best performance and having put them in, a score of around 300 should have been more realistic”.Maximum batting points will be more taxing. They have faced one ball and lost one wicket – the nightwatchman Stevenson, a victim for the Stuart Broad / Chris Read combo.Trailing Sussex by 16 points and Somerset by 18, Hampshire’s task is a daunting one if they are to avoid relegation to Division Two of the Championship. They must beat Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge – a Nottinghamshire side with designs on second place – and then hope one of their companions in distress suffer, at best, an unproductive draw to send them down instead.Edwards, who took eight wickets against Nottinghamshire in a pre-season match in his native Barbados, relished another foray in more important circumstances, summoning an opening burst that brought him three wickets inside his first five overs and signalling that Hampshire would not depart Division One easily.But Wessels and Steven Mullaney responded by adding 115 either side of lunch. Hampshire missed one opportunity to part them as a regulation nick from Mullaney, on 52, was put down by Sean Ervine at first slip, off Edwards. He made only made six more before being bowled as he tried to whip Liam Dawson’s off spin to leg.For Nottinghamshire, and a few neutrals besides, interest centred upon the debut of Billy Root, younger brother of Joe, national cricket hero. He has been loosely characterised as the less driven younger brother (aren’t they always) but he walks to the wicket with the same stiff-legged farmer’s gait before preventing all further comparisons by batting left-handed. There were fewer to watch him than watched Joe in the Ashes on the same ground a month earlier – this late in the season battle-hardened county supporters wear the toughened, slightly-glazed expression of walkers nearing the end of the Pennine Way , but on debuts you tend not to gaze around too much.He played confidently for his 37, until an edge from Gareth Berg was smartly taken by Ervine, who responded to the ball rebounding out of James Vince’s hand at second slip.Wessels escaped a tough chance to the wicketkeeper, Aam Wheater, on 16, drove effortlessly and went past 1,000 Championship runs for the season, reaching his hundred from 153 balls, having hit 13 fours and a six. Straight after tea he tamely clipped Ervine to midwicket and three overs later Read was bowled by Edwards, shouldering arms. Hampshire had lost three wickets for just 11 runs.Edwards’ most eye-catching wicket was a big inswinger to bowl Chris Read. He claimed his third five-wicket haul of the season when he induced Broad into hooking into the hands of Ryan McLaren at fine leg, after also making 37. Jake Ball was bowled on the retreat before Hutton was last out, lifting McLaren into the deep to depart for 46.Among his three new-ball wickets was Brendon Taylor, who casually flicked into the hands of Gareth Berg at midwicket. It is a long season and Taylor has not survived it well. County cricket, judging by his stats, does not look as appealing to him as it did when he decided to abandon Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe has apparently developed a habit of delivering the same speech. Without a half-century since midsummer, Taylor is delivering the same innings. A winter’s reassessment lies ahead.

Former Premier League marksman Kevin Phillips has given his reaction to transfer news involving Manchester United and Tammy Abraham. 

The lowdown: Abraham linked with Man United

Since joining Jose Mourinho at AS Roma from Chelsea last year, the 24-year-old has enjoyed a stellar campaign in Italy.

With the futures of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford all uncertain, the Red Devils were linked with a move for the former Blues ace by Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera.

The report claimed that United would be willing to spend €90m (£75m) on the England international, although Phillips doesn’t believe that it would be a wise move.

The latest: Phillips unsure on Abraham move

Speaking to Football Insider, the 2000 European Golden Shoe winner was asked whether spending big on Abraham at this juncture is a viable option.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Phillips warned against the expenditure, saying: “I’m not sure for that sort of money.

“Credit to the player for going over to Italy and take the challenge on. He is doing well and is scoring goals.

“We saw Lukaku do something similar when he left Man United to go to Inter Milan. He came back as a £100million player but that has not worked. That has not been the great success that we all thought it would be.

“I fear it would be a similar scenario with Abraham, to be honest. The football over there is nowhere near as competitive or as good as it is in the Premier League.

“Tammy found it hard at times when he was here. I’d be very cautious to spend that kind of money on him.”

The verdict: Heed the warning

Whilst the 10-cap England striker has enjoyed a career renaissance in Rome, one swallow doesn’t make a summer and United would be taking a huge risk with this deal.

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So far this season, Abraham has scored 23 times and provided four assists. That is an even better tally than the Red Devils’ top scorer Ronaldo, who has 18 goals and three assists to his name in 2021/22.

However, signing the £40.5m-valued Abraham – who is under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt) and therefore has a very secure future from Roma’s perspective – for the mooted £75m fee would undoubtedly be too big a stretch.

In other news: Man Utd closing in on new manager appointment. Read more here.

From day one, Pakistan have been on the receiving end in this second Asian Test Championship final. At close on the third day, at 193 for five, with Shahid Afridi and Yousuf Youhana throwing their wickets away like crazy spendthrifts, Pakistan had more or less handed the trophy to Sri Lanka. With 101 out of the overall lead of 294 on the first innings to go, the deficit was still quite sizable.In murky and overcast conditions, with floodlights blazing down since early afternoon, Muttiah Muralitharan had added another three wickets for only 39 to his first innings tally of four for 55. And with Inzamam-ul-Haq (unbeaten on 38 with just one four) the only recognised batsman left, this incomparable Sri Lankan match-winner was going for the kill.Pakistan really gave it away on a platter. They had seemed to be taking the challenge to Sri Lanka, as Afridi and Inzamam put on 84 for the third wicket. It was as self-assured a partnership as any, and had the potential to assume threatening proportions. Afridi, given a life when he was dropped by Jayasuriya at first slip off Chaminda Vaas, was by now on 70 and playing his shots fluently and effortlessly. He had smitten Muralitharan for a six to mid-wicket, and clubbed three exquisite fours as Vaas was brought on.At that point Pakistan had clawed their way back, but then Afridi lunged down the wicket to Muralitharan, only to be beaten comprehensively by a straight delivery, and Kumar Sangakkara had no problem in stumping him.Yousuf Youhana, usually so sedate and dependable, inexplicably seemed in a hurry to dictate terms. He lofted Muralitharan for four over extra cover, but perished doing the same on the onside. His miscued drive was pouched by Marvan Atapattu with a palpable sigh of relief. Abdul Razzaq got a reprieve from umpire Athar Zaidi when he was plumb in front, but Muralitharan got him, this time umpire Harper adjudging in the bowler’s favour when the ball was clearly turning enough to miss leg stump.With darkness descending on the Gaddafi Statium, Pakistan’s hopes of making a fist of it were fading.Mohammad Sami had brought Sri Lanka’s innings to an earlier than planned close with a hat-trick to end Pakistan’s leather chase spread over nearly five long sessions. Pakistan’s batsmen then failed to make amends for their woeful first innings display, with Taufeeq Umar going cheaply, bowled by Vaas through the gate. Younis Khan had looked steady when he flicked one to square leg and Thilan Samaraweera, who snapped up a smart catch diving to his right.Earlier, inspired by the first Test hat-trick of young Sami, who had only recently achieved a similar feat against the West Indies in one-day cricket, Pakistan were able to bowl out Sri Lanka for 528. It could have been far worse, for the Sri Lankans were aiming to hand Pakistan a big defeat – something on the lines of an innings and 175 runs to avenge the defeat at Dhaka in the first version of the ATC final.That remains to be seen, but they had already put Pakistan under considerable pressure, a situation from which the hosts can only hope to salvage a draw.Five for 447 overnight, Sri Lanka started the day in the same fashion as the second, quietly and sedately, settling down first and then carving the bowling to erase the possibility of batting a second time. Chaminda Vaas played some lovely shots, strokes which belied his night watchman’s status, in his innings of 43 to take Sri Lanka past 500 in the 129th over.Vaas then pulled Razzaq straight down the throat of Taufeeq Umar at deep square leg. Thilan Samaraweera, the new kid on the block with an out of this world Test average of 100-plus, came out, but he got out early, flicking one from Shoaib Akhtar only to see Rashid Latif take a breathtaking catch well outside his range. It was Latif’s uncanny anticipation and a super dive that resulted in the catch of the match.Sri Lanka had reached 528 for seven when Sami caught Buddhika Fernando plumb in front; the umpires brought the extended session to a close in mid over. But Sami had found his unerring line and length and the break was not to make him falter. He trapped Nuwan Zoysa first ball after lunch, and the hat-trick ball, a fast in-swinging yorker, found Muralitharan’s inside edge uprooting the middle stump.This was the third consecutive hat-trick in the ATC matches involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Before Sami it was Wasim Akram who had two hat-tricks in as many matches in the last ATC in 1999 against Sri Lanka. Looking for wickets in a bunch, Pakistan finally grabbed the last four for just 28 runs, but by then the damage had been done.