Two Sri Lankan club cricketers were nabbed at London’s Heathrow airport by officers of the anti-terrorist branch when they were about to board a Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Colombo.The incident which took place on Wednesday saw one of the cricketers, Manoj Hettiarachchi, being remanded and the other, Bathisha de Silva, escaping any punishment. They were playing league cricket for Sudbury CC in Harrow.According to sources, the officers of the anti-terrorist branch had acted on a tip-off. They had been on the trail of some Sri Lankans in the UK and one of them was Batisha de Silva, whom they suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.When the cricketers were nabbed at the airport and searched by Special Branch officers, they found 22 cloned credit cards and four cheques to the tune of £20,000 on Hettiarachchi.Both men were interviewed last Thursday by Detective Sgt Fahey at Heathrow Police station. During the interview, Hettiarachchi had said that De Silva had handed the credit cards to him before arriving at the airport, saying that his wallet was full.Hettiarachchi had then asked De Silva whether it was alright to carry so many cards, and the reply he got was that he too had similar cards in his pocket and that he was scared because a few days earlier he had been assaulted by some criminals whom he had been associated with. Hettiarachchi had also told the Heathrow detectives that he was carrying the three signed cheques drawn from three separate English banks, for a friend in Sri Lanka. De Silva when questioned had denied any knowledge about the cards which he had handed over to Hettiarachchi.According to sources, Hettiarachchi was under obligation to carry the cards and cheques because it was De Silva who had secured a position for him at the club, and also found him accommodation in the UK.At the end of the interview, De Silva was released because no evidence could be found on him, but Hettiarachchi was charged with the offence of handling stolen property and intention of supplying the same. He was produced at Uxbridge Magistrate Court on Friday and remanded for trial, which is expected to take at least another two months.However, though the Special Branch Officers could not pin anything on De Silva, they believe that he is behind the fraud, and suspect him to be involved in terrorist activities – the cards they say are used for funds.Alan Wahab, Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) UK committee representative, who is also an employee of Scotland Yard, assisted the Heathrow police at the interview.De Silva (27) plays for Tamil Union in the Premier division I competition. A right-hand batsman and an off-break bowler, he has been playing first-class cricket since 1995-96 and has previously played for Bloomfield, BRC and Antonian SC. He was also a Sri Lanka `A’ cricketer.Hettiarachchi (25) plays for BRC in the Premier division I tournament. A right-hand bat and wicket-keeper, he made his first-class debut for BRC in 1998-99.

The British government has stepped back into the debate surrounding England’s sporting relations with Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe, and is putting pressure on the ECB to cancel their proposed tour in October 2004.The government has voiced its concern in the wake of comments by Lord MacLaurin, the former ECB chairman, and current chief of England’s main sponsors, Vodafone. In an interview with the London-based Guardian newspaper, MacLaurin warned that Vodafone might be forced to withdraw its support, worth roughly £3 million per year, if the tour goes ahead.In February this year, a huge furore surrounded and eventually overshadowed England’s World Cup campaign, with England pulling out of their Pool A match in Harare at the eleventh hour. It was a decision that ultimately cost the ECB close to £1 million in compensation, and the dust has barely been allowed to settle since, despite Zimbabwe’s recent visit to England passing relatively peacefully.But, with exactly a year to go until England’s next tour, the various parties concerned are determined not to make the same mistake again, and are airing their views well in advance. “Essentially our position has not changed,” said a spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. “Ministers made it clear before the World Cup that they did not want an England cricket team to play in Zimbabwe and nothing has changed on the ground to alter that view. The tour is still a long way away but if things remain the same in Zimbabwe we would suggest that the team does not tour.”The ECB had originally set itself a spring deadline to decide on the trip, but it now seems likely that a decision will be made in early 2004. Despite Vodafone’s concerns, Des Wilson, the head of the ECB’s corporate affairs committee, insisted that all the evidence would be assessed and any decision reached would not be motivated by money alone.”We fully accept that this decision must be taken early,” said Wilson. “We frequently monitor the situation in Zimbabwe. It is under review and early in the new year we will look at all the evidence. I am advised that there is a Commonwealth head of states’ meeting in December and we will wait to see what comes out of that.”The ECB was heavily criticised for its prevarication during the World Cup, but on that occasion the situation was largely out of their hands, given that it was an ICC event, with contractual implications for television and sponsors. This time, however, the ECB has not committed itself to any tour, something that their chairman, David Morgan, was careful to avoid on his bridge-building trip to Harare after the World Cup. “Zimbabwe have not been given a guarantee,” explained Wilson, “and unlike the World Cup there is no contractual obligation for us to go. What we indicated at the time [of Morgan’s visit] was that it was our intention to have the tour to Zimbabwe, but that we would have to monitor the situation.”The Professional Cricketers’ Association, who became heavily involved in the stand-off between England’s players and the ECB during the World Cup, have this time leant their support to the board. Their CEO, Richard Bevan, has been in communication with both Morgan and Tim Lamb, the ECB’s chief executive, and has expressed his satisfaction with the procedure and the timing of the latest discussions.”We are not going to rock the boat,” said Bevan. “The ECB is correct in taking the line it has in seeing what comes out of December’s Commonwealth meeting. Mistakes were made by all parties before the World Cup and these will not be made again. There is no point in making a decision now when the political climate may have changed in six months.”The Zimbabwean Cricket Union, however, remain adamant that the tour will go ahead as planned. “The relationship between Vodafone and the England Cricket Board is their own affair,” said Vince Hogg, the ZCU’s managing director. “The England tour is part of the future tours programme and, as far as we are concerned, they are coming.”

Australia have played 61 Tests at Adelaide, and have won 30, lost 15, and drawn 16. After six consecutive draws from 1985-86 to 1990-91, the last 12 years have shown a changing trend – nine victories, two losses, and a solitary draw (against South Africa in 1997-98). Among those two defeats was a one-run loss against West Indies, when a bouncer by Courtney Walsh brushed Craig McDermott’s glove to end a 40-run last-wicket partnership. Curtly Ambrose picked up ten wickets in the game.

On winning the toss, captains are inclined to bat first, and the figures reveal why. Since 1995-96, wickets on the first day are worth 51.7 runs each, in stark contrast to 30.51 on the third day, and 19.46 on the fifth. And it’s no surprise that the fewest number of wickets fall on the first day. In fact, Australia have a poor fourth-innings average of 171, 11 fewer than their opponents’ average when batting last.

In seven Tests between Australia and India (India have lost five and drawn two), 21 centuries have been scored, the highest being Kim Hughes’s 213 in 1980-81. Sandeep Patel made the highest individual score by an Indian, 174 off 240 balls, in the same game, to help India escape with a draw.

The Adelaide pitch has provided equal assistance to all types of bowlers. An average of 32.3 is complemented by a strike rate of 66.2 for the seamers, while the corresponding figures for spinners are 32.7 and 68.4. Of the ten five-wicket hauls in seven matches between Australia and India, five are by each side, with Kapil Dev’s 8 for 106 in 1985-86, the best bowling figures. His record at the ground is impressive: 19 wickets in three Tests at 23.1.

The closest India have come to a victory at the Adelaide Oval was in 1991-92, when Mohammad Azharuddin scored a fourth-innings century to take them to 333 – but India still fell 38 runs short of the target.

India scored their highest total of 520 in 1985-86, when Sunil Gavaskar carried his bat for 166. At the other end of the scale is the 110 India managed in 1999-2000, when VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly scored a paltry 246 runs between them in eight innings, while Anil Kumble’s figures were 3 for 174. Ajit Agarkar impressed with the ball, taking 5 for 129. He also managed to score 19 in the first innings, before starting his famous sequence of ducks. In the same game, Tendulkar was dismissed in bizarre fashion when he ducked into a short ball from Glenn McGrath, was struck on the shoulder, and was given out lbw.

John Buchanan, more motivator and team psychologist than traditional coach, once perceptively suggested that to be at his best, Steve Waugh needed a siege. If it wasn’t there, he would create it. It would be outrageous to suggest that he plotted the mix-up which led to Damien Martyn’s run-out and a national debate on the propriety of it, but, India beware, it has invested Waugh’s farewell series with even greater purpose. He has been stung by what he considers an attack on his integrity by the media, and he is determined to reply in the only way he knows: by scoring runs.He came out to speak to the media at the Adelaide Oval today, even though he wasn’t scheduled to. Here’s an excerpt from the press conference:There was a feeling that your bowlers didn’t bounce Sourav Ganguly at the Gabba as much as expected – there weren’t enough balls aimed at his body …
We never said it was part of our strategy. On that particular day, we didn’t feel that was the right way to bowl. Your strategy revolves around the bowlers you’ve got. We had no Brett Lee, no Brad Williams – the bowlers who could generate a bit of pace. We had swing bowlers, the bowlers who bowl good line and length, bowl in the corridor, and the conditions were good for swing bowling. Another day, in other conditions, we might see us bowling differently.So did you miss Brad Williams’s aggression?
It’s a possibility. It’s hard to say, really. We picked the right bowlers for the conditions at Brisbane. But it will be a different pitch here, and different conditions. So that’s something for the selectors to consider. I will have my input, of course.Were you surprised by the way the Indians adapted to the conditions?
No. I have always said that India are a very good side. They have got world-class batsmen, as good as any batting side in the world. And they have got three bowlers who can swing the ball, and they have got two quality spinners. We expected them to do well. But we had the toughest conditions in the first couple of days. When India batted, the conditions had settled down.Are you surprised to be under so much scrutiny in this series?
The scrutiny was always going to be there. I knew from the beginning that it was my last series. I knew I had made the right decision. I am going to be positive about the rest of the series. This series is about Australia and India, it’s not about me.But are you feeling more pressure than usual?
I’d say preparations for the Brisbane game weren’t ideal. Not only for me, but for the whole team. There were too many commitments in the last couple of days before that match – that always happens before the first Test of a series, but maybe it was a bit more this time. I didn’t really get time to settle down and think about the match.There have been suggestions that it might not have been such a good idea to announce your retirement at the beginning of a long series …
I think it was the right thing to do. The situation is pretty clear now. We know where we are going. Even if I hadn’t announced it, it would have been quite clear that it was going to be my last series in Australia. I am 100% happy and confident that I made the right decision for the right reasons, so I am going to be positive and enjoy every match. There was always going to be some conjecture, not that I had to agree with it. I am convinced the decision was made at the right time. There has been a lot of conjecture about when I was going to retire, whether my form was good enough. From that point of view it was right that I made the decision and announced it.Will your preparation for the next Test be any different?
I will be a bit more relaxed. I am focussed and I am going to go out and do what I always do. There were a couple of times when we lost our intensity at Brisbane. From the team point of view, that’s important. We’ve got to pick ourselves up and do better.When you are batting now, is there any awareness that this is your last Test match at this ground?
In the first innings things were obviously a bit tense. But the hardest part is actually waiting and then walking out to bat. Once you take strike, it’s the same. It’s another Test innings and every Test innings is tough. I like to be aggressive and positive, and that’s how I will play in the rest of the series. I know I have three matches to go and I am going to enjoy the experience. It’s always hard when you fail in the first innings. The pressure then builds up. I got some runs in the second innings, and that makes you feel good. I could have been out when I was on 8, and that would have built up the pressure. That’s Test-match cricket. I am sure Sachin Tendulkar will feel the pressure in the second Test, as will Adam Gilchrist. No matter how many matches you have played, no matter who you are or how good you are, you always feel the pressure if you haven’t made runs in your last Test.Now that there will be no cricket for you, how will you channel your competitiveness?
I have three kids at home. They are a lot of challenges out there. After the series is over, I will just sit back for a couple of weeks and relax. And then I might get bored and look for something to do. I enjoy writing, so I will do a bit of that. Commentating is an option. Coaching, I don’t know. I would like to stay in touch with cricket. There are teams like Kenya, who need help … who knows?A few months ago you said that you would like one last shot at winning a series in India. Was that a consideration while making up your mind?
I didn’t actually say that. I had said that winning a series in India remains a challenge. And the team going out there in September has a good chance of achieving a victory, and possibly I would be part of that team. But it didn’t work out that way. It was a good time for me to go now. I have always thought that it’s great to play your first Test abroad and the last at home. I will be going out at my home ground. It couldn’t have been better.

The Tasmanian selectors have today named the Cascade Tasmanian Tigers team to play Queensland in the Pura Cup match to be played at Bellerive Oval on Wednesday 21st – Saturday 24th January 2004.CASCADE TASMANIAN TIGERSDaniel MARSH (Captain)
Shane WATSON (Vice-Captain)
Jamie COX
Michael DiVENUTO
Michael DIGHTON
Gerard DENTON
Sean CLINGELEFFER
Xavier DOHERTY
Scott MASON
Adam GRIFFITH
Andrew DOWNTON
Damien WRIGHT
The 12th man will be named on the morning of the match.Michael DiVenuto returns to the team after missing the last game because of a broken finger. He replaces Shannon Tubb, who has been omitted.Tasmania will train at Bellerive Oval at 3pm on Monday 19th and 9.30am on Tuesday 20th, while Queensland will train at 4pm Monday and 10am on Tuesday.

Bengal 239 for 8 (Das 67) beat Delhi 225 (Gambhir 64, Paul 3-25) by 14 runs
Scorecard
Bengal kicked off their campaign with a 14-run win over Delhi in the first match of the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy one-day tournament at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The tournament involves the five teams that won the one-day tournament in their respective zones. Chasing 240, Gautam Gambhir got Delhi off to a steady start with his steady 64. Even after he fell (145 for 4) Delhi were well placed with Ajay Jadeja (49) controlling proceedings. When 57 were required off 50, Jadeja fell and the lower order wilted under the pressure. Shib Paul, the Bengal medium pacer, conceded only 25 in his 9 overs and snapped up two important wickets in the final stages. He had earlier dismissed Aakash Chopra for only 4. Bengal reached 239 largely due to Arindam Das (67), the opener, who anchored the innings with his 100-ball knock. There were valuable contributions from Deep Dasgupta (39 off 48) and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (41 off 51), which propped up the total. It was a fighting score, and Delhi’s lower order collapse made it a matchwinning one.Mumbai 237 for 5 (Indulkar 77*, Shetty 53) beat Rajasthan 236 (Khoda 82, Yagnik 50) by 14 runs
Scorecard
Vinit Indulkar (77 not out) and Nishit Shetty (53) cracked crucial half-centuries that helped Mumbai overcome Rajasthan in their opening game of the tournament at the Jadavpur University Campus in Kolkata. Chasing 237, Mumbai suffered an early hiccup when Vinayak Mane was caught at the wicket of S Mathur. Robin Morris and Vinod Kambli, who scored 32 each, added 56 for the second wicket and shared 10 fours between them. Though both fell in quick succession, Indulkar and Shetty ensured against further alarms and their 107-run association put Mumbai in command. Shetty was out after his 81-ball innings, but Indulkar stayed till the end and took them home with two overs to spare. Earlier in the day, Rajasthan frittered away a great start provided by DH Yagnik and Gagan Khoda, the captain. Yagnik creamed nine fours in his breezy 50 off 56 balls and along with Khoda (82), provided an ideal launching pad for a late-over surge. Nilesh Kulkarni (3 for 34), the left-arm spinner, and Sairaj Bahutule (3 for 48), the legspinner, struck vital blows in the middle overs. Munaf Patel ensured against any tail-end resistance and finished with 3 for 42.

England won the toss and chose to bat

Simon Jones has been omitted from England’s 12-man team to take on Jamaica at Sabina Park, as the tour of the Caribbean begins in earnest. Jones, who arrives in Kingston this evening, was, as expected, rested until the second warm-up match against the Vice-Chancellor’s XI which begins on Friday. In his absence, Rikki Clarke has been given an unexpected opportunity to stake a claim for a second allrounder’s berth.In Jones’s absence, England have entrusted their seam-bowling duties to Steve Harmison, James Anderson and Matthew Hoggard. England’s batsmen, meanwhile, are fully expecting a traditional Caribbean welcome, especially with Jamaica’s young fast bowler Jermaine Lawson looking to regain his Test place.”You expect a bit of chin music when you come to these parts,” said Michael Vaughan. “When you go to Sri Lanka you practise against spin and when you come to these parts you practise the shorter stuff a bit more.”But Vaughan was unconcerned at the prospect of taking on the quicks. “We’re used to this sort of bowling more so than facing Murali on dusty pitches in 100 degrees heat,” he added. “It’s going to be hot out here, but the lads are generally used to facing seam and fast bowling.Lawson is the most high-profile of a below-strength Jamaican team, with many of their bigger names resting after victory in the semi-final of the Carib Beer Cup. He has taken 29 wickets in seven Tests to date, including a matchwinning haul of 7 for 78 against Australia last May. But he has since been sidelined, partly because of a back injury, and partly because of being reported to the ICC for a suspect bowling action.”We don’t know a great deal about Jermaine Lawson,” admitted Vaughan, “but he’s obviously had a bit of a rough time and he’s making his comeback so it will be interesting to see how he goes. I’m sure he will be looking to impress and get into the West Indies squad.”Jones aside, England have named something approaching their first-choice XI, with the first Test due to begin at this very venue on March 11.Jamaica 1 Brenton Parchment (capt), 2 Bevon Brown, 3 Shawn Findlay, 4 Danza Hyatt, 5 Lorenzo Ingram, 6 Dwight Mais, 7 Matthew Sinclair (wk), 8 Evon McInnis, 9 Donovon Pagon, 10 Mario Ventura, 11 Jermaine Lawson.England XII 1 Michael Vaughan (capt), 2 Marcus Trescothick, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain, 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Rikki Clarke, 8 Chris Read (wk), 9 Ashley Giles, 10 Steve Harmison, 11 James Anderson, 12 Matthew Hoggard.

South Africa 316 and 82 for 3 (Smith 46*) need 152 more runs to beat New Zealand 297 and 252 (Styris 73, Boje 4-69)
Scorecard

Another riveting day of Test cricket ended with all three results still possible: South Africa needed 152 to pull off a win and level the series, New Zealand needed seven wickets to wrap up a 2-0 win, while the inclement Wellington weather – which delayed the start of play by 90 minutes today – meant that there was a chance of rain ruining what could be a fascinating finish to the series.In keeping with the trend throughout the last two Tests, the fourth day’s play witnessed many ebbs and flows. Chris Cairns and Scott Styris snatched the initiative in the morning session with some blazing strokeplay, adding 50 in just 30 minutes. Then, both fell in successive overs as the pendulum swung back in favour of South Africa. Chasing 234 for victory, Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith started off in a hurry, before Chris Martin, yet again, pegged South Africa back.Getting appreciable swing with the new ball, he forced Gibbs to steer one to Stephen Fleming at first slip (29 for 1). Gibbs was in ominous touch, creaming a couple of gorgeous cover-drives and an astonishing front-foot pull for six off Martin, on the way to a 12-ball 16. Then, Martin uncorked an absolute jaffa to nail Jacques Rudolph – scorer of 154 not out and 93 not out in his last two Test innings – for a duck. The ball pitched on leg, swung late, beat Rudolph’s tentative defence, and knocked off stump out of the ground. After having raced to 28 without loss in four overs, South Africa were suddenly 31 for 2.Five runs later, they had lost another wicket, as Jacques Kallis (1) was trapped in front by an indipper from Jacob Oram. Smith and Gary Kirsten then knuckled down to grind 46 for the fourth wicket. Kirsten, playing his last Test, displayed all his famed resolve and determination, and was unbeaten on a 58-ball 19, while Smith was on an assured 46.It seemed South Africa would be set a much higher target than 234 when Cairns and Styris were blazing away in the morning session. On a cold and grey morning, both batsmen lit up the Basin Reserve with some scintillating strokeplay in what could have been an awkward 30-minute session. Cairns sent out the message early in the piece, pulling Shaun Pollock’s first delivery – a gentle half-tracker at 120 kmph – over midwicket for six. He then waded into Nicky Boje, whipping two fours in an over. Styris joined in the fun, smashing a couple of off-side fours to bring up his half-century, as the lead – just 109 overnight – galloped past 150.

The lunch break gave the South Africans time to think out a plan, and they came out with one: Boje changed his line of attack to over the wicket, and bowled well outside leg stump with a deep midwicket and a long-on. It was an obvious trap, but Cairns fell for it, charging down and hoicking to leg. Martin van Jaarsveld ran around from deep midwicket and judged the catch to a nicety despite the swirling wind (198 for 6). Cairns made 41, in what could be his last Test innings.More madness followed as Styris, who had motored along to 73, fetched a wide one from Andre Nel and slapped back a sharp return catch, which was well held by the bowler (201 for 7). Daniel Vettori edged a catch to the slips off Makhaya Ntini, and when Michael Mason was run out attempting a third run to give Oram the strike, New Zealand were 224 for 9, a lead of just 205.Oram helped stretch the lead to 233 with some lusty hitting, including a pulled six over midwicket off Ntini, before he was trapped in front by Boje, who again bowled with superb control to return figures of 4 for 69.In the Boxing Day Test earlier this season, Pakistan were set a target of 274, and romped home with seven wickets to spare. Martin’s early wickets ensured that it wouldn’t be quite as easy this time around. The stage was ideal for Kirsten to come up with a typically gritty effort. With only a single in each of his last three innings, he was certainly due a big score. Would he deliver, one last time, for South Africa?

While England sit and wait for the rains to abate in the Caribbean, their next opponents, New Zealand, are busy planning their strategy ahead of their three-Test tour, which begins next week. And in John Bracewell and Stephen Fleming, New Zealand have a coach and captain with all the necessary experience to pull off a repeat of their 2-1 series triumph in 1999.Both men are used to the unique challenges of an early-English season. Until last summer, Bracewell was coach at Gloucestershire, while Fleming has enjoyed stints as an overseas player with Middlesex and Yorkshire. But since Bracewell joined the national set-up, Fleming’s captaincy has developed a feistier streak – and that is probably no coincidence.During his playing days, the fiercely patriotic Bracewell was always known as a hard man. He might have made his name as an All Black rugby player if the selectors had taken note of his performances, but New Zealand cricket is eternally grateful that they didn’t. He is clearly finding Fleming to be a man he can do business with, and during the home series against South Africa, they applied a level of pressure on Graeme Smith and his men that caught them by surprise.Nevertheless, it was South Africa who tied the Test series in the last match at Wellington, and New Zealand have had plenty to think about during their three-week break. At least they leave for England with a full-strength squad of 14 – a rarity in itself in this modern era. Such is the internal competition for places that Bracewell has already said there will be a disappointed batsman when each of the Test teams is announced.Much depends on the speed with which Nathan Astle recovers his batting powers, after a lengthy lay-off and two knee operations. Should he regain the touch that enabled him to score a century and a fifty in the first Test of the Indian series last October, then he is sure to be recalled for his experience alone.The man who stepped into Astle’s shoes was Scott Styris, who rescued New Zealand from 12 for 2 with an outstanding innings of 170 in the second-Test victory over South Africa at Eden Park. He had earlier played a more defensive innings to recover the first Test on what became the "crater" Test at Westpac Park in Hamilton. But when he needed to perform another miracle in the all-important third Test, he was unable to produce. It is how he responds to that lesson that will be of most interest in his tour.Craig McMillan enjoyed a superb series in India, although he was not quite so dominant at home, while the newcomer Michael Papps showed signs that he could be the answer to the opener’s dilemma that has New Zealand since at least 1999. A quick learner at domestic level, he started with a bang in one-day cricket, but has yet to translate that form into the Test arena.Chris Cairns has already signalled that this tour will be his farewell to Test cricket. It promises to be one of the highest-profile exits in New Zealand cricket since Richard Hadlee in 1990, and then, as now, it will require a passing-on of the allrounder’s mantle. Jacob Oram could well be ready for the challenge. At 6ft 6ins, he is probably the tallest player ever to appear in a New Zealand side, but possesses outstanding agility in the field, great power in his hitting and – as would be expected for a player of his height – threatening bounce in his medium-fast bowling.Blessed with the steadiest of nerve, Oram is very much a key player in New Zealand’s future and this tour is a big one for him. With a Test century against South Africa, and 97 against Pakistan, he is a significant force in the lower-middle order. Already Cairns has hinted at great battles between Oram and Andrew Flintoff in the years to come.New Zealand’s attack will be led by Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Chris Martin, with Oram, Cairns and Kyle Mills as back-up. If they can adapt quickly to English conditions that are not far removed from those that they face at home, the New Zealanders can expect to provide England with their toughest competition since their series with South Africa last summer.

Ricky Ponting has promised that Australia will turn in a far more clinical performance in the second and third one-dayers against Zimbabwe later this week. Although Australia won the first game at a canter, the manner of their seven-wicket win, and especially the way that they allowed Zimbabwe to score 205 for 9, was disappointing.”We were a bit rusty in the field and with the ball, but we batted really well,” Ponting admitted afterwards. “We weren’t as sharp as we could have been in the field. A lot of the guys haven’t played for a couple of months, so it was a good game to get under our belt. We should do better next time around.”Ponting could be satisfied with his own performance – he made 91 from 93 balls before falling to an excellent one-handed diving catch by Vusi Sibanda on the long-on boundary. “It got a bit tight," Ponting smiled. "I needed the last nine runs left in the game. But I got out to a pretty good catch so I can’t complain.”But Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe’s captain, was delighted with his side’s performance after most pundits had forecast that they would be crushed. “I asked my batsmen to give it their best shot, and I thought they did that." But he added that the bowlers had room for improvement.