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Somerset Seconds recorded a remarkable two-day victory over Kent at Beckenham today to end their season on a high point.Resuming on 120 for 6 this morning Somerset were eventually dismissed for 149, with their former player Ben Trott ending with 6 for 45.Batting for a second time Kent were all out for just 79, with Pete Trego ending with 3 for 45, Phil Lewis 3 for 19 and Graham Rose 4 for 12.Veteran all rounder Rose ended with match figures of 7 for 13 which may well be one of his best ever returns.Needing 81 for victory Somerset cruised to their target with Piran Holloway leading the way with an unbeaten 62 which included 4 x 6’s and 6 x 4’s supported by Matt Gitsham who ended with 23 off 22 balls.From this match Somerset take 16 points and Kent take 5.

The New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association (NZCPA) has provided a reasoned response to the settlement offer proposed by the New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team last week while at the same time calling for mediation. It has done so because of what it describes as the players’ concerns at the intention of New Zealand Cricket to breach the protocol under which the parties agreed to negotiate.Spokesman for the NZCPA Heath Mills said “Our response acknowledges that the settlement offer was a positive step towards resolution between the parties. It also acknowledges the acceptance by the New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team of a number of the proposals made by NZCPA during the negotiation process.””However the response also highlighted a number of issues which still require further discussion and negotiation.””The specific details of the response, together with all other information tabled by NZCPA during the negotiation process, is regarded by NZCPA, the players and the bargaining protocol agreed between the parties at the outset as being confidential between the negotiation teams.””It was with this in mind and given the events of the last two weeks the players felt it prudent to seek assurances from the New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team that they would abide by the Bargaining Protocol agreed at the outset of negotiations. This requires them not to disclose any information tabled and regarded as confidential by the players and NZCPA.””The New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team has failed to provide NZCPA with sufficient acknowledgement of this. We have therefore, in accordance with the bargaining protocol, compelled mediation in an attempt to resolve this issue and progress negotiations in a professional and efficient manner,” said Mills.”To be perfectly honest it is difficult to negotiate in an environment where one party completely ignores agreed protocol and refuses to show respect for the process (and in this instance the players).”Despite NZCPA’s concerns over confidentiality the response to the settlement offer has been provided in good faith and in the interests of continuing the momentum towards resolution. NZCPA and the players are trusting the New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team to keep that information confidential until such time as the matter is resolved at mediation.””We now look forward to progressing negotiations next week. Given we still have a lot to achieve we have proposed an extra day be set aside for bargaining next week. It is proposed that part of that time be allocated to mediation, as required.”The NZCPA has also taken two further steps in relation to the negotiation process this week.The NZCPA and players have become concerned at rumors that New Zealand Cricket is considering cancelling the State Max competition scheduled for November and significantly decreasing the domestic first-class playing schedule for the 2002/03 season.In order to ensure that no such premature action is taken the NZCPA has written to New Zealand Cricket in to address these concerns. The letter emphasised that, although the players have taken industrial action concerning the bargaining process, they have undertaken to ensure a minimal effect on the cricketing public and, subject to case by case consideration, the commercial partners of New Zealand Cricket.Mills said: “It should be remembered that the statement of position relates only to the month of October. No such contemplation has been given at this stage as to any industrial action for the month of November. It has always been the NZCPA’s intention to focus on concluding negotiations as soon as possible and in any event prior to the start of the domestic season.””Unfortunately for everyone involved, negotiations have been diverted and attempts are being made to draw them into the public domain. The NZCPA does not believe this is in the best interests of cricket or the negotiation process and aside from the matters we have been forced to address today NZCPA and the players will continue with there position of not commenting publicly on the specific issues under negotiation.”One of the undertakings outlined in the statement of position for October was for NZCPA to consider the availability of players for promotional activities on a case by case basis. NZCPA has subsequently received notification from the New Zealand Cricket Bargaining Team that no such activities were planned by Major Associations or New Zealand Cricket for October.”We wrote to New Zealand Cricket because we are conscious that they will shortly be involved in confirming arrangements for both the Max tournament and the State competitions.””We suggested that, should they be approached by any commercial partners in respect of these competitions, they should consult with us immediately so that we can explore any options which might be available to avoid disruption both to any commercial arrangements, and the cricketing public of New Zealand.””New Zealand Cricket has responded confirming that these matters would be discussed further at next Tuesday’s negotiation meetings.”There will be no further comment.

The ECB will meet today to discuss proposals for an English version of the IPL as it considers broadcast tenders for the 2010 season.A number of proposals have been floated in the last fortnight, but the one which is based on three seven-team regional leagues appears to be the one with the broadest support.The idea of ditching the existing county structure altogether seems to have been sidelined, despite the backing of some senior county chairmen. Last week Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, said that city-based teams were not something that would work in England.”I always thought city cricket was the future,” Lancashire’s Jim Cumbes told The Times. “It’s more identifiable, it’s new and it gives an opportunity in the future for there to be other city franchises.”Clarke, who is already risking a showdown with leading players over his unequivocal stance on their participation in the IPL, is also at odds with some of the chairman. One is quoted in today’s Guardian as saying: “We yearned for strong leadership for years and now Giles has come along and we are terrified.”The need for a review of the existing Twenty20 structure, to capitalise on the success of the format without necessarily aping the IPL, has, in turn, led to discussions about the future of the County Championship, and that has not gone down well in all quarters either.There have been suggestions of three-day Championship matches, which Leicestershire’s chief executive David Smith rejected outright. “The old system was workable on uncovered pitches,” Smith told the , “but as soon as the pitches were covered, the cricket was awful to watch. To put it simply, three-day cricket won’t produce Test players.”

Hampshire Cricket’s appeal against the eight points deducted from their Frizzell Championship tally, following a poor pitch report against Lancashire last week, will be heard at 10:30 am tommorrow (Thursday 1st August).The ECB panel will be chaired by Gerard Elias QC, and include former Middlesex chairman Alan Moss and ECB representative John Pickup.Hampshire will be represented by Chairman Rod Bransgrove, Director of Cricket Tim Tremlett and Head Groundsman Nigel Gray.The decision will not be announced immediately, and Hampshire have to receive it by post.

An undermanned South Australia was locked in a tight battle with WA at stumps on day two of their Pura Cup match.The Redbacks were 5-229 in reply to Warriors captain Simon Katich’s bold declaration at 7-346 with Shane Deitz (53no) and Mike Smith (2no) at the crease.But the Redbacks may as well be an extra wicket down after opener David Fitzgerald (4) suffered a fractured cheekbone from a Brad Williams bouncer. The former West Australian retired hurt after the Williams’ delivery jagged back and crashed into the side of his helmet.He was taken from the WACA ground to hospital for an X-ray and was unlikely to bat again in the match.Both teams will be looking to conjure up a large outright victory in the next two days to give themselves a shot at making next week’s final.Meanwhile, evergreen WA quick Jo Angel (2-29) continued to close in on Terry Alderman’s record of 384 wickets as the second highest wicket-taker in domesticfirst class cricket.The 33-year-old needs just three more scalps to pass Alderman and also become WA’s leading wicket-taker in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history.Opener Ben Johnson (2) was the first Redback to fall just before lunch with the ball cannoning off his bat into the stumps off Angel’s bowling.Fitzgerald left the playing field in very different circumstances following the third ball after lunch which struck him on the helmet.Blewett and Chris Davies then put on 79 for the second wicket before Davies (42) fell to a brilliant catch by Marcus North at first slip off Brad Hogg’s (1-14)bowling.Nathan Adcock (18) didn’t last long before quick Matthew Nicholson (1-56) removed him but captain Greg Blewett (64) lingered at the crease after he was given out leg before for Angel’s second.And Young (36) fell late in the day when he chipped a ball to Michael Hussey at midwicket off North’s (1-56) bowling.Katich earlier closed the Warriors innings straight after Chris Rogers (101no) brought up his maiden Pura Cup century.But the 24-year-old was fortunate to make a ton after surviving a very confident caught behind appeal off Johnson’s bowling on 93.He and North (111) put on 144 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure the Warriors posted the 300-plus score.North only added eight runs to his overnight score before he attempted to glance the ball through slips once too often and found Young for Smith’s (2-82) secondwicket.The Redbacks looked to be getting back into the match just seven runs later when returning quick Paul Wilson (2-98) dismissed Hogg (4).But Rogers and Nicholson (10) then put together 37 runs before the paceman fell to Johnson (1-12).

India have a habit, for some reason, of choosing Port of Spain as theground to set many of their records, and Sourav Ganguly’s teamcontinued that tradition this time around. The Queen’s Park Oval sawtwo individuals garner two important records, making for an unusuallystatistics-heavy Test.Ganguly himself was one of those individuals, notching up his fourthTest win overseas to pass MAK Pataudi and Bishan Singh Bedi for mostvictories abroad. Bedi and Ganguly have comparable records; theyregistered their away wins in 22 and 20 Tests respectively. Pataudi,however, posted his wins even though he was skipper for a whopping 40Tests.Interestingly enough, Ganguly and Bedi are two of the three Indian captains to win a Test in the Caribbean, with Ajit Wadekar being the third. All of India’s three wins in the West Indies, moreover, have come at Port of Spain.

In passing, the comparison of each captain’s performance in his awaywins proves extremely flattering to Ganguly. The current Indianskipper averages 76.25 in those four Tests; Pataudi, in contrast,averages a measly 24.40, while Bedi took 16 wickets in the threeTests.The other notable statistic from Port of Spain, of course, was SachinTendulkar drawing level with Don Bradman. While 29 centuries is stillan achievement, and nothing should detract from Tendulkar’sperformances thus far, the difference in speed is staggering enough tofurther burnish the glow on the Don’s halo.Tendulkar took 93 matches and 148 innings for his centuries – ahundred every 5.1 innings. Tendulkar’s Mumbai predecessor, SunilGavaskar, played 95 matches and 166 innings – a hundred every 5.72innings. Bradman played 52 Tests and 80 innings – a hundred every2.76 innings, or almost twice as often as Tendulkar. So if one thinksTendulkar prolific, the imagination boggles further at Bradman.One reason for Bradman’s superior record could have been his rate ofconversion. He finished his career with 29 hundreds but only 13fifties. Tendulkar has 31 fifties to his 29 centuries. Gavaskarhad made 35 fifties when he made his 29th century.

Ian Ward’s hunger for runs looks inexhaustible after he made another doggedcentury at St George’s today, putting England A in a strong position to earnvaluable points against Guyana in the third round Busta Cup match.Following on from his century against Trinidad and Tobago last week, theSurrey opener grafted for seven and a half hours to finish on 118 as EnglandA were bowled out for 413.While Ward provided the ballast, three more half-centuries from Aftab Habib,young James Foster and Chris Schofield blew the wind into England A’s sails,steering them through another steaming hot day in Grenada.Habib was on 36 when he resumed this morning and his elegant and timelessstrokemaking provided one of the highlights of the day as he negotiated theGuyanan spinners with consummate ease. He was dropped on 48 but afterreaching his second half century of the tour, came down the wicket to CarlHooper, lofting the ball straight to Eion Katchay at long off.By then Ward had reached his own milestone. His century came off 321 ballsof which just five found the boundary rope and he was content to eke out theruns while his partners were more flamboyant. Guyana used just two spinnersfor much of the session but a change in the attack, with leg-spinner RonMatthews introduced in the 29th over of the morning brought instant results.With his third ball, he dislodged Ward’s middle stump with a ball that keptlow and another mammoth innings was over with the score 293 for five. Theselectors’ decision to involve all the players who had not yet played meantthe rest of the order was short of experience so the next passage of playbefore and after lunch proved vital.New boy James Foster, the 20 year-old student who was brought into replaceChris Read to keep wicket, gave his compatriots a happy surprise with anexhibition that from the outset looked promising. He watched carefully,pushed contentedly at non-scoring balls but was quick with his feet wheneveran opportunity arose.

He rattled up a quick half-century and with Chris Schofield added 72 for thesixth wicket before being bowled by Ramnaresh Sarwan with a ball that nippedback. If he impresses with the gloves, his place in the side for the fourthround match against Barbados is virtually assured after such an impressivedebut.Neil McGarrell had bowled 42 overs in the innings before he struck lucky andit was a real stroke of luck when the umpire responded positively to anappeal for a catch that came off Paul Franks’ arm. The off-spinner foundhimself on a hat trick when Ryan Sidebottom drove loosely at his next balland was bowled, but had to deliver another ten overs before wrapping up theEngland A innings having Schofield stumped by Vishal Nagamootoo for a sting-in-the-tail 66.It was a confident show from England A’s younger contingent who gaveselectors little cause to worry at going into this important match with suchan array of callow faces.The confidence shown by new ball attack Jonathan Lewis and Ryan Sidebottom,who had not yet bowled on tour, was less evident as both erred with theirfront foot, resulting in Guyana adding eight runs to their total beforestumps but their hostility and accuracy was impressive and Lewis was unluckyto finish the day with just one wicket, his victim Nicholas de Groot caughtat first slip by Vikram Solanki.By the close, Guyana were 28 for one but the day belonged to Ward, who yetagain exhibited credentials that should stand him in good stead when Englandselectors start casting their net for a replacement for Mike Atherton.Afterwards, he described his innings as `functional’ but not `aestheticallypleasing’.”If you achieve success as a result of hard work, good preparation and afair amount of thought, then it is very satisfactory. The runs have not comequickly and I haven’t been in the best of nick.”Nick is about playing to your strengths, seeing the ball, timing it rightand moving your feet and while it all worked for me in Trinidad, but herefrom ball one, the rhythm and timing wasn’t quite there. The wicket didn’thelp.”But it is pleasing to me that I can still get runs without being in thebest of nick. The innings was functional – certainly not aestheticallypleasing to anyone watching. It goes back to game plans – I looked at thepitch and assessed that the ball would not come on very well. It was goingto be two paced and we decided we would have to bat a lot of overs to scoreruns and through stubbornness and a refusal to give my wicket away, I wasable to achieve that.”

As methods of engendering a sense of belonging in a unique family go, New Zealand Cricket hit on a winner when deciding to award presentation black caps to all New Zealand’s Test players or their families.Mounted in rimu cases, and individually embroidered with the player’s selection number, the caps have proven a hit with former players or, in the case of deceased players, their families, who might have wondered if their memories were to be their main keepsake from their international careers.The idea was mooted by former New South Wales and Australia A cricketer Neil Maxwell during his time as NZC’s marketing manager.One of the early decisions of the new management regime headed by incoming chief executive Christopher Doig back in 1995 was to protect the silver fern, the most notable emblem of national representation.Previously players at all levels of the game in New Zealand were provided with gear on which the silver fern was emblazoned. This was felt to depreciate the value of the silver fern so by the time younger players reached full international status the allure of the silver fern was not what it should have been, and by implication the regard for what it represented was not appreciated by players.A new symbol was designed for the lower graded players and the silver fern became the preserve of the national men’s and women’s teams.To highlight the silver fern’s place in the New Zealand cricket psyche, the presentation caps were instituted.That involved a specific problem for NZC, tracking down all the players.Those from the last 30 years or so were no problem, but the later years took consultation with the likes of Walter Hadlee, Don Neely, Iain Gallaway, Ron Palenski at the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and Warwick Larkins, and Wellington autograph collector David Parsons who had scoured electoral rolls and other research tools at the National Library. The New Zealand Cricket Encyclopedia also provided some hints.As a result, the remaining list of players or families still to get their caps is down to 12: C S ‘Stewie’ Dempster, G R ‘George’ Dickinson, M ‘Matt’ Henderson, J E ‘Jack’ Mills, C F W ‘Cyril’ Allcott, H M ‘Herb’ McGirr, A M ‘Mal’ Matheson, H G ‘Giff’ Vivian, M P ‘Martin’ Donnelly, D A R ‘Sonny’ Moloney, L A ‘Len’ Butterfield and W R ‘Bill’ Playle.McGirr’s cap is to be presented to Nelson College where he went to be groundsman when his playing days are over.Butterfield’s cap is to be presented to the Sydenham Cricket Club.NZC administration manager Tim Murdoch has had the job of attempting to make contact with deceased players’ families or tracking down surviving players.One recent presentation he made was on Australia’s Gold Coast where Don Cleverley, who played two Tests with 14 years and 28 days separating his matches, now lives.The 91-year-old provided Murdoch with some special moments.”It was a thrill to meet him, to present the cap to him and to see the pleasure that receiving the cap gave him. He remembered a lot about his career,” he said.Cleverley played his first Test against South Africa in 1931/32 and his last against Australia in 1945/46. In his first-class career, mainly for Auckland but latterly for Central Districts 23 summers after making his debut, he took 99 wickets with a best of 8-75 for Auckland against Wellington.One Australian club, at South Perth, proved a connecting point for three former players. Globe-trotting Ted Badcock, who was in New Zealand’s first Test team and a notable coach, spent the latter part of his life in Perth and bequeathed his cricket memorabilia to the South Perth Club, which also happens to be the home club of Paul Barton and Rodney Redmond.Another break in finding players came following a radio interview on Canterbury on Air in Christchurch. That provided, within hours, connections to the families of Alby Roberts, Don McRae and Bill Merritt.”We received many nice notes from families who received the caps and were appreciative of the memories they provided of their husbands and fathers,” Murdoch said.A sample of some of the responses follows:Mrs Betty Freeman (the widow of D L ‘Don’ Freeman, who until Daniel Vettori’s selection was New Zealand’s youngest Test player): “I know he would have been honoured to be remembered and that one of his three grandsons or his granddaughter eventually have custody of this cap.”Murray Scott (the son of V J ‘Verdun’ Scott): “I just wanted to say how thrilled my mother, my brother and myself were at New Zealand Cricket’s very kind gesture.”Mrs Joan Overton (the widow of G W F ‘Guy’ Overton): “The Black Cap will remind us of the pleasure Guy derived from cricket and endorse our pride in his achievements.”Mrs Jean Emery (the widow of R W G ‘Ray’ Emery): “It is a wonderful gesture from the Cricket Council to know that these players have not been completely forgotten.”I am now 80 years of age and well remember the happy cricketing years we had and the sacrifices we made with young families.”Bruce McLeod (the son of E G ‘Eddie’ McLeod): “It was magnificently presented in its wooden display box, and I am most proud to possess it. Thank you again for the gift, the memories, and the thought that has gone into the Presentation Black Cap.”So far the Black Caps Test family has extended to include 215 players. NZC’s innovative policy has helped restore meaning to the notion of ‘family’ and has lent a ready made aspect of tradition which was overlooked for too long.

Tasmania
ScorecardTasmania surged to a 48-run victory over South Australia in a rain-shortened domestic one-day match in Burnie, as Ed Cowan and Ben Hilfenhaus made striking contributions.Cowan’s 91 at No. 3 allowed the Tigers to set a decent target despite the loss of regular wickets, and the total was bolstered a little more by Duckworth-Lewis calculations.SA’s reply was unsettled the moment the visitors lost the captain Michael Klinger to Hilfenhaus, and regular wicket ensured they would never mount a serious chase despite 66 for the in-form Tom Cooper.Hilfenhaus finished with four wickets while Xavier Doherty managed two.

James Anderson, the England fast bowler, has asked his team-mates to watch against admiring Sachin Tendulkar too much because that can sometimes “dull the competitive edge”. “There is no question in my mind that he has been one of the best batsmen — if not the best — for 20-odd years,” Anderson wrote in his column in . “But we have to make sure we do not treat him with too much respect in the middle.”Anderson is no rookie when it comes to bowling to Tendulkar. He has squared up against Tendulkar in 19 Test innings and has dismissed him seven times for 207 runs. In his column, he wrote about an Andrew Flintoff anecdote, which according to him sums up the feeling when competing against Tendulkar. “I heard an interesting quote from Freddie Flintoff recently about what it felt like to bowl against Sachin,” he wrote. “He said: ‘I wanted to get him out, for sure. But I wanted to earn his respect as well. I wanted to impress him.’ It almost sounded like Freddie was looking for the Tendulkar seal of approval.”Anderson wrote he had never personally felt that way, but didn’t rule out that possibility for others. “I cannot relate directly to what Freddie said, but I know what he is getting at,” he wrote. “I do know that people have said they love watching him bat, and maybe too much of that kind of admiration could dull your competitive edge.”I’ve never been aware of succumbing to that myself but maybe subconsciously, because you respect him for what he has done in the game — 100 international centuries is some achievement — and the way he has conducted himself, you want to get him to respect you back.”The Sachin factor is quite something to experience. I’ve played in games here in which the Indian supporters seem more interested in his batting than how their team are doing, when Sachin getting out is the signal for a mass exodus.”Anderson won’t mind bowling in front of empty stands if that’s what it takes. “I will be seeking to make myself pretty unpopular with the locals in the weeks ahead,” he wrote. “The bottom line is that we treat everyone with the same respect, whether they’ve played one Test or 100 — and that goes for trying to earn their respect, too.”