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Just how expensive will Zimbabwe’s last 50 runs prove in New Zealand’s bid to win the first Test in Bulawayo?The runs, and the time involved after Zimbabwe was 300 for eight, may be the difference should New Zealand get itself into a position of strength by scoring a big total quickly enough to attempt to bowl Zimbabwe out a second time.And there’s no guarantee of that happening with the side finishing the second day at 62 for two.The fact that Matt Horne is unbeaten on 40 puts the onus on him to produce his best Test score since his maiden Test century at Lord’s midway through last year.Another factor is the opportunity the match situation provides captain Stephen Fleming to score a long-awaited third Test century. He is such a capable batsman, and so attractive to watch when in full-flight, that a national sigh of relief will be breathed when he gets over the hurdle that has seen him score 24 half centuries but only twice reach three figures.All that lies ahead however, as New Zealand firstly needs to consolidate its overnight position before attempting to launch a full-scale assault on the Zimbabwe total. That’s where Horne, Fleming, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan come into the picture.Collectively, they represent an attacking force capable of doing the job but as yet they have lacked the consistency for New Zealand fans to assume that the logical will happen as of right.Paul Wiseman’s achievement in taking his second five-wicket bag in Test matches is an encouraging development. He’s lifted his Test tally of wickets to 29 and, more importantly, is making headway in getting his average out of the 40s and down to 37.41.There’s still a way for him to go but every Test he plays in partnership with Daniel Vettori helps to develop a spin option that has been lacking for too long in the New Zealand game. Not since John Bracewell and Stephen Boock were occasionally working in unison has this been a factor in New Zealand’s Test match approach.The benefits are not only applied to the Test scene either. With two international quality spinners appearing, albeit occasionally, in domestic cricket, more batsmen are exposed to playing class slow bowling.The fact that Zimbabwe, under pressure, has produced such a competitive total also highlights how little there is between the greater percentage of teams on the Test scene at the moment. Alistair Campbell stepped up at precisely the right time for his side and produced an innings of substance while Heath Streak marked his captaincy regime in the perfect style with 51 runs.The challenge for New Zealand to quell that Zimbabwean spirit is obvious and the third day will tell all.

The last round of Pura Cup matches looms as a bowl-off between Australia’s spinners after Stuart MacGill was named in the New South Wales squad for his first match back since an operation on his right wrist in December. The Blues and Victoria are both vying for the right to host the Pura Cup final – the teams have already qualified and are equal on points – but the performances of several slow bowlers will add an intriguing sub-plot.Australia are searching for a Test spinner for their tours of Pakistan and West Indies following the retirement of Brad Hogg, and a fit MacGill would be the leading candidate. His ability to bowl long spells was uncertain due to his lengthy lay-off, however MacGill grabbed 4 for 66 on the weekend for his club side Sydney University.”I was very, very nervous before I bowled a ball because I wasn’t sure if I was ready to go yet,” MacGill told . “But very shortly into my first spell, I knew I was ready to play state cricket.”He has two games to show the selectors where he is at and the second of those matches, the Pura Cup final, will provide an interesting head-to-head battle with one of his main rivals, Victoria’s Bryce McGain. Before that, he must focus on the four-day game against South Australia at the SCG starting on Friday, which may also feature the Redbacks’ Cricket Australia-contracted legspinner Cullen Bailey.Having been overlooked since the opening game of South Australia’s campaign, when he returned match figures of 1 for 103 against Victoria, Bailey has been recalled to a 12-man squad for what could be his second match of the summer. He replaces the newly-retired Jason Gillespie in an otherwise unchanged Redbacks group and if he makes the starting line-up he will not only be trying to out-perform MacGill but also his South Australia team-mate Dan Cullen.Bailey was the state’s preferred slow bowler last season, when Cullen was on the fringes, but in 2007-08 the roles have been reversed. Cullen has played seven Pura Cup games this summer, and although his return of 14 wickets at 59.42 has been disappointing, he has also been mentioned as a potential tourist with the national team.MacGill’s main aim will be to get through a full first-class match as his comeback from surgery for carpal-tunnel syndrome has so far been limited to a couple of club outings. He pulled out of a New South Wales Second XI game last week as the focus remained on his Pura Cup return.He is joined in the Blues squad by Brad Haddin, whose ODI commitments have finished, and Grant Lambert, who is back from injury. Daniel Smith, Steven Smith and Burt Cockley have made way for the returning trio. Victory against South Australia would mean New South Wales will host the Pura Cup decider but a loss or draw will leave the venue to be determined by Victoria’s result against Queensland.New South Wales squad Phil Jaques, Phillip Hughes, Peter Forrest, Simon Katich (capt), Usman Khawaja, Dominic Thornely, Brad Haddin (wk), Grant Lambert, Beau Casson, Matthew Nicholson, Mark Cameron, Stuart MacGill.South Australia squad Daniel Harris, Jake Brown, Andy Delmont, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Christian, Shane Deitz, Graham Manou (capt, wk), Mark Cleary, Ryan Harris, Cullen Bailey, Dan Cullen, Paul Rofe.

Geoff Marsh, the former coach of Zimbabwe, said cancelling Australia’s tour later this year would have little effect on Robert Mugabe’s regime and action should be taken in areas besides sport. Marsh said Zimbabweans were passionate about cricket but their country had been turned into “a living hell”.”The feeling I get – and it’s the opinion of some of my Zimbabwean mates as well – is what difference will stopping a cricket tour make?” Marsh said in the . “Whether it’s the right or wrong thing to do is another matter, but, in real terms, I just wonder what it will achieve.”I generally don’t like to see sport and politics mix. I think strong action definitely needs to be taken but I think it has to happen in areas broader than just sport. It is a beautiful country that has become a living hell for a lot of people.”Marsh, who was in charge of the side from 2001 to 2004, said the exodus of Zimbabwe’s top players was unfortunate for cricket in the country. “It’s a sad situation,” he said. “People there love the game. We filled the grounds there quite a few times, and you have to think that had they kept their key players, they would probably be a pretty competitive team.”Marsh’s comments came as Cricket Australia met with Australia’s foreign minister, Alexander Downer, to discuss whether to cancel or go ahead with the tour. The government has repeatedly said it does not want the trip to proceed and will pay any ICC fine imposed on CA.

Marylebone Cricket Club, the former governor of the world game and the guardian of its laws, has renewed its drive to become an influence on the modern-day game by forming a committee of leading Test cricketers from eight of the ten member countries.The MCC World Cricket Committee will be under the chairmanship of the former England captain and MCC president, Tony Lewis, and its remit will be to lobby the ICC and guard the fundamental aspects of the game at all levels, particularly those concerning the laws and the spirit of cricket.”MCC, in my time, has always been a chamber of fair debate and seriously democratic,” Lewis told The Times, as he attempted to do away with the traditionally stuffy image of the club. “Everything [is] decided in what was believed to be the best interests of cricket and cricketers.”The first meeting will take place at Lord’s on April 24, with a committee that comprises five former England captains in Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting, Michael Atherton, Geoffrey Boycott and Alec Stewart; Australia’s Steve Waugh and Tony Dodemaide; India’s current captain, Rahul Dravid; Martin Crowe from New Zealand; Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower; Majid Khan from Pakistan; Barry Richards from South Africa; Courtney Walsh from West Indies, and the former Test umpire, David Shepherd.Crowe, Shepherd and Gatting will not be able to attend the inaugural meeting, but between them, the committee members have 1,183 Test caps. Items on the agenda will include an investigation into laws 24.2 and 24.3, which deal with unfair deliveries, and the question of whether umpires should be permitted more assistance through the use of technology.The idea is for the committee to “constructively question or challenge changes to the game”, and Lewis was delighted to have attracted so many influential names to join. “They will be well qualified to discuss matters relating to national and international cricket,” he said, “from the lowest level to the ICC, and to provide support or to challenge as appropriate.”The forum will replace the Laws, Spirit and Ethos sub-committee, which was created under the chairmanship of Ted Dexter in 2000, when MCC streamlined its committee structure.

Allegations that Andrew Flintoff is a chucker were brusquely dismissed by Michael Vaughan after England’s seven-session defeat of Bangladesh at Chester-le-Street.The claim was made by Peter Roebuck in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald. In his article, which was syndicated throughout Australia, he wrote that Flintoff’s final spell in the first Test at Lord’s “contained some of the most blatant transgressions of the law covering legitimate actions seen in respectable company this year”. He continued: “Flintoff’s action seems to deteriorate when he searches for an extra yard of pace and especially when he moves around the wicket and starts to pound the middle of the pitch. Then his naturally open-chested style betrays him.”Roebuck, the former Somerset captain who now lives much of the year in Australia, appears to have little time for England, and unsurprisingly, his latest outburst found few supporters.Vaughan brushed aside a post-match question on the matter. “Peter hasn’t been in the country,” he said. “He’s watching it on TV. I have no worries at all about Freddie’s action.” Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s coach, added that he had “no complaints”.Flintoff was analysed by ICC officials during last September’s Champions Trophy in England – he was one of a number of bowlers who were scrutinised – and his action was found to be well within the 15 degree limit.It was rumoured that two umpires during last summer’s series against West Indies were interested enough to look at television replays at the end of a day’s play but that, after reviewing his action, they decided that there was nothing untoward.Roebuck went to some lengths to deny that his remarks resulted from an anti-English bitterness. “Craven nationalists reacted with fury the last time this column drew attention to Flintoff’s action. A regrettable tendency has arisen in some quarters to play the man and not the ball. Not that every delivery was condemned, or every spell. What is the old saying? There are none so blind as those that will not see?”Flintoff’s action is not the real issue,” he concluded. “England’s lack of rigour is the problem. Long regarded as the guardian of the game, it contributed little to the investigation of corruption (even in county cricket).”

Ricky Ponting will miss the one-day international against India to be played on February 1. Cricket Australia has decided to rest him so as to ensure that he is fresh for the finals, which will be contested between Australia and India. Adam Gilchrist will captain the side in his absence, and Simon Katich will replace him in the squad.Announcing this, Trevor Hohns, the chief selector, said: “Just as Matthew Hayden and Gilchrist have benefited from a short layoff during this VB Series, we felt that a break would help Ricky in the lead-up to the series finals and upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. Gilchrist is a proven leader and is the right man to captain the side in Ricky’s absence.”

As if India’s draw in the World Cup is not challenging enough initself, a couple of veteran players are on the verge ofretirement, their powers waning with every passing series. Butthe one aspect that is sure to generate huge interest when thetournament hits Africa in February and March is the charge of theyouth brigade. In fact, even across the spectrum of teams, thepast year has seen an almost unprecedented rise of youngcricketers surging to the front-lines of battle.Starting with India, there is little need to look further thanthe cornerstone of their recent limited-overs success ­ both homeand away. Even as the side struggled to come to grips with theloss of strength in the bowling department, skipper SouravGanguly and coach John Wright pegged their hopes on the battingand fielding departments. The mantra for success was heard overand over again ­ save runs on the field and run between wicketslike hares.

Few put this theory into practice better than the duo of YuvrajSingh and Mohammad Kaif. With Rahul Dravid keeping wicket, Indiawere able to pack the side with batsmen, but they still needed tobe especially sharp in the field. This was where the naturalathleticism of Yuvraj and Kaif came to the fore. Who can forgetthe way India edged past South Africa in the Champions Trophyalmost solely on the brilliance of Yuvraj Singh? Plucking catchesout of thin air in crucial positions close to the wicket, Yuvrajmade sure that South Africa were under pressure at all times.And, of course, possibly India’s greatest triumph of the year ­the NatWest series triumph – was engineered by the franticrunning between the wickets of Kaif.But that’s not all. Two other pillars of India’s success ­ ZaheerKhan and Virender Sehwag – truly came of age in 2002. WhileSehwag has stolen many hearts with his dashing brand of battingat the top of the order, few will disagree that Zaheer’s fire inthe belly has propelled him into the role of spearhead of thebowling attack. For this pair, like Yuvraj and Kaif, theforthcoming World Cup will be their first.And what an arena! Every cricketer, let alone the young, dreamsof doing well in the World Cup, and India will be particularlymotivated after their dismal tour of New Zealand. But India, evenwith their success, is not the only team that has turned to youthto bolster their sagging fortunes.Australia, easily the front-runners to walk away victorious forthe second time in a row, have shifted their policy fromexperience to youth in a systematic manner. Legends like SteveWaugh find themselves out in the cold as Australia search for ayoung all-rounder to take them forward.

Australia’s oldest enemy, England, have traditionally been theslowest to move their feet when it comes to accepting change.Even they, however, have had to rethink their strategies, backingup experience with the precocious enthusiasm of youth. The latestentrant to the side, 20-year-old James Anderson, impressed withhis nippy bowling in the VB Triangular Series in Australia. WithDarren Gough a constant injury concern and Andy Caddick losingpace by the day, Anderson will have to put his hand up and becounted if England are to go far on the seamer-friendly SouthAfrican wickets.In sharp contrast to England, Pakistan have always believed inthrowing the cricketers into the deep end when they barely knowhow to swim. It was under pressure in the 1992 World Cup thatPakistan threw up the talent of Inzamam ul-Haq, and in 2003, itwill be the left-hander Taufeeq Umar to carry the burden ofexpectation. A responsible batsman at the top of the order, Umarwill have the unenviable task of lending solidity to a brittlebatting line-up that can be as shaky as it can be brilliant.Competing almost directly with Umar is his Sri Lankancounterpart, Jehan Mubarak. Only 21, Mubarak was born inWashington but schooled in the privileged bastion of Sri Lanka’seducational system, Royal College, where he was a highly talentedall-round sportsman. After choosing to stick with cricket, thetall but elegant left-hander has fast made a name for himself asa batsman of high promise. In a team that has explosive yetunorthodox batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and AvishkaGunawardena, Mubarak comes as a whiff of fresh air.

Last, and certainly not least, come the men from the Caribbean.Having recently beaten India 4-3 in an action-packed one-dayseries, the West Indies discovered the strength of its youth.While Chris Gayle’s wanton hitting at the top of the order wascertainly the one aspect that stole the show, there were twoother youngsters whose roles will be crucial in the World Cup.Ramnaresh Sarwan looks cool, composed and all class when he isout in the middle. He has the ability to pace himself and stay atthe wicket long ­ something that the West Indies has alwayslacked. And then there’s Jermaine Lawson; with pace, strength anda force of character, Lawson blew away the much-vaunted Indiantop-order with a spell of fast bowling that conjured up visionsof the West Indians teams of old.With conditions playing a large part, it will be adaptabilitythat wins the day. While experience has its obvious advantages,there’s a certain freshness and enthusiasm that only comes fromyouth. and the drive, the passion to go the extra mile and edgesomeone else out, is where the rookie looms large. The World Cupwill separate the men from the boys; only, the boys may come outon top with the men stopped dead in their tracks.

Northamptonshire’s hopes of notching a first Championship win of the season were boosted by four wickets in the final session to leave Somerset hanging on by their fingernails at Wantage Road.Darren Cousins and Paul Taylor both struck twice as the visitors slumped to 130-4 at the close, still needing a further 138 to avoid an innings defeat.Northants were finally dismissed for 567 in mid-afternoon, after a record-breaking stand of 161 in 38 overs for the eighth wicket between skipper David Ripley and his deputy, Tony Penberthy.Ripley was last out for 95, including a six and 14 fours, while Penberthy stroked a dozen boundaries in his fluent 80. Their partnership was a new county best for that wicket against Somerset, surpassing the 145 posted by Penberthy and Curtly Ambrose at Taunton in 1994.But there was disappointment for Mal Loye, who added only three to his overnight 194 before becoming Steffan Jones’ fourth wicket of the innings.Richard Johnson wrapped up proceedings by removing both men to finish with commendable figures of 5-127 from 40.1 overs, while Jones, his hard-working pace partner, claimed 4-121 from 36.Northants were hoping for an early breakthrough when Somerset went in again, but they were denied it when Graeme Swann spilled a chance in the gully offered by Bowler before he had scored.Bowler (60) and Holloway (30) opened up with 97 in 31 overs, but when they both fell in the space of three overs – quickly followed by Mark Lathwell and Michael Burns – Northants were able to scent a much-needed win.

50 overs New Zealand 340 for 7 (How 139) tied with England 340 for 6 (Mustard 83, Cook 69)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Jamie How produced the innings of his life to guide New Zealand to within a single blow of victory in the fourth ODI at Napier, but in the end his 139 from 116 balls was trumped by six balls of nerveless discipline from England’s rawest recruit, Luke Wright. His solitary over of the innings – his third in four international matches to date – resulted in six thrifty runs and the game’s pivotal dismissal, as England snatched an incredible tie from the jaws of defeat to carry the five-match series into a decider at Christchurch on Saturday.In any ordinary match, How’s masterclass would have won the contest with a yawning chasm to spare. He batted throughout with a Test-class composure, and yet moved to his hundred from a mere 86 balls, cashing in on Napier’s short square boundaries with a series of shredding drives and emphatic pulls. England’s own efforts with the bat had been impressive – Phil Mustard made a career-best 83 from 74 balls as he added 158 for the first wicket with Alastair Cook, and Paul Collingwood latched onto six leg-side sixes in an England-record 24-ball fifty – but all the while that How was easing New Zealand towards their target, their efforts paled to insignificance.With seven overs remaining, New Zealand needed a fraction more than a run a ball with seven wickets still standing. It was looking like a done deal – not least because the same team, 12 months previously, had twice chased 340-plus scores to beat the mighty Australians. From Jesse Ryder’s pugnacious opening salvo of 39 from 32 balls, via Brendon McCullum’s gutsy 58 from 65 and a run-a-ball 48 from Ross Taylor, New Zealand had demonstrated the firepower and the willpower to win. James Anderson bowled a succession of long-hops to concede 61 runs from his first six overs, and England’s lack of a specialist fifth bowler was causing an over-reliance on the ineffectual offspin of Owais Shah.But then, suddenly, something clicked within the England mindset. Scott Styris, on 20 from 17 balls, lashed their best bowler, Ryan Sidebottom, down Anderson’s throat at long-on, and one over later, the disastrously out-of-form Peter Fulton ran himself out for a four-ball duck as he chipped and charged to a pumped-up Kevin Pietersen at mid-on. The dangerous Jacob Oram punctured the off-side ring with a fierce drive in the next over, from Stuart Broad, but then picked out Pietersen at short cover with his next shot. Three prime wickets had fallen in consecutive overs, and with 25 needed from 24 balls, a sense of vertigo began to set in for the New Zealanders.Back came Anderson for his final two-over burst. Suddenly his length was full and menacing, and backed up with a hint of reverse-swing, he conceded a meagre two runs in his ninth over to lift the requirement to a daunting 23 from 18. Though Daniel Vettori connected with a scythe over mid-on, the equation was still fractionally in England’s favour when Wright was thrown the ball on a whim by his captain. There was no planning involved in the hunch – England in their desperation had been forced to bowl out their big guns early, but Wright was confident after producing an effective innings of 24 from 13 balls, and it showed.

He did nothing more than bowl six consecutive wicket-to-wicket deliveries, but with no room to swing their arms, New Zealand’s batsmen were forced to take on the ground fielders. Pietersen missed by inches from midwicket with How stranded, but one ball later Anderson – who was superb in the field – did not. How had to turn back after Vettori’s drive went straight to the man, and he carried on walking as his stumps were pinged down from ten yards.And so it all came down to the very last ball. Vettori was on strike, although he arguably should not have been there at all, after the third umpire failed to notice that his bat had been in the air during an earlier run-out referral. Wright kept it full and straight once again, and a cramped shot squirted out to point. A direct hit would have given the match to England, but the shy slipped past the stumps and so the spoils were shared. As he left the field, Collingwood admitted he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but there’s little doubt that, after the devastation at Hamilton, England would happily have accepted a win and a tie in their next two games.England did, however, have their eyes on a bigger prize at the start of today’s game, and by the interval, Vettori was doubtless pondering the wisdom of bowling first. England’s sizeable total might have been very different had McCullum behind the stumps held onto the simplest of edges off Chris Martin, when Cook had made just 2 from 14 balls. The opportunity, however, went begging, and Cook joined Mustard in England’s biggest stand of the series.The main source of England’s mayhem was Mustard, who allied power with patience and even some delicate touch play in his most convincing innings to date. It was the brutality of his cutting and square driving that really caught the eye, and set the tone for the day. Vettori was running out of options as the stand entered the 27th over of the innings, so he tossed the ball to the innocuous seamer, Ryder. But, in a remarkable maiden ODI over, he removed both men in quick succession – Mustard to a flat smack to wide long-on, and Cook to a perfect wicket-to-wicket seamer that nipped through bat and pad to rattle middle stump. Perhaps it was the memory of that intercession that prompted Collingwood’s last-ditch gamble. Either way, part-time medium-pacers are the toast of Napier tonight.

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif have been advised futher rest for two weeks to allow time for their injuries respective injuries to heal properly.Shoaib’s knee troubles and Asif’s elbow injury forced their withdrawals from the World Cup and they have been advised to rest for a couple more weeks before they can return to training.”They need at least two more weeks of rest before they are examined again by our medical panel,” Zakir Khan, the board’s director of cricket operations, told .”The medical panel will decide when they can resume training,” he added.The bowlers tested positive for a banned steroid last October in out-of-competition tests conducted by the board. They were initially banned but then cleared by an appeals panel a month later.At the time there was intense speculation that they were pulled out of the tournament because of fears that the may still be carrying traces of the steroid Nandrolone in their bodies and thus may have tested positive in the Caribbean. The PCB has consistently rubbished the speculation.In the absence of the new-ball duo, Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup after successive losses to West Indies and Ireland.