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A rearguard from Dimitri Mascarenhas and the lower order kept table-toppers Surrey from securing victory as Hampshire battled against an innings defeat on the third day of the Frizzell County Championship match at The Oval.Mascarenhas’ 94-ball undefeated 75 stood between the hosts and a third-day success as he and firstly Nic Pothas (24), Shaun Udal (18) and James Hamblin, with whom he shared a stout 56 for the ninth wicket ensured the game went into the final day.But Hampshire still trail by 83 runs after Surrey furthered their overnight 410 for 5 in double quick time – smoting 166 runs in just 27.3 overs with Alistair Brown continuing in his typical vain with 135.Aided by 89 from Jonathan Batty and some resistance from the tail pushed the game further over the horizon. But not before Shaun Udal picked up an unwanted Hampshire record by becoming the second bowler in the club’s history to concede 200 runs in an innings, following Alec Kennedy suffering 202 runs in 1919 at Lord’s.Udal’s figures of 4-213 in 47 overs was the pick, although Lawrence Prittipaul bowled tidily for 2-43 in 13.3 overs.Trailing by 386, it was a case of Hampshire batting for five session to save the match and a 51-run start through Jason Laney and Neil Johnson set them on their way.But the introduction of Pakistani off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was always going to be crucial and he made significant inroads as the batsmen were guilty of making starts to their innings but failing to push on.All the top four batsmen reached 28 or more before succumbing to Saqlain – bar Jason Laney who fell to James Ormond’s second delivery of off-spin as he reverted from his normal medium-fast.In fact, in a strange piece of cricket, he bowled medium-fast at Will Kendall but off-spin to Robin Smith all in the space of an over on a regular occurrence when the pair were together at the wicket.Saqlain reduced Hampshire from a comfortable 142-2 to 167-6 but as he tired, Mascarenhas and the lower order took charge and staved off defeat as bad light brought an early close to play, despite Surrey claiming the extra half-hour. The all-rounder smashed two huge sixes off consecutive Ian Salisbury deliveries and seven crunching fours in his saving 75 not out.And, as the players left the ground, the rain began to fall. The forecast for Sunday 25th August is not of the highest quality, so Hampshire may still gain something other than a loss from this game.

Once one had got over the disappointment, a huge disappointment for Pakistan had come tantalisingly close to winning, one felt good for the future of Pakistan cricket. A new generation had arrived, young legs, fresh minds but most of all, self-belief.One had expected something special from Shoaib Akhtar and being the showman that he is, he chose to encapsulate it in one over, the best single over I have seen bowled by a Pakistani fast bowler, Ponting, Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist blown away and the Test match turned on its head.But it was Faisal Iqbal who played the shot of the match when he arrived at the wicket in the first innings. He took two steps down the wicket and he hit Shane Warne over the top for a one-bounce four. It was a shot that had pedigree written all over it.One could imagine his uncle, Javed Miandad jumping out of his chair. It was the sort of shot that Miandad himself would have played to scatter the gloom that hung over the Pakistan innings.For too long has Faisal Iqbal carried the baggage of being Miandad’s nephew. It has worked against him. Being cynical and an uncharitable lot, we could not accept that he was an immensely gifted batsman in his own right. He has now broken free and the young lad is here to stay. Had he had someone to partner him after Younis Khan was out, Pakistan might have won the Test. He was my man-of-the-match.The Test match had begun badly for Pakistan because the team selection was flawed. If, for whatever reason, Shahid Afridi was not in Colombo but Danish Kaneria was there. Pakistan was one spinner short and one fast bowler too many.In the end, it did not prove too costly but Australia did look like getting to 600 and Saqlain Mushtaq had to do a dual job, attack as well as contain. Just as well he was on song and he teamed up with Shoaib Akhtar to mop up the tail. But this is now history and we should concentrate on the positives. Pakistan’s problem has been the absence of reliable openers. In the first innings, Imran Nazir and Taufiq Umar were a bundle of nerves and they both failed to get off the mark.In the second innings, it was a different story. Admittedly Imran Nazir had his share of luck. The Australian slip fielders, indeed proved to be good samaritans in both the Pakistan innings.But once he had settled down, Imran Nazir looked good. Taufiq Umar was not just solid but he was, at times, magnificent. He has the making of a fine opener, in both versions of the game.I fail to understand why Abdul Razzaq has to be made a sacrificial lamb. His rightful place in the batting order is in the middle. There is no reason at all why Younis should not be coming at one-down. In that batting line-up, he is the most accomplished. That’s where he should be batting.In the second innings, the openers had given Pakistan an excellent start. Younis should have come in and Razzaq saved to bolster the middle. After such a heartwarming performance, this may seem to be nit-picking. But there are two Test matches still to be played. Pakistan must get the basics right. Pakistan will feel more at home in Sharjah and it’s a happy hunting ground.It will still be hot but the humidity factor will not be that high and it’s not likely to rain. There may even be more people at ground to watch the matches. The Colombo test match deserved a full house.It was a terrific game of cricket and the Australians were certainly surprised how hard a young and inexperienced side fought and come so close to toppling them off the pedestal.Wasim Akram and Saeed Anwar chose not to play in the series against Australia because they needed ‘rest’. I was, therefore, a little surprised to see that both of them had scooted-off to Cardiff to play in an indoor match with some ridiculous format.This would not be my idea of rest. Saeed Anwar may well have lost his place in the team to Taufiq Umar. I cannot say that Wasim Akram too has lost his place but I would certainly like him to be further ‘rested’ when Pakistan tours Zimbabwe next month.There is some disappointment that Misbah-ul-Haq did not make too much of a contribution. But he will have to learn the hard way. He may have tonked Shane Warne for a couple of sixes in Nairobi but that was a one-day game and this was a Test match.But he’s a good player, good enough, one hopes, to learn from his mistakes. The same would apply to Imran Nazir. He should be made to look at the video of the way he got out in both the innings. May be Pybus will have more luck with him than Mudassar Nazar did.

Ramnaresh Sarwan described his first Test century as the West Indies captain as “very special” after the effort helped his team secure a draw that could easily have been a loss. His 128 did not stop Australia regaining the Frank Worrell Trophy but the fierce resistance put up by Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul gives West Indies confidence heading to the third Test in Barbados, which should feature Chanderpaul despite the batsman carrying a calf niggle in Antigua.West Indies began the final day chasing 372 for a highly unlikely win and Sarwan went out all guns blazing in the first session, racing to 64 at lunch with front-foot drives and brave cuts in the air as he aimed to put Australia on the defensive. But a fired-up Brett Lee picked up two early wickets, giving Australia an air of self-belief, and Sarwan said his main goal was to get through the difficult period without going into his shell.”We needed to survive that but at the same time we needed to be positive,” Sarwan said after the match. “Our focus was to take every session as it is.”The early stumbles forced a rethink after the break and a cooler Sarwan became much more solid in defence, leading his side by example. His previous three Tests as captain had not been personally productive – he had made 54 in three innings and severely injured his shoulder in one match – but this time with the rock solid Chanderpaul he built a match-saving 143-run partnership.Chanderpaul’s calm display was the latest in a long line of super efforts; he already has two centuries in the series and his unbeaten 77 means his Test average in the past 12 months is 106.20. Sarwan said Chanderpaul’s recent form beggared belief. “It’s very hard to find words to describe,” Sarwan said. “Over the past few years he’s shown his consistency and he’s getting better with age. Hopefully we can learn from him.”Chanderpaul scored largely through his trademark deflections and glances, occasionally driving or pulling when the bowlers erred, and he said the goal was playing for time. “We had a plan, bat session by session, don’t play nothing too rash, just play safe,” Chanderpaul said. “Try to stay as long as possible out here.”Although he had a slight limp during the match Chanderpaul expects to play in the series finale, which starts in Barbados on June 12. “[It’s] just a little bit of strain in the calf,” he said. “Should be okay, [we have] about eight days to prepare for the next game, so I should be all right.”

Somerset have won their way through to the last four of the English Schools Cricket Association Under 13’s competition, and travel to Oundle School in Northamptonshire in August to play in the semi finals.On their way to the final stages Somerset Under 13’s have beaten Dorset, Hampshire and Devon, and despite losing to Cornwall still finished top of the west regional group.In the quarter finals they played against Wales at Usk on Sunday. Batting first the hosts were all out for 108, with Ben Rudge taking 4 for 12, including the hat-trick, and Jack Cooper 2 for 15. In reply Somerset stormed to their target for the loss of just one wicket, with James Fear making an unbeaten 51, and Jack Cooper 27.The final stages at Oundle take place over the weekend of August 24th and 25th. On August 24th Somerset will play the winners of the northern group, and if they are successful on Sunday they will play in the final. If not they will be in a play off for third and fourth place.Team Manager John Davey told me: “We are absolutely delighted to have won through to the last four of this prestigious competition. All of the boys have played well and they are all looking forward to it.”

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is lamenting the absence of his first-choice bowling attack of Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash and Shayne O’Connor but backing their replacements with a longer term view in mind.New Zealand saved the second Test with a plucky display of batting, ending on 158/4 when given a target of 356 off 86 overs, but in difficult conditions where any chase was always going to expose the home side.England had held all the cards with the rough on the pitch with left-arm spinner Ashley Giles being able to dictate the pace of the chase and Fleming’s feeling was, the more risks New Zealand took, the more it played into England’s hands.But Fleming rued the fact that his side could create opportunities but not sustain the attack to exploit them, and that came down to the inexperience of his attack.”The guys that are missing are world-class players, and when you implement certain things they deliver and just offer the experience.”We’re missing that and while the young guys have got talent, I’ll back them 100%, there are just some stages where we don’t create enough pressure,” he said.”I still think that if we get England under a certain type of pressure which is going to take us playing well, I just look forward to that period because then you just think about winning the Test and creating options.”And Test cricket is about creating options.”When we create one, we are losing it fairly quickly. From my point of view I’d love to get in the position where we can put a little more pressure on them and sustain that for a little bit longer,” he said.The final National Bank Test in Auckland offered a chance for New Zealand to at least tie the series and with another drop-in pitch there was the opportunity for a result.He was still very keen to tie the series, because it was one he had dearly wanted to win when he had the side at full strength.There was satisfaction the series was still alive but he conceded that for most of the game New Zealand were outplayed.”We are pleased we have kept the series alive because that took another type of determination, and we showed that today, so we can go to Auckland with still the chance to finish the season well.”The English are bowling very well as a unit, and as a unit they are able to apply pressure and [Nasser] Hussain is captaining the team very well and using his field placings very well.”Andrew Caddick is performing very well in both areas. He’s going for no runs and he’s also taking wickets. He’s providing a good spearhead for his captain.”They are able to dictate to us a little more probably than we are. When they bat we are probably giving them too many four balls right from ball one and they are able to get away to a healthy run rate. It takes the pressure off then our areas of attack are minimalised.”We were very happy to get through today, we would have been very disappointed if we didn’t get through today. That’s a good thing,” Fleming said.

The Somerset County Cricket Board have just published their new fixture list for the season, and what a comprehensive and informative document it is.Not only does the card contain the fixtures for all of the Somerset recreational sides, from the Under 11’s right up to the Over 50’s team, it also contains a wealth of information for parents and anyone who is interested at all in cricket in the county.The county youth fixtures get underway over the next few weeks, and it is the intention of the Somerset website to keep up to date with results and reports from all of the games that are played by the county representative sides during the season.A copy of the Somerset County Cricket Board fixture list can be obtained from Andrew Moulding at the Centre of Excellence at the County Ground, telephone number 01823 352266.For each of the age group sides the manager is listed, along with the fixtures for the first two months of the season.

Somerset Under 11’s.Manager- Dan Hodges, 01458-250154.May 11th Millfield Prep (trial)June 2nd Four Counties Festival at Millfield Prep School.June 9th v Gwent at Newport.June 16th v Gloucestershire at Weston super Mare CC.June 30th v Devon at West Buckland School.Somerset Under 12’s.Manager-Chris Davis, 01278 457576May 24th Squad Training at Glastonbury CC.June 9th v Wales at Wembdon CC.June 16th v Dorset away.June 23rd v Hampshire away.June 27th v Warwickshire at Wells Cathedral School.June 30th v Devon at Millfield Prep.Somerset Under 13’s.Manager- John Davey, 01278 784435.May 11th v Millfield Prep.June 14th Squad Training at Glastonbury CC.June 23rd v Dorset at Kings Bruton.June 30th v Gwent at Ponthir CC.Somerset Under 14’s.Manager- Mustafa Sheikh. 01823 275178.June 21st Squad Training at Glastonbury CC.June 30th v Wales at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.July 21st v Devon at Blundells School.July 22nd v Wiltshire U14/15 at Bath CC.July 30th v Yorkshire at Millfield.Somerset Under 15’s.Manager- Keith Storey, 01934 832453.June 9th v Cornwall at King’s College, Taunton.July 3rd v Devon at Tiverton, Heathcoat CC.July 10th v Hampshire away.July 14th v Dorset at King’s College ,Taunton.Somerset Under 16’s.Coach-Greg Brown, 01225 339026 or 078158 77724July 8th and 9th v Sussex at Horsham.July 11th v Wales at Weston-super-Mare.July 15th and 16th v Hampshire at King’s College, Taunton.July 22nd and 23rd v Middlesex at Potters Bar CC.July 29th and 30th v Essex at Billericay CC.Somerset Under 17’s.Manager- Tony Davies, 01823 480452.Coach- Pete Sanderson, 07968 043675.June 24th v Bath CC at Bath CC.June 27th and 28th v Gloucestershire at Bristol University.July 11th and 12th v Hampshire at West End.July 22nd and 23rd v Devon at Millfield School.Somerset Under 19’s.Manager -Peter Robinson, 01823 272946.Coach- Jeff Davies 01823 284589.July 8th and 9th v Glamorgan at Lansdown CC.July 15th and 16th v Gloucestershire at Keynsham CC.July 25th and 26th v Warwickshire at Stratford upon Avon CC.July 30th and 31st v Worcestershire at Kidderminster CC.August 1st and 2nd v Northamptonshire at Clevedon CC.

Rain held up Warwickshire’s charge for a three-day victory. Hampshire were forced to follow-on 285 behind and then slumped to 114 for four before drizzle set in early in the afternoon.They still needed 171 to make Powell’s team bat again and the loss of 60 overs in all probably saved them from a defeat inside three days on their first appearance in the Second Division of the CricInfo Championship.New overseas signing Vasbert Drakes quickly closed down the first innings by taking the last two wickets with a catch by Keith Piper to remove James Hamblin and another at slip by Dominic Ostler to dislodge Neil Johnson for 43.When Hampshire batted again, Piper claimed his fifth dismissal of the match – holding a thin edge from Giles White off Alan Richardson – and Drakes struck again with Ostler’s assistance in grabbing a slip chance from Will Kendall.But Derek Kenway moved to a half-century in 75 balls and put on 75 with Robin Smith before Dougie Brown reinforced Warwickshire’s challenge with wickets in successive overs. Kenway (52) and Johnson (0) were both caught by Ostler at first slip, leaving Smith unbeaten on 41 when the rain arrived.Probably the most cheering news for Hampshire – and they have not had much to shout about so far – was Smith’s return to form.After scoring only two runs in three pre-season matches in South Africa and four in the first innings here, he reached an unbeaten 41 from 78 balls. In the process he picked up five fours and pulled Neil Smith for six.

The better team won the final encounter at Guwahati, taking the oneday series 3-2. Between the two teams, India was by a long distancethe superior side. Injuries to a few key Indian players, by all means,did help the Zimbabweans in the series. It took a miraculous knock byDouglas Marillier at Mohali and a disciplined spell of medium-pace byDouglas Hondo at Kochi to help the tourists pull off two good wins inthe series.

Zimbabwe choked at Hyderabad, and they did so again at Guwahati. Itwas well within the realms of possibility that Zimbabwe could wintheir first overseas tournament. Perhaps the pressure got the betterof them. I am forced to conclude that the Zimbabwe think-tank focusedmore on what not to do to lose the final match than what had to bedone to win the game. Cricket is first and foremost a game ofconfidence and dealing with pressure situations.Zimbabwe faltered at the final block rather spectacularly. Theirbowling had always been the weakest link, and to add to their woes,their best part of the game – the fielding – also crumbled underpressure. Dinesh Mongia and Yuvraj Singh exposed the limitations ofthe Zimbabwe bowling by unleashing an onslaught from which they neverrecovered.The Indian innings was once again well spread out; there were usefulcontributions from the top and middle order. Zimbabwe’s body language,during the carnage, was one of despair, and they knew that the gamewas slipping away from them. In the tail-end of the innings, Indiawere allowed to score 111 runs off the last eight overs.The match was all over the moment India set their rivals a stifftarget of 334 runs. I have mentioned in my previous columns that theIndian bowling looks good when they have a big score behind them.There were moments in this series when I wondered what was going on.The Indians made Zimbabwe look like a very good team. But clearly,India were much superior to the tourists, and it was really only amatter of believing in themselves.This one-day series win without the likes of Sachin Tendulkar,Virender Sehwag, Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble will give newconfidence to the team. The youngsters like Mongia and Yuvraj Singhproved what a modicum of faith in their own abilities could do.It augurs well for the Indian team that we seem to have a good pool ofplayers with the right mixture of youth and experience. With AjayRatra doing well behind the stumps, the future of Indian cricketsuddenly looks very bright. The Indian team, led by Sourav Ganguly,has a very big chance of winning the Test series in West Indies. Mybest wishes are with the boys.

After Mashonaland Eagles were bowled out for 182, half-centuries from Vusi Sibanda and Jaik Mickleburgh helped Mid West Rhinos win by four wickets at the Kwekwe Sports Club. Spinners Malcolm Waller and Graeme Cremer, who also effected two run outs, didn’t allow Eagles to build big partnerships as the opening stand of 40 was their highest of the innings. A confident chase, led by a second-wicket stand of 109 runs between Sibanda and Mickleburgh effectively sealed the contest.After being put in to bat, Eagles started positively through their openers, but from 71 for one, they slipped to 80 for four, and kept losing wickets regularly thereafter. A lower order defiance was led by Ray Price, but they failed to cross the 200-run mark, being bowled out in the 48th over.The Eagles, however, made a positive start in the following innings when Rhinos’ captain, opener and wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor was run out for 10 in the fifth over. After the ensuing Sibanda-Mickleburgh partnership, which ended in the 28th over with Sibanda’s dismissal, Rhinos suffered a minor collapse. Mickleburgh had stuck around for long to score 73 and secure their victory. When he departed with the score at 160 for five, 23 more runs were needed, which were scored in 56 deliveries and the loss of a wicket.At the Masingvo Sports Club, a four-wicket haul by Chris Mpofu overshadowed Curthbert Musoko’s four-wicket haul as it helped Matabeleland Tuskers defeat Southern Rocks by nine runs in a rain-shortened game. Tuskers’ Keegan Meth scored 36 turned out to be highest in the low-scoring game.Chasing 141 in 31 overs, the Rocks fell into trouble early with the wicket of opener Kudzai Monze in the fourth over. Although half their side was out for 70 in the 21st over, a middle-order resurgence, led by Peter Burgoyne Tawanda Mupariwa helped them get close to the target. But Mpofu’s timely wickets pegged them back. With 23 needed off the final two overs, Rocks lost two wickets and fell nine runs short to end the game at 131 for nine.With five single-digit scores and two ducks, Tuskers’ innings also stuttered to reach 140 for nine. Two partnerships proved to be the bedrock of their innings – a 28 run stand for the fifth wicket after they were in trouble at 32 for four, and a quick 50-run partnership in 6.2 overs between Meth and Glen Querl that pushed them towards a total that they could defend.

The rain forecast in this column last week regrettably destroyed any chance of this being a match report. Midlands completed their 480-kilometre trip to watch the rainfall for most of the three scheduled days of Logan Cup cricket at Mutare Sports Club. The bulk of their team come from Kwekwe and surrounding districts, although like all teams they have their quota of Academy players to bring them up to first-class strength.The unfortunate thing was that the damage had been done in the days leading up to the match, which could have been avoided if adequate protection was available. The rain was not hard enough during match days to have precluded play of some description. Manicaland only have one piece of plastic sheet 15×30 metres in size, which is good enough for the pitch but not the complete square. India are due to play here in June and one can only be thankful that rain is not normally expected in winter.There were a few testy exchanges between opposing camps after umpires Kevan Barbour and Kiwi Graham Evans declared the ground unfit for play unless both captains agreed to play in the prevailing conditions. It was slippery around the fringes and slushy in spots on the outfield. Most of the better players – those with national ambitions — were opposed, citing the possibility of injury and impaired performances under adverse conditions, which the selectors in Harare were unlikely to heed or acknowledge.Manicaland’s vice-captain for the day, Mark Burmester, would not be satisfied with this, inquiring volubly why the same players were happy to risk injury playing pick-up soccer on the same field. His well-made point was that both sides had to try for any result possible, this being the only soft game in prospect for either side to progress, was lost on the new professionals.Midlands felt that if any blame was due it lay with the home side and the groundsman. Groundsman Jason had left in high dudgeon on the first morning, not to be seen again all weekend, unhappy with the criticism being bandied about and the prospect of players inflicting further damage on his ground. The umpires thereafter took control of the ground, at one stage authorizing the distribution of a tipper truck of river sand – brought in by the father of Manica player Kingsley Went – on the run-ups and fringes. All for nought.All the downtime afforded me an opportunity to chat to Midlands’ captain Douglas Marillier, recently back from the ODI series in New Zealand andAustralia. He said in Brisbane one of the net bowlers at the Gabba was ex-St. John’s College (Harare) schoolboy Scott Brant, who is playing for the Queensland Under-19 team: “Quicker than anybody in the current Zimbabwe side.” What wonderful cricket sides we could have had over the years if everybody had stayed. Scott is reportedly very happy with his career prospects and remuneration and is unlikely to be tempted back.