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Suresh Raina lifted UP out of strife with a fine 72 © AFP

A double strike by Aavishkar Salvi reduced Uttar Pradesh to a shaky 13 for 3 before half centuries from Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif propelled Uttar Pradesh to a first-innings lead but Mumbai fought back through a three wicket haul from Ramesh Powar to restrict UP to 250 in their first innings. The Mumbai openers steered the side to 21, 30 runs still in arrears, by the close of play. It was a day of buzzing activity – a flurry of wickets at the start, a big partnership in the middle and then wickets went down in a heap again- as advantage swung both ways.The young Raina, the left-hand bat averaging 72.40 this season, impressed with his temperament in a semi-crisis situation. On a wicket which aided a bit of seam-movement with the new ball Salvi removed Jyoti Yadav, the opener, and Praveen Kumar, the first-day hero with the ball, before Usman Malvi got rid of the 21 year-old Shiva Shukla to leave UP struggling at 13 for 3. It was then that Raina, who learnt his game under the tutelage of Deepak Sharma in the sports college in Lucknow in the late 90’s, displayed his skill under duress and put up a solid consolidation job, along with Kaif, to rescue UP. Raina reached his half-century at the stroke of lunch and with Kaif just two-runs short of his, UP had reached 111 for 3 at the end of the first session.Kaif, who missed out on the national duty in Pakistan, once again led from the front. He does not boast a great first-class record, averaging just 37.13 in 70 matches, but this season he has been in good nick, averaging 74.50 though he played in only two games. He has led from the front not only with the bat but has infused a fighting spirit in a beleaguered UP side that had a rough start to the season. UP lost the first two matches to Haryana and Baroda and drew their next two games, against Services and Punjab, before Kaif joined the camp to charge them to a place in the semi-final. Kaif guided his younger colleague and the duo kept the scorers busy – 100 runs of the partnership came in 138 minutes off 174 balls – before Raina was removed by Ramesh Powar at the score on 136.The 36-times champions sensed blood and moved in for the kill. The tall Nilesh Kulkarni, the Mumbai captain and left-arm spinner, castled Kaif’s stumps and 20 runs later, caught the veteran Gyanendra Pandey off Swapnil Hazare’s bowling to push UP on the back foot at 180 for 6. But Rizwan Shamshad, no stranger to bail-out jobs, stuck in and put up a dogged innings (40 off 80 balls) to guide UP – with a little bit of help from Piyush Chawla, the 19-year old legspinner – to a valuable first-innings lead.Powar, the man of the season for Mumbai with 37 wickets at 20.89, hastened the end, removing Chawla and Ashish Zaidi to finish with figures of 3 for 98 before Kulkarni got rid of Amir Khan, the wicketkeeper, to terminate UP’s innings. Kharsan Ghavri, Mumbai’s coach who felt his batsmen “threw their wickets away” in the first innings would be expecting a more determined performance tomorrow. The match is intriguingly poised and day three at Wankhede could well make or break both team’s chances.

1st Test: Match Drawn
ScorecardThe drawn first Test produced some remarkable figures and records: Zaheer Abbas became the first batsman from this sub-continent to score 100 centuries; Mohsin reached his 1,000 runs in Tests in a calendar year, while Gavaskar not only passed the 7,000 Test run mark but in the process became only the second batsman after Greg Chappell to score over 1,000 runs against Pakistan in Tests.With Abdul Qadir unfit, Pakistan went into the match with four seamers plus Mudassar and there was so much speculation about the wicket that Gavaskar took the unprecedented step of putting Pakistan into bat after winning the toss. Only the first day produced uneven bounce and once the bright sun evened that out, the wicket became typically placid, giving absolutely no help to the bowlers. The Indian team added to their own misery by dropping Mohsin and Zaheer, who built his innings like a master craftsman. As Pakistani batsmen tried to get quick runs in the later part of their innings, Doshi captured all the last four wickets to finish with five for 91.Pakistan had a chance of exerting some pressure on the third day but the entire afternoon session had to be abandoned due to bad light and rain. Once this chance was lost, the draw was inevitable. Mohinder Amarnath, back in the Indian team after an absence of nearly two years, could not have played a more valuable innings for his team. He and Gavaskar saw India safely past the follow-on danger and then Sandeep Patil, who, like Majid Khan and Zaheer, has a fraction more time to play his strokes, played a gem of an innings. There is going to be plenty more of him as the series progresses and hisuninhibited stroke play is likely to be one of the highlights of this series.Test match hundreds are never easily scored but one felt that Gavaskar allowed one to Mohsinin the second innings rather too easily. Sarfraz, who had announced his intention to retire from Test cricket after this game, captured 4 for 63 and was easily the best Pakistani bowler. Imran then prevailed upon Sarfraz, who decided not to retire in ‘national interests’.Perhaps the most tragic aspect of the first Test was the poor crowd response. Tests betweenIndia and Pakistan have always been great crowd pullers and this should have been no exception. However, in order to earn quick and easy money, the BCCP auctioned the entire series against India to a private party for approximately £800,000. The contractor fixed exhorbitant rates for entry, forcing the cricket crazy public of Lahore to stay away. The yawning empty stands, even on a holiday, compelled the contractor to reduce the rates by half after the second day but the spectators never returned.No game can survive without crowd support and unless the BCCP learns to respect the public all interest in the rest of the series might well be lost. The person most disappointed about the shortage of spectators was Zaheer Abbas: ‘For me, the hundredth hundred was a dream come true but there were hardly any spectactors to see this feat and cheer me up. It made me very sad and took part of the pleasure out of this achievement’.The Cricketer

The Sydney Grade competition’s Round 4 concludes this Saturday. With all matches interrupted by rain last week, teams will be pushing hard to secure early wickets or plunder quick runs. Manly-Warringah’s Mark `Scud’ Cameron and North Sydney’s Waqar Younis will be two such bowlers hoping to finish off opposition tails before their sides take to the batting crease.At Owen Earle Oval, Hawkesbury resumes at 8/215 against a potent Manly-Warringah attack. The Seasiders’ line-up includes young NSW speedstar Mark Cameron, and former Blues paceman Jamie Heath. Cameron is nicknamed `Scud’ by team-mates for his resemblance in looks to Australian tennis star Mark Philipoussis. However, opposition batsman would be mistaken for thinking his nickname derives from the deadly speed of his destructive missiles. Touted as a future Australian representative by former Tasmanian and current Manly-Warringah captain Mark Atkinson, the Seasiders will be hoping that Cameron can account for the Hawks’ resilient tail. Cameron has already claimed three of the Seasiders’ eight wickets, and will be pushing his claim for a permanent spot in the NSW Speedblitz Blues side.North Sydney was well served last week by Pakistani speedster Waqar Younis (3-49), against Sutherland at Caringbah Oval. Younis ripped through the Sharks’ first three batsmen, who included in-form Blues batsman Phil Jaques. The Bears will return to the field with the Sharks resuming at 8/250.At University No 1 Oval, Ed Cowan (114) halted Bankstown’s early-season success, helping his side to 5/247. Sydney University will be hoping Cowan can continue to amass quick runs, in the knowledge that Mark Waugh will turn out for the Bulldogs. Bankstown will look to last-round centurions Waugh and Corey Richards to overcome a challenging Students’ total.In other matches; Penrith 4/120 v Gordon at Howell; University of NSW 4/167 v Northern District at Waitara; Mosman 5/155 v Eastern Suburbs at Waverley; Fairfield-Liverpool 7/210 v Parramatta at Old Kings; Campbelltown-Camden 157 v UTS-Balmain at Raby 1; Western Suburbs 8/240 v Blacktown at Pratten; and Randwick Petersham 8/216 v St George at Petersham.

Hampshire County Cricket Club is £750 nearer achieving its fund raising goal for the Rose Bowl following a sponsored walk earlier this year by the junior sections of a number of Southern Electric Premier League clubs.

Cheque presentation

Several hundred youngsters walked around the Rose Bowl Nursery ground, raising funds not only for their own colts sections but also to help Hampshire’s Rose Bowl project.Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove (left) is pictured receiving a cheque for £750 from Neil Owen (Southern Electric Partnership Accounts Manager – right) and Jeff Levick (centre), who organised the walk on the behalf of the league.

Ian Harvey returned Championship-best bowling figures as Gloucestershire took control of the Championship match against Sussex at Hove today.His county were already celebrated an unprecedented domestic one-day trebleafter clinching the National League title last night and the Australianall-rounder seemed keen to carry on the party.Harvey took 6-19, including a 4-7 burst from 11 overs which wrecked the Sussex top order before lunch as the home side, who had won the toss, were bowled out for 138.In a high-class display of swing bowling, Harvey surprised Mike Yardy withextra bounce after he’d helped put on 35 for the first wicket, had Will House caught off the glove mis-timing a pull, trapped Chris Adams lbw and deceived Tony Cottey with an outswinger as Sussex lurched to 87-6 at lunch.Jonathan Lewis, who claimed his 60th Championship wicket of the season, andBen Gannon each took two wickets in support before Harvey returned to mop upthe tail.Only Montgomerie, who made 30 before pulling a half volley from Gannon tosquare leg, and James Kirtley (19) provided much resistance.Kirtley bowled Tim Hancock in the fourth over and Dominic Hewson wassurprised by extra bounce from Robin Martin-Jenkins after making anattractive 35.Bad light forced the players off an hour early with Gloucestershire 74-2,just 64 behind and capable of sustaining their promotion challenge bybuilding a big lead on a good pitch tomorrow.

Speaking to the press, West Ham United manager David Moyes has shared some very interesting transfer news involving Liverpool forward Luis Diaz.

The Lowdown: West Ham fail in summer bids…

According to reliable sources, the Hammers failed in multiple bids to sign attacking talents in last-minute January moves.

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Along with Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, West Ham tried to sign Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata last month, with Moyes also refusing to give up on playmaker Jesse Lingard (Sky Sports).

It appears that the Irons, by admission of their manager, weren’t exactly done there, as Moyes lifts the lid on another last-gasp attempt to sign a forward in January.

The Latest: Moyes makes Diaz admission…

According to West Ham’s manager, the east Londoners were actually ‘very far’ down the line in their bid to sign the Colombian star before Liverpool swooped in.

Moyes said on Friday (via Daily Mail): “We were quite far down the line to sign him from Porto. My understanding is Liverpool were going to come in for him in the summer, and I was going to try to get him in January. 

“I don’t know if us trying to get him in January affected Liverpool’s decision but he’s a really good player.“I really hoped that he was going to choose West Ham. We didn’t get him in but our ambition to sign the best players to improve West Ham is good. I want to make us better and I don’t want it to be mediocre if I can help it.” The Verdict: Very interesting…

Reports at the time detailed that Liverpool hijacked Tottenham’s deal to sign the player, but as this news emerges, it appears that they also ruined West Ham’s hopes of signing the 25-year-old.

Hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, Diaz would have been a brilliant signing for the Hammers, especially for the initial £37m that Liverpool ended up spending.

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Before his Premier League move, he had notched 14 goals and five assists over 18 Portuguese top-flight appearances for FC Porto this season.

Indeed, Diaz may well have been a truly brilliant capture for the Irons.

In other news: Top club insider says West Ham could now back Moyes in signing ‘world class’ £50m man, find out more here.

Matthew Hoggard is raring to go in Sri Lanka © Getty Images

Matthew Hoggard, the England fast bowler, is hoping he can bounce back from the injury lay-off that saw him miss most of the home Tests this year. Hoggard is currently with England’s Test team in Sri Lanka and won’t have great memories of the island, having being dropped from the team on their last tour in 2003.”Being replaced by a like-for-like bowler means you are not doing your job properly or they think the other bowler is going to perform better than you,” Hoggard told the website Sporting Life. “So it was a very hard time for me last time.”I left here and the next tour was the West Indies and I had to wait a month before selection.James Kirtley came in and played the last two Test matches in Sri Lanka, I didn’t play, so I thought there was every opportunity for him to get selected and not me,” he said. “Fortunately for me, I got selected and I was fortunate enough to play ever since, for that long stretch.”Hoggard was confident, though, of a better showing this time around. “There is a lot of water passed under the bridge since then, I have played a lot more Test match cricket, been back to different parts of the subcontinent and I feel I have grown as a bowler and confident I can perform in Sri Lanka.”With Steve Harmison also likely to make a comeback after injury, England will have plenty of options to choose from, with Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson and Stuart Broad having impressed in the past few months.”If you look at the quality of bowlers we have got it is going to be a very difficult selection for [captain] Michael Vaughan and the decision-makers,” said Hoggard. “Thankfully I don’t have to make that decision, and all I can do is keep on trying hard in the nets and push my name forward.”You need to prove yourself every time you bowl, you can’t just rest on your laurels,” Hoggard said. “You have to keep on improving and keep on performing; with the set of young bowlers we have got everybody is under pressure. If they don’t then hopefully there is someone to come in from the wings. That’s a useful place for English cricket to be in.”Hoggard made a significant contribution with the bat in the only Test he played on the last tour, when he and Ashley Giles saw out 19 balls as England saved the first Test with one wicket remaining.Hoggard admitted it was tough facing Muttiah Muralitharan, who might still be in the hunt to break Shane Warne’s record for most Test wickets during the series. “I won’t lie, it’s quite tough,” Hoggard said. “I can’t pick him, to be honest, I have no idea which way he turns the ball when he wangs it down at you, so my game plan was to get as far forward as possible and play the line rather than which way it was turning.”Because you have got the fielders in close and everyone is jabbering at you, it is just one mistake and you’re out.”England play the Sri Lanka Cricket Board President’s XI in a three-day game starting on Tuesday.

Shaun Tait’s hamstring injury will keep him from playing on the weekend © Getty Images

Victoria’s in-form one-day team has been strengthened further by the return of Gerard Denton from shin splints for the Ford Ranger Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide on Saturday. However, the Bushrangers’ fast-bowling woes have not ceased entirely, with their new find Clinton McKay forced out with a slight side strain.Shaun Tait will remain on the sidelines for South Australia as he continues to recover from a hamstring strain. Tait hurt the muscle while bowling in the Redbacks’ thrilling last-ball win against Queensland last Wednesday.South Australia, who are struggling on the bottom of both the Ford Ranger Cup and Pura Cup tables, have also been forced to leave Mark Cleary out of the side with a side strain. The fast bowler Gary Putland and the batsman Nathan Adcock return to the 12-man squad.While the Redbacks’ Pura Cup season is in tatters, they have a chance to keep their one-day hopes alive, sitting only one win behind Tasmania, New South Wales and Western Australia, all of whom have played at least two more matches than South Australia.South Australia squad Daniel Harris, Matthew Elliott, Nathan Adcock, Cameron Borgas, Mark Cosgrove, Darren Lehmann (capt), Callum Ferguson, Graham Manou (wk), Ryan Haris, Jason Gillespie, Dan Cullen, Gary Putland.Victoria squad Michael Klinger, Jon Moss, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Aiden Blizzard, Rob Quiney, Andrew McDonald, Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Gerard Denton, Mick Lewis, Darren Pattinson.

Eddie Barlow: one of the most significant members of the mighty South African side of the ’60s © Getty Images

Ali Bacher, the former CEO of the South African board, mourned the death of Eddie Barlow, the former South African allrounder, who died after a long battle against illness. Bacher acknowledged Barlow as being one of the “significant” members of the triumphant South African side of the 1960s and hailed his positive attitude, which permeated through the team.”If you look at the ’60s – including the 1969-70 tour of South Africa by Australia – it was the most successful decade in South African cricket history,” Bacher, who captained at that time, was quoted as saying in News24.com. “We beat Australia eight times, here and in Australia. “In an era that was blessed with some brilliant cricketers – Graeme and Peter Pollock, Barry Richards, Mike Proctor, to name but a few – Eddie’s role was probably the most significant, not only because of his outstanding allround ability, but because of his positive attitude, which permeated throughout the team. It instilled in all of us a feeling of confidence in our own ability, and in the team, and a belief that we could compete with, and beat, the best in the world.”Bacher added that Barlow had played for South Africa under four captains – Jackie McGlew, Trevor Goddard, Peter van der Merwe and himself. “We would get together from time to time, at various cricket functions, and we all agreed that Eddie was a person who gave his captain 100%, every time.””He was a superb athlete,” Bacher continued. “He played rugby for Transvaal, and if he had continued playing rugby, he may well have gone on to play for South Africa. As a cricketer, he was very successful as player, captain and coach.”

ScorecardA five-wicket haul by Kerry Jeremy, the medium pacer, was the highlight of the second day of the seventh round match between Barbados and Leeward Islands. Jeremy finished with 5 for 53 and Carl Simon, another medium pacer, snapped up 4 for 53 as Barbados were dismissed for 204 in reply to the Leeward’s 195. Early in their innings Barbados were wobbling at 52 for 3 when Kurt Wilkinson and Ryan Hinds, who both top-scored with 41 each, added 71 for the fourth wicket and staged a recovery. But once they were seperated, Jeremy and Simon wrapped up the lower order. Barbados, though, gained a slender lead of nine and struck back late in the day as Leewards finished on a precarious 64 for 3.
ScorecardTrinidad & Tobago were tottering at 219 for 8 as Windward Islands stood on the verge of gaining the first-innings lead in the seventh round of the Carib Beer Series. Jean Paul, the Windards fast bowler, snapped up four wickets and was supported by Rawl Lewis, his captain, with 3 for 41. T&T lost wickets at regular intervals with only Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin crossing 30. Earlier, the Windwards extended their score to 346 as Deighton Butler, the allrounder, produced a plucky 66.
ScorecardThe second day of the top-of-the-table seventh round match between Guyana and Jamaica was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Guyana were set to resume at 221 for 3 but persistent showers prevented any play.