Scorecard

Michael Vaughan quietened speculation over his fitness and knee injury with a match-winning 67 for Yorkshire, in his first match since undergoing surgery on his right knee just before Christmas last year. Although it was an encouraging comeback for Vaughan, he remained understandably cautious over making any grand statements about his availability for England.Vaughan withdrew from England’s tour of India and, ever since, speculation over his availability for England this summer – not to mention his future as a Test batsman – has been rife, with ambiguous reports from physiotherapists, former players and coaches confusing matters. For the time being, at least, he appears to have come through his first serious test with flying colours.His run-a-ball 67 led Yorkshire to a convincing six-wicket win over Scotland in their C&G Trophy match at Headingley. Yorkshire were set a revised target of 158 from a maximum of 30 overs, and Vaughan was soon at the crease when Matthew Wood fell for just nine. After getting off the mark with a quick single, he soon found his touch, creaming nine fours and a huge six off Dewald Nel which sailed into the West Stand. Though he fell to an astonishing catch by Gavin Hamilton, his former team-mate at Yorkshire, Matthew Lumb and Anthony McGrath saw Yorkshire home comfortably with three overs to spare.Despite the encouraging news, Vaughan remained cautious at setting a date for his return to England colours. “I must stress that this is the beginning – I won’t be playing for England on Friday,” he said. “I need to get through a few games to test it out thoroughly over a two or three-week period.”I’ll try to play all the games I can for Yorkshire and see how it reacts to some four-day cricket. I felt good. In my own mind I’ve been confident over the last two weeks,” he said. “I haven’t said anything because I didn’t want to then have another setback. I kept very quiet and told all the team who were helping me to keep quiet.”I wouldn’t have played today if I didn’t think I could do a good job for Yorkshire. You have to give this game a lot of respect. I’ve felt in tremendous form with my batting, doing a lot in the nets,” he admitted. “You know it’s only nets and you have to produce it in the middle. But I felt as good as I have done for a long time in the middle today.”His next match, assuming there are no adverse reactions to today’s game, is Yorkshire’s Championship game against Hampshire on Wednesday – against none other than Shane Warne, the Hampshire captain.

Christopher Mpofu has been dropped from the Zimbabwe A squad for the remaining limited-overs matches against Bangladesh A at Kwekwe Sports Club on Wednesday and Friday.Mpofu did not make the trip to Kwekwe with the rest of the squad on Monday and his chances of making the Zimbabwe senior team for the Bangladesh tour are now slim. He struggled in the first match at Bulawayo last Thursday conceding 47 runs in his seven overs and was dropped for the following two matches.The 20-year-old has not played for Zimbabwe since the second Test match against New Zealand at Queens in August last year. He was overlooked for Zimbabwe tour to the West Indies two months ago before being called up into the Zimbabwe A squad for the four-day matches against Bangladesh A but only played in the last match at Queens which Zimbabwe A won by seven wickets to level the three matches series 1-1.Meanwhile, Sean Williams has opted out of the Zimbabwe A squad for the last two one-day matches against Bangladesh A and is returning to his club in England on Wednesday. He refused to travel to Kwekwe as he feared delaying his return might see him lose his contract with Clara Vale Cricket Club in Newcastle.Williams had his hands bruised during the third match on Sunday after he dived to stop the ball and had to go off the field of play for treatment but returned tobowl. His batting did not impress as he scored only 20 runs in three innings which might be blamed on having to bat down at No. 7.Williams was drafted into the squad at the request of Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran, who is keen to have him around for the Bangladesh matches at the end of this month. It is not clear whether Williams will be called up given his decision to return to the UK.Meanwhile, allrounders Piet Rinke and Gregory Strydom have been drafted into the squad. The pair are expected to strengthen the batting line-up, which has been found wanting the first three matches. It is also a chance for the duo to redeem themselves after their failure against West Indies. Rinke and Strydom are big hitters of the ball but both have a weakness when facing genuine quick bowlers, which was exposed in the West Indies.Zimbabwe A are trailing the tourists 3-0 in the series that has been reduced to five matches from the original six. With the way they played in the three matches, a 5-0 whitewash cannot be ruled out.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

The most significant obstacle to Pakistan’s continued domination of the final Test was the weather, with just 60 overs possible on the second day at The Oval, but the elements were about all that was going to stop Mohammad Yousuf’s remorseless accumulation. His third century of a record-breaking series built on the Pakistan bowler’s impressive showing and, coupled with attractive 90s from Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez, set up a position from which there should be only one winner.While Pakistan’s cricket throughout the series has given plenty of material for those who talk about their mercurial nature, Yousuf has consistently gorged himself on the England attack. His latest century seemed almost inevitable and was as elegant and confident as the 202 at Lord’s and 192 at Headingley. And, unless the rest of the side suffer a collective implosion that would do even Pakistan proud – or the weather closes in for three days – this one will be in victory.Yousuf reached his century off 174 balls when he took Paul Collingwood for three fours in an over, having already set a new record for a Pakistan batsman in a series against England. It confirmed his standing as the in-form player of world cricket and the only semblance of a problem he encountered was against Monty Panesar, but even that wasn’t as pronounced as earlier matches.However, Yousuf’s credentials were known before this series, although he has clearly performed at the top of his game, so the aspect that will have pleased Bob Woolmer about Pakistan’s batting is the identity of the two men who provided supporting roles. Usually it has been a combination of Yousuf with either Inzamam-ul-Haq or Younis Khan, but here it was two different faces.Imran Farhat started Pakistan’s day in fine style, peppering the cover boundary with a series of rasping drives as the England bowlers again strayed too wide. The swing of the first day wasn’t evident and Farhat had the confidence to hit through the line. His aggressive intent was confirmed when he charged down the track to Panesar’s first ball and launched him many rows back over long on.He was within nine of his third Test century when he pushed out at Matthew Hoggard and Marcus Trescothick held on a first slip – but how England would have been wishing his hands had been as safe when Yousuf edged one the previous evening.Hafeez, who had been forced to retire hurt early in the innings with a knee tendon problem, resumed his innings and, although he couldn’t sprint between the wickets, was quickly into his stride with three fours in a row off Hoggard. Whenever England were threatening to create some pressure – and those moments were few and far between – the bowlers would lose their line and Pakistan cashed in.

Hafeez reached his second Test fifty in grand style, lofting Panesar effortlessly over mid off for six, and was equally impressive against the pacemen. He was called up to the Pakistan squad primarily as a one-day specialist, but has been far more impressive in the Test arena than either Salman Butt or Taufeeq Umar.The main alarms Yousuf and Hafeez had in bringing up their century stand was with the running and they kept flirting with danger, although England’s throws from the infield were as wayward as their bowling. Harmison bowled shorter and wider the more overs he sent down – cumulating in an embarrassing delivery with the second new ball that speared down the leg-side for five wides. For once, Panesar didn’t offer Andrew Strauss the control he wanted and that must be credited to the aggressive intent of the batsmen. He did, though, have a couple of close shouts for lbw denied.The third-wicket stand had reached 177 – after Hafeez survived a chance to Panesar at long-leg on 79 – and Strauss and gone through all his options to try and speed towards the second new ball. However, it was Hoggard – the man to suffer all England’s dropped chances – who made the breakthrough as he loosened up with the older ball. Hafeez chipped a catch to midwicket five short of a ton that would have completed a fine return to the Test side.That was almost the final action of the day as poor light drove the players off the field for the second time, but such has been Yousuf’s form that he could have scored runs in the dark. England have been handed brief respite, but will need plenty more help from the weather to save this match, against a Pakistan side that has dazzled for two days.

How they were out

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

A sensational opening partnership was followed by an even more sensational collapse as West Indies replayed one of the familiar tunes that has plagued them in recent times to surrender the opening game of the DLF Cup. A largely inexperienced Australia fought back remarkably, but this match was not about one team winning it. It was about another giving it away after having the opponents bedraggled.There are a few things a team can do when they need 108 runs in 26.4 overs with nine wickets in hand, when the opposition bowlers have been demoralised, and when the opening batsmen have rattled along at seven-and-a-half an over. But West Indies didn’t choose the conventional route. Once their openers went, the rest chose to self-destruct.Nine wickets fell for the addition of just 29. A little over ten years back – in the high-tension World Cup semi-final in Mohali, West Indies had folded in similar fashion and have made it a habit in recent times. Brian Lara went, in what has become a fairly common mode of dismissal for him, shuffling across the stump to be pinned lbw and what Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan were doing – trying to improvise when the asking-rate wasn’t even five – is anybody’s guess. It was one royal mess.Let’s not forget Australia. First they made 279 on a pitch that was two-paced to start with, thanks to two cracking fifties from Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Then they kept their heads up even when Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle went bananas, and raised the bar in the field and refused to believe the match had slipped from their grasp.Glenn McGrath took a while to find his groove – it was the first time in nearly seven years that he’d bowled more than four wides in a match – but came back later with control. Mitchell Johnson, hammered for 39 in his first four overs, fought back spiritedly to claim two vital wickets; Shane Watson kept pegging away, brushed aside catching lapses, and ended with four wickets.The West Indies innings now seems like another match altogether. Not many West Indians can claim to outscore Gayle and it was a sight watching Chanderpaul go after the bowling in inspired fashion. The Australians have seen this side of him earlier – three years back, in the carnival atmosphere of the Bourda Oval at Georgetown, he unleashed the third fastest Test hundred – and there was little this new Australian line-up could do to contain him today.

The first boundary came only in the sixth over but the flood that followed was truly sensational. Nathan Bracken was carted for five fours in the space of nine deliveries – the midwicket fence receiving a peppering – before he was completely taken apart in the 10th over – when two wristy pick-ups produced a couple of sixes right from the Saeed Anwar textbook. Just as all the attention was focused on Chanderpaul, like some dormant volcano, Gayle awoke. At one point he had 17 off 26 balls and soon reached fifty off 43 thanks to a boundary-filled spell that was as emphatic as they come. He gave himself room, gave the bowlers a clear sight of the stumps, and violently deposited the ball into the stands. But his dismissal, slicing a shortish ball to point, signalled the beginning of the end.As for Australia, it was imperative that they got off to a rapid start. Shrugging off a rustiness that is likely to accompany a five-month break and adjusting to the vagaries of a virgin pitch, they cruised along to a healthy total. While both the left-handed openers – Phil Jaques and Simon Katich – struggled against the spongy bounce, or lack of it, Ponting adjusted almost immediately. His upbeat half-century, made at more than a run-a-ball, set the tone before Clarke bounced onto the stage and picked up the baton. Clarke was soon spreading the field – why would anyone bowl consistently on his pads? – and then settled into a rhythm of singles and twos. Being quick on your feet helps and Clarke, getting to the pitch of the ball, gave himself the best chance. Towards the latter stages he began backing away to the legside and whacking towards cover and, if not for a Dwayne Bravo slower ball that beat him, a hundred was there for the taking.There were good support acts as well with Katich sticking on adhesively and Mark Cosgrove providing a wonderful imitation of what Darren Lehmann used to bring to the table. Cosgrove is one of those batsmen who has the rare quality of irritating the opposition with his stroke production: shuffle, read length, flick; shuffle, read length, nudge. Suddenly he would burst forth and unleash a powerful stroke. Later he came on, ran in like a truck hurtling down a slope, and dismissed Wavell Hinds to open the floodgates. When he was batting Lara might have been tempted to tear his hair out; at the end of the game he might have actually turned bald.How they were out
AustraliaPhil Jaques b Edwards 2 (9 for 1)
Ricky Ponting lbw b Bradshaw 54l (107 for 2)
Simon Katich c Bravo b Smith 36 (122 for 3)
Mark Cosgrove c Lara b Smith 34 (191 for 4)
Shane Watson c Sarwan b Smith 2 (205 for 5)
Michael Clarke b Bravo 81 (258 for 6)
Brad Haddin b Haddin 24 (258 for 7)
Nathan Bracken b Taylor 1 (260 for 8)
West IndiesChris Gayle c Jaques b Watson 60 (136 for 1)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Haddin b Johnson 92 (172 for 2)
Brian Lara lbw b Johnson 1 (176 for 3)
Dwayne Bravo c Jaques b McGrath 1 (185 for 4)
Wavell Hinds c Haddin b Cosgrove 2 (196 for 5)
Ramnaresh Sarwan c Ponting b Watson 22 (197 for 6)
Carlton Baugh c Haddin b Bracken 0 (198 for 7)
Ian Bradshaw lbw b Watson 0 (199 for 8)
Jerome Taylor b Watson 0 (199 for 9)
Dwayne Smith c Haddin b Bracken 2 (201 all out)

Two days after The Oval fiasco Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, has said the conclusion to the fourth Test was “hugely regrettable”, but he insisted it was not the organisation’s role to overrule any umpiring decision. As expected, Speed has supported the umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove in their “correct” move to award the game to England when Pakistan did not return to the field after tea following a five-run punishment for ball tampering.”It is not the role of the ICC to overturn the decisions of on-field umpires, the ultimate arbiters of the game,” Speed said in a statement. “In this instance the decision to award the match to England was the correct one under the Laws.”Speed also confirmed the ICC had received a letter from the Pakistan Cricket Board expressing its concerns over the appointment of Hair to matches involving the country. “This is the first time they have put them in writing, even though they have previously been invited to do so,” Speed said. “However, it remains the role of the ICC and not our members to appoint umpires to Tests and one-day internationals.”Sunil Gavaskar, the chairman of the ICC’s cricket committee, and Speed select the officials for each series on recommendations from the body’s cricket department. “The appointments are made without fear or favour and are based on the performances of the umpires in international matches,” Speed said.Speed also said it was important to remember that Friday’s hearing, when Inzamam-ul-Haq will face ball tampering and disrepute charges, was purely a playing issue. “It is not a political, racial or religious matter but a cricketing one,” he said. “We have no vested interests in the outcome of the hearing but what we expect is that it will be fair and will illustrate our processes are suitably robust to deal with these issues.”

Cricket fans in India will see a vastly improved Sri Lanka in the upcoming Champions Trophy one-day tournament, Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, predicted.Sri Lanka’s pride was severely dented when they toured India last October, losing 6-1 in a one-day series against the Indians.”We have learnt from our mistakes,” said Jayawardene. “When we came here last time, we faced initial difficulties following new rules [PowerPlay and super sub] which gave so much importance to the toss, but I think we have improved since then.”Tom Moody, Sri Lankan coach, echoed the same sentiments. “A lot of water has gone down the bridge since then. We are not the same team that visited India last time. We are now a better, stronger unit,” Moody said. “A lot of young guys have come and done well in international cricket. There is a significant improvement, especially in fielding.”The Indian drubbing also saw Sri Lanka slip in the rankings. They were not among the top six sides, who have been given direct entry into the Champions Trophy main draw based on rankings in April this year.Sri Lanka will now play qualifying matches against defending champions West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The top two teams will join the elite six. They open their campaign on October 7 against Bangladesh at Mohali.”The focus now is on playing qualifying matches which will help our players adjust to Indian conditions before the main tournament starts,” said Moody.Sri Lanka are looking forward to a better performance from their bowlers on low, slow Indian tracks. “Bowling is crucial in these conditions,” said Jayawardene. “I think spinners will play a key role, but it is also necessary for fast bowler to vary pace. The batsmen need to apply themselves.”Sri Lanka are a team in form, having drawn a tough Test series 1-1 and won 5-0 in one-dayers in England recently.When asked about the secret of their recent successes, Jayawardene said: “There is no secret, only hard work. The challenge now is to keep the momentum going.”Jayawardene played a vital role in his team’s victories in England, scoring 328 runs in five one-dayers. “It’s nice to be in form,” he said. “I now have a regular batting slot which has given me a lot of freedom. It was a bit difficult to be consistent in the initial years [of my career] when I had no fixed batting place.”Jayawardene said Marvan Atapattu’s return from an injury and Sanath Jayasuriya’s current form auger well for the team. “Marvan’s return is a bonus. He is an experienced batsman and has given us more options. It is also good to see Sanath in good form. He is a great asset.”Jayawardene, however, declined to pick winners, saying every team was focused. “Playing any team is a challenge in this tournament. Any team can win. Just remember how the West Indies came from nowhere to lift the trophy [in England] last time,” he said.

The war of words between the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India has intensified further with Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, suggesting that India could not aspire to become a cricketing force without putting its own house in order.While refusing to be drawn into the specifics of the criticism leveled at ICC by Lalit Modi, the vocal vice-president of the BCCI, on several occasions, most recently in a comprehensive discussion on Cricinfo’s Round Table, Speed said money power alone could not make India a formidable force in world cricket.”I have an old-fashioned view,” said Speed when asked if the BCCI were usingtheir superior monetary position to flex their muscle. “I judge sportsorganisations on the basis of three things: 1. How the team performs. 2. Howthe board looks after its stake-holders in terms of facilities on thegrounds, and 3. How well they use resources like population toproduce great cricketers.”The population aspect had been highlighted by Modi in his Round Table discussion to explain how it both brought in huge revenues, in terms of a captive audience, and also spurred the Indian board to greater efforts. Speed, however, chose to focus on a different aspect of the same issue.”Let us look at New Zealand. They are in the semi-final of the ChampionsTrophy with a population of four million. They don’t have a lot of money,but they are consistent. India last won a [ICC] cricketing event in 1983.I am very sure in 2007 it will be great if India win. It would mean thatthe power that India has, the population and booming economy, is beingreflected in the performance of India. It helps to have money to do that,but it is not always necessary.”Both Speed’s and Modi’s comments were the latest in the BCCI’s long-running skirmish with the ICC on several issues revolving around marketing rights, including the Members Participation Agreement (MPA), which deals with advertising during ICC events. The BCCI has refused to sign the MPA, saying it impinged on the rights of the players and the board in its present form.Speed refused to react to Modi’s recent allegations against the ICC andclearly stated that their silence on the matter was a deliberate move.”The ICC has said very little,” he continued. “We see long articles, longletters to newspapers. We’re accused of being the East India Company andlots of suggestions of inappropriate behaviour. We’ve deliberately notsaid anything. We’re not interested in debates through the media or notinterested in litigating matters in the media.”He reiterated his thoughts on Modi, the same ones he’d outlined a few weeks back, asserting that hehadn’t been to a single ICC meeting and was just shooting off opinionsinstead of sticking to facts.Modi, however, had asserted that there was an underlying ‘attitude’ problem to the whole standoff. “I will tell you what the problem is,” he had said on Round Table. “The ICC wants a ‘Yes’ man. That is the actual problem. They want somebody that they can deal with and who is going to listen to them. In our case he has to deal with the whole committee – the decision-making process which was one person is not there anymore.”On his part, Percy Sonn, the president of the ICC, echoed his views but added that hewas optimistic about the future. “I’ve had discussions with Sharad Pawar,the BCCI president, and even had a half an hour discussion with the primeminister [Sonn met the prime minister two days back] of the country,” he stated. “Whatever has happened in the past, the future is rosy. We cannot respond to allegations in newspapers. We cannot stoop to the level to involve 96 other countries to get involved in comments of an official who doesn’t represent his country in ICC.”

Australia 3 for 346 (Ponting 137*, Langer 82, Hussey 63*) v England
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

Ricky Ponting launched his quest for Ashes vengeance with a brilliant unbeaten 137, as Australia piled on the runs on the opening day of first Test at the Gabba. Ponting, whose reputation as captain rests entirely on his success in this campaign, produced a flawless innings from first ball to last, as England’s bowlers wilted in the baking Queensland heat.It was more than just an innings from Ponting, it was a declaration of intent. This was his 10th Test hundred in just 15 Tests dating back to that epic 156 at Old Trafford, but whereas that innings had helped sustain the tension of the 2005 Ashes, this performance was conceived with the absolute opposite purpose. Fed up with the stigma of being Australia’s Ashes-losing captain, he set out to crush any semblance of a competition. It was as if every one of his innings since that moment had been mere dress-rehearsals for today.Ponting’s innings was scripted to perfection from the moment he won the toss and chose to bat first. That particular blow to England’s morale was not as acute as it had been on this ground four years ago, when Nasser Hussain opted to bowl and was met, then as now, by Ponting’s crashing blade. But as word filtered out that Ashley Giles had been selected as England’s spinner ahead of the more attacking Monty Panesar, a packed and patriotic Gabba began to feast on England’s negativity.In particular they feasted on Steve Harmison. After all the hype and all the hoopla, the official presentations, national anthems and assorted paraphernalia, Harmison’s first delivery of the 2006-07 Ashes was the ultimate anticlimax – a massive wide that was fielded at second slip to guffaws from the stands. So much expectation – too much expectation – had been heaped on his shoulders, but this was a moment to rank alongside Phil DeFreitas’s long-hop to Michael Slater on this ground way back in 1994-95.Then, as now, it pricked the bubble of anticipation, and provided Justin Langer – whom Harmison had given such a working-over at Lord’s on the last opening morning – the ideal sighter to settle his nerves. This may have been Langer’s 101st Test match, but his 100th, at Johannesburg back in April, lasted precisely one vicious delivery from Makhaya Ntini. Instead, Harmison’s nervy two-over spell was dispatched for 17 runs, mostly crashed behind square on the off-side, to set the tone for an ominously one-sided first day.Inevitably it was the captain who hauled England back into contention. Flintoff’s first over had not been laced with stardust – two no-balls and an awful overthrow from James Anderson were the highlights. But then he found some extra bounce outside off stump to kiss the edge of Matthew Hayden’s bat, and Paul Collingwood claimed a comfortable chest-high catch in his first match as England’s second slip. Hayden was gone for 21, a solid enough innings but one that was a far cry from his bullying brilliance of four years ago.

That dismissal, however, brought Ponting to the crease and at 79 for 1, with one captain facing up to the other, the Ashes had truly begun. Ponting started watchfully, needing 10 deliveries to get off the mark, but when he did it was with two shots of pure class and confidence – a full-blooded pull and a back-foot steer off Harmison, who had been recalled to the attack to inflict another of his Lord’s duelling scars, but instead had his own figures lacerated.Harmison’s malaise spread to the rest of England’s seamers. Matthew Hoggard was unable to swing the Kookaburra ball and was milked out of the attack, while Anderson – in a reprise of his nightmarish performance at Johannesburg two winters ago – was clattered for 13 fours in 15 overs. He was twice entrusted with the first over of a session, and twice he failed to live up to the task, conceding nine runs straight after lunch and tea. That didn’t however stop Flintoff trusting him with the new ball late in the day, with predictable results.Langer was particularly harsh on Anderson’s waywardness, and he seemed a shoo-in for his 23rd Test century when, on 82, he swatted a wide one from Flintoff to Kevin Pietersen at point, and swished his bat in annoyance as he left. But the damage to England’s psyche had already been done. In the absence of any cutting edge, England desperately needed a steadying influence, and lo and behold, it was the maligned Giles who provided in his first first-class match for exactly 12 months.Steady as ever, he found some extra bounce and bite outside off stump to surprise Damien Martyn as he shaped for a cut and conceded just 51 runs from his 18 overs. But by the close, the almost unnoticed Mike Hussey had nudged and shimmied his way to an unbeaten 63.It was Ponting’s day, however. By stumps he was level with Steve Waugh as Australia’s leading century maker (32) and needed just 71 more runs to reach 9000 runs in Tests. He is destined to break every record in the book. But, and it is a big but, if he fails to win this series as captain, he is destined to be judged as a failure. On today’s evidence, it’ll be over his dead body.

ScorecardMumbai piled on the runs and the pressure on Rajasthan as they ended the second day 309 ahead at the Wankhede Stadium. Amol Muzumdar played a captain’s knock of 117, while Rohit Sharma and Abhishek Nair chipped in with valuable half-centuries to extend Mumbai’s lead. Nair played an aggressive knock of 86 and shared a 234-run stand with Muzumdar. After both were dismissed, Sharma and the lower order strengthened Mumbai’s position, with Vinayak Samanth helping himself to an unbeaten 41 at stumps. Mohammad Aslam, the left-arm spinner, was the pick of the bowlers, taking five wickets.
Scorecard
Delhi took a firm grip on the game after reducing Andhra to 92 for 4 after posting 355 in their first innings. Ishant Sharma prised out two wickets, including the vital wicket of Venugopal Rao, to leave Andhra struggling at 45 for 4 but the hosts attempted to stabilise through an unbroken 47-run stand between Prasad Reddy and Chandramouli Prasad. Earlier, Aditya Jain guided the lower-order, after his overnight-partner Mayank Tehlan fell after reaching his hundred, to take Delhi to a healthy total. Mohammad Faiq grabbed two more wickets to end up with a five-wicket haul and prevent Delhi from running away to a massive total but the visitors held the advantage by the end of the day.
Scorecard
Hyderabad were sitting pretty after an allround bowling performance left Bengal limping at 172 for 7. Ranadeb Bose struck three blows to restrict Hyderabad, overnight on 258 for 6, to 309. Bengal lost wickets at regular intervals and slipped to 104 or 6 before they tried to rally through a 60-run partnership between Rohan Gavaskar and Saurasish Lahiri.But Pragyan Ojha dismissed Gavaskar to put the hosts on top. Bengal and Hyderabad are tied at 8 points apiece.
Scorecard
Karnataka, who amassed 426, were eyeing a first-innings lead after reducing Tamil Nadu to 119 for 4 at the end of the second day’s play in Bangalore. Balachandra Akhil blasted a quick 73 to lift Karnataka, overnight on 309 for 6, to a huge total. Tamil Nadu started their reply in a disastrous fashion when Srikkanth Anirudha was run out in the first over but recovered through a 78-run partnership between Ramaswamy Prasanna and Murali Vijay. But Appanna, the young left-arm spinner, removed Vijay to regain the initiative. Three wickets fell in the space of 41 runs as Tamil Nadu found themselves in trouble.
ScorecardA five-wicket haul by seamer Anupam Sanclecha restricted Gujarat to 369, blotching their sound start, on the second day at Nasik. Shortly after Niraj Patel – overnight on 92 – reached his century, Gujarat lost their way. Sanclecha struck twice, sending back Parthiv Patel and Niraj Patel, and Gujarat lost four wickets for just 35 runs. Kirat Damani then salvaged the situation with a half-century, and was well supported by the lower order. Damani’s 52 came off 81 balls with eight fours and a six. Maharashtra began their reply in a cautious manner, ending the day at 72 for 1 after Dheeraj Jadhav lost his wicket to Damani’s off breaks.
ScorecardSaurashtra were in a spot of bother against Haryana at Rajkot as they lost their top five for 134, still trailing by 174 runs. Resuming on 238 for 7, Amit Mishra and Sandeep Singh continued their resistance, adding 27 before Sandip Maniar sent back Singh for 58. Mishra looked set for his maiden first-class century before falling to Rakesh Dhruv, who picked up his fifth wicket. Saurashtra stumbled in their reply, as Shitanshu Kotak and Jaydev Shah failed to convert their starts, both falling in the 30s. Mishra picked up two quick wickets by the close of play.

Norman Mitchell-Innes, England’s oldest surviving Test cricketer, died on December 28 aged 92. He was the last England cricketer who played a Test before the Second World War, and his death leaves the 89-year-old Ken Cranston as the oldest living England cricketer.Mitchell-Innes, who was universally known as Mandy, played his one and only Test against South Africa in 1935, as an Oxford undergraduate.He made his debut for Somerset while still a schoolboy at Sedburgh and was a prolific run gatherer for his university. Between 1934 and 1937 he scored a record 3319 runs at an average of 47.41 and it was during this run of remarkable form that he caught the eye of the England selectors.Against the touring South Africans in 1935, he struck a brilliant 168 for his university in front of Plum Warner and was subsequently chosen for the Trent Bridge Test. He made only 5, but was retained for the second Test at Lord’s. However a bout of hay fever forced him to withdraw. “I might be sneezing just as a catch came in the slips,” he wrote to Warner. He joined up with the Oxford side at The Oval and scored another remarkable hundred against Surrey. He never got another chance to play for England.In 1935-36 he toured Australia and New Zealand with the MCC, struggling with the bat, and the following summer he captained Oxford, enjoying the best of his four Varsity matches scoring 43 and 84 at the top of the order, although it was in a losing cause. He also captained the university golf team.In 1936 he had a good summer with Somerset, but his career effectively ended when he joined the Sudan Political Service on leaving Oxford in 1937. He did play a few games when on annual leave, and when Somerset were desperate for players after the war he made another 24 appearances, captaining them four times. He failed, however, to show more than glimpses of his pre-war form.In all, he played 132 first-class matches, scoring 6944 runs – with 13 centuries – at an average of 31.42. He also took 82 wickets at 34.79 apiece. A precocious talent, he once scored 302 not out in a house match for Sedburgh during a single afternoon, causing The Sedberghian to report: “Such cricketers rarely come this way.”He retired from the political service in 1954, returning to the north of England to become company secretary of a brewery.