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Adaptability has become a byword for New Zealand teams over the last 10 years, and it will be required again of the side captain Stephen Fleming leads into the first Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.For a country, headed only by Zimbabwe as the least-resourced in terms of player numbers in the cricket world, New Zealand have had to demonstrate their quick-fix, or in the local vernacular, their No 8 wire mentality where doing things on the cheap has become an art form, time and again.Injuries hit a country like New Zealand hard. When they involve key players, they are a double loss – not only for their own value for their contribution of skill and experience but also because their replacements tend to be still finding their feet while attempting to learn their craft at international level.The absence of key players has been probably the one constant in Fleming’s 49-Test career as captain.He’s learned how to cope and even if he doesn’t enjoy not having his first choice firepower to call on, he at least understands the problems his newer charges are having.So it is again, as New Zealand go into a match, in the tough conditions expected in Sri Lanka at this time of year, without Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan – only the latter missing on matters of form rather than injury.For all that, the use of stand-ins over the years has given New Zealand a wider pool of players to have at least experienced more than a few Tests, and it is drawing on this resource to get results that will determine the fate of Fleming’s men in this series.In all respects, runs are the greatest requirement, and they have been the most inconsistent aspect of New Zealand’s play throughout their Test history.Nothing has changed. Fleming needs to continue on the scoring spate that has marked his play of the past summer. Mark Richardson needs to maintain his Test average of 47.17, if not improve on it. Matt Horne needs to regain the touch of a few years ago when at least one century a Test series was not too much to ask. Mathew Sinclair needs to remind his side’s supporters why he has scored two double centuries in Tests.To do that in Sri Lanka means coming to grips with spin challenge that will be mounted by the home team with Muttiah Muralitharan leading the way. In recent times, New Zealand have done better against spin bowling than might earlier have been the case in its history. Doing it again will be a key again this time around.The bowling attack is possibly stronger than has been fielded in Sri Lanka since the days of Richard Hadlee and his supporting metronome in Ewen Chatfield.Shane Bond gives Fleming an artillery barrage considerably more powerful than in recent times. Whether Ian Butler gets the chance to support him, and to build on his still developing international stature, will be determined on the choice of bowling attack for the match.It is certain that Daryl Tuffey will open with Bond, and probably fit more into the support-type role for the fast man that was so successful for Hadlee and Chatfield.Daniel Vettori has already shown his appetite for the action that will make his tour and he should offer New Zealand the chance to at least gain some semblance of parity in the spin-bowling stakes.Paul Wiseman may partner him with his off-spin if Butler is not chosen. Should Wiseman get his chance, it may well be a career-defining opportunity for him.The New Zealanders know they are unfashionable on the world Test front, and they know their status as third-ranked side on the International Cricket Council Test Championship table is under-rated by many.Fleming is especially conscious of this. But at the same time, he knows New Zealand have gained results worthy of that standing. They have been unbeaten in a Test series in Australia, they have beaten the West Indies away, they have beaten England and Zimbawe away. They have beaten India and the West Indies at home and they have shared series with England and Pakistan at home.If they can win the first Test of this series, they will have enhanced their position on the Test ladder.Most countries would be fearing the worst with players like Cairns, Astle and McMillan missing, but New Zealand go into the first Test far from an already beaten unit.

With the storm of the contracts crisis still hanging over the heads of the Indian cricketers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the national selection committee has selected the Indian squad of 15 to travel to South Africa for the World Cup in February 2003.The talking point was the omission of VVS Laxman, who was replaced by Dinesh Mongia. This comes in the wake of widespread speculation that Mongia would in fact pip Laxman at the post for a place, thanks to his sharper skills in the field. Mongia was not selected in the 16-member squad that is currently playing a seven-match one-day series in New Zealand.Laxman has scored 1240 runs at an average of just 27.55 in the 50 one-dayers he has played so far, scoring just one century. His strike rate, a mere 67.02 runs per hundred balls, has also gone against him.As expected, young stumper Parthiv Patel has been selected as wicket-keeping cover for Rahul Dravid, who is expected to don the gloves in a majority of the games to enable the team to field an extra bowler or batsman as required. Dravid had a disappointing game behind the stumps against New Zealand at Napier recently and the selectors would have taken this into consideration in naming Patel as a reserve stumper.Veteran campaigners Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath will also heave a sigh of relief when they find their names on the list of 15 for the World Cup.However, none of these players has signed the Participating Nations Agreement (PNA) and cannot take part in the World Cup unless they do so within the stipulated time limit. If any player fails to sign the agreement, the selectors will be forced to name a replacement.Squad: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Dinesh Mongia, Parthiv Patel, Sanjay Bangar, Ajit Agarkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif.

SYDNEY, Dec 22 AAP – Stuart MacGill is back in the Test side and ready to shoulder the burden in the absence of Shane Warne – all the way to the World Cup and West Indies.The New South Wales (NSW) leg spinner was the only change to the Australian side named today for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, taking the place of Warne, who is recovering from a dislocated shoulder.It’s been 11 months since MacGill last pulled on the baggy green cap against South Africa in Sydney.And it’s an opportunity he hopes will open the door for a permanent return to the national team, starting with the World Cup in South Africa in February.MacGill was left out of a preliminary 30-man World Cup squad named by the national selectors earlier this month but Warne’s dislocated shoulder has brought him back into calculations.”On the World Cup, I think in my mind, there’s absolutely no doubt that I am one of the best one day players in Australia,” MacGill said today.”To be left out of the 30 to me didn’t mean that I wasn’t. It just meant that the make-up of the team at that particular time didn’t include me.”It doesn’t mean that I am not one of the best one day players. I will always believe that.”For the selectors to have left me out of the 30 is understandable based on the selection criteria.”Now things are slightly different and if the opportunity arises I am sure I will do a great job.”With a four Test series against the West Indies to follow the World Cup, MacGill could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu.Four years ago he took a bagful of wickets against England to secure a trip to the Caribbean, where his form eventually squeezed Warne out of the Test side.On that occasion Warne was coming back from shoulder surgery – a scenario which could be repeated next year.MacGill isn’t looking to make Warne expendable this time, but admits he’d love to play alongside the spin wizard in the Australian side once more.”I had hoped that this would be the time we would tour the West Indies and tear them apart together,” MacGill said.”I got to the stage last time where it was very difficult to leave me out of the team.”That can happen again this time. That’s certainly what I aim to do every time I play, even with New South Wales.”I feel if I am a vital part of the team it’s just going to make the selectors job easier, not harder.”If history is any guide, MacGill could do just that.The wine-loving leggie has an impeccable record against the tourists, having taken 27 wickets in four Tests at an average of 17.70.He was dubbed the “logical replacement” by chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns today despite lean pickings – by his own high standards – this summer for the Blues.The 31-year-old has taken 20 wickets in NSW’s six matches at an average of 38.45. He bowled only 26 overs, taking 3-56, as the Blues slumped to a nine wicket loss to Victoria on an SCG greentop in his latest Pura Cup outing.”He is a high-class performer with a big-match temperament, something that is shown by his figures in Test matches, and he has an outstanding record against England,” Hohns said in a statement.”We are delighted to be able to call on someone of his ability as we look to continue our good form in this series.”

Rain won the day at Newlands on Friday when no play was possible on the opening day of the season’s opening Supersport Series match between Nashua WP and Easterns.Heavy over night rain initially resulted in the start being delayed. However, rain fell throughout the day forcing the umpires to call off play shortly before 16H00 CAT on Friday afternoon. Play will start 09H30 on Saturday.In an effort to boost attendance WP Cricket is offering free entry to rugby fans attending the Bankfin rugby match between WP and Free State at Newlands on Saturday evening. Braai facilities will be available throughout the day.

New Zealand’s path to the finals of the tri-series in Australia was made a little more difficult when South Africa won the second match of the Adelaide yesterday.It is still possible that New Zealand can miss the finals. South Africa breathed life back into their campaign with the win while it is tempting realities for New Zealand to record five successive victories in ODIs against Australia.But that is what the side must do tomorrow in Melbourne when playing Australia if they are to secure their place in the finals.Newspaper comment on both sides of the Tasman picked through the bones of New Zealand’s defeat.The New Zealand Herald: “Having lost Saturday night’s batting star Nathan Astle to the first ball he received, New Zealand were always paddling upstream during the chase and in the end left their lower order too much work to do in too short a period of time.”Only captain Stephen Fleming, who grafted to 43, could make a meaningful contribution with the bat as South Africa took full advantage of a wearing pitch and moved into second place on the points table with 13. New Zealand have 17 and Australia 9.”Earlier in the day, New Zealand appeared to have the South African innings in a straitjacket at the midway point, but in circumstances similar to Saturday night’s effort, the batsmen managed to wriggle free and unleash several match-deciding overs of carnage.”From a modest 82 for two at the 25-over mark, the solid platform from Herschelle Gibbs (89) paid a rich dividend down the stretch as South Africa piled on 111 in the final 10 overs.”Most of the damage was inflicted by the scything blade of wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, who smashed 57 off a mere 32 balls, but there was plenty of destruction coming from the other end as well, with Jonty Rhodes cracked a quickfire 55.”Together the pair added 86 in a breathtaking 7.3 overs, their running between the wickets – including 15 singles and 11 twos – almost as much of a feature as their big hitting.”Sydney Morning Herald: “South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher put a blowtorch to the belly of the New Zealand bowling yesterday and brought a simmering innings to a violent boil in the one-day international at the Adelaide Oval.”With his side requiring at least two wins from three games to make the finals, Boucher (57no off 32 balls) conspired with Jonty Rhodes (55 off 54) to lead a flurry that delivered 111 runs from the last 10 overs for a total of 5-253.”New Zealand were dismissed for 160, giving South Africa a bonus point and putting them ahead of Australia. Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming provided the only resistance, scoring 43.”New Zealand had restricted South Africa to 142 after 40 overs but the Proteas had seven wickets in hand.”That platform had been established through the cautious deeds of opener Herschelle Gibbs, who resisted his tendency towards self-inflicted injury until the 43rd over, by which time he had compiled 89.”Boucher and Rhodes then put on 86 in a 45-ball blitzkrieg that put deep cracks in New Zealand’s composure.”Rhodes raised his 50 when dropped to one knee and swept Chris Cairns into the crowd, as the Kiwi all-rounder conceded 39 from his last two overs.”The Australian: “Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje took 4-31 after man-of-the-match Mark Boucher’s batting fireworks helped South Africa defeat New Zealand by 93 runs in their tri-series day-night clash at the Adelaide Oval.”The victory lifted South Africa to 13 points and second spot on the tri-series table behind New Zealand (17) and enabled them to leapfrog Australia (nine).”Each side has two more matches before the best-of-three finals series starts on February 6 in Melbourne.”Boucher scored the second fastest international limited overs half-century on Australian soil to set up the huge win.”South Africa overcame a sluggish start to make 5-253 in their 50 overs and then dismissed the Kiwis for 160 in the 46th over, earning a bonus point.”After a late barrage by Boucher (57 not out off 32 balls) and Jonty Rhodes (55 from 54 balls) set up the demanding South African total, the Kiwis never looked like getting close in their run-chase on a difficult pitch.”NZ opener Nathan Astle, who made 95 against Australia yesterday, was out for a golden duck, caught behind off Proteas skipper Shaun Pollock on the fourth ball of the innings.”

* BCCI’s letter seeking India’s participation in ATC reaches MEAThe Sports Ministry has forwarded the letter from the Board of Controlfor Cricket in India, asking for the Government’s permission to playagainst Pakistan at Karachi in the Asian Test Championship (ATC) matchin September, to the Ministry of External Affairs which will take afinal decision on the issue.Sports Minister Uma Bharti said on Friday that her ministry hadreceived BCCI’s letter dated July 26 and forwarded it to the MEA whichwill take a final decision in consultation with the Ministry of HomeAffairs. BCCI president AC Muthiah met Bharti on Friday to know theGovernment’s response to the letter. “She (Bharti) told me that thematter was under consideration,” Muthiah said after the meeting.”The Government has already said that it would allow the team to playagainst Pakistan in multi-lateral tournaments but a final decision onATC was still to be taken,” he said, adding that he expected thedecision by the third week of this month.To a suggestion whether India and Pakistan can play the ATC match at aneutral venue like Colombo, Muthiah said it would be unacceptable. “Ifwe don’t play Pakistan in Karachi, the tournament will have to becalled off. Pakistan wants us to play in their country. We also wantPakistan to come to India,” he said.* Utpal to lead CAB in Buchi Babu tourneyVeteran left arm spinner Utpal Chatterjee will lead CricketAssociation of Bengal in the All India Buchi Babu invitation crickettournament to be played at Chennai from August 12.The following are the other members of the team: Ritesh Jaiswal(wicket keeper), Rohan Gavaskar, Amitava Chakrabarty, SaikatMukherjee, Subhamoy Das, Souvik Mukherjee, Subhradeep Ganguly, SanjibSanyal, Sourashish Lahiri, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Shib Shankar Paul,Sabir Ali and Pradipta Majumder. Stand bye: Soumen Singh. Coach:Karsan Ghavri. Manager: Dipen Rudra.In case Ghavri, who is now in Mumbai attending to his ailing mother,cannot make the trip to Chennai, Dattatreya Mukherjee will take up thecoaching responsibility. The team will leaves Kolkata on August 13.CAB play their first match against ONGC from August 16.* Hyderabad CA team for Buchi Babu tourneyA Nanda Kishore will lead Hyderabad Cricket Association in the AllIndia Buchi Babu invitation cricket tournament to be held at Chennaifrom August 12.The other members of the team are: Arvind Shetty, Anirudh Singh, DVinay Kumar, N Arjun Yadav, J Shivaji Yadav, Mohd. Ibrahim Khaleel,Noel David, Fatima Reddy, Mohd. Ghouse, T Suman, S Vishnu Vardhan, ATRayudu, Ahmed Quadri, B Anoop Pai. Manager: Girish Rao. Coach: ArshadAyub.HCA start their campaign with a first round match against MRF to beplayed from August 16.

Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq will miss the Asian Test Championshipopener between Pakistan and Bangladesh starting at Multan from Aug 29.The chairman of selectors, Wasim Bari, who watched the first day’sproceedings in the three-day match involving the visitors, toldnewsmen that Saqlain would return on Sept 13.Bari said Saqlain had some pressing domestic commitments in England.He, however, clarified that his engagement had nothing to do withEnglish county Surrey.The chief selector said the team for the Multan Test would be handedover to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Sunday. He said it would thenbe upto the establishment when to release the squad to the media.Nevertheless, Bari hinted that the team for the match had already beendecided. “There are question marks against a couple of players. But wehave been discussing the team amongst ourselves while Waqar Younis hasalready been consulted.”The chief selector said the playing lineup would be selected by thecaptain as his committee’s job would end with the picking of 15players. Until last year, the selection committee used to decide theplaying lineup. But the change has probably come after Waqar Younisthreatened to quit if his views were not given due consideration whilefinalizing the playing lineup.

PORT ELIZABETH – A reversion to the old, annoying carelessness they had seemingly expunged cost West Indies a guaranteed place in the World Cup’s Super Six round yesterday and presented New Zealand with a lifeline to remain in the tournament.They were beaten by 20 runs by opponents whose spirit, intensity and athleticism they were unable to match or contain.The fervour of New Zealand’s effort was personified by an ebullient all-rounder who, but for his parents’ wanderlust, might have been on the West Indies side.Andre Adams, born in Auckland of a Vincentian father and Guyanese mother 27 years ago, thumped two sixes in an unbeaten 35 off 24 balls in a final flourish that brought New Zealand 53 decisive runs off 43 balls in partnership with wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.It pushed their 50-overs total to 241 for seven after Carl Hooper sent them in, and it was always going to be enough once West Indies lost five wickets for 12 from 30 balls in half-hour of rank slackness that left them 46 for five.His batting mayhem over, Adams returned with his energetic medium-pace to share the new ball with the fiery Shane Bond and, after a pounding of three consecutive fours in his fourth over from Chris Gayle, claimed three of the wickets in the top-order meltdown.As Ramnaresh Sarwan, calm and collected, mounted a recovery from the despair of 46 for five in the 15th over, briefly with Ricardo Powell and then for 33.2 overs in a stand of 97 with the doughty Ridley Jacobs, Adams was one of the standouts in his team’s dazzling exhibition of fielding.Identified afterwards by captain Stephen Fleming as the difference between the teams, it accounted for the prized wicket of Brian Lara off his fourth ball and prevented a host of boundaries with acrobatic saves.The New Zealanders, their effort concentrated by the certainty of an exit ticket defeat would bring, never allowed Sarwan and Jacobs to convert their consolidation into acceleration.The game was up when Sarwan was bowled by left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for 75 (seven fours, 98 balls) half-way through the 44th over with 63 still required.Jacobs followed 13 runs later, snared for 50 (one six, three fours, 73 balls) by Jacob Oram’s spectacular, diving catch at third man.Nixon McLean’s miserable return to international cricket was quickly ended by a farcical run out, and Adams appropriately completed New Zealand’s triumph with his fourth wicket, bowling Merv Dillon with the second ball of the final over.Beaten by Sri Lanka in their opening match and told, by their national board, to stay away from next week’s scheduled match against Kenya in Nairobi because of documented threats of terrorism, the New Zealanders would have been effectively eliminated by another loss.It would have ensured West Indies their passage without having the worry of a slip-up against any of the minor sides, Bangladesh, Canada and Kenya, or the more daunting Test against Sri Lanka."This is a huge relief," Fleming said afterwards."The tension and anxiety was visibly showing and it was very much a case of hanging tough."Hooper, as he would, rejected the notion of complacency as a factor in the loss. But there is a fine line between complacency and the wastefulness clearly evident in a crucial missed catch and in early batting.New Zealand’s total was an unsatisfactory 213 for seven in the 46th over when Adams hoisted Chris Gayle for a six over long-on one ball, and the next high to square-leg. Marlon Samuels, on as substitute for Dillon, approached the swirling catch in his typically casual way – and it spilled from both hands.The miss cost a further 28 as Adams and McCallum took 23 off Gayle’s final two overs. In the end, it amounted to the margin of defeat.It was no wonder Fleming credited the victory mainly to fielding.Nothing was more brilliant or critical than the run out of Lara.The linchpin of the West Indies batting, primed for commanding centre stage by his 116 in Sunday’s stunning win over South Africa, eased Adams off his legs towards the mid-wicket boundary and completed two to get off the mark.As he turned for a third, Lou Vincent slid, picked up the ball and, in a tactic diligently practiced by the New Zealanders, rapidly relayed it 20 yards away to Chris Cairns. His throw was fast and deadly accurate, shattering the one stump at which he had to aim with Lara a yard short of his crease.Minutes earlier, West Indies were getting into stride as Gayle and Wavell Hinds, the unlikely bowling champion earlier, put on 34 in 9.2 overs.Suddenly, Gayle slashed Adams to slip, Lara was run out, Hinds precisely picked out short extra-cover and Hooper, as he has so often down, hooked into long-leg’s lap, both off Adams.When Shivnarine Chanderpaul was lbw to the giant medium-pacer Jacob Oram four balls later, West Indies were 46 for five and, in spite of Sarwan’s calm orthodoxy and his partnership with Jacobs, the required rate gradually mounted to more than ten an over.But they were kept in check by the gravity of the situation, tight bowling and, above all, the sensational fielding.

Middlesex batsmen Simon Cook and James Dalrymple fashioned an unlikely Middlesex victory with a vicious late assault on the Hampshire bowling at the Rose Bowl.Cook and Dalrymple smashed 65 in only six overs as Hampshire threw away a winning position of their own and leaves them outsiders for promotion with only one match to play.Cook was merciless as Hampshire fell away under the barrage. Even their England bowler Alan Mullally came in for some heavy punishment with 19 runs coming off his penultimate over as 35 came from the last 13 balls of the match.A Middlesex victory looked remote when Paul Weekes was fifth out at 151 leaving Middlesex needing 70 to win in six overs. But then Cook and Dalrymple got going to ensure a Middlesex victory by four wickets and with five balls to spare.Earlier Giles White and John Francis each scored half-centuries as Hampshire built a solid total of 220 for 9. Weekes took three leg wickets to finish with three for 37 while White’s 59 was his top score in the competition this season. Francis confirmed his potential with an unbeaten 57, which was made off 83 balls.There was nothing about the start to the Middlesex innings, which suggested alarm for Hampshire later with Andrew Strauss and John Maunders dispatched with 30 on the board.Owais Shah and Irishman Ed Joyce put together a stand of 98 for the third wicket but in 22 overs and once Shah had gone for a brisk 69 off 100 balls, he was swiftly followed by Joyce who gave Shaun Udal a comfortable return catch.This merely opened the way for big-hitting Cook and the inexperienced Dalrymple to seize the initiative from Hampshire and although Dalrymple was out in Chris Tremlett’s last over the damage was done.David Nash was at the other end as Cook struck Mullally’s first delivery at the last over for four to complete Hampshire’s humiliation.

Andrew Symonds has signed for Kent as their overseas player. Symonds replaces South African Daryll Cullinan who is suffering from an injured knee.Symonds, an explosive batsman who boasts a record 16 sixes in a first-class innings (and 20 in the match) can also bowl both off-spin and medium pace. He spent the 1999 season with Kent, averaging 40 with the bat and has just completed a tour of England with the Australian one-day team that won the recent NatWest SeriesSymonds has also previously played for Gloucestershire (1995-96) as an English-qualified player, but later decided to dedicate his future to Australia. He will be available to play in Kent’s C and G game against Cumberland.