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Sean Clingeleffer, the Tasmania wicketkeeper, top scored with 62 © Getty Images

Victoria were desperately trying to avoid an outright defeat that would dint their chances of hosting the Pura Cup final as they were out-played by Tasmania at the Junction Oval. The Bushrangers currently have a two-point lead at the top of the table, but they have been upset by the competition’s bottom side and require another 267 runs on the final day for an unlikely victory.Cameron White and Nick Jewell both posted half-centuries in an unbroken stand of 84 after combining at the trouble of 4 for 68. Set a target of 419, which would be the fifth-largest winning chase in the competition’s history, the Bushrangers began badly when Dan Marsh, the captain, grabbed two smart slips catches to oust Jon Moss and David Hussey for single figures. However, White (61) and Jewell (52) settled the situation and moved the side to 4 for 152 at stumps.Sean Clingeleffer was most productive Tasmania batsman with 62 and his 103-run partnership with Marsh, who chipped in with 57, moved Tasmania to a position of safety before the bowlers Brendan Drew, Brett Geeves and Ben Hilfenhaus added some valuable runs to extend the lead to 418. Allan Wise, Gerard Denton and Shane Harwood picked up three wickets each while Shane Warne failed to penetrate in his 16 overs.

Matthew Hayden fends off a Brett Lee thunderbolt© Getty Images

A little over a year ago, Matthew Hayden set a then world-record score of 380 at Perth. On that occasion the opposition were Zimbabwe, a side with a popgun attack. When Hayden returns to the WACA for the first since then, for Thursday’s first Test, he will face a far more threatening attack.As if he needed reminding, in the Perth nets, he was given an indication of what to expect when struck by a short ball from team-mate Brett Lee, Australia’s likely 12th man in the match. Hayden, who suffered no ill effects, said: “These nets are pretty quick as it is and I copped one on the finger but I’ll be right.”It had been Hayden’s hamstring which had left him a doubtful starter, but he confirmed that it was now fine and that he would be fit to play. And so his thoughts turned to the Pakistan attack.”This one’s obviously a physical challenge … something that you get up against and it’s basically do or die,” he said. “It’s as simple as that really. That physical element to playing fast bowling is definitely there.”

No pain, no gain: Justin Langer on the ground after being struck© Getty Images

He also admitted that he was still regularly reminded of his 380. “I’ve heard some fantastic stories actually of [people’s] memories, from childbirth to just the experiences they had to remind them of that day,” he grinned. “It’s an exciting thing, even old Ernie Dingo was on the TV yesterday, touring around the ground, and saying ‘This is where Matt Hayden made 380’, so it’s certainly a very happy memory. When I’m out in my own boat fishing one day I’ll certainly get time to reflect on those experiences and really enjoy them.”Hayden was not at his best in the two-match series against New Zealand, and he has now gone 13 innings without notching three figures. But it is hardly a crisis, nor is the fact that Ricky Ponting has gone 16 innings – almost a year – since his last century.And while the WACA was expected to be hard and fast, Glenn McGrath reiterated that it wasn’t just about steaming in and bowling as quickly as possible. In nine Tests on the ground, McGrath has never taken a five-for. “It’s a very fine line,” he shrugged. “You’ve got to hit that right length otherwise you can go for plenty of runs. We’ve got good game plans. The last thing we’ll want to do is go and try to blast them out and have it not work.”

The Lord’s Taverners, cricket’s official charity, officially launchedtheir 50th Anniversary Coaching Scheme in London today.The project is designed to support and improve the quality and deliveryof coaching throughout the game, particularly at grass-roots level, andinvolves sending qualified coaches on overseas scholarships, under theauspices of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), to study coachingmethods and delivery. Lessons learnt overseas are then fed back into thecoaching system in this country, to the benefit of youth cricket and thegame as a whole.Funding for the scheme comes from a special grant of £240,000 earmarkedfrom the Taverners’ successful 50th-anniversary fundraising efforts in2000. Some £50,000 of this has already been spent, on sending four coachscholars to Australia and New Zealand last winter.Over the next three years further scholars will visit India, Sri Lankaand South Africa to study their coaching methods. Another will visit theUSA to study coaching in baseball. And a parallel review of the impactof this programme on coaching practice in this country will be conductedin conjunction with the ECB.Tim Lamb, the ECB’s chief executive, said: “This is a fantasticinitiative by the Lord’s Taverners. The scholarship programme and thelessons learnt from it should have a major impact on our coachingpractice at the grass roots of the game and more widely. The bestcoaching at grass-roots level is an essential prerequisite to asuccessful England team.”And Richard Stilgoe, the president of the Lord’s Taverners, added: “Ourefforts to encourage young people to play in teams rather than in gangswill be complemented by this innovative programme. Coaching needs to befun as well as well structured, and I am sure that thousands of kids inyears to come will be the better for this initiative.”The Lord’s Taverners is a celebrity sporting club and charity, whosestated objective is to “give young people, particularly those withspecial needs, a sporting chance” by providing incentives to playcricket in schools and clubs, enabling young people with special needsto participate in sporting activities, supplying minibuses to specialneeds organisations, and creating recreational facilities in conjunctionwith the National Playing Fields’ Association.

Book you own private room with a view for your lunchtime or evening Christmas function.

We can cater for groups of up to 180 and offer a choice of menu, buffets from £12.50 per person

Bring you own entertainment or we can arrange it for you.

Plenty of free parking within the ground

Ring the conference office on 0117 910 8025 for availability and menus2001 CHRISTMAS SUPPER NIGHTWe have had many requests for a Christmas ‘do’ so we thought we would hold a Christmas Supper Evening on Thursday 13 December 2001 in the Grace Room.There will be a 2-course hot fork supper and dancing to live music provided by The Dresdens, a duo who play a variety of music for all tastes.Ticket prices are £17.50 per person.This is an ideal opportunity to get a group together and enjoy an evening of food, wine and entertainment. I hope this will be well supported, please do not hesitate to contact me for further details or tickets.LIVE MUSIC, DANCING TO THE DRESDENSMENUBraised Beef with a Red Wine Shallot Jus
or
Chicken Supreme stuffed with a Leek & Bacon Mousse, in a Cheese Sauce
or
Field Mushrooms in a Brandy & Paprika sauce
served with
Wholegrain Mustard Mash, Rice and Carrot & Courgette Medley
Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
or
Fruit Salad with cream
or
Chocolate Fudge Cake
£17.50 PER PERSONFOR MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKING FORMS RINGANNE POPE ON 0117 910 8025
Fax. No. 0117 924 1193
Email : [email protected]

Azhar Ali, the Pakistan batsman, has been ruled out of the opening Test against England that starts on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. Azhar suffered a toe injury during the series against Zimbabwe earlier this month and since then he has not trained.”He will not be playing in the first Test,” Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan team manager, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. “His wound is almost dried up but he is not comfortable wearing his shoe and didn’t take part in training activities since we are here.”The news is a significant setback for Pakistan, who had been optimistic about Azhar’s recovery until today’s assessment which revealed that the pus in his infected wound had not completely healed up. As Pakistan’s ODI captain, he missed the final match of last week’s series win in Zimbabwe, but it is understood that the searing heat in the UAE has set back the recovery process.This is Azhar’s first injury setback since his Test debut against Australia at Lord’s in 2010, and with a current Test average of 44.06 in 44 matches, including nine hundreds, England’s bowlers will be grateful for his absence.He made a matchwinning 92 not out against England at The Oval in 2010 and completed the 3-0 whitewash on their last tour of the UAE with a second-innings 157 at Dubai, after Pakistan had been bowled out for 99 in their first innings.”He played very well last time at No. 3,” said James Anderson, England’s attack leader. “He was the guy to get out for them even with their experienced players after him, I thought he was the key wicket for us so he’ll be a big miss. But they have plenty of other quality players who have made big runs out here.”Azhar’s absence means that one of Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez is likely to fill the void at No.3, with Shan Masood set to retain his opener’s role following his matchwinning century against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Ernesto Valverde as a potential managerial candidate, according to the BBC.

The Lowdown: Marsch leading contender

Marcelo Bielsa has officially left Elland Road after almost four years in charge following the club’s poor form in recent weeks.

The Whites are now just two points off safety and have conceded 60 times in 26 Premier League fixtures this season.

Reports have claimed that former RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch looks set to be the man who will come in for Bielsa, but it seems as if Valverde is also on Victor Orta’s radar.

The Latest: Valverde interest

As reported by the BBC, Marsch has been of interest to the Whites for a while.

However, they also claim that there are other candidates, including Valverde, who is also out of work at the moment and is known by Orta.

The Verdict: Risky

Valverde, who Lionel Messi described as ‘wonderful’, played an attacking 4-3-3 system during his last position in management at Barcelona.

Whoever comes in to replace Bielsa will have a huge task on their hands to keep Leeds in the Premier League, but at first glance, Marsch could be the safer option.

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As Phil Hay mentioned earlier this month, the American’s possession-based football and focus on a high press may well make for a smoother transition, although bringing in any new manager at this time of the season appears to be a risky call given the Whites’ precarious league position.

In other news: ‘I’m told’ – Phil Hay drops hint of possible return date for injured Leeds duo

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

Last action hero: Younis Khan has scored three hundreds in his last four Tests, all in the final innings © AFP

Younis Khan lodged himself firmly between India and a series triumph on the final day of the second Test at Eden Gardens, leading his side to an unlikely, morale-boosting draw. Younis, standing in as captain for the injured Shoaib Malik, hit his 15th Test hundred and fifth against India, accepting help from a familiar face as he kept Pakistan alive to fight another day. A 136-run partnership with Mohammad Yousuf dragged them from peril to safety, both captains calling it a day at 214 for 4 with half an hour of play left.India were disappointingly lethargic, except for brief periods in the afternoon or when Anil Kumble was involved. Kumble had brought the game alive in the afternoon, with two wickets. But as the two Y’s came together with another century partnership – their ninth – even Kumble’s tenacity wasn’t to be enough.Younis especially was determined: as captain, his side had to be rescued and following low scores against his favourite opponent, here was the perfect opportunity to rectify that. He was also familiar with the situation, having faced similar ones against South Africa recently. So familiar in fact that he graced the occasion with a third hundred in four Tests, each of them in the fourth innings of a Test.It says much about his character and his batting that you can’t call the innings a dogged, dour rearguard. There was much studious defence, but he never dawdled. What runs were on offer, were gladly taken. Having arrived in the first over after lunch, he brought up his fifty in the last over before tea.After it, he seemed to speed up, pulling Zaheer Khan to bring up the fifty stand and continued in much the same manner through the session. Only Kumble posed a serious challenge, troubling him with googlies and trapping him plumb when in the 90s (Rudi Koertzen disagreed) but even he was driven and cut for pleasing boundaries. No shot better captured the innings than the reverse-sweep which brought up his hundred: defiant, unbowed and positive.Yousuf meanwhile helped himself back into some form. He was unusually quiet to begin with, recognition of the pressure of the Test and his own lack of runs. But a fluid punch through point off Munaf Patel eased him gently into the role of Younis’s second fiddle, one in which he didn’t falter. By tea, he was set and after it was rarely hassled, choosing occasionally to stroke a cover drive, but opting generally to pat balls back.

Anil Kumble snared two wickets early to raise Indian hopes © AFP

India helped them with a surprisingly inert display after tea. The inactivity was captured best by the inside edge on to Yousuf’s pad, which looped up in the air, barely a foot from two close-in fielders. Bizarrely, neither made even an attempt. Harbhajan Singh, the bowler, complained rightly, but perhaps not too much for he was flat through much of the day, mirroring Danish Kaneria’s disappointing last-day performance at Delhi. He searched constantly, for the right angle, the right line, the right length, but fruitlessly.Only Kumble it was who pushed and it was because of him India had a sniff at all. They had declared almost an hour into the morning, setting Pakistan 345 runs or 81 overs to survive. Zaheer got rid of Yasir Hameed before Kumble took over.Second ball after lunch, Kamran Akmal was bowled by a rare, fair-spinning leg-break. The situation thereafter was made for Kumble: no real chance of the opposition chasing, a fifth-day surface and nervy batsmen naturally keen to push on, trying instead to defend. The appearance of threat was there in every ball, even if the actuality of it wasn’t. Fielders encircled batsmen as a lynch mob might an unfortunate, dust flew up off the pitch, and Kumble was the centre of all focus.Even though nothing happened for nearly an hour after that breakthrough – Harbhajan as much as a cussed Salman Butt to blame – Kumble was not to be denied. Coming round the wicket, he soon trapped Butt. He then replaced Harbhajan with Munaf Patel just after mid-day drinks, who produced in his first over what seemed then to be a pivotal moment. It was touched by genius as well, a slow off-break that nevertheless turned sharply enough to go through the defences of Misbah-ul-Haq, leaving Pakistan rocking at 78 for 4.Both Patel and Kumble sniffed away, but it wasn’t to last and as tea approached Younis and Yousuf dug themselves in. There they would stay after it, despite Kumble’s best efforts.

Bengal will be boosted by the return of the in-form Sourav Ganguly © AFP

Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will face off in the Ranji Trophy Super League final, with both Mumbai and Bengal fielding full-strength squads. Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar have also been included in Mumbai’s 19-member squad, which has four internationals, for the five-day match starting on February 2 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.Ganguly is the lone current Indian player in the Bengal squad. The scheduling of the one-day series between India and Sri Lanka, beginning on February 8, has allowed for the senior players to participate in the Ranji final.Squads
Mumbai Amol Muzumdar (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Ramesh Powar, Sahil Kukreja, Wasim Jaffer, Hiken Shah, Rohit Sharma, Abhishek Nair, Wilkin Mota, Vinayak Samant (wk), Nilesh Kulkarni, Swapnil Hazare, Rajesh Verma, Iqbal Abdullah, Prashant Naik, Bhavin Thakkar and Kshemal WaingankarBengal Deep Dasgupta (capt), Arindam Das, Subhomoy Das, Sourav Ganguly, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Manoj Tiwary, Rohan Gavaskar, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Shiv Sagar Singh, Ranadeb Bose, Sourasish Lahiri, Amitava Chakraborty, Kamal Hassan Mondal, Sourav Sarkar and Ashok Dinda

The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association claim it is yet to get control over the Green Park ground in Kanpur © Getty Images

Even as Chennai faces a cyclone threat ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka, doubts have emerged over the venue of the third tie with the hosts, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), informing the Indian board that it was yet to get control over Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.Kanpur is scheduled to stage the third Test from December 18 but the failure of the municipal corporation to hand over the ground to the UPCA has thrown the match into jeopardy. “It is not correct to say we have expressed our inability to host the match. We have informed the Annual General Meeting that we have not been yet allotted the ground,” Jyoti Bajpai, the UPCA secretary, said. Bajpai’s clarification came amid speculation that the match could be shifted out of Kanpur. Asked if the board had told the UPCA about a change in venue of the match, Bajpai replied in the negative.Bajpai said normally the UPCA took charge of Green Park, which it leases from the municipal corporation, 30 days before a match. “On our behalf, we are pursuing the matter. The scoreboards and other facilities that have been in our control are in condition,” he said.In the past too, the UPCA and the local authorities have been at loggerheads with regard to the conduct of matches. The state officials have not hesitated to flex their muscles as was witnessed during the one-day international against Pakistan in April 2005 when the sale of tickets were allegedly taken over by the police.

India 185 for 0 (Sehwag 85*, Gambhir 85*) trail South Africa 510 for 9 dec (Hall 163, de Bruyn 83, Kumble 6-131) by 325 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Virender Sehwag continued his good form to pull India back into contention on the third day at Kanpur© Getty Images

Over the first two days, South Africa had ground out 459 runs from 182 overs on a pitch which was reckoned to be too slow to allow uninhibited strokeplay. Today, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put the conditions in perspective – though the quality of the bowling attack had a large hand to play – as India scored at almost four-and-a-half runs per over to finish the third day at Kanpur on 185 without loss, with both Sehwag and Gambhir on 85 apiece. Earlier, South Africa declared their first innings on 510 for 9.For a crowd which had become used to stodgy defensive batsmanship over the first couple of days, today’s play was a refreshing change – 236 were scored from 51.4 overs, and despite no play being possible in the morning session due to fog, the spectators got their money’s worth.Of the South African bowlers, only Shaun Pollock had played a Test in India before, but even he struggled to extract any seam movement from the track. He kept the runs down early on, but in the final session both batsmen comfortably drove through the line of the ball, confident that the ball wouldn’t deviate.Makhaya Ntini was completely ineffective on a track which didn’t suit his style of bowling at all, while Robin Peterson, the only specialist spinner in the side, barely managed any turn at all. It was as different from the Australian bowling line-up as you could expect, and the Indian openers cashed in.Despite their singularly toothless attack, the South Africans did have a couple of chances to break through, but their fielders made a mess of those opportunities. When on 29, Sehwag charged down the track to Peterson and missed. Unfortunately for South Africa, so did Thami Tsolekile, their wicketkeeper, and the ball sped away for four byes. Earlier, Gambhir had been reprieved on 5, when Justin Ontong, substituting for Boeta Dippenaar, who was hit on the head by a ball during nets, failed to get his hands on a fierce cut shot.Gambhir wasn’t entirely convincing in the early part of his innings, playing and missing a few times and miscuing a couple of pull shots, but he slowly grew in confidence. He was helped by a few inviting leg-stump half-volleys by Andrew Hall just before tea, and after the break uncorked some flowing cover-drives off the seamers, and reached his maiden Test half-century by lofting Peterson over long-on for six. Throughout the innings, he comfortably outscored Sehwag, and though both ended on 85, Gambhir faced 27 fewer deliveries.Sehwag, on the other hand, was extremely choosy with his strokeplay early on. Mindful of the lack of pace in the track, he often checked his drives, and when he did execute them, he was careful enough to hold back the moment of impact just a fraction to ensure that the ball didn’t go airily. Once he gauged the pace of the track, though, the drives through the off side flowed effortlessly – orthodox ones against the seamers, and inside-out drives off Peterson. A cheeky reverse-sweep took him to his half-century, and by close of play, both him and Gambhir were in sight of their hundreds, and the follow-on target of 311 looked piddly.Earlier, South Africa showed plenty of urgency in the 8.4 overs they batted. Pollock remained unbeaten on 44, but the impetus to the innings this afternoon came from Peterson, who slammed 34 from just 24 balls. Coming to the crease after Anil Kumble trapped Tsolekile in front for his sixth wicket (467 for 8), Peterson played bold lofted shots against all three spinners. He struck three fours and a six – a superb straight hit off Harbhajan Singh – but was bowled attempting another huge hit.With the total looking imposing enough, Graeme Smith declared, but by close of play, India had already made significant inroads, and in double-quick time.