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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
South Africa need only a draw at the SSC to regain the coveted No. 1 Test ranking and they batted as if that was their sole objective. Since the start of the innings midway through the second day, their batsmen have only been bothered about consuming time, deeming run-scoring as an unnecessary frivolity. Hashim Amla ground his way to his 22nd Test century, the first by a South African captain in Sri Lanka, and the second slowest of his career to avert the follow-on but not a 139-run first-innings deficit.The other batsmen didn’t have the runs to match the amounts of time they spent in the middle which meant that Sri Lanka’s spinners were never put under pressure and were allowed to wheel away accurate over after accurate over. The pitch was no minefield, which made the South African strategy even harder to comprehend. There was turn, but nothing alarming. There were no grubbers or high-jumpers. And South Africa have some of the world’s best batsmen against spin.JP Duminy’s 58-ball 3 was the South African innings in microcosm. He wasn’t scoring runs, but he wasn’t getting beaten, nor was he in serious trouble. There was a severe lack of intent though as he blocked or padded away everything that he could. He played 49 consecutive dot balls, before finally missing one and was stumped after the ball deflected off his pad.Dilruwan Perera has two five-fors and two four-fors in his first five Tests•AFP

The day began with Sri Lanka using their only quick to bounce the batsmen from round the wicket, not a tactic that flustered the overnight pair of Amla and AB de Villiers much. Suranga Lakmal overstepped regularly as well and was struck for three fours in an over by de Villiers. That made it five boundaries in seven deliveries as Amla had just put away a wayward Ajantha Mendis for a couple of fours. After dead-batting almost everything on Friday, South Africa started the day with more vigour.However, once Sri Lanka decided to give their two best bowlers, Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath, extended spells, the scoring rate went comatose again. South Africa had only made 14 runs in nine overs before Perera made the breakthroughs that derailed them.Perera isn’t a big turner of the ball, but he got it to spin just enough to beat the inside edge as de Villiers looked to defend and got him lbw. Two balls later, he got one to spin just enough again to beat the outside edge of the left-handed Quinton de Kock and take the off stump. In a matter of minutes, South Africa had squandered what they gained over hours of attritional cricket.In football, all-out defence is seen as a safe strategy. Here, South Africa’s all-out defence is a high-risk tactic as that Perera over showed.Still, Amla persevered, solid as ever. He unveiled some breathtaking inside-out drives against the spinners, typical whiplash punches off Lakmal, got both pads in front of the stumps to make an impassable wall if the ball pitched outside leg, and generally hanging on the back foot and trusting himself to adjust well enough to keep out any danger.It was a monumental effort from him, the sixth longest by an overseas batsman in Sri Lanka and he remained unconquered after facing 382 deliveries. He has consumed more than 350 deliveries in an innings five times, and he has remained unbeaten on all those occasions.For a while, it looked as if South Africa might struggle to avoid the follow-on, even with Amla going strong. Their cricketing strategy would have been a complete failure if they had been forced to bat again. That didn’t come to pass, though, as the tail gamely supported Amla. Dale Steyn took up 71 deliveries before holing out going for a third six, Imran Tahir used up an hour after tea before South Africa were bowled out near the close of play.Though Sri Lanka have a sizeable lead, one concern for them is the workload of their main spinners, Herath and Perera. Both have already bowled more than 40 overs in the match, after sharing more than 150 overs in Galle. Mendis is the third specialist spinner but he struggled for line and length, forcing Mathews to give him only short spells. Sri Lanka will need more from him as they press for a series-levelling win over the next two days.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWayne Parnell was named Man of the Match for his all-round display•AFP

Not even Zimbabwe’s most successful performance in the field against South Africa in 15 years could change the inevitable. Despite bowling their big brothers out for the first time since the 1999 World Cup, and just the third time in their 34-ODI history, Zimbabwe could not avoid a series defeat.After stemming South Africa’s speedy start and punctuating their progress by plucking through their middle and lower order, Zimbabwe gave themselves the best chance of levelling the series and then squandered it. Their batting proved brittle with only Sean Williams and the tail mounting any resistance. The rest engineered their own downfall against a disciplined but not overly dangerous South African attack.Zimbabwe would have known there were no demons in the pitch when they watched South Africa bat. Apart from the usual sluggishness and a small amount of turn, South Africa found runs with nothing more than old-fashioned digging in and that it was possible to play with relative freedom in parts.Quinton de Kock breezed to a sprightly 38, helped by Brian Vitori’s struggles to find a strangling line as he made his return from an ankle niggle, and became the join fastest to 1000 ODI runs. De Kock shares the record with Jonathan Trott, who also reached the milestone in 21 innings.De Kock only added one run to the landmark figure before becoming the second of three quick wickets, as Zimbabwe wrested control of the innings. Both he and Hashim Amla fell to John Nyumbu and AB de Villiers was run out freakishly after thinking he had paddled the ball past wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, when in fact it had stopped at the wicketkeeper’s feet.South Africa lost three wickets for 13 in the space of 26 deliveries to land Faf du Plessis in a familiar rebuilding role. With JP Duminy, du Plessis negotiated Zimbabwe spinners, Sikandar Raza included, with care. For seven overs they could not find the boundary and had to be content with 26 runs in ones and twos before Duminy was bowled around his legs.David Miller failed to take advantage of the more than 20 overs he had in front of him until the latter stages of his innings, when he was the key protagonist in South Africa’s most profitable over. Luke Jongwe was taken for 18 runs in the penultimate over of the Powerplay, a period in which South Africa scored 43 runs but lost both du Plessis and Miller.Du Plessis was their only half-centurion, proof that watchfulness can go further than all-out aggression on occasion. His enterprising innings meant that by the time South Africa entered the final fifth of their innings they were in almost exactly the same position as they were in during the first ODI, at least in runs terms. On Sunday, South Africa had been 208 for 1. On Tuesday, they were 206 for 6.The wickets were testament to Elton Chigumbura’s more creative captaincy – he rotated bowlers with more thought and set better fields – and the spinners’ stranglehold. But South Africa’s lower middle order was still capable of mounting a surge. Wayne Parnell and Kyle Abbott put on 41 runs for the eighth wicket to take the score past 250 and leave the contest well-balanced at the halfway stage.Zimbabwe would have been pleased with their last 10-over squeeze of 51 for 4, until their own first 12 were complete. As was the case in the first ODI, Zimbabwe lost the match in the space of 22 overs when the chase was crippled in its infancy.Mutumbami was dropped on 3 by de Villiers at second slip but added just nine more before being trapped lbw by an Aaron Phangiso arm ball. Hamilton Masakadza left a gap between bat and pad, which Parnell snuck through with a good-length ball, and Raza left a Ryan McLaren ball that angled into him.At 26 for 3, Brendan Taylor was considered Zimbabwe’s last hope but he disappointed again when he hit Duminy straight to Miller at long-on. Williams held together the middle order but found few allies as McLaren and Parnell, who picked up his 50th ODI wicket when Chigumbura top-edged a short ball that got big on him to mid-on, sliced through.The margin of defeat was cut by a stubborn ninth-wicket stand of 41 in 5.3 overs between Neville Madziva and Nyumbu, who thrilled his home crowd with his shot-making, and lusty blows from Vitori, who took 20 runs off Duminy’s last over. That will come as scant consolation for Zimbabwe. They were mostly bossed by a South African side that has both a trophy and a cupboard full of reserve bowlers with a game to go before this series is officially over.

Central Districts completed their presentation of New Zealand Cricket’s specially numbered Black Caps during last week’s international match against India.Those presented with their caps during the game were: Tom Lowry (accepted by his son Tom), Sir Jack Newman (accepted by his son-in-law Michael Moss), Murray Chapple (accepted by his grandson Peter Chapple), Harry Cave (accepted by his grand-daughter Caroline Cave) and Eric Fisher (accepted by his wife Alma and son Stephen).Mathew Sinclair, who is still playing was also presented with his cap.This leaves presentations to be still made to Jock Edwards, who was unable to attend, Bob Blair and the family of Noel Harford.Arrangements will be made at a future date for these players to be presented with their caps.

At the start of the third day, England were favourites to win, the draw could not be discounted and there was just an outside chance that India could get back into the match. At the end of the day, Indian hopes have been effectively extinguished. For that, they need look no further than an inept batting display. To be bowled out for 221 on this pitch indicates a serious lack of resolve that is likely to be punished in the course of the next two days.With Simon Jones claiming his first Test scalps, and generally causing the batsmen to hop around a bit, and with wickets falling at regular intervals, India found themselves in rapid decline. Without taking anything away from the England bowlers, the Indian batsmen will have asked some searching questions of themselves for allowing so many wickets to fall on this pitch. At least, they should have been asking themselves those questions.A full house gathered at Lord’s in anticipation of a Sachin Tendulkar run-feast came perilously close to disappointment when he had just ten to his name. Jones, working up a fair head of steam from the pavilion end, found a great delivery from around the wicket that opened up Tendulkar. An outside edge went low down to first slip where Graham Thorpe failed to cling on to a chance that just about carried and should have been held.After the drop, Tendulkar gave mere glimpses of his class, as did Dravid at the other end. Dravid had been watchful throughout his innings. At one point yesterday he went for 50 minutes without adding to his score. When he found the boundary off the 144th ball he faced, it was his first since the 33rd.The England bowlers kept the scoring rate in check with some controlled aggression. Jones in particular looked understandably more relaxed than the previous day and found sufficient rhythm to cause moments of anxiety as the batsmen hurried their strokes.England got the breakthrough for which they were probing when Matthew Hoggard found the first ball to misbehave on this otherwise perfect pitch. From just short of a length, he got one to lift appreciably as Dravid tried to withdraw his bottom hand, but the ball looped to backward point where Michael Vaughan held a simple catch.As ever, the major wicket was Tendulkar’s. White had been bowling well but as so often happens, it was not the best ball he has ever bowled that got one of his most valuable victims. It was short and outside the off stump, causing Tendulkar to have a wild slash that only succeeded in finding the edge and Alec Stewart made no mistake.As is always the case when a batsman of Tendulkar’s class and reputation is out, there was an extra bounce to the steps of the fielding side while those in the pavilion find their heads dropping. Sourav Ganguly gave a tame catch to Vaughan in the gully off Andrew Flintoff, before Jones managed to take his first wicket at this level when Ajay Ratra flashed at a short ball to edge to the keeper.Having waited 16 overs for that success, his lbw appeal was turned down next ball but in his next over had Ajit Agarkar caught at slip. White came back to bowl Anil Kumble with the score on 209 – still 79 short of avoiding the follow-on.By farming the strike, VVS Laxman managed to add another 12 runs and prolong the end, which came when Zaheer Khan was caught by Thorpe off Hoggard, leaving Laxman undefeated on 43. India were 266 behind, but Nasser Hussain opted against enforcing the follow-on and chose to bat again on a pitch that was showing little sign of wear.The openers were settling into their task without either Zaheer or Nehra getting the same movement as in the first innings. However, Kumble was introduced to bowl the ninth over and with his fifth ball claimed a wicket. Mark Butcher went to sweep and, although he protested otherwise, made no contact and was out lbw.Psychologists might have the answer to why Hussain has not gone beyond twenty in the second innings after scoring a Test hundred in the first, but whatever the reason, he maintained the pattern here. Agarkar got a lot of lift from just short of a length, for Hussain to have a wild flash and touch it to the wicket-keeper.Thorpe has not had a happy return to the international scene. One catch held, one dropped, four from one shot in the first innings, and now just a single in the second. He cut Kumble uppishly into the covers for Ganguly to dive forward to take the catch. Thorpe dwelt in the middle as his fate sunk in before leaving for the sanctuary of the pavilion.At that point, further wickets could have just opened a chink for India. Vaughan and John Crawley effectively closed even that small opening with some sensible batting that illustrated to their opponents what could be achieved in these conditions with the right application. That was reflected in the statistics for Vaughan’s fifty – 78 balls with just four boundaries – although he was dropped by the wicket-keeper immediately after getting there. That, and the earlier spurned chance by Wasim Jaffer at point that gave Crawley a life, will undoubtedly be a source of regret before long – if it is not already.Crawley completed a second fifty in the match as the pair started to increase the range of their strokeplay so that by the close of play, the only question left unanswered was at what point Hussain will declare. Time, along with everything else, is certainly on his side.

Worcestershire held their nerve to secure a comfortable five-wicket win overNorthants in the Benson and Hedges Cup on Wednesday. In a performance whichensured Monday’s mauling at the hands of Gloucestershire was consigned to the memory bank, Worcester’s talented top order proved their calibre. Andy Bichel highlighted his worth as Worcester’s overseas player with four wickets and showed a cool head to guide his side to victory. Despite a superb all-round performance from Tony Penberthy and half-centuries from Mike Hussey and Jeff Cook, Northants bowling attack lacked the depth to take a promising position through to victory.Chasing 233 to win on a fair Wantage Road track which offered assistance with the new ball did not look like being a simple task. The visitors managed an excellent start. A good opening spell from Carl Greenidge was not helped by Mike Cawdron’s inaccuracy – his first two overs went for 22 – and a shoulder injury which took Ben Phillips out of the attack after two overs. Vikram Solanki, along with his opening partner Stephen Peters, punished some terrible bowling. Other than Greenidge, the Northants bowlers were too short, and mistakes were quickly seized upon. Solanki showed his ability off the front foot whenever a bowler over-compensated. Solanki reached his half-century with a delicate late cut. He had faced only 53 balls, striking five fours and two sixes. Peters provided an excellent foil, easing the ball through the field and always willing to attack on the back foot.It was left to veteran performer Penberthy to put the brakes on, a nagging line and length indicative of his experience. The pressure told, and sharp work from Toby Bailey saw an over-balancing Solanki well short of his ground. Along with Penberthy, off-spinner Graeme Swann helped keep Peters and Graeme Hick quiet for a time. Hick, who had spent time at the crease trying to establish himself, went for 17, leg before shouldering arms to an in-ducker from Penberthy. The next over saw the back of Peters, (52) lbw to Swann attempting to sweep. Penberthy finished with 2-18 from his ten overs, as the required rate pushed above six runs per over.David Leatherdale joined Ben Smith, with the pressure mounting. In a breezypartnership, with Leatherdale striking the ball cleanly through the off-side, Worcester re-gained the initiative. The pair began to take advantage of Swann, working him comfortably away without dominating. Not one to be overshadowed, Smith struck Cook for consecutive boundaries on either side of the wicket as the partnership passed 50 at better than a run a ball. With the game beginning to look lost, an uppish drive from Smith was well caught by skipper Michael Hussey at point. Leatherdale (33) soon followed, to a questionable caught behind decision, Cawdron the lucky bowler.It was left to Gareth Batty and Andy Bichel to see Worcestershire home, Batty signalling his intentions by lofting a Cawdron long-hop over mid-wicket for six. Not wishing to be outdone, Bichel hit Cook over long-off in the next over. A leg-side flick bought Bichel six more to compound Cawdron’s misery. Bichel hit the winning runs in the 48th over, flicking Greenidge away through mid-on to bring up the fifty partnership.The day began well for Worcester, with Graeme Hick winning the toss andelecting to field. Bichel struck early, removing Swann and Mal Loye in hisopening spell. Swann, who had clubbed two early boundaries, tried to turn anout-swinger to leg, only succeeding in edging to Stuart Lampitt, who took afine low catch at slip. Loye was caught on the crease, and bowled by a rogueball which kept low. Whilst Bichel was able to trouble Michael Hussey, hiscompatriot took advantage of a quick outfield and looser bowling fromAlagmir Sheriyar.David Sales made a horrible nine, scratching in defence after missing earlyattacking opportunities. He fell to Kabir Ali, flaying a wide ball through to `keeper Steve Rhodes. Russell Warren began positively, whilst Hussey emerged from his shell to lazily hook Kabir Ali over mid-wicket for six. The reintroduction of Bichel bought immediate success, Warren gloving a short ball down the leg side to Rhodes. All the while Stuart Lampitt was proving his worth, his ten overs costing just 25.Hussey continued to look to hit to leg, though the pace of the wicket hampered his efforts. He reached his half-century from 90 balls in the 35th over. He celebrated with a second six, lofting Gareth Batty over mid-wicket. Revenge came quickly for the off-spinner, as Hussey was bowled round his legs the next ball. Hussey’s 58 was a knock of patience, and vital to Northants making a decent total.Big-hitting Jeff Cook hammered David Leatherdale through the covers to signal his arrival, with the home side desperate to take advantage of the final overs. After a couple of mistimed strikes, and a replacement bat, he began to dominate. Cook launched Batty over long-off for six, and then hit Kabir Ali over both cover and Vikram Solanki’s desperate boundary effort. All the while veteran Tony Penberthy helped the board tick over, giving the strike back to Cook. The left-hander’s second six was a massive effort: straight over long-off. Later in the over, Cook hit over the leg side, this time for a one bounce four. He reached his half-century from his 36th ball, gliding Sheriyar to third-man.Once again it was Bichel’s return which proved successful for Worcestershire. Cook tried one slog too many, and was caught easily by David Leatherdale at mid-on. His 50, in a partnership of 68 with Penberthy, gave Northants the edge at halfway. Penberthy’s first boundary saw Sheriyar once more disappearing out of the ground, over mid-wicket for six. The next ball went slightly straighter for six more. His third six was straighter still, over long-on to bring up a superb fifty. Sheriyar got his man with the fifth ball of an extraordinary over, as Penberthy played all over another attempted six. Sheriyar’s ten overs cost 68. A total of 232-7 was more than competitive, set up by Hussey, and completed by Cook and Penberthy’s assault, with 92 runs added in the last ten overs.It was a case of what might have been for Northants. Hussey gritted things out after their batsmen struggled early on, enabling Cook and Penberthy to take advantage. With the ball, wickets came, but the intervening periods were often dismal. Phillips’ injury was a problem, with Cook and Cawdron haemorrhaging runs and Hussey with nobody to turn to.

Former Northern Districts batsman Neal Parlane is the only newcomer named in the Wellington team to play Central Districts in their State Championship match starting at the Basin Reserve on Friday.The Championship-winning team two years ago has a formidable look to it, and with Central Districts at full-strength, a good test should be possible for the Basin Reserve pitch just out from the first Test.The State Wellington Firebirds team is: Matthew Bell (captain), Richard Jones, Neal Parlane, Stephen Fleming, Grant Donaldson, Chris Nevin, Matthew Walker, Mark Jefferson, Paul Hitchcock, Iain O’Brien, Andrew Penn, Mark Gillespie.

Newspaper reports from London and inputs from New Delhi suggest that top Indian cricketers and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have reached an agreement on the contract issue that has dogged the warm-up to the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.Speaking to CricInfo, Niranjan Shah, honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said, “We have not received anything in writing from the players. Even if some agreement is reached, the players still have to sign the relevant contracts and give copies to the board.”It was earlier reported that the ICC and the players had reached a compromise agreement, wherein the following changes had been agreed on:1) The ICC would not have image rights to Indian cricketers. Previously, the ICC and its sponsors had the right to use footage and photographs of the Indian players for their campaigns for a period of six months.2) The Indian players will be allowed to advertise with rival sponsors shortly after the end of the ICC Champions Trophy. Under the earlier clause, cricketers could not advertise with rivals of the official sponsors of the ICC, for a period of 30 days before and after the tournament – and of course for the duration of the tournament. It is believed that this period has been reduced to a level acceptable to both parties in conflict and might actually work out to a figure of 17 days after the tournament.Shah further told CricInfo, “If the players have reached an agreement with the ICC, the Board is only too happy. It was good that the players could meet and sort things out. However, I must tell you that we have not got anything in writing from the players or the ICC so far on this matter.”A point of major concern to the board however, was its exposure to liability from various parties in case a fresh agreement is reached. “Let me make it very clear at this point itself. If the players reach any kind of agreement with the ICC and resolve the matter that is fine. But it must not cause any liability to the Board, now or on a future date,” added the secretary.It must be remembered that an ICC press release yesterday categorically denied that it was seeking any compensation from the Indian board in connection to this matter. The release goes on to say, “What has occurred today is that the BCCI sought a blanket indemnity from any damages claim that may be made in the future against it or the ICC in relation to the ICC Champions Trophy. It sought this undertaking from all other countries playing in the tournament. This request was considered by the countries and it was agreed that such an undertaking could not be given.”As it stands, there have been no claims for compensation from either the ICC or other countries. However, this does not guarantee that such claims may not arise in the future. With regard to this, the ICC says, “Should a claim emerge in the future, it would be a matter for that time to determine who, if anyone was at fault and the size, if any, of any compensation payout.”That might be the one clause that makes emphatic cries of a happy ending a bit premature. That said, this sticky issue has never been closer to amicable resolution. The Board secretary himself was confident, and concluded, “Hopefully, by the end of the day, we’ll be able to work things out and send our best team to the Champions Trophy.”

Two Barbadians at the centre of disciplinary action by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) were fined less than $600 each for misdemeanours on the West Indies "A" team’s summer tour of England and Canada.WICB president Wes Hall said yesterday the board ratified the decision of its disciplinary committee with regard to charges against Barbadians Sulieman Benn and Tino Best, and Nevisian Runako Morton, but would only issue a release after the players were informed.Investigations by the DAILY NATION, however, revealed that Benn and Best were fined 10 per cent of their tour fee, which amounted to US$291 (BDS$582). The fine must be paid in seven days.Best, one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in the region, is one of three Barbadians invited to a WICB fast bowlers’ clinic in Antigua, starting on December 9.Ryan Nurse and Fidel Edwards are the other Bajans who have been invited to the clinic, which will be conducted by former outstanding West Indies pacer Andy Roberts.There was increasing speculation yesterday that Best, 21, was also in serious contention for a place in the West Indies team for next month’s short tour of Bangladesh.Recently, Benn was involved in another disciplinary matter that led to the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) withdrawing him from its year-round national programme.The BCA subsequently arranged a course of professional counselling and mentoring which the young cricketer has agreed to participate in.Best and Benn appeared before the WICB disciplinary committee on October 8 after the board reviewed tour reports from team management.Manager Joel Garner spoke of a lack of discipline by some players.Morton also went before the WICB disciplinary committee to explain the circumstances that led to his early departure from the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka two months ago.He was permitted to leave the tournament after informing team management about the death of his grandmother; but information later emerged that one of his grandmothers died 16 years ago and the other lives in Antigua.

Sanath Jayasuriya, the Sri Lankan captain, blamed the fact that his side did not get enough runs in the first innings in the second npower Test at Edgbaston for the eventual defeat by an innings and 111 runs.”Getting out for 162 makes it very difficult to come back. In the second innings, our batsmen got out to some good balls and they bowled very well. At the same time, some wickets were disappointing but they tried their best.”He refused to blame the toss or the conditions that favoured the Englishattack. “If I had won the toss I would have bowled but that is a matter of luck on the day. We can’t change the conditions or the wicket and just have to play.”Despite this heavy loss, the Sri Lankan captain still believes that his teamcan come back at Old Trafford. “The series is open. I think it depends on how we play in the next match. We have to take our minds off this one and play a fresh match at Old Trafford.”Coach Dav Whatmore was in no doubt that Muttiah Muralitharan would play at Old Trafford and thought his performance in this game justified his selection, even though he was not fully fit.”I think the fact that he bowled some 60 overs and took five wickets completely vindicates the decision to play him here. He has shown that he can make an impact against this opposition and I do not see any reason why he should not play in the next one.”England captain Nasser Hussain – not noted for his success with the coin -acknowledged the importance of winning the toss. “I thought we played bettercricket than them and I thought we deserved to win the game and that wasprobably helped by the fact that I finally won an important toss.”I would say that bowling them out for a second time for 272 on a flat wicket gave me most satisfaction. I have said before, when it gets flat we have struggled to bowl sides out,” he added.Much has been made of the fact that England have lost before when going into a final match in a series at Old Trafford with a one-nil lead. Hussain knows that it will not be easy this time.”Out of the three Test match venues it will be the one they were looking forward to most – Muralitharan in particular. We will have to up our game and be at our best again to beat them.”It transpires that Matthew Hoggard, the man-of-the-match, was by no meanscertain to play in the game. He arrived at Edgbaston suffering from a lack of confidence and form, and had a long chat with his captain on the eve of the Test. Hussain is an admitted admirer of the man “who would bowl through the proverbial brick wall”, but rated his chances of playing at no more than 50:50. His confidence might not have been too high after the way Hussain himself had hammered him playing for Essex against Yorkshire in a Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final.”We knew we needed a good swing bowler here in the conditions if it got like it did here with the humidity. There were two to chose from, Cork or Hoggard, and in the end it wasn’t too difficult a decision because the younger lad will always win through and when someone has been there for you all winter like he has been and is a big trier and got a big heart, you will always stick with him.”He still has to iron out a few technical points in his bowling. He is stillnot bowling how he can do. He has to go away and iron out those problems. Like everyone, he is not always playing at one hundred per cent. There is always something creeping into you game but you just have to do your best at those times and he did that in this game.”Hoggard himself was delighted with his return of seven wickets in the match,especially after his self-doubts before it.”I was honest when I said that I was not full of confidence, so to come out of it as man-of-the-match after putting in some good performances is something to say about my character,” Hoggard said. “I now feel almost back to my best. There were times when I bowled with rhythm and it’s nice to come out with five wickets.”

Fluent half-centuries from Lawrence Prittipaul and James Adams, together with James Tomlinson’s three wicket burst eased Hampshire through to their third Second XI Trophy final in the last four years with a 60 run triumph over Yorkshire at Stamford Bridge near York on Monday.Electing to bat first, Hampshire lost skipper Jason Laney early but a steady collection of runs led by opener Adams (53) saw the total accumulate.Alex Morris (37), John Francis (36) and James Hamblin with a quickfire 38 joined forces with Prittipaul, who remained undefeated at the innings close with 61 not out as Hampshire racked up a formidable 278-5 in their allocation.Chris Elstub (1-30) and Gary Fellows (0-41) took the bowling plaudits despite Nick Thornicroft taking two wickets but at a price of 74 runs.Yorkshire’s reply stumbled as they lost first team opener Vic Craven without scoring to the impressive Tomlinson, whose two wicket opening spell set the tone. Aided by Prittipaul’s lively medium-pace, the home side slipped to 88-4.However, former England and Scotland international Gavin Hamilton revived the innings with 76 before Tomlinson (3-35) returned to remove him and with it any hope of overturning the Hampshire target.Prittipaul added two run-outs, of Guy and last man Thornicroft, to his 2-51 while all the bowlers enjoyed fruitful days to lead Hampshire to the re-run of the 1999 final against Kent, victors over Middlesex by 4 wickets at Uxbridge, on Monday September 9.The draw as to who hosts the final was made at Lord’s with Hampshire being the lucky ones. The match will be at The Rose Bowl…HAMPSHIRE’S PREVIOUS 2nd XI TROPHY FINAL APPEARANCES1987 v Derbyshire at County Ground, Southampton
Hampshire 166-9 (55 overs) (Savage 61, Beardshall 4-32)
Derbyshire 167-3 (46 overs) (Brown 65, Anderson 58, Shine 2-43)
DERBYSHIRE WON BY 7 WICKETS1999 v Kent at Canterbury
Kent 267-6 (50 overs) (Clinton 54, Hockley 54*, Hansen 2-42)
Hampshire 161 (39.3 overs) (Prittipaul 57, James 52, Llong 5-32)
KENT WON BY 106 RUNS2000 v Leicestershire at County Ground, Southampton
Leicestershire 205 (49.3 overs) (Adshead 58, Tremlett 2-22, ZC Morris 2-27)
Hampshire 180 (47.3 overs) (Sexton 58, Griffith 3-27, CD Crowe 3-41)
LEICESTERSHIRE WON BY 25 RUNS