India had their third breeze of a match when hosts Malaysia put up atotally unsatisfactory performance in the Asian Cricket Councilunder-15 tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. On winning the tossIndia put Malaysia in to bat and skittled them out for 76. Even thistotal was made possible due mainly to some indisciplined bowling fromthe Indians, who gave away 33 extras in as many overs.For the hosts, no one managed to make it to double figures. India usedseven bowlers, with all but Subhash Dixit picking up at least onewicket.When India came out to bat, the result was never in doubt. The marginof victory however could not have been larger. Openers Swapnej Thakur(27) and Ambati Tirupati Rayudu (47) steered India to a comprehensiveten wicket victory in just 8.5 overs.This makes it three wins out of three for India. However, all thesevictories have come against sides that are well out of their depth.When India takes on Sri Lanka (on July 4) and Pakistan (July 5), thetruth about the strength of the team will be known.

Durham are relegated from Division One of the County Championship after failing to score enough bonus points from their current match against Surrey.The thought of having to score over 300 runs simply to avoid a follow-on wouldhave been enough to subject Durham to considerable pressure and they also had to face Saqlain Mushtaq and Ian Salisbury on a pitch that has been taking spin.Shortly after Martin Bicknell had knocked back Jon Lewis’s off-stump totake the first Durham wicket on 22, Salisbury and Saqlain were brought on tobowl 36 overs between them until stumps. During that troublesome period forDurham, Simon Katich, the left-handed Australian seemed to fight a lonebattle.The two Surrey spinners bowled with great control and Salisbury, inparticular, was difficult to handle with the turn that he was able to get forhis leg spin. Durham lost their second wicket on 66 with Saqlain nipping onein sharply to trap Michael Gough leg before wicket.After that while Katich scored steadily during his 157 minutes at the crease,he lost partners at regular intervals. They all fell to Salisbury and nonewas able to give support to Katich who was eventually stumped for 77 from 119balls.Having struggled to 165 for 6 at close of play, Durham will need a further139 to avoid the follow-on on the third day. It is by no means an encouragingprospect.Surrey had earlier in the day further strengthened their commanding positionwith the opening pair Mark Butcher and Ian Ward adding 116 to the overnight243 runs before Ward was out leg before wicket to Simon Brown for 144.The breakthrough had come, much to the relief of Durham’s beleagueredbowlers, after enduring further punishment for an hour-and-three quarters.This was the highest first wicket partnership between the two sides and thethird highest for Surrey in championship matches. Their previous triplecentury stand for the first wicket was ten years ago between Darren Bicknelland Graham Clinton.As a comparison, it is interesting to note that Surrey’s momentous stand ofthis match fell only twenty runs short of their highest for the first wicketin all county championship matches and that was set between Bobby Abel andWilliam Brockwell as far back as 1897. The legendary Sir Jack Hobbs andAndrew Sandham, in 1928, had scored 428 for the first wicket but that wasagainst Oxford University.Just how it feels to be at the receiving end of such a mammoth stand will notbe known to any of Surrey’s current players. It was four decades ago whenBilly Ibadulla and Norman Horner knocked off 377 before Warwickshire declaredwithout loss.Butcher was unlucky to miss his first double century of the season by justnine runs when he was bowled within half-an-hour after lunch by StephenHarmison who showed a much better line and length today and took two of the four wickets that Surrey eventually lost before declaring on 453 an hour afterlunch. Nadeem Shahid and Adam Hollioake had contributed 33 and 20respectively, either side of the morning session.

The Premier League Limited Overs match between Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club and Burgher Recreation Club had to be abandoned after heavy rain in Colombo today.The start of the match had been delayed due to rain the previous night and the umpires had reduced the match to 33 overs per side. However, the delayed start meant that there was only time for seven of the second innings overs. At that stage BRC were 42 for 2 chasing 155 for victory. They were up with the run rate but had just lost both their openers and had two new batsmen at the wicket.BRC had won the toss and elected to field first. They were rewarded with the wicket of Sanath Jayasurya (5) early on. Bloomfield lost wickets regularly but Thillerkeratne Dilshan with 30 from 43 balls and and Suresh Perera with 41 from 44 ensured their side a competitive target.

Haryana clinched their place in the Cooch BeharTrophy final thanks to the huge first innings leadthey had over Bengal in the semi final at theJawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Pune. On Monday Haryanadeclared at their overnight score of 615/4 givingthemselves the lead of 547 runs and a full day tobowl out Bengal.Bengal who were dismissed for a paltry 68 in thefirst dig didn’t start any better in the second,losing two wickets to N Agarwal with just six onthe board. Soon A Mishra removed Arindam das for 8reducing Bengal to 26/3 in the 13th over of theday. Haryana had their sights on an early outrightvictory but Bengal batsmen had other ideas. Therefollowed a 94 run partnership between ManavandraYadav and A Sarkar that came to an end withSarkar’s runout for 34 in the 53rd over. Yadav wasthe next to be dismissed for 79 falling to D Joonin the 62nd over leaving Bengal at 152/5. Yadav’svigil at the crease lasted 165 balls and included11 boundaries and a six. In the very next overJhunjhunwala was dismissed by Ishan Ganda pushinBengal to a miserable 154/6. A 59 run partnershipbetween by R Jaiswal and S Lahiri who made 29each. Bengal were 213 for 7 at the fall of Jaiswalwho was caught and bowled by Agarwal. At 227Bengal lost S Lahiri to the bowling of J Sharma inthe 86th over. Agarwal dismissed G Sharma for 18in the 92nd over of the day leaving the last pairof S Ali and S Akthar to survive the last 15 ballsof the match, which they did admirably. Bengalwere 240/9 at the close of play. Though the matchcame to end as a draw, Haryana can go into thefinal against Madhya Pradesh feeling stronger. NAgarwal was again successful with the ball pickingup four wickets in the Bengal second innings.

The Indian tourists won their mismatch of teams against the CFX Academy by 226 runs with 13 overs to spare, thanks to superb bowling by Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh. For the Academy, Barney Rogers played an excellent fighting innings of 65 not out, but most of his colleagues were no match for the top-quality Indian bowling.During the morning session, Sadagoppan Ramesh and Hemang Badani enjoyed a useful practice session in fine batting conditions against undemanding bowling. They did not seek to dominate the bowlers, although left-arm spinner Ian Coulson again suffered at times, with Badani hitting him for an effortless straight six. Badani cruised to 35 before becoming the fourth Indian batsman to retire during the match.The accurate Sean Ervine finally took the Academy’s second genuine wicket of the match when he trapped Sameer Dighe lbw for 6. Shortly afterwards they missed the chance of another, bungling what should have been an easy run-out of Ramesh. The batsman retired in any case at the end of the over, for 52. It had been hard enough as it was for the Academy in the field, but missed catches and a run-out added salt to their own wound.Finally a catch was taken as Dion Ebrahim held Harbhajan Singh (16) in the deep off Barney Rogers. Sairaj Bahutule fell lbw later in the over without scoring and the Indians decided to call it a day at 128 for five. Theoretically the Academy needed 383 to win in 66 overs.The Academy soon found themselves in trouble again at the start of their innings. Without a run on the board, Ebrahim flicked at a ball from Srinath and was caught at the wicket. The double failure of Zimbabwe’s latest Test match opener is depressing for the home side and could put his place in doubt. He is certainly not batting with his usual confidence.Srinath worked up a good pace and found movement off the pitch, using four slips and a gully, and a few overs later comprehensively bowled the gallant but struggling Duffin for 4. Next to go was Guy Croxford, playing positively as usual but trapped lbw for 15. The Indian fielding effort did not match their bowling, though, with the captain setting a poor example to his team, and no doubt the coach will have some comments to make.Then Srinath was rested and the pressure instantly lifted. Barney Rogers and Mluleki Nkala settled into a more confident partnership, handling the later bowlers, even Harbhajan, with more comfort. At tea the Academy were heading towards safety at 81 for three.They continued to flourish afterwards, with the left-handed Rogers sweeping Harbhajan to good effect, but it was the off-spinner who finally made the breakthrough, having Nkala caught in the slips off a top-edged sweep for 59. Ervine fell immediately, adjudged lbw to Bahutule; Brent (1) was caught at the wicket and unable to repeat his rescue act of the first innings, and the match had swung sharply again. The Academy were now 129 for six.Rogers was still there and Campbell Macmillan stood firm for a while until, seemingly unsettled by some aggressive Indian appealing and shows of dissent, he swung wildly at Harbhajan to be bowled. The off-spinner quickly wrapped up the tail to finish with six for 37; Srinath, who did not bowl again, took three for nine.

Indian middle order batsman VVS Laxman, who injured his left indexfinger during India’s emphatic win over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday,did not suffer any fracture and will be under medical supervision fora few days.According to team manager Chetan Chauhan “Laxman’s finger is notbroken but it has been crushed a bit by the impact of the ball hittinghis finger and he would be under medical supervision for the next 2-3days.”Laxman was injured when he caught Zimbabwe opener Dion Ebrahim offAjit Agarkar in the slips in India’s opening triangular one-day seriesmatch.The team manaement is hoping Laxman would be fit for the second gameagainst Zimbabwe, due to be played in Bulawayo on June 27.

Glamorgan beat Cardiff UCCE by 140 runs on the final afternoon of their three-day friendly at Sophia Gardens.The students were set 308 to win in four and a half hours but weredismissed for 167 with 19 overs left.However, Glamorgan had to work for their wickets and it was left toSimon Jones to break the back of the innings.Despite bowling off a shortened run up after jarring his left ankle inthe first innings Jones still generated enough pace to hurry theyoungsters.And it was Jones who helped reduce UCCE from 72-3 to 151-7 – still 106short of the winning line.After a long spell from the Cathedral End trialist Ali Bukhari wasrewarded with two wickets bowling Chris Yates and Ed Brown in the spaceof two overs.Jones deservedly wrapped up the innings to finish with figures of 5-35.Only Gareth Hopkins offered any real resistance at the top of theinnings until he was well caught by wicket-keeper Mark Wallace off DavidHarrison.Harrison followed up his 4-62 in the students first innings with anunbeaten 61 to help guide Glamorgan to what looked like aninsurmountable lead.Glamorgan had resumed their second innings this morning on 87-4, a leadof 224, with Alun Evans and Harrison looking for quick runs.The only setback was when Evans, who had scored 137 in the firstinnings, was well caught at square leg off the bowling of Nick Creed toleave the county 101-5.

Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan on Tuesday reacted sharply to anews magazine article that some Indian cricketers had used steroidsand cortisones to enhance their performance.”I can state categorically these players do not take drugs of anyperformance-enhancing type,” said Chauhan. “They may take boosts likeenergiser and other things but these were taken even in my time,” saidChauhan who represented India in 40 Tests from 1969 to 1981.”The team has been upset by the allegations which we deny completely,”he told a television network.Chauhan, who intends to issue a detailed statement on Wednesday, saidthe allegations were made by “somebody in some publication” and don’treflect a widespread charge against the members of the Indian team.The cover story of the latest issue of ‘Outlook’ alleged that someplayers, including Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar haveresorted to drug-taking in the past.The Indian team deliberated on the issue on Tuesday morning beforeentrusting to Chauhan the job of clearing the position.”We came to know about it last night,” said Chauhan. “Cricketers whohave done so well and enjoy a clean reputation, men like Dravid, werevery upset,” Chauhan said.Dravid himself refused to be drawn into the controversy, saying he hadcome to know bits and pieces of the article and added it was best forthe manager to clear the air.Reacting to the allegation, Agarkar expressed surprise and added “Meon drugs, no way!”Earlier, former Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad had denied the story andsaid he would take legal action against the magazine.”The interview I gave to the magazine was twisted and I have beenquoted out of context to justify the story,” Gaekwad said from Barodaon the phone.Meanwhile, ‘Outlook’ issued a statement from New Delhi expressingdismay over Gaekwad’s reaction that the magazine had falselyinterpreted his interview. “We stand by the interview,” the statementsaid.

Former captain Wasim Akram was omitted from Pakistan’s 26-man cricket training squad ahead of the Asian Test Championship, said Pakistan chairman of selectors Wasim Bari.Leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, a member of this year’s tour party to England, also was left out. Bari said selectors want to field younger players in the opening match of the championship against India starting Aug. 30 in Multan, Pakistan.”The first match is at home and we wanted to start a rebuilding process,” Bari said in an interview. “It’s no indication that Akram’s career is over – this squad is for a training camp not the Tests, but we are looking to the future.”Akram, 35, has played 102 Tests and is Test cricket’s fourth highest wicket-taker with 414 wickets. A left-arm fast bowler, he is currently playing for Lashings Cricket Club in England. Akram said he will fly to Pakistan tonight to ask about his future.”It’s disappointing but I will keep going as I just want to do my best for my country,” he said. “I badly want to pass Kapil Dev’s (wicket’s total of) 434 so I still want to carry on playing.”Mushtaq’s place in the squad goes to Danish Kaneria, who made his Test debut against England in November, Raja said.There was no recall for former captain Moin Khan, while fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, also playing for Lashings, was included for the camp running from Aug. 6-29.

Led by a breezy knock by skipper Vikram Rathour, India Pistons pulledoff a sensational two wicket victory over Hyderabad CricketAssociation (HCA) XI in the Coromandel Cement Cup quarterfinal at theGangothri Glades ground in Mysore on Tuesday. Having conceded asizable first innings lead of 89, the Chennai side managed a dramaticturnaround, bundling out HCA XI for just 128 in 35.5 overs. Chasing218 for victory, India Pistons scraped home with just two deliveriesto spare.HCA XI began day three with the score on 30/3. Despite the loss ofwickets, the side from Hyderabad looked well placed, thanks to theirfirst innings lead. The 21-year-old Punjab mediumpacer Vineet Sharmahad different ideas. Taking 5/41 off 15 overs, Sharma reduced the HCAXI innings to shambles. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals withAnirudh Singh (26) being the top scorer.Chasing a challenging 217 off 40 overs, India Pistons began well withRathour and Anand George putting up the 50 partnership for the firstwicket off just 51 balls. Despite the fall of George’s wicket with thescore on 68, Rathour continued on his merry way. Hemant Kumar (21) andS Mahesh (30) batted well around their skipper. Rathour’s 89 (85balls, 7 fours) set up the platform for the victory which eventuallycame amidst much excitement. Narendra Pal Singh and Mohammed Ghousepicked three wickets each but were not able to deny India Pistonsvictory.At the Central college ground in Bangalore, BPL Sports Club concededthe match after Chemplast took the first innings lead.Replying to BPL’s 278, Chemplast resumed at 163 for three. Overnightnot out batsmen Jacob Martin and Ajay Kudua were concerned in a 112-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 30 overs before the latterwas out for 68. Kudua faced 90 balls and hit ten of them to the ropes.Martin was fifth out at 210 for a well compiled 87 for which he battedthree hours. He faced 154 balls and had nine boundary hits. GaneshKumar (4) did not last long and at 217 for six, the game had reached adecisive stage. However J Hariesh (30) and R Ramkumar (47) steeredChemplast to the all important lead with an unbroken seventh wicketpartnership of 67 runs off 12.2 overs. Ramkumar who had taken sevenwickets followed this up by hitting six fours and a six in his brightknock which came up off only 33 balls. Chemplast were 284 for six off80 overs when BPL conceded the game. The day’s play started only at12.30 due to wet conditions following overnight rain.With rain washing out play on the last day at the RSI ground inBangalore, Roofit XI entered the semifinals, getting the better ofKSCA Colts on the first innings lead. At stumps on the second day,Roofit had made 307 for three in 77 overs in reply to KSCA Colts’ 206.Play was called off at 12.45 due to wet conditions caused by overnightrain.Rain also ruled out any play on the final day of the quarterfinalbetween KSCA XI and Oil & Natural Gas Corporation at the MaharajaJayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore. However, KSCAby virtue of their first innings lead, moved into the last four stage.Play was called off at 12.30 due to wet conditions caused by overnightrain. KSCA had scored 211 and then dismissed ONGC for 136 in the firstinnings. In their second innings at stumps on the second day, KSCAwere 33 for one.In the three day semifinals which commence on Thursday, India Pistonswill meet Roofit XI while KSCA XI play Chemplast.