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	Jhulan Goswami takes over as captain from Mithali Raj © International Cricket Council

The new selection committee has sprung two surprises, naming Jhulan Goswami, the fast bowler, as India’s captain for the women’s tour of Australia and recalling the former captain Anjum Chopra to the 15-member squad. Goswami takes over from Mithali Raj, who led the team since the 2005 World Cup. The tour, starting October 28, features five ODIs and one Twenty20 international.”I am really excited and honoured by the Board’s decision to make me the captain of India,” Goswami told the .”I am ready for the job and looking forward to playing in Australia.”Goswami also welcomed the return of Chopra, who is India’s second highest run scorer in ODIs but last played for India in the Quadrangular Series in February 2007 in Chennai. The forthcoming tour will be India’s last series ahead of next year’s World Cup, also in Australia. “Anjum carries a great amount of experience which will help the side immensely. It is an important tour for us because the World Cup will follow soon after.”The other players making a comeback are batsman Anagha Deshpande, allrounders Reema Malhotra and Thirush Kamini and offspinner Nooshin Al Khadeer. Kamini was sent to Cricket Australia’s Centre for Excellence in August just before the tour of England.Raj said India’s 4-0 loss on their recent tour of England could have prompted the selectors to replace her. “England was miserable and that’s the reason I think the selectors chose to name another captain,” she said. “Jhulan is good. Her captaincy might give the team a much-needed boost, with the World Cup round the corner.”Squad:
Jhulan Goswami (capt), Rumeli Dhar, Jaya Sharma, Sulakshana Naik (wk), Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, Thirush Kamini, Amita Sharma, Priyanka Roy, Snehal Pradhan, Gouher Sultana, Anagha Deshpande, Reema Malhotra, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Seema Pujare

County champions Surrey hold an almighty lead going in to day four in their Division One clash with Leicestershire at The Oval. The visitors lost their last five wickets for 58 runs with Tim Murtagh picking up three. Darren Maddy remained unbeaten on 127. Surrey then got off to an explosive start. By stumps they were 335 for four off 63 overs. Adam Hollioake had stuck 18 fours and three sixes in his 152-ball 146 and Ali Brown 89. Both remained undefeated with Surrey 468 in front.Warwickshire require another 297 runs for victory against Sussex at Hove. Sussex were finally dismissed for 341 in their second innings after Mark Davis and Keith Innes both batted sensibly with the former scoring 66. With seven wickets in hand Warwickshire will have it all to do on the final day if they are to wrap up victory.Yorkshire’s woes continued as they suffered yet another defeat. The already relegated penniless club were thrashed by Kent by eight wickets. Following on in the second innings the home side failed to make any significant start and lost wickets at regular intervals. Richard Blakey top scored with 94. Robert Key guided his side home with an unbeaten 33 and wicket-keeper Paul Nixon was there too at the end as the visitors rounded off a good season with a win.The Division Two title is in the balance at Chelmsford. Essex require another 210 runs while Nottinghamshire need to take eight wickets. The increasingly impressive Will Jefferson found the boundary 15 times and remains at the crease on 71 while Australian Mark Waugh ran diligently between the wickets. The visitors were bowled out for 280 with Bilal Shafayat hitting a well-deserved 70 to resist the Essex attack while the last three wickets put on a vital 131.Derbyshire were indebted to their middle order, which grew from strength to strength as the day progressed in their match against Worcestershire at New Road. Resuming on 98 for two, there were half-centuries from Steve Selwood, Jason Kerr and Nathan Dumelow. David Leatherdale took four for 50 as the home side bowled Derbyshire out for 391. Chasing 373 for victory Kevin Dean shook the visitors with an early wicket but Steven Peters kept his cool to remain undefeated on 23. At the close of play the home side were 30 for one.Darren Thomas claimed the last Northamptonshire wicket at Cardiff before Glamorgan began show again what a good pitch it is. Glamorgan lead by 388 after ending the day on 470 for five. Matthew Maynard was in awesome form as he scored 151 at more than a run a ball. In an innings which spammed just over three and a half hours, he hit 19 fours and two sixes and shared a 252 run stand for the second wicket with Darren Hemp, who also scored a hundred. Maynard was stumped by Torbin Bailey off Rob White, whilst Hemp was bowled by the same bowler for 108. Michael Powell (82 not out), Adrian Dale (50) and Robert Croft (47 not out) also found the batsman-friendly pitch easy going.Gloucestershire beat Durham by ten wickets at Bristol. Ian Fisher took four of the nine Durham wickets that fell on the third day for the addition of 198 runs. Michael Gough was the top scorer with 78, but the target of 170 posed no problems for Gloucestershire. Craig Spearman led them home with 114 not out.

The Tasmanian Selectors have today announced the Cascade Tasmanian Tigers team to play the New South Wales Blues in the Pura Cup match from Friday, 22nd November to Monday, 25th November 2002 at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.CASCADE TASMANIAN TIGERS

Jamie COX (Captain)
Sean CLINGELEFFER
Michael DIGHTON
Michael Di VENUTO
Xavier DOHERTY
Adam GRIFFITH
Shane JURGENSEN
Scott KREMERSKOTHEN
Daniel MARSH
Scott MASON
Shane WATSON
Damien WRIGHT

The 12th man will be announced on the morning of the match.As Ricky Ponting is playing a Test Match in Adelaide he is replaced by Scott Mason. David Saker has been omitted and replaced by Adam Griffith who has played in One Day Matches earlier in the season.

Somerset safely saw themselves past the follow on total of 459 at the County Ground earlier today before being all out just 54 runs behind the Surrey total.Resuming on 304 for 3, the overnight batsmen Mike Burns and Keith Parsons took the score on to 378, before they were parted. Parsons was out for 47, whilst Burns was out LBW to Ricky Clarke just one run short of what would have been a thoroughly deserved century.Mr Reliable, Rob Turner was at the wicket when the follow on total of 459 was passed, and brought up the 500 in the 121st over. Rob was still there unbeaten on 56 when Somerset were all out for 554, just before tea time.By close of play Surrey had reached 96 without loss from 33 overs to put them exactly 150 ahead of their hosts. With just one day remaining the game looks set to end as a draw from which the Cidermen would gain a valuable 11 points.At the end of the day Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: " It has been a very good fighting day for us. I was very impressed with the way that we batted earlier, Mike Burns hit a fabulous 99, and had good support from Keith Parsons, and then Rob’s unbeaten 56 at the end. Everybody batted well, and it was a great effort to get within fifty of their total. Then we kept it tight at the end to restrict their lead over us."The coach continued: "Scoreboard pressure can be difficult to handle, but the boys have set about it in a professional and clinical way today, and I have been very impressed with them all."I asked the coach what he thought would happen tomorrow. He told me: "Realistically I’ll be surprised if they set us a target to chase tomorrow,after all we only batted for five minutes less than they did and got to within 54 runs of their total. The most likely outcome is a draw from which we would get eleven points.”

After demolishing Bangladesh with a brilliant spell of fast bowling and capturing four wickets, Shane Bond told the media that he was not too happy with his rhythm.”I look up at guys like Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock as world class, and that is where I’d like to get to. I’ll have to work hard to reach that level around the World Cup time.”Bond reckoned that it swung a lot today unlike the game against Australia, with the humid conditions in Colombo.”It is a bit of a shame that we didn’t have such conditions against Australia.”The winning captain Stephen Fleming said that today’s win against Bangladesh was only convincing statistically, and he was not too happy with the tentative batting.Fleming pinpointed the problem with New Zealand one-day cricket as the lack of ability to convert the starts to big scores.”Starting with me, we are reluctant to kick on and get the big score. We have been flirting with partnerships and getting partnerships of 60s and 70s. We are creating a lot of pressure for guys down the order,” said Fleming.Fleming was quick to add that the successful teams in the tournament have had someone getting a hundred up the order and making big scores to help chase or set big targets.Talking about their performance in the ICC Champions Trophy, Fleming said, “We are disappointed with the Australian game, and were not really there in that game. We have finished on a much better note; the bowling and catching were very good today.”Fleming said that the team had put in a lot of hard work in the last eight days, keeping in mind the tour to Sri Lanka coming up next year.”We have been working out a few things, playing spinners, and different types of practice and getting used to the conditions. So when we come back here, we will be more prepared.”The New Zealand skipper is a disappointed man that they could not defend the trophy they won in Kenya. He made no excuses though.”Each individual tournament has its own character. It was a tough game against Australia first up. You always want to compete whether it is a series or a World Cup. We wanted to play well here, and we didn’t do it this time.”New Zealand had some success against the all-conquering Aussies last summer, and Fleming explained the recipe for success against the Australians.”You’ve got to absorb pressure. If you don’t absorb pressure, you are not going to be there in the ball game.”They have the ability to apply pressure in batting and bowling. You’ve got to be on song from ball one. If you go behind in any game, it is very hard to catch up with them. The key to success against them is to be in the game and competing.”It was indeed quite disappointing to see the Bangladesh batsman taking a few steps back against the likes of Mills and Oram. Bangladesh fly out to South Africa tomorrow and are to play two Tests and three ODIs. Fleming reckons that the Bangladeshis have some work to do to stay in the game with the South Africans.”They don’t get much exposure to quicker and bouncier pitches. They have to look at it as a real learning experience. If they get spooked up, they are not going to learn anything.””They have to show a lot more steel and face up to the South Africans, not an easy task, but you got to learn that way at the highest level,” Fleming added.It was a disappointed Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud who addressed the media. After the Kiwis had dealt the knockout punch, there was nothing much for the skipper to say.”We have a tough tour of South Africa coming up. It is going to be seaming tracks and the boys would have learnt something from here.”Talking about his sore right shoulder, Mashud said, “I had an injection three weeks back and had one right after the game.”

Looking back at the first Test at Lord’s, England captain Nasser Hussain was realistic enough to know that the rearguard action his team had carried off with such effect to save the match did not hide the inadequacies of the first three days. He also knows there will need to be an improvement at Edgbaston, especially with the prospect of Sri Lanka’s Murali Muralitharan being fit to take his place in the tourists’ line up.”There was talk of pride and the only ones who could put the wrongs right were the 11 that had been picked,” said Hussain. “We needed to do it for two days, not just one day or one session, and we showed a bit of character and fight to get a big score.”To be 275 all out on a flat one against Sri Lanka without Murali was not good enough. For three days we were poor, at stages we looked like never getting a wicket, then we got the edge and dropped it.”Hussain did not subscribe to the theory that his bowlers lacked match fitness because of the way contracted players are rested from county cricket.”These bowlers have been all around the world bowling their hearts out, and they played in the last county games and each bowled 30 overs or so. They had bowled more overs than the Sri Lankans who out-bowled them here.”Our bowlers lacked discipline and on this wicket against these batsmen you have to put the ball in the right areas all the time,” he said. “A similar attack showed a lot of discipline for six ballsan over in India, they have done it before and I know they can do it, they just have to do it more often.”Asked whether he would have preferred to have had a spinner in the side with hindsight, Hussain said: “If I picked a side again right now I still wouldn’t have picked Ashley Giles; not a ball turned.”One of the centurions of the second innings, Mark Butcher, clearly appreciated the need to produce the goods after the debacle of the first innings. “After the first innings we realised wedidn’t have to take any risks, or do anything too flashy. You could let the bowlers come to you on this wicket and that is what I tried to do. Now we can carry this confidence into the next Test.”Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya appeared undismayed by the fact that one of his left-arm pace bowlers, Ruchira Perera, had been reported for having a suspect action.”Anyone can comment on their own personal view, that’s not a problem. It doesn’t hurt at all,” he said. “The two umpires are out there and if the umpires report it to the match referee it would go through the proper procedures. We have no problems. He bowled well here and deserves to be in the team if he is fit.”

The following players have been named by the WA Selectors to represent the Western Warriors v the Southern Redbacks in a Pura Cup game at the WACA ground: Wednesday 13 March – Saturday 16 March 2002.

• Simon KATICH (Capt.)
• Jo ANGEL
• Ryan CAMPBELL
• Michael CLARK
• Murray GOODWIN
• Brad HOGG
• Michael HUSSEY
• Matthew NICHOLSON
• Marcus NORTH
• Brad OLDROYD
• Chris ROGERS
• Brad WILLIAMS

From the Western Warriors’ previous Pura Cup team that defeated the Victorian Bushrangers at the MCG, Murray Goodwin and Brad Oldroyd have been included and Kade Harvey and Scott Meuleman omitted.The umpires for the game are Ian Lock and Andrew Craig.Gates open at 9.30am each day for a 10.30am start.Session times:10.30am – 12.30pm1.10pm – 3.10pm3.30pm – 5.30pmTickets are available by contacting Ticketmaster7 – 1300 136 122 or visit the WACA Web site and click WACA ground ticketing info and sales.

Nathan Astle © PhotoSport

Judging individual batting efforts by New Zealand, and world, batsmen will be changed forever as the dust settles on the amazing and remarkable double century scored by Nathan Astle on Jade Stadium yesterday.His 222, which included the fastest double century by 59 balls, is the cricketing equivalent of Bob Beamon leaping out of the Olympic Games long jump pit in the rarefied atmosphere of Mexico City in 1968 – a record that made competition in the event almost irrelevant until passed in 1991.There will be a similar untouchability about the record Astle established on his home town track in Christchurch.The ground is not immune to world records, track star Peter Snell broke the world 800m and 880 yards world records there in the same race in 1962.It has been witness to numerous rugby triumphs by the home town Canterbury side, their more recent professional brother, the Crusaders and, of course, the All Blacks.But Astle’s effort will always stand up well beside anything else sports fans may compare it with.It was literally phenomenal.That he scored his double century only three minutes slower than Don Bradman achieved en route to a world record Test highest score of 334, puts it in a little better perspective. It was in that region of greatness.Among great New Zealand innings it clearly surpassed possibly its closest rival, the 173 scored by wicket-keeper Ian Smith in his one-man wrecking exhibition against the Indian attack at Eden Park in 1989/90.It left the great gentlemen of the game, the late Martin Donnelly and the late Bert Sutcliffe, double century makers in their own right, in its wake. Donnelly, until yesterday, was the holder of the highest score by a New Zealander against England with his 206 at Lord’s, while Sutcliffe scored 230 in India.Neither batsman, and both were renowned for their ability to take an attack apart, would have begrudged Astle his honour yesterday.Nor would another New Zealand double century maker Graham Dowling who set a New Zealand record when scoring his 239 against India in 1967/68.Richard Hadlee played a great innings of dismemberment when tearing into the England attack in 1983/84 to score 99.Chris Cairns, who shared the last-wicket stand of 118 runs with Astle, also played an innings of belligerent power at Eden Park against Zimbabwe when hitting nine sixes at Eden Park in 1995/96. His record for sixes in a Test innings by a New Zealander went west, or east, or north or south, as Astle hit 11 to end one short of the world record held by Pakistan’s Wasim Akram.There was also the first-class innings by Sutcliffe of 385 not out, the world record for a left-hander scored on the ground in a game for Otago against Canterbury in 1952/53, still the highest score by a batsman in New Zealand.In effect, for an equivalent innings, although it wasn’t played in a Test match, you probably have to go back to another legend of the game, for that is what Astle must be now, to Victor Trumper.Trumper scored what was to be the last century of his career on what was then Lancaster Park when hitting 293 not out for Arthur Sims’ Australian XI against Canterbury in 1913/14 while partnering Sims in a world record eighth wicket partnership of 433 runs.It may be that long before an innings of equivalent stature is seen again, although the way Astle plays sometimes who knows?

A further recurrence of Darren Gough’s knee injury has made him doubtful for the NatWest triangular one-day series against India and Sri Lanka.England’s premier fast bowler played in the City Challenge tournament at Edgbaston last Friday, and for Yorkshire’s Academy the following day. However he was unable to play in the Second XI Trophy game against Nottinghamshire yesterday.”It is the same knee problem as before and it looks as if it is back to square one for him,” Yorkshire captain Darren Lehmann told the Yorkshire Post.Gough tore a cartilage in his right knee during the final one-dayinternational in New Zealand, and has twice undergone surgery, missing England’s 2-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka.Gough’s regular new-ball partner for England in recent years, Andrew Caddick, has already been ruled out of the NatWest Series with a side strain.

The second day of the first Test between India and Australia began ina rush of glory for India’s spinners. As rushes go, this one lastedpretty long. Resuming on 49/1 off 16 overs Australia were soon in allmanner of strife at 99/5 off 30.2 overs. Not to worry, Steve Waughwill play a captain’s knock and save Australia, right? Not really. Hewas one of those five wickets. With the captain dismissed the onusfell fairly and squarely on the broad and young shoulders of AdamGilchrist.Responding to the call of the Baggy Green Cap, the Australian vicecaptain played an innings that people in India will remember for sometime to come. In the presence of Matthew Hayden (119), who appliedhimself with determination, Gilchrist (122) cut loose. Incidentally,Gilchrist’s 100 off 84 balls is the fastest century by any batsman ina Test against India, the previous best being 85 balls by Clive Lloydof West Indies at Bangalore in 1974-75. Propelled by the two southpawsAustralia chalked up 349, a lead of 173. In the 30 overs that Indiahad to see off, they lost both openers Shiv Sunder Das and SadagoppanRamesh while managing 58 runs.Earlier in the day it was Punjab offspinner Harbhajan Singh who hadthe Australians dancing to his tune. In the ninth over of the day, thePunjab offspinner struck a double blow that pegged the confidentAussies back. After having Langer (19, 53b, 2X4) edging to RahulDravid at first slip off the first ball of the over, Harbhajan sentback Mark Waugh with the very next ball. Giving the ball good loopHarbhajan got the ball to drift in to the right hander from outsidethe off and turn sharply off the wicket as well. Going back, MarkWaugh turned the ball around the corner only to see Ganguly at legslip snap up a sharp catch. So captain courageous arrived at thecrease on a hat-trick.This set the stage well for a classic Steve Waugh rescue act. Thatwell might have happened if Waugh had not closed the bat early on aRahul Sanghvi delivery that was well flighted, dipped and turned ashade off the wicket. As the ball struck the pad and went to RahulDravid at slip, umpire David Shepherd lifted his finger. Steve Waughwas less than happy with the decision but there wasn’t much anyonecould do about it.Enter Gilchrist. Cutting the ball with great power when there waswidth on the off side, the Australian stumper vexed the Indianbowlers. Anything on the stumps was half swept, half heaved over theon side to the fence. When the spinner gave the ball a bit of air inthe hope of coaxing a mistake, Gilchrist simply got under the ball andsent it sailing over the ropes for six, not once, not twice, but fourtimes. With Gilchrist on song at one end, Hayden too found his voice.Although nowhere near as aggressive, Hayden wasted no time when theopportunity to score runs presented itself.When he was finally caught behind off the bowling of Javagal Srinath,Hayden (119, 283 mins, 172 balls, 18 fours and 1 six) had already laidthe base for a more than respectable total. Gilchrist too fell shortlyafter. His efforts yielded 122 runs off just 112 balls and included 15hits to the fence apart from the four shots that cleared the ropeswith ease. The pair’s 197-run association surpassed the earlier recordfor the sixth wicket for Australia against India. Tom Veivers andBarry Jarman held the record till today, putting on 151 at Mumbai in1964.To add insult to injury Shane Warne smacked the ball around the parkfor a 37-ball 39 (2 fours, 3 sixes) before being caught brilliantly inthe deep by Tendulkar off the bowling off Sanghvi.In their second essay India made a shaky start and were still behindby 115 runs, losing reticent opener Das (7 off 50 balls) and his moreflamboyant partner Ramesh (44, 84 balls, 7 fours). Ramesh, who reachedthe milestone of 1,000 runs in his 13th Test, looked good for his 44but was eventually dismissed by Gillespie who had the southpaw caught atsecond slip trying to play away from the body. Nightwatchman NayanMongia defended well before being struck on the gloves by Gillespie.The India stumper went off the field soon after and Tendulkar came outto the middle and safely negotiated the last five balls of the day.