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Lancaster Park-Woolston’s first grade team is largely unchanged this year, but the playing management is a different matter.The club welcomes back long-serving club member Garry MacDonald as club coach, returning after a successful four-year stint coaching the Canterbury team.Captain this season is opening batsman Neville Perkins who played age group representative cricket for Canterbury.Opening the batting will be Kelvin Scott and Perkins. While joining top order batsman of recent seasons Robert Tibbetts is Mark Stewart, the well-performed second grade Dragons No 3 batsman for the past three years.Another batsman back for this season is John Woodham. After spending the off-season in Cornwall, Cleighten Cornelius will fulfil the all-rounder role.Former Christ’s College 1st XI player Bernard Ballin will fill an all-rounder spot.Garry Hooper, a 20-year veteran of local club cricket, comes in to carry out the spin bowler duties replacing John Stuart, who is unavailable due to work commitments.After waiting in the wings for the past three years, during which time he was the top wicket taker for the second grade Dragons, is Peter Robinson. Robinson is likely to open the bowling with Wade Cornelius, who will not be available for club cricket until released by New Zealand Cricket Academy early next month.Mark Lane returns as wicket-keeper and will boost the batting. He started the season with 70 last Saturday.Club captain this season is Bruce Cameron who has lead the second grade Dragons for three successive one-day titles. Cameron is once again captain of the Dragons, a team with few changes. The biggest difference this season is the loss of both opening bowlers – Robinson to first grade, Mark Silcock unavailable due to injury.Opening the bowling will be the promising Josh Maloney who bagged four for 16 off 14.5 overs last Saturday.Sharing the new ball will be Scott Garven with all rounder Shane McConnell the most likely first change bowler. The spin attack will be spearheaded by Cameron.The first grade women’s team, led this year by Jo Strachan, started the season with a decisive win, led by 102 not out from international Paula Flannery. Also back in team ranks is Haidee Tiffen after spending the off season with Surrey.This season’s women’s club captain is Kate Rathbun.The club has an overseas player, 17-year-old Sam Tucker, a wicket-keeper from the Church Cricket Club in Lancashire. Tucker, a first team player since 14 has played Under-14s, Under-15s and Under-16s for Lancashire and Under-15s for North of England.Peter Crowhen was re-elected president at the August annual meeting with David Sparks and David Wilson as vice presidents.

A wiser Brett Lee will begin his summer of reckoning tomorrow with an instruction to blast out New Zealand’s shaky top order in the First Test at the Gabba.Lee will celebrate his 25th birthday tomorrow as part of the potent pace attack with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, but without the momentum which propelledhim into last year’s home summer.The right-armer struck his first rough patch in Test cricket when he took just nine wickets in the recent Ashes series at a poor average of 55.11, blowing out his remarkable rookie statistics.But he is still expected to beat hometown favourite Andrew Bichel for the final bowling spot, with captain Steve Waugh predicting Lee can rediscover the touchwhich earned him 18 wickets at 17.50 in his last series in New Zealand.”He’ll be nervous coming into the Test but he is a great talent and if he gets it right he will trouble New Zealand in the same way he did 18 months ago,” Waugh said.”It is a good challenge for him and something every player needs.”He took 42 wickets in his first seven Tests at an average of 15 and probably thought Test cricket was an easy game.”In some ways it is good to have a bit of leveller and to assess your game and go back to basics. It will be good for him and he will come back better for it.”Lee’s golden run was always going to end at some time and now he has the chance to prove he can bounce back by lighting some fireworks under a batting orderyet to prove itself in Australia.Black Caps openers Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell struggled in their last two lead-in matches and the pair will be given a thorough workout by a pace attackwhich rarely gives batsmen a break.Kiwi No.3 Mathew Sinclair is also unproven against McGrath, Gillespie and Lee despite crashing two double centuries in less than two years of Test cricket.The Kiwis must also think about Shane Warne’s outstanding Gabba record after Waugh predicted the slow bowlers could cause problems on a wicket which playedlike an airport runway for a tour match last weekend.”It is not as grassy as it normally is up here and it should suit the spinners at some stage, probably earlier than normal,” Waugh said.”Whoever wins the toss will have an interesting choice … I am hoping to lose it.”The coin toss is the only area in which bookmakers expect New Zealand to mount a serious challenge against Australia, rolling the Black Caps out to odds of 15-1to win the series.But Waugh again painted the Kiwis as intense competitors, especially armed with the bowling of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and paceman Dion Nash.That pair is almost certain to play after recovering from injuries, giving New Zealand an attack which is capable of bowling out Australia twice.”They will be fired up tomorrow morning. They will come steaming is and give it to us,” Waugh said.”We have to make sure we are sharp and well focused and ready to go. Last time New Zealand caught us a bit on the hop on the first morning of the Test match.”Australia: Steve Waugh (capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, JasonGillespie, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Bichel (12th man to be named).New Zealand (likely team): Stephen Fleming (capt), Mark Richardson, Matthew Bell, Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore,Daniel Vettori, Dion Nash, Shayne O’Connor.

ADELAIDE – All the bravado of a fast bowler is there but Allan Donald can’t keep down the nagging doubts about his readiness to take on Australia in the first cricket Test on Friday.Donald, 35 and out of Test cricket for more than six months, scoffed at conjecture his big toe injury would keep him out of the opening round ofthe world championship show down at Adelaide Oval.His problem, he admitted, is that his bowling hasn’t been fine-tuned. In his words: “It’s not all there.”Donald lost valuable preparation time because of a toe injury sustained during a four-day game against Western Australia.He said the injury, caused by a new pair of boots, should heal in time.”All the hype about the toe and the boot and all that is a load of rubbish to be honest,” Donald said, before confessing his old boots were winging their way to Adelaide as he spoke.”They should be here by Thursday.”What might not be here by Thursday is his sharpness with a cricket ball and his confidence.”I’m nearly there but the confidence to go into a Test at the Adelaide Oval against the Aussies is a different thing.”But I’ve always backed myself. I’ve backed my ability in the past and I can do that again.”Obviously the consideration for me is that I haven’t played enough cricket to justify playing in the first Test but I’m confident enough to back myself to do a job for South Africa.”Donald said a lack of bowling at the highest level made it hard to “hit the right areas” on the pitch.”I think I’m still bowling sharpish – the ball’s coming out sweetly.”But against the Aussies you’re going to have bowl quality all the time – it’s just that odd ball when you give away four that breaks a good spell or a good over.”That’s the thing I’ve got to work on right now.”Asked if two days before the Test was enough to hone his bowling skills Donald replied: “I reckon I could do that – if they want to me play.”I’d love to play – I’ll bowl a bit in the next couple of days and seehow it goes.Donald, who joked he’d considered retirement “about 46 times” in the past six months, was grateful he still had the desire to play after a run of illness and injury.”I’m very happy my hunger hasn’t deserted me,” he said.”I think that I’m more focused and up to the challenge than I have been for a number of seasons.”It’s fair to say that I’ve had a bit of a shocker for the past two years – I’ve had illnesses and a lot of bad luck – little things that kept me out of the game.”

With South Africa having conceded the psychological and public relations advantage to Australia during the current Test series already won by the home team, the United Cricket Board of South Africa has taken the unprecedented step of issuing a vote of confidence in team manager Goolam Rajah.In a statement released in Johannesburg on New Year’s Eve, UCB chief executive Gerald Majola says that: "Rajah was a long-serving manager and that the UCBSA wasconfident in him and in the manner in which he had conducted himself on thetour to Australia".The statement goes on to say that: "it was not fair for the media to compare the SouthAfrican team on tour away from home in Australia with the Australian team ontheir home soil".The statement makes particular reference to an article published in the Johannesburg Sunday Times at the weekend in which senior cricket writer Colin Bryden criticised the performance of Rajah on tour. Bryden, who is also the editor of the Mutual and Federal SA Cricket Annual, South African cricket’s official mouthpiece, said that Rajah "whose name might as well be Dr No for his contribution to public relations on tour, flatly refused all requests for photographs or coverage of the team’s Christmas luncheon. He wouldn’t even allow an SABC news crew, flown to Australia at some expense, inside the room."Bryden also said that: "The players started the tour suspicious of the media and this has grown into something approaching paranoia, which embraces anyone not actually in the team. Board members and selectors, too, are seemingly barely tolerated. Instead of offering wise counsel, or cracking the whip, the manager panders to the introspective urgings of the cricketers".Rajah has been in charge of the South African team since 1998 when he took the side to England. Previously he had been assistant manager with a UCB board member being appointed manager of the team on a tour-by-tour basis.Rajah’s tenure has not been an easy one. The match-fixing scandal broke shortly after he had taken the team to India in early 2000 while earlier this year six members of the touring party were disciplined after admitting to smoking marijuana during South Africa’s Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.That the UCB should have seen fit to publicly endorse the manager, even as the South African tour of Australia crumbles about the side, is unusual to say the least. Cynics will no doubt point to the votes of confidence given to English football managers shortly before their dismissals.Whether this will be the case in Rajah’s case remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the post mortems after the tour, following Australia’s comprehensive capture of the Test series, will focus on the roles played by Rajah, team captain Shaun Pollock, coaches Graham Ford and Corrie van Zyl and Rushdi Magiet’s selection panel.

Khoda guides Rajasthan to shores of respectabilityA Gagan Khoda hundred saw Rajasthan end the opening day of their five-day Ranji Trophy KnockOut against Bengal at a respectable 242 for five.Playing at the KL Saini Ground, Jaipur, Rajasthan decided to bat after captain PK Krishnakumar won the toss. Khoda and the other opener, Vineet Saxena, had only put on 33 before Saxena was out lbw. The next two batsmen also departed early before Khoda found an able ally in his captain. The two put on a patient 143 runs for the fourth wicket before Krishnakumar was dismissed for a well-made 64 off 166 balls.Khoda went on to raise his hundred in the company of Kuldeep Singh. He was looking good for many more when he run-out for 114 off 261 balls. The Rajasthan opener’s hundred meant the home team had put themselves in line for a respectable total against the Rohan Gavaskar-led visiting team.For Bengal, new-ball bowler Laxmi Rattan Shukla claimed two wickets. Kuldeep Singh, batting on 23, and wicket-keeper Rohit Jhalani, yet to open his account, were set to resume battle for Rajasthan on Thursday.Debutant Malhotra scythes through Assam line-upHosts Punjab established early domination over Punjab at the end of the first day their match against Assam at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium at Mohali. First, they dismissed the visitors for a meagre 170 after inserting the latter in; this they followed up by racking up an impressive 130 for three in reply before stumps were drawn.The star of the day, most obviously, was 17-year-old Ishan Malhotra, a right-arm fast bowler born in Jammu and Kashmir. He scythed through the Assam batting-order in an impressive bowling display that saw him return 7 for 59 in the 17 overs that he bowled. His new-ball partner H Puri, another debutant, also bowled commedably, chipping in with two wickets. Assam’s plight would have been pathetic but for a 44 from wicket-keeper Syed Zuffri and a 33 from J Gokulakrishnan.The Punjab reply got off to a great start with openers Ravneet Ricky and Manish Sharma putting on 64 runs before Sharma was out after a rapid-fire 50 off 64 balls. India discard Yuvraj, who followed, did not last for long. The home team captain Pankaj Dharmani also had to return after a brief stint when Gokulakrishanan trapped him in front of the wicket. Punjab, though, continue to remain in the driver’s seat; Ricky is looking good on 46 and there is a fair bit of batting to follow with the Assam score on the horizon.Pagnis ton boosts RailwaysA century from opener Amit Pagnis saw Railways run up a healthy 291 for five at the end of the first day of their match against Delhi at the Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday.Raliways lost opener JP Yadav early after their skipper had opted to bat in the morning. But Pagnis and TP Singh then got together, putting on 143 runs for the second wicket. The departure of Singh, who made an aggressive 84, proved a temporary setback. Yere Goud though proved an able replacement. Pagnis duly completed his hundred making 132 off 213 balls with 21 fours and a six before falling to part-timer Mithun Manhas. Goud followed soon after being dismissed after a patient 34. When stumps were drawn, skipperAbhay Sharma and Murali Kartik were holding fort.Bowlers dominate opening day of Tamil Nadu-Mumbai tieThe opening day of the Tamil Nadu-Mumbai encounter was not a happy one for the batsmen – as many as 14 of them fell with just 198 runs being scored.In the morning, Tamil Nadu’s joy at winning the toss quickly evaporated as batsmen after batsmen began the long trek back to the pavilion. Paras Mhambrey claimed two wickets while left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar claimed four as the home team were skittled out for a paltry 182. Sridharan Sharath, who made 31, and skipper, who made 26 before being run-out, were the only two batsmen to offer any resistance.Tamil Nadu’s opening bowler Laxmipathy Balaji though brought his team back into the contest with three wickets for five runs in his 4.5 overs. Mumbai, then, were 16 of three at the end of the day.Gujarat bat themselves into a strong positionGujarat batted themselves into a strong position at the end of the opening day of their match against Andhra at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad.After winning the toss, H Joshipura and ND Modi got the home team off to the best possible start. The duo piled on 224 runs for the first wicket before Modi was dismissed just eight short of what would have been a deserved century. Joshipura, who followed almost immediately, though had the satisfaction of notching 113 well-made and patient runs against his name. When stumps were drawn, NK Patel and skipper Mukund Parmar were batting on 11 and 7 respectively.Hyderabad in commanding position against HimachalHyderabad had a satisfying opening day against Himachal Pradesh at the Gymkhana Ground, Secunderabad. The hosts dismissed the visitors for 192 runs before reaching an impressive 69 for no loss in reply.In the morning, Himachal opted to bat. Opener Nischal Gaur, who made 99, played a lone hand as the home team bowlers led by Narendra Pal Singh ran through the remaining batsmen like knife through butter. Singh, who claimed five for 27, and Venkatapathy Raju, who claimed two wickets, were the pick of the home team bowlers.The Hyderabad openers, Daniel Manohar and A Nand Kishore, then, consolidated the home team’s position, batting soundly on their way to 28 and 39 respectively from 61 balls each.

Grant Donaldson, Matthew Walker and Paul Hitchcock combined to lift Wellington from the brink of defeat to a four-wicket win over Otago in a State Shield match at the Basin Reserve today which burst into life in the last 10 overs.Wellington seemed to have only a slim chance of surpassing Otago’s total of 268 – built around Andrew Hore’s maiden limited overs century – when they found themselves needing 91 runs from the last 10 overs with six wickets in hand.They had been well behind Otago’s scoring rate for most of their innings and they seemed unlikely to be able to accelerate to the degree they had to as the overs remaining to them dwindled.But Donaldson and Walker – team-mates for New Zealand’s champion club side Stokes Valley – and, in the very last gasp, the versatile Hitchcock plundered the Otago bowling through those dying overs and got home with eight balls to spare.Donaldson made 74 from 70 balls in 84 minutes, Walker 39 in 37 minutes from 25 balls and Hitchcock 16 runs, scoring from each of the six balls he faced, as they made what had seemed an insurmountable task appear mundane.Wellington had been in trouble, faced with such an imposing total, when they lost Chris Nevin for a scratchy 15 in the sixth over, Matthew Bell for 19 to a wasteful run out in the 14th over and Richard Jones, spectacularly bowled by Craig Cumming, in the 21st over. The loss of Nevin and Jones, who made 27 from 45 balls, hit Wellington particularly hard because they seemed the players best equipped to cope with a target of the magnitude Wellington faced.But David Sales, the English professional, began an innings repair job when, more patiently than speedily, he made 46 in the middle of the order. He batted more than an hour and a half for those runs, faced 70 balls and hit only two fours but he kept the run rate moving when things had begun to flag.His partnership of 78 in 55 minutes with Donaldson for the fifth wicket began the turnaround, though when he was out and Wellington were 183/5, they were in the 41st over and still needed 86 runs to win.Donaldson carried on, growing in confidence as his and the Wellington innings progressed. He followed Sales’ lead early on and accumulated runs in singles and twos with accurate pushes mainly into the leg side field.But as he found the pace of the wicket and began to branch out, with Walker as his partner, he embellished his score and Wellington’s with seven boundaries.Donaldson has not been a conspicuous contributor to Wellington’s one-day cause this season but coach Vaughn Johnson and his fellow selectors have retained confidence in the tall right-hander. Johnson said it was only a matter of time before Donaldson found form and he predicted he would be an important member of Wellington teams for a long time to come.His presence at the crease today straddled the vital part of Wellington’s innings and his ability to steadily increase the run rate carried them closer to what had seemed a vital win. He was also involved in the vital overs, with Walker, that truly turned the match.He took three fours among 13 runs from the 44th over bowled by Nathan McCullum, leaving Wellington needing 61 from six overs. Then Walker took successive sixes from the first two balls of the 45th over, bowled by Chris Gaffaney, added a four from the third ball and a single and Wellington needed 41 from the last five overs.Both of the sixes travelled over midwicket, the second out of the ground and into rush hour traffic.Ten runs came from the 46th over, bowled by Kerry Walmsley, and 13 from the 47th bowled by James McMillan, leaving Wellington 20 to win off 18 balls.Donaldson fell in that over, ending his vital association with Walker, but Hitchcock came to the crease, promoted in the order, and added the last 21 runs with Walker from only 10 balls in eight minutes.The pair took 14 runs from the 48th over – Walmsley’s last – including a six to Hitchcock. They needed seven off the last two overs and took those runs from the first four balls of the 49th, bringing the match to a close at 7.17pm.Walker was left 39 not out and Hitchcock 16 not out and Wellington, having won eight of their nine round-robin matches and with one remaining in Auckland on Friday, were guaranteed at least a home semi-final. A win over Auckland will propel them straight into the final and will leave Canterbury and Northern Districts to fight out the other finals place.Hore provided the strength of Otago’s innings with his 102 from 103 balls. He put on 154 with Robbie Lawson for the first wicket – a record for Otago in limited overs matches against Wellington.Lawson made 52 – his 13th one-day half century – and was out in the 28th over. A small collapse ensued and four wickets tumbled for 18 runs, including Hore’s in the 34th over. Otago were then 172/4.Captain Lee Germon revived the innings with 41 from 42 balls, an innings which included four fours but which was much more notable for the urgency of his running between wickets. Wellington might have learned something from observation because their runnings was comparatively poor.Otago were 107/0 after 20 overs, 141/0 after 25 and 162/3 after 30 and might have managed an even larger score. But that mini collapse after Lawson’s dismissal and the loss of five wickets in the last three overs curtailed their score.Hitchcock took four wickets in his last two overs to finish with four for 52.Johnson was relieved to see Wellington lift themselves to another win after despairing of them doing so with 40 overs bowled.”The pro (Sales) batted well and he set the platform,” Johnson said. “Then Donaldson and Walker did their jobs and it was an excellent effort chasing 270.”I was sweating big time around 40 overs but I knew we still had the likes of Walker – we tried to hold him back – and that’s what got us there. Sales, Donaldson and Walker got us up.”

Ahead of today’s one day international against New Zealand in Christchurch Marcus Trescothick telephoned back to the County Ground in Taunton.The England opener said, “I’m really pleased to be in New Zealand, it’s one of my favourite places after England. The weather has been really great, and I’m enjoying the local foods,” which after his upset stomach in India will be a relief no doubt.He sounded in cheerful mood ahead of today’s game and was pretty relaxed and said that he was having a good time.”I’m looking forward to the one day series and the Test matches and to getting runs on the New Zealand wickets.”No doubt Marcus will be disappointed with his own performance and today’s result, but will hopefully make up for it in the next match which will be played in Wellington on Saturday.Marcus is a regular reader of the Somerset site so he can rest assured that everyone back home is rooting for him to do well out in New Zealand.

Auckland go to the top of the State Shield table with a four-wicket victory over Northern Districts that seemed against the odds when ND were 133 for two, when rain threatened to end the game and when more than seven an over were needed with eight overs to go.Victory was achieved thanks to a bludgeoned 30 from 16 balls from Aaron Barnes. It was the second time in as many games that the Auckland beneficiary has settled a close game in the final stages. He did so with 57 not out against Wellington at North Harbour Stadium last Wednesday.Barnes arrived at the crease with 50 needed from seven overs. He began by drilling a ball straight back at Ian Butler, who took rapid avoiding action. Twenty came from Joseph Yovich’s next over, including two sixes. Another followed off Scott Styris. Barnes was caught on the boundary by Styris off Butler having taken Auckland to the brink of victory.Despite the loss of two more wickets, Auckland’s win was inevitable.Put in by Brooke Walker, the story of the ND innings was a familiar one of middle-order collapse, though with the mitigating circumstances of four rain interruptions.After the early loss of Michael Parlane, bowled for one by a ball from Heath Davis that kept low, the top order built a solid foundation. James and Hamish Marshall put on 42 for the second wicket, then Hamish Marshall partnered Styris in an 84-run stand for the third wicket.Styris was bowled by Tama Canning from the last ball before the fourth, and longest, rain break. At 133 for three from 33 overs, ND were well-placed, but the loss of Matthew Hart first ball and Hamish Marshall for 52 meant that three wickets had been lost for four runs.Robbie Hart and Yovich patiently rebuilt the innings with a stand of 53 for the sixth wicket before wickets fell quickly at the end of the innings to leave ND with a final total of 202 for nine after 47 overs.Canning and Kyle Mills were the pick of the Auckland attack with three for 22 and three for 21 respectively. Both made good use of a pitch that offered movement with the bonus of sharp lift from the Members’ End. From the City End, the odd ball kept dangerously low.Auckland began their reply with the preservation of wickets the first priority, so as to minimise the target in the event of an early finish. Llorne Howell was fortunate to survive Butler’s first ball. Beaten by raw pace, he offered a chance that would have been swallowed by Parlane at square leg had an initial misjudgment not drawn the fielder in.Matt Horne retired hurt with an arm injury before he had scored, but this would not affect the calculations.With Tim McIntosh, Howell guided Auckland to 56 before he was caught at first slip by Matthew Hart off Styris at the second attempt.A heavy shower almost finished the game, but with both teams anxious to grab winning points play resumed with Auckland chasing a target of 155.At first Auckland found it difficult to rediscover their momentum. The required rate climbed to more than seven an over, though Lou Vincent was as busy as ever.Then Barnes arrived like a gunslinger from the Old West to give Auckland a third successive State Shield victory.Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell identified the preservation of early wickets as an important factor.”The key was that we were only one down when we got the revised target. With wickets in hand and a couple of boys that hit pretty well we always stood a chance,” he said.He felt that his team did well to get back into the game after a good start by ND.”We didn’t bowl as well as we could have early on. Heath Davis was injured with a hamstring twinge, so had to bowl his overs straight through. Canning did very well to pull them back in the middle of the innings,” he said.Auckland’s winning run is well-timed. “Once you have won a couple of close ones you get into good habits and get used to winning.”O’Donnell put a positive gloss on the absence of Andre Adams from their line-up.”We get him back for the next game, but we don’t have the New Zealand players for the semi-final or final anyway, so we have to adjust to that,” he told CricInfo.Northern Districts travel to Napier to face Central Districts in the last round. A win could still send them through to the knock-out phase, but they will be dependent on other results.Neither are Auckland home and hosed. They face a difficult trip to Jade Stadium to face Canterbury on Sunday, a challenge Mark O’Donnell relishes.”It’s fantastic,” he said. “It is a great opportunity to see how we will go against all their New Zealand players.”

There have been many great days, many great Test matches for the Barmy Army,but none compared with the fifth Test in Sydney, where 8,000 proud Britscheered Nasser Hussains men on to a famous win.England played magnificently and deserved the victory, but there is no doubtthe team fed off the volume and unstilting support of the Barmy Army, justas we fed off them.And after the deafening final day in Melbourne, the Barmy Army had backedthe team into a position where, for the first time in the series, Englandhad all the momentum.Barmy Army chief Paul Leafy Burnham said after the Sydney win that he hadnever before seen or heard the England fans in such good voice.The crowd definitely riled them up in Melbourne and the momentum had pickedup. We played all the cricket in Sydney, he said.The whole Hill area was standing up. Watching from the back, it was as goodas Ive ever seen.Everyone had a smile on their face and even the police changed theirattitude.It just gets bigger and bigger and better and better. Melbourne was asunbelievable noise again.There were record crowds here and the number of Barmy Army is also gettingbigger and the noise we generate is the best Ive ever seen.Dean Headley, Allan Mullaly, Darren Gough, all heroes of Englands 1998victory at the MCG, praised the support of the Barmy Army for lifting theside just as Australia began to get on top.Deano ran in to claim six wickets, Gough finished it off and the both theteam and the fans celebrated wildly.After Sydney it was the same. Even Steve Waugh, who had just saved his Testcareer with an historic, and brilliant, century praised the Barmy Army forthe support.What he would give for a bit more than Aussie Aussie Aussie.!I think its important to compare the noise with the performance of theEngland team, said Leafy.The Australia tour was marred occasionally by the dispersment of the Englandfans, which made it difficult to make an impact from day one of the Test,and importantly, day one of the series.But it just added further weight to Leafys calls that the Barmy Amry need areserved area.It always seems to be the first day, said Leafy.The first day of the series was so important. Look at the first day of theseries when Nasser decided to bowl. Its a shame that there was no realnoise in Brisbane that day.We are probably the only group of supporters in the world who would stillcheer on the team despite everybody thinking that it was the wrong decision.Even the players looked as if they thought it was the wrong decision. Butit still wasnt fair to him because he didnt have the crowd behind him.It just didnt seem he was getting backed. Youve got to give someone everychance if they come up with a decision like that and I dont think it was.Its very difficult to get everyone together on the first day.But Leafy and his trusted sidekick Katy worked tirelessly through the tourto bring everyone together as the Barmy Army grew and grew.The New Years Day party brought 2000 revellers to Coogee, a chance to bringeveryone together, to sing the songs and to raise over Aus $20,000 forcharity.Thats why we had the party in Sydney with Dermot Reeve. It was a crazy dayto have a party but we thought everyone could get together and sing thesongs which happened.But it wasnt really until day four here that it all got together in theground.we had a problem with the rent-a-crowd who came along.We need our own area where we can get everyone together. In Sydney Theydidnt help. They pinched the songs, printed some questionable literatureand invaded our little area again.They were definitely put there to compete with the Barmy Army.The experience in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney just reinforced what Ivealways believed we do need our own area. The whole idea is to get everyonetogether, make as much noise as you can so the players hear it.

Krishnamachari Srikkanth, India

“I know that there are a few people who will not agree with me on India’s chances in the coming World Cup. After losing so badly in New Zealand, most people have begun to say that there is every possibility that India will not even progress to the second stage. My opinion on this matter is one of optimism. I am confident that India will go through to the Super Six stage, and then most probably to the semi-finals as well.”Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka

“Sri Lanka are down but not out. Despite their confidence being at a low ebb after disappointing tours to South Africa and Australia, I believe that they have a very good chance of qualifying for the Super Six in the World Cup. After that, anything is possible.”

Javed Miandad, Pakistan

“Pakistan can switch from being the best team in the world to the worst in the blink of an eye. [But] the World Cup, in my view, is a high-prestige arena that could potentially show off the tournament’s best – if Shoaib Akhtar plays and remains fit – bowling attack. Pakistan may be seen to be a foundering team, but one just cannot write them off. The 1992 World Cup is just one example of the team, dubbed no-hopers, clicking in one game and sweeping through to take the Cup.”
Colin Croft, West Indies

“The West Indies will be a good unit in the not-too-distant future, but the World Cup has come just too early in the development of many of these [young] players. Consequently, they will have to work exceptionally hard if they are to progress from the pools to the Super Six. But miracles do still happen, even in these days of high technology and clones.”Ken Rutherford, New Zealand

“The Kiwis have always prided themselves on a thorough team ethic and an ability to pull together when times are tough. Fleming has great belief in his side, and with his own captaincy almost faultless, New Zealand will be exceptionally well-prepared. [But they] will need to turn to their star talent if they are to reach the latter stages of the 2003 edition.”Alistair Campbell, Zimbabwe

“As has come to be almost World Cup tradition, Zimbabwe will enter the tournament in 2003 as one of the least fancied contenders. The prognosis, then, makes for only the slimmest of chances for progress into the Super Six. But as in the past, there will be at least a couple of matches in which the big guns will be obliged to sweat profusely for a win – and perhaps a nasty shock or two awaits them as well.”
Ian Botham, England

“The temptation to write off an England side that has been outplayed by an Australian team is often irresistible. But to say that England is nowhere near the top of the cricket heap would be a tad unfair. They will really have to play well against India and Pakistan if they want to make it to the next stage.”

Bobby Simpson, Australia

“On paper, I expect Australia to at least reach the final, but the white ball and probable seaming wickets may pose a problem and expose some batting frailty, particularly with Mr Reliable Steve Waugh missing. An all-fit Australian team has the most potent bowling attack in the world, and that is why they hold the World Cup and are the best Test team. Undoubtedly they will seek to bowl the opposition out rather than just try to contain them.”Fanie de Villiers, South Africa

“I feel that as South Africa have, at home, a far better record than the other sides, there is no reason to not go all the way. To my mind, they are better than sides in the league phases, and looking beyond the first round, I can only see Australia as the one side who can measure up.”