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The Rose Bowl will host the final of the ECB 2nd XI Trophy on Monday 8th September (reserve day 9th September) where Hampshire 2nd XI will play Warwickshire 2nd XI starting at 11:00 am.The match is a 50 overs a side contest, played under similar rules to the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.Admission is free and the club hope that as many spectators as possible will be there to support the future of the club.Hampshire qualified by winning all their eight qualifying group matches then defeating Sussex in the semi-final at The Rose Bowl.Warwickshire reached the semi-final after winning 5 out of 6 matches, with two rain abandoned. They then defeated Derbyshire in the knock-out stage.

Somerset have appointed Mike Ashwin from Midsomer Norton as their new pitch adviser.Mike, who has been working in groundsmanship for over ten years is currently the groundsman at Lansdown C.C. in Bath and Midsomer Norton Cricket Club, and recently completed a week long seminar at Cranfield University to receive the necessary training to enable him to undertake his new post.As a result of Mike Ashwin’s appointment, Somerset are now in the process of promoting their new pitch advisers scheme, and can arrange for him to visit schools and clubs in the county to offer advice and support.The Somerset Cricket Board are putting together a tariff of charges for the new pitch advisers services, which for a nominal fee will involve Mike in visiting the club or school and providing a pitch report, including an assessment of the square, ground cover and pests etc.The new pitch adviser will also take three core samples that will be visually assessed to identify the soil type and based on these findings will then make recommendations.Andrew Moulding the Somerset Cricket Development Officer told me: "This is a new service that will be greatly appreciated by all schools and clubs in the county, and will go a long way towards helping us to offer top quality playing surfaces for all cricket pitches in Somerset."He concluded: "This is an exciting development for everyone, and in the near future we hope that Mike will set up a Somerset Groundsman’s Association."Anyone wishing to make use of the new pitch advisers services should contact Andrew Moulding at the Centre of Excellence at the County Ground, telephone number 01823 352266.Meanwhile the Somerset County Cricket Club Appeal Year got underway with the Opening Lunch that was held in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion on Friday.One hundred and seventy four guests attended the occasion, during which a silver salver was presented to Richard Parsons in recognition of his fourteen year as chairman and a bouquet of flowers was presented to Sandra Parsons.After lunch, former Somerset player and first class umpire Roy Palmer entertained those present with his cricketing impersonations, including a superb `John Arlott’, and `Jethro’ stories which were very well received.Robert Appleyard who organised the event told me afterwards: "This was an excellent start to the Somerset Appeal Year, and I was delighted to see so many of the old committee presrnt."The next event on the fund raising calendar is `Roast with Robbo’ that takes place next Sunday, April 13th in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion. After Sunday Lunch guests will be entertained by Peter Robinson who will share some of his cricketing experiences, before ending with a question and answer session.Tickets for `Roast with Robbo’ are priced at £15 each and can be obtained from the main office at the County Ground, telephone number 01823 272946.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Mar.2, WICB: The West Indies World Cup 2007 official delegation currently in South Africa will report on their visit to the Cricket World Cup 2003 at a news conference on March 6 with chief executive officer of the CWC 2003, Dr. Ali Bacher.Head of the WWC delegation, Chris Dehring, has described the visit so far as very useful to the 17 West Indies government and cricket officials, who are about to complete their first week of meetings with a wide variety of entities involved in the organisation of the CWC 2003.Among those giving the WWC delegation the benefit of their experience so far were the Gauteng Cricket Board, Western Province Cricket Association, Nigel Rushman of Rushmans, the company responsible for accreditation and media management; Andrew Wildblood, a legal consultant; Peter Lennox of the Cape Town Tourism Association, and several officials of the CWC 2003.

Cadnam wasted a great opportunity to go to the top of the New Forest Indoor League as they collapsed against title rivals Lymington. Having skittled their opponents for a measly 82 (Matt Molloy 32), Cadnam had progressed to 65 for 3, and with plenty of overs remaining looked set for victory.However, Richard Bull’s run out set the alarm bells ringing, and in the following over ex-Lymington wicketkeeper Mike Caffyn was caught and bowled by Trevor Phillips for 27. The final wicket fell just two balls later as Lymington sealed an unlikely 13 run victory.Paultons’ wretched season continued as they were beaten by 4 wickets by Esso. Scot Weaver’s unbeaten 25 was the feature of Paultons’ 97 for 4. Andy Collins then took 2 wickets, but it was to no avail as Andy Parratt (25) guided Esso home in the final over.There was a bizarre conclusion to the Division Two match between Ringwood and Pylewell Park. Chasing Ringwood’s 125 for 4, Pylewell were on the verge of victory when a collision between batsman Peter Sturmey and a fielder led to Ringwood conceding the match.Cadnam Seconds look set for promotion to Division One and underlined this with a 34 run victory over Lymington Seconds. Cadnam – the only unbeaten side in all three divisions – totalled 134 for 5. Paul Jewar (55no) was once again the star of the innings and he received good support from Nick Dunning (30) and Alan Dunning (20).Tony Thorp (25no) and Tommy Carter (23) batted well for Lymington, but tight bowling, particularly from Alan Dunning (2-22), restricted them to 99 for 3.The race for the Division Three title is hotting up with just two points separating the top three teams. Bashley Seconds moved into third place thanks to the 6 wicket defeat of Milford-on-Sea Seconds.The Seasiders had struggled to 79 all out with Dave Morris and Stuart Waite both taking two wickets. Waite then led the reply with an unbeaten 26 as Bashley cruised home in the eighth over.The final match of the day saw Pennington register only their second win of the season. Opponents Esso Fourths were dismissed for just 83 (Kevin Mitchell 32) with James Clarke taking 2 for 20. Shaun Hilton gave the Oilmen hope with 3 for 15, but Jerry Rickman proved impossible to dislodge as Pennington reached their target with one over and two wickets to spare.

Often a contest between two equally matched minnows proves as fascinating and surprising as one between the top two teams in the world, and the Bangladesh-Canada Pool B encounter at Kingsmead on Tuesday proved that truism only too well.On the face of it, Bangladesh, with a few years of international experience and a recent World Cup under their belt, would have certainly been considered favourites. Canada, after all, had last been in international cricket in the 1979 World Cup, and with Bangladesh having played in South Africa only recently, the sensible money would certainly have been on them.The opening spells of the Bangladesh medium-pacers looked to bear out that prediction. Mashrafe Mortaza and Manjural Islam bowled tight line and length, affording the Canadian openers little chance to free their arms and go for their shots. Mortaza bowled John Davison neck and crop, and Tapash Baisya dismissed the compact Ismail Maraj caught at midwicket.Desmond Chumney stroked the ball fluently around for singles and hit a few sweetly timed boundaries in his knock of 28 (25 balls, three fours, one six) before he fell, run out after calling for a non-existent single behind square leg.Wickets continued to tumble for Canada. Captain Joseph Harris essayed a sweep to Sanwar Hossain and only succeeded in gloving the ball to Khaled Mashud behind the stumps, while Nicholas de Groot tried to work the same bowler to leg and got a leading edge to Alok Kapali at mid-off.Ian Billcliff, amidst the ruins, stood composed to the tune of 42 runs and 63 balls, hitting six fours in his impressive stay at the crease. He witnessed the dismissal of Fazil Sattaur, leg-before to Alok Kapali, before being run out himself. The end of the innings followed inevitably, but Bangladesh’s spinners, although efficiently restricting the run-rate, could not skittle out the tailenders before they took Canada to 180 all out in 49.1 overs – a defendable total, but moderate all the same.But the runs still had to be made, and Canada showed their willingness to make a fight of it right from ball one, when multiple fielders converged on the ball in the field, backing up sometimes as far as three deep behind the stumps. The bowling, however, was erratic to start with, and the errant line was punished as both openers flicked off the pads and drove through the covers with panache.Davis Joseph was the first bowler to break through, having Al Sahariar caught at mid-on, dragging the ball from outside off. Habibul Bashar departed soon after, trying to force a Sanjay Thuraisingam delivery through the off with minimal footwork and getting an edge through to keeper Ashish Bagai.Bagai had a much easier catch of it when Hannan Sarkar (25, 35 balls, four fours) played a similar shot off Austin Codrington, and at 46 for three, Bangladesh were in some trouble. Ehsanul Haque and Sanwar Hossain then added 30 runs for the fourth wicket before further damage was done. Joseph, in his seventh over of the innings, got one to seam away just a touch off the pitch, and Ehsanul (13, 17 balls) feathered an edge through to Bagai, who took yet another fine tumbling catch.Sanwar followed after another 30 runs were added to the team’s total, playing across the line to a John Davison delivery and trapped in front for 25 (24 balls). An over later, Codrington trapped Alok Kapali (18, 23 balls) in front of the stumps. Khaled Mashud, Tapash Baisya and Mashrafe Mortaza all dismissed themselves, playing loose or indecisive strokes to perfectly playable deliveries.Mohammad Rafique, a sturdy bat in his own right, slammed a couple of boundaries in desperation, but when he pulled Codrington awkwardly to the midwicket fielder inside the circle, he presented the bowler with his fifth wicket. The first five-wicket bag of the 2003 World Cup was just reward for the dreadlocked medium-pacer who on the day kept impeccable control over his line and length, forcing the batsmen to play at almost every ball and taking, in one evening, more than half as many wickets as he had in limited-overs contests till yesterday.Codrington’s performance also sealed the first major upset win of the 2003 World Cup as Canada triumphed by 60 runs over Bangladesh, ironic considering that Bangladesh was at the delivering end of an upset in the 1999 World Cup with their win over Pakistan. Canada, for their part, got a taste of the thrills inherent in World Cup cricket – pulling a team together to defy the odds and on a floodlit night taste victory for the first time.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today played down reports of arift between themselves and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)over the fixture list for the Indian tour of England in 2002.Despite the fact that the itinerary has been agreed in writing by the Indianboard, there are now suggestions that they want to play only three Tests andnot the scheduled four. This is in response to the fact that NasserHussain’s team is only playing three Tests on the current tour and have fiveone-day internationals on the agreed itinerary after Christmas.The BCCI have asked England to play two more one-dayers, but the ECB have refused to add to the existing schedule. The Indian threat of a reduced number of Tests next summer came in response to the ECB position with regard to theproposal for an extended fixture list on their ODI tour. The ECB insist that the Indians had given a written commitment to play four Tests, adding the itinerary was “non-negotiable” at this late stage.”We have made all arrangements for the tour and even started selling ticketsfor the four Tests,” ECB spokesman David Clarke said in Mumbai.”The ECB is adamant India will play all four Tests, the itinerary isnon-negotiable.”The ECB said the then secretary of the BCCI, Jayawant Lele, had confirmed ina letter dated April 5 that India will play four Tests and a limited-overstriangular series also featuring Sri Lanka.The current situation arose when there were significant changes in thehierarchy of Indian cricket. Lele was not re-elected secretary, and a newpresident, Jagmohan Dalmiya, has re-emerged as the leading player innegotiations.Dalmiya, a former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), hadmade the request for England to play two extra one-dayers when he met ECBofficials during the ICC meetings in Kuala Lumpur in October.Dalmiya argued that India will play seven matches in the one-day series inEngland next year if they reached the final, and he wanted the ECB toreciprocate the same on their tour of India, BCCI sources said.”England said their players were busy and needed a rest. Well, our playerstoo need a rest,” new BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said.ECB’s Clarke rebuffed Shah, saying, “Since 1998, it has been clear therewould be an imbalance in the numbers of games on these two tours. It’s toolate to change the schedule.”The ICC has proposed fines of up to US$2 million if fixtures in the Testcalendar are not honoured, but the proposal has yet to be ratified.

International and Auckland all-rounder Dion Nash has been suspended from all cricket from December 22-January 3 following a code of conduct hearing during the Otago-Auckland State Championship match which ended in Dunedin today.New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden announced tonight that Otago code of conduct commissioner John Henderson imposed the penalty after a hearing last night in which Nash was cited by umpires Dave Quested and Steve Dunne for unacceptable behaviour to an umpire and unacceptable language toward a player.The umpire concerned was Quested.Nash will miss a State Championship match and the first two State Shield one-day, games that are to play a big role in the selection of the New Zealand one-day team to return to Australia for the VB Series.Snedden said he would not comment on the finding as there was a right to seek leave to appeal the suspension which is required to be done within 48 hours.Snedden said NZC also had the right to appeal but he added he would not be appealing the decision.If an appeal was received it would be doubt with as quickly as possible and would depend on the availability of national code of conduct commissioner Nick Davidson, especially so close to Christmas.If necessary the appeal could be dealt with by way of telephone conference.Snedden said he met with coaches and players before the start of the season and told them NZC was wanting to see an improvement in all levels of behaviour in cricket in New Zealand.He thought that wish had been reflected in the fantastic conduct of the CLEAR Black Caps under pressure during the third Test against Australia in Perth.”I also made it clear I would be encouraging association commissioners and the national commissioner to apply appropriate penalties.”And I said that when it happened they would have the backing of NZC,” he said.

Somerset failed to complete their hat trick of victories over international opposition when they were beaten by Zimbabwe at the County Ground on Tuesday.Chasing a total of 285 Somerset went into their final two overs needing eighteen runs to win, which had reduced to eleven by the last over, but try as they may the task was just beyond the young eighth wicket pair of Wes Durston and Gareth Andrew and they went down by just 3 runs.Earlier the visitors total had been based upon a fifth wicket partnership of 134 in 20 overs between Stuart Carlisle who made a fine 119 and Stuart Matsikenyeri who hit a breezy 66. Steffan Jones was the pick of the home bowlers with 2 for 40 from his ten overs whilst Simon Francis ended with 2 for 56.The key partnership in Somerset’s reply came from Peter Bowler and Keith Dutch who added 134 in 22 overs for the third wicket before Bowler was stumped for 93.His partner Dutch had the misfortune to be run out yet again, as he was on Sunday, whilst he was backing up at the bowler’s end when a fierce drive from Ian Blackwell was touched onto the stumps by bowler Heath Streak. The former Middlesex man had made 93, the highest one day score of his career and looked all set for a well deserved century.Skipper Mike Burns followed shortly afterwards to a sharp catch at backward square leg, and from 218 for 2 the hosts slipped to 270 for 5. Matt Wood and Blackwell were both run out which left the two Somerset youngsters facing a tough task that proved to be just beyond them.At the end of the game coach Kevin Shine said: "Once again we had an excellent pitch that produced a high scoring game, and once again we have got ourselves into a winning position, but failed because of two freak dismissals- Keith Dutch’s run out and Mike Burn’s catch at backward square.""We paced our reply well today, and Peter Bowler and Keith Dutch both played very well for us. Today we have played an international side and but for two freak dismissals we would have won," he concluded.

West Indies finally had cause for some celebration in Sri Lanka with theirfirst win of the tour at Premadasa International Stadium on Tuesday nightwhen they defeated Sri Lanka by 49 runs.It was a victory greeted with more relief than elation and whilst the champagne corks were not whizzing around the dressing, the win has certainly boosted their flagging morale.Their hard-earned victory was founded upon a solid top order battingperformance that saw them post a competitive 251 target and an especiallyspirited effort in the field, led by man of the match Corey Collymore whopicked up five wickets and career best figures.The slightly built fast bowler, called onto the tour for the one-daymatches, ripped through the Sri Lankan middle and lower order, as the homeside lost their last six wickets for 17 runs and were eventually bowled outfor 201.Sri Lanka had been cruising towards the West Indies total after theircavalier openers, Sanath Jayasuriya and Avishka Gunawardene, had smashed 82runs off the first 15 overs.But West Indies players, so uninspiring in the field against Zimbabwe onSunday when they looked like they had thrown in the white towel, firstfought themselves back into the game thanks to the efforts of their slowbowlers.Carl Hooper came into the attack in the eighth over and gradually pulledback the initiative in a crucial five over spell that yielded just sevenruns.Left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell then replaced his captain and dismissedGunwardene fourth ball. The broad-shouldered left-hander shuffled down thewicket and was stumped for 38 (92 for one).Jayasuriya was still going strong though at the other end, reaching his 46thone-day fifty off 60 balls and then hoisting McGarrel for four boundariesand one six over wide mid-on.But Jayasuriya, playing in his 248th one-day game, made a crucial mistakewhen he tried to scramble a quick single and left Atapattu yards short ofhis crease (119 for two).Thirteen minutes later West Indian’s now burgeoning self-belief wasbolstered further when Mahela Jawardene slashed wildly at a delivery fromPedro Collins to be caught behind for two and Jayasuriya top-edged a sweepto be caught at short fine leg for 83 (138 for four).Kumar Sangakkara and Russel Arnold, needing a further 113 runs in 22.4overs, steadied the innings with a 46 run stand in 52 balls and were oncourse for victory when Sangakkara smeared unnecessarily across the line andwas caught behind to give Colleymore the first of his five wickets (184 forfive).Sri Lanka then crumbled as Colleymore, bowling with an energetic re-modeledopen-chested action, tore into the lower order.Suresh Perera was brilliantly caught behind by Jacobs for four as he aimedan extravagant cover drive and Kumar Dharmasena prodded diffidently to bedismissed in a similar manner two balls later.In the next over Russel Arnold was adjudged lbw, harshly, as he tried tosweep a delivery from Chris Gayle. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa werequickly mopped up by Colleymore to give him his first five-wicket haul andJacobs a world record equaling six victims behind the stumps.Earlier in the day West Indies had won the toss and batted on a surface thattraditional favours the side batting first – the highest score successfullychased in 46 one-day matches here is just 243.Nevertheless, the Sri Lanka bowlers helped the West Indian cause evenfurther by starting poorly, even Vaas who uncharacteristically bowled twowides in his opening spell.Gayle made a quickfire 21, his first runs in five innings, but it was BrianLara with a serene 44-ball half century and Daren Ganga with a fluent 58 who laid the foundations for a large score.The pair added 74 in 72 balls for the second wicket before Ganga, who hadbeen dropped earlier in the slips and given not out after walking for acatch behind, was run out.Ramnaresh Sarwan, though, gave Lara solid support and at one stage WestIndies, on 151 for two with 23 overs remaining and then 209 for three withten overs to spare, looked set for a score in excess of 270.But Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers pulled the West Indies back in the final tenovers, taking six wickets and conceding just 41 runs. In the event, itproved immaterial.

Michael Vaughan signalled his readiness for a return to the Test arena with a fine 82 on the first day of CricInfo Championship leaders Yorkshire’s clash with Leicestershire at Grace Road.Despite that they could only muster a disappointing 230 all out after winning the toss, but then struck back by claiming three Leicestershire wickets in five overs to swing the game back in their favour.Fast bowler Steve Kirby, who took 12 wickets in the match between the two sides at Headingley a few weeks ago, was again in inspired form against the club who released him after he had spent a couple of years on the Grace Road staff without playing a first team game.He had Trevor Ward caught at slip of an absolute beauty and then clean bowled Iain Sutcliffe with the last ball of the day. In between Paul Hutchison knocked back Ben Smith’s off stump to leave the home side in disarray at 23 for three.But it was the form of Vaughan which will have most pleased Yorkshire – and England. After a six-week absence following knee surgery, Vaughan produced an innings of real quality which should ensure his place in the England side for the final Test at The Oval against Australia.He batted for three hours and hit 12 fours before falling to a leg side catch by wicket-keeper Neil Burns off Phil DeFreitas.Vaughan and Matthew Wood shared a second wicket stand of 96 to set up Yorkshire for a big total. But Leicestershire’s bowlers pegged away on one of the hottest days of the summer and took wickets at regular intervals.Skipper Vince Wells had an impressive return of three for 37 off 18 overs, DeFreitas took two for six in a nine-over spell in mid-afternoon and Darren Maddy collected three wickets as well. And with no recognised spinner in the side because of injuries, fast bowler James Ormond proved his versatility with a lengthy spell of off-spin.