Triangular series in Australia

Rival skippers Stephen Fleming and Shaun Pollock will both have one eye on the future when New Zealand and South Africa meet in the VB final in Melbourne on Wednesday.

After eliminating hosts Australia, both are are aware of the springboard success in the best-of-three final will provide in important upcoming series.

New Zealand are set to play a series against England, while South Africa will seek revenge on home soil for a 3-0 defeat by Australia in the pre-Christmas Tests.

"We now have an opportunity to the win it, which is what we're desperate to do," Black Caps captain Fleming said.
Images of SA and NZ practice at the MCG

________________

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming vigorously defended his manipulation of the new bonus point system yesterday, saying his side had exposed a "massive flaw" in the concept.

Fleming also used yesterday's pre-final media conference to attack the New Zealand journalist who savaged him for his actions last Friday night in the loss to South Africa at the WACA.

The Kiwis conceded a bonus point to the Proteas in that match, making it extremely tough for Australia to reach this week's finals of the triangular one-day tournament.

________________

Shane Warne has been advised to change his failing containment tactics as pressure yesterday mounted to replace him in Australia's ailing one-day team with the more aggressive Stuart MacGill.

Warne, while still a major force in the Test arena, had a horror run through the VB Series - taking only six wickets from eight matches - as New Zealand and South Africa both easily blunted his normally piercing attack.

Compared to New Zealand's Daniel Vettori and South Africa's Nicky Boje, Warne was the worst performed bowler of the series, ending the series with the miserable average of 54.

Miscellaneous

Australia are confident that batsman Ricky Ponting will be fit for the start of their forthcoming tour to South Africa despite a stress fracture in his left foot.

Ponting experienced discomfort during the triangular VB Series against New Zealand and South Africa and decided to have a scan.

"The soreness in my foot had been niggling away for some time and I was waiting for it to go away.

________________

England captain Nasser Hussain is expecting a highly competitive series against New Zealand following recent successes by both sides.

Hussain's team begin their tour with the first of two warm-up games against Northern Districts on Friday, but are still on a high after coming from 3-1 down to share the one-day series in India.

New Zealand, meanwhile, are contesting the VB Series final against South Africa in Australia after the home side were eliminated from the triangular competition.

"They're a side on the up, definitely," said Hussain.

________________

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has labelled England's cricket team "whiners" after their tour of India.

England drew the six-match one-day series 3-3, but lost the Test series 1-0. The tourists had complained about bad umpiring and the lack of good quality practice facilities during the one-day series.

Gavaskar, writing in The Hindustan Times, said: "Trust the champion whiners of the world to only moan about what affects them and not utter a word about what benefits them.
Full report >>

________________

New Zealand look set to tour Pakistan in April and May after cancelling the trip last year in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Stephen Fleming's side is due to play three Tests and three one-day internationals and the New Zealand Cricket board will give a final decision on the revised tour next week.

"I have talked to the players about it and they are not averse to touring Pakistan."

"They just want me to be satisfied about security issues," said NZC chief executive Martin Snedden.

Match-fixing

The inquiry into alleged match-fixing in Sharjah is likely to be shut down due to lack of new evidence.

A three-man panel, led by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, was established last year to investigate allegations that match-fixing had taken place during one-day international series at the Sharjah stadium.

However, the panel has failed substantiate the claims that came out of the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation's report, released two years ago.
Complete coverage on betting scandal >>

Women's cricket

Australia will seek revenge against New Zealand when the two best sides in women's cricket meet later this month for the first time since the 2000 World Cup final.

They will play three one-day games in Australia before crossing the Tasman for three in New Zealand.

Australia's squad includes uncapped medium-pace bowler Emma Twining and there is also a place for batsman Melanie Jones, who missed out on last year's Women's Ashes tour to England.

"We believe we have selected a strong line-up to take on New Zealand, a tough side who we have a lot of respect for," said chief selector Margaret Jennings.

Yesterday's News .........................  News Roll archive