England in India

England exploited a huge slice of luck to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar as they beat India by 16 runs in their second one-day international in Cuttack.

The hosts had looked on course to overhaul England's 250 for seven and go 2-0 up in the series, with Tendulkar and Dinesh Mongia building an attractive 79-run stand for the second wicket.

But Tendulkar was then run out for 45, backing up too far as a Mongia straight drive clipped the fingertips of bowler Ben Hollioake and hit the stumps at the non-strikers' end.

That sparked a middle-order collapse as India slumped from 99 for one to 147 for six before being dismissed for 234 with eight balls of their 50 overs remaining.
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Triangular in Australia

Six South Africa batsmen were dismissed without scoring as Australia easily won their triangular series one-day match by eight wickets.

The six ducks equaled Pakistan's world record set in 1987 against England at Edgbaston and equaled by the same country against West Indies in Cape Town in 1992-93.

Paceman Andrew Bichel took five for 19 in South Africa's 106 all out from 38.3 overs in the triangular series limited overs match on Tuesday.

Australia reached 107 for two from 18.4 overs with Mark Waugh returning to form with an unbeaten 55.
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Australian captain Steve Waugh revealed a less well-known side of his character after his team's massive victory by eight wickets over South Africa at the SCG.

Waugh was sitting alongside the table at which his opposite number was holding a press conference when Pollock was asked by a journalist about the condition of Steve Elworthy who had been felled by a vicious bouncer from Glenn McGrath while batting.

"He's gone to hospital and had the first scan (a CAT scan to determine internal head injuries) and it's come back clear . . ." said a relieved Pollock. Waugh smiled and turned to the ACB's media manager, Brian Murgatroyd, sitting alongside him, before whispering loudly: "I better they didn't find a brain either."

That fact that the Australian captain was talking at all just a couple of metres from where Pollock was being interviewed revealed a lack of respect hitherto unseen. The fact that he showed such insensitivity about a potentially life-threatening injury was remarkable.

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West Indies legend Viv Richards last night went into bat for his old adversary Steve Waugh, claiming the Australian captain was paying a high price for success.

Richards said he felt for the way Waugh was constantly scrutinised, and at times criticised, for Australia losing their opening one-day series matches against New Zealand and South Africa.

"Maybe you have been winning too much, you never know," Richards said. "When you have success you are going to get a bigger wave of criticism that comes with any loss.

"I just felt that it was always going to take a hiding or two to let Australia believe other people are out there performing as well. You have to be at your best, day in and day out."

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Shaun Pollock will do his best to discourage his players from practising or training over the next 48 hours as they follow through with a plan to 'escape' from the tour of Australia and attempt to refresh their minds and bodies.

The squad's management team had always planned to have some time off after Tuesday's match against Australia but the horror loss by eight wickets with over 30 overs to spare has made a break from cricket even more important.

Steve Elworthy woke on Wednesday morning with a nasty headache and feeling "hung over" after being hit on the side of the head by a Glenn McGrath bouncer during the match but he is one player bound to make the most of the 'holiday'.

Under-19

Namibia and Nepal sparked huge shocks at the ICC under-19 World Cup by beating highly fancied Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Tuesday.

Namibia bowled out the second-ranked Sri Lankans for 141 in 40.5 overs before winning by four wickets and five-and-a-half overs to spare, with Burton van Rooi grabbing four wickets for 27 and Michael Greeff three for 25.

Nepal, meanwhile, who ran England close in their first game, made 151 and then bowled out Pakistan, seeded third, for 121.

Their matchwinners were batsman Bandan Chalise with 42 and bowlers Sanjam Regmi and Shakti Gauchan with three for 27 and three for 19 respectively.

The upsets mean Sri Lanka, beaten finalists in the 2000 tournament, and Pakistan will have to win their final group games to qualify for the Super League stages of the 16-nation competition.

West Indies-Pakistan

West Indies have recalled former vice-captain Sherwin Campbell for the historic Test and one-day series against Pakistan, which will be played on neutral ground in Sharjah.

The Barbadian has been out in the cold since the 2000-01 tour to Australia, but the selectors have put their faith in his experience with Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan unavailable due to injuries.

Campbell has scored more than 5,000 runs in 51 Tests and 90 one-day games, but may have to fill a new role if West Indies opt to stick with regular openers Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga.

Batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and 6ft 7ins fast bowler Cameron Cuffy are also back and Merv Dillon has been forgiven for a disciplinary breach in Sri Lanka, which resulted in him being sent home.

Pakistan in Bangladesh

Rashid Latif has helped Pakistan bury a World Cup nightmare as they cruised to a 49-run win over Bangladesh to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match limited-overs series.

Latif smashed a career-best 78 as Pakistan recovered from a horrific 5-88 in the morning session before being all out for 202 off the penultimate ball of the innings.

Pakistan then bowled well to restrict Bangladesh for 7-153 from their 50 overs in a keenly-fought encounter at the Aziz stadium.

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Hours after being asked to reinforce the national team in Bangladesh, former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper Moin Khan has been told he is no longer required.

"The team management had sent us a message earlier in the day asking for a wicketkeeper to cover for (Rashid) Latif. But later in the day they said Latif was okay," said chief selector Wasim Bari.

"Latif apparently strained his hamstring during the match today but is recovering well and will play in the remaining two one-dayers on Thursday and Friday."

Bari said Moin had been informed of the change in plans by a Pakistan Cricket Board official. Moin has been ignored by the PCB since he was sacked as captain and wicketkeeper after a disappointing tour of New Zealand in February-March 2001.

Miscellaneous

India have threatened to boycott the International Cricket Council referees' commission amid a row about an investigation into penalties imposed on their players by referee Mike Denness.

The ICC last week rejected the Indian board's demand for a reconstitution of the committee to investigate penalties Denness imposed for misconduct on six players, including Sachin Tendulkar, in South Africa in November.

The Indian board has now asked that the commission be put on hold until the ICC executive meeting in March or that a new commission be formed, made up of each of the 10 Test-playing nations.

"If these alternatives are still not acceptable to ICC, we will be reluctantly compelled to refrain from participation in the referees' commission in any form or manner," said Indian chief Jagmohan Dalmiya.

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Michael Slater has become Australian cricket's most expensive spectator, earning $7615 a week despite his controversial axing from the NSW Pura Cup team yesterday.

The former Australian opener's latest fall from grace comes only six months after he lost his place in the Test XI for the Fifth Ashes Test against England at The Oval.

Now he is out of the Test and NSW teams, Slater will pick up his $400,000 Australian Cricket Board pay cheque, amounting to $7615 per week, simply for playing grade cricket with University of NSW. While the Ferrari-driving Slater is meeting his teammates from University of NSW for practice at Kensington Oval tomorrow, the Blues will be training at the SCG.

"It's always distressing to leave out a talented player, especially one with a career record like Michael's," NSW chairman of selectors John Benaud said yesterday.

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