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Australia’s steely resolve enabled them to win a crucial encounter at Colombo, and wrap up the five-match one-day series. Ricky Ponting was understandably elated after the match, saying, “That was a fantastic win.”Ponting said that his team’s triumph was built on the ability to “hang in” for as long as possible. “We had things going our way half-way through our batting innings, but things change around pretty quickly over here. At one stage, we were looking at about 260 … and ended up about 30 short. Then we were behind the eight-ball early with the ball.”But as I said to the guys out on the ground, the side that hangs in there the longest in this game will probably win.”Michael Kasprowicz was the declared the Man of the Match, and he said that the win came thanks to the unity within the side, and a defiance in the face of foreign conditions. “You can feel the emotion in the team that comes from achieving something special,” he said. “Playing in Australia, you know the conditions, but to come over here and play on turning wickets against unfamiliar spinners on lightning quick outfields – everything’s just so different – and I think that’s the challenge.”When asked about his bowling, Kasprowicz said, “I’ve definitely bowled better in domestic cricket, but never better for Australia.”Adam Gilchrist took six catches in the match, thereby equalling his own world record. Afterwards, Ponting said: “I know he was very happy with that. Equalling the world record in one-day cricket doesn’t happen every day.”He added that he wasn’t too concerned about Gilchrist’s barren run with the bat, and warned, “Gilly’s still batting well, there’s no doubt about that. He probably hasn’t scored as many as he would have liked in the last couple of games. But don’t worry, he’ll play well in the Tests.”Australia will probably rest a number of key players for the final match of the series tomorrow, with Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie and Ponting or Matthew Hayden the likely candidates to make way for Brad Haddin, Brad Williams and Simon Katich.Ponting confirmed this when he said, “Obviously we’ve got a few guys in the shed that haven’t played any cricket at all and a few that have only played a couple of games. We want to try and give most guys a bit of cricket.”

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, Feb 1 AAP – South African veteran Gary Kirsten has admitted he would refuse to play in Zimbabwe if his side was due to visit the strife-torn nation during the World Cup.Kirsten’s revelation comes on the back of reports of an Al-Qaeda cell planning to attack Westerners in Zimbabwe – and South Africa – if the US goes to war with Iraq.Kirsten, whose side is not drawn to play any matches in either Zimbabwe or another trouble spot, Kenya, told a charity function he believed there was a “security issue” around matches in Zimbabawe.The Australian Cricket Board and International Cricket Council (ICC) want Australia’s match on February 24 to go ahead at Bulawayo but they are constantly monitoring a potentially volatile situation.If players are thought to be at risk, Australia will withdraw.The safety of the team and officials is the only consideration. Political and moral questions over president Robert Mugabe’s rule will not come into it.New Zealand has already pulled out of its clash against Kenya after receiving information from independent security sources that terrorist activity was on the boil in Nairobi.”Politics should be left to the politicians,” said Kirsten.”But I would not play in Zimbabwe… there is a security issue.”A US Government report has detailed a plan by Tablik Ja’maat, an Al-Qaeda-linked group of militant extremists, to attack US targets in Zimbabwe if war was declared on Iraq.Other attacks would take place in Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa and Israel, according to the report.Meanwhile, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed is trying to determine whether the New Zealand-Kenya game can be re-scheduled.If not, options for the Kiwis include taking the matter to an independent ICC committee of up to five members, appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, or going to the ICC Cricket World Cup events technical committee.New Zealand is set to lose two valuable competition points from a game it would be almost certain to win but its reluctance to travel to a dangerous area is understandable after perilously close shaves with terrorist attacks in the past.A bomb killed 11 French engineers in a bus outside the New Zealand team’s hotel last year in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1987 in Sri Lanka, a bomb exploded in a nearby downtown Colombo bus depot. In 1992 in the same country, an assassination by car bombing, again near the team’s hotel, caused the immediate disintegration of the tour.Australia is scheduled to be in Bulawayo from February 21-25.

* Tendulkar’s injury caused by his left boot spikeIndia’s master batsman Sachin Tendulkar suffered a foot injury duringthe final of the tri-nation series against the West Indies on Saturdaywhen his right foot spiked his left foot while fielding, forcing himto withdraw from the first part of the coming Sri Lankan tour.”Though an X-ray has ruled out any fracture, the injury is extremelypainful and the foot has to be rested for at least two to three weeksas there is an aggravation of muscles”, BCCI sources said in Mumbai onTuesday. His right foot, with spikes, landed between toe and heel ofthe left foot, resulting in a sesamoid bruise, sources added.However, the BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele or any of the selectors whomet here yesterday to finalise the team for Sri Lankan tour were notable to describe the nature of injury to Tendulkar’s foot butannounced that the Mumbai star would be joining the team for the lastleague tie against New Zealand on August 2.* Marsh, Healy helped me perform well in Zimbabwe: DigheVital tips by former Australian wicketkeepers Rodney Marsh and IanHealy helped the Indian wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe perform well on therecently concluded tour of Zimbabwe. A beaming Dighe told PTI inMumbai on Tuesday that Marsh had passed on a few tips to him duringthe conditioning camp in Bangalore which helped a lot.”Healy spent some time with me during the Harare Test match. I wasdelighted when he wanted to help me out,” he said. “Healy, who was inHarare to participate in the benefit tie for former Zimbabwe Test starEddo Brandes, is a remarkable man and can spot any flaws by justwatching others behind the stumps. I soaked in all the knowledge whenhe gave some important tips in the lobby of our hotel,” Dighe said.”In fact, I was really touched when Healy told me that I can call himup for help even if it is two in the morning and the most importanttip he gave was to move with the ball. He also told me to maintain adiary and note down the good and bad things every day,” Dighe added.When asked about his unbeaten 94 in the tri-series final against theWest Indies on Saturday, the Mumbai player said, “I used Sachin’s(Tendulkar) bat which was much heavier than the one I normally use. Infact, it was Sachin who advised me to do so as I would get more powerin my strokes. However, I feel very sad that we fell short by 16runs,” Dighe said.* Judicial remand of Prabhakar extended till July 21A Nainital court has extended judicial remand of the former Indiancricketer Manoj Prabhakar till July 21 in the chit fund case, a seniorpolice official said on Tuesday. Judicial Magistrate Devraj PrasadSingh had extended the remand of Prabhakar on a petition moved by theUttaranchal police, DIG (Nainital) Vijay Raghav Pant said.Meanwhile, the condition of Prabhakar, admitted to a private nursinghome on July 3 following suspected brain stroke, was stated to bestable, doctors attending on him said. Prabhakar was arrested byUttaranchal police from his south Delhi office on July 2 following anon-bailable arrest warrant issued by the Haldwani Judicial Magistratein connection with a chit fund company APACE Investment Ltd case onMay 11.Police had alleged that Prabhakar, as director of the company, haddefrauded and cheated people while accepting deposits from them.

Rangers are back in Premiership action at Ibrox this weekend, with the latest Old Firm derby taking place on their home patch following the conclusion of the latest international break.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have the chance to draw level on points with their Glasgow arch-rivals at the top of the table if they can claim victory on home soil on Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Gers, they will have to make do without striker Alfredo Morelos after it was revealed that the Colombian suffered a thigh injury whilst away on international duty.

This will undoubtedly impact Van Bronckhorst’s decision-making when it comes to picking his starting XI to take on Celtic in what is a vital game for both teams.

On the chalkboard

With no Morelos available, the player to whom the Dutchman should turn as the Colombian’s replacement to lead the line on Sunday is Kemar Roofe.

Since arriving at Ibrox in 2020 from Belgian club Anderlecht, the striker has gone on to make 66 appearances for the Gers across all competitions, scoring 30 goals in the process. Despite appearing in 19 league games this term, the 29-year-old has only started seven times, showing that he has not been Van Bronckhorst’s first-choice centre-forward.

However, having found the net 12 times across all competitions, the Jamaica international – who is currently earning £26k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has shown that he can be a reliable goalscorer when given the chance to play.

Labelled by Noel Whelan as a player who could become “invaluable” for the Gers, this is surely what Roofe would be if he is able to provide an attacking threat tomorrow afternoon and fire his team to a much-needed victory.

Having been praised for his “unbelievable” goals in the past, scoring against Celtic will be a sure-fire way for the 29-year-old to show his manager that he has what it takes to be a suitable stand-in option for Morelos.

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Whether or not Van Bronckhorst picks the former Anderlecht marksman to lead the line against the Hoops, this will still be a critical game for both teams, and it have a big say in the title race depending on the result.

In other news – McLeish howler: Rangers had a nightmare on “outstanding” 362-goal “special player”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	AB de Villiers ended the day on an unbeaten 217, the highest Test score by a South African against India © AFP

If an Indian team with ambitions to world dominance found the openingday at the Sardar Patel Stadium humiliating, day two was soul-destroying, with aclassy AB de Villiers double-century and a dogged Jacques Kallis hundredunderpinning a relentless South African charge to victory. By the time therain came down to wash away Indian tears, they had rampaged to 494 for 7,with de Villiers still going strong on 217, the highest score by a SouthAfrican against India.In the 77.2 overs bowled in the day, India managed just three wickets, twoof them when the batsmen were in the quest for quick runs after tea. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh picked up one apiece, with Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel trapped leg before, but by then the only question being posed was just how imposingthe lead would be.de Villiers needed just 146 balls for his second hundred, and played somestupendous strokes in the final session. A huge six off Harbhajan landedon the roof at what is a massive venue, and when he was later gifted afull toss that he creamed through cover, the celebrations could begin.That stroke also brought up the 400-run lead, and de Villiers put the sealon an impressive day’s work with a mighty heave off Kumble that soaredinto the empty stand at deep midwicket. As a weary Indian side trudgedoff, a defeat of mammoth proportions beckoned unless they could bat with agreat deal more application at the second time of asking.Kumble and his men could reflect on opportunities that came their wayearly in the proceedings. Harbhajan, the pick of the bowlers, wasdesperately unlucky against both batsmen. Kallis had made just 61 when hefended one awkwardly off the glove, only to see it roll back and strikethe stumps. The bails stayed on, Harbhajan held his head, and the chancehad gone. In his very next over, an offbreak went right through deVilliers, missing the stumps by a whisker.Irfan Pathan was insipid with the old ball, and Kumble soon replaced himat the other end, but the runs slowly started to mount as the pitch showedfew signs of menace. de Villiers cut Harbhajan for four, and Kumble wasthen far from thrilled as a Kallis cover-drive was fumbled over the ropeby Sourav Ganguly.Despite slightly overcast conditions, Kumble didn’t call on Sreesanth. Bythe time the new ball was taken after 81.2 overs, whatever little moisturethat might have been in the pitch was long gone. Sreesanth soon made animpact too, striking Kallis on the shoulder with a bouncer and then havingan excellent leg-before shout turned down.Once the initial threat posed by the new ball passed, the runs camefreely. de Villiers flicked RP Singh for four and then glanced Sreesanthfine, before Kallis highlighted his power with two contemptuous pulls forfour. On the stroke of lunch, Ganguly came on, and a paddle down to fineleg saw de Villiers reach his fifth Test century.Kallis was on 97 at the time, and the 30th century that took him past SirDonald Bradman arrived soon after the interval, with a magnificentcover-drive for four off Ganguly. It had been a stolid and at timesfortuitous effort, spanning 228 balls, but vital in the context of thematch after Harbhajan’s three quick wickets on the first afternoon.The 200-run partnership came from 401 balls, and the runs were milked withease after that. Pathan was pedestrian at best and Kumble merelyrestrictive. Both men played the sweep with increasing confidence and itwas quite bizarre that Sreesanth, the most effective Indian pace bowler onview, was called on only an hour and ten minutes after lunch.Kallis swatted the first ball for four, and when an edge then streakedpast slip, Sreesanth’s frustration boiled over. But instead ofself-destructing, he used the anger to produce a gem of a delivery thatlifted from outside off stump and caught Kallis in two minds. By the timehe tried to arc the bat away, it was too late and the inside edge cannonedinto the stumps. He had batted six hours, and the partnership of 256 wasSouth Africa’s highest against India, surpassing the 236 that GaryKirsten, currently India’s coach, and Andrew Hudson added at the EdenGardens in 1996-97.A sparse crowd watched it all with a mixture of frustration and reluctantadmiration, and there was something forlorn about the few Indian flagsbeing waved in the stands on a day when dreams of global conquestevaporated in egg-frying heat.

Ben Edmondson, the Western Australia fast bowler, will play for Gloucestershire for two months to replace fellow Australian Marcus North.Gloucestershire had hoped to secure Umar Gul for 2007, but the Pakistan Cricket Board failed to give them their permission. Edmondson had a prolific season in 2006-07 with 41 Pura Cup wickets and will be available to Gloucestershire from June 15.”I played against Ben in Western Australia with the England Academy squad and was thoroughly impressed,” Jon Lewis, the Gloucestershire captain, said. “He has the ability to swing the old and new ball at good pace and will be an exciting addition to our squad.”

Barmy boast: “We are a bit more street-wise than the average Aussie fan” © Getty Images

Sneaky England supporters plan to raid Cricket Australia’s family-orientated Ashes ticket system when seats go on sale on Thursday morning. Organisers of the Barmy Army expect to have 15,000 people supporting Andrew Flintoff and Co on the first day of the SCG Test, according to Sydney’s .”We are a bit more street-wise than the average Aussie fan,” the Barmy Army’s Craig Gills told the paper. “We have done this before on many campaigns, in Europe and World Cups etc. Whether by hook or by crook, we will get the tickets.”Cricket Australia expects a small amount of “leakage” to overseas buyers, but their Australia Cricket Family registration method was designed so parents and their children could get seats. More than 128,000 people signed on for the project and they must provide an Australian address as proof of their residency.The reported tens of thousands of England supporters had joined the family and others were expected to on-sell the tickets to the Barmy Army. Seats go on general release from June 19, with Cricket Australia-registered buyers given a two-week headstart from 9am eastern standard time on Thursday.In the the paper revealed that England fans complaining about the lack of access to Australia grounds for next summer were getting a better deal than their counterparts in 2005. The paper said Lord’s made 3.5% of its seats available to Australians while Old Trafford was 2%, Edgbaston 3% and The Oval 0%. The SCG and MCG are expected to have at least 10% of tickets going to England supporters.”People need to know they’ve got to get in early,” Peter Young, a Cricket Australia spokesman, said in the . “If Sydney people wait until Thursday afternoon there is a significant risk of disappointment. There’s a strong sense that days one, two and three are going to sell very quickly.”

Scorecard

Faisal Iqbal hit 85 not out to lead his team to a six-wicket win © Getty Images

Pakistan A continued their dominance over Zimbabwe A, as they won the first of the three-match one-day series by six wickets at the Mutare Sports club. Chasing a target of 256, Faisal Iqbal, who has played 10 Tests for Pakistan, struck an unbeaten 85 off 83 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes, to take his team to a 1-0 lead. Pakistan A was given a good start from their openers – Kamran Sajid (47) and Ashar Zaidi (37) – before Anthony Ireland, the medium pacer, reduced Pakistan to 95 for 4. Iqbal along with Misbah-ul-Haq, the captain, stitched a 164-run partnership to end Zimbabwe’s hopes of a win. Misbah’s 63 included two fours and two sixes. Ireland ended with figures of 3 for 47.Earlier, after winning the toss, Zimbabwe posted a decent total on the board, with Stuart Carlisle, the captain, top scoring with 92. The 18-year-old left-hander, Sean Williams, was the other top-scorer with 39. Mansoor Amjad, the performer of the two-match four-day Tests which Pakistan won 2-0, and Ashar Zaidi scalped three wickets apiece.The second one-dayer is scheduled for tomorrow at the same venue.

Apathy among the public is the single greatest threat to cricket’s future in England, according to a survey conducted by a new sports lobbying group, The Sports Nexus. More than 2500 people were plucked at random from the streets of England and asked a variety of questions, many of which provided worrying responses.Of the respondants, 55% answered “Don’t know” when asked whether the structure of county cricket helped to create a competitive national side. Meanwhile 43% "didn’t care at all" about the fortunes of England’s Test team over the past decade. On a slightly more positive note, only 22% argued that cricket was no longer a major national sport in England and “will continue to decline”.The findings were revealed by The Sport Nexus at a breakfast seminar on cricket at London’s Savoy Hotel earlier this week, and among the more outspoken attendants was Michael Atherton, who is at the vanguard of cricket’s modernisation drive, in his dealings with the Cricket Reform Group.”The England & Wales Cricket Board realise the need for serious change," said Atherton, "and I think there’s a widespread belief that English cricket is at a crossroads. We can either meander along as things are or do something about it. Change must happen to get English cricket back to where it belongs.”Des Wilson, the ECB’s marketing chief – the man whose 17-page document recently outlined England’s stance on Zimbabwe – was quick to defend his organisation. “Things are not quite as bad as painted," he insisted, "and the ECB is at the forefront of change. I think people accept that we are not quite the bunch of old fuddy-duddies that we are sometimes made out to be.””It’s a myth to say cricket cannot change," added Wilson. “In fact it has changed more than any other sport.” He cited the example of the Twenty20 Cup, which was launched last year by the ECB despite serious reservations among several pundits and players alike. But it proved to be a resounding success, and has the ability to create a fresh interest in the game.

SYDNEY, Jan 5 AAP – Australia needs to break a record that has stood for more than a century if it is to beat England in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.By lunch on day four, England batsmen Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain had taken full advantage of Australia’s depleted bowling attack, leading their side to a 312-run lead with a record partnership of 189.At the break, the tourists were 3-313 with Vaughan unbeaten on 166.Australia took the new ball after 82 overs and finally struck four overs later when paceman Brett Lee had Hussain caught behind by Adam Gilchrist for 72 on the last delivery before the lunch break.The highest winning Ashes score at the SCG was Australia’s 4-276 to beat England by six wickets in 1898.Vaughan, who yesterday became only the seventh tourist to score three tons in an Australian summer after overcoming a duck in the first innings, resumed on 113 and hit 26 fours and a six on the way to his score.Hussain, who scored a handy 75 and shared England’s previous best third wicket stand against Australia at the SCG of 166 with Mark Butcher in the first innings, hit nine fours in his second knock.