Category Uncategorized

Division One

Points TableHampshire completely dominated Warwickshire on the second day of their match at The Rose Bowl, thanks to a brilliant undefeated double-century by Shane Watson. Hampshire were 353 for 6 overnight, and added a further 223 runs without losing a wicket. Watson, 91 at stumps on day one, cruised to his century – his first of the season and ninth of his career – and combined brilliantly with Dimitri Mascarenhas, who also struck a century, in a partnership worth 234. Both were unbeaten, as Hampshire declared on an imposing 576 for 6. In reply, Warwickshire stumbled to 145 for 4: Nick Knight stabilised the innings with an unbeaten 97 as the visitors trail by as massive 431 runs.On a rain-affected day at Cardiff, Nottinghamshire gained a lead of exactly 100 over Glamorgan but lost five wickets in the process. Younis Khan struck a fifty and Darren Bicknell, 81 not out overnight, went on to make his second hundred of the season. Bicknell was the first man to fall, dismissed by Dean Cosker, which spelt a collapse for Nottinghamshire who lost five for 20. Robert Croft took three of those to fall, as Notts ended the day on 251 for 7.Ed Smith struck 70, and Ed Joyce was left unbeaten on 71 as Middlesex went to stumps on 238 for 6 against Gloucestershire. Smith, Ben Hutton and Owais Shah all fell to William Rudge who finished with 3 for 64 from 17 overs. Despite wickets tumbling all around him, Joyce was steadfast and patient, taking 166 balls to craft his 71 runs. Middlesex trail Gloucestershire by 95 runs, with four wickets left in hand.

Division Two

Points TableDerbyshire slipped to 64 for 4 in their match against Durham at Chester-le-Street, before Chris Bassano and Australian Jon Moss both hit half-centuries in a stand worth 148. Liam Plunkett took 3 for 49, and Brad Williams 2 for 68. Derbyshire have a slender lead of 58, with Luke Sutton unbeaten on 42, as they ended on 288 for 7.Dominic Cork quickly wrapped up Northamptonshire’s innings, as Lancashire dismissed the home side for 289, Cork ending with impressive figures of 4 for 27. Lancashire stuttered in reply, however, losing three wickets to Jason Brown. Brown and Monty Panesar bowled 68 of the 94 overs in Lancashire’s innings, and it was Brown who dismissed Stuart Law, the only batsmen who could stay for any length of time at the crease. His 111 was his third hundred of the season. With just two wickets left, and trailing Northants by nine runs, bad light called an end to proceedings.Only 51 overs were possible at Worcester with Worcestershire struggling on 177 for 4 against Leicestershire. It was an encouraging start for the home side whose openers, Chris Gayle and Stephen Moore, put on 75 for the first wicket. Gayle’s typically aggressive half-century, at nearly a run a ball, was ended on 51 when he was caught behind off David Masters. But Ben Smith and Graeme Hick soon followed, and as rain forced the players off, the home side were still 228 runs behind with six wickets in hand.

Muttiah Muralitharan recently wore a specially designed elbow brace to demonstrate to a crowd at the Shenley Cricket Centre in Hertforshire that he does not throw while bowling. The demonstration was filmed by Channel 4, and will be made into a documentary. and have reported that the brace was administered by Dr Mandeep Dhillon, who Muralitharan got in touch with in Colombo at the suggestion of Mahinda Wijasinghe, a local reporter. Dhillon said that the brace would not allow a bending of the elbow. “Murali wanted to prove a point that he could spin with his wrists and shoulder and does not need his elbow as support,” said Dhillon. “I designed a brace for Murali and asked him to bowl with it. The brace weighs 2.5 kg and has three steel rods covered in nylon. I strapped it to his elbow to make it immoveable.”He compared Murali’s predicament to CB Fry’s “who faced a problem similar to Murali’s. Fry, accused of chucking, apparently bowled with a brace for a couple of Tests and cleared his name.”Murali’s reaction indicated he was satisfied with the exercise, and though he denied he was making a point to the ICC, he took a pot shot at people who he believed were ignorant about his action. “It is to educate certain people and cricketers in England and Australia,” he said, “who think they know a lot about the game but actually don’t.”Some of the most vocal disapproval of Murali’s action has come from Australia, with even the prime minister, John Howard, getting in on the act. But Murali’s manager was confident that he would get back to his job soon, as Channel 4’s coverage would be conclusive. “He will soon be allowed to bowl the doosra and get back to doing what he knows best,” said Kushil Gunasekera. “Taking wickets.”

The classy elegance of Yousuf Youhana and the true grit of Taufeeq Umar combined to lead Pakistan to a facile eight-wicket victory in the Sharjah Cup. Coming together with the team in a spot of bother, they added 144 for the third wicket to put the game to bed with 14.4 overs to spare. Youhana’s 61 was especially imperious, though Taufeeq’s 81 did his future claims no harm at all – a display that made up with determination what it lacked by way of style.Heath Streak had given Zimbabwe hope with two wickets, only for Taufeeq Youhana to extinguish it with a commanding batting display. Streak struck early, getting Mohammad Hafeez to play a loose stroke outside off stump. Craig Wishart pouched the catch at first slip and Pakistan were 10 for 1. Faisal Iqbal came in next but made just 6 before flicking a Streak delivery straight to Gavin Rennie at midwicket (28 for 2).Youhana though started confidently and Zimbabwe compounded their problems with some erratic and wayward bowling. Andy Blignaut was the chief culprit and Umar cashed in with some super shots on the legside. Once Streak left the attack, the sting went too and Sean Ervine was greeted with two hits to the boundary ropes.With Taufeeq then dropping anchor, Youhana decided to up the ante, playing two gorgeous straight drives off Douglas Hondo before thumping Ray Price for six over long-on. Presumably, the Thursday nightlife in Sharjah/Dubai was worth getting off work early for.Once both batsmen crossed fifty, the shots were played with more of a flourish and before you knew it, it was all over. Truth be told though, this match was won for Pakistan by an inspired opening burst from Mohammad Sami, who confounded the Zimbabwe batsmen with his extra pace and bounce. Despite a superb, gritty innings of 74, in adverse circumstances, from Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe were shot out for 168.Taibu’s partnerships with Ervine – who made a defiant 25 – and Dion Ebrahim gave the total some respectability but Sami’s early burst of 3 for 20 from six overs meant that they were always behind the eight-ball.Zimbabwe’s tale of woe started as early as the third ball of the innings, which Wishart tickled through to Latif behind the stumps. Rennie pulled Umar Gul for four soon after but he had no answers to the pace of Sami. A delivery that left him a shade had him marooned to the crease, and the outside edge was gleefully accepted by Latif, for his 200th dismissal in ODIs (19 for 2).Douglas Marillier, who had earlier survived a vociferous appeal for leg-before, didn’t stick around very long either. Sami set him up with a short one, and the next ball sent the leg stump for a triple somersault (22 for 3). Marillier made 14.Much rested on Grant Flower, but he made just seven before a crude hoick off Shoaib Malik went straight to Younis Khan at short square leg (36 for 4). Taibu, who nudged and pushed the ball around, while scampering through on those little legs, rebuilt the innings with Ervine, who announced his intent with a superb cover-drive off Malik.Two fours in an over off Abdul Razzaq and a sweep for four off Malik saw the run rate go up a notch, but that was spoilt by a poor decision from umpire Jayaprakash. Ervine went for another sweep off Malik, and the ball ballooned off his pad to Latif behind the stumps. Latif’s appeal was loud and Jayaprakash’s finger went up in a trice (82 for 5).Ebrahim and Taibu then added 40, taking the score to the respectability of three figures before a reckless shot signalled the beginning of the end. Ebrahim flayed at a wide one from Danish Kaneria and the ball flew off the leading edge to Malik at point (122 for 6).Hafeez then chipped in with two wickets, trapping Streak leg-before for 0 – going for the paddle sweep – and taking a superb diving catch to send back Blignaut (127 for 8). Kaneria’s flipper did for Price and Zimbabwe were tottering at 133 for 9. Taibu though finished with a flourish – spanking Sami for two fours in the penultimate over and adding 35 for the final wicket with Douglas Hondo – and remained unbeaten on 74 at the end, receiving a word or two of congratulation from the Pakistanis as they left the field.Taibu’s pocket-sized heroics notwithstanding, the target was unlikely to ask questions of any batting line-up, even one as brittle as Pakistan’s. So it proved. After a World Cup to forget, Rashid Latif and his refashioned side celebrated the early days of the renaissance with a trophy, that too in the 2000th one-day international to be played.

Worcestershire crushed Lancashire by 109 runs under the Old Traffordfloodlights to move four points clear at the top of the Norwich Union SecondDivision.The Royals compiled a daunting total of 236 for five in their 45 oversthanks mainly to a League-best 80 from opener Anurag Singh.Lancashire had slumped to 63 for five in reply even before the Old Traffordfloodlights had taken effect and were all out for 127, with three wicketseach for Kabir Ali and David Leatherdale.Graeme Hick won the toss for the Royals and chose to bat, but they lostPhil Weston in the 11th over, lbw to Peter Martin.Hick looked in good form as he struck two boundaries but he was then runout after a mix-up with Singh, giving Lancashire the wicket they wanted.But Singh made amends in a third-wicket stand of 71 in 17 overs with VikramSolanki.Solanki, Worcestershire’s leading scorer this season, took his tally to 293with a classy 45 from 52 balls including four fours and a flicked six offGary Keedy.Keedy claimed some revenge when he had Solanki caught by John Crawley atcover, but David Leatherdale then came in to hit a quick 24 includinganother six off Keedy.And Australian all-rounder Andy Bichel then provided extra acceleration in theclosing overs, ending unbeaten on 36 from 24 balls with a six and fourfours.Singh was the last man out, stumped off Chris Schofield in the 44th overafter ending a poor run of form which had brought him only 65 in eightNational League innings this season.Schofield had been the unlucky bowler when Singh survived a stumping chanceon 30 in the 22nd over, but otherwise the 25-year-old played sensibly andhit eight fours in a new League best off 121 balls, beating the 74 he scoredin his Warwickshire days.Lancashire were soon in trouble when they replied, with Bichel having MarkChilton caught behind.But it was Kabir Ali who fired the crucial blow, trapping Amdy Flintoff andJohn Crawley lbw with consecutive balls.Glen Chapple did his best for Lancashire with 34 from 47 balls but he alsowent lbw to Ali, who ended with three for 37 from his nine overs.And Leatherdale took three of the last four wickets at a cost of only 11runs to virtually end Lancashire’s hopes of bouncing straight back to theFirst Division.

Crowd trouble forced two interruptions in play during the second T20I at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack as India slid to a six-wicket defeat against South Africa. Play was held up for more than 50 minutes during South Africa’s chase after spectators, largely from one section of the stadium, began throwing plastic bottles onto the field.The first bottle-throwing incident came in the break between innings – India were bowled out for 92, their lowest T20I total at home – and did not interrupt play. The second came after 11 overs of South Africa’s chase and stopped play for 27 minutes. The players remained in the middle through the delay and play resumed at 10pm, with security personnel lining the boundaries. However, a third wave of bottle-throwing two overs later forced them off. Play resumed after a 24-minute hold-up once the police had cleared the section of the crowd causing the disruption.South Africa required another 4.1 overs, which passed without further incident, to complete the chase and seal the series 2-0.The incident is the first case for the BCCI’s new president, Shashank Manohar, to handle and there would be several points of concern for the board in how the situation was dealt with on the spot in Cuttack.The matter did not come up at the post-match presentation ceremony, though both captains were interviewed by the broadcasters and could have been asked for their thoughts on it.The issue was raised at the subsequent press conference, however, and prompted this response from India’s captain MS Dhoni: “Frankly, from a safety point of view, I don’t think there was a very serious threat. A few of the powerful people from the crowd were good enough to throw the bottles inside the rope. So the umpires thought it was better that players go off the field for a while. The reaction of the crowd, you know, we didn’t play well, so at times you get reactions like this. It’s only the first bottle. After that they start throwing for fun. We shouldn’t read too much into it. I still remember we played in Vishakhapatnam once, we won the game very easily, and that time also a lot of bottles were thrown. It starts with the first bottle, and after that, you know, it is more fun for the spectators if they start doing it and following it.”The incident also raises questions about safety precautions at grounds in India, especially for high-profile matches like today’s. The standard procedure is for spectators who buy drinks at the ground to be given their liquid refreshments – whether water or soft drinks – in plastic cups, which cannot be used as missiles. How the spectators could carry bottles to their seats on Monday will be a matter for investigation.Also apparent was the lax security; when the match resumed after the break most of the policemen on the boundary could be seen watching the match rather than facing the crowd, as is standard procedure.

Match facts

Tuesday 14 July
Start time 0900 local time (0700 GMT)1:33

Agarkar: India must give Sandeep Sharma and Manish Pandey a chance

Big picture

India have achieved their main goal – sealing the series – so the third and final ODI provides scope for blooding a couple of uncapped players. Zimbabwe, who are in the midst of an eight-match ODI losing streak, have little but pride to play for.Individually, Zimbabwe’s players have shown that this team definitely contains talent. But they haven’t been able to pull all three facets of the game together. In both matches so far, India were offered a glimpse of Zimbabwe’s weaknesses, and despite the fine margin of their victory on Friday, they have generally looked the better side.Yet one feels Zimbabwe aren’t all that far behind this Indian team. Given a fully fit squad, in home conditions, at least one win is a distinct possibility. Unfortunately, the Zimbabweans have been hobbled by injury and have probably already blown their best chance of breaking their losing streak. Sean Williams is nursing a knee problem and is unlikely to play tomorrow.While the bowling has fired, India’s middle order still appears vulnerable. Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa and Kedar Jadhav have managed a combined 58 runs in a total of six innings. If Zimbabwe are able to exploit this, especially given the absence of the series’ leading run-scorer Ambati Rayudu, they may yet be able to pull off a win.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first) Zimbabwe: LLLLL India: WWWLL

In the spotlight

In the absence of Solomon Mire, and with Elton Chigumbura playing primarily as a batsman, Zimbabwe needed an allrounder to balance their side. They appear to have found one in Chamu Chibhabha, who has contributed with both bat and ball in this series. Batting is his stronger suit – he’s averaged 44.42 in ODIs in 2015 – but the pitch at Harare Sports Club also suits his medium-pace bowling.The pressure is building on India’s middle-order batsmen. With this series billed as something of an audition for a slot in the first XI, Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa and Kedar Jadhav have averaged 12.00, 6.50 and 10.00 respectively. India have still managed to win both games, but they’ll want more from this trio in the final match.

Team news

Zimbabwe’s hand has been forced by injuries to key members of their squad. Opening bowler Tinashe Panyangara sustained a side strain in the first match, and batsman Sean Williams injured his right knee in the second. With the help of painkillers and heavy strapping, Williams batted during Zimbabwe’s chase, but team physio Anesu Mupotaringa suspects patella tendonitis. Williams went for scans on Monday morning and it’s unlikely the team management will risk aggravating his injury.So Zimbabwe may want to give players such as Chris Mpofu, Prosper Utseya and Roy Kaia a run. Craig Ervine may also be back to full fitness, as he underwent a test, including sprints, with no apparent discomfort on Monday afternoon.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakada, 4 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 5 Roy Kaia/Craig Ervine, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Neville Madziva, 11 Chris Mpofu.A right quadriceps injury to Ambati Rayudu will also necessitate changes to India’s XI. Twenty-year-old wicketkeeper Sanju Samson has been called into the squad and it suggests pressure on Robin Uthappa’s place. With the series sealed, India might think about offering debuts to Manish Pandey and Sandeep Sharma, and perhaps give Mohit Sharma some match practice ahead of the T20s. India (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Ajinkya Rahane (captain), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Manoj Tiwary, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 Sanju Samson/ Robin Uthappa (wk), 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Sandeep Sharma.

Pitch and conditions

A third, fresh pitch will be used for this match, and in appearance it is very similar to the first two: dry, with a modest grass covering. It should be reasonably good for batting, with the side batting first looking to score at least 250. The pitch is on the far right of the square, and so the short boundary to the west may affect team tactics. Another bright, sunny day is expected.

Stats and trivia

• Zimbabwe’s win-loss record is 6-22 when chasing scores of between 240 and 275 in ODIs since 2005.
• The very first ODI played at Harare Sports Club was between Zimbabwe and India in October 1992. India have played 17 ODIs here, and have won 12 times.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the leading wicket-taker in this series, with five wickets at an average of 13.60 and an economy rate of 3.40.

Quotes

“We’re just going to go out there and play for pride, and for our supporters as well.”
“I asked him why I was being congratulated and he told me I had been selected to the Indian team.”

Division One

Phil Jaques’ second century of the season guided Worcestershire to a draw against Surrey at Guildford. His 103 carried the visitors into the lead alongside half-centuries from Stephen Moore (54) and Ben Smith (66). Worcestershire were never really in danger on the final day once Jaques and Smith added 112 for the third wicket. Harbhajan Singh claimed all five batsmen to fall, taking his match haul to nine, but couldn’t grab breakthroughs in clusters to earn Surrey a victory. A draw wasn’t what either side needed from the match with both of them stuck in the two relegation places.John Crawley struck a fine century, but Hampshire couldn’t force a win against Sussex at the Rose Bowl, despite handing them a scare with three early wickets. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan took out Hampshire’s middle order, but Crawley held firm and reached his hundred off 148 balls. Once Crawley had taken Hampshire to a second batting point, Shane Warne declared and Sussex’s top order wobbled. James Bruce, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Daren Powell did the damage and suddenly the pressure was on. Murray Goodwin and Chris Adams calmed the nerves with a stand of 89 and Hampshire took nine points to their opponents’ seven.Younis Khan hit an unbeaten double-century as Yorkshire and Kent played out a draw at Scarborough

Division Two

Derbyshire were decimated by Charl Willoughby and Andy Caddick, capitulating for 52 as Somerset completed a 278-run win at Derby. Chasing 331 after yesterday’s negotiations, the home side was soon in tatters at 13 for 5 as Willoughby claimed four of the top five. The spinners Ian Blackwell and Cameron White then ran through the tail as Derbyshire folded inside 28 overs. Ant Botha was the only batsman to reach double-figures before falling to Blackwell for 21.Chris Taylor’s 101 almost enabled Gloucestershire to turn impending defeat into victory against Essex at Bristol in a match played over one innings after rain washed out the first three days. After being inserted Gloucestershire slumped to 23 for 4 and 122 for 8 against impressive bowling from Andy Bichel and Ravi Bopara. They claimed eight wickets between them, but Taylor found support from Steve Kirby and Ben Edmondson as the last two wickets added a priceless 62. Gloucestershire’s attack then repeated the damage to the visitors with Kirby’s four wickets sending Essex sliding to 89 for 7. But Bichel (22 not out) and Alex Tudor (16 not out) held firm in the closing stages and the honours were shared.The match at Abergavenny between Glamorgan and Leicestershire was abandoned without a ball bowled due to unsafe run-ups. “It’s a shame for all concerned and especially Abergavenny Cricket Club, but unfortunately we had to do the right thing and the run-ups were just not fit,” the umpire Barrie Leadbeater said.3rd dayCenturies from Stephen Fleming and Mark Wagh put Nottinghamshire in the driver’s seat against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Fleming struck 19 fours and a six in his 100, adding 112 for the second wicket with Wagh, before he was stumped off Jason Brown. Wagh then combined with Samit Patel (54) to add another 111. Wagh took 174 deliveries for his third Championship ton of the season and Nottinghamshire are poised to take a lead. Earlier, the home side added 102 to their total mainly through the efforts of Johann van der Wath, who struck an unbeaten 59, and an eighth-wicket stand of 69 with David Lucas.

* – match still ongoing

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Darren Maddy and Jim Allenby inspired Leicestershire to their second Twenty20 title as they held their nerve to claim a last-over victory, by four runs, against Nottinghamshire at a packed and excited Trent Bridge. With heavy rain falling in the closing stages it was anyone’s game, but Leicestershire’s experience in tight situations counted as Allenby stayed calm in the final over.Maddy and Allenby shared a stand of 133 as Leicestershire made the highest total in a final, but Stephen Fleming, with a 34-ball fifty, and David Hussey were threatening to replicate that stand as they added 57 for the second wicket. But they fell in consecutive overs; Fleming to a fine running catch from Ryan Cummins from deep square-leg and Hussey to the continually impressive Stuart Broad.When Hussey was caught at cover, Nottinghamshire needed 69 off 38 balls with two new batsmen at the crease but they never gave in. The task got harder when Chris Read top-edged a sweep to short fine-leg, but Mark Ealham – who earlier in the season took 30 of an over against Leicestershire to win a group match – helped dispatch Cummins for 19 off the 17th over.The requirement was down to 37 off 18 balls and Leicestershire’s decision to play Cummins in place of Adam Griffith, their Tasmanian overseas seamer, was looking costly. But Leicestershire know how to win these matches. Allenby was brought on for the 18th over and was taken for two early fours, but Ealham then lofted to Maddy at long-off to swing the contest.Paul Franks and Samit Patel kept on going for it, but 17 from the final over proved one blow too many. However, the match ended in a hint of controversy as Allenby’s final ball – a full toss sent for a towering six by Will Smith – was perilously close to being called a no-ball. It wasn’t and Leicestershire launched into their celebrations, with Allenby and Maddy the central figures.”It was amazing – not the conventional route – and we’d thought lost it at onestage but the guys were brilliant towards the end,” said Jeremy Snape, the Leicestershire captain. “We’ve worked really hard this year and put in great performances throughout thegroup and knockout stages.”Maddy, the first player to pass 1000 runs in Twenty20, claimed the man-of-the-match award and he’d played a central role throughout the game. As in their semi-final, against Essex, he and HD Ackerman were cautious at the start against the testing seam bowling of Ryan Sidebottom and Charlie Shreck. The Nottinghamshire opening pair bowled their overs straight through but only managed one wicket, when Ackerman dragged Sidebottom into his stumps.After a brief period of consolidation, Maddy – dropped via a tough chance on 13 – began to work through the gears as the slower bowlers came into the attack. He peppered the legside by clearing his front leg and swinging across the line, while both he and Allenby sprinted between the wickets as Nottinghamshire’s fielders began to look slightly ragged. Maddy’s fifty came off 42 balls and Allenby soon followed off 36 balls and the century stand came off 63 deliveries.Cheered on by a vocal sell-out crowd, with a large proportion of home support, Nottinghamshire pushed Leicestershire every inch of the way. However, Twenty20 cricket is decided by the finest of margins and the smallest moments. Leicestershire know how to win those moments and have confirmed themselves as the domestic kings of Twenty20.

Ashley Giles has rounded on his critics after England’s failure in the first Test at Lord’s, by suggesting that a selection of former players would rather see Australia retain the Ashes than watch the current England side achieve what they themselves failed to do.”That might sound bitter, but that’s the way it feels,” Giles was quoted as saying in The Daily Mail. “Michael Vaughan has taken a lot of flak, so has Geraint Jones, so have I. We expected some if we lost, but there has been an amazing amount of stuff hitting the fan.”Giles’s position in the side has come under particular scrutiny, after he contributed 11 expensive and wicketless overs to the 239-run defeat in the first Test at Lord’s. He contributed little with the bat either, and could come under pressure to retain his place as the series progresses.”It’s at times like that when you think, ‘If this is what people think, bugger them’. I am fighting a losing battle here,” added Giles. “But then the other part of you says, ‘Sod them, I’ll get on with it.'”

After weeks of speculation, it has been decided that Steve Waugh will be the final Olympic torch-bearer in the Sydney leg of the Athens torch relay. It had been believed that Cathy Freeman, a gold medallist at the Sydney Games four years ago would be given the honour, but instead it has gone to Waugh, who was named Australian of the Year earlier in 2004.Waugh, who will light the cauldron at Homebush Bay, admitted that it would be a momentous occasion. “It’s a huge honour to be part of the Olympic flame torch relay,” he told the Sun-Herald newspaper. “I enjoyed the experience leading into the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and to be doing it again for Athens is equally exciting and another huge honour.”According to the newspaper, the torch relay will begin at the Sydney Opera House on Friday morning, and will include an A-Z of Australia’s sporting heroes, including Kieren Perkins, Dawn Fraser, Raelene Boyle and the wheelchair athlete Louise Sauvage. Speaking about the occasion, John Coates, the Australian Olympic Committee president, said: “Steve Waugh is a great Australian and a champion athlete who typifies our fighting spirit and it is appropriate that he relights the Olympic cauldron.”