Michael Vaughan scored his third hundred of the Ashes series to put the tourists into a commanding position on the third day of the final Test. The Yorkshire opener made an unbeaten 113 as England reached an impressive 218 for two in their second innings. Earlier a typically flamboyant century from Adam Gilchrist had enabled Australia to take a first-innings lead of just one run, but the fact that Australia have to bat last on a wearing SCG pitch makes England favourites to avoid a 5-0 series whitewash.After his wonderful run in 2002 Vaughan had seen the New Year in with a duck, but he bounced back at the first opportunity with another sublime innings, studded with a six and 16 fours, to give England a 217-run lead. It was his seventh ton in the last 12 Tests and took his Ashes tally to 563 runs – the highest by an England batsman in Australia since Geoff Boycott scored 657 and John Edrich 648 on the victorious 1970-71 tour.England lost Marcus Trescothick early, chopping on to his stumps to give Brett Lee his 100th Test wicket. Vaughan then played the starring role in an 87-run partnership with Mark Butcher (34), before the Surrey left-hander was caught by Matthew Hayden at short leg, getting a glove to a spinning delivery from Stuart MacGill.Vaughan then shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 94 with his captain Nasser Hussain, who ended the day unbeaten on 34. Vaughan’s innings was not without good fortune; he twice edged MacGill just short of slip, and was dropped on 102 when he pulled Damien Martyn to Justin Langer at mid-wicket.After being 150 for five yesterday, Australia did remarkably well to overhaul England’s first-innings total, albeit by only one run. Resuming on 237 for five, their innings this morning was dominated by Gilchrist. He hit a brilliant 133 off just 121 balls, dominating a stand of 82 runs for the ninth wicket with Jason Gillespie.Matthew Hoggard took three wickets to give England the initiative first thing. Steve Waugh fell almost immediately, failing to add to his overnight 102 before edging a widish ball to Mark Butcher at second slip. To the delight of the Barmy Army Hoggard then took two wickets off successive balls, and almost repeated Darren Gough’s achievement in claiming a hat-trick in the corresponding Test here four years ago.Andy Bichel, who had been lucky not to be sent on his way by Russell Tiffin when he gloved Hoggard to Alec Stewart behind the stumps in the Yorkshireman’s previous over, was the first of the two to go, caught by John Crawley in the gully as he tried to cut. Lee fell to the next ball, edging a full-length delivery to Stewart, and Gillespie was within a whisker of departing to his first ball in like manner.Gilchrist rarely wastes time at the crease, so it was no surprise to see him grasp the situation by the scruff. He took 24 off his next 15 balls to put Australia within reach of England’s total, before edging Steve Harmison to Stewart. Gillespie (31*) then took his side into a one-run lead before last man Stuart MacGill holed out to Hussain at mid-on, giving Hoggard his fourth wicket of the innings.

FOLLOWING the unscheduled early conclusion to the Western Warriors Pura Cup match against Tasmania, the Western Australian Cricket Association selectors have revised the ING Cup squad for Sunday’s one-day game against the Tigers.The original 14-man squad has been reduced to 12 players for this important match at Bellerive Oval.The team is:Justin Langer (captain), Mike Hussey (vice-captain), Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Beau Casson, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Callum Thorp, Brad Williams and Paul Wilson.Two members of the Pura Cup team, pace bowler Michael Clark and batsman Marcus North will return to Perth tomorrow, Friday February 7, 2003.

MELBOURNE, Jan 30 AAP – Shane Warne started the mind games for the cricket World Cup today, reviving the Australians’ theme of a psychological hold over second favourite South Africa.Australia does not play South Africa in its pool matches but the defending champions and the host nation are short-priced favourites to meet in the semi-finals or final.Warne was keen to keep the South Africans on the back foot as the Australian side flew out for Johannesburg and the World Cup today.”We’ve definitely got a psychological hold over South Africa,” said Warne.”The results prove that in all the different forms and the major games we’ve played against them.”When it’s got to the crunch we’ve managed to beat them or they’ve been in a winning situation and we’ve come back to win.”It was a none-too-subtle reminder from Warne of Australia’s famous tied 1999 World Cup semi-final against South Africa at Edgbaston, in which a last over run-out allowed the Aussies to advance to the final.Australia has beaten South Africa in both subsequent Test series between the two nations, with the memory of the 1999 World Cup an oft-used ploy by the Aussies to rattle the Proteas in close matches.Leading bookies have the two as clear favourites – Australia at 11-8 with British bookmaker William Hill and South Africa 9-4. Next best is India at 8-1.Opener Matthew Hayden said the 1999 result would work to Australia’s advantage rather than South Africa’s, despite the fact the host nation would be desperate for revenge.But he warned that Australia should also aim to create a fresh psychological stick to beat South Africa with, and may find it at this World Cup.”(The 1999 result) is our advantage. We’ve got up in that situation and used that in the past against them as well.”But perhaps that’s wearing a little bit thin as a strategy for Australia.”We need to move on and look to really take them apart in some other way.”Middle-order linchpin Michael Bevan believes he could be fit for Australia’s World Cup opener against Pakistan on February 11 in Johannesburg despite doctors saying he would probably miss the first two games of the tournament.Bevan said his injured groin was responding well to treatment, but admitted Australia’s second match against India on February 15 was a more likely option.Australia’s batting stocks for the Pakistan game would be boosted immeasurably if Bevan was fit, with Darren Lehmann out of the match because of his racial vilification suspension.”The leg’s coming along well, so fingers crossed I’ll be ready for the first or second game,” Bevan said.”Every day it’s improving which is a great sign.”I think at this stage I’m looking to the India match, but if all goes well, I’d like to think Pakistan’s not out of reach as well.”The team is due to arrive in Johannesburg tomorrow morning Australian time.

An MCC squad will leave Lord’s this afternoon to play and promote cricket in Papua New Guinea and Fiji.Managed by Jack Birkenshaw (the former England player), the squad includes Steve Kirby (the Yorkshire fast bowler), Robin Weston (the Middlesex batsman) and Colin Metson (the former Glamorgan wicket-keeper).MCC will play four fixtures in Papua New Guinea and six in Fiji – including three matches against the Fijian national side.In common with other MCC tours, the trip has been planned in conjunction with the International Cricket Council with the twin aims of increasing international interest in cricket and enabling Papua New Guinea and Fiji to assess the extent of their recent cricketing progress. Past MCC tours have helped emerging cricket nations – including several participants in the current ICC World Cup – move to Test or one-day status. (They include Bangladesh and Kenya.)Commenting on the trip to Papua New Guinea and Fiji, MCC’s Head of Cricket, Tony Dodemaide, said:

"Only three weeks ago, an MCC team returned from a trip to Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Today, our squad will fly to Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and, later this month, an MCC team will play in Nepal.Together with our matches in Test-playing countries – including Australia and New Zealand – these trips show our determination to promote cricket worldwide.They are proving increasingly important in cricket development terms. We’re proud to have played our part in helping several countries – such as Canada and Kenya – prepare so well for the World Cup.We’re also delighted that a current MCC Young Cricketer, Daan van Bunge, has been representing Holland in the competition, while two England players, Ashley Giles and Ian Blackwell, are `graduates’ of MCC’s School of Merit".

The fixtures on the tour are:

8th March Prime Minister’s XI vs MCC Amini Park9th March Chairman’s XI vs MCC Amini Park11th March Motu Koitabu XI vs MCC Amini Park12th March Central Province XI vs MCC Amini Park15th March President’s XI vs MCC Albert Park16th March Fiji vs MCC Albert Park17th March Combined High Commission Diplomats vs MCC Albert Park18th March Fiji vs MCC Albert Park21st March Western Combined XI vs MCC Namaka School22nd March Fiji vs MCC Namaka School

The tour will also include two coaching sessions, in Fiji, for local schools.

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.

If the officials of the England & Wales Cricket Board had a sleepless night fearing civil unrest and rioting in St John’s Wood, they needn’t have worried. There were demonstrations outside Lord’s, but they were fairly low-key – if noisy – and universally good-humoured.The security had been beefed up, but it was discreet and by and large limited to a closer examination of bags than the usual cursory glance. This still caused consternation among one group of members, until they were assured that their bottles of wine weren’t the reason for the search. Inside the ground there was a cordon of security men guarding the square, but the plethora of respresentatives of the media, sponsors, and ECB hangers-on milling about in the middle meant that any protesters would have struggled for elbow room, let alone to unfurl a banner.The demonstrations were concentrated outside the Grace Gates where the main group, numbering 30 or 40, were cordoned off in an area opposite the entrance where they nosily and cheerfully blew whistles, chanted, and held up banners. These concentrated on anti-Mugabe slogans, although one accused Tim Lamb, the ECB’s chief executive, of being “Mugabe’s own Lord Haw Haw”. Am open-top bus drove round the perimeter road, those on the top who braved the drizzle adding to the cacophony.The ubiquitous Peter Tatchell was also in evidence, busily marshalling banner-wavers and ensuring that protestors were situated in spots where they would gain the maximum exposure from the large numbers of cameras and television crews assembled. Tatchell’s Outrage group provided the photo opportunity courtesy of a man dressed as a cricketer with a blood-soaked bandage round his head.

There was briefly the threat of an disagreement when one gentlemen, holding up a banner encouraging passing drivers to “Honk for freedom in Zimbabwe”, was told to move on by the police. Tatchell intervened, insisting that there was no justification in their request, and the police retreated. The man returned to his duties and the horns continued to sound. That was as heated as it got.But while Tatchell, as ever, will probably get the coverage, the most effective work was being done by the group from the Zimbabwe Vigil organisation. They were handing out leaflets and black armbands, all done with a cheery smile, generally getting a good response from those on their way in to the ground. The cold day meant that many had overcoats on, most of which were dark, thus negating the visibility of the armband. But it was the thought that counted.Kate Hoey, the former sports minister, took an active role, genially fielding requests from the media, talking to spectators, and handing out armbands with a politician’s skill. Rarely can she have turned in a more polished performance, even when on the campaign trail.The contrast with the brutal suppression of dissent in Zimbabwe couldn’t have been more marked.

Somerset’s young ECB Academy cricketer’s have been praised by chief executive Peter Anderson for their enterprise and hard work.The youngsters, who are raising funds for their cricket tour to the Isle of Wight this summer, offered their services as car cleaners to those attending Sunday’s National League fixture against Scotland.The ECB Academy youngsters cleaned more than sixty cars in total during the afternoon and raised almost £200 towards their forthcoming trip.Regarding the fund raiser Mr Anderson said: "Congratulations to all the young cricketers who worked hard to raise the money for the cricket tour. Everyone was very happy about the way that they carried out their duties apart from our president Michael Hill, who paid £3 to have his car cleaned but at the end of the day reckoned he’d been forgotten. He kept on about it so much it was almost like he’d lost £100!!"There are still a few spaces remaining for the Somerset Appeal Year House of Common’s Lunch that takes place on Monday June 23rd in London, when Lord Brooke, the former minister for Northern Ireland and a keen followr of the summer game will be the guest speaker. Tickets are priced at £75 plus VAT, and anybody who is interested should contact Sally Donoghue at the County Ground on telephone number 01823 272 946.

Middlesex 255 for 9 (Weekes 80, Joyce 59*) beat Scotland 143 (Keegan 5 for 48) by 112 runs
Scorecard
While Middlesex only had drive a few miles to the south from their headquarters at Lord’s, the Scotland team had to travel all the way down to Surrey – to play Middlesex – at Richmond. The game was held at Old Deer Park, which is better known for staging rugby matches rather than cricket. The park is the home of London Welsh, and London Scottish used to play at the Athletic Ground just round the corner, but Scotland didn’t take any home comforts away with them as they crashed to their biggest defeat of the season.After Craig Wright put Middlesex in, Paul Weekes led the way with 80 from 77 balls, including 13 fours and one six. Andy Strauss was dismissed early on, and then Weekes put on 96 with Owais Shah (19), and set up the platform for Ed Joyce to cash in with 59 not out. Majid Haq was the pick of the Scotland bowlers with 3 for 39 with his tidy offspin, but it wasn’t such a tidy performance from Colin Smith, the wicketkeeper. He fumbled a number of catches and stumpings and, bizarrely, kept with his pads underneath his trousers.Chasing 256, Scotland’s reply got off to a bad start – and went downhill from there. Chad Keegan (5 for 48) and Cook (2 for 23) struck early with none of the top five batsmen – including Rahul Dravid – managing double figures as Scotland slumped to 36 for 5. By then it was all over as a contest, but Scotland did restore some pride with a steady 20 from Wright and a rapid 33 from 14 balls late on from Paul Hoffmann.

New Zealand will have a new cricket coach next season.Incumbent coach Denis Aberhart has withdrawn from the application process which would have either confirmed his hold on the position, or replaced him.Aberhart, coach of New Zealand since August 2001, said he is going to pursue other opportunities away from cricket. He was headmaster of a Christchurch private school before taking up the coaching position.”I was not guaranteed a further term with New Zealand Cricket and another exciting opportunity presented itself and is likely to be confirmed later in the week,” he said.New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive Martin Snedden said Aberhart had made a significant contribution to the New Zealand side.”The team is No 3 in Test cricket and No 7 in ODI cricket. The team has had some notable successes during Denis’ two years as coach including excellent team performances in Australia during the2001-02 tour, the home ODI and Test series wins against India last season, our first Test series win in the West Indies and the recent tri-series win in Sri Lanka. The selection process for the coach’s position is continuing and the successful candidate is likely to be announced next week,” Snedden said.During Aberhart’s time as coach, Shane Bond has shot onto the world scene as a rated fast bowler, Nathan Astle gained the fastest double century, off balls faced, in Test history, left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori regained his best touches after back troubles and Daryl Tuffey, Jacob Oram and Scott Styris have emerged as genuine competitors on the international stage.And possibly most important of all in the longer-term New Zealand future, Stephen Fleming has been able to lift his batting towards the heights he has already achieved as a captain.Collectively, these have been some of the most significant developments in New Zealand’s recent cricket history and Aberhart can reflect on having played a big part in developing the atmosphere allowing opportunities to be taken by his players.

Hampshire Second XI reached the final of the ECB Second XI Trophy for the fourth time in five seasons when they defeated neigbours Sussex 2nd XI by 41 runs at The Rose Bowl today (Monday).Skipper Will Kendall chose to bat first on a hot day after winning the toss, and despite losing his own wicket early, saw his side get off to a flying start. James Hamblin (56), Greg Lamb (53) and Lawrence Prittipaul (37) brought them to 153 for 3, but the home side could not sustain this rate as wickets fell at regular stages when stability was needed. Just 72 more runs were scored for the loss of 7 wickets, with Michael Yardy Sussex’s left arm seamer being the pick of the visiting bowlers with four wickets.Both Sussex openers Neil Turk and Chris Mole were out cheaply and it took two experienced heads to steady the innings. Carl Hopkinson and Bas Zuiderent saw them safely to 97, and seriously in with a chance of victory, but, as with Hampshire wickets fell steadily, losing their 7 wickets for just 53 runs to give Hampshire the comfortable winning margin of 41 runs.Lawrence Prittipaul and Greg Lamb took three wickets a piece, but a great feature of the performance was the fielding of this young side. “This has been a feature of the whole run in this competition,” said veteran scorer Tony Weld.Hampshire 2nd XI will meet Warwickshire 2nd XI in the Final on September 8th at The Rose Bowl.