Of all the international captains currently tramping through world cricket,easily the most engaging is Kenya’s Maurice Odumbe. Put it this way, if youwere planning to throw some steak on the braai and pass a few beers around,then the cricketer to call to lift the company would be Odumbe. Alwaysassuming, of course, that your name is not umpire Dave Orchard.Odumbe’s criticisms of Orchard earned him a two-match ban this week, a banto which the Kenyans responded by inflicting a 70-run defeat on India in oneof the biggest upsets in the modern game.After the Kenyans had been drawn and quartered by India in Bloemfontein lastFriday, Odumbe’s rueful response was that the practically only thing to doin the circumstances was to take his boys out on the town and get them drunkAfter Lance Klusener had taken five successive boundaries off him inKimberley last Sunday, he confessed that what he’d wanted to do at thatmoment was find somewhere to hide.There hasn’t been such frankness from a captain on these shores since KenRutherford described his New Zealand team as a “bunch of social retards” inthe wake of a surprise victory over South Africa at the Wanderers. “And,” headded, “I’m off to join them.”It was Rutherford, of course, who also declared that New Zealand cricket had”corned the turner” after an equally surprising win against Pakistan.Rutherford had his farewell do in Johannesburg this week before takinghimself back off to his native land. Go well, Ruds.To get back to Odumbe, though, what appeals as much as anything else abouthim is that even in the aftermath of humiliation, he’s still aware that onlya fortunate few are privileged to make a living from playing cricket.Compared to a small core within the South African camp who seem determinedto match England in the prima donna stakes, the Kenyans are a breath offresh air.More so now, after Wednesday’s shock result. The problem, however, in thepost- Hansiegate age, is that you’re never quite sure what to make of upsetslike this. If Sachin Tendulkar, the best batsman in the world, struggles for20 balls to make just 3, then is he just having a bad day at the office orare more sinister forces at work.Which is not to suggest that the Indians tanked it, simply that whateverHansie Cronje believes, his activities still cast a dark shadow over thegame. Interestingly, it is understood that members of the InternationalCricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit were around Port Elizabeth onWednesday. The ACU has been a little cagey about this which, in some ways,is surprising. Surely, if the ACU is tasked with policing cricket andguarding against corruption, one of the most effective ways of achievingthis would be to let it be known that you’re around and you’ve got yourears close to the ground.The other fascinating point to emerge after Wednesday’s match – even thoughit has been strenuously denied – is that discussions were apparently heldabout Kenya’s continuing participation in the tournament. In Bloemfonteinlast week only a couple of hundred spectators turned out to watch Indiatrounce Kenya and some people started to wonder whether their presence inthe Standard Bank One-Day Series wasn’t undermining the whole tournament.In the event Kenya stayed on and gave cricket in South Africa what shouldprove to be one of the best nights of the summer. The question, though,still remains: are triangular tournaments fatally flawed if one of the teamsis demonstrably weaker than the other two? The answer in most cases is yes,but Kenya did themselves, and the series, an enormous favour by cashing inon what was a woefully inept Indian effort.The result, almost certainly, will not affect the tournament as a whole.South Africa and India, you can bet on this, will be in the final atKingsmead next Friday. But before then South Africa play Kenya at Newlandson Monday and if Cape Town manages to shrug off Currie Cup fever (or aCurrie Cup hangover, whichever applies after this weekend) then there couldbe a selloutWhich is exactly what this series needs and, let’s not be coy about this,which is exactly what South African cricket needs just at the moment.

Punjab, looking to bowl out Jammy and Kashmir for less than 293, wereunsuccessful in their bid on Day Four of their Ranji Trophy leaguematch at Jammu.The home side, losing two wickets for 37 runs, shut shop and refusedto be tempted into trying for the target. Kavaljit Singh, playing atone-down, made a painstaking 89 off 263 balls, giving clear indicationof the plans of his team.He was ably supported by Dhruv Mahajan (46), but Punjab must havesniffed some chance of victory when Kavaljit Singh, the fifth wicketto fall, departed with the score on 187. The lower middle-order,however, kept out the bowling long enough to take the home side to211/6 at stumps.Jammu and Kashmir pick up five points by virtue of their first-inningslead, while Punjab pick up three.

Worcestershire have made Essex batsman Stephen Peters their third close-seasonrecruit, signing him up on a three-year contract.Peters, 23, who was in the England team which won the Under-19 World Cup in 1998, will join the former Leicestershire batsman Ben Smith and ex-Surreyoff-spinner Gareth Batty at New Road.Worcestershire’s Director of Cricket, Tom Moody said: “Stephen is young and ambitious and plays his cricket in a positive manner, and we look forward to him adding depth to our middle-order batting.”Peters added: “Essex offered me a new contract, but I was so impressed withwhat Tom Moody is building at New Road that the move was a relatively easydecision to make.”

For a cricketer who is humble, well-behaved, and generally uncontroversial, Anil Radhakrishnan Kumble has more detractors and critics than one would expect. The tall Karnataka bowler, who notched up 300 Test wickets when he trapped Matthew Hoggard lbw on the second day of the third Test against England at Bangalore, became the first spinner from his country to achieve the feat. It is a major achievement, given that India have produced the likes of Erapalli Prasanna, Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan. When the talk of great spinners comes up, the famed quartet springs to mind instantly. Perhaps it is time that people stopped looking into the past and welcomed yet another champion bowler – Kumble – into this venerable hall of fame.”It is a good feeling to reach the milestone of 300 wickets. I had to wait a long time to get there, but it is well worth the wait,” said Kumble to pressmen. After taking 18 wickets in the first two Tests, Kumble struggled to pick up the magical one that would take him to 300. The ace leggie appeared anxious on the field, and clearly the weight of anticipation weighed down heavily on his broad shoulders.”That’s cricket. You work the whole day, toiling hard. Sometimes you’re lucky and pick wickets, on other days you have nothing to show for it. I was just being positive and knew that things had to change at some point. The one wicket today was very important, and I’m happy I got over that before the start of the second innings,” said Kumble, with characteristic maturity and restraint.As a bowler who has bowled a tight line and length almost non-stop in his career, Kumble was the right candidate to be used in a restrictive capacity if the occasion called for it. As a leggie who flights the ball less than most and does not extract expansive turn, he could easily be used in what is spoken of as a ‘negative’ mould. The talking point of the second day’s play was England’s use of Ashley Giles in this very capacity, bowling the ball into the rough outside the leg stump from around the wicket.The man with 300 Test wickets to his name from 65 matches had this to say on the matter. “It is a difficult question. My own personal feeling about this is that I would not do that. If I bowled 30 overs, I might come around the wicket for a short while just to change things around, as an option,” he began. On a stronger note, Kumble added, “I would not consider bowling around the stumps as a positive move from my perspective. I would prefer bowling around the stumps as I would have more options of getting the batsmen out.”Kumble’s style of bowling might have gotten him wickets by the truckload, but it has given enough room for critics to moan about him being a ‘pretender’ as a leg-spinner. If these critics were not answered by the number of matches that Kumble has won for India, or the very fact that he has taken more wickets than any Indian spinner in the history of the game, his words might come as a prick to the conscience. “I have my own style as a bowler. My job is to get wickets. How different people do it doesn’t concern me; each person has his own style,” explained Kumble.”I have always believed in my ability and gone out there to the middle to perform. As long as that happens, I am happy. People might classify me as a leg-spinner; it doesn’t affect me. They may classify me as a mediumpacer, and that too doesn’t affect me. As long as I’m getting wickets, am successful and am helping the team, that’s all matters,” he suggested. And surely, one cannot disagree with him on this point.Another feat Kumble has achieved that is unique to him as an Indian bowler is his 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan at Delhi in 1999. Ever the team man, Kumble compares that achievement with his latest. “We were one down in the series against Pakistan, and my effort helped India win. This (300th wicket) is just a landmark. When you’re playing in a team sport, you invariably cross landmarks, and it’s a great feeling. It’s a very special feeling to be part of the 300 club.”In an illustrious career that began in 1990 in England, Kumble has achieved a great deal. There is, however, one disappointment that Kumble has had to live with. “What most of us want is a series victory abroad. That is something that has eluded us. At least when I have been part of the team, I haven’t been able to achieve that. We came very close to winning a Test match in the West Indies and South Africa, but that didn’t happen. That is one disappointment I have.”Pressboxes are primarily workstations. People tapping away at keyboards working to meet deadlines seldom have the time to enjoy the big moments in the manner in which they deserve. The fact that they also have their favourites, dislikes, and own axes to grind compounds the situation. When Kumble reached 300 Test wickets, however, differences were put aside, work shelved for a brief moment, and people got together to applaud the fruits of labour of a hardworking, sincere cricketer.It was the least that Kumble deserved.

New South Wales and Australian batsman Michael Bevan has been named as Leicestershire’s overseas professional for the 2002 county cricket season.The English midlands club today announced that it has signed Bevan to a one-year deal, ending a lengthy quest to find its new import player.”We are delighted to have agreed a one year contract with Michael,” said head coach, Phil Whitticase, in an official statement on behalf of the club.”Michael is acknowledged as one of, if not the best, one-day batsmen in world cricket today and his previous experience of having played in English cricket will be invaluable.”We see him as a major contributor in all four domestic competitions.”Bevan’s association with county cricket began at Yorkshire in 1998, when he accumulated 935 runs at the impressive average of 55 at first-class level. He accepted a contract with Sussex two years later and, around international commitments with Australia, scored 1124 first-class runs at the mammoth average of 74.93 in his sole summer with the club.Leicestershire has been a strong performer in all four county competitions over recent years. It was a dual winner of the County Championship in the late 1990s, claiming the title in both the 1996 and 1998 seasons. In 2001, it finished fifth in the Championship and was also the runner-up in both the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy and National League one-day competitions.Daniel Marsh, another Australian, was the county’s choice as an import player last season but was forced to cut his stint short when he sustained a fractured cheekbone in early July. Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was then used briefly in a role as his replacement.

Canterbury’s 36-run over Wellington in a State Shield match at the Basin Reserve today, which ends Wellington’s unbeaten run after seven matches in the competition, may provide a feast for trivia buffs who will pick the carcass of the game in years to come.They may ask others to declare in what domestic limited overs match a player who took three catches in the field also kept wicket without either taking a catch or effecting a stumping? They will say name that player?And they may also ask in what match and against whom Canterbury employed three wicket-keepers within 48 overs and for what reason they were so profligate?And they may finally ask in what match a player who bowled six overs for 26 runs also kept wicket and took a catch and a stumping? Then they will again challenge others to name that player and they will ask in what other international field he has distinguished himself?The answer to the last question first, for those who fear they might be so assailed at some future social occasion and who might justifiably let the memory of this slow-moving match fade, is Darron Reekers – an extra point for spelling his first name correctly.Reekers scored 13 runs during Canterbury’s innings of 219/7 from 50 overs today – a total achieved after they had lost the toss and batted – then bowled with reasonable economy – six overs for 26 runs – when they held Wellington to 183 in 47.2 overs in reply.But Reekers also kept wicket for the last 18.2 overs as the third wicket-keeper Canterbury employed during Wellington’s innings, which also answers the second question.To answer the why: Canterbury lost wicket-keeper Michael Papps in the 13th over when he dived to field a ball down the left side and dislocated his left shoulder. Naturally, he could not continue and there is concern he will not play again this Shield season, or at least for some time.That might in turn lead on to another trivia question because Papps, who is enjoying an outstanding season with the bat, was also the third wicket-keeper Canterbury has employed this season after Ben Yock, who is suspended, and Gareth Hopkins, who has been injured. Hopkins is expected to return to the team as Papps’ immediate replacement.The answer to the first question is that Gary Stead, Canterbury’s captain, who immediately took the gloves from Papps and kept between the 14th and 29th overs, took three catches in the field before and after performing behind the stumps. He took the catch which dismissed Chris Nevin for two in the fifth over, another to remove David Sales in the 31st over, breaking a dangerous partnership between Sales and Matthew Bell, and a third to end the Wellington innings. The third dismissed Paul Hitchcock for 21 after the Wellington No 11, who faced only 15 balls, had prevented Canterbury embellishing their win with a bonus point.Stead took the gloves only long enough to allow Reekers to complete his six overs, which were then vital to Canterbury’s cause. He always intended to eventually hand the gloves to the talented all rounder.Now, more for trivia buffs.Why was Reekers the first choice to keep when Papps was injured?The reasons are manifold. He had been a wicket-keeper through most of his years as a Canterbury age-group representative. He gave up the gloves at under-20 level when he felt he had become too tall for the task. He then concentrated on his batting, which continued to earn him representative honours, and he developed his bowling to become a useful one-day all-rounder.But to answer another of the earlier trivia questions. Reekers has distinguished himself as an indoor cricket player and has been wicket-keeper for New Zealand in that sport. He kept wicket in six ‘Test’ matches for New Zealand on a tour of Australia and South Africa a few years ago.Reekers has also kept his hand in, so to speak, as a wicket-keeper on a social tour of England with a Dutch side and in regular social matches for a team, unfortunately called the Rats, for whom both he and his father have played.Reekers’ catch and stumping were both off left-arm spinner Carl Anderson who bowled superbly to take 5-34 from his 10 overs. The stumping removed Andrew Penn for three when Wellington was 141/6 and the catch dismissed Mark Gillespie for two when they were 153/9 and their winning chance had vanished.Anderson was able, along with Aaron Redmond, to exploit a great deal of turn in a fresh Basin Reserve wicket today and Reekers was delighted to have a close-up view of a spin bowler at the height of his powers.”Carl Anderson’s bowling was fantastic,” he said. “He turned it and he varied the pace and it was great fun keeping to him. He and Aaron Redmond were both getting a lot of turn and it was good to watch.”Chris Martin set up Canterbury for the win with an opening spell of six overs which conceded only three runs. His eight overs in the match were bowled at the paltry cost of 13 runs, two of which were wides.Canterbury’s scoring rate appeared pedestrian when they reached 30/1 after 10 overs and 54/2 after 20; 75/3 at three per over by the midpoint of their innings. They struggled through 100 in the 30th over and they were only 145/6 when the 40th over had been bowled.They were saved by Warren Wisneski who came to the wicket when they were 135/6 on Reekers’ dismissal and who battered 44 runs from 38 balls in the next 39 minutes. His partnership of 74 for the seventh wicket with Redmond was also match-winning.But Martin’s parsimony made Wellington’s reply even more hesitant and they were only 18/1, without Nevin, after 10 overs; 29/1 after 15.They were only a few runs behind Canterbury in the 20th and 25th overs and their 100 came up in similar time but they were simply unable to accelerate as Anderson, Redmond and Reekers put on the brakes.Bell and Sales’ third wicket partnership, which added 61 in 46 minutes, was vital. When Sales was out, caught by Stead off Stephen Cunis who bowled his 10 overs for 34 runs, the innings was in serious difficulty. When Bell ran himself out, wastefully, for 45 in the 33rd over they were struggling.The equally wasteful run out of Matthew Walker when they were 136/5 in the 38th over left them little hope of overhauling Canterbury’s total.Wellington had been struck a blow when they bowled on winning the toss by the loss of opening bowler Penn to sickness. Penn, who had been suffering from the flu, was in his fifth over, the ninth of the innings, when he was overcome by nausea and dizziness. He was forced to leave the field and didn’t bowl again in the innings. Mayu Pasupati, who completed the ninth over, bowled Brad Doody with his first ball – all of this grist to the trivia mill.”Canterbury simply got too many runs,” Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson said. “I thought about 180 would be reasonable and if we performed like we have previously this season we would have held them to that.”This loss crept up on us and I had said it might. We had a bad performance and we have no excuses.”Canterbury out-played us today not only with their skill but with their want.”A match like this was always going to happen and in hindsight it might not be a bad thing. We rested on our laurels today and this is a healthy reminder.”

Matabeleland began their daunting task of scoring 445 runs to avoid thefollow-on the second day of their Logan Cup against Mashonaland. The visitors declared their innings at 644 for nine off 142 overs, with the home side finishing with 197 for five at the close of the second day’s proceedings.Mashonaland resumed at 427 for six and lost three wickets before declaring their first innings closed. Blessing Mahwire was the first to go when he was dismissed by spinner Gavin Ewing; the ball hit his pad and came off the bat, presenting Ryan King with a catch at silly point. Mahwire was dismissed for 44 runs in the 13th over of the day.Mashonaland captain Angus Mackay produced his usual aggressive batting, taking advantage of some tame bowling by the home attack which was also let down by poor fielding. He took the innings as he might take batting practice, hitting the bowlers in all directions and punishing the home side after he was dropped three times by Matthew Townshend.Mackay turned the Mashonaland innings into a batting training session, hitting the young bowlers all over the park while sharing an eighth-wicket stand of 105 runs with Donald Campbell before the latter was trapped lbw by Gavin Ewing for 79, which included 15 fours. Mackay displayed an array of beautiful strokes that saw him reach his maiden first-class century with a six that went over mid-off. He finally ran out of luck when he was caught by Mike McKillop off the bowling of Strydom for 108 off just 47 balls, which included 10 sixes and 8 fours. His century, reached off only 45 balls, was one of the fastest in the history of first-class cricket, the record being 34 balls by Australia’s David Hookes.The visitors finally declared their innings closed four overs after lunch with Patrick Gada and Simon Seager unbeaten on 16 and 15 respectively. Greg Strydom was the pick of the Matabeleland bowlers with four for 134, recording three maidens in his 25 overs.The Matabeleland team suffered a setback in their quest to reach the required 445 to avoid the follow-on as they lost most of their specialist batsman cheaply. Opener Wisdom Siziba was the first to depart when he was dismissed by Mackay, edging to first slip where he was caught by an alert Ryan Butterworth to depart for 31 runs. Captain Ryan King and Mecury Kenny lifted the home side’s innings before Kenny was stumped by wicketkeeper Donald Campbell for 57 runs, having left his crease for a delivery from Craig Evans.Warren Gilmour did not last as he skied a catch for Kudzai Taibu off thebowling of Darlington Matambanadzo to depart without scoring. Captain RyanKing was the fourth wicket to fall when he was trapped lbw by Matambanadzofor 44 runs. The home side lost their last wicket of the day when GregStrydom was given out lbw to Barney Rogers for 38 runs.

MELBOURNE, Dec 27 AAP – Middle-order batsman Darren Lehmann will miss the New Year Ashes Test against England because of his bacterial infection.Lehmann went to hospital last Monday and was put on an intravenous drip because of the infection, which doctors suspect entered his body through a foot blister.The left-hander said today he was aiming to return to the Australian side for the one-dayer against Sri Lanka on January 9.Martin Love took Lehmann’s spot in the Test side on Christmas day and scored 62 today on debut.Lehmann said he “never felt worse” when he was admitted to hospital here on Monday night.”Today is the first day I’ve been out of hospital, just an hour or so away to come down and say hello to the lads, but I’m really tired again and I’m heading back there,” he said in a statement.”The doctors think it’s a common bacteria, but apparently they managed to catch things early and killed it before it grew too much.”Lehmann added he hoped to be released from hospital tomorrow and will then return to his home city of Adelaide to regain his strength.He initially felt sore in his groin after the weekend’s international one-dayer against Sri Lanka in Perth, where he scored a century and was man of the match.”By 10pm (on Monday) my groin was inflamed and I couldn’t even touch it, I was shaky and feeling really ill,” he said.”(Team doctor) Trefor James came in to see me and I was lying in a couch in the team room with four towels around me, shaking.”Doctors gave Lehmann three antibiotics through his drip to purge the infection.Lehmann said he had disinfected his gear to ensure no repeat of the problem.

New South Wales cricketer Graeme Rummans’ hearing before an Australian Cricket Board (ACB) committee is under way in Melbourne.The 25-year-old is facing the three-person Anti-Doping Committee following the return of a positive test to the banned masking agent probenecid before a training session with the New South Wales state squad in December last year.If ultimately found to have acted inappropriately, Rummans faces the possibility of a maximum two-year ban from all cricket conducted under the auspices of the ACB and the six state associations in Australia.But the committee also has the power to either clear Rummans of any offence or to reduce his sentence under guidelines that allow the severity of any punishment to be relaxed where extenuating medical circumstances exist.Former Western Australian paceman Duncan Spencer is the only player to have previously been outed from the sport in Australia following the return of a positive drug test. In a case heard in April of last year, he was barred from participating in international and interstate cricket for a period of 18 months in the wake of his use of the banned steroid nandrolone.Rummans’ hearing began at 4:30pm AEDT and is expected to proceed for several hours.

Kerala took a vital first-innings lead of 44 runs over Madhya Pradesh in a low-scoring match which has seen the bowlers reap rich rewards on a dicey track at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. At close of play on the second day of the first Plate semi-final Ranji Trophy game, Kerala are 78 for five in their second innings, leading by 122 runs.Earlier, Kerala skipper Sunil Oasis’ decision to bat first after winning the toss on Saturday looked a bit suicidal, as the hosts lost both the openers with just 15 runs on the board. Sixteen runs later, Harvinder Singh Sodhi’s right-arm medium pace went on to snare its third victim to leave Kerala reeling at 31/3.But Hemanth Kumar (43) along with Ajay Kudua (33) and Vipin Lal (28*) averted a total disaster, steering their side to 156 all out. For Madhya Pradesh, old warhorse Narendra Hirwani and Harvinder Singh were the most successful bowlers with three wickets each.Madhya Pradesh started the second day at their overnight score of 21 for no loss, looking to gain the first innings lead. Into the third over of the morning, Tinu Yohannan trapped Mudassar Pasha (9) right in front of the wicket. And in his following over, Yohannan cleaned up Naman Ojha for a duck. Madhya Pradesh were soon in serious trouble when they lost their third wicket too at the score of 23, Dholpure (10) caught by Kerala skipper Sunil Oasis off Sree Santh.Wily leg-spinner Ananthapadmanabhan then came to the party, trapping Bundela (13) lbw and precitipating a mini-collapse. Skipper Amay Khurasiya was the next to go after having hit five boundaries and a six in making 43 – out caught and bowled by Ananthapadmanabhan. When Kudua took a smart catch to dismiss Abbas Ali for a duck off Ananthapadmanabhan’s bowling, Madhya Pradesh were reduced to 81 for six.The last four wickets fell for the addition of a mere 31 runs with Suresh Kumar going on to finish with the amazing figures of 8-6-2-2. This meant that Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for a paltry 112.Batting for the second time, Kerala batsmen had to battle hard under extremely difficult batting conditions. If there were four lbw decisions in the Madhya Pradesh innings, four off the five Kerala batsmen were given out similarly in their second essay; a clear indicator of the state of pitch at Kochi.Kerala’s most prolific scorer of this season Sujit Somasunder lasted just five balls, caught by Ojha off Pandey for a duck. This was followed by four lbw dismissals, including that of Sunil Oasis. The Kerala skipper showed a lot of commitment as he defied the bowling for almost an hour and a half, hitting threeboundaries and a six. At close of play, Ajay Kudua (3*) and Vipin Lal (0*) are at the crease.