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A classy century from Simon Katich led NSW to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Victoria in the ING Cup cricket match at Bradman Oval today.Katich, coming off his successful return to Test cricket last week when he made a half-century and took five wickets, opened the NSW innings and looked untroubled while making 131 from 129 balls.After electing to bat, Victoria slumped to 4-55 but 101 from Brad Hodge, who missed a $50,000 jackpot for hitting one of the sponsors’ signs by mere centimetres, pushed the Bushrangers to a respectable total of 9-244.Katich and Dominic Thornely (33) made a swift 77-run opening stand from 17 overs to send the Blues on their way.NSW captain Steve Waugh, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of 5,000-plus in his first appearance at the famous little ground, hit 38 from 58 balls but Katich, who made 52 and took 6-65 for Australia against Zimbabwe at the SCG, was the standout.His ton came from 108 balls.Hodge was heading for a cash windfall when a six from left-arm spinner Aaron O’Brien flew straight towards the ING sign at mid-wicket. The crowd celebrated when they heard the sound of the ball hitting steel, but the ball had hit the posts supporting the sign and Hodge was denied the $50,000.Stuart Clark (2-35) and Don Nash (3-34) were the pick of the NSW bowlers.Stand-in wicketkeeper Nathan Pilon was razor sharp behind the stumps, taking five catches and fumbling nothing.

Already overburdened by the perennial controversies that have become as attached as a Siamese twin, West Indian cricket was thrown into further confusion Monday, three days before the first Test of the Cable & Wireless Series against Australia.Not for the first time, surely for the last, Carl Hooper has withdrawn from a West Indies squad.His decision to pull out of the 14 announced last Saturday was not unexpected, as it came after his dismissal as captain last week, after two years in the post and following the West Indies’ first-round elimination from the World Cup in South Africa.Although he did not go so far in a brief statement, Hooper has effectively ended his 16 enigmatic largely unfulfilled years in international cricket, in which he played 102 Tests, 22 as captain, and 227 One-Day Internationals as a stylish batsman and steady off-spin bowler.In spite of a Test batting average in the mid-30s and a bowling average just a few points below 50, he is the only player in the game to score over 5 000 runs, claim more than 100 wickets and snare over 100 catches in both forms of the game.Apart from the frustration of having to hand over a basically young team that he feels, with some justification, has gradually developed under him, Hooper is now 36 and his knees required surgery last December."After giving my selection in the West Indies team for the first Test careful consideration, I have decided to inform the selectors and the West Indies Cricket Board of my decision to make myself unavailable," Hooper said in his statement, issued in St Lucia where he participated in the Double Wicket World Cup tournament last weekend."This has been a difficult decision but is one I feel must be made, given the recent developments over the last few weeks and the new direction in which the team will now head."Though [it is] tempting to play, it would curtail the development of a younger player, and I see it also as a backward step for West Indies cricket. I take this opportunity to wish the team well into the upcoming series and urge the Caribbean public to continue with their support for the West Indies team."Hooper reportedly had lengthy discussions with West Indies greats Sir Everton Weekes and Lance Gibbs in St Lucia.His wife Connie, a solid supporter who has been constantly by his side since he came out of two years’ retirement in 2001 to immediately take over as captain from Jimmy Adams, would have helped influence his decision."We are disappointed and we’re now thinking of a replacement" was chief selector Sir Viv Richards’ reaction. Sir Viv, the only West Indies captain never to have lost a Test series, strongly and publicly supported Hooper’s retention as captain but was outvoted by his two colleagues on the panel, Joey Carew and Gordon Greenidge, and ultimately by the board."We were hoping for him to play because he would have filled a certain role such as being a spinner," Sir Viv said. "As to who will replace Hooper, our options are still open."The clearest choice would be the 27-year-old Jamaican Gareth Breese, who had one Test in India last October and has had a good allround Carib Beer tournament (335 runs, average 37.22, 28 wickets, average 22.85). But he lacks Hooper’s vast experience andbatting class.The more likely scenario is that all four chosen fast bowlers – Merv Dillon, Pedro Collins, Vasbert Drakes and Jermaine Lawson – will start with Marlon Samuels to fill in with occasional off-spin.Hooper’s loss as a batsman comes after the enforced absence of Ramnaresh Sarwan, the appointed vice-captain, with a finger injury and the pointed omission of left-handed opener Chris Gayle, and throws the batting order out of balance.Since Gayle has presumably paid the price for preferring profit in the Double Wicket tournament to playing for Jamaica in the Carib Beer Series final against Barbados last weekend, it means a probable debut for 21-year-old left-handed opener Devon Smith and the return as his partner of Daren Ganga after a year out of the team.The upheavals place even heavier responsibility than usual on Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the only two batsmen with over 50 Tests.West Indies were in similar disarray when the Australians last came to the Caribbean, yet shared the series 2-2.Thrashed in all five Tests and six of seven One-Day Internationals in South Africa a few weeks earlier, West Indies were without Hooper for the first two Tests and Chanderpaul for all four. Lara was placed on probation for two matches and told to improve his leadership.West Indies were bowled out for 51, their lowest ever total, in the first Test in Trinidad, losing by 351 runs, yet rallied behind Lara’s brilliant batting to win the next two before losing the last.Australia have key absentees of their own. Fast bowler Glenn McGrath and leg-spinner Shane Warne, both with over 400 Test wickets, are missing for contrasting reasons, and batsman Damien Martyn is out of the series through injury.But the Australians have shown great depth among their reserves. West Indies are now about to have theirs tested.

It’s far too early in the season to talk about championships, but there’s no doubt tomorrow’s Havant-BAT Sports clash at Havant Park, 11.30am, will provide a significant pointer to the outcome of the latest ECB Southern Electric Premier League title tussle.Havant, the reigning champions, have twice lifted the Premier crown in three seasons, BAT Sports sandwiching their success in between, winning it in 2001.BAT are the masters of all-day cricket, having won a staggering 16 out of their last 17 `time’ matches in the past three seasons – their latest win a massive 210-run demolition of Calmore Sports last weekend.The result put BAT, the only unbeaten side, on top and clear of Havant, who came unstuck in a penultimate ball thriller at South Wilts a fortnight ago.A thumb injury rules out Hampshire Under-17 all-rounder Ricky Rawlins, whose place is expected to go to seamer Mark Page.Havant, knocked out of the ECB Club Championship at Basingstoke & North Hants on Sunday, are weakened by the absence of in-form batsman Luke Sears and influential South African Mackie Hobson, who has yet to play in the SPL this summer.The defending champions line up with a three-pronged spin attack of Matt Cox, Richard Hindley and Phil Loat – all seasoned wicket takers – which suggests Havant will not use one of their harder, newly laid strips."It will be a terrific game," forecasts Havant skipper Paul Gover. "Both teams are laced with top club players who will bring out the best in each other."Having taken a career-best 8-29 against Calmore, BAT left-arm pace bowler Dan Goldstraw is relishing the duel."This is a totally different ball game. There’s some pretty decent Havant batsmen about and I’ll be happy with a few scalsp, so long as we win," he smiled.Calmore Sports, who sank to the Premier 1 basement after the BAT humiliation, are determined to bounce back quickly against Bournemouth at Loperwood Park, 11.30am.Skipper Tom Pegler, boosted by Mark Boston’s return, wants his side to show plenty of character tomorrow."Dan Goldstraw destroyed us with that 8-29 spell last week, but that’s gone now and we need to get back to believing in ourselves and scoring runs," he said."We’ve got some young, inexperienced players – but they can play and I’m looking to them to come back hard."We’re not a 53 all out side. We showed what we can do by beating the Academy lads a few weeks ago and I want us to apply the same approach tomorrow."Bournemouth also lost last week by 83 runs to the Academy – the outcome largely influenced by a sparkling performance by Hampshire’s Lawrie Prittipaul, who hit 81 before bowling a miserly ten-over spell.Fit again Dorset batsman Charlie Holcomb replaces the unavailable Matt Mixer at Calmore.Hampshire’s Lawrie Prittipaul won’t be quite sure which dressing room to use at the Rose Bowl when Portsmouth play the Academy team.Under current SPL regulations, Portsmouth-based Prittipaul is eligible to play for both sides, although rival Premier clubs are certain to ask for the dual-registration rules relating to the Academy’s full-time professionals to be reviewed for next season.Prittipaul, who played his early Southern League cricket for Portsmouth, turned out for the city club in the opening match against Liphook, but turned in a match-winning performance in Academy colours at Bournemouth last week.South Wilts skipper Rob Wade confesses he has no idea who will play for the Salisbury club against Liphook & Ripsley at Bemerton."We should have James Tomlinson back from university, but I’ve got quite a few players nursing injuries and who won’t know until tonight whether they are going to be fit," he said.Russell Rowe (bruised arm), Adie Holewell and Alex Senneck (back), and Adam Smith (ankle) are all on the `doubtful’ list."Senneck is the most worrying. He developed a few problems at Andover last week, but if he plays we’ll have a magnificent pace attack of Seeary, Senneck and Tomlinson."There’s no club that can match that," said Wade, whose South Wilts side lie second behind BAT Sports in the log.Western Australian Brad Thompson has passed himself fit and will strengthen the Bashley (Rydal) line up against Andover at the BCG.The Aussie coach, who is set to succeed Hampshire’s Paul Terry as coaching supremo at the Melville Grade club in Perth this autumn, has been out of action for the past month following a broken finger injury sustained at Havant on May 10.He replaces seasoned campaigner John Whiting, who is recuperating in a health farm after his recent arduous bowling stints."Obviously it’s a great boost to have Brad back and he’ll stiffen the batting," said Bashley skipper Matt King, who is looking to extend his individual 16-wicket haul."Overall, I was pleased with the improved performance when we drew at Portsmouth last Saturday and feel we have started to get ourselves back on track."We took a lot more positives out of that game than negatives and fancy we’ll beat Andover tomorrow," King added.

In sport, you never know which are the opportunities which are the precursorto bigger and greater things.For Michael Vaughan, it was the second Test in Adelaide. Justin Langer caughthim when he was on 19 but it was referred to the third umpire who gave thebatsman the benefit of the doubt.Vaughan went on to make 177. Who knows how the rest of his series would havefared had Langer’s appeal be upheld? Three centuries? Who would know? Man ofthe series? Unlikely.For Sri Lanka, their opportunity was being sent in by Australia. They havecapitalised on it and have responded by making 5/343 against a sub-strengthAustralian line-up.But the bigger picture is what this innings means in terms of Australia.Brad Hogg is no Shane Warne. Brett Lee and Andy Bichel do not pose the samenew ball threat as Glenn McGrath or Jason Gillespie.In the already bowler short World Cup Australian squad, if one of thebowlers goes down, Australia is already in trouble. They have a long battingline-up but do they always want to be chasing scores of 300-plus?Watson going for 72 from his full quota and Hogg being carted for 72 fromnine is simply not acceptable if Australia wishes to do well at the upcomingWorld Cup.Twenty-nine in wides and no-balls does not aid their cause either.Will the Australian selectors be regretting their composition of the final15? The first XI are a great side but are the back-ups adequatereplacements?

Phil Tufnell, the winner of the reality TV show, I’m a Celebrity … Get Me out of Here, is set to follow in the footsteps of the former England captain, David Gower, by becoming a team captain on the BBC One sports quiz They Think It’s All Over. Tufnell is currently negotiating a number of media offers after being crowned king of the jungle, and They Think It’s All Over would suit his laconic style. The quiz is now in its eighth year, and the departing captains Gower and the former England football captain, Gary Lineker, were routinely made the butt of jokes by the comedians Lee Hurst, Rory McGrath and Jonathan Ross.Ross, who hosts a chat show on BBC One (Tufnell is lined up as one of next week’s guests), is to stay as one of the panellists, along with the host of the show, Nick Hancock. Contenders to be Tufnell’s opposite number include Steve Davis, the snooker player, and the former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies.

The powerful Bengal side have secured a place in the Ranji quarterfinals after thrashing Rajasthan by an innings and 51 runs at the KL Saini Ground, Jaipur on Sunday. Bengal, who had claimed a 197-run lead by the end of the fourth day’s play, then dismissed the hosts for 146 runs on Sunday.The 41 overs play on Saturday had seen Bengal batsman Subhomoy Das, resuming on 99, complete a well-deserved century. He was eventually out for 129. The rest of the willow-wielders did not add too many runs as the visitors were dismissed for 518. They had though secured a massive lead and this had already assured them of a place in the quarterfinals. A six-wicket haul by their new-ball bowler Sabir Ali on the fifth day though saw them have the pleasure of securing an outright win.

After the debacle in the first Test in Dhaka, not much was expected of the young and inexperienced Bangladesh team that squared up to the West Indies in the second Test at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong. And true to form, they crumbled yet again against a West Indies bowling attack that comprises four speedsters, making just 194 in their first innings. When bad light brought an early end to play, the West Indies were 38-1 in reply.Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mashud won the toss and decided to bat on a track with a lot of grass in it. The opening pair of Hannan Sarkar and Al Sahariar negotiated a wayward opening spell from Pedro Collins and Vasbert Drakes to take the score to 43. But then, in the space of 15 balls and five runs, Bangladesh lost three quick wickets.Drakes, who had struggled to find the right rhythm in his first spell, finished it by drawing first blood, trapping Sahariar (25) in front of the wicket. Daren Powell, who replaced Collins, then claimed the wickets of Sarkar (15) and Habibul Bashar (3).Sanwar Hossain and Mohammad Ashraful too were shaky to start with, beaten numerous times outside the off stump. But then, with the West Indies pace attack growing complacent, both the batsmen grew in confidence as Bangladesh went in for lunch at 88/3.The post-lunch session was to bring no better tidings for the home side as the West Indies claimed four more wickets. After Hossain (36) and Ashraful (28) added 64 for the fourth wicket and took their team to 112-4, Collins and Jermaine Lawson struck, claiming two wickets each and reducing the hosts to 144-7 by the end of the session.Soon after tea, Bangladesh lost Tapash Baisya (5) hit-wicket off the bowling of Powell. Skipper Khaled Mashud (32) stood up for a while and along with Manjural Islam (21) put together 36 useful runs for the ninth wicket. Sarwan caught Mashud in the covers off Drakes, and Islam was bowled by Collins as the Bangladesh innings came to an end in the 64th over of the day. Collins and Powell picked up three wickets each, Drakes and Lawson shared the remaining four wickets between them.The West Indies innings didn’t get off to a good start; they lost the wicket of Wavell Hinds (14) caught behind off the bowling of Tapash Baisya, trying to sway away from a short-pitched delivery and getting some glove on the ball.Manjural Islam bowled a very good first spell (8-5-12-0), often beating the outside edge. Sarwan immediately got off his mark with a boundary to fine leg, but with the light fading, Chris Gayle (10*) and Sarwan (14*) ensured that West Indies did not have any further hiccups before close of play. Once again, they are dictating terms to the home side.

Robin Smith has announced he will retire from first-class cricket at the end of the season. Smith cited injury problems for his decision to leave Hampshire after 22 years.

He said today: “I feel now is the right time to go although I know I shall miss cricket badly. I find it difficult to get over injuries as quickly as I did and at my age I am not going to get any better.” In his benefit year at Hampshire, Smith has played 10 Championship games this season, scoring 522 runs at an average of 37.28. He added: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of the last 23 years and I thank Hampshire for the support that has enabled me to achieve my ambition to playing till the age of 40.”Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire’s chairman, said: “In my opinion, Robin Smith has been the most influential player in the history of Hampshire cricket. Besides winning many, many matches, he has also won the hearts and minds of Hampshire supporters everywhere. I fully understand and respect Robin’s decision to retire from playing and I look forward to working with him in the second phase of his career with Hampshire Cricket.”Speculation was rife that Smith was going to call it a day after he tore his hamstring two weeks ago. He said: “There is some talking to be done about my future. If one is realistic about me having played my last game then you could think along those lines.” He added that he still hoped to play in Hampshire’s final National League match, against Derbyshire on September 21.Smith, who is 40 on September 13, has scored 18,984 runs for Hampshire and scored 49 first-class hundreds in 307 matches. He played in 62 Tests for England between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4236 runs at 43.67, and 71 ODIs.

Stephen Waugh will not be selected in the Australian one-day international team to tour South Africa and Zimbabwe in March, it was announced today.The decision to omit Waugh from the one-day team was taken by the National Selection panel of Trevor Hohns (Chairman), Allan Border, David Boon and Andrew Hilditch.ACB Chief Executive, James Sutherland, said that in making the decision the selectors were meeting their obligation to put their judgement on the needs of the team ahead of all other considerations.”The selectors have one primary obligation to Australian cricket and that is to pick the team that in their judgement is the best side to represent our country. As difficult as it might be, they have taken this decision to fulfil this obligation,” said Mr Sutherland.Since making his debut in the shortened form of the game in December 1985, Waugh has made 325 one-day appearances, the last of them in the VB Series clash against South Africa in Perth on 3 February, an Australian record.Only India’s Mohammad Azharuddin (334 matches) has played more one-day matches, with Australia’s next most capped one-day player Border with 273 appearances.Only one other player, in addition to Waugh and Azharuddin – Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (323) – has topped 300 one-day matches for his country.Stephen Waugh said that he was disappointed by the decision but would be working to regain his place in the team.”Of course this is an extremely disappointing decision. The challenge for me is to now ensure that the Australian Test team wins the series against South Africa and to play well enough to force my way back into the one-day team,” said Waugh.Chairman of Selectors, Trevor Hohns, said it had been a tough decision to make.”Making this decision has been extremely difficult and it is not one that anyone likes but as selectors our responsibility is to pick what we believe to be the best side for Australia. We believe that there are now players ahead of Steve for one-day selection,” said Mr Hohns.”After reflecting on the VB Series, we decided that for the one-day side to continue to be successful and to prepare for the 2003 World Cup, it was time to make this change.”There is no ideal time to announce a decision like this, but by making the change now we hope that it will give the new captain a chance to step up and grow into the role well before next February.”It will also allow us to consult with that person so that he can have some input into the side that contests the one-day series in South Africa beginning next month.”In announcing the decision, Mr Sutherland also highlighted Stephen Waugh’s contribution to the one-day team.”Stephen has made an outstanding contribution to one-day cricket in this country as one-day captain over the past four years and has played a major part in building Australia’s record in this form of the game.”Waugh has captained Australia in 106 limited-overs matches with 67 wins, 35 losses, three ties and one no-result. Only six players have led their country more often in one-day cricket.With the bat, Waugh’s 7569 runs at 32.90 is the second highest aggregate by an Australian player, eclipsed only by his brother Mark, who has 8500 runs at 39.35 from 244 matches.Stephen also has 195 wickets to his credit in one-day internationals, leaving him 18th on the list of all-time leading wicket-takers in that form of the game. Of Australians, only Shane Warne (268) and Glenn McGrath (226) are ahead of him.Waugh also has two World Cup winning medals to his credit, first as part of Border’s side that beat England in Calcutta in 1987, then as captain when he led the team to a final win over Pakistan at Lord’s in 1999.That 1999 tournament also included Waugh’s highest score in one-day internationals, an unbeaten 120 against South Africa at Headingley in a must-win game for his side, one of three one-day hundreds he has scored.The selectors will as soon as practicable recommend a captain and vice-captain to the Australian Cricket Board’s 14 Directors while the squad for the seven one-day internationals to be played against South Africa starting in Johannesburg on Friday 22 March will be named in due course.Waugh will depart for South Africa with the rest of the Test squad on Thursday 14 February.

LONDON – Man of the series Glenn McGrath feels inferior to Dennis Lilleedespite beating the great fast bowler’s benchmark of 355 wickets in theFifth Ashes Test.And Shane Warne, pipped by McGrath for the honour of being the highestwicket-taker in the series by 32 to 31, says he has never bowled betterthan on the final day at the Oval.McGrath took 5-43 in England’s second innings of 184 for a match haul of7-110 and a total of 358 wickets from his 75-Test career.That’s three more wickets than Lillee claimed in his 70 Tests, but thosefigures do not include his 103 scalps from World Series Cricket andSuperTests which would have bumped Lillee’s aggregate up to 458.”I dont think I’m up there with Dennis yet,” said McGrath.”He was my hero and I doubt I will every get up there alongside him.”I rate him as one of the best – if not the best – fast bowler ever.”To go past him is a great honour but I still feel I have a long way togo yet.”Warne, dogged by injury over the past two years, bowled with all his oldturn, flight and bounce on a pitch ideally suited to spin, finishing theTest with 11-229 and a man of the match award.Warne’s 92 Tests have netted 407 wickets, fifth on the all-time listbehind Courtney Walsh (519), Kapil Dev (434), Sir Richard Hadlee (431)and Wasim Akram (414).”Here in the second innings is probably the best I can bowl,’ Warnesaid.”I think I bowled two bad balls in 28 overs and I had the ball fizzing.”A bit of the old turn was there … I feel like I’m bowling as well asI ever have.”The ball from McGrath for wicket No.355 to match Lillee was his best ofthe series, rearing off a good length and prompting a floated returncatch off Marcus Trescothick’s gloves as he ducked for cover.”There was just a spot on the wicket there where I hit it and it jumpedoff a length,” McGrath said of the Trescothick ball.”It was hard call for Marcus to get and the fact it flew straight to mewas a little bit unusual.”He could think himself a little bit stiff.The Australian bowlers were superior to their English rivals throughoutthe series with the exception of Brett Lee, who came out of adisappointing series with only nine wickets at 55.11.McGrath’s 32 were at 16.93, Warne’s 31 were at 18.7 and Jason Gillespietook 19 wickets at an unlucky 34.31.”England bowled well in spells but when you bowl to a lineup like we’vegot it is pretty tough work,” said McGrath.”You look at Gough and Caddick and they go for the wickets a lot of thetime rather than build it up and try to maintain pressure that way.”I bowl line and length because I don’t swing the ball and I’ve got nopace.”No pace, but plenty of wickets.