All Today’s Yesterdays – October 3 down the yearsOctober 2 | October 41921
One of the greatest fast bowlers of all was born on this day. Ray Lindwall was a brilliant swing bowler and a shoo-in for any all-time-great Australian XI. As a child he would play in the street along which Bill O’Reilly walked home in the hope of catching the great man’s eye. He certainly managed that. But Lindwall was more than just a top-class bowler: the Wisden Almanack described him as “perhaps the man who established fast-bowling’s role in the modern game”. The leader of the Invincibles attack in 1948, he enjoyed a sodden Oval pitch in the last Test at The Oval – his 6 for 20 hurried England out for 52, still their lowest total in Ashes Tests in England. Remarkably, 43% of Lindwall’s 228 Test victims were out bowled. He died in Queensland in 1996.1862
Birth of the tragic Johnny Briggs, a brilliant slow left-armer who achieved the sort of penetration that modern English finger-spinners can only dream of. His 118 Test scalps came at the Waqar-esque strike rate of a wicket every 45.19 balls, and his 21 wickets against South Africa cost just 4.81 runs each. At Cape Town in 1888-89 he returned match figures of 33.3-16-28-15 (14 of the 15 were bowled) as South Africa’s tyros were skittled for 47 and 43 in only their country’s second Test. But in 1899 Briggs had an epileptic fit after being struck over the heart, and he ended up in an asylum where, so the story goes, he would imagine himself bowling down the ward and tell the nurses his bowling figures at the end of each day. He died in Cheshire in 1902.1996
South Africa’s biggest ODI victory. They trounced Kenya by 202 runs in the KCA Centenary Tournament in Nairobi. South Africa made 305 for 8 and then bowled out the hapless Kenyans inside 25.1 overs, with Allan Donald helping himself to career-best figures of 6 for 23.1952
Birth of a man who played a crucial role in New Zealand’s first-ever home series victory. Gary Troup played only 15 Tests, but three of them were during the memorable 1-0 win over West Indies in 1979-80. In a tense, truculent series Troup took 18 wickets at 20.61. It was historic for all concerned: New Zealand had waited 50 years for their maiden triumph, and West Indies would not lose another series until 1994-95.1995
Sri Lanka rubbed salt in Pakistan’s wounds at Rawalpindi. They had come from behind to win the Test series 2-1, and now repeated the dose in the one-dayers, clinching the series with a four-wicket win. Rain reduced it to a 38-over match, and Sri Lanka squeezed home with two balls to spare. Arjuna Ranatunga, who top-scored with a cool 42, was Man of the Match.1999
A forceful 84 from Herschelle Gibbs set South Africa up for yet another one-day tournament victory. They beat a Tendulkar-less India by 26 runs in the LG Cup final at Nairobi.Other birthdays
1891 William Ling (South Africa)
1905 Errol Hunte (West Indies)
1911 Sarobindu Banerjee (India)
1980 Sarah Collyer (England)

Everybody’s talking about sledging these days. In recent times Dennis Lillee, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly have all commented on the issue. All of them have a point.Sledging has been happening in cricket for a long time. It has become a concern now because TV viewers and listeners can hear what players are saying via stump microphones. This has resulted in the recent past in some players getting disciplined – such as Glenn McGrath, Shahid Afridi and Darren Lehmann. Even I was incorrectly accused during the 2003 World Cup of wrongful sledging, although everyone knows I am not a particularly vociferous person on the field.A most amazing incident happened in grade (club) cricket in Australia in March, when the batsmen walked off after incessant sledging by the opposing fielders and bowlers.Many people say sledging is against the spirit of cricket. In my mind, not all sledging is bad. Most things in the world have both a negative and a positive side to them. That’s just the case with sledging.Negative sledging, I would say, falls into the category of Abuses and Insults; positive sledging consists of Challenges and Humour. There is, of course, a fine line between insult and humour, and it’s often a matter of perception.Abuses and Insults are against the spirit of the game. They usually begin when despite trying their hardest, players are not getting what they want. They then lose their composure, become desperate and resort to negative sledging by using foul and insulting language. They need to be reined in, and that responsibility falls first on the captain. The onus for determining when the limit has been crossed falls on the match referee.Challenges and Humour, on the other hand, are an affable part of the game. Basit Ali once told me that when he used to go into bat in the initial few matches of his career, Javed Miandad used to ask him to dare the fast bowlers by saying, “Let’s see if you can hit me.” This is like throwing a challenge to the opponent and is good gamesmanship. In boxing, we all know how Muhammad Ali is still admired worldwide for similar behaviour in the ring. Glaring and making unpleasant faces towards the opponents is all part of the aggressiveness in the field and is not unconstructive, as long as no bad words are exchanged.Qasim Umer indulged in some hilarious sledging against West Indies way back in the semi-final of the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket in Melbourne in 1985, when he started to make faces similar to Malcolm Marshall and Winston Davis. He even held out his bat as if he was holding a gun. The World Cup of 1992 will always be remembered for Pakistan’s win in the final against England – and Javed Miandad jumping up and down against India after the consistent chattering of their wicketkeeper, Kiran More.These days when people talk of sledging Australia come immediately to mind. Let us, thus, examine sledging and nationality. The West Indians, considered the friendliest cricket team, never sledge. On the field they play aggressive cricket, talk among themselves and buck up each other, but they rarely get entangled in heated exchanges with their opponents. They rarely lose their composure – though they have done so in the past because of bad umpiring, which is nevertheless not reason enough.For Australia, on the other hand, sledging has been a part of their cricketing folklore – as epitomised by Yabba, a person sitting near the boundary at Sydney throwing encouragements, challenges and insults to players. Australian players on the field have now adopted the role of Yabba. As long as the modern-day Yabba does not use ugly language and is only sending out healthy challenges, it should be fine. In fact, it is good for the game, and adds to its competitiveness.The most popular sport on this planet is soccer. Nobody tries to ban sledging and body contact in this sport. In cricket, with the batsman separated by 22 yards, body contact is irrelevant and undesirable. But positive sledging increases the thrill of the game – just as it does in soccer.As a player, one needs to be mentally tough and able to adapt to the prevailing sports environment. And the ultimate weapon to counter sledging is one’s cricketing skill. VVS Laxman’s exquisite 281 against Australia at Kolkata in 2001 was one example of this, as was Shoaib Akhtar’s 5 for 25 at Brisbane in 2002. At the end of the day, it should all come down to the cricket.

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.

CloseCanterbury 499 and 247 for 6 dec (Fulton 113*, Wiseman 35*, Patel 3-106) drew with Wellington 393 and 291 for 7 (Jones 82)Canterbury will regret batting on to leave Wellington a target of 354 runs on the final afternoon of their State Insurance match at the Basin Reserve. As it turned out, Wellington held out, seven wickets down, for the draw.Memories of being caught short before might have been on Chris Cairns’s mind as he delayed his declaration. The pitch was good enough for a strong Wellington team to chase on, but so far in this year’s series, Wellington have not always put a good performance together.Realising that they were on course to take no points out of the match, if they didn’t win, Wellington at least made a genuine effort for victory, but in the end the target was too steep. Richard Jones attacked and scored 82 off 122 balls before being caught at the wicket by Brendon McCullum from Paul Wiseman’s bowling.At one stage Wellington were 263 for 3, but time for an improbable victory was running out and the Wellington lower-order, with two experienced hands, Chris Nevin and James Franklin, holding out, Canterbury were denied.Earlier, Canterbury had the benefit of another century to Peter Fulton. It was his second of the season and when the declaration came he was unbeaten on 113, scored off 174 balls. Paul Wiseman, who scored 75 in the first innings, was also not out on 35 when the declaration came, having added 60 runs for the seventh wicket.Jayesh Patel, the Wellington offspinner, came in for some punishment, conceding 108 runs off his 16 overs, but he did pick up three wickets – those of Craig McMillan, Chris Harris and Cairns, when the chase was on for quick runs.

The much-anticipated tour by the Indian team to Pakistan in February 2004 is in danger of being called off, after the Indian players raised concerns about security. According to a report in Mid Day, the team’s concerns will be faxed later today to Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Indian cricket board.The decision was apparently prompted by the recent assassination attempts made on Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president. On December 14, a bomb exploded under a bridge Musharraf’s convoy had passed minutes before, and on December 25, two suicide car bombers rammed into his convoy, killing 14 people.According to the report, the players had discussed the matter for two days before coming to a unanimous conclusion on the first morning of the Boxing Day Test. The move came after Musharraf’s decision to shift residence for security reasons. The team felt that if the president was insecure about his safety, the cricketers could also be high-profile targets.The decision is likely to put the cricket board on the spot, as it had pressurised the Indian government for a resumption of cricketing ties with Pakistan.This was to be India’s first full tour of Pakistan since 1989-90, a series in which Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis made their debuts.Pakistan has faced a series of cancelled tours, due to violence and a threat to life. The New Zealand team pulled out of a tour mid-way in 2002, after a car bomb exploded outside their hotel.

The former Bangladesh captain Aminul Islam is trying his luck in Australia,with a view to regaining his Test spot. Islam scored a memorable 145 inBangladesh’s first Test, against India in November 2000, but has been outof the national side since December 2002.Islam, 36, has travelled to Melbourne to play for the Ivanhoe club. He toldthe Melbourne Age newspaper: "I haven’t retired yet. So I wantanother chance to play for Bangladesh again and this is the best place toimprove my game and improve my form."Dav Whatmore, the former Australian Test batsman who is now Bangladesh’scoach, encouraged the move. "I spoke to our coach before I came," saidIslam, "and he said `If you do well in Australia, you might have a chance’."Islam’s Aussie adventure didn’t start too well, as he was out for 13 in hisfirst match. But Paul Kennedy, Ivanhoe’s president, put that down to acombination of jet-lag and unfamiliarity with Australian pitches.

Javed Mianded, the Pakistan coach, has said Wasim Akram should know where to draw the line when it comes to coaching India.”What I am only worried about is that he does not give them tips on how to play reverse-swing,” Miandad said, adding that his own batsmen had developed a batting strategy to counter the late swing. Miandad was quoted by .Akram is currently working in Australia as a commentator, and has been observed mentoring India’s fast bowlers. This hasn’t gone down too well with many, considering India’s tour of Pakistan is little more than a month away.But Miandad said Akram was within his rights to teach bowlers how to reverse-swing the ball. “There is nothing wrong in that because a bowler must have the ability to pick up the art.”Miandad said that since Akram was a professional cricketer, there was nothing wrong if he was paid for his expertise. “Look, he is a retired player and this is his basic right to help out other players with his experience and knowledge.”He opined that players usually helped each other out, regardless of nationality. “As a former player, I know that in international cricket players do help out each other. Lots of people have approached me for advice if they have been going through a rough time. Similarly, I have also sought some advice at times,” he recalled.”But telling another team the trade secrets of our team, like how to play reverse-swing, I don’t think he would do it, and I hope he is not doing it.”

Close Day 2 East Zone 287 for 8 (Arindam Das 70, Kiran Powar 69*) trail North Zone 330 (Paul 5-83) by 43 runs
Scorecard
Arindam Das and Kiran Powar stroked contrasting half-centuries for East Zone as the Duleep Trophy final hung in the balance at the end of the second day at Mohali. Arindam provided the stability after the loss of some early wickets, while Powar clattered the bowling after a middle-order slump. East Zone were only 43 adrift by the end, and Powar, whose brother Ramesh was recently included in India’s one-day squad, remained unbeaten with a crucial 69.There were some other good performances, too. Ashish Nehra proved his fitness with four spells of disciplined bowling, and extracted some decent bounce as the day wore on. After North Zone had folded for 330 in the morning, with Shib Shankar Paul finishing with 5 for 83, the attention shifted to Nehra and his untested limbs. His first spell was of eight overs – more of a loosener than anything else – but his accuracy ensured that it cost him only 13 runs. Even MS Dhoni (21), who was trying to smash every ball, couldn’t get him away.Nehra enticed Shiv Sundar Das (12) to fiddle at a slightly wide one, and Aakash Chopra easily pouched the catch at second slip (44 for 2). Nehra changed ends for his next two spells, but remained tight, conceding just ten runs from his next five overs. It was now that he managed to unsettle the batsmen with that bounce. And at the end of the day, he tilted the balance in North Zone’s favour with an important wicket. After bowling 20 overs with no sign of discomfort, Nehra should now have booked his ticket to Pakistan.Early on, Rohan Gavaskar was adjudged lbw to a ball that appeared to be heading over the stumps, and at 46 for 3, East Zone were in a tricky spot. But Arindam and Devang Gandhi shared a valuable 93-run stand, eschewing all risks and stabilising the situation. Arindam was solid in defence, getting in behind the line most of the time, and he unfurled a few crisp cuts after reaching his half-century. He was given a life on 65, dropped at second slip by Chopra, but was soon undone by a dream ball by Sarandeep Singh.Sarandeep’s first wicket had come with the last ball of a soporific second session. Gandhi (42) suddenly got one that zipped and turned, and ended up gloving it to short leg (149 for 4). But the delivery that got Arindam ensured that everyone woke up. Slower through the air and drifting a shade away, it spun in viciously after pitching, sneaked through his defence and dislodged the bails (174 for 5) – an offspinner’s delight.Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Saurashish Lahiri fell trying to step up the scoring rate, and, still 130 adrift, East Zone needed a fighting partnership. Utpal Chatterjee hung in grimly while Powar drilled some fierce cuts. He latched on to anything short, and pierced the gaps effortlessly. He also nudged and nurdled, when the field was spread out, and showed great maturity in handling this nervy situation. Chatterjee wasn’t as authoritative: he wafted at some wide ones, and edged a couple through the slips. This pair added 86 in quick time, to rescue East Zone from a perilous position. But Chatterjee fell to Nehra for 39 right at the end, which gave North Zone a slight edge.Karsan Ghavri, East Zone’s coach, wasn’t too perturbed about first-innings honours. “Even if we concede the lead, it won’t be more than 10 to 20 runs,” he reasoned. “We can still come back in the second innings and get back into the game.”Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is on the staff of Wisden Cricinfo in India.

Zaheer Khan is returning to India and will take no further part in the Test series against Pakistan. An MRI scan revealed that Zaheer had pulled a muscle in his right leg, and it was not the hamstring that was injured, as was suspected earlier.Ratnakar Shetty, the team’s manager, added that Andrew Leipus, the team physiotherapist, spoke at length to local doctors and they decided there was no chance that Zaheer would recover in time for the third Test. It was then decided that he be sent back home.Zaheer’s injury happened during the historic maiden Test win at Multan. He bowled 23 overs in the first innings and took 1 for 76, but limped off the field and could not bowl in the second innings.Ashish Nehra, Zaheer’s replacement, has already arrived in Lahore. He had an extended bowl in the nets, and, despite wearing plaster on the webbing between his index finger and thumb, is fully fit. Nehra split the webbing on his finger in the second one-dayer at Rawalpindi, and had to return home, but is now back raring to go.”It’s good to return to Pakistan and be a part of the team again,” Nehra said. “The team is doing well, and I am also confident of contributing to the team’s cause if I am picked to play in the second Test.”Nehra’s short international career has so far been hampered by a host of injuries, something he admitted he found frustrating. “When you pick up an injury like this one in Rawalpindi, or like the one I did in the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka there’s nothing much you can do about it,” he said. “But it’s definitely frustrating to be in and out of the side.”As far as my ankle is concerned, that is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. I have had two surgeries on my ankle, and it is no big deal. I don’t have pain all the time, but sometimes, there is a bit of swelling, and then all I can do is ice it. It’s not something new for any fast bowler. It’s the same kind of injury Brett Lee and Allan Donald have had.”But now he’s fit, he knows that he won’t walk back into the side: “Pathan and Balaji are bowling well, and that is good for the sake of the team. There is a healthy competition between all of us, and that can only be good news for Indian cricket.”With two days to go before the start of the second Test, there’s still plenty of grass on the wicket. Lahore is abuzz with talk of a greentop, and India are certain to go into the match with three fast bowlers. Irfan Pathan is sure to play after his fine display in the first Test, and this leaves Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ashish Nehra and Ajit Agarkar fighting it out for the last two bowling spots.

Neil McKenzie, the South African Test batsman, has been released by Easterns and will now play for the new Highveld Lions team. McKenzie, 28, has scored 2028 runs in his 41 Tests, with two centuries.McKenzie had not been selected for the Titans in their first two Standard Bank Pro 20 matches, Brandon Foot, Easterns’ chairman, explained that he had been released by the franchise to further his career. He said: “Neil has indicated to me that, as a national player striving to achieve recognition in the limited-overs version of the game, it is important to him that he play as many Pro 20 matches as possible. We have elected not to stand in Neil’s way, but to afford him the opportunity of competing for the Highveld Lions, in the best interests of his career. This is, of course, also in line with the decision of the UCBSA to reduce the number of professional teams competing in South African domestic cricket and to ensure that playing strength is spread evenly amongst all the franchises in the country.”Dave Nosworthy, the Titans’ coach, said it was obviously a blow to lose a player of Neil’s calibre. “Neil has served Northerns well and is a player of quality. We wish him all the very best for his future career.”McKenzie concluded: “I would like to thank Northerns Cricket Union for all that they have done for me. Northerns is a truly professional set-up from their administration right down to the change-room attendant. I believe other unions can take a leaf out of Northerns’ book, who always allow cricket to prevail. I am sad to be leaving the Nashua Titans and will always be grateful to them for having afforded me the opportunities necessary, to allow me to be selected for South Africa. I wish them well in the future.”