Jimmy Maher plundered a career-best 217 as Glamorgan put themselves in astrong position going into the last day of their CricInfoChampionship Division One Clash with Essex at Sophia Gardens.Thanks to the Queenslander, Mike Powell and a 98-run partnership downthe order between Darren Thomas and Andrew Davies, Glamorgan were able todeclare their first innings on 546-8 – a lead of 219.By the close Essex openers Darren Robinson and Paul Grayson had survived 19overs to leave Essex in their second innings on 64-0, 155 behind.On 102 overnight, Maher took the attack to the Essex bowling to score 94in the opening session of the third day.And shortly after lunch the Australian went past 200 and his previousbest score of 208 not out for Queensland against South Australia threeyears ago before he was dismissed by youngster Justin Bishop, ending afive-hour vigil that included 324 balls with 32 fours.Maher and Mike Powell resumed the Glamorgan innings on 188-2 – 139behind Essex – but proceeded to knock off the deficit in just 32 overs.By lunch the partnership was worth 240 in 74 overs.Maher added 284 in 74 overs for the third wicket with Powell, who wenton to score his second century of the season off 222 balls.By tea Glamorgan had reached 474-6 – an overall lead of 147. But Thomas,who passed 500 first-class runs for the summer, and Davies tookGlamorgan to the 500 mark.

England had the better of the first day of the Third and final U19 Test against the West Indies as the Riverside, Chester-le-Street.England, needing a win to level the series, were indebted to an incisive opening spell from Lancashire’s Kyle Hogg for their favourable position.The Lancashire seamer took the key wicket of Devon Smith, caught behind by Matthew Prior off the first ball of the match, to end a prolific run; Smith has scored 54, 90, 169 and 15 so far this series. He then bowled skipper Brenton Parchment for 23 before Justin Bishop weighed in with two wickets to reduce the West Indies to 63-5.Narsingh Deonarine resisted for the tourists with a patient 54, but when he was bowled by Monty Panesar on 149, the end was in sight for the West Indies. Their final total of 166 all out was particularly disappointing considering they had won the toss and elected to bat.Ian Bell had little chance to enjoy his call-up to the England Academy team as left-arm pace bowler Kenroy Peters soon dismissed him and Gary Pratt as England began their reply.That left in-form Durham batsman Nicky Peng, and Yorkshire’s Joe Sayers to see England to the close on 54-2, trailing the by 112.

Earlier today at The County Ground in Taunton Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me, “Somerset are busy gearing up all their powers of persuasion in preparation for the forthcoming meetings to discuss the future organisation and structure of first class cricket.”Mr Anderson continued, “The Chief Executive has been active writing articles for the national press and cricketing periodicals which have drawn letters of support from all areas of the country.”The Chief went on, “It was very pleasing to note that Graeme Hick has come out in favour of County Cricket – it needs more players to do likewise.”Mr Anderson added, “County Cricket is not all bad, and it is a silly notion to think that the standard of County Cricket is ever going to be the same as Test Cricket. It’s far to simple to say that if it can’t match Test Cricket it’s no good.”He concluded, “In the meantime Somerset are well advanced for the Regional Academy which will up and runing by November 1st. We hope to announce the new intake towards the middle of October. There are some outstanding young cricketers which augers well for the future of both Somerset and England cricket.”

Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me earlier today that he felt Richard Johnson’s call up for the England tour to India was “well deserved”.The coach,who Johnson said at the time of his signing was one of the reasons why he joined the Cidermen went on, “This goes to show that his move from Middlesex was the right one for everybody. He helped us to win the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, and has almost achieved his ambition of playing for England.”The tall quick bowler has found the wickets at Taunton to his liking and during the season took 62 first class wickets including five hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. He has also become quite a favourite with the crowds around the boundary edge.The coach concluded, “We all know that Johnno is good enough, and now he has got his chance for England.”

At a meeting held this afternoon at Lord’s, an ECB Bowling Review Group chaired by the Board’s Cricket Advisory Committee Chairman David Acfield approved an interim report on the Sussex pace bowler James Kirtley’s bowling action for submission to ICC.The report is required under Stage 1 of ICC’s Bowling Review procedures which was activated when James’ action was reported by the ICC Match Referee during the ODI Series in Zimbabwe in October 2001.The report contains sophisticated scientific analysis of James’ action and it has identified issues which he will work on over the next four months with the assistance of Bob Cottam, ECB’s Bowling Advisor, and other Sussex CCC and ECB support staff.James’ action will be reassessed by the ECB Bowling Review Group before thestart of the 2002 season and an updated report will be submitted to ICC.

Any Indian fan who has been following the news from the Indian camp during the last few days will have every reason to feel disgusted and demoralised. The second Test against South Africa, due to start at Port Elizabeth this Friday, has now become all-important for Sourav Ganguly’s men after they lost the first inside four days. Yet, instead of putting up a united front and looking professionally at their failings, the Indians seem to be in great disarray. And guess what the hullabaloo is about – the opening slot indeed!Rahul Dravid, who in Ganguly’s own words had volunteered to be the opener ahead of the Bloemfontein Test, apparently is not besotted with the idea anymore. So the Indian camp has been mulling over the various possibilities – would VVS Laxman best serve us at the top of order? Or will Deep Dasgupta’s elevation make more sense? Might Sourav Ganguly not be the best choice?John Wright, in particular, seems to be expending much verbal energy in getting the issue resolved. On Monday, he began to question VVS Laxman’s credentials as the Indian No. 3. Giving his reading of the issue, Wright said, “I think it is a choice between Dravid and Laxman, and possibly Dasgupta.””It is tough on Laxman, but in three Tests, he doesn’t have a fifty. Sometimes the need of the team is greater than the individual needs. It is all about the national team, it is not about what you choose or who you choose,” he further remarked. “By that token, Dravid has the right to play in the middle-order. He is averaging 50 plus in Test cricket and has a very important part.”There are, thus, clear indications that at least Wright wants Laxman to move up the order and create a slot for Dravid in the middle. What is bewildering, though, is the tactics that Wright seems to be employing to convince Laxman.By all accounts, the stylish Hyderabadi batsman is not in the least bit inclined to don the mantle of opener yet again. In fact he had announced, even during his days in the wilderness, that he was ready to wait until he found a place in the Indian middle order. Now after a few great deeds on the international arena, it is understandable that he expects to be left in peace to concentrate on the job at hand.The Indian coach might have dredged up Laxman’s performances as Indian No. 3 to support his argument that the latter could not fare any worse as an opener. But was this, diplomatically and otherwise, the right line to take?Probably not; all it could possibly do is put additional pressure on Laxman, who has not really done all that badly in his last five innings – there have been at least a couple of brilliant cameos from him. And before that, he had the stupendous series against Australia. Yet, here he is, finding himself painted into a corner, with his coach also having turned hostile. Couldn’t Wright have shown greater sensitivity?Also, since when has the media turned into a message-board where the coach posts his daily observations? If Wright felt Laxman must do the job, he should have first talked to the rest of the think-tank, and then personally convinced the batsman. Even in that situation, the phraseology used in explaining the situation to Laxman should have suggested understanding and sympathy, and not seemed a crude effort at arm-twisting. The media, meanwhile, should only have been involved after the final decision was made.It is one thing for the journalists to sit and speculate, and quite another for the Indian coach to tell the world, on an almost regular basis, that he is at sixes and sevens.The truly great leaders are almost inscrutable to the outside world. They move in the most silent and yet most efficient manner. This is a lesson that Wright would be well advised to learn; on a foreign tour in alien conditions, the last thing India should be doing is conceding further ground by way of improper planning and less-than-average media-management skills. Wright, then, must begin by restraining his impulses to seek catharsis every time a journalist comes his way.

Debutant opener Lou Vincent justified his selection with an unbeaten 86 on day one of the deciding third cricket Test against Australia at the WACA today.New Zealand put on 103 for the session to go to tea at 2-190, with Vincent unbeaten on 86 and captain Stephen Fleming on 79.The pair came together in the first hour of play with the Kiwis in trouble at 2-19 and Australian quicks Glenn McGrath (1-15) and Jason Gillespie (1-36) looking dangerous.But the tide swung in the visitors’ favour after nine overs when McGrath limped from the field and was taken to hospital for precautionary scans on his back.Vincent, who went to lunch level with Fleming on 33 not out, lifted his scoring rate after lunch.Fleming beat him to 50, but then the plucky right hander became more aggressive after he was bounced by frustrated leg-spinner Shane Warne (0-40).He signalled his intention to punish the Australian attack the very next ball when he hooked a Brett Lee (0-71) bouncer for six.He is closing in on his maiden century, but a century on debut has never been a particularly good omen for Kiwi openers.Jack Mills, who scored 117 in his first Test against England at Wellington in 1929-30, went on to play just six more.Second on the all-time list was left-handed Rodney Redmond, who smashed 107 on debut against Pakistan at Auckland in 1973, his only Test.Australia’s spirits received a boost 43 minutes into the second session when paceman Glenn McGrath returned to the field after a lengthy absence.McGrath will be assessed again during tea, but is unable to bowl until 4.10pm (7.10pm AEDT).

Some careless batting and running from Tamil Nadu batsmen spurred acollapse in their Ranji Trophy league match against Andhra Pradesh atVishakapatnam on Tuesday.Winning the toss, Tamil Nadu skipper Robin Singh opted to have firststrike. His openers did not let him down, with Sridharan Sriram andSadagopan Ramesh posting a 55-run stand for the first wicket. Anothermini-partnership followed between Sriram and C Hemanth Kumar.After the latter was run out, however, things took a different turn.Three more wickets followed, with KS Sahabuddin taking two of them.Only Hemang Badani could stay at the crease; at the close of play,Badani was unbeaten on 40. He was accompanied by TR Arasu (5) as TamilNadu ended the day on 179/5.

Nathan Astle’s blazing innings dominated Canterbury’s eight-wicket humiliation of Central Districts in their State Shield match at Jade Stadium today.Canterbury were replying to CD’s disappointing 147 and any thought that there must have been something wrong, with a pitch that admittedly was being used for the third time, were allayed with the attacking approach employed by Astle and his partner in arms, Shanan Stewart.It is a long way from the bowling standards of the State Shield to that to be experienced against Australia and South Africa, but for the sheer manner in which he was hitting the ball there had to be great encouragement for the form that he will take to Adelaide at the weekend.Put baldly his statistics were: 50 off 55 balls (five fours and three sixes), 100 off 78 balls (15 fours and four sixes). An opening stand of 130 with Stewart off 135 balls.Stewart was out for 45 in the penultimate over of the innings.With his century, Astle became the scorer of most centuries in domestic one-day cricket. It was his seventh century and took him past Roger Twose on the all-time list.It was the fourth fastest domestic one-day century in New Zealand. Aravinda de Silva hit one off 65 balls for Auckland while others were Llorne Howell (72 balls), Craig McMillan (77) and Astle (78).Astle said the innings was good for his confidence.”The selectors have been consistent in their policy about proving fitness after some problems in the past and that is fair enough.”I haven’t picked up a bat since I broke my hand, apart from 30-40 minutes on a bowling machine at Lincoln on Friday,” he said after his innings today.He scored 35 off 34 balls against Auckland on Sunday.Astle said he had been mainly running and doing gym work to keep fit while recovering from his injury and had not even been able to play golf.”I really tried to watch the ball today and my hand felt fine.”Central Districts were a good test for me, especially [Michael] Mason and [Brent] Hefford, as they do try to bounce the ball. It was a shame that the pitch was not a little quicker before going to Australia.”I’m looking forward to getting over there. The guys are playing outstandingly but there are four tough games to go and we have still got a little work to do,” he said.Astle leaves for Adelaide on Thursday morning.He gave all of the bowlers the sword with trademark cut shots, lofted off drives and one superb six over the midwicket boundary for a six to the longest boundary on the ground.He did give a life at 58 but Mason on the deep square leg boundary made a hash of it, a factor made worse when the ball trickled over the boundary to take Astle to 62.Earlier, the CD innings was a continuation of the batting woes that have afflicted the side this summer, and the only merit in it all was the 71 not out scored by Mathew Sinclair.He started his innings slowly, but coming in at No 5 with the score 17/3, he knew he had plenty of time to build a big innings. Unfortunately, the opportunity to blaze through the last couple of overs to lift his score even higher was denied him when the support ran out during the 48th over.Sinclair’s 50 took 89 balls and included only one four and one six, a measure of the care he took.The top order proved especially susceptible to the bowling of Chris Martin. The Canterbury international had been hammered by the Auckland attack on Sunday, but he came back today and had three wickets all caught in the slips for for 19 runs.Astle set up a good day by taking three wickets for 28 runs off nine overs.

South Africa’s already slender hopes of reversing the 3-0 defeat suffered against Australia earlier this year plummeted on Thursday when both captain Shaun Pollock and batsman Justin Ontong were ruled out of Friday’s first Test at the Wanderers with injuries.Pollock strained muscles in his side while playing for his province KwaZulu-Natal last weekend while Ontong pulled a hamstring at practice on Wednesday. Andre Nel had already been placed on standby for Pollock and comes into the team with Mark Boucher taking over the captaincy, but no replacement has been named yet for Ontong.South African selection convener Rushdi Magiet was due to fly up to Johannesburg from Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon and it is expected that Ontong’s replacement will be named later in the day.Candidates for inclusion include the free-scoring Graeme Smith, who has already been named 12th man for the first Test, veteran Daryll Cullinan and Jacques Rudolph, who was picked for the third Test in Sydney last month but omitted when United Cricket Board president Percy Sonn rejected the side handed to him by the selectors.Also in the frame are Ashwell Prince who has been regarded mainly as a one-day player, but who scored a fine 92 against the Australians earlier in the week, and Martin van Jaarsveld, the 27-year-old Northerns Titans batsman who scored 182 not out and 158 not out for his province against Griquas at the weekend.